Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Redditor proves Samsung Moon shots are heavily fabricated

A Redditor is making a bold claim about Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra and its Moon photography.

According to ‘ibreakphotos’ on the Android Reddit page, “Samsung space zoom moon shots are fake.”

“Many of us have witnessed the breathtaking moon photos taken with the latest zoom lenses, starting with the S20 Ultra. Nevertheless, I’ve always had doubts about their authenticity, as they appear almost too perfect. While these images are not necessarily outright fabrications, neither are they entirely genuine. Let me explain,” wrote u/ibreakphotos.

According to the user, Samsung adds detail to Moon shots where there is none, with the AI doing most of the heavy lifting and not the phone’s camera optics.

To prove the claims, the Redditor downloaded this high-res image of the Moon from the internet and downsized it to 170 x 170 pixels. The Redditor then blurred the photo so that no detail of the Moon was visible. u/ibreakphotos then put the image on full screen on their monitor, turned off the lights, moved to the other end of the room and zoomed in on the digitally blurred image with their Samsung device.

The image the Redditor clicked with their device was this one. Essentially, they shot the image on the left and got the image on the right as a result.

It’s safe to say that the details captured in the photo couldn’t have been possible because they weren’t clearly visible in the blurred image in the first place, leading me to ask, are all Samsung Ultra device Moon shots essentially fake? Well, the images or not entirely fake, but they’re not entirely genuine, either.

“Samsung is leveraging an AI model to put craters and other details on places which were just a blurry mess,” wrote the Reddit user. “There’s a difference between additional processing a la super-resolution, when multiple frames are combined to recover detail which would otherwise be lost, and this, where you have a specific AI model trained on a set of moon images, in order to recognize the moon and slap on the moon texture on it (when there is no detail to recover in the first place, as in this experiment).”

The experiment doesn’t fail to prove that Samsung’s marketing is deceptive, considering that the AI software trained on Moon images is doing most of the work, and fabricating images, at least in some capacity, in contrast to the phone’s camera doing the heavy lifting.

Check out u/ibreakphotos‘ full experiment on Reddit here.

Image credit: u/ibreakphotos

Source: u/ibreakphotos

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Mobile Syrup

The Last of Us creators confirm Part II will be adapted into multiple seasons

The Last of Us creators have teased that there is more to come from the acclaimed Alberta-shot HBO series beyond its previously confirmed second season.

In an interview with GQ about the March 12th Season 1 finale, creators and showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin were pressed on what’s to come. While the pair have confirmed that Season 2 will adapt The Last of Us Part II, the extent to which has remained unclear. When asked whether Season 2 will “span the entire course of the second game,” Druckmann said, “it’s more than one season.”

Although Mazin had previously teased that Part II is “more than a season’s worth of television,” this is the first time both he and Druckmann have definitively commented on there being multiple seasons in the works. Of course, the final say will come down to whether HBO renews the series again, but for now, at least, we know the creators are planning to tackle the story in this way. Given how popular it’s been so far, though — HBO’s second-biggest series premiere after only House of the Dragon — it’s not a stretch to think Season 2 will garner a similarly large audience.

Interestingly, though, the pair declined to specify whether this means we’re getting two or three more seasons. “You have noted correctly that we will not say how many,” responded Mazin with a laugh. “But more than one is factually correct.”

Those who have played both The Last of Us games will certainly understand Druckmann and Mazin’s reasoning. The first game is roughly 15 hours to complete, while the sequel is nearly 25 hours. Without getting into spoilers, Part II — which takes place five years after the first game — is also much more ambitious in its narrative structure, with many jumps in perspective and time periods.

While they didn’t provide any details on how they’re tackling this, they did acknowledge complaints that Season 1 didn’t have many infected creatures.

“Ultimately, we generally stressed the power of relationships and trying to find significance within moments of action,” Mazin said during a virtual press conference, via Variety. “And so there may be less action than some people wanted because we couldn’t necessarily find significance for quite a bit of it, or [there was] concern that it would be repetitive.”

However, he did tease that “it’s quite possible that there will be a lot more infected later. And perhaps different kinds” in Season 2.

It’s also worth noting that Laura Bailey, who plays a major new character in Part II named Abby, also made a cameo in the Season 1 finale. Druckmann and Mazin also teased that she could play a bigger role in future seasons, similar to what they gave to game actors Troy Baker (Joel), Ashley Johnson (Ellie) and Jeffrey Pierce (Tommy).

