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'Nigerian' Computers Shine at Intel's Premier Road Show

Shina Badaru
IT.Telecom Editor

It was an impressive outing for three Nigerian computer makers, Zinox, Omatek and Brian at the maiden channel event organised recently in Lagos by US chipmaker, Intel Corporation to explore emerging stakes in the local technology market.

Frontline player in pushing large-scale local computer assembly, Zinox Computers was on hand with its product range while rival computer maker, Omatek Computers exhibited its products at the event held at the Expo Centre in L'Meridien Hotel, Lagos. The latest entrant into the computer assembly market, Brian Systems pushed by Balog Technologies also used the platform of the Intel road show to introduce its range of computer and allied products into the IT market.

While the systems displayed impressive specs that matches their processing power against rival brand name machines, the computer makers are equally pushing the added advantage of the incorporation of the naira sign as potential value added feature for the local market.

A common headache of computer users in Nigeria is that most brand name systems sold into the country only spot the currency symbols of the major global currencies like the dollar, pound and lately the euro. The effect of that is that the omission of the naira sign creates problem for users wanting to input that sign in word processing or other applications on the system. However, the addition of the naira sign is a unique attribute that the new local computer makers hope will offer aspirin for the lingering headache of local computer users.

But an Intel official says that while local systems incorporate its powerful Pentium 4 range of processors, its new Centrino chip is for now absent on local systems. The new Centrino processor launched in March, this year at the CeBIT 2003, the world's largest IT exhibition enables computers to wirelessly connect the internet with little need for additional connecting systems.

Demand for the chip is being driven in most other markets where wireless fidelity Wi-Fi systems have taken flight and hotspots have been created to enable mobile internet connection through laptops, handheld and other devices. So, it is understandable that computer makers are not building systems driven by the Centrino chips for now, as the market is yet to drive the demand for mobile internet service.

But the market is driving the demand for faster processing power says Chairman/Chief Architect, Balog Technologies, Mr. Tunji Balogun who reckon that the entry of the Brian range of products. He says the Brian machines were designed in the US and assembled locally by specially trained engineers in the country.

He adds that BalogTech is exploring emerging stakes in local PC assembly because, "our experience through the years of extending our services to a number of establishments, corporate organizations and individuals, resellers and users spanning the length and breadth of Nigeria as well as neighbouring countries has again thrown another challenge our way."
He adds that the challenge includes pushing machines powered by Gigabyte motherboards technology and incorporating as standard specifications dual Bios, dual channel memory, USB 2.0 interface delivering as much as 40 times the transfer speed of the traditional USB 1.1 systems, among others.

The Brian machines come in variants including the Brian Platinum Elite, Brian Platinum Gold, Brian Platinum Silver and Brian Standard.
Mr. Balogun adds that peculiar challenge imposed by the tough local market poses, "the manufacturing of reliable integrated system and accessories affordable to all Nigerians but in conformity with our tradition of excellence and unwavering commitment to standards."

He is sure that the entry of Balog systems will meet the needs of private and business users because, "our growth within the sector over the years is an eloquent testimony to the accuracy of our reading, the loftiness of our goal and the effectiveness of our strategy."

Zinox is also adopting the strategy of phasing out floppy drives because of the decreasing importance of the use of the floppy diskette media in storage. The rising popularity of the CDs and CD writers is ensuring the extinction of the floppy.

It has also been found to be a common bearer of most of the popular computer virus, the reason why Zinox may phase out floppy drives on its desktops within the incoming year, a company official told Daily Independent at the Intel show.

Omatek is also looking to gain market edge with snazzy accessories like its optical mouse, CRT monitors, Ivory server, Ivory casing and duotone casing and not leaving out its PS2 keyboard with naira sign, among others.