Village Gamer

Mobio Identity Systems, an international mobile payment and marketing company, is pleased to announce its exclusive partnership with Shaw Media to be Mobio’s first and only Canadian broadcast sales representative. For an initial term of 15 months, Shaw Media will be the official broadcast reseller of Mobio payment and marketing applications to advertising agencies, media buying services and direct clients across the country. The Mobio Smartphone app is available now via the company’s web site.

“Mobio’s innovative approach to interactive marketing and advertising gives Shaw Media an added edge in our highly competitive sales environment,” said Errol Da-Ré, Senior Vice President Sales, Shaw Media. “Together with Mobio, we will be able to deliver a uniquely personalized and valuable broadcast experience to all of our customers and clients.”

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Broadcasters and advertisers are quickly recognizing the potential for QR barcodes to change the face of their industry. With media fragmentation pulling the attention of consumers in multiple different directions, advertisers are having a difficult time reaching and meaningfully engaging their customers. By leveraging their core assets, Mobio and Shaw Media will bring broadcast media to life in two very powerful ways, engaging customers like never before through:

• Interactive Marketing – Allowing viewers to exchange information and receive personalized offers by scanning a barcode directly off of a TV with a Smartphone
• Processing Payments – Allowing viewers to securely purchase products and services by scanning a barcode directly off of a TV with a Smartphone

“According to our recent research, 77% of QR barcode scanning is occurring digitally – both online and on TV – so partnering with a high profile broadcaster like Shaw Media is a tremendous opportunity,” said Mark Binns, Chief Marketing Officer, Mobio Identity Systems, Inc. “This partnership will allow our collective customer base to engage on a whole new level, adding massive value for viewers and significant revenue potential for advertisers and brands.”

FIRST Robotics Canada is pleased to announce that a total of 26 schools from Canada have qualified for the FIRST World Championship in St. Louis. The competition starts today and runs until April 30th at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. This is the largest robotics competition in the world and we are proud that Canada will be represented by some of our brightest and most innovative students.

The following Canadian high school teams will compete at the FIRST Robotics 2011 World Championship:

• Governor Simcoe Secondary (St. Catharines) – GTA East Regional Chairman’s Award and GTA East, Waterloo and Pittsburgh Regional Winners
• St. Mildred’s Lightbourn Girls School (Oakville) – GTA West Regional Chairman’s Award and Pittsburgh NASA Engineering Inspiration Award
• Near North Student Robotics Initiative (North Bay) – Waterloo Regional Chairman’s Award
• Westlane Secondary (Niagara Falls) – GTA East and Pittsburgh Regional Winners
• Bishop Grandin Secondary (Calgary) – GTA East Regional Winner
• Orchard Park Secondary (Stoney Creek) – GTA West, Waterloo and Rochester Regional Winners
• Kincardine Secondary (Kincardine) – GTA West Regional Winner
• Trafalgar Castle Girls School (Whitby) – GTA West Regional Winner
• Sir Wilfred Laurier Secondary (London) – Waterloo Regional Winner and Rookie All Star Award
• Eastwood Collegiate (Kitchener) – Wisconsin Regional Winner
• Rick Hansen Secondary (Mississauga) – GTA East Engineering Inspiration Award
• Kingston Collegiate (Kingston) – GTA West Engineering Inspiration Award and New York City Regional Finalists
• Oakville Trafalgar High School (Oakville) – Waterloo Engineering Inspiration Award
• Oakridge Secondary (London) – GTA West Rookie All Star Award
• Woburn Collegiate (Toronto) – GTA East Regional Finalist
• Crescent School (Toronto) – GTA West Regional Finalist
• Algoma School Board (Sault Ste. Marie) – Previously Qualified

FIRST Robotics high school students were given six weeks to design, build and test a robot within size, weight, cost and other design guidelines. At the competitions, these robots must work cooperatively and in competition in a game that challenges the limits of the robots and the students. Some 340 teams out of 2,075 in total have qualified to attend the 2011 World Championship.

