VR users say it will change everyday activities: report

Early adopters of virtual reality (VR) technology believe VR is poised to change pastimes like social networking and video viewing, though issues like motion sickness pose a barrier for some, a new report has found. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Canadian Film Centre, Bell Media team up for VR, AR project

The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and BCE Inc.’s media division have teamed up to develop virtual and augmented reality projects, the duo said in a Wednesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …

Two per cent of Canadians have a VR headset: MTM

While about a tenth of Canadians have used a virtual reality (VR) headset, only about two per cent of them actually own one, according to a new Media Technology Monitor report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …

Canada’s VR industry is nascent, but set for growth

Though virtual reality is still in its early days, it holds promise for Canada’s media industry — including for broadcasters as a new way to draw eyes to live events, such as sports, according to Nordicity’s Kristian Roberts.

For example, it could be used to allow a viewer to watch the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup finals from some of the best seats in the house, he suggested.

Quebec union ‘disappointed’ budgets didn’t address taxation imbalance

A Quebec union representing communications sector employees said it is disappointed with both the federal and provincial budgets, saying that in “both cases, no action has been taken to counter tax avoidance and unfair competition” by foreign digital companies like Netflix Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc.

Ontario interactive media companies set to expand: report

Interactive digital media companies in Ontario are set for “significant growth” within the next two years, according to a report commissioned by industry trade association Interactive Ontario.

Interactive digital media [IDM] companies create digital content that engages users in a “rich interactive” experience, such as video games and apps. There are 877 such companies in Ontario, 86 per cent of which were founded since 2000 and 46 per cent since 2010, according to the report.

As online video, data transmissions grow, need for CDNs expanding

Last month, Amazon.com Inc. announced that its data centre business was expanding into Canada, a move that illustrates what some say is the need for more data points as an increasing amount of digital content is consumed and emerging technologies like 4K and virtual reality grow.

News, video games, VR should be eligible for CanCon funding: Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc. is proposing a tax credit-based federal program to support Canadian content of all types and on all platforms.

Demand for faster upload speeds growing: analysts

The need for upload speed is growing among Canadian consumers and businesses, though it’s too early to tell whether there’s real demand for symmetrical Internet plans that some companies have begun offering, according to analysts.

During the annual BMO Capital Markets’ media and telecom investor’s conference, Telus Corp. said that it has separated itself from the pack by offering symmetrical Internet, or plans where upload speeds are identical to download speeds.

CBC’s Olympics coverage to include virtual reality

CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the summer Olympics in Brazil will incorporate some virtual reality content.

The broadcaster said in a press release Wednesday that “it will provide viewers with both a 360-degree motion-sensitive stream as well as an immersive virtual reality stream for use with compatible headset technology.”

What inroads will virtual reality make in TV, communications?

This week is a long-awaited one for virtual reality enthusiasts, as Facebook Inc. starts to ship its Oculus Rift headset to people who pre-ordered their $599 US devices as far in advance as early January.

While in the short term, VR technology is likely to make its biggest inroads among gamers, television and video conferencing could start taking place in virtual reality, too.