NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 26 March
26-03-2010
by Deirdre McArdle
Nokia buys mobile browser firm | Datalex has "difficult" 2009
Nokia has snapped up US mobile browser firm Novarra. Financial details were not disclosed. Facing increasing pressure from the iPhone, analysts think this could be a wise buy by Nokia. Read the press release here.
Travel software firm Datalex said it had a "difficult" 2009. The firm saw pre-tax losses for the year quadruple to USD4.5 million, while revenues dropped 18 percent year-on-year to USD27.1 million. Read the full results here (PDF).
Albert Gonzalez, the mastermind behind the hacking of TJX, the largest theft of credit card numbers ever, has been handed down a 20-year sentence in a US federal prison. This is the longest term ever dished out for hacking or identity theft in the US.
Two Irish teachers were presented with awards at Microsoft's European Innovative Education Forum. Ursula Hynes at Ratoath College, Co. Meath won an award for her project, ‘My Study Mate’, which aims to create an online learning community encouraging the sharing of knowledge through active learning and peer teaching. Barry Corrigan from Northern Ireland won for his initiative ‘Making Homework Count’ which aims to create an environment where both students and parents learn something from the homework process.
The Irish Times, in association with Prosperity, is to launch, 'Breaking the Boundaries', part of its Spotlight series of events that will feature motivational and innovative speakers from Ireland and abroad. The event will take place on 23 April in the Mansion House and the key speaker on the day will be Guy Kawasaki, formerly of Apple, and the author of nine books including The Art of the Start and Selling the Dream. Find out more here.
The first on-street electric car charging points were unveiled by the ESB on Friday. Initially four kerb-side chargers will be available in Dublin, with the Government planning on having 1,500 nationwide by end of 2011. By 2020, the Government aims for 10 percent of all vehicles to be run by electricity. Read the press release here.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 