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Alberta-based Axia NetMedia Corporation has announced that its partner in Covage, VINCI Networks has entered into a share purchase agreement with Cube Communications Infrastructure and Cube Infrastructure Fund SICAV-SIF and, together with Cube Communications, pursuant to which Cube will purchase all of the shares held by VINCI in Covage and Covage’s sister company, Covage Services SAS .  Upon closing, which is subject to certain government approvals, Axia will enter into a shareholders’ agreement with Cube with Axia and Cube each holding 50% of Covage and Covage Services and will have equal representation on Covage’s executive committee. Cube will make an initial payment to VINCI of €30 million with a commitment to pay an additional €36 million during the next three years depending on Covage’s results.

Art Price, Chairman and CEO said, “Covage is our first business outside of Canada and through continuing growth in market penetration, it is now beginning to generate positive cash flows creating a solid platform for future profitability.  To date we have invested approximately €55 million into Covage.  We remain committed along with Cube to expand Covage’s business. With Covage focused on growing the business and operating its network segments, we believe that partnering with a company specializing in investing in the further development of the telecommunications infrastructure is the logical next step in the evolution of our European business.”

Mr. Price added, “The Cube investment is an important step in Covage’s evolution as a growing operating company.  VINCI has provided the partnership with the benefit of their skills while Covage was focused on network construction and has been a major influence on Covage becoming a major player in the French marketplace.  Axia has appreciated VINCI’s support and commitment.”

Created in 2006, Covage has established a nationwide Next Generation Network comprised of 15 regional network segments and a 3,700 km national fibre network backbone.  Covage’s enhanced service level and national reach has attracted a wide range of local, regional, national and international Retail Service Providers as they deliver retail services to their customers.  In addition to traditional RSPs, Covage’s efforts are also focused on attracting new customers that are specialized in the provision of Web Services and that offer services remotely using fibre-based connectivity, such as video security surveillance or enterprise data management.

Covage’s business strategy is three pronged.  Firstly, Covage continues to identify and respond to new network segment opportunities that complement its existing assets.  A recent example is its win to activate and operate the submarine cable between Corsica and the mainland of France. Secondly, it is targeting business parks which take advantage of a government initiative to encourage migration of business parks from DSL to fibre optic services.

To date, Covage has 210 business parks with Fibre to the Premise services available to 9,400 potential end users and recently Covage was selected to operate an enterprise network for a period of ten years for the city of Nîmes in southwestern France.  Thirdly, Covage is taking active part in the French government’s Fibre to the Home initiative in semi-dense and rural areas.  Covage was awarded the Chevry-Cossigny FTTH Pilot Project in Seine-et-Marne on December 17, 2010. The Chevry-Cossigny Pilot Project will connect 1,250 residences to Covage’s existing Sem@for77 network segment.

Digital Leisure Inc. has announced the launch of Word Searcher III. The follow up to DSiWare hits Word Searcher and Word Searcher II, designed for Nintendo’s DSiWare™ service, Word Searcher III is rated E for Everyone and is available today in North America on DSiWare for 500 Nintendo DSi Points™.

You’ll need a sharp eye and a quick mind to complete these 100 themed word search puzzles. Word Searcher 3 contains fun words from multiple categories including Astronomy, Currency and Rivers. Packed with a huge assortment of subjects to choose from, there’s sure to be a puzzle anyone will enjoy. Help improve your vocabulary, memory and problem-solving skills with these addicting puzzles. Keep track of, and try to beat your own play through times again and again as words are scrambled every time you play. Get your thinking cap on and conquer all 100 today.

Loud Crow Interactive has released another timeless classic children’s story for iOS mobile devices. PopOut! The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin is the next installment in the studio’s PopOut! series of unique interactive digital books. As with its debut title  PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin is another beautiful digital rendition of a classic bedtime story is now available in the App Store.

Children can interact with this mischievous tale of a quirky squirrel as it comes to life, encouraging young readers to to pull tabs, spin wheels, and activate spring-mounted story elements. The art, music, and interactive experience were all delicately composed to honor and enliven Beatrix Potter’s original 1903 work.

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin Features:

• Touch and drag objects to make them “spring” to life or tilt to watch them slide and move
• Objects that literally PopOut! of the page to delight you and your family
• Beautiful vocal performance, music, and sound effects will immerse you in the story
• “Read to Me” mode with word highlighting to help improve reading skills
• Read it Yourself and learn individual words spoken with the tap of a finger
• Over 50 pages of authentic text and illustrations with realistic page turning interactions just like the original hardcover book

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin is rated 4+ and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices running iOS 3.2 or later. This App sells for $2.99 for the iPhone or iPod Touch versions or $4.99 for the iPad version.

