Village Gamer

Businesses Learn to Stop Cyber Criminals

Vancouver – Online threats to business operations are likely to grow in 2009, but some companies are getting the information they need to prepare for the coming storm.

This month, Vancouver Board of Trade Managers’ Toolbox presents “Online Protection: How to secure your business and build consumer trust“, where Pacific Coast Information Systems Ltd. President Vaclav Vincalek will provide essential tips and practical steps businesses can take to protect their operations and customers.

“Hackers and cyber criminals are increasingly employing multi-faceted tactics that businesses must prevent if they want to survive, much less compete,” Vincalek says. “A successful attack on a company’s network or online presence, which can take a
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Approximately $0.8 million expected in the next eight weeks

TORONTO – Atlantis Systems Corp. today announced that it has been notified by the Ontario Media Development Corporation of its eligibility to receive an Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit, which is a refundable tax credit based on eligible Ontario labour, marketing and distribution expenses with respect to interactive digital media products produced in Ontario. Under this program, Atlantis expects to receive approximately $1.5 million in fiscal 2009, net of applicable fees. The Company expects to receive $0.8 million in February 2009 and the balance once the 2008 tax returns have been filed. The tax credits relate to expenses incurred in the 2007 and 2008 taxation years. The Company plans to apply for future credits through the Ontario Media Development Corporation and through a similar program in Nova Scotia.

“These tax credits provide strong evidence of the quality and innovativeness of Atlantis’ solutions, and they help to solidify our near-term financial position as we execute our new strategic plan and pursue multiple opportunities in our business Read the rest of this entry »

iNovia Capital’s Funding Allows Company To Maintain its Expansion and Launch New Product Offerings

Montreal – Garner Bornstein, CEO of Airborne Mobile Inc., a long-time innovator and leader in the mobile media industry, today announced the closing of a $2 million growth financing round with iNovia Capital. The injection of capital will be used to finance Airborne’s new initiatives in mobile media and other business opportunities.

A 10-year pioneer in the mobile content industry, firmly-entrenched in partnerships with every major North American wireless carrier as well as with high-profile consumer brands like Fox’s Family Guy and Food Network, Airborne is enjoying a renaissance
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Vancouver – Grubby Games, an independent Vancouver game development studio co-founded by Ryan Clark and Matt Parry in 2004, has been named to the final nominees list for the upcoming Independent Games Festival Awards. Their new 2D physics-based Incredibots game is in the running for an award in the Technical Excellence category.

Grubby Games co-founder Ryan Clark says that he came up with the idea for Incredibots after playing a physics game which allows the player to control a small tracked vehicle. “I really enjoyed playing with that little tank! I decided that if such a simple little application was so much fun, a full-featured robot editor would be far more fun!”
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Three New Battalions and Six New Upgrades Included in the Latest Content

Montreal – Ubisoft today announced the release of the “Faction Elite Pack” downloadable content (DLC) for Tom Clancy’s EndWar™ available for the Xbox 360® entertainment system from Microsoft and for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The DLC is available for 300 Microsoft points.

The “Faction Elite Pack” DLC will include three new battalions (one per faction) and six new upgrades (two per faction). These new elite battalions include the legendary JSF 15th Special Operations, the Spetsnaz Alpha Brigade, and the Enforcer Corps Battlegroup. The “Faction Elite Pack” will also grant immediate access to six exclusive unit upgrades including Ceramic Armor for the Spetnaz Guard Brigade and Caseless Ammunition for The European Federation’s Gunships to name but a couple.

EA SPORTS to Debut on PlayStation®Network With EA SPORTS Complex

Burnaby – Electronic Arts Inc. has announced its initial plans for the PlayStation®Home Beta for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the 3D social gaming community that allows users to interact, communicate and share gaming experiences online. EA’s support of the PlayStation Home Beta will begin with the EA SPORTS™ Complex, which is currently in development and is slated to launch this Spring.

“We’re proud to support the PlayStation Home Beta with a very robust offering from EA SPORTS,” said Peter Moore, president of EA SPORTS. “As part of our continued commitment to the connected experience and the digitization of our business, the EA SPORTS Complex is a rich new online environment that presents a compelling and immersive social gaming experience for the global sports audience.”

