Here at Stuff Towers we love tech that combines old-school aesthetics with new age capabilities, which is why we really wanted to love the Revo Superconnect. Between its classic good looks and cracking sound quality we got pretty close, but thanks to South Africa’s insistence on living in the last century when it comes to broadcast technology, the Superconnect is hamstrung before it’s even begun. The Superconnect looks like a high-end wireless (as our dads used to call the old squawk box) from the last century, complete with telescopic aerial. It’s a gorgeous combination of wood and aluminium with few enough…
Author: CraigWilson
The last week has been one of the darkest in South Africa’s recent history with xenophobic-inspired violence making headlines not just at home, but across the globe. In an effect to help police and charitable organisations coordinate their efforts to stem the violent outbreaks and deal with their aftermath, Kenyan non-profit Ushahidi has partnered with pan-African tech news and analysis site iAfrikan to create an online reporting tool that people can use to log incidents. The Report Xenophobia site lets members of the public report past, current or potential incidents via email, Twitter, a mobi site and using the Ushahidi apps for Android…
There’s a new Lumia in town, at least, there will be sometime in the future, but we can’t be quite sure when. On Tuesday Microsoft unveiled the Lumia 540, a dual-SIM smartphone with a 5-inch HD display that’ll cost $150 at launch, but just when it’ll land in South Africa and what it will cost remains to be seen. We reached out the Microsoft SA and were told they can’t confirm pricing or local availability, but we’d expect to see it in the next month or two and, assuming the rand doesn’t commit complete Seppuku before then, we’re guessing it’ll…
Mobile operator MTN has announced sweeping price increases that will come into effect next month and will affect both contract and prepaid customers. This comes as no surprise after Vodacom announced increases to its contract pricing three weeks ago that come into effect on 1 May. In a statement released on Wednesday the operator says its prices have been “relatively stable” in recent years “despite the challenging economic environment” and the investments MTN has made in its network. It says the reduction in mobile termination rates — the fees operators charge each other to field calls on their networks — coupled with…
Today Opera took the wraps off an updated version of its mobile web browser for Android, Opera Mini, that’s styled on recent versions of Google mobile operating system and includes a range of new features. At the same time the Norwegian company has announced that it aims to double its user base by the end of next year. “We aim to reach 275 million users on the Android platform by 2017, more than doubling today’s user base of 130 million,” says Opera Software CEO Lars Boilesen, adding that the company hopes to “further cement Opera’s position as a dominant browser…
To coincide with the South African launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge mobile operator Vodacom has announced that it will begin offering those users on its network that have picked up the new devices Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services from tomorrow. VoLTE, which Vodacom demonstrated in September last year, promises better call quality, shorter connection times and the ability to use data services while on a call. We’ve yet to test the service ourselves so we can’t attest to any of these claims, but we’re holding thumbs it also means fewer dropped calls and fewer conversations…
From today, owners of select Samsung Galaxy devices can trade in their existing smartphones at South African iStores for credit when they buy an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus on contract. Apple has been offering a similar and even wider-reaching trade-in programme in the US since March, where it now accepts a range of Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices, and has offered rebates on old Apple devices for since 2013. The Core Group, which distributes Apple products locally, announced the new trade-in programme this morning. It’s certainly no coincidence that today is also the day Samsung’s newest flagship handsets, the Galaxy S6 and…
Controversial taxi app service Uber has announced its going to begin hiding driver’s and users’ real phone numbers from one another in an effort to increase safety for all parties. Uber calls the system “phone number anonymisation” and has rolled it out in 13 countries, with more expected to follow in coming months. Essentially, Uber’s added a software layer that replaces actual phone numbers with temporary ones. Drivers and users will still be able to call one another, but will no longer be able to communicate using SMS messages, and once a trip is complete the driver will no longer…
Mobile operator Vodacom has confirmed it will be offering the new Samsung flagship handsets, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, as of Friday this week and has revealed local pricing for the pair of devices, which are arguably the most highly anticipated devices from the Korean electronics giant since the Galaxy S3. The 32GB version of the Galaxy S6 will cost R12 399 on prepaid, is available in black, white or gold and will come with a free wireless charger and cover worth a combined R1 100. (Read our review here). Meanwhile, the real star of the show, the 64GB iteration…
Korean electronics behemoth Samsung has announced that it’s opening two new, dedicated Samsung-brand stores next month, one in Durban’s Pavillion Shopping Centre and the other in Cape Town’s Somerset Mall. Samsung’s Brand Stores are the company’s physical retail outlets that allow consumers to ogle and fiddle with the company’s vast range of products in person, from mobile phones, displays and cameras to refrigerators, washing machines and microwaves. The stores also include Samsung’s Quick Repair Service centres to deal with cracked mobile phone displays and the like. The Durban store will open first on 2 April, with the Cape Town store…