IN THE PAPERS
In the papers 10 September
10-09-2007
by Stephen Errity
Compuware to lay off ten Dublin staff | FM104 asks RTE to investigate alteration of Wikipedia entries
The Irish Times reports that the introduction of internet poker, casinos and gambling with credit cards have all made it increasingly difficult for people with gambling problems to quit the habit, Gamblers Anonymous (GA) has said. The group is holding a series of open meetings around Dublin this month in a bid to raise awareness of the issue and to highlight the help available.
The Irish Examiner says that five Cork firms are visiting France's largest technology park to meet with leading technology companies. Organised by business development agency CorkBIC, the two-day trade mission is to provide introductions to 12 organisations in Europe's Silicon Valley, including France Telecom Orange, Schneider Electric, Cisco, HP, IBM, SAP and Philips. Among the Irish companies represented are network management firm ServusNet; EHA Soft Solutions, which develops and provides risk management software for environmental and health and safety managers; and software company Deep-Insight.
The Financial Times says that Philips Electronics expects to more than double its earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) per share by 2010 from 2007, after reorganising into three divisions. Philips, which said it was on track with its current EBITA margin target of 7.5 percent for 2007, said in a statement it planned to reorganise into three units focusing on healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle, which would cut costs by EUR150 million to EUR200 million.
The Wall Street Journal says that IT consultancy Capgemini will begin recommending Google's online suite of office software to its corporate customers, a move that could bolster the search company's effort to drum up more sales to big businesses. Google's software bundle includes e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and calendar management. Google collected USD70 million from sales of software licences and other services during the first half of the year, accounting for less than 1 percent of the company's revenue during the period.
The Sunday Business Post reports that the Irish ambassador to Australia flew to the Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea to lobby on behalf of businessman Denis O'Brien. O'Brien's mobile company Digicel had its cellular licence revoked by the country's government, after it made a policy u-turn and decided it wanted to retain control of the communications sector. O'Brien had been planning to invest USD500 million in the country's telecoms infrastructure. The paper says that it is unclear whether the Ambassador acted of his own accord or was asked to intervene by Digicel.
The paper also carries a story reporting that Meteor Mobile chairman Robert Haulbrook is set to receive a payment of EUR8 million when he leaves the company at the end of 2007. Haulbrook negotiated the payment as part of a management incentive plan agreed when Meteor was owned by its previous parent, Western Wireless. Haulbrook was previously chief executive of Meteor, but became chairman after the company's current parent Eircom was bought by Babcock & Brown in 2006.
The paper also reports that the Irish subsidiary of US software giant Oracle paid its parent company a dividend of USD644 million last year. Oracle EMEA made a pre-tax profit of EUR508 million in the year ending 31 May 2006. After paying the dividend, the company posted a loss of EUR24.5 million. In the past three years, the company has paid nearly EUR2 billion in dividends to Oracle, including a one-off payment of USD800 million last year after President Bush introduced a tax concession to allow US multinationals to repatriate money earned by their foreign subsidiaries at a reduced rate of tax.
The same paper says that Quinlan Private, an investment firm, has agreed to buy Eircom's network management centre in Citywest, Dublin in a deal worth EUR40 million. The sale and leaseback agreement will see the telecoms provider pay rent of EUR2 million per year on the facility. Quinlan Private agreed a similar deal to buy the new Eircom headquarters building last December. It also owns Jury's Inn in Dublin and 47 Marriott hotels in the UK.
The paper also says that Eircom is being sued by exploration company Island Oil & Gas after a share tipping website allegedly published misleading information about the company's operations. The information was placed online by an anonymous poster who claimed it was confidential. Eircom is the target of the legal action due to its ability as an internet service provider to furnish information concerning the identity of the individual. Under data protection legislation, a court order will be necessary before any such information can be released.
The paper also reports that US tech firm Compuware is laying off ten development staff at its Dublin office. The jobs are being moved back to the US as the company attempts to reduce expenses by USD100 million this year. A company spokesperson said that the firm's Dublin-based sales and marketing staff would be kept on, however. Compuware bought Dublin-based software company SteelTrace in April of last year for USD20.7 million.
The same paper also reports on Galway-based company PortoMedia, which is planning to launch a digital distribution service that will allow customers to download a full-length movie in as little as 15 seconds. The 'MoviePoint' concept has been in development since 2004 and will offer movies, television shows and other content, downloaded onto USB storage devices from a network of in-store touch screen displays. An initial 20 kiosks will be installed in the Galway area once distribution arrangements are agreed with film studios. The company has offices in Dublin, Galway and the United States and founder Chris Armstrong says international expansion is planned.
The paper also reports on how Limerick software firm Avvio is set to treble its turnover in the space of three years. The company currently employs 27 but is set to expand to around 40 staff with the imminent opening of its new consulting division. Avvio says that its online reservations software, Avvio Convert, is used by 80 percent of five-star hotels in Ireland.
The paper also carries the story of Cork-based Digisoft.tv, which is to display its new range of products at a major international trade show. The company makes software for interactive television services and will be displaying its new range at the IBC media trade show in Amsterdam, one of the largest such events in Europe. Digisoft.tv's senior VP for business development told the paper that the company would be shifting its focus to the internet protocol television (IPTV) market in the near future.
The Sunday Tribune reports that Dublin radio station FM104 has called for RTE to conduct an investigation into allegations that employees of the state broadcaster made changes to the Wikipedia entries of rival media organisations. The changes were first highlighted by Cork-based blogger Darren Crowley and included disparaging references to FM104's target audience, as well as the Today FM 'Gift Grub' program. All of the changes were made by a user working from RTE's unique internet protocol (IP) address.
The paper also says that the organisers of the Golden Spider website awards have made a u-turn on plans to charge bloggers for nominating themselves. While a nomination fee of EUR150 will no longer be charged, any shortlisted nominees will still have to pay EUR300 to attend the awards night ceremony in the Burlington hotel on 22 November. Prominent Irish bloggers Damien Mulley and Twenty Major expressed doubt to the paper that any bloggers would pay that amount to attend.
The Sunday Times reports on a new advertising technology that automatically sends a text message to any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone within a ten-metre radius of a billboard sign. The first examples of the transmitter have been installed in bus shelters in Dublin and Cork advertising MBT footwear. People passing by the billboards receive a message asking them if they would like to download an ad for the company. Passers-by interviewed by the paper expressed scepticism at the effectiveness of the technique, but the firm behind the technology, Clear Channel, says it is planning to introduce the service for other clients in the banking, mobile phone and cinema sectors in the coming months.
The paper also says that Microsoft has approached the BBC about the broadcaster's planned European digital TV and video service. The software giant and the British state broadcaster signed an agreement last year concerning the development of digital services. Microsoft is planning to turn its Xbox 360 console into a digital entertainment centre and in America it already offers a video service, featuring content from the country's major television networks and movie studios.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 