29th August 2011

Beta Testing Opens For The Secret World

funcomFuncom has opened the official beta registration for ‘The Secret World’, the highly anticipated upcoming massively multiplayer online game set in our own, modern-day world, and currently in development at Funcom Montreal. Gamers can now register to be evaluated for participation in the upcoming phases of beta that will be running up to the launch of the game in April 2012. During the The Secret Worldnext months Funcom will be increasing the number of beta participants gradually.

The launch of the beta registration also signals the start of the first phase ‘The Secret War’, an interactive online experience that engages community members in the conflict between the Templars, the Illuminati, and the Dragon – the three factions in ‘The Secret World’ – even before the game is released.

“One of the most interesting features of ‘The Secret World’ is the three profoundly different secret societies that players can join,” says Funcom SVP of Sales & Marketing, Morten Larssen. “Since we first announced the game we have gradually revealed more details about them, and what we have seen is that thousands of gamers in our community have come to identify with them and form a loyal bond to other community members belonging to the same society. With ‘The Secret War’ experience we are excited about the prospect of allowing for even more community interaction and engagement.”

The first phase of the experience allows users to take a unique personality test to determine which secret society The Secret Worldthey belong to and then choose which society to join. After making the ultimate choice the user is automatically registered as a beta candidate for ‘The Secret World’ and will also be eligible to take part in the upcoming second phase of ‘The Secret War’ interactive online experience.

The second phase of the experience will allow users to expand the influence of their secret society through a social media connected, web-based game. Here users can recruit friends and deploy them as agents for their cause, scoring points for themselves and their secret society. Users can also share assets from and information about ‘The Secret World’ to score more points, allowing them to climb through the ranks of their secret society and unlock achievements, exclusive in-game equipment and weaponry, in-game titles, and even the coveted guaranteed beta access reward.

Through ‘The Secret War’ interactive online experience users will also take part in weekly sweepstakes where they can win a trip to the Funcom Montreal studio, signed collector’s editions of the game, and even the opportunity to have their name integrated into ‘The Secret World´ game.

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29th August 2011

BCIC New Ventures Announce Finalists

BCIC New VenturesThe BCIC-New Ventures judges have made it official and today announced the 10 Finalists for the the 2011 competition as well as the Top 5 for the Agritech competition. The BCIC-New Ventures Competition is open to any B.C. resident, team or business with an innovative technology product or service that has not yet secured significant financing from external investors.

Each of the competitors have paid $200.00 entry fees and participated in business-related seminars and events which began in April, along with 4 stringent elimination rounds began with pitching their idea, and then moved on to passing a feasibility test and developing a condensed business plan. The final round will take place on September 8th and 9th, when the award finalists will pitch to a live jury. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on September 22nd.

In alphabetical order by company name the Top 10 BCIC-New Ventures companies are:

Competitors entered in the Agritech stream will be evaluated by a separate panel of jury members and the Top 5 finalists of the stream will vie for 2 prizes: the $30,000 Shildroth First Prize for Innovation in Agritech Prize and the $20,000 Shildroth Second Prize for Innovation in Agritech .

In alphabetical order by company name the Top 5 Agritech companies for 2011 are:

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29th August 2011

2011 Canadians And Privacy Survey Results Published

Government of CanadaCanadians are heavy users of social networks and other communications technologies, but many are not taking basic steps to protect their personal information, a comprehensive survey of 2,000 randomly selected adults has determined. Commissioned by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) and published late last week, the survey found that three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents own at least one mobile communications device, such as a cell phone, smart phone or tablet – yet only four in ten use password locks for the devices, or adjust their settings to limit the sharing of personal information that may be stored on the devices.

The 2011 Canadians and Privacy Survey also found that one-third of Canadians use public Wi-Fi sites, such as those located at coffee shops and airports, where online communication may not always be protected by encryption. Of those, fully 85 percent admitted to some concern about possible risks to the security of their personal information.

The poll, conducted in late February and early March by Harris/Decima, also found that just over half (51 percent) of respondents use social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn. Fortunately, four in five said they take advantage of privacy settings that allow them to control access to their online content. Even so, 45 percent of all respondents who use social networking sites acknowledged that they are concerned about the associated risks to their privacy.

“Canadians are recognizing that their personal information is not safe in this new digital environment, unless they take concrete measures to protect it,” Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart observed. “Unfortunately, however, too few are taking even the most basic precautions, such as setting passwords on their mobile devices.”

“We encourage people to use passwords, encryption, privacy settings and every other available measure to safeguard their personal information, because the meaningful protection of privacy has to start with the individual.”

Indeed, the survey detected widespread concern about the impact of technology on people’s privacy. Four in 10 respondents felt that computers and the Internet pose a risk to their privacy, up from one-quarter (26 percent) in a similar survey just two years ago. Levels of concern about a range of technologies and applications, including cellphones, online banking, and credit and debit card transactions, all rose since 2009.

While younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 are the most enthusiastic users of technology, they are also the most likely to use available mechanisms to protect their privacy.

“This was a gratifying finding,” Commissioner Stoddart said. “Young people are sometimes stereotyped as digital exhibitionists who are quite uninhibited in posting comments and personal images. And yet, this new data shows that they not only care about privacy, they are actually leaders in protecting it.”

Other highlights of the poll include:

  • Six in 10 respondents felt that their personal information enjoys weaker protection than it did 10 years ago. Indeed 65 percent said the protection of personal information will be among the most pressing issues confronting Canadians in the decade ahead.
  • Canadians are deeply suspicious about the collection and use of personal information by public- and private-sector organizations. Only 22 percent of respondents said governments are taking their obligations to protect privacy seriously, and 14 percent said businesses take their responsibilities seriously.
  • An overwhelming majority want tough sanctions against organizations that fail to properly protect the privacy of individuals. More than eight in 10 respondents wanted to see measures such as publicly naming offending organizations, fining them, or taking legal action against them.
  • There was widespread concern about businesses that request too much personal information, don’t keep it secure, sell it to other organizations, or use it to send spam or make other unsolicited marketing contact. About nine in 10 respondents found such practices disturbing.
  • More than eight in 10 respondents (83 percent) said Internet companies should ask their customers for permission to track their online behaviour and Internet usage.
  • With respect to the personal information that Canadians provide at airports and border crossings, a substantial majority (85 percent) said they are somewhat or very concerned when it is shared with foreign authorities.
  • More than eight in 10 respondents (82 percent) opposed giving police and intelligence agencies the power to access e-mail records and other Internet usage data without a warrant from the courts.
  • There was little appetite for genetic testing to find out whether people have a heightened risk of developing certain diseases. Only one-quarter (26 percent) of respondents said they are somewhat or very interested in such services.
  • Only 30 percent of respondents felt they had a good or very good grasp of their privacy rights under the law. Still, three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents felt they are doing a good or very good job of protecting their own privacy. Younger respondents were the least likely to rate their knowledge of privacy rights as very good, or to have confidence in their ability to protect it.

The OPC commissioned the poll in order to gauge public understanding and awareness of privacy, particularly as it is affected by the Office’s four priority issues: information technology, public safety, identity integrity and protection, and genetic technology. Similar surveys were conducted in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009.

A PDF version of the  complete survey, which has a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percent, 19 times out of 20, is available for download from the Privacy Commissioner’s web site.

 

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29th August 2011

iLookAbout To Provide Louisville Image Capture

ilookaboutLondon Ontario’s iLookAbout Corp. has confirmed that through an agreement with Pictometry International, the corporation has been contracted to provide StreetScape imagery to Jefferson County, Kentucky which includes the City of Louisville. The contract calls for delivery of static imagery for the County’s CAMA application as well as integration of StreetScape imagery into Pictometry EFS, POL and ESRi for Assessment and other County departments. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

“We are very proud to have been chosen to image Jefferson County. The decision of Mr. Tony Lindauer of the Jefferson County, Property Value Administrator’s Office, to move forward with StreetScape and GeoViewPort™ is affirmation that our work in the area of Desktop Review is taking root,” commented Jeff Young, President and CEO of iLookAbout. “Mr. Lindauer’s decision will allow the PVA to work better, faster and more cost effectively through the use of technology. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the PVA.”

“iLookAbout StreetScape™ and GeoViewPort™ are examples of how the PVA can improve service and productivity to the constituents of Jefferson County, KY. These leading technologies, when coupled with existing tools such as Pictometry On Line, allow our staff to make better informed decisions on a more timely basis,” said Tony Lindauer, Jefferson County PVA. “We have followed the success of iLookAbout over many years and are thrilled to finally have their products in house.”

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29th August 2011

War of The Worlds Official Game Site Goes Live

Other Ocean InteractiveOther Ocean Interactive’s love letter to both the bygone era of cinematic platformers  such as Prince of Persia, Out of this World and Flashback, and the work of H.G. Wells in The War of the Worlds is nearing release. The studio is celebrating a new milestone with the launch of the game’s official website. On the new site, you will be able find a host of information on the game including screenshots, videos, and other exclusive media that you won’t find anywhere else on the internet.

The War of the Worlds takes a unique spin on the classic science fiction tale, putting players in control of Arthur Clarke, a man trapped in the midst of an alien invasion in 1950’s London. As Arthur, you’ll make your way through the assault by passing through a variety of London landmarks, avoiding alien drones and fighting for your very survival. Featuring the voice of Patrick Stewart as the narrator, The War of the Worlds is an exciting and atmospheric survival-adventure game that you will not want to miss.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

The War of the Worlds, which will be published by Paramount Digital Entertainment will be available on Xbox LIVE®Arcade and PlayStation®Network as a Digital Download title later this year.

