With December already halfway over, the peak holiday season is almost upon us. In two weeks’ time, everyone will be off work, spending time with their friends, family and loved ones. Although a generally happy and carefree time, procrastinating about buying gifts, or just finding gifts for people that are difficult to shop for can make the carefree season full of anxiety and stress.
Luckily for you, MobileSyrup has put together an editorial gift guide to show off some of our top gift ideas for this year, be it for gamers, responsible adults that love to clean or movie lovers.
Browse below for links to smart vacuums, smart displays, electric scooters, and other fun tech accessories that would make for solid gifts this holiday season.
MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships and publishes sponsored posts. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.
Tech reporters have the luxury of trying out new gadgets all the time. Unfortunately, the focus is often on what’s new, and after the initial review, there often isn’t much written about how products hold up over time. With that in mind, MobileSyrup wants to start revisiting some old tech we’ve used beyond that initial review period to see what holds up and what doesn’t. I’ll be kicking things off the Microsoft Surface Earbuds, which sound as good today as when I reviewed them in May 2020.
That said, when I reviewed the Surface Earbuds, I wrote that they don’t offer the best sound. That remains true — I could use a nice pair of over-ear headphones and get better sound quality. However, that applies to just about every pair of wireless earbuds. Over-ear headphones will almost always sound better thanks to the larger drivers, and wired headphones can go even further for those who want to take advantage of high-fidelity music.
But for me, the Surface Earbuds sound good enough to serve as my primary listening device. Aside from the headphones I use when gaming on my PC, the Surface Earbuds have been my go-to for listening to music and podcasts while working from home, travelling to the office on the train, and more.
Moreover, the battery life has held up well on the Surface Earbuds. In my initial review, I wrote that I could get five-and-a-half to six hours of listening on a charge. Honestly, I rarely use the earbuds for more than a few hours at a time these days. It’s not that the battery doesn’t last that long, I just find my ears start to get uncomfortable after a few hours (and the Surface Earbuds are among the more comfortable earbuds I’ve tried). I can usually wear headphones for longer, but that’s because they don’t sit in my ear like earbuds.
Similarly, the charging case has held up well, and beyond quite a few scratches, it still works great and keeps my earbuds topped up. I still wish it had wireless charging, but I don’t mind occasionally plugging in the charging case.
While some might not like spending $259.99 on wireless earbuds without noise cancellation, I’ve come to appreciate not having it over the last two years. I mostly use the Surface Earbuds while working at home or while commuting. When at home, usually, it’s quiet enough that I don’t need noise cancellation, and I appreciate being able to hear what’s going on around me in case someone needs to get my attention. While commuting, I also like hearing what’s going on around me while I’m walking, so I don’t miss my stop on the train. Sure, having the option to toggle on noise cancellation when I need it would be nice, but I haven’t felt like I needed it so far.
On top of all that, the Surface Earbuds lasted two-and-a-half years. I didn’t realize just how long that was until the other evening when a friend told me they were on their fourth pair of earbuds this year. Moreover, MobileSyrup editor-in-chief Patrick O’Rourke ran into noise cancellation issues with the first-gen AirPods Pro roughly six months after getting a pair, although that was a larger problem that Apple ultimately launched a replacement program for. While admittedly a small sample size, it struck me that I’ve used the Surface Earbuds for years and connected them to tons of smartphones and laptops without any issues.
Plus, the Surface Earbuds are still among the most unique earbuds available, save for maybe Samsung’s beansGalaxy Buds Live. I still get occasional comments from people over the Surface Earbuds because they kinda look like spacers in my ears.
Some of my favourite trailers from the event include Hades II, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Remnant 2, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, Lords of the Fallen 2, and even Wild Hearts, although that game seems Monster Hunter-like, which I’m not a fan of.
These titles looked excellent and were nearly all up my alley. I loved Hades, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Remnant from the Ashes, and while I didn’t play Lords of the Fallen, it’s a Souls-like, one of my favourite genres. With that in mind, I have high hopes for Lords of the Fallen 2 (hopefully, the balancing is fixed, given this was an issue with the first title).
And out of all of these games, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the game I was the most hyped about. Let us know in the comments below which Game Awards trailer got you the most excited.
Apple’s new iPhone Camera Continuity feature makes setting up shots for video meetings a lot more fun, but unsurprisingly, it doesn’t work well with Google Chrome. However, I’ve found it works great in the beta version, Chrome Canary.
This suggests that the situation will improve with standard Chrome soon, but if you’re like me and want to jump on things early, this workaround is fairly seamless. You can also try these steps in your Chrome version since I have seen reports online of it working in the standard build.
