Nokia to join forces with SINA and Tencent, China's leading Internet service providers, on location based services through Ovi Maps

Nokia announced today that it has signed agreements with China's two leading Internet service providers, SINA and Tencent. Both SINA and Tencent services will be seamlessly integrated with Nokia's Ovi Maps in China, inviting millions of people to share their location with friends and communities through Ovi Maps on their favorite social network. 

Users of SINA microblog and Tencent's online community (QQ) will be able to share their location through Nokia mobile devices, check-in to locations and be able to upload location based content such as recommendations and comments of restaurants, shops and movie theatres. The first location based services for SINA and Tencent customers through Ovi Maps are planned to be available during the first quarter of 2011. 

"This collaboration with SINA and Tencent marks a significant milestone, as we bring together mobile internet and location based services in China. More than 250 million people are using a Nokia device in China and with this partnership, we can help people share their location with their friends and communities through Ovi Maps on their favorite social network," said Phil Kemp, Vice President, Services, Nokia.

"With Nokia's Ovi Maps and Sina's location based services we will be able to offer SINA netizens new dimensions to their social networking. The mobile internet in China is growing rapidly and location based services will increase user generated content, making services more interactive and fun to use," said Wang Gaofei, Vice President of SINA. 

"Location and context are becoming the core elements of mobile social networking services and we are proud to partner in this area with Nokia, the leading player in the mobile industry. We believe that with Nokia's Ovi Maps, we will offer more added value to the users of QQ Mobile Online Services, "said Liu Chengmin, President of Mobile Business, Tencent. 

SINA Corporation is a leading online media company and mobile value-added service provider for China and for the global Chinese communities. With a branded network of localized websites targeting Greater China and overseas Chinese, SINA provides an array of services, including region-focused online portals, MVAS, social networking service (SNS), blog, audio and video streaming, album, online games, email, search, classified listings, fee-based services, e-commerce and enterprise e-solutions

Tencent, founded in 1998, is one of China's largest and most used Internet services portal offering Internet value-added services, mobile and telecommunications value-added services and online advertising. Tencent's leading Internet platforms in China - QQ (QQ Instant Messenger), QQ.com, QQ Games, Qzone, 3g.QQ.com, SoSo, PaiPai and Tenpay - have brought together China's largest Internet community, to meet the various needs of Internet users including communication, information, entertainment, e-commerce and others. As of September 30, 2010, the active QQ user accounts for QQ IM amounted to 636.6 million while its peak simultaneous online user accounts reached 118.7 million.

Ufone and Nokia Redefine Access to the World Wide Web

With their long-term partnership, both companies are committed to empower

Pakistani consumers across the board

Country’s rapidly expanding Telecom company Ufone and world renowned Nokia have announced the launch of “My First Mobile Internet Screen” initiative; a low priced Nokia Handset with lowest priced Internet service in Pakistan by Ufone that will empower consumers to avail cheapest internet access ever offered in Pakistan. The package deal will provide Internet facility by Ufone on Nokia C1 sets. The service will be pre-configured on these devices.

This was announced at a joint press conference held by CEO Ufone, Mr. Abdul Aziz and Imran Khalid Mahmood of Nokia who also spoke on future initiatives that the companies will be taking together to enhance the mobility experience for both Nokia and Ufone customers.

It merits mentioning here that with a common vision to bring the 1st internet experience on mobile devices for the youth of Pakistan, the two companies are the torch bearers of the initiative called “My First Mobile Internet Screen”. This initiative will provide Ufone & Nokia customers tailor-made Internet plans and offer unmatched internet freedom to all. All Ufone customers who purchase the new Nokia C1; a low priced Nokia Handset will avail the lowest priced internet rates in the country. The idea behind the initiative is to give internet access to the masses and allow them to experience the World Wide Web for the first time especially while on the move. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Abdul Aziz, President and CEO, Ufone said, 

“Both Ufone & Nokia have been at the forefront of all technological advancement in the telecom industry. We together have and shall ensure that we continue to give our customers the most advanced benefits in the country. This partnership shall help strengthen our promise to empower the masses and ensure that our valued customers are happy with our services.”

Addressing the media, Mr. Imran Khalid Mahmood, Country GM, Nokia Pakistan said, 

“Our sustained partnership with local telecom operators like Ufone is an indicator that we are a global company with a local approach. Just like Ufone, Nokia would continue to bring the relevant internet solution & applications to Pakistani consumers at affordable prices enabling more people to stay connected in new and better ways.”

The conference was also aimed at promoting sustainable environment. Ufone and Nokia customers can now help save the environment by being a part of the extremely important “Green Recycling” initiative. Nokia which announced its recycling program in Pakistan earlier last year is now poised for successful expansion of its environmental initiative. Initially Nokia Recycling boxes were available at 10 Nokia Care outlets. However, with yet another exciting collaboration between Ufone and Nokia, Recycling boxes will now be placed at 24 Ufone Sales outlets across the country.  Nokia will offer customers the chance to contribute to the environment by putting their old Nokia handsets and accessories in customized bins placed at Ufone Service Centers for Recycling. So instead of customers throwing away their used batteries, components, accessories and packaging material they can use this facility to recycle & play their part to help save the environment.

