IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 11 June
11-06-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Getitkeepit locates EUR400k investment | Microsoft to launch free online Office
The Irish Times reports that leading gaming hardware makers will next week unveil futuristic gadgets designed to pull in a new generation of players at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. Microsoft is expected to announce a name and launch date for its "Project Natal" controller-free system. Sony will showcase its competing Move motion-sensor, while Nintendo will give the first glimpse of a 3D handheld device.
The paper also reports that Irish firm Openet has announced the rollout of a flexible data payment system for Apple's iPad on a major US mobile operator, believed to be AT&T. Openet manages the transaction process that users are guided through when activating their iPad's 3G connection and allows the network to provide fixed and ad hoc data packages. The company employs 210 people in Dublin, 200 in its offices in Virginia, US, and a further 100 people across offices in Malaysia and Brazil.
The same paper notes that online bill storage firm Getitkeepit.com has closed a seed investment round of EUR400,000 to fund its expansion into Britain this summer and to commercialise its technology as a separate service. The Dublin-based firm runs a free website that lets consumers store and manage their bills online from a single location. The funding was raised through Enterprise Ireland and private investors. Getitkeepit.com chief executive Alan Coleman says the company is also in the early stages of sourcing further investment.
The paper also reports that the development of next-generation telecoms networks has been prioritised as an "area of action" in the short term by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O'Keeffe. At a technology industry event in Cork, O'Keeffe said his department and agencies under his control were "engaged in detailed discussions with all the relevant players" on how these networks could be built. "I believe that investment in digital infrastructure and services is vital, and it is a priority for this Government," he said.
The same paper says that a Laois mother, a Dublin student and a Kildare man have each won EUR3,000 and will have their ideas for apps for Nokia smartphones turned into reality after winning Nokia's Apps for Ireland competition. The three were among 1,000 entries to the competition, which sought ideas for applications in the areas of sports, lifestyle and 'general'. Hilary Weldon from Portarlington won the general category with an app that helps households and businesses manage their finances more efficiently. Kildare man Alan Duncan won the lifestyle category with his idea for an app that helps people who suffer from colour blindness. The sports category was won by Lorcan O'Mahoney, who suggested an app that allows the user to track the distances and times of cycling trips.
The paper also notes that Belfast-based audio software company APTX has signed a technology licence deal with US electronics giant Laird Technologies. The US firm supplies electronic components for consumer electronics goods. Laird will pre-program APTX's software into a new range of semiconductor modules for Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
The same paper says that Setanta Sports has secured the mobile rights for Ireland to English Premier League games for the next three seasons. It remains to be seen if Setanta cuts a deal with all of the Irish mobile operators to allow access to this coverage or whether it will negotiate an exclusive deal with a single provider.
The Irish Independent reports that an exam supervisor has been sacked after he was caught using Twitter during the Leaving Cert English paper. The State Examinations Commission was advised on Thursday that postgraduate student Brian Og O'Rourke was posting tweets from his mobile phone while he was supervising the exam. The use of mobile phones by supervisors or students is specifically banned during exams.
The Irish Examiner says that Cork City has just unveiled a big screen that will provide the city with news updates all day, everyday. The big screen will feature a live feed courtesy of Thomas Crosbie Media. The LED 'ticker tape' will give news, politics, sports, arts and entertainment updates.
According to the Financial Times, Microsoft is set to launch an online version of its Office software next week. The cloud-based software will be free to use but supported by advertising. The move "shows we're all-in, we're fully engaged with the cloud," said Stephen Elop, head of the Microsoft Business Division.
The paper also says that US telco AT&T has confirmed that it found a flaw in its website that could be exploited by hackers to obtain a limited amount of information about some purchasers of Apple's iPad device. The company refused to comment, however, on claims by a security outfit called Goatse Security that it had been able to use the flaw to obtain information about 114,000 iPad owners. AT&T's admission about the glitch came after the Valleywag internet blog published Goatse's claims that it had obtained personal e-mail addresses, as well as the unique codes of the SIM cards inside iPads running on the AT&T network. AT&T confirmed that the vulnerability exposed these two types of information, though it said it was still investigating the claims of a security breach.
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 