IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 22 February
22-02-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Real-time bus info planned for this year | Vodafone to disconnect inactive accounts
The Irish Times reports that the National Transport Authority will spend EUR5 million this year on the introduction of real-time arrival information on electronic display screens at bus stops throughout Dublin. Dublin City Council, which has responsibility for the roll-out of the service, said it is currently assessing tenders from a number of contractors to provide and install the technology at stops. A real-time system will use satellite technology to identify the position of approaching buses and update the arrival time shown on an electronic display unit.
The paper also says that Denis O'Brien is due to gain more than EUR500 million from the proposed sale of Digicel Pacific to sister company Digicel Group. About half the money is expected to be realised in the year after the end of March, with the rest following at a later date. Digicel Group, the Caribbean telecom group owned by O'Brien, is expected to acquire more than 51 percent of Digicel Pacific in the former's next financial year, beginning 1 April. The remainder may be purchased at a later date. O'Brien owns 84 percent of Digicel Pacific, with third party investors and management owning the rest. The transaction will value the equity in the business at USD825 million.
The Irish Independent reports that Vodafone is to disconnect accounts that are infrequently used, and take back any unused credit on the phones. Vodafone customers who do not top up their pre-paid mobile phone within eight months will have their account disconnected and lose any unused credit. The operator claims it is changing its terms from next month in a bid to recycle old mobile phone numbers that are no longer used. The Consumers' Association of Ireland said that while it was reasonable to try to re-use old mobile numbers, it was "completely unacceptable" that customers lose any credit remaining on their phones.
The Irish Examiner says that senior management from some of the world's top IT companies are drawing up a report for EU Research and Innovation Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn. The Commissioner met representatives from Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Hewlett Packard, among others. John Herlihy, Irish-based Google vice-president, said the companies have committed to identifying the challenges to setting up and expanding business in the EU.
The paper also says that EMC, which employs around 1,600 people in Cork, has said it is fully committed to Ireland and will not be cutting staff numbers on a large scale. President and managing director of EMC Ireland Bob Savage said he's "pretty sure" that those working at corporate level within the company are not thinking about any pull-out from Cork right now. He said EMC will be in Cork for the long haul. The paper also notes that EMC is progressing with plans to establish itself as a centre of excellence, which involves connecting EMC's 24 business units in Cork so that they work together towards common goals.
According to the Financial Times, US analysts believe they have identified the Chinese author of the critical programming code used in the alleged state-sponsored hacking attacks on Google and other companies. The discovery came after a team of investigators tracked the launch of the spyware to computers inside two educational institutions in China, one of them with close ties to the military. A freelance security consultant wrote the part of the program that used a previously unknown security hole in Internet Explorer to break into computers and insert the spyware, a researcher working for the US government told the newspaper.
The same paper reports that Cisco Systems has announced it intends to drop HP as an authorised reseller of its networking products. In a blog posting, Keith Goodwin, Cisco senior vice-president, said that because the two companies were increasingly competing against each other for sales of hardware for corporate data centres, Cisco had notified HP that its reselling contract would not be renewed when it expires on 30 April.
The Sunday Business Post says that Irish web development firm Arekibo has acquired digital design agency Clearscape. The financial terms of the deal have not been revealed. Arekibo managing director Martin Casey said the deal was "a meeting of minds" and said the market would see more deals of this nature. Arekibo counts the Bank of Ireland, ESB, Paddy Power and the Revenue Commissioners among its clients.
The same paper reports that Panasonic has said that 3D technology will help reinvigorate plasma TVs. Keith Evans, managing director of Panasonic in Ireland and Britain, said many people had "written off" plasma. The company recently announced a 65-inch 3D plasma television with internet connectivity, video-on-demand and social networking applications, with a 50-million-to-1 contrast ratio. TV manufacturers and film studios are pushing 3D TVs, which require special glasses to watch, as part of a move to increase TV prices following several years of decline. However, it is yet to be established if consumers will take to the new technology.
The Sunday Tribune says the US authorities are to examine discussion groups on Facebook as part of an investigation into the suicide of a 15-year-old Irish schoolgirl last month. Phoebe Prince, a first-year student at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts who was originally from Fanore in County Clare, took her own life in January after verbal abuse and cyber-bullying by fellow students, who reportedly taunted the teen through text messages and on Facebook. The police are understood to be seeking records on a Facebook discussion group entitled 'We murdered Phoebe Prince', and up to two other Facebook discussion groups will also be examined.
Facebook also features in another Tribune story, with the news that a fake profile has been set up for TD Micheal Martin. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is examining its options. The real Facebook page Martin has more than 1,000 friends listed. Martin is not the first TD to be "faked" on Facebook -- Enda Kenny, Dan Boyle, Mary Harney and Bertie Ahern have also been subject to spoof pages.
Free! "In the papers" email newsletter -- get the full text to your in-box every business day. Email itp@enn.ie with 'subscribe' in the subject line.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 