============================================
EUROPEAN TECH WIRE - Nov. 23, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.europeantechwire.com
o Thomson to Acquire 33% Stake in U.S.-Based ContentGuard
o Ofcom Targets New Wireless Services with Spectrum Plan
o Report: U.K. Online Sales Doubled to £39.5 Billion Last Year
o Scotland's MicroEmissive Displays to Proceed with IPO
o Apax Invests in Education Technology Firm Promethean
o Investment Fund to Support Video Game Makers in Wales
o Swiss Java Developer Esmertec Raises 6.6 Million Euro
o Briefly Noted: Sharman Networks-Skype, Technology Downtime
Costs in the U.K., Mobile Workforce Security, Superscape Group-
Global Wireless Entertainment
_____________________________________________
o Thomson to Acquire 33% Stake in U.S.-Based ContentGuard
Bethesda, Maryland -- Thomson, a France-based provider of media
technologies and services, announced that it has acquired a 33% stake
in U.S.-based ContentGuard from Microsoft, Time Warner and Xerox.
Financial terms were not disclosed. Under the deal, Thompson will
gain access to ContentGuard's portfolio of technologies that allow
movies, music and other digital content to be accessed through the
Internet without the risk of unauthorised copying and counterfeiting.
Like Microsoft and Time Warner, Thomson will have the right to name
two directors to ContentGuard's board. When Microsoft announced last
year that it planned to purchase Xerox's stake in ContentGuard,
European antitrust regulators launched an investigation, saying a 50-50
joint venture with Time Warner could create a Microsoft monopoly for
digital rights management technologies. Industry experts say the
addition of Thomson as a third investor could lead the EU to drop its
probe.
http://www.contentguard.com/press_112204B.asp
_____________________________________________
o Ofcom Targets New Wireless Services with Spectrum Plan
London -- Ofcom, the U.K. communications and media watchdog, has
unveiled a far-reaching plan to improve the radio spectrum's flexibility
and develop new wireless services for consumers and businesses in the
U.K. In a move many industry experts are characterising as one of the
largest regulatory shake-ups in this century, Ofcom has decided to
reduce its control over the radio spectrum dramatically. For instance,
by 2010, companies will be able to trade spectrum without any
reference to Ofcom, not to mention be able to change the use of that
spectrum as they wish. In other words, the 73% of the spectrum Ofcom
currently manages will become increasingly subject to market forces
alone. "Broadcasters and telecommunications providers are rapidly
moving towards a digital future," said Ofcom Chief Executive Stephen
Carter. "This market-led approach to spectrum management will
reward innovation and extract the maximum value for customers from
this important resource." Ofcom said it would accept comment on the
proposal until Feb. 15, 2005.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U60E219D9
_____________________________________________
o Report: U.K. Online Sales Doubled to £39.5 Billion Last Year
London -- According to a report published by the U.K. Office of
National Statistics (ONS) on Tuesday, online sales came to nearly
£39.5 billion last year, effectively doubling the £19 billion in sales
recorded in 2002. Total spending through technology-based channels
including email, fax, EDI and automated telephones grew by 15% from
£171 billion in 2002 to £195.6 billion last year. Furthermore, the ONS
said Internet-based sales now account for 17% of all business
conducted using IT, compared to 10% the year previous. The report
confirms the U.K.'s position as one of the heavy hitters in Europe's
booming e-commerce market. A recent report from market analysis
firm Forrester predicted that online sales in Europe would surge by
44% this holiday season compared to the same period last year, with
the U.K. accounting for nearly a third of those sales.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/intsales1104.pdf
_____________________________________________
o Scotland's MicroEmissive Displays to Proceed with IPO
Edinburgh -- MicroEmissive Displays (MED), a Scotland-based
developer of micro-displays for digital cameras, video cameras and
mobile phones, told the Scotsman newspaper this week that it plans to
go ahead with its initial public offering (IPO) later this month. What's
more, the firm announced that it has raised £15.7 million in a pre-float
share placement. "It's definitely going ahead at the end of the month,"
MED Finance Director Alan Bennie told The Scotsman. "I think we've
done well, especially in the current climate." MED, an Edinburgh and
Napier University spin-out, is planning to list its shares on London's
Alternative Investment Market (AIM) on Nov. 20 -- nearly a month
behind schedule. Industry experts say the IPO should value the
Edinburgh-based firm at about £35 million.
http://www.microemissive.com/
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L33021AD9
_____________________________________________
o Apax Invests in Education Technology Firm Promethean
Blackburn, England -- Promethean Technologies Group Ltd., a U.K.-
based education technology firm and interactive whiteboard specialist,
announced on Tuesday that it has received new funding from private
equity firm Apax Partners. Financial details have not been disclosed.
