While cloud computing has existed for a number of years, the concepts and workings it espouses have become increasingly popular recently, leading to some misunderstanding of what is encompassed under the term. Its definition remains quite wide, though service providers and enterprises have started to make concrete steps towards utilising its core components
From hype to here
October 30th, 2010 — Issue 21 October 2010
Reality check
October 25th, 2010 — Issue 21 October 2010
Mobile augmented reality allows computer-generated content to be superimposed over a live camera view of the world. The technology and its applications have been under development for a number of years, though it is in 2010 and that more applications are expected to proliferate on mobile devices, and monetisation of such services is expected to gain traction
Juniper Research says revenues from augmented reality are unlikely to exceed US$2 million in 2010, due to there being only a small minority of smartphones that are AR-enabled
The reluctant CEO
October 17th, 2010 — Issue 21 October 2010
When Jorma Ollila stepped down as Nokia CEO and chairman in 2006, his successor was always going to find it challenging to maintain the levels of success Ollila brought to the Finnish telecom manufacturer in his 13-year reign. Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo was that successor, a Nokia insider seen as a safe pair of hands. However, what has transpired over the past four years indicates that a safe pair of hands is no longer enough to survive and thrive in a brutally competitive global handset market
Kallasvuo made a dignified exit from Nokia after the board lost confidence in his ability to defend the company’s position from mounting competitive threats (Getty Images)
mHealth – just what the doctor ordered
October 10th, 2010 — Issue 21 October 2010
Mobile health (mHealth) is a growing vertical market around the world, though the size of the opportunities that exist are yet to be fully quantified. Gilles Fayad, director of business development, VAS, MENA at Qualcomm believes localisation of needs and solutions will be an integral component of the mass market take up of such services
Nawras takes flight
October 6th, 2010 — Issue 21 October 2010
On September 15, 2010, Omani telco Nawras announced its intention to list on the Muscat Securities Market in a development that has been highly anticipated for much of the year. Representing the first initial public offering (IPO) on the Muscat bourse since the middle of 2008, Nawras’ public offer is generating significant interest not just from Oman but across the region 
The announcement of the launch of Nawras’ IPO on September 15 was met with significant enthusiasm in Oman
