OnePlus is back with a new promotion, and this time, it’s a discount on the OnePlus 8T.
The 120Hz display phone is currently available at a discount on OnePlus’ website, with its price slashed down to $1,099 from $799.
Only the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant is available in the ‘Aquamarine Green’ colourway.
OnePlus also gives you the option to trade in your old phone for store credit. I was able to get a quote of $40 for my old, semi-broken Galaxy S9. Get a quote for your phone here.
Further, as pointed out by RedFlagDeals user ‘Freefast99,’ you can use the promo code SEPTOP8T to get an additional $60 discount on your purchase, bringing down the pre-tax price down to $739 from the originally discounted $799 price tag.
OnePlus offers free shipping and a 15-day return period on the phone, along with a one-year warranty.
In our review, MobileSyrup gave the OnePlus 8T a solid 8.5/10 rating. Read the review to learn more about the phone or purchase it here.
9to5Googlehas reported on this upcoming mid-cycle Android update, noting that it’s still not entirely clear why Google’s working on it or when it will release. However, one change that has been spotted with Android 12.1 is it finally updates the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) default wallpaper.
AOSP is a significant part of the overall Android experience. It represents the open-source foundation for Google’s mobile operating system. The other significant portion comes from Google’s apps, which increasingly offer extra features and functionality (Google Assistant, for example).
Most people will never see an AOSP default wallpaper unless something goes terribly wrong with their phone or they install an Android ROM without any customizations.
The sky is not pink. After almost 5 years, Google is replacing the default AOSP wallpaper in s-v2 (API level 32, Android 12.1?) pic.twitter.com/3ZalOGpfY3
Currently, AOSP still uses the ‘pink sky’ wallpaper introduced in 2016 with Android 7.0 Nougat for its default wallpaper. Although few people will likely see this change themselves, it still arguably marks the end of an era.
The new wallpaper, spotted by XDA’sMishaal Rahman, is… well, I’m not totally sure what it is. But it looks cool and likely highlights Google’s fancy new Material You dynamic colours.
Google seems to be on the verge of releasing Android 12 with its new colour-shifting design.
To help prepare for the launch, we rounded up all of the apps with Material You updates or widgets so far. We should note that these updates are predominantly on Pixel phones, but I’ve noticed a few updates on my OnePlus 9 Pro.
I’ll make sure to mention which apps have rolled out to us so far, and will update the list as more apps roll out to myself and other MobileSyrup staffers. The last time Google did a significant design change, it took a while for all apps to update to support it. Leading into Android 12, it looks like the tech giant is better prepared, but I’d still expect a bit of a delay for all of the apps to catch up with the colour-changing look once the full release of Android 12 drops this fall.
I used a Pixel 4a 5G for most of my testing — it’s running the latest Android 12 beta.
Gboard
Android 11 (Pixel 3 XL) on left – Android 12 (Pixel 4a 5G) on right
Of course, the first app that got updated was the Google keyboard app, Gboard. The app is functionally the same as it was in Android 11, but the buttons are a little more rounded, and it adopts an accent colour based on your wallpaper. I have this app on my Pixel 4a 5G.
Phone
Android 11 (Pixel 3 XL) on left – Android 12 (Pixel 4a 5G) on right
The Phone app has been updated, and the floating action buttons (FAB) are square this time around. They also adopt an accent colour from your phone. This update is live on my OnePlus 9 Pro, but the colours don’t change. Even some of the animations, like the empty voicemail screen, take on your accent colour, and it looks really great on the Pixel 4a 5G.
Calculator
Android 11 (Pixel 3 XL) on left – Android 12 (Pixel 4a 5G) on right
The calculator is also updated, and it looks awesome with a new round button design and bright ever-changing colours. This app is on my Pixel 4a 5G.
Camera
Android 11 (Pixel 3 XL) on left – Android 12 (Pixel 4a 5G) on right
The camera app has been updated slightly to take on the accent colours from your wallpaper. I have this update on my Pixel 4a 5G.
