Author: Trent Meikle

Just when you thought South Africa’s roads couldn’t handle yet another Chinese EV, Dongfeng throws a new (technically) sub-R500,000 electric SUV into the mix. Dongfeng is just one of the many Chinese car brands entering South Africa, which first saw the Dongfeng Box, Dongfeng 06, and 007 land locally in 2024. Its latest addition is the Nammi 06, available in two similarly-priced trims, starting with the E1, which boasts a pretty decent 410km range on a single charge. It’s joined by the E3, pushing that claimed range up to an impressive 480km. Both models are “being dispatched to the different…

We don’t typically cover such simple cosmetic updates headed for WhatsApp, but this time is different. On the surface, the change spotted in the latest WhatsApp build on TestFlight looks harmless. It aims to move WhatsApp’s Status updates (think ‘Stories’ on Instagram) right to the ‘Chats’ tab — AKA your home screen. No big deal, right? It may be a little more annoying to see those coloured rings as you open the app, but some might actually prefer the change. Our issue lies with the app’s intent to eventually introduce advertising to the messenger, which the company made clear would…

If you thought you couldn’t fit any more tech onto your body, you’re probably right. That’s why Tractive, an Austrian wearables company, isn’t wasting all its time on humanity. Instead, it’s devoted those resources to build out a line of wearable tech for pets. These aren’t just regular collars imbued with a GPS tracker, either. The new Tractive Cat 6 Mini and Dog 6 XL are capable of much more. Yeah, GPS tracking is a thing if you’re keen to see where Snowball disappeared to in the night, but it’s accompanied by a bunch of health sensors. The ones that’ll…

It wasn’t all that long ago that we reported on the Central Energy Fund’s (CEF) early petrol and diesel predictions for May 2026. At the time, we braced for the R14/l diesel price hikes — owing to the conflict in the Middle East. Since then, the CEF’s daily predictive snapshots tell a different story. One that will still see Saffas paying more at the pumps in May — a lot more for some — but it’s clear that the figures are trending in the right direction. Keep it up It’s worth noting that the figures below aren’t final and are…

We’re always on the lookout for new Lego sets, and the Danish brick company has obliged with not one, but eight new sets to celebrate the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Whether it’s paying tribute to the trophy itself, or some of the best to ever do it (and Vinicius Jr), there’s something for everyone. Even if your budget is decidedly lacking. Three of the eight are dedicated directly to Lionel Messi — hero of the last World Cup that saw Argentina wipe France off the board. Not all of the sets have turned up locally yet, but we shouldn’t be…

It’s been so long since we last heard about WhatsApp’s username ambitions that we were beginning to believe it had been scrapped. Fortunately, usernames have actually turned up for a limited number of users, meaning an official rollout can’t be too far behind. Here’s hoping they don’t run out and claim all the best usernames early. With usernames now tied to WhatsApp accounts, users can do away with dishing out their phone number to just anyone. WABetaInfo was the first to report on the addition, which was spotted yesterday. It reckons the rollout has taken so long — upwards of three years…

Insta360, purveyor of action-cams and drones, is looking to expand. Again. This time, it’s coming after your smartphone with the Snap Selfie Screen, a 3.5in display that’ll attach itself to the back of your phone. The idea is to allow selfie-takers to tap into the full potential of their smartphone’s rear camera. For a price. You only care about your self(ies) But not an awfully extravagant one. Sure, those carrying around a flagship Samsung or Apple device likely need not worry about waning selfie quality, but hardcore social media girlies walking around with a 2020 phone in their pocket? The Snap’s S$115…

Is your first-gen Paperwhite still going strong? That might just be the driver behind Amazon’s latest decision to sunset several of the older Kindle models out there. Anything with a Kindle logo from 2012 or earlier, in other words. One user with a first-gen Paperwhite received an email explaining the move, confirming support would officially come to an end on 20 May. Some others with even older models have yet to receive the email, however. “Starting May 20, 2026 – 14 to 18 years after their initial launches – we are discontinuing support for Kindle devices released in 2012 or…

The smashing success (overseas, anyway) that is the MacBook Neo was bound to get a sequel. But not even we thought we’d be hearing about it quite so soon. Former Bloomberg journalist Tim Culpan reckons he has a rough idea of what to expect from a potential MacBook Neo 2, as revealed in his own Culpium newsletter. What Apple will name the line-up when the ‘Neo’ name inevitably goes stale, we don’t know. But for now, it’ll probably skate by as the MacBook Neo once again. For now, the Fruit Company is deciding whether it should ramp up production for the…

The Oppo A6 Pro already had its moment in the sun last year, and now it’s the rest of the family’s turn. Oppo today confirmed that the latest additions to the A6 Series have come to South Africa, beginning with the Oppo A6. It sits at the head of the family, with a 7,000mAh battery that should make up for any other misgivings. It’s followed by the Oppo A6x, a cheaper-but-weaker option that’s still somewhat intriguing. It doesn’t stop there, however. Oppo’s announcement mentions yet another variant — the Oppo A6k. That one is headed for South Africa sometime in May,…