Author: Brett Venter

Lockdown… sucked. But there was a brief period, right at the beginning, when everyone was making bread and feeling generally optimistic (before the mental health damage started kicking in) when it was kinda awesome. Netflix and online gaming were the main staples. The Lenovo LOQ 16APH8, a sleek gaming notebook from the Chinese brand, offers you the opportunity to recapture some of those feelings, even if you have to do it in between trips to the office on the daily. Now that we’re done contorting the Lenovo LOQ 16APH8’s name for the sake of a slightly catchy headline, this really…

When a technology is relatively new, new versions of something really have an impact. Yesterday we saw that Boston Dynamics’ Atlas was being retired. At the time, we noted that the company was being specific about the “hydraulic” version of the robot being put out to pasture. Well, guess what? There’s a new Atlas in town and while we’ve seen less than a minute of what it can do, it’s still mildly terrifying. It’s not just because the humanoid robot has an articulated head now, either (but that’s not helping). No, it’s the mobility improvements that really sell the whole…

If you were one of those folks who purchased a Starlink unit from one of the few African countries where the service is allowed, you’re likely to have an unpleasant time in the next few weeks. The company has sent an email to users based in Africa informing them that their service is about to be limited. “If you are operating your Starlink Kit in an area other than areas designated as ‘Available’ on the Starlink Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms,” reads part of the email sent to affected…

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot has gone, in the space of just eleven short years, from a tethered, lab-bound bipedal robot to a leaping, jumping robotic wonder. But now, the humanoid construct’s work is done. The announcement was made via the company’s YouTube page in a final video giving the HD Atlas robotic platform a fitting sendoff. The short video (below) includes footage from the early days of the robot’s development, as well as some of the abuse it was put through over the years. Atlas rising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9EM5_VFlt8 According to the video’s description, “For almost a decade, Atlas has sparked our…

Budget technology is an often daunting ocean to wade in. There are loads of poisonous fish in that school and experience is a bitter teacher. Choosing something from a known brand, like the Packard Bell Barrichello-C, would seem to be the smarter choice. Wouldn’t it? Based on our experience with the company’s other Celeron-based machine, the McLaren C1, the answer seems to be an obvious ‘yes’. But life isn’t that simple. There are some obvious upgrades here over the 11.6in notebook from the same family but there are also additional drawbacks. Let’s see what both of those are. Shade of…

Have you ever felt the urge to shut out the world? Instead of looking for an affordable waterfall in Tibet to live behind, you can perform this useful act of self-care from the comfort of your own home. No rancid yak butter required at all. We’re talking about headphones and their associated noise-canceling technologies. Whether you’re in the office, on a plane, or just standing in a particularly noisy bank queue, the April-May 2024 issue of Stuff has the headphones — ins, ons, and overs — that’ll serve your purposes best. And that’s just the start of this fantastic issue. …

The big drawcard for Samsung’s 2024 smartphones was the debut of Galaxy AI on the company’s flagship handsets. The addition allows for a few unique tasks, like enhanced slow motion, on-the-fly translation, and on-device transcription. And now, many of those features are heading to older phones in the lineup. That’s according to the chaps over at 9to5Google, who spotted a Samsung community manager posting on the company’s forums. The upshot is that, starting in May, older smartphones will start getting the OneUI 6.1 update. Part of that update will include Galaxy AI features (that you don’t have to own a…

Until today, Sony’s WH-ULT900N headphones were merely rumours. There had been one substantial leak but very little real coverage of what the company is positioning as its new ULT headphones. The design looks premium but, in common with one of Sony’s 2023 surprises, the C700N buds, there have been a few sacrifices made to drop the price. Can Sony strike gold two years in a row while offering a more affordable product to the masses? Based on our time with the WH-ULT900N over-ears, that’s just possible. But there are a few items to consider before you put your money down.…

Wristwatches are one of those topics you don’t expect folks to get really nerdy about, even though they do. The newest horology sensation is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, a wristwatch with a very specific claim to fame: It’s officially the thinnest watch of its type ever made. You’d think that title would belong to someone like Swiss watchmaker Swatch. But you’d be wrong. Bulgari is a previous record holder but had to go thinner when it was dethroned by a 1.75mm-thick Ferrari-branded wristwatch. The Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC measures just 1.7mm thick. Talking total Bulgari That’s not to…

It’s 2024 and the country still experiences regular load shedding. Sure, we’re in the middle of a short break but we fully expect that outages will return. Products like the Bluetti EB70 Portable Power Station, to give it its full title, will ensure that the constant off-and-on won’t be too horrible to endure. But you can say that about basically any backup battery. Does it have anything special to recommend over the vast swathes of other battery brands in the local market today? That’s a slightly more difficult question to answer. Sure, the Bluetti EB70 has a lot going for…