A roundup of today's other technology news in brief

New app bids to tackle sites for sore eyes

A new iPhone application aimed at the construction industry is helping builders to clean up their act.

The app, Site Clean Up, was developed by Irish start-up SmartBuilder Software to help contractors clean up their construction sites more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Builders can use it to document infringements by sub-contractors that can then be sent to those responsible for cleaning up. The warning notice can include a penalty if the task is not completed by a set date.

An Android version of the software will be released later this year.

Google maps out response to Street View criticisms

Google said it is increasing data protection measures in Germany for its Street View mapping service.

The company will double to eight weeks the amount of time residents of 20 major German cities will have to apply to have photographs of their homes blurred on the service, the company said.

Google’s Street View plans have triggered probes from data-protection regulators in Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the Czech Republic.

South Korean police last week raided Google’s Seoul office as part of an investigation into the service. – (Bloomberg)

Tech firms invited to enter rankings race

Indigenous companies are being invited to apply for a place on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 ranking.

The awards rank Irish technology firms that have achieved exceptional growth in turnover in the past five years. The rankings are based on the percentage growth in revenue in the five-year period. Companies from all areas of technology are eligible to apply, including those involved in life sciences, computers, semiconductors, software and telecommunications.

Previous winners include Daft Media and PulseLearning.

The closing date for entries is Friday, September 3rd.

Further information is available from fast50.ie