To start, you need to ensure that you have macOS Ventura and iOS 16 downloaded on your iPhone. Once those updates are finalized, you should be able to select your iPhone from the dropdown menu of any webcam software as long as your phone and Mac are close together. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to work that seamlessly yet, but I expect that most major apps will update to support it.
What to do in Chrome?
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Once you’ve downloaded Chrome Canary, open the app’s Settings page via the three-dot menu in the top right-hand corner. From there, open the ‘Privacy and Security sub-menu and choose ‘Camera:’
Settings>Privacy and Security>Camera
Sometimes it takes a few seconds to appear, but a dropdown menu should be at the top of the page, allowing you to choose your preferred camera. If your iPhone isn’t on the list, try opening up FaceTime and seeing if it’s available there.
Once FaceTime is activated, you can open the ‘Video’ option from the Menu bar, and your iPhone should be listed as a camera.
Does it work in other browsers?
Reports show it works well in the Brave browser and Microsoft Edge. Surprisingly, I’ve had little success with it in Safari.
Apple also notes on its support page that if the feature isn’t working, you can try the following troubleshooting steps;
Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ are mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Apple TV+
Emancipation [Apple Original]
This drama is based on the true story of “Peter,” an African-American who escaped slavery in the 1860s and helped inspire the abolitionist movement.
Emancipation was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and stars Will Smith (Ali), Ben Foster (Hell or High Water), Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight) and Steven Ogg (the video game Grand Theft Auto V).
Apple TV+ Canada release date: December 9th, 2022 Genre: Historical action Runtime: 2 hours, 12 minutes
This anthology series is inspired by the stories of immigrants in America, and this season features episodes focused on a Belizian family worker in New York, a Korean man making hats for a Black church community Detroit and a Japanese woman in Columbus, Ohio, among others.
Little America hails from Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon (The Big Sick) and Lee Eisenberg (The Office).
Apple TV+ Canada release date: December 9th, 2022 Genre: Anthology Runtime: Eight episodes (around 30 minutes each)
After receiving someone else’s engagement ring, a woman is led towards the person she’s meant to be with.
Something From Tiffany’s was directed by Daryl Wein (How It Ends) and stars Zoey Deutch (The Politician), Kendrick Sampson (How To Get Away With Murder), Ray Nicholson (Panic) and Mississauga, Ontario’s Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars).
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: December 9th, 2022 Genre: Romantic comedy Runtime: 1 hour, 27 minutes
The full list of movies and shows hitting Amazon Prime Video Canada can be found here.
Crave
Doom Patrol (Season 4A)
The team travels to the future to find an unwelcome surprise.
Based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name, Doom Patrol was created by Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and stars Diane Guerrero (Orange is the New Black), April Bowlby (Two and a HalfMen), Joivan Wade (EastEnders), Matt Bomer (Magic Mike), American-Canadian Brendan Fraser (TheMummy) and Timothy Dalton (License to Kill).
Crave release date: December 9th, 2022 at 9pm ET (first two episodes, new episodes every Friday) Genre: Superhero Runtime: Six episodes (around an hour each)
In this third and final season, Lyra and Will must journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned.
The series was adapted for the screen by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and stars Dafne Keen (Logan), Ruth Wilson (The Affair), Amir Wilson (The Letter For the King) and James McAvoy (X-Men franchise).
Crave release date: December 5th, 2022 (first two episodes, new episodes every Monday at 9pm ET) Genre: Fantasy Runtime: Eight episodes (around an hour each)
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Disney+
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again [Disney+ Original]
This sequel to the Night at the Museum trilogy from Montreal’s Shawn Levy follows Nick Daley, son of Larry, as he becomes the new Night Guard at the Museum of Natural History and faces one of his dad’s old foes.
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again was directed by Matt Danner (The Looney Tunes Show) and features the voices of Joshua Bassett (High School Musical: The Series), Jamie Demetriou (Fleabag), Alice Isaaz (The Gilded Cage) and Gillian Jacobs (Community).
It’s worth noting that Vancouver’s Atomic Cartoons (The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special) animated the film.
Stream Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Againhere.
A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99/month or $119.99 here.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Disney+ Canada this month can be found here.
Netflix
Dragon Age: Absolution [Netflix Original]
A group of misfits must band together to steal an artifact from a sinister mage.
Based on BioWare Edmonton’s Dragon Age video game series, Dragon Age: Absolution was developer Mairghread Scott (Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy) and features the voices of Ashly Burch (Mythic Quest), Kimberly Brooks (Mass Effect), Matthew Mercer (Critical Role), Josh Keaton (Spectacular Spider-Man) and Phil LaMarr (Justice League).
Netflix Canada release date: December 9th, 2022 Genre: Animated Runtime: Six episodes (around 30 minutes each)
Looking to pay off significant debt, a young woman becomes deeply involved in increasingly risky credit card scams.
