TODO TODAY December 2013
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NYE GIG GUIDE D
ecember is good for two things, and only two things: blowing your mind at some awesome parties and blowing your cash on some unnecessary SWAG. This issue of ToDoToday is dedicated to the pursuit of accomplishing these two activities in un-matched glory and style. First off, our pick of the December get togethers is definitely the return of the master himself: Carl Cox. After 13 years and for one night only, Cox will be rocking the Cape Town International Convention Centre to it’s foundations. This is more than just a concert, it’s a chance for South Africa to impress this 30 year veteran DJ with how far and long our Electronic Dance Music scene has progressed in South Africa. Something tells us, he made the call to us and asked if he could visit. Not the other way round. And then it’s on to ridding yourself
What: Carl Cox Where: CTICC When: 31 December How Much: R470
party - ALL DAY
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of cash money. We locked our resident tech expert AskSteve.co.za in a room and only let him out once he could prove to us that every page of the internet had been trawled in the pursuit of the best and most mind-blowing gadgets on earth. We’re proud to present “Gadget Porn 2013”. Curved smartphones, bamboo bicycles and next level 3D printers are all on the list. We guarantee you that nothing on this list is older than 6 months...a lifetime in the tech world, and a feat no one else in SA seems capable of doing. But we haven’t forgotten about you petrolheads out there, check out our review of the all new Nissan Pathfinder as we try to save the reputation of the SUV by proving they make epic roadtrippers. This December, Go far, Go big but most importantly: GoDoStuff! PEACE!
ALSO INSIDE:
GADGET PORN 2013
our gig picks - 12AM
wheels - 9AM
Done it? Tweet it!! #GoDoStuff
The TDT staff’s top picks for your NYE party. Rated according to most likely to hook up, most likely to lose your friends and most likely to forget your name..
#1
What: HQ NYE Party Where: HQ When: 31 December How Much: R500 See the new year in with a bit of class, some canapes and a Ciroc to go with it. A 3 course dining experience to start off and some kicking tunes to end.
#2
A
nything bigger than a hatch these days gets the unenviable tag of “Mommy Wagon” and we don’t think that’s fair. It’s December, it’s roadtrip time and we’re determined to prove that SUVs are the ideal vehicle for it. Pile the team in, address in the GPS, and on a quickie to Bloem for the weekend we go. Nominee to save the SUV name: the new Nissan Pathfinder. Practical? Oh indeed. Seats everybody in comfort and enough space in the back for a weekend bag for all and a case of beers in the event we get there after dark. Exciting? We’d say so. Not what we’d call “tip of the spear entertainment abilities”, but you can Bluetooth connect phones and play tunage through the speakers, hands free calling is the obvious next step, speaker set-up satisfactory for drowning out the girls in the back who kept asking “can we stop and take a selfie there?”. Engine’s decent too, it’s Nissan’s 2.5-litre common rail turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine, a class leader with 140 kW and 450Nm. While we weren’t pulling anything on this trip, we could’ve thanks to the models class-leading towing ability. Comfy? Well half of us were dossing before we got past the
first E-Toll gantry, so that says a lot. It’s got all-round independent suspension giving each wheel the ability to independently address the road surface undisturbed by the other wheels. It also provides a lower centre of gravity and reduced vibration from impact shocks. Smoother than you were on Matric Dance eve. Offroad? Certainly. If there’s one thing growing up in SA has taught us it’s that there are only two truths in life: 1) there’s no place like home and 2) if you’re planning on getting stuck in sand, mud or water, plan to be in a Toyota or Nissan. Verdict? Yes, SUVs make the best roadtrippin’ vehicles. Other cars might offer you the luxury, the speed and the way better entertainment setup, but when you’re meandering through the awesome SA landscape on an unchartered dorp road with an ice-cream dripping down your hand and your mate telling you a joke you’ve heard before but are loving hearing again, there are few better places to be than in a back of an unpretentious, capable Nissan Pathfinder. Get it: R451k – R695k From: www.BrumaNissan.co.za
What: Nu World Eve Where: Founders Gardens, CT When: 31 December How Much: R250 up
An event that will see the melding of musical genres as diverse as Swing Jazz and UK Bass all in the setting of a hidden port near the CT harbour, filled with dingy taverns, shady streets and wild dance halls. Acts on two stages to look out for include: Toby2Shoes, Card on Spokes, Daddy Warbucks, John Wizards, DJ Mighty and a special and unique performance by the Cape Town Carnival. If you go to one, go to this.
#3
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Road Trippin. . Nissan Pathfinder
What: Vic Falls Carnival Where: Vic Falls, Zimbabwe When: 27 December - 2 January How Much: R4 250 up
Sponsored by Jameson’s and held on the banks of one of Africa’s most magestic spots, if there’s one place worth throwing your name down a waterfall, it’s at the Vic Falls Carnival. Selling out fast.
