Latest news with #Nokia
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Fahadh Faasil's ‘Simple' phone sparks online frenzy; Turns out it's worth lakhs
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Actor Fahadh Faasil has once again shown that when it comes to style and substance, he does things his own way. The 'Aavesham' star recently attended a puja ceremony for the upcoming film 'Mollywood Times', and what caught everyone's attention wasn't the event itself—but the phone he was using. A keypad phone in 2025? Netizens were intrigued. That curiosity quickly turned into amazement once the brand and price were revealed. Fahadh's retro-modern statement: A Vertu in his pocket What looked like a basic keypad phone in Fahadh's hands was soon identified as a Vertu—an ultra-premium British phone brand originally founded by Nokia. Social media was abuzz, with some identifying the model as the Vertu Ascent Black, created in collaboration with Ferrari, costing around Rs 1 lakh. Others speculated it might be a more exclusive vintage model, possibly worth over Rs 7 lakh. Either way, it's far from a 'simple' phone. Vinay Fort speaks out: 'He doesn't even have Instagram!' Adding to the charm of the moment, actor Vinay Fort said in an interview with Club FM, 'Fahadh Faasil uses a keypad phone. He is not active on social media and doesn't have an Instagram page. I envy him in this matter.' According to Timeline Daily, Vertu has recently ventured into tech-forward territory with its MetaVertu series, designed for the ultra-wealthy. These phones, like the MetaVertu 1 and MetaVertu Curve, combine traditional luxury with Web3 features like decentralised identity, private key encryption, and a dual interface for switching between Web2 (Android) and Web3 environments. With prices ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 70 lakh, Vertu phones represent not just style—but serious digital sophistication. Mohanlal cooks for his buddies Work front Meanwhile, on the work front, Fahadh Faasil will be making his Mollywood entry after a long gap, with Althaf Salim's directorial film 'Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira' which also features Kalyani Priyadarshan.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Drake Reacts To 'What Did I Miss?' Debuting At No. 2 On The Billboard Hot 100
Drake should be on a high right now after a history-making, three-day headlining set at Wireless Festival in London this past weekend. However, the 38-year-old rapper saw where his latest single 'What Did I Miss?' debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, and he isn't satisfied. The track, initially projected to fall on the lower end of the top 10, landed at No. 2 in this week's chart. It marked the 6 God's second No. 2 of 2025, following the slow-rising hit 'Nokia.' While that is celebratory for many artists, it continues the Toronto superstar's streak of almost two years without a No. 1 since 'First Person Shooter' with J. Cole reached the mountaintop in October 2023. Bigger than that, it makes his pursuit of breaking his tie with Michael Jackson still a factor. Drizzy posted this week's chart on his Instagram story with several straight-faced emojis before calling out the suppression he has allegedly endured since last year's beef with Kendrick Lamar, which prompted his current defamation and botting lawsuit against Universal Music Group. 'Suppressor on the 1 spot,' he wrote with a laughing emoji, referring to Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' maintaining the top spot for six weeks. 'I'm taking that soon don't worry one song or another Rule changes and all.' This is an unusual experience for the multi-time Grammy winner; he is currently rolling out his forthcoming album ICEMAN, and he is used to having a single be No. 1 going into an album release or hitting No. 1 after an LP comes out. $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, his joint album with PARTYNEXTDOOR from this past February, was his first project since 2017's More Life that did not have either of those things happen, though he got close with 'Nokia.' Nonetheless, momentum is still on his side. At Wireless Festival, the attendees treated his three sets like they were homecoming performances. He also gifted fans with surprise appearances by Lauryn Hill and The Fugees, Mario, Bryson Tiller, Giveon, Bobby Valentino, Latto, Sexyy Red, 21 Savage, and more. He teased a new song with Central Cee, stating that he would 'get to that on Friday.' The record fell within his Afrobeats, dance vibe, which is fitting for the summer. If this record goes No. 1, not only would he break the tie with MJ, but it would also be Cench's first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1. Time will tell when the record drops, but check out a preview below. More from Who Are The Potential Witnesses In Drake's Lawsuit Against UMG? Pusha T Pulls No Punches With His Review Of Drake's New Song, "What Did I Miss?" Drake And His Fans Have A "F**k Kendrick" Moment At Wireless Festival
Free Malaysia Today
19 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Currency headwinds wipe out Ericsson's sales gain
