Technology and Techno News

Audio: RIM is now simply 'Blackberry', it was announced yesterday as the new Z10 and Q10 smartphones were unveiled. Steven Bond was at the Dubai launch, syncronised with other venues around the globe, curious to see whether the former phone giant could once again rival Apple and Samsung. He discussed the new offerings with Chris Corsi, Blackberry's Country Director for the UAE, Oman and Pakistan.

Audio: Storage technology in the region, particularly in the UAE, is at 'the cutting edge' with companies investing in the latest solutions. Steven Bond spoke to Andrew Calthorpe, CEO of Dubai-based IT storage firm Condo Protego, about the industry, the benefits of virtualisation, and the company's work within Dubai.

Audio: A regional internet exchange, established by Datamena, will offer faster and more secure connectivity, compared with the current practice of using exchanges located in Europe and the United States. Mahesh Jaishankar, Datamena & VP, Investment Special Projects, Strategy & Investments, du talks to Phil Blizzard about this new 'carrier neutral' facility and the range of benefits it will offer telecommunication companies.

Audio: Businesses in the Mena region are rapidly embracing video conferencing solutions as a richer way to communicate and, over time, a more affordable solution than frequent air travel. Steven Bond spoke to Gary Rider, Polycom's EMEA President, about the evolution of video conferencing, security issues and the increasing accessibility for the SME market.

Audio: Access to medical advice via phone and video links is the latest facility from du and their Smart Health solutions. Phil Blizzard tries the system at Gitex talking first to Santanu Biswas, E Health Services Director, du and then for the medical perspective to Adam Chilcote, VP, Strategy & Business Development, Mobile Doctors.

Audio: The Dubai Health Authority launched at Gitex a Windows 8 inspired application for all operating system to enhance their services and patient experience. Phil Blizzard talks to Khawla Lootah, Assistant Director, IT Dept, Dubai Health Authority about the design elements and the enhancements to their website for patients and other users.

Audio: Mobile device connectivity from very fast moving trains is a challenge for telcos who wish to provide an uninterrupted service. With the UAE building a rail network Andrew Childs, Senior Consultant, Huawei explains to Phil Blizzard the technology they can offer rail developers, and those involved in projects ranging from smart hotels through to smart cities and the importance of being involved at the design stage. He also talks about the developments in data storage, including mobile facilities.

Audio: As companies monetise the data they collect from your online behaviour, there is a tangible benefit to you. Retailers are learning how to fit their marketing to your wants and needs, but big data goes beyond consumerism and plays a role in keeping you safe. Steven Bond spoke to Fiona Moon, Marketing Director of data and information management firm CommVault about their links with Dubai Police and how big data is not just supporting business, but serving justice.

Audio: A joint survey on 'mobile workstyles' from Citrix and YouGov, released ahead of this year's Gitex Technology Week, highlights that companies are missing the opportunity to attract and motivate staff by offering a flexible working environment. Currently 46% of employees surveyed reported their companies are equipping staff with the technology to access data remotely and almost one in ten (9%) actively offer a policy known as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in the workplace - though 54% of employees in full or part time employment are free to have their own devices at work, in half of these cases IT support is limited only to company-issue equipment. Steven Bond spoke Noman Qadir, Citrix's Regional Director for Middle East and Africa, on day one of Gitex about BYOD and desktop virtualisation trends in the region.

Audio: The regions largest technology retail extravaganza, Gitex Shopper, is expected to see more than 175,000 visitors attend the consumer IT and electronics show at its new home - the Dubai World Trade Centre. Phil Blizzard talks to Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, DWTC about the event and what can be expected this year. Gitex Shopper runs from 29th September through to 6th October 2012.

Audio: The reveal in San Fransisco by Apple of their newest iPhone shows that the new device will have a larger screen, lesser weight and greater connectivity. Phil Blizzard provides an insight into the 6th generation Apple iPhone 5 as we hear from Phil Schiller, Snr VP, Apple talking about the new device and in particular the Lightning connector. This report was recorded on the iPhone 4.

Audio: With mobile phone penetration soaring to over 200% in most of the GCC it seems remarkable that brands and advertising agencies are slow to strategise for mobile marketing. Steven Bond speaks to Sagar Shetty, founding partner of Clique Media and organiser of the 5th Bar Mobile Marketing Forum, about the opportunities and challenges of moving forward, despite the expectation that the industry will soon begin booming. Shetty also speaks of the need for education across the board in terms of how to implement effective campaigns - and the importance of moving away from spam SMS messages.

Audio: Sam Alkharrat, MD, SAP MENA talks to Phil Blizzard about their expansion plans across the region which is required to match up supply with demand and how the training and development institute with Dubai Silicon Oasis will see around 2000 consultants being trained over the next three or four years.

Audio: After the dust has settled regarding 'Gauss', the cyber-threat targeting Middle East web users, Kaspersky's Head of Global Research and Analysis, Dmitri Bestuzhev discusses how the 'huge industry' of cybercrime has permeated social media. Steven Bond spoke to Bestuzhev at a press summit in Moscow where the cybercrime expert drew a clear line between oversharing on social media and classic crime, such as fraud and burglaries - and also shared tips on how to stay safe online.

Audio: Business management software and solutions provider SAP are going through an expansion programme in the MENA region to satisfy demand from a wide range of industry sectors. Sam Alkharrat, MD, SAP MENA talks to Phil Blizzard about the solutions they offer, how the global economic slowdown is 'good for business' and which sectors are driving the demand.