Village Gamer

With the launch of new clear and simple international travel pricing, Canadians can travel abroad this summer knowing they automatically enjoy Telus’ most affordable roaming rates in more than 200 countries. With the launch of Telus’ new clear and simple international travel pricing, all customers get the same low roaming rates when they’re traveling. Separate bundles and passes are no longer required to take advantage of the lowest rate, making it easy and hassle-free for customers to use Telus wireless services when overseas.

“After the launch of our new HSPA+ wireless network in late 2009, Telus was able to offer our customers a true international roaming capability for the first time, ending Rogers’ monopoly in international roaming for Canadians. We quickly started working with carriers around the world to negotiate reduced roaming rates for our customers and we now want to make it as simple and affordable as possible for our customers to use their smartphones wherever they go, without coming home to a surprise on their bill,” said David Fuller, Telus Chief Marketing Officer. “We understand what our customers want and we’ve been working hard over the last few years to give them exactly what they are asking for – clear and simple rate plans without system access and 911 carrier fees, a device unlocking service, a free SMS data notification service so they know how much data they have used, and easier access to affordable long distance rates through our recently-announced Skype partnership. Today, we are adding clear, simple and affordable international roaming rates for all of our customers.”

The combination of Telus’ device unlocking service, which allows Telus customers to use local SIM cards overseas; the easy experience of using Skype for affordable long distance calling; and now greatly reduced international roaming rates add up to great news for Canadians planning to travel overseas this summer. Telus’ new clear and simple international roaming rates will be available to all Telus customers – business and consumer – in over 200 countries, starting June 27:

This morning on Twitter one of my favourite devs from TransGaming Studios sent out a tweet about a new crowd-source site called Dear Photograph, so I went and checked it out – especially as it’s a  Made In Canada (Kitchener-Waterloo to be specific) project.

The brainchild of Taylor Jones, this site offers a modern walk down memory lane, with the ability to add a “Dear Photograph” sentiment to the photo’s caption. The premise is quite simple – take an old photograph, hold it up in front of the place where it was originally taken, matching the scene as best as possible to how the location looks now, and take a new photograph. The new photo is then uploaded, a caption added, and it’s posted to the content stream, to be shared with other visitors to the site, just like the example below:

This site is very cool in its simplicity, offering people a walk down memory lane while giving others a brief glimpse into our collective pasts, witnessing our youth, our feelings on that particular moment in time, and perhaps a view on how much some things change – or stay the same.

and Skype today announced that they have signed an agreement that will revolutionize how Telus smartphone customers use Skype, including the ability to purchase Skype Credit through their existing Telus accounts, making it more secure and convenient for them to stay connected with loved ones both in Canada and abroad while taking advantage of Skype’s low-cost calling rates. In addition, Telus will launch the Skype edition LG Optimus Black, the first Skype edition smartphone in the Canadian market.

“We believe that by developing a deep relationship with leading global communications brands that our customers already know and enjoy, such as Skype, Telus can provide a superior customer experience that leverages the best of what those brands have to offer and empowers our customers to choose the services they want and need,” said David Fuller, chief marketing officer at Telus. “By bringing Canadians their choice of the best communication technologies we offer our customers the freedom to customize their mobile experience with the services they want, when and how they want. And when you experience these services on Canada’s fastest* coast-to-coast 4G network, it’s a perfect match.”

Through its partnership with Skype, Telus will continue to increase its participation in the rapidly growing smartphone application ecosystem by pairing its own unique value proposition with Skype’s well-known communications solutions. Telus customers using Skype will more easily and securely be able to take advantage of affordable international calling rates to both landlines and mobile phones through Skype Out calling, using Skype Credit. Only Telus customers have the ability to have Skype Credit charged directly to their wireless bill. Telus customers can also enjoy unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls and instant messaging to users around the globe. Read the rest of this entry »

Laptops and desktop computers continue to grow in popularity as both graduation and Father’s Day gifts. In response to this trend, Absolute^® Software Corporation has released some timely tips to empower recent graduates and deserving dads to protect their new computers.

