Twitter appears to be in its final stretch of negotiations with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, before the world’s richest man takes the company private.
Musk recently claimed to have secured $46 billion USD (roughly $57 billion CAD) in debt and equity financing to purchase Twitter outright, and while Twitter’s board of directors were apprehensive of the move at first, and even deployed a ‘poison pill’ maneuver to block Elon Musk’s buyout proposal, a new Bloomberg report suggests the decision could be made as soon as today, Monday, April 25th.
The $54.20 per-share deal, according to Musk, is suitable and enticing, though he did say that if his bid is not accepted, he “would need to reconsider his position as a shareholder.”
Musk also stated that in order for Twitter to thrive, it needs to become a genuine platform for free speech, and for that to happen, it must be taken private.
Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy.
Since the ‘Musk-Twitter’ saga began, the social media platform has announced that it is working on an ‘edit button.’ Soon after, reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong discovered that the in-development feature would give users the ability to check the Tweet’s edit history.
Additionally, if taken private by Musk, the platform will work to get rid of the spam bot infestation it currently finds itself in, and give all human users a new visual authentication mark.
Considering the recent toll the Russia-Ukraine war has inflicted on stock markets around the world, paired with the Federal Reserve System’s hawkish outlook about rate hikes to curb high inflation, the $54.20 per-share deal might turn out to be lucrative for Musk once the market starts reversing.
In a recent tweet, Chevrolet has shared that it’s electrifying the Corvette.
It appears that the automaker will”electrify” the Corvette, likely with some sort of hybrid turbo “as early as next year” and then a fully electric version will follow.
The EV version of the Corvette is what’s more exciting, and if GM can capture any of the magic Porsche packed into the Taycan with its EV sportscar, then drivers are in for a real treat.
Unfortunately, it appears that the new EV Corvette will feature the company’s modern Vet design with sharp angular features that follow modern design trends.
BREAKING: An electrified #Corvette will be available as early as next year and a fully electric version to follow. Stay tuned for more. pic.twitter.com/6lDUWpOIZ2
In August of 2020, the auto company filed a patent for the word “E-Ray,” suggesting that the electric Corvette will utilize some of the classic Stingray’s design characteristics. However, according to the video attached to its latest tweet, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The car still looks hawt, but given this is the first Corvette EV, I would prefer a more bespoke design. I understand that keeping the Hybrid/Gas vehicles and the EVs similar gives drivers choice, but I still feel automakers should take that extra step to make their EVs stand out.
Tech-related dramas are a genre that doesn’t usually get a lot of attention, but over the past year, that’s changed. With Showtime’s Super Pumped, The Dropout on Netflix and WeWorked and Mythic Quest on Apple TV+, it’s never been a better time to be a nerd watching TV.
You could argue that Silicon Valley‘s run coinciding with Halt and Catch Fire and Mr. Robot in 2015-2018 was a better era, but those TV shows are complete fiction, and I’m currently living for workplace tech shows based on the real world that have dropped recently.
Obviously, as a MobileSyrup reporter/creator, I’m contractually obligated to watch Silicon Valley every two years, so that’s what kicked off my recent tech TV binge, but after delving into The Dropout and Super Pumped, I’m really excited for more.
The Dropout
The Dropout is a Hulu original series in the U.S, but in Canada, it’s available on Disney+ through its Star section. The show is eight episodes long and seems to have had a high-enough budget that I’d go so far as to describe it as prestige television. It’s based on the life of Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) as she drops out of Stanford to start Theranos, a blood-testing tech startup that turned out to be a complete fraud. I won’t spoil too much of the show, but in real-life, Holmes rose to prominence with the promise of upending the blood-testing industry with modern tech but failed to deliver in spectacular fashion.
The show illustrates a lot of what happened behind the scenes, including Holmes’s love life, family and the turmoils the whistleblowers at Theranos went through. MobileSryup‘s favourite actor William H. Macy even appears in a recurring role.
