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24th March 2011

Canada 3.0 Looks Into The Future With Minister Tony Clement

Canada 3.0This year’s Canada 3.0 digital media forum will have a strong focus on industry, including an address by Canada’s Industry Minister Tony Clement, when the event is staged at the Stratford Rotary Complex in Stratford, Ontario this May 2nd through 4th. Minister Clement will speak to Canada’s place in the global digital economy on May 3.

“Our government has a clear vision of how Canada can successfully engage in the digital economy,” said Minister Clement. “Canada 3.0 brings together everyone from grassroots entrepreneurs, to industry leaders, academia, and government. It is the ideal platform to be talking about how best to position Canada for success in the digital future.”

The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) organizing Canada 3.0 2011 says the forum will examine how ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) can advance Canada’s productivity. There is also a pitch competition for early stage companies. The Road To Banff Pitch Off Contest, which is open for up to 100 Canadian early stage companies interested in pitching, getting feedback and networking, offers among other prizes 3 Grand Prizes, which consist of  an all expense paid trip to the Banff Venture Forum courtesy of the Canadian Digital Media Network and Communitech. Winners will receive travel, accommodations and conference fees to the Banff Venture Forum, Canada’s premier Venture Capital forum. In addition, Banff Venture Forum organizers will host a one day workshop for the winners that will include introductions to funders and pairing companies with a VC mentor for the conference.

“Our ‘Moonshot’ goal for Canada – that anyone can do anything online in Canada by 2017 — is what drives the discussion and action items resulting from the event,” said Kevin Tuer, Managing Director of the CDMN. There is a video contest to go with the previous statement.

Individuals, schools and post secondary institutions, corporations – all Canadians – are invited to submit a video that paints their vision of Canada as it will look in 2017. Your video can be a webcam monologue, a presentation, a story or a short film of 5 minutes or less. Select entries will be featured on the Canada 3.0 website and profiled at the Canada 3.0 venue during the conference. Three winners will each receive $500.00 in addition to the spotlight features.

In addition to the industry focus, Canada 3.0 also spans government and education, with the speaker roster including:

–        Anthony D. Williams, co-author of ‘MacroWikinomics’, ‘Rebooting Business and the World’, and ‘Wikinomics’
–        Jeremy Gutsche, innovation expert, author of Exploiting Chaos, and host of Trend Hunter TV
–        Dr. Michael Wesch, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University and winner of the Wired Magazine Rave Award
–        Kunal Gupta, CEO of Polar Mobile, and a market leader in launching innovative mobile applications
–        Soniya Monga, Community Manager at Techvibes.com and co-host of Perpetual Radio’s Social Media Show
–        Paul Lepage, Sr. VP Telus Health and Financial Solutions in the Telus Health Solutions division

Eight sector tracks will include more than 100 speakers and expert panelists, plus interactive discussions regarding the latest in digital media-driven productivity gains in education, health, media & entertainment, telecommunications & distribution, natural resources, public sector, research, and human resources.

In addition to the ‘main tent’ presentations and sector tracks, the forum also features an Interactive Showcase area which this year comprises more than 60 exhibitors spanning industry and academia. Tuer emphasizes that the connections between participants in the forum are a key benefit of the event.

”Every year the conversation is renewed and revitalized with connections that make for lasting relationships amongst digital startups and established companies, across sectors and up and down the influence chain,” said Tuer.

Canada 3.0 2011 is enabled by Platinum sponsors: OpenText, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Research In Motion (RIM), and supported by The City of Stratford and University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.

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23rd March 2011

Today In Games and Education

Dragon's Lair FiguresDigital LeisureDigital Leisure announced this morning that the Dragon’s Lair action figures are selling fast, and there are fewer sets available now than there were before. Don’t miss your chance, get them now – $49.99 (+ shipping and taxes if applicable) gets you the starring cast of Dragon’s Lair – Dirk, Daphne, Mordroc and Singe, along with their weaponry and select items from the story. I know this group would look mighty fine on my game collectibles shelf, if I had an expense budget that wasn’t currently screaming out in pain.

behaviour gamesNew from Behaviour Interactive, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime is now available on Xbox LIVE® Arcade and Windows PC Download at Steam and Atari.com. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime will be released on PlayStation®Network on March 30th. The new four player, ghost busting adventure that will take players Ghostbusters Sanctum of Slimeon a brand new paranormal experience. Players will suit up with their proton packs and assume the role of a rookie hired by the Ghostbusters to save New York City from a disaster of ghoulish proportions in either single player, or cooperative (online or local).

Play progresses as gamers explore a series of haunted environments that must be cleared of any ectoplasmic threats. The gripping adventure rages on as players encounter gigantic bosses that require a concentrated effort to defeat using a medley of highly destructive weapons including the Proton Stream, Plasma Inductor, and the Fermion Shock. The rookie Ghostbusters will face the dangers of the eerie world alone or with a ghost busting team of friends both locally or online through swarmitethe game’s multiplayer capability.

