/ct_27_july_11

July 2011

fusion computing AMD’s New All-In-One Processors

Click, click!

The Years of the Mouse

e Apple’s man attraction:

Mac os X

LION

Home Sweet Home…

Network?

Wireless Dos & Don’ts

R14.95 incl. VAT

Say...e! s e e h C re-Perfect u ict P Snap and portraits people

Top

Reviews MONITORS LAPTOPS CAMERAS Tablets SOFTWARE cellphones GAMES

www.connectmag.co.za

VOL02 Issue #15

FEATURES

10

Mac OS X Lion Is Apple releasing its most advanced operating system?

We’ve got the low-down on Lion.

July 2011

20

12

Pandora’s Xbox A look at Microsoft’s ever-changing Xbox Ecosystem .

16

Before you Break your Internet Connection…

Ways of keeping that connection alive… and your computer and family safe while you browse.

20

E3 2011 What has the videogame industry been up to? New hardware that will change the face of technology.

22

The History of…

The humble mouse.

24

All-Purpose Processing AMD’s exciting new chipset is revealed.

26

Say Cheese!

Photographing people can be tricky – read more for some tips to snap proper portraits.

24

26

REGULARS 04 06 08 68 70 72

Editor’s Letter News Trouble-free Technobabble Tamsin the Tech Tannie Competition Disconnect

REVIEWS 32 36 44 46 50 52 54 56 58

First Look Top 5 Tablets Digital Cameras Sound Visual Imaging Media Players Software Books

GAMING 60

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

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@connectmag.co.za ADVERTISING Dorothy Haggard dorothy@connectmag.co.za Contact Hypertext Media Communications (011) 023-8001/4 info@hypertext.co.za FAX 08654 83304

Connect is a joint venture between Hypertext Media Communications and Incredible Connection

ed’s note

Digital

O

Subscribe now and you could win a Kodak EasyShare M590 Digital Camera!

4 | connect | July 2011

nce a year, media from the technology industry, developers, publishers and thousands of fans get together in Los Angeles to talk about videogames.

Why does this matter? Quite simply, videogames accelerate digital growth at a rapid pace, and these exciting developments filter into every sector of the technology industry.

The first Blu-ray player? Found in the PlayStation 3. Touchscreens that work and glasses-free 3D? Nintendo’s handheld DS console, of course. And an almost unimaginable motion- and voice-controlled camera? The Microsoft Kinect. Stereotypes of antisocial and unfit individuals playing alone in the dark are quickly being replaced by fashionable digital movers having a quick, brain-bending session of Cut the Rope on their iPad. Angry Birds, Words with Friends, and even Zynga’s Farmville – if you’ve experienced one of these titles, you’re more than likely an assuming gamer and a part of something much bigger than you could ever expect. From tablets to mobile phones, Facebook and portable consoles, games (from educational to escapist, sports and simulation) are here to stay.

Want to get into the game? In this issue of Connect, we take a look at the evolution of the Xbox, Microsoft’s hot gaming console which now features the above-mentioned Kinect camera addon, endless media library capabilities and socialnetworking options online which have made it come out on top, see page 12.

We also round up this year’s E3 Expo conference with a quick peek at the upcoming hardware developments and great titles worth saving up for.

July also sees the (scheduled) release of Mac’s new operating system, Lion, which promises over 250 of exciting updates. Christo van Gemert, Connect’s technology editor, unpacks some of Lion’s most anticipated additions that will change the way you use your Mac – see page 10.

It doesn’t matter if you connect to the ‘net using a super-fast 3G card or using upcapped ADSL, being online, always, is what is important. So before you break your Internet connection, Deon du Plessis has some great tips and tricks (on page 16) that will not only keep your Wi-Fi flying, they’ll help your family stay safe.

Your phone has a camera and so does your tablet. In fact, it’s never been easier to be snaphappy, capturing moments of your loved ones onthe-go. But if you really want to take a picture that is a little more professional, Connect has a fantastic photo feature on page 26. Here, we give you the ultimate cheat sheet on taking the perfect portrait.

Say cheese!

In a continuation of our new series called “The History Of…” Deon explores the humble computer mouse. Invented over 40 years ago, this pointand-click peripheral is now a marvel of modern computing.

From reviews you can use, to up-and-coming news, every page of the magazine brings you helpful and easy-to-read workshops, articles, buying advice and the answers to the technology questions you’ve always wanted to know.

Enjoy the issue!

Tiana Cline Editor

Editor’s photo by Dan Elkabir / www.lightscapespdd.com

n o i t a v inno

USB 3.0 heralds the dawn of a n ew stan dard for extern al hard drives, an d Verbatim is on e of the first man ufacturers to in stall it in its n ew desktop drive.

USB 3.0 offers up to 10 times faster data tran sfer speeds compared to existin g USB 2.0 con n ection s - makin g it ideal for both office an d home-based users who wan t to tran sfer large files with the n ewest an d quickest techn ology available.

100% Compatible with USB 2.0

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in the news...

iOS 5 around the corner…

If you own one of Apple’s iThings (iPod touch, iPad or iPhone), you’ll be glad to hear that the company has announced it is working on a new version of the software that runs on these devices. The new version, called iOS 5, will bring a number of wanted features to the devices, in addition to a few bonus ones. some of the new features include a dedicated camera shutter button, a new notification system, iCloud functionality and iMessage - an SMS-style system for iOS users to send free messages to one another.

Using Apple’s iCloud for your backups Along with its iOS 5 announcement, Apple also unveiled details of its iCloud service, which goes live in September. iCloud will integrate Mac, PC and iOS 5 devices using a single online service. All music purchased on iTunes, and all of the information on your device will be backed up online. In addition to this backup, devices can be synced without connecting them to PC or Mac. For instance, when purchasing an application or song on your phone, it will automatically (wirelessly) sync to your iPad and computer. South Africans will only have access to the backup service, at first, while we still wait for Apple to give us an iTunes music store.

Xbox 360 gets futuristic features When Microsoft announced the Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360 last year it also showed off a special version of the Xbox interface, Just for Kinect. The Kinect dashboard gave us some of the features of the Xbox dashboard, but was very limited in overall functionality.

That’s all set to change with an incoming updating for Microsoft’s popular gaming console. The next version of the Xbox 360 dashboard software will have full Kinect integration - including voice commands and hand gestures - in addition to new layout that makes a lot more logical sense. The update is free for all Xbox users, and just requires your Xbox to be connected to the Internet.

6 | connect | July 2011

Google gets speech recognition Search giant Google recently launched a service that lets people perform Internet searches using spoken commands. Doing so requires a computer equipped with a built-in microphone or a headset.

It was only available for American English speakers at launch, but knowing Google, it’s a fair bet that the service will eventually become available in other languages and dialects. There is no indication yet of when this might be, however.

App of the Month: BlackBerry Protect You know that sinking feeling you get when you lose something really important? Imagine it’s your BlackBerry smartphone. Don’t panic. With BlackBerry Protect, what’s lost can be found.

BlackBerry Protect is a free application designed to help find your lost phone and keep the information on it secure. It can also offer peace of mind for small businesses and families, with the ability to protect multiple smartphones.

Your contacts, text messages, calendar and bookmarks can be backed up wirelessly. It’s done automatically, and as often as you choose (daily, weekly or monthly).

The best bit? Maybe you’ve just misplaced your smartphone. Lock and display a message on your Home screen for whoever may find it. Then locate it on a map and go get it. Or if you think your smartphone is nearby, simply force it to ring at full volume. Price: Free

techno jargon // by Deon du Plessis

Technology and jargon go hand in hand, and it is our job to make sure that readers are not overwhelmed by technical gobbledegook. Here are this month’s jargon terms.

Network If two computers are connected together and are able to share their resources, we call this a network.

Resources can include DVD drives, printers and folders on each computer’s hard drive. As more computers are connected, the network grows. The Internet is the world’s biggest network; it’s made up of billions of computers all connected together using wireless, wired and satellite-based networking technologies.

LAN Large Area Network. As the expanded name suggests, a LAN is a network that covers a large area, but is generally restricted to mean a network within a single building. Networks that encompass areas larger than single buildings are called Wide Area Networks, or WANs.

Switch A switch is a piece of equipment vital to the operation of a network. It receives information from all computers connected to it, reads that information to find out which of those computers is the intended recipient and then sends it on. In this manner, it performs a very similar job to a post office

8 | connect | July 2011

that receives, sorts and sends parcels and mail on to their final destinations. A switch is more likely to be used in a home or office environment to connect computers together.

Router A router connects separate networks together. If you had a home network, for example, and you wanted to connect to your neighbour’s home network, the way each network is set up would require a router to bridge the gap. A router can accept data from one network, determine its intended destination, and do the necessary technical wizardry required to get that information to a computer on a different network.

Modem router This term means a device that combines a router with an ADSL modem. The router portion of the device connects together all computers that are attached to it and allows them to share information and resources between one another, and the ADSL modem provides Internet access. It’s called a router because the device has to get information from the Internet (a separate network) to the computers that form your home network.

Wi-Fi A popular misconception is that this term is the shortened form of “wireless fidelity”, but it’s not.

It’s actually a trademarked term used by the Wi-Fi Alliance to describe any “wireless local area network (WLAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11 standards.”

Wireless hot spot Any area equipped with a wireless network can be considered to be a wireless hot spot. These are popular in restaurants and coffee shops where customers can access the Internet using their netbooks, notebooks and smartphones. They are called hot spots because they are essentially islands of Internet connectivity between work and home.

Phishing When someone is looking for an unsolicited compliment, it is often referred to as “fishing” for one. In a similar way, e-mails that try to solicit personal details from their recipients are “fishing” for information that is not being offered. This being the 21st century, it’s not cool to just call it “fishing”, so the “f” was replaced with a “ph” to up the cool factor.

Trojan In today’s world “Trojan” conjures up a whole host of different ideas, including a nasty that can harm computers. The idea behind Trojan viruses is simple – fool the user into executing harmful code by hiding it inside something that looks like it wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Sounds familiar, right? Fortunately most competent security suites can detect and remove Trojan viruses before they can wreak their havoc, so they are more a nuisance than a real threat.

Spyware Spyware is a very unpleasant security threat, not only to computers but to users too. It is designed to spy on the computer user and report what it finds to whoever created it. The kind of information spyware is after is personal information, banking details and credit card numbers that can be used by fraudsters to rack up debt in someone else’s name. It’s scary stuff, but can be easily neutralised with security software.

Keylogger A keylogger is a form of spyware. As the name suggests, it logs every keystroke of the keyboard and can therefore determine what the user typed during his or her session on the computer. This information is incredibly useful to anyone interested in, for example, login details for any given site – including banking sites.

Fortunately the way they go about logging keystrokes is quite obvious, and security companies are on to them very quickly when they do appear.

DRM Digital Rights Management is the fancy way of saying “copy protection”. It’s the methods companies use to ensure that their content is not copied without being paid for, and covers digitally-distributed intellectual property like computer games and software, music, DVDs and Blu-rays. Each product makes use of some sort of protection scheme that means the game/music/DVD/ Blu-ray you purchased cannot be reproduced and sold to others, thereby denying the owners their due.

www.connectmag.co.za | 9

magical mac //by Christo van Gemert

This month, Apple releases what it says is the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, and we’ve got the low-down on what the best new features are.

I

f you own a Mac, you’re using Mac OS X in one form or another. The current latest version is 10.6, codenamed Snow Leopard.

The next version, 10.7, releasing this month, is codenamed Lion. It’s the mightiest of cats, and now it will be the most advanced version of Mac OS X yet, boasting some 250 new features that will make life easier for Mac users.

Full-screen fun With the iPad, Apple saw that users enjoy the applications that fill up the entire screen and hide all extraneous information and windows. Lion will let supported applications run in this same full-screen mode; Safari will show web pages in all their glory; iPhoto will let you edit photos in full screen; and Mail will allow e-mail to be read without distractions. Of course, if you prefer using applications in the regular windowed layout, that will still be on offer – fullscreen mode can be toggled on or off using a single button in each application.

Multi-touch time Apple is undoubtedly the world leader when it comes to multi-touch technologies. The Macbook range of laptops has had multi-touch trackpads since 2007, letting users use 2 or more fingers to perform gestures. Using 2 fingers lets you scroll up and down, while 3-finger swipes can flip pages. Lion has a lot of multi-touch gestures for desktop and notebook users, with up to 4 fingers supported. Now is the time to get that Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad, to get the most multitouch functionality from your Mac.

10 | connect | July 2011

Special delivery

Take control With all of these applications running in full screen, it’s going to be harder to see what you have open. Apple has had the best window management system for a while now, called Exposé. Now it’s been given an overhaul, and incorporated into Mission Control. As the name suggests, this will let you control all tasks. Mission Control is activated by swiping up on a trackpad using all 4 fingers, and then you’ll be shown all open applications, widgets and Spaces. You get a visual representation of everything that’s running on the computer and can easily switch between open applications.

Lift-off!

If you share files with other people on your network, Lion has a really nifty utility. It’s called AirDrop, and it lets you see other users in your vicinity through the network explorer.

All you have to do is drag a file to their name and they can accept the transfer, instantly, without complicated networksharing and security hassles, because the transfers are encrypted.

Another iPad feature that Apple has chosen to include in Lion is Launchpad. If you’ve ever used an iPad or iPhone, you will be familiar with the home screens on these devices, where application icons for all the software you have installed are visible. Launchpad is exactly that, but for the Mac desktop environment. You get a singleclick solution to view all installed software, and can even arrange icons in the same way as on an iPad or iPhone. This makes it easier to see what is installed and find the applications you’re looking for.

Time traveller One of the most useful features in Lion is the way it handles document-saving and open applications. If you’re busy working on a PowerPoint presentation or writing an e-mail and mistakenly close the application, you can simply reopen it and continue where you left off. Mac OS X will now let applications resume from where they last were. In addition to this, applications can now autosave documents. If you’ve forgotten to save a file, don’t worry – it’s been taken care of. And if you’re working on a document but realise you’ve made some changes that need undoing, fret not. Lion creates a new version of the document that you can restore to. All of this is done automatically and seamlessly, without creating multiple files on disk.

Upgrade options We’ve only listed some of the features here – there are hundreds more, all very cleverly integrated to make your computing experience a lot simpler and more enjoyable. Apple has confirmed that Mac OS X 10.7 will be available as an upgrade to users of Mac OS 10.6 for $30 – or around R220.

There is a catch, though. Apple will be distributing the upgrade through the Mac App Store, its online

one-stop shop for software purchases. The App Store is convenient, and the upgrade to Lion will be seamless (not even requiring a reboot), but it weighs in at a hefty 4GB. That’s a big download.

Core Group, the South African distributor for Apple products, says it is looking at assisting users who need to upgrade. At the time of going to press, there was no specific information regarding this.

www.connectmag.co.za | 11

back to basics //by christo van gemert

Pandora’s Things have changed a lot for Microsoft’s gaming console since its launch. This month, we look at what the Xbox ecosystem is all about.

W

hen it was launched locally in 2006, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was the first of the high-definition gaming consoles to reach our shores. Two Xbox 360 bundles were available at the time. The Xbox 360 Premium featured a 20GB hard drive, high-definition cable connections, wireless controller and gaming headset; the Xbox 360 Core lacked a hard drive and only came with standard-definition cables and a wired controller.

In both bundles, the actual console was the same. If you bought a Core, you could still buy the add-on hard drive and give it 20GB of internal storage, or you were left relying on 64MB memory cards. Microsoft has now done away with these proprietary storage cards, and a lot else has changed in the five years the Xbox 360 has been with us – all for the better, we’ll add.

red Rings The first Xbox 360 consoles were susceptible to hardware failure through a fault known as the “red ring of death”. This manifested itself as three red lights on the light ring surrounding the power button. This problem is no longer present on the current hardware, and there’s no reason to not buy an Xbox, for fear that it will fail. In the event that something does go wrong, it still has a 3-year warranty.

