The new iPad has landed in the UAE for potential buyers and surprisingly, the deals are much better for the end consumer compared to iPad 2.

You can pick one up from online sites like souq.com or jadopado.com where the units start from AED 2200 onwards. I personally picked my unit up from Jadopado.com and it was delivered on the same day I ordered. The following are the prices from their website:

16GB- Wifi- AED 2349, Wi-Fi + 3G: AED 3,199
32GB- Wifi- AED 2749, Wi-Fi + 3G: AED 3,649
64GB- Wifi- AED 3149, Wi-Fi + 3G: AED 3,999

If you compare these prices to the prices in the US, you are paying a premium between AED 400 to AED 600 which is pretty decent considering that you were paying more than AED 1000 premium for iPad 2 when that was launched a year back. Comparing the prices to UK, we actually find a couple of models cheaper in the UAE.

All version are available in Black and White colors. The 4G version of the new iPad works under 3G/HSPA in the UAE. I personally tested my Etisalat micro-SIM card and it works without any issues- expect our full review soon.

Now that Apple has announced the press event for iPad 3 scheduled for 7th of March, lets put whatever peices of puzzle are available on the upcoming tablet to predict what it will be like. Lets start with the design by looking at the leaked back cover for the new iPad. This is what it looks like compared to the current iPad 2

You can see from the picture above that the iPad 3 is a tad bit thicker than the iPad 2 and has a more curvy design around the edges. I would guess that the length and width of the new iPad will probably be identical to the current one but exactly how much thicker is the new iPad? The picture below answers that question for us

Using a digital caliper, the above photo shows the iPad 2 at 8.69mm and the iPad 3 at 9.5mm. According to official specs by Apple, the original iPad is measured at 8.8mm so the new iPad should be less than 1mm thicker. To put things in perspective, your average credit card is about 1mm.

Now lets move on to the specifications. The biggest addition to the new iPad is what Apple calls Retina display or an ultra high resolution screen currently found on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. If you have used these Smartphones from Apple, you know how good the display is. The iPad 3 is supposed to introduce that to the tablet space with a resolution of 2048×1536 which is exactly double of the current iPad. The invite picture sent by Apple pretty much confirms the Retina display with the clarity of the screen in the picture below.

There will obviously also be a CPU/GPU upgrade on the iPad 3 as it would be pretty hard for the current A5 CPU to run things at a smooth frame rate on that high resolution display. Until a few weeks back, we assumed that the new iPad will be powered by the A6 but then the following picture leaked:

We don’t really know much about the specs of the A5X pictured above- but then again, we don’t really know much about the A6 either. I would assume that the A5X is a faster version of the current SoC but still dual core and the A6 is a quad core. Maybe Apple will introduce more than one model of the iPad or maybe Apple TV will be upgraded to A5X and the iPad to A6. We’ll only know which way Apple goes with this next Wednesday.

Apple is also expected to update the radio on the new iPad moving to LTE instead of the current 3G/HSDPA. LTE is also known as 4G and offers much faster data speeds. Rumors suggest that the new iPad will fall back to 3G/HSDPA when LTE is not available giving it both speed and compatibility with the network.

Other than the above mentioned changes, Apple might introduce us to iOS 5.1 on the day of launch along with some new apps to showcase the power of iPad 3. As far as the price is concerned, one leak suggested that prices for the new iPad will be slightly higher, starting at US$579 instead of $499 which translates to AED 2125.  Here is a screenshot of that but again, we can’t say how valid this is.

All will be revealed next Wednesday when Tim Cook takes the stage and introduces us to the new iPad but it’s always fun to play the guessing game. Do share your thoughts with us in the comments section below over what you expect in the next iPad and if you are planning on getting one. But be careful- like the previous verions, expect to pay a super-premium price on the iPad 3 in the UAE during the first couple of weeks.

I would honestly advise on waiting for the official version if you can. Hopefully we will find out when the launch date for the iPad 3 in the UAE is next week.

Etisalat today announced they have dropped GCC roaming tariffs by AED 1. The new rates applies to both prepaid and postpaid users, and to all GCC countries, namely, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

“Etisalat is committed to offering customers best-in-value mobile services, whether they’re in the country or traveling abroad. Our customers have been benefitting from reduced roaming prices since 2010 when we introduced up to 48% discount on GCC roaming rates. These further tariff reductions spell huge benefits for holidaymakers and business visitors from the UAE to any GCC country,” said Matthew Willsher, Chief Marketing Officer at Etisalat.

The new tariff rates are a 26% discount from previous rates, where voice calls from any GCC country to another will be charged just AED 2.4, compared to AED 3 (postpaid) and AED 3.25 (prepaid) earlier.