Gmail
Android 11 (Pixel 3 XL) on left – Android 12 (Pixel 4a 5G) on right
The Gmail update, like a lot of these redesigns, is quite subtle. The background colour doesn’t change, but the accent colours do, and the FAB is square this time around to match the other apps. This update is already live on my Pixel 4a 5G and my OnePlus 9 Pro. On the OnePlus (Android 11), the accent colour is locked to blue.
Google
This app gets a little more colour, and the background changes slightly to match your colour scheme, but it’s not overly noticeable. This update hasn’t rolled out to me yet.
Keep Notes
The Keep update is similar to the Google one, with a subtle background colour and brighter accent colours. The one change worth mentioning is that the colourful notes look a little muted compared to how saturated they were before. I think it’s an improvement, as it matches the muted accent colours better. This update hasn’t rolled out to us yet.
Google Meet
Google Meet doesn’t have a lot going on, other than some subtle changes to accent colours. I don’t have this update yet.
Drive
Google Drive has gotten a little more of an update with a slightly reworked bottom bar that now hosts a square action button. All the accent colours also match your wallpaper. This app hasn’t rolled out to us yet.
Docs
Within Docs, the accent colours and toolbars are also taken over by the prominent background colour. Don’t worry though, the workspace areas still have white or black backgrounds. This update is the same across the Google Work suite, so mobile Sheets and Slide users can expect the same changes. I don’t have this update yet.
Calendar
Google Cal users will get an update too, but it won’t look that different since all the existing calendar accent colours will still be there.
Clock
The Clock app has been updated, and it looks pretty sharp. That being said, it’s got a huge ‘Plus’ button at the bottom of the screen. At first I found it a little weird, but it’s since grown on me and makes a lot of sense in the ‘Stopwatch’ section of the app. This update has rolled out to me.
Files
Android 11 (Pixel 3 XL) on left – Android 12 (Pixel 4a 5G) on right
The Files app takes on some colour across the bottom bar and in other accent places. However, it has this strange design feature where the top bar is white until you scroll down, and then it takes on an accent colour. This colour doesn’t extend to the notification bar at the top of the screen, so for me, it looks like a weird red bar. This update has rolled out to me.
Microsoft has a big Surface event taking place on Wednesday, September 22nd. Although the company hasn’t said much about what will happen, the teaser image definitely hints at Surface products.
Based on rumours and leaks so far, we’ve got a few ideas of what to expect at the event (and a few things we’re pretty confident won’t be there).
So, let’s dive in.
New Surface Pro X and Surface Pro 8
Of everything on this list, I’d argue refreshed Surface Pro devices are most likely. I mean, Microsoft’s teaser image for the event is literally a side-profile of a Surface Pro device. Coupled with the Surface Pro 7 coming out in 2019 and no other Pro devices coming since (aside from the Pro X, which we’ll get into in a moment, and the business-oriented Pro 7+), it’s clear the Surface Pro line is due for an upgrade.
According to The Verge, there likely won’t be a significant redesign for the Surface Pro 8. That shouldn’t come as a surprise — Microsoft designs its hardware for businesses and tends to hold onto designs to maximize compatibility with accessories.
However, The Verge also reported that a source “familiar with Microsoft’s plans” said the company plans to revamp the Pro 8 with a larger display and smaller bezels. While that alone would help modernize the look of Microsoft’s premier 2-in-1, the source also claimed Microsoft would add Thunderbolt on at least one Surface Pro 8 model. That’s interesting, considering Microsoft previously avoided Thunderbolt over security concerns.
Finally, Microsoft will reportedly drop the single USB-A port on the Surface Pro line, add Intel’s latest 11th Gen chips and removable SSDs to bring the Pro 8 in line with the company’s Surface Pro X and Laptop devices.
Speaking of the Surface Pro X, Windows Central notes that Microsoft’s ARM-powered 2-in-1 will also get a refresh, although there likely won’t be any significant external changes. Instead, expect an upgraded processor and perhaps some new hardware to enable Windows 11 functionality. Windows Central also suggests Microsoft could launch a Wi-Fi Pro X this year.
