Author: Mobile Syrup

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Latest Nintendo Switch eShop sale discounts more than 500 games

The Nintendo eShop currently has over 500 games on sale, including those from Warner Bros., Square Enix, the controversy-riddled Activision Blizzard and indie developers.

See below for some of the most notable deals:

The full list of eShop sales can be found here. Note that sales have different end dates.

Image credit: 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Beware, Vancouver: Nickelback is planning a concert to promote electric vehicles

Nickelback is threatening Vancouver with its music.

The Canadian band will headline an outdoor concert on July 1st as part of Canadian E-Fest, a motorsports racing event aimed at promoting electric vehicles.

The show runs from June 30th to July 2nd and will mark Nickelback’s first Canadian concert since 2019, following cancellations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets for both the concert and the broader E-Fest event will go live on Friday, February 11th at 10am PT/1pm ET on the official E-Fest website.

What better way to celebrate Canada Day than with an iconic Canadian band?

Image credit: Nickelback

Categories
Mobile Syrup

PlayStation Plus is free from February 12-14

PlayStation is offering multiplayer for free for Valentine’s Day weekend.

From February 12-14th, Sony is making online multiplayer for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 available to everyone at no cost. You’d normally need a PlayStation Plus subscription, but that’s not the case for this weekend.

You’ll still need an internet connection and a PlayStation Network account.

If you like the experience, PlayStation Plus is $69.99 CAD every 12 months, and until February 14th those who don’t have an existing PlayStation Plus membership can get 50 percent off a three-month membership. 

Source: PlayStation

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple’s macOS 12.2.1 update aims to fix MacBook battery drain issue

Apple’s latest macOS update should solve a battery drain issue some MacBook users have been experiencing since upgrading to macOS 12.2.

In macOS 12.2.1’s update notes, Apple outlines that the release includes a fix for “an issue for Intel-based Mac computers that may cause the battery to drain during sleep when connected to Bluetooth peripherals.”

Before this update, some users reported experiencing battery drain issues when their MacBooks were asleep but still connected to Bluetooth devices. According to reports, the problem persists even if you turn off Bluetooth before closing your computer. The issue seems only to affect Intel-powered Macs and not Apple’s M1, M1 Pro or M1 Max Macbooks.

Apple also dropped updates for iOS, iPadOS and watchOS. On the iOS 15.4.1 release side, the update includes a bug related to a braille accessibility feature and a potential major security flaw — so you’ll likely want to install it immediately. On the other hand, Apple’s watchOS 8.4.2 update seems to be tied to stability.

Via: Engadget 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Android 13 Developer Preview 1 is now available

Android 13’s Developer Preview 1 is now available. This preview isn’t like the public beta that’s available for everyone — instead, it’s aimed at developers and some enthusiasts.

Google plans to launch several Android 13 releases in the coming months before the official version hits its Pixel smartphones and other manufacturers’ devices in the latter half of the year. For those Pixel enthusiasts with either a Pixel 4 (XL), Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a  (U.S. only), Pixel 6, or Pixel 6 Pro, 9to5Google has released a step-by-step guide on how to install the preview. 

If you’re not a developer, you’ll only have to wait two more months for the public beta of Android 13.

Here’s a list of some of the new features included in the update:

  • Users who are on a guest profile can access installed apps from the main profile.
  • Silent mode disables keyboard haptics and other vibrations.
  • Typically you can invoke the Google Assistant by holding the Home button (when using three-button navigation). Now you can disable this feature.
  • There’s also a Photo picker to help protect the photo and video privacy of users. It offers a standard and optimized way for users to share both local and cloud-based photos securely.

  • There’s a new UI when you are looking at your output devices and there’s a volume slider.
  • There are also new themed app icons extending ‘Material You’ dynamic colours beyond Google apps to all icons.

  • Android 13 introduces several new runtime permissions for nearby Wi-Fi devices.
  • There are changes in the Quick Settings, which allows developers to create their own custom tile for the notification shade

You can find all of Android 13’s new features in Google’s latest Android Developer blog post.

Tiramisu

It’s also worth noting that Google has confirmed the dessert name for Android 13 — Tiramisu. While Google doesn’t use dessert names anymore publically, the convention still exists for internal use.

Since Google re-branded Android three years ago, the company has avoided using dessert brands, though the unique names still live on. For example, Android 10 is Queen Cake, Android 11 is Red Velvet Cake and Android 12 is Snow Cone.

If you’re a part of the Android 13 Developer Preview, head into Settings > About Phone and tap on the Android version to check this out yourself.

Image credit: Google

Source: Android Developer Blog, Droid Life  

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple’s latest AirTag update includes privacy warnings, smarter unwanted tracking

Apple has released several new AirTag features that aim to curb the Bluetooth tracking device’s ties to several recent reports surrounding car theft and other tracking-related crimes.

The AirTag now displays a message during setup stating that using the accessory to track people is a crime in several regions around the world. This notification also reminds users that law enforcement can request access to information tied to the Bluetooth tracking devices.

The latter part of this notification certainly brings up privacy concerns, though its intention on Apple’s part is to deter AirTag’s use in crime. Apple goes on to say it will provide serial numbers and Apple ID information to law enforcement agencies when an AirTag has been used in a crime.

The tech giant is also introducing ‘Precision Finding’ to point iPhone users to nearby unknown AirTag through a compass-like on-screen arrow that indicates where the device is. Further, the company says it’s adjusting the tracking device’s ‘tone sequence’ to notify users of unwanted tracking.

