Author: Brett Venter

Welcome to the new capitalist hell-scape. Facebook, arbiter of reality and holder of information (which it then hands over to those with the money for it), has decided that WhatsApp could use a few new features. Not features that will make communication better, though. That would make far too much sense. No, Facebook is expanding the rollout of Shops to the messaging app, because capitalism demands that you’re always thinking of buying something at every point in time. Facebook finds new ways to Zuck Shops, in case you’ve forgotten, are online stores hosted on the social media platform. In a…

SMS spam is almost (almost!) as annoying as spam phone calls that are immediately followed by some robotic voice attempting to sell you something or tell you they need you help to locate John Connor or something. WASPA, the South African Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association, has a new tool that might help with that. Ant-Man and the WASPA It doesn’t have a fancy name, it’s just called the Numbering Lookup Tool and it’s available online. If you want to work out which company is constantly sending you spam messages, all you need to do is head over to the…

Despite how we feel about Mobile World Congress taking place in person this year, it’s happening. And Samsung, as always, has a bunch of stuff to show off at the event. We’re expecting smartphones, obviously, but that’s what we always get at MWC. Also on the cards? The company’s new smartwatch ecosystem, the marriage between its Tizen OS and Google’s Android Wear. What ever will Samsung Wear?  The South Korean tech maker revealed its new Wear OS at this year’s Google IO event, but it’s at Samsung’s virtual MWC briefing that we’re going to get a deeper dive into what…

Last week we saw that Facebook was starting to test adverts inside various VR apps. One of those (and the only one mentioned by name) was Blaston, a paid-for VR game made by Resolution Games. Only… they’re not going to be participating any more. It turns out, people don’t really take kindly to advertising being added to a product they have paid for. Customers seem a little resistant to being milked for more with absolutely zero additional value being offered. Who could have possibly seen this coming? Perhaps… anyone who has tried this before, like, say, Electronic Arts? Facing off…

Facebook said they were looking at about a mid-year launch and that’s just what we’ve gotten. Or, rather, they’ve gotten. Live Audio Rooms, the social network’s Clubhouse-like clone that will see users hosting live audio chats with up to 50 speakers, is now rolling out. But there’s a caveat here — the feature’s only rolling out in the States for the moment and then only on the iOS version of Facebook’s app. Live Audio Rooms — not for everyone (yet) There are a few more restrictions in place for the Clubhouse clone, to boot. It’s only available to public figures…

Space exploration continues to get a boost in 2021. NASA’s Artemis mission, the agency’s return to the lunar surface, is perhaps the most exciting — despite how intriguing the various Mars missions are — because it’ll be sending actual astronauts to another chunk of rock. But while we’re used to seeing rockets blasting off, we don’t spend a whole lot of time checking out what happens beforehand. That changes now. Artemis rising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sjn5jDpDjg NASA has shared a 360° video of the construction of one of its Space Launch System (SLS) rockets, which are intended to take human beings to the…

NASA’s Hubble telescope is getting a little old, but it’s still running. Or, rather, it was. The ageing space hardware, the Associated Press reports, is currently not doing any work thanks to computer issues. Which, you know, aren’t nearly as simple as correcting the problem here on the ground. The system broke down on 13 June and NASA have been attempting to resurrect it ever since. Hubble trouble The problem is with a computer memory module. And not what you’re picturing in your head — Hubble’s computer hardware was constructed in the 1980s, which is a long time for a…

Vigilante is the new malware on the block, targets those who pirate software It's usually the case that malware, no matter where you encounter it, has no redeeming qualities at all. Not so with a recently-discovered variant, dubbed Vigilante by the folks over at Sophos. As the name suggests, it's got its eye on more

Picture this: You’ve had a terrible week and just want to go home. But before you can, you have to hit a staff meeting where smiling is mandatory. Sounds awful? That’s what we thought. But that’s more or less what the staff at Canon Information Technology in China have to deal with. The camera company’s Chinese subsidiary has installed biometric access cameras, powered, by AI, that require that workers smile before they proceed. The company makes the devices themselves, likely an offshoot of its commercial camera products, and they probably think making their staff smile to get into the building…

We’re supposed to be keeping away from others (seriously folks, it’s a good idea). Jacaranda FM, together with Tracker, are launching Mzansi Quest, an online experience that’s supposed to be about getting together while staying apart. Part social network, part VR experience, part R50,000 giveaway, Mzansi Quest is a cute little world where participants can get together, chat, and explorer several South African provinces. We went on an Mzansi Quest The experience, which will be available on tablets, smartphones and web browsers — plus any VR hardware you might have available, launches officially on 21 June this year but we…