IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 3 February
03-02-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Openet completes funding round | Sharp bounces back to profit
The Irish Independent says that spending on computerised communications systems by the Garda is to be increased significantly. The extra cash for ICT spending will coincide with the progressive rollout of a new national digital radio system, which began early last year. Nearly 8,700 handsets have been deployed and it's expected that the radio network will be nationwide in the coming months. By the end of the year it will be possible to provide Garda e-mail accounts to all personnel. Improvements in the Pulse system, automated fingerprints and computer aids for the national immigration service will also be delivered.
The paper also reports that Leaving Certificate students are picking 'soft' subjects at the expense of higher-level maths as a way of winning points for college entry. They are dropping higher-level maths because of the workload and because they get more points by concentrating on other subjects, such as home economics and business. New ways to raise the popularity of maths and improve exam performances in the subject were explored at a symposium organised by the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science at Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday.
In related news, the Irish Times notes that CAO points for college courses in arts, business and science are expected to increase after a record number of college applications this year. Applications are up by about 10 percent. Michael Gleeson of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors raised concerns that a 1980s-style points race could return.
The paper also says that the Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin has been nominated for the 2010 European Museum of the Year award. The winner will be announced in May.
The same paper notes that Terry Clontz, a telecoms industry veteran who was last month appointed to the board of Eircom to represent majority owners Singapore Technologies Telemedia (STT), has been appointed chairman of Nasdaq-quoted InterDigital. InterDigital holds a number of patents for technology used in 3G mobile phones. Clontz has been a director of the firm since 1998.
The paper also reports that Dublin software firm Openet has completed a EUR7.2 million fundraising round led by Cross Atlantic Capital Partners and Enterprise Ireland. The company also announced that turnover grew by 50 percent during 2009. Based on its 2008 accounts, when it had revenues of EUR31 million, Openet turned over about EUR46.5 million in 2009. Chief Executive Niall Norton said the company had sought investment to go after the "opportunities that are presenting now". He said the money would be primarily used to expand the sales and distribution capability of Openet and for product development.
The paper also notes that two Irish animation companies have received Oscar nominations: Brown Bag Films for the animated short 'Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty' and Cartoon Saloon for 'The Secret of Kells'. Ballyfermot College of Further Education graduate Richard Baneham was also nominated in the category of visual effects for 'Avatar'.
The Irish Examiner says that psychologists have suggested there is a strong link between depression and time spent surfing the web. British scientists found that the longer people spent online, the less likely they were to be happy. A small group of the worst affected individuals were both depressed and addicted. However, it was not clear whether using the internet causes mental health problems, or whether people with mental health problems are drawn to the internet. The study was conducted by the Institute of Psychological Sciences at the University of Leeds.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sharp has said increasing sales of liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions helped it bounce back to a profit in its fiscal third quarter. Net profit came in at JPY9.1 billion (USD100.7 million) for the three months ended December, below an average analyst estimate of JPY11.1 billion. In the same period a year earlier, Sharp posted a net loss of JPY65.8 billion, absorbing about JPY65 billion in one-time charges. The company said it still expects to make a slim net profit in the fiscal year through to the end of March.
The Financial Times reports that UK regulators have asked their European counterparts if they can investigate the proposed merger between Orange and T-Mobile, a deal that would create the UK's largest mobile operator. "The [Office of Fair Trading]'s initial view, following consultation, is that the joint venture threatens significantly to affect competition in mobile telecommunications in the UK," the OFT said. If the European Commission agrees to the request, it could result in a longer period of regulatory scrutiny than if Brussels had led the investigation.
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