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Mobile Syrup

Here are some action movies to stream in Canada after John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick: Chapter 4 had a killer opening weekend, bringing in franchise-best box office receipts and critical reception.

For many, it was just about the perfect action movie, a culmination of nearly 10 years of top-notch work from director Chad Stahelski and Canadian star Keanu Reeves. However, the power duo haven’t yet committed to a fifth movie, so we may have to wait a while — or even forever — for more of our favourite hitman.

For now, though, there are always other action movies (to try) to fill that void. Here are a bunch:

Atomic Blonde

Helmed by original John Wick co-director David Leitch, Atomic Blonde follows an MI6 agent (Charlize Theron) who hunts down a priceless dossier amid the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Stream Atomic Blonde on Netflix.

The Bourne series

Based on Robert Ludlum’s popular novels, the acclaimed Bourne action-thriller series stars Matt Damon as the eponymous CIA assassin.

All five movies — the four starring Damon (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum and Jason Bourne) and Jeremy Renner-led Legacy — are streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix.

Bullet Train

Another post-Wick Leitch movie, Bullet Train sees a hitman named Ladybug (Brad Pitt) fight to survive other assassins on a Japanese train.

Stream Bullet Train on Amazon Prime Video.

The Equalizer and The Equalizer 2

After Training Day, Antoine Fuqua and star Denzel Washington reunite for this series a former U.S. Marine turned DIA intelligence officer who begrudgingly gets back into action.

The Equalizer can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video, while the sequel — which stars fan-favourite Pedro Pascal as the villain — is available on Netflix.

Extraction

Chris Hemsworth teams up with Marvel stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrave in this action-thriller about a black ops mercenary tasked with rescuing a crime lord’s son in India.

Stream Extraction on Netflix. Note that a sequel, simply titled Extraction 2, is set to premiere on June 16th, 2023.

Ip Man series

One of the biggest players in John Wick: Chapter 4, Caine, is played by legendary Hong Kong action star, Donnie Yen.

Of his many roles, Yen is best known for Ip Man, a series of martial arts films based on the Wing Chun master of the same name.

The first three Ip Man movies can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, while Ip Man 4: The Finale is available on the latter service.

The Matrix series

Arguably Reeves’ most iconic role pre-Wick saw him kung fu his way through the digital world to save humanity from an AI. Fun fact: Chad Stahelski was a stunt double for Reeves n the series, which no doubt helped paved the way for their killer collaborative efforts years later with John Wick.

Unfortunately, only 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections — which saw Reeves reunite with fellow Canadian Carrie-Anne Moss — is on a subscription streaming service: Crave. The original trilogy — The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions — are only available to rent or purchase on platforms like iTunes and Google Play, starting at $4.99 CAD.

Nobody

From Derek Kolstad, creator of the John Wick series, comes Nobody, which sees Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk play a former assassin who seeks revenge against the people who broke into his home. It’s worth noting that the movie was filmed in Winnipeg.

Stream Nobody on Crave.

The Raid duology

No list like this would be complete with Gareth Evans’ two The Raid movies, widely regarded to be some of the best modern action movies alongside the John Wick series.

The Indonesian movies star Iko Uwais as a special forces member deep in the Jakarta underworld.

The Raid can be streamed on Prime Video and Crave (Starz required for both), while The Raid 2 is available on Prime Video (base membership) and Crave (Starz required).

Taken series

The series that helped kick off Liam Neeson’s current long-running stint of action movies follows the international exploits of a retired CIA operative.

Stream all three Taken movies on Disney+.

What are your favourite action movies? Let us know in the comments.

If you want to revisit the first three John Wick movies, here’s how to stream those in Canada.

Image credit: PT Merantau Films

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Mobile Syrup

Ubisoft will ditch E3 2023 and have its own event instead

Is anyone heading to E3 2023? Ubisoft has officially withdrawn from the gaming event and will host its own independent showcase during the conference.