The following Canadian middle school teams will compete at the FIRST Lego League 2011 World Championship:

• Team 2359, The Hurricanes, Victoria, British Columbia
• Team 8405, The TechnoVikings, St. Mary’s, Newfoundland
• Team 529, The Three Blind Mice and Their Lost Cousin, Aylesford, Nova Scotia
• Team 2977, The TechnoSurgeons, Mississauga, Ontario
• Team 3663, The Sentinels, Oakville, Ontario

In total some 17,100 FLL teams from 57 countries participated in this year’s program.

The following Canadian middle school teams will compete at the FIRST Tech Challenge 2011 World Championship:

• Team 245, Roberts Creek Xtreme Robotic Minds, Roberts Creek, British Columbia
• Team 349, FIX IT, Victoria, British Columbia
• Team 521, BSS Thunder, Wainwright, Alberta
• Team 527, The Ghosts from Calgary, Alberta.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international non-profit organization designed to inspire students to pursue further studies and careers in science, engineering, computers and technology. Students develop skills in problem solving, innovation, leadership and teamwork as well as design, manufacturing, programming and testing. FIRST’s programs reach 250,000 students in 57 countries. FIRST Robotics Canada, a Canadian non-profit started in 2002, now reaches some 7,000 Canadian students.

FIRST Robotics Canada is supported by the Ministry of Education, Government of Ontario and is sponsored by Bruce Power, Hatch Limited, University of Toronto, Imperial Oil Foundation, TD Bank, Bell Canada, Magna International, SYNNEX Corporation, University of Waterloo, City of Mississauga, Johnson & Johnson, Yves Landry Foundation, Discovery Channel and others. The 2011 Waterloo Regional was sponsored by RIM, University of Waterloo, Toyota Canada, TD Bank, Discovery Channel and others. The 2011 FIRST LEGO League Ontario Championship was sponsored by Ontario Power Generation, RIM, UOIT and others.

Intertainment Media Inc. has announced that Ortsbo, its social media, real time, language translation platform, continues to accelerate, reaching 13.1 Million Unique Monthly Users, month over month for the period ended April 25, 2011. Since launch in late July 2010, Ortsbo has recorded over 183 Million minutes of User Engagement, over 129 Million Page Views, approximately 40 Million Unique Users and in excess of 58 Million Online Sessions. All of the Ortsbo performance metrics are validated independently through 3^rd party verification including Google Analytics.

In the past week, Ortsbo has generated over 17 Million minutes of User Engagement, 12.9 Million Page Views, 6.2 Million Online Sessions and 4.8 Million Unique Users, a new record of Unique Users.

According to Google Analytics reports, over 80% of users visit Ortsbo web sites directly and are not using search engines or third party referrals. With over 110,000 Facebook Fans, over 15,000 joining this week, and over 12,500 Twitter followers, the Company continues to experience viral growth opportunities.

On April 20, 2011 Ortsbo announced that together with international rock legend, accomplished global entrepreneur, Ortsbo business partner and spokesman, Gene Simmons and sponsor Live Nation will present Gene Simmons Live & Global, an interactive global event allowing people all over the world to chat with Mr. Simmons in 53 languages. The event will be broadcast from the Rodeo Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel on Friday, May 20, 2011 beginning 7:30 am Pacific. Users can register online for the event.

Unlike other social media platforms that may experience limited revenue opportunities, Ortsbo has been developed with the ability, in time, to generate revenues from a number of key sources, including, but not limited to:

Social Media – as with many other social media platforms like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, Ortsbo has initiated advertising and sponsorship programs, allowing advertisers to reach users, through customized offers, on demand and targeted advertising. To maximize long term value, Ortsbo has made advertising available to companies around the globe and has been sharing its independently verified analytics with existing and potential advertisers.