Finally, both the Pro 8 and Pro X could feature 120Hz displays, according to Windows Central. Microsoft is at least testing the feature, although it may not ship if it has too high an impact on the battery.
Surface Book 4
Microsoft’s powerful Surface Book line is due for a significant refresh. According to Windows Central, one is coming with the Surface Book 4. The publication described the new Surface Book as having a combination of the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro form factors — The Verge compared it to the HP Spectre Folio.
Either way, it looks like Microsoft plans to ditch the accordion-style hinge from previous Surface Books in favour of a whole new design. That’s a welcome change, in my opinion — I had my share of issues with the Surface Book 3.
Other rumoured changes include a display with a dynamic refresh rate, slimmer bezels, Nvidia RTX graphics, rounded corners and possibly an improved Surface Pen with haptic feedback capabilities.
Finally, it’s possible this new Surface may not be part of the ‘Book’ line. Other possible names have surfaced, such as ‘Laptop Pro’ and ‘Laptop Studio.’ We’ll likely learn for sure what this device is on Wednesday.
Surface Duo 2
Next up, we have the sequel to Microsoft’s admiral attempt at a foldable Android phone: the Surface Duo 2. Rumours about the Duo 2 have swirled for some time now, but it would make sense for Microsoft to unveil it at the Surface event.
The Duo 2 may even support NFC, which also wasn’t available on the original Duo. Other possible changes include moving the fingerprint sensor into the power button, centring the USB-C charging port on the phone’s right side, and other minor hardware changes.
However, the most important upgrades will need to be on the software side. That’s one of the areas where the Surface Duo struggled most, and if Microsoft can ship a more stable, fluid software experience, that’d make a world of difference. Unfortunately, rumour has it the Duo 2 will run Android 11, not 12, out of the box, but hopefully, Microsoft can get the Android 12 update rolled out sooner rather than later.
Other possibilities and devices we won’t see
Finally, to wrap up, there may be some minor changes to the Surface Go line with a new Surface Go 3. Expect nothing more than a minor chip upgrade, with almost everything else remaining the same as the Surface Go 2.
Windows Central also hinted that there would be a handful of new accessories at the event, as is standard for Microsoft’s Surface launches.
While that wraps up the things we expect to see, it’s worth taking a moment to acknowledge a few things we won’t see. First, don’t expect a new Surface Laptop — the Surface Laptop 4 came out earlier this year, and you can read all about it here.
We also likely won’t see a refresh of the Surface Laptop Go (😞), the Surface Studio or the Surface Neo. Regarding the Neo, Windows Central reported that Intel discontinued the Lakefield chip that would power the device. It’s possible Microsoft could repurpose it with another processor, such as the SQ CPUs Microsoft uses in the Pro X, but I’d say that’s unlikely.
Of course, it won’t be much longer until we know for sure. The event will kick off on September 22nd at 11am ET/8am PT, and I wouldn’t be shocked if there were at least a few surprises.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 offers an array of cameras, including one that sits underneath the phone’s display.
Though the technology behind this feature is very cool, the ‘Under Display Camera’ (UDC) isn’t optimal for selfies, and while you can take a selfie with the ‘Cover Screen’ as well, it’s best to snap them with the phone’s three rear-facing cameras.
Follow these steps if you have a Z Fold 3 and don’t know how to take a picture with these cameras. If you’re here to look at the difference in selfie quality, skip to the bottom of the story.
First, open the camera app. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on the Cover Screen or the main display, but I prefer to do it with the Cover screen as it gives you more control of the picture-taking
In the top right corner, you’ll see a button that says ‘selfie’ — tap it. If you press this with the Cover screen, it displays a message that tells you to open up your phone.
Once opened, you’ll see yourself in the viewfinder and be able to take selfies. Note that the cameras are not in the center and are to the left, so when you’d typically look at the centred hole-punch camera on the Cover screen, you’re now looking to the left at the triple shooters.
