Tecom Investments Media Cluster and Flagship Projects have launched Rufoof, an Arabic bookstore application, which narrows the gap between both Arabic and English content.

Smart phones have opened new growth avenues and set new trends in e-reading narrowing the digital gap between Arabic and English content, according to senior management from Tecom Investments Media Cluster.

The statement was made during the launch of the application, which has been conceptualised by Flagship Projects, a business partner of Tecom Investments.

Rufoof was launched on the sidelines of the IP & TV Forum Mena 2011 at a media roundtable hosted by the company at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai. Senior management from Tecom and Flagship Projects attended the event, a statement from the company said.

Rufoof has been designed as an online store providing a wide range of titles including books, articles and e-journals. Content can be downloaded to enable access even when the device is offline.

Bookmarking pages, search, a variety of font sizes and the ability to change the colour of bookshelves at the online store are some of the features embedded in the application, the statement said.

Mohammad Abdullah, managing director of Tecom Investments Media Cluster, said: “Rufoof is a fine example of the growth and proliferation of Arabic content. It is essential to develop and innovate on Arabic homegrown content for users in the region. Developers need to offer the right content and team up with platforms that have the potential to penetrate the market.

The online store offers a platform for publishing houses and content driven organisations in the Middle East to make their body of work in English and Arabic available to online users through the purchase of space.

Content generators have the option to buy a premium package to publish their books and articles in a special section on Rufoof or simply post their books individually.

With Rufoof, authors and publishers are protected from piracy due to the high security features deployed by a team of software developers.

Shadi Hasan, managing director, Rufoof, said: “E-books have gained popularity due to the increasing proliferation of the iPhone, iPad and smartphone devices in the region. Rufoof provides a new reading experience for Arabic content users. It is a world-class value-added mobile application unique to the Arab world. The time is right for every publication house to create digital versions of its content to gain wider reach and easy accessibility.”

Flagship Projects, a leading developer of mobile applications in the Middle East, is poised to increase its share in the coming years.Through Rufoof, the application developer is showcasing its best expertise and the ability to develop creative professional content for the local and regional market. – TradeArabia News Service