Village Gamer

Vancouver-based global payment solution provider hyperWALLET Systems Inc. has just announced the launch of hyperREMIT, a revolutionary new and low-cost SMS international remittance service from Canada to the Philippines. hyperREMIT enables Canadians to quickly send funds to recipients in the Philippines using a variety of secure remittance options, starting from just $6.00 CAD per transfer.

Through hyperREMIT, Canadians can transfer funds via bank deposit, cash pickup and door-to-door delivery, or via Smart Money transfers and prepaid airtime top-ups (coming fall 2010). Transfers can be quickly initiated over the phone or through SMS text messaging, and funds are typically available to Philippine recipients within 1 business day. With the upcoming Smart Money transfer option, remittances can be sent to any Smart subscriber’s mobile phone and accompanying reloadable Smart Money MasterCard cash card, providing them with quick and convenient access to their funds.

“Filipino Canadians rely on text messaging to stay in touch with loved ones. Now they can use the same mechanism to remit funds back home,” states Lisa Shields, President & CEO of hyperWALLET Systems Inc. “Through hyperREMIT, we are introducing a new paperless and agentless model for the remittance industry — a model that strengthens community relationships, rewards loyalty, and dramatically lowers the cost for senders.”

Canadian senders can sign up for hyperREMIT at www.hyperremit.com. There, they can fund their hyperREMIT account via pre-authorized debit or bill payment, add or manage Philippine recipients’ account details, or review remittance transaction details at any time. Using hyperREMIT’s mobile remittance service, senders can easily conduct ongoing Philippine money transfers by telephone or SMS text messaging, enabling quick and convenient remittances from the comfort of their own home or while on the go.

Ubisoft has released a video dev diary for Assassin’s Creed: The Fall, a comic book written and illustrated by Award-winning artists Cameron Stewart and Karl Kerschl and colored by Nadine Thomas, produced by Ubi Workshop and published by DC Comics. The first of the three issues will release on November 10th, 2010.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSYwMB51LwI]

Assassin’s Creed: The Fall follows 19th century Russian assassin Nikolai Orelov as he strives to claim an artifact of immense power from the hands of the Templars, encountering historical figures such as the ruthless Tsar Alexander III. Meanwhile, in modern times, a troubled young drifter copes with unsettling visions of a possible past life – visions that have irreversible consequences for the present.

Eidos Montreal’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution is going to get a special preview tomorrow (today in AU) at The Mana Bar, a video game bar down in Brisbane, Australia. A team from Square Enix will be presenting a game demonstration, which will be followed by an exclusive video from the developers. Prizes and competitions giving away unique Deus Ex merchandise to the bar’s clientele during the day.

Vancouver’s Loud Crow Interactive Inc., a digital book publisher founded by a group of interactive entertainment veterans, announced today the redefining of e-books with its first release, PopOut!™ The Tale of Peter Rabbit, now available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch in all non-European territories.

With decades of combined experience in interactive digital media, the team at Loud Crow has applied its creative talents and technical expertise to revolutionize the reading experience. “For us, it’s all about making the reading experience fresher and better than ever,” says Calvin Wang, Founder and CEO. “We blend traditional content with rich, interactive elements such as audio, animation, and even touch and tilt gestures. Using the original illustrations and text, we’re able to achieve an authentic, yet modern experience that our readers will find unique and inspiring.”

The publisher’s first title in the PopOut!™ series of interactive children’s books brings the age-old Beatrix Potter classic to life with signature PopOut!™ spin-wheels, pull-tabs, spring-mounted elements, and objects that literally pop out of the page. Complete with a beautiful classical piano soundtrack, fun and immersive sound effects, and a charming vocal performance, this is an experience you and your family won’t want to miss.

ItWowed.Me, a new smartphone technology platform developed by Majestic Media Ltd., allows businesses and brands to drive audiences to Facebook fan pages and convert them into fans.

“Like” something in real life? By placing a Quick Response (QR) code on real world objects, smartphone users can now scan these codes with their iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or any smartphone device and instantly “Like” the real world product or business on Facebook, thus sharing it with their friends on the social media site. Read the rest of this entry »

The sFund, a new $250 million initiative administered by California-based firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers to invest in entrepreneurs inventing social applications and services has opened for business. Amazon.com, Facebook, and Zynga, the leading companies defining today’s social and online environment; entertainment and media leaders Comcast and Liberty Media, and Allen & Company LLC, have committed to invest in the sFund and serve as strategic partners. The sFund will provide financing, counsel, and relationship capital for a new generation of entrepreneurs to deliver on the promise of the social web. According the sFund’s FAQ, the fund will invest in projects based outside of the United States.

