60mins Day 2 - 7 PM (2013)

Strategic ICT Partner

Technology Partners

60 Mins Show dates: 20-24 October 2013, Dubai World Trade Centre

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AT GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK

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Exhibition hours: 11am -6pm

Microsoft goes big on Windows 8.1 at GITEX

WHAT’S INSIDE

Microsoft has gone big on its new operating system, Windows 8.1, this GITEX, as it hopes to achieve better integration between devices and services.

According to Jeff Smith, Director of Operating Systems Marketing, Microsoft, the updated version to Microsoft’s controversial Windows 8 OS will appeal to large numbers of new users in a number of ways.

“The key thing for us is that, with Windows 8, which we launched, that was a very bold new thing for 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

STC signs MoU with Linksys for home technology solutions

HP boasts of software strengths Karam Jabi, Industry Standard Servers Business unit Manager, HP Middle East, took time to tell 60 Minutes the direction HP is going taking in the software arena.

The IT giant has healthily

grown its software capabilities and portfolio in the last 12 months, and has been rewarded with a strong market share in the Middle East.

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Tejuri.com fasttracks retailers into ‘e-tail’ space AMD plans transformation

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HP...

According to Jabi, much of the company’s offerings are being driven by the trend of virtualisation, which has taken the enterprise by storm.

“The main current market trends that we are catering our software for is the increase in online transactions, and of virtualisation, and, in particular, achieving easy access to a variety of data from the office area,” he said.

“Most of the products we have consequently designed cater for this future around easy access and virtualisation, and their fusion into the business world. They are becoming core aspects of an organisation.”

Jabi also emphasised his certainty that the originality and precision of HP’s Moon Shot software has massive potential to

“Most of the products we have consequently designed cater for this future around easy access and virtualisation, and their fusion into the business world. They are becoming core aspects of an organisation.” transform data traffic.

“Our main offering at GITEX is the smallest server ever built, Moon Shot,” he said. “This platform is currently designed for static workshops, but in the future we see potential in the gaming industry, as the current

platform is very compact in size.

“In a 4.3u space, we can fit 45 server units and will cater for any specific needs. These software defined servers are specifically designed. Every company that uses a portal is a potential future client for us.

HP will be launching a few additional products in this area before the end of 2013, he added.

“The trends we are seeing now run parallel to those when blades came onto the market. This explosion of data will create the need for a variety of products.”

STC signs MoU with Linksys for home technology solutions

On the sidelines of GITEX Technology Week 2013, STC has concluded a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Linksys for the provision of home technology solutions.

The service provides solutions for boosting the in-home Wi-Fi signal, in addition to solutions

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for the internal wiring of the customer’s home so all family members can enjoy the Wi-Fi coverage.

Commenting on the agreement, Mazyad Al-Harbi, STC Vice President for Home Services, said: “At STC we endeavor to provide technology solutions for boosting

the indoors internet signal so it can cover the entire home, thus enabling our customer of enjoying a home that emulates the modern technology development that we’re nowadays experiencing. STC is the first Middle East company to sign a Wi-Fi technology solution agreement.”

For his part, Muhammad Meraj Hoda, Linksys Vice President for International Markets, said: “It gives us great pleasure to enter into this agreement under which we shall be providing solutions for boosting the in-home Wi-Fi signal in addition to the provision of solutions for the internal wiring of our customer’s home. We shall endeavor with STC to actualize the objective of concluding this agreement.”

Linksys is one of the world’s most powerful companies in the field of in-home and office wireless connections.

This week at GITEX, STC has also introduced Jood economy bundles to suit the customers’ multiple needs and requirements via a distinct set of economy keys for such bundles.

In terms of this, the bundles include open phone and mobile calls, real and high-speed Internet, Quicknet of different capacities, and the Smart Interactive TV, Invision.

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Microsoft... mobility, and it was a very important wave of innovation around alwayson, touch-centric computing. With the 8.1 release, we really advanced that,” he told 60 Minutes.

With Windows 8.1, then, Microsoft has given users more ways to personalise their devices, access their files and integrate with cloudbased services such as SkyDrive.

“We’ve added the ability to add rotating photos to your lock screen, to adjust the sizes of your icons on the Start screen, and to have your desktop background be the same as on your Start screen,” Smith said about the new personalisation features of Windows 8.1.

