Author: Trent Meikle

Apple’s first foldable and worst-kept secret in the industry may be more iPad than iPhone, despite the branding. It’ll do so by introducing custom iOS updates that deliver ‘iPad-like layouts’ for easier multitasking with side-by-side apps and a wide aspect ratio. Apple’s marketing strategy for the device hinges on this being the selling point. Apple can’t afford to screw up its first foray into the foldable market, which Samsung penetrated seven years back. Since then, the market has been flooded with these things, with Huawei even developing the first ‘tri-fold’. We won’t have to wait long to see Apple’s attempt…

It’s about time FNB’s eWallet got a makeover, and what better way to do it than by bringing it to WhatsApp? That’s exactly what First National Bank has done, all in an effort to create a simpler “digital entry point” into banking for potentially underbanked users. Users can allegedly climb aboard in just a few minutes. Previously, eWallets could only be created when an FNB client sent money to their recipient. Now? New customers can create an eWallet via WhatsApp. Add this number to your contacts — 087 392 5538 — and shoot over a simple ‘Hi’. You’ll be greeted…

It seems Lenovo missed an opportunity to go even weirder (weirder than this, we mean) at MWC this year. We’re talking about the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2, which leaked just a few days before the show kicked off. While the tablet hasn’t been officially announced, famed leaker Evan Blass has turned up new images of the device. Lenovo Tab Plus JBL Yeah, that’s a speaker dominating the tablet’s rear. Specifically, a ‘JBL 9-unit PRO’ speaker system, if the initial leaks from iF Design are anything to go by. It’s accompanied by a silver ring that serves as a built-in…

When we said that DStv had its work cut out for it under the Canal+ leadership, we meant it. Since the French multimedia company took over MultiChoice in 2025, it has worked tirelessly to set the course straight. Part of that plan involved axing Showmax for good and skipping the annual DStv price hike in 2026. In terms of future growth, however, the company recently revealed its roughly €100 million (∼R1.9 billion) “boost plan” to kickstart subscriber growth at the South African broadcaster. The investment plan was shown off alongside Canal+’s first full-year results since it took MultiChoice under its…

If you don’t already cough up the R82 monthly fee for YouTube Premium, Google’s latest update may change that. Announced in a blog post earlier this month, Google confirmed that its 30-second unskippable ad format was now “generally available globally” and optimised for CTV (connected TV) delivery. 30-second bathroom breaks are back In short, this means 30-second unskippable ads will become far more prevalent when viewing content on TVs. It won’t always be a 30-second wait, however. In the same announcement, Google noted that it was injecting AI into its delivery methods. The system “dynamically” switches between ‘6-second bumpers’, 15-second standard…

War. War never changes. But petrol prices do, and will, if the latest fuel price snapshot from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) is anything to go by. Judging by the company’s history of accurately forecasting South Africa’s fuel price adjustments, we should probably mention that the latest predictions don’t look pretty. For anyone. Diesel drivers, in particular, are facing a rather hefty hike, currently in the ballpark of R5/l. Petrol drivers won’t be let off easy either, with the CEF’s forecasts teasing a R3/l hike. You can thank the war in Iran for the sudden deviation from March’s official fuel…

After Capitec and FNB got the ball rolling, Standard Bank also wants in on the party. After rolling out three branches with Home Affairs powers in its February trial run, the bank has officially expanded its Smart ID services to four branches around the country. Three of those already participated in the trial phase, while the bank’s branch at Maponya Mall is the newest location where customers can get their Smart ID sorted. “During this phase, Standard Bank customers can apply in branch to convert their green ID book to a Smart ID Card or replace lost, stolen or damaged…

Staying informed isn’t free. It costs you something, whether your news comes from a newspaper, TV station, or social media. For many, that cost is mobile data. Vodacom and SABC have partnered up to remove that cost for any Saffas accessing SABC News and Education channels via SABC+. Your mobile data can rest easy The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announced the zero data cost initiative for Vodacom customers in a post on X. “Stay informed without the worry. Vodacom users can now access trusted news on SABC+ with zero data cost, keeping you connected to the stories that matter,”…

There’s been movement on the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) plan to make its smart ID and passport services more accessible. Relying on SA’s banks to pick up the slack, Capitec and several others agreed to upgrade their branches, allowing customers to secure Smart IDs or passports more quickly. Following some good news on that front from FNB, Capitec has launched the service in seven of its branches today. That means a whole lot more Saffas who can get their Smart ID faster than if they took the traditional route. You know, the one that usually ends with the phrase…

FNB customers have long used the bank’s Home Affairs services to get their Smart IDs and passports. That privilege is only reserved for the folks who can drag themselves up to one of the eight branches that offer the service. In 2025, the bank (and plenty of others) committed to expanding that figure as part of a new partnership with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). It’s all going according to plan, it said. Banking on FNB “Partnerships like this will help us modernise Home Affairs, strengthen the integrity of our national identity system, and make it easier for every South…