Short takes on this week's news
UK faces IT skills crisis, warns BCS
president
The UK faces a new IT skills crisis following a sharp decline in
the number of graduates taking computer science, the president of
the British Computer Society warned last week. Nigel Shadbolt, who
took up the post this month, said that employers faced a crisis and
would have no choice but to outsource work overseas if the trend
was not reversed.
Birmingham joins with BT to offer wireless
access
Birmingham City Council is to offer wireless access across the
city through a joint initiative with BT. The Wireless Birmingham
Wi-Fi network will cover a square mile of the city centre. BT will
fund the network, with the council providing access to its
lampposts, which will house the transmitters for the wireless
infrastructure.
www.digitalbirmingham.co.uk
EC deadline looms for Microsoft to release
code
Microsoft has until 23 November to deliver satisfactory code for
its workgroup server protocols to rivals, or face a daily fine of
up to £2m from the European Commission. The requirement to deliver
the protocols is part of the EC's 2004 antitrust judgement against
the company, which included a £331m fine.
Sales of handhelds soar as phones get
smarter
Businesses are buying more handheld computer devices than ever
before, with shipments increasing by 31.9% in the third quarter,
according to Gartner. The growth has been fueled by the widespread
availability of mobile phones with built-in personal digital
assistant functionality, said the analyst firm.
Europe to ease restriction on IT services
companies
The European parliament has approved a directive designed to
allow IT outsourcing suppliers and other services companies to
operate more freely across Europe. The Services Directive seeks to
reduce red tape and create legal certainties for services firms
operating across borders. Ministers are expected to rubber stamp
the directive next month. It will then come into force by 2010.
www.dti.gov.uk/europeandtrade/europe/services-directive/page9583.html
Black & Decker drills sales data to cut
inventory
Black & Decker aims to cut its inventory levels by up to 16%
following the implementation of a promotion planning application
from JDA Software. The power tool manufacturer will use the Market
Manager tool to share sales data and forecasts with retailers
across Europe.
Financial services IT spend grows by 8%
IT spending by financial services companies increased by 8% this
year, but spending growth is set to be curtailed over the next two
years. Analyst firm Celent said global IT spending by financial
services companies increased to £169bn during 2006 - an 8% jump
from 2005 - but growth in IT spending was expected to slow from
2007.
Compliance drives data protection
investment
Businesses are only just waking up to the need to invest in data
protection and privacy, according to a survey by Ernst & Young
of 1,200 organisations worldwide. The research shows that
organisations are identifying privacy and data protection as
significant issues for the first time in the survey's nine-year
history. The survey found that compliance is the main driving force
for companies implementing information security.
West Yorks Police saves £8.8m with mobile
e-mail
West Yorkshire Police has saved an estimated £8.8m by using O2's
Blackberry mobile e-mail service to help officers to access data
while on the beat. Following a trial in 2004, 2,300 officers are
using the Blackberry device for remote access to the Police
National Computer and the force's main computerised intelligence
system.
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