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.

Google’s annual Zeitgeist report shows the search trends of the millions of users who use Google everyday. Today Google released the search results for UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

While social networking sites are still up there, local interests are still some of the most obvious queries. Of course, there are a few odd one’s in there, like Saudi children being fascinated by Sponge Bob, or Egyptians looking for Forbidden Love Stories, or UAE’s subcontinental population wanting to catch up on the Cricket World Cup.

To see the worldwide results, please visit Zeitgeist 2011 after December 15th 12:00 GMT (1600 UAE 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.

Press Release:

Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the launch of the new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone in a new Pure White color in the UAE.

The stunning new BlackBerry Bold 9900 in Pure White is only 10.5mm, the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet, and offers the perfect union of a high performance keyboard and touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design. The new Pure White BlackBerry Bold 9900 also includes built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to make mobile payments, pair with NFC-enabled accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.

BlackBerry 7, the operating system for the new BlackBerry Bold 9900, introduces a next generation BlackBerry browser with a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry. Combining the dramatically improved performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine together with the powerful hardware enhancements of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 delivers browsing results that are up to 40% faster than BlackBerry® 6 based smartphones and up to 100% faster than BlackBerry® 5 based smartphones*. Additional enhancements to this next generation BlackBerry browser have also optimized zooming and panning for smoother web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

The iPhone 4S has started selling in the UAE- through the usual grey channels and at insane prices. But that was expected- afterall, the previous iPhone and the iPad models fetched enough for some retailers to turn an iOS launch event into their annual sales meet-up.

I browsed through the usual assortment of local websites to get a feel for pricing of the new iPhone 4S for those of you looking into purchasing one- y’know, the ones that National Bonds have been kind to. The following table lists the prices I found for some of the places that sell online. Do keep in mind that the official prices in the US for unlocked devices are US$ 649, 749 and 849 for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models which, in AED, roughly translates to 2400, 2750 and 3125. Now lets see how much it is selling for:

So there you have it- a quick run down of how much the iPhone 4S will cost you if you want to get it right away. To put things in %, the cheapest you can find an iPhone 4S in the UAE is $1000 for the 16GB which is about 54% higher than what it costs in the US. On the higher end, the 64GB is going for roughly US$2000 or 135% more than what Apple sells it in the US for.

I’m actually going to hold off until the official versions are announced by our telcos du and Etisalat as you usually end up getting the device with a pretty good data plan. Although there is no official date for the iPhone 4S launch, Apple did say that 70 countries will be getting in by the end of the year and I’m guessing/hoping that UAE is one of them.

As many students enter the final year of their high school, they’re faced with the daunting task of deciding what university or college to attend for higher education. This one decision will shape the rest of your life in more ways than you can imagine. These next three or four years of your life will define your outlook on life, and will influence the way you perceive different situations in life and how you treat different people. And interesting as it to delve deeper into this train of though, I’ll bring us back on track with the topic on hand.

This being a technology website, I’ll mostly be looking at the various educational institutes around UAE that offer anything from a Bachelors in IT to different media branches of graphical design and computer animation. This article is for students who’ll be entering their university, and as such will only focus on undergraduate courses. I won’t go into detail about what each course provides, I’ve hyperlinked everything to the respective course details on the university’s website directly, so you can see what each module provides in detail.

Remember one thing, that no matter how good a university’s website looks, you cannot make a decision as big as choosing which university to go for until you’ve been there, seen their facilities, and ideally talked to the tutors of each module you’re planning to attend. Many universities offer open days, but at the time of writing this article those days are gone, and in fact a few universities have even started their courses. Still, these are early days, so changes can still be made. And with that, let’s go down the list of universities/colleges/institutes that provide IT and related courses here.

Acer announced the launch of their new Ultrabook laptops, a new breed of ultra-portable laptops that Intel hopes will cover the gap between regular laptops and tablets, in a market that doesn’t seem to have place for netbooks.

