August 24, 2010
By Donovan Jackson

Soon there will be a new brand of person on the social media scene. N8tives. N8tives are people who are online, switched on, Twittering, Facebooking, creating and sharing information. Reflecting the N8ture of N8tives, Nokia is launching the smartest of smart handsets socially – through the very platforms that the N8tive uses, well, natively.

The Nokia N8 is specifically designed to perform in a social media world. It’s packed solidly with features that make content generation and sharing an absolute pleasure – from the 12 megapixel camera, to the smooth handling of pictures and messaging provided by its Symbian^3 operating system.

But this blog isn’t about the handset, marvellous though it may be. It’s about how social media is becoming so much of a force in the lives of the online market for which the phone is designed.

That’s why the N8 launch activities are geared all around social media. It is the first time that you will have the opportunity to actively participate and join the conversation, interacting with Nokia through a variety of online services…including, of course, Ringaz.

It’s started already. On the 17th and 18th August 2010 selected media and bloggers in Johannesburg and Cape Town enjoyed the opportunity to preview the Nokia N8 first hand. During these sessions, media and bloggers got to view, play with and ask questions about the Nokia N8. And of course, to check out the capabilities of that amazing camera.

Speaking of checking it out, go to Twitter and search #N8 to see just what people around the world (and in SA) are saying about the handset.

Just because you’re a Ringaz reader, there’s more: a great opportunity to win an N8 for yourself. That campaign kicks off right here on 30 August, together with selected social media partners over the 8-week period with the last and final N8 going on Ringaz again. Guess how many are up for grabs? That would be 8. And with the first one which we give away, you get the bragging rights of being the first South African to lay their hands on this awesome device. The phones are only arriving in South Africa in October, so although you are a winner, you will only get it then, but you will be one of the first to receive one!

If you aren’t that N8tive, don’t worry, hold out for one of the remaining 7. And if luck isn’t your style, get in a pre-order as we’re also making 1500 Nokia N8s available for online pre-order here on Ringaz from 20 September and another 2500 devices in selected stores from 27 September. Your online pre-ordered device comes complete with a personal butler delivery service, in the urban cities, including a one hour consultation on setting it up and a free phone cover.

Because the N8 is so powerful, you can create a lot with it. Nokia wants to know what you would do with yours – Nokia N8 Create Challenge – and the top submissions will receive one to do just that. The overall voted winner will win an all expenses paid trip to the Northern Lights in 2011. This competition will start 01 November.

Because it is all about conversations with the people who actually use them, the media will receive N8s to evaluate and share their opinions with you – but Nokia also wants you to tell the world what you think. 60 consumers with the strongest motivations as to why they should receive the N8 will receive the device for a 30 day review – this competition will start on the 18^th of October. Once you’ve got yours, hit @NokiaRSA on Twitter, climb into Nokia South Africa on Facebook and say what it is about the N8 that you love. As a N8tive of South Africa.

Keep updated with N8 launch activities on:

•             Nokia South Africa blog

•             Nokia South Africa Twitter Feed

•             Nokia South Africa Facebook group