[Ict4devwg] Nokia Life Tools Launched Across India

[Vern Weitzel]

Subject: 	[bytesforall_readers] Nokia Life Tools Launched Across India
Date: 	Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:59:03 +0530
From: 	Frederick "FN" Noronha <fredericknoronha at gmail.com>
Reply-To: 	bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com
To: 	bytesforall_readers <bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com>


http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Nokia_Life_Tools_Launched_Across_India/551-103159-613.html 


Nokia Life Tools Launched Across India

Techtree News Staff, Jun 13, 2009 1853 hrs IST

Primary range of services will include agriculture, education, and
entertainment
E-Mail Print

Nokia has launched Nokia Life Tools across India, a tool aimed to meet
the information gap and in turn improve lives and the livelihood of
farmers and sub-urban consumers.

The primary range of services will include agriculture, education, and
entertainment.

Nokia has been pilot testing its Life Tools services in some parts of
Maharashtra in the past 4 months.

The full-fledged service will now be provided in Maharashtra for
starters, followed by other parts of India. Nokia has announced the
launch for the state in association with the Maharashtra State
Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB).

MSAMB will provide expertise in the areas of commodity prices from
their network of 291 local mandis (marketyards). MSAMB will also have
the opportunity to deliver relevant news, alerts on schemes and other
information directly to grassroots consumers.

The company has commenced this initiative in association with Reuters
Market Light for its content services.

Other Partners

Nokia has collaborated with multiple partners across the Indian
Government and private enterprises to bring together a rich ecosystem
to deliver localised & personalised information directly to consumers'
Life Tools-enabled mobile devices.

Nokia is collaborating with Reuters Market Light (RML), which was the
exclusive provider for agriculture services in the successful pilot.
Syngenta, Madison Research, Skymet and many others also form this
ecosystem.

Compatible Handsets

The complete Nokia Life Tools solution will be available on the newly
launched Nokia 2323 classic and Nokia 2330 classic devices, and will
be later expanded to other Nokia devices.
Nokia Life Tools services use an icon-based, graphically rich user
interface that comes complete with tables and which can even display
information simultaneously in two languages. Behind this rich
interface, SMS is used to deliver the critical information to ensure
that this service works wherever a mobile phone works, without the
hassles of additional settings or the need for GPRS coverage.

Cost of Services

Nokia Life Tools Agriculture services:

The Nokia Life Tools Agriculture service offers consumers a choice of 2
plans.

1. The basic plan, available across India at Rs 30 per month,
provides daily weather updates and relevant agriculture-related news,
advice and tips.

2. The premium plan, at Rs 60 per month, will be available in 10
states, including Maharashtra, and provides the closest market prices
for three crops chosen by the subscriber, as well as weather, news,
advice and tips.

Nokia Life Tools Education services:

The Nokia Life Tools Education service, available throughout India,
offers three components:

1. Learn English, with basic, intermediate and advanced levels;

2. Exam preparation, which offers students tips and advice for
ICSE, CBSE and State Board-level exams mapped to the relevant
curriculum;

3. General Knowledge, which gives subscribers useful information
about the world around them.

Each of the Education services will be offered at Rs 30 per month.

Nokia Life Tools Entertainment services:

The Nokia Life Tools Entertainment service at launch will include
Astrology, News, Jokes, Cricket and ringtones, offered at existing
market prices. The content is aggregated and brought to Life Tools by
OnMobile.

Nokia Life Tools service will be expanded to select countries across
Asia and Africa later in 2009 and beyond, says the company.

-- 
FN * http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com
<http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com> http://twitter.com/fn
<http://twitter.com/fn>
M +91-9822122436 P +91-832-2409490
http://fredericknoronha.multiply.com/
<http://fredericknoronha.multiply.com/> http://goa1556.goa-india.org
<http://goa1556.goa-india.org>
"This is one small step for GaN.....one giant leap for GaN-kind!" - John
Palmour