If you blasted tunes from a Sony Walkman NW-S600 or S700F Series in the 2000s, this should immediately look familiar. Fiio has modelled the Snowsky Echo Nano after that era of portable MP3 players and that specific Sony Walkman in particular. But Fiio has given this one a few upgrades.

Funny Walkman

For starters, this little guy is Sony Hi-Res Audio certified, thanks to the Cirrus Logic DAC/Amp combo chip Fiio has stuck inside. Something those Sony Walkmans from the 2000s only dreamed about. Just don’t expect to drive power-hungry headphones; output is only rated for 32 mW per channel at 32 ohms to 3.5 mm headphones.

At just 83.5 x 23 x 14 mm, it won’t take up much space in your pocket. The fact that it doesn’t support wireless headphones is great if you’re leaning into the nostalgia factor, but that could be tricky if you’re already short on pocket space.

Made from a CNC-machined aluminium-magnesium alloy, it should be both light and sturdy. Sturdier than the old plastic ones, anyway. A slightly covered knob lives on one end and the 3.5mm headphone jack (remember those?) lives on the other. In between those are a 0.91in OLED display and buttons for what are presumably play/pause functions and volume control.

You also get a slot for your microSD card (up to 256GB) where you’ll store your bangers. DSD, WAV, FLAC, APE, MP3, M4A, and OGG files are supported. There’s also a USB-C port for charging the 360mAh battery, good for up to seven hours of playback, or hooking it up to another device to use as a dedicated external sound card via its USB Audio Class support.

Like the Walkmans it is modelled after, the Snowsky Echo Nano is available in a range of colours, but getting hold of one isn’t as straightforward as you might’ve hoped. We’ve found it available and ready to ship to South Africa via an AliExpress listing for as little as R1,000.

Source

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In partnership with Hyperice (again), the company that specialises in fitness recovery tech, the Air Zoom Hyperslide is a shoe for chilling out after a long day of being athletic. Like the previous team effort, these slip-ons will vibrate your feet in the hopes of making you feel better. That’s not all they do, however.

Hyperslide into these

Workout slides are generally used to ease aching soles after intense physical effort. Nike’s pair will do the same, courtesy of a squishy Air Zoom sole. But there’s also the magnetically attached unit on the top that’ll add heat and vibration into the mix. It sounds, based on the companies’ explanation, like someone has condensed one of Hyperice’s heated massage gun heads into shoe format. And then give it its own motor.

As with most Hyperice products, there are three vibration levels to choose from. These run for up to fifteen minutes, hopefully to boost recovery. Each of Nike’s new Hyperslides will also heat to between 42.8 and 47° (Celcius, not whatever the Americans use) to further aid in their health-giving efforts. They’re controlled via the Hyperice app. For any luddites, there’s also the option to “customize their experience through on-pod controls.”

American pricing is known (around R4,200), but we’re not sure whether they’ll appear here. We should know closer to the 29 September launch date whether Nike will stock them locally. The brand has brought its other slides here, but not the previously released Hyperice-branded shoes.

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Available in a range of sizes designed to suit your budget and, most importantly, your home, Xiaomi’s TV S QD-Mini LED range offers some of the very best TV tech in town. Nay, the country. Rest assured that Xiaomi’s got your back for just about any occasion.

Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED 65in 2026 | R9,999 RRP

Let’s discuss the elephant in the room. No, that isn’t a typo. Yes, you really can pick up a brand-new, state-of-the-art QD Mini-LED TV before crossing the five-digit mark. And yes, it’s got 65in to its name. Xiaomi, understanding its audience, has a TV for everyone.

“But what about OLED?” See, that’s the beauty of it. The Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED may not be OLED, but it sure looks a whole lot like it – all while delivering a flawless 4K picture at an affordable price. It relies on a whopping 384 independent QD-Mini LED dimming zones to achieve the inkiest blacks at 0.0001 nits, enabling you to see the scene just as intended.

Typically, achieving those OLED-level blacks means making a few compromises. Not Xiaomi, though. The TV S QD-Mini LED (65in) features an incredible 1,200-nit peak brightness that’s ideal for daytime viewing. Couple that with the more than 1.07 billion (with a b) colours and 94% DCI-P3 coverage and you’ve got a TV that’s built for anywhere.

