Village Gamer

GROW is a unique three-day conference held in Vancouver that brings together the top minds in business, entrepreneurship, technology and startup investment to inspire and engage the next generation of disruptive entrepreneurs. This annual conference is the place for Canada and Silicon Valley’s leading entrepreneurs to brainstorm, innovate, and connect, giving them an opportunity to strengthen their networks, companies and broadening their scope of possibilities.

GROW Conference 2011 will be held on August 17th through 19th, and this year, there are lots of ways to get involved in GROW. Apply for the private networking afternoon in Day 1, enter the Launch@GROW contest to pitch your startup to Silicon Valley VCs, purchase a ticket to attend Day 2, and finally, explore a new outdoor adventure while networking with industry leaders.

GROW 2011 will showcase the Silicon Valley elite, Canadian success stories, and world-class innovators who are turning industries on their heads and engaging consumers in new ways – both online and in the real world. Featured speakers include:

Munjal Shah, General Manager for Google Boutiques
Matt Galligan, Co-Founder and CSO for SimpleGeo
Garrett Camp, CEO of StumbleUpon
Jeff Lawson, CEO of Twilio
Mike Ghaffary, Director of Business Development for Yelp

DAY 1: ENGAGE: This invite-only program brings together promising Canadian entrepreneurs with leading Silicon Valley founders, influencers and investors to meet, discuss, debate, and glean information to understand how to innovate in a web-fueled world. Apply now!

LAUNCH @ GROW: The official opening night party AND startup competition! Startups will get the chance to produce short two-minute videos presenting their startup and then voting will begin. Winning startups will get the chance to be showcased at the Launch Party opening night reception and possibly demo on stage at GROW! Nominate your startup before June 15!

DAY 2: INSPIRE: GROW 2011 Conference will provide inspiration for turning today’s entrepreneurs into tomorrow’s leaders. Speakers include founders of fast-growing companies, leading investors and influencers who will share lessons learned.

DAY 3: CHALLENGE: This is an open day for attendees to experience the best of outdoor adventure in Vancouver. Local insiders will take you kite-boarding, hiking, cycling/mountain bike riding and kayaking.

Intertainment Media Inc. has announced that its social media, real time, language translation platform Ortsbo has entered into an agreement with two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash to become an official spokesperson for Ortsbo. Leading Ortsbo’s global sports fan program, Nash will present and participate in a number of online fan chats with international athletes from a number of sports disciplines. Business partners Gene Simmons and Richard Abramson were instrumental in the introduction and facilitation of the business agreement with Nash’s representatives, BDA Sports Management.

Ortsbo will seek to engage Nash’s considerable influence and social media presence to help spread the word about Ortsbo’s unique, translator experience platform that integrates seamlessly with the most popular social media platforms to enable users from around the world to instantly send and receive messages in their native language.

“With the growth of social media and the increased access to technology, the world has become more inclusive. Language is one of the last remaining obstacles to uniting our different cultures and perspectives and Ortsbo bridges that divide, bringing us all closer together,” said Nash. “I am excited to be associated with Intertainment and with Ortsbo.”

In addition to Steve Nash, Ortsbo has announced a business partnership and spokesperson agreement with rock legend and global entrepreneur, Gene Simmons. Ortsbo, together with KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, will be hosting the world’s first interactive global fan chat in 53 languages – KISS Live & Global on May 20, 2011 at 7:30 am Pacific.

The Ortsbo platform eliminates the need to cut/copy and paste text into a translator by automatically translating typed text into the specified language instantly, unlike typical translation software. Users simply indicate the desired language for their intended recipient and Ortsbo does the rest. Ortsbo even lets users conduct multiple chat sessions simultaneously across multiple social networks in multiple languages in real time.

Free for consumers to use, Ortsbo.com is ideal for both personal/social communications, allowing users to chat with friends and family around the world or around the neighborhood, and for business communications. Global colleagues can use Ortsbo to collaborate and chat about projects in their native language for faster and more efficient communication that reduces the risk of misunderstanding due to translation errors.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with Steve Nash. Steve opens Ortsbo to the global sports arena where the challenge of fans and athletes speaking different languages can pose a significant obstacle in achieving global connectivity and consciousness,” said David Lucatch, President of Ortsbo Inc. and Intertainment CEO. “Ortsbo’s quick and easy automatic translation helps both consumers and businesses eliminate these barriers allowing people to interact and communicate freely regardless of the language they speak.”

