Koolhaus Games announces Voting for Round One of its International Contest for Unsigned Bands. The Top 25 Favorites in each Round are being decided by voters to the site. The Top 10 Winner’s Songs will be included in the new soundtrack of their popular iPhone game – iMP:Surf the Music and the groups will earn royalties from game sales.

Just visit the site, click on the Contest link – and go to “Fans: Vote and Enter”. Check out the bands and vote for your favorite by August 23, 2010. Then, Enter to Win an iPod Touch. Enjoy all the great new songs and be part of getting these Unsigned Acts the exposure they deserve! There will be several Rounds and one Voter from each round wins an iPod Touch.

The National Film Board of Canada returns to 2010 Hiroshima International Animation Festival (August 7–11) with six films in competition. In the running for the Grand Prix are Lipsett Diaries and Drux Flux, two films by Theodore Ushev; Jeu de forme by Malcolm Sutherland; The Spine by Chris Landreth; Runaway by Cordell Barker and Retouches by Georges Schwizgebel. Ushev will be in Hiroshima, and Internet users can stay in touch with him via his blog.

The festival offers several programs in addition to the official competition. No fewer than 11 NFB films are featured at special presentations: Neighbours by Norman McLaren screens at the opening gala; Vive la rose by Bruce Alcock, co-produced with the Canadian company Global Mechanic, screens at the Best of the World program; and When the Day Breaks by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis, Village of Idiots by Rose Newlove and Eugene Fedorenko, The Big Snit by Richard Condie and Ryan by Chris Landreth, co-produced by the Toronto-based company Copperheart Entertainment, are among the films selected for the program celebrating the festival’s 25th anniversary.

Theodore Ushev’s, Lipsett Diaries uses a series of imagined diary entries to trace the life of the brilliant filmmaker Arthur Lipsett, beginning with his solitary childhood and culminating in his suicide in 1986. The film is narrated by Xavier Dolan. Lipsett Diaries premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2010 and received a Special Distinction Award. Ushev’s second film Drux Flux calls into question industry’s supremacy over humanity. Both films are produced by Marc Bertrand at the NFB’s French Animation Studio.

Runaway, by Oscar-nominated director Cordell Barker follows a wild escapade on a train with no conductor. The film garnered awards at Cannes and Annecy in 2009. The Spine by Academy Award-winning animator Chris Landreth, follows a man and woman trapped in a self-destructive relationship. Jeu de forme, directed by prolific Montreal filmmaker Malcolm Sutherland is a playful creative exercise. Georges Schwizgebel’s Retouches (co-production with Studio GDS) is a stylistic exercise based on the progressive transformation of images through a series of repeated movements.

Itibiti Systems Inc., a wholly owned division of Intertainment Media Inc., along with presenting sponsor McDonald’s Canada, today announced the debut of Launch Pad® – Canada’s first fully-integrated social media, entertainment and communications app for the desktop.

Representing the shared vision of developers Itibiti Systems and Canada’s premiere media agency, OMD Canada, Launch Pad® for McDonald’s sets a new standard in customized consumer engagement programs for global brands. The innovative, infinitely scalable platform defines an important new environment where a deeper relationship with consumers can be managed creatively and effectively.

FREE to download & use, Launch Pad’s customized page opens on the desktop as soon as the computer is turned on. With just one tool, consumers will now have instant access to an exclusive mix of content, services and communications features. Users can talk for free with friends and family across North America, stay connected with built-in social media favourites, click a premium selection of news & information feeds, access on-board MSN Live Services featuring Bing Search, enjoy VIP access to the latest promotions and updates, follow McDonald’s on Twitter and more.

“We’re very excited by the boundless possibilities of Launch Pad to engage, inform and inspire our customers”, said Hope Bagozzi, Director, National Marketing, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada. “We are always looking for ways to provide value to our customers, whether it’s through our menu offerings, a great restaurant experience or sponsoring new innovations such as the Launch Pad.”

Big and bold, the Launch Pad lets users add their own personal Facebook feed to the app, in addition to offering a premium suite of content with Splash Celebrity News, Citytv’s Breakfast Television, top movie trailers from tribute.ca, automotive reviews and information from the experts at Kelley Blue Book, the hottest stories on the web from the digg reel, and the ultimate in personal tech reviews/previews from the popular team at AppJudgement.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to be working together with the thought leaders at OMD Canada and McDonald’s Canada to debut this program nationwide,” said Brad Parry, Chief Marketing Officer – Itibiti Systems Inc. / Intertainment Media Inc. “Itibiti has created a powerful social media platform that can enhance digital strategies and achieve greater audience connection for brand clients globally.”

Telefilm Canada is pleased to announce that once again it has been recognized for its 2008-2009 annual report “Action”. Honoured by the 2010 International Arc Awards, an international annual report competition organized by MerComm, Inc., the Awards recognize outstanding achievement in annual reports from a variety of industries. Telefilm received the a Gold Award in the Non-Traditional Annual Report – Government Agencies and Offices category.

“To be recognized by yet another international competition is an honour for all of us at Telefilm,” said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director. “Each year, the annual report is the product of a good deal of time and energy on the part on many Telefilm employees, across many departments. It is extremely satisfying to then have that work acknowledged internationally.”

Telefilm Canada worked with the Montreal-based marketing agency CG3 for the creative concept and execution of the 2008-2009 annual report. The International Arc Awards has recognized Telefilm Canada on numerous occasions in the past, including in the 2009 when the organization’s annual report won the Bronze Award in the same category.

This is the second award competition that has recognized the annual report “Action”. Earlier in July, the 2009 Vision Awards awarded Telefilm with the following:

* Gold Award: Government Organizations – Annual Revenue of $100 million to $1 billion
* Silver Award: Best Agency Report – Americas Region
* Ranked 97th: Top 100 Annual Reports of 2009

The 2010 International Arc Awards will be handed out at an awards banquet in New York, NY on September 16, 2010.

Cisco is pairing its wireless technology leadership with the Flip Video™ simplicity-in-design approach to launch Valet™, a breakthrough product line that makes home wireless simple and accessible to everyone. Valet is designed to transform how families use the Internet in their homes so they can enjoy the freedom of wireless access without the usual frustration and complexity of setting up a home network.

“Valet is home wireless made easy,” said Jonathan Kaplan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Consumer Products. “With complementary backgrounds and expertise, our Cisco and Flip teams have combined forces to change the rules for home wireless with a product line that empowers consumers to easily set up, enjoy and manage all of their wireless devices anywhere in the home.”

While consumer demand for wireless products is on the rise with a tremendous array of new devices in the market, research from IDC Canada (Source: IDC Canada estimates for 2009, based on wireless home router ownership and use among total Canadian households) reveals that only 39% of Canadian homes are currently set up for wireless use.” This surprisingly slow adoption of home wireless is largely due to the complexity of offerings that are too technical for the average consumer to install and manage on their own. At the same time, the demand for wireless-enabled products – such as mobile phones, gaming systems, and music players – is extremely strong, according to ABI Research data reporting that more than 264 million of these types of devices shipped worldwide in 2009.

“Consumers have felt powerless and frustrated with the entire process of home wireless, but with Valet we are tearing down the walls and opening it up to everyone,” Kaplan added. “The market for wireless-enabled products is exploding, and now mainstream users will be able to take full advantage of all the new opportunities.”

Valet is the first wireless product line to make it simple for anyone to set up and manage a home wireless network. Consumers who have high-speed Internet access simply insert the included Easy Setup Key right into a USB port in their PC or Mac, and the Cisco Connect software takes over. Unlike other wireless products that require 20 to 30 complicated steps to set up a single computer, Cisco Connect takes you through three steps from start to finish. The Easy Setup Key retains all setup information and can be easily inserted into additional home computers to seamlessly add them to the home’s wireless network.

Once set up, Valet gives consumers a simple way to manage their family’s home wireless experience. The included Cisco Connect software makes it easy to: 1) add additional devices to the network, 2) set parental controls, 3) provide Internet access for guests on a separate guest network and 4) customize personal security settings such as passwords.

Valet also provides a new level of control for parents with simple tools to manage their family’s online experience. Valet’s Cisco Connect software lets parents easily set controls on the fly, so they can modify Web usage for certain days and times of the week, or even for temporary periods. For example, if teens are spending too much time on social networks or gaming systems, parents can modify their wireless access so that they cannot go online after 9 p.m. on weeknights. For each personal device connected to Valet — whether computer, gaming system or smart phone — Internet access can be individually controlled or changed, and inappropriate content can be blocked altogether.

In addition, Valet makes it easy to set up guest wireless access when friends or family come to visit. With a completely separate wireless connection, guests can use their laptops or mobile phones around the house, while the main Valet home network remains highly secure and private.

The new Valet line is offered in two models – Valet and Valet Plus – based on the size of the home and the mix of wired and wireless devices. In addition, there is a simple Valet Connector to update older computers without built-in wireless capabilities or to upgrade to Wireless-N. Valet users have access to Cisco’s award-winning 24/7 phone support in the unlikely event they have a question or problem. The Valet product line is available at Best Buy, Future Shop, Staples, London Drugs, The Source and select other retailers

* Valet – For small to medium-sized homes with primarily wireless device $99.99
* Valet Plus – For medium-sized to large homes with a mix of wireless and wired devices $129.99
* Valet Connector – Upgrades an older computer to wireless; an ideal complement to Valet or Valet Plus $69.99

Cisco has also unveiled a new line of Linksys® wireless routers in Canada, designed to let its core audience of tech experts and enthusiasts take their home networking experience to the next level. The streamlined product lineup sets a new precedent for simplicity, power and performance and makes it easy for consumers to find the right technology to fit their needs. The line also includes new Cisco Connect software, which gives users tools for easier customization and control of their home wireless experience.

With the addition of the new Cisco Connect software, the new Linksys E-Series is designed to make it easier for users to customize and control their wireless network settings to match their preferences. With a quick and easy setup, the software auto-assigns the WPA security passkey and SSID. Once those are configured, users can use Cisco Connect to easily manage their wireless home network.

And in other news, the Research & Analysis division of analyst firm Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment, LLC (FADE) gaming on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) grew by double-digit numbers during the first half of the year, after a sluggish start in January and February which saw numbers down year over year. Overall, the XBLA market place grew 13% to $46.1 million USD by the end of June. June 2010 capped off the first half with an impressive 36% increase compared to last year’s June 2009.

FADE reports that the major turning point in 2010 for XBLA came during the heavily promoted ‘Block Party’ event, which started in March and featured four titles: ‘Toy Soldiers’, ‘Perfect Dark’, ‘Scrap Metal’ and ‘Game Room’. ‘Toy Soldiers’ and ‘Perfect Dark’ both took in over $2 million USD during the first half, placing each among the top five by revenue. The free-to-download classic title destination ‘Game Room’ also saw success, with over a million downloads shortly after release.

March started the positive trend, posting a strong 41% year-over-year increase in revenues, which began a consecutive 4-month run of double digit gains in revenue when compared to 2009. Starting in April, Microsoft began to aggressively promote price drops on dozens of titles, starting with the ‘Inventory Blowout’ sale which ran for one week in April, and included 10 titles. Throughout the second quarter, multiple sales were offered on titles, totaling over 40 titles offered on discount. These sales were seen as a success, as many titles saw revenue increases of between 50-200%. “We saw Microsoft take a very different approach to product deployment strategies this year,” said Benjamin Schlichter, Director of Research and Analysis for FADE. “The second quarter of the year has traditionally been their weakest, and they made great strides to improve the performance during the period, as revenue increased 24% compared to the year prior during a period when much of the rest of the industry is down.”

FADE maintains that Xbox Live Arcade will realize an estimated $130 million to $140 million by the end of the year, following strong hardware sales due to a solid holiday lineup, the new Slim console, and marketing for the motion-sensing Kinect hardware. Most notably, Microsoft’s 3rd annual ‘Summer of Arcade’ is anticipated to be met with impressive sales, following the implementation of their new ‘Destination Arcade’ UI.

Kinect brings an air of unpredictability to the mix. FADE research believes that Kinect pricing may dampen sales for the hardware slightly, but the possibilities of the platform may yield impressive revenues for Arcade developers looking to leverage the new platform for mini-games and unique, affordable experiences.

FADE Top 10 Estimates for H1 2010, by Revenue (USD)

* Toy Soldiers (Signal Studios) – $4.6 million (1200 Microsoft Points)
* Trials HD (RedLynx) – $4.4 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)
* Castle Crashers (The Behemoth) – $2.9 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)
* Battlefield 1943 (EA DICE) – $2.5 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)
* Perfect Dark (4J Studios) – $2.4 million (800 Microsoft Points)
* Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Capcom) – $1.8 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)
* Family Game Night (EA Bright Light) – $1.7 million (400 – 800 Microsoft Points)
* Shadow Complex (Chair Entertainment) – $1.2 million (800 – 1200 Microsoft Points)
* Magic: The Gathering (Stainless Games) – $900,000 (800 Microsoft Points)
* Call of Duty Classic (Infinity Ward) – $800,000 (1200 Microsoft Points)

Toon Boom Animation and Sci-Fi industry community MyOuterSpace.com are joining forces to make the greatest talent in the creative galaxy come forward and shine! This contest will challenge your creativity and originality and show the universe your support for MyOuterSpace.com. With the animated William Shatner starring in your lead role and three audio voiceovers to choose from, this is your opportunity to showcase your skills as a top-notch animator. Watch this video for more information about the upcoming contest, which will open for entries in August 2010:

Not exactly a contest, but still worthy of mention, the Gemini Awards are looking for your best artwork. In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Canadian Gemini Awards, organizers are creating a very special piece of Canadian art. According to their web site, they are looking for a unique way to tell the story of the 25 years of excellence in Canadian programming behind us, and many more years of innovation to come. This will take shape with ‘Gemini Nights’ which will in part be made up of user submitted images that are iconic in nature and instantly recognizable. It could be a show title, a screen shot from a promo poster, a character everyone knows, or a logo that speaks to success. Organizers ask that images be submitted by Wednesday, August 4th via their online form. Take note that you must have rights to any images which you submit for consideration.

Want to pitch a product to and get feedback from the likes of Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and TELETOON? Get yourself over the Ottawa International Animation Festival’s web site and find out all of the details. The deadline to apply is September 1st, so don’t delay.

Pitch Participation Requirements:

* Project synopsis, including target audience, technique, format, rough budget, (1-2 pages)
* One episode synopsis
* Bios of key executives
* Short paragraph indicating your current stage of development and any additional information (i.e. interactive components, merchandise, etc.)
* Concept art (2 or 3 images)

XMG Studio would like you all to know about the upcoming launch of Cannon Cadets, its latest mobile game available for iPhone and iPod Touch users, rocketing into Apple’s App Store in early August 2010.

From the award-winning company that brought you Drag Racer, Little Metal Ball and Marine Sharpshooter, XMG Studio’s Cannon Cadets is a supremely addictive physics game with 80 visually stimulating and diabolically devious levels to challenge children and adults alike.

In this new game, you are Rocketboy, who must save your team of Cannon Cadets from Gordo, an evil lab monkey, and his robot army, that are determined to rid the universe of all that is fun. Players will shoot their cadets at the robots, trying to knock them out while dealing with complex structures that follow advanced physics rules including rolls, slides and hinges!

Each level is a new challenge, from basic structures to complex Rube Goldberg-esque machines that will test the skills of even the bravest cadet. As players advance, the Cannon Cadet team members will need to rescue fun new friends and add to the player’s arsenal of special powers to use against Gordo.

Features of Cannon Cadets include:

- 80 beautifully illustrated mind twisting levels on four unique planets
– 4 playable characters (RocketBoy, RocketGirl, Pop, and Granati)
– Hidden Bonus Levels
– Amazing game physics including hinged and moving objects, as well as complex chain reaction style challenges

Other Ocean Interactive invites you to challenge the speediest puffins on the island for the title of Fastest Flyer in Puffins: Let’s Race in their latest Nintendo DSi release. Race against the clock or go head-to-head with your opponents in a battle to the finish line. Use cleverly placed power-ups like the squawk shot to get ahead of the pack and claim victory. Race through four different game modes on eight different tracks to prove your skill, or challenge up to three of your friends via local wireless play. Do you have what it takes to become the race champion of Puffin Island, or will you be left behind with the rest of the flock? Let’s Race! is available now on DSiware for 500 DSi Points.