A release window for The Last of Us Season 2 has not yet been confirmed. Season 1 is currently streaming on Crave in Canada.

Image credit: HBO

Source: GQ

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Mobile Syrup

Hands-on with prototype Pixel 7a reveals specs, detailed photos

Over the weekend, a hands-on leak of Google’s upcoming Pixel 7a surfaced online, giving us specs and a detailed look at the smartphone.

Vietnamese news site Zing News published the Pixel 7a hands-on, noting that the phone was remotely locked and isn’t able to fully turn on. However, Zing was able to learn several details about the phone and some specs from the fastboot screen, which reveals the 7a has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. That’s up from 6GB of RAM on the Pixel 6a. The Pixel 7a as reportedly has a 90Hz display, another big upgrade for the A-series.

Other specs include the use of Google’s Tensor G2 chip — the same one used in the current Pixel 7 and 7 Pro — as well as support for 5W wireless charging, a first for the A-series Pixel line. Zing News also reported that the Pixel 7a sports two 12-megapixel rear cameras, which goes against previous rumours that the 7a would sport an upgraded camera sensor matching the primary sensor used in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

Beyond the specs, the Zing News hands-on gives us our best look at the Pixel 7a yet. Unsurprisingly, the design is very similar to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 series, sporting a glossy back panel with a ‘G’ logo and a camera bar, though this time around, Google used a metal bar instead of glass like on the 6a. This brings the 7a in line with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro design.

Aside from the camera bar, there doesn’t appear to be any other significant changes in design with the Pixel 7a. Like with the move from the Pixel 6 series to the 7 series, the Pixel 7a will likely offer minor polish and quality improvements compared to last year’s 6a.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the Pixel 7a photographed by Zing News is reportedly a software prototype and isn’t an official model. That could mean certain things will change or may not be accurate to the final product. Interestingly, some of the images of the phone show a pattern on the back panel, which is likely intended to mark the phone as a prototype and won’t be featured on the launch product.

Google will likely unveil the Pixel 7a at its upcoming I/O developer conference in May, followed by a possible summer release window.

You can check out all the leaked hands-on images here.

Source: Zing News Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Now you can save $10/mo for 24 months on Fido’s 30GB plan

Over the weekend, Rogers flanker brand Fido joined Koodo and Virgin Plus in offering a $10/mo discount for 24 months on its $70/mo 30GB promo plan.

This is the latest move in a long-running back-and-forth game of promotions that started back in February, with Virgin and Koodo doubling the data on their 10GB and 15GB plans to 20GB and 30GB. Fido followed suit, then Virgin added a $10/mo for 24 months bill credit to the plans, bringing them down from $60 and $65 to $50 and $55 dollars. Koodo and Fido rolled out matching offers for the $50/20GB plan, and then Koodo added the credit to the 30GB plan too. Finally, Fido has caught up with its own discounted 30GB plan.

Unfortunately, things are a bit different with Fido. The Rogers flanker brand recently added a $5/mo discount for those who sign up for automatic payments, but also increased the cost of its plans by $5 around the same time. So to get the $55/mo 30GB deal from Fido, you need to sign up for automatic payments too.

Fido’s 20GB and 30GB plans with a $10/mo credit offer, as of March 13th, 2023.

The plan in question is normally $70/mo before discounts and includes 15GB of data. Again, thanks to multiple layers of promotions, it’s now 30GB for $55/mo.

Fido still has the $50/20GB plan available for those who don’t need 30GB. It’s not clear how long the deals will last, however, so you may want to move quickly to get it. You can view Fido’s plans here.

Along with the above deals, Fido ran a small promotion offering customers one day of free roaming after Virgin and Koodo announced price increases for their roaming packages.

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Mobile Syrup

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is exactly the game I needed right now

Last year, I wrote about how the glut of (otherwise quality) game releases early in the year was a bit overwhelming, leading me to take a much-needed break from gaming.

This year, I’ve started to feel that again after a really busy January and February consisting of the likes of Forspoken, Season and the PlayStation VR2, as well as features on The Last of Us, Black History Month, International Women’s Day and more. As always, I’m beyond grateful to have these opportunities and am constantly inspired by the creators I cover, but sometimes, it’s good to step away for a bit. As a result, I’ve primarily been spending my entertainment time watching movies and TV as of late.

