June 2011
going
green Power. Energy. d. Peace of Min
Honk
If you love
gadgets! Cars & Technology
android is amazing Google’s sweet mobile os
10
useful
utilities Your To-Do Downloads...
Top
R14.95 incl. VAT
Reviews
Give your Pc a media makeover
MONITORS LAPTOPS CAMERAS PRINTERS SOFTWARE cellphones GAMES
www.connectmag.co.za
VOL02 Issue #14
FEATURES
10
June 2011
18
Unmissably Useful Utilities The the top programmess that every computer user should have
14
Set up a Home Theatre PC It’s easier than ever to have a dedicated PC to play your music, movies and photos
18
Smart... Cars? The technological innovations that are making cars clever
22
Android is Amazing Why is Google’s excellent operating system becoming such a success?
26
I’ve Got the Power! The energy efficient computer
28
The History of… PlayStation – Sony’s console of choice
26
10
14
REGULARS 04 06 08 68 70 72
Editor’s Letter News Trouble-free Technobabble Tamsin the Tech Tannie Competition Disconnect
REVIEWS 32 36 40 48 49 50 53 54 56 58 60
First Look Top 5 Accessories Storage Printers Cameras Tablets Luggage Projectors Servers Books
GAMING 62
PUBLISHER Brett Haggard brett@connectmag.co.za EDITOR Tiana Cline tiana@connectmag.co.za
REVIEWS Deon du Plessis EDITOR deon@connectmag.co.za TECHNOLOGY Christo van Gemert EDITOR christo@connectmag.co.za CONTRIBUTORS Tamsin Mackay Adam Oxford ART DIRECTOR Jason Palmer jason@connectmag.co.za
Reviews
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ed’s note
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4 | connect | June 2011
ven though the average automotive consumer may not consider a vehicle with many compartments for storage a make-or-break aspect in their buying decision, I’m really grateful for the space. Where else would I put all my gadgets? Never mind the CDs, I have a Griffin iTrip AutoPilot (to play music from my iPod), a GPS, my Bluetooth headset and the dock for my mobile phone and cables that go pretty much everywhere. And then there’s the odd USB stick because you just never know when you will need one. Cars have always had a lot of tech in them – mostly under-the-skin engineering that provided little in the way of gadgetry. Even entry-level models come with a respectable amount of technology. These days, we’re talking plug-and-play USB ports, SD memory card slots, integrated satnav systems… there are even a few luxury brands that support DVD playback and come with passenger headphone slots! In this issue, on page page 18, Christo van Gemert talks cars and how they’re going places in more ways than you could imagine. From smart cars to smart computers – do you know how energy-efficient your PC is? Thanks to global warming and the growing number of electronic devices in the modern household, many manufacturers are now developing products that consume less power. Can these devices simply do more… but with less electricity? Find out how you can go green, save power and, quite possibly, the planet on page 26. There are a number of useful utilities that every computer should run, many of which are mahala. This month, Deon du Plessis put together a list of 10 of the best (see page 10). So, if you don’t know what Flashget
is or have been pondering the perfect media player (VLC, of course), you’ll find this and more on these pages. When it comes to free software, there’s a common debate over usability and support. Not only do you need whatever it is you’re downloading to work, you want it to perform well… and when it doesn’t, you need a helpdesk! Google’s Android operating system (which is built on open-source “free” software”) has been nothing short of a success, appearing on mobile phones and netbook computers and is now making its way onto tablet computers. Is Android taking over? Connect explores the alien apps, interface and integration on page 22. In case you missed the last issue of Connect, our new section takes a retrospective look at technology, where it started and where’s it heading. Page 28 is all about the Sony PlayStation. June really is a month of great gaming. With the E3 Expo underway and so many top titles being launched or already out (Duke Nukem Forever, L.A. Noire, F.E.A.R 3, the list goes on), if you weren’t a gamer before, now is definitely the time to take a look at what’s out there. What better way to keep warm this winter than to get moving indoors playing Kinect or experience glasses-free 3D on Nintendo’s newest handheld? And there’s no need to go the movies, as we show you how to set up a cinematic home theatre PC on page 14. It’s easy. Enjoy the issue! Tiana Cline Editor
Editor’s photo by Dan Elkabir / www.lightscapespdd.com
Dig
in the news... An iPhone game you can win, even if you can’t see Stem Stumper is puzzle game for the iPhone and iPod Touch you can play with your eyes closed. A dynamic layered soundtrack guides Mimea the vine through 100 brain-teasing levels. Use slingshots, sprinklers and Angry Acorns to open paths for her to grow. Use the right combination to rack up points. The inaugural game of Ananse Productions, Stem Stumper is built from the ground up to be enjoyed by both the iPhone’s burgeoning blind community and fully sighted players around the world. Stem Stumper is fully integrated with VoiceOver, Apple’s built-in screen reader for iOS devices. And if you think you can solve the puzzles with a blindfold on, they’ve included a sound only “sonar” mode. Accessible and fun, Ananse Productions have created something truly innovative with Stem Stumper. Price: $0,99 from the iTunes Store
Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion It’s official - the Redmond-based software giant will acquire the Internet telephony company for a cool $8.5 billion in cash. With 170 million connected users and over 207 billion minutes of voice and video conversations in 2010, Skype has been a pioneer in creating rich, meaningful connections among friends, families and business colleagues globally. Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of
SA teens strike gold at international science fair
And the winners are… Congratulations to the following Connect subscribers and competition winners:
A KwaZulu-Natal learner has walked away with a scholarship worth more than R420 000 at the world’s largest high school science research competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Danielle Boer (17), a matric pupil from St. Dominic’s Academy in Newcastle, was awarded a special award in the sociology subcategory with a project that investigated how playing music could lead to increased productivity in factories. Another South African learner, Alessio Giuricich (16) from Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town, received R 7 000 in prize money for winning the special award in the Behavioural Sciences subcategory with a project that studied sugar dependence among adolescents and went on to win second place of R10 500 in the Intel Grand Awards the very next day. Boer and Giuricich were among nine South Africans who travelled to ISEF to compete with more than 1 500 young scientists from around the world. In all, more than 400 finalists received awards and prizes for their work. Intel has been committed to the International Science and Engineering Fair for the past 15 years because it believes that fostering a passion for math and science in today’s youth is imperative for the global economy and the future of innovation.
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Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. “Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world.”
Mrs K D Wilkie: Fujifilm FinePix F300 EXR Camera Francois Swart: Verbatim 250GB External Drive and 2GB USB Drive Sharon Ferreira: Verbatim 250GB External Drive and 2GB USB Drive Ms Carol Shaw: Acer Netbook Ms Juandi van Rooyen: Acer Netbook Mr Jan Combrink: Acer Netbook Mr Warren O’Reilly: Acer Netbook Ms Elsa Ward: Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera and 3D Viwer Mr Rinaldo Frambs: Fujifilm HS10 and Monopod Ms Wendy Mann: HP 7500A Wide format e-All in One Printer Mr Scheepers: HP ePrint Photosmart Plus Printer
Unleash the power of the red star.
9723/SUPER IDEA ENGINEE®S
BlackBerry® Super Apps.
If a BlackBerry® app generates the red star icon, it’s a Super App. Which means it is always-on, notification-driven and seamlessly integrated with other apps and services on your BlackBerry® smartphone. Apps like BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), Facebook®, Twitter™ and more are all contextually aware of things like your location and status and have the ability to deliver the data you want, whenever you want it, wherever you are. Super Apps. BlackBerry® smartphones’ star performers.
blackberry.com/za/appworld
Not all 3rd party applications make use of the “zero rated” BlackBerry APN for data connectivity. Some 3rd party applications (including some of which are available on BlackBerry® AppWorld™) might make use of the carrier’s WAP service which could be chargeable. ©2011 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry®, RIM®, Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. E&OE.
techno jargon // by Deon du Plessis
If you have a secret aversion to tech terms, fear not, as this month’s Tech Jargon guide is here to help!
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Capacitive touchscreen
Mini HDMI
RCA cables
This is the technology behind the best touchscreens available today. ‘Capacitive’ means the screen uses the human body’s ability to conduct electricity to determine exactly when and where a finger comes into contact with the screen’s surface. It’s because of this that capacitive touchscreens can’t be operated through gloves, and it’s also the reason why even gentle touches register on capacitive touchscreen devices.
HDMI stands for “High Definition Multimedia Interface”, and is the standard by which multimedia devices like DVD players, Blu-ray players, Xboxes and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles connect to big-screen TVs. HDMI cables not only transmit images, they also transmit sound, which eliminates the number of cables needed to enjoy a home theatre system. Mini HDMI does the exact same job, but its connector is far smaller than the original HDMI connector. 3LCD Epson invented 3LCD technology in the 1980s, and it is now being widely used in modern projectors. It separates light into its 3 prime colours, directs these onto 3 separate mirrors, and then recombines them into a single image using a special prism. The resulting image has better-looking colour depth than competing technologies like DLP. And while 3LCD projectors have an overall brightness rating (measured in Lumens) lower than that of DLP projectors, the actual brightness of individual colours is far superior. 3LCD projectors are, on the whole, more expensive than those that use DLP technology.
There are two types of RCA cables: those with just a red and white plug on each end, and those with red, white and yellow plugs. The red and white plugs carry the stereo audio portion of a TV signal, red for the right channel and white for the left, with the yellow plug carrying the TV’s picture signal.
Operating System (OS) This is the software that provides the interface between the user and the underlying electronic hardware. Windows 7 is the most current PC operating system, Mac OS X 10.6.7 is the operating system of Apple’s Mac computers. There are several free versions like Linux, Unix and Google’s Chromium, among others. Each OS is the mechanism whereby users tell the computer what to do, and also the means by which those instructions are executed.
32-bit vs. 64-bit While the technical explanation of 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems is rather complicated, all consumers really need to know is that these terms indicate how much memory an operating system or application can address. Because of the maths behind each, 32-bit systems can address a maximum of 3.3GB of memory (also called RAM), while 64-bit systems have a maximum limitation in the petabyte range. Basically, if you have 12GB of RAM in your home computer, you need a 64-bit operating system to use it all. This is also the reason why PCs with only 3GB of RAM and a 32-bit operating system go together.
Burst Mode (photography) In photography terminology, ‘Burst Mode’ is a function of mostly SLR cameras whereby a number of shots are taken one after the other as quickly as possible, with only a single press of the shutter button required. The point of this mode is to capture fast-moving subjects, and if the camera’s lens is quick enough, each individual image looks like the subject is completely still, even though it was in motion at the time. It can also be used in mixed-light situations, where it may be necessary to capture several shots quickly in order to choose the best one.
DLP Developed by Texas Instruments, DLP, which stands for “Digital Light Processing”, is a projector technology that relies on tiny oscillating microscopic mirrors and a spinning colour wheel to create an image that can be projected onto a surface. Advantages include better images in bright rooms, the ability to use LEDs as a light source (they use less energy and don’t need to be replaced) and they do not suffer from “colour decay”, which is a general yellowing of the projected image that happens to some LCD projectors over time. Disadvantages include a noticeable “rainbow effect” brought about from the use of spinning colour wheels, and the fact that DLP projectors have more moving parts than their LCD brethren.
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a method of broadcasting a signal without using wires. It has a range of about 100m, and is used by notebook computers and cellphones to establish connections to other devices. Cellphones commonly use Bluetooth to connect wireless earpieces for hands-free talking, and notebooks use Bluetooth to connect to cellphones in order to use them as an Internet connection over the phone’s built-in 3G capabilities.
Multi-socket In computing terms, ‘multi-socket’ means the computer in question can use more than one processor. The more processors a server can use at once, the faster all the data that servers are typically bombarded with can be handled. Consumer-level computers and servers generally don’t support more than one processor because it’s not necessary.
“SuperSpeed” USB 3.0 USB has been around since Windows 95, and has proven an effective and simple method for connecting printers, keyboards, mice and more to the average PC. Its original specification called for a data transfer speed that just can’t keep up with today’s ultra-fast requirements, which is why the USB 3.0 standard was invented. USB 3.0’s physical connector looks similar to that of USB 2.0, and it is fully backwards-compatible, but the hardware behind it allows for transfer speeds of up to 400MB/s. Yes, that’s megabytes per second. Compared to USB 2.0’s average transfer speeds of 25 to 30MB/s, that’s pretty quick.
Server A server computer is one that manages access to centralised resources over a wired or wireless network. Putting one on a work network allows the IT department to create centralised storage, to allow the use of centralised applications that are accessed remotely by client computers, and much more. Using one can be a cost-saver over time and even help businesses to back up vital data efficiently and stop data from being saved all over the network on individual computers.
Intel Xeon processors This odd-sounding name (pronounced “Zeeon”) is given to Intel’s most powerful server processors. They are quite expensive, but can handle a huge amount of data. They are also very energy-efficient, which is vital to modern data centres that run hundreds of these processors at the same time.
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buying advice //by deon du plessis
y l b a s Unmis
There are many programs we feel every computer user should have. Here’s a list of our top picks. Skype Skype is your one-stop communications program that lets you chat with friends and relatives over the Internet. You can chat using text, voice and video, and if you’re willing to buy “Skype Credit”, you can even use the program to call landlines anywhere in the world. Skype’s extremely competitive rates mean you can speak for less with loved ones overseas than you would by using your monopoly-powered landline telephone. If it’s high-definition video chats you’re after, Skype supports them too. You just need a good Internet connection (we recommend 512kbs and faster), an HD webcam and a chat partner with a similar setup. It’s only calling landlines using Skype that costs money; the rest of it is completely mahala (ignoring the cost of your phone line, computer and ADSL account and data, that is). Get it from: > www.skype.com
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7-Zip/ WinRAR/WinZip Compression software basically shrinks files down in size by using complicated algorithms to reduce the amount of space those files take up. It can also be used to combine several files into a single file for easier storage, a process known as “archiving”. Compression software proves very useful when sending files over e-mail or via file-sharing services like YouSendit.com and Megaupload.com. WinZip and WinRAR are two of the most popular of these compression programs, but each will cost you around US$30 and neither is available from a physical shop. A better alternative is the ever-useful 7-Zip, a free program that does everything WinZip and WinRAR do, only with a slightly less polished interface. Get them from: > WinZip: www.winzip.com > WinRAR: www.rarlabs.com > 7-Zip: www.7-zip.org
Chrome/Firefox/IE9 Did you know you don’t have to use Internet Explorer or Safari (the browsers that ship with Windows and Mac OSX)? Surfing the Internet is now possible using several high-quality, fast and slick browsers, and choosing the one you like the most is a case of downloading and installing them all and using them for a few weeks. The top picks in this category are Microsoft’s recently-launched Internet Explorer 9, Mozilla’s excellent FireFox 4.0 and Google’s amazingly-fast-yet-understated Chrome browsers. Chrome is the browser for people who hate clutter and just want a clean browser interface. FireFox is recommended for those who love browser plugins that enable even more functionality, and Internet Explorer is recommended for die-hard Microsofties who refuse to try other browsers. In its defence, the latest version is an amazing improvement on previous ones, and is thus highly recommended. Get them from: > Chrome: www.google.com/chrome > Firefox: www.mozilla.org/firefox > Internet Explorer 9: www.microsoft.com/ie9
Adobe Reader/FoxIt
VLC Media Player Playing digital music and video files is not just a matter of double-clicking file names and letting Windows Media Player play them. Due to the large number of differing audio and video file formats, files can be encoded in any of a number of ways, and if your player does not have the appropriate method of decoding those files, they will not play. Obtaining and installing codec packs can be tricky. By far the easiest way to get around that is to use a media player that prides itself on the massive number of audio and video formats it supports right off the bat. That software is VLC Media Player. It’s a very small download (20mb), but it comes with so many video and audio codecs that it’s doubtful you’ll ever have to download and install any other media player. It even plays most, if not all, HD movie formats – very handy in this age of HD video content. Get it from: > www.videolan.org/vlc
Flashget
It’s impossible to use a computer for work without running into documents created in Adobe’s Portable Document Format (PDF). While many programs can open these, Adobe’s Reader is the one that Adobe recommends (no surprise there). It’s a free download, and one that the average office worker can’t really do without. Alternative applications exist that also open .PDF documents. Our favourite – due to its very small download size and comparatively good performance – is FoxIt Reader, an open-source .PDF document reader application. Get them from: > Adobe Reader: www.adobe.com/reader > FoxIt Reader: www.foxitsoftware.com
While Windows 7 and all modern browsers have improved the way files are downloaded from the Internet, sometimes an actual download manager is needed. Flashget is one of the best file managers available, as it is a fully-featured stand-alone application that can handle all your Internet downloads. It lets you pause and resume, schedule download times, set the speed of your downloads, browse FTP servers and even interface with your antivirus software to scan downloaded files for problems. It’s a better alternative to letting your browser handle Internet downloads as it has far more options. Best of all, it’s entirely free. Get it from: > www.flashget.com
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buying advice Steam The Internet has brought about a new way to browse for and buy computer games. By using Steam, you get access to a large library of games that you can get information on, watch movies of, download demos of, and ultimately buy if you like what you see. Downloading and installing the application is free. You have to register using an existing e-mail address, but once that’s done, you can go wild. Games are charged in US dollars, so if you keep an eye on the exchange rate, you can sometimes pick up games for less than you’d pay at retail. The only downer is that games are huge these days, and you can easily chew through your monthly cap by simply downloading games off Steam. It’s highly recommended you go the “uncapped” Internet account route if you’re going to be buying games this way. Get it from: > www.steampowered.com
Picasa 3.8 If you own a digital camera, there’s a good chance you have thousands of digital photos stored on your computer in no particular order. Picasa 3.8 is a free application from the guys at Google that helps you store, sort, display and geo-tag your pictures. Like all of Google’s apps, it’s incredibly easy to use. It even comes with a full gigabyte of online storage that can be used to save pictures to the Internet. Arranging photos is as easy as highlighting them and adding them to an album, and any time and date information already embedded in the pictures is used for automatic sorting. Picasa is an excellent way to manage your pictures, and is highly recommended. Get it from: > picasa.google.com
Ventrilo 3.0 Ventrilo is a freely available voice-chat application that uses a very small amount of Internet bandwidth to keep you in contact with chat buddies. It’s best used to communicate with friends while gaming because of its low bandwidth usage that won’t affect the performance of your connection to game servers. Ventrilo uses a push-to-talk system that doesn’t transmit voice data until the correct key is pressed, which further helps save on bandwidth usage. It’s somewhat complicated to set up and use, but it has a very friendly community that is happy to help newbies get started. Get it from: > www.ventrilo.com
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Mozilla Thunderbird Mozilla’s excellent Thunderbird e-mail client is a more elegant solution than using the e-mail application that came with your operating system. It’s also completely free, but offers a full range of e-mail services. It lets you connect to all popular e-mail server types (POP3, IMAP4, Microsoft Exchange), and you can even set it up to use Web-based e-mail services like Google Mail and Microsoft’s Hotmail. Cutting-edge anti-spam tools keep your Inbox clear of clutter, and updated Search tools help you find what you’re looking for quickly and easily. A new tab system lets you open multiple e-mails and store them in tabs, much like an Internet browser does. This is another free application that’s also a very small download (9mb). Get it from: > www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/
do it yourself //by christo van gemert
. . . a p u Set
H me Theatre pc Hard drives are dirt-cheap, and digital media is plentiful. It’s now easier than ever to set up a dedicated computer to play back your music, movies and photos, on a high-definition display.
