Archive for the ‘Qatar’ tag
Aptec Holdings gets Microsoft OEM distribution for Gulf
Aptec Holdings, one of the largest technology distributors in the Middle East, Turkey & Africa, has expanded its distribution agreement with Microsoft to include Gulf region for Microsoft OEM products. Aptec was an authorized distributor for Microsoft OEM previously only for the UAE.
Aptec plans to expand the current Channel and recruit new partners for Microsoft OEM in the Gulf region to further gain market share. With the presence of Aptec with other products and solutions, distributing Microsoft OEM will add a significant opportunity to the reseller community in the region. The new distribution agreement authorizes Aptec to sell Microsoft OEM in Bahrain, Qatar, Oman & Kuwait, with previous held markets. Aptec already has Microsoft Volume License distributor for the Gulf.
Qatar Foundation signs strategic partnership agreement with Microsoft
Furthering its commitment to the development of knowledge based society in Qatar, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a press conference in Doha, Qatar. The MoU was signed between Executive Director of Operations, Qatar Foundation Mr. Khalid Al-Sulaiteen and Mr. Mohammad Hammoudi, Country Manager for Microsoft Qatar.
Under the agreement, Qatar Foundation will benefit from a 90% discount on the commercial prices of Microsoft software licenses as well as software assurance benefits such as free online training on the software purchased. In addition, Microsoft will provide professional-level developer and design tools to students under its DreamSpark program to support and advance their skills. Schools and universities at Education City will also be able to benefit from Microsoft’s Live@edu, a cloud based service, which will provide students, staff and faculty with primary email addresses and a collaborative communications platform.
Egypt – Link Development awarded as the 2010 Microsoft Country Partner of the Year
Link Development has been awarded as the 2010 Microsoft Country Partner of the Year for Egypt. The Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award recognizes partners at the country level that have demonstrated business excellence in delivering Microsoft solutions to our mutual customers over the past year. This award showed effective engagement with their local Microsoft office, delivered customer satisfaction, showed innovation, won new customers, and created business impact.
LINK Development is a leading regional software development company and is a subsidiary of Egypt’s number one internet service and solutions provider LINKdotNET and Orascom Telecom Holding Company.
Combining software development with creative design skills, LINK Development provides a unique offering that delivers complete e-business solutions. LINK Development has built an unparalleled track record of award-winning projects for governments, leading local companies and large multinationals in the Middle East and Europe since its inception over a decade ago.
XpertLearning Partners with Microsoft to Provide Online Training to Imagine Cup Gulf Finalists
In collaboration with Microsoft Gulf, XpertLearning, the leading provider of e-Learning solutions in the Middle East, will provide the Imagine Cup Gulf winners with access to online courses to sharpen their presentation skills ahead of the Imagine Cup World Finals in Warsaw, Poland.
Now in its eighth year, Imagine Cup has grown to be the premier student technology competition in Gulf and worldwide that aims to encourage young people to apply their imagination, their passion and their creativity to technology innovations that are focused on finding solutions to real world problems.
Imagine Cup Gulf 2010: Your Winners!
Recently teams from around the Gulf arrived to the Atlantis Hotel, Dubai to compete in the Imagine Cup Gulf 2010 Regional Finals. They had the chance to interact with other teams through team building activities, presentation skills training and were given the time to work on their project. On the big competition day, they presented their software design innovations in front of a panel of judges. Teams had ideas ranging from entrepreneurial websites, recycling innovations, traffic solutions, to health applications. See all the pictures here.
The top 4 teams will be heading to Warsaw, Poland in July to represent their country in the Worldwide Imagine Cup Finals. The judges for Imagine Cup Gulf 2010 were Guruswamy Periyasamy from Emirates Airlines, Talal Al Rahbi from ITA Oman, Dr. Fadi Aloul from American University of Sharjah, Reghu Jayapalan and Ibrahim Al Mayahi from du. So, the Imagine Cup Gulf 2010 Regional winners are:
Gulf Region – Imagine Cup 2010 Finals in Pictures
ictQatar launches Microsoft Enterprise Agreement Portal
The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar) today announced the launch of its Microsoft Enterprise Agreement Portal, which allows government agencies to better manage their Microsoft software. The portal was developed as a part of ictQatar’s Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft, which provides reduced software costs, access to the latest products and updates, home-use programs, e-Learning on Microsoft software and an employee purchase program.
