Tag: Holiday Deals 2022

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Fido, Virgin Plus match Koodo’s $50/40GB plan

Rogers flanker brand Fido and Bell flanker brand Virgin Plus both rolled out $50/mo 40GB plans to match the offer Koodo dropped yesterday.

Like Koodo, Fido and Virgin both offer a $65/mo 40GB plan with a $15/mo bill credit for 15 months, making it $50. There’s also a $60/20GB plan that can get the $15/mo bill credit, making it $45/mo for 15 months.

The plans are only available for new activations.

Fido is a little different than the others, however, because it requires customers to put in promo code ‘YAYFIDO15’ to get the discounted price.

While the deals are better than either provider’s typical plans, they’re not quite as good as the $45/50GB plan offered during Black Friday. Here’s hoping providers bring out a better deal as we get closer to Boxing Day.

You can check out Fido’s plans here and Virgin’s plans here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Telus rolls out Boxing Week plans and deals on phones

Vancouver-based national telecom Telus rolled out special Boxing Week plans on December 13th.

Generally, Telus’ Boxing Week plans offer more data for the same or even a slightly lower price than what the carrier typically offers. Plus, Telus is offering a $10/mo bill credit for 24 months for customers who buy a smartphone online or bring their own device.

Check out the prices below:

  • Unlimited 50 5G – $85/mo 50GB of data (250Mbps) | previously: $85/25GB
  • Unlimited 100 5G+ – $90/mo 100GB (1Gbps) | previously: $95/50GB
  • Unlimited CAN-US 100 5G+ – $95/mo 100GB (1Gbps) plus unlimited data, talk, and text in Canada and the U.S. | previously: $125/100GB

Along with the plans, Telus also has some deals on devices. Check out some of the best offers below:

  • Save $100 when you buy online ($50 one-time bill credit + Telus waives the $50 connection fee)
  • Save up to 50 percent on select accessories
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max – $0 down, $30/mo financing with Bring-It-Back (plus get three months of free Apple TV+)
  • iPhone 14 – $0 down, $30/mo financing with Bring-It-Back (plus get three months of free Apple TV+)
  • Motorola Edge 2022 – $0 down, $0 financing with Bring-It-Back
  • Samsung Galaxy S22 – $0 down, $30/mo financing with Bring-It-Back
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 FE – $0 down, $25/mo financing with Bring-It-Back
  • Overall, the offers from Telus aren’t terrible. Customers can effectively double their data at no cost for the $85 plan, or get 100GB for less than they’d normally pay for 50GB.

And while Telus’ plans do come with the benefit of 5G access, I’m not sure that’s enough to justify the extra cost over something like Koodo’s $50/40GB promo plan.

We’re still early in the Boxing Day deal season, so I wouldn’t be surprised if some better offers came along. But hey, this is a start.

Check out our comparison of Canadian carrier pricing in early 2022 to late 2022 here.

All of Telus’ Boxing Week offers can be found here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Bell offers discounts on devices purchased through its SmartPay financing plan

Bell has rolled out a list of offers through its financial plan, SmartPay, for the holidays. The payment option sees customers pay a certain amount for a device over 24 months.

Customers who buy the iPhone 14 through SmartPay will save $40.80 over 24 months. Before the discount, customers would pay $31.70/month for the device. With the discount, it’s $30/month.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 is on sale for $30.46/month compared to $41.30/month before the discount. Customers will save $260.08 over 24 months.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE5G is on sale for $26/month for 24 months, compared to $35.34 before the discount.

Samsung’s Galaxy Flip4 is available for $35/month, compared to $47.50 monthly over 24 months.

Customers can save $136.08 over 24 months on the Google Pixel 7. With the discount, customers will pay $24.83 each month.

Those buying the Google Pixel 7 Pro can save $201.88 over 24 months. The discounted price tag will see customers pay $41.18/month, compared to $49.59/month.

