IN ASSOCIATION WITH

For the record 9 May
09-05-2008
by Emmet Ryan

Grand Theft Auto gives boost to Xbox sales | Microsoft helps people see the stars

Saaspoint, an Irish-based provider of Salesforce.com services, has signed a global partnership agreement with software-as-as-service provider Cast Iron Systems. Under the agreement, Saaspoint will use Cast Iron's integration system to deliver Salesforce.com integration projects in Europe and help Salesforce.com customers reduce their integration time and costs.

Grand Theft Auto IV is helping boost Xbox 360 sales in the US. Microsoft sales data from last week shows Xbox 360 console sales went up 54 percent on the previous week following the game's successful launch. According to Microsoft, more than 60 percent of all Grand Theft Auto games sold in the first week were the Xbox 360 version. The firm said roughly 40 percent of new consoles sold come with a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV.

And in the wake of the controversial game's success, a new bill before the US Congress would force retailers to seek identification from children attempting to buy video games bearing mature or adults-only ratings. In addition to the identification-checking requirement, the proposed Video Game Ratings Enforcement Act would require stores to post explanations of what the ratings actually mean.

WiMax is expected to become an attractive alternative to traditional fixed-line broadband over the coming years, according to Juniper Research. The research firm predicts that up to 12 percent of DSL broadband subscribers will transfer to fixed WiMax connections within five years. The Far East is expected to lead the charge, accounting for a fifth of the 47 million subscribers anticipated worldwide by 2013.

Finally, we've learned that Microsoft plans to launch Worldwide Telescope, a tool for exploring images of the night sky, by the end of May. The service, which will be free to anyone who wants to use it, consists of software that allows people to gaze at the cosmos using the data collected by telescopes all around the world, and indeed beyond in some cases, as some of the data will be supplied by the Hubble Telescope.