NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 9 October
09-10-2008
by Deirdre McArdle
First Derivatives sees profits jump | Google puts ads in online games
Newry-based financial services software firm First Derivatives has posted pre-tax profits of STG2.2 million for the six months to the end of August. This represents a 21 percent rise on last year's figure. Revenue at the firm, which is listed on the IEX and the AIM, came in at STG6.8 million, also a 21 percent increase on the year-ago revenue figure. Brian Conlon, chief executive officer of First Derivatives, said the firm was well-placed to take advantage of opportunities emerging from the current market turbulence, as this was leading to increased trading volumes and more oversight and regulation. In mid-September First Derivatives announced it had acquired Market Research Partners (MRP), a US-based technology marketing company headquartered in Philadelphia, for USD20 million.
National youth organisation SpunOut.ie has linked up with prominent GAA players to promote mental health awareness online. Captains and players of Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim football teams are featured in a short video talking about mental health and wellbeing. The videos can be viewed online at www.spunout.ie as part of a campaign to celebrate World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The site is run by a young team and is currently reaching over quarter of a million young people per year. Users of the site are typically in the 16-25 age bracket. They generally visit the site to find information on health and lifestyle topics such as alcohol, drugs, sex, mental health and the environment. The site can be accessed via the internet and mobile phones.
IT services firm Sogeti has acquired UK test consultancy Vizuri, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition, which follows Sogeti's purchase of Insight Test Services in April 2008, will see Sogeti UK growing to 250 staff by the end of 2009, as it aims to establish itself as a major player in the UK testing services market.
Mobile penetration rates in emerging markets are predicted to rise from 46 percent in 2008 to 95 percent by 2013. That's according to a survey of 34 emerging markets such as Afghanistan and Cambodia conducted by Tariff Consultancy. As of mid-2008 mobile subscribers in the 34 countries surveyed numbered 2.1 billion, accounting for 50 percent of the world's mobile users. By 2013 subscriber numbers will grow to 4.3 billion users, accounting for two-thirds of mobile users worldwide. "The rapid growth of mobile penetration across the world indicates that these markets will approach maturity more quickly than previously thought," said Margrit Sessions, managing director of Tariff Consultancy. "By the end of 2013 we are likely to see one SIM card for every person as the norm in most countries."
Google has unveiled new software that will enable it to place ads into online video games. The technology, AdSense for Games, allows video, image or text ads to be inserted at the beginning, end or change of level in an online game. Advertisers are charged on a cost-per-impression or cost-per-click basis with revenue being split between Google and game developers or publishers, the internet giant said in a statement. AdSense for Games is currently in beta testing. On Wednesday, Google announced plans to make money out of YouTube by inserting a click-to-buy option alongside videos on the site. The feature invites users who are looking at music videos on YouTube to click on a featured ad and buy the particular song they're listening to via Apple's iTunes store or Amazon's MP3 Store.
David Kernell, the son of Democratic state legislator Mike Kernell, has been indicted for hacking into the e-mail account of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate. Kernell was arrested following an FBI investigation into how Palin's Yahoo mail password was changed and details of her e-mails posted online. If found guilty, Kernell could face five years in prison and a fine of USD250,000. For now, he has been released from court without bail -- having pled not guilty -- pending his trial date of 16 December. He has been banned from owning a computer and can only use the internet to check e-mail and complete his college work.
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