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dubai posts

Etisalat BlackBerry update was indeed spyware, RIM provides a solution

by Darren Murph posted Jul 21st 2009 @ 9:41AM

Um, yikes? An unexpected (and unwanted) surprise struck some 145,000 BlackBerry users in the UAE this time last week, when an official looking prompt coerced many of the aforesaid Etisalat customers to follow through with a software update. Rather than bringing about performance enhancements, the SS8-built app enabled the carrier to keep tabs on customers' messages. According to RIM:

"Etisalat appears to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application... independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorized access to private or confidential information stored on the user's smartphone. Independent sources have concluded that the Etisalat update is not designed to improve performance of your BlackBerry Handheld, but rather to send received messages back to a central server."

Like we said, yikes. The zaniest part is that Etisalat isn't backing down, still assuring the world that the upgrades were "required for service enhancements." At any rate, RIM has made remarkably clear that the update wasn't one authorized by the company, and it's even providing an app remover for those who'd prefer their BlackBerry to be in working order and, you know, not forwarding all their email to some dude in an Etisalat supply closet. Good on you, RIM. Bad on you, Etisalat.

[Thanks, Gerald]

Read - Confirmation of spyware
Read - RIM app remover

The SBMP-N90 phone isn't quite as cool as the Burj Al Arab it apes

by Chris Ziegler posted Mar 9th 2009 @ 1:14AM

Call it a KIRF Burj Al Arab, if you will, but no one's going to be fooled -- in fact, unless you tell 'em, we're willing to bet that most folks won't even realize that the dual-SIM SBMP-N90 in your pocket has anything to do with the famous Dubai structure. That said, the blue and metallic candybar does include a pretty cool stand, so if you're willing to deal with the lack of 3G or EDGE and the mere 1.3 megapixel cam -- and you're willing to take some time to explain how the thing has any relationship whatsoever to a building halfway around the world -- the phone might be for you. See it in glorious video action after the break.

Continue reading The SBMP-N90 phone isn't quite as cool as the Burj Al Arab it apes

The handsets of GITEX 2008: HTC, SE and TechFaith

by Darren Murph posted Nov 15th 2008 @ 4:24AM

Given that Dubai pretty much has it out for every other spectacle in the entire universe, it's no shock to see the mecca pick up a major consumer electronics trade show of its own. This year's GITEX 2008 has come and gone, but there are still images left to remind us of the show that was. PocketPCDubai was fortunate enough to tour the show floor with a camera in hand, and while the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 wasn't a shocker, there were quite a few intriguing WinMo handsets in attendance. For a look at what all TechFaith had to offer (along with a few shots of the luscious Touch HD from HTC), head on down to the read link.

Neo intros diminutive 808i handset for Middle East / Europe

by Darren Murph posted Dec 14th 2006 @ 11:00AM

There's no shortage of wee sized mobiles out there to test the longevity of our poor eyes, but the "UK- and Dubai-based" startup, dubbed Neo, is adding yet another option to the mix. While we admire the shiny Photoshop job seen above, the company has reportedly assured us all that the miniscule 808i will see the light of day in "March 2007." Admittedly, the specs aren't too far-fetched (unlike some yet-to-be-produced handsets out there), as it touts tri-band compatibility, a color LCD, Bluetooth, 1.3-megapixel camera, MP3 / MP4 playback, 128MB of flash memory, and a microSD slot. At a glance, the nifty bar atop the mobile bears resemblance to some of Sony Ericsson's offerings, but the 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3-centimeter enclosure and 90-gram weight sure stands out. If all goes "as planned," the 808i should hit the Middle East just a few months into 2007, with Europe getting it soon after.

[Via RegHardware]