12 | connect | July 2011

Console complete First up, the new consoles. In 2010, Microsoft gave the Xbox 360 a bit of a facelift. The resulting console is called the Xbox 360 S (for slim), and it’s capable of exactly the same things the first Xbox could do.

There are a few extras, though. The Premium and Core model names have been dropped, and the current consoles are simply referred to by their storage capacity.

The Xbox 360 250GB has an internal hard drive with, yup, 250GB of storage. It’s lesser sibling is the Xbox 360 4GB, which has 4GB of flash memory, while the hard drive bay is unoccupied, meaning you’ll be able to buy the 250GB hard drive afterwards and fit it yourself. Installation doesn’t need tools or special knowledge.

While the consoles still have the same graphics hardware, they have new internal features. Wireless connectivity, an HDMI port, more USB ports and a Kinect port are present on all Xbox 360 S consoles.

All versions also ship with a wireless controller, while only the 250GB has a gaming headset in the bundle.

What is Kinect? Kinect is the latest accessory for the Xbox. It’s a special sensor that has two cameras and an infrared sensor built in. All this technology comes together to make the Xbox “see” things almost the way we do. This means it can track motion and literally put humans inside the games they are playing. Not all games feature Kinect functionality, but there is a growing collection of Kinect-enabled software.

The new Xbox consoles have a Kinect port that provides both power and data connectivity. To work with older Xbox consoles, the Kinect uses a USB port and a separate power adapter.

Play games on Xbox Live!

When the Xbox 360 was launched here, Microsoft didn’t give us the whole Xbox gaming experience. Local gamers were deprived of Xbox Live, the subscription-based online gaming service that is required if you want to play games against others on the Internet.

Clever gamers found a way to work around this by registering accounts in other countries (which presented certain drawbacks), but in 2010, South Africa was finally added to the official list of countries with Xbox Live.

Playing games on Xbox Live requires a subscription: a 12-month subscription costs R599, or just R50 a month. This gives you access to the local Xbox Live marketplace, where you can buy additional games and content for your existing games. This content is purchased using Microsoft Points – a sort of virtual currency that you can purchase using real money. Microsoft Points can be purchased using a credit card, or you can buy a prepaid card from shops that sell Xbox accessories: 2 100 Microsoft Points cost R369; add-on content for games can cost between 200 and 800 Microsoft Points, while standalone games cost between 400 and 1 200 Microsoft Points.

Of course, you’ll also be able to play games such as Call of Duty, Forza, Halo and hundreds of others against millions of Xbox gamers from all over the world.

Avatar accessories Part of the Xbox experience is creating a gamer profile. This is done when you first set up the console, and you’re given the option to create a “virtual you” known as an Avatar. Your Avatar can be kitted out with designer clothes, toys and other accessories, all available on the Xbox Live marketplace. These items cost between 60 and 320 Microsoft Points, depending on their exclusivity.

www.connectmag.co.za | 13

back to basics

Gaming gear

Geek cred Many gamers feel that the best thing about playing games on an Xbox is the Achievement and Gamerscore system, something so successful, even Sony copied it for the PlayStation 3.

Achievements are goals that can be attained in the games you play. Each game has different Achievements, with up to 50 that can be unlocked during the course of play. They can be mundane objectives such as just finishing the game, or they can be very difficult ones, like finishing the game without dying once. Each Achievement is given a Gamerscore value. An easy Achievement could be worth 5 or 10 Gamerscore, while the really tough ones are worth 150 Gamerscore. Each game has 1 000 Gamerscore points to unlock.

Gamerscore is accumulated as you play games, and it basically tracks your gaming progress. When playing on Xbox Live, your Gamerscore will be visible for all to see, and they’ll be able to access your profile and see which games you’re really good at. It’s a fun way of adding more to the gaming experience, and can have you playing games for longer as you try to unlock those elusive Achievements.

14 | connect | July 2011

Along with the Kinect, there are a whole bunch of other Xbox 360 accessories on the market. Additional wireless controllers are great for those times when you have friends around. Up to four of these can be linked to a console. They can be powered using either regular AA batteries or a rechargeable battery pack. The latter is available as a Play ‘n Charge kit, which includes a USB charging cable, ensuring your gaming is never interrupted.

If you’re playing online, you’ll need a gaming headset to talk to teammates. Both wired and wireless gaming headsets are available.

Xbox Live also supports text messaging, Facebook and Twitter. If you plan on using those services, it would be wise to invest in a Chatpad. This is a little snap-on keyboard that attaches to the Xbox controller, without making it uncomfortable for regular gaming.

Xbox on the go... Sony has dabbled with mobile gaming, giving us the PlayStation Portable. Microsoft chose a different path. Its mobile gaming platform is Windows Phone 7.

If you have a phone that runs Windows Phone 7, you’ll be able to access Xbox Live, send messages to your Xbox Live friends, play WP7-exclusive games and more.

know the ‘net //by Deon Du plessis

t o n How to break: Your internet Connection

16 | connect | July 2011

B

eing connected to the Internet in today’s world is almost as important as having access to electricity and water.

Connect looks at ways of keeping that connection alive, and your computer and family safe while you browse.

First things first Choose the method of connecting to the Internet that suits your usage needs and budgetary allowances. ADSL – Internet that comes into your home over a telephone line – is very popular with families, as bandwidth can be purchased according to the family’s needs, either as a large chunk or per gigabyte as and when it’s required. tip Internet access speeds and what they’re good for...

384k: Ideal for small families Basic Web browsing, light downloading, gaming.

1mbps: Great for families that love the Internet.

Heavy Web browsing, downloading large files, gaming.

Up to 10mbps: Fantastic for heavy users and large families Extremely heavy Web browsing, downloading everything the Internet has to offer, gaming.

Popular Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that offer this service include: MWEB: www.mweb.co.za Afrihost: www.afrihost.co.za Telkom: www.telkomsa.net Cybersmart: www.cybersmart.co.za Openweb: www.openweb.co.za Axxess: www.axxess.co.za

Capped or uncapped?

This depends entirely on how much bandwidth a family or business uses.

Uncapped offers the best value for money, as the limitations on what counts as having downloaded “too much” numbers in the hundreds of gigabytes.

Going with a capped solution may save you money in the long term, however, if you use less bandwidth than you purchase every month.

Go with uncapped If you love game demos, streaming audio, listening to Internet radio stations, can’t live without high-definition YouTube videos, and need to be online and reachable 24/7.

Go with capped If you only really need to browse the Web, send e-mails, check Facebook, Tweet and perform other basic tasks. The advantage here is that if you need more bandwidth, you can always purchase more.

Wireless home networks ADSL requires a modem router to get the Internet signal to your home or office computers. Modem routers are either completely wired, meaning they use physical cables to spread the ADSL around, or they use both wired and wireless connections to do it. We recommend wireless modem routers, as they let you connect cellphones, netbooks, notebooks and desktop computers to the Internet without needing to use unsightly cables. tip Protect your wireless network To prevent anyone from hitching a ride on your network and using the bandwidth you’ve paid for, secure the wireless signal. This is done through the modem router’s interface: select the type of security you wish to use (we highly recommend WPA2) and make up a long, complicated password.

Each wireless device that connects to your network will need to enter this password to gain access.

www.connectmag.co.za | 17

know the ‘net On like Donkey Kong So you’re online – now what? Well, we’re big fans of securing the devices that access the Internet through whichever method you’ve chosen, and that involves installing security software. There’s quite a range to choose from. Here are four of the more popular packages: 1 Kaspersky Internet Security: Fantastically effective and fullyfeatured security software that can be tweaked endlessly or just installed and forgotten about. Kaspersky keeps winning awards for its effectiveness, so it’s really good. Get a 30-day trial from: www.kaspersky.co.za 6 Norton Internet Security: Somewhat more expensive than Kaspersky, Norton’s security software literally leads the industry. Every new version gets faster, uses fewer resources and works even more quietly – and effectively – in the background. Get a 30-day trial from: www.symantec.com 5 AVG: Competent entry-level security software. There are more effective solutions out there, however. AVG does offer a completely free antivirus component. Grab it or a 30-day trial of the full security suite from www.avg.com 4 Avast: This highly popular package offers everything from a free (and extremely effective) antivirus module to a fully-featured security suite. www.avast.co.za

ADSL or 3G? ADSL is brilliant if you need Internet access at a permanent location, and you don’t plan to move around much. It’s excellent for home and business use as it offers fast speed (up to 10mbps) and good reliability. tip Protect your ADSL ADSL is vulnerable to lightning strikes and power surges, so be sure to protect both the phone line and ADSL modem router with plugs that come with built-in surge protection features.

3G – Internet connectivity that comes in over a cellular service provider’s wireless network – is great if you move around a lot and own a notebook computer that goes with you all the time. 3G can be more expensive than ADSL and the contracts available generally offer fewer gigabytes for your money, but it’s really fast and has the added bonus of complete portability. tip Protect your 3G Whichever service provider you go with, be sure to enable the option in the 3G connection software that automatically disconnects your 3G dongle after a user-specified amount of idle time. This will help to prevent updates or other unexpected Internet traffic from using up all the bandwidth.

18 | connect | July 2011

Protecting kids Instant messaging programs and social networking Websites/services are a few of the many avenues used by people with less-than-pure intentions to lure kids into unwelcome situations. They are also the tools of industrious teenagers looking to get around the watchful eyes of wary parents, making it essential to have software that monitors IM programs and social networking sites for any activities that may indicate something being offkilter. tip Parental Control Symantec has an excellent (and free!) parental control module that offers all of this, and more. It’s called Norton Online Family, and once you’re registered, it provides a wide range of monitoring software for free. These include...

Instant Messaging programs monitoring: Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Chat, AIM, Google Talk, etc. See who your kids chat to and what they say.

Activity report: Which sites users have opened, and what terms have been searched for.

Social networking sites: Lists the sites your kids use and provides basic info on their profile.

Time limits: Set limits on computer time per child.

E3 update //by tiana Cline

Every June, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (also known as E3) reveals the biggest and best upcoming hardware and games from the video game industry. This year was no exception, with big names like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo giving us a glimpse of what’s to come…

Games and more games...

Kinect: Disneyland Adventures If you’ve never been to Disneyland, but have an Xbox Kinect, you’ll soon be able to explore the magical theme park.

Step into adventures based on attractions (you could, for example, explore Neverland at Peter Pan’s side and fight Captain Hook) and engage in challenging quests. Don’t forget to high-five Mickey Mouse along the way…

Tomb Raider The lovely Lara Croft wasn’t always the strong-minded, sexy archaeologist we know today. Coming up, Lara’s next adventure is actually a prequel, so forget everything you know about Tomb Raider. This is the story of an ordinary woman who finds out just how far she must go in order to stay alive.

BioShock Infinite BioShock Infinite introduces an entirely new story that takes you to Columbia, an immense city in the sky! You’re Booker DeWitt, a former Pinkerton agent sent to the lost city to rescue a young woman imprisoned there since childhood. DeWitt must learn to fight in high-speed Sky-Line battles and engage in combat among the clouds…

Super Mario 3D In addition to coin-collecting, question blocks and those pesky piranha plants, Mario 3D has some new gameplay moves, like the rolling somersault attack, a quick dash and the ability to use your tail to hover or perform floating jumps as Tanooki Mario. Who wouldn’t want to explore the Mushroom Kingdom in glasses-free 3D?

20 | connect | July 2011

Battlefield 3 As bullets whiz by, walls crumble and explosions throw you to the ground, the battlefield feels more alive and interactive than ever before. In Battlefield 3, you’ll step into the role of the elite U.S. Marines, where you’ll experience heart-pounding missions across diverse locations, including Paris, Tehran and New York.

Sound Shapes This PS Vita offering is a creative new music title (and classic 2D platformer) where you get to play music like it’s a video game. What does that mean? All the elements in the game create music, so if you can make a song, you’ve also created a level – colourful, charming and acoustic

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword With the introduction of full motion control (thanks to the Wii MotionPlus), Skyward Sword marks a turning point for the much-loved Zelda franchise.

Every movement you make will be precisely synchronised with Link’s actions – fire a bow, toss bombs or use a whip and enjoy the game’s all-new, picturesque graphical style.

hottest hardware PlayStation Vita Sony’s next generation portable entertainment system incorporates a beautiful 5” multi-touch front display and a unique multi-touch pad on the back. The PlayStation (PS) Vita offers gameplay experiences never before seen on any device, allowing the player to interact directly with games in 3D-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” finger motions. PS Vita also features two analogue sticks that enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience, such as shooters, action games and fighting games.

The first PS Vita application, “near”, comes pre-installed and lets you discover what games PS Vita owners are enjoying (similar to StreetPass on the 3DS) or were recently playing. You can also share game information. Furthermore, “near” enables location-based gaming features such as “gifting,” in which you can access virtual game-related items that other gamers are sharing, through checking in at geographic locations that others have visited. PS Vita will come pre-installed with “Party”, an innovative application enabling you to enjoy voice chat or text chat not only during online gaming, but also when using different applications such as the Internet browser.

Wii U

Batman: Arkham City Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Nathan Drake’s search for the fabled “Atlantis of the Sands” takes him into the heart of the Arabian desert, an interesting setting for the third Uncharted game. Exclusive to the PS3, the fortune-hunting game features innovative fire, smoke and vwater dynamics and effects, and will be playable in Stereoscopic 3D.

Previously, video games played on a home console were confined to the TV and offered identical viewpoints to each player in a multiplayer environment. Also, watching TV and playing console games were completely separate experiences. Wii U is a new controller from Nintendo that removes these boundaries, creating a more dynamic and fluid gaming and entertainment experience.

In single-player games, the new controller can display information on its screen that does not appear on the TV. The information and viewpoint can also change in the new controller based on the way it’s held. And in multiplayer games, the player using the new controller can have a different experience than the player looking at the TV. In addition to the 6.2” screen, Wii U features an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a rumble feature, an inward-facing camera, a microphone and speakers. Adding to these features are a Classic Controller button scheme (two analogue Circle Pads, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons) and motion-sensing gameplay with the ability to support full HD graphics. The system is also backwards-compatible, meaning it can play all previous Wii games.

www.connectmag.co.za | 21

flashback //by Deon du pleSsis

The history of the . . .

Mouse

Did you know that the humble mouse, that little gadget used by millions to control their computers, was invented over 40 years ago? Learn this and many other littleknown facts about the king of all computer peripherals as we take you through a brief history of its evolution.

1980

1968

1952 The Royal Canadian Navy invents the firstever device that translates human hand movement into the on-screen movements of a computer cursor. It consists of a bowling ball, some gears and basic electronics, and proves to be the precursor of the modernday trackball mouse.

Engelbart refines his design to include three buttons, and presents it to the 1968 Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco.

Atari releases “Missile Command”, a game for its Atari 2600 gaming console that comes with a trackball-like device that is used to direct the on-screen action.

1973 Xerox develops the Xerox Alto, the first-ever personal computer. It uses new ideas like icons, windows and a mouse-driven graphical user interface. It comes with a 3-button mouse.

1968 Telefunken invents a similar device that uses a ball, and not wheels and gears, to generate the X/Y position data that is used to create on-screen cursor movement. It’s called the “Rollkugel”, which translates to “rolling ball”. It is, essentially, an inverted trackball.

1963 Douglas Engelbart invents the first handheld movement-translation device. Its basic elements consist of a wooden body that is held in the hand, a cord that connects it to a computer, plus wheels and gears that, when moved, tell the computer where the on-screen cursor should move to. It has a single button. The cord sticks out the back of the device, like a tail, so it is only natural that it picks up the nickname “mouse”. The name sticks.

22 | connect | July 2011

Late 1970s Xerox invents the first optical mouse that uses LED lights and optical sensors to generate movement data. It requires a special surface decorated with a grid-like pattern in order to work properly.

1981 Xerox’s Alto mouse is the firstever commercially-available mouse. It is part of Xerox’s Star computer, and features a 2-button design with an optical sensor system and does not require a special pad.

2010

1982 Peripherals company Logitech enters the market with its firstever mouse, a 3-button mechanical device it calls the P4.

