ROUNDUPS
For the record 14 February
14-02-2003
by Ralph Averbuch
Opera alleges MSN portal targets its browser with broken pages | Film and music business targets file-swapping in the workplace
Opera has alleged that Microsoft's MSN portal targeted Opera users, serving a broken page. In reply, Opera released a special "Bork" edition of its Opera 7 for Windows browser that only behaves differently on the MSN site. Users see the MSN page transformed into the language of the Swedish Chef from the "Muppets Show." In October 2001, Opera claimed users were also blocked by MSN's site. The event caused uproar among Web users and MSN was forced to change their policy. Yet Opera claims that MSN continues a policy of singling it out.
In its international division, Western Wireless, which owns 80 percent of Ireland's number three mobile operator Meteor, reported revenue for the fourth quarter of USD83.7 million, an increase of 44 percent over the same period last year. Consolidated EBITDA loss for the quarter was USD23.4 million, reduced from a loss of USD40 million for the fourth quarter of 2001. For the year, total revenue was USD302.9 million and EBITDA loss came to USD58.7 million.
Macalla Software, a provider of mobile e-commerce platforms and solutions to mobile operators and enterprises, has announced Version 3.6 of the Macalla Alerts Management System. Version 3.6 provides functionality supporting the implementation and management of alert and notifications portals and push proxy alert applications for mobile operators, financial services and enterprises.
Representatives from the film and music business are taking their grievances with file-swapping into the workplace. They are asking major corporations to stop file-swapping by employees during office hours. Trade groups have published a guide, which is to be distributed to Fortune 1000 companies explaining ways to prevent copyright abuse on PCs and networks. Titled "A Corporate Policy Guide to Copyright Use and Security on the Internet," the music and film representatives hope to take their fight to a new level, following more recent efforts to prosecute private individuals for file-swapping copyright material, thus far to little effect.
Sophos, the anti-virus company, claims to have spotted a virus hidden in a file offering recipients x-rated pictures of Catherine Zeta Jones. Users considered at risk are those using file-sharing service Kazaa and Internet relay chat (IRC) instant messaging through which the virus can travel.
Openet Telecom, a Irish provider of real-time charging and so-called 'convergent mediation solutions', has announced that Macedonia Telecom (MT), Macedonia's incumbent telco operator and a subsidiary of Deutsche Telecom, has selected FusionWorks Mediation software. This will support rollout MT's voice and IP services to over 500,000 residential subscribers. The software collects, mediates and distributes network usage data from any combination of circuit and packet-based networks.
Analog Devices, the fourth-biggest maker of signal-processing chips used in mobile phones and electronics, said first-quarter net income more than doubled as sales rose 19 percent. Net income increased to USD60 million, or USD0.16 a share, in the quarter ended 01 February, from USD24.7 million, or USD0.06, a year earlier. Sales rose to USD467.4 million from USD393 million. Analog Devices customers include Dell and Sharp. Their chips can also be found in a wide variety of systems, from cable-television equipment and industrial robotics to car safety airbags.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 