VMK launch 'first African-designed' smartphone and tablet

[BabuK]

A smartphone and tablet said to be the first designed by an African company have beenlaunched.


The products, designed by Congolese entrepreneur Verone Mankou, are manufactured in China.
His company VMK's devices run Google's Android software. They will retail at $170 (£105) for the smartphone and $300 (£185) for the tablet.
"Only Africans can know what Africa needs," said Mr Mankou at the Tech4Africa conference in Johannesburg.
"Apple is huge in the US, Samsung is huge in Asia, and we want VMK to be huge in Africa."
Technology blog Smartplanet reports that the tablet offers wi-fi connectivity and four gigabytes of internal storage. Its name, Way-C, means "the light of the stars" in the local Lingala language.
The smartphone has rear and forward facing cameras and a 3.5in (8.9cm) screen.
There are plans to sell the devices across 10 other West African countries as well as Belgium, France and India.
Mr Mankou said he hoped to launch a cheaper tablet for students next year.
First? The devices will come up against several already well-established and popular brands.
Most notably, Blackberry-maker Research in Motion (RIM) has a significant presence on the continent, despite flagging sales in the western market.

The tablet is similar in size to Samsung's Galaxy Tab
Popular too are handsets from Nokia which is working closely with Facebook to grow African's interest in both mobile communication and social networking.
However, there is an increasing desire among African communities to support homegrown products, spurred on by fledgling technology scenes in various cities across the region.
'Offended' Attempts to be seen as African have caused some firms to be accused of dishonesty. Companies were highly criticised after they were deemed to be marketing products that were made offshore but simply branded locally.
VMK insisted that while the product was manufactured in China for cost reasons, the design and engineering was entirely African.
A page on the company's website stressed that statement, saying: "We are somewhat offended by the disregard of those who persist in denying the authentication of our products, despite evidence.
"Most of those critics are either Afro-pessimistic (who argue that 'nothing good can come from Africa'), or just (future) competitors."
The company added that unlike previous "African" smartphones and tablets, there were no products matching the VMK devices in other countries under different branding.

 

[Chief-Mkwawa]

mkuu kama unamjua huyu jamaa mwambie aache kutengeneza upesi na hizi ndio sababu zangu.
specification ndogo
kwa tablet yenye single core 1.2 ghz ram 512, internal 4gb na android 2.3 ni specification ndogo atleast bei ingekua chini ya dola 150.

Simu nayo ina processor 600 mhz na ram 512 na internal 120mb kioo kina 256k color na sio goriila pia kina resolution ya 320x480 ambayo ni ndogo.

bei
mkuu hio bei ni kubwa dola 300 ni zaidi ya laki 4 na nusu, wizi wa wazi wazi sasa hivi kuna tablet kama nexus 7, kindle fire, noble hd, acer mpya (inakuja) na blackberry playbook zote ni chini au ni dola 199 so siwezi nunua

simu dola 170 zaidi ya laki 2 na 60 wakati kuna galaxy pocket, galaxy mini, htc wildfire, lg optimus, na simu kibao ambazo ni chini ya bei hio.

designed for africa
hapa pia katudanganya sababu hawa jamaa wamekuta tablet na simu zimeshatengenezwa then wananunua na kuprint majina yao tu.

Tunapozungumzia smartphone na tablets design ina maana motherboard itaumbwaje, processor itakaa wapi databus zitapita vipi kifaa kimoja na chengine vitawasiliana vipi.

Design sio cover tu.

Kwa kuconclude huyu jamaa ni mfanyabiashara tu ila amekuja na maneno yake matamu tu.

ushauri kwa enterpreneur wa kiafrica

mafanikio hayaji ghafla bin vuu bali yanaanzia mbali hatuna hata kiwanda cha kutengenezea screen protector au hata cover za nje za simu tunataka tukimbilie mbali hatutafika kwa njia hii.

