Author: Stuff writer

The roads are suddenly filled with SUVs transporting children all over South Africa. That can only mean it’s back to school, with parents and students alike gearing up for the coming academic year. To alleviate some of the stress associated with this transitional period, we’ve curated a list of the best back-to-school tech for South African students (of the school-going type). Being a schoolgoer in SA means dealing with a unique set of challenges. There’s uncertainty when it comes to electricity access at school and home, as well as other economic issues. That’s more than enough stress to deal with…

Looking for an affordable laptop that won’t empty your savings? Whether you need it for work, play, or creative pursuits, we’ve got you covered with a roundup of the best budget laptops under R13,000. We’ve sifted through the options to bring you a selection of top picks that will serve as solid companions going into 2024. Before we dive into the details, a quick heads-up: if you’re looking for a laptop that can handle high-end gaming or video editing, you might want to check out our guides to the best higher-end laptops. Budget laptops are fantastic for everyday use but…

If you’re the sort who tracks every smartphone launch like a hawk, you must get up very early in the morning.  Whether you’re into affordable phones, cutting-edge flagships, or the latest folding technology, 2024 promises some exciting additions to the black-slab market. We’ve gathered information on confirmed releases, likely launches, and rumoured unveilings to keep you well ahead of the smartphone curve. No need to thank us. OnePlus 12 Following the OnePlus Open launch, all eyes are on the OnePlus 12 in 2024. This mainstream flagship, officially debuting in China in early December 2023, boasts impressive features: a Snapdragon 8…

Being always connected has its perks, but it’s no secret that our gadgets and social media can also bring on new kinds of stress. As we enter 2024, it’s worth fostering tech habits that enhance our lives rather than burden them. Whether you’re constantly reaching for your phone for no reason, get extreme anxiety when it’s not with you, or find yourself experiencing what are called ‘phantom vibrations’, you likely need a healthy reset to your tech habits. But do you, really? Finding reliable stats on humans’ negative relationship with technology is challenging. As with most facts you find online,…

No one wants to be that family member. Y’know, the one that routinely forgets birthdays, public holidays, or to prep their presents before the holidays start. We’re not judging. On the contrary, we’d like to offer some assistance in this case because we’ve all been there. If you have an avid techy, gamer, or generalist geek in your family/circle of friends, and you’re after an easy-to-execute last-minute gift for them this festive period, you’ve come to the right place. While the gift may end up being a voucher or digital subscription, that doesn’t make it any less valuable. The folks…

The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has intensified hand luggage regulations for all flights this holiday season and beyond. It’s trying to ‘enhance aviation safety and compliance’. While not new, the agency has vowed to be much stricter on regulations, which will see normal travellers scrambling for smaller laptop bags. According to the regulations, economy class passengers are allowed one bag and one slimline laptop bag or handbag, while first-class passengers can carry two bags and a slimline laptop bag. The total dimensions for each bag must not exceed 56cm x 36cm x 23cm, with a weight limit of 7kg…

The people who haven’t yet got around to gift shopping will probably be interested to know that the Steam Deck – one of the best handheld gaming machines available in South Africa – is in the midst of a holiday special that knocks nearly R9,000 off the normal price. Now to find Steam Deck-sized stockings As the overly descriptive headline says, Incredible Connection has the 512GB Steam Deck currently listed for R16,000. That’s R8,700 less than the R24,700 it usually sells for. That’s not a lot of money for a rather capable handheld PC. With a custom AMD APU powering…

Honor was a strange beneficiary of the ongoing trade wars between China and the US. Hampered by an inability to source chips on a mass scale, Chinese tech giant Huawei was forced to sell off one of its fastest-growing brands in 2020. Since then, Honor has accelerated its expansion into the global market, and in 2023 the company has put more focus on South Africa. The Honor Watch series is the company’s foray into smartwatches intended to compete with other Chinese giants. The Honor Watch GS 3 is another such release in the series. Let’s take a look into what…

So you’ve gone full retro this time, to the point that this console has actual woodgrain. It does scream 1970s – but that was the point. This was home gaming, so it was decided the VCS (renamed the Atari 2600 in 1982) should work with your home decor. It was pioneering in other ways too, with external cartridges killing off the standalone TV games that had until then been popular. And, despite a lacklustre start, Atari stuck with its console – unlike rival Fairchild, which quickly dumped its Channel F system thinking gaming would be a fad. Whoops. And that…

That there is a camera. Why’s it special? It looks far too normal for this page. To borrow a phrase, the Samsung Galaxy NX was ‘business in front, party in the back’. To the untrained eye, it looked like any other mid-range camera. You could mount lenses, prod a button to take a snap, and revel in the large (for the time) 20MP sensor. But spin the thing around and you were bathed in the glow of a 4.8in touchscreen. And that existed because this was the world’s first mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera to run Android. You know, the phone OS.…