Girls In Tech

It’s that time of year again when love is in the air and gift shopping is in full swing. Don’t know what to get your game-loving sweetheart? Well here are some great ideas that are sure to Zap your loved one out of their seat and make you their winner!

Nintendo Wii – Couples who game together stay together! With beloved games that are fun for everyone, why not get your loved one a game console that you both can enjoy.  From the classics you enjoyed as a kid, to games to help get fit and more, it’s an easy way to play your way to your game fanatic’s heart!

Turn heads when you turn on your computer. Laptop skins add a unique touch to who you are, and are an easy way to personalize your sweethearts gaming rig. Available for almost all makes and models, you can even make a custom skin that’ll show them exactly how you feel about them this Valentines Day!

Trying to find that right mix of romance and technology? Then look no further than the infamous iPod Touch. Just preload it with tunes and game apps that you both love and share and you’ll be dancing your way to their heart! Already have an iPod touch or iPhone? Some apps and games even allow you to play against (or with) each other remotely, bringing you closer together on those business trips, daily lunch breaks, and more.

The techie you love will heart (<3) this 4GB USB thumb-drive. It’s the perfect on the go accessory to wear around your neck or use as a keychain. Available in various colors, it’s a great gift you can wear and share! Want to give it even more of a personal touch? Leave a letter, photos, a video greeting, or more for them on it to find and enjoy the first time they use it!

The Canon PowerShot A480 is a great and affordable way to start making new memories with your loved one.  This is both a romantic gift as well as a functional one. It has a 2.5inch LCD screen and 3.3x optical zoom, and comes in stunning silver as well as this gorgeous red.

If you’re looking for something sweet and simple to give this Valentines Day, give the gift of memory with this heart shaped digital photo frame. Just load this 2.4inch frame with pictures of the two of you and you’ve found the perfect way to stay in their thoughts and on their desk this Valentine’s.

It’s a Far Cry (pun intended) from digital circuitry design and electromagnetics, but Dr. Magda El Zarki, professor of Information and Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, will head up UC Irvine’s Center for Computer Games & Virtual Worlds.

By next fall, UC Irvine will open admission to 50-100 eager students who will be able to declare a four-year major in Game Science. With access to a 4,000 sq.ft. cyber-interaction observatory, students will study everything from anthropology in virtual worlds to brain-computer interface sciences. If you are not a student, don’t fret, the Center will open its doors to visiting scholars, offer workshops, and partner with other virtual world and computer game science centers worldwide.

Though the Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds will focus on research and development, companies like Irvine-based Blizzard and French-based Ubisoft, creators of the Far Cry series, will eventually have access to employees with degrees in game science giving the gaming world a bit of needed legitimacy.

Since the UC system just closed its application process for Fall 2010 on November 30^th, be ready for the following year when the cyber observatory will open its doors!

No more than 10-15 years ago, playing games (especially by girls) was not only discouraged, but also frowned upon. Normally, this is the type of opposition one receives from their parents growing up, but that wasn’t the case with me. While all my girlfriends wanted to go shopping and put on make-up, I was anxious to hit the arcade and challenge all the boys to some game-play. Needless to say this activity sounded less than appealing to all my girlfriends.
Now as I sit here over 10 years later, it is those very friends that have inspired me to write this piece. The same friends that used to joke and tease me for being the “geeky” girl who likes video games, are the ones who now ask me “which computer should I get”, “what’s new in mobile technology and gaming”, and “what’s the best app out there to play together?”
It is this transformation in such a short span of time that amazes me. We changed from what once used to be a taboo for most people to something that is not only socially and globally accepted, but assumed and almost required. I would think a change that happens this fast would lead to a culture shock. Instead, it spread virally. Nerdy boys gaming in their basements are a thing of the past. “I game, you game, and people game” became the new standard.
Now, gaming is easier than ever. I can play on my own on a hand held or on a phone or I can play with my friends via wi-fi. And getting other people involved just enhances your experience. I can invite friends to play from my phone, they can join me on their mp3 players, or if they don’t have one, they can compete with me on Facebook or a number of other social networking sites. The possibilities are endless.
All I can say is I hope this trend continues. Girls, now more than ever are comfortable playing games, and are encouraged to do so. They diverted their attention from the stereotypical female activities to a new set of interests in tech. Now, with their heads held high, this revolutionary shift brings girls one-step closer to paving the way for future innovations in gaming, technology, and more.

Join us for Virtual Goods Summit 2009 and VGS University!

When:
VGS University – Thursday, October 29, 2009
Virtual Goods Summit – Friday, October 30, 2009

Where:
Westin Market Street, 50 Third Street, San Francisco, CA

Website: http://www.vgsummit.com/2009
Register: http://vgsummit2009-git.eventbrite.com (Save 15% using the code GIRLSINTECH)

The market opportunity for virtual goods continues to expand as developers and publishers of social games get a deeper understanding of how virtual goods work and how best to enhance gameplay and maximize revenue. This year’s 3rd annual Virtual Goods Summit on Friday Oct 30th will bring together thought leaders from Asia, Europe and the Americas to talk about what’s changed, what’s working, and the key challenges facing the industry going forward.

Come network with companies including Zynga, Nexon, Tencent, Viximo, Playfish, Paypal, Playdom and Offerpal and other leading developers in the virtual goods and social gaming space from Asia, Europe and the US.

New for this year, we’ve added a half-day seminar, VGS University on Thurs, Oct 29, designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the key fundamental drivers of virtual goods business models. Our group of experts will cover topics ranging from why virtual goods are effective to the ins and outs of managing a virtual economy, so join us for the day and learn from some of our industry’s leaders.

