Google is finally shutting down its cloud gaming service, Stadia, on January 18th, 2023. The tech giant is refunding all Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store and games and add-on content bought from the Stadia store.
Stadia allowed players to game on the Chromecast Ultra, Android TV and desktops via Google Chrome, Safari and on Android devices/iPhones. The game streaming service streams games at up to 4K resolution at up to 60fps, and offered notable games like Cyberpunk, Destiny 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and more. But unlike competing services like Xbox Cloud Gaming — which is bundled with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — you needed to purchase titles individually on Stadia in order to play them.
I only ended up using Stadia a few times, and I wasn’t a big fan of it. I don’t have anything against cloud gaming, but I wasn’t too fond of the latency I’d occasionally encounter, though it’s worth noting that the underlying tech powering Stadia is some of the best in the game streaming industry.
That said, I’m definitely not going to miss the service.
Will you miss Google Stadia? Let us know in the comments below.
If you own an older 64GB base storage iPhone and find yourself needing to make room for new applications, or you’ve just got a spammy friend group that repeatedly sends photos and videos, iOS 16’s new ‘duplicate detection’ feature can help you claim some of your storage back.
In the past, third-party applications like Remo or Photo Cleaner were the go-to solution to get rid of duplicates in your photo library. Now, with iOS 16, Apple has baked the directly in the Photos app. You can use the feature if you’ve got iOS 16 installed on your iPhone 8 or later released device.
Head to the Photos app on your iPhone and switch to ‘Album’ view
Scroll down to ‘Utilities’ and look for a ‘Duplicates’ folder. You’ll see all duplicate photos under this folder.
You have the option to merge specific photos, and keep duplicates for others, or you can select all from the top right and merge all the photos at once.
That’s it. Once merged, all or the duplicates you individually selected will be converted into a single photo, and they’ll take up half the space they were originally consuming.
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.
Amazon Prime Video
My Best Friend’s Exorcism [Amazon Original]
Teen besties Abby and Gretchen must deal with an otherworldly demon that possesses the latter’s body.
Based on Grady Hennix’s 2016 novel of the same name, My Best Friend’s Exorcism was directed by Damon Thomas (Killing Eve) and stars Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) and Amiah Miller (War For the Planet of the Apes).
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: September 30th, 2022 Genre: Supernatural horror Runtime: 1 hour, 26 minutes
The full list of movies and shows that hit Prime Video Canada in September can be found here. A round-up of October’s new content is available here.
Apple TV+
The Greatest Beer Run Ever [Apple Original]
A young veteran sneaks into the Vietnam War to deliver beer and messages of support to soldiers.
Based on the true story of John “Chickie” Donohue, The Greatest Beer Run Ever was co-written and directed by Peter Farrelly (The Green Book) and stars Zac Efron (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile), Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and Bill Murray (Groundhog Day).
Apple TV+ Canada release date: September 30th, 2022 Genre: Biographical war comedy-drama Runtime: 1 hour, 56 minutes
Find out what’s coming to Apple TV+ Canada in October here.
Crave
DC League of Super-Pets
When the Justice League is kidnapped, Superman’s dog, Krypto, must team up with a bunch of other pets to save them.
Based on DC Comics characters, DC League of Super-Pets was directed by Jared Stern (The Lego Batman Movie) and features the voices of Dwayne Johnson (Jumanji series), Kevin Hart (Jumanji series), Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), John Krasinski (The Office), Nelson, B.C.’s Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) and Toronto’s Keanu Reeves (The Matrix series).
Original theatrical release date: July 29th, 2022 Crave release date: September 26th, 2022 Genre: Animated superhero Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes
After Ramy cheats on his bride-to-be with his cousin the night before his wedding, he must do some soul-searching and figure out his actual relationship with faith.
Ramy was created by Ramy Youssef (Mr. Robot) and stars Youssef, Mohammed Amer (Mo), Hiam Abbass (Succession), Amr Waked (Syriana) and May Calamawy (Moon Knight).
Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On Sep 30 at 1 PM ET, don't forget to tune into @APTNtv for “Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation” – an hour-long commemorative gathering at LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa.
