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Mobile Syrup

BlackBerry neutralizes its carbon footprint

Berlin, Germany – September 10, 2019: BlackBerry Smartphone displayed in an electronics store

Canadian technology company BlackBerry says it achieved carbon neutrality.

This means the company has taken steps to remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it releases.

The company has used the standards put out by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a group that established frameworks to manage greenhouse gas emissions, including in the corporate world, as its basis.

BlackBerry has achieved this by taking a number of steps, including shifting workloads to cloud-based solutions and partnering with school boards across the country to enact energy efficiency measures.

The company has also reduced emissions by 88 percent since 2013 across its facilities by managing how much energy is consumed, examining business-related travel, and waste management.

“Businesses are key to building a more sustainable and equitable today and tomorrow,” Neelam Sandhu, the company’s senior vice president, said in a statement. “BlackBerry is proud to have achieved carbon neutrality, invest in carbon removal, and partner with customers to reduce their carbon footprints through our cloud-based solutions.”

Image credit: ShutterStock

Source: BlackBerry

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Mobile Syrup

Scene+ launches in Canada, adding perks for travel, shopping and more

Cineplex and Scotiabank have officially rolled out Scene+, their expansion to the Scene loyalty rewards program, in Canada.

Existing Scene members and eligible Scotiabank Scene cardholders will automatically be upgraded to Scene+ at no cost. Existing points balances will also carry over. Under the new branding, members will still be able to earn and claim points on movies, entertainment and dining, with new benefits for travel, shopping and banking.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what that means:

Banking — Scotiabank Scene+ members can earn points for purchases on eight eligible Scotiabank credit and debit cards, including Scotiabank American Express Gold and Scotia Passport Visa Infinite credit card. These members can also redeem points for an account credit on eligible Scotiabank debit and credit cards.

Scene+ Rakuten — You can link your Rakuten.ca account to Scene+ to get access to exclusive offers and the ability to earn Scene+ points instead of Rakuten “cash back.” Hundreds of online retailers are eligible, including Indigo, Sephora, Gap and Sport Chek. Scene+ members can also earn up to 20 percent more cash back in points with exclusive offers

Scene+ Travel — Powered by Expedia, Scene+ members will be able to book their trip through Scene+ Travel. You can earn 3 points for every $1 when you purchase or redeem points on hotel and car rentals. Full or partial points can also be redeemed through Scene+ Travel towards bookings of flights

Shopping — You can redeem points for products at Apple and Best Buy, or for gift cards from 60+ retailers, including Amazon, PlayStation, American Eagle Outfitters, Canadian Tire, Footlocker, Indigo and Pet Smart.
ard Scotiabank Scene+ members can also redeem points for an account credit on eligible Scotiabank debit and credit cards.

The Scene mobile app has also been rebranded and redesigned under the ‘Scene+’ banner. You can download that for free on Android and iOS.

Source: Scotiabank

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Mobile Syrup

Apple patched iCloud against massive Log4Shell vulnerability

Late last week, details emerged about a wide-reaching security vulnerability that affected tons of online services and apps, including Apple’s iCloud service. However, the iPhone-maker has reportedly already patched the flaw.

As a refresher, the vulnerability, dubbed ‘Log4Shell,’ impacts an open-source logging library called ‘log4j’ that’s widely used in online services to log events, errors, activities and more. The Log4Shell flaw effectively allowed an attacker to gain access to and execute remote code on servers running log4j simply by getting the logging system to log a specific string of characters.

Due to the wide use of log4j, several major online services are (or were) vulnerable to Log4Shell. Minecraft was among the first platforms impacted by Log4Shell, which saw attackers post chat messages with the specific string to attack servers. A Minecraft patch released Friday fixed the vulnerability.

Other services impacted by Log4Shell included Steam, Twitter, Amazon, Tesla and more. Apple’s iCloud was on the list, but Apple reportedly patched the service on December 11th.

According to The Eclectic Light Company, a blog about Macs and paintings (via Macworld and 9to5Mac), researchers were able to demonstrate the Log4Shell vulnerability when connecting to iCloud through the web on December 9th and 10th. However, the process no longer worked on December 11th.

Ultimately, it appears Apple patched the security flaw in iCloud rather quickly. That’s good news for any iCloud users out there and should be par for the course with large tech companies. There’s also a log4j patch available that helps mitigate the security vulnerability, which should help with patching vulnerable services.

