IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 6 December
06-12-2010
by Sylvia Leatham
Google fails to seal Groupon deal | Facebook unveils profile-page redesign
The Irish Independent reports that thousands of unregistered landlords will face prosecution in a major crackdown, thanks to a new computer system. The system can cross-reference records held by the Department of Social Protection with those held by the Private Residential Tenancies Board. It will highlight any landlord whose tenants are in receipt of rent supplement payments but who has failed to register with the PRTB. The new system will become operational in the first weeks of January.
According to the Financial Times, Google has failed to secure the acquisition of Groupon, an online marketing service for local merchants. Analysts are split over whether Google came close to over-paying, or whether it suffered a strategic setback by not securing the deal. Google was in talks last week to buy Groupon for up to USD5 billion, according to a source, a deal that would have been its biggest to date.
The paper also says that Ericsson chairman Michael Treschow will be stepping down in 2011 or 2012, after nearly a decade heading up mobile networks maker. Ericsson said in a statement that Treschow, who was appointed chairman in March 2002 and who holds the same position at food and consumer products group Unilever, had informed the company of his decision. "It is an exciting future ahead of Ericsson, but taking into account its strong market and financial position, it is now the right time to hand over to a successor after nine years in this position," said Treschow.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook has unveiled a profile-page redesign. The new design lets users share more details, display photos and highlight friends if they want – items the social network said are like "conversation starters" that will let people tell their story and learn more about friends. A Facebook spokesperson said the company's existing privacy settings will not be altered as a result of the profile page redesign.
The Sunday Independent says that online spending by consumers was expected to reach an all-time high on Sunday, with eBay.ie predicting it would be the busiest day of the year for the website. Spokeswoman Ruth Szyszkowski estimated that 100,000 bargain hunters would log on to the eBay website, buying one gift every 20 seconds, a 33 percent rise on sales last year. About 54 percent of Irish consumers are expected to do some or all of their Christmas shopping online this year, according to Szyszkowski. "The strongest sales have been seen this year in the categories of clothing, computers and consumer electronics, as the biggest savings can be made here."
The Sunday Times reports that insurers are preparing to use people’s Facebook profiles and online spending habits as a way of setting premiums based on their lifestyle. Studies for the insurers suggest that people’s online data detailing their food purchases, activities and social groups can be as good an indicator of their life expectancy as conventional medical examinations. Aviva, one of Britain’s largest insurers, is planning to introduce the new "predictive modelling" in Britain next year.
The paper also notes that Cork-based Barry’s Tea has set up an online shop allowing its stock to be shipped from Ireland to customers all over the world. As well as four ranges of tea, Barry’s now sells mugs, T-shirts, baby-grows, playing cards and a range of trinkets.
The same paper says that iSoft, a troubled Australian technology group that is in negotiations with its bankers over debts of AUD240 million, is planning to offload one of its Irish subsidiaries. iSoft Business Solutions, which designs financial software systems, has offices in Dublin and Belfast. It will be put up for sale as part of a restructuring deal being negotiated with UBS, the Swiss bank, according to a source. It is understood that the group has not yet found a buyer for the business.
The Sunday Business Post reports that the Government hopes to raise millions in 2011 from an auction of radio spectrum, according to plans by ComReg. The spectrum, which can be used by mobile operators and broadband companies, is expected to bring in tens of millions of euro. Two bands of it are likely to be sold before the end of 2011,while a third band will become available towards the end of 2012.
The paper also says that multinationals in Ireland are still hiring, provided they can find candidates with the right skills, according to a new survey. The study, which questioned 100 multinationals based in Ireland, found there was a shortage of science, maths and biotechnology graduates to fill available roles in pharmaceutical and medical device companies. "We have over 120 positions that we need to find candidates for," said Joe Robbins, director with CareerWise Recruitment, which carried out the survey. "We are seeking quality and manufacturing engineers for top multinational companies, as well as supply chain personnel and people with pharmaceutical and medical devices experience."
The paper also notes that PC maker Dell is hiring up to 100 staff in Dublin and Limerick, bringing its workforce in Ireland to 2,300 people. Between 80 and 100 jobs are available immediately in sales, services, multilingual technical support, marketing and finance, according to Aongus Hegarty, who runs Dell’s customer service centre in Cherrywood in Dublin.
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 