Every day we are bombarded by images - advertisements, commercials, billboards- many that, thanks to digital photography and computer-generated animation, are increasingly of objects, people, and places that only exist on a computer screen. Fake Or Foto? is an online, interactive quiz. You'll be shown a series of pictures and asked to decide if what you see is a real photograph or an fabricated image created on a computer. Is it a fake or a photo? If you get all ten correct, you'll unlock a bonus round. Presented by Autodesk, a leading provider of digital imagery and animation software. [More]

Announced back in August, Sony's hot new handhled communicator "Mylo" is also set for the chopping block. Sony of Canada representative Michelle Lefler confirmed for me that the fast-booting, instant-messaging driven portable will not be released in Canada at all this year and that as yet no decision has been made regarding a possible release for the device in 2007. [More]

After announing plans for the Sony Reader in the United States, it took awhile internally for the consumer electronics giant to decide when the much-anticipated eBook handheld would see a launch here in Canada. The decision has just come in and according to Sony of Canada representative Joanne Elson, the Sony eBook Reader System will not be offered here in Canada at all this year. Sony is still trying to decide on a launch date for the device in Canada and won't be in a position to provide one for awhile. It could be early next year, maybe later. In fact the details are so up in the air that a very late, surprise holiday launch is technically possible. [More]

On a drizzly Thursday morning, along the dockyards south of the Toronto harbourfront I was given the chance to fly in two different helicopters, both Bell 206 B JetRangers. The first existed on a computer, placed under a protective tarp along the puddle soaked tarmac. Hovering over a virtual simulation of the Toronto skyline, complete with dark, dramatic clouds and drizzling rain, I flew it using a joystick and watched it spin the horizon across the LCD monitor. [More]

It's Friday and time for me to catch you just before you escape from work for the weekend and trap you instead in one of the many puzzle rooms scattered accross the internet. This week it's a beautiful point-and-click adventure called Haluz. When a large bird decides to make off with the satellite dish from the roof of a small house, the mouse owner sets out on a strange journey to hunt down the bird and bring the dish back. Similar in style to the classic Samorost puzzle, you'll want to search every pixel of the screen for the secret click spots in order to solve the game's simple puzzles and advance its cute, animated story.Click here to see the other puzzle rooms in this series and as always, you can e-mail me at krisabel@gmail.com for clues and hints although there's a walkthrough included with the game itself. [More]

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Froguts is an interactive simulation program offering up a 3D virtual dissection and biology lesson for a series of photo-realistic specimens with convincing internal organs and a wide range of point-and-click surgical and observation tools. Divided into tutorial steps, the software includes educational instruction and context-sensitive information. When you look at an exposed part of a specimen with a virtual magnifying glass, the name of the organ appears right over it. Using slider bars, you can spin specimens in 3D to look at them from all sides. Every step offers up the opportunity to fully explore the science of the experiment. Although sold as subscription software for $300 US, there are three online demos you can try for free - frog, squid, and owl pellet. The Ontario Ministry of Education has licensed Froguts for all elementary and secondary schools throughout the province. [More]

One of the best animated experiences to be found on the internet, Mystic Monkey is a 3D, interactive simian that knows every method for finding inner peace, or as the tongue-in-cheek website puts it "How to relax your monkey". From trancedental meditation to counting sheep, reflexology to the Gay Shag (the dance from the 1930's), Yoga to celebrity-endorsed Kabala, the Mystic Monkey knows and explains them all. If you think there's a hidden agenda behind all of this, you're right, but it's not what you think. Mystic Monkey is actually a front for very clever U.K. Advertising agency and the monkey animation is just their way of grabbing attention and possible clients. If you click on the "Reel Mystic Monkey" you'll find their demo reel of commercials and ads. [More]

Q - Are you sure that the Chocolate phone is coming out in Canada?????? I live in Alberta, and i called one of our telus stores and they no nothing about it at all. Just curious if this is a for sure thing or not cause im looking at getting a new phone. So if it is coming out i guess i will wait. A - Due to the large number of e-mails, questions, and comments I get about this issue, I'm going to address this here on the front page as a full post. I am absolutely sure the LG Chocolate phone is coming, I contacted LG Canada this week for an update and the scent of chocolate is so strong in the air that I'm expecting an official announcement any day now. [More]

Hewlett-Packard has signed a "definitive agreement" to acquire Canadian company Voodoo PC, internationally renown makers of desktop and notebook systems so glamorous and high-end that they are referred to as the "Ferrari" of computers. The deal will be the beginning of a new, separate unit within HP's "Personal Systems Group" that will focus on the video game industry and will be lead by Voodoo PC founders Rahul Sood (who will become chief technologist) and Ravi Sood (who will be the director of strategy). My heartfelt congratulations go out to both of them, I've always been a big fan of the Soods and Voodoo PC, very proud of their Canadian origin and international succes. I admit I have mixed feelings about the uber-cool customs shop falling into big corporate hands, but know it merely means bigger and greater achievements for the Soods. [More]