May 24 & 25, 2025 Show Notes
Swiftsure / Super Springs Dragon Boat Festival / Oak Bay Half-Marathon / Awakening Chinatown Festival / Ultimate Hobby & Toy Fair / Weekend Edition

🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm on C-FAX
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
Your crew this weekend:
Alan Perry
Host
Technology Tutor
iPhone +1 250-589-2926
Gary Beyer
Co-Host
Tesseract Computers
Store +1 778-430-5099
Marissa Meekins 
Producer
The 80th Swiftsure International Yacht Races are this weekend
98 yachts, 65% of them from the USA here for their Memorial Day long weekend, are taking-part in the various races which start off Clover Point every 10 minutes from 9-10am Saturday

Times Colonist

80th Swiftsure yacht races get underway on Saturday morning

The Swiftsure Lightship Classic had its start in 1930 with six boats in the lineup. This year's field has 98 entries, largely from Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and Washington state.

Track the sailboats in the various races in real-time here…

kwindooapp

Kwindoo

Swiftsure 2025 tracking

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Security and Privacy News
1) Your iCloud password could be newly exposed from a giant password leak
A breach exposing 184 million passwords includes Apple login credentials used across iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers.
Although Apple's systems weren't breached, users whose Apple ID credentials were reused on other sites are now at elevated risk. Infostealer malware, which is software designed to siphon saved credentials from browsers and apps, appears to have compiled the leaked data.
Once attackers gain access to one reused password, they can attempt to log into other services, including Apple ID accounts. The breach sample included hundreds of Apple login entries. Given the size of the full data set, it's likely that thousands of Apple credentials were included.
If you've used the same password for Apple on other sites, change your Apple ID password immediately, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) if it's not already active. Apple recommends this extra layer of security for all accounts, and you can turn it on through Settings or at account.apple.com.
Next, start using Apple Passwords store unique passwords for each site or app. This practice helps avoid reusing the same credentials across services, which can compromise your security.

AppleInsider

Your iCloud password could be newly exposed from a giant password leak

A breach exposing 184 million passwords includes Apple login credentials used across iPhone and Mac computers.

2a) Watch out for scam emails claiming you've won a $500 Petro-Canada gift card
The emails come from "Petro Canada Winner" with no email address, and say (see screenshot) that "you've been selected as one of the lucky few for an opportunity to receive a Petro-Canada $500 gift card.
If you click on the "Start Survey" button, it takes you to a fake Petro-Canada web-page (hosted on a website in Germany) where you have to answer three basic demographic questions and then pick a prize box. No matter which box you pick, you won't "win". But, they'll give you a second chance, and no matter which box you pick, you will "win". You pick your prize, and then they'll ask for your contact info and mailing address, and then you'll be asked to give them your credit card info to pay a $5 "shipping fee".
If you give them your credit card info, within minutes, the overseas scammers will be racking-up fake charges on your card. But even if you don't, by that point, you've already given them your contact info and mailing address, which they can use to try to steal your identity.
NEVER tap on buttons in pop-ups like this! Just force-close the app or web-browser, or if necessary, restart your device.

2b) Watch out for scam emails that say you've been selected to get a free $500 airline gift card
This screenshot is for one that pretends to be from Flair Airlines, but others are circulating that claim to be from Westjet, Home Depot, Petro-Canada, Walmart, etc.
If you click on the button, it takes you to a fake web-page (hosted on an overseas website) for the company in question, where you have to answer three basic demographic questions and then pick a prize box. No matter which box you pick, you won't "win". But, they'll give you a second chance, and no matter which box you pick, you will "win" the gift card. They'll then ask for your contact info and mailing address, and then you'll be asked to give them your credit card info to pay a $5 "shipping fee".
If you give them your credit card info, within minutes, the overseas scammers will be racking-up fake charges on your card. But even if you don't fall for that, by that point, you've already given them your contact info and mailing address, which they'll use to try to steal your identity.
NEVER tap on buttons in pop-ups like this! Just force-close the app or web-browser, or if necessary, restart your device.
3) We've created a separate set of "Common Online Scams to Avoid" Notes, which you'll find on our Show Notes home page, and also in the menu-bar at the top of any Notes page.
Feel free to bookmark that page, as we'll keep updating it with screenshots of the latest scams!
A link to those Notes is here: https://Tech-Talk.ca/scams
Tech Deals This Weekend

