THIS ISSUE'S STREAM:
[-- NEWSPEAK: MULTIMEDIA INDUSTRY NEWS --]
///// INDUSTRY //////////
+++ iCraveTV Set for Rebirth, Sort of...
+++ Technology to Lead Economic Growth
+++ Round 2: Canada's New Media Industry Fights Back!
///// CONTENT //////////
+++ University Video Courses Offered from Calgary U
+++ Skills Connect Offers Skilled Trades Jobs
+++ Monster.ca Helps Canadian Olympians
+++ CBC Launches Digital Film Fest
///// MARKETING //////////
+++ Bell Sympatico Set to Introduce Sympatico Pro?
///// INFRASTRUCTURE //////////
+++ Bell Labs Makes Network Speed Record
+++ Videotron Says: You Almost Had Mail
///// DEALS //////////
+++ MSNBC.com Gets into Bed with Lavalife
///// FACTS & FIGURES //////////
+++ Cellphone Ownership Higher among Internet Users
///// GREAT IDEAS //////////
+++ Made-in-Canada Web Browser Unveiled
[-- DIGERATI DATEBOOK: UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS --]
+++ CITO Research Review: Machine Vision & Modeling and Simulation
+++ VEAF: Vancouver Effects & Animation Festival
+++ Canadian New Media Awards
+++ Net2002
[-- GEEKERS' CORNER: EDITORIAL --]
+++ Confessions of a PC Gamer
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[-- NEWSPEAK: MULTIMEDIA INDUSTRY NEWS --]
///// INDUSTRY //////////
+++ iCraveTV Set for Rebirth, Sort of...
They say it ain't over until it's over and it looks like it may not be
quite over for iCraveTV. You may recall iCrave's battles with
Hollywood when they attempted to relay broadcast TV signals via the
Web. Well now Herbert Becker has registered the address iCraveTV.biz
and promises to "bring live entertainment to your computer in the same
manner and quality as you would see on your home TV" when he launches
the service in May. When reached by the Toronto Star, William Craig,
creator of the original iCraveTV, said that he had nothing to do with
this offshoot but that it is "a hell of an idea. If someone else can
make it work, then great." (Source: Toronto Star)
http://www.icravetv.biz
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+++ Technology to Lead Economic Growth
The Canadian high-tech industry will "lead the economy in growth over
the next five years," according to Tim O'Neill, chief economist at the
Bank of Montreal. O'Neill expects that "providers of Internet,
wireless communications and data transfer services" will see their
business increase on average of 9.1 per cent a year between 2002 and
2006. He predicts the electronics sector will continue to suffer.
http://www2.bmo.com/news/0,,divId-4_langId-1_navCode-112,00.html
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+++ Round 2: Canada's New Media Industry Fights Back!
The Canadian new media industry has survived all the economic
doom and gloom and is better than ever. During the nomination
period for the third annual Canadian New Media Awards, event
organizers received over 840 nominations from across the country,
50% more than the amount received last year. Companies and
individuals from across the country have been submitted for their
accomplishments in new media. Entries will be judged online by a
selection committee comprised of over 100 industry professionals
from coast-to-coast, and finalists will be announced soon. Visit the
CNMA Web site for more information and details on purchasing tickets.
http://www.cnma.ca
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///// CONTENT //////////
+++ University Video Courses Offered from Calgary U
The University of Calgary's CompUofC has introduced a series of
computer training courses that will be available to students via the
Internet 24 hours a day. Office programs offered include word
processing, database management, spreadsheets and Windows. CompUofC
is offering the instructor-led video courses in partnership with Shaw,
which will provide this broadband video content to its high-speed
Internet customer base of over 700,000 users. CompUofC is a unit of
the University of Calgary Faculty of Continuing Education.
http://www.computer.ucalgary.ca
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+++ Skills Connect Offers Skilled Trades Jobs
The government of Ontario has launched a new Web site that it hopes
will encourage young people to train in high-demand skilled trades.
The site will offer information on college courses, links to other
sites and information on more than 130 skilled trades that can be
practiced through Ontario's apprenticeship training system.
Employers, workers, educators and trainers will be invited to link
with Skills Connect and to partner with the government to promote
skilled trade careers.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/skills.html
Return to Table of Contents
+++ Monster.ca Helps Canadian Olympians
Now that the Olympic gold, silver and bronze have been counted,
Canadian Olympic athletes in search of new challenges can find help at
Monster.ca. The career portal has teamed up with the Canadian Olympic
Association (COA) to offer an "online career resource for Canadian
athletes searching for career opportunities help support themselves
financially as they continue to train or embark upon new careers as
they retire from Olympic competition." The centre will also include
access to a resume database of Olympians as well as work "to develop a
comprehensive employment program so that athletes can work part-time
while in training." (Source: Hot Bytes)
http://teamcanada.monster.ca
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+++ CBC Launches Digital Film Festival
CBC Radio3's 120seconds is launching a Digital Film Festival Contest.
