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Author Archives: Staff Writer
Security: Who’s inside your network?
Network security is beoming more of an issue every day, with concerns of privacy, trust and data protection at the front of many network managers’ minds. Despite the attention, many breaches are still the result of basic mistakes
Film does work
Tim Smythe, managing director of Filmworks in Dubai believes so strongly in the potential of the Middle East that he’s investing in an equipment stash second to none. In his first interview on the subject, Smythe explains why.
US telco set to take stake in Saudi Telecoms Company
Investment from SBC Communications would give STC access to management and technical skills from one of the USA’s most successful operators.
Kuwait gets tough with country’s pirate peddlers
Kuwait’s crackdown on piracy has netted over 90,000 items of illegally copied material since the Intellectual Property Law was activated in January this year.
African telcos integrate back end & customer-facing apps
Click GSM and Vista Cellular both move towards integration of customer care and billing solutions with back-end services
From carpets to consultancy
Arabian-business.com interviews Ibrahim Al Moaiqel, CEO of one of the most prominent private business empires in Saudi Arabia, Jeraisy — and asks what are the plans to be the company that can provide everything a business needs to operate.
Dumping the rule book
Computer 2000 Middle East’s Steve Lockie is determined to re-define the way resellers in Saudi Arabia, and the Upper Gulf gain access to cutting-edge solutions.
Getting impersonal
Colin Browne looks at gathering accurate reseller information from the market and says that removing the face-to-face element helps.
Compaq to market Brokat’s e-banking products
A broad strategic alliance between Brokat and Compaq will offer front-to-back web banking solutions via Compaq’s NonStop Himalaya based platform.
Norton AntiVirus rewarded for perfection
Customers of Norton AntiVirus will be pleased to hear that the product was one of only three to receive a perfect score when tested by Virus Bulletin for virus detection.
Intel forms peer-to-peer working group
Intel expects peer-to-peer capabilities to allow companies to make current applications more efficient and enable entirely new applications in the future.
Microsoft puts distributors in Lebanon
The enforcement of copyright laws in Lebanon has persuaded Microsoft to finally appoint three distributors to push its range of products.
First mover
Abdulla Al Zamil is investing in a B2B project in KSA. Despite the costly and unreliable Internet service in the Kingdom, he believes that the first mover advantage is essential. But will other Saudis go the same route as Al Zamil?
First Trojan found for Palm
The first known virus for the Palm handheld device was discovered late last week. The Trojan horse, named the Liberty Crack program has the ability to delete applications and databases from the Palm.
Egypt to advise Oman on liberalisation of telecom industry
Egypt’s Minister of Communications and IT, Ahmed Nazif, promises help on legislation and transfer of expertise.
Egypt cuts international Internet circuit rates by 30%
It’s celebration time for Egypt’s Internet subscribers as Communications ministry slashes access prices.
Unpaid phone bills threaten to undermine STC’s services
Total amount of unpaid phone bills to Saudi Telecommunications Company tops SR 4 billion.
KACST outlines plans for backup Internet access centre
Saudi Arabia’s Internet access controller says backup facility will be ready by the end of the year.
Saudi Arabian banks race to offer services online
Kingdom’s banks fear that they will lose high value customers if they do not offer Internet banking services.
UAE take Newcomers award in UK conference
An office equipment outlet based in the UAE has received an award at the EPSON International Projector Conference in the UK after recording impressive sales figures.
Philips acknowledge CD based RCR surge
A boom in CD radio Cassette recorders has prompted Philips to suggest that the CD based systems will soon drive standard Radio cassette recorders out of the market.
Intel launch microarchitecture for mobile devices
New XScale architecture features low power, high performance for wireless multimedia applications.
Jeddah phones fall silent as meltdown disrupts service
STC’s HQ had to move swiftly to restore services after a power failure fried several Jeddah telephone exchanges.
Naseej.com introduces instant messaging service in Arabic
Instant messaging service will give Arabic speakers the chance to interact online in realtime.
Leading US Web sites prove magnet to UAE Web surfers
Only six Middle East sites make table of top 100 Web sites visited by Internet users in the Emirates.
Maktoob goes mobile
Maktoob.com has launched the first Arabic WAP email service in the Middle East. Members can send and receive mesage using a WAP enabled mobile phone.
