October 2014

Du to showcaseSmart City solutions

At GITEX Technology Week 2014, du will take

visitors on a journey into the Smart Cities

Future in the UAE. Demonstrations at du’s stand

will illuminate how connectivity will facilitate

the realisation of the UAE’s 2021 Vision, by

empowering the community through the

development of a knowledge-based economy

with technology as a key competitive advantage.

du will showcase the ways in which innovative

Information Communications Technology

(ICT) solutions can be used to create a Smart

environment, in which convenience and reliable

connectivity foster happiness and productivity

within the community.

Through interactive zones that represent the

Smart future of the UAE, du invites visitors to

explore the technologies that will make working

life, city life and home life even more enjoyable.

Discover the convenience of being able to stay

connected whenever, wherever, and on whatever

device you choose, using a secure internal and

external environment to interact with your world

on a whole new level.

The core of the UAE’s Smart future is

dependent upon the reliability of its connectivity

solutions. Reliability comes from two sources: a

strong, state-of-the-art network infrastructure,

and the security capabilities required to protect

connected community assets. du recognises

how vital these two aspects are to Smart City

development, and is committed to delivering

beyond the nation’s requirements in order to fully

support the vision of the UAE leadership.

In conjunction with these is the development

of technologies that allow Smart City residents

to interact with their connected environment.

By working closely with the UAE’s government

departments, small and medium enterprises, and

the community itself, du is enabling the creation of

customised applications and connectivity solutions

that will empower people in the Smart future.

Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Commercial Officer,

du, says, “Future is all about a hyper connected

society in which Smart technologies make

everyone’s lives simpler, convenient and happier

– by enabling everyone access to unprecedented

e-services. Our GITEX 2014 showcases these

technologies, unlocking human potential to

the fullest. I invite everyone to visit us and get

a first-hand experience of these never-before

technologies which have the potential to

dramatically change the way we live, work and play.”

He adds, “For years, GITEX has been the

ideal platform for us to share innovation with

our customers and the people of the UAE,

while exploring the latest trends in the ICT

world. We are very pleased to be participating in

GITEX again this year, and look forward to the

opportunities that the event will present.”

du will showcase its ICT solutions and

services at GITEX 2014, including those that

enable SMEs and large enterprises to fully

embrace the Smart initiatives that are being

launched by the UAE government.

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Juniper Research estimates that the number of smartphone shipments will approach 1.2bn this year, an increase of 19% from 985m in 2013. The market is expected to be driven by growth in emerging markets, due to a continued surge in sales and adoption of low-cost Economy ($75-$150) and Ultra-Economy (sub-$75) smartphones.

The report - Smartphone Markets: Trends, Shares & Forecasts 2014-2019 - notes that the emerging markets are now vital to success in this sector, with the gap between the growing emerging markets and the stagnating mature markets closing.

Emergence of the Sub-$150 SmartphonesWhile Apple and Samsung continue to

dominate the Ultra-Premium end of

the market, these vendors are facing

significant pressure from local players in the

emerging markets. For example, Xiaomi, the

Chinese smartphone vendor, is witnessing

tremendous success in China and India as a

result of its aggressive price-point offerings.

These new players are beginning to build

market share and achieve larger economies

of scale, which eventually will enable them

to expand their offering and challenge other

Smartphone sectors in the future.Additionally, Google is partnering

with local vendors for its Google-One initiative to provide a unified feature set tailor-made for the low-cost smartphone market.

The Average Selling Price of a smartphone will decline globally to reach $274 by 2019, the report notes.

Sub-$150 Smartphone Sales to Drive Growth in Emerging Markets

6 | October 2014 VAR Review Mobile Supplement

In the Middle East 4G/LTE networks are being

implemented left right and centre and it’s great

to see phones and tablets with 4G capabilities

One of the earlier adopters is ZTE which recently

launched it Blade Vec 4G Smartphone.

FeaturesThe unit I got was a sleek black unit surprisingly

light for a fully powered Smartphone with the

rounded edges making it seem more so. ZTE

has adopted an interesting twist on its design,

literally flipping the normal design we have got

used to. The charging port is on the top, while

the earphone jack takes its place at the bottom.