Big ink and toner giveaway on Monday at Tesseract Computers
We've amassed a sizeable quantity of new, unopened printer ink cartridges, ink bottles, and toner cartridges from people whose printers have died. If you spot some that are compatible with your printer, they're yours for free; all we ask is that you drop a donation of any amount into the jar on the counter at Tesseract for the Women In Need program here in Victoria…
Epson 69, 96, 125, 128, 202, 288, and 410 cartridges
Canon 20 ink bottles, and 210, 271, 241, 245, 271, and 920 cartridges, and Brother LC75, LC103 and LC3011 cartridges
HP 61, 63, 65, 67, 92, 93 and 950 cartridges
Brother 2TN210 toner
All available for a donation on a first-come basis on Monday at Tesseract Computers, open 9am-4pm on Broughton near Douglas (enter 720 Broughton on a Maps app) in downtown Victoria

Last chance for sale prices on refurbished Epson Eco-Tank printers
We're big fans of Epson's Eco-Tank all-in-one printers, which come with bottles (not cartridges) of ink in the box — enough ink for literally two years of printing for most people! They also copy and scan, and work both wired and wireless.
With new models on the way, London Drugs has refurbished current models on sale one last time this weekend, and we have no hesitation recommending these refurb units, as they come with a full warranty and are virtually indistinguishable from new ones, but at an even greater saving.
The ET-2850 (above), feeds paper from the top, allowing you to use card stock or photo paper or legal-sized paper. It's regularly $400, but a refurbished one is on sale this weekend for $190.
The ET-4850 (above), which has an ADF (automatic document feeder) for scanning letter and legal pages, is regularly $600, but a refurbished one is on sale for just $260 this weekend.

$349 for a refurbished 14" Dell Windows 11 Pro laptop on Monday
Gary at Tesseract Computers has four refurbished Dell 7400-series laptops which you can buy for just $349 each when his shop re-opens on Monday on Broughton near Douglas (enter 720 Broughton on a Maps app) in downtown Victoria.
These 14" laptops are powered by an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 chip, and have 8GB of RAM, and a new 256GB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro. You can get one with a 512GB SSD for $40 more.

iPhone 16 on sale this weekend at Freedom Mobile
Freedom Mobile has cut the price and upped the data on iPhone 16's this weekend: you can get an iPhone 16 for $16/month for two years on a $59/month plan that includes 100GB/month of Canada/USA/Mexico 5G data plus 25GB of "Roam Beyond" use in 100+ countries, as well as unlimited Canada/USA/Mexico calling and international texting.
So the total cost would be $71/month, down from $80/month, plus 20GB/month more data.
Similar savings on iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro models, this weekend only at Freedom Mobile stores.

Telus is offering bonus 25GB/month to celebrate its 25th anniversary
To mark its 25th anniversary, Telus has, this weekend, added 25GB/month onto the data being offered on its top three mobile plans…
  • $60/125GB 5G (1Gbps speed) – previously $60/100GB.
  • $70/200GB 5G (1Gbps) Canada/U.S. – previously $70/175GB.
  • $85/275GB 5G (2Gbps) Canada/U.S./Mexico – previously $90/250GB.
Note that these rates include a $10/month discount for auto-paying your bill each month out of your bank account; you don't get that if you auto-pay Telus via a credit card.

