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Montreal-based Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour expands into Toronto

Behaviour Interactive, the Montreal-based veteran developer behind the massively popular Dead by Daylight multiplayer game, has opened a new studio in Toronto.

The company, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is also known for Naughty Bear, Fallout Shelter and Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall, as well as support on titles like Xbox’s Gears 5 and PlayStation’s Days Gone. The Toronto office, located at 99 Spadina Avenue, is the game maker’s first in Ontario.

With more than 900 people at the Montreal office, Behaviour is actually Canada’s largest independent game developer. The Toronto location will be home to at least 50 employees. As of the time of writing, the company’s jobs page doesn’t specifically list any open positions for the Toronto studio.

For more on Behaviour, check out our recent interview with Stéphanie Marchand, the company’s vice-president of production.

Image credit: Behaviour Interactive

Source: Behaviour Interactive

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Mobile Syrup

Four new video-on-demand subscription services are now available on Bell’s Fibe TV

Bell’s Fibe TV service now features programming from AMC Networks’ Acorn TV, IFC Films Unlimited, Shudder and Sundance Now.

Canadian customers in Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island will now be able to access AMC’s programming by subscribing to the services directly through the Bell Fibe TV or the Fibe TV app.

“Our customers want the most compelling content and we’re pleased to work with AMC Networks to provide these four new services on Bell Fibe TV and the Bell Fibe TV app,” said Payal Gabrani-Bahl, senior vice president, household marketing, Bell, in a press statement. “With this launch, we are proud to offer an even greater range of content options to our customers.”

The addition of Acorn TV, IFC Films Unlimited, Shudder and Sundance Now basically makes Fibe TV a gateway to the services, providing easier access for those who already are Fibe TV customers, depending on the programming they are interested in.

“Our targeted approach to streaming allows viewers to choose the service or services that matter most to them, based on the content they love and can’t get enough of, whether it’s horror, British drama and mystery or independent film,” said Josh Reader, president of distribution and development, AMC Networks. “We are thrilled that Bell is launching four of our fast-growing services on Fibe TV, meaningfully expanding the distribution of our services in Canada.”

Fibe TV users can access the new programming through the Bell Fibe TV app menu.

Image credit: Bell

Source: Bell

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Mobile Syrup

Samsung introduces Care+ for Business, a premium protection plan for corporate devices

Samsung Canada is introducing a new Care+ for Business plan for corporate devices.

Samsung Care+ for Business is a worry-free plan that protects against physical damage and liquid intrusion. The extended three-year warranty is for business device users and even covers electrical and mechanical defects.

Additionally, technicians at authorized Samsung services will repair devices using actual Samsung parts. There are no additional costs or documentation required for repairs. There’s also free pick-up and delivery on-site repair service, which should reduce customer time by eliminating visits to service centers.

With the Samsung Knox Portal, Samsung Care+ for Business will allow businesses to manage device deployments and protection coverage in their device fleet, as well as track subscriptions and repair status and access policy information on an all-in-one screen.

Image credit: Samsung 

Source: Samsung

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Mobile Syrup

Apple Music and the App Store are experiencing issues

If you’re unable to access Apple Music or the App Store, you’re not alone.

Apple’s status page currently notes that both platforms are experiencing issues with both services. For Apple Music, the status page says that “users may be experiencing intermittent issues with this service, while the App Store says, “users may be experiencing a problem with this service.”

Down Detector currently cites several reports of issues across both Apple Music and the App Store starting at roughly 10am ET this morning.

This story will be updated when the services are fully restored.

Are you running into issues with Apple Music and the App Store? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Apple 

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Mobile Syrup

Amazon invests in several startups that make warehouses safer for humans

Amazon announced late last week that it is introducing a new $1 billion “Industrial Innovation Fund” to encourage innovation in customer fulfillment, logistics, and the supply chain and support startups with funding.

“We see an opportunity to look beyond our own experience and empower companies that are developing emerging technologies in customer fulfillment operations, logistics, and the supply chain,” said Alex Ceballos Encarnacion, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide corporate development. “we’re excited to help advance these technologies as online shopping becomes even more important to people who are looking for more convenience and time savings.”

According to Amazon, the initial round of investments from its “Industrial Innovation Fund” are focused on wearable technology that improves safety in fulfilment centres and robotics that make people’s lives easier.

