Village Gamer

INplay 2011 has announced the five successful kids interactive projects that will be showcased at the upcoming INplay Conference; the unique, international event that connects kids creative industries with insights and opportunities in the interactive space. INplay is taking place at the Liberty Grand in Toronto on May 17 & 18. For tickets, schedule and speaker information please visit the event’s web site.

INplay has partnered with the Canada Media Fund (CMF) to create an exclusive opportunity to showcase Canadian interactive projects. The Canadian Interactive Showcase presented by CMF will provide Canadian companies with a chance to share their interactive project, product or service with an audience of investors, potential partners and peers. The following five projects will be presented to the INplay audience at the conference on May 18, hosted by Mike Wise, Anchor: CBC News Toronto, and Host, iDesk

PO-MO Inc. – Meghan Athavale, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project: Customizable projection software
PO-MOtion is a free, customizable motion-reactive projection software that can be installed on any computer. The software can be used with any projector or large display (including TVs) and any kind of web camera. The software allows childhood educators and special needs educators to install their own motion reactive floors and walls.

Soma Creates – Josh Heidebrecht, Calgary, Alberta
Project: OLIVIA Paints iPhone app
Soma Creates will showcase two iPhone Kids games. Paint like never before by mixing colours together in OLIVIA Paints, make your very own fruit smoothie with none other than Strawberry Shortcake, and catch a glimpse into their next upcoming project.

Tactica Interactive – Kevin Glasier, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project:  Tiga Talk Speech Therapy Games for the iPhone
Tiga Talk Speech Therapy Games is an innovative iPhone/iPod app that helps children improve speaking clarity and confidence. Voice-controlled games give children a fun and engaging way to master 23 core phonetic sounds. The product was developed and tested in direct consultation with speech and language pathologists.

Kidobi – Eric Sorenson, Toronto, Ontario
Project: Kidobi
Kidobi is a revolutionary technology that creates personalized programming blocks for preschool children, helping them get the most out of their media. Extensive parental controls and reporting tools give parents peace of mind, while our subscription-based business model helps content partners generate new revenue streams.

Pixton Comics Inc. – Clive Goodinson, Parksville, BC
Project: Pixton Click-n-Drag Comics
Pixton introduces the world to Click-n-Drag Comics™, a revolutionary new patent-pending technology that gives anyone the power to create comics on the web.From fully posable characters to dynamic panels, props, and speech bubbles, every aspect of a comic can be controlled in an intuitive click-n-drag motion. Pixton Comics was named a “leading Web 2.0 pioneer” and “one of the 20 companies driving innovation and changing the way we use the Internet” by Backbone Magazine / KPMG.

On May 18, May 19 and May 20, the 36th Congress of the Quebec Association of Business Economists (ASDEQ) will be held in Gatineau. This year, the delegates will discuss the challenges raised by the rise of information technology. Under co-chairs François Delorme, president of the Quebec Association of Business Economists, and Marc Duhamel, executive director of the Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy and Public Administration, the congress will bring together over 200 economists from across Quebec to discuss emerging economic, social and cultural issues related to information technology.

Several guest speakers will be on hand for the event, including:

Dr. Preston McAfee, vice-president and research fellow at Yahoo!
Dale Jorgensen, economist
Samuel W. Morris, professor at Harvard University
Bruno Guglieminetti, director of digital communications at National Public Relations
Gina Desjardins, journalist and blogger

Political representatives will join us as well, including:

Denis Coderre, MP for Bourassa, known for his effective use of Web 2.0
Clément Gignac, Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade

Also in attendance will be figures from the business, university and IT communities to discuss topics such as the digital economy, the media weight of economists, economy and innovation, and many other ideas.

“The constant growth in the use of information technologies within our organizations has led to many new challenges. At the 36th ASDEQ Congress, we will discuss the means we should develop to allow us to make the most of this technological revolution,” said Marc Duhamel, co-chair of the 2011 Congress.

“In a period of economic and social transition like the one we’re experiencing today, the ASDEQ Congress will give stakeholders an opportunity to discuss their experiences and the means at our disposal to build bridges between the economy and information technology,” said François Delorme, president of the Quebec Association of Business Economists.

We invite you to join us at this important event and follow us on Facebook and Twitter (#ASDEQ2011).

The commercial value of unlicensed software installed on personal computers in Canada reached US$1.066 billion in 2010 as 28 per cent of software deployed on PCs during the year was pirated. These are among the findings of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) 2010 Global Software Piracy Study, which evaluates the state of software piracy around the world.

