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O2 decides to cut off Apple retail link
Sunday, October 05, 2008 By Adrian Weckler
Apple has been dealt a retail blow in Ireland with the decision of O2 to stop selling Apple computer and music equipment in its nationwide O2 Experience stores.

The operator has decided to limit its retail offering to mobile phone-related products and services only.

‘‘O2 has decided just to go after customers that it can retain relationships with,” said a source close to the company.

‘‘The problem with iPods and computers is that there isn’t an ongoing revenue stream in the same way as there is with a mobile phone customer.”

The move leaves 3G Stores as the only nationwide chain of shops to sell Apple computers offline.

O2’s action is the latest attempt by the company to cut costs and concentrate on its higher-margin activities. Last month, the operator altered its upgrade system for customers, cutting off thousands of O2 subscribers from handset upgrades they thought they were entitled to.

O2 has been selling Apple equipment in its flagship O2 Experience Stores since 2004.

Top 10 viruses
IT Force, an Irish security company, has released a list of the top 10 computer viruses experienced by Irish e-mail users in September.

The list is based on the firm’s analysis of 1.1 million emails tracked across its clients’ systems. The most common viruses were:

1. Trojan.Fakealert-532
2. Trojan.Delf-5385
3. Trojan.Zbot-2114
4. Worm.SomeFool.D
5. Trojan.Agent-49372
6. Worm.Zafi.B
7. Trojan.Agent-52097
8. Worm.SomeFool.N
9. Worm.Mydoom.M
10. Trojan.Downloader-53027

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