Ffqggqgq by Verano22

Stay connected without your phone The all-new Galaxy Watch Active2 is designed to keep you connected. Play music or control your smartphone camera* from your wrist. Tweet or retweet and much more. The Galaxy Watch Active2 also comes Samsung Pay enabled, affording you a simpler, safer way to pay anywhere you go.

Water Resistant

IP68

Health and Stress Monitoring

*Compatible with Galaxy S9 and above. Social media platforms include Twitter and Facebook. Galaxy Watch Active2 is available in Bluetooth and LTE. Image simulated.

Running Coach

THE 100 APPS YOU NEED NOW! GADGETS / GAMES / GEAR

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Fresh crop of buds Google’s Nest egg Vivo la révolution & a talking paperclip

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Man, what a year it’s been. Wait, it’s only March?! That’s… that’s actually a great thing, as it means we’ve got a lot of amazing tech to look forward to this year. On the cards are: Apple’s announcements, Samsung’s latest and greatest (which should be official right about now), everything from E3 where we’re expecting a lot of hardware and… well, most of the high points that don’t take place at CES and MWC at still to come. But in the issue you’re holding now, we’ve got the absolute highlights of the past year – 2019’s best tech resides in these pages as Stuff ’s annual Gadget Awards (p30). This year, competition was tighter than ever in most of our categories. Even the reader-voted items were decided by a tight margin, but probably with less shouting than we used for the rest of the winners. It’s not all winners and close runners up, however. We’ve also got more apps than you could possibly app in a year (p48), not that you shouldn’t try, and we’ve tested all the wireless buds we could get our hands on (p70). The field of contenders has increased drastically since people first made fun of Apple’s AirPods. Guess who’s laughing now? Well, all the folks selling wireless buds certainly. We’ve also got tests of several pairs of noise-cancelling cans, (p27, p76), Audi’s lovely new e-tron (p77), Nikon’s Z50 (p78) and Apple’s new 16in MacBook (p82). For the selfimprovement nuts, we’ve got upgrades for mindful tech habits (p86) and the iPhone 11 Pro (p84) – as if that needed to get any better. There’s a lot of really great stuff in our March 2020 issue. But almost the best bit is: The best that 2020 can do is still to come.

Management Stuff South Africa is published by the Stuff Group (Pty) Ltd. Directors: Toby Shapshak, Sally Hudson PO Box 74, Melrose Arch, 2096 Kelsey Publishing UK Stuff UK content is published with the permission of copyright holder Kelsey Publishing Ltd, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG ... and a word about prices Generally, we show the manufacturer’s recommended price. Occasionally we (or suppliers) can make mistakes. Please remember that prices listed in Stuff are intended as a guide only. We make every effort to confirm that all information is correct (and triple checked) when we go to print.

Brett Venter, Editor brett@stuff.co.za @DrakonisZA

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Stuff competition terms and conditions: Apple is not a sponsor, nor is it involved in any way with any Stuff Magazine contests or sweepstakes. Stuff Magazine does not offer Apple products as contest or sweepstake prizes. 1 Promotions, giveaways and competitions are entered through Stuff Group’s website www.stuff.co.za and are opened for Issue 103, 2020 on 17 February 2020 and close on 22 March 2020. 2 The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into. 3 Employees of Stuff Group and their families are not allowed to enter. Advertising and public relations representatives may not enter competitions in the issue in which their promotions, giveaways or competitions are carried. 4 Prizes are not exchangeable for cash and/or other products. Prizes are available while stocks last. It is at the discretion of Stuff Group and the custodian of the prizes to ensure that, should there be a problem with the stipulated prize won, a reasonable replacement of the same value will be offered. 5 Stuff Group carries promotions, giveaways and competitions in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any misrepresentation on the part of the custodian of the promotions, giveaways and competitions. 6 Winners will be notified telephonically and by mail. It is the responsibility of the winner to ensure that the correct address and contact details are given. It is the responsibility of the custodian of the promotion, giveaway and competition to ensure that prizes are sent out correctly and within the specified time. 7 Prize delivery will take four to six weeks from the time the winner has been notified. 8 Promotions, giveaways and competitions are open to South African residents only. 9 All prize-winners will be published on www.stuff.co.za the following month, once the competition lines have closed. 10 Readers may not claim for more than one prize at a time, and once announced as a winner in any Stuff promotions, giveaways or competitions, will not be eligible for another prize for three (3) months thereafter. 11 By entering any promotions, giveaways or competitions, or by accepting any prize, entrants agree that their personal details may be retained by the promoter and/or Stuff magazine and used for the purpose of sending them information about future promotions, events and news, as well as for internal administration and analysis. 12 Unclaimed prizes will be kept for three months and will not be resent. 13 Participation in any promotion, giveaway or competition and/or acceptance of any prize implies full knowledge and acceptance of all rules.

© Stuff South Africa. All due care will be taken with material submitted, but the magazine and publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. Stuff South Africa assumes no responsibility to return unsolicited editorial, graphic or other material. All rights in letters and unsolicited editorial and graphic material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and material will be subject to Stuff South Africa’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Stuff South Africa is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of advice and information given to readers, the editor, publisher and proprietor cannot accept responsibility for any damage or inconvenience that may arise therefrom. Stuff is published in Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, the Middle East, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Great calls. Great music. Fits like no other.

Jabra Elite 75t

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CON S ON THE COVER P70

p65 Apps for the kids

P13

HOT STUFF 8

16 18 20 22 24 26

The Hot Five ● Sony Vision-S ● Samsung Q950TS ● Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold ● Amazfit T-Rex ● Insta360 One R Vital stats OnePlus Concept One A phone that doesn’t actually exist, with a camera that appears to be invisible Icon Xbox Series X Kicking off the great 2020 console wars Games How we’re planning to squander our immense potential in 2020 Start menu Including some essential ear-panthers Stream Man, we just did Nazi that coming Wheels A nice electric Mercedes that reminds us of the long-gone internal combustion era

p54 Apps for gamers

p52 Apps for AR fans

p61 Apps for rainy days

TESTS 27 First test Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Noise-cancelling cans that should have Sony and Bose worried. But, you know, only a bit worried. It doesn’t really matter, does it? 70 Group test True wireless buds Five of the finest ways to plug your lugs with Kurt Darren Sings Einstürzende Neubauten 76 3 of the best Noise-cancelling headphones Can these canny cans can the clamour of your clanging clan? 77 Tested Audi E-Tron A nice electric Audi that reminds us of the long-gone internal combustion era 78 Long-term test Nikon Z50 Just like a big, pricey camera, except that it’s not big or pricey 80 Tested Google Nest Mini Teeny smart speaker is pucked from obscurity 81 Tested Vivo Y11 It’s got looks and it’s got style but does it also have brains? 82 Long-term test Apple MacBook Pro 16in The king of laptops, tweaked for 2020

03.20 P84

P101

FEATURES 30 Cover feature The 2019 Stuff Awards A flurry of late-year launches cast our shortlists into chaos, but it’s done now: the best tech of 2019, crowned by Stuff 48 Cover Feature 100 best apps Like a beer glass, a buffet plate or the Parliament of SA, a smartphone is only as good as what you fill it with – so here are the very best of the current downloadable crop 84 Instant upgrades iPhone 11 Pro There’s not much wrong with Apple’s latest superphone, but you can still make it better 86 Beta yourself Mindful tech use Time to take control of your screen life? 104 Random access memories Office Assistant Uselessly annoying, or annoyingly useless?

TOP TENS 90 Smartphones What’s the handiest, handsomest handset? 91 Phablets As above, just for bigger hands (or egos) 92 Tablets, mobile games Slick slates and ways to kill your battery 93 TVs All you need for a lazy night/day/year in 94 Laptops Porta-powerhouses to warm your knees 95 Wearables, smartwatches Strapping smart tracking tickers 98 Drones, compact cameras Shoot from the sky or from the hip 100 Headphones In-ears and on-ears, hear hear! 103 Games 10 ways to avoid adult responsibilities

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I MOVE’D A LOT

Having a house with Sonos speakers to stream audio is great, but what happens when you go down to the pool or out to a picnic? Sonos seems to have thought of this and its latest speaker is a clever combination of its excellent WiFi streaming tech, which also incorporates Bluetooth. Take the appropriately named Move out of range of the WiFi and it switches to Bluetooth from your phone. The carrying “handle” is a clever piece of design, using a cavity at the back, and the usual play/pause and volume buttons on the top. And most importantly the sound quality (and battery life) are excellent. Nice Move Sonos. Toby Shapshak, Publisher and Editor-in-chief

I FELT LIKE A TOURIST IN MY OWN COUNTRY

I’ve managed to get to age 37 without ever setting foot in Cape Town. Hadn’t seen it from the air, didn’t glide past on a boat – nothing like that. That’s all changed, as I finally got to see the Mother City in the er… flesh? I mostly only got a chance to stare at the iconic mountain for a bit before being whisked off to an Under Armour launch and then blasting back to Johannesburg. All told, I managed 22 hours in the city before returning to a Johannesburg that suddenly looks a whole lot uglier. Seriously, Cape Town folks – how the heck do you get any work done with all that scenery lying about? Brett Venter, Editor

Making Stuff up Publisher and Editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak toby@stuff.co.za Editor Brett Venter brett@stuff.co.za Deputy Editor Marcé Bester marce@stuff.co.za Art Director Brandon van Rensburg art@stuff.co.za Digital Publisher Nic Boerma nic@stuff.co.za Selling Stuff Business Director Sally Hudson, sally@stuff.co.za Senior Account Manager Thalia Pallotta 083 375 2418 thalia@stuff.co.za Getting Stuff to you Printing CTP

OUR MONTH

What this issue has brought us by way of geekery I BENT A PC IN HALF

Y’know that episode of Rick and Morty, where the family find themselves on a planet where everything is on a cob (like a corn/mielie cob)? That’s what our world will soon be, but with foldable tech. Everything’s gonna be foldable - even houses and probably the sun (Dyson sphere, anyone?). I had the opportunity to travel to Italy and play with Lenovo’s new lineup, including the ThinkPad X1 Fold - the first foldable PC I’ve played with. It’s built in collaboration with Intel, so it’s a full-blown computer. It just folds in half. While it’s impressive, we won’t see these soon - only in a few years’ time when the tech has matured. Marcé Bester, Deputy Editor

I EXPANDED MY CIRCLE

I took a sabbatical from social media but I got back into it a little thanks to Netflix. A series my colleague Marcé suggested I watch is The Circle. It’s an American reality series, based on a British show by the same name, focusing on social media communication instead of face-to-face interaction. Contestants communicate with one another exclusively through profiles they have created on a social media app. They may or may not reveal who they really are - so a little catfishing comes to play. Quite exciting stuff, especially for someone avoiding social media in real life. Thalia Pallotta, Senior Account Manager

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T If eye let you go The 33 sensors scattered around the Vision-S include video, radar and ultrasonic, plus solid-state LiDAR and ToF cameras to give it a full picture of what’s going oninsideandout.

HOT FIVE #1 NEVER MIND THE WALKMAN, NOW SONY’S GOT A DRIVEMAN Sony Vision-S

Sony has concocted some unexpected stuff in its time. There was the futuristic but largely pointless robotic dog, Aibo. And who can forget the futuristic but largely pointless dancing Bluetooth speaker, Rolly? Its latest is kind of a combination of the two: an electric concept car. As concepts go, though, the Vision-S is pretty low on the weird scale, which is always a good sign for its chances of ever becoming reality. Beneath its Tesla-esque exterior are two 268bhp electric motors that will send it from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds and top out at 240km/h, while 33 sensors inside and out keep an eye on everything from traffic conditions to driver and passenger behaviour. Each seat has its own audio system that can be used independently from the others, while its panoramic touchscreen dashboard is just one of many widescreen displays inside the highly customisable cabin – and there are also easily reached dials in case you want to recline your seat. Well, as it’s all set up and ready to take advantage of fully autonomous driving, why wouldn’t you put your feet up? As hot as… getting your kicks on Route 66 N/A (concept) / sony.com 8

19 PAGES OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH

CES 2020 CONCEPTS MERCEDESBENZ VISION AVTR

The Vision AVTR (above) is inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar, complete with biometric driver recognition, crablike movement and 33 ‘bionic flaps’ on the back. We’ve got many questions, but the main one is: Why isn’t it blue?

FIAT CENTOVENTI

Ever gone shopping for a car and wished you could pick and choose each part as if you were customising your ride in Forza? Fiat’s modular Centoventi lets you do just that, from bumper colour and interior layout to the capacity of the batteries.

HONDA AUGMENTED DRIVING CONCEPT

Honda’s latest concept looks a bit like a bathtub from the future. With no pedals, you push or pull the steering wheel to change speed, or just take your hands off the wheel to switch to autonomous mode.

Hello my love Visual sensors on the outside of Sony’s car will identify the driver and any passengers before they even get in, so everything will be set up just how they like it.

You raise me app Sony has also come up with an app that will transfer route info and the music you’re playing to the car when you get in. You’ll even be able to summon it from its parking space.

Chair it again There are four extremely comfy-looking seats, but that’s not a set arrangement: this EV platform is designed to be used for cars of all shapes and sizes, from coupes to SUVs.

I have a dream Fall asleep in the back of a Vision-S and it’ll notice that you’ve done so, automatically adjusting the temperature around that seat to ensure you slumber on through the journey.

Speak up

Scale up

You’re engrossed in a tense scene, then someone starts blending a smoothie in the kitchen… Active Voice Amplifier automatically detects any loud noises and raises the volume of the dialogue.

The Q950 has AI ScaleNet tech, which compresses whatever you’re streaming and restores it as it arrives on the TV. This cuts down on the bandwidth required to stream hi-res content.

HOT FIVE #2 YOU’VE BEEN UNFRAMED Samsung Q950TS

It’s been over a year since the first 8K TVs started cropping up, and we’re still no closer to being able to watch Supersport at 7680x4320 resolution… so manufacturers have started to come up with other ways of convincing us to covet their latest wares. To be fair, it’s worked, because we’re already measuring up a space to house this nearly bezel-less 75in Samsung. Just 15mm thick and with a screen-to-frame ratio of almost 99%, the QLED Q950TS looks like a screengrab on a stand, but Samsung has still found space for speakers on every side and even subwoofers 12

round the back. AI-assisted upscaling means it’ll spruce up ‘mere’ 4K content, and that AI will also help to automatically adjust brightness and ensure surround-sound performance is accurate. Bixby is on board and will now allow you to ask the TV to display soothing scenes if you’ve just watched a particularly harrowing episode of Lucifer, but you can still use Alexa or Google Assistant instead. You might want to start by asking them when there’s actually some 8K content coming. As hot as… Lesley-Ann Brandt Rtba / samsung.com

Shape up The Q950 will come with Samsung Health on TV, a fitness hub that’ll let you see your activities, track progress and chase shared fitness goals with the whole family of (former) couch potatoes.

HOT FIVE #3 GOING FOR FOLD Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

Open up a dictionary at Lenovo HQ and it won’t include the word ‘laptop’. How do we know? Because Lenovo reckons this is the world’s first folding PC. Now, we’ve seen a lot of hinged computers in our time… but to be fair, not many of them have looked quite like the ThinkPad X1 Fold. Its 13.3in OLED screen bends in the middle, so you can use it like a tablet, read it like a book, or prop it up on itself and summon a virtual QWERTY to type on it like a traditional… er, folding PC. Both sides of the crease can be treated like separate screens, so if you’d rather connect the Bluetooth Mini Fold Keyboard for typing (it tucks away inside to charge wirelessly), you can use the bottom one for web browsing, video calling or anything else that won’t fit up top. When folded up, the smart leather coating makes it look more like a sci-fi notebook than a tablet, but with Windows 10 to run the show and battery life of up to 11 hours, it’s a genuine hybrid that’ll only take up as much space on your desk as a hardback book. Say, a dictionary. As hot as… a book burning $2 500 (R36 130) / lenovo.com 13

Shoot from the moon It’s not all about the lenses: Insta360 has also announced an Aerial Edition, which includes a mounting system for clipping it to a drone and shooting 360 video from the skies.

HOT FIVE #4 JURASSIC LARK Amazfit T-Rex

The Amazfit T-Rex has got bite. In fact it’s so hardcore it’s bagged MIL-STD-810G military-grade protection, hence the double-hard name. This rugged wearable for adventurers and gnarly types has got a bit of Casio G-Shock styling about it, and has been designed to function in extreme heat, extreme cold and extreme wet, plus cope with exposure to salt and abrasive substances – all the elements required to survive a year in East London. And despite it’s dinosaur moniker, survive it will with a battery lasting 20 days on a single charge. Switch to basic mode and it’ll see you through 66 days, although continuous GPS takes that figure down to just 20 hours. It has a 1.3in AMOLED display covered in Gorilla Glass 3 and an anti-fingerprint coating. You also get waterproofing to depths of 50 metres, 14 sports modes including skiing, Bluetooth 5.0, a heart-rate sensor, plus support for Android or iOS devices. Instead of Google’s Wear OS, this 47mm wearable uses its own software, but at its expected price it still feels like a bargain. As hot as… a dinosaur-dynasty-ending asteroid shower Rtba / smartphoneshop.co.za 14

Pretty fly for a night sky Insta360 has created various nifty modes to make shooting particular scenes easier, including one for night-sky timelapses and one for stop-motion animations.

HOT FIVE #5 BEST LENS FOREVER Insta360 One R

They say the best camera is the one you’ve got with you, so why not make it one that does the job of three separate snappers? Insta360’s new One R is a modular action cam system with one battery, one processor and a trio of lens attachments, so you can pick whichever one is best for the job at hand. There’s a 4K Wide Angle Mod that also does up to 8x slo-mo, a Dual-Lens 360 Mod that uses two lenses and shoots 5.7K, and a premium 1-Inch Wide Angle Mod that’s been co-engineered with Leica and includes a much larger than usual 1in sensor to capture higher-quality 5.3K video and 19MP stills. No matter

which one you’ve got attached there’s IPX8 waterproofing, voice control and a pair of mics for noise-cancelling and wind reduction. Insta360’s FlowState algorithm offers gimbal-like stabilisation, plus there’s support for HDR and a new Night Shot mode that improves low-light performance. All those possibilities might put a bit more strain on battery life, so there’s a Boosted Battery Base that you can add to make it last twice as long. All the better to film all the things with. As hot as… jalapeno cheesecake with chilli sauce from R5 700 / insta360.com 15

CAM OUT, CAM OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE OnePlus Concept One Rtba / oneplus.com

When OnePlus’s boffins decided to create their first ever concept phone, they were clearly too sidetracked with refining the tech to think up a more imaginative name… but frankly, who can blame them when they were working on an ‘invisible camera’? This isn’t some pathetic special effect, like James Bond’s ridiculous vanishing car in Die Another Day – the Concept One uses impressive glass technology to hide the lenses from sight. ● Under the rainbow Colour-shifting electrochromic glass on the back of the Concept One can change its transparency, so the lenses only become visible when the camera is in use. It’s a trick inspired by the clever sunroof of supercar partner McLaren’s 720S, with organic particles in the glass shifting it from opaque black to entirely clear. The glass also doubles as a built-in polarising filter so you can achieve sharper, more finely detailed shots under strong light. ● We’re off to see the wizard The Concept One uses two glass panels just 0.1mm thick with the colour-shifting material sandwiched between them. It takes 0.7 seconds to make the transition from solid black to fully clear – quicker than it takes for the 48MP camera (with a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens) to fully activate, and using almost no power in the process. ● The merry old land of OnePlus OnePlus calls this Electronic CMF and sees it as the blueprint for future smartphones, but it’s gone into overdrive with the overall design too. Collaborating with McLaren, it experimented with bamboo, bulletproof Kevlar, Alcantara, matt-frosted glass and ceramic before finally settling on an orange leather back that’s easy to grip and looks the part. No word on if or when the Concept One will become a reality… but in the words of Jean-Luc Picard, make it so.

SECRET SNAPPERS ● OnePlus 7T Pro

The Concept One uses the same rear camera used by the 7T Pro, only on the production phone it’s not invisible. But the 16MP selfie-cam is a pop-up, leaving the 90Hz 6.6in display completely free of notches. R15 300 / oneplus.com

● Motorola One Hyper

Motorola’s latest affordable handset has a pop-up module for its front camera. This 32MP selfie-cam affords the phone a spacious 6.5in Full HD+ display, while there’s a 64MP camera with Night Vision on the rear. R5 000 (import) / motorola.com

Follow the mellow ’nics road

TECHNICS EAH-AZ70W We’re a tad disappointed that Technics’ true wireless earphones don’t resemble tiny turntables – but we still have high hopes for its debut buds, with graphene-coated 10mm drivers to aid airflow and clarity. Even more tantalisingly, they match the noise-cancelling tech found on Sony’s imperious WF-1000XM3s and include an ambient mode to help you hear your surroundings in times of need. Switch to the Technics Audio Connect app to adjust sound modes to your own preference, check battery levels, or locate lost buds on a map if they’ve wandered off somewhere. Available in black or silver from June, they’re IPX4 splash-proof and offer 24-hour battery life with the charging case. Rtba / technics.com

● Oppo Reno 2

The Reno 2’s 48MP, 13MP, 8MP and 2MP rear lenses sit totally flush to the phone. Flip it over and the 16MP sharkfin selfie-cam is a pop-up, so the 6.5in AMOLED display remains clear of interruptions. R9 500 / oppo.com

If I only had a heart monitor

WITHINGS SCANWATCH Withings was already on the pulse with its analogue ECG watch that could detect irregular heart rhythms, but the hybrid ScanWatch adds sleep apnea detection to its medical bag of tricks. Using an SpO2 sensor, which emits and absorbs light passing through bloodvessels, it measures oxygen saturation levels to identify breathing disturbances and quality of sleep. The ScanWatch also detects more than 30 different exercises and will even take a VO2 max score – your oxygen conversion rate during exercise. Specs-wise there’s a circular PMOLED display with a waterproof stainless steel build, and it should be here in a few months. Be still, my beating heart. Wait, that’s not right, is it? Rtba / withings.com 17

Not for high rollers

LG OLED48CX Remember LG’s rollable Signature Series OLED TV R? It’s finally going on sale this year… with an expected price-tag of $60 000. Ouch. So perhaps the best announcement from LG this month is also the smallest: a world-first 48in OLED TV, which should make happy reading for those who want in on the very best screen tech but have previously been put off by the enormous panel sizes it tends to favour. It’s officially a 4K display, but with eight-million-plus pixels on a smaller screen, LG says the density is comparable to a 96in 8K set. The inclusion of Nvidia G-Sync tech makes this, according to LG, “the ultimate gaming monitor”. Hmm, if only there were an exciting new Xbox console to plug into it… Rtba / lg.com

Tweet sensation

SONY Z8H 8K LED Either Sony has been steering clear of ‘dry January’ or they’re still drunk from Christmas, because announcing an actual car (see p8) followed by the unveiling of a logo for the PlayStation 5 is up there with the weirdest press conferences we’ve ever seen. At least it sobered up momentarily to show off some new TV’s so we can plan exactly which one to team the new console with. The new 8K and OLED TVs adapt the picture and sound to your room; opt for the flagship Z8H 8K LED and you’ll get a ‘frame tweeter’ that vibrates the TV to generate sound. You’ll also get hands-free Google Assistant voice control as well as Alexa integration plus Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support. They’re due around mid-year. Rtba / sony.com 18

I C O N

XBOX SERIES X Rtba / xbox.com Wow, is… is that a new console? Yes indeed. This windowless black tower is ironically from Microsoft. It’s the Xbox Series X, it arrives this year and absolutely nobody saw it coming… except everyone who knew the PlayStation 5 was on its way and immediately put two and two together. If the design’s giving you vertigo, don’t fret – it’ll work on its side too, although insufferable geeks reckon that’ll make it the same height as the Xbox One X but double the width, so either way the real winner here is Makro. Will it beat the PS5 for power? Specs are scarce, but AMD is on processor/graphics duty and it will use rapid GDDRG memory. Far more exciting is Microsoft’s claim that the Series X will support 8K gaming at up to 120fps with a variable refresh rate. There’s also a built-in solid state drive (SSD) for super-fast loading times and support for everyone’s favourite renegade cop… sorry, graphics rendering buzz term, ray tracing. This simulates lighting in the most realistic way yet, so environments look true to life – because being

reminded of the real world is what everyone wants when playing video games. Sony’s PS5 is expected to go pretty much toe to toe in the specs stakes, although leaked benchmarks suggest the Series X wins by 12 teraflops to 9 (with a teraflop measuring theoretical performance). The important part is they’ll both play FIFA. Any other titles for online players to embarrass us on? Well, we know Halo Infinite is in development, along with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The Series X will also support games that play on the previous-generation Xbox One consoles. Old controllers will work too, although the new console will come bundled with slightly smaller new gamepads featuring the hybrid D-pad from the Xbox Elite controller, along with a dedicated share button. Any more for any more? Xbox boss Phil Spencer says VR will not feature when the Series X hopefully arrives in time for Christmas this year. The waiting game begins, again.

