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Mobile Syrup

Amazon Canada goes live with its ‘Early Black Friday Deals’

It’s that time of year again, which is when Amazon starts discounting a plethora of products to make way for all the new tech coming 2022.

What is now dubbed as “Early Black Friday Deals,” the massive online retailer has slashed pricing on many popular products. Here is a rundown of what you can score:

Check out some more very early Black Friday deals here at Amazon Canada

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Mobile Syrup

Best Buy kicks off November with deals you won’t want to miss

We’re back with the Top Deals from Best Buy Canada. You can find discounts on products ranging from Nanoleaf lights to Sony’s noise cancelling headphones.

Check out our curated list of the best sales to kick off November below:

Samsung The Frame 43″ 4K UHD HDR QLED Tizen OS Smart TV 2021: Buy for $899.99 (save $300)

Sony BRAVIA XR X90J 65″ 4K UHD HDR LED Smart Google TV 2021: Buy for $1499.99 (save $400)

HP OMEN 25L Gaming PC (Intel Core i7-11700F/512GB SSD/16GB RAM/RTX 3060): Buy for $1799.99 (save $200)

BenQ 25″ FHD 144Hz 1ms GTG IPS LCD FreeSync Gaming Monitor: Buy for $229.99 (save $85)

Sony WHXB900N Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones: Buy for $179.99 (save $170)

JBL Free II In-Ear Bluetooth Truly Wireless Headphones: Buy for $79.99 (save $140)

Nextbase 522GW 1440p Dash Cam w/ 3″ HD Touch Screen Wi-Fi & Amazon Alexa Built In: Buy for $199.99 (save $100)

Thinkware X700 Full HD 1080p Dash Cam & Rear Camera: Buy for $179.99 (save $170)

ASUS C204EE 11.6″ Chromebook (Intel Celeron N4020/32GB eMMC/4GB RAM/Chrome OS): Buy for $169.99 (save $140)

HP 15.6″ Laptop (Intel Core i5-1135G7/512GB SSD/8GB RAM/Windows 10): Buy for $749.99 (save $150)

JBL Clip 4 Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Speaker: Buy for $59.99 (save $30)

Blink Outdoor Wire-Free 1080p IP Security Camera System – 3-Pack: Buy for $184.99 (save $145)

Blink Outdoor Wire-Free 1080p IP Security Camera System – 5-Pack: Buy for $279.99 (save $220)

Nanoleaf Shapes Triangle Panels – Smarter Kit – 7 Panels: Buy for $199.99 (save $80)

Garmin fenix 6 Pro 47mm Multisport GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor: Buy for $579.99 (save $300)

Dyson V7 Complete Cordless Stick Vacuum: Buy for $399.99 (save $100)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 12.4″ 64GB Android 11 Tablet with Qualcomm SM7225 8-Core Processor: Buy for $479.99 (save $190)

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s backordered Polishing Cloth gets iFixit teardown

Apple’s recently-launched, absurdly-priced $25 Polishing Cloth has just received the iFixit treatment. How is it different from its regular teardowns? You don’t have to take this one seriously.

The polishing cloth received a repairability score of 0/10, so of course, we had to cover it. The Polishing Cloth, in essence, is a regular microfiber cloth with the Apple logo etched onto it. “Made with soft, non-abrasive material, the Polishing Cloth cleans any Apple display, including nano-texture glass, safely and effectively,” reads the cloth’s description on Apple’s website. The teardown of the cloth was part of a broader MacBook Pro teardown.

The teardown revealed that the Polishing cloth, when seen under a microscope, has several Miniscule fibres intricately woven together. The Polishing Cloth is “not just a tool for cleaning, but an object of beauty worthy of being cleaned itself,” reads the sarcastic-toned teardown. “Amidst the beauty, a thin line delicately traces the form of mankind’s foundational fruit: an apple.”

iFixit discovered that one Polishing Cloth is actually two Polishing Cloths glued together. On its repairability scale, it rated the Apple Polishing Cloth as 0/10 for “distracting us from a very important MacBook Pro teardown and not going back together after we cut it into pieces with scissors.”

