< PreviousI n the labyrinthine saga of digital media formats, the release of CD Video in 1987 marked a pivotal moment. Employing analog video encoding on optical discs that mirrored the size of audio CDs, this innovation paved the way for the emergence of Video CD (VCD) six years later, heralding one of the earliest methods for digitally disseminating films. However, the landscape soon became cluttered with competing technologies as two new optical disc formats vied for dominance: the Multimedia Compact Disc (MMCD), championed by Philips and Sony, and the Super Density (SD) disc, backed by a consortium including Toshiba, Time Warner, and others. Amidst these rivalries, computer giants such as IBM, Apple, and Microsoft, stood demanded unity, issuing a stern ultimatum in May 1995: they would only entertain a single standard. Soon negotiations ensued, culminating in a historic compromise that birthed the DVD specification. Philips and Sony, recognising the wisdom in ending the format feud, joined forces with proponents of the Super Density Disc, forging a singular path forward. The ensuing DVD specification, boasted impressive storage capacities and technical prowess, drawing heavily from the collective innovations of both camps. As manufacturing ramped up, anticipation mounted, with Samsung announcing plans for mass production, and major studios primed to unleash a torrent of content. However, the journey to widespread adoption was fraught with delays and setbacks. The format’s debut, initially slated for August 1996, faced repeated delay before its launch in early 1997. Yet, the allure of DVDs proved irresistible, swiftly eclipsing their VHS predecessors as the de facto choice for home entertainment. Meanwhile, the ubiquity of DVDs in households across soared, surpassing even personal computers and cable television in terms of ownership. Movie and home entertainment distributors swiftly embraced the format, relegating VHS to history. Blank DVD recordable discs became essential tools for content creation and distribution. By the turn of the millennium, DVDs had firmly entrenched themselves in the fabric of everyday life, symbolising the convergence of technology and entertainment. With their versatility, durability, and superior quality, they became the medium of choice for everything from Hollywood blockbusters to home videos. In this whirlwind of innovation and adaptation, the humble DVD emerged as a cultural juggernaut, reshaping the way we consume media and leaving an indelible mark on the digital landscape. Its legacy continues to endure, a testament to the power of collaboration and the relentless march of progress. FORGING UNITY IN A DIGITAL FRONTIER By Sindhu V Kashyap How the DVD conquered the media landscape 10 edge_ may 2024 vintage techatlas by Etihad Airways, home to award-winning content and read by over 1.3 million engaged readers a month Michael Underdown Commercial Director michael.underdown@itp.com +971 50 396 2115 +971 4 444 3566 To elevate your brand and connect with Etihad Airways’ passengers, contact: November 2023 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | 3332 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | November 2023 10.1632° N, 76.6413° E10.1632° N, 76.6413° E he image of palm-lined beaches and verdant rolling grasslands sloping towards the Arabian Sea is seared into my mind after a four-hour flight with Etihad Airways into Cochin International Airport, situated in the Indian state of Kerala. As we descend, I peer out of the window to the scene beneath and I’m filled with anticipation to discover a land I’ve already heard so much about. Away from