Village Gamer

The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, DC has ruled unanimously in favor of i4i in the long-running i4i v Microsoft patent infringement lawsuit. The Supreme Court did not accept Microsoft’s request to lower the standard of proof, for challenges to the validity of a properly issued patent, from clear and convincing evidence to a preponderance of evidence. As a result of this decision, i4i has won its patent infringement case against Microsoft. At trial the jury ruled in favor of i4i and awarded $200 million in damages (now upwards of $300 million with enhancements and interest). The Honorable Judge Leonard Davis entered judgment on the verdict and issued a permanent injunction against Microsoft.

Loudon Owen, Chairman of i4i, says, “Microsoft tried to gut the value of patents by introducing a lower standard for invalidating patents. It is now 100% clear that you can only invalidate a patent based on “clear and convincing” evidence.” Owen adds, “This is one of the most significant business cases the Court has decided in decades. Affirmation of the Federal Circuit on a ruling in favor of patent holders is virtually unprecedented. While this ruling maintains the prevailing standard, the innovation community must be ever-vigilant to defend its property rights.”

Michel Vulpe, founder of i4i and co-inventor, says, “This has been a 16 year journey with a clearly defined purpose – to build a world leader in managing data. It is an important stepping stone for i4i and we can now continue to build our company the way we intended.” Vulpe adds, “Our army was small but mighty and we are grateful to our team, partners, investors, legal counsel, those who filed amici briefs, and everyone supporting the rights of patent holders. Naturally, we are particularly appreciative of our shareholders who continue to support us.” i4i’s legal team includes WilmerHale, McKool Smith, Finnegan Henderson, and Sterne Kessler. Read the rest of this entry »

Laptops and desktop computers continue to grow in popularity as both graduation and Father’s Day gifts. In response to this trend, Absolute^® Software Corporation has released some timely tips to empower recent graduates and deserving dads to protect their new computers.

Last year, surveys by BIGresearch® and the National Retail Federation (NRF) revealed that 10.6 percent of consumers purchasing gifts for graduates planned to give electronics, a 9 percent increase from 2009¹. Additionally, 18.5 percent of those surveyed this year intended to buy consumer electronics or computer-related accessories for Father’s Day². To help consumers protect their new costly devices and sensitive personal information, Absolute offers the following tips:

• Don’t Rely on Free Software Trials – It’s easy to forget or ignore alerts when software trials expire, leaving the computer at risk for malicious threats or worse if the device is ever lost or stolen. From day one of use, owners should activate full subscriptions of theft recovery, anti-virus and anti-spyware software. For example, consumers who activate their subscription to LoJack for Laptops are instantly able to take advantage of a full suite of security features to manage and protect their computer.
• Choose Dynamic Passwords – To achieve strong levels of protection, passwords should be changed often, differ greatly and be difficult to guess. According to research from the Georgia Tech Research Institute, ideal passwords also consist of a mix of randomized upper- and lower- case letters, at least one number and one symbol, and should be longer than 12 characters³.
• Fill Out The Warranty Information – If the computer is damaged while it is out of the owner’s hands, the manufacturer may cover repairs as part of the warranty if the device is recovered. Agreements differ from company to company; however, taking a few minutes to submit warranty information online or via mail can save consumers from additional distress and out-of-pocket expenses.
• Designate Folders for Sensitive Files – Every second counts after a laptop is stolen. Using the Delete functionality in LoJack for Laptops, users can remotely erase all or specific files so that they are not exposed to prying eyes. To get to important files quickly, computer owners should designate files, under non-descriptive names, to contain this type of information.
• Remain Alert When Traveling – Many laptop-friendly locations that consumers encounter during travel are also areas at highest risk for laptop theft. Based on customer reports filed to the Absolute Theft Recovery Team, some of the at-risk locations are public transit, hotels, restaurants/cafes and airports. Staying alert and maintaining possession of the computer at all times during travel will help to prevent theft. Read the rest of this entry »

The fourth annual International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling is coming to Vancouver this November 28th through December 1st, and the organizers have put out a call for Workshop Proposals, the deadline for which is July 15th. The Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling (IDS) brings together researchers and practitioners from a wide variety of fields to share novel techniques, present recent results, and exchange new ideas. The venue has not yet been announced.

