OPK keynote at CES 2010 � reactions and reports

LAS VEGAS, USA � Last Friday saw Nokia CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, take to the stage at CES 2010 in a speech entitled �Connecting the Next Billion: The New Frontier of Upward Mobility�. We reported on the highlights and the new $1m Venture Challenge announcement � if you�re interested you can read the full transcript. So 72 hours later, with the dust having settled from OPK�s talk, we were keen to find out what others were saying in reaction to Nokia�s keynote. Read on to see what was said, share any other opinions you may have come across, and, of course, scribble down your thoughts after the break.

A number of sites performed liveblog reports from OPK�s keynote, including Engadget, Electricpig.co.uk and Nokia Experts, reacting minute-by-minute to what was being said on stage. The likes of Nokia Life Tools deliver country-relevant content for people in emerging markets via SMS, so in response Chris Zeigler at Engadget asked the interesting question of further enhancing location-based services in growth economy territories:

Engadget liveblog: �Here�s a dilemma: how do you bring location-based services without integrated GPS? Tower triangulation, of course, which Nokia is using extensively in some of its emerging market projects. We wonder how long it�ll be before GPS chipsets are cheap enough to push all the way down to the lowest segments of the market.�

There was also some amusing coverage from Engadget. In response to news of Forum Nokia teaming up with Sesame Street for Calling all Innovators 2010 it had this to say:

Engadget liveblog: �If this means our N900 comes preloaded with Big Bird wallpaper, we�re on board.�

Electricpig.co.uk was another, touching on the part of the keynote where Jan Chipchase, Nokia�s �Indiana Jones�, came on to talk about researching opportunities around the planet and what�s involved in his globetrotting fact-finding missions:

Electricpig.co.uk liveblog: �We�re onto research in the developing world. �Do we have the right to be there?� [Jan Chipchase] Normally this stuff comes over as waffle, but Nokia clearly knows what it�s on about� Nokia�s scouting potential projects in Afghanistan. Apparently it�s ideal for researching new products. Don�t fancy heading there to find out to be honest.�

In his liveblog report Matthew Miller at Nokia Experts commented on the challenges faced for people buying devices in emerging countries � even when faced with the lowest cost devices available:

Nokia Experts liveblog: �Only $32 in many markets around the world, India and China included. This is nothing for us, but can be a month�s income for many around the world. I can�t imagine if I spent a full month�s income on a single smartphone. Makes you think a bit about the price we cry about paying for our even more capable smartphones, huh?� Not a keynote about new devices, but definitely one that has me thinking about what is important to me.