Open Mind’s Question Box project make the internet’s information accessible to individuals in the developing world at the touch of the button.

Ever thought about the final resting place of your Commodore 64 or Apple IIC? Thanks to a rapidly evolving technology industry that relies on a combination of built-in obsolescence coupled with “the next big thing,” those prehistoric precursors to our modern day machines most likely wound up in a landfill somewhere (unless they’re collecting dust in your parents’ attic) still carrying a bevy of toxic materials like mercury, cadmium and lead to their graves.
As the true environmental and human costs of this electronic waste have come to light in the Western world, we’re witnessing the typical “not in my backyard” [...]

The Economist, the international affairs magazine, recently established a market for subscriptions in India through a unique SMS marketing campaign.  The tiny share of The Economist in India’s news media marketplace drove the magazine’s utilization of a miniaturized mobile news update.
Every day at 11 a.m. the magazine would issue a free summary of headline news and accompanying links to a new mobile updates channel.  The snippets of interesting stories brought mobile readers to the newsstand, bringing sales up by 15%.  Over the course of the year, The Economist increased circulation in India by 39% and subscriptions by 26%.  Campaign India [...]

In early 2008, we wrote about the hype surrounding India’s Tata Motors and their plan to produce the newest version of the “folks’ wagon” with their pared down Nano car, a vehicle that takes the idea of affordability to new levels with its Rs 100,000 ($2000) price tag. And while the company’s concept has been beset by criticisms from the beginning, questioning its manufacturing processes as well voicing concerns over the Nano’s safety and overall environmental impact, Tata’s vision has become a reality with today’s debut.
Time explains that the Nano’s engineers redesigned every component of the vehicle to minimize cost and weight, [...]

On February 3rd in Chennai, India, Google India launched the “internet bus“. It is a mobile bus designed to share the experience of internet as tool for learning, with Individuals throught the state of Tamil Nadu (south India). According to the Google Internet Bus project site, the project is an attempt to educate people about what the internet is and how it may be beneficial to their lives by bringing the internet experience to them. The bus hopes to make the internet less intimidating and much simpler for new users. The concept of the Internet and [...]

On a slope near the village of Karjat, India, an international team of architects has begun to envision a modern, 3-story building that will use bamboo as a primary supporting material.  Intending to spur eco-friendly changes within the Indian construction industry, the ambitious Dutch architect Robert Verrijt and Indian architect Shefali Balwani of Architecture Brio have created an exciting example of engineering prowess, innovative aesthetic, and altogether- sustainable design.   Combining natural and local materials such as bamboo with wood, concrete and steel, the project has been designed with the help of engineer Vilas Gore of GeoScience Services. The building will [...]

As most of you reading this blog know, more people in the world own mobile phones than computers, and this becomes more and more true every day. They are becoming absolutely critical for everyday life, in developing countries especially, as phones bring new found freedom and possibilities.
This is especially true with it comes to banking and finance, and we’re seeing a lot of innovation in this sector. For instance, a new pilot study in Mumbai by a start up called Eko and the Centurion Bank of Punjab offers a simple saving account that can all be managed through a cellphone. [...]

China who?

Jassi jaise kio nahi (literally translate as, “There’s no one like Jassi”) a regular week-day soap opera has taken India by storm. The story of an ugly girl’s (with braces, big thick glasses and no sense of fashion) transformation into a beautiful model has literally seen so much success that the government of India issued a special edition stamp after the protagonist of the soap, Jassi.