Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup - 3/10- 3/16

Audible Indigenous Writers' Circle returns for the fourth year

Apple's iPad Pro tipped to get a major revamp

'Street Fighter 6' releases limited edition vinyl box set

Samsung launches new Galaxy A55 5G

Samsung unveils the affordable midrange Galaxy A35 5G

Airbnb tightens security camera policy, bans indoor devices globally

Apple already eyes M4 chip for future MacBook Pro

TikTok reportedly prepares to challenge Instagram's photo turf

Qualcomm teases new flagship Snapdragon SoC launch

Campbell's introduces a gallery of 'pAIntings'

Get creative with the Fujifilm instax Mini 99

ASUS unveils Zenfone 11 Ultra

Google I/O 2024: AI focus, Pixel 8A on the horizon?

Google Photos makes finding documents easier

LEGO under fire for using AI-generated 'Ninjago' character images

Starbucks shuts down Odyssey Web3 rewards program

Starbucks shuts down Odyssey Web3 rewards program

Image: Starbucks

Starbucks' ambitious foray into the world of blockchain technology is over. The company announced the closure of its Odyssey program, a Web3 rewards system built around collectible non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It'll shut down the beta program on March 31.

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Meta to kill off NFT support on Facebook, Instagram

Image: Meta

Meta is ending its support for NFTs on both Facebook and Instagram. The move comes less than a year since it pushed to adopt these "digital collectibles" across the platform. This update comes as the social network laid off thousands of workers and shuttered numerous projects. It wasn't elaborated on why Meta is reversing course on NFTs, but it hasn't been the only product or initiative that the company has shuttered.

“We’re winding down digital collectibles (NFTs) for now to focus on other ways to support creators, people, and businesses,” Stephane Kasriel, Meta’s Head of Commerce and Financial Technologies wrote in an update shared on Twitter. “We learned a ton that we’ll be able to apply to products we’re continuing to build to support creators, people, and businesses on our apps, both today and in the metaverse.” In its place, the company would be focusing on “monetization opps for Reels” and “messaging payments across Meta.”

Source

US movie theatre chain partners with Sony to offer 'Spider-Man' NFTs for advance ticket buyers

It looks like NFTs are turning into the new collectible cards. US movie theatre chain AMC partners with Sony Pictures to give away 86,000 NFTs to Stubs Premiere, A-List, and Investor Connect members who buy or reserve tickets for Spider-Man: No Way Home screenings on December 16. 

To qualify, buyers need to purchase their tickets through the AMC Theatres' website or mobile app when pre-orders launch on November 29. They will receive their code on December 22 and have until March 1, 2022, to redeem one of the 100 designs through the more eco-friendly Wax blockchain. It isn't guaranteed that this promo will improve ticket sales, but it might be something we'll see more often.

Source: Engadget