Kaboo: Is this the first Kenyan Designed Tablet Computer?

Cyrus

14 years ago

I have just been sent some info about a “Kenyan Tablet Computer” and I thought, wow!! So I tried to get more info about the tablet including specs and everything and I am further impressed. So two Kenyans, Kelvin Jayanoris and Nicole Wambere, who are the brains behind Noris Technologies sat together more than one year ago and decided to do a tablet computer. So with the funding of their parents to the tune of Ksh 1.5 Million, the young man and woman have come up with Noris Kaboo tablet computer.

The Kaboo tabled has been designed by Noris technologies in collaboration with some Chinese partners which makes it an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) tablet. ODM is a company which designs and manufactures a product which is specified and eventually branded by another firm for sale. So Noris specified what they wanted and since they did not have the technical expertise, they involved the Chinese company to give the Technical input.

Specs:

CPU: VIA WM8650 (800MHz 300MHz DSP)
Operating System: Android 2.2
Screen: 7-inch resistive touch screen
Storage: 256MB DDR2 RAM and 2GB internal storage
3G : Supports external 3G (USB 3G) Modem
Card Reader: Supports High-speed Micro-SD card (maximum: 32GB)
Sound: Built-in speaker, Built-in micphone
Camera: 0.3M Pixels Web Camera
Orientation Sensor Automatic steering display screen
Supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
Supports adobe flash 10.1
High-sensitivity G-sensor embedded

The tablet runs on Android 2.2 (Froyo) though Noris technologies had to modify it since the stock froyo from Google could not come out well on the tablet. The feel will be a bit different. Noris technologies say they have already sold around 440 pieces and they have been doing this through newspaper adverts. One was in the papers last week.

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Kelvin says that the tablet should be selling for as low as Ksh 12,000 but since they produce low quantity, it has affected the pricing. I must say that it is impressive even if it was an OEM device. The fact that the tablet looks and feels good makes me happy. I have my copy and I am checking it out after which I will write a detailed analysis.