Burnaby’s 3D3 Solutions has announced the official launch of FlexScan3D 3.0, the latest version of its 3D scanner software. The company developed the proprietary 3D scanning technology to power its line of HDI 3D Scanners. The software is also available exclusively for engineering and development companies to build custom white light 3D scanners for industry applications.

“FlexScan3D has the ability to interface directly with off-the-shelf cameras and a projector to build a custom 3D scanner,” said Thomas Tong, President of 3D3 Solutions. “There is a wide range of supported hardware options available so users can choose the best combination of speed, accuracy, and cost for their particular application. With the release of FlexScan3D 3.0, we want to offer advanced 3D scanning at an affordable price.”

Major developments for FlexScan3D 3.0 include:

* Photogrammetry Alignment: Align 3D scan data automatically and accurately using photogrammetry dots by eliminating the tedious task of manual data alignment.

* Multi-head 3D Scanning Using Multiple Scan Heads from a Single PC: FlexScan3D has the ability to control multiple 3D scanners from a single PC to acquire data from several directions. The scanned data is then automatically aligned and merged.

* 64bit Native Core: Process 3D scan data faster and at higher resolutions compared to previous versions of the software.

* Newly Designed User Interface: The new user interface generates complex 3D models fast with a streamlined work flow.

* Deviation Analysis: Advanced reporting feature with mesh to mesh comparison.

* High Resolution Color Texture Capture: Automatically generates ultra high resolution color maps using a Digital SLR as a texture camera.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STVohz-W8YA]

FlexScan3D 3.0 Software and the HDI 3D Scanners, which includes with the new version of the software, are now available for purchase. 3D3 Solutions will showcase FlexScan3D 3.0 at Rapid 2011 Conference & Exhibition, which takes place in Minneapolis this May 24th through 26th.

zinc Roe Games invite you and your children to play alongside Stella and Sam and their dog Fred as they spend a night camping out in their backyard. In Backyard At Twilight, young readers can look for bugs in the tent, discover constellations among the stars and learn about shapes with the fireflies. From the makers of the award-winning Tickle Tap Apps, the Stella and Sam Interactive Adventures combine stunning animation with three elegantly-designed activities.

Stella: “The night Giant is coming Sam. I think I can hear his big footsteps coming over the meadow.”
Sam: “I can too!”

The Stella and Sam Apps are based on the television show and the bestselling picture book series by Marie-Louise Gay. Over one million copies of Stella and Sam books have been translated into fifteen languages,  and are loved by children all over the world.

Each Stella and Sam Adventure is rated 4+ and is Compatible with iPads running iOS 4.2 or later. Backyard At Twilight features beautiful fullscreen animation with support for English and French. The story includes three fun and simple games along with quick navigation by both chapter and game.

The Stella and Sam apps are produced by zinc Roe Productions Inc. with the participation of Radical Sheep, the Bell Fund and the Canada Media Fund.

Dave Shworan, the CEO of QuoteMedia Ltd., an Arizona-based company with offices in Parksville, Vancouver and Toronto, along with Ungad Chadda, Senior Vice President of the Toronto Stock Exchange, opened TSX  trading today in celebration of the selection of QuoteMedia as the market data and applications provider for TSX InfoSuite™.

“Toronto Stock Exchange is excited to have QuoteMedia open the market today to celebrate the recent launch of TSX InfoSuite,” said Mr. Chadda. “We value QuoteMedia’s expertise as a Canadian data aggregator and their robust and dynamic financial solutions, which is why TSX decided to partner with them on this value-added initiative for our issuers.”

TMX Group Inc. and QuoteMedia, Inc. previously announced the launch of TSX InfoSuite, a new market data and shareholder solution powered by QuoteMedia, which was introduced to enhance the suite of services for TSX and TSX Venture Exchange listed companies.

“We are very proud to have been selected to work with TMX Group to create, host and manage the new TSX InfoSuite services,” said Mr. Shworan. “The selection of QuoteMedia to be the market data and service provider to TMX Group and its issuers is a gratifying validation of our company’s abilities.”

The EpiphanTouch™ and VGA2Ethernet™ applications by Ottawa’s Epiphan Systems Inc are now available via free download from iTunes and the App Store. These apps can be used for controlling and configuring any Epiphan Systems network-enabled device, including all devices from the recording and broadcasting line of products.

