25 February, 2011

Nestea: Nestle's New Flagship to the Beverage Market

(Pierre Trouilhat, Head of Nestlé Equatorial African Region, Natasha Metto, Reigning Miss World Kenya, Guenter Spiess, Business Executive Manager-Coffee and Beverages and Terry Mungai, Ashleys Hair and Beauty Salon,  hold cups of Nestea)
I am just from a Launch of Nestle new product "Nestea®" at the Norfolk Hotel Nairobi : a beverage sold in powder form in sachets that will retail at Kenya Shillings Five per sachet .The Nestea brand which is making its debut in Kenya has a market presence in over 60 Countries . It is popular in countries such as United States, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and China. The flavored drink made from Tea and other fruit flavors is easy to prepare and requires to be only mixed with hot or cold water and is ready for the taking. 
(Natasha Metto and Pierre Trouilhat share a light moment)

Considering the price and the size of the sachets i had an interesting conversation with Nestle Equatorial African region business executive manager Guenter Spiess about environmental concerns on the packaging and he clarified:

  • Since the sachets are small and affordable to aid in collection and recycling Nestle will be launching competitions whereby users will be encouraged to retain the used sachets for redemption of a Nestea Pitcher Mug or entry into a raffle. I find that pretty cool.
  • The materials used are biodegradable hence there will be the least damage to the environment in instances where disposal is not effected in a proper manner.
Nestle's new product is set to rival the beverage market as the product is quality and can be taken as a soft drink. I am certain the biggest market share holder Coca Cola will not take this foray into its territory lying down. 

I am also certain Coca Cola could hardly come up with a product of this caliber at that price for the mass market but i stand to be corrected. Kudos to Nestle for the quick thinking after all we all love Tea and it is one of our main cash crops and export product. Nestea is made from 100% Kenyan Tea which is a plus for the local Tea producers and farmers.Should the product grow to be popular Kenya will be the main beneficiary.

Here is excerpts from the Official Press Release:

NESTEA® enters Kenya with a bang!
NESTEA® announces sponsorship of NESTEA® Miss World Kenya 2011
Nairobi, February 25, 2011: NESTEA®, a ready-mix iced tea brand, has partnered with Miss World Kenya 2011 beauty pageant to promote consumption of tea in Kenya. Elaborating on the tie up Guenter Spiess, Business Executive Manager - Coffee & Beverages for Nestlé Equatorial African Region said, “Through NESTEA® we are promoting a beautiful and healthy lifestyle, NESTEA® Miss World Kenya 2011 is an opportunity for us to realize dreams of a lucky few young girls.”

In addition to the NESTEA® Miss World Kenya 2011 sponsorship, Mr Spiess also announced, “Once in a life time opportunity for a girl from less privileged background, who meets the criterion, to change her destiny by participating in Miss NESTEA® Kenya 2011, a contest which will be held during the ongoing NESTEA® Roadshow’s and the winner of which will get direct entry into the NESTEA® Miss World Kenya 2011. All they need to qualify for participation is five sachets of NESTEA® to enter this competition  and NESTEA® will take care of the rest. At Nestlé we are always looking to connect with our consumers and for NESTEA® we know this will be a great opportunity to connect at the grassroots level.” 

Apart from the lemon and tropical flavors, NESTEA® has also added the apple variant to its range. The brand has introduced smaller single serve packs, now retailing at Ksh 5 which are readily available at all dukas and shopping malls. Speaking after the launch of NESTEA® Miss World Kenya 2011, Regional Head of Nestlé Equatorial Africa Region Pierre Trouilhat said, “This introduction of single serve packs are part of our overall strategy to reinforce Nestlé’s presence in emerging markets, with particular focus on the lower income consumer segments while always taking care of the nutrition element. NESTEA® is a family drink, where 2 glasses deliver an adults daily Vitamin C requirement for just Ksh 10 and I know it will appeal to all age groups.”