Bell is also offering savings on the Moto G Stylus 5G. Customers can save $247 over 24 months by paying a monthly cost of $10.50. Before the discount, the device cost $20.80 a month.

Bell is also freebies through headphones. Customers who buy the Motorola Edge Verve through SmartPay will get Buds 120 and 12 months of storage on Google One. Select Samsung phones purchased through the financing option will score you a pair of Galaxy Buds2.

Source: Bell

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Koodo rolls out $50/mo 40GB plan ahead of Boxing Day

Boxing Day deals are starting to emerge at some Canadian wireless providers. Telus flanker brand Koodo is kicking things off with a strong start: get 40GB of data for $50/mo.

According to Koodo’s website, customers can get the $50/40GB plan by signing up for the provider’s new $65/mo 40GB plan and taking advantage of a $15 bill credit. Unfortunately, the bill credit only lasts 15 months. Moreover, Koodo’s website has some… odd math related to the deal. $15/mo for 15 months works out to $225 in total savings — Koodo’s website advertises $275 of savings, but you have to dig into the fine print to discover that number includes waiving Koodo’s $50 connection fee, something it already does for online orders.

Koodo’s plan page, on the other hand, lists “$254 in bill credits over 15 months ($16 off/month), and I’m frankly not sure where Koodo got those numbers (besides, $254 divided by 15 is actually about 16.93).

Along with the $50/40GB plan, Koodo has bumped its $60/10GB plan up to 20GB of data. The plan page also lists it as having access to the bill credit but again notes $254 over 15 months. As noted above, those numbers don’t really make much sense based on the other details available on Koodo’s website. MobileSyrup has reached out to Koodo for clarification about what’s going on here.

Either way, $50/mo for 40GB of data isn’t a bad deal, although it certainly pales in comparison to the Black Friday $45/50GB plan, which will last 24 months. If you missed out on the $45/50GB, then this $50/40GB plan might be your next best option. At the same time, it might be worth waiting to see if anything better comes along — some of the better Black Friday options were only available in-store or launched on Black Friday itself. We might see a repeat of that with Boxing Day offers. Plus, at the time of writing, Fido and Virgin Plus hadn’t rolled out anything comparable. It remains to be seen if they match or beat the Koodo plan.

Naturally, the Boxing Day deals started rolling out the day after I wrote a comparison of carrier plans at the end of 2022 to the beginning of the year. You can check that out here.

You can check out Koodo’s plans here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

MobileSyrup’s top CarPlay and Android adapters [2022 Edition]

There’s no doubt using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the car makes for a safer and more connected driving experience. Maybe your vehicle already supports it, or maybe not. However, you have access to either platform, there are very good adapters bringing added convenience for you every time you get behind the wheel.

The latest vehicles may offer both of these platforms with wireless connectivity, but most current and past models don’t. You might even be driving a car that never supported them to begin with. That’s where these devices come in. While a couple may require more professional installation, the majority won’t require much know-how to get things up and running.

CPLAY2air

For iPhone users looking to cut the cord, the CPLAY2air adapter is dedicated to CarPlay, working with both factory and aftermarket head units. It’s currently compatible with the iPhone 6 or later, and a pretty simple setup where you only need to plug it into the vehicle’s USB-A port to kick off the process.

There are a couple of caveats in that your phone needs to only connect to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections coming from the adapter. That means you would have to disconnect from your vehicle’s head unit if connected to it via Bluetooth. Doing that should ensure CarPlay works without issue on your dash screen.

It is possible to use this with multiple iPhones in the same car, particularly if you’re sharing the car with someone. There’s no app, but there is a way to connect to the device’s IP address through a browser on your phone to update the firmware.

Order the CPLAY2air directly from the company for $134.95.

Motorola MA1

For Android users, the Motorola MA1 dongle may be among the most high-profile because of who makes it. The general idea is similar to others in this list, where you plug the device into the USB-A port to get things started. There’s no app here to run through the process, but the instructions are pretty straightforward and easy to follow. You just need to connect to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to get it working.

