Join Aitan, Charles, and me for the April VMUG meeting, on Zoom, at 7pm this coming Wednesday, April 8th. If you're not a VMUG member, you can take part as our guest at this link…

Or, you can subscribe to "Tech Talk with Alan Perry" (it's free) on any podcast app including these…

Take part on Saturday morning when we're live:

Scam job-offer texts are not new, but what is new, as shown in these screenshots, is that they're being sent as text-filled pictures, to make it harder for spam filters to detect and block them.

The texts come from a variety of senders (often from @gmail.com email addresses), but they all have one thing in common: they offer great pay for flexible part-time work from home with the money paid to you each day…

If you're interested, you're encouraged to reply "yes", and if you do, you'll immediately get a text back inviting you to contact the recruiter via a WhatsApp message to a number in the USA.

There are three potential scams here:

1) You'll be encouraged to complete an online application form, which they'll review, and then within a day, you'll be 'approved', but in order to be hired, you'll have to pay an up-front 'processing fee', and if you do, you'll never hear from them again.

2) You'll fill out a simple application and quickly will be 'hired', and will get paid for your training. But, in order to get your money, they'll set-up a crypto-currency account for you. They'll deposit your 'pay', but then advise that you have to keep a minimum amount in the account to keep it active, and they'll ask you to deposit money to reach that minimum. If you do, they'll scoop that money and close the account and you'll never hear from them again.

3) You'll be asked to download an employment application, but if you do, you'll actually be downloading malware which harnesses the power of your computer (if it's powerful enough), for crypto-mining.

NEVER respond to job-recruitment texts like this! They're all scams.

Last week, Apple released OS 26.4 updates for all its devices to fix dozens of security holes, and also released special updates to fix as many of those holes as possible on devices that were too old to be able to run OS 26.

But then, they realized there are still a fair number of people still running iOS/iPadOS 18, the last version before 26, likely because of the criticisms over the new Liquid Glass look that 26 introduced, and that has left them vulnerable to the nasty DarkSword malware that can get into an iPhone or iPad if you simply visit a poisoned website.

As a result, Apple this week released special security updates for iPhones and iPads that are still running some version of iOS/iPadOS 18. The updates are iOS/iPadOS 18.7.7 and they fix 25 security holes, several of them critical, while keeping you on the OS 18 platform.

If you, or someone you know, are still running iOS/iPadOS 18, please install these updates ASAP by going to Settings> General> Software Update.

Here's one such text, which claims to be from Coinbase, which is one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges…

The text (from a Missouri number) includes a toll-free number which you're to call if you did NOT request a withdawal code…but, unless you have a Coinbase wallet and are requesting a withdrawal, it's a scam.

The toll-free number will connect you to an overseas call-centre where the person who answers will claim to be with Coinbase Support, and if you tell them you received a withdrawal code you did not request, they'll 'transfer' you to someone claiming to be with Coinbase Security.

That person will ask if you have a Coinbase account, and if you do, they'll say that someone else has put their phone number on your account and will offer they secure it for you and to do that, say they'll send you a code to confirm, and ask you for that code. In fact, they're triggering a password reset for your account, and if you give them the confirmation code sent by Coinbase, the scammers will have locked you out if your own account. They'll then trigger aphone number change (claiming they're adding your number back), but in effect are deleting your number and adding theirs, so they can then transfer money from your account to theirs.

If you tell the caller you don't have a Coinbase account, they'll insist that one has been opened in your name, and will try to get you to log into your bank account (and let them see your screen), and they'll then manipulate what you see to make it look like there have been transfers to Coinbase, and they'll offer to fix that. In fact, what they'll actually do is schedule money transfers from your account into their Coinbase account. Never call phone-numbers in texts or emails like this.

Feel free to bookmark that page, as we'll keep updating it with screenshots of the latest scams!

If you received a long email from MGM Data Settlement <no-reply@conciliainc.com> that starts off like the screenshot below, it's real, and not a scam…

The email is notifying you that a settlement has been reached in the class-action lawsuit alleging that MGM Resorts International did not do enough to prevent hackers from stealing customer info in July 2019. MGM has agreed to pay $4 million CAD to settle the lawsuit, with affected Canadians eligible to get up to $20,000 if they suffered identity theft as a result of this breach, or a payment of $150 to $500 if no identity theft occurred.

There's nothing you have to do, if you received this email.

