Jan. 3 & 4, 2026 Show Notes
World Junior Hockey Championship Finals Weekend Edition
🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon PT
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm on C-FAX
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
Your crew this weekend:
Chris Beveridge
Co-Host
Operations Manager, Tesseract Computers
Store +1 778-430-5099
1) Watch out for scam pop-ups that claim your phone has been damaged by viruses…
The pop-ups (as shown in the screenshots below) say your phone has been damaged by viruses, and urge you to install a free app to fix the problem. One version claims you were infected by visiting adult websites. The second one, which appears on iPhones, looks like a pop-up over top of your home screen, and includes the real Apple Settings logo plus a two-minute countdown timer to create a sense of urgency.
A similar one claims to be from Apple Security and says your connection has been hacked and someone is tracking you, and urges you to install a free app to fix the problem...
Other similar ones aimed at Android users also claim your phone has been badly infected.
In all of these cases, your device has NOT been damaged or infected. It's scam. You were hit with a pop-up ad from an app or were tricked into clicking on a link that took you to a scam web-page.
If you were to click on the "Protect Connection" or "Repair Now" button, it'd take you to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and a free app (this one is called Trust-Access)…
What's the scam? Trust-Access, and a rotating list of similar other apps, are harmless free apps, but they come with a free three-day trial which then charges you $19.95 a month USD unless you cancel it! The scammers are gambling that if you do cancel it, it'll be after they got their first $20 out of you.
They avoid getting caught because they delete the app from the app store almost weekly (before anyone can post a review that it's a scam), and replace it with one with a different name. And because apps like these are not harmful to your device, it's hard for Apple or Google to detect that they're being used for subscription scamming.
NEVER install apps on the basis of a pop-up screen like this one!
You can make the message go away by simply closing your web-browser, or in the case of the iPhone home screen pop-up, by tapping on the small "x" in the upper-right corner of the screen, or, by re-starting your device.
And if you do install a subscription app and don't realize that till after your free trial is over, contact Apple or Google and they'll almost always refund your first subscription fee.
Here's how for Apple device users…
…and here's how for Android device users…
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2) Watch out for scam texts that appear to be from BMO
The texts include the BMO logo as shown in the screenshot, and claim to be a security alert about unauthorized transactions…
To make the text seem more authentic, the message refers to your card starting in 5510 29 — but in fact, all BMO client cards start with those digits!
The text is followed immediately by a second text with a link they want you to tap on…
If you tap on that link, it takes you to a CAPTCHA page where you have to tap on all the correct squares to prove you're not a computer…
If you do that, it next takes you to a fake BMO log-in page (hosted on a server in New Brunswick!), where the scammers are hoping you'll give them your BMO client card number, and password…
Even if you do give the scammers your card number and password, the scammers know that BMO won't give them access to your account without a second level of verification, for your ptrotection.
They're gambling, though, that you use the same password for other accounts like your email, so they can get into that and then trigger and intercept a password reset email and get access to your money and other accounts that way.
NEVER tap or click on texts or emails like this!
3a) Watch out for fake Costco rebate texts
Now that the new year has started, so has the annual flood of Costco rebate scams!
The texts, like the one screenshotted here, appear to come from a number in Quebec (819 area code), and include a link they want you to click on to get your 2% Costco member rebate…
First of all, Costco rebate cheques are sent by postal mail to your home address — they're not texted.
However, if you don't know that and click on the link, it takes you to a security screen that asks you to click on all the squares with a specific item in them to prove you're not a robot, just as in the BMO scam above. Once you do that, it takes you to a (fake) Costco reward redemption page which asks you to click on the icon for your bank or credit union, and then it takes you to a (fake but real-looking) log-in page for that bank or credit union.
If you type in your user name/card # and password, you'll be giving overseas scammers direct access to your bank account!
NEVER click on links in texts or emails like this!
3b) Watch out for scam Costco emails offering $2/year memberships
The emails, which look like the screenshot here, are coming from email accounts in Germany (.de), and say you can save 95% if you answer three questions.
If you hover your mouse over the "Claim Now" button on the actual email (or hold your finger on the button on a phone or tablet), you'll see that button will take you to a fake Costco webpage (footballswap.de) also in Germany.
Answer three basic demographic questions and you'll be taken to a (fake) Costco membership renewal page, where they'll want you to give them your membership number and password, plus your credit card info to pay the "$2 loyalty discount renewal fee".
If you give them that info, they'll try to buy things on your Costco account, and at the same time, they'll start racking-up fake charges on your credit card.
NEVER click on links in emails like this!
5) PornHub hit by ransomware, with hackers threatening to release Premium members' pre-2021 activity if hefty ransom is not paid
Adult video platform PornHub is being extorted by the ShinyHunters extortion gang after the pre-2021 search and watch history of its Premium members was stolen in a recent Mixpanel data breach.
