Jahazi: Simplicity and Speed for the Common Mwananchi
A group of Kenyan developers have been working for a couple of years to develop an all-in-one solution for email, sms, chat, browsing, etc called Jahazi. It’s a client-side application that you have to download, which means it will be housed on your computer. However, the data is all stored on their servers though, not on your computer – which means as long as you find a computer with Jahazi on it – or you carry it on a USB stick/drive – then you can access your information.
Jahazi works off of a simple “channels” system. You add the channels you are interested in having as a part of your account, be it email, SMS, chat, a web browser or an address book. They’re building the service to be extendable so that other developers can add channels and make new services available to the Jahazi userbase.
I like what I see so far. It’s a well designed, easy to use and fast Flash application. I imagine it’s even faster if you’re sitting in Nairobi, seeing as I have to deal with a number of international connections to get to the Jahazi database. I imagine that the number of users for a free service like this will skyrocket if they can get critical mass within the cyber cafes and if they make it a better/cheaper way to SMS.
What I like
- It’s hosted in locally (in Kenya) for locals
- Portability via USB
- Extendability allowing for other developers to create more channels
- It’s viral – you get 25 free SMS’s when you use Jahazi to signup more friends
What I’d like to see
- A web-based version
- A scaled down mobile version
- Ability to use a different email address instead of the default (username)@jahazi.com
Below is a screenshot of the email channel:
May 8, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Was at the skunkworks presentation that they did today.
Absolutely love it.
I’m waiting for a web version too + a full version for Unix and OS X. A mobile platform too is great… this is Africa after all.
May 8, 2007 at 1:53 pm
I love to see stuff like this – an all in one solution. If they can custom brand this for cyber-cafe’s, they add onto that viral effect.
My only peeve at the moment is the slow server access. I hope it isn’t as slow in Kenya. Collocating the servers to a reliable data center might be a good investment especially since they’re hosting mail too.
May 8, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Good to see Kenyans doing some cool developer stuff. Wonder who they guys are. Man there’s not much development news from Kenya and also developer groups or forums are few so it’s hard to exchange ideas.
May 8, 2007 at 11:19 pm
It is looking good. I’m on a flashcom line so I can not talk about speeds accurately. Will check up on it on a more reliable connection and let you know.
May 9, 2007 at 2:08 am
Great app, but as you said, the mobile version will be a bigger leap
May 9, 2007 at 7:42 am
It good to know that there are guys out there who appreciate good apps. We are VST Studios http://www.vststudios.com the creators of Jahazi.
Jahazi is the simplest and fastest internet app on this planet. Why!! because it has been architectured to fully uses XML. Jahazi brings a new way to experience the internet using the latest technology.
Jahazi vision is to be running on all devices that connect to the internet. so rest assured Jahazi mobile will be the next project once we stabilize jahazi.
Mugambi
May 9, 2007 at 7:56 am
I am deeply impressed.
May 9, 2007 at 8:03 am
“Quick Start CD now available in all leading supermarkets” – THAT’s what I like!!
May 9, 2007 at 8:11 am
Ok… Sorry for the false start. Actually we havnt got to the stage of distributing the Quick Start CD in supermarkets however we intend to do so coming soon.
We are working on our website to make the links work. So by end of this week information should be good. if you would like to contact us you can write to us or send a comment to us on jahazi.
Jahazi: Simplicity and Speed for the Common Mwananchi
May 9, 2007 at 8:14 am
Brilliant and congrats to the people that built this – hopefully more to come.
May 11, 2007 at 4:13 am
kazi nzuri sana,
kifaa muhimu sana
na kwakweli pongezi kwa waliokuwa wakiandaa JAHAZI hilo
May 13, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I am thrilled! One month away from boarding a Qatar airlines plane with my Software Engineering papers and just in time for a dot com explosion in Kenya.
I love the jahazi concept and will try the product. Is it possible to include a white paper on your website perhaps highlighting the architecture? I’m sure that will aid developers seeking to add channels.
