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Jeotex

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Jeotex, Inc.
Company typePublic
IndustryComputer hardware
Founded2001; 24 years ago (2001) (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
DefunctDeclared bankruptcy June 10, 2021 (2021-06-10)
HeadquartersMississauga, Ontario, Canada[1]
Key people
Suneet Tuli, CEO
Raja Tuli, Co-founder, CTO
ProductsAakash tablet
UbiSlate
PocketSurfer
UbiSurfer
Websitewww.datawind.com

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]

History

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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]

Products and technology

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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]

Business model

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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

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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.

Network operator partnerships

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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

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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.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Jeotex Inc. Profile".
  2. ^ "Jeotex Inc, JTX.H:NEX profile - FT.com". markets.ft.com.
  3. ^ Mims, Christopher (29 November 2012). "$25 tablets, $2 mobile data plans, and zero margins–-how the internet is about to gain 3 billion new users". qz.com. quartz. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "India upgrades 'world's cheapest tablet' Aakash". BBC News. 2012-06-25. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  5. ^ Raina, Pamposh; Timmons, Heather (5 October 2011). "Meet Aakash, India's $35 'Laptop'". The New York Times.
  6. ^ a b "Datawind to Delist from TSX and Transfer Listing to NEX". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  7. ^ "Datawind Inc. (Aka Jeotex Corporation and aka Jeotex Inc. ("Jeotex")) | Insolvency Insider". 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27.
  8. ^ "Aakash tablet will end 'digital divide'". Montreal Gazette, Jason Magder, October 6, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-11-08.
  9. ^ "Meet Aakash, India's $35 'Laptop'". New York Times, October 5, 2011, Pamposh Raina and Heather Timmons. October 5, 2011.
  10. ^ "Will Cheap Computer Bridge India's Digital Divide?". NPR.org. NPR, Corey Flintoff, November 2, 2011.
  11. ^ "India launches Aakash tablet computer priced at $35". BBC News. 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  12. ^ "DataWind Inc. Completes Initial Public Offering and Commences Trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange". tmxmoney.com.
  13. ^ "DataWind Releases Results of Annual General and Special Meeting and Change of Auditor". Accesswire.
  14. ^ "Datawind Inc. (Aka Jeotex Corporation and aka Jeotex Inc. ("Jeotex")) | Insolvency Insider". 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27.
  15. ^ Gough, Andrew. "Business Traveller takes a look at the smart little Datawind Ubisurfer". Business Traveller. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Aakash: We want to target the billion Indians who are cut off, says Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO of Datawind". Economic Times, October 09, 2011, Saira Kurup. October 9, 2011.
  17. ^ Cha, Bonnie. "DataWind PocketSurfer". CNET.
  18. ^ SEGAN, SASCHA. "DataWind PocketSurfer". PC Magazine.
  19. ^ Raina, Pamposh; Timmons, Heather (5 October 2011). "Meet Aakash, India's $35 'Laptop'". The New York Times.
  20. ^ Times, The New York (2012-12-31). "A Conversation With: DataWind's Suneet Singh Tuli". India Ink. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  21. ^ MVNO Dynamics (28 Jan 2012). "Datawind to launch 99 with bundled data via an MVNO in UK: Total Telecom". Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  22. ^ "Datawind announces 1-year free Internet on tablet PC". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  23. ^ "Datawind PocketSurfer Smartphones Launched With 1-Year Free Internet via RCom". NDTV. PTI. 18 Mar 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  24. ^ Times, The New York (2012-12-31). "A Conversation With: DataWind's Suneet Singh Tuli". India Ink. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  25. ^ "Datawind tablets to have CK-12 content for free". Financial Express. Nov 18, 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  26. ^ "List of Ubislate 7+ apps and Datawind's Partnerships". thetechgears.com. Tech Gear. 29 April 2012.
  27. ^ "List of Ubislate 7+ apps and Datawind's Partnerships". thetechgears.com. Tech Gear. 29 April 2012.
  28. ^ "Happiest Minds ties up with Datawind". The Hindu. December 4, 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  29. ^ Miles, Stuart (9 July 2009). "Datawind Ubisurfer netbook comes with free internet access". Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  30. ^ Bafna, Sanjay. "BSNL ties up with Datawind to offer Four Low-cost 2G and 3G Android Tablets with Bundled offers". telecomtalk.info. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  31. ^ "Datawind PocketSurfer Smartphones Launched With 1-Year Free Internet via RCom". NDTV. PTI. 18 Mar 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  32. ^ Agencies, News (December 8, 2011). "Datawind joins hands with NASSCOM Foundation". Indian Express. Indian Express. Retrieved 23 January 2015. {{cite news}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  33. ^ Bhushan, Kul (January 11, 2013). "Datawind and UN launch app development contest for women's empowerment". Think Digit.
  34. ^ Diana, Alison. "Hackathon Helps Underprivileged Kids Forge Tech Careers". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
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