Sport is used globally as a vehicle to empower communities and individual’s lives as it is able to unite people around one common goal.  Nokia, in a drive to empower communities, has partnered with Freeway Football, an organisation telling stories of an informal football league through visuals and photography.

Just under a year ago, Colin Habberton, founder of Freeway Football, noticed a group of children playing soccer right next to the N2 highway in Cape Town.  ‘At first I thought it was a bunch of kids kicking a ball around,’ says Habberton. ‘However, after taking the time to watch the games they were playing, I realised that this was in fact a football league, with coaches, teams, equipment and training,’ he explains.  This casual observation led Habberton to develop stories through photography about these informal leagues.

The cornerstone of Freeway Football’s business concept is the development of community-based photographers and videographers, providing mentoring and training whilst they capture photography of similar stories in their own areas. The aim for all involved with the concept is to tell the true story of townships which is not one of misery but rather of hope and aspiration.

In order to ensure the sustainability of the project, Habberton approached a few like-minded people and within a few months a team of professional photographers, footballers and business mentors sharing the same vision was established.  ‘The vision of Freeway Football is to create a project based on enterprise principles where technical, business and life skills can be transferred to budding photographers and footballers.  At the same time we are providing an agency through which these talents can be promoted and ultimately assist these individuals in generating an income stream through the use of their talent,” says Habberton. “This is about more than simply donating money.  The individuals we are working with will be able to run viable businesses within their communities and ultimately branch out into other communities to build themselves a sustainable future.”

Nokia has been involved with both elements of the project.  On the photographic side, Nokia hired Freeway Football photographers and videographers to document the Nokia All Stars Cape Minstrel Band and the Nokia Tulips, a choir from the Cape Flats.  In terms of football, Nokia has sponsored the All Stars U-15 team.  The Nokia All-Stars is a team made up of the top young players from all the teams that participated in the Khayelitsha Cup tournament which was held on the 16^th and 17^th January 2010.  These 15 players form the base of the Freeway Football Academy and the players will receive football and life skills training as well as stand the chance of being drafted into the premier youth team in Khayelistha.

For information on Freeway Football please visit http://www.freewayfootball.org/

“The Nokia CK-200 is easy to install and is designed to make communicating whilst driving easy,” says Stuart Bruce, Head of Global Sales, Nokia Car Business Area. “One of the main benefits of the CK-200 car kit is that consumers are able to connect simultaneously to both their personal and business phones in the car. The switch between the two phones is easy and safe with the click of a single button, and the detachable 2.5” display is clear and easy to read,” says Bruce.

The CK-200 can be installed via direct input, ISO cable or external speaker and offers consumers an adjustable RGB display backlight colour with can be set to match the colour of the car in which it is mounted. A wireless remote, which allows consumers to take calls and keep their hands on the wheel, can be mounted either to the steering wheel, the dashboard or on the gear shift.

“One of Nokia’s priorities is to give consumers the best phone experience possible and original accessories form a part of this,” says Bruce. “With the new Traffic Control Act now in effect, and safety concerns around the use of mobile phones while driving, it is vital that consumers use a reliable hands-free talking device.  Nokia has a variety of different accessories offering clear voice transmission and reception while driving,” says Bruce.

A list of the latest Nokia Original Accessories:

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-505

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo headset BH-214

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-216

Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-607 with My own key

Nokia Speakerphone HF-310

Nokia Speakerphone HF-510

Nokia Extra Power DC-11 Mobile device charger

For more information on Nokia Original Accessories please go http://mea.nokia.com/find-products-en/accessories/latest-accessories

The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor that rivals those found in compact digital cameras. Additionally, the Nokia N8 offers the ability to make HD-quality videos and edit them with an intuitive built-in editing suite. Doubling as a portable entertainment center, people can enjoy HD-quality video with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound by plugging into their home theatre system. The Nokia N8 enables access to Web TV services that deliver programs, news and entertainment from channels like CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic. Additional local Web TV content is also available from the Ovi Store.

Social networking is second nature to the Nokia N8. People can update their status, share location and photos, and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter in a single app directly on the home screen. Calendar events from social networks can also be transferred to the device calendar.

