Telecom
Microsoft Lumia 535: The Right Dual Sim Device
Lumia 535, the first Windows Phone handset from Microsoft that ditched Nokia branding, goes a long way, improving on the shortcomings of Lumia 530, to say the least.
……….Thumb Up: 5-inch, 960 x 540 screen; Snapdragon 200 processor; 5MP cameras front and rear; 8GB of storage; dual (microSD-Sim slots.
Thumb Down: The Microsoft Lumia 535 is found wanting in 4G LTE connectivity; its under-powered processor results in a sluggish interface. Also, the touchscreen can be unresponsive, while the screen is neither sharp nor particularly vivid…………….
Although, from the design, size, and other key features, the nice looking with replaceable covers – available in matte plastic options- orange, black, grey, green, white and cyan, doesn’t appear as a cheap phone.
Microsoft aggressively targeting the entry-level and the budget smartphone segments is particularly showing intents; to ensure the brand becomes a household name in the Nigeria’s smartphone market, just like the rested Nokia.
Definitely, Nigerian phone lovers with penchant liking for colour, unfettered look, will not be disappointed because Lumia 535 is already here and finding itself in the waiting hands of students and young people; notwithstanding, it serves every class.
We believe most cheap phones mustn’t have smaller, 4-inch or so screens, and the 5-inch Lumia 535 shows Microsoft thinks outside the box. Thus, such design aligns Lumia 535 with the much more expensive rivals. Here is our review:
Build & Design
Actually, Microsoft cannot claim to have totally ‘scratched off’ ‘Nokia Lumia’ designs with the launch of the ‘first’ Micosoft branded Lumia 535.
On close examination and though no visibility of Nokia branding, the Lumia 535 doesn’t appear to be very different from other Nokia Lumia budget phones such as Lumia 530 and 630 and all the other predecessors and the only thing that stands out is the Microsoft logo at the front and back.
The Lumia 535 looks similar to Lumia 530, complete with rounded corners and a changeable coloured back cover that wraps around the phone. The major difference is the larger size which is majorly due to the inclusion of a bigger display
Meanwhile, Microsoft is not excusable on how the case and battery sometimes ‘pop out’ when dropped; the appliances dislodge more often than not.
Nonetheless, the ‘Gorilla Glass’, as a shield, ensures the screen remains fairly sturdy and scratch-free. But Microsoft shouldn’t see that as enough protection following the manner the case and battery dislodge.
As a consolation, the 8GB of built-in storage should prove ample for lighter users. If that’s not enough then there’s a microSD card slot, too. We understand, “You don’t get 4G at this price, but you do get Bluetooth 4.0 and – unlike some cheaper phones – it has an ambient light sensor as well”.
Well, the right edge of the phone features the power and volume rocker keys, in the same colour as that of the shell and offer good tactile feedback. The top edge sports the 3.5mm headset jack while the bottom features the micro-USB port.
Display
One thing comes to mind: Nigeria youths are known for their penchant interest in watching nollywood movies and other entertainment contents. Then, Lumia 535’s 5-inch screen is on the large side and will definitely meet your fancy.
You have interests in watching YouTube, Irokotv, IbakaTv; and Microsoft was timely with the launch, because Nigerians are on the verge of digital switchover when many will begin to appreciate such contents.
In other words, browsing through your phone will be easy too.
It has a 960×540-pixel IPS LCD resolution; high-resolution photos, too, lack the crisp clarity you’ll see on screens with more pixels though. The truth remains that the 960×540-pixel resolution does result in turning it on slightly improves under sun readability.
The Windows Phone interface is perfectly clear, however, and basic apps like email and calendar, along with commonly used apps such as Twitter, Facebook and Spotify, are all easily readable.
The viewing angles are fair, nevertheless, it ought to have been improved on; they look particularly ‘washed-out’ when you view them next to more vivid displays such as the one on the slightly pricier Lumia 735.
Software
Microsoft Lumia 535, of course, comes with Windows Phone 8.1. The latest software update, codenamed Denim is therein with some Nokia-exclusive features. Importantly, Windows Phone 8 is easy on the eye, made up lots of large, bright tiles that show live information. Interestingly, one can resize these tiles and reorder them to suit your preferences, set different backgrounds and group tiles together into folders, thanks to the Denim software update.