Email – Ortsbo has developed an email translation platform that simply “plugs-in” to existing email applications. The first of these coming to market shortly is Ortsbo for Microsoft Outlook, or “O4O”. The product allows instant translation of email with original language attachments. Ortsbo has launched a pilot web site and expects to make it publicly available shortly. The email plug-in module will retail for $29.95 US. Ortsbo also offers a secure, multi-user, multilingual chat module for the commercial market. Read the rest of this entry »

Digital Alberta board member Michelle Sklar was elected president of the organization on April 19^th, 2011 at the Annual General Meeting held at Calgary Technologies, Inc. Michelle Sklar is an active Canadian technologist and is the first woman to be elected to the position of president for the strategic industry body. Along with the appointment of Ms. Sklar, three new Board members were elected as well as two Executive board positions to better recognize Alberta’s rapidly expanding digital sector.

Ms. Sklar is the European Director of Marketing & Public Relations for Calgary based Poynt Corporation and will preside in the position for a two-year term beginning immediately. Two of the newly elected board members are located in Edmonton and will represent the industry initiatives taking place in central and northern Alberta. The new Edmonton based members are Owen Brierley, Executive Director of Guru Digital Arts College and Lisa Hagen a well-known entrepreneur in the digital and interactive media sector. The final new board member is Steve Buors, SVP of Digital Media Strategy and Product Development for Post Media Inc.

The new board members join existing members, Gert-Jan de Vlugt, Global Content Manager, Smart Technologies as Treasurer and Alex Gault, VP Product Development and Client Services, MoboVivo, as Secretary who will serve in Executive position for the next two years. Former President Larry Jacques will remain on to serve as Past President.

Talking about her appointment as President Michelle Sklar commented, “This past year was an important time for Alberta’s digital industry and it is with much gratitude that we thank the board, lead by Larry Jacques as President and Jo-Anne Douthwaite as Executive Administrator, for their leadership and dedication. I couldn’t be more enthusiastic to work with such a knowledgeable and passionate team and am looking forward to the next two years. Moving forward, the board plans to work hard to increase our member services, further our professional development initiatives, and showcase Alberta’s industry talent globally.”

2011-2012 Digital Alberta Board:

Michelle Sklar – President (Poynt Corporation)
Adam Goetz – VP South (Suitcase Interactive)
Logan Foster – VP North (Max Gaming Technologies)
Alex Gault – Secretary (MoboVivo)
Gert -Jan de Vlugt – Treasurer (Smart Technologies)
Roger Kondrat – Director (West 17 Media)
Harry Ludwig – Director (Macleod Dixon LLP)
Kurtis Lesick – Director
Lisa Hagen – Director (Gyst Works)
Owen Brierley – Director (Guru Digital Arts College)
Steve Buors – Director (Post Media Inc)
Larry Jacques – Past President (ITSportsnet)

Jo-Anne Douthwaite continues to act as the Executive Administrator and Kevin Dahl with Calgary Technologies Inc. continues to act as an ex-officio director.

The first initiative for the new board is the upcoming 2011 Digital Alberta Awards (formerly known as the mediaFRESH awards), which take place at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday June 6^th, 2011 from 6-9 pm. The awards program is designed to recognize leaders in innovation, creativity and the evolving digital media sector in Alberta. This year we have 17 categories to include companies that may not traditionally be considered in the realm of digital media, but have pioneered much advancement both nationally and globally. Digital Alberta is thrilled to recognize “Best in Breed” in Alberta based companies. Nominations for the 2011 Digital Alberta Awards are now open for submissions.

At only Challenge #5, the Game Prototype Challenge has grown even more than its creator could have imagined. When the Challenge first launched last November, six developers submitted titles. In this fifth challenge, eighteen prototypes were submitted. Game Prototype Challenge is not a competition, there are no prizes and these games are not meant to be fully polished ready-for-launch products. They are prototypes meant to convey an idea, giving it life through a playable platform. Developers simply take the challenge’s theme and run with it, honing their skills while letting their imaginations roam the wide open fields of their creativity. There are no production limits beyond time – each prototype must be completed within one week.  Themes have been varied, starting with Dreams and Collectibles and venturing to areas such as Immortality, Loneliness, Burdens, and in this latest round, visiting the idea of Companions and Rising.