Industry’s first gigahertz server and workstation processor
Intel unveil an industry first that it believes will benefit an overwhelming percentage of e-companies and service providers in running their e-businesses on Intel-based servers.
Sakhr teams with Ultimus to enhance workflow in Arabdox
Integration of solutions will make workflow administration simpler in Arabic document management suite.
Tourism industry fuelling hotel development across UAE
The east coast of the United Arab Emirates can look forward to the unveiling of a major chain hotel resort in the summer of next year amidst blossoming tourism in the country.
Sun hope to shine with new business model
New support partnership programmes will be available in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt after Sun Microsystems announced a new delivery service model.
Strategic partnership will give greater security
Trintech and Visa International are to jointly develop the next generation of ePayment solutions to speed the global adoption of secure mobile commerce.
Samsung Gulf Electronics enjoy huge growth boom
Samsung has declared record-breaking half-yearly profits, far outstripping last year’s performance and hopes are high for even greater success.
Inmarsat the key to solving South African farmers’ isolation
A new satellite-based emergency call system promises to to help South African farmers protect themselves against rising crime in turbulent rural areas.
What price for peace of mind?
Late last night, I sat in the offices of a small business in Dubai, trying to copy some files and it was about the most excruciating task I have ever undertaken.
Dealing with disaster. Media turns ugly as tragedy unfolds
TV journalist Peter Enright describes what it was like reporting on the Russian Kursk submarine catastrophe.
Interactive Technologies creates dot.com incubation fund
Ziad Tassabehji aims to provide New Economy startups with the whole gamut of incubation services.
SMS services launched in Jordan
Jordanian mobile phone users are already experiencing the benefits of a new private-owned operator as Fastlink launch SMS services.
New tax free online B-2-B marketplace
An agreement between Dubai Duty Free and Tejari.com will see the tax free outlet sourcing products online instantaneously in a move to reduce costs.
E-business summit to be staged in Dubai
Six e-business essentials to be discussed at a summit hosted by Global Management Consultants.
CDN secures rights to resell top level domain names
Dubai-based CDN becomes first company in the Arab world to meet strict technical requirements to resell domain names.
Saudi Arabia drops off World Wide Web for over 17 hours
Critical network failure at KACST brings service to its knees. ISPs rage that they were left with zero support.
Fujitsu-Siemens launch new storage subsystem
Primergy S30 to provide high availability to existing server range.
Novell Q3 results raise doubts over independent future
CEO Eric Schmidt leaves door open for takeover tongues to start wagging again. IBM sited as possible suitor.
Hewlett-Packard beats Wall Street estimates for Q3
Strong PC and laser printer sales delivered major boost to company’s bottom line said CEO Carly Fiorina.
BBC Resources builds studio facility for Sydney 2000
BBC Resources (C&P) was given the task of turning a blank space of studio floor in Sydney into a full broadcast facility in just eight weeks!
No magic bullets
Colin Browne, editor of Computer Reseller News looks at Internet Services and ASPs and asks where do Novell and Computer Associates think they are going?
Netpiper.com launches UAE e-guide
A new Ajman based web site is set to offer the most comprehensive guide to going out and relaxing in the UAE with the Middle East’s first country-wide guide.
Twister provides online banking platform
A partnership between Arab Bank and Brokat has resulted in new online banking services for the public, courtesy of Brokat’s e-services platform, Twister.
Delivery times set to be slashed by 75% on parts
Parts ordering processes are set to speed up with the imminent introduction of LG Electronics new web-based ordering system later this year.
Microsoft announces price promotion for Windows Me
Microsoft Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean (GEM)today announced a limited-time promotional price of $59.95 for the Windows Millennium Edition operating system.
Al Khobar authorities show ‘zero tolerance” to piracy
A fire that ripped through the Shoula Market in Al Khobar earlier this year did nothing to quell the rampant software, music and video piracy that was centred there.
KSA adds 155 Mbit/s Internet link to rest of world
Saudi Arabia has added a 155 Mbit/s Internet link to the rest of the world via the FLAG undersea cable.
Microsoft lays first building blocks for DIC offices
Office will house the entire staff of Microsoft Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean, as well as some Arabic developers.