Make this the year your phone saves you time. Instead of wasting it with social media and silly games, The National staff has put together its list of the most helpful apps. Have anything to add? Send us an email at artslife@thenational.ae
Dubai Now
Dubai Now is invaluable for anyone who lives in Dubai. Every city in the world should have an app like this. It enables users to do pretty much everything that can be annoying with the minimum of fuss: including Salik and Nol top-ups, police fines, utility payments, charitable contributions and on-street parking.
Eleven topic headings cover everything important in life, such as public transport, education, security and justice, health, driving, business, residency, Islam and housing.
* Nic Ridley
Washmen
Washmen is a really cool app for people, like me, too bone idle to do their own laundry.
A few simple taps will bring the friendly Washman driver to your home to collect your laundry (in one of their own bags). You also specify when you want your laundry returned. When it is, it is beautifully pressed and cleaned and packaged.
Washmen also encourage social-media participation – and you get rewarded for recommending their service to friends and family. I do.
* Nic Ridley
Smart Drive
There are three great things about the Smart Drive app by Dubai’s Road Transport Authority (RTA).
First, it is intuitive and easy to use, and there is much more detail than Google Maps. You search for your location, it maps a choice of routes, you pick the one you like and a voice – a woman with impeccable and un-annoying English – tells you exactly where to go (even which lane to be in). If you miss a turning, you are automatically rerouted.
Second, as long as you set your location while you have a Wi-Fi connection, you don’t need Wi-Fi to use it during the journey – it uses your phone’s GPS to guide you your end point.
Third, it is regularly updated so is better than a Sat Nav and, if you wish, it can also take you to “Facebook places nearby” or “Foursquare venues nearby”.
* Rosemary Behan
Fetchr
Whether you are the sender or the recipient, Fetchr is a speedy and convenient courier service for deliveries within the UAE. Drivers will pick up a document or package and deliver it, using your phone’s GPS to determine your location.
You can select the time-slot for the pickup and delivery, and track the journey of your package. It is a useful delivery tool for start-up brands and businesses – and for up-and-coming companies who sell goods through social media, Sellr by Fetchr allows for cash-on-delivery payment methods.
The company recently introduced Fetchr Now (currently only available in Dubai), which promises to send a driver to collect and immediately deliver a package within 45 minutes of booking the service.
* Hafsa Lodi
Muslim Pro
While in some neighbourhoods, there are mosques on every corner that broadcast the call to prayer loud and clear, some areas, especially within high-rise offices, are oblivious to the sound.
For those who try to pray five times a day, Muslim Pro is a useful app that lists the prayer times and sounds the prayer calls on your smartphone, wherever you are. It is especially useful as an alarm for the early sunrise prayer, which some people struggle to wake up for. If you would prefer a more discreet reminder, you can opt for a silent notification.
The app is also helpful while travelling, since in addition to the Quran, it features a compass to give you the prayer direction and timings no matter where you are in the world.
* Hafsa Lodi
Helpling ME
Sometimes things get away from you, and all of a sudden you realise you need a cleaner straight away. Helpling ME promises to “book a cleaner in Dubai in just 60 seconds”.
The service is offered for Dh35 per hour, with a three-hour minimum, and charges for extras such as ironing or cleaning out the stove or refrigerator. You can even pay for the staff extra to bring their own cleaning materials, and it is easy to order cleaners on a one-time or recurring basis, either weekly or every other week.
Although the app is as yet only available in Dubai, the company is preparing to launch service in Abu Dhabi soon, so stay tuned.
* Ann Marie McQueen
Entertainer
This two-for-one app just keeps getting better and better. My friends refuse to dine anywhere we can’t use our Entertainers, and the app always saves us by providing ideas – particularly through the monthly offers section – whenever that whole “we can’t decide where to eat” vibe descends on us.
I was very pleased to get the Body version by jumping at the earlybird offer for my 2017 update. Last year, I had much more regular massages with their two-for-one offers and saved more than Dh2400 on dining out.
Late in the year the company also launched a way to share deals you have not used with other people, too.
* Ann Marie McQueen
Zomato
Zomato looks more sleek and polished than other meal-ordering apps, and uses GPS rather than asking for location every time. It has all the usual filtering options but where it really wins out is during and after the ordering process. It takes credit cards and offers instant confirmation that the restaurant has received the order and can deliver it.
