IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 27 April
27-04-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Gardai get high-tech vehicle monitors | Google backs off from Verizon plan
The Irish Times reports that the Garda Siochana's Puma on-board surveillance system has been installed in 104 marked and unmarked cars, with a further 30 due in the next three months. Puma compares the registration plates of up to six vehicles per second with a database downloaded daily from the insurance industry and the National Vehicle and Driver File. Vehicles which are displayed as untaxed, uninsured or having been reported as stolen are instantly stopped, while the presence of vehicles whose owners may be of interest to Gardai can be noted and recorded. Gardai say the most notable aspect of the system is its ability to calculate speeds of passing vehicles without the use of radar or laser guns.
The paper also reports on the creation of almost 90 jobs with the establishment of an energy research centre at Cork's Tyndall National Institute, the founding member of which will be US firm United Technologies. Read more on this story on ENN.
The paper also says that Microsoft is offering to work with 25 firms to help them become "smart economy organisations", as noted by ENN on Monday.
The Irish Independent reports on the winner of the Young Inventors competition run by the Irish Patents Office, as reported by ENN.
The Wall Street Journal says that Google has distanced itself from a plan to make its Nexus One smartphone compatible with Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile operator in the US. The company updated its website on Monday to tell customers waiting for the device that they should instead buy another smartphone running Google's software. Google previously indicated the Nexus One, which the company designed and sold directly to consumers, would be available for Verizon's customers in spring. A Google spokesman declined to comment on why discussions with Verizon fell apart. One source said that following lacklustre sales, Google decided to pull the plug on a CDMA version of the Nexus One that would have worked on Verizon's network.
The paper also says that police in California have seized computers, a camera and storage devices from the blogger and editor who wrote about a prototype of Apple's new iPhone for tech site Gizmodo. Gizmodo acknowledged paying USD5,000 for what it said was a prototype of a next-generation iPhone, and posted stories and pictures of the phone on its website. Gizmodo said police seized several computers on Friday at the home of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen. Stephen Wagstaffe, the chief deputy district attorney for San Mateo County, said Apple contacted authorities and "advised us there had been a theft," which led to the search warrant and an investigation.
According to the Financial Times, Sharp returned to a profit in the year to March 2010 and forecast a further recovery in the coming year due to rising demand for its 3D LCD panels. Sharp made a JPY52 billion (USD554 million) operating profit, reversing a JPY55 billion operating loss last year, and posted JPY4.4 billion in net income. The electronics firm predicted an operating profit of JPY120 billion this year.
The paper also says that BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has confirmed it will launch an updated version of its BlackBerry operating system later this year. The new software will support touch-screen devices and include a faster web browser. The new operating system was described by RIM co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis as one of the biggest overhauls in years. The move is being seen as RIM positioning itself to compete more effectively against rival smartphone manufacturers such as Apple, HTC and Motorola.
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