Every Day News

With iPhone 5 slated for a launch later this year, the rumour mill is having a field day in outguessing Apple on the features and design aspect of the device.
The latest to hit cyberspace is the self-destruct feature, with “insiders” claiming that Siri, the in-built personal assistant, will smash the screen of your new iPhone 5 if it believes it is in the wrong hands.
There’s even a short video, apparently from Aatma Studio Animation, on how the self-destruct feature will work. Have a look at it here.

According to the ‘concept’, if you – the owner – enable the iPhone unlock error security feature on the iPhone 5, and if you (or someone who steals it from you) happen to punch in the wrong password three times in a row, bingo, Siri will strike.


After three wrong strikes, Siri will transfer the data to a cloud, from your iPhone 5 to your iTunes (you will be able to retrieve the data later); then erase all the data on your device; and lo and behold, smash the screen into bits.

While this is just a concept video, there might be more than a grain of truth in the data transfer part even if the screen-smash element looks a bit overdone.

The concept video shows the ever-charming Siri courteously bidding goodbye before exterminating the iPhone 5. You’ve got to see it here.

Tell us what you think of the iPhone 5 Siri self-destruct feature in your comments below. Do you have any other original ideas for unusual features that you might wanna see in the iPhone 5? Let us know. Apple’s watching.

[Click here to see pictures of the latest BlackBerry]

No service option for iPad 3 brought from grey market, Apple warns

Apple has warned UAE customers buying the new iPad from grey market that service option will not be made available to them.

"We are yet to officially lunch the product in the UAE. We know that it is available in the market and is being sold by different retailers. Customers who buy the product from them will not be able to get the service done unless there is an official launch in the UAE," said an executive at the Apple Call Centre servicing UAE customers.

There has been no official launch of the new iPad in UAE yet. Apple has dismissed reports that it has officially launched the new iPad 3 in the UAE and said customers will have to wait much longer.

Apple launched the latest version of the iPad in the US, and a few other markets including UK, Singapore and Malaysia on March 16. More than a month later on April 27, it launched in more countries including India, Columbia, South Africa and Thailand. But Apple is yet to officially announce the dates for launch in UAE and other GCC countries.

There were rumours in the grey market that the new iPad would be officially launched by the month-end. The New iPad is selling for Dh1900 for a 16GB wifi only model, while the 4G is priced at Dh2,450.

'Emirates24|7' had earlier reported that the new product could be officially launched by the end of the month.

"We still do not have any launch date in the UAE, at least not today nor the coming few days," the call centre executive added.

Cheaper by the dozen: iPad 3 glut in the UAE sends prices crashing

This picture was uploaded by a ‘trader’ on local classified site Dubizzle, claiming to show stocks of the new iPad 3 he has here in the UAE.

iPad 3 prices in the UAE is dropping by the hour. And Apple is yet to officially launch the product here.

With intense competition among freelance traders who have stocked up the just-launched iPad 3, it is now a race to offload stocks before the official release by the Apple iStore or other leading electronic stores.

The cost of a 16GB wifi new iPad, which was being pre-booked in the UAE prior to the launch on March 16, for Dh3,500 are now being sold at cost price, matching those markets where Apple officially launched it.

A Groupon deal offers the new wifi-only iPads at Dh2,298 for 16GB, Dh2,398 for 32GB wifi and Dh2,698 for 64GB.

In comparison, in Singapore and other markets the 32 and 64GB models were selling for $788 (Dh2,371) and $918 (Dh2,763).

Only the 16 GB model was less expensive selling at $658 (Dh1,980)

Last night, Living Social launched a new deal selling the wifi plus 4G models for Dh3,439 for 16GB and Dh3,879 for 32GB and Dh4,349 for 64gb iPads.

In comparison the prices for similar models at the iStore are Dh2,492, Dh2,883, and Dh3,274 for the 16, 32 and 64GB models.

Living Social is charging an additional Dh60 for shipping.

However with almost all iStores running out of stock, customers are being asked to wait for an additional three weeks.

Meanwhile, the prices in grey markets in Singapore and other countries have gone up by about S$200 for 32 and 64GB iPads.

What’s more, while stocks in these countries where it was initially launched have already run out, UAE traders claim to have excess stocks in the grey market.

While apple only released about 200 odd iPads to individual retail stores in countries such as Singapore, Australia, UK and even in the US, certain grey market stores in the UAE say they have enough stocks available.

“We have enough stocks available to last several weeks,” said Bittu Jethani of Sheeba General Trading.

Several other stores is Sharjah have stocked up on iPads as well, but their profit margins are dropping with every passing hour.

Classified sites like dubizzle are full of new listings by freelance traders who in an effort to cash on with the iPad craze organized special deliveries from UK, US Australia and Singapore.

However, with enough stock in the market their margins are dropping.

“Prices are falling by the hour. Prior to the launch the new iPads were being pre-booked for as high as Dh6,000 for a 64 GB wifi plus 4G model.

“On Friday it had dropped to Dh5,000. Yesterday it was selling for Dh4,900. Today, I am seeing new advertisements that have further dropped the prices. They are going down by the hour,” said Dayanand Pereira from Sri Lanka.

Westcon Middle East, a leading value-add distributor of convergence, security, networking and mobility products and services, today announced that it has been signed as a distributor for Blue Coat Systems in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

Blue Coat is a leading provider of Web security and WAN optimization solutions.

