June 20 & 21, 2026 Show Notes
Summer Solstice / Father's Day / World Cup / Weekend Edition
Langford Cultural Festival / TD JazzFest / Victoria Dragon Boat Festival / Uptown Multicultural Festival
🎙️ 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:
Brandon Laur
Guest Co-Host
Instructor and CEO, The White Hatter
work +1 250-478-9119
Kyle Wilson
Producer-in-Training
and Colwood-based IT Specialist and Wikipedia Administrator
1) Watch out for scam emails about the (real) Canada bread price-fixing settlement payments that are now being distributed
Earlier this month, the lawyers who negotiated a $500 million dollar out-of-court settlement to the class-action lawsuit alleging moire than a decade of bread price-fixing here in Canada, began distributing payments of $49.11 to everyone who registered for a share of the settlement.
But scammers are capitalizaing on that, by sending-out scam emails, like the one in this screenshot…
Iif you look closely at who sent the email, you'll see that it's coming NOT from the bread settlement lawyers at <DoNotReply@ca.e.veritacanada.com>, but from an outlook.com email address…
…and if you were to tap or click on the View full reference button in the scam email, it'd take you to a webpage at…
…and that real-looking webpage would look like the screenshot below, and if confirmed you were not a robot, you'd end up on another webpage looking like the second screenshot…
The Begin Application button takes you to a page that looks like the actual application we used months ago to apply for a share of the $500 million out-of-court settlement — except in this case, if you give the scammers your name, address, email and phone number, you'll end up on a screen where the you'll be asked to provide your credit card info…
…and if you do, within minutes, overseas scammers will begin using you card info to buy stuff online that they can quickly resell, and they'll keep doing that until your credit limit is maxed out, or until your credit card company catches on and cancels your card.
NEVER give your credit card info to a company or agency unless you've first confirmed that they are real, and that you're on their actual website!
If you don't have auto-deposit turned-on, or if you didn't give the lawyers your bank info, an authentic email about your payment cheque having been sent by postal mail should come from the lawyers handling the settlement payments at <DoNotReply@ca.e.veritacanada.com>
2) Brandon’s Most Common Internet Safety and Privacy Mistakes
(This list as also available at the end as a PDF which you can download and/or print)
2a) Thinking a VPN Protects You From Everything
Some people buy a virtual private network (VPN) and assume it automatically makes everything they do online private and secure.
Yes, a VPN can be a useful privacy and security tool, especially when you’re using public Wi-Fi while travelling. However, it does not protect you from unsafe downloads, weak passwords, phishing scams, excessive app permissions, or poor privacy settings.
A VPN may hide your IP address, but your phone’s location services, browser cookies, online accounts, and apps can still reveal plenty of information about you. A VPN is one layer of protection, not a complete security solution.
2b) Downloading Unverified Video Game Mods
This one is especially important for families.
Kids and teens can accidentally download malware, spyware, or viruses while looking for unofficial video game mods, cheats, free in-game currency, etc.
Scammers know what games are popular and will disguise malicious software as mods or free gaming content. They may also share dangerous links through gaming chats, Discord servers, social media posts, or YouTube videos.
Families should talk openly about game mods, check where downloads are coming from, and be cautious of unfamiliar websites, links, and messages.
2c) Ignoring Account and App Permissions
Hackers and scammers are not always trying to steal your password directly. Sometimes, they create fake apps, browser extensions, quizzes, or online services that ask for access to an account you already use.
You might click “Sign in with Google” and unknowingly give a malicious app permission to read your emails, access your cloud files, view your contacts, or manage parts of your account.
Even changing your password may not remove the app’s access.
Before connecting an app to your Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, or other online account, take a moment to check exactly what it is asking permission to access. It is also a good idea to regularly review and remove apps you no longer use.
2d) Falling for Subdomain Tricks
Learning how subdomains work is one of the most useful anti-scam skills you can have.
For example:
mail.google.com belongs to Google.
drive.google.com belongs to Google.
google.com.fakewebsite.net does not belong to Google. It belongs to fakewebsite.net
Scammers often put the name of a trusted company near the beginning of a web address to make a fake website look legitimate.
Remember: someone who owns a website can put almost anything in front of its main web address.
2e) Forgetting About Old Accounts
Old and forgotten accounts can create real privacy and security risks.
