A round-up of today's business news in brief

Dell signs deal to sell Google appliances

Dell, the world's second- largest personal-computer maker, has agreed to sell Google computers for searching companies' files.

Dell will sell the Google Search Appliance and a cheaper device called the Google Mini to business and government customers, the companies said.

The deal strengthens a partnership that Google struck with Dell last year to offer machines that search corporate networks and databases. - (Bloomberg)

US consumer confidence falls

US consumer confidence fell more than forecast in November as Americans struggled with surging fuel costs and falling home prices. The Conference Board's confidence index decreased to 87.3, the lowest level since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the group said yesterday.

House values dropped 4.5 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier, the most since records began in 1988. - (Bloomberg)

Tobin to hire 50 staff over two years

Tobin Consulting Engineers is to hire 50 new staff over the next two years, bringing its staff to 250 and making it the largest independent Irish-owned consulting engineering practice.

The company, which has offices in Galway, Cork, Limerick, Castlebar and Dundalk, made the announcement yesterday as Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan opened the group's expanded Blanchardstown office. Thirty of the new positions will be at that site.

Fincad to create 30 jobs in Dublin

Financial software firm Fincad yesterday revealed a €500,000 investment package and the creation of 30 jobs as it opened its new sales and customer service centre in Dublin. The team, based at Fincad's Blackrock office, will be responsible for managing relationships with clients across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

18% of EU homes rely on mobiles

Almost one in five Irish homes have a mobile phone but no landline, according to new research from Eurostat, the EU statistical office.

This is in line with EU average, where 18 per cent of homes rely on a mobile phone. The research also showed that in 2006 the average Irish mobile call was 3.4 minutes long.

Transformation in marketing

Online social media will have as big an impact on marketing as the printing press had on communications, an Ibec conference on marketing for technology companies heard yesterday.

Tony White, chair of ICT Ireland's management development programme, Accel, said: "The best example of this is probably TripAdvisor, where the rating of hotel guests' experience are having major sales implications for the hotels reviewed."

NIB, NB abolish cross-Border fees

National Irish Bank and Northern Bank have abolished fees for electronic cross-Border transfers between customers in the Republic and Northern Ireland. Until now, the banks charged customers €10 to transfer money from the Republic to the North and £12 in the other direction.

Ormonde share sale raises £1.6m

Ormonde Mining has raised £1.6 million (€2.2 million) in a share sale to fund further development of the company's prospects.

Ormonde said it placed 16 million new shares with investors at a price of 10p.