Apple devotes homepage to memory of Nelson Mandela

Apple has dedicated its homepage to the late Nelson Mandela. It has replaced all the usual product and company information with a large black and white photo of the former South African President, fighter against apartheid and philanthropist, who is widely regarded as the Father of the Nation. Apple executives also shared their thoughts on the great leader's passing last week at age 95.

CEO Tim Cook's personal Twitter account read, "Amazing human being. Champion of freedom and human dignity. He set an example for all of the world. RIP Nelson Mandela. We miss you already." Senior VP for worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller chimed in on his Twitter account with ,""Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement." His Excellency Nelson Mandela, 1918 - 2013 #NelsonMandela." 

Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup 11/30-12/06

Review: Martian Passport series smartwatch

Sickweather app lets you know about nearby illnesses

Contest! eBay Canada Deal Frenzy and $100 giftcard giveaway!

BlackBerry unveils daily free app holiday campaign

Google hosts first telethon online via Hangouts

Amazon CEO demos delivery drones, promises delivery within half an hour

Twerking Miley, Mayor Rob Ford and BlackBerry are most searched topics on Yahoo Canada

Star Wars opens official Instagram account

ICYMI: Corey Herscu talks tech gifts for the Season on Global TV this morning

Review: Sonos PLAY:1 wireless streaming speaker

Review: Withings Pulse fitness tracker

Google planning to fix Nexus 5 camera with an OTA Android 4.4.1 update

The Apple Beat: Mac Pro getting pre-order status in Germany as launch anticipation builds

Next USB plug will be reversible

Microsoft unveils Bing Maps Preview

Instagram to hold mysterious media event on December 12

Tech Crunch has reported that Instagram will be holding a media event in New York City on December 12. Aside from having the words “share a moment with Kevin Systrom and the Instagram team,” the company has been mum about what the event is for.

Speculation is that it involves printing as the invites were sent through physical mail on paper or on some with blocks of wood, which are both allusions to printing business. Perhaps Instagram wants a bite into the market of print services that use Instagram photos on everything from physical prints, canvas, glass and even wood. 

Microsoft unveils Bing Maps Preview

Microsoft has brought back 3D imagery with the new Bing Maps Preview app for Windows 8.1. There are 3D maps of about 70 cities such as Canberra, Australia; Portland, Maine; and Bremen, Germany. The app is optimized for touch and makes Streetside available for those who want to see a map at street level (similar to Google’s Street View). It also has search, traffic info and other functionalities as well as Skype call ability and Open Table integration.