Once the settlement receives final approval, and that's slated to happen in late May, you'll receive another email with info on how to claim your money.

More info is at MGMDataSettlement.ca

Note that this settlement only covers the July 2019 MGM breach.

Rogers and its subsidiary Fido have been hit by a data breach that compromised some customer info, though the full extent of the breach remains unknown.

Hackers are offering on the dark web to sell the info — which they say comprises 10.9 million lines of data — for $300,000 in cryptocurrency…

Rogers says customers’ names, contact info, account numbers, and language preferences were compromised in the breach. However, Rogers says financial info, social insurance numbers, dates of birth, and passwords were not impacted.

The company says its still working to determine how many customers have been affected.

Quebec-based Freedom Mobile continues to have the best deals, especially if you plan to travel…

Saturday morning update: Freedom is offering an additional $5/month discount for 24 months on the $35/month plan, bringing that price down to $30/month for two years.

These rates are contract-free so you can cancel anytime if your circumstances change. Perhaps the best part: these offers are available to current Freedom customers too, not just new customers.

If you're a current Freedom Mobile customer, you can call 611. Anyone can message them on iMessage or WhatsApp (find the links on their app or website under "Contact us"); you can also stop in at a Freedom Mobile store.

Here's what the other carriers are offering this Easter long weekend…

Koodo (owned by Telus):

Koodo is also offering 80GB/month for $50/month and 100GB/month for $55/month — but not that all of their plans are Canada-only calling and data — no roaming.

Public Mobile (self-serve carrier owned by Telus):

Virgin+ (owned by Bell):

Fido (owned by Rogers):

Rogers

Telus

Bell

The coverage is best on Freedom, because Freedom customers get to roam seamlessly onto Rogers, Telus, and Bell networks at no cost when beyond the range of a Freedom tower.

While great for you and me, the moblile plan price war is taking its financial toll on the carriers…

Items start at #10, so the numbers don't get thrown-off if we add more security items above!

Rogers is expanding its satellite-to-mobile service by adding support for several more apps,including Google Maps, WhatsApp, Messenger, AllTrails, X, AccuWeather, and CalTopo…

Rogers is providing the service for free for 24 months to customers on its Ultimate plans, free for 12 months on its Popular plans, and for $15/month for all other Rogers customers.

You can connect via satellite with these apps on select iPhones, Google Pixel phones, and Samsung Galaxy phones, and Motorola Razr phones. If you're a Rogers Mobility customer, can can check if your phone is satellite-ready on Rogers' website…

Note: with an iPhone 14 or later, you can use a free GlobalStar satellite connection when you have no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage to text emergency services, request roadside assistance, message friends and family, and share your location. Be aware that messages can take 30-60 seconds to be sent…

Amazon is reportedly negotiating to buy Globalstar, a $9 billion satellite company, in its quest to build a low Earth orbit satellite business to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink internet service.

However, one issue could complicate matters: Apple’s 20% stake in Globalstar, which it purchased in 2024 as part of a $1.5 billion investment to enhance the company’s constellation and ground infrastructure. Apple uses GlobalStar to handle satellite communications with iPhones.

Amazon has been pushing ahead with its own satellite-based texting business, dubbed Leo, and is paying SpaceX to launch the satellites for its internet constellation. Amazon now has more than 180 satellites in orbit, and it’s aiming to roll out commercial service later this year.

However, its deployment is overshadowed by SpaceX, the dominant player, which operates more than 10,000 active satellites. Starlink services more than nine million users globally, and generates 50% to 80% of ‌SpaceX’s revenue.

In February, Amazon was forced to seek a two-year extension of a July deadline from the US FCC to launch 1,600 satellites. Amazon plans to have about 700 satellites in space by the middle of this year, but has said that the build-out of its service is hampered by a launch-capacity shortage, according to regulatory filings.

Amazon has inked deals with JetBlue and Delta for internet services on flights beginning in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

For months now, analysts have been warning us that the massive demand which AI data-centres are creating for memory chips — both RAM and SSD's — is going to create severe shortages, and we told you three months ago that prices had started to shoot waaay up. Here's a depressing update.

Using the Internet Wayback Machine (an online repository of billions of website snapshots at Web.Archive.org), I reviewed snapshots of the website of major Canadian computer component retailer MemoryExpress.com and here's what I found…

In November of 2024, here were prices for three popular SSD's…

From four months ago, in December 2025, here are screencaps of the same SSD's…

..and from mid-February, here are screen=captures of prices for the same SSD's…

…and now, as of today, here are screen-captures of the depressing prices for the same SSD's…

The larger drives are in the most demand, so they've gone up the most. A 500GB SSD has jumped from $90 to $275 — an increase of more than 300% — in just 16 months!

