IN THE PAPERS
In the papers 3 October
03-10-2007
by Sylvia Leatham
Eircom knew of security flaw six months ago | Microsoft revamps Zune music players
The Irish Times reports that US telecoms firm Mformation Technologies is to create over 160 new jobs in Belfast. Read the full story on ENN.
The paper also says that Eircom first knew of the security flaw that could affect 250,000 of its broadband customers -- as reported by ENN on Tuesday -- in March of this year. The company was contacted by Kildare software engineer Peter McShane to tell them that a problem with the set-up of its Netopia routers made them vulnerable. Eircom's head of communications, Paul Bradley, confirmed that the company had first been made aware of the problem six months ago. He said the telecoms operator entered into discussions with McShane but then had to verify the nature of the problem and how it could be remedied. "In the interim we have been putting in place the processes to address that," said Bradley.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft has revamped its family of Zune digital-music players and software, in an attempt to compete more seriously with Apple's iPod. The new Zune products are smaller than their predecessors, have better screens for watching video and include new features, such as one that will let users wirelessly synchronise the devices with music on a PC. The devices will go on sale in mid-November.
The paper also reports that Alcatel-Lucent has said its board of directors supports Chief Executive Patricia Russo and her leadership team, even though the board was disappointed with the company' recent financial performance. The telecoms equipment provider said in a statement that while it's "clearly disappointed in the most recent changes in the company's outlook," it supported the leadership team's efforts "to adapt the company's plans in light of this year's developments." The 14-person board said it will review the new plans being developed by management during its next scheduled meeting on 30 October.
The Financial Times reports that Sony has launched a joint venture with Qimonda, a German chipmaker, to design high-end memory chips for consumer gadgets. The two firms said the joint venture, to be named Qreatic Design, would begin to design dynamic random access memory (D-Ram) chips by the end of this year. The companies said 30 specialists at the Tokyo-based venture would pool the German group's expertise in making D-Ram chips with Sony's skill in finding a use for them in products such as mobile phones and cameras.
The paper also says that Yahoo is considering "strategic options" for Kelkoo, including a possible sale of the online shopping comparison service that it acquired only three-and-a-half years ago. The internet company paid EUR475 million in cash for Kelkoo in March 2004, but it acknowledged on Tuesday that it had not progressed as expected. "One of the priorities we have identified is to improve the performance of Kelkoo," Yahoo told the newspaper. "Today we are starting a process to give Kelkoo more independence -- while we evaluate strategic options for the long-term future of the business."
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 