Stories by Austin Blake

Most homes and businesses in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, will soon have access to Telus PureFibre internet, following a $40 million investment by F3 Networks. The project, expected to take two years, will connect about 95% of the community with fibre-to-the-premise service. Construction is set to begin in the coming weeks, with over 150,000 metres of...

At Meta’s Connect 2025 event tonight, Mark Zuckerberg introduced the Oakley Meta Vanguard, a new line of performance AI glasses designed for high-intensity sports. The glasses include a centred 12-megapixel camera capable of up to 3K video with a 122-degree wide lens, plus new modes like slow motion, hyperlapse, and adjustable stabilization. They’re rated IP67...

Telus-owned Public Mobile has revamped its plans and also brought back its $10 referral bonus for a limited time. Starting today until September 30, Public Mobile says you and your friend can get a $10 bonus credit when you refer a friend that subscribes to a $35/month plan. You can only refer up to 5...

Calgary's Chris Niccolls is best known for his years of camera reviews (including those at The Camera Store TV) at the popular photography site DPReview. But after Amazon shut down the site in April 2023, Niccolls and his creative partner Jordan Drake announced their move to PetaPixel, where they began leading the site’s YouTube channel...

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...