Especially if that place is your gaming den. Xiaomi hasn’t forgotten, providing a 60Hz native panel that’ll go all the way up to 120Hz in Game Boost mode. It’s a paradise for console gamers everywhere looking for the smoothest gameplay possible. And, if you needed a reminder, you can pick up the Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED (65in) from only R9,999 RRP.

Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED 75in 2026 | R13,999 RRP

In a lot of ways, the Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED (75in) shares all the best qualities of its little-r sibling, plus a little more. That little more? Ten more glorious inches of 4K goodness, built to accommodate the stunning QD-Mini LED panel. You’re still getting the same OLED-level pure blacks at 0.0001 nits and 1,200-nit peak brightness thanks to the 512 dimming zones.

It’s just as confident when it comes time to game. Not only will the refresh rate reach 120Hz in Game Boost mode, but it’ll also deliver crystal-clear audio thanks to two 15W speakers and Dolby Audio and DTS:X handling the mix.

Better yet, the custom-built Xiaomi Sound technology automatically adapts to what you’re watching, playing, or listening to.

Finally, HDR10+ support ensures that you’re always getting the absolute best perfect picture, no concessions necessary. It won’t work on everything – but with Google TV built right in, you’ll have no trouble finding the exact app to take your streaming game to the next level. Convinced? The Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED (75in) can be had today from R13,999 RRP.

Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED 85in 2026 | R23,999 RRP

The Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED (85in) isn’t like other TVs. Heck, it’s not even like the rest of the TV S QD-Mini LED family. For one thing, it’s bigger, dominating the space with that gorgeous 85in 4K panel.

For another, it turns things up a notch with that sweet temptress, Dolby Vision. Exclusive to the Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED 85in and up, it’s well worth the price of admission. Dolby Vision isn’t just another logo slapped onto the box. Think of it as HDR with a brain. Rather than applying the same settings to an entire movie or series, Dolby Vision steps in to adjust the picture scene by scene so that everything looks exactly as the creator intended.

Pair that with Xiaomi’s QD-Mini LED panel, and you’re getting the sort of cinematic image that’ll have you questioning why you ever bothered leaving the house for the movies in the first place.

Dolby Audio does something similar, allowing those bombastic action sequences or quiet, intimate narrative scenes to really flourish. Fail to resist that Dolby charm, and you may find yourself nine hours deep into a Nolan marathon. Normally, that’s a good thing. But… you were expected at work nine hours ago.

You’re still getting all that 4K, OLED-level goodness that’s suited for every room, in any home. Whether that’s the crispest sunset you ever saw, or the darkest corner of the horror movie you swear you “watched”.

94% DCI-P3 coverage – paired with HDR10+ – ensures every scene is packed with vibrant colours, deeper contrasts, and incredibly rich detail. And with Xiaomi’s Deep Contrast Engine at play, the image is optimised for every scenario you can dream up.

For many, a native 144Hz panel is already above and beyond the gold standard for console gamers. But what about the PC gamers? Initiate Game Boost Mode, and Xiaomi will shower your eyes with buttery-smooth 288Hz gaming. Tack on CEC, ALLM, and VRR support, and you’ve got a new best friend for life.

From only R23,999 RRP, the Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED (85in) is the definition of a steal.

Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED 98in | R37,999 RRP

If you’re used to having the very best in life, then the Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED (98in) is the living room machine you need in your life. Equipped with a vibrant, razor-sharp 4K panel, 880-zone backlighting, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and up to 1,200 nits peak brightness, what’s not to love?

Don’t waste time fiddling about with USBs and the like when the ultra-fast Google TV is right there to handle all your streaming needs. With 3GB of RAM hidden under the hood, Xiaomi’s built a future-proof TV that’ll withstand the clumsy fingers of all your ungrateful family members. Perhaps it’s best if the clicker stays safely in your hands, yeah?

Like its 75in sibling, this gargantuan 98in panel is well up to the task of gaming. You already know about the 144Hz panel (288Hz with Game Boost mode) that’ll oblige even the greediest gamers. The real kicker, though? AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR support. Mom might not know what all those letters mean, but gamers are likely frothing at the mouth.

