In 2022, we’re expected to see a variety of smartphones from notable players in the industry like Samsung, Apple, Google and more. For example, next week Samsung will almost certainly show off its anticipated Galaxy S22 series.
In 2021, several pretty cool smartphones appeared on the scene. I’m a big fan of foldables, so getting my hands on devices like the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 was pretty exciting. I was also thrilled by the Oppo Find N’s unique form factor that offered a more traditional aspect ratio on its cover display.
Roku could stand to learn a thing or two about modern visual design from Apple and Android. Still, in terms of usability and functionality, its offering eclipses what the other virtual remotes are capable of.
The only real downside is that it’s an app instead of built into your smartphone like the iOS’ and Android’s respective remotes are. That said, I often use the Roku remote app when watching content between 10-12pm when I need to be a little quieter. Further, now that the iPhone is smart enough to recommend the Roku app as soon as I pull down system search, it’s far more convenient.
Once you get into the app, you’re greeted with a layout that looks pretty much identical to whatever Roku remote came with your TV (or set-top box).
Beyond navigating and selecting content, the Roku app includes several useful features. Along the top of the screen, you’ll notice that you can quickly pull the remote’s settings, a keyboard for typing, and a search button for finding content on your Roku device.
It’s nice to see Roku use a keyboard button instead of having it automatically pop up like it does on Android and iOS. All three versions of the keyboard implementation work fine, but Roku’s is the most straightforward and is the least likely to confuse people because of this.
The other thing worth noting is there’s a small headphone button underneath the D-pad. This enables ‘private listening,’ which plays TV audio back through your smartphone’s speaker or headphones connected to your smartphone. This is a really useful feature that makes it easy to watch content quietly, and up to four phones can take advantage of the functionality at the same time.
Beyond this, the app functions normally as a remote. However, you can also use it to jump between Channels (apps/inputs) on Roku and browse free content on the service. I don’t use these functions as much since I mostly watch YouTube and Netflix on my TV, but it’s still nice to have it there. Android and iOS also have similar features to this within their Google TV and Apple TV apps, respectively.
Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
Reacher [Amazon Original]
Former military police officer Jack Reacher gets caught up in a conspiracy after being framed for a crime he didn’t commit.
Based on Lee Child’s 1997 novel Killing Floor, Reacher was developed by Nick Santora (The Sopranos) and stars Alan Ritchson (Titans), Malcolm Goodwin (iZombie), Willa Fitzgerald (Royal Pains) and Chris Webster (Most Dangerous Game).
It’s worth noting that the series was filmed in and around Toronto.
Amazon Prime Video Canada premiere date: February 4th, 2022 Genre: Crime thriller Runtime: Eight episodes (42 to 54 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video Canada last month can be found here. Click here for February’s content lineup.
Apple TV+
Suspicion [Apple Original]
Five people in London are named as suspects in the kidnapping of an American media mogul’s son.
Based on the Israeli series False Flag, Suspicion stars Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), Georgina Campbell (Krypton), Elyes Gabel (Scorpion), Elizabeth Henstridge (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Angely Coulby (Merlin) and Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction).
Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: February 4th, 2022 (first two episodes, new episodes every Friday) Genre: Thriller Runtime: Eight episodes (around 45 minutes each)
The full list of what’s coming to Apple TV+ in February can be found here.
Crave
Power Book IV: Force
After leaving New York, Tommy winds up in Chicago, where he works to become the biggest drug dealer in the city.
Created by Robert Munic (Empire), this Power spin-off features Joseph Sikora reprising his role of Tommy, while Gabrielle Ryan (Bonding), Kris D. Lofton (Ballers) and Anthony Fleming (Prison Break) join the Power universe.
Crave premiere date: February 6th, 2022 (first episode at 9pm ET, new episodes every Sunday at 9pm ET) Genre: Drama Runtime: Ten episodes (around one hour each)
Stream Power Book IV: Force here. Note that a Crave + Starz subscription is required.
Raised by Wolves (Season 2)
With their six human children, Android partners Mother and Father join a newly formed atheistic colony as the human race faces extinction.
Raised by Wolves was created by Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners) and stars Amanda Collin (Splitting Up Together), Abubakar Salim (Assassin’s Creed: Origins), Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Jordan Loughran (Dixi) and Winta McGrath (Doctor Doctor).
