Turn your geyser into a smart one, new Samsung products and more...
Tech Things #26
Hello from an icy Johannesburg today. I’m working in front of my fireplace, but excited to share more about a product I’ve been testing for the last seven weeks. It’s from a company called Plentify, who make a gadget called the HotBot, which turns your geyser into a smart geyser, to ultimately help reduce your electricity bill. This lets you control when it operates from a dashboard, but they make it easy for you. You simply let it know when you want hot water, and it will do the rest. It may involve trial and error finding out what works, but the important thing here is that you get AI-driven insights in the form of monthly reports.
I found it incredibly useful as it told me I was scheduling more hot water than I was using. It also very accessible, starting at R99pm for a 24 month period, thereafter you can go onto month-to-month. If you are a South African household keen to reduce you consumption at a time where electricity prices are going up, I recommend you read my review.
Tomorrow is Samsung’s second annual Unpacked event, which is taking place in Paris, ahead of the Olympics as it is one of the main sponsors to the event. I will be in Johannesburg for this event, catching the livestream like everyone else. We’re expecting a new Z Flip 6, Z Fold 6, a new watch model, earbuds, updates to Galaxy AI, and of course, the Galaxy Ring that has been teased. Are you waiting for your next upgrade or accessory?
My long term test unit with the full electric Volvo EX30 is coming to an end soon, and I have a lot to share about it. This is a car I could see myself driving from the moment it was announced, but now that I have driven it for an extended period, I don’t feel the same way. There are many things about this car that are unusual, like a minimal dashboard with only a touchscreen to access most settings; there is no speedometer even; and that it needs an internet connection to access most things, like Google software as it runs on Android. Keep an eye out for my write up for the EX30.
Did you catch the new Recharged in 30 Podcast episode on alternative power? Find us here: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Elsewhere.
Reads you may want to catch up on:
Cisco boosts McLaren F1 Security partnership:
https://www.recharged.co.za/cisco-mclaren-f1-security/New eBucks offers 2024-2025 [sponsored]:
https://www.recharged.co.za/new-ebucks-offers-2024-2025/TCL launches impressive TV lineup [sponsored]:
https://www.recharged.co.za/tcl-tv-lineup-in-south-africa/Scrubbing it out in the GR Cup:
https://www.recharged.co.za/scrubbing-it-out-gr-cup/Technology as a tool or time-pass:
https://www.recharged.co.za/technology-tool-or-time-pass/
Till next time,
Nafisa