The tablet market in Kenya is still very small but this hasn’t stopped manufacturers from trying their luck. We have seen a number of manufacturers bringing their Android powered tablets into the Kenyan market for some time now. As for the Windows platform, we have not seen much activity and tablets in this group have always been quite expensive and out of reach for most people.
Tecno wants to change this as the company today launched its latest Windows powered tablet, the Tecno WinPad 10 in Kenya. The Tecno WinPad 10 is a 2-in-1 device that can be used as a tablet or laptop. This puts it head to head with the Asus Transformer Book which is quite similar to this and costs twice as much.
The Tecno WinPad 10 is powered by Windows 8.1 and is made to satisfy the needs of Kenya’s entrepreneurial market that values mobility for increased productivity. Inside this tablet, you will find an Intel Atom quad-core processor that will ensure it runs smoothly.
Buying this device, you will get the tablet itself, a keyboard and keyboard cover. Since it is running Windows 8.1, this device will be upgradable to Windows 10 when it becomes available.
Speaking during the launch, Tecno Mobile Deputy General Manager for tablet business unit Steven Hang said, “Kenya is a key market for us and the launch of the Tecno WinPad 10 demonstrates our commitment to providing innovative products to our customers. We believe this product will allow users to transition smoothly from business to lifestyle increasing their productivity by giving them the power of a laptop and the freedom of a tablet.”
This tablet weighs about 550 grams which makes it very light and easy to carry around. It comes with one year of Microsoft Office 365 personal subscription, built-in 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
Commenting on the launch, Danie Steyn, General Manager for East Africa at Intel Corporation said, “Over the past few years, Intel’s advancements in processor technology have transformed the way we use computers and have led to an exciting array of sleek, responsive and powerful compute devices, at varying price points. TECNO WinPad 10 is proof of that. As a company we see a big opportunity working with TECNO to bring innovative, quality and affordable devices designed for emerging markets. This is just the beginning of our collaboration with TECNO.”
Speaking during the event, Microsoft Kenya’s country manager Kunle Awosika acknowledged it was an exciting time for the firm and its customers. He added there was a wide variety of amazing Windows 8.1 devices, offering cool designs and all the features customers want in market now that will be great Windows 10 devices when upgraded end of July.
“We are working with partners like Tecno and Intel throughout our expanding ecosystem to offer a great Windows 10 upgrade experience on existing devices and to build a wide range of innovative new devices Like the Winpad 10, across categories and price points, that bring Windows 10 capabilities and experiences to life for customers,” he said.
The TECNO Winpad 10 will be available in Safaricom shops countrywide and will retail at KES 30,000. This makes it cheaper than the Asus Transformer Book. Come back here in the next few days for more in depth coverage of this tablet.