 

[Ibrahim Nzunda]

Mi nampongeza kwasababu amekua kwenye group la wachache walio amini katika ideas zao hadi wakaweza kuziweka kwenye actions.
pamoja na kwamba specs zake ni ndogo sana. lakini cha msingi ni vizuri kuanza na kidogo then baadae kuleta kikubwa zaidi ya hiki.

nategemea huyu jamaa atakua critisized sana.. LAKINI akizifanyia kazi all of constructive critics.... atafika mbali sana na ideas zake.
this man has a passion on what he is doing and he shows that he has a plan to develop more than that. JA AJABU UTASHANGAA JINSI OTHER AVARAGE AFRICANS WATAKAVYOKUJA NA LUNDO LA DESTRUCTIVE CRITICS.

NAMPA TANO KIJANA.

 

[Nyasiro]

ile ya kinigeria inayoitwa INYE yenyewe vipi?

 

[Laigwanan76]

mkuu kama unamjua huyu jamaa mwambie aache kutengeneza upesi na hizi ndio sababu zangu.
specification ndogo
kwa tablet yenye single core 1.2 ghz ram 512, internal 4gb na android 2.3 ni specification ndogo atleast bei ingekua chini ya dola 150.

Simu nayo ina processor 600 mhz na ram 512 na internal 120mb kioo kina 256k color na sio goriila pia kina resolution ya 320x480 ambayo ni ndogo.

bei
mkuu hio bei ni kubwa dola 300 ni zaidi ya laki 4 na nusu, wizi wa wazi wazi sasa hivi kuna tablet kama nexus 7, kindle fire, noble hd, acer mpya (inakuja) na blackberry playbook zote ni chini au ni dola 199 so siwezi nunua

simu dola 170 zaidi ya laki 2 na 60 wakati kuna galaxy pocket, galaxy mini, htc wildfire, lg optimus, na simu kibao ambazo ni chini ya bei hio.

designed for africa
hapa pia katudanganya sababu hawa jamaa wamekuta tablet na simu zimeshatengenezwa then wananunua na kuprint majina yao tu.

Tunapozungumzia smartphone na tablets design ina maana motherboard itaumbwaje, processor itakaa wapi databus zitapita vipi kifaa kimoja na chengine vitawasiliana vipi.

Design sio cover tu.

Kwa kuconclude huyu jamaa ni mfanyabiashara tu ila amekuja na maneno yake matamu tu.

ushauri kwa enterpreneur wa kiafrica

mafanikio hayaji ghafla bin vuu bali yanaanzia mbali hatuna hata kiwanda cha kutengenezea screen protector au hata cover za nje za simu tunataka tukimbilie mbali hatutafika kwa njia hii.

Inaonyesha pia R&D ni ya magumashi......anyway kabla ya kusema mengi tungoje tuione.......maana wengi wataona tunamwonea wivu......ila kwa wanaojua kuhusu product kama hizi,huwa zina mlolongo mrefu sana kutoka design mpaka product launch,and as well product continuity on the market,through R&D.

 

[Chief-Mkwawa]

ile ya kinigeria inayoitwa INYE yenyewe vipi?

inye na hii vmk ni baba mmoja mama mmoja wame order kwenye kampuni moja ya china then wanaeka brand name zao

 

[PlanckScale]

inye na hii vmk ni baba mmoja mama mmoja wame order kwenye kampuni moja ya china then wanaeka brand name zao

Kwanini usiboresha yale unayosema kashindwa, ila usimpige mawe anaye jaribu.
Kaka hivyo sio vizuri. Kusagiana kuna turudisha nyuma...
Kama unaaidia nzuri mimi niko tiyari kuungana nawe...I am serious about this!

 

[Chief-Mkwawa]

Kwanini usiboresha yale unayosema kashindwa, ila usimpige mawe anaye jaribu.
Kaka hivyo sio vizuri. Kusagiana kuna turudisha nyuma...
Kama unaaidia nzuri mimi niko tiyari kuungana nawe...I am serious about this!

mkuu kuna tamaa na kusaidiana

kwa change ya 1500 hio tablet itauzwa 450,000

google nexus 7 inauzwa 199 usd na ilicost 152 usd kutengeneza ina maana kuna 47 usd hapo ya usafirishaji na faida.
google nexus 7 imeipita kila idara hio tablet

sijajua cost ilotumika kutengenezea hio tablet lakini haraka haraka haifiki 180,000 labda itakua laki na nusu au chini ya hapo so jamaa kwa kila tablet anapata faida zaidi ya mara mbili ya cost (apple style) sidhani kama hapa kuna kusaidiana au kunyonyana.


