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Discord chat is officially coming to PlayStation 5, beta members get first access

Discord integration is officially hitting Sony’s PlayStation 5.

Beta participants are the first to gain access to Discord, the popular cross-platform voice chat platform. With Discord now available on PlayStation 5, beta members can chat with friends across PC, mobile and even Xbox.

In a blog post, Discord announced its partnership with PlayStation is expanding. Last year, Discord and PlayStation announced connective support, linking PSN with Discord, and enabling players to show the games they are playing on the communication platform. Now, this partnership has expanded to allow PlayStation 5 players to access Discord’s chat functionality.

Those selected to participate in the Discord beta test will receive an email containing a code. This code grants access to the beta software, and once it’s redeemed, players will be able to update their PlayStation 5 console to the beta software.

Afterwards, they can navigate to the ‘Settings’ option and into the ‘User and Accounts’ and ‘Linked Services.’ Here, a new Discord option allows you to link your PSN account with Discord. Once the tab is selected, players can scan a QR code with their phone to take them to a Discord webpage and enter an eight-digit code.

At the outset, Discord’s integration on PlayStation seems very similar to the experience on Xbox consoles when it first arrived. Players can use the mobile app to select ‘Join on PlayStation’ and transfer the voice connection from their phone to their headset or even the DualSense microphone. As of now, Discord’s presence on PlayStation isn’t native. Therefore, players won’t be able to launch into a voice chat without using a phone or PC.

The company notes that access for all PlayStation 5 owners is “coming soon.”

Image credit: Discord

Source: Discord

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Mobile Syrup

Get over $800 in trade-in credits towards new S23 series devices

Now that Samsung’s new S23 lineup has been unveiled, Canadians can order the latest flagship devices. One way to reduce the cost of your new smartphone is to trade in your old one.

With the Samsung Galaxy S23, buyers can save up to $835 on the new phone, based on the $350 pre-order top-up promotion and the trade-in of a Galaxy S22 Ultra 512GB, which comes in at $485 in value.

The ‘pre-order top-up promotion’ will offer you $350 if you complete the purchase of an eligible Samsung Galaxy S23 device and trade in an eligible Galaxy Note Series, Galaxy S Series, or Galaxy Z Series device as defined in the List of Eligible Trade-In Devices. Under the same promotion, you will get $100 if you complete the purchase of an eligible Samsung Galaxy S23 device and trade in an Eligible Trade-In Product (excluding Galaxy Note Series, Galaxy S Series, or Galaxy Z Series device) as defined as “Other Smartphone” in List of Eligible Trade-In Devices.

Similarly, with the S23+ and the S23 Ultra, you can save up to $845 on the new device, considering that you’re trading in a Galaxy S22 Ultra 512GB, paired with the $350 pre-order promotion.

For reference, Samsung quoted a $427 estimated trade-in value for my iPhone 12 Pro 128GB, paired with a $100 promotion, which totals $527 in trade-in value. It’s worth noting that by trading in the same device on Apple’s website to purchase the iPhone 14 Pro, I was only offered $380 in trade-in value.

Head to the S23, 23+ or S23 Ultra listing on Samsung’s website and click on Trade-In to calculate how much value you can get from your old device.

Image credit: Samsung, Apple

Source: Samsung

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Mobile Syrup

Nintendo’s Swtich game vouchers are back in Canada

Nintendo is currently offering Switch Online subscribers a special offer.

Nintendo currently has ‘Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers,’ with which, Switch Online subscribers can get two eligible games for a combined saving. Essentially, Switch Online users can buy a pair of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers and “redeem each one for a digital game in the voucher catalogue to score savings.”

A pair of vouchers cost $132.99, and here are the eligible digital games you can use them on:

Check out a list of all eligible titles here.

It’s worth noting that vouchers can be redeemed within 12 months from the date of purchase, giving members the option to choose when they want to use them. Further, members can accumulate up to eight active vouchers in their account, providing even more opportunities to add new games to their collection at a discount.

Learn more about the vouchers here.

Image credit: Nintendo

Source: Nintendo

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter to start charging for access to its free API

Twitter will stop offering free access to its API starting February 9th, a move that — unsurprisingly — has frustrated developers.

The Twitter Dev account announced that change on February 2nd at 1:05am ET in a tweet, writing that the platform would instead offer a “paid basic tier” instead. The account went on to tweet that its data is “among the world’s most powerful data sets.”

The Twitter Application Programming Interface (API) enables third parties to access and analyze public Twitter data. The API is used for a variety of things, such as programmable bots, or separate apps that connect to the platform, like Thread Reader, which turns Twitter threads into easier-to-read text blocks.

The Verge notes that Twitter currently offers free, but limited, API access with paid tiers for scaling up access. Although the company doesn’t publicly share the price of its API tiers, The Verge cited a Twitter Community post noting the costs, which start at $99 USD (about $131.69 CAD) per month. Presumably, the new basic paid tier would fall below that price.

Unfortunately, the change will likely impact various small developers that used the free API access to create fun or useful tools and bots that weren’t intended to turn a profit. When the changes come into effect, most of those tools will either shut down or start charging some kind of fee to recoup the costs of accessing Twitter’s API. It’ll also impact other groups, like students and scientists who use the platform to gather information for research or study online behaviours.