I
t’s not hard to imagine a music collection of around 200 CDs, and a movie collection of just 50 DVDs. Neither is improbable, and most people are bound to have more of each, as well as tons of digital photos on their computer. Add to that some favourite videos on YouTube and Flickr accounts of friends and family members, and you’re left with a lot of media to consume. It might all be digital, but each format usually requires its own device. A CD player or MP3 player for the music, a laptop, computer or DVD player for the movies, and perhaps a tablet or digital photo frame for the still photos. This isn’t ideal. In a perfect world, you’d be in the comfort of your lounge while watching your movies, and from the same place have access to every other bit of entertainment. That’s where a home theatre PC comes into play.
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The Name of the game Despite its name, you don’t specifically need a home theatre to set up an HTPC. The name was chosen to denote that it’s a computer that can be used in the lounge, and sometimes they’re referred to as media centre PCs. Either way, it has to be capable of certain things. You won’t need special hardware to accomplish the task, because video, audio and hardware standards have made it easy for compatible systems to be created. All you will require is enough digital content to justify setting up an HTPC, perhaps a bit of cash to buy the right kit and some time to set it all up.
The right computer… Some manufacturers have computers that are dedicated home theatre devices, but you won’t even need to go this far. With a bit of technical knowhow, you can build a home theatre PC yourself. Here’s what to tick off when shopping for components or a ready-built machine: HDMI output, for connecting to your HD TV (this port can be on the motherboard or the graphics card) Digital audio output, for linking to an external audio system, if required Large hard drive, for storing all your media DVD or Blu-ray drive, for disc playback Quiet operation, because loud, spinning fans ruin movies and music Reasonably powerful processor, for playing back high-definition content (either an Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom II processor) An attractive chassis, to fit in with the lounge décor
Accessorise!
Is your TV digital? In this day and age, it’s easy to assume that most people have a digital television, which is to say an LCD or plasma of sorts. These modern displays have digital interfaces (such as HDMI) that make it easy to link them to modern computers. To check if your TV has an HDMI port, inspect the back panel and look for the connector, as pictured here. tip Make sure the TV has at least two HDMI ports, in case you want to connect an additional device alongside an HTPC.
Usually when we consider a PC, the mouse and keyboard it ships with don’t matter that much. In the case of an HTPC, however, it’s very important. Since you’ll have a PC connected to your TV, the prospect of having a 40” Internet Explorer window is tempting. Get a sexy wireless keyboard that’ll match your lounge décor. Logitech’s Dinovo Edge is perfect for this – it has a stylish design, a charging dock and a touch pad that doubles up as a mouse. Another option is to use a custom media centre remote. Quite a few are available, including an official Microsoft Media Center remote. They all give easy access to all the functions you’ll need, especially when used in conjunction with the right media centre software. tip It’s possible to use an HTPC with a universal remote, if you already have one. All the PC will require is an external infrared remote receiver – a specialised bit of hardware that might be hard to track down.
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buying advice
Interface and icons This is the bit that turns your regular PC into a home theatre PC. If you’re sitting on your couch, 3 metres away from the TV, the regular Windows 7 interface just won’t cut it. Browsing for files and playing them in Media Player might work, but it’s not convenient or easy. Instead, there are a few different media centre software packages available. Windows Media Center This is part of Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Ultimate. It is a gorgeous interface, designed to work without a mouse and optimised for remote controls. It’s not very customisable, though, but there are a few tweaks if you’re willing to get your geek on. XBMC (www.xbmc.org) This is one of the most popular media centre software suites. It’s completely customisable, and will play back any video, audio and picture file on your computer, without any extra software needed. It can be configured to play back YouTube videos and other Internet-based content.Best of all: it’s free. Boxee (www.boxee.com) Boxee is a branch of the XBMC project, both being free and open-source. What sets Boxee apart is its neater interface and tight integration with many Web services. It uses an “app” platform that gives access to sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, Last.fm and many more. Each app is a custom, media centre-optimised interface for the Website it’s made for. There are also standalone Boxee devices and HTPCs. tip Media centre software benefits from having an Internet connection – preferably a fast one. Boxee and XBMC have built-in features to download movie information from the Web, in addition to streaming videos from other sites. Windows Media Center can also do this, but requires additional plugins.
Storage solutions If you’ve chosen a media PC with a DVD or Blu-ray drive, there are software packages that’ll allow you to back up those discs to your computer’s hard drive. These backups do take up a lot of space, but if you keep those 100 DVDs backed up on your PC, it’ll be very easy to get single-click access to all those films through the media centre software. Nero software is capable of backing up DVDs, along with other DVD-ripping applications. tip A single DVD backup can take between 4GB and 9GB of space, while Blu-ray backups can consume a massive 20GB to 45GB. The clever solution is to compress the video content – a process that can take a few hours, but is simplified by software such as HandBrake (www.handbrake.fr), or Cyberlink Mediashow. Compression can reduce file sizes dramatically, without a noticeable loss in visual fidelity.
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automotive insanity //by christo van gemert
With the proliferation of “smart” gadgets, it’s hard not to get lost in a maze of buzzwords and lose track of what really is or isn’t smart. We have smart sites, smart tablets, smartphones and now, even our cars are getting all clever on us.
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A
bout ten years ago, our chosen means of personal mobility would only get as intelligent as a decent radio with MP3 playback. A few years later, you’d be lucky to find a car radio with some form of iPod compatibility, while only expensive, high-end cars offered more integrated entertainment systems. Now, though, it’s easy to find even an entry-level model with a respectable amount of technology. Of course, cars have always had a lot of tech in them – mostly under-
the-skin engineering that provided little in the way of gadgetry. Safety systems such as anti-lock brakes, airbags and stability control make it easier to drive our cars in treacherous conditions, or lessen the injuries suffered in accidents. These are still technological innovations, and they’re constantly being refined. Given how much time we spend in our cars, though, the manufacturers are starting to give us more technology and gizmos that let our cars integrate into our lives.
Going places Integrated satnav systems are a hot topic in automotive circles. They’re very pricey options, sometimes adding as much as R25 000 to the price tag, but soon they’ll be smarter than ever. Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz have pioneered systems that use car-to-car communications. Let’s say you’re driving in the fog, and have to swerve for a stationary vehicle. Your car’s on-board computers detect this emergency situation, and combine it with the weather report from the Internet. It sends the information out to other cars nearby, assuming they are also connected, and those drivers will get warned about the upcoming hazards. It’s not even science fiction – these systems are already up and running in some countries, but they require lots of infrastructure. In the meantime, we can still use regular personal navigation devices such as those from TomTom, Garmin and Navigon. They’re a sight cheaper, and offer traffic information for very little extra. TomTom’s HD Traffic feature is quite advanced. It uses information from other TomTom Traffic devices, and combines it with digital traffic reports from the Internet. Your TomTom HD Traffic report is literally showing you where the snarl-ups are, using positioning information from other cars stuck in traffic.
iCar It used to be an optional extra, but today it’s possible to go into a showroom and get a car that comes standard with an iPod connection. Honda, Hyundai and Suzuki, to name a few, all have entry-level models boasting USB ports, with iPod compatibility. Plug in your iPod using its USB cable (or the supplied cable) and you’ll have full access to browse your music, as it is organised on the device. These USB ports also work for regular flash drives: copy some music files to one and it’ll play back on the car radio. Some manufacturers have the USB ports as optional extras, but have slots for SD memory cards. A 16GB SD card can hold a ton of music, and is a lot easier to carry around (or replace) than an iPod. The most advanced iPod and iPhone implementation of all comes from BMW and MINI. The German manufacturer’s current revision of its iDrive in-car infotainment system has a feature called ConnectedDrive, which uses your iPhone to give itself an Internet connection. There is a Web browser built into the interface, for good measure. BlackBerry users can have the car check their e-mail and even read those e-mails out aloud. In the MINI, the optional MINI Connect system will use the iPhone’s Internet connection to stream music from the Web, in addition to downloading updates from news sites, Twitter and Facebook. The MINI system can also detect your driving style, and select music accordingly.
Motormouth
Quick tip Invest in a second, spare iPod cable to leave in the car. Most of the car-based systems will charge your iPhone or iPod, but it’s less hassle to carry around the cable for syncing with your computer.
Bluetooth systems are cool; cars have had these for about three or four years now. They sync with your phone and let you take a call while keeping both hands on the wheel. But there’s more: small cars like the new Ford Fiesta and the Fiat 500 have voice-activated commands. Just a few years ago, this sort of functionality was the domain of luxury saloons, but now sub-R200 000 hatchbacks also have something that makes life a lot easier. In both examples mentioned, the voice systems work a treat. They’ve even been programmed to pick up natural speech, such as “double eight”, when reciting a phone number. It’s intuitive and makes using these features a real breeze, especially when concentrating on the road is the foremost thing on your mind. Fiat’s system is also capable of reading your text messages to you, albeit with limited success. Sometimes computers don’t quite know how to pronounce certain words, especially the slang language used in SMSes.
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automotive insanity
All-seeing eyes With cars getting bigger, thanks to safety regulations, we sometimes need a bit more assistance to keep from hitting things around us. Parking sensors aren’t all that new, but their functionality is still fantastic to have, especially when you can rely on navigating tight parking spots using beeps alone. More modern systems rely on tiny cameras mounted in crucial blindspots. Again, it’s technology that’s being fitted to more than just expensive flagships. Hyundai and Kia have a particularly novel system, where the rear-facing camera feeds its visuals to a small display that’s mounted in the rear-view mirror. In normal driving, this is a full mirror, but slap the car into reverse and one third of the mirror lights up with a full view of what’s going on behind you. BMW’s take on parking cameras is a bit more advanced: its new 5 Series is kitted out with 3 cameras that have overlapping fields of view. The car’s computer digitally composites those videos and displays a virtual, top-down view of your car. You can reverse into parking spaces with centimetre accuracy, using the videogame-esque display alone.
Entertainment to go
Quick tip Some cars also have a rearseat 12v power outlet (VW is exceptional in this case, offering a 230v power point for laptops and the like). Accessory manufacturers now offer 12v adapters boasting two or more USB ports, for powering the plethora of gadgets we carry around. Smartphones, tablets and game consoles can have infinite power on long trips, thanks to these.
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Connecting your iPod for some phat beats is one thing, but listening to music on a high-quality audio system is something different altogether. In the past few years, we’ve seen home audio brands partner with luxury auto brands to offer hi-fi quality audio on the go. Bang & Olufsen fitted its wares to select Audi models, Harmann Kardon worked with Mercedes Benz, and Mark Levinson has put some bangin’ surround systems into Lexus models. The end result, in each case, is a well-balanced audio system that does justice to any music you throw at it. The Lexus system even supports DVD playback, with full 5.1 surround sound. BMW and Mercedes Benz have also offered headrestintegrated displays for rear passengers to enjoy DVDs, replete with separate headphones for each screen, and remote control systems to navigate the entertainment system without driver interference. This is definitely still the domain of ultraluxury models, though, but regular tech has shrunk enough to give us things like the iPad, Sony PSP and portable DVD players for backseat entertainment. Getting one or two of those, for each rear occupant, might also work out a few gold pieces less than opting for one of the factoryfitted high-end systems.
Live like a king Air-conditioning is a must-have feature, and it becomes even more valuable when coupled with a climate control system. Using this, you simply set a comfortable temperature and the car’s sensors take care of the rest, directing air and cooling it to exactly what’s been requested. If that’s not enough, some cars also offer heated seats, to make those winter mornings more bearable. One step further is to have air-conditioned seats, for those overbearing summer afternoons where you’re stuck in traffic. If your back is getting a bit sore, how about Mercedes Benz’ or Lexus’ massage seats, for the driver and all his passengers? Some cars feature cubbyholes with aircon vents, to cool down drinks. More expensive models boast full-on fridges to keep the caviar and champagne at just the right temperature. Opulence? For sure – but it’s also a marvel of modern technology. Perhaps two of the most practical and useful features are rainsensitive wipers and automatic headlights. The former will detect water on the windshield, and keep your vision clear, while the latter makes sure you don’t end up being a blind hazard to others at night. Even this is being further refined: cars can now automatically activate high beams for optimum visibility. A sensor can detect oncoming cars and vehicles up ahead, and adjusts the headlights accordingly. Some could argue that it takes responsibility away from drivers, but the fact is that less responsible drivers need such systems to make them less dangerous. In either case, it’s the small bits of technology that are really complementing our lifestyles and making our vehicles even more enjoyable to drive.
mobile os //by Deon du plessis
Amazing There are many reasons Google’s excellent Android operating system is becoming such a success, and this month we’re taking a closer look at some of them.
G
oogle’s Android mobile operating system is proving to have a very large impact on gadget-loving consumers, as it’s appearing on mobile phones and netbook computers. It’s even making its way onto tablet computers in a bid to take on the might of Apple’s iPad devices.
What is it? First things first – what is Android? It’s an operating system for cellphones and netbook computers. An operating system is, very loosely, the software that provides the link between you and the hardware of electronic devices – it provides the graphics that you click or press on that tell the hardware what to do. In a nutshell, Android is an operating system that does for cell phones/netbooks/tablet PC s what Windows/Mac OS/Linux/Unix does for desktop and noteobook computers.
Open source Android is built on what is known as “open source” software, and as such has enormous appeal for people who don’t like big companies that don’t want to share their software. The advantage of being completely open is that it can be modified by companies quickly and easily to suit their needs, resulting in mobile devices whose interfaces look similar, but have enough differences to set them apart.
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Android also has far more affordable licensing fees, which helps to make it popular with application developers. That low cost of entry has resulted in a very large community of software developers constantly bringing new applications to the Android Marketplace. It also means a large number of free applications, which is great news for the average consumer. To be fair, it could be argued that this low cost of entry for any programmer with a computer and an Internet connection results in a glut of Android applications that are below the quality bar set by other platforms like Apple’s App Store. Happily, all that’s needed is a quick Google search to weed out the great apps from the horrible ones, so this isn’t a big problem.
Finger-friendly interface While the prevailing opinion at the Connect offices is that Apple has done touchscreen interfaces better than everyone else combined, it was grudgingly admitted that Android’s touch experience is a fairly close second. The interface is fast and incredibly easy to navigate. As Android has evolved, Google has added multi-touch capabilities that let users control the action with more than one finger at a time.
Choice is good Because Android is built using open source software, it can run on a wide range of mobile phones and tablet computers. For that reason (and also possibly because of Android’s low licence fees), many of the big-name cellular handset manufacturers in the world have brought out phones that use the operating system. This is fantastic for the consumer, as the sheer volume of Android phones means a smorgasbord of choice.
Apps for Africa (and everyone else too!) Another Android advantage is the ever-growing Android Marketplace. To date, there are over 250 000 applications (“apps”) available through the Android Marketplace. These include useful tools that extend the functionality of your phone, fun updates that make your phone more personal, games, wallpapers, and much more. Apps are also nicely priced, a further incentive to have a look around. All prices are in US dollars, and with the strong rand, great apps can be had for only a small amount of cash.
Recommended paid-for apps: SystemPanel ($2.99): SystemPanel integrates a task manager, app manager and a system monitor. Used properly, it can help extend the battery life by identifying apps that use a lot of CPU power. Touchdown ($19.99): For users of Microsoft’s Exchange e-mail system, this app is an excellent Exchange e-mail client for an Android phone.
Recommended free apps: Vlingo: A voice-recognition app that lets you create text messages, dial numbers, perform searches and many other functions using spoken commands. Read more at www.vlingo.com. SemiSilent: With this app, you can choose which of your contacts can make your phone ring even when it’s in silent mode. Great for ensuring you never miss emergency calls from family members.
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mobile os
Lucky number three As good as Android’s previous versions have been, there is always room for improvement. The latest release of Android, code-named Honeycomb, brings the official version number up to 3.0, and it features a host of improvements that make it even more attractive. Here are a few highlights: User Interface rework: Honeycomb’s refined interface benefits from the higher resolutions offered by tablet PC screens when it comes to application and home-screen layout. You can now also drag and drop elements of whatever app you’re using to suit your individual preferences and tastes. Optimised performance: Google’s developers have spent a lot of time making sure that Honeycomb is the fastest and smoothest Android operating system yet. 2D and 3D graphics have received special attention, and they are both now accelerated by dedicated 3D hardware present in newer tablet PCs, so all graphics are smoother and better-looking than ever before.
