Essential Phone gets permanently discounted by $200

Andy Rubin's Essential Phone has been an exciting product to watch but also a frustrating one to root for. There have been shipping delays, identity phishing fiascos, a lacklustre camera and reports that it isn't selling well at all.  

My own time with a Canadian unit was fraught with software glitches, poor camera experience and promised firmware updates that didn't come within the review period. Another key complain about the device is the high price. This is something Essential is in control of, and starting this weekend, the company is takingUS $200 off the price of the Essential Phone.

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Hands on with Canadian Made Apple AR Kit powered Apps

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

I recently had an opportunity to discover some of the latest Canadian-made ARKit apps for iOS. AR or Augmented Reality is a huge part of Apple's iOS 11 and the Apple ecosystem going forward.

I've seen implementations of AR before, around a year or so ago Lenovo and Motorola showed off their Project Tango smartphones. These were large phablets that used special cameras and sensors to 'project' 3D images into reality (as viewed through their screen). While the demos looked impressive, the hardware felt awkward and certainly more cumbersome than a regular smartphone.

With Apple's ARKit, Augmented Reality comes to existing iPhones and iPads, no extra hardware required. More impressive is that Apple's made it possible for existing app programmers to port their apps and enable AR functionality.

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Space Black variant of the BlackBerry KEYOne now available through TELUS

A tactical all-black version of the BlackBerry KEYOne Android smartphone is now available in Canada. The matte-black finish and blacked out logo variant Silver KEYOne is a TELUS exclusive.

Starting today, customers in Canada can purchase the Space Black variant of the BlackBerry KEYone online and in select TELUS stores across Canada for $200 on a two year premium plan, or $0 on a two year premium plus plan.

Featuring a matte black finish, 3GB of memory and 32GB of storage, the Space Black variant of the BlackBerry KEYone adds additional styling to TELUS BlackBerry smartphone lineup; which today also includes the silver variant of BlackBerry KEYone.

For more information on the Space Black variant of the BlackBerry KEYone available exclusively at TELUS, please visit www.blackberrymobile.com/ca.

Apple's new Chicago Riverfront store exemplifies its new retail vision

Video by Chicago Sun-Times

Apple opened its new flagship Apple Retail Store in Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Mirroring the Second City's illustrious history and connection to arts, music and architecture, the Riverfront Apple Store also serves as a destination and hub for locals and visitors alike.

Apple says the new store is, "Intended as a gathering place for the local community, the store will host year-round Today at Apple programming, building on Chicago’s city-wide initiative to enliven the Riverwalk. To celebrate the opening, Apple Michigan Avenue will host “The Chicago Series,” a month-long set of events that will provide attendees with the tools to pursue their passions, from photography and music to coding and app design."

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