In terms of integration with online services, Smith said that Windows 8.1 really pushed the boat out when it comes to user-friendliness. At the core of this, he explained, was Bing Smart Search, which allows users to find anything on the device (or online) via a simple search bar on the screen.

“We’ve really taken search to a whole new level with Windows 8.1 devices, be they tablets or PCs. If you’re looking for a website, a file or a photo, you can find that all just by typing from your keyboard. If you’re looking for how to change your desktop image, you can just type in “change desktop image”, and it’ll pull up the settings, or you can get help from articles from the Web. If you’re searching for music, or you want to find a particular song, you can type it in, and if it’s in your library, it’ll find it for you, and if it’s not, it also find it for you on the Web,” Smith said.

Tejuri.com fast-tracks retailers into ‘e-tail’ space Tejuri.com has recently signed 100 retailers on board, fast-tracking them into the e-commerce space. At GITEX Technology Week 2013, the company believes it is an opportunity to help people understand its relationship with Department of Economic Development (DED).

“DED heavily supports what Tejuri is trying to do,” said Neil Tunbridge, Sales Director, Tejuri. com. “They are well aware of the limitations of the retail market here and understand how we facilitate this new revenue stream with retailers.

The next phase for Tejuri.com is to launch a dedicated Arabic site, which it said will happen in

the next month or so.

Following that, the company plans to launch a dedicated mobile site and apps.

“Once we have the retailers of the region signed up, it’s then about bringing new and exciting retailers into the UAE from other parts of the world,” Tunbridge said.

The company has just signed a strategic partnership with the UK government, where it will help bring smaller retail SMEs from UK into the Middle East.

“The support from DED will allows us to facilitate market entry, company set-up and other support,” he adds.

Tejuri.com conceptually is a platform that trades as an

online mall. With several familiar lifestyle brands such as Nike, Sharaf DG, Lifestyle, Samsung and Reebok, the online mall is looking at category led targets such as “target for lifestyle and footwear. We are looking at growing and owning certain categories in the online space,” Tunbridge said.

The company targets 115 live retail stores by the end of the year. And within those stores, it hopes to house 350 brands.

“We assist retailers to go online with a full support of an operations and in-house marketing team,” Tunbridge said.

“We then take a percentage from the transactions that happen on the site, which is our agreed business model.

“There is very low minimal set up cost, hence it is apt for retailers looking to have an online presence.”

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AMD plans transformation

The graphics architecture and IP of semiconductor company AMD must change to suit the consumerisation of the enterprise. This according to the company’s Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Darren Grasby.

“Markets are changing, the consumerisation of the marketplace has moved the goalposts slightly,” he said. “With the world becoming more mobile, traditional consumer notebooks are under pressure, and AMD’s graphics architecture and world class IP will have to change.”

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The rise of smartphones and tablets has had a rippling effect on the traditional PC and laptop markets.

This has also effected the enterprise market, where many employees now insist of using their personal smart devices in the workplace.

The experience they enjoy on such devices has created a large contrast with the more corporate and rigid user experience of classic personal computers.

“As the world becomes more

mobile, so a devices,” Grasby said.

“We are here to discuss all our products, so we can meet a wide variety of customers. We’ve launched a range of thinner notebooks and a new range of graphics.”

“The processors we offer are built for the mobile world, and run with current market trends.”

AMD has recently become a member of the HAS foundation, which will allow software developers to write code directly into our AP technology.

HAS is a growing trend in the

Middle East, and AMD’s strategy will allow it to drive that trend in helping transform the industry.

“The Middle East market is changing enormously,” Grasby said.

“The development of a variety of products including desktops, which even now have a steady market, offer huge potential.

“The reality is the world is becoming more mobile, and this trend has swept east. Global PC vendors now rely on distribution markets, and they will become very important in how we interact with the market.”

GITEX highlights

Publisher Dominic De Sousa, COO Nadeem Hood, Commercial Director Rajashree R Kumar, Group Editor Jeevan Thankappan Editors Ben Rossi, Tom Paye, Janees Reghelini, James Dartnell Circulation Manager Rajeesh M, Production Manager James Tharian, Senior Designers Analou Balbero, Glenn Roxas, Digital Services Manager Tristan Troy Magma Web Coordinator Jarris Pedroso Photographers Jay Colina, Abdul Kader

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