Author: Trent Meikle

YouTube Shorts have plagued Google’s video app for years as it attempted to play catch-up with the likes of TikTok. Whether you like them or not, there they are — on both desktop and mobile. That ‘See fewer Shorts’ prompt is more of a decoration than anything else. Now, YouTube is adding a way to rid your feed of Shorts for good. Keep them long, please Kinda. It’s not quite the nuclear option we had hoped for. The change builds upon the in-app timer Google added back in October, meant to slap your wrist and pull you out of that…

It isn’t easy being a motorist in SA, particularly in the present climate. What with the massive increase in April, only offset slightly by the government’s R3 intervention, getting into a car can be an expensive venture. If the latest reports from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) are accurate, it’s still set to be an expensive venture come May. The suspense is killing us Still, the outlook is certainly looking brighter since we last looked at the CEF’s daily data. Only a week ago, early data foretold a rather ugly increase for both petrol and diesel drivers that would see…

Netflix’s library of games playable on your TV has gone mostly under the radar. Similarly, interest in the streamer’s mobile gaming catalogue has stagnated in recent months. It hopes to change that by adding some iconic party titles with a proven track record. We’re talking about the Jackbox Party Essentials, of course. What’s in the Jackbox? https://youtu.be/RCwFddOkEWI All you need is a TV, an active Netflix subscription — any will do — and a smartphone that’ll serve as your controller. Every player taking part will need their own smartphone, too, with the Netflix app installed. Netflix first introduced TV games…

Only a few months after the launch of the V60 Lite, the company followed that up with the V70 and V70 FE — two high-end but still mid-range smartphones — in South Africa. Whether they’ll be able to justify their audacious R23,000 and R17,000 price tags is a mystery. Judging by the specs on offer, it looks like it’ll come close, but just miss the mark. We won’t know for sure ’til we’ve got the devices in hand, of course. But from the outside looking in, it seems like Vivo has misunderstood the average Saffa. Again. Viva la Vivo If you can stomach…

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…