“At 28 per cent, Canada’s piracy rate is at an all time low, dropping six percentage points since 2006,” said Michael Murphy, Chairman of the BSA Canada Committee. “While these findings show that progress has been made in reducing the software piracy rate in Canada, there is still more work to be done on behalf of Canadian businesses and consumers alike. The further we reduce software piracy, the better it will be for the Canadian economy.”

This is the eighth study of global software piracy to be conducted by BSA in partnership with IDC, the IT industry’s leading market research and forecasting firm, using a methodology that incorporates 182 discrete data inputs for 116 countries and regions around the world. This year’s study also includes a new dimension: a public-opinion survey of PC users on key social attitudes and behaviors related to software piracy, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs.

The opinion survey found strong support for intellectual property rights in Canada, with 68 per cent of respondents saying we should reward inventors for their creations to promote more technology advances.  Strikingly, the global survey found that support for intellectual property rights was strongest in markets with high piracy rates.

The survey also found widespread recognition among Canadians that licensed software is better than pirated software when it comes to technical support (92 per cent), security (83 per cent) and reliability (81 per cent).

However, across the globe the survey found that many PC users lack a clear understanding of whether common ways of acquiring software, such as buying a single program license for multiple computers or downloading a program from peer-to-peer network, are likely to be legal or illegal. In Canada, a majority of respondents said that peer-to-peer, lending software and street markets are illegal, but 59 per cent believe that auction sites provide legal software.  Almost two-thirds said installing multiple copies at home is legal. Read the rest of this entry »

Future Shop carries all the major cellular carriers, features a variety of plans, accessories and 100 handsets all under one roof. With an abundant selection, choosing the right phone, plan and setting it up can be a daunting task. To ease the burden or new phone set-up and help Canadians maximize their handset, Future Shop is rolling out new cellular services through ConnectPro, Canada’s premier provider of technology installation and services.

Canadians feeling smartphone angst can take advantage of ConnectPro’s new Smartphone Services. Starting Friday, May 13, 2011, ConnectPro launches the following in all 146 stores*:

1. Smartphone set-up and personalization, $49.99, includes:
   • Initial setup. ConnectPro experts will take care of all initial set-ups on the smartphone, including voicemail password, email, transfer of prior phone data to the new device, Bluetooth set-up and demonstrate the powers the device carries.
   • Personalization. ConnectPro ensures the smartphone user account is configured properly, default apps, software setup and updates, eliminate dead pixels, perform a network test and ensures the audio and input are working optimally.
   • Wireless printer setup. Today’s smartphones are “smart” enough to do more than just call, text and surf the web. Canadians with printers offering web or e-print capabilities, ConnectPro will set up the smartphone to print at the touch of the screen.
   • ConnectPro tutorial. Once the smartphone is set-up professionally by ConnectPro, a demo will be provided of how to maximize the device. Included in the demo are the following: how to connect the device to a computer for updates and media transfer, navigate built-in apps, download new apps, adjust settings, browse the web, save favourites and use the device as a GPS.
2. Smartphone set-up with security, $79.99, includes all of the above, plus:
   • Security installation. Smartphones are much like handheld computers. With that come similar threats that can compromise the functions of the smartphone and information contained within it. In addition to the above set-up and personalization, ConnectPro will install security software to block viruses, malware, harmful websites and apps to keep the smartphone running error-free.
3. Smartphone set-up with protection, $79.99, includes all of the smartphone set-up, personalization, plus:
   • Zagg Invisible Shield with install. Smartphones deserve to be protected from their daily grind. Included in this service is set-up, personalization and the installation of an award-winning Zagg Invisible Shield, bubble-free and perfectly placed to protect the smartphone from unexpected spills and scratches.
4. Smartphone setup with security and protection, $119.99, and includes all of the above.

*In-home Smartphone Services are available for an additional $49.99.

The Online Marketing Summit is coming to Toronto on June 13th and 14th. Taking place at the Hyatt Regency, Sundeep Kapur will be presenting Social Integration: Creating Interactive Conversations Across Channels on the morning of the 13th, while Thought Labs’ Cappy Popp will present Facebook: Beyond the Basics on the morning of the 14th. Each session runs from 07:30 until 08:45 and costs $99.00. I’m not sure if the organizers just haven’t finished updating the site or not, but it seems that Toronto is not getting the full Summit that is being offered in the US, as the agendas and prices are quite different. I had thought that a Summit entailed a number of components, not two presentations on two consecutive mornings.

Score Media Inc., home of ScoreMobile®, has acquired rival offering, SportsTap. The deal reinforces Score Media’s position as a definitive market leader in smartphone sports apps.

