One award was for the Nokia C3 and another for the Nokia N9, as voted for by South African consumers. The Nokia C3 won under the category of best phone under R1000 and the Nokia N9 as the best and most innovative product of the year in the smartphone category.

Out of more than ten smartphone brands the Nokia N9 was chosen by local consumers as the handset they were most likely to go out and buy!

We would like to thank everyone who voted for us in these prestigious awards!

According to Preetesh Sewraj, local MD of Product of the Year, the national survey is the largest consumer survey held in South Africa. 5000 consumers across the country, from 16 years old upwards and across a range of demographics, are quizzed face to face about which 44 consumer products they recognise as the most innovative and cost effective.

Preetash said consumers are asked which products they believe bring something new, exciting and innovative to the local marketplace. Consumers are also asked about which products in particular they would actually buy, from computer protection to food and beauty products and of course mobile handsets.

The fact that the awards are awarded on the basis of consumer votes mean they reflect grass root consumer trends and as a result enjoy strong credibility both in the marketplace and the media. The awards also reflected both the affordability and innovation of Nokia’s lower and higher end handset product range.

For manufacturers of the winning products, the award is a powerful marketing message proven to increase product trial, awareness, distribution and sales.

Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established 25 years ago in France, POY currently operates in 28 countries with the same purpose: Namely to guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. For more information on the awards visit http://productoftheyear.co.za

For almost as long as we’ve been using mobile handsets, consumers around the world have harnessed this technology to capture their daily lives in photos, videos or with calls and status updates.

Today, smartphones allow us to shoot exceptional content and share it with the world via social networking.

For some of us, this is limited to uploading images to Facebook and Twitter for the enjoyment of friends and family. For others however, modern handsets have opened up new possibilities for video production and photography.

It was this very attitude that recently earned two friends from Port Elizabeth a dream holiday to New York.

Using the Nokia N8, which features an unrivalled 12 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and 720p HD video capabilities, graphic designers Brett Gieseke and Barry Lottering created a stop motion video highlighting the best of Nedbank’s ‘savvy’ banking concept.

The duo shot the short film at Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth using Lottering’s fiancé Amalie Pistorius as the ‘main character’ and entered it into a local competition seeking the most creative depiction of the bank’s new marketing initiative.

“The idea was to show that simply using a cellphone you could still relax, lie on the beach and do all your banking at the same time,”  Gieseke told the Weekend Post.

After a few weeks, Lottering and Gieseke received a call informing them that the concept was a clear winner amongst competition judges. A short while later, the pair jetted off to New York and enjoyed the best of what the ‘Big Apple’ has to offer as their prize.

According to Gieseke, the choice to use Nokia’s N8 smartphone was an easy one.

“I’ve been a fan of Nokia since I got my Nokia N8 on contract a year ago. I’ve been using it ever since for all of my filming and photography. My clients are often amazed that such great quality can come from a mobile phone.”

“Overall we decided to use the Nokia N8 as our camera of choice because of its image quality, but also its portability” he adds.

The Nokia N8 is widely regarded as the best camera phone in the world, for image quality and video clarity, and has been used to film advertisements, music videos as well as near feature length motion pictures.

To get a better idea of just what this handset is capable of without any image enhancement or effects follow this link – the result is astonishing.

The similarities

Let’s start with the similarities. Both the Nokia Lumia 800 and the Nokia Lumia 710 feature a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 512MB RAM. Most significantly, they both feature Windows Phone 7.5, otherwise known as Mango. Both handsets offer quadband radio reception, HSPA, WiFi and Bluetooth. The applications that run on the device are identical. Both include advanced services such as Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive voice-navigation and Nokia Music. Each handset active noise cancellation, a 3D accelerometer and proximity and ambient light sensors, providing all the hardware and sensors required for developers to create any manner of innovative apps.

The differences

The most obvious difference is in the look and the size of the phones. The Nokia Lumia 710 is relative lightweight at 125 grams, while the Nokia Lumia 800’s single piece, polycarbonate chassis comes in at 142 grams. Batteries are also different with the Nokia Lumia 710 boasting a 1300mAh with 7.6 hours of 3G talktime, while the Lumia 800 has a 1450mAh unit good for 9.5 hours.

