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Canadian Google Store offering worse trade-in values than U.S. Store

Canadians eager to pre-order Google’s new Pixel 7 or 7 Pro may find themselves underwhelmed by the company’s trade-in offers, especially compared to the U.S. Google Store.

As pointed out by some MobileSyrup readers, Google is offering higher trade-in values for devices in the U.S. than in Canada. For example, the Pixel 6 Pro nets a $350 CAD trade-in value, but in the U.S., it’s $480 USD (about $658 CAD).

Moreover, the U.S. Google Store offers up to $750 off any Pixel 7 phone with qualifying trade-ins, further pumping up the value. The only promotion available for the Pixel 7/7 Pro in Canada so far is a $200 Google Store credit towards another purchase, but the U.S. Store also offers that promo.

Left: Canadian trade-in estimate for Pixel 6 Pro / Right: U.S. trade-in estimate for Pixel 6 Pro.

Some other trade-in value estimates can be found below (based on trading in for a 128GB Pixel 7 Pro):

  • Pixel 6: $290 CAD | $440 USD ($603 CAD)
  • Pixel 5: $213 CAD | $400 USD ($548 CAD)
  • Galaxy S22+: $430 CAD | $600 USD ($823 CAD)
  • iPhone 13 Pro: $540 CAD | $625 USD ($857 CAD)

While it’s not a huge surprise that Google offers different promotions in different regions, it seems strange that there’s such a wide difference in trade-in values for the same phones in different regions. MobileSyrup has asked Google Canada about the differences and will add any additional information the company provides to this story.

In the meantime, it may be worth checking out trade-in offers from other places to see if you can get better value for your old devices elsewhere. Check out MobileSyrup’s guide to trade-ins in Canada here.

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Everything you need to know about Google Stadia refunds ahead of its death

In case you haven’t heard, the Google Stadia plug is being pulled on January 18th, 2023.

As part of its official announcement, Google reassured those who invested in the cloud gaming ecosystem that refunds will be given. As we steadily approach the month of January, we’ve compiled all the info you need to request a refund from the company.

It’s no easy pill to swallow knowing a platform you’ve invested money and time into is getting the axe. Google is thankfully issuing refunds for Stadia hardware purchases, software and DLC. However, there are eligibility guidelines to follow.

Google has confirmed that purchases on all hardware and software products are eligible for refunds. However, the major caveat is that the company is only issuing refunds for purchases made via the Google Play Store and Stadia store. Therefore, the following products are eligible for refunds:

  • Google Stadia controller (est. $89 CAD)
  • Founders Edition (est. $169 CAD)
  • Premiere Edition (est. $169 CAD)
  • Games and DLC purchases (Prices vary)

Understandably, Google is not refunding Stadia Pro subscriptions. In Canada, premium-level subscription cost $11.99 per month. However, if you’re a current subscriber, Google is not charging for access to the service between now and January 18th, 2023.

It’s also worth noting that returns of Stadia hardware aren’t required for a refund. That means Stadia players can keep their controllers and Chromecast Ultra. Players are hoping that support for the controller may expand following the termination of Stadia. With that in mind, all purchases can be tracked via the ‘Order History’ tab on the Google website. Likewise, with software purchases, there is a tab on the Stadia website that breaks it all down.

The Stadia store is currently closing. Players can no longer purchase new games to play. Google also confirms it is cancelling preorders for upcoming Stadia games. Stadia players will not be charged for the full price of the game. Once again, any dollar amount that has gone towards preorders will be refunded.

With all this said, Google hasn’t outlined the refund process in full. We’re still very early on in the process of Google shuttering Stadia, which was not long for this world. However, it appears the tech giant aims to fulfill refunds prior to January 18th, 2023.

Although Google is issuing refunds, some third-party partners are looking at other means to transfer game purchases. For instance, Ubisoft is looking at a way to transfer Stadia-purchased games from the publisher over to PC. The publisher confirms this is to be done via Ubisoft Connect. Bungie, IO Interactive, and other studios are also following suit.

MobileSyrup will continue to report on the state of Stadia refunds as more information surfaces in the lead-up to January 18th, 2023.

Image credit:

Source: AndroidPolice

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Save on Nanoleaf smart lights with Best Buy’s Top Deals

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Best Buy’s Top Deals sale has discounted several home and personal tech products, including wearables, home security gadgets, smart home tech and more.