Launched in 2007, SportsTap, like ScoreMobile, was one of the early sports app innovators. Its ad-supported iPhone and Android apps have been widely adopted and enjoyed by sports fans across North America. SportsTap is currently the 3rd most popular free sports app on Android (according to Android Market, May 9th) – the fastest growing mobile platform – right behind the 2nd most popular free sports app, ScoreMobile.

According to comScore’s MobiLens™ March 2011 report which ranks mobile sports app audiences in the United States, the combined monthly audience of ScoreMobile and SportsTap would rank as #3 behind ESPN and Yahoo! and ahead of competitors FOX and CBS (according to comScore Inc,  MobilLens US, March 2011 3 Month Average), Potential reach with duplication, Mobile Brands: News – Sports – Application).

“ScoreMobile’s acquisition of SportsTap brings together two innovative and popular services and positions us well to deliver even more exciting experiences for sports fans and creative solutions for our advertising partners,” says Benjie Levy, Executive Vice-President & COO, Score Media Inc. “This deal further cements our position as a mobile sports leader among the world’s premier sports brands.”

The strategic acquisition of SportsTap adds to Score Media’s growing portfolio of mobile apps which includes ScoreMobile, ScoreMobile FC and theScore® iPad Edition and increases its global monthly unique user base to more than 3 million. Score Media plans to operate SportsTap as a stand-alone application. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

iStockphoto has expanded its Vetta Collection to include video and illustrations. Vetta is a collection of best-in-class iStock content that has been editor-selected for exquisite quality, art direction, creativity, originality and style.

The Vetta collection was created for creative professionals who demand the finest iStock has to offer and are looking for a more sophisticated take on stock. As is the case with Vetta photos, acceptance criteria for video and illustrations will remain extremely strict.

“It comes as no surprise that the work of our best and most creative artists has become so popular with our customers. We’ve seen Vetta content used in some truly mind-blowing campaigns and projects,” said Kelly Thompson, COO of iStockphoto. “With the addition of video and illustrations, the options they have become virtually limitless.”

Vetta — Italian for “peak” — is the answer for creative professionals looking for exceptional imagery and video. Vetta files are submitted by exclusive iStock contributors to a seasoned group of editors and each is carefully reviewed for its art direction, well-executed concept and uniqueness.

Pricing for Vetta video and illustration files are as follows:

Video
Big Web – 55 credits
NTSC – 90 credits
HD 720 – 120 credits
HD 1080 – 150 credits

Illustrations
Detailed – 40 credits
Complex – 50 credits
Elaborate – 60 credits

Hothead Games has launched their second iOS title Chromanoids in the App Store. This arcade shoot ’em up puts you in charge of a last line of defense space fleet, tasked with saving Earth from the unforgiving enemy Chromanoid ships.

Chromanoids is a classic arcade-style space shooter, but with a colorful twist: players can only damage the oncoming ships with blasts of color that match that of the enemy. Mix and swap colors in the reservoir to make the perfect match and destroy the Chromanoid attackers.

Players have the choice to use in game Power Ups, such as Nukes, Fastshot and Instakill Blitz Bombs to progress through wave after wave of challenging space battles.

To keep you entertained throughout the missile launches and explosions the game story that accompanies Chromanoids is a space fuelled adventure inspired by anime and centered around themes of squad defection, peer respect and an out of this world love triangle.

“Ensign Cyan reporting for duty Sir! Sensors detect shielded Chromanoids coming our way!”

Chromanoids features:

*         Special power up items to obtain during play to help you on your mission
*         Game Center support with leaderboards for each game mode and local high scores
*         Five different modes of gameplay:

*    Story Mode: You’re the last line of defense against the Chromanoids; your success affects the outcome.
*    Armada Mode: Be challenged with more and faster attackers.
*    Ultradrive Mode: The attacking ships speed up with each new wave, and your accuracy will affect the speed of your color missiles.
*    Depleted Mode: Blast power is diminished as you hit the enemies, but gain bonus points for targeting the ships with smaller and smaller shots.
*    Red-Shift Mode: Blast away!  Just shoot the enemies down, without having to change colors.

[youtube:http://youtu.be/Y1bEIGfjh9Y]

You can try the Chromanoids free version (in-app purchase will unlock the full game) or purchase the full version for 99 cents USD. This game is rated 4+ and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It requires iOS 3.1.3 or later.

