Stuff podcast

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 things Samsung has installed in South Africa, with a few stops in between. 

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 follow.

We must “prepare our laziness in advance” NordVPN’s Karolis Pabijanskas told Stuff – referring to the way we just accept cookies and other T&Cs without being conscious of how it affects our security. We need to reset our habits, and using a VPN is essential for using public WiFi.

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.

Stuff's Toby Shapshak chats to Africa's Netflix Ben Amadasun.

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.

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 devices that solve real human problems.

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 

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 gaming industry and what the shift to cloud gaming will look like. 

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 for the social media landscape.

- Featured devices: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Fitbit Charge 5. 

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.

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 handset developed with the creator in mind. 

How will South Africans adapt to the 'new-new' mobile format? #sponsored

Stuff's publisher Toby Shapshak talks to Stephen Van Coller CEO of EOH. 

News broke that EOH has sued its former co-founder and several senior execs for a combined R6.4B.

They talk about EOH holding former execs accountable to avoid being blacklisted, try to return credibility and restore public trust.

Toby Shapshak is a man who knows the value of online security and privacy. So who better to discuss these topics with than Kevin Mitchell, CIO of FNB who just so happens to specialise in online security. Learn more about how to keep yourself safe online using the methods at your disposal. If you're looking to keep yourself a little safer on this crazy thing called the internet, then this is what you need to listen to!

We try a new format and allow Toby to talk as much as he wants in this episode of Stuffed. Join us as we unpack the mystifying SARS web browser that's been built just to run flash, Google threatening to leave Australia and what's happening with that ANC district councilor that's been spreading COVID-19/5G conspiracy theories.