The online film festival is designed to celebrate the works of
"Canadian digital short filmmakers" who are being invited to submit
"original, Canadian digital films that are under ten minutes and were
produced using digital technology." Deadline for entries is April 30,
2002 and the festival itself will run between May 24 and June 7. The
Festival Grand Prize is an 800MHz iMac and the winning entry will also
be broadcast on Zed, CBC TV's new late-night program.
http://filmfestival.120seconds.com
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///// MARKETING //////////
+++ Bell Sympatico Set to Introduce Sympatico Pro?
Bell Sympatico appears to be preparing a faster high-speed service,
according to The Globe and Mail. In a notice sent to Sympatico users,
mention is made of a service to be called Sympatico Pro that would
offer download speeds from 1 megabit per second (1 Mbps) to 2.5 Mbps.
The notice implied that Pro would be part of a larger bundle,
suggested to include "a firewall, anti-virus software and on-line
storage." Bell has yet to confirm or deny the reports. (Source:
The Globe and Mail)
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///// INFRASTRUCTURE //////////
+++ Bell Labs Makes Network Speed Record
Bell Labs, the research arm of Lucent Technologies, has confirmed that
it has "doubled the distance and the speed at which data can be sent
over long-haul telecommunications networks," according to The Globe
and Mail. In its demonstration 2.56 terabits of data per second were
sent over a distance of 2,500 miles. A terabit is just over
one-trillion bits of data. (Source: The Globe and Mail)
http://www.lucent.com/press/0302/020322.bla.html
Return to Table of Contents
+++ Videotron Says: You Almost Had Mail
In a slightly different take on AOL's signature "You've got mail,"
Videotron announced recently that it has lost between 10,000 - 20,000
email messages destined for its customers. The emails, none of
which can be recovered, disappeared between Monday and Tuesday about
two weeks ago. Videotron admitted that most customers would not even
be aware of the snafu, unless of course they were waiting for
particular email messages that did not arrive. (Source: The Montreal
Gazette)
http://www.videotron.com/portail_en
Return to Table of Contents
///// DEALS //////////
+++ MSNBC.com Gets into Bed with Lavalife
When MSNBC.com went looking for someone to augment its personals
section of its online portal, it turned to Toronto's Lavalife. The
new agreement allows MSNBC.com to augment its leading Web-based news
services by providing access to Lavalife's online personals, community
services and relationship advice. The new co-branded Living section
features an online community for singles with a searchable database of
personal ads, as well as columns and guides with advice for singles on
dating and relationships. "The relationship between Lavalife and
MSNBC.com results in an extensive network of opportunities for singles
to 'click' with other singles in a comfortable environment that extols
the virtue of interaction," said Peter Housley, CEO of Lavalife.
http://www.msnbc.com/Ads/advertorial/lavalife_advertorial.asp?n=lavalife
Return to Table of Contents
///// FACTS & FIGURES //////////
+++ Cellphone Ownership Higher among Internet Users
About six in ten adult Canadian Internet users own a cellphone, with
more than half using them as secondary personal phones, according to a
study by NFO CFgroup. The Wireless Telephony study found that "while
just 5 per cent of online Canadians plan to cancel their landline home
phones" in favor of the wireless alternatives, about 12 per cent use
their cellphones as their primary personal phone. The study also
found that about 8 per cent of online Canadians are using Web-enabled
cellphones, mostly for email, compared to 4 per cent for all
Canadians.
http://www.nfocfgroup.com/news/02.03.05-telephony.pdf
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///// GREAT IDEAS //////////
+++ Made-in-Canada Web Browser Unveiled
With Nova Scotia touted as one of the main water surfing spots in
Canada, it was perhaps just a matter of time before a team of
industrious Haligonians turned their attention to Web surfing. The
BluKnows Trading Company (BTC) is reportedly set to introduce a
made-in-Canada browser called CodZilla. The browser is an open-source
Web browser much like its American counterpart, Mozilla, but will have
a distinctly Canadian feel. The CodZilla home page will include
photos of an authentic surfboard fashioned from dulse, an ongoing
series of recipes using Newfoundland's Screech and a guided video tour
from the zany crew of the Halifax-based TV program This Hour has 22
Minutes.
http://codzilla.btcinc.ca
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[-- DIGERATI DATEBOOK: UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS --]
+++ CITO Research Review: Machine Vision & Modeling and Simulation
April 2, 2002 in Toronto, ON
Research Reviews provide an opportunity to explore cutting-edge research.