The Nokia N8 comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation, guiding people to places and points of interest in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Symbian^3 in action
Powering the Nokia N8 is Symbian ^3, the latest edition of the world's most used smartphone software, which introduces several major advances, including support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers multiple, personalizable homescreens which can be loaded with apps and widgets. The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture in the platform takes full advantage of the Nokia N8's hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface.  Symbian^3 also raises the bar in performance by delivering greater memory management allowing more applications to run in parallel for a faster multi-tasking experience.

Getting Qt for Developers
The Nokia N8 is Nokia's first device to be integrated with Qt, a software development environment that simplifies the development and makes it possible to build applications once and deploy across Symbian and other software platforms.  Nokia has also made the powerful and simple to use Nokia Qt SDK available, in its initial beta, to enable developers to start realizing the potential of Qt.

More press materials are available at www.nokia.com/press
Broadcast materials are available at http://digitalnewsroom.nokia.com

“The Nokia N97 Mini carries substantial developments in smart phone functionality as well as enhanced sharing capabilities, all in a sleek package,” says Patrick Henchie, product manager for Nokia South Africa.  “It’s important to note too that the device works seamlessly with Nokia’s Ovi Store allowing users to personalise their device with ringtones, applications, widgets and other content,” he says.

The Nokia N97 Mini is powered by a new Ovi Maps experience which makes searching and navigating even easier. In addition to global pedestrian navigation, users can access premium content from Lonely Planet, Michelin and Wcities, turning the Nokia N97 Mini into the world's smallest travel companion.

Nokia is constantly updating and enhancing its devices with new features and functionality so users can get even more out of their Nokia even years after purchase. Nokia announced earlier this year that its navigation service, Ovi Maps is now available for free for use on Nokia smartphones, including the Nokia N97 Mini.

“We want to make using your mobile for navigation as familiar as using it to send a text message or take a picture,” continues Henchie. “With the advancements in Ovi Maps, you no longer have to carry multiple devices when you travel. We have packaged the device with a powerful mapping and navigation solution to make users lives easier while on the go by car or on foot.”

 Over 1 million downloads of Ovi Maps have already taken place in 2010 proving the success of the free Nokia Ovi Maps and exposing Nokia’s strategy to lead the market in mobile maps, navigation and location-based services.  By leveraging the investment in NAVTEQ, Nokia has been able to remove the costs associated with navigation for drivers and pedestrians.

Through this relationship, over 77 3D South African landmarks and historical sites appear on Ovi Maps, with a further 40 more to appear in April, when NAVTEQ will offer an updated version. The updated landmarks will include all World Cup Soccer Stadiums such as Greenpoint and The Moses Mabhida Stadium. These new features will also enable worldwide users of Ovi Maps to have access to 3D city models of South Africa and real-time updates through advanced routing and intuitive guidance.

Ovi Maps covers more than 180 countries with car and pedestrian navigation for 74 countries, in 46 languages, and traffic information for more than 10 countries. There are more than 6000 3D landmarks for 200 cities around the world. 

For more information and related materials visit www.nokiaconnect.co.za

Visit Nokia’s Ovi Store at http://www.ovi.com/services/

More than 200 million smartphone users worldwide now have Skype at their fingertips

Skype and Nokia today jointly announced the release of Skype for Symbian, a Skype client for Nokia smartphones based on the Symbian platform, the world’s most popular smartphone platform. Skype for Symbian will allow Nokia smartphone users worldwide to use Skype on the move, over either a WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G). It is now downloadable for free from the Ovi Store, Nokia’s one-stop shop for mobile content. http://www.ovi.com/services/

 Skype for Symbian enables Nokia smartphone users to:

• Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world*
• Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad.
• Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
• Share pictures, videos and other files.
• Receive calls to their existing online number
• See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
• Easily import names and numbers from the phone’s address book

Skype for Symbian will run on any Nokia smartphone using Symbian ^1, the latest version of the Symbian platform. Skype will soon introduce this client to Symbian mobile devices from other manufacturers, including Sony Ericsson.