the busy streets of Mumbai and crowded Delhi, Kerala offers a more laidback atmosphere, but one that is every bit as memorable. It’s known as God’s Own Country, thanks to its vast emerald valleys and lush landscapes. The term has a mythological origin, too, tied to the belief that Parashurama, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, a principal deity in Hinduism, threw his axe into the sea to create a home in which his followers could live peacefully. If ever a story epitomises a place, it’s this one: Kerala, born at the hands of a God for the purpose of people living in harmony. Kerala is world-famous for its houseboats that plough the glistening backwaters, a labyrinthine 900-kilometre network of brackish canals, lakes Beaches Backwaters & Kerala, India’s tropical coastal jewel, has much to offer curious travellers By Francesca Kirby November 2023 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | 2524 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | November 2023 suitcase Smooth skin The Barbiere multi-action face cream for men from Acqua Di Parma combines moisturing, smoothing, and revitalising properties to combat exposure to blue light from digital screens and environmental elements. It also comes in eco-friendly packaging ($120, acquadiparma.com). Wild ocean Enriched with almond, hazelnut, and prickly pear oils, this Wildocean beard oil is designed for medium to long facial hair that needs softening ($21, beautyethic.com). 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Groom yourself Men, look your best with this selection of personal care products suitcase The stylish way to travel THIS PAGE: ACQUA DI PARMA; OPPOSITE PAGE: RITUALS; ACQUA DI PARMA; APA BEAUTY; BEAUTY ETHIC 7.8804° N, 98.3923° E7.8804° N, 98.3923° E 2023 ﺮﺒﻤﻓﻮﻧ | ناﺮﻴﻄﻠﻟ دﺎﺤﺗﻻا ﻦﻣ ﺲﻠﻃأ | 2627 | ناﺮﻴﻄﻠﻟ دﺎﺤﺗﻻا ﻦﻣ ﺲﻠﻃأ | 2023 ﺮﺒﻤﻓﻮﻧ ﺔﻀﺑﺎﻨﻟا ﺔﻨﻳﺪﻤﻟا هﺬﻫ ﻒﺸﺘﻛا لﺎﻣﺮﻟاو ﺲﻤﺸﻟا ﺮﻴﺛأ ﻰﻠﻋ ةﺎﻴﺤﻟﺎﺑ ناﺮﻴﻄﻠﻟ دﺎﺤﺗﻻا ﻊﻣ ﺔﻨﻴﻜﺴﻟاو ﺰﻧارﺎﻤﻟو ﻦﻴﻟ ﺖﻴﻛ ΙήΘϟΔϗήϋϦϴΑΎϣϊϤΠΗϲΘϟϥΎϣΪϧήΤΑΓΆϟΆϟˬΖϴϛϮΑ ϦπΘΤΗΚϴΣˬΔϘϠτϤϟήμόϟΔϴϫΎϓέϭˬϲϨϐϟϱΪϨϠϳΎΘϟ ϳΰϳϦϣέΎψΘϧΎΑΓΪϳήϔϟΏέΎΠΘϟϦϣΔϋϮϨΘϣΔϋϮϤΠϣΖϴϛϮΑ ˬΔϤΣΩΰϤϟΎϬϗϮγϰΘΣήϜΒϟΎϬΌσϮηϦϣ ˱ ˯ΪΑˬΎϬϨϋέΎΘδϟ ϩάϫϲϓΎϨϘϓέΔΒΧΎμϟΔϴϠϴϠϟΎϬΗΎϴΣϰϟ·ΔΩΎϬϟΎϫΪΑΎόϣϦϣϭ ίϮϨϛϭέήγϰϠϋϑήόΘΗϲϛΔϋΎγ72έΪϣϰϠϋΔϟϮΠϟ ΔϴϮΘγϻΔϨΠϟϩάϫ ﺦﻳرﺎﺘﻟا ﻖﺒﻌﺑ ﺔﻗرﺎﻏ ﺔﻨﻳﺪﻣ ˬ ˱ ΔϴΒόηΎϫήΜϛϭΖϴϛϮΑΪΑΎόϣήΒϛΪΣˬ³ώϧϮϟΎθΗΕϭ´˱ΎΣΎΑλ ΔϋϮϤΠϣϰϠϋϭˬΫϮΑϦϣΕΎϓέϰϠϋήϴΒϜϟΪΒόϤϟάϫϱϮΘΤϳ ϲΘϟϞϴΛΎϤΘϟϭˬΕΎΣϮϠϟϭˬΔϠΧΪΘϤϟϢϴϣΎμΘϟωϭέϦϣΓήΣΎγ ˯ΪΗέΓέϭήοϰϟ·ΎϨϫήϴθϧϭΫϮΑΓΎϴΣϦϣΕΎϔτΘϘϣέϮμ ˵ Η ϲϓΪΟϮΘϟΪϨϋϦϴΘΒϛήϟϭϦϴϔΘϜϟϲτϐΗϲΘϟΔϤθΘΤϤϟΏΎϴΜϟ αΪϘϤϟϥΎϜϤϟάϫ ϞϜθΗϲΘϟΔϴΨϳέΎΘϟΔϨϳΪϤϟϲϫϭˬΔϤϳΪϘϟΖϴϛϮΑΔϨϳΪϣ ˱ έϬυ ΔϴϨϴμϟΓέΎϤόϟϥϮϨϓΔϨοΎΣϭˬΖϴϛϮΑΔϨϳΪϣ˯ΰΟΪΣ ήμϋάϨϣΔϨϳΪϤϟϩάϫέΎϫΩίϭϖϟϰϠϋΓΪϫΎθϟˬΔϴϟΎϐΗήΒϟ ΔϴϫΰϟΎϬϧϮϟ΄ΑϙϮΗϙϮΘϟΕΎΑήϋΪό˵ΗϭήϳΪμϘϟϦϳΪόΗ ϡΎότϟϕΎθϋΎϣΔϨϳΪϤϟϑΎθϜΘγϻΔόΘϣήΜϛϷϞϘϨϟΔϠϴγϭ ϮϫϭˬϲΗϭήϟΎϬγέϰϠϋϭˬΔϴϠΤϤϟΕϻϮϛ΄ϤϟΔΑήΠΗϢϬϴϠόϓ ΰϛήϤϟΐϴϠΤϟϊϣϡΪϘ˵ϳΎϣ˱ΓΩΎϋϱήσϭϖϴϗέτδϣΰΒΧ ˬϲϬθϟϦϴϛϮϫϲϤϟΔϧϭήϜόϣϖΒσϭˬάϳάϠϟϱέΎϜϟϭϰϠΤϤϟ ΕϻϮϛ΄ϤϟϊϣΔϴϠϘϤϟ˯ήϔμϟϝΩϮϨϟΔϧϭήϜόϤϟϦϣϒϟΆϤϟ άϳάϠϟϕήϤϟϭˬΔϳήΤΒϟ ˬ³ϱΎϜϳήΗΖϴϛϮΑ´ϒΤΘϣϞΧΪΗΖϧϭϚγϮΣϒϫέ˱˯Ύγϣ ΔϴΛϼΛϭΔϴϠϋΎϔΘϟΔϴϨϔϟϝΎϤϋϸϟϞϫάϣνήόϣϦϋΓέΎΒϋϮϫϭ ΎϫΪόΑϚΗίΎΟ·έϮλϦϴϳΰΘϟΓΰϴϤϣΕΎϴϔϠΧήϓϮϳϪϧΎϤϛˬΩΎόΑϷ ϱΪϧϼϳΎΗϲϨϴλϊΑΎτΑϢϳΪϗϢότϣϮϫϭˬ³Ύϳέ´Ϣότϣϰϟ·ϪΟϮΗ ϱέΎϜϟΎΑϥϮότϠδϟΎϬϨϣϭˬΔϳΪϴϠϘΘϟϕΎΒσϷϒϠΘΨϣϡ˷ΪϘϳ ϲϬϨϨγϢΛϦϣϭάϳάϠϟϱΪϧϼϳΎΘϟήπΧϷϱέΎϜϟϭˬΎϤϳήϜϟϭ ϰϠϋΔϣϭΎδϤϟΪόΗϲΘϟϭˬΔΒΧΎμϟϕϮγϷϲϓϝϮΠΘϟΎΑΔϠϴϠϟ ΔΒΒΤϤϟΔϴϠΤϤϟΔϓΎϘΜϟϦϣϭΎϫΪϴϟΎϘΗϦϣ ˱ ˯ΰΟέΎόγϷ لوﻷا مﻮﻴﻟا تاو” ﺪﺒﻌﻣ :ﻦﻴﻤﻴﻟا ﻰﻟإ رﺎﺴﻴﻟا ﻦﻣ ﺔﻨﻳﺪﻣ ﻲﻓ “ﻎﻧﻻﺎﺗ” ﻖﻳﺮﻃ ؛“ﻎﻧﻮﻟﺎﺸﺗ .