Technology and Techno News

Audio: A significant number of companies don't pay enough attention to corporate information security practices, according to a Kaspersky Lab survey, in association with B2B International. The survey, conducted in November 2012, polled over 5,000 senior IT managers worldwide and found that 35% of companies expose corporate data to unauthorised parties by failing to use encryption technologies. Steven Bond spoke to Nikolay Grebennikov, Chief Technology Officer, Kaspersky Lab, about different types of encryption and how they are effective for enterprise security.

Previously: Understanding encryption - from ancient Sparta to modern businesses

Audio: HP's new business tablet has landed in the Middle East and will soon take off again with Dubai's Emirates airline. Steven Bond spoke to HP and Emirates execs about the device and this special partnership.


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Audio: Twitter's rapid expansion in the Middle East has continued since the events of the Arab Spring, which began over two years ago. Now with 200 million active monthly users, Shailesh Rao, Twitter's VP of International Operations, talks to Steven Bond about the sustained popularity of the microblogging platform - and speaks in broad terms about Twitter's strategy for continued expansion.

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: 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: 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: 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.