The relationship enables Westcon Middle East to enhance its Web security and WAN optimization solution offerings. As per the agreement, Westcon Middle East will distribute the entire Blue Coat solutions portfolio, including Blue Coat's family of ProxySG Web security appliances, MACH5 wide-area-network (WAN) optimization devices and PacketShaper appliances for network application visibility and control. Westcon Middle East will offer the Blue Coat solutions through its extensive network of resellers and system integrators in the region.



“Reports of the dramatic rise in cyber crime in the Middle East, which have dominated mainstream media in the past couple months, have made enterprises in the region aware of the importance of a secure network. Partnering with Blue Coat perfectly positions our resellers to address these concerns by offering organizations a host of world-class security solutions”, said Steve Lockie, Managing Director, Westcon Group.

Blue Coat's 2012 Security Report estimates that in 2012 nearly two-thirds of malware incidents will be launched from existing malware networks (malnets). Search Engines/Portals were the most common entry points used by malnets. Blue Coat also predicts that a typical business will be exposed to at least 5,000 Web-based threats each month. Blue Coat Web security solutions uniquely provide the intelligence of identifying and tracking malnets and defending against them.

At the same time, companies are struggling to ensure the performance of critical business applications from within their own datacenters as well as those that are hosted in the cloud, In addition more companies want to expand the usage of video and other rich-media content to train, communicate and motivate employees, partners and customers. Next generation WAN optimization from Blue Coat helps companies optimize, accelerate and manage a full range of business applications.

The new iPhone’s concept illustrations have been revealed by an Italian design studio that has, in the past, created concept images of the iPhone.
Sleek and smart, the concept images of the next-gen iPhone stand true to rumours that the next smartphone from Apple’s stables will be much thinner, made with Liquidmetal and in-cell technology.
Analysts have maintained that Apple is aiming to reduce the thickness of the new iPhone to less than 8mm, and believe that a thinner battery and metal back coupled with 4.3in Retina display that uses in-cell technology touchscreen display will help the Cupertino-based tech giant slash the next iPhone’s width by 1.4mm, or 15 per cent.We at Emirates 24/7 believe that the new iPhone will also have the NFC (near field communications) transfer concept, allowing for iTunes and other data to be ‘gifted’ among two willing devices. It turns out that one of Apple’s newest patent filings to outlines a new NFC-based iTunes gifting concept.

In fact, the new iPhone might also boast of the iWallet, allowing users to buy stuff on-the-go but with additional security.

The design firm, ADR Studio, calls the latest device the ‘iPhone Plus’ and maintains that, “Like Macintosh Plus, iPhone Plus is the real evolution of iPhone concept” and will have a screen with double alkali-
aluminosilicate sheet glass.

The first iPhone was unveiled in January 2007, and ADR believes its latest avatar will see it sporting “the most advanced technology ever seen on a smartphone.”

Check out the concept images of the iPhone Plus here

The concept design features two cameras (10MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing camera); a A6 Quad Core processor; a rear motion sensor; a projector to beam photos and videos onto any surface, and a new slim-dock connector.

Here’s a list of features that ADR thinks the new iPhone will sport:

- A6 Quad Core processor;

- Screen with double alkali-aluminosilicate sheet glass

- Liquidmetal Body: thermoformed on a single plane, no junctions needed

- 4.3″ Retina Display with in-cell technology

- Rear Camera: 10.0 Megapixel, f/2.4, 1080p Full HD video at 30 frames

- Front Camera: 2.0 Megapixel (VGA), 480p VGA video at 30 frames

- Rear motion sensor

- Top pico-projector to beam photos and videos on any surfaces

- Slim design for an edge-to-edge thinner profile

- Slim-dock connector

- Fully Capacitive Home Button

Analysts expect the new iPhone to be unveiled later this year, possibly in October.

The much awaited Facebook IPO (Initial Public Offering) is here. Reports quoting sources from the company have marked May 18 as the public launch date for Facebook IPO.
According to the Wall Street Journal the roadshow for Facebook Inc's IPO is scheduled to start on Monday, meaning the company's shares should begin trading on May 18.
Quoting a source familiar with the process, the report said its CEO Mark Zuckerberg will be attending the roadshow and will also be closely involved in the process.

Zuckerberg who was absent during an analysts’ meeting in March is, however, expected to participate during this roadshow.


Many investors from the UAE too have been keenly watching the launch of the IPO and have already instructed their fund managers to get on the task.

“I have been waiting since the first announcement was made in December. I have filled out the form. Although I am not sure of getting it due tosuch high demand. I am planning to invest anywhere between $150,000 to 200,000,”said Rai Gaga.

In what is termed as the most awaited tech-related IPO launch after Google, Facebook is set to raise at least $5 billion from the public offering.

Last month the company announced it is buying the mobile sharing application Instagram for $1billion.

Facebook's net income dropped by 12 per cent during the first quarter of 2012 to $205 million from $233 million a year earlier. However the company’s revenue increased 45 per cent to $1.06 billion.

Meanwhile, according to All things Digital, th tech blog that first put out the news of the May 18 IPO launch said, that although Facebook itself may not be making much money it has been driving traffic to several other websites.

Quoting a Facebook blog it said, Facebook sent more than 160 million visitors last month to mobile apps compared to just 60 million in late February while these visitors were responsible for more than 1.1 billion visits to mobile apps in the same time frame.

Facebook Inc aims to raise about $10.6 billion in Silicon Valley's largest IPO, dwarfing the coming-out parties of tech companies like Google Inc and granting the world's largest social network a market value close to Amazon.com's.
The eight-year-old social network that began as Mark Zuckerberg's Harvard dorm room project indicated an initial public offering price range of between $28 and $35 a share on Thursday, which would value the company at $77 billion to $96 billion.

