May 16 & 17, 2026 Show Notes
Victoria Day Long Weekend Edition
🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon PT
on C-FAX 1070 in Victoria and
on CKFR AM 1150 in Kelowna
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm PT
on C-FAX 1070
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
anywhere you get your podcasts
Your crew this weekend:
Ricky Winter
Co-Host
Tech Experience Manager at London Drugs Tillicum
Store +1 250-360-0721
1) If you have an Apple device made in the last 11 years, update it ASAP to patch a raft of security holes, including some critical ones
Apple this week released the 26.5 family of updates for its products, which include the arrival of end-to-end encryption for messages sent to and from Android devices.
But the updates also include a myriad of important security patches and bug fixes, some for devices datring back to 2015!
As a result, the 26.5 updates are unusually large, varying in size on iPhones and iPads from 1.5GB to as big as 17GB on some iPhones…
Because of the significance of the holes being patched, Apple has also released special security updates for older unsupported devices, to give them as much protection as they can handle…
- For iPhones and iPads, iOS/iPadOS 26.5 includes 52 security patches; for iPhones and iPads that are too old to be able to run iOS 26 (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR), Apple has released iOS/iPadOS 18.7.9 which contains 44 security patches, as well as iPadOS 17.7.1 (iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd gen, iPad Pro 10.5", and iPad 6th gen) and iOS/iPadOS 16.7.16 (Phone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPad 5th gen, iPad Pro 9.7", and iPad Pro 12.9" 1st gen) which both contain just one security patch, and iOS/iPadOS 15.8.8 (iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, iPhone SE (1st gen), iPad Air 2, iPad mini (4th gen), and iPod touch 7th gen) which also includes just one security patch.
- For Mac computers, Apple has released macOS Tahoe 26.5, macOS Sequoia 15.7.7, and macOS Sonoma 14.8.7, which include 69, 45, and 42 security patches respectively.
- For Apple TV's, Apple has released tvOS 26.5, which includes 37 security fixes;
- For Apple Watches, Apple has released watchOS 26.5, which includes 35 security fixes.
Devices should eventually get these updates automatically if Automatic Updates are turned on, but because of the significance of the security holes which Apple has discovered, we recommend you not wait for that and install these updates ASAP.
- on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, General, Software Update
- on a Mac, click on the Apple logo in the upper-left and then click on System Settings, and then on General, and finally, on Software Update.
Because of the size of these 26.5 Updates, older iPhones and iPads may not have enough free space to install the update.
If that's the case, you can use iTunes on a Mac or Windows PC to download and 'hold' the update while its installed…
In order to do this, your iPhone or iPad will have to already be running some version of iOS/iPadOS 26.
If your device is on an earlier iOS/iPadOS version, your only alternative is to have a certified Apple Service Centre factory-erase your device, and then do a clean install of 26.5 and then restore all your apps and content via iCloud. You must know your Apple ID and password in order for thsi to be done.
- London Drugs will do this for a $40 fee
- Jump+ will do this for $20 if you do your iCloud backup yourself, or $40 if you want them to do the backup and the restore. If you're going to do your own iCloud Backup (which we recommend), make sure you have iCloud set to backup all your apps, not just some of them! (Settings, your name, iCloud, Saved to iCloud, and turn on ALL switches)
2) Watch out for scam "interrupted payment" texts claiming to be from Freedom Mobile
The texts are coming from what claims to be a 587 area code number in Alberta, and look like the screenshot, claiming your bill payment could not go through.
It warns that your service could be interrupted within 24 hours (there's that sense of urgency which is a hallmark of scams) and urges you to click on a link, in this case, Freedom.WirelessPhoneLine.com.
Don't do that — it's a scam!
The link takes you to a fake Freedom Mobile website, as shown in the screenshot below…
…the website asks for your credit card info, but if you provide that, within minutes, overseas scammers will use that info to rack-up online purchases, until your credit card limit is maxed-out, or until your credit card company catches-on and cancels your card.
Either way, you'll end up having to get a new credit card, and then having to remember which merchants have the one that has been cancelled, so you can give them the new number and not have services suspended for non payment.
NEVER click on links in texts or emails like this!
If you think there might be an issue with paying one of your bills online, go directly to the app or website for that merchant and check your account status there.