2009 Microsoft releases mice that use their own “Blue Track” technology that lets people use mice accurately on any surface except for glass and highlyreflective materials.

1991 Logitech’s Cordless Mouseman is the first commercially-available mouse to operate without wires. It uses radio signals to communicate with computers, and even works when not in direct sight of the receiver.

1999 Microsoft’s ‘Intellimouse with IntelliEye’ is the first mouse to use optical technology that works on most surfaces. It’s the first truly successful optical mouse.

2009

1995 Eric Michelman invents the scroll wheel, used first in the Genius EasyScroll mouse made

by Taiwanese company KYE Systems. It greatly enhances web-browsing and makes navigating Excel spreadsheets very easy.

1983 Apple introduces the Apple Lisa, a personal computer that uses a graphical user interface, a 12” monochrome screen and a 1-button mouse. Apple sticks with this 1-button design until 2005 and the introduction of the 2-button “Mighty Mouse”.

While not a mouse, Microsoft’s motion-sensing Kinect sensor for the Xbox 360 gaming console is released to the public, potentially changing how people interact with computer systems of all kinds. Only time will tell how far the idea is taken…

Logitech develops Darkfield technology, a new way of generating movement data for mice. It works on almost any surface, including glass. Mirrortracking is still not perfect.

2004 Logitech introduces the first laser mouse for consumers, the MX1000. Instead of optics, it uses a laser to determine movement, and is far more accurate than any other mouse before it.

www.connectmag.co.za | 23

tech talk //by christo van gemert

All-purpose

processing

Computer processors that include other functions are all the rage at the moment.

Earlier this year, Intel launched their new Core processors with integrated graphics, and in the middle of June this year, AMD gave a proper reply. Connect went to Abu Dhabi to learn more.

24 | connect | July 2011

Portable power Speaking of computing power: AMD say the A8 versions of their Fusion processors can mix it up with Intel’s powerful i5 and i7 processors. An AMD spokesperson pointed out that casual users most often use their computers for Web browsing, playing multimedia content and playing games. As such, the new A8 chips lack some of the outright raw speed required to do things like opening large Excel files, but they have some tricks up their silicon sleeves.

The Fusion chips have special tech that can help stabilise shaky videos on YouTube. Staying on the topic of video, there’s a universal video decoder built into the chip that makes it possible to view full highdefinition video without slowing down the rest of the computer, or eating up the battery life.

I

n the past, we’ve had many different chips in our computers to handle various tasks. One chip to handle general computing, another chip for audio, yet another for graphics, and so on.

To make computers simpler, and more affordable and power-efficient, the chip manufacturers have invested in the current solutions.

Fusion

Gaming goodness

AMD’s Fusion range of integrated chips – called accelerated processing units or APUs – hit the shelves early this year. At the same time, Intel introduced their second generation of Core processors featuring integrated Intel HD graphics.

Both solutions are aimed at moving more functionality onto the main processor. This means only one chip goes into a computer, so it’s easier to manufacture and costs less as well.

Intel’s range of processors included both desktop chips, like you’d find in a desktop tower computer, and mobile chips, as can be found in laptops and all-in-one computers. AMD’s approach is slightly different, and the new range of Fusion chips is aimed squarely at the latter: notebooks and other smallscale devices. They also make some bold claims…

Some of the processing power goes to the graphics chip, which is part of the big deal with the Fusion chips. Intel’s graphics solution, called Intel HD graphics, has been developed from the ground up.

AMD, on the other hand, have an entire graphics division responsible for the massively powerful Radeon graphics chips. They’ve taken part of their expertise with the Radeon chips and put a mini Radeon in each Fusion A6 and A8 processor. The end result is a machine that can actually play games and do other graphics work. These integrated Radeon chips can also be bridged to work together with an external chip, nearly doubling the available graphics power.

Battery boost Given that these chips will be used in mobile devices, power consumption is key. AMD claim their new Fusion A6 and A8 chips will have nearly a full day of usable battery life. That’s up to 10 hours on a single charge. We’ve played around with some test samples and the claims aren’t far off. The company has gone all out to best Intel’s efforts, using chips with similar computing power.

Fusion chips can shut off parts of the processor that aren’t in need, helping to save power.

In scenarios where either light use or gaming are involved, the AMD processors look to be significantly more economical on power than the equivalent Intel processors.

On the shelves…

Computers with these new AMD processors will be available in the coming months, and as they start hitting the shelves, we’ll be putting them through their paces. Keep an eye on the review pages in Connect to see real-world comparisons between computers with AMD Fusion technology and Intel’s competing Core solutions. Battery life, outright speed and value for money will be on the cards. There’s no denying that this will definitely impact your next computer purchase!

www.connectmag.co.za | 25

photography tips //by christo van gemert

Say...

Cheese!

Photographing people can be tricky, but we’ve got some tips that’ll help you snap proper portraits.

I

n the March issue of Connect, we shared tips for taking better landscape photos. These are photos that take in the wide, often breathtaking views stretching out to the horizon.

Portraits are the exact opposite. Here, you’re getting up close and personal with your subject, be it a loved one, a pet or just some strangers in your immediate surroundings. One can take many kinds of portrait shots, and you don’t always need to hold the camera vertically (in portrait mode). Wide-angle lenses can be used, as well as telephoto zoom lenses – portrait photos give you a bit more freedom. As long as you have a human or animal in the shot, you’ve got the right ingredients for a fantastic photo.

Portrait perfect Most cameras have a portrait mode or preset for taking portrait photos. These are just settings with which the camera is programmed, to deal with the most common portrait scenarios. Whether you use these presets or decide to experiment with the camera’s settings, the basics are the same: a portrait is a close-up photo of a person (or people). Think of the Mona Lisa – that’s a portrait. Your 1993 class photo?

Not so much of a portrait.

Rules are meant to be broken, though. Your subject does not need to look straight at the camera, and there’s nothing stopping you from taking a partial photo of their face. But as long as a person or pet is the subject of the photo, it can be called a portrait.

26 | connect | July 2011

Lens low-down

Au naturel

Wide-angle lenses, in general, don’t make for great portrait photos. What you want is something that zooms in a bit. If you have a compact camera with a built-in 3 x or 5 x zoom lens, you’ll want to use the maximum of that zoom. If you have a digital SLR camera, such as a Nikon D5100 or a Canon EOS 600D, you’ll want to use a lens that is between 50mm and 135mm. At these zoom lengths, you’ll get the right amount of magnification to take good portrait shots.

The general idea is to not have the subject appear too small in the photo, nor do you want to completely exclude any background imagery.

For a good, natural-looking portrait shot, try to use as much natural lighting as possible. Direct, midday sunlight can be very harsh (as in, too bright), so work with the softer light that is available mid morning or later in the afternoon. It might seem counter-intuitive, but if you are taking photos in bright sunlight, use the camera’s flash, especially if shooting into sunlight. This way the camera flash can fill in lighting in the foreground, while the sunlight still looks natural in the background.

If the sun is behind you, watch out for unwanted shadows and overexposed faces.

It’s good to experiment with lighting. Shadows can be used for dramatic effect: for example, if the subject is wearing a hat that leaves their eyes in the dark. Conversely, lighting a shot from the bottom can make for a refreshing change (this is a common trick used to hide wrinkles on older subjects).

www.connectmag.co.za | 27

photography tips

Look behind you

Spontaneous snaps Taking lots of time to compose the perfect photo might not yield results that are as good as more spontaneous photos. Simply whipping out the camera and snapping a pic can make for naturallooking poses, and preserves the memory as you remember it.

If you need people to pose, don’t force smiles out of them, as it just looks artificial. A good example is when you’re working with small children or infants.

It’s hard getting them to do what you want, so you’ll have to make do with the fact that they’re looking off-camera and not sitting up straight. Try to get adults in the same situations – some of the best photos are taken when people aren’t aware of the camera. If they’re more relaxed and comfortable, the photo turns out better.

28 | connect | July 2011

You might have a beautiful girl, rugged adventurer or cute cat to take a photo of, but the background adds just as much to the photo. Just remember that the background should be complementary, not dominant.

Let’s use the adventurer example. Here you’ll want to compose the shot where his face and shoulders are dominant, but the background can have a brooding sky or a mountain in the distance.

Patterned walls or bright colours can also make attractive backgrounds, but if there’s nothing interesting, you can always rely on the good old defocus. If you’re using a digital SLR, set the aperture as low as it will go (f/2.8 or lower) for best results. Get in close to the subject, and anything behind them will be out of focus, drawing even more attention to the details of the person in the photo. Some of the newer pocket cameras have a special defocus mode that performs post-processing on the photo to artificially blur the background. These modes can be successful, but don’t rely solely on them.

product reviews // by Deon Du PLessis

Blown

away!

Contents

D

ell’s Alienware M17x entertainment notebook has to be the best notebook I’ve ever used in my career as a tech journalist - it’s got everything I’ve ever wanted from a mobile computer, as well as a few extras I had never even considered. It’s beautifully-engineered, immensely powerful and lets you game and watch movies in 3D – simply phenomenal! It’s also very heavy for a notebook computer and costs about as much as a small car, but it’s seriously worth every cent! Read the full review on page 40, and prepare to consider selling a kidney to afford one – it’s that incredible!

This month’s other exciting products include a new 27” iMac (it’s huge!), Nikon’s impressive D5100 D-SLR camera and HTC’s very capable 7” tablet PC, the Flyer. We’ve also got a 720p projector that costs less than R10k, so be warned, you may experience some serious temptation to reach for your wallet!

That’s it from me; I hope you enjoy the reviews. 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.

30 | connect | July 2011

32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 47 48 50 51 52 54 55 56 58

First Look – Samsung Galaxy S II First Look – Samsung Series 9 Notebooks Nikon D5100 Camera HTC Flyer Dell Alienware M17x Entertainment Notebook 27” Apple iMac BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Sony DSC-TX1000V Camera Olympus Tough TG-310 Camera Fujifilm S2950 Camera Plantronics Audio Voyager Pro Bluetooth Headset Sony WHG-SLK1 Micro Hi-Fi with iPod dock Samsung Omnia 7 Epson EH-TW450 Projector Mede8er 500X Media Player Dragon for Mac Books

advertorial

Logitech G-Series peripherals

L

ogitech has a long history of producing some of the finest speakers and headsets for a variety of usage scenarios, and 2011 sees a refresh of the company’s excellent audio range. Not only do these new audio products sport a new look, but their internal components have also been overhauled, resulting in speakers and headsets that are not only attractive, but they’re even better-sounding than the models they replace.

G27 Racing Wheel

Full 900 degree rotation, brake and acceleration pedals, user-configurable buttons and high-quality materials are just the start – the G27 Racing Wheel offers full force feedback that communicates every bump in the road to your hands and arms for a close-to-real driving experience.

Gaming Keyboard G510

The GamePanel LCD screen atop this feature-rich keyboard can display key intel in supported games that G510-less opponents will lack, and the addition of a whole host of dedicated macro keys mean you can have up to 54 shortcuts to use at your discretion. If this doesn’t give you the edge in your games, you may want to consider another hobby.

Wireless gaming headset G930

G13 Advanced Gameboard

Wires are so last-century. So is flat, two-dimensional sound. With Logitech’s G930 wireless gaming headphones, both of these issues are non-existent, thanks to the complete absence of wires and their amazing 7.1 surround-sound capabilities that will fool your brain into believing the unreal.

If 54 additional keys isn’t enough for you or you love your existing keyboard but want more functionality, the G13 is what you need! This dedicated keyboard add-on has 25 programmable keys, an LCD screen and a dedicated mini-joystick to enhance your gaming capabilities! It even has a palm rest to ensure your hand is always comfortable.

Wireless Gaming Mouse G700

Incredible 5700dpi sensitivity, individually-contoured buttons for easy identification and Darkfield sensing technology for use on almost any surface including glass and granite are but a few highlights of the G700’s design.

Whether you’re gunning for headshots across a vast map or quickly snapping between units in a strategy title, the G700 has got your back.

product FIRST LOOK

related

products

Apple iPhone 4

While Apple’s iPhone 4 might begin looking old when compared to the likes of the Galaxy S II, it’s still the staple for media fanatics.

Samsung Galaxy S II Smartphone NEED TO KNOW • The next generation of Samsung’s iconic Galaxy S smartphone • Best screen, processor, wireless radio in the game • Runs Android 2.3 • Super-thin and lightweight Availability: TBA

BlackBerry Torch 9900

BlackBerry’s new Torch, while great for work and play, is a little more serious than the Galaxy S II and thus a stronger option for business buyers.

Samsung 10” GalaxyTab

Want something with a bigger screen, but the same power offered by Android?

The new GalaxyTab is thin, light and a great way to enjoy media, get some work done and stay connected.

32 | connect | july 2011

When Samsung launched their original Galaxy S back in June last year, the combination of its ultra-sharp, bright and responsive touchscreen, hopped-up processor and Google’s slick Android operating system elevated it, almost instantaneously, into ‘must-have’ territory.

It’s a year on and the successor to that iconic phone, the aptly name Galaxy S II, has been released. With substantially revamped hardware and an upgraded version of Google’s Android OS, the Galaxy S II is a fantastic step up on its older sibling.

In-hand, the Galaxy S II’s surface is a little bigger than some of its peers.

To counter that, however, it’s impossibly thin and light. In fact, we had to check more than once that it had its battery pack installed.

Despite its thin and light design, it boasts one of the most impressive specifications in the game. Samsung have chosen a new dual-core application processor to power the Galaxy S II, upgraded the touchscreen to a newer technology called Super AMOLED Plus, crammed in an 8MP rear and 2MP front-facing camera, and placed an HSPA+ radio chipset at the core of communications.

The new processor is designed to strike the perfect balance between power consumption and performance, for tasks like 3D gaming and highdefinition video playback. The phone’s 4.3” Super AMOLED Plus screen is incredibly bright and crisp, breathing new life into photos, Web pages and videos. Samsung have also loaded it with touch sensors, meaning it’s very responsive to gestures and touch commands.

The included HSPA+ chipset allows for data to be downloaded at up to21Mbps. And for those unaware of exactly what this means, it’s fast Internet… very, very fast Internet.

All of this comes together to deliver one of the most responsive and pleasurable user experiences, whether it comes to navigating the phone’s features, working with applications downloaded from the Android Marketplace, browsing Web pages, communicating with friends and family over e-mail, or enjoying video.

We somehow do feel that Samsung should have stopped there and allowed what is clearly a superior product to speak for itself. The inclusion of its ‘3D TouchWiz’ user interface is an unnecessary layer on top of what we feel is a pretty solid Android 2.3 experience. Some people love it, others don’t. It comes down to personal preference and we would have loved the ability to switch off ‘3D TouchWiz’.

Similarly, ‘KIES’ – the conduit Samsung have provided for synchronising and backing up personal information with a PC – is a wasted feature, since Android relies so heavily on the host of Google services in the cloud and now performs backups online.

These two issues are by no means deal breakers, however. The Galaxy S II is still the best Android smartphone we’ve played with to date, and with word that it will be upgradable to version 3.0 of the smartphone OS in the coming months, it’s a safe investment.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Operating System: Android 2.3 • Processor: Dual-core application processor • Display: 4.3” Super AMOLED Plus screen • Communication: HSPA+ Wireless Radio (21Mbps) • Networking: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth • Imaging: 8MP and 2MP cameras • Storage: 16GB/32GB of built-in flash memory • Storage expansion: microSD card slot (up to 32GB) Excitement potential

ADVANCED + RETROSPECTIVE/

www.bitdefender.co.za 011 789 6181

Distributed by Holton and Associates

www.holton.co.za

product FIRST LOOK

Product Samsung Series 9

Specs

Ultra-Thin Notebooks NEED TO KNOW

Samsung Series 9 Ultra-Thin Notebooks • Processor: Intel Core i3 and i5 • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit • Memory: 4GB (8GB max) • Display: 13.3” LED HD SuperBright Plus Screen, 400 nits anti-glare • Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 • Storage: 128GB Solid State Hard Drive • Communication: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth 3.0 • Inputs: Micro HDMI, headphone, mic-in, 1 microSD slot, 2 USB 3.0 ports • Battery: 6-cell Lithium, 6300mAh, up to 7 hours • Weight: 1.3kg with standard battery

34 | connect | july 2011

• Thinner than Apple’s MacBook Air • Powered by Windows 7 and Intel Core i5 • Incredibly lightweight and slim design Available: July 2011

Apple’s MacBook Air made a huge splash when it launched in 2008. It was the thinnest MacBook – or even notebook computer – to hit store shelves, ever, and a whole lot of people fell in love with its slim, lightweight design. Probably the most remarkable thing about it was that it didn’t sacrifice performance to attain its look, and for the last 2 years, it has enjoyed remarkable success with an audience that wants thin, lightweight and compact-yet-capable ultra-portable computers.