They may still contain personal information, private messages, photographs, saved payment details, or passwords that you continue to use elsewhere. Because these accounts are rarely checked, someone could gain access without you noticing.
Older services may also have weaker security or may have been involved in a previous data breach.
Every so often, look for old accounts, update passwords, remove information you no longer need, and close accounts you no longer use.
2f) Reusing Passwords
Reusing passwords is still one of the most common and damaging online security mistakes.
When you use the same password on several websites, a data breach at one company can put all your other accounts at risk.
Every important account should have its own unique password. A reputable password manager can create and store strong passwords for you, so you do not have to remember them all.
You should also turn on multi-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible.
2g) Using Text Messages for Two-Factor Authentication
Brandon is not a big fan of having online account security codes sent by text message.
Text-based two-factor authentication is still better than having no extra protection at all, but it has some weaknesses. What happens if you lose your phone, change your phone number, or a hacker manages to transfer or forward your number through a SIM-swapping attack?
Whenever possible, use an authenticator app instead. Authenticator apps generate security codes directly on your device and do not rely on your phone number or cellular provider.
These apps can also be installed on multiple devices, and some offer encrypted online backups. This makes it easier to recover your codes if your phone is lost, damaged, or replaced.
02h) Installing Too Many Browser Extensions
Most of what we do online now happens through a web browser. That also makes browsers valuable targets for hackers and scammers.
A malicious or compromised extension may be able to see the websites you visit, read info entered into forms, change search results, insert advertisements, or even capture login info.
Only install extensions from developers you trust, check the permissions they request, and remove anything you no longer use.
Download a PDF of Brandon's tips to share and/or print by clicking below…
3) The Steam Workshop is being used to spread malware to thousands of gamers via its Wallpaper Engine
One of the best arguments for buying games through Steam is the Steam Workshop. This community hub lets users seamlessly download and install mods for their favorite games. No searching for the right files and the folders they go in; Steam Workshop does all the hard work. However, since all the content is user-created, sometimes malicious coders upload virus-laden items, and victims are often none the wiser.
But now, hackers are exploiting the sharing features of Steam Workshop's Wallpaper Engine to install some nasty identity- and password- stealing trojans and other malware.
While only "dozens" of these malware-laden wallpapers exist, they're extremely popular — each has been downloaded thousands or tens of thousands of times. While anyone who installs the wallpapers will get infected, currently the people who built them are mostly targeting Chinese players. How so? The art styles and titles are "tailored specifically to them." 89% of all victims hail from China, followed by Russia at 5.5%.
Obviously, the best way to avoid this malware is to stay clear of Steam Workshop's Wallpaper Engine for the time being. If you really need a special wallpaper, use obscure Windows apps such as WinDynamicDesktop or download Van Gogh-inspired wallpapers for your Mac.
If you've already downloaded wallpapers using the Steam Workshop's Wallpaper Engine, scan your computer with Windows Defender and Malwarebytes, and if any of the following malware is found, get a computer tech to completely erase your computer and install a clean version of Windows or macOS…
- HEUR: Rojan-PSW.Win32.gen
- HEUR:Trojan-PSW.Win32.Python.gen
- HEUR Backdoor.Win32.DarkKomet
- Trojan-Dropper.Python.Agent
- HEUR: Trojan-Random.Win32.Gen.gen
- PDM: Trojan.Win32.Generic
5) The federal government quietly overnight passed C-22, their controversial phone surveillance legislation, with no debate
If the Lawful Access Bill is passed as written by the Senate when senators get their hands on it this fall, tech giants including Apple, Signal, and Meta say they'll cut off Canadians from using their messaging apps to avoid having to build backdoors into their apps to comply with the legislation.
The Carney government used a single motion to shut down clause-by-clause study in committee, which dragged the session past midnight. MPs were blocked from introducing new amendments and ended up voting on amendments one after another with no discussion or even public disclosure of what was actually in them. Back in the House, the bill passed with no debate, no discussion, and no recorded vote, as MPs rushed to get out of Ottawa for the summer.
