Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Android will prompt users to update an app when it crashes

It’s never a fun time when an app crashes on your smartphone, especially if you can’t figure out what’s causing the problem. Well, Android may soon offer a solution when an app crashes.

The November 2022 Play Store system update changelog includes details about a new feature that will “help users to resolve app crashes with new update prompts.” Mishaal Rahman, a senior technical editor at Esper, tweeted details about the feature as well, noting that the Play Store will be able to send prompts to users to update an app if it crashes. The prompt would only surface if an update were available.

Moreover, it appears users will be able to update the app right from the prompt or offer a Play Store link to update the app later. That would be especially helpful if users encounter a crash when they’re away from a solid internet connection.

Overall, it seems like a small but handy update that should help people resolve issues with apps on their Android smartphone. Ideally, users wouldn’t have to deal with app crashes at all, but having Android automatically surface potential solutions is a good alternative.

The feature is part of Google Play Store version 33.2, which was updated on November 15th.

Source: November 2022 Play Store system update, @MishaalRahman Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Freedom Mobile Black Friday: save on Samsung, Pixel and more

Shaw-owned (for now) Freedom Mobile dropped its Black Friday deals, offering up some discounts on smartphones.

  • Samsung Galaxy A03s – $0/mo on a $35/mo plan with 10GB of data (after Digital Discount)
  • Moto G Power – $0/mo on a $35/mo 10GB plan (after Digital Discount)
  • Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – $19/mo on a $55/mo 25GB plan (after Digital Discount)
  • Samsung Galaxy A53 – $10/mo on a $40/mo plan (after Digital Discount)
  • Google Pixel 6a – $5/mo with TradeUp on a $45/mo plan with 30GB of data (after Digital Discount)
  • Google Pixel 7 – $13/mo with TradeUp on a $45/mo plan with 30GB of data (after Digital Discount)
  • (In-stire offer) Activate an eligible Samsung phone on a $40+/mo plan (after Digital Discount) and get a Galaxy Tab A7 Lite with 4GB of data for $0/mo for the first six months ($15/mo after)

The Digital Discount, for those unfamiliar, is a $5/mo discount available to customers who use Freedom’s Auto Pay system. TradeUp is Freedom’s take on a device return program, offering customers an upfront discount if they agree to return the phone after two years.

You can check out all of Freedom’s Black Friday deals here.

For a round-up of all of our Black Friday deals, follow this link. You can find all of the top deals at Canadian retailers here.

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Mobile Syrup

Best Buy has the PS5 DualSense wireless controller available for all-time low

Best Buy Canada is running a gaming accessory promotion with the PS5 DualSense wireless controller $30 off.

Regularly available for $89.99 for the White and Black controllers, and $94.99 for the Red, Blue, Pink, Purple and Grey Camo variants, all controllers are currently listed for an all-time low price of $64.99.

Check out the deals below:

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller – Galactic Purple: $64.99 (save $30) — (November 17th to November 30th)

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller – Nova Pink: $64.99 (save $30) — (November 17th to November 30th)

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller – Starlight Blue: $64.99 (save $30) — (November 17th to November 30th)

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller – White: $64.99 (save $25) — (November 17th to November 30th)

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller – Midnight Black: $64.99 (save $25) — (November 17th to November 30th)

PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller – Cosmic Red: $64.99 (save $30) — (November 17th to November 30th)

Check out the sale page here. Notably, some other Canadian retailers, including Amazon and GameStop, also have the controller listed for the all-time low price of $64.99.

Elsewhere, Best Buy also has Xbox and Nintendo Switch accessories discounted. Check them out below:

Xbox Wireless Controller – Carbon Black: $59.99 (save $15) — (November 17th to November 30th)

Xbox Wireless Controller – Electric Volt: $59.99 (save $15) — (November 17th to November 30th)

PDP Rock Candy Wired Controller for Switch – Blue: Available for $29.99 (November 17th to November 27th)

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Switch – Pikachu Charge: Available for $39.99 (November 17th to November 27th)

PowerA Super Mario Bros Wired Controller for Switch: Available for $39.99 (November 17th to November 27th)

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.

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Mobile Syrup

BLACK FRIDAY IS ON at The Mobile Shop™ and you could earn big PC Optimum Points!

