Just in case you weren’t completely convinced that the Canadian government’s campaign to paralyze technological innovation and user rights with insanely restrictive copyright legislation wasn’t completely influenced by direct pressure from the United States, a new cable document released by Wikileaks should eliminate all doubt.
The Criterion Collection, a home video label known for releasing some of the finest cinematic works as well as several Michael Bay movies, will no longer be allowing Canadians to access their online streams by the end of the year. While many of their titles had been offered on Netflix, the company has announced this week that they are jumping ship to a different service. Care to guess which one?
Posted in Film, Home Video, News, Streaming
Tagged Criterion Collection, getting screwed over, Hulu, Netflix
Word is finally spreading that the usage-based billing being implemented by Canadian internet providers this month is a really, really, really bad thing. In response, a Toronto rally is being organized for Friday 4 February 2011 followed by a Saturday rally outside Parliament Hill to communicate the dissatisfaction of pretty much all Canadian society. (Information is available after the jump for those who don’t use Facebook.) While it is likely to be an impressive demonstration, we must remember that all of this public demand may yield nothing more than a slightly less outrageous, but all-too-similar, compromise.
Posted in Animation, Film, Music, Net Neutrality, News, Policy, Social, Streaming, Telecommunications, Television, Video Games
Many Canadians were likely upset this past Saturday to find that FUNimation’s online streaming presentation of Dragonball Z was not available to them. When region blocking like this occurs, it is common to assume that the company in question simply doesn’t own the Canadian rights to a given title. FUNimation can’t use that excuse: they already explicitly stated in their initial press release that they own the Canadian streaming rights to the series.
Tagged dragonball z, FUNimation, getting screwed over, Hulu, One Piece, YouTube
Speculation has arisen that Public Mobile, the admirable yet sadly ineffectual Canadian mobile phone upstart, may not be far from seeking a partnership or merger in the face of intense treachery from incumbent cell companies. It is now more important than ever to remind cellphone users that the recent Chat-r brand is, in fact, the purest incarnation of evil.
Posted in News, Social, Telecommunications
Tagged chat-r, getting screwed over, mobilicity, public mobile, The Room, wind mobile
With Internet providers recently being given the regulatory go-ahead to charge customers based on how much bandwidth they use, things are beginning to look slightly grimmer for net neutrality being properly implemented in Canada. However, a glimmer of hope still exists in the form of Industry Minister Tony Clement, who may soon have the power to undo this damage. As always, your simple and non-intensive participation is vital.
Posted in Net Neutrality, News, Policy, Social
Tagged Bell, CRTC, getting screwed over, mobile phones, Protectionism, Rogers, Telus, Tony Clement
Anticipation for Young Justice, the latest DC Comics action cartoon being helmed by television writer Greg Weisman (best known as the head writer of Gargoyles and The Spectacular Spider-Man), has reached new heights after a preview was screened at this year’s New York Comic Con. Meanwhile, Marvel Animation (best known for ruthlessly killing The Spectacular Spider-Man) has begun dabbling in historical revision in their latest television production.
Netflix, an online streaming service for movies and television shows which is often touted as being more convenient than piracy, has finally launched in Canada. It can be accessed by anyone with the exception of those who made the unfortunate choice of purchasing an Xbox360.
Posted in Film, Home Video, News, Television
Tagged Bell, Corporate consolidation, getting screwed over, Netflix, Online streaming, Rogers
Mobile phone users in Canada can now proudly boast that they pay more per month than any other nation on earth. Surprise. Subscribers who have made the questionable decision of switching to the deceptively convenient “Chat-r” brand should be advised that they are doing more to exacerbate the situation than they are to remedy it.
Posted in Policy, Social, Telecommunications
Tagged chat-r, getting screwed over, mobile phones, wind mobile