3) Watch out for scam texts or calls supposedly from a loved one wanting help because they've had to replace a damaged phone
"Tech Talk" listener Steve got one of these texts a few days ago, supposedly from his son, who's overseas, and he's shared a screenshot (I've blurred-out identifying info).
The person claiming to be Steve's son Ryan was using a different phone number but said that was because he had to get a new phone and was in the process of transferring stuff over.
He went on to ask Steve for help getting back into some of his accounts, via security codes that would be sent to Steve's phone.
Steve was immediately suspicious, and so he asked him a question to which only his son would know the answer (screenshot #2), and sure enough, "Ryan" didn't know the answer…
Steve promptly blocked the person posing as his son, and contacted his actual son to give him the heads-up.
If you're ever asked for help from someone — whether by phone call, text, or email — ask them a question to which only they would know the answer.
Because of AI voice-cloning, it's important you do this even if you recognize the voice on a phone call from someone asking for help.
5) Signal and NordVPN say they'll pull out of Canada rather than compromise users' privacy, if Bill C-22, "Lawful Access", is passed
Signal, a secure messaging service that uses end-to-end encryption, has warned it'll cut Canadians off from its app if its forced to comply with Bill C-22, otherwise known as the Lawful Access bill.
VPN provider NordVPN, has said the same thing.
Udbhav Tiwari, Signal’s vice-president of strategy and global affairs, says the system changes required by the bill could leave private messaging services like Signal vulnerable to cyberattacks.
“Bill C-22 could potentially allow hackers to exploit these very vulnerabilities engineered into electronic systems, with private messaging services serving as an ideal target for foreign adversaries.”
As a note, Signal is open-source and runs on its own centralized servers. The only user data it stores is phone numbers, the last time someone logged in, and the date they joined the service. Users’ contacts, chats, and other information are stored on their devices. Moreover, the Signal Protocol is an end-to-end encryption system for messages and voice communications used not just by Signal but by many other apps, including the popular WhatsApp.
Bill C-22 would require telecoms, internet providers, and other electronic service providers to modify their systems to enable police and CSIS to use surveillance capabilities to target threats and other criminal activity. It'd also allow the federal government to secretly order companies to weaken encryption or create backdoors in order to access users' info. While that alone is concerning, adding backdoors would weaken encryption overall, creating new vulnerabilities that criminals could exploit.
Signal is not alone in speaking up on this. Apple recently raised concerns about the context of Bill C-22 and said it “will never” add a backdoor to its end-to-end encryption, and warned that the company might not be able to release certain features in Canada because of this.
6) The US firm that owns the Canvas learning systems app has paid a ransom to get hackers to delete all the student data they stole
The company behind the popular Canvas software, which was hacked last week causing major disruption at thousands of universities and colleges (including UBC and SFU here in BC), has paid the hackers not to publish stolen data online.
The cyber-attack affected an estimated 9,000 institutions in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, with exams disrupted after the Canvas service went down.
The hackers threatened to publish 3.5 terabytes of student and university data they had stolen in the breach.
Instructure, the maker of Canvas, has now confirmed it has "reached an agreement" with the hackers, who have said they deleted the data and promised not to extort any students or institutions.
Paying cyber criminals goes against the advice of law enforcement agencies around the world, as it can fuel further attacks and offers no guarantee the data has been deleted.
In previous cases, criminals have accepted ransom payments but lied about destroying stolen data, instead keeping it for resale.
Instructure said in a statement on its website that protecting students' and education staff data was its primary motivation.
"While there is never complete certainty when dealing with cyber criminals, we believe it was important to take every step within our control to give customers additional peace of mind, to the extent possible," the company said.
Instructure did not set out the terms of the agreement but said that it meant that:
- the data was returned to the company
- it received "digital confirmation of data destruction"
- it had been informed that no Instructure customers would be extorted as a result of the incident
- the agreement covers all affected customers, with no need for individuals to engage with the hackers
The breach was discovered on 29th April and was claimed online by the prolific Shiny Hunters extortion group.
Instructure
Security Incident Update & FAQs
In the spirit of continued transparency, we have refreshed our incident update page, which will continue to serve as the central repository for new information, resources, and ongoing communications related to this incident. Our goal is to continue to be responsive to the feedback we receive and refine our communications approach as we move forward.