Google services integration Since Google works so hard to make applications and services that offer tons of functionality while not using massive amounts of system resources, many of us now make daily use of them on our desktop and notebook computers. Having hooked us that way, Google is making excellent use of its fan base by including many of its most popular services with handsets that run the Android operating system. If you’ve ever used Google Talk, Google Mail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Maps and Google Earth, it’s nice to know they can all be run from an Android phone (even Google Earth!). While other mobile operating systems also feature integration with some of Google’s services, the fact that Android phones have most of them built right into the very fabric of the operating system may prove to be the deciding factor.
Application bar: Honeycomb uses a context-sensitive application bar whose functions change according to the item currently selected. In the new e-mail application, for instance, the application bar’s default options change when you select a mail, an attachment or a folder. This makes for even easier navigation. More connectivity options: Honeycomb lets you connect other devices to your tablet using Bluetooth tethering, and also connect to cameras and desktop computers via a USB cable in order to transfer images and videos between the two. New e-mail application: The slick new e-mail app included with Honeycomb is fully-featured, and its interface is customisable to suit individual tastes. Full drag–and-drop functionality is included, and it automatically rearranges the interface according to how the tablet is being held. Unobtrusive notifications: No longer will notifications pop up and interrupt whatever you’re doing. Honeycomb handles these carefully, subtly showing you when events take place with small pop-up notifications that don’t take over your screen, and which disappears discreetly after a few seconds. Older app compatibility: All applications that worked with previous versions of Android will work perfectly on Honeycomb, without any user intervention required. So feel free to fire up Fruit Ninja on your new Honeycomb-powered tablet without worrying that it may not work properly!
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ADVANCED + RETROSPECTIVE/
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going green //by deon du plessis
I’ve got the
POWER
Did you know that buying smart can lead to both power and money savings because of the ways modern electronics conserve power? Connect takes a closer look at some of these technologies.
L
et’s be honest – managing those mounting electricity bills is something close to most South Africans’ hearts. Yet at the same time, we need more electronic devices and appliances on a day-today basis… so how can you curb your energy usage and still be tech savvy? Due to concerns over global warming and an awareness of the number of electronic devices and appliances in the modern household, many manufacturers are now developing products that consume far less power. This drive towards “green” technology has resulted in better devices that simply do more… but with less electricity. At the end of the day, this saves both money and the environment – it’s a marvel of modern engineering.
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The notebook knows Today’s portable computers are designed from the ground up to provide good performance while minimising their electricity use. Notebookmakers now build their products with lowpower processors, solid-state hard drives and energy-efficient LED displays, all of which lower the device’s power needs. This, coupled with the intelligent power management tools that have been present in every major operating system since Windows 95, has led to notebooks that last longer on a single charge. Despite using parts that need less electricity, a modern notebook can still operate fast enough to satisfy even demanding users.
Spec Savers Without looking at labels, it’s easy to tell whether a product is energyefficient just by seeing the specs. If it makes use of any of the following technologies, it’s safe to assume that the product is environmentallyfriendly and power-efficient: > LED: Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are tiny electronic lights that consume a lot less power than the Cold Carbon Fluorescent Lighting used in old-fashioned CRT and LCD monitors, while outputting an even higher level of light. > Solid-state hard drives: A hard drive that is essentially just a big stick of memory with absolutely no moving parts. The absence of moving parts means less power is needed to run it, resulting in significant power savings. A further benefit is performance superior to traditional hard drives.
Getting out of a Sticky Situation
Green is the new black If you’ve bought any mobile device recently, chances are that the promised battery life played a big part in your choice… but who needs a longer charge when the phone is slow and unresponsive? Most people are willing to compromise on power efficiency in favour of responsive devices yet a mix of both would offer the best value for money. Manufacturers are going all out to create mobile devices that use minimal power while still providing a good overall experience. Independent standards have been created that tell consumers when a product meets certain energyconsumption criteria. One of the more well-known of these is Energy Star – if a product qualifies for an Energy Star rating, it means its energy usage has been scientifically established and any product bearing that stamp of approval will save you power (and money) over time.
All products legally imported into and manufactured in South Africa bear Energy Star labelling that tells consumers that they are Energy Star-compliant and just how efficient they are. Within each product classification there are Energy Star grades from `A’ to `G’ that indicate the degree to which the products are energy-efficient. `A’ indicates top marks, with energy efficiency dropping off as the grading moves down the alphabet to `G’. The grading of individual products is determined by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). This means you can trust the Energy Star rating as it’s not only wellgrounded in solid research, but it’s also been tested using local standards to confirm its effectiveness. Buy Energy Star products rated `A’, `B’ or `C’ for efficiency and you will undoubtedly lower the overall power consumption of the devices in your household. Over time, you will save money on electricity bills and help to lower the level of electricity usage in the country, all without sacrificing the convenience of outfitting your home with futuristic gizmos and gadgets.
> Desktop computer power supplies rated “80 PLUS Bronze/ Silver/Gold/Platinum”: Power supplies with this rating lose less power to heat when running under full load, and are therefore considered to be highly energy-efficient. > CULV Processors: Consumer Ultra Low Voltage is a computing platform developed by Intel to create computers that are thin and use very little power. It is typically used in ultra-thin notebooks and netbooks, and while the platform is incredibly power-efficient, the performance it offers is not as good as that of regular notebooks. > Cool ‘n’ Quiet: AMD processors with Cool ‘n’ Quiet technology use techniques like reducing the processor’s clock rate (speed) and voltage when the computer is not doing anything, in order to save power. Intel’s Speedstep technology operates in a similar manner, effectively achieving the same thing.
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flash back //by christo van gemert
The history of the . . .
Sony PlayStation Sony’s gaming brand came into being by pure chance. Now, 17 years and many consoles later, it’s a household name. Here’s how it all happened.
I
n the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Nintendo worked with Sony to develop a CD-based storage system for its game consoles. Sega, Nintendo’s main competitor at the time, had a CDROM add-on for its Mega Drive console, while the big N still used cartridge systems. The deal didn’t go through, though, but having developed the technology, Sony went ahead and fleshed out the system. The resulting product, the PlayStation, went on sale in the Japanese market in late 1994. Nintendo’s riposte, the N64, came out two years later, still using cartridges.
PlayStation (1994) The console that started it all! It was equipped with a meagre 33MHz processor, 2MB of memory and a CDROM drive. It went on to sell more than 102 million consoles, with a selection of nearly 8 000 games.
PlayStation 2 (2000) Just over five years after the original, Sony unleashed the PS2. It was met with a lot of hype, and sold 1 million units on its launch day in Japan. It was immensely more powerful than its predecessor, but was also capable of playing original PS1 games. The PS2 is the most successful home console in the world, having sold in excess of 140 million units.
PS One (2000) Despite the PS2 launching earlier in the year, Sony saw fit to nip and tuck the original PlayStation, which was still selling in healthy numbers. The slimmer, more compact PS One went on to outsell the PS2 for a few months, before being retired in 2006.
PlayStation 2 Slimline (2004) Sony continued its facelift trend with the PS2 Slimline. The new console was significantly thinner and lighter than the “fat” PS2, and included an integrated Ethernet port. The PS2 Slimline is still on sale today.
PS3 (2006) The brand’s current flagship console, and one of the most powerful consoles ever created, has sold 50 million units to date. Launch consoles were capable of playing PS1 and PS2 games, as well as PS3 games on Blu-ray discs. Subsequent models have had PS2 compatibility removed, to save costs. It has a built-in hard drive, Bluetooth, network port and is capable of playing back Blu-ray movies and games in high definition.
PS3 Slim (2009) As is customary, the PS3 received some mid-life liposuction. The sleeker PS3 Slim retains the user-replaceable hard drive, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Blu-ray drive. Advances in chip production allow it to run cooler and quieter, while also saving costs.
Sony Bravia KDL22PX300 (2010) While Sony still sells the PS2 Slimline, it’s also giving customers a choice of integrated entertainment. In 2010, it released the 22” Bravia PX300, which includes an integrated PS2 console – all of the gaming fun without any extra bulk. Hook up a PS3, and you can play 3 generations of PlayStation games in one place. 28 | connect | June 2011
product reviews // by Deon Du PLessis
2011: Year of the tablet!
Contents
M
ove over Rabbit, 2011 is shaping up to be the Year of the Tablet PC! Everyone is jumping on the Tablet PC bandwagon, some with more success than others, and of course Apple still leads the way with its excellent iPad range. The newest one, the iPad 2, gets a very solid examination on page 38 - we liked it so much that it got itself a double-page review! BlackBerry’s PlayBook is still coming, but we’ve seen enough of it that we can bring you a First Look. Motorola was kind enough to send us their excellent Xoom tablet, one of the first devices to use Google’s Android 3.0 operating system. We also got our hands on Acer’s Iconia Tab A500, another Android 3.0 device, and our evaluation can be read on page 52. We hope you enjoy this month’s tabletstuffed reviews section! Cheers! Deon
While we make every effort to ensure pricing is accurate before we go to print, sometimes through circumstances we have no control over, the prices in Connect may differ from those you’ll see on store shelves. In all cases, shelf pricing takes precedence.
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32 33 34 36 38 40 41 42 47 48 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 60
First Look – New iMacs First Look – BlackBerry PlayBook First Look – BlackBerry Bold 9900 Motorola Xoom Tablet Apple iPad 2 Tablet SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB SDHC Card Plantronics Bluetooth Headset Ion-Audio USB Turntable Canon PIXMA MX870 Photo Printer Bacup Chargers Canon EOS 1100D Camera Olympus XZ-1 Camera Sony DSC-H70 Camera Acer Iconia A500 Tablet Crumpler iPad Hard Suit Built Laptop Bag Collection Epson EH-DM3 3LCD Projector Dell PowerEdge T110 Small Office Server Books
product FIRST LOOK
Apple iMac NEED TO KNOW • New range of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors • 21.5” and 27” models • Equipped with ThunderBolt ports Availability: Now
We’ve come a long way since the first iMacs, the ones that started the Apple renaissance. The multi-coloured machines of yore were the first modern all-in-one PCs the world had seen, and only in recent years have other manufacturers cottoned on. Apple, in the meantime, has perfected its formula for building one of the best all-in-one desktop computers money can buy. The latest range of iMacs is proof of that. They still use the same single-piece aluminium construction, housing either a 21.5” or 27” display, sitting on a desk courtesy of an elegant stand. The stand doubles up as a place to stash the Apple Wireless Keyboard included in the bundle. Users now have a choice of pointing devices: either an Apple Magic Mouse or a Magic Trackpad. Just above the display sits a highdefinition Facetime camera. This is essentially a webcam, but it also serves video to callers during Facetime video calls. Externally, little has changed. One or two tweaks will be obvious to the keen-eyed Apple fans, but the big changes are under the skin. Here, Apple has deployed Intel’s new series of Core i5 and Core i7 processors. These are the same second-generation chips Apple recently started using in its Macbook Pro notebook computers. Other manufacturers are also getting products to market with these chips. All iMacs ship with new quad-core Intel Core i5 processors, starting at 2.5GHz for the entry-level 21.5”model and topping out at 3.1GHz for the range-topping 27” version. Users have the option of upgrading the 21.5” model to a 2.8GHz Core i7 processor, for some extra processing power. The 27” iMac can be kitted out with a whopping 3.4GHz Core i7 processor – ideal for those who have to do a lot of video-processing or photo-editing. These processors make the new iMac ideal for the creative professional, while home users will have more power than they’ll ever need. Fitted memory, across the board, is 4GB. Should you wish, Apple can offer an 8GB or 16GB 32 | connect | june 2011
upgrade, depending on the model you purchase. Hard-drive storage is ample. The base model has 500GB of storage, while the rest offer 1TB as standard. This can also be upgraded to a 2TB disk, with the option of a 256GB solid-state disk on offer for those who have deep pockets and require the ultimate in performance. Finally, graphics performance should be very good: Apple has chosen AMD’s range of Radeon graphics processors for the new iMacs. The mainstream models have either Radeon 6 750M or 6 770M, while the grand-daddy 27” can be had with 6 970M – that’s enough power to sail through most modern games (in Windows, which can be installed alongside the standard Mac OS X operating system). Twenty-seven-inch models also come kitted with two Thunderbolt ports – a new interconnect that serves up high-speed video and data. In this case, the two ports can be used to send video signal to another two 30” monitors. Imagine that: three displays totalling 87” of viewable space. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Display sizes: 21.5” and 27” • Aspect ratio: Widescreen (16:9) • Maximum resolution: 1 920 x 1 080 for 21.5” and 2 560 x 1 440 for 27” • Processor options: From 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 to 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 • Memory: 4GB standard, upgradeable to 8GB or 16GB • Hard drive: 500GB or 1TB, upgradeable to 2TB with secondary 256GB solid-state drive • Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6 750M, 6 770M or 6 970M • Networking: Ethernet port, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth • Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt port on 21.5”, 2 x Thunderbolt ports on 27”, 1 x Firewire 800 port, 4 x USB 2.0 ports, SDXC memory card slot, audio in/out connectors • Other: Slot-loading SuperDrive for DVD- and CD-burning, Apple Wireless Keyboard, choice of Apple Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad Excitement potential
product FIRST LOOK
BlackBerry PlayBook 7” Tablet NEED TO KNOW • 7” tablet PC from BlackBerry • Browser is capable of Flash-based content playback • Enterprise features for use in business environments • Both the screen and bezel are touch-sensitive Availability: June/July 2011
The BlackBerry PlayBook is a new tablet PC from Research in Motion (RIM). The PlayBook has a lot in common with Apple’s insanely successful iPad products, but the concept has been given a BlackBerry-flavoured overhaul to offer consumers something a little different. It’s been built from the ground up by RIM’s engineers, with performance, ease of use and business users in mind. This makes it a somewhat more serious device than the iPad, which is best used as an entertainment device, not a business tool. The PlayBook sets itself apart from the rest of the tablet crowd through the use of a totally new operating system RIM is calling BlackBerry Tablet OS 1.0, which uses a mix of QNX, WebKit and Adobe Flash. The end result is an extremely responsive operating system that may even be as fast as Apple’s iOS. The addition of Flash support is also quite significant – it means the PlayBook will be able to handle any Web content users may throw at it. That’s a big advantage over the iPad, which still doesn’t support Flash content natively. So visiting YouTube or watching Zero Punctuation videos is not something the PlayBook will battle with. On the multimedia side, the PlayBook has front-facing stereo speakers on both edges , a camera capable of shooting video in 1 080p, and a mini HDMI output that lets users connect it to their HD TVs. Its screen resolution is only 1 024 x 600, so it can’t play full HD videos at full HD resolutions; instead, video playback is scaled down to fit the screen. Videos will still look gorgeous, though, so don’t think you’re losing out as a result of the down-scaling. RIM has poured a lot of effort into ensuring the PlayBook handles many tasks at the same time (also called ‘multi-tasking’) without suffering any loss of performance. It’s possible to be playing a game, running a video and using an application all at the same time, and when the task manager is activated, each application can be seen to be running at the same time, without any visible slowdowns or stuttering. This is thanks in large part to the dual-core processor RIM has chosen for the PlayBook. While the relatively small 7” screen may seem like a disadvantage, RIM has made the bezel – the wide band that surrounds the screen – also sensitive to touch. This helps in general navigation, as dragging fingers across the bezel and onto the screen in various ways lets you
switch applications, return to the Home screen and even activate toolbars and menus. As applications are developed for the platform, we’re confident developers will include their own shortcuts that make use of this new take on touchscreen interfaces. Businesses that make use of BlackBerry Enterprise Servers will be pleased to know the PlayBook can connect to corporate resources when tethered to a BlackBerry smartphone. Strangely, the PlayBook is launching without BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) and PIM (Personal Information Manager – think e-mail, contacts, reminders and memos, etc.) software, but these will be made available through a future update, according to the company’s representatives. It’s an odd omission given that BlackBerry is known for these services, but at least they’re coming. With all this to offer all wrapped up in a business-like exterior, the PlayBook may well deliver the challenge needed to make the dominant players in the tablet market sit up and take notice. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • 7” LCD, 1 024 x 600, WSVGA, capacitive touchscreen with full multi-touch and gesture support • BlackBerry tablet OS 1.0 • 1 GHz dual-core processor • 1GB RAM • Dual HD cameras (3MP front-facing, 5MP rear-facing), supports 1 080p HD video-recording • 1 080p HD video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV playback • MP3, AAC, WMA audio playback • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR • Connectors: MicroHDMI, microUSB, charging contacts • Open, flexible application platform with support for WebKit/HTML-5, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, Adobe Reader, POSIX, OpenGL, Java • Measures 130mm x 193mm x 10mm • Weighs approximately 400g Excitement potential
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product FIRST LOOK
Product
Specs
BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 • General: GSM 850/900/1900 networks (2G), Tri-band HSDPA networks (3G) • Display: TFT capacitive touchscreen @ 640 x 480, 16m colours, 2.8” • Controls: QWERTY keyboard, optical trackpad, touchsensitive controls, proximity sensor, accelerometer • Memory: 8GB internal, supports microSD cards with capacities of up to 32GB • RAM: 768MB • Data: GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth • Interface: microUSB v2.0 • Camera: 5MP with geotagging, facial recognition and image stabilisation, records 720p video • Operating system: BlackBerry OS 7 • Processor: 1.2GHz • Messaging: SMS, MMS, E-mail, Push E-mail, IM • GPS: Yes, with BlackBerry Maps • Other: Built-in document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), PDF viewer
34 | connect | june 2011
NEED TO KNOW • Successor to the popular Bold 9000 • Thinnest BlackBerry to date • First-ever touchscreen interface on a BB phone Availability: July 2011
BlackBerry’s Bold Touch 9900 smartphone is almost here, and from what we’ve seen of it, it looks set to address the shortcomings of its older brother, the Bold 9000. The most talked-about feature of the new 9900 is undoubtedly the touch-sensitive screen. It’s a first for BlackBerry and a big departure from the way their phones have always engaged users, but we think it’s a step in the right direction. It’s been designed to be as responsive to touch as possible thanks to a dedicated “Graphics Processing Unit”, or GPU. The GPU handles all graphics-related tasks, which means the main processor is free to handle everything else. This new hardware, in conjunction with the quicker object-rendering made possible by the “Liquid Graphics” rendering engine introduced in BlackBerry OS 6, means the newest BlackBerries should be able to display graphical content that is fast and smooth. The overall experience when using the phone should prove to be lag-free as a result. Just because it has a touchscreen doesn’t mean fans of BlackBerry’s trackpad will be disappointed. The 9900 retains the trackpad, but this time it’s surrounded by a clear plastic ridge that lights up in low-light situations. The Call and End Call buttons are now translucent instead of green and red. The much-beloved QWERTY keyboard also remains. This time, BlackBerry says, it boasts a keypad area that’s 6% larger than that of the 9000, which should help those who battled with the 9000’s smaller keyboard hit more correct keys, more often.
