Intel Corporation today announced new products and initiatives designed to expand the use of technology in Egypt as part of the company’s long-standing approach toward sharing the benefits of personal computing with those who have traditionally had neither the access nor the means to use technology. In the presence of his Excellency, Dr. Tarek Kamel, Egypt’s Minister of Communication & Information Technology at a press event held at the Smart Village, Intel announced its “Discover the PC” initiative, set to provide digital inclusion to first-time users and under-privileged communities in Egypt.
This launch marks part of Intel’s global World Ahead program, which extends the company’s existing initiatives for developing regions and integrates Intel’s efforts to enhance lives by driving progress in the areas of accessibility, connectivity and education.
Commenting at today’s press briefing, HE Dr. Tarek Kamel confirmed that in collaboration with Intel, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt believes that providing technology and training to students, individuals and organizations, can be a powerful force for increasing the number of people broadly participating in the global economy.
“As part of our drive to accelerate growth in rural communities and to provide digital access to remote areas of society, it is important to continue to implement local initiatives which allow us to work with multinationals on bridging the digital divide,” Kamel added.
“Intel works closely with the Egyptian government supporting its strategic plans and goals. Intel shares the pride of having Egyptian engineers not only for developing technologies for the Egyptian market but also for setting a model for developing nations around the world.” said Karim Fahmy, General Manager Intel Egypt, Levant and North Africa. Fahmy highlighted that the new solutions will be sold solely through governments and telecommunications companies. “Today’s launch marks a local landmark in our recently announced global ‘World Ahead Program’ which extends our existing initiatives for developing nations and integrates Intel’s efforts to enhance lives by driving progress in accessibility, connectivity and education,” he added.
Commenting on the contributions of Intel’s Platform Definition Centre in Egypt, Fahmy added,
Focusing on Intel Digital Transformation Initiative, a comprehensive multi-year program with a mandate to expand Intel’s economic, educational and technology-related support throughout the Middle East, Turkey and Africa region, Fahmy also highlighted that the launch of the Intel Discover the PC Initiative in Egypt marked a notable milestone in enhancing digital accessibility and building local competencies, thus proving technology access to a wider population.
Commenting on the contributions of Intel’s Platform Definition Centre in Cairo, Khaled Elamrawi, Director of Intel PDC said “Working with Egyptian ISVs and IT players, we are launching a full function, high-quality PC, defined by Intel’s Platform Definition Centre in Cairo, with a simplified user interface designed to introduce a new set of individuals to the world of technology for the first time. The device is a small form-factor energy efficient PC, optimized for operation in hot areas such as Upper Egypt, thus offering remote users digital connectivity. With a focus on Arabic-enablement, we are bundling the PC with Arabic software solutions developed in Egypt.”
In March 2005, Craig Barrett inaugurated Intel Platform Definition Center in Cairo, allowing Intel to study computer usage models in the region and develop platforms that correspond specifically to the regional customers’ needs. In India, for example, Intel developed a wireless platform powered by a car or truck battery, which provides technology access in regions without power or hard-wired connectivity. In China, to reflect community needs and standards, Intel helped develop a web access platform that enables either full Internet access or, alternatively, limits student users to educational sites and uses. The Egyptian Platform Definition Center has already quadrupled in size, and expects to deliver a country-specific platform in 2006.
The Intel World Ahead Program integrates those efforts to accelerate their progress, multiply their effects and further extend their reach. For example, in its Discover the PC initiative that develops full-featured, low-cost PC technology tailored for people in developing regions, the company now plans to develop six more geographically tailored PCs designs worldwide in the next 2 years, following on the recently introduced Intel-powered Community PC in India. Intel is continuing its efforts to grow the availability of WiMAX technology for low-cost broadband access. By combining the individual efforts in accessibility, connectivity and education, Intel also aims to create more opportunities to make fully featured PCs and high-speed Internet access available to schools in developing nations, along with training for teachers on how to integrate the technology into their teaching. Intel itself is donating 100,000 PCs to classrooms in developing nations in order to improve teaching and learning.
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
