This week on the SyrupCast, we're joined by new MobileSyrup member, Jane McEntagart, whose seven years of industry experience makes us look like a bunch of newbs.

We dive into important mobile payment news from Visa, some unfortunate layoffs from Microsoft and Rogers, an important regulation that will affect both Google and Apple's app stores, and we'll delve into the Nvidia Shield Tablet, a brand new gaming-oriented Android tablet.

• Visa launches Visa Checkout - is it any good?
• Microsoft cutting 18,000 jobs, most of which are from Nokia
• Rogers cutting several hundred jobs, many in the VP level
• Apple and IBM announce enterprise partnership - what does it mean for BlackBerry?
• Google will stop calling free-to-play games ‘free’ in the EU, but is it the right move?
• Nvidia Shield Tablet - does Android need a hardcore gaming tablet?

App Roundup

Daniel - Carousel by Dropbox (iPhone, Android)

Douglas - Tinder (iPhone, Android) / Swarm (iPhone, Android)

Jane - Android Wear Watchfaces (various apps)

Hosts: Daniel Bader, Jane McEntagart, Douglas Soltys

Running Time: 84 minutes

Welcome to episode 4 of SyrupCast, the best only Canadian mobile podcast on earth.

This week, we delve into some of the more exciting elements of the Canadian regulatory system -- if the word 'exciting' can be used for such a thing -- with the newly-announced AWS-3 auction early next year.

We also get into some first impressions of the LG G3, which will be coming to Canada on August 1st, and touch on Spotify, which looks to be launching shortly in Canada.

We wax prolific on the sorry state of kids these days, and, as usual, talk about BlackBerry.

And finally, we've launched our first podcast-specific feature, the weekly App Roundup, where Douglas and Daniel convince you to waste your time in productive ways.

Running time: 72 minutes

Hosts: Daniel Bader, Douglas Soltys

Released: July 11th, 2014

This week, we talk about Android, Android and more Android. Oh, and BlackBerry. And LG. And Bell.

Google I/O just ended, but that doesn't mean we have to finish talking about the many Android-related announcements made during the two-day developer conference.

Daniel Bader and Douglas Soltys dive into Android L and its new Material Design language, Android One, Android TV, Android Auto and Android Wear.

• Will Material Design help end Android fragmentation?
• What is Android One, and is it Google's preamble to Android Silver?
• How good is Android TV? And what about Android Auto?
• We delve into Android Wear and its newest cohorts, the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. Our first impressions and a preview of the review.
• Will the Moto 360 be the best of the bunch? (We think so!)
• In Canadian news, Bell begins charging for SIM cards.
• We saw the first working video of the BlackBerry Passport -- how does it look?
• With the LG G3 coming to Canada soon, how does it stack up to the current list of high-end Android devices?

Running time: 62 minutes