Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix TV users can now customize their subtitles

Netflix TV users can now customize the appearance of the subtitles and closed captions on the streaming platform.

As reported by The Verge, the feature can change the subtitle text size from the standard ‘medium’ to ‘small’ or ‘large.’

Users can also change the default ‘Drop Shadow’ white text to three new styles: ‘Dark’ (white text with a black background), ‘Contrast’ (yellow text with a black background), and ‘Light’ (black text with a white background).

This feature was reportedly already on the web but has now made it to TV users everywhere.

I’m someone who typically watches everything with subtitles. I’m not hearing impaired, but sometimes I have difficulty following TV without reading the subtitles. Sometimes going to the movies is horrible because of the lack of subtitles.

However, from an accessibility point of view, this is a great move on Netflix’s part. It can help people with particular vision concerns or even those with attention disorders so they can better concentrate on the subtitles.

Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Walmart Canada has a bunch of solid deals on recent game releases

Walmart is currently running a sale on a variety of video games, including several that have only been available for a few months.

In particular, the critically-acclaimed, Canadian-made Dead Space, which just came out in late January, is already $25 off. See below for some of the deal highlights:

It’s worth noting that Nintendo is also running a Mario-themed sale at Walmart and other retailers for “MAR10 Day.”

Image credit: EA

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Mobile Syrup

Android 14 DP2 includes option to auto-confirm correct PINs

The second Android 14 Developer Preview arrived this week with a few new features, including — at long last — the option to auto-confirm correct PINs.

Sure, this feature has been available for years in Android skins and custom ROMs, but now it’s finally coming to stock Android. It may not sound like a big deal, but for anyone who has used a smartphone that auto-confirms the PIN when you type it in correctly, having to take the extra step of tapping the ‘enter’ button is a small but constant frustration.

Mishaal Rahman, writing for XDA Developers, uncovered the feature in Android 14 DP2, though it appears to still be a work in progress. Rahman noted that the feature doesn’t appear by default and didn’t work on his device.

It appears as an option when setting up a PIN. Users can tap ‘Auto-confirm correct PIN’ to enable the feature, and it warns that “confirming your PIN by tapping Enter is more secure than using auto-confirm.”

Moreover, Rahman says the option to auto-confirm PINs doesn’t show up for PINs that are less than six digits long. Additionally, the Settings menu changes from saying the “PIN must be at least 4 digits” to “but a 6-digit PIN is recommended for aded security.”

For those who want to enable or disable auto-confirm PIN after setting up their PIN, the option can be found in Settings > Security & privacy > Device lock > Tap the cog icon next to Screen Lock.

Given the feature doesn’t work and isn’t available in Android 14 DP2 without tweaking some things, it seems possible Google might not roll out the feature with the stable release of Android 14. It wouldn’t be the first time a feature in a Developer Preview didn’t make the cut. Still, it would nice to get the option in Android 14.

Source: XDA Developers

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Mobile Syrup

Spotify is rolling out a TikTok-like vertical video feed

During the ‘Spotify On 2023’ event yesterday, Sweden-based Spotify announced some significant new design changes to the app, including TikTok-like vertical video feeds.

The new interface will allow users to discover and interact with music and artists in a new way and will show music video clips and other visual aspects to users, instead of a standard list of albums.

According to Spotify’s CEO and founder, Daniel Ek, the new home feed has been “completely redesigned from the ground up,” adding that users will see Spotify “come alive” with more interactive content. The changes are aimed at providing deeper discovery and more meaningful connections between artists and fans. The new interface features album covers at the top of the app’s feed, with an auto-playing podcast or music video directly underneath.

Users would then be able to select a posted video or podcast, which will take them to a page solely structured around that content.

“As we look to the future, we are excited to expand that ambition to even more creators across new formats. We’re enabling more creativity, discovery, and personalization than ever before by providing the best resources, support, and interactivity,” said Ek. “We are focused on building the best home for them—a place where they can establish a career, thrive, and grow, and where the world can be inspired by their creativity. And that’s what we’ve been doing for almost 17 years: building, improving, and reimagining this home to better meet creator needs and help them chart new pathways to success.”

The new interface will be rolled out to more than 500 million active users starting immediately. Users can expect to see music, podcast, and audiobook previews, and updated discovery feeds allowing them to easily click into the song, playlist, or artist. In addition to the new interface, the company’s recently-announced ‘AI DJ‘ will also nowbe available to all.

Image credit: Spotify

Source: Spotify Via: Gizmodo

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Mobile Syrup

SaskTel adds 48 communities to its Rural Fibre Initiative

SaskTel has revealed details on phase six of its Rural Fibre Initiative, which will bring infiNET services to dozens of communities across Saskatchewan.

The initiative is working to deliver the fibre optic broadband network, with speeds up to 1Gbps, to more than 130 rural communities under a $200 million investment.

SaskTel will commence construction for phase six in 2023 and 2024, impacting 48 communities. Borden, Hafford, Naicam, and Yellow Grass are some of the areas that will benefit.

“Through the Rural Fibre Initiative, SaskTel is expanding their advanced fibre optic broadband network to towns and villages across Saskatchewan and ensuring more families and businesses have access to the same online resources, tools, and opportunities as those living in larger urban centres,” Don Morgan, Saskatchewan’s Minister responsible for crown corporations, said.