VanArts presents an Animation & Story Development Masterclass on September 24 & 25th in Vancouver with instructors Story Artist Matthew Luhn and Animator Andrew Gordon, both from Pixar Animation Studios. This exceptional opportunity will offer participants a rare and exciting opportunity to learn from the industry’s top talent. This class has toured the world, and this is one of only two North American stops in 2010.

Geared toward animators and storytellers, experienced professionals, students, and enthusiasts alike, this masterclass provides you with the tools needed to create your own stories and feature-quality animation, plus offers a great opportunity to meet and network with others in the industry. The course will be held at the Fletcher Challenge Theater – Simon Fraser University, 515 West Hastings Street in Vancouver. Registration for this two day masterclass is $499.00, with early registration highly recommended.

Maid Marian Entertainment Inc. announces a major update to Sherwood Dungeon, its free-to-play, browser-based MMO game that all bow-loving players will appreciate.

As a completely new addition to Sherwood Dungeon, players will gain access to Bow & Arrows at level 21. Players will earn two additional equipment slots for these items, as well as the ability to purchase magic arrows (Fire, Ice, Poison, Night) from the local weapons merchant. In addition to the new weapons, this update includes numerous changes such as AI improvements, economy and item rebalancing, and a complete dungeon overhaul, replacing old maps with new ones.

Fitting the grassroots nature of Sherwood Dungeon, this update was made possible through the direct support and feedback of Sherwood Dungeon’s loyal fan base, which beta tested the update and helped work out any bugs. Lacking the need for a high-end gaming PC, a credit card or login, Sherwood Dungeon proves that high-end fantasy gaming doesn’t need a box, a download, or a monthly subscription fee to deliver high quality gaming for casual MMO players. To join the more than one million players continuing development of this high-quality, 3-D experience, visit the Sherwood Dungeon MMORPG web site.

EA Sports announced today that there are now two ways to play FIFA 11 Wii—traditional 11 versus 11 football matches plus a new street football mode. Hit the pitch for a Wii-specific take on customary 11 versus 11 football matches with over 30 officially licensed leagues, 500 teams, more than 15,000 players to choose from. Or, hit the streets to compete in 5 versus 5 street matches with the world’s elite players.

FIFA 11 Wii features numerous gameplay enhancements that bring the beautiful game to life on the Wii console. An all-new attacker vs. defender trick system creates head-to-head battles as you move up the pitch, performing dozens of elaborate new tricks to throw the defender off-balance. The new button-based shooting mechanic puts control back in the users’ hands – and with new shot types and animations you’ll find all-new ways to score each game. Blast, finesse, chip or tap it by the keeper for the goal that lifts your team to glory!

Hit the Streets with players decked out in street wear. Each player boasts a distinctive style of play with unique abilities to match. Use the wall to jump past defenders or bank passes to teammates. Choose to play arcade style and you can build up and then activate your power meter to blast shots, ignite a speed burst or send shockwaves over your opponents.

Challenge your rivals in the hottest locales around the world, everywhere from Brazil to London to the streets of France. The stage is set for victory with a soundtrack that brings the culture of the area to life. Plus, for the first time on Wii, test your game in an indoor setting. Customize the game to suit your style of play. Choose from different match types—first to score, Tug of War or timed—and from a variety of different goals to test your skills, including elevated nets for lofted touch shots, wall goals for continuous action and mini nets to test accuracy.

Autodesk, Inc. has released three new training modules as part of the Autodesk Animation Academy 2011 curriculum (terms & conditions) for secondary schools. The modules provide students with tools and a curriculum to help develop the skills needed to create mobile game applications. Separately, Autodesk has also announced new instructor certification for Autodesk Softimage software, as well as a new cost-effective cross-certification program for trainers wanting to teach multiple Autodesk Digital Entertainment Creation (DEC) products.

The three new Animation Academy modules provide students with an easy learning path to help master 3D tools for interactive content creation. The modules are designed to be used with Academy Award–winning Autodesk Maya software, and focus on storytelling and game creation using both Unity3D game engine and Maya Cloth and Fur. The modules add 180 hours of free training material to the Animation Academy program, which now comprises four full semesters of coursework.

* Environmental Storytelling — Students learn to model an environment inspired by an historical event. A character model is included along with an overview of the pipeline for mobile game production.
* Game Creation — Students learn how to create a game with the assets created in the Environmental Storytelling module. They can export their level and props directly into the Unity3D game engine.
* Ricky 2.0 Superhero — Pre-existing modules in the series enable students to hone their animation skills based around a unique character named “Ricky the Rat.” In this newest character module, students learn how to use Maya Cloth and Fur.

This new material extends Autodesk’s latest post secondary games curriculum, which was released in March 2010. All curricula created for the Autodesk Animation Academy are now available on the online Autodesk Education Community, where students and educators can also download free (subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies the software) copies of Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Softimage, Autodesk MotionBuilder, Autodesk Mudbox and Autodesk SketchBook Pro software.

Carl Callewaert, Lead 3D Instructor at The Gaming and Animation Institute of Fredericton and Director of Animation at motion capture company Measurand, worked with Autodesk to co-develop the new game creation modules.

“I have been teaching Autodesk technology for over 10 years, and I was eager to extend my experience teaching college-level game design to high school students,” said Callewaert. “These new courses provide students with the building blocks for creating their own game, a valuable knowledge base that will help prepare them for future real-world job opportunities and further studies in the game development field.”

Callewaert adds: “Autodesk has done a great job in making this curriculum and their tools accessible to high school students. Any student can download a free copy of Maya software and begin to create games immediately — it’s that easy.”

The Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) program — offering coaching, mentoring and accreditation services for instructors teaching Autodesk software — is now available to instructors of Autodesk Softimage software. Qualified program candidates will receive an ACI Workbook along with access to downloadable training guides and online courses to help prepare for three online certification tests. After the exams are completed, candidates are required to attend and pass a three-day observational assessment seminar to qualify as an ACI.

A new, cost-effective cross-certification program helps trainers certified in 3ds Max, Maya, Autodesk Flame, Autodesk Lustre or Autodesk Smoke software apply for certification on other Autodesk DEC products by passing the application-specific certification exams, all without having to participate in another training workshop.

Telefilm Canada announces its support of the 35th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, held from September 9 to September 19, 2010. Telefilm Canada’s participation enables TIFF to deliver a first-class event to a growing audience of film aficionados and industry members, in addition to providing prime networking and business development opportunities to Canadian and international representatives from the audiovisual sector.

“The Toronto International Film Festival is an internationally recognized and immensely respected film festival, bringing the world’s attention to the filmmakers it showcases during its eleven days of programming while also offering valuable development and business opportunities to emerging and established film talent alike,” said Sheila de La Varende, National and International Business Development Director at Telefilm Canada. “We are proud to once again support the Festival, and are pleased to see that Canadian titles will be prominent in this year’s selection, including on opening night.”

This year’s opening night Gala film will be the world premiere of the Telefilm-supported Score: A Hockey Musical. Written and directed by Michael McGowan (One Week, Saint Ralph) and starring Olivia Newton-John and songwriter Marc Jordan alongside newcomers Noah Reid and Allie MacDonald, the film also features cameos from Nelly Furtado, George Stromboulopoulos (The Hour with George Stromboulopoulos, CBC), Evan Solomon (CBC), legendary hockey-dad Walter Gretzky, and hockey star Theo Fleury among others.

The 35th edition of the Festival will also mark the return of industry initiatives such as Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS!, a pitching competition open to aspiring Canadian filmmakers, and TIFF’s Talent Lab, an artistic development program that provides emerging talent with the opportunity to learn from the world’s best film artists. The Festival’s full schedule will be made available online as of August 26, 2010.

Open Text Corporation has announced the availability of Web Site Management 10.1, featuring usability enhancements to accelerate common tasks and make it easier for website managers to integrate with corporate information and resources along with a sample project that speeds up delivery of new websites. It also offers integration points to many consumer social applications including Facebook and Twitter as well as enhanced native social capabilities with Open Text Social Communities.

The latest release of Web Site Management is the next iteration of Web Solutions 10, a major release introduced last year. A key member of Open Text’s industry-leading portfolio of Web Content Management (WCM) products, Web Site Management is a powerful, easy-to-use Web site application that empowers employees to keep content fresh and relevant and offers extensive multiple-language support and social tools.

“At the core of an engaging Web experience is vibrant, relevant content and an immersive social community integrated with internal business processes and infrastructure,” said Lubor Ptacek, Vice President of Product Marketing at Open Text. “Web Site Management makes this possible with rapid implementation, a strong reputation for usability, and a useful set of integrations with content sources. As demonstrated by the release of 10.1, our strategy is to continue building on these strengths.”

One of the focus points for Web Site Management 10.1 was to not just make it easier for editors and administrators to complete website management tasks, but to actually accelerate daily editorial work. For instance, a new redlining component allows editors to quickly and easily make an editorial assessment of page content. Enhanced drag and drop capabilities allow editors to change the order of content in lists and visualize results of edits immediately. A new asset management panel with SmartEdit, and drag and drop speeds up work with digital assets.

On the back-end, Web Site Management 10.1 features a number of enhancements to servers for management and delivery of content, including a new graphical user interface that aligns the different server components. A new online help for administrators offers advanced search functionality and a clear navigation structure so information can be found more quickly and easily. Also contributing to lower support and training costs and allowing faster deploying of new sites is a new best practice project that provides an extensive set of pre-defined content classes and templates, along with SAP Portal examples.

On the integration front, Web Site Management 10.1 allows users to fully tap the extensive social capabilities in Open Text Social Communities (formerly Vignette Social Media) and lets them take advantage of Open Text Media Management 7 for managing digital media assets from across an enterprise. It also enhances third-party application integration with extended portlet connectors. Using a new HTTP connector, any type of social media component, such as Facebook or Twitter, can be added and administered.

Score Media Inc. and NuLayer have launched theScore iPad Edition, and it’s already up at the top as one of the leading free sports apps just days after launching in Apple’s App Store. TheScore iPad Edition offers the latest stats, news, scores and standings from every major sports league, while integrating the best content from The Score’s multiplatform properties – The Score Television Network, theScore.com, Hardcore Sports Radio (HSR) and ScoreMobile all in one app.

A hybrid of Score Media’s leading sports app, ScoreMobile, and it’s newly relaunched website, theScore.com, theScore iPad Edition brings iPad users the best of both platforms while offering original video and audio content from The Score Television Network and HSR.

“theScore iPad Edition takes advantage of all the great features the iPad has to offer and leverages its native performance and flexible web views,” says Jeff Brenner, Co-Founder, NuLayer. “It’s an awesome app that provides a socially-integrated way to explore the sports world. Fans are going to love it.”

theScore iPad Edition is the perfect companion for watching sports on TV or sitting around with your friends discussing the latest trade and stories of the day. It also gives users unlimited and immediate access to up-to-the-minute stats and entertaining content including:

* Real-time scores, breaking news and updates
* Original digital video segments available exclusively to iPad users like The Score’s hit web show, The Break and The Footy Show, a news program and podcast dedicated to covering all of the latest soccer news and highlights
* Integrated social tools for sharing articles, blog posts and videos
* The Score’s entertaining television content offering unique interviews with top athletes along with iPad exclusives from The Score’s world renowned reporter Cabral “Cabbie” Richards as well as the popular, irreverent NBA web show, The Basketball Jones
* A slick interface designed specifically for the iPad with an intuitive and clean navigation structure

Trailpeak, Canada’s premier interactive trail mapping network, has unveiled two features to support hiking, biking, climbing and paddling enthusiasts who visit the site for information on trails across Canada and the U.S.

Trailpeak’s innovative “hyperlocal widgets” feature allows visitors to customize their individual outdoor-adventures webpage, according to location and preference of the user. The gallery of hyperlocal widgets to choose from includes new and popular local trails, outdoor events, weather conditions, Craigslist, and Google maps.

“Our hyperlocal widgets feature has been designed to simplify information-gathering,” said Kurt Turchan, founder of Trailpeak. “Instead of searching different pages of our site for trail, event or member information and browsing external sites such as Craigslist and YouTube, we bring it all together on one page.”

The Trailpeak widgets page can be adapted by the user to include information and locations of particular interest to them. For example, a user in Calgary can track events in that city and can also go to the widget gallery and add the events or classified advertising widgets for Banff.

Trailpeak has also developed a video feature that allows members to upload video content by simply copying and pasting the embed code from any YouTube or Vimeo video. “We can’t wait to see the footage that our members will be providing for the benefit and enjoyment of their fellow adventurers,” said Turchan.

Next month, Turchan, and four Trailpeak editors will embark on a 10-day tour of Newfoundland and Labrador to explore some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery. The team will be equipped with hands-free, high definition head cams, allowing them to capture the landscape and trail conditions of a variety of adventures such as shipwreck survivor trails, sea kayak routes and hikes on Fogo Island and Terra Nova National Park. Video footage and trail data collected by the team will be added to Trailpeak’s database of over 10,000 outdoor trails and GPS logs across Canada and the U.S.

Outdoor enthusiasts and armchair travellers have been sourcing Trailpeak.com for information on thousands of trails ranging from tranquil paddling trips to spine-tingling downhill-mountain biking adventures for almost ten years. There is no fee to browse trail listings and video content on the community website that is maintained by hiking, biking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, skiing, and snowshoeing enthusiasts across Canada and the U.S.

I would like to personally thank Victoria Hayes, Neil Swain and Duane Robson from our federal Trade Commissioner Service for the opportunity to finally meet many of the developers from eastern Canada whom I had previously only known through email, twitter and Facebook. A special shout-out to my twitter buddy Sasha, who toils daily at the creative studios of marblemedia, and to another twitter friend, Rob Anderson, a.k.a. the “head cheese” at New Brunswick’s Noise2Signal. I also had the chance to chat briefly with  Dan Kratt, Senior Designer at Ph03nix New Media/Big Stack Studios, creators of my current match 3 addiction, Sigma for the iPhone.

Many thanks to the government and association representatives from Ontario, Quebec and of course BC for their support and interest in what we’re trying to accomplish here at Village Gamer. The social gathering at the Canadian Consulate was great. It was great to catch up with Cerebral Vortex President Keith Makse, whom I met at last year’s Casual Connect. By the way, if you’re in the Toronto area, Cerebral Vortex is hiring, and if you’re a fan of word games, grab their iPhone game Word Burst from the App Store.

Once again the Casual Connect team has offered a top-notch venue for the global casual gaming industry to share experience and find new opportunity. If you are a Canadian casual game studio and didn’t attend this year’s event in Seattle, may I suggest that you put it on your conference schedule for 2011.  Of course, a day trip to Seattle and no internet access means that I am now a day behind in what’s been going on north of the 49th, and there’s plenty going on across this vast country of ours.

I got a sneak peek at how things are going with Untold Entertainment’s new word puzzler Spellirium. I can safely say that what I saw looks very polished, colourful and high quality – much nicer than the mock-ups I’ve been playing through with each iteration’s beta test interface. What I saw of the more finished product makes me all the more impatient for another high-quality word game to challenge my word-making abilities.

One other thing I did learn while visiting with Sandy Spangler and Murray McCarron from A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Games – the WipeOut game recently released by Activision was – you guessed it, developed by A.C.R.O.N.Y.M., an apparently little-known fact as there was no mention of the studio in Activision’s game launch press release. I received that email, but as you all know, we are a Canadian content site, and as I received no reply from Activision to my question of where the game was developed, the news went unannounced on this site.

Rated E by the ESRB, Wipeout: The Game for Nintendo DS^TM and Wii^TM is based on the Endemol USA produced hit TV show Wipeout. Wipeout: The Game  features the contestant demolishing Dreadmill to the fan-favorite Big Balls, pitting friends and family against each other in the world’s largest, messiest, and most hilarious obstacle course out there.

“When developing the game our goal was to capture all the elements that people love about the hilarious reality ABC show, and to above all make it fun,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “So far, we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from fans, who clearly can’t wait to step up to the challenge of the obstacle course.”

Furthering the complete Wipeout experience that fans have become accustomed to is the inclusion of witty commentary provided by the show’s hosts John Anderson, John Henson and co-host Jill Wagner. In Wipeout: The Game, up to four players can battle against each other in the game’s many challenges. As they compete for the ultimate win, players will get down and dirty with their opponents as they hurl objects and insults with the game’s signature Trash Talk Generator.