Mixpanel a third-party data analytics provider, suffered a breach on November 8th, 2025, after an SMS phishing (smishing) attack enabled threat actors to compromise its systems.
PornHub says this was not a breach of Pornhub Premium's systems. Passwords, payment details, and financial information remain secure and were not exposed. And because PornHub has not worked with Mixpanel since 2021, it says the stolen records are from 2021 or earlier.
ShinyHunters have now started extorting Mixpanel customers, sending emails that began with "We are ShinyHunters" and warned that their stolen data would be published if a ransom was not paid.
In an extortion demand sent to PornHub, ShinyHunters claims it stole 94GB of data containing over 200 million records of personal information in the Mixpanel breach.
Tech Deals this weekend
Freedom Mobile has extended their Boxing Week deals through this weekend! They're offering $39/70GB and $40/100GB with Canada/U.S./Mexico use, with activation fees waived, and is also offering for the first time, a $35/100GB Canada/USA (no Mexico) plan…and all of these rates are guaranteed to not increase as long as you stay on the same plan…
Freedom is also still offering new phones for free, on two-year plans that range from $35/month to $75/month.
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) How to watch the World Junior Hockey Championship Finals
Team Canada is into the semi-finals of the World Junior Hockey Campionships, which are taking place in the “Twin Cities” of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota — the first time the tournament has been in the USA since 2018, when Team Canada took home gold in Buffalo.
Here is the remaining schedule for Team Canada:
- Semifinal #2 against Czechia: Sunday, January 4, 5:30 PM PT
- Bronze Medal (if we lose): Monday, January 5 at 1:30 PM PT
- Gold Medal (if we win): Monday, January 5 at 5:30 PM PT
Once again, all of the World Junior games will be broadcast on TSN (and in French on RDS).
If you no longer subscribe to cable TV, you can watch on the TSN+ app for $8/month.
We're also carrying all of Team Canada's games on C-FAX 1070, and if you're outside the C-FAX listening area, you can listen from anywhere in the world on the free Radio Garden app, or on the web at Radio.Garden.
12) Telus customers can now access CBC Gem Premium for free
If you're a Telus or Koodo customer with a Stream+ bundle, you now have access to CBC Gem Premium at no extra cost. For Telus customers who don't pay for a Stream+ bundle, CBC Gem Premium can be purchased as a standalone add-on through Telus for $5.99 per month plus tax.
CBC Gem is CBC’s digital video streaming service. While the basic version is free and ad-supported, the Premium tier allows for ad-free video-on-demand, early access to exclusive programming, and a live stream of the CBC News Network.
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
Telus Customers Can Get CBC Gem Premium for Free–Here’s How | iPhone in Canada
Telus customers can now access CBC Gem Premium through the company's Stream+ bundles for free. If you are a Telus or Koodo customer with a Stream+ bundle, you automatically have access to CBC Gem Premium at no extra cost. For those not on a bundle, the service can be purchased as a standalone add-on through
13) One streaming service will actually lower its fees in 2026
In a rare move for a streaming service, Fubo has announced that it’s lowering the prices for some of its subscription plans!
The sports-focused vMVPD (Virtual Multi-channel Video Programming Distributor, or a company that enables people to watch traditional TV channels live over the Internet) has announced that monthly prices for some of its “Live TV” subscription plans, which include hundreds of channels, including non-sports ones like FX and The Disney Channel, will be up to 15%.
The new pricing starts with bill cycle dates on or after January 1, 2026.
One of the reasons for the rate cut is that NBC Universal has pulled all their networks from Fubo.
Here are the new prices:
- Essential: $74 per month (previously $85/month)
- Pro: $75/month (previously $85/month)
- Elite: $84/month (previously $95/month)
14) SpaceX is about to lower the earth orbit of its 9,000 Starlink internet satellites, to make space safer
SpaceX is making a major change to its Starlink satellite constellation in an effort to further improve safety in low Earth orbit. The company says it'll begin lowering its growing network of more than 9,000 Starlink satellites to lower operational orbits (from 550KM above the earth's surface to 480km above) this year, a move aimed at reducing debris risk and speeding up deorbit timelines if a satellite ever fails.
Michael Nicolls on Twitter / X
Starlink is beginning a significant reconfiguration of its satellite constellation focused on increasing space safety. We are lowering all @Starlink satellites orbiting at ~550 km to ~480 km (~4400 satellites) over the course of 2026. The shell lowering is being tightly…— Michael Nicolls (@michaelnicollsx) January 1, 2026
15) Unlike GM, Ford is sticking with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Ford has confirmed that Apple CarPlay will remain available in its vehicles alongside Ford’s own digital systems.