Ubisoft confirmed to VGC confirming that it won’t be in attendance, stating, “while we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles.”

Ubisoft won’t be the only one ditching E3 2023. Xbox will also have its own showcase instead of attending the conference. Further, PlayStation and Nintendo also reportedly plan on formally ditching the event. It’s unclear when those publishers may have their own showcase.

Even though these publishers will not be attending E3, Microsoft and Ubisoft will have events that week, with Xbox/Bethesda’s happening on June 11th and Ubisoft’s on June 12th. Xbox will dive deep into Starfield, but Ubisoft will likely show games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage, other upcoming Assassin’s Creed projects and, potentially, Beyond Good and Evil 2.

E3 2023’s physical event will take place from June 13th to 16th, with an industry-only event on June 11th and 12th.

Source: VGC

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Mobile Syrup

Eastlink will launch mobile services in Bathurst, NB in April

Bathurst, New Brunswick, residents will soon have access to mobile services courtesy of Eastlink. Plans feature rollover data, 5G services, and contract buyouts.

The company says it’s on track to launch the service next month under mobile network expansion plans for Northern New Brunswick. The project also brought mobile services to the City of Miramichi.

“Our retail location is ready to open next month in the Bathurst Mall and our technical teams, along with local contractors, are putting the finishing touches on the installation of poles, antennae systems and supportive equipment,” Eastlink CEO, Jeff Gillham, said in a press release.

The expansion plan has a $26 million price tag and aims to improve coverage and service options for New Brunswick residents.

Image credit: Eastlink

Source: Eastlink

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Mobile Syrup

MultiVersus Open Beta to go offline on June 25

Warner Bros. (WB) free-to-play crossover fighting game MultiVersus, featuring Warner Bros. characters such as Superman, Batman, Shaggy and Tom & Jerry, rolled out its first open beta back in July 2022.

Now, eight months in, the open beta is being shut down, and the game is going temporarily offline. Warner Bros. and game developer Player First Games are taking MultiVersus offline ahead of a planned relaunch in early 2024.

As shared by DigitalTrends, the game has lost steam. It experienced a significant drop in its active player base in 2023, with a 99 percent decrease reported at one point. As a result, the developers are taking the game offline while they work towards an official release for the title, with game director Tony Huynh explaining the move in a video FAQ.

”

There is still a lot of work to do, and we have a clearer view on where we need to focus, specifically on the content cadence of new characters, maps, and modes to provide more ways to enjoy the game, along with netcode and matchmaking improvements,” said Huynh in the video. “We’ll also be reworking the progression system and looking at new ways for players to connect with friends in the game … As part of this process, we’ll be pausing updates and taking the game offline as we prepare for the launch of MultiVersus, which we are targeting for early 2024.”

MultiVersus will be taken offline on June 25th, 2023. It’s worth noting that those who have already downloaded the game can still play it offline.

Whatever progress you’ve made in the open beta version of the title will roll over to the official release, including purchases and game and battle pass progression.  Further, in order to compensate for the open beta’s shutdown, MultiVersus’ Season 2 battle pass has been extended until March 25th. Users can also purchase Gleamium, the in-game currency, until April 4th.

Source: MultiVersus Via: DigitalTrends

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Mobile Syrup

SaskTel to invest $413 million in 5G, infiNET services, in 2023/24

SaskTel is investing millions in capital to expand its 5G network and broadband reach in 2023 and 2024.

Of the investment totalling $413 million, $160 million is specifically allocated towards 5G. The funds will upgrade 260 cell sites to 5G and construct 10 new sites.

“In 2023/24, we’re planning to invest more in wireless and fibre optic broadband technologies than ever before,”  Doug Burnett, SaskTel’s CEO, said.

“These massive investments will enable us to rapidly expand our blazing fast 5G and infiNET networks across the province, allowing more of our customers to experience the true power of these amazing technologies.”

