Stories by Austin Blake

Now that the first media embargo has lifted on the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air, we have what are some of the first results of battery life tests comparing iPhone 17 versus iPhone 16 and more, including the new super-thing iPhone Air. The tests were performed by The Tech Chap and included in his...

Sonos has released new updates for its iOS and Android apps, along with a firmware update for its speakers. The rollout is phased and will take up to two weeks to reach all users, though iOS users can download the update directly from the App Store if it hasn’t appeared automatically. We’re not seeing this...

Google has rolled out a major update that means you don’t need the Nest app anymore to manage your Nest Thermostat. Starting now, all Nest Thermostat models released since 2015 can be fully controlled in the Google Home app. That includes setting schedules, adjusting temperatures, and managing fans and sensors — all directly in Home....

Apple has updated its free Apple Sports app, bringing new widgets to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Fans can now pin scores and schedules for their favourite teams or entire leagues directly on their home screens. Widgets can be customized per device, and there’s no limit on how many can be added. The update also lets...

If you pre-ordered an iPhone 17 or iPhone Air last Friday, you may want to check the status of your order, as those that ordered first thing are starting to see their phones ‘preparing to ship’. This next phase comes after the order placed and ‘processing’ stages, with ‘shipped’ being next and that usually updates...

At this year’s Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs), Spotify highlighted new data showing Canadian country music is gaining traction both at home and abroad—with French-Canadian country leading much of the momentum. According to Spotify, streams of Canadian country music have risen 64% globally over the past five years, while French-Canadian country music has jumped 280%...

Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons will connect their loyalty programs starting in late 2026, giving customers the chance to earn and redeem rewards across both brands. The agreement will let members link their Triangle Rewards and Tims Rewards accounts. Once connected, customers can earn Canadian Tire Money on purchases at Tim Hortons while continuing to...

Canadians need about five full workdays to afford Apple’s new iPhone 17 Pro, ranking 13th out of 33 countries, according to Tenscope’s 2025 iPhone Affordability Index. The study, published by UX design agency Tenscope, found Canadians pay $1,154 US for the iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB), compared to the U.S. price of $1,099 — a...

SpaceX’s Starlink appears to be suffering another outage and it’s affecting users in Canada, the U.S. and beyond, with many stating the outage occured around 9:30pm PT on Sunday evening (12:30am ET on Monday). In Canada, we’re seeing reports of Starlink being down in Alberta, with over 8,000 reports of outages in the past hour...

A $200 million fibre-to-the-home internet project is now underway in Newfoundland, with nearly half the cost covered by taxpayers. Ottawa and the provincial government are contributing a combined $92 million through the Universal Broadband Fund, while Xplore is paying the rest. The initiative will extend gigabit-speed internet to about 24,000 rural households by laying 6,000...

Apple’s artificial intelligence group is bracing for another shake-up. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Robby Walker—a long-time executive tied to the company’s AI strategy—is preparing to leave in the coming weeks. Walker has worn several hats at Apple. He previously led the Siri team, but that role was reassigned...

Apple is holding back shipments of its new iPhone Air in mainland China while it works with regulators on approval for eSIM. The company updated its Chinese website on Friday, replacing the original September 19 release date with the note “release information to be updated later,” according to the SCMP. Pre-orders had been scheduled to...