Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Montreal-made Monopoly Tycoon launches on Android and iOS

A new Monopoly game has launched on Android and iOS.

From Montreal-based Nvizzio (RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch) comes Monopoly Tycoon, a 3D city-building simulation game.

The game features three famous Monopoly locations, Atlantic City, Paris and London, across which there are over one thousand buildings and decorations that players can collect, build and upgrade. Meanwhile, Monopoly board staples like Go, Community Chest and Chance will offer various benefits to your real estate business.

Monopoly Tycoon is now available to download for free on iOS and Android (with in-app purchases).

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Mobile Syrup

Check out MSI’s latest lineup of gaming and creator laptops

At CES 2022, MSI revealed a range of its new 12th-gen processor laptops made for gamers and content creators, all equipped with the latest 12th Gen Intel H series processors.

Let’s start the list off with MSI’s new gaming laptops:

MSI GS77 Stealth

MSI’s lightweight Stealth series is probably the company’s most popular one for all the right reasons. It combines a thin frame that looks unlike a traditional chunky gaming laptop, all while not compromising on powerful internals. The new 17-inch GS77 comes with an updated middle hinge design and ships with Microsoft’s Windows 11.

The gaming laptop will be available in three variations: a 17.3-inch 120Hz UHD display, a 17.3-inch QHD 240Hz display and a 17.3-inch FHD 360Hz display. The laptop’s keyboard is designed by SteelSeries and features per-key RGB lighting, and the lightweight machine has a total of four USB ports.

The GS77 also has a built-in 1080p webcam that supports Windows Hello.

MSI’s latest Stealth series addition ships with an i7-12550H, 16GB RAM and an RTX 3060 graphic card, though you can choose to go for higher specs with an i9-12900H processor, a 3080 Ti graphics card and 32GB RAM.

Learn more about the MSI GS77 Stealth here.

MSI Raider GE76

The Raider line-up compromises on the size and portability aspect when compared to the Stealth series; however, it aims to provide users with overclocking options along with astonishing performance. Similar to its Stealth counterpart, the Raider GE76 also ships with Windows 11 pre-installed and can be customized with intel’s 12th-gen i9 processor.

It too comes in three display variants: a 17.3-inch 120Hz UHD display, a 17.3-inch QHD 240Hz display and a 17.3-inch FHD 360Hz display. The Raider GE76 can be configured to sport up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and offers MSI’s own OverBoost technology.

It features one USB Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port and two regular 3.2 Type-A ports.

The MSI Raider GE76 can be configured with an Intel Core i7-12700H and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU or with an Intel Core i9-12900HK processor and an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU.

Learn more about the MSI Raider GE76 here.

MSI Vector GP76

The Vector series is a brand new one that MSI debuted at CES, and the company references these laptops as “Metaverse ready.” It includes intel’s 12th-gen Core i9 CPUs, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, and MSI’s Cooler Boost 5 technology to help the laptop reach power levels of up to 210W with OverBoost.

It comes equipped with a 17.3-inch QHD 240Hz display, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, three USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, and up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM.

The laptop doesn’t give off a ‘hardcore gamer’ look, and thanks to 720p built-in webcam, it can also be used for meetings and other professional endeavours.

Learn more about the MSI Vector GP76 here.

On the other hand, MSI showed off three content creator-centric laptops, namely the Creator Z17, Creator Z16P and the Creator Z16.

According to MSI, these laptops feature colour-calibrated screens for digital artists and video creators alike. The Z17 is a 17-inch laptop that can be configured up to the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H processor and ships with Windows 11 pre-installed. It features a QHD+ touchscreen display with a 165Hz refresh rate and MSI’s True Color Technology.

On the graphics side of things, the laptop can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU with a maximum of 64GB DDR5 RAM, making the Z17 a suitable laptop for content creators who also game on the side. It sports a SteelSeries-designed per-key RGB keyboard, four 2W stereo speakers and an audio jack.

