Author: Brett Venter

Xiaomi announced new AI Glasses (that’s the product’s actual name) at an event in China this week. The wearable tech is yet another take on smart eyewear, a space currently dominated by Meta’s Ray-Ban (and soon Oakley) partnerships. Before you get too excited, the smart specs are only slated for sale in China at present. There’s no indication when, or even if, they’ll make their way to the rest of the world. But why would you want to plonk a pair of these over your ears? Time to fill your AI Glasses For much the same reason as you’d opt…

Garmin has unveiled its new Quatix 8 smartwatch, a wearable device designed for those who spend most of their time on the water. If you’re less Laird Hamilton and more Captain Jack Sparrow, the new R21,500 ($1,200) device could be what you need to get you into port for some rum. South Africa has already received several of Garmin’s boat-focused wristwear lineup, including the R17,000 Quatix 7, so it’s reasonable to expect it here at some point. It’s currently an overseas-only purchase, but if you own a yacht, you could probably nip over the pond and buy one in the…

Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has signed a new law permitting the creation of a new state-owned messaging app that will integrate with the country’s government services. The move is part of an effort to reduce its reliance on apps like WhatsApp (American-owned) and Telegram (founded by Russians but on that government’s (and others’) Naughty List™). In Soviet Russia… oh, wait Details of the eventual app are understandably sketchy, but it will offer similar functions to those it will compete with. It’ll also include unspecified additional functionality “that Telegram and…WhatsApp do not have.” The main drawcard would seem to be government…

If you tuned in yesterday, you would have seen a brief mention of the CRKD Neo S controller in our CRKD Nitro Deck review. Available separately, the two operate as a single functional upgrade if you want them to. Or you could simply use the Neo S as an additional controller for the Nintendo Switch, Mac, or PC. Smart TVs and tablets (or phones) can also benefit from the compact wireless controller. The Neo S — we got the Goat Simulator 3 edition for review — demands about R1,200 for what is a third-party version of the Nintendo Switch Pro…

Stuff recently got its hands on the CRKD Nitro Deck, specifically the Goat Simulator 3 edition, and we’ve been having loads of fun goofing off in the office seriously testing the hardware. Part of the review was conducted using the CRKD Neo S controller (look for that review tomorrow), but we were mostly concerned with CRKD’s grip as a standalone item for this review. Looking at new Nintendo Switch accessories right now might seem counterintuitive, but since the sequel has just launched, there are likely to be loads of players looking to offload the last generation at a reduced price.…

Head into any company’s IT department and you’ll encounter a veritable graveyard of obsolete tech. But what if all those monitors were actually also computers? That’s what the Asus ExpertCenter P400 provides to companies, and to private users who really want to save on desk space. The ExpertCenter P400 is a customisable (if you’re a company) desktop all-in-one running Windows 11 Pro. Orderable in bulk (and to spec) or as single units from Asus, this is what you want on your desk at an office job. It means that a) you don’t have to take your work home and b)…

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring has been around for a good few months now, but South Africa missed the initial rollout window. Rather than missing it completely, we were just a little late to the party. But at R8,000 for the densely-packed tracker, is it worth buying one of these over sticking with your wrist-based fitness accessory? That largely depends on whether the chunky size of smartwatches irritates your arm and whether you’re ready to accept a smaller version of that same irritation on your finger. Smart rings, no matter where they come from, are thicker than something made from platinum, gold,…

Home security is a must for many South Africans but setting up surveillance on a larger property can be a bugger. The V380 Pro — there’s no ‘brand’ name beyond V380 — is a solid option for keeping an eye on the outer perimeter without having to involve chaps with drills and wires and screwdrivers who charge by the hour. Instead, you can stick the V380 Pro on a pole or a handy recess yourself. It’s recommended to power the unit via the mains, but it’s designed to run off the small solar panel that comes in the box. It’s…

If you seek another sign that your company spends money on upper management while not giving anyone any increases, look no further than the HP Dimension. It’s designed with a single purpose — to use Google’s Beam technology to make online meetings seem more real. Doing that isn’t cheap, so if you see one turn up in the company boardroom, it’s time to ask for a raise. Failing that, they should at least let you play with HP’s R445,000 ($25,000) piece of video conferencing gear. But what does it actually do? A new HP Dimension The HP Dimension is an…

We did mention that this was happening today. Huawei has unveiled four new headline smartphones in its Pura 80 lineup, with the 80, 80 Pro, 80 Pro+, and 80 Ultra all breaking cover at the company’s China event. Anyone used to how companies name their smartphones will realise that the Ultra is the top of the lineup (until they change the definition of ‘Ultra’), with the others stepping down in some way until we get to the base Pura 80. Here’s what you need to know about them (except when they launch in South Africa — that hasn’t been revealed…