Interestingly enough, the Polishing Cloth is Apple’s only product that doesn’t use a semiconductor, and funnily enough, it’s Apple’s only product that says delivery in “10-12 weeks.”

Image credit: iFixit

Source: iFixit 

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Mobile Syrup

Beats reveals new Fit Pro wireless earbuds with flexible wing tip design

In a surprise move, Apple-owned Beats has announced a new pair of wireless earbuds, the $199 USD (about $245 CAD) Beats Fit Pro.

The Fit Pro seems designed to fall between the Studio Buds and the headphone company’s more expensive Powerbeats Pro and Powerbeats. As it stands right now, it’s unclear if the Beats Fit Pro will release in Canada.

The wireless earbuds aren’t currently listed on Apple’s or Beats’ Canadian website, and a U.S.-focused press release only states that they’re coming to the U.S. on November 5th. MobileSyrup has reached out to Apple for more information.

That said, like most Beats products, the Beats Fit Pro will likely make their way north of the U.S. border in a few weeks. The wireless earbuds feature built-in flexible wingtips designed to keep them securely planted in your ears while exercising.

It’s worth noting that the Fit Pro also include Apple’s H1 chip, allowing them to offer one-step pairing and switching between Apple devices. Other features include Spatial Audio, the same skin sensor included in Apple’s 3rd-gen AirPods and noise-cancellation. Beats’ Studio Buds, on the other hand, don’t feature Apple’s H1 chip.

The Beats Fit Pro are available in ‘Black,’ ‘White,’ ‘Gray’ and ‘Purple/Pink’ with U.S. pre-orders being available now and shipping on November 5th.

Source: Businesswire

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Mobile Syrup

Crash Detection is reportedly coming to iPhone and Apple Watch

Your iPhone might soon be able to automatically call 911 for you in case of a car accident.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the new feature will be called “crash detection” and will launch on both iPhones and Apple Watches. The report states that the devices would use sensors like the built-in accelerometer to determine if you’ve been in an accident. Apple has been gathering data from iPhone and Watch users and has identified over 10 million suspected accidents, with over 50,000 of them resulting in a 911 call.

Wall Street Journal’s report says that Apple has been analyzing the data and working on the new feature for several years now, with the data serving as a tool for Apple to polish the accuracy of its crash detection algorithm. While the feature is slated for a wide rollout in 2022, most likely as part of iOS 16 and watchOS 9, the WSJ says that “the timing of the new feature could change, or Apple could choose not to release it.”

The feature is similar to and builds on Apple’s Fall Detection functionality. Fall Detection automatically contacts emergency services and notifies your loved ones if you don’t reply to a fall prompt within a specific amount of time. If there are no delays and all goes according to plan, the crash-detection feature will be available for iPhones and Apple Watches in 2022, says The Wall Street Journal.

Source: Wall Street Journal

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Mobile Syrup

Canada’s Eugene Levy to host travel series on Apple TV+

Canada’s own Eugene Levy is about to host his own show on Apple TV+.

The new unscripted series is a travel show called The Reluctant Traveler. The series will show Levy going around and checking out the world’s best hotels while exploring the people and places around them. It’s pretty funny considering Levy’s Schitt’s Creek character owned a motel.

“Self-confessedly not your average travel show host — he’s not usually adventurous or well-versed in globe-trotting — he’s agreed the time is right for him to broaden his horizons. Levy will be packing his suitcase with some trepidation but hoping his experiences might lead to a whole new chapter in his life — that’s as long as he doesn’t have to battle his motion sickness, and still gets dinner at 7,” Apple described the series.

Levy will be the executive producer alongside David Brindley. The series is being produced by ITV’s subsidiary, Twofour.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s what’s coming to PlayStation Now in November 2021

PlayStation has revealed the new batch of games that are coming to its PlayStation Now streaming service in November.

