Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Canadian government launches PocketWell app for mental health

Canada’s federal government announced a new ‘PocketWell’ app on January 14th that expands the availability of the Wellness Together Canada (WTC) platform.

The government created WTC in 2020 in response to the significant increase in feelings of stress, anxiety and depression that came alongside the early months of the pandemic.

Now, two years into the pandemic, the government launched PocketWell. It’s a free companion app for smartphones and offers many of the same capabilities as the WTC website.

At the time of writing, I was able to access a mental health self-assessment tool in the PocketWell app, view lists of external services like numbers to call or text for counselling help, and other resources (although those just pointed back to the WTC website). The app also showed that a ‘Mood Meter’ was coming soon — it will allow users to check in daily and log how they’re feeling.

In a press release, the government said that over 2 million people across all the provinces and territories accessed the WTC portal as of January 10th, 2022. Further, 20,000-30,000 people use the services weekly. The government expects that the launch of PocketWell will lead to more Canadians using and benefiting from WTC. Moreover, the government cited a user survey that indicated 73 percent of users believed they would use WTC more frequently if an app were available. 83 percent said they could benefit from an easy way to track their mental well-being.

You can download PocketWell for free on iOS and Android, or visit the WTC website here.

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Mobile Syrup

You can now find Shoppers Drug Mart vending machines at select Go stations in Ontario

Metrolinx is bringing Shoppers Drug Mart vending machines to select Go Stations across Ontario.

Go customers can buy allergy relief products, lip balms, beauty items, toiletries, seasonal items and more at these new Shopper Drug Mart vending machines.

So far, these vending machines are located on the second floor of the Union Station Bus terminal, the Burlington Go Station and the Oshawa GO Station.

Metrolinx says that the vending machines offer the same prices you’d typically find at your local Shoppers Drug Mart stores.

Image credit: Metrolinx

Source: Metrolinx

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Mobile Syrup

YouTuber Logan Paul accidentally bought $3.5 million of fake Pokémon cards

Controversial YouTuber and celebrity boxer Logan Paul has never hidden his love for the Pokémon franchise.

In fact, he even wore a roughly $150,000 Charizard card around his neck as he entered the ring to fight boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.

However, it looks like Paul’s luck has finally caught up with him.

Back in December, Paul purchased what he thought was a roughly $3.5 million box of sealed first-edition Pokémon cards. Paul is known for opening sealed packs of Pokémon on his YouTube channel, so this move wasn’t out of the ordinary for him, though at the time, it was the most expensive Pokémon card purchase in history.

However, it appears that at least one of the boxes he ordered featured GI Joe trading cards and not Pokémon cards. “G.I. JOE? It could’ve been anything else…” says Paul during the video, seen above. Several notable Pokémon card collectors and fan sites weren’t surprised by this turn of events following reports from several weeks ago that Paul’s haul of cardboard pocket monsters could be entirely fake.

In the YouTube video, Paul opens the box at a Chicago hotel with the men who authenticated the cards for him. The person who initially purchased the box for $2.7 million and later sold it to paul for $3.5 million is also present in the hotel room. After the box is opened, the owner of the authentication company claims “we all got duped.” Another individual is heard saying “this is the biggest fraud in the entire history of Pokémon.”

It’s unclear if Paul plans to get his money back from the authentication company or if he’s set to take action against the original seller. There’s also a strong possibility that this could be an elaborate stunt to get views given the social media celebrity’s history.

Since Paul’s video about purchasing the cards went live on January 13th it has already amassed nearly 3 million views, so if the supposed duping was an elaborate plan to garner views, it’s clearly working.

Source: YouTube (Logan Paul)

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s long-rumoured VR/AR headset might not launch until 2023

It looks like Apple’s often-rumoured augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) headset will miss its previously rumoured 2022 release date, according to reliable Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

While Apple initially planned to reveal the headset during its WWDC keynote presentation, “development challenges related to overheating, cameras and software have made it harder to stay on track,” says Bloomberg. This delay has likely pushed the mixed reality headset’s reveal back to 2023, which is well out of the initial 2021 window the tech giant reportedly aimed to show off the device in.

