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Uruguay to distribute free electronic tablets to retirees

Xinhua, April 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Uruguay will distribute free electronic tablets to retirees later this year as promised by President Tabare Vazquez in his reelection campaign, the government announced Wednesday.

The measure is part of a larger social program launched since 2007, when free laptop computers were distributed to public-school students throughout the country.

The government last week opened the bidding to companies interested in supplying computers and applications geared to the elderly, Miguel Brechner, head of the program, told the state news service.

"We want the service providers to develop programs this segment of the population can use," Brechner said.

The tablets are expected to come equipped with applications for monitoring health, filling out public-sector forms and applications, distance learning, entertainment and other matters of interest for the target market.

Distributing the tablets will fulfill a campaign promise made by Vazquez, who took office for the second time on March 1.

During his first term as president, from 2005 to 2010, the government delivered 670,000 laptops to schoolchildren.

The idea is to put "technology at the service" of teachers and students "to promote their education," said Brechner. Endi