Best Buy’s Top Deals sale starts today, Friday, October 7th and ends on Thursday, October 13th.

Check out the deals below

Smart home tech

Amazon Echo Show 8 Smart Display with Alexa – Sandstone: $69.99 (save $60)

Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) Smart Display with Alexa – Deep Sea Blue: $44.99 (save $30)

Nanoleaf Essentials 2m (6.6 ft.) Smart LED Lightstrip – Starter Kit – White & Colour: $44.99 (save $20)

Cync 1.8m (6 ft) Direct Connect Smart LED Light Strip – Multi-Colour: $34.99 (save $40)

Nanoleaf Shapes Triangle Panels – Smarter Kit – 7 Panels: $219.99 (save $60)

Nanoleaf Shapes Mini Triangle Panels – Smarter Kit – 5 Panels: $69.99 (save $60)

Nanoleaf Lines Light Bars – Smarter Kit – 9 Lines: $229.99 (save $50)

Nanoleaf Essentials A19 60W Smart LED Light Bulb – White & Colour: $19.99 (save $5)

Nanoleaf Essentials A19 60W Smart LED Light Bulb – 3 Pack – White & Colour: $54.99 (save $15)

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Light Panels – Smarter Kit – 7 Panels: $219.99 (save $60)

Nanoleaf Elements Wood-Look Hexagon Panels – Smarter Kit – 7 Panels: $269.99 (save $30)

Nanoleaf Elements Wood-Look Hexagon Panels – Expansion Pack – 3 Panels: $89.99 (save $10)

Home security

Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus Outdoor 1080p HD IP Camera – Black: $194.99 (save $65)

Blink Outdoor & Floodlight 1080p Outdoor Security Camera – White: $107.99 (save $72)

Blink Mini Wi-Fi Indoor 1080p IP Camera – White: $38.99 (save $6)

Arlo Essential Spotlight Wire-Free Indoor/Outdoor 1080p Security Camera -Black -3 Pack: $379.99 (save $7)

Arlo Essential Spotlight Wire-Free Indoor/Outdoor 1080p Security Camera – Black: $129.99 (save $40)

eufy eufyCam 2 Pro Wireless Security System with 2 Bullet 2K Cameras – White: $329.99 (save $80)

Google Nest Cam Wire-Free Indoor/Outdoor Security Camera – White: $199.99 (save $40)

Google Nest Cam Wired Outdoor Security Camera with Floodlight: $299.99 (save $80)

Wearables

Garmin Instinct 45mm GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Graphite: $199.99 (save $30)

Garmin Forerunner 45 42mm GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Large – Black: $179.99 (save $100)

Garmin fenix 6S Pro 42mm Multisport GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $479.99 (save $270)

Garmin fenix 6 Pro 47mm Multisport GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $479.99 (save $110)

Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Graphite: $349.99 (save $210)

Fitbit Sense Smartwatch with Heart/Stress Management Tools & Voice Assistant – Carbon: $239.99 (save $90)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 (GPS) 40mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Pink Gold: $299.99 (save $50)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 (GPS) 44mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Blue: $339.99 (save $50)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro (GPS + LTE) 45mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $549.99 (save $80)

Memory and storage

Seagate Game Drive 2TB Portable External Hard Drive for PlayStation 4 (STGD2000100): Available for $109.99

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (STKM5000400) – Black: $139.99 (save $5)

Seagate One Touch 2TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (STKB2000400) – Black: Available for $134.99

Mobile Accessories

Tile Mate & Slim (2021) Bluetooth Item Tracker Starter Pack – Set of 2: $54.99 (save $20)

Tile Mate (2021) Bluetooth Item Tracker – White: $24.99 (save $10)

mophie snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount with MagSafe: $44.99 (save $15)

Jabra Talk 25 SE Bluetooth Headset: $39.99 (save $20)

mophie snap+ 15W Wireless Charger with MagSafe – Black: $33.99 (save $11)

Mophie 15W 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad (401305835) – Black: $79.99 (save $80)

Anker PowerWave 4-In-1 Wireless Charging Dock (B2575J11-5): $99.99 (save $30)

Check out all 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.

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Win a Pixel 7 Pro with MobileSyrup

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ggy3BcZwk

It’s that time of year, and MobileSyrup is feeling giving.

