NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 4 January
04-01-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Creganna buys Tactx Medical | Altobridge acquires ADC portfolio
Galway-based medical tech firm Creganna has acquired Tactx Medical, according to a report by RTE. Creganna, which employs 510 people in Ireland, said the move would bring its total workforce globally to 800 people. The new company will be known as Creganna - Tactx Medical. No further details are known.
Kerry-based mobile firm Altobridge has acquired US company ADC's portfolio of GSM base station and switching products. The terms of the deal, which closed on Monday, were not announced. The ADC network infrastructure products support applications such as remote wireless and small national networks, as well as government, emergency and private network communications. As part of the transaction, Altobridge will retain all of the affected ADC employees and will acquire certain related assets and intellectual property.
Energy Minister Eamon Ryan has announced the start of customer 'live trials' for the National Smart Metering Project. Smart electricity meters, which provide real-time information on electricity costs and use, have already been installed in around 6,400 homes around the country. From 1 January, these smart meter trial users will be given a range of energy-efficient incentives, such as dynamic display units which show how much electricity is being used and the cost involved. Customer behaviour in response to these measures will be monitored in the hopes of gaining insight into likely future demand for the smart meters.
Mobile handset giant Nokia is holding an Ovi Store developers event in Dublin next week. Ovi Store is Nokia's mobile application marketplace, similar to Apple's iPhone App Store. The aim of the event is to allow Nokia to meet with Irish-based developers, designers and digital agencies to discuss opportunities for the creation of content for the mobile app store. The event takes place on 13 January in Dublin's Radisson Blu hotel.
In other mobile app news, the latest iPhone application to hit the market offers further proof that there is indeed an app for everything. Splaysoft's Drug Law app promises to provide details of the possible fines and jail time associated with four types of illegal drugs, in each US state. In a statement, Splaysoft advised: "Stay off drugs. But if you can't, at least know the risks you are running in each state in the Union."
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 