The one visual indicator is the LED light on the dongle itself, telling you when it’s in the process of connecting or successfully connected. The two-sided adhesive that comes in the box isn’t very good, so you may want to consider good two-sided tape if you prefer to mount this on the dash somehow.

Order the Motorola MA1 from Amazon for $99.99.

AAWireless

Another one for Android users, the AAWireless started out with a crowdfunding campaign, and is now readily available to everyone. Here, too, you have a dongle you plug in to the vehicle’s USB port, only this time you have the AAWireless app to help run through things. Once set up, Android Auto will run wirelessly each time you start the car, albeit with varying times to start up. Sometimes, it can be really quick, other times, it may take over a minute to get going. It’s not entirely clear why.

The benefit of the app is that it also offers firmware updates and a series of more advanced features. For instance, certain GM and Volkswagen models may have trouble working with the device, so the app presents workarounds for those situations. It’s not a super seamless transition if you try using the device with multiple phones, but works great if you’re on your own.

Order the AAWireless directly from Amazon for $89.99.

Carlinkit 4.0

The Carlinkit 4.0 works with both CarPlay and Android Auto, and is best if you are using either one with a factory head unit. It doesn’t work properly with aftermarket head units, so best to avoid it if you have one installed. You need to be running iPhone 6 or later (iOS 10 or later) or an Android phone running Android 10 or later to get the wireless connection working.

With the initial compatibility in place, it should be an easy setup and steady connection throughout. It shares a lot of functional similarities to the CPLAY2air, right down to the browser-based connection for firmware updates.

Order Carlinkit 4.0 from Amazon or buy it directly from the company.

Ottocast U2-X

Ottocast likes to call the U2-X a “2-in-1 adapter” and the main reason is because it works the same way for both CarPlay and Android Auto to establish a wireless connection. The one catch is that it won’t work with BMW and Mitsubishi vehicles, so best to look elsewhere on this list for something else that’s compatible with those makes and models.

Despite the terribly translated website, the device does what it’s supposed to do, and can do so regardless of whether you plug it into a factory or aftermarket head unit. You can also update the firmware through a web browser.

Order the Otttocast U2-X from Amazon for $179. or buy it directly from the company for $180.52.

Carsifi

Here’s another one that started out as a crowdfunding campaign and is still primarily available through Kickstarter and Indiegogo or the Carsifi site. It’s only for Android Auto, designed as a plug-and-play device that’s easy to set up and manage. Like others on the list, you plug in the dongle, go through the brief setup process, and then have a wireless connection to the platform thereafter.

The device comes with extensive compatibility with both phones and vehicles. Aftermarket head units aren’t a problem, either. Carsifi also developed a companion app to keep things accessible, including for firmware updates or resetting the device in case you want to start over with it.

Order a Carsifi adapter from Amazon for $119 or buy it directly from the company $89 USD (about $121.50 CAD).

Car and Driver Intellidash+

This is much more than just a dongle, given it comes with a 7-inch IPS display of its own and is a possible solution if you’re driving a car that doesn’t have CarPlay or Android Auto support. The Intellidash+ is essentially an all-in-one product that can run in any vehicle. It comes with all necessary cables, including to ensure audio runs through the car stereo system and voice assistants, like Siri and Google Assistant, work properly.

Note that there are multiple devices under the Intellidash moniker. The Plus version is the one that enables wireless connections, whereas the non-Plus one does not. There are various ports to really tinker with if you want to expand on what it can do, but the gist is that you’re setting up an external display somewhere on your dash rather than replacing your car’s existing head unit display.

Order the Car and Driver Intellidash+ from Amazon for $119.

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

Categories
Mobile Syrup

MobileSyrup’s top gifts for home offices [2022 Edition]

Remote work has been on the rise since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although some workplaces have asked their employees to return to the office, many of us still work remotely.

