Ah, the Googlephone. It was only a few years ago when enterprising journalists actually
dreamed of the possibility
that the search engine giant could come up with its own mobile device. Not only has it created the Android operating system, but it launched its own mobile phone, the
Nexus One
, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week.
Needless to say, the Nexus One is one of the most popular gadgets around. Say what you want about the iPhone, marrying the engineering know-how of
Google
with the latest in mobile hardware designed by
Qualcomm
(
a recent partner with Abu Dhabi's Globalfoundries
) and HTC.
But you can't get it in the UAE. Despite the fact that this country has one of the highest usages of smartphones in the world, neither
Etisalat
or
du
nor an electronic retailer have come out with an announcement if and when the Nexus One will be commercially available.
Find out where you can (kinda) get the Nexus One in the UAE after the jump.
To the grey market we go! A quick check at
souq.com
, the eBay of the
Middle East, reveals that there's a few Nexus One units for sale in the
UAE. And, sure enough, the phones are unlocked and work fine on either
Etisalat and du.
"It works on any SIM card unlocked," said one reseller I spoke with.
"It's a good phone compared to the previous Google [Android] phones
I've had. It's faster than those because it has a faster Qualcomm chip
in it."
Getting the device in the country took a bit of entrepreneurship. Since
the Nexus One is available from Google but only to addresses in the US,
UK or Singapore, one has to ship it from there, through customs (on
concealed in your luggage) and resold here.
Despite Google selling the Nexus One without a wireless service
contract for $529 (Dh1,979), you can expect to pay up to Dh2,900 for a
chance to own the device.
We're going to keep staying on this story for a while. Once the Nexus
One does make it to the UAE, you can expect to read it here first.
(Photo credit: The Nexus One by Google.
Paul J. Richards / AFP
)
Fixtures
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona v Real Madrid, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Company%20profile
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On racial profiling at airports
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