That said, there’s one game that I’ve been enjoying on the side, and it couldn’t have come at a better time: February’s Theatrythm Final Bar Line. Now, I’m not necessarily surprised that I enjoy it; a crossover game featuring music and characters from Final Fantasy, my all-time favourite series, was up my alley. However, I generally can’t get into rhythm games (including previous Theatrythm titles) due to their inherently repetitive nature, so I didn’t know how much of Final Bar Line I’d actually play.

As it turns out — quite a few hours. A big part of that has to do with the fact that this game marks the series’ console debut; I far prefer using a controller to a device like a 3DS with smaller buttons. Beyond that, though, Final Bar Line is just a fundamentally easy game to pick up and play. For uncoordinated people like me who don’t often play these kinds of games, developer ‘indieszero’ has graciously included a ‘Simple’ mode that relegates all inputs to a single button. That, alongside four difficulty options for each song, ensures that players of all levels of experience can jump in.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line FFVI fight

Because really, the highlight here is the music — some of the greatest in the history of gaming. With 385 songs from across 29 different Final Fantasy games, Final Bar Line is full of nothing but straight bangers. That includes the god-tier work of original FF composer Nobuo Uematsu (the first nine numbered entries and contributions to many others), Masashi Hamauzu (XIII), Masayoshi Soken (XIV) and Yoko Shimomura (XV). It’s almost a cliché to use the term “love letter” at this point, but Final Bar Line absolutely earns it thanks to its far-reaching celebration of 35 years’ worth of incredible music.

In terms of fan favourites, there’s everything from the sensational operatic grandeur of VII‘s “One-Winged Angel” and tear-jerking X ballad “Suteki Da Ne” to the beautiful Celtic woodwinds of XIII‘s “The Archylte Steppe” and majestic XV violin piece, “Valse di Fantastica.” But indieszero and Square Enix have commendably picked deeper cuts, too, like the menacing “Jack’s Theme” from the meme-worthy Strangers of Paradise, a slew of songs from mobile titles like Mobius Final Fantasy and tracks from lesser-known spin-offs like Chocobo’s Dungeon and Crystal Chronicles. Hell, my favourite game of all time, FFVII, has multiple sets of tracks from the OG VII, its stellar Remake, Crisis Core prequel and other ‘Compilation’ spin-offs.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line Cloud vs. Sephiroth

Final Bar Line also sports an extensive lineup of DLC tracks from other Square Enix titles with their own stellar music, like Live A Live, Nier Automata and Chrono Trigger. Admittedly, I wish some of these included remixes; of the four Live A Live songs, only one is an updated version from last year’s amazing remake, and it isn’t the absolute bop that is “Megalomania.” Nitpick aside, though, the music catalogue is so magnificent and vast — in the base game alone, and only more so with DLC — that there really will be something here for everyone, even if you don’t have a history with some of these games.

That’s to say nothing of the plethora of characters. There’s an undeniable highlight in having parties consisting of, say, VII‘s Cloud and Sephiroth, XIV‘s Alphinaud and Tactics‘ Ramza — characters who would pretty much never meet otherwise. Bringing them together in recreations of iconic FF scenes, like VI’‘s Opera House misadventure, the death of Aerith in VII or XV‘s gargantuan Leviathan encounter only sweetens the deal. While I wish we got an actual narrative to unify them all, there’s enough of a mix here between traditional rhythm stages and FMV-filled ones to serve as a satisfying FF ‘Greatest Hits’ collection.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line characters

At the same time, the focus on songs means you’ll generally only be playing for a few minutes at a time. This makes it the perfect game to dabble in here and there, especially if you’ve found yourself a bit burnt out on games like me. The fact that I can just boot up my PS5, run through a few songs at my desired difficulty setting for 20 or 30 minutes and then go on with my day is brilliant. Thankfully, it’s not a time-sink like so many games nowadays. On the flip side, there’s a lot of content here if you want to dig into it, which means it’s worth coming back to over and over. Between Series Quests (an arcade-style campaign that takes you through highlights of each game), Music Stages (free play), co-op (where you and a friend split the notes) and Multi Battle (a surprisingly frenetic four-player competitive match), Final Bar Line is chock full of gameplay modes.

