Author: Trent Meikle

Nobody in South Africa could say we’re strapped for choice when it comes to EVs. BYD is a big part of the reason why, having embraced South Africa’s electric ambitions. In June, BYD unveiled the Atto 2 — a plug-in hybrid that was also on the more affordable side. Then last week, BYD quietly confirmed a fully electric Atto 2 derivative. It’s understandably a tad more expensive than its plug-in hybrid counterpart, but not by much. BYD’s website puts the fully electric Atto 2 at R530,000, making it the automaker’s second-cheapest EV in SA. It’s only beaten out by the…

You might’ve heard about the endless controversy surrounding Meta’s growing array of smart glasses. You’ve certainly seen what the Meta specs are capable of, even if you’ve never used one yourself. Next, you’ll actually get to see the glasses in action. Last week, Meta and EssilorLuxottica confirmed South Africa is on the guest list. The retail expansion isn’t exclusive to South Africa. It’s one of many new countries unlocking official access to the glasses, joining Poland, Portugal, Israel, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Thus far, Meta has only confirmed the “already loved portfolio of AI…

Flick the ‘Restricted Chat’ switch – the subject of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android – and your linked devices will no longer be able to read that chat. Only the primary device will retain access, adding another level of privacy to Meta’s messenger. WAbetaInfo spotted the feature in the 2.26.39.11 beta version, available to some testers. Keeping certain chats under your thumb (and only yours) That’s the biggest selling point of Restricted Chats, but it’s not all they’re capable of. Restricted Chats, judging by the beta test, is only available for individual conversations, and not group or community chats. The setting is off by default…

South Africa’s roads are already brimming with bakkies, and now Chery is adding another. Its first-ever, in fact. The Chinese automaker has assimilated South Africa’s culture without suspicion for years, and a big bakkie can only help. Chery left it up to Saffas to decide this bakkie’s name before democracy labelled it ‘Grootman’. Big. Man. It beat out the other shortlisted names: Nduna, Orca, Brahman, Chief, and Bakkie, to name a few. All these names tell us that Chery (probably) heavily censored the real list of suggestions, and only went with the first name that wasn’t utterly silly or crass.…

If the onslaught of puny e-readers hasn’t enticed you yet, Amazon’s hoping one of its new Kindle e-readers might do the trick. After the entry-level Kindle leaked earlier this week, the retail giant confirmed its existence today alongside two other readers. Those would be the Kindle Paperwhite (2026) and Kindle Colorsoft (2026). These are, unsurprisingly, the most competent e-readers Amazon has released in their respective categories. All three of ’em feature flush displays, ditching the recessed look of old. Amazon reckons the basic Kindle is the most “pocket-sized” reader it’s released yet at 6in, though it doesn’t really differ from…

The folks who didn’t buy into the PS5 Pro hype back in 2024 are now being rewarded for their patience. Yesterday, Sony announced Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR), a new form of AI upscaling for the base PS5. If this update tells us anything, it’s that this generation may stick around longer than expected. That’s cool, Sony, but we haven’t forgotten https://youtu.be/FQW6K7TLvQA Digital Foundry went hands-on with QSSR to test just how worthy it is Sony says the Pro’s PSSR tech is still the “gold standard.” But without a Pro in your arsenal, QSSR looks like a good deal. QSSR…

After WhatsApp unveiled parent-managed accounts for younglings earlier this year, the Meta-owned messenger has expanded those parental controls to teen accounts. Parents won’t quite get a peek at what their teens are saying, but they will get a say in how their child engages with Channels, Status updates, and even Meta AI. Your teens are texting – and mum has questions… Parents overseeing their teens’ WhatsApp account will now be notified any time the kid joins or leaves a group. Taking this surveillance a step further, parents will also be warned when a group they’re active in “grows meaningfully in…

Spar is out, and Woolworths is in. FNB announced that Private and RMB Private Bank customers could earn eBucks when shopping at Woolworths across South Africa starting today, 1 October. Woolworths joins the ever-growing (and sometimes shrinking) list of partners where clients can earn some of their monthly spend back. “This new initiative brings relevant, everyday value into a broader Private offering designed to support clients across their banking, borrowing, investing, insurance and lifestyle needs. It also responds directly to how clients live, with a significant part of our clients already spending at Woolworths,” the bank said. Another win for…

We all knew the day would come. The day when South Africa’s iconic green ID book would be utterly phased out in favour of the shiny new Smart ID cards Home Affairs has pushed in recent years. Home Affairs minister Leon Schreiber confirmed that the ID book would no longer be recognised as valid identification from 31 March 2028. End of an era Production of the green ID Book will officially end on 31 March 2027. After that, the machines that print the books will be put out of commission, according to Schreiber. Previously, the plan was for green ID…

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered launched yesterday, delivering next-gen graphics for the decade-old RPG to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and even the Nintendo Switch 2. The upgrade is free to owners of the title wherever they are, as are the game’s previous two DLC expansions, if you didn’t already own ’em beforehand. Wind’s howling If you have the physical copy of Witcher 3 on Switch 1, you are gifted the full digital copy of the Remaster, no need to use the cartridge after it by u/Erik_REF in gaming If you’re a fan of CD Projekt Red’s fantastic…