Super Pumped
After The Dropout, I moved over to Bell’s Crave streaming service to watch Super Pumped. This was partly to continue my tech TV binge, but also because my girlfriend and I adore Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This show is focused on the early days of Uber and its co-founder and then-CEO, Travis Kalanick.
The TV show jumps through time to outline Uber’s beginnings, its battle with Lyft and the Apple App Store, the infamous “Boober” comments, and the culture of toxic masculinity at the company. I found this TV show to be better than The Dropout because it’s slightly more dynamic and creative. Plus, Gordon-Levitt’s star power is magnetic.
That’s also where my only issue with the show stems from. I find Gordon-Levitt’s portrayal of Kalanick to be more likable than it should be, given everything we know about Uber’s former CEO. In my mind, Kalanick is more of a frat bro, but Gordon-Levitt’s take on the CEO is balanced and at times, oddly lovable, especially when you see the pain in his eyes as even his mom starts to turn on him.
With all of this in mind, Super Pumped is still highly entertaining, and Kyle Chandler’s performance as Bill Gurley is great. The TV show has been renewed for a second season.
WeCrashed
Next on my list is WeCrashed on Apple TV+ starring Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto. The last thing I saw Leto in was the House of Gucci where I’d argue he played a high-fashion Super Mario, so I can’t say I’m really looking forward to his performance. But I need to subscribe to Apple TV+ to catch Severance, anyway, so I guess I might as well check out WeCrashed while I’m at it.
On a personal level, the drama at WeWork is something I know very little about, so I’ll be going into this show blind. This is refreshing compared to the other tech-focused TV shows I mentioned in this story since I followed the real-world news they’re based on as it unfolded in real life.
With that in mind, the trailer looks very hype, and Anne Hathaway is an on-screen force.
Beyond that, HBO is working on a show called Doomsday Machine that focuses on Facebook and its COO Sheryl Sandberg during the rise of online disinformation ahead of the 2016 U.S. election.
I’ve been at MobileSyrup for the past five years and following the website for at least two years before that. That said, we’ve been around since December 2007 — a fact that many people likely don’t realize.
Over the last (roughly) 15 years, MobileSyrup has gone through a variety of site designs.
This week we’re looking back at the various website homepages with the power of ‘Wayback Machine.’
December 7th, 2007
This is the first website design, and man does it look old.
December 16th, 2008
We were doing a BlackBerry Storm giveaway, which was a very cool and highly sought-after phone at the time. Higher up on the right, you can see that the most recent review was the BlackBerry Curve 8900.
December 1st, 2009
The design certainly does stay like this for a while.
July 29th, 2010
Finally, in 2010 MobileSyrup’s look changed. This design added a blog roll style with highlighted ‘Feature Stories.’ The site still looked decidedly old by today’s standards, of course.
November 3rd, 2011
It looks like there’s a slight design change with the reviews at the top. There’s also a ‘404 Not Found’ message, an error that surely caused our former publisher, Ian Hardy, to lose his mind.
August 15th, 2013
In August 2013, we see a huge change to the website. The logo looks similar to the MobileSyrup logo we have today. The overall design looks more modern, with the feature sidebar going through a blog roll. The website is also now mobile-friendly.
August 16th, 2014
A year later, MobileSyrup made another change primarily based on reader feedback and streamlined the homepage’s blog roll to be more simple. An article in the feature section mentions that users found this redesign rather confusing.
September 1st, 2014
Two weeks later, MobileSyrup went with a slightly different redesign. Instead of the tile format, there’s now a regular-looking blog scroll. The featured section is also slightly changed and similar to our current one.
January 7th, 2017
MobileSyrup stays pretty much the same for a couple of years before a big change was made.
April 17th, 2018
Around April 17th we see another design change that moves us very close to our current design.
August 5th, 2021
MobilesSyrup doesn’t really change much after this beyond our refreshed logo and a few other minor design flourishes (at least, not yet 🔥).