Those lovably squishy and doggedly determined little blue Swarmite creatures have invaded the tubes at Xbox Live Arcade, and for only 1200 MS points you can welcome them into your home where you can dismember, squash and push them over the edge in the privacy of your living room. Yes, the long-anticipated new release from Hothead Games has been released to the masses. Get it now while the little blue guys are still breathing. You PlayStation 3 owners can also pick up Swarm for $14.99. If you want to know how many Swarmites have been sacrificed for the greater good, check out the Swarm Global Death Counter – at press time it was closing in on 2.4 million. Poor little guys!

ubisoftAlso available now on Steam is Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood for PC. The regular digital version is priced at $49.99USD while the Digital Deluxe version is priced at $59.99USD. The Digital Deluxe version includes all of the basics plus:Ezio in Drachen Armour

* Map of Rome
* 1 Ezio Skin – Helmschmied Drachen Armour
* 2 Exclusive Single-Player Maps: The Trajan Market & The Aqueduct
* 2 Multiplayer Characters, The Officer and The Harlequin
* The Original Codex Written by Altaïr: The history of the Assassins and art of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
* Multiplayer Characters Collectible Trading Cards
* Assassin’s Creed Lineage – The Complete Movie
* Making-Of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – Behind the Brotherhood
* Game Soundtrack: 22 songs from the original game soundtrack by Jesper Kyd

Digital Premium Edition content is only available via download, and both Steam versions also include the Animus Project 1.0, 2.0 and the Da Vinci Disappearance DLC add-ons.

Incubator GamesIncubator Games has launched its newest kids’ title. This follow-up to Kelvin’s Space Ranch isCO2 Connection called The CO2 Connection, which was built for Science Alberta as an educational game whose main premise is to teach kids about the extraction, compression, transportation and storage of CO2 while decreasing Alberta’s carbon footprint. You can read the development post-mortem on the Incubator Games site and learn about the background and challenges for this game. The CO2 Connection is also available as a free download in the iTunes App Store and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

IBMIBM and Nova Scotia’s MediaSpark Inc. have won a national tender to provide 900 Ontario schools with educational games and simulation software designed to sharpen their business and financial skills as they prepare to meet the growing demands of the 21st Century. MediaSpark worked with IBM Canada to win the tender issued by the Ministry of Education through the Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee.mediaspark

Four of MediaSpark’s GoVenture educational games and simulation software solutions will provide students from grades seven to 12 with highly realistic simulations emphasizing Entrepreneurship, Accounting, Financial Literacy, and Personal Finance skills.

“Games and simulations are revolutionizing education,” says Mathew Georghiou, CEO of MediaSpark Inc. “We are encouraged to see Ontario take a leadership role in adopting new methods of learning. Not only will these simulations help Ontario students, but we believe they have the potential to play an important role in enhancing the grassroots entrepreneurial culture in Ontario, resulting in future prosperity.”

Learners gain experience by being immersed in simulated worlds created with advanced experiential learning and gaming techniques.  For example, in the Entrepreneurship module, students learn how to run a clothing or sporting goods store by testing their abilities with scenarios that map to real challenges faced by new entrepreneurs. They conduct business, get advice, attend training seminars or sell their companies. In the Personal Finance module, students live up to 50 years of their financial futures, virtually, making decisions about money and credit.

“Today’s students are demanding more digital applications and support for alternative learning methods,” said Ralph Chapman, Vice-President, Public Sector, IBM Canada.  “Our ability to deliver this type of advanced learning to Ontario schools provides students with the modern tools they need to better prepare themselves for the new demands of the work world.”

Historically, simulation gaming has been used extensively in the military, by athletes and by scientists to discover effective new strategies and techniques and develop the skills needed to implement them. Businesses have realized the value of this technique and are deploying their own games to create life-like simulations of real markets, customers and business situations that they deal with every day. Gaming technology is also increasingly being used in higher education institutions to complement and extend traditional teaching methods. Currently, more than 1,000 colleges and universities use IBM games in their curricula.

FCACTwo Alberta students and one from Ontario who participated last fall in a contest organized by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) that encouraged enrolment in The City, have won laptop computers.  The City is an online interactive resource that teaches basic financial skills. Students learn from eight “life stage characters” who face various financial circumstances that young people can relate to. The City is a free, Web-based learning program developed by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) and the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC). In order to qualify to win the laptops, the students had to complete four modules and score 100% on a follow-up quiz.  The three winners were then chosen randomly from a draw of all qualified entrants. A school in Toronto has a SMART Board™ thanks to the efforts of teacher Clarence Sze-chun Yeung, a math teacher at SATEC@W.A. Porter Collegiate Institute who enrolled his class in The City.

Another contest is now underway for students and teachers who enrol in The City in the second term. To be eligible, students and teachers in any Canadian province or territory must register and participate in The City before March 31, 2011. The contest rules are available on FCAC’s website

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23rd March 2011

Today In Development and Technology

Pixel to ProductAs the April 15th deadline approaches for the Canadian Digital Media Industry Survey, Pixel To Product is reaching out to the last few digital media agencies on their list. Whether you’re a web designer, information architect, social media marketer or mobile application developer, Pixel To Product is encouraging all digital media practitioners to fill out the survey. It only take 8 minutes to complete, and the final report will be made available free of charge to the community upon completion. Survey respondents get early access to the final report and will be entered into a draw to win prizes as a thank you for their participation.

