Stories by Austin Blake

Following Telus’ recent 3G shutdown announcement, Bell has confirmed it will begin phasing out its own 3G/HSPA network in Manitoba by December 31, 2025. The move is part of Bell’s plan to improve its 4G and 5G networks nationwide it says. Bell and Telus share infrastructure across much of Canada, so both providers are following...

Unifor, the union representing Canadian media workers, is calling on the federal broadcasting regulator to stop giving foreign streaming services a free ride. At the last week of the CRTC's hearing today, July 3, Unifor’s media director Randy Kitt argued that companies like Netflix, Disney, and Apple should be treated the same as Canadian broadcasters...

Telus-owned Public Mobile has continued to tweak its plan offerings and now it has finally trimmed down both 4G and 5G plans, while setting a specific end date to promo plans, according to changes made on its website on Thursday. Previously, we told you a “limited time” label showed up, but now that has changed...

WhatsApp is rolling out new features to make it easier for businesses to reach customers, manage campaigns, and offer support—all from one place. Announced at Meta’s Conversations 2025 conference in Miami on July 1, the updates focus on making WhatsApp more useful for marketing and customer service. Businesses can now manage ads across WhatsApp, Facebook,...

Microsoft is laying off about 9,000 workers—roughly 4% of its global workforce—as the tech giant kicks off its 2026 fiscal year with another round of job cuts. The layoffs continue at Microsoft. The layoffs will hit teams across different regions and departments, including major impacts to its gaming units like Xbox and the Barcelona-based Candy...

Rogers says it has become the first internet provider in Canada to roll out WiFi 7, starting with select areas in Calgary. Wi-Fi 7 offers faster speeds, better coverage, and more stable connections for households with many devices that are compatible. “Canadians deserve the best connectivity experience, and this is the first in a series...

Nintendo is planning to change the prices of its Switch consoles, games, and accessories in Canada starting August 1. The update will affect the entire current Switch lineup, including the original model, the OLED version, and the Switch Lite. Both physical and digital games, as well as accessories like controllers, will see price changes. Other...

Apple is planning a new low-cost MacBook that will run on the same chip powering the iPhone 16 Pro—the A18 Pro. That’s a big shift from what MacBooks usually use. Normally, MacBooks run on Apple’s own M-series chips, like the M2 or M3. But this new model, expected to launch in late 2025 or early...

A new report from Speedtest maker Ookla shows that some airlines are finally giving passengers fast, reliable Wi-Fi. The company pointed out SpaceX's Starlink is leading the charge, based on Q1 2025 Speedtest Intelligence data. Starlink uses low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to offer much faster internet compared to older satellites that orbit much farther away....

If you bought an Anker power bank off Amazon.ca recently, you might want to double-check the model — it could be a fire risk. Health Canada has issued a recall for several Anker portable chargers on June 27, warning that the lithium-ion batteries in some units can overheat and may catch fire. As of June...

The federal government has ordered Hikvision Canada to shut down its business in the country, citing national security risks. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announced the decision on Friday, following a formal review under the Investment Canada Act. The review, based on input from Canada’s security and intelligence agencies, concluded that allowing Hikvision to continue operating...

Tesla released a new video on Friday evening showing a Model Y fully driving itself from the Gigafactory in Texas to its new owner's home, with no one inside the car. The successful test happened on Friday, one day ahead of schedule, according to Tesla. CEO Elon Musk said back on June 10 that the...