Improvements over the 9000’s hardware include a beefy 1.2GHz processor, the aforementioned dedicated GPU, a 5MP camera capable of shooting 720p videos, a generous 8GB of internal storage as well as support for microSD cards of up to 32GB in capacity. The much-maligned browser has also been replaced by a new Webkitbased browser that offers a much faster surfing experience, and even though it still doesn’t support Flash content, it’s another step in the right direction. It supports other modern Web standards like CSS3 and HTML5, which should make up for its lack of Flash support somewhat. Even with all this new hardware, BlackBerry’s engineers have managed to actually slim down the device. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is only 10.5mm thick, and is the thinnest BlackBerry device ever released. The height and width remain much the same as that of the Bold 9000, and there is now a stainless steel band that goes around the phone’s edges. It’s a nice (not to mention classy) change over the grotty plastic band that surrounded the old Bold. Other new features include a built-in digital compass BlackBerry is calling a “magnetometer” and an “augmented reality” application called Wikitude that will be bundled with the phone. Wikitude uses the magnetometer to do things like tell you where your friends are in relation to your position if you hold it up to the horizon, along with other interesting things that help to digitally enhance the user’s reality. It really sounds like BlackBerry’s engineers have been listening to their target audience, and have made some excellent progress towards making their phones even better than before. We can’t wait to get our hands on one for some real-world testing. Excitement potential
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Apple iPad 2
Apple has done such a great job with the iPad 2 that it’s hard not to weigh every other tablet against it. Simply put, the iPad 2 is how tablets should be, finished and klaar.
Motorola Defy MB525 Smartphone
This rugged, life-proof phone can survive being dropped in a glass of water, exposure to dust and has a scratchresistant surface that will easily shrug off the bumps of everyday usage.
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SanDisk 32GB microSD Card Do you want to make a whopping 64GB of storage available to your Xoom for movies, music and photos? Grab a 32GB microSD card while you wait for the update that will enable it.
36 | connect | june 2011
Motorola Xoom Tablet NEED TO KNOW • Motorola’s take on the tablet PC • Runs Android version 3.0 (Honeycomb) • Hi-res screen supports 720p video TBA
Finally, someone has created a tablet PC that has the potential to seriously challenge Apple’s dominance of the market. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, that challenge has come from Motorola in the guise of its excellent Xoom tablet, a solid, immaculately-engineered product that performs as well as it looks. The first thing we noticed when the Xoom arrived was its extremely solid chassis. It’s made mostly of anodised aluminium, with a rubberised finish adorning the top fifth of the device’s underside and it’s quite weighty as a result. It’s still lighter than the original iPad, though. The second thing we noticed was the generous 10.1” capacitive touchscreen, with a subtle 10mm black border. The screen boasts a resolution of 1280 x 800 which enables it to display 720p video content, and the powerful dual-core nVidia Tegra 1GHz processor provides the oomph. We loaded up a 720p episode of Fringe to test this, and it was very smooth, with only minimal frame drops when compared to the iPad 2 playing the same file. In terms of storage, the Xoom comes with 32GB of built-in memory. While the Xoom ships with a physical microSD card reader as well, the ability to plug microSD cards in to expand the system’s overall storage capacity will only be enabled in a future update. The Xoom has two cameras, a 5MP camera on the back for regular use and a 2MP camera on the front for video chats. It can record 720p movies, and the quality of its stills is actually very good, much better than you’d see on a smartphone, for instance. It’s got a dual-LED flash to illuminate dark scenes, and overall it takes decent photos and videos. We did feel a little silly holding such a large device up to take pictures, though. The real star of the show is Android 3.0, the operating system Motorola has chosen for the Xoom. It’s a big step up from the last version (version 2.3.3, known as ‘Gingerbread’), both in terms of how fast it runs and the attractiveness of the interface. Up to five “home” screens can be customised with your favourite applications, photos and widgets; elements of Android’s applications can be rearranged according to individual preference; the graphics subsystem is powerful and thus 3D
games run smoothly, and the integration with Google’s services (Gmail, Gtalk, the Android Marketplace etc.) is as useful as ever. The Xoom is also a capable multimedia device. Motorola has included a mini HDMI port on the bottom that can be used to connect to a high definition TV. This lets you watch movies stored on the Xoom on a big screen, as well as show off photos, play music and even show off the Xoom’s cool interface to a room full of friends. We received the Wi-Fi version for review, but a 3G version is also planned that accepts SIM cards, allowing users to access the Internet over cellular networks. The hardware on both is identical, which means the WiFi version ships with a slot that can accept a SIM card, but it is disabled. All told, what we’ve seen of the Xoom leads us to believe that Apple finally has some real competition in the tablet market, and we look forward to watching the battle heat up. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Platform: Google Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) • Camera: 5MP, with front-mounted 2MP webcam • Battery life: 10 hours browsing over Wi-Fi, up to 3.3 days of MP3 playback, approx. 10 hours of video playback • E-mail: Corporate Sync, Google Mail, POP3/IMAP embedded, Corporate Directory Lookup • Instant Messaging: Google Talk • GPS and Location Services: Google Maps/Latitude/Street View, eCompass • Headset jack: 3.5mm • Other services: Google eBooks, YouTube, Video Chat over Google Talk, Google Calendar, QuickOffice Viewer • Display: 1280 x 800, HD 720p • Weight: 708g Pros
Cons
• Interface and applications are fluid and responsive • Silky smooth 720p movie playback • Very solid chassis feels and looks really good
• Its big size means taking pictures and videos looks funny • SD card support is not available out the box
Overall rating
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Apple iPad 2 NEED TO KNOW • Second generation of Apple’s iPad • 33% thinner and 15% lighter • Double the processing power • Nine times the graphics performance • Two built-in cameras R4 399.95 (16GB WiFi); R5 399.95 (32GB WiFi); R6 399.95 (64GB WiFi) R5 599.95 (16GB 3G + WiFi); R6 599.95 (32GB 3G + WiFi); R7 599.95 (64GB 3G + WiFi)
Many of the ‘Mac Gurus’ around the world believe you shouldn’t really jump on the Apple technology bandwagon until the device you’re interested in hits its second generation. But, with more than 300 000 units of the first generation iPad sold in the US on the first weekend it became available, and more than 15 Million units sold in the 11 months it took Apple to launch its second generation iPad, either the device was that good, or a large number of people ignored that advice. Whichever way you look at it, it sets some serious expectations for the iPad’s successor, the aptly named iPad 2. Hardware-wise, it’s not a massively different device to its older sibling. Like the original iPad, the iPad 2 has a 1024 x 768 pixel LED touchscreen (in fact it’s the identical screen to that used in the original model), has a 10 hour battery life and comes with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage capacity. That means, when it comes to watching videos, looking at stills and listening to music, there’s not a great deal the iPad 2 offers over its predecessor. Like the iPad, there’s also a Wi-Fi-only and a Wi-Fi/3G version of the new tablet, but the WiFi/3G version now supports a newer set of standards, so connectivity is faster and compatible with a larger range of networks. When it comes to using applications, the overall versatility of the device and the way it feels in-hand, the differences start emerging. One of the biggest differentiators between Apple hardware and all other vendors’ hardware is the industrial design ethos that goes into 38 | connect | june 2011
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creating so-called ‘iDevices’. So, while the iPad 2 is a 9.7” device, it’s one third thinner and 15% lighter than the first generation model. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but after a couple of days, it’s quite a noticeable difference. To show that thinner, light design off, Apple has at the same time released a new case for the iPad 2 that it calls a Smart Cover. It is, of course, sold separately. By innovatively employing magnets that are located in the tablet itself, the Smart Cover’s hinge attaches to the side of the iPad 2 with ease and the cover itself magically sticks to the screen to protect it from scratches. The cover also has ridges moulded into to that allows it to be folded and bent in such a way that allows the iPad to be stood up like a screen, or slightly elevated for easier on-screen typing. Looking under the hood, the big news is the upgraded processor – now a dual-core A5 – that’s double the speed of the chip used in the original iPad. Apart from making Apple’s already responsive iOS operating system snappier, the processor also makes multitasking smoother and boosts graphics performance by a factor of nine, in turn allowing the iPad 2 to cope better with demanding applications such as gaming and multimedia manipulation (creating, editing and retouching video, stills and audio). In fact, there are certain applications, such as iMovie that are plain painful without the newer processor. On first impressions, you may not think that this extra grunt is really needed. After a week or two of using an iPad 2, however, you’re likely to become frustrated when doing the same things on a first generation iPad, as they take noticeably longer. The final addition to the specification of the iPad 2 is two cameras – one rear-facing camera that’s capable of recording 720p video at 30 frames per second and one front-facing camera that delivers VGA-quality stills, and video at 30 frames per second. This means the iPad 2 is a fairly good video and stills camera, but a great video calling device. With the inclusion of FaceTime, users can initiate calls with other iPad 2, next-generation iPod Touch and iPhone 4 owners, not to mention owners of webcam-equipped Apple notebooks.
While this is a cool feature, the drawback of this not being available on devices outside of Apple’s ecosystem is major. If this feature was crossplatform, it would be worth shouting about from the rooftops. Looking at the value proposition of the iPad over the iPad, there doesn’t seem to be all that much in it. The first generation iPad is still a fantastic device and barring the quite obvious absence of built-in cameras (all of the tablets released this year are equipped with a front and rear facing camera), it would be capable of giving some of the newer models from competing vendors on the Android platform a decent run for their money. The fact that the iPad 2 is so much thinner and lighter, with a faster processor and two cameras does however make for a set of worthwhile upgrades. It’s only after seeing those upgrades in action for a few weeks that you’ll really notice and appreciate just how valuable they are. At the end of the day, the iPad 2 is every bit as much of a worthy successor to the original iPad as Apple fans the world over have been hoping for.
Smart Cover So essential an add-on it should come as part of the package, this cover not only protects the iPad 2, it allows it to be posed in various ways for easy use.
Digital AV Adapter Put what you see on your iPad on a big screen using this adapter. It supports simultaneous use of an HDMI cable and Apple Dock connector.
NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Display: 9-7 inch 1024.768 pixel Screen • Processor: Dual-core Apple A5 processor • Memory: 16GB/32GB/64GB Flash Storage • Networking: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR • Connectivity: 3G UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA quad band radio • Cameras: 720p 30fps rear-facing and VGA 30fps front-facing camera Pros
Cons
• Thinner and lighter than the original iPad • Much faster processor • Cameras are a nice addition • Aggressively priced with competitors
• Upgraded specs might not be enough for some • FaceTime is an Apple-only feature • Lacks an SD-Card/USB port
Overall rating
Built iPad Sleeve Get some extra protection going for your iPad 2 and slip it into one of these convenient, light and good-looking neoprene sleeves, complete with a front-pouch for storing cables, headphones and other essentials.
www.connectmag.co.za | 39
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SanDisk Extreme Pro Class 1 32GB SDHC Card Canon EOS 1100D Canon’s EOS 1100D D-SLR is a very good bridge camera for people interested in doing more than just pointing and shooting.
Nikon D5100 The D5100 is for people who appreciate the automation of point-and-shoot cameras but who also enjoy the ability to tweak and change settings until their pictures are “just right”.
Kodak EasyShare C143 If getting everything “just right” is for the birds and all you’re looking for is a fun, fast camera that can be tucked into a pocket or bag and taken out anywhere, check out this cool compact camera from Kodak.
40 | connect | june 2011
NEED TO KNOW • One of the fastest memory cards around • Minimum write speed of 45MB per second • Heat- and water-resistant, 5m drop-proof R2 999.95
The explosion of data in the 21st century has dwarfed even the most enthusiastic predictions of the late 1990s. This is thanks to the worldwide proliferation of cellphones, portable music devices, digital still cameras, video camcorders and other mobile electronic devices that require storage of some kind. As a result, there are more hard drives, memory cards and USB flash drives in the world now than ever before. It’s a great time to be a storage device vendor, then. Nobody knows this better than SanDisk, a company that makes and sells USB drives, SD and CompactFlash memory cards. As sales of these products have skyrocketed, the technology within them has had to change to keep up with the ever-evolving demands of the devices into which they fit. SanDisk has done an admirable job of not only keeping up with current demand, but it has managed to anticipate future usage scenarios too. Take this Extreme Pro Class 1 32GB SDHC card, for instance. It’s not only a really high-capacity card (that’s what the HC stands for, incidentally), it’s also incredibly fast. The rated speed of any storage device (and especially memory cards used in digital cameras) comes into play when taking very high-resolution images or videos. The slower the card’s speed, the longer the camera will take to save each image or video. This is measured in megabytes per second, or MB/s. We loaded this card into a D-SLR we had at the office, to test just how fast it is. Taking a series of 10 shots in Burst mode, the Extreme Pro Class 1 32GB SDHC took just over 13 seconds to save all the images. This is a significant improvement over other cards – we tested one rated at 30MB/s, and the exact same action took around 22s. The implications of a fast memory card like this one is the reduced delay between shots and longer battery life (if you measure that in how many shots you can take before the battery dies, that is). SanDisk doesn’t stop there, though. This card is engineered to be drop-proof from a height of 5m, heat-resistant up to 85°C and is even waterproof at a depth of 1m for up to 72 hours in either salt or fresh
water. Perhaps most impressively, it protects the data on it if power cuts out in the middle of a write, losing only the data being saved and not the other pictures and videos already there. If you’ve ever stepped on a memory card, accidentally dropped it in a fire or swimming pool or had your battery die unexpectedly, you’ll know just how precious this kind of durability is. And 32GB is a huge amount of data: even if each one of your pictures is 5MB big, that’s still 6 400 photos. Photographers fond of capturing raw photographs will find this massive capacity particularly appealing – raw photos take up far more storage space than photos saved in formats like JPEG and TIFF. This is because they are largely unprocessed by the camera, which provides photographers with more control over things like white balance, colours and light/dark contrast in each image. For photographers frustrated with slow cameras, a fast card like this one is the solution. It may not be cheap, but it’s certainly worth the cash. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Available capacities: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB • Performance/speed: Up to 45MB/sec write/read speed • Operating temperature: 25°C to 85°C • Storage temperature: -40°C to 85°C • Compatibility: Compatible with all SDHC™ and SDHC UHS-I supporting host devices • Security: Built-in write-protect switch prevents accidental data loss • Warranty: Lifetime Limited warranty • Applications: Store a variety of digital formats, including RAW and JPEG photos, high-definition videos, music and more
Pros
Cons
• Speeds up photo capture time • Preserves the integrity of stored data • Resistant to life’s little knocks
• Still quite pricy compared to lower-speed cards • Not absolutely essential for casual photographers
Overall rating
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Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset
This over-the-ear Bluetooth headset features the same noise-cancelling technology and excellent voice quality as the Discovery 975, but is a wee bit bulkier.
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HTC WildFire HTC’s WildFire is a good starter smartphone, with solid touchscreen control, plenty of smartphone features and a very attractive low price (relative to other smartphones).
BlackBerry Bold 9870 Business phone users know just how crucial taking calls wherever you are can be, which makes the Discovery 975 the perfect accessory for every BlackBerry user out there.
Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset NEED TO KNOW • Wireless Bluetooth headset for cell phones • Reduces background noise with advanced noise-cancelling tech • Comes with a case that stores an additional 2 charges R899.95
A good-quality Bluetooth headset is what every on-the-go professional, taxi driver, busy student, soccer mom, and basically anyone else who drives needs. They help to keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel by putting all relevant phone controls into a tiny little device that fits neatly into ears. Ease of use, range, audio quality both to and from the headset, battery life and looks are all factors that determine if a Bluetooth headset is worth a high rating. On all of these scores, the Discovery 975 does extremely well. When it arrived at our offices, it immediately impressed with a design that was sleek and stylish enough to pique our collective interest before it was even unpacked. On first impression, it looks like a high-end headset that comes with a leather storage case. On closer inspection, the leather storage case not only envelopes the Discovery 975 perfectly, but it hides a rechargeable battery that the headset plugs into using an embedded microUSB port. There’s even an LCD display on the side of the case that shows the battery status of both the case and the earpiece. The battery inside the storage case carries enough power to completely recharge the Discovery 975 twice before needing its own recharge via the microUSB port found on its left edge. The case itself is also small enough (about the size of a lipstick tube) to fit easily into pockets or handbags. As clever as that design is, the earpiece is even better. It consists of a very thin arm attached to a diamond-shaped plastic bit that houses the speaker. It has a tiny button on the outside for volume control and a microUSB port for charging. The end of the arm is actually another button, used to power the device on and off, answer and reject calls. The earpiece is sheathed in a removable gel ear tip cover, and there are another two sets included in case the default one doesn’t fit properly. It fits very snugly and with minimal effort. Pairing it with a cell phone is simple. We used it with a Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc and made a few calls
to test its overall quality and range. It works clearly to a range of about 30 feet, but when used inside, once we put a wall between us and the phone, the audio signal broke up (which is to be expected). Standing next to a TV and a loud washing machine, our call recipient couldn’t hear anything but voice. This is because the Discovery 975 uses Plantronics’ audioIQ2 noise-cancelling technology, which intelligently filters out background noise so callers hear only you. Overall call quality was incredibly clear, too. We managed to squeeze about fourand-a-half hours of talk time from the Discovery 975’s battery. With the charges available from the carry case, that means a whopping 13-and-a-half hours of talk time before you need to connect either of the devices to the mains for a recharge. The only thing we didn’t enjoy was the “call answer/reject” button that proved to be a bit awkward to press while wearing the headset. But that’s all: if you’re looking for a Bluetooth headset, we’re very happy to recommend this one. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Noise-cancelling: AudioIQ2 technology cancels ambient noise and retains only your voice • Multipoint: Lets you pair the earpiece with up to two different devices • Connection type: Bluetooth • Battery power: Up to 5 hours (dependent on device) • Charger type: Micro USB • Weight: 8g
Pros
Cons
• Call quality is very clear • Ambient noise is effectively filtered out • Recharging using the carry case is a convenient touch
• Pressing the “call answer/ reject” button while wearing the earpiece can be awkward • Full user manual has to be obtained online
Overall rating
www.connectmag.co.za | 41
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Magix Rescue Your Vinyl and Tapes!
If you already have a turntable, consider this package as it includes a pre-amp that lets you hook it up to your PC, as well as software that lets you convert and burn that old music directly to CD or MP3.
Ion Audio Profile LP Vinyl-to-MP3 Turntable
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• Converts old records into digital music files over USB • Plays old records on a modern stereo system • Supports both 45rpm and 33rpm records R999.95
Magix Music Maker This fully-featured audioediting software suite is just what you need to clean up existing audio files, adjust their properties and even re-record them using a wide range of effects.
Dell Vostro V3300 This excellent mid-range notebook is well-equipped to edit audio and it has plenty of USB ports to let you connect external devices like the Ion Audio Profile LP.
42 | connect | june 2011
NEED TO KNOW
Once upon a time, record players were the most advanced audio devices you could get. Today, audio technology has changed so much that records are little more than artefacts of a bygone era. There’s a good chance all they’re doing at the moment is gathering dust, along with the turntables that played them. We’re happy to report that technology appears to have come fullcircle. A company called Ion Audio has developed a record player called the Profile LP that plugs into any computer’s USB port. It can be used to convert old records into modern music files, and it also plugs into any stereo system that has RCA jacks. RCA jacks are identified by their redand-white colouring, and while they are becoming less common in new products as connections like HDMI take over, they’re still around. The Profile LP comes with an adapter for 45rpm records, which may get lost if not looked after as it’s just a small plastic disc. Interestingly, these adapters (also called “spiders”) were sold in their millions in the 1960s, so if you ever invent a time machine and want to make a quick buck, consider going back in time and registering the patent before Thomas Hutchinson invents the `spider’. Oh, and maybe buy some Apple stock while you’re at it. Once it’s been assembled, all that’s needed is to select the turntable’s speed by using the button on the device, put your record on and record it. Ion offers a software package called EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter, which converts cassette tapes and vinyl records directly into your iTunes library in MP3 format. The Profile LP isn’t perfect, though. The resulting audio quality is not always the greatest, and will require some additional editing on your part to make it sound its best. There are several free software packages
available for download off the Internet; Audacity is a good choice for beginners as it’s a small download and is quite easy to come to grips with. More experienced users may want to consider Magix Music Maker software, as it offers a wider range of audio-editing features that may prove to be more effective in the long run at getting the audio quality cleaned up properly. For beginners, the Profile LP is a good choice if you’re interested in converting all your old music into files your computer and iPod can play. If the resulting audio quality is not up to your standards, you can always use the Profile LP as a regular record player, and hook it up to your stereo system using RCA cables. In all, it’s an inexpensive way to get those old records converted into a digital format, and a fun way to spend an afternoon or two, reminiscing as those old memories come alive once again. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Includes a standard USB cable and 45rpm adapter • Plug and Play USB connection: no drivers needed! • Hinged dust cover protects needle and keeps slip mat clean • 33 1/3 and 45rpm settings • Built-in preamp – play records on home stereo or home theatre
Pros
Cons
• Converting records and tapes to digital files is quite easy • Connects to stereo equipment for use as a normal record player • Inexpensive way of converting old records
• Build quality could be a little sturdier • Resulting audio files may require further cleaning up
Overall rating
Ultimate fun Just the right size Notebooks are too heavy to carry around everywhere and smartphones are just too small to enjoy web pages, digital videos and books on. With its 10-inch high-resolution screen however, Acer’s Iconia is small enough to fit in a handbag or satchel, but big enough to create a great user experience. It also tips the scales at less than 800 grams and offers more than eight hours of continuous battery life between charges. There’s also tons (16GB to be precise) of storage space for applications, videos, music and of course your own media.
Strike a pose From making video calls to family on the other end of the globe to taking videos of the children playing in the garden, the IconiaTab is fully equipped. Its 2 Megapixel front facing camera is perfect for making face-to-face video calls, while its 5 Megapixel rearfacing camera is perfect for shooting movies and photos. And with applications that are crammed with filters, effects and shooting modes, the only thing limiting you is your creativity.
Game-on Regardless of how serious you are about your work or your studies, there comes a time where you just have to kick back and relax. And gaming is one of the most popular ways for people to escape the rigours of surviving the concrete jungle. From card games and puzzles that will give your brain cells a workout, to real time strategy games that rely on your creative thinking ability, there’s plenty of escapism on offer. But if you want to know what real fun feels like, get your hands on one of the more popular driving and first person shooting games on offer. And then tilt or rotate your IconiaTab to steer, jump and move your character around. No complex controls required.
Create your masterpiece The IconiaTab has everything you need to flex your creative muscle and immerse yourself in the worlds of still photography, videography and audio. The IconiaTab’s camera application is crammed with modes for shooting everything from fast-moving images to landscapes. There’s even filters for adding cool effects to your still images; an adjustable white-balance setting and a flash to get the lighting just right; and a digital zoom that gets you closer to your subject with ease. Flip a switch and suddenly you’re taking video at 720p quality instead of the still images you were a minute ago. It really couldn’t be simpler. Fancy yourself something of an orator or want to send a personalised voice message to a friend or family member? Record your thoughts using the bundled voice recorder application and e-mail it with a couple of touches of the finger. The IconiaTab is all about media creation made easy.
Media Mogul There’s nothing that comes close to enjoying a good book, listening to your favourite musician, watching one of your favourite movies or just catching up on the latest videos on the web. But, instead of carrying a small suitcase of technology around with you, all you need today is an IconiaTab. The eReading Zone gives you access to eBooks in multiple formats, as well as the ability to buy your favourite books – and have them instantly delivered – in a couple of seconds and without leaving your couch. Connect your IconiaTab up to your desktop or notebook and you can easily transfer your favourite music and video files onto its 32GB internal memory. Out on the road? No problem. Insert a MicroSD card or standard USB Flash Key into one of the provided slots and enjoy your music or videos with a couple of taps of the screen. Or use Clear.fi, Acer’s solution to making sure you can access any of your media from any PC in your home. Fancy a YouTube video or two? Touch the built-in YouTube application and prepare to be entertained.
Social Butterfly With Twitter, Facebook and instant messaging taking the world by storm, staying in contact with friends, family and acquaintances has never been easier. The IconiaTab is designed for social networking and preloaded applications such as SocialJogger, which give you a single view of what’s happening on Facebook and Twitter. You can either choose to view your Twitter and Facebook stream in a single timeline, or only look at pictures, links and other posts individually. It’s social networking the way you want it. Prefer rolling old school with Internet chat? Well, the IconiaTab’s built-in ‘Talk’ application will keep you in contact with all of your Google Talk contacts while you’re out and about. And if you’d rather view your social media sites on a web browser, the IconiaTab’s built-in browser is not only fast and easy to use, because it supports Adobe Flash 10.1 the web truly is your playground.
But wait, there’s more... The IconiaTab runs an operating system called Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which includes a number of stock standard tools to keep you up to date with what’s going on in your world. And if you need more applications, just log into the Android Marketplace (tap the icon) and discover a wealth of new and useful things to do. From books to business, communications, financial, lifestyle and content tools. There’s a ton to feast on...
Business on the brain? Well, then you’ll love the e-mail client, calendar and contact manager built right into the IconiaTab. Not only is it quick, snappy and easy to use, it supports all of the industry standard technologies your company is using today. You can also choose to synchronise your calendar and contacts with your server, or just synchronise your most vital information with your PC using AcerSync. And because the IconiaTab is bundled with ‘Docs to Go’ you can create, edit and read all forms of industry standard business documents while you’re on the road, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and PDF files.
Bottomless storage 32GB of storage insufficient for your needs? Add more by inserting a MicroSD card or standard Flash drive into the IconiaTab’s Micro SD card slot or standard USB port. When it comes to drive space, the sky is, quite literally, the limit...
Web Junkie? The IconiaTab has one of the best web browsers in the business and because it natively supports Flash 10.1, every site on the Internet works the way it was supposed to. Don’t feel like typing in a search request? Simply tell Google what you want the answers to with ‘Voice Search.’ Lost? Let the combination of Google Maps tell you where to go.
R5 999.95 incl. VAT
Acer ICONIA A500 Model Name: ICONIA Tablet A500 Screen: 10” WXGA (1280 x 800) Operating System: Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) CPU: nVidia Tegra 250 Dual Core Memory: 1GB RAM Internal Storage: 32GB* Dual Facing Cameras: 5 Megapixel in back and 2 Megapixel in front Bluetooth: Yes Wireless: 802.11bgn Integrated 3G: Optional** Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x USB 2.0 * Storage can be expanded through the addition of a Micro SD card (sold separately). ** 3G model available for pre-order through the Incredible Connection website.
Only available at:
www.incredible.co.za Call centre: 0860 011 700
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Canon PIXMA MX870 MFP NEED TO KNOW • Prints documents and photos, • Also scans, faxes and copies • Suited to micro-office and home use R1 699.95
The MX870 is the upgraded version of the MX860, one of Canon’s previous micro-office/home multifunction printers. It boasts the same functionality – scan, fax, copy, print – but with a refined network setup and a somewhat more robust wireless interface. It’s great for a really small home office or general home use as it competently prints various document types, but of course, as it is part of the PIXMA series, photos are its strongest point. Changes to the design are most significant on the control panel, where Canon has implemented a smart scroll wheel/jog dial for moving through options on the 2.5” colour LCD screen, in addition to the regular directional keys. The overall interface has received a bit of a makeover, as all buttons are nice and big and clearly labelled, making choosing the functionality you need a simple affair. Most noticeable are the two colour selection buttons on the far right edge. Having a separate button for black and colour copies means you don’t have to go looking through the printer’s menu to select the type of copy you want. Copying is a matter of feeding the original documents into the automatic document feeder mounted on the top of the printer, choosing the required number of copies and then hitting the colour or black button. Faxing is likewise as simple a task, and all buttons press easily and have a very nice high-quality feel to them. When printing or copying, the MX870 automatically opens the paper output tray if you forget to open it yourself, which is a nice touch, especially if you’re the forgetful type. Paper of all sizes up to letter (which is slightly bigger than A4) fit into the 150-page cassette tray at the bottom of the unit. There is also a 150-page paper feeder at the back of the printer, which can be used to load regular or photograph paper, label sheets and envelopes, all of which fit easily once the sliders have been adjusted. With a maximum load of 300 sheets of paper at any one time, it’s clear the MX870 is best-suited to small office and home use. Instead, it’s primarily a photo printer. All photos printed on the MX870 come out sharp and beautiful thanks to its high maximum resolution of 9600 x 4800 and ability to print in up to 65536 colours, and Canon has
made it incredibly easy to get pictures onto, and printed by, the MX870. The choices are directly from a PC that’s connected over Wi-Fi or over USB, using a USB Flash drive connected directly to the printer’s USB port, the built-in memory card reader, or directly from any camera that has PictBridge support. If you battle to print your photos on the MX870, it’s definitely won’t be for lack of options. Scanning also comes with options. Documents can be scanned in two ways, either with the use of the automatic document feeder, or with the flatbed scanner. Both methods take a wee bit of time to complete, but the printer makes up for this by offering the choice of saving them in PDF format directly to your PC, either over the network or via USB, or straight to e-mail. With excellent print quality and a versatile list of features, Canon’s PIXMA MX870 is a great addition to any home or micro-office. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Printing Method: Inkjet • Print Speed: 10x15cm borderless photos – Approx. 39 seconds; Black documents 9.4ipm, Colour documents 6.1ipm • Print resolution: Up to 9600 x 2400dpi (Colour), Up to 600 x 600 (Black) • Printer features: ADF, Auto Duplex, Auto Sheet Feeder, Borderless Printing, Photo and document printing, Auto Photo Fix II • Paper Handling: Auto Sheet Feeder and Paper Cassette – 150 pages each’ Automatic Document Feeder – 35 pages • Copy speed: Up to 4.3 ipm • Scanner colour depth: 48-bit • Fax: Modem speed up to 33.6Kbps • Connectivity: USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, PictBridge • Memory card slots: SD, SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro
Pros
Cons
• Fantastic photo print quality • Control panel tweaks make for easy use • Many ways to print photos
• Scanning is a bit slow • Paper capacity could be higher
Overall rating
Verbatim 4GB USB Flash Drive Copy photos to and from your printer with a handy USB Flash Drive.
SanDisk 4GB SDHC Memory Card To get your photographs printed, they have to be captured and saved somewhere first. Grab an SD card and fill it with memories.
Canon Photo Paper Photos never look as good on regular paper as they do on specific photo paper. This bunch from Canon will have your pictures looking no different to ones printed in a shop.
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Bacup Charger Series NEED TO KNOW
BlackBerry Bold 9780
BlackBerries have a reputation for acquiring thousands of contacts, so it’s a great idea to have them backed up in case something happens to the phone.
Sony Ericsson Aino
This attractive slide-phone is a no-nonsense device that forgoes all the bells and whistles of a complicated operating system to bring you simple ease of use.
Nokia C7
Nokia’s C7 is an excellent business tool, with looks to match.
48 | connect | june 2011
• Back up your contacts every time your phone charges • Makes backing up part of your routine • Easily restore contacts if your phone is ever lost R499.95 USB Charger (MR001) – Available July 2011 R599.95 Wall Charger (MR003) – Available July 2011
How many times have you heard that backing up your everyday data, whether it’s on a computer or a phone, is a good idea? We’re willing to bet you’ve heard that more times than you’ve actually backed up. The problem is, unless you’re an IT professional and it’s part of your job, backups are the furthest thing from the average South African’s mind, and are only ever a consideration once the worst has already happened. Phones are even worse than computers – most South Africans probably think of backing up their contacts in case of fire, theft, damage etc. even less frequently than they do about backing up their work and home PCs. Given that contact information is so important, the question becomes how to do it without going through the fuss of loading the phone’s software onto a computer and manually backing up all that vital info? The answer is one that doesn’t change people’s daily routine much, while at the same time performing the necessary phone info backup. Local company Calasca has come up with a decidedly ingenious solution to the problem: phone chargers that automatically read all contact information and store it on the charger itself. Charging phones is an activity the majority of South Africans do on an almost daily basis, and by piggy-backing an automatic backup of all phone contacts with that activity, Calasca has solved the backup problem. There are two options: a regular charger that plugs into a wall socket and a USB unit that draws power from a PC or notebook in order to charge the phone. Both perform the data backup in exactly the same fashion, differing only in their form factor. The backup process is completely automatic, and user intervention is only needed when it’s time to restore the data to a new phone. Each model comes with software that can be used to read the data in the charger (to verify that all has been backed up), and at the time of
writing Calasca says that up to 85% of all phone models are currently supported, with more being added every day. Checking for updates is as simple as being connected to the Internet and clicking the Update button in the software, and a tiny download later, the product has been updated with support for new phones. Conspicuous by its absence is support for Apple’s iPhones, but as iPhones work closely with iTunes which also handles data backup, there is no pressing need for iPhone support in these Bacup chargers. It will be added at a later date, of course, but for now the focus is on other makes and models. Interestingly, once phone data (phone numbers and e-mail addresses) has been backed up, it can be restored to any supported cell phone regardless of make. That means a Nokia phone can be backed up and have that same data restored perfectly to a Samsung phone, for example. Using Bacup chargers really couldn’t be easier. They represent some clever local innovation, and best of all they don’t require anyone to change their existing habits in order to be effective. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Certification: CE & IESEE Certified • Input: AC 10-240V, 50/60Hz, 0.1a • Output: DC 5V 500MHz • Requirements: USB cable for phone (not supplied) • Operating systems: Windows 7, Mac OSX • Networks: Not network-dependent • Number of contacts: Up to 4000 per charger, dependent on phone model Pros
Cons
• Backing up contacts requires no extra effort • Transfer the same contact data between phone makes and models • Support for new phone models is being added all the time
• No support for iPhones – yet • A manual backup defeats the need for one of these
Overall rating
/NATC122523/E
RICA MADE EASY! on i t a r st Regi ck and i is qu EE! FR
Remember to bring your SIM card, ID book or passport and proof of residence. Who should register? Everyone. All Contract, TopUp and Prepaid customers. All new Starter Packs must be registered to be activated.