9AM
RIDE!!! Done it? Tweet it!! #GoDoStuff tunes - 10AM
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This is a bit of a personal one to our Ed here at TDT. He actually bit someone in pursuit of getting this review included so…we’ll let him take it from here. Here’s the situation. A few years ago I was introduced (somehow) to a band called The Cat Empire and it was love at first site, just like in the movies. In particular, it was a song on their second album called Two Shoes which had me and every other human who was fortunate to have heard it tapping their toes and bellowing along. I enjoyed those first two albums for years. And life was good. And then one day, it dawned on me, maybe these awesome Australians (I said it, so what) have more music than just these two albums. And then it happened. The Cat Empire and I started arguing; fighting over little things, not seeing eye-to-eye…and soon it was over. Cities and So Many Nights were great efforts, but after the untouchable epicness of their first two albums, these collections of noise were nothing more than that, noise.
Road Trippin. . Nissan Pathfinder The Cat EMpire album review And now it’s happened: The Cat Empires new album is here. It’s called “Steal the Light” and if nothing else, it’s caused a resurge in interest and desire to go back and listen to their earlier albums once again, which I will be doing during a roadtrip down the beautiful SA coast. Best place for it. But sadly I can’t say that they’ve returned to the amazingness of the first two albums. The jumpy, groovy, ska vibes are definitely there to complement their awesome lyrics which take you on a different journey depending on what song you’re listening to. There just aren’t any songs on there that I can see my friends and I losing it to on the dance floor at the beach cottage this New Year’s Eve. Still. Very grateful for the new album guys. Get it: R150 From: Simfy.co.za
GADGET PORN
shop - 11AM to 5PM Done it? Tweet it!! #GoDoStuff
Ready to go all American and spend money you don’t season has to offer, from tech to reviews to things have? Let’s scratch that “buying” itch. you can only dream about. And you won’t find a more Below is a collection of the very best the Christmas comprehensive list anywhere else. We’ve checked. ‘sup
XBOXversusOne PS4
We’re not going to tell you anything here you haven’t already heard, seen or been teased about. But we will give you the bottom line from our tech expert, AskSteve.co.za. Whether you stay loyal to your Xbox or PS camp, or you do the unthinkable and actually switch sides, the good news is you can’t go wrong. Both of these pieces of hardware are more than adequate, epic fun and a great buy for your money this Christmas (or next year in the case of the Xbox One). The PS4 has superior hardware and epic, unique and free
games available in their market. It loads immediately and smoothly and is a real gamers gaming console. The Xbox One on the other hand doesn’t match up in the spec department to the PS4, but Microsoft has adopted a different strategy with their new console. Not only have they made a really good device (not as good a gaming console as the PS4) but they’ve also made an absolutely next level media consumption doorway. And that’s what sets these two consoles apart. If you solely want a console for gaming, get
a PS4, if you really want an all-round entertainment console that also plays games; wait out for the Xbox One. Comes with Kinect and once you play with the features of it, you’ll love it. While we’re at it, don’t knock the Kinect. It’s the way forward. Just ask anyone in the know. Get it: Xbox One – PreOrder from TakeALot.com PS4 – R6 300 from Kalahari.com
AR Drone 2.0 Elite Edition
My only gripe with the original AR Drone 2.0 a year back was that the battery-life was cruddy which meant one of the world’s most exciting gadgets had the stamina of an out-of-shape Heavyweight MMA fighter. I’m glad to report that Parrot have done something about it. The AR Drone Elite Edition now offers double the battery life, a Wi-Fi N Connection so you can fly as far as 165 feet away and a collection of new skins. Get it: R4 000 From: TakeALot.com
LG G Flex Smartphone
LG beat Samsung with the “world’s first ‘real’ curved smartphone”. G Flex uses flexible OLED screen technology to allow for a dramatic curve on the horizontal axis. And now for the really awesome bit: it uses “self-healing” technology that replenishes, like Wolverine from X-Men. It’s got a special protective film on the back cover designed to get rid of scratches on the phone within minutes. That is the sound of your brain popping. Get it: Not sure From: lge.co.za
Panono Panoramo Camera
A simple yet genius concept awaits within this panoramic picture taker. Throw the tennis-ball sized camera into the air and just as it reaches it’s peak height, all 36 onboard lenses fire a shot downloading a full 360 degree panoramic picture to your Smartphone app. Perfect for cityscapes and 3rd umpire cricket calls. Get it: R6 000 From: Panono.com
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Hövding Invisible Bicycle Helmet Meet the world’s first invisible bicycle helmet. Developed by two female Swedish designers who nobody took seriously, the Hövding Invisible Bicycle Helmet folds up neatly into a compact neck brace which minds its own business until it is needed. Upon impact (sensors within the helmet detect any changes in velocity or angle of the cyclist) the helmet pops out of it’s casing in the blink of an eye, encasing the riders head in a cushion of airbag comfort that is unsurpassed by absolutely any other bicycle helmet in the world. Get it: R4 400 From: shop.hovding.com
in action...
