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BlackBerry’s ‘next-level’ Z30 launched in Dubai
BlackBerry’s ‘next-level’ Z30 launched in Dubai Alvin R. Cabral / 24 September 2013 BlackBerry has launched its new all-touch Z30 smartphone in the Middle East on Monday, with the first units having been made available at its BlackBerry Store in The Dubai Mall late last night, as the Canadian handset maker looks to ride the momentum borne out of its latest suite of BlackBerry 10 OS-powered devices. After the exclusive launch, the Z30 will be available through BlackBerry’s partners beginning today. While the competition in the smartphone segment is getting tougher by the day, BlackBerry is “actually doing very well” especially in the Middle East, according to a top official, who pointed out that the firm is still enjoying consumers’ trust with its devices and services. “The Middle East is definitely one of our key growth markets… because people trust us and have utmost confidence in BlackBerry,” Mike Al Mefleh, senior director of Product Management and Platform – Software Services at BlackBerry, told Khaleej Times in an interview. “We laid out the foundation with our OS 10 devices and we took it to the next level.” He pointed out that BlackBerry provides important aspects in mobile computing — security, integrity, privacy and reliability — components that are critical especially in today’s fast-paced and broader world of mobile computing. “As a consumer you want your information available to you, and we provide that,” Al Mefleh said, pointing out that its flagship BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM, continues to enjoy the support of users especially here in the region. “Consumers enjoy BBM because it is very secure and very private, unlike other social media apps,” he said, adding that in the Middle East, BBM’s penetration rate is at 98 per cent, and even 99 per cent in some countries. New flagship Z30 Last week, BlackBerry — the former Research In Motion — released a statement from its Waterloo What’s new in the z30? BlackBerry has touted its new all-touch Z30 smartphone as its “biggest, fastest and most advanced”. Here’s the lowdown: BlackBerry Priority Hub — You can now learn what conversations and what people are important to you making it fast and easy to find the messages and information you need. BBM now in any app and message previews everywhere — You can now get a preview of any message as it arrives in whatever app you’re using, and immediately dismiss it or tap it to read the full content and respond. Stereo audio and BlackBerry Natural Sound — The Z30 smartphone comes with stereo speakers that immerse you in your sounds, and makes conversations look like it’s face-to-face. New antennae technology — A new-generation antennae technology dynamically tunes reception to give better connectivity in low-signal areas. headquarters that it would be launching its Z30 smartphone this week in the Middle East and the United Kingdom, with other regions to follow soon. It comes after the company released its new devices running the latest BlackBerry 10 OS — the all-touch Z10 and the touch-and-type Q10 and Q5. Most recently, it unveiled the 9720 that runs on OS 7. The Z30 will be its “biggest, fastest and most advanced” smartphone to date, featuring BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, a five-inch Super Amoled display, a 1.7GHz processor with quad-core graphics and the largest battery — 2880mAh — yet on a BlackBerry device. It has four stereo speakers with BlackBerry Natural Sound, a new-generation BlackBerry Paratek Antennae that gives faster data transfers and many other features. Demonstrating the Z30, Al Mefleh says that the company continues to highlight its BlackBerry Hub — the “centre of communications” — on the phone, which has been well-received by users. Enhanced as the BlackBerry Priority Hub, it is now able to list the most important messages and collects priority messages. It also has a new attachment button to save time when sending files. He said that the BlackBerry Hub — as it has always been — is a “shift and transformation in making life easier for users”. A new notification feature has also been added on the Z30; for example, a message can be read and replied to while browsing, without closing the latter. This feature can also be disabled for privacy reasons. And good news for those considering a BlackBerry for their next phone: Al Mefleh confirmed that the Z30 will now be able to run more apps based on Google’s Android operating system, a welcome development in the cross-platform arena. He added that the number of apps available for the OS 10 on the BlackBerry AppWorld site is now up from an initial 50,000 to 140,000, meaning that users have a broader choice — and more reasons to get themselves a BlackBerry. Its typing and browsing feature was touted by Al Mefleh, calling it “the