Takeover would bolster competition: Oracle

Oracle says its $7.7 billion bid for rival software maker PeopleSoft would boost competition and motivate other major players to pounce on new market opportunities.

According to USA Today, the US government is arguing that the two companies, and German-based SAP, have already cornered the market on the sophisticated software that the largest US companies rely on to run their accounting and personnel departments.

It also says the takeover would drive up prices in a small segment of a market that is too complicated for new rivals to enter.

Sun Microsystems has announced the Sun Infrastructure Solution for N1 Grid for SAP Solutions.

According to Sun ERP solutions architect Alan Smit, the N1 Grid for SAP is a mix of products, technologies and services expertise designed to help enterprises using SAP increase savings by optimising the infrastructure supporting SAP applications.

The move indicates the strengthening relationship between the two companies.

A new WiFi wireless networking device from Apple allows wireless-enabled computers to share a broadband Internet connection.

The Airport Express can also connect to a stereo system, letting users play digital music files without a wired connection to a computer, reports 10tv. The device, which is about the size of a deck of cards, will work on both Windows and Mac systems.

Apple says it will be available next month and sell for $129 (R830).

Argogroup, a UK-headquartered provider of management solutions for mobile data services, has been presented with the European Excellence in Technology award by Frost & Sullivan for its Monitor Master (MM).

The device enables operators to monitor networks and simulates various user scenarios. Argogroup has also made MM compatible with several applications including wireless application protocol, iMode, interactive voice response and wireless fidelity.

Because it is fully automated, it is 300 times faster than independent modules used for manual testing, says Argogroup.