Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup - 12/3- 12/9

Hollywood Suites will ring in 2024 with 3 new Canadian films

The messaging app by Google is now simply called Google Messages

Spotify announces third round of layoffs this year, affecting 1,500 workers

Galaxy S25 and S25+ may ditch Samsung ISOCELL sensors for Sony ones

EXCEL Gum launches ASMR soundtracks on Spotify to help calm students during exam season

Netflix releases additional images of The Crown Season 6 Part 2

Razer launches new earbuds for VR gaming

Retrospekt and Peanuts celebrate 50 years of Beagle Scouts with retro-tech gear

'Overwatch 2' Season 8 plagued by performance issues on PS5

McDonald’s teams up with Google to bring AI to thousands of stores by 2024

Apple surprises with Qi2 wireless charging support for older iPhones

Motorola Razr+ now comes in 'Peach Fuzz'

23andMe changes terms of service to block class action lawsuits after massive hack

Apple surprises with Qi2 wireless charging support for older iPhones

Apple, known for its cautious approach to new standards, already surprised us with Qi2 compatibility on its iPhone 15, but it seems that Cupertino has more tricks up its sleeve. According to 9to5Mac and some users, the release notes for the iOS 17.2 release candidate state that this update adds "Qi2 charger support for all iPhone 13 models and iPhone 14 models." This implies that these iPhone models can support up to 15W wireless charging with Qi2-certified chargers, although the release notes did not confirm the power specs. We will find out when Apple releases iOS 17.2 to the general public—probably in a few days.

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Xiaomi introduces its true wireless ' Mi Air Charge' technology

Xiaomi is not the first company to experiment with wireless charging, but the Chinese tech manufacturer wants to share what it's working on. The company calls it Mi Air Charge Technology, a wireless charging system that only requires the devices it needs to top up to be "within a radius of several meters." 

It will work on multiple gadgets simultaneously at a charging speed of 5W. And according to Xiaomi, physical obstacles (like the couch you see in the GIF above) won't affect charging efficiency.

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Xiaomi introduces 80W mobile wireless charging

What can you do in 20 minutes? A quick breakfast or workout? Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi outdoes itself again with the introduction of an 80W wireless charging solution. The tech can charge a 4,000mAh battery up to 50 percent full in eight minutes and up to 100 percent in 19 minutes. The company shows the tech in action on a modified Mi 10 Pro.

Fast charging at these speeds hasn't really made its way to this side of the world. But Chinese phone makers outdo themselves as companies like Xiaomi, Huawei, and OPPO develop fast-charging solutions. 

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