best typing and browsing experience… we keep improving and mastering this”. He says that continuing to improve user experience on a smartphone “is the future; we continue to make life easier and simpler”. “We have enjoyed the success of the BlackBerry OS 10. Since we introduced it, we have seen that… people have liked what we’ve given them.” Al Mefleh was confident that the Z30 — selling for Dh2,499 — will be met positively by consumers. And when asked on what other devices are to be launched in 2013, he reiterated an earlier announcement this year that BlackBerry was slated to roll out six new ones. “You know what we’ve launched; you do the math,” he said candidly. – alvin@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Sharjah Police in dramatic rescue of suicidal student
Sharjah Police in dramatic rescue of suicidal student Afkar Abdullah / 22 September 2013 Police prevented a university student from leaping to her death from the top of a Sharjah hotel, in a dramatic rescue operation. Sharjah Police Stations Director Omar Al Suwaidi said the 22-year-old woman from Saudi Arabia, a student at Sharjah University, went into the coffee shop of the Al Aryan Hotel in Sharjah on Saturday morning, before sneaking through an emergency exit, climbing to the top of the hotel and exiting on to the helipad. The security and administration of the hotel saw the woman on the hotel’s security camera footage and called the police at 11.10am, after she rebuffed their approaches. Speaking to Khaleej Times , the manager of Al Aryan Hotel said as soon as staff saw the woman on camera they went to try to speak with her, but when she refused to respond they called police. He said the hotel made strides to protect residents and guests, and the emergency doors to the helipad were always open in case of emergency. The Anjad patrol, ambulance and Civil Defence services and psychiatrists arrived at the scene to attempt negotiations. The police negotiated with the girl for almost two hours, before convincing her to drink water, as she was becoming weak and dehydrated as a result of the high temperatures outside. Al Suwaidi said police managed to grab her back while she was drinking the water, before taking her inside and to the ground. The police took the distressed woman to Al Kuwaiti Hospital for a check-up, though doctors said she was fine and had no medical problem. She is reportedly suffering from depression. The woman was at Al Buhairah Police Station late last night, where she was being questioned over the reasons she wanted to commit suicide. Police said the reason for her actions was not yet clear and investigations were continuing. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Suicide attack on Pakistani church kills 56 people
Suicide bombers kill more than 60 at Pakistan church (AFP) / 22 September 2013 A double suicide bombing killed more than 60 people at a church service in northwest Pakistan on Sunday, officials said, believed to be the deadliest attack on Christians in the troubled country. The two bombers struck at the end of a service at All Saints Church in Peshawar, the main town of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Doctor Mohammad Iqbal of Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital said that 61 people had been killed and 120 wounded. Fellow doctor Sher Ali confirmed the numbers. Sahibzada Anees , one of Peshawar’s most senior officials, told reporters the bombers struck when the service had just ended. “Most of the wounded are in critical condition,” Anees said. “We are in an area which is a target of terrorism and within that area there was a special security arrangement for the church. We are in a rescue phase and once it is over we will investigate what went wrong.” Former minister for inter-faith harmony Paul Bhatti and provincial lawmaker Fredrich Azeem Ghauri both said the attack was the deadliest ever targeting Christians in Pakistan. School teacher Nazir Khan , 50, said the service had just ended and at least 400 worshippers were greeting each other when there was a big explosion. “A huge blast threw me on the floor and as soon as I regained my senses, a second blast took place and I saw wounded people everywhere,” Khan tosaid. Grieving relatives blocked the main Grand Trunk road highway with bodies of the victims to protest against the killings, an AFP reporter said. Provincial lawmaker Ghauri said there were about 200,000 Christians in the province, of whom 70,000 lived in Peshawar. “Now after this attack Christians across Pakistan will fear for their lives,” he warned. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the bombings. “Terrorists have no religion and targeting innocent people is against the teachings of Islam and all religions,” he said in a statement. Sharif said such “cruel acts of terrorism reflect the brutality and inhumane mindset of the terrorists”. Continue reading
