Author: Trent Meikle

Home Affairs is on a bit of a roll lately. Sure, it hasn’t actually done much other than spout some grandiose ideas — like digitising the country’s smart ID and passport services across all the major banks — and, more recently, the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. The project, announced yesterday, aims to shake up the stagnant visa structures in SA by bringing them into the digital present. “The ETA is set to eliminate visa barriers that have suppressed South Africa’s tourism potential for many years, while simultaneously revolutionising the security of our immigration processes,” said Leon Schreiber, Home Affairs…

Now that’s more like it. After Tecno SA strayed from tradition today when it debuted the considerably more mid-range Pova 7 Series at a launch event in Johannesburg, the company quickly followed it up with a return to normalcy with the definitively budget Spark 40 Series. Arriving today, the Spark 40 Series consists of four devices — the Spark 40C, Spark 40, Spark 40S, and, finally, the Spark 40 Pro. If you were at all stressed that Tecno was done with the budget side of things, don’t be. The company’s new devices are as budget-friendly as they come, with the…

Only a few weeks after Tecno offered a morsel of what’s to come at Comic Con, the company is finally ready to properly unleash the Tecno Pova 7 Series onto unsuspecting South Africans. We have, unfortunately, missed out on the most capable sibling, the Pova 7 Ultimate, but the devices we do have — the Pova 7 and Pova 7 Pro 5G — are more than up to the job of servicing the country’s upper mid-range market at an actually affordable price. The arrival of the Pova 7 Series is a first for Tecno SA, which is typically associated with…

Nearly every kid has wanted a Bugatti Veyron at some point in their lives. The only difficult part about that is owning a Bugatti Veyron. But what if we told past-you that Dreame, makers of fine robot and stick vacuums, would one day enter the EV market with a car that can supposedly rival Bugatti’s finest creation? A Dreame come true Because that’s exactly what’s happening, according to CarNewsChina. Sources familiar with the project reckon Dreame has split its blossoming automotive business into two. The first, known as Dreame Automotive, will handle the “Bugatti-level” cars and offer both pure electric…

It’s practically a crime these days to release a device that isn’t propping up the AI industry in some way. As a law-abiding company, Acer has officially launched the Extensa O14-71 laptop, a no-nonsense business-focused machine that’s hoping it can be your go-to Excel-crunching machine. “South African businesses are seeking devices that balance style, security, and performance without compromising on value,” said Glenn du Toit, Acer South Africa country manager. “The Extensa O14-71 embodies this vision, making it the perfect professional investment for companies that want to equip their teams for the AI-powered future of work.” Business in the front,…

If you’re still a little miffed about the recent delays to the Analogue 3D, a 4K reimagining of the N64 that wisely drops the Nintendo name, Retro Fighters’ new Brawler64 Pro controller hopes to make the wait a little easier. Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, the Brawler64 Pro isn’t just for reliving GoldenEye on the original hardware — it can also make playing the N64 classics library on the Switch (1 & 2) that much more nostalgic. That’s assuming you haven’t already blasted through your funds to pick up the official Switch 2 Pro Controller. We’ve yet to try out Retro Fighters’…

Google just hosted its fourth annual ‘Made on YouTube’ event, and despite the company’s obvious reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to drive the platform to new, and arguably unnecessary heights, it’s also bringing some welcome changes that will not only make the platform better for viewers but also for creators. As though hoping to prove that YouTube is still a viable career option in 2025, the company revealed that it’s handed out over $100 billion to “creators, artists, and media companies globally over the last four years.” And it’s hoping the addition of new AI tools and upgrades to livestreaming…

The name might be silly, but BYD’s incoming Dolphin Surf EV may be worth all the sniggers when you pick this one up. It may not be the most capable EV around, but for good reason. By the time the Dolphin Surf is cruising SA’s streets, it’ll technically be the cheapest EV the country has ever seen. That goes for both trims of the Dolphin Surf headed to South Africa. The Dolphin Surf Comfort is set to launch at R340,000, while the Dolphin Surf Dynamic tops out at R390,000 thanks to its larger battery. It’s snaking the crown away from…

If Samsung’s pricey Galaxy Tab S11 series couldn’t tempt you, then maybe the South Korean outfit’s new and more affordable Galaxy Tab A11 will do the trick. The company has seemingly skipped the Tab A10 name entirely, opting instead for the Galaxy Tab A11 — likely to keep the numbers on par with its flagship tablet line. Samsung’s A Team is here, kinda While Samsung has yet to officially launch or even acknowledge the new Tab A11 range, which includes the Galaxy Tab A11 and Tab A11+, one of the devices has quietly appeared on the company’s UAE website, complete…

It’s not only Spotify’s paying customers who are treated to regular updates — even if it does save the best for those with bigger wallets, with the most recent taking the form of the streamer’s long-awaited lossless audio solution. Announced in a blog post, Spotify has made some big changes to how free users consume music on the app. There’s no such thing as a free Spotify Specifically, it’s altering the order in which users listen to their music. Where before free users were forced to suffer through a shuffled playlist, they now have the power to “search and play…