There is no subscription needed; the new rates will be applied automatically.

I remember when Apple announced the iPhone 4S some time back and how “disappointed” many of the users on my Twitter timeline were. I kept insisting that it was actually a pretty decent upgrade and even though it looks identical to the iPhone 4- the new internals justified the new iPhone. Thus, I was amongst the first people in line to pick up the new iPhone 4S when it was officially announced for the UAE market. It’s been two weeks since then and I figured that was enough time to write about the device.

Lets start with the pricing and plans for the iPhone 4S- the iPhone 4S is available in capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB in black and white. You can purchase the device from either Etisalat, du or directly from Apple.  The following table lists the price of the buying the device outright from the carriers or Apple.

If you don’t want to commit to any data packages, the Apple Store deal is the cheapest, however, du gives you 1GB of free data per month for a year (as long as you spend over 100 Dirhams per month with them) while Etisalat gives you 500MB of data for the first three months with no strings attached. Other than purchasing the unit outright, Etisalat also offers a discount if you sign up for an annual commitment on a post-paid line. While du also offers something similar, it is only for business users and not the consumer so I’m not going to go into that, however you can click here and find more on that if you’re interested. The following table lists plans by Etisalat.

I chose to go with Etisalat’s plan 2 which I think offers a pretty good mix of data and voice at a decent price. Having owned the iPhone 4 in black, I chose white for iPhone 4S simply to have something a little different and while I like the white iPhone 4S, I think black still looks better- but that is just my personal opinion or maybe I need time for it to grow on me

Looks-wise, the iPhone 4S is almost identical to the iPhone 4 and you would need a really sharp eye to spot someone carrying one from the other. It has identical dimensions and is just 3 grams heavier which is something you won’t notice even if you’re holding both phones together. Apple has slightly lowered the position of the volume buttons and the mute key on the iPhone 4S while the surrounding antenna has more partitions and in different places- probably to fix the antenna-gate issue that popped up in the iPhone 4 for some. Some of my colleagues carrying the iPhone 4 are happy that Apple hasn’t change the design on the 4S as it doesn’t make their device look like last year’s model, which I think is fair to the consumer and so much better than a companies that replaces their top-of-the-line device every quarter.

Even the packaging on the iPhone 4S is identical to the previous model- with the exception of 4S written on the box instead of 4. You get the USB plug, the iPod cable and that pin to remove the micro-SIM tray from the iPhone along with the usual warranty and quickstart guides.

While you and me may be rocking the real phones, there are enough shady dealers out here in the UAE that mass-sell fake mobile phone devices for way cheaper than the real thing. And there are people who buy that as well, for some reason or the other. Well, Etisalat is here to block your attempts at impressing your friends at a distance.

In continuing support of the TRA’s directive on use of fake mobile devices (Directive Number 7 for 2011), Etisalat will begin tomorrow (21 December 2011) the process of stopping functionality of fake illegal handsets.

Aimed to safeguard the interest of consumers in the UAE, the TRA, jointly with Etisalat, recently launched the campaign to raise awareness and discourage the use of mobile phones that use a fake (or cloned) International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. An (IMEI) number is a unique 15-digit code on every mobile phone.

Commenting on the awareness campaign following the directive, Matthew Willsher, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat said: “Etisalat fully supports the TRA’s decision in order to safeguard the interests of our customers as well as retailers. The use of fake mobile devices poses risks to users and adversely affects the quality of the telecommunication services.”

Etisalat has notified customers via SMS message alerting them about their use of fake mobile devices with a fake IMEI number. In order to avoid disconnection of service, affected customers can replace their fake mobile devices with approved, high quality ones available from Etisalat.

For further information, including details on how to purchase genuine mobile devices, customers can visit www.etisalat.ae or call 101.

Showcased at Gitex and teased till eternity, Etisalat today finally launched the much awaited 4G LTE broadband connection in the country.

The service is available for both new and existing postpaid customers, who must subscribe to Etisalat’s My DataPlan ‘Ultra’ pack bundle to jump on the 100mpbs bandwagon. The ‘Ultra’ pack will offer users 20GB of bandwidth, plus three hours of unlimited usage between midnight to 3am every day.

“We are very excited about introducing the first real 4G (LTE) experience to our customers in the UAE. The launch of the service and USB modems follows user trials that showed exceptionally satisfying performance. Etisalat’s new LTE USB modem, available for free with My DataPlan ‘Ultra’ pack, will give our customers an unparalleled mobile data experience,” said Matthew Willsher, Chief Marketing Officer.

“In coming months, our customers can expect a range of LTE compatible data-centric wireless routers and tablets, and 4G enabled phones, as and when they are available in the market,” added Willsher.