Black Friday is just around the corner, but the offers are starting now. The Mobile Shop™ just launched its BIGGEST points offer of the year on a wide range of the hottest mobile phones. 

From now until Nov. 28, you can earn up to 300,000 PC Optimum™ points on select phones and plans* – on top of the hot offers below! – that’s like $300 in PC Optimum Points™ that you can use towards your next grocery bill. 

Whether you are looking to upgrade your phone, or even switch plans, The Mobile Shop™ is here to help. They’ve got a ton of zero-dollar devices available across all the nation’s leading providers. Their expert staff, called Mobilists™, can help you cross-compare dozens of phones and plans, ensuring you walk out with a phone you love, the plan you need, and as many PC Optimum™ points in your cart as possible.

So if you’re looking for an amazing Black Friday offer on mobile, head to one of the 200 The Mobile Shop™ locations across Canada before November 28! 

HOT OFFERS:

Check out the Black Friday offers here, find the closest store to you here and follow The Mobile Shop™ on Instagram and Facebook for more information. 

*Only available on select phones & plans. Subject to credit approval. Conditions apply.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple Black Friday deals includes bonus gift cards up to $350

Following closely in the footsteps of previous years, Apple’s Black Friday deals net shoppers a few extra dollars in gift cards. However, not all deals are created equal.

Most things like iPhone 13 models, Beats headphones/earbuds, iPads and several Apple accessories will net you a $70 gift card. On the other hand, specific AirPods net you $105 gift card, and some MacBooks come with a $350 gift.

You can explore all the deals here. They run from Black Friday on November 25th to Monday the 28th.

It’s also worth noting that you don’t get a gift card if you plan to buy something with Apple’s device financing. You can also only stack two promos per person. You can only redeem this deal by shopping at Apple Store locations, Apple Online Store, the Apple Store app or by calling 1-800-My-APPLE.

It’s also worth noting that the gift card can be redeemed in Apple Stores for hardware or online for software or subscriptions.

Full deal

$35 gift card

  • AirPods (2nd Gen)
  • AirPods (3rd Gen)
  • Lightning AirPods case
  • Beats Flex
  • MagSafe Duo Charger
  • Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)
  • Smart Keyboard Folio

$40 gift card

  • 9th gen iPad

$70 gift card

  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 mini
  • iPhone SE
  • iPhone 12
  • iPad mini
  • iPad Air
  • Apple Watch SE
  • AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
  • Beats studio3 Wireless
  • Beats Solo3 Wireless
  • Powerbeats Pro
  • Beats Fit Pro
  • Beats Studio Buds
  • Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro

$105 gift card

AirPods Max

Mac – $140 gift card

Mac mini

Mac – $210 gift card

  • M1 MacBook Air
  • M2 MacBook Air
  • iMac 24-inch

Mac – $280 gift card

M2 MacBook Pro

Mac – $350 gift card

  • M1 MacBook Pro 16
  • M1 MacBook Pro 14

For a round-up of all of our Black Friday deals, follow this link. You can find all of the top deals at Canadian retailers here.

Source: Apple

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Mobile Syrup

Amazon cuts employees working on Alexa, other devices and services

Amazon has begun to lay off employees with cuts in its devices and services organization.

In an internal letter posted to the company’s website, Dave Limp, senior vice president of devices and services, said impacted employees were notified of their dismissal on November 15th.

Limp blames the cuts on “an unusual and uncertain macroeconomic environment.”

Some of the impacted employees are based in Canada.

The same reasoning was used by various other tech giants for their layoffs. Meta began laying off 13 percent of its workforce last week. Shopify laid off 1,000 employees in July.

Limp’s letter says if the impacted employees can’t find another role in the company, they will be given separation payment and transitional benefits.

Despite the layoffs, the company says it will continue to invest in the department.

“I do want to emphasize that the devices & services organization remains an important area of investment for Amazon, and we will continue to invent on behalf of our customers,” Limp wrote.

It’s not clear how many employees have been impacted by the recent layoffs, as more cuts are expected soon. The company is expected to trim its workforce by 10,000 employees in its devices, retail, and human resources department.