On November 2nd, the following four games will join the PS Now catalogue:

  • Celeste
  • Final Fantasy IX
  • Mafia: Definitive Edition (available on PS Now until February 28)
  • Totally Reliable Delivery Service

It’s worth noting that Celeste is the critically-acclaimed platformer from Vancouver’s own Extremely OK Games. As well, Final Fantasy IX is the third of five Final Fantasy games that are coming to PS Now.

PlayStation Now is available on PS4, PS5 and PC at a cost of $12.99 CAD/month, $34.99/three months or $79.99/12 months.

Find out what came to PS Now last month here. Meanwhile, the full list of games coming in November to PlayStation’s other service, PS Plus, can be found here.

Image credit: Square Enix

Source: PlayStation

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Mobile Syrup

What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in early November 2021

Every month, Xbox adds new games to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Typically, new titles are rolled out in two waves and now, Xbox has unveiled November’s first batch of new Game Pass games:

  • Minecraft: Java and Bedrock Editions (PC) — November 2nd
  • Unpacking (Cloud, Console and PC) — November 2nd
  • It Takes Two (Cloud, Console and PC) — November 4th
  • Kill It with Fire (Cloud, Console and PC) — November 4th
  • Football Manager 2022 (PC) — November 9th
  • Football Manager 2022: Xbox Edition (Cloud, Console and PC) — November 9th
  • Forza Horizon 5 (Cloud, Console and PC) — November 9th
  • Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition (Console) — November 11th
  • One Step from Eden (Console and PC) — November 11th

Meanwhile, here’s what’s leaving Game Pass on November 15th:

  • Final Fantasy VIII HD (Console and PC)
  • Planet Coaster (Cloud and Console)
  • Star Renegades (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Streets of Rogue (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • The Gardens Between (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • River City Girls (Cloud, Console and PC)

As always, members can purchase these or any other Game Pass titles with an exclusive 20 percent discount to keep playing them even after they leave the catalogue.

Finally, Xbox says it’s extended the free 30-day Disney+ trial Perk for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers until January 31st, 2022.

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and Game Pass for PC each cost $11.99 CAD/month.

Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’). On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as an Xbox Live Gold subscription and access to EA Play.

Find out what came to Game Pass last month here.

Image credit: EA/Hazelight

Source: Xbox

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft is bringing back our old friend Clippy

Microsoft is, surprisingly, bringing back ‘Clippy’ to Microsoft Teams. Microsoft revived the paperclip about two years ago and then killed it just after a couple of days.

Again, Microsoft is planning on launching a sticker pack that’ll be available on its Teams service that offers a lot of different versions of the original emoji.

On Microsoft’s feedback portal, company representative Alex O gave the following statement: “Yes, it’s true – Clippy has agreed to come out of retirement! Whether you loved him or hated him, Clippy is back with a Retro Sticker Pack in Teams. By the way, be sure to checkout the nostalgic Teams background featuring Clippy as well at https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/blog/2021/07/08/get-nostalgic-with-new-microsoft-teams-backgrounds.”

It’s worth noting that the link doesn’t work.

The sticker pack looks similar to what was available on the retro sticker pack that was available on Teams two years ago.

The first Clippy sighting was in Office 97 that would offer hints for those using Microsoft Office software.

Source: Microsoft Via: The Verge 

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Mobile Syrup

Some users experiencing USB bugs in macOS Monterey

As macOS Monterey rolls out to Macs around the world, some users are experiencing a bug related to USB-C hubs no longer working with their Mac.

A report published by Cult of Mac outlines a Reddit user that found their MacBook Pro hub’s USB-C ports stopped working after updating to Monterey, but that their HDMI port still functioned normally. The user was able to remedy this by using an official Apple-certified hub.

Other users experienced USB-C display monitor issues and power throughput bugs when using external USB-C accessories.

This issue also appears to be affecting both Intel and Apple chip Mac devices and there is no clear fix from Apple yet. Hopefully, a future build of the OS update will remedy the problem, but for now, it appears that dongle compatibility is spotty.

I’ll also note that during my time with macOS Monterey so far, the main issue I’ve encountered consistently is Safari crashes every time I try to drag a tab out of its window to create a separate window.

Source: Cult of Mac