July 26 & 27, 2025 Show Notes
🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon PT
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm on C-FAX
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
Your guest co-hosts this weekend:
Kyle Wilson
Co-Host
Colwood-based IT Specialist, Wikipedia Administrator, and a Business Insider contributor
X & BlueSky: @KWilsonMG
1) Watch out for scam texts that claim your 'missing assets' have been retrieved
The texts, like the one in the screenshot, are being sent from a variety of area codes in Ontario, and are not addressed to anyone in particular.
If you call the number, your call will be answered by someone at a call-centre who will claim to be with the office of the Receiver-General of Canada. They'll ask for your name and birthdate, and then confirm that you have a substantial amount of money owed to you from an unclaimed bank account.
They'll offer to help you claim that money, and will ask for your SIN number to confirm you're the correct person, and then offer to email your proof of your unclaimed money
If you proceed, they'll ask you to review the 'proof', and then — here comes the scam — they'll ask you to send them a 'recovery fee' by cryptocurrency (claiming that the Carney government has recently approved a new Canada crypto currency to enable Canadians to share in the crypto wealth) and will give you the link to a (fake) website featuring (fake) videos and quotes of the Prme Minister endoring this.)
If you send any money by cryptocurrency, you'll never hear from them again and never get your money back. NEVER give your personal info, especially your SIN number, to someone who calls you, and NEVER send cryptocurrency to anyone.
2) Watch out for compromised Steam games that infect your computer with malware
While most software and video games on the digital distribution and storefront is legitimate and clean, fake games and compromises do happen. In this instance a survival crafting video game called "Chemia" was compromised and a July 22 update deployed info-stealing malware to those who downloaded it. This is the third known case, according to tech publication BleepingComputer, of malware slipping into the Steam storefront this year.
The company behind Steam, Valve, and the game's developers have yet to comment. Until they do, it is best to stay away from that game entirely. There have been, after all, over 93,000 other games released on Steam since 2017 alone.
3) So-called AI "nudify" websites rake in millions of dollars a year
Despite efforts by lawmakers and tech companies to stem flow of these services that create nonconsensual and abusive imagery, new research suggests that 18 of the 85 sites studied could be collectively pulling in up to US$36 million per year and have had a combined average of 18.5 million visitors for each of the past 6 months.
Recent efforts in the US to crack down on these services might start chipping away, but more work is needed globally.
5) A misconfigured database potentially leaked the records of over 1.1 million Texas parents and children.
Near the end of June security researcher Jeremiah Fowler came across a misconfigured database that belonged to Texas-based non-profit Gladney Center for Adoption, and more than 1.1 million exposed records. While he never received a response to his responsible disclosure, hours after his second outreach attempt the database was secured. It's hoped that no one other than Fowler found it.
Reached for comment by the folks at WIRED, the Center stated that it "takes security seriously" but declined to state whether it was notifying affected persons.
6) Update your Google Chrome browser if it hasn't already
On July 16th Google released an update for Google Chrome that addresses half a dozen vulnerabilities. Malicious actors could escape Chrome's sandboxed environment using a specially crafted HTML web page.
To check if Chrome has updates, open Settings and click "About Chrome". If it says "Chrome is up to date" you're covered. Otherwise, it will start downloading the updating and prompt you to relaunch Chrome once it's completed.
7) The privacy focused browser Brave is now blocking Windows Recall from screenshotting your browser activity
Brave has proactively enabled a technical feature that blocks Windows from being able to screenshot its windows.
Windows Recall is a feature available on some newer Windows 11 computers that allows users to search anything they've seen or done on their PC. It accomplishes this by periodically screenshotting your screen and saving it locally on your computer. A widely voiced concern by the security community has been the fact that a compromise of Windows Recall data would expose sensitive information about those who use it due to its (consensual) spying on everything done on that computer.
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) 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 another that works in 150 countries, and 300'ish carriers, which costs $17 for 1GB, $60 for 5GB, and $109 for 10GB…
They also have plans that include 25,GB, 50GB, and even 100GB. Their website is SweatFree.co
11) Update: Telus has now added a 30-day Europe Travel Pass, and all the major carriers are now offering International Travel Passes
Tip: if you're going overseas, make your roaming data last longer by going into your phone's Settings, Cellular, and turning off cellular access for apps that use a lot of data, like YouTube.