Source: Amazon

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Mobile Syrup

Amazon Fire TV Sticks are up to 50 percent off today

One of the most popular devices that Amazon itself sells is the Fire TV Sticks. This was the best selling item during Prime Day and poised once again for Black Friday.

Ahead of the big 2-day event, Amazon slashed the prices by up to 50% on its streaming sticks. Check out the deals 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.

Source: Amazon Canada

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Mobile Syrup

DuckDuckGo’s App Tracking Protection enters public beta

Privacy-oriented search company DuckDuckGo announced that its App Tracking Protection service for Android is now available in public beta, meaning anyone with an Android phone can use it.

The shift comes roughly a year after DuckDuckGo launched App Tracking Protection in a limited beta. Previously, people wanting to try out the service needed to join a private waitlist for the feature (although in my experience, the wait wasn’t very long).

Since the limited beta launch, DuckDuckGo says it added new features, like the ability to see what personal data trackers try to collect before DuckDuckGo blocks them. The company says it also improved performance, reduced the number of app exclusions, and made the blocklist publicly available.

Since I’ve written at length about App Tracking Protection before, I’ll keep it brief here. The service works by using Android’s built-in VPN functionality to filter network traffic and block trackers from apps. The process happens entirely on-device and doesn’t route data through DuckDuckGo’s servers.

A common comparison is to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature, although there are some fundamental differences. Namely, DuckDuckGo’s App Tracking Protection actually blocks trackers, while Apple’s system only blocks access to a user’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA). Reports have detailed how apps can bypass App Tracking Transparency and perform tracking without using the IDFA. Moreover, Apple’s own apps don’t adhere to anti-tracking settings.

If you haven’t tried out App Tracking Protection yet, I’d recommend giving it a go. It’s improved over the last few months and is now easier than ever to try out. Plus, it’s free — all you need is DuckDuckGo’s app. You can learn more about App Tracking Protection here.

Source: DuckDuckGo

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Mobile Syrup

Where to stream Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium in Canada

Elton John will make his final North American performance on Sunday, November 20th at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.

As part of his ongoing worldwide farewell tour, the six-time Grammy winner is also opening up the grand finale to those at home. Enter Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium, a special live broadcast of his North American swan song.

Those interested in tuning in can do so via Disney+. The service costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year.

The three-hour show will begin at 7:55pm PT/10:55pm ET with a pre-show red carpet event, “Countdown to Elton Live,” featuring interviews with John and his Canadian husband, David Furnish. The main event, meanwhile, will see Dua Lipa, Kiki Dee and Brandi Carlile take the stage with John.

The Dodger Stadium performance is part of John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” farewell tour, which began in September 2018 with 300-plus planned stops. Following a number of COVID-related delays, the tour is slated to conclude in July 2023. John’s final Canadian shows took place in Toronto and Vancouver in September and October, respectively.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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Mobile Syrup

Holiday shoppers in Canada are going online to seek deals, Google says

With shopping for the 2022 holiday season in full swing, retailers will likely face price-conscious shoppers focusing on cost and convenience, says Google Canada.

Part of this convenience is maintaining some shopping trends seen during the pandemic. While Canadian retailers can expect in-store shopping for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, purchasing goods online will remain the norm. Shoppers are also likely to use online shopping for inspiration.

For example, an Ipsos survey commissioned by Google found 89 percent of holiday shoppers search for products online before they buy in-store. The survey took place online between September 8th and 11th, 2022.

72 percent of the surveyed shoppers in Canada say they are concerned about the rising cost of products and 60 percent say they plan to buy less because of inflation. 85 percent say they will shop at stores offering discounts, 73 percent will shop at stores with free shipping, and 41 percent say they are price matching.

The interest in finding savings has increased dramatically over the past year. People doubled the searches for the term ‘discount code.’ ‘Price match’ increased seven-fold. Searches for ‘black Friday’ have increased by 300 percent.

So what are Canadians looking to buy?

In tech, Pixel 7 is the top trending electronic. This is followed by the RTX 4090, Samsung tablet, camera, and Nintendo Switch Lite.

Other popular tech-related searches include iRobot Roomba, the Dyson V15 vacuum, and the Dyson Airwrap.

Image credit: Shutterstock 

Source: Google