MICROSOFT CLAIMS IT WILL SUPPORT 8K GAMING AT UP TO 120FPS, WITH RAY TRACING FOR REALISTIC LIGHTING

G A M E S

OUT 29 MAY

TOP 5 GAMES FOR 2020 ONE THE LAST OF US PART II PS4 Naughty Dog might be known for the Uncharted franchise, but in our eyes the studio’s magnum opus remains The Last of Us. That 2013 PS3 (and later PS4) title carried over the developer’s knack for thrilling moments, bold set pieces and dazzling characters, but pumped up the tension and emotion as a pair of survivors navigated a post-apocalyptic USA. Five in-game years have passed since its conclusion; and while heroine Ellie is older and wiser at 19, the world around her seems to have only got 20

worse. The Last of Us Part II begins with Ellie and Dina living in a walled-off settlement with other survivors… but when a patrol of their surroundings goes very bad, Ellie sets out for revenge against the fanatics who apparently did her wrong. From what we’ve seen, Part II amplifies what we loved so much about the original game, with richly animated and impeccably performed characters that look and act as real as any we’ve seen, whether they’re sensually slow-dancing or brutally slaying mutated fungus monsters. The

enemy threats look even more terrifying than before, including new guard dogs that can track your scent. Thankfully, you’ll also have more tools in your arsenal, including enhanced stealth capabilities. If you haven’t played The Last of Us Remastered, you still have a couple of months to right that injustice before Part II arrives. Given Naughty Dog’s pedigree, and what we’ve seen so far, this is sure to be the PS4’s must-play exclusive for 2020… and don’t be surprised to see it on the PS5 as well.

TWO

CYBERPUNK 2077

Sept 2020 / PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia In development for the better part of a decade, Cyberpunk 2077 is the latest from CD Projekt Red, the Polish studio behind the brilliant fantasy epic The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. As the name suggests, however, Cyberpunk 2077 is low on witches and warriors; instead we get a corporate-controlled future Californian metropolis filled with cyber-enhanced humans. The end result looks like Grand Theft Auto Future, with a grungey yet hi-tech open city to treat as your playground while you romp, fight and explore at will. But there’s a complex role-playing edge here, as you can customise your character to suit your preferred play style. Want to go in hard with physical prowess and high gun proficiency? That’s your call to make. Prefer to use hacking techniques to manipulate not only machines and robots, but also the augmented people who live in the city? There’s a lot of potential there, as you might imagine. Cyberpunk 2077 also tops off its Matrix-esque allure with a plum role for Keanu Reeves himself, who stars as a ‘digital ghost’ that’s at the heart of this gritty, violent affair.

THREE

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

3 March / PS4 Square Enix finally gave in to fan demands and made this gorgeous-looking remake of the seminal role-playing classic… or at least the first chunk of it. Cloud and co look better than ever, but we’ll have to see whether it’s still brilliant after 23 years. Human League mixtapes ready.

FOUR

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS

20 March / Switch Nintendo has been quiet on its 2020 plans, and we don’t know if the new Zelda will make it or not – but we’re keen on having a chill time in the latest Animal Crossing life sim, which drops you back into the colourful town on Switch.

FIVE

HALO INFINITE

Late 2020 / Xbox Series X & One, PC With the powerful Xbox Series X (see p19), now’s the time for Microsoft to restore the Halo series to its former glory. Halo Infinite, also releasing on Xbox One and PC, might be up to the task, putting Master Chief back in the lead role and packing a sleek new game engine to boot.

INCOMING MARCH ● DOOM ETERNAL ● HALF-LIFE: ALYX ● NIOH 2 WINTER ● GHOST OF TSUSHIMA ● WATCH DOGS: LEGION

S T A R T M E N U ST KIC AR K TE R

The latest startups, crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas

Do the hand jive

ORBA

Proper instruments are hard work when you’ve a track in your head that just has to come out – so the tiny Orba is a good bet for instant gratification of the musical kind. Looking like half a grapefruit spliced with a drum machine from the future, it allows you to prod, stroke, shake and spin it to smash out beats, lay down head-nodding basslines and silky chords, and then craft riffs that will stick in your head for months. Its strange but deeply portable form works wonders when you want to take your next step to superstardom too: the Orba can connect to music apps via Bluetooth or USB, and has a 3.5mm output as well as an onboard speaker. $89 / artiphon.com BACK IT STACK IT

ST KIC AR K TE R

I GONDI GOE-

Keys leaving home

Lens go crazy

Now cat’s what I call music

Born flippy

Not keen on your MacBook’s keyboard, but even less keen to splash out R40k on the shiny new 16in model? Then whack a NuType over your existing keys. It clamps on via magnets, leaves your trackpad accessible and delights eyes and fingers with custom RGB backlighting and mechanical switches. £85 / nuphy.com

The iPhone 11 Pro has three cameras. ShiftCam reckons that’s at least two too few, and so offers you a case with a sliding section whose embedded lenses add 4x telephoto, 10x and 20x macros, fisheye and a glare-killing polariser. More into selfies? Use the lens adapter to attach one of ShiftCam’s ProLens series. from £53 / shiftcam.com

Sick of minimalist me-too earbud design? Presumably Tiger&Rose’s creators were too. These buds give you all the usual tech – Bluetooth 5, IPX5, touch controls – but they also look like carved panthers trying to escape from your earholes. We’ve no idea how they sound, but… well, they’re not boring. £61 / tigersniffsrose.com

Virtual pinball tables can cost thousands; mechanical ones are even pricier. The Sharpin plugs the gap by miniaturising ball-spanging to tidy bartop form, but retains tactile buttons for smacking your balls about. The Base kit demands a phone, but go Ultra and you get a built-in computing unit. from €149 / digital-pinball.com

NUTYPE F1

I GONDI GOE-

ST KIC AR K TE R

SACK IT

SHIFTCAM

TIGER&ROSE

SHARPIN

Hex in the lounge

NANOLEAF UNIFIED Nanoleaf has been working its way through a shape-sorter of geometric figures for its smart LED lighting panels. First triangles, then squares, and now hexagons – so it’s ushered in a new Unified system where they can all work together. Nanoleaf says this makes them the first ever modular smart lights with shape interconnectivity – and more shapes will launch throughout 2020 and 2021. This offers the freedom to design bespoke configurations, from abstract layouts to replicas of favourite characters, like a massive LED Caitlyn Jenner. Touch-reactive, the hexagons (and presumably Caitlyn) are ultra-thin so they appear to be almost floating. They arrive in May. Rtba / nanoleaf.me

WTF IS SAMSUNG NEON? This is going to be a talking fridge, isn’t it?

Not quite. Samsung has indeed announced a new Family Hub connected fridge to go alongside a tennis-ball-cum-droid called Ballie that controls your smart home, but Neon is something else: its mildly terrifying project to invent artificial people. Described as realistic humanoid AI chatbots, they’re not meant to actually replace humans (after all, Samsung still needs those to sell stuff to) but to somehow “make us more human”.

That sounds equally absurd.

Neon’s virtual digital people behave like most real humans by showing emotions and intelligence, and the video chatbots are designed to look and act like you and me – but they’re not smart assistants, so they can’t tell you the rugby scores or play you music. Instead they have real conversations, form memories and learn new skills. They can act as teachers, financial advisors, spokespeople or TV presenters.

So we’re being made redundant? Great.

Belkin out the tunes

BELKIN SOUNDFORM ELITE You may have heard the news that fancy French audio firm Devialet collaborated with Huawei on a HomePod-esque smart speaker. Now it’s packing the same 360° audio tech into another such device, from Belkin – only this one has a wireless charger on the top. And unlike the Huawei Sound X, the Soundform Elite isn’t solely being released in China with a Chinese voice butler, making Belkin’s Google Assistant speaker the first to be widely available with Devialet hardware. The SAM (Speaker Active Matching) tech is designed to reduce distortion at higher volumes – and as anyone familiar with Devialet’s Phantom series will know, loud is very much its forte. R5 300 / belkin.com

Well, it’s been on the cards for a while, hasn’t it? Samsung insists Neons will be our friends, collaborators and companions. They can borrow traits from real people and look and sound similar, but can’t be exact copies of existing humans. So that’s alright then.

Who’s making these rules up?

We’re not entirely sure, but the project comes from the mysterious Samsung Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) lab that Stuff columnist Matthew Griffin mentioned in our 101st issue. Whether you find it exciting or sinister, there’s something very ‘uncanny valley’ here, where the uncomfortably familiar becomes sinister, eerie and slightly repulsive – and so we reserve the right to kill it with fire.

S T R E A M Lawyers, strangers, spies, and computer wizards make up just a few of the characters in this month’s new on-demand shows and films

Treadstone

The Stranger

The Deuce

A spin-off from the Jason Bourne movie series, Treadstone delves into the murky world of CIA black ops, in particular the creation of a gaggle of elite sleeper-agent assassins who don’t even know that they’re elite sleeper-agent assassins. Expect bone-crunching bust-ups, shadowy spymasters and conflicted killers. S1 / Amazon Prime Video

American crime novelist Harlan Cobenhasbeenresponsibleforthe deaths of an awful lot of trees, but thanks to this new Netflix series you don’t have to be a big reader to delve into his gripping works. StarringRichardArmitageasaman discovering dark secrets about his loved ones, it’s perfect eye-fodder for these long winter nights. S1 / Netflix

David Simon’s follow-up to The Wire might not quite have grabbed us by the short and curlies quite as tightly, but its sleazy, scuzzy recreation of ’70s and ’80s New York, packed with small-time hustlers and hoodlums, will secure it a spot in the TV annals. This third and final season should tie everything up nice and neatly. S3 / Showmax

The Righteous Gemstones

Mr Robot

Better Call Saul

We’re up to the 400 codes now in the excellent techno-thriller series starring Freddie Mercury Rami Malek, which unfortunately brings the vigilante hacker’s antics to a close. Happily, the series won’t pull a Game of Thrones and should keep you mighty engaged until the finale, which… well, we can’t spoil that for you. S4 / Showmax

Who’d a thunk it? What started off as the Breaking Bad spin-off nobodyaskedfor,aboutacharacter nobody cared about, has become the best show on Netflix, tracing a brilliantly compelling character arc. Anditfinisheswiththisfifthseason, in which loveable Jimmy McGill will complete his metamorphosis into theslimySaulGoodman.Sadtimes. S5 / Netflix

DannyMcBrideisathisbestonthe small screen, with Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals proving him a world leader at playing the oafish clown we somehow end up rooting for. Made by the same team as those rough diamonds, this new series sees him enter the world of televangelism. Praise the Lord! S1 / Showmax

Executive-produced by Jordan Peele and starring Al Pacino (such a genuine movie star that he’s only appeared in three TV series in a career that began over 50 years ago), this Amazon Prime original looks like a combination of The Boys and The Boys from Brazil. Set in 1970s New York, it concerns a ragtag crew of Nazi-hunters striving to foil a heinous terrorist plot and prevent the arrival of a Fourth Reich. Violent, funny and triumphantly stylish, Hunters looks in good shape to be Amazon’s TV highlight of 2020.

DO M N’ TH ISS T IS

Hunters S1 / Amazon Prime Video

Mercedes-Benz EQC

WHISTLE WHILE YOU MERC Charging time is around 40 minutes from a rapid 110kW outlet, so you’ll want to top it up at home when you can.

Rtba (Q3 2020) / mercedes-benz.co.za

What’s this? Mercedes taking a shot at electric propulsion? Yep, and you’d better get used to it. SomeR172bn has been invested in its electric vehicle programme, so you can expect a lot more battery-powered Mercs to come in the future. This is the very first: an all-electric SUV that looks surprisingly like lots of other high-riding German machines.

How does it drive? The ride is nothing short of fantastic – and this is one of the quietest, most refined places to while away the motorway miles this side of a Bentley. That said, it can smash the 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.1 seconds. The surge of acceleration produced by electric cars like this is addictive – even if it is a heavy bugger in the corners.

Is it just a GLC with a couple of Duracells stuffed in the back? Not exactly, because the platform has been altered quite a bit to house an 80kWh lithium-ion battery pack and two electric motors – one mounted to the front axle and the other at the rear. That’s becoming quite the ubiquitous setup, but here it offers a scintillating 403bhp and 760Nm from the moment you stamp on the throttle, as well as a claimed range of between 370km and 415km on a charge.

Ah, so best avoid the race circuits? Definitely. This isn’t a performance machine – it just strives to make everyday life that bit smoother. The constantly connected and voice-activated MBUX infotainment system, for example, will calculate remaining range and adjust navigation accordingly, informing you where to stop for a charge. The twin screens are stunning and the overall interior ambience is top-notch. This isn’t as flashy as a Tesla, but plenty of people will probably quite like that.

NEWS DASHBOARD

YES, IT’S AN EXTENDER!

Proof that electric racing programmes pay their way comes with a recent software update for the existing Jaguar I-Pace, which sees range extended by 20km after plugging it into a dealer’s computer. This is thanks to “advanced technical insights” from the I-Pace eTrophy race machine.

DRIVING HOME FOR CRISPNESS

McLaren has just unveiled what is arguably the closest thing you’ll get to a race car for the road without attracting unwanted attention from the law. The 620R, which will go into limited production this year, is essentially a 570S GT4 with creature comforts and more power.

THE NOBLE SAVIC

This two-wheeled treat is an electric motorcycle from Australian outfit Savic that takes cool retro styling and blends it with cutting-edge battery tech. Available in three power outputs, it manages a 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds and can return up to 200km on a charge.

FIRST TEST BOWERS & WILKINS PX7

R7 700 / takealot.com

or most people, choosing a pair of noise-cancelling headphones comes down to a toss-up between Sony, Sennheiser and Bose. But you’d be doing your ears a real disservice if you ignored Bowers & Wilkins. B&W had its first crack at noise-cancelling two years ago

with the PXs, and immediately looked as surprisingly at ease among its more experienced competitors as Sheffield United do in the Premier League. And now we have a successor in the PX7 model, promising improved noise-cancelling and even better sound. If those original PXs were ‘business class only’ cans, the

PX7s are happy to slum it in economy. That they look ever so slightly less premium isn’t meant as an insult, though. They’re chunky and spongy, the metal arms have been swapped for carbon fibre, and the flush-sitting silver B&W badge looks mighty fine. Downsides? They don’t fold away like some big headphones;

instead you twist the cups to lie flat in the relatively chunky carry case. It’s hardly a deal-breaker, but there are more compact options for travel. Also, we’re quite fond of the touch-sensitive controls used by Sony and Bose, but you’ll find no such witchcraft here, just buttons. Still, do the PX7s press ours?

FIRST TEST BOWERS & W

Power rangers

The PX7s’ most notable feature is hard to remember after a few drinks: aptX Adaptive. As well as the hi-res streaming capabilities of aptX HD, the new codec also offers dynamic low latency to ensure the sound in movies and games stays in perfect sync.

Transformers

You can toggle noise-cancellation between low, high and an auto mode that adjusts itself according to your environment. The lowest setting is perfect for blocking out the office rabble without cutting yourself off completely; on high, it’s just you and your tunes.

Thundercats

The old PXs were some of the best-sounding noise-cancellers on the market; the PX7s are even better. The proprietary 43.6mm drivers are the largest in B&W’s headphone collection, and their power is immediately evident when you start listening to music.

Ninja turtles

Like their predecessor, the PX7s can automatically sense when the wearer has removed them from their head, pausing music and resuming it when they’re put back on. It works perfectly, and the sensitivity can be adjusted in the B&W app.

Care bears

If you want the most balanced and detailed performance, Sony’s WH-1000XM3s still haven’t been topped – but the PX7s are so much fun that it’s hard to imagine anyone being disappointed. And if you’re a bass junkie, these are the ones to go for.

Good Meh Evil

T ar he e f ea ar rc co up m sa fie nd r t lig W ha h bu e’d n t ter tto p he ov r e ns fe ol er d P all ,t rt ho o Xs bu ug uc . ild h h T . co w he nt he ap ro ls n w tX ov A at d er ch ap ing tiv N Ne e c sk o s tfl od i ill gn ix ec of a on w th l dr an ork e n op iP s w ew ou ho e t s co h ne ll So de er . to m c. e – o e m am an uc b ot h, ie he bu nt r ti m t’s od T ha es in sk t nd am te sk le p gr , d w lif at th io er el y no n o e’ l h is s er e f a no e. ny v o ki ic nd e . as sis ta B& nt ou W t o ’s f t en he gi se ne m ers as h siv av Ba ed et Ra ss riv une ge oo er d t ’s m s. he pu p nc h is he hy p ll Bu art i lle cu t i lar So n t ly bu ni he ev t t ca he ide he lly ad nt hig the . in h f y’r re e o qu n en th cie e w s a ar re me n’t r lo side st , .

24 hours with the Bowers& Wilkins PX7s

10mins 15mins 45mins 28

1hr

2hrs

3hrs

5hrs

6hrs

8hrs

FIRST TEST BOWERS & WILKINS PX7

Techspecs Drivers 43.6mm Connectivity Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX Adaptive, 3.5mm jack, USB-C Mics 4x ANC, 2x telephony Battery life Up to 30 hours Weight 310g

Button chops You don’t get tippy-tappy touch controls here, but the B&Ws’ proddable bits are nicely done…

2 ■ Fish fingers

■ Frozen peace

■ Side orders

■ Break out the port

Pressing the single button on the headphones’ left cup lets you skip through the three noise-cancelling modes. It’s easy enough to locate this without having to fish about too much.

Z m ack ae ’s lst vo ro ca m ls of so Kn ar Ba ow ab en tt yo ove ou ery ur th gh lif en e m fo e is em u ra 3 0 w h y. sic ee o al A u k o rs ho rap fc – ur id om m s o 15 f li -m m ore ut th st in en ut ing an e i n . Th g ch tim a re e r lia we g e. e bl a br e t ring ha de sf n o te ive n t ctio he n Pa PX sen to ck s. so irk ing ri th a sm at we or th ek e ey e n do d n’ ba t f g, ol it’ di s nw sta ar rt ds ing .

Playback buttons are on the right earcup. Play, pause, skip track and volume controls are found on a triple-button strip, while the on/off slider also enables Bluetooth pairing mode.

17hrs

18hrs 20hrs

22hrs

24hrs

Press and hold that button for two seconds and it initiates ambient mode: effective for hearing how long your plane is delayed for without having to lift off your audio earmuffs and hear the crying kids.

On the underside of that right cup you’ll find a 3.5mm socket for wired listening and a USB-C port. B&W bundles a stereo cable, a USB lead and a storage case in the box.

The PX7s improve on B&W’s maiden noisecancelling effort in every way. The redesign places greater emphasis on comfort and these headphones are all the better for it, while noise-killing is as effective as you’ll find anywhere. Throw in the inclusion of aptX Adaptive and you’ve got quite a package. Oh, and they sound flipping good too.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★★ They’re not cheap, but Bowers & Wilkins has produced another fine pair of noise-cancelling cans 29

STUFF AWARDS 2019

STUFF AWARDS 2019 I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

The gadgety hits just keep on coming, and it’s down to us – with some vital input from you, Stuff’s discerning readers – to decree which are the year’s very best 30

STUFF AWARDS 2019

PHONE OF THE YEAR

A PP L E i PH O N E 11 P R O from R22 000 / myistore.co.za The iPhone 11 Pro might not have 5G or a pop-up camera, or fold in half, but Apple has never been one for gimmicks. This triple-cam powerhouse feels like the handset that Tim Cook and co have been building towards since the iPhone X launched: an exquisitely designed phone that excels in every department. From the phenomenal A13 chip and practical battery life (finally!) to the best-in-class camera

and mindblowing new Night Mode, the iPhone 11 Pro performs just as a R22 000+ smartphone should, even if it can still be hard to stomach spending that much on one. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about Donald Trump having a tantrum and rendering all its apps useless. NOMINEES ● Apple iPhone 11 ● Samsung Note 10 ● Huawei P30 Pro ● Samsung Galaxy S10+

● Still of the night

Apple really upped its game with the new triple-camera system, and Night Mode beats Google at its own low-light game.

● ● Star of the sliver screen

The Dolby Atmos speakers are really impressive for a phone. Find some Dolby Vision or HDR10 content and it’s streaming heaven.

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

STUFF AWARDS 2019

BUDGET SMARTPHONE OF THE YEAR

NOKI A 7. 2 R6 300 / hmdglobal.com

READER PHO E OF THE YEAR

SA M S UN G GAL A X Y N OT E 10 PL US from R20 000 / samsung.com/za

Vanilla anything sounds bland and boring but that’s not the case for Android. And Nokia’s 7.2, our budget smartphone winner, is a proud member of the Android One herd, featuring an OS as Google intended, guaranteed support for at least a couple of years, and hardware that belies the budget price. Its 6.3in display sports an unobtrusive teardrop notch, round back is a triple-camera setup, with Nokia’s fabled Zeiss optics, a 48MP sensor and an LED flash. There’s enough battery to keep you going and, of course, the price-tag is intended to make sure you can still afford food at month-end.

