July 21, 2012

Will the 2012 Olympics Set New Surveillance Records?

Never in the
history of the Olympics has there been a more publicized series of security blunders before the actual event. People on terrorism watch lists are waved through airport security, contractors unable to hire qualified security personnel, busloads of Olympians temporarily lost in London and a general public malaise about the whole thing are now permeating [...]



Bookmark php iPad introduces computing to toddlers and great-grandmothers

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July 20, 2012

The best time to start a business

McLure, for
his part, cautioned that “you can’t build a brand around indifference,” that entrepreneurs must foster either love or hate for their product. “Both are good signals,” he said. And to help illustrate what he meant by expressing profound passion, he got the whole crowd to flip the bird at each. “Try that on the streets of Montréal tonight.”



Sony ericsson hbh is800 wireless stereo headset iPad 2: Will the ‘magic’ live on?

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July 19, 2012

XConnect: Raise5 turns your wacky talents into charity donations

What is Rais
e5? A new fundraising platform that gives everyone a creative way to raise money for their favourite charities and non-profit organizations with their free time and talents. It works through a system of micro-donations: One person donates a small service or task - for example, teaching a 15-minute French lesson, setting up a new laptop, or providing marketing tips.



Why a $35-Raspberry Pi is better than the New iPad

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July 18, 2012

Could your next cell phone be a tattoo?

Could your next cell phone be a tattoo?

This story by Saranja Sivachelvam about research into temporary tattoos that can be used to monitor medical conditions has the stuff of whimsical sci-fi epic all over it.

Apparently doctors in the US, Singapore, and China have developed electrochemical sensors that can be embedded subtlety into human skin to monitor temperature, strain, and electric signals from the body. The tattoos are even self-powered using tiny solar cells and can be bonded with the skin of anyone and the captured data can be output for any number of uses. The fact these tattoos have been developed to monitor a heart condition is amazing enough, but it doesn't take much to start imagining the other implications of this technology for the future.

How long until this is developed to more complex electronics? Imagine having a tattoo applied across the linking the tip of your pinky to the end of your thumb. Place a microphone on the pinky and a speaker on the thumb and you could have a cell phone that actually works when you do that phone gesture. In Sivachelvam's article, one doctor even points to an experiment that placed such a sensor on the throat of a person and detected the difference between "up," "down," "left," and "right." Or imagine havine a sensor in one of these tattoos applied to the tips of each of your fingers. Suddenly any surface could become a digital display and a wirelessly connected monitor could be your window to an agumented reality world. No keyboard? Just type using muscle memory and the words could appear. No white board around for your brainstorming session? Just use your finger on the nearest wall and allow a projector to draw the lines for you.

Of course, while the tattoos hold a lot of promise for making both useful and effortless, there's a too. With technology so cheap, easy to deploy, and effective at tracking information, there's no doubt that governments with authoritarian leanings will be tested to put them to use. Imagine the temptation of placeing a permanent tattoo on anyone convicted of a crime that would contain a record of what they've done. Or instead of issuing a driver's licence, you just put a small tattoo on the back of a person's hand. That'd be convenient for border crossings and getting pulled over by the police, right?

As society moves forward with these exciting technologies, we'll have to keep in mind how the information they're collecting is both accessed and governed. People wearing any such devices should be the sole purveyors of the data collected from them, just as they have privacy rights to their own bodies.

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Canadians prove wise on creating healthy tech startup atmosphere

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July 17, 2012

Size doesn’t matter when it comes to protecting against online attacks

Figure 1 – Average number of targeted attacks blocked by Symantec.cloud per day by company size.

Lately it seems rare to read a technology section and not see a story about a targeted . With Stuxnet, Duqu and now making big headlines, targeted attacks have become common house-hold names.

Paul Wood, Cyber Security Intelligence Manager, Symantec Corp.

What is interesting to note is that targeted attacks aren’t always aimed at the big guys.  The latest from Symantec found that targeted attacks on SMBs are increasing.

While larger organizations continue to be the primary aim of targeted attacks, there has been a significant shift towards smaller companies over the last six months. More than 36% of all targeted attacks are aimed at small companies, compared to 18% at the end of 2011. In fact, when looking at the trends month-by-month, there appears to be a direct correlation between a rise in attacks against small companies and a drop in attacks against larger ones. Attackers could very well be diverting directly from one group to the other.

This shift could be based on a perception that smaller business may be an easier point of entry. Without dedicated IT security staff, smaller businesses could be seen as a weaker link in the supply chain – less effort for bigger gains. For instance, an email that appears to come from a trusted contact, (in reality a spoofed from address), could find itself automatically forwarded on to business contacts or partners. These contacts could then open the email, installing the malware on their computers.

Protect yourself

As spammers and malware authors adapt their strategies, it’s important for users to follow best practices and use security solutions from trusted vendors. Before downloading music or video files or opening an attachment to an email message, :

1. Get ready: Strengthen your computer’s defenses with:

  •  Firewalls
  •  Antivirus protection
  •  Software updates
  •  Email spam filters

2. Download with caution: Think first. Click later.

  •  Beware of fraudulent email messages
  •  Only download from reputable sites
  •  Install and use file-sharing programs cautiously
  •  Save files for safer downloads

3. Remove malicious software – Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may download a program you don’t want:

July 14, 2012

Crowdfunding complements ‘lean startup’ approach and reduces risk

Crowdfunding complements ‘lean startup’ approach and reduces risk

When I describe to my friends that aren’t totally tuned in to the business scene in Canada, I usually get two immediate reactions.

