Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter reportedly now requires verification from all advertisers

If you’re a person or a business looking to advertise on Twitter, it looks like you’ll have to start coughing up cash.

Several users of the Elon Musk-owned social media platform are sharing screenshots of this policy update. In it, the statement reads, “starting April 21, your @account must have a verified checkmark or subscribe to either Twitter Blue or Verified Organizations to continue running ads on Twitter.”

For context, Twitter Blue costs $10/month, while a verified organization status costs $1,000/month.

The statement further elaborates, “this change aligns with Twitter’s broader verification strategy: to elevate the quality of content on Twitter and enhance your experience as a user and advertiser. This approach also supports our ongoing efforts to reduce fraudulent accounts and bots.”

This development comes after the official phasing out of the platforms’ legacy blue checkmark system, a Twitter staple that hasn’t lasted the Musk acquisition.

The official Twitter page for ad account creation has not provided any updates, nor has Musk himself Tweeted about the change as of yet.

Source: @MattNavarra Via: TechCrunch

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Mobile Syrup

New Pixel Fold leak uncovers the foldable phone’s potential specs

A new leak from Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech about the upcoming Pixel Fold offers a detailed look at the foldable’s potential specs.

According to Prosser, the Pixel Fold will cost $1,799 USD (approximately $2436.45 CAD) for the 256GB model and $1,919 USD (approximately $2598.97 CAD) for the 512GB model. The fold is said to come in two colours, chalk and obsidian, with the 512GB model available in obsidian only.

Google is also reportedly offering a free Pixel Watch for everyone who pre-orders the Pixel Fold, making the steep price point more justified.

According to the leak, both foldable models will feature 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and run the Tensor G2 chip with the Titan M2 security chip. As for dimensions, the phone allegedly measures 5.5 by 3.1 by 0.5-inches when folded.

The outer display of the Pixel Fold is set to feature a 17.4:9 aspect ratio at 5.8-inches and will sport an FHD+ OLED display with a resolution of 2092 × 1080 pixel resolution OLED screen. The inner display sits at 7.6-inches, with the foldable display featuring ultra-thin glass protected by plastic.

Like the Pixel 7 series, the upcoming Pixel Fold will come with Google One VPN, according to this report.

The recent leak also touches on the specs of the phone’s cameras. Prosser reports a 48-megapixel main sensor with /1.7 aperture and a sensor size of half an inch. The front outer selfie camera is reported to have a 9.5-megapixel sensor with 1.22 pm pixel width, f/2.2 aperture, and fixed focus.

Pre-orders for the Pixel Fold open on May 10th, with the foldable phone expected to get a full introduction at the Google I/O 2023. The foldable is expected to release in June 2023.

Image credit: Jon Prosser 

Source: Jon Prosser Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Former ISED minister Navdeep Bains joins Rogers’ executive team

Toronto-based telecom company Rogers detailed changes to its executive leadership team, which includes adding former Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) minister Navdeep Bains.

Bains was appointed Rogers’ Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. According to a release from the company, Bains “will build on his years of public and private sector leadership on critical issues facing our country, including improving connectivity in rural and remote Indigenous communities across Canada.”

Part of his mandate will include leading the Public Policy and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts for Rogers. Bains will also focus on Canada’s digital economy, access for low-income families and climate change action.

Bains previously was vice chair of global investment banking at CIBC but his time as ISED minister is more notable. Bains stepped down as ISED minister in January 2021. At the time, Bains said he needed to “put his family first.” Current ISED minister François-Philippe Champagne was sworn in on January 12th.

Along with Bains, Rogers added two other people to the executive team. Shaw’s chief operations officer Zoran Stakic was appointed as Rogers’ chief transformation officer. Rogers appointed Terrie Tweddle as chief brand and communications officer — Tweddle worked for Rogers from 2008 until 2020 and rejoined the company in 2022.

Other notable changes include that Ted Woodhead, Rogers’ chief regulatory and government affairs officer, is leaving the company. Marisa Wyse, Rogers’ chief legal officer, will assume regulatory affairs.

Source: Rogers

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter removes “Government-funded” label from news organizations’ accounts

Last week, CBC, alongside other media organizations, received a badge on their Twitter profiles that read “Government-funded Media.”

Subsequently, CBC appealed, saying it is “less than 70% government-funded.” Twitter CEO Elon Musk, being the troll that he is, changed CBC’s Twitter account badge to read “69% Government-funded Media.”

On April 17th, CBC stated on Twitter that it’s “pausing” all activity on the social media platform, noting that its “journalism is impartial and independent.”

Now, Twitter has removed the “government-funded” label from news organizations’ Twitter handles. The labels were removed on Friday, including those on accounts affiliated with the British Broadcasting Corporation, National Public Radio, Public Broadcasting Service, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and China state-backed broadcaster CGTN, among others.

