How does your country rank in terms of sleep quality?
According to Will Ahmed, the Egyptian-American founder of fitness tracking company Whoop, the UAE ranks third globally for low "sleep performance".
He hopes data from the company's wearable devices will help to improve the quality of sleep enjoyed in the Emirates. It's an interesting goal, especially since far too often, sleep doesn't come up in discussions about fitness. Yet tech breakthroughs suggests that it definitely should be a priority.
As Future Beat has reported in the past, technology has a way of pointing us in the right direction to enrich our lives. For all the negativity focused on the sector, these observations are important to absorb.
The big story
Token of appreciation
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. Photo: Abdulla Al Bedwawi / UAE Presidential Court
In the context of AI, tokens are the basic unit to calculate the length of text and can include punctuation marks and spaces, and vary from language to language.
Why it matters | As The National's consumer and technology reporter Alvin Cabral points out, a bigger token count means more comprehensive results for users of various AI apps, tools and platforms.
For all the talk about a global race for AI dominance, all the investment won't mean much if it doesn't enrich the lives of those who use it.
There's a lot of disagreement among technology experts over how to decide which AI tools are the best, but a consensus has been reached that tokens are a great place to start.
The UAE understands this, and with this goal of 60 trillion tokens made crystal clear, the future looks bright.
Quoted | “The currency of the future is going to be tokens that can be used and transformed into insights or intelligence that will help in decision-making, improve the quality of life and improve productivity”
– Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications
Future in focus
Several technology companies are pushing the idea of AI sovereignty Photo: Reuters
Hillary Clinton has criticised social media platforms such as TikTok.
Hillary Clinton has claimed that social media shaped young Americans’ views on the Gaza war, and accused platforms such as TikTok of spreading misinformation that has driven support for the Palestinian cause.
This is noise: Don't get me wrong, there are many reasons to be concerned about social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and others, but it's also important to use critical thought when doing so.
The claim that increased support for Palestine is strictly down to TikTok is misguided and reductionist.
It should also be pointed out that conversely, there are some who feel that TikTok has stifled Palestine content.
Without access to the platform's specific policies and data, it's irresponsible to say that the genuine outpouring of empathy and support for Palestinians has been caused by TikTok or any social media app.
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available. Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus. Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel. Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Fixtures
50-over match
UAE v Lancashire, starts at 10am
Champion County match
MCC v Surrey, four-day match, starting on Sunday, March 24, play starts at 10am
Both matches are at ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City. Admission is free.
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
The flightsFly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
