Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Sony to produce more PS4s amid PS5 shortages: report

Sony will ramp up production of PlayStation 4 consoles in response to ongoing PlayStation 5 shortages, according to Bloomberg.

The new console has been in short supply in no small part due to semiconductors that are also in hot demand for smartphones, cars and more.

Per Bloomberg, Sony had been planning to discontinue assembly of the PS4 at the end of 2021, but these chip shortages led it to reconsider. The company hadn’t publicly stated it would stop producing PS4s, and a spokesperson told Bloomberg that it hadn’t planned to do so, either.

In any event, the PS4 features simpler components, is easier to manufacture and offers a lower-cost alternative for consumers to the PS5. Altogether, Sony will produce about one million PS4s this year, reports Bloomberg.

It should be noted that PlayStation’s two major confirmed 2022 exclusives, Horizon Forbidden West (releasing February 18th) and God of War: Ragnarok (TBA 2022), are coming to both PS4 and PS5. In general, many games are still releasing across both generations of consoles, with only a handful of upcoming titles, like Bethesda’s Ghostwire: Tokyo (TBA 2022) and Square Enix’s Forspoken (May 24th) being PS5 console exclusives. Therefore, those who still have a PS4 — or indeed decide to get one amid PS5 shortages — will still be able to play most major games for now.

It’s also unclear exactly when the chip shortages will begin to alleviate, but multiple analysts predict that supply constraints will continue at least through late 2022.

Source: Bloomberg

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Mobile Syrup

Succession lead Brian Cox sends congratulatory Cameo to Edward Rogers on electing preferred CEO

Warning: the article contains language some may find offensive.

Fans of Succession got to see a live-action version of the TV series when the Rogers board room drama started to make headlines last year.

The show focuses on a bickering family fighting for control over the family media empire — outlining many of the markings that made up the drama at Rogers.

The two worlds collided once again when a Cameo recording directed towards Rogers board chair, Edward Rogers, recently surfaced.

As first obtained and reported on by The Globe and Mail, Brian Cox, who plays the family patriarch in the fictional series, congratulated Edward Rogers for having his pick of CEO.

“Congratulations on your real-life succession at Rogers Communications. And also having Joe Natale to fuck the fuck off. Well done Edward. Congratulations,” Cox said during the 19-second video, ending it with a thumbs up.

The video is referring to Edward Rogers’ push to replace former CEO Joe Natale with his pick Tony Staffieri. His first attempt in September was unsuccessful.

The move led to pushback from a handful of board members, who Edward Rogers tried to replace without taking part in a shareholders meeting. This lead the company to challenge Edward Rogers on the legality of his actions, but a B.C. judge ruled the move was admissable.

Staffieri was eventually elected as interim CEO, ousting Natale. He was announced as the permanent president and CEO on January 11th.

Cox starts the video by saying “this is from Suzanne,” apparently referencing the chair’s wife, Suzanne Rogers.

Cameo is a website that allows people to purchase personalized messages from celebrities. According to the website, Cox charges $868 USD (roughly $1086 CAD) per video.

A spokesperson for Edward Rogers told The Globe and Mail the video was shared “as a practical joke.”

Image source: Cameo/The Globe and Mail

Source: The Globe and Mail

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Mobile Syrup

Kirby and the Forgotten Land releases on March 25

Kirby will set out on his next adventure on March 25th, when Kirby and the Forgotten Land releases.

Alongside the release date, Nintendo has unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming title.

Like other Kirby games, you’ll be able to copy enemy abilities as you travel across an unknown world. The game also features couch co-op that lets a second player take control as Bandana Waddle Dee.

The game is available on Nintendo Switch for $79.99.

This year is also the 30th anniversary of the Kirby series, and for that, you can download a new wallpaper.

Source: Nintendo

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Mobile Syrup

Shaw reports roughly 55,600 wireless net additions in Q1 2022 earnings

Shaw Communications launched its first-quarter 2022 results on January 12th, adding approximately 55,600 new wireless customers. Additionally, the company reiterated its support for the ongoing Rogers transaction.

Of the 55,600 wireless customers, Shaw noted there were 36,100 postpaid net additions. The company’s wireless service revenue grew 11.2 percent to $239 million thanks to subscriber growth, but Shaw says lower average revenue per user (ARPU) partially offset that growth.

Shaw reported that its wireless ARPU decreased 3.4 percent compared to the prior year to $36.95. Average billing per unit (ABPU) also fell 9.4 percent in Q1 2022 to $42.66.

