The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Blackberry

  • BlackBerry 9720 smartphone launched in Nigeria

    BlackBerry 9720 smartphone launched in Nigeria

    Ontario-Canada technology firm, BlackBerry, has launched the new BlackBerry 9720 which it said is a super social smartphone.

    Speaking at the launch of the device, Regional Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Robert Bose, said: “We are very pleased to bring the BlackBerry 9720 to customers in Nigeria, which delivers all the essentials of the BlackBerry smartphone experience. BlackBerry 9720 comes with an updated BlackBerry 7 OS, and offers a great keyboard and dedicated button for BBM to help you live a communications centric lifestyle.

    “This really is an ideal smartphone for customers looking to upgrade from a feature phone or entry-level Android or Windows Phone device, as well as for existing BlackBerry smartphone customers looking for an upgrade in style and performance.”

    According to him, the device is designed for a premium look and available in a variety of vibrant colors, adding that the new smartphone takes everything the user would get from a starter smartphone to the next level, and comes packed with all of the favorite social apps that allow the user to spark the conversation.

    The BlackBerry 9720 smartphone features a spacious BlackBerry Keyboard with distinct keys for optimal typing, a-2.8″ touchscreen and trackpad for easy navigation, offers generous battery life, and numerous enhancements including: the new device comes with BlackBerry 7 OS version 7.1, which features an updated interface that allows the user swipe to unlock the phone or access the camera from the lock screen, as well as additional enhancements.

    “With the new smartphone, you can listen to local FM stations, and automatically let your BBM friends know what station you’re currently listening to,” he said.

  • Blackberry thrills students

    The University of Calabar (UNICAL) was agog last week when Blackberry held its Campus Super Crew show. ISAAC MENSAH (500-Level Medical Laboratory Science) was there.

     

    Fun-loving students had a field day last week when Blackberry hosted its show, Campus Super Crew, at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

    In their numbers, the students filed into the Chinua Achebe Art Theatre (CAAT), venue of the show.

    Adorning all shades of casual wears, the students filled the 5,000-capacity lecture theatre. The show had earlier been held at three universities – University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), University of Lagos (UNILAG) and University of Abuja (UNIABUJA).

    UNICAL’s programme was anchored by Andre Blaze, a radio and television presenter. There was also a raffle draw that had a student smiling home with a Blackberry smart phone.

    A day earlier, there was an audition for 47 groups of students, who displayed their skills in music. Ten crews scaled the audition for the stage performance contest during the show. The crews were Black Diamond, One Bowl, Fresh House, TGC, DNAK, Reflex, Porsche, Day Walkers, Crack Boss and Black Owl.

    The show started at about 4pm. A student with the stage name MC Koboko held the audience spellbound as he dished out jokes immediately the show began. Afterward, a Calabar-based choreography group, The Savages, entertained the students with their astonishing performance.

    Speaking, the Product Manager, Blackberry Campus Tour, Alex Jang, said the show was being used by the mobile phone giant to engender socialisation among the youth; a move he said would foster youth development.

    He said: “The programme is aimed at engaging Nigerian youths by harnessing their talents as well as exposing them to something bigger. Blackberry is committed to more than selling devices.”

    He said winners of UNICAL zone would face winners from other zones at the grand finale where they would stand a chance of winning a scholarship to attend the London School of Music for two weeks, feature in Y Magazine, Blackberry Nigeria Top 10 Radio Show and perform at the youth award event.

    Jang said as part of measures to facilitate the programme on hosting campuses, the mobile brand recruited Blackberry Campus Ambassadors in universities where the show was held. In UNICAL, ambassadors are Nkemjika Okorafor, 300-Level Animal Science, Blessing Thomas, 400-Level Electronics and Computer Technology and Cyril Okoi, 200-Level Marine Biology.

    The stage performance contest, which was divided into rounds, had the selected 10 musical groups slugging it out to qualify for the second round. Each contesting group had a singer, rapper and an instrumentalist and performed the remix version of any Nigerian hit songs. Some of the contestants were cheered by the audience, while others got booed out of stage.

    Five groups moved on to the next stage. When the contest came to an end, Black Diamond emerged winner while Fresh House came second and Day Walkers, third.

    The winning group had Victor Edoja, 400-Level Marine Geology, Williams Usese, 200-Level Curriculum and Teaching and David Evare, 200-Level Curriculum and Teaching. They were presented with prizes.

    David told CAMPUSLIFE: “I’m very excited and grateful to God for the victory. I started singing while I was in primary school, but my skills were honed when I got to secondary school where I joined the school choir. I promise to make UNICAL proud at the grand finale.”