Musk has been working on changing the way Twitter identifies users as he seeks to profit from verification and labels that single out certain groups, such as large businesses and prominent individuals. This comes soon after Twitter removed Blue legacy verification checkmarks from user profiles, including MobileSyrup‘s Twitter account. 

Many news outlets, including the CBC had complained that the labels unfairly implied their journalism was influenced by government. On the other hand, the removal of the labels has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it could lead to confusion among Twitter users about the funding and affiliations of news organizations.

However, Musk’s efforts to change the way Twitter identifies users are likely to continue as he seeks to monetize the platform’s verification and labeling systems.

Source: Bloomberg

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Mobile Syrup

Chatr offering 4GB of bonus data up to 12 months on select plans

Rogers flanker brand Chatr is offering an additional 4GB of bonus data per month for 12 months on select nationwide prepaid service plans.

The company has plans for both 3G and 4G talk & text. All Chatr phone plans include call display, call forwarding, and group calling.

Until April 24th, you can get the 4GB data bonus on 3G talk & text plans starting at $35/mo up to $70/mo for unlimited Canada-Wide Talk and Data at speeds up to 10 Mbps.

Chatr 4G PlansThe same deal applies for 4G talk & text plans, with an additional $5 price increase per plan, starting at $40/mo and up to $75/mo. The deals are eligible with new activations and auto-pay until April 24th. Moreover, the 4GB bonus includes the 2GB of bonus data you get from signing up for auto-pay, so really you’re getting 2GB of extra data.

Looking at the fine print, Chatr confirms that unused data will not roll over into the next month and that additional data overage and data roaming rates apply where applicable. They also state that the data bonus will expire if the account becomes inactive or the plan is changed before the end of the 12-month period.

Full details of Chatr’s latest deals can be found here. Lucky Mobile is also offering 4GB of bonus data as part of a new offer.

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Mobile Syrup

Lucky Mobile offering 4 GB of bonus data for 12 months to celebrate Eid

Bell’s Lucky Mobile is kicking off Eid celebrations with a new offer — 4 GB of bonus data per month for 12 months.

The catch? You’ll need to register for Auto Top-Up with select plans starting at $35/month to qualify. Auto Top-Up plans come with 2GB/month of bonus data to begin with, so this Eid offer only nets you an extra 2 GB/month.

Lucky pitches its Auto Top-Up plans as an easy way to avoid missing payments. Using your payment of choice, the company adds funds directly to your account balance every month to cover service charges.

The offer lasts until April 24th, and is available online and at select retailers across the country.

You can check out the offer here.

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Mobile Syrup

TTC rejects Bell, says it won’t ‘tear up the contract’ with BAI

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) rejected Bell’s proposal for a joint, open-access model for wireless service on Toronto’s subways.

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green told The Canadian Press (via CP24) in an email that the agency wouldn’t “tear up the contract” it had with BAI to move ahead with a joint build as Bell wants:

“The ‘neutral host model,’ where one company builds the infrastructure and others join through an operating agreement, is common practice and works well in other jurisdictions. To suggest, as this letter does, we tear up the contract reached after an open and public bidding process and instead award our wireless services to another consortium without a public tender is a non-starter for the TTC.”

The response comes after Bell CEO Mirko Bibic replied to Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne’s call on major telecoms to reach a deal on wireless access in the subway. Bibic claimed Bell spoke unsuccessfully with the TTC, BAI and City officials multiple times about a joint, open-access model.

As a quick refresher, BAI won the contract for wireless infrastructure in the TTC subway in 2012, but save for Freedom Mobile in 2017, Canada’s major telecom companies refused to sign on with BAI to provide wireless service. Rogers announced earlier this month that it would acquire BAI’s Canadian division and, in turn, gain the rights to build out the TTC’s wireless network.

Green went on to say that the TTC “stands by the public and transparent” open tender process that started in 2009 and culminated with BAI getting the $25 million contract to build and operate the TTC’s wireless network. “Bell willingly participated in that open tender process, ultimately being outbid by $20 million,” Green said.

Moreover, Green called the proposal between Rogers and BAI a “private business transaction/acquisition” and said Bell and other companies “could have entered into [one] at any time over the past 12 years.”

Bell spokesperson Jacqueline Michelis told The Canadian Press that while the 2009 bidding process was open, Rogers’ “acquisition of BAI with TTC approval was not subject to an open bid and other parties, including Bell, were not invited to participate.”

In response to Champagne’s call, Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri said that Rogers has “been working with the TTC and BAI for over a year to open up access to the transit system” and urged Champagne to “not get caught up in the rhetoric of our competitors.” Staffieri reiterated Rogers’ commitment to working with other service providers.

