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MORE VERSATILITY FOR POKER CONTROLLER
2011-03-17
Now players can use their iPad
Online poker fans can now move away from their PC keyboards when using the popular Poker Controller software following a new app from the original developers, Smarter Controls International in the UK that enables users to remotely control their action via iPad or iPhone.
Available from the iTunes store, the app has bet, check, and fold buttons, a plus/minus bet slider, x2, x3, x5, pot, and all-in buttons. Players have blind and lobby controls and can switch tables manually and automatically from the app, set bet levels and sit in and sit out. A wireless mouse touchpad is also available - fully configured to let users play across different online poker rooms at the same time.
The app connects to the player's Windows-based PC when he or she downloads the free PC Software from the Poker Controls website. With these two applications connected, each of the player's moves will be instantly sent from iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to his or her PC via Wi-Fi.
Four different editions of the PCIA are available in the iTunes Store, dependent on individual poker room requirements. The app can be used with Pokerstars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, AbsolutePoker.com, EverestPoker.com, 888Poker.com, PartyPoker.com, UB.com, CakePoker.com, LadbrokesPoker.com, TitanPoker.com and ParadisePoker.com.
The $5 package includes free updates and upgrades, with new concepts currently being developed.
POKERSTARS PROVIDES FREE-PLAY POKER CLIENT IN FOXSPORTS DEAL
2010-10-28
Exposure to 26 million FOXSports Users
FOX and PokerStars.net announced a new collaboration between PokerStars.net and FOXSports.com, which will see the poker room deliver a complete poker section and game on the FOX Sports website.
The PokerStars.net poker portal and game application – hosted on FOXSports.com – will provide a free-play poker client as well as news, tournament results, poker strategy and rules.
PokerStars.net North America Regional Marketing Director, Joe Versaci, said: “This tie-in will see FOXSports.com and PokerStars.net combine the best live and editorial content with the web’s best online poker games.”
Jim Bernard, Vice President of Gaming at FOX Sports Interactive, said: “FOX Sports looks forward to delivering the poker experience to our 26 million users.”
SPY POKER?
2010-06-30
Russian ‘sleeper’ had online poker ambitions
The arrest of a Russian ‘sleeper’ spy ring in the United States hit the world headlines this week, and one of the interesting sidebar stories will intrigue followers of the online poker sector of the industry.
Fox News has discovered that a Manhattan socialite among those arrested by the FBI, Anna Chapman, at one time had ambitions to operate an internet poker site, although she admitted that she knew little about the subject.
The 28-year-old internet entrepreneur tried to find investors, some from Moscow, to further her poker ambitions, Fox reported, quoting Alexander Galitsky, who is managing partner for a Russian capital investment firm.
Galitsky said he didn't know Chapman personally, but confirmed that she had been looking for investors for an internet poker venture.
"She tried to raise capital for her online real estate business," he emailed the news service Tuesday. "After this she tried to speak about some other initiative like online poker, but this is out of our policy.”
Chapman ostensibly headed a real estate business, although according to one person interviewed in follow up stories on the bust she knew very little about the property market.
She was a busy person, according to FBI reports, which described her as someone who interacted, flirted and perhaps went even further with officials in various organisations whom she thought might further her commercial and espionage interests. Her targets included Congress lawyers, military scientists and political fundraisers ‘at the highest level.’
One of Chapman’s most recent instructions from Russia was apparently to gather information on the policies and goals of the Obama administration going into an upcoming summit meeting.
NEW iPHONE POKER APP
2010-06-02
Vanessa Roussos follows Annie Duke into the App Store
Following the example set by poker ace Annie Duke (see previous InfoPowa report), poker pro Vanessa Rousso has launched a poker app for the iPhone.
Poker 1 on 1 with Vanessa Rousso is now available in Apple's App Store, and focuses on heads-up play in an interactive learning environment that lets users "learn by doing" with various simulations, games, and challenges.
