Author: Brett Venter

Humanoid robots are increasingly capturing headlines, but aside from Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, they have varying degrees of capability. None of them can fly, though. Not yet, but researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology are working on that. No, really. The Institute’s iRonCub3 humanoid bot has successfully lifted off the ground while powered by jetpacks (and the most frightening face its creators could think of, which is horrifying). Unidentified flying humanoid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cB486Ub3c iRonCub3 managed to lift some 50cm off the ground while under jetpack power, a more significant feat than it looks while mounted in the harness used to keep…

E Ink, the company behind the e-paper displays we’re so fond of, has come up with another use for its screen technology. The company has announced a new “visual, AI-assisted human-machine interface” that replaces the trackpad on a laptop. Its purpose, in case it isn’t clear, is to provide users with a second screen dedicated to AI functions on their laptops, although we imagine that an enterprising hacker could also get Doom running on it. Some new E Ink The innovation combines a laptop trackpad with an E Ink display, which, in conjunction with a range of Intel technology, enables unique functions…

Popular fitness apps Strava and Runna have combined what you’ll pay for them into a single annual subscription, according to an FAQ on the Runna website. American pricing for the bundle is set at $150/yr (R2,650) but here at home, the package deal costs just R1,200 a year. Whether it’ll stay at that price remains to be seen, but it is a handy way to get access to the movement-tracking app as well as its running-specific partner at a lower cost. The company has several methods for snagging the package, even if you’re already giving it a bunch of money…

Huawei’s streak of poor luck in the United States continues, with the Chinese company facing criminal charges in that country following a recent ruling. One of the charges involves the company’s involvement with a telecoms entity in Iran, and another alleges that the Chinese company was trying to steal secrets from its US counterparts. Racketeering and bank fraud are also alleged as part of the sixteen counts being filed. Huawei gonna get lawyers The ruling by U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly rejected Huawei’s attempt to get thirteen of the sixteen charges dismissed. Donnelly found the charges persuasive enough to proceed…

Finally, a technology advance that actually does something — unlike some we could name. A company called Einsen has produced a product of the same name that does something novel. It does your ironing for you. The project, based in Australia, reckons its gadget can yank the wrinkles from your favourite shirt (or pants, or whatever) in about sixty seconds. It does so with a machine that operates remarkably like a laser printer or a laminator, meaning you’ll feed wrinkled clothing in one end and receive pristine smoothness from the other. Backing Einsen A collection of smart features makes the…

Apple has long been rumoured to be developing a foldable iPhone, with talk of the device stretching back beyond 2021. It may be that we’ll finally see the hardware in 2026, according to a new report citing supply chain sources. Digitimes says Apple started initial prototyping for the device in June this year, adding that this is the “initial P1 (Prototype 1) phase.” The aim, according to the report, is a 2026 release, which aligns with talk from other sectors that project a 2026 or 2027 launch for the foldable. Bendgate II: iPhone Boogaloo Rumour ranges back and forth on…

Students of 1980s action movies will be aware of The Running Man, the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle based on the Stephen King (okay, Richard Bachman) book of the same name. A trailer has just dropped for a so-called remake, directed by Edgar Wright of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame, but it’s less a remake and more of a book-accurate reimagining. Start Running Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD18ddeFuyM You wouldn’t guess that from the trailer unless you’re a long-time Stephen King-obsessed reader. Watching Glenn Powell as protagonist Ben Richards running into and out of conflict while the jaunty, upbeat soundtrack throbs in…

In a move ripped straight from the kind of science fiction that tends to end badly, scientists have been given the go-ahead to create synthetic human DNA. Called the Synthetic Human Genome (SynHG) Project, its announcement came on the 25th anniversary of the Human Genome Project’s completion. The Human Genome Project was a thirteen-year effort to map the entire human genome, identifying all of the different sections of human DNA to “[accelerate] the study of human biology and [improve] the practice of medicine.” Maybe DNA do that Now, researchers in the UK are taking the next step — creating artificial…

If you’re the recent owner of one of several Anker battery packs, it’s time to get your receipt and gadget out and check whether it’s likely to explode. Or at least set itself on fire. The company recently recalled more than a million of its PowerCore 10000 battery banks in the United States due to a fire risk. Another five models, these sold globally, have since been added to the recall list. Since it’s a global issue, there’s a chance one might be in your house. Cue the TV news Scare Graphics™. Anker’s away (from here) If you’re using one…

If you’re a South African with a budget of R2,000 and a pressing need for a new smartphone, Pep Cell’s new Stylo Quantum is a surprising candidate for your cash. The affordable retailer has been launching its own budget smartphones under the Stylo brand for some time, and this latest one, on paper at least, might be worth considering. If for no other reason than the price tag. Pep Cell has settled on a R1,900 cash price for the Quantum, keeping it below the cost threshold for many potential buyers. It also puts it in direct competition with Samsung’s Galaxy A05, but…