Village Gamer

Vancouver-based CrowdFanatic is a relatively new web site with a strong and diverse team behind its development. This somewhat unique venture is full of trolls, but unlike other sites, trolls are (mostly) welcome here, provided they follow the protocol of being a troll with some honest debating skills. One of my first concerns was about those users who often like to take their opinions too far, falling into the nasty side of trolling, but CrowdFanatics does have its own moderation system and terms of use in place.

Unlike other debate-based sites, CrowdFanatic is far more lenient than many “traditional” debate communities and as such does not have a page (or pages) full of rules. To be honest, I really don’t feel that it needs formal debate rules. As I mentioned above, there are moderators, and a well-respected community tends to police itself quite efficiently. Like the majority of societal groups, CrowdFanatic members tend to keep the debates somewhat respectful without overly quelling the passions many people feel for their topics.

Here is a full description of what CrowdFanatic is, from the company’s blog:

“We’re bringing something new to the table in social media. Have you ever wanted to stand as a Democrat and take on a group of Republicans? Have you ever wanted to fight with a group of Yankees fans and tell off a group of Red Sox supporters over a social media battlefield? Now you have the opportunity to do that.  CrowdFanatic is that arena for you to stand tall as a group and confront your opposition. Do you want to be an opinion leader? CrowdFanatic is the perfect place to promote your group’s agenda and stand out from the crowd. All the tools that you need to be heard in the online world are at your disposal on CrowdFanatic.”

The topics (known as Confrontations) open for debate are wide and varied, from the predictable sports team rivalries to the hotness (or not) of stars and celebrities. There are political and religious debates, and of course the age-old Canada vs the USA debates. Each topic has supporters and detractors (a.k.a. rivals), as does each user. There is a rating scale for said support or non-support, and it’s easy to see who are the top debaters, you just need to look at the LeaderBoard. Every debater’s profile has a plethora of information in regards to Confrontations, Groups, posts and comments. The whole idea of the site, like any debate club competition, is to use logic, common sense, facts and a smattering of passion to support your argument, thereby winning support for your opinions.

For many, such debates are a way to educate themselves (or the masses) or to expand their own understandings of any given topic – and this is particularly true for many of the topic areas on CrowdFanatic. In fact it’s very difficult to look through the site without wanting to enter into many of the arenas open for participation and put thoughts to keyboard. If you can’t find a topic that quite fits what you want to discuss, members can open new topics (or Confrontations, as they are called on CrowdFanatic) and invite debate. Every Confrontation is a sub-category of an Arena, and of course the top Arena today is full of Google+ vs Facebook discussions.

The Hot Arenas and Hot Confrontations are constantly in flux – since I took the screenshot to the right about 45 minutes ago, the top four topics have changed, with the screenshot to the left showing the current Hot Arenas. Note that the Canucks Group is still in the top four – it is the over-all top ranked group on the site. Such a passionate group, Canucks Nation. By the time you read this, the rankings will again be different – there is never a dull moment on CrowdFanatics.

On each Arena page are listed the top discussions for the subject matter, along with the top supporter and top rival. Each Arena page also shows related topics of discussion, in case you want to branch out into other areas. Confrontations can also be found through Groups, which are another top-level category feature, and again, if you can’t find a Group that fits your area of interest, you can create a new one.

Users can even find Confrontations based on geographic location. According to the map feature on the home page (as shown in the top right image in this article), BC is an area full of Hot Confrontations. This is not surprising with many Vancouver Canucks discussions remaining consistently near the top of the popularity scale, even two weeks after the season’s final game. Oh, and yes, there are Confrontation topics in regards to the Game Seven Riot.

The CrowdFanatic team holds no topic sacred, and even took on the CBC Dragon’s Den team earlier in May, but with the network remaining mum on what transpired during the taping of Season Six, we’ll most likely have to wait until the Fall to learn more of what occurred on that Confrontational day.

CrowdFanatic is not for the timid and faint of heart – if you are not able to handle criticisms of your logic, are easily offended or can’t debate in an intelligent – albeit passionate – manner, then CrowdFanatic may not be the site for you. Personally I find the site quite intriguing, although I have not taken part in any of the debates myself, I believe the CaveChild hangs out there sometimes. That boy loves to argue.