The size of the IPO reflects the company's growth and bullish expectations about its money-making potential as a hub for everything from advertising to commerce.


"We certainly haven't ever seen a tech IPO on this grandiose a scale," said Lise Buyer, a principal with the IPO advisory firm Class V Group.

Buyer, who worked on Google's 2004 IPO, said the question about a company "that's already this big and that is raising this much money is how many of the glory days of growth are in the past versus how many are ahead."

Facebook stands to raise as much as $12 billion at the upper end of its planned range. If an over-allotment or "greenshoe" option is triggered, the company could sweep up a maximum of $13.6 billion, according to a Thursday prospectus.

Facebook is only getting about half, or $5.6 billion, of the estimated $10.6 billion that it would raise at the midpoint of its planned IPO range. About $4.9 billon will go to some existing shareholders.

Facebook's stock could begin trading as soon as May 18, according to a road showschedule obtained by Reuters. The offering's price range can be adjusted depending on Wall Street's response during the road show.

Investors are expected to flock to the highly anticipated IPO, although there have been growing concerns about the social network's longer-term growth and Zuckerberg's majority control.

Facebook will trade at 13 to 16 times the revenue that GreenCrest Capital analyst Max Wolff believes it will generate this year. By comparison, Google, the world's dominant Internet search engine, currently trades at 5.5 to 6 times expected 2012 revenue, he said.

Google's valuation was higher when it went public in 2004, though Facebook's IPO valuation is still higher than Google's was back then, Wolff noted.

But some observers said the rich premium was unlikely to deter investors.

"People are going to be very comfortable with this valuation," said Sam Schwerin of Millennium Technology Value Partners, which owns Facebook shares worth roughly $200 million. The firm is not selling in the IPO.

"A price range of $28 to $35 will be a relief to some people who are concerned that they may try to take the highest possible price because of high demand," he said.

"The amount being raised is noteworthy. Selling stockholders are raising about $5 billion in the IPO, which is a lot."

Facebook executives are due to hit the road on Monday, presenting their investment case to audiences. They will start in New York, go to other major cities such as Chicago and Boston, and end up on Facebook's home turf in Menlo Park, California, according to the schedule.

Zuckerberg is expected to participate in the two-week road show, a source has said, although Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and Finance Chief David Ebersman will lead the briefings.

TANTALIZING WALL STREET

Zuckerberg's involvement in the road show will be key for investors with concerns about Facebook's long-term strategy and money-making potential, said Brian Wieser, an analyst with Pivotal Research Group.

Zuckerberg's control of the company -- which was underscored when he orchestrated the $1 billion acquistion of mobile app maker Instagram last month -- means that investors need to "get comfortable" with the 27-year-old CEO, said Wieser.

Last week, Facebook reported its first quarter-to-quarter revenue slide in at least two years, a sign that the social network's sizzling growth may be cooling just as it prepares to go public. Some observers have also flagged the company's lack of revenue on mobile devices such as smartphones as an area of concern.

Dressed in a gray t-shirt and jeans, the copper-haired Zuckerberg appeared in a 31-minute road show video posted online on Thursday. In the video, Zuckerberg predicted that in five years almost every software app would be integrated with Facebook.

Facebook generated the lion's share of its $3.7 billion in revenue last year from online advertising. It also collects fees when consumers use its special Credits currency to purchase virtual goods in social games such as Zynga's Farmville. The company has said it may expand the use of its payment business beyond games.

Facebook, which plans to list its stock on the Nasdaq under the ticker "FB", has long tantalized investors with the prospect of a mega IPO.

As a private company, shares of Facebook have traded briskly in secondary markets for the past couple of years, as investors sought to get a piece of the fast-growing company ahead of its expected IPO.

The IPO price range indicated in Facebook's filing on Thursday would value the company a hair below the level it has traded at in the secondary markets in recent months, with some trades valuing the company at slightly more than $100 billion.

But some investors think Facebook, which touts 900 million users worldwide, is setting itself a fairly conservative target.

"The price range may be tactical. They will likely walk the range up," Schwerin argued.

Facebook plans to sell 337.4 million shares, or 12.3 percent of the company, in the offering. The capital-raising target far outstrips big Internet IPOs that came before it. Google raised just shy of $2 billion in 2004, while last year Groupon tapped investors for $700 million and Zynga raked in $1 billion.

At the top end of the IPO range, Facebook would rival the market value of Amazon.com and Cisco Systems Inc, which are worth just over $100 billion, and surpass the combined market value of older technology companies Hewlett-Packard Co and Dell Inc.

Among existing shareholders, the largest seller in the IPO will be venture capital firm Accel Partners, which will make about $1.2 billion assuming the shares sell at the $31.5 mid-point. Zuckerberg is selling the next largest chunk of shares, worth a little under $1 billion.

Facebook said that a "substantial majority" of the proceeds from Zuckerberg's stock sale will be used to satisfy taxes he will incur from exercising his options.

In its prospectus, Facebook said the "lock-up" period, during which employees cannot sell shares after the IPO, would range from 151 days to 181 days.

Facebook also added two new underwriters, including online broker E*Trade Securities. The broker caters to retail clients who some have speculated may try to pile into the IPO.

"No doubt Facebook doesn't want to upset the average mom and pop out there," said Craig Huber, research analyst, at independent research firm Huber Research Partners.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA, SEOUL: South Korea's Samsung Electronics unveils its latest flagship smartphone at a London launch as it seeks to cement its position as the world's best-selling mobile phone maker.