If you do this with the main screen, you’d have to keep looking at it to change your selfies to wide-angle, portrait, telephoto, etc. Additionally, you’ll need to capture pictures with the volume slider.
If you did this process with the Cover screen, it works like you’re taking a regular selfie shooter, but you’re using the better cameras.
Now that you know how to take selfies with the triple camera setup, you’ll be taking pictures like a pro.
Take a look at the difference in photo quality below.
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If you want to learn more about the Galaxy Z Fold 3, check out my review of Samsung’s foldable smartphones.
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 Canada, Crave and Netflix Canada, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant.
We’ll also highlight shows or movies that are made in Canada, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Finally, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing many movies to hit digital platforms much sooner than planned, we’ll make note of any major films — as well as other notable streaming service news — that fall into this category when applicable.
Amazon Prime Video
Dr. Death
A sinister doctor harms his patients, leading his fellow surgeons and a young assistant district attorney to try to stop him.
Based on a true story as depicted in Laura Beil’s eponymous podcast, Dr. Death was created by Patrick Macmanus (Marco Polo) and stars Vancouver’s own Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek), Grace Gummer (American Horror Story), Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) and Alec Baldwin (30 Rock).
Original release date: July 15th, 2021 (Peacock in the U.S.) Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: September 13th, 2021 (via StackTV) Genre: Crime drama Runtime: Eight episodes (44 to 63 minutes each)
Stream Dr. Death here. Note that a $12.99/month StackTV subscription is required.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie [Amazon Original]
Struggling to fit in, a 16-year-old decides to become a drag queen sensation.
Based on the stage musical of the same name, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was directed by Jonathan Butterell (Finding Neverland) and stars newcomer Max Harwood, Sarah Lancashire (Coronation Street), Shobna Gulati (Coronation Street), Adeel Akhtar (Utopia) and Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?).
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: September 17th, 2021 Genre: Coming of age musical Runtime: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Hosted by survivalist Mike Davidson, this docuseries goes behind-the-scenes on the making of the world’s largest and most complicated machines.
It’s worth noting that the first episode is about “helicopter logging” on Vancouver Island.
Apple TV+ release date: September 19th, 2021 at 8pm ET on the Smithsonian Channel (first episode, new episodes every Sunday) Genre: Documentary Runtime: Six episodes (around one hour each)
After the events of Season 1, The Morning Show team must deal with the ramifications of Alex and Bradley’s actions.
Created by Jay Carson (The Front Runner), The Morning Show features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Aniston (Friends), Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies), Billy Crudup (The Coast of Utopia), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Steve Carrell (The Office). It’s also worth noting that Toronto’s own Will Arnett (Arrested Development) also appears in a supporting role.
Apple TV+ Canada release date: September 17th, 2021 (first episode, new episodes every week) Genre: Drama Runtime: 10 episodes (around one hour each)
Dark Side of the Ring (Season 3B) [Crave Original]
Narrated by wrestler Chris Jericho, the second half of the third season of The Dark Side of the Ring focuses on wrestlers like Johnny K9 (aka Bruiser Bedlam), Luna Vachon and Chris Kanyon.
Crave release date: September 16th, 2021 (first episode, new episodes every Thursday at 9pm ET) Genre: Documentary Runtime: Seven episodes (around 44 minutes each)
This docuseries explores public policies have contributed to inequities in both sports and society in general.
Crave release date: September 14th, 2021 (first episode, new episodes every Tuesday at 8pm ET) Genre: Sports documentary Runtime: Four episodes (around 30 minutes each)
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $9.99/month, with Starz costing another $5.99/month and HBO an additional $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Netflix
Nightbooks [Netflix Original]
Alex must tell a scary story every night — otherwise, he’ll be stuck forever in a witch’s apartment with his new friend.
Based on J.A. White’s 2018 children’s book of the same name, Nightbooks was directed by David Yarovesky (Brightburn) and stars Winslow Fegley (Timmy Failure), Lidya Jewett (Good Girls) and Krysten Ritter (Marvel’s Jessica Jones).