The first one is that it seems like a great idea; “Why not let startups try and raise money in small amounts using the reach of the Web, similar to charity or political fundraising campaigns?” The second one is surprise that it’s not currently legal to do so: “What do you mean a business can’t

Brian Jackson, Editor, ITBusiness.ca

collect money from people willing to give it to them?”

The reason is that we have provincial securities regulators in each province and territory. One of their responsibilities is to protect investors from taking on too much . These regulators might not trust crowdfunding schemes because they might be vulnerable to fraud. But also, you just have to consider the fact that about half of startups fail within three years of lift off. So the logic goes that allowing individual investors to stow their savings away in the equity of early-stage companies is too risky.

But what if allowing crowdfunding actually helped to change that risk equation? Opening up the investment market in a peer-to-peer model that lets startups court customers before they even have a product or service could actually help reduce business failure. Crowdfunding could not only be a method for businesses to raise money, but also an approach that helps businesses recognize their failures more quickly.

Take the model used by Kickstarter, the Web site that allows U.S.-based firms to do crowdfunding. Firms there sell the products or services they are going to create once they’ve raised enough money to do so; Waterloo, Ont.-native Eric Migicovsky sold $10 million worth of the using this technique.

Live Webcast: 

But if Pebble hadn’t sold like hotcakes, then it wouldn’t have raised the money to build them. It would just not make the product that no one wants to buy. It’s an approach that Eric Ries, author of would approve.

His model for creating businesses flips the old model of building a product or service, then funding it with a wad of venture capital, then marketing it to the target customers and hoping for the best. Instead it encourages businesses to reach out to their target market and find their pain points. Conducting research and experiments to see what might be a winning innovation, and acquiring customers before a product even exists. It’s a model that can be executed thanks to free or low-cost Web tools available to anyone.

Kickstarter extends that approach to the next logical step. Sell your product directly to customers before it exists. If enough buy it, you build it, and if not, you know it’s not going to be a winner without having spent any resources on creating it.

That hardly sounds risky to me.

Brian Jackson is the editor of ITBusiness.ca. Tune in to ITBusiness.ca on Monday, July 16 at 7 PM ET to join a coverage of a fireside chat with Sherwood Neiss, a crowdfunding architect.

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Look who’s leading the way in low-cost broadband access

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Crowdfunding compliments ‘lean startup’ approach and reduces risk

Crowdfunding complements ‘lean startup’ approach and reduces risk

When I describe to my friends that aren’t totally tuned in to the business scene in Canada, I usually get two immediate reactions.

The first one is that it seems like a great idea; “Why not let startups try and raise money in small amounts using the reach of the Web, similar to charity or political fundraising campaigns?” The second one is surprise that it’s not currently legal to do so: “What do you mean a business can’t

Brian Jackson, Editor, ITBusiness.ca

collect money from people willing to give it to them?”

The reason is that we have provincial securities regulators in each province and territory. One of their responsibilities is to protect investors from taking on too much . These regulators might not trust crowdfunding schemes because they might be vulnerable to fraud. But also, you just have to consider the fact that about half of startups fail within three years of lift off. So the logic goes that allowing individual investors to stow their savings away in the equity of early-stage companies is too risky.

But what if allowing crowdfunding actually helped to change that risk equation? Opening up the investment market in a peer-to-peer model that lets startups court customers before they even have a product or service could actually help reduce business failure. Crowdfunding could not only be a method for businesses to raise money, but also an approach that helps businesses recognize their failures more quickly.

Take the model used by Kickstarter, the Web site that allows U.S.-based firms to do crowdfunding. Firms there sell the products or services they are going to create once they’ve raised enough money to do so; Waterloo, Ont.-native Eric Migicovsky sold $10 million worth of the using this technique.

Live Webcast: 

But if Pebble hadn’t sold like hotcakes, then it wouldn’t have raised the money to build them. It would just not make the product that no one wants to buy. It’s an approach that Eric Ries, author of would approve.

His model for creating businesses flips the old model of building a product or service, then funding it with a wad of venture capital, then marketing it to the target customers and hoping for the best. Instead it encourages businesses to reach out to their target market and find their pain points. Conducting research and experiments to see what might be a winning innovation, and acquiring customers before a product even exists. It’s a model that can be executed thanks to free or low-cost Web tools available to anyone.

Kickstarter extends that approach to the next logical step. Sell your product directly to customers before it exists. If enough buy it, you build it, and if not, you know it’s not going to be a winner without having spent any resources on creating it.

That hardly sounds risky to me.

Brian Jackson is the editor of ITBusiness.ca. Tune in to ITBusiness.ca on Monday, July 16 at 7 PM ET to join a coverage of a fireside chat with Sherwood Neiss, a crowdfunding architect.

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SMBs can’t afford to have IT as bad as Service Canada’s EI system

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July 13, 2012

Linking is not copyright infringement, Federal Court finds

Danny Titolo, J.D. candidate, Osgoode Hall Law School

By Danny Titolo

Justice Rennie of the Federal Court of Canada recently issued a ruling in the ever so uncertain area of online content. The concerned Richard Warman and the against Mark and Constance Fournier. Three claims for copyright infringement were made; two involved articles, one a photograph. All three were dismissed.

is an Ottawa-based lawyer who commonly practices human rights law. He has worked for the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and is best known as the related to Internet content under section 13(1) of the .

Mark and Constance Fournier are lead moderators and former owners of the website, . Free Dominion is a Canadian political message board that discusses news and current events from a conservative perspective. Its inspiration came from a similar conservative website in the United States called . In fact, there are many members that contribute to both websites. The ideology of the website is described as “Principled Conservatism.”

