Six Quick Facts Of Online Shopping In UAE

•  36% of People are accessing the internet to shop.
•  45% of People are making purchase on every three months.
•   82% of People are satisfied with their Online Shopping experience.
•  70% of People say convenient payment facilities are critical when shopping online.
•  91% of People use the Internet from their mobile phone (Compared to 74% over past two years).
•   55% of people are saying they prefer to shop from local websites as opposed to foreign websites.

Website: www.awok.com

post By: Ramiz Ali Khan

Online retailers celebrate Ramadan lift

Commerce in the region is expected to reach $15 billion this year

Global eCommerce providers such as Amazon do not have a presence in the Middle East,allowing local names to build strong regional franchises.

Dubai: As Gulf Arabs jetted off on their Eid holidays to mark the end of Ramadan on Friday, the region’s online retailers are celebrating a shift to shopping via mobile devices.

The retail haven of the Gulf may be lagging behind the world in digital consumer patterns, but the shopaholic region is catching up — and the lunar month when Muslims forgo food and water from dawn to dusk has been a boon for online sellers.

Ronaldo Mouchawar, chief executive of Souq.com, a market-leading shopping platform, says the proliferation of smartphones in large local markets, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is helping push shoppers online.

Souq.com, which is doubling sales every year and has financial backing from Naspers, the South African media group, expects a 20-25 per cent increase in traffic during Ramadan as people shop for Eid gifts, including expatriates buying presents for relatives back home.

“We see a big see push online and [changing] consumer habits due to mobile,” says Mr Mouchawar.

eCommerce in the region is expected to reach $15 billion this year, only 1 per cent of retail spending across the Middle East, according to Criteo, an online marketing company.

But that is a two-thirds increase since 2012, and the region is now regarded as one of fastest-growing online markets in the world — up 30 per cent year on year, compared with a worldwide average of 17 per cent.

Studying digital consumer patterns last Ramadan, Criteo reported a 23 per cent rise in retail sales and 42 per cent increase in online travel transactions for the most important month in the Muslim calendar.

“Some merchants are up 300 per cent in the first 10 days,” says Omar Soudodi, managing director of Payfort, an online payment platform that services the region’s largest eCommerce brands.

As the holidays start at the end of the month, however, buying patterns shift from computers to phones, with mobile purchases up 29 per cent in this period, according to Criteo. In Bahrain, almost half of all eCommerce transactions are made via a mobile device.

The fasting rhythm of Ramadan also has a big impact on buying patterns.

Fatma Al Mulla, an entrepreneur who runs one of a growing number of online cottage industries set up by Gulf women, sees strong orders through the night for her range of clothing and accessories as locals become more nocturnal.

The region’s shopping lifestyle, focused on the mall, also shifts. “We like to invite people into our houses, people don’t go to the mall — it’s time for the family,” says Ms Mulla.

Ulugbek Yuldashev, managing director of Awok, an online retailer, says online shopping jumps 35 per cent between the 7pm breakfast, known as iftar, and the night-time suhoor meal, a feast intended to sustain individuals through the next day’s fast.

Demand for kitchen gadgets has prompted UAE-based Awok to stock up on blenders and rice cookers used for family-sized meals.

Ramadan, renowned for family-oriented consumption, drives subscriptions to Netflix and Icflix, a regional streaming platform. Media channels save their best dramas and comedies for the family-focused month.

Despite the rise of online in the region, cash remains king, with about 70 per cent of eCommerce purchases settled with cash on delivery, owing to latent suspicion of online transactions.

That is one of several barriers to the growth of online retail in the region, says Saygin Yalcin, an internet entrepreneur who runs Sellanycar.com.

Limited logistics capacity is another factor, forcing successful retailers to build up their own delivery capacity within individual markets.

Tough laws that threaten jail for business operators who cannot repay debts have crimped the industry’s development, says Mr Yalcin, who sold his shopping club website to Souq.com in 2012.

Global eCommerce providers such as Amazon do not have a presence in the Middle East, allowing local names to build strong regional franchises.

“Local guys were quick to set up strong local presences, whereas big international ones went for global platforms,” says Dirk Henke, Criteo’s managing director for eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “Now locals literally rule eCommerce here.”

Source: awok.co/y8jFa1
Website: www.awok.com
Post By: Ramiz Ali Khan

Check Best 6 waterproof cameras

Whether you’re off surfing or scuba-diving this summer, don’t miss a good photo opp just because you’re submerged

If you’re off on some water-based adventures, invest in a camera that can cope with the wet stuff.  Most waterproof cameras are also categorized as adventure cameras, meaning that they’re engineered to cope with the rough and tumble of extreme sports, if that’s what you’re doing. Not only do these cameras take snaps when submerged in water, many of them are also kitted out with extra features like being freeze proof, dust proof, crush proof and shock and drop-proof.

As with all cameras, waterproof  camera or not, resolution will play a big factor in determining the quality of your images. If your main priority is photography, settle for no less than 14 megapixels to ensure high-clarity shots. If you’re going to be recording video, a camera with 1080px recording quality is a must-have.