Modjoul is a South Carolina, United States-based company developing wearable tech to prevent injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. In contrast, Vimaan is a California-based company developing AI to improve inventory management in warehouses and fulfilment centers.

Another company that secured funding through the initial investment round is Agility Robotics. The Oregon-based company is developing robots that walk on two legs and can help humans wherever they are, be it hard to access places or places that might be considered harmful for humans.

BionicHIVE and Mantis Robotics are the other two companies that secured funding from Amazon. BionicHIVE is an Israel-based company developing robotic solutions for shelving racks and boxes in warehouses. In contrast, San Francisco-based Mantis Robotics is working on a robotic arm with sensor technology to work alongside humans.

Amazon is looking to invest in more startups and companies. Its ‘Industrial Innovation Fund’ will target companies of all stages, “from early-stage startups to more established companies that are working on innovative solutions to help advance and improve fulfillment operations, logistics, and supply chain management.”

Learn more about Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund here.

Image credit: Agility Robotics

Source: Amazon

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Mobile Syrup

Diablo Immortal coming to Android, iOS and PC on June 2

Diablo: Immortal will release on Android, iOS and PC on June 2nd, Blizzard has announced.

Immortal is a free-to-play spin on the classic Diablo action-RPG dungeon-crawling that will feature optional in-game purchases. On PC, the game will be in open beta to start, although this will be the complete, fully-featured version. Online multiplayer, including cross-play and cross-progression between mobile and PC, will also be supported.

Notably, the game was originally unveiled way back at BlizzCon 2018 for mobile, with Blizzard saying at the time that there were “no plans” to bring it to PC. Given that Diablo has historically been a PC franchise, this announcement was met with significant backlash.

In a blog post announcing the release date, Blizzard admitted that “the decision to develop Diablo Immortal for PC was one that the team went back and forth on for a large part” of development:

“On one hand, we felt that we wouldn’t be doing the title justice by releasing a game originally designed for mobile on PC; on the other hand, we wanted to make sure the game reached as many players as possible—especially our most dedicated PC fans. In the end, the deciding factor was that we knew many of you would attempt to play this game through an emulator, thus leading us towards building a better experience.”

While it remains to be seen how the game will fare on PC, it should be noted that the mobile versions have garnered a generally positive response so far from outlets in previews from the likes of IGN and Android Central.

News of Immortal‘s release date comes from Blizzard parent company Activision Blizzard’s latest earnings release. Overall, the company missed its sales targets due, in part, to weaker sales of last year’s Call of Duty: Vanguard. Since July, the company has been embroiled in a slew of lawsuits and controversies pertaining to an alleged toxic work culture. Microsoft is also currently in the midst of acquiring the publisher, following regulatory approval.

Source: Blizzard

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Mobile Syrup

Nintendo repair centre received ‘thousands’ of broken Switch Joy-Cons weekly

Workers at a Nintendo third-party repair facility were reportedly overwhelmed by repairs related to Joy-Con drift, according to a report from Kotaku.

A former supervisor at New York-based United Radio, a company that works with Nintendo to repair the Japanese gaming giant’s broken devices, told Kotaku that the massive number of repairs resulted in a “very stressful” work environment and that “lots of” mistakes were made as a result.

The report goes on to state that “easily thousands” of Joy-Cons passed through United Radio every week.

Joy-Con drift causes controller input when the user isn’t actually touching the joystick, resulting in on-screen action the user doesn’t intend. Nintendo launched a free Joy-Con drift repair program and extended the Switch’s warranty back in 2019, but the problem continues to persist, even with the recently released OLED model.

To be clear, Nintendo is the intermediary in this situation and acts as the middleman. That said, United Radio was reportedly forced to hire temporary workers to keep up with the Joy-Con repair demand. Kotaku’s source that broken Joy-Cons from 2018 to 2018 were just replaced, but controllers after that time period were required to be repaired at a rate of 90 percent within four days of receiving them.

Back in August 2021, MobileSyrup contributor Colton Politte outlined what the Switch Joy-Con repair process is like in Canada, detailing that the process is mostly swift and straightforward on the consumer side of things.

Strangely, I’ve yet to encounter Joy-Con drift with the Switch or Switch OLED model, though I’m sure now that I’ve written those words, at least one pair of my trust gamepads will experience drift.

