Damn government - Blackberry's to be banned.

[Asterix]

fking joke. Because, and I quote, 'Government officials say BlackBerrys are used in the region in ways that are not considered to be appropriate behaviour in conservative Muslim countries, such as dating and flirting with members of the opposite sex.'

Seriously - this must be a joke!!!!!!

So after being caught spying on BB users last year, they still have their knickers in a twist because RIM wont let them view you messages.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI...

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI...

[Chilli]

Another step backwards, away from the rest of the world then?

[Asterix]

Chilli said:

Another step backwards, away from the rest of the world then?

Exactly - I commented the same on the Gulf News site (which I doubt will get published and I expect the secret police round any mome

[Gnits]

Wow.
Did they wind their clocks back too far? It's the 21st Century for most of us.

[dictys]

Must be all those new shares in Apple

[Dunk1982]

What do they expect!? Ban BB and the won't just use another phone to do the same!? Banning Blackberrys would be like telling the locals that they can no longer smoke or drive Land Cruisers!!

Here in Bahrain everyone and their mother has a bloody BB! In most cases two of the bloody phones, although just think how quiet and peacefull it will be without that fking annoying BBM tone going off everywhere!!

[Dunk1982]

Listening to Radio One online and they just mentioned this in the news, mentioned Saudi and the UAE, the Saudi part dosent surprise me one bit but the UAE trying to does surprise me.

[dilbert]

I'm pretty sure things like Skype are banned in the UAE and the wider middle east for similar reasons.

[Dunk1982]

Skype works fine for me here in Bahrain but i think its banned in the UAE?

I should think that banning BB's in the UAE will have a huge affect on their business' there both nationaly and internationally, say you're travelling to UAE from the UK or USA as thousands do each year, are those people to be expected to leave their work/personal BB's at home thus not being able to recive emails etc on the go!?

[dictys]

In summary it is down to bb messenger and push information being held on Canadian servers and therefore the uae and Saudi can't check or control the content.

[Chilli]

Dunk1982 said:

Skype works fine for me here in Bahrain but i think its banned in the UAE?

Works fine for me in Dubai too...although a) not sure how to use it yet, and b) not sure if I'm supposed to have it.

I was told it's only naughty to download it in the UAE, but to use it is ok. (This may be total bollix though)

[jas xjr]

do not know how accurate this is but i heard it was because bb output is encrypted

[K50 DEL]

Reading an information advert from Du in GulfNews last night it seems that it'll be fine to have a blackberry, and calls, SMS and MMS will still work fine, it's just the data that's "pushed" from servers in Canada and the UK (Blackberry Messenger) that the UAE government are turning off.

[Gentleman Geoff]

I don't mean to sound like a troll . . . but does anyone know when the iPhone 4 will officially be available in the UAE?

I suppose what I really mean is, when will Etisalat or du start supplying the micro-SIM cards to fit it? I've heard that it's possible to trim a regular SIM to fit, but that idea sounds like it has disaster written all over it!

[PhillT]

Gentleman Geoff said:

I don't mean to sound like a troll . . . but does anyone know when the iPhone 4 will officially be available in the UAE?

I suppose what I really mean is, when will Etisalat or du start supplying the micro-SIM cards to fit it? I've heard that it's possible to trim a regular SIM to fit, but that idea sounds like it has disaster written all over it!

I believe that both already do, as the same micro SIMs fit in the iPad. Drop them a line.

[Gentleman Geoff]

PhillT said:

Gentleman Geoff said:

when will Etisalat or du start supplying the micro-SIM cards

I believe that both already do, as the same micro SIMs fit in the iPad. Drop them a line.

Do they? I didn't even think that the iPad was 'officially' available over here yet! Thanks, I will make some enquiries with them.