In an effort to become a really compelling all round location based application, Ovi Maps has added one more feature to its already impressive offering – Booking a hotel. Ovi Maps has tied up with HRS, Europe’s leading online hotel reservation system, to open HRS’s 250,000+ strong database of hotels to Maps users. This means that with Ovi Maps now you can:
search hotels close to your current location,
check real-time price and availability information,
make the booking with just a couple of clicks (or taps) on your Nokia phone and finally,
be guided to your hotel with the free turn-by-turn navigation service, all with Maps!
In addition to this, the usual way of searching also works, you can simply enter the destination, the arrival and departure dates and the room category and the displayed hotels can be sorted according to individual preferences, such as the distance from the current location, the price or star rating. Additionally you will also have access to photos, hotel descriptions and average customer ratings to help make an informed choice.
Initially this service is being rolled out to users in Germany and Finland only, but we can expect a extended rollout soon. The service will shop up as a shortcut on the Ovi Maps app homepage on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia N97 Mini and Nokia 6710 Navigator.
Nokia Music will soon become Ovi Music. This means all the tracks you download will be DRM-free, MP3 files that you can now play on a PC, Mac or any personal music player! Plus, as part of the change to Ovi, Nokia’s enhanced the search capability to make it easier than ever to find the music you want.
Here’s the email from Nokia:
What you need to do:
Absolutely nothing. We will create a Nokia Account for you and send you an email when we become Ovi music. Until then, try to avoid changing any of your Nokia Music account details such as password, email address and mobile number.
As part of the move to Ovi Music we will be creating a Nokia Account for you. If you do not wish to use Ovi Music and no longer wish to have a Nokia Account you can email us in next 5 days. By using these services, you accept the Ovi Music Terms, Ovi Service Terms and the Privacy Policy. You may not use the services if you don’t accept the terms.
I will admit that I am not much of a ‘gamer’ but I do enjoy a game or two, specially the racing ones and one game which you must try out is Raging Thunder, free from the Ovi Store.
The game features an ‘Arcade’ mode where you race against the clock, each win giving you access to a new, more challenging track. In the second ‘Championship’ mode you start with a smaller car and race to collect money and points to upgrade your car. The game is controlled via the accelerometer by simply tilting the handset to the left and right, you can also control the car by dragging a fingertip back and forth on a touch screen. On device like the E72, the d-pad can be used for control.
In a feat that even Nokia admittedly itself could not imagine, Ovi Maps with free navigation has been downloaded over 1.4 million times since the announcement on January 21st last month. What is even more impressive is the fact that the number of downloads breached 1 million in the first week itself.
If you are a fan of statistics, here is one more – downloads are averaging one download per second, 24 hours a day. China, Italy, UK, Germany and Spain were the countries with the highest number of downloads and the post popular devices were the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia N97, Nokia 5230 and the Nokia E72
Free navigation with Ovi Maps means that walk/drive navigation, guides and local event information is free with the following devices:
Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition, Nokia E52, Nokia E55, Nokia E72, Nokia 5230, Nokia 6710 Navigator, Nokia 6730 classic and Nokia X6.
Starting next month all new Nokia GPS enabled smartphones will come pre-loaded with local country map data, with high-end walk and drive navigation and access to Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides at no extra cost.
Have you updated to the free Ovi Maps application on your compatible device? Hit nokia.com/maps if you already haven’t?
Tip: You can also use the SW Update application on your device to get the free app.
With Ovi Maps Racing, the first location-based mobile game by Nokia, players can navigate and access their location, create a track and race around the block.
Utilizing actual map data by NAVTEQ and the GPS technology of the mobile device, Ovi Maps Racing allows players to create a racing track out of their own physical location, whether at home or in the office *). Racing is experienced with easy and enjoyable touch controls and there are three racing cars to choose from.
I am mighty pleased to tell you that I have managed to secure a Nokia Booklet 3G and as always, the first thing I am going to do is unbox it on video for your viewing pleasure. The Booklet 3G is Nokia’s first mini-laptop and features a 10.1″ display with a 1024 x 720 pixel resolution, a 1.6 Ghz fanless Intel Atom processor, a 120 GB hard drive, 1 GB RAM and an astounding 12 hour battery life.
It also packs an inbuilt A-GPS for navigation and a HDMI port. The Booklet also features 3 USB ports and a 3.5mm jack for audio in/out. The aspect in which the Booklet really stand out is its good looks and premium feel, the unibody aluminum frame really stands out here.
So without further adieu, here is the unboxing video of the Booklet 3G.
