IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 15 January
15-01-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
DSG posts sales growth | Intel profits soar
The Irish Times says that a karaoke app for the Irish national anthem, Amhran na bhFiann, has been downloaded more than 25,000 times from Nokia, in places as far away as Vietnam and Turkey. The free download, released two months ago, was created by Irish mobile application developer MobaNode in consultation with Irish language promoters Gaelchultur.
The paper continues its coverage of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. Minister for Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe praised students for the "innovation and creativity" shown in projects. "It showed that the teachers and the schools are applying the knowledge economy," he said during a visit to the exhibition. "You see that some schools put a real emphasis on science. That augurs well." See more coverage of the event on ENN.
The paper also reports on one entrant to the BT Young Scientist competition. Ben McRedmond and Patrick O'Doherty from Gonzaga College, Dublin, demonstrated a social networking analysis system called We Predict. Using a computer analysis of tweets between Twitter users, the students say they can predict consumer trends.
The paper also says that Iarnrod Eireann is to test a wireless internet service for passengers on its Dublin to Cork route, starting in February. The trial will be used to establish demand and is likely to be followed by a public tender to equip many of the intercity lines with equipment to provide the service. Four wireless network providers have been invited to take part in the trial, due to last for about six months. Each provider will initially be allocated a train on the Dublin to Cork line.
The paper also notes that social networking site Facebook is giving away security software from McAfee to protect its users. Facebook said its 350 million users can download a free six-month trial of McAfee's Internet Security Suite, which protects computer users from viruses and other internet threats. Facebook and McAfee have also co-developed a separate online tool that will scan and clean the computers of Facebook users which show signs of having fallen prey to an online attack. Facebook said the scanning tool is being offered to its users at no charge.
In other news of Facebook, the Irish Independent says a group has been set up on the site to find the 'Ice Fall Guy'. A video clip of an unidentified young man who slipped in dramatic fashion on ice in Dublin has attracted almost half a million hits on YouTube. The pedestrian was filmed by RTE News last week.
The same paper says that passengers will scan their own boarding card and pass through a turnstile to the security area in a new system to be trialled at Dublin Airport. If successful, the system will be rolled out to all airports under the control of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). Currently, a member of staff examines each passenger's boarding card at the entrance to the security area, but it is hoped an automated service will cut down on time and costs.
The paper also reports that PC World and Currys stores across the UK sold a television set and computer every two seconds on average over the Christmas shopping period. The chains' owner, DSG International, posted 8 percent like-for-like sales growth in the 12 weeks ending 9 January. DSG said underlying group sales for the quarter were 11 percent higher in sterling terms, but that gross margins were 0.8 percent lower.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Intel has recorded one of its most profitable quarters ever. The company said fourth-quarter profit soared almost 10-fold from the depressed year-earlier period. Revenue jumped 28 percent, and gross profit margin hit an all-time high. For the quarter ended 26 December, Intel reported income of USD2.28 billion, or USD0.40 a share, compared with profit in the year-earlier period of USD234 million, or USD0.04. Revenue rose to USD10.57 billion from USD8.23 billion. Analysts had expected per-share earnings of USD0.30 on sales of USD10.17 billion. The strong results were driven by consumer demand for laptops.
According to the Financial Times, Eastman Kodak has filed patent infringement suits against Apple and Research in Motion. The suits allege that Kodak's digital image previewing technology is being used in Apple and RIM's camera-enabled smartphones. The suits were filed with the US International Trade Commission.
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Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 