Tag: Mobile

Filaty Arab File Sharing Service Launches Mobile Version

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Filaty MobileFilaty, the Arab direct file sharing service, which was previously reviewed here, has just launched a mobile version of its service, making it possible for users to upload and share files directly from their mobile phones and devices.

By introducing this service, Filaty hopes to make it easier for people to use the service from anywhere, helping to grow usage of the service and extend their user base.

Users can upload photos and files of up to 100MB through a light, quick interface; and have the link sent to their email address or the email addresses of the friends they want to share with.

The mobile version is available at: http://m.filaty.com (filaty.mobi and filaty.com/mobile work as well.)

On another note, Filaty is now also one of the upload options available in Mrrha, the file mirroring service, previously reviewed here.

Ayna Launches Free Mobile Mapping Service For The Arab World

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AynaAfter launching their online mapping service last year, Ayna has gone on and launched the first locally produced Arabic and English mobile mapping service as promised.

The application, unveiled this month, uses GPS technology on the latest-generation mobile phones to give directions and maps to points of interest from the user’s location.

According to Mazen Halawi, the corporate sales manager for Ayna Corporation, it contains detailed information about all major Arab cities and capitals, with numerous points of interest which are searchable, and that will be updated regularly.
It works in a similar way to Google Maps but has the added advantage of routing, or step-by-step directions to a destination, something unavailable for the Middle East through Google Maps.

The service is available for all types of phones except the iPhone and can be downloaded in two formats, for keypad and touch-screen phones, free from the Ayna website.
Users can also send directions to their favourite spots to friends through SMS.

Ayna is also presenting this as a value-added medium for advertisers who seek local advertisements, like banks, restaurants, points of sale, and others.

The application will soon add satellite images, which will allow users to view areas in maps, satellite and a hybrid view.

According to numbers released by the company, the application has been downloaded 12,800 times in its first week.

Ayna launched its online version of its mapping service in November and has more than 50,000 points of interest logged into its Arabic maps so far.

# Ayna Mobile Maps

Viva To Launch Mobile Payment Solution In Kuwait

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VivaSTC’s Kuwaiti subsidiary Viva announced that it will be launching a new mobile payment solution in Kuwait, using a platform provided by Irish firm Macalla.

Viva, the third mobile operator in Kuwait, which launched services in December of last year, will provide payment services in Arabic and English directly to Viva subscribers and also via its dealer and agent network.

Rollout of the project will be done through a number of phases, and service channels will include mobile, kiosks and online, with supporting payments done by mobile wallet, cash, debit or credit card.

STC operates telecom networks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Africa and Malaysia, and will launch a mobile network in Bahrain, but has not stated yet whether it will extend the same mobile commerce service to its other subsidiaries.

[Source: Comm.]

Questler Launches Mobile Information Channels With Orange

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Questler

Questler, the informal online learning network, just announced the launch of a couple of mobile information channels in Jordan with Orange, through the help of Beecell, a mobile value added services and solutions provider.

Two mobile channels have been launced, one in Arabic and the other in English. Subscribers to any of the channels will get the Quest of the day on their mobiles.

Questler are hoping to widen their reach with these mobile channels, by extending their service to more Jordanian users through mobile.

The launch of these channels is also the first monetization move by Questler ever since the service was launched in November 2007.

It’ll be interesting to see how well these mobile channels do, and how much they help Questler expand their reach and start generating revenue.

More information on how to subscribe to these channels can be found at: http://questler.com/sms

CareerJunction Middle East Launches Mobile Version

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Career Junction MECareerJunction Middle East, an online recruitment web service, has just launched a mobile version of their application that allows its registered users to search and apply for jobs using their mobile phones, furthering their goal to provide CareerSeekers access to top regional jobs anywhere and anytime in all confidentiality.

CareerJunction Middle East’s mobile application gives registered job seekers the opportunity to search and apply for jobs on the go, or email the jobs to themselves or their friends.

It also enables them to customize their cover letters before sending out their job applications through the service.

Ihab Hashwa, Regional Operations Manager of CareerJunction Middle East, said: “… Our new application is fully optimised for a mobile phone interface with easy navigation and quick download time. There is no difference in the application process on our website and the mobile phone, making it simple and easy to find and apply to hundreds of jobs, especially for those who do not have easy access to the internet.”

Hashwa added: “We believe the new service will be an invaluable tool for our clients who are always looking for innovative ways to extend the reach of their job ads. Coupled with our state-of-the-art job competency profiling, candidate screening and online interviewing technology, the mobile service means that our clients can receive greater exposure for their job ads while receiving qualified and appropriately matching candidates.”

Within a year of its launch, CareerJunction Middle East announced numbers of more than 100,000 registered users from all over the world. 

Al Jazeera Goes Mobile In Both English And Arabic

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Al JazeeraAl Jazeera today announced the beta launch of its Arabic and English Mobile websites.  The websites will work on any mobile handset that has web browsing capabilities.  