ﺔﻤﻳﺪﻘﻟا ﺖﻴﻛﻮﺑ مﺎﻳأ ﺔﺛﻼﺛ ﺖﻴﻛﻮﺑ ﻲﻓ ﺔﻳﺎﻜﺤﻟا ﺔﻳﺪﻧﻼﻳﺎﺘﻟا KENZIE KRAFTA / UNSPLASH; SHUTTERSTOCK ’ 12 edge_may 2024 event edge Security Leadership Awards: Meet the winners Celebrating the cybersecurity leaders, innovators, and companies of 2024 AWARDS By Sindhu V Kashyap edge_may 2024 13 event T he edge Security Leadership Awards 2024 celebrated industry visionaries and companies redefining industry standards, demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication to cybersecurity. The edge Security Leadership Awards winners took centre stage as CISOs and cybersecurity leaders were honoured during a gala evening at Kempinski, The Boulevard, Dubai. The awards championed industry visionaries and companies redefining industry standards, demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication to cybersecurity. They also celebrated visionaries who have kept pace with the ever- evolving tech landscape and have played a role in reshaping the future. The occasion was made even more special by being held against the backdrop of GISEC Global, one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated events in the cybersecurity space. This unique alignment brought together thought leaders, decision-makers, and tech enthusiasts under one roof, creating a vibrant atmosphere to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments that continue to shape our digital world. This year, the edge Security Leadership Awards featured 14 winners, each representing a different aspect of the dynamic regional cybersecurity landscape in the Middle East. These categories showcased the region’s diverse technological achievements, from startups to established enterprises. Two Editor’s Choice Awards were given away at the event. 14 edge_may 2024 event MANAGED SECURITY SERVICES PROVIDER (MSSP) IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT INNOVATOR GULF BUSINESS MACHINES (GBM) WSO2 GBM secured the prestigious title with its groundbreaking cybersecurity programme, GBM Shield. Focused on addressing the escalating complexity of cybersecurity challenges facing enterprises, GBM Shield stands as the region’s most comprehensive cybersecurity offering. By seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technologies and providing defence-grade services, GBM empowers organisations of all sizes to monitor, detect, respond to, and prevent cyber threats effectively. WSO2 emerged triumphant for its trailblazing advancements in identity and access management solutions. Offering a full- featured access management solution, WSO2 distinguishes itself with its on-premises and multi-tenant SaaS solutions. From enhancing developer experience to revolutionising B2B support, WSO2 continues to set new standards in IAM innovation, empowering organisations to navigate the evolving digital landscape securely.edge_may 2024 15 event CLOUD SECURITY INNOVATOR AI SECURITY INNOVATOR HUAWEI CHECK POINT SOFTWARE Huawei garnered acclaim for its next-generation cloud-native security operation centre, SecMaster. Leveraging over three decades of security expertise, SecMaster provides comprehensive asset management, incident detection, and risk mitigation capabilities. With its advanced AI models and global collaboration features, SecMaster offers unparalleled threat management capabilities, safeguarding organisations against evolving cyber threats with unmatched precision and efficiency. Check Point Software was honoured for its pioneering efforts in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to combat cyber threats. From unveiling innovative AI-powered solutions like the Infinity AI Copilot to providing predictive security analyses for cloud environments, Check Point continues to redefine cybersecurity defences. Launched in January this year, the Infinity AI Copilot enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of security teams. It integrates AI and cloud technologies to address the global shortage of cybersecurity practitioners. 