ICT
IBM to announce $120m healthcare IT deal in Norway
Contract will see IT firm replace existing ERP systems with SAP software.
International Business Machine Corp. plans to announce Thursday a four-year deal worth about $120 million to provide information technology and services to Norway's hospitals.
Under the contract, IBM will deliver enterprise resource-planning, or ERP, software from Germany's SAP AG to run the hospitals' finance and logistics systems. The software will replace a hodgepodge of ERP systems among the hospitals, according to IBM, and is expected to give the hospitals more efficient ways to exchange health data while better coordinating financial and administration functions.
The news comes as nations around the world struggle to contain soaring health-care costs.
The new ERP system will make it easier for Norway to create and deploy a national electronic medical-record, or EMR, system, IBM said. The tech giant hopes to bid on that project sometime next year, once Norway puts the EMR system out to bid.
The Central Norway Regional Health Authority will be the first of four regions to implement the new software. But over the coming four years, IBM said, health authorities throughout the country will migrate to its SAP package for finance and logistics.
Norway's Software Development Outsourcing Trends
IT Sourcing Europe, a UK-based nearshore IT Outsourcing (ITO) research and advisory company, announced today the completion of its Norwegian ITO survey, conducted in the frames of the ongoing All-European IT Sourcing and In-House Software Development Research 2010. The survey aimed to explore the key trends and hallmarks of the Norwegian software development outsourcing market in 2010. To conduct the survey, IT Sourcing Europe reached its vast network of Norwegian business contacts from all of the major verticals (from IT, telecom, web and mobile development to hospitality to finance and banking etc) and invited corporate IT decision makers to share their outsourced software/web development experiences with a broader business community both within and outside of Norway. As a result, 134 companies provided an input to the survey.
According to the survey findings, in 2010 the number of companies outsourcing their software development (SD) nearshore (i.e. maximum 2 time zones away from Norway) exceeds the number of those who outsource offshore (i.e. more than 2 time zones away) with a ratio of 32% vs. 27%. The top three drivers of decisions to outsource a corporate SD function are: difficulty finding appropriate IT resources and specific skills within Norway (31% of respondents), pressure to reduce operating costs (23%) and necessity to improve business development strategy (15%).
Overall, the majority of Norwegian companies - 30% - admit that outsourcing their software development to a 3d party has been the right decision versus only 1% of companies who are very dissatisfied with the decision to outsource.
In the future, 42% of current outsourcers plan to locate their SD function nearshore versus 12% who plan to go offshore.
Telenor and Opera to co-operate on mobile Internet
The Telenor Group and Opera Software have announced a non–exclusive Global Framework Agreement aiming to stimulate rapid growth of mobile Internet services across Telenor's business units.
Telenor's business units can co-brand, distribute and run the Opera Mini mobile browser across its mobile handset and subscriber portfolios. Opera Mini is the world's most popular mobile phone browser with 60 million monthly users.
As part of the Global Frame Agreement, Opera and Telenor will also work to further innovate and expand the scope of the mobile web.
Source: NorwayPost
Google buys Norwegian audio-video tech provider
Google is buying Oslo-listed Global IP Solutions for $68 million to build its real-time audio and video Internet capabilities.
The friendly all-cash transaction values GIPS shares at 13 Norwegian crowns each, up 27.5 percent from Friday's closing price of 10.20 crowns. Norwegian markets were closed on Monday.
"The Web is evolving quickly as a development platform, and real-time video and audio communication over the Internet are becoming important new tools for users," Rian Liebenberg, Google's Engineering Director, said in a statement.
The GIPS board recommended shareholders accept the offer and shareholders representing about half of the outstanding shares and votes in GIPS, including Kistefos Venture Capital AS and Kistefos Venture Capital II DA, have "irrevocably committed to accept the offer," Google said.
Oslo-listed, Global IP Solutions says it is a leader in voice and video processing technology for IP networks, with software in "over 800 million end-points".
GIPS enables service providers, developers and hardware manufacturers to reduce network impairments such as delay, jitter and echo in real-time audio and video applications.
Source: Reuters
Mobility for a better life
Freedom encourages creativity and responsibility. Few people in the world spend less time in the actual office than Norwegians, without them being less efficient. The desire for more efficient, entertaining and mobile ways of communication has placed Norwegians at the forefront of adapting and developing new technology, products and services.
The Oslo region is an excellent test market for new and innovative products. One major development scheme is transferring mobile technology to other, related business areas. The aim of the Oslo ICT Network is to promote and further develop the already strong ICT knowledge environment in the region through partnerships within the sector. The Oslo ICT Network will act as a facilitator, set up to promote and materialize a mobile way of life and work. Together with some of the most advanced IT companies in the region, it will encourage new ways of collaboration and use. Norway is among the world's leading information societies and widely regarded as having a highly developed mobile market. The mobile adventure is partly due to the spirit of creativity and innovation in the new generation of content in mobile applications.