Apple’s AR/VR headset is expected to be a high-end device with dual 4K displays, several 3D sensors for inside-out tracking and a roughly $3,000 USD (about $3,763 CAD) price tag. According to this latest report, the headset will also feature two processors, including one as powerful as Apple’s current M1 Pro MacBook Pro chip. In early December, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo published a similar report stating that tech giant’s headset will include a chip that features M1 architecture.

Bloomberg says that Apple is still working on a pair of augmented reality glasses but that the wearble’s release has been pushed back to “later this decade.”

Though much of the initial hype surrounding AR and VR has died down, it will be interesting to see if Apple’s take on a headset can build on established technologies in a meaningful way. That said, with a price approaching the range of $4,000 in Canada, the headset’s audience will likely be limited.

Source: Bloomberg 

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Mobile Syrup

Nintendo slashes $30 off three notable games until January 21st

Nintendo is currently running an extensive Switch eShop sale, but the highlight of this offering is three beloved titles that are $30 off each.

This sale runs until January 21st and includes the following games:

Below are some of the other digital titles Nintendo is currently offering at a discount:

You can check out all of those deals on sale here.

Image credit: Nintendo 

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Mobile Syrup

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra might be paired with a ‘Smart stylus’ and folio case

Motorola might be working on a flagship that features a stylus similar to Samsung’s Note series and the rumoured S22 Ultra. 

According to XDA Developers, the company plans to launch two accessories with the Edge 30 Ultra: a folio case and a ‘Smart Stylus.’

The Smart Stylus will reportedly connect to the smartphone via Bluetooth, and supports air gestures and wireless charging. Further, leaked details indicate that the stylus can be used as an air mouse with an external display and that its buttons can be utilized to control media. XDA‘s sources describe this stylus as “next-gen.”

When the user connects the stylus to the phone, a bubble displays the state of the stylus and indicates whether it’s charging. Tapping the bubble launches the apps that support the stylus. Additionally, the Edge 30 Ultra reportedly features a Folio Case that offers additional features when connected to the Smart Stylus.

When you’re not using the stylus, the Ultra Folio Case features a holder on the back. Moreover, the case features software triggers when the user removes the stylus. It also can warn the user when it detects the stylus isn’t in use. Additionally, you can make an app open when you remove the stylus and automatically enable Bluetooth, and the stylus will wirelessly charge when in the case.

The case also includes a strip down the middle where the always-on display is visible, allowing you to view when you receive phone calls and decline or accept from this part of the display.

It’s unclear when Motorola will launch the case and stylus, but XDA believes that they’ll release at the same time as the smartphone.

Overall, this sounds like a pretty cool case and stylus pairing, and I hope Samsung adopts a similar strategy for its rumoured Galaxy S22 Ultra.

It’s unclear when Motorola will unveil the Edge 30 Pro Ultra, but it may launch in July if it’s like the last year’s model.

Source: XDA Developers

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix raises prices to $21 CAD per month for a 4K subscription

Netflix has increased the cost of its service across Canada for viewers who want HD and 4K content, so pretty much everyone.

The basic plan is still at $10 per month, but in 2022 it’s looking more like a low price tag for advertising purposes rather than a legitimate buying option since it only allows for one user at a time and doesn’t support HD.

The standard plan is now $16.50 CAD per month, $1.50 more than it was previously at $15 per month. This option includes HD content and allows users to watch content on two screens at once.

The Premium plan tier, which includes 4K streaming and allows four screens to be used concurrently, has jumped from $19 to $21.

Netflix says that its members will get notified via email 30 days before the price jump affects them. New subscribers will be subject to the new plan pricing. The last time Netflix raised its prices was in October of 2020, and you can read more about it here.