If you want a 4TB NVMe SSD, be sitting down for this…

We're now part of the Artemis generation!

NASA's Artemis II mission is still en route to the moon as planned after four astronauts launched into space Wednesday, aiming to become the first humans in decades to make a trip around the moon and back.

NASA officials say a planned trajectory correction on Friday was not needed because systems are working well. The crew executed a translunar injection burn Thursday that sent their Orion capsule out of Earth's orbit.

The Orion spacecraft is due to make its closest approach to the moon on Monday.

NASA's Artemis II crew launched with iPhones on its mission around the Moon, but the devices are present as personal tools rather than officially part of the spacecraft's systems.

NASA routes any data from devices like iPhones through the spacecraft's communication systems rather than letting them transmit to ground on their own.

The phones can record and interface with on-board Wi-Fi, but NASA's network keeps the connection stable, and transmits to earth ground stations.

Some coverage has focused on iPhones inside the crew's orange Orion survival suits, which makes them sound more integrated than they are. The suits include storage pockets, and placing a small device there during launch or re-entry is a practical choice rather than a technical feature. Nothing in that setup connects the phone to the suit's systems.

There is no confirmation of which iPhone models are onboard, despite claims circulating online. Footage from pre-launch handling shows a device that looks like an iPhone Pro model, but no official details confirm the hardware.

With the release of the iOS 26.4 update on March 24, Apple introduced support for AI agents within CarPlay.

OpenAI's ChatGPT has now become one of the first AI-related applications to take advantage of the new CarPlay entitlement, which is only delivered with Apple's approval.

Compared to ChatGPT on an iPhone, iPad or the web, the CarPlay experience is somewhat limited, but that's by design. Apple only lets CarPlay users talk to ChatGPT with their voice, and voice-operated conversational apps can't display various images or text on-screen, so as to not distract the driver.

If you use CarPlay and don't find ChatGPT on the in-vehicle screen, check your iPhone for app updates, as the ChatGPT app has to be up-to-date as well as your iPhone having to be running iOS 26.4

To check for App Updates, the process has changed slightly: open the App Store, tap on the circular icon in the top-right, tap on Updates, ignore how many updates are waiting and instead pull down in mid-screen and let go, a wheel withl briefly spin, then scroll up to see how many are waiting, and "Update All".

Apple officially turned 50 on Wednesday, with the company taking time to celebrate the achievements that have brought it this far.

In honour of the occasion, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a letter to his staff, reflecting on how the company has gone and where it may go in the future.

The iPad was mocked at launch, has been threatened by rivals throughout, and yet still remains the best-selling tablet ever made, 16 years after it first shipped to customers on April 3, 2010.

It's easy to name alternatives to the iPad, and you could be here all day listing myriad Android tablets, but it's impossible to name even one true iPad competitor.

For after all of these years since it launched, and after all of the rival devices that have launched after that moment, there isn't any one tablet that sells enough on its own to compete with the iPad. Its competition is the mass of cheaper rivals, which is not to be ignored, yet none of them have come close to the success of the iPad.

Since its launch, Apple has sold more than 550 million iPads!

Popular free streaming app and website Tubi has announced a massive expansion to its library, adding over 600 movies and TV show episodes to its premium on-demand catalogue. Content from Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Discovery has been added for Canadians.

The latest expansion in Canada adds movies like Assassin’s Creed, John Wick, Skyscraper, La La Land, The Other Guys, Tower Heist, Jurassic World, American Psycho, Happy Death Day 2U, The Bodyguard, and many more movies.

Other notable films include the likes of 21 Jump Street (2012), 22 Jump Street, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Air Force One, Bad Boys (1995), Bad Boys II, The Equalizer, The Fifth Element, The Karate Kid franchise, Pineapple Express, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, This is the End, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Tubi now has more than 100 million active monthly streamers, and has the world’s largest collection of Hollywood movies and TV shows available to stream for free.

Perhaps not the best choice of words amid all the talk about apps that get us addicted to our screens, Netflix is displaying splash screens that encourage us to "scroll, watch, obsess, repeat"…

Apple is reportedly now testing a feature for the forthcoming revamp of Siri that will allow users to ask several things at once.