We’re giving away a Pixel 7 Pro for free to one lucky winner.

The Pixel 7 Pro features a 6.71-inch 1440 x 3120-pixel resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it offers the Tensor G2 processor, 12GB of RAM and a triple camera setup featuring a 50-megapixel primary shooter, 48-megapixel telephoto with 5x zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide angle camera. I had the opportunity to go hands-on with the device in NYC at the ‘Made by Google’ event, and I thought the handset felt great in my hand and that it was overall very premium.

The Pixel 7 Pro that we have to offer is a 128GB ‘Hazel’ coloured that costs $1,179. This contest will run until November 10th, with the winner being selected on November 11th. For more on the Pixel 6 Pro, check out my hands-on with the smartphone.

Note the Pixel 7 Pro in the picture is not the one available in this contest.

Sign up for our newsletter to enter:

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Heritage Minister fires back at Google following streaming Bill C-11 opposition

Canada’s Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is butting heads with tech goliath Google over Bill C-11. The Alphabet-owned company pushed back against the Canadian government’s proposed online streaming bill. Rodriguez says Google is “trying to intimidate Canadians.”

The House of Commons recently voted to pass the Online Streaming Act, and now the Bill is in the hands of the Senate. Google believes that “thousands of creators shared their concerns” with Bill C-11, but they have gone unaddressed. Because of this, the company believes the proposal may be of “disadvantage [to] the Canadian creators.”

The Online Streaming Act, which the Senate is now considering, could force platforms to promote Canadian TV, movies, music, and other content. Bill C-11 was created and positioned by the government as an effort to help fund Canadian-made content. At its core, the proposal hopes to see streaming services and platforms better contribute to Canadian culture.

Earlier this year, YouTube, which is under Google’s umbrella, also outspokenly opposed the Bill. The company argued that the Online Streaming Act could cause creators to lose foreign revenue opportunities if forced to promote Canadian content.

In September, YouTube executive Jeanette Patell spoke to the Senate committee. Patell urged that the Online Streaming Act gives Canadian broadcasting regulators far too many ways to make demands. “We strongly believe that we have a responsibility to inform Canadian users and creators of how this bill could impact their YouTube experience, and in some cases, their livelihoods,” Patell said.

This past June, the House of Commons passed Bill C-11. During the process, the Online Streaming Act saw over 150 amendments made. As it transitions over to the hands of the Senate, it appears that a lot of time and consideration was taken before passing a vote.

If the Senate votes in favour of Bill C-11, it once again heads to the House of Commons prior to becoming a Canadian law.

Image credit: CPAC (screenshot)

Source: CP24

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Best Buy’s 21st Canadian anniversary sale is live until Oct. 16

Best Buy is celebrating its 21st anniversary in Canada by offering solid deals on 22 selected products.

The range of deals includes discounts on PC peripherals, wearables, home security gadgets, kitchen appliances and more!

Check out the deals below:

Corsair K70 Rapidfire RGB MK.2 Backlit Low Profile Mechanical Cherry MX Speed Gaming Keyboard: $149.99 (save $90)

Blink Outdoor Wire-Free 1080p IP Security Camera System – 3-Pack – Black: $179.99 (save $150)

Fitbit Versa 3 Smartwatch with Voice Assistant, GPS & 24/7 Heart Rate – Black: $199.99 (save $60)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro (GPS) 45mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Grey: $479.99 (save $80)

Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine with Frother & Coffee Grinder – Black Truffle: $959.99 (save $240)

KitchenAid Custom Stand Mixer – 4.5Qt – 325-Watt – Empire Red: $299.99 (save $200)

Samsung T7 2TB USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive (MU-PC2T0T/AM) – Grey: $259.99 (save $35)

Aviron Game-Based Smart Rowing Machine: $1,999.99 (save $600)

SWFT Zip Fat Tire Electric City Bike with up to 59.5km Battery Life – Black: $1,699.99 (save $300)

Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 (300-600W Motor / 45km Range / 25km/h Top Speed) – Black: $799.97 (save $200)

Apollo Air Pro Electric Scooter (500W Motor / 60km Range / 35km/h Top Speed) – Space Grey: $1,199.99 (save $100)

Razer Basilisk V2 20000 DPI Optical Gaming Mouse – Black: $49.99 (save $50)