Here then, without further ado, are the latest Game Challenge Prototype creations, one of which I think has the longest game title ever:

Los Dos Escaladores by Jason P. Kaplan
Mech Survivor by InEvoWare Studios
Sea Lift by Kai Skye
The Seed by Alexander Barabash
Stratosfear by Quick Fingers
Climbers by Sergey Tikhonov
Boreas & Notus by Alexis Andre
A Bit Of Life by Ben Simms
Bread Duck by Kyle Rodgers
Cloud Cat by Jesper Oskarsson
Fun Time Jump Game: The Game by Cale Bradbury
Guzzy by MisfitBYTE
Bread Rising by Michael Gi
Obsolescence by Charles Amis & Ian Gil
Terror of the Lost Girlfriend by Stan MacDonald
Shoot For The Stars Super Conjoined Twins May All Your Dreams Come True by Jon Remedios & Rachel Kahn
100th by Alexander Martin
Close Support by Dylan Van Cleave

Game Prototype Challenge is open to everyone – you do not need to be a full-time game developer, you don’t even need to be employed as a game developer. If you love mapping out ideas and making games, that’s all you need – you don’t even have to go it alone. Pair up with a friend, collaborate on possibilities and get prototyping. If you need help getting started, call on Game Prototype Challenge founder Jason Kaplan – he’ll be happy to point you in the right direction. The next Challenge is expected to take place in June.

CATAAlliance has sent out the following call for survey input:

PRO5, a research group whose team members are students of graduate studies in project management at the Université du Québec, are conducting research on “The Forgotten Dimensions of Success and Failure“. While the survey should only take a few minutes of your time to complete, the data collected will yield rich results in support of project management research, and will be shared with the participants. Your participation in this study is greatly appreciated. All completed surveys are strictly confidential.

Research on the success and failure of projects has generally focused on three traditional criteria: time, cost and scope – known as the “Triple Constraint”. The purpose of this survey is to explore what other dimensions may exist – beyond the triple constraint – that are worthy of exploration as to their discrete or collective impact on project success or failure, and how these results may be similar or different, across a number of industry sectors. We call these “The Forgotten Dimensions of Success and Failure.”

Agent Wildfire has also sent out a request for survey input. The 3rd annual Buzz Report survey is conducted by Agent Wildfire and  is comprised of 30 questions, which should take 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey provides a pulsecheck among business leaders for shifts in attitudes, adoption and perceptions of marketing, media, digital life and customer culture.

In 2009 and 2010, over 300 people responded to our survey each year and we hope over the next six weeks to have an even bigger pool of talent responding and establishing a third annual benchmark on how these trends are changing.

The target audience for this survey are: business executives, marketers, media people, consultants, strategists, digiterati, PR, creative and communications staff, web operations staff, academia and other new media enthusiasts regardless of level of skill or experience.

The coolness factor? To our knowledge, there isn’t another survey that attempts to get after insights about the ecosystem surrounding new and progressive alternative media and marketing formats.

In return for filling out this survey, we are also offering the chance to win one of five Wikibrands books and opportunity for free workshop. Please let us know in the contact information area at the end of this survey whether you’d like a copy of the top-line results and we would be happy to share them with you when they are finalized.

Also, if you’re interested in attending our Buzz Report live event in Toronto (June 14th) and webinar (June 21st) with the first release of these results, discount codes will be provided for survey respondents.

California-based MyCorporation.com, a business-focused document filing services, is expanding its services to Canada. MyCorporation provides a multitude of services for startup and existing businesses, including corporation and LLC formations, business licenses, and trademark registrations. With over 15 years experience and over 200,000 incorporations filed, MyCorporation brings unmatched expertise, quality, and customer service to Canada. Customers in the U.S. have come to rely on the efficiency of MyCorporation and Canadian customers can plan to reap those same services and benefits when the site is launched.

The United States is not the only country with a need for document filing services. Canadian entrepreneurs are in need of MyCorporation’s services as well. MyCorporation will assist customers in order to form one of four business entities: C-Corporation, S-Corporation, Non-Profit Corporation, or Professional Corporation. Services will start at $49.00, with packages being offered at $99.00, $199.00.

