First PDA and Pocket PC Summit in the Middle East Generates Keen Interest in Traders and End-users

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/32097.html' target='_blank'>http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/32097.html</a><br /><br /></div>"The first PDA Summit in the Middle East was opened today at 9 a.m. with a warm and insightful welcome speech by Mrs. Katia Tayar, President of Arabcom Group, the organizers of the event. Present at the opening ceremony were a large number of top official government and corporate delegates, in addition to the numerous exhibitors, forum participants and trade visitors comprising businessmen, professionals, resellers, end-users and the general public who were curious to glimpse the latest gadgets and technologies on display..."<br /><br />Are there any Pocket PC Thoughts readers attending this conference? I'd like to know more about how it's going!

[Pocket PC Dubai]

Yes Jason I am attending it, the first day was very interesting, check out the conference agenda here (http://www.mepocketpc.com/conferenceagenda/conferenceagenda.htm). I missed the conference due to my other commitment to my own job because there was another event running in the same time “Dubai 2003 Air Show”. However nearly at the end of the first day I caught up with the “Workshop” and then I met with the organizers: Katia Tayar (President & CEO) and Jean-Louis Farwagi (Vice President). I discussed with them the timing of this event. Due to Dubai’s Air show (which started earlier in the 7th of December) some delegates didn’t find a chance to attend because there were few hotel vacancies due to the events, but there were many people attended the first day. I also met with different exhibitors such as HP, they also complained about the same thing, because they were too busy with these too events, they are also involved in Dubai Air show as IT sponsors.

I hope I can make it today to the conference and the workshop as well. At the end of yesterday’s conference there was an interesting debate during the workshop that was presented by Mr. Markus C. Mueller, CEO “Ubitexx”. They where discussing which platform is better: Palm and Pocket PC. The speaker tried to keep himself form leaning towards Palm. He was trying to be “unbiased” but I felt that he favored Palm devices. But personally I observed that many executives favored Pocket PCs because they are familiar with windows, or as the speaker described them as “Microsoft Minded” :)


Mohd
pocketpcdubai.com

[alhamadi]

I am attending right now and I thought it will good idea to brief you about the first day,so I start right using my Qtek 1010,but after I have finished righting and click submit... guess what happen? freezed!!! some time I ask myself why we are hooked with microsoft? Dont tell me it is the best OS as I am posting this message using P800 as I always do when my pocketpc let me down!
Anyway,the summit in brief is successfull,many attendees and supported by big organizations.The emphasis was on arabizing the PDA and I am happy to see many companies providing solutions and applications which 2 years ago I was struggling to find any. Anathor good news is the remark by microsoft that arabic support will embeded in the next WM OS version. sorry but I have to go back to the Auditorium,bye.

[David Prahl]

Thanks for the updates, guys! Is anyone planning on taking pictures?

[Pocket PC Dubai]

David Prahl, I took some pictures I'll post them later :)


Mohd
pocketpcdubai.com

[e-monk]

How come no Israeli deligates and were allowed to arrive to this summit? I thought it was a Middle Eastern summit, not an Arab summit.

Anyway, I won't be surprised if the new bidi engine will work for both Hebrew and Arabic.

[Kati Compton]

Please, no politics here. It nearly always gets ugly.

[maximus]

Yeah, lets just discuss about PPC vs. palm instead. :mrgreen:

[Pocket PC Dubai]

Yeah, lets just discuss about PPC vs. palm instead. :mrgreen:

Which was one of the interesting topics from this summit. Microsoft and Palm face to face, and both they where present. The organizers actually planned for this debate. As well they invited Nokia and Sony Ericsson but both companies backed away. :)