Richard Warman and the National Post filed a lawsuit against Mark and Constance Fournier claiming that they had content on their website that infringed copyright. One of the main issues raised in this case was the subject of “linking” which involved a photograph of Warman that was posted on his personal website. The photograph was not posted on Free Dominion; however, they did post a link to Warman’s website.

In determining whether or not linking in this case constituted , the Court used the general rule that making a work available on the Internet is authorization of communication by telecommunication. The communication of the work occurred when the hyperlink was posted on Free Dominion. Since Warman authorized the communication of his own photograph by posting it on his website, there can be no infringement. In a sense, the Court is saying that Warman had control over the communication, which is evidenced by the fact that once he removed the photograph, it was no longer accessible on the Free Dominion website. Therefore, the communication was not unauthorized and the claim for infringement must fail.

This is not the first time these parties were the subject of lawsuits. In 2009, Warman and Liberal Party activist, , launched defamation lawsuits against Free Dominion and Mark and Constance Fournier. Not only can these recurring lawsuits be considered a right wing vs. left wing battle, it can also be looked at as the struggle between free speech and censorship.

One would certainly expect to see a Liberal-Conservative tug-of-war concerning free speech and censorship; however, the positions taken by the parties in this case are not the ones you would expect. The Liberals, long-time free speech advocates, appear to be on the censorship side, while their Conservative counterparts are fighting tooth and nail in their support for free speech.

An interesting, and albeit unrelated, aspect of this case was representation. Not only did Mark and Constance Fournier succeed in their defence, they did so as unrepresented litigants. Considering the fact that their opponent was a lawyer represented by another lawyer, this was a difficult obstacle to overcome. It would seem that on this occasion the Court was not convinced by clever legal jargon or technicalities, but rather by passion for a worthy cause.

This case has potential implications for individuals that frequently link, blog, and tweet. Although copyright infringement cases such as these are few and far between, the decision demonstrates that Courts are considering the common practices of Internet usage and that linking, in and of itself, should not constitute . Whether or not the Courts will continue on this trend and adapt their rulings to incorporate the frequent changes in technology remains to be determined.

Author Danny Titolo is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. His interests include practice areas such as real estate, health, corporate/commercial, and intellectual property. Prior to pursuing his interests in law, Danny obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees in life sciences from the University of Toronto. He has also worked as an analyst and project manager for a major supplier of research and research-backed strategy to businesses, government, banks, and not-for-profit organizations. Danny is a published author in the scientific literature and is a weekly blog contributor at My Legal Briefcase.



Bookmark php Chat Services Take Wait-and-see Approach to Adopting Apple’s FaceTime

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July 12, 2012

Startup TO – Tactics for board game ‘Risk’ lead to startup success

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July 11, 2012

Keeping your spirits high with a ‘success file’

Keeping your spirits high with a ‘success file’

Maintaining a positive attitude can be tough at times. Life can hit us with all sorts of negative influences, and there are so many of them! Poor

Michelle Warren, President, MW Research & Consulting

performance reviews, downsizing (sorry, “rightsizing”), competitive colleagues, slow sales, family challenges, , client problems, supplier mishaps, a lack-luster job search, a poor economy, or our own negative self-talk. We can be our own saboteurs, especially when things at work become mundane, repetitive, or negative.

All of these can be tiresome, time-consuming, and unproductive.

How can you best keep a positive outlook, when faced with increasing demands, time constraints, multiple projects, and the occasional failure?

Maintain a “success file.”

This was suggested to me when I initially went out on my own by a seasoned IT industry professional. When he was faced with his own sudden-layoff, his challenge of looking for a full-time position, finding freelance work, maintaining an industry profile, and staying top of mind was challenging. To help combat this, he categorized his successes.

This systematic categorization armed him with the ability to focus on his past achievements, to help keep his spirits up, while he looked for a new position.

What is a “success file?”

Essentially, exactly what it sounds like. It is a collection of your achievements and accolades. This is a unique file, just for you, and specific to your life and career. It might include:

  • Copies of your educational transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Photographs of awards ceremonies
  • A list of previous positions
  • Ribbons, trophies, certificates, letters of appreciation
  • Articles in which you were quoted
  • A list of your credentials
  • Copies of emails where positive experiences are shared
  • Requests for work and proposals
  • Successful proposals
  • Testimonials

Think of it not as a resume, but as a confidence-builder. You can use it in conjunction with your resume, but this file is for your eyes, not to share with .

Top three benefits:

  1. The ability to call up your past achievements and accolades will help strengthen your confidence.
  2. Referring to your past experiences will help you gain perspective as you consider and tackle new opportunities.
  3. The file will also provide you with details of your past experiences, which you can then use in discussions with others, such as, but not limited to: Performance reviews, job interviews, networking events, and career-planning conversations.

When it dips, be sure to refer to your “success file” to keep your spirits up. By occasionally referring to it, you can keep your past achievements at the forefront of your mind, remind yourself of your value, and use that confidence to help propel you forward.

The “success file” is a tool that I use with my clients to help them tackle new projects, find opportunities, or even improve their communication skills within their current work environments.

Three final thoughts:

  1. Don’t forget to add to it. Keep it current, as a dynamic tool to help you move forward.
  2. I also caution you to not to spend too much time in the past. Refer to it, but try to avoid “staying in it” as opposed to achieving new things.
  3. Remember: you are a valuable professional. The trick lies in remembering your value and communicating it effectively.

Oh, and the executive I mentioned, he still maintains one. He has a new career, one that inspires and challenges him. But he still faces challenges. A reminder of his past achievements helps motivate him to excel each day.