Apple trade-in promo offers bonus cash towards a new iPhone
Until June 18, Apple Canada is running a trade-in bonus event if you want to flip your old phone towards a new one.
If you have an iPhone 13, you can get up to $365, and if you have the 13 Pro, you could get $425. Older models like the iPhone 11 are valued at less ($175). The oldest model on the chart is the iPhone 8, and Apple is offering up to $75 for it. If you have an iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can get the maximum credit of $885.
To take advantage of the trade-in credit, you’ll either need to ship your old iPhone to Apple or go to a physical Apple store (the nearest one is in Vancouver) to give it to the company in person.

Apple (CA)

Apple Trade In

From now until 18 June, get extra trade-in credit towards a new iPhone. Save $200-$885 in credit when you trade in iPhone 12 or higher. Terms apply.

This bonus trade-in offer isn't as good as it sounds; not only should you be able to sell a used iPhone for more than what Apple is offering, but you can also save a lot on the price of your new iPhone by buying it subsidized through a carrier. On the other hand, if you want to skip the hassle of trying to sell your phone, and if you have a great mobile plan you want to keep, this would be a great option.
Tech News Of The Week
Items start at #10, so the numbers don't get thrown-off if we add more security items above!
Tip: if an item in these Show Notes has the icon on the right in the upper-right corner, you can click/tap on it to make the additional info open in a new tab.
10) BC now has six area codes, with the activation today of 257
With all the numbers in the current five area codes here in BC almost all used-up, the CRTC has authorized the Canadian Telecommunications Alliance to begin assigning a sixth area code — 257 — to carriers wanting BC phone numbers starting today.
It'll be available BC-wide, joining 236, 250, 604, 672, and 778. The 604 area code is only used in the lower mainland, while the 250area code is used everywhere except the lower mainland.
If you run a company or a system that restricts calling to numbers within BC, make sure you add 257 to the approved area code list!

CHEK

B.C. to launch new area code on Saturday

The number of local phone numbers is going to go up, with new area code “257” being introduced on Saturday.

When adding phone numbers to contacts in a mobile phone, remember to prefix all Canada, USA, and Caribbean numbers with a +1 to ensure calls go through. Due to the myriad of different phone networks and systems now in use, without the +1 some calls from mobile phones will not go through.
11) If you're in a foreign country and need to call for help, call 1-1-2
We all know 9-1-1 is the number for emergency services here in Canada and the USA, but many countries use a different number: for example, in the UK, it's 9-9-9; in Australia, it's 0-0-0, in New Zealand, it's 1-1-1, in Colombia, it's 1-2-3, and in Libya, it's 15-15.
If you're travelling and not sure what number to call, dial 1-1-2 and your call will automatically be routed to the correct emergency service number.
If you're a trivia buff, a full list of the various numbers used in countries around the world is below…

Adducation

Emergency Numbers Worldwide | Adducation

Emergency numbers list including the local/in-country emergency telephone numbers for the police, ambulance and fire services for countries/territories

In case you care 9-1-1 is used in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, American Samoa, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
12) Freedom Mobile has added a new 150GB/month plan for heavy data-users and travellers
Freedom's most-expensive plan (which is less than many average plans from Telus, Bell, and Rogers) is now $65 a month, and with that, you get unlimited Canada/USA/Mexico calling, unlimited international texting, 150GB a month of 5G data in Canada/USA/Mexico, plus 30GB of 5G "Roam Beyond" data good in 100+ countries plus unlimited calling within the country and back to Canada.
Their top plan was previously 100GB + 25GB of "Roam Bayond" data for $55/month, which is still available, along with other plans as low as $19/month…
You can download Freedom's current rate plans here…

PDF file

25_05_23_RatePlan_ONABBC_Flyer_PRINT.pdf

422.2 KB

13) Canadian-based Sweat-Free Telecom is offering multi-carrier eSIM's that come with data that never expires
If you'd like to be able to instantly switch carriers to stay connected in case your carrier has an outage or you're in an area where their coverage is poor or non-existent, check-out the new multi-carrier eSIM's being offered by Sweat-Free Telecom based in Waterloo, Ontario…
For a limited time you can buy 1GB of non-expiring Canada/USA/Mexico data for $16, or 5GB for $56 or 10GB for $101. Sweat-Free Telecom says those prices are higher than what other eSIM providers like Airalo charge, because their data allotment is yours until you use it up — it never expires, and because they let you instantly change carriers…
Sweat-Free Telecom also offers two non-expiring data packages for travellers:
  • one works in 100 countries and 200'ish carriers and costs $17 for 1GB, $60 for 5GB, and $110 for 10GB……