I find CrowdFanatic to be a somewhat in-depth, cross-measuring look at the global modern society, and I also find it interesting to see what lengths people will go to in order to win – or refute – an argument. At the end of the day, I do encourage you to at least visit the site and take a look around; you never know, you may just find a topic that you’ve been itching for a good argument on, and CrowdFanatic is definitely the place to do it.

Intertainment Media Inc. has announced that its desktop app KNCTR® (pronounced “Connector”), a key program of Intertainment’s wholly owned division itiBiti Systems Inc., has seen its unique North American installations break through a major milestone of 1 million in only its first 14 weeks.

KNCTR® saw over 90,000 new unique installations throughout North America over the previous week period, a new record weekly high. The program continues to deliver extremely solid daily user engagement minutes that have remained over the 13 minute mark since the launch of the platform. The active user engagement continues to make the KNCTR® platform a key tool for brands and consumers alike. The app features video content, integration of social media and the ability to make FREE long distance phone calls to cell phones and land lines to anywhere in North America.

KNCTR® is the next generation of social communication and entertainment applications that allows users to aggregate their social media(s) and voice services into one location on their desktop. Unlike Skype, the telephone feature on KNCTR® is completely free to the consumer, allowing Free local and long distance calls to mobile phones and land lines. KNCTR® is a premium advertising model that allows for branded sponsorship, pre-roll and display advertising opportunities for brands and service providers alike.

With the projected impact that tablets will have on the personal computing space, with over 50 million units to be sold within the next two years in North America alone, KNCTR® is positioned to enhance the functionality and usability of these devices by allowing them to become a fully functioning phone unit.

“We have achieved a major milestone with KNCTR® in a very short amount of time” said Brad Parry, CMO Intertainment Media Inc., “To have over 1 million unique installations happen within only 14 weeks, is a true testament to the adoption and acceptance of the platform. KNCTR® has truly become a mainstay of consumer’s daily digital habit.”

Notably, the itiBiti desktop app has been hailed by Microsoft Corp. as “the next generation of integrated social media applications – easy, scalable and fun.”

Constellation Software Inc. has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Harris Computer Systems, a provider of financial, customer and student information management software solutions for utilities, local governments and school districts, purchased Pennsylvania-based ProSoft Technologies, Inc.

ProSoft offers a complete portfolio of products and services for Pennsylvania school districts including: student management, scheduling, human resources, payroll, fund accounting, and student activity fund management, and tax management for local municipalities. As a result of the transaction, ProSoft will be consolidated within Harris School Solutions, the Harris operating division focused on administrative solutions for K-12 school districts throughout North America.

Jerry Canada, General Manager of Harris School Solutions commented, “ProSoft is the continuation of the Harris School Solutions growth plan as it strengthens our market share in key states such as Pennsylvania. We will look to complement the ProSoft product portfolio with our own solutions and continue to grow our presence in the state.” Harris will continue to develop, service, and support the ProSoft product line from the current Bethel Park, PA office.

“Harris brings additional resources that will enhance our continuing commitment to our clients. We are pleased to join the Harris family and look forward to supporting and growing our customer base under their depth of experience within the K-12 market”, said Scott Anderson, President of ProSoft.

Meanwhile, another wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation, Gary Jonas Computing Ltd., has completed the acquisition of Youbill Inc. (dba Member Solutions), also based in Pennsylvania. The Member Solutions acquisition expands Jonas’ presence in the Fitness market and more specifically the Marital Arts segment.

“Member Solutions is a leading provider of software and full service billing and collections services in their target market, within the United States and Canada,” said Barry Symons, CEO of Jonas. “We are excited to welcome the Member Solutions’ customers and employees into the Jonas family.”

Member Solutions’ CEO, Steve Pinado stated “The entire Member Solutions’ team is excited to be joining the Jonas family. Teaming up with a company that understands vertical market software, and which has a long track record of success, presents a unique opportunity for our customers, our employees and our business partners.”

