Ferris Wheel Furore: Problem With Dubai’s ‘New Shiny’
ALEXANDER MCNABB: It’s always fun ‘gazumping’ a world record announcement by New York. But there’s a little problem with Dubai’s new landmark
‘Samsung, Please Release Me from My Touchpad Hell’
ALEXANDER MCNABB: Oh yes, you might think it’s simple – turn off the touchpad button perhaps. My odyssey through user support says otherwise
Sharjah vs Dubai?: Sorry, There’s No Contest
ALEXANDER MCNABB: You can keep your super-malls and your skyscrapers. The back street souks of Sharjah do me fine, thanks all the same.
‘Roll Up, Roll Up For The Sharjah Sightseeing Tour’
ALEXANDER MCNABB: Oh yes, I can feel the smirks already forming on those Dubai-dwelling faces. But, honestly, there’s a lot to see in Sharjah
The Day I Was Deleted: A Blogger’s Nightmare Realised
ALEXANDER MCNABB: There I was – gone, an-ex blogger, deleted, an online non-entity. It was the ultimate social media, Kafka-esque nightmare.
Dubai’s Stunning, Funky New Art Space: The Archive
ALEXANDER MCNABB: They’ve surpassed themselves this time. The Shahib Brothers know what it is to create brilliantly executed art/workspaces.
Death of My Laptop: No Tears, Just Blessed Relief
ALEXANDER MCNABB: It’s always a significant moment when you bid goodbye to a piece of technology that’s been a part of your life.
Telcos Looking for ‘Cash Cow’s Charter’ at Dubai Meet
ALEXANDER MCNABB: Sit back, contribute nothing and tax the innovative. Yes, the ITU proposals are an attractive proposition.
Dubai: Boom Again But Have Lessons Been Learned?
ALEXANDER MCNABB: The signs of growth are clearly evident. Could we be returning to the heady days of 2006-7?
‘Genetic Imperialism’: The UAE Takes A Stand
ALEXANDER MCNABB: Genetically modified food is becoming a battleground between large U.S corporates and small states. The UAE is on the side of ‘right’.
An Object Lesson in How Not to Use Technology
ALEXANDER MCNABB: I know it shouldn’t annoy me. I’ve been here long enough. I know how things work. Or don’t. But I couldn’t help the fury rising.
Beirut Bomb: ‘Mainstream Media’ Becomes Social Media
ALEXANDER MCNABB: It’s the first time I’ve witnessed the so-called established media diving head first into the social media whirl. It sets a dangerous precedent.
The Difference Between PR and Advertising
ALEXANDER MCNABB:”…Advertising is all about lying. It’s what they do, constantly. What amazes me is how we put up with it, consigning it to the dump bin of background noise”
The UAE’s ‘Blue Pencil’: A Much Lighter Touch
ALEXANDER MC NABB: My recent experience of being, ah, ‘moderated’ is a far cry from my experiences over the past 25 years
UAE To Block ‘Hate Movie’: The Right Approach?
ALEXANDER MCNABB: Internet users in the UAE will not be able to see ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ and see for themselves what a foul work it is.
Censored: Jordan Extinguishes Internet Freedom
ALEXANDER MCNABB: The vote was carried by 69 attending parliamentarians, with a significant number walking out in protest.
Etisalat Threat: Register, or Lose Your Number
ALEXANDER MCNABB: If you don’t register your SIM card, you’re going to have your line cancelled. It’s part of the slightly obtuse campaign, ‘My number, my identity’.
Aleppo: Favourite City Under Attack ‘Familiar Sight’
ALEXANDER MCNABB: As a long term resident in the Middle East you become used to seeing favourite places under bombardment
Into The Dark: Jordanians protest Media Law
ALEXANDER MCNABB: Jordan’s smart and technically capable young people deserve better than muckle-headed legislation hewn from granite by politicians.
Time Running Out for Natalie Creane: Please Help
ALEXANDER MCNABB: She is lying in Rashid Hospital on a ventilator four years after she was injured in the Emirates Palace Hotel. Desperate times for Natalie and her family