NOMINEES Xiaomi Mi 9 ● Huawei Y5 ● Google Pixel 3a ● Samsung Galaxy A50 ● Motorola G8 Plus

●

The best smartphone in the world is an argument that always sparks controversy. There’s always a portion of the world convinced that we’re wrong, so we opted to let you tell us what you thought the best of 2019 really was. And the answer surprised us. We gave you a whole mess of the best devices on the planet, as well as a couple of wild-cards, to choose from and the result was Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 Plus – their most expensive device to date. Also one of their most featurerich, so we totally understand the appeal.

●

NOMINEES Apple iPhone 11 & iPhone 11 Pro ● LG G9X ● Huawei P30 Pro ● Nokia 7.2

STUFF AWARDS 2019

SMART HOME GADGET OF THE YEAR

A M A ZO N EC HO S HOW 5 R2 400 / audicoonline.co.za She appeared in the toilet, in the microwave and, thanks to Amazon’s Echo Frames, sitting on our faces. Yes, 2019 was the year Alexa got everywhere – but when it comes to controlling smart home devices, it’s the Echo Show 5 that’s on discerning worktops. A smaller version of its 10in namesake and a rival to Google’s Nest Hub, Lenovo’s Smart Clock and, whether it was meant to be or not,

Amazon’s own Echo Spot, the Echo 5’s feature set and low price point make it the Echo Dot of smart displays. The shrunken screen fits into our lives more easily but still lets us to fall back on a visual interface when Alexa isn’t enough. For sheer value, this is the best of the smart displays. NOMINEES ● Arlo Ultra ● Amazon Echo Dot with Clock ● Google Nest Hub ● Google Nest Mini

● Alexa, close your eyes

The 5.5in display is good enough for viewing news bulletins from across the room, and if you don’t like the camera it can easily be disabled.

Alexa, call the doctor

●●

The screen has added benefits for Alexa skills, like workouts with pictures of how to do the exercise you’re about to be humbled by.

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

STUFF AWARDS 2019

HEADPHONES OF THE YEAR

S O N Y W F-1 0 0 0X M 3 R4 000 / sony.co.za Alongside scary clowns, eco-protestors and ‘influencers’, there was no escaping true wireless earphones in 2019. And once we found a pair that would stay in place longer than it took to say ‘extinction rebellion’, some of them actually sounded good. Sony topped this category in 2018 with its noise-cancelling WH-1000XM3 over-ears, so when they told us a pair of buds with the same I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

ambient-sound-destroying tech were on the way we got rather excited… and boy, they did not disappoint. Put plainly, any music played through the XM3s sounds superb, the ANC delivers dutifully… and they stay right where you want them. NOMINEES Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 ● Bose NCH 700 ● Apple AirPods Pro ● Libratone Track Air+ ●

● World shut your mouth

Sony’s QN1e processor doubles as a DAC and amp while providing ANC with very little power consumption. A killer combo.

Back in your box

●●

Combined with their charging case, the XM3s are good for up to 32hrs’ play, while Bluetooth 5.0 keeps a reliable wireless connection.

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STUFF AWARDS 2019

TV OF THE YEAR

S A M S U N G Q 90R from R54 000 / samsung.com/za We’re going to say it here – in recent years LG’s dominated the category. Why the change? Well, in 2019, Samsung’s Q90R brought the fight to LG. Deep blacks merged with improved viewing angles to create a QLED TV unlike any we’ve seen. And we’re including Samsung’s own 8K sets – the Q90R might ‘only’ be 4K but we’d take one of these over the 8K panels right now. Because 8K is not here yet.

Samsung also outdid itself with its native audio. For a screen this good you’re going to want a soundbar, but Adaptive Sound is a audio pleaser. Samsung’s gone all-in on HDR support, up to HDR10+, plus Samsung’s OS is chock-full of features to make your lounge feel even smarter. NOMINEES ● LG 65C9PVA ● LG SM9500PUA ● Samsung Q900R 8K ● Skyworth S9A

Quantum Leap

●

Samsung’s Quantum Processor 4K is a scaled down version of its big-boy upscaler that does just as good a job fixing so-so content.

● ● Remote Access

The traditional TV remote has been simplified and Bixby, that chap from your smartphone, lives in the screen to make life ever simpler.

STUFF AWARDS 2019

TV GADGET OF THE YEAR

STREAMING SERVICE OF THE YEAR

S ENNHEI SER AM BEO SO UN DBA R

N E T F L IX

R52 300 / mitechdirect.co.za

from R99/month / netflix.com

Most soundbars that claim to support Dolby’s sound-bouncing Atmos tech can’t dream of coming close to a proper surround-sound system – but Sennheiser’s whopping Ambeo bar has the necessary oomph to fill a room. The 13 drivers are bigger than most soundbars, plus the sub is built in, hence the unprecedented heft, but that’s what gives the 500-Watt amp so much to work with. The result is a big black box that can genuinely compete with a 5.1 system for scale, separation and sophistication. If you’ve got a TV big enough for it to live under, this could just be the best soundbar ever.

As Disney and Apple wade in with their bottomless piles of cash, Netflix’s dominance of the streaming market will no doubt be tested in 2020. But the new players are going to need more than superheroes and Jennifer Aniston to unseat the king. From brilliant debuts like Russian Doll and Sex Education to returning favourites like Stranger Things, GLOW and BoJack Horseman, Netflix remains untouchable when it comes to original programming. And that’s before we even mention the remarkable mini-series When They See Us or Scorsese’s melancholic gangster epic The Irishman, which landed on Netflix just days after its cinema release.

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NOMINEES Nvidia Shield TV ● Amazon Fire TV Cube ● Samsung HW-N950 ● Sonos Beam

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NOMINEES Amazon Music HD ● Amazon Prime Video ● Spotify ● Showmax

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

STUFF AWARDS 2019

MOBILE GAME OF THE YEAR

JUM PGR I D R52 / Android

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NOMINEES Sky: Children of the Light ● Vectronom ● Bad North: Jotunn Edition ● Pigeon Wings Strike

P IX E L M ATO R P H OTO

R50 / iOS

Some games take no prisoners. But you get the feeling Jumpgrid would take them and eat them, given half a chance. At its core there’s a beating black heart of fury, fused to a stripped-back neon nightmare that recalls both Frogger and Pac-Man. Your task is simple: jump from point to point on a tiny grid, grabbing the spinning cubes at its edges, and make for the exit. But countless geometric shapes lurch and whirl, all too eager to smash you to pieces. The game is staccato. You’ll die – often. The ‘boss’ levels will reduce you to tears. But also, you’ll fast recognise the white-knuckle ride of Jumpgrid as mobile’s greatest twitch arcade game.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L APP OF THE YEAR

R80 / iPad Modern digital darkrooms afford you plenty of control, but frankly, who has the time? This app has been trained on 20 million professional photos so it can do the work for you, fixing any snap with a tap. You might wear a sceptical expression on reading that. Fair enough – most automation of this sort is garbage. But with the odd exception, this app is astonishingly good at tweaking colours and making your pics look balanced and beautiful. And if you do prefer to be in the driving seat, a host of sliders and buttons will hurl you down an hours-deep rabbit-hole of transforming even the most basic image into a masterpiece.

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NOMINEES Moodflow ● EōN by Jean-Michel Jarre ● David Bowie Is ● NanoStudio 2

STUFF AWARDS 2019 1

LAPTOP OF THE YEAR

HUAWEI MATEBOOK X PRO from R30 000 / consumer.huawei.com Hanging out with Huawei is a confusing business while Donald Trump is the school bully. Google still can’t pass notes, but for Microsoft it’s study-buddy sessions and swapping packed lunches. That’s good news for Huawei’s laptops division amid rumours it was considering exiting the PC market. Even better, we’ve deemed this Windows laptop, the MateBook X Pro, our preferred

portable typewriter. There wasn’t much wrong with the old X Pro, but beefier innards and neat NFC tricks have made the 2019 version an even more tempting proposition, powerful enough to mix it with a playground of MacBook Pros. NOMINEES ● Apple MacBook Pro ● Dell XPS 13 ● Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 ● Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

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Flairy liquid

The real star of the show here is a 13.9in display with 3000x2000 resolution. Don’t let the lack of an OLED put you off, because this LCD pops plenty.

●●

Kill-it bang

The 2019 model features Intel Core i5 or i7 CPUs that benchmark 10% quicker than the old version, and a Fortnite-ready Nvidia MX250 graphics card.

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

STUFF AWARDS 2019 2

GAMING GADGET OF THE YEAR

OC UL U S QUE ST from R11 500 / cybertrek.co.za This was the year when VR started to get interesting – and that’s mainly down to the Oculus Quest. Sure, there are more powerful headsets out there, but nobody has come close to nailing the marriage of ease-of-use and functionality that Oculus managed with its latest piece of hardware. This all-in-one VR system is totally wireless and packed with sensors that can track your

movements in virtual space, meaning jumping into a game of Beat Saber or Superhot VR really is as easy as sliding the headset over your face, grabbing the excellent Touch Controllers and pressing the ‘on’ button. If not for limited battery life, there’d be little reason to return to reality. NOMINEES Nintendo Switch Lite ● Asus ROG Phone 2 ● Sega Mega Drive Mini ● Nintendo Labo VR ●

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Sky walker

The Quest offers six degrees of freedom (6DoF) and inside-out tracking so it can follow you precisely and save you from bumping into the walls.

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Panel beta

An OLED panel with 1440x1600 per eye isn’t just a spec bump on the Oculus Go; it’s also higher than you’ll find on some ultra-premium headsets.

STUFF AWARDS 2019

GAME OF THE YEAR

CAR OF THE YEAR

RES IDE N T EVI L 2

JAG UAR I- PAC E

from R400 / PS4, Xbox One, PC

from R1.7 million / jaguar.co.za

The fact that the reimagining of a 21-year-old title has won this award might seem to indicate a slow year for games. But Resident Evil 2 is so much more than a remake. Capcom rebuilt its PS classic from the ground up using RE7’s RE engine, replacing the old static camera angles with a modern third-person over-the-shoulder view. It looks and feels fantastic, without sacrificing any of the original’s unbearable tension and jump scares. Whether you’re scribbling down codes to help you with a puzzle, kneecapping zombies or just running as fast as your legs will allow (note: not very fast) from the nightmarish Mr X, Resident Evil 2 is never less than a thrill ride.

There was only one logical choice for Stuff ’s Car of the Year – a so-called family vehicle out of reach of all but the financially well-endowed. That’s a bit to do with Jag’s Powerway, a series of charging stations connecting major cities in South Africa. Mostly, though, it’s the intestine-shriveling acceleration this highway heavyweight has at its disposal, the massive amount of interior comfort you’ll find yourself wrapped in, and that absolutely gorgeous sunroof. If you need numbers, it’ll do 0-100km/h in 4.5s, tops out at 200km/h (that’s limited), and has a 470km range on a charge. Drive one. You won’t want to get out till it’s yours.

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NOMINEES Death Stranding ● Super Mario Maker 2 ● Gears 5 ● Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

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NOMINEES Tesla Model S ● Ford Mustang 5.0 L GT ● BMW X7 ● Volvo XC60

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

STUFF AWARDS 2019 1

AUDIO GADGET OF THE YEAR

S ON O S M O VE R8 000 / sonos.co.za Paint the top half-inch of a Sonos Move white and it’d bear a startling resemblance to a pint of Guinness – which is appropriate considering how long we’ve had to wait for them to make the thing. But as common sense tells us, that’s how you get good things… and the first portable Sonos has certainly been worth the wait. At home on your Wi-Fi network it delivers the same seamless performance and superb I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

sound you’d expect from any Sonos speaker, but take the Move outside and its built-in battery, hefty construction and specially tuned outdoor mode make it a punchy performer that’s more than capable of getting your garden party started. Well, maybe not in winter… NOMINEES Amazon Echo Studio ● Naim Mu-so 2 ● B&W Formation Wedge ● UE Wonderboom 2

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● Bass extra smooth

Over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or AirPlay 2, music is handled by a 16-bit/44.1kHz DAC, feeding a main mids/bass driver and a tweeter.

Mild and bitter

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Built for all sorts of nastiness, the Move’s ‘shadow’ black finish is IP56-rated to beat off cold, humidity, rain, salt-spray, dust and mustard.

Reduce your monthly Vodacom contract payments at iStore.

Trade-in and upgrade to iPhone 11 | 64GB from only

R519PM

When you trade-in your iPhone X Vodacom Smart XS+ Deals valid from 7 February till 4 March 2020. Ts & Cs apply.

STUFF AWARDS 2019

CAMERA OF THE YEAR

ACTION GADGET OF THE YEAR

FU JIFIL M X-T3 0

DJ I M AV IC M IN I

R14 000 (body only) / fujifilm.co.za

R7 000 / dji.com

If you picked up the photographic special in the September 2019 issue of Stuff – work of art, wasn’t it? If you didn’t, grab a back copy, because it’ll turn you into a semi-pro snapper in no time. In short, 2019 was the year mirrorless cameras went mainstream and began digging a shallow grave for the dear old DSLR. And standing there, shovel in hand, is the X-T30. Panasonic and Sony might be bigger mirrorless players, while Canon and Nikon have finally got serious, but the X-T30 is a stark reminder of how well Fuji goes about its business. Image quality is superb and it’s designed to give you plenty of control at your fingerprints, all with a sub-R15 000 price tag.

Owning a drone used to be easy: buy drone, find open space, take off. But since some people can’t be trusted with the power of flight, any UAV weighing over 250g now has to be registered with various authorities. A total pain in the gimbal, right? Not for the Mavic Mini: it weighs precisely 249g, so you can take to the skies at your leisure. That would mean nothing if this foldable quadcopter had all the flying talents of an overweight Icarus; but with its 30-minute flight time, and handy QuickShot flightpaths to help you get the most out of a camera that shoots 12MP stills and 2.7K video, it has everything the casual aerial auteur could need.

NOMINEES Sony A6100 ● Canon EOS RP ● Nikon Z50 ● Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

NOMINEES GoPro Hero8 Black ● Parrot Anafi ● DJI Osmo Pocket ● Insta360 One X

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STUFF AWARDS 2019

WEARABLE OF THE YEAR

A P PL E WAT CH S E R IE S 5 from R8 000 / myistore.co.za Imagine if you could never go to sleep. Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? So imagine how it feels to be an Apple Watch S5. Not only do you spend all day passing on messages, reading heartbeats and acting as a personal trainer – you also have to keep your screen on all the time in case your owner wants to know the time. Apple’s fifth smartwatch might only be a minor upgrade compared to last year’s model;

but when that upgrade quite significantly changes the way you use it, and meanwhile watchOS 6 brings a stack of handy new features and changes, the best wearable on the market is now even better. NOMINEES Garmin Fenix 6 ● Bose Frames ● Huawei Watch GT 2 ● Samsung Galaxy Watch Active ●

● Go west, young man

Go out on a limb

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As well as GPS, the S5 has a proper compass should you lose all sense of direction. Incline, latitude and longitude are also shown.

A dedicated App Store on the Watch itself means you no longer need to download apps on your iPhone then sync them across.

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

STUFF AWARDS 2019

GADGET OF THE YEAR

O C U L U S QU E ST Insults were hurled, defences were mounted and once-unbreakable bonds disintegrated. And that was just deciding which pub to go to. Once we got there, the big debate to settle on our overall Gadget of the Year began in earnest. While we saw stonkingly great TVs and near-flawless phones aplenty in 2019, we had to award the big prize to a true game-changer. Proper virtual reality has for too long been associated with messy cables, an awkward

setup process and hulking PCs you can’t afford. Not any more. Contained in this faff-free headset is all the tech you need to visit alien planets and fantasy kingdoms in between walking the dog and taking the rubbish out. Games look brilliant, the library keeps growing and the room-scale tracking just works. The Quest is one of the finest gadgets we’ve ever had the joy of using, and has the best chance yet of bringing VR to the masses.

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Games room

Every category winner is up for Gadget of the Year, but truly untethered VR – tracking across up to 4000ft2 with no wires – was too cool to ignore.

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Hands free

We’re big fans of the Touch Controllers, but who needs ’em? An experimental new feature allows the headset itself to track hand movements.

STUFF AWARDS 2019

READERS’ GADGET OF THE YEAR

DJI M AVI C M I N I R7 000 / dji.com

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D

Resident Evil 2

It’s hard to believe that a remake booted every other game out of the way to take our top spot. It’s a fine testament to Capcom’s series that this classic feels fresh and alive in a way its residents just don’t.

Apple iPhone 11 Pro The 11 Pro is Apple’s emphatic answer to those saying it has fallen behind in the smartphone war. It’s insanely fast and long-lasting, and packs possibly the best trio of cameras on any phone.

Just about all of our category winners were eligible for the Reader Gadget of the Year, though we threw in a wrinkle this time – we also gave you the option to submit your own contender, in case we missed something. Turns out, we didn’t. And nor did you, as the voting showed. It was a close race between the top three but in the end only one could come out on top. Appropriate then that it was the only one that also has the ability to fly. DJI’s Mavic Mini is your worthy winner for 2019.

NOMINEES Apple iPhone 11 Pro ● Apple Watch Series 5 ● Huawei Matebook X Pro ● Jaguar I-Pace ● Nokia 7.2 ● Oculus Quest ● Sennheiser Ambeo ● Sonos Move

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H :

There are two types of people in this world: psycho types who arrange their apps in folders, and those of us who arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t planning on killing any time soon. Whichever you are, know that the spaces on your homescreen are there to be filled â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and these are the essentials to stick there. 49

100 BEST APPS NOW ADD THIS

Don’t need multiple lenses? Buy a single lens and clip for around R400.

PIXELMATOR PHOTO Trained on millions of pro shots, Pixelmator Photo lets you fix your photos with the prod of a button. It beats all rivals, subtly adjusting lighting to make your snaps shine; and if you feel the need, you can then leap into a world of adjustment sliders and buttons. Essential, unless all your pix are perfect already. R80 / iPad

OLLOCLIP If you’ve even a reasonably recent iPhone or Android phone, chances are it’s got a decent camera. But by adding Olloclip hardware, it can do much more. This modular system is a breeze to set up, and enables you to quickly boost your phone’s telephoto capabilities, get up close and personal via macro lenses, go oddball with fisheye, grab more of a scene with ultra-wide, and take things to the next level with the high-end Pro Lens series. kits from R1 600 / olloclip.com

GRAPHITE BY BECASSO

MOMENT PRO CAMERA

There are so many apps that turn stills into virtual art that yet another one risks making the eyes glaze over. But give Graphite a go. Its sketch filters are among the best we’ve seen on mobile, and the pro IAPs let you fiddle around with the results you get, so you can pretend that you too are an artist. Free (IAPs) / iOS

This manual camera has been on iOS for over a year, but now it’s also on Android. There are controls for shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus, and you can bling up the viewfinder with focus peak highlights. And how have you managed up to now without anamorphic desqueezing? R67 / Android R100 / iOS

CLIPS Apple’s social video app has always favoured the unreal, having you create selfie videos set in immersive 3D scenes. The blurring of fiction and reality continues apace with the latest major update, which replaces your beautiful face with a range of Animoji or a custom Memoji. Soon the app won’t need you at all. Free / iOS

100 BEST APPS

FILMIC FIRSTLIGHT There are echoes of Snapseed in this stills snapper. Like Google’s app, it has an emphasis on gestural control, letting you swipe across and upwards to set focus and exposure. There’s a lot beneath the surface too, with custom functions and analogue-style filters if you’re prepared to pay R20 a month. from Free / iPhone

PIXALOOP

DUETCAM

SPECTRE

Cinemagraph apps, where you freeze all but one bit of a video, are common; but Pixaloop works in reverse, creating animations from stills. It doesn’t work with every shot, but with a few taps and drags, landscapes can have billowing clouds and flowing water, candles can flicker, and hair can wave in the breeze. from Free / Android, iOS

As if there were any doubt about how ludicrously powerful modern iPhones are, DuetCam enables you to shoot using both cameras at once. So whether recording an interview or capturing your reactions to an event, you’ll get two videos, which you can later edit into something amazing. R50 / iPhone

This app’s creators have form in the camera space, also being responsible for the excellent Halide. Spectre is far more focused, using its computing smarts to shoot long exposures. It’s perfect for creating rivers of light, or removing pesky crowds from otherwise perfect tourist shots – as long as you have a tripod. R50 / iPhone

SHOOT SMART

Power up your phone’s camera with apps to snap away like the star photographer/cinematographer you always knew you were

ADOBE PREMIERE RUSH

APOLLO: IMMERSIVE

Adobe’s video editor finally coming to Android is a big deal for anyone working across platforms. Although Android has desktop-grade video editors, this app is designed for you to do basic work on your phone then transfer the results to your actual desktop. Top stuff for pros – or anyone aspiring to hit Hollywood. Free / Android, iOS

Portrait mode on iOS captures depth information, and Apollo makes use of that to assign realistic lighting effects in post. During the last year, realism was ramped up significantly with individual light sources casting real-time shadows. The results can transform even the most mundane snap into an atmospheric wonder. R50 / iPhone 51

100 BEST APPS

ANGRY BIRDS AR: ISLE OF PIGS Catapulting birds at egg-stealing pigs in ramshackle houses seems quaint in a mobile gaming universe that features Fortnite. But this AR take has made Angry Birds interesting again: being able to consider shots from any angle results in deeper, more engaging play. Free / Android, iOS

MINECRAFT EARTH Having taken over the gaming world for kids of a certain age, Minecraft now has its sights set on the real world too. In what amounts to ‘Minecraft meets Pokemon Go’, this AR title has you place your life-size creations on streets and in parks, and then team up with other builders for mini adventures. Free / Android, iOS

BIG BANG AR Probably not the greatest option for big-headed people, this app from CERN recreates the birth of the universe in your hand. After a suitably sizeable explosion, stars and planets form before your very eyes, while Tilda Swinton narrates. And when it’s all done, you get to take a selfie, because of course you do. Free / Android, iOS

DAVID BOWIE IS If you couldn’t get to the blockbuster exhibition in the real world, or couldn’t see much because tall people stood in your way, this app transforms the entire thing into a desktop AR experience. With costumes, sketches and nearly 40 songs, it’s a fitting hightech tribute. R145 / Android R150 / iOS

NOW ADD THIS

REBOOT REALITY

SPIGEN ARMOR CASE When you’re faffing about in virtual vistas, it’s easy to blunder into something solid and let your phone tumble to the ground. To avoid subsequently embarking on an expensive repair, buy your phone a decent case first. If you want something properly rugged, Spigen has a wide range of tough cases designed for many modern phones. from R200 / spigen.com

WANNA KICKS There’s a point with tech when you might wonder if you’re being a bit lazy; with Wanna Kicks, you’ve sailed way beyond that point. Rather than trying on actual shoes in a shop, this AR app enables you to try on trainers in AR and shoot video to share with friends. Just don’t forget these shoes aren’t real before heading out. Free / Android, iOS

When the real world’s not quite interesting enough, slap tiny digital universes on top of it with this selection of AR apps

100 BEST APPS

CLOSER

MELODY VR

Richie ‘Plastikman’ Hawtin gets you up close and personal at a selection of gigs as he gives a serious kicking to synths, decks and drum machines. You can switch viewpoints, turn channels on and off, and thereby DJ the DJ. Or something. Make sure you’ve loads of space, because the gig downloads are massive. Free / Android, iOS

