Author: Brett Venter

If you find that you cannot exist unless Google gives you even more AI in your life, the local launch of AI Mode will send you into paroxysms of joy. Launching for both web and mobile Search in 180 different countries, including South Africa, the new function promises to usher in “a new era of AI-powered search that is more intuitive, comprehensive, and helpful.” How? According to Google, “AI Mode helps users tackle complex, multi-part questions with more intuitive responses, multimodal inputs, and deeper ways to explore topics.” The result can’t be much worse than what the company has done…

Few smartphones from named brands will come in at under R1,500, but that’s just what Tecno’s new Spark Go 2S handset supplies. Newly launched in South Africa, the handset is available at TFG (The Foshini Group) stores for only R1,400. What do you get for your cash? A surprising amount, at least on paper. The Spark Go 2S talks a pretty big game, promising AI-supported writing and translation features in addition to its hardware. How that’ll go in practice is something we’ll only be able to judge when we’ve seen one in action. Reigniting the Spark Go 2S Tecno has…

If it’s time to add a new compact camera to your photography arsenal, the upcoming Ricoh GR IV could be what you’re looking for — if you can stomach the price tag. The Japanese owner of the Pentax optics brand has announced that its newest compact will launch from September this year at the eye-watering price of R26,600 ($1,500). Now that’s American pricing, with the ongoing tariff situation possibly contributing to the GR IV’s premium price. It’s also Pentax, despite the Ricoh branding, so that might be at least some of the cause. Locally, it’ll likely be at least as,…

Microsoft made the launch date for the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X official today, but if you are a South African looking to snag one on the 16 October launch, think again. Our country isn’t on the lengthy list of launch countries. It sucks a bit, but it just means that the Xbox Handheld Compatibility Program will have more time to work out the kinks before we lay hands on the handheld console. South Africa falls under the “other markets” banner, since the ROG Ally X is sold here, but launch availability “will follow” for our (and other) regions. But…

It’s a good time to be a parent and a DStv Family subscriber. The R340/m package from satellite provider DStv has always prioritised kid-friendly content, and, says the company, it’s about to get a whole lot friendlier. It’ll do this by adding three new channels to the package. All are kid-centric, with the Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, and DreamWorks channels joining the lineup from 25 August. Joining the DStv Family Muitichoice CEO Byron du Plessis said, “While our broader packaging review remains ongoing, our research shows that Family customers value kids’ content as much as they do local shows and movies.”…

Okay, okay… the headline makes Google’s newest daily ‘we stuck AI in this thing’ update sound much cooler than it is. Docs users can now summon the power of Gemini to turn their boring old text document into an audio version of the same thing. It won’t turn the minutes from your last company meeting into a full-on audiobook, though that would be a much cooler feature. This one doesn’t work much differently from text-to-speech programs, the first of which was available back in the 1970s. You ask Gemini to read something, and it’ll read it to you. Out loud,…

If you’re one of many users who trust Grammarly to check your online communication, you might be thrilled to note that the grammar-checking app is about to get more comprehensive. The newly announced features use artificial intelligence (of course they do) to handle more of your writing workload than just ensuring you sound like you completed high school in your office emails. The app’s new AI functions are paired with a new tool called Grammarly Docs, which promises to “build on your writing, voice, and ideas” via a combination of AI chat and the service’s new agents. The service reckons…

It’s not often we see something genuinely novel from a smartphone, but HMD’s new Fuse handset promises just that. The company that used to put out Nokia phones calls this “a phone that grows with your kids,” but that’s not what will grab your attention at first. The most eye-catching feature is an AI feature called Harmblock+, which “[s]tops nudity from being shown, shot, or stored.” That’s a major concern for any parent looking to give their kid access to a smartphone, but it’s not where the HMD Fuse begins. Sparking the Fuse HMD’s new handset starts life as a…

When the most serious complaint you have about a set of in-ear headphones is the way the case is oriented, you know something’s gone terribly right. That’s the case with the Beyerdynamic Amiron 100 in-ear phones and their, er… case. That’s about the extent of our problems with these premium-feeling earbuds, unless you feel like quibbling about the R4,000 retail price. As with their on-ear cousins, the Aventho 100s, the Amiron 100 in-ears are an excellent blend of build and audio quality, with a selection of ear-tips to better keep these stem-toting headphones firmly lodged in the holes on either…

If you’re one of OpenAI’s frequent South African ChatGPT users, you may want to cast your eyes further afield in search of better pricing for a subscription. The AI company has launched its cheapest subscription to date, but it’s confined to users in India for the time being. OpenAI goes to India ChatGPT Go will set subscribers back 400 rupees, or just over R80, per month for broader access to the company’s services. The pricing is a concession to that country’s economy. For contrast, South Africa is expected to pay the full American rate of $20/m for ChatGPT Plus –…