The ‘buttonless’ fascia of the 800 has only ‘soft’ dedicated keys, while the 710 features an ‘rocker’ for the Start, back and search buttons.

As one would expect, there are hardware differences too. The Lumia 710 is equipped with 8GB of memory compared to the 800’s 16GB of storage. However, one of the most substantial differences is the camera. The Nokia Lumia 800 gets a more advanced camera with its 8MP Carl Zeiss unit, with double LED flash, versus the 5MP and single LED flash in the 710.

While both devices have a 3.7-inch 800×480 pixel touchscreen the 710 features an LCD display while the 800 has an AMOLED, Clearblack display increasing contrast, colour, and visibility in bright sunlight.

Probably the most important point to note when looking at both these devices is that with either, you don’t have to compromise on user-experience, as any device featuring the Lumia name will offer a great experience all round. 

Also keep in mind that the Lumia 800, as the best Windows Phone OS-running smartphone available, is capable of interacting with the Xbox 360, which is the best video game console on the market. Upon downloading the Xbox Companion App from the Windows Phone Marketplace, you will have access to cool functionality such as being able to search through the content on your Xbox 360 via your smartphone, as well as employing your Nokia Lumia 800 as a remote controller for your Xbox.

As of 7 February 2012, you can get a Lumia 800 from Vodacom and see what the fuss is all about. Even better, one lucky Twitter user will receive the opportunity to be the first to review the Lumia 800.  Read on to find out how.

Global interest in the two new handsets is substantial, especially in the higher-end Lumia 800. That’s confirmed by Vice President for Nokia in South and East Africa Gerard Brandjes, who points to critical acclaim and consumer excitement the Lumia range has achieved across Europe, Asia and the US. By now, you should be quite familiar with the specifications of this handset and its little brother, the Lumia 710 (available in the second quarter of 2012).

These handsets are designed with social and the cloud in mind; not only do they deliver a full and familiar range of integrated social services (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), they also introduce the concept of storage in the cloud with SkyDrive – essentially providing limitless capacity (and substantially better security) for your content. Actually, there’s a whack of awesome new features to look forward to.

Browsing gets a boost with Internet Explorer 9, while the integration between the Windows 7.5 Mango operating system and the hardware (including the 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor) is super-slick and delivers the sort of full multitasking associated with a PC. Using a Lumia is described as delivering Nokia’s best social and Internet performance with one-touch social network access, easy grouping of contacts and integrated communication threads.

Probably best of all, at this stage, is the pricing of packages that will put these handsets in, well, your hands. The Lumia 800 starts on a Vodacom Business Call contract (with 100MB data per month) at just R279 per month on a two year contract.

How can you get the Lumia 800 for a review (note that we unfortunately can’t let you keep the handset)? Easy. Just let us know on Twitter why you should be selected to evaluate the phone. Use the #hashtag #Lumia. Good luck!

Terms and conditions for the Lumia 800 consumer review

-To enter the consumer review program you are required to tweet your motivation to @NokiaRSA including the hashtag #Lumia, indicating why you  should be selected as a reviewer.

- The selection of the reviewer will be made at Nokia’s sole discretion, no coorespondence will be entered into

-The reviewers will be contacted via a DM message, therefore you are required to follow the @NokiaRSA Twitter account to be eligible for the review.

-Only one tweet per person will be considered in the motivations for entries. The competition is open to everyone living in South Africa and over the age of 16 except employees and immediate family members of Nokia and its agencies. You must be in possession of a valid South African ID or a valid residence / work permit. A copy of this must be made available before the review unit will be made available to the reviewer.

-Device reviewers will be personally responsible and liable for the Nokia Lumia 800 while the phone is in their possession

-If you are a winner on the Nokia Ringaz Blog you may not be eligible to win another Nokia competition for a period of 3 months.

-The winner will be selected by the judges, no correspondence will be entered into.