The health sector is facing big changes and challenges connected to new technology. Norwegian Health IT and Innovation Network (NHIIN) was formally established in February 2009, and is working for better partnerships within the industry. NHIIN is currently involved in the process of creating an eHealth network covering the whole of Norway. The Oslo ICT Network is working with NAF Data on a scheme in which clients can get information about medicine on their mobile phones, including prescriptions and dosage.
Many companies are contributing to the growing mobile and wireless cluster in Oslo. Wireless Future is established as a cluster building initiative, involving most of the key players from business and R&D in Norway. The aim is to create new technology, new businesses and export opportunities.
Source: Nortrade
Opera Mini approved by Apple
The Norwegian software company Opera has announced that its popular mobile browser, Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the Apple App Store.
It says Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.
Opera Mini, with more than 50 million users worldwide, enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. Users of the app will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks such as the 2G Edge network. Surfing the Web with the Opera Mini App on iPhone and iPod touch will also help users save money because of its data compression capabilities. This will hold especially true while the user is incurring roaming charges.
"We are delighted to offer iPhone and iPod touch users a great browsing experience with the Opera Mini App," said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “This app is another step toward Opera's goal of bringing the Web to more people in more places."
Source: Norway Post
Thinking Digital gets bigger
The overwhelming clamour for tickets to one of the biggest events on the region's technology calendar will see a simultaneous broadcast set up to accommodate 75 extra delegates.
Annual technology conference Thinking Digital has proved so popular so far that all 385 tickets for the three-day event had been snapped up by the end of January.
Source: bdaily
Microsoft's Bing search engine is Norwegian at heart
Based in Oslo, Norway, FAST was acquired by Microsoft and integrated as the main system behind it's Bing search engine. FAST, which was founded in 1997, creates the real-time search and business intelligence solutions that are behind the scenes at the world's best-known companies with the most demanding information challenges. "This acquisition gives FAST an exciting way to spread our cutting-edge search technologies and innovations to more and more organizations across the world".
"Enterprise search is becoming an indispensable tool to businesses of all sizes, helping people find, use and share critical business information quickly,” said Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division. “Until now organizations have been forced to choose between powerful, high-end search technologies or more mainstream, infrastructure solutions. The combination of Microsoft and FAST gives customers a new choice: a single vendor with solutions that span the full range of customer needs."
"This acquisition gives FAST an exciting way to spread our cutting-edge search technologies and innovations to more and more organizations across the world,” said John Lervik, CEO of FAST. “By joining Microsoft, we can benefit from the momentum behind the SharePoint business productivity platform to really empower a broader set of users through Microsoft's strong sales and marketing network. It validates FAST's momentum and leadership in enterprise search."
Source: Microsoft
Opera Software announced a threefold increase
The Norwegian company Opera Software announced a threefold increase in the popularity of Opera in several European countries after the launch of Microsoft, selection screen browsers.
After entering the selection screen web browser in Europe, the number of daily downloads Opera in European countries such as Belgium, France, Spain, Poland and the UK rose by more than 3 times, said Rolf Assev, Opera Director for Strategic Planning. Specific figures he did not say. "We reaffirm the three-fold increase in downloads after the announcement of" selection screen, browser, - have representation in Opera Software. - And in some countries (eg Norway), the increase was 400%. - However, we do not see the full picture - too early. We hope to announce more relevant indicators of a little later.
March 1 in response to claims by the European Commission and a number of companies, including Opera Software, Microsoft launched in Europe selection screen web browser. He began to appear on older computers with Windows, which as the default browser is Internet Explorer, as well as on new PCs during the first access to the Internet.
This innovation opens 12 browsers (and that is how much programming is displayed on the screen) an equal chance at winning market share, while for many years before such a choice does not exist, and most PC owners to use what comes with Windows, namely Internet Explorer.
Source: it-chuiko
4 Scandinavian countries finish in top 6 for ICT
U.N. reports also ranked countries based on their information and communication technology (ICT) developments, that most advance countries are mostly from Northern Europe, with Sweden tops the new ITU(International Telecommunication Union) ICT development index, followed by the Republic of Korea, Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Norway.
Despites some countries are known for their ICT advancements like U.S.(which ranked 17th place), Hong Kong at 11th, China at 73rd and India at 118th place, these following countries ranks is affected by their large populations and poor rural areas.
'Console killer' OnLive to launch
A gaming service that aims to kill off the traditional gaming console will begin streaming popular games over the internet in June this year.
Instead of games taking hours to download or buying them off the shelf, OnLive promises games on-demand. More...
Great result for the IT-research department at University of Oslo
Top among the Nordic countries and number six in Europe. That is the score for the IT-research department at the University of Oslo in the new ranking done by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. UiO is listed as number 49 in the world.
At the top of the list is Stanford University in California, followed by MIT and Berkeley. In Europe, the University of Oslo is only beat by Oxford, Cambridge, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology's two departments in Zurich and Lausanne, and University of Manchester.