While other manufacturers have brought out their own products to compete with the MacBook Air, none have managed to take the top spot from it. This may change when Samsung’s Series 9 notebooks hit the market, however. They are incredibly thin, super-lightweight and are made out of some of the toughest materials on the planet. Plus, Samsung’s designers have done their utmost to create a futuristic chassis with plenty of curves and round edges that work hand in hand with the sleekness of the device to inspire an immediate “I must have it!” response in potential buyers. This puts them in the same category as the MacBook Air, but with several design tweaks that have the potential to dethrone the Air from its position as the world’s most popular ultra-portable notebook.

Samsung’s engineers have used an aluminium alloy called Duralumin in the construction of the Series 9 notebooks. Duralumin was chosen for its strength – it offers twice the strength of regular aluminium despite weighing far less, making it perfect for this application. It’s so strong, in fact, that it’s been used in the construction of aircraft since its initial

discovery in the early 20th century. Perhaps more importantly to the consumer, the use of Duralumin means these notebooks have an attractive finish that looks very much like the brushed aluminium chassis seen in other products. This gives them an understated yet sophisticated look, great for serious business users as well as people who value subtle style over flash.

If you’ve ever used a notebook and thought the screen could be a lot brighter, you’re not alone. Samsung has boosted the brightness of Series 9 notebooks to 400 nits. To put this in perspective, the average notebook has a screen brightness of around 200 nits, so Series 9 notebooks are capable of keeping the visuals bright, even when you’re outside. Samsung calls this “SuperBright Plus” technology.

Behind all of this aesthetic appeal lurks amazing power. Series 9 notebooks use Intel’s Core i3 and Core i5 processors, and are based on Intel’s Sandy Bridge platform. Whenever you see “Sandy Bridge”, think “low power consumption and fast integrated graphics”. In addition, these notebooks also come with 2 USB 3.0 ports, which means they enjoy incredibly fast data transfers when connected to USB 3.0-compatible devices. Throw in the fact that they also use solid state hard drives with 128GB of storage capacity, and it’s easy to see that Series 9 notebooks are built for speed.

A big multi-touch track pad and a gorgeous keyboard with backlit keys round out the features on these amazing notebooks, whose specifications and imagery have us salivating with anticipation. With so much in their favour, it’s fair to say that Apple’s MacBook Air may have some serious competition in Samsung’s new Series 9 notebooks.

Excitement potential

© 2011 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Screen images are simulated.

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*3D glasses are required and are included with purchase.

top

5

product reviews

Nikon D5100 NEED TO KNOW • 16.2-megapixel images • Full HD video • Digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses R8 999.95

Like its arch-rival Canon, Nikon also entered the entry-level digital SLR market a few years ago. Canon’s 6-megapixel contender was the EOS 300D and the big N’s riposte was the equally-megapixelled Nikon D50.

Since then, the entry-level market has fragmented a bit. The modern, spiritual successor to the Canon EOS 300D is the EOS 600D, and the Nikon equivalent is the one we have here, the D5100. Neither model is the cheapest on offer. Those honours go to the EOS 1100D (reviewed here last month) and the Nikon D3100.

This is interesting to note, because the evolution of the camera from entry level to amateur level has seen its price remain roughly the same, while overall technology prices have dropped. This means Nikon could introduce a cheaper model, the D3100, while giving the D5100 more features for your money.

And it’s not an insignificant amount, either. The bigger Nikon is about R4 000 more expensive than its small brother. For that extra outlay, you get a bigger image sensor: 16.2 megapixels (versus 14.2). It’s also faster, has a longer battery life, reproduces colours a lot better and a number of other features you’ll appreciate if you’ve been taking photos for a while.

36 | connect | july 2011

perfect companions

High Capacity SD Card Large photos and HD footage end up consuming a lot of space. Get a spacious memory card for hundreds of photos or hours of footage, without needing to worry about running out of room.

It’s not all specs and numbers, either. The image quality is really, really good. Colours are bright, the images are smooth and have very little grain. Even when zooming in 100% on images taken by the D5100, they’re as good as those taken by some more expensive cameras and, importantly, its Canon counterpart.

Taking photos in the dark sees it beat out the Canon. Nikon opted for a slightly smaller image sensor, choosing to focus on managing image noise. This phenomenon manifests itself as speckles on your photos, and is unwanted. Noise is most prominent when taking photos at high ISO settings, such as 1 600 and higher. Nikon’s processing is really good, and the camera manages great images in low light conditions.

The full high-definition video clips are also really crisp, but there is a big drawback here. The lens included in the D5100 kit is very noisy when focussing while shooting video. Not to the ears, mind, but on the actual video footage. When playing back a video clip recorded on the camera, you’ll clearly hear the lens motor stuttering as it tries to find focus. You’ll need to invest in very expensive lenses to avoid this, or you could get an external microphone accessory. The other, cheaper option is to switch the lenses to manual focus mode.

If you do use manual focus, you’ll end up using the rear LCD to preview your efforts (in video mode, the optical viewfinder is disabled).

Thankfully, the rear display is crisp, and it’s also of the variangle variety: you can flip it out and position it to get a better view at awkward angles, using the Live View mode.

For the money, the D5100 is really, really good. It’s slightly more expensive than the Canon, which is a pity, and there’s also the issue that it lacks an internal focussing motor. This means you will not be able to use older Nikon lenses in autofocus mode, with this camera. Stick to the newer lenses, though, and you’ll be more than happy with its performance.

Nikon Lenses The standard kit lens is okay, but to get the best out of the D5100, you’ll want to invest in some other lenses.

Perhaps a telephoto zoom, or a super-wide angle. Each type of lens yields different results on photo.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Still images: 16.2 megapixels • Video: Full HD video-recording • Storage: SD card • Lens: 18 - 55mm kit lens, Nikon lens mount system • ISO range: 100 – 6 400 • Rear display: 3.0” variangle flip-out display • Extras: Scene modes, RAW mode, Effects mode Pros

Cons

• Fantastic image quality • Effects modes are useful • Intuitive interface

• Not compatible with older lenses • Pricey compared to competitors • Short battery life

Overall rating

Joby Gorillapod This isn’t just an ordinary tripod – the Gorillapod has three flexible legs that allow it to be mounted on any surface. Wrap it around a tree branch, a pole or just prop it up in the sand. It’s strong enough to hold a camera like the Nikon without a hassle – even if larger lenses are attached.

www.connectmag.co.za | 37

product reviews

related

products

Motorola Xoom

Motorola’s Xoom 10” tablet is a real joy to use. It runs Android 3.0 and has a beautiful touch-sensitive screen that makes everyday use a real pleasure.

HTC Flyer 7” Tablet NEED TO KNOW • 7” tablet from HTC • Runs Android 2.4 • 32GB of internal storage R6 360.95

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Samsung’s 7” Android 2.2 tablet is another great alternative to the bulk of a 10” model, and offers 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity to help you stay in touch wherever you go.

perfect companions

HTC Desire S The Desire S is an upgrade to the ridiculously-popular Desire, and it boasts a 1GHz processor and a dedicated Adreno graphics chip for an even smoother overall user experience.

38 | connect | july 2011

Flyer is the name of HTC’s new 7” tablet PC. It’s an Android device, but HTC have added in some modifications of their own to make it feel like more of an HTC device. In fact, they have done such a great job of it that the Flyer feels like a really large HTC smartphone. If you’re fond of HTC’s designs, you’ll know this is an excellent thing.

HTC phones are usually made of metal and weigh quite a bit for mobile devices, and the Flyer follows this tradition. Its casing is mostly metal and there are 2 plastic grips, one on either end, that make it very easy to hold the device in your hands without any danger of it slipping. As a result, it weighs 420g – that’s almost half a kilogram! If you like heavy gadgets, or feel that weight conveys a sense of quality, you’ll like the Flyer.

The most important aspect of any tablet computer is the overall user experience on offer. The Flyer does well here thanks to its fast 1.5GHz processor and a beautifully responsive capacitive touchscreen. The processor makes sure applications load quickly and the interface doesn’t stutter, and even light touches register on the touchscreen’s surface.

HTC’s engineers have changed the look of Google’s Android operating system by overhauling the default interface with their own Sense user interface. This is the reason it looks so similar to HTC’s phones, but there are differences. Switching between applications and scrolling through home screens rotates all open windows around in a circle, making everything look like a spinning carousel. It’s a very cool effect.

The Flyer does everything a tablet should, from e-mail to Webbrowsing, and also supports Flash-based Web content (unlike the iPad and iPad 2). Entertainment options include games (there are many available from the Android Marketplace) and even movies – the Flyer plays back standard-definition content and even manages to play HD movie files smoothly. It also has a mini HDMI output port so it can be hooked up to an HD TV if you so desire. It has 32GB of built-in storage that can be expanded to a maximum of 64GB using the integrated memory card reader.

What sets it apart from other tablets is the pen (or ‘stylus’, if you prefer) that comes with it. It is used to add notations and highlight passages in e-books, draw freehand, sign digital documents and take notes. It works particularly well with HTC’s Notes application which, as the name suggests, enables users to take notes. It also records audio while you write, which is handy for meetings.

What’s really nice about the Flyer is that it’s a 3G device, so you can stay connected even when you’re away from your Wi-Fi connection. You will need a dedicated SIM card, of course.

The big question facing consumers when it comes to tablets is: “Should I get this over an iPad?” In this case, it depends on what you need. If you like a 10” screen and the idea of a stylus doesn’t appeal, then no. If, however, you like consuming Flash-based Web content, you prefer to carry your tablet in your pocket and you love HTC’s Sense interface, then definitely.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Operating System: Android 2.4 with HTC Sense optimised for tablets • Processor: 1.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor • Display: 7”TFT display with 1 024 x 600 resolution • Storage: 32GB internal storage with microSD slot for further storage • Camera: 5MP autofocus camera with flash and 1.3MP front-facing camera • Battery capacity: 4000 mAh • Dimensions: 195.4mm x 122mm x 13.2mm • Weight: 420g

Pros

Cons

• Smaller form factor means easy inpocket transport • HTC’s Sense interface is a real pleasure to use • Very fast and responsive overall

• Stylus adds to the overall package, but not significantly • Cost relative to its size may be off-putting

Overall rating

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Dell Alienware M17x Gaming Laptop NEED TO KNOW • Superb all-purpose 17” laptop • Watch 3D movies and play games in 3D • Made with precision and high-quality materials R29 999.95

Alienware is Dell’s premium entertainment laptop brand, and this one, the M17x, is one of the best ones in the range. It is, simply put, an amazing piece of engineering on absolutely every front – it looks incredible, is made of the highest-quality materials, and man is it fast. In an ideal world, this is how all laptops should be made, as the M17x offers everything anyone could possibly want from a laptop in terms of performance and versatility. There are some drawbacks, but these relate to the notebook’s size, weight and price, which is to be expected from a product that’s as powerful as this one – some sacrifices have to be made to achieve such phenomenal performance.

If you look at the specifications, you’ll see exactly where all the power comes from. The M17x comes with a staggering 16GB of system memory which, together with the amazing Core i7 processor, ensures that it handles every imaginable application, from games to business programs, with ease. The Windows desktop experience of the M17x is even better than that of many high-end desktop machines as a result, but that’s not where the appeal of the product lies. The M17x is a beast of a gaming and entertainment notebook, and it’s on these fronts that it completely blows away any and all competition.For starters, the LED-backlit screen supports full HD, so 1 920 x 1 080. It’s also fully 3D, and can play back 3D Blu-ray movies as well as any game that supports 40 | connect | july 2011

nVidia’s 3D Vision technology. The 3D experience is nothing short of jaw-dropping, especially if you’ve never tried to game or watch movies in 3D before. Objects, environments and characters literally take on a third dimension that immerses the viewer like never before. Because the M17x uses active-shutter glasses that work with an embedded infrared transmitter, visuals are as smooth as the technology is capable of delivering. Additionally, the viewer is not tethered to the notebook via a cable connected to the glasses. The 3D experience on offer is literally breathtaking, and one that’s easily worth the asking price.

If it’s individuality you’re after, the M17x looks like nothing else out there. Alienware’s designers have made the 2 front-mounted speakers look like alien eyes, and everything that could be backlit with LED lights has been illuminated. Even better than that, each backlit area can be lit with a colour of your choice using the included software. The lines of the notebook are aggressive and mean, something gamers will probably enjoy – we certainly did.

The material that covers the entire surface of the M17x also feels a little alien, but that’s a good thing because it’s a rubberised finish that is entirely fingerprint-proof, even when fingers are slightly moist.

The laptop’s really large track pad is the best we’ve ever used, and yes, even better than Apple’s amazing touch-friendly track pad surfaces.

It’s smooth and fingertips glide over its surface without resistance, just like a track pad should be. All it lacks is the ability to scroll through web pages; otherwise, it’s perfect.

Further touches include a slot-loading Blu-ray drive (the drive takes any discs you insert out of your hand automatically), an HDMI output, 2 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, an eSATA port and a multi-in-one memory

This notebook does 3D! It comes with wireless activeshutter glasses and is compatible with all games that support nVidia’s 3D Vision technology and can play back 3D Blu-ray movies.

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Dead Rising 2 PC This incredibly fun zombie romp through the fictional Fortune City can only be made better with one thing – 3D visuals! Grab a copy of DR2 and enjoy some zombiethwacking in 3 dimensions.

card reader. The best touch, though, is the HDMI input – this means you can connect any device that uses an HDMI output to the M17x, including gaming consoles! Being able to game on the Xbox while your significant other watches TV is a capability that will please many gamers, to be sure.

PC gaming on the M17x is similarly awesome. Thanks to a powerful nVidia graphics card, all modern games are playable on the M17x at their best or close-to-maximum settings while maintaining a good frame rate. This is when it’s connected to the mains, of course.

Conserving battery power means the notebook has to make a few changes to its inner workings, and the graphics card is one of the components that gets throttled, resulting in lowered gaming performance when operating under battery power.

Notebooks often skimp on great speakers, but the M17x comes with Klipsch speakers. Klipsch is an internationally-recognised premium audio brand, and as such it’s fair to expect a lot from the M17x in this department. Happily, we were not disappointed. Games, music and movies were all enjoyed at high volumes and the overall audio quality we experienced was stellar. If you’re hard to impress, it’s also possible to output the M17x’s audio to a better setup using the included surroundsound and subwoofer outputs.

It we could, we’d give this notebook more than 5 stars because it’s just that good. Sure, it’s expensive, but quality like this is not of the everyday variety. The performance on offer and excellent entertainment features more than justify the price here, and thus we’re giving the Alienware M17x entertainment notebook the highest mark we can give.

