Tech Report: Recent Episodes
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ResQPower
Powerbanks. Their popularity has risen and is on the increase as more and more people rely on its instant supply of portable power when their battery on their smartphone is nearly kaput. It was only a matter of time before these ingenious tools took it up a notch…I give to you the all new ResQPower that is as portable as it is necessary.
| | | ResQPower Q3 |
It charges your smartphones, tablets AND laptops. But…and I’ve saved this for last, it’s a portable powerbank that can even jumpstart your car.Come on, really? This, can jumpstart my car? Believe it. This is the Q3 version, there’s also the Q2 and Q4, and with it’s 400 amp peak, it can jumpstart most cars and it’s 7500 milli amp hour capacity can stay charged for up to 6 months. So you can charge it once and leave it in your car’s cubby hole.It's also dead easy to use! We simply connect the supplied crocodile clamps to the battery... attach the jumper cable leads into the Resquepower and turn the ignition. The powerful unit boosts enough energy to easily start the car, and best of all, you can now simply re-charge the unit from your power socket inside the vehicle, or from any 220v outlet once you return home. So besides the genius of being able to jumpstart your car, or motorbike for that matter, it also does the usual powerbank type responsibilities. It charges, your smartphone, table and even your laptop. It’s weight of only around 300grams, it’s very portable and it even comes in a nifty little carry case.
So, now you have NO excuse for your cellphone battery dying, or even being late for work because your car battery was dead…with a retail price of around R2,000 it would make a nice present…
My new love affair - The Fitbit Surge is a powerful 'smart' watch that essentially tells the time and tracks your fitness. But it's HOW it tracks your fitness that I'm in love with.
First of all, during the course of the day it counts how many steps you've taken using it's built in pedometer, it also measures your heart rate, calories burnt and how many flights of stairs you've walked up. All of this adds up to a substantial amount that you can use together with a workout which can then be uploaded to the Discovery Health website where you can earn up to 150 points / day.
Secondly, when you do a workout e.g. a run, it will not only track your route (using it's built in GPRS) but it will also give you a summary of the run itself:
Once synced via Bluetooth to your smartphone and using the Fitbit App, it'll then show you the map of your route as well as the KM splits. Oh, and in case you run with your iPhone because you like listening to music, you can use your Surge as the control. It will also in turn show you who's calling or who's just sent you a text message. Nifty, hey? Also, just like the Charge HR, wearing the Surge at night will allow it to track your sleep so that when you wake up in the morning and download the data to your phone, you can see how well you slept. Am still unsure of what to make of this info though...I can't actually think of one thing I don't like about the Surge. Even the price isn't that bad at around R4,000 and they come in a variety of colours.There is, however, one small pain - charging. Look, you can do it overnight every week or so, so it's not bad. Stop Whining! It's been ages since I've worn a watch that I truly have enjoyed wearing. Am wondering what's next on the Fitbit agenda...
Let me start by saying that today, so far, I've completed 1,422 steps. Now this information wouldn't usually mean much to me but for some reason since I've got my Fitbit, I can't stop counting them! Dammit! It's becoming a vicious competition with my fitbit friends too. Nerdy, perhaps, addictive, absolutely!
The fitbit Charge HR comes soon after its predecessors the Flex, and the Charge and besides being able to tell the time, count your steps and see how far you've walked/run, it's introduced a brand new function that measures your heart rate, hence the HR.
I've never owned a wearable health type device before and sure I could be using my iPhone's Health App to track my steps but the fitbit Charge HR is not only a pedometer or a heart rate monitor but it's also a sleek looking watch that you can wear anywhere, even to bed, because well, it tracks how you slept the night before. I'm not too sure what I'm gonna be doing with this bit of information but it's still cool nonetheless.
Oh, let's not forget how easy it is to sync your daily info onto your smartphone app or even to your computer using its wireless & bluetooth technology! Too easy.
One of my favourite features, once synced with your phone, is that when you get a call on your phone, the caller ID, with a bit of a vibration, shows up on your Charge HR! Come on! That's cool!
So what's the damage? Well, it's RRP is R2,299 at all iStores. Not bad for what you're getting. It might not be a must have but definitely a must want!
First off I'll let you know that I've been quite comfortable with my Babyliss shaver over the past few years. It cuts cleanly and it's easy to use. I'll also tell you that I've never enjoyed those triple rotating whizzing blades that you've got to pass over your face a few times before you're cleanly shaven. I found them actually quite sore to use as it felt like I was using mini tweezers to pull the hairs out of my face.
Anyway...that has since changed...
A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to the brand new Philips Shaver Series 9000 wet & dry electric shaver and was given one to use. For the first week I only used the Smartclick Precision Trimmer because of my fear of the triple rotating blades pulling my hairs out. 2 days ago I decided to be a man and use the Smartclick V-Track Precision heads.
I first used the trimmer to get rid of as much hair as possible (as indicated in the directions of use) and then I clicked on the precision heads and mowed away. Man...it felt so good! No pulling of the facial hair at all and I hardly had to pass over the same area to get a smooth finish! I realised that the trick was indeed to get the hair as short as possible before using the precision heads.