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
Feds Quietly Pass Secret iPhone Spy Bill Overnight With Zero Debate | iPhone in Canada
Canada's Liberal government is taking heat after pushing a controversial surveillance bill through the House of Commons late at night with zero debate and no recorded vote. Law professor and internet policy expert Michael Geist called it "a genuine abrogation of democratic norms." Midnight session, no real debate Bill C-22, the lawful access bill, hands
6) Canadian man sent to prison for 33 years for his part in a sextortion scheme that targetted kids in the USA
A 40-year-old Toronto man has been sentenced in US District Court to 33 years in federal prison in connection with a prolific sextortion scheme that targeted more than 100 children across the USA.
According to court documents, Ramanan Pathmanathan used multiple social media accounts, primarily Instagram and Facebook Messenger, to establish contact with at least 145 young girls and boys. Between at least March 2014 up until the day of his arrest on March 10, 2021, Pathmanathan posed as a teenage boy from New Jersey.
Pathmanathan demanded the minor victims engage in sexually explicit conduct while they participated in video chats with him. He directed them to expose their genitals, and to engage in sexual acts with dogs, siblings, and other relatives. In almost all the video chats with his minor victims, Pathmanathan sent the children images of adults engaged in sexual acts to show them how to do what he was requesting.
Pathmanathan recorded his victims’ sexually explicit conduct and saved the files on his desktop computer. Some of the victims were as young as six years old. When the minor victims would decline to continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct or blocked Pathmanathan’s social media accounts, he threatened to send images to the children’s friends or family.
www.justice.gov
Canadian Sentenced in D.C. to 33 Years in Sextortion Scheme that
Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 33 years in federal prison in connection with a prolific sextortion scheme that targeted more than 100 children across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
7) Americans lost $3.5 billion to imposter scams last year; Canadians are known to have lost at least $643 million
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says Americans lost $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025, with reported losses nearly tripling since 2020.
Imposter scams were also the most reported fraud category last year, accounting for nearly one in three fraud reports filed with the FTC. In these scams, the fraudsters reach victims through text messages, phone calls, emails, social media, and search engine results. The costliest schemes typically involve a fake bank security alert that prompts targets to transfer funds to "protect" their accounts.
Social media was the most cost-effective attack vector for scammers, with more than $2.1 billion in 2025 losses in the USA traced to social platforms (an eightfold increase since 2020).
Nearly one in three Americans who lost money in such scams were first contacted through social media, with Facebook losses alone exceeding those from text and email combined, while WhatsApp and Instagram ranked second and third.
Here in Canada, the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre says we lost at least about $643.7 million to fraud last year — but the real total is likely several billion dollars, as estimates are that only about 6% of fraud is reported, because a lot of victims are to embarrassed to report their losses.
8) Apple's Hide My Email tweak has left privacy fans fuming
A few days ago, Apple quietly announced what might have seemed like a minor change to one of its most popular privacy features - and has left some users feeling that the company is pulling the rug from underneath them.
Hide My Email is a privacy feature that lets users create unique, random email addresses that forward messages to your real inbox. That means you can sign-up for websites, newsletters, and apps without exposing your personal email address.
The benefit? Well, you can simply delete the alias if a company starts sending you unwanted email - helping to reduce your exposure to spam, marketing lists, and data brokers as well as protecting your privacy.
But now Apple has announced that it plans to move all newly-generated Hide My Email aliases from the familiar @icloud.com domain to @private.icloud.com instead.
At first sight that may seem fine. The problem is, however, that one of the reasons that Hide My Email worked so well was because its aliases were indistinguishable from regular iCloud email addresses.
When a website or app received a sign-up from an "cloud.com address it had no way to tell if it was a genuine Apple user or someone using the privacy feature to protect themselves.
However, when Apple makes you use a @private.icloud.com address, the ambiguity disappears. All any website or app that wants to block anonymous sign-ups now has to do is to reject any email address ending in @private.icloud.com.
Existing addresses on the old domains will continue to work and forward mail as before, according to Apple, but all newly-generated aliases will be issued on the new domain from later this summer.
Many Apple users are criticizing the decision, saying it'll make the Hide My Email feature significantly less useful for anyone trying to sign-up anonymously for services that don't want them to.
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) Rogers has replaced their now-banned $85 Activation Fee with an 'optional' new $40 Device Setup Fee; CRTC is telling them to stop
One week after the CRTC's ban on fees that are a barrier to switching cellphone and Internet plans took effect, Rogers has implemented a $40 Device Setup Fee, which will be charged if you want a hand with initializing a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, setting up the SIM, transferring apps between devices, support for cloud backup solutions, and more.