Netflix Canada release date: September 15th, 2021 Genre: Dark fantasy Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes
The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.
Premium video on demand (PVOD)
Candyman
Picking up years after the events of 1991’s Candyman, an artist who begins investigating the legend of the Candyman unwittingly unleashes a wave of violence.
Candyman was co-written and directed by Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) and stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen), Teyonah Parris (WandaVision), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits) and Colman Domingo (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).
Theatrical release date: August 27th, 2021 PVOD release date: September 17th, 2021 Genre: Slasher
Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes
In exchange for a reduced sentence, a group of convicts is sent on a deadly search-and-destroy mission to the island nation of Corto Maltese.
The Suicide Squad was written and directed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) and features Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Joel Kinnamon (Rick Flag), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller) and Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) reprising their respective roles from 2016’s Suicide Squad film, while Idris Elba (Luther), John Cena (F9), David Dastmalchian (Ant-Man), Daniela Melchior (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Edmonton’s own Nathan Fillion (Firefly) co-star.
It’s worth noting that Toronto’s own Jessie Reyez and grandson wrote the single “Rain” (featured in the above trailer) for the film’s soundtrack.
If you stare at carrier websites for long enough, you’re liable to go insane.
Maybe that’s what happened to me. Maybe not. The jury is still out on this one. But I am pretty sure that Freedom has the best deal on the iPhone 13 in Canada right now if you want to get one for $0 upfront.
The thing with carriers is they do some really messed up stuff with math. I’m not sure whether to applaud them or fear them, but the way they make numbers dance is impressive. I recently wrote about how much more you’d pay a Canadian carrier for an iPhone 13 compared to buying it directly from Apple. While the Big Three generally cost more than getting an iPhone from Apple, several regional carriers offered significant discounts.
SaskTel, Freedom and Videotron offered discounts ranging from $50 to over $500 when customers get an iPhone on a two-year plan. SaskTel generally offered the largest discount and thus lowest price on an iPhone.
However, as with anything involving a carrier, there’s more than meets the eye. First, to take advantage of these deals, you need to also get a plan with the carrier, and that’s where things get dicey. While SaskTel had the lowest cost for an iPhone, it also has the most expensive plans of the three carriers. Videotron had the cheapest plan, but the most expensive iPhone cost. That left Freedom in the middle, and when you tally everything up, it offers one of the absolute lowest costs for getting an iPhone on a carrier plan.
There may be other, lesser-known carriers I missed, but of these major regional carriers, Freedom definitely is the cheapest (except in Alberta and B.C., which I’ll explain below). Also, if you want a plan other than the cheapest possible option offered by each of these carriers, the lowest overall cost may change. I recommend doing the math to see which makes the most sense in the long run.
And, if I missed a carrier with a hidden good deal, or messed up some math somewhere, please let me know in the comments!
All right, let’s do some math
I will break down the math I did with each carrier to show the total costs you’d pay for an iPhone. Since it’s the most expensive option, I’ll start with the iPhone 13 Pro Max and include pricing for the other models below based on the same math (note calculations use 128GB pricing).
SaskTel
Starting with SaskTel, the carrier offers a roughly $500 discount on iPhone 13 models if you use its ‘Plus Pricing.’ Customers can choose an upfront cost (I went with $0 for this and all other calculations), a monthly device fee and a monthly rate plan. SaskTel’s cheapest rate plan option with the iPhone 13 Pro Max was $80, which means the calculation looks like this:
$0 upfront + ($42.75 device cost + $80 plan) * 24 months = $2,946 ($1,026 for the phone and $1,920 for the plan)
It’s worth noting that SaskTel also lets you choose to ‘Save on your plan’ and get a $20/mo discount. However, doing so removes the device discount, which means the device cost becomes $66.25/mo, and the plan drops to $60. The total works out to $3,030 with the same calculation as above, so it’s slightly more.