The Creator Z16P, on the other hand, comes equipped with a smaller 16-inch QHD+ touchscreen display with a 165Hz refresh rate. What makes the Z16P special is that it can output an extra 20 percent performance when compared to the Z17, thanks to MSI’s Vapor Chamber Cooler, which the company says “generates 76% extra cooling area, 65% more airflow, and decreases the surface temperature by 2°C(3.6°F).”

Like all other laptops in this list, the Z16P too ships with Windows 11 pre-installed and can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU and 64GB maximum RAM.

Last on the list of creator-focused laptops is MSI’s Creator Z16, equipped with a 16-inch QHD+ 120Hz touchscreen display. Unlike the other two creator laptops, the Z16’s top configuration comes with a 12th-gen i7 processor and a weaker RTX 3060 GPU. The Z16 sports four 2W stereo speakers, a fingerprint reader, a per-key RGB keyboard designed by SteelSeries, up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM and a range of ports.

Follow the links to learn more about MSI’s Creator Z17, Creator Z16P and Creator Z16.

Source: MSI

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Mobile Syrup

Government of Canada shows financial support for new artificial intelligence program in New Brunswick

Peace Tower at the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa Framed in Arch

The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) has launched a new program focusing on artificial intelligence (AI).

Named the AI Fund, it offers programs that will increase AI research in New Brunswick. The program will also focus on building a pool of talent, and support companies looking to adopt AI technology.

Given the fast-growing nature of this technology, AI has the ability to create well-paying jobs and support future innovation. These factors have contributed to the federal government showing support for the project as well.

“This fund will accelerate the creation and adoption of artificial intelligence solutions for companies through strategic partnerships with New Brunswick research experts in our academic and research institutions. Additionally, it will support the training and development of experts who will be critical to delivering these solutions to industry,” Jeff White, CEO of NBIF, said in a statement.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), an agency run by the federal government, is providing $997,000 towards the program. The NBIF is investing $1.3 million. An additional $850,000 is coming from researchers and partners within the industry.

“Adopting AI technologies will increase the resiliency and competitiveness of New Brunswick companies facing ever-changing market conditions,” White said.

Image credit: ShutterStock

Source: ACOA

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Mobile Syrup

Samsung accidentally shares images of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

We’ve seen Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra renders in the past, but none come close to the image Samsung mistakenly leaked on its Bixby support page that shows the tab sporting a notch.

Image credit: 91Mobiles

The leaked image, first spotted by 91mobiles, shows what seems to be an S21 Ultra using Bixby voice assistant, and in the background sits the large Tab S8 Ultra.

While Samsung has since removed the image from its Bixby support page, according to 9to5Google, the photo is still present in the web page’s source code. It’s worth noting that this is the same company that criticized the notch four months ago — I guess it all comes back full circle.

 

From what we know so far, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra features a 14.6-inch 2,960 x 1,848 pixel resolution AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and S-Pen stylus support. The tablet is reportedly expected to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, two rear cameras (13-megapixel, 6-megapixel ultrawide), Dolby Atmos quad speakers and 5G.

It’s unknown when Samsung will officially reveal the Galaxy Tab S8 series, but it’ll most likely be shown off alongside the company’s Galaxy S22 series, which is rumoured to be unveiled at the company’s ‘Unpacked’ event on February 8th.

Source: 91Mobiles

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Mobile Syrup

Halo Infinite appears to be down right now for some users

Following January 19th’s hotfix for Big Team Battle and Oddball, it appears Halo Infinite is down for at least some users.

I’ve been unable to access the game for the last few hours and there are several reports of the outage on Twitter and other social media platforms.

In a tweet from four hours ago, 343 Industries detailed Infinite’s January 19th patch, stating that it includes fixes for ‘Big Team Battle’ and improvements to the ‘Oddball’s’ physics.

As it stands right now, it’s unclear what the cause of the issue is, but it seems to be tied to the online aspect of the title as in most instances the game is unable to launch from the Xbox’s dashboard.

