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Connected Devices Online Store, Office & Co. Level 2, The Zone @ Rosebank, 177 Oxford Road, Johannesburg (2026)

11/08/2026

Your Galaxy Watch's hidden developer mode reveals 3 battery-draining features you can disable today

Is your Samsung Galaxy Watch struggling to make it through the day? There are plenty of tips and tricks out there for squeezing more battery life out of it, but if you've tried them all and still feel like you could use a little more juice, it's worth digging into the Galaxy Watch's developer mode. There are a few settings in there you can toggle that can give you a slight but real improvement in overall battery life.

How to enable developer mode on your Samsung Galaxy Watch. It's similar to how you do it on your phone.

Before anything else, you need to enable Developer mode on your Galaxy Watch. To do this, open the Settings app on your watch, go to About Watch > Software information, and then tap Software version repeatedly. After a few taps, you'll see a message saying Developer mode is now enabled. It will then appear as a dedicated option in the Settings app, just below About Watch.

That's it. With Developer mode enabled, here are the settings that can help you save battery.

Turn off automatic Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is more resource intensive than simple Bluetooth

The first thing I'd encourage you to do is stop your watch from managing Wi-Fi on its own. To do this, open Developer options, enable "Turn off Wi-Fi automatically," and disable "Turn on Wi-Fi automatically when charging." Once that's done, manually turn off Wi-Fi and only turn it on when you actually need it.

To read the full article please view the link below.
https://www.howtogeek.com/galaxy-watch-developer-mode-improve-battery-life/

Image credit: Dibakar Ghosh
Article credit: Dibakar Ghosh How-To Geek

06/08/2026

I asked ChatGPT to stop me buying things I don’t need, and it was brutally helpful — I just wish I'd thought of it sooner

This is the real way AI can help you save money

The problem with online shopping is that it makes it far too easy to buy pretty much anything, without properly considering whether you really need it. I started to wonder if ChatGPT could help me make better decisions, by questioning every purchase I was going to make, before I made it.

To test ChatGPT’s ability to stop me wasting money, I picked four tempting purchases and asked ChatGPT to argue against each one. It had to check the price history, suggest cheaper alternatives, and decide whether the purchase solved a real problem, or if I was just scratching an itch to buy.

Here's how ChatGPT did — and the results surprised me.

GPT before you buy

I started with a tech gadget I was thinking of buying — an Apple MacBook M5 — and went to ChatGPT with the following prompt: “I'm thinking of buying an Apple MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop M5 chip. Help me check the price history, suggest cheaper alternatives and decide whether the purchase solves a real problem."

ChatGPT said it would check current pricing and recent lows, compare genuinely cheaper options, then pressure-test whether the purchase replaced a real limitation, or was mostly me trying to satisfy an upgrade itch, and off it went.

After a lot of thinking, ChatGPT replied with a devastating verdict that made me pull back from hitting the 'Buy' button: “Don’t buy the M5 MacBook Air yet.”

To read the full article please view the link below.

https://www.techradar.com/computing/sony-and-microsoft-are-destroying-console-and-pc-gaming-heres-why-the-experts-think-valve-can-save-the-day-with-steamos #:~:text=Loath%20as%20I,next%20big%20platform%3F

Image credit: Andrew Angelov
Article credit: Graham Barlow

04/08/2026

Sony and Microsoft are destroying console and PC gaming — here’s why the experts think Valve can save the day with SteamOS

As PlayStation and Xbox tear up gaming on console and Microsoft on PC, is it time for Valve’s SteamOS to hit the mainstream?

Loath as I am to say it, the future of gaming platforms isn’t looking so rosy right now. Windows is increasingly becoming more recalcitrant, constantly throwing hurdles in the faces of PC gamers in the form of performance-ruining updates and unsolicited AI implementations. And in the console world, Sony has irked everyone by ditching physical games from January 2028, while the recent bout of mass layoffs at Xbox belies its ‘back on track’ messaging.

Meanwhile, Valve appears to be going in the opposite direction. It already has a big advantage in the form of Steam, near enough the default storefront and launcher for PC gamers everywhere. Why, it’s generated an estimated $11.1bn in gross revenue in the first half of this year already. With pockets as deep as these, and without having to divert its earnings to shareholders (given it’s still, for now, a private company), that’s cash it can invest in expansion.

So is now the perfect time for Valve to break out, capitalize on its competitors’ floundering and shoot its shot at making SteamOS the next big platform?

To read the full article please view the link below.

https://www.techradar.com/computing/sony-and-microsoft-are-destroying-console-and-pc-gaming-heres-why-the-experts-think-valve-can-save-the-day-with-steamos #:~:text=Loath%20as%20I,next%20big%20platform%3F

Image credit: Valve Microsoft Sony Future
Article credit: Lewis Maddison TechRadar

30/07/2026

Google announces a Pixel 11 price hike three weeks before the phone's official reveal

Google isn't slated to unveil the Pixel 11 series until August 12, but it's already bracing would-be customers for a price increase. The company has confirmed that all devices will see higher prices than before, including the unreleased Pixel 11 line.

