Author: Brett Venter

And we were all sad that Nokia’s feature phones, like the Asha range, would be going away. Nokia and Microsoft have revealed that there’s a new low-cost device on the way called the Nokia 130. Just how lost-cost is low-cost, in this case? About R270. For that admittedly small amount of cash, users will be getting their hands on a Series 30 feature phone from Nokia. The Nokia 130 will feature an FM radio, music and video player which will be using the handset’s 1.8-inch colour display. Users will be able to insert an SD with media content and the…

Bluetooth speakers can often be split into categories.The most obvious category you’ll find is when you have Bluetooth speakers that work and those that don’t, like some we could name. Then there are those that are designed for the home and those that have been developed in order to go on the road, as is the case of JBL’s PlayUp. The PlayUp is a small speaker, though it isn’t small enough to slip into a pocket. It’s the type of thing that you would slip into a backpack and haul out in order to provide some tunes for an impromptu…

Are you the sort of person that your less technologically-inclined relatives calls when there’s a computer emergency? You should have faked ignorance the first time, that mental association is never going to go away. You will forever be that person who managed to fix the computer when it ran slowly (by uninstalling 57 toolbars and then deleting Internet Explorer), got a wholly dead laptop working again (turned up the brightness on the display) or magically configured a relative’s Outlook Express (entered Gmail login details and then went to make coffee). We very often take for granted the fact that we…

Activision is going to be unveiling the world’s first extended look at the multiplayer for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare later on today, prior to this year’s Gamescom conference that will be taking place in Cologne, Germany this week. We’ve seem short glimpses of the online action that FPS gamers can expect but not enough to decide whether Activision will be innovating extensively this year. That changes tonight. Activision’s live stream from the event, where the multiplayer action will be shown to the world. Kicks off at 19:00 CET, which translates to 19:00 local time. See you back here then.

We’re still waiting for Sony and Apple to join the high-end party for 2014 but, in the meantime, why don’t we take a look at the best smartphones on offer from HTC, LG and Samsung? All three handsets are impressive in their own right and they all boast similar specs so which one should you choose? There’s not a whole lot between them and if brand loyalty isn’t your bag making a selection can be an exercise in possible buyers remorse. So what are you waiting for? Take a look at which of this trio is worthy of being called…

Stuff is really enjoying the time we are getting to spend on Gareth Cliff’s CliffCentral radio program, not least of all because Toby gets to say some of his favourite words – like ‘smartphone’ and ‘Use the Force’. We may have exaggerated about ‘smartphone’. But, if you were unable to catch yesterday’s broadcast for whatever reason or perhaps you want to save the discussion of which tech is not worth your time for later reference, then you’re in luck. We have the podcast of yesterday’s show below, for streaming or download, and the previous two radio outings as well. And,…

We’ve seen some interestingly-shaped wireless room speakers in the past but the design that has been selected for Harman Kardon’s Aura – which looks like a fishbowl that has been attached to a jet-engine intake or a 1950s rendition of a flying car sans passengers – has to take the award for the most unusual design to enter Stuff Towers. Don’t go thinking that this strangely stylish speaker is all looks. As fragile as it appears, and we certainly wouldn’t want to drop it on a tiled floor, it is home to a surprisingly forceful 2.1 speaker setup capable of…

When you think ‘high-end smartphone’, usually either Apple or a company from South Korea comes to mind, with a couple of other well-known names trailing along behind. Lenovo isn’t a company that really jumps to the fore, since most of their smartphone sales take place in and around China where the company originates. Hopefully that will change soon, as we’d really like to get our hands on something like their upcoming flagship device. Called the Vibe Z2 Pro, Lenovo has detailed what their latest entry into the world of phones will feature and it might even make LG’s G3 sweat…

Do you have any idea how hard it is to review a Kindle? Sure, the first time you can talk about look and feel and ease of use but Amazon’s devices are so slickly put together that those things are all but implicit with the purchase these days. The 3G version has been on the market for ages so all we’re really left with is the Paperwhite display and the book-like performance (plus a few upgrades) – it’s a lot like being asked to review an actual book with no content in it. But this is Stuff, where nothing is impossible…

First it was thought to be on, then it was thought to be off, now it looks as though Apple’s September iPhone 6 announcement, plus whatever else they have in store (please be a smartwatch), will be taking place. Re/code reports that Apple has a media event set for 9 September, which is just over a month away. Nothing specific has been detailed about what the company will be showing the media but September is traditionally the time where the iPhone makes its presence known. And if it sees its shadow, it’ll be winter for another six weeks or something.…