Flash helps the interface but an AJAX framework may speed up the application especially if it will will mature into a fully blown web app.
Kudos – oh, and please add some content on the about us link.
May 18, 2007 at 4:14 am
hi am new and not tech savy am a small businessman now also marketing online classified for kenyaad.com have been a farmer in soy for some time and a mini-supermarket co-proprietor now how can i get skype to the masses as an alternative com device we have a database of 50,000 possible contacts also give me tips on other internet +offline method for the good of africa
May 18, 2007 at 4:19 am
hi am an online/ofline marketer for kenyaad.com its realy tough selling internet door to door in kenya do give me tips on selling online .i also want to set up a directory of web designers and even have a competition hows that also i want to promote skype to our customers
May 21, 2007 at 10:04 am
Reviewed in Pambazuka News
May 28, 2007 at 7:06 pm
i will review it at techmambo
June 5, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Kudus you guys this is the stuff kenya is made off.
June 11, 2007 at 9:06 am
Keep it guys.At last technology imeanza kugrow up!
June 11, 2007 at 9:15 am
At last you guys are taking for some ‘technological’ tour.
June 15, 2007 at 10:45 am
i have just checked the site but as per now i have little information about it.i must say this is a good move man.we will be hosting our own mails and get things done localy.i have no reason not to thank you.the features are good i will go for it and tell my friends about it.
June 20, 2007 at 10:11 pm
this web is good to us and other kenya chart web who has no single free sms
June 25, 2007 at 1:14 am
Hey Guys, this is really nice innovative stuff.Am a Ugandan with a thirst for technological innovations,but this one that u guys have reached at tells a lot about africa as a whole. I can’t just imagine these software gurus of the west hearing about such stuff from kenya.You know what?,just get more practical with your innovations; use the inner man in you tirelessly something great is coming up.
June 27, 2007 at 3:09 am
I love it all from that sms to email and to tha hott info they give. Props to your team guys!
July 3, 2007 at 7:57 am
this the kind of tech we need in kenya kodoss to you guys
July 9, 2007 at 12:27 am
Dear SIR/MADAM,
Routesms Ltd. provides Bulk SMS having tie up with 12 international SMSC covering most of the countries in the world.Our professional technical team provides 24×7 technical supports which is one of the best in the industry.
Our SMS Gateways rates are very economical and competitive.
Some silent features of our service are :
1. HTTP API which can integrate into any website to send SMS.
2. DLL file which can integrate into any of your software.
3. Desktop application which can be downloaded from our website http://www.routesms.com that can be used to send SMS.
4. SMPP
Please feel free to add me in your “MSN- ID†or “Yahoo- ID†chat list to discuss rates and technical queries.
Thanks & Regards
Sakina Poonawala
Marketing Manager
http://www.routesms.com
Office Tel: 91 22 28668202
MSN ID : sakina@routesms.com
YAHOO ID : sakina_routesms@yahoo.com
SKYPE ID : sakina_routesms@skype.com
July 23, 2007 at 5:16 am
Mambo ya Jahazi yanafurahisha ni mwanzo mzuri, Basi Jahazi Usiende Mrama. Ahsanteni
August 3, 2007 at 6:32 am
Yeah been tojahazi, it’ssailin your mailsmoothly to Great kenya!
August 13, 2008 at 7:13 am
i would like to have a taste on your browser.how do i download it???
August 24, 2008 at 1:41 am
Download for Jahazi 2.0 out on 1st September 2008
September 20, 2008 at 9:06 am
u guys ur doin great, we are proud of u. Under ordinary Kenyan perception it only takes a genius 2 come up with this kinda of ando but u hv proved em wrong, kudos!
April 8, 2009 at 1:46 pm
kazi nzuri sana,
kazi koboko
November 23, 2009 at 8:04 am
Hotdamn!! this is a GREAT APP 🙂 Keep up the amazing work. Good stuff.