The world's largest social network wants to “friend” individual investors in its roughly $10.6 billion initial public offering, launching a highly-polished video aimed at touting the company's growth prospects.

Following on from the success of the 2011 Middle East Banking Technology & Innovation Summit, Expotrade announced that this year's event will once again take place in Dubai on the October 1-2, 2012.
This year's conference will focus on strengthening the Middle Eastern banking and financial industry's position within the global market.
Abdulla Al Hosani, Head of Branches of National Bank of Abu Dhabi, said: "The 2011 summit was a great opportunity to touch on the new and exciting subject of innovation especially if we look at it from a banking perspective. It is still an untapped area for the banks, so it was nice to hear from some vendors and learn from other experiences. The organization was world class and the venue was convenient. Big thank you."

In another statement, RS Rangan, Head of Trade Services, National Bank Of Fujairah, said: "A well-organized event, which gave us an opportunity to interact with other bankers from this region and other technology facilitators and providers. This has also facilitated me to know the various happenings in the industry and how the banks are applying the technology to meet the customer's expectations. Thank you for the invitation and look forward to attend the next year's event as well."


According to Ernst & Young, the MENA Islamic banking industry is expected to more than double to $990 billion by 2015. However to achieve sustainable financial growth, the industry must deliver on innovative technologies and services. Leaders of the region's banks and financial institutions are currently focusing their attention on the need for increased operational excellence, risk management and financial growth and acknowledge technology innovation as an essential investment for the industry.

Over the next 2-3 years we can expect to see a substantial change of play, as Islamic banks begin to compete for mainstream customers who are open to Islamic or conventional banking. This means that organizations will have to readdress their customer management strategies, introduce new personalized and innovative products and adapt internal process and strategies.

Middle East Banking Innovation Summit 2012 will focus on identifying the most innovative products and services for the banking industry as well as define the implementation and growth strategies. Delegates will have the opportunity to learn from the experience of leaders across the banking and financial services industry, as they discuss the importance of innovation within the banking industry, and how best to achieve it.

Some of the confirmed speakers include: Ashraf Shoukry, COO, Ajman Bank; Sohail Zubairi, CEO, Dar Al Sharia and Dubai Islamic Bank; Tirad Mahmoud, CEO, ADIB; Srood Sherif, CIO, National Bank of Abu Dhabi; Harshdeep Singh Munjal, GM Private and Retail Bank, National Bank of Oman; Charles Lobo, Head of Card Operations & Customer Service, Emirates NBD; and Nasar Siddiqui, Head of Electronic Channels, National Bank of Fujairah.

Middle East Banking Innovation Summit 2012 will host over 200 pre qualified C level banking decision makers from across the Middle East. Last year in 2011, the Summit had over 200 confirmed attendees from top 100 banks in the Middle East including ADCB, ADIB, Mashreq Bank, Ajman Bank, Al Hilal Bank, Ansar Bank, Citibank, Barclays Bank, Doha Bank, Dubai Bank, Emirates NBD, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Deutsche Bank, RAK Bank and many others.

Facebook, the world's No. 1 social networking company, officially kicked off its campaign to drum up investor interest in what could be the biggest IPO ever for a technology company.

Google on Monday began letting members of its social network worldwide broadcast "hangouts" live to Internet titan's growing online community.
Hangouts On Air were introduced last year at Google+ with select high-profile members testing the service that lets as many as ten people at a time take part in virtual roundtable style video chats broadcast for anyone to see."This small community has grown the feature in lots of creative ways," said Google+ engineering director Chee Chew."And they've made one thing crystal clear: when groups of passionate individuals can broadcast live, together, they results are truly remarkable.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moo, the US president, musician Will.i.am, Desmond Tutu and even the Dalai Lama have taken part in "On Air" hangouts in which intimate online gatherings can be openly viewed at the social network.


"Today we're excited to launch Hangouts On Air to Google+ users worldwide," Chew said.

"So if you have something to say-as an aspiring artist, a global celebrity, or a concerned citizen-you can now go live in front of a global audience."

The "On Air" option for Google+ hangouts is being rolled out gradually because "launching millions of live stations takes some doing."

The unique Hangouts feature has been a huge draw at the online community.

Hangouts can be limited to invited friends or opened to anyone.

"We think looking somebody in the eye and communicating in the normal social way we've learned to do over millennia is important," Google+ vice president Bradley Horowitz told AFP in a recent interview.

"We wanted to bring that authenticity back into the equation."

Hangouts have surprised the Google+ team. They have been used for language and music lessons. A stutterers' support group uses them for group meetings, and let bedridden people virtually explore the world.

UNITED STATES, Washington: Google's self-driving car has received the green light in Nevada. The state
issued its first license plate to an autonomous test vehicle, and the auto-pilot car will be allowed on highways, neighborhood streets and even the hectic Las Vegas "strip."

Students at the Applied Technology Institute which has schools in most parts of the UAE will no longer need to carry the irking heaving school bag to class as all books will be substituted by I-Pad.
The Institute said it would distribute I-Pad sets to all students at its school in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates from the next academic year, which is scheduled to start in early September.

“I-Pad would replace all books and the laptop for the students at all applied technology schools in the UAE and this will enable them to get rid of all problems associated with the school bag,” the Institute’s director general Dr. Abdul Lateef Al Shamsi told Emirat Alyoum Arabic language daily.


