Stories by Austin Blake

Foreign streaming companies are zeroing in on a legal fight over a new CRTC rule that would make some of their financial information public. A group of major streamers, including Netflix and Amazon, filed a challenge in the Federal Court of Appeal in December, targeting disclosure requirements tied to the regulator’s overhaul of Canadian content...

If you’ve been procrastinating when it comes to getting a better cellphone plan, you’ve already missed the boat from Rogers, Telus and Bell and their flanker brands, as Boxing Day deals have mostly come to an end. Quebecor’s Freedom Mobile recently updated its website to state their Boxing Week deals end today, which means it’s...

Telus says it is exploring ways to bring in a partner for its Telus Health business, a move that could help the company raise cash and reduce debt. The Vancouver-based telecom announced on Thursday it has hired TD Securities and Jefferies as financial advisers to look at different options for “monetizing” Telus Health. That could...

Google is expanding its use of Gemini inside Gmail, with several AI-powered features now available to users at no cost. According to Blake Barnes, Google’s vice-president of product for Gmail, Gemini tools that previously required a paid subscription are now being rolled out for free to all users. Google says the changes are meant to...

Apple has announced that Chase will become the new issuer of Apple Card, replacing Goldman Sachs, which is exiting the partnership. Apple said the transition is expected to take about 24 months. During that time, Apple Card users will be able to continue using their cards as usual. Apple said the card’s main features will...

Meta's WhatsApp is rolling out a set of new features aimed at making group chats easier to manage and more expressive. The updates focus on helping people keep track of roles in group chats, highlight messages, and remember upcoming plans. WhatsApp says the changes are designed for everyday uses, from family chats to sports groups...

Ubisoft is shutting down its Halifax studio, cutting 71 jobs at the Canadian team that had been focused on mobile games tied to major franchises like Rainbow Six and Assassin’s Creed. The closure comes just days after employees at Ubisoft Halifax announced they had successfully formed a labour union. The union effort began in June...

Anker’s Soundcore has announced its new AeroFit 2 Pro earbuds at CES 2026, a new model that lets users switch between an open-ear design and active noise cancellation in the same pair of earbuds. Soundcore says the AeroFit 2 Pro is meant for people who move through different environments during the day. Instead of choosing...

Dell is officially bringing back its popular XPS laptop lineup (that didn't take long, eh?), and Canadians can already buy the new models following the company’s announcements at CES 2026. The company has relaunched the XPS brand with two redesigned laptops, the XPS 14 and XPS 16, marking a return to one of its most...

ECOVACS used CES 2026 to show it is pushing well beyond robot vacuums. The company announced new products for pools, lawns, windows, and even a companion-style puppy robot, while also refreshing its core DEEBOT lineup. The theme across all announcements was expanding automation into more parts of the home and reducing hands-on maintenance. One of...

Meta says it is pausing international plans for its new Ray-Ban smart glasses with a built-in display, after demand far exceeded expectations, according to an update shared today at CES 2026. The company said the Meta Ray-Ban Display launched last fall with very limited supply and quickly drew heavy interest. As a result, waitlists for...

NVIDIA has announced a new set of AI tools called Alpamayo, aimed at helping carmakers build more advanced self-driving systems that can actually reason through tricky situations on the road. In simple terms, Alpamayo is not something that runs directly in your car. Instead, it’s a training system. Carmakers and researchers use it to teach...