Ortsbo is in the process of releasing its first beta application for mobile phones – Ortsbo for iPhone. Other Ortsbo mobile phones and portable computing apps, including apps for Android, Apple, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and tablet computers are scheduled to begin launching Summer 2011.

For businesses, Ortsbo provides multi-lingual global communications solutions via RSS, API solutions, private chat networks and custom services allowing organizations to provide seamless communications with their constituents.

Ortsbo will be launching its instant email translation plug-in Ortsbo for Outlook or “O4O” for the world’s largest email platform, Microsoft Outlook. Ortsbo will initially make up to 10 Million copies of O4O available on a global basis to consumers and businesses on an introductory basis from mid June through mid September 2011.

Participants and viewers of KISS Live & Global on May 20^th will get a sneak peek at the O4O software and user bonus program, Ortsbo Cruise Into Translation that will feature a host of exclusive prizes including major VIP packages. Pricing packages for Ortsbo for Outlook (O4O) will be announced at the event.

TransGaming Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TNG) announced yesterday that it granted options to purchase 1,800,000 common shares under the Company’s stock option plan, of which 530,000 were granted to directors and officers. The granted options have an exercise price of $0.82 (being the May 16, 2011 closing price of the shares on the TSX Venture Exchange), vest 1/4 each year on June 1 from 2011-2014, and expire on May 17, 2016. The stock option grants remain subject to acceptance for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange under Policy 4.4 (“Incentive Stock Options”) of the TSX Venture Exchange Corporate Finance Manual.

Glacier Media Inc. (TSX:GVC) is pleased to announce that, through one of its affiliates, it has entered into a definitive agreement with Rogers Publishing Limited to acquire a portfolio of media assets from Rogers’ business and professional publishing group. The assets comprise 15 trade publications and digital brands, together with their associated readership database, events and web presence. Properties acquired include established and leading publications such as Food in Canada, Le Bulletin des agriculteurs, Canadian Packaging, HPAC and Meetings & Incentive Travel (including Incentiveworks, Canada’s largest trade show for the meetings, incentive travel and promotions industry).

The assets will integrate into Glacier’s Business Information Group, a leading operator of Canadian trade publications and industry-focused web sites, and Glacier’s Farm Business Communications.

The acquisition allows Glacier to:

• Expand the company’s growing print and digital footprint in the Canadian agriculture and food media industry;
• Further leverage the operating platform of the Business Information Group (e.g. fulfillment systems, production services, web technologies);
• Utilize acquired technologies to accelerate the online capabilities and reach of the Business Information Group’s directory products, especially Scott’s Directories.

The transaction is expected to close on May 27, 2011.

Yesterday was the official launch of Opportunity CAN, a 40-day event celebrating Opportunity International’s 40-year history empowering people across the developing world to work their way out of poverty using financial tools. During the event, Canadians will use their unique skills and creativity to fulfill a personal challenge or host a meal that will help end poverty through microfinance.

“In the last year, we’ve had people parachute out of planes and hike mountains to help end global poverty,” says Opportunity International Canada President & CEO, Paula A. Curtis. “Engaged couples gave up their wedding gifts and businesses offered a ‘Toonie at the Till’ promotion. It will be exciting to see how Canadians now respond to Opportunity CAN.”

Opportunity’s goal is to raise $1 million in 40 days that will help empower entrepreneurs to work their way out of poverty. The campaign, however, “is about more than raising money,” Curtis observes. “It’s about celebrating entrepreneurship and creativity. Our microfinance clients have been demonstrating this for 40 years. Now we’re giving Canadians the opportunity to use their gifts as well.”

The Women In Leadership Foundation will be hosting its 2nd Annual Calgary Women in Business Luncheon: Password to Success from 11am – 1:30pm on Wednesday, May 25th at the Calgary Petroleum Club in Calgary.