The power button is below the volume rocker

to the right. The placement of these two makes

a lot of sense when you start using the Blade.

With your hand wrapped around the phone

in normal use mode, adjusting the volume or

waking up the phone is intuitive and convenient.

I also liked the thin bezels on the sides

which translates into more real estate for media

viewing. The back, made of glass fibre with a

patterned stripe design has a nice pixel effect

that adds some textured feel to it.

It’s good to remember that ZTE is a leading

vertically integrated global telecom technology

provider and has provided networking equipment

on the back end of some 4G installations in

the region. This kind of legacy and obvious

technology transfer means that any device

bearing the ZTE comes already highly

recommended.

On powering up the Blade, I was greeted

by a crisp-looking screensaver of Eiffel Tower.

I immediately had high expectations of the

quality of photos and videos. The 5.0 inch

TFT display disappoint with some real good

and sharp images and great viewing angles,

enabled by the IPS technology. Video is played

back in full 1080p HD glory. However, no

FullHD specs here as many other high end

phones.

PerformanceThe Blade, as could be expected, runs on KitKat

4.4.2 OS, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon

400 Quad-core CPU. The 16GB of internal

storage may be a bit limiting depending on

how you use your phone, as storage is not

expandable. This was a bit of a disappointment

since almost every phone in the market allows

for SD card storage expansion. The battery

capacity is at 2300mAh which is standard for

a phone with such configurations. A full day

under normal usage is possible.

4G networks are faster than its 3G

predecessor. You do not realise how fast until

Review | ZTE Blade VEC 4G

you start using a 4G phone like the Blade. The

fast internet downloads of content, including

video was a delight seeing that I use a 3G

phone.

ZTE has added some native

customizations on top of Android including

a Clean Master app that provides an update

on storage and phone performance. With one

touch, you can clean up storage of junk which

ostensibly boosts up performance. The system

also allows one to add apps on the home

screen by tapping on it.

The primary camera at a decent 13 MP is

a good deal although higher quality cameras

are available with premium models. But again

it’s the quality you are getting vs the price and

on that account, the Blade more than delivers.

The camera allows autofocus as well as an LED

flash. Add geo-tagging, touch focus and face

detection, and your selfies never looked better.

VerdictAt around 1000AED in the UAE, what sets the

Blade apart is the balance between price and

the features. 4G is still considered premium and

LTE phones from other top vendors don’t come

cheap. For ZTE to bring a relatively high quality

4G phone at an affordable is a commendable

feat. This is a definite recommended buy.

ZTE Blade Vec 4G

Specs

5.0”HD, 1280x720 Display; 13MP Rear,

2MP Front Camera; LTE; Android 4.4

KitKat; Qualcomm Snapdragon with 1.2

GHz quad-core CPUs; 1GB RAM + 16GB

Memory

Rating:

Performance:

Features:

Price:

Pros: LTE; Good Value; Design

Cons: No MicroSD storage extension; no

FullHD

P.O. Box No. 1398 Office #406 Atrium Center, Bur Dubai, Dubai, UAETEL: +971-4-3865144 | Fax: +971-4-3865133 Email: sales@musallamtrading.com

8 | October 2014 VAR Review Mobile Supplement

A mix of value and volume

With several new brands of smartphones having

entered the market, prices are in freefall in the

entry level smartphones market. The prices are

jaw dropping such as those you may have scan

through in the deals published in the retailer

leaflets or if you were one of the attendees at the

recent GITEX shopper where every smartphone

seemed to have a deal written over it.

The rules of the game are shifting and doing

so rapidly. While premium end phones like the

iPhone or the Samsung S5 and even others like

the HTC one M8 will still hold their aspirational

appeal, there is no doubt that the smartphone

penetration is going through the roof. A lot

of consumers who couldn’t have afforded a

smartphone and may have always compromised

when finally making a purchase now can gleefully

pick from several choices at prices that don’t prick.