Now one of the coolest things about the 9000 is the fact that it comes with a charger/Smart Cleaner. You simply slip the shaver into the holder and it starts cleaning the heads. 4 hours later your shaver is charged, clean, disenfected, dry and ready to use.
For more precise information you can click here: http://www.philips.co.za/c-p/S9111_31/shaver-series-9000-wet-and-dry-electric-shaver-with-smartclean-plus-and-aquatec-wet-dry
They'll be in South Africa soon and will retail for around R3,500.
(Make sure you check out the video at the end) Finally!! It’s the end of the year! I can breath a sigh of relief but my neck’s sore and my body needs to relax. I've still got Christmas shopping to do, finish organizing the holiday and then I gotta start worrying about the new year! It’s all too much…here’s a couple of apps to help alleviate the stress even for a short while.The first app will without a doubt make you calm and so conveniently that’s what it’s called: Calm. Available on both Apple and Anroid, Calm is a free app that allows you to choose between 3 scenes which will continue to play in the background whilst you slowly but surely relax to the soothing voice of Samantha, well that’s what I call her anyway, who in about 5 minutes will help you become completely de-stressed.There are a number of in-app purchases providing you with different calming scenarios and if you feel like paying $0.83 / month, you’ll get the entire package! Now an important part of de-stressing is learning to breathe well and well, that’s what we’re gonna help you do. Breathe Well is a free app also available on both Apple and Android that will take you through various levels of breathing exercises helping you to concentrate on breathing properly and ultimately become more relaxed.Now both of these apps require the use of a quiet room, headphones and a calming posture, whilst our third app requires none of the above and yet can still help you de-stress…it’s time to dance!Dance Party works similar to WII but it uses your iPhone coupled with your Apple TV. Utilising the iPhones built in accelerometer, the app collaborates with the Apple TV, allowing you to mirror it onto your normal TV and picks up how and where you move your hand that has the iPhone in it. Mirroring the dancer's moves, will increase your score and let’s face it, dancing always de-stresses! Oh, and you can play it with a friend or your family! So forget about the year that was and the year that will be and just Calm down, Breathe Well and start your own Dance Party. See what I did there, I named all 3 apps in one sentence and it made sense. Clever hey?
(Make sure you check out the video review at the end)Blackberry owned the South African market for a while until iPhone and Samsung's wildly popular smartphones hit our shores. While its star might be waning, it does still rank in the top 2 within the retail industry (that's the straight phone purchase market). It's not anywhere near as popular as it was with the contract buyers but Blackberry is making a play that will change that...well they hope.
I give to you the all new, rather eye catching, Blackberry Passport. It’s unique design and productive features will have you wondering if you should consider changing phones. Soon.It’s built for productivity and Blackberry have included many features which will ensure that that sentiment is carried through its operating system and physical features. We’ll touch on just a few:The passport, which got it’s name due to being the actual size of a passport, and is also quite pleasant to hold, brings back the tactile element of a physical keyboard which in itself is something quite refreshing and fun to use.But they’ve gone one better, by making the keyboard a track sensitive trackpad. So I’m typing, whoops, I’ve made a mistake, I just simply swipe back on the keyboard and voila, the word’s erased. Shortcut words…simply swipe up under the word you want to use. Want more characters, swipe down in the middle. It’s a very cool feature!The operating system is simple and not as involved as Android and comes with it’s own set of built in apps including Blackberry App World and Amazon Apps.
You see the reason for this is due to the fact that Blackberry offers a sparse array of apps compared to those of Android or Apple however they’ve tried to increase this number by incorporating Amazon Apps where you can get a few more apps but don’t expect to find all you want there either.I did find an app called 1 Mobile Market which offers the more recognized apps like Instagram but even that can be dodgy. So we must still wait with baited breath.Apple’s not the only one pushing for continuity between it’s products, Blackberry Blend allows you to seamlessly interact between your phone and computer even if you left your phone at home!The Passport is the most powerful out of all the blackberry’s and boasts an impressive 3450 mAh battery which is substantially more than the 1810 on the iPhone 6 and the Samsung 5’s 2800. Over the past few days that I’ve been using it, it’s been lasting me easily into the following day before I have to charge it.
We don’t have the time to go through everything but I can assure you that from a productivity point of view, you’re not going to get much better than the Blackberry Passport. It’s solid phone with a bunch of features and I for one am actually torn to have to give this back…cos I only review, I don’t get to keep.
(Make sure you check out the video review at the end)You know, gone are the days when you regularly see kids playing outside kicking a soccer ball or even climbing a tree, instead you're more likely to find them inside watching cartoons or playing games. One company has decided to use games to get kids back outside. The company behind LeapPad has reinvented the adult fitness tracker for kids. Think of it as a crossover between the 90's Tamagotchi Pet and a fitness tracker, rewarding the kids with points for tasks completed.At first glance it’s a bit bulky, but for kids, the bigger the better, right? They come in a variety of colours and there are personalized pets such as a monkey, panda, dragon or unicorn that "live" in the band to help guide the kids through activity challenges.
Games like Pet Chef (collect the healthy food items), Pet Boogie (a dancing game), and Pet Salon (teaching proper hygiene) provide fun ways for kids to interact with their pets and learn about healthy living, while 14 preloaded challenges command kids to "pop like popcorn," "walk like a crab," and "wiggle like a worm" with the accelerometer tracking their every move. Additional challenges can be downloaded from the company's LeapFrog Connect app. Parents can then track their kids' activity through an accompanying app.Speaking of which, as a parent, you can lock the watch so that during school hours it’s just a digital watch and then back to it’s normal fun self afterwards.
