Meet Nokia 215: our most affordable Internet-ready entry-level phone yet

Microsoft introduces the Nokia 215 and Nokia 215 Dual-SIM

With a price tag of just $29 before taxes and subsidies, Nokia 215 is our most affordable Internet-ready entry-level phone yet, perfectly suited for first-time mobile phone buyers or as a secondary phone for just about anyone.

Built for the internet

Nokia 215 has preinstalled Facebook and Messenger with instant notifications, so you’ll never miss out on the latest from your friends. Check your friends’ news feeds, update your status, and keep in touch with those long-distance relatives.

Prefer your social updates in bite-sized chunks? Tune into Twitter, also easily accessible on this entry-level phone.

Browsing the web is super-easy, thanks to Opera Mini Browser and Bing Search. And don’t take a chance on the weather. Get the latest weather conditions using MSN Weather and see accurate hourly or 5 day weather forecasts, wherever you are.

With Nokia 215, you can also now connect in new ways by pairing your device with a Bluetooth headset or speaker.

Sharing content is simple with SLAM technology. Simply bring two SLAM-enabled devices together to send or receive files.

Built to last

Design-wise, Nokia 215 has the same durable build quality you’ve learned to rely on over the years. Pair that with vibrantly colored bright green, black and white color options and you’ve got a phone that stands the test of time.

Nokia 215 Single SIM has a stand-by time of up to 29 days (that’s almost a full month, on just a single charge!), while Nokia 215 Dual SIM offers up to 21 days. For those who like to talk, Nokia 215 provides up to 20 hours of talk time.

With a built-in MP3 player and FM radio, Nokia 215 keeps you entertained for up to 50 or 45 hours playback respectively.

Plus, a built-in torchlight provides convenience, whether it’s late at night or after you’ve turned off the lights. Or, for those who have no access to electricity (in 2014, that’s still almost 20% of the world’s population), the torch is a necessity!

Nokia 215 and Nokia 215 Dual-Sim will be available in select markets, rolling out first in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe in the first quarter of 2015 – for only $29 before taxes and subsidies.

Press Release

Umrah visa ban for Ebola-hit states remains in force : Saudi Official

GNN ISLAMABAD: An official at Saudi Ministry of Health has said that ban on granting Umrah visas to visitors from countries, hit with Ebola virus, is still in place at the start of Umrah season.

He said that the ban comes from various bodies which advised competent agencies not to grant visa if it is found that the country in question is still infected with the virus, Arab news reported.

The official confirmed that no Ebloa case has yet been recorded in the Kingdom since the beginning of the season.

APP

Japan proposes joint work on Australia sub fleet: report

GNN TOKYO: Japan is proposing jointly building Australia’s new submarines, instead of exporting a new fleet, a report said Monday, after concerns in Canberra over the effect on the domestic ship-building industry.

Under the proposal, Japan’s defense ministry is to cooperate with Australia in developing special steel and other materials for its new submarines, while Tokyo will be in charge of assembling them, the Mainichi Shimbun said.

The Australian side has taken “a positive stance” on the proposal, the daily said, adding that the two countries may strike a deal by the end of 2015.

Australia needs to replace its fleet of diesel and electric-powered subs, which date from the 1990s, and Japan’s high-tech ship-building industry is through to be well-placed to win the contract.

But opposition politicians and industry groups in Australia protest that losing the contract could deal a potentially fatal blow to naval shipbuilding at home, with a knock-on effect for associated industries.

However, critics point out that Japan may be able to supply the fleet for as little as half of the cost of making it at home.

Japan is on a drive to promote its manufacturing industries abroad, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe touring the world as salesman-in-chief.

Abe has argued that Japan must play a bigger role on the global stage and has pushed to loosen post-World War II restrictions on when its well-equipped armed forces can act.

He has also relaxed a self-imposed ban on weapons exports, paving the way for the possible deal with Australia.

Immediate confirmation of the report was not available.

Source: AFP