To commemorate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, Crave is streaming a one-hour special called Remember the Children to honour the residential school survivors, their families and communities, and the kids who died.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Crave in September can be found here. A round-up of October’s new content is available here.
Disney+
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (Season 2) [Disney+ Original]
After winning back the Mighty Ducks team name, the squad and their coach head to a summer hockey institute run by a hardcore former NHL player.
Game Changers is a follow-up to Stephen Brill’s 1992 film The Mighty Ducks and stars Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Brady Noon (Good Boys), Maxwell Simkins (Bizaardvark) and Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas). It’s also worth noting that the series was filmed in Vancouver.
Disney+ Canada release date: September 28th, 2022 Genre: Sports comedy-drama Runtime: Number of episodes TBA (around 30 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows that hit Disney+ Canada in September can be found here.
Netflix
Blonde [Netflix Original]
Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 novel of the same name, Blonde offers a fictionalized take on the life and career of the iconic Marilyn Monroe.
The film was written and directed by Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and stars Ana De Armas (Knives Out), Adrien Brody (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Bobby Canavale (Boardwalk Empire), Xavier Samuel (Spin Out) and Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown).
Netflix Canada release date: September 28th, 2022 Genre: Psychological biographical fiction drama Runtime: 2 hours, 46 minutes
An ambitious artist must balance success and love when he moves into his dream apartment and falls for his neighbour.
Entergalactic was created by Scott Mescudi (AKA rapper Kid Cudi) and features the voies of Mescudi, Jessica Williams (2 Dope Queens), Timothée Chalamet (Dune), Tyrone Griffin, Jr. (AKA rapper Ty Dolla $ign) and Laura Harrier (BlacKKKlansman).
It’s worth noting that the animated special is releasing alongside Kid Cudi’s album of the same name.
Netflix Canada release date: September 30th, 2022 Genre: Adult, animated, music special Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Idris Elba (Luther) narrates this docuseries about the history of unique sports around the world, including unique robot camel races in the United Arab Emirates, big wave surfing in Portugal and eagle hunting in Kyrgyzstan.
Netflix Canada release date: September 30th, 2022 Genre: Documentary Runtime: Six episodes (around one hour each)
Atlantic Canada was hit by Hurricane Fiona a week ago, impacting telecommunications services for thousands. Here’s a roundup of how carriers responded and other telecom developments over the last week.
Business
Spam calls are incredibly annoying, but the worst part is that there isn’t much people can do about it. While the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) mandated all service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology to curb spam calls in November, various factors have stopped the technology from taking full effect. Unfortunately, until these factors are addressed (or people choose to implement third-party technology), Canadians will continue to receive unwanted calls.
Xplore is extending its fibre services in Quebec under the provincial government’s Operation Haute Vitesse program. The service provider is currently working on giving access to 6,000 homes and businesses.
Following Hurricane Fiona’s arrival on September 24th, several carriers offered impacted customers various forms of assistance. Bell gave customers 50GB of extra data, Eastlink applied free data overages and top-ups, and Telus waived long-distance charges for calls, text, and data overages.
Government
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston sent a letter to Minister François-Philippe Champagne complaining about the “poor participation and support” of telecom companies before, during, and after Hurricane Fiona made downfall. “I’m asking you, as the Minister who oversees these companies, to consider all potential legislative and regulatory means to hold telecommunications companies accountable for participating in emergency planning, preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery to the fullest extent possible,” Houston wrote. However, several companies have spoken up in their defence, stating they participated where possible.
Ministers Champagne and Chrystia Freeland met with telecom companies on the same day Houston shared his letter, according to a statement Champagne made on Twitter. It’s not clear if the parties met before or after Houston published the letter.
Deals
Rogers flanker brand Chatr is offering new activations 2GB of bonus data for 12 months. The bonus applies to most plans the brand offers and expires on October 3rd. You can find more details here.
Today, Apple Arcade is adding award-winning Gris+ to the service. In addition, a slew of content updates is hitting a wide array of Apple Arcade titles.