Like concerts? Less enamoured with actually going to concerts? With Melody VR, you can plonk yourself in front of the stage at a range of gigs, or – if you’re feeling cheeky – right on the stage itself. Just don’t forget where you are and start air-guitaring in your shared flat. That’s not a good look for anyone. Free (IAPs) / Android, iOS

BRIAN ENO: REFLECTION Ambient music god Eno describes this work (co-created with Peter Chilvers) as like sitting by a river, in that it’s always the same but always changing. As with its abstract visual component, the shifts in sound are subtle and slow. It’s expensive, but infinite Eno can be perfect background fodder forever. R490 / iOS

SEQUENCE GROOVEBOX Android gets a rough deal with music-making, but Groovebox hits the spot with its mix of power and immediacy. You can build drum and synth loops on the fly or string them together to make songs. Whether you’re into soaring synths, ambient washes or heavy beats, it’s exellent. R105 / Android NOW ADD THIS

FEEL THE NOISE Make some music, or just smarten up the way you listen to other people’s, with these phone-based phunksters

IK MULTIMEDIA iRIG KEYS I/O

SPLASH – DIVE INTO MUSIC Pad-based systems for transforming you into a musical genius are nothing new. But Splash is a welcome addition due to its immediacy, solid and varied selection of loops… and being entirely free. Load it up, prod some buttons, and then dance behind a massive synth doing precisely nothing. Free / Android, iOS

Software on a touchscreen is all very well, but to be the next Howard Jones you’ll need an actual synth with keys to press and knobs to twiddle. The iRig Keys is a compact unit that ably does the job, and thoughtfully even includes a stand for your iPad. More of a virtuoso pianist than a synth smasher? Go for the 49-key edition (R6 800) instead. R3 500 / ikmultimedia.com

100 BEST APPS

SKY: CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT You remember Journey? Ambling about in a desert, sliding down hills, solving the odd puzzle? Well, this is that – only more so. And this time it’s gone massively multiplayer, so you can attempt to solve puzzles by making oddball parping gestures at other players. Free / Android, iOS

GRID AUTOSPORT Mobile racing has had arcade masterpieces like Need for Speed and Asphalt, but this AAA console hit puts proper racing in your mitts. To succeed here you’ll need to learn to drive, rather than just barrel along. It’s tough, but rewarding – at least when you can finally turn off the driving aids. R175 / Android, iOS

GRIS The painterly landscapes of Gris are a world away from Mario, helping this indie PC platformer to stand out on mobile. The mechanics might be familiar – run, jump, find objects to unlock stages – but this world is packed with detail, joyful moments and emotionallycharged set pieces that all add up to a memorable journey. R80 / iOS

ROME: TOTAL WAR If you like your RTS games truly epic, Rome: Total War gives you a crack at ruling the largest empire of the ancient world. Instead of tiny skirmishes, you send hundreds of bloodthirsty fighters into the fray, while also figuring out how to direct economic, civic and religious affairs elsewhere. R175 / Android, iOS

PLAY HARD

FOOTBALL MANAGER 2020 TOUCH Love repeatedly proving that you’d win every league in the world, given half a chance? Frustrated that you can’t lug your PC with Football Manager everywhere? This mobile take on Sega’s footie title brings across almost everything from the desktop original – but you’ll need hefty hardware to run it. R300 / Android, iPad 54

TELLING LIES Her Story made FMV essential, letting you unravel a mystery fromfragmentedvideosnippets. Telling Lies is a Hollywood take on that indie hit. This time, a stolen NSA database features four people with one big secret. It’s great on PC, but the game’s intimacy – and voyeurism wrongness – are really ramped up on mobile. R110 / iOS

If you want something like you’d get on a ‘proper’ games system on your phone, feast your eyes on these scaled-down gaming greats

100 BEST APPS NOW ADD THIS

BAD NORTH: JOTUNN EDITION The Vikings are coming – and they’re a bit murdery. In this RTS, you must mount a defence. Select groups of fighters and place them where they’re most effective; rinse, repeat, upgrade, and in the end you might just survive and eke out a victory that they’ll be talking about for centuries to come. R70 / Android ● R80 / iOS Colour options include several camo looks and an iPhone-like rose gold.

THE GARDENS BETWEEN A tale of friendship and time-travel, this tactile experience finds Arina and Frendt exploring dreamlike islands. When their paths are blocked, you manipulate cause and effect by moving objects until things start moving again. Although it began life on PC, this one makes more sense on a touchscreen. R80 / iOS

TROPICO First, Civ arrived on mobile – but now it’s Tropico’s turn in the sun, so you can discover how to be a despot. Only it’s not easy: it turns out stomping on people’s faces forever gets you killed, and so you must make the citizens love you by building the odd road and turning your island into a tourist paradise. from R180 / Android, iOS

WILLIAMS PINBALL Pinball Arcade was a big favourite on mobile, and it was a wrench when it lost the Williams Bally tables. But here, Zen Studios ramps up the visuals to almost desktop level. Ball-spanging on mobile has never been so eye-popping… even if the slapped-on freemium stuff leaves a bad taste. Free (IAPs) / Android, iOS

SONY DUALSHOCK 4 Sure, you could just flail about on a slippy touchscreen until your opponents punch your face in. Or you could recognise that many of these games arrived from PCs and consoles, and respond by arming yourself with a suitable wireless controller. Sony’s DualShock 4 is the best of them. It works with Android – and as of iOS 13, Apple finally gave in and added native DualShock support to its devices. As a bonus, almost every Apple Arcade game supports this controller as well. R1 200 / nexushub.co.za

100 BEST APPS NOW ADD THIS

The 42mm case is good for both sexes and houses a 1.3in OLED touchscreen.

MINDKEEPER Nobody would be mad enough to try and shove Doom inside an Apple Watch, right? Wrong. Kind of. In this auto-runner you use the Digital Crown to steer, but otherwise you really do barrel through a maze-like 3D environment filled with traps and horrors. And you start with only a torch to defend yourself with. R30 / watchOS

CHIRP

SKAGEN FALSTER 3 Skagen’s Danish-inspired smartwatches are full of Scandi minimalism, from their stylish design to the clean deliverance of Wear OS. The Falster 3 promises to be pretty unflappable too, with NFC, GPS, a heart-rate monitor and swim-proofing to 30 metres. New on this latest model is a speaker for taking calls, conversing with Google Assistant, getting audible translations or annoying commuters with your music. Rtba / skagen.com

If the idea of full-fat Twitter on your wrist gives you palpitations, maybe give this one a miss. But if you need instant access to a stream of 280-character posts and videos, plus your DMs, Chirp gives you everything you could want. Cough up for an IAP and you can even have your name in lights. Free (IAPs) / watchOS

WEAR AUDIO RECORDER Recording to your wrist sounds a bit Johnny English, but saving important conversations in the heat of the moment is easier when you don’t need to fumble with a phone. This audio recorder is simple to operate and can be synced with Google Drive so messages are easily stored and shared with MI7. Free / Wear OS

INFINITY LOOP Playing games on a smartwatch is a fiddly affair, but somehow Infinity Loop works wonderfully on Wear OS watches. This simple puzzler offers up a bunch of lines, leaving you to flip-reverse them until they form… yep, infinite loops, that look a bit like endless ballsacks. Less nauseating than it sounds. Free (IAPs) / Wear OS

100 BEST APPS

WHEN DO It’s too easy to forget important stuff way off in the future. This app lets you quickly define an event’s date and name, give it an icon, and then squirt the result into a Complication. Once that’s done, you’ll spot it whenever you check the time, reminding you of a future day of bliss – or an anniversary you mustn’t overlook. R20 / watchOS

WEAR GESTURE LAUNCHER Like filling your smartwatch with apps like a Hanoi scooter rider loads up livestock? Here you can tap on the right side of your touchscreen and draw gestures to launch an app. Add different gestures for different apps to shortcut your way to what you want without tapping the crown to death. Free / Wear OS

ASTEROID COMMANDO

SAMSUNG PAY Samsung ‘s payment system isn’t just on its smartphones; you’ll also find it on Samsung wearables. If you’re a fan of the ecosystem and happen to be near an NFC-enabled pay point, you can scoop your purchases with a swipe of your wrist. If not, there’s always MST and the phone app. Free / Tizen

This one more or less puts Asteroids on your wrist. Your spaceship helpfully moves and shoots on its own, and you twiddle the Digital Crown to steer. You must blow the rocks to bits before they crush you, grab power-ups, and occasionally pause to marvel at all this being on your wrist. Pac-Man next, please! R30 / watchOS

WEAR IT WELL Turns out that thing on your wrist is good for far more than just telling the time, as these tiny apps underline

LIFESUM

START WITH YOGA

A stripped-back version of the food-logging Android phone app, Lifesum helps you keep tabs on what you’re shoving down your cakehole (even if it actually is cake). Choose your breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner, select the size of the portion and correlate with the approximate number of calories. Mmm, cake… Free (IAPs) / Wear OS

Maybe you like the idea of yoga, but aren’t so keen on heading to a session where other people can effortlessly tie themselves in knots but you can barely touch your knees. This app has ten routines, and serves pictures to your wrist showing you what to do, along with providing a heart-rate monitor to prove you’re still alive. R50 / watchOS 57

100 BEST APPS

INFUSE PRO 6

WE FLIP

This video player continues to excel. It still pulls content from anywhere you point it at, and then seamlessly plays it on your Apple device. But now libraries sit in the cloud for full sync, on-demand subs are fully ad-free, and AirPlay 2 is supported. If the price-tag’s too rich, try the free but limited non-Pro version. R430 / iOS

Google’s been on a mission in recent months, pumping out a range of digital wellbeing experiments. Most fall under the ‘health’ banner, but We Flip is more fun. You and friends all flip a switch together, and if someone unlocks their phone, you can then check out how long you all lasted – and how many sneaky peeks occurred. Free / Android

MAGINARY Remember those books when you were a kid that clumsily inserted you into the story by adding your name? This is like that, but not rubbish. Through interactions with your device, you feel immersed in events – even the IAP unlock is part of the story. It’s a clever mash-up of narrative and mobile tech. from Free / iOS 58

Cs MUSIC PLAYER

POCKET CASTS

Apple’s Music app is now obsessed with Apple’s Music service, so Cs recalls the halcyon days when you could focus more on your collection. Its re-arrangeable tabs quickly get you to artists, albums and playlists, and tracks can be re-ordered with a prod or two. It all feels a bit retro, but in the best possible way. R40 / iOS

Podcasts are like the best bits of radio in a format you can enjoy at your leisure. Head to bit.ly/36EJLi9 for our picks, and use Pocket Casts to blast them into your ears. This premium app now lacks a price-tag but is still full of handy features, like silence trimming and speech boost for talky shows. Free / Android, iOS

CHILL, BABY

TVs? Stereos? Actual shops? How very last century. Everything you need to entertain yourself is in the palm of your hand…

PRIMEPHONIC The big streaming services have catalogues of classical music, but they weren’t built for classical. Primephonic was. It rethinks search for the genre, and emphasises discovery to help you broaden your horizons beyond the usual suspects. There’s great audio quality too: up to 24-bit lossless. R190/month / Android, iOS

100 BEST APPS

The basic HD model comes with 32GB of storage and a Siri remote.

MIXIMUM

ETSY

TRIODE

You can create playlists in the Music app, but they’re a bit basic. Miximum brings something closer to the desktop app Smart Playlists, letting you create dynamic custom mixes based on user-defined rules. Whether you want random 1980s tracks or audio bursts clocking in at under a minute, this app can help. Free / iPhone

It’s a fact that Amazon, Takealot and the like are killing stores. Now you could hunt down elegant, hand-crafted items in response or you can use your phone –the preferred approach these days. Etsy gives you access to an international market of stuff you won’t find elsewhere. Not even Amazon. Free / Android, iOS

Something’s rotten in the state of digital radio apps, which are mostly infested with IAPs and ads. Triode wants to take it all back to basics. You can quickly access stations and launch streams without the screen being covered in commerce. There is a premium tier, but merely to add favourites and sync across devices. Free / iOS

APPLE TV Yeah, we know – Apple’s little black box is overpriced, and you can get much cheaper gadgets from Roku or Amazon. But there’s no getting away from the Apple TV’s lush interface, and it’s a fantastic all-in-one video hub with the right apps installed – be that Infuse (our favourite), Plex, Netflix or Amazon Prime. Plus, add an Apple Arcade subscription and a PS4 controller and you’ve got a decent console too – and suddenly that price doesn’t seem like such bad value. from R3 000 / myistore.co.za

NIGHT SKY 7 Although not the most elegant iOS astronomy app (hello, Sky Guide), Night Sky is arguably the most feature-packed. Its revamped UI makes it a cinch to rapidly find any celestial body, which can then be plucked from the sky and perused in AR. Go premium and you can gawp at an AR orrery or partake in stargazing mindfulness. from Free / iOS

NOW ADD THIS 59

100 BEST APPS

LINEA SKETCH

FLOW BY MOLESKINE

This app reasons that you need just enough tools for optimum scribbling, rather than too many. Everything is within easy reach on three panels, and further help is at hand from grids, templates and ZipShapes that snap to regular polygons if your attempt at a circle or square goes a bit skew-whiff. R80 / iPad

The kings of chunky premium notebooks bring a suitably polished sketchpad to iOS. Taps add dots and lines to an endlessly scrolling canvas; tools sit at the screen’s edge, and can be tweaked then stashed to use later. Not bad, given that a year’s sub is less than buying a single Moleskine Classic notebook. R195/yr / iOS

PROCREATE 5 The best painting app on iPadOS expands your canvas in v5 by way of a revamped engine and a slew of new tools. The most important is Brush Studio, for crafting custom brushes and also importing Photoshop ones… which run faster than in Photoshop. There are great new tools for working with colour and animation as well. R150 / iPad

TAYASUI COLOR 2 At odds with the likes of Pigment and Lake, this colouring app eschews massive catalogues of pics and IAPs. Instead, a one-off purchase nets you a bunch of fine illustrations and some superb tools that feel realistic in every sense – and that extends to the noises they make when you’re laying down colour. R50 / iOS

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DARE TO DOODLE

APPLE PENCIL (2ND GEN) The original Apple Pencil stylus for iPad was great but flawed, what with its tendency to roll off the desk and the way it was charged. Its successor is better in every way: precise, charging by snapping its flat edge magnetically to the side of an iPad Pro, and with a double-tap area for triggering actions and selecting alternative tools. R2 600 / myistore.co.za

PHOTOSHOP FOR iPAD Photoshop for iPad fell short of the hype – claimed parity with the desktop release – but it does have full file compatibility with it, and is a solid foundation on which to build. Subscription pricing means Affinity Photo remains a better one-off buy, but if you have a Creative Cloud subscription already, grab this iPad take immediately. R190/month / iPad

Whether you have a masterpiece fit for the Goodman gallery or just want to sketch an idea down, these are the apps you need on your iPad

100 BEST APPS

APPY WEATHER Here’s a rarity: a Windows Phone app! Course, we’re only including it because it’s now on Android. But it’s properly good, with bold forecasting blocks set in a scrollable timeline that uses language normal humans can understand. Prefer conventional hourly/daily lists? You can swipe across to those. Free / Android

SPACE WEATHER REPORTER If you’ve worked your way through every weather app and still hanker for more, give this one a go and find out what’s going on in space. You’ll get data from the superbly named DONKI (Database Of Notifications, Knowledge and Information), giving you insight into solar flares and such like. Free / Android

SNOWFLAKE WEATHER

ATMOSPHERE WEATHER

With a background in letting you keep an eye on computers by way of iStat Menus, Bjango now wants to help you track the weather too. Its app marries immediacy and high detail, letting you delve into conditions to whatever depth you want. Subscribe for maps, themes and customisation. R80 / iOS

There’s a retro feel to this app, whose interface recalls a barometer. It’s a nice glance-friendly system, making it easy to spot cloud and temperature predictions over the coming 24 hours. You can also create custom activity thresholds based on weather conditions that are then added to the dial. Free / Android

RAIN SUPREME Never be caught short without your umbrella/shades/canoe again, by ensuring you have a top-notch forecaster in your pocket

CAPE STORM SMART TOUCH GLOVES

CARROT WEATHER Although insisting she’d like to end humanity, the Carrot AI at the heart of this amusing app continues to ramp up forecasting. You need to splash out on IAPs to get at some of the best bits, like multiple sources and advanced mapping, but even the basics are ace… and the snark comes for free. Free (IAPs) / Android R80 (IAPs) / iOS

If you’re going to be out in inclement weather, you’ll need gloves. To use a weather app at the same time, you’ll need a pair that work on touchscreens. Cape Storm’s Smart Touch mitts will keep your hands warm and dry while you work that screen to find out when that inconvenient storm will be passing. R230 / outdoorwarehouse. co.za

100 BEST APPS

The Series 5 is the first Apple Watch to have an always-on display.

321FIT

TEAMTOMM

EEVIE

If you don’t have time for a gym, 321Fit says you can squeeze exercise into odd moments. You choose from pre-set routines or create your own, and then get to do reps alongside a character that appears to have escaped from Teletext. Neatly, there’s also an ETA clock to advise when the punishing ordeal will be over. Free / Android, iOS

Think you live in a pigsty? Do local pigs note that, actually, their places are a lot tidier? Then you should probably get on with some housework. This app helps break that down into chunks, providing daily cleaning playlists that fit with your lifestyle, and sharing the load with flatmates or family members. R86 / Android, iOS

We live in an age of consumption, but the planet wishes we didn’t. If you’d like to make your behaviour a bit more eco-friendly, Eevie gives you the means. Each of the 20 built-in habits can be tracked, and a card succinctly outlines the benefits it brings. Need prodding a bit? Turn on reminders, or join forces with friends. Free / Android, iOS

APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 It was a good day when Apple changed tack on the Watch, abandoning pretensions at having created bling jewellery and instead recognising the device’s health smarts. With watchOS 6, this ramped up another notch. Along with keeping tabs on your heart, an Apple Watch Series 5 (or 4) looks after your ears: if loud noises are blaring all around without you realising, you’ll get a nudge so you can quickly stuff in some earplugs or head somewhere a bit quieter. from R8 000 / myistore.co.za

NOW ADD THIS 62

OLIO Olio hasn’t made much of an impression on SA yet but that has to start somewhere. If you’ve got something that you reckon is only worth throwing out, someone else may have a use for it. Olio lets you put it up for free on the app and give it away to someone who needs it. It’s a first-come, first-served sort of approach to upcycling. Free / Android, iOS

100 BEST APPS

LIVE BETTER

Improve your health, and possibly the world, by having apps remind you to exercise, track your moods and help defeat stress

SMILING MIND Modern life, eh? AARGH!!! Kids and adults alike need to decompress and have a few minutes to themselves. Smiling Mind is a free app that helps you bring balance to your life with mindfulness and meditation exercises. Ten minutes a day is enough for real change, and programmes are offered for all ages. Free / Android, iOS

DESERT ISLAND

UNLOCK CLOCK

This digital wellbeing experiment by Google invites you to select what you consider your essential apps; 24 hours later, it’ll outline how many times you used them – and the number of times you opened other apps, thereby suggesting you re-evaluate your behaviour (or your app choices). Free / Android

If you have a tendency to spend hours faffing on your phone and standard tracking apps don’t help, try Unlock Clock. Instead of an app, this is a wallpaper that fills the screen with a daily unlock count. It’s very basic, but the massive number should be enough to put you off unlock no.67. Free / Android

MOODFLOW

HAPPY COW

Moods govern how you feel, but what governs your moods? This app helps you figure that out. You assign ratings to each day, building a colourful mood calendar. To dig deeper, you can flesh out the details of any given day by noting specifically how you felt, writing journal entries, and having Moodflow infuse positive routines. Free / Android, iOS

If you’re a vegan, vegetarian or have to consume gluten-free chow, it can be hard to find a place that suits. Until, that is, you’ve got the Happy Cow living in your phone. The app lets users sort using a set of filters, will suggest eateries based on location and even has a weightloss planning option, if you’re cutting meat for health reasons. from Free / Android, iOS

POCKETCOACH Anxiety, stress and panic can lead to freezing, meaning you can’t get on with life. Pocket Coach is designed to provide coping mechanisms through an interface that looks like a messaging app. The subscription’s steep, but you get some programmes for free and it can be genuinely effective. Free (IAPs) / Android, iOS 63

100 BEST APPS

PENNA You could go for any old Bluetooth keyboard, connect it to your device and get into some deep customisation and coding larks… but we’re rather fond of the Penna range. They resemble vintage typewriters, sync with up to three devices simultaneously, and have carriage return levers that are used to record and trigger macros. from R3 400 / elretron.com

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1BLOCKER When you’re browsing on your iPhone or iPad, you don’t want your data or time being eaten by webpage annoyances. With Blocker in place, you can hide ffending elements for good. ut also, if you want to support a site you can whitelist its ads; and if you want to go all-in geeky, it’s possible to write your own custom CSS. R285/year / iOS

CODEA There’s going to come a point when Xcode rocks up on iPad. Until then, Codea gives you the chance to create interactive apps and games on your tablet. There are loads of examples you can fiddle with, or you can kick right off with a blank canvas. And yes, apps made with Codea do exist on the App Store. R230 / iOS 64

TWEAK OUT

Whoever made your phone would like to think it’s perfect out of the box… but it isn’t, so customise it with these apps

CERI LAUNCHER

FLICK LAUNCHER

Android launchers are often hugely customisable but also a little baffling. Ceri takes a very different approach, stripping things right back. You get a clock, a bunch of icons to launch your apps, and a super-sleek search bar. Sure, others might give you ‘more’, but this one gives you all you actually need. from Free / Android

You might greet Flick Launcher to thoughts of ‘more of the same’; but this 2019 arrival has more than just a dock search bar, custom gestures and the means to get at Google Now with a swipe. Mostly that’s down to its API, Nigel, which aims to give you the app you’re after before you even know it. from Free / Android

LAUNCHER WITH MULTIPLE WIDGETS Apple’s iOS is far more locked down than Android, but this download still gives you a smattering of customisation. ‘Today view’ widgets integrate with Shortcuts, provide deep links into Settings, and can fire off web launchers in your browser of choice. R80 / iOS

100 BEST APPS

AMAZON FIRE HD 10 KIDS EDITION

PACIFY THE PUPS Keep your little ones quiet by handing them a device with a fun new app installed – and remember, it’s educational (probably)

AVO!

