Please help if you are living in Saudi Arabia!

Although I am not a son of the soil in Arabia, I still think that I have lived here long enough, as an expat, to answer your posers, to the best of my ability, as follows:-

Q1. How widely is technology used as a whole in day to day lives?  Leisure activities?
A1. Technology, in Arabia, has, in the recent years take the community by storm and is used heavily across the board in all major cities and towns, within homes, offices, banks, financial institutions, supermarkets, retail outlets and even the public sector. The sophistication of the technology implemented on the ground is also very high although the service levels may still need to improve tremendously.

Q2. What is the influence of technology in the education system?
A2. Many educationalal institutions across Arabia have introduced Computer Labs abd Laptops as a part of their curriculum while a few private international schools, in recent years, have even intrduced e-learning using SmartBoards and e-education software. Most Universities have also upgraded their teaching methods to incorporate technology to a significant degree.

Q3. Do you know of any experiences regarding copyright issues and piracy?
A3. While copyright infringement and piracy was rampant in the region over many decades, the authorities have, in recent years, clamped down and have imnposed stricter enforcement and penalties on those who violate this law. However, there is still much more work in ensuring proper enforcement to be achieved because the people still do not seem to be fully aware of its criminality and ethics.

Q4. What influence do you think the government has on censorship and publishing?
A4. Censorship and publishing still suffer a degree of pressure from the Government and State machinery although it has lessened tremendously over the past decade.

Q5. How well do you think the Kindle would do in the Saudi Arabian market?
A5. While the Kindle may attract many of the expats in the region (almost half the population in most Arab states) it still may not fly with the locals, mainly because the reading habit is not what it should be amongst them.

Q6. Who should we sell to?
A6. Expats, of course, who constitute almots 10 million in Saudi Arabia alone.

Q7. Where would people buy it?
A7. Bookstores, Electronics Markets, Supermarkets

Q8. What sort of pricing strategies would you think would be successful?
A8. Within US$300

Q8. What are some of the cultural barriers we should expect?
A8. Language is a key. Does the product allow for multi langauge use? Display of graphics that are considered obscene by local standards could also be an issue that may negate the encouragement to use the reader.

I just read in the UKs Daily Telegraph an article about some nations banning the Apple IPAD for the reason given below as quoted:-

quote
has decided to ban Apples IPAD, citing concerns the powerful gadget consumes too much capacity on wireless networks and could disrupt other devices.
unquote

Questions answered by PM.  Check your box.

I'm American living in Saudi and I have toyed around with getting a Kindle myself because it would just be so great to have anything I want to read at my fingertips.

HOWEVER, I decided against it for a couple reasons.  One is that it's dependent upon power.  Your battery dies, there goes your "book"!

Another reason is that I want the the tactile experience of an actual book.  Call me old fashioned