Author: Trent Meikle

Spotify will do just about anything to avoid doing any work that would see lossless audio added to the streaming platform. Right on cue, as though to prove our point, Spotify today announced a new update that’ll give users the ability to get some serious in-app mixing done on the fly. Okay, maybe not that serious. Still, it’s a cool addition. These changes aren’t just building upon the app’s existing AI DJ, X, but rather about adding a new tool that’ll give users the ability to fiddle with their tunes while they’re playing them. The update is set to arrive…

After skipping a Fan Edition for the Galaxy Buds 2, Samsung has introduced its new Galaxy Buds 3 FE, which ditches the more traditional Samsung look for a stem design that screams ‘Apple’. As you might’ve expected, it’s brought Galaxy AI along for the ride, alongside the usual upgrades to audio and battery. The Buds 3 FE are scheduled to arrive in the US on 4 September 2025, with no word on a local launch yet. There will probably be a local launch. The Apple doesn’t fall far from the stem Handling the audio side are 11 mm drivers Samsung reckons…

The Central Energy Fund (CEF) has blessed the country with new mid-month fuel price data, cementing the idea that South African motorists will be paying less at the pumps this September than they did throughout August. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) will officially adjust fuel prices in early September. Diesel is back, baby Until then, it’s worth remembering that the CEF’s figures below (captured 15 August) are not set in stone, even if they do paint a prettier picture than last week’s snapshot, with a roughly 40c price decrease expected for diesel drivers this September. Petrol drivers,…

If it ain’t broke, put Android on it If you’re one of the millions who still mourn the loss of BlackBerry, you’ll be glad to know the iconic smartphone brand is making a comeback — ditching BlackBerry OS and sticking with something simpler: Android. Kinda. Don’t expect anything new because BlackBerry isn’t actually reopening its doors for this comeback. A company called Zinwa Technologies is working on reviving a number of old BlackBerry Classic Q20 devices and retroactively installing Android on them. Once baptised, it’ll be known going forward as Zinwa Q25 Pro. It’ll sell for $420 (∼R7,400), but Zinwa can also give…

Another day, another Kindle leak. This time, it’s coming from a disgruntled former Amazon associate who’s looking to get back at our retail overlords by leaking Amazon’s alleged next ereader — the Kindle Petit Color. The supposed leak appeared on a now-deleted Reddit post from a Portuguese user that revealed the next Kindle’s name, shared images of the device, and wrote: “a amazon quebrou a parte deles do contrato, então vim quebrar a minha,” roughly translating to “Amazon broke their part of the contract, so I came to break mine.” Adding kindling to the fire Unfortunately, the post’s contents and…

If you thought you were drowning in unnecessary subscriptions closer to home, you just haven’t visited the UK. It is reported that Volkswagen (VW) is adding to the avalanche by charging certain owners a monthly fee to unlock the full potential of their EV. And no, we haven’t been duped by The Onion. Giving pay-to-drive a whole new meaning We’re not just talking about paywalling your car’s seatwarmers for R250/m, which itself was a brazen attempt to gouge BMW customers a smidge further before it was discontinued. The news, coming from AutoExpress, reckons VW really is charging its ID.3 Pro…

Conducting your business’s weekly meetings just got a whole lot easier. That’s assuming, of course, you’re a die-hard WhatsApp user who won’t bend the knee to Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom. Announced today, the messenger confirmed it was rolling out new group call features to up its workplace productivity. All hands up on deck “Whether you’re coordinating a catch-up with the entire family or scheduling a meeting with colleagues, sometimes you need to plan ahead,” WhatsApp said, finally following through on a feature that was supposedly ‘in development’ as many as two years ago. It’s not clear what delayed these…

We’ve clung desperately to the edge of our seats ever since Anker revealed its stellar Soundcore Space One cans would get an upgrade in the form of the Space One Pro. With the Space One Pro slung around our necks for these past weeks, we have to say we like what we hear. How could we not? At R3,000, the Soundcore Space One Pro presents itself as a similarly stellar solution for anyone looking to give their ears the gift of active noise-cancelling (ANC). Throw in the can’s ultra-comfortable and lightweight build, new flexing abilities, and excellent battery life, and…

After FNB ditched Shoprite earlier this year to pursue a deal to flaunt its customers’ eBucks at Pick n Pay instead, Shoprite has been on a partner spree, first adding Standard Bank to its ranks and now, Absa. Starting 16 August 2025, “eligible” Absa cardholders shopping at Shoprite, Checkers, Checkers Hyper, or LiquorShop (or via Sixty60) can earn up to 60% cash back through Absa Rewards. It’s like a reward Don’t get too excited just yet. That 60% cash-back deal is simply a part of a two-month promotion to get customers invested in the Absa Rewards programme and Shoprite’s new partnership. Beyond…

Like a sibling scrambling to get back in the good books because their brother was the first to say ‘thank you’ at the dinner table, Absa and Discovery Bank have fallen in line with the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) ambitious plans to digitise and expand smart ID and passport processes in SA. All aboard the smart ID push Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced that the two banks had signed up for the partnership in a post on X. Like dominoes, Absa and Discovery Bank followed in the footsteps of FNB and Capitec, the first to join the initiative,…