It is rare to find a tablet that bridges the gap between those who can and cannot afford the technology. DataWind may not be a tech name you've heard a lot from before, but the Indian company has actually been around since 2001. Its core automation enables basic Internet browsing in areas with low bandwidth. With minimal processing requirements, DataWind's products were tailored for less developed, emerging markets. Once the Indian government caught onto DataWind's endeavors, it won a contract for producing low-priced tablets for students. Since becoming commercial, DataWind is now one of the top three tablet suppliers in India, with Apple and Samsung being by its side. After expanding into Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and the UK, DataWind decided there was a big enough price conscious market in the United States to bring its tablets here.

The DataWind Ubislate 7Ci is WiFi-only, runs Android 4.0.3, packs a Cortex A8, 1GHz processor, and 512MB RAM, for only $38. Specs are comparable to the first generation iPad from 2010; also running what some would call an ancient version of Android (circa December 2011). Additional specs include an 800 x 480 resolution, 7-inch capacitive touch screen, front facing VGA camera, 3.5mm audio jack, micro SD, mini USB, and 4GB of internal memory (expandable to 32GB). Upgraded versions include a 2G, WiFi and EDGE equipped version (Ubislate 7C+), and a 3G, WiFi, Edge model (UbiSlate 7Cz) with Bluetooth for $79.99, and $129.99, respectively. All versions contain a multi format video player.

Not too shabby. For $38, UbiSlate is an Android touchscreen tablet capable of watching HD streaming video. Also packed with games, Kingsoft Office (an MS Office alternative), and over 150 thousand apps, this could be perfect for someone who doesn't want to spend mainstream prices. This tablet is also the only Android device on the market offering UbiSurfer, a quick acting browser that accelerates web pages by factors of 10x to 30x. It seems nearly impossible to deny the bang for the buck Ubislate provides. When you consider all the individuals, schools, and students who cannot afford today's iPad or Galaxy Note, they now have a chance to catch up.

Finally, when it comes to the look and feel of this tablet, wouldn't you think a product so cheap would feel cheap too? According to reviews, that isn’t the case. Instead, the Ubislate “feels like a solid, robust product. Even the appearance of the tablet, although admittedly quite dull, doesn't actually look that bad”, says one report. It may not be the most exciting product to look at, but when cutting corners, I think DataWind tried their hardest to put the right resources in the right places.

However, considering the only camera is front-facing, with just 0.3 megapixels, I would consider that unusable. Further, not a great deal of power is inside the tablet, therefore it reportedly struggles with some apps, games, and multitasking. Although exciting that it contains 150 thousand apps, “many of the apps on the store are too demanding for the tablet to handle at full speed”. That’s too bad, but what can you expect from $38, really? Luckily, videos are said to run well, yet don’t look as great as hoped. All things considered, this tablet has its ups and downs. The world’s cheapest tablet is in fact not a terrible one.