Alamanda Putrajaya is located on Jalan Alamanda, Putrajaya on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. It is about 40 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur using Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway (PLUS) .It has a wide range of shops, restaurants, cafes, entertainment, leisure and home decor. Here some shop at Alamanda:
Nokia is making its navigation service free to all GPS-enabled Nokia devices in a move that will help the company better compete in the smartphone market against the likes of Apple and Google.
Starting Thursday, Nokia users will be able to download for free the client that enables GPS phones to get Ovi Maps and Navigation, as well as, various city guides on their phones. Nokia has been offering the maps and navigation service for more than two years. After its acquisition of Navteq announced in 2007, it enhanced the service by adding turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation. And it added premium content from partners, such as Lonely Planet.
Previously, customers could only access the basic maps for free. Turn-by-turn navigation and city guides had cost extra.
Navigation, a la Nokia's Ovi Maps.
(Credit: Nokia)But that all changes Thursday when Nokia begins offering these services for free. Initially, the free service will be available for 10 of Nokia's phones, including the Nokia N97 mini, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia E72. Eventually, the software client will be available for all Nokia GPS-enabled phones. And starting in March, the company will begin shipping new GPS Nokia phones with the software and maps for the service pre-installed.
Taking mobile navigation to the mass market
Personal navigation devices, such as ones made by Garmin and TomTom, have become big hits with consumers. And now personal navigation is gaining popularity in mobile phones, thanks to GPS-enabled handsets, and applications such as Google Maps. Approximately 27 million people worldwide had GPS navigation on their mobile phones at the end of 2009, according to the research firm Canalys. Nokia estimates that by offering the service free on its phones it can boost that figure to 50 million.
"We think this will transform the mobile navigation market overnight by providing consumers with an out-of-the-box experience," said Tero Ojanperä, executive vice president of services for Nokia. "I'll admit it wasn't the easiest process getting this service in the past. But now we're moving from the early market to the mass market."
While Nokia still leads the world in overall cell phone sales, it's been losing ground over the past couple of years to new competitors such as Apple and Research In Motion in the high-end smartphone market. Competition will likely intensify in 2010 and beyond as manufacturers flood the market with a steady stream of new smartphones using the Google Android operating system.
Consumers are attracted to the new breed of smartphones, because of all the mobile applications that can run on these devices. Maps and Navigation powered by Google are key applications on these devices.
Taking on Google
Nokia sees personal navigation and location services as a major differentiator, setting its phones apart from its competitors and adding value for wireless operators. Specifically, Nokia executives believe that its mapping and navigation services are superior to Google's own Google Maps and Google Navigation, which are preloaded and offered for free on many popular handsets, such as the iPhone, the Motorola Droid, and Google's own NexusOne.
Ovi Maps on the Nokia N97.
(Credit: Nokia)For example, Nokia's Ovi Map service offers navigation in 74 countries in 46 languages. And it can provide traffic information in more than 10 countries, as well as detailed maps for more than 180 countries.
Ojanperä said that creating and maintaining a dynamic mapping and navigation service is not easy. He said the company is continually updating its mapping content and it specifically looks at 250 different attributes to collect data using cars driving around various cities around the world to verify information is correct.
"Google offers free car navigation in one country," he said. "We offer it in 74 countries. We are truly global where others are not."
Another important differentiator for Nokia is the free access to the Lonely Planet Travel guides.
But Ojanperä also said that Nokia's service is better for wireless operators because the service and application consumes far less bandwidth than competing mapping navigation services, such as Google Maps and Google Navigation.
Ojanperä said that the technology Nokia uses to serve up its maps is 10 times more network efficient than Google's method. Nokia uses what's called a hybrid vectorizing mapping method, which allows users to zoom in and out of the map without downloading the same map multiple times. By contrast, Ojanperä said that Google's technology requires that a new map be downloaded each time a user zooms in or out of the map, which increases the amount of bandwidth needed to use the service.
For this reason, Ojanperä said he believes that wireless operators will want to work with Nokia to sell its phones and make the Ovi services available on their networks.
This sales pitch could be particularly useful in the U.S., where Nokia has a weak presence and only offers a handful of devices with subsidized price tags through a wireless operator. For several years, Nokia has sold most of its high-end phones in the U.S. directly to consumers. But in a market where someone can get an iPhone subsidized by a carrier for $99, it's difficult to sell a $500 unsubsidized phone.
That said, the new free mapping and navigation services could finally give wireless operators a reason to sell Nokia phones. It could also give consumers a reason to buy a Nokia phone, even without a subsidy. A personal navigation device can cost between $200 and $300, which makes a $500 unsubsidized Nokia phone look pretty good.
Ojanperä said Nokia plans to continue selling its phone directly to consumers but its primary focus will be to target wireless carriers in U.S. market.
Regardless of which channels Nokia chooses to sell the phone, one thing is certain. The company will have to spend some money marketing Ovi Maps and Navigation to the mass market. At this point, anyone with a computer is familiar with Google and is likely familiar with Google Maps.
Nokia's Navteq and Ovi brands are relatively unknown in the U.S., so the company has a lot of work ahead of it.
Petronas Twin Towers - Tourist Attraction
No one will be able to miss these two identical towers that stand as one of the world's tallest buildings and are the nation's icon of pride. For those who like statistics, the buildings stand 452 m tall and there are 88 stories in all amid lots of glass and steel.