Presented by TD Bank Financial Group, this luncheon is a part of the Women in Leadership National Spotlight Speaker Series, and showcases female role models in business and fosters the expansion of networks. At the annual luncheon, you’ll hear leading local women in business share their journeys of success, practical tips and inspiration. Proceeds will benefit the Women in Leadership Mentorship Program.

Leslie Horton, Global TV, will be moderating the panel as each women share their individual stories of their password to success. This year the four inspirational speakers from the business community include:

• Bonnie DuPont – Corporate Director and Management Consultant
• Sharon Hapton – Founder of Soup Sisters
• Leslie Conway – President of Hopewell Residential Communities Inc
• Lynda Hay – Senior Investment Advisor – TD Waterhouse

SCHEDULE
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Networking and Exhibits
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. — Panel Presentation and Lunch
1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. — Q&A

Women in Leadership was founded in 2001 and has its head office in Vancouver. WIL is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women in leadership roles. WIL has played a pivotal role in helping thousands of women across Canada surge to success. WIL’s vision is to advance women in leadership.

Vistek proudly presents ProFusion 2011 Expo & Tradeshow at the Toronto Congress Centre Friday June 17th and Saturday June 18th. After its successful inaugural Pro Video Expo & Tradeshow, ProFusion 2011 will expand to include Pro Photography – this year becoming two tradeshows in one.

ProFusion 2011 will showcase all things state of the art in the world of photo & video in exhibits from the industry’s leading and most innovative manufacturers. From seminars & lectures to exhibits & displays, ProFusion will be hands on in every respect. A major attraction at last year’s tradeshow and a component of the show that sets ProFusion apart is the list of advanced workshops and exclusive seminars featuring world-renowned image-makers.

This year’s list of lecturers includes keynote speaker and legendary New York photographer Jay Maisel along with:

Vincent Laforet, Los Angeles/New York based Director & DOP
Philip Bloom, independent filmmaker and HDSLR innovator
Douglas Spotted Eagle, author and celebrated video pro involved in multiple Emmy-winning productions
Seth Resnick, one of the most influential photographers of the decade
George Willis CSC, SASC, highly acclaimed film director
Gary Fong, successful wedding photographer and inventor of the Lightsphere light diffuser

Please visit the event’s web site for a full list of presenters and exhibitors.

D-BOX Technologies Inc. has signed an agreement with Starplex Cinemas to equip its Stadium 16 theatre in Corpus Christi, Texas and Stadium 14 in Normal, Ill. with D-BOX MFX Seats.

Stadium 16 in Corpus Christi will be the first of the two to feature the motion technology, debuting 25 D-BOX MFX Seats in time for the May 20 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

“This initial agreement with Starplex Cinemas generates new opportunity for growth within the U.S. as this chain currently has a presence in California, Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio, just to name a few U.S. states,” said President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master.

“We are very much looking forward to introducing the D-BOX experience,” said Director of Marketing for Starplex Cinemas, Traci Hoey. “It’s a means of differentiating our theatres from others in the market while maintaining our commitment to provide a high-quality, state-of-the-art entertainment experience for our guests.”

The HSBC International Business Awards are an important, new awards program that will honour Canadian firms that have made a real difference in taking their products and services to the world. The Awards were bestowed in the following categories: the HSBC International Business of the Year Award, Small and Medium Enterprise, the HSBC International Business of the Year Award, Large Enterprise, the Leadership in International Trade in Asia-Pacific, and the Leadership in International Trade in Latin America. The program was created in conjunction with Business without Borders, Canada’s newest and best source of news, analysis and practical information for companies reaching beyond this nation’s borders.

Of interest to us are the 2011 Award Winners in the Enterprise categories, because they are both from the Technology sector:

Small Medium Enterprise: ToonBoom Animation
Large Enterprise: Forensic Technology

GuestLogix, Inc., a global provider of onboard store technology to airlines and the passenger travel industry, today announced that Tom Douramakos, President and Chief Executive Officer was invited to present at the 12^th Annual B. Riley & Co. Investor Conference at the Lowes Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California.

Mr. Douramakos will discuss the benefits of GuestLogix’ onboard retailing technology and merchandising platform and highlight the Company’s success in penetrating the global airline industry. He will also outline the Company’s strategy to drive continued growth. The GuestLogix presentation will take place on Tuesday, May 24^th, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time in Palisades D.

