IN THE PAPERS
In the papers 5 September
05-09-2007
by Sylvia Leatham
Microsoft fails to win approval for Open XML | Yahoo to buy BlueLithium
The Irish Times reports that Tokyo is spearheading a project to try to seize the lead in new search technologies for electronic devices. The push has been sparked by concerns in Japan that the country's pre-eminence in consumer electronics has faded and value in the technology industry is moving away from hardware. "The question is how Japanese companies like Sharp and Matsushita can be encouraged to provide services. They clearly have the know-how to build things," said Toshihide Yahiro, director of the information service industry division at the Ministry of Trade.
The Irish Examiner reports on an online poll by Irishhealth.com which found that public hospitals deliver the same quality of service to publicly admitted patients as they do to those patients treated "privately", once they are admitted. A statistical analysis of almost 8,500 forms submitted to the website's 'Rate My Hospital' survey over the past year found very little difference between public and private patients' overall ratings.
The Financial Times reports that Microsoft has failed in its initial attempt to have some of the key new technology in its latest Windows and Office software recognised as an international standard. However, the software giant claimed strong momentum for its efforts and predicted that it would overcome the remaining hurdles by early next year. Microsoft is seeking recognition for the formats for documents and spreadsheets contained in its new Office software, known as Open XML. Winning approval is considered essential since many governments are otherwise expected to balk at the new Microsoft technology, opting instead for the rival ODF format, which already has international recognition.
The paper also says that MetroPCS Communications has offered to acquire rival Leap Wireless International for USD5.3 billion in stock in a deal that would combine two of the fastest-growing mobile carriers to create a new national carrier with over 6.2 million subscribers in the US. Both companies offer their customers unlimited calls in exchange for a flat-rate service charge paid in advance and together they would rank as the fifth-largest mobile carrier behind AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo has agreed to acquire closely held online-advertising company BlueLithium for about USD300 million, as the internet giant tries to expand its ad reach beyond its own sites. BlueLithium, founded in January 2004, operates what is known as an online-advertising network. It buys graphical-display ad slots, such as banners, on about 1,000 sites owned by other web publishers and re-sells the slots to advertisers.
The paper also says that Palm will take a charge of less than USD10 million as it cancels a planned new companion device for its Treo smartphone. Palm said it will end its plans for the laptop-like product, called Foleo, just as the device was scheduled to debut. The Foleo has been met with derision since Palm announced the product in May. Palm painted the Foleo as a companion device to its Treo smartphone, but critics said it didn't live up to the hype.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 