“For government to be more effective, it is essential to have the latest information and communication technology available to its employees. The new portal not only makes software licensing more cost effective and easier to manage, but also provides extra benefits like enhanced support and training,” said Hassan Al-Sayed, Executive Director, Government Information Management Office, ictQatar.
Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions, ITworx introduces Microsoft Citizen Service Platform to Government sector of Qatar
Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions together with Microsoft Qatar and ITworx introduces (Citizen 1st), the Citizen Service Platform for the government sector. Citizen 1st is a multilingual, scalable, and robust platform that accelerates the e-transformation of local, regional, and national governments in the EMEA region.
Putting people at the heart of the e-transformation, Citizen 1st helps create efficient government internal portals that increase the productivity of civil servants and citizen portals that empower citizens with world-class e-services and superior customer service, ultimately establishing an e-services based community and Promoting transparency, compliance and insight.
Being a Gold Partner for Microsoft in Qatar, Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions has teamed up with ITworx and Microsoft Qatar to introduce this service to the government sector in Qatar.
Mr. Mohammad Nayel, General Manager of Ali Bin Ali Technology Solutions, said, “Being a part of Ali Bin Ali Group, ABATS have a strong understanding of the needs of Qatar and what the government sector requires to reach its goals. ABATS is more than ready and empowered to take on these challenges now. Through the partnership between, Microsoft, ITworx and us we plan to be a catalyst in the technology transformation in the public sector of Qatar.”
Mohammad Hammoudi, Country Manager, Microsoft QSTP, said, “We are honored to have participated with Ali bin Ali and ITworx for this event. It gave us an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about cloud computing and how it will benefit the businesses and citizens of Qatar in conjunction with our partners.”
Afkar introduces SharePoint 2010 in Qatar
The salient features of Microsoft’s flagship platform product SharePoint 2010 were highlighted at a seminar in Doha organized by Qatar’s leading e-business solutions provider’s firm, Afkar Information Technology a few days ago.
Addressing a large number of IT managers and professionals present at the event, Afkar’s Chief Executive Officer, Mamoun Eregat said in his keynote speech that in collaboration with Microsoft his firm is committed to introduce to its esteemed clients latest technologies in the field of Information Workers and collaborative e-business solutions.
SharePoint 2010 is Microsoft’s business productivity platform for the Enterprise & the Web that enables information workers to connect and share information through formal and informal business communities, within the enterprise and beyond, and to manage content. In view of the many new features and facilities packed in it, Afkar’s ever- growing number of clients will stand to benefit from SharePoint 2010 he said.
Microsoft Gulf expands partnership with ITE Distribution
Microsoft Gulf today announced its development with ITE, one of the leading regional IT distribution companies, to include Microsoft Commercial products such as Microsoft Windows, Office, and other commercial product suites available developed by Microsoft.
Previously, ITE’s Microsoft product offering included leading PC hardware such as Microsoft gaming devices, keyboards, mice, webcams, and headsets, as well as the highly demanded, Microsoft Mac Office. The Dubai based ITE will be responsible for distributing in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.
“ITE Distribution’s clear understanding of the retail industry has expanded our reach and assisted in our channel expansion and growth. ITE’s performance through the past year clearly reflects on our strategy to provide access to local outlets and retailers where premium Microsoft products can officially be available to the local consumer with the support that matches it,” said Armagan Demir, Head of Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division Middle East.
“We are pleased to further expand our partnership with Microsoft, and increase our product portfolio for network partners,” said Shams Jafery, Director – Business Development, ITE Distribution.”We will stay committed to offering our channel expertise and support to further increase Microsoft’s market share across the region.”
Congrats Salman Abbas! Winner of Windows 7 “Ultimate Edition”
The competition is over; Salman Abbas from Oman is the lucky winner of “Ultimate Edition” of Windows 7. He has been contacted and once I have his address, I’ll send the DVD. Thank you every one who participated. Keep visiting this space, there is another pretty cool competition coming up. Thanks!