CMPAThe Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) applauds the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for recognizing the importance of fair terms of trade agreements between independent producers and vertically integrated media companies.

In its recent report to the Government of Canada on the impact of private television ownership changes, the Standing Committee recommended that the Government consider the issue of fair terms of trade agreements between independent producers and vertically integrated media companies when reviewing the Canada Media Fund.

“The Committee is to be congratulated for its timely recognition of the need for minimum standards and safeguards for Canadian independent producers in today’s increasingly integrated broadcasting ecosystem,” says Norm Bolen, the Association’s President and CEO. “We interpret the report as a clear signal of support from all political parties for independent producers and the significant role they play both in the Canadian broadcasting system and in Canada’s digital economy,” says Bolen.

“While a terms of trade arrangement has not yet been finalized, we are encouraged that the private broadcasters have remained at the bargaining table in good faith,” says John Barrack, the CMPA’s Chief Negotiator.

Also contained in the Standing Committee’s report on the impact of private television ownership changes is the recommendation that the CRTC examine the growing emergence of non-Canadian broadcast players to determine whether and how such foreign players should support Canadian cultural programming. “We see the potential for these foreign players to erode Canadian broadcasters’ current business models and weaken their ability to contribute to the creation of quality Canadian programming. Accordingly, we agree that a review is both timely and necessary,” says Bolen.

sierra wirelessFor all of you network admin types, Sierra Wireless has unveiled its 4G LTE multi-purpose wireless gateway that leverages the power of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. The Sierra Wireless AirLink™ GX440 – the first 4G version of the recently announced AirLink GX400 – delivers the higher bandwidth required by applications including high-quality wireless video surveillance, multi-data-stream wireless connections to branch locations, or mobile office applications for public safety and field service activities. Sierra Wireless is showcasing the AirLink GX440 gateway in the Sierra Wireless stand (1670) at CTIA Wireless, which runs until March 24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The AirLink GX440 gateway is expected to be available in the second half of this year, and to help facilitate the 3G-to-4G transition, Sierra Wireless also announced a technology upgrade program that will reduce customer risk by allowing customers to purchase an AirLink GX400 3G gateway now and upgrade to the AirLink GX440 when it becomes available.

vixsViXS Systems Inc. will be collaborating with iPanel TV Inc., a technology provider focused on TV value-added business services with some of the most advanced technology and largest scale deployments in China. By integrating iPanel’s set-top box software, or middleware, into ViXS’ XCode® 4210 series of products, it enables next generation media processing capabilities in the leading Chinese set-top box middleware solution. The combination of iPanel software and ViXS also allows the deployment of streaming content to multiple devices as supported by the Chinese government’s “n-Screen” initiative. N-Screen refers to having the same content being capable of being displayed on a computer, a TV or a smart phone screen.

D-BoxD-BOX Technologies Inc. is going to have global movie-goers shaking all over – the Quebec company has announced a new agreement with Germany-based FTT (the company’s first European distributor for its commercial theatre expansion) to equip a first theatre with Germany’s CinemaxX. The Mülheim theatre will feature two auditoriums with 18 and 32 D-BOX MFX Seats marking the first sale of D-BOX in Germany for commercial theatre use and will generate as well, licensing fees payable to D-BOX in accordance to the systems’ utilization.

“This agreement with FTT further advances our position in the European market with theatres now in Germany and the Netherlands,” said President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master. “This is a great achievement for us as we look to maintain our steady growth in Europe and on a global scale. As confidence in our international distribution model continues to build, we anticipate continued expansion and similar agreements for multiple D-BOX screens.”

“We see the D-BOX experience as a new standard in cutting-edge movie entertainment,” said Thomas Ruettgers of Film Ton Technik. “This theatre will represent an outstanding showcase in Germany coupled with state-of-the-art sound and picture technologies, and high-end amenities. We foresee customers responding overwhelmingly positively to the D-BOX experience.”

Mood MediaToronto’s Mood Media Corporation will be showcasing a suite of market leading in-store media products and services at the upcoming Global Shop 2011 show in Las Vegas beginning March 28, 2011. Mood Media will be debuting its latest visual solution for the North American market, which currently powers the in-store digital signage for several world brands including Nike, Foot Locker and Guess. This turnkey visual solution incorporates Moods talented creative team, a centralized content management system, and solid-state commercial grade hardware.

Mood Media will also be presenting its next generation in-store background music product known as the Trusonic MBOX 4, which is the latest version of the leading Internet-delivered audio solution for retailers today. In addition, Mood Media is debuting its “Now Playing” feature, which works with the MBOX 4’s real-time audio update capabilities, and allows store managers and customers to see song and artist data for each track currently being played via any mobile device such as an iPhone, Android or Blackberry.

