Feb. 21 & 22, 2026 Show Notes
Winter Olympics / Lunar New Year / Weekend Edition
Way to go,
Team Canada!
🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon PT
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm on C-FAX
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
Your crew this weekend:
Berle Zwaan
just-retired Saanich Police Fraud Squad officer, and founder of Outsmart The Scammer Fraud Prevention Society
1) Watch out for scam texts suggesting BC Hydro has over-billed you
The texts, as shown in the screenshot from Peter, suggest that BC Hydro has over-billed you, and encourage you to click a link to find out if you're eligible to get a refund.
The link goes to a fake BC Hydro webpage — which has since been taken down — and asks you to log-in to see if you have a rebate.
No matter what info you provide, you'll be told that you are indeed eligible for a rebate of about $140 and you're given a list of banks and credit unions, and encouraged to click on yours.
If you do, you'll be taken to a fake (but real-looking log-in page for your bank or credit union.
If you put in your account info, most banks won't let you or anyone into an account for the first time without 2FA (two-factor autnentication), but the hackers are hoping you use the same password for your email account, so they can get into that and then get the two-factor code from your bank, so they can then get into your bank account and start stealing your money.
NEVER click on links in texts like this!
BC Hydro says it will NEVER text you about your account.
2) If you're a retired nurse, watch out for scams texts about money coming to you from the BCNU's Retiree Benefit Program
Retired nurses here in BC are getting a RBP benefit payment that could be up to $5,500.
The program postal-mailed out a letter to retirees about five weeks ago, advising of the impending payment and urging retirees to update their auto-deposit info if necessary.
But now, scammers who somehow appear to have got the membership list, are sending similar texts to retirees, with a scam link which they're urged to tap on to update their banking info.
Like the scam above, the link in the text takes you to a page displaying the names and logos of all the banks and credit unions, and instructs you to click on yours, and then sign in.
If you put in your account info, most banks won't let you or anyone into an account for the first time without 2FA (two-factor autnentication), but the hackers are hoping you use the same password for your email account, so they can get into that and then get the two-factor code from your bank, so they can then get into your bank account and start stealing your money.
NEVER click on links in texts like this!
3) Watch out for scam phone calls claiming to be from Amazon advising that they've placed a 'hold' on a suspicious iPhone order
Here's a transcript of one of the scam calls…
If you were to have answered the call, and pressed either 1 or 2, you'd be connected to a call-centre in India, where someone claiming to be Amazon Customer Support would offer to help you cancel the order and unlock your account.
As part of doing that, they'd instruct you to log-into your Amazon account on your computer, and then let them share access so they could 'fix' the problem.
They'd then manipulate your screen so you'd see the scam order, and they'd then use your account to order gift cards which they would instantly redeem, without you realizing it.
NEVER interact with calls (or texts or emails) like this!
If there's a problem with your Amazon account, you'll be advised of that, the next time you go to use your account.
4) Be very suspicious if you get a text that appears to be from a service which you use, alerting you to a supposedly suspicious attempt to sign into your account, like the one below…
…if you send the sender the six-digit code from a separate text message, you're giving the hackers access to your account -- and they'll immediately change the password and lock you out, and then use your account to rack up charges or to pose as you to contact your friends and try to scam them.
NEVER send a reset code to anyone.
It's common to be asked to enter a code on a website or app if you've forgotten your password, but no-one legitimate will ever ask you to text or email them a code they sent you.
5) Watch out for scam emails claiming to be from Disney+
The emails (as shown in the screenshot below) look real, but are actually coming from info@mountain.com — which is NOT Disney…
The scammers are hoping you'll tap or click on the Update Payment Method button, but if you do, you'll be taken to a fake Disney+ log-in page hosted at user.dashboard-plans.com…
Using a site like HostingChecker.com, you can discover that that is not a Disney website, but a scam one hosted in the East-European nation of Moldova!
The scammers are hoping you'll give them your email address and Disney+ password, so…
1) they'll be able to sell that info so others can use your subscription.
2) they're hoping the password you use for Disney+ is the samne password you use for your email account and other accounts like Facebook, so they can steal your identity and then your money.
NEVER click on links in emails (or texts) like the one at the top of this post!
If you want to check the status of a subscription, open the app for that service, or go directly to their website, which in this case, would be DisneyPlus.com/en-ca
Tech Deals This Weekend
Public Mobile and Freedom Mobile are now both offering $40/100GB and $50/150GB plans through March 2, with international calling bonuses
Public Mobile, which is the self-serve budget carrier owned by Telus, is offering two cut-rate plans for the next 10 days, which both include Canada/USA/Mexico calling and data-roaming.
The plans are $40/month for 100GB/month of 5G data in Canada/US/Mexico and $50/month for 150GB/month 5G data in Canada/USA/Mexico. Both include unlimited calling and unlimited international texting, plus 500 monthly long-distance minutes to China, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, and the UK on the $40/month plan and 1000 monthly minutes on the $50 plan.