Devolver Digital’s hit game Gris+ is making its way to Apple Arcade. Starting today, subscribers to the service can take part in the title that Apple describes as “serene and evocative.” Gris first launched on Switch, macOS, and PC in 2018 before arriving on iOS the following year. Gris is an artistic puzzle game with platforming aspects. The game revolves around a young girl and the way she sees the world in front of her.
The game has been critically acclaimed for its art direction and minimalism. Gris features nearly no text and a simple control scheme. Thus, it’s perfect for many players around the world no matter their spoken language. As with other ‘App Store Greats,’ the game is now dubbed Gris+ on the platform.
Alongside Gris+, Apple Arcade is rolling out a list of content updates. Here is what you can expect across the many titles:
The Oregon Trail: This latest update will continue to introduce players to intriguing and pivotal moments of history as they embark on new quests where they can encounter the ill-fated Donner Party or meet Mato Oyuhi and Thomas Fitzpatrick on their way to Horse Creek for the signing of an important treaty. This update also adds the ability to visit storytelling campsites and listen to tales of fearsome critters from folklore.
LEGO Brawls: Kicks off Brick-or-Treat, a two-week limited time Halloween-themed event featuring “spookified” versions of classic Brawls levels.
Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+: A new excavation on the dwarven mines has opened an unknown path to an old forgotten land and now the primordial horrors are on the loose on Linirea. Get ready to fight on behalf of the Dark Lord and defeat hordes of ancient dwarves, dinosaurs and man-eating plants. This update includes new terrain, new enemies, new boss fights, and more.
What the Golf?: Introduces the sea-themed Maritime Day Event, which runs through October 9 and includes new unique levels, and an unlockable trophy and achievement.
Angry Birds Reloaded: Check out the Halloween-theme Episode Ham’O’Ween, which includes 45 new levels.
SP!NG: Adds a new chapter filled with 18 new levels and the new Rush mode, which is a collection of unique time attack levels.
Spire Blast: Try out the all-new world Cosmic Valley, 20 new levels, and the new Pointing Block gameplay mechanic, which creates a chain of destructive chaos.
Bleak Sword: Take on 10 new challenging levels in the Castle of Despair, face the evil maker of the Bleak Sword in an epic new boss battle, and encounter two new diabolical enemies — the Hunched Knight and the Bleak Sword maker’s fiendish tentacle demons.
Apple Arcade is available in Canada for $5.99 per month. Subscribers can also add it to their Apple One subscription and bundle it with Apple TV+ and Apple Music.
A few months ago, I was digging through a drawer in my office to find a few older Samsung devices for a photo I wanted to snap.
When I finally hunted down the device I was looking for, to my surprise, the back of my Galaxy S4 seemed to have popped off. When I looked closer, it seemed like the battery swelled up. Then, I checked out a few other older Samsung devices, including the S8 and Note 5, and noticed the same problem.
As I often do, I turned to Twitter to post an image to see if anyone else had run into this issue. To my surprise, the problem seems not only widespread, but anecdotally, it happens more often with older Samsung smartphones.
I was digging through my old phones to find a BlackBerry and discovered that my Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 6 all seem to have suffered from some sort of battery expanding issue. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this happen before with a smartphone. pic.twitter.com/Ink2UzYeDf
To be clear, battery swelling isn’t an issue that only affects Samsung smartphones. When the lithium batteries featured in a smartphone age, it can produce gas and inflate the cells. This can more frequently happen if you haven’t charged or discharged a battery in a long time.
Interestingly, the problem seems to affect Samsung smartphones more than other brands. For example, I have dozens of similar aged older devices in my office, including an iPhone 4, iPhone 6 Plus, LG G5 and more, and they haven’t suffered the same spicy pillow fate. On the other hand, my more recent Samsung devices, including the S10 and Galaxy Fold 2, are entirely fine.
It’s unclear how widespread this issue is or why it seems to happen more frequently with certain Samsung smartphones. Still, it’s a noteworthy problem, especially given the fiasco surrounding Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.
Do you own an older Samsung device or smartphone from another brand that has suffered from an expanded battery? Let us know in the comments below. conundrum
The dust has just begun to settle, following Google’s abrupt announcement regarding Stadia being nixed. Now, news of an ill-fated partnership with famed Japanese developer Hideo Kojima has surfaced.