Videotron is interesting because it currently offers 50 percent off its lowest plan, which is $65/20GB. That makes it $32.50 for six months. Over two years however, the plan would cost you $1,365 ($32.50 * 6 months = $195, and $65 * 18 months = $1,170).
This is by far the cheapest plan, but when you factor in the cost of an iPhone 13 Pro Max with Videotron, the total cost over two years doesn’t work out in customers’ favour:
$0 upfront + ($61.25 * 24 months) = $1,470 for the phone, + the $1,365 plan = $2,835 total over two years
Note the calculation is formatted slightly differently to account for the changing plan price.
Also, for fun, I calculated the Videotron cost if the 50 percent deal remained for the duration of the contract. In total, customers would pay $2,250 over two years. Unfortunately, that deal doesn’t exist.
Finally, Freedom offers a perfect balance of iPhone and plan price to ultimately become the cheapest option over two years. First, Freedom charges a $53/mo Tab fee for the iPhone 13 Pro Max and mandates a minimum $60/mo plan. That works out to:
$0 upfront + ($53 for the phone + $60 for the plan) * 24 months = $2,712 ($1,272 for the phone and $1,440 for the plan)
Also, it’s pertinent to note that Shaw, which owns Freedom, actually offers better pricing in Alberta and B.C. where it operates thanks to its incredibly cheap $45 plan. Shaw offers the same device cost as Freedom, which means that you’d pay $2,352 over two years for the iPhone 13 Pro Max at Shaw Mobile. However, I chose to focus on Freedom here because of its wider availability.
For the sake of comparison, I also included the cost if you were to buy a phone directly from Apple using the company’s 24-month 0 percent APR financing. In short, for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, you’d need a plan that costs $48.45/mo or cheaper to match or beat Freedom’s total $2,712 price over two years. I’ve listed my calculation and Apple’s financing costs below, along with the plan price needed to match or beat Freedom’s total price.
$2,712 Freedom cost - $1,549 Apple cost = $1,163 plan cost / 24 months = roughly $48.45
iPhone 13 Pro Max – $64.54/mo financing ($1,548.96 total) | $1,549 outright | $48.45 or cheaper plan
iPhone 13 Pro – $58.29/mo financing ($1,398.96 total) | $1,399 outright | $48.70 or cheaper plan
iPhone 13 – $45.79/mo financing ($1,098.96 total) | $1,099 outright | $49.20 or cheaper plan
iPhone 13 mini – $39.54/mo financing ($948.96 total) | $949 outright | $36.95 or cheaper plan
It typically doesn’t make sense to get an iPhone from the other carriers unless you’re willing to make some concessions. My previous calculations found that you’d pay more financing an iPhone 13 through one of the Big Three or their flanker brands than you’d pay to buy the same phone direct from Apple. That calculation didn’t include the cost of plans, but since most of the Big Three plans start at $80+ per month, they’re definitely out of the running.
Things are a little different with the flanker brands, where you can get a plan as low as $45 per month. Plus, if you don’t mind paying some money upfront and you can get by with a $45/4GB plan, you can actually save just a little with Fido, Koodo or Virgin Plus compared to Freedom (excluding with the 13 mini). Anything more than the $45 plan will cost more in the long run. Here’s the math for the iPhone 13 Pro Max on Koodo:
$801 upfront + $792 over 24 months ($33/mo) + $45/mo plan ($1,080 over 24 months) = $2,673 over two years
iPhone 13 Pro Max: $2,673 total ($801 upfront)
iPhone 13 Pro: $2,519 total ($647 upfront)
iPhone 13: $2,211 total ($339 upfront)
iPhone 13 mini: $2,056 total ($184 upfront)
It’s worth noting that Fido and Virgin both offer slightly lower upfront costs and slightly higher monthly costs, but the end result is within a couple dollars of Koodo’s (e.g. the 13 Pro Max costs $795 upfront and $2,675 total with Fido and Virgin).
If you managed to stick with me through all this confusing nonsense, you should now have a fairly clear idea of which way to get an iPhone 13 for cheap with a carrier in Canada. I’d argue it shouldn’t be this confusing to figure out pricing like this, but unfortunately, it’s not up to me.
