The Official Launch of The Taifa Laptop

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Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has today launched the first Kenyan-made laptop to the public by the ICT Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i. The event was graced by Taifa Brand, NITP and Intel at Fairmont the Norfolk. The laptop is named Taifa which is Kiswahili word for nation. JKUAT began assembling desktop computers in 2006, the E-MADO brand, in partnership with Ministry of Industrialization and other public/private partners and today marks the first introduction of the Taifa laptop to the public.

The TAIFA Brand Laptop is a product of the Nairobi Industrial and Technological Park (NITP). NITP is a kenyan vision 2030 flagship project between Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Tecnology (JKUAT) and the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development (MOIED). The project advances the triple heritage of providing worldclass solutions, creating jobs and wealth and creating the pride of our Nation in the spirit of “Buy Kenya, Build Kenya

The Vice Chancellor of JKUAT Mrs. Mabel Imbuga said that the laptop is the first to be produced in the country and its 100% owned by JKUAT. “JKUAT champions innovation and research to create market for the young entrepreneurs in the institution. “She added.

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“The Taifa laptop is a landmark in the ICT sector in Kenya. The project will certainly provide world class solutions to create jobs in the country especially in the ICT sector.” Dr. Fred Matiang’i said. Matiang’i also provided that Jubilee government rolled digital program and intends to lay a foundation for future technology serving in all schools for a better learning environment and JKUAT is at an upper hand to lay the pillars and act as an ambassador in the program.

“To be able to deliver education we need devices and companies are given a challenge to employ fresh knowledge from schools to develop on their innovation and build content in different institutions.” Dr. Matiang’i added. The cabinet secretary emphasized on investment in connectivity and digitization in all institutions in the country. He encouraged innovators to assemble more ICT related devices given that the government has placed an exemption from VAT inputs imported for assembling of ICT devices.

Key Features of the Taifa laptop

Display

  • 14.0” WXGA HD (1366×768)

Processor Options

  • Intel® CoreTM i3 – 400M, Intel® Processors 2.4Ghz

Operating System Options

  • Genuine Windows® 8.1
  • Genuine Microsoft Office® 2013

Memory

  • DDR3 SDRAM 4GB RAM

Storage

  •  500GB 7200 rpm SATA Hard Drive

Optical Drive

  • 8X DVD+/-RW

Multimedia

  • High quality speakers, Stereo headphone & Microphone jack
  • HDMI Port
  • HD video webcam

Connectivity

  • 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

Wireless LAN

  • IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth

  • Wireless Bluetooth® 4.0

Ports, Slots & Chassis

  • Network connector (RJ-45), USB 2.0 (1), USB3.0 (2)
  • Stereo headphone & Microphone jacks, Memory card reader slot

Input Device

  • Single pointing keyboard
  • Smooth Touchpad

Battery

  • 6-cell (60Whr) Lithium Ion battery – 4200mAh

The laptop is now available to the public and goes for Shs 46, 720. JKUAT intends to launch more models besides Taifa A3 in the coming years.

 

Article Categories:
TECHNOLOGY

Comments

  • WanjohiKE when you say Kenyan made, what parts were made in Kenya?

    TheRealWainaina June 12, 2015 14:05
  • @TheRealWainaina WanjohiKE The design is Kenyan. Just like Apple designs the iPhone but outsources the components, so did JKUAT.

    waodipo June 12, 2015 14:26
  • kachwanya when you say Kenyan made, what parts were made in Kenya? The chip? HDD? Monitor? Or was it simply assembled here?

    TheRealWainaina June 12, 2015 14:35
  • What effort does it take to design an authentic logo that is not plagiarized? Even an illiterate person can tell you that that is Sony VAIO imitation in a blink of an eye.

    omanimo June 12, 2015 15:13
  • omanimo Could be professional designers are very expensive in Kenya. Just saying.

    waodipo June 12, 2015 15:29
  • WanjohiKE CallMeAlien I see they made good use of the Sony Vaio logo font.

    uwanja June 12, 2015 15:31
  • uwanja haha! Yup! WanjohiKE

    CallMeAlien June 12, 2015 15:32
  • WanjohiKE I’ll ask the obvious question: Why does it ship with Windows, as opposed to Linux?

    nickhargreaves June 12, 2015 15:32
  • CallMeAlien uwanja I thought I was the only one who saw that :-) WanjohiKE

    moffatmn June 12, 2015 15:38
  • moffatmn CallMeAlien WanjohiKE Inaitwa kureinvent the wheel. Why have a Kenyan flag on it though? Imagine Apple,Acer and HP having flags.

    uwanja June 12, 2015 15:44
  • WanjohiKE MacOtani the way to go

    gnyamato June 12, 2015 16:32
  • WanjohiKE as well as the first East African made laptop. Kudos Kenya!

    michaelmwondha June 12, 2015 18:04
  • CarolKayamba WanjohiKE Aah that’s nice…For us By Us…so far so good tupunguze Uchina kiasi…halafu after testing wapewe spply ya primo

    e0504c48e054405 June 12, 2015 18:48
  • WanjohiKE this is awesome!!

    chesi_david June 12, 2015 19:44
  • WanjohiKE e0504c48e054405 how much…wanna buy

    IsaacwaWa June 12, 2015 20:48
  • WanjohiKE how much

    MtuPombe June 12, 2015 21:48
  • MtuPombe 49K

    Mike_marshall17 June 12, 2015 21:50
  • Mike_marshall17 smh 49k niko na na better upuss

    MtuPombe June 12, 2015 21:51
  • WanjohiKE MeanKaiser how much? I’m buying!

    Jasiri_TEA June 12, 2015 23:05
  • WanjohiKE MumbiKaptere Imagine the potential benefits of giving the school laptop tender to DiscoverJKUAT &cutting middlemen #TaifaLaptop

    JamesAlanOLOO June 13, 2015 08:43
  • JamesAlanOLOO That is the Kenya we would want to live in but we must elect ppl with vision not #tenderprenurs Cc WanjohiKE DiscoverJKUAT

    MumbiKaptere June 13, 2015 08:45
  • JamesAlanOLOO WanjohiKE MumbiKaptere DiscoverJKUAT am just wondering do they have the capacity. They are importing the motherboard

    samuelkigotho2 June 13, 2015 15:26
  • This is the latest absurd trending stupidity that we have the unfortunate chance of witnessing it in Kenya. You take an Sony Vaio stock laptop, put the national flag sticker and fool us that it is made in Kenya? Oh please! So it’s made in Kenya, alright…what OS is it running on? WINDOWS! OK, made in Kenya.@!$%$

    isalovell June 16, 2015 08:16
  • Wow, this futuristic laptop is really cool! I saw some website publish a
    similar futuristic laptop but not sure it is a true one. I look forward to see this touchscreen thingy will be able to use it commonly in the next 5 years. Do you think it is possible?
    http://textycafe.com/best-gaming-laptops-under-700/

    johnw. August 14, 2015 16:55
  • This is the latest absurd trending stupidity that we have the unfortunate chance of witnessing it in Kenya. You take an Sony Vaio stock laptop, put the national flag sticker and fool us that it is made in Kenya? Oh please! So it’s made in Kenya, alright…what OS is it running on? WINDOWS! OK, made in Kenya.@!$%$  http://textycafe.com/best-gaming-laptops-under-700/

    Witting69 August 14, 2015 16:56
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