OVI : Internet Platform by Nokia

What is OVI?

OVI is the name for Nokia's Internet services. Centered on ovi.com, it will market as a "personal dashboard" where users can share photos with friends, buy music, and access third-party services like Yahoo's Flickr photo site. It has some significance in that Nokia is moving deeper into the world of Internet services, where head-on competition with Microsoft, Google, and Apple Inc. is inevitable.

What is the meaning of OVI?

The word "ovi" means "door" in Finnish. So, ovi means the door of the internet by Nokia.

 

History:

Ovi was announced on August 29th, 2007 at the Go Play event in London. On December 4, a more ambitious plan was announced with more details about when public beta desktop software would be offered. The public beta was released on August 28th, 2008.

Services:

o Ovi mail o Nokia Ovi Suite  o Ovi Sync  o Ovi Store  o Nokia Music Store  o Nokia Maps   o N-Gage  o Share on Ovi  o Files on Ovi   

Ovi mail 

Ovi Mail is a consumer email service provided by Nokia that is available on S40 devices and the web. Ovi Mail webmail uses leading-edge web technology to deliver a simple and intuitive interface and advanced features like drag and drop and a preview inbox widget. You can choose between high and low-bandwidth versions to ensure the best possible experience, and with our anti-spam and virus protection, all your messages stay safe wherever you check your email. Ovi Mail launched in November 2008 with the ambitious goal to provide “Email for everyone” Ovi Mail is a consumer email service provided by Nokia targeted towards Emerging Markets. This service was initially only accessible on Nokia devices. Today, we are very excited to announce the Ovi Mail 1.0Beta release which includes webmail access.  The Ovi Mail team announced on Monday that the Webmail version of Ovi Mail had been updated to version v1.1. The main update that comes with the new release is the support for more languages, raising their number to 12 currently supported, among which we can count: UK English, US English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malay, Bengali, French, German, Hindi, Tagalog, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal) and Spanish.

Ovi Mail helps you stay connected with your family and friends through any time and anywhere access on your device and webmail. If you are an S60 user, you can now sign up for an Ovi Mail account on the web and access your email on your S60 device.

How can be a member of OVI mail?

Go to http://www.mail.ovi.com To get started, browse Ovi using your S40 mobile device browser or your pc and select Register on the home page. Do the following: 1. Enter a user name.  2. Enter a password, and then enter it again to confirm it.  3. Select a security question, and enter an answer that you can use to retrieve a forgotten password.  4. Enter your e-mail address or mobile number, or both. This information is used to verify your registration.  5. Enter the spam protection code.  6. Read the Ovi Service Terms and the Privacy Policy, and select the check box to accept them.  7. To complete your registration, select Continue.    • If, during step 4, you entered your e-mail address, access your e-mail account, open the e-mail sent by Nokia Account, and select the link to confirm your e-mail address.  • If you entered your mobile number, you receive a text message with a confirmation link. Select the link, and connect to the internet, when prompted, to complete the verification.  To start using your new account, select Sign in now on the Congratulations page.

To edit your account details, access Ovi on your PC, sign in and click Account on the navigation bar. You cannot edit your account details on your mobile device

With Ovi Mail you get

• Your personal, free* email address e.g. ashfaque1bd@ovi.com  • Convenient mobile email access while on-the-go  • Intuitive, simple and elegant web-based interface  • Storage of 1GB  • Full featured spam and virus protection   

On S40 devices you can sign up for an account and access email but edit your account details. And on S60 devices, you cannot sign up for a new Ovi Mail account but can configure your device to access an existing Ovi Mail account. Ovi Mail is part of the Ovi family of services, which gives access to other services such as maps, games, media sharing, and music.

Nokia OVI Suite

OVI Suite is only for Nokia devices. It allows Nokia mobile users to organize and share their photos and PIM data between their PC and their handset. The current version of the Nokia Ovi Suite is 1.1. A Mac OS X-compatible version is expected soon. So, bring your Nokia device and compatible PC together as one. Transfer content, share photos, and videos with friends easily, and keep your essential information up-to-date and in sync.

Ovi Sync

Ovi Sync allows you to sync your contacts, calendar events, and notes to ovi.com. The service can be used as a way to back up your data or to edit it on your computer to then send it back to your phone. There is no auto-sync yet.

Ovi Store

The OVI store has been launched worldwide since May 2009.

Nokia Music Store

Nokia Music Store allows purchasing of music directly on a mobile device or via PC. The store is already available in Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Australia, France, Sweden, Spain, and South Africa. With more countries coming soon.

Nokia Maps

This service is planned to be offered under the Ovi brand starting fall of 2007. The same functionalities will be available, with users being able to download maps via phone or PC.

N-Gage

The N-Gage 2.0 platform has been integrated into the Nokia N73, Nokia N78, Nokia N79, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8GB, Nokia N82, Nokia N85, Nokia N93, Nokia N93i, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8GB, Nokia N96 and Nokia 5320 mobile phones. Early in 2008, an updated version of the mobile gaming platform (including its online component - the N-Gage Arena) was going live, according to Nokia. The service worked in the past only with Nokia's N-Gage mobile game consoles, but the company said it will soon work with other devices too.

Share on Ovi

Share on Ovi is a media-sharing website. Originally called Twango the site allows the upload and storage of photos, videos, etc. Users can upload media directly from their Nokia mobile phone through the share online 3.0 application or can alternately use their PC.

Files on Ovi

Files on Ovi are an enhanced and re-branded version of the Avenue "Access and Share" service, which Nokia purchased in December of 2007. The service allows users to access files on their computers from any remote PC (via Web browser) and many mobile devices, and also facilitates sharing files.

 

            According to extensive Nokia consumer research, nearly half of the emerging market customers state that they would rather connect to the Internet over a mobile phone than a PC.  Unlike most other e-mail services, an Ovi Mail account can be created and used directly on a Nokia device without ever having to use a PC. Since the launch of the beta service in December 2008, around 90 percent of the e-mail accounts have been created on a Nokia phone!  As a result, Nokia has developed locally relevant solutions that consist of affordable mobile phones and applications, designed and built from the ground up to meet the specific needs of customers in the developing world. 

New Handsets

The new handsets are the Nokia 2323 classic, which is now available in stores, as well as the Nokia 2330 classic, 2700 classic, and 2730 classic, all of which will soon be commercially available.

2323 Classic    Aside from offering support for Ovi Mail, the Nokia 2323 classic offers an FM radio with recording, GPRS, Bluetooth, and an Internet browser.

2330 Classic    The Nokia 2330 classic, on the other hand, is a low-cost camera phone with a contemporary design and enhanced features, which include a VGA camera, BT and Stereo FM radio and radio recording, and support for MP3 ringtones. It comes in black or deep red and is now available at all Nokia Stores and authorized dealers nationwide.

2700 Classic    The Nokia 2700 classic is one of Nokia’s most affordable, full-featured handsets. Offering up to 2GB of storage via the memory card slot, the phone also has an integrated digital music player and a 2.0-megapixel camera, making it equally competent for imaging and music. The Nokia 2700 classic also allows users to set up an Ovi Mail account directly on their device. It will be released commercially in the third quarter.

2730 Classic    Last but not least is the Nokia 2730 classic. It, too, works with Ovi Mail, and is Nokia’s most affordable 3G phone, offering faster access to the Internet and a richer browsing experience. With the steady spread of 3G data networks across the developing world, the Nokia 2730 classic is ideal for staying connected with friends and family and sharing one’s life with others. The Nokia 2730 classic is expected to be commercially available in the third quarter.