Bookmark php Facebook, not Twitter, is the social network for revolutions

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July 10, 2012

Google’s Galaxy Nexus latest victim in mobile patent wars

Google’s Galaxy Nexus latest victim in mobile patent wars

Apple and Google end up in many litigation battles over smartphone patents.

Monica Goyal, founder, My Legal Briefcase

 last week that Google has had to remove the Galaxy Nexus from its online store — replacing the “IN STOCK” notice with one reading, “COMING SOON.” As they said, it is “an odd message for a device that customers have been buying since November 2011.”

While the that in another case between the two tech giants, “one of the country’s most influential judges dismissed the claims between Apple and Google calling them ‘silly’”. Silly? This is a considerable critique coming from a very influential legal mind in the United States.

Apple began its patent war in 2010 with its main goal being to limit the growth of Google’s . Android is by far the world’s most successful mobile operating platform. An injunction against Google would strengthen Apple’s position in negotiating cross-licensing deals. These deals, in my opinion, pertain to when companies permit each other to use their patented technologies for a fee.

Apple has been on a lawsuit frenzy, attempting to stifle other Android-like devices. More specifically, Apple began a sweeping intellectual property lawsuit against various Samsung smartphone and tablet products. Currently, the Samsung suit involves 16 patents, six trademarks, five “trade dress” claims, and an antitrust case with 37 products accused of violations. Justice Koh found this to be unacceptable and stated that if the July 30, 2012 trial is to go ahead as scheduled that Apple and Samsung would have to “.”

has made its own claims against Apple, which were all rejected by Judge Posner. This means that Apple is the party that stood to gain the most from the lawsuit.

There were five patents in question: four for Apple and one for . Apple was at an advantage, not merely in numbers but because one of the patents asserted against Motorola concerns “data tapping”. This patent was successfully used to ban the importation of in the past. Motorola asserted a “standards patent” against Apple, which would not generally be sufficient to earn an injunction.

Judge Posner was not convinced by the arguments made by either side. It wasn’t clear why Apple was seeking an injunction against certain Motorola products instead of agreeing to a cross-licensing scheme. Such a scheme would allow Motorola to continue using the allegedly infringing technology, while Apple would receive compensation. The reasoning provided by Apple was that they feel that it is their right to choose between granting licensing schemes and seeking injunctions.

Apple also argued at trial that it was not seeking a monopoly by preventing Motorola from selling Android phones. The company merely wants Motorola to create solutions of their own instead of allegedly infringing on Apple’s existing technology.

The case ultimately turned on damages. Judge Posner argued that Apple could not determine, with any certainty, the damages it would suffer. An injunction against Motorola would have had potentially catastrophic effects for the company. Furthermore, Judge Posner felt that it would be preferable to have Motorola pay royalties to Apple since forcing Motorola to use an inferior technology would not be beneficial to consumers. Granting an injunction could also potentially create more litigation since nothing would stop Apple from continuing to file patent infringement lawsuits against Motorola.

It can be argued that this decision had the potential to benefit all parties, albeit some more than others. Motorola can continue to use the Android technology, Apple will be compensated through licensing agreements, consumers will benefit from having a choice among multiple products, and less litigation would mean less of a strain on the judicial system.

As said, “You can’t just assume that because someone has a patent, he has some deep moral right to exclude everyone else from using the technology.”

Judge Posner also addressed some of the deficiencies in the current patent system, including calls for its reform. It’s refreshing to all who are in tech, to hear someone who has some authority and ability to effect change finally speaking plainly about the state of affairs in patent law. Frankly, too much is on the line for too many people and companies to expect this decision to have any meaningful influence, but one can hope that it will in time.

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Why Glenn Gould may be the model for future T.O. startups

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July 07, 2012

First responders seek public feedback for wireless test-bed

First responders seek public feedback for wireless test-bed

Since 9/11, when First Responders charged into New York’s Twin Towers without interoperable communications equipment that could have told them what they were really facing, many nations have adopted measures to strengthen

Barry Gander, chair, Networked Vehicle Association

security efforts. The wireless systems are still a challenge, however, and the full potential of new technology is only now being explored.

A project is starting to seed the creation of a permanent First Responder Test-Bed in the Kanata area of Ottawa. The Test-Bed organizers are looking for ideas for wireless applications that could be considered for use.

The Test-Bed will incorporate LTE broadband, to provide higher data speeds that will allow for the use of new video and data applications that aren’t currently available. In a situation in which people may be trapped in a building, for example, firefighters could use the network to download building floor plans to find the best ways to reach the victims. At the same time, because the LTE standard might not support all of the functionality–such as push to talk–that first responders need, current Land Mobile Radio systems will also be offered.

The First Responder Test-Bed is a corridor of some 20 kilometers in length, running along roadways in the Kanata area of Ottawa. The facility is being provided by many NVA partners; these partners include Alcatel-Lucent Canada, the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, the Communications Research Centre, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, nTerop, the NVA, WeMiP and WiSense, (University of Ottawa). The Test-bed is open for the participation of all vendors, and all First Responder organizations.

First Responders will be plugged into the facilities of the major research organizations of the public and private sectors. The Test-Bed program gives Canadian First Responders a framework in which to explore this future as it unfolds.

According to one of the First Responder executives, the Test-Bed’s top benefit is that “For the first time in Canadian emergency service history, it will be possible for all emergency services to work with the private sector and each other in developing and testing technologies of the future under real-life conditions.”

