It’s official. Or so it seems. Already the most active handset manufacturer in the developing world, Nokia this week made an announcement that places it well and truly at the heart of the international development effort. It’s a move that mirrors the company’s “developed world” strategy — a move from out-and-out hardware supplier to one of a more inclusive services-based outfit. As if (very) successfully designing and building low-cost handsets for emerging markets wasn’t enough, Nokia will now start offering emerging-market specific data services through its low-cost phones. And we’re not talking music or games here. We’re talking agriculture and education, and that’s just for starters

kiwanja’s latest PC World column examines Nokia’s move into providing “social data” services through their low-cost mobiles in developing countries, and what this might mean to the ICT4D community

“ICTs are regularly touted as holding great potential to enhance the work of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working for positive social and environmental change around the world. With many NGOs working in difficult and challenging conditions, any technology that enables improved communication is sure to be welcomed. However, while the development community has traditionally been quick to grasp emerging technologies – mobiles in particular – the same cannot be said for their conservation counterparts”

kiwanja‘s latest PC World article – “Mobile IT Helps Conservationists Get The Message” – discusses some of the applications of mobile technology in the global conservation effort

For NGOs and developers alike, the ICT4D space can be a tough nut to crack. While NGOs generally struggle to find the tools to meet their particular needs, developers face the opposite problem – getting their tools into the hands of those who need them the most. Attempts to connect the NGO and developer communities – physically and virtually – continue to this day with varying degrees of success. There is no magic bullet

kiwanja’s latest PC World column – “Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Technology” – discusses some of the challenges in getting an ICT4D project to ‘market’, and looks at four projects which have taken a successful “rapid prototyping” approach to the problem