Want to know your RICA status? SMS RICA to 31050.*
Want to know the last 4 digits of your SIM? SMS SIM to 31050.*
Registration must be done in person to confirm your identity. For more information call 082 111 FREE from your Vodacom cellphone. *SMS is Free. Vodacom customers only.
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Sony Alpha 55
The Olympus is good, but if you need a bit more power in your camera, Sony’s excellent Alpha 55 fits the bill. It can do low-light pics with ease, there are tons of lenses on offer and it will even geo-tag your photos.
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Olympus XZ-1 NEED TO KNOW • 10-megapixel high-sensitivity sensor • 4 x zoom lens • HD video-recording R5 499.95
16GB SD Card Large photos and HD footage end up consuming a lot of space. Get a 16GB memory card for hundreds of photos or hours of footage, without needing to worry about running out of room.
Lowepro Rezo Camera Pouch Keep your compact camera safe with one of the many bags in Lowepro’s Rezo range. There’s a main pouch for the camera and additional compartments for stashing memory cards and batteries, too.
50 | connect | june 2011
Olympus has been on a good run as of late. Its first PEN camera, about two years ago, was a breakout hit, and it’s followed that up with a couple of really great offerings. The XZ-1 is one of those, and we really like it. It’s a power-user’s compact camera, kitted out with a 10-megapixel sensor and a 4 x optical zoom lens. What really makes it stand out is the adjustability and speed of the lens: it can be stopped down as low as f/1.8, which makes it great at two things. The first is low-light photography, since a low aperture number means the “pupil” of the lens is fully dilated, allowing in more light. This is backed up by an excellent ISO range, from 100 to 3 200. Truth be told, all-round performance is good but the ISO 3200 setting is best used in dire situations, where the flash would totally ruin a photo. In any other scenario, it adds way too much noise to the photos. The second thing the lens is good for is creative shots. A low aperture means the depth of field effect is easily reproduced. This is when out-of-focus objects are very blurry, while the photo’s subject remains crystal-clear. It’s a dramatic effect, and here it’s achieved through a great lens, rather than a cheap editing trick in the camera software. Image quality from the 10-megapixel sensor is very good – better than some of the competing cameras we’ve seen, even those with a higher number of megapixels. In manual mode, the camera lets users change the shutter speed with total control, while the lens is limited to apertures between f/1.8 and f/8.0. It would’ve been nice to see this go as high as f/11 or f/16, to allow more versatility in very bright light.
It wouldn’t be a fully-featured compact camera without HD videorecording, which does feature. Video quality is good, but suffers a bit in low light. One really nice touch is the Olympus Art mode, which offers six different special effects for your photos. Each effect is dramatically different to make it worth using when the situation suits it, and the results can really make for some fantastic shots. Sure, you can do some of this with photo-editing software, but it’s easier to get it done on camera, especially if you can see the result on the 3” display right away. Our only concern is that these art effects use a lot of processing power and cause the camera to feel a bit unresponsive. They also eat into battery life, which the XZ-1 doesn’t have a lot of to begin with. A sparebattery would definitely help things along. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Still images: 10 megapixels • Video: 720P HD video-recording • Storage: SD card • Lens: 4 x optical zoom, f/1.8 maximum aperture • ISO range: 100 – 3 200 • Rear display: 3.0” OLED • Other: Face-tracking, HDMI output, 18 scene modes, panorama mode
Pros
Cons
• Lens capable of f/1.8 • Good image quality • Striking art modes
• Chunky build • Poor battery life • Art modes can slow camera down significantly
Overall rating
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Canon Ixus 310HS
Canon’s got the low-light problem licked with its Ixus 310HS. A 12-megapixel sensor and 4.4 x zoom lens fit into a tiny body, with touchscreen controls and full HD video to boot.
Canon EOS 1100D NEED TO KNOW • Entry-level dSLR camera • 12-megapixel sensor • HD video-recording R5 499.95
Just a few years ago, Canon released the EOS 1000D. At the time, the company had the EOS 450D on the market, but needed something a bit cheaper to fill the price gap between the 450D and its point-andshoot cameras. The 1000D was a huge success, selling for less than R5 000 initially, and offering point-and-shoot customers a great gateway camera to get their hands dirty with something a bit more professional. It’s been a while, though, and that camera’s ageing hardware needs a replacement. Which brings us to the EOS 1100D. As per Canon’s incremental model-naming, this is the same family as the 1000, but the newer, better version. It has a 12-megapixel sensor, likely from an earlier EOS model, and features a powerful set of features for first-time users. ISO can be adjusted all the way from 100 to 6 400 – the latter still yielding surprisingly clean shots in lower light, even compared to a compact camera at ISO 1600. Turn it down to about ISO 400, and you can use it in most conditions without worrying about grain or noise in your pics. Controls are well laid out. The 1100D has bigger buttons than the other EOS cameras, specifically to make it easier for first-time users who might get lost in a quagmire of buttons that offer all sorts of fine-tuning options. Instead, the controls on the back of the 1100D give access to the most important adjustments: ISO, aperture, white balance, exposure compensation and autofocus modes. Everything else is still easily accessible in the menus, but they don’t have dedicated buttons as seen on the professional-grade cameras. The 18 – 55mm kit lens is okay, but you’ll probably want to invest in some better glass when budget allows. That’s the beauty of dSLR cameras: you can buy a cheap body to get started, and replace it when your skills have advanced. The lenses you buy can be used on any of the
other Canon dSLR bodies, and they are the actual investment you’re making. The body is, essentially, disposable because it can become outdated quite easily while lenses will remain functional on its successor. The 1100D is fantastic value for money. If you’ve been toying with the idea of getting a higher-end compact camera, with a big zoom lens and other fancy features, consider this offering from Canon. It’ll give you more control in the long run, and possibly lead to a more enjoyable hobby in photography. Sadly, there’s a drawback to producing a great camera on a budget. Obviously Canon had to cut corners (though, thankfully, it didn’t chop out too much usability) and one of those was the camera body construction. It’s made out of plastic, with no rubber grips to keep it from slipping out of your hand when things get rough and tumble. It’s smooth, and looks good, but feels a tad cheap: not something we’ve experienced with Canon products in the past. Ignore that, though, and this makes an excellent buy. NOTEWORTHY SPECS
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16GB SD Card Large photos and HD footage end up consuming a lot of space. Get a 16GB memory card for hundreds of photos or hours of footage, without needing to worry about running out of room.
• Still images: 12 megapixels • Video: HD video-recording • Storage: SD card • Lens: 18 – 55mm lens in kit, compatible with Canon EF and EF-S lenses • ISO range: 100 – 6 400 • Rear display: 2.7” • Autofocus points: 9 Pros
Cons
• Affordable dSLR • Big buttons • Good assistant modes
• Plastic body • Low-res display • Slow autofocus in live-view
Overall rating
Lowepro Camera Bag Keep your compact camera safe with one of the many bags in Lowepro’s professional range. They have separate, customisable storage compartments for lenses, batteries, charges and more.
www.connectmag.co.za | 51
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Sandisk SD Card SD cards are dirt-cheap, so splash out and get yourself an 8GB or 16GB card for maximum photo and video fun, without needing to dump data on your laptop or computer.
Sony G-type Battery Instead of complicated model numbers, Sony has standardised names for its battery packs. In this case, the H70 takes a G-type cell. Get a spare one of these to increase the amount of time you can spend away from the charger.
Lowepro Rezo Camera Pouch Keep your compact camera safe with one of the many bags in Lowepro’s Rezo range. There’s a main pouch for the camera and additional compartments for stashing memory cards and batteries.
52 | connect | june 2011
Sony Cybershot H70 NEED TO KNOW • 16-megapixel pocket camera • Automatic sweeping panorama mode • HD 720P video recording R2 299.95
The DSC H70, one of the mid-range models in Sony’s latest batch of compact cameras, might have a relatively modest set of specifications when compared to its peers. Compare it to cameras from just two or three years ago, however, and it’s not that modest at all. A 16-megapixel sensor, HD video recording, and 10x optical zoom lens – that’s nothing to be sneered at, even today. For some, the number of megapixels in their camera is still seen as a measure of how good it is. Sadly, this is not the case. The H70’s 16-megapixel photos are more than big enough to be printed on A3 poster paper. What really matters is how those megapixels are used. Smart technology and a good lens are a start. In the case of the H70, its lens is wide enough to capture great landscapes and zooms in to capture close-up detail should you not be able to reach the subject. The only thing we found wanting was its macro mode – moving in close and taking extreme close-up pics isn’t the H70’s forte. This is backed up by some intuitive scene modes, each designed to make the best of specific scenarios. There’s a soft skin mode for smoothing over skin tones in human subjects, a soft snap mode to ensure a defocused background, and more. Even just stuck in auto mode, it’s fairly good at figuring out what’s needed to get the best out of a photo and applying the required values. If you’re a bit more experienced and like adjusting values manually, you will be disappointed in the limited manual controls offered on the Sony. Usually when cameras offer a manual mode, the shutter speed and aperture can be fully adjusted. The H70 only has two options for the aperture, while allowing for full control of the shutter speed. This limits creativity quite a bit – especially for shots in very bright light, which usually require higher aperture values.
General usability is great, though. Pop it into the intelligent auto mode and take it to a party or picnic – it’ll do all the hard work for you. Sony’s brilliant face detection teams up with an even more brilliant smile detection technology, so when one of the faces in the shot flashes a smile, it’ll automatically take the photo. It produces some humorous results, but the feature can also be deactivated if it proves annoying. Picture results are good, but not brilliant. At 100% crop, it’s clear that the image sensor in the H70 isn’t quite as modern as the one used in its higher-end siblings. Photos are a bit grainy and won’t appear ultracrisp when printed out, so your cherished memories end up being less glamorous than you remember. And that’s just the thing: this isn’t Sony’s range-topper, yet presents good value for money. Sure, the 16-megapixel chip is a generation old. Low-light photos aren’t as clear as can be. Record HD video, and it’s at 720P instead of the full 1 080P its bigger brothers are capable of. But all of these things are relative, and at the price, you’re getting a lot – including that great 10x optical zoom lens. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Still images: 16 megapixels • Video footage: HD 720P • Storage: SD card and Memory Stick Duo slot • Lens: 10x optical zoom • ISO range: 80 – 3 200 • Extras: HDMI output, Smile Shutter, SteadyShot, Tracking Focus, Intelligent Auto mode
Pros
Cons
• Good auto mode • Great zoom lens • Sweeping panorama mode is nearly perfect
• A slight bit bulky • Average performance in low light • Limited manual mode
Overall rating
Acer Iconia Tab A500 NEED TO KNOW • Acer’s first tablet device • 10” form factor • 1280 x 800 pixel touch screen • Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system • Choice of Wi-Fi-only and 3G/Wi-Fi models • 32GB Built-in storage R6 999.95 (3G + Wi-Fi: Available July); R5 999.95 (Wi-Fi only )
The technology world was caught napping when Apple released its iconic iPad last year. But, it’s amazing how quickly things change. A year and a bit on and there’s a ton of tablets to choose from and most of them – the IconiaTab A500 not excepted – make use of the Android 3.0 ‘Honeycomb’ operating system. That’s both a good and a bad thing. Good, because when it comes to creating momentum behind an ecosystem – like the momentum Google is trying to create for Android and its application marketplace – you want as much commitment from partners as possible. Bad, because everyone and their dog are creating incredibly similar devices, and that means there’s very little room for differentiation between one brand of Android tablet over another. This is the exact position Acer finds itself in with the IconiaTab. To the untrained eye’s it’s just another Android 3.0 tablet. In reality however, there are a handful of features that set it apart. Viewed in isolation, the IconiaTab A500 is a great looking device, feels really comfortable in hand and has a solid build-quality about it. Its screen is bright, fairly responsive for a capacitive touchscreen and adjustable to a number of different lighting conditions. Hardware wise, it uses what’s probably the most popular processor for Honeycomb tablets today, namely an nVidia Tegra2. The 1GHz dual-core Tegra2 and included 1GB of RAM take care of getting around the operating system, using applications, gaming, browsing the Internet and viewing video quite competently. Focusing on the last of these – video playback – for a second, the Tegra2 sails through standard definition video like a hot knife through butter. When it comes to 720p M4V files (a format that Android is supposed to favour), we noticed some frame dropping and stuttering, suggesting that some work still needs doing on this front. On the other stills and audio front, no hassles were experienced and the A500 handled these media types with ease. On the software front, Acer hasn’t done too much to customise Honeycomb, except for adding in some of its own applications, namely
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products ‘clear.fi’ and ‘Acer Sync’. Both of these apps help to differentiate the A500 from the rest of the Android herd. Clear.fi is a great idea, essentially allowing users to stream video, audio and stills between all of the Clear.fi equipped devices in their home. Acer Sync as its name suggests allows data stored in applications like Outlook to be easily synchronised with the A500’s built-in apps, meaning users don’t have to necessarily rely on Gmail and other cloud services to facilitate data synchronization. Other features worth noting are a Micro-SD card slot located under a little door on the A500’s backside, a mini HDMI-out port and two USB ports – one micro USB for synchronization and a standard USB which can accept an off-the-shelf flash memory stick. While the Micro-SD card slot and micro-USB port are standard features on many honeycomb tablets, the standard USB port is a rarity and a massively useful addition, especially when it comes to moving media like video from one device to another. Overall, Android 3.0 is a massive improvement on previous attempts at producing a tablet OS from the Android camp. That said, however, there are still some niggles to iron out and occasionally, an application only works in one or another orientation, or behaves the way you’d want it to on a smartphone, but not on a tablet. Over here at Connect, we’ve got no doubt that these issues will be solved in time. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • 10-inch, LCD 1280x800 capacitive touch screen; • Dual-core nVidia Tegra2 1GHz processor • 32GB Flash storage • Available in WiFi/3G (HSDPA/HSUPA) and WiFi versions • 5MP rear and 2MP front facing cameras • Adobe Flash Support
Pros
Cons
• Competitively priced • Solid build quality • 1280 x 800 widescreen a nice addition • Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system • Standard USB port supports Flash sticks
• Capacitive touch screen slightly sluggish • Heavier than competing units
Overall rating
Motorola Xoom
Acer’s strongest competitor in the Android 3.0 tablet space, Motorola’s Xoom has similar specs and pricing to the IconiaTab, but is slightly smaller and lighter.
Apple iPad 2
The firm favourite in the tablet space, the iPad 2 is thin, light, fast and looks a treat.
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SanDisk 16GB microSD Card 32GB of internal storage not enough? Expand it to 48GB with this relatively inexpensive microSD card.
www.connectmag.co.za | 53
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Belkin Grip Vue iPad Case
This is one of our favourite covers for the original iPad. It’s available in a few select colours and thick enough that you don’t have to worry about your shiny gadget getting scratched. Couple it with a screen protector and you’re golden.
Crumpler iPad Hard Suit Apple Smart Cover
If you’re a lucky iPad 2 owner, be sure to get one of Apple’s very own magnetic Smart Covers. These clip on using strong magnets and will protect the iPad 2’s screen. With it on, the iPad also goes into sleep mode.
Zagg Screen Protector
Zagg make some of the best and most durable stick-on screen protectors for electronic devices. The clever bits of plastic adhere to the touch panel without restricting the touch capabilities, and can take a serious beating.
54 | connect | june 2011
NEED TO KNOW • Hard case for iPad and iPad 2 • Padded and moulded interior • 30-year guarantee R599.95
Whether you have an “old” first-generation iPad, or just spent a few extra pennies and got yourself a shiny new iPad 2, you’ll want to keep it intact and scratch-free for a while to come. Thankfully, accessory manufacturers have left no gap in the market for iPad protection and carry cases. There are rolodex-style leatherbound folios, simple slip-on covers, neoprene affairs and silicon skins. Even if you use your iPad “naked”, you’ll probably have some form of temporary carry case – and this is where the Crumpler Hard Suit comes in. The idea is that you probably appreciate the slick design Apple’s invested money in creating. You want to have that sliver of tech between your fingers, with no bulky and cumbersome covers spoiling the interaction. But when it’s not in use, you’re not exactly gonna leave it face-down on the coffee table. No sir, what you want is a proper bit of stowage for your sexy gadget. Crumpler’s Hard Suit gives you peace of mind by providing a seemingly indestructible outer shell, with a moulded foam insert that lets either a first-gen iPad or an iPad 2 sit snugly. If you’re the paranoid type and have an existing slip-on cover on your iPad, it may or may not fit – we had limited luck with some of our permanent covers, but they were bulkier than average. Inside the hard suit, there’s room for precious little other than your iPad. If you have a cleaning cloth, that might sit well, but your sync cable and charger will have to be left at home. Or in a backpack.
This leaves this Crumpler accessory in a difficult position. It’s a chunky old so-and-so. You have to be really precious about your iPad if you insist on carrying it around in something that is nearly three times its size . To put it differently, it’s the equivalent of stashing a big novel in a backpack. Nothing is gained in practicality, either. The carry handle for the Hard Suit is stiff and tiny. Carrying it around, just for your iPad, makes it look like a toddler’s lunchbox. A more elegant solution is having the iPad in a protective jacket, stashed in a briefcase, or next to your laptop in a backpack. It’s a pity, really, because Crumpler kit is quality, evidenced by the company’s confidence in its 30-year guarantee. The materials are nearas-makes-no-difference bombproof, and if you religiously stow the iPad in the Hard Suit, it’ll be guaranteed a long life. Ironically, it’s such as hassle to carry this with you, you may well just leave your iPad lying around for convenience , fast-tracking its untimely demise . NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Material: Chicken Tex and leather construction • Design: Four designs available • Other: Zipper and carry handle • Guarantee: 30 years Pros
Cons
• Super-tough • All-round functional design • Excellent guarantee
• Quite bulky • Not compact at all • Uncomfortable carry handle
Overall rating
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Crumpler Laptop Bags
Like Built, Crumpler is in the business of making laptop bags stylish and fashionable. It uses fancy materials and designs to do this, and you’re likely to have a Crumpler bag for a few years after purchasing it – they’re just that durable.