He said the I-Pad set would also allow students to access any part in their e-books by one touch and to surf the internet any time, adding that such facilities would contribute to the development of the teaching process.

“Technology has not yet been utilized fully to upgrade the education sector in the UAE and this has prevented those institutions from reaching the required educational level which is based on advanced technology,” he said.

“One of the main obstacles in this respect is the big gap which exists between the present internet generation and supervisors of the educational process.”

All ye Apple fans, there’s news for you. Well, alleged news or, in true Apple tradition, rumours.
Launch dates – at least months – have been supposedly scheduled for Apple’s devices-in-the-pipeline. The Cupertino-based tech giant may launch a 7-inch iPad mini in August, iPhone 5 in September and 10-inch iPad in the fourth quarter, if rumours are to be believed.
Apple has reportedly placed orders for the next-gen iPhone and iPad at Taiwan-based Pegatron Technology, a global electronics manufacturing firm.


Citing Taiwan-based supply chain sources, DigiTimes is reporting that Pegatron Technology has landed orders for Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone, which the website claims will be launched in September.

Pegatron is currently one of Apple’s OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), and the Taipei-headquartered firm handles orders for both the iPhone 4S and the new iPad.

Unnamed Taiwanese sources cited by the site maintain that Pegatron has expanded its capacity and staffing in order to cope with additional orders from Apple.

Separately, the DigiTimes report also claimed that the Taiwan-based motherboard manufacturer Foxconn will be churning out Apple’s anticipated 7-inch iPad when it unveils in August.

Apple’s largest overseas manufacturing partner, even Foxconn has been undertaking a huge expansion exercise, with the firm reportedly hiring an additional 20,000 staffers to meet Apple’s enhanced orders. Moreover, it will today hold a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the construction of a new 10,000-square-meter operational headquarters in Shanghai, China, scheduled to be completed in 2015.

Additionally, rumours are that the technology giant will be unveiling its 10" iPad later in the fourth quarter of this year.

Dubai-based telecom operator Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (better known as du) today announced a 61.8 per cent increase in its net profits to Dh333m after paying a 50 per cent royalty.
In its interim financial statement for the quarter, the firm said that it has provided at an estimated charge of 50 per cent of the profit for the current period based on the current practice followed by the Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat, the other UAE telecom operator.
Last year, the company paid royalty at a rate of 5 per cent of the total revenues plus 15 per cent of the net profit for the year before distribution.

“No determination of the structure of the royalty fee for 2012 has been advised to the company as at March 31, 2012, and the company has provided at an estimated charge of 50 per cent of the profit for the current period. This estimate is based on the current practice followed by the other UAE telecom operator. The royalty charge for the three month period ended 31 March 2011 was provided at 50 per cent of net profit,” it said in its consolidated financial statement.


Overall revenues for the firm increased 20.1 per cent year-on-year to Dh2.4 billion, up from Dh2 billion in Q1 2011, it said in a statement.

The company added 320,600 mobile customers in the first quarter of 2012, bringing total mobile customer base to 5.5 million. Post-paid mobile customer base contributed 48.6 per cent of the growth in mobile revenues, which increased 21.8 per cent to Dh1.9 billion, it said.

Mobile data revenues more than doubled year-on-year to Dh297 million from Dh141 million in Q1 2011.

Osman Sultan, du’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We have enjoyed a strong start to the year. We have achieved healthy growth in revenues, with strong performance from what we believe will be key drivers going forward, including mobile data revenue and our post-paid subscriber base. Our mobile data revenues in particular more than doubled year on year. We believe this will continue to grow in importance as a revenue stream, and we will seek to continue developing innovative products and services that encourage data usage.

“While top-line growth has been significant, it has more importantly been achieved with greater efficiency. Our EBITDA and net profit have both grown significantly, with margins both increasing by more than seven percentage points, an achievement we are very pleased with.

“Delivering value is at the heart of everything we do and is considered in every strategic decision. We believe that the areas we are focusing on will deliver the greatest value to all of our stakeholders – our customers, our employees, and of course our shareholders.”

The number of Free to Air (FTA) satellite channels in the Arab World increased 19.3 per cent between April 2011 and March 2012 to reach 642 channels while fully operational channels reached 565.
Arab Advisors Group research revealed that the highest percentage of the analysed FTA satellite channels were privately-owned general channels. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, host the highest number of FTA satellite channels in the Arab World.


The number of FTA satellite channels targeting the Arab region continues to grow. The FTA landscape had a major growth of 542 per cent in the number of FTA satellite channels between January 2004 and March 2012. Based on Arab Advisors Group research, by March 2012, the total number of distinct FTA satellite channels reached 642 channels, an increase of 19.3 per cent over the number of channels recorded in April 2011. The number of the fully launched and operational channels; excluding channels in the test transmission phase, reached 565, up from 501 in April 2011.

"In line with the liberalization of the audio visual sectors in the region, the number of private satellite channels exceeds the number of government owned channels. Around three quarters of the operational FTA satellite channels are privately owned," said Dalia Haddad, Arab Advisors Research Analyst,

"In terms of the types of channels, General-Private Sector channels constitute around a fifth of the operational FTA satellite channels followed by the General-Government Sector," Haddad added.

“A plurality of FTA channels is headquartered in Egypt which hosts 21.6 per cent of the fully launched and operational FTA channels. Saudi Arabia and the UAE follow with percentages of 14.0 per cent and 13.3 per cent, respectively,” Hind Qweider, Arab Advisors Research Analyst, said.

