12-month geyser update, phone giveaway and more
Tech Things #35
It’s been a long time coming, a year to be exact, but I can finally share more on the usage and cost for the Power4Less IHP Geyser. As with any appliance that promises efficiency, you need to see over time how it plays out. Not to mention unforeseen things like being double billed, traveling or having guests over which affects typical usage, etc. More on the long awaited IHP Geyser here.
And if you’re a freelancer like me, based in Johannesburg, don’t forget to check out the new Workshop17 co-working space that recently opened at Hyde Park Corner. They will be offering Black Friday deals for the first time, something to keep an eye on if you want to keep business expenses down.
📞 Talk of the Town: New Phones and Trends
Remember when I posted an unboxing video of the Barbie Phone and it went viral with over 400 000 views? HMD, the maker of Nokia phones, positioned it as a “detox phone” because it has no apps, well, it’s not a smartphone but a feature phone. Why am I telling you this? Well, the good news is I will be giving away one on my TikTok, so follow me there (South Africans only). I think it would be the best phone for the holidays if you’re looking to disconnect.
🔋 Watt’s New in the EV space?
I’m so excited to be testing the new Mini Cooper SE electric car for a long-term period of six months. It will allow me to share what it’s like living with an EV, as I have a home wallbox charger for test cars. The new model is exclusively built in China, in partnership with GWM plus it shares the same platform as the Ora. There are plans to build it in Oxford in 2026. I will be share my journey across my platforms plus a video will be dropping on TikTok soon.
🕹️ Gadget Goals: Gear to Geek Out
Robot vacuums are a revolutionary home gadget but did you know there’s a new window cleaning robot on the market? Solenco South Africa sent me their new Hobot S6 Pro to test and I’m keen to see if it’s a game-changer like a robovac. Oh and speaking of smart appliances, you can find my review of the Xiaomi Smart Rice Cooker on Recharged.
📲 App-solutely Essential
One cannot ignore the way Bluesky has grown in the last few weeks. The Twitter/X rival has seen a surge in users, currently on 22 million. It is also on the verge of over taking Threads by daily active users. Meta is clearly threatened by this because after a year of ignoring users, it is finally letting them choose a default following feed, plus custom feeds (a Bluesky feature). If only there was an Instagram rival so users can get what they really want and been asking for years. I’m giving Bluesky a chance, are you?
🔐 Byte Back: Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats
As we approach December, Kaspersky reminds you not to fall for travel related scams by using a reputable agency or booking directly on the airline’s website. I myself don’t book on third party sites for cheap flights because you cannot make changes directly the airline directly should an emergency arise. Another big one to be aware of is free public WiFi, you don’t want to be doing banking or using credentials on an open network; make sure you have a solid VPN.
🛒 Steals and Tech Deals of the Week
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been impressed by the Black Friday deals I’ve seen this year. And to be fair, we know most South Africans retailers offer small discounts, hardly what Black Friday is meant to be. But if you are looking for tech stuff, I’ve made a round-up on Recharged on what caught my eye. Please shop responsibly and ask yourself if it’s a need or want.
Reads you may want to catch up on:
Till next time,
Nafisa