CES 2013: Cameroon goes to Vegas

A tablet that began life in West Africa now has its sights on a global market, beginning with the International CES in Las Vegas last week.

With Africa the fastest growing market for mobile phones – nearly 735 million having been projected to be in the hands of Africans by the end of 2012 – technology entrepreneurs are starting to take notice of the tremendous potential Africa has to offer.

But the entrepreneurs don’t have to be imported. Take Limitless Electronics, run by Cameroonian Tony Smith. It has captured the imagination of the consumer electronics industry in Africa with the successful release of the Limitless Mind tablet across western and southern Africa. Now the company has its sights set on the global market with ambitious plans not only for tablets, but high-end luxury devices and electronics in general.

At the International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas last week, it presented its newest product line-up, including the Re|act and Fleet brands of connected smartphones, slates and smart TVs.

The Re|act brand embodies professionalism and beauty. Re|act phones and tablets have high-end finishes and fit in purses and suit pockets. They are lightweight in design yet heavyweight in technological innovation. Re|act phones, tablets, and TVs are also designed for fun and typically include choice entertainment apps such as GrooveShark and Crackles.

The Fleet brand devices are designed for advanced durability to provide long lasting and reliable performance in all conditions. Many Fleet devices are fitted with technology and hardware that offer military-grade protection against exposure to water, wind, dust, shock, and more.

Limitless has also launched a program to allow customers to custom-select both their hardware components and the operating systems to run on the hardware. This unique option counters the current market practice of devices virtually becoming synonymous with the operating systems they run.

‚”Limitless is effectively debundling the tablet and phone market, allowing innovators like Ubuntu and Android to compete more directly for customers’ business,‚” says Smith.

‚”Innovation does not stop there. The company is working to establish the first large-scale electronics manufacturing operation in Africa. Limitless has already incorporated hybrid manufacturing into its operations. In response to a need for suitable manufacturing locations, hybrid manufacturing was created to allow the manufacturing and assembly of components and devices with fewer people and less space than a standard factory. It is this process by which Limitless produces its products with quality and efficiency.‚”

* Limitless Re|act and Limitless Fleet devices will be available in 190 countries in March 2013. Pre-orders through the Limitless Electronics Online Store begin on February 15, 2013. To learn more about Limitless Electronics products, visit www.limitlesselectronics.com. Follow them on Twitter on @limitlessnews