Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup - 4/7- 4/13

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro invades consoles: Pro-level audio for PlayStation and Xbox gamers

'Fallout' lands on Prime Video earlier than expected

Ubisoft unveils story trailer for 'Star Wars Outlaws'

Meta Quest 3 lets you use the headset while lying down

Razer expands console headset lineup with BlackShark V2 X for PlayStation and Xbox

Fairphone Fairbuds: Sustainable listening with easy repairs

Microsoft tests app ads in Windows 11 Start menu

Dyson's CleanTrace AR feature gamifies cleaning

TikTok tests photo-sharing app to rival Instagram

TikTok tests photo-sharing app to rival Instagram

Image: TikTok

TikTok is developing a new app, possibly called TikTok Notes, to compete with Instagram in the photo-sharing space. Screenshots from users and confirmation from TikTok reveal the app's existence, though it's not yet available.

Pop-up notifications within the TikTok app inform users about the upcoming "TikTok Notes" app and allow them to opt out of syncing their existing photos.

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Dyson's CleanTrace AR feature gamifies cleaning

Image: Dyson

Dyson recently introduced CleanTrace, a new feature that uses your iPhone's LiDAR scanner to track your vacuuming path in real-time virtually. Like a cleaning video game, it overlays cleaned areas on your phone screen, highlighting missed spots for a more methodical clean.

However, there are some limitations. CleanTrace currently only works with the high-end Dyson Gen5detect vacuum and LiDAR-equipped iPhones (iPhone 12 Pro and newer). The phone attaches to the vacuum via a separate clamp (price TBA), while the app update itself will be a free update coming in June 2024.

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Microsoft tests app ads in Windows 11 Start menu

The red box highlights the ad (Image: Microsoft)

Microsoft is testing a controversial feature: ads within the Windows 11 Start menu. These ads, disguised as "app suggestions," will appear in the "Recommended" section alongside recently used files.

Currently, only US-based Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel see these ads, and they're disabled on organization-managed devices. However, the ads are enabled by default, which might not sit well with users.

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