[handheld computer of the pure land]

Topic: India
Daniel Kleinfeld informs me that an Indian company is about to release a full-featured handheld computer called the Amida Simputer. According to the BBC headline, the new computer, which sells for about $240 and allows its users to send email in their own handwriting, is for the poor. But considering that the average Indian wage is $460, I don’t expect the rag-pickers and goat-herders to be emailing each other anytime soon.

And a side note: Amida Buddha is the Buddha of Everlasting Light, and the term Amida is often used to mean the Pure Land into which the faithful (or at least the faithful Pure Land Buddhists) hope to be reborn because it’s super-easy to reach enlightenment there — you know, like California. Unfortunately, the light on your Amida Simputer will run out after about six hours.