Overall there is no doubt in my mind that at around R450, you can definitely afford to get one for your kids especially if gets them outside and let’s face it some kids need to lose some weight.
What you need to know:
iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus
- New iPhone 6: thinner and coming in 2 different sizes 4.7 in & 5.5 in
- Up to 25% quicker CPU
- Between 10 - 16 days standby battery life and around 1 - 2 days normal use battery life!
- 8MP camera with new sensor
- 3 different storage capacities: 16GB, 64 GB & 128GB
There's an Apple Watch!
- 3 Versions: Normal, Sport & Edition
- Works with iPhones 5 - 6
- Works as a walkie talkie...should be interesting
- Yes, it's touch screen, duh!
- Will only be available in 2015!
There are other things like Apple Pay which we don't need to worry ourselves about in SA just yet. The phones will be available from the 19th September.
The new LG G3 spread it's Quad HD screen across the entire back of The Venue's stage last night as media and special guests were treated to LG's latest offering. The opening of the night certainly echoed what LG was all about. Colour, size, sound and elegant design!
The G3 is a beast amongst it's closest rivals boasting a battery that will last you an entire day (can't believe how excited we become when a battery lasts a full day) which is impressive considering that it now needs to run a screen resolution that is now 4 times higher than HD! It's called, Quad HD. Lemme give you a run down of some if it's features:
Display
LG have reduced the size of the pixels and now offer 538ppi (pixels per inch) which is twice as good as FULL HD and with a 5.5 inch screen, it shows beautifully! The screen truly is amazing!
Camera
Even though the new camera is 13 MP, LG knows that it's all about the lens and have subsequently introduced 'Laser Focus' technology which focuses on an object in an instant! To shoot a pic, you touch the screen...and 276 milliseconds later, you have your photo. Also, the front camera, 2.1MP, has a neat 'selfie gesture' feature where you hold your hand up, make a fist, and 3 seconds later your selfie is complete!
Audio
I wasn't able to really hear the speaker properly last night at the launch but we've been told that once the music starts, your neighbours will also be jamming to your tunes. It has a new 1 Watt speaker with an amp booster.
Design
The G3 has a beautiful metallic skin which looks and feels prestigious and comes in 5 different colours to choose from. The user interface too has become more colourful and honestly, who doesn't like colour? The G3, like its predecessors, has the multiple use rear key and removable cover where you can remove the battery or insert your micro sim (up to 2TB)!
Phone Security
This is where LG truly feels that they've come to the party with an innovate way of securing your phone. It's called the 'Knock Code'. Basically you tap your phone's screen up to 8 times in a certain pattern and your phone becomes impenetrable! Clever. Although I think I'd just stick to knocking it 4 times...
*Accessories*
Protective covers are a must for phones and LG have created a 'Circle Cover' which allows you to access 5 of your most used icons without having to open the cover itself. There's also the wireless charger and the 'Tone Infinim' headset.
There are a multitude of other features like the smart keyboard, smart notifications, etc but I'll leave something for you to explore yourself! Be on the lookout for the G-Watch and the G-Pad which are due to be launched soon. Also, I was told last night by the GM of Mobile Communications, Deon Prinsloo, that we're in for something amazing from LG this summer...insert twilight zone music here
On the whole, if I didn't have an iPhone, I'd be hard pressed not to get the G3. It's simple, smart and stunning.
Invented in 1994 by Ericsson, Bluetooth promised to change the world of technology by introducing wireless connectivity between devices. Initially this was developed purely for mobile phones to connect to computers, but as the years have progressed, so has the technology.
These days Bluetooth technology has crept into most aspects of our lives. Connecting to our car radios, hand free headsets, computers & even heart rate monitors but perhaps the biggest aspect of our lives it’s influenced, is our love for music.
| | | NAD VISIO 1 Bluetooth Sound System |
Say hello to this exclusively Bluetooth sound system. Manufactured by industry heavyweight, NAD, this baby can turn your phone into a portable nightclub! Well, except for the lights and the drinks perhaps. With it being priced around the R7500 mark you can be rest assured that the VISIO 1 will have your neighbours asking for an encore. Not only does it sound amazing, it claims to be the best sounding wireless Bluetooth sound system in the world, but it’s also great to look at and comes in 2 colours, white & black. Now if this is a little too big or pricey for you, you could always go for something like this…
| | | Philips BR - 1X Bluetooth Speakers |
The much more portable yet much smaller Philips BR-1X Bluetooth speakers. These guys pack a punch and are perfect for a small pool party or even for ambient background music at home. This moving from outdoors to indoors is made easier with a little switch that adjusts the speakers accordingly. Retailing for around R1400, you can expect decent quality both in sound and aesthetics. They’re fairly rugged yet modern looking and come in 3 different colours. And finally, if you’re looking for something much cheaper and much more portable then have a gander at this…
| | | Kanex Airblue |
It’s the Kanex Airblue Bluetooth Music receiver. This little guy literally fits into your pocket and is ready to plug into any audio device using its auxiliary cable. Now the sound is obviously all dependent on what you’re plugging the Kanex into but for R400, it seems like a worthwhile sacrifice because you can also plug it into your car system, computer or existing home entertainment system. It’s also quite pretty to look at too. Now there are many more variations of Bluetooth speakers out there but I thought I'd give you an overview of what you can expect to find and what suits you and your budget. Happy listening!
