IN THE PAPERS
In the papers 14 March
14-03-2008
by Deirdre McArdle
Foreign tech firms more embedded in Ireland: report | Microsoft and Yahoo management meet
The Irish Times reports that Samir Naji, founder and chairman of Horizon Technology Group, stands to realise EUR36.61 million if the company accepts a EUR97.14 million approach for the business from an unnamed trade suitor. Read more on this story on ENN.
The same paper says that foreign tech firms are now far more embedded in Ireland than when manufacturing was their primary activity, according to new research published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). International tech firms based in Ireland now carry out higher-value functions such as R&D, sales, business development and finance. "Even if there is a sharp fall in the US, and they pull back activities to their home market, they will still have to sell in Europe," said Professor Frank Barry from Trinity College, Dublin, one of the report's two authors. "The current jobs are much better protected than manufacturing was."
The paper also writes that social networking website Bebo has been acquired by Time Warner subsidiary AOL for USD850 million (EUR545 million) in cash. Read the full story on ENN.
Still in the Irish Times, the amount of digital data in existence at the end of 2007 hit 281 billion gigabytes -- 10 percent more than previously estimated, according to a study by IDC and sponsored by storage maker EMC. Read the full story on ENN.
The paper also says that Dublin-based internet television start-up Babelgum has launched what it claims is the first ever online film festival, as noted by ENN on Monday.
According to the same paper, TalkTalk, the landline telephone company owned by Carphone Warehouse, has introduced Talk Complete a landline and broadband bundle, as noted by ENN.
Cruickshank, the specialist patent and trademark law firm, has said that contrary to popular belief software is patentable in Europe, writes the Irish Times. Read the full story on ENN.
Finally in the Irish Times, a virtual St Patrick's Day parade, hosted by Tourism Ireland, will be held in the internet virtual world Second Life this Sunday, 16 March, as noted by ENN.
The Irish Examiner reports on Fine Gael TD Tom Hayes who claims four firms in his Tipperary South constituency had threatened to relocate elsewhere because of delays in the roll-out of broadband in the area. "There is a huge crisis in many small towns and villages throughout the country in relation to broadband," he said. Hayes said he had letters from four companies in his constituency who were going to relocate 150 jobs in coming months if local access to broadband isn't established.
The Wall Street Journal writes that senior executives from Microsoft and Yahoo met Monday to discuss Microsoft's takeover offer for the internet company, according to people familiar with the matter. The meeting was the first since Microsoft made its unsolicited offer at the end of January and marks a breakthrough in communication between the two camps following Yahoo's rejection of Microsoft's offer last month. However, it was reported that the meeting wasn't a negotiation and no bankers attended.
Staying with Microsoft, the same paper reports that Joanne Bradford, vice president and chief media officer of Microsoft's MSN online service, will leave the software maker after seven years to join Spot Runner, a privately-held Los Angeles firm that uses the internet to help companies create advertisements for television.
According to the Financial Times Yahoo is planning to move its European headquarters from London to Switzerland. One person close to the move -- understood to be called "Project Yodel" -- said it was made for corporate tax reasons. The move will come as a blow to the UK's efforts to keep innovative technology companies in the country. Google, which has large commercial operations in London, recently chose to base its European engineering headquarters in Zurich and in 2006 Electronic Arts, the games publisher, moved its European headquarters from outside London to Geneva.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 