Author: Brett Venter

Apple, if you’re not already aware of it, is ramping up its privacy controls in iOS. More importantly, the company is making it so users have to opt-in to tracking, rather than the default approach for many platforms — which is to make it all opt-out and to keep moving the settings for that around. Facebook, a company built on absorbing personal data and converting it into money, doesn’t like that idea very much. So much so that Facebook this week took out full-page ads in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post calling out Apple for…

Industry talk had Samsung pegged as retiring its rather unique Galaxy Note lineup, folding its features into the S-series and the all-new Fold, which seems to be sticking around. The Galaxy S21 was supposed to feature S Pen support, along with the Galaxy Fold 3, with the Galaxy Note making a graceful exit from the market. At least, that was the world a couple of weeks ago. Now, it appears, Samsung’s Note might be on-track for a 2021 launch after all. An anonymous Samsung spokesperson tells South Korean news agency Yohnap that “[w]e are preparing to release the Galaxy Note…

Sometimes it’s a good thing that we have to wait for the newest tech to get here. Okay, we might just be trying to cheer ourselves up but Apple’s iOS 14.3 has just launched, a few days ahead of official iPhone 12 availability in South Africa, and the OS update brings with it access to Apple’s new ProRAW image format, which is supposed to do all sorts of magical things. Like making image editing slickers and smoother by combining Apple’s post-processing with the versatility of the RAW image format, for instance. What’s new in iOS 14.3 ProRAW is now available…

The internet used to be a wild and lawless place, where the only people running around on it were those who knew how it worked. Advertisers hadn’t caught on to this thing (except for that horrible bugger who taught the world how pop-ups worked) and most regular people were slightly… mystified by the whole thing. Well, what do you expect from a world that needed Rachel and Chandler from Friends to explain to them how Windows 95 worked? When last did you need an introduction to the internet? The internet is ubiquitous. Unless you’re part of an uncontacted tribe with…

It was just a few months back that DStv announced its Explora Ultra, which combines DStv’s traditional services with the ability to integrate various streaming services in a single box. Another service has just hit the box — Amazon Prime Video is now available on the Explora Ultra. Exploring the Amazon Prime Video Multichoice CEO Nyiko Shiburi said “We are excited to add Amazon Prime Video to the DStv Explora Ultra’s pot of exceptional content. This opportunity unlocks access to more quality global content for our customers and is another way to access Amazon Prime Video content, whilst complementing DStv’s…

In a future we’ve only glimpsed in video games about improbably-excellent pilots, Boeing has completed a successful test of its in-flight refuelling drone, the MQ-25. The tanker drone is intended to replace human pilots when it comes to topping up military aircraft in the air. Making the MQ-25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPYhxpKDJ0&feature=emb_logo Boeing doesn’t quite have a fully-functional in-flight refuelling assistant yet, though. The T1 test drone has completed its first flight with the aerial fuelling pod, hose and basket (known as the ARS or aerial refuelling store) that will — eventually — qualify it to refuel planes in mid-air. Which, if you’ve…

Left your Festive shopping late again? In this issue, Stuff takes the stress out of choosing gifts In case it’s not obvious from a mere glance at our cover, this year’s most sought-after tech gift is either Sony’s PlayStation 5 or Microsoft’s Xbox Series X. The problem with that is that everybody knows this, leading to hardware shortages both at home and abroad. But that doesn’t mean the new crop of consoles will stop being desirable long into the new year. Even if you can’t lay your hands on a PS5 or Xbox Series X before the December present-deadline, you’re…

It’s always nice to give something away, especially at the end of the year. It makes us feel a little like Santa Claus, except it’s summer in South Africa and there’s no way we’re doing the red suit and facial hair. Anyway, back to the point — we had two Huawei P40 smartphones to give away to two lucky winners this month, thanks to Huawei and Petal Search, and the time has come to reveal who they are. Or has it? Yes, yes, if you want to find out who won, then just skip on down to the bottom of…

Last month there were reports that Boston Dynamics, they of the interesting robotics tech, was due to be sold off to auto-maker Hyundai for an undisclosed sum. It’s not undisclosed anymore. According to the Korea Economic Daily, the company has reached a deal with Boston Robotics owner SoftBank that will see the tech company change hands for $921 million (1 trillion won). The report, from earlier this week, claimed that the deal would be finalised as of 10 December 2020. Hyundai’s new robot cars? What the vehicle manufacturer might do with its shiny new robotics company isn’t known but the…

Some people really, really love their classic cars and, honestly, it’s not hard to see why. But it’s getting harder and harder to repair and maintain them and, also, it’s more difficult to remain environmentally responsible while doing so. But Zero Labs, a EV outfit in Los Angles, California, might have the answer you’ve been looking for. If, that is, you’re okay with getting rid of the whole ‘runs on gas’ part of your classic car. And by ‘classic’, Zero Labs means vehicles that were built before 1975. And by ‘getting rid of’, we mean ‘converting to a completely electric…