If the thought of handing an iPad over to a child leaves you short of breath, go for Amazon’s Fire HD 10 Kids Edition. The display’s solid, the battery’s big and the apps are curated. Most importantly, it’s almost indestructible, being housed in a rubberised case that would conceivably survive being hurled into a ravine. R4 500 /

In what amounts to an interactive slice of kids’ TV, Avo! has your youngling direct a piece of sentient fruit to aid a teenage scientist in her battles with a nefarious villain. The game bits are basic, but it’s impressive how the avocado blends into his surroundings, the performances are great, and kids will think it’s very tasty. Free or R80 / iOS

LEGO DUPLO WORLD

PANGO PAPER COLOR

SAGO MINI VILLAGE

THINKROLLS SPACE

If you’ve had enough of the agony of standing on plastic bricks, stick them all behind a glass screen with this game. All manner of interactive experiences await, such as learning to count, creating a brick snowman and helping pedestrians to cross a road. And no foot injuries. Free (IAPs) / Android, iOS

Plenty of colouring apps for kids exist, but never are they as mesmerising as Pango’s. Origami creations are coloured with a tap then magically multiply across the scene. Gradually, the screen comes to life with vibrant papery creations going about their business. Even cynical adults will be dazzled. R50 / Android, iOS

Local gnomes need a favour. They’ve nowhere to live, and aren’t big enough to carry blocks for constructing dwellings. It’s up to your kid, then, to unleash that inner architect and stack up buildings… and then it’ll be up to you to stop them designing monstrous carbuncles when they grow up. R60 / Android, iOS

The long-running Thinkrolls series of logic tests blasts into space. In this adventure,trundling protagonists must tackle interstellar conundrums that feature aliens, teleporters, plasma fields and tunnels of moon cheese. It’s prime tappy stuff as your tot reaches for the (collectable) stars. R65 / Android R60 / iOS 65

100 BEST APPS NOW ADD THIS

If you also have an iPhone and/or iPad, many apps will seamlessly sync across.

APPLE MACBOOK AIR In theory you could run your entire life from a phone, especially when armed with a hardware keyboard or using an external display with a Samsung DeX device; and iPads are also pretty nifty these days… but most office types are still going to be happier with a laptop. Apple’s most recent MacBook Air is our current fave: a solid mix of power, looks, technology, security and value. Anti-Mac? Try Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 3 or Dell’s XPS 13 instead. from R15 000 / myistore.co.za

CARDHOP

SPARK

ECOSIA

Yes indeed, we’re recommending a contacts app. But the devs behind this one have managed the impossible and actually made it fun to use. Mostly that’s down to Cardhop’s superb design, which surfaces information when you most need it, through carefully planned layout and natural-language input smarts. R80 / iOS

Fed up with your existing email app? Spark invites you to take control of your inbox with a host of tools that help you focus on what’s important, snooze messages for later, assign reminders, and delegate when you’re working with a team. If you’ve never made inbox zero, Spark’s worth a shot – and it’s free for personal use. from Free / Android, iOS

Do your bit for the planet just by arbing about on the internet. Ecosia, like other search engines, makes money from ads; but it uses that cash tofundreforestation. There’s a built-in browser too, which never tracks your searches or grabs your data, because the only dirt Ecosia’s interested in is the stuff trees are planted in. Free / Android, iOS

100 BEST APPS

EXPENSES: SIMPLE TRACKER The clue’s in the name here, with an app that wants to help you track your spending – but without forcing you to spend much time using it. It’s quick and simple, works online and is free from IAPs. Over a hundred currencies are supported, and you can spit out the final figures as an Excel spreadsheet. Free / Android

ULYSSES

PRODUCTIVE

HOUR BLOCKS

You might look suspiciously upon apps that switch to subscriptions with claims they’ll now be updated often. But Ulysses is the real deal. Already an excellent repository for your writing, it’s been extensively updated for iPadOS, including multitasking and dark mode, along with full keyword management on mobile. R85/month / iOS

The good news is, this superb iOS habit-tracker has made it across to Android fully intact. Productive is bright and clear, and can schedule things for chunks of the day, like ‘morning’ or ‘evening’. The bad news is the annual subscription being doubled… but at least you can track three habits free forever. from Free / Android, iOS

Calendars can overwhelm. Hour Blocks cuts the crap by having you decide what’s really important on any given hour. Even if you use a more traditional calendar alongside it, this app can help you gain a sense of focus for your time. Like the idea but have a complex schedule? The Pro version lets you add sub-blocks to events. from Free / iOS

WORK WONDERS These days, your office is in your pocket – as long as you have the right apps – so use these beauties to be productive with your phone

MAGPIE

OTTER

For the visually inclined, Apple’s Notepad doesn’t cut it. Magpie, though, rethinks note-taking as a photos-first scrapbook. Every item can also have brief text notes, a price, a link and a map, but pictures are the main focus here. It’s impressive for gift lists, reminders of great places you’ve stayed, and just records of cool stuff. R20/month or R130 / iOS

The problem with voice memos is you have to pick through the recordings later and type them out. Otter does away with such tedium by automatically transcribing recordings as they’re made, time-stamping everything and auto-tagging your archive. You get ten hours per month for nothing, and text can be exported to TXT. Bargain. Free / Android, iOS 67

100 BEST APPS

CARD OF DARKNESS The surprisingly great Apple Arcade platform could have dominated this spread. It hasn’t, but this epic hand-animated card adventure still stands out. Shoving RPG and strategy into a solitaire-shaped box creates a game that thumps your brain yet still fits into odd moments. R85/m (Arcade subscription) / iOS

JUMPGRID Take Frogger and Pac-Man and fuse them to the psychotic beating heart of Super Hexagon, and you have Jumpgrid. Dart from point to point munching cubes, avoid whirling scenery, and wonder how much you can take. It’s like a combination of art, sadism and an arcade classic that never was. R52 / Android R50 / iOS

PIGEON WINGS STRIKE This endless flyer takes no prisoners as you belt along, slipstreaming fellow pilots, zapping enemies and trying to avoid becoming pie-filling on slamming into a wall. Longevity is provided by dinky unlockable characters such as Louie the rabbit, who causes nearby pigeons to become trigger-happy. Free / iOS

VECTRONOM With its geometric style and trundling movement, Vectronom feels reminiscent of mobile classic Edge. The difference here is that levels move and morph on a thumping beat. So you must clock the patterns, ready your best swiping digit, and effectively have your little cube dance its way to victory. R66 / Android, iOS

BE A PLAYER

KNIGHT BRAWL This game’s creator has also fashioned oddball side-on sports titles where players appear to have springs for legs and windmill blades for arms. Here, that concept is transferred to a medieval brawler. But there’s depth alongside the madness, with one-on-one battles, mass skirmishes and missions. Free / Android, iOS 68

DIG DOG – TREASURE HUNTER Like a demented Dig Dug, this one finds you blazing through underground mazes to find tasty bones. The game moves at serious speed, and you’re only ever one swipe away from disaster. But there’s serious replay value in this title, which proves fast-paced arcade games can thrive on mobile. R43 / Android ● R50 / iOS

If you need to entertain your brain for a few minutes, these touchscreen classics will help you get your game on

100 BEST APPS NOW ADD THIS

The included wireless charging case brings play time up to around 24 hours.

MINIT Visually, this one recalls classic RPGs from the Game Boy and NES era. It mostly plays like one too, bar one major twist that finds the hero dropping dead every 60 seconds. Fortunately, you’ll reincarnate with your possessions. Completing your quest therefore requires a mix of brainpower, planning and speed-run dexterity. R76 / Android ● R80 / iOS

BACKFIRE

VOID TYRANT

PHOTOGRAPHS

Arena shooters usually ramp up the tension, but Backfire veers into abject terror. Its enemies emerge with a squelch from the arena’s edges and tear after you while making hideous guttural noises. All you can do is shoot from your ship’s behind. Cue running away, inevitable death and upgrades. R42 / Android R50 / iOS

Think blackjack is intense when you’re waiting for that card to flip over? It’s got nothing on Void Tyrant, where each card can be the difference between life and death. Yep, in this universe you battle intergalactic scumbags by way of deck building, bonus cards, a smattering of strategy, and quite a bit of luck. Free / Android, iOS

The mechanics underpinning this puzzler are familiar, but Photographs subverts the usual challenges by fusing them to emotionally charged narratives. So whether you’re placing Tetris shapes, mapping out angles on a shooting game or swiping objects to a goal, every action drives a story about choice. R55 / Android, iOS

APPLE AIRPODS PRO You’re not going to spend over R4k on a pair of buds just for playing games. But there’s no denying modern mobile titles are blessed with superb soundtracks and atmospherics that are lost when audio is attempting to blare out of your device’s tiny speakers. Stick Apple’s latest earpods in your lugholes and you can immerse yourself in noise-cancelling bliss, or use transparent mode for playing while walking, thereby ensuring you don’t inconveniently get hit by a taxi. R4 000 / myistore.co.za

GROUP TEST WIRELESS BUDS

A rush of buds to the head These sub-R5k options might make you want to switch to true wireless earphones sooner than you thought

Amazon Echo Buds Price R2600 / bigapplebuddy.com

What’s the story?

Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant has been making herself at home in wireless headphones of various shapes and sizes for a while now, so it was only a matter of time before Amazon itself got involved at the hardware end. These true wireless buds come packed with mics to accurately pick up voice commands, meaning you can summon Alexa to control your music, podcast or audiobook, check the weather or depress yourself with the news headlines, all without lifting a finger. Amazon has also teamed up with the ambient noise-banishing wizards at Bose to ensure you can listen on public transport. You are, then, getting a whole lot of functionality for the price – plus sonic ability that, while far from mind-blowing, is more than good enough for the price.

Are they any good?

Chunkier than Apple’s AirPods and fashioned mainly from plastic,

these aren’t going to win any Red Dot Design Awards soon, while a lack of physical controls (there’s not so much as a volume rocker) makes interacting with the units a little tricky. But voice control is the star of the show here, with each bud packing outer microphones and one inner mic that work in unison to reduce ambient noise and ensure Alexa can always hear you clearly. Being able to ask for a quick news blast or weather forecast as you head out is genuinely useful and allows you to keep your phone in your pocket, while Bose’s noise-cancelling tech is really impressive here. It’s just a shame the sound quality isn’t great, the charging case is massive and the battery life is average.

Tech specs ● 5hrs + 15hrs with case ● IPX4 ● Bluetooth 5.0 ● 7.6g

STUFF SAYS Not the finest you can buy, but you won’t match their feature set at this price ★★★★✩ 70

BEST FOR VOICE CONTROL

Mic drop The companion app allows for lots of personalisation with gesture functionsâ&#x20AC;Ś and yes, you can turn the mics off to protect privacy.

Room at the tap The Echo Buds respond to double taps and long presses. You can easily set up one to play/pause and skip, and one to activate Alexa.

Loose talk Amazon will of course push its budsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to control Prime Music, but voice commands work fine with Spotify and Apple Music too.

GROUP TEST WIRELESS BUDS BEST FOR MARATHON SESSIONS

In two deep The 10mm drivers have dual-layer diaphragms that use a combination of hard and soft materials to create full-range audio with big bass.

I get tweak All of AT’s wireless buds can be linked to an app for checking battery levels, and for customising hearing preferences and controls.

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW Price R3000 / audiomart.co.za What’s the story?

Audio-Technica boasts nearly six decades of audio knowhow and is fast becoming renowned for top-notch headphones. Its latest pair of AirPod-worriers offers a whopping 45-hour battery and a pricetag that massively undercuts much of the competition. Although not as sleek as others in this test, they have among the best battery life in the biz.

Are they any good?

With great battery power comes great bulk, and we

found that the ATH-CKS5TWs stuck out from our ears little too much. So although they were reasonably snug in our ears, they never felt 100% secure: we were always aware that an errant loop of hair was all that stood between our fancy buds being safely lodged in our ears and being accidentally catapulted onto the pavement. However, these buds pack a lot more staying power than some of their rivals. In fact, you get an impressive 15 hours of continuous playback

on a full charge. And the reason that charging case is a tad large is because it can store an extra 30 hours of juice once you’ve powered it up to the max via the USB-C port. That brings battery life to a grand total of 45 hours, which is hyper-impressive. A larger frame also means more room for 10mm drivers with a dual-layer diaphragm, delivering the best possible sound to your lugholes. The soundscape is excellent no matter what you’re listening to, and these buds perform

particularly well on classical and acoustic pieces and live recordings, where cheaper headphones often fail. Offering incredible battery life, seamless operation, excellent audio with solid bass and great noise isolation, there’s a lot to like here, especially when you factor in the reasonable price.

Tech specs ● 15hrs + 30hrs with case ● IPX2 ● Bluetooth 5.0 ● 8g

STUFF SAYS Excellent audio and battery life make up for a slightly awkward design ★★★★✩ 72

GROUP TEST WIRELESS BUDS

BEST FOR AIRPOD APING

Finger buffet Double-tapping the buds on either side carries out a predefined action, which can be set and adjusted in the accompanying app.

Apple bye They are compatible with iPhones, but the AI Life app isn’t on iOS so you won’t be able to customise the touch controls or tune the ANC.

Huawei FreeBuds 3 Price R3000 / huaweistore.co.za What’s the story?

Huawei is fearless when it comes to hardware. While manufacturers like Apple and Google bide their time and launch new tech once it’s failed a few times first, we have to give the politically precarious Chinese tech giant credit: it innovates, hard. Huawei’s third generation of AirPod rivals are the world’s first active noise-cancelling earbuds with an open-fit design, meaning they rest gently in your ear openings rather than being jammed

in tight. They also promise high-quality audio skills and zippy charging.

Are they any good?

Let’s gloss over the fact that these appear to be direct copies of Apple’s true wireless creations and focus on the good bits: like how well they stayed in our sweaty lugholes. We went jogging, had a few workouts and went on a couple of long-haul flights without them budging. At 4.5g each they’re light too – over 1g lighter than Samsung’s

Galaxy Buds, although they don’t feel fragile. The microphone isn’t particularly good at drowning out background din, but active noise-cancelling up to 15dB does help with clarity when on the receiving end. Better still, the Huawei AI Life app (Android only) allows quick changes to the targeted frequencies, so sound suppression can be optimised for the environment. Thanks to a neatly designed and lightweight case, Huawei’s buds power up twice as fast as

second-gen AirPods, with a charging time of 30 minutes. When full, they deliver four hours of playback time, though this time drops if noisecancelling is fired up… and you will be wanting to activate that, as the sound experience delivered by these buds is fantastic when distraction is minimised.

Tech specs ● 4hrs + 20hrs with case ● No waterproofing ● Bluetooth 5.1 ● 4.5g

STUFF SAYS Innovative noise-killing buds, but steer clear if you’re an iPhone owner ★★★★✩ 73

GROUP TEST WIRELESS BUDS

Tap Dancing Need to answer calls? The right bud is your er… bud. Tap once to answer or hang up, twice to make a call or reject a call with a long press.

BEST FOR TIGHT BUDGETS

Lone Ranger? Anker’s buds should top out at a 10m range but outmatched similar buds without dropping the connection. And they did so while paired to two devices.

Anker SoundCore Liberty Air Price R1800 / circuitcity.co.za What’s the story?

Anker’s buds, coming from a company with a reputation of making decent tech cheap(er than the competition), hope to tempt you away from bigger, better-known brands. Like the Freebuds there’s a bit of a stalk and Anker’s supplied a charge case. Obvs.

Are they any good?

We’d say so. Being the cheapest buds in our test is a factor in that but mind that you’re sacrificing a little to come in under R2k. The build is

solid enough and looks mighty attractive in black but the waterproof rating is lower than the competition at ‘only’ IPX5. Connection to a pre-paired device is speedy, though you’re restricted to just the right-hand bud or both at once. The left… won’t play solo. The Liberty Airs make up for it with unexpected range. Really unexpected, they’ve walloped everything else we’ve encountered so far. Audio quality could be more expansive. These in-ears handle bass well enough but

fall over a little at higher volumes. Remember those sacrifices we mentioned? Yeah. Active noise cancelling is absent here. Still, touch controls let you play, pause, skip tracks and answer calls, they’re smart enough to let you chat to Google’s Assistant and Alexa, and there’s passive noise isolation to look forward to. Passive isolation is effective enough to block out most noise, enough so that you may find yourself wishing for a passthrough option like

you’ll find on some ANC buds. A jog with these puts you right in the moment – watch out for traffic, though. All in all, a fine feature set that comes in two-thirds cheaper than most of the others in our test. They’re not without their flaws but Anker’s budget buds are bloody hard to beat.

Tech specs ● 5hrs + 13hrs with case ● IPX5 ● Bluetooth 5.0 ● 5.5g

STUFF SAYS Solid all-rounders sans a few features: one of those is a huge price tag ★★★★✩ 74

GROUP TEST WIRELESS BUDS

Roar like swooshy HearThrough transparency mode lets in just enough ambient noise to let you avoid errant minibus taxis and grumpy cyclists.

Blower in the wind Jabra’s four-mic tech filters out disruptive noise when you’re making a phone call – and that includes windy weather.

BEST FOR BANG FOR BUCKS

Jabra Elite 75t Price R4000 / circuitcity.co.za What’s the story?

Hot on the heels of Apple’s AirPods Pro came Jabra’s update to its Elite 65t true wireless buds. Smaller in size with increased battery life and more attention to ergonomics than the old model, they attempt to undercut the competition on price but not on features. Good battery life and excellent sound make them worthy of any shortlist.

Are they any good?

The first thing you notice about the 75t version of the

Elites is that they look a lot nicer than the 65t model: they’re neater, lighter and more compact. The distinctive protruding arm from is gone – or at least significantly rounded off. In its place is a much smaller bump that houses the microphones, with two in each bud powering improved outbound audio on calls. Fit can be an issue – we found ours were often easy to shake loose – but we’ve no complaints about the small but excellent charging

case and the bass-focused sound, which is improved. The Jabras don’t have all the fancy extras of some leading true wireless buds – there’s no active noise-cancellation, for example – and they’re not quite as slick as the AirPods Pro. But you’ll struggle to find a pair of earbuds that pack in so much for the price. Battery life is double that of the 65t model and a full charge should see you through a week of average use. There’s Bluetooth 5.0 for stable pairing and we like the way removing

either bud from your ear automatically pauses the music – and returning it kicks it off again. Fine performance, superb portability and strong battery life in a smart little package mean these enticingly wallet-friendly true wireless earphones are worthy of your consideration.

Tech specs ● 7.5hrs + 20.5hrs with case ● IP55 ● Bluetooth 5.0 ● 5g

STUFF SAYS Fine buds with solid sound, Apple-slaying battery life and features galore ★★★★✩ 75

GROUP TEST ANC HEADPHONES

3 OF THE BEST

Noise-cancellers There’s life beyond Bose, Bowers & Wilkins and Sony when you want headphones that block out (most of) the world

BEST FOR TRAVEL

BEST FOR iPHONES

Beats Solo Pro

Sennheiser PXC 550-II

Philips PH805

What’s the story?

Are they any good?

Price R7000 / myistore.co.za

Price R6300 / mitechdirect.co.za

Price R3000 (import) / philips.com

Stuff says ★★★★★

Apple’s engineers have given the Solo Pro on-ears active noise-cancelling with a new transparent mode, an improved frequency response and a nifty folding design. They support Bluetooth 5.0 and Audio Sharing so two peeps with compatible cans can listen at once. You get integrated on-ear controls and 22 hours’ listening time with ANC engaged. These are the best Beats yet. The trademark bass remains, but all frequencies are more finely balanced now. The ANC is impressive, and anodised aluminium ensures build quality scales new heights – the folding mechanism is smart, although some might find the fit too tight for comfort. A lack of ANC adjustability and a bias towards Apple compatibility also grate slightly, but not enough to put us off.

A fine pair of on-ear noise-cancellers best suited to those with smaller noggins 76

BEST FOR BUDGET

These Sennheisers have it tough. They have to replace the much-lauded PXC 550s – and at this price, compete with Bose, Sony and co. But they’re featherweight and foldable, have Bluetooth 5.0 and support the latest low-latency aptX codec. Touch controls and 30 hours of ANC playing time put them right in the mix with the big boys too. You’ll get more audio excitement from the Momentum Wireless, but these over-ears do plenty of good work in an understated manner and the soft-touch materials don’t yell “Look at me!” so much. Meanwhile the ANC reduces noise without totally banishing it even on the maximum setting. Walking a fine line between ‘dull’ and ‘sophisticated’, these headphones fall just the right side of it.

No drama – these smart Sennheisers manage to look and sound totally discreet

Pay R5k for premium cans, or R400 for some that may turn out to be a fire hazard? The PH805s take the middle ground, promising Bluetooth 5.0 high performance that won’t break the bank. Style-wise they have a whiff of Sony and the battery is good for 25 hours of ANC niceness – including an ambient mode for letting some of the world back in. Touch controls, a mature design and a choice of ANC modes make these cans look and feel more expensive than they are. Sonically they get way more right than wrong; but while bass is deep and mids detailed, the highs tail off too soon. The ANC never feels completely isolating, but ambient mode works well. All in all, decent cans – for a decisive step up from this, you’ll have to double your outlay.

Step this way for all the looks and most of the performance for about half the money

T E S T E D A U D I E -T R O N

Audi, partner The all-electric E-tron looks just like a friendly, familiar SUV from the German maker… and that’s a very good thing Rtba (Q3 2020) / audi.co.za Snug life The myAudi app keeps tabs on battery levels and range, and runs the climate control so it’s cosy or cool before you get

■ While the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X set out to look deliberately different, there’s something ‘Vorsprung Durch Conventional’ about the styling of Audi’s latest SUV. Strip things away, though, and you’ll find electric motors on each axle and a 95kWh battery offering 402bhp. ■ The I-Pace is a second faster from 0 to 100, but then the fiveseat E-tron weighs 300kg more. And it’s plenty quick enough, with a top speed limited to 200km/h. The smooth, quiet power delivery makes total sense in an SUV that glides across the tarmac with very little fuss. ■ That might have something to do with the foam-lined tyres… and while you’ll enjoy the silence, calmness is needed in a cabin with five screens – two in the centre console, a full-width dash display and two more on the doors either side for the rear-view cameras. More on that below… ■ Audi’s Virtual Cockpit UI is the best in the business, supported by OLED touchscreens, Alexa voice commands, Bang & Olufsen surround sound, and great smartphone connectivity including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. ■ Performance is sluggish in the most economic driving mode, but switch to Dynamic and things become a bit too intense – and the E-tron really isn’t that sort of SUV.

■ On reflection, however… The E-tron is available with side cameras instead of mirrors. Sounds cool, but in practice it’s mystifying. You have to lower your gaze to a screen in the door panel, which is unnatural and takes your attention off the road.

■ Couldn’t lever alone

The gear lever is also perplexing at first, but get used to the pivoting action and it’s pretty pleasurable. The paddle shifters behind the steering wheel control the regenerative braking rather than changing gear.

Tech specs Battery 95kWh Range 400km 0-62mph 5.7secs Top speed 200km/h Displays 10.1in and 8.6in haptic touchscreens Connectivity Alexa, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, Qi wireless charging

STUFF SAYS The most innovative SUV in the world, hidden in plain sight ★★★★✩

Mirror madness aside, this is just what an electric Audi should be

Audi’s reasoning for replacing the wing mirrors is drag reduction. That’s especially important for electric vehicles, and on the E-tron it can mean as much as seven extra kilometres of range. Pity, then, that this car’s most innovative feature is its biggest weakness. Still, in virtually every other area it’s a textbook Audi SUV – one that shouldn’t just tempt existing customers to go electric, but make them switch without even thinking. 77

TWO WEEKS WITH THE NIKON Z50

Nuff zed

A lightweight and affordable APS-C version of Nikon’s Z-series mirrorless monsters might be all the camera you really need… Stuff spends a fortnight finding out R16 800 (body only) / ormsdirect.co.za Nikon’s two new lenses make for a great starter kit before you move to more ‘pro’ options.