Rogers is allegedly offering select customers up to 5GB of free data over text.
According to a report from iPhone in Canada, an Ontario resident with an ‘EPP’ employee plan received a message from Rogers saying the carrier had a “surprise” for them. The message went on to explain the carrier added 5GB of data to the customer’s account.
Moreover, the extra free data would reportedly show up every month for the next 24 months. Rogers claims that there were no strings attached, no extra charges and no additional action required.
While it’s possible the change could be related to the customer’s employee plan, there was reportedly no indication in the message that it was. Further, Rogers and its flanker brand Fido have previously offered customers free data via text message, so it’s probably the carrier is doing it again.
If you’re a Rogers customer, you may want to check your texts or account for any such offers. Fido customers may also want to keep an eye out for any incoming messages about bonus data. Although 5GB of data may not seem like a lot, I’d totally take it as a freebie.
Of course, your mileage will vary with something like this. And unfortunately, if you don’t get the message from Rogers, I’d say chances are you won’t have much luck getting data by calling the carrier. If you’re not on a contract, however, you can always shop around for good deals — sometimes, if you switch, your old carrier will reach out with a win-back offer worth taking.
With the thrill of the hunt wearing thin, Boston Dynamics’ ‘Spot’ robot has left the French army to become a factory safety inspector.
According to a press release from Hyundai, the company is testing Spot at a Kia manufacturing plant in South Korea. Spot will roam the factory looking for potential risks to help improve on-site safety. Engadgetpoints out that this marks the first public collaboration between Hyundai and Boston Dynamics since the automaker acquired a majority stake in the robotics company earlier this year.
Hyundai also put out a YouTube video showing Spot in action. Attentive users may notice the robot looks a little different in Hyundai’s video – that’s because it’s sporting a special backpack. The backpack adds several enhancements to Spot, including a thermal camera, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and an ‘AI Processing Service Unit’ with extra resources for handling more intense artificial intelligence processing.
The service unit allows Spot to detect people, monitor temperatures and check for fire hazards. It can also detect dangers and send alarms to managers.
Additionally, Hyundai says operators can remote-control the robot through a secure website with a live stream, which will allow office personnel to observe industrial areas remotely.
The test program will help Hyundai assess Spot’s efficacy. To start, the robot will support late-night security patrols. Hyundai indicates that if testing goes well, it could expand the robot’s patrol areas and consider additional deployments at other industrial sites.
I know what you’re probably thinking — a Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut review now? The game came out a month ago!
Well, it comes down to a combination of a much-needed getaway to B.C., a slew of announcements in both the video game and broader tech space and a tonofqualitynewgameshavebeenreleased. (Not to mention all of the movies and shows I still want to watch, my on-and-off-again relationship with the gym and more.)
All of that’s been somewhat overwhelming, so naturally, I wanted a bit of a break from it. That’s where Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut came in.
Sure, I knew what I was going to get out of it. As an enhanced PS5 version of an excellent PS4 game from last year with a solid chunk of new story content, there weren’t too many surprises in store with it.
And that’s precisely why it’s been so appealing. It’s the epitome of comfort food — something I can get into casually a couple of hours here and there without a significant commitment. But it’s not just lovably familiar if you’ve played Ghost of Tsushima before — it’s an open-world action-adventure game in the vein of the recent Assassin’s Creeds, albeit with a splendid Japanese aesthetic.
“It’s Ghost of Tsushima’s new Iki Island story expansion that really makes it worth returning to Sucker Punch’s version of feudal-era Japan.”
Riding across the stunningly well-realized fields on horseback with the moon’s glow lighting my path or cutting through swaths of deadly Mongols is even more satisfying at 4K/60fps on PS5. Other quality-of-life improvements like being able to lock-on to enemies (woefully lacking in last year’s version), DualSense haptics to give combat more oomph and new accessibility options like alternate controller layouts only sweeten the deal.
