Village Gamer

Google Inc. contravened Canadian privacy law when it inappropriately collected personal information from unsecured wireless networks in neighbourhoods across the country, an investigation has found.

The Privacy Commissioner’s investigation also concluded that the incident was the result of an engineer’s careless error as well as a lack of controls to ensure that necessary procedures to protect privacy were followed.

“Our investigation shows that Google did capture personal information – and, in some cases, highly sensitive personal information such as complete e-mails. This incident was a serious violation of Canadians’ privacy rights,” says Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart.

“The impact of new and rapidly evolving technologies on modern life is undeniably exciting. However, the consequences for people can be grave if the potential privacy implications aren’t properly considered at the development stage of these new technologies.”

The personal information collected included complete e-mails, e-mail addresses, usernames and passwords, names and residential telephone numbers and addresses. Some of the captured information was very sensitive, such as a list that provided the names of people suffering from certain medical conditions, along with their telephone numbers and addresses.

It is likely that thousands of Canadians were affected by the incident. Technical experts from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner travelled to the company’s offices in Mountain View, Calif. in order to perform an on-site examination of the data that was collected. They conducted an automated search for data that appeared to constitute personal information.

To protect privacy, the experts manually examined only a small sample of data flagged by the automated search. Therefore, it’s not possible to say how much personal information was collected from unencrypted wireless networks.
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Montreal-based Mad Science Group® has launched the Mad Science Kids Club powered by Everloop, becoming the first-ever science social network platform created specifically for kids.

A “virtual science playground,” the Mad Science Kids Club offers children a unique science-based platform for connecting, exploring and learning with peers online through the company’s signature science enrichment programs. Mad Science Kids Club offers applications including:

— Lab Rat: A panel of experts answers kids’ real science questions
— Science Zone: Offers kids and parents fun, do-at-home science experiments
— Brain Busters: Brain teasers, puzzles, and optical illusions
— Around the Word: An online kids’ book club

In addition, the Mad Science Kids Club gives kids a rich array of social media features including real-time communications: Instant Messaging (IM); email; Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a Skype(TM)-like application for kids; a friend post stream where kids can share their favorite content including videos, music, and photos; a robust game arcade and much more.

“We are so thrilled to launch the Mad Science Kids Club, furthering our mission to spark children’s imagination and provide them with a tangible, fun and highly interactive way to extend their experience with science outside of the classroom,” said Kathy Muloin, President of The Mad Science Group. “We are pleased to partner with Everloop in this effort – a full-featured, expressive platform known for its expertise in online safety – so we can offer parents a fun, and safe, social medium for their children that also promotes science enrichment.”

The Mad Science Kids Club is powered by Everloop’s COPPA-compliant Private Label solution, which provides partners with fun features designed for kids and an unprecedented level of privacy protection. Parents can also monitor their child’s online activities through the parental control dashboard.

“The Mad Science Kids Club is the perfect partner for Everloop, as it joins two of the most important features parents seek in a social platform for kids: educational value and safety,” said Everloop CEO, Hilary DeCesare. “We are excited to be on board with Mad Science and contribute to creating a secure and interactive environment for this revolutionary science platform.”

At today’s official opening of THQ Montreal, THQ Inc. announced that talented game developer Patrice Désilets will join the company next summer to form a new THQ owned development studio housed within its newest Canadian video game development studio.

“The best way we can deliver fresh, high-quality gaming experiences is by working with the best talent. THQ is delighted to have the opportunity to make a brilliant addition to our team next year with Patrice Désilets,” said Danny Bilson, THQ Executive Vice President, Core Games. “We expect calendar 2011 to be a watershed year for THQ, and adding developers like Patrice helps ensure our focus on new IP and great games charted by leading industry artists.”

Désilets previously served as creative director on the Assassin’s Creed franchise, as well as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. THQ has the exclusive option to have Désilets work from the new Montreal studio beginning summer 2011. When he joins the studio, Désilets will be charged with the hiring of a new team that will develop new intellectual properties for THQ.

