Author: Duncan Pike

When the JAC T9 PHEV bakkie eventually lands in South Africa, it looks set to take the crown from BYD’s Shark 6 Performance as the country’s most powerful bakkie. When exactly that will be isn’t known yet, but JAC Motors’ local website reckons it is “coming soon”. For eager JAC fans, waiting for the T9 PHEV isn’t new. The Chinese company has been promising the T9 PHEV since the end of 2022. Back then, it was supposed to launch in 2023. That target was shifted to an April-July 2025 window, which obviously didn’t happen. But 2026 isn’t over yet, so…

Can you believe it’s already been ten years since Hideo Kojima gave Konami the finger and started Kojima Productions? You can? Well, then you probably won’t be surprised to learn that there’s another limited edition watch from the folks at Aincorn Watches to commemorate the company’s 10th anniversary. This isn’t the first time the two have partnered up. They, along with NASA, joined creative forces for the Space Ludens limited edition watch a few years ago. Like that one, the new Ludens X set features Kojima Productions’ mascot character Ludens. Only this one is said to be “a darker, sharper,…

If history is destined to repeat itself, at least we got to see MP3 players like the Fiio Snowsky Echo Nano make a return before it’s all over. If you blasted tunes from a Sony Walkman NW-S600 or S700F Series in the 2000s, this should immediately look familiar. Fiio has modelled the Snowsky Echo Nano after that era of portable MP3 players and that specific Sony Walkman in particular. But Fiio has given this one a few upgrades. Funny Walkman For starters, this little guy is Sony Hi-Res Audio certified, thanks to the Cirrus Logic DAC/Amp combo chip Fiio has…

There’s a good chance you remember seeing a Toshiba TV or laptop from a few years ago. You might still have one, since they had a knack for sticking around. Well, if you’ve ever wondered where they went, wonder no more, for they have returned. Well, the TVs, at least. Toshiba hasn’t managed this on its own. With some help from Hisense, Toshiba TV is reintroducing “a curated range of premium televisions and electronic accessories, combining decades of Japanese craftsmanship with advanced display technology.” Toshiba makes a return Toshiba is bringing four of its current ranges to South Africa, with…

Best known for its glass mousepads, Wallhack has finally made good on its teasing and announced its two latest products — a lightweight wireless gaming mouse and a Hall-effect 65% gaming keyboard. With the M-001 and K-001, Wallhack is focusing on durability, reliability, performance, and a seamless user experience. It doesn’t seem to be leaving much out. There’s no word on pricing yet, but it did say the K-001 would be available from 21 August and the M-001 will be coming in September. Just from the look of them, we don’t expect them to be cheap. No actual wallhacks included…

If you’ve ever tried to use a computer or smartphone without using your hands, you’ll know how hard it can be. The folks at Augmental, a human–machine interface lab in San Francisco, obviously figured something should be done about that, so they created the MouthPad and VOX. The MouthPad initially debuted at CES a few years ago, but those were still early days of the prototype stage. Now, the company thinks it’s ready for in-mouth operation. It has opened public sales in the US, along with making VOX available via a beta release. Look, no hands In case it wasn’t…

Asus has a pretty consistent record for making fantastic OLED monitors. Its new ROG Strix XG27UCMG might not feature an OLED panel, but the company reckons the three combinations of resolution and refresh rate are enough to make up for that. Dual-mode monitors have been a thing since early 2024 when Asus unveiled the ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP, the first monitor to allow switching between 4K at 240Hz and FHD at 480Hz. So, while the XG27UCMG might not be the first monitor to offer three display modes (those bragging rights go to the MPG OLED 322URDX36 from MSI), it will…

Hot on the heels of its global launch event in Malaysia, Huawei held its EMEA regional launch event today, where it introduced the previously launched Pura 90s Pro and Pro Max, a ‘new’ MatePad Air tablet, and the FreeClip 2 Special Edition open-ear earbuds. There’s still no word on local pricing for the new smartphone range or earbuds, but we do know they should land in South Africa some time in the first half of August. They might be joined by the new tablet, too, but don’t get your hopes up. Expect the Pura 90s soon As we’ve come to…

Everyone’s favourite Big Tech company, Microsoft, announced yesterday that it is “rolling out several improvements to Windows Search Box” for Windows Insiders. Apparently, the company is only now hearing from its users that they’ve “been asking for search that is faster, more relevant, and easier to use,” so it’s started by “making results more dependable, easier to scan, and clearer.” That seems like a good start. Cleaning up your Windows For starters, it’s worth noting that the Windows Search box and the Windows Start menu are different things. The latter is what pops up when you hit the Windows key…

Asus seemingly discovered a product category it hadn’t touched until now. With its announcement of the ROG Gjallar gaming soundbar, Asus officially enters the dedicated gaming speaker market. This is Asus’ first standalone audio system that isn’t headphones made for gaming and multimedia applications. It follows the ROG Kithara that launched earlier this year, another audio device aimed at a different market. If you’re tired of having too much desk space, maybe the ROG Gjallar is for you. There are three bits included: the soundbar where most of the speakers live, a wireless subwoofer, and the audio control hub. You’re…