Author: Brett Venter

Warfare is increasingly becoming more automated. So much so that the term ‘killer robots’ has entered the lexicon. If humanity is fine with blowing them up using ‘bots, why not unleash a few robot medics as well? That’s the question being asked by researchers at the University of Sheffield. It is a legitimate question to ask. Military doctors are extremely valuable. They also take a very long time to make. It doesn’t always make sense to send them to places where bullets are whizzing by. They go anyway. But they might not have to if the UK’s robo-medic plan takes…

Yet another brilliant group is attempting to combine NFTs with a pre-existing system in a manner that adds more or less nothing of value. The Spectrum is a South African property development based in the Western Cape. The concept behind it is ‘purchasing an apartment but with added NFTs’. The development is offering 306 units across ten floors in a property located just off Nelson Mandela Boulevard in Cape Town. Of these, micro, studio, one-, and two-bedroom units will be available. But, as mentioned, you’ll need a crypto wallet as well. The thing is, we’re not really sure why. Getting…

Most of the planet is acquainted with Chris Rock’s most recent hit. The standup comedian and actor is hoping for another one early next year when he becomes the first artist to live stream an event on Netflix. Talk of the streaming service jumping into live streaming has been around for some time. Rock’s announcement as the first to take the leap is just confirmation of what has been suspected for months. ‘We will Chris Rock you’ – Netflix, probably Chris Rock is about to make history as the first artist to perform live on Netflix! The legendary comedian, writer,…

Last year, several tech companies achieved a market valuation of $1 trillion. Tesla, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and even Amazon were valued at at least R18 trillion in 2021. The market for these companies looks a little less like the GDP for a small country these days. Amazon has perhaps the most ignoble distinction — the American company has become the first to lose more than $1 trillion in value. Last year, the company’s market cap was $1.88 trillion. This year? ‘Just’ $870 billion. Deforesting the Amazon The drop in the company’s value is part of a broader trend. Tech companies…

It’s not a great time to be working for Meta. For at least 11,000 people, at least, that won’t be a problem anymore. The downside is that those 11,000 people are set to be unemployed rather soon. Mark Zuckerberg, in a message to his employees (and the entire internet), has announced massive layoffs for the social media company. 13% of Meta’s workforce are set to ‘pursue other opportunities’ in the coming days. In addition, the company is “…cutting discretionary spending and extending our hiring freeze through Q1”. Meta? I barely knew her This is the first time that Zuckerberg’s company has…

South Africa may not have the largest presence in space but the country certainly contributes. Our astronomy is top-notch and the country has serious satellite skills as well. It’s perhaps unsurprising that South Africa has been selected to participate in NASA’s current Artemis explorations. Specifically, the country is set to host one of NASA’s ground-based tracking stations. The place is Matjiesfontein in the Karoo, an area often selected for astronomical exploration. A lack of interfering infrastructure and favourable weather makes the area ideal for this sort of science. We wouldn’t Artemis this Ground was broken on the new Artemis facility…

South African retailer Pick n Pay has yet another new service to offer its customers. Following its decision to accept bitcoin as payment for goods (in some stores) and teaming up with Mr D, the company has launched something completely new. Called Pick n Pay Home, the new online store operates in direct competition with… pretty much any store with the word ‘Home’ in the name. Mr Price Home, House and Home, @home… all of them must now contend with the blue-and-red company as well. A new Home for Pick n Pay The online store is dedicated to homewares. The…

Scooters are no longer dinky vehicles you’re embarrassed to be seen on. Companies like BMW and others have seen to that. But Horwin, makers of the Senmenti 0, are possibly taking the recent upskill too far. First of all, it doesn’t look like a scooter. That’s fine, though. Nor does BMW’s CE 04. That’s… sort of the point. Vespas are for hipsters and Italians who really don’t care. Have you seen Rome’s streets? They’re basically essential. The Senmenti 0 isn’t just a looker, though. It does things scooters… aren’t supposed to do. The mental Senmenti 0 That’s because the Austrian/Chinese…

It’s perhaps appropriate that a Samsung smartphone that isn’t changing much in terms of design won’t make many changes when it comes to its announcement and launch. The Galaxy S23, which we’ve already seen more or less intact, will supposedly show its face in early February next year. That’s the world according to a Korean publication, which has a couple more beans to spill. The launch event will apparently take place in San Francisco in the first week of February. It’ll be closely followed by an international launch, on 17 February 2023. Educated guesses and the Galaxy S23 It’s not…

Load shedding is back. Again. It never really went away, despite the off weekend, but Eskom has returned the country to Stage 2. Again, this is nothing new. South Africa was supposed to suffer load shedding every day from 16:00 to 05:00. Now, though? It’s going on all day, baby. Stage 2 is a water level? #Stage2 load shedding will be implemented from 09:00 this morning until further notice. This is necessitated by a breakdown of a Duvha generating unit & a delay in returning to service another Duvha unit Eskom will provide a further update as soon as any…