Postpaid churn, on the other hand, improved from 1.81 percent in Q1 2021 to 1.70 percent in Q1 2022.

As for the Rogers transaction, Shaw says it remains committed to supporting the closure of the transaction. It’s worth noting that the CRTC hearing on the transaction wrapped up in November 2021. That hearing was the only public one for the Rogers-Shaw deal and it ended with few changes to the original proposal. However, the Competition Bureau and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) will still have hearings on the transaction that won’t be open to the public.

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Mobile Syrup

Government awards Ecopia AI contract to improve internet in rural communities

A Toronto tech company has been awarded a contract by the federal government to create mapping data highlighting the need for high-speed internet across rural communities in the country.

Ecopia AI converts images of the earth into vector maps complete with road names, house numbers, and other specific details. These maps help form decisions on numerous applications. The company has worked with commercial and government bodies in 100 countries across the world.

“Essentially, we are training a computer to interpret imagery and other datasets as a human would — in this case, to identify buildings that require broadband internet access,” Jon Lipinski, Ecopia’s co-founder and president told MobileSyrup.

Their role is especially important given more than half of rural communities in Canada don’t have access to broadband internet, according to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

The government watchdog says people should have an internet connection with at least 50Mbps download speeds and 10Mbps upload speeds. Only 45.6 percent of rural communities have access to this. In comparison, 87.4 percent of other communities across the country have access.

A report by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) also showed internet speeds were improving at a much slower rate in rural communities compared to urban communities, further highlighting the need for such applications.

Ecopia will use its AI mapping system to identify locations across Canada that can be serviced by broadband, with a specific focus on remote and Indigenous communities.

The map will be used by government bodies to identify where gaps exist and how infrastructure can be deployed to those locations. All provinces and territories are included in the project, Lipinski said.

“It is our hope that the next-generation mapping data resulting from this project will be adopted by organizations across Canada to accelerate the deployment of broadband internet in rural areas and achieve connectivity goals across the country,” he told MobileSyrup.

The map will be ready in March of this year.

Image credit: Ecopia

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Mobile Syrup

This 3D-printed PS5 DualSense add-on allows for one-handed play

A content creator has produced an accessory for the PS5’s DualSense controller that allows it to be played with one hand.

In a new video, YouTuber Akaki Kuumeri explains that he 3D-printed an adapter that can snap onto the gamepad’s left thumbstick. From there, it can be placed on a surface, such as a thigh, and physically moving the controller will also move the thumbstick.

Meanwhile, the L1 and L2 buttons are replicated on the right side of the controller.  That said, there’s an inverse option for those who are left-handed.

While many normal gamers may think that playing with one hand is unnecessary, the controller offers various accessibility applications. Those who cannot physically use a second hand well (or even at all) might find a use for Kuumeri’s accessory. Of course, it won’t solve every issue, especially if you don’t have access to a 3D printer, but as a fan creation, it’s quite impressive.

But he also shows how it could be useful if you have two DualSense controllers. As an example, he printed two adapters and use them to play It Takes Two — which otherwise requires two players — by himself. Of course, that’s a bit trickier to pull off, but more ambidextrous players could certainly benefit.

Thankfully, Kuumeri has made his design available online to download and print — you can do so here.

Via: PCMag

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Mobile Syrup

WhatsApp will soon let you listen to voice notes while in different chats

You’ll soon be able to play and listen to WhatsApp voice messages while browsing through other chats and messages on the Facebook Meta-owned instant messaging platform.

According to WABetaInfo, the new feature is currently in development and was first spotted exactly three months ago in a WhatsApp Beta for iOS. At that time, WABetaInfo mentioned that the feature would also be introduced to the Android app, and now it is visible in the WhatsApp beta for ‘Android 2.22.3.1.’

As seen in the image above, when you play a voice note and return to your chat list, WhatsApp displays a new UI interface with buttons to pause, resume, or dismiss the voice note, along with a progress bar to rewind or forward the voice message.

According to WABetaInfo, the feature is still in development and will be released to beta testers at a later date. The new feature will definitely come in handy when you want to multitask. For example, you would be able to continue listening to a voice message, all while replying to a separate conversation.

Image credit: WABetaInfo

Source: WABetaInfo

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Mobile Syrup

Court rejects appeal from former police officers who played Pokémon Go on duty

The Pokémon Go mania between 2016 and 2017 was extraordinary.

