IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 13 November
13-11-2009
by Sylvia Leatham
Record sales for 'Call of Duty' | Google acquires Gizmo5
The Irish Times reports that Ordnance Survey Ireland has launched a competition for primary school children which will introduce them to the art of mapping. "We are hoping that as many pupils as possible will take part in this competition because it will provide them with experience of geography, mapping and new technology," said OSI chief executive Geraldine Ruane. "The competition will also show what a wonderful resource our website is for both pupils and teachers." More information is available at www.osi.ie.
The paper also says that a cut of EUR100 million in the research budget is being considered by the Government. If implemented, the move would likely force the closure of at least three major university-based research centres, according to sources who attended the Science Summit in Athlone earlier this week. The three centres -- Remedi in NUI Galway, BDI in Dublin City University and Lero in University of Limerick -- are all Centres for Science, Engineering and Technology (Cset) set up by Science Foundation Ireland. The centres are due for renewal of their funding, but cutbacks would make this impossible and force their closure, the sources said.
Separately, the paper says that University of Limerick is set to receive millions of euro in royalties after signing commercial agreements for new technology its researchers developed for cooling computer devices. The new micro coolers, which were developed at the Stokes Institute, will use less power, cost less to make, and offer improved performance. They will allow smaller, quieter and more energy-efficient products to be developed. Two commercial agreements have been signed for use of the technology, one with chipmaker AMD and the other with Asia Vital Components, which supplies coolers for central processing units and micro-chip modules.
The paper also reports that Louth-based Mcor Technologies has launched a 3D printer, the Matrix 300, which is priced much cheaper than traditional high-end 3D printers so that smaller businesses, universities and schools can produce elaborate 3D models without incurring massive expense. The Mcor system prints detailed 3D models on plain A4 paper in a way that is claimed to be 50 percent cheaper than existing technologies. The M300 uses water-based adhesive, which is said to be a more environmentally sound way of assembling the 3D models it produces.
The paper also says that renewable energy systems can be tested in a new online energy training laboratory opened by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT). The online laboratory is geared towards upskilling, training and research to meet Government policy on reducing carbon emissions and developing Ireland as a 'green energy economy'. "The lab has an indoor and outdoor dimension, which includes solar panels, wind turbines and performance of heat pumps in a green energy building…" said Dr Tom Roche, the lab's designer and head of GMIT's mechanical and industrial engineering department. "One of the challenges of the future is ensuring the correct design, installation and operation of renewable energy systems."
The paper also notes that a piece of software that allows access to insecure wireless networks of Eircom broadband customers has become the top-selling iPhone app in Ireland. The software, called dessid, retails for EUR1.59.
The paper also says the Government could reduce the public sector technology bill by as much as EUR150 million annually, according to a report by IT services group Sogeti Ireland. Sogeti chief executive Declan Kavanagh said the EUR265 million public sector IT bill could be more than halved by effectively using external consultants, enhanced ICT procurement, more IT shared service centres of excellence and outsourcing of some aspects of IT.
The paper also notes that revenues at BT Ireland fell 3 percent in the first half of the year, as reported by ENN on Thursday.
The same paper says that Intel has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by AMD. Read more on this story on ENN.
The paper also reports that bookmaker Paddy Power is expanding its online operations, as reported by ENN.
Mobile operator O2 Ireland has posted a small rise in customer numbers for the third quarter, the paper also says. Read more about O2 Ireland's KPIs on ENN.
The Wall Street Journal says that first-day sales of videogame 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' reached 4.7 million copies in the first 24 hours in North America and the UK, according to games maker Activision Blizzard. That topped the previous record holder, Take-Two Interactive Software's 'Grand Theft Auto IV', which reported 3.6 million units worldwide on its first day of sales last year. Activision said first-day sales of its game were USD310 million in North America and the UK.
The Financial Times reports that Google has acquired Gizmo5, a Californian start-up that handles internet-based voice calls and instant messaging. Alongside Google Voice, Google Talk and Gmail, Gizmo5 will give the search company a broad set of technologies for completing and managing voice, text and video communications. The acquisition was first reported earlier this week by TechCrunch, which put the purchase price at about USD30 million.
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