Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Nvidia’s recent data leak hints at Nintendo’s Switch Pro

Last year, several rumours and reports indicated that Nintendo’s fabled Switch Pro will release before March 2022. March 2022 is here, and the Switch Pro isn’t, though a new leak has revealed new information about the rumoured handheld.

According to Tech Power Up, which analyzed the leak and called it the “mother of all cyberattacks,” the breach put out critical driver source code, the ability to disable LHR (Lite Hash Rate) for mining cryptocurrencies, and offers a look into future Nvidia hardware.

Game modder @NWPlayer123 and coder @LuigiBlood pointed out on Twitter how some of the leaked code might include references to a next-gen Nintendo Switch.

The leaked data shows files and folders marked as “nvn2,” whereas the original Switch’s graphics API (application programming interface) has historically been called nvn, and was made by Nvidia for the original Nintendo Switch.

This is the only piece of speculative evidence that was found which may prove the existence of a Switch Pro or a Switch 2, and hence, it should be taken with a grain of salt until confirmed by Nvidia or Nintendo. However, the leak didn’t fail to cause a stir in the Nintendo community.

If true, the upcoming Switch Pro/Switch 2 would feature Nvidia’s DLSS super sampling, ray tracing, improved CPU performance and a 4K resolution (likely when docked), giving the regular Switch and Switch OLED users a compelling reason to upgrade.

Source: @NWPlayer123 @LuigiBlood Via: Tech Power Up

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Mobile Syrup

Jeeps first all electric vehicle ins’t a jeep, it’s an SUV

A Jeep electric vehicle (EV) is on the way.

The company has only shown off the design so far, but it features a modern look that reminds me more of a Kia Soul than a Jeep.

Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, says that the electric SUV will launch in early 2023. The design looks suspiciously like a beefed-up Jeep Compass to me. The yellow colour also screams old-school Hummer, which is a tough look to pull off as an EV. This is likely, why the new Hummer is grey.

Beyond the yellow Jeep, the automaker also shared that the first electric RAM truck will release in 2024, and that it plans to make all its vehicle sales in Europe electric by the end of the decade. After that, Jeep hopes to have a net-zero carbon footprint by 2038.

If you want to learn more about Jeep’s plans for electrification and autonomous vehicles, there is a lengthy tweet thread here.

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Mobile Syrup

Sonos drops mic from Roam speaker and $30 from price

Sonos has released a new version of its ultra-portable Roam speaker called the Roam SL. This version drops the microphone and has a lower price.

In Canada, the Roam SL starts at $199, which is $30 less than the fully equipped Roam.

This is a decent deal, but after spending more time with the regular Roam, it stopped working randomly one day. I also found the single multi-use button on the back of the device confusing and struggled every time I needed to go from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth.

I still find myself using my Sonos Move way more than the Roam since taking the Roam out to use as a speaker on a hike or something was always a test in frustration. My older and cheaper UE Wonderboom 2 has been a much more reliable device, even if the Roam does sound a bit better.

If you are really interested in getting a Sonos Roam SL, you can pre-order it today from Sonos’ website for $200 and it will ship on March 15th.

Image credit: Sonos

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Mobile Syrup

Apple halts sale of its products in Russia amid Ukraine invasion

Barcelona, Spain – June 7, 2018: Logo of Apple Inc. on a Apple store. Apple is the multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California and sells consumer electronics products.

Apple has taken a stand against the unprovoked Russian aggression in Ukraine and has stopped selling its products through the Apple Store in the country, as reported by CNBC.

Heading to the Russian Apple website shows that all items, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, AirPods and accessories say “в настоящее время недоступно,” which translates to “currently unavailable.”

In addition to its products, Apple has removed Russian state-led news outlets RT News and Sputnik News from the App Store globally, except for those accessing the store in Russia. RT News is the same news outlet that has been blocked from earning ad revenue on YouTube and removed from Canadian provider Bell, Rogers, Telus,  Shaw, Access Communications and VMedia’s respective channel lineups.

Further, similar to how Google has disabled live traffic data from Google Maps in Ukraine in a bid to safeguard the local population’s locations, Apple too has disabled traffic as well as live incidents in Apple Maps in Ukraine.

“We have taken a number of actions in response to the invasion. We have paused all product sales in Russia. Last week, we stopped all exports into our sales channel in the country,” an Apple spokesperson told CNBC in a statement. “Apple Pay and other services have been limited. RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the App Store outside Russia. And we have disabled both traffic and live incidents in Apple Maps in Ukraine as a safety and precautionary measure for Ukrainian citizens.”

This comes soon after Facebook and TikTok started taking down Russian state media in Europe and Reddit shadowbanned the subreddit r/Russia for spreading misinformation and war propaganda.

Today marks the sixth day since Russia illegally invaded Ukraine.

Source: CNBC

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Mobile Syrup

Reddit ‘Quarantines’ subreddit r/Russia for spreading disinformation

In an attempt to curb disinformation regarding the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and in showing solidarity with other big tech companies, Reddit has decided to “quarantine” (shadowban) r/Russia and r/RussiaPolitics subreddits, as first reported by Mashable.

