Author: Tshepo Chauke

WhatsApp has an upcoming change that’ll make chat histories a bit more navigable, according to WABetaInfo. This update will allow users to isolate sections of a group chat through reply chains. Users can interact with these conversation threads through a separate window, as well, adding a bit of order to chaotic group chats. WhatsApp ties up loose threads The feature has yet to make it out of the beta phase, which WABetaInfo spotted in the WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.19.10.80 update. There’s no telling when it’ll be made available to the public, but for the moment, we’ve got a rough idea of…

Spar South Africa has partnered with food delivery platform Uber Eats to improve ease of access to its product range. Customers can already shop online through the retailer’s 2U app, and this gives them another option, while also grabbing a bite on the way. My Spar goes out 2U The partnership lets customers access Spar, Tops, and KwikSpar stores around South Africa through the Uber Eats app. For now, the initiative is available only in select locations, but the retailer has ambitions to grow this list to 150 by the end of July, and up to 400 by the end…

Porsche is getting hip to the fact that Saffas love their vehicles, which are better suited for rugged environments (like SA’s tarred roads) thanks to their all-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) capability. The German supercar maker is sprinkling a bit more of that AWD magic dust onto its new 911 4S models — coming in Coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa options — in hopes of pulling more local drivers in. Porsche’s 911 buzz The Porsche 4S Carrera’s 3L twin turbo gets a 22kW bump, bringing it to a total power output of 353kW. It makes 100km/h in 3.2 seconds,…

South Africa’s beloved Department of Home Affairs has acquired 75 self-service terminals it plans to erect in its various branches, so more tech-savvy users can help themselves while reducing wait times. No, really. According to Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza, “The AI-powered kiosk will further expand our digital footprint and alleviate queues.” Go alone, go faster with Home Affairs If this sounds familiar, it’s because we reported on this same announcement an entire two years earlier, when Nzuza claimed the kiosks would be ready to go live by the end of 2023. He also specified that the booths would…

City Power hopes to push local adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) further by replacing some of the vehicles in its fleet with EVs, as well as erecting multiple charging stations around the city. This, and other initiatives, are part of the electricity provider’s plans to increase access and reliance on clean energy around the city. City Power gives the green light The utility has ambitions to position Joburg as a “leader in the green economy.” The first phase of this plan is the acquisition and deployment of multiple EV charging stations. Traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles will be phased…

China-based streaming platform Viu is bringing increasingly popular Korean dramas to its platform with Zulu dubbing and English subtitles. Colloquially calling them “K-Zulu” shows, the initiative will kick off with three titles, with more series (and hopefully more languages) to follow should they prove popular. A different point of Viu The move comes in response to the supposed success of Zulu-dubbed Brazilian telenovelas on the platform. The new shows are available for both free and paid tiers. The K-Zulu programming will start with: Iqhawe Labafundi (High School: Return of a Gangster) – available from 30 June, this K-Drama tells the story…

Checkers’ has partnered with Petshop Science, a retail chain of stores selling pet-related goods, to offer same-day pet product delivery on its Sixt60 online shopping app. Pet owners can now enjoy the platform’s signature 60-minute delivery time. The service has launched in three provinces and will roll out to the rest of the country by the end of July. 7dhr (dog-hours) delivery with Sixty60 Sixty60 users can now take advantage of Checkers’ 3,500-strong pet product range from the comfort of the couch, shipped from Petshop Science’s stores around the country. Delivery costs will range from R35 to R50, depending on…

Eskom has launched an AI-powered chatbot, creatively called Alfred, so customers can log complaints quickly without having to talk to a disinterested call centre agent. In a week when a cold front has put the national grid under severe pressure, the electricity company will likely be inundated with complaints due to system breakdowns. This new tool should save customers considerable time and airtime by making the complaints process faster. “Utilising artificial intelligence to enhance and speed up customer service, Eskom customers can now report a power loss, get a reference number within seconds and get progress feedback on an existing…

Dolby’s FlexConnect technology is coming to TCL’s new QD-Mini-LED aka Precise Dimming series of televisions. Known as Dolby Atmos FlexConnect in full, it allows devices TVs to automatically detect and connect to any wireless speakers in the room. Once connected, the software analyses the room’s dynamics to adjust volume and sound profiles accordingly. TCL’s new Flex To help users with the transition, TCL is launching its Z100 smart speaker. The panoramic smart speaker will facilitate seamless connection with the Precise Dimming TVs. Users can also group up to four Z100 speakers for a full 360-degree Dolby Atmos sonic experience. Gamers…

Hisense has launched the newest iteration of its RGB miniLED backlit televisions, and it’s the biggest one yet. The 116UX, as its name suggests, is a 116in behemoth. The TV was very recently launched in Tanzania, and will appear in South Africa’s market soon. Everything’s bigger with Hisense’s miniLED It’s been an eventful year for miniLED, with the technology seeing more widespread adoption in flagship TVs. According to the company, Hisense is bringing the tech to large-screen televisions with the 116UX, the first of its kind. It runs on a Hi-View Engine X chip, which powers features like AI-powered image processing,…