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Rogers offering $0 iPhone 14 with trade-in, Upfront Edge

Rogers customers can get a 128GB iPhone 14 for $0 down and $0/mo financing, though with several caveats.

First up, you need to go to a Rogers store to get the deal. That alone isn’t terrible, but you also have to sign up for Upfront Edge, which discounts the cost of the phone if you agree to return it to Rogers after 24 months (or pay the difference to keep it). Finally, customers need to “trade in an eligible iPhone 11 Pro 512 GB.”

According to the fine print, Rogers is offering a $360 trade-in credit for the iPhone 11 Pro 512GB. If you don’t go with the trade-in, you can pay $360 upfront instead, although that defeats the purpose of the deal.

It’s worth noting that for those who don’t want to go into the store, Rogers also offers the iPhone 14 for $15/mo online, down from the regular $47.13/mo financing cost. You can also still trade in a 512GB iPhone 11 Pro for a $360 credit, which would cover the $15/mo financing. Based on the information on Rogers’ website, I’m not totally sure what the difference is here beyond maybe that doing a trade-in online takes more time because you need to mail in the phone.

If you’re good with all those conditions, then congrats — you can get an effectively free iPhone 14 for two years.

You can check out the offer here.

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Twitter Blue subscribers will see ads outside timelines, despite Musk’s promise to cut ads in half

Remember when Elon Musk promised Twitter Blue users would see half the ads? Well, now that the feature has gone live, the fine print tells a different story.

The perk doesn’t actually seem to remove half the ads.

“See approximately 50% fewer ads in the For You and Following timelines,” Twitter’s website states.

The reductions only apply to timelines and not on promoted content seen elsewhere on the platform, including profiles and Twitter replies.

“There may be times when there are more or fewer non-promoted Tweets between promoted Tweets,” the website states.

As Musk also noted in his December tweet, Twitter users will be able to pay for a higher tier with no ads. It’s unclear how this will work and if Musk will actually stick by his word of “no ads.”

Source: Twitter Via: XDA

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Jeep continues its plug-in hybrid line with the 2024 Wrangler 4xe

Jeep’s plug-in hybrid Wrangler SUV is set for an upgrade, with the automaker planning to introduce two new trim levels for the 2024 model year.

Jeep is also launching new tech features to the plug-in hybrid in an effort to achieve a completely electrified lineup by 2025.

This marks the first substantial update to the hybrid Wrangler since the 4xe was introduced in 2021. The update is coming at a time of immense popularity for the hybrid model, with roughly 1 in 4 Wranglers sold last year being a plug-in model.

That’s over 43,000 Wrangle 4xe models sold in 2022, up 46 percent when compared to the year before.

With the amount of growth that Jeep is seeing with the Wrangler plug-in model lately, the automaker is looking to improve on the features that made it America’s Best-Selling Plug-In Hybrid in 2022. This includes enhanced in-car technology, more off-road capabilities and better towing.

The two new trim levels being introduced are in an effort to expand appeal to a wider audience of its customer base. The Wrangler Sport S 4xe will be a lower entry point addition to its lineup, with the Rubicon X housing more premium parts, such as steel bumpers and 35-inch tires.

The company is looking to improve the model’s battery, with the Wrangler 4xe hosting a 17.3 kWh lithium-ion battery. This is a slight improvement in capacity over 2021’s 14 kWh battery and sets the maximum charge rate at 7.2 kW.

Further, the inside of the Wrangler features a new 12.3-inch touchscreen to display the UConnect 5 operating system. It will feature the new Trails Offroad system, which Jeep claims “delivers comprehensive off-road trail guides for the 62 Jeep Badge of Honor trails.” Users can access an upgradable subscription that unlocks more than 3,000 trail guides.

For those who prefer their phone’s interface, don’t worry. The 2024 Wrangler comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities.

The company has not revealed an official price yet. Going off the 2021 Wrangler 4xe Sahara’s starting price tag of $52,520, it’s safe to say that Jeep won’t be giving these hybrids away.

While fully electric Jeeps will have to wait until 2025, the 2024 Wrangler 4xe will be an exciting stop on the road to its completely electrified lineup.

Image credit: Jeep

Via: The Verge

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Google CEO says conversational AI will ‘absolutely’ come to search

Google CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the company would add conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to search.

“Will people be able to ask questions to Google and engage with LLMs [large language models] in the context of search? Absolutely,” Pichai told WSJ.

Moreover, Pichai explained that Google views conversational AI as an opportunity to expand rather than as a threat to its business model. It’s worth noting that Google previously said it would add LLMs to search, but it hasn’t specified if there would be conversational features.

Of course, the announcement hardly comes as a surprise, given Microsoft beat Google to the punch on conversational AI in search. Microsoft launched Bing Chat, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4, back in February. The move reportedly led Google to declare a “code red” and rush its own chatbot, Bard, to market. (The rush apparently frustrated some employees).

Since the Bing Chat launch, Microsoft hasn’t slowed down on rolling out AI-powered features to its apps and software. The Edge browser got a sidebar with access to Bing Chat and other AI features, and the company recently detailed plans to add AI to Office products like Word and PowerPoint via Copilot.