Earlier this month, Jonas also completed its acquisition of Fitronics Ltd. Based in Bath, England, Fitronics Ltd., which operated under the name “The Retention People” is a leading provider of software to the Fitness & Leisure market, worldwide. Fitronics Ltd. uses detailed market research to drive product development into solutions, processes and training packages to improve the customer experience, creating promoters of fitness & leisure brands and increasing customer loyalty.

Hip Digital Media, Inc., a California-based company with offices in Vancouver and Toronto, along with Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., has successfully launched a large scale digital music promotion for Old Dutch® Potato Chips and Dutch Crunch® Kettle Cooked Potato Chips.

Nearly eight million PIN codes good for one free digital music download each have been slated for the star-studded campaign that was designed to drive sales for the popular brands within grocery and convenience stores across Canada. The chip bags feature custom designed packaging that invite consumers to visit the Old Dutch web site where every customer has the chance to enter online for the grand prize VIP Concert Experience giveaway. Customers also have a chance to win a free digital music download at Old Dutch’s custom branded store.

In order to craft a promotion of this scale LPi Group, Old Dutch’s agency of record, called on Hip Digital to deliver not only the fulfillment for the promotion, but also the technology for the digital music platform. “Hip came back to us with the Sony Music library,” stated Erin Gunther, Account Director at LPi Group. “Since we are primarily targeting males between the ages of thirteen and 25, the opportunity to showcase the Sony Music artists that appeal to this group was a big plus.”

Chris Hardy manages Brand Partnerships for Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., who concurred, Sony Music has a vast catalogue of local and international artists that cross all genres and we were able to suggest artists that best fit their target consumer.”

The companies look forward to also providing two VIP Concert Experience grand prizes worth $5K (CAD) each, in which the lucky winners will be able to choose from a selection of concerts performed by major Sony Music artists. The grand prizes include round trip airfare, accommodations and limousine transportation to and from the concerts. Stated Hardy, “Hip Digital is one of our key partners for digital music distribution, and we worked well together in delivering this digital music experience to their client.”

Canadian-poker.ca reports that Full Tilt Poker, which was involved in the April 15 online poker shutdown in the U.S., has just had its license to operate suspended by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC).

PokerStars, another major online poker site involved in the April shutdown, still has its license. The poker room released an official statement assuring that players will not be affected. Full Tilt Poker’s suspension is completely unrelated to the operation of PokerStars, which will continue unchanged, the statement confirmed. For players in Canada, the Full Tilt Poker site is currently listed as undergoing “scheduled maintenance.”

According to Canadian-poker.ca spokesman Leon Daniels, it might take time until Full Tilt Poker resolves its licensing issues. “In the meantime, there are plenty of other options for us Canadian poker fans, and at this point we can only trust sites run by publicly traded companies who won’t risk their reputation or stock value.”

“Take 888 Poker for example; it’s remained online and reliably in operation while other sites struggle with lawsuits and regulators. In fact, 888 Poker is winning back the hearts of Canadian poker players who were swept away to other poker rooms, but who are now realizing it’s best to stick to a strong company.” Leon also remarked that 888 is now offering players in Canada special bonuses for “returning home” from other poker sites.

Party Poker is another example of an operation that has remained reputable and reliable throughout this period of online poker turmoil, and is an option for players looking to play at an established institution. Party Poker recently merged with Bwin Poker and players can enjoy both brands under the same protection of a strong, publicly traded company.

Despite Leon’s concern, Canadian-poker.ca is convinced there is no reason for Canadian players to be concerned over the latest Full Tilt news. Companies like 888 Poker, Party Poker, and Bwin continue to operate as usual, and online poker in Canada is as strong as ever.

Shaw Communications Inc. has completed its acquisition of the cable system assets of Sun Country Cablevision Ltd. and its affiliated companies Armstrong Cablecom Ltd. and Enderby Cablecom Ltd. The Sun Country Cablesystems are located in the central interior region of British Columbia.

“Sun Country has built an excellent system which represents a terrific addition to our existing cable properties and we are excited to expand our presence in the Interior of British Columbia” said Peter Bissonnette, President of Shaw.

Sun Country began operations in 1984 and has grown over the years to provide television, phone and internet offerings to its customers. “We are very pleased to join forces with Shaw”, said Michael Hall, Managing Director of Sun Country. “Shaw has a reputation of providing exceptional and innovative products and services to their customers.”