DAY 01 The Z50 is Nikon’s first camera with an APS-C sensor, and it arrives with the aim of creating some fresh noise in a crowded system camera scene. To slightly confuse matters, Nikon calls this ‘DX format’, but the idea is simple: to build on the success of its mirrorless Z6 and Z7 models by offering a compact alternative for beginners. It’s done this by cherry-picking the best features from its older

siblings and shoehorning them into a slimmer shell. That means the relatively tiny body of this 20.9MP shooter gets Nikon’s largest Z-mount and is joined by an Expeed 6 processor, which allows 4K video as well as an impressive native ISO range of 100 to 51200. Fortunate enough to own or have access to any Z6 or Z7 kit? You get to use all of the existing lenses, before feasting on two entirely new ones designed

At a fraction of the price of its pro counterparts, the Z50 promises trusty Nikon ergonomics and image quality 78

for the DX format: a 16-50mm pancake and a 50-250mm telephoto. And Nikon says it’s planning to announce more throughout the year. The Z6 and Z7 might be overkill for the burgeoning enthusiast, and that’s where the Z50 comes in: it’s a proper camera in miniature. At a fraction of the price of its pro counterparts, it promises a trusty Nikon ergonomic design and impressive image quality, albeit with a compromise in resolution. The all-plastic body weighs 450g with the battery in place. That’s a pigeon’s tail-feather

compared to those pro-level Z cameras, and the dimensions are noticeably more dinky, making it easy to use one-handed. It fits into a bag with the pancake lens fixed, but you’ll have no trouble wearing it around your neck all day anyway. There’s a 0.39in, 2360k-dot EVF and a 3.2in tilting touchscreen that you can even tap to take pics. The zoom display functions are also included on the touchscreen. Layout is much the same as the Z6 and Z7, but it doesn’t feel crowded in this smaller format and everything can be operated with a thumb.

LO N G -T E R M T E S T

Donut of Truth™

02 03

01 Practical and portable for everyday use 02 Processor and optics from far pricier cameras 03 Great starter lenses and more to come

04 Excellent in daylight and low light 05 The impractical display won’t please vloggers 06 Zooming and high ISO get grainy

Tech specs Sensor 20.9MP APS-C CMOS Displays 0.39in EVF, 3.2in tilting LCD touchscreen ISO range 100 to 51,200 (extended 100 to 204,800) Burst shooting Up to 11fps AF points 209 Video 4K @ 30fps, Full HD at 120fps Dimensions 127x94x60mm, 395g

DAY 02 We’re out shooting stills today and the colours are vibrant yet still true to reality, offering excellent dynamic range – plus the metering really balances exposures. The Z50 has no trouble finding detail when photographing architecture against bright skies: it’s adept at capturing the most awkward of light, and that’s a testament to the optics and processor. It also performs well in low light with a telephoto lens.

DAY 05 We’re going after living subjects today. The face-seeking Eye AF locks on immediately and keeps hold when the person moves. Sadly it’s no good for animals, so you’ll have to focus on your pet’s eyes yourself. Start to zoom and things look a touch grainy, but hey, this isn’t a Fujifilm X-T30. Silent mode is useful for sneaky street photography missions, while 4K can be shot across the full sensor width with a timelapse option and a cool slo-mo mode.

DAY 10 We’ve found Nikon’s estimated 300-shot battery life to be on the conservative side, which is

pleasing, but there are some niggles. The screen doesn’t articulate sideways, and that makes things awkward for vloggers self-shooting with a gimbal as the screen is blocked when it’s flipped, although Nikon say a handle is in the works. The absence of a top display and joystick has been an issue too, and it’s a shame considering the latter is our favourite way to select focus points. Images also start to get incredibly grainy once you get into the higher ISO numbers.

DAY 14 Studying the specs again, the Z50 is clearly mightier in the hand than it looks on paper. Borrowing some of the best features from the Z6 and Z7 without the physical or financial heft of those models is an eye-catching proposal for beginners. Some might see this as the ideal travel snapper, with that little pancake lens perfect to take everywhere… although if you’re going after wildlife, remember to stare directly into the eyes of that threatening leopard. Overall, though, the Z50 is much more than that and could be your first ‘proper’ camera. And with more lenses coming, it’s only going to improve along with your photography skills.

STUFF SAYS One of the best APS-C options around, with a multitude of pro features at a non-pro price ★★★★★ 79

TESTED GOOGLE NES

Puck

Google’s Home Mini sm into the new Nest Mi bass and brain power R1 300 / geewiz.co.za ■ If you’re comfortable chatting away to a small fabric blob to find out the weather, play a podcast or be taken through a recipe, the Nest Mini is one of the cheapest and most reliable voice-assistant speakers you can buy. Think of it as a capable but slightly quieter sibling to the Google Home. ■ You’d have to be the Columbo of consumer tech to tell the Nest Mini apart from the old Home Mini. But the fabric cover is now made from recycled plastic bottles and there’s a fetching new blue colour option as well as chalk, red and black. You still get a switch on the side to turn off the mics when you don’t want it listening to your every cough. ■ Google claims the bass is twice as good as before. We agree, and it’s startlingly loud for its size, but we still can’t recommend this as a replacement hi-fi. It’s perfect for playing podcasts or catching up on the news, though. ■ Google Assistant is always improving: the product you buy today will get smarter month by month as Google processes a world of data requests and enhances its answers and functionality. It’s already far more consistent than Siri, and on a level with Alexa. ■ Voice recognition is great: we didn’t have to shout over loud music to get the Nest Mini to hear us. Smart home integration is straightforward, with support for Philips Hue bulbs and, of course, other Nest kit.

Tech specs Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Google Assistant, touch controls, Chromecast built in Microphones 3x far-field Dimensions 98x98x42mm, 181g

■ Into the groove

A new addition is a wall mount that lets you hang the Nest Mini up. Once you get over the odd look, it means the speaker can easily be placed around head height – which can sound better than on a shelf or table.

■ Who’s that, girl?

The Voice Match feature means it can recognise different users and tailor things like calendar requests to the right Google account. You can add up to six people, which is great if your family relies on the Google ecosystem.

STUFF SAYS Louder and cleverer than ever – and it’ll only improve over time ★★★★★

Bigger smart speakers sound better, but small can be beautiful 80

If you live in Google’s world (and let’s face it, most of us do), then the Nest Mini is about the best, cheapest way to get into the smart home game. Bear in mind that the better-sounding Google Home only costs a few hundred more; but if you want a small smart speaker to stick in the kitchen, the Nest Mini gives you a radio, encyclopaedia, recipe book and timer all in one.

TESTED VIVO Y11

Vivo-cious

Fights may be fierce in flagship-land but it’s even fiercer where budget handsets live. Does Vivo’s Y11 have the teeth it needs to succeed? R2 700 / vivo.com/za

■ These days everyone has a budget-range smartphone in an interesting shade of blue and that’s also true of the Vivo Y11. There are hues of Huawei design with the rear camera layout and the textured gradient back also looks the part. The big difference? The price. ■ It’s just a step above entry-level all the way through, however. The sizable 6.35in screen is powered along by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 435 and 3GB of RAM, while the stock storage of 32GB is enough to get you by. There’s sufficient power to run a game or three, but you’re not going to scratch any Fortnite or PUBG itches. It’ll run a handful of apps in the background before slowdown becomes really obvious.

Buy this now

■ A cheap dual camera is within reach, at least, costing less than R3000 for the privilege. Images are clear, provided your lighting is good, but its AI Dual Camera doesn’t cope well with odd conditions. The software running the stock gallery also won’t function unless you grant it far more permissions than it needs. This is a bit of a trend with the Vivo Y11, sadly. ■ Which is a pity because, in terms of design and speed, buyers are getting their money’s worth. A little thickness in the middle is the main concession when it comes to the price, which the box is packed with extras like a rubber case and screen protector. Cleaner Android would have gone a long way to making the Vivo Y11 a winner.

■ Game on

Vivo’s handset won’t run Fortnite, so forget about a budget gaming device. It’ll handle lower-spec titles so if you’re in the mood for an endless runner or two, or even Hitman: Sniper Challenge, the phone’ll manage ‘em.

■ Float your bloat

Vivo’s phone attempts to displace Google services, while pushing bloatware on users constantly. That’s the phone’s FuntouchOS which, while based on Android, wants you to use as little of the good stuff as possible.

Tech specs Screen 6.35in HD+ LCD Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 RAM 3GB Cameras Rear 13MP + 2MP Front 8MP Battery 5000mAh OS Funtouch OS 9.1 Storage 32GB Dimensions 159.43x76.77x8.92mm

STUFF SAYS Vivo’s hardware is decent enough, but it lacks real Android ★★★✩✩

Vivo is bad news for Huawei

Perhaps Huawei will avoid the software missteps Vivo has made with its smartphone, but it doesn’t bode especially well. FuntouchOS’ insistence on badgering users to use inferior alternatives or pointless additions smack of data harvesting at worst and poor UI design at best. Like it or not, Android does its job remarkably well – without being intrusive. Even though it’s at the heart of these handsets, very little of Android’s polish is visible. 81

TWO WEEKS WITH THE NEW MACBOOK PRO 16IN

Inchy strider

Apple’s flagship laptop has grown a little on the outside but made big steps on the inside… Stuff spends some time with the new star in the aluminium hood from R43 000 / myistore.co.za

Ports are Thunderbolt 3 USB-C all the way… and that’ll mean dongles.

DAY 01 With its latest iPhones, you might wonder if Apple is now welding the word ‘Pro’ to product names with merry abandon. But when you unwrap the new MacBook Pro 16in, there’s no doubting this is the real deal: a full-fat high-end laptop for creative types. It’s also a message. This is Apple’s retort to people who say it never listens. Although this Mac might not outwardly look that much different from its 15in

predecessor, keen eyes will soon notice the changes, and they become more apparent as you start to get properly acquainted… which is why we felt we needed a solid fortnight to get properly under its silvery skin. If you’ve ever wasted quality time yelling at the virtual escape key on a Mac with a Touch Bar, prepare for your swear jar to go hungry. The return of the physical escape key is bliss (as is the

The keyboard is the real revelation: the scissor switch mechanism feels more comfortable and is no longer deafening

‘inverted T’ arrow key layout) for everything from smashing out words to programming. But the keyboard as a whole is the real revelation. A new scissor switch mechanism replaces the butterfly one and, whether this will prove more durable, it feels more comfortable – and tapping away no longer deafens everyone in the immediate vicinity. There’s also a slightly smaller Touch Bar, a separate Touch ID button (like on the MacBook Air), and a multitouch trackpad the size of a dinner tray. Oh, and did someone say 16 inches? This unit shaves the

bezels to pack in a bigger display. It has 3072x1920 resolution at 226ppi, up from 2880x1800 at 220ppi in a frame that’s not meaningfully bigger. Video types should be pleased, as you can adjust the refresh rate to match footage. Major negatives are no Face ID and no FaceTime camera upgrade, meaning more crummy 720p video calls. By the way, see the word ‘from’ in that price? It’s a big ‘from’. Our review laptop – 2.3GHz octa-core i9 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of RAM – weighs in at R51 500. And that’s not Apple’s best spec.

LO N G -T E R M T E S T

Donut of Truth™

02 03

01 A stellar display, as we’ve come to expect 02 Plenty of raw power and a longer-lasting battery 03 Improved keyboard and surprisingly great speakers

04 The FaceTime camera is fuzzy old 720p 05 If you skimp on the specs to save a few rands now, there’s no way to upgrade the RAM later

Tech specs Display 16in 3072x1920 LED Processor Intel Core i7/i9 RAM 16GB GPU AMD Radeon Pro 5300M/ 5500M with 4GB RAM Storage 512GB/ 1TB SSD Connectivity 4x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C); 3.5mm headphone port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth OS macOS Catalina Battery life Up to 11 hours Dimensions 358x246x16mm, 2.0kg

DAY 03 Working from home, it’s time to try some tunes. What’s most surprising with the Pro is that the speakers aren’t just really good for a laptop – they’re really good full stop. Flipping back and forth between the built-in speakers and Ruark’s MR1 Mk2 desktops, the Mac’s aren’t obviously worse, just thinner in the low end. They offer an astonishing soundstage with real separation and height. That’s down to a six-speaker system with back-to-back drivers… and the same’s true for the new ‘studio quality’ three-mic array. It’d be a stretch to imagine Adele singing into it, but it’s easily good enough for a podcast or blasting out vocal demos in Logic Pro (apologies to the neighbours).

DAY 05 Delving into the stats, CPU speed and single-core performance are broadly on a par with this Mac’s predecessor. The GPU is way up with radically improved thermal architecture, plus you can spec a bank-account-mugging 64GB RAM and 8TB storage overseas. Apple’s own apps all deliver, with only one hiccup in Logic Pro when we chuck a few too many virtual synths into the mix.

DAY 11 We tried a bit of gaming today. It’s fine, but you’re probably still better off with the cheaper machines and greater range of titles offered by Windows. For everything else, from photo editing to video encoding, this Pro impresses. There’s some occasional warmth around the keyboard, and the Touch Bar does get uncomfortable at one point, otherwise heat and fan noise remain pleasingly absent.

DAY 14 This isn’t a revolution. What it represents is Apple taking its MacBook line into the future, but in a way that ensures we’re all willingly along for the ride. Sure, some people are going to bleat that this 16in model doesn’t look much different from its predecessor, and even that it’s a shade heavier. The thing is, all this fades away when you start using it. The keyboard is better. The screen is superb. The speakers are great. It only rarely gets warm. Even the battery lasts longer. Of course, you pay for all that. This is a wallet-thumping piece of kit, with the clue being in the name – because here, ‘Pro’ still means something.

STUFF SAYS A top upgrade for creative pros that bodes well for the rest of the MacBook line in 2020 ★★★★★

APPLE iPHONE 11 PRO

FI R TH ST ES AD E… D

Buy this now

ONE TEMPERED GLASS SCREEN PROTECTOR

TWO HUAWEI BAND 4

THREE AMAZON ECHO BUDS

Apple may suggest its new iPhones are tougher than tough but our 11 Pro has picked up scuffs despite our best efforts – bad news when you’ve spent in excess of R20k on your phone! Safeguard the front and rear with a screen protector. At R280 for the front and rear, it’s a small price for peace of mind. R280 / takealot.com

The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch around – but if you don’t want to spend massive amounts and just want to track your steps and sleep, Huawei’s Band 4 is a seriously elegant solution. It has a heart rate monitor, keeps tabs on workouts and, best of all, charges without a cable – just plug it straight into a USB port. R1300 / incredible.co.za

If you’re after on-the-go noise-cancelling buds but Apple’s own AirPods Pro are out of your price range, these are a great-value option. Packing Bose ANC tech, they drown out background hubbub and offer hands-free Alexa as well as five-hour battery life… for about half the price of the Pros. Read the full review on p70. R2 600 / bigapplebuddy.com

NO TH W T IS RY …

TH TH EN ES GE E… T

INSTANT UPGRADES

SKY: CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT 1 SAVE EYES AND POWER

2 PUT THE PHONE DOWN

3 TAKE A SHORTCUT

Taking advantage of the Pro’s OLED screen tech, Apple’s new dark mode swaps whites for blacks throughout a chunk of the interface, which means battery-saving benefits. To activate it, open your iPhone’s settings, scroll down to Display & Brightness and tap the Dark toggle. Oh, and see that Night Shift option? Press it to filter out blue light in the evening and help you get a proper sleep.

Digital life is taking over, so Apple wants to help you get a handle on how much time you’re spending glued to your phone. In settings, Screen Time is where you set Downtime, which disables all but a few features in the run-up to a good night’s sleep. Here you can also activate App Limits, so time spent scrolling through compulsive culprits like Instagram can be curtailed.

There’s a new app in town on iOS 13: Shortcuts. It’s here to save you diving into other apps to perform frequent tasks. The first time you tap it, you’ll see a whole load of nothing; but set a few parameters and it can streamline everything from your podcast listening to your smart home automation. To create a shortcut, fire up the app, tap the ‘+’ icon at the top right and select Add Action.

This charming game from the makers of Journey marries 3D platform elements with dreamy landscapes plus plenty of puzzles. Free (IAPs)

TOO GOOD TO GO

This ingenious app can search your local area for bargains on grub that would otherwise be wasted. It has filters for vegans and vegetarians. Free

4 REFRAME YOUR PICS

5 SHOOT IN THE DARK

6 GET FREE STUFF

One of the best things about the iPhone 11 Pro is its trinity of cameras. In addition to the main snapper and 2x zoom, there’s an ultra-wide cam for high-impact landscapes – press the 0.5x button to activate it. The phone can even simultaneously take a wide and an ultra-wide photo, so you can zoom out of a shot after you’ve taken it. In settings, select Camera and toggle ‘Photos Capture Outside the Frame’.

Apple has finally loaded up its iPhones with a night mode that stacks up against the best out there. If the lighting isn’t great when you prepare to take your shot, a crescent moon symbol will pop up next to the flash icon. If it turns yellow, night mode will fire up automatically; but if it doesn’t, tap it to force a longer exposure – just be sure to keep your hand steady to get the best results.

Everyone who has an iPhone 11 Pro gets a free month of Apple Arcade and Apple News+, plus a whole year of Apple TV+. Arcade is a library of premium games; News+ brings glossy content from the likes of Grazia and National Geographic; and Apple TV+ is the tech giant’s answer to Netflix. All of these are pre-installed, so fire them up and remember to cancel before your first billing date.

NOTED

Noted combines audio with written notes, making it an ideal lecture and meeting companion. It knows when to skip silences, and supports dragging and dropping from other apps. Free (IAPs)

BETA YOURSELF

MINDFUL TECH USE Worried you’re frittering your life away, staring at ephemeral nothingness on a glowing screen? Stuff finds ways to be more ‘conscious’ on phones, tablets and computers… THE BASICS

■ Tame your indulgences

So you enjoy catching up with your social feeds and playing games. There’s nothing wrong with that. But don’t squeeze such things into odd moments that rapidly expand – instead, schedule time for them, and avoid them elsewhere during the day. You’ll claw back hours and appreciate those planned spells all the more.

■ Be creative

One way to ensure you’re not wasting time on a device is to make something. If you’ve always had a novel in your head, or ambitions to be an artist, the digital realm now offers more help than ever. Instead of defaulting to social networks, spend downtime writing a novella, learning to paint or working on that nu-ragtime chart-topper.

■ Get educated

Although it’s true we never stop learning, most people rarely do so in a structured manner post-school/college. But your phone can be a great way to get useful stuff into your head. Try Duolingo to learn a new language, or Khan Academy for lessons in just about anything.

■ Put it out of reach ■ Learn to relax

Taking time out is vital, but it’s useful to approach relaxation mindfully, rather than spending all your spare time on things that may end up making you more stressed (such as endless news feeds). Instead, fill this time with chill-out activities like meditation, ambient audio noodling in Bloom: 10 Worlds, or a spot of virtual colouring.

There are times when tech is inappropriate – or even harmful to wellbeing. If you can’t trust yourself, put your devices out of reach. Get an old-school alarm clock for the bedroom and leave your phone to charge overnight elsewhere. When watching TV, put your phone in another room so you can concentrate on the right screen. And when you’re out socially, keep the effing thing in your pocket.

COUNT THE MINUTES ■ Use time-trackers

Yo filter

Most email is junk you mindlessly wade through prodding ‘delete’. Focus on messages that matter by using your email client’s filtering and VIP functionality.

Android has Digital Wellbeing, iOS has Screen Time. Use them to monitor your app and game usage on mobile. The stats will show how often you’re picking devices up, and whether you have an Instagram problem.

■ Be wary on desktop

If you track app usage on desktop, ensure the system you work with is intelligent enough to understand apps you’re actively using, rather than totalling up whatever’s lurking in the background. (Screen Time on macOS is oddly poor at this.)

APPS FOR THE MIND

TODOIST

A list manager arguably means more busywork and another reason to pick up your phone, but it can also be a great way of consolidating tasks and making phone use more conscious. Use this as the hub for your day, and place it prominently on your homescreen. Free / Android, iOS

HABITICA PRUNE YOUR APPS ■ Delete social apps

BE GOOD TO YOURSELF ■ Infuse good habits

Get a habit-tracker on your phone, and use it to define a handful of ways in which you’d like to improve your life and tech use. Don’t be overly ambitious – between two and six items is enough – and do give yourself a break if streaks are broken.

■ Gamify your health

Conscious tech use can prove transformative on health with the right apps. Have your smartwatch encourage you to move and exercise more, or go all-in with Zombies, Run! to combine a Walking Dead dystopia with getting fit.

Social media apps tend to be the ones that eat into most people’s time. If that’s you, add friction. This might mean gating usage with a screen time system, or removing native apps and using inferior web interfaces to put you off.

■ Offload on iOS

When fixated on an iOS game, too regularly tempted to play but unwilling to lose all your progress by dumping it, offload it in Settings. Your device will retain the app’s data, but the game will only run when reinstalled.

■ Refine device usage

If you’re fortunate enough to own multiple devices, clear your daily carry of tech. Have a ‘gaming’ or ‘social’ device ready and waiting for you when you get home, for your allotted faff time.

GET SOME PEACE

If you need a nudge to get things done and tend to spend too much time playing games, check out Habitica. It gamifies self-improvement, transforming your to-do list into an RPG… and success in the real world translates to the virtual one. Free / Android, iOS

■ Tame notifications

Android and iOS both have mature notification systems. When new notifications come in, quieten or disable them entirely. Chances are, you only really need a handful active. The rest are a distraction that suck you back into apps.

■ Set contact ringtones

Similarly, most phone calls fundamentally don’t matter. For key contacts, such as a spouse, best friend or boss, assign a custom ringtone so you know it’s them and can answer immediately. Everyone else can go to voicemail.

BFT – BEAR FOCUS TIMER

There are plenty of timers that attempt to carve your day into work/rest sprints. But BFT has you place your phone face-down during work periods – great for focusing on tasks. R24 / Android R30 / iOS

GADGET DOCTOR

ALWAYS ON CALL

facebook.com/stuffsa ● @StuffSA stuff@stuff.co.za

MAIL OF THE MONTH Q

NINJA IN TRAINING

Hello, Stuff! I don’t think this will go in your magazine because...I dunno but I don’t think you’ll even see this. Anyways I’m very young (parents won’t let me say my actual age and name, sorry) and I am going to get a gaming PC soon. I know a lot of these things are extremely expensive and I won’t know, when I’m buying something, whether it’s a good deal. Soooo… I’m just asking you guys, please help. My budget is around R11000 or so. Maybe cheaper, in fact. Ultimate Beast Gamer

Your folks don’t want you giving your name out for a reason, kiddo. Listen to ‘em for a while longer. Anyway, on to the gaming PC budget thing. There are a few ways to buy a PC.