Source: Netflix

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel 6 series will finally get December/January update on January 17, according to Canadian carriers

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will finally get Google’s December/January Android security patch next week if Canadian carriers are correct.

According to Fido’s and Telus’ OS update schedules, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive the anticipated security update on January 17th.

Google initially rolled out the update back on December 13th. The December update was delayed more than a week, but it came with 80 fixes and other improvements. However, it also included a nasty bug that cause the phone to drop calls. Because of this issue, Google paused the rollout of the update.

When the beginning of January rolled around, many hoped the January and December update would hit their Pixel 6 devices, but that wasn’t the case. Only Pixel devices ranging from the Pixel 3a to Pixel 5a received the patch.

But hopefully, next week’s update solves these problems.

The update’s standout features include improved fingerprint sensor stability and performance, fixes for screen flickering and full 23W wireless charging from the Pixel Stand 2.

Further, there are also several specific camera updates:

  • General image quality improvements in camera preview/capture
  • General improvements for camera stability and performance
  • General improvements for auto-focus response in certain capture modes
  • General improvements for colour consistency in viewfinder preview
  • Fix for issue causing blank viewfinder preview in certain conditions

You can check out the complete list of fixes from the December update, here.

The January security patch provides a fix for an Android issue that can prevent emergency calls. The update also fixes Wi-Fi call dropping issues, incorrect data usage accounting, a memory leak in the system UI and more.

You can find all the fixes for the January update, here.

Hopefully, the above carrier release timeline is accurate because otherwise, there will be a lot of upset Canadian Pixel 6 owners.

Source: Fido, Telus

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Mobile Syrup

Lucky Mobile offering one month free service when you get a phone plan

Bell’s budget brand Lucky Mobile is hosting a flash sale today.

“If you sign up for a cheap phone plan, you can get one month for free,” reads the company’s tweet. Additionally, you get 50 percent off your SIM Card with this offer.

The company’s phone plans start at $15 per month and end at $70. 

While you’ll be charged for the SIM charge and first month, but you’ll see a credit to your second month of service for the price of your rate plan before taxes.

You must activate the SIM card before February 18th and purchase it online.

This deal is available online or at a Lucky Mobile retailer. The offer ends on January 17th.

Source: Lucky Mobile

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Mobile Syrup

Apple expected to muscle into sports streaming over the next few years

Speculation is beginning to swirl that Apple is attempting to bolster Apple TV+ by bidding on the rights to broadcast live sports ranging from NASCAR to Sunday night football.

An analyst from Wedbush thinks that since Apple has yet to make any public moves to acquire a movie studio, this might suggest that it’s going an alternative route and instead will pursue live sports.

The report further singles out some specific leagues that Apple could nab the rights to stream over the next four years. This includes NFL (Sunday Night Ticket), Big Ten, Pac 12, Big East, Big 12, other NCAA sports packages (2024 timing), NASCAR, and the NBA/WNBA.

This builds on rumours from earlier in 2022 that Apple is talking to Major League Baseball to broadcast MLB games on its streaming service.

It’s expected that Apple is sitting on 20 million paid TV+ subscribers. Combining that with people who share a single screen and the plethora of Apple TV+ free trials, the actual viewership is much larger at 45 million people. According to MacRumors, the company spends $7 billion USD ($8.7 billion CAD) on content yearly but has roughly $200 billion in cash that it could use to snap up probably whatever it wants.

While Apple was initially expected to buy a movie studio like A24, the company has been slowly building up the base on Apple TV+ by purchasing the rights to individual shows and movies. The company could likely still buy a few sports deals and a movie studio or two. It’s hard to gauge what Apple deems more important.

In Canada, streaming live sports is already a bit of a pain because of some regional broadcasting rules. For instance, there isn’t even a single service that will allow you to stream every NHL game. While I’d like to believe that Apple getting into the space may help some people access their favourite teams, I’m worried it will fracture an already difficult to navigate online sports streaming space. I guess that just means I’ll be writing more sports-themed how-to stream’ guides…

Via: MacRumors