CNM Short Takes

Airborne launches wireless gaming in SKMontreal-based Airborne Entertainment has released a new wireless entertainment service dubbed the PocketBoxOffice. The launch was first announced with Saskatchewan telco Sasktel, though Airborne says every wireless carrier in the country can use it. The service consists of games, humour, and other short-form content. Canadian software piracy rate reducedThe Canadian Alliance Against Software Theft (CAAST), a software industry joint effort, says that the rate of piracy has gone down for the first time in three years . Still, $457 million was lost last year in retail sales of business software applications. The study shows that 38 per cent of business software applications in Canada in 2000 are pirated, down from 41 per cent in 1999 and 40 per cent in 1998. CAAST says it will continue to fight the problem. Walk of fame built for charityA slew of Toronto-area new media companies have raised more than $500,000 for the eCubator venture capital fund and for reBOOT Canada which provides computers to schools and charities. The money was raised as part of GigaThon 2001 and the building of the Canadian Technology Walk of Fame, celebrating Canadian high-tech celebrities. Mitel, IBM to build interactive TV chipsOttawa-based Mitel Corp (now Zarlink) and IBM are working together on a new family of system-on-a-chip products for the digital TV and digital video broadcasting industries. Mitel is lending its demodulation and DTV expertise while IBM contributes its PowerPC-based set-top box technology to build the chips. AOL buys InfointeractiveGiant America Online Inc is spending $43.3 million in cash to buy Halifax-based InfoInteractive Inc (IIA). IIA makes the popular Internet call waiting service Internet Call Manager. The deal is subject to approval of two-thirds of IIA shareholders CITO forum to address new media technologiesCommunications and Information Technology Ontario will hold a workshop on interactive technologies moderated by Alias/Wavefront chief scientist Bill Buxton, June 6. The workshop will explore advances in digital media affecting industry, education and entertainment. Full information can be found at http://www.cito.ca/events/events/ttjune62001.shtml. CANARIE funds Internet awareness projects"Six projects have won from $50,000 to $125,000 from CANARIE Inc to fund projects relating to either the development of network applications or to increased education and awareness regarding the Internet. The money will fund up to 50% of eligible project costs. Winners include the Tornado Theatre which wants to be the first to broadcast live, immersive drama over the Internet using 360 degrees video streaming technology. A full list of winners can be found at http://www.canet-inst.ca/english/recipients_01.html. Netgraphe shareholders approve Canoe mergerShareholders in Netgraphe Inc have approved a consolidation with Quebecor’s Canoe division by a margin of 99.9%. The next priority will be to achieve profitability in the face of a dot com downturn, according to company executives. The transaction will close today. Itemus completes acquisitions and company reorganizationNew media and wireless incubator itemus inc, Toronto, has finished consolidating its acquisitions of Digital4Sight Corp, Shooting Gallery Inc, and NAME Inc, and hacked 20% of its staff in the process. Company executives promise the reorganization will consolidate back-office support and create recurring revenues, at a one-time cost of US$3.5 million. The company reported Q1 2001 revenue of US$2.8 million and a net loss of US$5.6 million, compared to US$101,511 and US$19.98 million respectively over the same period a year earlier. Blue Zone hits listing wallVancouver-based Blue Zone Inc has been told its stock will be de-listed from the Nasdaq Smallcap Market effective June 6. The company hasn’t maintained a minimum US$1 bid price for its shares, a requirement for continued listing. Blue Zone made waves in the new media industry last year with the completion of new interactive services for CTV Inc’s web property but analysts have been disappointed since then that the company has been unable to diversify its client base. Even CTV’s acquisition by BCE Inc hasn’t created new opportunities to date, and the company appears stalled in its attempts to make headway south of the border. Manitoba sets up virtual Internet tip line for kidsThe province of Manitoba has set up a new Children Online Protection Committee and a related "cyber tip line" in an attempt to stop the exploitation of children on the Internet. The committee will be headed by Lianna McDonald, executive director of Child Find, and Rob Finlayson, the province’s assistant deputy attorney general, and has funding of $41,000 to operate. Its mandate includes setting up the tip line, promoting self-regulation by ISPs, research exploitative material on the ‘Net help victims. The committee cited American statistics that indicate less than 10% of sexual solicitations and 3% of unwanted exposure incidents online were reported to authorities. One in 33 youth aged 10 to 17 had received an aggressive sexual solicitation such as being asked for a meeting, or being contacted by mail or phone. One quarter had unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex in the previous year. ITAC and Industry Canada recognize Community IT heroesThe Information Technology Association of Canada, in partnership with Industry Canada, have created a Community IT Hero award to recognize people who have helped their communities through the use of information technology. Thirty individuals were recognized this year ranging from teachers and students to businesses and community volunteers. A full list of winners is available on ITAC’s website, www.itac.ca. MP3 phone introduced in Canada by Telus MobilityTelus Mobility spokespeople say its new Samsung MP3 phone is a vital part of its offering, and rounds out its wireless data strategy. The company introduced the dual-mode/dual-band PCS handset, which includes a five line display and microbrowser, last week. The phone can store over an hour of MP3 format music, and has over five minutes of voice memo function. A spokesperson says the company has ordered fewer of the handsets than other, less expensive models, and that it will likely be in highest demand with business users. GlobalMedia bankrupt after $30M Internet spending spreeGlobalMedia.com Inc has finally sunk below the surface, filing for bankruptcy last week. The company had aggressively spent $30 million in its attempt to become a major audio streaming player, but has been treading water for months. A creditors’ meeting is scheduled in Vancouver June 11, the Vancouver Sun reports. Founder Michael Metcalfe will now turn his attention to his new venture, MotorcyclesGalore.com. UserFriendly.org introduces new advertising channels on siteBC-based UserFriendly.org, a humour site for technology professionals, has introduced three new advertising channels on its niche site. Two are video products, giving sponsors the opportunity to put short looks at their technology online supported with sidebar videos and text. The other, dubbed GeekBazaar, is a virtual marketplace aimed at small- and medium-sized companies. iTV Games wins bingo contract in Dominican RepubliciTV Games Inc, Vancouver, and Scientific Games Corp, NY, have been awarded a contract by the Dominican Republic’s online gaming authority for a nationally televised lottery for five years. iTV’s contribution will be game generator software, and production and marketing services for the weekly lottery broadcast. Based on estimated ticket sales, the contract has a potential value of approximately $12.5 million over the term. Operations will begin in Sept. 2001.

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | May 31, 2001

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