In other Nintendo-related news, a former employee recently accused the company of firing them for attempting to unionize.

Source: Kotaku

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Mobile Syrup

Nintendo is discounting a variety of third-party games for up to 90 percent off

Nintendo’s eShop Switch sale is offering a variety of games for a discounted rate. The sale includes notable titles like Doom Eternal, Dynasty Warriors 8, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water and more.

Below are some of the best offers:

These are only some of the games that have been put on sale more recently. There are a lot more games discounted on the eShop.

Source: RedFlagDeals 

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s iPhone 14 won’t feature 48-megapixel wide camera or A16 chip

Shifting directions from previous years, it appears Apple’s iPhone 14 is poised to be a step under the iPhone 14 Pro in a few key ways.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and his ‘Power on’ newsletter, only Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models will feature a new 48-megapixel wide camera and more powerful A16 chip. iPhone 14 devices, on the other hand, will include the same 12-megapixel wide shooter and A15 chip as the iPhone 13 series.

This isn’t the first time this rumour has appeared either. A few weeks ago, often-reliable KGI Securities Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple’s non-pro iPhone 14 models will likely still be powered by the iPhone 13’s A15 chip due to the ongoing global chip shortage.

Gurman goes on to say that the iPhone 14 Max will feature a 6.7-inch display, bringing a ‘Max’ sized iPhone to Apple’s lower-end flagship. Further, the report states that the iPhone 14 series will look very similar to the iPhone 13 series with one notable design shift. According to Gurman, Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro devices will feature a pill-shaped cutout for Face ID and a circular cutout for the camera, borrowing a key feature from Samsung’s Galaxy S series line and ditching the notch entirely.

Finally, Bloomberg reports that previously rumoured satellite connectivity features that allow iPhone users to report emergencies and send texts when no cellular service is available could finally make its way to Apple’s iPhone 14 series.

Apple’s iPhone 14 devices will likely be revealed this coming Fall. As usual, expect a flurry of rumours surrounding the smartphone to appear over the course of the coming summer.

Source: Bloomberg 

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s what’s new on Disney+ Canada in May 2022

Disney has revealed all of the movies and shows that are hitting its Disney+ streaming service in Canada.

Highlights include the long-awaited Obi-Wan Kenobi (co-starring Vancouver’s Hayden Christensen and directed by Toronto’s Deborah Chow), Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers

See below for the full list:

May 4th

  • Better Things (Season 5) [Star]
  • Cupid (Season 1) [Star]
  • Disney Gallery: The Book of Boba Fett [Disney+ Original]
  • Fresh Off the Boat (Seasons 1-6) [Star]
  • October Road (Seasons 1-2) [Star]

May 6th

  • The Joy Luck Club [Star]
  • The Object of My Affection [Star]
  • What A Man [Star]
  • When In Rome [Star]
  • Where the Heart Is [Star]

May 11th

  • Abbott Elementary (Season 1) [Star]
  • Marvel Studios: Assembled — The Making of Moon Knight [Disney+ Original]
  • Rebel [Star]
  • Something Bit Me! (Season 1)
  • The Quest [Disney+ Original]
  • This Is Us (Seasons 1-3) [Star]
  • The Wizard of Paws (Season 2)

May 13th

  • The Blue Max [Star]
  • Sneakerella [Disney+ Original]
  • Taps [Star]

May 18th

  • Alice’s Wonderland Bakery (Season 1, five episodes)
  • Dave (Season 2) [Star]
  • I Cavalieri Di Castelcorvo (Season 1)
  • One Mississippi (Seasons 1-2) [Star]

May 20th

  • Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers
  • The King of Comedy [Star]
  • Man on Fire [Star]
  • Shook
  • The Valet [Star Original]

May 25th

  • The Con [Star]
  • Underworld, Inc. (Seasons 1-2) [Star]

May 27th

  • Brubaker [Star]
  • Heat [Star]
  • Hubbie’s Cosmic Journey
  • L.A. Confidential [Star]
  • The Negotiator [Star]
  • Mission Pluto
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi [Disney+ Original] (special two-episode premiere, then one new episode every subsequent Wednesday)
  • Once Upon in a Time in America [Star]
  • We Feed People [Disney+ Original]

May 31st

  • Pistol [Star Original]

A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99 CAD/month or $119.99/year.

Image credit: Lucasfilm