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TikTok opens Effects House beta, enabling creators to make new effects for the platform

Russia, Kazan May 28 2019: Tik Tok application icon on Apple iPhone X screen close-up. Tik Tok icon. tik tok application. Tiktok Social media network

The TikTok Effects House suite is now open to more users. Previously relegated to a closed-beta testing period, Effects House is now available to all creators.

Effects House is TikTok’s community effects platform. It offers tools and resources to assist creators in building new effects for the social network. It utilizes a number of design and development technologies that the company hopes to inspire new effects.

@tiktok

Now anyone can create vibrant effects for TikTok. Welcome to Effect House #effecthouse

♬ original sound – TikTok

In a recent blog post, TikTok confirms that nearly 450 unique effects are now on TikTok. Effects House has inspired “the creation of more than 1.5 billion videos and garnering over 600 billion views globally.” The company hopes this trend continues as more creators get their hands on the toolset.

With TikTok opening up its Effects House, the platform is continuing to pursue ways to keep the platform safe for users. “We’re focused on fostering a safe, authentic, and inclusive environment for our global community,” the company writes. As a result, effects that promote colourism, negative stereotypes, cosmetic surgery, and scrutiny of appearance are not allowed.

All TikTok Effects House submissions are reviewed by the Trust and Safety team. This ensures that each effect adheres to TikTok’s policies prior to release. As this is a community-focused endeavour, the company also enables users to report effects they believe are volatile. Using the ‘Report Effect’ feature, users are able to submit reports. The TikTok team then removes any effect that is incorrectly approved.

Finally, TikTok is making it easier to identify an effect made by the community. By tapping the effect on the video, users navigate to its results page. The creator’s username is found. Additionally, all published effects are found on their Profile page.

Much of what makes TikTok stand out is its community ownership. Knowing the community can experiment with new effects and create their own is promising for the next step in the platform’s evolution.

Source: TikTok

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Mobile Syrup

Federal government won’t intervene on CRTC’s MVNO ruling

The federal government won’t be weighing in on a decision forcing Bell, Telus, Rogers and SaskTel to sell network access to only some competitors.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) made the ruling on April 15th, 2021.

The Commission stated regional wireless carriers who invested in network infrastructure and spectrum could use the larger companies’ networks if applicable.

Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO), operators without their own spectrum and infrastructure, were deemed ineligible. The decision left many smaller players disappointed.

Weeks later, Data on Tap Inc. petitioned the federal government to overturn the ruling. They wanted wholesale access from the dominant networks to be available to carriers without spectrum licenses. dotmobile, an operator run by the company, was the first in Canada to become a full MVNO.

But today’s decision upholds the CRTC’s original decision.

François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said expanding MVNO access to providers without spectrum “would undermine the work of smaller regional providers that have already invested substantially to increase competition.”

“Based on this review, the Governor in Council has declined to vary the CRTC’s decision,” he continued.

Algis Akstinas, founder and CEO of Data on Tap Inc., told MobileSyrup the news is only a win for the Big Three “telecom lobbyists.”

“For Canadians this means continuing inequity and discrimination in the form of punitively designed wireless service and significantly higher effective prices for seniors, newcomers, students and families,” he said

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Mobile Syrup

15 top tech deals at Best Buy Canada for the long weekend

Fear not, faithful reader. The deals at Best Buy Canada are only getting better as the weather improves. With major savings on wireless earbuds, laptops, and portable hard drives, we have plenty of top tech deals for those spending time outdoors.

At $500 off its regular price, our pick for the top deal goes to Samsung’s The Frame 75-inch TV. You won’t be using it outdoors, but thanks to its unique display, you can have it portray a sunny landscape and pretend that you are. That sounds like a decent compromise to me.

Check out the full list of deals below:

TVs and monitors

Samsung 75″ 4K UHD HDR LED Tizen Smart TV: $1299.99 (save$100)

Samsung The Frame 75″ 4K UHD HDR QLED Tizen OS Smart TV: $2499.99 (save $500)

LG 27″ FHD 75Hz 5ms GTG IPS LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor: $199.99 (save $50)

PCs and laptops

Acer Nitro 50 Gaming PC (Ryzen R5-5600G/512GB SSD/8GB RAM/GTX 1650/Windows 11): $999.99 (save $200)

Dell Inspiron 3000 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop (Intel Core i5-1035G1/256GB SSD/8GB RAM/Windows 11): $649.99 (save $100)

HP Pavilion x360 15.6″ Touchscreen 2-in-1 Laptop (Intel Core i7-1165G7/1TB SSD/16GB RAM/Win 11): $1199.99 (save $200)

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive: $119.99 (save $15)

Headphones and speakers

Sony WHXB900N Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones: $179.99 (save $170)