Users can access the websites through their mobile phones and devices at the following addresses: for English news http://m.aljazeera.net and for Arabic news http://ma.aljazeera.net.

The mobile websites will provide Al Jazeera headline news, business reports, sports coverage and more.

This is yet another push by Al Jazeera to make their content more accessible and to get it out there through all existing channels, in order to broaden their reach and pass the information to as many people around the world as possible.

This move is also part of the ongoing Al Jazeera New Media initiative, which includes delivering video and other content over interactive platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and iTunes as well as other popular services.

Just a few days ago, Al Jazeera launched their Creative Commons Repository for video footage of ongoing events around the world, and only days earlier a service mapping the war on Gaza.

For more details about Al Jazeera’s other new media projects, you can check Al Jazeera Labs.

StartUpArabia Launches New Mobile Version

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Mobile StartUpArabiaStartUpArabia, your one stop shop for news and information about and related to Arab internet and technology startups and entrepreneurship, has just launched a new mobile version.

This new version, optimized for mobile devices, aims to enable you to quickly and easily access the latest news, articles and reviews while on the go.

Reader comments left on the different articles can be read as well, with the possibility to leave comments of your own.

This mobile version is accessible at the following address: http://m.startuparabia.com

Readers visiting the site at its current address using their mobile devices will automatically be redirected to the mobile version from now on.

The mobile version of StartUpArabia is powered by MoFuse.

Mobile Subscribers Sector In Saudi Arabia To Expand By 27%

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Saudi ArabiaThe mobile subscribers sector in Saudi Arabia will expand by over 27 per cent in 2008, lifting the official mobile penetration rate to 144 per cent, according to Business Monitor International (BMI).

The launch of commercial services by new entrant Saudi Zain is expected to further stimulate the market.

The BMI report, made available to Khaleej Times, noted that according to the Saudi regulator, the number of mobile users in the kingdom had reached 28.4 million at the end of 2007. This was after having grown by over 44 per cent during the year. Mobile penetration at the end of 2007 stood at just over 116 per cent. By the end of March 2008, the number of Saudi mobile subscribers had estimatedly grown to 30.7 million.

“Growth in 2007 was actually stronger than in 2006, and this leads us to believe that much of the sector’s recent growth has been based on the addition of new prepaid users,” it explained.

Meanwhile, regulatory figures indicate that Saudi Arabia had 4 million operational fixed lines at the end of 2007. This is slightly less than the previous estimate of 4.129 million lines. According to the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), the fixed line sector as a whole saw very little growth during 2007; combined with an expanding population, this meant that Saudi Arabia’s fixed-line penetration rate decreased from 16.8 per cent at the end of 2006 to 16.4 per cent by the end of 2007.

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Growth In Tunisian Mobile And Internet Users

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TunisiaFigures recently released by the Ministry of Communication Technologies reveal a significant growth of mobile phone and internet users in Tunisia. In June 2008 the two mobile phone operators (Tunisie Telecom and Tunisiana) had a combined 8.12 million mobile phone subscribers up from 7 million twelve months earlier.

At the same point, there were 2.68 million internet users compared to 1.68 million in June 2007. The number of ADSL connections has doubled from 76,000 in 2007 to 153,000 in 2008. 27% of users have 512KB connections, and 22,000 users have a connection equal or superior to 1Mbps.

The number of companies benefiting from WiMAX connections reached 700 at the end of June 2008, and the number of subscribers to data sending through VSAT had also increased to reach 420, notably among enterprises producing software and computer systems and call centres.

# Source: TeleGeography
# Via: Wireless Tunisia

Info2cell Launches Wide Range Of Ramadan-themed Services

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Info2cellInfo2cell.com, the leading mobile application service provider in the Middle East, has announced that it has launched a comprehensive range of new services for its subscribers to commemorate the holy month of Ramadan.

The new services have been active since September 1, 2008, and are part of info2cell.com’s strategy to constantly deliver fresh and innovative services in the Middle East and Africa, a multi-billion dollar market that is expected to touch $107bn by 2013 on the strength of growing demand for various mobile content services.

The new services provide info2cell.com clients a select line of Islamic services appropriate for the Ramadan celebration utilising different platforms such as SMS, MMS, IVR, J2ME application, interactive channel and WAP.

There will also be a special SMS competition that offers attractive daily prizes as well as a grand prize during the culmination of Ramadan.

The new services are now available in several countries, including Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, Palestine, Bahrain and Syria.

‘Info2cell.com is pleased to unveil another unique line of services specially developed to commemorate the observance of the holy month of Ramadan. It is our mission to constantly provide clients with value-added and appropriate services that cater to various requirements of the society. We hope that our clients will have a more meaningful celebration of the holy season through a wide selection of Ramadan-themed services,’ said Bashar Dahabra, Founder and CEO of info2cell.com.

Info2cell.com’s Ramadaniat service allows customers to download weekly Islamic packages, Islamic themes, wallpapers and Islamic ring tones.

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