Author: Mobile Syrup

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3 new Sega Genesis games come to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack

Nintendo has added three new Sega Genesis titles to its Switch Online ‘Expansion Pack’ tier: Light Crusader, Super Fantasy Zone and Alien Soldier.

For the record, I’ve never heard of any of these titles despite spending a lot of time with the Genesis as a child.

You can find Nintendo’s description of each game below:

“In Alien Soldier, the acclaimed developers at Treasure invite you to take on the role of a bird-man with steel wings in his fight against 25 bosses. In this challenging game, you can learn new tactics with every defeat … or take advantage of that handy Rewind feature to perfect your run!

Super Fantasy Zone has you powering up the ever-appealing Opa-Opa across eight colorful planets!

In Light Crusader, also from Treasure, let nobility light your way through a lovingly crafted action-RPG.”

Last week, Nintendo added N64 classic F-Zero X to the Expansion Pack, and before that, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask made its way to the service. A selection of new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tracks also just hit the subscription platform.

Though Switch Online and its Expansion Pack tier still doesn’t offer the same number of titles as Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass platform, its selection of games has steadily improved over the past few months.

Nintendo’s ‘Expansion Pack’ online tier costs $63.99 for a 12-month individual membership (one account) or $99.99 for a 12-month Family Membership (up to eight accounts).

Image credit: Nintendo 

Source: Nintendo

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft Edge can automatically describe images for people using screen readers

With the demise of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer inching closer, the Redmond, Washington-based company is putting all its browser expertise in Microsoft Edge, including a new feature that would make the web surfing experience more accessible for those with low vision, or no vision at all.

People with vision disabilities often use a screen reader to access the web. These screen readers rely on alternative (alt) text to describe a specific image that is on the screen. According to Google, more than half the images online don’t contain alt text, making the web surfing experience haphazard for the person with low or no vision.

Microsoft is now improving its Edge experience to tackle such situations.

The Microsoft Edge browser will now provide auto-generated captions for images that lack alt text, according to the company. Microsoft is utilizing machine learning (ML) algorithms to describe said images, and it can do so in five languages, namely, English, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese.

“The algorithms are not perfect, and the quality of the descriptions will vary, but for users of screen readers, having some description for an image is often better than no context at all,” reads Microsoft’s blog post.

However, there are some limitations. Microsoft says it won’t add captions for images that are:

  • Marked as “decorative” by the website author. Decorative images don’t contribute to the content or meaning of the website.
  • Smaller than 50 x 50 pixels (icon size and smaller)
  • Excessively large
  • Categorized by the Vision API as pornographic in nature, gory, or sexually suggestive.

To turn on the feature, open Microsoft Edge and type edge://settings/accessibility in the address bar. Enable the ‘Get image descriptions from Microsoft for screen readers’ toggle (as referenced in the screenshot below), and start browsing via Microsoft’s Narrator or any other screen reader of your choice.

It’s worth noting that this feature is currently only available for Microsoft Edge on Windows, Mac and Linux and not for Microsoft Edge on iOS and Android

Learn more about the new feature here.

Source: Microsoft

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Mobile Syrup

Ubisoft unveils ‘Scalar’ cloud platform, says it will create ‘new types of games and massively social experiences’

Ubisoft has announced Scalar, a new cloud-native technology that it claims “changes the way games are made and experienced.”

Scalar is led by Ubisoft Stockholm in Sweden in collaboration with teams in Malmö, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; Bucharest, Romania and Kyiv, Ukraine.

Per Ubisoft, Scalar will reduce dependency on game engines, which are used to create games, to open up game development possibilities. The company says this will enable developers to avoid traditional production constraints to focus on game design and player experience.

Using a microservice architecture, Scalar breaks down components and systems of traditional game engines, like AI and physics, independently in the cloud. This creates a distributed model across a “potentially unlimited” number of machines. In theory, this can then allow developers to leverage a “virtually infinite” amount of computing power to create digital worlds that “were previously unachievable.”

