NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 27 November
27-11-2009
by Deirdre McArdle
Solaris hooks up with French firms | McKinnon faces US extradition
Ireland's Maire Geoghegan Quinn has secured the Research and Innovation portfolio in EU President Jose Manuel Barroso's incoming cabinet. The portfolio includes the European Union's important Research Framework Programme, which has a budget in excess of EUR50 billion over seven years (2007 – 2013). Making the announcement at Intel Friday morning, where he was celebrating the chip giant's 20 year presence in ireland, the Taoiseach Brian Cowen welcome the news: "I am delighted to announce today that we have secured the hugely important Research and Innovation portfolio, which resonates very strongly with our own Smart Economy agenda. It is testament to the calibre of Maire Geoghegan Quinn that she has been allocated this portfolio."
Irish industry leaders also greeted the Geoghegan Quinn announcement with positivity. Microsoft Ireland MD Paul Rellis called it a welcome development from Ireland's perspective. "Science, Technology and Innovation will be the key drivers for job creation in the Smart Economy in Ireland and across Europe in the next decade and it is fantastic news that this strategically important portfolio will be managed by Ireland's Commissioner," he said. Meanwhile, Chambers Ireland CEO Ian Talbot said of the appointment: "Building smart economies will be essential for restoring competitiveness in the Irish and European economies and one of the Irish Government's key strategies for future economic growth. Today's appointment to this important Commissionership underlines the benefits of Ireland being at the heart of Europe." IBEC Director of International Affairs Brendan Butler said the appointment will ensure that Ireland will play a crucial role in influencing both current and future research priorities and funding for the EU. Science Foundation Ireland and Fine Gael have also broadly welcomed the news.
Dublin-based mobile firm Solaris Mobile has partnered with French firms Alcatel-Lucent and Towercast to pioneer trials of a new technology that uses satellite transmissions to stream content to hand-held devices. The trio have teamed up to form a network combining satellite, TV and mobile technologies, currently in a pilot phase in France. Solaris is providing the satellite technology, while TowerCast is providing antenna sites and Alcatel-Lucent the transmission equipment that allows the different components to communicate. If the trial is successful there is the potential for Solaris to roll out the service throughout the EU; the firm is one of only two companies granted a licence by the European Commission to deliver these kinds of services.
Chinese PC maker Lenovo is to buy back the mobile handset maker it founded back in 2002, Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology. Lenovo sold Lenovo Mobile in 2008 for USD100 million as it focused on manufacturing PCs. It will buy back the mobile maker from a group of investors for USD200 million in cash and shares. "As Lenovo's global PC business continues to make steady progress we view mobile internet as a key growth opportunity moving forward globally," said Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing in a statement. Yang said the company will launch handset products under the Lenovo brand soon.
Videogame Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has surpassed 55 million unit sales globally since its launch, clocking up an impressive USD3 billion in retail sales, according to a combination of data from the NPD Group, ChartTrack, GfK and Activision estimates. However, a Wall Street Journal report indicates that the recent hype generated by games such as Activision's Call of Duty series will not be enough to rescue game retailers this Christmas. Overall, videogame sales, including consoles, fell 19 percent in October to USD1.07 billion from a year ago, according to NPD, which revealed that software sales alone fell 23 percent. The Wall Street Journal reports that some analysts are predicting videogame sales may decline as much as 7 percent in 2009, down substantially from the 19 percent growth the industry saw in 2008.
Gary McKinnon, a British man accused of hacking into American military computers, has had his requests to block his extradition to the US refused. Glasgow-born McKinnon, an Asperger's syndrome sufferer, is accused of breaking into US military computers during 2001 and 2002. He claims he was seeking evidence of extra-terrestrial life. Britain's Home Secretary Alan Johnson told McKinnon's family that he felt he had no discretion to block the extradition on medical grounds, and that the extradition was not a breach of McKinnon's human rights. "Due to legitimate concerns over Mr McKinnon's health, we have sought and received assurances from the United States authorities that his needs will be met," Johnson told the BBC. McKinnon faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 