There’s also an RPG-lite element that hearkens back to the FF series’ roots. As you play, you’ll unlock new characters, abilities and summons that can be customized to your party of choice. Each character has their own class (Physical, Magic, Defence, Healing, etc.) to distinguish the types of moves they’ll automatically use as you hit notes. For example, the powerful Ulima Blade can only be used by blade-wielders like Cloud and Sephiroth. On the other hand, V‘s Lenna has a character-specific ‘Arise’ spell that can revive your team when your HP hits zero. Overall, this system feels finely tuned enough that mixing-and-matching configurations will provide benefits in stages but can still largely be ignored — especially on lower difficulties — if you just want to use your favourite characters and focus on the music.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line theater

Final Bar Line is easily one of my favourite games of the year so far. With some of the best music in the entire medium, a variety of difficulty options and modes and a structure that makes it easy to pick up and drop, indieszero has created an absolutely delightful experience that I keep coming back to even as I’ve put down other games.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line is now available on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

Image credit: Square Enix

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Mobile Syrup

Canadians won’t have access to news on Facebook, Instagram, if Bill C-18 approved: Meta

Meta says Canadians won’t be able to access news on its platforms if Bill C-18 becomes law. 

According to The Globe and Mail, the move will impact written and broadcast news. 

Under the bill, known as the Online News Act, platforms like Meta will have to pay news organizations for posting their content. 

“If the Online News Act passes in its current form, we will end the availability of news content on Facebook and Instagram for people in Canada,” Meta spokesperson, Lisa Laventure, told the publication. “A legislative framework that compels us to pay for links or content that we do not post, and which are not the reason the vast majority of people use our platform, is neither sustainable nor workable.”

The Globe reports unknown financial consequences of the bill played a role in the decision. Laventure told the publication three percent of the posts Canadians see on Facebook have links to news content which “is not a significant source of revenue.”

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said he was disappointed in Meta’s decision. “All we’re asking Facebook to do is negotiate fair deals with news outlets when they profit from their work.”

The news follows Google’s test to block some Canadians from accessing news.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: The Globe and Mail

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Mobile Syrup

Telecom news roundup: CRTC to review internet competition [Mar. 4-10]

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has moved to reduce wholesale internet rates in Canada.

More details on that, and a roundup of some of the other telecom news this week, are recapped below.

Business

Telus has rolled out the next generation of Optik TV. Updates include personalized profiles, universal search and voice remote access.

Ericsson Canada appointed Jeanette Irekvist as its new president.

Telus has expanded its health program to offer 1,000 free counselling sessions for women through the Telus Health app.

The CRTC has launched a review to increase internet competition. The Commission has also ordered larger providers to cut some wholesale rates by 10 percent, which has been met with positive reactions.

Virgin Plus changed its overage data plan charge.

SaskTel shared details on phase six of its Rural Fibre Initiative, which will be available to an additional 48 communities.

Rogers’ CEO Tony Staffieri says the company is finalizing merger details as it awaits approval from Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

Government

Conservative MP Dan Mazier says small internet service providers support his push to have telecom companies share internet download and upload speeds with customers under Bill C-288.

Canadians are still paying for some of the highest wireless and broadband internet prices in the world, according to a recently released government study.

Deals

Rogers and its flanker brand Fido are offering customers one free day of roaming. The offer expires on March 31st.

Rogers is offering Fido customers a special internet offer priced at $69.99 a month. More details are available here.

Virgin Plus, Koodo, and Fido roll out $10/month discounts on select online plans.

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Mobile Syrup

Streaming in Canada on Crave, Disney+ and Netflix [March 6-12]

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+ are mentioned when relevant. Premium video-on-demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early.

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.

Crave

Perry Mason (Season 2)

Crave premiere date: March 6th, 2023 (first episode, new episodes every Monday at 9pm ET/6pm PT)
Genre: Period drama
Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)

Perry, Della and Paul investigate the conspiracies surrounding a murder in a powerful oil family.

Perry Mason is based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s detective novel series of the same name, was created by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald (Weeds) and stars Matthew Rhys (A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood), Juliet Rylance (The Knick), Chris Chalk (Gotham), Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire) and Katherine Waterston (Steve Jobs).

Stream Perry Mason here.

Rain Dogs

Crave premiere date: March 6th, 2023 (first episode, new episodes every Monday at 10pm ET/7pm PT)
Genre: Period drama
Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)

This British series is all about the unconventional love story between a working-class single mother, her young daughter, and a privileged gay man.