Enabled by the advent of interactive digital media, Interactive Digital Storytelling redefines the experience of narrative by allowing its audience to actively participate in the story. As such, IDS offers interesting new possibilities for games, training, and learning, through the enriching of virtual characters with intelligent behavior, the collaboration of humans and machines in the creative process, and the combination of narrative knowledge and user activity into novel, interactive artifacts.

Within the ICIDS 2011 framework, researchers and practitioners are invited to participate in affiliated workshops/tutorials, which will be held on Monday November 28, 2011.

Workshops

We invite proposals for practical, hands-on workshops from practitioners, professionals, and academics in the interactive digital storytelling field. We particularly welcome workshops which encourage interaction between participants, or provide insight into professional practices. All workshops must be conducted in English.

Proposal Format

All workshops proposals must consist of two documents: an extended abstract (two pages maximum in LNCS format) and an information sheet (plain text).  Proposals must be in English.

A) Extended Abstract: This component of the submission must follow the Lecture Notes in Computer Science format, and be a maximum of two pages long. Extended abstracts of accepted workshops will be included in the conference proceedings. Ensure that the following sections are included:

• Workshop objectives:
  • Think in terms of knowledge gain, expected outcome, and take away.
• Complete workshop description:
  • Elaborate on the foundations of the workshop and the main activities planned.
• References

B) Information Sheet: This document should contain more information about the organization and rationale of the workshop. No LNCS format is required for the information sheet (plain text is fine), but it should cover the following sections:

• Intended participants:
  • Who is your main intended audience? Mention what skills or background (if any) the attendees should have to fully benefit from your workshop.
  • If appropriate, indicate maximum number of participants that will be required to effectively deliver the workshop.
  • Include a 250-words call for participation that would be used for promoting the workshop.
• Workshop time:
  • Indicate how much time you would need to effectively deliver the workshop, from a minimum of 2 hours to a maximum of 6 hours. You can also think in terms of half or full day workshops. Include a tentative program with your activities.
• Materials needed:
  • Indicate if you would need supplies, equipment, AV, or specific furniture to run your workshop; we will do our best to obtain the supplies that you need.
• Workshop Organizers:
  • Include a short bio for each workshop organizer (250 words max), and their contact information.
• Any other relevant information:
  • As needed.

Submission Process:

Send both the extended abstract and the information sheet to Workshops Chair Veronica Zammitto.

Important Dates:

• Proposal Submission Deadline: July 15, 2011
• Notification of Acceptance: August 12, 2011
• Camera-ready Copies Due: September 12, 2011
• ICIDS 2011 Workshops:  November 28, 2011

WIFT-Toronto has announced that Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief of AOL Huffington Post Media Group, will be the Keynote Speaker at the International Women in Digital Media Summit (iWDMS), which takes place October 23rd through 25th in Stratford. Registration for the Summit opens on July 5th.

“As a groundbreaking media entrepreneur, columnist and writer, Ms. Huffington’s role as the Keynote Speaker aligns perfectly with the aims of the Summit—to provide women working in digital media with exposure to industry innovation, best practices and inspirational leadership,” says Heather Webb, WIFT-T Executive Director.

Huffington is best known for launching The Huffington Post, a news and blog site that has become one of the most widely-read, linked-to and cited media brands on the Internet. Just last month, the news hub officially launched its Canadian site—the first in a series of planned expansions abroad. This year, Huffington was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, and was previously named one of Forbes’ most influential women in media and the Financial Times’ 50 people who shaped the decade.

Featuring a mix of national and international programming, the International Women in Digital Media Summit will bring together traditional and digital media communities, as well as educational/research institutions, to explore innovation, skills gaps, policy and research in the content areas of gaming, mobile, social media and transmedia.