Users who want to eschew the educational element and get down to the action can do so, and the ‘fun play’ entertaining component in the app enables players to take on a "virtual Vanessa" or compete against a friend in player-vs-player matches using Bluetooth.
“My biggest passion outside of playing poker is in teaching poker strategy. I love watching that light bulb go off in my students’ minds when they discover something new,” Rousso says. “It is very exciting when their confidence level improves as a result of implementing what they have learned.”
LAST CHANCE SALOON FOR ONLINE POKER SITE
2010-03-05
Chance Room closes its virtual doors
With little notice and less fanfare, the Chance Room online poker site on GTechG2's IPN network closed its virtual doors this week after a mere 5 months in business.
Owned by LGH Limited, the company started French and English language online operations in October 2009, with Louis Harang, a director of LGH, announcing proudly: "We've assembled a management team with many years experience in i-gaming. We've designed unique incentives for regular players, and we've chosen one of the most innovative and reputable software providers to make sure our players enjoy the best experience possible."
Apparently these blandishments were not enough to secure success, because the company this week emailed players and affiliate marketers to give them the bad news at rather short notice.
The company's email said:
"ChanceRoom regrets to inform you that it is ceasing its Casino and Poker activities as of 4th of March 2010.
"After a review of the viability of the online Casino and Poker operations, the Board has concluded that due to numerous constraints, the online Casino and Poker can no longer remain competitive.
"Over the next few days, our Customer Support shall be effecting the remission of all funds deposited into your Casino and Poker wallet using the payment instruments registered on your account. Please note that due to legislation requirements you may be requested to submit documentation prior to the remission of your funds. Our Customer Support team will notify you accordingly.
"From all of us here, we hope you have enjoyed the ChanceRoom site as much as we have enjoyed delivering our games and services to you, and would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for your loyalty over the past months."
POKERSCOUTS CONSIDERS A YEAR OF ONLINE POKER
2009-12-28
Full Tilt Poker the growth king in 2009
Retrospective analyses of the twelve months just passed are common as a year draws to a close, and InfoPowa's pick of the many offerings so far published goes to Poker News Daily, which cannily chose to interview Dan Stewart, manager of the independent online poker information and stats site PokerScout.
In an interesting interview Stewart makes the point that the prophets of doom predicting that everything from a bad economic climate to market saturation would cause the industry to falter and regress have been resoundingly proved wrong in 2009...and he produced a few stats to back his opinion.
Stewart told Poker News Daily that the overall market has grown by an impressive 35 percent, with Full Tilt Poker enjoying a good year, doubling in size and increasing market share from 15 percent to 23 percent in its pursuit of the biggest site in the world, Pokerstars.com. Much of the growth occurred in the second half of the year, it appears.
Full Tilt closed the gap during the year and is now 65 percent the size of its gigantic rival, with both substantially ahead of Playtech's third placed iPoker network. The dominance and growth of these super-sites has resulted in smaller companies - especially those lower than the top 12 sites on the leader board - growing slower than the market itself.
A possibly serious contender, depending on the extent to which their respective player databases overlap, could be the much speculated upon possible merger of Bwin and Party Gaming.
Stewart confirms that the sites that have the most players tend to attract more players because they offer continuous poker action around the world, and he estimates that Pokerstars and Full Tilt between them enjoy a 60 percent share of the available market. But there is still enough to go round, he observes, commenting that there are at least 15 other networks with enough players to remain healthy and competitive, even in terms of non-US action.
Going by Pokerscout's usually accurate and up-to-date statistics, the year's biggest loser has been Sweden's state-owned Svenska Spel, which is down by 9 percent - probably as a result of owner-restraints on its marketing efforts.
Pokerscout looks to be even more informative in 2010; Stewart revealed that there some valuable additions planned for the site next year that include an expanded traffic report and more information on rakeback deals.
Readers can find the full interview here: http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/2009-online-poker-industry-trends-7153/