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PlayStation Store’s Indie sale is offering games up to 90 percent off

The PlayStation Store’s Indies sale is offering a variety of games from indie publishers at a discounted rate.

Games like Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Subnautica: Below Zero and Olli Olli World more are on sale until March 23rd.

Here are some of the notable games:

Check out the PlayStation Store for more information on these deals. 

Source: PlayStation Store

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Mobile Syrup

The best smartphone bike mounts to buy this Spring

Spring is nearly here and for many, it’s a time to break out the bike for some new excursions.

Whether it’s trekking across the city or taking a ride through a trail, having easy access to your phone for notifications or GPS is important. That’s why many prefer to travel with a bike mount for their smartphone.

Let’s take a look at the best smartphone bike mounts you can order online.

Best premium mount


Lamicall Bicycle Cell Phone Mount Clamp

$29.99

Pros:


  • Sturdy mount

  • Supports iPhone 13 and Galaxy S22

  • Simple attachment
Cons:


  • Premium price


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 12:36 pm GMT

Lamicall offers a robust and sturdy mount that can fit an assortment of handlebars. The smartphone mount holds the device by each of its four corners. It comes with silicon pads to ensure the device does not get scratched or dinged up while travelling.

The Lamicall mount supports devices that are 4.7-inch to 6.8-inches, meaning the entire iPhone 13 series and newly released Galaxy S22 series are supported. Pixel phones, and older iPhone and Galaxy models are also mountable.

In addition, the mount can be fixed in a vertical or horizontal orientation.

Adding to the benefits, Lamicall’s mount is easy to fix and can be mounted on shopping carts, strollers, and more outside of your traditional bicycle.

Best anti-vibration mount


TruActive Premium Bike Phone Mount Holder

$21.99

Pros:


  • Minimalist design

  • Anti-vibration padding

  • 360 degree swivel design
Cons:


  • Bike mount not as secure


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 12:46 pm GMT

The TruActive smartphone bike mount offers a unique design. Whereas some mounts can be bulkier, this smartphone mount is much more minimalist. It’s made to fit a smartphone using nonslip, anti-vibration padding. This ensures the phone does not rattle and shake while on a road or trail.

The phone is held using rubber secure straps that the company claims have been tested by “engineers with years of road safety experience.” It comes in six colour options to fit your style and design aesthetic.

TruActive’s mount is universal, supporting iPhone, Galaxy, and Pixel devices ranging from 4.0-inches to 6.7-inches with a maximum thickness of 0.71-inches.

Finally, with the ball joint mount, the phone can swivel 360-degrees and be fixed to any viewing angle.

Best easy access mount


Teumi Anti-Shake Bicycle Phone Holder

$17.99

Pros:


  • Easy screen access

  • Anti-vibration pads

  • Solid lock mount
Cons:


  • Not adjustable


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 01:01 pm GMT

Teumi lands on our list with a rather simplistic, yet effective design. This smartphone bike mount supports a smartphone by using four 4 wear-resisting silicone claws and a non-slip PU pad. This is made to ensure the phone will not slip or get scratched on your next cycling outing.

The design of the mount leaves critical components and buttons open for easy access. For instance, the notch on the iPhone is left open so Face ID remains functional. Older devices with Touch ID won’t be compromised either. Volume buttons and other accessible features remain thanks to the mount’s design. Plus, you can adjust the angle and orientation to your preference.

Once again, this mount is universal so whether you just purchased an iPhone 13 Pro or are taking your Galaxy S8 on a scenic venture, you’re covered.

Best sturdy mount


Beemoon Bike Phone Mount

$18.99

Pros:


  • Built like a tank

  • Rubberized design

  • Easy installation
Cons:


  • Bulky


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 01:21 pm GMT

If you’re looking for a mount that appears more sturdy, Beemoon has you covered. This mount holds a smartphone in place by using rubberized corners and can fix any phone ranging from 4.7-inch to 6.8-inches. It is on the thicker side, which may attract someone using a dirtbike or riders on trails.

The Beemoon mount is designed with easy installation in mind. It requires no tools so you don’t have to fuss around with fixing it on your bike. Alternatively, the mount can be secured to a stroller, motorcycle, or other handlebars. Beemoon also includes additional rubber parts to adjust to the width of the handlebars.

As with others on the list, the mount features flexible rotation and orientation. It gives you the freedom of securing your device in landscape or portrait mode. This may be great for anyone shooting videos on their bike ride.