7a) If you have a Holland America Mariner Society cruise loyalty line account, change your password ASAP, as they've been hacked
This massive breach affects the 7.5 million people who have a Mariner Society loyalty program account with Carnival Cruises, who operate under the Carnival, Princess, Holland America, P&O, Cunard, Costa, and Seabourn cruise ship brands.
Last month, the notorious hacking collective ShinyHunters claimed they had obtained a substantial volume of data belonging to Carnival, and attempted to extort the organisation to prevent the data from being leaked.
When Carnival refused to pay up, the hackers published the data publicly, which contained 8.7 million records with 7.5 million unique email addresses. The data includes names, dates of birth, genders and data relating to status within the Mariner Society loyalty program.
If you're a Mariner Society member, for starters, change your password ASAP.
Several class-action lawsuits have already been launched, alleging that Carnival didn't do enough to safeguard client data.
Have I Been Pwned
Have I Been Pwned: Carnival Data Breach
In April 2026, the notorious hacking collective ShinyHunters claimed they had obtained a substantial volume of data belonging to the Carnival cruise operator and attempted to extort the organisation to prevent the data from being leaked. The following week, the group published the data publicly, which contained 8.7M records with 7.5M unique email addresses. The data contained fields indicating it related to the Mariner Society loyalty program run by Holland America, a cruise line brand under Car
7b) You may also get a disgusting sextortion email frtom the ShinyHunters hackers. who are using the client database they stole
Anne sent us the scam sextortion email which she got…
Hello,
We are the ShinyHunters hacking group.
A few months ago, we gained access to your devices and started monitoring your online activities.
What happened:
We gained access to the Carnivalcorp.com database where you have an account and easily accessed your email.
You weren't very careful about the links you opened.
A week later, we installed an exploit on your devices, including your phone, giving us access to your microphone,
camera, keyboard, and all your data.
We have your photos, browsing history, conversations, and contact list.
Among other things, we discovered that you frequently visit adult websites and watch explicit videos.
We managed to record you and created videos of you pleasuring yourself.
With a few clicks, we can share these videos with your friends,
colleagues, and family or even make them public.
Proposal:
Send us $2000 in Bitcoin to the following wallet:
bc1qmjk2d334fgz93zuzml6st6etcfjw4eg5wh2kd7
We'll delete everything immediately.
You have 48 hours from the moment you open this email.
Once the payment is received, we'll remove the malware from your devices.
What you should NOT do:
Do not reply (email was sent from a hacked account).
Do not contact the police or anyone else—we'll release the videos along with other stuff all over the internet.
Do not try to reset your devices—everything is stored on remote servers.
What you don’t need to worry about:
We will see your payment immediately—the wallet is generated specifically for you.
We will not share your videos or other things after payment—there is no reason to continue causing problems.
Don't play with us!
We are the ShinyHunters hacking group.
A few months ago, we gained access to your devices and started monitoring your online activities.
What happened:
We gained access to the Carnivalcorp.com database where you have an account and easily accessed your email.
You weren't very careful about the links you opened.
A week later, we installed an exploit on your devices, including your phone, giving us access to your microphone,
camera, keyboard, and all your data.
We have your photos, browsing history, conversations, and contact list.
Among other things, we discovered that you frequently visit adult websites and watch explicit videos.
We managed to record you and created videos of you pleasuring yourself.
With a few clicks, we can share these videos with your friends,
colleagues, and family or even make them public.
Proposal:
Send us $2000 in Bitcoin to the following wallet:
bc1qmjk2d334fgz93zuzml6st6etcfjw4eg5wh2kd7
We'll delete everything immediately.
You have 48 hours from the moment you open this email.
Once the payment is received, we'll remove the malware from your devices.
What you should NOT do:
Do not reply (email was sent from a hacked account).
Do not contact the police or anyone else—we'll release the videos along with other stuff all over the internet.
Do not try to reset your devices—everything is stored on remote servers.
What you don’t need to worry about:
We will see your payment immediately—the wallet is generated specifically for you.
We will not share your videos or other things after payment—there is no reason to continue causing problems.
Don't play with us!
This is a disgusting scam. It's not real.
Just delete it.