It’s really that amazing.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Processor: Intel Core i7-2720QM 2.2GHz • RAM: 16GB DDR3-1333 • Storage: 1.5TB 7200RPM (2 x 750GB drives in RAID 0) • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit • Display: 17” 3D-capable LED-backlit screen @ 1 920 x 1 080 • Graphics: nVidia GeForce GT460M 1GB • Communication: Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi • I/O: HDMI in, HDMI out, 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x eSATA/USB 2.0 combo, VGA, headphones, mic, S/PDIF, DisplayPort • Keyboard: Full keyboard sporting backlit keys with user-selectable light colours • Speakers: Klipsch • Optical drive: Slot-loading Blu-ray burner • Media reader: 8-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard slot • Weight: From 5.3kg

Pros

Cons

• Brilliant Windows, gaming and application performance • Superb, high-quality looks and a fingerprint-resistant rubberised finish • 3D gaming, 3D movie-watching and console gaming via an HDMI input

• Premium price tag • Track pad does not allow for scrolling • It’s heavy, and thus not very portable

Overall rating

Duke Nukem Forever If Duke were real, he’d game on an Alienware notebook.

While he’s not, his game is, and it plays silky-smooth on this awesome gaming notebook. Hail to the king, baby!

Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse Trackpads just don’t cut the mustard when it comes to gaming, especially shooters.

Microsoft makes some pretty fine peripherals, and this one, the Sidewinder, will go great with the aggressive looks of the M17x.

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Lenovo A700 All-In-One

If the iMac’s massive screen and high pricetag are a bit too much for you, Lenovo has the A700 all-in-one.

It’s a very capable machine, with respectable hardware bits that should do most of what the Apple can, without busting your bank balance.

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Apple iMac 27” NEED TO KNOW • 27” high-resolution display • Intel Core i5 quad-core processor • Wireless keyboard and mouse R19 999.95

2TB External Hard Drive With a 1TB internal hard drive, you’ll have plenty of storage for all your music, movies, documents and other data. But the Mac has Time Machine built in, a simpleto-use backup service that keeps a copy of your entire computer on a backup drive.

For this, an external hard drive is a must.

Apple iPad If you’re not a hardcore mobile user, you won’t need a Macbook. Get an iPad instead.

It integrates seamlessly with the iMac and will be able to give you some of your media while on the go. It’s a great Mac companion.

42 | connect | july 2011

It’s usually a bad omen when a review begins with, “We don’t know where to start...”, but in the case of Apple’s iMac 27”, we literally don’t know where to start. Nor do we know where to stop. That’s how big the display is on this pricey, but fantastic, piece of hardware.

Twenty seven inches might not sound like a lot, especially with 40” TVs being the norm for modern living-rooms, but when it’s less than a metre from your face, it’s a lot of screen to deal with. It’s almost a bit too much, but thankfully the display has a greater resolution to help keep things relative.

Full HD resolution is 1 920 x 1 080. Imagine drawing a grid with 1 920 columns and 1 080 rows on a piece of paper that measures 40” (102cm) diagonally. The 27” display on this iMac has a resolution of 2 560 x 1 440, which means the grid is a lot denser than full HD – a whole 70% more pixels to display your information. Essentially, it means that windows are the same size on this display as they are on a smaller display, only you can view more windows at once.

Display fawning aside, the rest of the iMac is also worth lusting after. It has a quad-core Intel Core i5 processor running at 3.1GHz, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. If that’s not enough memory for you, the RAM can be upgraded to 16GB – an upgrade you’ll only need if you do heavy-duty work like video-editing or retouching 30-megapixel photos in Photoshop.

For casual home use, this is more than enough. E-mail, Webbrowsing, office work and more can all be done without the iMac breaking a sweat. All that screen space means you can have an e-mail window, Web browser and video player open at the same time. It even has a Radeon graphics card that can run modern games at their highest settings without a hassle.

Running Apple’s OS X, it didn’t trip up once during our testing. If you’ve used a Mac before, this will definitely be a worthwhile upgrade. If the 27” is your first Mac, prepare to be slightly overwhelmed. One thing, though: the latest version of OS X (version 10.7, see our feature on page 10) focuses heavily on touch gestures, which requires a pointing device capable of recognising finger inputs. Apple ships the iMac with a Bluetooth keyboard, which is a real joy to use, and the choice of either a Magic Mouse or a Magic Trackpad. While the Magic Mouse does support touch gestures, it’s not ideal, especially in OS X 10.7. Opt for the Magic Trackpad, which is similar to the trackpad on a notebook computer, and you’ll have a much easier time getting around and using the iMac. That said, there’s very little to not like about this machine. It is quite expensive, but if you’re in the market for an iMac, the 21.5” models offer almost everything this one does for quite a bit less. If you get a 27”, you won’t be disappointed.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Processor: Intel Core i5 quad-core 3.1GHz • Memory: 4GB • Hard drive: 1 terabyte • Display size: 27” • Display resolution: 2 560 x 1 440 • Ports: 4 x USB, 2 x Thunderbolt, 1 x FireWire 800, audio output, audio input • Connectivity: Ethernet, Bluetooth, 802.11n wireless

Pros

Cons

• Lots of screen space • Fast processor • Gaming-capable graphics card

• High pricetag • Perhaps a bit too big • Magic Mouse isn’t great

Overall rating

HTC Wildfire…

A Pocket Full Of Kryptonite!

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Built in G-sensor for ultimate gaming

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BlackBerry PlayBook NEED TO KNOW • BlackBerry’s iPad killer • Responsive 7” touchscreen • New QNX operating system • 16GB of flash storage • Built-in flash support TBA

Since Apple released the first iPad a little over a year ago, all of the major players in the consumer technology market have been scrambling to serve up their own tablet offering.

And they’ve had varying degrees of success. Largely speaking, it’s taken two generations for products based on Google’s Android platform to begin offering something that’s comparable to what Apple offered up in the first place.

The PlayBook could just be what breaks Apple’s hold on the tablet market. It’s a very polished product for a first attempt and takes some bold steps in the right direction. That said, there are some flaws, which RIM will hopefully deal with through software patches over the coming months.

Hardware-wise, the PlayBook is exactly what you’d expect from the manufacturers of the iconic BlackBerry brand of smartphones. It’s clad in a black rubberised material, is relatively minimalist in terms of buttons and switches and has a confidence-inspiring build quality about it.

The 7” screen is bright, crisp and responsive, the built-in speakers (located discreetly on either end of the screen) reproduce music well, and the front and rear cameras (3MP and 5MP respectively) are as good as offerings in the tablet market today.

44 | connect | july 2011

Under the hood, that goodness continues. A 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage sit at the heart of the PlayBook. The processor and RAM combination have been tuned for quick and elegant multitasking, picture-perfect high-definition video playback, and the delivery of great 3D gaming performance (as is clear from how well the tablet handles games such as the bundled ‘Need for Speed Undercover’).

Turn it on and you’re greeted by a new operating system (QNX).

Thankfully, it’s a familiar enough experience that will make any seasoned BlackBerry user feel right at home.

While there are new touch gestures that allow for quick switching between applications, the activation of new context menus and new notification areas for alerts like the arrival of new e-mails, RIM have set up the environment in such a way that the PlayBook feels a lot like the BlackBerry OS 6 on the Torch and Bold 9780.

The Web browser included with the PlayBook is fantastic, rendering pages quickly and allowing for simultaneous browsing of numerous sites using tabs. Most importantly, it fully supports Adobe Flash, something about which RIM have been making a pretty big deal.

Multimedia is equally impressive on the PlayBook and in addition to wide picture, audio and video codec support, users can share the PlayBook’s 16GB of flash storage on their wireless network and swiftly copy new media to the device over the air.

Another nice addition is the bundled Word, Sheet and Slideshow ‘To Go’ applications. They’re capable of reading and writing to all modern document file formats and are great for taking work on the road or dealing with e-mail attachments.

Simple things like word processing and browsing the Internet are one thing – 3D gaming is an entirely different kettle of fish. The PlayBook’s

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Supports up to 7.2Mbps HSDPA and has a built-in battery for extra portability.

gaming performance is astounding. What truly blew us away was its ability to push high-definition video to an external, large-format monitor without a hitch, while doing something else, like browsing the Internet locally.

It’s crazy powerful. Despite that, however, the PlayBook is unlikely to appeal to people who don’t already own a BlackBerry device. That’s because the current implementation is Wi-Fi-only and lacks standalone e-mail, calendaring and contact management clients.

Instead of providing users with the ability to collect and view their corporate, or even consumer e-mail using a conventional e-mail client, RIM have built a feature called ‘BlackBerry Bridge’ into the PlayBook.

Bridge is the conduit that brings the e-mail and other information viewable on a conventional BlackBerry smartphone to the PlayBook over a secure Bluetooth connection.

Sever the Bluetooth connection, and e-mail, calendars, etc. disappear from the PlayBook. ‘Re-bridge’ the devices and that info is back again.

While there’s definite value in this approach for the business sector, it’s plain irritating in the consumer context. And it’s going to mean the PlayBook will only appeal to current BlackBerry users.

It’s a silly move and one that can only hurt the PlayBook in the long run, unless RIM (or one of the company’s third-party developers) build a stand-alone application in the coming months. Judging by the slow uptake RIM have experienced in third-party developers building PlayBook applications for their BlackBerry World application store, that could take some time.

Something that is promising, however, is the announcement RIM made recently around the upcoming availability of an ‘Android Application Player’. As its name suggests, it will allow for all Android

applications to be installed and used on the PlayBook – presumably through some emulation or other highly technical manoeuvres. That promise has yet to be fulfilled, however.

Sadly, right now, the PlayBook’s fantastic hardware and operating system are betrayed by some silly application choices on RIM’s part.

Thankfully, as Apple learnt with its first iteration of the iPhone, many of the issues can be solved with a software patch.

If RIM choose to address those niggles, the iPad will have some serious competition.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS

BlackBerry Bold 9780 The revamped ‘old-faithful’ in RIM’s smartphone line-up, the 9780, is a real workhorse and the perfect partner to the PlayBook’s BlackBerry Bridge feature.

• 1GHz processor • 1GB of RAM • 16GB of flash storage • 7” 1 024 x 600 WSVGA touchscreen • 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth connectivity • 3MP front-facing and 5MP rear-facing cameras Pros

Cons

• Solid, good-looking hardware • Powerful, efficient operating system • Flash-capable browser • Great multimedia support • Seven-hour battery life

• Lacks a native e-mail/ calendaring/contacts application • Requires a BlackBerry smartphone for full use • The shortage of applications is a serious challenge

Overall rating

Beats By Dre Studio The PlayBook is a multimedia beast that deserves decent sound production. These headphones offer the best in noise-cancelling technology and sound reproduction to keep the music pure.

www.connectmag.co.za | 45

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Canon Powershot S95 IS

Canon’s competing model, the Powershot S95 IS, has a smaller sensor, but makes better use of its pixels in low light. It also has a really good lens for night-time photography, but only sports regular HD video-recording.

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Sony Cybershot TX100V NEED TO KNOW • 16-megapixel photos • Full HD video-recording • 4 x optical zoom lens R3 999.95

SD Card Modern cameras capture large images, and the resulting files can be up to 5 or 6MB in size, before you’ve even started recording HD video. A 1GB card fills up quickly, so invest in a larger card as soon as you can afford it!

Lowepro Camera Bag Storing your camera safely is a top priority. Even as devices get more affordable, they’re still not cheap to replace.

Lowepro is one of the leading manufacturers of camera bags, and they can store your camera along with all its accessories.

46 | connect | july 2011

Sony’s latest efforts in the pocket camera market are really, really good. Over the past few months, we’ve looked at some of the cheaper models, but the TX100V is – as can be judged by its price – one of the higher-end point-and-shoot cameras from the Japanese manufacturer.

At around R4 000, it’s roughly twice the price of the two models we reviewed previously, the WX7 and the H70. It makes up for this by having its sleek body pack a few extras. Slide down that front cover and it reveals the front element of a 4 x optical zoom lens. The lens has a folding design, meaning it doesn’t extend outside the camera. All the movement for focussing and zooming happens inside the camera body.

Speaking of focus, this is one area where the TX100V offers something completely different. The 3.5” rear display is touch-enabled. In fact, there are no buttons at all on the rear of the camera. Selecting functions and navigating the menus is done by tapping the icons on the screen.

Focussing on a subject is also done by tapping a point on the display. The camera will lock focus to that point and track it even when you move the camera around. It’s really useful when taking photos of subjects that aren’t stationary.

The touchscreen interface is lacking in general user-friendliness, though. We found it to be a lot slower than using actual buttons, as would be found on a normal camera. The shutter button and power are hardware buttons, thankfully, so it’s easy to go from sliding down the lens cover to snapping a pic without having to use the touch display.

Using the entire back of the camera for a display sounds great, and it works fine when you’re taking photos indoors or at night. Use the TX100V in bright sunlight, however, and suddenly it’s very difficult to see what you’re recording or snapping. Most modern pocket cameras lack an optical viewfinder, even just for basic framing of a photo, so it’s

up to manufacturers to invest in displays that work better in all lighting conditions.

Where it matters, though, the Cybershot excels. Pictures are crisp and clear, with good colour reproduction. Even zoomed in at 100%, finer details can be discerned, in most lighting conditions. The full HD video footage also looks fantastic. Movement tracks well and there is no blurriness at all. Just make sure you have a computer that can play back full HD video before you go recording your entire holiday in that format. It requires a fast processor to play back because there is a lot of information to be decoded.

If anything, the TX100V lives up to that old adage, “you get what you pay for”. Cheaper cameras get the job done, but this one does everything a bit better, and the proof is in the final product: good-looking photos and crisp video footage. It’s not perfect – that touchscreen leaves us cold – but it’s a proper snapper that will record your memories as you remember them.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Still images: 16 megapixels • Video: Full HD video-recording • Storage: SD card or memory stick pro duo • Lens: 4 x optical zoom • ISO range: 125 – 3 200 • Rear display: 3.5”

Pros

Cons

• Very good image quality • Full HD videos look amazing • Sleek design

• Pricey • Only 4 x zoom • Touchscreen is not great

Overall rating

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Olympus Tough TG310 NEED TO KNOW • Waterproof to 3 metres • Shockproof up to 1.5 metres • HD video-recording and 14-megapixel stills R2 199.95

Our phones and cameras are, generally, the things most exposed to the risk of demise by meeting with the floor. Or, worse yet, an accidental spill while at a party. Nod your head in agreement if you’ve seen a phone or digital camera get a glass of beer or Coke all over it.

Carrying around life-proof gadgets isn’t always the answer. Panasonic, for instance, makes a very sturdy range of laptops called Toughbooks.

These are twice as heavy and twice as thick as regular laptops, but they come with all sorts of weatherproofing and shockproofing. In fact, they’re used by many construction site contractors and members of the US military.

You might be wondering how the Olympus Tough TG310 fits into this.

Well, it’s simple. The Panasonic Toughbook is nowhere near the kind of technology regular people would want to use every day. This sleek little Olympus camera, though, is perfect to slide into your pocket and carry around for casual use.

It’s rated shockproof for drops from 1.5 metres high. That might not seem very high, but it’s a guaranteed shock rating that’s 1.5m more than that of your average digital camera. It means the lens assembly and all other sensitive bits are reinforced, and you can carry on using the camera after it’s taken a tumble.

The waterproofing is more serious. Spill some juice on a regular point-and-shoot, and it’s tickets. The Olympus can take a swim in a vat of Liquifruit up to 3m deep. It’ll emerge pretty sticky, but that’s okay. Just run it under the tap and everything’s hunky dory. In a more apt usage scenario, you can use the Olympus to go snorkelling in the sea and it’ll perform perfectly, taking 14-megapixel snaps or recording 720P high-definition video.

Furthering its all-weather credentials is a temperature tolerance of up to -10 degrees. So if snorkelling’s not your thing, you can still take it skiing.

None of these things matter if the picture quality isn’t great. After

all, why would you want your mountain-climbing, SCUBA-diving and snowboarding to be recorded in blur-o-vision? Thankfully, the Olympus has a decent 3.6 x optical zoom lens, with internal zooming and focussing (this means no moving parts outside the camera). Overall image quality, in brighter light, is very good, but as soon as things start getting dim, the picture quality drops noticeably. It’s not endemic to the Olympus, though.

These are just some of the drawbacks of using smaller electronics in the newer cameras – the same problems are seen on Nikon, Canon and Sony cameras as well.

That said, a 14-megapixel photo will still look really good when printed on postcard-sized photo paper.