Moreover, the changes come after Twitter abruptly banned developers from making third-party Twitter apps, leading to the shutdown of popular apps like Twitterific and Tweetbot.

All of these recent changes have happened rapidly, with little or no warning for developers. The company is seemingly much less friendly towards those who built tools and apps that helped make Twitter the platform that it is today, especially as the company appears to just be trying to make a quick buck to help Musk pay off his debt.

Source: Twitter Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Where to stream viral Canadian horror movie Skinamarink in Canada

Over the past few months, you might have heard of an indie horror movie called Skinamarink. 

After all, it’s been something of a viral sensation thanks to the likes of TikTok. What you might not have known, however, that it’s Canadian. Filmed by YouTuber Kyle Edward Ball in his native Edmonton for just $15,000 USD (about $20,000 CAD), the movie follows two children who cannot find their father and must deal with mysterious happenings in their home.

As a slow-burn experimental feature, it’s proven to be rather polarizing, but regardless, it’s certainly captured the internet’s attention. And now, after a small theatrical rollout in January, the movie is finally streaming worldwide, including in Canada, on Shudder.

The horror-themed service costs $5.99 CAD/month with a free 7-day trial. It’s available on a variety of platforms, including Android, iOS, Amazon Prime Video (as a channel) and the web.

Skinamarink isn’t the only Alberta production to recently take off. HBO’s hit The Last of Us series was also filmed in the province — a fact that the creators and stars, including Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, raved about to MobileSyrup. The series’ production designer even said he was surprised at how “clean” the province ended up being. Travel Alberta has also created an interactive map to let viewers view exact filming locations from the series.

Image credit: Shudder

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Mobile Syrup

Rogers reports wireless subscriber, revenue growth in Q4 results

Rogers’ Q4 financial results show growth in its wireless and service sectors.

Revenue on the wireless front grew by 7 percent through roaming revenue and growth in its postpaid mobile subscriber count. Rogers’ added 193,000 postpaid customers, increasing its growth by 52 percent year-over-year.

However, the same success is not reported on the prepaid side, with the loss of 7,000 subscribers.

The news comes as Rogers, Shaw, and Québecor expanded its self-imposed deadline to conclude their mergers.

More to come…

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Mobile Syrup

Amazon puts 2nd and 3rd Gen Apple AirPods on sale

Now that we’re into the second month of 2023, perhaps you need a new pair of earbuds at the gym, subway, car, bus, walking. If you do then check out these deals on Apple AirPods from Amazon.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

Source: Amazon Canada

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Mobile Syrup

Bell quietly completed Distributel acquisition in Q4

Telecom giant Bell has completed its acquisition of Distributel, according to its Q4 earnings report.

The report highlights a number of areas of customer growth through the acquisition. However, this is the first time Bell has mentioned the acquisition publically since announcing its intentions to acquire Distributel in September.

More to come…

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Mobile Syrup

SaskTel, Stafford Communications partner to increase broadband access in rural communities

SaskTel is partnering with Stafford Communications to increase broadband solutions and internet speed options in rural Saskatchewan communities.

The two companies have partnered through the Rural Broadband Partnership Program (RBPP). Under the program, SaskTel works with internet providers to increase broadband connectivity in rural communities.

“Having already worked with a number of local providers, we’ve seen tangible results from this program, and we look forward to creating new partnerships that will allow us to reach more rural and Indigenous communities,” Doug Burnett, SaskTel’s CEO, said.  

The collaboration will see Stafford Communications deliver internet speeds up to 100Mbps to Crystal Springs, Jumping Lake, Struthers Lake, Tarnopol, Waitville, Yellow Creek and the surrounding rural areas. 

SaskTel launched RBPP in September 2021.

Image credit: SaskTel

Source: SaskTel

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Mobile Syrup

I tried Bell’s 5G Shot Clock Challenge on Snapchat at the Raptors game and you should too

Anyone who’s ever attended a Toronto Raptor’s home game knows the energy inside the arena is crazy.

Dedicated fans fill thousands of seats at Scotiabank Arena, cheering loudly every time their favourite team scores. But anyone attending a game under the Welcome Toronto series has the opportunity to do some extra cheering.

Bell and Snapchat have partnered to create a new lens that lets attendees shoot their own round of hoops through the Bell 5G Shot Clock Challenge on Snapchat, just like their favourite players.

I had the chance to check the feature out, and the experience is intense.

A special QR code adds the lense to Snapchat accounts where users can pick a team, playing opposite their fellow Toronto Raptors fans. Users can pick between the Black and Gold teams, which is followed by the lowering of a virtual net and a countdown.

The goal was to shoot as many baskets as possible, and it took me a round or two to get the hang of it. I’m no basketball protegee, but my competitive side definitely came out.

Bell’s 5G technology meant I faced no lag while playing the game alongside fellow fans. Unfortunately, a 5G device is needed to play against other fans. But those with 4G and LTE-connected devices can still join in on the fun through a single player version. Having experienced both through my group, I can promise you the 4G and LTE experiences are just as competitive.

The lense is available at games part of the Welcome Toronto series at Scotiabank arena. If you’re interested in trying the lens out, you can do it at the next home games on February 10th or March 18th.