According to the San Francisco-based discussion website, “the purpose of quarantining a community is to prevent its content from being accidentally viewed by those who do not knowingly wish to do so, or viewed without appropriate context.” Subreddits that are quarantined do not show up in search results or recommendations, and if you do get access to a shadowbanned subreddit through a direct link, you’ll be shown a warning that requires you to explicitly opt-in to viewing the content.

As of right now, visiting the quarantined subreddit shows a message, stating “This Community contains a high volume of information not supported by credible sources,” as seen in the screenshot below:

That said, I was able to find the subreddit with a simple Google search. This means that the shadowban won’t stop those who are specifically looking for the subreddit, but that it is as good as removed for those just scrolling through posts, discussions and going about their day.

According to Mashable, most of the posts on the subreddit, which describes itself as “Everything related to the country of Russia,” contained posts defending the invasion, and cherry-picking reasons to justify it, including discussions about Ukrainian soldiers being Nazis, the Ukrainian population spreading misinformation, using past war/training drill photos as current and other types false propaganda.

Other quarantined subreddits include ‘r/911truth,’ ‘r/VaxTalk,’ ‘/r/darkmemes’ and many more.

The move from Reddit arrives alongside other big tech companies issuing strict rules against Russia, with Facebook and Tik Tok taking down Russian state media in Europe, YouTube blocking Russia’s state-owned media outlet RT from earning ad revenue and Google restricting live traffic data in an effort to safeguard concentrated local population’s location.

Canadian providers, including Bell, Rogers, Telus,  Shaw, Access Communications and VMedia have also removed RT from their respective channel lineups.

Via: Mashable

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Mobile Syrup

Razor launches Kickstarter campaign for electrified version of its classic kick scooter

Scooter company Razor is getting in on the e-scooter craze with new electrified versions of its classic scooters. And, as a bonus, these look like they carry as much potential to devastate ankles as the classic Razor scooters.

As reported by The Verge, Razor launched a Kickstarter campaign for the new scooters, which are called ‘Razor Icon.’ It aims to start shipping the first models in August 2022 and will offer five colours — orange, blue, red, pink, and black. The scooters will also boast 350W motors, which will let them go much faster than those that rely on leg muscles.

Razor seems to be playing a slightly different game with its Icon e-scooters than the competition. First, the company’s marketing seems to rely on the nostalgia factor. As per the Kickstarter page:

“The original Razor scooter is back! Bigger, faster, and this time it’s electric! Meet the all new Razor Icon. The original. Reimagined.”

The page also features videos of people reflecting on the Razor scooters they had as kids.

Aside from the nostalgia play, The Verge points out that Razor isn’t trying to take on other e-scooter companies by putting out the fastest electric scooter possible. The Icon is one of the company’s more powerful scooters with a top speed of 29km/h (18mph) and a 36V lithium-ion battery. The company also plans to sell the scooters for “under $1,000.”

Unfortunately, the Kickstarter page notes the Icon only ships to the U.S. That means Canadians hoping to get a Razor Icon are likely out of luck for now, but hopefully, these scooters become available if they prove popular in the U.S.

Image credit: Razor

Source: Razor Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Bell expands TSN 5G View to Winnipeg ahead of tonight’s Jets game

Montreal-based national telecom Bell announced an expansion to its ‘TSN 5G View’ feature that will bring it to TSN’s regional coverage of Winnipeg Jets hame games.

According to a press release from Bell, fans in the Winnipeg Jets broadcast region will be able to try 5G View starting with TSN’s coverage of tonight’s (March 1st) Jets game against the Montreal Canadiens starting at 7pm CT. That broadcast region includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and parts of Northwestern Ontario including Kenora, Dryden, and Thunder Bay.

For those unfamiliar with 5G view, Bell launched the feature back in 2021. 5G View lets people with a 5G-capable smartphone in an area where Bell has launched 5G service watch sports with immense control. Viewers can rewind, zoom, and move around to different cameras to get every possible view of the play.

Those interested can learn more about 5G View here.

Bell says 80 time-slice cameras were installed around the bowl of the arena at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre. There’s also fibre connectivity, dedicated servers, and a specialized control centre. 5G View enables live, interactive viewing, on-demand highlights, and more.

The Winnipeg Jets join the Montreal Canadians, Toronto Maple Leafs and, Toronto Raptors in offering 5G View.

To use 5G View, you’ll need a TSN subscription, the TSN app, and a Bell 5G device. You can download the app for iOS here or Android here. You can learn more about 5G View here.

Source: Bell

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Mobile Syrup

You can control this smart mosquito repellent with Google Assistant or Alexa

As spring arrives, so do spineless blood-sucking mosquitoes, buzzing around spreading disease and irritability.