The trend currently in the most markets is that people tend to consume tea in the morning. NESTEA® aims to make consumption of tea ‘fashionable’ at any time of the day. NESTEA® ready-mix provides consumers with different flavours that can be enjoyed across the day as a refreshing and nutritious drink. Mr. Spiess elaborated and said even though tea consumption still tops the beverage markets there was need to diversify the product and make it an all-time drink.
The organiser of Miss World Kenya 2011 Mrs. Terry Mungai said the competition presented an equal opportunity for Kenyan girls from all backgrounds to make a difference and urged them to participate.
She said: “I would like to urge all Kenyan girls between the age group of 17-24 years and fulfilling the other criteria to come forward and participate in the NESTEA Miss World Kenya 2011.”

The Miss NESTEA® search will run between March and May 2011 and will be followed by the crowning of Miss NESTEA® Kenya.  The lucky winner will have a chance to enter into the NESTEA® Miss World Kenya semi finals with the full sponsorship of NESTEA® in terms of her attire and grooming. 

23 February, 2011

Gay Muslim Marriages:BBC News Item Reactions !

The BBC website carried a news item on Sunday February 20, 2011 about British gay Muslims joining the global foray for equality and licensing of gay marriages.This has resulted in mixed reactions considering the fact that gay marriages is considered particularly offensive under Islamic law.The BBC article carried the experiences of a British Gay couple "Sarah" and "Asra' who conducted  'a Nikah' ( a Muslim Matrimonial Contract) officiated by a fellow lesbian friend knowledgeable in Quran . The couple alleged that you
"don't really have to have an official Imam, but you need someone who is knowledgeable enough about the Qur'an to do it"

In response to the Article the blog "Eye on Gay Muslims"  carried an Article entitled "The Fallacy of Gay 'Islamic Marriages' " objecting to some of the issues  the article may seem to be promoting.The article states:
Their so-called “nikah” is in fact fundamentally different from an actual nikah performed for a man and woman.One of the essential conditions of a nikah is that the two people be marriageable to one another. A member of the same sex is not, in the Qur’anic paradigm, a marriageable partner. That is even if we don’t point out that homosexual relations are a sinful abomination.

This pair even state that they gave each other a “dowry”. In a nikah, the dowry (mahr, i.e. marriage gift) is strictly from the man to the woman. So how can they invent this ruling then claim it’s the same as a normal nikah?
The writer then proceeds to posit several rhetorical questions that i hereby reproduce including:
  • One of the essential items of a marriage contract is the mahr (dowry) paid by the man to the woman. Who pays whom in one of your imagined ‘gay marriages’?
  • A man may not marry his sister or mother. Can he marry his brother or father? Provide us some scriptural backing.
  • A Muslim man may – if the law of the land permits – marry up to four women. Would you suggest the same for each man, resulting in a big complex web of men all married with each other?
  • A man has the full obligation to provide for his wife and children, while the woman’s money is her own right to spend or keep as she wishes. What system will you devise into Islamic law for two men?
  • In the eventuality of divorce, there is a difference between the procedure by the husband as compared to the wife. Which of the ‘gays’ gets the right to pronounce talaq?
I must say that i  was interested in this article for one, because i have not previously read of such an ambitious move within the Muslim religion.Two, the fact that this article and the people concerned are resident in Britain it posits the question ,could this development have been contributed to by the recent widespread  acceptance of homosexuality within  Christendom Churches in the Western World? Would such an article and perhaps the behaviour be tolerated in traditionally Muslim lands? Finally ,i am interested in the reactions of the general Muslim fraternity  and the intellectual discourses that may attach to the topic especially with regards to changes in religious ideologies.

22 February, 2011

Latest on The New Zealand Earthquake

A 6.3 Richter Scale Earthquake has hit the island of New Zealand at around 12:45 P.M  leaving an estimated 65 people dead in its aftermath.This is perhaps one of the worst earthquakes to be experienced in the region in the recent pasts. It seems there is no respite for this death dealing kind of earthquakes especially coming only a year after the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.