Also making its debut is Mood Media’s in-store touch screen casual games kiosks for retailers, which features hit Windows & Mac games from leading publishers such as PopCap Games and Big Fish Games. These interactive kiosks use the successful sample before you purchase technology that has helped Mood Media sell millions of music albums in 2010 through major retailers.

innovacorpNova Scotia’s early stage technology companies are getting improved access to scientific and technology expertise thanks to Innovacorp’s new advisory council. The Science and Technology Advisory Council, which was announced on March 16, will be made up of researchers and industry experts in fields related to Innovacorp’s focus industries, including clean technology, life sciences and information technology.

“I’m delighted to have a group of this calibre as a resource for us and our clients,” said Clifford Gross, president and CEO of Innovacorp. “Their experience, knowledge of science and industry, and contacts in the global community will be invaluable.  The council will also be a great platform for assessing emerging science and technology issues important to Nova Scotia’s economic future.”

Members will provide Innovacorp’s clients with independent, strategic advice about relevance, quality of science, and commercialization potential. Providing Nova Scotia businesses with resources to help them compete globally is part of jobsHere, the province’s plan to grow the economy.

“I am pleased to join Innovacorp’s new advisory council, and I look forward to offering my expertise and perspective to the team,” said Richard Murphy, president of Richard Murphy and Associates Inc. “Innovacorp’s clients include some of the region’s most promising and innovative emerging technology companies. I’m eager to help that community succeed.”

The advisory council builds on Innovacorp’s approach of using a network of external experts to complement its in-house business expertise. The Nova Scotia Crown corporation’s High Performance Incubation business model has earned international recognition for helping entrepreneurs commercialize their technologies. The model incorporates incubation infrastructure, business mentoring, and seed and venture capital investment.

Joining Mr. Murphy on Innovacorp’s Science and Technology Advisory Council are:

— Richard Karsten, associate professor in the department of mathematics and statistics at Acadia University
— Ian Hill, associate professor in the department of physics and atmospheric science at Dalhousie University
— Diana Pliura, president of ALBRY Inc.

corporate renaissance groupCorporate Renaissance Group (CRG), a global provider of innovative solutions that drive better business management and performance, is pleased to announce the availability of an upgrade to CRG emPerform™, its all-inclusive, web-based employee performance management solution.

Version 3.14 is the latest release available and includes administrative enhancements to several areas of emPerform’s functionality; including, eSurvey, Succession Manager, Compensation Manager, and Automated Appraisals. Some of the upgrades include enhanced availability of historical reviews, improved tagging and search functionality, and greater administrative control over succession manager templates and viewer assignment.

“This upgrade reinforces our commitment to providing customers with an easy-to use and flexible talent management suite” said John Smith, Director of Enterprise Business Solutions at CRG. “emPerform 3.14 includes many smaller features that were requested by customers and are aimed at making the software as user-friendly as possible”.

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22nd March 2011

Canadian Government Solidifies Commitment To The Canada Media Fund

Canada Media FundThe Canada Media Fund (CMF) thanks the Government of Canada and particularly the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable James Moore, for announcing in the Budget that the CMF will receive funding support on an ongoing basis starting April 1, 2011.Government of Canada

“This is a very significant commitment,” declared Louis Roquet, Chair of the CMF’s Board of Directors, “one that will enable the CMF to truly play its part in Canada’s Digital Economy Strategy by providing ongoing funding support for the creation and promotion of content for all Canadians on the platforms of their choice.”

The Government’s contribution of $100 million, combined with the funding the CMF receives from Canada’s cable and satellite distributors, will enable the CMF to provide over $350 million to the television and digital media industry in 2011-2012.

“With the help of this commitment, the CMF will continue to drive innovation and to support Canada’s creative talent in contributing to our competitiveness in the global marketplace for content,” stated Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the CMF.  “This is most welcome news for the industry as a whole.”

Canada’s technology and digital media sectors stand to reap some major benefits from today’s budget, as laid out on the Government of Canada’s Action Plan site. In addition to the above announcement regarding the Canada Media Fund, and as stated on the Action Plan site (meaning I did not write any of the following, I grabbed it from the Government), the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets the stage for the Digital Economy Strategy to make Canada a leader in the creation, adoption and use of digital technologies and content. Budget 2011 measures include:

  • Providing $80 million in new funding over three years through the Industrial Research Assistance Program to help small and medium-sized businesses accelerate their adoption of key information and communications technologies through collaborative projects with colleges.
  • Announcing $60 million over the next three years to promote increased student enrolment in key disciplines related to the digital economy.

The digital economy is woven into the fabric of our modern economy. Digital technologies power activities in all areas of the economy, from manufacturing and transportation to advanced telecommunications and Web-based services, and provide a platform for all sectors to be more innovative and productive. Leadership in the creation, adoption and use of digital technologies and content will help Canada to increase its world-class standard of living.

In the summer of 2010, the Government held nationwide consultations to seek the views of Canadian industry, creators and consumers on how Canada can build a globally competitive digital economy by 2020. Budget 2011 sets the stage for the release of Canada’s Digital Economy Strategy later this spring by introducing new measures focused on accelerating adoption of information and communications technologies at small and medium-sized businesses, preparing students for careers in the digital economy, and building Canada’s digital content through the Canada Media Fund.