Our only real quibble with the Olympus is that its design belies the toughened credentials it boasts. We’re sure it’ll survive a drop, but we wouldn’t want to drop it – just in case. And part of its waterproofing means rubberised buttons. These are tiny, and difficult to really push in if you’ve got Rambo’s fingers. Get hands-on with one and test them out, because that’s the only thing that might stop you from getting one.

High-Capacity SD Card Large photos and HD footage end up consuming a lot of space. Get a spacious memory card for hundreds of photos or hours of footage, without needing to worry about running out of room.

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, chargers and more.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Still images: 14 megapixels • Video: HD video-recording • Storage: SD card • Lens: 3.6 x optical zoom • ISO range: 100 – 1 600 • Rear display: 2.7” • Extras: 3D photo mode, panorama mode, shock- and waterproofing, magic filter mode Pros

Cons

• Waterproofing works well • Creative modes are fun • Sleek design

• Image quality not spectacular • Buttons are fiddly • Feels a touch fragile

Overall rating

Joby Gorillapod This isn’t just an ordinary tripod – the Gorillapod has 3 flexible legs that let it be mounted on any surface.

Wrap it around a tree branch, a pole or just prop it up in the sand. It’s as durable and weatherproof as the TG310 itself!

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product reviews

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If a megazoom compact camera is your thing, Nikon’s Coolpix L120 might fit the bill.

It also has a 14-megapixel sensor, but has a slightly longer 21 x zoom from its lens. Bear in mind that it’s a touch more expensive.

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Video files can get quite large, and smaller cards can run out of space before your battery is flat. An 8GB card or larger is best, and they don’t even cost that much.

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48 | connect | july 2011

Fujifilm Finepix S2950 NEED TO KNOW • 14-megapixel sensor • Large, 3” LCD • 18 x optical zoom lens R1 999.95

With Nikon, Canon and Sony being the dominant brands in digital photography, it’s easy to forget that some of the smaller companies have been around for quite some time. Fujifilm, for instance, has been going since 1934. In 2009, it celebrated its 75th anniversary in the motion picture industry, where its professional cameras are still being widely used, In the consumer market, though, it fights for a small percentage of marketshare, alongside Olympus, Samsung, Panasonic, Kodak and others.

To help it remain competitive, the name of the game is specifications. In this case, a 14-megapixel sensor, 18 x optical zoom lens, panorama modes and HD video-recording.

The megapixel count is about standard, as far as point-and-shoot cameras go. In fact, between 12 and 20 megapixels is where we’re seeing most cameras settle at. Some high-end models boast fewer megapixels, while the point-and-shoot models can sport up to 18 megapixels – it’s all rather confusing.

Ultimately, though, anything over 10 megapixels is more than enough to print out on an A4 page, and that’s something very few people do (and those who do, do so at great expense). What you need is great image quality, without which your expensive camera could have images that look no better than those from a cheap cellphone camera.

Sadly, the Finepix S2950 doesn’t have that ultimate image quality.

Some of its competitors (yes, they might be a bit pricier but do match up on specifications) have crisp images in most lighting conditions, but the S2950 only really competes in daylight. As soon as lighting conditions are less-than-optimal, it cranks the ISO to capture more light, and this introduces unwanted noise to the photos. No matter how good your printer, an image from this Finepix won’t really look fantastic. Good, yes, but not superb.

This comes despite a nice 18 x optical zoom lens, which is at the upper

end of where we think a zoom lens should be. Anything more starts becoming difficult to use at full zoom, since big zoom lenses seriously magnify camera shake. Unless you have a very good image stabilisation system, or a hefty tripod, a 26 x or 30 x zoom lens is nothing more than a trump card for pub talk. The 18 x in here is ideal. On the opposite end of the scale, the S2950 can focus on items as close as 2cm when used in Super Macro mode – a real boon if you like taking detail shots of flowers or small objects.

The camera’s physical design is good, proving to be comfortable to hold, with buttons falling to finger quite nicely. Conversely, its menu system is a bit convoluted and finding certain functions is more effort than it should be. Fuji does have an “F” button on this camera, which gives instant access to adjust settings such as ISO, image size and image colour.

It has a decent feature set, but the picture quality is what keeps the S2950 from competing with cameras such as the Nikon L120. It is cheaper, though, and it’s in the value-for-money stakes that this is a good consideration. For around R2 000, there won’t be many, if any, cameras with a similarly versatile lens and general feature set.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Still images: 14 megapixels • Video: HD video-recording • Storage: SD card • Lens: 18 x optical zoom • ISO range: 64 – 6400 • Rear display: 3.0” Pros

Cons

• Really great zoom lens • Comfortable design • Large display

• Poor performance in low light • Unintuitive interface • Average image quality

Overall rating

product reviews

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Plantronics Audio Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset

If you prefer an in-ear headset, the Discovery 975 offers similar audio quality and noise-cancelling excellence for slightly less cash.

perfect companions

Samsung Omnia 7 Samsung’s first Windows Phone 7 phone is a good effort from Samsung, combining its own expertise in phone manufacturing with Microsoft’s fantastic new mobile operating system.

Apple iPhone 4 The Voyager Pro works brilliantly with Apple’s iPhone 4, enhancing its already good design with hands-free chatting, wherever you go.

50 | connect | july 2011

Plantronics Audio Voyager Pro Bluetooth Headset NEED TO KNOW • Business-class Bluetooth headset • Excellent noise-cancelling function • Very comfortable for extended use R1 099.95

The Voyager Pro Bluetooth headset is one of the best Bluetooth headsets we’ve ever tested. It’s everything headsets need to be: lightweight, comfortable and effective, with excellent audio quality and a battery that lasts a very long time, both when in use and when in standby mode. For the price, you’re going to struggle to find a better headset.

Not even the Plantronics Discovery 975 we reviewed last month can outperform this headset, even if the Voyager Pro is the bulkier of the two devices.

Bulkiness is, in fact, the Voyager Pro’s only real weakness when compared to other Bluetooth headsets, but this isn’t really much of a con as despite its size, the Voyager Pro is actually very comfortable. Looking at the image above, you’ll see that it’s an over-the-ear device as opposed to one that needs to be wedged in your ear canal to sit securely. Instead of this design making it more akin to a ‘90s-era headset, this serves to make the Voyager Pro very quick and easy to pick up and wear. If you’re not a fan of fiddling with an in-ear headset, you’ll definitely like this one.

Comfort plays a part in determining whether any given headset is for you, but the reason you’ll stick with a certain brand or model is the audio quality it delivers, and on this front, the Voyager Pro headset excels. Not only does it maintain crystal-clear audio for both you and whoever you’re talking to, the engineers at Plantronics have also built really good noisecancelling technology into the device. The name given to this handy tech is “IQ2”, and it is proprietary, which is a good indication of how awesome Plantronics believe it to be.

Having used the headset for a few weeks (paired with an iPhone), we have to agree. Using the headset in the car, walking in the street, standing outside at a braai, while watching TV, we were consistently impressed with how good the overall audio quality was. Conversations were never interrupted by questions of “are you there?”, and we would often question our chat partners about the audio quality, and the response was always a variation of “excellent”. Our own experience with phone audio on this

side of the device was similarly good. As a result, we give the headset a very enthusiastic “thumbs up”. The Voyager Pro headset is bulky because its case has to house the battery that keeps it going. This is nestled in the large plastic bit that rests behind the ear, and is also where the volume controls and Power buttons are. On the bit that goes into the ear is another button for redialling the last number and answering/ending calls. Once you get used to where everything is, operating the headset is a breeze.

If you like to talk, the Voyager Pro can keep you chatting for up to 6 hours, and has a standby time of 5 days. This means it takes 5 days for the battery to run down from a full charge, a number that (naturally) becomes smaller the more you use the device. These are good figures, and easily more than enough for everyday use, even by busy business people who are usually glued to their phones all day. In all, a fantastic product.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Talk time: Up to 6 hours • Standby time: Up to 5 days • Weight: 17.5g • Style: Behind-the-ear, fits left and right ears • Connection: Bluetooth 2.1 with enhanced data rate • Range: Up to 33 feet/10 metres • AudioIQ2 technology: Uses 2 3mm noise-cancelling microphones • Multipoint technology: Pairs with up to 2 devices at the same time • Charging: Over a microUSB connector • Charge time: 1.5 hours for a full charge • Controls: Power, volume up/down, call answer/end, mute, last number redial and more • Extras: MicroUSB cable, wall charger, multiple ear tips for different-sized ear canals Pros

Cons

• Crystal-clear audio for both parties • Noise-cancelling technology works really well • Excellent battery life for talking and standby

• There are smaller Bluetooth headsets out there • Easily noticeable when worn

Overall rating

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Sony WHG-SLK1 Mini Hi-Fi Shelf System NEED TO KNOW • High-quality mini hi-fi system/iPod dock/CD player • Compact enough to easily occupy a shelf • 9” LCD screen plays back DivX/MPEG4 movies and photos R2 999.95

Electronics giant Sony has brought out a small and compact hi-fi system that does it all. It acts as an iPod/iPhone docking station, it plays audio from a wide variety of sources that include memory cards, memory sticks and CDs, and it also has a built-in 9” LCD screen on which to view movies and JPEG photos. This all-rounder shows that Sony is taking the idea of a stereo system for the home and making it into something that will suit 21st century living rooms.

This is the hi-fi to buy if you’re interested in a stylish and competent sound system for your lounge or bedroom. On the looks front, the WHG-SLK1 enjoys Sony’s usual commitment to attractively-understated design so it’s almost entirely black. As black is a colour that’s always in style, it goes beautifully with the 9” LCD screen that dominates the centre console of the system.

The LCD screen sets the WHG-SLK1 apart from other mini hi-fi systems - it lets you watch DVDs and play back MPEG4 and DivX movie files. It even lets you show off your photos, doubling as a really fancy photo frame that will spruce up any modern living area. Sony isn’t known for skimping on quality, and the LCD screen is up to the Japanese company’s high standards in terms of clarity, image quality and overall brightness. It’s unlikely that anyone will regularly watch full-length movies on this system, but it’s almost certain that it will be used to show off family photographs. If nothing else, it’s a fantastic conversation-piece for when you have people over.

What makes the system so versatile is the sheer number of sources it can pull media from. It supports audio files stored in the .MP3, .AAC and .WMA formats, it reads DivX and MPEG4 movie files, and all you need to do is copy the desired media to a memory stick, memory card or just burn it all to a CD or DVD and the system will pick it up and play it. The menu system is very simple to navigate thanks to the intuitive layout and touch-sensitive controls located to the right of the screen. A remote control is also included to make operating the system even easier.

The system supports iPods and iPhones. Simply dock the device in the port located on top of the hi-fi, switch sources using the menu system and off you go. All models are supported as the dock is universal. If, for whatever reason, you’re not in the mood for your own songs and movies, you can always just tune into the radio.

If any stereo’s sound quality isn’t up to scratch, you may as well not bother with it. We’re happy to report that Sony’s WHG-SLK1 sounds really good with rich, warm audio that is loud but not overpowering, making it fantastic for everyday listening. The speakers are only rated at 100W, but this offers more than enough overall volume for casual home use.

We were very impressed with this micro hi-fi system. While it’s a little on the pricy side, it is a Sony product and thus offers excellent sound and looks to match, and we’re confident that it will make a stylish addition to any modern living room or bedroom.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS

Burn CDs and DVDs, edit videos and back up your important data with this excellent multimedia suite from Nero.

SanDisk 4GB SD Card

• Display: 9” LCD screen • Controls: Touch sensitive buttons • Speakers: 100W • Optical drive: Built-in DVD player • Supported file formats: .MP3, .AAC, .WMA, DivX, MPEG4 • Ports: USB, Memory Stick, SD card • Dock: Supports iPods, iPhones, charges devices when docked • Radio receiver: Built-in • I/O: Video in/out ports • Form Factor: Slim

SD cards are even more convenient than memory sticks for storing data as they’re smaller and easier to carry and store. 4GB of memory card storage is great value for money.

Pros

Cons

• Fits comfortably on a shelf • LCD screen is a pleasant twist on regular stereo system design • Pulls media from a large number of sources

• Maximum volume level could be louder • Does an audio system really need a big LCD screen?

Overall rating

Nero Multimedia Suite 10

Verbatim DVD-R 50-pack

DVDs are as cheap now as they’ve ever been. Grab a stack of 50 and pay less per DVD than even blank CDs cost ten years ago.

www.connectmag.co.za | 51

product reviews

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Samsung Galaxy S II

Samsung’s flagship phone based on Android 2.3 boasts the best of everything. If you’re more suited to Google’s online services, this is for you.

HTC Mozart

Smaller and lighter, with rounded edges, HTC’s offering in the Windows Phone 7 space is worth considering. Identical functionality, similar features.

iPhone 4

Apple’s hardware might be ageing, but it’s still a strong contender for your hard-earned cash and the benchmark against which other smartphones are measured.

52 | connect | july 2011

Samsung Omnia 7 Smartphone NEED TO KNOW • Based on Windows Phone 7 OS • Works well with Microsoft’s Live services • 4” Super AMOLED touchscreen • 5MP camera TBA

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is a competent and responsive operating system for smartphones, but it’s not getting the response from consumers the company had expected. And that’s sad, considering how easy to use, powerful and polished it is.

Phones based on the new operating system, such as Samsung’s Omnia 7, do all of the essential things you expect from a modern smartphone – e-mail, calendaring, contact management, Web browsing, multimedia and social networking.

What makes them unique, however, is their support of Microsoft’s ‘Live’ ecosystem, which consists of the usual e-mail, cloud-based storage and blogging services, as well as support for the online gaming community Microsoft has built through Xbox Live, and online music/ video purchasing provided by the Zune marketplace (not available in South Africa, as yet).

It’s all quite convincing. Samsung’s newly released Omnia 7 is their second handset based on Windows Phone 7, but the first of Samsung’s Windows Phone 7 offerings to make an appearance on South African shores.

And while it doesn’t have the top-end hardware specifications of Samsung’s Galaxy S II, the components under the hood in the Omnia 7 do a great job of powering Microsoft’s mobile operating system.

The 4” Super AMOLED touchscreen is bright and crisp, and delivers the same responsiveness Samsung phones have become renowned for. The 1GHz application processor from Qualcomm ensures snappy application performance and a great experience whether users are looking up

information, enjoying video, browsing the Web or gaming.

Samsung’s inclusion of Qualcomm technology is also responsible for the Omnia 7’s speedy data connectivity, with download speeds of up to 7.28Mbps and upload speeds of up to 5.76Mbps.

The final notable feature on the hardware front is a 5MP digital camera, which allows for good stills shooting, HD video-recording and, thanks to Samsung’s enhanced camera experience, simple and quick photo-sharing to a number of different social networking sites.

Overall, the combination of Microsoft’s new phone operating system and Samsung’s hardware makes for a very nice package.

For those who are desperately looking to break the Apple/Android/ BlackBerry mould, it’s a breath of fresh air. For those embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem, it’s a dream come true.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Processor: 1GHz Qualcomm processor • Storage: 8GB flash memory • Display: 4” Super AMOLED • Imaging: 5MP camera • Connectivity: HSPA 7.2Mbps wireless radio • Networking: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Pros

Cons

• Good-looking, solid build quality • Samsung’s signature Super AMOLED screen • Great integration with Microsoft Live and Xbox Live services

• Lacks online music/video purchasing in South Africa • Limited applications available today

Overall rating

More than you imagined

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Epson EH-TW450 Projector NEED TO KNOW

Sony PlayStation 3 Hook a PS3 up to the TW450 and watch Blu-ray movies in 720p and play games on a huge screen! Bigger here is definitely better.

DiRT 3 (PS3) Race across exotic locales in this thrilling and beautifullycrafted driving game, and make the experience all the better by doing it on a huge screen!

Dell Vostro V3500 Impressing the boss with your good taste in technology is as easy as buying this powerful and attractive yet affordable business notebook and pairing it up with Epson’s EH-TW450 projector.