Such disasters prompt me to think is Kenya really prepared as a Country to handle such large scale Disasters or do we continue to engage ourselves in petty politics, sometimes even playing God with little or no concern for the interests and safety of the vast populations.Kenyan Politicians be ware you are as puny as the ants and the more you play out selfish interests the more you imperil the lives of the Citizens. My sincere condolences to the victims of the New Zealand Earthquake.

16 February, 2011

Airtel Scoops Two Global Mobile Awards

airtel Scoops Two Global Mobile Awards for its Groundbreaking Innovations

·         World’s first Virtual Card on mobile phone recognized by the authoritative mobile industry body for its transformational role in the lives of consumers in Africa
·         Innovations demonstrate Airtel’s winning partnerships with MasterCard, Standard and Chartered and Tango Telecoms
·         The 2011 global mobile awards entries cited as highly competitive and innovative in history

Nairobi, Kenya 16 February, 2011… airtel Africa has today scooped two awards at the premiere annual telecom industry awards, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Global Mobile Award 2011.
The telecom services provider was awarded the Best Mobile Money Product or solution and Best Customer Care & Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for its recently launched innovative payment product known as airtel OnLine Pay and a customer relationship management solution named airtel Treasure Hunt.
The winning Best Mobile Money Product or Solution, the airtel OnLine Pay is touted as the world’s first virtual card that operates off a wallet residing on a mobile phone. This innovative payment offers communities the opportunity for greater participation in the financial system as they realize the substantial benefits of mobile commerce. The single use debit card offering is a partnership between airtel, MasterCard and Standard Chartered Bank.  
The award was jointly received by airtel Africa’s chief marketing officer, Mr. Andre Beyers and MasterCard International’s Area Head for East and West Africa, Mr. Daniel Momehim during the GSMA congress party and awards ceremony held at the National Palace in Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain.
airtel’s second plaudit at the event, airtel Treasure Hunt was a joint submission between Airtel and Tango Telecoms, a mobile systems solutions provider. The innovation known as Dynamic Pricing Service gives Airtel the ability to price Voice and Data services dynamically based on location, cell load, time of day, subscriber type and/or subscriber activity. The service was launched in Niger, Uganda, Zambia and Congo. Tango Telecoms was represented at the awards by its VP, Global Channel Sales, Mr. Rory Toole.                
Commenting on behalf of airtel, Mr. Beyers said: “We are driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to consumers across the continent. To earn this award from the most authoritative and global constellation of peers in the industry, three months after the launch of our new brand in Africa, is a  recognition of our efforts to place innovations in the hands of consumers in Africa and will bolster our commitment to walk the talk”
According to the Judges, the Best Mobile Money Product or Solution award aims to recognize and reflect the rapid emergence of the mobile payment, transfer, banking and a host of innovative ‘cashless’ mobile services – in all varied forms. According to the panel, the opportunities for the financial services, ticketing and transport industries, in partnership with the mobile world are limitless, as are the benefits of convenience and value for users.  

The Customer Care or Customer Relationship Management award citation states: The Award recognizes the innovative programmes developed by operators and the products or services developed by CRM solution providers that will increase profitability, reduce costs and maintain a high standard of customer loyalty in this increasingly competitive environment
The two awards mark a key milestone in airtel’s quest for relevant and innovative mobile solutions that are transformation to millions of users across the continent. The Global mobile awards are the most coveted awards in the global mobile industry and encompass leading players across all the subsectors spanning 219 countries, nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organizations.   
This is the 16th edition of the annual award and according to the judging panel, one of the most daunting with 10 categories and more than 470 entries. The full list of winners for the 2011 Global Mobile Awards is available at: http://www.globalmobileawards.com/awards/winners_2011.htm

11 February, 2011

Nokia outlines new strategy, introduces new leadership, operational structure


London, Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia today outlined its new strategic direction, including changes in leadership and operational structure to accelerate the company’s speed of execution in a dynamic competitive environment.

