Episodes
Stuff editor Brett Venter sat down with Samsung Consumer Electronics’ Director Michael van Lier (more than once, as it happens). On the menu was everything Samsung’s Electronics division is bringing to South Africa in the near future. Plus, a batch of interesting items that are already here, like a wardrobe that cleans your clothing, customizable fridges, and a TV that they weren’t supposed to touch, but did. The chat ranged from TVs and the tech behind them to one of the most expensive...
Published 06/13/22
Published 06/13/22
Using free public WiFi has its risks, not least other users snooping on your data. It may seem like a convenience, especially while travelling overseas, but you should never use it without a VPN. These virtual private networks create a secure tunnel, as it were, that other users on the same network can’t peer into or access your data. It’s one of the things I use whenever I use any free public WiFi – anywhere. It’s part of the utterly essential cybersecurity checklist we should all...
Published 06/07/22
The Sonos Ray has just been released. Listen to Toby Shapshak chat with Jeff and Joe from Sonos in New York City. They talk shop about everything Sonos.
Published 05/12/22
Stuff's Toby Shapshak chats to Africa's Netflix Ben Amadasun.
Published 04/11/22
Stuff's publisher and editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak sat down with the director of Planetworld, Maurice Van Heerden, to chat about how he came to bring Sonos products (among others) to SA. Planetworld is an importer and distributor of audio products from a number of high-end manufacturers for a range of applications including car audio, home theatre setups and smart home audio. Van Heerden takes Shapshak through the story of bringing Sonos products to SA and how Sonos were among the first to...
Published 03/11/22
Stuff's publisher and editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak spoke to HMD Global CEO Florian Seiche while he was in the country. They touch on some of the ways HMD Global and its Nokia devices impact the lives of South Africans and some of the trends currently active in the market. They also discuss the current state of the mobile network in SA and where it's heading. They reminisce on the history of Nokia and some of the iconic phones from the past.
Published 03/08/22
Stuff's publisher and editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak sat down with the head of Samsung South & Southern Africa mobile business Justin Hume ahead of the launch of the new Galaxy S22 range. They discuss the integration of the Note into the Galaxy S range with the S22 Ultra and the upgrades and features of the new mobile flagship. In addition to creating a device with dashing good looks, Samsung's increased its focus on security at the hardware level. Justin explains how Samsung builds...
Published 02/10/22
Brett and Duncan are joined by Michael Chang, marketing manager of MSI South Africa, to discuss the state of the gaming industry. They talk about the growth of the industry and where it's headed. This is how MSI will make it easier for gamers and non-gamers alike to explore the metaverse. #sponsored 
Published 02/09/22
Stuff's publisher and editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak is joined by Mweb's managing director Manelisa Mavuso and Head of Connectivity Derrick Kaylor following Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The $68 billion deal is one of the largest the gaming industry has ever seen and, when it is final, will make Microsoft Gaming the third largest gaming company in terms of revenue. Shapshak, Mavuso and Kaylor discuss what this means for SA gamers, the role Mweb plays in the local...
Published 01/27/22
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. This week we speak to Prateek Kewalramani, Head of Marketing of Fitbit/Google Middle East and Africa about the brand's new Fitbit Charge 5 fitness tracker. We unpack how fitness trackers are helping humans navigate health in a pandemic. #sponsored
Published 01/21/22
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: The recent major focus on NFTs, the blockchain, the metaverse, and how it all affects consumers. Should you care?
Published 01/13/22
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: - This year in tech 2021 version - The best and worst devices this year - What to expect in tech 2022
Published 12/10/21
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: Budget- to mid-range phones in South Africa. What spec to expect, and what data they actually collect. - Huawei Nova 9 - Poco X3 Pro - Honor 50 - Vivo Y33s
Published 12/02/21
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: - Black Friday in South Africa: The survival guide - Asus ZenBook OLED review - MSI Summit E16 Flip review
Published 11/24/21
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: - Boston Dynamics' Spot in South Africa and how robots will change the way we work. - Hades review - TCL P615 4K 55in first look
Published 11/19/21
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: - How Eskom's failing South Africans - Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic review - Crosscall Core X4 review
Published 11/10/21
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: - Facebook, ahem... Meta and its Metaverse - Sonos Beam Gen 2 review - Jabra Elite 3 review - Ride-hailing apps in South Africa
Published 11/03/21
Join Brett and Marce in audio as they discuss the week's tech headlines -- South African and global. The topics include: - Blue Origin space station, Orbital Reef and how it's coming along. - Load shedding Stage 4 and how to survive it with our help. - Netflix price increase -- the first one in South Africa. Here's how it compares to other services. - Xiaomi launches 11T Pro in South Africa for R14,000. - Trump’s social media platform -- a deep dive into TRUTH Social and what it means...
Published 10/28/21
Fintech app Shyft won a prestigious innovation award from global banking organisation Efma in Barcelona in 2016 before it even launched. The innovative forex app – which was the first to offer virtual credit cards in South Africa, about five years before they became mainstream – has grown significantly, adding investment.  Having won a stream of awards – including a Stuff App Award – its head Arno von Helden tells Stuff Studio's editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak how it is planning to Shyft...
Published 10/04/21
Akshay Chopra, Visa's head of Innovation & Design for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), talks to Stuff Studios editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak about the innovative ways Visa is working on financial inclusion and transacting. Read more on Stuff
Published 09/29/21
Aldo Laubscher, Visa South Africa country manager, tells Stuff Studios editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak that despite Covid and its effects, the last two years have accelerated digitisation and digital ways of paying. Visa found that 51% of over-50s in the country used ecommerce for the first time. Visa, which has 3,3bn card credentials and processes 65,000 to 70,0000 transactions per second, is looking at “credentials” instead of cards. Or, as Laubscher calls it, it is “plastic with a digital...
Published 09/10/21
Andre de Ruyter is the most important businessman in South Africa today. If the Eskom CEO can’t deal with its debt, its notorious inefficiency and the load-shedding problems, the whole country will suffer. And an explosion in Medupi this week. Stuff editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak is more interested in how De Ruyter plans to turn Eskom into a modern power utility. And yes, solar is in the mix.
Published 08/13/21
Stuff's editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak is joined by Samsung South Africa's Justin Hume following the launch of the South Korean brand's newly established Z-range.  On 11 August 2021, Samsung revealed the latest in its smartphone lineup, and this time it's all about unfolding greatness. On the larger side, the Galaxy Fold3 5G features speedy 120Hz displays (inside and out) as well as an improved UI aimed at bringing a brilliant experience all-round. Then there's the Galaxy Flip3 5G -- a...
Published 08/12/21