Specifically, the First Responder Test-Bed will overcome the core challenges involved in the top concerns of First Responders today:

• Interoperability
• Information Management
• Equipment Unification
• Remote Access

Today a First Responder’s vehicle is in a transition phase from an autonomous system to a fully integrated part of a highly connected network which covers all aspects of communication requirements, relevant services, safety, traffic, efficient use of energy and financial transactions. This transition will have a massive impact on First Responders, and how they do their jobs.

The Test-Bed is being supported by a partnership that includes DRDC-CPRC, the Communications Research Centre, Alcatel-Lucent, the Networked Vehicle Association, the Ontario Ministry of Transport, nTerop, WeMip, and the University of Ottawa’s WiSense organization.

Please send comments , ideas and partnership inquiries to:

Barry Gander
President, Networked Vehicle Association
EVP, Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA)
bgander@cata.ca

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Canadian startups cashing chips way too early?

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July 06, 2012

FIRST RESPONDER TEST-BED CALL FOR IDEAS

First responders seek public feedback for wireless test-bed

Since 9/11, when First Responders charged into New York’s Twin Towers without interoperable communications equipment that could have told them what they were really facing, many nations have adopted measures to strengthen

Barry Gander, chair, Networked Vehicle Association

security efforts. The wireless systems are still a challenge, however, and the full potential of new technology is only now being explored.

A project is starting to seed the creation of a permanent First Responder Test-Bed in the Kanata area of Ottawa. The Test-Bed organizers are looking for ideas for wireless applications that could be considered for use.

The Test-Bed will incorporate LTE broadband, to provide higher data speeds that will allow for the use of new video and data applications that aren’t currently available. In a situation in which people may be trapped in a building, for example, firefighters could use the network to download building floor plans to find the best ways to reach the victims. At the same time, because the LTE standard might not support all of the functionality–such as push to talk–that first responders need, current Land Mobile Radio systems will also be offered.

The First Responder Test-Bed is a corridor of some 20 kilometers in length, running along roadways in the Kanata area of Ottawa. The facility is being provided by many NVA partners; these partners include Alcatel-Lucent Canada, the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, the Communications Research Centre, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, nTerop, the NVA, WeMiP and WiSense, (University of Ottawa). The Test-bed is open for the participation of all vendors, and all First Responder organizations.

First Responders will be plugged into the facilities of the major research organizations of the public and private sectors. The Test-Bed program gives Canadian First Responders a framework in which to explore this future as it unfolds.

According to one of the First Responder executives, the Test-Bed’s top benefit is that “For the first time in Canadian emergency service history, it will be possible for all emergency services to work with the private sector and each other in developing and testing technologies of the future under real-life conditions.”

Specifically, the First Responder Test-Bed will overcome the core challenges involved in the top concerns of First Responders today:

• Interoperability
• Information Management
• Equipment Unification
• Remote Access

Today a First Responder’s vehicle is in a transition phase from an autonomous system to a fully integrated part of a highly connected network which covers all aspects of communication requirements, relevant services, safety, traffic, efficient use of energy and financial transactions. This transition will have a massive impact on First Responders, and how they do their jobs.

The Test-Bed is being supported by a partnership that includes DRDC-CPRC, the Communications Research Centre, Alcatel-Lucent, the Networked Vehicle Association, the Ontario Ministry of Transport, nTerop, WeMip, and the University of Ottawa’s WiSense organization.

Please send comments , ideas and partnership inquiries to:

Barry Gander
President, Networked Vehicle Association
EVP, Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA)
bgander@cata.ca

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Ingredients in Waterloo region’s ‘secret sauce’

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July 05, 2012

Communitech’s Apps Factory has a lot to celebrate after its first year

Communitech’s Apps Factory has a lot to celebrate after its first year

By Kayleigh Platz

Only a year old, the  has an impressive resume, including collaborative work that has been showcased at the .

Communitech Apps Factory partnered with , a research and design collaborative, to create a groundbreaking mobile app called MATR (Mobile Apparatus for Temporality Research) to be exhibited at the (CAFKA), a contemporary art exhibition in Waterloo Region.

Kayleigh Platz, storyteller and researcher, Communitech

“We  created a research project to build a new ‘sense organ’,” Spurse’s David Jensenius explains. “We used geographically specific variables, from real-time rainfall levels to a user’s distance from tectonic plates to create a mobile sound installation. This research uses sound as a catalyst to understand and sense deep time.”To develop MATR from an abstract idea to a functioning app was a challenge the Spurse team would need to overcome to see their exhibit succeed. The coding for such an app to make it downloadable and useable on multiple platforms was beyond Spurse’s programming means. CAFKA recommended the Communitech Apps Factory, a program that partners young talented developers with clients who need help growing and building out their ideas to development, to aid in the design and coding of the multi-layered app.

Pushing the boundaries of an app

“I feel that Spurse’s project was a good fit for the Apps Factory because it made use of the skills while also pushing the boundaries of what we thought an app could do,” says Sarah Kernohan, artistic director of CAFKA.

With a tight deadline of only four months to build from code to a deliverable, the Apps Factory collaborated closely with Spurse on many components of the MATR app.  The complex app was built of multiple, individually coded components including a sound synthesis program, an analysis core, and stand-alone text. The Spurse team devoted their time and energy to the server and sound work while the Apps Factory built out the components for the requested cross-platform accessibility without losing function or form.

Spurse is as happy with the process as the outcome, Jensenius says. “One of the best parts of the project was being able to work directly with the teams developing the different components for the app. The communication was open, and critical dialogue along the way helped make the application and platform stronger.”

