NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 6 January
06-01-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
M&A activity plummets | UK firms embrace the cloud
Irish researchers have benefitted from EUR152 million in EU funding under the Seventh EU Framework Programme (FP7). From the start of the programme in 2007 up to October 2009, 2,322 applicants from Irish-based organisations took part in proposal submissions requesting European funding. From these proposals, 546 applicants were successful, giving an overall Irish success rate of 23.51 percent, above the EU average of 21.68 percent. The funding is roughly the equivalent of EUR1 million a week in EU research funding for the past three years. The EUR50 billion FP7 programme will run until 2013, funding research in areas such as the environment, health and IT.
The value of mergers and acquisitions plummeted 76.1 percent last year compared to 2008, according to a new report by information services firm Experian. The total value of M&A deals in 2009 fell to EUR8.2 billion, down from EUR34.3 billion the year before, while the number of transactions dropped 31.6 percent, from 323 deals to 221. In the last quarter of the year, the value of deals plunged 62.9 percent, while the number of deals fell 26.2 percent.
Half of UK SMEs say they plan to be using cloud computing by the end of the year, according to a study by British ISP Easynet Connect. That figure is up from 22 percent a year ago, and 73 percent also say they plan to move to the cloud within five years, compared to 47 percent who said so a year ago. Small firms seem more convinced now by the benefits of cloud computing, with 51 percent saying cloud computing would save them money, up from 35 percent in 2008, and 43 percent believing cloud computing would help enable home working, up from 35 percent. However, there has been little increase in the number of firms investing in safeguards for moving to the cloud, such as increased security and more reliable internet connections. Some 85 percent do not plan on taking extra security measures and 71 percent have no formal strategy in place for implementing cloud computing. The full report can be downloaded from www.easynetconnect.net.
Amazon is to begin selling a larger version of its Kindle e-reader device in overseas markets. The Kindle DX, previously only available in the US, will go on sale in over 100 countries at a price point of USD489. The device, which has a 9.7 inch screen and can store up to 3,500 books, will ship from 19 January.
HP is set to unveil a new range of netbooks, including a touchscreen model, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. The Mini 5102 has a 10-inch touchscreen display, face recognition software and Pineview, Intel's new Atom netbook chip. It will cost USD399 in the United States and is aimed at students and professionals. HP will also showcase the USD299 Mini 210 for consumers and the USD329 Mini 2102 for business users this week.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 