In my case, I receive an error code that says the following:

“The Person who bought this needs to sign in. Sign in with the account that bought the game or installed the app. If the game has a trial version that expired, buy the game from the Microsoft Store. For detailed instructions, select help. (0x803f9006)”

It’s unclear when this issue will be fixed. This story will be updated when more information is available.

More to come…

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Mobile Syrup

Vancouver company creates first smart pillbox that combines aesthetics and functionality

Everyday products are being redesigned with smart technology in mind to feed the growing trend of making everything tech-savvy.

With smart mirrors, smart faucets and smart bottles already on the market, a new smart pill organizer called Loba isn’t surprising.

Created in Vancouver, Loba features a slick design with detachable compartments that store a week’s worth of pills, split into AM and PM sections.

These are the only features that tie it back to the traditional version of a pillbox.

While it’s not the only smart pill organizer on the market, Loba’s website claims it’s the first organizer that combines aesthetics, functionality and technology.

The product comes with an app that lets users manage when they need to take pills, set reminders, and keep track of when pills are consumed. Each compartment is connected with the app directly.

The organizer also has LED lights that can be customized and serve as a visual reminder when pills need to be taken.

Kate Bouchard, the founder of Loba, told MobileSyrup there were three reasons to make this a piece of smart technology. The first was to reduce mental load, given its easy to forget when pills need to be taken, acting as a “barrier to wellness.”

Visual cues are the second reason. The glow of the LED light shows when pills need to be taken and turns off automatically once the task is complete. “The visual reminder helps form habits,” she said.

The third is the growing trend of smart home devices helping in every aspect of consumers’ lives. Loba also wanted to capitalize on this in the health and wellness category.

While Bouchard confirmed the app won’t be compatible with voice-operated devices, like Alexa or Siri, at the time of launch, it could become a possibility down the road. “As we learn from our first customers and gather feedback, we have plans to expand app functionality as we grow.”

The containers come in black or white and cost $175 each. The product can be pre-ordered on the company’s website and a $25 discount is being offered.

Bouchard said Loba will be openly available starting in June. The product is being manufactured by a Chinese company and will include recycled plastic.

“Pillboxes are traditionally kept hidden away,” Bouchard said. “Having a product that enhances the home, as well as facilitates health and wellness, has been well received so far,” she said about the response so far.

Image credit: Loba

Source: Loba

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Mobile Syrup

Open-world card game Arcanium comes to Netflix

Los Angeles-based publisher Rogue Games has released its Arcanium: Rise of Akhan game on Netflix.

Arcanium is a single-player, open-world card game that features a procedurally-generated 3D map that players must traverse while making choices that shape the experience. Along the way, you’ll collect new heroes with their own unique decks of cards that can be used to control a party of three in classic turn-based combat.

This is Rogue’s third game for Netflix’s burgeoning gaming platform, following Card Blast and Wonderputt Forever. 

Meanwhile, a second new game, Krispee Street, has landed on Netflix.

Based on a webcomic, Krispee Street is a Where’s Waldo?-esque hidden object game that’s set in what Netflix describes as a “feels-like-a-warm-hug world.”

Originally launched on mobile in November, Netflix Games is a platform through which the streaming giant offers a handful of games at no additional cost to subscribers. Titles are available on both through the Netflix app on both Android and iOS.

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Mobile Syrup

Nanoleaf ‘retires’ original Light Panels, promises continued app support

Toronto-based smart lighting company Nanoleaf announced that it’s retiring the original Light Panels from 2016 (formerly called Aurora lights).

It’s not a huge surprise, given the company overhauled the original triangle-shaped modular lighting kit in 2020 to work with its new ‘Shapes‘ smart light panels. Panels under the ‘Shapes’ monicker feature improved snap-on connectors that work across various shapes, including hexagons, triangles and mini-triangles.

Officially, Nanoleaf says the original Light Panels are now considered ‘legacy’ products. In a long and somewhat cringey farewell video, the company explained (the relevant info starts at 3:39 in the video) that it will no longer sell the original Light Panels ‘Smarter Kit.’ If you head to the company’s website now, you’re not able to buy these anymore. You shouldn’t be buying them anyway — the newer Shapes panels make much more sense.