In response, Quebec-based Freedom Mobile has lowered its prices to match…
- $40 month for 100GB/month 5G Canada/US/Mexico (regular $49)
- $50/month for 150GB/month 5G Canada/US/Mexico (regular $59)
- $60/month for 200GB/month 5G Canada/US/Mexico (regular $69)
- $70/month for 250GB/month 5G Canada/US/Mexico (regular $79)
Freedom's plans also include a Lunar New Year bonus of 888 minutes of international calling to numbers in Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UK.
I'd recommend Freedom over Public Mobile for two reasons: Public Mobile is self-serve online only and ytou can't call them, you can only message them, while Freedom has stores across Canada and you can call them 24/7. Also, as part of Freedom customers get to roam seamlessly at no cost onto Rogers, Telus, and Bell towers when they're beyond the range of a Freedom tower, so you get superb coverage.
Upcoming Tech Workshops
- Wednesday, Feb. 25, Noon-2pm — "Outsmart The Scammer" workshop with BerleZwaan at Shawnigan Lake Community Centre. $15. Register here.
- Saturday, Feb. 28, 1:30-3:30pm — "Staying Safe Online" interactive workshop with Alan Perry & Gary Beyer at Tesseract Computers. $50. Register at Learning.TesseractComputers.com
- Thursday, March 5, 1-2:30pm — "Outsmart The Scammer" workshop with Berle Zwaan at Gordon Head Rec Centre. FREE. Register by calling 250-475-7600. Program 152107.
- Wednesday, March 18, 5:30-7:30pm — "Outsmart The Scammer" workshop with Berle Zwaan at Saanich South Constituency Office. FREE. Register by calling 250-479-4176 or emailing LanaPopham.MLA@leg.bc.ca
- Monday, April 13, 6:30-8:30pm — "Outsmart The Scammer" workshop with Berle Zwaan at Cowichan Community Centre. $15. Register by calling RecCowichan at +1 (250) 748-7529, course #107833
- Monday, April 29, 7-9pm — "Outsmart The Scammer" workshop with Berle Zwaan at Saanich Commonwealth Place. FREE. Register by calling 250-475-7600. Program 152133.
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) Apple will be showcasing new devices on March 4, but may actually announce them in the days before the event
Apple is having an invite-only event not at Apple Park, but instead a joint event in New York City, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4.
Several analysts expect the event will be a showcase for a new entry-level iPhone 17e, a new base-model iPad, and a new M5-powered MacBook Pro, which they think Apple will announce early next week, before the event itself.
Malcolm Owen at AppleInsider.com has a rundown of what's expected, and not expected…
11) Google's new entry-level Pixel 10a has been released: $679 CAD
Google has officially taken the wraps off its latest entry-level ‘affordable’ smartphone, the Pixel 10a, which is the successor to last year’s Pixel 9a.
Holding the same $679 CAD starting point as the Pixel 9a, the new model sticks to the A-series formula of offering flagship features at a more accessible price point.
The Pixel 10a features a refined design with a completely flat back and a camera bar that sits completely flush with the body (not a tiny bump this time). The camera lens cover is made of glass. Google is also highlighting durability this year, using Gorilla Glass 7i for the display and maintaining an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The phone is powered by the same Tensor G4 chip found in the flagship Pixel 10 and includes 7 years of guaranteed software and security updates (just like the Pixel 9a got).
One of the most notable upgrades is the battery performance. The Pixel 10a now supports faster wired charging (30W), plus supports 10W wireless charging and is rated for more than 30 hours of battery life on a single charge. The 6.3-inch Actua display is also about 11% brighter than the previous generation, making it easier to see in direct sunlight.
To keep the price down, Google says the 10a uses the Tensor G4 chip rather than the faster upcoming G5, but stresses that the Pixel 10a does still have flagship AI tools like Circle to Search, Magic Editor, and Auto Best Take.
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
Google’s Pixel 10a is Official: Here’s Specs and Canadian Pricing | iPhone in Canada
Google has officially taken the wraps off its latest entry-level ‘affordable' smartphone, the Pixel 10a, which is the successor to last year's Pixel 9a. Starting at $679 CAD again, the new model sticks to the A-series formula of offering flagship features at a more accessible price point. The Pixel 10a features a refined design with
12) Samsung will be unveiling their new Galaxy S26 phone lineup and more at an event next Wednesday, the 25th
Invitations have been sent-out for the latest annual "Samsung Unpacked" event for next Wednesday, but if the leaks are any indication, the new devices won't be a big deal.
Indications are trhat the S26 lineup will be getting a faster processor, a slightly-bigger battery, and possibly better noise reduction for cleaning-up photos, and that's about it.
