Saudi TechView

Riyadh Municipality ruined Olaya Computer Market

Khaled A. — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:19:56 +0000

This has to be said, as a computer enthusiast I am upset with the current state of the technology market in Saudi Arabia. What’s going on in Riyadh’s “Olaya Computer Market” (Gowalla and Wikimapia locations) is just frustrating.

The Olaya Computer Market is a collection of computer stores, it’s very popualar.

Pirated software is being sold there as well.

Even crap is being sold on small stands provided by the owner of the building (according to some). These stands sell junk and have nothing to do with computers, unless they are pirated software.

Back in late 2008 or early 2009 Riyadh Municipally had the “sidewalk fever”: bad attempts at sidewalks everywhere. So they started digging. This next photo was taken by me on February 17, 2009:

These constructions took forever, they were uncoordinated and until today have not finished! I will post more photos bellow. These photos were taken by me unless I say otherwise.

North sidewalk, April 30, 2009.

North sidewalk, May 11, 2009.

North sidewalk, May 21, 2009.

North sidewalk, February 7, 2010.

North sidewalk, 3 months ago on Gowalla.

North sidewalk, TWO DAYS AGO on July 19, 2010 by @anuaim who gave permission to use this.

With all that “construction” only in 2010 they decided to remove the asphalt. The road is horrible for cars now. Taken on January 15, 2010.

Another area of the Olaya Computer Market. Taken on June 25, 2009.

I call this the twitter corner. Taken on October 24, 2009. It is now a trash can.

An incomplete piece of “art”. Taken 3 months go on Gowalla.

To put things in perspective, here ‘s a photo taken July 22nd, 2001 by IMP.

Compare it to this taken February 12th, 2010 by Andrew A. Shenouda. Notice how narrow the roads are thanks to the unnecessary sidewalk and incorrect parking.

Riyadh Municipally hired contractors that never completed their job on time. This is not just the Olaya Computer Market but this is a technology website and I personally care about the state of this market.

YouTube “Videos” blocked in Saudi Arabia

Khaled A. — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:38:34 +0000

You can no longer browse YouTube videos. For some strange reason the following url has been blocked:

http://www.youtube.com/videos

This is YouTube’s directory of videos, could this be the first step to fully block YouTube in Saudi Arabia (again)? Now you can no longer browse videos on YouTube.

To help getting it unblocked as soon as possible fill the form at internet.gov.sa, write an email to unblock@internet.gov.sa or send a fax to +966(1)2639290.

Tip: Organize Google Chrome tabs

Khaled A. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:16:30 +0000

Google Chrome tabs are ugly and can get so small you can’t even read them. Use TooManyTabs extension and with it you can view all the tabs. You can sort and search these tabs.

TooManyTabs is also available for Mozilla Firefox.

Travian.ae blocked to boost the Saudi Travian server?

Khaled A. — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:09:27 +0000

Travian.ae has been blocked in Saudi Arabia a few days ago. This noticeably effected the site’s “alexa ranking” as you can see here:

Here’s something weird that I discovered: there is a Travian.com.sa, a Saudi Travian domain! So why did CITC block travian.ae and not travian.com.sa? Saudi players have been playing on the UAE servers for years now.

Here are the WHOIS info for both domains. This is TRAVIAN.AE:

Domain Name travian.ae

Registrar ID 123DOMAIN
Registrar Name Klute-Thiemann Infomationstechnologie GmbH&Co.KG
Status ok
Registrant Contact ID KT-259733205
Registrant Contact Name Travian Games GmbH
Registrant Contact Email domain_master@traviangames.com
Tech Contact ID KT-037219030
Tech Contact Name Siegfried Mueller
Tech Contact Email domain_adminc@traviangames.com
Name Server ns01.travian.org
Name Server ns02.travian.com
Name Server ns03.travian.net

This is TRAVIAN.COM.SA:

domain: travian.com.sa
organization: Travian Games GmbH
address: Wilhelm-Wagenfeld-Str.22
address: P.O.Box 305150
address: 80807 Munchen
address: Germany
admin-c: SM187-SA
tech-c: TK27-SA
reg-c: TK28-SA
nserver: ns01.travian.org
nserver: ns02.travian.com
nserver: ns03.travian.net
req-date: 2009-05-27
reg-date: 2009-05-30
source: SaudiNIC

Could Travian.ae be blocked just to boost Travian.com.sa’s numbers? The more players on the Saudi server would mean more money from premium Travian players.

What do you think? What other reason is there to block the biggest Saudi server (Travian.ae)?