The company has allocated $106 million to expand its infiNET network, the largest fibre optic network in the province. The funds will go towards fibre-to-the-premises and fibre-to-the-business projects, which will see its infiNET network rolled out to more communities as part of its Rural Fibre Initiative.

SaskTel will also invest $70.5 million in technology and $76.5 million in customer services and operations.

Image credit: SaskTel 

Source: SaskTel

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter’s valuation has fallen by more than 50 percent since Musk acquisition

Elon Musk took over Twitter in October 2022 for $44 billion USD (about $60.2 billion CAD). Five months in, and the company’s valuation has dropped by more than 50 percent.

In a recent memo sent to staff, which was viewed by Platformer’s Zoë Schiffer, via The Verge, Musk said that Twitter is valued at $20 billion USD (about $27.4 billion CAD) and that employees would receive stock grants based on that valuation.

Musk believes that Twitter could one day reach a $250 billion USD (about $342.1 billion CAD) valuation. He says that reaching that valuation is a “clear but difficult path,” which would make the current employee stock grants worth ten times as much as they are now. Musk also views Twitter as an “inverse startup” due to the significant changes he made to the platform to save it from bankruptcy. However, the changes introduced, such as the new Blue with verification subscription and Twitter’s “general amnesty” policy that brought back some of Twitter’s worst users, have caused challenges for the social media company. Twitter has lost some of its biggest advertisers, and its revenue dipped by about 40 percent year over year in December.

Last year, Musk stated that he was overpaying for Twitter at $54.20 per share, and attempted to back out of the deal, claiming that the company made false and misleading statements about the presence of bots on the platform. Constant legal pressure from Twitter meant that Musk had to abide by his initial acquisition offer, and ended up taking over the social media company for $44 billion. Only time will tell whether Musk’s ambitious plans for Twitter will pay off in the long run.

Header image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Platformer’s Zoë Schifferesla, Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Apple works on its AI game with WaveOne acquisition

Barcelona, Spain – June 7, 2018: Logo of Apple Inc. on a Apple store. Apple is the multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California and sells consumer electronics products.

Apple appears to be working on building its AI background with a new acquisition.

According to TechCrunch, the company appears to have acquired WaveOne, an organization that was using AI to compress videos.

As the publication reports, Apple has yet to confirm the news, but a LinkedIn post from Bob Stankosh, former head of sales at WaveOne, provided confirmation.

“After almost two years at WaveOne, last week we finalized the sale of the company to Apple,” Stankosh wrote in a month-old post, around the same time Apple hosted an employee-only AI summit.

“We started our journey at WaveOne, realizing that machine learning and deep learning video technology could potentially change the world. Apple saw this potential and took the opportunity to add it to their technology portfolio.”

WaveOne’s website went offline in January, and several employees now work with Apple. Co-founder Oren Rippel is part of this group, TechCrunch reports.

WaveOne offered a “compression and decompression algorithm” that could utilize AI accelerators most phones already had.

“The startup’s technology could essentially ‘understand’ a video frame — allowing it to, for example, prioritize faces at the expense of other elements within a scene to save bandwidth,” TechCrunch says.

Image credit: Shutterstock 

Source: TechCrunch

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Mobile Syrup

Some Apple employees reportedly aren’t sold on its mixed reality headset

Apple’s often rumoured virtual reality/augmented reality (AR/VR) headset has been in the works for years, but some employees at the company reportedly still don’t think it’s ready.

According to a recent report from The New York Times, several Apple employees have left the project because they’re skeptical of the mixed reality (MR) headset’s potential for success, with its rumoured pricey $3,000 USD (about $4,000 CAD) cost a primary concern.

Apple is expected to finally reveal its upcoming headset at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, though there’s also a possibility its keynote and release could be pushed back again. While skepticism regarding entering a new product category is expected, The Times report notes that some Apple engineers even question the utility of the MR headset and are concerned that it lacks the killer app required to push the device.

