IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 27 August
27-08-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Irish Twitter users reach 100,000 | Google launches real-time search
The Irish Times reports that Dublin-based travel software firm Datalex saw its losses increase 47 percent in the first half of the year. The group posted a pretax loss of USD2.2 million for the period, compared to a USD1.5 million deficit in the year-ago period. Revenues also weakened, falling by 9 percent to USD13.1 million. However, the firm pointed to better underlying market conditions and an improved new business pipeline in recent months.
The paper also reports that Dublin-based business technology provider Origina is to invest EUR1.1 million in developing a cloud computing service, creating 10 new jobs. Part of the funding will be put towards collaborative research with universities to design the service. The company also plans to seek up to EUR2 million in additional external funding over the next 12 months to support further infrastructure investments and a move into other markets, including the UK. The service is due to be launched later this year in Ireland, followed by the UK early in 2011. Origina will provide 'infrastructure as a service'.
The paper also says that Bord Gais Energy has launched an iPhone app that allows customers to track bills, submit gas meter readings and access company messages and contact details. The Think Beyond app was developed by the company's e-channel team. "At the moment it will give you a live snapshot of your last bill, your last meter reading and information on previous payments," said Eoin O Suilleabhain, e-channel developer for Bord Gais Energy. "In phase two we plan to add a feature to allow people to pay their bill through the app itself; the infrastructure is all there so it's just got to be enabled."
The same paper reports that an Irish Red Cross (IRC) employee, who was the focus of a High Court action after anonymously publishing online confidential information about the charity, has outed himself on his blog. Noel Wardick, head of the international department with the IRC, set up a blog last December in which he outlined widespread problems at the charity, including alleged financial irregularities. Wardick also used the blog to call for a full-scale independent investigation into the affairs and operations of the organisation. The blogger's decision to reveal his identity comes shortly after internet service provider UPC was forced to comply with an order to supply details about him to the charity.
The Irish Independent reports that Enet, the company that manages dozens of State-owned fibre-optic metropolitan area networks (MANs) around the country, posted an after-tax profit of EUR1.7 million in the 12 months to the end of April -- the first time it has made a full-year profit. The profit figure compares to a loss of almost EUR1 million in the previous 12 months. Revenue for the last fiscal period also rose sharply, up 49 percent to EUR13.9 million.
The paper also says that a voyeur has been filming women in the street without consent and posting the images on the internet. Young women have been followed around some of the busiest streets in Dublin and secretly filmed from behind, with the footage uploaded to YouTube. The YouTube account was suspended on Thursday and the collection of 14 videos was removed.
The paper also says that there has been angry reactions to Eircom's plans to impose a minimum payment of EUR20 off a bill. The decision, due to come into effect on 1 October, was criticised by TDs, Age Action Ireland and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS). They said the changes would have a significant impact on pensioners and those on low incomes, who currently can opt to pay just EUR5 or EUR10 off their bills every week. A spokeswoman for Eircom would only say that 10 percent of customers pay in instalments.
The Irish Examiner notes that Irish IT firm Brandon Consulting has been named 2010 Outstanding Microsoft Voice Partner in EMEA at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in the US.
The paper also notes that mobile technology entrepreneurs will gather in the Carlton Millrace Hotel in Wexford on 6 September for a mobile apps ideas workshop. Facilitated by the cross-border Inventorium team, the event will bring together technical experts and creative business people, innovators and designers.
The paper also says that the Government's proposed online betting tax is expected to form part of the next budget announcement and to be formally introduced next January. A Department of Finance spokesperson said the issue remains under consideration and that no formal decision has been reached. However, Goodbody Stockbrokers has forecast that the levy could be in place by the beginning of next year.
The same paper notes that the Irish 'Twittersphere' is inhabited by up to 100,000 users, although many are just curious observers. According to research at NUI Galway, one-in-four Irish Twitter users have posted fewer than 10 status updates. Furthermore, two-thirds of Irish users post less than once a week on the online messaging service. However, up to 11 percent of Irish Twitter users have posted more than 1,000 messages on Twitter. Research on the growth of Twitter in Ireland and abroad will be presented at the BlogTalk Galway 2010 conference this week.
The paper also says that chip giant Intel is close to an agreement to buy Infineon Technologies' wireless business. An announcement could come as early as this week.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Google is boosting its efforts to make search results timelier, using a "real time" approach to help find content from sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The service, called Google Realtime Search, can be used separately from the company's main search engine to help people find the latest web conversations on regional and global topics. The service pulls messages posted by users of Twitter and Google Buzz. It also includes messages from certain users of social networking services such as Facebook and MySpace. The posts appear in a continuously updating news feed and search results can be sorted by location.
According to the Financial Times, Hewlett-Packard has taken another swipe at Dell's bid to take over 3Par, raising its bid for the data storage company to USD27 a share just hours after Dell had narrowly outbid its rival. Earlier Dell had sneaked ahead of HP with a USD24.30 a share cash offer, just above the USD24 a share that HP said it would pay in an attempt to scupper Dell's agreed deal. Dell last week offered USD18 a share for 3Par, which makes high-end storage systems and data management products used in cloud computing. HP's latest offer values 3Par at USD1.8 billion.
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