IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 1 September
01-09-2009
by Sylvia Leatham
Eircom blocks Pirate Bay access | Google and Sony form Chrome alliance
The Irish Times reports that the High Court has appointed accountant John McStay as interim examiner to telecoms group Smart, as reported by ENN on Monday. The court heard that, while insolvent with liabilities of EUR101 million, Smart Yuroe Broadband and related companies have a reasonable prospect of survival. Lyndon MacCann, senior counsel for the directors, said advanced negotiations are under way with two potential substantial investors. The two interested parties were not named but are believed to be Digiweb and Magnet Networks. Smart now has up to 100 days in which to formulate a scheme of arrangement acceptable to its creditors and the court.
The paper also says that students who have encountered problems accessing an online Leaving Cert exam appeals facility have been advised to check that their computers have up-to-date software. A spokeswoman for the State Examinations Commission said it had received some calls from candidates and their parents who claimed that the online payments facility was not working. However, she said this was due to the applicants not having the appropriate software on their computers. "Only the most up to date version of your internet browser will allow you to make the payment. You need to upgrade your browser in order to securely access the payments facility," she said.
The same paper reports that Eircom has confirmed that from Tuesday morning its customers will be blocked from accessing the Pirate Bay file-sharing website. The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), representing the four major record labels, secured an order in July directing Eircom to block access to the Pirate Bay and certain related domain names and internet addresses. In a statement, Eircom reassured customers that it will not be monitoring their activities or sharing any of their personal details with third parties as part of its compliance with the order. Eircom also revealed that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with EMI Records, Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner to develop a new online music service.
In other news of Eircom, the Irish Independent says that former Eircom head Rex Comb has dropped a EUR4.7 million claim for additional remuneration against the Eircom Holdings (ERC), the telco's Australian holding company. The claim had threatened to become a stumbling block to an imminent takeover of the company by Singapore's STT, as noted by ENN.
The paper also notes that a local authority has been accused of refusing to use new technology to map out where new school places will be needed over the next decade. Fine Gael councillor William Lavelle said South Dublin County Council had refused to use the Geographic Information System (GIS) while preparing its county development plan. The system uses population data and school locations so that gaps can be filled with planned new schools. The council could not be reached for comment.
The Financial Times reports that Walt Disney has purchased Marvel Entertainment, in a surprise move that could be the first in a wave of consolidation in Hollywood. The cash-and-stock USD4 billion deal will unite Iron Man and Spider-Man with Mickey Mouse and Hannah Montana. Following the news, shares in DreamWorks Animation went up almost 5 percent on speculation that it could be sold to a larger studio, possibly Time Warner.
The paper also says that Google has formed a distribution alliance with Sony to promote its year-old Chrome browser. The deal with Sony involves shipping Chrome on new Vaio PCs. Google confirmed that Sony PCs carrying Chrome have gone on sale and said it was in talks for similar deals with other computer makers. Google said the arrangement was "experimental" and part of wider efforts to boost distribution, including a deal to make Chrome available to internet users who download the RealPlayer software.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart Stores has started offering merchandise from lesser-known retailers on its website, in exchange for a share of revenue. The retail giant said it had added almost 1 million new items to Walmart.com from other sellers as part of a new online mall, known as Walmart Marketplace. Wal-Mart customers can purchase the products through Walmart.com, but Wal-Mart never touches the merchandise: its partners ship from their sites and handle exchanges and returns.
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Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 