Travian blocked in Saudi Arabia, productivity skyrockets

Khaled A. — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:47:04 +0000

Online gaming website Travian has been blocked in Saudi Arabia. At the time only the Arabic interface version (www.travian.ae/) has been blocked. You can still access the original website.

If you really care about it then you know where to fill the forms to have it unblocked. This is one block I do not mind .

Sony recalls half a million VAIO notebooks with overheating issues

Khaled A. — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:49:18 +0000

Sony is recalling about half a million of their VAIO notebooks because of heating issues. The issue could cause a Sony notebook to “distort the shape” in other words “MELT”.

The effected Sony VAIO models are:

VPCF11 Series: VPCF111FD, VPCF111FD/B, VPCF111FX, VPCF111FX/B, VPCF111FX/H, VPCF112FX, VPCF112FX/B, VPCF112FX/H, VPCF113FX, VPCF113FX/B, VPCF113FX/H, VPCF114FX, VPCF114FX/B, VPCF114FX/H, VPCF115FM, VPCF115FM/B, VPCF115FM/BL, VPCF116FX, VPCF116FX/B, VPCF116FX/H, VPCF117FX, VPCF117FX/B, VPCF117FX/B, VPCF117FX/H, VPCF1190X, VPCF119FX, VPCF119GX, VPCF119HX, VPCF11AFX, VPCF11AFX/B, VPCF11BFX, VPCF11BFX/B, VPCF11CGX, VPCF11CGX/B, VPCF11DGX, VPCF11DGX/B, VPCF11EGX, VPCF11EGX/B, VPCF11FGX, VPCF11FGX/B, VPCF11GGX, VPCF11GGX/B, VPCF11HGX, VPCF11HGX/B, VPCF11JFX, VPCF11JFX/B, VPCF11KFX, VPCF11KFX/B, VPCF11KFX/H, VPCF11LFX, VPCF11LFX/B, VPCF11LFX/H, VPCF11MFX, VPCF11MFX/B, VPCF11NFX, VPCF11NFX/B, VPCF11NFX/H, VPCF11PFX, VPCF11PFX/H, VPCF11QFX, VPCF11QFX/B and VPCF11QFX/H
VPCCW2 Series: VPCCW21FX, VPCCW21FX/B, VPCCW21FX/L, VPCCW21FX/P, VPCCW21FX/R, VPCCW21FX/W, VPCCW22FX, VPCCW22FX/B, VPCCW22FX/L, VPCCW22FX/P, VPCCW22FX/R, VPCCW22FX/W, VPCCW23FX, VPCCW23FX/B, VPCCW23FX/L, VPCCW23FX/P, VPCCW23FX/R, VPCCW23FX/W, VPCCW26FX, VPCCW26FX/B, VPCCW26FX/L, VPCCW26FX/P, VPCCW26FX/R, VPCCW26FX/W, VPCCW27FX, VPCCW27FX/B, VPCCW27FX/L, VPCCW27FX/P, VPCCW27FX/R, VPCCW27FX/W, VPCCW29FX, VPCCW29GX, VPCCW2AFX, VPCCW2AFX/B, VPCCW2BFX, VPCCW2BFX/B, VPCCW2CGX, VPCCW2CGX/B, VPCCW2DGX, VPCCW2DGX/B, VPCCW2EGX, VPCCW2EGX/B, VPCCW2FGX, VPCCW2FGX/B, VPCCW2GGX, VPCCW2GGX/B, VPCCW2HGX, VPCCW2HGX/B, VPCCW2JGX, VPCCW2JGX/B, VPCCW2KGX, VPCCW2KGX/B, VPCCW2LFX, VPCCW2LFX/B, VPCCW2LFX/L, VPCCW2LFX/P, VPCCW2LFX/R, VPCCW2LFX/W, VPCCW2MFX, VPCCW2MFX/PU, VPCCW2MFX/WJ, VPCCW2MGX, VPCCW2MGX/B, VPCCW2NFX, VPCCW2NFX/LU, VPCCW2PFX, VPCCW2PFX/L, VPCCW2PFX/R. VPCCW2PFX/W, VPCCW2QGX, VPCCW2QGX/B, VPCCW2RGX, VPCCW2RGX/B, VPCCW2SGX, VPCCW2SGX/B, VPCCW2TGX, VPCCW2TGX/B, VPCCW2UFX, VPCCW2UFX/B, VPCCW2VFX, and VPCCW2VFX/B

If your model number is included then consider contacting Sony’s service centers in Saudi Arabia. More information is on Sony’s eSupport website.

From Cnet via Buzz Out Loud.

“Riyad Bank” website defaced by hackers

Khaled A. — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:25:53 +0000

Riyad Bank’s Arabic homepage has been defaced by hackers. So much for electronic banking.

