3rd May 2010

Canada 3.0 Open To Public

Canada 3.0 2010“Canada needs to act swiftly to ensure we can participate and prosper in the future economy driven by innovation, becoming a ‘Launch Lab’ attracting investment and intellectual capital,” says Tony Chapman, Canadian media entrepreneur and a keynote speaker at the upcoming Canada 3.0 2010 digital media forum May 10-11 in Stratford.

“Technology is the primary enabler for capitalism to seek the Holy Grail of being faster, better and cheaper and it’s touching every aspect of society – from what we consume to what we experience. To participate in the new economy, Canada needs to carve out the means to compete, ideally lead and defend our position at all cost,” said Chapman, who is also known as a social catalyst and futurist.

“Canada in many ways is a microcosm for the world, and can therefore create the appropriate climate — a Launch Lab — for the world’s innovators to germinate, validate and commercialize their ideas and gain the increasingly important first-mover advantage,” said Chapman.

Chapman cautions, however, that this is not an easy feat, as other countries and multi-national companies have vast access to necessary talent and investment, often not encumbered by the same level of bureaucracy as a developed nation like Canada.

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“It will require our Private, Public and Educational sectors to act in unison, so that we can attract and develop the intellectual capital, technology and processes to lay claim to innovation leadership – and that’s why forums like Canada 3.0 2010 and its ‘Moon Shot’ goal for anyone in Canada to do anything on-line by 2017 is so crucial,” Chapman said.

One of the key elements of the Canada 3.0 2010 forum is to enable alignment so that attendees can act in unison to advance digital media, making it a unique event. The forum attracts people from all walks of life, from the general public and students, to business and industry leaders, to entrepreneurs, academics, government representatives and media. Read the rest of this entry »

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3rd May 2010

Nintendo Officially Announces New Bundles and The Black Wii

notsoftAfter nearly 5 years since the start of development, Oshawa’s premiere independent game studio NotSoft has finally released Wytches Brew – their pagan themed foray into the casual games market.

Wytches Brew features five modes of play, including an epic 52 chapter quest that has the player share a year long journey with 3 Wytches as they travel around their island brewing upwytches brew magical potions for those in need. With four other play modes, including timed modes and modes with relaxed rules, Wytches Brew offers something for casual gamers of every skill level.

“We normally develop action games” said Steven J. Hill (aka bignobody), the man behind NotSoft, “but about 5 years ago we decided to challenge ourselves – could we make a casual game that we would want to play? Given the amount of times we were testing out a particular feature only to find ourselves absorbed in the game, I would say we succeeded.”

Unlike your typical Match 3, Wytches Brew challenges the player to make their matches in particular sequences as outlined by the game’s recipe book. Success creates magical brews. Too many failures and the cauldron will overflow, ending the game.

Nintendo CanadaNintendo Canada has announced that starting May 9, Nintendo will add new elements to the baseline Wii™ system package offered at retailers throughout the Americas. In addition to the intuitive, motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller, Nunchuk™ controller and popular Wii Sports™ game that currently comes standard with each system purchase, every new unit will now also come packaged with Wii Sports Resort™ and the control-enhancing Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. In addition, consumers will be able to choose between two colour schemes for the Wii console Wii 2010and included controllers: original white, or a new black option. The Canadian suggested retail price of the new system package will remain at $209.99.

“Nintendo leads the way in delivering rich motion-control gaming experiences at an accessible price point,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “By including even more of our top-quality hardware and software in the basic Wii system package, we’re extending that commitment to entertainment and value. Now more than ever, consumers can count on Nintendo to deliver inclusive fun and advanced motion controls at a mass-market Black Wiiprice.”

Wii Sports Resort expands on the active-play fun of the original Wii Sports, with resort-themed activities such as wakeboarding, archery and swordplay. What’s more, Wii Sports Resort features the rich control enhancements of Wii MotionPlus, which allows users to dive in and enjoy precision motion-control excitement right out of the box.

Wii MotionPlus has set the standard in precision motion control by delivering an immersive, social experience unavailable on any other system. As of May 9, when both the Wii Sports Resort game and a Wii MotionPlus accessory will come standard with every new Wii console, people who purchase the system can experience this leading-edge video game technology from the moment they plug in and power up.

Previously unavailable throughout the Americas, the black version of the Wii console will offer all the groundbreaking features and functions of its white counterpart in a stylish new colour scheme. Whether they aim to colour-coordinate with other devices or simply love the way it looks, consumers throughout the Americas can add a black Wii console with matching black Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to their home entertainment lineup. Additional black controllers and accessories can be purchased separately.