8) Microsoft is racing to develop a fix for a flaw that enables hackers to get into drives protected with super-secure BitLocker encryption
This issue only affects a small segment of computer users, but for people who keep super-sensitive corporate or client data on their computers and rely on Microsoft BitLocker to keep their data secure in case of theft, this is a big deal.
A cybersecurity researcher who goes by the nicknames Chaotic Eclipse or Nightmare Eclipse has discovered a vulnerability that could give hackers carte blanche access to every file on your computer — provided they have physical access to it...
The exploit, which anyone can download and compile from GitHub as of writing, targets two present vulnerabilities, "YellowKey" and "GreenPlasma." Once executed, the duo allows an attacker to first gain unrestricted access to your file system and then grant themselves unmitigated privileges to directly manipulate system services and drivers. It only works on Windows 11 (including the 2022 and 2025 server editions), but not Windows 10.
Researchers typically report these vulnerabilities to software vendors (often for a bounty) and wait until the holes are patched before disclosing their findings, but Chaotic Eclipse seems to have a vendetta against Microsoft for not responding faster and better to his bug reports, so he's released the details.
Microsoft is racing to develop a fix.
The takeaway: if you have sensitive data on a laptop and rely on BitLocker to keep it secure in case of theft, until a fix is released, take extra precautions to not leave your computer anywhere that it could get stolen.
9) Payments from the Loblaw/Weston packaged bread overcharging class-action settlement as starting to be distributed
If you registered to get a share of the multi-million-dollar Canadian bread overcharging class-action lawsuit settlement, you should get your payment shortly. Check your email (including your Junk Mail) for confirmation…
Thanks to "Tech Talk" listener Thomas for giving us the heads-up on this!
Tech Deals This Weekend
Save big on new models of refurbished Eco-Tank printers at London Drugs
We're big fans of the refurbished Epson Eco-Tank printers which are exclusive to London Drugs, and come with a full one-year warranty. Many of you bought a refurbished ET-2850 for more than $200 off the price of a new unit, and we've had virtually no problem with them. The 2850's and its bigger cousin, the 3850, are now all gone, but Epson is now providing newer refurbished models, also at hefty savings…
London Drugs stores are carrying three models, all of which come with bottles of ink, enough for literally three years of printing for most people…
ET-2988: $240 (reg. $400) which prints wirelessly only, 100-sheet tray
ET-3958: $320 (reg. $530) which can print wired/wireless has ADF, 250-sheet tray
ET-4958: $380 (reg. $600), wired/wireless, touchscreen, ADF, fax capability, 250-sheet tray
Save the equivalent of the 12% GST/PST on all in-stock items this coming week at Tesseract Computers
When Tesseract Computers re-opens on Tuesday after the long weekend, Gary and Chris will reduce the price of any in-stock computer, monitor, or other tech you gear you buy, so you'll save the equivalent of the 12% GST/PST you'd have to pay.
Tesseract is at 720 Broughton near Douglas in downtown Victoria.
Freedom Mobile is the only carrier still offering great mobile deals
Flanker brands — Fido, Virgin+, Public Mobile, and Koodo — have all changed their wireless plans, cutting data and raising prices after a short-lived price war dominated by Freedom Mobile.
Last month, the flanker brands rolled out $40/60GB plans, but now those deals are gone. They've now all upped their rates while cutting or entirely removing CAN/US/MEX options.
Fortunately, Quebec-based Freedom Mobile, which is owned by Quebec-based Vidéotron, is still offering deals, although their rates are not as great as they were a few weeks ago...
Freedom's plans all include Canada/USA/Mexico calling and data roaming, but also include a monthly allotment of "Roam Beyond" data good in 120+ countries, as well as unlimited calling in any included country and back to Canada. The best part is, all the plans are available to current customers as well as to new customers.
If you don't need a huge amount of data, Freedom, for one last weekend, also has a six-month prepaid plan that gives you unlimited Canada/USA calling and data roaming and 25GB of data, for $120 paid up front, which works out to $10/month. It renews every six months for the same price.
Freedom's coverage is also the best of the big four carriers, because the agreement that saw them sold by Shaw when Rogers bought Shaw, allows Freedom customers to roam seamlessly at no charge onto the networks of Rogers, Telus, and Bell when they're beyond the reach of the fast-growing network of Freedom towers. That deal will continue for seven more years to give Freedom time to build-out its nationwide network.