As Canada enters the digital age, the small and medium-sized businesses that drive our economy have an opportunity to maximize their growth potential by adopting information and communications technologies. Colleges, with their linkages to local industry and access to cutting-edge technology and skills, are ideally placed to develop technological solutions that respond to the challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. The National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program has experience in working with colleges and innovative small and medium-sized businesses.

To support the development of Canada’s digital economy, Budget 2011 announces $80 million in new funding over three years for a pilot initiative, delivered through the Industrial Research Assistance Program, to support collaborative projects between colleges and small and medium-sized businesses to accelerate their adoption of information and communications technologies.

In addition, as part of the Government’s effort to strengthen Canada’s research advantage, Budget 2011 announces $53.5 million over five years to support the creation of 10 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs. Some of these new research chairs will be active in fields relevant to the Digital Economy Strategy. The Government is also renewing the Community Access Program for an additional year.

The ability of Canadians to effectively use new digital technologies will be crucial to Canada’s success in the global digital economy. Budget 2011 announces that Human Resources and Skills Development Canada will reallocate $60 million in funding over the next three years to promote enrolment in key disciplines related to the digital economy such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Government has recently taken steps to accelerate the growth of the digital economy, including by:

  • Ensuring more than 98 per cent of Canadians have access to broadband services through a variety of initiatives, including through the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program in Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
  • Modernizing policies to build confidence in e-commerce through the passage of new anti-spam legislation and tabling privacy and copyright legislation.
  • Adding information and communications technology adoption as a strategic focus of the Business Development Bank of Canada, including new consulting services to help companies enhance their use of information and communications technologies, as well as offering flexible financing to help support these investments.
  • Opening up spectrum for next-generation wireless networks and services by launching consultations on the 700 megahertz spectrum with a view to auctioning it in late 2012, concurrent with consultations on the 2,500 megahertz spectrum.
  • Enabling telecommunications businesses to increase investment by freezing licensing fee rates for cellular and personal communications services, extending the length of licences for mobile broadband spectrum to 20 years, announcing a review of the 2008 tower sharing and roaming policy, and examining options for liberalization of foreign investment restrictions in the telecommunications sector.

Today’s Federal Budget also outlined initiatives for many other areas of research in the fields of science and Read the rest of this entry »

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22nd March 2011

Indie Game Life Flashes By Emerges From Beta

Life Flashes ByIndependent Vancouver game developer Deirdra Kiai has released her first solo title, Life Flashes By, which is available via digital download for Windows, Linux and Mac computers.

Life Flashes By invites you into the world of writer Charlotte Barclay, and to quote Ms. Kiai, as she really can describe her game the best,  “Life Flashes By is a video game about success and failure in following one’s dreams, about finding love and losing it, and about feeling isolated and out of step with the rest of the world. It is a story that is at times clever and fun and at times melancholy and introspective. Most notably of all, however, it is a story best told non-linearly, which lends itself uniquely to the interactive nature of games. As a player, you won’t just be watching a plot unfold, you’ll be shaping and affecting it in a way unique to you alone.”

“Play as middle-aged novelist Charlotte Barclay as she navigates a near death experience involving vignettes from her past, while accompanied by a wisecracking spirit guide with fairy wings named Trevin,” Ms. Kiai said. “Inspired by both 2D point-and-click adventure games of the nineties and the modern ‘art games’ movement, Life Flashes By’s story combines dry, comedic wit with melancholy, existential reflection, while surrealist cartoon art, a whimsical soundtrack, and a stellar cast of voice actors round out the experience.”

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Ms. Kiai funded the game’s development herself, with a little help from supporters on KickStarter, and while Life Flashes By is a free game, players can help support future development either by making a donation of appreciation or by purchasing the Collector’s Edition for $20.00 CAD/USD or $25.00 globally. There is also a downloads page if you would like to listen to the game’s soundtrack.

The Collector’s Edition Includes:

– Hard copy of the game on DVD
– Stylish cover art signed by yours truly, the author
– “Life Flashes By: The Guided Tour”, an interactive director’s commentary
– An excerpt from the original manuscript of Charlotte’s first novel, Joined at the Hip
– Music from the game’s soundtrack, for your listening pleasure

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22nd March 2011

SIGGRAPH 2011 Exhibition Sales on Track to Meet or Exceed 2010 Results

Awesome news from the SIGGRAPH head office: siggraph 2011

SIGGRAPH has traditionally provided the year’s largest, most comprehensive exhibition of products and services for the computer graphics and interactive techniques marketplace. If current sales trends continue, SIGGRAPH 2011 in Vancouver will be no different.

SIGGRAPH 2011, taking place this August 7 – 11th at the Vancouver Convention Centre, is on pace or in some instances exceeding the exhibition sales data at this point last year for SIGGRAPH 2010 in Los Angeles. For instance, the current number of exhibitors participating and amount of booth space sold is higher this year than at this same point in time last year.