There are more than enough ports to ensure that the rest of the family don’t feel left out. Dual 15W speakers and Dolby Atmos at the wheel make this the only all-in-one TV you’ll ever need. The Xiaomi TV S QD-Mini LED 98in can be yours from R37,999 RRP  –  only available from 3 August.

Promo pricing valid until 2 August 2026. Normal pricing applies thereafter.

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Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but it’ll be revealed when pre-orders begin later this year. Even then, you’ll need to be quick. The initial run will be limited in number, but, based on the available spec, you might want to be one of the first in the door.

Taking a PocketByte

The PocketByte packs a 2.8in IPS LCD screen with a 320 x 240 resolution. It’s running on an ESP32-S3 processor and 8MB (not a typo) of PSRAM (pseudo-static RAM). Users supply up to 32GB of microSD storage. A 1,500mAh lithium-polymer battery keeps the whole thing portable.

The screen unit is the main brains of the outfit, with the bottom unit being swappable via magnetic pin connectors. That’s how it’ll switch from gaming to productivity to… whatever you want, really. Provided the interface exists, anyway. A breadboard connector and an iPod-style controller are also planned. There’s an internal speaker planned, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack. There are also wireless connectivity options via the main board. Bluetooth LE and WiFi will be present.

The operating system and software are all set to be open-source, as are the modular hardware specs. In other words, if it doesn’t exist yet (and you’re of a technical nature), you could just make your own components. That said, most folks will just snap one up to play retro games on the go. Which is fine… but you could also channel your inner Edward Furlong and get up to some mischief. Once the PocketByte goes on sale, of course.

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The original result no longer exists, but another platform has since unearthed more information. This suggests that Google’s AI wasn’t just hallucinating to keep its users furiously clicking on the company’s products.

Now starting Race 3

The initial AI Overview leak provided some of the Race 3 lineup’s physical specs, as well as Suunto’s launch plans. The 3 S will have a 1.32in AMOLED display and a dual-band GPS. It’ll also launch to market first. The Race 3 sports a 1.5in AMOLED and a larger battery. It’ll launch some time after its smaller sibling. The leak also outed Suunto’s AI Coach feature, which will support a three-month trial when the devices hit retail.

Website Gadgets and Wearables poked around using the initial Reddit post, where it “independently verified the indexed Suunto references.” There is some similarity between Suunto’s Race 2 and the upcoming model, but not enough information exists to tell exactly how they’re set apart. The AI Coach, on the other hand…

The feature will (or should) let users ask specific questions about their training regimen — the whens, hows, why, and so on — and get personalised answers based on their own metrics. It’ll provide answers based on the user’s location, usual routes, and past performance. The whole setup sounds more advanced than usual, which is why Suunto’s AI Coach is expected to include a subscription. How much it’ll cost remains to be seen. We’ll likely see some movement there once the Race 3 and 3 S are made official. Given that they’ve already been outed, it probably won’t be long before an announcement.

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Our data is the currency being traded every time we navigate our social media feeds. Tech giants such as Apple, Google and Microsoft offer valuable services, but it comes at a price. They host our email, photos, backups, files, calendars, reminders and contacts.

If you also include all the smaller startups and niche solutions, you’ll quickly see your security cameras, electronic locks, home appliances and even your toothbrushing schedules are all online – far removed from any physical box or device that you have any control over.

But there is a way to break free from big tech. It’s called “self-hosting”.

Your life, online

Many of these large tech providers do a good job of securing your data and enabling you to access services across devices and platforms. They allow novice users with almost no technical skills to interact with and share their data at little cost.

However, being reliant on these companies isn’t risk-free.

Google, Amazon and Meta have been implicated in unexpected or questionable uses of data.

Having high-value data concentrated in well-established systems also provides cyber criminals and scammers with obvious targets to spam, imitate (spoof) or hack.

Users are also completely at the mercy of these companies should they decide to raise their fees, change their terms of service, or even discontinue access.

What exactly is self-hosting?

Self-hosting is a general catch-all term for taking control of your own data.