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 In-Ear Noise Cancelling Truly Wireless Headphones: $119.99 (save $50)

JBL Xtreme 2 Rugged/Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Speaker: $249.99 (save $150)

JBL Bar 820-W 9.1 Ch Atmos 4K Dolby Vision Sound Bar w/ Wireless 10” Subwoofer and Surround Speakers: $1199.99 (save $300)

Smart home

Google Nest Wire-Free Video Doorbell: $199.99 (save $50)

Google Chromecast with Google TV: $54.99 (save $15)

Cameras

Thinkware Q800PRO 2K QHD 1440p Dash Cam with Rear Camera & Hardwiring Cable: $169.99 (save $120)

Wearables

Fitbit Sense Smartwatch with Heart/Stress Management Tools & Voice Assistant: $259.99 (save $140)

Let us know which items you’d like to see go on sale!

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that help fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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Mobile Syrup

WhatsApp now finally supports emoji reactions

WhatsApp emoji reactions are finally here. The Meta-owned company has confirmed that emoji reactions are available on iOS and Android.

One common request from WhatsApp users has been emoji reactions. Previously, to react to a message with an emoji, you’d need to send them as an individual message. Moving forward, WhatsApp allows users to select a message and react with one of six emojis.

WhatsApp limits the number of available emoji reactions currently. Of the selection, users can choose from thumbs up, heart, laughing face, teardrop face, shocked, and the praying hand symbol. However, Head of WhatsApp Will Cathcart confirms that “all emojis and skin tones” are coming.

Emoji reactions are commonplace on social media and messaging platforms. Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram all support emoji reactions. Competing platforms such as Slack and Discord also offer a full range of emoji reaction support.

In a series of follow-up tweets, Cathcart allows confirms that the company aims to increase the max file size to 2GB for sharing. This is a drastic step up from the current 100mb. Additionally, WhatsApp will soon support up to 32-person conference calls. Cathcart claims these calls can “start with just one tap.”

Concluding the thread, Cathcart discusses the importance of end-to-end encryption and how the company’s privacy security measures can help Communities. This new feature launches later this year.

Emoji reaction support is another step in WhatsApp having a level experience across all of Meta’s apps.

Image credit: WhatsApp

Source: @wcathcart Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Users report Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 getting ECG update in Canada

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 seems to be getting an update that many Canadians have been looking forward to.

A new update that hit one of our Canadian reader’s wearable indicates that the Galaxy Watch 4 finally features blood-pressure and ECG monitoring in Canada. The update is available with Galaxy smartphones running Android 7.0 or later.

Back in February, Samsung made a blog post about the Galaxy Watch 4 getting ECG in Canada, but users say the update didn’t hit their devices in March like was scheduled to.

Now, many have turned to Twitter and the Samsung’s community forums, commenting that the update has finally arrived.

We’ve reached out to Samsung for official confirmation regarding the features’ release.

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 always could monitor ECG, but without Canadian regulator clearance, the feature wasn’t accessible.

Source: @Da_Ali_G_Show, Samsung Community

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Mobile Syrup

Samsung Canada ranks in the Top 3 most reputable companies in Canada

Samsung Canada is the third-most reputable company in Canada, according to a recent study. Leger’s Corporate Reputation study concluded Samsung’s ranking by asking 38,000 Canadians to share their input.

More than 285 companies across 30 sectors took part in Leger’s study. In the final standing, Samsung Canada ranked number three. This marks the ninth year in a row that the company has landed on the Top 10 list. However, Samsung’s current placement sees a four-place increase when compared to 2021.

“Samsung is proud to be ranked the third most reputable company in Canada as its a testament to the focus we’ve placed on earning and maintaining the trust of Canadians,” said Jihoon Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Canada. “Canadians are utilizing our technology to enrich and enhance their daily experiences and it’s a relationship that we hold in the highest regard. We’re committed to continuing to build positive perceptions with Canadians through an emphasis on cutting-edge innovation, sustainability and best-in-class service.”

Leger’s Corporate Reputation study looks at six core pillars of a company. These include financial strength, social responsibility, honesty and transparency, quality, attachment, and innovation.

Samsung Canada gained a Reputation Score of 72, narrowly beating Samsung are Shoppers Drug Mart and Sony, both of which received a Reputation Score of 73. The maximum score Leger doles out is 100.

Following Samsung Canada, the Top 10 list is rounded out by Canadian Tire, Interact, Google, Campbell, Microsoft, A&W, and finally, Netflix. The final three companies received a score of 69.

It’s worth noting that this year’s study indicates the overall reputation scores have dropped. The hardest-hit sectors include breweries, drugstores, hospitality and bookstores. On the other hand, the industrial sector experienced the largest growth in reputation this year.