Similarly, Windows Phone 8.1 ironed out inconsistencies and achieves feature parity with competing smartphone platforms like Android and iOS. It pretty much covers the basics and would satisfy most casual users.
Another recent feature is the notification panel that you pull down from the top of the screen, like in Android. It shows incoming notfications from your messaging apps or emails, as well as giving quick access to critical settings such as Wi-Fi and screen brightness; while update 1 brings features like Live Folders, Cortana support (alpha) for India, SMS merge and forwarding, consumer VPN and Internet Explorer improvements.
Lumia 535 promises easy usage. For instance, you can now select individual text messages to either delete them out of a messaging thread, or copy and past them into a new message to forward them.
More so, Lumia 353 is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, backed up by 1GB of RAM. Thus, it has the capacity to run most everyday tasks, including streaming movies in Netflix, but more demanding games are not handled well.
Camera
Lumia 535 posits 5-megapixel cameras both on the back and the front; measuring 1/4 inch sensor, f/2.4 aperture and 28mm focal length, with auto-focus and LED flash.
It comes with pre-loaded Bing vision, Creative Studio, Lumia Camera, Lumia Selfie camera apps.
And the inclusion of the LED flash helps the phone take pictures in the dark and front camera facilitates selfies and Skype chats.
The quality of still images shot in abundant light was great, depicting accuracy in colour reproduction and good contrast.
The video quality as captured with the phone was basically average.
Performance
Coming from ‘brilliant’ Microsoft, Lumia 535 is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. It comes with 8GB internal storage and supports microSD card slots of up to 128GB for expansion.
While it is appreciable the fact the phone comes with 1GB RAM given that a number of games and apps are not optimized for 512MB devices.
On Playing Games: This could be one of the reasons that playing casual games like Temple Run and Angry Birds there is no practically any issue, but not same as playing graphics-heavy games like Asphalt 8, the frame drops.
With Windows Phone OS at work, we did not observe lag or falter while launching and switching between apps, though the apps and also did not encounter any issues while browsing the web, clicking pictures and playing videos and music.
Battery
Powered by a 1905mAh battery, Microsoft Lumia 535, with its low-power processor and low-res screen not demanding much juice, the battery shouldn’t be too heavily taxed. Indeed, Microsoft reckons you can get up to 13 hours of talktime over 3G, which isn’t too bad.
It will last you more than a full work day, basically 16 hours, even if you put the screen brightness at the highest level and use 3G data all the time. You’ll be able to make about 2-3 hours of phone calls, play some casual games and browse the web in this time period. You’ll be able to get about one and a half day backup with moderate use.
In terms of connectivity, the dual-sim handset offers 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and A-GPS.
Verdict
With plenty to offer for its cheap price, the Microsoft’s first self-branded Windows Phone handset tries to fill in the gaps.
However, there are areas where the company has made compromises. For instance, the display is not that great; the processor is also not comparable to the Lumia 630 and touch sensitivity was also problematic at times.
Essentially, Microsoft just erased ‘Nokia’ as the brand, but the inside and out features depict Nokia Lumia.
We found the positive side to include; built in battery saver; built in office, Skype one drive storage (30GB); Here maps; Xbox games; Windows10 update coming on Oct 2015; 5.0 screen; Cortana and 1GB RAM.
Also, virtually all apps available in google play are available in windows store just few apps and major apps performance speed is so good apps like What’s app; blackberry messenger; Facebook messenger; We chat and Hike messenger
But I didn’t find it funny that you need to remove battery each time to switch Sims and No compass.
Therefore, as one who desires to enjoy light gaming or video streaming on the move, a higher-end phone with 4G LTE would go for such phone as Lumia 635, nevertheless, Lumia 535 proves a good option if you need a cheap dual-SIM phone.
Leading Pan-African payment solutions provider SeerBit has partnered with Spectranet, Nigeria’s pioneer 4G LTE broadband service provider to launch ExpressPay, a seamless, efficient and secure payment option designed to revolutionise internet access subscription and renewal.
