Posted by Nafisa on Jul 15, 2009 in
cellular,
gadget,
mobile
Nokia South Africa have very kindly given me an N97 as a thank you for hosting their global ‘Search for N’ competition. I know some of you must have been sick of seeing consecutive Nokia posts so thanks for bearing with me during that time.
I received my N97 on Monday evening and the first thing I did once I hopped onto my wireless network was:
That was me testing the Facebook widget that came pre-installed. I have to admit I don’t like it, I prefer logging onto Facebook via Opera Mini. Btw, the Nokia default browser reminds me of Internet Explorer 
It definitely needs working on.
Read more…
Tags: mobile, N97, nokia
Posted by Nafisa on May 28, 2009 in
competition
Without further ado, here is your second clue:
Not a window or a gadget, but a bit of both for your N97.
Good luck!
If you’ve missed the first clue, along with the what when why how, check my previous post. Remember that all answers should be emailed once the fifth clue is published, to this address. First three correct entries, along with a scanned copy of a valid South African ID will win. South African passports will be accepted with proof of residency. If you want to fax your ID instead, please drop me a mail and I will provide you with a number.
All clues have been / will be published at 13h00 SA time on the following dates:
Clue 1 – published on 26 May
Clue 2 – published on 28 May
Clue 3 – to be published on 30 May
Clue 4 – to be published on 31 May
Clue 5 – to be published on 2 June
Thank you all who retweeted and linked me on your blogs, the response has been fantastic.
Tags: N97, nokia, search for n
Posted by Nafisa on May 26, 2009 in
competition
Okay folks, it’s here… this is your chance to be one of the first 97 people worldwide to own a Nokia N97! That’s right, before it officially launches.
What is it and how does it work?
Search for N is a global competition that is running concurrently in China, UAE (Dubai), Russia, France, Benelux, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and South Africa. Over a period of seven days (26 May – 2 Jun), 5 cryptic clues will be published on this blog (as well as other websites / blogs that have partnered with Nokia globally), on selected days at 1pm SA time. Once you solve all 5 riddles, email your answers to me immediately, as the first three correct entries received will each win a Nokia N97 handset. The local version of this competition is being run on four blogs, www.nafisa.co.za being one of them.
It starts right now, so here’s your first clue:
Haptic and tactile are types of these
Remember to keep your answers and send them all together (along with a scanned copy of your ID) via email to me on this address as soon as you solve the last riddle. Do not answer via comments.
Basic rules
- This competition is open to all South African citizens with a valid ID
- Participants have to be 18 years or older
- Winners will be announced once their identities has been verified (include a scanned copy of your ID with your answers). If you want to fax them through, email me and I will provide you with a number.
- If winners do not respond to formal notification within 1 week, Nokia will select a random replacement winner
- Prizes are neither transferable nor exchangeable for cash
- Winner agrees to allow their photograph to be taken and published in print media or to appear on radio, the internet & television when accepting his/her prize
Full T&C’s available here.
So, why am I running this competition?
Quite simply because I rock and Nokia agrees 
Subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss any updates.
Tags: N97, nokia, search for n
Posted by Nafisa on May 21, 2009 in
cellular,
mobile
Earlier today I attended the Nokia E75 launch, held at the Skin Sense Day Spa in Rivonia. As you might know I’m no corporate so phones in that range don’t interest me.
I got to play with the phone for a short while and if first impressions are anything to go by, I wouldn’t mind owning this handset. What I like about is that it’s light (much lighter than my N85) even though it has a slide out keyboard. It’s slim, sleek and well, stylish, especially in the deep red colour that it’s also available in. So it gets full marks in the ‘looks’ category but I can’t vouch for battery life etc.
Some plus points:
- supports mobile VPN
- Nokia Messaging – you only need your username & password (supports Gmail, Windows Live, Yahoo! [remind me again who uses Yahoo!], AOL).
- customizeable home screen views for business and personal. So when you get home, flip screens and no work mail coming in.
- data encryption for phone memory and microSD card
View full technical specs here.
Even though I don’t mind owning this device, I’d still pick the N97 over this
Tags: cellular, mobile, nokia, symbian FTW
Posted by Nafisa on Apr 20, 2009 in
consumer,
mobile
You might wonder why the comparison. These two products are hardly in the same category. But I think one might just put the other out of business. Given the state of the current economy, I don’t see consumers rushing out to buy laptops or notebooks. There have been reports that the netbook market is soaring and sales will grow by 65% this year. At the same time Nokia’s earnings have dropped in the first quarter of this year to €122 million, compared to last years €1.2 billion, during the same period.
Statistics aside, smart phones are now being created to give you the ultimate browsing experience. That’s what the touch-screen Nokia N97 promises. You can customize the phone’s home screen with widgets, watch high-quality movies, browse ‘real’ web pages etc. But what about the price tag that comes with a high-end phone like this? I’m not talking about business men and women who need these devices or the super rich. I’m talking about middle class working citizens who save up, look what the market has to offer, make comparisons and then decide what to go with.
Put yourself in this scenario – would you spend ± 6k on a cellphone and browse the web on a 3.5″ screen or spend about ± 4k and browse the internet on a 9″ screen, with full qwerty keyboard (98%)? It’s not a difficult decision.
The current mobile market is very competitive. It’s not like a few years ago where you knew exactly what phone you were getting. Now all phones offer the same features – so what do you go for?
I’ve reached a point where I don’t go for the phone that has all the coolest features. I’m not big on a GPS merged into a phone. (I think the two devices should remain separate). You can’t put everything onto a cell/smart phone. What happens if you get a call while your phone is taking you to your next destination of if you are recording an interview and your phone starts ringing? What about battery life?
I think if the average consumer is opting for a netbook, chances are he won’t be spending ± 6k on a smartphone.
Oh, I’d be lying if I said I don’t want to get my hands on the Nokia N97. Perhaps Nokia will let me play with one
Tags: mobile, netbook, nokia, smartphone