Are you a ‘Cameo’-style volunteer, who wants occasional, flexible opportunities to develop your skills?  Or are you a ‘Type A’, a highly motivated leader, driven to contribute to a cause that means the most to you?

Volunteer Canada, together with Manulife Financial, is introducing a new digital tool that categorizes Canadians into six distinct volunteer types and recommends available roles suited to their volunteer profiles and specific interests. The Volunteer Quiz, or VQ, is the latest addition to a suite of digital assets that is part of a national two-year campaign. This national campaign is aimed at enriching the volunteer experience of Canadians and strengthening the country’s voluntary sector in order to build and sustain healthy communities.

According to the landmark Bridging the Gap research study, led by Volunteer Canada in partnership with Manulife, technology is creating an opportunity to address a disconnect between what Canadians look for in volunteer experiences and what organizations offer.

“Today’s volunteers are more goal-oriented, autonomous, tech-savvy, and mobile,” said Ruth MacKenzie, President and CEO of Volunteer Canada. “It’s essential that organizations recognize the changes that technology brings and adapt to meet the needs of the next generation of volunteers.”

Rookie, Roving Consultant, Type ‘A’, Groupie, Juggler, and Cameo are the six volunteer types identified by the VQ, and are based on the Bridging the Gap research findings. The VQ is the first online tool in Canada to provide volunteer opportunities best suited to the individual’s profile. The ‘Groupie’, for example, enjoys the camaraderie of group volunteering activities, and is best suited to large organizations with short-term or one-day volunteer activities, while the ‘Roving Consultant’ is better suited to work on specific short-term projects with real need for a specialized skill set.

“All Canadians have a role to play along a broad spectrum of engagement – everything from quick bursts of volunteering on mobile handsets to front-line volunteer aid in war-torn regions of the world,” said MacKenzie. “The VQ can help boost volunteer engagement, but it’s essential to maintain a balance between episodic and long-term volunteering.”

“As the leading corporate supporter of this campaign, Manulife is committed to building tools and resources that inspire Canadians to get involved in their communities and help the not-for-profit sector respond to the unique needs of today’s volunteers,” said Nicole Boivin, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Communications at Manulife Canada.  “The VQ is an interactive tool that helps people identify their unique volunteer style, which in turn allows them to focus their search on experiences that they’re likely to find most rewarding.”

Canadians can access the VQ as a feature on the interactive campaign website. The resource connects individuals to suitable volunteer opportunities made available through a powerful volunteer matching tool, sponsored by Manulife Financial.

Reminder: You have one more day to get your vote counted for the Canadian Video Game Awards Game of the Year. Note: Use of Facebook Connect is required to vote.

Canada Post has introduced its new mobile applications that enable Canadians to create their own postage stamps while on the go. The new applications are available in iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android^™ and BlackBerry formats and can be downloaded for free. These new applications join the growing suite of mobile apps now offered by Canada Post.

“This is a unique and creative way to capture special moments in one’s life – whether it’s to mark an occasion like a wedding, celebrate a loved one or commemorate a pet – and share it with friends and family,” says Mary Traversy, Senior Vice President, Transaction Mail at Canada Post.

Picture Postage^™ can be used the same way as any other stamp. The stamps are valued at the current domestic rate. This means that one Picture Postage^™ stamp gets any standard-size envelope (up to 30 grams) delivered anywhere in Canada.

Each photograph submitted will be transformed into a sheet of 20 self-adhesive, domestic rate stamps with a souvenir picture enlargement for $27.95 or a full sheet of 40 stamps for $44.75.

Reminder: You have one more day to get your vote counted for the Canadian Video Game Awards Game of the Year. Note: Use of Facebook Connect is required to vote.

On May 2, 2011, the Ontario court approved settlements in a copyright class action involving freelance writers who wrote for Canadian publications. The settlement funds total C$7.9 million. The freelance writers are represented by Heather Robertson, a freelance author, and by Koskie Minsky LLP, a leading Canadian class action law firm.

The case involved allegations that the defendants infringed the copyright of freelance writers who wrote articles and other literary works that were published by Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd., Rogers Publishing Limited, Canwest Publishing Inc. or their affiliates. The plaintiff alleged the defendants disseminated these literary works in online databases without permission.

“This is a tremendous result for Canadian freelance writers”, said Kirk Baert, lead lawyer for the plaintiffs. “Class members saw their articles appearing in online databases without their express permission. This settlement provides compensation for that unexpected use.”

In the next few weeks, there will be an official notice appearing in certain newspapers and magazines explaining how freelance writers can make claims from the settlement funds. The notice will also be available on Koskie Minsky’s website.