As June 4th approaches, artists worldwide quietly sharpen their pencils in anticipation for Drawing Day 2011. In its fourth year, the event is set to infuse online art communities and social networking with one million drawings.

As social networking grows, artists have more power than ever to showcase their artwork with the world on Drawing Day 2011. The web is now the platform of choice for artists both amateur and professional to showcase their artistic skills. Websites such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, deviantART and a group of emerging online art communities are helping bring artists together for what is set to be the biggest worldwide drawing event ever. Artist and designer, Mick Gow and a small group of fellow artists had a vision almost 4 years ago to make some noise worldwide for the sake of art – and Drawing Day has been slowly growing ever since.

It’s quite possible that Drawing Day 2011 may reach that goal. “Social networking is more powerful than ever, and once the word spreads, artists will embrace the event,” says Gow. The event has already had a great start with a successful Drawing Day project on the popular fundraising website Kickstarter.com. “We launched our Kickstarter project to raise money for a book to document Drawing Day, and we hit that target pretty quickly,” he proudly adds. The book will showcase drawings submitted on Drawing Day and is part of what’s new with the event this year. The official event website showcases the official t-shirts, downloadable posters, and includes all the information anyone needs to participate.

It’s free and simple to participate and you can do so on your own, with a group of friends, or at your local school or community center. If you would like to participate at a local event and can’t find one, you can simply download a poster, post it on a notice board and organize to meet people in your community. All people need to do is arrive with a pencil and paper (or a computer if you’re a digital artist). Once you have completed your drawings, simply upload them to drawingday.org or to any of the participating websites listed.

Technology is definitely helping the Drawing Day mission. The website has created an online drawing application so people can draw directly on the website – and it works on an iPad. Since its launch, the iPad has been embraced by many artists as a digital and portable drawing tool. These artists are set to bridge the gap between traditional and digital methods of drawing and Drawing Day hopes to take advantage of this.

“Drawing Day is for everyone. You can draw using the latest technology, or use the event as an excuse to turn off the computer and spend time with family and friends using nothing more than paper and pencil,” says Gow. Whether you’re nine or ninety-nine years old, Drawing Day is hoping to remind people of the joy of drawing.

If you would like more information about Drawing Day 2011 or want to be involved either as an artist or to help promote the event, contact Mick Gow or visit the official event website.

The AMD Foundation today announced grants of more than $125,000 for educational programs that mark the non-profit’s expansion into Canada. The grants were awarded to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada and Friends of York University at the 2011 INplay Conference.  The awards support AMD’s education initiative, AMD Changing the Game, which is designed to inspire students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by creating video games.

“The AMD Foundation is committed to partnering with organizations that can help us meet students on common ground to build critical STEM skills,” said Allyson Peerman, President of the AMD Foundation. “The Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada and York University are innovators in the education space and the perfect partners to help us grow educational game design curricula in Canada.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada will receive $45,000 to create two new computer labs with Acer computers powered by AMD Fusion APUs and $32,000 to deploy Game Tech pilot programs that will familiarize students with video game design principles and the STEM skills involved in the process.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand our technology learning programs for youth by enabling our Club members to access Game Tech,” said Pam Jolliffe, CEO and President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada. “Using game design to support youth in their learning and get them excited about learning is an innovative approach that we think will encourage our youth to be actively engaged.”

The Ontario grants are the most recent collaboration between AMD Changing the Game and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada. The Game Tech curriculum offers Club members ages 9-13 the opportunity to explore video game design and teaches systems thinking, introductory programming and problem-solving skills. The program is also designed to expose members to gaming career fields.

Friends of York University will receive $15,000 to create a computer lab equipped with AMD-based technology, and $35,000 to develop after school programs that encourage girls aged 13-15 to make use of video game design as a way to harness the power of new media development for under-privileged youth in the Greater Toronto/York Region.  After school programs will be enhanced with a summer camp opportunity that will provide access for additional students, supplemental mentoring and confidence building opportunities.