On the other hand, it may make the Business

a lot tougher for the supply chain. It will mean

they need to start selling that many more units

to make up. In addition, they are also hopeful

that consumers will look for product quality as

well as quality in after sales which could be a

differentiator among Brands.

Niranjan Gidwani, Deputy CEO, Eros Group

says, “The influx of new brands will result in an

erosion of prices and firstly an elimination of

feature phones. However it is imperative that

with this influx consumer must look out for a

qualitative and responsive after sales service

that is top-notch. That will become the single

biggest differentiator in this segment.”

The Eros Group distributes a wide array

of consumer electronics brands representing

some of the world’s leading brands. In mobility

solutions it distributes Samsung smartphones

and tablets. Recently the

distributor was also awarded the

distribution rights for Alcatel range

of tablets.

Ajay Pathak, General Manager,

Mobility & Solutions, Jumbo

Electronics says, “There is a

significant competition to come

out with ‘wow’ products. New

innovations are coming out in terms

of camera specs, shape and size.

There is pricing competition. We

may end up having to sell out ‘x’ number of units

more to make up for price fall in industry.”

Jumbo is a distributor for several brands

of smartphones in the region in addition to its

Power retail business. Its recent tie-ups include

those for distribution of Lava-Xolo and Mobi

Brands.

Feature phones are seeing a sharp decline in

sales as more consumers switch to smartphones

from feature phones.

Ajay adds, “Smartphones will continue to

grow and they are coming into the price bands

of feature phones at the entry level. So feature

phones will decline and die out possibly in the

next couple of years.”

“Feature phones are seeing a rapid decline

largely as Chinese brands influx the market

with low cost smartphones. With fast eroding

prices consumers are fast making the shift

to smartphones as we saw in the recently

concluded GITEX,” adds Niranjan.

While Android seems to be ruling the roost

along with the iPhone, Windows based phones are

struggling to make an impact and is still marginal.

Ajay says, “Windows phones mostly come

from Nokia. This might change in some time with

many other existing brands that could come out

with them. The consumer pull is not significant

but there will be a lot of value that customers

can see in seamless extension from some of

the Microsoft applications such as Outlook. This

could bring in consumer pull going forward.”

However, the distributors are carrying some

Windows based phones as well as manufacturers

begin to launch Windwos based phones.

Niranjan adds, “Currently, Android phones

make almost 100% of our portfolio. The market

for windows phones is quite small with Samsung

and android dominating and the iphone 6 making

a comeback. It is unlikely to make a large impact

but as we have seen earlier as well a game

changer can turn around fortunes. We do retail a

wide range of smartphones including windows

phones through Eros Digital Home.”

As distributors see their brand portfolio

growing, they are also looking to consolidate

their reach with independent retailers in addition

to the organized retail stores.

Feature | Distribution

Distributors see bleak future prospects for feature phones as smartphone become more affordable

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10 | October 2014 VAR Review Mobile Supplement

Aiming for the consumerThe battle in the smartphones market is getting fiercer by the day with the entry of new brands that are offering smartphones at more affordable price points, prices which even approach those of feature phones. However, the smartphones market continues to see a healthy growth rate worldwide, in the region of 23% or so in the current year. This essentially means there is room to accommodate more brands but some of the leading incumbents, including the top two, the iPhone and Samsung are witnessing their market share eroding as the new entrants make inroads, especially in the entry and mid segments.

The commoditization of smartphones Technology means manufacturers can offer devices at much more competitive prices than in the past years. Newer entrants are therefore trying to shift the spotlight to design and user experiences.

Obi Mobiles, the new smartphone brand co-founded by veteran marketer and former Apple CEO John Sculley, for instance has entered the Middle East region, appointing Jumbo as its distributor. John had come down for the regional launch recently in Dubai and was categorical in spelling out that they are positioning to

target the youth in emerging markets and are counting on creating the appeal of alluring user experience as a differentiator and build the brand through some trendy positioning.

