Etisalat has created an all-new applications portal specially for BlackBerry users, offering value-added services, a report said.

'The initiative which is a first for BlackBerry users in the Middle East will enable them to literally carry their office with them through their BlackBerry service to enjoy a world beyond just e-mail,' etisalat said in a statement quoted in Gulf News.

Both business users and individuals can log into the etisalat portal through their BlackBerry browser to download and make use of these applications for a fee, said an official.

But there are other free applications too, like the BlackBerry stock ticker, RSS reader, Financial Times news reader and the 'Holy Quran' in Arabic.