Easy Taxi Reduces Roaming Time by 20% in Saudi

The Ministry of Transport in Saudi Arabia has issued a new law that forces taxi firms to install communication and tracking systems in their vehicles in order to reduce and eventually stop the roaming of cabs in the streets. 

Easy Taxi, the global taxi e-hailing service, has found that it increases efficiency of taxi drivers by 20% by reducing taxi roaming time in the streets when customers order taxis using the application.

The app allows customers to order a taxi to their location and track its progress, taking out the standing-around-and-waiting process usual to looking for a taxi. This in turn helps drivers find fares more efficiently, cutting out their need to hunt down a potential customer. Lesser unnecessary taxis on the road then leads to fewer traffic problems.

The law gives drivers 45 days to install the systems, after which taxi cabs will only be available by on-call.

Easy Taxi was founded in Brazil in 2011. It is now one of the world’s leading mobile taxi apps. Easy Taxi currently operates in 33 countries and 165 cities worldwide. Easy Taxi Middle East is currently operating in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan.

Top 7 Trends and Predictions in Global IT Industry for 2015

Faisal Husain, founder and CEO of Synechron, a technology consulting and outsourcing firm, anticipates the following ICT industry trends in 2015.

• 2014 has been an successful year for the Middle East Information Technology industry.
• The overall IT investment during the year 2015 is anticipated to grow by 3.7% globally. The IT services industry is likely to witness a remarkable growth of nearly 4%. In absolute terms, it can hit the trillion dollar mark.
• Trending in 2015 is SMAC – Social, Mobile, Analytic and Cloud technology.
• Cloud infrastructure, as a strategy, is not just for the giants anymore. Start-ups and small businesses are increasingly adopting cloud services too. 
• The mobility sphere is at the beginning of the revolution and is expected to be one of the biggest game changers. The concept of wearable devices will boost the growth of mobility space.
• Irrespective of their size, companies need to ensure that information security risks are addressed seriously. From 2009 till date, the total number of reported security incidents has grown by 66%, on average.
• Hiring trends for the IT industry are expected to set a new precedent starting 2015, with Big Data and Cloud computing being the major areas for employment opportunities

Luxury Superyacht app launches in the Middle East

The world’s leading luxury superyacht brokerage service, Yachting Partners International (YPI), has launched a new mobile app in the Middle East to enable wealthy individuals to book bespoke holidays at the touch of a button.

The app opens up a new world of astounding holiday experiences that cater to a customer’s every need. The yachts are kitted out with fully air-conditioned gymnasiums, private Jacuzzis and even helipads, a popular feature with executives flying in from abroad.

Accessible through the app is the world’s first live interactive dedicated yacht search, Yachts Around Me, based on yachts’ real-time location. The filterable search feature allows users to find out more about the yachts they see around them or yachts they specifically would like to know more about. Users also benefit from stunning photo galleries of a yacht, along with details indicating whether the vessel is available for charter or sale.

The app presents an overview of luxury yachting including the locations, the yachts and how luxury yacht charter works. It includes features, interviews and easy-to-understand beginners’ guides together with recommended exclusive holiday destinations, itineraries and yacht galleries.

The app is now available on both the Play and App store for free download.