Australia

Hemisphere GPS acquires Australia firm

Calgary-based Hemisphere GPS, which develops and manufactures precision commercial and industrial GPS systems for a variety of global markets, has reached an agreement to acquire Brisbane, Australia-based Beeline Technologies Pty. Ltd., a global software developer, providing intelligent automation and navigation solutions for land-based vehicles, for US$21 million. ‘Beeline’s high-end solutions round out our product offerings, with the addition of end-user application-specific solutions for the high-end precision agriculture markets,’ stated Steven Koles, president and CEO of Hemisphere GPS. ‘Beeline’s leading software solution will be integrated with Hemisphere GPS’ leading Outback products and our Crescent and Eclipse technologies, allowing us to address the entire market spectrum - from entry level guidance to highly accurate auto-steering.

India

Minaean attracts Canara Bank of India

Vancouver-based Minaean International Corp., which manufactures building systems using light-gauge steel, announced that its wholly-owned Indian subsidiary Minaean Habitat India Pvt. Ltd. has been awarded a contract by Canara Bank of India. Minaean will construct 30 modular units to house Canara’s ATMs located within suburban railway stations in Mumbai. The modular units for the ATMs will be constructed using MHI’s Modular Quik-Build technology.

South Korea

Wi-LAN signs V-Chip licenses with South Korean Manufacturers

Wi-LAN Inc., an Ottawa-based technology licensing company, announced that it signed a V-Chip license for US Patent with Homecast Co. Ltd. of South Korea and a V-Chip licence for Canadian Patent with Qingdao Haier Electronics Co. Ltd., of China. Homecast manufactures set-top-box products for global markets and Qingdao Haier Electronics is a division of the Haier Group Company of China, a manufacturer of major appliances, televisions, home theatre systems and DVD players.
Wi-LAN licenses intellectual property that applies to a range of electronics and communications products.Founded in 1992, Wi-LAN (TSX: WIN) was a recognized pioneer in the design, development and delivery of broadband wireless technologies. In 2006, Wi-LAN reinvented itself to focus exclusively on licensing its intellectual property.
Singapore

CryptoLogic Limited, a Toronto-based software developer to the global Internet gaming industry, announced that it closed a deal for a stake in Mikoishi Studios, a Singapore-based game development and design company, with an investment of $6.1 million. The partnership will give CryptoLogic access to a technology platform that allows games to be ported to wireless devices. CryptoLogic will initially take a substantial minority equity stake in Mikoishi and has options to increase its ownership over time. CryptoLogic will also have representatives on the Mikoishi board of directors.

Japan

Japan’s NHK will supply programs to Discovery Channel Canada

Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK, announced that it has signed a contract to supply programs to Discovery Channel Canada. NHK will supply over 70 hours of programming between now and September 2010. NHK was founded in 1926, modelled on the BBC radio company of the United Kingdom. A second radio network was started in 1931 and a shortwave service broadcasting to listeners overseas began in 1935. NHK started television broadcasts in 1953. It aired its first color television broadcast in 1960. Although the network first introduced commercial broadcasts to Japan, nowadays NHK is paid for by viewer fees.

Singapore

Toronto-based Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that Fairmont Singapore has joined its collection of landmark hotels, the company’s first property in Asia. Fairmont, a global luxury hotel chain, recently announced three other projects in the region, including Fairmont Beijing, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai and a future hotel development project on Macao’s Cotai Strip. Fairmont Singapore is situated at the crossroads of the city’s business, cultural, entertainment and shopping districts, 20 minutes from Singapore’s Changi International Airport. The 769-room hotel is located above one of the main subway stations and is part of Raffles City complex, which also includes the Raffles City Convention Centre and the Raffles City Shopping Centre.

Japan