HyperFlex USB-C hubs on sale at London Drugs this weekend
if you have a computer or laptop or Mac that has USB-C ports and you wish it had more of them, London Drugs has four models of high-speed HyperFlex USB-C Hubs on sale this weekend…
You can choose between 4-port, 5-port, 8-port, and 9-port models, saving from $5 to $20.
They're back in stock: North America/European/UK travel power charger on sale for just $8 (not a typo!) at London Drugs
When we told you about this deal last month, they sold out within an hour! In response, London Drugs has brought in more, and they've also dropped the price by an additional $2 to clear them out.
No more needing separate chargers for here and Europe: you can now get a Joby 20W USB-C fast-charging power charger that works here in North America and has a snap-on adapter for use in the Europe and the UK. They're usually $40, but while they last, they're on sale for just $8 — a $32 saving — at London Drugs stores (not online)…
We took two of them to Europe last summer and used them in France, Czechia, and Germany to charge our iPhones and also Suzanne's iPad and Apple Watch, while visiting our former homestay students and their families.
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) Google is cutting how much free Gmail and cloud storage you get from 15GB down to 5GB — unless you give them your mobile #
If you use Gmail, you may soon get a pop-up advising that you've exceeded the new 5GB limit for free Google Drive storage. For years, that limit has been 15GB, but Google has just reduced that to 5GB — unless you have a mobile number registered on your account.
Limit aside, we strongly encourage you to register your mobile number with Google if you have a Google account, so you can get a text-code to confirm your identity. We recommend you also register a second unrelated email address with Google, so you can get a code emailed to you if you lose your phone.
If you don't want to register your mobile number with Google, and go over your new lower 5GB capacity for Gmail and Google Drive, your only alternative is to pay Google for additional cloud storage. The current price for that is $2.79/month CAD for 100GB of storage, including Gmail.
Requiring people to register a mobile number in order to get 15 gigabytes of free Gmail and cloud storage, should reduce the number of people using Gmail to send out scam and spam messages, because it'll be easier for Google to track them down if there's a mobile number on file.
11) Google has unveiled new features coming to Android phones, as well as AI-powered Chromebooks, to be called Googlebooks
One week before its annual developer conference, Google has unveiled a slate of new features coming to (some) Android phones, as well as a new series of AI-powered cloud-based laptops which will be called Googlebooks.
They're like supercharged Chromebooks that run a new, more-powerful version of Gemini AI (called Gemini Intelligence), and will initially be made by Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
11a) Gemini Intelligence, a new, more-powerful version of Gemini AI, will be coming later this year to "advanced" Android devices
Google says Gemini Intelligence integrates premium hardware and innovative software to help you stay a step ahead by working proactively to get things done throughout your day.
It'll be available this summer on “advanced” Android devices, including the “latest” Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, as well as watches, cars, smart glasses, and laptops.
Google says task automation will work in more apps and support screen/image context. For example: “Imagine you have a long grocery list on your notes app. Just long press the power button over the list and ask Gemini to build a shopping cart with all of the items for delivery.”
11b) Chrome for Android is going to get deeper Gemini IA integration
Chrome for Android is getting deeper Gemini integration that'll let you ask questions and get things done with webpages as context. Auto browse from the desktop browser is also coming to mobile. This capability is coming in late June.
Autofill with Google is getting (opt-in) Gemini Personal Intelligence to support more types of forms in Chrome and other apps.
Gboard Rambler upgrades voice input with Gemini models that understand the core of what you want to type and filters out filler words, pauses, repetition, and self-corrections.
Android is getting generative UI, starting with the ability to create custom homescreen widgets and Wear OS Tiles populated by info from the web and your Google apps.
11c) Google's new Android 17 operating system will be released this summer
The upcoming version of Android introduces features aimed at creators:
Screen Reactions let you “record yourself and your screen at the same time.” Coming to Pixel this summer.
Instagram for Android will get optimized tablet experience, ultra HDR capture and playback, built-in video stabilization, night sight integrations, and optimized capture-to-upload pipeline so photos and videos remain sharp.