With the holidays approaching quickly, you may be looking for a little extra something to give to yourself or that remote working in your life. While you’re at it, we also have accessory guides for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users.

Here are MobileSyrup’s top gifts for home offices:

Uncrowned Desk Pad

If you or someone in your life doesn’t have a mat on their desk, this is a must-buy. Leather desk mats are a stellar accent accessory to level up any desk setup. I recommend Uncrowned’s desk mat. It’s black and made of vegan leather. Their desk mats are waterproof and come in 31.5 x 15.7-inches or 35.4 x 17.7-inches.

Order a 31.5-inch Uncrowned desk mat for $21.99 or a 35.4″ for $29.99, both on Amazon

IKEA Svensås Magnet Board

Perhaps my favourite but most unrated Ikea purchase must be their Svensås magnet board. This magnet board comes in black and measures 15.75-inch by 23.5-inch. I found that a magnet board makes for an excellent place for papers to live until they are digitized or ready to be recycled. Ikea’s Svensås magnet board is just the right size, not too big or too small. It makes for an excellent addition to any home office.

Buy Ikea Svensås board for only $14.99 on its website

Twelve South PowerPic

Looking for a personal but functional touch for your home office? Look no further than the TwelveSouth PowerPic! Day-to-day, the PowerPic is a 5×7 picture frame to hold one of your favourite memories. However, place your smartphone in the frame, and suddenly you have a 10W wireless charger.

TwelveSouth’s PowerPic is available from Best Buy for $119.99 in black or white

Anker Magnetic Charging Station

Cables. Cables. Cables. So many cables. Anker has a neat solution to help with your cable troubles. Anker’s MagGo, or magnetic wireless charging station, is a multi-port charging hub for every device. This 4-inch black sphere comfortably plugs into the wall with a single flat-headed cable. On the front of the black sphere is a MagSafe wireless charger for iPhone 12 and above. On the back are three AC plugs, two USB-A ports, and two 65W USB-C ports. 

Order the Anker Magnetic Charging Station on Amazon for $134.99

LEGO Bonsai Tree

We could all use a little more greenery in our home office space. Yet, you may not have a green thumb if you’re anything like me. Well, Lego has you covered. The Lego bonsai tree is a creative way to add a little greenery to your space without looking after a plant. The Lego bonsai tree is fun to build and even comes with two different types of leaves; green leaves and pink blossoms to help match the season or your personal style. 

Purchase the LEGO Bonsai Tree from LEGO’s website for $69.99

VAYDEER Keyboard and Mouse Wrist Rests

Ergonomics is critical to avoiding repetitive stress injuries. Yet, it’s something that many of us either ignore or forget about. So, with the holidays coming up, do something nice, and purchase some thoughtful ergonomics accessories. 

The VAYDEER keyboard and mouse wrist rests are an excellent place to start. These accessories help elevate your rests while using your keyboard and mouse, helping to reduce wrist strain and the possibility of long-term injuries. 

You can order the VAYDEER keyboard and mouse wrist rests on Amazon for $25.99

ZuHucpts Anti Fatigue Standing Mat

Next up with the ergonomics recommendations is an anti-fatigue standing mat. If you or someone you know has an adjustable sit-stand desk, make sure they are also using an anti-fatigue mat. Floors are brutal and nasty for our ergonomic well-being. An anti-fatigue mat helps reduce strain while allowing you to get out of your chair more often. The ZuHucpts is my anti-fatigue mat of choice. It measures 36×24″ and is waterproof. 

Order the ZuHucpts anti-fatigue standing mat on Amazon for $44.99

ErgoFoam Foot Rest

A good footrest is another excellent office accessory to help improve your ergonomics during those long work sessions. The ErgoFoam footrest is one of many great options out there. It elevates your feet while working, helping to make your seating position more comfortable and supportive. The inside of the ErgoFoam footrest is a high-density form, while the outside is a removable, washable mesh cover. 