Last year, surveys by BIGresearch® and the National Retail Federation (NRF) revealed that 10.6 percent of consumers purchasing gifts for graduates planned to give electronics, a 9 percent increase from 2009¹. Additionally, 18.5 percent of those surveyed this year intended to buy consumer electronics or computer-related accessories for Father’s Day². To help consumers protect their new costly devices and sensitive personal information, Absolute offers the following tips:

• Don’t Rely on Free Software Trials – It’s easy to forget or ignore alerts when software trials expire, leaving the computer at risk for malicious threats or worse if the device is ever lost or stolen. From day one of use, owners should activate full subscriptions of theft recovery, anti-virus and anti-spyware software. For example, consumers who activate their subscription to LoJack for Laptops are instantly able to take advantage of a full suite of security features to manage and protect their computer.
• Choose Dynamic Passwords – To achieve strong levels of protection, passwords should be changed often, differ greatly and be difficult to guess. According to research from the Georgia Tech Research Institute, ideal passwords also consist of a mix of randomized upper- and lower- case letters, at least one number and one symbol, and should be longer than 12 characters³.
• Fill Out The Warranty Information – If the computer is damaged while it is out of the owner’s hands, the manufacturer may cover repairs as part of the warranty if the device is recovered. Agreements differ from company to company; however, taking a few minutes to submit warranty information online or via mail can save consumers from additional distress and out-of-pocket expenses.
• Designate Folders for Sensitive Files – Every second counts after a laptop is stolen. Using the Delete functionality in LoJack for Laptops, users can remotely erase all or specific files so that they are not exposed to prying eyes. To get to important files quickly, computer owners should designate files, under non-descriptive names, to contain this type of information.
• Remain Alert When Traveling – Many laptop-friendly locations that consumers encounter during travel are also areas at highest risk for laptop theft. Based on customer reports filed to the Absolute Theft Recovery Team, some of the at-risk locations are public transit, hotels, restaurants/cafes and airports. Staying alert and maintaining possession of the computer at all times during travel will help to prevent theft. Read the rest of this entry »

Toronto’s Claron Technology has announced two new integrations of its zero footprint Nil viewer with CoActiv Medical and Voyant Health cloud based solutions. Since its introduction at RSNA 2010, Nil has integrated with a growing number of partners in the radiology and ophthalmology/optometry market. Nil is a software solution allowing clinicians to securely visualize 2D and 3D imaging studies inside or outside the hospital network. It runs anywhere a Web browser is available, on Windows, Apple, Linux, iPad, iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Nil users can organize collaboration sessions with their clinical partners where all participants share and annotate the same study in real time. By providing an enhanced experience to their clinicians, Nil allows hospitals, physician groups and imaging centers to maintain and increase their referral base.

“The Nil platform, with its innovative zero footprint foundation and ability to be fully virtualized, provides our customers the flexibility to integrate easily with their cloud-based solutions,” said Claudio Gatti, co-founder and Co-CEO of Claron Technology. “Customers can deploy Nil in their web-based cloud solution without restrictions and implement the solution that is right for them.”

CoActiv Medical’s recently announced Exam-Browser^TM universal clinical viewer is based on Claron’s Nil technology. “Finally, physicians have a sophisticated, but easy-to-use, method to communicate, consult and collaborate across multiple image platforms, including local PCs as well as mobile devices,” said Ed Heere, President and CEO of CoActiv. “CoActiv is excited about introducing this major innovation in medical image communications. Exam-Browser will allow physicians to view any modality from any PACS in any format. Viewing anatomy as 3D structures will help all physicians as well as patients more fully understand a diagnosis. CoActiv is one of the industry’s leading providers of secure, HIPAA compliant, medical image archiving and with the new viewer’s standards-based technology, images stored on the CoActiv Vendor-Neutral, Cloud-Based Archive can be viewed in conjunction with any PACS.”

Nil will also be deployed in the Orthopedic market through integration with Voyant Health’s revolutionary OrthoWeb. “The cloud technology platform allows us to deliver OrthoWeb to our customers using a completely new model,” says Zeev Glozman, CEO of Voyant Health. “Nil universal viewer is the perfect match for OrthoWeb allowing our user base to view and interact with images anywhere they can access OrthoWeb. OrthoWeb is based on industry standard cloud technology like SalesForce and Amazon Cloud EC2, and Nil’s ability to naturally operate in those environments made the integration process very smooth and efficient.”

