The Hidaya is a big success. We had planned to sell 100,000 units the first month, but our stocks ran out after less than three weeks. We had to order new phones from the factory and are expecting to sell 300,000 units before the end of the year. We are very proud of our success!"

What is really important to understand is that the Hidaya is not really the first Muslim phone in Indonesia; there have been other cell phones with religious applications. Not many, and most of them were very expensive and less all-inclusive, but above all, they were not officially certified as being Muslim. And here is the big difference. Indonesia is a democratic republic where religion is separated from the government. But the Council of Indonesian Ulama, called the MUI, which represents Islam here and is pretty conservative, is getting more and more influential. And they are the ones who have officially certified the Hidaya as being the first Muslim phone in Indonesia. Such a recommendation is a moral guarantee for Indonesian people and an amazing advertising asset for Esia. Of course, the recommendation itself is free. But Esia committed itself to giving 70 cents to a Muslim organisation out of each Hidaya sold. And part of the first donation, which is more than €75,000, will certainly be given to the MUI, even though Esia hasn't officially said it yet."

I found myself participating in daily Jewish prayer groups (minyanim) that would take place in stairwells or conference rooms of office buildings in New York City. Frequently, I would be without a prayer book, which, although I know the prayers by heart, provides a heightened level of concentration, focus and experience. But, as all Blackberry users know, you are never without your Blackberry. I thought it would be great to have that same level of access to my prayers.