The full-day events feature CITO-supported researchers, who provide insight
into their current research milestones and results.
http://www.cito.ca/events/events/displayEvent.cfm?ID=rrapril22002
Return to Table of Contents
+++ VEAF: Vancouver Effects & Animation Festival
April 1, 2002 in Vancouver, BC
Showcasing everything from realistic water effects to traditional cel
animation work.
http://www.veaf.com
Return to Table of Contents
+++ Canadian New Media Awards
May 27, 2002 in Toronto, ON
Don't miss the Canadian new media event of the year! Come celebrate
the 12 winners of this year's Canadian New Media Awards on Monday,
May 27, 2002 at the Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto. For details and
tickets for this exclusive event, visit http://www.cnma.ca today!
The Canadian New Media Awards would like to thank two of its
Sponsors, The City of Toronto and Visual Convergence:
A Gold sponsor, the City of Toronto's Economic Development
Division supports a strong local economy and offers a broad
range of services to the business community including investment
assistance, site evaluation, market research and information
about the Toronto economy. Call 416-392-3375 or email
invest@city.toronto.on.ca today!
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/business
From CD-ROM through DVD and Web design, Visual Convergence, a
Media Sponsor of the 2002 Canadian New Media Awards looks, at
new media technologies. Visual Convergence is targeted to
production professionals, video producers, new media producers,
computer graphics designers and animators. They learn about
emerging and converging technologies and the people who are using
these technologies to gain a competitive advantage. They also learn
about contemporary business and production practices. By seeing
what other companies are doing, they discover avenues for growing
their own enterprises. In Canada, Visual Convergence is the source
for this information.
http://www.visualconvergence.com
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+++ Net2002
June 2-6, 2002 in Fredericton, NB
Net2002 will bring together leaders from research, industry, higher
education and government responsible for planning and operating
advanced networks.
http://net2002.unb.ca
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[-- GEEKERS' CORNER: EDITORIAL --]
+++ Confessions of a PC Gamer
By Sam Punnett
spunnett@delvinia.com
Ladies and Gentlemen and yes, you Web developers too, it's time that
we checked in on the senior service, the interactive medium that
pioneered most of what we see and do that's interesting in multimedia
computing. It's the entertainment medium that actually has made more
money than first-run movies every year since 1995, the new media
business based on intellectual property that actually has a business
model. I'm referring, of course, to the computer games business.
More particularly, I want to talk a bit about a religious issue. Yes,
it's the great schism for serious gamers, as serious as the
interminable (and insufferable) debate of Mac versus PC users in
computing circles. This is the debate as to whether indulgence in
gaming via game consoles constitutes serious gaming or it's just some
frivolity for kids. Kind of a Barney versus West Wing thing in the TV
world, depending on whom you ask. This Old Testament debate goes back
a long, long ways (anyone remember the Mattel Intellivision?) and
until recently broaching the subject of developing specifically for
game consoles over a serious games medium like the PC would draw you
looks as if you were speaking in tongues.
The games business is on the verge of a renaissance. I am going to
tell you why, and this is where I get into my own personal heresy.
Hello, my name is Sam, and I am a former game designer and assembler
programmer for PCs and I love my Xbox. Blasphemer! Heretic! Yeah,
whatever, the Xbox rocks. The renaissance/reformation in games will
be complete when next generation consoles (SONY PS2, Microsoft Xbox,
Nintendo GameCube) achieve the long awaited and much anticipated
Internet connectivity option. This is what truly will take the gaming
experience to the next level, so to speak.
This new generation of dedicated games consoles is quite amazing. The
production values possible with the Xbox are truly something to
behold. The graphics and sound capabilities of this Microsoft
hardware in the hands of capable non-Microsoft game designers are
superb. Orthodox PC gamers take heed, turn the Xbox on and you are 30
seconds away from gaming with no possibility of crashing the hardware.
There's a concept, guys. The games I've engaged to date are pure art.
There is wonderful attention to the visual and audio detail and
complete attention to the First Commandment of game design: Thy game
must be fun to play. Particularly appreciated is the heavenly sound
design in the three games I've played. They have quite extraordinary
production, from the ambient sounds, to the cinematic mood music, to
the name brand music on the bed tracks.
The crux of the superior gaming experience is an immersive interactive
game world that engages the player against human opponents. The human
component is key. Game consoles at present allow a social gaming
experience for people congregating in the same living room. The games
are designed for people to play split-screen or take turns, but the
experience is social. In the PC world of the home office room it is
now not unusual to be able to crank up Counterstrike on a Saturday
night and literally find tens of thousands of opponents a mouse click
away. The transcendental experience will occur when groups of people,
in their living rooms, are able to connect seamlessly to other groups
of people in their respective living rooms. We're very close and it's
evident that the designers have this next evolution in mind.
/////
Sam Punnett is Chief Knowledge Officer & Resident Quake Guru of
interactive brand solutions firm Delvinia. The statements and
opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and
not BitStream's publisher, its affiliates or advertisers.
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