IT is The Best Job in the World: Win trip to Mauritius
Microsoft Middle East and Africa proudly claims that “IT’s The Best Job in the World” proving this by offering a prize to truly IT people – free trip to Mauritius Island. Any IT person can join!
You may have seen it on TV – some people really think that sitting on a boring island and blogging about clouds going by is “the best job in the world” (not to mention the risk of being bitten by a jelly fish).
Here at Microsoft however, we are absolutely sure that IT is the best job in the world. And to prove that, we are organizing a boring 3-day seminar on an IT-related topic. But, we can bet that IT people attending this seminar will be really, really thrilled. Why? Because IT is “the best job in the world!” Oh, and did I forget to mention that the seminar will take place this May on the island of Mauritius! Flights and hotels will be arranged by Microsoft for truly IT people.
So, if you are an IT specialist (doesn’t matter if you do development or administration, Microsoft, Linux, Cisco, PHP or Silverlight) you are invited!
Microsoft Oman backs Comex 2010
Committed to providing innovative technology products and services to the country’s fast growing ICT market, Microsoft Oman signs on as a lead sponsor of Comex 2010, the largest IT, telecom and technology show in the Sultanate of Oman. A four-day ICT extravaganza, Comex 2010 will be held from April 26 to 30, 2010 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre, whilst the two-day ICT Conference will be organised from April 27 to 28 at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Seeb.
Nick Hodge, Managing Director of OITE, the event organiser, said ”The support of Microsoft Oman has been a big boost to the Sultanate’s ICT event. As organisers, we are delighted with Microsoft’s continuous support to Comex which helps sustain the growth and development of the ICT sector.”
Microsoft believes in contributing and impacting the local economy in the countries that it operates in. Microsoft Oman’s participation in the Sultanate’s largest ICT event is a testament to its commitment to help organisations manage the short and long tail of the downturn – driving down costs and improving operations in the short and long term.
Microsoft and Qtel Sign Strategic Alliance At Mobile World Congress
Microsoft Corp. and Qatar Telecom (Qtel) announced today the signing of a broad strategic alliance to bring together integrated cloud-based services, software applications, mobile services and devices over Qtel’s converged network. The alliance aims to expand Qtel’s service portfolio, helping redefine the digital work style and lifestyle of their subscribers. The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress 2010.
The alliance is designed to enable both companies to bring together their respective assets and collective strengths to offer a range of products and services that help drive productivity while enabling customers to be more agile in their everyday technology needs. It will also look to deliver a number of new digital entertainment experiences for consumers to enjoy in the home and on the go.
Dr. Nasser Marafih, chief executive officer of Qtel, said Qtel and Microsoft would collaborate to deliver truly integrated and innovative communications services to business and consumer markets.
“This is an important alliance that will deliver world-leading services and applications from Microsoft over Qtel’s world-class networks to make a real difference in people’s lives — all made available through a seamless one-click, one-touch user experience,” Marafih said. “Qtel’s efforts will add a distinct element of mobility and connectivity to enrich the overall experience for people, to make the technology truly come alive.
“For businesses, Qtel will deliver unified communications offerings — a combination of telephony, e-mail, mobility, conferencing, collaboration and tools like ‘presence’ — to fuel a sense of real possibility and potential across the region.”
Imagine Cup Gulf Launched!
Everything that the world may become “someday” lies in the hands of young people today. As they look at the road ahead, their close relationship with technology enables them to dream in ways we never have before. Put the two together, and you have young minds holding the tools that can make their vision a reality.
This is the recipe that inspired Microsoft to create the Imagine Cup. What begins with a burst of inspiration and a lot of hard work can become a future software breakthrough, a future career, or a flourishing new industry. The Imagine Cup encourages young people to apply their imagination, their passion and their creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the world – today. Now in its eighth year, the Imagine Cup has grown to be a global event. In 2009, more than 300,000 students from 142 countries entered the Imagine Cup competition.
