IN THE PAPERS
In the papers 7 January
07-01-2008
by Sylvia Leatham
Yahoo unveils mobile development platform | High-tech firms forced to recruit non-Irish graduates
The Irish Times reports that Sony's Playstation dominated Christmas computer game sales in Ireland, according to figures compiled by Chart-Track. The most popular game this Christmas was FIFA 08. Sony's PlayStation 2 accounted for 34 percent of the title's sales with PlayStation 3 at 20 percent, and PlayStation Portable at 19 percent. Microsoft Xbox 360 only managed 14 percent of sales for that game.
The Irish Independent says that a shortage of Irish computing graduates is forcing high-tech firms to recruit from overseas. New figures from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, due to be published shortly, will show that half the professionals employed in many Dublin computing firms are non-Irish. While Irish students are avoiding careers in computing, the high-level jobs in many firms are increasingly being filled by graduates from India, China and European countries such as Poland and Spain.
The Financial Times says that an uncertain economic environment is causing companies to take a more sceptical look at new technology investments, according to Anne Mulcahy, chairman and chief executive of Xerox. "The hurdle rate for making investments has gone up in general," said Mulcahy. "I think what we see in the US is heightened anxiety. We see the financial services industry tightening their belts, and rightfully so, based on the impacts there." Mulcahy's comments follow a warning in November by Cisco CEO John Chambers, who said his firm had experienced "softness" in orders from big US customers.
The paper also says that Yahoo has moved to counter Google's push onto mobile handsets, unveiling a development platform of its own for creators of mobile internet applications. News of the plan, announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, comes two months after Google took the wraps off its Android mobile software. While Google's plan amounts to a full software "stack" to power mobile handsets, Yahoo's technology addresses a narrower need and is aimed at developers and publishers who want their applications to run on many different handsets.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft will get to use movies and television programming from several large entertainment companies under new deals that may help it better compete with Apple's iTunes and rivals such as software maker Adobe. Microsoft said it had reached agreements with NBC Universal, Walt Disney, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and CBS's Showtime Networks to contribute entertainment content to the software maker's Xbox Live and MSN online services. The agreements were disclosed by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates during the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show.
The paper also says that online music service Napster is to announce that it will sell all its downloads without digital rights management (DRM), the software that limits how buyers can use tracks. Chief Executive Chris Gorog said the shift to MP3 files that lack DRM will take place sometime from April to June, although he acknowledged that the company has yet to finalise agreements with at least some of the four major music companies.
The Sunday Business Post reports that Irish software firm MobileAware has made ten staff redundant at its office in Dublin after running into cashflow difficulties. The paper adds that an interim examiner was appointed last month and the viability of the firm's operations both here and in the UK is now being reviewed.
The paper also says that the Revenue Commissioners are to install new software security measures to ensure only authorised staff members can access confidential tax records, following several recent security breaches. Dublin firm Lan Communications has been selected to install new authentication software across the department's computer network that will change passwords on a regular basis and monitor access to secure files.
The same paper reports that Apple is expected to launch a new ultra-thin laptop at the forthcoming annual MacWorld expo in the US. It's believed to weigh around 1kg and make use of 'solid state' memory to extend battery life up to 12 hours. Other products expected to debut at MacWorld include an expanded film and TV downloads section of iTunes. The Irish launch of the firm's iPhone is expected to take place some time in the first half of 2008.
The paper also says that the Government's M50 Enterprise Programme is looking to fill the final eight places on its 12-month business support programme, which begins next month. Based in the Synergy Centre business incubation unit in IT Tallaght, the programme is aimed at entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting their own business.
The Sunday Times reports that Vodafone is planning to reduce the margins it pays to distributors who handle its pay-as-you-go top-ups. A 15 percent reduction will be brought in on 7 February, which the paper says could cost companies up to EUR5 million. Vodafone says the reduction was brought in after research revealed it was paying some of the highest margins in Europe to its distributors. Retailers, especially small convenience stores and newsagents, are expected to suffer as the margin reduction is passed on to them in the form of higher charges.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 