Many internet users often endure service downtime after subscription renewal due to delayed payment processing. This recurring challenge, exacerbated by the absence of real-time payment validation, represents a major source of frustration for subscribers.
Furthermore, the inconvenience of manual payment options and overdependence on limited options such as cards or USSD deprives customers of flexibility and impacts satisfaction and loyalty.
Accessible to all customers with a bank account, ExpressPay is a game-changer in the digital payment landscape, addressing common challenges for internet users such as payment errors, manual reconciliation, and service activation delays. With ExpressPay, Spectranet customers are assigned unique virtual accounts, ensuring accurate payment processing, eliminating manual intervention, and enabling instant reflection of payments for uninterrupted internet connectivity.
With approximately 161.9 million active internet users in Nigeria as of January 2025, based on recent data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and growing dependence on internet access for participation in modern society, Express Pay will eliminate payment friction, ensuring customers can pay seamlessly for uninterrupted internet access.
Through this collaboration, Spectranet customers can unlock several benefits including eradication of payment errors as each customer is assigned a unique virtual account,ensuring payments are accurately matched to their subscriptions.
Also, payments are processed in real-time, eliminating delays and ensuring instant service activation and uninterrupted connectivity. Furthermore, via ExpressPay, Spectranet users can count on frictionless payment experience with manual verification no longer required, thereby reducing effort and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Equally important, this innovative solution delivers faster processing times, ultimately ushering in greater efficiency and convenience for users.
“Internet access is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for commerce, education, employment, healthcare access, leisure and other critical aspects of daily life,” said Omoniyi Kolade, Founder and CEO of SeerBit.
“Our partnership with Spectranet is more than transforming the subscription payments experience — it’s about delivering more value, ensuring customers stay connected without the stress of failed or delayed transactions and boosting Nigeria’s digital economy. Express Pay is the future of seamless internet subscription payments.”
Also speaking on the partnership, the Chief Operating Officer of Spectranet, Amrish Singhal said: “As a company dedicated to delivering reliable and seamless internet services, we are always innovating to enhance our customers’ experience.
“The launch of ExpressPay as a payment gateway is a bold step forward in our commitment to eliminating payment-related disruptions and ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for our subscribers.
“Our partnership with SeerBit reinforces this mission, enabling effortless, instant payments that make staying connected easier than ever.”
The launch of ExpressPay reinforces both SeerBit and Spectranet’s commitment to leveraging innovation to drive digital transformation and improve service delivery across Nigeria.
Customers can now enjoy a more reliable, accurate and efficient way to manage their internet subscriptions, ensuring a frictionless digital experience.
ExpressPay is accessible to Spectranet customers via https://selfcare.spectranet.com.ng/payment
Tizel Cybersecurity has urged firms in the financial sector to adopt advanced tools, partnerships, and training to stay ahead of artificial intelligence (AI-driven) fraud.
Happiness Obioha, Tizel Cybersecurity CEO
Happiness Obioha, the Chief Executive Officer, gave the advice while speaking on AI-powered identity theft and payment fraud, at the Payments Forum Nigeria [PAFON 2.0] held in Lagos, recently, she said the rapidly growing threat can no longer be ignored by businesses, especially those in the payment space.
She said while AI continues to transform the way people live and work, it also introduces new security vulnerabilities that threaten the very systems users aim to enhance.
Obioha referred to the latest Microsoft Cyber Signals report which highlighted a rise in AI-assisted scams targeting online shoppers using payments channels.
She warned that scammers are increasingly using AI to create more convincing fraudulent schemes.
In her words: “From deepfakes and synthetic identity fraud to real-time payment exploitation through bot attacks, cybercriminals are using AI to create smarter, more evasive fraud schemes. This is why security must be at the forefront of AI integration. Without a fortified environment, even the most innovative technologies risk becoming liabilities.
“At Tizel Cybersecurity, we’re not just observing this evolution—we’re actively shaping the future of secure innovation. We provide AI-driven security solutions that detect and prevent fraud in real-time, protect against identity theft, and ensure safe digital interactions across financial and business platforms.