-The reviewer will be announced on the 3rd February 2012

-Entry into this competition constitutes acceptance of the above rules

]]> http://ringaz.nokia.co.za/mobile-devices/say-hello-to-the-nokia-of-the-future-lumia-800-now-available-in-south-africa/feed/ 21 http://ringaz.nokia.co.za/mobile-devices/the-smallest-smartphone-in-the-world-is-coming-to-sa/ http://ringaz.nokia.co.za/mobile-devices/the-smallest-smartphone-in-the-world-is-coming-to-sa/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:49:52 +0000 Richard McCormack http://ringaz.nokia.co.za/?p=2969 The Nokia 700 is the most compact monoblock smartphone in the world right now and it is available in South Africa right now.

This tiny device weighs only 96 grams but packs quite a punch when it comes to functionality and boasts the fluid Nokia Belle operating system pre-installed. It’s ideal for people who want a smartphone that slips easily into their pocket but desire all the benefits of a modern smartphone.

The specification of the 700 packs a rapid 1GHz processor, a 3.2″ 360 x 640 pixel touchscreen display and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video capture.

It also features GPS and Bluetooth with 2GB of user memory and a MicroSD card slot for up to 32GB of extra storage plus an FM radio, multimedia player and a 3.5mm audio socket.

The battery life is rated at up to 7.3 hours talk-time or up to 465 hours on standby and the Nokia 700 also supports 3.5G connectivity and WiFi and it has NFC contactless technology built in.

The 700 also uses a ClearBlack AMOLED panel with Gorilla Glass on top which should ensure that it looks very sharp and vibrant. Many users have said the display is so crisp it looks as if it is painted on the screen.

The Nokia 700 is also the greenest phone to date. Like all other Nokia devices, it’s free of pollutants like PVC, RFR and BFR. It’s also constructed using materials like bio-plastics, recycled plastics and recycled metals. Thanks to the AMOLED screen, ambient light sensor and power-save mode, the Nokia 700 will remain environmentally responsible throughout its life. Like every Nokia, it can be 100% recycled once it’s time to move on.

In honour of its impending 2012 release, we thought we’d take a look at the Nokia Lumia 800’s top characteristics.

People Hub

People Hub is a new social feature that allows users to link contacts to Twitter, Facebook, Live and LinkedIn accounts to see what’s new in their lives. It’s a great way to keep in touch with friends and family across a range of platforms.

Bing

The Nokia Lumia 800 ships with native support for Microsoft’s Bing search engine – one of the fastest growing search platforms in the market today. Furthermore, the ‘Home’ screen also features a search bar for ease of use.

Windows Phone featuring Xbox Live

Nokia Lumia 800 users will be able to tightly integrate their mobile and gaming environments through Xbox Live. Using this functionality, users will be able to edit their avatars and make use of several Xbox Live services on their phone.

SkyDrive

SkyDrive is an easy to use cloud based storage service which integrates with your mobile environment to ensure that you have constant access to your documents, music, videos and photos.

Significantly, it also offers support for Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint when integrated with Microsoft Office 365 – giving users the ability to pull up important work related information at the click of a button.

Mix Radio

Mix Radio allows users to stream a vast library of music free of charge via a mobile or WiFi connection. What makes this feature even better is its’ ability to keep playing regardless of network strength. Users are also able to create dynamic playlists which they can download at a later stage.

Nokia Music Store

The Nokia Music Store is a ‘one stop shop’ when it comes to buying music simply and quickly. Featuring a wide range of local and international artists, this is one of the most compelling Nokia Lumia 800 features for music lovers.

Nokia Drive and Maps

Although a map offering may be regarded as a standard within the smartphone environment, very few handsets offer the dynamic options that feature in Nokia Drive and Nokia maps. These include the ability to change navigation voice, use 2D or 3D map views and change screen contrast for night driving.

According to a message currently making the rounds on smartphone messaging application, WhatsApp, users will soon be charged for sending messages. But before you scramble to spam all your contacts and spread the word, the message has been confirmed as a hoax.