“Some internal skeptics have questioned if the new device is a solution in search of a problem,” writes The New York Times. “Unlike the iPod, which put digital songs in people’s pockets, and the iPhone, which combined the abilities of a music player and a phone, the headset hasn’t been driven by the same clarity.”

The report goes on to say that despite these concerns, the mixed reality headset is still scheduled to launch in June and that “manufacturing is underway.” The device was also reportedly recently demoed to several Apple executives at the company’s Steve Jobs Theatre in California.

Leading up to the mixed reality headset’s release, several rumours have appeared about the device, including its ski goggle-like design, a Digital Crown-like dial that allows you to move in and out of VR, and swappable battery packs.

Source: The New York Times Via: MacRumors

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s what’s new with iOS 16.4: New emoji, voice isolation for calls and bug fixes

Apple has released iOS 16.4 to all compatible iPhones. This latest update brings several new features, including bug fixes, and performance improvements for iOS users.

Some of the new additions include:

New Emojis: The update includes 21 new emoji like animals, hand gestures and objects, which can all be accessed through the emoji keyboard.

Notifications for Web Apps: iOS 16.4 adds notifications for web apps to the Home Screen, providing users with quick access to their favourite web apps and websites.

Voice Isolation for Cellular Calls: This feature prioritizes your voice during cellular calls and blocks out ambient noise around you, making it easier to hear and be heard during phone calls.

Duplicates Album in Photos: The update expands support for detecting duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library.

VoiceOver Support for Maps in the Weather App: The VoiceOver feature now provides support for maps in the Weather app, making it easier for visually impaired users to get weather information.

Accessibility Setting for Video: iOS 16.4 introduces an accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected, which can help prevent seizures.

Bug Fixes: The update fixes various bugs and issues, such as Ask to Buy requests from children failing to appear on the parent’s device and Matter-compatible thermostats becoming unresponsive when paired with Apple Home.

To update to the new version, navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone and select ‘General’. Tap on ‘Software Update’ and then ‘Download and Install.’ The update is 5.4GB in size.

Source: Apple

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Mobile Syrup

Software developers makes ChatGPT client run on vintage IBM PC

A hobbyist software developer and retro computing enthusiast has accomplished an impressive feat by bridging the gap between ChatGPT and the vintage IBM PC-XT computer, which released all the way back in 1984.

For reference, the PC in question is ancient compared to modern computers. IBM’s PC-XT runs on a 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 CPU and has 640KB of RAM. The average processor today runs from 3.50 to 4.2 GHz with 6-8GB of RAM.

Further, it’s worth noting that not everyone uses ChatGPT through a web browser like most users. Some access the tool through a client like a ChatGPT-powered smartwatch, and some have even been able to make it run with Microsoft’s Clippy. However, in this case, software engineer Yeo Kheng Meng was able to get the ChatGPT client up and running on the ancient IBM computer, a genuinely impressive feat.

Meng used the Open Watcom C/C++ compiler to span the 40-year gap between the PC-XT and ChatGPT, and tested the DOS application on a virtual machine on a modern PC. With Open Watcom C/C++ compiler, Meng was able to run modern platforms like the 64-bit Windows 11.

One of Meng’s biggest hurdles was networking and connecting the client to the ChatGPT service. They found a solution in MTCP, which facilitated the connection to ChatGPT’s Chat Completion API. Other obstacles that had to be overcome included JSON parsing, changing the ChatGPT output from HTTPS to HTTP, and working with the lack of multi-threading in DOS, as detailed by Meng in a blog post. 

As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, it is fascinating to see enthusiasts like Meng take up projects that preserve the technology of the past.

In other ChatGPT-related news, a recent bug caused ChatGPT search titles to be visible to other users.

Image credit: Yeo Kheng Meng

Source: Yeo Kheng Meng Via: TomsHardware