“York University researchers are making new breakthroughs in digital media and gaming,” said Stan Shapson, Vice-President Research & Innovation at York University. “We are excited to partner with the AMD Foundation to extend our research and outreach into the pedagogy of gaming to engage high school girls. These opportunities will provide students with technical skills while giving the participants insight into careers in the gaming and digital media industries.”

AMD Changing the Game is designed to take gaming beyond entertainment and inspire youth to learn critical education and life skills by equipping them to create digital games with social content. The program’s purpose is to promote the use of youth game development as a tool to inspire learning and improve science, technology, education and math (STEM) skills. The initiative is rooted in AMD’s long history of supporting education, along with the company’s passion and expertise in the graphics processor and gaming industries.

Since its launch in June 2008, AMD Changing the Game has:

• Funded 33 programs by 21 organizations in the United States, China, Malaysia, Germany and Canada that enable youth game development
• Co-sponsored the U.S. National STEM Video Game Challenge and joined Change the Equation in support of the US Educate to Innovate campaign
• Co-sponsored, along with the Entertainment Software Association, The Atlantic Intelligence Series Technologies in Education Forum
• Funded the creation and implementation of the Game Tech program at 10 local Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.
• Funded the creation of Level Up!, a comprehensive online teaching resource providing curricula and tools for middle and high school educators to teach students video game design and improve their STEM and language arts skills
• Funded the creation of a social impact game community within the Gamestar Mechanic game development platform
• Funded the creation of the AMD Game Zone within the Whyville.net virtual learning world
• Funded the development of the World Wide Workshop Foundation’s Globaloria game-design program for the Southwest Key’s East Austin College Prep Academy in 2009 and 2010
• Funded the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers new video game design category for the 2010 and 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
• Funded Schmahl Science Workshop’s program to develop a sustainable fishing video game to communicate the danger of over fishing to long-term human survival
• Co-sponsored the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Games for Change Festival

On Friday, May 20, family literacy practitioners in Alberta will roll up their sleeves and build their social media capacity. They’ll learn how to leverage the power of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to get connected in a digital age to other non-profit organizations and to the community.

Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton, a specialist in marketing of language and literacy programs will present at the Food for Thought conference, organized by the Centre for Family Literacy. (note: registration is now closed for this event)

Eaton will deliver a hands-on workshop designed to teach program directors, administrators, practitioners and volunteers how to leverage the power of social media in a literacy program. Participants will bring their laptops and spend time registering for and using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

“Typically, literacy experts have deep knowledge about teaching learners to read and write, and are somewhat hesitant to delve into the world of new media literacy,” says Eaton, who has presented internationally on the topic of social media in the education and non-profit sectors. “By getting them to open an account, create a Facebook page and try their first Tweet in a collaborative environment, we can engage in meaningful conversations about how to use social media constructively to promote the good work they do in literacy to help our local communities.”

Eaton, who holds a PhD in Educational Leadership,  is one of the world’s top experts on marketing and promotion of second language and literacy programs. She founded Eaton International Consulting Inc. in 2001 to help educational and non-profit organizations. She is the author of 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program and is an international speaker, who has presented on her work in seven countries.

The conference happens in Edmonton on May 19 and 20, 2011 at the FantasyLand Hotel.

Toronto Digifest is getting ready to highlight your best art. The show’s organizers are gathering up amazing work for both the festival’s exclusive online digital showcase and the weekend exhibitions that will take place alongside the many offerings of Toronto Digifest this October 29th and 30th.

If you’ve got a piece to show off that fits into one of these categories, or something that belongs in its own unique category, Digifest wants to hear from you. Please check the event’s web site for submission guidelines and application form.

• Interactive art
• Wearable art
• Installation pieces
• Video
• Motion graphics
• Architecture
• Graphic design
• Fashion
• Video games
• Web experience

Digifest is also looking to partner with galleries across the city to help them show off the latest and greatest digital media creations. If you are interested in a potential partnership – whether it be with the artists they source, or your own – Digifest wants to talk to you too.

Also, if you are a game studio looking for a place to mingle with fellow developers, gamers & the general public as well as have a space to show off your work, Digifest’s organizers hope that you’ll apply to join them for First Person. Taking place as part of Digifest on October 29th and 30th, First Person is a game industry trade show happening at Gaming Inc., the new gaming incubator at 333 King Street East.