MyCorporation will initially give Canadian entrepreneurs the opportunity to file federally or in the province of Ontario. The decision to incorporate federally or provincially depends on the goals and scope of the company. Corporations that file federally will be able to do business in all provinces and territories, as long as the corporation is registered in the provinces in which they do business. The corporation will also be able to use the same name in each province or territory, even if another company is already doing business under a similar name. Filing in Ontario specifically saves money on federal fees, and the corporate maintenance is less formal.

“My Corporation has been in business longer than any other online filing service on the market, and our experience gives us a crucial familiarity with laws governing start-ups in all 50 states,” said MyCorporation CEO Deborah Sweeney. “Our services provide one of the most comprehensive and cost-effective packages on the market and are a necessity for anyone who wants to start a business. We are looking forward to sharing these services with Canadian businesses owners and entrepreneurs.”

Telefilm Canada is pleased to announce that it is a Presenting Partner to Canadian international documentary film festival Hot Docs, taking place in Toronto from April 28 to May 8. Telefilm is also a proud sponsor of the Hot Docs Forum, one of the leading international documentary business markets in North America. This year, Hot Docs is presenting over 200 films from more than 40 countries and welcoming hundreds of international filmmakers and industry delegates.

“Congratulations to Hot Docs on 18 years as an essential meeting place for the international documentary industry,” said Carolle Brabant, Telefilm’s Executive Director. “With our continued sponsorship of this first-rate festival and our industry financing most notably through the Theatrical Documentary Program – a unique public-private partnership between Telefilm and the Rogers Group of Fund – we are a proud supporter of this mobilizing art form.”

Five Telefilm-financed documentaries in the Hot Docs spotlight

Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson, Trish Dolman
Feature-length documentary about a man on a mission to save the planet and its oceans. Part Captain Nemo, part Grizzly Man, the film follows Watson in the act as he repeatedly flouts the law, so that he may apprehend what he sees as the more serious law-breakers – the illegal poachers of the world.

The Future is Now!, Gary Burns and Jim Brown
Documentary-drama hybrid in which a young journalist leads “Everyman” on a quest for knowledge from experts in art, science and philosophy. The Future is Now! was recently part of the International Festival of Independent Cinema of Buenos Aires’ prestigious retrospective on Canadian director Gary Burns.

The Guantanamo Trap, Thomas Selim Wallner (Canada/Germany/Switzerland co-production)
Recounts the story of Murat Kurnaz, who was born in Germany of Turkish heritage and detained and tortured at a US military base in Afghanistan, and in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he was held for five years.

Family Portrait in Black and White, Julia Ivanova
From Variety Magazine: “Engaging docu Family Portrait in Black and White considers the much-extended household of Olga Nenya, a middle-aged Ukrainian woman who’s foster mother to 17 children, many mixed-race.”

Beauty Day, directed by Jay Cheel
Before there was Jackass… before there was Tom Green… there was Ralph Zavadil. His cable access television show, The Cap’n Video Show, ran from 1990 to 1995, challenging the sensibilities of his small Southern Ontario audience.

Sticking with film-related news, D-BOX Technologies Inc. has signed its first agreement with Regency Theatres to equip Regency Agoura Hills Stadium 8 in Agoura Hills, Calif. with 32 D-BOX MFX Seats.

“California remains one of our largest and fastest growing markets to-date,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master. “As we continue to introduce our motion technology, demand in our existing markets remains on the rise. We’re delighted to once again announce a new theatre in the area and new partnership.”

“At Regency Theatres we strive to provide our customers with the most extraordinary entertainment experience imaginable,” said Lyndon Golin of Regency Theatres. “With state-of-the-art audio and visual technologies, and dedication to quality, customer service, the addition of D-BOX is an ideal complement. We anticipate great success at the box office.”

D-Box also announced today that Paramount Pictures’ summer sci-fi thriller Super 8 will feature D-BOX Motion Effects in select theatres when the movie is released June 10.