Facebook seems to be desperately trying to reassure investors before its flotation on the stock market.
The social networking site has begun offering some users a $2 feature called 'Highlight' to ensure their posts are seen by more people, reported 'Daily Mail'.
Facebbok has opened an app store, where users can pay for apps for the first time.
The feature is now being tested with some users in New Zealand.
Facebook updates data use policy to give more info
Facebook is updating its data use policy in an attempt to give people more clarity on how the company uses information they share.

As part of the changes, Facebook is also signaling that it may start showing people ads on sites other than Facebook, targeting the pitches to interests and hobbies that users express on Facebook.

The move comes a week before Facebook Inc.'s expected initial public offering of stock. Facebook held events with potential investors this week, including one in Silicon Valley on Friday, and it has posted a version of its road show online. The offering could value Facebook at nearly $100 billion - more than Kraft, Ford and other major brands.


The policy changes are in response to an audit by Irish data-protection authorities last year, Facebook said Friday. The commission had asked Facebook to be more transparent about how it collects people's data and uses it for advertising, as well as how long it keeps such information.

Facebook plans to notify its more than 900 million users of the changes through advertisements around the site and on its mobile apps. Users who want to dig deeper can read a version of the policy that highlights the changes word by word. Erin Egan, Facebook's chief privacy officer, will host an online chat Monday to answer any questions.

Egan said the company wasn't substantially changing its business practices, but wants to ``err on the side of providing too much information.''

Facebook's overseas headquarters are based in Dublin, Ireland, a member of the European Union. This means the company is required to comply with European data privacy laws. Facebook said the changes were also a response to feedback from its users.

As part of the changes to the policy, Facebook has created a section to explain how it uses technologies such as cookies to deliver ads, secure the site and offer various features.
Cookies, which are small files containing data or alphanumeric IDs, are commonly used to track people's activities around the Web, for example.
The information could then be used to target ads to their hobbies and interests.

The changes also incorporate updates that Facebook has made to its site since its previous policy revision announced in September.
This includes reorganizing people's profile pages in a “timeline'' format and adding an “activity log'' that lets people see everything they've done on the site, as well as who can see it. The “cover photo'' people put on their timeline is considered public information, along with their gender.

Facebook also has given itself more leeway on how long it keeps information it collects. Before, it has typically kept such data for 180 days. Facebook said it will now retain data for “as long as it is necessary to provide services.'' This could be longer or shorter than 180 days.

For example, if a company creates a “page'' for its brand, Facebook said it wouldn't delete the information put there “simply because 180 days had passed.''

“Instead, we would delete it when it was no longer needed - when the page owner deleted it or closed its account,'' Facebook said.

Some of the changes give a glimpse of what Facebook might do in the future. Though it doesn't currently show people ads outside of Facebook.com or its mobile apps, the updated policy gives it the option to do so. This is something other companies, such as Amazon.com Inc.'s Zappos.com, already do. For example, people who click on shoes while shopping on Zappos might see the same shoes pop up in ads elsewhere, even if they are not logged into Zappos. This is what cookies do.

Justin Brookman, director of consumer privacy at the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology, said Facebook hasn't been very explicit about this possibility before, “but now they seem to be calling it out.''

While such ads may “creep people out,'' he added, it doesn't mean the company would be collecting more information about users than it already does. It's also a new revenue source.

Jules Polonetsky, director of the Future of Privacy Forum, an industry-backed think tank in Washington, said Facebook's overall data use policy is “a really interesting document'' that teaches users how the service works - sort of like a user's guide.

Most privacy policies read like legal documents, though there are other exceptions, such as Google Inc.

Still, he added, it's a “very small audience that takes the time to read even the most delightful and entertaining privacy policy.''

What's more useful, Polonetsky said, is to give users advice and options at the time that they need the information. Facebook already does this in many cases. For example, when users post a status update, they can decide whether that will be visible to their friends or to the broader public.

“That's how people are really going to learn,'' he said. AFP

Facebook may be the year's hottest stock issue -- but try getting a piece of it. Small investors will find the line long and hurdles high to get even a handful of shares.
And membership in Facebook's social network won't help, no matter how much you "like" the company.
Likely this coming Friday, Facebook will be putting out on the market in its initial public offering a huge 337 million shares, with the price expected to be between$ê28 and $35 a piece.
At the midpoint of that range, the social network will be raising $10.6 billion from investors.
First in line are those with the big resources and long-term investment plans, such as insurance companies, pension funds and mutual funds. They will get the lion's share of the handout.



There will be a good chunk available to small investors -- though "small" is a relative term.

Retail brokers say requests for the shares are high, and they will mostly divvy up what they receive between their best customers.

At Fidelity, one of the largest US brokers, hot IPOs normally go to clients with half a million dollars in their accounts, or those who make at least 36 trades a year, according to a company agent.

But depending on how valued you are, a $250,000 account could be enough, she said.

"It's definitely not a first-come, first-serve basis," she told AFP, not wanting to be identified.

And even then, the broker won't promise even a minimum 100-share allocation.

"You could get the full amount (you request), or part of it, or none."

At TD Ameritrade, the hurdles are an account with at least $250,000, or 30 trades in the past three months.

In addition, said spokeswoman Beth Evegan, the client's general investment objectives and financial status can be considered. Brokers generally do not want someone like a pensioner who could would be hit hard by a trading loss to trade in risky stocks.

Even then, Evegan added: "We are expecting to receive an allocation... We do not know how many shares we will receive."