Even if I hadn’t hit 100 percent completion in the game last year, the PS5-enhanced experience probably would have enticed me to come back at least for a bit. A surprisingly solid co-op multiplayer component, Legends, has also been released since the game’s launch.
But it’s Ghost of Tsushima‘s new Iki Island story expansion that really makes it worth returning to Sucker Punch’s version of feudal-era Japan. The premise for this content is quite strong. Largely standalone from the main game’s narrative, Iki Island follows samurai Jin Sakai as he travels to the eponymous isle to stop a mysterious Mongol tribe led by the sinister shaman known as “The Eagle.” Making this journey even more difficult for Jin, however, is that Iki Island is where his father was slain, forcing him to confront some old wounds.
It’s through this setup that Sucker Punch finally made Jin interesting. I was critical of his character in the main game for being a fairly generic and one-note warrior archetype whose central arc about honour and family wasn’t nearly fleshed out enough. But removed from the bloat of a sprawling, 20-plus hour campaign, Iki Island really had to tell a tight, focused story. In so doing, Jin became compelling. No longer did we have to just hear about how Jin missed his father — now, we could actually see his survivor’s guilt in action.
All the while, Jin has to begrudgingly work with a group of raiders who once fought against his father, which allows for a more nuanced exploration of the sins committed by both factions. While I’m still iffy with PlayStation seemingly arbitrarily renaming PS5 upgrades “Director’s Cuts,” the story additions here do, undoubtedly, expand upon the base game’s narrative with added context and weight.
It also helps that The Eagle Tribe is more interesting than the main game’s utterly bland villain, Khotun Khan, and his forces. While by no means deep herself, The Eagle is at least a far more psychological villain, rather sadistically choosing to fight Jin not with sword but by her mystical potions to prey on his deepest fears. This had me consistently intrigued at when and how she might take Jin on another traumatizing head trip. Her Mongols are also much tougher and more threatening, making Ghost of Tsushima‘s otherwise rudimentary stealth mechanics feel much more useful.
“Sometimes, revisiting the familiar makes you feel right at home and, in the case of the Iki Island expansion, can actually meaningfully improve upon the core experience.”
This core story would have been sufficient, but Iki Island continues where the main game left off to deliver a nice assortment of side activities. New minigames in the form of animal sanctuaries give you even more lovable animals to pet, while archery challenges and a duelling ring offer up entertaining new ways to test Jin’s might. But the best of the new side content, by far, is the ‘Tales of Iki.’
Like those found in the main game, these tales are short stories, of sorts, that flesh out the world and its inhabitants. Where it was helping a man rebuild his home, trying to stop a foolhardy stranger from taking on Jin’s deadly Ghost persona or helping a mother deal with the Mongols, Iki Island constantly provides more compelling side missions to tackle. These plus the four-ish-hour main story work out to around 15 hours of content, making Iki Island worth the price of admission alone.
If I had one disappointment with the expansion, though,it’s that Sucker Punch didn’t introduce much in the way of new gameplay mechanics. Your horse has a pretty enjoyable new ‘charge’ ability to take down groups. At the same time, Jin himself can use his grappling hook to pull down obstacles with immersive DualSense-boosted haptics, but those are the two standouts. The studio is likely saving bigger ideas for the inevitable sequel, but it would have been nice to see Jin have at least a few more new tricks up his sleeve. That said, the breadth of new content, including an entirely separate explorable island, makes this a minor issue at best.
Because ultimately, as I said, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut came at the perfect time for me. Sometimes, you want more of something familiar. Sometimes, revisiting the familiar makes you feel right at home and, in the case of the Iki Island expansion, can meaningfully improve upon the core experience.
Of course, my feeling of being overwhelmed isn’t exclusive to me — we all have our own stuff to deal with. So if you’re feeling in the same boat, jumping into Ghost of Tsushima — either for the first time or as a return trip — will definitely make for quite an enjoyable experience.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is now available on PS5 for $89.99 CAD or as a $26.99 upgrade to those who own the PS4 version of Ghost of Tsushima.