Social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and Pinterest also use a lot of data, so you may wish to turn off cellular data for them while you're overseas, and only check in when you're on Wi-Fi.
11a) Telus / Koodo
You have to ask for it or hunt online for it if you want one, but Telus is now offering a 30-day Europe Travel Pass, in addition to their 14-day one, along with a 14-day Asia Travel Pass and 7-day Travel Passes for the USA and Mexico.
The Telus 30-day Europe Travel Pass is $60 — only $10 more than their 14-day one, so just $2 a day, much better than their $16/day roaming rate if you don't have a travel pass! The 14- and 30- day Telus Europe Travel Passes both give you unlimited calling in whatever European country you're in and back to Canada, plus unlimited global texting, and as much data roaming in Europe as you have on your Canada plan. Here are their other Travel Pass rates…
To find the Telus 30-day Europe Travel Pass, sign into your My Telus account on their website or on the My Telus app, go to the Travel tab, type in any European country in the Search box, and scroll down to see the 14-day and 30-day options. These passes are also available to Koodo customers.
11b) Rogers / Fido
Rogers and Fido have four different "Roam Like Home" Travel Pass offerings, for travel to the USA, Europe, Mexico/Caribbean, and International, and in 14-day and 30-day options, and they're offering introductory pricing until the end of September…
Rogers/Fido "Roam Like Home" Europe Travel Passes can be purchased up to 60 days before your trip, and take effect once you arrive in an included European country.
Rogers/Fido also offer Mexico/Caribbean Travel Passes for the same prices ($60 for 14 days or $70 for 30 days), and they work in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Island, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Saba, St. Barts (Saint Barthelemy), St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos.
They also now offer International Travel passes, which work in 185 countries…
Rogers/Fido have USA Travel Passes for $50 for 14 days or $60 for 30 days, and yes, they include Hawaii and Alaska, as well as Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix)
11c) Bell / Virgin Plus
Bell and Virgin Plus have started offering a 14-day European "Roam Sweet Roam" Travel Pass, as well as a 7-day Mexico/Caribbean Travel Pass…
- Seven-day Caribbean and Mexico roaming – $70
- 14-day European roaming – $70
Bell and Virgin Plus do not currently offer a USA Travel Pass; they charge $13/day for the USA, and $16/day for other countries.
Bell's budget brand, Virgin Plus, also sells a Data Travel Pass which gives you a bucket of data (but no calling or texting) which you can use when outside Canada.
11d) Freedom Mobile
Canada's 4th national carrier, Quebec-based Freedom Mobile, includes Canada/USA/Mexico calling and roaming in almost all of their plans, plus "Roam Beyond" service at no extra cost that lets you use your phone just like here, in more than 120 countries.
Freedom has three plans from which to choose, each with a different amount of "Roam Beyond" data…
If you're only planning one or two international trips in the next few months or year, you can save money by going on a cheaper Canada/US/Mexico plan from Freedom Mobile, and then buy a 30-day "Roam Beyond" travel pass just before you head overseas. Freedom has a choice of two options:
- $30 for 5GB of 5G data good in 120+ countries + unlimited calls within a country and back home
- $50 for 10GB of 5G data good in 120+ countries + unlimited calls within a country and back home
These passes work on both Canada-only and Canada/USA/Mexico plans.
12) Telus has introduced a new five-year "price lock" which includes $5/day international roaming
If u buy a new phone through Telus, the company is now promising not to change the monthly rate you pay for five years…
Your phone will continue to be paid-off over two years, after which your bill will drop to just the monthly service fee plus taxes. Telus says in the fine print that prices for other features, add-ons, and pay-per-use rates — for example, Easy Roam — are not guaranteed during the price lock. The price guarrantee will cease to apple if you change plans.
13) Samsung has launched the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 and Fold7, which are now available for purchase
The Fold7 comes with a 200MP camera and an 8-inch screen that allows you to have up to three windows open at a time. The Flip7 comes with a 50MP rear camera and a 6.9-inch display, an improvement from the Flip6's 6.7-inches.