Best budget mount


La Lefn Bike Phone Mount

$9.99

Pros:


  • Budget friendly

  • Anti-vibration mount

  • Easy installation
Cons:


  • Less secure design


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 01:36 pm GMT

When looking at simple, yet effective mounts, La Lefn’s is one to take notice of. This mount features high elastic rubber belts to secure the smartphone safely. It is shock absorbent so your device will resist vibrations and any potential impact.

The almost spiderweb design of the mount supports standard size phones as well as larger ones ie: iPhone 13 Pro Max and Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The inside of the handlebar mount has non-slip damping to alleviate worries about the mount falling off or shifting. Additionally, installation requires no tools as the band is designed much like a watch or belt.

The La Lefn mount is a cost-efficient option when compared to others.

Best detachable phone mount


Teumi Detachable Bike Phone Mount

$15.29

Pros:


  • Easily detachable phone

  • 360 degree swivel design

  • Good value
Cons:


  • Less secure design


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 12:21 pm GMT

Teumi is once again on the list. This time, however, with a detachable smartphone mount. While all other mounts on the list require you to take the device off the mount in order to answer a call or text, this mount doesn’t.

The universal banded design slots directly into the smartphone bike mount. When taking a call, the silicon band and holder rotates 90-degrees and can be removed. Due to the slim-fit nature of the band, it isn’t obtrusive to use while attached to the phone.

As you can now imagine, this mount does not interfere with the display and front-facing camera of the phone. It can also be adjusted while mounted. Users can freely rotate the device a full 360-degrees to the appropriate position.

Most unique design


iMestou Bike Phone Mount

$24.99

Pros:


  • Unique design

  • Vibration resistant

  • Access to phone buttons
Cons:


  • Complicated installation


  • Not the best value


Buy at Amazon

03/15/2022 12:26 pm GMT

Finally, iMestou comes in with their mount. Here, we see a slightly different approach to design. This smartphone bike mount holds the phone primarily by the sides and bottom. This leaves everything from the power button, volume, and front-facing camera completely uncompromised.

The iMestou mount comfortably fits devices from 3.5-inch to 6.8-inches. The mount is comprised of plastic clamping arms and supporting pads for grip. Plus, you’ll find full rotation is possible with adjustable viewing angles.

This mount does require a bit of installation. On the rear, a screw must be fastened. Though, that may be appealing for those who wish to have peace of mind on the safety of their device.

And now you’re ready

There you have it. This spring, ensure your phone is within arm’s reach and safely secured while on a bike trip. No matter if you’re headed to the grocery store or racing over a hill, the benefits of securing your phone nearby should speak for themselves.

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

Walmart setting up global tech hub in Toronto as part of $3.5 billion Canadian investment

Walmart is establishing a global technology hub in Toronto, alongside another in Atlanta, Georgia.

Per the retail giant, these two cities were picked due to their growing tech sectors and diverse talent pools.

Initially, Walmart is looking to hire 45 full-time roles in software development, technical program management and product management in Toronto.

The Toronto hub is being created as part of a $3.5 billion CAD investment in Canada to improve technology infrastructure amid the increased shopping demands amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 150 stores will also be renovated through these funds.

Walmart has 14 other global tech hubs around the world, including Seattle and Chennai, India.

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Mobile Syrup

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 will reportedly sport an upgraded UTG display

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a great smartphone and a pretty significant leap over the Galaxy Z Fold 2, especially compared to its predecessor’s plastic-like display. However, it looks like the South Korean tech giant has plans to kick things up a notch with the Galaxy Z Fold 4.

According to information from the blog Naver, the South Korean company will include an improved Ultra-Thin Glass on the Z Fold 4. This upgraded UTG is reportedly stronger and more durable. The new display technology will also offer an improved S Pen experience.

Samsung’s UTG display is included in devices like the Z Flip 3 and the Z Flip 5G. It’s unclear if the rumoured Z Flip 4 will sport the newer UTG panel.

We’ll likely see Samsung reveal the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip for in August or September.

Source: Naver Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

watchOS 8.5 and iOS 15.4 bring Apple Watch firmware recovery tool

After dropping iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5 yesterday, Apple updated one of its support articles that detailed what to do in case your Apple Watch stops working and displays a ‘red exclamation mark.’

Before the new OS dropped, the support page instructed users to reboot the watch and get in touch with Apple Support to set up a mail-in repair. Now, as first spotted by 9to5Macthe support page provides instructions on how you can restore and recover your watch yourself at home.

Apple says that you need an iPhone with iOS 15.4 running and that the Apple Watch needs to be on watchOS 8.5 as well. However, I’m not sure how you would fix the watch if it crashes when you initially try to update it to watchOS 8.5. You’ll most likely still need to resort to the old method and get in touch with Apple Support.