“Symbian enables us to bring smartphones to more and more people and ensures scale for our solutions and compelling services, such as Skype. We’re seeing around 1.5 million downloads a day on Ovi Store now and believe that the Skype client for Nokia smartphones will have wide appeal to Symbian users," said Patrick Henchie, product manager, Nokia South Africa.

“Skype, the king of Internet communications, running on Symbian, the world’s dominant smartphone platform, makes for an explosive combination,” said Larry Berkin, Head of Global Alliances and GM USA, Symbian Foundation. “With Symbian’s global reach, Skype is that much closer to becoming the ubiquitous real-time communications platform for hundreds of millions of Symbian-based mobile users.”

Russ Shaw, General Manager, Mobile at Skype said, “With Skype for Nokia smartphones, more than 200 million smartphone users worldwide** will be able to take the Skype features they love with them on the move. Alongside Skype’s relationships with operators and handset manufacturers worldwide, making Skype available direct to consumers will help millions of users keep in contact with the people that are important to them without worrying about the cost, distance or whether they are away from a computer.”

The initial Skype for Symbian application is compatible with the following Nokia touchscreen models: Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia X6, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia 5530 and the following non-touch devices: Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E90, Nokia E63, Nokia E66, Nokia E51, Nokia N96, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8Gb, Nokia N85, Nokia N82, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8 Gb, Nokia N79, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 classic, Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 5320.  

For more information on Skype for Symbian, including the latest supported handset list, at http://www.skype.com/go/symbian.

* Skype recommends use of an unlimited data plan to avoid incurring additional charges from operators. Users should also be aware that extra charges may apply if they use Skype over a mobile data connection when abroad.

** According to Informa Telecoms and Media

Nokia and the product names referenced in the release are trademarks of the Nokia Corporation. 

About Skype

Skype is software that enables the world's conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users.  Everyday, people everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles. Download Skype to your computer or mobile phone at www.skype.com.

About Nokia

Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world's leading maker of mobile devices. Today, we are connecting people in new and different ways - fusing advanced mobile technology with personalized services to enable people to stay close to what matters to them. We also provide comprehensive digital map information through NAVTEQ; and equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks. www.nokia.com

According to Patrick Henchie, product manager at Nokia South Africa, recent research has shown that people are spending an average of five full days per year, equivalent to a full work week, responding to emails.  “Half of us (46 percent) choose email over voice or text to send and receive important information,” says Henchie, “The Nokia E72 was designed exactly with this kind of person in mind as it allows the owner to be more responsive and communicate how they want, whenever they want and wherever they are.”

The Nokia E72 builds on the formula from Nokia’s most successful full QWERTY keyboard device, the Nokia E71, and adds important new functionality such as desktop-like email and chat experiences. Morevoer, the latest version of Ovi Maps with A-GPS navigation and compass, an optical navi key and 5 megapixel camera are all packed into the sleek, beautifully-designed handset.

The Nokia E72 also comes with Nokia’s push consumer email service, Nokia Messaging, and now for the first time people can set up instant messaging (IM) directly from the homescreen, accessing communities such as Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk and Ovi Chat. Just like chatting via the desktop, people can respond to friends and colleagues across multiple communities in real-time.

The Nokia E72 can also accommodate multiple work and personal email accounts and with separate profiles for work and play, allows people to be flexible when it comes to choosing how, when, where and who to respond to. While work emails rank as the most important messages to receive, they are not necessarily the most urgent messages to respond to. According to Nokia’s research, half of respondents (49 percent) prioritise their partners ahead of their bosses or managers (29 percent), colleagues (23 percent) and even customers (31 percent).

The Nokia responsiveness research was commissioned to examine the various factors that influence how people respond to various issues and situations. In addition to the research, an online campaign at http://www.nokia.com/responsiveness invites people around the world to respond to various issues and comments from TED fellows.

See the results of the Nokia responsiveness research in the Nokia E72 press kit http://www.nokia.com/A4664066?kit=112  

 Notes to editors:

A full list of Nokia E72 features is available at http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-e72

 Compatibility with the aforementioned services may be limited to certain countries.

 * Research conducted by ICM among 7,826 people in seven countries in July 2009. Countries where research was conducted: UK, Russia, Spain, South Africa, UAE, Singapore and Italy.