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Motion FX Technology set to Support Growth through Video Games and Hollywood

Longueuil QC – D-BOX Technologies Inc (DBO.A on the TSX Venture Exchange), a leader in innovative motion technology for the entertainment industry, is showcasing exciting new products and initiatives, including a new hybrid motion system priced at $US 2,999 at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Booth # 21537, South Hall 1.

In conjunction with the video game development community and Hollywood, D-BOX is delivering the most complete viewer/player immersion experience to date: bold, immersive and invigorating journeys of realistic Motion Effects (MFX) perfectly synchronized with onscreen action and sound! This new hybrid motion system, which offers the flexibility of either playing video games or watching home movies, offers great value for consumers looking to get the most from their entertainment dollar, which is supported by the fact that D-BOX won the 2008 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Honor in the Electronic Gaming Product category.

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Global Leader in Display Technology with Pioneer of Advanced PCoIP Technology to Introduce New, Efficient, and Innovative Desktop Display Solution at CES 2009

Burnaby – Teradici Corporation, the industry leader in delivering a true PC experience over standard IP networks, today announced a partnership with Samsung Electronics to provide Teradici’s revolutionary PC-over-IP® (PCoIP®) technology directly integrated into new SyncMaster 930ND 19” LCD display.

The innovative Samsung display incorporating PCoIP technology will deliver a rich graphical experience to desktop users in a fully-integrated display product with all host computing equipment located in a datacenter or any remote location. The SyncMaster 930ND is the world’s first PCoIP display that fits conveniently on a desktop and allows users to take advantage of all the high-resolution graphics, HD media and interoperability enabled by PCoIP technology. It is a fully stateless client that supports any user type from task worker to extreme 3D workstation in a single desktop appliance – an innovative alternative that delivers greater scalability than traditional thin clients.

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New Line Serves Mobile Customers Looking for Mobility, Style with Latest Technology, Excellent Value

Ontario – Gateway today debuts a new notebook line in Canada optimized for multimedia enthusiasts on a budget, the new 15.6-inch Gateway MD Series notebook line.

The new Gateway MD Series notebook line leverages the fashion-forward style and the capabilities of the popular Gateway MC Series to deliver cinematic mobile entertainment and mainstream performance at an affordable price.

It is available now throughout Canada in several set configurations at leading retailers starting at $749.99. “The new MD Series notebook line is an all-around winner – it pairs a distinct style with a mobile-ready form factor and best-in-class technology at incredible values,” said Ray Sawall, senior product marketing manager for Acer America. “The entertainment and multimedia capabilities of the MD Series are just what today’s savvy mobile notebook customers need for their active lifestyle.”

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Vancouver – The organizing committee for Spark FX 2009 have released the speaker schedule for the upcoming SFX festival, but co-chair Mike Davison notes that there are one or two sessions still to be finalized. Spark FX runs from January 21 – 26 at the Vancouver International Film Centre, 1181 Seymour Street. Tickets for film showings and speaker events can be purchased through the ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver Chapter’s website, along with full speaker bios and film information.

DAY 1 Wednesday January 21 – Doors Open 6:30pm

7:00 pm FILM “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” with Ken A. Priebe
9:30 pm FILM “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”

DAY 2 Thursday January 22 – 8:30 am – Registration

11:15 am SPEAKER SESSION – “Fictional Interfaces” with Mark Coleran
3:15 pm SPEAKER SESSION – “Make-up with Gordon Smith” with Gordon J. Smith
5:00 pm PANEL – “Pipedreams: In Search of the Perfect Production Solution” with Dave Fracchia, Anthony Brown, Leo Chan & Troy Brooks
7:00 pm FILM – “Forbidden Planet” with Keith Blackmore
9:30 pm FILM – “Alien”

DAY 3 Friday – January 23 – 8:30 am – Registration
9:30 am SPEAKER SESSION – “Spanning the Valley” with Paul Debevec
11:15 am SPEAKER SESSION – “Digital Cloning at ILM, from Lemony Snicket’s Baby to Pirates’ Davy Jones” with Christophe Hery
1:30 pm SPEAKER SESSION – “A VFX Journey Through Pan’s Labyrinth with CafeFX” with Jeff Barnes

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