Etisalat says it currently covers almost 70% of the population, and plans to add more stations to cover the entire country “very soon”.

The 4G modem, which costs AED 799 itself, is now available across all Etisalat Business Centers and outlets. Anyone planning to get this?

Etisalat announced today price plans for the most amazing smartphone from Apple, the new iPhone 4S. Offered on the nation’s widest 3.5G network, Etisalat’s iPhone 4S plans will offer multiple options to meet requirements of both, Wasel prepaid as well as postpaid customers.

Update: Added prices for Plan 1, Plan 2 and Plan 3.

Commenting on the new iPhone 4S device and plans, Matthew Willsher, Chief Marketing Officer at Etisalat, said, “As our customers’ data consumption increases, so does their demand for speedy networks that support bandwidth-hungry software and apps on their mobile devices. As compared to iPhone 4, the new iPhone 4S supports twice the download speed with HSDPA, of up to 14.4 Mbps. We assure our customers that on Etisalat’s nationwide HSPA+ network, they will be able enjoy an enhanced mobile data experience with the new iPhone 4S, anywhere in the country.”

Etisalat’s postpaid customers can subscribe to any of the iPhone 4S voice and data plan options on a one-year contractual basis. These plans are value-packed with free minutes, SMS and data per month, suited to varying customers’ requirements. Customers have the opportunity to get the iPhone 4S – 16GB for free, upon subscribing to ‘Plan 3’ (refer www.etisalat.ae/iphone for more details). In addition, customers subscribing to iPhone 4S plans receive up to 4GB data; up to 800 local minutes or 200 international minutes of voice calls; and up to 200 SMS. Customers also enjoy the flexibility to choose as well as switch their preference between receiving free local or international talk time, bundled with their iPhone 4S plan.

Wasel prepaid customer purchasing the device can enjoy free data usage of 500 MB for the first three months. From the fourth month onward, the data will be available for as low as AED50.

Customers can subscribe to the new iPhone 4S plans and receive their devices from any of Etisalat’s Business Centers and Outlets across the UAE. Furthermore, customers can easily upgrade to any iPhone 4S plan of their choice, as and when required. For more information on price plans for iPhone 4 S, customers can visit www.etisalat.ae/iphone.

iPhone 4S, the most amazing iPhone yet, is packed with incredible new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri(TM), an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. With the launch of iPhone 4S also comes the launch of iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features; and iCloud(R), a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work with your iPhone, iPad(R), iPod touch(R), Mac(R) or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices.

iPhone 4S has the same beautifully thin glass and stainless steel design and is first phone to intelligently switch between two antennas to send and receive. Apple’s dual-core A5 chip delivers up to twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics than iPhone 4, all while maintaining incredible battery life–now up to 8 hours of 3G talk time.

Etisalat has finally come out with data plan prices and handset prices for the eagerly anticipated iPhone 4S.

The basic gist is that any iPhone 4S purchased from Etisalat will get free 500MB data for the first three months, after which the data plan can be had for AED 50 per month. The iPhone 4S will sell for AED 2,749 for 16GB, AED 3,149 for 32GB and AED 3,549 for 64 GB devices. No word yet on whether both black and white will be sold at launch, but given the launch of both models in other countries we believe that the white iPhone 4S will also be available in UAE.

Full Press Release

The new iPhone 4S available for pre-order in the UAE

10 December, Abu Dhabi, UAE – Etisalat today announced that the highly-anticipated iPhone 4S is now available for pre-order from Etisalat’s ‘MORE’ rewards website www.etisalat.ae/more. Etisalat offers prepaid-package options on all three new iPhone 4S devices – 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. In addition, customers will receive free 500MB data per month for the first three months. From the fourth month onward, the data will be available for as low as AED50.

iPhone 4S supports twice the download speed with HSDPA of up to 14.4 Mbps. Etisalat’s iPhone 4S customers will enjoy the Etisalat HSPA+ network and the widest 3G network covering over 99% of the country’s populated area. It will enhance their experience while using the applications on iPhone 4S device anywhere in the country.

iPhone 4S, the most amazing iPhone yet, is packed with incredible new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri(TM), an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. With the launch of iPhone 4S also comes the launch of iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features; and iCloud(R), a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work with your iPhone, iPad(R), iPod touch(R), Mac(R) or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices.

iPhone 4S has the same beautifully thin glass and stainless steel design and is first phone to intelligently switch between two antennas to send and receive. Apple’s dual-core A5 chip delivers up to twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics than iPhone 4, all while maintaining incredible battery life–now up to 8 hours of 3G talk time.

