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Gulf News will be on the scene to bring you the last news and insights from the Abu Dhabi Media Summit.
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Published 20:00 March 10, 2010
Google expectations
It's hard to know what to make of Eric Schmidt, Google's ceo. Anticipation ran high before his keynote, but expectations almost never stand up to reality. Schmidt went through a litany of features and plans that Google has for the future. It was a sales pitch. It was as if he was saying, "Look at us. Look what we can do."
We know what Google can do. They're not shy about telling people about it. What's harder to get them to talk about is what data they collect on us, what they do with it, and how safe it is. When Schmidt was asked these questions, his answers were bland and generally evasive. It all boiled down to "trust us," we have an economic incentive to protect your data. It was unsatisfactory, to say it mildly.
However, following his keynote speech, Schmidt held a press conference with the media. A different Schmidt came out for this one. This one gave no speech, and instead invited the media to start asking their questions. They did, and the game was on.
Read more...Posted by Scott Shuey, Business Features Editor
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Published 16:03 March 10, 2010
Channeling Ted Stevens
People need to stop speaking about the internet as if it's a series of tubes. Tim Armstrong did it this morning, when he called internet connection the stuff "that's in the tubes." Read more...
Posted by Scott Shuey, Business Features Editor
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Published 10:46 March 10, 2010
Make it so
The second day of the Abu Dhabi Media Summit kicked off this morning, not with media people, but with the geeks. Up first we have Dirk Meyer, president and Ceo of AMD, Jonney Shih or Asus, and Suk-Chae Lee of South Korea's KT Corporation.
Now, I've spoken to Dirk Meyer a few times in the past, but it's almost always been about the data and video processing capabilities of his company's products. Stupid me. Apparently, I should have been asking him how Star Trek is driving his company's philosophies and helping them to develop natural user interfaces, because Meyer brought up the U.S.S. Enterprise's holodeck no less than three times during his speech. He also said that a commercially viable holodesk could be possible by the end of the decade.
For you non-geeks, the holodesk is a room on the Enterprise for Star Trek the Next Generation that could provide prefect virtually realities - whether you wanted help in running high-end computations or, in true Star Trek fashion, fight Nazis. Whether or not it will happen, AMD clearly has its heart set on moving computer users away from the mouse and keyboard. Read more...Posted by Scott Shuey, Business Features Editor
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Published 18:52 March 9, 2010
Untapped potential
Some excerpts from Murdoch's speech:
Rupert Murdoch on Abu Dhabi 2030 plan: I've looked at your plans and they are visionary.
Rupert Murdoch on Rotana: To be frank, Rotana does not really need our financing. We are partnering with Rotana for something more ambitious: to tap into Arab talent and ultimately produce original Arab content for markets both here and abroad.
Rupert Murdoch on creativity: While oil is undeniably vital to our world, the untapped creativity in this region represents a resource infinitely more precious. Your people are eager, talented, and young. They have aspirations in common with their peers in other parts of the world - yet they hold fast to the traditions that make them unique. Give them a society that rewards creativity. When you do, you will breathe life into your blueprints - and build a future worthy of your grand boulevards and glistening skyscrapers. Read more...Posted by Ahmed Namatalla, Business Reporter
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Published 17:56 March 9, 2010
Waiting for Murdoch
The keynote speaker of the night, Rupert Murdoch was supposed to appear at 5:15pm but it seems things are running behind schedule. As we wait, I would like to go on record in noting the irony of holding a "Media Summit" where members of the media are banned from interacting with the participants. I am now in the company of about 50 reporters in a room adjacent to the conference hall. Our access to the conference is limited to two 50" or so flat screen TVs on opposite walls. They've provided us with free coffee, though, which it seems has proven successful in muting protests. Prince Waleed Bin Talal, a long-time investor in Murdoch's News Corp., has just arrived. Now Mr. Murdoch is preparing to take stage. Read more...
Posted by Ahmed Namatalla, Business Reporter
