Wi-tribe’s much awaited promotions see customers winning the latest tech gadgets, shopping sprees and trips every month. December was no different as wi-tribe gave 15 lucky customers the chance to win the newly introduced Apple iPhone 5.

Called the Early Bird Promotion, winners were selected from its 5 operating regions Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad during the month-long activity. An event held recently saw the winners coming together through video link at the respective wi-tribe offices to celebrate winning together and take home their prizes.

As Pakistan’s premier broadband for quality of service and customer satisfaction, these monthly promotions are part of wi-tribe’s customer engagement program for thanking customers for their patronage.

The competition has been organized to gather innovative ideas from the youth about mobile phone applications which they would want to have in their devices.

Nokia Pakistan collaborated with Talentidols.com, a competition portal & a product of KalSoft FZ LLC to launch the Big Idea Big App Competition as part of its Nokia Ideas Project campaign.

As a result of its partnership with Talentidols, Nokia Pakistan sought to generate original and creative ideas for mobile phone applications in return for some exciting prizes which include Nokia handsets and sizeable cash prizes. The idea was to stimulate the intelligent minds of Pakistani mobile phone lovers and ask them to present an app idea which they would like to see developed and used in their mobile phones.

“We are extremely excited to work with Nokia Pakistan by presenting a competition platform for the Pakistani mobile phone enthusiasts to come forward and present their app ideas on the Talentidols platform”, said Touseef Ikram, Country Head, Talentidols, KalSoft. “People here love competition, they love prizes! It is no wonder that we have original app ideas pouring in as I speak.”

Nokia Pakistan is thrilled with the response which the Big Idea Big App competition has received. Commenting on the success of the competition, Rabia Nizami, Head DX, Nokia Near East said,

“The Big Idea Big App competition has been a tremendous success as a plethora of app ideas has been received over the course of a month. We aim to foster the penetration of S40 platform and provide our customers with apps which can take their experience to a whole new level. Our fruitful partnership with Talentidols has been instrumental in garnering the attraction of youth from all over Pakistan.”

The competition is scheduled to continue till 15th January, 2013 after which a jury panel will decide the top three winners. The winning ideas will be automatically selected for the Nokia Global Ideas Project while the participants shall represent Pakistan in a major global event by Nokia. With so many app ideas coming in the alliance between Nokia Pakistan and Talentidols promises to be a winner in the future as well.

Nokia Pakistan recently conducted a Nokia Developers’ Workshop at University of Karachi in partnership with P@SHA, which aimed at providing students an insight into the world of mobile app development and the rise in demand of apps in the local market. The workshop focused on inculcating app development skills for the S40 Full Touch devices.

The training was imparted by Syed Faraz Ahmed, Senior Engagement Manager, Lakson Business Solutions. On the occasion of the successful completion of the workshop, Faraz said, “It was wonderful to interact with such enthusiastic students and share with them the S40 background and provide hands-on training on the SDK LWUIT 2.0 available to work on mobile apps for S40 Full Touch platform. The students clearly understood why it will be beneficial for them and their community to contribute towards content development and they all took keen interest in the workshop.”

Expressing her views, Rabia Azfar Nizami, Head DX, Near East, Nokia said, “I appreciate the interest level of Karachi University’s UBIT students to learn and excel in their chosen field. Nokia has been organizing these kinds of workshops for developers in Pakistan since the past few years and this workshop was geared towards channelizing the strengths of these students and providing them a rich bundle of resources to develop more locally relevant mobile apps for Nokia devices which are most popular among the masses in our country. Recently, the Nokia App Store witnessed more than two million downloads of localized content and apps per week in Pakistan, which has given rise to the need for developers to make apps and generate revenue that cater to this segment of the market.”

The students were enthusiastic about learning hands on skills from a professional mentor and showed their interest towards the development of local content for the Nokia Store. At the workshop’s conclusion, certificates were distributed among all the participants.

Microsoft recently announced the availability of Windows 8 for its customers in Pakistan and around the world. Now consumers and businesses worldwide will be able to experience all that Windows 8 has to offer: a beautiful new UI, a wide range of apps with the grand opening of the Windows Store, available on more than 1,000 Windows 8 certified PCs and tablets.