Topics of discussion will include content creation, applications for emerging technologies and business models, and the evolving role of women in digital media industries. Delegates will benefit from demonstrations, workshops, structured networking and mentorship opportunities, and the expertise of leading women working in digital media globally.

The iWDMS is made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, in partnership with the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus, City of Stratford, Dynamix Solutions, FITC and Rhyzome Networks.

The mesh prize is awarded annually to a project or a group of projects that seek to collectively improve the Canadian Digital Media Industry. The prize, which is sponsored by Teehan + Lax, seeks to fund projects that create new understanding, capabilities or tools that the digital media community can benefit from. The prize recipient will receive $40,000 towards the successful completion of their project.

The winner for 2011 is The Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), which was founded in 2004 with the mission to catalyze social innovation in Toronto and around the world.  By providing high quality shared workspace for over 300 nonprofits and businesses CSI has created a dynamic community of professionals that have an appetite for social change.

Project Scope:

Bring women together in a creative, hands-on project where they can showcase talent, build skills and establish ongoing mentorship opportunities. Working with an advisory group, the activities include:

• Launch a competition in the fall that will invite teams of women in technology to design and develop digital game projects.
• Following the competition launch, participants will have 10 weeks to develop their digital game with access to hands-on advice and mentorship.
• At the end of the 10 weeks the projects will be judged and the winner will receive $10,000 and a permanent desk at a CSI workspace facility to further develop their project.

The launch and judging event will be open to the public. This year’s project will be piloted in Toronto with hopes of rolling out to other cities in Canada next year.

The mesh prize is a founding partner for this project and there is opportunity for more partners to be involved in this pilot year and growth to expand, both financially and with advisory support roles. If you are interested in this helping this project email Jessica Hazen, Director, Stakeholder Engagement a the Centre for Social Innovation.

Background on the Social Innovation Project:

Information and communications technology (ICT) has a lot to offer in terms of exciting new developments in digital media, creative communications tools, finding solutions to challenges in society and strengthening businesses. It’s easy to assume that this ever-growing industry would also have a lot to offer in terms of careers for Canadians. Sure, except for only half of our demographic. Women represent a very small percentage of the ICT workforce, and this number has been declining over the past two decades.

Across the ICT industry there is agreement that 1) women are underrepresented; 2) an increase of women in this field can bring a positive effect for their business; and 3) it would be nice to hire more women but finding candidates has been a challenge. In addition, there is great potential for more women to lead their own ICT businesses.

The Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) sees the gap between men and women benefiting from growth in the ICT industry, paired with the industry appetite to narrow this gap, as a perfect opportunity to make a positive change in the digital community. As such, the process of strengthening the technology community at CSI will include strategies to showcase talent and build opportunities for women in this field.

To compound the issue even further, the data currently being collected reflects only the larger organizations, while ignoring the small to medium-sized businesses, who are the primary drivers of our economy.

Many computer, business and information experts argue that the internet is no longer just a huge repository of digital information, but that new programs, services and uses are transforming it into an intelligent and intuitive tool where “personalization” or “contextualization” of information is the primary product and goal. This new context-driven nature of the web is frequently referred to as “Web 3.0”.

In Web 3.0, developers and providers configure online technology, applications and services to automatically determine the content that is most relevant, and to organize and deliver it as personalized packets. But is this privacy-invasive? Are there information security issues? Or is personalization what the public wants and needs to effectively manage the overwhelming flow of data that is now an integral part of their daily lives? What are the opportunities with Web 3.0? What are the challenges? And is this the future we all want?

The 2011 Advisory Board of the Privacy and Information Security Conference invites the submission of papers or studies that directly address the opportunities and challenges raised by Web 3.0 digital technologies or applications. The Conference will take place on November 28th and 29th at The Westin Hotel in Ottawa.

Submission Deadline:

All entries must be received by midnight of July 30, 2011. Invited speakers will be notified by August 30, 2011.

Submission Process:

Submissions will be accepted electronically.