Capcom and Blue Castle Games would like to invite you, the internet traveler, to Fortune City, Nevada – the city of zombified fun and setting for Dead Rising 2. Fortune City has plenty to offer in the way of world-class hotels,dining, entertainment, gambling and more. It’s important that you check out all of the amenities offered at area hotels, because we all know how important it is to have a ready supply of Zombrex and bullets.

The Canada Media Fund has released its 2010-2011 funding decisions for the Aboriginal Program (PDF) and the Francophone Minority Program (first closing date, PDF), which are part of the Convergent Stream. As stated on the CMF site, the decisions and funding commitments posted on the website are preliminary, as all requests must undergo a contracting process. Funding is not final until contracts are signed. An updated list will be published once contracting is complete.

Magmic has released its lastest iPhone puzzler. Abyss is a strategic game that requires you to slide coloured pieces around the playing surface and then navigate pearl orbs from point to point.  Available in the iTunes App Store for $1.99,  the simple concept of Abyss tests your strategy, problem solving skills and reaction times by increasing the difficulty of each level as you progress. You can compete against yourself or a friend via the scoreboards – just remember that the faster you complete each level, the more points you receive and the higher up the ladder you will climb. Abyss also features unlimited levels and has several different theme and sound options.

In celebration of the launch of Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty,  all Future Shop outlets across Canada (except in Sudbury and Quebec) will be hosting “Midnight Madness” events this month. Gaming enthusiasts are invited to visit their local Future Shop stores on the eve of the release date to obtain their copies of the game at midnight on Monday, July 26, 2010. The first 20 people in each line will receive a free gaming headset; the first 50 people will receive a Starcraft II hat and poster. Future Shop is also offering a free copy of Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty to any gamers who trade in two used games from from Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 or Xbox 360.

The Unity development team is holding its 4th annual dev conference Unite 2010 this November 10-12 at the historic Marché Bonsecours in Montreal, immediately following the Montreal International Game Summit. As at the previous Unite conferences, it’ll be three hard-core intense days of learning to get the most out of Unity as well as being exposed to (and getting to hang out with) some of the coolest people in the Unity world. Early Bird tickets ($300.00) are available until September 10, with the regular ticket price of $400.00 kicking in on September 11th. But that’s not all – Unite and MiGS have partnered up to offer a special price category for those who want to attend both conferences. If you purchase both of your tickets now through the Unite 2010 registration page, attending Unite 2010 and MiGS will cost $750.00.

The official release dates for Klei Entertainment’s highly anticipated downloadable action game Shank, have been announced. Shank will be available for download on August 24 for PlayStation®Network ($14.99) and August 25 for Xbox LIVE® Arcade (1200 MS Points). Shank blends classic side-scrolling action gameplay and unique stylized 2D art direction with a revenge story penned by award-winning game writer Marianne Krawczyk.

“We committed ourselves completely during the development of Shank and it’s been extremely gratifying to see the support we’ve received from the gaming community and press,” said Jamie Cheng, CEO of Klei Entertainment. “Watching people play and seeing them smile; it’s fantastic to see them latch onto the things we love most about Shank — the art, the story and of course the gameplay.”

Shank tells a classic story of gangland betrayal through a mature, pulp-fiction lens. Gamers will play as Shank, getting their hands bloody as they uncover the secrets behind Shank’s past and the reasons he is hell-bent on revenge. With a deep and intuitive combat system, players unleash a tremendous number of creative combinations as they take down the waves of enemies standing in their path. Shank also features a special co-operative mission, designed to be played with a friend locally, which tells the backstory to frame the revenge plot. This prequel mission allows players to play as Shank or his partner-in-crime Falcone, with deadly double-team moves and gameplay that encourages teamwork.

Continuing on an EA Canada theme, it appears that the company’s studios are cranking up the development heat just a bit.

Bioware has just announced some very sparse details about the next DLC expansion for Mass Effect 2, Lair of the Shadow Broker. When Commander Shepard “died” two years ago, Liara T’Soni fought in a desperate struggle against the Shadow Broker to recover her former Commander. Now that Shepard is back, Liara and Shepard will be out to even the score – and that’s all we know so far. Definitely very sparse details – no estimated release date or whether this DLC will be free for Cerberus Network gamers or if it will cost extra.

EA Sports™ has been very busy forming new partnerships and announcing new titles. Earlier today Electronic Arts announced its new partnership with Barclays Premier League, which will see EA Sports become the Official Sports Technology Partner of the Premier League and the extension of their current Electronic Game License.

Under the partnership, EA Sports will expand its current relationship with fans of the Barclays Premier League with exclusive enhanced experiences and even greater authenticity inside of EA Sports Football products. EA Sports branding will be featured on all live on-screen broadcasts of Barclays Premier League fixtures, and EA Sports will work with broadcasters to develop enhancements for match day broadcast analysis and increased fan interaction. EA Sports will also sponsor the Player Performance Index and will explore new ways to utilize more in depth Barclays Premier League statistics than ever before in future iterations of EA Sports Football products.

As the most watched domestic football competition in the world, the Barclays Premier League delivers tremendous global exposure and direct access to one of the most passionate football audiences in the world,” said Matt Bilbey, Vice President of Football, EA Sports. “Partnering with the Premier League further establishes EA Sports and its FIFA franchise as the ultimate, authentic football gaming experience. We look forward to adding further in-game authenticity with the direct access to the Player Performance Index as well as releasing new ways to leverage our technology to enhance the fans enjoyment of Barclays Premier League football on and beyond match day each week.”

In the exclusive role as Official Sports Technology Partner of the Premier League, EA Sports will explore new ways to leverage actual match and performance data to deliver improved interactive football experiences that match the complexity, finesse and excitement of a real world football match. Examples include:

The EA Sports Player Performance Index: EA Sports will sponsor the Premier League Player Performance Index that will soon expand to include new performance data that will now account for time and distance measurements. This will allow for detailed statistics such as the speed at which a shot is hit, the force of a ball as a keeper makes a key save, the height of a jump, the speed at which a penalty is struck and more. This technology will be introduced at all Premier League club stadia this season. EA Sports will have direct access to the Player Performance Index to further extend the authenticity and depth of its football franchises including EA Sports FIFA in future versions.

EA Sports Team of the Week: Available online, the Premier League and EA Sports will publish the EA Sports Team of the Week. The team will be based on ratings from the EA Sports Player Performance Index after each round of the Barclays Premier League and will be integrated into EA Sports Football games.

Barclays Premier League Broadcast Branding: EA Sports branding will appear on-screen, linked with live match statistics, during all Barclays Premier League broadcasts in the UK and overseas.
Barclays Premier League Match Broadcast Enhancements: Using EA Sports graphics, animations and interactive technology combined with real-time, real world data feeds, EA will work with broadcasters toward enhancements for match day broadcast analysis that will bring football fans closer and deeper into the action direct from their sofa.

Premier League Director of Sales & Marketing, Richard Masters, said: “We are extremely pleased that EA Sports has had the foresight to enter into this exciting new partnership that will connect with Barclays Premier League fans in new and inventive ways. Fans have a thirst for statistics and information and that is something that the Premier League, working with EA Sports, will provide to a level not seen before in professional football.”

The EA Sports Active team over at the Burnaby campus is very busy as well. They’ve been developing EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp for the Wii™, a football-based training program that put users right into the football drills and conditioning workouts of an NFL training camp. Developed in collaboration with NFL strength and conditioning coaches, users will experience the thrill of competition while challenging friends and family in authentic NFL football drills. EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp with Total Body Tracking uses the included heart rate monitor and wireless motion tracking to provide a challenging workout and help deliver measurable results. It will link to the EA Sports Active online hub where users can share training results and challenge others to beat their personal best, as well as track progress toward specific fitness goals. (Internet connection and EA account required.) EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp brings the real NFL training camp experience right into the living room, and will be available at retailers on November 16.

“EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp delivers an authentic NFL experience that is fun and engaging, while providing a challenging workout,” says Andrew Wilson, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Development, EA Sports. “It exemplifies our commitment to both NFL football and the fitness space, as well as delivering new experiences for new audiences.”

EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp includes over 70 drills and challenges designed to improve strength, power and conditioning, as well as reaction skills, agility and first step quickness, which are key areas NFL players focus on. Users can choose their favorite team, step into a stadium and train alongside their favorite players.

The EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp virtual coach will encourage users through the drills and challenges for additional motivation, and to take it to the next level, users can participate in the NFL Combine 60 Day Challenge. To enhance the competitive experience, users can get their game on in multi-player mode where they can go head-to-head in NFL training camp drills, including the QB Window Challenge and Field Goal Challenge, or with an online connected console, users can compare personal stats with friends and challenge them to beat their best results. In addition, as part of the NFL’s commitment to youth health and fitness, kids and families can choose special NFL Play 60 drills and exercises specially designed for them.

“We’re excited to be collaborating with EA Sports on the development of EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp,” says Ray Anderson, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp delivers a fantastic new and authentic experience for NFL fans, allowing them to train like the pros and compete against their friends, family, and other fans across the globe.”

EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp joins the EA Sports Active 2 suite of interactive fitness products that focus on improving muscular strength, endurance and flexibility, as well as improving cardio. EA Sports Active 2 is in development for a number of platforms including the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Kinect™ for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii and iPod touch®.

Not to be outdone, the EA Sports Fight Night team is developing the latest iteration of the long-running Fight Night franchise, entitled Fight Night Champion, at EA Canada in Vancouver. Fight Night Champion will set a new standard in sports videogames by delivering the most dynamic simulation fighting experience to date, pushing visual boundaries and redefining the single player journey for the category.

The EA Sports Fight Night franchise has consistently delivered one of the best sports experiences with each iteration”, said Andrew Wilson, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Development, EA Sports. “EA Sports Fight Night Round 4 was a genre defining game, and led the way as the industry transitioned to physics-based sports games. EA Sports Fight Night Champion will again forge new ground and deliver a sports experience unlike anything seen in the genre to date.”

Fight Night Champion will break the mold of what is expected in a single-player sports game. Players will be introduced to an entirely new way to step between the ropes and experience the drama, emotion, excitement and tragedy of world championship boxing.

Featuring a refined physics-based animation system that incorporates improved locomotion, punching and stamina mechanics, Fight Night Champion will enable users to move, attack and dodge with the speed and power of the best champions, contenders and pretenders in the world of boxing. In addition, an all-new control scheme, dubbed Full Spectrum Punch Control, will deliver the most realistic punching system ever seen in a simulation fighting game, while still delivering an accessible experience that will make Fight Night Champion the most user-friendly title in the franchise’s history. Fight Night Champion will set a new standard for visual presentation with the most realistic boxer-likeness to date, fluid animations and damage that truly conveys the brutality of the sport of boxing. Fight Night Champion will be available in 2011 for the Xbox 360™ and the PlayStation®3 and has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

According to the Entertainment Software Association, female gamers are one of the industry’s fastest growing demographics, with women currently accounting for 40% of the overall gaming audience. Silicon Sisters plans to capture and grow this rapidly expanding market by tailoring games to these players’ daily lives and personal interests. Their target customers — women of all ages, from tweens and teens to hard-working women worldwide — comprise an audience that the company’s all-female design staff inherently understands.

“We’re not interested in ‘pinkifying’ games, which is how girl games are typically designed,” says Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch, Silicon Sisters’ CEO. “It’s no coincidence that the games I and many other female gamers are most drawn to have had women involved in their development. Girls and women game differently than boys and men. Silicon Sisters has studied these differences so we can make games that truly appeal to and resonate with the female audience.”

It’s an objective perfectly suited to the founders’ backgrounds. During their combined 18 years in the industry, both have been vocal champions of female representation among video game developers and audiences. The former COO of Deep Fried Entertainment, Bailey Gershkovitch chairs the Vancouver chapter of Women in Games International (WIGeh) and sits on GDC Canada’s Advisory Board. Forbes, previously an Executive Producer at Radical Entertainment, has delivered eleven top-selling games and is a veteran industry advocate for girl gaming preferences.

“The video game industry is experiencing a rebirth of sorts,” says Kirsten Forbes, Silicon Sisters’ COO. “PC online gaming is up, social networking has become pervasive, and mobile platforms are ubiquitous. Women are adopting games on these platforms in droves. It’s time to get serious about delivering quality games into this burgeoning market.”

Silicon Sisters’ predominantly female team, which includes noted designer Brenda Brathwaite as a consultant, is working on two projects for PC and mobile platforms. This summer, company representatives will attend Casual Connect, GDC Europe, and GamesCom to pursue publishing opportunities for their own properties, as well as potential work-for-hire projects that correspond to Silicon Sisters’ corporate vision.

TransGaming, Inc. is crossing the Atlantic and entering the European market after securing its first in a number of active agreements to deploy GameTreeTV in the European market before the end of 2010. The first deployment will be with a European Managed Service Operator (MSO) who will begin releasing the new generation of set-top boxes to their subscriber base of multi-millions of households. Financial terms were not disclosed due to confidentiality reasons. TransGaming will be working closely with this MSO over the next few months to prepare for the commercial launch of GameTreeTV, which is currently slated for late 2010.

“This agreement is a major milestone and demonstration of TransGaming’s leading role in revolutionizing the delivery of high-end interactive content in the digital home,” said Vikas Gupta, President and CEO of TransGaming. “We are excited that European consumers will be the first to enjoy the ability to play great games directly through their set-top box and conveniently will be able to transact their games through a variety of consumer friendly business models.”

The GameTreeTV Gaming Platform is an on-demand video games service that gives consumers access to high quality games directly from the comfort of their living rooms through any Intel CE Media Processor based device. Consumers will be able to access a broad assortment of well-known, popular arcade, puzzle, family and adventure style games from the growing library at GameTreeTV. TransGaming first unveiled its GameTreeTV platform at the Intel Developer Forum in September last year while announcing a strategic collaboration agreement with Intel Corporation and an investment by Intel Capital.

Developers are invited to sign up for TransGaming’s Content Developer Program in order to gain access to their SDK game emulation tools, documentation, and hardware requirements to bring your games direct to consumers through the GameTreeTV Games Platform.

Big Blue Bubble Inc. announced today that Home Sweet Home Online, the next evolution in the Home Sweet Home series is released on Facebook.

Do you think you have what it takes to be a home decorator? Now you can with Home Sweet Home Online! Build your dream home and show it off to your friends and the rest of the Home Sweet Home users.

Home Sweet Home Online gives the player complete freedom when it comes to designing rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. They can paint objects different colors and they are not restricted to a grid when placing items. This freedom combined with thousands of furniture pieces allows the player to create a virtually infinite amount of different rooms!

Travel to your friend’s homes to see what ideas they come up with. You can even travel to their friend’s homes and check out what they’ve done. Meet new and interesting people and become an active part of the Home Sweet Home community!

The player can also play mini games to earn coins, unlock new furniture by gaining experience, and visit virtually everyone else’s home to rate their rooms get decoration ideas. With weekly updates of new content and features, players will continually try to outdo each other and win the Room of the Week prizes.

Features:

* Beautiful graphics and a vast variety of items at the players disposal
* Rate each other’s rooms for prizes
* Exciting mini-games help earn coins
* Unique furniture unlocking system
* Travel from neighborhood to neighborhood to find the latest trends
* Complete freedom when create rooms
* Buy new rooms, kitchens and bathrooms to create an even larger home!

The REAL Hockey Experience on Wii™, the unprecedented NHL® 2K11 cross-country tour is bringing the excitement to the Vancouver area on Thursday, July 22 and Friday, July 23.

Phoenix Coyotes center, Kyle Turris, will return to his hometown of New Westminster on Thursday, July 22 to face-off with fans as they get exclusive hands-on play with NHL 2K11 months before it launches exclusively for the Nintendo Wii system.

Traveling throughout the northern United States and Canada, The REAL Hockey Experience on Wii™ brings the excitement of NHL hockey to fans in a custom-designed NHL 2K11 recreation vehicle rigged with portable video game gear created especially for fans and gamers. The trail of pucks, prizes and playable demos will also feature appearances by NHL stars throughout the tour, including Vancouver Canucks® forward and NHL 2K11 cover athlete Ryan Kesler, Los Angeles Kings® defenseman Jack Johnson, New Jersey Devils® forward Travis Zajac and more.

Lower Mainland enthusiasts can meet up with the NHL 2K11 tour bus at the New Westminster Best Buy store at 805 Boyd Street on July 22 from 1 – 4pm, or at the Richmond Best Buy store (5300 No. 3 Road) on July 23rd, again from 1 – 4pm.