He says, “Our focus is only the emerging markets. We are targeting specifically young people. We are inspired by the aspirational brand of Apple which has focused on making Technology beautiful or make it invisible. We never talk about Technology in our marketing – we talk about the user experience. Obi is also looking at building Brand Ambassadors who can use social media to give recommendations and advise to other Obi customers.”

It seems like every manufacturer out there now has similar technology specs to offer among comparable models. In such a scenario, manufacturers need to start looking at new differentiators other than mere hardware specs.

Obi is also focusing on offering disruptive price points which John says are key to success in emerging markets.

John says, “The smartphone industry growth in emerging markets is soaring at +32% CAGR in 2014. If you look at the brands that have dominated for long in the phones market, they were built with great Technology. Many of them

are struggling now at the present price points. At Obi, we are brand builders and sales channel builders on a global scale. We can be profitable at more aggressive price points than other multinational brands as we use youth-centric positioning and excellent partner relationships, such as Jumbo, which will differentiate us from other global brands.”

He adds, “We thought as technology commoditizes, we can take advantage of that and we can shift the investments to design, which is what have been doing. We have the same team that worked with me at Apple. We are doing our design center in Silicon Valley and the Creative marketing work is being done out of Delhi.”

One of the other recent entrants has been Wiko, a leading smartphone brand based out of France. With multiple models launched recently on the sidelines of GITEX shopper, this brands too looks at a close connect with consumers. After making its debut in the Gulf region in the United Arab Emirates, Wiko will also shortly launch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in mid-October.

David Garcia, International Business Development Director, Wiko Global, says, “We have an extensive 3G and 4G smartphone line up but have launched only a few here. Wiko is setting a new direction for the smartphone market. We want to provide possibility to buy high end smartphones at affordable prices. Our phones offer the best balance between quality, technology, design and pricing. “

The company harbors big ambitions. It hopes to achieve sell out volumes between 50000 to 70000 units every month in the UAE in quick time. The manufacturer whose distributor is EMS in the country, will look therefore to create a brand recall with the consumer market.

He adds, “We will look to get closer to the consumer. with campaigns around that. It will not just about having our hoardings everywhere. We will need to connect with consumers so that they understand our products better.”

So the new entrants are looking to thrive as the TAM (total available market) of the smartphones industry swells. They will look to appeal to specific user segments rather than locking horns with brands with considerable loyalty.

John elaborates, “We are not going to fight it out with the incumbent leaders. We are going to change the way of thinking about a Mobile device.

Feature

New entrants striving for consumer connect as a differentiator

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OBI Poster Octopus-S520 14x19_ctc.pdf 1 10/9/14 10:29 AM

VAR Review Mobile Supplement October 2014 | 13

Octopus S520 – OS with a crunch

The flagship smartphone from Obi Mobiles,

the Octopus S520 packs in high performance

with the latest Android Kit Kat 4.4 operating

system, powered by a 1.7 GHz Octa Core

processor, making time lags a thing of the past.

Futuristically designed with a stunning full-

aluminum back cover, the Octopus S520 comes

in a sleek 8.4mm form factor, with a capacitive 5”

HD IPS Touch Screen that responds to even the

slightest touch. The smartphone also features an

8MP camera with lightning flash, delivering every

image at a 1280 X 720 HD display resolution.

The in-built IPS technology also ensures that

the screen can be viewed from a wider viewing

angle. Offering dual SIM capabilities, both

3G-enabled, the Octopus S520 offers incredible

value at just AED799.

Obi Hornbill S551

elegance and functionality rolled in to one

Styled to perfection, the 5.5” Hornbill S551 weighs

just 145 grams, making it an ergonomically superior

option for smartphone users. Uncompromising on

performance, the device operates on Android KitKat

v4.4.2, powered by an MTK, MT6582 1.3 GHz Quad-

Core Processor. With an 8MP camera, the Hornbill

S551 offers up to 4GB memory that is expandable to

32GB of external memory support. The device retails

at AED599.