What do you think of MobileSyrup’s various designs over the years? Which was your favourite, and how do you like our current design? Let us know in the comments below.
Leaks surrounding Google’s often-rumoured Pixel Watch have been appearing at a rapid rate over the last few weeks, but this latest image offers what seems to be the best look yet at the upcoming smartwatch.
According to a new report from Android Central, the publication was tipped off by someone who found an engineering sample of Google’s rumoured smartwatch in a restaurant in the United States. The source of the information asked the publication not to mention “their name or the restaurant name, including location, in order to protect their job.”
Android Central also mentions that the images show off a possible hidden button and that the wearable will use a propriety watch band. A recent leak indicated that the Pixel Watch’s current internal codename at Google is ‘Rohan.’ Google also filed for the ‘Pixel Watch’ trademark name in the United States.
It’s worth noting that this leak is strikingly similar to when Gizmodo reported on an iPhone 4 prototype that was misplaced at a restaurant. Though it’s still unclear, it appears that this leak surrounding the Pixel Watch could feature similar circumstances.
It’s likely that Google plans to officially revealed the Pixel Watch during I/O 2022 on May 11th and 12th next month.
Check out all of the leaked images of the Pixel Watch onAndroid Central.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and like always, it’s creeping up a little sooner than some might expect. You don’t want to be the offspring that doesn’t show mom love by forgetting about her special day.
We’ve gathered some tech-related gift ideas that would make a great present for the superwoman in your life.
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 8th, so make sure you have enough buffer time to order and receive the perfect gift.
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.
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+ will be 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
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Eddie Brock/Venom must face off with a serial killer who’s bonded with a symbiote to become Carnage.
Based on the Marvel Comics character Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage was directed by Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings franchise) and features returning Venom cast members Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock/Venom), Michelle Williams (Anne Weying) and Reid Scott (Dan Lewis), alongside series newcomers Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Naomie Harris (Moonlight).
Original theatrical release date: October 1st, 2021
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: April 23rd, 2022 Genre: Superhero Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Stream Venom: Let There Be Carnage here.
A Very British Scandal [Amazon Original]
This miniseries dramatizes the real-life marriage of Ian and Margaret Campbell, the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, and the scandalous legal case they get caught up in.
A Very British Scandal was adapted by Sarah Phelps (Dublin Murders) and stars Claire Foy (The Crown) and Paul Bettany (WandaVision).
Original TV broadcast run: December 2021 (U.K.)
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: April 22nd, 2022 Genre: Historical drama Runtime: Three episodes (58 to 59 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows hitting Prime Video this month can be found here.
AMC+
Better Call Saul (Season 6)
In the final season of Better Call Saul, Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) and Kim (Rhea Seehorn) plot their revenge against Howard (Patrick Fabian), while Gus (Giancarlo Esposito) and Mike (Jonathan Banks) face off against Lalo (Tony Dalton), with Nacho (Quebec City’s Michael Mando) getting caught in the middle.
Better Call Saul was created by Breaking Bad veterans Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould.
AMC/AMC+ premiere date: April 18th, 2022 (first two episodes, new episodes Mondays at 9pm ET) Genre: Drama Runtime: 13 episodes (around one hour each)
Note that only the first half of Season 6 is ongoing; following a brief hiatus, the second half premieres on July 11th.
Rick Famuyiwa (Dope) directs this in-depth look at the career of NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, featuring interviews with the likes of Magic, former U.S. President Barack Obama and entertainer LL Cool J.
Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: April 22nd, 2022 Genre: Sports documentary Runtime: Four episodes (56 to 1 hour, 1 minute each)
Barry (Saturday Night Live‘s Bill Hader) struggles to leave the hitman world and pursue acting, leading him to reflect on what compels him to violence in the first place.
Barry was co-created by Hader and Alec Berg (Seinfeld) and co-stars Stephen Root (King of the Hill), Vancouver’s Sarah Goldberg (Hindsight) and Henry Winkler (Happy Days).
