The future in your hands, with Etisalat

Much like science fiction, these technologies propel telecommunications and entertainment options into a whole new era, and an already tech-savvy population in the UAE can look forward to being even better connected.

Visual Radio operates on the principle that one should not only listen to the radio content, but also be able to interact with the source. When a person listens to this radio, a screen will display options for the user to interact with dynamically changing content, such as getting images of the artiste, browsing artistes' profiles, similar songs from other artistes, and a whole lot of other options. Interactive entertainment is slated to be the next big thing, and Etisalat is already laying the groundwork for its customers to get on to this next generation service.

The Visual Radio would be beneficial to marketers and content providers, who would be able to identify preferences of the users, and tailor his or her sessions accordingly. The options presented during a session would be based on the user's history of selection, and this could also allow for extremely targeted advertising. This makes the interaction even more valuable, for the user as well as the content provider. Such a service is slated to be used for mass response initiatives like voting. This service is being demonstrated at GITEX 2005 by Etisalat.

The Handheld TV provides a whole new option in terms of mobile entertainment. The user is not limited by his location or tied to cables at home, and is free to go about his daily routine and still not miss his regular shows or bulletins. This TV interface is also designed to be interactive, and carries with it all the benefits and features of interactive content. Access buttons around the screen, made relevant to the content or subject being shown on the screen, would make the experience richer. The user will be able to interact with the broadcast media by requesting for information, purchasing merchandise and related articles, or voice their opinions according to the programme being viewed.

This service is being demonstrated at GITEX 2005, and is one of the key services of the Corporation that would see the light of day soon.