IranMap

Google introduced “Google Toolbar with My Location”, based on its proprietary developed Wi-Fi positioning engine that has been first introduced last September for mobile search. This new version of Google’s web browser toolbar automatically provides search results based on the user’s location both on Google Maps and the included Maps gadget.

The user can see his location on Google Maps, search for places of interest around that location and more generally can get locally relevant results when searching on Google.

In terms of privacy, the “My Location” functionality in the toolbar can be enabled or disabled “with just the click of a button”, said Google. In addition, there is no association of location information with a user’s Google Account.

At this stage Google Toolbar with My Location is only available in the U.S. for Internet Explorer 6.0+.

Etisalat and Nokia today announced a joint collaboration to provide convenient access to advanced mobile Internet based services which include maps, navigation and games on Nokia devices, based on Nokia’s Ovi platform.

Subscribers to Nokia Maps will be able to choose to combine their payments with their Etisalat account. The payment will be directed to their account automatically, if chosen accordingly, while customers will also have the existing option of paying through their credit cards.

“The United Arab Emirates will be the first country in the Middle East and Africa to roll out this service during Q2, 2009, while the cooperation will be extended to other Etisalat operations in the Middle East and Africa in due course”, said the press release.

Etisalat operates in 18 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, servicing over 74m customers.

Renowned Iranian vocalist Mohammad-Reza Shajarian is to perform in the city of Konya, where Persian poet Mowlavi has been laid to rest. Shajarian has been invited by the International Rumi Foundation and the 22nd-generation granddaughter of Mowlavi, Esin Bayru Celebi.

Mohammad Reza Shajarian

The poet, mystic and theologian Jalal ad-Din Mohammad Balkhi known as Mowlavi (1207-73) is famous for his six-volume book of poems Masnavi which is one of the greatest works of both Islamic mysticism and Persian literature.

Iran’s legendary vocalist will perform traditional Persian music for two nights, accompanied by Shahnaz ensemble.
The ensemble is composed of professional musicians such as Majid Derakhshani (Tar), Ramin Safaei (Santour), Mohammad Reza Ebrahimi (Lute), Sina Jahan Abadi and Kaveh Motamedian (Kamancheh), Shahou Andalibi (Ney), Hossein Rezai Nia (Daf), Mehrdad Nasehi (Gheychak), Hamed Afshari (Gheychak Bass), Radman Tavvakoli (Tar), Hamid Qanbari (Tonbak) and Mozhgan Shajarian (Setar).

Mohammad Reza Shajarian received UNESCO’s Mozart Medal in 2006 and the 1999 prestigious Golden Picasso Medal among other wards.