App adaptability

The enhanced aid by the Apps Factory helped Spurse develop the MATR app on a client/ server platform to help with the client experience as the app is used and refined. This design, in partnership with the help of the Apps Factory, has allowed Spurse to act swiftly and explore opportunities which would not have been available to them on an alternate platform. Because of this adaptability, Spurse was able to partner with the BMW Guggenheim lab and update and enhance the current MATR platform to suit the needs of the Guggenheim lab without isolating previous users.

“It was fantastic to be part of something truly novel, and to be part of art rather than a product. The Spurse project is still one of our most collaborative projects” says Rob Drimmie, senior software developer for the Apps Factory.

The MATR app is available on Apple and Android devices. Learn more at .

Communitech is located in Waterloo Region, 110 kilometres (66 miles) west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded by a group of dedicated entrepreneurs in 1997, Communitech is the regional hub for the commercialization of innovative technologies supporting and building a southwestern Ontario tech cluster of close to 1,000 companies that now generates more than $30 billion in revenue. A member of the Ontario Network of Excellence (www.oneinnovation.ca), which is funded by the Ontario government, Communitech supports tech companies at all stages of their growth and development – from startup companies, to rapidly growing SMEs, to large global players – to create greater numbers of successful global businesses for Ontario and for Canada.

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LG Mobile KG800 Chocolate Flex Cable iPhone 4 VS iPhone 3G S

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Online poll takers just messing with us, poll shows

Online poll takers just messing with us, poll shows

The creditability of online polling is being called into question by a poll that’s been running on ITBusiness.ca since March 29.

When posed the question “Do you ever vote in online polls?” and given the choice of “Yes” or “No”, about 28 per cent of respondents chose to ironically answer “no.” The obvious absence of a 100 per cent of results being in the affirmative not only calls the practice of online polling into question, but creates a double-bind paradox that threatens to drive mad any statistician that examines the result.

Brian Jackson, Editor, ITBusiness.ca

The result of nearly one in three online poll takers selecting “no” can’t be explained by standard error models, which allow for a deviation of three to five percent. The only possible explanation that remains is that poll takers stared at their two options, knowing full well the right one to click, and still defiantly clicked the other option to spurn the author of the poll (me). It’s likely these individuals were madly cackling all the while, and have a deep inner desire for anarchy in society at large.

The only encouraging result of the poll is that about two-thirds of people willing to take the time to click answer bubbles on the Internet are still dutifully answering the questions posed to them by their oppressive machines in an honest manner.

Ramifications of the poll are certain to rock the foundations of many online services entirely dependent on strangers answering questions honestly online – such as online dating, online stock trading services, and consumer survey houses.

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Should You Feel Bad About Blocking Online Ads?

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July 04, 2012

Digital Media Zone startup SoJo finds success in collaboration

Digital Media Zone startup SoJo finds success in collaboration

By Lauren Schneider

We’ve all heard that age old adage, “There is no ‘I’ in team.” Nowhere is this saying truer than in the world of and growing businesses, where collaboration and partnerships between companies are essential stepping stones toward success. At Ryerson University’s (DMZ), the spirit of collaboration and cross-pollination are among the incubator’s core principles. In the DMZ, young budding entrepreneurs from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines work together, learn from one another and, in turn, strengthen their own businesses.

Lauren Schneider, Media Relations Officer, Ryerson DMZ

is one of these startups.  The company (whose name stands for Social Journal) offers an interactive online platform providing knowledge and support to social innovators—those aiming to create positive social change. The content curated by SoJo focuses on the practical “how-to” of idea development and project execution, and on the personal growth of the individual behind the idea.Founded by Kanika Gupta, SoJo began as a platform of connectivity and information sharing, inspiring the next generation of young changemakers to get started—with hopes of converting the ideas written in their personal journals into tangible, functioning social projects.

SoJo’s three pillars are:

  1. Celebrate the journey
  2. Embrace imperfection
  3. Opt for courage over fear

Like every good organization that leads by example, the company followed its own principles in development of its first web product, . SoJo launched in beta format roughly six months ago. At that time, the SoJo  Web site was presented to the public as a bare-bones product starting from the ground up. Users were asked to actively provide feedback on the site, allowing the SoJo team to gain insight into how to create a tool to best meet the needs of its users. Kanika documented its step-by-step evolution as a social entity in real time on , emphasizing the concept of co-creating with the user.

Strength in numbers

On June 28, SoJo not only celebrated its much anticipated official Web site launch, but it also announced its official endorsement by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). David A. Walden, Secretary-General of Canadian Commission for UNESCO, stated, “The Canadian Commission for UNESCO is proud to support SoJo and believes that it is an innovative initiative that will have a multiplier effect by providing a platform to bring together social innovators who can collectively work toward finding solutions to global challenges.”

This is where the DMZ’s spirit of collaboration played a key role. SoJo’s highly anticipated launch was made possible partly because of the contributions of fellow DMZ startups and , who helped strengthen SoJo’s infrastructure with cutting edge communication management tools. By using HitSend’s innovative platform SoapBox as its main feedback tool, SoJo users can give meaningful suggestions and opinions to aid in shaping the site and improve its features. SoapBox provides a common place to suggest, vote, and filter ideas based on what the community wants as a whole, allowing the users to have their voices heard. SoapBox is currently being used by big name businesses such as Indigo Books & Music and Vitamin Water.

No “I” in entrepreneur

As a further method of creating conversation and encouraging dialogue, SoJo teamed up with Viafoura, an audience engagement platform that adds social functionality to websites and mobile applications. This tool will help build the SoJo community and promote discussion. SoJo’s community is the backbone of this organization and, as such, creating a platform for dialogue and sharing intelligence is crucial. “It goes beyond us just simply using our partners’ products,” says Gupta. “It’s us fully benefitting from their experience and vice versa—getting everyone involved and engaged. That’s why these partnerships benefit everyone.”

