Microsoft quietly hikes Surface prices in Canada due to hardware shortages

The AI-related PC hardware (RAM, GPU) squeeze is trickling down the personal computer space and hitting consumers' pockets. Not only are new product releases stalling, older models are costing significantly more.

Microsoft has raised prices across its entire Surface lineup at the Microsoft Store Canada, with retailers expected to follow suit soon. Both its midrange and flagship Surface PCs are now substantially more expensive than they were just weeks ago by up to $500 more.

The hikes are steep. The Surface Pro 12-inch, previously the most affordable modern Surface at now starts at approximately $1,424.99 CAD. The 2024 Surface Pro 13-inch starts at $2.042.49 CAD. Similarly, the Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $1,567.49 CAD, while the 13.8-inch flagship model lands close to $2,042.49 CAD, and the 15-inch variant starts around $2,069.99 CAD.

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Amazon Prime Day doubles down: Four days of deals kick off July 8

Image: Amazon

Get ready, shoppers! Amazon's Prime Day is expanding to four days this year, offering Prime members an extended opportunity to snag hundreds of thousands of deals across virtually every category imaginable. The massive savings event officially kicks off on July 8 at 12:01 a.m. PDT, promising the "longest and most value-packed Prime Day in Amazon's history."

Can't wait until July 8? You're in luck! Prime members can already unlock exclusive discounts on a variety of items. It's a great time to support Canadian brands and small businesses with special offers on products from companies like Organika, MalloMe, Gala Houseware, IMGadgets, and Only One Treats.

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Amazon Prime members can access the entire Amazon Music catalogue, but only in shuffle mode

Amazon Prime gets a pretty sweet perk for music lovers. (At least those without a music streaming subscription yet.) The company now gives its Prime members access to its 100 million-plus song catalogue instead of the curated two-million song library before. Of course, there's a condition. You can only play songs in shuffle mode. If you want to select specific albums or tracks, you'll need to get an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription. That tier gives you access to lossless HD music playback, Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio support, and more.

But on top of this, Amazon Prime members are also getting access to many ad-free podcasts, new Amazon Exclusives podcasts, and a refreshed Amazon Music app.

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EU consumers can unsubscribe to Amazon Prime in two clicks

The new Amazon cancellation process includes a “prominent and clear” cancel button and short explanatory text. (Source: The Next Web)

It will be much easier for consumers in the EU to unsubscribe to Amazon Prime. It'll now let EU and European Economic Area consumers unsubscribe from the service with just two clicks, using a prominent and actual "cancel" button. The last option required several steps and a method the EU calls "confirm shaming" that makes users feel like they'll lose out if they continue the process.

Extensive lobbying by EU and EEA consumer organizations helped bring about this change. They even penned a 2021 report entitled, "You Can Log Out, But You Can Never Leave." This is a change we definitely hope to see implemented on more platforms and in more countries.

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