Next, Nanoleaf claims that existing owners of the original Light Panels will be able to continue using them “forever.” Specifically, the company says it will “never remove support for [Light Panels]” from its app. Additionally, the app will support adding the old Light Panels to the ‘Group Scene’ feature so that you can control them alongside new Nanoleaf lights.

That’s all well and good, but forever is a long time and it will interesting to see how long the company actually keeps supporting Light Panels in its software.

Finally, Nanoleaf says that Light Panel expansion packs and accessories will continue to be available (while quantities last). Moreover, expansion packs and accessories are on sale for 30 percent and 50 percent off, respectively. Nanoleaf’s website also notes that replacement parts will be available until December 31st, 2023.

You can learn more about the Light Panel retirement on Nanoleaf’s blog and website.

Image credit: Nanoleaf

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Mobile Syrup

Bug affecting Safari on macOS, all iOS browsers, could reveal browsing history

Apple prepared a fix for a WebKit bug that could reveal users’ recent browsing history and possibly their identity. However, it’s not clear when the tech giant will release updates with the fix.

According to MacRumors, a WebKit commit (typically refers to a revision made to code) on GitHub fixes a bug. However, Apple has not said when users could expect macOS, iOS or iPadOS updates to arrive with the fix. A January 14th blog post from FingerprintJS noted that the bug was reported to Apple on November 28th, 2021.

MacRumors previously reported about the bug on January 16th, which involves a JavaScript API called IndexedDB, a commonly-used tool for storing data on people’s computers. Specifically, the bug exists in the way WebKit — the open-source engine powering Apple’s Safari browser — implemented IndexedDB.

In short, the bug allows any website that uses IndexedDB to access the names of IndexedDB databases generated by other websites. Put another way, a website can access a list of other websites you’ve visited (even from different tabs or windows) if they’ve stored data using this API. Typically, browsers apply same-origin policy to IndexedDB to prevent sites from accessing anything outside of their own IndexedDB database.

Moreover, sometimes websites include unique user-specific identifiers in IndexedDB database names. MacRumors pointed to YouTube as an example, which creates databases that include users’ authenticated Google User ID in the name. Malicious actors could use this identifier to fetch personal information about users through Google APIs, such as their profile picture or name.

The WebKit bug affects Safari on macOS Monterey, iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. On iOS and iPadOS, Apple also forces third-party browsers to use the WebKit engine — that means browsers like Chrome and Edge running on iOS/iPadOS 15 are also affected. However, the bug doesn’t affect older versions of macOS, or iOS and iPadOS 14.

Ultimately, that means iOS and iPadOS users can’t really do anything to protect themselves from the bug beyond installing the software patch whenever Apple makes it available. For macOS users, however, switching to another browser would work.

Those interested in learning more about the bug should check out a deep-dive on it from FingerprintJS.

Source: MacRumors, (2), FingerprintJS

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Mobile Syrup

Apple says you can clean its $25 Polishing Cloth with dish soap and water

It might sound difficult to believe, but Apple’s pricey $25 Polishing Cloth is actually pretty great.

Unlike other display cleaning cloths I’ve used in the past, it hasn’t fallen apart and doesn’t leave a substantial amount of dust on my devices — stay tuned for my full review in a few weeks.

As first reported by 9to5Mac, the tech giant recently updated the Polishing Cloth’s support page to detail the official way to clean it.

As expected, the steps are pretty straightforward and can be found below:

Hand wash the polishing cloth with dish soap and water.
Rinse thoroughly.
Allow the polishing cloth to air dry for at least 24 hours.

Thankfully, I’ve already taken this approach with my Polishing Cloth given I use it to clean various devices and my glasses almost daily. I ran the pricey fabric under warm tap water while adding a small amount of Apple-scented Dawn dish soap. I then let it sit over my banister overnight, and the following day, it was dry and as good as new.

It’s unclear what dish soap Apple suggests, but a simple bottle of Dawn would likely get the job done.

Source: Apple Via: 9to5Mac