Instagram’s Edits app is adding Smart enhance to upscale photos and videos with on-device AI. Sound separation will isolate audio tracks for wind, noise, and music.
The Adobe Premiere app will be coming to Android this summer.
11d) Emoji on Android phones are getting a 3D'ish redesign called “Noto 3D”
Google says these 3D emoji bring a touch of physicality to moments and are designed to help you overcome the digital divide. Available across Google, starting with Pixel phones, later this year.
12) Bell is hiking prices for many mobile customers by $3 - $6/month
Many customers of Bell Mobility are reporting receiving a message advising of a $3/month to $6/month price hike that'll take effect in July.
If you're getting this message, this is a good opportunity to review what you're getting and how much you're paying, and see if there's a better deal available from another carrier.
Bell is allowing customers to leave without penalty, unless you're still paying-off a phone you bought through them.
BEll says the price hikes are"due to rising operating costs and an evolving market".
Full disclosure: Bell is the parent company of C-FAX Radio.
13) Spotify is raising prices here in Canada again
Music streaming giant Spotify is celebrating its 20th anniversary with another price hike here in Canada.
The price increases vary depending on account type, with Spotify's Student account staying the same, and other plans increasing by between $1 and $3 per month:
- Individual (1 account) – $14/mo (up from $12.69)
- Student (1 account) – $6.39/mo (unchanged)
- Duo (2 accounts) – $20/mo (up from $17.89)
- Family (6 accounts) – $24/mo (up from $21)
The new prices are live now on Spotify’s website; existing subscribers won’t see their prices go up for a couple more months.
14) Motorola's new Razr Fold is going to be the most-expensive folding phone availabe here in Canada — it starts at $2700!
Motorola is following Samsung and Google into the folding smartphone market, with the release on May 21 of the Motorola Razr and larger Razr+ phones, but at a much higher price that the competitors…
The Mororola Razr and Razr+ foldables have great specs: a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 6,000mAh battery (bigger than any other foldable battery in Canada) with 80W turbo charging and 55W wireless charging.
But it remains to be seen if many people will be willing to shell-out the big bucks Motorola is charging: it starts at $2700 CAD for the base-model Razr Fold, making it easily the most expensive foldable phone here in Canada. The larger Razr+ Fold will start at $3000 CAD.
By comparison, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $2500 CAD, while Google's Pixel Fold starts at $1800 CAD.
15) WhatsApp has just added Incognito Chat with Meta AI, so you can ask questions and no-one can see waht you ask, or the answers
Chatting with AI has quickly become a critical part of how people get info and ask important questions. Butd many of these questions can be deeply sensitive, or include situations where people are including private financial, personal, health or work data with their questions.
Beacuse of that, Meta is launching Incognito Chat with Meta AI, a new way to have completely private conversations with AI.
Other apps have introduced incognito-style modes, but they can still see the questions coming in and the answers going out. Incognito Chat with Meta AI is truly private — no one can read your conversation, not even Meta.
When you start an Incognito Chat with Meta AI, you're creating a private, temporary conversation that only you can see. Your messages are processed in a secure environment that even Meta cannot access. Your conversations are not saved and by default, your messages disappear — giving you a space to think and explore ideas without anyone watching.
Incognito Chat with Meta AI will be added into WhatsApp and the Meta AI app over the coming months.
You can learn more about how Incognito Chat with Meta AI works here.
WhatsApp.com
Introducing Incognito Chat with Meta AI: A completely private way to chat with AI
Chatting with AI has quickly become a critical part of how people get information and ask important questions. And many of these questions can be deeply sensitive, or include situations where people are including private financial, personal, health or work data with their questions.
17) In a surprise (but strategically brilliant) move, Apple has made a deal to have Intel start making chips for iPhones and iPads
The relationship between Apple and Intel goes back more than 40 years, but we all thought it ended a few years ago when Apple ditched Intel processors in favour of using much-faster Apple-designed chips made by TSMC in Taiwan.
However, the current political climate in the USA, together with the growing shortage of chip, RAM, and drive capacity, appears to have tilted things back in Intel's favour.
According to a report from supply chain analyst and leaker Ming-Chi Kuo, Intel has begun the testing process for building Apple chips on its 18A-P process, the equivalent process used by TSMC for modern Apple chipsets like the A18 Pro.