Windows 8 will be available for download to upgrade existing PCs in over 140 markets and 37 languages at windows 8 offer and at retail locations around the world including Pakistan. Over 250,000 PCs are available at more than 1,000 retail stores, including Hyperstar, Metro, E4U, Makro and Compsi.

“With the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft is unveiling a reimagined Windows to the world,” said Sherif Morsi: Windows Business Group Lead, Microsoft North Africa, East Mediterranean and Pakistan. “Whether you want a tablet or a PC, whether you want to consume or create, whether you want to work or play – Windows 8 delivers a personalized experience that fits your unique style and needs.”

 

Windows 8 will be available in two versions at retail, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. And for our business customers, Windows 8 Enterprise offers new possibilities in mobile productivity with features like Windows to Go, Direct Access, and Branch Cache, as well as enhanced end-to-end security with features including Bit Locker and App Locker. Launching at the same time is a new member of the Windows family designed for ARM-based tablets, Windows RT, which will be available pre-installed on new devices. Windows 8 features the new fast and fluid Start screen that gives people one-click access to the apps and content they care most about, the entirely new Internet Explorer 10 that is perfect for touch, and built-in cloud capabilities with SkyDrive.

In addition to the range of new devices available, consumers can also upgrade their existing PCs for $15 (U.S.). Through the end of January, consumers currently running PCs with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, are qualified to download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of $39.99 (U.S.). And eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between June 2, 2012, and January 31, 2013 in more than 140 countries can download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of $14.99 (U.S.) with the Windows Upgrade Offer, available at windows upgrade offer.

Nokia Lumia 610, the most affordable Lumia series smartphone to date is now available in Pakistan. Powered by a Windows 7.5 OS, Nokia Lumia 610 offers the sleekness of the Windows smartphone coupled with the affordability and reliable warranty that is hallmark of every Nokia phone.

The Nokia Lumia 610 is designed as the perfect introduction to Windows Phone for a younger audience. Running on the latest version of Windows Phone 7.5, the sleek Nokia Lumia 610 comes with a host of unique features and experiences such as Nokia Music with Mix Radio, Creative Studio, WiFi tethering, Flip-to-Silence and Play To; features that are also available across the entire Lumia portfolio. The device comes preloaded with Nokia’s suite of experiences including Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive and Nokia Transport, in addition to over 100,000 apps to choose from on the Windows Marketplace., the built-in Microsoft Office app and Xbox Live. People Hub makes it easy for people to keep in touch with friends, providing instant access to social networks and bringing all mobile, email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn contacts into one place.

"The Nokia Lumia 610 will introduce Windows Phone to a new generation of local smartphone users, offering them something different and valuable in terms of pricing and features," said Arif Shafique, GM Operations, Nokia Pakistan. "With Nokia services, quality apps and a plethora of built-in features coupled with a fast and friendly interface, Nokia Lumia 610 has everything in the package to make it an instant hit among the aspiring youth of Pakistan.”

The Nokia Lumia 610 is a great smartphone for younger audience who will appreciate the built-in Microsoft Office app. Word mobile, PowerPoint mobile, Excel mobile and OneNote mobile make working on the go easier. With Sky Drive, files and notes can be synchronized, opened and edited from the PC or the phone.

The Nokia Lumia 610 is built with a distinct profile and an aesthetic metallic design which is available in black, cyan, magenta, and white. Nokia Lumia 610 is now available with authorized Nokia distributors and is backed by the original Nokia warranty in Pakistan. The device is available at an estimated retail price of PKR 20,000 to 22,000.

Microsoft office 365 is now available in Pakistan through Microsoft’s official distribution partners. Aiming to redefine the way business function, the latest offering is a complete revamp of the previous Office 10, with the cloud integration being one of its most outstanding feature. This cloud solution is available with local pricing in Pakistan.

The new Microsoft Office is a cloud based version, meaning all the previous hassles of installing a product update, & setting up a server system for the office is not required anymore. Everything is stored in the cloud, private or public, & software updates itself automatically throughout the connected PCs at workplace. Everything is accessed from Microsoft’s office. Microsoft Exchange syncs perfectly with the local Outlook & can be accessed anywhere online using Outlook Web App. The Outlook Web App means user have most of the functions of their desktop Outlook at their fingertips no matter where they are, not just when they are at their own PC.

