Stories by Austin Blake

What ads have you seen Apple and 'Big 3' telecoms here push out in the wild? According to one observation by @BasicAppleGuy, based on ads seen on bus shelters, Apple and the ‘Big 3’ are pushing the iPhone 17 Pro as the device to buy this fall and winter. "Apple and the carriers seem to...

Toronto-based Wealthsimple, has raised up to $750 million CAD in a new equity round that values the fintech firm at $10 billion CAD. The round includes $550 million in new funding and a $200 million secondary offering. It’s co-led by Dragoneer Investment Group and GIC, with participation from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP...

Halo is going back to where it all started. Microsoft and Halo Studios have officially announced Halo: Campaign Evolved—a complete, ground-up remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign—coming in 2026. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the remake promises a fresh look, smoother gameplay, and a few surprises for longtime fans and those playing the...

Residents just outside Prince George, B.C. say they’ve been without Rogers cell service for several days following a powerful wind storm late last week—even as the company’s website continues to show no reported outages in the region. The affected area includes Chief Lake and Ness Lake, a semi-rural community northwest of Prince George, where residents...

The CBC has launched a new 24/7 commercial-free kids streaming channel featuring a mix of animated and live-action shows for children aged two to 10. The new CBC Kids channel is available now on CBC Gem and the CBC Kids YouTube channel. The lineup includes preschool hits such as Dino Ranch, Go Togo, Hey Duggee,...

Apple is preparing to debut ads inside its Maps app as early as next year, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in his Sunday PowerOn newsletter. The move is part of the company’s overall plan to expand its ad business across iOS. The new system would let restaurants and local businesses pay to appear higher up...

Uber Eats has revealed what Canadians are ordering most during the Toronto Blue Jays’ October playoff run (including this weekend’s games)—and it’s clear baseball fans aren’t holding back. According to the delivery platform, chicken in all forms—from wings to nuggets to bowls—tops the list of game-day favourites. It’s followed by burrito bowls, burgers, shawarma, and...

Netflix has shut down Boss Fight Entertainment, the Texas-based studio behind Squid Game: Unleashed, according to posts from staff on LinkedIn. The move comes just three years after Netflix acquired the team in 2022 to boost its push into mobile gaming. Boss Fight’s co-founder and former CEO David Rippy, now a studio director at Netflix,...

Public Mobile customers are getting another text message (sent today) and email pitch (yesterday) from parent company Telus for discounted home internet, according to marketing messages obtained by iPhone in Canada. The latest offer promotes Telus PureFibre Gigabit Internet for $78 per month (regularly $155) on a two-year term. Customers are told to use promo...

Apple is one of several major tech companies contributing to the construction of a new $300 million ballroom at the White House, a project championed by President Donald Trump and financed entirely through private and corporate donations. The ballroom, spanning about 90,000 square feet, is being built on the site of the now-demolished East Wing...

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps will start streaming on Disney+ Canada on November 5. Yes, if you've skipped the theatres you'll soon be able to watch it from home as part of your Disney+ subscription for free. The film stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who play Marvel’s “First...

The 2025 World Series rolls on tonight in Los Angeles, where the Toronto Blue Jays look to even things up against the Dodgers in Game 4 at Dodger Stadium. Game 3 was one for the history books — an 18-inning marathon, the longest World Series game since 1916, that ended with Freddie Freeman’s walk-off homer...