kama unataka idea mkuu mi nakupa nenda kaeke order ya acer tablet mpya za usd 99 then kauze vyuoni chini ya laki 2 kwa tablet utapata faida kubwa tu na hutanyonya watu

 

[Prof. Engineer]

haya mm msomaji tu,natafuta neno

 

[KXY]

designed for africa
hapa pia katudanganya sababu hawa jamaa wamekuta tablet na simu zimeshatengenezwa then wananunua na kuprint majina yao tu.

Tunapozungumzia smartphone na tablets design ina maana motherboard itaumbwaje, processor itakaa wapi databus zitapita vipi kifaa kimoja na chengine vitawasiliana vipi.

Design sio cover tu.

Kwa kuconclude huyu jamaa ni mfanyabiashara tu ila amekuja na maneno yake matamu tu.

Mkuu neno design lina tafsiri pana, hata wale designers wa nguo wanaweza wakawa hawajui lolote kuhusu chemistry ya texture ya vitambaa wanavyotumia.

Kwa industry ya technology inabidi wajiulize mara mbili mbili uhalali wa wao kutumia neno 'designed' ili kuto undervalue effort za wenzao wanaokesha lab

 

[Amoeba]

Nilliiona hiyo habari miezi kadhaa nyuma, kiufupi hiyo tablet is not even a tablet, ni nene kama counter book, hata na unene huo processor na memory yake ni insanely low!

 

[Pancras Suday]

mkuu kama unamjua huyu jamaa mwambie aache kutengeneza upesi na hizi ndio sababu zangu.
specification ndogo
kwa tablet yenye single core 1.2 ghz ram 512, internal 4gb na android 2.3 ni specification ndogo atleast bei ingekua chini ya dola 150.

Simu nayo ina processor 600 mhz na ram 512 na internal 120mb kioo kina 256k color na sio goriila pia kina resolution ya 320x480 ambayo ni ndogo.

bei
mkuu hio bei ni kubwa dola 300 ni zaidi ya laki 4 na nusu, wizi wa wazi wazi sasa hivi kuna tablet kama nexus 7, kindle fire, noble hd, acer mpya (inakuja) na blackberry playbook zote ni chini au ni dola 199 so siwezi nunua

simu dola 170 zaidi ya laki 2 na 60 wakati kuna galaxy pocket, galaxy mini, htc wildfire, lg optimus, na simu kibao ambazo ni chini ya bei hio.

designed for africa
hapa pia katudanganya sababu hawa jamaa wamekuta tablet na simu zimeshatengenezwa then wananunua na kuprint majina yao tu.

Tunapozungumzia smartphone na tablets design ina maana motherboard itaumbwaje, processor itakaa wapi databus zitapita vipi kifaa kimoja na chengine vitawasiliana vipi.

Design sio cover tu.

Kwa kuconclude huyu jamaa ni mfanyabiashara tu ila amekuja na maneno yake matamu tu.

ushauri kwa enterpreneur wa kiafrica

mafanikio hayaji ghafla bin vuu bali yanaanzia mbali hatuna hata kiwanda cha kutengenezea screen protector au hata cover za nje za simu tunataka tukimbilie mbali hatutafika kwa njia hii.

Aksante chief, nilikuwa naperuzi kwenye makampuni makubwa ya kutengeneza vifaa vya electronics, walipoanzia vifaa vyao hadi nilicheka ukilinganisha walipo sasa, sasa nimeshangaa hapa iweje huyi jamaa alipuke tu shaaa bin vuuuu halafu atoke na smartphone na tablets, ilihali hata hatujaelezwa huko nyuma alikuwa anatengeneza bidhaa gani iliyopelekea kufikia mafanikio haya, huyu jamaa anatumiwa na wafanyabiashara tu kuteka soko barani afrika kwa sababu wameona si rahisi kwenda kumdanganya mzungu, wanajua kuwa waafrika ni watu wa kupokea na kuanza ku digest bila kuhoji