Source: Oslo Teknopol
MP3 pioneers launch 'deluxe' file
A new music file format has been unveiled by some of the key figures behind the development of the MP3.
The new file, MusicDNA, can include things like lyrics, videos, artwork and blog posts, which will continually be updated, as well as the music.
It has been created by Norwegian developer Dagfinn Bach, who worked on the first MP3 player in 1993.
And its investors include German researcher Karlheinz Brandenburg, who is credited with inventing the MP3.
Source: BBC
NetCom opens 4G mobile network in Oslo
Mobile communications company NetCom has opened the world's first 4G-net for its customers. This makes Oslo the first city in the world to be covered by next generation's new, fast mobile network.
- 4G provides a speed for mobile broadband which is comparable to the best solutions currently available in our homes, says NetCom CEO August Bauman.
NetCom will continue to further develop the 4G network in the Norwegian capital as well as provide it in other cities across the nation.
Source: Norway Post
New catalyst for software business growth
A new software prototyping service for North East England's digital sector is to benefit from a £1.9m investment to accelerate the creation of high growth software companies in the region.
The region's centre for digital innovation, Codeworks, is to launch the Digital Evaluation Vehicle (DEV), a new cost-effective service to open up commercial opportunities and product development in digital innovation, increase economic growth and create new businesses and jobs.
The initiative will focus on technical analysis and development requirements for software enterprises. It aims to lower a significant barrier to innovation by adding a low risk, tangible demonstration facility for initial ideas, essential in attracting and securing finance for software product development.
The project is being part financed by the European Union's ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-13, securing £805,000 ERDF investment through regional development agency One North East. The agency is contributing a further £915,000 from its Single Programme.
"The key driver to the success of the Codeworks DEV programme will lie in combining our technical expertise with our strong relationships with regional agencies, industry and universities to get fast, affordable early stage customer product feedback," explained DEV Programme Leader Fred Pernet.
“Our target is to assist over 80 companies with technical and market research and take 20 to the software prototypes stage."
“We will identify entrepreneurs or companies with a new software concept for development and prototyping. Codeworks DEV will then work with them on these early stage ideas to analyse their market potential, technical requirements and provide a development roadmap for design and testing.
“Those who go through the process will walk away with a prototype or demonstrator to help them raise further investment or take their concept to market.
"It's an excellent method of bridging the innovation barrier between early stage ideas and capital investment, and the project will also benefit regional software developers procured and paid to work with Codeworks DEV clients developing their concepts."
Working with Business & Enterprise North East and the North East Investment centre (NEEIC), Codeworks DEV will also provide streamlined access to sources of funding for digital innovation. Key partners including Sunderland Software City and Digital City will assist in selecting a high quality supplier panel of regional software development companies and academics to develop ideas.
The ERDF 2007-13 programme is bringing over £300m into North East England to support innovation, enterprise and business support. It will help create and safeguard 28,000 new jobs, start 3,000 new businesses and increase the region's productivity by £1.1bn per annum.
The Codeworks DEV programme delivers the Innovation, Advice and Guidance product and is funded as part of Solutions for Business, the Government's package of publicly funded business support designed to help companies start and grow.
Codeworks is a centre for digital innovation based in North East England. It runs a number of projects to support and grow the region's digital industries, of which Codeworks DEV will be one.
Fast track to business
INTERNET firm Nomad Digital has won the latest in a string of deals with international train operators and says it expects more overseas trade further down the track.
The Newcastle company has landed a contract with Norway's national rail operator to install and run a high- speed broadband system on its trains.
The deal will see Nomad's technology used by the government-owned operator Norges Statsbaner (NSB) on 280 of its trains, with a further 50 to follow.
The company will supply passengers with internet access, onboard entertainment including movies and will also allow future operational applications, such as the retrieval of CCTV footage and data on passenger numbers.
As well as major UK operations, such as Virgin West Coast Mainline and Heathrow Express, Nomad has built up an impressive list of overseas clients in recent years.
The company's technology is in use on the US railroad, on the Dubai Metro project in the United Arab Emirates, in India and has conducted trials across Asia.
Source: www.nebusiness.co.uk
Norway to spend NOK 1.2 billion on new satellite
The Norwegian Defence plans to buy a share of a new satellite, with the aim to improve communications with Norwegian forces deployed in countries like Afghanistan and Chad, and with naval units on international missions. Norway has entered into cooperation with Spain to acquire such a satellite, and the Government will put a proposal before the Parliament (Storting) sometime this fall. The share in the Spanish satellite is estimated to cost NOK 1.2 billion, plus operating costs, according to Aftenposten.- In order to achieve a stabile and effective monitoring of Norwegian interests, and be able to handle incidents quickly and in a credible way, good communications are a must, the Defence Department states in a press release.
- The joint project will ensure secure and robust broadband communications via satellite until 2027, the statement says.
At present the Norwegian Defence is leasing satellite capacity.
Source: www.norwaynews.com