Conventional solutions, including the use of bug sprays, have long been tried and tested but it is time to move on to something smarter. That is the aim of the Liv Smart Mosquito Repellent System and its maker Thermacell.

The device comes with a smart hub and three to five one-foot tall repellers that you place in and around your yard. Each repeller has a cartridge that emits a repellant (metofluthrin) into the air when heated. Thermacell claims it creates a 20ft zone of protection. Placing repellers a few feet away from each other in and around your yard makes a bigger protection dome.

It’s worth noting that metofluthrin is scent-free and non-toxic to both humans and pets. Each metofluthrin cartridge lasts for about 40 hours.

You can turn the repellers on before you plan to head into the yard directly via your phone or through a voice assistant. This works thanks to the smart hub which connects to your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to remotely control the repellers.

The smart hub can be placed inside or outside your house, though outside is recommended since the hub needs to be connected (wired) to the repellers.

Liv’s companion app allows users to schedule the repellers to go off at a certain time, monitor the activity and share controls with the rest of the household. According to the company, the repellers should be turned on about 10-15 minutes before you plan to head out to your yard.

Thermacell’s Liv Smart Mosquito Repellent System works with both Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, and is available starting at $699 (roughly $889.46 CAD). It currently doesn’t ship to Canada, however, Thermacell’s products are available all over Canadian Tire, Amazon and Walmart, so it should end up there sooner or later.

Learn more about Liv here.

Image credit: Thermacell

Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Amazon Canada discounts select Asus laptops by up to 25 percent

Amazon Canada currently has several Asus laptops on sale up to 25 percent off.

A total of six Asus products, including five Chromebooks and an ultra-thin laptop are currently discounted. Check out the offers below:

ASUS Laptop L510 Ultra Thin Laptop, 15.6-inch FHD Display, Intel Celeron N4020, 4GB RAM, 128GB eMMC Storage, Windows 10 Home in S Mode + Includes 1 Year Microsoft 365 Personal, Star Black, L510MA-DB02-CA: $349 (regularly $399)

Asus Chromebook C523NA-DH02 15.6inch HD NanoEdge Display,Intel Dual Core Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB Storage: $249 (regularly $299)

ASUS Chromebook Flip CM3, 12-inch Touchscreen NanoEdge Display, MediaTek™ 8183 Processor, Arm Mali-G72 MP3 GPU, 32GB eMMC, 4GB RAM, Wi-Fi 5, Chrome OS, Mineral Gray, CM3200FVA-DS42T: $299 (regularly $399)

ASUS Chromebook Detachable, 10.5-inch Touchscreen WUXGA 16:10 Display, MediaTek 8183 Processor, 128GB Storage, 4GB RAM, Stylus, Chrome OS, Aluminum, Mineral Gray, CM3000DVA-DS01T-CA: $399 (regularly $449)

ASUS Chromebook CX9, 14-inch Touchscreen Full HD NanoEdge Display, Intel Evo Platform Core i5-1135G7 Processor, 512GB PCIe SSD, 16GB RAM, NumberPad, Chrome OS, Star Black, CX9400CEA-DB51-CA: $1,149 (regularly $1,299)

ASUS Chromebook CX1, 11.6-inch HD NanoEdge Display, Intel Celeron N3350 Processor, 32GB eMMC, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM,Chrome OS, Transparent Silver, CX1100CNA-AB01-CA: $249 (regularly $262.81)



Go to the Asus sale on Amazon

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Image credit: Amazon

Source: Amazon

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Mobile Syrup

OnePlus will develop OxygenOS independently from ColorOS again

OnePlus and Oppo will continue developing OxygenOS and ColorOS independently, killing the plan to merge both into a single system.

Company co-founder Pete Lau addressed the plan in a blog post, writing that both OxygenOS and ColorOS would continue to work off the same codebase established with OxygenOS 12. According to Lau:

“While OxygenOS and ColorOS will continue to be developed on the same codebase – to allow for faster updates and better build quality – OxygenOS and ColorOS will remain independent brand properties. This new course was taken in accordance with feedback from our Community – we understand users of OxygenOS and ColorOS want each operating system to remain separate from each other with their own distinct properties.”

As Android Police points out, the original plan was for the OnePlus 10 series to debut with a merged operating system (OS) — however, reports from early February indicated the unified OS was nowhere to be seen.

Going forward with OxygenOS 13, Lau says the company wants to “deliver an experience that long-time OnePlus users will be familiar with while ensuring it upholds hallmarks of OxygenOS,” including a fast, smooth experience, “burdenless design,” and being easy to use.

Image credit: OnePlus

This all generally sounds like a move in the right direction. When OnePlus first announced the plans to merge OxygenOS and ColorOS, users were understandably skeptical. Turns out it was well placed — the integration didn’t seem to go well, with several reports coming out taking issue with how OxygenOS ended up much like ColorOS.

Hopefully, this change results in improvements to OxygenOS. Although I’ve had my issues with OnePlus’ software, I quite liked the look and feel of it pre-ColorOS.

Source: OnePlus, Via: Android Police