An Alien invasion, a clumsy janitor, a vat of rubber and a burst of radiation lay the groundwork for the latest release of “Elasticr, the Stretchiest Superhero” game for the Apple iPhone.

The games hero Elasticr could very well be the distant cousin of Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four or Helen Parr, aka Elastigirl with his powers of super body elongation, allowing him to fling himself acrobatically around a room to avoid evil aliens, devious traps and sharp spikes as he struggles to save the human race.

In the latest version of Elasticr, Montreal’s Dlux Studios has added twenty additional levels along with a level chooser, full OpenFeint integration, and significantly more hair gel to manage Elasticr’s super sized pompadour. The Elasticr app’s physics engine creates realistic flying, bouncing and stretching effects unparalleled in the app store.

Fun for kids from five to one hundred, Elasticr’s is rated 4+ and is both suitable and enjoyable for children. Higher levels will test the skills of gamers of all ages as Elasticr encounters increasingly difficult obstacles such as disappearing hand holds, spinning blades and numerous chances for electrocution. Please ignore the smell of burning rubber…

To experience the most fun with rubber since the first rubber band was shot across a room at a co-worker, find the Elasticr arcade game in the iTunes app store for only $0.99. Elasticr is compatible with all iPhone’s and iPod Touch devices running iOS 3.0 or higher. Go ahead and run it on your iPad too… Elasticr is more than happy to stretch onto the bigger screen for you.

As the iOS game market continues to expand, game developers are looking for ways to further promote their most popular games via a variety of methods, including mobile advertising, cross promotion in newer games, and pricing changes. With proper promotional support, changing an app’s price to free for a limited time can greatly build a game’s audience and improve its chances to grow revenue virally following the sale.

Get Set Games, creator of the successful Addicus game, recently faced this scenario with its Mega Jump title. Mega Jump was performing well in the charts, regularly pulling in over 2,500 downloads a day. However, the game struggled to break through the barrier and gain viral success, facing the same problem that every other app in the iOS ecosystem faces – getting discovered by players. Their solution was to temporarily make Mega Jump free and promote it on OpenFeint’s Free Game of the Day.

Downloads of the game jumped dramatically during the promotion, from 2,500 a day to over 1 million downloads while free for 3 days. The game went to #1 on the charts in over 25 countries. And the momentum continued once the game changed back to paid – with revenue growing 170% for the 3 weeks following the promotion.

“We wanted to feature Mega Jump on OpenFeint because we thought the network had truly viral promotion capability. We knew we’d get a bump in sales, but wanted to test this theory,” said Derek van Vliet, Co-Founder of Get Set Games. “The promotion was an amazing success. It’s been a great ride for our studio and has dramatically increased our revenue stream.”

“Free Game of the Day was a great experience for Get Set Games,” said van Vliet. “OpenFeint has created a very easy to use program that really helps drive game downloads.”

Free Game of the Day consistently drives games to the top of the charts. Of the 30 games featured in May, 13 reached in the top 25 and 9 more reached the top 50 in the U.S. app store. Developers interested in being considered for Free Game of the Day can visit the Free Game of The Day site to find out more.

Rusty Axe Games is proud to announce the availability of Dungeon Demon, a map design and editing tool for tabletop RPG, wargame and computer game map development. Early adopter pricing at $19.99 is available until Aug. 30, 2010 when Dungeon Demon will return to its normal purchase price of $29.99.

Dungeon Demon features:

* Free upgrades forever
* An easy to use editor that blends rapid tiling with object placement. The tiling tool allows users to rapidly drag out ground, floor and wall layers before using the stamper to drop down individual objects.
* Dungeon Demon ships with roughly 200 pieces of professional, royalty free artwork that you can use in your own map designs, and additional art packs are available. Royalty free licensing for commercial computer game development is available and include source art files in 32-bit alpha file formats for inclusion in game engines.
* Up to 9 user definable layers with no map dimension size restrictions!
* Dungeon Demon blends tiling and simple object placement to give you the best of both worlds in a fast and easy to use object oriented map editor. The grid system enables rapid tiling of wall and floor sections and graphic objects can be placed at any position in the map.
* Export maps as bitmaps or in XML format for use in computer games. Print maps directly from dungeon Demon or import bitmaps directly into your favorite paint program for further touch up.
* Use the legend tool to annotate your maps. Easy to use XML template system allows computer game designers to add additional map data with the legend tool.

EA Black Box has announced that Need for Speed™ World, the massively multiplayer online action racing game, will be available for digital download on July 27 for the PC. Need for Speed World combines the rush of illicit street racing, deep RPG style progression and vehicle customization into an immersive, socially-connected Need for Speed experience. Players can compete against any one of their friends, family or pick from thousands of top ranked players to challenge in intense online battles and police pursuits across 150 miles of sprawling open world.

Players can pre-order the Need for Speed World Starter Pack (Conditions & restrictions apply to this preorder offer. See the EA Store for details) today to gain early access to the game on July 20. Gamers will also unlock exclusive cars, earn double XP, reserve their driver names and have VIP status permanently displayed in their driver profile before the game officially launches.

On July 20, the Need for Speed World Starter Pack will be available for $20. The Starter Pack includes a credit for $20 worth of SpeedBoost (the in-game currency), full access up to level 50 and a bundled assortment of power-ups including Nitrous and Traffic Magnet to help players get started. Players can also purchase additional items like power-ups, double XP periods and even rental cars starting at just a few cents. (Conditions & restrictions apply. See details at point of purchase.) A free client download of Need for Speed World will also be available to give gamers a sample of the intense street-racing action with access to all races, pursuits and career progression up to level 10.

NBA Jam Session, an interactive basketball festival will travel across Canada this summer and bring free basketball activities to fans of all ages and skill levels. From August 21 to October 10, NBA Jam Session will make weekend stops in Halifax, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. Check out the tour’s Facebook page for regular tour updates.

“Basketball is more popular than ever in Canada following the record-breaking TV viewership of Game 7 of the NBA Finals,” says General Manager of NBA Canada Dan MacKenzie. “NBA Jam Session will allow fans in Canada to experience the NBA like never before through a great mix of basketball and entertainment.”

Free Saturday activities for fans at each NBA Jam Session visit will include:

- Appearances by NBA players, legends, mascots and dancers
– Performance by a world famous Harlem Globetrotter
– A free photo for each fan with The Larry O’Brien Trophy
– An NBA Fit clinic to teach attendees how to get in shape
– Dancing instruction from NBA dancers
– Measure up stations that give fans a chance to compare height, hand and shoe size with NBA players

Sunday activities at each NBA Jam Session visit will include:

- A full day 3-on-3 tournament. There is a $60 entry fee per team and registration is required.
– There will be four age divisions: Under 12 will be co-ed as well as separate male and female divisions for players ages 13-15, 16-18 and 19+
– The winners of the 19 and over tournament will win a trip to Toronto for the National Finals at Air Canada Centre during a pre-season Toronto Raptors game
– Registration will be on a first come, first served basis and will open July 23 at 10:00 a.m. EDT

The NBA Jam Session Tour Schedule:

Halifax (Waterfront) August 21-22
Montreal (Crescent St.) September 11-12
Winnipeg (The Forks) September 18-19
Calgary (Olympic Plaza) September 25-26
Vancouver (Granville Sq.) October 2-3
Toronto (Yonge-Dundas Sq.) October 9-10

NBA Jam Session partners include: American Airlines, Colgate-Palmolive, EA Sports, Family Channel, Gatorade, HP, Life Science Nutritionals, Parmalat Canada Inc., Rogers Communications and Spalding.

Toronto-based international eCommerce solution provider PayPro Global has announced that it has secured $1.7 million USD in funding. The new funds will be used to further develop the PayPro EasyCommerce platform, through technology and infrastructure advancements, support marketing efforts, and drive sales.

Enabling PayPro Global to make a huge investment in eCommerce technologies development has the potential to dramatically improve the way modern online software sales are managed, providing vendors with a safer, more efficient alternative. Well known as an innovative eCommerce provider, PayPro uses cutting edge technologies to deliver the best tools and services for selling software online.

PayPro’s EasyCommerce platform was designed to help sellers grow their business in global markets. PayPro services reduce the possible risks of online transactions, and ensure high sales conversion rates and customer satisfaction rates, using techniques available only through PayPro.

“The success of PayPro Global is directly related to the success of our client’s online software businesses, and this drives our continued development and expansion of the PayPro EasyCommerce platform,” said Matthew Silverman, CEO of PayPro Global. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to go far beyond building the most reliable, safe, advanced, and easy-to-use system for selling software online.”

Since its foundation, PayPro Global has put great effort into constructing a powerful end-to-end eCommerce solution with flexible architecture to meet the demands of companies of all sizes worldwide. The EasyCommerce platform includes comprehensive sales data reporting functionality that lets clients build custom reports and easily identify methods for improving sales. In addition, PayPro is known for providing personal attention to its clients and advising clients on effective ways to increase revenue.

The Apple Canada App Store recently added a new app category entitled, “Great Canadian Apps“. This feature, as the name implies, recognizes apps created by Canadian-based companies. Only 29 Canadian-made apps have made the short list thus far, for everything from navigating Montreal to finance and productivity. It would be really nice to see a Made In Canada game feature as well, although searching for Canadian games in the App store does yield some interesting results…

All Seeing Eye Games announced today the release of a title update for the Xbox 360 game Drum Studio. The update for the award-winning drum recording game adds full support for velocity-sensitive drum kits. This new feature allows players with supported Xbox 360 drum kits to control the volume of their in-game drums by how hard they hit their real-life Xbox 360 drum pads.

Lead Programmer Darren Joe says, “This title update is a thank you to all the players who have made Drum Studio a success. For those with compatible drum kits, it adds a whole new dimension to Drum Studio’s already unparalleled recording tools.”

Drum Studio is an award-winning virtual drum recording app for Xbox 360 that allows players to play, record, edit, save and playback their own song creations using their Xbox 360 drum kits or controllers. It features a powerful easy-to-use recording interface, hundreds of high quality drum sounds and fully animated characters. It has received widespread critical acclaim since its release, including an Editor’s Choice Award from teamxbox.com.

The title update also includes fixes for an incorrect sign-in change detection and a conflict with cymbal expansion kits. Drum Studio is available now exclusively on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 80 Microsoft Points or try the free trial on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Snow Day Games, a new game development studio based in Charlottetown has announced that its original title for iPhone and iPod Touch, Fly vs. Car, is now available. Snow Day Games has partnered with international charity “Child’s Play” to put games and toys in the hands of sick children all over the world by sharing 50% of the profit from sales of the game to charity.

“Fly vs. Car is a fun, casual game for players of all ages and that fits with our goal of making a game that can do good in the world for children,” said Matthew White, chief creative officer of Snow Day Games. “As players dodge traffic in homage to Frogger and other great games where you avoid getting flattened, they can also know that their gaming is helping others.”

In Fly vs. Car, players avoid oncoming traffic for as long as possible by moving their fly from side to side. It’s a challenging and fun, fast paced game where the faster your reflexes, the higher your score. Fly vs. Car features OpenFeint, Facebook, and Twitter integration, so high scores can be shared and players can compete against their friends on the leaderboards.

Cross Media Toronto has announced new additions to its line-up of industry executives and technology experts to speak, demonstrate and debate at its symposium this July 21st, 2010. The event is in partnership with NATPE, the MaRS Discovery District, the CFC Media Lab and Bell, with the additional support from Canadian Media Fund, Idea Couture, MarbleMedia and Bellfund.

Newly added speakers include SVP Managing Director of Arc Worldwide Richard Bernstein and Chief Digital Officer of TBWA Worldwide Colleen DeCourcy in a conversation on the future of the advertising industry titled ‘The Changing Agency: Evolution or Revolution. President of Digital Extremes Ltd Michael Schmalz rounds out the super panel which includes SVP Director Digital for Random House of Canada Lisa Charters, Head of Agency Relations for Google Canada Sabrina Geremia and Senior Business Development Manager for RIM Pete Watson, while Core Matrix Creator Jacob Blackstock, President and Founder of Secret Location James Milward and CEO of ES3 Douglas Edwards will be presenting technology demos which will explore the latest innovations in digital media.

Jacob Blackstock will demonstrate his project Bitstrips.com, a hugely popular online tool for creating original comics and cartoon characters. James Milward will demonstrate HERD which is a mobile application that enables participants to discover and tag GPS-enabled audio; and Douglas Edwards will discuss ES3’s ITV product catalogue. In addition, Steve Pratt, Director of Digital Music at CBC and the director of CBC Radio 3 will be speaking at Cross Media Toronto’s event. Radio 3 is a multi-platform unit of Canada’s public broadcaster that focuses on emerging Canadian music. Other special guests include Akamai’s Chief Strategist Chris Van Noy and Transmedia Consultant Dr. Siobhan O’Flynn.

These featured heavyweight media industry executives and technology experts will discuss specific ways their respective media sectors can begin to collaborate with one another. Cross Media Toronto is designed to give attendees an opportunity to network with other media sectors as well as learn how the other sectors function in order to foster cross media collaboration in the emerging digital landscape.

ServerBeach, a leading dedicated hosting provider that prides itself on being built ‘By Geeks, For Geeks’, today announced the availability of ServerBeach in Canada. Dedicated hosting in Canada through ServerBeach is now available for purchase worldwide and will be housed at PEER 1 Hosting’s flagship US$40 million data centre in Toronto, which opened earlier this year. PEER 1 Hosting acquired the dedicated hosting company in 2004 to help further its business by providing the necessary assistance to startups and small businesses around the world.

“We understand geographic location is an important factor for our customers when choosing where to house information,” says Robert Miggins, Senior Vice President, Business Development, ServerBeach. “We are committed to servicing our fellow geeks to the highest degree and are thrilled to be able to offer a full suite of services in Canada to support them, North and South of the border, as they grow.”

PEER 1 Hosting’s new 41,000 square-foot data centre is the most efficient data centre the Vancouver-based company has built to date, with increased power densities, high reliability and robust security. It also marks the first time PEER 1 Hosting will be offering all three hosting services – managed hosting, dedicated hosting and colocation – in Canada, enabling greater choice and flexibility to meet customer needs and current demands.

“While in theory hosting is a borderless business, in practice geography is very much a relevant factor. When it comes to choosing a hosting provider, where the data centre is located is a key part of a potential customer’s decision-making process,” said Philbert Shih, Senior Analyst for Hosting at Tier1 Research, a division of The 451 Group. “There are legal and regulatory issues to consider, while cultural and linguisitc factors should not be overlooked. There is also a comfort and convenience factor when it comes to where IT infrastructure is hosted, and distance to and from a data centre impacts performance and latency. Hosters that set up operations in multiple geographies and legal jurisdictions have a value propostion that will open the door to a wider range of opportunities.”

Unlike competitors, where service often ends once the server is connected, PEER 1 is focused on providing customers with continued support as their businesses grow, starting with dedicated hosting through ServerBeach, an inexpensive entry point for low traffic websites, through to colocation and managed hosting, which helps minimize internal IT pressures so businesses can put a greater emphasis on core business operations.

Although the hockey season is over, ServerBeach and PEER 1 Hosting is keeping the game alive with limited edition jerseys for its new customers. Beginning July 14, every new PEER 1 Hosting and ServerBeach customer in Canada will receive either an authentic PEER 1 Hosting or ServerBeach hockey jersey. Official jerseys are available through to the end of Summer 2010.

Tecagora Solutions Inc. is delighted to announce that Snapact Photo Manager has been selected as the winner of the “Best of Entertainment” category for the Intel Atom Developer Challenge 2010 taking home the award title and $10,000.

In January 2010, Intel announced the release of its AppUp Center and the Intel Atom Developer Challenge 2010 competition for software developers to create ground-breaking applications designed to operate on the Intel Atom processor that is found in many of the netbooks available in the marketplace.

“We are thrilled that Snapact Photo Manager has been selected as the winner of the Intel Atom Developer Challenge 2010 ‘Best of Entertainment’ award,” states Bruce Kwan, President and CEO of Tecagora Solutions Inc. “The Intel Atom Developer Challenge 2010 program is open to software developers on a world-wide scale, and to win the ‘Best of Entertainment’ category is a great achievement for the team behind the design and development of Snapact” says Kwan.