It is not possible to go to the top of the towers but the 41st and 42nd sky bridge link is open to a fixed number of visitors every day. All you have to do is queue in the lobby for a free ticket for either the morning or afternoon sessions.
Housed in the towers include a 864 seat theatre that is home to the Malaysia philharmonic Orchestra and an interactive discovery science centre, both of which are frequently visited by the public. Located between the towers is the city's premier shopping complex, the Suria KLCC.
Chow Kit Market - Tourist Attraction
If you like night time shopping amid a blaze of neon lights then this for you. This market only opens on Saturday nights and is located in an area was once a red light district that got cleaned up and is now dominated by this very popular market.
Some say that the best thing about this market is the opportunity to sample local cuisine while meandering through the stalls. The nasi lemak, which is rice boiled in coconut milk and served with curry, is particularly worth a try. The food is affordable so you can eat to your heart's content.
Masjid Jamek - Cutural Attraction
This is the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur and is a typical example of Islamic architecture. Built in 1907, it is set in a grove of palm trees that helps set the serenity and sacredness of the building.
It is not the largest mosque in the country, that honour goes to the National Mosque, known as Masjid Negara, which is more modern and some say, rather Lego like. The National Mosque, which seats 8 000, was completed in 1965 and features an 18 point star on its roof while an 70 m tall minaret catches the eye. But most people prefer to visit Masjid Jamek because it is majestic enough to be featured on many of the post cards that you can buy.
It is worthwhile noting that non Muslims are not allowed in any mosques during prayers.
Meredeka Square/Dataran Merdeka - Tourist Attraction
This is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and the place where national celebrations and marches are likely to take place. More than that, the square has many buildings of historic importance like the Sultan Abdul Samed Building - built in the 19th century which is an example of Victorian Moorish architecture. This was the centre of British administration during the colonial period and is now home to the Supreme and High courts.
Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman - Tourist Attraction
You will be very sorry to leave Malaysia without buying some Middle Eastern carpets which last a lifetime and off course, some antiques. One of the best places to do so is in this street which is jammed with all sorts of antiques and crafts.
Also worth taking home is the kain songket, Malaysia's most high priced woven cloth which usually comes in colours of deep blue, forest green, maroon or purple that is embroidered in silver and gold thread.
Islamic Arts Museum - Cutural Attraction
This is a relatively new museum that has among its exhibits scale models of the world's most famous mosques and buildings like the famous Taj Mahal of India. It is located east of the Lake Gardens near the National Mosque.
There's a lot to learn about the history of Islam through the artifacts which come from various parts of the world like China, the Middle East and Europe. There are relics from the Ottoman Empire of Turkey and Syria and Islamic manuscripts from throughout history.
The museum is the best place in the city to purchase quality Muslim arts and textiles although at prices that are steeper than the other places.
Batu Caves - Tourist Attraction
Just outside the city are these limestone caves that sit on top of a 272 step climb. For the local population the caves are more than just geographical formations as they have Hindu shrines and temples. People come to worship here daily but the busiest time is during the Thaipusam Festival held early in the year when thousands of pilgrims wearing garlands and peacock feathers gather to pay homage.
Golden Triangle/Bukit Bintang - Tourist Attraction
This is the premier business, entertainment and shopping district of Kuala Lumpur which in plain language is the central business district, one that indeed does glitter. There are high rises all over the place like the Petronas Twin Towers (the world's tallest buildings), luxury hotels, night spots and non stop shopping malls. It is definitely a good area for quality shopping items.
Genting Highlands - Tourist Attraction
If you want to let your hair down for a while, just an hour from Kuala Lumpur is this entertainment and amusement complex that has people from all over Asia coming to play.
It is rather bright and noisy which is fine because the idea is for revelers get exactly what they are looking for - spills and thrills. There seems to be something for every body, from arcade games to magic shows and the casino which, by the way is the only casino in Malaysia
Lake Gardens - Tourist Attraction
Every major city has its green belt and Kuala Lumpur is no exception. These gardens, located just off Parliament Rd, were developed in the 1880s and represent over 170 acres of rolling lawns, huge trees, colourful flowers and two lakes. Other features include a National Monument dedicated to the country's war heroes, a children's playground and jogging tracks.
While there, you may as well take advantage of the opportunity to visit the Orchid Gardens and Deer Park, which are around the park. Also in the vicinity are the Butterfly Park and Bird Park.
OVERVIEW
| The Haven is located on the main street, Jalan Bukit Bintang (Golden Triangle) in Kuala Lumpur. We are also a stone's throw away (10 mins walk) from China Town, Puduraya Bus Terminal, Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur Tower and Masjid India. Dormitories of 6's and 8's as well as family rooms of 4's are also available. The Haven also offers Standard Doubles and Deluxe Doubles. Bathrooms are communal to monitor cleanliness every hour. Facilities offered include 24-hour breakfast with coffee and tea, 24-hour security guard on premises, 24-hour CCTV, extremely spacious lounges, 24-hour free WiFi internet, DVDs on demand, satelite TV,1 for 1 bookshelf with extensive novels and board games, tour packages to islands in Malaysia. |
 |
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
©2006 Upgrade to Blogger beta by Kaie | Original From: Blogger Templates and GeckoandFly.
