NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 8 September
08-09-2009
by Emmet Ryan
Remote working on the rise | Skypaq seals Finnish deal
Remote working has increased in popularity among businesses over the past year, according to new research by infrastructure software firm Citrix. The study of senior IT decision makers found 85 percent of Irish and UK businesses have raised their investment in mobile working over the past year. Furthermore, 95 percent of respondents expect this expenditure to increase again in the near future. "Businesses have realised there is a false economy in sitting staff at their desks and simply expecting them to be productive. That may happen best when staff are on the move, on-site with a customer or partner, or working from home, or in fact anywhere they can get online," said Niall Gilmore, country manager with Citrix. Over half of those questioned said IT's main focus is now on improving productivity, rather than simply reducing costs. Respondents cited virtualisation as the most important technology to embrace in the current climate.
Mullingar-based aviation software firm Skypaq has signed a contract worth over EUR2.25 million with Finnair. Under the terms of the contract, Skypaq will provide a completely integrated maintenance and operational solution for the entire Finnair fleet of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft. The Westmeath firm's software replaces an existing paper-based application for the logbook process. The Skypaq product captures operational, engineering and maintenance data on board aircraft and wirelessly relays it from the cockpit back to a central server. The kind of data the software captures includes flight hours, crew details, fuel usage and any defects or snags. Skypaq noted that it is involved in contract negotiations with a number of other large European and global airlines.
Representatives from Google, RTE and Microsoft spoke at the Digital Confidence conference held by UPC in Dublin on Tuesday. The highlight of the event was a heated discussion between attendees and panellists over the issue of digital rights. This debate was kicked off by Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan. In his opening address Ryan said a solution to the issue had to be found without parties resorting to doing battle in the courts. Look out for video coverage from the event on ENN on Wednesday.
Wi-Fi service provider Bitbuzz has shown solid growth in the first half of 2009. Bitbuzz had a total of 173,747 registered users by the end of this period, indicating an increase of 22 percent since the end of 2008. Revenues for the six months to the end of June amounted to EUR501,350, compared with EUR433,950 for the corresponding period in 2008.
Suzy Farrell, a 17-year-old student from Maynooth Post Primary School, has beaten the whole of Europe in a worldwide Microsoft Office competition in Toronto. Farrell came fifth in the global event and was the highest-placed European entrant. The competition attracted more than 80,000 student competitors from across the globe.
The Minister for integration, John Curran, has launched AIM - Accessing Intercultural Materials. AIM is a web-based information portal, detailing resources available in the area of "newcomer education". It contains information for students, parents, teachers, policy-makers, and those with a general interest in the area of newcomers and education. AIM is available on the Office of the Minister for Integration's website, www.integration.ie.
The EU Commission's director general for research, Jose Manuel Silva Rodriguez, was in Dublin on Tuesday for discussions with Ireland's Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources, Conor Lenihan. The two met to discuss the possibilities for European cooperation with Irish research institutes and companies. Rodriguez is in Ireland to discuss how Irish companies and universities can get involved with the EU's seventh Framework programme, which facilitates pan-EU partnerships in research and development. Since 2002 Irish projects have received more than EUR300 million in research funding from the sixth and seventh Framework programmes in a range of different areas. Minister Lenihan said European research programmes will play a key role in helping Ireland bring about its economic recovery.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 