Other retail brokers have similar requirements for their clients. But for most, there is another catch: small investors who win the allocation lottery might find themselves unable to take advantage of an opening day spike in the share price.

Many retail brokers insist their clients hold onto the IPO shares for a fixed period rather than sell into a first-day rally. Fidelity sets a 15-day rule; for some, it is 30 days.

Analyst Rocco Pendola of The Street had words of encouragement for the little guys who cannot get a piece of the action.

"Let's face it: You have little chance of getting Facebook shares in the IPO," he wrote.

On the other hand, "You'll have plenty of time to hop on the bandwagon. This is a long-term, highly-sustainable and scalable business; it's a myth that Facebook is a fad or run by some green punk."

Acer unveiled Aspire S5 - the world's thinnest Ultrabook - that measures only 15mm at the maximal point and weighs less than 1.35kg. The ultra-slim device is built with a 13.3-inch LCD.
It features the unique Acer Green Instant-On technology for fast boot and resume, and Acer Always Connect, which lets users manage their multimedia and data on all their devices at anytime, anywhere.
[Click here to read about razor-thin TV]

"The Ultrabook is much more than just a product segment," said Jim Wong, president of Acer Inc. "It's a new trend that will become the mainstream for mobile PCs, and customers will see the unique features gradually extended across Acer's notebook family."



Ultra-fluid contours

Adorned with a delicately curved chassis in Onyx Black, the Aspire S5's cover rim wraps around the system body like a protective shell. A magnesium-aluminium alloy cover and palmrest provide a slimmer and sturdier form, while the metallic brushed detail presents subtle elegance.

[Click here to see the hottest gadgets trending in the UAE]

Performance and eco-friendly features

The Aspire S5 features an Intel® Core™ processor, SSD storage for speed and increased shock resistance, professionally-tuned Dolby® Home Theater® v4, long battery life via the PowerSmart battery pack (with a 3X longer life cycle than traditional batteries), and is equipped with a chiclet keyboard.

Will Apple Inc launch iPhone 5 or... what?

There is no iPhone 5.

Hold on, don’t sell your Apple shares yet.

There will be a new iPhone to follow the iPhone 4 and it will be released in June, or in October, depending on which rumour is true.

But one thing is almost certain - it will not be called the iPhone 5.

[Can we see iPhone5 next month? Check it out here]

Although most news articles and blogs are calling it the iPhone 5, in tune with the numbering series Apple has followed so far, it could break the pattern this time.

The precedent has been set with the launch of the new iPad, not the iPad 3, just the ‘new iPad’. Just before the March launch of the new iPad it was widely expected that Apple call it the iPad 3.

Some even termed it the iPad HD, but Apple has officially called it ‘The New iPad’.

The first iPhone had the EDGE technology and a 2 megapixel camera.

With the second model came the 3G wireless technology. The third model with its 3 MP camera and a faster processor was called the iPhone 3S.

The iPhone 4 was the fourth model that the company released and came with an impressive 5MP camera along with an additional front facing camera and the retina display.

The fifth model although widely expected to be called iPhone 5 was named as iPhone 4S and had an impressive 8 MP camera along with SIRI.

So what will Apple call its next phone?

The obvious choice would be iPhone 5 as a continuation of the numbering system.

Apple could also simply decide to bypass the number 5 and call it iPhone 6 since the next model will be the sixth version of the iPhone.

The next model would include the 4G technology and why not call it the iPhone 4G, or, as with the iPad, Apple is likely to completely do away with the numbering system and simply call it ‘The New iPhone’.

Video: Your iPhone 5 will self-destruct in 3, 2, 1…

With iPhone 5 slated for a launch later this year, the rumour mill is having a field day in outguessing Apple on the features and design aspect of the device.

The latest to hit cyberspace is the self-destruct feature, with “insiders” claiming that Siri, the in-built personal assistant, will smash the screen of your new iPhone 5 if it believes it is in the wrong hands.

There’s even a short video, apparently from Aatma Studio Animation, on how the self-destruct feature will work. Have a look at it here

According to the ‘concept’, if you – the owner – enable the iPhone unlock error security feature on the iPhone 5, and if you (or someone who steals it from you) happen to punch in the wrong password three times in a row, bingo, Siri will strike.

After three wrong strikes, Siri will transfer the data to a cloud, from your iPhone 5 to your iTunes (you will be able to retrieve the data later); then erase all the data on your device; and lo and behold, smash the screen into bits.

While this is just a concept video, there might be more than a grain of truth in the data transfer part even if the screen-smash element looks a bit overdone.

The concept video shows the ever-charming Siri courteously bidding goodbye before exterminating the iPhone 5. You’ve got to see it here.

Tell us what you think of the iPhone 5 Siri self-destruct feature in your comments below. Do you have any other original ideas for unusual features that you might wanna see in the iPhone 5? Let us know. Apple’s watching.

No service option for iPad 3 brought from grey market, Apple warns

Apple has warned UAE customers buying the new iPad from grey market that service option will not be made available to them.

"We are yet to officially lunch the product in the UAE. We know that it is available in the market and is being sold by different retailers. Customers who buy the product from them will not be able to get the service done unless there is an official launch in the UAE," said an executive at the Apple Call Centre servicing UAE customers.

There has been no official launch of the new iPad in UAE yet. Apple has dismissed reports that it has officially launched the new iPad 3 in the UAE and said customers will have to wait much longer.

Apple launched the latest version of the iPad in the US, and a few other markets including UK, Singapore and Malaysia on March 16. More than a month later on April 27, it launched in more countries including India, Columbia, South Africa and Thailand. But Apple is yet to officially announce the dates for launch in UAE and other GCC countries.