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29th August 2011

Stoon Ride For Saskatoon Transit Riders

A new iPhone application developed by Gaptel Innovative Solutions called Stoon Ride allows Saskatoon transit bus riders to view all bus routes, stop locations and times for the city of Saskatoon. In order to strive to give users up to date bus route and stop information, this app will from time to time utilize user’s data plan to obtain such info as needed. Although Stoon Ride is not an official product of Saskatoon Transit, the data was obtained from the public domain of the Saskatoon Transit site.Stoon Ride

Features of the Stoon Ride iPhone application include:

  • view all buses and their schedules
  • search by stop number
  • search stops by street name
  • add your stops and bus routes to favorites
  • read up to date information from the city of Saskatoon on City Tweet
  • view downtown route map
  • instantly report bugs and provide feedback about the app
  • information on how to contact Saskatoon transit
  • automated data refresh and the ability to manually refresh data for greater accuracy

“Your bus riding experience will never be the same again,” said Soji Oyenuga, CEO of Gaptel Innovative Solutions Inc. Available in the iPhone App Store, Stoon Ride iPhone application gives transit riders the ability to know what bus, which stop and when (time); in the palm of their hands. Similar app for android and blackberry smart phone will be launched soon.

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29th August 2011

Paul Milbury Joins Accedian Networks Board of Directors

accedian networksHigh performance ethernet service assurance provider Accedian Networks™ has announced that Mr. Paul J. Milbury has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Milbury brings over 30 years of experience exercising financial, operational and governance responsibilities in the technology sector.

“Paul’s vast experience in building successful companies and creating shareholder value will be pivotal to Accedian as the Company prepares for the next phase in its growth,” said George Riedel, Chairman of the Accedian Networks Board of Directors. “He brings an invaluable perspective to the Board with direct involvement in public company control and governance, merger and acquisition strategy/execution, IPO preparation and execution, investor relations and treasury. We’re pleased to welcome Paul to our Board.”

“Accedian is clearly one of the leaders of the 4G/LTE revolution, and a key contributor in making Carrier Paul MilburyEthernet technology suitable for mobile backhaul services,” said Paul Milbury. “Accedian’s high performance service assurance solution ensures the success of service providers around the world who are racing to deliver 4G services over Carrier Ethernet networks. I’m very excited to be in a position to contribute to the Accedian Board as the company makes this journey.”

Over the course of his distinguished career, Paul Milbury has been involved with technology companies ranging from start-up to mid-cap and large cap. In 2010, he left Cisco Systems after assisting with the integration of Starent Networks, a provider of mobile network solutions, into Cisco. Paul was a key member of Starent’s leadership team through the company’s IPO process in 2007 and its sale to Cisco Systems in December 2009 for $2.9 billion. From 2000-2007, he was Chief Financial Officer at Avid Technology, a digital media creation, management and distribution solutions company. He also served as Vice President and Treasurer of Digital Equipment Corp, a $15 billion global technology firm that was acquired by Compaq Computer for $10 billion in 1998. Paul also served as CFO of start-ups iBelong and JuniorNet.

Mr. Milbury is a member of the boards of Infinera Corp, a digital optical networking company and Crossbeam Systems, a network security company.

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29th August 2011

Scribendi Edit Service Now Available Through WordPress Plugin

scribendiScribendi.com has launched an editing and proofreading WordPress Plugin that allows blog posts to be seamlessly edited before users hit the publish button. Blog writers can simply download the plugin and submit their documents to be edited by Scribendi.com’s professional editors in as little as four hours.

“We’re thrilled to be able to launch this plugin, as we’ve always wanted to be able to reach out to bloggers and provide a fast, easy way for them to get their blog posts revised,” said Chandra Clarke, President of Scribendi.com. “The plugin, and the dedicated blog editing and proofreading service, provide a way to do that.”

Chatham, Ontario Scribendi.com has tightly integrated their system into the WordPress dashboard, investing weeks of development and testing into making their services easy to access without leaving the user’s site. The WordPress plugin provides a firm quote in seconds, securely places an order, and even automatically picks up the completed order. Then it shows all of the suggested corrections right inside the user’s WordPress revision scribendi WordPress Pluginhistory, providing the full benefit of professional editorial support while retaining complete creative control.

“As blog writing and self-publishing continues to grow in popularity, we have to be innovative and create new ways for clients to easily access our services,” said Clarke. “The document revision industry has changed, and we are leaders in revolutionizing this industry.”

Scribendi.com understands that blogs represent the writer, or the company that endorses it, and any errors can detract from the content and damage credibility. Their editing WordPress Plugin eliminates errors and ensures that all blog posts receive attention for the right reasons—not for grammatical or spelling errors that have gone viral.

This editing plugin allows blog writers to have their posts professionally edited on the fly. Scribendi.com has changed the way writers connect to editors, making editing more accessible to writers using the Internet. The WordPress Plugin connects directly to Scribendi.com’s blog editing services.

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