Major elements of the new strategy include:

·         Plans for a broad strategic partnership with Microsoft to build a new global mobile ecosystem; Windows Phone would serve as Nokia’s primary smartphone platform.
·         A renewed approach to capture volume and value growth to connect ”the next billion” to the Internet  in developing growth markets
·         Focused investments in next-generation disruptive technologies
·         A new leadership team and organizational structure with a clear focus on speed, results and accountability
“Nokia is at a critical juncture, where significant change is necessary and inevitable in our journey forward,” said Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO. “Today, we are accelerating that change through a new path, aimed at regaining our smartphone leadership, reinforcing our mobile device platform and realizing our investments in the future.”

Nokia plans to form a strategic partnership with Microsoft to build a global mobile ecosystem based on highly complementary assets. The Nokia-Microsoft ecosystem targets to deliver differentiated and innovative products and have unrivalled scale, product breadth, geographical reach, and brand identity. With Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, Nokia would help drive the future of the platform by leveraging its expertise on hardware optimization, software customization, language support and scale. Nokia and Microsoft would also combine services assets to drive innovation. Nokia Maps, for example, would be at the heart of key Microsoft assets like Bing and AdCenter, and Nokia’s application and content store would be integrated into Microsoft Marketplace. Under the proposed partnership, Microsoft would provide developer tools, making it easier for application developers to leverage Nokia’s global scale.

With Nokia’s planned move to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, Symbian becomes a franchise platform, leveraging previous investments to harvest additional value. This strategy recognizes the opportunity to retain and transition the installed base of 200 million Symbian owners. Nokia expects to sell approximately 150 million more Symbian devices in the years to come.

Under the new strategy, MeeGo becomes an open-source, mobile operating system project. MeeGo will place increased emphasis on longer-term market exploration of next-generation devices, platforms and user experiences. Nokia still plans to ship a MeeGo-related product later this year.

In feature phones, Nokia unveiled a renewed strategy to leverage its innovation and strength in growth markets to connect the next billion people to their first Internet and application experience.

New leadership team, operational structure
This new strategy is supported by significant changes in Nokia’s leadership, operational structure and approach. Effective today, Nokia has a new leadership team with the commitment, competencies and innovative thinking needed in today’s dynamic environment.

The Nokia Leadership Team, previously the Group Executive Board, will consist of the following members: Stephen Elop, Esko Aho, Juha Akras, Jerri DeVard, Colin Giles, Rich Green, Jo Harlow, Timo Ihamuotila, Mary McDowell, Kai Oistamo, Tero Ojanpera, Louise Pentland and Niklas Savander.

Alberto Torres has stepped down from the management team, effective February 10 to pursue other interests outside the company.

The renewed governance will expedite decision-making and improve time-to-market of products and innovations, placing a heavy focus on results, speed and accountability. The new strategy and operational structure are expected to have significant impact to Nokia operations and personnel.

New company structure
As of April 1, Nokia will have a new company structure, which features two distinct business units: Smart Devices and Mobile Phones. They will focus on Nokia’s key business areas: high-end smartphones and mass-market mobile phones.  Each unit will have profit-and-loss responsibility and end-to-end accountability for the full consumer experience, including product development, product management and product marketing.

Smart Devices will be responsible for building Nokia’s leadership in smartphones and will be led by Jo Harlow. The following sub-units now in Mobile Solutions will move under Smart Devices:
·         Symbian Smartphones
·         MeeGo Computers
·         Strategic Business Operations
To support the planned new partnership with Microsoft, Smart Devices will be responsible for creating a winning Windows Phone portfolio.

Mobile Phones will drive Nokia’s ”web for the next billion” strategy. Mobile Phones will leverage its innovation and strength in growth markets to connect the next billion people and bring them affordable access to the Internet and applications. The Mobile Phones unit will be led by Mary McDowell.