Crave premiere date: April 24th, 2022 at 10pm ET (first episode, new episodes every Sunday at 10pm ET) Genre: Dark comedy Runtime: Eight episodes (around 30 minutes each)
Early in his crime-fighting career, Batman hunts down a serial killer known as The Riddler, whose crimes have a deeper connection to the Wayne family.
The Batman was co-written and directed by Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and stars Robert Pattinson (Good Time), Zoë Kravitz (Big Little Lies), Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Colin Farrell (The Lobster), Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings series) and John Turturro (The Big Lebowski).
Original Canadian theatrical release date: March 4th, 2022 Crave premiere date: April 18th, 2022 Genre: Superhero Runtime: 2 hours, 56 minutes
Cassie (The Big Bang Theory‘s Kaley Cuoco) balances sobriety and CIA work in Los Angeles until an overseas assignment puts her at the centre of another murder mystery.
Based on Chris Bohjalian’s 2018 novel of the same name, The Flight Attendant was developed by Steve Yockey (Supernatural) and co-stars Zosia Mamet (Girls), T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) and Rosie Perez (Fearless).
Crave premiere date: April 21st, 2022 (first two episodes, new episodes every Thursday at 9pm ET) Genre: Comedy-drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)
This series explores the U.S.’ infamous Watergate scandal from the perspective of Martha Mitchell, a socialite and wife to Richard Nixon’s Attorney General, John N. Mitchell.
Based on the first season of the “Slow Burn”podcast, Gaslit was created by Robbie Pickering (Mr. Robot) and stars Julia Roberts (Homecoming), Sean Penn (Milk), Dan Stevens (Legion), Betty Gilpin (GLOW) and Shea Wigham (Boardwalk Empire).
Crave premiere date: April 24th, 2022 (first episodes, new episodes every Sunday) Genre: Political thriller Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)
Stream Gaslit here. Note that a $5.99/month Starz add-on is required.
The Man Who Fell to Earth
An alien comes to Earth seeking the one scientist who can save his species.
Based on Walter Tevis’ 1976 novel of the same name, The Man Who Fell to Earth was created by Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married) and Alex Kurtzman (Fringe) and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Jimmi Simpson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Clarke Peters (The Wire) and Rob Delaney (Catastrophe).
Crave premiere date: April 24th, 2022 (first episode, new episodes every Sunday Genre: Comedy-drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around one 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.
Netflix
Oprah + Viola [Netflix Original]
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey interviews actress Viola Davis (How To Get Away With Murder) about her memoir, Finding Me.
Nadia and Alan stumble into another existential adventure.
Russian Doll was created by Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Leslye Headland (Sleeping With Other People) and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and stars Lyonne, Charlie Barnett (You), Greta Lee (The Morning Show) and Ottawa’s own Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek).
Netflix Canada premiere date: April 20th, 2022 Genre: Documentary Runtime: Seven episodes (26 to 33 minutes each)
White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch [Netflix Original]
Director Alison Klayman (Jagged) explores the popularity of clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch in the ’90s and early 2000s and its exclusionary marketing strategy.
Indie developers have begun receiving emails from Apple notifying them that the company is delisting their app from the App Store. The notification states that due to insufficient updates, Apple will remove the game or app in 30 days.
Match three game Motivoto faces delisting as a developer of the game took to Twitter to show Apple’s email. In it, the company says the app has “not been updated in a significant amount of time.” Therefore, it is scheduled to remove the app from the App Store in 30 days.
I feel sick. Apple just sent me an email saying they're removing my free game Motivoto because its more than 2 years old.
It's part of their App improvement system.
This is not cool. Console games from 2000 are still available for sale.
Apple continues and says “no action is required for the app to remain available to users who have already downloaded the app.” However, developer Protopop Games must submit an update in 30 days for review. Otherwise, Motivoto will be removed from sale.