Source: Samsung Canada

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Mobile Syrup

Peloton increases monthly app subscription cost by $6 in Canada

Fitness company Peloton has revealed plans to raise its monthly app subscription fee in Canada and the United States, while also cutting the cost of its Bike, Bike+ and Tread products.

As of June 1st, Peloton’s all-access plan will increase by $6 CAD per month in Canada ($55 CAD/month) and $5 USD per month ($44 USD/month) in the United States. The fitness company says it has no plans to increase its subscription cost in other regions, and that its digital-only plan price will remain the same.

Peloton has also slashed the price of several of its products. The cost of its standard spin Bike is now $1,195 USD ($1,504 CAD), a decrease of $300 USD (about $375 CAD), the high-end Bike+ dropped $500 USD (roughly $629 CAD) to $1,995 USD (about $2,511 CAD) and its fitness treadmill now costs $2,345 USD (roughly $2,952 CAD), down $150 (about $188). MobileSyrup has reached out to Peloton for official confirmation of Canadian pricing.

Though Peloton’s stock skyrocketed amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, its shares have fallen roughly 30 percent since December as people started to return to in-person gyms. In February, the fitness company replaced its CEO and cut 2,800 jobs (20 percent of its total workforce). At the time, rumours also circulated that Amazon, Apple and Nike were considering purchasing the company.

For more on Peloton, check out MobileSyrup telecom reporter Nida Zafar’s look at the Peloton Guide Camera and staff reporter Brad Shankar’s hands-on with the Bike+.

Image credit: Peloton

Source: Peloton Via: Bloomberg 

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Mobile Syrup

Amazon is ‘not close to adding crypto as a payment method’

Nov 22, 2019 Palo Alto / CA / USA – Close up of Amazon logo and Smile symbol at one of their corporate offices located in Silicon Valley, San Francisco bay area

After rumours circulated suggesting Amazon might add cryptocurrency as a payment option to its e-commerce platform, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has quickly shut the rumours down.

In an interview with CNBC, Jassy said the e-commerce giant is not close to adding cryptocurrency as a payment option, though he believes in the asset class’ future, and that cryptocurrencies will “become bigger in the longer term.” In addition to digital currencies, Jassy also commented on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), saying that it might be possible to sell NFTs on Amazon one day, and that the digital asset class that is currently plagued by scammers will “continue to grow significantly.”

Regardless, people can still shop off Amazon and pay with crypto — though not directly. Third-party websites like purse.io allow you to shop off Amazon’s extensive catalogue and pay with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin and Zcash.

A lot of big companies have either started accepting cryptocurrencies as a payment method, while others have integrated the digital assets in some capacity.

For example, eBay allowed listings of NFTs on its platform as ‘Digital Collectibles,’ with the possibility that it will start accepting crypto as a payment method in the future. Twitter, on the other hand, allows its users to tip their favourite creators with Bitcoin, whereas Meta CEO Zuckerberg said last month that NFTs will arrive on Instagram ‘in the near term.’

Source: CNBC 

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Mobile Syrup

Get Apple’s AirPods Pro for $29 off on Amazon

Amazon Canada currently has Apple’s top-end AirPods Pro listed at a 10 percent discount.

The wireless earbuds which are normally available for $278.99 are currently listed for $249.99 on Amazon, adding up to a $29 discount. For reference, the same AirPods are listed on Apple’s website for $329.

The AirPods Pro feature IPX4 water, sweat and dust resistance along with improvements over the 2nd-generation AirPods, including impressive active noise-cancelling and better sound quality.

The wireless earbuds also offer up to four and a half hours of listening time with one charge and up to 24 hours with the charging case.

Check out MobileSyrup’s review of the AirPods Pro to learn more about the wireless earbuds or bag them for $249.99 here.


New Apple AirPods Pro


New Apple AirPods Pro

$249.99


Buy Now

04/14/2022 04:13 pm GMT

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

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Mobile Syrup

Google Pixel 7 to reportedly feature same camera sensors as predecessor

New rumours hint that Google’s upcoming Pixel 7 series could be pretty dull as far as its camera is concerned.

Information from the tipster Yogesh Brar indicates that the Pixel  7 series will sport a 50-megapixel sensor that’s the same as the Pixel 6 series’ shooter.

In the past, Google has used the same camera module in multiple versions of its smartphones, and it seems like its 50-megapixel sensor in the Pixel 6 is no exception. Google will likely opt to improve the Pixel 7 series’ camera through new software features.

While the handset will reportedly feature the same camera sensor, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are expected to feature a more powerful second-gen Google Tensor chipset that should improve the shooter and the smartphones’ overall performance.

Google’s Pixel 7 series is expected to launch sometime in September or October. In other Pixel-related news, there’s a strong possibility that the rumoured Pixel 6a could launch in Canada soon.

Source: @heyitsyogesh