All three teams are celebrating SoJo’s official launch and are looking forward to interacting with users in the company’s online community. Through collaborations like these, are able to learn from one another and gain valuable knowledge to take into future ventures. These success stories prove that, not only is there no ‘I’ in team, but there is also no ‘I’ in entrepreneur.

Opened in April 2010, Ryerson University’s Digital Media Zone is a multidisciplinary workspace for young entrepreneurs infused with the energy and resources of downtown Toronto. Set atop Yonge-Dundas Square, this hub of digital media innovation, collaboration and commercialization is home to both entrepreneurial startups and industry solution-providers. With access to overhead and business services, students and alumni can fast-track their product launches, stimulating Canada’s emerging digital economy through spending and job creation. Since its launch, the Digital Media Zone has incubated and accelerated 45 companies to launch more than 88 projects. Currently the Zone houses 184 innovators in 45 teams. For more information on the Zone, visit .





Tech jobs that cloud computing will create

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Don’t just tell, communicate with your audience

Don’t just tell, communicate with your audience

By Michelle Warren

Have you witnessed a powerful keynote presentation recently? During these staples of the business scene in the IT industry, senior level executives deliver to audiences ranging in size and background: from audiences of 20 senior level executives to 2,000-plus people of mixed backgrounds, including sales, marketing, technical junior and senior level professionals. Meeting the needs of the audience, while delivering and communicating a powerful message, can seem daunting.

Michelle Warren, President, MW Research & Consulting

And yet, many would argue that the ability to communicate effectively is the true sign of being an influential leader. It can, in some cases, make your career soar.“Communicating effectively” is more than just providing information. Being able to connect with audience members on a level that makes them think and consider your message, perhaps incorporating it into their lives, and committing to your message, are examples of audience connection. Your goal:  inspire a response among your audience.Consider a  vice-president who wants to inspire stronger engagement among his or her reseller partners. Consider a executive who wants to introduce a new approach to delivering technical solutions. In these examples, how can they help invoke interest and commitment among their audience members?


1. Involve

Rather than present your information from your company’s sole perspective, involve your audience. Perhaps some were with you when you started your journey? “Some of you were with HP when we started the shift towards the Adaptive Enterprise….” Perhaps some were not? “I wish you could have been with us when we moved towards the Adaptive Enterprise, because we certainly learned a lot about corporate enterprise demands…”

By acknowledging their presence and the relationship between your organizations, you will invite them into the conversation, regardless of the audience size.

2. Interest

Address the “what’s in it for me” (WIIFM) factor. Why is your audience present, aside from responding to your invitation? What are they looking to gain by investing their time? Perhaps enhanced market understanding, deeper understanding of your technology roadmap, or new business options? Identify their interests and provide answers in your presentation.

For example, “Cisco’s Smart + Connected Cities initiative gives our partners an opportunity to enter the education and industries on long-term engagements…”

“Long-term engagements” means new business, reoccuring revenues, and money! Peak their interest on an intellectual level, but don’t forget their human side. Which leads into…

3. Senses

Appealing to your audience’s senses can get overlooked when we design presentations. Or is it? Consider our five senses: taste, sight, smell, touch, and sound. While your presentation might not address the senses of taste and smell, you can ensure that your audio system works, that sightlines are effective (to see you or to see your slide deck.) As for touch, this can be challenging to address in a presentation format, but offering a showcase of products following your speech is one option.

4. Inspire

And finally, inspire your audience to take action. Be prepared to support and connect with your audience members. I saw a wonderful example of this at a recent Cisco Canada event. CEO spoke to an audience of about 30 media and business partners, and then invited questions. One question from a business partner invoked the interest of Cisco Canada executives. The response was immediate, as company representatives approached her following the presentation.

The content of his presentation invoked a verbal response from his business partner, and his team was on hand to follow up and ensure continual communication between the two organizations.

By carefully crafting your presentation, you can connect with your audience and ensure a valuable experience. Remember the four keys: Involve Interest, Senses, and Inspire.

Michelle Warren is president of MW Research & Consulting in Toronto. She is a writer, researcher, consultant, coach and trainer with a strong IT industry background.

 

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5 reasons why SOPA has to die

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July 03, 2012

Microsoft’s Surface tablet – I believe!

I have been
thinking about what I would say about Microsoft’s Big Announcement on June 18th that they will be releasing not one but two tablets into the marketplace sometime before the end of the year. I was on vacation when the announcement was made but I did fire up my ASUS Zenbook Prime Ultrabook to [...]



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Startup TO: Why incubators have a bad rap

Startup TO: Why incubators have a bad rap

Incubators seem to have a growing bad rap. A good example is the hearty article Read Write Startup recently posted about the subject

Ashley Huffman, communications, INCubes

entitled: .

As much as we can , it’s just as important to point the finger of blame at the peeps behind the startups for picking them.

I wrote a few months ago about why it’s super important to choose your incubator very carefully, and I think it’s important to reinforce this so we don’t all go around hating on incubators unfairly.

An incubator is eerily similar to choosing which college you want to go to. It also involves the same kind of excitement, mixed with the prospect of big money.

What do you want to major in?

For wannabe successful businesses, this question directly relates to what do you need out of an incubator. If it’s more fame than business management, then maybe you should give a call. If it’s hands-on assistance from all different types of business experts, then something more personal is probably going to float your startup boat, like Hamilton’s or Toronto’s very own .