Alcatel One Touch launched it's flagship smart phone the 'Idol Alpha' at the beautiful Urban Tree in Kramerville, Sandton on the 1st July. It was quite a luxurious affair which, I have to admit, complimented the phone perfectly. It's not easy enjoying a phone that's not an iPhone but I had a near-exchange experience when I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with the Gear a while ago (the gear was rubbish but I really enjoyed the phone). There's something to be said about how user friendly and customisable Android is and using it on the Idol Alpha has been just as fun. From a hardware point of view, it stands side by side with other high end smart phones and as Alcatel's Country Manager Ernst Wittmann said: 'It will probably never shout as loud as some of our other competitors but what makes it a stand alone product, is it's design element. We've added some sexiness to it'. Their pay off line echoes that sentiment: 'Beauty lies in details'. True that, as the first thing you'll notice are the translucent bands on both the top and bottom which pulsate this white light notifying you of messages, missed calls and other notifications. Something so simple yet so elegant.
| | | Standing with SA's country manager, Ernst Wittmann |
Some features you can expect:
- 4.7 inch HD IPS (in plane switching) Screen
- Quad Core Processor
- Scratch resistant glass
- Aluminium Casing
- 16 gigs of built in storage
- Radio
- Retail: R5,999
You can look forward to some great packages being offered from cellphone providers starting off first with Vodacom followed by MTN.Look, it's not easy steering away from the fact that at the end of the day, Alcatel still have a lot to do to change people's perceptions of the brand. 'It's been a long road and a long wait of 4 and half years but I'm glad we waited until now because the Idol Alpha is the first product where we can go "Take a look at us"'! said Ernst. Exciting times ahead I tell you and I for one am optimistic about it's success in South Africa.
Just a quick story this week:
You might remember that a while back, we featured the Cubify 3D printer…We got so much feedback on that episode that we can only imagine there’s an army of small manufacturers out there, just waiting for the chance to get making stuff…
The biggest question we got following that show revolved around how you actually get the 3D blueprint that tells the printer what to print…
That’s where the Sense 3D Scanner comes in!
What makes this scanner unique is that you don’t have to go to a store to get it done because quite literally, the power is in your hands! You see, the scanner is portable in that you hold it up and move around the object you want to print into 3D!
As this technology eyes the domestic market… the potential is clear – soon enough, you’ll be able to scan and print pretty much anything….
The big question though is, where are you gonna store everything you’ve printed?!
With the Soccer World Cup a mere 2 months away, it’s time to get prepared! We’ve got boots, apps and games to get you in the mood for Brazil!First, let’s kick things off with Nike’s latest revolutionary addition to the world of football! If a sock and a pair of soccer boots were to have kids, the new Nike Magista would be it. It’s as durable as a soccer boot but as comfortable as a pair of knitted socks your gran would’ve made you.With a boot this advanced there is no doubt in my mind that I’ll finally be able to bend it like Beckham! If you’re one of the fortunate couple of hundred thousand heading to the soccer world cup, then best you take your A-game with you in terms of apps!* The first would be a free English to Brazilian translator app that’ll get you to the right train on time. It’ll tell people your name as well as help you get directions to your hotel. Just make sure you download all the in-app purchases BEFORE you leave South Africa other those horrendous roaming charges will kick in! * Another useful app is the Travel Guide to Brazil which shows you the best places to visit as well as what to do and what not to do. For example, it warns you about the possible dangers of eating food from vendors! Ugh! Did you know that Brazil has 5 regions, 135 cities, 25 national parks AND 4 islands!? Neither did I until I found this app. Another great feature, it too helps with the language barrier by giving you basic phrases essential when travelling abroad! * Finally, where would we be without a good game schedule! World Cup Soccer App has ALL the information you need. What match is playing where & when, a picture of the stadium as well as indicating what the score or scores will be!
If, like me, you won’t be able to get to the games, you can still get into the spirit by downloading Fifa 14 on the new Nokia Lumia! It’s a great way to get as frustrated here as you might do at the actual games themselves! The gameplay is as user friendly as a mobile game can get with easy to use controls and great graphics!
I hope there's enough here to keep you busy during the greatest game on earth starting 12th June, 2014!
(one of these days we'll have a screen grab with my eyes open...)It’s funny how a couple of years ago you could quite easily get by with a 250MB per month data bundle from your mobile service provider. These days however you’ll be lucky to get away with 1 gig! Let’s not forget that if you go OVER your limit, you’ll be charged in the region of R2/mb! So, we scoured the net for a few tips and tricks on how to keep your data usage down to a minimum…
The first thing to do is to monitor your data usage and we’ve discovered a great little app called ‘My Data Manager’ which will do it for you. You can set your own limit per month and it will alert you when you’re reaching that threshold. You can also see what you’re spending most of your data on.