Furthermore, Ufone plans to bring extremely attractive value proposition on future Nokia smart phones for its High Value customers with most favorable usage plans, it is worthwhile to mention that last quarter 2010, Ufone and Nokia launched Nokia N8 and Nokia C3 devices with special data plans and the joint collaboration received tremendous response from the masses.

Apart from affordable internet rates, Ufone will also offer its subscribers the convenience of activating their “OVI store” at Ufone Customer Sales & Service Centers across the country.

Fake iPhone 4 Becomes News Headlines in Hong Kong

Chinese are very into the fake gadgets market, some of the reliable sources from the China also reported the best iPhone 4 clone of 2010. In fact the clone is always worst so we can say that the knockoff is best among the worst. Anyways, today I will tell you one more fake iPhone 4, but this is not from China this is from Hong Kong instead. This is a revolutionary device with awesome specs. Now please don’t wait for the Verizon iPhone 4.

Name of this fake iPhone 4 is the SoPhone, which is almost the replica of the original iPhone 4. This knockoff is getting popular among the Hong Kong users, and it was reported by the Hong Kong’s best newspaper. The knockoff will change everything again, we have a video of it do check it out at after reading the specs below.

By looking at the above specs I can say that the SoPhone is promising, it has everything. It has a 4GB of internal storage, it is far lighter than the original iPhone 4, WiFi is here to get connected everywhere, comes up with 2MP camera, has a screen size just same as of the Apple’s iPhone 4 and it will only cost you $193.

Wow! I am just amazed, I would recommend to buy this fake iPhone 4 and enjoy.

TenPearls Wins NOKIA 1st Prize for Most Innovative Mobile App

 Nokia Pakistan awarded TenPearls 1st Prize for its mobile application uTrack in a competition held for the first time in Pakistan with an aim to identify best Local Apps. Nokia awarded the first prize of one million rupees to TenPearls for winning this competition organized for apps that were most relevant to the Pakistan market.

uTrack allows users to get organized with their daily personal and work-related tasks with to-do / post-it virtual walls, allowing users to define and manage tasks through a user-friendly interface. uTrack Pro comes with a number of productivity features providing task organization, scheduling and assignment.

“We evaluated many creative applications submitted for ‘Calling All Innovators Pakistan 2010' developer competition. Most of the entries received were quite useful and impressive. Selecting a winner was a tough decision for our panel of judges. However, TenPearls' mobile app, uTrack, stood out as clear leaders in terms of its usability and intelligent integration with smart devices. As facilitators for the developers' community, Nokia has set higher expectation for TenPearls and we see TenPearls as our long-term partner in various initiatives,” commented Rabia Nizami, Solutions Manager, Nokia, Near East.

“Nokia's global commitment to foster developers' community is praise-worthy and extremely helpful in furthering an environment of innovation and entrepreneurship worldwide,” commented Imran Aftab, President of TenPearls. “We are looking forward to building more applications on Nokia's smart devices and leveraging our relationship for greater business successes,” added Imran.

uTrack Application is available across multiple platforms, and is available for download from Nokia's OVI store, Apple's iTunes, and Android Market. The application is soon to be released for Windows Mobile and the Blackberry Playbook. More information on uTrack is available on TenPearls' uTrack page.

Nokia Estimated to Have Shipped Up to 4 Million Nokia N8 Smartphones

 Nokia is estimated to have shipped somewhere in the range of 3.5 - 4 million of its flagship Nokia N8 smartphone, according to analysis by Inderes Oy. Nokia had said last Novemeber that it had received the highest level of pre-sale orders in its history for the new phone, but didn't offer any concrete figures at the time.

The research is based on correlations between the number of people looking for information about a specific phone on website search engines, and their subsequent sales. If Inderes' analysis is correct, then the company would have shipped up to 4 million in the three months since its launch last October.

According to their analysis, the highest search volumes over competitors N8 may be in India, Finland, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. They note that the strong performance in India is interesting as the Apple iPhone has not sold well in that country, where Nokia still retains a considerable market lead over its rivals.

Mobilink Launched Samsung Galaxy Tab at Bloggers Meet-up in Lahore

In the year 2010, Mobilink initiated a new tradition of involving online community of bloggers in mobile technology related launches in Pakistan. Company says that the aim was to engage, seek opinion and build relationship with the people who are always abreast with the latest technological trends in the telecom and mobile phone technology.

On New Year’s eve, Mobilink in collaboration with Samsung launched the P1000 Galaxy tablet in the blogging community of Lahore.

The meet-up took place in Bistro 201 and about 120 bloggers from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad showed up at the event including Jehan Ara, President PASHA Pakistan, Jibran, the current top Google mapper from Pakistan and teams of Sizzled Core, Global News Bulletin, Pro Pakistani and ApnaTime.

The event began at around 4pm and continued till 6pm. Many prizes were also given away including one Galaxy tablet to winner of an online competition, Hammed Dar of KoolMuzone from Islamabad. Two mobile phones and many Mobilink, Samsung goody bags were distributed among bloggers by asking pop questions.

Overall, the bloggers meet-up brought a good end to 2010. Last year, Mobilink arranged 3 blogger meet-ups, one in Lahore for the Launch of Motorola Milestone – the android phone in the local market. The second one was arranged in Islamabad to mark the launch of HTC HD7 Windows Mobile Phone 7 powered smartphone. The last blogger meet-up was held on December 31^st to celebrate the launch of Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Here are some photos from the event.