Author: Trent Meikle

It may only be the first of November, but Samsung isn’t messing about where Black Friday is concerned. Traditionally, stores save their best deals until the last Friday of the month but South Africa does things a little differently. Samsung unveiled its catalogue of Black Friday deals earlier today, which run from today until Monday, 2 December. Is that all you got? “This year, the tech giant is rolling out the red carpet for South Africans, and redefining the Black Friday narrative as an opportunity for every shopper to become the leading character in their own shopping story,” Samsung South…

Because Google can’t simply backtrack on the artificial intelligence (AI) hype, we’re the ones who have to suffer so Google’s line can go up. This time, it’s Google Maps’ turn to receive the AI treatment, supposedly employed to help its users find more places to visit. More so than the literal GPS, we mean. It’s doing so by adding more than 150 new explorable cities to Immersive View, and a revitalised search that’ll give Google’s Gemini AI something to do. Just search whatever you’re looking for – using natural language, of course, like “places with a vintage vibe in SF” –…

Despite being the main selling point of the iPhone 16 and iOS 18 as a whole, it’s taken Apple over a month to get Apple Intelligence into the hands of users through the recent iOS 18.1 / iPadOS 18.1 / macOS Sequoia 15.1 updates. And yet, it’s still incomplete, with plans to roll out the entire suite of AI features as late as December. No matter. This small taste of the Apple Intelligence lifestyle is enough to pass judgement. We’ve spent the past couple of days messing about with Apple Intelligence on an M2 iPad Air, getting a feel for…

This is it folks. Months of speculation have led up to this point – this very week, this very day. All for it to culminate in Nintendo coming out of the woodwork to announce the… Nintendo Music app? That’s not a joke, either. Nintendo, supposedly on the cusp of revealing a successor to the wildly popular Switch has unveiled a mobile streaming app, unlocking The Legend of Zelda, Mario, and Wii Shop tunes for iOS and Android. Nintendo Music to get you in a Switch 2 mood https://youtu.be/DQ5EeImWYaI This is Nintendo, so of course, there’s a fee involved. Only those subscribed…

We’re not going to sugarcoat it. South Africa’s petrol, diesel, and paraffin prices are likely to go up as soon as next week Wednesday (06 November). That’s despite the five consecutive petrol and diesel price drops South Africa has been relishing for months, now. It’s not all bad news, however (okay, maybe a little). According to a report from the Central Energy Fund (CEF), the latest predictions expect the increase to come in well under a Rand. Pouring (more) fuel on the fire Even so, we’d advise heading down to the nearest petrol station before that happens – again, the…

So that was a lie. Apple, which promised the world a week’s worth of “exciting” announcements, has delivered a fresh-faced Mac Mini – following up the M4-flaunting 24in iMac it unveiled earlier this week. Similarly, the new Mac Mini has been kitted with Apple’s top-of-the-line M4Silicon SoC inside the streamlined chassis. Apple hasn’t forgotten about the M4 Pro, either. It’s there, somewhere, as long as you’re willing to part with a hefty $1,400 (R24,600). Settle for the regular M4, and you’ll be paying a far more manageable $700 (R12,300) – though what these will cost by the time they reach…

It’s time for Apple to put its money where its mouth is. Apple Intelligence, Tim Cook’s AI attempt, has finally arrived – inside the new iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 updates released this morning. Kinda. For one thing, Apple’s pushed out an incomplete suite of Intelligence features, set to be completed by December. For another, only red-blooded Yanks can access the new features for the time being. How to download and install Apple Intelligence in South Africa Don’t worry. That’s not a permanent situation. Apple has no qualms about anyone with a supported device simply switching their…

Ever wanted to return to a particularly climactic scene in a Netflix movie or show? Perhaps one that got your heart racing, or a specific scene that changed you at a young age? Well, good. Netflix’s latest feature, “Moments”, will help you do exactly that over on the streamer’s Android and iOS mobile apps. Cultural Moments It’s essentially just a clipping tool, made for Netflix, which has always been rather stingy when it comes to even screenshotting something on the mobile app. Perhaps the company fears piracy (or really high-quality memes). When you come across a scene you’d love to…

There’s a good chance you’ve been badgered by one or more of your mates to hit the nearest padel court as soon as you’re physically able. Those are usually the friends who threaten to drag you along to Parkrun, eat breakfast at a place that isn’t Spur, and then do it all again in a week. If that doesn’t sound particularly agreeable, we’d suggest biting the bullet and getting in on the padel hype instead – with a decent pair of tekkies to boot. Up a creek with a padel (shoe) While any decent pair knocking about at the back of…

Boeing’s going down (again) Things aren’t looking up for Boeing. When it isn’t jacking up numbers at the local morgue, it’s stranding astronauts in space. It’s that last bit the world seems to be focussing on – so much so that the aerospace company is debating whether to cut its losses and sell off its entire space hustle, meaning any ongoing projects involving the International Space Station (ISS) and, of course, the troubled Starliner itself. That’s according to a report from The Wall Street Journal (paywall) citing sources familiar with the matter. The plan, still in the early stages, is coming from…