The Nokia X6 is a powerful entertainment device capable of playing up to 35 hours of music, offering 32GB of on-board memory and supporting all main digital music formats, with a slick 3.2" finger touch interface and a 5 megapixel camera equipped with a Carl Zeiss lens.

The Nokia X6 is the ultimate device for social butterflies, bringing friends and virtual communities, like Facebook, to the homescreen thus making it easy to socialise with friends and follow all the favourite blogs and celeb gossip. The device has a 16,9 widescreen which is optimised for photo and imaging display, web browsing, video recording and gaming.

The entertainment experience is completed by three embedded games, Spore by EA, Asphalt4 and DJ Mix Tour by Gameloft, as well as direct access from the homescreen to download more games and applications through the Ovi Store at http://store.ovi.com.

The Nokia X6 music powerhouse is expected to retail for approximately R6999.99 and will be available from early January 2010.

Photos and a detailed datasheet of the Nokia X6 are available at

www.nokiaconnect.co.za 

http://www.nokia.com/press/media_resources/photos/devices/showphotos?category=x6

http://www.nokia.com/NOKIA_COM_1/Press/Materials/White_Papers/pdf_files/data_sheets_2009/Nokia_X6_data_sheet.pdf

Background into the Comes With Music package

Comes with Music, is a round-breaking digital entertainment service, which offers consumers unlimited downloads to the entire Nokia Music Store catalogue, which currently has over 6-million digital tracks, this offering is valid for a one year period. Fans will have access to bonus tracks, remixes and other additional content, free of charge as part of the Comes With Music subscription. In addition, the consumer is able to keep all their downloaded music from the diverse catalogue of international superstars and favourite local artists - even when the service period of one year is over – on both their Comes With Music device and dedicated PC.

Comes with Music is currently available across a range of Nokia devices through MTN, Cell C, Nashua Mobile and Autopage cellular. Devices include the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic Comes with Music edition – exclusive to MTN, the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic and the Nokia 5630 XpressMusic available across all four channels and now the Nokia X6 available at MTN, AutoPage and Nashua Mobile outlets. The Nokia X6 and 5530 Comes with Music phones will be available soon at Vodacom.

Find out more on Comes With Music visit http://music.nokia.co.za/comeswithmusic

Press photos of devices are available at http://www.nokia.com/A4632380?category=nokia_comes_with_music

Follow Nokia Music Store South Africa on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NMS_ZA

During a routine quality control process, Nokia identified a potential product quality issue with certain chargers manufactured by one of its third-party suppliers. The plastic covers of the affected chargers could come loose and separate, exposing the charger's internal components and potentially posing an electrical shock hazard if certain internal components are touched while the charger is plugged into a live socket. Nokia is not aware of any incidents or injuries related to these chargers.

Only a limited number of chargers of certain model types manufactured by a single third-party supplier during a specific time period are within the scope of the exchange program. They are the AC-3E and AC-3U models, manufactured between June 15, 2009 and August 9, 2009; and the AC-4U model, manufactured between April 13, 2009 and October 25, 2009.

For more information, including how consumers can check to see if their chargers are part of this exchange program, Nokia has established a website. Consumers are asked to visit http://chargerexchange.nokia.com.

Nokia recommends consumers with chargers within the scope of this exchange program to stop using the charger and exchange it for a free replacement.

The Comes with Music service is available on three devices, namely the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, the Nokia 5630 XpressMusic and the 5130 XpressMusic – The 5130 Comes with Music offering is exclusively available through MTN, the other two units are available though MTN, Cell C, Nashua Mobile and AutoPage. – to learn more about Nokia’s Comes with Music service, visit http://music.nokia.co.za/comeswithmusic 

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic
The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, is a compact XpressMusic device that uses a touch interface for accessing people and content on the brilliantly clear homescreen.  The 'scrolling' Contacts Bar provides direct access to 20 people and their latest conversations and media updates. The homescreen also features one touch shortcuts to content and popular social networks, like Facebook and MySpace. The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic follows in the footsteps of the top-rated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, expanding the touch XpressMusic phone range with a youthful device that has a solid stainless steel frame finish and comes in five vivid colors.