Based on your budget, we’d go with a desktop rather than a notebook and we were looking at around R10k for a machine. Ideally you’d want to pick and choose components, shopping around for the cheapest deals on each one, but that’s an easy way to get something that isn’t compatible on the list if you don’t know what you’re doing. We’d suggest checking out Evetech’s (evetech.co.za) list of pre-built gaming PCs – you’ll be best off with something from the middle of their mid-range, with a Core i5-9400F, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 1660 GPU. That’ll eat your whole budget, however, so if you need a monitor and other bits, go cheaper or chat to the guys there. They’ll help you build exactly what you a) want and b) can afford.

Speak your brains to Stuff and you could win! This letter wins a Google Home Mini worth R1 000.

IN THE TOOTH

Hi. The past few months I've been searching for some Bluetooth in-ear earphones, preferably in the sub-R1 000 price range. But with all the products you find on the market these days it is hard to distinguish the gold from the garbage. What would be your top recommendations? Reinhardt

With this, as with any audio tech, we’d need to know what exactly you’d use them for. If you’re looking for wireless in-ears (the AirPod fad), there aren’t many choices, but you can look the Xiaomi Mi Airdots that is currently retailing for just under R1 000. The audio quality is decent considering the price, but the fit isn’t as snug as you’d find on higher-priced in-ears. If

TO IN E RITND W WA US

Next month’s mail of the month w a Google Home Mini worth R1 0 courtesy of Circuit City 88

you don’t mind wires, go for any in-ears from Sound Magic their wired Bluetooth range is great, and you’ll definitely find something to suit your budget.

ONE TO WATCH

Hi Stuff Team. I am twelve years old and like learning about new and strange tech. That is why I am a big fan and enjoy reading your magazine every month. I have always liked the idea of having an Apple Watch, and when Apple announced that they were reducing the Series 3’s price I thought it would be a good time to buy one. I have been saving up for a while and want to consider all my options in terms of software and what I would miss out on if I bought the Series 3 instead of one of the latest models. My main use for an Apple Watch would be activity tracking but I would also use all the other cool features that the Watch has to offer. Luc

You’re actually in luck, as while the available models are slightly different visually and in size, there is almost zero difference in terms of software between the most recent series'. They all run watchOS 6, and it’s only the Watch 4 and 5’s internals that really differ. Mostly, on that front, it’s the addition of heart-rate tracking and related trickery, but you

probably don’t need that right now. At age twelve, you shouldn't quite require the extra bits. Sure, they're nice to have, but it’s also nice to have an Apple Watch at just R4k or so.

ROKU LIKE A HURRICANE

I am thinking of buying a Roku device. I will be very grateful if you can help me answer some of these questions: Does Roku work in SA? Are there limitations in the Roku content available to SA viewers? Do I need an American IP address to access the full Roku offering? I watch the Sky channel on DStv a lot and the Roku offers Sky News. Will I be able to access it in SA? Lastly, what is your view of Roku? Anything else that I should be aware of? Sven

Weirdly, we haven’t tested a proper Roku in the Stuff offices lately, only the Kwese Play which used the same basic hardware but had limited-in-SA features. You can certainly buy a Roku here but the geographical restrictions will likely remain in place unless you’re running the device through a VPN to get around the block. NordVPN is a favourite this side of the world – just saying. That said, once you get it up and running, you’ll probably find it was well worth the effort to do so.

OP EN

This gadget leapt straig outta testin and into ou rankings.

OF EVERYTHING

NEW

Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten placings.

HOT BUY BARGAIN BUY UPDATE Searing with techy genius, a product thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set our hearts aflame.

A solid gold bargain. Worth owning, regardless of cashflow.

Smartphones Phablets Tablets, mobile games TVs Laptops Wearables Budget buys

90 9 1 92 93 94 95 96

Drones, action cams & compact cameras VR headsets & games System cameras Headphones Wireless speakers Consoles Games

97 98 99 100 101 102 1 03

HOW TO USE THEM

TOP TENS SMARTPHONES

TIPS & TRICKS

HOT BUY

Apple iPhone 11 A 2019 iPhone with all the internals of its Pro-labelled sibling? Oh hell yeah. There’s good reason to have the iPhone 11 on the throne right now — it’s powered by Apple’s speedy A13 Bionic processor, runs iOS 13 and totes the new U1 chip. Nestled in the new square module around back, you get a wide-angle 12MP main sensor with f/1.8 aperture and a 12MP ultrawide angle f/2.4 camera. You don’t have to go Pro to own a great iPhone this year.

By default, if you hold your iPhone 11 vertically, the image sensor zooms in to take a 7MP selfie. Tap the expand button on the screen to zoom out for the full 12MP camera.

Stuff says ★★★★★ You can’t ask for more than a solid iPhone that comes in at a great price

Come to the dark side by enabling Dark Mode - Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and toggle the Dark Mode switch.

● NOW ADD THIS UAG Plyo phone case Apple’s done its job by making the 11 water-resistant, now keep it safe from drops with a UAG cover. R580 / gammatek.co.za

Huawei P30

The screen is excellent, the speedy Exynos chipset is assisted by 8GB of RAM and 128 or 512GB of storage. The triple rear camera (12/12/16MP) features 2x optical zoom and an ultrawide option. Samsung proves you don’t need all the megapixels to have a great camera.

There’s a gap between the stock P30 and the P30 Pro. They’re both amazing phones, even if you’re giving up some features to get a significantly cheaper smartphone. Much of the camera tech remains intact, though, and Huawei’s kept the power and style in place as well.

Stuff says ★★★★★ A brilliant phone that’s ideal if you don’t want to go Pro/Plus on Android

Stuff says ★★★★★ The P30 is priced the way we wish all flagships were – worth every cent

R14 000 / samsung.com/za

R10 000 / huaweistore.co.za

Samsung Galaxy S9

Apple iPhone XR

Huawei P30 Lite

LG G8S ThinQ

UPDATE

HOT BUY

★★★★★ from R22 000 / myistore.co.za It’s only down here because of the price. Brilliant phone, gorgeous colours, but a bit expensive.

Apple iPhone XS

UPDATE

Samsung Galaxy S10

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

★★★★★ from R15 000 / myistore.co.za Apple’s range is spreading, meaning it occupies the lower slots as well as the top one.

★★★★★ from R13 000 / samsung.com/za The S9 was all small, excellent updates. It still is, but now it’s got competition from its own stablemates.

★★★★★ from R13 000 / myistore.co.za This ‘budget’ iPhone still packs a punch, including killer battery life and the best LCD money can buy.

★★★★★ R5 500 / huaweistore.co.za Though it’s harder to recomend of late, Huawei’s budget entry is lifting eyebrows and dropping jaws.

★★★★✩ from R9 000 / lg.com/za LGs best-looking handset last year. Add a powerful processor, great camera and display, and you’re set.

Nokia 6.1

★★★★✩ from R2 700 / hmdglobal.com All-new innards, Android One pedigree, and nary a price bump? Is it our birthday, Nokia?

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR STUFFSA ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

● Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

from R15 000 / myistore.co.za

The ultra-wide camera also works for panoramas. Ultra-wide panoramas look more distorted than with the wide lens, but, hey, if you want to do it, you can.

PHABLETS TOP TENS UPDATE

TIPS & TRICKS

uawei P30 Pro

Go dark – sa battery (why your eyes (ok by hitting Se Battery > Dar interface colo

000 / huaweistore.co.za

when you thought it was safe to upgrade r phone on contract, Huawei comes along h another sizzler. The P30 Pro may have best smartphone camera we’ve ever seen, h 5x optical zoom (thanks, prism!), and up 0x digital zoom. Because there are four era sensors there: 40MP, 20MP, 8MP Huawei’s own Time-of-Flight camera. nslation? The best low-light images you’ll from an Android for the foreseeable future.

Manage thos minutes. Pop to Settings > Balance > Tu screen time managemen Dangerously – Open the c then Settings top-right. Se Audio Contro then say ‘che to take photo

ff says ★★★★★ l the best bigboi out there, let’s see at Samsung can do to top it ● NOW ADD THIS Huawei Supercharge 10 000 mAh The P30 Pro’s huge battery is no reason not to get it a high-speed power bank of its very own. R800 / huaweistore.co.za

Huawei Mate 20 Pro

★★★★★ R11 000 / samsung.com/za While it still supports Google Mobile Services, this is one of the most boss devices out there.

UPDATE

Apple iPhone Pro Max

Samsung Galaxy S10+

The iPhone 11 Pro Max signifies Apple’s best tech of 2019 in its largest chassis. It’s got the triplethreat camera setup which includes a telephoto lens, a wide-angle and a main sensor. Is it basically a bigger iPhone 11 Pro? Yes. Same insides, different size. Bigger is better, right?

Samsung ruled the roost two years ago but competition is fiercer than ever. Case in point: Samsung’s best phone ever hasn’t claimed the top spot. Don’t let that put you off. The S10+ is still a beast of a machine, elegantly styled, powerful and with a camera not to be sneezed at.

Stuff says ★★★★★ It’s worth maxing out your credit card for this iPhone

Stuff says ★★★★★ If you like them big, slick, and stylish, the Galaxy S10+ is the one

from R24 000 / myistore.co.za

from R19 000 / samsung.com/za

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+

Apple iPhone XS Max

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Samsung Galaxy S9+

HOT BUY

UPDATE

★★★★✩ from R17 000 / samsung.com/za Samsung has pumped up the specs on its excellent phablet, including more S-Pen features.

★★★★✩ from R20 000 / myistore.co.za Apple must do something big to claw its way back. The XS Max proves they’re capable of that.

★★★★✩ from R13 000 / samsung.com/za Still an excellent purchase if you must have a stylus, even if it’s slipped down the ranks a tad.

★★★★✩ R17 300 / samsung.com/za Off the podium but still a solid choice if you want the best of Samsung and don’t need a stylus.

Apple iPhone 8 Plus

★★★★✩ from R12 500 / myistore.co.za Short stay on the podium notwithstanding, the iPhone 8 Plus is looking cheap vs the XS Max.

Honor 8x

★★★★✩ from R4 500 / hi-online.co.za Our fave budget handset right now holds its own against far pricier ones, and looks the part, too.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR STUFFSA ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

TOP TENS TABLETS & MOBILE GAMES

HOT BUY

Apple iPad Pro

Data Wing

The latest iPad Pro isn’t cheap, but it’s a mobile powerhouse like no other, with a diverse and rich app ecosystem, tons of power, a gorgeous screen, and the kind of focus on creativity and productivity that just doesn’t exist on other tablets. If you just want to faff on Facebook or Netflix it’s massive overkill, but then there’s the standard iPad or a slew of other tablets for doing that. Still, even if you don’t actually need the new iPad Pro, you’re going to want one if you have it in your mitts for five minutes.

This game starts off as if Asteroids had a baby with a top-down racer: your triangular craft blasts around circuits, gaining speed when its bum scrapes neon track edges. Soon you discover you’re part of an OS ruled by a deranged AI. Story and game quickly expand, as you glimpse the world beyond the screen and battle gravity in cavern-based sections that recall 8-bit classic Thrust. Rarely do mobile titles pack in so many hours of clever, thoughtful narrative. Pretty much never are such games free.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Once again Apple blasts ahead of the pack, with a stylish, powerful tablet full of creative potential

Stuff says ★★★★★ A mobile game we’d happily recommend if it cost R100 – for free, it’s an absurdly generous bargain

from R15 000 / myistore.co.za

Apple iPad Air (2019)

from R9 000 / myistore.co.za Admit it, you’ve been waiting for a new iPad Air. An A12 Bionic procesor, improved specs across the board and an option of 64GB or 256GB of storage. It’s a very good time to be an Apple fan. Stuff says ★★★★★ Still the best all-purpose iPad for most

Apple iPad 7 (2019)

from R6 000 / myistore.co.za This is a minor upgrade from its predecessor, but we love the larger 10.2in retina display and, as always, the Pencil support. It’s the perfect entry-level iPad for big screen Apple Arcade gaming and streaming sessions. Stuff says ★★★★★ Our favourite gigantic digital doodling pad

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

Apple iPad Mini (2019)

★★★★★ R17 700 / samsung.com/za This is the Android tablet to get if you like doodling or gaming on tablets.

★★★★★ from R7 500 / myistore.co.za Apple’s finally updated the mini iPad, with the A12 Bionic chip and a general upgrade.

Free / Android, iOS

Jumpgrid

Oddmar

Bring You Home

Knight Brawl

R50 / iOS Pac-Man and Frogger meet Super Hexagon and buckets of adrenaline in this superb game, a twitch/arcade/punishment crossover masterpiece. It’s a stunning ride that will leave you a quivering wreck. Stuff says ★★★★★ The best twitch arcade game on mobile

R66 / Android, R80 / iOS Oddmar looks like it could have breezed in from a PS4. It’s packed full of superb level design, arresting set-pieces and lush animated visuals, as a beardy Viking oaf sets out to save his tribe. Stuff says ★★★★★ Touchscreen platformers can be great after all

★★★★★ R50 / Android, iOS Make your own future with this imaginative, brilliantly designed and devious puzzler.

★★★★★ Free / Android, iOS If Monty Python made a sword-fighting game for mobile… it still wouldn’t be this silly.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR STUFFSA ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

TVs TOP TENS

HOT BUY

LG OLED 65C9PUA R60 700 / lg.com/za

Replacing its memorable predecessor, last year’s C-class OLED gives you LG’s most advanced picture and processing tech. It’s got the snappy as heck Alpha9 processor. Along with being faster than we can handle, the set looks beautiful in any setting. Even at its thickest point, the 65in C9 measures just 4.7cm. Joining four HDMI 2.1 sockets, the C9 has three USB ports, ethernet, optical and headphone outputs, and aerial and satellite connections. Oh, and it’s got 4K output.

Stuff says ★★★★★ As expected, the updated C9 is the closest you’ll get to a tiny home cinema TIPS & TRICKS

The C9 offers assistant-smarts — choose between LG’s own ThinQ, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

● NOW ADD THIS Sony PlayStation 4 Pro You’re going to want to use your 4K screen to display 4K bits and the PS4 Pro is going to help you to do that. Best when paired with Sony’s PlayStation VR headset (R4 800). R7 000 / playstation.com/za

It’ll recommend content based on what you’ve previously watched at certain times throughout the day.

4 HOT BUY

Samsung 55Q8C

R18 000 / hirschs.co.za

LG 65SK9500

★★★★★ from R30 000 / lg.com/za 4K UHD but there’s no OLED here. Nano Cell, HDR, and webOS make up for it.

Hisense 65U8A

Samsung 55Q7F

LG OLED 65E8

UPDATE

★★★★★ R11 800 / hisense.co.za A huge UHD panel, enough ports to make you feel like a sailor and a price that’s kind to the wallet.

★★★★★ R18 000 / samsung.com/za Samsung’s 4K TV supports HDR and has a price that means you’ll still able to eat at month end.

★★★★✩ R120 200 / lg.com/za LG’s heavy hitter is amazeballs, but the price hits your wallet harder than the pixels pummel pupils.

LG 65SM9500PUA R26 000 / takealot.com

Okay, it’s still curved and we’re kind of past that but Samsung’s big screen hits your eyes with a 4K panel toting their neato Quantum Dot tech. It also looks the part, with no bezels and minimalist styling, making sure that this one fades into the background… until you turn it on, that is. Samsung’s Q HDR 1500 also helps in that regard.

LG can succeed even without OLED. Just look at LG’s NanoCell-backed panel for the SM9500PUA, LG could bore you to death with NanoCell marketing fluff, but it really looks beautiful with deep blacks and solid, vivid colours. Get one in 65in and use LG’s digital assistant voice control to get lost in a mediocre Netflix series. It’s just that good.

Stuff says ★★★★★ If you can look past the curve, there’s a lot to love here

Stuff says ★★★★★ You don’t need OLED when you look this good

8 HOT BUY

Hisense 75N9700UWG

★★★★✩ R50 000 / hisense.co.za Hisense lobs Quantum Dot colour tech and a humongous 75in 4K ULED screen at you.

Skyworth 55G7200

★★★★✩ R8 800 / iskyworth.com A 55in 4K display for under R10k? For that combo, we’ll forgive the user interface missteps.

LG 49UK6300PVB

★★★★✩ R7 000 / lg.com/za UDH and HDR combined in a package designed to make you feel like you spent far more money.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR STUFFSA ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

TOP TENS LAPTOPS TIPS & TRICKS

Who needs a Touch Bar? You can log into your Mac with your iPhone’s Touch ID using the MacID app.

The universal clipboard lets you copy text on your iPhone and paste it directly to your Mac.

HOT BUY

UPDATE

Apple MacBook Pro 2019

from R24 000 (13in) / myistore.co.za

The entry-level MacBook Pro received a noteworthy spec bump last year, and the base 13in variation won’t necessarily break the bank. What this also means, is the previous-gen Pro’s have received a price cut. Which makes them even more desirable. But the 2019 Pro’s now run 8th- and 9th-gen Intel Core processors, and the 15in model packs up to 8-cores. It retains the Touch Bar, Retina Display, Touch ID, some nifty SSDs and the trusty Apple T2 Security Chip. Now if we could just get these a little cheaper, that’d be grand.

Stuff says ★★★★★ A bump in spec is exactly what the best MacBook needed to dominate ● NOW ADD THIS Satechi Type-C USB 3 Combo Hub Two ports not enough? This hub adds loads more and sits snugly against the MacBook Pro’s side. R800 / amazon.com

UPDATE

Apple MacBook Air 13in

★★★★★ from R14 000 / myistore.co.za As stylish as it ever was, Apple’s Air is due for a refresh locally after an international update.

MSI GT76 Titan

★★★★★ from R55 000 / evetech.co.za It packs a punch with at least an RTX 2070 GPU and up to an Intel Core i9 in a weighty chassis.

Apple MacBook

★★★★★ from R18 000 / myistore.co.za It may be about to join the ranks of the obsolete but it’s still a top bit of tech. UPDATE

MSI PS63 Modern

★★★★★ from R23 000 / evetech.co.za Does MSI’s multimedia editing-slayer still play games? Yes. Yes, it bloody well does.

Dell XPS 13 (2019)

Asus Zenbook UX331UA

The Dell XPS 13 is one of the best, most consistent Windows laptops in the world. There are no gimmicks, no flimsy parts: every element is top-quality. You get style, portability, performance and great battery life. And every part of it just feels, well, good.

Asus’ new 1.12kg Zenbook 13 might look less like a MacBook than its predecessors did but that’s okay. It’s not like a Mac inside either, with a Core i7-8550U, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD and other metrics that make Apple’s machines look slow.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Royalty among Windows laptops: everything about this is top-notch

Stuff says ★★★★★ Something this fast shouldn’t be this light

from R25 000 / dell.co.za

Huawei MateBook X Pro

★★★★★ from R19 000 / huawei.com/za A stylish Windows laptop with some clever ideas to get the maximum display for your rand.

from R15 000 / asus.com/za

UPDATE

Asus ZenBook Pro 14

★★★★★ R31 500 / asus.com/za A sizable second screen makes the ZenBook Pro 14 a very unusual proposition indeed.

Acer Swift 5

★★★★✩ R20 000 / acer.co.za Lacks gaming chops but it’s light, portable, and powerful enough to make office life lovely.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR STUFFSA ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

SMARTWATCHES, FITNESS TRACKERS TOP TENS HOT

HOT

UPDATE

DATE

Apple Watch Series 5

Garmin Fenix 5

You want to pay attention, because the new-gen Apple Watch looks pretty much identical to our previous leader. The Watch Series 5 may look familiar, but brings a bunch of cool new features and updated specs to the irrewristable companion. It’s now got an always-on display, WatchOS 6 and a speedier processor. It may not sound like much — but we love this watch. Improved health features make the Series 5 brilliant for both healthy and unhealthy folks.

So you’re the kind of sporty that makes the seriously fit look at you kinda strange and wonder if you’re ever going to slow down, you need the sportiest sportswatch. You’re going to need something that tracks all the things. Our fitness champ does everything from swimming to sprinting to… skydiving? Really? Yeah, really. The Fenix 5 is the ultimate sportswatch, so much so that you’ll feel you need a degree in sports fitness to understand all the stats. But that’s why we love this one.

Stuff says ★★★★★ It’s more expensive, but we’re betting it’s totally worth it if you’re in it for the health and fitness features

Stuff says ★★★★★ If you’re going to be the sportiest of your pentathlonbeating mates, you’re going to want the Fenix 5

from R9 000 / myistore.co.za

from R9 000 / garmin.co.za

Samsung Galaxy Watch

UPDAT

Garmin Forerunner 945

UPDATE

Fitbit Versa

UPDATE

Huawei Watch GT 2

UPDATE

R3 500 / samsung.com/za A sturdy and stylish smartwatch with plenty of power and a truly lovely user interface. Those with an iPhone are still likely to get a better experience and more functionality from an Apple Watch, though. Stuff says ★★★★★ The best smartwatch for Android users

R2 300 / fitbit.com For a broad range of tracking without making your wallet sad, Fitbit’s versatile Charge 3 offers up all of the basics, a whack of actual sports smarts, and more than a few bits cribbed from its smartwatch brethren. Stuff says ★★★★★ The Jonty Rhodes of fitness trackers

from R11 100 / garmin.co.za It’s definitely one of the most comprehensive, smartwatches out there. The FR945 goes beyond basic tracking, music playback and NFC payments. It’s got temperature and altitude acclimation and improved tracking. tuff says ★★★★★ Lifting the bar(ometer) for fitness freaks

★★★★✩ R3 000 / fitbit.com Decent battery life and a smattering of smarts make this an attractive watch.

★★★★✩ R4 400 / huaweistore.co.za As always, it looks good and tracks well but lacks app support.

Fitbit Charge 3

Fitbit Inspire HR

R1 800 / fitbit.com Fitbit’s latest is a great little tracker. As well as step-counting, it’s surprisingly capable for proper run-tracking if you go out with a phone. Add notifications and that’s just about everything we want in a low-key band. Stuff says ★★★★★ All the tracking skills that most people need

Fitbit Alta HR

Garmin Vivosmart HR+

★★★★★ R1 000 / fitbit.com The slim design, HR monitor, and notifications make this the best discreet wristable.

★★★★✩ R2 500 / garmin.co.za A superb tracker packed with features; it’s just a little bulky for wearing 24/7.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR STUFFSA ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

TOP TENS BUDGET BUYS

R1 400 / game4u.co.za

TIPS & TRICKS

There’ll be playground spats and online feuds over whether Nintendo’s or Sega’s games are better, but the Mega Drive Mini wins the miniature retro console war in terms of the faithful recreation of both hardware and software – especially as there are 42 games included. It’s taken a long time to get here, but as the saying goes, to be this good takes ages – and the Sega is going to be the must-buy console this year.

Dip into the display settings to switch from the standard 4:3 aspect ratio to fit your widescreen TV. Switch the language settings to Japanese and you can play vastly different versions of games.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Sega’s back – and this really is the ultimate mini gaming machine

Struggling with the old-school difficulty? Hold down the start button to use one of four save slots.