Browsing websites can drain a bunch of data especially when surfing websites not designed for mobile devices. To curb this extra expenditure, use an app like 'Opera Mini' which is designed to compress data and keep it down to a minimum. Even Google Chrome has this feature which you can manipulate in the settings menu of the app itself.
'Onavo Extend' is another such app but it compresses all data across your apps and will show you exactly how much data you’ve saved per month! It doesn’t work for streaming video content or Voice Over IP apps but trust me, it’ll still help. And here’s the kicker… the app only kicks in when you’re in a wifi zone – so it doesn’t chew up data…
Another element you should consider when purchasing free game apps is that these generally come with adverts that’ll randomly pop up when you’re playing. These use data. So either spend just a little more for the ad free version or, simply put the phone into flight mode.
Look, at the end of the day you just need to be internet savvy and know that streaming from Youtube is expensive as you’re looking at around 12megs / min for a 1080p video and browsing Facebook is gonna cost you around 1meg / page including opening your friends photos they’ve just posted! So just be cautious and use your common sense.
(again...forgive the screengrab...not my fault!) :)
The very first Sony Walkman was released back in 1979 and took the world by storm. I mean think about it…Portable music! Your own tunes playing in your ears…whether you’re on the plane, bus, train, walking to work and of course the big craze, while you’re exercising!
The evolution of the Walkman to accommodate exercise has been a pretty gradual one and each new leap has seen smaller devices, and longer battery life. But Sony has once again come to the forefront as a possible clear winner with their latest contribution.
It’s called the W270S and has 8 hours of playback time with 4 gigs of space all fitting into a neat little device that wraps around your head. But the greatest feature of all, it’s completely waterproof!
To get started you clip the headphones to a little device which connects to your computer. Your computer will then see it as an external hard drive to which you can add your MP3’s. The controls are fairly easy to use albeit pretty small and you get various sized ear pieces to fit comfortably within your ear. The walkman costs around R1000 (pretty reasonable if you ask me) but if you're looking for something different in the same price range then take a look at this:
It's the Overboard waterproof case. A waterproof housing for your normal MP3 player or even your iPod or iPhone. It has waterproof headphones as well so that you can head on into the surf with no fear of getting any of your equipment wet.
It is particularly handy for surfers, boat trips, fishing and any other watersports, especially if you’d like to keep tweeting while waiting for the next set of waves to come rolling in. It’s not as wearable as the Walkman but you can still strap your device to your arm and away you go. This little guy costs around R1200 and also comes in a variety of sizes that can even fit tablets! Click HERE for their latest specials.
For me personally, with it’s big storage space & battery, sleek design & ease of use, the Sony Walkman is the way to go.
They’re not laptops… and they’re not tablets…Say hello to 2 trailblazing flip tablet/laptops.The Sony Vaio Multiflip 13 & the Dell XPS 12!
Now many times I’ve been told that size doesn’t count…umm…but in this case, it most certainly does. In this class of laptops, the Sony boasts a proud 13.3 in touch screen, is 18mm thick and weighs a pretty reasonable 1.2kg whilst the Dell has a 12.5in touch screen, is 15mm thick & weighs a hefty 1.5kg. Although it’s heavier, the Dell seems to be more portable and feels more rugged.
So how do they perform? * Well, the Sony has the Intel core i5 whilst the Dell has the i7. Meaning that it’s quicker! Speaking of which, the Sony only has 4 gigs of onboard ram whilst the Dell has 8!
* They both have 256 gigs of hard drive space, an intel HD 4400 graphics card and a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080.
* The Dell has 2 USB ports whilst the Sony has 3 as well as an HDMI port and SD reader as well.
* The battery life of the Dell is around the 12 hour mark whilst the Sony has a battery expectancy of around the 7 hour mark.
As you can see, they’re pretty similar but the catch for me, is the actual usability of the device. The Sony is difficult to open and the screen is a little heavy to flip and seems a little fragile. The Dell seems more rugged and the screen is really easy to flip. Now, the really important question…how much? Well, price won’t make a difference in your decision because both retail for around R20,000.
At the end of the day, the pretty Sony Multiflip looks great for entertainment… but if you’re looking for a productivity pumping workhorse… it has to be the Dell…
This is the brand new G-Flex from LG! Following the same principal of the LG curve screen TV, the flex also boasts a curved screen but unlike the TV, this phone can bend. Within reason, of course, and it’s this flex that will have your mates wince as you show them how it does just that. But this goes beyond a party trick… the G-Flex's flexibility allows the phone to sit quite comfortably on the contours of the human face and it’s got some really innovative features too… For starters, the rear of the G-Flex boasts a new material, and one LG claims is self-healing, managing to absorb small scrapes and dents and reforming them to the natural, smooth curve.At 8.7mm, the G-Flex is slim, albeit pretty wide but if you’re able to wrap your fingers around it, you’ll find the device sitting quite comfortably in your hand.There are no physical buttons on the front or side of the phone but there are volume & power buttons on the back. Still a little confused by that.It has a beautiful 6 inch curved screen which is perfect for browsing webpages and looking at photos taken using the integrated 13mp camera.Even with fairly high usage, the G-Flex's battery can last over 24 hours but if you're conservative it could last you up to 2 days on a single charge! Something most smartphones can only dream of these days.Let’s now take a look at the G-Flex software:First up is gesture control which includes LG's Knock-On screen technology. This allows you to double tap the screen to wake up and double tap it to go to sleep. You can also elect to have the G-Flex answer a call when you bring the handset to your ear, decreasing your ringtone volume when you pick it up and silence a call by simply turning the phone over.The G-Flex currently sports the Android 4.2.2 Jellybean operating system and there's been no news whether or not the phone will be able to upgrade to the Android 4.3 Jellybean or to 4.4 Kitkat.At the end of the day if you're a fan of Android you'll love this phone because it's pretty, it's unique, it's fun to use and it completely integrates itself with other LG smart devices like your smart TV and blu-ray player but at around R10,000...it's a little bit steep.