This fee applies if you want help from someone at Rogers, regardless of whether you're in-store, over the phone, or online.
Rogers is also now charging a $25 Shipping Fee if you order a device online.
The CRTC quickly fired-off a letter to Rogers (see below), demanding Rogers explain how these new fees don't contravene the new regulations that expressly prohibit such fees.
Rogers isn’t the only carrier trying to get around the new rules. Both Telus and Bell have also rolled out new fees. Telus started charging a $15 SIM fee, while Bell added a $40 device handling fee that’s very similar to Rogers’ fee.
The CRTC already sent letters to Bell and Telus over the new fees, asking both carriers to remove the fees before the commission is forced to take regulatory action. In both cases, the CRTC argued that carriers were charging for necessary equipment, and thus the fees violate the new rules. According to the commission, both phones and SIM cards are required to deliver telecom services.
But the big three have responded with letters back to the CRTC, refusing to scrap these new fees.
Bell’s assistant general counsel Philippe Gauvin defended the $40 device fee, saying it “is distinct from the activation or modification of a wireless service plan, recovers legitimate device fulfillment costs, and does not discourage customers from switching or modifying plans.”
Telus chief regulatory legal counsel Stephen Schmidt argued the company’s $15 SIM charge isn’t a fee at all. “The purpose of the amendments to the act is to prohibit junk fees, not to prohibit carriers from charging for goods and services. The commission’s definition ought to be read in this context,” he said.
Rogers vice-president of regulatory affairs Howard Slawner made a similar case for the company’s $40 device setup charge, saying “the charge is clearly related to the optional device purchase and not a consequence of an activation or modification of a telecommunications service.” Rogers also said two other fees flagged by the CRTC, a $25 shipping charge and an unspecified SIM fee, aren’t new and aren’t tied to activation.
The CRTC didn’t say what its next move will be, but with all three carriers holding firm, it’s setting up a real test of how far the new switching rules actually go, and how far the regulator will go to actually send a message to telecoms.
11) How to watch the 2026 World Cup here in Canada
Bell Media (the parent company of C-FAX 1070) holds the exclusive Canadian broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, covering all 104 matches across its English, French, and digital platforms.
TSN (English)
TSN is the primary broadcaster, airing all 104 matches live on its cable TV channels. You can also stream every game through TSN.ca or the TSN app. Cord-cutters can subscribe to TSN+ for standalone streaming access, which also includes multi-language feeds with commentary from competing nations. TSN+ costs $8/month or $80/year.
CTV and Crave (English)
CTV is broadcasting 30 select matches for free over the air, including all of Canada’s group stage games and key knockout round fixtures. Those same matches are available to stream free on Crave through its live CTV channel hub.
RDS and Noovo (French)
French-language viewers can catch all 104 matches on RDS, with select games also airing on Noovo.
TSN/Crave Bundle Deal
There’s currently a three-month TSN/Crave bundle available for $70, which works out to $23.33 per month. That’s a solid option if you want full tournament coverage in one package.
Canada’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Schedule
- Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina: Friday, June 12, BMO Field in Toronto: it ended in a 1-1 tie.
- Canada vs. Qatar: Thursday, June 18 at BC Place in Vancouver: we won in a record 6-0!
- Switzerland vs. Canada: Wednesday, June 24 at Noon PT, BC Place in Vancouver (TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5, CTV, Crave)
There are free outdoor public watch parties in numerous locations:
- Market Square in downtown Victoria DowntownVictoria.ca/Summer-Of-Soccer/#SoccerEvents
- outside Puerto Vallarta Amigos at Fishermans Wharf in James Bay
- Langford Station in Langford Langford.ca/calendar
- The new Freedom Mobile Amphitheatre at the PNE in Burnaby
- numerous locations in Surrey and Richmond
12) If you're a parent and your kid(s) have a newer Android phone, you're about to get a lot more control over what they can do on it
One week after Apple announced that significantly-expanded patental controls will be available on iPhones and iPads starting this fall, Google has announced that expanded parental controls are being rolled-out now to all Android phones that can run the current Android 17 operating system.
Those controls were rolled-out last year to Google Pixel phones.
The contros,let parents set daily limits on screen time, set limits on the usage of specific apps (or block usage completely), set hours when phones and apps can and can't be used, filter what apps are available by content ratings, and also filter websites and search results the same way.