Markets will be responsible for selling products, executing compelling marketing and communications, creating a competitive local ecosystem, sourcing, customer care, manufacturing, IT and logistics across all Nokia products. It will be headed by Niklas Savander.

Services and Developer Experience will be responsible for Nokia’s global services portfolio, developer offering, developer relations and integration of partner service offerings. Tero Ojanpera will lead the Services and Developer Experience unit in an acting capacity.

NAVTEQ, an integral part of Nokia’s location and advertising business, will be headed by Larry Kaplan, and continue as a separate reporting entity.

The CTO Office will be responsible for Nokia’s technology strategy and forward-looking technology activities, including Nokia Research Center. It will be headed by Rich Green.

Design, responsible for Nokia product and user experience design, will be led by Marko Ahtisaari.

The CFO Office, responsible for all financial activity, will be headed by Timo Ihamuotila.

Corporate Development, responsible for driving implementation of Nokia’s ecosystem strategy and strategic partnerships, will be headed by Kai Oistamo.

Corporate Relations & Responsibility, responsible for Nokia's government and public affairs, sustainable development and social responsibility, will be led by Esko Aho.

Human Resources will be led by Juha Akras.

Legal and Intellectual Property will be led by Louise Pentland.

Nokia Siemens Networks continues in the Nokia Group as a separate reporting entity.

Please visit www.nokia.com/press for press materials.

About Nokia
At Nokia, we are committed to connecting people. We combine advanced technology with personalized services that enable people to stay close to what matters to them. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia device - from mobile phones to advanced smartphones and high-performance mobile computers. Today, Nokia is integrating its devices with innovative services through Ovi (www.ovi.com), including music, maps, apps, email and more. Nokia's NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, while Nokia Siemens Networks provides equipment, services and solutions for communications networks globally.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
It should be noted that certain statements herein which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding: A) the intention to form a strategic partnership with Microsoft to combine complementary assets and expertise to form a global mobile ecosystem and to adopt Windows Phone as our primary smartphone platform, including the  expected plans and benefits of such partnership; B) the timing and expected benefits of our new strategy, including expected operational and financial benefits and targets as well as changes in leadership and operation structure; C) the timing of the deliveries of our products and services and their combinations; D) our ability to develop, implement and commercialize new technologies, products and services and their combinations; E) expectations regarding market developments and structural changes; F) expectations and targets regarding our industry volumes, market share, prices, net sales and margins of products and services; G) expectations and targets regarding our operational priorities and results of operations; H) the outcome of pending and threatened litigation; I) expectations regarding the successful completion of acquisitions or restructurings on a timely basis and our ability to achieve the financial and operational targets set in connection with any such acquisition or restructuring; and J) statements preceded by "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "foresee," "target," "estimate," "designed," "plans," "will" or similar expressions. These statements are based on management's best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Because they involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from the results that we currently expect. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: 1) whether definitive agreements can be entered into with Microsoft for the potential partnership in a timely manner, or at all, and on terms beneficial to us; 2) our ability to continue to innovate and maintain the vibrancy of our Symbian-based smartphones during the negotiation of the Microsoft  partnership and thereafter; 3) the negotiation and implementation of the Microsoft partnership will require significant time, attention and resources of our senior management and others within the company potentially diverting their attention from other aspects of our business; 4) in choosing to negotiate a partnership with Microsoft and utilize Windows Phone as our primary smartphone platform, we may forego more competitive alternatives achieving greater acceptance and profitability in the smartphone market; 5) the Microsoft Windows Phone smartphone platform may not be preferred by application developers, content providers and other partners impairing our ability to build a sufficiently competitive ecosystem for our smartphones; 6) the Microsoft partnership may not achieve the stated goal of producing smartphones which are differentiated from those of our competitors and preferred by our customers and consumers in the expected timeframe, or at all; 7) our ability to change our business model, way of working and culture sufficiently to work effectively and efficiently with Microsoft in order to realize the stated benefits of the partnership in a timely manner, or at all; 8) our ability to effectively and smoothly implement our new leadership and operational structure and to realize the anticipated benefits in a timely manner; 9) the implementation of the Microsoft partnership and the new operational structure may cause disruption and dissatisfaction among employees potentially reducing focus and productivity in some or all areas of our business; as well as the risk factors specified on pages 11-32 of Nokia's annual report Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 under Item 3D. "Risk Factors." Other unknown or unpredictable factors or underlying assumptions subsequently proving to be incorrect could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Nokia does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.

