NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 22 May
22-05-2009
by Emmet Cole
Net Visionary winners announced | Havok MD scoops ICT award
The winners of the IIA and Enterprise Ireland Net Visionary Awards were announced on Thursday, with Ciaran Bollard and Mark French of Muzu.tv, the music video website and distribution platform, picking up the top award. Other winners included Cork-based Puddleducks.ie for best online trader, RateMyArea for best social media, and freelance journalist and ENN contributor Emmet Ryan as Best Tech Journalist.
Meanwhile, David O'Meara, managing director of games and movie IT company Havok, was named 'IT Industry Person of the Year' at the ninth annual ICT Excellence Awards. Wireless communications company Altobridge won the 'World Class Innovation Award' for its remote community technology, which combines mobile and satellite technologies to enable mobile operators in emerging markets to deliver mobile communications to rural communities. And E-Net, the company that manages Ireland's government-run Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), took the 'Telecommunications Company of the Year' award.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheal Martin has called on Munster-based businesses to consider re-use of their computers to benefit African children when considering their recycling options. Speaking at the launch of the Cork Branch of Camara, the computer recycling charity, the Minister encouraged businesses to use Camara's newly established Cork hub when recycling old equipment. Camara already has a presence in Dublin's Digital Hub.
On-demand e-learning solutions company SkillSoft has announced total revenues of USD76.4 million for Q1 2009 (fiscal 2010). That's a 6 percent decrease on the same period last year. Revenue for the first quarter was negatively impacted by approximately USD5.2 million due to the change in foreign exchange rates, according to the company. The company's net income was USD18.8 million, or USD0.19 per diluted share, compared to net income of USD7.1 million, or USD0.06 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2009.
LinkedIn is the UK-based senior executive's networking tool of choice, according to research conducted by Bigmouthmedia. Half of those surveyed use the service, while 80 percent of FTSE100 managers who engage in online networking use it as their only social networking application. Facebook is the second most popular service, used by 30 percent of the executives polled, while Plaxo came in third with a 7.5 percent share. However, the research also found that use of social media remains a relative rarity amongst the FTSE100 executives sampled. Only 25 percent use online networking, compared to 80 percent of senior players from non-FTSE100 companies.
Broadband provider Magnet Networks has announced that it has extended its broadband reach to over 20,000 businesses and homes in Rathmines, Dublin -- promising to treble current broadband speeds in the area. This is Magnet's 40th such exchange upgrade in the country.
Yahoo is set for a revamp and will become a bigger player in the social networking space over the coming years, according to Chief Technology Officer Ari Balogh. Speaking at the Reuters Global Technology Summit, Balogh revealed that Yahoo has had conversations with other IT companies with a view to building out its platform and basic computing in addition to search -- with acquisitions definitely on the way. Later this year, Yahoo will introduce new products designed to provide users with a more unified experience across Yahoo's network of websites, said Balogh. Balogh also repeated Yahoo's commitment to invest in its own search capabilities.
Holy smoke! A new Vatican website has gone live, offering an application called 'The pope meets you on Facebook', and another that allows you to view Papal speeches and messages on your iPhone. Part of the Vatican's World Communications Day, the new website will also allow users to download "virtual postcards" with pictures of the Pope and messages from him on faith, love and life specifically aimed at young people.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 