Construction for phases four and five is also set to take place in the same timeframe. Construction for most communities under the first two phases is 95 percent complete. SaskTel has begun construction for several communities under phase three.

All communities under the initiative will be “fibre-ready” in March 2025.

Image credit: SaskTel

Source: SaskTel

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft Bing search passes 100 million daily active users

Microsoft says that its Bing search engine has passed 100 million daily active users following the release of Bing Chat.

In a blog post, Microsoft detailed the new number and noted that it includes a “million plus new Bing preview users.”

It’s worth noting that Microsoft hasn’t revealed daily active user counts for Bing before the release of Bing Chat, so it’s hard to saw how much of an improvement the company has seen. If I had to guess, I’d say probably a significant amount given how much attention Bing Chat received from the media over the last few weeks.

Beyond the daily active user number, Microsoft also revealed that about one-third of the daily Bing preview users also use Chat daily, with the company seeing roughly three chats per session and over 45 million total chats since the preview started.

While 100 million daily active users may sound like a lot, it’s worth putting the number in perspective. Google, the current king of search, pulls over 1 billion daily active users.

But for Microsoft, any ground gained against Google is worth it. Last month, Microsoft’s CVP of finance, Philippe Ockenden, said on a call with analysts that for “every 1 point of share gain in the search advertising market, it’s a $2 billion revenue opportunity for our advertising business.”

It’s also worth noting that Bing Chat isn’t the only thing driving users to Bing search. As pointed out in the blog post, Microsoft’s Edge browser is also growing, and Edge pushes Bing as the default search engine. Moreover, Microsoft pushes Edge and Bing very aggressively on Windows, often to the frustration of users. But it appears the aggressive push is working out for Microsoft, so expect it’ll continue.

Source: Microsoft Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Do you subscribe to Crave’s now-dead ‘Mobile’ tier?

Bell-owned Crave has stopped offering its lower-cost $9.99/month ‘Mobile’ tier, and while this is disappointing, we’re interested in uncovering how many people are actually subscribed to the plan.

Crave Mobile allows users to stream Crave content only on smartphones and tablets, although you can cast to TVs as of this month. You won’t be kicked off if you’re still subscribing to Crave’s Mobile tier, but new users can’t purchase it. This also means you need to have an active Crave subscription and if you close your account and reactive it later, the Mobile option will no longer be available.

Are you subscribed to the lower-cost Crave subscription? If so, let us know your feelings about the loss of Crave Mobile in the comments below.

If you want to know what’s coming to Crave this March, check out our post here. It’s worth noting that Crave is also offering a yearly Crave Total plan for $50 off the annual cost for a limited time.

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Mobile Syrup

ChatGPT makes new Sudoku-like puzzle game called Sumplete

ChatGPT can write poems, essays and now, even games.

Sumplete is a new puzzle game coded and invented by ChatGPT’s AI. According to the ‘About’ on the Sumplete website, creator Daniel Tait gave ChatGPT several prompts, and it created this Sudoku-like game.

You can learn more about how Tait put the game together here.

Sumplete starts with a 3×3 beginner puzzle, but it also becomes a 9v9 puzzle if you change the difficulty level.

Like a Sudoku puzzle, the game is pretty easy at its base; you delete numbers from the grid to achieve the sum listed at the bottom and right of each column and row. While playing around with it, I found a 6×6 puzzle easy enough, but when you get to the ‘Master’ level puzzles, the game adds negative numbers, making it far more difficult.

You can check out Sumplete here.

Source: Sumplete Via: iMore

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Mobile Syrup

PlayStation ‘Retro and Remasters’ sale offers games up to 75 percent off

PlayStation’s ‘Retro and Remasters’ sale discounts several games, including Resident Evil 3, God of War III Remastered, Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen and more. The sale runs until March 22nd.

Here are some of the titles available on sale:

Find the full list of games on sale here.

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Mobile Syrup

Call of Duty: Mobile expected to be ‘phased out’ once Warzone Mobile launches

Call of Duty: Mobile will likely be “phased out” after Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile releases.

The news comes from none other than Microsoft as part of a larger piece for U.K. regulators in regard to its pending acquisition of Call of Duty owner Activision Blizzard. According to Microsoft, Call of Duty: Mobile “is expected to be phased out over time with the launch of Warzone Mobile” everywhere except China.

Call of Duty: Mobile is one of the biggest mobile games on the market, having topped 650 million downloads last year. However, the free-to-play Warzone brand has also been popular on consoles and PC, so it makes sense that Activision wants to tap into it on mobile.

Warzone Mobile is set to release sometime later this year. Of course, “phased out over time” doesn’t mean that Call of Duty: Mobile will immediately go away later this year, but regardless, it’s worth keeping in mind if you’re an active player.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has been working hard to get its Activision Blizzard acquisition approved in the U.K. As part of its efforts to squash anti-competition concerns, the company has signed long-term deals with the likes of Nintendo and Nvidia on Activision Blizzard games like Call of Duty. While Sony has been trying to block the deal, Reuters reported last week that it’s expected to get approved in the U.K. thanks to these agreements.

Image credit: Activision Blizzard

Source: Microsoft