Crave release date: February 3rd, 2022 (first two episodes, new episodes every Thursday) Genre: Sci-fi, drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around 45 minutes each)
Nine veteran drag queens who appeared in international versions of RuPaul’s Drag Race compete in this spin-off.
Singer Michelle Visage, presenter Graham Norton and comedian Alan Carr return as judges alongside RuPaul from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. It’s worth noting that two Canadians — Victoria’s Jimbo and Toronto’s Lemon — return from Canada’s Drag Race.
Crave release date: February 1st (first episode, new episodes every Tuesday) Genre: Reality Runtime: Six episodes (around one hour each)
The full list of movies and shows that hit Crave last month can be found here. Click here for February’s content lineup.
Disney+
Pam & Tommy [Star Original]
This drama series is based on the true story of Ladysmith, B.C.-born model-actress Pamela Anderson (Baywatch) and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, during the period of their lives in which their sex tape was released to the public without their consent.
Pam & Tommy was created by Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) and stars Lily James (Downton Abbey) as Anderson, Sebastian Stan (I, Tonya) as Lee, Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation) as porn star/director Uncle Miltie, Vancouver’s own Seth Rogen (Superbad) as Rand Gauthier (who leaked the sex tape) and Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black) as Rand’s estranged wife Erica.
Disney+ Canada/Hulu release date: February 2nd, 2022 (first three episodes, new episodes every Wednesday) Genre: Biographical drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around 45 minutes each)
First-time feature director Max Lowe tells the story of how he’s tried to understand with his father, world-renowned mountain climber Alex Lowe, who died in an avalanche. Notably, Alex’s close friend and fellow climber, Conrad Anker, survived the incident, stepped in to raise Max and his siblings, and ultimately married Max’s mother.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Disney+ last month can be found here. Click here for February’s content lineup.
Netflix
Murderville [Netflix Original]
Toronto’s own Will Arnett (Arrested Development) plays a detective investigating a series of murders with celebrity guests in various improv sketches. Some of Arnett’s co-stars include Conan O’Brien (Conan), Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley), Sharon Stone (Casino) and Ottawa’s own Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek).
Netflix Canada release date: February 3rd, 2022 Genre: Improvisational comedy Runtime: Six episodes (30 to 36 minutes each)
Dion’s superpowers grow stronger, bringing danger to him and Nicole.
Raising Dion was created by Carol Barbee (Jericho) and stars Alisha Wainwright (Shadowhunters), Ja’Siah Young (Rough Night), Jazmyn Simon (Baggage Claim), Sammi Haney (7 Little Johnstons), Jason Ritter (Parenthood) and Michael B. Jordan (BlackPanther).
Netflix Canada release date: February 1st, 2022 Genre: Superhero drama Runtime: Eight episodes (37 to 45 minutes each)
If you’re enrolled in the Google Messages beta, you may soon see a few new updates appear in the Messages app.
As spotted by 9to5Google, people running the latest beta version of Messages (specifically, ‘messages.android_20220128_02_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic’) should see a new prompt to “Share videos as they’re meant to be seen.” I was also able to access these features on both a Pixel 4 and Pixel 6 running the Messages beta.
The prompt encourages users to connect their Google account to leverage Google Photos links to share videos and “preserve sharp video clarity.” Tapping the ‘How it works’ text reveals the following message:
“Your Google Account powers features such as Google Photos link sharing in Messages without accessing your conversations. Messages still send from your phone number.”
The text implies that connecting a Google Account powers other features in Messages, but it’s not entirely clear what those are. Finally, at the bottom, there’s an option to continue with your account or use Messages without an account.
Like other Google-made Android apps, the change adds your Google Account profile picture to the search bar at the top of the app. Users can tap the profile picture to change their account or access settings.
Further, the new Photos link feature adds a new ‘Google Photos’ section in Messages’ settings where users can toggle where to send videos or images via Photos links instead of through the SMS or MMS standard. The settings menu notes that enabling these settings will allow Messages to upload to Google Photos.
My initial impressions are that this change is an overly complex way to fix a long-running problem with SMS and MMS protocols reducing the quality of media sent using the standard. You could always get around that problem by generating a Google Photos link and sending that — this change appears to streamlines that process. However, in my experience using Google Photos links, less tech-savvy users would rather I just send the low-quality image rather than deal with opening Google Photos links.
The new Messages update also introduces a navigation drawer with quick access to your Messages inbox, starred messages, archived messages, spam and blocked messages, and more.