At the core of the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is the music and entertainment experience. It is an ideal device for those who wish to quickly and easily access, share and mix a huge selection of media. In true XpressMusic form, the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is a great music player with 27 hours of playback time, excellent audio quality and a 4 GB memory card for storing music and other media. Videos, either self made or from social media sites such as Youtube and Facebook can be enjoyed on the brilliantly clear 2.9 inch widescreen display. New music can be purchased through the Nokia Music Store, either directly on the phone or through a PC http://music.nokia.co.za.  The music collection is easily managed and can be synchronized with the PC using the Nokia Music for PC application. Calls and music can be conveniently managed and listened to with the Nokia Stereo Headset WH-205 with tangle-free cable.

The innovative 'people carousel' features thumbnail images of up to 20 close friends and provides easy access to them and their communications history including emails, phone calls, photos or other social media updates.  The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic also features the pop-up Media Bar so music, photos, videos, Internet and on-line sharing applications such as Ovi Share, Flickr and VOX are just a touch away.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic supports GSM/EDGE networks and also offers fast and affordable access to internet services via the integrated wireless LAN over the ubiquitous wireless networks. Nokia is collaborating with Boingo and offers three months of free Internet access in select markets. Boingo works with hundreds of hotspot operators around the world in familiar locations such as airports, hotels, coffee shops and restaurants.

Nokia 5630 XpressMusic

The Nokia 5630 XpressMusic, is an ultra-slim S60 device that offers a complete entertainment experience, letting individuals quickly and easily play music, videos and games, as well as share content.   

Building on the XpressMusic range tradition of delivering superior entertainment experiences, the Nokia 5630 XpressMusic features a world class music player for excellent audio quality, music and videos on-the-go through dedicated keys, and music essentials including a 4GB memory card for storing up to 3000 tracks, with option to upgrade up to 16GB microSD memory card, support for all main digital music formats and a 3.5 mm AV jack.  Featuring Nokia’s innovative voice-controlled ‘Say and Play’ feature, consumers can merely say the name of a favourite artist or song to automatically play it. 

Offering a seamless music experience, Nokia 5630 XpressMusic is compatible with Nokia Music Store, allowing consumers to browse and purchase tracks from the Nokia Music Store, where applicable, while the Nokia Music for PC software allows for easy drag-and-drop transfer of songs and management of any music collection. http://music.nokia.co.za

Putting people first, the Nokia 5630 XpressMusic homescreen gets individuals closer to the people and media that are most important to them. The Contacts Bar allows direct access to up to 20 closest friends or business contacts straight from the homescreen and provides a full communication history with these contacts including recent emails, messages, phone logs and photos shared.  A shortcuts bar at the bottom of the homescreen gives quick access to the most frequently used applications including music, radio, Web, N-Gage and photos. 

The 5630 XpressMusic comes with a complete N-Gage experience with an N-Gage shortcut on the homescreen.  N-Gage offers an entire catalogue of games from leading publishers, a multiplayer feature, and the ability to track progress, as well as add friends to play against. 

In addition, with the full focus 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, images or videos can be captured and shared via a favourite online community, such as Share on Ovi, Flickr, or Facebook.   

Nokia 5130 XpressMusic

The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is ideal for music lovers looking for a combination of style and functionality.

The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is just one device that helps brings the universal connection and desire that consumers have for music into reality.  The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is the perfect companion for customers who consider themselves music buffs and who also want a colourful device.

Continuing the tradition of the XpressMusic portfolio, the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic delivers an intuitive music experience with a built-in music player, dedicated external music keys, 3.5 mm headphone jack, stereo Bluetooth and FM radio. The phone is also equipped with a 2 megapixel camera with video capture, WAP browser, instant messaging and e-mail and the Series 40 operating system.  

Featuring a thin candybar phone design, the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic Comes with Music offering is available exclusively through MTN and requires a PC to enjoy the Comes with Music experience.

The Nokia 5130 is compatible with the Nokia Music Store http://music.nokia.co.za

“Nokia’s Nseries brand is associated with a certain expectation and given the performance of the new flagship device, we are extremely proud to introduce the Nokia N97 in South Africa,” says Mathia Nalappan, General Manager of Nokia South Africa.  “Users of the Nokia N97 will quickly see that it embodies the full Nseries experience as well as many incredible additions. With the introduction of widgets to our devices, users can now experience an ‘always open’ window to favourite social networking sites and Internet destinations.”

