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Netbook key to Acer growth
Acer's launch of the ultra-light netbook, the Aspire One, helped push the company to the number one position in the computer market in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The tiny laptop computers, which cost under $500, have proven popular among consumers, giving the company a boost in unit sales.
Google unveils Google Calendar in Arabic
Google has launched its Google Calendar in Arabic. Google Calendar is a tool designed to make it easier to keep track of events, special occasions, and appointments.
Satyam wins SAP contract in Kuwait
Satyam Computer Services, a global consulting and information technology services provider, has signed a contract to implement SAP for First Holding, a business group that handles multiple businesses in Kuwait. The implementation will help First Holding standardize and automate business processes across its companies, which will enable faster decision making, and better products and services for its customers throughout the Middle East.
UAE to offer new domain name
The UAE is looking to offer a non-English domain name by Q3 2009, offering an Arabic alternative. According to the Domain Administration of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority this will mark the first time that a complete non-English domain name will be available.
Internet to host address book
Talks are underway for the internet to host a new domain name .tel which would serve as an online secure contact directory. The top-level domain would hold contact details for individuals and businesses rather than a number of different sites like the .com name.
Oman's IT market to grow 8% pa
Oman's IT market is poised to exceed RO400m in size within the next five years, according to an industry official. The turnover, estimated at $276m last year, is expected to grow by 8% over the next five years to reach $413m by 2012.
Qatar Airways and Qtel sign IT agreement
Qatar Airways and Qtel have signed a 15-year deal which will see the airline's data centre infrastructure migrate to Qtel's new-look data operations facilities. Qtel Chairman, Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani and Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker signed the agreement in Doha on Saturday 1 November. Al Baker said the airline had grown tremendously and needed to keep pace with changes in technology.
WL 060 Sitecom Wireless available
Regional Sitecom distributor Al Otaiba has announced that the WL-060 Sitecom Wireless Audio Transmitter is now available. The WL-060 has a maximum range of 50 metres and allows users to play music from MP3s or laptops via their stereo.
Sony recalls laptop batteries
Computer manufacturers are recalling 100,000 laptop batteries made by Sony Corporation after 40 incidents of overheating, AFP has reported. Computer manufacturers Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Dell, Acer and Lenovo are involved in the global recall. Sony has stated the defect seemed to have been caused by a problem with a production line during October 2004 and June 2005. Its VAIO brand notebooks are not affected by the recall.
Intel buys stake in Dubai software firm
US-based Intel, the world's largest semiconductor company, said it has made its first major investment into a software company based in the Middle East, Gulf News has reported. The company, called Sphere Networks, which is located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, currently has a staff of 26 people and provides network management software. Current clients include municipalities in Saudi Arabia and Jordan and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce. Feroz Sanaulla, Intel's director of capital for the region, said the investment represents a minority share. Intel will not be taking a managerial role with the company.
Piracy curbs game industry in Middle East
The chief executive of the Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance said the video game industry will never grow in the Middle East until Saudi Arabia and other large regional markets crack down on their high rates of piracy, reported The National. Speaking at the inaugural Dubai World Game Expo in Dubai, Scott Butler praised the UAE for its efforts to fight game piracy, but said other markets in the region, such as Saudi Arabia, must also get tough on protecting intellectual property rights.
PRO TECHnology to distribute 50TB hybrid RAID Array
Dubai-based PRO TECHnology, a provider of broadcast, communication, security and storage solutions, has announced that it will be distributing the latest 50TB high density hybrid RAID Array from Storageflex, a Canadian mass storage products manufacturer. Developed to address customer needs for high-density storage requirements of exploding storage applications including archive, backup, security surveillance, video and graphic arts, the new 3945N-50 is desinged to be a cost-effective solution for tiered storage. The product uses 15,000 RPM Hot Swap SAS Disks and/or 7200RPM Hot Swap SATA Disks with available RAID based snapshots, volume copy and remote replication for disaster recovery deployments.
UAE to offer domain names in Arabic
The UAE is seeking become the first country to offer complete internet domain names in a language other than English by late next year, reported Gulf News. Currently, countries such as China have achieved only partial success since the .com part of the URL (uniform resource locator) must still be in English. The new initiative, however, will allow the complete domain name to be in non-English letters. Mohammad Al Zarouni, chief technology officer at the .ae Domain Administration of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said Dubai will start implementing the Arabic domain names in the third quarter of 2009.
LG launches Quran-enabled TV
The first Quran-enabled TV has recently been launched in the Middle East by electronics giant - LG. The Time Machine plasma TV allows viewers to read the Quran, search and bookmark passages and listen to scriptures — all on screen. The Holy Quran incorporated into the plasma TV includes all of the 114 Suras, allowing users to search for specific suras or verses and bookmark up to 10 favourites.
Oracle dominates enterprise software
Microsoft's focus on consumer software and IBM's interest in services have helped Oracle dominate the enterprise software industry, according to Charles Philippe, the company's president. In 2007, Oracle ranked as the third largest software firm in the world. While the company hasn't bought anything in the region, it already has a higher market share in the Middle East than anywhere else.
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