Author: Trent Meikle

You may know Duolingo as an overbearing language teacher who (hoo?) may or may not have your family locked in a basement somewhere, depending on how well tomorrow’s Spanish lesson goes. In recent years, Duolingo has broadened its teachings, inviting newbies to learn maths, music, and cooking. Now it’s getting into chess. Checkmate, pal Or rather, teaching chess. Duolingo is introducing a fully-fledged chess course, suitable for complete novices who might need help learning how the knight moves, to more advanced players looking to refine their skills. Once you’ve got the basics down and a couple of puzzles under your belt, learners…

The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us is one of those rare exceptions to the rule that all videogame adaptations… suck. Credit where it’s due. Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic IP didn’t need much coaxing out of its shell to the small screen. All it was missing was a stellar cast and the guidance of Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) to make it happen. In the not-too-distant future, not unlike our own, The Last of Us tells the story of a world in the throes of a global pandemic, the spores of which immediately turn its victims into flesh-eating zombies (or something like that). Viewers…

The TV, once a humble cornerstone of your home, will now keep a trained eye on your habits, emotions, and personal beliefs – all to serve ads that are more personalised. That’s only if you own an LG TV, however, which recently partnered with Zenapse to build that very functionality right into its webOS TV software using AI. The eye of LG Zenapse is a self-described marketing platform powered by what it calls “AI-powered emotional intelligence.” Specifically, it aims to use its proprietary Large Emotion Model (LEM) (what are these words?) to turn LG’s adware department into a proper powerhouse.…

To celebrate the extra-long weekend and minimise the stress a weekend getaway can bring, FNB has introduced new ways for eBucks customers to interact with and spend their saved-up points. Whether it’s this weekend or another, certain customers can now book local accommodation and even their travel through the FNB app. Better yet, FNB will allow the customers to spend all or some of their eBucks points to help cover the cost. This new feature set is available to Aspire, Premier, Private Clients, Private Wealth, and RMB Private Bank customers, including Gold, Platinum, Enterprise RMB Business, Healthcare, and Private Business…

Samsung Mobile South Africa believes the time is finally ripe to “launch” the decisively budget and mid-range Galaxy A Series in South Africa, despite the devices hitting shelves in March. Officially unveiled at a launch event in Johannesburg this evening, Samsung offered attendees a closer look at the three devices – the Galaxy A56 5G, A36 5G, and A26 5G – and their (supposedly) ‘Awesome’ Intelligence features. “The new Galaxy A series marks an important step in our mission of AI for all, by opening Galaxy’s incredible mobile AI experiences to even more people around the world,” said TM Roh.…

It’s only been a couple of days since Sony raised the prices of its PS5 consoles across several territories (which notably excludes the US, where the so-called “high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates” currently stem), and already, it’s hitting gamers with yet another price hike – this time where it hurts. South African gamers are already receiving warning emails of a PS Plus price hike slated for June 2025. It’s almost as though Sony forgot that it admitted to only prioritising higher quality, more expensive titles on the service starting in 2026, and not a minute sooner. Why, then, are…

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is reportedly looking to get into the social media game. Fear not. Sam Altman doesn’t intend to ruin one of your regular internet hangouts with a $50 billion bid (any more than he already has). According to a report from The Verge, the AI company is plugging away at something wholly new, though with a definite ChatGPT twist. Big plans for OpenAI According to sources familiar with the matter, OpenAI’s social media is still in the early developmental stages, meaning details are few. It’s understood, however, that a prototype is running alongside the app’s image generation tool. From…

As part of the latest Google Play services update, the Search conglomerate has introduced additional security to beef up your Android device. Should you make like the Big Man himself and leave the world (and your device) behind for three or more days, it will automatically initiate a basic reboot, ensuring that the data tucked inside is a bit more difficult to access. Android’s calling for backup The security update is set to hit compatible Android devices as soon as this week. These typically happen automatically, meaning you won’t have to seek out Google’s newly introduced security upgrade. The security…

Still a bit down after last week’s fuel price predictions? That’s to be expected if you’re a regular buyer of Petrol 93, which was the only petroleum-based fuel to see an expected price increase, while the rest were let off easy. Fortunately, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) has returned with the mid-month fuel price predictions (captured 14 April) that will change your tune by the time May rolls around. Big petrol gains expected in May It’s worth noting that the CEF’s daily predictive snapshots are not law. The CEF, a state-owned energy company reporting directly to the Department of Mineral…

Credit where it’s due; Ubisoft may not have cracked the modern Assassin’s Creed formula, but it knows how to look after its gamers, particularly those who struggle with colourblindness. With these players in mind, Ubisoft just open-sourced Chroma, its in-house colourblind simulation tool, inviting developers to run with it on their own projects and ultimately make the industry that much more inclusive. Colour me impressed Speaking on Chroma’s efficacy, Ubisoft’s director of accessibility, David Tisserand, said that it had proven itself “highly efficient” in developing accurate colour-accurate modes for its library. With an estimated 300 million folks suffering from the affliction,…