54 | connect | july 2011

• Very affordable HD (720p) projector • Excellent for occasional casual use • Projects an image of up to 10.5m R8 999.95

Epson’s EH-TW450 proved to be a pleasant surprise on a number of fronts, beyond even its surprisingly affordable price tag. Firstly, its native resolution is 1 280 x 720, which makes it capable of displaying 720p content. Technically, this makes it an HD projector. While 720p images aren’t as sharp as those of Full HD (1 920 x 1 080), the projector’s price more than makes up for it.

Secondly, it’s not a massively bulky product. As it lacks the embedded DVD player of the EH-DM3 (reviewed in our June issue), it’s rather slim and lightweight. It also comes with a carry case, which is very useful for storage and makes carrying it around a doddle. It’s got a bunch of buttons on top that control all of its functions. This is especially handy for the times the included remote control isn’t within easy reach or has been misplaced somewhere.

Like the DM3, this projector uses Epson’s excellent 3LCD projection technology that ensures bright and punchy colours. The projector’s rated brightness is 500 Lumens more than that of the DM3, and as a result its projected image remains visible, even in rooms lit by bright daylight.

Darkened rooms produce the best results, of course.

While good brightness is usually an all-round must-have when it comes to projectors, in this case it makes some blacks look a bit grey. For darker blacks, the projector can be set to Eco mode, which dims the bulb, thereby slightly reducing the punchiness of colours but improving the intensity of blacks. Eco mode also extends the lifespan of the bulb, increasing it from 3 000 hours to 4 000.

Brightness aside, the clarity offered by 720p video content comes through very nicely. Blu-ray movies played through a PlayStation 3 looked great, as did all of DStv’s HD channels. While sharper visuals are possible with a full HD projector, the detail and sharpness on offer here are fantastic for the price.

Media devices connect to the TW450 via HDMI, composite or VGA connections, and plugging them in and setting them up is as easy as pie.

There is a single built-in speaker but it’s tiny, rated at only 1W so it’s not good for anything more than very basic sound.

The real star of the TW450’s repertoire is the size of the screen it can project.

If you have a large enough room, you can have a screen that’s up to 10.5m across. That’s almost the size of a cinema screen! The smallest size you can have is just over 1m, which is about the size of a 40” HD TV, but of course you’ll want to go as big as you can. As the screen scales, some clarity is lost – especially if you look closely – but if you sit far enough away, it won’t be a problem.

Positioning the projector is probably the biggest challenge you will face.

Its lens cannot be adjusted to throw the image anywhere but straight in front of the device and it can only be adjusted to an angle of 11 degrees, so if used in a small room, it needs to be propped up with books or other objects until it is projecting at the desired angle.

The bottom line is that for less than R10 000, you can own a 720p projector. While this isn’t a product meant for hard-core cinemaphiles who insist on the absolute best when it comes to image quality, it’s more than good enough for casual viewing. It offers far sharper visuals than any standard-definition projector you care to name.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Projector technology: 3LCD • Native resolution: 1 280 x 720 (720p) • Aspect ratio: 16:9 • Projection distance: 1.2m to 10.5m • Special view modes: Dynamic, living room, theatre, game • Inputs: VGA, HDMI, Composite, RCA (sound) • Sound output: 1W mono speaker • Lamp life: 3 000 hours (Normal), 4 000 hours (Eco) • Tilt angle: 0 to 11 degrees • Auto keystone correction: Vertical: -30 to +30 degrees • Weight: Approximately 2.3kg Pros

Cons

• HD visuals at an excellent price • Bright colours thanks to 3LCD technology • Maximum screen size is huge

• Blacks can sometimes appear more grey than black • Noticely noisy • Built-in speaker is not very loud

Overall rating

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Iomega Screenplay Plus

The media player market has tons of variety, and Iomega is another brand that has a really good media player available. It’s slightly smaller than the Mede8er, but lacks some of the nicer functions (such as online movie lookup).

Mede8er MED 500X NEED TO KNOW • Multimedia player • High-definition output • Network capabilities R3 699.95

A few months ago, these review pages featured the Mede8er MED 200X, a media player that could handle all your video, audio and photos stored on an external hard drive. It was nice, but we criticised its lack of networking, and one or two other features.

Hearing our calls, Mede8er sent us its flagship media player, the MED 500X. This actually released some time before the 200X, but things have changed since its original launch. So in addition to better specifications, the 500X also features new, enhanced functionality.

The main differences between this high-end model and the entry-level 200X are the inclusion of internal storage, an SD card reader and integrated network. Instead of just plugging in an external hard drive, using one of the two USB ports, you can now store files on the internal hard drive. In this model, there’s a 2-terabyte drive, with enough storage for 320 highdefinition movies, or around 2 000 standard-definition films.

The MED 500X also sports networking functionality, in the form of an Ethernet port. Mede8er says there is a USB wireless adapter available, should you wish to keep your lounge wire-free while still endowing the MED500X with Internet connectivity, or want access to network shares containing more multimedia files. It’s also possible to share content that is stored on the Mede8er with other network devices, such as a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. The Mede8er can be a centralised media hub for the main TV, while the consoles can act as extenders in other rooms.

The MED500X has a full complement of digital and analogue connectors, too. There’s an HDMI port for hooking it up to your high-def LCD or plasma, and separate digital audio outputs should you wish to have audio played through an external AV receiver. Ironically, the MED200X was

designed for users on a budget and only had digital connectors, while the MED500X has analogue video and audio connectors, including a standarddefinition composite video output. Those were last used exclusively almost ten years ago.

But the interface for the MED500X is the real star here. Thanks to Internet connectivity and internal storage, it has full media library functions. Movies stored on the hard drive can have their information looked up online, replete with movie posters, cast information and other data. This makes it even more convenient to use digital versions of DVDs or Blu-rays, since neither disc format offers this extra information, never mind offering it in a centralised repository with single-click functionality.

The interface isn’t the sexiest around, but it is very functional. There are multiple views for arranging your movies on screen, and the only real hassle is navigating large media libraries. Then again, if you have more than 500 movies and a few hundred albums, there is hardly an easy way to manage everything.

Logitech Harmony 900 Universal Remote

As mentioned, the remote control for the Mede8er isn’t the best in the world.

Functional, yes, but the layout is not great and it might be a bit too complicated for casual users. A Logitech Harmony 900 can be programmed to control the Mede8er, and is a whole lot nicer to use.

perfect companions

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Outputs: HDMI, optical and coaxial audio, composite video, component video, RCA audio • Inputs: 2 x USB ports • Storage: 2TB internal storage, SD card slot • Networking: Ethernet, optional wireless Pros

Cons

• Internal storage • SD card reader • HDMI output

• Clunky remote • Slightly unintuitive interface • No wireless as standard

Overall rating

1TB External Hard Drive If you’ve got a large media collection, but still swap files with friends or need to transport large amounts of media, an external hard drive is ideal. The Mede8er will let you copy files between the external drive and its internal storage.

www.connectmag.co.za | 55

product reviews related

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Dragon For PC

Not a Mac user? No problem!

Dragon’s had a PC version of its award-winning speech software for quite some time, and it’s only getting better with each new release. It’s just as accurate as the Mac version, and features all the extra bits as well.

Microsoft Office For Mac

You’ve got the power of your voice, and your computer understands it. Now it’s time to get your words onto virtual paper. Invest in a copy of Microsoft Office for Mac. It’s the best productivity suite you can buy, and Dragon integrates flawlessly with it.

perfect companions

Plantronics Audio 655 If the standard headset in the box doesn’t do it for you, the Plantronics Audio 655 headset would be a really good upgrade. It’s a stereo headset, so will suffice for gaming and music, but still has a proper boom microphone for dictating crystal-clear speech.

Dragon for Mac NEED TO KNOW • Speech recognition and dictation • Control your Mac with voice commands • Includes USB headset R2 499.95

There was a time, back in school, when writing 4-page essays felt like a lot of effort. Then we got computers and it felt like no work at all.

Typing is a lot less strenuous and uncomfortable. Plus, if you cheat and use a big font, four pages can be written in a few minutes.

On a serious note, computers have always been about making our lives easier, giving us the tools and means to speed up what we do, so that we can either do more of it or, hopefully, finish it sooner and have more free time to ourselves. One of those tools is speech recognition, and while it may not be perfect, the software has been refined over the years, bringing us closer than ever to using our voices to interact with our computers.

One software package, called Dragon Dictate, has been available for Windows computers for the longest time. It’s widely used in the legal fraternity, where dictation is an easier way to keep things on record than having a stenographer or court reporter on hand. Now, Dragon is finally available for Mac users.

The software, as on Windows, integrates perfectly with the regular running of the computer. It can be used to launch applications and navigate the operating system using simple, logical voice commands.

Composing an e-mail, Word document or browsing a Website can all be done using voice.

Of course, dictation is what Dragon is all about, and that’s where it

excels. Aside from having to say “comma” when inserting a comma, and “full stop” to end sentences, it’s all very natural. Should the package not know a word, or incorrectly transcribe it, you can train it with that word’s pronunciation. After all, South African accents vary wildly, and common words sound different when a computer hears them, even though our brains interpret them just fine.

This accuracy does come at a cost, though. When first setting up the package, you’ll have to spend about 20 minutes training it to recognise your voice. It also requires a dedicated USB headset to operate: the built-in microphone on your Mac will not work with this. Fortunately, a decent Plantronics headset is included in the box, so unless you want something more versatile, you won’t need to splash out any money.

System Requirements • Processor: Intel-based Mac • Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 or newer • Other: USB port for headset

Pros

Cons

• Very accurate speech recognition • Operating system commands • Small installation size

• Uses a lot of memory • Requires a bit of training • A touch pricey

Overall rating

56 | connect | july 2011

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book reviews

HTML5 Step by Step

NEED TO KNOW • By Faithe Wempen • 416 pages

Novice computer users interested in building Websites will need a working knowledge of the new HTML5 standard, and this book works as an excellent introduction to the topic. Experienced Web developers, on the other hand, should look elsewhere for more advanced HTML5 information.

HTML5 Step by Step starts off by teaching basic HTML development principles so that new users don’t form bad coding habits, and then delves into the new features offered by HTML5. Everything it covers, it covers with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish the task at hand, and as such there is a great deal of text to go through. Fortunately, it’s all easy to understand thanks to the crystal-clear language used, so beginners won’t have any problems keeping up.

If you’re just starting out with Web development, this book will give you a good foundation on which to build.

QuickBooks 2011: The Missing Manual

NEED TO KNOW • By Bonnie Biafore • 720 pages

Anyone struggling to master QuickBooks 2011 should pick up a copy of this book. It’s huge, so it covers everything QuickBooks is capable of. This includes the basics like getting started and setting up the software to suit the company whose books it is meant to be looking after.

Most usefully, it covers many uncommon tasks in the kind of depth needed to understand exactly what is required of the user. Need to find out how to handle bad debts? The book has step-by-step instructions outlining exactly what you need to do. This and many other tasks are covered, with an easy-to-reference index at the back that helps you locate what you need 58 | connect | July 2011

quickly and easily. This book is excellent for users of all levels, whether you’re just starting out with QuickBooks or are a veteran user interested in exploring the software’s hidden depths.

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010 Quicksteps

NEED TO KNOW • By Carole Mathews • 240 pages

This Quickstep book is all about making Microsoft’s excellent PowerPoint 2010 presentation software do what you want it to. It uses big, colourful illustrations, clear language and a host of tips to have readers putting together slick presentations quickly and easily.

It’s not a comprehensive, learn-everyfunction book, but it’s great for people interested in getting to the interesting stuff quickly. By going through the book, readers will learn all about PowerPoint 2010’s ins and outs, and the author provides handy tips on the best way to do things, as well as a few on what not to do.

Shortcuts to common tasks, pitfalls to watch out for and helpful suggestions on alternate ways to do things are all covered here. It’s not the most comprehensive book on PowerPoint 2010, but readers interested in boosting their knowledge from basic to intermediate will find a lot to like here.

game reviews //By christo van Gemert

DiRT 3 R599.95 It’s hard to believe that the first rally game from Codemasters came out 13 years ago. In 1998, when the original Colin McRae rally released on the PlayStation, it was groundbreaking. Cars could incur both physical and mechanical damage, a departure from what people were used to in games like Gran Turismo, the only other console simulation game at the time.

Even the graphics were amazing, with the game’s real-world rally locations featuring realistic-looking environments. The cars would even accumulate mud, dust or snow, depending on the environment.

The physics were also convincing, with cars sliding around on ice and gravel, bogging down in mud and sticking to asphalt surfaces as expected.

All of these things went a long way to making the game more engrossing, challenging and fun.

They’re also the things that were present in subsequent Colin McRae Rally games, until the series took a turn for the less serious in 2007, with the release of Colin McRae DiRT. The graphics were good, but the game was less about rally and focused more on other off-road disciplines. The cars also didn’t behave as they would in real life. DiRT 2 greatly improved on this, but still didn’t feel like a convincing rally game.

DiRT 3, though, has some of the magic of the original Colin McRae games, despite the late rally champ’s name no longer featuring on the box. To make up for it, some of the 50+ cars in DiRT 3 bear his name or boast liveries he once used. Even better, the rally cars – ranging from ‘60s classics all the way to modern turbo-charged monsters – actually behave as such when driven on all the rally stages across the 9 locations in the game. There are snowy stages in Norway, the infamous forest gravel stages in Finland, dusty back roads in Michigan, USA, and treacherous sandy roads in Kenya, to name just a few. These locations are also affected by various weather conditions, and the day-night lighting model means you’re either driving into a blinding sunrise or relying heavily on your co-driver and headlights in the middle of the night.

A big part of the game’s racing features rally cars, but there are also other disciplines involved. Rallycross has multiple cars on track at once racing for position. Trailblazer has you braving high-speed stages without a co-driver in 800-horsepower beasts. There are even events with stadium trucks, just to mix things up.

All of these races are available in multiplayer, along with a few twists.

There’s a capture-the-flag mode, where a flag-carrying car has to evade pursuing vehicles, and so on. For true racing fans, the hardcore mode removes all driving assists and forces the (amazing-looking) cockpit view – a gruelling experience that’s not for the faint-hearted.

DiRT 3 has it all: the cars, the locations, beautiful graphics, authenticfeeling car-handling and, most importantly, bucket-loads of fun. If you’re a beginner and just want to go fast, it’ll accommodate you, and petrolheads can get a kick out of it once they start turning off the driving assists.

60 | connect | July 2011

NEED TO KNOW • 9 locations and 100+ routes • Share replays on YouTube • Modern and classic rally cars

>>Get this<< WRC 2010 Sadly, DiRT 3 lacks the official World Rally Championship locations and routes, and if you really need to get the most authentic experience, then WRC 2010 has what you need. The cars don’t feel as good as they do in DiRT, and the graphics are a bit wanting, but it’s still a fulfilling rally experience.

>>Consider this<< Forza 4 It’s only releasing in October this year, but Forza 4 will be one of the best-looking and most realistic on-track racing experiences this year.

Along with tons of hyper-detailed cars and new locations across the world, it will have 16-player racing, Kinect support for head tracking and even narration by Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson.

www.connectmag.co.za | 61

game reviews

Zumba Fitness

NEED TO KNOW

uDraw GameTablet including uDraw Studio

NEED TO KNOW • THQ’s artistic tablet accessory – perfect for creativity • Change colours, brushes, or canvases with your toolbox at the flick of a button • Colour in from a library of fun templates • Watch how a work of art is created stroke-by-stroke for a true learning experience A lot of the Wii accessories available at the moment are nothing more than life-size Wii-mote cases that turn your controller into a tennis racket, racing wheel or gun. The uDraw GameTablet is something new for the console, and offers creative gamers of all ages even more Wii fun. While it may not be a professional graphics tablet, the uDraw GameTablet is an innovative addition to gameplay (Pictionary!) and will be available in HD for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles later this year. uDraw Studio is bundled with THQ’s GameTablet and it’s more than a game – it’s a graphical imaging programme that allows anyone to unleash their inner artist. You can paint, draw or colour-in anything from the simple to the sophisticated. There are 11 different surfaces to work on, from canvas to whiteboard or cardboard, a piece of newspaper or the sidewalk – all you need to do is pick something inspiring. Next, you’ll select a tool of creation – and there are many from which to choose! You can draw with a pen, crayon or chalk, paint with a brush, sponge or airbrush and also adjust your brush size and transparency. There are also pre-set colour wheels, or you can customise your own palettes if need be.

