IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 14 September
14-09-2009
by Sylvia Leatham
LG to launch Android smartphone | EMC poaches Intel exec
The Irish Times says that Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen has insisted that electronic voting is a far more secure system than the one currently in place. Cullen, who approved the e-voting project during his previous tenure as Minister for the Environment, told journalists that e-voting was tested twice here and "it was very successful". While "issues arose afterwards", he had read a recent report suggesting the only way forward for Ireland was to use e-voting. "It's a far more secure system than the system we use at present and it remains for others for the future to see what happens with it," he said.
The paper also says that Irish firms are starting a three-day trade mission to South Africa to pitch for business around the 2010 World Cup. Minister of State for Trade Billy Kelleher is leading 20 companies from a number of sectors, including construction, IT, software, and education and training services. "Irish companies have the potential to take market share in many key sectors, particularly in telecommunications, IT, construction, banking, financial services, software and education and training services," said a spokeswoman for Enterprise Ireland.
The Financial Times reports that Japan's Casio, Hitachi and NEC are to merge their mobile phone units. The deal will create a handset maker with a domestic market share of around 15 percent, according to market research company BCN, ranking third behind Sharp and Panasonic. The new company, to be called NEC Casio Mobile Communications, will be dominated by NEC, which will hold a 70.7 percent stake following a capital increase. Casio will take a 20 percent stake. Hitachi will allow its share to be diluted, ending up with a 9.3 percent stake.
In other mobile telecoms news, South Korea's LG Electronics is to launch a smartphone using Google's Android platform, reports the Wall Street Journal. The handset will ship in the fourth quarter of this year, starting in European markets. The announcement comes a week after LG said it will introduce three new Microsoft Windows Mobile smartphones in the next few weeks. "This Android phone is just one of many smartphone models we plan to introduce worldwide in the years ahead," said Skott Ahn, president and chief executive of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.
The paper also says that storage firm EMC is poaching a top executive from chip giant Intel. EMC is reorganising its executive line-up, and the new hire will likely set up an internal battle to succeed Chief Executive Joseph Tucci. EMC is expected to announce Monday that Patrick Gelsinger, who heads Intel's core chip business, will run EMC's storage-products operations and some smaller software units, effective immediately. EMC also promoted veteran executive Howard Elias to head the services division. Tucci, current chairman and CEO, said the two men, along with Chief Financial Officer David Goulden, are all possible successors as chief executive, although there is no guarantee one of them will succeed him. Tucci said he plans to leave the CEO spot in three years.
The Sunday Tribune reports that Bausch & Lomb is to pay EUR6,500 compensation for unfair dismissal to an employee who allegedly hacked into the firm's intranet and posted a 'company message' saying there would be 500 job cuts after Christmas. The employee, Elton Walker of Newports Terrace in Waterford, said although he posted some messages, he was not responsible for the one about job cuts. An investigation pinpointed two PCs as the source of the hoax message - Walker's workstation and one used by a female worker. The two staff members were suspended, but the probe cleared the other employee. Walker said the company had failed to produce clear evidence that he was the one who had posted the hoax message, and that the company had failed to produce more conclusive CCTV evidence. The tribunal chairman said the company's investigation was both "thorough and fair" but felt dismissal was "not the appropriate sanction".
The same paper reports that friends, family and other loved ones of former Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain are up in arms over the use of his likeness in the game Guitar Hero 5 to 'play' songs by soft rock artists such as Jon Bon Jovi and Billy Idol. Courtney Love is threatening legal action over the move, while former band mates Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl said they were "very disappointed" that Activision took advantage of small print in the licensing agreement to introduce the gameplay feature. Love signed a deal to allow Cobain's likeness to be used in the game but claims she was unaware the character would be allowed to sing songs by other artists.
The paper also writes that Fingal County Council has developed a new website to help the region cope with economic and employment challenges. Fingalworks.ie is aimed and employers and jobseekers and is positioning itself as a "one-stop-shop information resource" with details on training, further education, social welfare, employment, redundancy, and career advice for jobseekers. Information for businesses includes advice, feasibility studies, business plans, mentoring, training, finance, networking and locating premises.
The Sunday Times writes that a computer glitch has rendered hundreds of convicted terrorists from the days of the Troubles almost invisible to police in the rest of Britain. The Police National Computer and the criminal database in Northern Ireland are not linked, resulting in the criminal records of those convicted in Northern Ireland and now living in England, Scotland and Wales not being available to officers. The issue will cost in the region of STG3 million to fix.
The same paper reports that sat navs are the second most common cause of car accidents, with a new study suggesting thousands of drivers are engaging in risky behaviour by using the devices while driving. More accidents were caused by in-car sat nav systems than mobile phones, according to a study of 500 UK motorists by academics at Heriot-Watt university. Unruly children are still the top distraction.
The Sunday Business Post says shareholders of hostel booking firm Web Reservations International have got a EUR37 million payout as part of a corporate restructuring. WRI redeemed some shares last year following a review of its capital structure. The company had revenue of EUR38 million last year and an operating profit of EUR19.6 million. The firm had planned to float on the stock market last year, but pulled back due to market conditions. In recent times it has extended its business and launched an online travel shop.
The same paper reports that a new social networking website, Diaspora, is hoping to connect Irish third-level researchers with each other, the business community and state bodies. The website was the idea of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET) and was born from a need to track the activity of students funded by the organisation. It will also offer a more comprehensive database of the activities IRCSET is funding. Students can put their reports on research for IRCSET up on Diaspora and have the opportunity to collaborate with other students working on related projects. The closed, private network may be opened up more to the wider business and scientific community when its pilot phase is complete.
The paper also writes that European Commission director general for Research Jose Manuel Silva Rodriguez will propose to make the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) more accessible for SMEs by relaxing the rules covering R&D funding applications. The proposals, which have yet to be finalised, will be brought to the council of ministers and parliament next year.
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