Saudi TechView » News

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.

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.

Mobily offers customer support via Twitter

Khaled A. — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:45:52 +0000

In an excellent move to embrace social networks in Saudi Arabia, Mobily has announced via their CIO (Medhat Amer) that if you any any issues with your Mobily service then just send a twitter post (tweet) with @mobily1100.

Mobily’s main twitter account is @Mobily and is now dedicated for Mobily news. STC also have a twitter account (@STC_KSA) but it’s hardly used for support.

Mobily is not the first in the region, Du is providing support for their customers in UAE.

Mobily CIO tweet in Arabic and English.

Rails-KSA, Ruby on Rails group in Saudi Arabia

Khaled A. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:40:04 +0000

A new Google Group for Ruby on Rails developers/enthusiasts in Saudi Arabia has been started by Abdulaziz.

Ruby on Rails “is an open source web application framework for the Ruby programming language. It is intended to be used with an Agile development methodology that is used by web developers for rapid development.”

The group is named Rails-KSA and you can find it here.

Latest Telco Tech: Team Logo on Modem

Khaled A. — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:35:25 +0000

This is the latest innovation in the field of Mobile Internet telecommunications: print your team flag on it! That’s what STC and Mobily think is a good idea.

Here’s the STC “Quicknet“, sounds a lot like Quakenet.

And Mobily’s “Connect AL-Zaeeem” for Hilal, that’s too many eees.

My advice to the 2 companies: Mobily, just make sure you have enough iPhone 3GS in stock and STC, improve your DSL lines and allow me to use BeejiveIM, open these ports!

Windows 7 quietly launched in Saudi Arabia

Khaled A. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:43:40 +0000

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 Sharif Morsi manager of Windows 7 marketing.

The launch event is very quiet compared to previous Windows operating system launches.

Microsoft Saudi Arabia is expected to launch a big Windows 7 advertisement campaign on October 28th in Saudi Arabia.

Via True Gaming.

Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade STC’s network

Khaled A. — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:51:20 +0000

Saudi Telecom Company has signed a deal with Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade their network so they can serve additional 2 million customers by 2010.

Under the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide its packet optical transport solution for DSLAM traffic aggregation and Ethernet business services, along with its DSL and GPON /MSAN technology.

STC needs to work more on improving their infrastructure. Via Saudi Gazette.

Eid Mubarak 2009

Khaled A. — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:33:22 +0000

We at Saudi TechView would like to wish everyone a Happy Eid ul-Fitr. Eid Mubarak! كل عام و أنتم أجمل.

Image was kindly provided by Abdullah.