Strained relations
What a shame ("Dispute with UAE proved expensive for Canada: Liberal critic", Gulf News, January 15). Speaking as a Canadian living in Dubai and working in the region for so many years, it is a shame that we can't get this situation between our governments sorted out.

I have been following the press on the Canadian and the UAE side with great interest and I have to say that my feeling of welcome in Dubai is waning. I have a wife and two children and have enjoyed living in this country for the past four years. Dubai is home for us now. In addition to my residency, I worked in the region for three years prior and liked it so much I moved my family [here].

I loved entering Dubai freely and feeling like I could contribute to the diverse heritage and community. My villa is in a predominately Emirati community and I was welcomed there along with my family by our neighbours. The shame now is that all of our family and friends currently residing in Canada will no longer be able to come to Dubai and enjoy the same freedom and acceptance we have over the past several years. Who is at fault?

I guess my concern is that as a Canadian living in Dubai, how is this going to affect my life here now. I worry that with strained relations it will become more and more difficult to stay and work in a place we now consider our home. I certainly hope that this issue will be resolved in a short time as I know of many families of residents here that can no longer come due to the new visa requirements and additional costs.
From Mr Mike Vander Staak 
Dubai

Wasted time
We spend so much of our time doing nothing. We get up in the morning and an hour goes as we brush, bathe and breakfast. The next eight hours are spent at school or in the workplace, then we get one hour for lunch. [Next, it's a] nap for some or for students, play time. [Later] we all have homework, as working women have housework. After that it's TV time or some people have hobbies. Then we sleep. However, if we follow this schedule we use only 20 out of 24 hours.

Where are the other four? I'll tell you we are — daydreaming. We don't realise it, but if we calculate it, it comes out to four hours. Four hours is a precious amount of time, especially for people who always complain about a lack of time. We complain that we don't have time to do social work, well here it is. In four hours we can work with an environmental group, visit a society for the destitute or an orphanage or even plant a tree. So, the next time we ask for 30 hours in a day, we should remember that 24 hours are more than enough.
From Mr Advay Atul
Dubai

Internet a necessity
I can't imagine my world without internet. Sharing your life with your loved ones in [another] part of the world through blogging and YouTube is a phenomenal advantage ("Focus: Virtual fame", Gulf News, January 14).

It has also played an important role in the search for talent in the entertainment industry. It is a boon for people in remote locations who cannot reach out and earn the fame they deserve. Without this, the world would have not recognised or been able to enjoy the multifaceted talent of people who reside in villages with limited resources.

However, apart from some [who earn] fake fame, one thing that is painful is that young children [take time away] from their studies and engross themselves in the temporary fame. Just as with any other tool, if the internet is used wisely it can add value to people's lives.
From Ms Disha Bobby
Dubai 

Basic functions
The basic purpose of a cell phone is to make and receive calls ("Have your Say: Mobile phone features", Gulf News, January 15). I do not agree with turning a cell phone into a mini computer. The additional features added to these gadgets will only help in increasing their publicity and in turn promote a consumerist attitude in the public. It reduces essential communication among families because people are busy with the virtual world that is available at their finger tips.

Reduced performance in the workplace and lack of interest in social activities are also some of the threatening events that can be a result of cell phones being overused. The major victims of such modern gadgets are youths. Therefore there should be some restriction on the part of the authorities and media in the promotion of these items.
From Ms Reshma Suresh
Sharjah 
Web comment 

Features hardly used
Making and receiving calls were the simple features of mobile phones when they were first introduced. Today, technology has gone beyond our thoughts and has influenced mobile handsets to a great extent. The phone which I am using has many advanced features, but I hardly use them.

This is a very common scenario among people who buy new handsets when they hit the market. In reality the additional features may not be very useful to them in [fulfilling] everyday requirements. The money invested is therefore, a waste. The added features on mobile phones are also taking up our time, especially after office hours.

If people prefer to relax after work, the use of mobile phones needs to be reduced. If the gadget is being used to monitor emails and browsing websites related to business, it is as good as sitting in the office, which often disturbs family time. Individually, one needs to assess their needs before going for a handset that has advanced features. To me, facilities such as making and receiving calls and sending and receiving text messages would be more than enough.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Oman
Web comment

Difference in generation
Choosing whether or not to have extra features on your phone differs from person to person. For example, I am a person who is very keen on having certain features on my phone, like WiFi as it helps me keep regular tabs on my email. Whereas, my parents prefer phones just to make and receive calls. They don't really care about the popularity of the phone. My phone costs more than the sum of both their phones together. This really shows that the present generation is more tech-savvy and most of them want their phone to replace their computers.
From Ms Sneha
Dubai
Web comment

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