“We’re at the beginning of a new era for social Internet innovators who are re-imagining and re-inventing a Web of people and places, looking beyond documents and websites,” said KPCB partner John Doerr. “There’s never been a better time than now to start a new social venture.”

The sFund will be led by KPCB partner Bing Gordon, former chief creative officer and longtime executive at Electronic Arts and board director of Amazon.com and Zynga. Gordon said, “Social is just getting started and the opportunities are vast. As in the early days of the Internet, the race is on. Today every business, organization, and entrepreneur should have a social strategy.”

“Social apps are viral, and when they hit, it often happens suddenly, and then they grow explosively. That’s one of the reasons the scalable, elastic, no capex, variable cost nature of Amazon Web Services is ideal for social apps,” said Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com. “The top three companies that develop for Facebook all use AWS.”

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, said, “The Web is being rebuilt around people, and we’re at a point where any app, website, or device can be designed to be social from the ground up. We’re focused on enabling entrepreneurs to build companies that can disrupt their industries.” Read the rest of this entry »

Microsoft Corp. today announced the Games for Windows Marketplace, a new online PC games store that combines the convenience of the Web with the power of Games on Demand online distribution. Launching November 15th, the Games for Windows Marketplace will offer PC gamers a robust lineup of games they love, easier navigation and purchase, and recurring specials such as Deal of the Week.

“With Games for Windows Marketplace, we set out to create a digital store built for PC gamers end-to-end,” said Kevin Unangst, senior global director, PC and Mobile Gaming, at Microsoft. “And by integrating with our existing Xbox LIVE and Windows Live services, we’ve made it easier than ever for millions of gamers to see for themselves how easy buying PC games can be.”

Built from the ground up for convenience and performance, the Games for Windows Marketplace will remove the barriers between gamers and the games they love by offering the following:

* Online access, anywhere. Optimized for speed, the store allows for ultra-fast downloads; this means fewer clicks to purchase and download, delivering faster turnaround for gameplay. And since the service lives on the Web, gamers can download games on a PC, anytime, and can easily redownload games they purchase if needed.
* Deals and discounts galore. Gamers can check out screaming deals on select games every time they visit the Marketplace, as well as the Deal of The Week and other recurring and seasonal offers.
* Game search functionality. Gamers can search by titles or genres to quickly find the games they want; they can even find new games from their favorite publishers with dedicated publisher pages.
* Fresh design. The clean, intuitive look and feel makes browsing for games a simple, enjoyable experience. Gamers can easily navigate between pages as they search for the perfect game.

Games for Windows Marketplace will launch with a managed portfolio of 100 top-quality titles. The launch roster includes blockbuster games such as “Fable: The Lost Chapters” (Microsoft Game Studios) and “Grand Theft Auto III” (Rockstar Games Inc.) from some of the industry’s biggest developers, such as Capcom Entertainment Inc., 2K Games, Square Enix Co. Ltd. and more. In addition to top retail games, the portfolio will bring new indie titles to the forefront and continue to grow with many of the best games in the industry including titles such as “Lego Universe” (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) and “CarneyVale” (Microsoft Game Studios), which will hit the Games for Windows Marketplace and retail stores at the same time and date; recent hits such as “Dead Rising 2” and “Lost Planet 2” (both from Capcom); and perennial best-sellers such as “Max Payne” (Rockstar) and “Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition” (Square Enix). Read the rest of this entry »

IBM today acquired Toronto-based Clarity Systems, a privately-held company that delivers financial governance software that enables organizations to automate the process of collecting, preparing, certifying and controlling financial statements for electronic filing, in support of mandates by the SEC and other financial regulatory agencies. To significantly reduce the risks of potential error and the lengthy times required to create and file financial documents, Clarity Systems software allows finance professionals to seamlessly integrate information for more efficient planning, consolidation and financial reporting.

The acquisition of Clarity Systems extends IBM’s business analytics initiatives, and represents IBM’s commitment to address financial governance and risk management challenges faced by financial departments in virtually every industry. With today’s news, IBM now has a comprehensive portfolio of business analytics software for financial professionals to plan, forecast and analyze performance, identify and manage key business risks, and report to external stakeholders with confidence.

Finance departments in organizations are relied upon to provide accurate data more quickly, improve risk management and forecasting decisions, and meet financial business goals. To address these demands, CFOs and finance managers are increasingly relying on business analytics software to make faster decisions to anticipate performance gaps, prioritize resources, and gain insight into profit and growth.