Clarifying the last time Motivoto was updated, Protopop Games states the game hasn’t received an update since March 2019. However, the developer claims Motivoto is “fully functioning” and has been for the last three years.
Similarly, another indie developer took to Twitter stating Apple is delisting “a few” older games for the same reason. As with Motivoto, Twitter user @lazerwalker claims that the games in question “aren’t suitable for updates” and “they’re finished artworks from years ago.”
.@apple is removing a few of my old games b/c they have “not been updated in a significant amount of time”
Games can exist as completed objects! These free projects aren’t suitable for updates or a live service model, they’re finished artworks from years ago. pic.twitter.com/iflH70j7q4
Apple’s policy to remove apps without regular updates is a part of the company’s App Store Improvements measure. The policy is to ensure all “apps available on the App Store are functional and up-to-date.” However, doing so raises a pain point for preservation. Users who have purchased the game or app experience no interruptions. However, delisting prevents new players and users from accessing the app.
To avoid being delisted, Apple suggests regular updates “to fix bugs, offer new content, provide additional services, or make other improvements.” However, as both developers point out, that’s not always sustainable.
Ubisoft officially confirms the development of its team-based battle arena game codenamed Project Q. The game is currently in “early development.”
Recently, leaks began to surface that Ubisoft is working on an Overwatch-style competitive game. Getting ahead of the messaging, Ubisoft acknowledges and confirms the game’s existence alongside its Project Q codename.
The publisher claims that Project Q is “a team battle arena letting players truly own the experience,” in a tweet. Following the initial confirmation, Ubisoft notes that Project Q is not a Battle Royale. Opposed to Hyper Scape, the new title will “feature a variety of PvP modes.” Furthermore, the game supposedly has a single goal in mind and as Ubisoft states, it is “FUN!”
So, we heard you heard… 🤷
Introducing codename “Project Q”, a team battle arena letting players truly own the experience! The game is in early development and we will keep testing, so for now all you can do is register for upcoming tests: https://t.co/TMRKwiUzbJpic.twitter.com/hZ40OkPdum
Recently, a leak came out, showing early development gameplay. Based on the footage, Ubisoft’s Project Q incorporates a visual style similar to Fortnite. Additionally, two game modes dubbed Showdown and Battle Arena are seen in the game.
The leak also states that French studio Ubisoft Bordeaux is spearheading the development of Project Q. However, Ubisoft has not confirmed this notion.
Official details of the game are still under wraps. In a response to concerns about NFTs, Ubisoft claims “no NFT features are planned for this title.” Worries about potential NFT implementation follow as Ubisoft is adamant about NFT adoption in its games. Earlier this year, the publisher introduced its Ubisoft Quartz platform. The controversial introduction of artificially scarce in-game items hit Ghost Recon: Breakpoint first.
Registration for upcoming tests is now open. Any player interested in getting their hands on the game throughout development can sign up and learn more.
Project Q currently does not have an official release window. However, based on the registration page, the game supports PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Apple is launching its new repair program for the Apple Watch Series 6. This comes as a way to service those experiencing an issue where the watch displays a permanent blank screen.
The iPhone maker confirms that a “very small percentage” of 40mm Apple Watch Series 6 devices exhibit an issue where the screen goes blank. Apple states that these devices were manufactured between April 2021 and September 2021.
As a result, the company is opening a service program to repair any affected device. Those experiencing issues with their Apple Watch Series 6 are able to see if their device is eligible for the program on Apple’s website.
If eligible Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider provides free service to the device. To do so, the user needs to be examined. Users can either go into an Authorized Service Provider or make an appointment at an Apple Store. Alternatively, the device can be sent to an Apple Repair Centre.
The repair program covers eligible models for two years following the first retail sale of the device. However, the worldwide Apple program does not extend the standard warranty of the device.
Note that the issues don’t appear to be widespread. It appears as though this is an uncommon issue. Nonetheless, it’s good to see Apple addressing the issue for those experiencing a problem with their Apple Watch Series 6.