Obi Wolverine S501 – premium inside-out

The Obi Wolverine S501 impresses with its

fine grain leather exterior and top-of-the-line

features. The 5” smartphone offers the efficiency

of Android KitKat 4.4, powered by a 1.2GHz

Dual Core Processor, with 1GB RAM and 4GB

expandable memory. For added convenience,

the Wolverine is designed with a Rear Key that

utilizes the index finger's natural position to

control volume, lock the screen and switch off

the phone. With a 5MP flash-enabled camera, and

front VGA camera, the dual SIM (3G +3G) device

offers great value at AED399.

Obi F240 –power on the go

The Obi range also includes the Obi F240 – a feature

phone, equipped with a high capacity 3000mAH

battery, and a convenient power bank option to

recharge other mobile devices. The handy device

also offers essential mobile functionality, including a

0.3MP primary camera, loudspeaker, Bluetooth, as well

as dual SIM (GSM + GSM) capabilities as just AED99.

Obi Falcon S451 – the ‘selfie’ master One of the world’s first smartphones with a rotating camera, the Falcon S541 from Obi

takes away the hassle from capturing that perfect selfie. The 5” smartphone, with an

IPS qHD Screen, features an 8MP auto focus camera that rotates 206 degrees, and also

offers dual flash for perfect imaging even in low light conditions. The Falcon S451 runs on

a 1.3 GHz Dual Core Processor, with 4GB ROM and 1GB RAM, and is powered by a strong

2200 mAH Lithium battery. It retails for AED599.

Showcase | Obi Mobiles

14 | October 2014 VAR Review Mobile Supplement

Keeping pace

As you have expanded your portfolio, how do you intend to give each brand an exclusive focus?It is a firm conviction that the market can accommodate a lot many brands. The

spectrum will get broader. Each brand that we take up will have a separate sales

and marketing team. There will separate infrastructure in terms of logistics

and service facilities to support each. We will also keep strengthening this

infrastructure.

Distribution will be based on basis of store demography, location and

product fit. We will focus on Micro level distribution in the IR segment including

locations such as Satwa, Deira, Rolla in Sharjah, defense road in Abu Dhabi.

How do you see the split in sell out among different channels?We see the organized retail doing about 55-60% and IR segment contributing

30-35%. The telco segment contributes the rest but it varies from brand to

brand.

In the IR segment, we have been operating with Du as their partner for the

past 7 years. We therefore have established strong rapport with those retailers

and know their credit history and are able to offer appropriate credit quite fast.

Credit does play a key role in the devices distribution.

What are the bigger drivers for smartphone penetration?It is a combination of reasons. One of the biggest segment of users is still on

2G or mid to entry level 3G phones. We will look at moving them or upgrading to

the next level. Also coupled with this is that operators are offering phenomenal

data bundles and higher speeds and connectivity. This is favoring the increased

demand for upgrade.

Discuss your outlook and strategy on tablets?There is a separate strategy for tablets. It is a far more competitive market.

Prices keep coming down. Increase in units sell out is offset by drop in the

ASP. Value wise, that market is not seeing a significant rise. However, the

stranglehold of Apple and Samsung in this segment is reducing. In fact, in some

of the markets, Lenovo is the leading Tablet brand. What it essentially means

is that if you continue to bring out quality products and back it up with right

pricing and good distribution, you can make significant inroads. That market

segment will open up further.

Consumers are more aware that there is not much value in the sub-100

USD tablet range. The market and consumers will look at 7-8 inch tablets

with pricing in the 100-150 USD bracket – that could be the segment to see

maximum growth. This will also likely compel the premium priced brands to

reduce their prices.

In Focus | Jumbo

Jumbo is a distributor for LG, Lenovo, Sony, Lava XOLO and Obi smartphone brands. Ajay Pathak, General Manager, Mobility & Solutions, Jumbo Electronics who heads the Mobility business of Jumbo speaks about the distributor’s go to market strategy

Ajay says, “We operate IR distribution through an

independent team. There is van sales teams and the

sales executives carry PDAs through which they update

the stock orders for the retailers with another team

fulfilling that order in quick time. Sales turnaround in IR

is extremely fast and you need to keep up in terms of

visibility and offering fulfillment. With our focus, we are

able to do that.”