A Parental Control PIN is used to prevent kids from changing these limits.
Here's how to set up Parental Controls on an Android phones…
13) UK the latest country to announce plans to ban those under 16 from using social media; ban to take effect next spring
The UK has announced a full ban on social media use for under‑16s, with legislation expected before Christmas 2026 and enforcement beginning in Spring 2027, covering platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and more.
The UK government plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia. This would capture user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material, alongside algorithms. The UK government says it does not plan for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the social media ban.
In a move to protect children online and address the scale of the challenge, the UK government says it'll also go further than a blanket ban on social media with world-leading blocks on harmful functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children for under-16s. These restrictions – which together with the ban go further than any other country – will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites.
Restrictions on these functionalities will also be on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds to prevent a cliff-edge at 16. The UK government will also be looking in more detail at overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18-year-olds and will set out more detail in July.
Here in Canada, the Carney government has introduced the Safe Social Media Act (Bill C-34), part of a broader Digital Safety Act, which aims to restrict social media access for children under 16 while regulating AI chatbots to reduce harmful content
The legislation would require social media companies to block users under 16 from creating accounts, though platforms can apply for exemptions if they demonstrate policies that minimize harm, such as preventing bullying, self-harm, or exposure to explicit content.
The bill has been introduced in the House of Commons and must pass both the House and Senate before becoming law. Implementation is expected to take up to 18 months to establish the digital regulator and enforce the new rules.
Other countries considering or implementing similar measures include France, Denmark, Greece, and New Zealand.
14) Tin Can phone for kids: Brandon's hands-on review
When to allow children to have their own phone is a big topic for parents these days, but there's a new option that should make the question a lot easier to answer.
It's called the Tin Can, and it's a screen-free corded phone that lets children make and recieve calls only to and from pre-approved people, so no strangers, and no scam calls.
A Tin Can phone costs $135 CAD, and the base just has to be plugged into an AC power outlet. The Tin Can phone makes and receives calls over Wi-Fi to and from numbers that are controlled by the Tin Can app on the phone of the parent or parents. The app can also be used to set "quiet hours" for when the Tin Can cannot be used.
It's free to talk with other Tin Can phones (belonging to a child's approved friends or to grandparents) and for an optional $13 CAD/month subscription, it can be used to make and recieve calls to other approved traditional phone numbers (mobile and home phone).
The first batch sold out in weeks; a second batch is expected to be available in July. More info, including FAQ and ordering info, is below…
Brandon's review (it's linked in full below):
The Tin Can is one of the more innovative and thoughtfully designed products we have seen emerge in the youth technology space in recent years. Its appeal is not based on offering more features, but rather on offering fewer. At a time when many devices compete for attention through endless apps, notifications, games, and social media access, the Tin Can takes a very different approach. Its design philosophy is rooted in simplicity, focusing on voice communication while intentionally removing many of the distractions that parents and caregivers often find concerning.
We appreciate the vision behind the product, but our initial testing phase revealed several performance concerns. While the phone was generally easy to set up and use, we encountered connectivity, call quality, reliability, and overall consistency issues. Delays, echoes, dropped connections, and other service disruptions plagued our testing, significantly impacting the user experience. Therefore, the setup might not be as straightforward as plug-and-play for everyone.
After we provided our initial test and evaluation, and after Tin Can allowed us to change our phone number to a BC area code, in our second round of testing, the quality of the connection increased dramatically. On a scale of 1-10 we would rate it at about a 7.
As a result of our further testing, we continue to believe that the Tin Can represents a thoughtful idea and a genuinely promising concept in the youth technology space. The company’s vision of providing children with a simple communication device, free from many of the distractions associated with smartphones, is one that we find both refreshing and worthwhile.
The White Hatter
The Tin Can Kid’s Phone: Review for Parents and Caregivers
Parents are often told they must choose between giving their child a smartphone or no device at all. The TinCan phone offers a different option. Designed as a modern-day landline for kids, it provides voice calling without social media, apps, texting, or internet distractions. After extensive testing, The White Hatter found a product with genuine promise, some important limitations, and a unique middle ground for families seeking more intentional communication.
15) Adults with mild to moderate hearing loss here in BC can now use their iPhones with AirPods as hearing aids
Adults 18 and older with mild to moderate hearing loss here in BC now have access to over-the-counter non-prescribed hearing aids through retail stores and online sellers across the province.