This shifts your data from big tech giants and moves it to self-managed applications. Your data is on your own systems and you have complete control over who can access it.

Many self-hosted applications are open-source and, thanks to community support, they can be relatively easy for a tech-savvy user to download and install.

Self-hosting isn’t new.

Squirrel Mail (a web-based email client) predated Gmail by several years. Gallery, a photo hosting application, came before Flickr and Picasa. Even WordPress was originally offered in 2003 as a self-hosted download before the WordPress.com blogging service became available in 2005.

Over the past decade, self-hosting has seen a rapid increase in the range of options available.

Today, moderately technical users can self-host a mind-boggling range of web-based applications, including media storage and sharing, blogs, websites, productivity and office apps, video conferencing, home automation and security, games and ad-blocking.

To get an idea of how much is out there, Awesome-Selfhosted publishes links to free and open-source self-hosted projects.

Self-hosting has also become more accessible with cheap, single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi.

These tiny computers can be as small as a credit card and usually have lower-powered central processing units and no ability to expand memory, graphics or networking; they sacrifice computing “power” and flexibility for size, energy-efficiency and price.

Other common household network appliances such as network file storage, media servers and internet routers have become powerful enough that users can install custom applications to run many self-hosted services.

Another route to self-hosting is through device manufacturers such as umbrel and Zima, both of which provide physical hardware with dedicated self-hosting operating systems.

However, there is still a considerable learning curve for non-technical users.

Benefits and risks

Self-hosting provides freedom from big-tech, surveillance and/or costly subscriptions. It allows you to know exactly where your data is, and how it’s managed.

But it does come with some risks.

The most immediate risks come from technical mistakes and backup issues that can cause a self-hosted solution to lose data.

If your photo library is running on a single computer in your linen cupboard, you are reliant on that computer being powered up, backed up and available whenever you need it.

Similarly, any mistake you make in configuration or management could affect the availability of your data through access controls or even data erasure.

Another issue that users need to consider is whether they want their data available “on the move”. In most cases, home routers allow you to expose individual devices to the internet. This can allow you to access your self-hosted data while you are away from home. Unfortunately, if you can access your data, in most cases, so can cyber criminals.

Exposing self-hosted services in this way requires diligence, consideration and a certain level of expertise to minimise the risk of breaches – risks that may be amplified by poorly maintained applications.

Should I bother?

Self-hosting allows you to have greater control over how, when and by whom your data is used. For some, this is a vital requirement and worth the extra effort required to make it all work.

If you have an old computer available, why not give it a try? It may seem daunting, but self-hosting comes in many flavours, and you can choose how far you go with it.

• Nikolai Hampton is a member of the School of Science, Edith Cowan University

• Paul Haskell-Dowland is a Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University

• This article first appeared on The Conversation

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Any review of the LoopPhone as a device — and it is a good device — is tied to Rain’s monthly packages and network. If you’re not happy with what the company is offering, you probably won’t buy this phone. If, on the other hand, you’re keen on unlimited… everything, really, even when it’s confined geographically (more on that in a sec), then the LoopPhone makes a decent case for being your next smartphone.

Purple Rain

Okay, fine, the review handset we got from Rain is more of a magenta. That’s no excuse not to reference Prince whenever possible. All of Rain’s various shades use the same glass-backed design, with the camera island and included case giving them their final form. It’s unusual to encounter a phone that looks, and feels, better with its case on. In this er… case, the included protection is a soft plastic shell with a textured back. At a glance, it’d be easy to confuse it with Alcantara. You know, the stuff Microsoft used to stick on its Surface range?

The LoopPhone does look better with its case on. Otherwise, though? It mostly looks like every other smartphone. Until someone starts making them in different shapes, that’s something every mobile device has to contend with. The display is prominent, the physical buttons are where you’d expect them to be (top right edge), and there’s a USB-C port on the base of the phone.

There are also speaker vents on the top and bottom edges. No SIM tray, though. It’s going to be eSIM all the way. You’re also stuck with the default storage, because there’s just no way to cram any more in there. The frame looks nice and sturdy as a result, though.