Nearly one in four enterprises already use tablets, and by 2013, so will the majority of businesses, according to multiple analyst and vendor surveys of Chief Information Officers and IT managers. As this installed base grows, so does the opportunity for enterprises to leverage the tablet to minimize telephony costs while improving employee productivity and responsiveness.

To enable enterprises and mobile workers to capitalize on this trend, CounterPath Corporation has announced the worldwide availability of Bria iPad Edition Version 1.0 via the Apple iTunes App Store. This standards-based, service agnostic softphone provides an intuitive user interface for making and receiving calls over a Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G mobile connection, making it the first universal endpoint for iPad.

“With Bria iPad Edition, business users now can carry a single device that combines the best of their laptop, mobile phone and deskphone,” said Todd Carothers, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Products, CounterPath. “Tablets are quickly becoming the essential business tool for the mobile workforce, and we’re also seeing an increase in personal devices being used for work. So based upon our success with Bria for iPhone, and Bria for Android, the iPad Edition was the natural next step to address both emerging trends.”

Bria iPad Edition 1.0 supports multiple VoIP accounts and SIP protocols, Bluetooth headsets and native iOS multitasking. This enables business users and prosumers to access multiple personal and business accounts while simultaneously utilizing other applications or accessing documents on their iPad during a call.

Capable of working with any VoIP service provider, Bria iPad Edition supports hosted VoIP and IP-PBXs, effectively turning the iPad into a mobile desktop phone. Bria includes a list of pre-configured, CounterPath-approved ITSPs, making VoIP account set-up fast and easy for users who either lack a VoIP provider or already use a CounterPath-approved ITSP. Read the rest of this entry »

zuluMe is a mobile social network that gives you and up to ten of your closest friends a level of privacy and interaction that you will not find anywhere else, except in the real world. This new app, created by Vancouver-based digital media entrepreneur (and one of my all-around favourite digital media ladies) Lynda Brown-Ganzert, is designed to put the “social” back into social networking.

“People are beginning to wrestle with digital identity concerns and privacy issues in the social networking sphere. They want to connect in a greater way with the people closest to them,” says Brown. “zuluMe is designed so people can use their devices to build more meaningful and intimate experiences.”

The design is based on how human beings operate and connect in real life, with features that differentiate it from any other app on the market. It is the only completely private network that allows users to update and share moods in real-time, send gifts, dedicate songs by emerging artists, post polls, chat as a group, take photos, update locations, and more, all with the help of a personalized avatar.

The current trend of mobile social networks, while they allow you to connect with a large number of people all over the world, do not allow for more intimate interaction with the people that matter most. In the past few years, there has been a profound shift in the way people communicate. Social networking is a great way to share information, but there is a growing desire for a greater level of connection within that sphere.

This app was born out of a simple idea: The people closest to you, who matter most, you want to know what they’re doing and how they’re feeling, all the time.

zuluMe has retained this simplicity in its digital identity. Unlike other mega-social networking tools, it is more image than text-based. So, when you update your mood, the look of your avatar and profile changes, and friends can respond according to that change. It is modeled according to how people would respond to those changes in a real face-to-face interaction.

zuluMe is a novel (and fun) way for people to connect with those they care about the most. It is now available, and free for a limited time (June 8th – 17th), on the iTunes store and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS 3.2.2 or later.

At the E³ Expo, Nintendo introduced a new paradigm for video games and home entertainment: Wii U^™, a new console that includes a controller with a 6.2-inch screen. Adding a second screen to the living room creates a multitude of new video game experiences while offering families a variety of options to customize their entertainment.