But if you have both your iPhone and Apple Watch running the latest update, and your watch crashes for any reason and displays either a red exclamation mark (as seen above) or an animation that shows an iPhone and watch being brought close together, this is how you can attempt to fix it:

  1. Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi and turn on Bluetooth
  2. Put your Apple Watch on its charger
  3. Double-press the watch’s side button (the one below the crown)

Once you’ve followed the steps, a pop-up prompt on your iPhone would further instruct you on what to do.

Apple says that this isn’t a foolproof method. To make the procedure work, you might need to switch between 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. Unfortunately, this method too can fail, and reaching out to Apple support would be your best bet.

Image credit: Apple

Source: Apple Via: 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro alleged screen specs leak online

It looks like Google’s Pixel 7 will feature a slightly smaller screen size compared to its predecessor.

Well-known display analyst Ross Young has revealed new information about the upcoming Google’s upcoming smartphones, including the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

According to Young’s report, the Pixel 7’s screen size will shrink to 6.3-inches from 6.4 inches; a light adjustment that won’t be very noticeable. Additionally, Young says the Pixel Pro 7 will sport a 6.7-inch LTPO display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. This means the device’s refresh rate can drop to 10Hz in order to save battery life.

However, Young hasn’t confirmed whether the screen will be LTPO 1 or LTPO 2, as LTPO displays can drop to 1Hz similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra and the OnePlus 10 Pro.

Google’s 2022 Pixel devices aren’t expected to launch until October, so we have a few months until we officially see these upcoming flagships.

Source: Ross Young

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Mobile Syrup

Intel found a flaw in AMD’s Spectre mitigation, AMD issues fix

Intel’s security team found a flaw in AMD’s old ‘LFENCE/JMP’ patch to mitigate Spectre vulnerabilities across several generations of Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs.

In response, AMD issued a security bulletin recommending the use of alternate mitigation options. The update also had additional information for software developers.

Spectre is a type of security flaw that affects almost all modern Intel and AMD processors. It can potentially allow attackers to access sensitive data without detection. Worse, last week researchers found that Intel and Arm processors are susceptible to a new kind of ‘Spectre v2’ attack.

Intel uncovered the issue with LFENCE/JMP while investigating the new vulnerability. AMD implemented LFENCE/JMP in 2018 to mitigate against Spectre, but Intel’s researchers found it doesn’t adequately protect against the threat.

As per AMD’s security bulletin, the weakness in LFENCE/JMP spans the following chips:

  • Gen 1, 2, and 3 AMD Epyc processors
  • AMD Ryzen 2000, 3000, and 5000 series desktop processors
  • AMD Ryzen 4000 and 5000 series desktop processors with Radeon graphics
  • 2nd and 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper
  • AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro
  • AMD Athlon 3000 series mobile processors with Radeon graphics
  • AMD Ryzen 2000 and 3000 series mobile processors
  • 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen mobile processor with Radeon graphics
  • AMD Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000 series with Radeon graphics
  • AMD Athlon, Athlon 3000, and Ryzen 3000 mobile processors with Radeon graphics for Chromebook

You can view the full list here.

The researchers who found the flaw performed the exploit on Linux, but so far there haven’t been examples of the using the exploit on platforms like Windows.

Finally, The Verge points out that patches for Spectre-related vulnerabilities have been known to cause performance issues, especially on older hardware. However, benchmarking platform Phoronix tested the impact of initial patches for Intel and AMD chips in 2019 and found AMD CPUs were less affected than Intel.

Image credit: AMD

Source: Tom’s Hardware, AMD Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Samsung’s One UI 4.1.1 is coming to Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3 and more

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 One UI 4.1.1 is coming to a wide range of Galaxy devices, including the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3.

This update is starting to roll out right now, but it might be a while before it makes its way to Canada.

The One UI 4.1.1 update will start with the foldables, but will also extend to the S21 series, recent A series devices, the Tab S7 FE, the S20,the  Z Fold, theZ Flip, the Note series, the S10 series, the A series, the Tab S series and more.

One UI 4.1.1 includes Google Duo live sharing feature, so you can share photos in the gallery, your browser screen and collaborate on Samsung Notes, all while you’re on a video call. You’ll be able to take and edit photos in RAW. Additionally, it includes an object eraser, so you can remove shadows or distracting objects in the background. There’s also a Grammarly-powered keyboard to ensure that you’re writing has correct grammar and more.

Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series and Galaxy Tab Active 2 both received their March Security update on March 15th. 