I remember skipping classes in school and sneaking out at night because I just had to ‘catch em’ all.’ Sure, cutting classes to play a viral game wasn’t the best decision, but it did no real harm. However, what these two former LAPD officers did in 2017 shows a clear lapse in judgment and priority.

Former Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell have been fired for ignoring a radio call asking for backup for a robbery that took place on April 15th, 2017. Why? They were busy trying to catch a Snorlax and a Togetic. 

According to the court documents, courtesy of Axios‘ Stephen Totilo, the in-car recording proves that the officers ignored the radio call and drove around to different locations for about 20 minutes to catch the virtual creatures.

“On their way to the Snorlax location, former Officer Mitchell alerted former Officer Lozano that ‘a Togetic just popped up,’” reads the court document.

Once taken to court, former Officer Lozano and Mitchell filed a petition, arguing that the use of in-car camera footage as evidence against them was unfair and breached their privacy. The news, in this case, is that the former officers’ appeal was rejected on January 7th, 2022 and is now available for the whole world to read.

Below is an excerpt:

After Mitchell apparently caught the Snorlax—exclaiming, “Got ‘em”—petitioners agreed to “[g]o get the Togetic” and drove off. When their car stopped again, the DICVS recorded Mitchell saying, “Don’t run away. Don’t run away,” while Lozano described how he “buried it and ultra-balled” the Togetic before announcing, “Got him.” Mitchell advised he was “[s]till trying to catch it,” adding, “Holy crap, man. This thing is fighting the crap out of me.” Eventually, Mitchell exclaimed, “Holy Crap. Finally,” apparently in reference to capturing the Togetic, and he remarked, “The[ ] guys are going to be so jealous.” Petitioners then agreed to return to the 7-Eleven (where Sergeant Gomez later met them) to end their watch. On the way, Mitchell remarked, “I got you a new Pokémon today, dude.”

There’s more where that came from. Read the complete court document here.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: @stephentotilo

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Mobile Syrup

You can (finally) listen to Clubhouse conversations without an account

February 8, 2021, Brazil. In this photo illustration the Clubhouse logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen

Conversations on audio platform Clubhouse can now be enjoyed through the use of a browser — and keen listeners don’t need to make an account to access conversations.

The company announced on Twitter (rather sarcastically) that it has introduced the new sharing feature. This allows users to share a live room with other Clubhouse members and on social networks, allowing anyone to listen in using a shared link.

Prior to this, conversations could only be joined through the Clubhouse app, severely limiting who could listen to conversations.

Clubhouse seems to acknowledge this when they tweeted “we invented [sharing] and nobody has thought of it before.”

Engadget reports the feature is “experimental” and only available in the U.S. for the time being. It could expand to other countries if the new feature receives enough support.

Questions remain if the company worked fast enough to debut the change, given the competing options that have launched since Clubhouse was created, such as Twitter Spaces.

9to5Mac reports such competition contributed to a dramatic decline in Clubhouse’s monthly download numbers, which reached its peak with 8 million downloads in February 2021. That number dropped below 1 million two months later.

Image credit: ShutterStock

Source: Clubhouse via: 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

OnePlus adds multi-device connection spec to OnePlus Buds Pro

In a surprising move, OnePlus has rolled out an update for the OnePlus Buds Pro earbuds that make it easier to switch between two devices.

Similar multi-point connection tech is part of what makes Apple’s AirPods so desirable. OnePlus says that OnePlus phone users can update the OnePlus Buds Pro through the Bluetooth settings, but other users will need to download the ‘Hey Melody’ app to get access.

When I when to apply the update on my OnePlus 9 Pro, I was able to update the buds at the bottom of the earbud’s settings page. Once installed, I needed to navigate back to the OnePlus Buds settings page and turn on ‘Dual Connection.’

You can’t manually select your secondary device from this menu, but it automatically picked up my iPhone that had been previously paired with the OnePlus Buds Pro in the past.

From there, I was able to get the earbuds to switch seamlessly between the OnePlus 9 Pro and iPhone. I will note that the earbuds will only switch when one device is paused. If you’re listening to music on a OnePlus device, simply playing content on another device won’t transfer it over. You need to pause the content on your current device first and then it moves over to your secondary device if it’s playing audio.

This worked a lot more seamlessly than I expected and added a lot of value to the already well-rounded OnePlus Buds Pro. It might not work as automatically as AirPods, but it’s still very convenient and offers the same productivity boost when working between a phone and a computer that I enjoy with Apple’s AirPods.

If you’re interested in the OnePlus Buds, you can read my full review here.

Source: OnePlus