NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 7 September
07-09-2009
by Emmet Ryan
Abtran announces new investment | Spotify approved for iPhone
UK-based internet dating firm Completely Free Dating has launched an Irish version of its website. The new site, www.completelyfreedating.ie, is a free service aimed at tapping into the Irish singles market. Users will be able to search the database of members, contribute to the forum discussions and get dating advice.
Sogeti Ireland has appointed Patrick Marren as its new business development manager. Marren's role will see him focus on developing Sogeti's enterprise business in application lifecycle management, quality assurance and software testing and use of SAP products.
Ireland's indigenous software companies are in danger of missing out on a global market expected to reach USD20 billion by 2011, according to new research by Fergus Gloster. The former Oracle technology director and founder of Salesforce.com's EMEA division has published 'Cloud Computing – The Opportunity for Ireland's Software Economy'. In the study Gloster claims that Irish software firms have a major opportunity to take advantage of cloud computing but few to date are exploiting the technology.
Google is going to use a direct mail campaign to attract SMEs to use its AdWords application. The mail-out, which was sent on Monday to several thousand businesses, consists of a factsheet on the online marketplace and online advertising. The decision to use direct mail, in addition to a recent print media campaign, is an effort to reach as many SMEs as possible. Google estimates that opportunities for SMEs to benefit from advertising will increase this year, predicting that 25 percent of Irish people expect to spend more online in 2009 than last year.
Irish outsourcing provider Abtran has announced a EUR1 million investment in technology to boost its capability in business processing services. The company has invested in IBM's Filenet 98 platform. This workflow, imaging and document management technology could generate savings of up to 30 percent for clients, according to Abtran. The outsourcing firm has hired management technology consultants BearingPoint to oversee the project's implementation.
Telefonica O2 is set to lose its place as the top mobile phone operator in the UK as Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom plan to merge their operations in the market to form the country's largest mobile operator. Reports indicate the deal will be signed on Tuesday. The merged entity will have a client base of over 30 million customers.
A new programme aims to provide the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs with help from some of the biggest names in Irish business. Endeavour, the brainchild of the Institute of Technology, Tralee and Shannon Development's Kerry Technology Park, is offering ten budding entrepreneurs a launch pad to bring their business concept to life. The programme, which is now seeking applications, will see winning candidates join a seven-month fast-track programme based at Kerry Technology Park, and culminating in a funding showcase next April. Each of the ten winners will be personally mentored by business figures such as the chief executive of Daft.ie, Eamonn Fallon, and Worldspreads founder Conor Foley.
Spotify, a direct competitor to Apple's iTunes service, is set to appear on the iPhone. Spotify Mobile is a digital music service which will now be available through the iPhone's App Store. The service is already available on the Android operating system and can currently only be accessed by European users. The Spotify app is free to download but in order to do so users must already have a Spotify premium subscription, which costs EUR9.99 per month.
Dublin and Galway will play host to events as part of Twestival this week. The global charity event organised through micro-blogging website Twitter will see fundraising events held all over the world. The Dublin event, which is in aid of Barnardos, will feature a performance by comedian Karl Spain. Spanish Parade will host the Galway event, which is in aid of the Galway Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. All Twestival events take place on 10 September and further information can be found at www.twestival.com.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 