NEW YORK CITY CIRCA MAY 2020. As the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic grows and with gyms closed, Peloton has become popular as an indoor fitness option for exercise especially while sheltering in place
Amazon and Nike are both reportedly considering bids to acquire exercise equipment company Peloton.
According to a report from Reuters, Amazon is exploring an offer for Peloton and consulting with advisers about whether and how to proceed. Reuters also cited a Financial Times report that said Nike was evaluating a bid for Peloton, noting that the considerations were preliminary and Nike hadn’t held talks with Peloton.
Meanwhile, Peleton reportedly hasn’t decided whether it will explore a sale, although Reuters says activist investor Blackwells Capital urged the company’s board to put Peloton up for sale. Blackwells also called for the removal of CEO John Foley, accusing him of misleading investors and criticizing him for hiring his wife as a key executive, among other issues.
The rumours swirling around a Peloton sale stem from the company’s steep drop in stock price following a pandemic-driven boom in sales and a subsequent collapse when lockdowns lifted and gyms began to re-open. Previous reports indicated Peloton temporarily halted production of its fitness products due to a drop in consumer demand. Insider previously reported Peloton planned to lay off 41 percent of its staff in sales and marketing departments.
Amazon declined to provide comment to Reuters about the Peloton report, while Nike and Peloton did not immediately respond to requests from the publication.
Other reports indicated that Apple could be poised to buy Peloton to bolster its own fitness aspirations. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reliably covers Apple, wrote in a recent newsletter that buying Peloton “would be an unnecessary and pricey headache for Apple.”
In response, Alex Kipman, a ‘technical fellow’ at Microsoft and overseer of the company’s Mixed Reality division, refuted the claims on Twitter. A follow-up report from Business Insider cited more insider sources backing up the original claim, with one going so far as to call Kipman’s claim “complete bullshit.”
The original Business Insider report included information from over 20 current and former Microsoft employees and outlined divisions among the HoloLens team about whether to pursue hardware or software. The report claimed that Microsoft cancelled HoloLens 3 in mid-2021 and that the company’s recent partnership with Samsung caused rifts and drew resources away from HoloLens.
Kipman responded to the report by writing on Twitter: “don’t believe what you read on the internet.” He claimed HoloLens was “doing great” and pointed out that before Microsoft shipped HoloLens 2, reports claimed the company cancelled the project.
don't believe what you read on the internet. #HoloLens is doing great and if you search said internet they also said we had cancelled #HoloLens2… which last I checked we shipped with success [)-)
Business Insider followed up with a new report (via Windows Central) that countered Kipman’s claims. A source with direct knowledge of the product roadmap told Business Insider that “In no uncertain terms, Calypso was cancelled.”
“All of the people who were working on it have been distributed to other programs or have left the company. Microsoft might take the HoloLens 2 and put lipstick on a pig for another release,” the person said.
However, the cancellation isn’t necessarily bad news. According to the Business Insider report, Calypso was intended to be a “full-self-contained computer,” but the cancellation allowed Microsoft to refocus, specifically on the Samsung partnership and a potential cloud-based mixed reality device.
The device built in partnership with Samsung, dubbed ‘Project Bondi,’ is a set of screens in a headset and relies on a Samsung phone to act as the computer, unlike the HoloLens devices. That would be more in-line with the mixed reality and augment reality headsets competitors are working on — for example, Apple’s long-rumoured virtual reality headset will likely rely on an iPhone.
Ultimately, the future of HoloLens remains unclear. There seems to be no HoloLens 3 on the horizon, and Microsoft’s future headset plans appear to be moving away from the HoloLens models entirely. It’s possible the new headsets will use the HoloLens name, but I think that’s unlikely given the different foundation.
Humble Bundle is back with an excellent new ‘F*ck Cancer‘ game bundle that will net customers 13 titles valued at about $347 CAD while helping fund cancer research.
For those unfamiliar with Humble Bundle, the platform regularly offers bundles of games with a ‘pay what you want’ model. The amount people pay for the bundle gets divided up between Humble, the game developers, and a charity. Typically, customers can choose things like the charity and how the money gets split up (i.e. if you want most of it to go to the charity instead of the developers and Humble).
Additionally, most Humble Bundles have a minimum spend amount that customers need to hit in order to unlock all titles in a bundle. The ‘F*ck Cancer’ bundle requires a donation of at least $12.56 CAD to unlock all 13 titles from the bundle, but customers are free to donate much more as well.