English homepage is still working, it appears that only the Arabic page has been defaced.

Temporary fix for Google Reader in Saudi Arabia

Khaled A. — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:40:30 +0000

For the last 2 weeks Google Reader hasn’t been working properly. You try to view the items but it just never syncs, anything you read will immediately be marked “unread” again.

Based on the many comments on Twitter I can only conclude one cause: STC. But I guess they don’t care about their customers or they should have fixed it already.

The possible solutions are: 1) Visit the secure https version of Google Reader. 2) Use a Google reader client instead of a web browser. 3) Change your DNS.

I hope that STC will fix this issue as soon as possible.

Etisalat wants a bigger slice of Mobily’s cake

Khaled A. — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:00:26 +0000

UAE’s Etisalat, an important shareholder in Mobily, has expressed their interest in having a bigger share of second largest mobile carrier in Saudi Arabia.

From Zawya:

After Etisalat’s general assembly meeting, in which it approved a 60% dividend and a 10% giveaway, Omran only offered that his company is working to determine a fair price at which it would buy more of Mobily’s outstanding shares.
He added that Etisalat would finish its buying spree by the end of the year, adding that all of the company’s foreign investments are sound and well contemplated.

More info in Arabic: AlRiyadh and AlEqt.

STC Fiber to the Home Press Release

Khaled A. — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:19:41 +0000

Saudi Telecommunication Company did not post this so I will post it here instead, with their obvious mistakes. So it’s as received.

A qualitative breakthrough in the Internet service in the Kingdom

STC provides its customers with the highest Internet speed in the region (100 megabytes) through FTTH technology

Saudi Telecom introduced a qualitative and remarkable breakthrough in the field of Broadband services in the Kingdom by launching, for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa “MENA” a (100 Mega) package which secures the highest Internet speed “100 megabytes/second” through the Fiber to the Home technology “FTTH” technology. The customer’s house is connected with modern and developed Fiber Optic cables which transmit very high speeds and provide Internet services at the best quality and efficiency as it is the best Broadband technologies in the world. Saudi Telecom Company emphasized that providing its customers with high speeds comes within its continuous efforts to propagate the Broadband services in the Saudi society and offer the best Internet services to its customers at the lowest prices in order to generate an added value to their life and assist them perform many services and businesses through the Internet with high quality and efficiency incomparable to other Internet technologies.

In a press declaration given on this occasion, Engineer Saud Bin Majed Al Daweesh, CEO of STC Group, said that the success of Saudi Telecom in launching the Fiber to the Home technology “FTTH” is a qualitative breakthrough introduced by the Company in the field of Internet services in the Kingdom and it supports STC pioneering leadership of Broadband services by providing various technologies in order to contribute to changing the lives of thousands of the members of the society. This stems from the fact that such technology provides real and safe Internet at very high speeds in browsing and downloading software reaching 100 megabytes / second. Thus customers could enjoy the various Internet services, content services, multi-play services, HD TV, video library, various types of electronic games and many other services offered by the Company to its customers.

Engineer Daweesh pointed out that FTTH service is the most prominent new generation in Broadband networks which shall allow customers to use the Internet in the various fields and new applications such as e-learning services, medical examinations, three-dimensional presentations (audio, video and data), holding international conferences, remote security and control and all Broadband applications which assist in reaching the house of the future. In such house, its owner shall deal with its electric and electronic appliances through smart modern technology without having to perform the works which used to take prolonged time and efforts.

The CEO of the Company also stressed STC incessant endeavors to lead the initiative in launching the all-new services in the Saudi Market especially Broadband services. All members of the society make use of such new services and the Company is working towards quickly and properly providing their requirements in a manner that copes with the Saudi society needs.

STC customer, Fahd Al-Ballaa, An-Nakhil District in Riyadh, expressed his utmost happiness and thanks to Saudi Telecom which makes him the first customer all over the Middle East who connects the 100 megabyte speed to his house. He added that providing this service by STC emphasizes its pioneering role in spreading real Broadband services at the highest speeds in the Saudi society which makes the Kingdom the first country in the region which launches the highest speed in the world.

Al-Ballaa stated that he really experienced an extraordinary experiment and felt a tremendous speed which enables him to download some videos and extremely voluminous data in a flash. He never imagined this to happen until he experimented this service. He added “I and all my family members are surprisingly impressed with this new technology. I hope that it will have a positive impact on the family members by allowing them features such as distance education and accessing online technical and educational files and materials in an unprecedented speed”.

HOME SECTORE

End of press release.

I have no idea what “home sectore” is. My rant will be posted on my personal site instead.