Author: Brett Venter

Exoskeleton systems are becoming more popular, with a company called Hypershell launching a refreshed version of its X-series frames for general purchase. But, if you happen to work in search and rescue (SAR), units are available (to the SAR agency, presumably) free of charge. The Hypershell X Pro S, X Max S, and X Ultra S range in price from R16,600 to R33,200, with their features scaled accordingly. The units are designed to drive power to a user’s legs and hips, with terrain adaptation possible over distances of at least 17.5km. Hypershell game The X Pro S is the least…

It’s increasingly likely that a ChatGPT smartphone prototype is on the way, at the very least. Previously, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo listed the device’s development and some of the proposed specs. The same source now details pretty much everything the phone will include, hardware-wise. The only thing missing from the roster is camera and microphone hardware, both of which are likely to be fairly advanced. They’re also probably not going to be standard fare, since an AI-focused phone would hew closer toward giving the device eyes and ears rather than capturing mundane human memories. Calling ChatGPT The proposed hardware includes a…

Insta360’s Go 3S is a decent compact video camera, but the company’s new Retro Bundle version makes it an altogether stranger beast. It’s the latest in a series of unusual choices by the Chinese brand, which have included a magnetic screen and a very, very small storage device. This release harks back to a time when the Polaroid was an actual product and not just a way to develop photos. It uses the same (older) camera from Insta360, so anyone familiar with its performance shouldn’t see much difference. It’s all about the chassis. Okay, and a few extras. Go 3S…

The Aotos Flux X26 isn’t quite a full electric motorcycle, but it’s not an electric scooter either. It’s more like an old cafe racer, if a little slimmer in the middle. And the old 1960s riders probably weren’t ready for this sort of torque. Nor were they ready to have them delivered. But you can exploit the wonders of the modern world if you happen to have a spare R30,000 tucked away somewhere today. And a few hours to spare, because the Flux X26’s Kickstarter campaign concludes a little later today. After that, you’ll have to wait till these arrive…

It’s no secret that Netflix is fond of generative AI, having already used the tech in a few of its presentations. A new report from The Verge suggests that this will continue. But it’ll be shorter, animated, and, probably, vertical. INKubater is a new studio inside the streaming platform that will focus on… well, gen-AI slop. About the best news is that the studio is still hiring, suggesting that INKubator isn’t ready to start mass-producing vertical brainrot for Netflix yet. Less positive is the studio’s ambition to graduate from short- to long-form content. AI-created movie-length products? Who would watch that?…

Last year, Amazon announced a new raft of Kindle devices. Most of these have since been released, but there was a Kindle Scribe — specifically the version without a front light — that just… never arrived. That one finally has a release date. Perhaps it’s the range of competition in the space that finally reminded Amazon that they have a warehouse of these things sitting somewhere, but the Kindle Scribe without Front Light (seriously) is set for a 10 June launch. Overseas, that is. It’ll take a short while to get to us. Apprentice Scribe Pricing isn’t known yet, but…

A new device from Garmin appears to have leaked online. A fitness band from the company, called the CIRQA, turned up on an online store, along with some (but not all) of its details. At best, we have an image of what may be Garmin’s newest fitness band. Of course, anyone with an online store can create a listing using an AI-generated image. We can’t say that what the folks at Stylus Store, where the listing was found, have done, but in the absence of anything official, it’s also a possibility. CIRQA 2026 If the CIRQA is an authentic product,…

If you’ve been hoping for a continued life without advertising in your (paid) Netflix, it may be time to let go. The company has detailed how many users it has on its advertising-supported tier, and the number is climbing. The company is also expanding the number of countries it offers the ‘upgrade’ in. There’s no need for immediate panic, however. South Africa isn’t on the list. This time. The affected countries are mostly in the Northern hemisphere, with a slight detour to the Philippines and Thailand. Paying (less) for Netflix Specifically, Netflix is expanding its ‘with ads’ service to Austria,…

Google has a new software feature, Pause Point, designed to keep you from wrecking your mental health by popping open Instagram for the 30th time today. Or X, or Facebook, or… pick any app that ruins your brain, really. The feature is coming to Android phones shortly, likely to Google’s Pixel range first before spreading to other handsets. Pause Point is supposed to short-circuit your tendency to open certain apps before they start draining your sanity and your phone’s battery. Pause Point On its surface, the new feature is remarkably simple. Users specify an app, activate Pause Point for it,…

Unitree has a stunning range of humanoid robots, but its GD01 is a humanoid of another kind. The vehicle (and it is a vehicle) is a humanoid that seats a single human, making it a (technically) piloted mech suit. The Chinese company revealed its newest creation in a video posted to YouTube, showing the almost three-metre-tall craft seating Unitree’s CEO. It then strides around like it’s searching for a Japanese teenager to pilot the thing. Git GD01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWOyUMJWptc Such an approach might make sense, since the GD01 looks like it’s fairly cramped inside. The robotic vehicle is little more than…