Ericsson shares shed more than 3% in morning trading in Stockholm and are down more than 17% from the start of the year. (EPA Images pic) STOCKHOLM : Swedish telecommunications equipment manufacturer Ericsson said today that it swung into profit in the second quarter (Q2), but the strong krona wiped out sales gains. The company, a pioneer in building the equipment that run mobile phone networks along with Finnish rival Nokia, said it earned a net profit of SEK4.6 billion (US$479 million) in Q2 compared to a US$1.0 billion loss in the same period last year due to writing down the value of a US investment. However, net sales, which were converted into Swedish krona, slid 6% to SEK56.1 billion. The SEK3.7 billion drop in revenue was less than the estimated SEK4.7 billion impact from the higher value of the krona relative to other currencies, in particular the US dollar. While investors are looking at how companies are coping with the US tariffs, the drop in the value of the dollar versus most currencies is also putting pressure on firms. 'It is encouraging that Americas' growth continues, and that Europe has stabilised,' Ericsson chief executive Borje Ekholm said. Sales in the Americas region – Ericsson's largest market – were flat in krona terms but rose 10% when correcting for currency effects and discontinued business. European sales dipped 1% after stripping out currency fluctuations and other changes. Meanwhile the company said its adjusted operating profit hit a three-year high due cost-cutting measures. 'We have structurally lowered our cost base and are strongly focused on delivering further efficiencies,' said Ekholm. Ericsson shares shed more than 3% in morning trading in Stockholm, and are down more than 17% from the start of the year.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ericsson's sales in South East Asia, Oceania & India slump by 28% on-year in Q2FY25
NEW DELHI: Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson on Tuesday reported a 28% year-on-year decline in its sales in the market area South East Asia, Oceania and India at 5.5 billion crowns (~₹4,917 crore) in Q2FY25, mainly dragged by a pause in fifth-generation (5G) network investments by Indian telecom carriers. On a sequential basis, sales in the specific market area slumped by 24% year-on-year. Ericsson had reported sales of 7.7 billion crowns (~₹6,883.8 crore) in the corresponding quarter a year ago in South East Asia, Oceania, and India. 'Sales in India were weak, as operators held back on new network investments,' Ericsson said in its earnings statement. India, however, is second among the top five countries by sales at 6% in the January to June period of 2025, an Ericsson spokesperson told ETTelecom . Sales in the Mobile Networks business declined significantly in South East Asia, Oceania, and India, primarily as a result of 'reduced customer investments in networks in India', the vendor said. As per the statement, Ericsson won a multi-year Network Operations Center Managed Services contract with India's Bharti Airtel . Sales in the Americas market area remained unchanged at 19.8 billion crowns on a reported basis. Markets, including Europe, Middle East and Africa, North East Asia, and others, also fell on a reported basis compared to same quarter in the previous year. 'Our Q2 results demonstrate solid execution of our strategic and operational priorities. We achieved a three-year high in adjusted EBITA margin, supported by continued efficiency actions. We have structurally lowered our cost base and are strongly focused on delivering further efficiencies,' said Börje Ekholm, president and CEO, Ericsson. 'It is encouraging that Americas' growth continues, and that Europe has stabilised,' he added. 'Looking ahead, we are increasing AI investments, including in our Sweden AI factory consortium. AI is key to accelerating innovation, as well as driving internal operational efficiencies. The ecosystem for network APIs continues to grow, and Aduna expanded its Network API reach to all three major service providers in Japan,' Ekholm said. Nokia is scheduled to report its fiscal second quarter results on July 24. In India, Ericsson, along with its Finnish rival Nokia and South Korean Samsung, has commercial 5G deals with top telecom carriers Reliance Jio , Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi). While Vi switched on its commercial 5G services in March, and is currently focused on expansion in 17 priority circles by August, its peers Jio and Airtel already have a nationwide 5G networks and provide 5G FWA to customers. As per Ericsson, the global fixed wireless access (FWA) customers have surpassed 160 million, and are driving significant network traffic. It, however, cautioned that the penetration of 5G standalone (SA) remains limited but is needed to support use cases such as artificial intelligence (AI) at the edge. Earlier, Ericsson and Nokia saw a surge in India sales from the fourth quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2023, respectively, shortly after Airtel and Jio began rolling out 5G networks nationally from October 2022. However, both telcos have concluded their 5G network deployments in the first half of 2024 and are now focused on boosting revenues and driving monetisation of their 5G businesses.