The depth to which the camera is waterproof will determine the type of activity it is suitable for. A camera that can withstand 40m of depth is ideal for deep sea diving, whereas a camera with 10m of underwater depth would be better suited for snorkeling or shallow scuba diving.

We’ve looked at rugged compact, action camera and compact system camera options. Each has undergone some serious scrutiny; tested in and out of water, dropped from heights and trialled in different lighting conditions to see whether or not it makes the cut. Here’s our edit.

Fujifilm Finepix

Fujifilm Finepix XP80 With an image resolution of 16.4-megapixels, this is a small but mighty compact camera. It’s lightweight but captures pristine images to depths of ten meters. We found this took good images both in and out of water (though it performs best in decent light) and the easy-to-master point and shoot function makes it ideal for beginners. Plus, its small frame and shock and dust-proof features mean that kids can get behind the lens, too. It doesn’t have the photo customisation abilities of more expensive models, but it’s a good all-rounder.

Olympus Tough TG

Olympus-TG-4-GPS Tough is definitely the right word to describe this one. Ideal for an adventurer, it’s crushproof, shockproof and freeze-proof. But, in interests of taking great photos in water, it’s ergonomic; chunky and easy-to-grip so it shouldn’t slide out of slippery hands. It has an ultra-bright lens and built-in wifi, GPS and a clever ‘e.Compass’ allow you to share your images on the go as well as keep track of your altitude and water-depth (it’s waterproof up to 15m), while you shoot stunning 16-megapixel images.

Nikon 1 AW

Nikon 1 AW1 Unlike the smaller cameras on the list, this one is a compact system camera with interchangeable lenses. This means it's bulkier than its compact competitors but it’s ideal for those who aren’t willing to compromise on picture quality. The 14.2-megapixel camera can go down to 15m, it has a pop-up flash and advanced adjustment options like the ‘Live Image Control’ function that means you can see how different effects – background softening and motion control, for example– will affect the final image. This is one for those who want to up their photography game. 

Buy now

Ricoh WG-5

Ricoh WG-5 In its update of the much-lauded WG-4, Ricoh has created a camera that addresses all the underwater needs you didn’t even know you had. The optional underwater mode eliminates the bluish tone that can wash-out underwater photographs and its unique flash feature takes two consecutive images, one with and one without, allowing you to choose and keep the best one after the moment has been captured. It can go as deep at 14m and resist temperatures down to -10C, and captures images with a crystal-clear 16-megapixel lens. It’s not as grippy as some of the tough cameras we tried but the unusual shape allows for large, well-spaced controls that are easy to operate when submerged. 

GoPro HERO4 Silver

GoPro HERO4 If you want to capture your surroundings in near-cinematic definition video, then this one is for you. This teeny gadget packs a lot of punch and is our recommendation for all the thrill-seekers out there – it captures film in 4K resolution (aka “Ultra High Definition”), is waterproof up to a whopping 40m and lets you keep your hands free to get right into the midst of the action with a range of additional accessories like mounts and straps.

Canon PowerShot D30

Canon PowerShot D30 This is an upgrade of Canon’s D20; you can use this one to depths of 25 meters, so it is ideal if you’re off on a diving adventure. With a 12.1 megapixel sensor, the images you get are decent, if not quite the quality of some of the of the higher-resolution machines. It has built-in GPS and HD video recording and is easy-to-use underwater. We’d just like to see an upgrade that includes wifi connectivity.

Verdict:

The GoPro HERO4 is hands-down the best option for capturing outstandingly high-quality video on the go, however if still images are your main format of choice then  the Nikon 1 AW1 reigns supreme. Its advanced photography options and interchangeable lenses means it will give you top-notch underwater snaps. If you can't stretch to that, and want something compact, we'd go for Ricoh's good all-rounder.

Check latest cameras & Accessories

Source:awok.co/WFvOFl

Website: www.awok.com

Post By: Ramiz Ali Khan

Boeing says :Your gadget batteries endanger planes

Brit pilots agree: Get gizmos' batts out of holds

Boeing has decided that lithium-ion batteries, the engine-room of the tech gadget boom, are too dangerous to haul around in bulk on cargo planes.

The company has warned operators of its aircraft not to carry bulk shipments of batteries until logistics companies design better transport packaging and shipping procedures.

America's Federal Aviation Authority agrees, and over the weekend reiterated a warning first given in March that bulk battery shipments posed a potential risk to airliners.

If a battery develops a short circuit, the FAA explained, the build-up of hydrogen and other gases as surrounding batteries are also heated can defeat a plane's halon fire suppression system.

In May, the FAA gave this presentation to an airline fire protection meeting in Germany, explaining tests both on individual batteries and a bulk shipment.



FAA Battery Fire Test
Halon can't handle it: the FAA's battery fire test
It concluded that the total failure energy of Li-ion batteries is almost twice as much electrochemical energy as they can deliver.

A number of airlines were ahead of Boeing's announcement, with the Wall Street Journal listing Delta, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Air France as no longer carrying bulk shipments in the cargo holds of passenger flights.