15) Apple has been continuing to redesign Liquid Glass after its poor public perception
Apple has significantly toned down its total UI overhaul for devices since it debuted on June 9th at Apple's World Wide Developer Conference. The public beta for macOS Tahoe 26 is here, but early signs suggest it's, as The Verge put it, "a snoozer". They felt that Liquid Glass feels "desperate, like Apple was fishing for ways to freshen things up for the sake of doing something different" and to distract from Apple Intelligence's lacklustre performance.
17) Apple's "Hearing Test" and "Hearing Aids" feature in iPods Pro 2 now available in 13 more countries — but still not here in Canada
In September 2024, Apple introduced a slate of new, clinical-grade hearing aid and hearing aid features to the AirPods Pro 2. The features included a hearing health test, allowing AirPods Pro 2 to function as hearing aids, which Apple calls "clinical grade" for moderate hearing loss.
Apple has now expanded the list of countries that can use these features, adding 13 more countries for a total of 169 countries.
Canada is one of the few countries not yet on the list because health is a provincial responsibility, and health authorities across the country have not yet given their approval. Companies that sell hearing aids stand to lose a lot of business once Airpods Pro 2 can be used as hearing aids, and they're lobbying hard to keep the approval from being given.
Here's the official explanation from the BC Ministry of Health…
When the Ministry contemplates regulatory scope of practice changes (including the removal of restricted activities), significant policy work is required to support any possible changes, including:
- cross-jurisdictional scans of present issues and labour mobility;
- extensive consultation with stakeholders, including the public and other health regulators;
- assessment of the financial implications to the patient and government;
- assessment against other Ministry regulatory priorities (e.g. opioid crisis);
- safety and implications of the service for the public, if the service is provided by an unregulated provider.
Since the intended purpose of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 hearing features may be to treat hearing conditions, the use of this product for this purpose may be considered a restricted activity under the Speech and Hearing Health Professionals Regulation in BC. Currently, the Ministry is not engaged in policy work to consider removal of restricted activities in BC, including in relation to dispensing of wearable hearing instruments.
Here's the current list of countries from Apple…
18) BC woman inundated with calls about a missing cat after her phone number was in a poster printed on T-shirts sold online
Wisdumb NY sells clothing with designs like this one stylized to look like a missing cat poster…
The problem is, the Phone number on the sweatshirt (blanked-out in the image above) is a real phone number — it belongs to Natasha Lavoie of Surrey, and for the past year, she's been getting several calls a day from people who claim they've found her lost cat. Her cat is not missing.
Some phone numbers have been set aside in North America for fictional use, all starting with the number 555. The use of 555 started when TV shows and films started using phone numbers more frequently in their plot lines, and attached to those numbers complaints about prank phone calls. Phone companies reserved 555-0100 through to 555-0199 for fictional use.
But, like Wisdumb, not everyone uses those 555 numbers; Netflix was forced to edit a phone number in the series Squid Game after a South Korean woman was deluged with calls in 2021. In 2009, the same thing happened when rapper Soulja Boy featured a U.K. family's phone number in a song.
Wisdumb says clothing with Natasha's number on it is no longer being sold, although their website still shows other missing cat poster t-shirts and sweatshirts with other 604 area code numbers.
CBC
B.C. couple dodging dozens of calls about their missing cat — but their cat isn't missing | CBC News
After many months of trying to figure out why this was happening, Jonathan McCurrach asked a caller how they got their number. The caller explained the number was listed on a shirt styled to look like a missing cat poster.
19) In a survey conducted by the non-profit Global Witness, Facebook ranks the worst for online harassment.
Global Witness tracks the murders of environmental activists. It surveyed more than 200 people between November 2024 and March this year, finding that around 62% of respondents encountered abuse on Facebook. WhatsApp and Instagram fared better, with 36% and 26%, respectively.
20) Anker has "paused" sales of 3D printers indefinitely
The brand best known for its chargers had spun out its 3D printer business to an "independent sub-brand" back in March. A spokesperson was unable to confirm if sales will ever resume or if new models will ever be released.
21) An Arizona woman has been sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for orchestrating a complex cyber fraud
The fraud allowed North Korean operatives to pose as Americans and get IT jobs at hundreds of US companies, including those in the Fortune 500. The scheme used 68 stolen identities and defrauded more than 300 businesses out of more than $17 million in revenue.