UPDATE

● NOW ADD THIS Retro-Bit Official 6-Button Controller A must for fans of fighting games, this six-button USB pad is also compatible with PCs, Macs and even the Switch. R700 / raru.co.za

SNES Classic Mini

Raspberry Pi Zero W

Why splash out over R6 000 on a games console when you can get the SNES Classic Mini for so much less? You get 21 titles pre-installed on this nostalgia-inducing little machine, including the likes of Super Metroid, A Link to the Past and Super Mario World.

It might be nearly twice the price of the original Pi Zero, but when you’re still getting change from R300 the wireless Pi is fantastic value. Simplicity is key, with no need to mess about with dongles or hubs. This also means your Pi projects can be squeezed into smaller places.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Retro-minded Nintendo fans won’t find better value anywhere

Stuff says ★★★★★ The Pi Zero was already brilliant; wireless add-ons make it better

R2 900 / nintendo.co.za

Sega Mega Drive Mini

R250 / pishop.co.za

UE Wonderboom 2

Moov Now

Amazon Kindle

SoundMagic E10C

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9

Ryze Tello

★★★★★ R1 500 / takealot.com A rugged little wonder that’ll bring a sonic boost to any occasion.

★★★★★ R1 550 / pclinkshop.co.za The best budget tracker you can buy – gives most Fitbits a run for their money.

★★★★★ from R1 600 / circuitcity.co.za Top of our holiday packing list, the basic Kindle is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

★★★★★ R600 /sound-magic.co.za SoundMagic is royalty when it comes to budget buds. For only R600, these are stupendous.

★★★★★ R1 100 / fujifilm.co.za The new Mini 9 keeps the point-and-print charm of its predecessors... and the same film.

★★★★✩ R1 900 / takealot.com Rule the skies without breaking the bank with this affordable toy drone.

Amazon Echo Dot

★★★★✩ R1 000 / geewiz.co.za This smart home assistant is a lot smaller than the full-size Echo, but it’s a much bigger bargain.

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DRONES, ACTION CAMS & COMPACTS TOP TENS

HOT NEW BUY

DJI Mavic Mini

Sony DSC-RX100 V A

The Mavic Mini definitely won’t be for everyone. If you want maximum control over your footage, have no qualms about registering your drone, need 4K capture at 60fps, are OK with spending the best part of R20k and consider object-tracking a must-have, you’ll want to look elsewhere. If, however, you just want to get a fantastic balance of user experience, features, convenience and quality at a stomachable price, the Mavic Mini is the most accessible premium drone we’ve used to date.

We wouldn’t recommend buying this camera if you already own the old IV model, but a few improvements have ensured Sony remains the top dog in our compacts list – and we’re keeping this model above the new RX100 VI simply because of the price difference. It remains one of the finest point-and-shoots we’ve ever seen, with a flexibility that few pocket cameras can muster. While it’s still not exactly cheap, we reckon this is the cam to buy if you want fantastic-looking snaps from your holidays.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Dinky drones don’t come more feature-packed, and bigger drones than this need to be registered. Win!

Stuff says ★★★★★ A small improvement over the RX100 IV, but this Sony is close to premium point-and-shoot perfection

R7 000 / myistore.co.za

GoPro Hero8 Black

NEW

R8 000 / capeunionmart.co.za GoPro fends off the DJI challenge by giving its latest flagship action cam even better stabilisation skills plus 4K 60fps video, a range of wide angles, waterproofing and fast/slow timelapse capture. Stuff says ★★★★★ The most stable action cam we’ve ever used UPDAT

HOT

DJI Osmo Action

R6 000 / myistore.co.za The image stabilisation is sensational and the face-optimised metering makes DJI’s action cam an ideal choice for vloggers. It has some idiosyncrasies, but this is a smart shooter that captures great footage without faff. Stuff says ★★★★★ Despite a few quirks, this is a stellar cam

DJI Mavic 2 Pro

DJI Mavic Air

UPDATE

★★★★★ R30 100 / myistore.co.za Superbly responsive in the air, this is the gold standard in portable flyers.

★★★★★ R15 560 / myistore.co.za A stellar gadget that combines the best bits from the Spark and the Mavic Pro.

R20 000 / premiumbrands.co.za

2 3

Panasonic Lumix TZ220

R16 700 / panasonic.com/za This Panasonic compact is a significant upgrade from the TZ110, offering extra reach with the zoom lens, better colour reproduction, and an improved experience when using the electronic viewfinder. Stuff says ★★★★★ Small, neat and not dramatically overpriced

Sony DSC-RX100 VI

R23 700 / premiumbrands.co.za A true all-rounder that shoots 24fps at full resolution and has stunningly fast autofocus, topped off with a whopping 8x zoom lens that’s quite spectacular for such a tiny camera. Stuff says ★★★★★ A dinky yet luxurious point-and-shoot

Panasonic Lumix LX100 II

Fujifilm X100F

★★★★★ R19 000 / panasonic.com/za One of the most capable compacts on the market, with superb stills and HD video.

★★★★★ R17 600 / myfujifilm.co.za The best street shooter around if you don’t need the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.

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TOP TENS VR HEADSETS & VR GAMES

HOT NEW BUY

Oculus Quest

Beat Saber

The Quest offers all manner of fully interactive, roamable virtual worlds that you can throw in your backpack without a single wire. That’s a mindblowing technical feat. Yes, the battery life is average, but the inside-out tracking and total absence of any cables make this the best all-round VR headset to date. It also ships with the Oculus Touch motion controllers included, which means you can play fully fledged Oculus Rift titles without being anywhere near a PC.

Most VR games equip you for immersive combat, but Beat Saber’s dual laser swords aren’t meant for slicing and dicing foes. Instead, you’ll gleefully swing them to chop blocks that are flung your way to the thumping beat of a song. This game has reinvented the rhythm genre for VR and it is glorious indeed, turning the power fantasy of dual-wielding lightsabers into an exhilarating modern music experience. And add-on packs keep the beat going for longer.

Stuff says ★★★★★ If you’ve been waiting to board the VR bandwagon, the Quest might be the best reason yet to go for it

Stuff says ★★★★★ A mesmerising musical melee that’s at its absolute best when played on the cable-free Oculus Quest

from R10 800 / 1 80by2.co.za

HTC Vive

R12 000 / makro.co.za Now that prices have levelled out, there isn’t much difference between the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift in all honesty. But if you’re thinking of upgrading to the Vive Pro in the future, this is a great gateway headset. Stuff says ★★★★✩ A solid choice for immersive virtual reality

HTC Vive Pro

R15 200 (headset only) / evetech.co.za This high-end headset offers the best virtual reality experience by a long way, but its sky-high price means you should only really buy it if you’re a VR obsessive with a super-powerful gaming PC. Stuff says ★★★★✩ This hardcore headset is overkill for most

Google Daydream View

★★★★✩ R1 800 / thegadgetshop.co.za This budget-friendly option was once the best way of bringing VR to the masses.

PlayStation VR

★★★✩✩ from R5 200 / playstation.com/za It can deliver incredible experiences, but the PSVR is held back by teething issues.

from R435 / Oculus Quest/Rift, Vive, PSVR

Superhot VR

Farpoint

Moss

BARGAIN BUY

R400 / Oculus Rift, Vive, PSVR There’s something really cool about hiding behind a desk before blitzing your opponents with streams of bullets as if you were starring in your very own Matrix movie. A wonderfully action-packed title. Stuff says ★★★★★ A superb 2-in-1 VR puzzler and shooter

R330 (R1 000 with Aim Controller) / PSVR If it weren’t in VR, Farpoint would be a distinctly average space-based FPS. But the PSVR headset and Aim Controller lift it above the pack and make it a must-play, not just for VR fans but also for FPS addicts. Stuff says ★★★★★ Simply a thrilling VR experience

★★★★✩ R470 / PSVR This platform puzzler offers a one-of-akind fable that’s perfect for VR.

Thumper

★★★★✩ R320 / Oculus Rift, Vive, PSVR This mesmerising rhythm game is best played in VR, despite the lack of tracking.

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SYSTEM CAMERAS TOP TENS HOT BUY

Fujifilm X-T3

R23 000 (body) / myfujifilm.co.za It’s really hard to find anything bad to say about the X-T3 – it’s just consistently great in so many ways. Fuji has looked at virtually every feature on the X-T2 and upgraded it. With substantial tweaks made to the pro-level video options, the high-res EVF, the super-fast autofocus and the burst shooting, what you’re left with is an all-round beast of a camera in a small, beautiful form. As APS-C shooters go, it’s the best there is.

TIPS & TRICKS Pre-shot ES mode starts taking photos and adding them to the buffer as soon as you half-press.

Stuff says ★★★★★ An incredible stills shooter with video smarts to match

Sports Finder mode’s display enables you to see what’s about to come into frame for moving shots.

● NOW ADD THIS Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon Fibre Tripod You no longer have an excuse for wobbly photos with this carbon-fibre tripod. It weighs just 1.65kg. R4 350 / ormsdirect.co.za

Tapping an area on the 3in touchscreen will let you set the focus point or take an instant shot.

UPDATE

UPD TE

Sony A6500

Fujifilm X-T30

Panasonic GH5S

Panasonic Lumix G9

The A7 III manages to pack in a lot of technology and desirability for less than R40k. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s well suited to a bunch of shooting scenarios, coping well with landscapes, portraits, and even a little bit of high-speed sport shooting. As a camera design it’s admitedly not the prettiest thing we’ve ever seen, but it handles well for its compact size.

The G9 is the best Lumix camera to date and a cracking choice for wildlife or action photography. This diminutive cam’s images aren’t up with the best, particularly in low light, but the plus sides are lightning shooting speeds and a great system of small, light lenses. With 4K video and handy shooting modes also on board, it’s one of most versatile high-end mirrorless cameras you can buy.

Stuff says ★★★★★ A fantastic all-rounder that excels in low-light conditions

Stuff says ★★★★★ The perfect companion for the travelling wildlife photographer

R37 300 / premiumbrands.co.za

R22 200 / panasonic.com/za

★★★★★ R14 000 (body) / myfujifilm.co.za You get the X-T3’s sensor in a cheaper, smaller body with more spare change for buying lenses.

★★★★★ R41 000 (body) / panasonic.com/za A compact system camera that’s a pro at video, if slightly disappointing for stills.

Canon EOS 80D

Nikon Z6

Nikon D850

BARGAIN UPDATE BUY

Sony A7 III

★★★★★ R20 700 (body) / premiumbrands.co.za A cracking system cam for action photography, but stick with the A6300 if your budget is tight.

★★★★★ R13 000 / canon.co.za The 80D is so easy to use that even a toddler would get some great shots with it.

★★★★★ R41 000 (body) / nikon.co.za A top-notch and reasonably sized mirrorless camera from the optical experts.

★★★★★ R54 600 (body) / nikon.co.za This super-cam has enough fantastic features to excel in pretty much any situation.

Fujifilm GFX 50S

★★★★★ R93 300 / myfujifilm.co.za It’s not cheap, but no camera we’ve tested takes better photos than this.

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TOP TENS HEADPHONES OT

100

UPDATE

Sony WH-1000XM3

Sony WF-1000XM3

Sony’s WH-1000 series was already a top performer, and the WH-1000XM3s make for an even more compelling package. With Bluetooth wireless and great noise-cancellation, they’re the ultimate public transport stress killer… well, aside from a chauffeur or a lottery win that lets you retire. The leather pads make them incredibly easy to wear, not unlike sitting in one of those ultra-comfy leather chairs, and most importantly of all the sound quality is fantastic.

The original WF-1000XMs had an easy job in the early days of noise-cancelling in-ears, because there simply wasn’t much in the way of competition. That’s all changed now – yet the way the XM3s serve up sound quality as spectacular as this while being truly wireless, while effectively cancelling background noise and while remaining comfortable in the ears, is quite something. So, just as it was with the original XMs, it’s job done for Sony.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Great wireless headphones with effective ANC and a sound that nails just about everything

Stuff says ★★★★★ Outright winners on design, build, specifications and, most importantly of all, performance

R4 500 / takealot.com

R4 000 / takealot.com

Bowers & Wilkins PX7

SoundMagic E10BT

Bose NCH 700

Jabra Elite Sport

B&O H9i

Apple Airpods Pro

Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC

Samsung Galaxy Buds

NEW

R7 700 / takealot.com B&W’s second ANC headphones place greater emphasis on comfort and are all the better for it, while the noise-killing is as effective as you’ll find anywhere. Oh, and they sound flipping good too. Stuff says ★★★★★ B&W takes on the best with top-class cans NEW

UPDATE

HOT BUY

BARGAI UPDATE BUY

R890 / sound-magic.co.za The SoundMagic E10BT in-ears are the same as the E10Cs, just sporting a new Bluetooth finish, which means they’ll play nice with all those 3.5 jack-less smartphones. Expect a spot of bass, clean treble and detailed mids. Stuff says ★★★★★ Wireless wired sound for the cable connoisseur

R8 800 / makro.co.za You won’t find a better voice pickup system than Bose’s, while the company’s already exceptional noise-cancelling tech is now even better. Other features, such as the slick touch controls, are also winners. Stuff says ★★★★★ As all-rounders these are hard to beat

★★★★★ R4 400 / makro.co.za Frequent flyers and long-range commuters: these are the headphones for you.

★★★★★ R2 000 / mitechdirect.co.za Priced right, wireless, and with noise cancelling. The catch? No, there’s no catch at all.

NEW

R3 400 / circuitcity.co.za For serious in-ear fitness tech, you have to get Jabra’s Elite Sport wireless buds. In-ear heart monitoring, up to nine hours of battery life, and a gnarly (and detailed) fitness-focussed app are the highlights here. Stuff says ★★★★★ The smartest fitness partner you’ll ever have

from R4 000 / myistore.co.za Not really ’Pro’, but still excellent wireless in-ears for iPhone users.

★★★★★ R2 300 / samsung.com/za Android’s answer to AirPods, the Buds sound great, look subtler, and offer more fit options.

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101 TIPS & TRICKS

You can control your Move with the touch controls on top, the Sonos app, Google Assistant or Alexa.

WIRELESS SPEAKERS TOP TENS

Auto Trueplay adapts the Move’s sound to different rooms, while the app offers additional EQ tweaks.

HOT NEW BUY

Sonos Move R8 000 / sonos.co.za

The Sonos range of wireless speakers had been crying out for a battery-powered portable model for ages – and finally our favourite multiroom audio specialist caved in. Luckily, the Move was worth the wait. Its adaptability and sound quality mean it’s fine value for money, and a no-brainer for anyone who’s already a fan of the brand. Not only is this the speaker Sonos should have launched years ago – it’s one of the best products of its type and price that we’ve heard.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Sonos finally gets up to speed with the portable speaker craze, and in style Buy this now

HOT BUY

Buy this now

HOT BUY

UPDATE

● NOW ADD THIS Spotify Premium Sick of playing your iTunes library on repeat? Sign up to Spotify for more new music than you could ever possibly listen to. R60/month / spotify.com

UE Megaboom 3

★★★★★ R2 700 / takealot.com You’ll struggle to find a better, longer-lasting or more feature-laden portable Bluetooth speaker. NEW

JBL Xtreme 2

★★★★★ R3 300 / takealot.com The updated Xtreme offers all the bass for 15-odd hours.

JBL Pulse 3

★★★★★ R3 500 / kloppers.co.za Pretty pricey, but potent for its size, and the LED light show is utterly mesmerising.

Braven 705

JBL Clip 3

Fender Newport

BARGAIN BUY

UE WonderBoom 2

DreamWave Tremor

This tiny speaker is a delight. It’s ideal for the park, or even if you’re looking to use one (or two) to supercharge your bedroom setup. Audio quality is ramped up from its predecessor, giving you better bass and more detail, but not at the expense of dinky portability.

With 50W of thumping audio output, a humongous 20800mAh rechargeable battery that provides up to 18 hours at medium volume (or eight at full tilt), and the most rugged body we’ve ever seen in a speaker, the Tremor is a real beast of a portable noise maker.

Stuff says ★★★★★ A rugged little wonder that’ll bring a sonic boost to any occasion

Stuff says ★★★★★ It’ll last all day: come rain, snow, sand or being rolled down a hill

from R1 400 / takealot.com

from R3 000 / takealot.com

NEW

UPDATE

★★★★★ R1 000 / pclinkshop.com A massive price drop makes the 705 such a bargain it’s worth getting two to pair up.

★★★★★ R850 / takealot.com A pocket-sized party package that delivers pounding performance while being pound-proof.

★★★★★ from R2 700 / takealot.com Great battery life, incredible sound and good looks make this amp imitator utterly irresistible.

Marshall Kilburn II

★★★★✩ R5 000 / makro.co.za The Kilburn II is a speaker with rock-god cred and a 20-hour battery. Weighs 3kg, though.

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TOP TENS CONSOLES

102

HOT BUY

GOT EARS? THEN CHECK OUT…

PlayStation 4 Pro from R8 000 / playstation.com/za

As a gaming platform, PlayStation 4 is the best around – which makes the PS4 Pro the best of the best. Games optimised for the new console look stunning on a 4K HDR TV, and are substantially improved by the extra grunt inside this slightly bigger machine. Sure, it can’t match the Xbox One X for sheer power or resolution, but it makes up for that with an impressive line-up of games – including Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn and Bloodborne – and virtual reality support.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The system for console gamers who have a 4K TV and want the best gaming experience possible Nintendo Switch

from R7 000 / store.nintendo.co.za Nintendo’s console earned a promotion in our list after it impressed us with a growing list of fantastic games. Plus, no other device here offers the joy of portable gaming. Long journeys will never be boring again. Stuff says ★★★★★ This 2-in-1 console is the real deal

YOUR ESSENTIAL AUDIO GUIDE TO WHAT’S HOT IN GADGETS

Microsoft Xbox One X

● BITING COMMENTARY ● BRILLIANT INSIGHTS ● (BAD) JOKES! ● GADGET HANDS-ONS

Nintendo Switch Lite

FIND IT ON iTUNES, SOUNDCLOUD OR YOUR PODCAST PLAYER OF CHOICE SIMPLY SEARCH FOR “STUFFED”

PlayStation 4 Slim

UPDATE

from R9 000 / xbox.com/za There’s no doubt the Xbox One X is the most powerful console here, capable of producing stunning 4K visuals… but it simply doesn’t have the line-up of games to usurp the PS4 Pro from top spot. Stuff says ★★★★★ A 4K monster held back by its game catalogue

★★★★★ from R4 000 / store.nintendo.co.za Yeah, it’s a tiny bit smaller. But it’s also cheaper and just as powerful as its big bro.

★★★★✩ from R6 000 / playstation.com/za Haven’t got a 4K TV? This is the best way to enjoy PlayStation’s brilliant exclusives.

www.stuff.co.za/hubs/podcasts-videos/

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103

GAMES TOP TENS

HOT BUY

UPDATE

Red Dead Redemption 2 from R700 / PS4, Xbox One

Believable characters, a world to lose yourself in, top-class voice acting and a story that intrigues all the way through. Warts and all, with improvements from other games ignored, this is Rockstar at its most arrogant but also its most powerful. Red Dead Redemption 2 trusts you to explore, to grow, and to let its world seep into your consciousness. This is a special game and one that was entirely worth the wait.

TIPS & TRICKS Make sure you talk to strangers more than once – you never know what they’ll reveal.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Ultra-addictive gameplay in one of the greatest open worlds ever created

Regularly brushing and feeding Arthur’s horse will increase their bond. It’s what all good cowboys should do anyway.

UPDATE

● OR PLAY THIS Zelda: Breath of the Wild If you’re after a different kind of open-world experience that’s just as expansive and has a lot of heart, this is the one for you. R1 050 / Switch

God of War

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

A lot has changed for PlayStation’s god-slaying champion, Kratos. He’s acquired a beard and a new magic axe… but while the action is as breathtaking as ever, it’s the surprisingly mature storyline that’s the draw here, with Kratos learning the ropes of parenting.

It’s no exaggeration to say this is hands-down the best Smash game yet. There’s just so much going on, with a huge array of fighters – it’s a fantastic way to enter into the world of Smash, and long-time fans of the series will not be disappointed.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The epic return of Kratos is yet another phenomenal PS4 offering

Stuff says ★★★★★ Smash is well and truly back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before

from R360 / PS4

R1 000 / Switch

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Forza Horizon 4

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Resident Evil 2

Super Mario Maker 2

Gears 5

UPDATE

★★★★★ from R900 / PS4, Xbox One, PC A brutally punishing action adventure that will get your heart a-pumping.

★★★★★ from R400 / Xbox One, PC This is a bar-raising sandbox-racing game experience that’s worth buckling up for.

★★★★★ R1 000 / Switch Crammed with tactical and social depth, this is the best Fire Emblem game so far.

★★★★★ from R700 / PS4, Xbox One, PC Highly polished and much more than just a remake, this is the series’ best entry yet.

★★★★★ R400 / Switch One of Nintendo’s smartest ideas in years feels perfect for the Switch.

★★★★★ from R1 000 / Xbox One, PC Huge, thrilling and luxurious at every turn – this is absolutely essential.

Astral Chain

★★★★★ R1 300 / Switch The most stylish and innovative action game you’ll play this year.

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Clip round the ear

It looks like you’re writing for Stuff. Would you like help?

Even Microsoft hated Clippit. The feature was referred to in-house as ‘TFC’, with T standing for ‘the’ and C for ‘clown’. Stuff leaves you to work out what the F stood for.

● Get help adding snark

every third word

● Attempt to type

article without help/coffee

● Begone forever, foul

digital fiend

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES 1996

Office Assistant reat – thanks for bringing up my worst PC nightmare, the annoying paperclip of doom. Sorry. We forgot some Office users have terrifying flashbacks to Clippit, who abruptly appeared the second they typed ‘Dear’, intrusively demanding to help lay out a letter. Presumably, the plan was to make Office seem human – or even fun. Instead we got something that was, broadly speaking, a mash-up of a third-rate Pixar character, an overly strict teacher and a sociopath. We still can’t hold a box of paperclips without yelling “NO, WE DON’T NEED HELP!” at it.

Whatever made Microsoft think an anthropomorphic paperclip could brighten everyone’s day? To be fair, you didn’t have to sit there and watch a paperclip outlining that you were rubbish at grammar. Microsoft also provided other options – although those were arguably just as bad. It was possible to replace Clippit with grinning idiot The Dot (more or less an acid smiley painted red), The Genius (who wasn’t), Links the cat (seemingly having wandered in from a 1950s Disney knock-off) or, erm, Office’s actual logo, its coloured bits glowing like a demented Simon game.

Still, at least it’s over now, right? Clippit and pals will never darken our doors again! Well, you can actually weld a sort-of Clippit to your website (smore.com/clippy-js), but the real problem runs deeper – because the black soul of Office Assistant is everywhere, infused into countless smart devices. It’s there when Alexa randomly pipes up as you’re chatting with friends, or when you ask Siri something and get a daft quip rather than actual help. Douglas Adams wrote that future tech would require us to sit still to avoid triggering gestural interfaces. Clippit’s legacy is that we’ll soon have to sit in silence too.

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