Village Gamer

A recent survey conducted by ORC International on behalf of Ganz, the creators of Webkinz reveals that while nearly 50 percent of parents believe technology is a great way to connect as a family, the majority (70 percent) still struggle with keeping up with their kids saying it’s time consuming, expensive or endless. To help conquer this divide, and timed with National Family Week (Nov. 18-24, 2012), the creators of Webkinz suggest dedicated co-play with parents and kids via their online or social platforms to bring families together. Read the rest of this entry »

Canadian consumers are set to break online shopping records this holiday season, with more than half electing to click-and-ship over standing in long line ups at check-out counters. A new Angus Reid survey commissioned by Federal Express Canada Ltd. (FedEx Express Canada), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., reveals that 55 per cent of Canadian holiday shoppers will turn to e-commerce this holiday season to take advantage of advanced online shopping technology and fast shipping. Last year, approximately 45% of Canadians were expected to shop online, according to Deloitte’s Consumers Spending with Restraint, 2011 Holiday Outlook Survey.
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Montreal-based Genetec™, a pioneer in the physical security industry and a leading provider of world-class unified IP security solutions, today unveiled its plans for bringing physical security software to the cloud. In conjunction with a strategic multi-year alliance with Microsoft Corp., Genetec is developing true, reliable, hosted security solutions including Video Surveillance, Access Control and License Plate Recognition (LPR) as a Service that will be built on Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud-computing platform. The new cloud-based security solutions will combine the strength of Genetec’s unified security platform with the global reach, scalability, and reliability of Windows Azure. Following an aggressive development schedule, Genetec is planning on delivering its first cloud-based service offering in the first half of 2013. Read the rest of this entry »

A little love goes a long way. To help small businesses survive and thrive in a tough economy, Intuit Inc. will grant a wish a day, valuing up to $5,000 each, to 15 businesses through its Love Our Local Business program this holiday season. Small businesses in the United States and Canada can submit their wishes at Love Our Local Business and then rally their fans to vote for their submissions. Intuit will fulfill one wish a day from December 3rd to 21st. Read the rest of this entry »

iNTERFACEWARE™, a Toronto-based software provider committed to simplifying healthcare integration, has announced Iguana 5.5, the newest version of its powerful healthcare integration engine. The updated release builds upon the successful introduction of the Iguana Translator, an innovative development environment, and provides new options to organizations looking to streamline workflows, increase productivity and overall efficiencies while enhancing patient care. Read the rest of this entry »

Via Canada Media Fund: Not only is TV not endangered, but it also has a unifying social impact on the nuclear family across the country. This is the main conclusion of a cross-Canada study—Are the Kids All Right? (PDF 2MB) —on the television viewing habits of families with at least one child aged between 9 and 12 years. The study was conducted by a team of researchers led by André H. Caron, professor of communications at the Université de Montréal and Director of the Centre for Youth and Media Studies (CYMS). An Executive Report on the study is also available for download (PDF 508KB). Read the rest of this entry »

Google Canada and Communitech have announced a partnership to help mentor and grow a new generation of successful Canadian-led technology companies. As part of today’s announcement, Google Canada and Communitech will be opening a new digital collaboration space, as a place for mentoring and hosting start-ups in the early stages of their involvement with Communitech’s Hyperdrive initiative. Located adjacent to both the Hyperdrive and Google Kitchener-Waterloo offices, this new space will be used in part to connect startups to Google’s Global Entrepreneurial Network and Google Developer Network, as well as to startup initiatives around the world. Read the rest of this entry »

What do you get for your 145^th birthday?  How about a fresh young take on Canada.  Every year, more than 110,000 students showcase their history projects at Heritage Fairs across the country.  Canada’s History Society along with Great-West Life and the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Take Charge program, encouraged students across Canada to film and re-enact historical milestones that mattered most to them and their community.  Through Canada’s History Young Citizens program, two hundred students embraced the challenge and brought history in their towns and cities to life through filmmaking. Read the rest of this entry »

Communitech’s HYPERDRIVE program is hosting startup recruiting events in Vancouver and Toronto this month to encourage applications from some of Canada’s most promising entrepreneurs. The Vancouver event November 14 fittingly coincides with Global Entrepreneur Week which runs until November 18, the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life and drive economic growth. Read the rest of this entry »

Check out this Business Opportunity from BCTIA and Discovery Parks – The Generator is based on the concept that free-flowing ideas, minimal barriers and a belief in serendipity accelerate the growth and success of technology companies. Early-stage technology-based companies, preferably based in Vancouver and who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply for this program. Deadline for entries is 5pm PST on December 14th 2012. Read the rest of this entry »