NEWS IN BRIEF
For the record 21 August
21-08-2007
by Stephen Errity
'Spam storm' expected in September | Bebo integrates with Windows Live Messenger
E-mail security firm SoftScan says it is expecting a 'storm' of fraudulent e-mails in September as online scammers target students returning to college. The company says it has already observed an increase in the number of spam e-mails circulating in the last few days. SoftScan CTO Diego D'Ambra said spammers were attempting to access college networks by way of infected student laptops. The company has also identified a new trend in spam e-mails, with various document formats such PDF, FDF and DOC being used to trick the user into thinking they have received an 'e-card' from a friend or a family member.
Social networking giant Bebo has announced a partnership with Microsoft that will see the latter's Windows Live Messenger service integrated into Bebo. A statement released Tuesday indicated that Bebo and Windows Live will henceforth allow users to seamlessly exchange their contact information to invite and connect through their respective services. This deal marks the first time that Microsoft has partnered with a social networking site and will allow Bebo's 36 million users worldwide to display their Windows Live Messenger presence and IM with their Bebo friends directly on the Bebo service.
Irish firm Pulse IT announced Tuesday it had signed a deal to oversee the IT requirements for all of mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse's Irish stores. Previously, the retailer had outsourced its IT requirements to UK-based providers. Pulse will provide point-of-sale hardware and software to 55 Carphone Warehouse stores around the country, with another 20 expected to be opened before the end of the year. Pulse IT will oversee all technical requirements for these new shop openings along with upgrading hardware and services in existing stores. The company will also have a strategic role in sourcing and managing the hardware in the rollout of the remaining stores opening in 2007.
eBay.ie and An Post have announced a new 'E-Parcel Card' system aimed at regular sellers on the online auction site. It offers eligible eBay users favourable prices on national and international parcels weighing up to 5kg, sent using An Post. Savings of up to 45 percent on national parcels and 75 percent on international postage can be made with the card, the companies say. The card is available to all Irish users of eBay who have a minimum feedback score of 90, with at least 98 percent of it positive. It can be applied for at www.ebay.ie or www.e-parcel.ie. An Post says the card is a pilot scheme and that it will be reviewed in April 2008.
UK financial services group Friends Provident has selected Scotland's Graham Technologies to provide it with business software and services. Graham's 'ciboodle' customer interaction software will be used across Friends Provident's entire customer facing operation, including the contact centre, sales teams, independent financial advisers and partners. The company will begin the project with the delivery of a contact centre desktop application to Friends Provident, with additional elements to be rolled out subsequently.
euNetworks announced Tuesday an agreement with Danish carrier GlobalConnect to deploy private fibre lines in the German port city of Hamburg over which GlobalConnect will deliver high capacity solutions. euNetworks will deploy its privanex product, connecting GlobalConnect's data centre in Hamburg with multiple client locations within the Hamburg metropolitan area. This will give GlobalConnect a secure platform over which to deliver mission critical communications solutions to its carrier and ISP customer base. The network will also be designed to scale based on current and future requirements.
IT consultancy firm IT Force has appointed Ciara Holland as business development manager. Holland will be primarily responsible for developing new business within IT Force's expanding Managed Services division. Holland has over ten years' experience in the IT sector, most recently as sales manager for Allegis Group, a global provider of IT staffing and consultancy services, where she was responsible for driving new sales growth in Ireland across their service portfolio.
In other news of appointments, Liam Halpin has been appointed managing director at Fujitsu Siemens Computers Ireland. Halpin will have overall responsibility for running the company's business in Ireland and his appointment will take effect on 1 October. Halpin has been with Fujitsu Siemens Computers since the company's inception in 1999. During his time there, he has held several key roles within the company, most recently as consumer sales director for the UK. Prior to this position, he was consumer and channel sales director for Ireland.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 