2011 Conference Suggested Topic Ideas:

• Smart Grids
• Social Media
• E-Health
• Mobility
• Net Neutrality
• Data Breaches
• Identity Management
• Cloud Computing
• Copyright/Digital Rights
• Behavioral Advertising
• Spyware
• E-Voting
• Workplace Surveillance
• Lawful Access
• Nanotechnology
• Cyber Security

Presentation Types:

Issue papers: An executive or management briefing on a prominent issue or aspect of information privacy or security.

Case studies: Descriptions of a given information privacy or security situation or incident, or research results. Names of organizations can be kept anonymous to maintain confidentiality if necessary.

New technology research: Results or developments in cutting edge research on new information privacy and security technologies.

Sociological/ Philosophical perspective: A candid and/or introspective look at the impacts of new technological developments on privacy, security, social consciousness, or social functioning.

Papers in the above categories may be selected for a 15 to 20 minute presentation as part of a specified panel session at the conference.

Toronto’s Claron Technology has announced two new integrations of its zero footprint Nil viewer with CoActiv Medical and Voyant Health cloud based solutions. Since its introduction at RSNA 2010, Nil has integrated with a growing number of partners in the radiology and ophthalmology/optometry market. Nil is a software solution allowing clinicians to securely visualize 2D and 3D imaging studies inside or outside the hospital network. It runs anywhere a Web browser is available, on Windows, Apple, Linux, iPad, iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Nil users can organize collaboration sessions with their clinical partners where all participants share and annotate the same study in real time. By providing an enhanced experience to their clinicians, Nil allows hospitals, physician groups and imaging centers to maintain and increase their referral base.

“The Nil platform, with its innovative zero footprint foundation and ability to be fully virtualized, provides our customers the flexibility to integrate easily with their cloud-based solutions,” said Claudio Gatti, co-founder and Co-CEO of Claron Technology. “Customers can deploy Nil in their web-based cloud solution without restrictions and implement the solution that is right for them.”

CoActiv Medical’s recently announced Exam-Browser^TM universal clinical viewer is based on Claron’s Nil technology. “Finally, physicians have a sophisticated, but easy-to-use, method to communicate, consult and collaborate across multiple image platforms, including local PCs as well as mobile devices,” said Ed Heere, President and CEO of CoActiv. “CoActiv is excited about introducing this major innovation in medical image communications. Exam-Browser will allow physicians to view any modality from any PACS in any format. Viewing anatomy as 3D structures will help all physicians as well as patients more fully understand a diagnosis. CoActiv is one of the industry’s leading providers of secure, HIPAA compliant, medical image archiving and with the new viewer’s standards-based technology, images stored on the CoActiv Vendor-Neutral, Cloud-Based Archive can be viewed in conjunction with any PACS.”

Nil will also be deployed in the Orthopedic market through integration with Voyant Health’s revolutionary OrthoWeb. “The cloud technology platform allows us to deliver OrthoWeb to our customers using a completely new model,” says Zeev Glozman, CEO of Voyant Health. “Nil universal viewer is the perfect match for OrthoWeb allowing our user base to view and interact with images anywhere they can access OrthoWeb. OrthoWeb is based on industry standard cloud technology like SalesForce and Amazon Cloud EC2, and Nil’s ability to naturally operate in those environments made the integration process very smooth and efficient.”

The CMPA is pleased to announce the results of its recent Board elections.  The incoming Board of Directors will serve a two-year term commencing this month and ending in June 2013.  Tom Cox (SEVEN24 Films) was also reelected as Board Chair.

“I would like to thank the outgoing Board for steering the organization through an important strategic review, and rebranding over the past two years,” says Sandra Cunningham, Chair CMPA Nominating Committee. “The Board’s dedication and passion has helped position the independent production sector as a vital leader for the future success of Canada’s screen-based industry.”

“It will be the job of the new Board to build on that success,” says Norm Bolen, CEO and President CMPA. “It is up to all of us to make sure each element of the system continues to make a significant contribution to the creation and presentation of Canadian content. Now, more than ever, the industry must stand together. Under the leadership of Tom Cox, the CMPA Board will continue to lead the way.”