A centimetre of Rain

One thing you might notice, and it’s not that noticeable no matter what tech companies think, is the LoopPhone’s thickness. It measures in at almost a full centimetre. The thinnest smartphone ever is about half that, but most will clock in between 7.5mm and 8.7mm. This one’s a tad bulkier, and that’s fine. Taken along with the rest of the build, it’s reassuringly stocky. The LoopPhone isn’t a heavy phone, for all its size, either. It’ll occupy space in your pocket just fine.

We’ve poked and prodded at the phone’s general specs before, but it’s worth restating them here with a little more context. The 6.83in AMOLED is cleanly executed. We’ve seen screens that look better on first glance — the LoopPhone seems to have the brightness turned up by default — but browsing media and watching videos will show you what the display can really do. It’ll also handle itself well in direct sunlight. There’s not much of that about right now, but summer is coming.

The internals are similarly well-executed. There’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, backstopped by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100 chipset. More is always better when it comes to performance, but Rain’s phone doesn’t feel underpowered at all. If you’re fond of hoarding files on your smartphone, you’ll have to find another way (cloud services are popular), but other than that, there’s no reason to believe you’re being short-changed.

Part of this is the operating system. There doesn’t seem to be anything like a skinned OS here. The LoopPhone may have the least bloatware we’ve ever seen. There are exactly three apps that aren’t Google’s default software. One is LoopKey, which does… something. We’re not exactly sure what, but it’s active. The others are the LoopPhone app, which helps to manage your Rain account as well as the device’s details. Finally, there’s Glance. That handles the secondary display in the camera island around the back. It’s easy to customise. This makes the device almost as useful when face-down as it is in your hand. It’s also got plenty to do with the phone’s cameras.

Rain of snaps

There’s only really one camera sensor that you should concern yourself with. That’d be the main rear one, a massive 200MP effort that does most of the work. The front-facing 32MP is no slouch, if you’re a traditionalist. Even so, the 1.6in Glance screen makes avoiding that one entirely a decent option. Except for video calls. You’ll probably want to stare at the LoopPhone’s main display for those.

Photographs with the LoopPhone are decent-to-excellent. The main sensor does all of the heavy lifting and all default shots are crisp enough for immediate upload. Much depends on your skill and a steady hand, since optical image stabilisation is absent here. You’ll nab plenty of detail in daylight and even more when you switch over to UHD shots. But that’s where you’ll have to be mindful of the phone a little.

The highest-resolution images that Rain’s phone can nab all look good. But capturing (and viewing) them leads to the only occasions of lag we encountered with the phone. There’s a touch of processing time, both when capturing and looking at the biggest shots. It’s not a problem if you know it’s there. It just means you’re not going to shoot an F1 race with this phone. Most things moving at regular human speed should hang about long enough to stay in the frame.

Glancing at Rain

The rear screen is an interesting beast. It’ll only work when the Glance app is fully updated but when it is, a single swipe left will bring up the rear camera via. If you need a 200MP selfie, that’ll do it. Otherwise, the panel can be used to display the time, weather, sports results (that you’ve chosen), games, or a timer. Some of these are more useful than others, so it’s fantastic that you can pick and choose what to display. If you don’t want something, a toggle will shut it down until you change your mind. Mostly, though, it’s an excellent way to spend as little time as possible facing your Endless Social Media Feed of Doom™. You really should stop doing that.

LoopPhone verdict

Rain’s LoopPhone is annoying in one specific way — it’s only available from Rain. We’d be thrilled to stick one of these onto another network too. It doesn’t matter which one. The LoopPhone handles pretty well on the ISP’s system as it is. But there’s something about being able to hand over cash without needing to register a new SIM that appeals. Plus, it does look pretty good in-hand. It’d be awesome to wave it around without immediately confirming which internet provider is handling your home internet. Maybe one day.

Until that day, R595/m for unlimited calls and messages (if you stick to your city), or R695/m if you’re regularly roaming your province, isn’t a bad price to pay when this device comes with it. Rain’s terms are month-to-month, so it’s not like you’re locked in for three years at a time. And, if you don’t want to mess around with possibly limited internet access outside of your comfort zone, the company also offers countrywide access for R995/m.

