Nokia launches latest range of affordable phones

[ Business local ] 2010-04-17


Entertainment just got a whole lot more interesting and affordable with the introduction of the new range of Nokia phones, the 2690, the 1800 and the 7230.
Nokia unveiled this series of full blown communications and entertainment devices in a launching event in the capital on April 13, where Ovi Chat, a free application to address Instant Messaging (IM) needs of consumers, was also launched.
Ovi Chat brings computer like chatting experience into mobile handsets. In Ovi Chat, once a user signs in, their buddy list or Ovi Mail contact list is automatically uploaded onto the phone.
Ovi Chat streamlines ease of use of mobile Instant Messaging clients, including features such as quickly setting status and availability, or privacy settings, a press release said yesterday.
It said users could express their emotions through a wide range of emoticons and stay connected with their loved ones through continuous conversation. Ovi Chat is available for free in all Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 handsets.
"We know Bangladeshis love to get together with friends and family and adda! Ovi Chat will connect and inspire hundreds and thousands of Ovi Mail users in Bangladesh to carry on continuous online "adda" or conversation," Prem Chand, general manager, Nokia Emerging Asia, said. "We launched Ovi Mail, free bangle email identity which can be created directly from mobile phones in June 2009 and the response has been phenomenal.
"Bangladesh is now one of the top countries globally for Ovi Mail users and launching Ovi Chat is Nokia's next step to connect the Ovi Mail users and create a vibrant instant messaging community.
"Nokia has always been about connecting people. We are all about enabling everyone to keep in touch and make the most of every moment. Ovi Chat will hopefully do its part in bringing people closer" he added.
Ovi Chat is part of Nokia's overall Instant Messaging offer available for Series60 handsets at the moment. Through Nokia's Instant Messaging solution, it is possible to have several conversations simultaneously in multiple communities, such as Windows Live, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk etc.
"Soon we will make the overall Instant Messaging solution available in Series 40 handsets as well," Chand said.

India has more mobile phones than toilets

Far more people in India have access to a mobile phone than to a toilet, according to a UN study on sanitation.

A sadhu uses a mobile phone during Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayag in Allahabad Photo: EPA

India's mobile subscribers totalled 563.73 million at the last count, enough to serve nearly half of the country's 1.2 billion population.
But just 366 million people - around a third of the population - had access to proper sanitation in 2008, said the study published by the United Nations University, a UN think-tank.

"It is a tragic irony to think in India, a country now wealthy enough that roughly half of the people own phones," so many people "cannot afford the basic necessity and dignity of a toilet," said Zafar Adeel, the UN University director.
Mr Adeel heads the UN University's Institute for Water, Environment and Health, based in the Canadian city of Hamilton, which prepared the report.
Worldwide, an estimated $358 billion (£230 billion) is needed between now and 2015 to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving the proportion of people with inadequate sanitation from 2000 levels.
Proper sanitation "could do more to save lives, especially those of young people, improve health and help pull India and other countries in similar circumstances out of poverty than any alternative investment," Mr Adeel said.
Poor sanitation is a major contributor to water-borne diseases, which in the past three years alone killed an estimated 4.5 million children under the age of five worldwide, according to the study.
The report gave a rough cost of $300 to build a toilet, including labour, materials and advice.
The world could expect a return of up to $34 for every dollar spent on sanitation through improved productivity and reduced poverty and health costs, said Adeel.
He said improving sanitation was "an economic and humanitarian opportunity of historic proportions."

Jobs unveils iPhone OS4

Afp, California

Apple unveiled next-generation software for its popular iPhone on April 8, which gives users the ability to run multiple programs at once and to quickly move between them.
"We weren't the first to this party but we're going to be the best," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said of the multi-tasking feature in version 4.0 of the hot-selling smartphone's new operating system.
In addition to the much-called-for multi-tasking function, Jobs said iPhone OS 4.0 -- which will be available as a software update for iPhone and iPod Touch users this summer -- includes over 100 new features.
Among them is an iBooks reader that will allow users to download electronic books online and transfer them between their iPhones and iPads, the touchscreen tablet computer which went on sale in the United States last week.
A new iPhone Game Center includes a matchmaking feature that will hook users up with similarly skilled partners for multi-player games.
Other new features include the ability to create playlists on the phone, a 5X digital zoom for the camera and folders to organize and access applications.
Improved mail functionality lets users funnel incoming mail from multiple e-mail accounts into a single inbox.
The new operating system also features a spell check function and will allow users to buy applications and gift them directly through their iPhones.
Among seven "tent pole" innovations introduced by Jobs was iAd, a mobile advertising system that is built into the phone.
The iAd system will allow developers and ad agencies to build advertising directly into their applications, compete with the emotional impact of television ads and earn money beyond selling their applications, Jobs said.

HP to launch anti-gray marketing campaign

 

Hewlett-Packard Imaging and Printing Group, one of the world's leading printer manufacturers, is going to introduce an awareness campaign programme soon in Bangladesh against gray marketing of their printers and toners.
“We want to give our best service to the people of the country. But unfortunately, the gray marketers are hampering us doing so”, said Irving Oh, general manager AEC of HP IPG in a question-answer session with print and electronic media at a city hotel on Monday afternoon.
The event styled 'HP Technology Leadership Seminar' was organised by the company to let the media and the distributors of HP IPG products know about the quarterly updates of HP printers and toners.
At the event, Irving and Shabbir Shafiullah, country business development manager of HP IPG, gave real life examples of how HP IPG products achieved high customer satisfaction with their power and cost saving capability comparing to other labels.
Answering a question, Shabbir said HP has a global programme under their Eco Solution initiatives to recycle their used and rejected toners. Under the programme, HP collects all their used toners from every corner of the globe and then recycles them at their recycling centre.
“But we can't start the programme in Bangladesh due to some government regulations”, Shabbir added with great regret.
Md Asaduzzaman of HP Marketing Services also spoke on the occasion. Over 100 persons, including HP dealers, from across the country joined the seminar.

Samsung unveils netbooks, notebook

 

Samsung, one of the leading consume`r electronics and IT products manufacturers, has launched three new models- Samsung N210, N148 and R428 of its award-winning range of netbooks and notebook on Tuesday.
Samsung netbooks N210 is capable of providing up to 12 hours of continuous battery backup and N148 provides up to 8.5 hours while R428 notebook can provide more than 3.5 hours of battery backup.
Both the netbooks have 10.1" LED anti-reflective display that enables users to get the sharpest details and boldest colours, while watching movies and images. The integrated Easy Resolution Manager tools of the new netbooks help change the screen resolution easily.
The new Samsung N210 and N148 netbooks also offer a range of tools that ensure easier usage and security of PCs. Both the netbooks are powered with Intel Atom N450 processor.
Above all, the Samsung N210 and N148 also offer an integrated Digital LiveCam for video-conferencing or live messaging.
The notebook-Samsung R428 has a 14.0" LED HD display and weights only 2.26kg. The notebook is powered by Intel Pentium Processor T4400.