This is a smart move, because Intel has lots of capacity at its chip fabrication plants (called 'fabs'), while new fabs being built by TSMC and others in the USA won't be ready to produce chipos at the quality and quantity needed for at least a couple more years.
It'll take some time for Intel to ramp up to full production, though; Kuo suggests that 2026 is the testing ramp with 2027 as the target for full production and shipment. Even so, Intel's output will only be at 50% to 60% next year, and will continue to ramp through 2028.
18) HP has started hiding the USB port on their printers behind a blatantly misleading sticker claiming there is no USB port!
One of the reasons we don't recommend HP printers any more is because they force you to use the internet and their HP Smart to set them up, so they can keep tabs on what you're printing and scanning. Without an internet connection, the printer will stop working after 30 days.
One of the ways HP 'enforces' this (they call it 'Dynamic Security'), is by hiding a USB port under a sticker that falsely claims the printer doesn't have a USB port…
If you want to connect an HP printer to your computer with a cable, which we always recommend you do because not relying on a Wi-Fi connection is one less thing that can go wrong, look for one of these stickers on the back of your HP printer, and just peel it off and, voila, there is the USB port.
Printers all use the same USB plug, but the end that goes into your computer can either be the older, slower USB-A plug, or the newer, faster USB-C plug…
Printer plug to older rectangular USB-A plug
Printer plug to newer USB-C plug
Most stores don't carry the newer cables; you'll have to order from Memory Express or Amazon.
19) Update: if you want to stream CTV shows, you now have to use the Crave app, and have a free Bell Media account
CTV, which is owned by Bell Media, has scrapped its standalone apps, and is now streaming all its shows via the Crave app. Here's what you'll see if you open the CTV app…
If you're a cable TV subscriber, you can log-in and stream both live TV and shows.
If you're NOT a cable-TV subscriber, you can create a free Bell Media account and log in and stream CTV shows (with unskippable ads). You can optionally also pay for a Crave subscription, which allows you to stream live TV from CTV, as well as watch all the shows and movies on both CTV and Crave.
Here are the current Crave subscription options:
Full disclosure: Bell Media is the parent company of C-FAX Radio.
20) “Steel, concrete, and code”: federal govenment and Telus announce plans to build three huge AI data centres here in BC
Vancouver and Kamloops will be home to new data centre clusters under a planned partnership announced by the federal government and Telus.
AI Minister Evan Solomon says the project will expand Canada's "sovereign compute capacity" while helping domestic commercial and academic interests compete in the global AI economy.
The proposal involves expanding Telus's existing Kamloops facility and constructing two new data centres in Vancouver.
Telus says the Kamloops project and the first Vancouver project, located at the former Hootsuite headquarters in Mount Pleasant, will come online later this year. A second facility at 150 West Georgia Street is planned for 2029.
The project will begin with an 85 megawatt power draw, scaling up to 150 megawatts by 2032.
According to Telus, the facilities will run on 98% clean hydro power and recycle enough waste energy to heat 150,000 homes. Telus says the projects will also use 90% less water than a traditional data centre, and that it is working on plans to incorporate recycled water from BC Place stadium.
21) Sony has unveiled a new full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the Alpha 7R VI — but it's very pricey!
Price: $4500 CAD!
24) 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.
25) Kathryn's Paleontology News Item of the Week: skeletal remains found of new dinosaur that weighed as much as nine elephants
Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of somphospondylan titanosauriform dinosaur — the largest ever found in Southeast Asia — from the fossilized bones found in Thailand, offering fresh evidence that the region was home to a surprisingly diverse group of enormous plant-eaters during the Early Cretaceous.
The newly-described dinosaur species roamed what is now northeastern Thailand around 113 million years ago.
Named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, the ancient giant measured 27 m (89 feet) in length and weighed between 25 and 28 tons.
Sci.News: Breaking Science News
Giant New Dinosaur Species Discovered in Thailand Reveals Hidden Diversity of Asian Titans | Sci.News
Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of somphospondylan titanosauriform dinosaur -- the largest ever found in Southeast Asia -- from the fossilized bones found in Thailand, offering fresh evidence that the region was home to a surprisingly diverse group of enormous plant-eaters during the Early Cretaceous.
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
And so it goes…