We announced lots of exciting things this week including some news about mobile wallets, a follow up to our first Next Is Now video, and officially announced the winner of our TV Makeover contest! Definitely a fantastic way to kick-start the long weekend!

Mobile Wallet

On Tuesday, we announced a partnership with CIBC to announce the upcoming launch of Canada’s first mobile payment solution!’

This announcement marked the first time banks and wireless carriers have joined forces to offer commercially available mobile payments solutions, by leveraging SIM cards inside an NFC-enabled Rogers’ smartphone. The Telecom Blog noted that “Canada is one of the most ‘prepared’ markets for adoption of mobile payments.”

For more on NFC technology, what Canadians are saying about mobile wallets and what this means for Rogers & CIBC customers, read our full Redboard post here, check out this post on Tech Vibes or visit Mobile Syrup for an in-depth video demonstration.

You can also take a look at our post on RedBoard Biz about the basics of contactless payments.

Next is Now … More than Ever

Last year we released a video entitled “Next Is Now,” showcasing how human connections are empowered by rapid changes in communications technology, here in Canada and around the world. This week, we launched the sequel to this video entitled “Next is Now… More than Ever.”

This time around, we examined statistics that speak to how much Canadians value the Internet. For example, did you know that people spend more than two hours every day glancing at their smartphones? All Things Mobile thoughtfully featured both the original and new versions of the video, and you can read more from our own RedBoard post earlier this week.

Meet our TV Makeover Contest Winner!

Earlier this month, we asked our readers to submit photos of their current TV setups for a chance to win a Samsung and Nextbox prize pack valued at over $5000 – and there was no shortage of entries!

After receiving photos from all over Ontario, our RedBoard team had the task of selecting the top 5 contenders. We sifted through TV’s with built in VCR’s, molded into wooden frames, and rabbit ears believe it or not! But in the end, our random draw revealed Howard from Richmond Hill to be our grand prize winner! Congratulations again to Howard – we look forward to seeing the new setup!

Happy May24 Weekend!

For all those celebrating Victoria Day, have a safe and happy holiday!

Kelly is a regular contributor to RedBoard