13) Starting in October, you'll have to pay 7% PST on cable TV and home phone services here in BC
The BC goverment's new budget unveiled this week eliminates the 7% sales tax exemption on cable TV and home phone services, effective October 1.
Some professional services that are currently exempt from PST will also lose those exemptions:
- Accounting services, including bookkeeping and assurance services
- Architectural services and engineering and geoscience services
- Security services, including private investigation services
- Non-residential real estate services, including commissions related to buying and selling non-residential real estate, rental property management services and strata management services
With home phone service on the way out, this is a good time to consider cancelling yours before the 7% increase takes effect this fall! If you want to hold onto your home phone number, in most cases, you can port it over to a mobile phone.
14a) Two new cellphone acronyms to learn: 5G NSA and VoNR
Because of the high demand for 5G mobile tower gear, and the limited availability due to Huawei gear being banned here in Canada, carriers are finding creative ways to provide faster speeds to their customers.
Quebec-based Vidéotron, the owners of Freedom Mobile and their budget brand Fizz, have made a deal with Samsung to start retrofitting some of their 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) towers with 5G NSA gear.
NSA stands for Non-Stand Alone, and it's basically a stepping-stone between 4G LTE and full standalone (SA) 5G.
5G NSA typically uses a 4G LTE core for signal with a 5G layer on top for data connection, allowing carriers to deploy 5G faster while reusing existing LTE towers. 5G towers usually need to be closer together, so not only do the carriers have to buy new gear, but they also have to build new towers and getting new locations approved can be time-consuming. By deploying 5G NSA gear from Samsung, they can avoid that, and provide faster speeds than 4G LTE, although not as fast as 5G SA.
Carriers and phone-makers are also taking advantage of 5G NSA by enabling VoNR switching…
VoNR stands for Voice over New Radio.
This new carrier update allows compatible devices to stay on the 5G NSA network during voice calls rather than dropping down to 4G LTE.
VoNR calls over 5G NSA have higher quality.
When iOS 26.4 is released next month, there'l be a new Voice Over 5G Standalone toggle switch.
Telus is among the Canadian carriers that are rollling-out VoNR compatibility, and they expect to have it complete by the time VoNR is built into iPhone and Android operating systems this spring.
14b) If you want to see what carriers have towers where, try the free Cell Towers Canada app by Ison Solutions
It's available for free for both iPhones/iPads and for Android devices.
On a computer, you can check out SCADACore's Canadian Cell Towers map…
15) If you want to know precisely what time it is, install the free Atomic Clock app
The app, which was created by Timo Partl, synchronizes with atomic time servers, such as the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) server in Boulder, Colorado.
If you want, you can turn-on a top-of-the-minute or top-of-the-hour countdown.
It's available for free for iPhones/iPads and Android devices, but has ads. You can upgrade to an ad-free version which also unlocks a myriad of additional clock-faces for a one-time fee of $10.
It's also available as a free app for Windows 11 computers…
Microsoft Store - Download apps, games & more for your Windows PC
AtomicClock • Clock with NTP Time - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store
Ever wanted to know exact current time to celebrate someone's birthday or New Year's Eve? Or simply to synchronize clocks? AtomicClock provides exact times based on NTP servers which are getting their time directly from atomic clocks! • Current time in correct time format • Analog & digital clock • Choose from different time servers • Acoustic ticking & Greenwich Time Signal (GTS) • Choose between different clock faces • Select any timezone or UTC • Picture-in-picture overlay window • Windows 1
16) Major League Soccer (MLS) games are now all free to stream for Apple TV subcribers
The 2026 MLS season kicks off this weekend, and you no longer have to buy a MLS Season Pass to watch the games.
All MLS games, including the payoffs, are now available (with no blackouts) for no extra cost to everyone who has an Apple TV subscription, which currently costs $15/month (with a seven day free trial).
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
How to Stream Every MLS Match for Free in Canada Starting This Saturday | iPhone in Canada
Major League Soccer returns this Saturday, February 21, for its 31st season, and Canadian fans will notice a significant change in how they watch (Apple announced last fall about the change). Starting this year, the standalone MLS Season Pass has been retired, with all matches now included directly in a standard Apple TV subscription at
17) Google's Gemini AI can now turn a photo or text into a custom music track
Google is adding a major new feature to its Gemini AI assistant that lets you generate custom 30-second music tracks just by typing a description or uploading a photo. The tool uses a new model called Lyria 3, which is rolling out in beta to help people create fun, short songs for sharing with friends.
Unlike older AI music tools, this one doesn’t require you to write your own lyrics; Gemini handles the songwriting, vocals, and melody for you based on whatever vibe you describe. You can ask for something specific like a “comical R&B slow jam about a sock finding their match,” or even upload a photo of your dog on a hike to get a custom track that fits the mood of the image. Pretty cool.
