A senior college student has built a tablet PC from a 500-yuan ($78.6) secondhand laptop for his girlfriend.

Wei Xinlong and his girlfriend Sun Shasha, both from rural areas, are seniors in the Art & Design Department at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, capital of Jilin province.

Sun Shasha and Wei Xinlong flash a heart-shaped sign in front of the homemade "iPad" by Wei in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province, Nov 9, 2011. [Photo/CFP]

The weight and thickness of the gadget, which resembles an iPad and took Wei 10 days and 800 yuan, is like a 400-color-page book. "One can read, download, watch movies, play games by just touching the screen," Wei explained.

Wei said he did not have enough money to buy Sun a new computer, so he started building one by studying Internet video programs on how to make tablet PCs.

"The main board, video card, CPU and screen were all from the old laptop, but I bought the touch screen and battery online," Wei said.

Wei spent a considerable amount of time and energy on the cover of the PC too, according to Sun Shasha. "The holes on it were all hand-carved and polished."

"This is the best gift I've ever had, and I will keep it forever," she said. Sun added rhinestones to her gift.

Sun later posted The Birth of My Tablet PC online, and the article attracted 100,000 hits in three days.

One netizen said, "It is an avant-garde present, which outshines a real iPad."

The homemade "iPad" is adorned with rhinestones in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province, Nov 9, 2011. [Photo/CFP]