– Frame Grabbers: VGA2Ethernet™, VGA2Ethernet PRO™
– Broadcasters : VGA Broadcaster Lite™, VGA Broadcaster Standard™, VGA Broadcaster PRO™,VGA2WiFi™
– Recorders : VGA Grid™, VGA Recorder Lite™, VGA Recorder Standard™ , VGA Recorder PRO™, LectureRecorder™
– KVM : KVM2Ethernet™
– Mediphan: DistanceDoc™, MedRecorder™
– VGA Printer™

Exceptional Webinars Made Easy by Calgary author Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton was released globally this week by Amazon as a Kindle e-book. Designed for trainers, entrepreneurs and small business owners,  Exceptional Webinars Made Easy helps readers understand the basics of what is needed to develop and deliver marketing webinars and basic e-learning training sessions, combining practical “how to” tips with solid best practices for both elearning and business.

This is Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton’s fourth book, but is her first book book on e-learning and her first Kindle book. Eaton founded Exceptional Webinars in 2010 to help independent services professionals and small business owners become more tech savvy in their work and use the power of webinars to become 21st century entrepreneurs and business people.

An international professional speaker, Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton has presented to thousands of people around the globe. With a PhD in Education, she has been working with educational technology since the turn of the millennium and giving webinars since 2005. She is passionate about webinars and the potential they create for business and non-profit organizations. Her passion is effervescent, leaving audiences inspired and ready to take action.

Dr. Eaton has authored hundreds of articles and three previous books. Her work has been featured on radio and numerous websites. In 2009-10, she received a Pinnacle Award Honourable Mention from the Centre for Interactive Learning and Collaboration for her virtual training programs.

The second phase in the So You Want To Be an Artist? competition organized by the National Gallery of Canada is now complete, with work by 12 young finalists chosen throughout March by over 20,000 online voters using Facebook. In total, 126 talented artists aged 16 to 19 submitted their work, following the contest launch in January. To see the work and to learn more about the story behind each finalist’s piece visit the MakeArt Gallery.

“We were thrilled with the quality of the submissions we received and congratulate each of the finalists,” said NGC Manager, Youth and School Programs, Gary Goodacre.  “With over 50,000 visits to the contest website from Canada alone, the young people who took part in this contest have been able to share their creativity and passion with audiences in Canada and around the world.”

On May 25, the jury will select the three grand prize winners, who will be announced to the public on June 3. From now until July 2 NGC visitors can enjoy the finalists’ work on the Artissimo Gallery wall, just outside the Special Exhibition galleries, in the concourse leading to the Contemporary Art galleries. The jury is made up of well-known Montreal graffiti artist Roadsworth, Ottawa Citizen arts editor at large Peter Simpson, Radio-Canada cultural reporter Jhade Montpetit and contemporary curator and NGC Elizabeth Simonfay Curatorial Resident of Indigenous Art, Candice Hopkins.

First prize includes transportation, accommodation and meals for a two-night stay in Ottawa for the winner and an accompanying adult, as well as an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the NGC that will focus on careers in the visual arts. The winner will receive expert advice on his or her art portfolio and receive a $500 online gift certificate for art supplies. (Note: If the winner lives within a 100 km radius of downtown Ottawa, a $1,000 online gift certificate for art supplies will be awarded instead of the travel portion of the prize.)

The second prize winner will receive a $1,000 online gift certificate for art supplies, and the third prize winner will receive a $500 online gift certificate for art supplies.

The World Technology Network has announced its official Call for Nominations for the 2011 World Technology Awards, honoring those individuals and corporations deemed to be doing “the innovative work of the greatest likely long-term significance” in 20 different categories in science, technology and related fields.

Presented by the World Technology Network (“The WTN”) in association with TIME magazine, Fortune, CNN, Science/AAAS, Technology Review, and others, the World Technology Awards have been presented since 2000 as a way to honor those innovators who have made the most impactful contributions to science and technology.

“This year we are more eager than ever to identify and pay tribute to the talent and innovation of our individual and corporate honorees,” says James P. Clark, Founder/Chairman of the World Technology Network. “We try — through our peer-review process — to ensure that this program deserves the genuine global prestige that these Awards have achieved. This moment in history all but requires that we uncover and promote who is doing the most innovative and important work… the work that is and will continue to determine the 21st Century.” Read the rest of this entry »