The have mobile van sale units are constantly

seeking to ensure retailers even in farthest corners are

well stocked.

Niranjan adds, “Our distribution channel is a complex

one which involves organized retail, independent retail,

traditional markets as well as corporate sales. We

continue to identify new markets and reach out further

through unique initiatives like our Independent Retail

vehicles which provide Independent Retailers with better

services and minimized inventory risks.”

On the road ahead, distributors while introducing

new brands in the market with the confidence that there

is room for more brands, also need to walk the tight

rope between achieving the necessary sell out volumes

to achieve the desired net growth. All of that will come

with deeper channel penetration and perhaps looking

at targeting even the traditional IT reseller market that

could be open to stocking and selling smartphones.

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VAR Review Mobile Supplement October 2014 | 15

In Focus | Sony

Sony is poised to focus more on the premium segment phones as a strategy as it faces stiffer competition. Gita Ghaemmaghami, Marketing Communications Manager at Sony discusses the Brand’s focus.

Premium focus

Please discuss the growth this year in the region for Sony Mobile?We are performing exceptionally well in an increasingly competitive market, and we are currently on par with our targets for this year.

From what the sales numbers show, which is the stronger segment for Sony in sales- premium end, mid-range or entry level in the region?Each segment plays a role in meeting the demands of the market and bringing alternatives to consumers. Our premium end offering, the Xperia Z range of smartphones is very popular for its sleek design and its premium look and top of the range performance, whereas our value smartphones are great way for consumers to have the latest Sony technology at a competitive price point. There has been equally strong demand for all ranges of Sony Mobile smartphones.

Do you see a growing acceptance of larger screen smartphones- the Phablets?In March 2013, Sony introduced a 6.4 inch smartphone - the Xperia Z Ultra. This flagship waterproof device proved very popular with consumers that were looking to have a new waterproof smartphone, but with a larger screen so that it could double up as a tablet. Due to the success of the Xperia Z Ultra, and the growing demand for this category of smartphone, we introduced the Xperia T2 Ultra Dual earlier this year. The Xperia T2 Ultra Dual entered the market at a slightly lower price point be more accessible to consumers. The Dual SIM capabilities of the Xperia T2 Ultra gave it that added value that consumers in the region demanded.

Who are your distributors in the region?We are very proud of the partners that we work with in this region as they offer us comprehensive distribution network in all their respective countries. Our faith in them is

supported with industry leading customer sales and after sales services; they support both our customers and us with their efficiency and ability to sustain quality services across their regional stores. For the KSA Modern Electronics and Fastlink, while Jumbo and Comtel together insure that Sony Mobile has a comprehensive reach in the UAE, Modern Home in Qatar, Kuwait Barrack in Kuwait, and most recently Expertel in Lebanon. Which have been the star models for you among your recent launches in terms of sales?Sony Mobile’s Xperia range of smartphones currently includes a variety of offerings to suit almost any consumer requirement at a range of price points. All our smartphones offer great value for money thanks to a premium design, the use of best quality materials, the latest in operating system upgrades and application support. These are applied to all Sony Mobile phones across the board. Sony has includes a host of Xperia community applications, such as Xperia Lounge which allows every Xperia owner to receive access to exclusive Sony Xperia content.

Do you offer Windows based phones?First of all, I need to say the obvious: we are focusing on Android. We are establishing ourselves through all the great products you have seen. Second, we have a great relationship with Microsoft and are talking to others. We are always investigating and evaluating. Right now, we don’t have a Sony Mobile product that supports the Microsoft OS, however we cannot speculate on future product launches. The most important message is that the operating system is only important from a technical perspective. At the end of the day, how we would like to please and wow customers is with not an operating system, but what we put on top – what you see, i.e. the battery life, all the rich services we offer, which really make our product beautiful and powerful.

