CNM Short Takes

Corus launches online gaming initiativeCorus Entertainment Inc. has announced that it is teaming up with Quebec-based Frima Studio Inc. to develop a network of massive multiplayer online games (MMOGs). Code-named Constellation, the initiative introduces kids aged eight to 12 to a virtual universe where they can explore, compete, chat, collect, create and play mini-games. "MMOGs are among the fastest growing segment in online games and, to date, nothing of this magnitude has been developed for kids in North America," said Corus’ president and CEO John Cassaday in a news release. "This venture is central to Corus’ growth strategy to build and promote our core brands on multiple platforms." Constellation is set to launch later this year. Zim signs Internet TV partnershipGlobal mobile service provider and application developer Zim Corp. has partnered with PPLive of China, the largest peer-to-peer Internet TV portal in the world. Through the partnership, which will be called Zim-PPLive, Ottawa-based Zim will be expanding its offerings to include application development and content aggregation for P2P Internet TV. PPLive.com currently has 50 million registered users, 70% of which are based in China. "We are very excited about this partnership with Zim to expand our North American presence and to continue to grow the PPLive user base outside of China," said PPLive CEO Bill Yao in a news release. "We believe P2P Internet TV opportunities in North America are still in the early stages and Zim is very well-positioned to capitalize on this hot new market opportunity." CryptoLogic completes poker platform upgradeToronto-based Internet gaming software developer CryptoLogic Inc. has announced its new Distributed Poker system. The upgrade to its existing platform has more than tripled capacity to allow more than 50,000 simultaneous online players, and also provides licensees seamless mobility to locate their shared online poker room in markets that offer the best growth opportunities. Said Michael Starzynski, CryptoLogic’s CTO, in a press release: "This new platform infrastructure improves the gaming experience for players and licensees through market-leading flexibility, scalability and resilience." The enhancements also enable real-time updates of new features and games without any interruption to the poker room. MTV to sponsor MJF awards, new online film schoolThe world’s first international mobile youth film festival, Mobile Jam Fest, has announced MTV as the host of the MJF awards party on November 4 at the Masonic Temple in downtown Toronto. MJF launched September 8 and offers young film-makers from around the world the chance to produce two-minute films and upload them to mobilejamfest.com. The winners will be crowned at the awards ceremony that will feature some of today’s most influential musical artists. As well, MTV is sponsoring the world’s first online film school. MJF Film School will feature online tutorials from filmmakers covering music video directing, producing, editing, choreography, sound design, cinematography and more. The free lessons are viewable and downloadable to all mobile devices. MyThum introduces barcodes on your mobile phoneToronto-based MyThum Interactive Inc. has signed a reseller agreement with Mobiqa to enable MyThum customers to distribute redeemable coupons and tickets in the form of barcodes on mobile phones. The complete solution also includes a handheld scanner at the point of sale or admission gate to facilitate easy redemption of the phone-based coupons. Consumers can either request tickets or coupons by sending a text message, or can sign up to receive ongoing offers from a brand. Once users have the coupon or ticket, it is with them wherever they take their phone. E-training now available for pandemic influenzaThere have been predictions that a major influenza pandemic could lead to global economic losses surpassing US$4 trillion. To help organizations reduce employee fears and protect their work force, Chalk Media Corp., a provider of e-learning solutions, has released pandemic influenza preparedness e-training in partnership with the emergency preparedness specialists at Global Consulting. Standard components in the basic e-training module include an introductory video, background information about the influenza virus and past pandemics, and general infection control measures. "An e-training platform is a logical choice for delivering pandemic education and awareness thanks to its capability of deploying content to a worldwide audience in a matter of minutes," said Steward Walchli, president and CEO of Vancouver-based Chalk, in a press release. Fighting crime with digital media on the TTCCrime Stoppers has partnered with OneStop Media Group to broadcast its public relations campaign, and information on recent criminal activity, on OneStop’s digital information network on Toronto Transit Commission subway platforms. "OneStop’s digital network technology allows our program to get the picture of the bad guy up very quickly to so many people in one day," said Lorne Simon, chair of Toronto Crime Stoppers, in a press release. "This is a great new medium." Crime Stoppers’ public service announcements play on the TTC OneStop network up to six times per hour and can be updated within minutes in emergency situations. Because OneStop uses broadband technology, Crime Stoppers can release information on a criminal on the loose or missing child in real time. I-Play, Universal introduce Mobile Moments channelMobile entertainment company I-Play and Universal Mobile Entertainment have teamed up to launch the Mobile Moments channel, a new video offering that brings memorable scenes from Universal movies to mobile. The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Animal House, The Breakfast Club, E.T., Jurassic Park and Sixteen Candles are the first movies that will be sampled. The on-demand video offering is the first for Universal Mobile Entertainment. The first set of video clips will hit handsets later this year. CIRA poll: Internet connects Canadians to rest of worldMore than 85% of respondents to a national poll conducted by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) say that the Internet has removed geographical or financial boundaries in their daily lives and more than 55% are more interested in the world around them. "The One Web Day Tour poll results show us that the Web is truly about connecting Canadians for both work and play, and that we are one of the world’s most connected nations," said CIRA president and CEO Bernard Turcotte in a press release. Other results from the poll include: the Internet allows 22% of Canadians to work from home more often; 26% of respondents said they wouldn’t have a job if the Internet didn’t exist; and 25% of Canadians sell personal belongings online. Online parenting magazine joins the Rogers familyRogers Publishing has reinforced its leadership in the Canadian parenting media category with the acquisition of CanadianParents.com, which will continue to operate independently of the existing Rogers parenting site, Todaysparent.com. "Rogers shares our passion for parenting and complements our strengths," said Tracy Keleher, founder and business development manager at CanadianParents.com. "We are eager to take advantage of their support, extensive resources, operational scale, and innovative technologies to expand and improve the services we deliver." The Canadian Parents website features more than 450,000 pages of content and includes discussion boards with ongoing postings covering 115 topics. Both sites have been online since 1996. Canada’s largest free online classifieds site moves westKijiji.ca, the largest free classified website in the country, has added four British Columbia cities to its community. Residents of Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna and Nanaimo can now visit Kijiji and click on their city’s link to find the individual website for their community. Kijiji, which launched in 2005, now has sites in 35 Canadian cities and more than 300 worldwide. The site is visited by more than one million Canadians each month where users can find an apartment, buy a car, or meet new people. Sellers on Kijiji can post ads for free and receive email enquiries almost immediately. AskMeNow for cocktail recipesIntelligent mobile search engine AskMeNow has partnered with iDrink.com to provide AskMeNow SMS customers with a daily cocktail recipe. For a flat monthly rate, customers can have the daily drink recipe, which will be pulled from iDrink’s database of over 14,800 mixed drinks and cocktails, pushed to them. "We are continually striving to provide our customers access to a wide variety of information that is reflective of their interests," said Darryl Cohen, AskMeNow’s CEO, in a press release. "Partnering with iDrink.com allows us to provide our customers with the content they desire and market to an audience with a similar demographic profile as AskMeNow’s SMS target market."

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | October 3, 2006

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