The AppUp Center is designed to be a storefront for games, software applications and utility tools that software developers have created and optimized for netbooks operating with the Intel Atom processor. All software titles available through the AppUp Center have been tested and certified to operate on Netbooks with the Atom processor. Netbook users can launch the AppUp Center and quickly browse, download, install, purchase and uninstall the optimized software titles available through the AppUp Center, saving time and effort in looking for software applications that may or may not work correctly on the user’s netbook. Categories of the Intel Developer Challenge 2010 “Best-in-Category Applications” include Best of Home & Lifestyle, Best of Utilities & Security, Best of Education & Reference, Best of Entertainment, and Best of Games. Tecagora has been a member of the Intel Software Partner Programme since December 2008, and a member of the Intel Atom Developer Program since the program’s inception in December 2009.

Kengin Consulting Inc., a mobile development consulting firm, has launched a new application for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users. Whether you are looking to build your own apps, acquire new skills for your resume, or just have some fun, you should check out SDKtoday now.

Kengin CEO Jacob Kennedy, was prompted to develop SDKtoday as a result of the experiences he encountered while developing his own iPhone apps. “When I was first learning how to make iPhone apps, I had to aggregate solutions from a variety of sources. There was no single place I could refer to that would provide me with everything that I was looking for. To get what I needed, I had to either buy a book or download an app… either way, I paid in full but needed only a fraction of the content. That’s why I like our app, and our approach. You can download it, demo the tutorial options, and decide what fits your needs. This way, you only end up buying what you need while being provided with a sweeter and swifter path to app development success.”

Dennis Volovic of dedovo Inc., collaborated with Kengin as SDKtoday went from design to reality. “We always wondered why something like this was never done before. As we began to work on our app, it became clear why! Conveying the depth and breadth of the tutorials in a way that is intuitive and scalable is not so straightforward. My excitement really piqued, and I knew we were on to something when the S2C2 methodology came together; Start It, Stub It, Connect It, and Complete It. It’s that easy! This approach is so incredible, that we immediately began using it for all our own personal app development!”

Kennedy & Volovic both agree that the “pièce de résistance” of the SDKtoday app, is the S2C2 learning methodology they created. The methodology was essential in streamlining the iPhone development process and provides a consistent learning experience throughout all tutorials!

SDKtoday App Features:

• Tutorials:

o The app gives you three tutorials for free. Tutorials 101 through 109 make up the “introductory series” of the SDKtoday tutorials. Once mastered, you will be in a position to apply this knowledge to build your own apps. The tutorials are packed with clear and practical info. They are architected around core development topics and techniques that illuminate individually and collectively.
o In the Tutorial Detail view you can Demo the App, learn to Build It, or Download the Code
o In the Build Detail view, you have the freedom to read through the materials or watch videos bringing the app to life utilizing the S2C2 methodology.
o Tutorials 104-109 are already available for purchase in the Store section of SDKtoday, with more to come.
o Every tutorial gives you the opportunity to learn by way of watching videos or reading, and each works towards development of an actual app.
o Status Indicator: Toggle the status button to keep track of your progress. There are three tutorial states; Not Started, In Progress, and Complete.

• Reference Section: Provides an extensive reference section offering tips and other Xcode related literature. You can review the Core Data Object nomenclature, brush up on your Xcode Keyboard Shortcuts, learn a few Debugging Tips, and much more.

• Store: In addition to the free Tutorial offerings, there is a store full of additional tutorials. You can buy these tutorials and expand your SDK knowledge even further, right in the app. You can go through the tutorials in order, or in the classic “choose your own adventure” fashion.

The call for submissions to present lectures, roundtables and panel sessions at the 2011 Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is now open through Wednesday, August 25th. Organized by the UBM TechWeb Game Network, GDC 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the game industry’s most comprehensive professionals-only event where game developers converge for a week of learning, networking and inspiration. GDC 2011 will take place February 28-March 4 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California. Session proposals can be submitted via the official GDC website. The GDC advisory board is looking for submissions in the following areas: Audio, Business and Management, Game Design, Production, Programming and Visual Arts.

The industry has seen the scope of gaming experiences evolve to include more connected social games and independently produced titles. The GDC 2011 advisory board has been expanded to address these areas and welcomes a slate of new members including Dan Fiden, (GM, Playfish San Francisco), Adam Saltsman (Co-Founder, Semi Secret Software ), Soren Johnson (Lead Designer and Programmer, EA Maxis),Siobhan Reddy (Studio Director, Media Molecule), Steve Theodore (Technical Art Director, Undead Labs) and Scott Selfon (Lead Program Manager, Microsoft). These new members join industry veterans such as Dave Perry (Gaika.com), Mark Cerny (Cerny Games), Chris Hecker (definition six), Rob Pardo (Blizzard Entertainment), Julien Merceron (Square Enix), among others on the advisory board.

“We pride ourselves on providing best practices for game developers of all genres and GDC 2011 will continue this tradition as the gaming space grows and adapts to the evolving market,” said Meggan Scavio, director, Game Developers Conference. “We’re excited to welcome our newest advisory board members and expect them to bring a healthy balance of their past experiences along with a fresh approach to the conference program. The forward-facing content, inspired sessions, and especially the insightful advisory board are what has kept the event thriving for 25 years, and will sustain it for the next 25.”

“While DeathSpank is definitely one of the funnier games out there, it’s more than a one trick pony,” said Vlad Ceraldi, Director of Game Development for Hothead Games. “We’ve built a game with fast-paced, addictive combat set in a world that has a tremendous amount of depth that is filled with dynamic characters, colorful environments and tons of cool weapons and loot. And yes, we still have ponies too — trick ponies!”

“The team at Hothead has really made the perfect experience for the summer,” said Jamil Moledina, Outreach Director, Business Development for EA Partners. “DeathSpank is a high-end and fun game, yet incredibly accessible. It’s very easy to pick up and play, both in terms of its classic arcade controls, as well as the convenience of downloading it straight to your console.”

Players who download the game, which is rated T for Teen, will be placed in the boots of the mighty DeathSpank, “Dispenser of Justice”, “Vanquisher of Evil” and “Hero to the Downtrodden”, embarking on his life long journey is to search for and find a mysterious artifact known only as, “The Artifact”. Along his journey, DeathSpank will rescue orphans, defeat a local tyrant, help an aging adventurer, and dive headfirst into an even deeper mystery. The game’s accessibility makes for a fun, addictive experience where players will find themselves solving crazy puzzles, collecting massive amounts of loot and hearing witty dialogue. For those with friends, DeathSpank also features local co-operative gameplay, allowing friends to jump in and out of fighting through this adventure on the same console as both DeathSpank and his trusty, magical sidekick, Sparkles the Wizard.

Dead Rising 2 Executive Producer, Keiji Inafune and Producer, Shinsaku Ohara, will be at Comic-Con in San Diego to unveil development stories and discuss the upcoming Zombrex Dead Rising Sun motion picture, with a Q&A session to follow. Their talk will take place on July 22 in Room 25ABC from 12:00-1:00 P.M. If you’re going to Comic-Con, Capcom will be in booth #4844, and the Capcom Store will offer items exclusive to Comic Con – including 10 of the Dead Rising 2 motorcycle jacket.

The Montreal International Game Summit has officially launched their 2010 site and confirmed November 7th & 8th as the date for its 7th annual event. Taking place at the Hilton Bonaventure in Montreal, MiGS offers over 80 sessions and activities, addressing continuing professional training needs, fueling the five main themes of the video game industry: business, arts and visual effects, design, programming and technical aspects. In addition to two keynote speakers, there will be an invited speaker for each of the themes.

Also new this year is a contest to win free admission to this year’s conference. If you want to attend quality conferences and workshops, in addition to meeting video game industry professionals, enter the Montreal Takes Control contest for a chance to win. Send a photo or a drawing on the theme Montreal takes control to Géraldine Philippin. The winner will be chosen based on originality alone. Only one photo or one drawing per participant is allowed. You have until July 27, 2010 to send in your work and your contact information. The winner will be announced August 3rd, 2010 via Facebook, Twitter, and the MiGS newsletter.

The Exhibition Zone is being renewed this year at MiGS. Divided into three distinct sections (Education, Recruitment and Demonstration) to facilitate the visit, the Exhibition Zone will also offer many activities. For this seventh edition, new activities are on the menu such as D3D (a friendly competition simulating the main stages involved in creating a video game) and an open recruitment activity (free access to over 200 students or job seekers in the field of video games, mini interviews with industry professionals). With new advantageous rates, entertainment and competitions, the Exhibition Zone will allow you to take control of your space and showcase your products and services.

Those interested in becoming show sponsors are welcome to organize a competition, activities by the heated pool or give out t-shirts bearing your corporate identity and that of MIGS. Check out the sponsorship opportunities or contact Sylvianne Pilon – customized sponsorship packages are also a possibility.

Ludia and FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) today announced the launch of the Family Feud for iPad® on the App Store for $6.99. The game brings an unparalleled Family Feud game experience to iPad owners, enhanced with eye-popping new HD graphics and incorporating Multi-Touch game play.

Based on one of the most successful family game shows of all time – which premieres its 12th season in syndication with new host Steve Harvey on September 13th (check local listings), iPad owners can now play anywhere, anytime as the leader of a ‘family’ in a contest to name the most popular answers to survey questions posed to 100 people. The game features all of the favorite elements of the show as played on television, including the scoreboard, face offs, strikes, stealing and ‘fast money’ rounds. Players also can enjoy Family Feud in multiplayer mode as they challenge family and friends head-to-head, or compete solo against the computer.

“We are excited to bring the Family Feud game, one of the most popular game shows of all time, to a device as immersive as the iPad,” said Alex Thabet, Founder and CEO of Ludia Inc. “This release further reinforces our cross-platform strategy of delivering high quality, family-friendly game experiences on the latest devices on which people like to play games.”

Family Feud for iPad features:

• Eye-popping HD Graphics designed and optimized for the iPad’s advanced capabilities.
• Two game modes: single and multiplayer.
• Fully customizable player avatars – choose hairstyles, clothing, accessories and more.
• Predictive text input and auto spell checker make typing answers lightning fast.
• Unlock bonus items as a reward for progress in the game.
• Authentic stage, theme music and sound effects create a true-to-show game experience.

“After more than three decades on television, the Emmy-award winning Family Feud continues to be one of the most beloved television brands,” said Olivier Delfosse, Director, Interactive, FME. “We are pleased to extend the franchise to devices like the iPad so that both fans and game show enthusiasts alike can experience Family Feud in thrilling new ways.”

MaRS is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its successful Angel program, created to help its start-up clients connect with new funding sources. Since the program’s inception, more than 50% of presenting companies have received funding, with more recent participants in ongoing dialogue with interested investors.

Five MaRS Angel breakfast events have been held since June 2009 at the MaRS Centre. Clients from three practice areas – ICE (information technology, communications & entertainment), cleantech as well as life sciences and health care) are invited to pitch to a group of accredited investors. Co-Chairs Jim Meenan (MaRS Advisor), Ron Close (MaRS Advisor) and Jim Rae (a prominent life sciences executive) facilitate the company selection process and host the MaRS Angel breakfast events. The participating angel investors are highly regarded in their respective industries, with many sourced through personal networks from MaRS advisors, staff and community stakeholders.

Program feedback from both investors and companies has been very positive. “The MaRS Angel event that we attended was a huge success for us,” says Ray Newal, Founder and CEO of Jigsee. “We raised additional angel funds for our recent investment round as a direct result of being selected to present to the group. We were amazed at the high profile investors that these meetings attract. We are also grateful for the guidance and pitch coaching we received from the MaRS team in preparing for this event.”

Canaccord Genuity, the leading independent advisory and restructuring firm in Canada, was the first company to come on board in a sponsorship capacity – providing the funds to launch the program.

“The MaRS Angel program is playing a vital role in connecting entrepreneurs with qualified investors. Given the need for early-stage funding that this new generation of companies requires, we’re delighted to be a supporter of this program,” says David Kassie, Group Chairman, Canaccord Genuity.

The funds raised from angels are often the first substantial source of financing for early stage science and technology companies. “Through our Advisory Services group, MaRS has a unique window on a new generation of emerging companies,” says Ilse Treurnicht, CEO of MaRS. “We are very pleased with the feedback from respected angel investors. They appreciate that presenting companies are very well prepared for these meetings. Furthermore, they view MaRS as a valuable resource to help them grow companies over the longer term. Given the financing deals completed over the first year in a tough investing climate, it is clear this process is working.”
Absolute® Software Corporation, the leading provider of firmware-based, patented, computer theft recovery, data protection and secure computer lifecycle management solutions announced today that they have won an International Stevie Award for Best New Product or Service of the Year – Computer Software – New Version for Absolute Manage in The 2010 International Business Awards. The International Business Awards are the only global, all-encompassing business awards program honoring great performances in business.

Nicknamed the Stevie® for the Greek word “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala dinner on Monday, 27 September in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey.

“Winning this award demonstrates that with the new features and functionality launched this year and those we continue to develop, including support for iOS 4, Absolute Manage is a world-class computer lifecycle management solution,” said Peter Frankl, Vice President of Lifecycle Management at Absolute Software. “Absolute Manage is one of the only computer lifecycle management solutions that can truly support a PC and Mac mixed environment while helping IT reduce costs and increase efficiencies.”

Recipients of International Stevie Award trophies were selected from more than 1,700 entries received from organizations and individuals in more than 40 countries.

“Despite the harsh economic climate, entries to the IBAs actually grew a bit this year, and that illustrates the increasing importance of The International Business Awards worldwide,” said Michael Gallagher, president of The Stevie Awards, presenters of the IBAs. “We congratulate all of the Finalists and International Stevie Awards winners, and we look forward to honoring them for their achievements at our gala awards dinner in Istanbul on 27 September.”

Revolutionary On-Demand software from Markham, Ontario’s Carlton Group is able to replace the traditional and expensive legacy systems many companies have used to manage employee recognition and service awards. On-Demand software is an alternative that provides a robust yet cost-effective solution to companies large and small. Now any size company can have the power to motivate and engage their employees, sales teams and channel partners with Carlton Group’s On-Demand solution called Power2Motivate (P2M).

In the past, companies have had little choice but to use expensive, inflexible legacy software systems to manage their programs. Costly to set-up and maintain, legacy systems require additional IT programming for every change, lengthy deployment times, and significant costs to reuse or transfer client-specific updates.

With Carlton’s breakthrough Power2Motivate solution clients can now launch programs quickly, deploying as many unique programs as they want, all within a simple pricing model. All P2M solutions are built and launch-ready – no IT required. A company simply adds their employee data and they’re ready to get started.

More importantly, P2M’s On-Demand design simultaneously deploys any new features, products and enhancements to all users globally. Over the past twelve months, P2M deployed more than 200 unique upgrades alone – all at no additional cost to clients.

P2M uses a “Collaborative Development” process that links client requests with the program design team. The team develops and then deploys these enhancements universally to be shared by the entire P2M user community. The result is a more robust technology system that benefits all its users.

Toronto’s Canada Type font design studio has come to a font distribution agreement with American distributor Ascender Corporation. The design studio, which was founded by Rebecca Alaccari and Patrick Griffin in early 2004, has created a variety of high-quality typefaces popular with design professionals and creative enthusiasts. The Canada Type fonts have appeared on everything from large corporate projects to small personal design work.

“We don’t believe people should have to choose between quality and creativity when choosing a font,” said Griffin, co-founder of Canada Type. “We feel Ascender shares this belief. It is reflected in their passion for creating and licensing high quality, innovative typefaces. We look forward to seeing where Ascender can take our font collection.”

The Canada Type font collection will add a number of enhanced versions of historical typefaces and expertly-designed original fonts to Ascender’s diverse collection of fonts. This includes an impressive lineup of popular script fonts and a variety of exclusive psychedelic fonts from the ‘60s and ‘70s. The Canada Type fonts are available in both TrueType and OpenType formats and can be found on the Ascender Fonts website. Ascender is also proud to offer the Canada Type fonts to its broad range of OEM/ISV customers including video game and Blu-ray publishers, software developers, web server application developers, and hardware manufacturers.

Following a recent announcement solidifying exclusive long-term distribution agreements for 10 new programs, Tricon Films & Television is pleased to let us know about the sale of three of its signature properties, Family Renovation, Marriage Under Construction and House of Bryan to leading US specialty networks.

HGTV US has picked up all three seasons of Marriage Under Construction (39 X 30), a docu-soap that follows the personal and physical struggle of a newlywed couple renovating their first home for the first time. The series is produced by Tricon Films & Television and airs on HGTV Canada.