Devices and Services VP Shakil Barkat tells 9to5Google in an interview that there would be "adjustments" reflecting soaring memory prices, and that they would appear "dynamically" to reflect supply for both existing and future models. Google has protected customers from feeling the effects of price increases for "as long as possible," he claims, but can't hold out longer.

Barkat is still promising promotions and bundles to sweeten purchases, and says Google is making a "dedicated effort" to reduce Android memory requirements so that you don't need as much RAM as before to have a similar experience.

Rumors have Google increasing the prices of the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro by $100 each, to $899 and $1,099 respectively. The regular Pro (not the XL) will reportedly drop to 12GB of RAM versus the 16GB in the Pixel 10 Pro, although all the new models will reportedly offer at least 256GB of storage versus last year's 128GB.

It's not clear how the planned price hikes will affect the Pixel 10a or Pixel Watch. However, it's safe to say you'll want to buy those quickly if you're in the market and watching your spending.

To read the full article please view the link below.
https://www.howtogeek.com/google-pixel-11-early-price-hike/

Image credit: Joe Fedewa How-To Geek
Article credit: Jon Fingas How-To Geek

28/07/2026

Finally, we've got silicon-carbon' — why SuperSaf is just as excited as we are for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's new battery

When it comes to battery life, foldables have it harder than regular phones. These devices need to power not one, but two screens (one of which is twice as large as the other), and so it's important to pick a model with decent endurance if you don't want to lug around a portable battery at all times.

Yet in the throes of a seemingly unquenchable thirst for thinness, Samsung has somewhat neglected the battery tech in its foldable phones. That is, until now, because the brand has finally introduced silicon-carbon batteries in its latest devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 8. The former, specifically, packs a 5,000mAh cell that, based on Samsung's own testing, offers 27 hours of video playback.

Now, as uninteresting as this may sound, it's actually pretty big news, especially given that the phone is thinner than ever and the same weight as last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7.

To read the full article please view the link below.
https://www.techradar.com/phones/ive-used-foldable-phones-for-years-heres-how-the-galaxy-z-fold-8-and-iphone-ultra-are-fixing-the-form-factor-in-2026

Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future
Article credit: Josephine Watson TechRadar

23/07/2026

The 5 biggest announcements at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 — including new phones, watches, and smart glasses

Foldables, watches, and Intelligent Eyewear

It’s a big day for Samsung — and for fans of the company’s devices — with the brand unveiling three new foldable phones, two new smartwatches, and its first pair of smart glasses.

And it’s not just those glasses that are a truly ‘new’ thing from Samsung, as one of the phones is a new form factor too.

Below, you’ll find a rundown of the five biggest announcements at the second Samsung Galaxy Unpacked of 2026 — these are the key reveals you need to know about.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
If you’re assuming that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a direct successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, well, think again, because this is that new form factor I mentioned above.

Rather than a book-style foldable like the Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a shorter, wider device with more passport-like dimensions. When unfolded and turned to portrait orientation it’s the ideal size and shape for reading, while in landscape it’s better suited to movies and games.

It also has a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, 12GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage, while the battery is 4,800mAh.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
Confusingly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is effectively the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, so you probably have some idea of what to expect here.
This phone has an 8-inch 120Hz foldable display, a 6.5-inch cover screen, a 200MP wide camera, a 50MP ultra-wide, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and two 10MP selfie cameras.

To read the full article please view the link below.

https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/the-5-biggest-announcements-at-samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-including-new-phones-watches-and-smart-glasses

Image credit: Future
Article credit: James Rogerson TechRadar

20/07/2026

I've used foldable phones for years — here's how the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and iPhone Ultra are fixing the form factor in 2026

From book to passport

Foldable phones are no longer a novelty, but what is novel this year is that Apple is almost certainly joining Samsung and Google in releasing a phone in a foldable form factor — and the launch is significant enough that it's led to a change in strategy from Samsung, now in its eighth year of launching Galaxy Z Fold models.

If you've been keeping up with the rumors, you'll know that Samsung is widely expected to reveal both a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a 'wide' version of the phone when the next Unpacked rolls around on Wednesday, July 22.

That's very likely because the iPhone Ultra (or iPhone Fold if you prefer) is being tipped to adopt the wide form factor itself. By wide, we mean the phone is shorter and wider than previous book-style foldables, whether it's open or closed.

So why the shift in design this year? Is it likely to drive more foldable phone sales? And should you be looking at picking up either a Galaxy Z Fold 8, an iPhone Ultra, or a Google Pixel Fold 11 over the coming months? As a tech journalist whose used foldable phones for years now, I can lay out what's going on for you.

The rumors so far

Rumors around a foldable iPhone are nothing new, but for months now it's been clear that this is the year that the speculation finally turns into an actual device: there have been so many rumors, from so many well-placed sources, that it would now be a huge surprise if the iPhone Ultra didn't show up around September time.