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Toshiba hasn’t managed this on its own. With some help from Hisense, Toshiba TV is reintroducing “a curated range of premium televisions and electronic accessories, combining decades of Japanese craftsmanship with advanced display technology.”

Toshiba makes a return

Toshiba is bringing four of its current ranges to South Africa, with prices between R2,500 and R35,000 and sizes from 32in to 100in. It isn’t clear if every size in every range will be available, or if the company will pick and choose which models and sizes from each range to support.

At their heart, Toshiba TVs are built on the “acclaimed” REGZA Engine. This is Toshiba’s image processing platform that analyses and optimises content in real-time.

“Whether streaming, gaming, or watching live sport, viewers benefit from exceptional picture accuracy, natural motion clarity, and true-to-life colour reproduction.”

More specifically, the V35R series features sets ranging from 32in to 50in with the REGZA Engine in tow, Dolby audio, and “eco-friendly packaging”. This must be the budget range, if the packaging gets a mention.

The C350R series is the next step up, with sets measuring 43in up to 85in. These get seemingly upgraded with REGZA AI Picture, QLED Colour, REGZA Power Audio, and a Game Mode. Dolby Vision and HLG HDR formats are also supported.

The M450 series starts at 55in and adds whatever “REGZA Engine ZR” is to the C350R Series’ abilities. Prices range between R5,500 and R16,000.

If you’re looking for premium, we’d start with the Z670R series. These start at R8,000 and feature “[p]remium performance with REGZA Engine ZRi, AI Picture Optimiser, Dolby Vision IQ/HDR10+, Game Mode Pro with VRR, 360 Surround Upscaling, and REGZA Bass Woofer (selected sizes).”

If you’re still wondering where Hisense fits in, that would be with after-sales support through its already-established national service network. It will be handling warranty claims, repairs, spare parts, and customer care.

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With the M-001 and K-001, Wallhack is focusing on durability, reliability, performance, and a seamless user experience. It doesn’t seem to be leaving much out. There’s no word on pricing yet, but it did say the K-001 would be available from 21 August and the M-001 will be coming in September. Just from the look of them, we don’t expect them to be cheap.

No actual wallhacks included

The K-001 might be the first keyboard from the Danish company, but it seems like a strong start. The housing is made from bead-blasted and anodised CNC-machined Aluminium. Not just any Aluminium, mind you — 6063 Aluminium. The CNC nerds will know why that matters.

One of the headline features for the K-001 is the custom-designed Hall-effect switches, the Wallhack KS-TR Linear switch. Made with the folks at Gateron, Wallhack says these combine the accuracy and stability of the Jade Dragon series Hall-effect switches and come in three spring weights — Light (28gf/38gf), Medium (48gf/63gf), and Heavy (61gf/76gf).

You’ll get the Medium switches stock; Heavy and Light switches will be available separately at launch, with the announcement video mentioning you’ll have “the option to mix and match different spring weights to achieve the perfect combination for your exact needs.”

The internal keyboard sandwich consists of a black anodised aluminium plate, a dampening silicone mid layer, the all-important PCB, another layer of dampening foam, and a sheet of plastic film. Most of that is for absorbing reverberations, while the PCB gives the K-001 its 8,000Hz polling rate and a claimed 0.13ms of input delay.

Other than the usual 65% keys, the face of the board also features a narrow aluminium rotary encoder and an LED-based switch actuation indicator. The pair will let you adjust switch actuation points on the fly, from 0mm to 4mm in 0.5mm increments. More in-depth customisations are done via Wallhack’s web-based software dubbed ‘Wallhack Terminal’.

A flick of the wrist

Flicking over to the M-001, Wallhack have again chosen a metallic material, this time AZ91 magnesium alloy. There is also fibreglass and a “gridded rib structure” involved, so it doesn’t crumple in your hand when your teammates throw the game.

The symmetrical shape of the M-001, one of the most important aspects of any gaming mouse, is fit for small to medium-sized hands using a claw or palm grip, while a fingertip grip should suit larger hands.