“Since this is the first time SIGGRAPH is being held in Canada, we are encouraged by the positive response of our exhibitors from North America and around the world,” said Peter Braccio, SIGGRAPH 2011 Conference Chair from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. “We are very encouraged by this vote of confidence from the exhibitor community. This year’s submissions are even more encouraging. The volume and quality of papers, talks, courses, artwork, films, and interactive demos submitted so far confirm that this will be one of the most memorable SIGGRAPH conferences in years.”

To register for the conference, please visit the Registration page. There is still some exhibit space remaining, if you or your company are interested in renting space on the expo floor, please visit the Exhibitor’s page. If you are a Canadian company, this would be an incredible opportunity to get your product in front of thousands of national and international visitors (side note, if you’re interested in going co-op for space, we’re looking for partners to possibly share expenses with). SIGGRAPH 2011 organizers have begun listing those who will be exhibiting at the conference – are your competitors going? Shouldn’t you be going too? There are also many opportunities for advertising and sponsorship – please click the link for the Exhibitor’s page to get all of the information.

SIGGRAPH 2011 In Vancouver – Make It Home

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22nd March 2011

While Waiting For Swarm on XLBA

swarmiteI am waiting (somewhat) patiently for Hothead’s Swarm to appear on Xbox Live Arcade – even though I have roughly a dozen other games to play and comment on – but at least I could queue it to download, but alas, Swarm will not be on XBLA until sometime after midnight, I believe. It is, however, available now on PSN, for those of you with PlayStation 3 consoles.

Relic EntertainmentThis little tidbit from THQ and Relic Entertainment will make the Cavechild happy. Warhammer®40,000®: Dawn of War®II – Retribution™ will be receiving a free update for The Last Stand™ mode is scheduled to be available for free via a downloadable patch on 6th April. The Last Stand, the game’s co-operative survival mode, will be getting an additional twelve new Steam achievements. Unlocking each achievement will grant a new piece of wargear, giving the player even more options when equipping their hero.

Big Sandwich GamesBig Sandwich Games announced today that their award-winning strategy title HOARD™ is available for purchase in North America on the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. To celebrate, the publisher has also put the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system version on sale. Both versions are currently selling for the low price of $9.99, although the PlayStation®3 system discount is for a limited time only. The titles can be purchased via the PlayStation® Network. If you would prefer to pre-purchase Hoard through your Steam account, you can do that now, too. Steam offers versions for both Mac and PC, and remember, the Steam pre-purchase price is 25% off the regular price right now.animal pop

Big Blue BubbleFollowing the success of Burn the Rope, Big Blue Bubble is proud to announce their partnership with startup Krot and Enot and the arrival of their latest joint effort, Animal Pop!

It’s a bubble popping bonanza where you pop bubbles to save pets. Pop two or more bubbles of the same color to float all of the pets to the top and win. Watch for power-ups to pop those bubbles before your time runs out! Super easy controls and fantastic art combined with addictive gameplay make Animal Pop easy for anyone to pick-up and play!

Animal Pop features endless gameplay with simple pick up and play controls as well as piles of pets with power-ups galore. This looks like a very colourful and fun game – I’ll be taking a look at it later this afternoon.

Game Prototype ChallengeThe fourth iteration of Game Prototype Challenge has now concluded – well actually, it ended on March 21st, but I wanted to make sure that Jason had time to post all of the submitted prototypes to the Challenge’s web site. They’re up now, and you really should head on over and check out the thirteen “Burden and Sunshine” games. These games really do illustrate just how creative and imaginative our country’s game designers really are. You won’t be disappointed at all. I’m glad that winners don’t ever have to be chosen, because if I were a judge, I’d have a very difficult time of it.

If you’d like a chance to win a promo code for Good Guy Robots’ puzzle game Codex, check out the article over at Best WP7 Games to see how to enter their contest. They will be giving away 15 codes at the end of this week.

Banff World Media FestivalBanff World Media Festival has just announced its Media Leaders panel, which will be moderated by Gordon Pitts, Senior Reporter for The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. These top executives will discuss the issues they find most pressing for today’s media ecosystem and field questions submitted online via Twitter and Facebook by BANFF delegates. Conference organizers will choose their favourite questions from among the submissions and present them to the panel at the Festival. This year’s panelist are:

Phil Lind, Vice Chairman for Rogers Communications
Paul Robertson, Group Vice President, Broadcasting & President for Shaw Media
Kevin Crull, Chief Operating Officer for CTVglobemedia
Kirstine Stewart, EVP English Services for CBC
John Riley, President for Astral Television Networks

Don’t forget about the Festival Meetups being held in Calgary (March 29), Edmonton (March 30) and Vancouver (March 31). We’ll be at the Vancouver meetup, hope to see you there. There is a Meetup in the works for Toronto, but a date has not yet been confirmed. Chaos Theory Remixed Vinyl

ubisoftUbiworkshop has released a vinyl edition of Chaos Theory Remixed, which will be sold exclusively on Ubiworkshop for $30.00. The album is a Ninja Tune remix of the original Splinter Cell Chaos Theory OST composed by Amon Tobin. Big Ninja Tune names participated the project: Kid Koala, Lorn, The Qemists, King Cannibal, Eskmo and Daedelus, with artwork by Ninja Tunes’ own DJ Food. Coincidentally, it’s also the soundtrack for Splinter Cell 3D releasing soon on the Nintendo 3DS.