The Nokia N97: Your ultimate personal Internet computer 

Designed for the needs of Internet-savvy consumers, the Nokia N97 combines a large 3.5" touch display that can be fully personalised with frequently updated widgets, and a full QWERTY keyboard.  With both a physical and visual touch input, the Nokia N97 is easily used for blogging, chatting, posting, sending texts or emailing.

The Nokia N97 introduces the concept of 'social location'. With integrated A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass, the Nokia N97 intuitively understands where it is. The Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information, giving approved friends the ability to update their 'status' and share their 'social location' as well as related pictures or videos.

The Nokia N86 8MP: Capture your life in more detail

When Nokia set out to make the best mobile imaging device, it combined wide-angle Carl Zeiss optics and an 8 megapixel sensor, resulting in performance comparable to a stand-alone digital camera. The Nokia N86 8MP is designed to excel in both bright and low light conditions and is optimized for both video and still imaging. Its high-speed connectivity ensures easy and convenient sharing.

"People demand mobile cameras that take excellent pictures in all light conditions," continues Nalappan. "That's why the aperture of the Nokia N86 8MP is comparable to that of a high-quality, stand-alone digital camera. Whether it's running with the bulls in Pamplona or capturing the panoramic beauty of a sunset over Signal Hill in Cape Town, the Nokia N86 8MP will take brilliantly clear, wide-angle images that are instantly geotagged to be uploaded onto sites like Ovi Share or Flickr."

The Nokia N97 and Nokia N86 8MP both offer full integration with Nokia’s services outlet, Ovi.com. Users are able back up and edit contacts and calendars through Ovi Sync, access files from any location using Ovi Files, share content through Ovi Share, download Nokia Maps, stay in touch using Ovi Mail and browse the newly launched application store, Ovi Store. In addition, both devices offer quick access to the Nokia Music Store and Ngage platforms ensuring 24 hour entertainment.

The Nokia N97 and Nokia N86 8MP will be available in South Africa from July 2009 at an estimated retail price of R7,999.00 and R6,999.00 respectively.

Johannesburg, 16 July 2009 - Nokia today unveiled the latest from its coveted Nseries range, the Nokia N97 and the Nokia N86 8MP.  Both devices incorporate leading Nseries technology including high-speed connectivity, the latest version of Nokia Maps and a large onboard memory for storing of music and photographs. The highly anticipated Nokia N97, known as the world's most advanced mobile computer, is set to transform the way people connect to the Internet and to each other. 

“Nokia’s Nseries brand is associated with a certain expectation and given the performance of the new flagship device, we are extremely proud to introduce the Nokia N97 in South Africa,” says Mathia Nalappan, General Manager of Nokia South Africa.  “Users of the Nokia N97 will quickly see that it embodies the full Nseries experience as well as many incredible additions. With the introduction of widgets to our devices, users can now experience an ‘always open’ window to favourite social networking sites and Internet destinations.”

The Nokia N97: Your ultimate personal Internet computer 

Designed for the needs of Internet-savvy consumers, the Nokia N97 combines a large 3.5" touch display that can be fully personalised with frequently updated widgets, and a full QWERTY keyboard.  With both a physical and visual touch input, the Nokia N97 is easily used for blogging, chatting, posting, sending texts or emailing.

The Nokia N97 introduces the concept of 'social location'. With integrated A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass, the Nokia N97 intuitively understands where it is. The Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information, giving approved friends the ability to update their 'status' and share their 'social location' as well as related pictures or videos.

The Nokia N86 8MP: Capture your life in more detail

When Nokia set out to make the best mobile imaging device, it combined wide-angle Carl Zeiss optics and an 8 megapixel sensor, resulting in performance comparable to a stand-alone digital camera. The Nokia N86 8MP is designed to excel in both bright and low light conditions and is optimized for both video and still imaging. Its high-speed connectivity ensures easy and convenient sharing.