Think about all the things that you do with your hands on a daily basis. You drive, hold your coffee cup, shake someone’s hand, wash your body, type, eat, the list goes on and on. Well here are 2 more things that you can do with them...The humble computer mouse was invented way back in 1964 and was called an ‘X position indicator for a display system’. Catchy right? The actual term 'mouse' was coined due to the fact that it resembled the tiny little creature. It was a one click device that was made out of wood…how far we’ve come.
Say hello to the EVO Mouse where any surface becomes your mouse. There’s no more fear of carpel tunnel syndrome with this little guy because you don’t move it around, click it in fact you don’t even touch it. You sit it down next to your computer and you let your fingers do the walking.
It’s a really clever device that uses sensors on the front of it to track your finger movements and transfers them to actions that a normal mouse would do. So in other words, you move left, the mouse moves left, you double click, the mouse double clicks, you can even zoom in and out. You’re basically turning any flat surface into a touch pad.
The next device is called the 'Leap Motion Controller' and this will have your hands waving, poking and swaying in mid air as you control various elements on your computer.
Basically the The Leap Motion Controller is a motion-sensor for your computer and tracks your hands in a 3D space. Place it in front of your computer, and the area above it becomes the space that you use to interact with your computer .
It’s compatible with both Mac & Window’s PC and works using a piece of software called ‘Airspace’. Here you can find apps made specifically for the Leap Motion and you’ll find old favourites like Google Maps & Cut The Rope that have been made leap-compatible.
My final thoughts…firstly the Evo Mouse. ts clunky, not as responsive as I'd like it to be and as I'm a mac user, it doesn't support multi-gestures and with it being close onto a thousand bucks you can buy a really nice wireless mouse or track pad. The Leap Motion controller...it's cool but my arms get tired having to hold them up high for ages and for R1299, it's still more of a toy than anything else for now. As more apps get developed for it though, I'm sure that it'll become a force to be reckoned with! Look at the end of the day these 2 gadgets are really very clever and who knows where they'll take us and our hands...
(forgive the facial expression in the above screen-grab...not my most flattering moment)
The recent phenomenon of reality cooking shows has made millions realize that being a dab hand in the kitchen is not necessarily as hard as it looks…And as the general population gets whisking, baking, grilling & poaching, we thought it was time to augment the skills needed to deliver great dishes with just a little technology…
We start simple… how to boil an egg…What could be more useful than a boilable egg timer. Simply pop it into the pot of boiling water along with your eggs and just follow the indicator depending on how you want your eggs boiled, soft, medium or hard. (see video for results) At R80 it's a little expensive to tell you when the egg is ready but it does work.
So you’ve had the egg, now it’s time for a bit of refreshment. This nifty little gadget called the Zoku Slush Maker does just that by making a slush and it’s so easy. Place the inside cup section into the freezer for around 8 – 12 hours, then pour any liquid into the cup and start scraping down the sides. Within minutes you have a slush. Clever and refreshing! However, it’s R250 and can only make one slush at a time so it’s quite expensive and if you think about it, selfish too, well unless of course you share...but I don't think you'll want to :)
Then it comes to that time of the day when you feel like a quick pick me up coffee but with a twist, or in this case a whisk. The aerolatte will whip up some beautiful milk froth to put on top of your coffee. Put the milk into a glass, grab your aerolatte, start whipping and within seconds you'll have a professional looking coffee ready to serve at a restaurant near you…well, almost. It’ll set you back R150 but will make you look like a million bucks when you serve a frothed coffee to your guests.On the topic of coffee, let’s take a look at these 2 beauties. The new Nescafe Dolce Gusto (on the left) and the Nespresso UMilk (on the right). Both work on a coffee pod system that produce single coffees at the touch of a button. The Nespresso uMilk uses a single pod to make your coffee to which you can then add your own warmed, delicious, frothed milk using the integrated aeroccino machine. The dolce gusto however uses 2 pods to make a coffee because the one is a milk substitute. Ugh! Not great! The machines and pods are relatively the same price. The Nespresso uMilk with aeroccino is R2550 with a R300 voucher for coffee and the Nescafe Dolce Gusto is R2490 with no vouchers. The Nespresso coffee is slightly cheaper and in my opinion, MUCH better and because of that reason alone, I’d buy the Nespresso no question!