From today, customers can pre-book the iPhone 4S using their credit card by logging on to Etisalat’s ‘MORE’ rewards website ‘www.etisalat.ae/more’. The new iPhone 4S is priced at AED 2,749 for 16GB, AED 3,149 for 32GB and AED 3,549 for 64 GB devices. In addition to the free 500MB data offer for first three months, customers purchasing the device at an extra charge of AED150 will also receive 10,000 ‘MORE’ reward points, equivalent to AED 100 talk time, a car charger and phone case. Customers will enjoy free shipping & delivery to their own location at their own convenience. The iPhone 4S postpaid packages will be available at the official commercial launch during December 2011.

Everyone has been anticipating the UAE release of the iPhone 4S through official channels while the grey market ones have been relishing in the inflated prices they can demand during that period. That should go on no more, as Etisalat has now announced that they will release the hot new Apple phone on 16th of December.

Etisalat announced this on Twitter through their official page:

Dear customers: you’ve been requesting the iPhone 4S, Etisalat is happy to announce we’re launching it on December 16th. Details to follow.

But those who wish to buy it through Apple’s newly opened store in UAE itself can also do so on the same exact date looking at this message from the store today:

And predictably, here’s Du’s announcement to round it off:

It’s taken a while but the release is much faster than some of the previous versions of the iPhone which took criminally long to release here.

Are you looking forward to buying the iPhone 4S officially or have you already got yours?

Press release:
As visionaries in innovation and customer-centric services, Etisalat announced today the launch of ‘eLife TV’, the UAE’s most advanced television and video services. Senior executives of the company showcased the next-gen service at a press conference held during GITEX 2011, on Etisalat’s stand in Zabeel Hall at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Delivered on Etisalat’s high-speed fiber-optic network, eLife TV will offer its customers interactive, cutting-edge television experience through the most robust and feature-rich service available in the country. eLifeTV is made available within the corporation’s flagship ‘eLife’ Triple Play (Fixedline, Internet and TV) fiber-based residential broadband services. Starting with the completion of fiber-optic roll-out in Abu Dhabi, making it the world’s first fiber-connected capital city, Etisalat will soon connect all residences in the UAE.

At launch, nearly 100,000 homes are enjoying the new eLife TV service. eLife set top boxes were automatically upgraded to present eLife customers with eLife TV’s new superior menu and many added features.

Customers will enjoy exciting new features at existing eLife introductory prices and bundles such as, some of which are highlighted below:
1. On Demand (Video on Demand): At launch, eLife TV offers the largest library in UAE with a choice of over 650 of the latest Hollywood, Arabic and Bollywood 3D & High Definition (HD) movies and series, classified by genre and searchable by different criteria, available on demand. To provide customers access to huge quality video content, Etisalat has tied-up with major Hollywood, Indian and Arab studios such as 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures Global / DW (Netherlands) B.V. The Walt Disney Company Limited, Warner Bros., Eros Worldwide FZ LLC, Yash Raj Films, Shemaroo Entertainment Pvt Limited, ABS-CBN, PTCL, ACPD and more.
2. Catch-Up TV: Allows viewers to go back in time and watch the broadcast programme up to one week old, with or without the Recorder Set Top Box.
3. Recorder or PVR is a TV Set Top Box that has a built-in hard-drive capable of recording. It records: 1) Automatically on the channel being viewed, 2) On clicking the red record button, 3) By scheduling a program for recording later.
Outlining the future of eLife TV, Matthew Willsher, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat, said: “Etisalat has been a pioneer in the world of telecoms and entertainment, providing rich content to TV viewing customers in the UAE for over 11 years. Over the years, we have keenly listened to our customers and enriched their home entertainment as per their changing lifestyles.”

“Our customers today desire more interaction, more choice and more control in the way they watch TV. Through eLife TV, we are introducing an extensive TV service that will present new opportunities for information and communications to every individual. It offers them advanced entertainment options through personalized, easy-to-use and convenient TV and video services,” he added.

Highlighting the enhanced TV experience, Rashed Al Abbar, Vice President – Home Products, Etiaslat said, “With Etisalat eLife TV, customers will not only benefit from attractive price packages, but also the UAE’s highest number of HD channels and on-demand movie library. Rich features such as ‘Catch-up TV’ allows customers to see replays of programmes aired up to one week ago. Alternatively, viewers can record programmes on their set-top boxes and watch it anytime as per their convenience. All this means that our customers never have to miss their favorite episodes or TV shows again.”

Etisalat’s customers can subscribe to eLife TV services through attractive introductory offers on eLife triple play services. Etisalat’s existing TV customers planning to migrate to eLife triple play services benefit with reduced monthly subscriptions for the first three months. New customers can enjoy the first month for free along with free installation upon signing up for any of eLife’s service packages.

eLife TV through Triple Play: Existing Introductory offers: