I’m sorry; I don’t think I’ve ever needed to apologise about getting this excited for a product before, but I cannot wait to get my hands on the Samsung Z Fold 7 for review. JerryRigEverything put it through his famous durability test and it passed spectacularly, given that it’s the thinnest fold yet. He referred to it as “literal black magic”. I’m going on leave soon and hope to ditch my iPad for the more pocketable Fold 7. Stay tuned for updates.
📞 Talk of the Town: New Phones and Trends
A trend I recently wrote about is Chat Commerce. It centres around South Africans turning towards their smartphones, Whatsapp in particular, as the definitive hub of everyday life. It's becoming the gateway to services like banking, utilities, healthcare, and AI-driven financial tools. With 93.8% of local social users on the app, chat commerce is on the rise. Read more about it in my latest for Forbes Africa.
🔋 Watt’s New in the EV space?
Have you ever wondered about EV sales figures in South Africa? I reached out to Naama, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa to see what sales looked like for the first half of the year. From January to June, there were 548 passenger EVs sold. Curious about the top 5? Some of these will surprise you. Video powered by Naked.
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🕹️ Gadget Goals: Gear to Geek Out
I got my hands on some new accessories that I’m excited about. The first is the SmallRig wireless video monitor for shooting on the rear camera but with the ability to view it in real time. I’ve made an unboxing and quick look video about it, but you can buy it at Orms (for Android and iPhone through MagSafe). The other is getting into MagSafe wallets. I recently purchased one that has RFID blocking and two slots. I go through three that I own and why I won’t use a normal wallet again, especially for traveling.
📲 App-solutely Essential
If you have a toddler, check out how Sanobar Khan turns screen time into learning time. “I’ve found the Khan Academy Kids app engaging with its storytelling nature, challenges, and a much better alternative to most TV shows and videos that overstimulate children with massive dopamine hits turning screen time into ‘scream time’.” More on Recharged.
Reads you may want to catch up on:
Till next time,
Nafisa