Tech Shorts

A round-up of other technology news in brief

UPC seeks partnership on illegal file-sharing

Cable operator UPC offered an olive branch to the music industry at the Hot Press Music Show in the RDS last weekend. Shane O’Neill, vice-president of UPC- owners Liberty Global, offered to go to the Government in partnership with the record companies and negotiate the best way to stop illegal file-sharing.

“We would absolutely like to see a system put in place that will prohibit piracy,” said O’Neill. “We will participate in national schemes where there is a systematic, gradual approach.”

IRMA, the Irish Recorded Music Association has initiated court proceedings against UPC over its refusal to implement a similar system to that in place with Eircom where regular downloaders are disconnected.

Digital research workshops

The National Digital Research Centre will host information workshops next week, as part of Innovation Dublin 2009, for companies and academics interested in applying for its three recently launched programmes for investment into digital projects with a research and commercialisation focus.

The programmes are entrepreneurial internships for the the web and mobile space, and feasibility and research grants in the area of collaborative translational research.

DePuy wins engineer award

DePuy Ireland, the Cork manufacturer of hip and knee orthopaedic products, has won Engineers Ireland Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Company of the Year 2009 award. The award recognises the central role that training and professional development played in the establishment of a product and process innovation centre of excellence at its Ringaskiddy plant in Cork. As a result of putting a five-year strategic training plan in place, DePuy’s worldwide advanced manufacturing technologies director role has been moved from the US to Ireland.

Windows 7 set to increase PC demand, but only slowly 

Microsoft’s release of its new Windows 7 operating system is expected to increase demand for personal computers only slightly, chief executive Steve Ballmer said this week. “There will be a surge of PCs but it will probably not be huge, Ballmer said in answer to a question at a news conference about the likely effect on the market of the new system, which will replace the unpopular Vista.

Ballmer reiterated that he saw the technology sector returning to growth only slowly and said it would take time to reach pre-recession levels.

Windows 7 will be generally available on October 22nd, far earlier than originally planned. – (Reuters)