While the FAA can warn operators of the dangers of Li-ion batteries, a law passed in 2012 means it can't regulate battery transport unless international regulators act first.

A week ago, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) issued a separate statement calling for all passengers' Li-ion-powered gadgets to be carried as cabin luggage.

BALPA also wants regulators to specifically ban the batteries being carried in cargo holds

Source:awok.co/eq13m4
Website: www.awok.com
Post By: Ramiz Ali Khan

NEW PATENT APPLE’S HINTS AT A FUTURE OF WATER PROOF IPHONES, IPADS AND APPLE WATCHES

With bend tests a distant memory, maybe it’s time to think about bringing back dunk tests. Apple has filed a patent titled “Methods for shielding electronic components from moisture,” which hints at a possible future of waterproofed Apple devices – iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and maybe more.

“Many electronic devices are susceptible to water damage because they are not fully sealed and include various openings for charging, connecting peripherals, and inputting and outputting audio,” according to the patent filed by Apple on March 31, 2014 and published on March 5, 2015. To combat the threat of water, the patent describes a hydrophobic (i.e., water-repelling) coating with a thickness between one and 10 microns, which would be thin enough to prevent interference with functional openings in an electronic device.

Related: 10 waterproof Android phones for those rainy days

This hydrophobic coating can be applied to a device’s printed circuit board (PCB) by a plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) process, which charges a substrate’s surface to bond the coating to the charged surface. “The plasma then settles on and adheres to the component, providing a robust, water-resistant, corrosion-resistant protective seal for the component,” according to the patent, which addresses other approaches to waterproofing electronic devices.

Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Apple Watch could be worn in the shower, which means it’s water resistant but not necessarily waterproof.


While there are a number of waterproof cases for the iPhone 6, the patent notes that if water does somehow find its way through a protective case, it’s game over for your phone.

Related: Fake ad tricks chumps into thinking iOS 7 makes iPhones waterproof

Samsung, which took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with the water-resistant Galaxy S5 as an opportunity to mock the iPhone’s lack of water resistance, left water resistance off the list of features for its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge phones.

Sony’s Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact phones are waterproof, and the company’s recently introduced Xperia M4 Aqua is also waterproof. However, it’s unclear if the upcoming Xperia Z4 will also be waterproof.

Source: awok.co/RV8r89
Website: www.awok.com
Post By: Ramiz Ali Khan

Mobile Apps: Is Arabic less popular in UAE?

Saudi leads the list in terms of popularity of Arabic apps

Arabic mobile applications are downloaded far too fewer times in the United Arab Emirates compared to any other country in the region.

Saudi Arabia leads the list in terms of popularity of Arabic apps. About 89 per cent of people in the kingdom download Arabic apps regularly compared to just about 39 per cent in the UAE.

Well, before you can come to any conclusions about the language preference here, the result is a reflection of the cosmopolitan culture and  a large presence of expat population in the UAE.

The results were revealed by  Nader Kobeissi, Managing Director Mena of On Device Research on the sidelines of the ongoing two-day Arabnet Digital Summit 2015 in Dubai.

“Dubai’s numbers are low, simply because of the large number of expat population and a very active app download pattern among Westerners and Europeans,” says Kobeissi.

“About 70 per cent of Westerners, including Europeans download more than 5 apps in a month and did so during the past month and these are mostly apps in English,” he said.

The popularity of Arabic apps among the Arabs in the UAE, however, continue to remain high, at about 68 per cent and on par with Egypt. In Jordan 70 per cent of the apps downloaded are Arabic, compared to 54 per cent in Lebanon.

However, the survey also points out almost 34 per cent of those polled, which covered about 500 users from each country in the region, did prefer international apps, while about 31 to 30 per cent said they did not find what they wanted in Arabic and failed to find good quality Arabic apps.

Gaming apps continue to remain the most popular category in the region, followed by social media and music.

About the most downloaded apps, gaming related apps stood at 60 per cent, compared to 16 per cent of health and fitness related apps and 18 per cent of shopping related apps.

Utility related apps are downloaded mostly by those over 30 years – while, lifestyle, shopping and education are the three most popular categories among female mobile users.

The survey also revealed details about the nature of app purchases. “Majority of those buying apps - about 39 per cent - are doing so not because of its advanced features, but to avoid advertising,” says Kobeissi. About 37 per cent do so for additional content while, 29 per cent buy something which has been previewed on screen.

According to the survey, about 37 per cent of those buying apps go ahead and make in-app purchases and about 53 per cent don’t spend any money on buying apps and  majority of them simply because there are not many interesting apps out there in the market.

“Almost 20 per cent don’t trust the payment security system, while 16 per cent cannot find what they want to buy,” he said.

Saudi Arabic again continued to lead the numbers in terms of app purchases with about 51 per cent of users having paid to download apps, compared to 41 per cent in the UAE and Lebanon.

Source: awok.co/wNilNA

Website: www.awok.com

Buy Smart Phones in UAE

Post By: Ramiz Ali Khan