The world's most affordable smartphone, Freedom 251, was unveiled at a glittering event in New Delhi on Wednesday, courtesy of the Noida-based tech start-up, Ringing Bells. This groundbreaking revelation has sparked a frenzy of interest among the public and media alike. Yet, amidst the excitement, one fact has emerged – eager buyers have encounteredPayment Pandemonium.

Avail the opportunity to own a Freedom 251 exclusively at www.freedom251.com from 6 AM today, and secure your spot before the grand closure on February 21. Just try to book, and you'll find yourself in a shipping saga – an interminable merry-go-round between personal details and the elusive 'Pay Now' button. Consumers aren't alone in their frustration; the delivery dilemmas persist, and the price tag reveals the bijou charge of Rs 40, doubling the sticker price to Rs 291 per unit.

The company behind the buzz issued a statement noting the site's felled fidelity, citing a traffic binge that knocked the website on its proverbial heels. An averagely ceaseless roar of 6 Lakh bookings per second greeted the website, an insurmountable dawn of demand crashed the tech frontier once more.

Even as the digital doors remain guarded, the masterminds of Ringing Bells assure relief is on the horizon. A brief respite granted to ready their online arena and promises to reboot within the confines of 24 hours.

Shrouded in controversy as much as cost-cutting, this latest entrant in the smartphone saga has some heavy-hittersuddling their heads. Mohit Kumar Goel, the mind behind Ringing Bells, touts the device as congruent with the PM's rallying cry, "Make in India," but whispers of governmental sponsorship go unanswered. The smartphone under the Freedom251 alias is whispered to be an rechristened Ikon 4 from ADCOM, a phrase ominously linked with humble beginnings but ripe question marks over suspicious savings. The Rs 251 price point may be aSpartan litany, but who underwrites the undoing? Is this a stride towards the Digital India ethos or merely a postcard for profit at Mac's gain?

With such specters swirling, all we can do is stand, perplexed, and wait – for the next card, the declining action shot.

Decoded: Freedom 251 – Remade from ADCOM’s Ikon 4

Paradox or Panacea: Is Freedom 251 merely window dressing for #DigitalIndia and #MakeInIndia, or could it be more than meets the ear?