A recent IBM study of 1,900 global CFOs and senior finance leaders revealed enterprises that have adopted standards and increased finance efficiency are performing 25 percent better by strengthening compliance programs and internal controls. The study also indicated that enforcing data standards, integrating information and applying business analytics are key capabilities that enable improved business insight and risk management.
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Kik Interactive, Inc. today unveiled the next generation of Kik Messenger, a free, cross-platform mobile instant messaging (IM) service. The new version – available worldwide starting today – makes texting conversations more real-time than ever before.

Kik Messenger, officially out of beta today, now ensures lightning fast delivery every time. It’s about four times faster than the old system, which was already pretty quick! That means every message – and Kik’s message sent, delivered and read receipts – appear in real-time. So messaging with Kik now feels more like a real conversation.

Other cross-platform mobile IM apps are more like regular, plain texting; none offer message receipts, nor Kik’s speed and reliability. Only BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) provides similar receipts, but Kik Messenger stands apart because it works on all smartphones – iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

“Kik Messenger offers the closest thing to a real-time, face-to-face conversation. And you can connect with all your friends, no matter what smartphone they use or where they live,” said Ted Livingston, President and CEO, Kik. “With the latest improvements and global reach, we expect more and more people to get Kik-ing.”

Introduced six months ago, the beta version attracted more than 175,000 users, even with availability limited to the US and Canada and no marketing push. The new system is more scalable and reliable, ensuring Kik will remain fast as user numbers continue to grow.

If you’re a Kik user now, or if you’ve ever used BBM, you’ll know why message receipts are so popular. Receipts tell you more information about your message. ‘S’ means your message has been sent. ‘D’ means it has been delivered to your recipient. ‘R’ means your message has been read. And ‘Is typing’ means your friend is currently typing a reply.
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Air Canada is pleased to announce the award winners of the 2010 annual Air Canada enRoute Film Festival.

Best Short Film: Adam Shamash for La Khaima: The Tent of Mile-End (Montreal)
Achievement in Direction: Adam Shamash for La Khaima: The Tent of Mile-End (Montreal)
Achievement in Cinematography: Shervin Kermani and Aita Jason for Sofia (Toronto)
Achievement in Animation: King Mugabi for Red Snow (Toronto)

“After receiving this award, I feel very honoured to have been highlighted as an emerging filmmaker from Air Canada, enRoute and renowned jury members,” said Shamash, originally from Vancouver and a Langara College alumni. “The festival has given me an amazing platform to network and communicate my message.”

Millions of Air Canada passengers around the world will be able to view the award winners on their personal entertainment system with 8.9-inch wide digital in-seat monitors and touch-screen controls offering hours of audio and video on demand programming at every seat.

Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre hosted a free public screening of all the nominated films yesterday, followed by the awards celebration at The Drake Hotel. The grand prize winner was awarded $5,000 courtesy of Cineplex Entertainment. All winners were awarded an all-inclusive trip for two to the Whistler Film Festival courtesy of Air Canada.

Filmmakers, jury members and industry luminaries were in attendance at the exclusive event, including celebrity presenters Kari Skogland (Genie Award-winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, director/writer, Fifty Dead Men Walking), Carlo Rota (24), Rob Stewart (director, Sharkwater), and Kathleen Robertson (A Night For Dying Tigers, 90210).

Just in time for the holiday season, Rogers Media announced the launch of Today’s Parent’s first mobile application, the Today’s Parent Gift Finder application available for iPhone, iTouch, and iPad.

The free Today’s Parent Gift Finder application lets users find the perfect gift for any child based on a child’s age, play preference and price range. Users can also create wish lists for each child they are buying for and share the list with others through email, Facebook and SMS.

The majority of the toys in the Gift Finder come from the Today’s Parent “Top Toys” list, a highly anticipated annual feature in Today’s Parent magazine. The Today’s Parent Gift Finder Application is the first iPhone application from a Canadian parenting magazine brand.

“The Today’s Parent Gift Finder application is a great tool for anyone with a child on their shopping list – anytime of the year,” says Claude Galipeau, SVP & GM, Digital Media, Rogers Media Inc. “We are excited to launch this application using the reliable reviews from Today’s Parent to help parents, relatives and friends, pick out the best presents for the children in their lives. Santa himself will want this app!”

Presented by Toys”R”Us, Canada’s Greatest Toy Store, this app not only helps gift givers find the perfect toy, but gives them the opportunity to save money while doing so. In the holiday spirit, when users download the app, they will receive a special code which entitles them to save $5 off any purchase of $25 or more at Toys”R”Us stores across Canada.

