Safaricom Webbox
Safaricom has just launched what we all hope might be a game changer. Yeah it’s called a Webbox. This is the same product as Vodafone’s according to techmtaa which is a Kenyan tech blog, and this has launched in several countries in Africa and hence Kenya is just joining the list. Basically this is a plug and play keyboard that puts a browser onto your TV. 
This is an emerging market that needs the Internet at a very affordable rate. Whether you are looking up your daily publication, Facebook or twitter we need a way to get online and this unique device from Safaricom looks like a logical and quite elegant way to do just that. I will personal have this for my loved ones as a Christmas present but man it’s on EDGE so I hope they will not try heavy sites.
The device is a keyboard with a standard set of RCA cables sprouting out of the back. You plug it into any TV, new or old, and turn it on. It runs on an android operating system that is not stated on the Safacom page but I lost my interest when I learned that I cannot access the android market place, also has Opera Mini browser, locally relevant news, as well as games, a dictionary, and a text editor. Instead of a PC, a user would plug this in and use it as necessary, downloading data at 90% compression.
Of all the devices like this I’ve seen, the One Laptop Per Child project included, this one makes the most sense. It clearly just “works” out of the box and the size and form-factor are excellent. It’s basically a small, flat cellphone inside of a keyboard and given the prevalence of cloud-based services, this is an excellent, inexpensive solution to a thorny problem. It comes with 200 MB of data that can be activated by sending an SMS with the IMEI number of the Webbox to 440. It also comes with a sim car and a 2GB memory card with a psychological pricing of Kshs 4999/= only.
The Safaricom Webbox allows you to:
• Browse all your favorite websites.
• Set up e-mail accounts and keep in touch with friends and family.
• Upload photos, update your Facebook status, and poke your friends.
• Follow your favorite tweets.
• Find anything and everything on Google ™.
• Access M-PESA Services.
• Listen to your favorite tunes on FM radio.
• Sample some of the preloaded games.
• Play music and videos saved in the memory card.
• Send SMS.
• View your photos on a big screen.
• Manage your personal information using a calendar, calculator and notebook.
Here is a demo vedeo from Vodafone since I could not get anything from Safaricom.
Some basic facts about the webbox.
1.Opera Mini is available across 20 markets, preloaded onto 32 handsets and downloadable to a total of 278 devices. There have been 9 million downloads of the Vodafone Opera Mini browser to date.
2.The offer includes a 2GB SD Card, a Prepaid SIM card and 200MB of data.
3.Vodafone’s Webbox won a prestigious Universal Design Award Consumer Favourite 2011, so being credited for its usability, learning curve, flexibility, security as well as affordability.
4.The Webbox was exhibited at the Vodafone stand at Mobile World Congress 2011.
Finally, this is something we can all be early adopters about... wait, they might just be releasing Webbox 3G soon does anybody of a simillar gadget in existance?
This is an emerging market that needs the Internet at a very affordable rate. Whether you are looking up your daily publication, Facebook or twitter we need a way to get online and this unique device from Safaricom looks like a logical and quite elegant way to do just that. I will personal have this for my loved ones as a Christmas present but man it’s on EDGE so I hope they will not try heavy sites.
The device is a keyboard with a standard set of RCA cables sprouting out of the back. You plug it into any TV, new or old, and turn it on. It runs on an android operating system that is not stated on the Safacom page but I lost my interest when I learned that I cannot access the android market place, also has Opera Mini browser, locally relevant news, as well as games, a dictionary, and a text editor. Instead of a PC, a user would plug this in and use it as necessary, downloading data at 90% compression.
Of all the devices like this I’ve seen, the One Laptop Per Child project included, this one makes the most sense. It clearly just “works” out of the box and the size and form-factor are excellent. It’s basically a small, flat cellphone inside of a keyboard and given the prevalence of cloud-based services, this is an excellent, inexpensive solution to a thorny problem. It comes with 200 MB of data that can be activated by sending an SMS with the IMEI number of the Webbox to 440. It also comes with a sim car and a 2GB memory card with a psychological pricing of Kshs 4999/= only.
The Safaricom Webbox allows you to:
• Browse all your favorite websites.
• Set up e-mail accounts and keep in touch with friends and family.
• Upload photos, update your Facebook status, and poke your friends.
• Follow your favorite tweets.
• Find anything and everything on Google ™.
• Access M-PESA Services.
• Listen to your favorite tunes on FM radio.
• Sample some of the preloaded games.
• Play music and videos saved in the memory card.
• Send SMS.
• View your photos on a big screen.
• Manage your personal information using a calendar, calculator and notebook.
Here is a demo vedeo from Vodafone since I could not get anything from Safaricom.
Some basic facts about the webbox.
1.Opera Mini is available across 20 markets, preloaded onto 32 handsets and downloadable to a total of 278 devices. There have been 9 million downloads of the Vodafone Opera Mini browser to date.
2.The offer includes a 2GB SD Card, a Prepaid SIM card and 200MB of data.
3.Vodafone’s Webbox won a prestigious Universal Design Award Consumer Favourite 2011, so being credited for its usability, learning curve, flexibility, security as well as affordability.
4.The Webbox was exhibited at the Vodafone stand at Mobile World Congress 2011.
Finally, this is something we can all be early adopters about... wait, they might just be releasing Webbox 3G soon does anybody of a simillar gadget in existance?
This is the best thing ever. now my Tv just gotr interesting!
ReplyDeleteTV entertainment just got to an exiting new level. Pirates should start closing down their businesses b'coz we are goin to be streaming movies straight from the net. It's my prayer that the charges for data bundles will also go down for the local mwananchi to enjoy this...
ReplyDeleteI finally had a chance to feel this gadget and it sure feels good. The pages load at a quit reasonable speed and the utilization of Google docs is quit a plus.
ReplyDeleteThe graphics aint that on point but it is something you can do with given the immense benefits that the webbox brings to a household. The cable is long enough for comfortable use in any average Kenya living room.