This includes using the Hearing Assistance feature with AirPods 3 or any AirPods Pro.
British Columbia is the first province or territory in Canada to expand access to over-the-counter hearing aids.
Over-the-counter hearing aids may be available as stand-alone devices or as applications installed on mobile computing devices, such as smartphones or smartwatches, paired with earbuds or headphones.
These hearing aids are not intended to replace professional hearing care.
By expanding access through retail and online outlets, these changes create additional options for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss who may otherwise delay or go without hearing support because of financial, access or service barriers.
“I hear from many seniors who can not afford hearing aids, which can cost up to $11,000, and are simply out of reach for many older people in B.C.,” said Dan Levitt, B.C.’s seniors advocate. “More affordable, non-prescription options will help support dignity, independence and healthy aging. This change is a welcome, necessary step toward improving access to hearing care for seniors, particularly older people living on fixed incomes.”
Apple Support
Use the Hearing Aid feature on your AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 - Apple Support (CA)
AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 provide a clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, as well as a Media Assist feature that enhances the clarity of music, video, and calls.
16) How to change the number of rings before a call to your mobile phone goes to voicemail
If you find you're missing calls on your mobile phone because they go to voicemail before you can get your phone out and answer the call, you can adjust how many seconds your phone will ring before it gets forwarded to your carrier's voicemail, by using a standard GSM/UMTS MMI code, which works on most Android and iPhone devices.
GSM/UMTS MMI is actually an acronym made of three separate telecom standards terms:
- GSM — Global System for Mobile Communications
- UMTS — Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
- MMI — Man‑Machine Interface (the standardized way a phone’s keypad and screen interact with network features)
You first need to decide how many seconds (not how many rings) you want to elapse before an incoming call goes to voicemail. You can choose from between 5 and 30 seconds.
Now, you're going to use a CCF — Conditional Call-Forwarding — code to set the ringing length.
To do that, open the phone-calling app on your phone, bring up the keypad, and look closely at it, because you're going to have to tap in both the * symbol and the + symbol.
The * symbol is usually to the left of the 0, and to get a +, you hold your finger on the 0 key for one second.
Now, here's the button sequence which you need to carefully and precisely tap in. In the sequence below, replace the numbers in red with YOUR mobile phone number, and replace the 30 highlighted in yellow at the end of the sequence with how many seconds you want to elapse before an incoming call gets forwarded to voicemail (or leave it unchanged if you want 30 seconds):
**61*+12505551212**11*30#
Once you've tapped in that sequence, press the green button to trigger that dialling sequence.
Now, use another phone to call your mobile number and when it rings, don't answer it, and instead count how long before it goes to voicemail to confirm that the CCF code did what you wanted.
17) A class-action lawsuit is being filed here in Canada, alleging Amazon conspired to artificially raise prices across marketplaces
If you've shopped on Amazon since 2018, you'll want to keep tabs on this item…
Quebec law firm Lex Group published a notice stating that it filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Amazon. The retailer faces allegations that it participated in a retail price-fixing scheme that artificially inflated prices across multiple online marketplaces.
A similar lawsuit was filed in the U.S. in 2022 in the Superior Court of the State of California in San Francisco. On April 20, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the public release of evidence “clearly showing Amazon’s illegal price fixing scheme that is artificially driving up prices for Americans.”
Amazon allegedly used vendors as intermediaries to influence pricing at competing retailers, helping keep prices high across online marketplaces, thereby leaving Canadian buyers with fewer low-cost options. The document also alleges that the company trained employees to avoid creating records that could reveal evidence of the alleged scheme, with an internal document stating that it is “often better to have these conversations over the phone.”
Amazon Canada says, "These claims lack merit, and Amazon looks forward to contesting them in court.”
The lawsuit is seeking compensation for customers who allegedly paid higher prices on Amazon due to the alleged misconduct. There is no proposed amount yet, but it seeks damages equal to the difference between the prices shoppers paid and the prices that would have existed in a competitive market. The lawsuit also states that it seeks punitive damages.
