fringsters listen up, your local fring blogger is in the process of releasing the Worlds first mobi guide to Snakes of South Africa. This educational guide will soon be available freely on the Nokia Ovi store.

Due to time limitations the app/Mbook only includes a handful of the many snakes found throughout South Africa. I started with the most dangerous and common snakes and once I have more time and have sourced more development funding I will update the app to include all the snakes found in our country, I will also add support for more handsets and future plans include the addition of multi language support.

The guide has been entered into the Nokia Calling All Innovators Developer Challenge and I look forward to reading what everyone think of this unique South African App.

If like me you love playing with new things, drop me a line via Twitter or email ( simon AT fring DOT com) and I will happily send you the app.

Update: Download the application directly to your mobile handset by clicking here from your mobile browser.

Btw the guide has been tested and works on all Nokia Symbian S60 5th edition handsets . (Including Nokia N97, N97 mini, 5800, 5530 and X6 handsets.)

Hi guys,

We’ve just released a new version for you, S60 (Nokia) users.
The new version provides an even better and much faster Twitter experience; solves connectivity issues including fixes to some issues fringsters have been reporting in certain connectivity states & includes a few other bug fixes, all making for an even better fringing experience!

Users of Nokia’s latest E52, 5630, 5530 and E72 devices – we didn’t forget you either. We followed through with our promise to spread the fringing freedom to you, as well, all reported issues have been addressed and resolved.

The new version (3.40.29/29) is now available on our download page.

As always, your comments & suggestions are welcome.
The fringTEAM

fringsters put your hands together for the one and only Nokia 5530 Xpress Music.

This sleek and sexy Nokia handset is now officially available in South Africa and we are excited to announce that fring already lets you take your friends mobile with this great new Nokia device.

Although “Nokia might have been late to the touchscreen game,” it sure is “making up for lost time now by following up the successful 5800 XpressMusic and N97 with the budget 5530 XpressMusic.”

Most of the western world is abuzz after Apple recently introduced the Apple iPhone 3Gs. Here in Africa though things are different. Most of us cannot afford the high tech gadgetry on offer from Apple. I mean lets face it, most people here in Africa are just looking for something cool yet low cost which will do the job and boy oh boy does the Nokia 5530 do just that.

Nokia last night together with the launch of the Nokia 5530 and 5630 Xpress Music also launched “Comes with music.” “The service, which offers consumers a year of unlimited access to the entire Nokia Music Store catalogue, is now available in South Africa. Comes With Music devices enable the consumer to download an unlimited number of the over 5-million digital tracks available on the South African Nokia Music Store http://music.nokia.co.za for a one year period. In addition, the consumer is able to keep all their downloaded music from the diverse catalogue of international and local artists - even when the service period of one year is over – on both their Comes With Music device and dedicated PC.”

This is why in my humble opinion, companies like Nokia will always have market share in Africa. They are making sure that people of all walks of life are able to groove to the beat on a sexy touch screen device. Thank you Nokia

fringsters if you happen to be one of the lucky few who already has your hands on the Nokia 5530 what are you waiting for download fring today. If you are still thinking of upgrading to a new device, think no more, head over to your nearest cellphone dealer and grab yourself one of these beauties while stocks last.

Note: I will review the Nokia 5530 more closely in the coming weeks.