Order the ErgoFoam footrest from Amazon for $71.99

Laptop Stand

There shouldn’t be a compromise between style and ergonomics. A nice metal laptop stand is an excellent way to accomplish both goals while also giving your laptop a dedicated home. Rain Design makes a hefty, stylish, fixed-angle stand in silver, gold, and space grey. Meanwhile, Besign makes a lighter, height-adjustable option in black and silver. While Rain Design looks nicer in my books, they’re both made of aluminum and make for excellent options that look stellar on a desk. 

Order the Rain Design stand on Amazon for $64.98 and the Besign adjustable stand for $37.99

Meross Smart Plugs

Meross is one of my favourite smart home brands bringing affordability and quality. Smart plugs are an excellent way to remotely turn an accessory on and off. Smart plugs’ most popular use case is controlling lamps via a smartphone or smart speaker. Meross smart plugs support Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. So, regardless of your smart home ecosystem, give the gift of convenience this holiday season with Meross smart plugs. 

Order Meross smart plugs on Amazon; 1 pack for $19.99, 2 pack for $39.99, or a 4 pack for $59.99

Meross Floor Lamp

Meross’ floor lamp is one of the company’s more recent products. While this is an actual floor lamp, it can also easily be adjusted into a side table lamp or a desk lamp attachable via an included clamp. 

The Meross floor lamp comes in three pieces plus a base plate. Connecting all three pieces together with the base plate gives you a floor lamp. Using the base plate with the top third gives you a side table lamp, and the top third with the included desk clamp allows you to clip it to any table or desk. 

Of course, these lights are also WiFi-controlled, just like the company’s smart plugs meaning you can control them from your smartphone or smart speaker. I bought two of them and attached them to my desk using the included clamp. Now, I control the lamp’s brightness through Apple HomeKit for video call lighting. Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are also supported. 

Order a Meross floor lamp on Amazon for $99.99

Meross Light Strip

We’ve all seen fun, colourful lighting in the background of YouTube videos. Why not deck out your home office with some colourful lighting? A smart light strip is an excellent way to do this. Meross is my brand of choice for this. Meross’ RGB light strips support Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. They’re the definition of fun and stylish. 

Order a 16ft Meross light strip from Amazon for $39.99 and a 32ft for $49.99

Paper Shredder

While most of our focus is on digital privacy, physical privacy is important too. A paper shredder is a home office must-have to help protect you and your family’s privacy. Whether it’s a piece of mail from your bank or an expired credit card, shredding that document is the best way to maintain your privacy. AmazonBasics is a brand I’ve gotten a lot of reliability out of. I’ve used an AmazonBasics paper shredder for years, and it’s still going strong. 

Order an AmazonBasics paper shredder for $78.27 on Amazon

LaMetric WiFi Clock

The LaMetric WiFi clock is the most expensive item on this list, but it is one of the coolest. The LaMetric WiFi clock is a digital clock with a pixel display to show various apps and metrics. Some metrics LaMetric can display include weather, text messages, calendar events, Twitter followers, and even the ability to create DIY apps. There are thousands of clock faces to choose from, plus it has a built-in Bluetooth speaker. 

Order the LaMetric WiFi clock on Amazon for $290.83

LaMetric WiFi Clock

There are a few smart accessories on this list, and you likely have more at home. An excellent addition to any home office is a smart speaker. A smart speaker can do things like wireless control your home office lighting, tell you the weather, and stream music, all from your voice. While there are different sizes of smart speakers, I recommend a mini smart speaker as an excellent home office addition. 

There are three major brands of smart speakers, Apple’s HomePod mini using Siri, the Google Home mini using Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Echo Dot using Alexa. Apple’s HomePod mini comes in space grey (black), white, blue, orange, and red. The Google Home mini comes in chalk (white), charcoal (black), coral (pink), and sky (blue). Amazon’s Echo Dot comes in charcoal (black), white, and blue. 