We are taking a giant leep in software services in Pakistan. Through Office 365, Microsoft is providing world class productivity software to businesses of all sizes, at predictable & affordable cost," said, ihsan Anabtawi, BG Lead Office Division, Microsoft NEPA. Office 365 will accelerate the working environment’s evolution by delivering enterprise-grade collaboration for everyone & will surely force certain businesses to say no to pirated Microsoft products.

The new offering by Microsoft will change the face of local business forever, from being connected to the office 24/7 to being able to take maximum advantages that are part & parcel of genuine Microft products. Most of the local industry partners have shown a lot of enthusiasm towards Office 365 & are convinced of the potential benefits that it bring to businesses, said, Mr.Sultan Hamdani, CEO, Maison Consulting. it has evoled the way a work place functions & now it is time that this evolution starts locally.

Office 365 is likely to serve as a stepping stone foe Microsoft in complementing the changing business environment in Pakistan. Office 365 delivers Microsoft’s most widely used software as cloud services & makes it as feature-rich in the cloud as locally installed versions. it addresses common modern office challenges, and that means as Office that will help end users get more done on the job, at home & on the go.

SAP APJ’s software revenue grew for the 10th consecutive quarter, driven by increased customer adoption of SAP solutions. SAP Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) announced their best-ever second quarter results with 25% growth in Non-IFRS Software Revenue. These notable earnings were announced by Darren Rushworth, MD, SAP Philippines and the Emerging Markets. Within the region, Pakistan has made a commendable contribution to drive the revenue figures higher aided by increased customer adoption of Mobile and HANA In-memory database solutions.

Speaking on the occasion of the announcement, Rushworth said,

“The APJ regioncontinues to deliver outstanding results for Q2 2012, making it the tenth consecutive quarter of exceptional growth.Our key regional markets led the way once again with solid double-digit growth and particularly strong growth in key developing markets like Pakistan.”

Adding to his remarks, he said, “Our customers continue to respond positively to our breakthrough innovations in In-memory (HANA), database and mobility.  In Q2 2012, HANA In-memory database grew strongly at 103% year-over-year, while mobility and database solutions showed a growth of 181% and 25% respectively over their corresponding period in 2011. Our pipelines are strong and we continue to see strong demand for SAP’s innovations for the rest of 2012.”

In Q2 2012, SAP APJ’s Non-IFRS Software and Software Related Services Revenue grew 23% while Non-IFRS Total Revenue saw a corresponding 25% growth.

Commenting on SAP APJ’s performance and Pakistan’s growing market, Hassan Jamal, Country Liaison Manager, SAP Pakistan said,

“Pakistan’s part in driving SAP APJ’s growth is momentous. It fills our hopes with optimism about the on-coming year as we continually invest in our future success by providing top quality and innovative solutions in Mobility, In-memory and Cloud. These solutions bring unrivaled competency to all the industries in Pakistan. Our customers continue to tell us that they see value in what SAP does for them – they gain better business insights and speed their decision making to drive growth and operational efficiency.”

Having kids in your home and want them to have islamic knowledge in a fun way? Today we have a similar and interesting islamic app called Children Islamic Quiz (CIQ) which help your children to gain the essential knowledge of islam in a healthy and useful challenging activity.

Children Islamic Quiz also has a grading system which displays the progress of the child with the stamp and percent knowledge gained. Starting with the app is really easily as you can create a profile of your child with his/her name so that the app can track the scores throughout every levels.

The app runs on four different levels loaded with 200 random questions. The first level of the app is free to use each time the quiz runs, the answers are randomized so that children don’t memorize the location of the answer but exactly learn the answer. On completion of each level, child is awarded with a beautiful designed certificate with different colored seals to encourage the them move forward with excellent marks and get the golden seal.

You can download the app from below provided link, the app is free to use for level 1 only, to unlock all levels the app costs $4.99.

Children Islamic Quiz [Free] iTunes link