According to reports, Kojima was at one point working on a Stadia-exclusive title for Google. The timeframe of this deal appears to have been around mid-2020. Kojima’s Stadia title would have been a follow-up to Death Stranding.
Death Stranding first launched on PlayStation 4 in 2019. At the time, the game was exclusive to the console. The game is heavily narrative-based but is deeply woven with asynchronous multiplayer and community aspects. The game features a diverse cast including Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Troy Baker, Tommie Earl Jenkins, and Lindsay Wagner. As Sam Porter Bridges (played by Reedus) players traversed the post-apocalyptic United States. Along the way, players establish networks, roads, and deliver supplies.
Details on this supposed follow-up are scarce at the moment. However, it’s believed that Kojima positioned the game as a single-player-only experience. In fact, this basis is believed to be the reason Google cancelled the project. Google is reported to have believed that the market for single-player exclusives wasn’t viable.
At the time, Kojima’s proposal had only been given initial approval by Google. The developer and studio Kojima Productions then began the early stages of development. Once early mockups were shown, Google pulled the plug.
It wasn’t long after that the card began to fall for Stadia. In 2021, Google shut down the internal Stadia development house. Stadia Games and Entertainment vice president Jade Raymond also left the company at this time. Stadia GM and vice president Phil Harrison then began to pivot to focus on third-party game support. This ultimately led to Harrison breaking the news that Google is shutting down it Stadia services on January 18th, 2023.
As for Death Stranding and Kojima, the game has gone on to be ported to PC and is now also available via Microsoft’s PC Game Pass. Kojima is now working alongside Microsoft on “ a video game for Xbox like no one has ever experienced or seen before.” It’s said the game will utilize the power of the cloud. It seems that Kojima’s sullied partnership with Google did not avert the creator from working with cloud-based tech.
October is about to kick off, which means there’s a brand new month of Disney+ content to look forward to.
Across the month, new episodes of anticipated shows, as well as movies, are dropping on the streaming service. Additionally, Disney+ has revealed some Halloween additions, perfect for the spooky season. Andor and She-Hulk continue throughout the month of October. Other highlights include Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night special and all 13 seasons of King of the Hill.
See below for the full list:
October 3rd
Best in Dough (S1 – New Episodes)
Solar Opposites: Halloween Special (S3 – New Episode)
October 4th
The Patient (S1 – New Episode)
Reasonable Doubt (S1 – New Episode)
Reboot (S1 – New Episode)
October 5th
Andor (S1 – New Episode)
King of the Hill: (S1-S13)
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (S2 – New Episode)
Zombies: Addison’s Monster Mystery (Shorts): Season 1
Shipwreck Hunters Australia (S1 – New Episode)
The Kardashians (S2 – New Episode)
Reservation Dogs (S2 – New Episode)
The Captain: Season 1
Good Trouble: Season 4
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers: Premiere
Pink Lie: Season 1
The D’Amelio Show: (S2 – New Episodes)
American Dad (S18 – New Episodes)
American Horror Stories (S2 – New Episode)
Tell Me Lies (S1 – New Episode)
October 6th
She Hulk: Attorney at Law (S1 – New Episode)
The Kardashians (S2 – New Episode)
October 7th
Werewolf by Night (Special)
October 9th
The Simpsons: Season 34 Premiere
October 10th
American Dad: (S18 – New Episode)
Grimcutty (Movie)
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War: Season 1
October 11th
The Patient (S1 – New Episode)
Reasonable Doubt (S1 – New Episode)
Reboot (S1 – New Episode)
October 12th
Andor (S1 – New Episode)
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers: (S2 – New Episode)
Broken Karaoke (Shorts) Season 2
Big Shot (S2 – New Episode)
October 13th
She Hulk: Attorney at Law (S1 – New Episode)
Welcome to Wrexham (S1 – New Episode)
The Kardashians (S2 – New Episode)
October 14th
Into the Woods (Sing-Along Version)
Evita (Movie)
Rosaline (Movie)
October 16th
The Simpsons (S34 – New Episode)
October 17th
Dancing With The Stars (S31 – New Episode)
The Paloni Show! Halloween Special!