Sold to DIY Network are Family Renovation (13×30) and House of Bryan (13 X 30). Both are currently airing on HGTV Canada. House of Bryan challenges renowned host of Disaster DIY, Bryan Baeumler, to build his own home from the ground up in just six months. The series is produced by SI Entertainment. Family Renovation, produced by Ocean Entertainment, follows one family’s home renovation experience while living through it.

These three new sales add to Tricon’s existing roster of programming sold to networks in the US and around the world, with distribution sales to-date reaching over 120 countries.

After eleven years of making PC games, Quebec-based ApeZone has released its first iPhone game, SoliScare. Use the solitaire skills you’ve honed while killing time at work on your Windows PC to whack Zombies, smack Ghosts, and mash Monsters on your iPhone. As you work your way through the game, you will travel to graveyards, haunted castles, and other spooky locations. Put the beat down on things that go bump in the night, collecting all 37 ghosts, zombies, and classic movie monsters by making extraordinary card runs. As your skill level increases, you can unlock 100 unique, hand-crafted levels and use coins to purchase in-game enhancements, giving you a new experience each time you play. SoliScare is available in the iTunes App Store for 99 cents.

Frima Studio announced today that the Summer of the PlayStation Mini is officially here with the arrival of Widgets Odyssey on the PlayStation Store in North America for only $1.99 USD. As a PlayStation Mini title, playable on both the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Widgets Odyssey takes players on the first of two interstellar puzzle-platforming adventures that will continue in Widgets Odyssey 2, also releasing later this summer.

“The launch of Widgets Odyssey marks an exciting day for puzzle-platforming fans everywhere, and we’re also happy to be kicking off a series of summer releases for the PlayStation Minis platform from Frima,” said Steve Couture, CEO and co-founder of Frima Studio. “The Minis platform has allowed us to deliver our proudest creations to players on both the PSP and PS3 without them having to break the bank. We couldn’t be happier to continue the tradition this summer with both installments of Widgets Odyssey, as well as our upcoming action-epic, Young Thor.”

In Widgets Odyssey, five robots aboard their space vessel have just one simple mission: to save the universe from the tyrannical Yagor and his evil henchmen! Armed with the abilities of Spad, Cosmo, Bruce, Helmut, and Monk, players will guide each robot along their exciting adventures filled with puzzles, mazes and minigames. Players can also look forward to the continuing adventures of the ‘S-Space’ crew in Widgets Odyssey 2 when it launches later this summer.

Ratrod Studio Inc. is proudly announcing their latest iPhone game title “Drift Mania Championship” which has been developed in collaboration with the official Drift Mania Canadian Championship league (DMCC). This exciting video game will be available worldwide in mid July 2010 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The game is rated 4+ (for everyone) and can be purchased on the Apple App Store.

Already entering its 5th season, DMCC is the only professional drifting series and sanctioning body in Canada developing over 600 drivers, hosting 10 competitions from Vancouver to Quebec and capturing hundreds of thousands of fans every year. Like real drifting, the Drift Mania Championship video game is a combination of driving skills, style and showmanship. It’s all about loss of the rear wheel traction while keeping the race car in total control.

“It was very exciting to collaborate with Ratrod Studio on this project. We have been able to develop this adrenalin-packed drift game that everyone has been waiting for!” says Eric Belec (DMCC, President).

Drift Mania Championship includes a global online leader board which keeps track of everyone’s best scores and season point totals. Challenge your friends by submitting your high scores for each circuit and expose your achievements to the world. Play often to increase your overall career score and become the next Drift Mania world champion. The top 100 positions for each category are displayed on the official Drift Mania website (Leader boards).

The game features stunning 3D graphics with realistic drift controls including a variable throttle system and hydraulic handbrake. Users will be able to select between 5 vehicles, each with their own performance specs and the ability to personalize their car. The game includes 3 different circuits to master and 3 levels of difficulties. So whether you are a casual or advanced gamer, you will be able to enjoy hours of challenging game play to suit your skill set.

Drifting is a very unique Motorsport where points are allocated on 4 main criteria: speed, line, angle and impact. Players will need to qualify on the podium to unlock different circuits and cars. They will also be able to choose between 3 different camera views and watch their performance highlights using a replay system that shows off their best combos. The game soundtrack features bands from the Good Fight Music label including “I Am Abomination” and “Conditions” latest albums. Users also have the ability to listen to their own songs from their personalized music library.

Ratrod Studio also announced an upcoming update for their popular iPhone game “Mike V: Do or Die – Skateboarding” that was nominated at the “2010 IMGA Awards” and a free “Do or Die Lite” version which will also be available mid July 2010.

EA Sports has unveiled a new feature for FIFA 11 called Creation Centre, which will provide football fans with the tools to customize content in FIFA 11 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 in new ways. Craft your own football player and create the team of your dreams using the online web-based application,  choosing his appearance, accessories and attributes and then create an original team with a distinctive crest and kits, complete with home stadium.

Fans will be able to share their created players and teams with friends and download into their console to play online, in Tournaments and in Kick-Off matches in FIFA 11. In addition, fans can choose player attributes and manage their created team’s formations and tactics right from the web. Creation Centre will launch when FIFA 11 is available in stores on Sept. 28 in North America and Oct. 1 in Europe and Asia.

“Having the ability to customize content in FIFA 11 to the degree where you are creating players and teams, choosing player attributes and managing team tactics effortlessly from the web opens up a world of possibilities of original content that fans will be able to create,” said David Rutter, Producer of FIFA 11 on Xbox 360 and PS3. “Creation Centre will perfectly compliment the official league and team licenses that are the hallmark of the FIFA franchise.”

Also new this year in FIFA 11 is Custom Audio, which enables fans to assign chants for every team and league in the game. Fans can set their home club’s chants to play during player introductions, halftime, and after goals – even hearing their name echo in the stands of Old Trafford or San Siro with created chants for their Virtual Pro. Plus, fans now have the ability to play music from their hard drive in game. FIFA 11 will be available in stores for the PlayStation3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii, PlayStation2, Nintendo DS, PSP and mobile on Sept. 28 in North America

Kudos Coins, a revolutionary new way to transmit money online while expressing approval or gratitude, is now available to the public. Developed by a graduate of Waterloo University’s prestigious Computer Science program, Kudos Coins allows users to offer congratulations and monetary rewards to others via the web. With Kudos Coins, web users may send and receive money while staying in touch with one another. Kudos Coins offers other features as well and is geared toward social networking and creative-content websites.

With Kudos Coins, users may send rewards to anyone they please using a simple interface. The service can be accessed from any computer or web-capable mobile device. The user purchases the desired number of Kudos Coins and sends them to whomever he or she pleases. The recipient is then able not only to enjoy the esteem his or her work has earned, but also to redeem the coins for real money. Recipients may exchange one thousand Kudos Coins for one dollar (US).

Kudos Coins is primarily marketed toward social networking websites and owners of creative content published on the World Wide Web. The Coins provide customers a way to reward others for their services or creations. Content creators will find this a new and convenient way to earn support for their works. If, for example, a Kudos Coins account holder were to see a video he enjoyed on YouTube, he could express his approval by sending the video’s creator a certain number of Coins, along with a personalized message of support. The coins are then transferred from the viewer’s “Bucket” to the creator’s.

Another feature of Kudos Coins is the “Leaky Bucket,” which allows account holders to request information or services and set aside a selected sum of Kudos Coins to be transferred upon completion of the request. The “Kudos Maps” feature allows users to be notified when new offers are available near them. The “Linked Account” system permits Kudos Coins accounts to be linked with other social networking accounts.

Kudos Coins aims to integrate payment and social networking for the convenience and enjoyment of its users. In addition to the functions described above, the application may also be used as a voting or rating system, a means of spreading product awareness, or a way of collecting funds for charitable causes or group events.

Kudos Coins is currently capable of being embedded in any webpage, and accounts may be linked to accounts for a number of popular social networking, creative-content, or commercial websites, including AOL, Blogger, eBay, Facebook, Flickr, GMail, ICQ, MySpace, Slashdot, Twitter, Vimeo, Windows Live, and YouTube. Kudos Coins hopes to add accessibility to other sites in the future. The Kudos Coins application is indicated by a green “thumbs-up” symbol.

There is no charge to sign up for a Kudos Coins account or to send or receive money, however a small fee is applied when purchasing or redeeming the Coins and a PayPal account is required to use the Kudos Coins system. Software indexer Softpedia has certified Kudos Coins’ software to be free of any adware or spyware.

Strategic mobile consultant and developer Xtreme Labs is celebrating the 10 millionth recorded download for their clients’ Blackberry-exclusive apps. As the creator of over 100 mobile applications for an array of clients, Xtreme Labs has dozens of additional apps currently under development. “We’re extremely busy at the Labs,” says Farhan Thawar, VP of Engineering at Xtreme Labs. “Our reputation is preceding us when it comes time for potential clients to choose a strategic partner for mobile applications.”

Their membership in RIM’s Elite Alliance program has added even more cache to Xtreme Labs’ already stellar reputation for building exceptional Blackberry mobile applications. “Being part of RIM’s Elite Alliance enables Xtreme Labs to receive specialized technical, marketing, and sales support as well as insight into upcoming innovations in the BlackBerry ecosystem,” says Thawar.

Some of Xtreme Labs’ clients include Microsoft, NBA Digital, Dictionary.com, AccuWeather, and Urbanspoon, “With the increasing popularity of mobile platforms, companies want to be a part of the latest trend, in this case company-specific mobile applications,” says Sundeep Madra, Co-founder of Xtreme Labs.

In keeping with this demand, Xtreme Labs has launched a practice focused on tablet platforms, including the Apple iPad. With 3 million iPads sold in 80 days, and 11,000 iPad apps already in the App store, Xtreme Labs is embracing Apple’s latest creation. Says Madra, “The iPad has caused an even greater surge in popularity of the development and use of mobile applications. We see the iPad as a growth platform not just for Apple, but for us as well.”

Waterloo’s Desire2Learn Incorporated is expanding its client-focused commitment with the establishment of its newest subsidiary, Desire2Learn Australia Pty Ltd., providing local presence for both clients and prospects in the Asia-Pacific region.

Brisbane Grammar School, Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu – The Correspondence School, Curriculum Council of Western Australia (CCWA), amongst others, are part of the growing list of clients in the region who will benefit from having direct access to Desire2Learn personnel in the area.

The Desire2Learn Australia Pty Ltd. team, who have extensive backgrounds in international education and eLearning, has been hired within the region. Heading up these efforts are: Chris Jones – Regional Sales Director and Ian Smissen – Director, eLearning Strategies.

“We are very pleased to be announcing the establishment of our subsidiary in the Asia-Pacific region,” states John Baker, President & CEO, Desire2Learn. “This region has demonstrated its leadership in adopting eLearning technology. We are looking forward to the continued growth of our local teams and helping clients achieve their goals and vision.”

A new global survey commissioned by global workplace solutions provider Regus revealed that 34 percent of Canadian businesses have successfully used social networks to win new business, reinforcing the impact that social media has had on corporations. That said, Canada lags slightly behind the global average in this regard, with 40 percent of businesses globally having successfully leveraged social media tools for business development.

Up to now, relatively little analysis has been available regarding the real use businesses are making of social networking and whether true revenue potential can be generated through this channel. To glean whether businesses globally believe that social networking is ready to take its place among an array of marketing tools, the Regus survey asked business leaders not only whether they had achieved any customer wins using social networking, but also whether they believed the channel was effective enough to be awarded its own portion of marketing budget. Proving the faith businesses have in the social networking medium is seen in the revelation that more than a quarter of businesses worldwide (27 percent) have set aside a proportion of marketing budget specifically devoted to social networking activities.

Globally, social networks are still used for their original purposes. The most popular use of social networks is staying in touch with business contacts, with 58 percent of respondents globally declaring they use networks in this way. Joining special interest groups is also popular (54 percent).

Although a number of skeptics (34 percent) believe social networking will never become a significant method of connecting to customers and prospects, 51 percent of companies globally organize, connect to or manage customer groups via social networks. Fifty four percent of firms use social networks to find useful business information. Surprisingly, however, only 22 percent of respondents had found new employment through social networking, in spite of the specific job search functions of networks such as LinkedIn.

In Canada specifically, although 28 percent of businesses have set aside a proportion of marketing budget devoted to social networking activities, results deviate marginally from the global average. Fifty three percent of respondents used social networking to keep in touch with contacts, slightly below the global average of 58 percent. Only 49 percent declared that they used social networks to source relevant information (globally 54 percent), while five percent fewer respondents than average (51 percent) declared that the main usefulness of social networking in business is to organize, connect to and manage customer groups.

Wes Lenci, Regus regional vice president for Canada, comments, “Our global survey has revealed that social networking has finally become a mainstream business tool. Although there is a core group of sceptics globally, who do not believe that social networks will become a significant method of reaching customers and prospects, a significant proportion of firms are devoting real marketing budgets through the medium to acquire new customers and keep existing ones.

“While the most popular function of these networks remains that of keeping in touch with contacts, businesses are also successfully acquiring new customers, supporting their retention efforts and interacting with customer groups. With approximately 33 percent of the country logged onto Facebook and more than two million Canadians on LinkedIn, reservations towards using social networks professional seem misplaced. This survey indicates that organizations who have not yet ventured into the world of social networking may be missing out on sizeable business opportunities. This is particularly the case in the Netherlands (48 percent), India (52 percent), Mexico (50 percent) and Spain (50 percent), where the highest level of new customer acquisition via social networking was reported.”

The survey also analyzed company size differences and found that overall small companies were a little more likely than average to use social networking. In Canada, 60 percent of medium and 34 percent of small companies successfully found new customers through social networks, compared to only 15 percent of large companies. More small companies (30 percent) also actively devote marketing budget to this activity than the global average (27 percent). Bucking the global trend encountered by the survey, employees of larger firms were the least likely to have found employment via social networking (15 percent) compared to small (17 percent) and medium (20 percent) firms.

On a sector basis, consultancy businesses were exactly on average, with 40 percent of respondents having found new customers through social networking. In this sector 29 percent of companies also actively devoted a part of their marketing budget to social networking activity and 56 percent used social networks to find useful information. Unsurprisingly, fewer skeptics than average were found in the consultancy sector (23 percent) than average (34 percent).

Congratulations are due to Tickle Tap Apps developer zinc Roe, the proud recipient of three Parents’ Choice Awards in the highly competitive Mobile Apps category. Sound Shaker and Sort Slider both earned Gold Awards for highest quality apps while Count Caddy was recognized with Silver Honors for excellence. These popular apps are educational iPhone games preschoolers love and parents can feel good about.

To celebrate the awards, zinc Roe will be giving away Bug Builder, the newest app in the Tickle Tap series, for free! Visit the iTunes App Store on Saturday, July 3 or Sunday, July 4 and type “Bug Builder” into the search to download your free app.

The venerable Parents’ Choice Foundation has been reviewing and recommending quality children’s media for more than three decades. This year it was inundated with entries for its new Mobile Apps category. Apps were judged based on overall ratings for how each app amused and offered new ways to learn. The judges describe Tickle Tap Apps as “a charming introduction to learning anytime and anywhere.”

“zinc Roe design offers a suite of bright and colorful apps for the youngest users,” says the Parents’ Choice Awards review of the Tickle Tap apps. “With its welcoming continuity of voice and characters, this age-appropriate playful prologue is deliciously intriguing to those eager to learn.”

Tickle Tap Apps are attractive, simple games that help kids learn about numbers, shapes and patterns. The apps are developed by child gaming experts, vetted by educational researchers and tested by kids. These portable games help transform trips, line-ups and car rides into fun, educational experiences for young children.

U.S. publisher 505 Games and Canadian developer Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M) have released the bears – Naughty Bear is now available for the Xbox 360™ and PlayStation®3 platforms. The game allows players to take on the role of the infamous Naughty Bear, who is driven to seek retribution after his fellow bears snub him one time too many times. After the other bears exclude him from Daddles’ big birthday party, Naughty Bear finally snaps and slashes a grisly path of revenge and destruction across the Island of Perfection.

Waging psychological warfare against all things cute and fluffy, as Naughty Bear, players engage in sadistic scuffles on all that crosses their path. Using a hilarious array of weapons, interactive objects and endless scare tactics, gamers create chaos on the Island of Perfection to earn Naughty Points as they inflict physical and psychological harm on Naughty Bear’s numerous enemies. This all-new scare-based points system allows players to win the most rewards for being truly deviant and maniacal. As the ill-fated bears become more difficult to harass and terrorize as the game progresses, the variety of scare-based attacks allow for a completely new experience each time players pick up a controller.