Logitech MK320 Wireless Keyboard & Mouse Combo: $39.99 (save $20)

Corsair K55 RGB PRO Optical Keyboard & Harpoon RGB Pro Gaming Mouse Combo: $69.99 (save $40)

Blink Mini Wi-Fi Indoor 1080p IP Camera – 2 Pack – White: $38.99 (save $46)

Blink Outdoor Wire-Free 1080p IP Security Camera System – 5-Pack – Black: $249.99 (save $250)

Google Nest Cam Wire-Free Indoor/Outdoor Security Camera – White: $199.99 (save $40)

Google Nest (Wired) Wi-Fi Video Doorbell – Black/White: $208.99 (save $11)

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro 47mm Multisport GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $479.99 (save $110)

Fitbit Sense Smartwatch with Heart/Stress Management Tools & Voice Assistant – Carbon: $239.99 (save $90)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 (GPS) 40mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Pink Gold: $299.99 (save $50)

Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Dual Zone Air Fryer – 7.57kg/8Qt – Black: $189.99 (save $10)

Best Buy’s anniversary sale starts today, Friday, October 7th, and ends on Sunday, October 16th. Check out the sale page 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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Amazon Fire TV Sticks are on sale by up to 50 percent off

One of the most popular items sold during Amazon’s Prime Day earlier this year was its Fire TV Sticks.

This will be one of the big sellers during the upcoming Prime Early Access Sale next week as well. However, the discounts will not be going beyond its current price, so you might purchase one now as the collection is up to 50 percent off.

Source: Amazon Canada

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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Apple’s iPhone 14 Plus is now available

Apple’s iPhone 14 Plus is now available in Canada at the Apple Store and other retailers.

Pricing for the sizable 6.7-inch smartphone that replaces the mini line is the following:

Apple’s iPhone 14 Plus is identical to the iPhone 14, including its squared-off edges, dual-camera setup with minor camera upgrades over the iPhone 13‘s shooters, and A15 bionic chip. This is the first time Apple has released a larger version of its base-level iPhone. It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 14 Plus is the same size as Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max.

For more on the iPhone 14 Plus, check out my hands-on impressions of the smartphone.

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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Xbox Series X/S expansion cards on sale at Canadian retailers

The Xbox Series X/S Storage Expansion Cards are currently on sale at a couple of Canadian retailers.

Officially licensed by Seagate, the cards are the primary way to expand the storage on Series X/S. While you can use regular external hard drives, Seagate’s SSD-powered cards are required to download and play the current-gen versions of games.

That said, they can be pretty pricey, given their SSD nature. With that in mind, here are some of the current offers on the cards in Canada:

Amazon

  • 512GB — $149.99 (regularly $179.99)
  • 1TB — $269.99 (regularly $289.99)

Note that those two are sold and shipped by Amazon. The 2TB option is only available on the site through third-party sellers with no discount.

Best Buy

  • 512GB — $149.99 (regularly $179.99)
  • 1TB — $269.99 (regularly $289.99)
  • 2TB — $479.99 (regularly $519.99)

Image credit: Xbox

Via: Lbabinz (@Lbabinz)

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Disney Animation Immersive Experience to get world premiere in Toronto this December

Disney has unveiled the Disney Animation Immersive Experience, a special exhibit that aims to spotlight many of its iconic films in a unique way.

The experience is being produced in partnership with Toronto-based Lighthouse Immersive Studios, the creators of the popular Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. For the uninitiated, the Van Gogh experience leverages high-quality projections and music to create a sense of immersion, and some exhibits have taken that further with additive elements like VR headsets and various aromas.

It remains to be seen how much of that may be featured in the Disney Animation Immersive Experience. Nonetheless, what’s particularly notable about the Disney Animation Immersive Experience is the fact that it will have its world premiere in Toronto this December before opening in the U.S. and other countries next year.

For the experience, Lighthouse is featuring a mix of classics like The Lion King, Peter Pan and Pinocchio, and such modern hits as Zootopia, Frozen and Encanto. Toronto’s J. Miles Dale (The Shape of Water) is producing Disney Animation Immersive Experience alongside Mexico City-based Cocolab and the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Creative Legacy team.

Disney says exact opening times, ticket prices and sales dates will be revealed at a later date, but those interested can stay tuned to this website for updates.

Image credit: Disney