Congo said “hello” to the technology world with a mobile device. Congo, which is an African country, surprised the Dark Continent by being the first country on the technology stage. Congo presented their first tablet computer named VMK to the computer world and plans to be Apple’s African substitute.
Congolese VMK company entered technology world with an enormous vision and two new products. Willing to be Africa’s number-one electronic products producer just like South Korea’s Samsung and USA’s Apple, VMK entered the market with a tablet named ‘Way-C’ and a smart phone named ‘Elikia’.
Company preferred to give their products names meaningful in the local language; tablet computer “Way-C” means ‘sparkles of the stars’ in local Lingala language. “Elikia” which is the name of the smartphone means ‘hope’.
Tablet has 1.2 GHz processor speed, 512 MB RAM and 4 GB internal storage. Device, having 4200 mAh battery, comes with a USB socket and provides Wi-Fi connection. Operating system of the tablet computer is Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread. Smartphone using Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread has 650 MHz processor speed. It has a 3.5 inches (9 cm) wide screen, 512 MB RAM and 123 MB internal storage. The smartphone has USB socket, 1300 mAH battery and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection.
African Apple VMK, founded by the entrepreneur Verone Mankou, falls behind the Western and Asian exchanges; however it is an ideal brand to be preferred by African consumers demanding cheap products. Company’s vision aims to keep up with the world brands like Apple and Samsung one day.
Way-C tablet is sold for 300, and Elikia is sold for 170 dollars. Verone Mankou, who is the founder of VMK, is just a 26 year-young-entrepreneur. Mankou said: “Only Africans may empathize with Africans. VKM aims to be as big as Samsung or Apple in Africa”, and saliently expressed to what extent he trusts in his brand and his growth target.
* This article was taken from “Africa Time” magazine (November 2014 Edition) by demanding all necessary permissions for copyright.