Rated by the ESRB as “T” for Teens with a “Violence” content descriptor, Naughty Bear features more than 28 single player levels to unlock as well as competitive online multiplayer modes filled with unique characteristics and weaponry encountered at every stage. Players battle an endless barrage of bears recruited to wage war against Naughty, including Soldier Bears, Ninja Bears, Robo Bears and even an Alien Bear invasion. As they scour the Island of Perfection to unleash their naughtiness, players can collect all the hidden party items locked away by the other bears to win wearable items and unlock special Achievements and Trophies.

Transgaming has just announced that Her Interactive’s title Nancy Drew: Trail of the Twister is now available on GameTree Online for Mac gamers. Download the game for only $19.99 and then go undercover as a storm chaser, immersing yourself in meteorology by studying clouds, reading Doppler data, and surviving tornadoes – all while trying to find a saboteur.

For the second time in as many weeks, Canadian rockers Nickelback have ventured into the musical game genre, this time with California-based developer Tapulous. The studio is extending its wildly popular Tap Tap Revenge franchise with the launch of Nickelback Revenge, which is available now for $4.99 in the iTunes App Store. The new game features eleven of Nickelback’s most popular all-time songs, including “Rockstar,” “This Afternoon,” and “If Today Was Your Last Day.”

“The combination of our music and Tapulous’ gameplay is very cool. We’re excited to give our fans a fun, interactive way to experience our music,” said Chad Kroeger of Nickelback.

A premium version of Tapulous’ addictive music rhythm game, Nickelback Revenge sets gameplay to the band’s biggest hits and integrates engaging Nickelback graphics and content. The game also includes a popular Bluetooth-based “battle mode” which allows players to wirelessly challenge friends to point-by-point battles for bragging rights.

“We’re thrilled to bring Nickelback to Tap Tap Revenge. Our players are always hungry for more great music, and Nickelback definitely fits the bill,” explained Tim O’Brien, VP of business development at Tapulous. “Whether measured by album sales, song downloads or concert attendance, Nickelback is huge.”

To kick off the launch, Tapulous and Roadrunner Records, Nickelback’s worldwide music label, are running a special promotion: The first 2,500 consumers to download the game will receive 25 in-game credits — good towards the purchase of more music — and a chance to win a Gibson Flying V signed by the band. In addition, players will be challenged to “Outplay Nickelback,” or beat the band members’ highest in-game scores. Players who best Chad, lead guitarist Ryan Peake, bass guitarist Mike Kroeger and/or drummer Daniel Adair will be entered to win weekly prizes, including Dark Horse tour books and premium earphones.

Consumers across the globe are embracing the Internet as a primary source of information, but Canadians are unique in their use of digital and social media. The 2010 Digital Influence Index, released in Canada today by Fleishman-Hillard in conjunction with Harris Interactive, reveals that Canadians have high online engagement but a lower level of trust in the Internet.

The study also measures several key aspects of consumers’ use of the Internet, from media consumption patterns, to the degree of adoption of various digital behaviours, to involvement in social networking. Now in its second year, the Index has expanded to include 48 per cent of the global online population, spanning the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Japan and Canada.

“Canadian consumers are comfortable yet cautious when it comes to using the Internet,” said David Bradfield, senior partner and global chair of Fleishman-Hillard’s digital practice. “We lead the world in social networking and call the Internet our most influential source of information. There’s a gap though. While consumers migrate online, marketers aren’t making the move to digital fast enough. They need to realign their marketing and communication programs or risk irrelevance in the consumers’ mind.”

The Digital Influence Index reveals the following key insights that set Canadian consumers apart from the rest of the world:

1. Internet Most Influential Medium: The Internet is the most important and influential form of media consumed by Canadians. Compared to the 37 per cent of Canadian consumers who say that newspapers are important to their lives, 52 per cent say that the Internet is most important.
2. Canadians are Sociable: Sixty-nine per cent of Canadian consumers have a Facebook account, compared with the 47 per cent average across the seven countries. Though Canadians embrace social media, they are cautious about its use and how much they reveal about themselves.
3. Canadians Seek Accuracy: In Canada, consumers are more likely to identify and follow a couple of trustworthy sources for the most accurate information on the Internet.
4. Cautiously Trusting: Canadians are most likely to seek advice from others when making a decision and value conversations with friends, families and co-workers when it comes to decision-making.
5. Twitter Know-how: Consumers in Canada are the most knowledgeable of microblogs but have low levels of trust in companies that microblog.
6. Pay to Play Doesn’t Pay-off: Consumers call into question the truthfulness of an article written by a blogger if the blogger was given a free sample or was paid by a company.
7. Adopting Mobile Behaviours: Canada has a relatively low level of adopting many mobile digital behaviours compared with other mature markets (U.S., U.K, France, Germany and Japan).
8. Where to From Here: Although the Internet is already considered an influential medium, only 24 per cent of Canadians believe that it will have a greater influence on their decisions in the next two years.

Waterloo’s Primate Labs, developer of the cross-platform Geekbench benchmark, is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Geekbench 2 for iPhone and iPod touch on the iTunes App Store. Geekbench 2 for iPhone features a completely new interface designed for the iPhone and iPod touch, and runs the same benchmarks as Geekbench 2 for other platforms.

“What’s great about Geekbench 2 for iPhone is that it runs the same benchmarks as Geekbench 2 on other operating systems,” says John Poole, founder of Primate Labs. “Users can not only compare their results between other iPhones and iPods, but also between iPhones, iPods, Macs, and PCs.”

Accuracy: Geekbench 2 for iPhone runs a number of different benchmarks, all of which are engineered to simulate real-world usage scenarios. Geekbench quickly and accurately measure processor and memory performance. Geekbench also displays results for each individual benchmark and an average overall score for all benchmarks, allowing users to make both broad and narrow comparisons between devices.

Ease of use: Geekbench 2 for iPhone features a simple user interface with no difficult or confusing benchmark options to set, which takes the guesswork out of producing repeatable and reliable benchmark results.

Community: Geekbench 2 for iPhone integrates with the Geekbench Result Browser. The Geekbench Result Browser allows users to upload, manage, and share their benchmark results online. Users can also compare their results to other results; with over 250,000 results from different sectors and industries (including finance, government, media, and tech) the Geekbench Result Browser provides a rich database for comparisons.

Geekbench 2 for iPhone requires an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 4 or later, and is available today on the iTunes App Store for $4.99.

The National Film Board (NFB) of Canada, which is undergoing the complete digitization of its 70-year film and tape-based collection, has implemented American-developed Atempo Digital Archive (ADA) as the cornerstone archival solution for its preservation efforts. The organization has integrated ADA within its digitization workflow to archive and manage over 13,000 works that make up 6,000 hours of content.

In developing the NFB’s Digitization Plan, the challenge was preserving this priceless audiovisual legacy for future generations while making these collections available to all on the platform of their choice, including theatrical screenings, online streaming and on mobile devices. The new digital archive ensures the reliable long-term retention of the NFB’s collection as well as the efficient management of the exponential growth in data volumes from all new productions. With its cataloguing, indexation and search functionalities, ADA’s broad capabilities make it optimized to meet the NFB’s most critical needs. Furthermore, by seamlessly integrating with the NFB’s existing in-house asset management system, ADA helps streamline content workflows.

A special XML-ingest capability in ADA enables the archival of all digital assets along with all their metadata. In the NFB’s digitization workflow, three separate digital versions are created and archived for each production: the uncompressed Digital Source Master, the Digital Master with treatment of image and sound elements, and an unassembled, compressed mezzanine file that is used to generate copies of the production for other distribution platforms such as streaming broadband or mobile devices. At the same time, each digital version also requires the recording and archival of the film’s metadata, which include the resolution at which it was digitized, the different aspect ratios, the source type, and other content factors. For every 100 titles, the digitization process generates over 10 million metadata entries associated with 30 TB of content and 2.4 million files.

Many of the NFB’s films are repurposed or edited into new works, and ADA’s automation enables the organization to efficiently meet their repurposing mandates by providing platform- and format-specific deliverables to their customers. ADA provides an easy-to-use graphical interface that simplifies metadata searches and allows drag-and-drop archive and retrieval, which enables NFB technicians and collection managers to efficiently search and retrieve works from the archive.

Vancouver’s Maximizer Software Inc. has announced the availability of the first-ever Maximizer CRM 11 Team Edition and enhanced CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition, tailored for organizations with individual or up to five networked users that primarily need contact management functionality. The new Team Edition is designed for organizations with 5-50 networked users that demand more advanced sales opportunity management and collaboration. These latest offerings complete the rollout of Maximizer CRM 11 across four editions, with Group and Enterprise Editions previously launched on March 29.

“With today’s small business landscape tougher than ever, professionals are demanding real-time access to critical customer and prospect information—as well as the ability to strategically act on sales pipeline activity—in a moment’s notice,” said William Anderson, executive vice president of technology, Maximizer Software. “Our new ‘Team’ approach to sales was developed with this in mind, as Maximizer CRM 11 enables powerful collaboration and knowledge sharing among colleagues so they can collectively focus on efficiently closing the highest priority sales opportunities, whether in the office or on the road.”

Maximizer CRM 11 offers expanded sales force automation capabilities and tools to proactively monitor and keep sales opportunities moving forward. Team edition specifically offers advanced Sales Opportunity Management, which enables companies to create Sales Teams within the system—whether domestic or international, with time zone support built into related appointments and tasks. Sales managers are able to leverage critical insight into the status of sales deals in the pipeline with real-time access into performance data by representative or sales team, to better focus resources and facilitate stronger collaboration to close key deals. Additionally, sales team members can quickly merge customer information with professional HTML email templates for timely sales outreach and follow-up activities.

Maximizer CRM 11 features a new, intuitive user interface based on Microsoft Office’s familiar “ribbon” style navigation found at the top of Microsoft Office applications. Users can optimize their customer list management by associating specific column views to catalogue searches and “favourites” lists for quicker search results.

Delivered via BlackBerry® devices, Maximizer Mobile CRM gives small business professionals instant access to information in the field, including customers’ history, leads, sales opportunities, dashboards, customer service cases, documents, and schedules. Included in Maximizer CRM 11 Team Edition and available as an add-on product for Entrepreneur Edition, new Maximizer Mobile CRM features include optimized usability, such as a redesigned interface, tighter integration with native BlackBerry applications, and more end-to-end features that enable deeper interaction with real-time customer data. Wireless synchronization is no longer required. Specific new offerings include:

* Real-time access to content, documents and e-mail attachments stored in the central Maximizer CRM database
* GPS functionality with turn-by-turn maps and navigation, which enables mobilized workforces to optimize their time on the road and get new directions on-the-fly if schedules unexpectedly change
* Multimedia support for video, voice and images that can be easily saved to a current Maximizer CRM record
* Mobile CRM multi-user support, which allows users to assign tasks, escalate cases, and assign opportunities to other colleagues without returning to the desktop application

Featuring CRM functionality specifically tailored for smaller teams, Maximizer CRM 11 Team and Entrepreneur Editions are available from Maximizer or through its global network of business partners. Team Edition is priced at $549 MSRP per license, which includes desktop and mobile access, as well as one year of inclusive upgrade assurance and technical support. Entrepreneur Edition is available for $199 MSRP and includes desktop access with the option for mobile access as an add-on product with additional license fees. Please inquire for full pricing and promotional offers valid until August 31, 2010.

“Inspiration and ideas often strike when least expected,” said Kelly Thompson, COO of iStockphoto. “This application lets us be there for our community whenever and wherever that happens.”

The application uses iStock’s industry-leading search engine to help customers find the perfect file quickly and easily. Customers can access and manage lightboxes of stored files from their existing iStockphoto account or create new lightboxes to save files for future viewing or purchase. The app also allows files to be e-mailed to clients and colleagues for discussion and evaluation. The new app also allows the more than 80,000 contributing artists whose work is sold on iStockphoto to track their sales and view download statistics, even while on the go.

Magmic Inc. has launched the official Rubik’s Cube application for iPhone, iTouch and iPad. The app, which does everything including doing the cube for you, is now available on iTunes for $2.99. Magmic’s Rubik’s Cube is the only iTunes application endorsed by Erno Rubik, the original cube’s inventor.

“Rubik’s Cube is the greatest puzzle ever invented,” said Magmic’s Director of Product Management, Jeff Bacon. “We were excited to take it to a powerful smartphone, and to enrich the experience. It’s nothing short of a rebirth for this amazing invention.”

have you reached an impasse in solving your real-life cube? Simply take a picture of a real Rubik’s Cube with your iPhone and the app’s built-in Solver gives you a step-by-step solution.

Other features include:

- Anaglyph 3D mode (glasses not included)
– 2×2x2, 3×3x3, 4×4x4 & 5×5x5 Rubik’s Cubes
– 24 different game styles
– 360 degree view using iPhone 4 gyroscope
– Personalized cubes with stickers and photos
– Easy-to-understand solution guide
– All-new, extra-challenging CRAZY Cube

BCIC invites entrepreneurs and startups to attend Connect, a conference for early-stage tech entrepreneurs who want the answers to “what’s next for my company”. Taking place on October 12 at the Vancouver Convention Centre (west building), tickets are priced at a very reasonable $50.00 (buy now for the early bird price of $40.00), and students can attend for only $25.00. The keynote presentation will address the topic of Making It Beyond BC, and attendees will have the chance to meet face-to-face with several (the site says 30) tech leaders who will be there to offer advice and encouragement.

Canadian digital media innovation will be in the spotlight when leaders from around the world attend the G-8 and G-20 Summits this June 25 – 27th. The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) has attracted high-tech participants from CDMN-affiliated organizations across Canada to the Experience Canada marketing pavilion in downtown Toronto where they will showcase unique digital media capabilities.

“All eyes will be on Canada during the G-8 and G-20 Summits, and the CDMN is serving as a conduit to the high-tech sector, demonstrating the power of Canadian innovation and potentially attracting future investment,” said Kevin Tuer, managing director of the CDMN, which is dedicated to furthering commercialization of digital media in Canada. “Experience Canada at the International Media Center will be high-impact, with imaginative displays, giant video walls and creative use of technology capturing the essence of Canada’s tech leadership.”

The CDMN, which links digital media-related organizations across the country, has attracted tech companies, universities, research houses, and public sector organizations to participate in the 20,000 square foot Experience Canada marketing pavilion. The experiential pavilion will have global impact, as key displays will be digitized, virtualized and shared online.

A unique feature for the more than 3,000 media expected to cover the summits is a mobile social networking platform enabling journalists to have information and access to content experts at their fingertips as well as collaborate using secure software. Experience Canada will be housed within the International Media Centre in the Heritage Court of the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto from June 23-27.

HootSuite has updated its social media user interface, adding geo-located search, native Twitter ReTweets, and integrated Google Analytics to the mix. With the recent announcement of Google’s HTML5 site and many other brands including Apple on-board, HootSuite has made a substantial investment in this new technology standard. Using HTML5 allows HootSuite to release unique features for a rapidly growing customer base. This latest release continues HootSuite’s mission to make social media outreach easy and efficient for a worldwide customer base which includes governments, publishers, enterprises, start-ups and power users.

Using HTML5, HootSuite engineers added geo-specific search option, allowing users to retrieve messages posted near their physical location. This tool will be a boon for Twitter users eager to shop locally, community groups seeking volunteers, and companies reaching out to new clients in their business area, plus myriad other scenarios. Further, HTML5 enabled significant performance improvements resulting in quicker load times for columns and tabs for an even more responsive user experience.

HootSuite has tightly integrated Google Analytics, adding in-dashboard views to track conversions, goals and traffic patterns. This new feature, coupled with HootSuite’s existing custom URL parameter tool, lets marketers achieve deep research without switching sites.