The 2011-2013 CMPA’s Board of Directors is as follows:
BRITISH COLUMBIA

• Rob Bromley (Force Four Entertainment)
• Brian Hamilton (Omni Film Productions)
• Alexandra Raffé (Thunderbird Films)
• Cal Shumiatcher (Paperny Films)

ALBERTA

• Tom Cox (SEVEN24 Films)

SASKATCHEWAN

• David Cormican (Minds Eye Entertainment)

MANITOBA

• Jamie Brown (Frantic Films)
• Kim Todd (Original Pictures)

ONTARIO

• Douglas Barrett (PS Production Services)
• Mark Bishop (marblemedia)
• Don Carmody (Don Carmody Productions)
• Sandra Cunningham (Strada Films)
• Sari Friedland (Factory Films)
• Scott Garvie (Shaftesbury Films)
• Ira Levy (Breakthrough Entertainment)
• Mark Musselman (Serendipity Point Films)
• Margaret O’Brien (Entertainment One)

QUEBEC

• Ina Fichman (Intuitive Pictures)
• Arnie Gelbart (Galafilm)
• Janis Lundman (Back Alley Film Productions)

ATLANTIC

• Michael Donovan (DHX Media)
• David MacLeod (Big Motion Pictures)
• Paul Pope (Pope Productions)
• Mary Sexton (Rink Rat Productions)

In celebration of the June 17^th theatrical release and big-screen debut of the popular superhero “Green Lantern,” Warner Bros. Pictures will electrify 11 North American cities on Monday, June 13, encouraging people to Join the (Green Lantern) Corps. Markets include: Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, San Diego, Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City, Sacramento, St. Louis, and New Orleans, where the film was shot.

To Join the Corps, fans will be invited to decipher local clues leading them to a secret location where the “Green Lantern” symbol will be projected from dusk until midnight. Those attending the events, sponsored by Kodak, will have the chance to win fantastic prizes, including an opportunity to be among the first to see the film at local preview screenings, limited edition T-shirts, light-up “Green Lantern” rings, “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” Blu-ray combo packs and more. And some people who are photographed with the projected symbol behind them will have their photos posted on the movie Facebook page. Select markets will also give people the chance to record the “Green Lantern” oath which will be added to the Infinite Oath app on the official movie website.

“Green Lantern” opens in theaters nationwide in 3D and 2D on Friday, June 17, 2011. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

Nearly one in four enterprises already use tablets, and by 2013, so will the majority of businesses, according to multiple analyst and vendor surveys of Chief Information Officers and IT managers. As this installed base grows, so does the opportunity for enterprises to leverage the tablet to minimize telephony costs while improving employee productivity and responsiveness.

To enable enterprises and mobile workers to capitalize on this trend, CounterPath Corporation has announced the worldwide availability of Bria iPad Edition Version 1.0 via the Apple iTunes App Store. This standards-based, service agnostic softphone provides an intuitive user interface for making and receiving calls over a Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G mobile connection, making it the first universal endpoint for iPad.

“With Bria iPad Edition, business users now can carry a single device that combines the best of their laptop, mobile phone and deskphone,” said Todd Carothers, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Products, CounterPath. “Tablets are quickly becoming the essential business tool for the mobile workforce, and we’re also seeing an increase in personal devices being used for work. So based upon our success with Bria for iPhone, and Bria for Android, the iPad Edition was the natural next step to address both emerging trends.”

Bria iPad Edition 1.0 supports multiple VoIP accounts and SIP protocols, Bluetooth headsets and native iOS multitasking. This enables business users and prosumers to access multiple personal and business accounts while simultaneously utilizing other applications or accessing documents on their iPad during a call.

Capable of working with any VoIP service provider, Bria iPad Edition supports hosted VoIP and IP-PBXs, effectively turning the iPad into a mobile desktop phone. Bria includes a list of pre-configured, CounterPath-approved ITSPs, making VoIP account set-up fast and easy for users who either lack a VoIP provider or already use a CounterPath-approved ITSP. Read the rest of this entry »