Internet, here we come
The Africa Coast to Europe (Ace) subsea cable, one of three damaged undersea cables that have been behind South Africa’s slow internet, is finally being repaired, reports TechCentral. The Ace cable was damaged during a suspected rockfall in the Congo Canyon in early August, damaging the West Africa Cable System (Wacs) and Telkom’s South Atlantic 3 (Sat–3) cables.
Léon Thévenin, the cable-laying ship responsible for repairing the cable reached the restoration site, according to an email sent to TechCentral from Bayobab, a subsidiary of MTN.
“The repair vessel Leon Thévenin is currently stationed at the Ace repair cable grounds, and southern break repair work is actively under way. Their dedicated teams are working diligently to ensure the swift and efficient restoration of the Ace cable system,” it said.
As for how long the repair process might take, there’s no telling. Having already made the necessary repairs to the Wacs cable last week, which took the French crew six days, according to MyBroadband. After completing work on the Ace undersea cable, the vessel can move onto the Sat-3 cable, the only repair left on the crew’s schedule.
No M3 MacBooks this year, apparently
Here at Stuff, we like to keep our ears close to the grapevine. For months, we’ve heard whispers of an M3-powered MacBook hitting the shelves before 2023 was over. It was initially expected to be unveiled sometime in October, a month Apple usually reserves for iPad and Mac announcements. That no longer appears to be the case, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo – a reliable insider whose word is often regarded as fact.
Kuo didn’t go into any specifics, only noting that we probably won’t see a powered-up MacBook this year. It’s still possible we could finally see a supped-up iMac, being Apple’s only product not to be fitted with an M2 chip of some sort take the MacBook’s spot. That’s unlikely, but with Apple’s constantly changing plans, it might just be a possibility for next month.
Apple’s M3 chip, an open secret yet to be confirmed by Apple, will reportedly be manufactured using a new 3nm process from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), allowing Apple to stretch its performance as far as possible without pulling any more power. That’s just the ‘basic’ M3 chip, with even more powerful M3 Pro and M3 Max chips also rumoured to be in the works, though their abilities are still unknown.
If you’re less interested in Apple’s M3 workings and just want to get your hands on a new iPhone, you’re in luck. Apple is expected to announce a new line-up of its flagship smartphone at its Wonderlust event tonight, Tuesday 12 September. Here’s what you can expect if you don’t mind some spoilers.
There’s an Xbox credit card for some reason (and you can’t have it)
No, really. Microsoft has just announced the new Xbox Mastercard, an Xbox-branded credit card that’ll only be available in the US. You can thank the company’s recent partnership with Barclays US for the utterly strange product, which, when used in the real world, will amount to card points which can then be spent on games and streaming services in the Xbox Store. Yeah, we said it was weird.
The Xbox Mastercard (we can’t say that with a straight face) will be limited to Xbox Insiders at first, with a wider release lined up for 2024. Xbox’s announcement failed to mention any plans for a global rollout, and we’re not expecting one anytime soon… or ever. Would we even want it? Probably not, if Engadget’s maths is correct. Spending $1,000 will only earn back a measly $10, which would hardly make a dent in South Africa’s Xbox Store.
Still, we can’t pretend we wouldn’t mind seeing something like this in South Africa. Sony, if you’re listening, we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Borderlands devs might be getting the boot
Embracer, the company that acquired Gearbox Studios back in 2021, is reportedly looking to sell the company behind the Borderlands series, only two years later. It’s not concrete yet, according to the original Reuters report, with the sale of Gearbox only being considered by Embracer Group for now.
After Reuters‘ initial report, Bloomberg received an email from Gearbox CCO, Dan Hewitt, noting the studio’s current position on the possible sale:
“The base case is that Gearbox remains a part of Embracer. However, there are many options under consideration, including Gearbox’s transfer, taking Gearbox independent, and others. Ultimately, we’ll move ahead with whichever path is best for both Gearbox and Embracer,” Hewitt said.
Two of Reuter’s sources said that Embracer had received interest from two third parties in the purchasing of Gearbox, though no specific names were mentioned. The “international gaming groups” as Reuters calls them, already have access to Gearbox’s marketing materials.
In the time since the Embracer Group took control of Gearbox for $1.3 billion in 2021, it’s only seen one game release under its umbrella – Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands – which may not have been the cash cow the Borderlands brand usually demands. A true sequel in the form of Borderlands 4 might open more wallets, however, which may be the reason for the hesitation from Embracer Group.