Bangladeshi invents Tk 5000 ‘Jadu PC’

Almost all households in Bangladesh have at least one television set. It is often called an 'idiot box', where the viewer spends time surfing from one channel to another. A TV set does not have any self-operating system.

But now Bangladeshi information technologist Masrur Hannan has invented a small device that can turn one’s TV into a personal computer, a ‘Jadu PC’ (Magic PC) as he calls it. And it costs only Tk 5,000.

“We’re planning to build a platform. Preliminarily, the users will have access to each and every popular Android app,” said Masrur Hannan.

Whatever TV you may have, CRT, LCD or LED, it can be transformed into personal computer with the touch of the small device. Once a TV, monitor or projector is connected with the device, it will function like a personal computer. A wireless mouse and keyboard can be added to the PC.

Ones can install necessary applications in the ‘Jadu PC’. It also can be used as a smartphone. The user can avail entertainment and education applications through the device.

Its sales and supply advisor Shakib Nur Billah said Jadu PC has not been developed for any specific target group, though he said they will preliminarily try to reach out to the underprivileged and low income people.

The Jadu PC will run through the Android operating system. After much experimentation, he added, the engineers have found Android to be most suitable for the device.

Leader of the Jadu PC’s developer team Nafis Kabir said as the device will run on Android system and the users will get access to large apps’ reservoir of the Android.

There will also b ethe choice to use everything in Bengali. Bengali as a language was given top priority while developing the operating system and apps.

The developers said its electricity cost will be very low. It consumes just 5 watts of electricity to run.

The authorities said Jadu PC will be launched within a month and sales will go on public in December this year.

*This piece, originally published in Prothom Alo print, has been rewritten in English by Toriqul Islam