Microsoft

dubai mall open after coronavirus lock down

Gitex 2011 review

Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) is the largest IT exhibition of the GCC and MENA. Every year thousands of exhibitors and visitors attend Gitex to network, do business, and learn about the latest IT trends and cutting age hardware and software solutions. Gitex has two parts, the Technology section, more of a B2B event, is organized at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (Trade Centre). The second part is called Gitex Shoppers where electronic consumer goods are sold. This event is organized at Dubai Airport Expo.

This year Gitex Technology week was organized from October 9-13, while the Shopper event was organized from October 8-15.

gitex entry
Welcome to Gitex 2011 at Trade Center, Dubai

cyber olympics GITEX 2011 Dubai
Cyber Olympics at Gitex 2011

etisalat gitex 2011
Etisalat pavilion at Gitex

light of hope gitex 2011mascot gitex 2011

oracle at Gitex 2011
Oracle pavilion at Gitex

quick heal at Gitex 2011
Quick Heal has got some nice presentation

workstation demo at Gitex 2011
Super workstation demo

relaxing in Dubai

Microsoft settles out of court with Dubai pirate retailer

Microsoft settles out of court with Dubai pirate retailer

Microsoft Gulf has reached an out-of-court settlement with a Storm Computers, a Dubai retailer caught selling pirated copies of its software.

Illegal copies of Microsoft Windows and Office were seized by authorities in a recent raid on a store in the Al Khaleej Centre in Bur Dubai, Microsoft said in a statement.

The out-of-court agreement, which also included an undisclosed sum for damages, stipulates that the reseller will refrain from distributing any pirated Microsoft software in the future, Arabian Business reported.

I wonder why vendors incline towards piracy and not shift to open source software.

Yahoo acquire Maktoob to block Google influence in Middle East?

Maktoob Logo In a strategic move to increase its presence in rapidly evolving Arab internet world, Yahoo! has announced to acquired Maktoob.com, the largest Arab web portal and online community and Maktoob Research.

The deal would be closed within the fourth quarter of this year, when Yahoo! is expected to begin translating its products into Arabic as it integrates its services with Maktoob’s products. Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! Messenger, two of the most popular services offered by Yahoo!, will be the first ones to be translated. The new services will then be co-branded as Yahoo! Maktoob.

Yahoo! is looking to increase its user base to 600 million and is has taken a leap by increasing it by 20 million users that Maktoob has in the Arab region. The international technology company will be able to tap into markets that have a combined population of over 320 million Arab speakers, but a very low internet penetration rate, leaving significant room for growth.

Maktoob’s 20 million users in the region, combined with most of Yahoo’s 44 million users in the Middle East and Africa regions could be reached through one portal once the deal is closed.

PC Magazine adds:

For existing Maktoob members, Yahoo will roll out a way to for registered users to access Yahoo in the coming months. Yahoo has not released information on what Web site address the combined Yahoo-Maktoob will use. The company will offer localized e-mail domains, but details on that have also not been released.

It is to be remembered that now Microsoft is on the back of Yahoo! and acquisition of Maktoob and provision of Yahoo! search and mail services to Arabic user base can be an attempt to thwart Google presence in MENA region.