Additionally, Ubisoft says the tech is capable of dynamically starting and stopping services based on both player and developer activity so it only uses required computing power in real-time. This removes the need for developers to recompute what has already been computed.

Given that it’s still early, it’s unclear how this might impact specific Ubisoft games, like Assassin’s Creed or even the upcoming Splinter Cell remake. On a broader level, though, Ubisoft explained how this can impact the player experience.

For one, Scalar will allow developers to update and improve one service without affecting others, or add features to a game while people are playing, no download required. Additionally, the company teased how this might impact social games.

“Natively cross-platform and scalable, [Scalar] allows [players] to gather by the millions in a singular, shared virtual environment for new types of games and massively social experiences,” says Ubisoft. “And with cloud-accelerated systems, game worlds also reach a new level of persistency where players’ actions can have an immediate and lasting impact on their environment, opening the doors to new forms of emergent gameplay.”

For now, Ubisoft says its Stockholm studio is using Scalar to make a brand-new IP, although it will gradually expand the tech to all of its studios. The publishing giant has a significant Canadian presence, with major studios in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto, in particular.

Companies are becoming increasingly invested in game streaming technology. In addition to the streaming-only platforms Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox and PlayStation have optional streaming services, Xbox Cloud Gaming and PlayStation Now, respectively. Nintendo also leverages the cloud to bring select games to the Switch, including Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and theKingdom Hearts series.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s Mac Studio and Studio Display are now available Canada

Along with the iPhone SE (2022), Apple’s Mac Studio and Studio Display are now available to order in Canada.

Apple’s Mac Studio is a high-end take on the Mac mini that’s powered by either its M1 Max or new M1 Ultra chip. The rear of the tiny Mac Studio features several ports, including four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10GB Ethernet port, a power port, an HDMI slot (4K60 and HDR at 60Hz), a high-impedance 3.5mm headphone jack and, surprisingly, two USB-A ports.

The Mac Studio with an M1 Max 10-Core CPU, 24-Core GPU, 16-Core Neural Engine, 32GB of RAM with 512GB SSD storage starts at $2,499. On the other hand, the M1 Ultra the 20-Core CPU, 48-Core GPU, 32-Core Neural Engine, 64GB of RAM 1TB SSD storage variant starts at $4,999.

On Apple Canada’s website, the M1 Max variant is listed as shipping in late April, while the Mac Studio with an M1 Ultra doesn’t ship until early May.

Apple’s new Studio Display is also available now starting at $,1999 and starts shipping in late mid-to-late April. Though some have been critical of the Studio Display, I’ve been impressed with the quality of its 5K screen. That said, it’s hard not to be disappointed by the fact that it doesn’t support a 120Hz refresh rate at lower resolutions. There are also reports surrounding issues with its built-in webcam, though my experience with the shooter has been relatively solid.

For more on the Mac Studio and Studio Display, check out my in-depth look at both devices. MobileSyrup will have more on both devices in the coming days.

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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Mobile Syrup

Public Mobile offering 2GB of bonus data in flash sale

Public Mobile is offering new customers 2GB of bonus data for six months for a limited time.

The free offering only applies to plans starting at $35 a month. The $35 plan offers 2.5GB of data, and the bonus will mean users get 4.5GB of data for the first six months. That’s the same amount of monthly data on their $40 a month plan.

Of course, there are a few caveats. The offer expires on March 21, and only new customers can cash in on the deal. Users must use the promo code ‘6MONTH2GB’ for the offer to apply. The offer isn’t valid on their $15 or $25 monthly plans.

Source: Public Mobile

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s IPhone SE (2022) is now available in Canada

After a week of being up for pre-order, Apple’s iPhone SE (2022) is now available. The antique-looking iPhone starts at $579 for the base model with 64GB.

The smartphone is available in ‘Midnight,’ ‘Starlight’ and ‘Product Red’ colourways.

The iPhone SE (2022) features the same 4.7-inch iPhone 8-like design as its predecessor and sports the popular physical Touch ID Home Button. This year’s SE features the iPhone 13 series’ A15 chip, 5G connectivity and new software-powered camera features.

