In the papers 9 June

09-06-2008

by Bryan Collins

France Telecom may withdraw TeliaSonera bid | RTE to launch online streaming news service

The Irish Independent says that the popularity of text messaging may result in future repetitive strain injuries for children and teenagers, according to an expert. The repeated actions involved in texting, combined with excessive typing and playing computer games, raises worries over strain, according to Dublin physiotherapist Eileen Murphy. She claims that while there has not been a rise in the number of young people presenting with repetitive strain injuries to their hands or wrists, people have been complaining of pains in their thumbs.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft and healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente plan to launch a pilot program to exchange patient information. The effort will involve securely transferring data maintained in Kaiser's personal health record -- an online repository containing data about patients -- to Microsoft's HealthVault, a web-based service that allows patients to store and manage medical data from a variety of websites and selectively share information with them.

According to the Financial Times, UK security firm Sophos could make a second attempt at a market flotation, possibly in the US, when markets recover. Sophos had aimed to raise STG100 million through an IPO last November but was scuppered by worries about the outlook for the tech sector. The group is on Monday expected to report earnings that will beat forecasts predicted by analysts ahead of the group's aborted listing. Steve Munford, chief executive, said the group "would consider listing on Nasdaq or in London when markets stabilised" but that an IPO was not vital to its plans.

The paper also says that France Telecom has warned it would walk away from its proposed EUR26.5 billion takeover of TeliaSonera unless the Nordic operator rapidly signalled its interest in a deal. France Telecom launched a cash-and-shares bid on Thursday, but it was rejected as too low by TeliaSonera's board and the Swedish government, which owns 37 percent of the Swedish-Finnish operator. France Telecom's shares fell nearly 8 percent in the following two days, as investors reacted coolly to the company's plans for a tie-up. Gervais Pellissier, France Telecom's finance director, has now said the telco could withdraw its offer if its share price "started to plunge" amid continuing uncertainty over a deal.

The Sunday Business Post reports that the Irish Times is moving its news-related online content to a new website and scrapping subscription fees for Ireland.com. The site, www.irishtimes.com, is to launch next September and users will have to pay a fee to access some of the paper's archives. Meanwhile, the Ireland.com site is going to be changed into a free portal site with a range of video and e-mail services.

The same paper reports that RTE is launching its online streaming news service, RTE News Now, this week. From Thursday, the internet-based news channel will begin broadcasting online 24 hours a day. The service comprises existing RTE news bulletins, current affairs programming, repeats, and breaking and specialist news stories. RTE is also considering rolling the service out to mobile phones and is currently in discussions with the various mobile networks.

The same paper notes that Vodafone has set aside EUR3 million for its advertising campaign to promote its new at-home voice and broadband services. This will be one of the biggest media investments of the year and will see Vodafone using TV, radio, digital media, outdoor and large format press advertising.

The same paper notes that Enterprise Ireland is to host a forum in the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin to help third-level Irish researchers commercialise their work. The applied research forum will allow researchers to voice their opinions and will feature presentations from people who have successfully brought their research to the marketplace.

The same paper reports on certifications solutions provider Q-Validus, which has set up a training and certification programme called Spreadsheet Safe. The Dublin-based company's programme is designed to help businesses lower the risks associated with poor spreadsheet design, use and control.

The paper also reports that Irish software firm Travel Logic, wants to raise EUR2 million over the next year to fund its expansion across Europe. The company, which develops software for the tourism market, wants to have a hotel client in every Irish town and hopes to take its business model abroad with the funding. Read more on the launch of the company on ENN.

According to the same paper, Waterford Credit Union has become the first financial institution in Ireland to gain an internationally recognised information security certification. The credit union was awarded the ISO 27001 following an investment of EUR30,000 and work towards the standard which began in August 2006. No Irish bank has been awarded the certification but a number claim to operate by its principles.

The same paper reports on Irish company Wireless Projects, which is hoping to offer 1GB download speeds to companies and business parks with high-data requirements. The company is acquiring technology from US firm Gigabeam for the service. The technology is based on wireless fibre and is more advanced than microwave broadband technologies. It still requires line-of-sight, however.

The same paper briefly notes that sometime over the next few weeks Ice Broadband will announce that it has achieved 100 percent broadband coverage in Limerick. The company's backer, Fran Rooney, said that Ice Broadband hopes to replicate this level of coverage around Ireland.

The same paper notes a finding from Google which claims Dubliners are lonelier and less satisfied than their counterparts in other cities around the world. The research, derived from the Google Trends software package, found that Dublin-based surfers type the word 'lonely' into Google more than surfers anywhere else in the world.

The Sunday Tribune reports that Apple chief executive Steve Jobs may reveal an iPhone that works with faster wireless networks in effort to tempt business users from the Blackberry. Jobs is to make his keynote speech in San Francisco on Monday and it is widely believed that he will announce a faster, 3G iPhone that will put Apple on track to sell over 12 million devices by the end of the year.

The paper also reports that the US Federal Trade Commission is officially probing Intel's business practices. Intel received a subpoena on 4 June and the action follows investigations in Europe and Asia into Intel's use of illegal practices to dissuade computer makers from buying chips from rival AMD.

The Sunday Times reports that the Amazon Kindle reading device is proving a huge success in America and scores of Britons are bidding for the product on eBay. The device, which can hold up to 200 books, is expected to go on sale in the UK later this year. Amazon reckons that Kindle sales are responsible for 6 percent of sales of titles available in an electronic and traditional format.