Emily the Criminal was written and directed by John Patton Ford (feature directorial debut) and stars Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreation), Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy), Megalyn Echikunwoke (Night School) and Gina Gershon (Riverdale).
Original theatrical release date: August 12th, 2022
Netflix Canada release date: December 7th, 2022 Genre: Crime thriller Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Oscar-winning writer-director Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water) offers his own unique stop-motion take on the classic Pinocchio tale.
The film features the voices of Ewan McGregor (Star Wars franchise), David Bradley (Game of Thrones), Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds), Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) and Vancouver’s Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things).
Netflix Canada release date: December 9th, 2022 Genre: Animated musical fantasy Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Here’s almost everything that happened in Canada’s telecom sector this week.
Business
5G could contribute up to $120 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2036, according to a report from Deetken Insight. Commissioned by Telus, the report found the performance upgrades of 5G over 4G will lead to economic growth and improved quality of life.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has rejected Telus’ request to charge customers paying bills with credit cards a processing fee. However, the ruling only applies to services regulated by the CRTC, mostly consisting of home phone services in smaller communities.
Government
Canada is among a group of government bodies to enter an agreement to collaborate on telecom supplier diversity. Along with the U.K., U.S., and Australia, Canada has outlined six initiatives they say will help them achieve their goal.
Deals
TekSavvy is offering customers a $10 monthly discount when they refer a friend. Details are available here.
Some Koodo customers can add 25GB of additional data to their plan for $25/month. The Telus flanker brand sent some customers the offer by text, and a direct response is needed to redeem. More information is available here.
There’s no doubt using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the car makes for a safer and more connected driving experience. Maybe your vehicle already supports it, or maybe not. However, you have access to either platform, there are very good adapters bringing added convenience for you every time you get behind the wheel.
The latest vehicles may offer both of these platforms with wireless connectivity, but most current and past models don’t. You might even be driving a car that never supported them to begin with. That’s where these devices come in. While a couple may require more professional installation, the majority won’t require much know-how to get things up and running.
CPLAY2air
For iPhone users looking to cut the cord, the CPLAY2air adapter is dedicated to CarPlay, working with both factory and aftermarket head units. It’s currently compatible with the iPhone 6 or later, and a pretty simple setup where you only need to plug it into the vehicle’s USB-A port to kick off the process.
There are a couple of caveats in that your phone needs to only connect to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections coming from the adapter. That means you would have to disconnect from your vehicle’s head unit if connected to it via Bluetooth. Doing that should ensure CarPlay works without issue on your dash screen.
It is possible to use this with multiple iPhones in the same car, particularly if you’re sharing the car with someone. There’s no app, but there is a way to connect to the device’s IP address through a browser on your phone to update the firmware.
For Android users, the Motorola MA1 dongle may be among the most high-profile because of who makes it. The general idea is similar to others in this list, where you plug the device into the USB-A port to get things started. There’s no app here to run through the process, but the instructions are pretty straightforward and easy to follow. You just need to connect to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to get it working.
The one visual indicator is the LED light on the dongle itself, telling you when it’s in the process of connecting or successfully connected. The two-sided adhesive that comes in the box isn’t very good, so you may want to consider good two-sided tape if you prefer to mount this on the dash somehow.
Another one for Android users, the AAWireless started out with a crowdfunding campaign, and is now readily available to everyone. Here, too, you have a dongle you plug in to the vehicle’s USB port, only this time you have the AAWireless app to help run through things. Once set up, Android Auto will run wirelessly each time you start the car, albeit with varying times to start up. Sometimes, it can be really quick, other times, it may take over a minute to get going. It’s not entirely clear why.
The benefit of the app is that it also offers firmware updates and a series of more advanced features. For instance, certain GM and Volkswagen models may have trouble working with the device, so the app presents workarounds for those situations. It’s not a super seamless transition if you try using the device with multiple phones, but works great if you’re on your own.
The Carlinkit 4.0 works with both CarPlay and Android Auto, and is best if you are using either one with a factory head unit. It doesn’t work properly with aftermarket head units, so best to avoid it if you have one installed. You need to be running iPhone 6 or later (iOS 10 or later) or an Android phone running Android 10 or later to get the wireless connection working.
With the initial compatibility in place, it should be an easy setup and steady connection throughout. It shares a lot of functional similarities to the CPLAY2air, right down to the browser-based connection for firmware updates.
Ottocast likes to call the U2-X a “2-in-1 adapter” and the main reason is because it works the same way for both CarPlay and Android Auto to establish a wireless connection. The one catch is that it won’t work with BMW and Mitsubishi vehicles, so best to look elsewhere on this list for something else that’s compatible with those makes and models.
Despite the terribly translated website, the device does what it’s supposed to do, and can do so regardless of whether you plug it into a factory or aftermarket head unit. You can also update the firmware through a web browser.