Below is the 3rd-gen iPhone’s pricing:

If you want to know more about the iPhone SE (2022)’s Canadian carrier pricing, check it out here. You can also learn more about the iPhone SE in our review. 

Alongside the iPhone SE 2022, the Green iPhone 13 and the Alpine Green iPhone 13 Pro are also now available in Canada.

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Mobile Syrup

Get 2GB additional data per month for six months with Lucky Mobile

Bell-owned Lucky Mobile’s latest St. Patrick’s Day flash sale offers customers an extra 2GB of data per month for the next six months.

The offer is only available to new customers who activate a $35/mo or higher plan. Eligible plans include:

  • $35/mo plan with 2.5GB data, unlimited Canada-wide calling and unlimited international texting
  • $40/mo plan with 4.5GB data, unlimited Canada-wide calling and unlimited international texting
  • $50/mo plan with 10GB data, unlimited Canada-wide and U.S. calling and unlimited international texting
  • $60/mo plan with 15.5GBdata, unlimited Canada-wide and U.S. calling and unlimited international texting
  • $70/mo plan with 20GB data, unlimited Canada-wide and U.S. calling and unlimited international texting

This promotion ends on March 21st. If you want to redeem this offer online, you need to order a SIM card between now and March 21st and then activate it by April 22nd.

Learn more about the promotion here.

Source: Lucky Mobile

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Mobile Syrup

Chatr flash sale offers 4GB bonus data per month for four months

Rogers’ flanker Chatr is running a flash sale for Holi offering 4GB of bonus data per month.

Those who activate a Chatr ‘Talk, Text & Data’ plan that costs $35/mo or more will get the data bonus. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that the bonus will expire if the account becomes inactive or the plan changes before the end of the four months.

The flash sale runs until March 21st, which means customers only have a short time to claim the deal.

Chatr’s eligible plans are below:

  • $70/mo 20GB + 4GB bonus with Unlimited Canada/U.S. Talk
  • $60/mo 15GB + 4GB bonus with Unlimited Canada/U.S. Talk
  • $50/mo 10GB + 4GB bonus with Unlimited Canada/U.S. Talk
  • $40/mo 4.5GB + 4GB bonus with Unlimited Canada-wide Talk
  • $35/mo 2.5GB + 4GB bonus with Unlimited Canada-wide Talk

It’s worth noting that customers can also get an additional 500MB of monthly data if they sign up for Chatr’s auto-pay service. All plans come with unlimited text to Canada, the U.S., and international, call display, call forwarding, and group calling.

You can learn more about the flash sale on Chatr’s website.

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Mobile Syrup

Star Trek: Picard uses Galaxy Z Flip 3 as futuristic Tricorder prop

It seems Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 might be a bit more futuristic than some of us expected.

The foldable handset has been spotted in Star Trek: Picard as part of a Tricorder — a Star Trek device used to scan the environment, record data and more. In episode three of season two, the Tricorder appears twice and is used by Agnes Jurati and Rafaella Musiker. You can spot the Z Flip 3’s horizontal crease and reduced bezels.

The phone is in a very thick case to make it look more like a Tricorder, and you can’t see the rear of the Z Flip 3 at all in the scene.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 or 3 (it’s unclear which one) was spotted in a previous episode being used as a ‘PADD,’ a Personal Access Display.

Star Trek: Picard is available to stream on Bell’s Crave app in Canada.

Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

VMedia launches first RiverTV 30-day free trial

RiverTV is now offering a 30-day free trial for a limited time.

Normally, the VMedia-owned platform only has a seven-day trial.

With RiverTV, Canadians can access live TV & VOD streaming from more than 45 channels, including Global TV, CBC/SRC, HGTV, Showcase, W and Teletoon.

You can sign up for a free trial here. RiverTV is available on a variety of devices, including Android and iOS. The service starts at $16.99/month afterward, with extra fees required for add-on channels like Super Channel.