If you know Mr. Q, you know he loves Apple products. Wait, why am I talking like that…?

Apple’s designs are amazingly simple and at the end of the day, ILQ shares the same love for simplicity. We’re trying to make things look as simple as possible for our users.

So I now need a great case to protect my iPad and make me look like… a.. man in a…. thobe with an ipad in a…. case…. (I couldn’t think of anything smart to say alright?!)

Searching on Google, I couldn’t really find a nice collection of cases (especially slim ones) so I took it upon myself to provide you all with…..

So click on to read more!

Read the rest of this entry »

You heard me, there’s no excuse not to do something this Friday (unless you’re not in Qatar like me).

So what’s going on?

1) Red Bull’s Double Kick in partnership with Vodafone – Besides some great music, fun and games, you’ll also be able to grab some fantastic freebies! Be sure to stop by the Vodafone and ILQ booth!

2) Global DJs present DJ Goldfinger in partnership with iLoveQatar.net

3) Gold Circus

4) Got a few moments? Vote for Nouf and help support Qatar! Philadelphia Cheese has a small competition going and it would be great if you could help support Nouf! Visit http://www.spreadphiladelphia.com/story.php?id=98

If you’ve got something going on this Friday, let ILQ know!

Oh Apple why do you do this to me? Where’s the company that inspired us all to ‘Think Different’. If an Apple employee ever reads this, shrugs, and says “Yeah right”; it’ll be a true tragedy.

So I had ordered some iPads from the US store to be sent back home to me here in Doha. Most stores don’t send internationally, so Aramex’s Shop&Ship’s service comes in handy. For those that don’t know Aramex, it’s basically the Arabian FedEx, but more importantly, it’s our link to the West’s fantastic world of shopping.

What Shop&Ship gives you is a US and UK address so that you can order stuff online, send it to your new address and they’ll forward it off to you.

Sadly though! After ordering everything for the Apple store, I just received an email telling me that they don’t ship to P.O.Boxes OR Forwarders. They also told me that I had a day to change the address or the order would be cancelled. What’s more, they’re enforcing a ‘two per person’ policy.

*sighs* why oh why.

Anyway, so I posted on twitter and facebook that I needed a US address and luckily I had 9 people offer to help out. (Thanks everyone!) but the point is, I’m almost tempted to just cancel my order and give up on Apple…

*twiddles thumbs*

Edit: Want an iPad shipped to Qatar or anywhere?! Visit www.shipmypad.com and grab an iPad. (It’s around 1,000 QR cheaper than most shops in Qatar.

So on February 21st, we mentioned that we’re working together with some very talented individuals in trying to create a great conference forum for those interested in developing the Arab online world. In case you didn’t already know by now, it’s called Arabnet (see info below). You can visit their website over at www.arabnet.me

So if you’re passionate of doing something worthwhile online, would like to meet some pretty talented people, or would like an excuse to visit Lebanon’s party central, then be sure to sign up on their site!

Our fantastic friends over at Qatar Visitor will also be covering the event, so be sure to click on over to their blog!

Mothers day in Qatar is held on the 21st of March, and this year ILQ’s being a part of that. To do our little bit to share a bit of love to the givers of life. iLoveQatar.net has partnered up (yet again) with Vodafone! So what are we doing? At the Vodafone branches in City Center, Landmark, Villaggio and LuLu center, just step in and claim your rose! Remember, this is for Mums!

Or if you’d prefer, we’re also going to be roaming the corniche at night handing out some roses. Are you ready to claim what you rightfully deserve mums? Don’t worry, ILQ didn’t forget you

Note: Yes yes, we did something similar already, but what mother wouldn’t love a beautiful red rose?

I’m feeling proud today. Despite being sick with a fever and a soar throat, what happened today was great.

I was asked to speak at the ictQatar Business Connect seminar today at Al Sharq Village. http://www.ictqatar.qa/output/page977.asp however what I experienced today was something special. The conference halls were packed full of people. Who knew there would be so many people that would be interested on starting up online businesses?

I’m not going to act indifferent, (as some do to seem ‘cool’), since I was ‘stoked’ for lack of a better word. In the middle of my presentation, I had a standing applause, and by the end, I had swarms of people coming up to me, and various companies that all wanted to be a part of iLoveQatar.net

Long story short, it was just the type of moral support that I needed to rejuvenate my enthusiasm. Of course, I also appreciate the fact there are so many people online and in the Qatari community that support me on a daily basis!

I’ll be posting my presentation up soon  for you to go ahead and read through at your leisure

update: as promised here’s the presentation and the presentation transcript.

ILQ ICT Presentation
ILQ ICT Transcript

Yesterday was an usual day. While driving from the underpass that leads onto Rainbow roundabout, a car came speeding behind me (I was already going 87 and at the rate he was going I had decided to accelerate to move to the right).

I hit 100 and he was still coming up behind me. By now I could see it was some tiny hatch-back. He got so close to me (bumper to bumper) that I breaked to get him to back off. When he did, I moved over to the right hand lane and looked into his car.

He was a police man. In fact, he looked like a traffic police man. ‘Oh reeeeeeaally?’ I thought. So I opened my window and he did too (we were both driving around 60 now and talking).

‘What do you think you’re doing putting my life at risk?’

‘What?’ he says.

‘Why are you speeding! It’s dangerous.’, I scream back.

‘YOU were speeding’, he replies. It’s obvious he’s trying to cover himself now.

‘Only to avoid being rammed into by you!’

He grins and by then I take it he’s just another idiot on the road, (except sadly he’s also shaming his uniform), so I raise the window and he shoots off.

*sighs*

update: just to be clear, this road was an 80km road and the person coming up behind me had just passed a camera.

I should have mentioned this sooner, however I totally let this slip under the radar. If you’re wondering a bit more about Mr. Q, they asked me some pretty random questions.

If you’re interested —> Visit Mr. Q on the Abode Blog

Well guys, it’s Grand Prix time! And since I’m quite sad that I’m not in Bahrain (to enjoy my favourite dinner and shisha place called Don Vito), the closest thing I have is the fact that I can call Bahrain for a great rate.

Wow! What a segway there! Anyway, I was just told that calling Bahrain on Vodafone for the Grand Prix costs QR 0.69  per minute (so that’s the 12th to the 14th).

So ILQ sponsored the Art Dog Day and the Fur Ball that happened some days ago. It was so great to be a part of a fun event! We’re taught in our faith, that it’s important to treat all of God’s creatures with respect.

Let’s look at the concept of Halal for example (no I’m not encouraging eating your pets! Relax!) The reason why we have Halal food is because it’s a human way of killing livestock. So it’s funny how someone can go and kick a cat, but then ask for a Halal burger. Ah well, I digress!

Interested in seeing a few photos of the event? Click here http://iloveqatar.net/forum/read.php?5,12035

If you were one of the attendees, you could have picked up some ILQ freebies, like one of these Beachballs!