“Our services include real-time threat detection and response, AI-based biometric authentication, fraud prevention using behavioral analytics, next-generation firewall and intrusion prevention systems, and comprehensive cybersecurity training designed to build a strong culture of security.
She further stated that Tizel Cybersecurity has readied its team to support businesses by delivering proactive, intelligent, and adaptable security infrastructures—“because staying ahead of cybercriminals is not a one-time effort; it’s a continuous journey”.
“As we leverage AI to drive inclusion and customer experience, let’s also prioritize security at every step. The question isn’t whether threats will come—it’s whether we’re prepared when they do”, she said.
As both a sponsor and participant at PAFON 2.0, she said they were excited to join industry leaders to explore the theme: “Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI.”
The Payments Forum Nigeria (PAFON) is a platform for discussing and addressing issues related to the Nigerian payments ecosystem.
It’s a cross-industry event that brings together industry leaders, policymakers, fintech innovators, and other stakeholders to discuss topics like digital payments, cybersecurity, and financial inclusion.
Google has announced the global beta rollout of AI Max for Search Campaigns, an upgrade to its Search Ads platform that brings smarter, more intuitive advertising tools to businesses — including those in Africa — looking to grow, and expand their online presence.
This feature uses artificial intelligence to improve how ads are shown, helping local businesses connect with a larger customer base in the rapidly changing online environment.
This launch comes at a time when African businesses are navigating an increasingly digital economy. As more people across the continent turn to Search to make decisions — whether they’re looking for the nearest tailor in Yaba or comparing prices for solar panels in Nairobi — the opportunities for businesses to connect with local customers have never been greater. But reaching those customers, especially in a region as diverse and fast-evolving as Africa, isn’t always easy. That’s where AI Max steps in.
AI Max is designed to help businesses show up in more relevant searches, even when potential customers don’t use the exact words the business might expect. By drawing on the latest AI models, including Google’s Gemini technology, the feature allows businesses to expand their reach beyond traditional keyword targeting.
That means a small shop in Kumasi selling handmade bags can now appear in searches like “durable carryall for weekend travel” — even if the ad didn’t include those specific words.
“People are asking more specific questions on Search, and they expect more helpful answers,” said Brian Burdick, Senior Director of Search at Google.
“With AI Max, we’re using advanced AI to better understand those questions and help businesses show up at just the right moment — with content that’s more relevant, and more likely to help people find what they’re looking for.”
The new feature suite includes:
Search term matching, which automatically finds new relevant queries that a business might not have thought of;
Dynamic text customization, where ad copy updates in real-time to better match user intent;
Final URL expansion, which directs customers to the most relevant page on a business’s website;
And control settings, like location targeting and brand filters, that give advertisers more say in where and how their ads appear.
For African business owners — many of whom operate in crowded marketplaces with limited marketing budgets — these tools can make the difference between being discovered or being overlooked. The platform’s automation doesn’t just save time; it helps ensure that limited ad spend goes further by connecting businesses to higher-intent customers.
Results from early adopters globally are promising: businesses that activated AI Max in their campaigns saw an average 14% increase in conversions at a similar cost-per-action. For those still using more traditional targeting methods, like exact-match keywords, the uplift was even higher.
Crucially, this is not a new campaign type — it’s a setting within existing Search campaigns. That means African businesses can turn on AI Max and begin experimenting right away, without needing to start from scratch.
“We know many African entrepreneurs wear multiple hats. They’re managing stock, serving customers, and handling finances — often all at once,” said Burdick. “AI Max is about making their advertising work harder for them, not adding to their workload.”
This announcement also builds on Google’s broader efforts to support small and medium-sized businesses in Africa. Through training programs like the Hustle Academy and its ongoing digital skills initiatives, Google has helped millions of African entrepreneurs build the skills they need to succeed in a digital-first world.
With the launch of AI Max for Search Campaigns, those businesses now have an additional tool — one that not only understands their goals but helps them get there faster.
AI Max will begin rolling out in open beta globally — including in Africa — later this month.
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