Johnson receives patent

Johnson Controls has been awarded a patent on wireless connectivity technology for use in vehicles, says CNNMoney.com.

Using Bluetooth technology, the innovation allows the wireless connection of a cellular phone to an in-vehicle audio system, enabling drivers to place and receive calls 'hands-free'.

Johnson has commercialised the technology in the US and foreign markets under the BlueConnect trademark.

The Information Technology Authority (ITA) of Oman entered into a pact with Cisco to facilitate the draft of a high-level technical architecture for eOman, says Times of Oman.

As part of this agreement, select schools in the Sultanate will be empowered with the latest in wireless technology as well as ICT training programmes to further promote connected education.

Cisco will share its connected government expertise in citizen centricity, standard common infrastructure, back-office reorganisation governance, new organisation models and social inclusion to develop a technical blueprint for eOman.

In the traditional software sector, Ireland is happy to play host to multinationals. But when it comes to the mobile it is shooting for home-grown world leaders, says SiliconRepublic.com.

With EUR180 million in turnover in 2007 and 70 indigenous companies, the mobile telecoms sector in Ireland is healthy. More than that, a certain few are beginning to emerge as global leaders in the area.

This change, according to David Moran, CEO of University College Dublin spin-out company ChangingWorlds, is due to scale being judged as a measure of success, with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland creating programmes that will nurture the global aspirations of these companies.