If you want to be notified when there are developments in this case, you can register with the Lex Group, the Quebec law-firm that's leading the class-action here in Canada, using the link below…
Lex Group Attorneys / Avocats - Montreal
Amazon Price Fixing Class Action
LEX GROUP Inc. has launched a Canadian class action lawsuit against various AMAZON entities on behalf of all persons in Canada who, at any time since January 1, 2018 purchased products on Amazon.ca or Amazon.com, and who paid artificially inflated prices as a result of Amazon’ alleged unlawful retail price fixing scheme.
18) Commodore has announced a Linux-powered flip-phone — but it's going to cost $700!
Commodore — yes, the latest incarnation of one off the original makers of personal computers — thinks there's a market for a Commodore-branded flip-phone, and as a result, they've unveiled the Commodore Callback 8020.
It runs on the open-source the Linux-based, Android-app-compatible Sailfish operating system and has a replaceable battery, a decent 48MP Sony camera, and quality Cirrus Logic DAC for audio.
It has no social media or web-browser, but WhatsApp & SMS and preinstalled, and it supports Signal. Telegram. WeChat, and more, even iMessage.
But, it has a launch price of $699 CAD, so we hope they aren’t betting the farm on this one being a mass hit.
If you're interested, you can get on the waitlist now (there's a link for that in the linked website below), and you'll get get $100 off if you buy one when it's released lat the end of this month.
19) Apple's CEO has confirmed that their next iPhones are going to cost more, but no word just how much more
Apple CEO Tim Cook this week warned that iPhone prices would increase this year due to rising costs of memory chips and components.
The Wall Street Journal then conducted its own analysis, estimating the iPhone 18 series could cost around $1,299 USD (roughly $1,799 CAD).
Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,599 in Canada, so we could see a $200 to $400 increase depending on how pricing is handled.
We’ll certainly know more in September when Apple is set to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max alongside the very first foldable iPhone.
iPhone in Canada | Canada’s source for Apple, telecom, tech news, and deals
iPhone 18 Pro Series Could Cost Around $1,799 in Canada | iPhone in Canada
Thanks to a surge in DRAM and flash storage pricing, the iPhone 18 series could cost around $1,299 USD (roughly $1,799 CAD) when it releases in September.
20) Android 17 is now available for Google Pixel phones
If you have a Google Pixel phone, you should be able to update its operating system to Android 17.
And this update should become available via your carrier on other Android phones in the coming months.
Some of the newest features include multitasking better with bubbles, which allows you to turn any app into a compact, floating window. Long-press any app icon to convert it into a bubble that floats on top of other apps.
Screen Reactions is now available in the screen recording feature. Screen Reactions lets you overlay yourself using your phone’s selfie camera and capture your phone screen at the same time.
Android 17 also offers new security and safety features, like letting you grant temporary access to your precise location, and an enhanced form of the ‘Mark as lost’ feature in Find Hub, which lets you lock a missing phone with your biometrics, so if the robber has your passcode, they still can’t get in.
21) New $140 Google Home speaker with built-in Gemini AI is now available for pre-order here in Canada
Six months after its USA release, the new model of the Google Home speaker with Gemini AI has made it here to Canada…it's available for pre-order now for $140 CAD on the Google Canada Store (see link below), and should start being available in stores in the 25th.
The Google Home speaker offers 360-degree sound with a 2x larger driver and 2.5 times stronger bass than the Nest Mini. You can also pair up two of them with a Google Streamer for spatial surround sound audio. The device offers a smarter and more capable assistant that offers richer answers, sets and edits reminders, and controls your home with more natural language.
The device comes in Porcelain and Hazel and is crafted from 37% recycled materials. There are also Jade and Berry colours, but currently those aren’t yet available here in Canada.
22) The end of an era: no more Hockey Night in Canada on CBC
CBC will no longer broadcast NHL hockey games after it and national rights-holder Rogers Sportsnet were unable to come to agreement on a new sublicensing deal that would've allowed the public broadcaster to air games on its Saturday program Hockey Night in Canada.
The CBC, which began televising NHL games in 1952, had operated under that agreement since Rogers Sportsnet acquired the league’s Canadian rights in 2013 for $5.2 billion. Rogers Sportsnet renewed those rights with a 12-year, $11.2-billion deal to begin in October. The CBC previously aired national games on Saturdays, along with all four playoff rounds each year.
Hockey Night in Canada was a Saturday night mainstay for generations of hockey fans.