Finally, Apple also updated its online support documents with more information regarding how users can control location settings on their iPhone and AirTag.

“We design our products to provide a great experience, but also with safety and privacy in mind,” said Apple in a press release regarding the update.

In December, Apple launched an AirTag Android app called ‘Tracker Detect’ designed to detect unknown AirTags within Bluetooth range. A few months before the release of this app, Apple also rolled out an update that reduced the amount of time before an AirTag alerts someone who doesn’t own it of its presence to between eight and 24 hours from three days.

Though Bluetooth trackers from companies like Tile have existed for years, Apple’s ‘Find My’ network of one billion active devices has a far wider reach than other competitors in the space, making it much easier to use an AirTag for nefarious purposes.

Source: Apple

Categories
Mobile Syrup

CRTC orders telecom providers to immediately make paper bills available to some customers

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) says specific customers can now obtain paper copies of their bills from telecom providers upon request at no extra cost.

The change is effective immediately and includes customers who identify as persons with disabilities, those aged 65 and older and customers who don’t have internet access or mobile data services.

The CRTC says telecom providers must make this information available on their website, update their systems, and train representatives to ensure customers are aware of the change.

“There are still many Canadians who have legitimate needs to receive their bills in paper format. This decision strikes a good balance between allowing providers to encourage their customers to switch to digital billing and ensuring Canadians are treated in an inclusive and accommodating manner,” CRTC chair and CEO, Ian Scott, said in a statement. “We expect all providers subject to these new rules to swiftly make the necessary changes.”

Providers have 90 days to inform the CRTC on how they told customers about the change.

The organization will also impose similar rules on television providers “at the next opportunity.” But if customers have this service bundled with their phone bill at this time, the CRTC says the applicable groups can request a paper copy at no extra charge.

Source: CRTC

Categories
Mobile Syrup

iOS 15.4 update will ask users to opt out of Siri recordings again

When iOS 15.4 drops later this year, users may see a prompt asking them if they want to help improve Siri by letting Apple review recordings after the update. The prompt’s re-emergence is the result of a bug that re-enabled the saving of Siri recordings for many users in iOS 15.

As explained by ZDNet, Apple found a bug in iOS 15 that turned on the setting to save Siri recordings for customers. After discovering the bug, Apple turned off the feature for several users in iOS 15.2 and deleted the erroneous recording. Apple explained the problem in a statement to ZDNet:

“With iOS 15.2, we turned off the Improve Siri & Dictation setting for many Siri users while we fixed a bug introduced with iOS 15. This bug inadvertently enabled the setting for a small portion of devices. Since identifying the bug, we stopped reviewing and are deleting audio received from all affected devices.”

That’s why the upcoming iOS 15.4 update will ask some users if they want to let Apple save Siri recordings again. While annoying that some users will need to adjust that setting again — Apple clearly has the ability to disable Siri recordings by default since it applied that in iOS 15.2 for impacted users — at least it will confirm for users whether they were hit with the bug.

iOS 15.4 is currently in beta and will likely roll out to users in the coming weeks.

Source: ZDNet

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened card-collecting MMO coming to mobile this year

Warner Bros. has confirmed that Harry Potter: Magic Awakened will come to Android and iOS in North America later this year.

Developed by Chinese tech company NetEase, the free-to-play game was first launched last year in select Asian markets. Magic Awakened is set 10 years after The Deathly Hallows and features appearances from characters like Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Rubeus Hagrid and Professor McGonagall.

In terms of gameplay, Magic Awakened mixes card collecting with an MMORPG framework. Specifically, cards are based on classic Harry Potter spells and can be earned via a “gacha” system. Outside of card-based battles, Magic Awakened will let players create their own Hogwarts student, attend lessons and play Quidditch through a simplified touch-to-dodge system.

Those interested can pre-register on Google Play or the official Magic Awakened website for special in-game rewards. If Magic Awakened doesn’t sound up your alley, Hogwarts Legacy, a AAA action-RPG for consoles and PC, is also set to release later this year.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Access Communications acquires rural wireless internet provider KRAKR

Saskatchewan-based telecommunications service provider Access Communications announced the acquisition of local rural wireless internet provider KRAKR Enterprises.

KRAKR is based in Estavan, Saskatchewan, and serves customers in the southeast and southwest of the province. Access says the acquisition will add 70 new towers to its rural wireless network, bringing the total coverage area to over 200,000 square kilometres in Saskatchewan.

Moreover, Access says the deal will preserve the Estevan workforce and, in the coming months, increase it as Access seeks to grow its rural wireless operations in southern Saskatchewan.

“Access has an important role to play in bridging the rural-urban digital divide. This deal will position Access to better serve the underserved areas of our province and expand our rural wireless footprint,” said Access CEO Jim Deane in a press release.

Brandon Rosengren, CEO of KRAKR Enterprises, noted that Access’ commitment to community was a “key factor” in the decision, saying:

“Our goal from day one was to deliver leading-edge technology to rural Saskatchewan, to improve the quality of life. And that’s what Access is all about – giving back to the communities they serve.”

Access says it will soon offer AccessRural internet services to the areas surrounding Avonlea, Carlyle, Estevan, Frontier, Gull Lake, Shaunavon, Swift Current, Weyburn, and more. Customers can learn more about Access internet on the company’s website.

Source: Access