Confirmed Speakers and Panelists
* David Wallerstein, Tencent
* John Earner, Playfish
* Min Kim, Nexon
* Dai Watanabe, DeNa Global
* Andrew Trader (A.T.), Zynga
* Steve Meretzky, Playdom
* Amy Jo Kim, Shufflebrain
* Nils-Holger Henning, Bigpoint
* Benjamin Joffe, Plus8Star
* Jameson Hsu, Mochi Media
* Cary Rosenzweig, IMVU
* Brian Balfour, Viximo
* Adam Caplan, Super Rewards
* David Marcus, Zong
* Jeremy Liew, Lightspeed Venture Partners
* Steven Goh, mig33
* Owen Mahoney, Outspark
* John Smedley, Sony Online Entertainment
* Kevin Xu, IGG
* Zhan Ye, GameVision
* Renata Dionello, Paypal
* Ron Hirson, BOKU
* Siqi Chen, Serious Business
* Phlip Yun, NHN USA
* Keith Rabois, Slide
* David Jesse, Gaia Online
* Shanna Tellerman, Wildpockets
* Vikas Gupta, Jambool
* Bill Wang, Perfect World
* Geoff Cook, MyYearbook
* Bill Grosso, Live Gamer
* Robin Chan, XPD Media
* Dave Etling, InComm
* Ludovic Bodin, CMUNE
* Anu Shukla, Offerpal Media
* Fernando Paiz, Turbine
* Melinda Byerley, Linden Lab
* Roger Wood, ORCA
* Tim Chang, Norwest Venture Partners
* Eugene Yoo, Globespan Capital
* Will O’Brien, TrialPay
* Shin Takamiya, Globis Capital Partners
* Jinen Kamdar, Ning
* Lex Bayer, Spare Change (PlaySpan)
* Justin Smith, Inside Social Games

For more information, please email Charles Hudson (charles@vgsummit.com) or David Sachs (david@vgsummit2008.com).

Ever wonder who is behind all those virtual games and how they are such a boon in the social web community these days?  Who ismaking money from them and how do they do it?  Anu Shukla, CEO of Offerpal Media is a master of both!

Anu founded Offerpal Media in June 2007, the first “Managed Offer Platform” provider for social applications in this space.  She has created a unique company where developers, social publishers, mobile developers, and advertisers, alike, can capitalize on the ever-expanding & profitable social media market. Offerpal allows developers to monetize their games, while advertisers benefit as well. In one example, a 22-year old game developer was written a 6-figure check by successfully utilizing Offerpal’s platform.

“A couple of years ago, we looked at the social networking landscape, and saw that a lot of people were spending time on social networks and playing their favorite games and applications, but monetization was still not happening, “ says Anu Shukla, CEO and Founder of Offerpal Media. “We looked at this as a very interesting problem and came up with concept of a managed offer platform which is now Offerpal media. We monetize anybody that has virtual currency, digital goods, or subscription-based services with a variety of payment methods and advertising offers. It has really taken off, and I’m pleased to see that applications are being built to promote the use and monetization of virtual currency.”

Offerpal Media’s network reaches more than 50 million social networking users in total, spanning hundreds of popular social applications on Facebook, hi5, Bebo, Friendster and other leading social networks.
They have won several awards, including being an AO Global 250 winner in 2008, among the Top 50 TiE Startups in 2009, and an AO OnMedia 100 winner.  I am sure many more accolades will come their way.

To read more about Offerpal Media, see their website at:
http://offerpal.com/.

SGN’s Global Communications/Marketing Intern will assist with media relations, blogging, media research, preparing presentations, and producingreports/analytics/audits. All tasks will be managed by our Director of Global communication with the objective of producing a positive public image of SGN products and industry presence. Qualified candidates possess strong writing skills, enthusiasm for the tech industry, and a natural journalistic curiosity. Ultimately, the Intern may be empowered to take action on behalf of SGN as deemed appropriate by his or her mentor.

All candidates must submit the following to HR@SGN.com: 
Letter of inquiry
 Resume/CV
. Please use the subject line “PR Intern”.
 Applicants who fail to use the correct subject heading or provide the required materials will not be considered for the position.

May 13, 2009
7:00 pm	to	9:00 pm

We are very excited about this weeks Girls in Tech – Santa Cruz event. Veronica Belmont will be coming to speak with us about community building, gaming, girls in technology and what she is currently working on. This event will be a very casual “fireside chat” where audience and group participation is encouraged. We are lucky enough to have the event hosted by the lovely people at NextSpace from 7 – 9 PM on Wednesday, May 13th.

In order to be admitted to the event, you must RSVP here: http://gitsantacruz.eventbrite.com/

Veronica (twitter) is the co-host of Revision3’s tech-centric show, Tekzilla, and Qore on the PlayStation Network. Previous to that, she hosted several other online video shows and podcasts, including Mahalo Daily, Buzz Out Loud, MP3 Insider, and Crave. She also created tech video content for CNET TV, including the popular series Prizefight.

Veronica frequently guest hosts other technology-related podcasts, and also speaks about technology, gaming, and social networking. In her spare time, she hosts the science fiction and fantasy-themed podcast / book club The Sword and Laser. She currently resides in San Francisco, with one technology writer and two cats. She attended Emerson College, B.A. in Audio/Radio, focus in New Media studies.

We can’t wait to see you there!