Here’s another one that started out as a crowdfunding campaign and is still primarily available through Kickstarter and Indiegogo or the Carsifi site. It’s only for Android Auto, designed as a plug-and-play device that’s easy to set up and manage. Like others on the list, you plug in the dongle, go through the brief setup process, and then have a wireless connection to the platform thereafter.
The device comes with extensive compatibility with both phones and vehicles. Aftermarket head units aren’t a problem, either. Carsifi also developed a companion app to keep things accessible, including for firmware updates or resetting the device in case you want to start over with it.
This is much more than just a dongle, given it comes with a 7-inch IPS display of its own and is a possible solution if you’re driving a car that doesn’t have CarPlay or Android Auto support. The Intellidash+ is essentially an all-in-one product that can run in any vehicle. It comes with all necessary cables, including to ensure audio runs through the car stereo system and voice assistants, like Siri and Google Assistant, work properly.
Note that there are multiple devices under the Intellidash moniker. The Plus version is the one that enables wireless connections, whereas the non-Plus one does not. There are various ports to really tinker with if you want to expand on what it can do, but the gist is that you’re setting up an external display somewhere on your dash rather than replacing your car’s existing head unit display.
MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.
Poncle’s time survival RPG title Vampire Survivors, which up until now, has been available on Windows, Mac, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, has released on iOS and Android, as announced during The Game Awards.
The title is available for free on the App Store and Play Store, in contrast to the $5 you have to pay to download the game on Steam and the Game Pass requirement for consoles.
The free-to-play game does, however, include ads on mobile. The auto shooter title allows movement controls, and the option to select a weapon and perks when you level up. There is no way to beat the survival game, and you’ll eventually die in-game. You can watch a video to receive an extra life when you die, and the same goes if you want to earn extra gold.
It’s currently unknown if Vampire Survivors will make its way to PlayStation consoles or the Nintendo Switch.
Notably, the title is also set to receive its first major expansion, called Legacy of the Moonspell, on December 15th. The DLC is set to cost $1.99, and will add new characters, weapons, and a new stage to the title.
For all of the major announcements from The Game Awards, follow this link.
Craving some McDonald’s? DoorDash is offering a free Spicy McCrispy chicken sandwich when you place a $25 or higher order.
According to an email sent out to DoorDash customers, until December 23rd, customers can claim the free sandwich by adding it to their cart once the order subtotal hits $25. At checkout, a discount will apply to the sandwich to make it free.
Moreover, when you navigate to McDonald’s in the DoorDash app, you should see a banner at the top of the page with the deal.
Earlier this week, DoorDash revealed what Canadians ordered through 2022, including a $2,761 order for kebabs and meat platters placed in Outremont, Quebec. You can check that out here.
The Government of Ontario says thousands of Ontario residents will be notified of a data breach involving the COVAXon data system, Ontario’s covid vaccine management system.
The breach stems from a November 2021 OPP investigation that led to two people being charged for a privacy breach. According to CityNews, one of the two people arrested was a government employee.
#BREAKING – 360,000 Ontarians will receive notice that their personal information was part of a data breach of the COVAXX data system, the government says. CityNews broke this story last year regarding arrests made last November in an alleged breach of the Covid booking system.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery, 360,000 Ontario residents had their information compromised. Only names and phone numbers were impacted in more than 95 percent of the cases. Impacted residents will be notified starting today.
But for me, the Surface Earbuds sound good enough to serve as my primary listening device. Aside from the headphones I use when gaming on my PC, the Surface Earbuds have been my go-to for listening to music and podcasts while working from home, travelling to the office on the train, and more.
Similarly, the charging case has held up well, and beyond quite a few scratches, it still works great and keeps my earbuds topped up. I still wish it had wireless charging, but I don’t mind occasionally plugging in the charging case.
On top of all that, the Surface Earbuds lasted two-and-a-half years. I didn’t realize just how long that was until the other evening when a friend told me they were on their fourth pair of earbuds this year. Moreover, MobileSyrup editor-in-chief Patrick O’Rourke ran into noise cancellation issues with the first-gen AirPods Pro roughly six months after getting a pair, although that was a larger problem that Apple 
For Android users, the Motorola MA1 dongle may be among the most high-profile because of who makes it. The general idea is similar to others in this list, where you plug the device into the USB-A port to get things started. There’s no app here to run through the process, but the instructions are pretty straightforward and easy to follow. You just need to connect to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to get it working.
Ottocast likes to call the U2-X a “2-in-1 adapter” and the main reason is because it works the same way for both CarPlay and Android Auto to establish a wireless connection. The one catch is that it won’t work with BMW and Mitsubishi vehicles, so best to look elsewhere on this list for something else that’s compatible with those makes and models.