SWEAT FREE TELECOM

Full list of 100 countries:

Full list of 100 countries & 200’ish networks: Canada: Bell, Rogers, TELUS, SaskTel United States: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless -- Albania: Vodafone Algeria: Orascom, Ooredoo Andorra: Andorra Telecom Argentina: Movistar Armenia: MTS Australia: Vodafone, Optus Austria: 3, A1, T-Mobile Azerbaijan: Azercell, B

  • …and another that works in 150 countries, and 300'ish carriers, which costs $17 for 1GB, $60 for 5GB, and $109 for 10GB…

SWEAT FREE TELECOM

Full list of 150 countries:

Full list of 150 countries & 200 plus networks: Canada: Bell, Rogers, Telus, SaskTel United States: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile -- Afghanistan: Roshan Albania: Vodafone, One Algeria: Orascom, Ooredoo Andorra: Andorra Telecom Anguilla: Flow Antigua and Barbuda: Flow Argentina: Claro, Personal, Movistar Armenia: MTS,

They also have plans that include 25GB, 50GB, and even 100GB. Their website is SweatFree.co

SWEAT FREE TELECOM

Sweat Free Telecom

Telecom outages are inevitable & roaming fees are unacceptable! But now you could stay connected in an outage & avoid paying roaming fees when you travel overseas!

14) We've updated our collection of Travel Tech Tips!
There are now more than 40 of them, and they're in a separate Travel Tech Tips notes, which you can find on our Home Page, or on the toolbar at the top of any of our Notes.
You can bookmark them, as we update them often, at Tech-Talk.ca/travel-tech-tips.
15) To easily and securely store your Drivers Licence, Health card, and Passport on your phone, use the free and updated eID-Me app
Ottawa-based Bluink created the eID-Me app on behalf of the Ontario government in 2020, and since then, it's come to be accepted by provincial and territorial governments and law enforcement across Canada.
It can now also be used to confirm your identity to financial institutions and utilities, without them getting your private identity info.
The eID-Me app is free and works on iPhones and Android phones that have FaceID or TouchID enabled, and is hyper-secure, with your ID data stored only on your phone in an encrypted format.
One of the drawbacks of the previous version was that it would not enroll you if you'd recently moved and your new address was displayed via sticker on your Driver's Licence or provincial ID card. The new version now scans that CoA sticker, verifies your change-of-address, and enrolls you.
16) ChatGPT's owners are buying the design startup firm created by iPhone/iPad designer Jony Ive for $6.5 billion USD
OpenAI is acquiring io, the hardware-based AI startup co-created by Jony Ive, who, for years, was Apple's lead designer of iPhones, iPads, the Apple Watch, and more.
The purchase price is breathtaking — $6.5 billion USD for a startup, but Ive has been working with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on io for two years, and the duo expects to develop a family of AI devices.
The purchase is by far OpenAI’s largest and comes weeks after the company agreed to buy AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for $3 billion. Prior to that, OpenAI acquired analytics database company Rockset for an undisclosed sum in 2024. Jony Ive left Apple in 2019.

TechCrunch

Jony Ive to lead OpenAI’s design work following $6.5B acquisition of his company

OpenAI is acquiring Jony Ive and Sam Altman's startup, io, which will lead creative and design work for OpenAI.