Unfortunately, thanks to the wide-ranging impact of Log4Shell, it will likely take time for all vulnerable services to issue patches.

Source: The Eclectic Light Company Via: Macworld, 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Apple patched iCloud against massive Log4Shell vulnerability

Late last week, details emerged about a wide-reaching security vulnerability that affected tons of online services and apps, including Apple’s iCloud service. However, the iPhone-maker has reportedly already patched the flaw.

As a refresher, the vulnerability, dubbed ‘Log4Shell,’ impacts an open-source logging library called ‘log4j’ that’s widely used in online services to log events, errors, activities and more. The Log4Shell flaw effectively allowed an attacker to gain access to and execute remote code on servers running log4j simply by getting the logging system to log a specific string of characters.

Due to the wide use of log4j, several major online services are (or were) vulnerable to Log4Shell. Minecraft was among the first platforms impacted by Log4Shell, which saw attackers post chat messages with the specific string to attack servers. A Minecraft patch released Friday fixed the vulnerability.

Other services impacted by Log4Shell included Steam, Twitter, Amazon, Tesla and more. Apple’s iCloud was on the list, but Apple reportedly patched the service on December 11th.

According to The Eclectic Light Company, a blog about Macs and paintings (via Macworld and 9to5Mac), researchers were able to demonstrate the Log4Shell vulnerability when connecting to iCloud through the web on December 9th and 10th. However, the process no longer worked on December 11th.

Ultimately, it appears Apple patched the security flaw in iCloud rather quickly. That’s good news for any iCloud users out there and should be par for the course with large tech companies. There’s also a log4j patch available that helps mitigate the security vulnerability, which should help with patching vulnerable services.

Unfortunately, thanks to the wide-ranging impact of Log4Shell, it will likely take time for all vulnerable services to issue patches.

Source: The Eclectic Light Company Via: Macworld, 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

DoorDash launches new grocery service in select Canadian cities

Dashmart The virtual store that Doordash uses to send goods to customers in Addison, Texas. 12.01.2021

Food delivery app DoorDash has introduced a new delivery option for groceries and everyday essentials through a service called DashMart.

DoorDash positioned DashMart as a virtual grocery store. Instead of wandering through the aisles of a grocery store, users can browse through different categories of groceries. The store has more than 2,000 offerings, including fresh produce, dairy, and pantry staples. Items from local merchants will also be available, depending on location.

“We’ve seen from our DashMart locations in the U.S. that restaurants and local merchants can find success selling their retail products and reaching online customers in new ways or for the first time,” Shilpa Arora, an executive at DoorDash Canada, said in a statement.

DashMart sits under the convenience tab on the DoorDash app.

The service is only available in parts of Toronto, London, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Kitchener at this time. More cities will be added in the new year.

The organization already offered users the ability to pick items to be delivered from certain convenience stores.

The DoorDash app is available on iOS and Android.

Image credit: ShutterStock

Source: DoorDash

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Mobile Syrup

Govee’s Flow Pro Light Bars available for $57.99 at Amazon

Amazon Canada currently has Govee’s Flow Pro Light Bars on sale for as low as $57.99 if you combine several discounts.

Regularly available for $129.99, the light bars are currently discounted down to $109.99. Pair that with the $30 coupon available in the product description, and the product cost comes down to $79.99.

But that’s not all. Using code GOVEE6054S at checkout will net you an additional 20 percent off, essentially bringing the product cost down to $57.99.

These light bars come with a camera that can be placed on the top or bottom of your PC/TV. The camera’s sole purpose is to detect the colours on your display and push the same coloured light out from the light bars, providing an immersive viewing experience.  See images below for reference:

Other features include a ‘Music Sync mode,’ ‘Colour mode,’ ‘Scene mode,’ and more. Learn about these features in my review of the Govee Flow Pro Light Bars.

To purchase the light from Amazon for the slashed price of $57.99, click here.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

Source: Amazon

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s $4.99 Apple Music Voice Plan is available now

Apple released its latest iOS 15.2 update, which includes new safety features, App Privacy Reports, and most importantly, Apple Music’s new $4.99 Voice Plan.

While the new plan is more pocket-friendly, it limits users to access Apple Music through Siri only.

“Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together,” said Oliver Schusser, vice president of Apple Music and Beats in a release from back in October, when the plan was unveiled. “With Siri actively used on hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, we are thrilled to add this new plan that delivers an effortless music experience just by using your voice and makes Apple Music accessible to even more people around the world.”

This new subscription works with all Apple devices that can use Siri, but since it’s a voice-only plan, it is especially beneficial for people who just have a HomePod or HomePod mini.

To access the new Apple Music Voice Plan, simply say “Hey Siri, start my Apple Music Voice trial,” on any compatible device or by signing up through the Apple Music app.

You can try out the new plan, as Apple is offering a one-time free seven-day trial, even if you’re already subscribed to Apple Music.

Image credit: Apple

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Mobile Syrup

IBM to bring AI and hybrid cloud jobs to Nova Scotia

Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine – May 13, 2019: IBM logo is seen on an smartphone over stock chart. IBM logois displayed on the screen of a mobile device.

Technology corporation IBM has announced it will create hundreds of jobs in Nova Scotia.

The company is partnering with Nova Scotia Business Inc., an organization working to attract new businesses to the Atlantic province. The agreement will bring 350 jobs focusing on AI and hybrid cloud over the next five years.

The jobs will be based in the Nova Scotia Client Innovation Centre (CIC). IBM has CICs all over the world as part of its global network. Of its services, it offers to consult for businesses, enterprises, and governments focusing on digital transformation.

“The province has a globally recognised culture of innovation, and we are proud to be contributing to local economic growth by creating high-value jobs,” Dave McCann, from IBM Canada, said in a statement. “By significantly expanding our team, we will create more opportunities for Nova Scotians, and build capacity for IBM to help our clients as they seize a wide array of opportunities created by evolving digital technologies.”

IBM has an eight-year history with the province and has created academic partnerships with Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Community College in the past.

Image credit: ShutterStock

Source: IBM

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Mobile Syrup

Android 13 toggle could disable Android 12 battery saving feature

Google may allow Android users to turn off a new battery-saving feature that kills background processes to preserve battery life in a future update, like Android 13.

XDA Developers’ former editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahman spotted the change in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code. The change introduces a toggle to Android’s ‘Developer Options’ settings menu that would disable ‘phantom processes.’

For a bit of background, Android 12 introduced a ton of visual changes to Google’s smartphone operating system (OS). However, it also brought several under-the-hood changes that aren’t as obvious. The ‘phantom processes’ are one such under-the-hood feature — dubbed ‘PhantomProcessKiller,’ the new bit of tech kills background tasks, call phantom processes, that use too much power.

Although the PhantomProcessKiller will generally help most users by restricting background tasks and saving battery, it also might not be a good fit for others. For example, some apps may not place nicely with the new system. Power users may also want to turn it off.

Whatever the reason, it does look like a toggle will make its way to users at some point. That should be good news to anyone who relies on apps that don’t play nice with the system. The downside, however, is that it might be a bit of a wait before the toggle becomes available.

Rahman notes that toggle might not roll out until Android 13 arrives next year. Android Police agreed, arguing that because the toggle was only recently introduced, it likely won’t go live for a while. That said, there could be a chance the feature will arrive with Android 12L too.

Source: Mishaal Rahman (Twitter) Via: XDA Developers, Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix is working on a live-action Mega Man movie

Do we really need another video game movie? Apparently, Netflix believes so, as the streaming giant is now working on a live-action Mega Man movie.

According to The Verge, this Mega Man movie started back in 2015 at Chernin Entertainment, and then in 2018 Capcom officially announced it’d be a live-action movie written by and directed by Henry Joost and Rel Schulman (Catfish). But now Netflix has picked up the movie, Joost and Schulman announced on the Supermarché company website.

“Features in the works include: an adaptation of Capcom’s Mega Man for Chernin Entertainment and Netflix, which they wrote and are directing;” reads the site.

It’s currently unclear how far this movie is in development, but according to IGN, its sources say that it’s early in development.

There are so many video game adaptations now it’s getting pretty crazy. Netflix has The Witcher, Castlevania, Dota, League of Legends with Resident Evil and Tomb Raider on the way. Further, there are Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Monster Hunter movies out there and a lot more other adaptations like Halo and Mario on the way.

Source: Supermarché, IGN, The Verge