Rain Dogs was created by Cash Carraway (Skint Estate) and stars Daisy May Cooper (This Country), Jack Farthing (Spencer), Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo (Alex Rider) and Fleur Tashjian (debut role).

Stream Rain Dogs here.

A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.

The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.

In related news, a special behind-the-scenes look at the Alberta production of The Last of Us will air on Crave on Sunday, March 12th, immediately after the season finale at 9pm ET/6pm PT.

CTV

Shelved

CTV premiere date: March 6th, 2023 (first episode, new episodes every Monday at 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT)
Genre: Workplace comedy
Runtime: Eight episodes (around 21 minutes each)

This Canadian series follows the employees and patrons of the fictional Toronto Jameson library, which is inspired by the city’s actual Parkdale community.

Shelved was created by Anthony Q. Farrell (The Office) and stars Toronto’s Lyndie Greenwood (Sleepy Hollow), Toronto’s Paul Braunstein (Burden of Truth), Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan’s Dakota Ray Hebert (Run Woman Run) and Kingston, Ontario’s Chris Sandiford (God’s Favorite Idiot). Naturally, the series was filmed in Toronto as well.

Stream Shelved on CTV for free (with ads).

It’s also worth noting that The Oscars are also streaming on CTV on March 12th.

Disney+

Miley Cyrus — Endless Summer Vacations (Backyard Sessions)

Disney+ Canada premiere date: March 10th, 2023
Genre: Concert special
Runtime: 42 minutes

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Miley Cyrus’ eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacations, as well as performances of eight of its songs. Notably, one of these includes a duet with Montreal-raised singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright.

Stream Miley Cyrus — Endless Summer Vacations (Backyard Sessions) here.

MPower [Disney+ Original]

Disney+ Canada premiere date: March 8th, 2023
Genre: Docuseries
Runtime: Four episodes (36 to 41 minutes each)

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Marvel Studios has released a docuseries on some of the women in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Join Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Zoe Saldaña (Gamora), WandaVision‘s Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Captain Marvel‘s Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) and Black Panther‘s Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Ayo (Florence Kasumba) and Shuri (Letitia Wright) as they talk about experiences playing Marvel superheroines.

Stream MPower here.

A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year.

The full list of movies and shows hitting Disney+ Canada this month can be found here.

Netflix

Luther: The Fallen Sun [Netflix Original]

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 10th, 2023
Genre: Crime thriller
Runtime: 2 hours, 9 minutes

Disgraced London police detective John Luther breaks out of prison to hunt down a sadistic serial killer.

A continuation of the Luther TV series, Luther: The Fallen Sun was directed by Jamie Payne (Luther) and once again stars Idris Elba (Luther) and Dermot Crowley (Schenk), while Cynthia Erivo (Harriett) and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) join the cast.

Stream Luther: The Fallen Sun here.

MH370: The Plane That Disappeared [Netflix Original]

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 8th, 2023
Genre: Docuseries
Runtime: Three episodes (1 hour, 30 minutes each)

Learn more about the mysterious 2014 disappearance of a Malaysian flight carrying 239 people.

Stream MH370: The Plane That Disappeared here.

Outlast [Netflix Original]

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 8th, 2023
Genre: Reality competition
Runtime: Eight episodes (29 to 57 minutes each)

In the extreme Alaskan wild, four teams of 16 survivalists compete for a chance to win a massive cash prize.

Stream Outlast here.

You (Season 4, Part 2) [Netflix Original]

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 9th, 2023
Genre: Psychological thriller
Runtime: Five episodes (46 to 52 minutes each)

With The Eat The Rich Killer’s identity finally revealed, Joe finds himself caught in a deadly game.

Based on Caroline Kepne’s novel series of the same name, You was created by Greg Berlanti (Arrowverse) and Sera Gamble (The Magicians) and stars Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl), Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), Charlotte Ritchie (Feel Good), Tilly Keeper (EastEnders) and Edward Speleers (Downton Abbey).

Stream You here.

A ‘Basic with Ads’ subscription costs $5.99/month, ‘Basic’ Netflix subscription costs $9.99/month, a ‘Standard’ subscription (HD-supported) costs $16.49/month and a ‘Premium’ membership is priced at $20.99/month (4K-supported).

The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.

What are you planning on streaming this week? Let us know in the comments.