The Aspire S3 marks the launch of the first ultrabook in this region, with some truly mouthwatering specs and features. The 13.3″ Aspire S3 measures 1.3cm thin and weighs a mere 1.4kgs. It’ll feature a Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5 or i7 CPU, and if coupled with the optional 240GB SSD, instead of the 320GB or 500GB HDD, you can get 7 hours of battery life. Priced at AED 3,699, the Aspire S3 will be shipping out from next month onwards in the region.

Full Press Release

Acer Debuts First Ultrabook: Aspire S3

Resumes in a quick 1.5 seconds and delivers 50-day battery life via Acer Green Instant On; features large hard drive capacity; and connects to the Internet in 2.5 seconds

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Acer announces its first Ultrabook. The Acer Aspire S3 integrates the best features of notebook and mobile devices, offering users powerful performance for digital creation, in addition to ultra-fast responsiveness and interaction for content consumption, enhancing the freedom and overall computing experiences of users on the go.

Innovative Acer Green Instant On technology provides instant-resume functionality and ensures battery longevity, while Acer Instant Connect delivers faster Internet access. The Aspire S3 is encased in a thin, light metal design that’s sturdy and aerodynamic. It will be available in select regions from September.

Campbell Kan, president of Personal Computer Global Operations, Acer Inc., said, “The Aspire S3 is truly designed to meet notebook users’ needs, combining essential features of the smartphone and tablet PC, such as fast startup and Internet connectivity, with long battery life. Matched with its slim form, the Aspire S3 will provide a fresh experience and set a major milestone in the history of Acer’s notebook development.”

Ultra-long unplugged freedom via instant on and connect

Modern notebook users want to maximize their time and effort wherever they go. The Aspire S3 helps them make the most of their time via two new innovations: Acer Green Instant On, which delivers ultra-fast responsiveness, energy efficiency and enhanced power management; and Acer Instant Connect, which provides access to the Internet in just 2.5 seconds[1]^{, [2]} — four times faster than conventional connections — so users can go faster for better productivity and infotainment enjoyment. There’s no compromise.

Acer Green Instant On provides two sleep modes from which the Aspire S3 responds with surprising speed: From Sleep the Aspire S3 will resume in a mere 1.5 seconds,² and from Deep Sleep it resumes in 6 seconds.² With these energy-conscious innovations, the Aspire S3′s battery life lasts up to 50 days[3]^{, [4]} — even longer than regular mobile phone batteries! 

Ultra-slim in an aerodynamic metal design

For easy-to-carry convenience, the Aspire S3 measures 1.3 cm thin and weighs less than 1.4 kg (3 lbs.).[5] It’s also equipped with a full-size Acer FineTip chiclet keyboard, designed for comfortable use and maximum productivity. All-day usability is assured by a super-lightweight, high-density battery that delivers up to 7 hours[6] of juice. The aerodynamic design of the Aspire S3 features a strong and lightweight aluminum/magnesium alloy chassis, and a lid with a fingerprint-free metal finish that feels as smooth as silk.

The 13.3″ ultra-thin HD LED display adopts an open cell design to conserve materials by using the lid and bezel to form an aluminum frame for the screen. This creates a super-slim yet protective profile and reduces the energy required during manufacture as compared to conventional panel designs.

Innovative airflow design enhances comfort

The Aspire S3 features a vent-free bottom so the notebook rests comfortably on the user’s lap. Warm components are smartly placed away from the palmrest and touchpad area, so users won’t feel any heat discomfort. Further innovation is offered via a new airflow design that dissipates warm air from the rear of the notebook, preventing air from blowing towards the user’s hands. Finally, the fan motor is optimized to enhance efficiency and lower power consumption to help increase system battery life.

Uncompromising performance for content creation and enjoyment

The Aspire S3 features the latest 2^nd generation Intel^® Core^™ i3/i5/i7 processors for full computing and digital creation capability, and a choice of 240 GB SSD or 320/500 GB HDD with embedded SSD[7] for ultra-fast access and ample media and data storage. Packing professionally-tuned Dolby^® Home Theater^® v4, the Aspire S3 delivers vibrant, cinema-style surround sound and enhanced dialogue quality for optimum listening experiences. Standard HDMI^® output is also included for connecting the Aspire S3 to popular HD peripheral devices for high-def digital/video playback and extension. Furthermore, users can quickly and easily share data or download photos from their digital cameras using the 2-in-1 card reader that supports SD^™ Cards and MultiMediaCard^™.

