NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 11 March
11-03-2009
by Emmet Cole
Norkom goes Korean | SpunOut.ie shortlisted for global award
Financial security and compliance company Norkom Technologies announced its entry into the Korean market on Wednesday, through a deal with Woori Bank, the second-largest financial institution in that country. As part of the arrangement, Norkom's AML and CDD/KYC (Customer Due Diligence/Know Your Customer) solutions will be implemented across Woori's operations in Korea, in addition to some overseas branches. The deal also marks Woori Bank's first ever anti-money laundering implementation as a result of new laws introduced by the Korean government in December 2007, in an effort to counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Irish network and application performance management company Data Edge has announced a EUR500,000, two-year deal with Intune Networks -- an Irish developer of next-generation network infrastructure. As part of the contract, Data Edge is testing and optimising Intune Networks' telecoms infrastructure. Intune Networks' intelligent network technology is used to distribute large volumes of data and support high-definition video conferencing.
SpunOut.ie, the Galway-based online youth charity, has been short-listed for a World Summit Award for the world's best 'e-Inclusion and Participation' website. The World Summit Award is a global initiative to select and promote the world's best e-content and innovative ICT applications. The 'e-Inclusion and Participation' category celebrates innovation in bringing people, communities and knowledge together, by bridging the digital divide and strengthening social and political participation through ICT. SpunOut.ie is designed to help young people publish online content, engage in discussion and debate, connect with politicians and policy makers and influence change through the media.
Royal Philips Electronics has sold its remaining stake in LG Display to investors in a capital markets transaction, according to an announcement from the company on Wednesday. The transaction represents 13.2 percent of LG Display's issued share capital and reduces Philips' holding to zero. The transaction will provide Philips with net proceeds of approximately EUR630 million and is expected to result in a non-taxable gain of approximately EUR70 million in the first quarter of 2009.
Dublin-headquartered e-learning company ThirdForce has won a contract to become the exclusive supplier of 'Skills for Life' to Whitbread, the UK's largest hotel and restaurant group. The deal follows the successful completion of a numeracy and literacy pilot scheme at 16 sites. The full rollout will now take place at all 937 Whitbread hotel and restaurant sites, with the aim of supporting 1,000 e-learners.
Anyone who has lost luggage during an overseas trip will appreciate Bagpassport.com -- a newly-launched Clare-based company that plans to generate up to 15 new jobs at its headquarters in Ennis. The product is expected to be rolled out at airports and rail stations throughout the world, according to the company. The Irish-designed Bag Passport is a global luggage tag possessing a unique 12-digit code that the owner can register online or by text message at the point of sale. Anyone who finds a missing bag enters the code along with the location and relevant contact details on Bagpassport.com, which sends a text message and e-mail to the registered customer, telling them of the bag's location and who to contact. The Bag Passport costs EUR9.99.
US language learning software company Transparent Language is set to release a new Irish language learning application for the iPhone (and iPod Touch). Available for download at byki.com/iphone, the Irish application will be available for free on 17 March, St. Patrick's Day. The software will cost USD7.99 for the first 30 days after St. Patrick's Day as a special introductory price, and USD9.99 after that. The application comes with more than 1,000 words and phrases, including some special vocabulary for St. Patrick's Day.
Enterprise Ireland has announced a showcase of Ireland's top wireless and telecommunications companies at the CTIA Wireless Conference in Las Vegas (1-3 April), at the Ireland Pavilion. The showcase will feature Irish telecommunication and wireless technologies, such as Accuris Networks' GSM to Wi-Fi Hotspot roaming solution, Anam Mobile's SMS messaging technology, dotMobi's mobile web services, and Voxpilot's Open Media Platform aimed at the telecommunications market.
Finally, Apple introduced a new iPod Shuffle on Wednesday. Billed as "the world's smallest music player" the new iPod shuffle can hold up to 1,000 songs and is nearly half of the size of the previous model. The device's VoiceOver feature enables the new iPod to speak your song titles, artists and playlist names -- which should provide hours of fun for foul-mouthed teens. The iPod Shuffle is now shipping and comes in silver or black for a suggested price of EUR75 through the Apple Store.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 