Previously, video games played on a home console have been confined to the TV and offered identical viewpoints to each player in a multiplayer environment. Furthermore, watching TV and playing console games have been completely separate experiences. The new controller removes these boundaries, creating a more dynamic and fluid gaming and entertainment experience. Visitors to the E³ Expo will see firsthand the type of gaming experiences made possible by Wii U and the new controller such as:

• In single-player games:
  • The new controller can display information on its screen that does not appear on the TV.
  • The information and viewpoint can also change in the new controller based on the orientation of its gyroscope.
• In multiplayer games:
  • The player using the new controller can have a different experience than those looking at the TV. This will offer a wide variety of competitive and cooperative opportunities.

In addition to the 6.2-inch screen, the new controller also features an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a rumble feature, an inward-facing camera, a microphone and speakers. Adding these features to the Classic Controller^™ button scheme – two analog Circle Pads, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons – will enable a breadth of game-play experiences while appealing to both casual and dedicated video game players.

Wii U combines motion-sensing game play with the ability to support full HD graphics. Each Wii U console will be partnered with a new controller and can also use up to four additional Wii Remote^™ or Wii Remote Plus controllers. The system is also backward compatible and can play all Wii games and use all Wii accessories. The Wii console has sold more than 86 million units globally and greatly expanded the overall audience for video games. Wii U aims to expand that audience even further. Developers worldwide are already working on new games and experiences for the console.

“Wii U redefines the structure of home entertainment by fundamentally changing how the TV, the game console and the Internet function and interact together,” said Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. “The experience enabled by Wii U and the new controller takes players deeper into their games, while reaching out wider than ever before to be inviting to all kinds of gamers.”

Nintendo 3DS^™, which lets users see 3D images without the need for special glasses, launched in the North America on March 27 and continues to evolve. Owners will find that their Nintendo 3DS experience is different every time they pick up the system, thanks to new content and updates delivered by Nintendo, by third parties and exchanged between users.

A new system update is now available for the Nintendo 3DS system. Users who connect to a wireless broadband Internet connection and install the system update will instantly gain access to the Nintendo eShop, which contains a variety of games and applications for download using a cash-based system.

Users can browse original 3D software, 3D Classics (select classic video games re-mastered in 3D), classic Game Boy^™ and Game Boy Color games, and more than 350 games and applications currently offered for the Nintendo DSiWare^™ service. Visitors can also see videos and screen shots for games, plus see how other players rank games.

The system update also provides Nintendo 3DS owners access to free items, including an Internet browser that can show 3D images on sites specifically designed to show 3D images, a download of a re-mastered 3D version of the NES^™ classic Excitebike^™ game (free until July 7) and Pokédex^™ 3D, which lets users discover and view more than 150 Pokémon^™ from the Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version games in visually engaging 3D.

Nintendo also announced a huge lineup of upcoming new and fan-favorite franchise games:

• Nintendo 3DS: Super Mario^™, Luigi’s Mansion^™ 2, Mario Kart^™, Kid Icarus^™: Uprising, The Legend of Zelda^™: Ocarina of Time^™ 3D, Star Fox 64^™ 3D, Animal Crossing^™, Paper Mario^™, Picture Lives!, The Rolling Western^™.
• Wii: The Legend of Zelda^™: Skyward Sword, Kirby^™ Wii, Wii Play^™: Motion, Mystery Case Files^™: The Malgrave Incident^™, Mario Party^™ 9, Rhythm Heaven^™ and Fortune Street^™.
• Nintendo DS^™: Kirby^™ Mass Attack, Professor Layton and the Last Specter^™, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker^™ 2 and Super Fossil Fighters^™.

Nintendo kicked off its E³ Expo Presentation by announcing a number of initiatives to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. A re-mastered 3D version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for Nintendo 3DS on June 19, while Wii owners will see the arrival of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in the 2011 holiday season. Additionally, Nintendo announced a tour of orchestral concerts featuring music from the beloved franchise. Additional commemorative activities will be announced at a later date.

For the duration of the E³ Expo, Nintendo will provide fans with exclusive videos and Nintendo content on the Nintendo Network. People can visit http://e3.nintendo.com to watch developer interviews, get all the information about new games and see coverage coming directly from the show floor. The same exclusive content also will be streamed through the Nintendo^® Channel to Wii owners who have a broadband Internet connection.