Once accepted, you get a fairly accurate estimate of the delivery time, and real-time updates on the status of your order. Most of my orders have arrived at or before the stated delivery time, sometimes a lot sooner than predicted.
If there are any issues with processing or delivery, a Zomato operator is on standby to quickly intervene on your behalf and will call to let you know what is happening.
* Liam Cairney
FoodOnClick
FoodOnClick is another meal-ordering app that offers a vast selection of restaurants to order food deliveries from, which can be filtered through by cuisine type, average delivery time, or promotion.
Some restaurants on the app also have a “best selling” category which can be helpful when trying out a new place or whenever you are unsure of what to eat. The app also has the option to pay with cash or credit.
Once an order has been placed, an email will be sent confirming it was received from the restaurant. There’s also a nice section for fast reorders which allows customers to repeat a previous meal they enjoyed.
* Evelyn Lau
Ministry of the Interior
I’m not proud of getting speeding tickets but inevitably, despite my best efforts, it still happens. I keep my mind at ease by checking in here every couple of months or so (you can search by licence-plate number) just to make sure I have not accrued any and missed a text message.
The app safely stores credit card information and makes paying a breeze. It also offers updates on criminal status (eek), long and short-term visas and information about other services the ministry provides.
* Ann Marie McQueen
Waze
Waze is a must-have for anyone who drives in the UAE. The community-based traffic and navigation app offers real-time road and traffic information, and has been a lifesaver since I arrived in the UAE.
Aside from showing drivers where to go, the interactivity of this app allows other drivers to log incidents that may affect other people’s road journeys. Users can log congestion and alert other motorists to accidents that may hold them up.
All you have to do is launch it, punch in your destination – an address or landmark – and it will calculate the distance and the time it will take, offering a number of routes. If you need a petrol station or car park, you can search for those too.
It’s reliable and accurate and the maps are updated regularly.
* Melinda Healy
Cinema UAE
There are several cinema chains in the UAE and not all of their websites are as user-friendly as they could be. Besides, who wants to trawl through several sites to find where the latest blockbuster is showing at a time that suits?
Cinema UAE is a simple but effective little app that displays a list of all films showing that day in every emirate (except Umm Al Qaiwain), where and when. You can also see at what’s showing on the next two days to plan ahead, and follow links to trailers and additional info about the films.
For some cinema chains, you can click on a showtime and be taken straight to the cinema’s online-booking site. For the others, you will still need to go to the chain’s own website to book.
This free app will not win many awards for snazzy design, the inevitable ads are mildly annoying (though there is an ad-free version for about Dh7), and there are still a few minor niggles, but those aside, this is a great one-stop app for planning your cinema trips.
* Liam Cairney
CityGuard
This app allows you to report almost any public problem you might come across in Abu Dhabi, from potholes or lights that out in the park, to rubbish pile ups, broken benches, hedges along walkways that need trimming, ongoing night noise, and much more.
I have had them all fixed by using the app to submit a photo of the problem, mapping its location and providing a short explanation. Problems have been solved in anywhere from one day to two months. But I always get a response – even if that response is just to say that a particular problem is outside the responsibility of public management.
* Laura Koot
Darb
I use Trans AD’s Darb app on my Android to find bus information, from which lines are closest to my current location, to timings and routes. Simply click on the app and hit the side tab for the bus icon. There you will find all the bus markers within 1.5 kilometres of your location.
The bus timings are pretty accurate, depending on the popularity of the line, but what I really like about the app is that I can check the map while on the bus and see upcoming stops for potential transfers.
However, the app should allow users to click on various buses at stops to see their exact routes (this was previously a feature, but now no longer seems to work). The app also still has a few issues with some of its features, including marking out bicycle paths, parking and allowing users to order taxis.
* LeAnne Graves
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Result:
1. Cecilie Hatteland (NOR) atop Alex - 31.46 seconds
2. Anna Gorbacheva (RUS) atop Curt 13 - 31.82 seconds
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) atop Cash Up - 32.81 seconds
4. Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum (UAE) atop Peanuts de Beaufour - 35.85 seconds
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) atop Benur du Romet - 37.53 seconds
6. Annika Sande (NOR) atop For Cash 2 - 31.42 seconds (4 penalties)
Honeymoonish
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
More from our neighbourhood series:
Specs
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Company%20profile
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now