Built 15.4” Laptop Portfolio NEED TO KNOW • Laptop sling bag • Adjustable carry strap • Laptops up to 15.4” R799.95
Let’s face it: laptop bags are dull, humdrum pieces of kit. Chances are your current bag is black, has a strap and a wrap-around zipper to seal it up. Most people are happy with the generic carry case they get with their laptop at the time of purchase, but going around being part of the pack is no way to have fun in life. The guys at Built New York know this and, being from one of the world’s fashion capitals, they’ve taken advantage of the glaring hole in the market. Why have a laptop bag when you can carry around an expression of your personality? Built bags are made using hard-wearing materials, with fashionable cuts and eye-catching colours. With the Portfolio, they truly break the mould: instead of just a plain rectangular bag with padded inserts, this has a more casual design. It still provides protection, obviously, being made of neoprene, the same flexible, rubbery material used in wetsuits. This absorbs shocks and bumps fairly well, and also keeps it safe from the elements. You won’t exactly go pond-skipping with your precious portable computer inside this, but it’ll be safe during rain storms and the like. The neoprene is covered in polyester fabric – a tougher, rip-proof design on the outside and a softer finish on the inside (to prevent scratching the outside of your laptop). It’s also machine-washable, for when you inevitably do spill something on it. There’s a plastic zipper that slides along the top, keeping the laptop in one place.
It’s less bulky than conventional slimline laptop bags, almost like a messenger bag. There’s a set of cut-out handles for carrying it like a briefcase, and the adjustable shoulder strap can be detached if required. It does lack the compartments you’d find in a messenger sling, though. Instead, there’s a single pouch on the outside, in which you can fit a notepad, charger and some other loose items. Don’t keep too many small objects in there, though. It doesn’t seal completely and only has two push studs to prevent larger objects from falling out. And fall out they will, because the Portfolio doesn’t have a base to stand on. Its fashionable design makes it a bit floppy and flimsy – the price paid for being thin and lightweight. That said, we can really recommend it to students and casual users. The bags are available in three eye-catching designs, each capable of adding a bit of flair to your tech life. If you’re looking for a bit more storage, though, then a backpack-style bag would better suit your needs.
Targus Laptop Bags
If a more formal, businessstyle laptop bag is more to your tastes, then Targus has a few excellent options. They are built to exacting standards and usually have a ton of extra pockets for accessories.
NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Maximum laptop size: 15.4” • Material: Neoprene and polyester • Dimensions: 40.6cm x 38cm x 3.8cm
Logitech Lapdesk N700
Pros
Cons
• Stylish design • Multiple designs available • Soft finishes to prevent scratches
• A bit flimsy when empty • Little packing space for odds and ends • Pouch doesn’t close all the way
Overall rating
It might add a bit of bulk, but the Lapdesk is perfect for use in bed or on the couch. Pop your laptop on top of it, and plug in the USB cable. Now you have a cooling fan and a set of meaty speakers built into a comfortable platform for your mobile computer.
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product reviews
perfect companions
Epson EH-DM3 Home Cinema Projector NEED TO KNOW PlayStation 3 Play games and watch Blu-ray movies on Sony’s excellent gaming/entertainment console.
Xbox 360 If games are your thing, you should definitely consider Microsoft’s gaming console and its huge library of great titles.
Nintendo Wii Casual gaming has never been as much fun as it is with the Wii. Bring friends over and play motion-controlled games until your stomach hurts from all the laughing!
56 | connect | june 2011
• Projector for casual home movie-watching • Uses 3LCD technology for superior colours • Comes with a built-in DVD/DivX player R7 999.95
If you love movies and big screens, but have been put off by the high prices of home cinema projectors, you’ll be delighted with Epson’s new EH-DM3 projector. It’s not a high-end device, so it doesn’t cost a fortune and delivers a very competent home cinema experience thanks to Epson’s 3LCD technology and a built-in DVD drive. The DVD drive is a big part of the EH-DM3’s charm, as not only does it play regular DVDs, but it also plays movie files burned to DVD or CD. It supports .WMV and .AVI files (popular general-purpose video formats) but it won’t play HD videos. The appeal of this solution is you don’t need to hook it up to a DVD player on movie night. Plug it in, turn it on, insert the DVD and you’re ready to go. The built-in DVD player means the EH-DM3 is quite a large device, and it weighs just over 4kg. It comes with a protective neoprene case and has a handle that can be used for easy transport and, while it looks quite bulky, it’s really not all that difficult to manage. Two adjustable legs let you set the angle it projects at, and the top is adorned with all the buttons needed to access the projector’s functions and menu options. A remote control unit is also included. An HDMI input allows you to connect Blu-ray players, and Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles. The built-in 10W speakers provide basic sound. While they’re not the loudest speakers, they will at least let you hear your movies and games. Component and VGA inputs are also present. If you’re a high-end home cinema enthusiast, the EH-DM3 won’t satisfy your need for amazing image clarity, as it sports a native resolution (the setting at which the images it projects look their sharpest) of only 960 x 540. It supports higher resolutions, of course, but at any other resolution setting, the image looks considerably fuzzy. This is more noticeable when the projected image is very big, but for smaller images of around 40” or so, it’s not terrible. Colours, however, are brilliant because the EH-DM3 uses 3LCD technology. 3LCD projectors split white light from their lamps into its
basic colours (red, green and blue). Each light beam is directed through its own LCD panel, and the final image is re-combined using a special prism and projected through a lens. Doing it this way means the brightness of each colour can be precisely controlled, resulting in richer colours in the projected image. We hooked the EH-DM3 up to an HD PVR, an Xbox 360, a PlayStation 3 and a Wii. We found that PS3 and Xbox 360 visuals suffered at bigger screen sizes, but were still attractive at between 40” and 50”. The Wii looked the best overall as it’s a low-resolution console to start with. Watching TV through the HD PVR was pleasant, even if the HD picture did not appear as sharp as it does on a 40” 1 080p LCD screen. Overall, we feel the Epson EH-DM3 is a very serviceable projector for casual home use. It’s affordable, colour quality is very good and the builtin DVD player is a nice touch. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Native resolution: 960 x 540 • Aspect ratio: 16:9 • Lamp hours: 4 000 (normal brightness), 5 000 (eco mode) • Brightness: 2 000 Lumens (normal mode), 1 000 Lumens (eco mode) • Sound: 10W stereo speakers x 2 • Contrast ratio: 3 000:1 • Weight: Approximately 4.2kg • Inputs: HDMI, VGA, component, microphone, RCA audio, RGB video • Outputs: 3.5mm stereo audio jack • Keystone correction: Vertical (manual), -30 to +30 degrees Pros
Cons
• Built-in DVD player makes movie night easy • 3LCD technology produces very good colours • Works nicely, even in daylight
• Clarity deteriorates as the projected image gets bigger • Dark areas in some scenes appear more grey than black • Not a business projector for presentations, etc.
Overall rating
advertorial
Exceed your vision
Projectors vs. LED TVs: the battle lines are drawn.
H
ome entertainment has become a big business. The biggest challenge you’re going to face when setting up a home cinema will be selecting your screen. Do you go the whole hog with a wide screen projector or do you settle for a large LED TV?
*Not available at Incredible Connection
LED TVs
LED back-lit televisions are quickly replacing traditional LCD TVs as the display of choice for lounges and TV rooms worldwide. While LED TVs are great all-rounders for sport, movies, normal TV and gaming, you’re still limited to the physical size of the screen. Also, don’t be fooled by thinner LED TVs that cost less – to get a high-end LED TV that delivers the best-possible picture will require a significant investment.
the 3LCD projector
Imagine being able to have all the benefits of an LED TV and never having to worry about screen size? Amazing visuals, great picture quality and a variable screen size of up to 300”? That’s the value of investing in a home cinema projector. A high-end brand name 55” LED TV can easily set you back anywhere from R25,000 to R75,000 but you’re still only limited to 55” side-illuminated TV. Anything bigger, and you’re looking at spending hundreds of thousands of rands….for a TV! By contrast, Epson’s EH-DM3 projector, an all-in-one portable HD-Ready home entertainment projector that delivers great picture quality starts at around R6,999.00 and
gives you a screen size of up to 300”. If you’re a lot more serious, you can also invest in a Full HD projector (the Epson EH-TW5500* for example), which offers the best possible home theatre experience, turning an entire wall into a cinema screen. LED TVs might be an attractive option for smaller rooms, but if you really want that cinema experience, excellent quality picture and the ability to dictate your desired screen size, buying a quality projector is the logical choice. Epson Projectors are available from selected Incredible Connection stores nationwide. Visit http://www.epson.co.za for more information.
product reviews
perfect companions
Acer P195HQB 19” LCD Monitor A server doesn’t need a highend screen. This basic 19” model from Acer should prove to be more than sufficient to get the T110 up and running.
Norton Internet Security 2011 Norton Internet Security is one of the best security programs around. It won’t bother you with too many questions, it’s highly effective at preventing attacks and it won’t slow down your system.
Avanquest Perfect Image 12 Protect your PC against failure, viruses and accidental deletion by making an exact duplicate of your hard drives using this excellent backup and recovery suite from Avanquest!
58 | connect | june 2011
Dell PowerEdge T110 Small Business Server NEED TO KNOW • Server designed for small businesses • Compact, office-friendly chassis • Enables increased productivity and closer collaboration TBA
If you own a small business with less than five employees, chances are you’re coping quite happily with a one-PC-per-employee policy and a basic network linking them all up to the Internet. Once that number rises above five, however, it might be time to consider buying a small server PC. Doing so effectively creates a central computer from which security, data storage and backups can be managed, tasks that can be easily overlooked when each employee is running their own PC in isolation. It also provides a centralised hub that lets you effectively share business data among employees, while also controlling who has access to what. If your work involves travel, it can also facilitate your ability to access work files while you’re on the road. Security becomes a breeze, as you can set up the server to be the choke point through which all data flows, and updates can be centrally managed and deployed, saving on Internet bandwidth costs in the long term. Dell has a server that’s targeted specifically at small business owners, the PowerEdge T110 Small Business Server. Its physical size means it’s equally at home under a desk as it is in a dedicated server room, and it’s configured with hardware options that put its capabilities well beyond that of the average desktop computer. Increased, centralised storage is the first benefit employees are likely to notice. The T110 has 4 hard drive bays that can be used to create up to 8TB (that’s 8 000GB) of storage for your business. With it, you can allocate each employee a certain amount of network storage, which, when paired with a reliable backup solution, can protect the business against data loss. If the server itself is secured in a locked or dedicated server room, there is no reason to ever again fear the loss of vital business data. It also removes the risk of data going walkabout if an employee’s PC gets stolen. The T110 is a single-CPU server that can be configured with an Intel Xeon processor. That processor, coupled with a lot of RAM (the T110 can have up to 16GB installed), means staff won’t have to wait long for the server to process requests, whether they are in need of application data or
just the latest sales figures spreadsheet. Fast network access is another area in which the T110 excels. It comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port, which supports the fastest network speeds currently available in consumer-level network equipment. An eSATA port – a slot that looks a little like a USB port but that connects hard drives up to the computer using the motherboard’s faster SATA interface – is also present, useful for performing high-speed backups. When it comes to power efficiency, the T110 uses a small but efficient 305W power supply that is very cool and quiet, with a fan that only kicks into high gear when the server is working really hard. It also ships with tools (Dell Server Configurator, OpenManage) that help to monitor and manage the server on a day-to-day basis. While it’s possible to use an old desktop PC as a small business server, it’s a far better idea to buy one designed specifically for that task. The PowerEdge T110 from Dell is an excellent place to start looking. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Processor: Intel Celeron/Pentium/Core i3/Xeon • Memory: Up to 16GB DDR3-1333 • Graphics: Matrox G200eW with 8MB video memory • Storage: Up to 8TB (2TB x 4 bays) 7200/10000/15000RP, optional RAID • Operating system: Microsoft Small Business Server 2011 • Monitor: None • Peripherals: USB keyboard and mouse • Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet • Power supply: 305W • Management software: Dell OpenManage and Unified Server Configurator Pros
Cons
• Centralises data storage and security • Makes backing up critical business data very easy • File-sharing and collaboration is made possible
• A professional IT person may be needed to help set it up • Slightly complicates the business’ IT environment • No monitor included
Overall rating
advertorial
W
of plastic money/cards Advertorial
ith the escalation in the level of card fraud taking place globally one needs to ensure that cards are handled and managed carefully to avoid them falling into the wrong hands. Card fraud in South Africa runs into millions of rands every year. Here are some ways to assist you in ensuring that you are in control of your card:
• Always check the balances and transactions on your debit, credit and store cards carefully. Retain vouchers when you make a purchase so that it can be cross-checked against your statement to ensure correctness of the transaction and to make sure that it is a transaction that you are aware of. • When making internet purchases, always make sure that you are logged onto a secure website. Never choose passwords like 1234 that are easy for criminals to test. • Double check that you have your card with you after every purchase. Always make sure that the card is in sight when it swiped or inserted into a pin pad. Never allow an attendant
or sales person to swipe the card in your absence. • Insist on a printed voucher after a purchase is made. If you are cancelling a transaction and a refund to your card is being processed, always insist on a voucher being printed for your records and as proof that your card is to be credited with the amount. • Never leave your cards unattended. Some people leave them in a drawer at work or in their car. This would be inviting trouble especially if your car is broken into. • When shopping by phone, only give your credit card number when you have called to place an order (not when the other party initiates the call). • Destroy unwanted or expired cards immediately. Cut up cards across the numbers so no one can read the numbers. • Memorize your ATM pin and other access numbers. Don’t carry these numbers in your wallet. • Report missing cards immediately to your store, Bank or Service Provider. Criminals work fast and can run up
balances very quickly. Your Service Provider can only act and track fraudulent activity if you assist in the process by reporting it as soon as possible. • Enquire from your Service Provider about the Lost Card Protection and how it works. This comes at a monthly premium but may prove to be of huge benefit. • Do not answer any emails where you are required to provide pin numbers or passwords. At the same time never access your accounts from a link provided in an email. • Do not store your personal information relating to pin numbers and passwords on your computer or cell phone. Having your cards stolen can add stress and frustration to an already busy time. Of course, there is no absolute way to guarantee that you will never be the victim of a card thief. However, by following the above suggestions, you can protect yourself best and reduce the chances of becoming a victim of card fraud.
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Take advantage of our “back to reality” upgrades, new software and the hottest new technology! See something you like? No problem, just use your Connection Card. It’s the fast, convenient, easy-to-manage way to enjoy all the benefits of shopping at Incredible Connection. The new Connection Card gives you:
R250 off* a purchase of R3 000 or more, a FREE monthly Connect Magazine along with your monthly statement and a discount voucher on your birthday! If you haven’t got a Connection Card yet, simply apply at any Incredible Connection store countrywide or visit www.incredible.co.za. We’ve got some amazing deals up for grabs so make sure you don’t miss out! Boost your buying power and keep up to speed with the latest in technology.
Choose it. Charge it. Take it home. *Terms & Conditions. R250 discount voucher redeemable on a single purchase of R3 000 or more. Discount voucher valid for 2 months from date of issue. Connection Card financed and administered by Maravedi Financial Solutions (Pty) Ltd. Maravedi is an authorised financial services and registered credit provider. NCRCP74.
book reviews
How to do everything iPod, iPhone and iTunes 5th Edition
NEED TO KNOW • By Guy Hart-Harris • 448 pages
If you’re new to iPods, iPhones and iTunes, or you’re a Windows user confounded by Apple’s software, this book can help. It has the answers needed to help you manage your iPod, use an iPhone to its fullest potential and even grasp Apple’s logic when it comes to iTunes and the way it handles Digital Rights Management. The information contained in this rather thick book is comprehensive, intelligently written and easy to understand. You will need a bit of practice on your own with
Facebook for Dummies 3rd Edition
NEED TO KNOW
• By Leah Pearlman and Carolyn Abraham • 360 pages
Chances are you’ve heard about this Facebook thing, and are curious to find out what it’s all about. If you’re not brave enough to just sign up for a profile and experiment with Facebook’s features, a book is a great way to get your feet wet without actually taking any risks. And risks there are. Facebook is a social networking platform that’s driven by people, so it’s inevitable that some of the less desirable elements of humanity will surface to take advantage of unsuspecting users. With this book, you’ll be able to tweak Facebook’s privacy 60 | connect | June 2011
settings so your profile isn’t visible to the world, you can’t be messaged by people not in your Friend list, and more. That way, you protect yourself from viruses and keep your information private in order not to be “socially engineered” into giving out critical personal information. Readers, especially parents, will get a lot out of this book. If you’re in any way concerned about your own or your kids’ Facebook usage, it’s a fantastic, educational read that will help set your mind at ease.
your iPod and iPhone to truly see what the author is getting at, but with the knowledge the book provides, doing so won’t be such a daunting prospect. iPhones and iPods are amazing devices, even when you don’t know everything there is to know about them. Armed with the knowledge this book bestows, you’ll quickly become comfortable and familiar with their workings. There is a lot to read and absorb, though, so take it slow.