17) US President Trump says phones imported into the USA will have a 25% tariff slapped on them; he wants them made in the USA
US President Donald Trump has posted on Truth Social that he’s mad Apple is moving its production to India instead of to the USA and says if that doesn't change, a tariff of at least 25% will be applied to iPhones and other smartphones made overseas starting next month.
The CEO's of Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other big American-based tech firms had earlier persuaded Trump to exempt overseas-made smartphones, computers and other tech gear from hefty tariffs for 90 days while they explored options to have them made or assembled in the USA.
But with Apple shifting production of iPhones for the US market from China to India so tariffs would be less, the US President is now hitting back.

The Verge

Trump threatens Apple, Samsung and others with a 25 percent iPhone tariff

The iPhone and Galaxy tax.

Experts have repeatedly pointed-out that it's totally unrealistic to expect smartphones to be made in the USA…

The Verge

The “Made in America” iPhone ain’t gonna happen.

Three excellent pieces by Mark Gurman, John Gruber, and Ben Thompson recently published that explain why Apple can’t move iPhone production back to the USA. There is no tariff percentage that will result in a US-based “army of millions and millions of human beings screwing in little screws to make iPhones.” As Steve Jobs told President Obama back in 2011, “those jobs aren’t coming back.”

18) See What the winds are, and will be, with the free Windy.com app
There are LOTS of apps for showing wind speeds and direction, but the free Windy.com app consistently gets the best reviews for its layout and functionality.
You can toggle on and off more than four-dozen info layers.
If you want to get rid of on-screen ads and get a 10-day outlook plus forecast updates 4x a day and unlimited favourite locations and alerts, you can pay $25.49/year.

App Store

‎Windy.com - Weather & Radar

‎A UNIQUE WEATHER FORECAST VISUALISATION While most weather forecasting apps rely only on free global models, Windy has gone a few steps further and invested heavily in the most accurate models available, always at the highest possible resolution, to ensure accurate weather forecasts. Available wea…

19) If you want to know when the next tide change will be, try the Tides Near Me app
There are lots of tides apps out there, but the one which gets to top rating online and from mariners I've asked is Tides Near Me, a free app for iPhones, iPads and Android devices.
Just like weather apps, you can pin specific locations where you frequently go.
The app lets you switch between feet and metres, and miles and kilometres, and is free with subtle ads.
20) We've compiled all our tech tips and solutions (four dozen of them, so far) into one indexed set of "Tips and Solutions" Notes which you can find on our home page.
You can also get to them by going to Tech-Talk/ca/faq
21) We've also started compiling a list of our favourite phone apps
The "Our Favourite Apps" list — which will have a lot more added in the coming weeks — is on our home page, and you can also get to it by going to Tech-Talk.ca/apps.

tech-talk.ca

Our Favourite Apps

Add all your loyalty cards, collect rewards, get personalized offers and pay with your phone!

Homework videos (a.k.a. "time well wasted"!)
Check out our YouTube Favourites playlist, which has more than 4800 videos:
Videos start at #40, so the numbers don't get thrown-off if we add more tech news items above!
40) WatchOpenAI head Sam Altman and famed Apple designed Sir Jony Ive talk about their new $5.8 billion partnership…
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41) Watch all the announcements that Google made at its I/O event this week, condensed into 32 minutes…
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42) Watch the new generation of robots unveiled this week at the huge robotic tech fair in Canton, China…
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43) Watch some valuable life lessons from five centenarians who never intended to live so long…
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44) Watch how (and why) Europe is building a massive $34 billion USD transport hub in the middle of nowhere in Poland…
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45) Watch 10,000 people join some of Japan's best opera stars to sing Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" (in the rain) at the World's Fair in Osaka…
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Our two great international exchange students — Elodie from Switzerland, and Klára from Czechia — in the Victoria Inner Harbour with Swiftsure sailboats and the Legislative Buildings behind them.

Hi from "Tech Talk" listeners Dave and Leslie from North Saanich, who are vacationing in Portugal, and staying connected via Freedom Mobile's "Roam Beyond" plan, which lets them use their iPhones there just as though they were here, at no extra charge. Here they are in Sintra, Portugal…
Check out their adventures on Instagram: @DavidPascoe5
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
And so it goes…