Author: Brett Venter

Some ideas are so obvious that people never think of them. Samsung’s upcoming ‘Repair Mode’, a feature that locks down a phone so that it can be remotely repaired, is one of them. Let’s be clear here. You don’t have to lock up your phone in order to repair it. Folks have sent unsecured computers and phones in for repairs for decades. But the people working on your stuff are probably also poking around in there. It’s human nature to want to see what you’ve got stored. Maybe that missing Futurama episode is on there. Repair Mode engaged Samsung is…

Every town on the planet has a really notable person who originally lived there. If only there was a way to see all of those people on a single map. Well, now that you mention it, there is. It was built by geographer Topi Tjukanov, who also works at a company called Mapbox. Mapping fame Did you know Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar and Barack Obama in Honolulu? Who is the most famous person from your home town? I made a map of the most notable people around the world. Built with @Mapbox. Check it out here: https://t.co/NR0J7nqTn1 🧵…

Spotify has finally caught up with the rest of the world. The company announced a device called the Car Thing in April last year. It was released into the world in February 2022. And now, it’s cancelled. As far as hardware launches go, that’s extremely short-lived. The news was announced during the company’s most recent round of earnings data. The device isn’t going away, so if you happened to have bought one, it’ll continue working. But Spotify isn’t making any more — though they’ll remain on sale until existing stock is gone. What is this Car Thing? A Spotify spokesperson,…

You probably know, based on the country’s recent Eskom announcement at least, that countries often buy power from each other. You’ve perhaps also heard that Botswana has offered to sell South Africa some of its surplus. But other African neighbours might come off a little worse, according to Bloomberg. Zimbabwe currently has deals with Mozambique and Zambia, purchasing power from those countries in order to bolster its power needs. But those contracts are coming up for renewal, and South Africa is jockeying for a slice of the power on offer. Eskom goes hard That’s according to Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority…

It appears that the latest essential accessory for motoring fans is a wristwatch. BMW’s done it. So have any number of other brands. Next up is Land Rover. Land Rover Classic, a sub-brand that pays tribute to older designs from the marque, is launching a wristwatch. The new gear comes from watchmaker Elliot Brown and is known as the Elliot Brown Trophy Expedition. It’s not just turning up for the fun of it, though. It’s being launched to coincide with the new Defender Works V8 Trophy II launch. Land Rover to watch Which, if we’re being totally honest, is completely…

Cliches are trite. That said, all good things must come to an end. Facebook has reported its first-ever drop in yearly revenue in its most recent financial results. The dip isn’t much, at all, but it’s a sign of things to come for parent company Meta. The rest of the tech world probably won’t escape unscathed either. Facebook’s revenue for the second quarter of 2022 was R480 billion ($28.8 billion). That’s a drop of 1% for the company. 1% isn’t much (unless you’re part of the 99%) but it’s still the first time the social network has experienced a fall…

Soft robots are, perhaps obviously, robots built from a softer material than metal. But, as researchers from Rice University have shown, these robots can still be pretty metal. Called ‘necrotic grippers’ by the team who figured this out, researchers have turned dead spiders into robot hands. Which is, amazingly, easier than you would expect. Everyone’s seen a dead spider at some point. Provided you didn’t flambe the critter with an improvised flame-thrower, you’ll have noticed that its legs curl up against its body. It’s this property that turns it into a surprisingly capable robot hand. Necrobotic airs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JOS6hMHIUM It turns…

For South Africans, the word Huntsman brings to mind the spiders that tend to show up just before it rains. If you’re Australian, it also refers to a spider — but it’s large enough that you can count its eyes. The word also has a little something to do with space exploration. From the ground, obviously. Canon and Macquarie University have created an optical instrument called the Huntsman Telescope. It uses a collection of ten Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II super-telephoto lenses, working in unison. At the moment, you can buy these Canon EF lenses, but they’ll cost you…

Stuff has been on the Jaguar I-Pace’s trail since at least 2018. Our most recent encounter, with the Jaguar I-Pace Black, has done nothing to diminish the awe we have for this vehicle series. Everything about it is impressive. Its lines, its interior, its acceleration, and even its range is impressive now. But, unfortunately, that’s not the only thing that’s awesome. It also features an awesome (in the literal sense of the word) price. Specifically, R2.25 million in the case of the 90 kW I-Pace Black that was sent to us. That’s a little over R200,000 above the base price…

Earlier this month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that a plan to sort Eskom out was on the way. An accelerated plan, specifically, that would chart the country’s path out of load shedding. Last night, in an address to the nation, Ramaphosa detailed the steps that will be taken to keep the country’s lights on. The steps mentioned were identical to points leaked prior to the president’s speech yesterday. SA politicians were briefed by a presentation, ahead of Ramaphosa’s speech. If you were hoping for something groundbreaking and new, though, you’re in for some disappointment. Making light of Eskom…