Author: Stuff writer

Hidden inside the Apple Watch’s bottom strap connector slot is a mysterious six-pin port. While Apple has yet to confirm its purpose, it could come in very useful. Accessory maker Reserve Strap has confirmed that the hidden port is not only suitable for charging, but will top up the Watch’s battery significantly more quickly than the included wireless charging dock. The company’s new strap accessory is currently the only strap with a built-in battery that uses this port, letting it charge up the Watch while it’s being worn. Compared to the likes of the LG G Watch R which lasts…

The Core Group, which distributes Apple products in South Africa, has announced that the new 12-inch Macbook will be available for in-store preview from Friday, 8 May 2015, with selected Incredible Connection stores to follow shortly thereafter. Core can’t yet confirm when the new laptop will actually go on sale, but we expect it will be before the end of the month. Two models of the new laptop will be available in three colours. The first model includes a 1.1GHz processor and a 256GB solid-state hard drive and has a recommended retail price of R18 999. The second includes a 1.2GHz…

A new HTC smartphone, called the M9e, has appeared on the Chinese regulatory body TENAA. It’s expected to be largely the same as the One M9+ that was released in April, but will be more affordable thanks to a plastic build and the loss of the Duo Camera. If other specs are indeed the same as the One M9+, then it will arrive with a 2.2GHz octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM, 5.2in 2560 x 1440 display, 20MP rear-camera and 4MP UltraPixel front-facing camera and a microSD card slot. The M9e is also expected to feature HTC’s BoomSound front-facing speakers…

Samsung is expected to unveil two new tablets, with four variants overall, in June. The Tab S2 9.7 and Tab S2 8.0 are the successors to the Tab S range, and will come in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + LTE versions. The Galaxy Tab S2 will benefit from Samsung’s latest 64-bit Exynos processor, along with 32GB of internal memory, 3GB RAM, and a 2048 x 1536 2K display with 4:3 aspect ratio. 8MP and 2.1MP cameras are expected on the back and front respectively. The tablets will also reportedly feature a metal build, although whether they’ll follow a similar design language to…

There’s nothing worse than having to fumble around in your pockets for a set of cars keys while your Apple Watch is ringing off the hook with incoming emails, Tweets and calendar alerts. It may be the dictionary definition of a #firstworldproblem, but Porsche and BMW have decided to tackle the pressing issue head-on. They’ve released bespoke Apple Watch applications that allow owners to access a number of car functions from the wrist. First up, Porsche’s Car Connect can visualise most of the information available from the marque’s current smartphone app in one handy, wrist-mounted package. For example, Porsche owners…

So, that 12.9in “iPad Pro” that Apple’s been reportedly working on for the past few years. Will it end up looking like this? The above image is a supposed internal Apple render of the larger, more powerful iPad from December 2014. It was posted by serial Twitter leaker OnLeaks, who cautions that, as it’s from six months ago, some “tiny little changes” may have been made to the product. The iPad Pro is rumoured to be geared towards creative types, and may well come with some kind of smart stylus for drawing, note-taking and more. What else can we expect?…

Electric toothbrushes were due an upgrade sooner or later and here it is: a toothbrush that doesn’t need toothpaste. Yes, Japanese designer Kosho Ueshima has invented a toothbrush that uses nanotechnology to clean your pearly whites. The brush, dubbed Misoka, uses specially-engineered bristles that are coated in “nanosized mineral ions”. The ions help remove stains and form a protective coating that prevents plaque and other unwanted materials sticking to your enamel. This has all come about due to Ueshima’s co-operation with nanotechnology company Yumeshokunin Co. Ltd. The point of the toothbrush is to reduce waste by eliminating the requirement for…

As expected, Tesla has this week launched a suite of batteries, dubbed Tesla Energy. Using the same bleeding edge power management technology as the batteries in Tesla’s electric cars, Tesla Energy is designed to help homes and businesses move away from the old power supply model and usher in a cleaner, more efficient and more sustainable way of using electricity. The model that’ll probably be most interesting to Stuff readers is the Tesla Powerwall, a lithium-ion battery designed specifically for the home. At just 130 x 86 x 18cm and 100kg it’s small and lightweight enough to install in your…

On tablets, Windows 10’s new Continuum feature makes snapping between tablet and desktop-centric modes a total breeze. But Continuum has an even bigger surprise on the smartphone side of Windows. Revealed today at the Build 2015 conference, Continuum for Phones allows compatible devices to function like a desktop PC when connected to an external monitor. You can even connect a keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth and have a nearly full PC experience on the go. Continuum for Phone leverages the benefits of Universal Windows 10 apps. Because all Windows 10-powered devices share a core codebase, from desktops to phones and…

Tesla is holding a special event later today at its California design studio – and it won’t be launching a new electric car. Instead, Elon Musk is expected to unveil a brand new type of Tesla product, one that draws on the company’s expertise and may spark something of a minor revolution in how we power our homes. Yep, it’s a battery. A big old battery. In actual fact, there may be two batteries announced: one designed for the home and a larger model designed for businesses. Tesla’s car batteries are incredible things, enabling its electric cars to travel hundreds…