So with a bounty of gadgets to make you look impressive in the kitchen, what are you waiting for? Go get 'em, Gordon/Jamie/Nigella/Nigel/Guy/Ina/etc etc
With summer well and truly here you’re likely to find most South Africans outside braaing, sun tanning and swimming. But what if you can’t swim? Or if being in the sun has left you red and lobsterlike…Or what if it’s raining – that means you Cape Tonians - but you’re dying to get back into that water? Well, we have the perfect solution.Smartphones are nothing without apps… Education apps, work apps, cooking apps and perhaps the most successful of all, game apps! In particular, due to our location today, I thought I'd touch on some water based ones. There’s no better feeling than being all by yourself… and owning the ocean as you surf, jetski, swim or drive boats. Drown out all the ambient noise and focus on beating that time. In this case however, we’re setting our sights on pelicans, people & other fish, in the cute but angry app called, Hungry Shark!So, sharky here will have you addicted from the first level as you hungrily gobble up seagulls, other fish and my favourite, people all in order to gain coins to upgrade your shark to the ultimate, The Great White! It's a pleasant way to just pass the time cruising the ocean but be warned, you better not get stung by jellyfish, blown up by mines or get eaten by things bigger than you or it's down to Davey Jone's you go... the best part...it's free!Next up is a Fish out of water! As the title suggests, you’re out of the water a lot. This is the aim of the game as you have to fling your little fish across the ocean across the waves in various missions that’ll have you seeing how far you can go, how fast you can go & how many skips you do. In-app purchase upgrades are available so that you can slowly build up your fish’s momentum enough to skip across the entire ocean! Well, not really, but you get what I’m saying. It’s also only available on iOS and also R10 It’s easy to master but is left a little high and dry because there’s not much to the game and the in-app purchases are way too expensive but it does look nice though…And finally, my favourite...Made famous by that silly American show where you see people wipe out in the funniest of ways, if you’re a fan or not, this app will have you dodging sponges, swinging on poles and of course trying to make your way across the big balls! You get wipeout style points, unique characters and a barrage of various challenges that’ll have you slo-moing your wipeout and saving a snap shot to send to your mates! It’s $1.99 in the app store but so far, I’m loving the game and in my opinion, it’s worth it! Besides, when you do the conversion, it’s only like R20!
So with an absolute wave of apps to keep your head above the swell, wait… another few water puns coming up… you’ll be delighted to know that even if it’s raining outside… you can still have a whale of a time…
1st project is a name that became synonymous with high energy performances that saw shirtless men with six packs drum away to a beat of their own entertaining crowds of thousands! Their sets included beating on drums with lights, drums with water and even chairs, buckets & ladders, but something was missing. Their fans were looking for something that they didn’t even know they were looking for…enter ‘Drum Machine DJ’!
Drum Machine DJ is a technological masterpiece utilising a one-of-a-kind 55'' transparent Holoscreen, accompanied by 13 light drums and cymbals, this state of the art, custom designed machine was built to rock dance floors around the world.
The leader & creator of 1st Project, Shannon Ellinas decided that having to drum half naked and have women throwing themselves at him had become a tad boring and he needed a challenge. A challenge that has since changed the way you and I will look at drumming forever.
The human need and desire for something new and exciting is a difficult one to quell but I can say that with confidence, the drum machine is a proudly south African export that will no doubt subdue those impulses to go elsewhere to stimulate our senses!
Ever since I can remember all I’ve wanted to do is swim like a dolphin. I mean think about it! You can dive deep and then shoot, rocket-like, out of the water and twist and flip and soar…before diving back into the water! Sadly unless an animal morphing serum gets cooked up in a mad professor’s lab somewhere, it’s not gonna happen. However, I have stumbled onto the next best thing… Ladies & gentlemen, I give you, the Jetovator!
Looking like a contraption from Star Wars, this machine adds a whole new dimension to water sports… meaning you can now have your jetski and eat it too! Attached to the jetski by a 40 foot hose, the Jetovator uses power from the craft to force water out through outlet pipes whereby you control in which direction you want to travel. Up, down, forward, in a corkscrew and even under water!So, naturally, being a Tech Report reporter, I was forced into going to the Vaal to have fun. They make me do such awful things. But before I go twisting and turning and laughing and thoroughly enjoying myself, let’s find out how it works. (watch video clip)At R85,000 excluding the cost of a jetski, which you need to have, it is expensive but if you can afford it then get it and if you can't...you can always hire it.
The age of the humble betacam hand held recorder was indeed a pleasant one filled with images of bad fashion, bad hairstyles but the best music. Well in my opinion anyway. However an age it was and my goodness have we come full circle. From only being able to record a home movie with a machine resting on your shoulder to the state of the art action cam that’s no bigger than a small rock. With that said, I give to you the brand new Drift HD Ghost & the Sony HDR As15!The evolution of extreme sports saw the evolution of the action cam, with them becoming smaller, more durable and being tested to their limits on a daily basis. The need to record yourself pushing yourself so that you can put it up on youtube is becoming an absolute addiction and I need to see if it’s as exciting as it looks. So I’ve stuck them both on my helmet and am now bike ready to hit the trails of the cyclepark to see which of these make my ride look that much more spectacular and that much more dangerous! Here we go!I’ve finished my extreme rush ride and now to look at the footage before I put it up on Youtube! Before we do that though, let’s take a look at some of the features of both cameras.Drift HD Ghost Camera
· Full HD 1080
· 2 inch Gorilla glass with lcd display screen
· Waterproof without housing up to 3 metres for 30minutes
· Built in wifi to play back your videos through the drift app on your smart phone and watch it live
· 4 hour battery
· remote control
· R4650Sony HDR AS15
· Waterproof to 60m with supplied housing!
· Carl Zeiss Tessar wide angle Lens
· Built in wi-fi (will only work to import videos, pics, etc through the downloadable software off of Sony’s website called: Play memories BUT: if you’re a MAC user then sorry for you. Obviously Sony’s in bed with Microsoft only – ah, monogamy is such a blissful thing hey?) – HOWEVER: you can download the play memories app for your smart phone incl. iPhone.
· Full HD 1080
· R3499
At the end of the day they both have their pros & cons and for an extra thousand odd rand, I'd buy the Drift purely because of it's playback screen and it's ruggedness! I mean, I am a man after all...and I am rugged... ahem
You’ve worn the outfit… done the countdown… popped the champagne and dealt with the January first hangover… but what do you do now that 2014 is a reality… and those New Years resolutions are looking ever so challenging? We’ve looked into that for you and found a few free apps that could keep you on track for living a successful 2014.Lose itWe’ve seen these before. An app that tracks your diet and helps you to lose weight. However Lose It! Has made it a fun and simple process with restaurant menu integration and a full database of foods & ingredients. It also lets you see how your friends are doing with their diet & keep up to date with their progress. What I also like about it is that you start to learn the caloric value of foods before choosing them so that you can make healthy choices. SnapguideUsing a peer to peer system, Snapguide will get you started on a new hobby in minutes. With a wealth of guides within the Snapguide community you can learn something new every day like how to make your kitchen smell amazing in seconds or how to naturally clean your drains and help you discover a talent you never even knew existed! However, there is a slight drawback, the guides don’t go into too much detail but hey, it’s a great starting point!My Last CigaretteYou know you want to quit smoking but you just can’t. I know the excuses that come with that but My Last Cigarette will help helps users quit smoking by mapping out the changes in their health as they quit. Simply enter in your smoking habits, and the app keeps you informed on how you're bettering your life through quitting. For example, since I stopped in June of last year, I’ve saved over R16,000 and almost all the levels are at green. My lung health is only improving slowly but it’s improving nonetheless! By seeing these improvements in your quality of life, the app can be used as a reminder each time you feel the need to light up.
All I can say from here is, good luck! It’s up to you to keep your resolutions and here’s hoping that these little apps might make life just a little bit more joyful, better & easier! Happy 2014!!
1973 saw the very first mobile handset in action. It weighed 1 kilogram and cost around R40,000. Since a more commercially acceptable handset was developed in the late 80’s, cellphone subscribers grew from 12 million to over 6 billion to date. Which brings us to the invention of a great little gadget called the ‘Gear’. It’s part and parcel of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and is going to change the way we use cellphones forever. It’s a bit like Dick Tracy meets James Bond in this cloak & dagger scenario where you can now make phonecalls, receive and reply to text messages and even take photos & videos all by using this watch!I’ve had the pleasure of using the phone & watch for the past week and it’s been just that. Let’s start with the phone. To be honest, it took me a few days to get round the interface. There are so many different pages, apps, news sources, system settings, a camera with about 10 different ways of taking pics, a new type of stylus, and so many different ways of personalizing your phone it’s really very hard as to know where to start. If you’re not patient, then forget it…stick with an iPhone. However, if you’re up for the challenge, then you’ll be in for some great surprises. Now I could bore you with all the tech specs but frankly speaking, I want to know how easy it is to use and if I’m going to enjoy it! First of all the screen truly is beautiful and the resolution is outstanding! You can rent or buy videos through the Samsung Hub and watch them quite comfortably. The camera takes amazing pictures but don’t worry about all the options, they’re just frills. The stylus, with it’s new options, also comes with its difficulties but once you’ve mastered them then you’re golden! I also like the convenience features like easy access to wi-fi & blue tooth and to the notifications. My biggest gripe, however, is the fact that this is more of a tablet than a phone and is not very easy to handle. I have big hands and it’s still not manageable. If you’re comfy with never putting it in your pocket and walking around with it like a 90’s Filofax, then fine. Oh and another thing…it’s gonna kick you off wi-fi if it feels that the internet connection is too slow. So while you think you’re using wi-fi, you could just be using your own data. So be careful, there’s a setting to switch that off hidden somewhere in the different millions of setting options the phone has.Now onto the watch. It’s water resistant, neat and quite fashionable coming in a variety of colours including, green, orange, white & black and on it’s home page you can view the time and the weather! You can make and receive phone calls & text messages although it’s near impossible typing on the small screen. There is a camera for taking both photos & videos but of it’s poor position you have to take it off before the right shot can be taken. The speaker & microphone is housed in the same place and is quite surprisingly enough very clear. It is however for the moment, only compatible with the Galaxy Note 3 so don’t go just buying it willy nilly, ok? You won’t even be able to tell the time if the Note 3 isn’t anywhere close by.
I’m an Apple fan and have been for quite some time, but I can tell you this, if an iWatch doesn’t come soon…you may just see me wearing this little gear soon.