Author: Brett Venter

Robots are already disturbingly capable on a physical plane. They’re able to run, jump and flip better than the vast majority of humans. The major thing keeping them from being seriously creepy was that they don’t really look like us. You’ll notice that last sentence is in the past tense. Meet Ameca. Ameca is the robot that’ll haunt your nightmares this evening. Not because it’s utterly alien, but because of how alien it isn’t. Well, at least, not totally alien. What a robot uprising looks like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPukuYb9xWw Ameca is a humanoid robot that, currently, looks to have the most advanced…

Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule, already considerably delayed, hit a significant snag earlier this year.  This, unfortunately, has left NASA with a bit of a problem. Starliner was supposed to take on the role of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station following a successful orbital test. Which has turned into a bit of a windfall for SpaceX. See, SpaceX and Boeing are supposed to alternate duties when it comes to heading to space. NASA likes redundancy. But only one of those two are currently running operations. NASA to see you, Elon The American space agency has announced that it’s purchasing…

Last week, Spotify took over large swathes of social media with its annual Wrapped. Apple Music did the same thing, to slightly less acclaim. Now educational app Duolingo is taking a crack at summing up the year it had, providing each of its users (that completed more than ten lessons in 2021) a roundup of how they did. The feature, called Year in Review, sums up how many words were learned, how many minutes were spent submerged in a language you’ll likely never seriously use, and how much XP was earned. Because it’s all about seeing those bars fill up.…

If you’ve been following the antics of Blue Origin of late, you’ll know that Orbital Reef is the company’s latest announcement. The idea is that it’s a commercial space station, maintained by Blue Origin and a set of partners, that is for hire. If you need to do work in space, that’s where you’d go to do it. Without, you know, spending a buttload on developing a space program first. And it turns out that NASA’s happier with this idea than it was with awarding Blue Origin the Artemis lunar lander contract. The American space agency has allocated funding to…

Nissan has some serious future ambitions, aiming to turn its stable of vehicles largely electric by 2030. But its reach extends to the stars as well. Or, at least, to the lunar surface. The Japanese car company has revealed some work it’s doing with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), on an experimental lunar lander. Appropriately for Nissan, the work it’s doing with JAXA has to do with wheels. Specifically, how wheels react to the lunar surface. It’s not quite like zooming down the N1. It’s more like driving a VW Beetle along the sands of the Skeleton Coast. Just…

Earlier this year, we got a first look at Rocket Labs’ new Neutron rocket. This initial look gave us a decent idea of its planned capabilities, but a new update goes deep into some design changes. The rocket is designed to launch payloads of 8 to 15 tonnes into space. It was always supposed to be reusable, but Rocket Labs have really cranked up that aspect of this 40-metre monster. The company’s new Archimedes engine is at the heart of it. Multi-use Neutron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kwAPr5G6WA Neutron will use Archimedes, a 1-meganewton liquid oxygen/methane engine designed to be frequently reused. It’ll pair…

South African bank Capitec is no stranger to launching technological features. The bank has launched virtual cards, scan-to-pay options, and face-scanning bank accounts in recent months. Now there’s something new — a QR code-based payments system that lets customers send (or receive) money from other Capitec customers. The best bit? There’s no charge for that. Making and receiving payments is free for the bank’s customers, and all transactions are tracked so users know where their money is going. Each user gets a unique QR code, which can be scanned as a digital image. Or, if you’re feeling old-fashioned, the bank…

Reddit is a lot of things, but the most modern-looking app/interface on the internet it is not. Or, at least, it wasn’t, until a little earlier this week. The so-called “front page of the internet” has revealed a set of changes that will make interacting with others there a little more… immediate. Detailed in a blog post yesterday, the user-driven information aggregator is bringing new features to all of its platforms. The browser, Android, and iOS apps are in for changes that, “…make Reddit look and feel more lively and in the moment.” Building a better Reddit Reddit is no…

The great thing about hanging around on the beach in the current climate is that people naturally tend to space themselves out. And it’s extremely well-ventilated. It might be a plan to haul this Timex x Finisterre surf watch along on your next trip to die groot dam. You know, just so you make the absolute most of it. This wristwatch isn’t the most technical piece of gear you’ll ever encounter, but that tends to suit the laid-back lifestyle it’s aimed at. Whether you’re fishing, surfing, or heading out to sea, there’s one thing you need to keep track of.…

South African fans might be awfully keen on the expected launch of Disney+ in 2022, but before that happens, DStv has sneaked in a little partnership. Its parent company Multichoice has signed a deal with The Walt Disney Company Africa. The new deal gives the satellite service access to four new Disney-backed channels. The partnership was confirmed yesterday, reports TechCentral, and brings National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, and Disney Junior to DStv for the next two years. The best-laid plans of mice and DStv “National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Junior as well as ESPN and…