The message claims that users who want to avoid being charged, must send the message to at least 10 people who receive it (that’s two ticks) to prove they are a frequent user of the service. Then, the user’s WhatsApp logo should turn from green to red to indicate frequent user status. The hoax is also circulating via social media.

WhatsApp has confirmed that the message is a hoax and that they do not have any plans to start charging its users for sending messages. According to the official WhatsApp Blog: “It is a hoax. Really, it is. There is no truth to it”.

Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is only a data cost to message and stay in touch with your friends. The cross-platform mobile messaging app allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS, available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia, and the phones can all message each other as well.

You can download WhatsApp Messenger FREE for your Nokia smartphone from the Nokia Ovi Store or Windows Phone Marketplace.

With the Xbox Companion App, you can search through the content on your Xbox 360 and in the Live Marketplace. Games, movies and music are all available at your fingertips. In other words, your Xbox 360 and your Nokia Lumia 800 are the gateway to all the entertainment you’ll ever need. Once you’ve found what you’re looking for, you can use your new Lumia 800 to control your Xbox. Fast forward, rewind, pause and play. The action is right in your hands.

On the move? Not a problem. With games like Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles, Fruit Ninja and Monopoly you can take your Xbox Experience with you on the road. The best part of the Windows Marketplace is that you can try games for free before you buy them.

More importantly, you’re probably wondering, does it have Angry Birds? The answer: of course it does. The worldwide phenomenon that has been downloaded more than 500 million times is available on the Lumia 800 and looks incredible on the 3.7” ClearBlack AMOLED display. It’s like the game was designed for the Lumia, with its 1.4GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM graphics are as smooth as silk.

But if you are an Xbox 360 owner then there is no need to leave your Xbox at home. With your Nokia Lumia 800, you can sign into your Xbox LIVE account and earn achievements and Gamerscore while playing mobile games. You can challenge your friends and play online with them through the amazing Xbox LIVE service which has over 20 million active members worldwide.

The new Nokia Lumia 800 combines the best hardware with the best mobile gaming experience available through the Xbox LIVE service.

Official Nokia Lumia 800 product video

Introducing the new Nokia Lumia 800 smartphone which features a stunning, head-turning design, is available in vivid colours (cyan, magenta and black) and features the best mobile social and internet experience around.

Nokia Lumia 800 meets the Xbox 360

Did you know that you can use you Nokia Lumia 800 as a remote control for your Xbox 360 gaming console? Well now you do. Simply download the free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone and you’ll be ready to connect your smartphone with your Xbox. Then, when a movie or music is playing, your phone will turn into a remote control for your Xbox 360.

Nokia Lumia 800 launch event in London featuring Deadmau5

What could be better than a front-row seat to a show presided over by one of the best DJs in the world? Enjoying such a show with the Millbank Tower in London as your backdrop, with each of the 120 metre tall building’s 800 windows covered with vinyl and 16 projectors beaming 3D images onto the structure turning it into a ginormous videowall.

The Lumia 800 loves music as much as you do

Dean Patrick of Nokia Music provides a walk-through of the new Nokia Music functionality available on the Nokia Lumia 800.

Nokia Drive & Maps

Turn-by-turn navigation is on offer on the Nokia Lumia 800 and will help you arrive safely and on time at your destination.

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It’s like having access to your Office desk wherever you go

The Lumia 800 is a capable workhorse because of its 3.7” ClearBlack AMOLED (480 x 800) display, 1.4 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage as well as free SkyDrive cloud storage for images, music, document and other files. It can also assist you to be very productive on the work front via its Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, One Note).

One happy snapper

Nokia users know their smartphones have capable cameras onboard and the Lumia 800 is no exception. Its 8 MP auto-focus snapper with Carl Zeiss lens not only ensures that gorgeous-looking stills will be captures but also allows for HD-ready (720p) videos to be recorded at a lag-free 30 frames per second.

A good listener

Our Lumia 800 may boast one of the best onscreen touch QWERTY keyboard layouts in the business, in either portrait or landscape modes, but don’t you sometimes wish that you can just tell your phone what to type or do for that matter? Well you’re in luck, because by using the Lumia 800 smartphone, you’ll be able to do just that.