On-the-go users can keep in touch with friends and colleagues with high-clarity video conferences thanks to the integrated Acer Crystal Eye 1.3 megapixel camera and microphone — with superior Wi-Fi^® connections guaranteed by Acer InviLink^™ Nplify^™ 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED^™ technology.[8] Wireless convenience is enhanced by the addition of latest-generation Bluetooth^® 4.0+HSR technology with lower power consumption.

“We are very happy to see the formal launch of the Acer Aspire S3, Acer’s first Ultrabook, and to be one of the leading time-to-market partners to place an Ultrabook in the market. The features of the Aspire S3, powered by 2^nd generation Intel^® Core^™ processors — including instant on, instant connect, long battery life, and its elegant slim and light design — will satisfy many users’ desire for a free and easy life on the go,” said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the Intel PC Client Group.

“As the only Ultrabook with an HDD option, the Aspire S3 offers the computing power and storage needs of a notebook, along with the mobile communication advantages of the smartphone and tablet PC,” added Kan. “It’s a major breakthrough in notebook design and will surely fortify our notebook competitiveness in the ICT market.”

Priced at AED 3699, the Aspire S3 will start to roll out in the regions in October, and is expected to become Acer’s star product during the fourth quarter.

Given that UAE has only two telecom operators, the choice people have here may not seem much at first glance, especially since the TRA owns a large percentage in both these companies. However, dig a little deeper and you’ll find great value products suitable to your lifestyle.

Today I’ll be looking at mobile and broadband internet packages provided for home consumers by both Etisalat and Du. Let me get this out of the way first: I’m not looking at special offers, bonus packages and add-ons. When you get into those, especially bonus offers for mobile packages (such as extra credit on incoming calls from Du). The same goes for the TV packages in the broadband bundles; I won’t be looking at what TV channels (HD, 3D or otherwise) are available as part of the deal. All I’m looking at are the prices and basic services provided to give you guys an idea of which telecom operator provides better value for money.

I’ll start off this comparison with Mobile packages. Both telecom operators provide a huge variety of packages to suit individual needs and budgets. There are many subsidized handsets available as well, depending on data plan and special offers you choose from both Etisalat and Du which you can check out.

Before I begin though, I would like to remind everyone that Du charges local and international calls by the second, unlike Etisalat where a full minute’s rate is charged as soon as the new minute starts. Depending on how you make your calls daily, this can be a huge money saver for a lot of people. So keep that in mind.

Let’s face it, we all buy gadgets or some sort of tech item a couple of times a year. These things are expensive, and given the rate at which the industry is moving at, nobody wants to buy an outdated item. That’s the reason most of you read our site to keep up to date on the latest in tech. However, when it comes to actually buying the product you’ve decided to spend your hard earned money on, it’s not so easy.

We have no shortage of huge electronic retailers here in UAE, some may even say there’s a saturation of retailers in the market. But nothing beats a leisurely stroll down these huge store aisles and checking out the latest tech on offer at very tempting rates.

So what I’ve done over the past week is go to some of the biggest electronic stores in Dubai to check out 5 different products. My objective was not only to see how much each store is selling the product for, but also how good my experience in-store was. This, I measured in terms of staff knowledge, their willingness to help and store layout (how easy or difficult it was to navigate to various sections).

Now the five products we decided upon were to be taken from a broad range of categories, and for the most part, the latest and most popular product.

As for the stores, it was decided to go to the specific branches that were one of the biggest (so no DCC) as well as those near more popular parts of Dubai (sorry Mirdiff City Centre and Ibn Battuta Mall!).

I visited each of the above stores to first walk around and see how well the store was laid out and whether products of our 5 categories listed above were easily found. For some of the products I would ask the staff where it was if I didn’t see it after walking 2 minutes into the store. This is where I judged their attitude towards a needy customer and how helpful they were. Often times a nearby staff member would tell me about the product I was looking at themselves (after asking what exactly I was looking for), which also showed how knowledgeable (or not) they were.