For more suggestions, check out last week’s Streaming in Canada column.

Image credit: Netflix

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Mobile Syrup

Are you excited for The Last of Us finale?

HBO’s The Last of Us is having its season finale tonight, and I’m super excited.

Unlike many others, I don’t have prior knowledge of the game, so I don’t know what will happen next. However, from my understanding, not everything always lines up perfectly, and in some cases, the show adds more context.

TLOU was filmed throughout Alberta and offers a live-action take on the 2013 PlayStation title of the same name. HBO has also already renewed the series for a second season.

The company previously revealed that the first episode of the series surpassed 22 million viewers in the U.S., making it the network’s second-biggest debut.

Let us know in the comments below how excited you are for the season one finale.

Image credit: HBO

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Mobile Syrup

SteelSeries’ Destiny 2-themed gear is great, even if it didn’t make me a Strand god

Ahead of the latest Destiny 2 expansion, Lightfall, SteelSeries announced a suite of limited edition Lightfall-themed gaming gear. Although Lightfall fell flat for many longtime fans, SteelSeries’ gear doesn’t (well, except for the mousepad, but it’s good that’s flat).

SteelSeries launched a Destiny 2: Lightfall Edition Arctis 7+ headset, Aerox 5 mouse and a QCK Prism XL mousepad. There are also Lightfall-themed KontrolFreek “performance thumbsticks” for console players, though I play on PC and didn’t test those out. I did, however, take the Arctis 7+, Aerox 5 and QCK Prism for a test drive in Lightfall and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked all three.

Oh, and before I get into it, the Lightfall-themed SteelSeries gear comes with codes for an in-game emblem and emote; nice little touches, though not worth a purchase on their own.

Another thing worth keeping in mind is that aside from the Lightfall colourways, each of the products below is functionally the same as the non-Lightfall versions, but costs slightly more. I’ve included pricing and links to the non-Lightfall variants below for those who like the devices but don’t care for the Destiny special editions.

QCK Prism lights up my desk

Let’s start things off with the QCK Prism XL mousepad. I have the least to say about the mousepad because, well, it’s a mousepad. It’s tough to get wrong. That said, I did really appreciate the design of the QCK Prism — the Lightfall theme and colours are nice as a Destiny 2 fan, the light-up RGB edge is cool — especially once I figured out how to sync it with the mouse colours using the SteelSeries software — and it feels great under my mouse when gaming.

To be fair, the Prism mousepad doesn’t feel significantly different from my old mousepad, a gargantuan Stitch Cloth mousepad from Glorious. My only real concern with the Prism was that it wasn’t as big as the Stitch Cloth mousepad (which, admittedly, was far too big for my desk). However, the size difference didn’t really hamper my mouse use in typical day-to-day use. When gaming, I occasionally grazed the top edge of the Prism mousepad, but usually, that just meant I needed to adjust my position and seldom got in the way of gameplay.

Ultimately, I prefer the smaller mousepad size since the too-big Sitch Cloth mousepad hung over the back of my desk. However, the smaller size might not work for everyone. The QCK Prism XL clocks in at 900 x 300 x 4mm, and unfortunately, it seems that’s the only size option for the Lightfall Edition. Those not interested in getting the Lightfall-themed mousepad can enjoy larger sizes up to 1600 x 800 x 4mm.

The QCK Prism XL Destiny 2: Lightfall Edition costs $89.99 in Canada, while the regular version starts at $79.99 for the same size.

The Aerox 5 gives my Razer mouse a run for its money

I’ve tested quite a few computer mice over the last year or two, most of which were from Razer. However, Razer may not have dominance over my mousepad going forward — the Aerox 5 offers up all the features I want, is very comfortable to use and offers a lightweight package despite being wireless.

I’ve basically exclusively used the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro and DeathAdder V3 Pro mice since August of 2022, the former with my desktop PC and the latter with my laptop while I’m working. I loved the Basilisk for how it felt in my hand and for the three side buttons, which I like to use for activating my abilities when playing games like Destiny 2. However, the weight of the DeathAdder made it my preference for use when working since my wrist wouldn’t get as tired using it throughout the day (plus, by using two mice, I didn’t have to move the USB dongle around all the time).