All of the money spent on the ‘F*ck Cancer’ bundle goes towards ‘Cancerfonden,’ the Swedish Cancer Society, for cancer research. According to the bundle description listed on Humble’s website, the bundle celebrates former Starbreeze Studios CEO Mikael Nermark, who passed away due to cancer in October 2021.
“To celebrate the life and legacy of father, husband, and former Starbreeze Studios head Mikael Nermark, friends, family, and colleagues across the game industry rallied together with Humble to grant him one final birthday wish. The result: an epic bundle of games dedicated to Mikael and everyone whose lives have been affected by cancer,” reads the Humble site.
Several of the titles included in the bundle were developed or published by Starbreeze. You can view a full list of games in the bundle below:
Though the City of Toronto publicly says it still plans to have 3,000 level-2 charging ports across the city by 2025, a new report proves that the city might not be taking this goal very seriously.
Toronto started the pilot project to launch on-street EV chargers in 2017, but it wasn’t until late 2020 that the city finally got all 17 total charging locations up and running. It should also be noted that only nine of these are for on-street parking, with other chargers placed in Green P (paid) parking lots.
These chargers aim to help Toronto residents that don’t have a driveway/garage charge their electric vehicles (EVs) overnight. The chargers supply level-2 charging speeds and are attached to hydro poles.
Level-2 speeds are decent for overnight charging and are typically what people install at their homes. You can get level-2 rates out of the same 140-volt outlet that most stoves plug into in Canada.
The Toronto chargers have a $3 flat fee for overnight use by people with valid street parking permits and an EV. During the day, the chargers can be rented for $2 per hour. This system is being tested to incentivize EV owners to charge overnight and leave the chargers clear for other people to use during the day.
However, this strategy doesn’t seem to be working. A Toronto Starreport from 2021 mentions that this is likely because nine on-street chargers that take multiple hours to charge vehicles aren’t helping those interested in buying an EV feel more comfortable making the jump.
The city’s public goal for EV charger ports is 3,000 by 2025, and at this rate, it’s not even close.
Apple is planning to reveal a new version of the iPhone SE and the iPad Air at an upcoming March 8th event, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, an often reliable source of tech rumours.
The next-gen iPhone SE will reportedly look very similar to its iPhone 8-like 2020 counterpart, only with a faster A15 chip and 5G connectivity. There’s also a possibility that the tech giant could improve the entry-level smartphone’s cameras, which, at this point, lag well behind what the iPhone 13 series offers.
Along with a new iPhone SE, we’ll also likely see a new iPad Air at Apple’s event. The new Air is rumoured to also get a 5G connectivity and a faster A-series chip. Given that the iPad Air (2020) featured a full iPad Pro-like colourful redesign, it’s unlikely this refresh will be that substantial.
Finally, Gurman’s report mentions that an M1-powered Mac mini could also appear at the event, and that iOS 15.4’s/iPadoS 15.4’s public release could be just a few weeks away. iOS 15.4 will bring several significant features to Apple’s mobile operating system, including Face ID with a Mask and Universal Control, which allows users to jump between side-by-side Macs and iPads using a trackpad or mouse.
Similar to past Apple events, it’s expected that the tech giant’s March event will be streamed online and not an in-person keynote, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Apple is planning to reveal a new version of the iPhone SE and the iPad Air at an upcoming March 8th event, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, an often reliable source of tech rumours.
The next-gen iPhone SE will reportedly look very similar to its iPhone 8-like 2020 counterpart, only with a faster A15 chip and 5G connectivity. There’s also a possibility that the tech giant could improve the entry-level smartphone’s cameras, which, at this point, lag well behind what the iPhone 13 series offers.
Along with a new iPhone SE, we’ll also likely see a new iPad Air at Apple’s event. The new Air is rumoured to also get a 5G connectivity and a faster A-series chip. Given that the iPad Air (2020) featured a full iPad Pro-like colourful redesign, it’s unlikely this refresh will be that substantial.
Finally, Gurman’s report mentions that an M1-powered Mac mini could also appear at the event, and that iOS 15.4’s/iPadoS 15.4’s public release could be just a few weeks away. iOS 15.4 will bring several significant features to Apple’s mobile operating system, including Face ID with a Mask and Universal Control, which allows users to jump between side-by-side Macs and iPads using a trackpad or mouse.
Similar to past Apple events, it’s expected that the tech giant’s March event will be streamed online and not an in-person keynote, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