Hybrid ForgeThe Owl iLibrary application, a customizable iPhone and iPod Touch application developed and deployed for TRAC (The Regional Automation Consortium) by Hybrid Forge, is now commercially available for any library powered by the Polaris ILS.

“This is the first iteration of a very powerful and convenient tool that allows patrons to interact with their library from anywhere”, said Chad Smith, CTO at Hybrid Forge. “The iPhone provides a unique user experience over conventional mobile browser interfaces and with over 80 million iPhone and iPod Touch devices sold to date, native iPhone apps are a smart choice.”

TRAC has released the Owl iLibrary application as the “TRACpac” app and it is currently being TRAC screenused by patrons of TRAC, four partner library systems – Yellowhead, Northern Lights, Peace and Marigold library systems. See the TRACpac app demo on YouTube.

“The TRACpac app is a great way for patrons of the member libraries to find resources online – from wherever they are, whenever they want,” said Kevin Dodds, Director of the Yellowhead Regional Library, where the idea for the app was initially conceived. “An IPhone or iPod Touch user will have instant access to the combined resources of more than 150 libraries in Alberta, with holdings of nearly three million books, DVDs and other material. Best of all, this app can be downloaded for free.”

The Owl iLibrary for iPhone and iPod Touch includes these features:

– Search for books, CDs and DVDs online, by keyword, title, author or ISBN
-View book details such as jacket image, summary, publisher and publication date
– Display call numbers for locating items in the local library
– Place holds on resources for pick-up at their local library, view hold details, cancel a hold, and renew items currently checked-out
– Check book reviews by other visitors through your Chilifresh account
– Display their account barcode on iPhone or iPod Touch for easy check-out
– View any charges, fee and fines Read the rest of this entry »

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3rd May 2010

Why should you deal with a head hunter in your job search?

As you all know, I often have to head hunt candidates in my daily work. Many times, candidates ask me why they should go through a head hunter like me instead of dealing directly with the companies. Our role is more than just linking candidates with jobs. Many people do not fully understand the work that I do, and I will do my best to explain it to you, so you can get to know me and my work a little better :-)

International relocation

It can sometimes be difficult to evaluate what position is offered in other countries, as well as what are the norms in term of salary. The cost of living and the salary scales are something that changes from one country to another, and it can be confusing to set your goals when you don’t have any comparison to make. My role as a headhunter is to advise you in your expectations as a candidate, since I have an overview of the salary scales internationally, as well as the costs of living in different cities. It basically helps you not to make the mistake to have too high or too low salary expectations.

Confidential positions

When it comes to senior or high level positions, it might happen to companies to not post these jobs, for strategy or project confidentiality reasons. When it comes to confidential positions, companies deal with headhunters like me to make sure the information is kept confidential. A headhunter might have positions you have not seen posted anywhere else.

Confidentiality in your job search

It can sometimes be delicate to look for work without your colleagues finding out about it. A headhunter can do your research for you, and tell you where to openings are, without you have to send your resume everywhere. A good agent will make sure your personal info is given only to the key people that will keep this confidential.

Privileged contact with the decision makers

In general, a headhunter has privileged link with the companie’s directors. He or she will present your profile and will be able to give a lot more information about you that just an application form. He or she will represent you and highlight your strengths, kind of like an artist manager would do.

Salary negotiation

Many people are not really comfortable to talk about salary with a potential employer. A headhunter basically does that everyday, and can be a great agent to help you get a fair offer, without you asking for a too high or too low salary. An agent will talk with you and determine a reasonable expectation, taking in consideration the scales on the market, your experience, and your expectations.

When should I NOT deal with a headhunter?

Headhunters are, in general, paid to find specific people, that companies are struggling to find. If you are a new graduate, or a junior candidate, I would not recommend that you deal with a headhunter, since there is a cost for the company at the time of your hiring. Since there are many junior candidates on the market, a company sometimes can not afford paying an agency to hire a junior candidate. For new graduates and junior candidate, I recommend you directly apply online, you will increase your chances this way.

So that was it guys! I hope it helps you understand my work a little better, and do not hesitate to contact me if you would like me to post about a specific project. I will you all job searchers good luck in your future opportunities!

Pierre-Luc Labbee, recruiter at 3pod

Do not hesitate to get in touch with me on :

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/3podjobs

Twitter : http://www.twitter.com/pllabbee3pod

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