BlackBerry Ban in UAE, Saudi Arabia

Don’t worry, it hasn’t hit the U.S. yet. Main features on BlackBerry smartphones will be blocked in the United Arab Emirates, officials announced Sunday, and Saudi Arabia plans to follow suit. Why? Security issues, for one, and because the government has trouble monitoring their use. BlackBerry data, which is encrypted and routed overseas, makes officials fear that terrorists or other criminals could exploit the technology. “The UAE doesn't want to take any chances and they want to monitor what is going on in the country,” said Simon Simonian, a Dubai-based analyst who follows telecommunications. Thousands of users will be prevented from accessing email and the Web on the devices.