CNN
Arizona woman sentenced in North Korean tech worker scheme | CNN
A woman in Arizona was sentenced Thursday to more than 8 years in prison for orchestrating a complex fraud scheme to help North Korean cyber operatives pose as Americans and obtain remote IT jobs at hundreds of US companies, including Fortune 500 corporations.
22) Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones turns 82 today
Mick celebrates his 82nd with his youngest son, Deveraux ("Devi") (left)
23) Safe charging tips for lithium-ion batteries
In light of recent local news about a fire involving lithium-ion batteries, a listener asked us how to select a charger. According to Health Canada, only use chargers that have one of the recognized Canadian certification marks, such as: CSA, cUL, cETL. You can find more at the link below.
25) 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.
"Bonjour" from Alan, who's in Paris with his wife Suzanne, reuniting with some of their former international homestay students!
L-R; Alan, Martina from Barcelona, Majo from Mexico, Romina and Meral from Switzerland, Sanja from Germany, and Suzanne. Martina, Romina, Meral, and Sanja are friends who Majo made at Parkland Secondary in Sidney where they were all international students last year. Paris was an easy and affordable place for them to reunite, with Alan and Suzanne as their chaperones!
They were very impresed by the restoration of Cathèdrale Notre-Dame de Paris, and by the views from the (free) La Terrasse observation deck atop Les Galeries Lafayette department store…
They also got to meet-up with Emma from Germany, who was Majo's other homestay student in Sidney; Emma and her boyfriend Domi were in Paris as part of a year-end school trip, and spotted them from a bridge overlooking their Seine river cruise! They later all toured L'Arc de Triomphe together.
Alan and Suzanne, along with Majo, will be touring Germany with Emma and her family in 10 days, after visiting their student from this year, Klàra, and her family in Prague, Czechia, next week.
Check-out the pet cat who keeps the rats out of a small supermarket in the St. Michel area of Paris…
The cuisine in Paris is incredible, with fresh croissants for less than €1 and their favourite, a Croque Monsieur, which is a large grilled and buttered ham and cheese sandwich with melted cheese also on top, just €2.5 and about to be eaten here outside The Louvre…
Alan says one of the highlights was being in the crowd to watch the Eiffel Tower start twinkling, which it does for the first five minutes of every hour after sunset, viewed here from atop the Trocadéro…
Paris hosts about 400,000 visitors a day in August, but Alan and Suzanne say the only area that really seemed crowded, and even then only in the middle of the day, was the beautiful Montmartre area topped by Basilica Sacrè-Coeur…
To mark Suzanne's birthday on Thursday night, she and Alan and Majo and Sanja from Germany went on a wonderful "No Diet Club" walking food tour in the Montmartre area, led by guide Celia, here serving fresh-based smoked sourdough sandwiches…
Before splitting-up with full tumies, Alan, the girls, Celia, and the other tour participants from New Zealand and the USA serenaded Suzanne with Happy Birthday in French ("Joyeux Anniversaire")…
Alan's tips for visiting Paris:
- Bring a stamp-sized colour picture of yourself (or pay €5 to have one taken), and use it to buy a week-long Paris Metro pass at the airport for €33.50, which gives you unlimited use of the 16 Metro train lines and 330+ bus routes. Alan, Suzanne and the girls have used theirs extensively!
- Bring a couple of pairs of good shoes! Visiting Paris requires a lot of walking, as shown in the step-count in the Health app on Alan's iPhone…
- Cathèdrale Notre-Name tickets are free, and are released in batches of 500 on the Notre-Dame website precisely at the top of each hour, and are all gone usually within three minutes! There is a standby line, but it's usually a one- to two- hour wait. Notre-Dame is also open Thursdays till 10pm. Note: no shorts, and shoulders must be covered.
- If you don't have Europe roaming on your phone plan, Orange will sell you a Holiday Tourist SIM card or eSIM which will give you 100GB of data + unlimited calling in Europe for 30 days, plus unlimited global texting, and 2000 minutes of calling non-European contries including Canada, all for €50. If you just want data, Bouygues Telecom has kiosks at the airport where for €30, you can get 60G of data good for 30 days, or 60GB for €39.
- Paris is filled with superb places to eat, but if you want to be sure that their bread and croissants were baked on-site an not somewhere else, go to a boulangerie. Same for pastries bought at a patisserie.
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
And so it goes…