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Autistic teen who came to Canada arrested in Japan after meth found in suitcase, family says
A British family has set up a crowdfunding campaign in the hopes of raising money for the legal fees of Sean Stephenson, an autistic teenager who was arrested at Tokyo airport on June 21 with a suitcase containing 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. The family is adamant that Stephenson was allegedly the victim of gang members who befriended him and then apparently pressured him into travelling, first to Portugal, then Toronto, and finally Tokyo, where the arrest was made. Ami Lee, Stephenson's older sister, told National Post by phone that his disappearance surprised the entire family. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Because of his autism he says things but sometimes it's not always true,' she said. 'He kept saying, 'I'm going to Canada.' We didn't actually think that he was going until we woke up and he was gone. We now know that he flew from Heathrow to Portugal and then to Canada. He stayed in Toronto for five days before he flew to Japan. And then at Japan, Tokyo is where he got caught and arrested.' Lee said Stephenson's original trip to Heathrow airport in London was with an older man who had befriended him. She said everything they know about the 18-year-old's movements is through the information provided by their lawyer. 'The man took Sean's phone and gave him a Nokia phone so Sean couldn't have contact with us,' she said. 'The man arranged for Sean to meet with another gentleman at a Toronto mall.' That man, she said, as per information shared by her lawyer, allegedly gave him the suitcase filled with drugs to bring to Tokyo. 'They told him it was money, that it was fine, 'you're just dropping it to our friend.' And obviously Sean believed them.' Lee said that they have hired an English-speaking lawyer in Japan to help her brother, but that the family hasn't been able to speak to him directly. 'He's on a no-contact ban,' she said. 'He's not allowed contact with us so we're paying for a lawyer. We only know by what she's telling us.' She added that the family is particularly worried because of her brother's childlike nature. 'He's 18 but his solicitor said you can tell he's a child,' she said. 'He's very child-minded. That's part of his autism.' Her page at has raised a little more than 1,000 pounds (about $2,000 Canadian) as of Tuesday. 'Help us bring Sean home,' the page reads. 'We are raising urgent funds for our beloved brother … who has been detained in Japan after being misled and exploited by individuals who took advantage of his vulnerability.' In continues: 'Sean is a kind, gentle, and trusting young man with autism and multiple physical and mental health challenges. Though legally an adult, he has a much younger mental age and has always been eager to make friends — a trait that, heartbreakingly, was manipulated by those with far worse intentions. Sean has never been in trouble with the law. He lives at home in London, where he helps care for our unwell mother. He's also a devoted uncle to his nine nieces and nephews.' The page concludes: 'Sean is not a criminal — he is a vulnerable young man who was preyed upon by those who saw his innocence as an opportunity. He deserves to be home with his family, not lost in a system he cannot navigate alone.' A petition at is also trying to raise awareness of Stephenson's case. 'Sean is currently in a Japanese prison after being found with Meth in a locked suitcase,' the petition reads. 'Sean has said he did not know what was in the case, but was threatened with having his legs broken and harm to his family if he didn't take it with him on a flight to Japan.' It adds: 'We are taking this petition to the Japanese Embassy and the Foreign Office to ask that Sean's needs be taken into account.' Lee said the family has gone to the police but added: 'The U.K. police have been no help whatsoever. So we're trying our best to get him off but obviously it's a high conviction rate out there. Japan has a 99.9 per cent conviction rate for that. It's a very serious crime in Japan but we're working with these lawyers to get all his medical forms and everything together.' The case has received coverage in the British press, including stories in the Daily Mail and the Mirror . The Mirror quoted a spokesperson for Britain's National Crime Agency, who said: 'Investigations abroad were a matter for local authorities.' They added: 'The NCA's international functions can facilitate U.K. Law Enforcement to international requests. This remains a matter for the Met Police and you may speak to the FCDO regarding any consular assistance.' A spokesperson for the country's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) then told the Mirror: 'We are supporting a British man who is detained in Japan and are in contact with the local authorities.' The Daily Mail noted a case last year in which Australian national Donna Nelson was jailed for six years after being found guilty of smuggling 2 kilograms of meth into Tokyo, despite her claims she had been the victim of an online romance scam. Prosecutors had asked for a 10-year sentence and a $30,000 fine after she was caught with the drugs concealed in the bottom of her suitcase. Stephenson's mother, Star Lee, told the Mail: 'I'm just so sad for Sean. I can't explain how I am feeling. It's a traumatic experience for all the family. We have not been allowed any direct contact with him. We hear all these bad things about prisons abroad. We don't know what's happening and we are just praying he is safe.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
