The good news is there has been an increasing number of companies to write about. As well, there are a growing number of blogs focused on the Canadian start-up scene such as Montreal Startup, BlogNation, Startup Ottawa and StartupNorth.

As much as I’m passionate about Canada’s Internet marketplace, I don’t have as much time as I would like to write about it. So, I’ll no longer be writing Maple Leaf 2.0.

Instead, I’ll have some more Canadian content on the flagship blog within my mini-empire (LOL!), Mark Evans Tech, and I’ve got some other ideas rumbling around.

For start-ups looking for some blog love, you can contact me at mapleleafbuckATgmail.com.

cheers,

Mark

Technorati Tags: Blogs, Canada, Mark Evans, StartUps

Post from: EveryJoe

Catch You on the Rebound!

Not only does it involve a lot of work but these days the comments have to be so politically correct because the last thing you want to do is tell a parent that their son or daughter is less than brilliant.

To make the report card process easier, the Toronto District School Board launched a new online report card system. In theory, it sounds wonderful. (particularly if you could get software to automatically insert all the required phrases!) Sadly, the system appears to be buggy, according to a story in the Toronto Star.

“It is impossible to meet with any group of the board’s elementary teachers these days without hearing of the stress, frustration and even anger which the implementation of this project is generating,” Martin Long, president of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto, said in a letter to the Toronto District School Board.

“This had to be expected. Once again, a significant technological innovation is being implemented with totally inadequate resources.”

Technorati Tags: report cards

Post from: EveryJoe

Report Cards 2.0? Not Yet, Perhaps

Moola’s appeal perhaps likes in the fact it’s different. To play, you start with $0.01 and compete against another player at the same level as yourself. If you win, you then have $0.02 and get to play someone who also has $0.02. The more you win, the more money you can make. In theory, you could win $10.7-million if you defeated 30 people.

The service is supported by advertising – mostly through short videos. Since its launch in 2006, more than 175,000 people sign up.

Note: Read/WriteWeb has an extensive review on Moola. Maple Leaf 2.0 initially wrote about Moola last May after the founders attended the mesh conference. BlogNation also has a review on Moola, although it’s nowhere near as enthusiastic as RWW.

Technorati Tags: Moola

Post from: EveryJoe

Moola to Launch Public Beta

What I found particular fascinating was the pricing, which shows a lower US$ price – $29 Canadian for six issues vs. US$31. When was the last time you saw that?

Technorati Tags: Spacing.ca

Post from: EveryJoe

Spacing.ca and the Rise of C$

The CWTA – the lobbying arm for the wireless industry – breathlessly reports that Canadians are among the most enthusiasm users of wireless voice services with monthly usage of more than 400 minutes. Of course, what the CWTA doesn’t mention is that the 60% penetration rate is pretty sad compared with the U.S. (more than 80%), and Europe where most countries have penetration rates of more than 90%.

The Canadian wireless industry likes to suggest the reason penetration lags the U.S. is the industry was launched a couple of years later than south of the border. That may be true but it would also help if there was intense competition between Canadian carriers (Telus, Rogers and Bell). It was also disappointing to see Virgin Canada’s decision to jump into the long-term contract arena, oddly abandoning a core pillar of its growth based of not binding its customers into contracts – something Virgin describes as the “The Catch”

Post from: EveryJoe

Let’s Celebrate: Wireless Penetration in Canada Hits 60%

The event – the Olympics for technical trades for people under 22 years old – features more than 850 students in 38 categories such as critical thinking, multi-tasking and time-management. Next year’s World Skills Competition will be held in Calgary.

See the Vancouver Sun story for more on Kitching.

Post from: EveryJoe

B.C. Student Goes for World Skills Win

“We are pleased to be funded and working with XDL Capital,” said Wellocities chairman Dr. Alex Jadad. “The firm provides us proven software entrepreneurial strength which complements our team of patients and health care providers who have a passion to making a difference in Canadian society.”

Under the banner “Connect Now. Live Well”, Wellocities is a combination of health portal and social networking site with people can find and share information and experiences about a variety of medical issues. It seems to be a nice, clean, easy to navigate site with features such as search and map mash-up to find doctors, clinics and other health professionals in your city.

You can sign up here for the free service.

Technorati Tags: Wellocities, Dennis Bennie

Post from: EveryJoe

XDL Alive and Well; Wellocities Raises $1M

So far, three of the four 15 minute presentations have been confirmed:

1. Globeandmail.com – Engaging the Community: Comments and Beyond, by Angus Frame, editor with globeandmail.com

2. Mobile Marketing for Levis @ Virgin Fest Toronto, by Brady Murphy, managing partner, Vortex Mobile

3. Treehugger.com – Growing a global online community, by Lloyd Alter, Treehugger.com. (Alter has troubling post, by the way, on how some guy named Michael Paul organized a charity event that involved using leaf blowers to play a game of “hockey”. In an age of being green and environmentally-friendly, this idea is just dumb. And the Toronto Star should be slapped for reporting on it.)

Post from: EveryJoe

CaseCamp 6, Nov. 20

What makes a customer feel like they’re more than just someone who pays for product and/or service? And why it is important to go above and beyond to offer customer service?

Lots of challenging questions but if you want some insight into how one company provides top-notch customer service, check out the Tale of Triscuits being sent to Fiji.

Go ahead, and read the blog post but here’s the short version.

Toronto-based Freshbooks, which is headed up by my friend, Michael McDerment, writes a blog post about Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuit. One of its customers, Oceanic in Fiji, leaves a half-in-jest comment about how Freshbooks should stop talking about food that aren’t available in other parts of the world.

The next thing Oceanic knows, there are two boxes of Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuits on his desk – airmailed by Freshbooks from Canada.

Boom. Freshbooks has a “customer for life” by making a simple and nice gesture.

Moral of the story: Triscuits are a great way to make friends around the world….and a little bit of customer service love can go a long way.

Update: It’s not often that ML2 gets to scoop Read/WriteWeb but sometimes blind chickens do find a piece of corn. Check out RWW’s post on Freshbooks and the Tale of the Triscuits.

Technorati Tags: Triscuits

Post from: EveryJoe

The Tantalizing Tale of Triscuits

Now the Camp thing is taking off in Calgary where the first BarCamp is being held on Dec. 15. Of course, there will also be a DemoCamp happening beforehand as David Crow (aka Mr. Toronto DemoCamp) is visiting Calgary later this month. Rather than have a social, David suggested a DemoCamp.

Now, please don’t take this the wrong way but there’s seems to be a whole lot of talking happening but how about some walking too. It’s all good and well to hang out, watch a few demos, talk shop and have a refreshments but let’s hope it’s sparking a whole a much-needed entrepreneurialism as well.

Update: BarCamp3 in Montreal is happening this weekend.

Post from: EveryJoe

Camp Fever Spreads to Calgary