Broadcasters like Dick Irvin, Bob Cole, Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, Dave Hodge and Foster Hewitt — to name a few — helped provide the soundtrack that Canadians would cherish.
Traditional baby blue blazers — complete with a puck and stick HNIC logo on the jacket pocket — were as familiar as the announcers' voices.
MoIn place of Hockey Night in Canada, CBC will launch a new Saturday night prime time show on CBC and streaming on CBC Gem, featuring Canadian athletes competing at home and at the biggest events around the world.
CBC
CBC will no longer air NHL games in 'end of an era' as broadcast deal expires | CBC Sports
CBC will no longer broadcast NHL hockey games after it and national rights-holder Rogers Sportsnet were unable to come to agreement on a new sublicensing deal that would have allowed the public broadcaster to air games on its Saturday program Hockey Night in Canada.
24) AST SpaceMobile announces launch of three new BlueBird satellites to be used for phone-to-satellite communications
AST SpaceMobile, the Texas=based firm which is developing a space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by everyday smartphones, has announced the successful orbital launch of its BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 satellites.
The mission lifted off this past Wednesday onboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
The BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 satellites are the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit, measuring at approx. 2400 sq/ft. AST SpaceMobile says these next-gen satellites are designed to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of the initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites, which recently achieved peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.
“This first stacked launch is just the beginning,” Says Abel Avella, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 will ship shortly for our next launch, while next-generation BlueBird satellites through BlueBird 37 are already in active production and assembly. Our focus is firmly on execution: scaling launch cadence, manufacturing, and preparing for commercial service.”
Blue Origin tried to launch its seventh satellite earlier this year, but it failed to remain in a sufficiently high orbit to remain operational
Interestingly, both Bell and Telus have partnered with AST SpaceMobile, with Telus becoming an equity shareholder in the company. This launch brings us closer to Bell and Telus having satellite-to-mobile coverage. Rogers uses SpaceX’s Starlink for its satellite-to-mobile service.
if you have an iPhone, Apple relies on Globalstar as its satellite partner for free iPhone satellite services. This applies to all current satellite features on iPhone 14 and newer models, including Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite.
25) Meta is offering free smart glasses to blind veterans in the USA
To honour their service, Meta is offering to provide Ray-Ban Smart Glasses for free to the 130,000 blind veterans in the USA; the program may be expanded to other countries in the future.
- This program, inspired by US Army veteran Don Overton, is completely free for veterans, giving them transformative AI technology so they can read documents, navigate their surroundings, and live more independently.
- Meta and Meta’s partners will provide hands-on training with every single pair, teaming up with the Blinded Veterans Association to make sure every veteran feels confident using the technology.
28) 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.
This is a sad weekend for Suzanne and me; after staying with us for the past 10 months, Sofía, our delightful Grade 10 homestay student from Spain, flew back to Madrid early Thursday, along with her cousin Adrián, who was a Grade 9 boarding student at SMU…
A huge 'gracias' to Sofía's mom and dad — Ana and José Luis — and her younger brother Ivan, for allowing Sofía to spend Grade 10 with us, we're really going to miss her!
To help Sofía remember our many wonderful activities and events together, I created four 32×18 collages, which we had printed at London Drugs, and sent them home with her in a tube, so she can have them mounted and displayed in her room…
This weekend is the last weekend here for Natsuki, our other international student who's from Osaka in Japan, and we're making the most of it!
"Tech Talk" listener Wayne gave us a ride on his Victoria Harbour Ferry to Fisherman's Wharf where we watched the sun set and enjoyed some Jackson's ice cream, one of Natsuki's favourites!
This coming Wednesday, we get to meet Natsuki's father Naoto, when he flies in from Osaka to spend three days here before he accompanies her home.
Hi from "Tech Talk" listeners Dave and Lezlie from North Saanich, who are touring England after visiting Hungary, and are currently in the Cotswolds.
They highly recommend the "Clarkson's Farm TV show which in Amazon Prime; they're at Diddly Squat Farm near Chadlington, where the show is recorded…
They're using Freedom Mobile's "Roam Beyond" service to keep connected without paying anything extra. They say it's been working awesomely except in one of the small towns where the locals voted against having any cellular towers, so the only way for visitors to stay connected is to use Wi-Fi at a pub!
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
this week, a 'twofer' — how the heck do you pronounce these streets?
And so it goes…