 

[PlanckScale]

mkuu kuna tamaa na kusaidiana

kwa change ya 1500 hio tablet itauzwa 450,000

google nexus 7 inauzwa 199 usd na ilicost 152 usd kutengeneza ina maana kuna 47 usd hapo ya usafirishaji na faida.
google nexus 7 imeipita kila idara hio tablet

sijajua cost ilotumika kutengenezea hio tablet lakini haraka haraka haifiki 180,000 labda itakua laki na nusu au chini ya hapo so jamaa kwa kila tablet anapata faida zaidi ya mara mbili ya cost (apple style) sidhani kama hapa kuna kusaidiana au kunyonyana.


kama unataka idea mkuu mi nakupa nenda kaeke order ya acer tablet mpya za usd 99 then kauze vyuoni chini ya laki 2 kwa tablet utapata faida kubwa tu na hutanyonya watu

nakubaliana na wewe kuhusu pricing na kwamba the use of "designer" in that context may have been an exaggeration. But apart from that, the rest is business and business is about kunyonyana. The consumer can benefit only if the business environment is free and properly regulated! To be an educated consumer is each one's responsibility and your advice is certainly helpful to the potential buyers... Another than that, let the man do what he got to do, and the market will determine the winner....

You know, you could tie the Acer pad to a service agreement from say, Zantel or Airtel. You put a unique User Interface
and convince Zantel to sell you bandwidth as a bundle at "whole sale" price, then your job is to sale the service...

 

[Msherwa]

Ina maana kama wanatengenezewa na wachina, then wanabandika stika zao ikitokea Tanzania zinazimwa simu fake, hzo nazo si zitazimwa? Maana unakuta stika ya VMK then IMEI ya ZTE au G-tide!! chief mkwawa

 

[Msherwa]

Ina maana kama wanatengenezewa na wachina, then wanabandika stika zao ikitokea Tanzania zinazimwa simu fake, hzo nazo si zitazimwa? Maana unakuta stika ya VMK then IMEI ya ZTE au G-tide!! chief mkwawa

 

[utakuja]

Ajani convince bado niame Huawei kwenye phone brand ... Angeweka dual core na latest os ingekuwa fresh hiyo tablet 2013 tutang'ang'ania gingerbread hadi lini . Sema big up kashow great initiative in African science and technology

 

[Chief-Mkwawa]

Ina maana kama wanatengenezewa na wachina, then wanabandika stika zao ikitokea Tanzania zinazimwa simu fake, hzo nazo si zitazimwa? Maana unakuta stika ya VMK then IMEI ya ZTE au G-tide!! chief mkwawa

mkuu si kweli kila cha china fake thread nyingi humu zinazungumzia na pia kuna tofauti kati ya fake na low quality.

Hebu ntajie katika mitandao hii minne kuna mtandao upi ambao hautumii modem za zte na huawei na wote hawa ni wachina so ukisema wawaditch hawa itakua balaa sasa.

Then mpaka kifaa kinatumia android hakiwezi zimwa inamaana sio fake ila kinaweza kua cha low quality.

Mfano wa simu fake ni ile icon imeandikwa wifi ukiclick ni bluetooth, icon imeandikwa email ukiclick ni message ya kawaida.

Ila simu ya low quality hawadanganyi kama juu wao wanatumia hardware zilizotengenezwa na material ya bei ya chini. Mfano wake ndo hii tablet.

 

[PlanckScale]

Wabongo have changed the meaning of fake to mean anything not from a well-known brand.
Mfano, watu wengi husema spea za magari ni feki kwa kuwa sio za original equipment manufacturer (OEM). They forget that the market allows for other manufactures to make spare parts too. In fact, most spare parts in a car are not
made by the original car manufactures; they outsource them.

The different is, spare parts from other vendors are likely to be of inferior quality than the ones "approved" by an OEM.
But they are not feki, just poor quality. In USA you can buy parts from different vendor at different price/quality points; it is up to you and your pocket. You get what you pay for!