Bilson added, “Simply put, we can’t wait for Patrice to join THQ. Patrice brings a passion for games rich with action-packed sequences, gripping characters and cinematic flair, and we’re all looking forward to having him and his newly formed team develop an all new franchise with us.”

Montreal is recognized for a high concentration of media talent and will serve as a hub for the latest location in THQ’s expanding studio system. Its selection reflects THQ’s strategy to grow development talent in highly skilled locations. Through the opening of the Montreal office, THQ expects to strengthen its internal creative development expertise, furthering its commitment to developing new intellectual properties.

Independent Toronto developer Frozen North Productions is celebrating the release of its first title for the Nintendo Wii. Flip’s Twisted World is an original IP in the form of a 3D puzzle-platformer that follows the adventures of young apprentice Flip, who, after messing with a forbidden magic book belonging to one Master Fulcrum, gets sucked into a crazy cubed universe where up and down are just a matter of perspective. He discovers that by turning a magic cube, he is able to flip the world on its side, opening up new paths and possibilities. Players must think “outside of the box” as they navigate the world that is literally in the palms of their hands.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GNYf6MYsKk]

Published by Majesco Entertainment, Flip’s Twisted World features an original score from video game legend, Tommy Tallarico and the voice talent of Anthony Stewart Head. Navigating Flip’s Twisted World is done with a simple flick of the wrist using the Wii Remote™. Players can rotate the environment 90 degrees in any direction, opening new paths and possibilities; an obstructing wall can turn into a path and a pit can turn into a corridor.

In their journey, players travel through six bizarre, puzzle worlds: a celestial backwater, a fractured castle, a dense jungle full of booby-trapped temples, a frozen arctic wasteland, a network of subterranean lava caves and an intricate clock tower in the sky. Along the way, Flip will encounter both friendly and menacing creatures as he collects magical items and powerful weapons like the Ice Spray, Zapper or Water Cannon. Players can also unlock goodies and alternate costumes and learn more about the secrets of the magic universe’s past by finding pieces of The Master’s lost journal.

Flip’s Twisted World for Wii is rated E and is now available for the suggested retail price of $29.99.

Untold Entertainment has launched a new game portal for all of you zombie fans out there. Zombie Game World offers from the best to the worst of free-to-play zombie games. There are currently 40+ games on the site, with more to come. According to the Untold Entertainment blog, future plans for the site “include community-based game-on-game elimination battles, badges, and possibly even an online loyalty system.” Zombie Game World joins Word Game World, a portal loaded with quality word games, on Untold’s Game World Network.

Untold Entertainment’s CEO Ryan Creighton has also released a book for those of you who are interested in learning how to develop games using the Unity engine. St. Louis designer Scott Petrovic has posted a review about Ryan’s book, Unity 3D Game Development By Example, which is available now for purchase from Packt Publishing as either a physical book or an ebook (or both).

Speaking of zombies, the next Dead Rising 2 Theme Pack is now available for 160 MS Points (or $1.99) The Soldier of Fortune Theme Pack lets you live in your own 80’s action flick as the new DLC gives players extreme firepower to plow through hordes of zombies with Chuck’s new amped up arsenal of guns.

With the Soldier of Fortune pack, all guns will now have increased firepower, better accuracy and their ammo capacity doubled. Nothing will get in Chuck’s way as the pack will also include a new special “hail of bullets” attack where mowing down masses of zombies will be easier and more fun than ever before.

Canam Software Labs, Inc. has announced the availability of XML Thunder Lite, a free downloadable software tool that allows quick conversion of COBOL COPYBOOKS or C data structures to XML, XSD or SOAP. By automating an essential process for application modernization that up to now was manual and error prone, XML Thunder Lite benefits end users as well as IT services organizations. XML Thunder Lite is a bi-directional solution as it also allows conversion of XML, XSD, WSDL or SOAP to COBOL COPYBOOKS or C structures. Built on years of experience working with enterprise customers this solution encapsulates best practices and practical project experience.