Ottawa’s Elliptic Technologies has partnered with Amos Technologies, an Israeli representative company for best-in-class IP and EDA vendors, to bring Elliptic’s portfolio of security solutions to the Israeli market.

“We are very proud to partner with a global leader in security IP,” said Moshe Stein of Amos Technologies. “We see a great synergy between the IP solutions of Elliptic and the need of our ASIC, SoC and embedded system customers to address security issues on their products. The tight collaboration with Elliptic will enable us to offer our customer base complete, robust and top-of-the-line security solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into their custom devices with silicon validated IP and fast time-to-market.”

“We are very pleased to partner with Amos to better serve the security needs of our current and future customers in Israel,” said Vijay Dube, President and CEO of Elliptic. “Amos has a proven track record of providing excellent quality and customer support to the semiconductor market in Israel. The partnership will further strengthen Elliptic’s ability to market and support its advanced embedded security IP, software and platform solutions in Israel.”

Amos is an established independent representation company in Israel. Semiconductor and embedded system designers value Amos as an independent and reliable source for best quality IP from around the world. Amos offers complete, proven and high quality IP by providing a range of services from its elite Partners. The new Amos/Elliptic partnership adds more than 60 proven IP cores and security middleware to Amos’ technology base.

Elliptic is widely recognized as a top security IP supplier that provides highly tuned, customer specific security solutions built on a combination of software and semiconductor hardware engines. Elliptic offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of security engines ranging from random number generators, a wide variety of cryptographic cores such as AES, Snow 3G, Kasumi, ZUC and SHA, RSA and ECC public key accelerators, to protocol processors for IPsec, TLS/SSL/DTLS and MACsec. Software solutions include embedded cryptographic middleware, embedded systems firmware, hardware device drivers and software APIs for security applications. The company also has a comprehensive portfolio of Platform Security solutions such as Secure Boot and Virtual Security Modules.

Elliptic’s products are featured in LTE-Advanced and WiFi wireless security applications, digital rights management and conditional access, storage and military/government applications such as Suite B. They are perfectly suited to the requirements of Israeli companies and Elliptic has successfully licensed cores to several established and startup customers in Israel.

Cloud-based point of sale (POS) company ISISPOS recently received $2 million in funding from Canadian communications giant CaTech Systems. ISISPOS develops software that operates on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, is a leader in the hospitality industry and is also backed by top technology companies Apple and Amazon.

ISISPOS offers portable restaurant software using devices such as iPad and iPhone, creating innovative and efficient ways for restaurants to do business. Its iPad restaurant POS solution has made it possible for servers to take orders right at the table, transmit those orders directly to the kitchen, show customers a visual of what they’re ordering, or get instant pairing recommendations to increase sales. By using the iPad tablet and this point of sale solution, servers can accept credit card payments, split checks, void items, and reward repeat customers with coupons without walking to and from crowded computer stations.

ISISPOS assembled a team of executives with over 50 years of combined experience in the POS industry. The team also has substantial restaurant experience in everything from waiting tables to management to owning and/or operating, therefore understanding the need for innovative software and a better guest experience. ISISPOS assigns as many as 13 programmers to development projects at once. With over 20 years of experience, CaTech Systems consists of a team of certified technicians, network specialists, wireless specialists, and certified project managers. The combined industry expertise of these two companies should prove successful for future software endeavors.

ISISPOS is a global operation; its installations are also established in Europe, Asia, and Australia. With this application, restaurants in any location have the opportunity to go totally wireless. “We offer a truly anyplace, anywhere, anytime environment and eliminate the need for restaurant-based, back office computers,” says EVP of ISISPOS, Paul Perri.

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Vancouver’s web safety and security provider SparkTrust Systems has officially launched its flagship services, SparkTrust Certified and eTrue Reviews. Together, the two services provide website owners and online shoppers a new level of safety and security on the Internet. SparkTrust Certified defends online merchants against hackers, exploits, and malware attacks, while eTrue Reviews provides an outlet for verified customers to share their purchase experience.