Google’s Bard also had some embarrassing gaffes during the product reveal and subsequent preview, eventually prompting Pichai to promise updates to improve Bard’s capabilities.

You can read the full WSJ interview here.

Source: WSJ Via: Engadget

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Best Buy’s Easter weekend ‘Sweet Savings Event’ live now with laptops, wearables, security cameras and more

Right in time for Easter weekend, Best Buy is offering a new “Sweet Savings Event” sale with solid deals on peripherals, wearables, laptops, cordless vacuums and more.

The sale event starts today, Thursday, April 6th and ends next Thursday, April 13th.

Check out some of the deals from the sale below:

Logitech MK710 Performance Wireless Desktop Mouse & Keyboard Combo: $79.99 (save $20)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro (GPS) 45mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $509.99 (save $50)

Ultima Cosa Digital Dual Zone Air Fryer – 8L/8.5QT – Black Stainless Steel: $129.99 (save $170)

WD easystore 12TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive (WDBAMA0120HBK-NESE) – Black: $289.99 (save $60)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) – Space Grey (Apple M1 Pro Chip / 512GB SSD / 16GB RAM) – English: $2,099.99 (save $400)

Razer Viper Ultimate Wireless Optical Gaming Mouse with Charging Dock – Mercury: $99.99 (save $100)

Ring Wired Indoor 1080p HD IP Camera – White: $53.99 (save $26)

Blink Outdoor Wire-Free 1080p IP Security Camera System – 3-Pack – Black: $190.99 (save $139)

Acer Nitro 17.3-inch Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i5-11400H/512GB SSD/12GB RAM/GTX 1650/Windows 11): $899.99 (save $400)

Google Pixel Watch (GPS) 40mm Matte Black Stainless Steel Case with Obsidian Active Band: $399.99 (save $50)

Razer Kiyo X Full HD 1080p 30fps Webcam: $79.99 (save $10)

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth Item Tracker – Black: $27.99 (save $12)

Dyson V15 Detect Complete+ Cordless Stick Vacuum: $949.99 (save $200)

Check out all the ‘Sweet Savings Event’ deals here.

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

Image credit: Best Buy

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Motorola unveils the new Moto G Power 5G to its budget-tier line

Motorola has just announced the latest addition to its budget-tier lineup — the Moto G Power 5G.

The phone features an octa-core processor with 5G performance, a 6.5-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 256GB of built-in storage, depending on the model. It also houses the spatial sound of Dolby Atmos on its stereo speakers for increased audio quality.

Motorola’s newest offering uses the Android 13 operating system, with easy access to popular Google apps.

Additionally, the Moto G Power 5G is capable of going more than a full day on a single charge, thanks to its 5,000mAh battery. It allows up to 38 hours of battery life, giving users more time to explore all of the features the phone offers, including customizable themes and wallpapers or testing features like three-finger screenshots and quick launch.

Moto G5

Further, users can use the 50-megapixel main camera for capturing photos day or night. The main rear camera also captures video in Full High Definition (60/30fps.)

Aesthetic-wise, the Moto G Power comes in ‘Mineral Black’ and ‘Pearl White’ and features a water-repellant design.

Moreover, Motorola offers ‘Family Space,’ allowing a custom safe space to be created, complete with adjustable screen time limits and app accessibility.

The Moto G Power 5G will be available in the U.S. at Best Buy, Amazon and Motorola starting April 13th and will retail for $299.99 United States.

In Canada, it will be available at Motorola.ca in the coming months for roughly $403.77 CAD.

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Best Buy Top Deals for the week: The Frame TV, PS5, Solo 3 Beats, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and more

A refreshed list of Top Deals is up now at Best Buy with electronics like Samsung’s The Frame TV, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds, the God of War PS5 bundle, and more discounted.

The sale starts today, Thursday, April 6th, and ends next Thursday, April 13th.

Check out some of the deals below:

Logitech MK710 Performance Wireless Desktop Mouse & Keyboard Combo: $79.99 (save $20)

Acer Aspire TC Desktop PC (Intel Core-i5 12400/256GB SSD/8GB RAM): $599.99 (save $200)

Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless All-In-One Supertank Inkjet Printer – White: $299.99 (save $30)

Acer 31.5-inch FHD 165Hz 1ms GTG Curved VA LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (ED320QR Sbiipx): $269.99 (save $130)

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 Icon On-Ear Sound Isolating Bluetooth Headphones – Rose Gold: $219.99 (save $30)

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 Icon On-Ear Sound Isolating Bluetooth Headphones – Matte Black: $199.98 (save $50)

Samsung 50-inch 4K UHD HDR LED Tizen Smart TV (UN50AU8000FXZC): $649.99 (save $150)

Samsung The Frame 65-inch 4K UHD HDR QLED Tizen Smart TV (QN65LS03BAFXZC) – 2022 – Charcoal Black: $2,299.99 (save $400)