Most application modernization projects taking advantage of XML, web services or SOA technology include the need to map existing application data structures to XML or SOAP nodes. This mapping serves as the basis for constructing program logic that will enable existing application programs to consume or produce data as XML or SOAP. The creation of XML schemas or WSDL files describing the rules for XML or SOAP from existing data structures is a manual, time consuming and error prone process. XML Thunder Lite automates this and provides software developers with the freedom to perform rapid conversions. The converted data structures can also be used as input to other technologies, such as Java or .Net. Read the rest of this entry »

Burnaby indie developer Stinger Games kicked off the start of hockey season by announcing that Stinger Table Hockey 1.2 has gone Universal, adding iPad and iPhone 4 support for Retina displays. The #1 paid App in Canada looks even better with improved graphics. Newly added goalie control adds to the fun as Bullet Physics provides a realistic and fun game of table hockey in your hand.

Push, pull, and spin your players to shuffle, pass, and shoot the puck past the other teams goalie. Use Dual Touch controls to be able to setup the perfect pass & one timer goal. Challenge a friend using Wifi or Bluetooth multiplayer. Play against CPU controlled opponents in a single game or in a tournament.

Bullet Physics provides a realistic, dynamic physics simulation that allows the puck to physically behave like a real puck, including sliding, spinning, bouncing up in the air, off the post, and even flying out of the arena. Used on next generation consoles, Bullet Physics has been harnessed to provide a unique gameplay experience for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Choose from one of 41 international teams or create and customize your own team. Including the ability to fully customize the jersey color and paste your own logo onto the players directly from your Photo Library. Then face off against your friend using your favorite teams.

Statistical tracking along with OpenFeint Leaderboards and Achievements add a whole dimension on to the game. Compete against the whole world to see who has the hardest shot, best one timer, and who is the king of the shootout. Unlock achievements that award you OpenFeint points.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IayofTCDY6U]

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 3.0 or later
* 12.9 MB

Stinger Table Hockey 1.2 is $1.99 USD and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

Dolby Laboratories, Inc., has introduced a turnkey solution that saves time for game developers who are adding high-quality voice chat to their online games. Called the Dolby® Axon Network, it is making its debut in Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed™ World, the massively multiplayer online action racing game.

“Game developers are under tremendous time constraints to deliver their product. With the Dolby Axon Network, Dolby helps developers channel their resources and attention to deliver the best-possible gameplay,” said Matt Tullis, Marketing Director, Games, Dolby Laboratories. “With this new offering, Dolby has been able to dramatically reduce the time required to implement voice chat.”

With the Dolby Axon Network, Dolby provides engineering support, flexible APIs, detailed documentation, and sample code—all with the aim of easy implementation. The Dolby solution eliminates the cost of building, maintaining, and monitoring servers and includes round-the-clock multilayer support with guaranteed uptime.

In addition to Need for Speed World, Dolby Axon technology has been adopted by several online games, including Dragon Nest® (Nexon Corp.), ZT Online (Giant Interactive), Mission Against Terror (Kingsoft, published by Wicked Interactive), and Jumpgate Evolution® (NetDevil). By integrating Dolby Axon into online game titles, game developers can provide gamers with ease of use and a new level of immersion in online gaming, including:

* Improved audio chain processing (noise suppression and echo suppression) for clear voice communication
* Surround sound voice chat over stereo headsets, stereo speakers, and 5.1 playback systems delivering premium in-game voice communication with teammates
* Compatibility with any stereo headset, enabling gamers to experience high-quality voice without specialized equipment

Canadian developers who would like more information can contact Dolby Laboratories at the company’s Vancouver office in Building 3 at 2985 Virtual Way, telephone 604.216.0020.