IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 18 December
18-12-2009
by Sylvia Leatham
Oracle reports rise in profit, sales | RIM ships record BlackBerry numbers
The Irish Times reports that US tech firm Maxim Integrated Products is to create 100 jobs in Dublin over the next two years. Read more on this story on ENN.
The paper also says that a new tech project is paving the way for more accurate mobile marketing and applications, by combining Bluetooth and social networking. The LocalSocial technology framework is being developed by Dublin-based Rococo Software in partnership with UCD and the National Digital Research Centre. LocalSocial works by taking information about people and things close to a user and combining it with information from one or more of their social networks. The information is then made available to certain mobile applications.
The paper also notes that two Iona Technologies founders, Chris Horn and Sean Baker, have been reunited on the board of storage firm Gridstore. Horn is chairman of the company while Baker has a seat on the board of directors. Gridstore, founded in 2007 but releasing a beta version of its first product in the US only this week, is headed by tech industry veteran Kelly Murphy. Filings with the Companies Registration Office show that Paul Kerley, chief executive of Norkom, and Brian Caulfield, a technology investor, also have shareholdings in the company.
The paper also reports that TV3 says its website regularly scores half a million unique visitors a month since it launched its catch-up TV service in October 2008. Nearly 30 of the channel's regular programmes can be replayed on the site, which has enjoyed 293 percent growth in the number of hits since the launch of the player. Programmes can be viewed online for either seven or 21 days after the terrestrial transmission, depending on broadcasts rights.
The paper also notes that Dublin enterprise resource planning (ERP) software provider Aspera is to invest EUR1.4 million over the next three years, as reported by ENN on Thursday.
The same paper says that Google plans to sell two versions of its own-branded mobile phone, one with a service contract with T-Mobile USA and another that is unlocked, according to sources. The phone, manufactured by HTC, could be available in the US directly though the Google website by 5 January. Google said that the new mobile device is similar to Apple's iPhone but has an exchangeable battery, a larger screen and the ability to add a memory card to the device.
The paper also notes that X-Factor contestants Jedward have released a Christmas iPhone app. Priced at EUR1.59, A Very Jedward Christmas allows iPhone users to create personalised e-cards which they can send to friends via e-mail or Facebook.
The Irish Examiner notes that the show of support in a Kerry courtroom for a convicted sex offender has sparked off a flood of angry comments on a Facebook page called "Shocked By Reaction In Listowel".
The paper also says that Google Ireland posted a pre-tax profit of just over EUR10 million last year, compared to a loss of EUR9.4 million in 2007. The company, which employs more than 1,300 people in Ireland, posted an increase in turnover from EUR5,282 million to EUR6,739 million.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Oracle's quarterly profit rose 12 percent and sales exceeded its expectations. Net income for the fiscal second quarter came in at USD1.46 billion, or USD0.29 a share, compared with profit in the year-earlier period of USD1.30 billion, or USD0.25 a share. Revenue rose to USD5.86 billion from USD5.61 billion. The results are a sign that corporate technology spending may be poised to rebound from one of the sector's worst-ever slumps.
The Financial Times says that Research in Motion has reported record shipments of 10.1 million BlackBerry phones in its third quarter. RIM beat Wall Street estimates with profits up 58 percent and sales rising 41 percent. Profits rose to USD628 million, or USD1.10 per share, on revenues of USD3.92 billion. The Canadian firm's guidance for the fourth quarter was also well ahead of analysts' forecasts, with expected sales of USD4.2 billion to USD4.4 billion and profits of USD1.23 to USD1.31 per share.
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Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 