The process is designed to be quick and easy for anyone to use. You simply head to the Gemini app or website and describe a genre, memory, or inside joke. Within seconds, the AI creates a high-quality track complete with custom cover art. Once the song is ready, you can download it or send a share link directly to your friends.
To keep things transparent, every song generated by the app includes an invisible digital watermark called SynthID. This helps people identify that the audio was made with AI (because we can’t believe anything anymore, nowadays!). You can even upload an audio file to Gemini and ask if it was made by Google, and the system will check for that watermark.
You can try it out on the Gemini app or at Gemini.Google.com/app
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
Gemini Can Now Turn Your Text or Photos into Custom Music: Here’s How | iPhone in Canada
Google is adding a major new feature to its Gemini AI assistant that lets you generate custom 30-second music tracks just by typing a description or uploading a photo. The tool uses a new model called Lyria 3, which is rolling out in beta to help people create fun, short songs for sharing with friends.
19) The new $5000 Canadian Electric Vehicle Rebate program is now running, but Tesla's are not eligible (that'll likely change)
The federal government has officially launched the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP), a new initiative designed to make zero-emission driving more accessible. Canadians can now receive up to $5,000 off the purchase or lease of an eligible electric vehicle directly at the point of sale.
Unlike the previous iZEV program, EVAP is more targeted, focusing specifically on vehicles with a “final transaction value” of $50,000 or less. This total includes all options, destination fees, and dealership charges. However, a major exception exists for Canadian-made EVs, such as the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV, which have no price cap at all and qualify regardless of the final cost.
The program offers two tiers of savings depending on the type of vehicle you choose. These amounts are at their highest in 2026 and will gradually decrease each year until the program ends in 2031:
- Battery-Electric (BEV) & Hydrogen Fuel Cell: Up to $5,000
- Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV): Up to $2,500
If you lease, as we do, the full incentive is available for 48-month terms, while shorter leases will recveive a pro-rated discount.
Notably absent from the current eligibility list is Tesla and its newer Model Y Standard Range. While its base MSRP is $49,990 CAD, it currently fails to qualify because the “final transaction value” exceeds the $50,000 threshold. Once you add the $2,500 destination fee, the $20 OMVIC fee, the $20 tire fee, and the $100 federal air conditioning tax, the price climbs to $52,632 before sales tax. Tesla is expected to quickly adjust its pricing or fee structure to bring the total under the limit and qualify for the $5,000 rebate.
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
Canada’s New $5,000 EV Rebate is Live: Full List of Cars and Why Tesla is Missing | iPhone in Canada
The federal government has officially launched the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP), a new initiative designed to make zero-emission driving more accessible. Starting February 16, 2026, Canadians can receive up to $5,000 off the purchase or lease of an eligible electric vehicle directly at the point of sale. Unlike the previous iZEV program, EVAP is
21) Former NPR host David Greene is sueing Google, who he says 'stole his voice'
Former NPR host David Greene is suing Google, alleging that NotebookLM’s male AI voice used in the Audio Overviews feature is an unauthorized replica of his own.
Greene claims the AI mimics his specific cadence and vocal habits developed over decades on “Morning Edition.” Google has dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless,” asserting that the voice was recorded by a paid professional actor.
22) 22,580 — that's the new Guinness World Record set this month for the most drones in the air controlled by a single computer
At the 2026 Chinese Spring Festival Gala’s Hefei branch venue, 22,580 drones were simultaneously controlled by a single computer, setting a new Guinness World Record for “Most Drones Simultaneously Controlled by a Single Computer.”
The drone display was a key technological program at the Hefei venue and incorporated visual elements inspired by Huangmei Opera, ink-wash dance, and local architectural features, highlighting the integration of advanced technology with regional cultural characteristics.
(see video #44 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.
26) Kathryn's Paleontology News Item of the Week: a huge new 'unicorn' dinosaur species has been discovered in the Sahara Desert
Experts have discovered a huge new species of fish-eating dinosaur, and say it had a unicorn-like horn on its head…ehat paleontologists call a 'crested' dinosaur.
It's been named Spinosaurus mirabilis and scientists say it lived nearly 100 million years ago.
The discovery was made by an international team of scientists led by the University of Chicago; the new fossil area was discovered in northern Niger in West Africa, around 100km from the nearest marine shoreline.
From this, experts believe the animals lived inland in a forested habitat where plenty of rivers flowed. Researchers think that the new species strode into the water to catch fish, in a similar way to modern-day birds, such as herons.
Experts say that Spinosaurus mirabilis was among the biggest of the meat-eating dinosaurs - around the length of a bus (12 metres long) and weighing between 5-7 tonnes, about the same as a large African elephant. It had a large head crest, which is believed to have been brightly-coloured and curved toward the sky.
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
And so it goes…