Global phone manufacturer, Nokia has launched in Nigeria, a new range of Asha smartphones to further expand  its Asha family.

With the launch, there are now 10 Asha devices available in more than 130 markets, providing young, social  consumers with a choice of phones to match their lifestyles.

Speaking at the launch of the new range, Campaign Marketing Manager, Mr Kesiena Ogbemi, said the two new  phones; Nokia Asha 305 and 311 are full-touch devices designed to provide an incredibly rich, smartphone-like  experience to consumers who want to be set free from excessive data consumption costs and short battery life.

While the Nokia Asha 305 is a fun and affordable phone, featuring the exclusive Easy Swap dual SIM, Nokia  Asha 311 is a fast and fluid 3.5G capacitive touchscreen device, powered by a 1GHz processor to provide a  great internet experience. Both devices offer a new, fully re-designed touch user interface, combining the  proved ease-of-use from Nokia’s heritage with digital design innovations specifically fit for the purpose.

“By introducing the Nokia Asha 305 and 311 Touch phones to the Nigerian market, we’re accelerating our  commitment to connect the next billion consumers. These phones deliver on what young, urban people value  most, a great-looking device; and an intuitive and affordable experience for connecting through the internet,  to their friends and to a world of entertainment, web apps and content,” said Olajide Adeyemi, Retail  Marketing Manager, Nokia West- Africa.

Adeyemi said buyers of Nokia Asha 305 and 311 will be qualified for an amazing 30-day promo, starting from 18  September, 2012. Every day of the promo, consumers who send the IMEI numbers on the pack of their purchased  phones to 20050 will stand the chance of winning any of these; a trip to Dubai, Children’s school fees  support, Lagos Business School short course, a sofa set, Airtime for six months, movie pass for two people  for a year, a shopping voucher at Shoprite or Twice as Nice, a Nokia Lumia 9000, a Nokia 808 PureView, six  months weekly voucher, a 6kva generator, a luxury watch, a DSTV PVR and one year subscription, an inverter, a  High definition TV, a 5 burner gas cooker, a refrigerator, a weekend stay at an Upscale hotel, a laptop, a  Home theatre system, a microwave oven or luxury Swarovski earrings among others.

Though the dongles will work only with MTS connection in India, one can use the GSM slot in case of international roaming.

MTS is planning to launch a CDMA dongle and a MiFi device with inbuilt GSM SIM slot which can be used when roaming outside the country and are aimed at high profile globetrotting customers.

The GSM slot can only be used outside India, and MTS will provide what it calls a 'GSM Globetrotter' SIM card to its subscribers for the purpose.

The users will benefit from low rates while roaming if they use this GSM SIM from MTS. According to MTS, while others charge Rs 5.5 per 10 KB, its users will pay only Rs 2.99 per 10 KB.

The dongle and MiFi devices will also work on CDMA network on roaming if the country being visited has such a network.

The MiFi device will have its own battery and won't need to be connected to any other device, and will create a WiFi Hotspot that can be connected to up to five devices including tablets, smartphones and laptops.

According to MTS, it provides coverage in more than 230 countries and 420 networks through its international roaming partners.

Though price or availability details of the devices are not known right now but it is expected to get available by October and the cost will be marginally higher than the dongles already available in the market.

With the launch of the new Ray, Yamaha hasn't merely filled up a few blank spaces in its two wheeler arsenal for the Indian market, but rather engineered a product that despite its primary motive of catering to the country's growing female rider population, should immediately see mass appeal. On a recent test ride in Hyderabad, Rahul Basu got thinking while craftily circling cones on this purple pastel scooter.

It closely resembles the most dashing looking moto scooter on sale in the market today, and yet it seeks to satisfy a very different kind of customer. Call it plain old chivalry or clever product strategy Yamaha India has created what it is convinced will be a new ‘Ray’ of hope for enthusiastic female scooter riders in the country. 

Priced at Rs 46,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) the country’s first ever scooter offering from Team Yamaha, namely the Ray is here to squeeze itself into a two wheeler category which isn’t just expanding heavily in sales and volume, but is simultaneously maturing across verticals, be it design, overall efficiency or just clean and simple practical motoring.

However, given the direction that Yamaha has taken with regards to conceiving the Ray and perfecting it for production in the months that followed the unveiling of the first concept at the AutoExpo in January this year, it must be said that the final outcome is a noteworthy one.

For those who have already begun comparing this new face with the current generation Honda Dio it’s seriously time to stop. Yamaha may be among the late comers in the Indian scooter segment, but isn’t exactly new to the small moped/scooter business globally and a quick glance at its Mio Ultimo and the likes family of commuters selling across Southeast Asia for almost a decade now will better explain the inspiration behind the V-shaped headlights that we absolutely adore on the new Yamaha Ray.

Unlike larger-bodied scooter models now present in significant numbers, the Ray settled for a rather leaner and well sculpted body frame (1835x675x1075mm) that isn’t necessarily feminine in its overall demeanour. 

The Purple-pastel dual-tone version we rode might have more feminine appeal, but there are five other even cooler shades to pick from. We found the Blue-gray two-tone job rather dashing and this will likely be the shade of choice for strapping young lads, but the classy Burgundy Bliss was my personal favourite.

In fact, the matte-gray (or matte-black in half the colour options) lower panel contrasts beautifully with the high-quality gloss finish of the primary body panels, and really does deserve a special mention. That apart, the inclusion of a telescopic front suspension, sizeable grab bars and a hip stopper for pillion riders, not to mention the rather unconventional yet stylish tail lamp assembly with clear-lens indicators are all very neat touches to this very female focused scooter architecture. Can’t think of a good reason why their male counterparts would desire to settle for anything lesser.