For young artists, uDraw Studio can be as simple as clicking colours into pictures (using the colouring-in book templates) or choosing from a library of fun stamps. Adults can work in detail, zooming into the pixel. Sharing finished images is easy using the in-built SD card reader. Put simply: uDraw Studio has all the creativity of art but none of the mess. R699.95

Dance Central Completely free from any controller, every routine has authentic choreography for beginners and experts alike to master, alongside a killer soundtrack that spans today’s current Pop, HipHop and R&B artists.

>>Coming Soon<< Wii U

Look out >> for <<

Get >> this <<

62 | connect | july 2011

Music and videogames make for a winning combination – just take a look at the success of SingStar + Dance (PS3) or Dance Central (Xbox 360). But if you really love to party, then Zumba Fitness’ catchy mix of Latin rhythms and different movements (Reggae, Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Hip-Hop, Mambo, Rumba, Flamenco and Calypso) will leave you exhausted but smiling. You’ll be moving around so much, the 20-minute routines, which vary in difficulty, will fly by. Zumba Fitness also gives you the opportunity to learn the moves, step-by-step, or dance with a friend to try to earn the highest workout score. You can even have a dance-off in the Zumba Attack multiplayer mode. Getting fit has never been this fun… R449.95

>>Consider this<<

uDraw Pictionary Using the uDraw GameTablet, uDraw Pictionary is an all-ages party game that has been reinvented with 3 000 clues (junior and adult) and new modes to make your TV a canvas and the gamer an artist.

• 9 different dance styles • 30 infectious music tracks and routines • Dance yourself fit and have fun doing it

An exciting new console from Nintendo that includes a controller with a 6.2” screen, accelerometer and a gyroscope, a rumble feature, an inwardfacing camera, a microphone and speakers, as well as the Classic Controller button scheme. Watch this space!

Just Dance 3 Featuring more than 40 tracks across a wide range of musical genres (including Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B, Disco, Funk and more), Just Dance 3 introduces a number of new game features that take advantage of the unique mechanics of the PS3 Move and Xbox Kinect.

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 //By Deon du plessis

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

NEED TO KNOW • Rich and complex RPG for mature players • Engaging storyline with multiple endings • Stunningly-rendered game world The Witcher 2 is a gritty yet compelling RPG with mature themes woven into its very fabric. It brings together mature storytelling with absolutely incredible visuals, brilliantlyexecuted swordplay and a cast of characters you’ll not soon forget. If you’re a fan of role playing games in general and the first Witcher game in particular and you’re over 18, this is definitely the game for you.

Why over 18, you may ask? That’s because the Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a gritty game with very mature themes.

What’s so remarkable here is that this hasn’t been done for shock value, or as a cheap marketing ploy a-la Duke Nukem – it’s been done because this is a game for gamers who are growing up, and for whom traditional kid-friendly RPGs just aren’t rich and deep enough to hold their interest.

The game tells the story of Geralt of Rivia, the character from the first game, as he struggles to recover the memories that will help him learn who he is, exactly. What he is, is established already – he’s a Witcher, a monster-hunter with incredible combat prowess, and as the game opens we find him wrongfully incarcerated for the murder of the King. His story is slowly introduced as he recalls the events that brought him there during an interrogation, and segues neatly into the game’s main storyline as he escapes to find answers.

The main antagonist – the king-killer of the game’s subtitle - is revealed early on, making the game less about finding the killer and more about the political intrigue that

ensues as a consequence. Geralt finds himself embroiled in the intrigue, and as he explores his own past and uncovers more about himself along the way, the choices he makes affect the story’s many twists and turns. There are 16 possible endings to The Witcher 2, all affected by the choices the player makes throughout the game, and these are seldom easy or clear-cut.

There are no wrong or right choices in The Witcher 2, there are only consequences. This gives the game a huge amount of replay value, which is good since it’s only about 40 hours long.

Plus, players will want to go back as the game world is just so incredibly beautiful, lovingly-detailed and rich.

This isn’t an easy game, however. Geralt will die, a lot, until the player learns the combat mechanics and levels up a bit.

This rewards diligent players, and serves to make combat very satisfying, but it can be frustrating at times. Several bossbattles are quite tough as well, made somewhat worse by annoying Quick-Time Events. Still, overall its mechanics come together nicely to give players a very satisfying gameplay experience.

If you’ve been looking for a brilliantly-executed RPG that doesn’t insult your intelligence, that’s stunning to look at even on PCs that don’t meet the recommended specifications, and you’re over 18, The Witcher 2 will give you a lot to smile about R399.95

>>Get this<<

>>Consider this<<

Fable 3

Duke Nukem Forever

It doesn’t get much more family-friendly than Peter Molyneux’s Fable franchise. The latest game is chock full of humour and stuffed with tons of fun things to do.

If non-thinking games are more your style, grab a copy of Duke Nukem Forever and blast alien bad guys with an assortment of over the top weapons. Hail to the King, baby!

64 | connect | July 2011

©2 Bo

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

Steel Diver

MX vs. ATV Alive

NEED TO KNOW

NEED TO KNOW

• An action-packed submarine combat game • Strategic gameplay for fast thinkers • A challenging multiplayer mode

• Total control of both the rider and bike • Advanced real-time track deformation • More than 50 professional riders

you navigate the underwater puzzles. A nice touch is the periscope mode where you can spin around (using the in-built gyroscope), looking for enemy ships to destroy. Even though the presentation isn’t as exciting as some of the other 3DS titles, the gameplay is addictive.

R499.95

>>Consider this<< Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon A prologue to the blockbuster hit, experience the ultimate battle between the Autobots and Decepticons, as well as new characters (from the movie) and Stealth Force gameplay.

Red Faction: Armageddon

NEED TO KNOW • Third person Sci-Fi shooter • Destroy scenery in spectacular fashion

66 | connect | July 2011

MX vs. ATV Alive could be labelled as a more casual look at motocross. Without a defined career mode, massive vehicle listing and only two event types on offer, hardcore fans might be put off. The good news is that Alive still has an advanced control system and, in addition to the fiercely competitive gameplay, contains realistic graphical improvements like real-time terrain deformation that changes the track with

Coming >>soon<<

If you’ve ever wanted to man a submarine, Steel Diver is a game that successfully captures that experience.

From the atmospheric sound effects to the tranquillity of the ocean, you probably won’t notice the bare environments and similar-looking levels… at first.

Pick one of three modes, choose a submarine and soon you’ll have torpedoes shooting at you (in full 3D) as

every lap. The more you race, the more XP you’ll unlock – great for extra customisation options such as better parts for your bike or rider abilities that can improve recovery… or collisions, if you’re that way inclined. With a reduced price tag, Alive will keep you on the track (in an attempt to unlock more content) and online, racing against friends. R349.95

MotorStorm Apocalypse Pick and customise supercars, muscle cars, superbikes, choppers and more in addition to the legendary mix of MotorStorm classics, then take part in more than 40 unique races, with tracks changing for each visit.

When a terraforming machine is sabotaged by a sinister cult, Mars’ human colonists are forced underground.

Unwittingly – or perhaps not – these cultists awaken long-dormant insectile Martian life forms, and they’re not friendly. Darius Mason, grandson to the hero of Red Faction: Guerrilla, takes up arms against the Martians in an effort to save Mars’ human inhabitants from destruction.

In the process, he wreaks wholesale third-person destruction using a slew of new weapons, including the awesome magnet gun that lets players select two points (an enemy and a building, for example) which are then attracted powerfully towards each other with spectacular results, animated brilliantly by the game’s incredible destruction engine. Stunning graphics, engaging destruction-intensive gameplay that includes several frenetic multiplayer modes and ridiculously powerful weapons make for a fantastic game that fans of the series will love. R599.95

>>Get This<< Operation Flashpoint: Red River While many say Red River can’t compete with other games in the genre (like Call of Duty), the singleplayer storyline and drop-in-drop-out co-operative play make this title an intense and enjoyable tactical shooter.

>>Consider this<< Brink Bethesda’s Brink is the latest team-based shooter on the market, and blends singleplayer, co-op and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless gaming experience. Brink has lots of appealing detail, like the ability to customise your character.

tech tannie

Tech Tannie laughs in the face of danger dodges exploding RAM like Jet Li, and answers your questions while balancing on the end of a screwdriver – the device, not the drink…

issue of the month: Q:

I have some issues with my Mac. There is an app that, for some reason, just keeps bouncing in the dock but doesn’t open. And I also recently ran a Software Update and was hit by a whack of software update errors. Is something seriously wrong with my Mac? Shocked Simmie in Stellenbosch

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 | July 2011

From all the questions coming in this month, it looks like Apple is becoming a bit of an enfant terrible.

Fortunately, thanks to my inner fruit tree, I am able to help you with these tricky problems. Firstly, you need to use the incredibly helpful Force Quit tool to stop your naughty app from bouncing around without performing. To do this, hold down Command+Alt+[esc] all at the same time. Got it? Poof, up will come the Force Quit window like magic. Quit the app and then try to relaunch it. If it is still misbehaving, you may have an application that doesn’t like your particular brand of OS X. Try restarting and opening it again. If you still have no luck, drop me a mail telling me what Mac you have, your OS X, and which app, and I’ll figure it out for you. The next little problem is strangely similar to your first. The Software Update application, while a very handy little chap, can cause your OS X to sulk. OS X is based on permissions and if your permissions have become corrupted, they can cause the system to refuse access and privileges. Go to applications, select Utilities, open Disk Utility and choose your boot drive. Select Repair Disk Permissions and when this has all been done and dusted, try updating the software again.

This should now be working just fine.

Q:

I have spent the last hour fruitlessly trying to find a file on my Mac. I know it’s there. I wrote it and saved it and clearly did not delete it, and yet I cannot find this file anywhere. It’s driving me crazy.

Lost in LLandudno

A:

Ja, I have had that happen to me loads of times. It doesn’t matter whether it’s my Mac or PC. I forget to make sure a file is neatly saved into a specific folder, smash the Save button without a care in the world, and then spend the next five days searching for it while eating through my keyboard in frustration.

Fortunately, both systems happen to have a, cough, system for finding lost things. The Mac actually has a very good search function that is up there as one of the best in the biz. And I say that reluctantly as a pretty much PC-focused gal.

The Spotlight Search system on the Mac can be found by clicking on the Spotlight icon that looks like a small blue circle with a magnifying glass inside. It’s hanging about at the top right-hand corner of the menu bar. Click on it and write the name of the file into the box. You can even search by date, or by type of file if you can’t remember the name. And if you can only remember part of the title, just type in what you remember. The Spotlight search will kick in and will hunt down all the files with that name. If you aren’t getting any joy with Spotlight, press Commad +[F] to open the search window so you can track down the file more ruthlessly and with tighter, or looser, parameters. If you still can’t find it, ask yourself one very important question: was I working on this machine when I pressed Save?

Q:

I have just been given an Apple wireless keyboard to use with my iPad, but I have no idea how to get the iPad to recognise it. I’ve turned them both on and off simultaneously, pressed the on/off switch, but nothing is working. Wireless Worries in Welkom

A:

Ag bokkie, this is something so simple to fix, but it’s easy to understand why you got your knickers in a knot. First off, don’t worry about simultaneous start-ups or anything like that.

The process is actually very easy and you will kick yourself when you see HOW easy. Turn on your iPad

and go to Settings, then to Wireless settings. Turn on your wireless keyboard. On the iPad, you’ll see a section that says “Wireless Devices”; simply click on Connect and, boom, the iPad will find the keyboard, and they will work together like they were made for each other. Oh, wait…

Q:

My iPad is not charging when I connect it to my PC or laptop.

Why? Pete in Potch

A:

Ek is lief vir die iPad, but boy, can it be a pain!

When I first hooked up Cookie (the name of my first iPad) to my PC, it calmly (and, I felt, infuriatingly) informed me that it wasn’t charging. This is because the iPad demands a high-powered USB port to charge. It is a hungry monster (hence the name Cookie) that wants a lot of juice. I recently read that if you plug an iPad into a MacBook first, it will charge, albeit slowly, because the MacBook will allocate it a high power charge. If you plug in anything else first, it’s unlikely to respond and you’ll get the same frustrating “not charging” symbol.

The best and fastest way to charge your iPad is to stick it into the mains. You can’t really beat that for fast and effective iPad-charging. Sorry, hey.

www.connectmag.co.za | 69

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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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2011/01/20 3:09 PM

disconnect //By adam oxford

One cable to rule them all...

A

couple of years ago, policy makers for the European Union did the kind of Very Good Thing they occasionally do but very rarely get credit for. It was a thing that simultaneously promised to make life easier for its citizens and be good for the environment too.

What was it? In 2009, they persuaded all mobile phone manufacturers, including Apple, to sign up to a memorandum of understanding that all smartphones should use a standardised USB interface for data transfer and charging. That memorandum is slowly making its way through the tortuous and fusty legislative process of Olde Europe, but will eventually become law.

Why is this such a good thing? Because it cuts down on the amount of different chargers and cables you’ll need at home, and if you lose the cable for one device, it won’t matter – any generic micro USB lead will do the trick. For the same reasons, it’s environmentally-friendly as it means less cables and chargers being manufactured and shipped.

What’s more, because Apple will be covered by the legislation, it means all those beautifully designed iPod and iPhone docks and

72 | connect | July 2011

speakers should work with any smartphone or MP3 player in the future, since they’ll have the same connector on the bottom.

We can be grateful to Europe for this, because once it passes into law, the whole world will reap the benefits. Manufacturers won’t change their designs for African markets – we’ll all get the onesize–fits-all plugs. Thank you.

Except that... I’ve been playing around with the latest multitouch tablets recently, the new designs from ASUS, Acer, Samsung et al, which are squaring off against the iPad for the future of portable computing. They’re great, genuinely brilliant. All of them.

Really, they are. I’ve replaced my netbook with an ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and doubt I’ll be looking back.

But they all have their own unique chargers and USB docking cables. It’s like standardisation never even happened.

What’s worse is that because they require more power than is provided by a USB port, you can’t even charge them by plugging them into your PC. With the Transformer it’s particularly confusing: there’s just an iPod-style (but not compatible) dock on the bottom that comes with one very short USB cable and serves as the data transfer port and charger. Except that even though it looks like it charges over USB, it doesn’t. That’s going to confuse a lot of people.

Worse, you can’t even buy replacement cables in the shops yet, so if you lose one, the entire machine is kaput.

This is a disaster. It feels like we were just getting close to making mobile phones easier to build and more user-friendly, and now we’re back to square one for portable devices.

Given that I really do think these things will be as ubiquitous as the mobile phone one day, this issue needs addressing sooner rather than later. We can’t let computer manufacturers get away with these stupid, pointless design decisions that make everyone’s life marginally less happy.

Let’s go further than making them standardise on one cable, though. The future, my friends, is wireless power: no cables at all, just efficient transfer of electricity from one surface to another via the wonders of electromagnetic induction. No more adaptors to lose, no more cables to break. No more writing off tech because you forgot to unplug it during a thunderstorm.

Don’t believe me? The technology exists now, and is both safe and cheap: one company has been using it in water pumps for use in development projects in rural villages in India. Take a look at fultoninnovation.com, then start demanding it.

Copyright© 2010 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved. Symantec, the Symantec Logo, Norton, Norton 360, and NortonLive are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.

New tablets mean new cables?

CopyrightŠ 2010 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved. Symantec, the Symantec Logo, Norton, Norton 360, and NortonLive are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.

Microsoft, Internet Explorer, Outlook, Windows, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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