Nokia asks users: How we can improve N8

NEW DELHI: Having lost the leadership position in the smartphones market to Apple, Nokia is looking for ideas from people on new features that will allow these devices to be used for more activities than just communication.

"We are inviting idea from masses on what people will like to control using Nokia N8 smartphones," Ravi Kunwar , Director (Sales) for Nokia India's North Sales Unit, told PTI.

Nokia is running roadshows in the country where it is demonstrating how a toy car can be controlled using an N8 phone.

Kunwar mentioned that company is open for ideas on developing remote control functions in N8 phones that can be used for controlling home appliances or real-life vehicles.

"After receiving all ideas till August 8, we will start evaluating each concept and look in to possibility of developing it. Till date, we have received over 5,000 ideas. Initially, we will select only the top three applications in demand from the list," Kunwar said.

Indian mobile application developer company Divum is working with Nokia on the project.

"We are using a wi-fi based chipset in the device which is to be controlled. The commands are send from the phone," Vaideeswaran Sethuraman, CEO and founder, Divum Corporate Services, said.

Kunwar added that using the remote control technology, an N8 use will be able to control any device from anywhere in the world.

"Only the device should be within (telecom) network," Kunwar said.

He added that company will first launch the application on N8 phones, but following success, it can be replicated on other Nokia smartphones.