Interface Re-design and Themes – A new interface lets users access more information at once. Users may now select design themes, including a refreshed version of the classic blue and green design, plus two new choices: Blue Steel and Magnum
Facebook Media Preview – Add a photo thumbnail, title and description when posting links to Facebook profiles or pages — a highly requested feature from the Feedback channel
‘Twitter Native’ ReTweets – Choose between traditional manual RT-style to quote an update, or the newer “Twitter native” style of automatically rebroadcasting the message
File Drag and Drop – Attach an image or other file easily using Chrome 5, Firefox 3.6 and Safari 5 browsers — Just drag from the desktop and drop into the message box to upload with a pre-shortened link
Language Localization – Already available for the iPhone version, language localization lets users view HootSuite in their preferred language, starting with Japanese; more linguistic choices to come
Keyboard Shortcuts – Clicking Shift+Enter on the keyboard now sends the update, saving mouse-clicks and time — another user-requested feature
Handier Help – The refreshed interface improves access to the trove of tutorials and answers at the Help Desk, as well as the Feedback channel for feature requests

A reminder from the BCTIA about the inaugural Grow 2010 Conference, another entrepreneur development event to be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre this August 19th through 21st. Early Bird tickets are sold out, but there are still regular admission tickets available.

This unique 3-day event brings together leading entrepreneurs, influencers and investors from Silicon Valley and Canada aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, investment and sharing best practices to encourage more Canadian success stories.

Featured Speakers include:

* Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos
* Ellen Levy, VP Strategic Alliances, LinkedIn
* Andrew Mason, CEO, Groupon
* Robert Goldberg, SVP Business Operations, Zynga
* Leonard Brody, President,Clarity Digital

Logic Software Inc. has released Easy Time Tracking 6.0, a comprehensive time tracking and billing tool for graphic designers, web developers, accountants, consultants and many other types of small businesses. Easy Time Tracking 6.0 introduces a number of drastic improvements in how freelancers and organizations track and bill their time by allowing users to access and manage time logs remotely through the web and locally on their PC.

Easy Time Tracking 6.0 provides users greater control of tracking their billable hours through the new “ETT-Web” feature. This secure, web-based user interface allows users to input and track billable hours by project and task. Time entries in ETT-Web are synchronized with the desktop-based Easy Time Tracking 6.0, ensuring that all entries are accurate and up-to-date regardless of where they were made. ETT-Web benefits freelancers and contractors by allowing them to report precise time log entries through any internet web-browser.

“In developing this major upgrade to Easy Time Tracking, it was important for us to understand our end-user.” says Vadim Katcherovski, CEO and founder of Logic Software. “Every freelancer, every contractor and every small business works differently, yet they all share the same constant: time. Time is money, and we want to make sure that every minute is accounted for and billable.”

Easy Time Tracking 6.0 also features:

• My Week Logger – weekly grid allows users to quickly select months, weeks and days to input their project and task time entries.
• Timer Widget – when started, the built-in task timer runs in the background and automatically adds time entries for selected projects and activities into the daily time logs.
• Offline/Online Synchronization – allows users to export time log entries into ETT-Web or import them from ETT-Web and into Easy Time Tracking 6.0 with a click of a button.
• Quick Invoice Creator – users can generate and design invoices for selected time entries directly from the Time Logs screen.
• Improved user experience – usability improvements to functionality such as the task selection tool greatly improve efficiency in entering project and time data.

With an extremely low learning curve, users can begin managing projects and tracking time almost immediately after installation. Customization options of Easy Time Tracking 6.0 allow users to generate unlimited reports and create invoices in their native language. Project teams and small businesses can take advantage of the multi-user support to track and manage the entire teams’ time. Easy Time Tracking 6.0 is designed for Windows XP, Vista and 7. ETT-Web is accessible from any Windows-based or Mac computer with an internet access. Easy Time Tracking 6.0 is available as a FREE or PRO edition.

Vancouver’s Strangeloop Networks has released Site Optimizer, a powerful web acceleration product that shaves valuable seconds from page load times, resulting in proven ROI.

“Web speed has become the next competitive battlefield for any organization that takes online business seriously,” says Strangeloop president Joshua Bixby. “Consumers demand increasingly faster websites, and there is a growing body of mainstream research that shows a direct relationship between site speed and revenue.”

Site Optimizer™ is the first product to tackle the core of today’s performance problem via the cloud Site Optimizer is a web acceleration product that offers enterprises – from ecommerce sites to SaaS delivery – a powerful set of features that work together to provide roundtrip reduction, rapid rendering, and dynamic browser caching. Site Optimizer analyzes every page of a site from the browser’s perspective and optimizes each page so that it is delivered most efficiently to each browser type.

Site Optimizer works in conjunction with other acceleration solutions to compound performance optimization. In a typical scenario, a site that uses a CDN and an ADC finds that it is able to reduce page load time by 30%, from 9.5 seconds to 6.2 seconds. By adding Site Optimizer to the mix, the same site cuts its already accelerated load time by more than half, down to 2.8 seconds.

“Service-based solutions, which eliminate many of the implementation barriers typically encountered with hardware and software solutions, can offer rapid ROI and quickly deliver business value. Improved website performance can potentially increase the time that a user spends on a site, increase user engagement, increase revenues, and decrease support costs.” says Gartner Research Director Lydia Leong.

Site Optimizer is the first such web acceleration product available as a cloud-based service. Because the Site Optimizer service does not require software, server or network changes, it can be implemented easily and yield immediate returns.

“We’d like to invite all fans of history and strategy to come out to our booth at Origins and give Hegemony a try,” says Rob McConnell, lead programmer at Longbow Games. “We’re going to have multiple game stations available where guests can play the full game as well as free demo cds to take home and big discounts for those who purchase Hegemony at the show.”

Hegemony: Philip of Macedon lets you conquer the ancient Greek world in this PC RTS war game that follows the rise of Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. Players campaign continuously, unfettered by load screens, across a satellite-accurate map of ancient Greece encountering the full range of warfare from reconnaissance to raids to field battles to mountain blockades. The game also features:

* Innovative supply system – Siege and starve the enemy by cutting their supply lines or burning their crops, all the while building and protecting your own supply network to support your growing empire.
* Steeped in history – In-game pedia and 100+ historical objectives recreate the rise of the Macedonian empire.
* Detailed and Stylized World and Map – Transition smoothly between the detailed 3D world and the stylized board-game map while maintaining complete control over your empire.
* Subjugate your enemy – Chase down and capture routed enemy units to create slave gangs to work your mines or build your forts. But don’t leave them unguarded or they could rebel and wreak havoc in your empire’s heartland!
* Conquer the seas – Build or capture a fleet of triremes to protect your coastlines, raid enemy merchants, or drop an army at your enemy’s backdoor.

After passionate campaigns across the country and more than one million votes from Monopoly fans from Kelowna to Kawartha Lakes, 22 of Canada’s favourite cities now have a home on the new Monopoly: Canada Edition game board. Chatham-Kent, Ontario now represents the coveted Boardwalk spot, with Saint-Jean-Sur Richelieu Quebec capturing Park Place to round out the prestigious dark blue property group in the popular game invented by Charles Darrow in 1935.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Canada Day with this new all-Canadian edition of the world’s favorite family game brand featuring cities voted by Canadians!” said Michelle Sinclair, Brand Manager of Games & Puzzles for toy and game-maker Hasbro Canada. “We hope that Canadian Monopoly fans will enjoy playing on a game board that includes an interesting mix of our cities featuring all of the dynamic cultures, sights and history of this country.”

Votes were cast during a six-week period in early 2010. The first four weeks of voting determined 20 of the 22 cities featured in the game, picked from 65 pre-selected cities based on the population size of the province in which they resided. The remaining two spots were reserved for a wildcard vote for any city across Canada. Ten cities with the most nominations for the wildcard faced off for two weeks in February 2010 and Beauceville, Quebec and Banff, Alberta earned the brown property spaces on the game board, traditionally occupied by Baltic Avenue and Mediterranean Avenue.

The following 22 cities earned spots on the Monopoly: Canada Edition game board, and are listed with the highest rent properties first:

- Dark Blue: Chatham-Kent, Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu
– Green: Calgary, Sarnia, Edmonton
– Yellow: Windsor, Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres
– Red: Medicine Hat, Gatineau, Shawinigan
– Orange: Kawartha Lakes, Chilliwack, Montreal
– Magenta: Kelowna, North Bay, St. John’s
– Light Blue: Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver
– Brown: Beauceville, Banff

Along with the 22 property spaces featuring great Canadian cities, the game will include updated Chance and Community Chest cards that highlight events and culturally relevant scenarios from Canada. Players may take flight at the International Balloon Festival in Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, skate along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa or win big at the casinos in Niagara Falls. The new Monopoly: Canada Edition also features an Electronic Banking unit with cards instead of cash. Players can collect rent and buy their favourite Canadian cities with the touch of a button!

Today, the Monopoly brand provides entertainment experiences for players around the world. Whether they play the board game, digital or online games, or participate in casino or lottery gaming, there is a Monopoly experience to fit every lifestyle. Stemming from the strategic alliance between Hasbro and Electronic Arts Inc., EA has created digital versions of Monopoly which are available for download for mobile phones or free online at Pogo. Monopoly is also available for console gaming systems, including the Nintendo Wii™, Xbox 360™, PlayStation®2 and PLAYSTATION®3. The new Monopoly: Canada Edition will be available in stores across the country, in both English and French on June 28th, 2010 for an approximate retail price of $39.99.

SEGA® of America’s Super Monkey Ball™ 2, which was developed by Other Ocean Interactive, has been updated with two brand new mini-games. The first mini-game, Monkey Target, is a high-flying experience that launches you into the atmosphere. From there, it’s up to you to guide your character back down to a safe landing while grabbing as many bananas as possible along the way. Monkey Golf lets you hit the links with your simian friends and play your way through a full 18-hole course. Remember to watch out for those sand traps!

Artificial Mind & Motion and 505 Games have released the official launch trailer for Naughty Bear, which comes out this coming Tuesday (June 29th) for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game features seven episodes, each with a set of four challenges, and as players make their way through the episodes, they will unlock special costumes that can later be used to their own advantage in multiplayer campaigns (see below). Competitive online play gives players the opportunity to experiment with new traps and power-ups. The Paint Trap covers opponents in fluorescent paint, preventing them from taking refuge from Naughty Bear by hiding in the woods. Power-ups like the Rage Capsule makes players stronger, while the Speed Capsule makes players run faster.

While killing bears is certainly extremely naughty, terrorizing foes through a wide variety of creative tactics helps players achieve the most Naughty Points possible in Naughty Bear. With over 250 ways to be naughty, gamers can quickly build up and maintain their points multiplier. Players can also amp up on Naughty Points by ensuring other bears witness naughty acts, or by leaving injured bears to wander and frighten others into a state of intense anxiety. Clever scares are awarded even more points, so cunning players will be rewarded for their efforts through the game’s complex AI and responsive game engine.

Weapon choices in Naughty Bear also give players extensive gameplay options. From baseball bats, bear traps and guns to frozen legs of meat and even heavy machinery, the bears provide Naughty with plenty of ways to achieve sweet justice.

Naughty finds himself facing a motley assortment of foes as the bears call for reinforcements in each episode. Through sabotage, Naughty Bear can also lure in new victims as they rush to the scene to correct his acts of vandalism. As Naughty’s rage progresses throughout the game, police officers and ninjas are only the first line of defense for the island’s inhabitants. Naughty will face foes from all corners of the world and beyond as they unite in their attempts to try to put a premature stop to his brutal vengeance.

Current mulitiplayer modes include:

Assault mode, which pits two teams of red versus blue bears against each other as one team attempts to destroy an iconic statue in the Island of Perfection while the other team tries to protect it. Each team rotates from either defending or attacking the statue in two-minute rounds. Teams can use any tactic, including the strategic use of traps, barricades or hiding in the woods, to prevent their opponents from destroying the statue.

Cake Walk, where players attempt to hold the Glorious Golden Cupcake for as long as possible. Holding the cupcake puts the player in a vulnerable position where he can’t attack or defend himself. A typical game starts with a mad dash to the prize and then, once someone has the Cupcake, it’s a battle to maintain possession as long as possible. The player that holds the Glorious Golden Cupcake for the longest period of time wins.

The Golden Oozi of Doomness is a gun with unlimited ammunition, and the only way to gain points in this mode is by using it to kill enemies. This unique scoring system makes players work as a team one moment to destroy the current wielder, and then backstab each other to steal the prized gun. The winner of this mode is the player that racks up the most kills using the Golden Oozi.

The Jelly Wars scenario features cooperative gameplay and intense strategy as there is no coming back from the dead in Jelly Wars mode! Three players take on the roles of Daddles, Cozy and Sunbeam and bring jelly desserts to a giant mixing machine in order to create the most awesome jelly of all time. Watch out though, as Naughty Bear will try anything to stop them! The bears will have to protect each other, transport delicate objects, call back up, repair objects and heal others while Naughty attacks them, disables their tools and hides their jellies. The winner decided when the bears collect five jellies if Naughty Bear annihilates them all first.

Another made-in-Canada humour-based game will also be hitting the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 soon. Hothead Games‘ highly-anticipated and long-awaited Ron Gilbert title DeathSpank is scheduled for release to PSN and XBL on July 14th. Anticipated cost for the downloadable Action/RPG game is $15.00 on PSN or 1200 MS Points on XBL. Upon completion of the “Confirm Your Download” Level, players will be launched into an epic story of puzzle-solving, justice-dealing and loot-collecting, whereby those handling the controller can vanquish evilness either alone or with the aide of sidekick Sparkles The Wizard. At least he’s not a vampire…named Sparkles…there’s already been enough of that in the current entertainment market.

With DeathSpank complete, Hothead Games can now turn its full attention on Swarm, which is the basis for a recently announced agreement between Hothead and Ignition Entertainment. Heading for a major cross-platform release in 2011, Swarm was conceived via The Great Canadian Game Competition, which was sponsored by Telefilm Canada, and has since Swarm has gone on to become “a unique comedy action game in which players control entire herds of strange, daft little characters as they clash in chaotic and hilarious situations.”

EA Sports announced today that Oklahoma City Thunder small forward, Kevin Durant, will be the cover athlete for NBA EliteE 11. A 2010 NBA All-Star, Durant became the youngest player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring this past season, and he helped lead the Thunder to an impressive 50 win season and an NBA Playoffs berth. NBA Elite 11 is currently in development under the EA Sports™ brand by EA Canada in Burnaby and will be available worldwide this October for the PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360®.

NBA Elite 11 introduces significant gameplay changes that promise to revolutionize the basketball videogame experience. Hands-On Control is an innovative new control scheme that allows for one-to-one responsiveness of a player’s movement and actions on the court, as opposed to predetermined animations from the past that require users to wait while a scenario played out before making the next move. Hands-On Control is unique to NBA Elite 11 and it is used to manage everything within a player’s offensive and defensive arsenal, including: dribble moves, dunks, drives to the basket, fadeaways, mid-air adjustments, blocks, steals and more.

“I’ve always been a fan of EA Sports,” said Durant. “This has been an exciting year for me and the team, and capping it off with being on the cover of NBA Elite 11 is cool.”

“Durant is a game changer,” said Jordan Edelstein, VP Marketing, EA Sports. “There has never been a player his size with his skill set, and there has never before been a basketball videogame like NBA Elite. Just like we see Durant as the future of the NBA, NBA Elite 11 represents the future of basketball videogames by providing a gameplay experience you simply won’t find anywhere else on the market.”

Picked second overall in the 2007 NBA Entry Draft, Durant has accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments in his short professional career, including being named the 2008 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year. Additionally, he will be representing the USA in the 2010 FIBA World Championships this summer in Turkey. Durant is only the third player in EA Sports history to be featured both on the pack of an NCAA and an NBA licensed product. Durant was featured on the cover of NCAA March Madness 08.

Victoria’s NetroMedia has added Apple iPad streaming to its suite of online broadcasting services. This new feature was launched as part of the company’s Multi-platform strategy, in order to maximize online streaming media coverage.

Released in early 2010, the iPad is Apple’s latest addition to the Tablet PC market, achieving an impressive one-million sales in its first month. It is considered by Apple to be a “magical and revolutionary” device designed for easy Internet surfing and media consumption.

Streaming to the iPad (Apple iOS) is done using H.264 video compression with AAC (Main Profile level 3.1) audio via RTSP/RTP. NetroMedia uses packetizing technology to prepare the stream for iPad viewing.

The encoding profile used to reach Apple’s iPad can also be used to serve the iPhone, PC and Mac computers. Both on-demand and live streaming are supported. 24/7 access to an online self-management streaming portal is included with NetroMedia’s services. This is where users manage and provision channels “in the cloud”, as well as analyze their project’s usage statistics.

Earlier this year NetroMedia announced the transition from bandwidth-based services to a pooled-bandwidth environment across channels. This move prepared the ground for a cost-effective Multi-platform streaming solution, in additional to increasing the distribution of unused bandwidth within accounts.