Source: Samsung

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Samsung Galaxy A33 images and specs leak online

A leaked image of Samsung’s Galaxy A33 has surfaced online. The world-renowned leaker Evan Blass has posted renders of the A-series smartphone. While Blass posted the images, the website Appauls has leaked its specs.

The rumour indicates that the phone features a 6.4-inch 90Hz refresh rate OLED display with a 5,000mAh battery and four rear cameras. The handset will reportedly cost €379 in Europe, which in Canadian dollars equals about $530 — unfortunately, there’s usually a markup when these devices reach Canada.

The smartphone will also be powered by an Exynos 1280 processor, which will also be used in the A53.

Camera-wise, the handset will sport a 48-megapixel primary shooter, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view, a macro lens as well as a depth lens. On the front, the smartphone is expected to sport a 13-megapixel selfie camera.

The A33 will run One UI 4.1 based on Android 12, come with Dolby Atmos, IP67 water resistance, and 25W charging.

Lastly, the A33 will sport an under-display fingerprint scanner, face recognition and more. The phone will come in black, blue, peach and white.

We’ll likely see these devices, the A53 and the A73 at Samsung’s event on March 17th.

Source: Evan Blass, Appauls

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft brings DirectStorage to PC, boosts load times on supported games

Microsoft is finally bringing its DirectStorage API to Windows 10 and 11, which should (eventually) boost loading speeds for PC gamers.

The Redmond, Washington-based company first announced DirectStorage would make the leap from its Xbox Series X and S consoles to PC in September 2020, and later reiterated that DirectStorage would come to Windows 11 when it unveiled the new OS in 2021. In a new blog post published March 14th, Microsoft says Windows games can ship with DirectStorage “starting today.”

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean you’ll actually be able to play them today.

All right, let’s break this thing down starting with what DirectStorage is and how it works, followed by availability, and finally why you won’t be able to try it right away.

What is DirectStorage and how does it work?

How DirectStorage works | Image credit: Microsoft

The DirectStorage API is a public software development kit (SDK) that allows graphics processing units (GPUs) to communicate directly with fast NVMe solid-state drives (SSDs) rather than relying on the CPU to decompress data coming out of storage.

Typically, when games load content — such as the world or level you’re playing in — that data needs to be pulled off of a drive, decompressed by the CPU and fed into memory where the GPU can then use it to render what players see on screen.

DirectStorage works around this by feeding the compressed data straight to the GPU, benefitting from several speed boosts. First, it delivers the smaller compressed data to the GPU, benefitting from the faster transfer speeds of the SSD and smaller file size. Then it benefits from the GPU’s higher decompression bandwidths for better load time scenarios.

In short, it should mean much faster load times for players, which is great news. One of the main benefits of the Xbox Series X/S consoles was their faster load times, which is partially thanks to DirectStorage (the consoles make use of custom NVMe SSDs, hardware-accelerated decompression blocks, and Sampler Feedback Streaming to boost load times as well). It’ll be interesting to see how PC load times compare once DirectStorage is widely available.

DirectStorage availability

The good news about DirectStorage is it will be available to both Windows 10 and 11 PCs, although Microsoft recommends Windows 11 because it “has the latest storage optimizations built in and is [Microsoft’s] recommended path for gaming.”

Moreover, Microsoft suggests in the blog post that DirectStorage may benefit storage types other than NVMe SSDs, but Microsoft recommends using them to get the most out of DirectStorage.

As for the bad news, well, not many games support DirectStorage at the moment. Upcoming game Forspoken will be one of the first to showcase the tech, but it just got delayed and won’t arrive until October 11th, 2022.

And, as The Verge points out, PC gamers still use a variety of storage tech for games. Many haven’t upgraded to faster NVMe SSD storage, while with new devices like Valve’s Steam Deck, developers may need to target potentially much slower storage mediums like UHS-I microSD cards.

Most people I know — including myself — have a hodgepodge of storage including SSDs and hard drives. I went this route with my PC due to the higher costs of SSD storage — I started with a small SSD for Windows and apps, plus a cheap 1TB hard drive for large storage needs like games and media. Over the years, I’ve added another hard drive and an SSD that I use specifically for multiplayer games I play regularly so I can get faster load times — I still use my hard drives to store single-player games where I’m more willing to wait.

If DirectStorage brings a significant boost to load times, it may spur more PC gamers to upgrade to NVMe SSD storage to maximize the benefit. However, with ongoing supply shortages and skyrocketing prices, I imagine many more users will end up priced out of faster load times.

Source: Microsoft Via: The Verge