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22nd March 2011

Canada Media Fund Supports Merging Media

merging media conferenceThe Canada Media Fund (CMF) will sponsor 8 CMF-Merging Media Scholarships worth up to $800 each to the Merging Media Transmedia Seminar and Lab 2011 in Vancouver, BC on April 28-29, co-presenters Merging Media Productions Inc. and the Canadian Media Production Association – British Columbia (CMPA-BC), announced today.

Conducted by Anita Ondine, one of the world’s foremost transmedia educators and practitioners, the event will take place at the Vancity Theatre and BCIT Atrium, in the heart of downtown Vancouver. The CMF-Merging Media Scholarships will cover the registration fees for 8 selected participants and could include accommodation support for out of province attendees.

“We are very fortunate to have Anita tailor-make this event specifically for our rapidly converging industry,” says Liz Shorten, CMPA-BC’s Managing Vice-President. “Her workshops in Europe have been highly successful in energizing the transmedia community there, and we hope to do the same with the Merging Media Lab here for our over 85 members and the media industry”. The hands-on Lab will take a holistic approach, by upgrading the industry on multiple levels and involving professionals from various media disciplines.

“We are grateful to CMF for making this possible,” elaborates Christine Lim-Labossière, CEO of Merging Media Productions Inc. “We wish to provide a group of media professionals from mixed disciplines with a unique opportunity to upgrade their transmedia skills and understanding collectively, so that they can go on to become key practitioners and budding thought leaders in their various fields.” All applicants to Merging Media’s Lab will be considered for the Scholarships, but priority will be given to digital media practitioners (including game, mobile and user experience developers) and individuals involved in selecting projects for funding.

The half day Transmedia Seminar on April 28, 2011 is open to the public, while the Lab on April 28-29 will enable just 20 media professionals to develop projects in a intensive collaborative environment, while learning about transmedia creative and business practices from “Conception to Consumption”. The deadline for Lab applications has been extended to April 8, 2011 to enable all media sectors to take advantage of this opportunity. Results of the Scholarships will be announced in mid April.

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22nd March 2011

Mesh Conference Tickets Now On Sale

mesh conferenceThe digital media landscape is rapidly evolving, leaving many seeking a better understanding of the impact that new trends and technologies will have on how we live, work and play. Thought-leaders and game-changers from around the world will be coming together for the 6th annual mesh conference to share insight, perspective and information on emerging trends, tools and companies within the global digital landscape.

Held at the Allstream Centre in Toronto on May 24 and 25, mesh is for marketers, media, entrepreneurs and citizens who want to navigate through and benefit from everything the Web has to offer.

“mesh is more relevant than ever as the Web is increasingly impacting society, media, business and marketing around the world,” says Stuart MacDonald, mesh co-founder. “mesh continues to build stronger content, increase the number of interactive, hands-on workshops and provide attendees with news they can use. I’m very excited about the ideas and knowledge that will be shared at this year’s event.”

Early-bird tickets are on sale now for $539 until April 20. Then, they will be available at the full price of $639. There are also 50 student tickets for $99 each. All prices are in CAD and do not include 13% HST.

Keynote speakers, attendees, panels and workshops at this year’s mesh conference will speak to four featured themes: Society, Marketing, Business and Media. The keynote speakers are:

* Society Keynote: Ron Deibert, the Citizen Lab will tackle global social issues such as state control of the internet, efforts in the Arab world to shut down the internet and efforts taken to circumvent that as well as Wikileaks and internet freedom.
* Marketing Keynote: Gabe Zichermann, The Psychology of Online Behaviour, explores the opportunities and challenges in motivating, inspiring and encouraging online users, including the use of gamification.
* Business Keynote: Mark Surman, Mozilla Foundation, will explain how companies can become more social and less hierarchical in order to take advantage of the web and how this can motivate younger, web-savvy employees intrinsically instead of extrinsically.
* Media Keynote: Jeff Jarvis looks at: how the media is changing, the rise of WikiLeaks as a press entity, crowdsourcing, transparency, where the future of journalism is headed, and the challenges ahead for traditional media entities.

Other mesh speakers include:

* Micah Sifry, TechPresident
* Wilf Dinnick, CEO of OpenFile
* Evan Smith, CEO of Texas Tribune
* Anthony De Rosa, Neighborhoodr
* Dan Debow, Rypple
* Laura Croucher, KPMG
* Kevin Restivo, IDC Canada
* David Armano, Edelman
* Lara Barlow, Canada Country Manager, Travel Zoo

In addition, mesh will feature interactive workshops focusing on topics including:

* How to use social media for reporting, journalism and more – lead by Bert Herman, founder of Storify and former foreign correspondent.
* Not-for-profits leading social media – led by Sarah Falconer, WWF; Karen Snider, Red Cross; and Misty Meeks, Argyle Communications.
* How to effectively leverage LinkedIn – led by Leona Hobbs, Social Media Group (SMG)
* How to create and build a great corporate blog – led by Eli Singer, Entrinsic Partners

 

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22nd March 2011

3D Printing Technology Helped Identify Canadian WW1 Soldier

CanadaI am including this story in today’s news because I feel that it shows important ways in which the advancement of technology can aid humanity not only in learning about ourselves and our history, but in seeing our potential with the responsible use of said technology.