Media Enquiries:
Nokia
Communications                                 
Tel. +358 7180 34900                         
Email: press.services@nokia.com                    

Nokia & Microsofts New Strategic Partnership


This is huge , just received a press release article indicating that Nokia will just be partnering with Microsoft in adopting the Windows phone platform. The ground is now set for a intense rivalry and competition with Google's Android(Adopted in Many Samsung Mobile smart phones) and Google phone-Goophone (which has been a major flop in penetrating developing markets) .How this plays out and whether this strategic move will yield positive results ,a wait and see approach is best at the moment. Here is the press release :

Nokia and Microsoft announce plans for a broad strategic partnership to build a new global ecosystem

Companies plan to combine assets and develop innovative mobile products on an unprecedented scale

London, Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia and Microsoft today announced plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem.

Nokia and Microsoft intend to jointly create market-leading mobile products and services designed to offer consumers, operators and developers unrivalled choice and opportunity.  As each company would focus on its core competencies, the partnership would create the opportunity for rapid time to market execution.  Additionally, Nokia and Microsoft plan to work together to integrate key assets and create completely new service offerings, while extending established products and services to new markets. 

Under the proposed partnership:

·         Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.
·         Nokia would help drive the future of Windows Phone.  Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.
·         Nokia and Microsoft would closely collaborate on joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.
·         Bing would power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities.  Microsoft adCenter would provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.
·         Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services.   For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience
·         Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements would make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.
·         Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach. 
·         Nokia’s content and application store would be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.

“Today, developers, operators and consumers want  compelling mobile products, which include not only the device, but the software, services,  applications and customer support that make a great  experience,” Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO, said at a joint news conference in London.  “Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race.”

“I am excited about this partnership with Nokia,”  said Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft CEO.  “Ecosystems thrive when fueled by speed, innovation and scale.The partnership announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.”

Please visit www.nokia.com/press for press materials.


About Nokia
At Nokia, we are committed to connecting people. We combine advanced technology with personalized services that enable people to stay close to what matters to them. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia device - from mobile phones to advanced smartphones and high-performance mobile computers. Today, Nokia is integrating its devices with innovative services through Ovi (www.ovi.com), including music, maps, apps, email and more. Nokia's NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, while Nokia Siemens Networks provides equipment, services and solutions for communications networks globally.

