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Jeotex
Canadian electronics manufacturer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jeotex Inc.[2] (formerly DataWind Inc.) was a Canada-based electronics company that developed low-cost mobile internet devices, including tablet computers and smartphones.[3] Founded in 2001 in Montreal, Quebec, the company was known for the Aakash tablet, developed for India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development and sold commercially as UbiSlate.[4][5] DataWind listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2014 and transferred to the TSX Venture Exchange in 2018.[6] It was delisted in 2021 and declared bankrupt on 10 June 2021.[7]
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History
DataWind was founded in Montreal in 2001 by brothers Suneet and Raja Tuli.[8][9][10] The company gained international attention in 2011 with the launch of the Aakash tablet as a low-cost educational device.[11] DataWind completed an initial public offering in 2014 and traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "DW".[12] In October 2018 it transferred its listing to the TSX Venture Exchange,[6] and in April 2019 shareholders approved a change of name to Jeotex Inc..[13] The company was delisted in 2021 and subsequently declared bankrupt on 10 June 2021.[14]
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Products and technology
The company’s products included PocketSurfer handheld devices, UbiSurfer netbooks, and UbiSlate tablets. Devices used a server-side compression and acceleration system intended to reduce bandwidth consumption and render pages on low-bandwidth networks.[15][16] Contemporary reviews noted quick page-load times on GPRS networks alongside mixed overall evaluations typical of first-generation devices.[17][18] As DataWind, the company produced the Aakash/UbiSlate tablets, including devices supplied under a government procurement programme in India and models sold commercially. The Aakash received coverage for its low price; the BBC described it as the “world’s cheapest tablet” at launch.[4][19]
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Business model
Analyses and interviews described the company’s strategy as targeting entry-level consumers with low hardware margins, supplemented by recurring revenue from services and partnerships such as bundled data, content, warranties, and advertising.[20] In some markets the company operated as, or in partnership with, a mobile virtual network operator to bundle basic internet browsing with devices.[21] Several device launches in India were accompanied by offers for a period of free or bundled internet browsing delivered via the company’s proxy-based browser, with data arrangements provided through local operators.[22][23] Statements about this model largely come from the company and contemporary business reporting; independent evaluations of its long-term effectiveness are limited in the cited sources.[24]
Content and application partnerships
Company announcements and press coverage described a number of content arrangements intended to preload educational and news applications on some devices. These included materials from the CK-12 Foundation for mathematics and science,[25] news apps and subscription offers from The Indian Express Group,[26] and Yahoo services, with Yahoo India set as the default browser homepage on certain models.[27] In December 2013 the firm said it would work with Happiest Minds Technologies to develop an application store designed for first-time Android users of UbiSlate tablets.[28] Sources chiefly report the existence of these partnerships and intended offerings; independent assessments of the breadth of deployment or user impact are limited in the citations available.
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Network operator partnerships
DataWind announced operator tie-ups in multiple markets to support bundled browsing offers, including Vodafone in the United Kingdom and BSNL and Reliance Communications in India.[29][30][31]
Social initiatives, contests and hackathons
Media and company announcements described limited initiatives around education and app development, including tablet donations and app-development contests in partnership with non-profits and UN-affiliated programmes, as well as hackathons with Geeks Without Bounds in 2012–2013.[32][33][34] Coverage emphasized the programmes’ aims; independent evaluations of impact are limited in the cited sources.
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See also
References
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