Stories by John Quintet
OpenAI’s Jony Ive Hardware Dream Faces Big Delays, Insiders Say
OpenAI’s ambitious hardware venture with former (and legendary) Apple design chief Jony Ive is facing mounting technical hurdles, according to people familiar with the project who spoke to the Financial Times. The two are said to be building a compact AI-powered gadget designed to interact through voice, cameras, and sensors rather than a traditional screen....
Ottawa Commits to New EV Chargers in Atlantic Canada: Here’s Where
The federal government is putting more than $5 million into expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across Atlantic Canada. The funding will support five projects through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which helps cover the cost of building public and private charging sites. New chargers are planned for workplaces, on-street parking, and...
Xbox Cloud Gaming Could Soon Be Free—But You’ll Watch Ads First
Microsoft is preparing to roll out a free, ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. The Verge reports that Microsoft has already begun internal testing, letting employees stream certain games without a Game Pass subscription. The free tier will reportedly require viewers to sit through about two minutes...
Netflix and Disney+ Challenge Could Push Ottawa to Rewrite Streaming Rules
Canada’s broadcast regulator says Ottawa could be forced back to the drawing board if streaming companies win their legal battle over the Online Streaming Act. Appearing before MPs, CRTC chair Vicky Eatrides was asked what would happen if the courts side with streamers who are fighting new rules. Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux pressed her...
Telus Launches Email Security Service to Fight Phishing Surge
Telus is launching a new email protection service in Canada aimed at stopping phishing attacks and other threats before they hit business inboxes. The cloud-based system, built with technology from Israel-based Check Point, blocks malicious emails in real time instead of scanning after delivery. Its API integrates directly with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, while...
Bell to Launch Direct-to-Cell Satellite Service Next Year
Bell and Texas-based AST SpaceMobile say they have successfully completed Canada’s first space-based cellular test, making a direct-to-cell voice call and streaming video over satellite to a regular smartphone. The trial, carried out in New Brunswick this summer, used AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites along with Bell’s ground infrastructure. In addition to a 4G voice call,...
Amazon Canada Hiring 7,000 Seasonal Workers—and Raising Pay
Amazon is gearing up for the holiday shopping season by hiring more than 7,000 seasonal workers across Canada. The jobs will be spread across the company’s fulfilment centres, sortation centres, and delivery stations from coast to coast, with hiring starting this month and continuing through December. Seasonal roles will cover warehouse tasks such as stowing,...
New on Paramount+ Canada: October 2025
October is packed on Paramount+ Canada with new shows, returning hits, and plenty of Halloween scares, says the streaming service. Mayor of Kingstown with Jeremy Renner is back for season 4 (the show is a bit depressing), while music fans can check out Ozzy: No Escape From Now, a documentary on Ozzy Osbourne’s later years....
PlayStation Plus October 2025 Games: Alan Wake 2 and More
Sony has revealed the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup for October. Starting October 7, subscribers will be able to add three new titles to their library (it's a light month): Alan Wake 2 (PS5) Goat Simulator 3 (PS4, PS5) Cocoon (PS4, PS5) All three games are available to download until November 3. PlayStation...
Bell Adds Crave Standard Plan to Prime Video—at a Cheaper Price
Bell Media’s Crave’s Standard With Ads subscription is now available directly through Amazon Prime Video in Canada for $11.99 per month. Customers can sign up via primevideo.com and manage their subscription through their Prime Video account. The Standard with Ads plan is $14.99/month on Crave.ca, but it’s $3/month cheaper through Prime Video versus the Crave...
Xbox Game Pass Prices Jump in Canada as New Plans Roll Out
Microsoft is raising the cost of Xbox Game Pass as it reshuffles its subscription service into three new tiers: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. The biggest change comes to Game Pass Ultimate, which climbs to $33.99 CAD per month, up from the previous $22.99. Ultimate now includes more than 400 games across console, PC, and cloud,...
Google’s Gemini AI Upgrade Hits Smart Homes: These Devices Get It Free
Google is introducing Gemini for Home, an upgrade that replaces the legacy Google Assistant on smart speakers and displays while extending AI features across the Google Home app, Nest cameras, and doorbells. The shift means interactions with Google’s smart home devices will feel more like natural conversations. Gemini supports 10 new natural-sounding voices and can...