“I’m very pleased to see SparkTrust go live today, on schedule,” said Gregory K. Amlin, General Manager at SparkTrust. “We’re on a mission to make the Internet safer, and SparkTrust Certified and eTrue Reviews will make that happen – particularly because we offer the primary services for free. We think cost shouldn’t keep anyone from safety and security.”

SparkTrust Certified, now in open beta testing, offers website owners top-tier security scans. The service provides webmasters with thorough scans to protect against malware and vulnerabilities as well as meet PCI regulatory commitments. Along with the scan comes SparkTrust Certified security specialists, who walk owners through the steps to keep their site protected. Website owners are encouraged to display the SparkTrust Certified badge, proving their commitment to safety and security.

Focusing on the social aspect, eTrue Reviews is fully live for online shoppers and website owners. The social review tool allows online shoppers to share their experiences, and read recommendations from other customers. Setting it apart from similar services, eTrue Reviews verifies customers before they leave a review. Not only does this improve review rates, but it also ensures that reviews posted come from actual customers.

“The Internet can be a scary place, particularly when you start dealing with credit details and online payments. Website owners need to take the extra step to make their customers feel safe. Not only are protected customers more likely to return, but they are more likely to do business with an online merchant in the first place,” said Amlin. “By combining security technology with social intelligence, we can provide true web safety.”

Website owners can sign up for the SparkTrust Certified open beta now, and online shoppers and online businesses can start reviewing online with eTrue Reviews right now.

Anne Sado, President of George Brown College, has announced that the college will be increasing its commitment to the digital media sector with its gaming development and design programs in a new learning environment at 333 King St. E.

The facility will also feature an industry incubator to bring together video gaming and digital media startups in Toronto with George Brown College students. Scheduled to open in September 2011, the incubator will provide 10 offices, between 100 and 150 square feet, for startups and small companies looking for a platform to grow their business in the heart of the city. By including industry innovators alongside students, the college hopes to create an environment that helps its learners experience real-world engagement to better prepare them for future employment and help emerging companies leverage the student resources to help them grow.

“The research we conducted on the feasibility of a video gaming incubator reveals a real need for more applied research and innovation – something our students and faculty have clearly been able to provide in other industries,” said Sado. “With the growth rate in the gaming sector in Ontario predicted to reach 31 per cent over the next three years, according to the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, George Brown College is an a perfect position to provide a leadership role in nurturing the talent in this industry.”

As part of George Brown College’s effort to contribute to the expansion of the digital media industry in the city, the George Brown College School of Design will take on the leadership of Digifest, a Toronto-based international festival celebrating innovation and digital creativity that was previously managed by the Design Exchange. The festival will run from October 26 to 30 and will be held in central locations throughout the city.

Today’s announcements are based on a feasibility study conducted by George Brown and funded by the Ontario Media Development Corporation and the City of Toronto. The research conducted by the college and its partners uncovered a need for a video gaming incubator, which would provide:

• Improved access to video gaming technology for small businesses and start-ups
• ffice space in the downtown core, helping to create a gaming community within the city
• nd applied research and field placement opportunities for George Brown College video game design and development students

“An innovative economy requires planning and support that builds on four strategic pillars – infrastructure, a well trained workforce, knowledge and expertise, and strong partnerships,” said Councillor Shelley Carroll, City of Toronto (Ward 33 Don Valley East), and Vice Chair, Economic Development Committee. “The new video game incubator at George Brown College will support these pillars and accelerate the growth and development of the digital media cluster in the City of Toronto.”

“As a long-time supporter of the digital, interactive media industry in Ontario, OMDC has had a keen interest in the video game programs George Brown College has been delivering and the strong relationships the college has with its industry partners,” added Karen Thorne-Stone, President and CEO of OMDC. “We felt it was important to fund this research that added to our understanding of the needs of the video gaming community. We are excited that George Brown College has taken a leadership role in addressing the study’s recommendations. This will enhance the vibrancy of the video gaming cluster in Ontario.”

The introduction of the gaming incubator coincides with the addition of approximately 310 students in the video game design and development programs at George Brown College over the last three years. Once renovations are complete this summer, the video game design students and the businesses using the incubator will have access to industry leading facilities, including development kits for major video game consoles, hand-held devices and other peripherals and a three-dimensional scanner and printer. This technology will be introduced to the incubator a short while after its launch.