Header image credit: Shutterstock

Source: The Canadian Press via CP24

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Mobile Syrup

Best Buy Top Deals April 21-27: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, Nest Wi-Fi thermostat, HP Victus gaming laptop and more

Best Buy Canada’s Top Deals for the week start Friday, April 21st and end on Thursday, April 27th.

This time around, the sale includes several headphones, tablets, laptops and TVs.

Check out some of the deals from the sale below:

Samsung 50-inch 4K UHD HDR LED Tizen Smart TV (UN50AU8000FXZC) – 2021: $649.99 (save $150)

HP 23.8-inch All-in-One PC – Starry White (AMD Ryzen 3 5300U/256GB SSD/8GB RAM): $699.99 (save $200)

Canon Pixma G3270 Megatank All-In-One Supertank Inkjet Printer: $279.99 (save $50)

LG UltraGear 27-inch 1440p WQHD 165Hz 1ms GTG IPS LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (27GP83B-B): $399.99 (save $200)

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 Icon On-Ear Sound Isolating Bluetooth Headphones – Rose Gold: $199.99 (save $50)

JLab Go Work Wireless Headset – Black: $59.99 (save $10)

Turtle Beach Stealth 700X Gen 2 MAX Wireless Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X/ Xbox Series S/ Xbox One – Black: $229.99 (save $30)

Jabra Elite 4 Active In-Ear Noise Cancelling Truly Wireless Headphones – Black: $99.99 (save $50)

HP Victus 15-inch Gaming Laptop – Blue (AMD Ryzen 5 5600H/512GB SSD/8GB RAM/GeForce GTX 1650/Windows 11): $699.99 (save $300)

ASUS VivoBook X515 15.6-inch Laptop – Slate Grey (Intel Core i5-1135G7/512GB SSD/8GB RAM/Windows 11): $649.99 (save $150)

JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Speaker – Black: $99.99 (save $40)

Blink Outdoor Wire-Free 1080p IP Security Camera System – 5-Pack – Black: $289.99 (save $10)

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 40mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $229.99 (save $50)

Dyson V10 Animal+ Cordless Stick Vacuum – Sprayed Nickel/Iron: $549.99 (save $200)

Google WiFi Router with 2 Points – Snow – 3 Pack: $219.99 (save $60)

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro 12.6-inch 128GB Android 11 Tablet (Snapdragon 870) with Precision Pen – Storm Grey: $599.99 (save $50)

Samsung HW-Q600B/ZC 360-Watt 3.1.2 Channel Dolby Atmos Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer: $399.99 (save $300)

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth Item Tracker – Black: $27.99 (save $12)

Seagate One Touch 4TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (STKC4000404) – Grey: $119.99 (save $20)

Segway Ninebot G30P MAX Adult Electric Scooter (350W Motor/ 65km Range / 30km/h Top Speed) – Dark Grey: $1,099.99 (save $170)

Google Nest Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat – Snow: $139.99 (save $40)

Marketplace offers

Refurbished (Excellent) – Dyson Official Outlet – V7B Cordless Vacuum – Colour may vary (1 Year Dyson Warranty): $229.99 (save $70)

EFFYDESK AeryChair Fully Adjustable Best Ergonomic Office Chair Executive Mesh Office Desk Chair with 4D Armrest & Lumbar Support (Onyx Black): $349.99 (save $350.01)

Refurbished (Good) Segway Ninebot D38U Electric Scooter (38km Range / 30km/h Top Speed): $499.99 (save $600)

Microsoft Surface Pro X 13-inch Tablet Microsoft SQ1 8GB 128GB Certified Refurbished: $469 (save $230)

Check out all the Top Deals for the week here.

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.

Image credit: Best Buy

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Mobile Syrup

Anker slashes price of cables, portable chargers, and plugs by up to 43 percent

Anker has dramatically cut the prices of portable chargers, plugs, and cables. Check out all the deals below 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

New Adobe update brings RAW image support to Pixel A smartphones

Editing RAW images directly shot on midrange Pixel phones just got more convenient for Adobe users.

Thanks to an April update from Adobe, its Camera Raw extension now includes official support for the Pixel 4a, 5a, and 6a devices.

While it was possible to edit RAW photos before this update, it’s now a smoother process. Users can directly import and edit their photos into Adobe apps such as Lightroom on their phone.

It’s great to see Google’s midrange devices gaining the added support directly from Adobe. That being said, Pixel A smartphone users will still be missing out on the camera matching and lens correction profiles.

RAW image capture is a feature that has become widely available on flagship (and some midrange) smartphones. In exchange for much larger file sizes, users can take advantage of the flexibility and extra detail the images provide while editing.

To get started with the new capability, Camera Raw extension 15.3 needs to be installed, as well as Lightroom 6.3 or Lightroom Classic 12.3. Adobe provides an official website that lists phones that currently support its Camera Raw extension.

Source: Adobe Via: Android Police