With more Brands entering the fray , do you think it will accentuate price erosions and reduce profitability?Sony Mobile has a strong strategic position in the smartphone industry in the region. Sony Xperia offers devices in the premium segment, with our different ranges of smartphones starting from a specific price points. This makes a lot of the new entrants irrelevant to our growth plans in the premium smartphone segment. Even with our mid-range smartphones, we are offering top of the line technology at a great price value, keeping us highly competitive with an increasing market share.

How do you help retail partners increase sell out? We are in constant communication with our distributors, and have consistent initiatives that assist them in marketing and increasing their sales in order to achieve our collective business targets. We mostly focus on further increasing the value of our products to customers, and thanks to Sony Mobile’s range of accessories, we are able to do that by considerably enhancing the benefits of the customers’ buying decision, and thus making the ownership experience fun, engaging, and moving.

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18 | October 2014 VAR Review Mobile Supplement

We have reviewed TwiMOS tablets here before

and every time we have noted with interest

significant improvements over the last version.

The TwinTAB T103 GQ2 is no exception. We

reviewed the T103GQ1 earlier this year and it’s

only prudent we start by comparing

between the two versions.

BuildThe tablet still has the solid look and build of

other TwinMOS gadgets. The GQ2 is encased in

white plastic with a grey back and an aluminium

edges. This gives it the premium look of far

higher priced brands. However, the smooth back

does nothing to improve your grip if you are

using the tab without the cover.

PerformanceThe GQ2 of course upgrades to the latest 4.2.2

KitKat which means better battery usage,

enhanced support for multi-core CPUs, easier

navigation, better OS operations overall and

security as well as more comfortable display.

The front camera gets a boost from 0.3MP

to 2MP with 5MP at the back as in the previous

rendition.

The battery, perhaps strangely, however

gets a downgrade, losing a full 600mAH. That

said, the KitKat OS is better in battery life so that

makes up for the shortfall. Plus 6400mAH is still

a lot of juice for any tablet.

The 10.1 inch IPS Display has a HD Resolution

of 1280 x 800 meaning you get to enjoy your

entertainment in vivid and realistic colours.

The TwinTAB T103 GQ2 is powered by

a Cortex Quad-core A7 (1.3GHz) CPU. As you

would expect with a quad core CPU, operations

are swift and efficient. There were no noticeable

performance issues when multi-tasking, for which

multi-core CPUs are made of. In particular, I’m a fan

of reading and listening to music at the same time

and still allow myself to be distracted by an incoming

social media notification. If you are like me, then you

should have no worries with the TwinTAB.

The 5 points Capacitive Touch display was

Review | TwinTAB-T103GQ2

responsive enough, even with a screen cover and

only slight differentiation with other 10-point

displays out there.

Memory & Storage Memory 1GB RAM and

8GB storage. Granted this is not a lot of space

but you do get Micro SD Card capabilities to

increase this capacity. 3G and Wi-Fi are enabled

and both operated at optimal standards when

browsing on either.

The dual stereo speaker array at the back

made some decent audio output although I

almost always interested in is the output when

using headphones as I always do. Audio was as

good as I have heard it elsewhere.

Accessories bundled include an OTG Cable

for data transfer to PC as well as a smart leather

case, a nice touch for a mid-level tablet.

VerdictTwinMOS continues to build soli gadget and

its continued strength in the MEA mobility

market is only a statement to that. I said it

before and I will say it again, if you are in the

market for a mid-level priced tablet of good

quality, TwinMOS is definitely recommended. In

future editions however, we would love to see a

camera upgrade, LTE capabilities as well as more

storage.

TwinMOS TwinTAB T103GQ2

Specs

10.1" IPS Screen; Google Android KitKat

4.4.2; ARM Cortex A7 Quad-

Core CPU; 8GB Flash Storage; 6400mAh

battery; Wi-Fi/3G connectivity

Overall Rating:

Performance:

Features:

Price:

Pros: Great Value, 3G, MicroSD storage

extension, accessories

Cons: Reduced battery capacity,

non- Full HD

20 | October 2014 VAR Review Mobile Supplement

Kaspersky Internet Security Multi-Device 2015

Today people like to use all sorts of different

devices to connect to the Internet. According

to a survey conducted by B2B International and

Kaspersky Lab, 77% of respondents use more

than one type of operating system.