There were rumours in the grey market that the new iPad would be officially launched by the month-end. The New iPad is selling for Dh1900 for a 16GB wifi only model, while the 4G is priced at Dh2,450.

'Emirates24|7' had earlier reported that the new product could be officially launched by the end of the month.

"We still do not have any launch date in the UAE, at least not today nor the coming few days," the call centre executive added.

Cheaper by the dozen: iPad 3 glut in the UAE sends prices crashing

This picture was uploaded by a ‘trader’ on local classified site Dubizzle, claiming to show stocks of the new iPad 3 he has here in the UAE.

iPad 3 prices in the UAE is dropping by the hour. And Apple is yet to officially launch the product here.

With intense competition among freelance traders who have stocked up the just-launched iPad 3, it is now a race to offload stocks before the official release by the Apple iStore or other leading electronic stores.

The cost of a 16GB wifi new iPad, which was being pre-booked in the UAE prior to the launch on March 16, for Dh3,500 are now being sold at cost price, matching those markets where Apple officially launched it.

A Groupon deal offers the new wifi-only iPads at Dh2,298 for 16GB, Dh2,398 for 32GB wifi and Dh2,698 for 64GB.

In comparison, in Singapore and other markets the 32 and 64GB models were selling for $788 (Dh2,371) and $918 (Dh2,763).

Only the 16 GB model was less expensive selling at $658 (Dh1,980)

Last night, Living Social launched a new deal selling the wifi plus 4G models for Dh3,439 for 16GB and Dh3,879 for 32GB and Dh4,349 for 64gb iPads.

In comparison the prices for similar models at the iStore are Dh2,492, Dh2,883, and Dh3,274 for the 16, 32 and 64GB models.

Living Social is charging an additional Dh60 for shipping.

However with almost all iStores running out of stock, customers are being asked to wait for an additional three weeks.

Meanwhile, the prices in grey markets in Singapore and other countries have gone up by about S$200 for 32 and 64GB iPads.

What’s more, while stocks in these countries where it was initially launched have already run out, UAE traders claim to have excess stocks in the grey market.

While apple only released about 200 odd iPads to individual retail stores in countries such as Singapore, Australia, UK and even in the US, certain grey market stores in the UAE say they have enough stocks available.

“We have enough stocks available to last several weeks,” said Bittu Jethani of Sheeba General Trading.

Several other stores is Sharjah have stocked up on iPads as well, but their profit margins are dropping with every passing hour.

Classified sites like dubizzle are full of new listings by freelance traders who in an effort to cash on with the iPad craze organized special deliveries from UK, US Australia and Singapore.

However, with enough stock in the market their margins are dropping.

“Prices are falling by the hour. Prior to the launch the new iPads were being pre-booked for as high as Dh6,000 for a 64 GB wifi plus 4G model.

“On Friday it had dropped to Dh5,000. Yesterday it was selling for Dh4,900. Today, I am seeing new advertisements that have further dropped the prices. They are going down by the hour,” said Dayanand Pereira from Sri Lanka.

The UAE is enhancing its campaign to host the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, including launching new social media initiatives to generate increased community involvement in the UAE’s bid to bring the Expo to the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia region for the first time in the event’s 160-year history.

Today, the UAE launched an Expo 2020 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DubaiExpo2020) and is inviting individuals from across the country and the globe to contribute to this dialogue about the UAE bid specifically and World Expos generally. As part of this conversation, the Expo 2020 Facebook page will be enriched on an ongoing basis with information, images and ideas that bring to life the theme of the UAE bid: “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”

An official Twitter account (@Dubaiexpo2020) has also been launched to support the online dialogue about World Expos and the UAE bid.



These new initiatives have been introduced to coincide with the start of the 2012 International Expo in Yeosu, South Korea, which kicked off on May 12 and concludes on August 12. The UAE is hosting a national pavilion and a range of special events during this three-month International Expo that is expected to attract up to 8 million visitors.

The UAE has also introduced a Chinese-language Sina Weibo account for the duration of Expo 2012. The launch of the UAE’s dedicated page on this popular microblogging site will encourage interaction among Chinese-language speakers, including the many who are expected to attend the event in Yeosu.

In addition to its presence at Expo 2012 in Yeosu – where the UAE was among the first countries to receive a license to build its own national pavilion – the country has hosted national pavilions at previous Expos in Hanover, Germany; Lisbon, Portugal; Seville, Spain; and, most recently, Shanghai, China.

The UAE’s bid to host the 2020 World Expo in Dubai was submitted in November 2011 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The bid is being led by the Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo.

The UAE has proposed hosting the six-month Expo at Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali, a 438-hectare site that has been designed as a specialised, highly connected environment that will serve as a permanent attraction, further contributing to Dubai’s appeal.

The winner among the five candidate cities – which include Ayutthaya (Thailand); Ekaterinburg (Russia); Izmir (Turkey); and Sao Paulo (Brazil) – will be announced in November 2013 following a vote by the 160 member nations of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the international organisation responsible for overseeing the calendar, bidding, selection and organisation of World Expos.

The business environment in Saudi Arabia remains supportive. 33% of the respondents in the non-hydrocarbon sector have said that they do not expect any negative factors to influence their business operations in the second quarter of 2012 compared to 31% in the first quarter of 2012,” National Commercial Bank (NCB) said in its Q2 BOI survey, which is conducted in collaboration with Dun & Bradstreet, a global business information firm.