As always a busy week, but top of your reading list should be coverage of the 2011 Arab Media Forum by our own Arabian Bytes team. Check out Day 1 coverage from Alanood Al-Feel and Day 2 coverage from Rachel McArthur. On to the news…

Netflix Now The Largest Single Source of Internet Traffic In North America

Netflix has had a busy week. First, a study from Sandvine shows the video streaming website now accounts for 29.7 of traffic in North America (by comparison, YouTube accounts for 10 percent). Second, they recently inked a deal with Miramax to bring hundreds of movies to the Netflix platform. While the “death of TV” predictions aren’t here just yet, the increasing prevalence of video streaming continues to blur the line on the convergence between TV and the Internet.

UAE broadband penetration to reach 100% by 2012

Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE minister of economy predicts the UAE will have 100% broadband penetration by 2012. Currently, broadband penetration stands at 40% in the UAE.

Why Gift Cards Will Lead the Transition From Plastic to Digital

The CEO of CashStar argues that your days of carrying a credit card to pay for purchases are coming to an end thanks to the rise of digital gifting, virtual goods, personalization and the rise of mobile devices.

UAE online shopping stalled

According to a report from Euromonitor International, pickup of online shopping in the UAE is slow, although the UAE leads other Middle East countries. The slow growth rate is attributed to the lack of an address system as well as difficulty finding local online payment providers.

On the Lighter Side

Finally, the self-proclaimed “Greatest marriage proposal ever” has garnered over 2,000,000 views on YouTube. A fun viral video for your Thursday afternoon…