The Today’s Parent Gift Finder iPhone app will be available exclusively to Rogers Wireless and Fido customers when accessing through a 3G connection and available to all users via their wi-fi connection. The content can also be accessed on all Web-enabled mobile phones at the Today’s Parent web site.

A new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll shows very clearly the recognition by Canada’s small and medium business sector (SMB) that the Internet is a key element of business strategy. However, the study also suggests that the country’s SMB sector may be reluctant to expand capacity to use the Internet and to hire or train people with the appropriate skills.

The survey, commissioned by Intel Canada, indicates that 90% of companies employing less than 100 people conduct at least some of their business with customers or suppliers over the Internet (with 38% saying they do “all” or “most” of their business using the web). Furthermore, 2/3 (67%) of companies believe that universal access to the Internet is “important” to their business.

“Clearly, we’ve passed the point where the Internet is a luxury or an add-on to a business’s operation,” said Doug Cooper, Country Manager, Intel Canada. “Canada’s small business segment wants, needs and uses the Internet to advance their company goals. The SMB sector is an absolutely crucial economic driver whose increased Internet adoption will, ultimately, benefit all Canadians.”

“For my business to succeed, I need fast, reliable, uncapped internet capabilities to move huge amounts of data into the cloud and deliver our creative work to clients,” said Chandra Clarke, owner of Chatham, Ontario-based Scribendi Inc. “Having my business located in a small community, I often feel the effects of the lack of digital infrastructure in Canada.”

The survey also points out a possible disconnect between companies wanting to offer more Internet-based services and investing in acquiring the skills to do so: More than 8-in-10 (82%) company owners said that hiring for or training people to improve either digital skills or the ability to do business on-line was “not a priority”. At the same time, almost 2/3 (63%) of all small and medium business owners surveyed believe they are currently spending “enough” on Internet-based technology with just under 2-in-5 (19%) believing they should be spending more.

Interestingly, almost 9 out of 10 (89%) respondents were not aware of Canada’s “moon shot” goal of ensuring that: “Anyone can do anything online in Canada by 2017”. This moon shot goal arose from the Canada 3.0 Forum this past spring which brought together industry players and entrepreneurs, government, academics, creators and journalists to discuss the future of the digital economy in Canada. Read the rest of this entry »

Bridgescale Partners, a California- and Toronto- based growth equity firm providing equity to high growth information technology companies, today announced Derek Smyth joined the firm as Managing Director. Smyth, a venture and technology industry veteran with an extensive operating background as a CEO, will leverage his company building experience and broad network to originate, source and manage new investment opportunities for Bridgescale Partners throughout Canada and the United States. Smyth has served on the board of many of Canada’s leading early stage companies and complements Bridgescale Partners’ Howard Gwin in Canada as well as the U.S. investment team.

“Derek’s operating expertise in both Silicon Valley and Canada as well as his excellent venture capital track record make him a great addition to the Bridgescale team,” said Robert Chaplinsky, Managing Director, Bridgescale Partners. “He complements our existing team of experienced investment professionals. We expect Derek to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact to the firm.”

“Derek brings a diverse network of relationships to the Bridgescale platform, which will enable us to attract exciting new investment opportunities in the U.S. and Canada,” said Matthew Cowan, Managing Director, Bridgescale Partners.
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Waterloo’s Open Text Corporation has announced that Idaho-based The Stelter Company is now using Open Text Social Communities to foster communities and encourage collaboration and communication with its clients.

The Stelter Company takes a leading role in marketing communications to help more than 2,600 charities with campaigns that identify, educate, and motivate donors to make planned gifts. As part of its communication management strategy, Stelter distributes information using a variety of old and new media, such as direct mail and email newsletters, while managing the gift-planning content of more than 1,200 charity websites.

In order to better assist its clients and in an effort to reach a more tech-savvy audience, Stelter increased the number of channels it uses to communicate its clients’ messages and develop its expertise in online communication. In 2010, the company established Bestow, a community space for those who have a passion for nonprofit fundraising. Its efforts to embrace social media Stelter faced several challenges, including its limited marketing resources and a lack of social media expertise. Its clients faced similar difficulty adapting to new digital media.

To resolve this, Stelter approached Open Text to implement Open Text Social Communities, a social media platform that offers social portals and communities through drop-in, easy-to-configure portlets.

“We approached Open Text to use the Open Text Social Communities product, which we essentially implemented pretty much out of the box. It was implemented by the Open Text Professional Services team, which for us was just a real turnkey and simple process,” said Bev Hutney, Director of Innovation and Research at The Stelter Company. “The new community has provided the company with an opportunity to enhance its social networking, demonstrate its lead in innovation, and exchange communications with other professionals in the industry.”
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