Today's other technology stories in brief

Unicare buys dispensing and stock system

Ireland's largest chain of pharmacies, Unicare, has purchased a new system to manage stock and dispensing of prescription drugs from Helix Health.

The contract is worth more than €400,000 to the healthcare tech specialists.

The QicScript.net will be installed in 72 pharmacies and will enable Unicare to better manage stock and streamline payments according to Helix Health chief executive Howard Beggs Beggs.

New Microsoft security software

Microsoft's upcoming security software is not designed to take sales from Symantec and McAfee as it is a stripped-down, free product that focuses on anti-virus protection, a Microsoft executive said.

Microsoft said this week it planned to introduce the software after discontinuing a paid-for security suite that competes with products from Symantec and McAfee, the world's two biggest makers of security software.

"This is really focused on the 50 to 60 per cent [of PC users] who don't have, or won't pay for, anti-virus protection, anti-malware protection, said Amy Barzdukas, senior director of Microsoft's Online Services and Windows Division. - (Reuters)

Enterprise Ireland launches green fund

Enterprise Ireland launched a support fund for green technology this week with the start of what is claimed to be the world's fist biodegradable PC by a client company.

The Iameco PC is built from biodegradable wood panels manufactured from waste products from the lumber and pulp industry.

Details of the Enterprise Ireland fund can be found at www.envirocentre.ie