American Dad (S18 – New Episodes)
October 18th
Dancing With The Stars (S31 – New Episode)
The Patient (S1 – New Episode)
Reasonable Doubt (S1 – New Episode)
Reboot (S1 – New Episode)
October 19th
Andor (S1 – New Episode)
The Spectacular Spider-Man: Season 1
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series: Season 1
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (S2 – New Episode)
Bear in the Big Blue House Seasons 1 – 4
PB&J Otter Seasons 1 – 3
Black Rock Shooter Dawn Fall: Season 1 Premiere
Damages: Seasons 1 – 5
The Fatal Flaw – A Special Edition of 20/20: Season 1
American Horror Stories (S2 – New Episode)
The D’Amelio Show: (S2 – New Episodes)
In the Soop: Friendcation: Season 1
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers (New Episode)
Reservation Dogs (S2 – New Episode)
Tell Me Lies (S1 – New Episode)
Soundtrack #1: Season 1
Incredible Dr. Pol (S21 Premiere)
October 20th
The Kardashians (S2 – New Episode)
October 21st
Matriarch (Movie)
Expedition Amelia (Special)
October 23rd
The Simpsons (S34 – New Episode)
October 24th
Dancing With The Stars (S31 – New Episode)
October 25th
The Patient (S1 – New Episode)
Reasonable Doubt (S1 – New Episode)
Reboot (S1 – New Episode)
October 26th
Andor (S1 – New Episode)
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (All Shorts Streaming)
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (S2 – New Episode)
Barbarian (Movie)
Boris: Seasons 1-4
Little Demon: Season 1 Premiere
Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t: Season 1
Black Rock Shooter Dawn Fall: (S1 – New Episode)
The D’Amelio Show: (S2 – New Episodes)
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers (New Episode)
Reservation Dogs (S2 – New Episodes)
Shadow Detective (Season 1)
Tell Me Lies (S1 – New Episode)
Bleach: Seasons 1 – 16
Dr. T, Lone Star Vet: Season 1
In the Womb: Animal Babies: Season 1
October 27th
She Hulk: Attorney at Law (S1 – New Episode)
The Kardashians (S2 – New Episode)
October 28th
Incredible Dr. Pol: A 200th Polapalooza
Saving Giraffes: The Long Journey Home (Special)
On this week’s SyrupCast, Patrick O’Rourke, Brad Bennett and Jon Lamont outline all of the rumours surrounding Google’s upcoming hardware event, including the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch and the mysterious tablet the tech giant teased at I/O a few months ago.
As always, you can listen to the podcast below or find your favourite streaming platform.
As video continues to drive engagement on Twitter, the social media company is introducing two new updates.
The first major update to impact how users interact with videos on Twitter is the introduction of a full-screen mode. Twitter now enables users to click on a video to expand it and let it play across the full screen.
Once a video has been launched in full-screen mode, there are additional discovery tools set up to assist in engagement. For instance, upon using full-screen mode, users can scroll up to browse other video content. Each video will show playback options, likes, retweets, captions, etc. Once finished with full-screen mode, tapping the arrow on the top left will bring you back to the standard viewing mode.
This feature is being rolled out on iOS devices in English over the coming days.
The second video-centric feature to hit Twitter is the video carousel. Once again, the company is focusing on discovery tools and new ways to organically drive engagement video content. In the Explore tab, users will begin to see a new video carousel alongside the standard Tweets and Trends.
Clicking any of the featured videos will bring them up in full, where users can interact with them whether it be leaving a like or a comment.
The video carousel is making its way to “select countries” using Twitter in English on both iOS and Android.
Alongside new video integrations, Twitter is also testing the long-requested edit button function for Twitter Blue subscribers. While being tested in Canada first, a rollout may be imminent according to the company’s timeline of late September.
Interestingly, the problem seems to affect Samsung smartphones more than other brands. For example, I have dozens of similar aged older devices in my office, including an iPhone 4, iPhone 6 Plus, LG G5 and more, and they haven’t suffered the same spicy pillow fate. On the other hand, my more recent Samsung devices, including the S10 and Galaxy Fold 2, are entirely fine.