Wallhack describes using the M-001 as a “fully wireless experience”. That’s thanks to the swappable battery system and two included batteries. Use one while the other charges in the accompanying wireless receiver, something Wallhack has a fresh take on. Seeing as there’s no underside of the mouse to put DPI and polling rate buttons, those can be adjusted with a (probably) satisfying twist of the physical dials. Other features and settings can be adjusted via the web-based Terminal.

Omron optical switches are used for the main clicks, while a “fluted piece of extruded aluminium” and “TTC gold dustproof encoder” handle scrolling. PixArt’s 3950 sensor and Nordic’s latest MCU (Microcontroller Unit) should provide a stable 8,000Hz polling rate and a maximum DPI of 30,000. If your preferred DPI is anything close to that, seek help.

Both the K-001 and M-001 will ship in Wallhack’s rugged carry case, so you don’t have to worry about in-transit damage while they’re on their way.

Source

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We’ve been checking out Honor’s Robot Phone since it was first revealed. Soon, you won’t have to win a World Cup before the Chinese company lets you touch one. Honor has revealed the official unveiling date for the wild and wacky smartphone via Chinese social media. It’s not that far away, either. The China-based event takes place on 12 August this year. On that date, we’ll be able to put all of the rumours and speculation to rest. It’s not like we don’t know what the Robot Phone will look like or what it’ll do, but official confirmation (and, hopefully, some details of an international launch) will go a long way to making us calm down. At worst, it’ll make folks anxious for the pre-order option to open up so one of these oddball phones can finally be reserved.

Don’t lie, you want a R23,500 Optimus Prime robot toy

There are toys for kids, and then there are toys you stick on a shelf and keep grasping hands far, far away from. The new Robosen Fallen Leader Optimus Prime G1 is the latter. Priced at $1,400 (R23,500), though discounted to $1,000 (R16,750) during the pre-order period, this launch commemorates the 40th anniversary of the surprisingly decent 1986 Transformers animated film. You’re not just getting a special edition toy, either. Robosen has released a video showing just why you’ll pay five figures (in South Africa) for one. The ability to automatically go from Optimus’ truck to robot form is just the start. Peter Cullen performs the Autobot leader’s voice. It’s fully app-controlled, can interact with Robotsen’s Megatron and Bumblebee models, and… oh, yes, there are only 1,000 of them on offer for North America. If you’re planning to somehow acquire one, just think about how you feel about Optimus Prime and realise that you’re probably not alone. Worse, those folks also have twenty-five grand to throw at this thing.

Meta’s smart glasses subscription test is on hold “for now”

Earlier this month, we heard that Meta was mucking around with its newly launched subscriptions. One of the things that would require a monthly sub was something called Conversation Focus, a smart glasses feature. The function was to be subject to a rate limit, expanded (but still limited) by an active subscription. It seemed a bit odd for a feature that seems to run offline. And perhaps it was. Meta has now said that it is “pausing its subscription test for now. Conversation focus will remain available for free through our Early Access Program for early testers while we work on a better approach.” It’s the right call, but it also leaves the door open for Meta to try and monetise the glasses in another way. It is clear, though, that features that launch for free from Meta will eventually go paid-for. It’s the same model being used by all other AI companies, with pricing being slowly introduced (and then largely complained about and possibly rejected) over time. We’re sure Mark Zuckerberg’s company will be the one to figure it all out.

The We Are Rewind × Pink Floyd WE‑001 cassette player comes with a remastered Dark Side of the Moon cassette tape

So you have R3,300 and a sudden burning desire to listen to cassette tapes? If you’re also keen to spend at least that much on each vintage tape you purchase, the We Are Rewind x Pink Floyd WE-001 cassette player might be a good starting point. One of these will set you back R3,350 ($200), plus shipping. You’ll also snag yourself a copy of Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Don’t get too excited; it’s the 2023 remastered 50th anniversary edition of the iconic album. Still, if you fire it up at just the right moment while watching the 1939 Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland… if you know, you know. We Are Rewind’s player solves most of the issues classic cassette tape players used to have. There’s a 2,000mAh battery inside, giving up to twelve hours of playtime before you have to recharge. That’ll save a fortune in AA Duracells. It also supports both wired and Bluetooth headphones, so you can choose just how retro you want your audio experience to be.

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