The phone I can’t put down, EVs and a good deal
Tech Things #64
I don’t have excuses for not sending this sooner. I’ve had a lot on my plate and one of them is that I’m a contributor once again to the Financial Mail. Since I last wrote for them, there’s a new parent company, leadership, logo and everything that comes with a rebrand. My first review for the relaunch issue earlier this month is the Samsung Z Fold 8, which I experienced first hand in London at the global unveiling.
If ever there was a phone with the most perfect ratio, it’s the Z Fold 8. It’s got me reading more on the Kindle app because when open, it’s 3:4 and lighter than my iPhone 17 Pro! Closed, it’s got a 10:16 cover screen, which is easier to type without opening it. Honestly, I’ve not been so taken by a phone in years. It’s my laptop replacement that lets me do so much, while carrying the smallest bag. I’ve since also put a skin on it, a glow in the dark circuit board, which I’m obsessed with. Unsure if you want to upgrade? Check out these posts:
In other news, EVs are gaining momentum in South Africa. The latest year-to-date figures for New Energy Vehicles have been released, and a staggering 16 289 units were sold from January to July 2026 in SA. This figure includes EVs, traditional and plug-in hybrids. If you love data as much as me, you’d find it interesting to know that BYD sold 1253 Dolphin Surf units, since it began reporting its figures in March this year (yes, it excludes figures since launch/prior to March). All the deets, like top 10 EVs sold and top 5 manufacturers YTD available here:
https://www.recharged.co.za/top-evs-sold-jan-to-jul-2026-sa/
We also recently published a spec-by-spec comparison on the Geely E2 and BYD Dolphin Surf, around the R340 000 mark, if you’re shopping for an entry-level EV to save on volatile fuel costs. Soon, there’s going to be another option, the Chery Q EV, coming in at R350 000. You can read more about this new entrant here. But if you’re still undecided, you may want to know certain things before buying an EV. I had the opportunity to be a panelist on the Outlier’s EV webinar last month and we discussed exactly that. If you didn’t get to tune in, here’s the report:
https://www.recharged.co.za/what-you-need-to-know-before-buying-an-ev/
I recently came across this fantastic deal from Canva and Cell C, where if you purchase a 5GB data bundle for R69, you get access to Canva Pro for 3 months. A fantastic way to see if this is something worth paying for. In the world of generative AI, perhaps it’s worth trying to do light design work yourself?
Reads you may want to catch up on:
Till next time,
Nafisa