PadWorx Digital Media Inc. has put the finishing touches on its latest project, Alice: Madness Returns^TM Storybook App. Created in conjunction with Electronic Arts, the app is designed to bridge the gap between games American McGee’s Alice and Alice: Madness Returns. The storybook app introduces readers to the world of Alice as imagined by acclaimed game designer American McGee, recapping the events, characters, and environments from the first game while setting the stage for the visionary world of Alice: Madness Returns.

“It was an amazing experience for us to work with EA and American McGee’s company Spicy Horse on such an intensely realized project,” said Jeffery Alan Schechter, Creative Director and President of PadWorx Digital Media, Inc. “American McGee’s Alice is a legendary title in the game industry, and just being mentioned in the same breath is a real honor.”

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0apDvEPk8I]

“We needed a partner who could bring the incredible story and styling of Alice: Madness Returns to life, we wanted to set the bar for what a free interactive storybook experience could be, and we needed it done fast,” said Ben Swanson, Online Marketing Manager at EA.  “PadWorx stepped up and not only delivered a beautifully intense book in record time – just six weeks – they also simultaneously developed the book for iOS, Android, and even a Flash version that’s playable from inside our Facebook page.  These guys are rock stars!”

PadWorx Digital Media, Inc. worked closely with game developer Spicy Horse to create what has been described as the most intense reading experience ever on a mobile device. Rated 17+ by iTunes, the Alice: Madness Returns Storybook is a free download and is both a prequel and a companion to the upcoming EA game Alice: Madness Returns.

Hockey Fever may have overtaken BC, but Red Bull Racing is ready to continue a phenomenal season at the Grand Prix du Canada in Montreal on June 10-12, 2011, with an exclusive weapon to dominate the weekend, the Red Bull Racing: Montreal Invasion App, delivering Formula One enthusiasts and Red Bull Racing fans everything they need to know about the sport and the teams, as well as an interactive urban guide on how to party in style in Montreal, the Red Bull way. The new Red Bull Racing: Montreal Invasion app is now available as a free download from the Apple App Store, all you need is an iPhone or iPod. It is rated 4+ and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. The App requires iOS 4.0 or later to run.

Featuring exclusive information about the Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso teams, the Red Bull Racing: Montreal Invasion app offers unique content and drivers’ insights about each and all sections along the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, practice sessions, and their journey in Montreal. The exciting world of Formula One is now at your fingertips and accessible anywhere! Stories beyond the ordinary—from interviews with the 2010 World Champ Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Mark Webber, to feedback from the team’s principal Christian Horner and RBR CTO Adrian Newey. All while they prep for the 7^th race of the 2011 season in front of more than 300,000 spectators—making the app the perfect guide for an exciting F1 experience.

Download the app to learn about every bar, every restaurant, every night that gives you a true taste of Montreal, the Red Bull way. Keen to go for a bite or a drink with a certain vibe, the right crowd, close to your hotel, and without a dress code? Whatever it is, the app will tell you where it’s at!

Red Bull Racing: Montreal Invasion app users will access unique content such as breathtaking videos and exclusive insights from the drivers throughout race week. With feedback, comments, and photos delivered live from the paddocks, the app users will feel like if they were in the pits with the teams. Formula One enthusiasts will also get live results of the Grand Prix du Canada at their fingertips. Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel give you track insights and you can check-in to flag your presence at the race.

Highlights of the Red Bull Racing: Montreal Invasion App:

• Valuable daily insights on the city’s trendiest bars, restaurants, hotels, shops, sport facilities, and spas.
• Augmented reality to find where to eat, where to party, where to sleep, where to shop, and where to hang out with your friends in Montreal.
• Live results from the Grand Prix du Canada and details about the drivers and the all-new RB7.
• Check-in option to flag your presence at the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
• Daily exclusive insights from the drivers.
• Integration to Facebook and Twitter live feeds to take the pulse of the buzz as it happens.
• Available in English and French.

Exclusive Contest: Win a pit tour on opening day!
Download the app for a chance to win a PIT TOUR with Red Bull Racing on opening day! The winner and his friend will get access to the pits at the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Make sure you download the app before Tuesday, June 7 11:59 p.m. EDT to enter the contest.