Author: Stuff writer

If you, like most people, have multiple Google accounts, some of which you rarely use, you may want to check up on them soon by signing in before you lose them for good. Google’s latest policy update requires users to log into their account at least once every two years or risk having the entire account and any accompanying data deleted. Previously, it would only delete some of the data that had not been used from an account. This time, however, the data deleted will include “content within Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar), YouTube, and Google Photos”. Google’s…

Apple this week announced a range of accessibility features including Live Speech and Personal Voice which lets users train their devices to recreate their voices. You know, in case you lose your voice or are simply not in the mood to move your lips. The new features are aimed at making life easier for users with speaking and seeing impediments. Live Speech allows users to type what they want to say during a live call. The device then translates this to speech in real time. Using Personal Voice, users can train the software to learn their voices so the person…

In an effort to bring more awareness, unity and equality into the world, Apple has announced a new sports band in support of the LGBTQ+ community. After launching the Watch Black Unity Sport Loop series in celebration of Black History Month in October last year, this month, the fruit company announced a new Pride Edition Sport Loop and wallpaper ahead of LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June. Full of pride In addition to the strap’s rainbow colours, Apple says the Pride Edition also includes black and brown colours – to represent the Black and Latin marginalized LGBTQ+ communities and those living…

Ayoba is growing at super speed. The Africa-focused super app is turning four years old this month. In that time it has racked up more than 25 million monthly active users – with five million gained this year alone. Its active users are predominately in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Republic of Congo recorded 20 million active users in December 2022. “Our journey has been transformative, and the positive response from our users fuels our drive for innovation,” says Ayoba CEO Burak Akinci. Now that’s Ayoba Because it’s a super app, Ayoba offers a mixed…

What do you gift the person who gave you life… or a life? Whether they carried you for almost ten months or not, mothers — like gifts — come in all forms. Flowers are great, but tech is better. Plus, it’ll last longer. Here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas for your mother, the one who birthed you, shaped you, raised you, or guided you through life. Make sure you pick something up before 14 May, which is the official date this year. What, you thought we’d let you forget? Again? Read More: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is the first e-reader…

Imagine if you could use your sense of smell as you make your way around virtual reality (VR). Though users have been able to see, hear, and even feel (a bit) using their headsets, the ability to smell has not been available. That’s not strictly accurate. You could always smell your surroundings but you couldn’t detect anything specific to VR space unless that’s what your home happens to smell like. Tech experts seem to be getting closer to making it possible to smell flowers and sewage (on purpose), among other things, in VR space. Researchers from the City University of…

Twitter’s move to remove inactive accounts means some users will lose followers, but it also means more handles to pick from. Elon Musk announced the platform’s plans to purge dormant accounts as part of an ongoing transformation at the social media company. “We’re purging accounts that have had no activity at all for several years, so you will probably see follower count drop,” tweeted Elon Musk. Twitter’s policy requires users to log into their accounts at least once a month. Musk made the announcement on Monday, saying it is “important to free up abandoned handles.” The purge is great news…

Meta is about to drop new WhatsApp updates designed to “make chats a little more productive and fun”. The messaging platform announced updates to its Polls and Caption features in a blog post this week. WhatsApp Polls, launched last year, currently allow a user to ask a group a question and then give them options to pick from. Until this week, those responding could only pick one option.  The latest update allows respondents to pick more than one. So if you’re planning a party and asking friends about the kind of dessert they like, they can pick vanilla and chocolate,…

Bluetooth, the technology that was once the wireless connectivity superstar, has humbly taken the backseat to other technologies.  But the gap that has opened over the years may be closing. The 20-year-old technology is set for an upgrade. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) this week announced its plans to increase Bluetooth LE’s bandwidth. The group is working on two projects that are expected to boost audio, video, and sharing for devices using the wireless standard. Getting long in the Bluetooth SIG says the technology is “set to more than double the Bluetooth LE data rate…taking it up to four…

Google may no longer ask you for a password or 2-Step Verification (2SV) when you sign in to its accounts. The internet giant introduced passkeys to all personal Google accounts this week. Users won’t be forced to drop passwords for passkeys, but they’ll have the option to do so. In a blog titled ‘So long passwords, thanks for all the phish’ Google said passkeys offer a more convenient and safer alternative to passwords. “They work on all major platforms and browsers, and allow users to sign in by unlocking their computer or mobile device with their fingerprint, face recognition, or…