In the papers 19 May

19-05-2008

by Bryan Collins

Microsoft makes fresh approach to Yahoo | Motorola loses its chief strategy and technology officer

The Irish Independent reports that Fine Gael has launched an online survey that aims to chart the experiences of victims of crime within the criminal justice system. Among the questions covered by the survey are whether victims and their families were kept informed during the criminal process and whether the Director of Public Prosecutions should tell victims and their families why he is not proceeding with a prosecution. The survey is accessible via the party's website, www.finegael.ie.

The Financial Times says that Microsoft has made a fresh approach to Yahoo about a deal to combine part of their online businesses, although the proposal stops short of a full acquisition. The approach came in recent days after activist investor Carl Icahn took a significant stake in Yahoo and put pressure on the company to reopen talks about selling itself to Microsoft, according to a source. "Microsoft is considering and has raised with Yahoo an alternative that would involve a transaction with Yahoo, but not an acquisition of all of Yahoo," said Microsoft in a statement. "Microsoft is not proposing to make a new bid to acquire all of Yahoo at this time, but reserves the right to reconsider that alternative depending on future developments and discussions that may take place with Yahoo or discussions with shareholders of Yahoo or Microsoft or with other third parties."

In other news of Yahoo, the internet firm is in danger of being edged out of a landmark advertising deal with Bebo as the social networking site plans to begin using technology developed by AOL, its new owner, the paper also reports. AOL will on Monday mark the completion of the USD850 million acquisition with news that it plans to integrate Bebo with existing community platforms such as AIM instant messaging into a single division. The news is a fresh blow to Yahoo, whose agreement last September to sell most of the display advertising on Bebo was one of its largest deals in Europe. Bebo's deal with Yahoo is not due to expire until September 2009, but a successful advertising partnership between Bebo and AOL would make a renewal of the Yahoo relationship unlikely.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Electronic Arts is likely to again extend the deadline for its hostile tender offer to acquire videogame rival Take-Two Interactive Software, after failing to get the support of a majority of the company's shareholders for a deal. EA may announce its plans as early as Monday. The company's previous tender offer to Take-Two shareholders -- valued at about USD2 billion -- expired on Friday night. Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities, said he expects EA to announce a four-week extension of the recent tender offer deadline.

The paper also says that Motorola's chief strategy and technology officer, Rich Nottenburg, has resigned amid continued turmoil in the company's executive ranks. Nottenburg's departure leaves Chief Executive Greg Brown with a shrinking pool of senior staff to help him steer Motorola as demand plummets for its mobile phones and as activist investor Carl Icahn takes a greater role through two representatives on the board. Since former chief executive Ed Zander resigned under pressure in December 2007, the company has lost or replaced the heads of finance, technology, human resources, strategy, marketing, and mobile devices, as well as a host of other senior officials.

The Sunday Business Post reports on the popularity of children's website WebbliWorld.com. The site was designed by the creators of Wallace and Gromit. It is aimed at children from 5 to 11 years of age and is seen as an introduction to social networking sites. Despite still being in its launch phase, the website has attracted over 11 million hits to date.

The same newspaper reports on Dublin-based web advertising start-up Skupe.net. The company has signed a deal with Channel 4 that will see it design a motoring classifieds section for the television station's website. The firm's operations director, Rob Cullen, told the paper that the company now needs to sign one more major client to reach its first year targets. Once it secures another big client, the company plans to embark on another funding round.

The paper also reports that banking software firm CR2 has raised EUR1 million in funding. The money will be used by the Dublin company to finance its expansion into the former Soviet republics and the Asian market. The investors include the likes of Trinity Venture Capital and ACT Venture. CR2 recently signed a deal to provide multiple channel banking software to Ukraine-based Finance and Credit Bank.

The same paper says that US multinational Texas Instruments has bought computer supply company Commergy. The Cork-based firm, which has been in business since 2002, was bought for an undisclosed sum. The surprise sale of Commergy came about following initial partnership discussions with the US-based company in September.

The same newspaper says that Canon is claiming it sold 50 percent more digital cameras in Ireland than its competitors did in 2006. The electronics company also told the paper that it was on track to beat last year's sales total. The company attributed its success to taking on more staff, creating more demonstration programmes for retailers and a reduction in its prices. Canon's Irish country manager, Philip Brady, also says that the market for SLR cameras grew by 42 percent last year.

The Sunday Times reports that stroke patients at St. James's hospital in Dublin are being advised to use the Nintendo Wii Fit to help their recovery. The hospital's medicine for the elderly unit also plans to spend the next six months looking into the benefits of the Nintendo game. Wii Fit users do their exercise routine on a special board which works using a motion-based technology. The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists also told the paper that several rehabilitative centres were testing technologies similar to the Wii.

The Sunday Tribune reports that up to EUR1 million has been stolen from 300 Irish bank accounts. The Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation is examining how the bank cards were cloned at point of sale in restaurants and shops around Dublin recently. The Gardai believe the PIN numbers of the skimmed cards were obtained by 'shoulder surfing', that is, standing behind someone and observing them enter their PIN. The monies from the bank accounts were withdrawn in Italy, Romania and Spain over the past few weeks.

The Sunday Independent report that the Irish Association of Suicidology has said that inappropriate Bebo and Facebook comments left by friends of suicide victims should be removed. Dan Neville, president of the association, says that inappropriate reporting and depictions on social networking sites can lead to copycat suicides and allow users to feel like they are part of the suicide.

The same paper also briefly notes that Spanish police have arrested five computer hackers who allegedly disabled government websites in Asia and America. The members of the DOM hacking team were aged between 16 and 20. Police say that the group itself was one of the most active hacking bodies online.