DISCLAIMER
Nokia and Microsoft have entered into a non-binding term sheet. The planned partnership remains subject to negotiations and execution of the definitive agreements by the parties and there can be no assurances that the definitive agreements would be entered into.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
It should be noted that certain statements herein which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding: A) the intention to form a strategic partnership with Microsoft to combine complementary assets and expertise to form a global mobile ecosystem and to adopt Windows Phone as our primary smartphone platform, including the  expected plans and benefits of such partnership; B) the timing and expected benefits of our new strategy, including expected operational and financial benefits and targets as well as changes in leadership and operation structure; C) the timing of the deliveries of our products and services and their combinations; D) our ability to develop, implement and commercialize new technologies, products and services and their combinations; E) expectations regarding market developments and structural changes; F) expectations and targets regarding our industry volumes, market share, prices, net sales and margins of products and services; G) expectations and targets regarding our operational priorities and results of operations; H) the outcome of pending and threatened litigation; I) expectations regarding the successful completion of acquisitions or restructurings on a timely basis and our ability to achieve the financial and operational targets set in connection with any such acquisition or restructuring; and J) statements preceded by "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "foresee," "target," "estimate," "designed," "plans," "will" or similar expressions. These statements are based on management's best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Because they involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from the results that we currently expect. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: 1) whether definitive agreements can be entered into with Microsoft for the potential partnership in a timely manner, or at all, and on terms beneficial to us; 2) our ability to continue to innovate and maintain the vibrancy of our Symbian-based smartphones during the negotiation of the Microsoft  partnership and thereafter; 3) the negotiation and implementation of the Microsoft partnership will require significant time, attention and resources of our senior management and others within the company potentially diverting their attention from other aspects of our business; 4) in choosing to negotiate a partnership with Microsoft and utilize Windows Phone as our primary smartphone platform, we may forego more competitive alternatives achieving greater acceptance and profitability in the smartphone market; 5) the Microsoft Windows Phone smartphone platform may not be preferred by application developers, content providers and other partners impairing our ability to build a sufficiently competitive ecosystem for our smartphones; 6) the Microsoft partnership may not achieve the stated goal of producing smartphones which are differentiated from those of our competitors and preferred by our customers and consumers in the expected timeframe, or at all; 7) our ability to change our business model, way of working and culture sufficiently to work effectively and efficiently with Microsoft in order to realize the stated benefits of the partnership in a timely manner, or at all; 8) our ability to effectively and smoothly implement our new leadership and operational structure and to realize the anticipated benefits in a timely manner; 9) the implementation of the Microsoft partnership and the new operational structure may cause disruption and dissatisfaction among employees potentially reducing focus and productivity in some or all areas of our business; as well as the risk factors specified on pages 11-32 of Nokia's annual report Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 under Item 3D. "Risk Factors." Other unknown or unpredictable factors or underlying assumptions subsequently proving to be incorrect could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Nokia does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.

Media Enquiries:
Nokia
Communications                                 
Tel. +358 7180 34900                         
Email: press.services@nokia.com                    

Solidarity With Egypt: Amnesty Global Day Of Action

Amnesty is calling for a massive Worldwide day of solidarity with the currently ongoing popular revolt and protests in Egypt and the wider Middle East North Africa . The Global Action day is slotted for Saturday, February 11, 2011.The call has been made to marshall international support for the people of Egypt and the wider Middle East and North African region in their demands for an end to repression, for their freedom, their basic human rights and immediate reforms.

Participants will show support by organizing an event event or wearing the colours black, white or red  as symbol of their stand in defiance against all those who try to suppress the growing movement of people standing up for their rights, facing down injustice and offering hope for a better world.


For more information on this event one can visit www.amnesty.org/mena-action for information on events in their country.

The digital event can be witnessed on Facebook at ; http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=153530548034620

For Amnesty's online action page you can also visit here; http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/end-crackdown-uphold-human-rights

03 February, 2011

Kenyans Take To Twitter :#choosepeace, #Kenya28Feb

Its amazing how the internet is readily proving to be an instrument for organizing and coalescing mass action and mass expression . Following the Tunisian and Egyptian protest debacle on the social media site Twitter, Kenyans are coming up with their own rival protests under the following hashtags:


  • #Kenya28Feb calling upon Kenyans to voice their discontent with the going ons in the political establishment.
  • #ChoosePeace calling on other Kenyans not to follow the ongoing trend of mass protests and disgruntlement, as has been witnessed in the Egyptian protests.
This trending development is of interest to many pundits as it impacts on the role of social media in voicing discontent, mobilization of mass protests in real time , freedom of expression and whether Governments should take an increasing role in policing , monitoring and or regulation of social media.Will  perhaps the present developments result in greater Government scrutiny of Social media?How that turns out a wait and see approach may be best at the moment.

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