An overview of the week in deals in the Irish and global technology sector.
Apple buys C3 – 3D mapping coming to iOS devices?
Apple is to bring mapping on iOS devices like iPhones and iPads to a whole new level after it emerged the company has acquired C3 Technologies. The move could be bad news for Google, whose Maps system currently powers mapping on Apple devices.
C3’s software and camera technology renders 2D photos into high quality and detailed 3D images. The technology originally had a military application: turning 2D maps and images into photo-realistic 3D models for missile-targeting purposes.
With Apple mobile devices coming with faster and faster processors – for example, the A5 processor in its latest iPhone 4S and iPad 2 devices – it is tantalising to think of the business and consumer benefits of this 3D technology.
Yahoo! to acquire interclick
Digital media company Yahoo! is acquiring data-driven ad network interclick for about US$270m, or US$9 per share.
interclick’s proprietary advertising and technology solutions enable it to improve data-targeted solutions and optimised returns for advertisers across a variety of pooled premium supply sources. interclick has built a data valuation platform optimised to work with large data volumes across multiple providers and marketplaces.
With interclick, Yahoo! will acquire unique data targeting capabilities, optimisation technologies and new premium supply, as well as a team experienced in selling audiences across disparate sources of pooled supply.
The deal is expected to close in early 2012.
Belfast software firm Kainos in €2.2m contract with Acorn Life
Belfast-based IT Solutions company Kainos has been awarded a €2.2m contract with Acorn Life, the Galway-based life assurance company.
The contract includes the implementation of a state-of-the-art sales automation and customer relationship management (CRM) system. It will enable Acorn Life’s 200-strong team of financial advisers to provide a superior customer experience, resulting in a better service and consequently improved sales performance.
The comprehensive new software system is based on Microsoft Dynamics, which Kainos is configuring and customising for Acorn Life’s distribution network, and will be fully integrated with the assurance company’s sales and marketing applications. It will provide a holistic, single view of each customer, enabling Acorn Life’s financial advisers to track customer contact and sales activity in an unprecedented way, delivering better customer service while maximising opportunities to secure new business.
Cork firm Radisens in €1m International Space Station deal
A Cork medical diagnostics company has been awarded a €1m contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a blood-testing device for astronauts on board the International Space Station, as well as various space missions.
The European Space Agency has contracted Radisens Diagnostics to add a thyroid test to its point-of-care device, which is in development at its facility in Cork. ESA wants to use the device on board the International Space Station and on various human spaceflight missions, where it is essential to get instant, laboratory-grade results for a myriad of health conditions.
E-net selects Alcatel-Lucent to deploy €2m core network
E-net, the firm contracted by the Irish Government to manage the State’s Metropolitan Area Network in 94 Irish towns, has awarded a €2m contract to Alcatel-Lucent to design and deploy its core IP network.
Under the terms of the deal, Alcatel-Lucent will deliver a new IP platform based on the highly successful 7750, 7210 and 5620SAM IP portfolio.
In addition to the delivery of the new platform, Alcatel-Lucent will provide ongoing maintenance and performance monitoring.
Insurance player in managed services deal with Trilogy
Trilogy Technologies has deployed managed services to manage the entire infrastructure and co-managed IT services desk for the Campion Insurance Group, which has 100 staff and 10 offices in Ireland and the UK.
Trilogy also implemented a co-managed IT service desk solution which provides a collaborative link with Campion’s IT team. Campion’s IT service desk now links seamlessly to Trilogy’s managed service centre.
Trilogy provided a full remote management and monitoring solution of Campion’s entire infrastructure, ensuring applications are running at optimum levels, fully visible to Campion via its edge/point portal. Incidents are handled and resolved, problems and change requests are submitted by telephone, email and web, hardware and software assets are optimised, applications and updates automatically deployed, desktops taken control of and changes initiated and evaluated – all from a single console.
This enables Campion to improve the delivery of a wide range of services.
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