Author: Trent Meikle

You (and basically everybody else) might’ve expected the first Nintendo Direct after the launch of the Switch 2 to be packed full of exciting games that might sway those still sitting on the fence to pick up the new console. The warning signs were there when Nintendo announced a ‘Partner Direct’ for Thursday, 31 July, but even we didn’t expect Nintendo to deliver such a steaming hot pile of… nothing. We’re being a little hyperbolic, of course. The 25-minute-long showcase did show off some games, if you can call that sneakily cosy Chillin’ by the Fire a game. Without Nintendo’s first-party titles…

Whether you’re a grown man who’s just really into Pokémon content or a little kid arguing with said grown man in the comments section of a YouTube video (filmed by a teenage girl), YouTube wants to know a little more about you. Primarily, your age. Regardless of what you’ve told Google, the platform will deploy an AI-powered ‘age estimation model’ to better determine your age. Making YouTube worse, one AI-powered tool at a time Google first announced its plans to do this using machine learning earlier this year, and it’s finally following through. Judging by a “variety of signals,” like…

Smartphone contracts are rarely ever simple, and Vodacom knows it. In response, the network operator has announced a revamped suite of Red Core contracts, supposedly reflecting Vodacom’s desire to put “customers first by offering extra value, increased flexibility, and greater ease”. Vodacom’s Red is on the up and up Vodacom reckons it has overhauled the rewards, too, beyond regular airtime and mobile data purchases. The renovation now consists of four “simplified” plans, all of which include up to R20,000 in funeral cover, as well as two months’ worth of theft cover — which also applies to those who lose their…

Not everyone is cut out to launch a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), but it’s not often we get to see one return from the dead, especially not one bearing a host of new features. Pick n Pay today announced the return of Pick n Pay Mobile, relaunching this time alongside a new app, new rewards programme, and e-SIM support. Pick n Pay Mobile is back Oh, and if the previous iteration didn’t immediately grab your attention due to a lengthy in-store RICA process, PnP has addressed those issues this time. With e-SIMs now offered, customers have access to instant…

Remember 2021? When the world was still flailing from the global pandemic, a period that Meta saw as an opportune moment to release a ‘social media smartwatch’? That ended up not happening (we wonder why?), but according to a fresh leak from Digitimes (via Android Police), Meta is exploring the idea of reviving the project. Watch this space Meta is no stranger to making (often doomed) hardware, but its push into VR with the Quest line-up is still going strong. It’s the company’s recent successes with the Meta Ray-Ban (and soon to be Oakley) glasses that likely reignited the passion for…

Xbox has discovered that randomly shouting the words “Hollow Knight” and “Silksong” tends to lead to good things. It proved that when it promised the game would be out by the time it was ready to launch its new ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. Now it seeks to milk the cow dry, confirming that a new demo is headed for the Xbox booth at Gamescom this year. Not a Silkpost. Repeat: Not a Silkpost! In a recent blog post, Xbox detailed all its plans for Gamescom 2025, which is taking place in Cologne, Germany, from August 20-24, noting that…

With a little over a week to go before the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) passes judgement on South Africa’s fuel prices for August 2025, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) has stepped up with yet another predictive snapshot (captured 25 July) that tells the same story as last time: diesel drivers are in for a nasty shock at the pumps, while petrol guzzlers will likely get away with a relatively decent price cut. Don’t say we didn’t warn you, diesel drivers Of course, until the DMRE publishes the official changes — which will likely happen early next week…

Sennheiser turns 80, celebrates with Momentum It’s been eighty years since Sennheiser started up. To celebrate the anniversary, the company is releasing a graffiti-slathered pair of Momentum 4 headphones, designed by German artist Bond Truluv. ‘The same unmatched sound, comfort, and battery life is now dressed for a milestone,” it said. Every bit of the headset has been redesigned, with a yellow band and accents celebrating the company’s iconic 1968 HD 414 headphones, while Truluv’s “throwie” tag is on the left earcup. The right is home to the most street-looking art yet, representing sound in motion. ” To be clear,…

If there’s one thing South Africans love more than a dedicated streaming TV box, it’s a dedicated streaming TV stick. Just look at Xiaomi’s ultra-successful Mi TV Stick for proof, typically loved for its three-digit price tag and half-decent internals. It’s about time Xiaomi’s 4K Stick efforts got a sequel, and the company has obliged, revealing the Xiaomi TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen) over on its global site, packing the sort of internal upgrades that make it worth considering, even if you’ve got the older one. Xiaomi’s new TV stick has arrived Where the first generation was powered by Android…

Netflix South Africa today announced what it’s calling the ScreenCraft Pathway programme, a paid-for initiative that’s looking to hire thirty “rising stars” and offer on-the-job training as part of a partnership with the Gauteng Film Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority. Get your flix straight from the source Netflix will begin accepting applications this August, so now would be about the time you took another look at that CV and freshened it up a bit. When applications open next month, they will be handled by Tshikululu Social Investments. The programme will offer the lucky few experience in key…