Stories by Austin Blake

Paramount+ has officially renewed Mobland for a second season (and rightfully so as expected). The crime drama, which stars Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren, has pulled in over 26 million viewers since its premiere and ranked as the second most-watched original series on the platform (Landman is first). Season 1 debuted on March...

Tesla has officially launched its long-awaited Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, marking the company’s first real-world test of its fully autonomous ride-hailing network. The pilot program kicked off Thursday afternoon in a geofenced area of South Austin, with early testers now able to summon rides using the new Robotaxi mobile app. Customers currently pay a...

Corus Entertainment says Canada’s broadcasting system is broken—and blames Rogers for making things worse. Speaking at this week's hearings with the CRTC, Corus told regulators on Friday that Rogers’ growing dominance is threatening the future of independent Canadian TV channels. The company said it’s struggling to get fair treatment from distributors like Rogers, especially after...

Apple has held internal discussions about possibly buying Perplexity AI, a fast-growing artificial intelligence startup, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The move could help Apple improve its AI capabilities and reduce its reliance on Google’s search deal, which is currently under threat from U.S. antitrust regulators. According to Bloomberg, Apple’s head of...

Quebecor is warning the federal broadcast regulator that Canada’s media system is in serious trouble—and it’s calling out the CRTC for not acting fast enough to fix it. At 'The Path Forward – Working towards a sustainable Canadian broadcasting system' hearing on June 19 in Gatineau, Quebec (hearings started yesterday), Quebecor vice-president Peggy Tabet told...

Bell is pushing the federal government to step in after the CRTC refused to change its internet-sharing rules. On Friday, the CRTC upheld a decision from last year that lets big telecom companies, like Bell, Rogers, and Telus, sell internet plans using each other's fibre networks. The goal is to increase competition and give Canadians...

Two new cellphone towers could soon improve service in parts of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where calls often drop or signals are weak. Telus plans to install one tower near the Rutherford roundabout at Linley Valley Dr., and another at the City’s public works yard on Labieux Rd. City council approved both locations...

The Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA)—the industry group representing the likes of Bell and Rogers—wants Canadians to believe that letting these telecom giants resell internet access on competitor networks will hurt investment, stall network upgrades, and slow down rural expansion. In a recent op-ed published in The Hill Times on June 11, association president Robert Ghiz (former...

The federal government is under fire for pushing ahead with a controversial tax on big tech companies—one that business groups say will hurt Canadians more than help them. In a blunt letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, some of Canada’s largest business associations—including the Retail Council of Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce—are calling...

A major dispute is playing out in front of Canada’s telecom regulator, with Rogers and small wireless provider Ztar Mobile clashing over a looming disconnection that could cut service for thousands of prepaid phone users. Ztar, which offers low-cost mobile plans through retailers like 7-Eleven, Dollarama, and other convenience stores, claims Rogers is using its...

Nintendo has revealed full details for Donkey Kong Bananza, a new 3D platformer starring Donkey Kong and featuring co-op play with singer-turned-sidekick Pauline. The game launches July 17 exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. Donkey Kong’s latest adventure begins on Ingot Isle, where golden bananas are discovered underground. But before DK can enjoy the bounty,...

Bell has launched new travel passes for customers traveling to the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe, in the form of new 7-day and 14-day passes, according to changes made on its website on late Tuesday and spotted by iPhone in Canada. The new passes include: Mexico and Caribbean Pass: $70 for 7 days of usage (works...