Anime News Network suddenly blocked in Saudi Arabia

Anime News Network (www.animenewsnetwork.com), a very popular Anime news website was suddenly blocked in Saudi Arabia sometime last week according to @Shinryoma.

Anime News Network was never blocked in the country. Anime is not porn, CITC.

Update: Thanks @Turke and @Missice81 for telling me this. Manga Fox ( www.mangafox.com ) a Manga source, as been blocked as [...]

Google isn't working for some STC subscribers

Update: More people are having problems (here and here). The problem is apparently caused by using any external DNS (Google DNS for example). This is very weird.

This is not surprising. Some STC customers (including me, Muneeb in Dhahran and Abdullah in Riyadh) are having problems accessing Google. This appears to be random because others told [...]

DHL slowing myus shipments to push DHL EasyShop?

Update: on Yousef’s shipment: finally in Jeddah, again. Wanna see something funny? Here’s the shipment mapped.

DHL EasyShop is another US forwarding services similar to MyUS. I didn’t get the chance to try it but if you’re interested read this first impressions post on 2:48am and this site dedicated to comment about how bad it really [...]

STC/Mobily/Zain 3G Band

I am about to purchase a Novatel MiFi 2352 or 2372. The MiFi shares a 3G data connection as a wireless access point and it’s battery powered. The difference between the 2 models is this:

MiFi 2352 uses the following bands: Tri-band HSUPA/HSDPA 900/1900/2100 MHz and Quad-band GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz. The MiFi 2372 however is: Tri-band [...]

Blocked in Saudi: Domain Tools' WHOIS

Domain Tools (not blocked) is an online tool for webmasters. Their WHOIS service (formally known as whois.sc) is now blocked. The blocked URL is:

whois.domaintools.com

WHOIS is a harmless protocol used to look-up domain names, etc. There is no reason what so ever for having it blocked. Read more about WHOIS on Wikipedia.

To help getting it [...]

PKI Seminar at Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh

The Saudi MCIT (don’t mind the design) will be hosting a 2 day seminar on PKI (Public key infrastructure). The seminars will be for 2 days starting tomorrow the 15th to the 16th of December 2009. The seminar will be titled “Experiences, Opportunities and Challenges in PKI”.

The following will be speaking at the seminar:

Dr. [...]

Blocked in Saudi Arabia: Google Help Group

Google’s very own “Google Groups Guide” Google group is blocked for no known reason. This is a Google Groups help and support forum. Here’s more info about it:

The Google Groups Help Forum is the primary channel for getting your Groups questions answered. You’ll find that this community is always buzzing with activity. Get ready to [...]

Video: Microsoft Windows 7 launch in Saudi Arabia

I have to say that I am not impressed with this presentation by Microsoft Saudi Arabia. Special thanks to @MarwanAlmuraisy for posting the video.

Microsoft is supposed to start a Windows 7 ad campaign this Wednesday, we will see how effective it is going to be.

Windows 7 prices in Saudi Arabia (Full & OEM prices)

Microsoft Windows 7 is now available in Saudi Arabia. The prices are (from Jarir Bookstore).

Windows 7 Home Premium Full 469SR ($125).
Windows 7 Professional Full 889SR ($237).
Windows 7 Ultimate Full 949SR ($253). (thanks Zeyad).

These are full editions and not upgrades or OEM (system builder) versions. The full version of Windows 7 all allow you to [...]

Windows 7 quietly launched in Saudi Arabia

Update: finally found the press release by Microsoft.

In a small event in Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Microsoft Saudi Arabia has launched the company’s latest operating system: Windows 7. Microsoft Saudi Arabia’s “launch party” was a small press release attended by Samir Noaman, MS Saudi’s new CEO, Waiel Snosi, manager of MS Saudi sales and [...]