What are your options?

Develop a list of criteria for what you’re looking for. This literally means do your homework. It’s up to you to do your own research and due diligence first.  What incubators and professional business services are in your area? Will any virtual options suffice? Do you have the funds to relocate? Take all things into account so you can choose the right incubator for your personal and business life.  If all fails, pretend you’re on . Which Dragon would you prefer to work with and why? Translate this into a list of what type of professionals (aka incubator) you’re looking to work with.

Set a Date

How will you know if you’re a good fit personally and professionally if you don’t speak and meet with the folks beforehand? You won’t. Don’t let other people’s expectations (media or otherwise) of an incubator set your standard and sway your decision. Meet and greet them in person. Like in relationship dating, you’ll just know when it’s right. If not, next!

Also, they should be just as excited about you and your business. This is an integral ingredient of the equation to finding a perfect fit. Time is all too precious in the life of a business. There’s always someone out there ready to take your idea to new heights; in geek terms this is like Microsoft’s new Surface tablet compared to Apple’s new iPad.

Yes, we could sit around and point fingers at who is crap and not, but just like the nature of being a human being, every one and thing is created for a purpose. It just may or may not be for you and your company.

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Steve Jobs’ greatest product the Apple II, Canadians say

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July 02, 2012

Ottawa entrepreneur Scott Annan comments on the relaunch of Mercury Grove

Ottawa entrepreneur Scott Annan comments on the relaunch of Mercury Grove

By Alexandra Reid

 is widely known in Ottawa for being a startup champion. He’s an entrepreneur who has strong opinions about the local startup

Alexandra Reid is a consultant with Francis Moran Associates.

ecosystem and what needs to change to increase our competitiveness on the global stage. According to Annan, Ottawa punches above its weight when it comes to startup talent, yet we are lagging behind other major cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver because we lack the cohesion and organization necessary to drive a vibrant startup community. It is with this mentality that Annan relaunched , a startup accelerator, to advocate for local startups and provide them with the mentorship and financial support they need to be successful and drive a startup community that is proud to call Ottawa its hub.

This isn’t the first time Annan has tried to build an accelerator in Ottawa. It has always been difficult for

Scott Annan is heading up a new Ottawa incubator, Mercury Grove.

Ottawa startups to get early stage funding, said Annan, and because there wasn’t an organization championing startups and helping them grow into businesses, he reluctantly agreed to build  to help address the need. Mercury Launch, Annan’s first startup accelerator, was “forever grounded” because the format wasn’t entrepreneur-friendly, it was trying to do too much, and there were too many institutional investors involved. In Annan’s opinion, it didn’t succeed because the relationship with its backers became too bureaucratic and the focus was pulled away from the local community.

While Annan said Ottawa’s startup landscape hasn’t changed since the day Mercury Launch was grounded, he has remained committed to the cause and developed a new startup-led approach to building something people in Ottawa and abroad can stand behind to support our local startup talent.

“I’m often approached by organizations and CEOs of large companies and startups looking for ways they can help. Mercury Grove will give these supporters a tangible opportunity to rally behind,” he said. “We are creating a place where we can start championing our people. If we can demonstrate that there are companies here that are fundable, we can bring more funding to the area. When we champion our people, word gets out and it shines a light on our companies. And when local startups are successful, their success makes it easier for everyone else to get on board.”

From a personal standpoint, Annan has wanted to be part of a vibrant, excited, world-class startup community ever since he first came to Ottawa. One of the reasons why he built Mercury Grove was to surround himself with these kinds of people. He spent a long time involving himself in the community to find mentors and startups at the growth stage to be the right fit for the accelerator.

“I’ve been meeting with so many different entrepreneurs to find the right fit for the accelerator,” he said. “The sweet spot are those startups that have a working product and sales and can most benefit from a big push in momentum to swing them into the next stage of growth. We want to help build that momentum to accelerate these startups to build sustainable companies.”

Mercury Grove has recruited a large , including our own , to provide information and support to the accelerator’s startups. These mentors offer both ongoing and one-off mentoring sessions where they provide everything from feedback to guidance to valuable connections to help grow their companies.

“In addition to helping entrepreneurs with business fundamentals, Mercury Grove is really great from a networking standpoint,” Annan said. “Everybody works out of our office and while we don’t necessarily need offices to get our work done these days it is helpful to be around people going through similar challenges.”

What sets Mercury Grove apart from the host of startup accelerators launched in recent years is its hands-on teaching style.

“A lot of the way we learn is passive. We absorb information, process and then apply,” Annan said. “I think the new model for learning is by doing, and that’s especially true for startups. We approach learning more like riding a bike. We don’t learn how to ride a bike from reading books and going to class. We get on, start peddling, fall down and get back on again.”

This is the concept behind , one of the accelerator’s programs. The website works with entrepreneurs who have been hugely successful in a specific area of building their startup to create step-by-step processes that can be duplicated by new companies looking to achieve success in that area. These “workbooks” contain everything startups would need to know, from online resources to information on what they should expect to pay for services, to good contacts for more information. The idea is not to learn all the steps but to work through them.

Annan said the accelerator is particularly strong in providing marketing mentorship. It has recruited a number of people who are experts in marketing and PR who can help the companies on customer profiling, how to identify profitable market channels, and measurement, to name just a few areas.

“Marketing is at the core of what we are providing because customer acquisition is the number one startup challenge at this stage of startup growth,” Annan said.

He encourages those interested in learning more to check out the , , , and attend some of the many startup-focused events going on around the city.

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