Ford says it recognizes that many drivers enjoy CarPlay, and Ford wants to preserve that experience for them as new vehicles are rolled out. This announcement comes at a time when some other major automakers are reducing their reliance on third-party smartphone interfaces.
Ford’s cross-town rival General Motors has already opted to phase out both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its future electric vehicles, choosing instead to push its own software platform for infotainment and navigation functions.
Ford says it's planning to introduce additional technology in the coming years, including adding Google’s Gemini AI platform into its vehicles when it becomes available for vehicles later this year.
16) Jump+ is about to become a new Apple Authorized Service Centre here in Victoria (and is in other Canadian cities, too)
Jump+ is about to open in Mayfair Centre here in Victoria, and is open now in Park Royal in West Vancouver, as an "Apple Premium Partner", which is the highest tier of Apple‑authorized retail outside Apple’s own stores.
The Canadian-owned company is targeting cities that don't have an Apple store, and now has stores in Calgary and Edmonton, a bunch in Ontario, and in Fredricton & Moncton in New Brunswick, and in St. John's in Newfoundland & Labrador.
Jump+ offers one service that London Drugs and other Apple Authorized Service Centres do not: you can pay $90 extra to get same-day Express Service on a Mac computer…
Jump+ also sells the full line of Apple products, including iPhones with activations on all the major carriers. Their website is JumpPlus.com.
Until they open here in Victoria, the four London Drugs stores here are all Apple Authorized Service Centres, and so is Simply Computing in Oak Bay.
17a) Nvidia has become a major investor in chip-maker Intel
Graphics-card-maker Nvidia has finalized a substantial investment in rival chipmaker Intel by acquiring $5 billion USD worth of Intel common stock.
Nvidia and Intel now intend to work together on designing and building advanced chips for both data centers and consumer devices. Intel will develop custom x86 central processing units tailored to Nvidia’s AI infrastructure platforms, while Intel plans to produce integrated system on chips for personal computers that bring together its CPUs with Nvidia’s RTX technology.
This partnership comes at a critical moment for Intel, which has faced financial and competitive pressures in recent years. The company’s aggressive investments in expanding its manufacturing capacity and modernizing its chip fabrication facilities have strained margins and weighed on profitability. The $5 billion investment from Nvidia provides Intel with a significant capital boost.
For Nvidia, the investment also represents a strategic expansion into the broader CPU ecosystem. Traditionally known for its leadership in graphics processing units and AI accelerators, Nvidia stands to benefit from closer ties to Intel’s x86 architecture and manufacturing expertise.
17b) Nvidia is also bailing-out former phone-making giant Nokia with a $1 billion USD investment
Nokia has entered a new phase of its long corporate journey after securing a landmark $1 billion USD AI partnership with Nvidia, marking a significant moment in Nokia’s post-smartphone era revival.
Once the maker of mobile phones that dominated global markets, Nokia is now reshaping its future around intelligent networks, data processing and next generation connectivity.
The Finnish company struggled for relevance after the smartphone revolution reshaped consumer expectations. Apple and Google powered platforms changed how people interacted with mobile devices, and Nokia’s slow response to that shift led to a rapid decline in its handset business.
The eventual exit from phone manufacturing left many questioning whether the brand could ever regain its former influence in global technology.
Rather than fading away, Nokia spent the past decade rebuilding quietly. It focused its attention on telecommunications infrastructure, supplying network equipment to mobile operators and investing heavily in research that supports faster and more reliable connectivity. This transformation did not deliver instant results, but it laid the foundation for a strategic pivot that is now gaining renewed attention from investors and industry leaders.
That renewed interest surged after Nvidia agreed to a $1 billion investment that ties the chip giant closely to Nokia’s future direction. The deal is more than a financial endorsement. It represents a strategic alignment between two companies that see artificial intelligence becoming central to how networks are built and managed.
Nvidia brings its expertise in advanced computing and AI processing, while Nokia contributes decades of experience in telecom systems that support global data flows.
20) 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.
21) Kathryn's dinosaur item of the week: thousands of 210-million-year old dinosaur footprints discovered in Italy
We took our Grade 10 international homestay students — Natsuki from Osaka in Japan and Sofía from Madrid in Spain — to Long Beach for New Year's, along with our good friends Rick and Zack — and the weather was awesome!
The New Year's Eve community fireworks at Tis-Wis Beach in Tofino drew a big crowd…
…and at Noon on New Year's Day, we, along with many locals and visitors, took in the annual Polar Bear Swim — and Sofía bravely joined us in racing (briefly) into the 8⁰ Pacific Ocean!
Sofía enjoyed it, except she said she quickly lost feeling in her legs!
We also hiked Ucluelet's beautiful and rugged Wild Pacific Trail…
…and explored the main Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (all National Parks and National Historic Sites remain free, by the way, until January 15th)…
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
at Chesterman Beach in Tofino…
And so it goes…