"People demand mobile cameras that take excellent pictures in all light conditions," continues Nalappan. "That's why the aperture of the Nokia N86 8MP is comparable to that of a high-quality, stand-alone digital camera. Whether it's running with the bulls in Pamplona or capturing the panoramic beauty of a sunset over Signal Hill in Cape Town, the Nokia N86 8MP will take brilliantly clear, wide-angle images that are instantly geotagged to be uploaded onto sites like Ovi Share or Flickr."

The Nokia N97 and Nokia N86 8MP both offer full integration with Nokia’s services outlet, Ovi.com. Users are able back up and edit contacts and calendars through Ovi Sync, access files from any location using Ovi Files, share content through Ovi Share, download Nokia Maps, stay in touch using Ovi Mail and browse the newly launched application store, Ovi Store. In addition, both devices offer quick access to the Nokia Music Store and Ngage platforms ensuring 24 hour entertainment.

The Nokia N97 and Nokia N86 8MP will be available in South Africa from July 2009 at an estimated retail price of R7,999.00 and R6,999.00 respectively.

The 'Search for N' hunt will take place in advance of the Nokia N97 going on sale in South Africa, with the clues being released on the same date and time in each of the 13 participating counties. Nokia and partners http://www.simon.co.za/ , http://pauljacobson.org, http://www.imod.co.za and http://www.nafisa.co.za/ each have Nokia N97's to be discovered, and the only way to find them is to crack five cryptic clues placed on the partner's blogs.

The first clue for the worldwide search will be posted at 13:00 on the 26^th of May, this hunt will run over a period of eight days with the last clue posted at 13:00 on the 2^nd of June 2009. The 'Search for N' clues posted on the partner sites could relate to news that week, feature aspects of the new Nokia N97, or clever cryptic clues that encourage consumers to explore content online.

The first correct contestants on each blog who successfully submit their answers to all five clues will win the 'hidden' Nokia N97 devices. Simon, Paul, Christopher and Nafisa will email the first successful entrants who have revealed the secret location of the new Nokia N97 in South Africa. Only 96 other people around the globe will have the chance to test drive Nokia's most advanced multi-media, multi-sensory mobile device and be able to join the 'Search for N' winners club which will span three continents.

Should you wish to participate in the challenge please visit one of the following blogs: www.simon.co.za ; http://pauljacobson.org; http://www.imod.co.za; www.nafisa.co.za

Competitors may enter on all four blogs but are only eligible to win one of the Nokia N97 devices in the 'Search for N' hunt.' Winners will have to provide scanned identity documents.

In today’s climate the cost and benefits of technology are under scrutiny and email is an essential driver of efficiency and productivity. “Business people are looking for a mobile email application that is efficient, cost effective, easy to use and easy to integrate with existing infrastructure” says Mathia Nalappan, General Manager for Nokia South Africa.  “With direct access to Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes, companies can potentially save up to a third of their operating costs as there’s no need for middleware or additional servers.”

The Nokia E75 brings up to 10 third party email accounts into one simple to access user interface supporting expandable views, one click reply and sub-folder and HTML email support. Added to this is the enhanced email functionality, upgraded personal information management features such as the ability to create and respond to meeting requests, contacts lookup and auto-complete.

The security features on the Nokia E75 allows users to handle security at different levels. Users can protect data on both the phone's internal memory and any microSD card by encryption. Users can also choose device lock and if the situation demands it, remote lock. 

“Today, mobile professionals need to be able to manage their business and personal life at any time” adds Nalappan “With the Nokia E75, users can choose between two home screens with stand-by views that can be easily customised. This feature enables users to switch between configurable homescreens i.e business and personal mode.

The device features a side slider qwerty keyboard for optimal email experience. Enjoy videos, music, and graphics on the 2.4” QVGA display and orientation sensor. Added to the Nokia Messaging service, the device comes with full Nokia Maps and assisted GPS with integrated 12-month license for turn-by-turn navigation, and a great gaming experience with N-Gage on board. With Ovi Files, also included on the Nokia E75, important files stored on a PC can be remotely managed and shared, even when your PC is switched off. Take photos with a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera. Additional features include USB charging with simultaneous data transfer, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, and USB 2.0 High-Speed.