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TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2004 Europe Approves Oracle Takeover of PeopleSoft FCC Approves Cingular Merger with AT&T Wireless Virginia Tech Modifies Supercomputer, Boosts Speed More Support for Adding Games to Curriculum EUROPE APPROVES ORACLE TAKEOVER OF PEOPLESOFT In a move many observers expected, the European Commission (EC) this week gave its approval to Oracle's proposed takeover of PeopleSoft, saying that no evidence was presented that the merger would result in substantial anticompetitive pressure in the enterprise software applications market. European Commissioners were reportedly swayed in part by a U.S. court's decision not to block the deal and by evidence presented in that case. Although the EC acknowledged that, along with SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft are currently the leaders in the market, the regulators identified a number of smaller companies that had successfully bid against some of the big three for past contracts. The EC's decision overcomes the final regulatory obstacle to the deal, but Oracle still faces PeopleSoft's so-called poison pill, which automatically issues more shares in the event of a takeover, making the deal prohibitively expensive. That matter is currently before a Delaware court. CNET, 26 October 2004 http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-5422771.html FCC APPROVES CINGULAR MERGER WITH AT&T WIRELESS The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given final approval to the merger between Cingular and AT&T Wireless, creating the nation's largest cellular phone company with more than 47 million customers in 49 states. Cingular must now begin the long process of merging the two organizations as smoothly as possible to minimize problems that could drive customers to other carriers, including Verizon, which is now the second-largest in the market. Cingular also must divest itself from service in certain markets and make other concessions as conditions of the merger. As required by the FCC, Cingular will sell stores and customer contracts in 13 markets around the country. In addition, the company must sell airwaves in markets where it controls more than 80 megahertz of the 189 megahertz of available spectrum. Cingular expects to begin offering high-speed wireless Internet access across the country by the end of next year. Consumer groups opposed the merger, saying it would stifle competition and lead to higher costs for consumers. Washington Post, 26 October 2004 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A606-2004Oct26.html VIRGINIA TECH MODIFIES SUPERCOMPUTER, BOOSTS SPEED Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has upgraded its System X supercomputer to increase its processing speed, making it the fastest computer at an academic institution. The System X was originally built with 1,100 Apple Power Mac G5 processors for a cost of $5.2 million, significantly less than the tens of millions of dollars usually spent on supercomputing projects, such as those of the Energy Department and weather researchers. Virginia Tech spent about $600,000 adding 50 more nodes to the system and bumping its processing speed from 10.28 teraflops to 12.25 teraflops. The computer is in service at Virginia Tech's Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science. Federal Computer Week, 26 October 2004 http://www.fcw.com/geb/articles/2004/1025/web-super-10-26-04.asp MORE SUPPORT FOR ADDING GAMES TO CURRICULUM Researchers at the Institute of Education at London University contend that the study of computer and video games has a place in the academic curriculum just as do studies of film, television, and literature. The findings are based on a three-year study in the United Kingdom of games and their influence on education. According to Caroline Pelletier, manager of the project, "Games literacy is a way of investigating how games are means of expression and representation, just like writing or drawing." Andrew Burn, associate director of the Institute of Education's Centre for the Study of Children, Youth, and Media, called games "a legitimate cultural form that deserve critical analysis." Burn noted that, according to the study, a key element of the value of games is allowing students to create their own games. Researchers did acknowledge, however, that in the often male-dominated world of gaming, many of the girls in the study felt left out. Research fellow Diane Carr said that girls "have little motivation to play and remain disengaged." Representatives of the gaming industry praised the researchers for "intelligently" addressing the "cultural, social, and educational value of computer and video games." BBC, 26 October 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3956241.stm ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EQ" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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