To read the full article please view the link below.

https://www.techradar.com/phones/ive-used-foldable-phones-for-years-heres-how-the-galaxy-z-fold-8-and-iphone-ultra-are-fixing-the-form-factor-in-2026

Image credit: Unbox Therapy
Article credit: David Nield

15/07/2026

Spotify just made controlling music as easy as talking to a friend. The streaming service is introducing a "conversational experience" beta for Premium subscribers that let you have back-and-forth voice or text conversations to control and learn about whatever you're playing.

The new feature lets you control music as specifically (or vaguely) as you like. You can ask Spotify to "add music from Above & Beyond" to your queue, but then narrow it down to "just their most recent stuff." You can even explore your history, such as the first time you played a song or the genres you listen to most often.

You can also learn more about the content itself, whether it's music, an audiobook, or a podcast. You can ask about the concepts behind an album, which podcasts a guest has appeared on, and the books an author has written. You won't have to visit a page or website just to get a full sense of an artist's scope.

Spotify's use of AI continues
This isn't the first time the streaming service introduced a new AI feature

Spotify is rolling out the conversational feature to English-speaking adult Premium members in the U.S., Ireland, and Sweden, starting on Android and iOS. The company cautions that its AI is a "work in progress" and won't always respond correctly.

This isn't Spotify's first major AI feature. It introduced an AI DJ that (ideally) provides a truly personalized music mix and even released an experimental AI app that integrates audio into your daily schedule. However, the conversation feature theoretically changes how you control the software itself — you're having a chat, not tapping buttons. While rivals like Apple Music and Amazon Music have layers of natural voice control, their features aren't always as robust.

To read the full article please view the link below.

https://www.howtogeek.com/spotify-conversation-voice-control-discovery-playlist-features/

Image credit: Dibakar Ghosh How-To Geek
Article credit: Jon Fingas

09/07/2026

8 Samsung background apps you can safely uninstall (without breaking anything)

Samsung wants to make its own software, but it’s also required to ship Google apps if it wants access to the Play Store. This means Galaxy devices come with an overabundance of icons, some of which run in the background regardless of whether you ever open them. Here’s what’s safe to purge.

Bixby
A secondary voice assistant, even on Samsung phones

You can be forgiven for not knowing about Bixby, even as someone carrying a Samsung Galaxy phone. Despite Samsung creating its own voice assistant, the company nudges you towards Gemini more often than not. If you prefer Gemini or you don't care for AI assistance at all, it's absolutely safe to get rid of Bixby the same way you uninstall or disable any other Android app.

SmartThings
Samsung smart home platform of choice

SmartThings is Samsung's platform for controlling Samsung appliances, Matter-enabled devices, and select other smart home devices throughout your home. While I eventually settled on using a Homey hub to control my smart home, SmartThings was my first, and it remains a good option. If you don't have any smart home devices or if you've also settled on a different choice, then you're free to do without SmartThings entirely.

Samsung Wallet
Samsung's preferred way to tap-to-pay

here are three major options for making mobile payments with your phone in the US: Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet. Each is useful for reasons beyond financial transactions. You can use any of them to store your loyalty cards, transit cards, or digital keys. While the least popular of the three, there are reasons to use Samsung over Google Wallet. If you choose not to, you might as well remove it.

To read the full article please view the link below.

https://www.howtogeek.com/samsung-background-apps-you-can-safely-uninstall-without-breaking-anything/?utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=HTG-202607070645&utm_source=HTG-NL&user=ZmFybWdvb2xhbTRAZ21haWwuY29t&lctg=728eb0fa316bb8d1250be86c4c5331c58c6489152c2cbcc3a9827bb0cb454639

Credit: Joe Fedewa How-To Geek
Article By: Bertel King How-To Geek

06/07/2026

Android 17 is causing touchscreen issues for some Pixel owners — but there’s a potential workaround.

Turn off triple-tap.

Android 17 hasn’t had the smoothest of starts, with some early updaters reporting issues with Wi-Fi and 5G connections, and now yet another bug has emerged — this time affecting the touchscreen.

According to various Reddit users (via Android Authority), the update to Android 17 has led to touchscreen issues, including the screen scrolling in the opposite direction to the one they swiped, completely ignoring taps, and there being dead zones where the screen is unresponsive.

It’s hard to say how widespread this issue is, but there are multiple Reddit threads about it, and it has also been submitted to Google’s issue tracker. So if you haven’t updated to Android 17 yet, you might want to hold off — though it seems the Google Pixel 6 series at least might be unaffected.

The good news is that Google is aware of the bug, as not only has it been submitted to the company’s issue tracker, but an official Google account actually replied to one of the Reddit threads, suggesting a couple of possible fixes.

To read the full article please view the link below.
https://www.techradar.com/phones/google-pixel-phones/android-17-is-causing-touchscreen-issues-for-some-pixel-owners-but-theres-a-potential-workaround

Image credit: Philip Berne / Future
Article credit: James Rogerson TechRadar

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