You can order the Echo Dot from Amazon for $69.99, the HomePod mini for $129.99, and the Google Home mini for $49.99, both from Best Buy

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

Categories
Mobile Syrup

TekSavvy will give you a $10/month discount when you refer a friend

Teksavvy has launched a new holiday offer that saves you and a friend/family member $120 off your bill over 12 months.

The internet provider says that the program allows TekSavvy customers to sign up a friend for internet service in order to save both parties $10 off their monthly bill for 12 months.

Teksavvy’s offer runs from December 1st to January 31st and is valid for all customers that “meet the eligibility requirements.” Further, the deal is also valid for current Teksavvy customers.

It’s unclear what plans qualify for this deal or how to enroll in it, but MobileSyrup has reached out to TekSavvy for more details.

TekSavvy primarily offers internet services in the southern Ontario area.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Best Buy’s early Boxing Day event: Nest Audio, Nest Hub Max, SodaStream Terra Soda Machine, and more

Best Buy Canada has gone live with its ‘Early Boxing Day’ gifting event with discounts on home improvement tech and kitchen appliances like the Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display and the Bella Pro Touchscreen Air Fryer.

The sale starts today, Friday, December 2nd, and ends on Thursday, December 8th.

Find out some of the deals from the sale below:

Fitbit Sense 2 Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Shadow Grey: $299.99 (save $100)

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 40mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor – Black: $199.99 (save $80)

Vitamix 6500 1.9L 1500-Watt Stand Blender – Platinum: $429.99 (save $370)

KitchenAid Custom Stand Mixer – 4.5Qt – 325-Watt – Empire Red: $299.99 (save $200)

Bella Pro Touchscreen Air Fryer – 5.7L (6QT) – Stainless Steel: $109.99 (save $110)

Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display with Google Assistant – Charcoal: $219.99 (save $20)

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set – 50 lb: $359.99 (save $40)

Gyrocopters Flash 3.0 Portable Electric Scooter (350W Motor / 28km Range / 25km/h Top Speed): $379.99 (save $370)

Gyrocopters Pro 6.0 All-Terrain Electric Hoverboard with Bluetooth Speaker & LED Wheels – Black: $169.99 (save $330)

Logitech G502 Hero 25600 DPI Optical Gaming Mouse – Black: $49.99 (save $10)

Logitech G Pro X Superlight 25600 DPI Wireless HERO Optical Gaming Mouse – Black: $149.99 (save $50)

HyperX QuadCast S RGB USB Condenser Microphone: $149.99 (save $25)

Blink Mini Wi-Fi Indoor 1080p IP Camera – 2 Pack – White: $38.99 (save $46)

Google Nest Audio Smart Speaker – Chalk: $69.99 (save $60)

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) Smart Display with Google Assistant – Chalk: $64.99 (save $35)

Elgato Stream Deck: $149.99 (save $50)

Fitbit Versa 2 40mm Smartwatch with Amazon Alexa & Heart Rate Tracking – Black: 159.99 (save $40)

SodaStream Terra Soda Machine – Black: $69.99 (save $40)

Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Dual Zone Air Fryer – 7.57kg/8Qt – Black: $159.99 (save $30)

Find the sale page 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

Source: Best Buy

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Public Mobile holiday gifts include 2GB of free data, 500 international minutes

Telus flanker brand Public Mobile is offering new and existing customers free holiday gifts like extra data and international minutes.

Public customers can claim a one-time free 2GB data bonus and 500 minutes of free international calling. Those who use the Public Points rewards system can claim an extra 1GB of free data. Public’s fineprint notes that the international calling add-on enables calling from Canada to the following countries: United States, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Venezuela.

Existing Public customers should keep an eye out for a text coming from Public detailing the rewards. To claim them, reply ‘YES2’ to the text before December 31st, 2022.

For new customers, Public says the free holiday rewards will be added to your account within one week of activating your SIM card.

The free rewards are one-time-only add-ons and will stay on customers’ accounts until fully used.

You can learn more about the rewards in this Public Mobile community post or on the Public Mobile website.