Author: Brett Venter

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…

We’ve been seeing a lot more Cyberdeck-style computing devices, and the Pi Slate is just the latest in the form factor. They’re not much different from the old netbook from days gone by, but they’re almost infinitely cooler. Visually, at least. A piece of the Pi Slate The Pi Slate actually has at least two icons that start with the word ‘cyber’ on its branding, reinforcing the notion that the late 1980s had the coolest technology aesthetic. Carbon Computers, the company selling these, has several models on offer. They all look the same, but feature very different performance. This BlackBerry-looking…

Sony saw premium portable cooling devices coming back in 2019. The Reon Pocket is now back, following Dyson’s efforts this year, with a new Pro Plus edition. In case you’ve forgotten what the Reon Pocket is, it’s a portable air conditioner. The Pro Plus? Obviously, just a bit more so. The little device is more than just a handheld fan, of course. It tucks down behind a wearer’s neck inside their shirt, circulating cool air as you move from a high-pressure meeting to your sports car and back. Obviously. Sony’s updated Pro Plus model gets a little cooler than before.…

Hisense is, in a sense, getting in on the smart glasses trend. The company has just launched its Smart Audio Glasses G11 in China, with no mention of whether they’ll travel to other places around the world. Given that they’d cost roughly R3,000 if bought here, it would be a pity if the G11 stayed at home. Hisense of sound That said, the G11 glasses aren’t really smart in the sense you’d get from, say, Meta’s Ray Ban collaboration. Hisense’s wearable tech focuses on the ‘audio’ part of the name, with six microphones doing the heavy lifting. They’re not alone,…