Back in 2023, Apple added the ability for Siri to take back-to-back back commands, asking one after another without pausing to say "Siri," or "Hey, Siri." Now according to Bloomberg, the expected reworking of Siri with Apple Intelligence will go much further.

Specifically, users will no longer have to ask Siri to do something, then pause and ask for something else. So a sentence such as "Start a timer for 15 minutes, then tell me what the weather is," should work.

Apple Sports — the free app for iPhone that gives fans access to real-time scores, stats, and more — has been updated to include a lot more soccer content as we head towards to 2026 FIFA World Cup that starts in June here in Canada, in the USA, and in Mexico.

Soccer fans are now able to view complete tournament groupings and follow their favorite national teams in the app.

To follow the tournament, look for “FIFA World Cup 2026” in the Search interface, then tap the star button to add it to your “My Leagues” section.

Alternatively, you can follow teams independently from the “My Teams” section. Finally, you can manage both “My Leagues” and “My Teams” by tapping the “Edit” button from the menu on the top right corner of the app.

Once the corresponding matches start on June 11, Apple Sports will automatically display a Live Activity with real-time information about the game. You’ll also be able to follow the groups and playoffs as the tournament progresses, leading up to the final march on July 19.

Live Activities from Apple Sports deliver real-time updates directly to a user’s iPhone Lock Screen and Apple Watch., and Game Card Sharing lets fans share their excitement for any tournament or match across all supported leagues and competitions.

Apple Sports now includes support for more than 30 of the top soccer leagues and tournaments across North America, Latin America, and Europe.

RoamRadar.ca is a fledgling independent Canadian website that tracks international roaming options for various Canadian carriers. So far, it includes Fido, Koodo, Virgin+, Public Mobile, and Freedom Mobile, but the website says more carriers will be added 'soon'.

You type in a country where you're planning to travel, and Roam Radar will tell you what Canadian carriers let you roam there.

For example, if you're planning to go to Patagonia in Argentina, RoamRadar.ca shows that Koodo has roaming coverage there, while Freedom Mobile, which has very popular 120+ country "Roam Beyond" coverage, does not yet have coverage in Argentina…

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.

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.

Paleontologists have long thought that enormous prehistoric dragonfly-like insects called Griffinflies were able to exist 300 million years ago, because oxygen levels were way higher back then.

But new research led by University of Pretoria paleontologist Edward Snelling has found that not to be the case. His research has found that higher oxygen concentrations would have had a 'trivial' impact of the massive insects' ability to fly.

Scientists, he says, will have to look elsewhere for why these giants existed.” “If oxygen does not limit maximal insect size, then perhaps other culprits are responsible for the small size of insects, such as predation from vertebrates, or biomechanical support limits on the exoskeleton itself.”

A paper describing this research was published this month in the journal Nature.

Check out our new YouTube Favourites playlist #2:

YouTube.com/playlist?list=PLOKnlVLuXE5URgg0ou8uGg4CnHXcou1UA

Our original Favourites playlist maxed-out at 5000 videos; it's here…

YouTube.com/playlist?list=FLPPpa_PY8rxt-z1RoYZ7QJ

Videos start at #40, so the numbers don't get thrown-off if we add more tech news items above!

40a) Watch the Artemis II launch in full 360° (use your finger or mouse to swivel the camera angle!)…

40b) Watch the best launch angle as recorded aboard a NASA Cessna…

40c) Watch how the launch looked from a passing passenger jet…

41) Watch the WSJ's Nicole Nguyen show how Apple has improved it's auto-correct system on iPhones and iPads, but still has some work to do…

Info on how to fix this on your iPhone is here…

42) Watch Rich Bowlin give his thoughts on the pros and cons of a senior buying a MacBook Neo, after two weeks of using one…

43) Watch Apple's 50 years of history in five minutes…

44) Watch Tom Scott's YouTube return as he shows how old church bells are smashed and melted to make new ones…

45) Watch Luke Pickman play the C-Major scale on 123 instruments (at the same time)…

46) You can't unhear this: Dylan White shows how Emily Dickinson's poems can be sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island"…

Natsuki and Sofía both love pasta, so we finally introduced them to the quintessentially-Canadian dish of Kraft Dinner with hot dog slices…

We also took them to Mod Pizza in Langford, with our good friends Rick and Zack, and encouraged them to go wild and try lots of new things (including pineapple!) on their created-to-order pizzas…