Nokia Mobile Communities - on the mobile, for the mobile, by the mobile
Wed, 2010-07-07 16:31There are approximately 50 Million internet users and over 400 Million mobile phone users in India. Similar numbers exist for other emerging markets as well. Majority of this user base do not use smart-phones and neither do they have internet access. How do you get this large set of users to communicate and share information with their friends, family and co-workers with ease and at an affordable price?
Nokia Mobile Communities is our attempt to provide a complete communities experience to the aforesaid users on the mobile phone without a dependency on the web or PC. The product has two main flavors – Conversations and Streams. Conversations, is ideal for short group chats with your social network (like coordinating when to meet for a movie or to occasionally check how things are going). Streams, helps create channels for community building and following a topic (e.g. career tips, hyper-local news) or a person (e.g. fan group for a Bollywood star).
During this beta trial, the service is only available to users in India. While the app will work on all Nokia devices that support Java, we’ve optimized the application for S40 phones with 240x320 screen resolution. Keeping the Indian context in mind, presently SMS is the bearer of communication for the service to reduce cost to the user. A simple-SMS interface is also supported, especially for non-Nokia devices.
We request you to don the hat of the ‘common man’ in India with limited disposable income and no Internet access when you use and evaluate the service. Think about the connectivity and devices they have and whether this app will (or will not) meet their requirements. Is it easy and intuitive for your parents, siblings (perhaps in another city) or even your domestic help to use? We can always add support for high-end devices, but primary aim is to offer the best user experience to the average Joe.
Please check out the full list of features and supported devices and download this Beta app now. We look forward to your feedback in the forums!
Thank you in advance!
On behalf of Nokia Mobile Communities team,
Sameer Goel
Product Manager
Comments
Nice to see something coming for India, even if it's targeted for "common man"
But how it being charged? per SMS? I just can not find any details about charging models.
With GPRS becoming cheap(Rs.45/2GB/month), I really think its better idea to use that as in longer run GPRS is cheaper though you need to have phones capable of that.
Best Regards,
Suyog
http://mobileyog.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/mobileyog
well..
I just downloaded this app...seemed wonderful when i read it, so i downloaded it bang. But now when i try to install it, it says authorisation failed. I tried to install it from both my mobile e63 and even through PC suite. But, it says 'authorisation failed' at the end everytime i try to install it. WTF???!!!
Wow, an India exclusive app... lol that's not what you see everyday! :P Thanx a lot Sameer Goel, glad to know that the Indian executives of NBL are alive and active. Come on, we know you have some great ideas in your brains, so put them in practice and produce some apps! :D
Thanks for this new app! :D
I like how this app uses SMS over data. I live in the US but I don't pay for data but do have an unlimited internet plan so something like this would be perfect. Too bad I would get charged extra for sending text messages to India =[ or I would test this out.
Not able to install it..
@rounak and @itsmylife, please provide us more details to help you with the download and installation of the app. Kindly detail out the steps so that we can identify the problem area.
@suyog, you are charged for a standard SMS for all messages you send. The app notifies you of the same when you send the message (you can turn off notifications though).
@outrager and @velvetassasin, thank you for the support and we're glad you like the app.
- rgds, Sameer Goel
Hi,
Is this applicable for touch phones(5800, n97 mini etc., S60 5th Edition)??
If you find my post useful, please do press the Helpful button on my post. Current Nokia OVI Suite version is 2.2.0.245, www.nokia.com/ovisuite
@greek_fan No, touch phones are not supported as of now... We have it on our roadmap and will add touch support in due course...
- rgds, Sameer Goel
Product Manager
hey,
I downloaded the app through PC and transferred the .jar file and started the installation process on phone, but it just refuses to do so, saying 'authorisation failed'. Same case when i tried to do so with pc suite...
i also tried downloading it through the s60 browser, but it always says 'no gateway reply'. I dont understand this whilst i can happily download any other app...
certificate error on 6120c. Please include old 3rd fp1 in your next release.
SMuol
i could download it using .jad file. I have a few suggestions, that could be implemented in the app:-
1. Adding support for cut, copy and paste.
2. Syncing the app with the inbox.
3. Delimiting the number of characters from 160 to what we require.
This app could work wonders these could be implemented in the further development of the app.
The great application. Is it only for india? I'm tired for activetion form K.S.A. Please think for world wide on next release.
Regards & by;
A_ Hoss_
I want download
Great application