Nokia Money has been designed to be as simple and convenient as making a voice call or sending an SMS. It will enable consumers to send money to another person just by using the person’s mobile phone number, as well as to pay merchants for goods and services, pay their utility bills, or recharge their prepaid SIM cards (SIM top-up). The services can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere, meaning savings in travel costs and time. Nokia is building a wide network of Nokia Money agents, where consumers can deposit money in or withdraw cash from their accounts.

4 billion mobile phones but only 1.6 billion bank accounts

Mobile payments will be the next step for delivering financial services to hundreds of millions of people, both urban and rural, who are underserved by existing payment means, especially in emerging economies.

“Rural consumers will particularly benefit from money transfers and, for urban consumers used to online services, we are enabling services such as payment of utility bills, purchase of train and movie tickets, top-ups, all through their mobile phones. Nokia Money is simple to use, secure and available across different operator networks and on virtually any mobile phone. This means millions of new consumers will soon be able to manage all their financial needs from their mobile phone”, said Teppo Paavola, VP and Head of Corporate Business Development, Nokia.

Building a new ecosystem for mobile payments

The Nokia Money service will be operated in cooperation with Obopay, a leader in developing global mobile payment solutions, which Nokia invested in earlier this year. The service is based on Obopay’s mobile payment platform, with unique and newly developed mobile elements. Nokia intends the service to be open and interoperable with other payment services as well.

“Obopay shares Nokia’s vision for bringing mobile financial services to millions of people worldwide. We’re excited that Nokia has chosen Obopay’s platform. Nokia’s leading market position, strong brand recognition and global distribution channel, using the Obopay platform with uniquely developed mobile elements, means the Nokia Money service is well positioned to bring the next generation of mobile payment services to the world,” said Carol Realini, Founder and CEO of Obopay.

Nokia Money is the result of a powerful collaboration Nokia is forging between different partners in different markets around the world. It is designed to work in partnership with mobile network operators and financial institutions, involving distributors and merchants in a dynamic ecosystem to seamlessly provide the new services.

“As a result of the innovative partnerships and comprehensive ecosystem we are forging with the banking and financial industry, as well as leading network operators, we believe Nokia Money will bring financial inclusion to many who currently have limited or no access to financial services. Uniting the strengths of the mobile and financial services industries will change the way people around the world can manage their money in the future”, added McDowell.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBNnv8jeLlY[/youtube]

• Features:
• Windows-based machine.
• supported by an efficient Intel Atom processor.
• battery life that stretches up to 12 hours.
• a glass 10.1-inch HD display (it has an HDMI port for HD video out).
• aluminium shell which measures in at just 2cm thin.
• with fast downloading and uploading front of mind – it’s 3G/HSPA ready for rapid mobile broadband anywhere-access on the move.
• Wi-Fi has also been wedged into it’s slim body.
• supports hot-swappable SIM card functionality.
• onboard assisted-GPS with Ovi Maps
• single front-facing camera nestled above the 10.1-inch HD screen for video chat.
• Bluetooth.
• a built-in SD card reader.

You may be wondering why Nokia is adding to its range of products with an ultra portable laptop PC? Well, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices, Kai Oistamo, summed it up simply as follows:

“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility. We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”

There’s already a lot of info to digest here, but there are still more details to come at Nokia World 09 on 2 September – expect official word on where the Nokia Booklet 3G will be available, news on how much it’ll cost, along with a detailed list of specs for the number-hungry among us. [Source]

How to enter?

• via SMS*: Text the 10 character unique code (with no spaces) found on promotional packs of Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and Diet Pepsi to 62948.

• on-line: For free online entry route, enter the 10 character unique code found on promotional packs of Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and Diet Pepsi as directed at www.maxoutonmusic.com.

*All text messages you send to 62948 cost 25p plus standard network rate (inc. VAT). All text messages received are free. Please note that SMS entries may not fall within all ‘text-inclusive’ packages.

Nokia Sports Tracker is a GPS based activity tracker for S60 phones which won the Best Mobile Internet Service award in GSMA Global Mobile Awards 2009. The tracker not only tracks your speed, altitude as well as the number of steps you have taken, but it also records the location where you shot an image or a video & pins them at that spot in the workout.

You can get more details about the offer at Nokia – Trail Running

The screen is also PLASTIC and fairly robust at first glance,But this dose have its disadvantages as it is fairly difficult to see in the sunlight. On the positive side its 24 bit colour with a screen resolution of 360×640 packed into a 2.8 inch 16.1 screen dose give this phone a very vivid and impressive picture quality.

The sound for a phone via its supplied headset or built in speakers is excellent it is clear eligible and well balanced and by far the best i have seen on a phone yet.

The Carl Zeiss lens works well but is only 3.2 megapixel camera it is partnered with dule LED flash there are multiple on screen options including shutter speed however the pictures are slightly grainy.

The functionality of the s60v5 operating system is all there for the asking,however the web browser is slow and sluggish and watered down even for a hand held this can be overcome with apps.

I beleve this phone is exelent value for money if your looking for a multi media device with limited funds…..

How To Participate

To participate in the Program participants must enter their Personal Identification Number (PIN) via the Site http://www.ski-nokia.com/

Once you have entered your PIN you will be automatically entered into the draw to win the prize. For each friend’s email address you enter on the Site you will be entered into the draw an extra time. There is no limit to how many times you can be entered into the draw.

The Prize

There will be one winner chosen at the end of the Program Period.

The winner will win a trip for them and three friends to Mayrhofen in Austria – one of Europe’s coolest ski resorts. The holiday is for six nights from the 22nd to 29th March 2009.

The Prize includes:-

• Six nights bed, breakfast and pampering at the four star Spa Hotel Strass – Mayrhofen’s best hotel. It sits right in the centre of town and has a luxury spa, sauna, indoor pool and one of the best nightclubs in town. Flights and transfers from the UK
• Six day lift passes for all four of you
• 625km of piste and the best board park in Europe
• Ski and snowboard hire for the week
• Free entry to a party at Mayrhofen’s coolest club. The entire place is made from snow and ice – including the cocktail glasses you’ll be drinking from!
• A traditional alpine experience including a torch lit decent, authentic Austrian meal and a little tobogganing to finish it all off.
• Taxes, if any, related to the Prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.

The Prize cannot be assigned, transferred, redeemed for cash, or substituted except by Sponsor who may, at its sole discretion, substitute any Prize with one of comparable value if the advertised Prize becomes unavailable for any reason.

Good Luck!