A Canadian First World War soldier killed in action nearly a century ago can finally rest in peace following the identification of his remains and his burial last week in France. This resolution was possible due to a novel combination of identification disciplines, including that of Burlington, MA company Z Corporation’s 3D printing technology.

Private Thomas Lawless of Calgary, Alberta, were discovered in 2003 at a construction site near Avion, France. He was killed in action on June 8, 1917, a few months after the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 28.

Two sets of remains were found at the site. The first soldier was identified using DNA analysis in 2007. A combination of historical research, forensic anthropology (the study of the human skeleton), facial reconstruction and isotopic analysis yielded Lawless’ identification, as announced on February 24, 2011.

“Although it’s sad to contemplate the loss of young lives in war, it’s rewarding to account for the missing, both for the sake of the deceased and for long-grieving family members,” said Andrew J. Nelson, a key researcher on the project and Associate Dean of Research for the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Western Ontario.Private Thomas Lawless

The identification team created 3D computer models of Lawless’s skull, derived from CT scan data of several large skull fragments, in order to narrow the list of possible matches for the remains. Physical models of the skull were produced using a Z Corporation 3D printer, which creates physical composite models from scan data much as a document printer produces a business letter from a word-processing file.

Using muscle markings on the skull model, scientific tissue-depth tables and plastilina modeling clay, the team worked with noted Canadian artist Christian Corbet to construct a face on the model. They then photographed that face, and superimposed images of it on photographs of soldiers who were potential matches. By seeing how the images lined up – by face height, width and features such as jaw shape – the team was able to narrow the list of potential matches to two. An isotopic analysis of teeth and the jaw bone indicated that the recovered soldier grew up in Dublin – a direct biographical match with Lawless. To see photos of the rebuilding process, please visit Military Historian Jeremy Banning’s site, where he has posted the images with full permission of Christian Corbet.

“Anthropological analysis and mitochondrial DNA testing are standard approaches for identification,” Nelson explained. “However, mtDNA requires material from living family members on the maternal side to make a connection. In this case, we had none of that at our disposal. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first instance in which facial reconstruction and isotopic analysis were added to the mix. It may result in a new protocol, or certainly new tools, for the identification of the missing.”

Private Thomas Lawless, born April 11, 1889, was a member of the 49th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force and was buried March 15, 2011, at La Chaudiere Military Cemetery in Vimy, France, with his family in attendance. La Chaudiere, a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery, currently has 907 servicemen from the First World War buried or commemorated there, including Canadian Private Herbert Peterson, the soldier found in 2003 with Private Lawless.

Private Herbert Peterson was born on February 28, 1895, in Scranton, Kansas. He and his five brothers were the offspring of Charles and Julia Peterson from Rose Lynn, Alberta. On February 22, 1916, just shy of his 21st birthday, Private Peterson joined Private Herbert Peterson burialthe 137th Overseas Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force in Calgary as a private.

On his attestation form, Private Peterson listed his (1916) address as Berry Creek, Alberta, and recorded that he was a farmer, single, Presbyterian, with no current or previous military service. During Private Peterson’s medical examination, he was noted as being five feet, nine inches tall, with a fully expanded chest measurement of thirty-nine inches, a fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He arrived in England with the 137th Battalion on August 30, 1916, and was formally transferred to the 49th Battalion, CEF, on December 7, 1916. A few weeks later, on January 20, 1917, he joined the 49th Battalion in France as a reinforcement soldier. He was declared missing after action on June 9, 1917.

Until the recent discovery of his remains, Private Peterson was one of the more than 11,000 Canadian soldiers who died in France during the First World War and who have no known grave. Private Herbert Peterson burial photo credit: from the blog of military historian Jeremy Banning.

Nelson sees a variety of applications for 3D printing in anthropology beyond the identification of soldiers’ remains. For example, his team used Z Corporation 3D printing in the 2003 facial reconstruction of the Sulman Egyptian mummy housed at the Chatham-Kent Museum in Chatham, Ontario. The facial reconstruction of the mummy was also done by Christian Corbet.

“Societies who wish to move forward must know their past to better understand who they are now and where they might be going,” he said. “The high variability of cultures of the past – before the internet – tells us a lot about the interplay of traits like gender, status, health and wealth in different settings. It’s the bones that help us associate those cultural traits with a particular set of human remains. And though CT scans enable us to a look inside a mummy, for example, without disturbing the bones, wrappings and so on, 3D printing lets us extract these pieces, figuratively speaking, by creating a physical model from CT scan data. We can thus examine the bones more closely and learn more from them.”

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