16 edge_may 2024 event NETWORK SECURITY INNOVATOR SECURITY INNOVATION LEADER HUAWEI GENIE SUGENE GAN, KASPERSKY Huawei’s HiSec SASE solution clinched the award for its innovative intelligent security protection for enterprise branches. With its solution ‘Cloud-Network-Edge-Endpoint’ integrated architecture, HiSec SASE offers all- rounded security protection and dynamic tunnel creation capabilities. By delivering unmatched threat detection rates and precise ransomware defence, Huawei continues to lead the way in network security innovation. Genie Sugene Gan’s recognition as the Security Innovation Leader of the Year highlights her exceptional contributions to cybersecurity. Leveraging her diverse background in diplomacy and international relations, Gan has emerged as a thought leader at the intersection of public policy and technology. Through her dedication to nurturing talent and shaping international cybersecurity frameworks, Gan continues to drive positive change in the cybersecurity landscape.edge_may 2024 17 event CYBERSECURITY VAD DATA PROTECTION INNOVATOR MINDWARE CLOUDFLARE Mindware was celebrated for its two-decade- long commitment to enhancing cybersecurity posture through innovative technologies and comprehensive solutions. By continuously investing in talent acquisition and skill development, Mindware empowers organisations to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape confidently. With its extensive portfolio of top-notch security vendors and innovative technologies, Mindware remains at the forefront of cybersecurity excellence in the Middle East. Cloudflare’s recognition as the Data Protection Innovator of the Year underscores its mission to build a safer and more secure internet. Through its global cloud platform, Cloudflare offers unparalleled protection against cyber threats, ensuring millions of internet properties remain secure and accessible worldwide. By leveraging innovative technologies and industry expertise, Cloudflare continues to set new standards for data protection and cybersecurity resilience.18 edge_may 2024 event EMERGING SECURITY VENDOR HOMELAND SECURITY VENDOR CYBERX POSITIVE TECHNOLOGIES CyberX was hailed for its innovative initiatives aimed at raising awareness and knowledge in cybersecurity across the Arab world. By fostering a cybersecurity culture and nurturing a community of qualified professionals, CyberX is paving the way for a safer and more secure digital future. Through creative content formats and strategic partnerships, CyberX continues to drive positive change and shape the cybersecurity landscape in the Middle East. Positive Technologies received the Editor’s Choice award for Homeland Security Vendor of the Year in recognition of its innovative cybersecurity solutions and commitment to enhancing cyber literacy. By developing creative installations and attractions aimed at increasing cyber literacy and changing perceptions of the digital world, Positive Technologies has made significant contributions to homeland security and cybersecurity awareness.edge_may 2024 19 event RISING SECURITY LEADER ALI AL KAF ALHASMI, MUBADALA INVESTMENT COMPANY Ali Al Kaf Alhasmi’s recognition as the Rising Security Leader of the Year underscores his exceptional impact on cybersecurity within Mubadala Investment Company. From his early contributions to cybersecurity publications to his leadership in implementing transformative security measures, Alhasmi has emerged as a driving force behind Mubadala’s cybersecurity initiatives. Through his dedication to innovation and excellence, Ali continues to shape the future of cybersecurity within Mubadala and beyond.Next >