shop - 11AM
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GADGET PORN
Poo-pourri
We know what you’re going to say. “Bullshit”. But that’s exactly the point. Poo-pourri is the before-you-go toilet spray that guarantees to show the world that in fact, your poo doesn’t stink. Simply spray a bit of Poo-pourri in the bowl before you go to create a film on the water’s surface. This film then traps the odours in water prison below. But wait. There’s more. As your…um…droppings penetrate the film, Poo-pourri’s pleasant perfumed aroma of essential oils is released into the air. That means that not only will people think you never poo, but when you do, it smells like awesomeness. Get it: R150 From: PooPourri.com
Check the Vid
LG Curved OLED TV
And once again, the mind bends. And this time it’s thanks to a curvy TV from LG. They’ve only gone and launched the world’s first curved TV on SA soil, and it’s available for drooling over at their concept store in Monte Casino. The IMAX-like curvature of the screen guarantees an amazingly immersive and comfortable viewing experience and the whole unit weighs only 17kg and is 4.3mm thick. All this is thanks to the new gen of OLED TV’s, expensive for the moment, but prices dropping rapidly into the future. Get it: A lot From: lge.co.za
Fit Bit Aria scale
Fit Bit fitness bangles have become more popular than Fro-Yo, so why not get yourself a matching scale, to proper outsmart your weight? The Aria Scale tracks your weight, body fat percentage, and BMI to help you keep long term control of your weight gain and loss and it updates info wirelessly to your Fit Bit Online or mobile account. Once it’s up there you can set, track and predict your progress via charts, scales and goals. Available in B or W. Get it: R2 000
Win THIS! Win this Fit Bit Aria scale. Call it a Christmas Present from us and iStoreOnline. co.za Simply “Like” us on Facebook and tweet your mates with this #GoDoStuff...and you’re in!
Bamboo Bee Bicycle
If a bike is made out of bamboo, shouldn’t it look like it’s made out of bamboo? I love literacy! The Bamboo Bee range of bicycles will have you cruising the main roads of your city looking like you’re a delivery guy from the organic market on the corner. So stylish. Made from real bamboo and put together with HoneyWax Infused technology. You can just feel your inner Hipster squirming. Get it: R18 500 From: Bamboobee.com.sg
Form 1 3D Printer On a mission to disrupt the 3D printing industry, FormLabs have created a low cost 3D printer that meets the exacting standards of professional designer who takes pride in his results. Created by researchers at the MIT Media Lab and fully funded by crowd-wages on KickStarter, the Form 1 3D printer promises hi-res results through an incredibly intuitive software and a pretty pleasing design. Get it: R46 200 From: FormLabs.com
What’s not to absolutely not bend of backwards and love about the latest high end offering from Nokia? It runs Windows Phone OS which I think is brilliant and is completely underrated by those who haven’t tried it. It’s got the specs of any other flagship phone on the market. A 4.5-inch AMOLED display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 that runs Dual-Core 1.5GHz processor. And it’s the first time in a long time that an announcement from Nokia has had the entire world sitting up and taking notice...and not for a bad reason either. Of course all this pales in stature to the real reason for this phone’s existence: it’s 41MP camera. No typo there. It’s a 41MP sensor on board coupled to a Xenon flash and available with an array of camera related accesories. Nokia’s returning to their camera roots. More than that, the picture
taking enhancements that they’ve put into the Lumia 1020 are beyond belief. Full res review and reframe, full HD recording and a beautiful screen to view it all on. I’m not a fan of instant image editing, but I’m old school Photoshop like that. But the onboard Creative Studio app really brought me around. Awesome abilities like Focus and Blur, Collage and Color Pop may be cheats, but y’know what, it’s kind of a pain to pull out your laptop just to edit a picture that you want to share on Twitter or Instagram. If you can’t beat them, join them I say. Downsides? It is a tad bit bulky especially if you opt for the Camera Grip accesory which I highly suggest if you want to take photography even remotely seriously. Also, it’s a bit expensive. But hey, it’s Christmas! Go on and treat yourself.
8
Get it: R9 500 From: Nokia.co.za
Nokia Lumia 1020 Full review - Dude! Y’seen my car?