Regardless of their preferred device users

need to think about security measures, because

the Internet is now fraught with threats that

affect all popular platforms. For example,

according to Kaspersky Security Network,

in 2013 the number of attacks on the OS X

platform more than tripled. During the same

period, over 143,000 new malicious programs

for mobile devices were detected, with more

than 99% of them targeting Android OS.

Most people are aware of the abundance

and variety of network threats. According to

the survey, 48% of users are afraid of losing

their money in online frauds, 58% fear that

someone will get access to their personal

information and 60% are alarmed by the

thought that cybercriminals can secretly

observe them without their knowledge or

consent. 48% of respondents worry about

what their children might come across on the

Internet.

To prevent any confusion that users may

face when trying to protect all these platforms,

Kaspersky Lab has developed, and is continually

improving, the all-in-one solution Kaspersky

Internet Security – Multi-Device 2015. It

offers cybersecurity to users and their families

regardless of which operating system they

prefer – Windows, OS X or Android.

Kaspersky Internet Security – Multi-Device

2015 protects devices running:

Microsoft Windows – using Kaspersky

Internet Security. In addition to antivirus and

anti-phishing protection it includes a range of

other tools and technologies to help protect

personal data and online payments as well as

monitoring children's activity on the Web with

the help of the Parental Control module.

Apple OS X – using Kaspersky Internet

Security for Mac. This blocks malware as well

as phishing and other dangerous sites in Safari,

Mozilla Firefox browsers or in Google Chrome.

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac also

integrates virtual keyboard and the Parental

Control module.

Google Android – using Kaspersky Internet

Security for Android. Users can block dangerous

apps, filter out unwanted calls and messages and

protect against online fraud. Users can also wipe

personal data if their device is lost or stolen, or

help locate it using GPS services.

Windows Phone and iOS – using Safe

Browser for Windows Phone and Safe Browser

for iOS. Safe Browser filters out phishing sites

and pages with undesirable content. Both

versions of Safe Browser are free and available

for download in the Windows Phone Store and

Apple Store respectively.

Key innovationsin the 2015 editionKaspersky Internet Security – Multi-Device 2015

includes automatic upgrades to the most recent

version. This innovation means users will always

have the most reliable and up-to-date security

solution.

The System Watcher module has been further

enhanced with backup copying functionality to

protect information from malware that encrypts

user data and demands money to decrypt it.

Kaspersky Internet Security – Multi-Device

2015 includes a Webcam Protection feature that

prevents the interception of images from the

webcam. Kaspersky Lab has also introduced a

Wi-Fi Security Notification module that warns the

user about potential hazards when connecting to

Wi-Fi. Further, improvements were made to the

Safe Money module to protect online financial

transactions. In addition to its other functions,

Safe Money now blocks third-party applications

from accessing the exchange buffer. It also

prevents the capture of images from the screen,

even when GDI, OpenGL or DirectX is used.

For users of paid Wi-Fi networks, 3G or

LTE connections, the solution now includes the

Cost-Aware Networking feature that reduces the

amount of data communicated by the product via

the net. In addition, in the anti-phishing module,

improvements were introduced into the text,

image and website link analysis technology. This

enables a more accurate detection of previously

unknown phishing sites.

The interface has been unified across all

products so users can easily navigate each

application regardless of the operating system or

product version.

Security | Kasperksy

THERE’S STILL HOPE WITH

EVER LOST YOUR PHONE?

ESET Mobile Security’s proactive Anti-Theft feature:

Automatically locks your phone

Takes camera snapshots

Sends them to my.eset.com, with location data

You can also:

Sound a siren on your phone

Locate & track it Message the finder Erase its contents remotely

Building 2, O�ce 305 , Dubai Internet City / Tel +971 43754052 - Fax +971 44290967 / www.eset.com/me - info@esetme.com