The Aerox 5 comes very close to the Basilisk feel for me, offers a very similar layout for the thumb buttons on the side, but also weighs less than the Basilisk (112g), coming in close to the DeathAdder (64g) at 74g. I previously used some wired mice that were lighter, but as I said in my DeathAdder review, I don’t mind some extra weight for the convenience of wireless, as long as it isn’t overkill — the Basilisk really pushed that upper limit for me.

From left to right: Razer Basilisk V3 Pro, Aerox 5, DeathAdder V3 Pro

I also prefer the honeycomb design of the Aerox 5, which not only looks cool but also helps keep my palm from getting too sweaty in the midst of a heated gaming session.

The Aerox 5 boasts ‘AquaBarrier’ technology and an IP54 rating to protect it from water splashes, dirt and dust. It sports a TrueMove Air precision optical sensor with “true 1-to-1 tracking” and Golden Micro IP54 switches. The Aerox 5 offers 100-18,000 CPI and a 1,000Hz polling rate. I also find the scroll wheel is far more tactile on the Aerox 5 than either of the Razer mice I used before.

The Aerox 5 battery life is fine but nothing crazy. A week of heavy gaming, including playing through the Lightfall campaign and running around Neomuna, drained the battery to about 45 percent. You could probably squeeze more longevity out of it by disabling the lights, but as is, you should be fine as long as you keep on top of charging up the battery.

Like other mice I’ve tested, the Aerox 5 comes with a USB-C to USB-A fabric cable and an adapter to connect the USB-C wireless dongle to the cable. This allows you to keep the wireless dongle tucked out of the way on your desk, but you can still easily access the cable to charge your mouse when needed.

The SteelSeries Aerox 5 Destiny 2:Lightfall Edition costs $189.99 in Canada, the same price as the regular version.

The sound of Strand

Finally, the SteelSeries Arctis 7+ headset sounds excellent and should prove to be a solid audio option not just for PC players, but for console players too. Unlike the gear above, the Arctis 7+ is designed to work wirelessly with PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and mobile devices. It’ll work with the Xbox Series X and S too, but only over a wired 3.5mm connection.

Other than the Lightfall-themed colourway, the special edition Arctis 7+ sports a special Destiny 2 audio preset from Bungie. However, coming from the Razer Kaira Pro headset, I really don’t notice a difference in terms of game sound. For that matter, I’d say the audio quality is pretty much on par between the Kaira Pro and Arctis 7+ — both sound excellent for games, music and podcasts.

Generally, I found I preferred the Arctis 7+ to the Kaira Pro headset for a few minor quality-of-life reasons. First, the Arcits 7+ has slightly larger earcups than the Kaira Pro. They feel more comfortable since there’s more space for my ears, but I had no issues wearing either headset for a marathon gaming session.

Another big win for the Arctis 7+ over the Kaira Pro is the retractable microphone. The Kaira Pro mic can be removed when you don’t need it, but I preferred the retractable mic on the Arctis 7+ since I could keep it out of my way but still have easy access to it when needed.

Not everything with the Arctis 7+ was better, however. I’m not a huge fan of the ‘ski goggle’ headband and prefer the Kaira Pro’s adjustable headband that enables a more precise fit. (The Arctis 7+ headband was plenty comfortable, though). I’m also not a big fan of the Arctis 7+’s independent volume control — on the Kaira Pro, turning the volume dial changed the Windows volume, affecting my whole system, while the Arctis 7+ lets me turn up the headphone volume separately from the Windows volume. While I’m sure plenty of people prefer that, it was a major departure from how I’ve managed volume on my PC for years.

On the battery front, the Arctis 7+ boasts 30 hours, and a 15-minute charge gives you three hours of playtime. In my testing, I didn’t have any issues with the battery life. For comparison, the Kaira Pro battery lasts up to 11 hours with HyperSense (which vibrates the earcups based on the audio) and lighting enabled, or up to 50 with both disabled. I typically used the Kaira Pros with HyperSense and lighting enabled and seldom had to charge during a gaming session as long as I remembered to plug in the headset once a week. Moreover, it’s worth noting I didn’t miss HyperSense when I swapped over to the Arctis 7+ — frankly, I hardly noticed it when using the Kaira Pro.

These are all minor nitpicks, however, and I expect the Arctis 7+ will be my primary headset going forward.

The SteelSeries Arctis 7+ Destiny 2: Lightfall Edition costs $229.99 in Canada, while the regular Arctis 7+ costs $219.99.