Yahoo! Maktoob launches the ultimate Ramadan destination

To celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan, Yahoo! Maktoob has created the ultimate Ramadan site, designed as a one stop destination that provides access to a host of rich spiritual, lifestyle, and entertainment content. The dedicated site (maktoob.ramadan.yahoo.com) brings together premium content relevant to Ramadan, pulled from multiple leading Yahoo! Maktoob properties including News, Helwa, OMG!, Video on Demand, Forums and Search. The site also provides prayer and imsakieh times based on country and city.

 “As the premier digital media company, we have created a premium online destination that brings together the best Ramadan content. We are selecting content that is relevant to this period from all of our popular properties, and packaging it in a way that gives users an experience that is both enjoyable and useful,” said Ahmed Nassef, Vice President and Managing Director, Yahoo! Middle East.     

He added, “For many people, Ramadan is a time for spirituality, sharing experiences with friends and family, and reflecting. It is also a time that impacts people’s lifestyles and how they consume information and content. It’s not a surprise that the Internet is increasingly becoming a main source for Ramadan related information - be it for prayer times, the latest recipes or TV listings - as well as a main entertainment hub.” 

For those looking to unwind pre or post Iftar, the new Yahoo! Maktoob Ramadan site is home to the best entertainment offering. OMG! Arabic brings all the news of celebrities during Ramadan, from their big shows to how they are spending the month. Video on Demand is also re-launching with an amazing line-up of new video content, with over 500 hours of video, including popular TV shows, Islamic shows, cooking, and news.  Helwa, the region’s leading women’s property, brings Ramadan related content with over 16,000 recipies under its Kitchen/Recipes content section.

Ramadan Games, a dedicated sub section from Yahoo! Maktoob Games, includes puzzles, a Qatayef making game and other cooking games. The site is also host to a full Ramadan TV guide, where people can log on to find out what the latest shows on all regional TV channels.

In the spirit of the sharing aspect of Ramadan, the Yahoo! Maktoob Ramadan site offers a free SMS service to all users enabling them to send Ramadan greetings to family and friends direct to their mobiles. Users can send up to 3 SMS per day and can choose from a pre-defined SMS template or customize their SMS message.

For users on the go this Ramadan, the new mobile application provides feeds from the Yahoo! Maktoob Ramadan site including, prayer times, TV guide, OMG!, and more.

The new site is also running a competition encouraging users to share their personal experiences and how they celebrate Ramadan by submitting uploads in the form of write-ups, photos or videos. Winners will be based on community votes, with a chance to win iPads.

“Our capability to draw from such a rich selection of content and make it so relevant is what sets us apart, and we plan to continue to build amazing products based on our global expertise, with a regional focus,” added Nassef.