Sony WF-1000XM4 In-Ear Noise Cancelling Truly Wireless Headphones – Black: $249.99 (save $150)

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i 15.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop – Grey (Intel Core i3-1115G4/256GB SSD/8GB RAM/Windows 11 S): $499.99 (save $150)

ASUS TUF Gaming F15 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i5-10300H/512GB SSD/8GB RAM/GeForce GTX 1650): $799.99 (save $250)

JBL Boombox 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Speaker – Black: $399.99 (save $200)

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro (GPS) 45mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $509.99 (save $50)

PlayStation 5 God of War Ragnarok Bundle: $669.99 (save $60)

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (Switch): $54.99 (save $25)

eero Pro 6 AX4200 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (B0866VGR6S) – 3 Pack: $423.99 (save $106)

Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd Gen) 10.1-inch 32GB Android 10 Q Tablet w/ MediaTek Helio P22T 8-Core Processor – Iron Grey: $149.99 (save $50)

Samsung HW-Q910B 520-Watt 9.1.2 Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer: $899.99 (save $400)

Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD) – Snow: $29.99 (save $10)

Canon EOS M50 Mark II Mirrorless Camera with 15-45mm IS STM Lens Kit: $879.99 (save $50)

WD easystore 12TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive (WDBAMA0120HBK-NESE) – Black: $289.99 (save $60)

Segway Kids Ninebot eKickScooter Zing A6 Electric Scooter (5km Range / 12km/h Top Speed) – Dark Grey: $129.99 (save $120)

Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 (300-600W Motor / 45km Range / 25km/h Top Speed) – Black: $699.99 (save $300)

Marketplace deals

Refurbished (Excellent) – Dyson Official Outlet – PH01 Pure Humidify+Cool Humidifier, Air Purifier and Fan – Colour may vary: $449.99 (save $300)

Lenovo ThinkPad X380 YOGA, 13-inch FHD Touch, 8th Gen i7-8650U, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, WIN 10 PRO – Certified Refurbished: $399.99 (save $200)

MotionGrey Stylish Ergonomic High Mesh Office Chair with Adjustable Head, Armrest & Lumbar Support: $189.99 (save $210)

Check out all the Top Deals here.

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

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Save up to 50% on select Nintendo Switch games

With all the excitement around the the Super Mario Bros. movie, Amazon Canada has reduced the price of several Mario Bros. themed games for the Nintendo Switch.

Check out these deals here:

In addition, the Nintendo Switch Lite in Coral is currently 12 percent off at $229.95.

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

Source: Amazon Canada

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Beware of these new scams targeting Canadians

New investment scams are doing the rounds in Canada.

Scams and frauds have been all too common in Canada in the last few years. In October 2022, CRTC staff recieved a scam email from fraudsters posing as Ian Scott, former chairperson of the CRTC, while a recent Netflix refund scam targeted an individual, with the scammer telling the victim that they were eligible for a refund and asking for their banking information.

According to the Niagara Police, scammers are now targeting Canadians on WhatsApp with an interest rate and an employment scam.

With the interest rate scam, scammers normally contact victims through WhatsApp and ask them to join a group called “Global E-Commerce,” under the assumption that they’re investing in a high-interest savings account. Victims are then directed to the following website domain: https://www.main.oba.global.com.

In the case of the employment scam, the scammer posts a fraudulent employment opportunity to which an unsuspecting victim responds. Once the victim responds, the suspect will inform them that they have been hired for the job and assign them small tasks to complete. After completing the tasks, the suspect will transfer money to the victim to give the impression that the job is genuine.

However, the suspect will then ask the victim to pay an administration fee, which is a larger sum than the nominal task payment. In both interest rate and employment scams, the suspects will stop communicating with the victim once they have received the money. The suspects in these scams request that the victim transfer the money electronically.

It is important for Canadians to be vigilant and not click on links or websites that guarantee money.

Source: Niagara Police

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Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series launches on PS4 and Nintendo Switch later this month

Square Enix has announced that the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection will launch on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on April 19th.

As the name suggests, the series offers updated 2D pixel graphics for the first six Final Fantasy games. The enhanced visuals were supervised by Kazuko Shibuya, who created the original sprite work for the games on NES and SNES. As well, the Pixel Remaster series features a rearranged soundtrack overseen by original composer Nobuo Uematsu.

The Pixel Remaster series first debuted on Steam, Android and iOS in 2021, so fans have been waiting for a while for a console port. Thankfully, the console versions actually have some new features, including, most notably, a new font option. The PC and mobile versions of the game sported a garish, cheap-looking text style, while the console counterparts now offer a more retro-inspired alternative.

What’s more, the console versions offer a number of toggles, including the ability to switch between the OG and rearranged soundtracks, turn off random encounters and increase the experience you gain by up to four times.

The Pixel Remaster games will be sold individually on the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop or as a $99.99 CAD bundle. The first three games (which were released on the NES) will cost $15.99 each, while the latter trio (which hail from the SNES) will be priced at $23.99 a pop.

Image credit: Square Enix

Source: Square Enix