20 MAY ROCKSTARGAMES.COM/LANOIRE
©2006 - 2011 Rockstar Games, Inc. Rockstar Games, LA Noire, and the r marks and logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software. Portions © Copyright Master Licensing, Inc., 2011, all rights reserved. The Team Bondi mark and logo is property of Team Bondi Pty. Ltd. All other marks and trademarks are properties of their respective owners. “2”, “PlayStation”, “PS3”, “Ô and “À” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. KINECT, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All rights reserved.
game reviews //By tiana Cline
Duke Nukem Forever R599.95 Duke Nukem Forever (DNF) has been a long time coming – nearly 14 years, in fact. It’s a first-person shooter with two goals in mind – to kick ass and have fun doing it. Yes, there’s a lot of gun-toting action, but you’ll also find fast driving, hilarious dialogue, over-the-top action and cutscenes that certainly deserve their mature rating. This game is definitely not for kids. As a character, the Duke is unapologetically full of himself. He’s a macho hero, who knows he is cool and nothing is going to change his mind. Set in Vegas, Duke is currently living off his reputation of having saved the Earth (in the 1996 classic, Duke Nukem 3D). While he may have gotten rid of those pesky aliens, he’s now also a businessman with multiple franchises like DukeBurger and the Lady Killer Casino, which just happens to have a museum dedicated to guess who? Yup, old Duke himself. Back to the story. Duke once again shoots first and asks questions later. The alien menace that featured in the first game is back, and they’ve committed their final mortal sin: interfering with Duke’s babes. Enemies from the first game make a return, including the mutated pig-cops, along with some new bad guys. In Duke tradition, the story is thin on the ground while action is the name of the game. There’s a vehicle section where he goes on a rampage in a monster truck, squares up against larger-than-life enemies, and ends up in plenty of comedic situations. There’s some questionable content if you’re a bit faint of heart, so be warned. Of course, multiplayer also features. It was a big part of the first game and here it returns with a few twists. One of the most controversial additions is a capture-the-flag game mode where the flags have been replaced by Duke’s babes. It’s all in good fun, though, and part of the signature comedy in the series. Looking back, Duke Nukem 3D (circa ’96) was one of the most popular Duke titles thanks to its fun and futuristic weapons selection (who could forget the Devastator, a rapid-fire rocket launcher?). DNF pays tribute to the original by featuring some old favourites, including the shrink ray and freeze gun. Sadly, it departs from the old arcade-style shooting where you could carry 10 different weapons. This time around, Duke only carries two guns at a time. And, of course, the mighty boot. That said, his infamous pick-up items still feature, so you can get some steroids for a temporary power boost, among others. DNF is arguably one of the most anticipated games ever. Hardcore fans have been waiting since 1997, when it was first announced, and since then new fans have jumped on the bandwagon. It’s gonna be one hell of a ride, and this time console gamers as well as PC gamers will be able to kick back and get into a good, old-fashioned fun shooter.
62 | connect | june 2011
NEED TO KNOW • Finally released after 14 years • Hot babes and hilarious one-liners • Alien ass-kicking
Did you know? Fans who pre-ordered Duke Nukem Forever in 1997, and still have their receipts, will have access to some exclusive content. Gearbox Software, the new developer, confirms this but remains mum on what will be offered.
>>consider this<< Bulletstorm It’s over-the-top and has some hilarious lines, with a few unique twists in the gameplay. Bulletstorm is the closest you’ll get to a Duke-like experience without actually getting the new game.
>>Get this<< Duke Nukem 3D The last proper Duke Nukem game has been re-released and optimised for modern platforms. It’s available on Xbox Live and Steam, for PC gamers. It’s the perfect game to whet your appetite before DNF launches in the middle of the month.
www.connectmag.co.za | 63
game reviews
The Sims 3: Generations
NEED TO KNOW
Coming >> soon <<
• Very clever physics-based puzzle game • Use a portal gun to solve problems • A charming, funny and well-acted story Brink This multiplayer shooter rewards players for good aim, clever tactics and teamwork. It’s an over-the-top shooter with a focus on fun and mayhem that fans of the FPS genre shouldn’t miss!
Consider >> This <<
Portal 2
In Portal 2, you play the test subject from the first game, this time at the Aperture Science laboratories, a good few years after the defeat of GladOS, the facility’s evil Artificial Intelligence. The game consists of a series of puzzles that you must solve using a “portal gun” as the ageing Aperture Science facilities implode around you. You’ll encounter old foes, make new friends, and have your mind boggled by the brilliance of the dialogue, the number and variety of puzzles and the story’s unpredictable twists and turns. It’s an absolute must-play for all fans of gaming. R349.99
The Orange Box Valve’s excellent Orange Box includes the first portal game, Half Life 2, along with its expansions Episode One and Two and the superb multiplayer shooter, Team Fortress 2. Great value!
The ninth game in the series sees Mortal Kombat return to its roots. Things are gory, violent and over-the-top – definitely worthy of its 18+ age rating. Unlike the good old games from the mid ‘90s, this has bang up-to-date fighting mechanics and excellent gameplay. Fans of Marvel vs Capcom and Street Fighter will enjoy this, while Mortal Kombat fans can finally have a modern fighting game that is a lot of fun to play. Pay close attention to the combo system, and some of the hidden extras: everything feels very polished. The story mode is a good six-hour romp, and online fighting means unlimited replayability. R599.95
Mortal Kombat
NEED TO KNOW • A return to classic 2D fighting • Up to 4-player tag-team kombat • An extensive lineup of the game’s iconic warriors 64 | connect | June 2011
>>Get this<< DC Universe Online Create your own customised hero or villain and embark on storydriven adventures penned by famous DC writers…
NEED TO KNOW • Requires The Sims 3 for PC/Mac to play • New celebrations and dramatic life events • Exciting ways for your Sims to express their creativity As you grow up, every stage of your life is filled with defining moments. Virtual life is no different, and your Sims are able to have the experiences memories are made of. Additional options mean ballet classes, school dances, house parties, midlife crises and more. And with all of this comes a new memory system that uses the in-game cameras to build a scrapbook and share your stories with others. If you’ve dreamed of building an elaborately themed treehouse, punking your friends with cool tricks or throwing a lavish wedding that the whole neighbourhood will attend, you need The Sims 3: Generations add-on pack. R249.95
>>Consider this<< Fantastic Pets From the dollhouse to the pet store, this charming game lets you customise your new best friend (want a lizard-skinned dog or tartan dragon?) and then teach it tricks, go for walks or even enter a talent show, all using Kinect functionality.
>>Get this<< The Sims: Medieval Customise every Hero that comes to the kingdom! Send your characters on epic quests, but make sure they carry out their daily tasks, like healing the sick, trading for exotic goods and forging armour.
WWW.DUKENUKEMFOREVER.COM
18SNLV © 1999-2011 - All rights reserved. Gearbox Software, LLC. Duke Nukem, the Duke Nukem nuclear symbol, Duke Nukem Forever, Gearbox Software and the Gearbox logo are registered trademarks of Gearbox Software, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries and used here under license. All rights reserved. This Game is published and distributed by 2K Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. 2K Games, Take-Two Interactive Software and their respective logos are trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. “2”, “PlayStation”, “PS3” , “Ô and “À” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. All other marks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
game reviews
L.A. Noire Puzzle Bobble Universe
NEED TO KNOW • Action, detection and complex storytelling • A new crime thriller from the developers of Grand Theft Auto • Interrogations, shoot-outs, puzzles and car chases
NEED TO KNOW • Over 80 stages • Two new exciting modes: puzzle and challenge • Really fun and colourful 3D effects
>>get this<< Patapon 3 Patapon 3 has a new warrior that you can use to head into musical battle. With different weapons and abilities that combine music and dance, Patapon is the only multiplayer portable adventure full of rhythm and war.
F.E.A.R 3
NEED TO KNOW • Control both Point Man and Paxton Fettel • New 360-degree cover, slow-mo modes and phasing portal systems • 4 multiplayer game modes • Explore and experience the Almaverse 66 | connect | June 2011
L.A. Noire is a dark and violent detective thriller set against the backdrop of 1940s Los Angeles. In the game, you’ll take the reins of recently returned war veteran Cole Phelps (Aaron Staton, of Mad Men) as he solves cases, questions suspects and rises through the LAPD ranks. Different to the Grand Theft Auto series, L.A. Noire is not an open-world environment. Instead, your goal is to solve crimes in order to advance Phelps’ career. With more than just story-changing dialogue options,
Get >>this<<
At one point or another, you’ve played a version of this fun, bubble-popping arcade game. The premise is simple: group three or more of the same colour bubbles together and they’ll disappear. Get it wrong, and before you know it, more bubbles than you can manage will appear, blocking up the screen and scuppering your chances of clearing a level. It’s an absolute classic! Added to the arcade fun, Puzzle Bobble Universe has a cute storyline (save Bob by collecting keys) and a retro soundtrack, circa 1994. While time limits and special-move bubble blasts keep the gameplay exciting, it’s the 3D that really gives the game its charm. You won’t want to stop playing… R399.95
crime-solving (thanks to a new facial animation technology called MotionScan) is as detailed as being able to see which characters are lying by just looking at them. Can you handle the truth? From hardcore interrogations to shoot-outs, adventure-esque puzzles, clues and car chases, Rockstar have done an impeccable job at recreating the detective genre. R699.95
Mafia II A beautifully crafted look into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mob, Mafia II has cinematic cutscenes and some serious sandbox gameplay. Family, loyalty and betrayal never looked so good.
Not for the faint-hearted, F.E.A.R. 3 is an extreme horror-shooter filled with claustrophobic corridors, haunting music and one scary little lady. With weapons galore, you’re certainly equipped to handle what might be waiting around the corner. And in the new co-op mode, you can even teleport into the bodies of ghouls for some knife-throwing fun. New to the gameplay is an evolved cover system, slow-motion shooting and some fierce (but fun) multiplayer modes. If you’ve ever sat on the edge of your seat in a scary movie and loved it, wipe down your hands, pick up a controller and play F.E.A.R. 3… but not in the dark… and not on your own. You have been warned! R599.95
>>Coming soon<< Alice: The Madness Returns From gloomy London to a grotesquely dark and beautiful Wonderland, it’s 10 years later and Alice is on a psychotic quest to stop the madness and find the true cause of her family’s mystery death.
>>Consider this<< The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Built upon completely new technology and designed for the role-playing genre, the new technology in The Witcher 2 delivers beautiful visuals, transporting you to one of the most vivid RPG universes yet.
tech tannie
Sweeping away problems like the wind on Cape Town’s beaches, Tech Tannie is a force of nature
to be reckoned with in the world of tech drama.
issue of the month: Q:
My laptop battery has become increasingly erratic lately. No matter how long I charge it for, it doesn’t provide power as long as it used to. I travel a lot so this really isn’t ideal. Is there anything I can do? Bewildered in Boksburg
A:
If you have questions, gripes or just seek some solace, e-mail Tamsin, our friendly tech tannie at techtannie@connectmag.co.za 68 | connect | June 2011
Ya, well, you see a laptop battery (actually ANY battery) has the tendency to be a bit, well, kak after a while. They have finite lives and only last for a certain period of time before they start shutting down or not holding their charge properly. Unfortunately, there is very little you can do about it at this stage other than buy yourself a spare battery to take with you whenever you travel. However, there are a couple of things you can do to keep your new battery going for longer and to extend its life a little further. An average lithium-ion battery (the most common form of laptop battery nowadays) has between 300 and 500 charge cycles. You can help extend your battery’s lifecycle by avoiding extremes of temperature – either hot or cold – as these have an effect on the battery. If you have a nickel-based battery, these need to be completely drained from time to time before you recharge them. Keep your laptop cool, and make sure it is well ventilated while you work, as this will stop the components from working too hard, which could also have an impact on battery life. But, unfortunately, there is very little you can do about your current battery except fork out for a new one. Just try to keep the new baby nice and cool, well stored, and outside of arctic or heatwave conditions.
Q:
I recently installed Google Chrome on my laptop but I couldn’t get used to it so I uninstalled it pretty much the same day. Now I keep getting this error message whenever I try to click on links in my e-mail: “The operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Contact your system administrator.” I am extremely fed up because I need to open those links and I am the administrator! My e-mail program is Outlook. E-mail Fury in Gauteng
A:
Ag nee! I can completely understand why you are feeling a little annoyed over there, my friend. Let me tell you that I also got caught out by this little gem a while back and I spent some time trying to figure out what went wrong. Well, I can now tell you exactly what went wrong! Google Chrome did. You see, that naughty little piece of software went and rewrote some information in your registry that is now confusing the kak out of your poor PC. And old Outlook isn’t exactly the brightest cookie in the jar to begin with. It’s all very simple to fix. You need to restore your old registry settings in the user profile and you can do this by clicking on Start>>Run. Type Regedit in the open box and then click OK. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_ USER>>Software>>Classes>>.html. Before we go any further, let’s create a backup of the registry key you have in there now, just in case. Click Export on the File menu and in the Export Registry File box enter HKCU_Classes_ HTML_Backup.reg, and click Save. This will save in the My Documents folder so if things get hairy, you can go back and fetch it with ease. Then right-click on the default value for the .html key and select Modify and change the value from ChromeHTML to htmlfile. Repeat these steps for .shtml and .htm keys if they exist, but remember to change the name of your backup file for each one or you’ll just be saving over them. Once you’re done, restart your machine, open up Outlook and click on any e-mail with a link. Your problem should now be solved and you can treat yourself to a nice cold beer. Lekker.
Q:
I am using Internet Explorer and for some reason it keeps crashing or freezing. It’s so frustrating because I need to access the internet to get work done and I can’t seem to find the fault. Internet Depression in Durban
A:
Are you still using that Web browser when most of the human race has ambled onto different browsing pastures, like Firefox or Chrome (although my first question today does put Chrome in somewhat of a bad light)? Ya well, no fine! Internet Explorer has a tendency to be a bit, well, high maintenance, I’m afraid, and I’ve often had problems with it freezing or crashing, usually when I’m in the middle of something vitally important. It’s also quite slow. What we need to do now is try to figure out what could be causing your problem. To start with, use your browser to navigate yourself to Microsoft’s Help and Support centre. They have a problem walkthrough section dedicated to Internet Explorer that can take you through the issue step by step until the source of the
problem is identified. It’s also a lot easier to use that than me trying to help you because I’m not sure what system you’re using, whether or not you have installed any form of virus protection or firewall, and what your settings could be. Just go here: http://support. microsoft.com/gp/pc_ie_ start and the rest will be pretty self-explanatory. Before I let you go, however, I would like to offer you a word of advice: try another browser for a while. Sure, both Firefox and Chrome are laid out differently, but they have their own little sets of awesome features that make them rather special. Chrome is super-fast and I love their history tab, which shows snapshots of all the sites you frequently visit whenever you open a new tab. Firefox is just, well, efficient and stable. Try them out if you have no luck with IE.
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disconnect //By adam oxford
In case of emergency... Scratching a screen is worse than walking on broken glass.
O
ver the last few weeks, I’ve been spending a lot of time with tablet computers. Their names sound like the character list from a comic book: Iconia, Transformer, Xoom, Streak. And with the latest version of Google’s Android operating system 3.0, the tablet has definitely come of age. Apple’s iPad is no longer the only tablet in town; there’s real choice and innovation out there. I believe that within a few years, tablets like ASUS’ Eee Pad Transformer, which comes with a detachable keyboard and an HDMI Out port, will have supplanted laptops for the purposes of portable computing. They already have the speed and convenience that laptops lack. Within a couple of generations, they’ll offer enough power to do things like video-editing on their brightly-coloured touchscreens too. And therein lies the problem for me. I love tablet computers but they are, self-evidently, all about the screen. Just like smartphones were before them. And, alas, I am incapable of owning anything made of glass for more than 24 hours without scratching it. Phones, watches, PDAs, spectacles, even the window on the side of a PC I once owned. All scratched to opacity within days. And not just a fine layer of near invisible lacework either. I mean deep gouges that you’d need an angle grinder to polish out. I once scratched a new camera lens just putting the protective cap on it. The Kindle has a virtually indestructible matt plastic screen. Mine was left on the bedside table the night I bought it. When I woke up, there was a deep scratch running through the first paragraph of every page I’ll ever read. Last year, I bought a beautiful and expensive IPS monitor for editing photos and videos. In
72 | connect | June 2011
the bottom left-hand corner, its near-perfect colour accuracy is ruined by the distracting rainbow of a deep slice through the first few layers of filter and glass. How do you even scratch a monitor? It’s perpendicular to the desk – nothing touches it or can fall on it. And yet, seemingly, I can leave it with a permanent scar after just 48 hours. What about transparent screen protectors, I hear you ask? It’s true that my iPhone lasted longer than most of my gadgets before becoming defaced. Somehow I got sand underneath the screen protector after walking within 500m of a beach. Because I’m merely one of the many, many clumsy people in the world, and not necessarily the worst offender, a lot of the new tablets have a toughened coating called ‘Gorilla Glass’ over the top of their display. After all, you’re going to be pawing at that panel an awful lot, and if it’s unreadable after a couple of months, it won’t matter how many apps you have – you’ll be running back to a keyboard and mouse in no time. Manufacturers know this and have tried to create a layer of extra protection. And, so far, I’m surprised to report that it actually seems to work. I’ve been using one tablet in particular now for a fortnight and there’s still not a single mark on its screen. To say I’m impressed and relieved would be something of an understatement. Indeed, I was stuck by just this thought last night as I was obsessively polishing its anterior glass and inspecting it for damage. “Remarkable,” I said to myself as I reached over to make a note about finding out how Gorilla Glass is made. At which point, I dropped the tablet and, moving to catch it before it hit the floor, knocked a cup of tea all over its beautiful, glassy surface. As green and blue pixels filled the still scratch-resistant screen, I reflected on two things: the first was the sight of my own sad face staring back at me from what had become a very expensive, and not very good, mirror; the second was that maybe I shouldn’t be allowed near anything more expensive than a shorthand notepad in future. Next month’s column will probably be filed in crayon. You have been warned.
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