“The opportunity to feature our motion technology with one of the most anticipated films of the summer will continue to drive expansion into new and existing markets,” said President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master. “It’s a great pleasure to once again partner with Paramount Pictures. The content of this new picture is an ideal match for our incredibly realistic motion effects.”

The Funding Store, a business portal that matches businesses needing financing to the most appropriate funders and advisors, is now open for business in Canada. Behind the easy-to-navigate web pages, a search engine quickly filters requests for financing, enabling the businesses to locate sources of funds or funding advisers in just a few mouse clicks. FundingStore.com helps everyone in the funding process (owners, advisors, lenders, financiers and investors) by fetching the best possible prospects for a new loan, investment capital or a new client.

FundingStore.com, the brainchild of  British Chartered Accountant and author Nick Montague, is unique in that it covers all types of business funding, including business angels, loans, bank funding, asset finance, leasing, private equity, venture capital and other sources including public sector finance.

The site was opened in the UK in late 2010 and has generated interest from all over the UK, with early adopters coming on board, including Addleshaw Goddard, Pannone, RSM Tenon, Bibby Financial Services, Access To Finance, CBG Group and Yorkshire Bank. In February 2011, Michael Badham, a Chartered Accountant with 30 years of corporate finance experience in Canada purchased the rights to FundingStore.com in Canada.

“We know how difficult and time consuming it can be to find possible funders – over the years I have worked with many businesses who have reached a stage where further funding is crucial for their growth, but they are unsure who to approach or how to do it. It has long been a career long goal of mine to make it easier for small and medium sized businesses connect with the right funders. Our mission is to help business find financing fast”, says Michael Badham.

Businesses are also attracted to the site by the education content, templates and other tools, which help them prepare their financing requests and determine the appropriate type of financing.

Funders and investors only see the opportunities that match their criteria. They spend their time saying, “yes we can!” to opportunities that have been sourced and filtered to meet their requirements. Initial response at the launch has been very positive.

Multi-Platform game company TransGaming Inc. has announced the commercial launch of GameTree TV, TransGaming’s innovative on-demand Smart TV gaming platform, with France’s pioneering top-tier broadband service operator Free.

With GameTree TV and the Freebox Revolution, a next generation set-top box launched December 14, which transforms the television experience into a fully connected Smart TV experience, customers can now instantly play on-demand games directly from the cloud. The launch puts GameTree TV at the forefront of the ‘connected living room’ era, giving French consumers easy access to exciting, family-friendly interactive entertainment.

TransGaming’s GameTree TV platform is fully optimized for the Freebox’s Intel CE system-on-chip processor, one of the most popular choices for Smart TV hardware.

“We see a bright future for on-demand gaming on Smart TV,” said Lance Koenders, director of worldwide marketing, Intel Digital Home Group. “TransGaming has put itself ahead of the curve with the GameTree TV platform, which is a great example of the enhanced entertainment experiences that Intel CE-based devices can deliver.”

“The GameTree TV platform adds a compelling new dimension to our entertainment portfolio, further differentiating our unique offering” said Maxime Lombardini, CEO of Free’s holding company, Iliad. “Our subscribers now have access to a whole new gaming experience thanks to our partnership with TransGaming. This is a truly exciting time for home entertainment.”

GameTree TV launches with 25 titles on the Freebox Revolution, such as Bejeweled 2, Garage Inc. and World of Goo, with new games added weekly. Consumers will be able to enjoy games through a variety of flexible pricing models and billed directly by Free in the monthly invoice. This simple business model means broadband service providers are able to provide consumers with interactive entertainment on demand, while achieving a sustainable value-added revenue opportunity.

“Today’s commercial launch of our innovative platform, GameTree TV, represents the culmination of years of innovation and strategic investment and also marks the start of an exciting new revenue stream for the company,” said Vikas Gupta, CEO & president of TransGaming. “As the first broadband operator to offer GameTree TV, Free has more than lived up to its reputation as an innovator in the consumer Internet market. France is demonstrating its leadership position in on-demand Smart TV gaming, and we expect many other markets to follow soon.”