UAE questions | United Arab Emirates - Lonely Planet Forum

anonymous

ONLINE

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:58:13 +0000

hi gang,

first off, thanks to everyone who replied to my recent post asking for information on running and cycling, salaries, accomodation, etc. in Dubai. i have meanwhile checkd out the recommended sites and also bought a copy of 'Dubai: Live Work Explore' by Explorere Publishing'.

i do have a couple more questions though:

i want to buy a new smart phone, and wondered if such gadgets are considerably cheaper there than they are in europe. i can get a good brand, massively discounted on amazon or ebay for around Euros 100, but am not sure if I could save even more if I purchased the same model in dubai.
i have heard before departure for the UAE, you need to install a so called 'proxy blocker' on your PC, which then enables you to access websites there that may otherwise be inaccessible and blocked.

does anyone have a link for me where i can download such a thingy?

1 and 2: would it be better to buy a smart phone in europe and install the proxy blocker in europe, rather than wait and buy a 'censored' phone in dubai and then end up with the possibility of having restricted access to websites through the phone?

thank you very much!!!

ONLINE

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:09:50 +0000

As to question # 1, check out a few of websites such as Sharaf DG and Carrefour . There are many small shops where you can also get bargains, it may involve some negotiation though. There is a good electronics souq/mall just next to Spinneys supermarket at the beginning of Mankhool Street in Bur Dubai.

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ONLINE

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:12:16 +0000

I've found in the past that's it cheaper to buy from Amazon than from shops in Dubai.

It's useful to use a VPN (virtual private network) so you can access sites like Skype, just google VPN and select one (banana for example). It makes sense to have both installed on your computer before you arrive in the UAE.

(Btw, this info for VPN is for PC/laptop, I don't know anything about using it on phones.)

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ONLINE

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:58:18 +0000

Phones are generally cheaper in the UAE than in Europe, because there's no tax here, but the price gap has narrowed in recent years. I would suggest having a look at prices on Sharaf DG web site or Carrefour UAE:

http://www.ic4uae.com/

As for the proxy blocker, just google 'Witopia VPN' and that will work.

Phones in Dubai are not censored, it's the web connection that's censored. However, it may be easier to buy the phone in Europe and install the proxy blocker there, as the authorities here often block access to the sites with the proxy blocker download.

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