Promethean develops technology that allows teachers to interact with
students using multimedia content, pre-prepared class materials and
Internet content. The company said it would use the funds to finance its
international growth. "This marks an important landmark in
Promethean's history as we prepare for the next stage of development,
which will include expanding further internationally, including building
on our position in the U.S.," said Promethean CEO Stephen Jury. The
U.K. government has earmarked £50 million for interactive
whiteboards in primary and secondary schools throughout the country.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z36D129D9
_____________________________________________
o Investment Fund to Support Video Game Makers in Wales
Cardiff, Wales -- The Welsh Assembly has unveiled a new £7-million
investment fund to give a boost to the creative industries, including
computer game makers, in Wales. The Assembly said the fund would
finance projects that had already received "significant" investment from
private companies. What's more, under the terms of the fund, any
project that receives investment must spend an equivalent amount with
creative businesses in Wales. "It is the sort of focused support we need
for a very important sector of the Welsh economy," said Welsh
Minister for Economic Development and Transport. "The creative
industries are an area of strength, and we need to give them focus and
support." The fund will become operational next April next year, the
Assembly said.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E1F053AD9
http://www.wales.gov.uk/index.htm
_____________________________________________
o Swiss Java Developer Esmertec Raises 6.6 Million Euro
Geneva -- Esmertec AG, a Switzerland-based developer of Java
platforms, announced this week that it has raised 6.6 million euro from
Mitsui & Co., a Japanese trading concern. Esmertec said the investment
was part of a strategic collaboration to take advantage of new
opportunities in the wireless and embedded sectors in the Asia Pacific
region. The Swiss firm said it would use the funds to bolster its ability
to supply wireless Java-based applications for mobile phone suppliers
in the region. Just last month, Esmertec raised more than 15 million
euro to extend its product portfolio and develop its presence in Asia.
http://www.esmertec.com/
_____________________________________________
o Briefly Noted:
(Sydney, Australia) Sharman Networks Ltd., distributor of the Kazaa
file-sharing application, announced that its new version 3.0 of Kazaa
integrates Skype, a peer-to-peer technology that enables users to make
free online telephone calls anywhere in the world. Kazaa says its file-
sharing software has been downloaded more than 300 million times.
"The inclusion of Skype is a natural extension of the Kazaa product and
of peer-to-peer (P2P)," said Sharman CEO Nikki Hemming. "Despite
narrow-minded attempts by others to stymie P2P technology through
litigation, boycotts and legislation, Sharman Networks remains
committed to delivering on the promise of peer-to-peer." Skype is
based in Luxembourg.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O12D129D9
http://www.kazaa.com
(Oxford, England) According to a new survey by research firm Vanson
Bourne, U.K. companies are wasting £63 billion a year in technology
downtime costs. Two-thirds of the 450 firms surveyed have
experienced technology downtime in the past two years. Nearly two-
thirds of those admitted to suffering downtime at least once every three
months. The survey found that users experienced costs in lost sales,
fixing the problems, reduced customer satisfaction and lost opportunity
costs.
http://www.omniboss.com/bin/php/index.php
(London) According to a new study by market analysis firm Dimension
Data, security is considered the most significant challenge to U.K.
organisations wanting to deploy a mobile workforce. Of the 505
companies surveyed, approximately 85% said that mobile working
poses serious security issues, and more than 75% agreed that their
mobile workers had a poor attitude about security in general.
http://www.didata.com/
(Hook, England) Mobile video game publisher Superscape Group
announced this week that it has signed a two-year, £750,000 contract
with San Diego-based Global Wireless Entertainment (GWE). Under
the terms of the agreement, U.K.-based Superscape will develop and
publish new mobile sports game titles, from which Superscape and
GWE will share global royalty revenues.
http://www.superscape.com
http://www.gwe-usa.com
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
> Reach Beyond Your Local Metro Area for Event Attendees
Hosting a webinar or seminar with a broad geographic appeal? Post
your event announcement on all of the Tech Wire publications for one
price. Reach 80,000 subscribers from technology and emerging growth
companies, many of whom attend seminars and networking events on a
regular basis. A 5-day ad across all 7 Tech Wires is $750. For more
info, go to http://www.potomactechwire.com/Event_Form.html
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
===================================================
To subscribe, go to:
http://www.europeantechwire.com
Questions, comments, news tips, press releases. Send email to:
jim@europeantechwire.com
Copyright: CapWire Inc. 2004
--
To unsubscribe/change profile:
http://www.mailermailer.com/x?u=00000f-e6d0b9bf
To subscribe:
http://www.mailermailer.com/x?oid=08429o
