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Welcome

Subscriptions hotline 0860 070 700 Email subscriptions@ mdafrica.co.za Advertising Business director Sally Hudson sally@stuff.co.za Senior account manager Thalia Pallotta 083 375 2418 tpp@futurejhb.co.za

This, dear reader, has been a particularly taxing edition of Stuff to wrestle into shape. First, you’ll notice it’s chunkier than usual. That’s thanks to the Wish List you’ll find at the back (p117). It’s a collection of the year’s most desirable gear, from nostalgia-inducing budget gadgets to pictureperfect TVs, wearable wonders and lots besides. Second, it’s the Awards issue (p36), sponsored by social live streaming service Voov, which has meant plenty of umming, ahhing, assessing and arguing in the office. See, ranking things is difficult. It’s difficult when they’re exceedingly similar – like the cream of the current crop of smartphones – and even more challenging when they’re nothing alike – like a games console, a drone and an all-in-one computer. But rank things we did. And some of the outcomes surprised even us. Others were so obvious and agreement about them so unanimous we almost needn’t have bothered. Either way, team Stuff deserves effusive thanks for its collective efforts. You lot don’t need ranking: you’re the best! In between fighting over the inherently subjective, we also managed to review some of the latest gear, gadgets and go-karts for grownups, including the Fitbit Ionic (p63), Apple’s new iPhones (p68), the Sphero R2-D2 (p76), Range Rover’s new ultra-glamorous Velar (p82), Nissan’s pragmatic X-Trail (p83), and Mazda’s deliciously impractical MX-5 RF (p81). And we arranged two fantastic giveaways for good measure. Head over to p62 to enter our Huawei Mate 10 Pro competition and stand a chance of winning a phone like the one here pictured (serving X-ray duty on my face), or flick to p71 for a shot at scoring an iPhone 8. Until our next issue, remember, if there are things you can’t pronounce on the label you probably shouldn’t eat it, end-of-year bonuses are best used to service debt, and the importance of regular flossing is grossly overstated.

Account manager Michelle Flowers 060 509 2656 michelle@stuff.co.za Account manager (Cape Town) Bernice Blundell 073 618 1882 bernice@stuff.co.za Management Stuff South Africa is published by the Stuff Group (Pty) Ltd. Directors: Toby Shapshak, Sally Hudson PO Box 74, Melrose Arch, 2096 Haymarket UK Stuff UK content is published with the permission of the copyright holder Haymarket Magazines Ltd 38-42 Hampton Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11OJE ... and a word about prices Generally, we show the manufacturer’s recommended price. Occasionally we (or suppliers) can make mistakes. Please remember that prices listed in Stuff are intended as a guide only. We make every effort to confirm that all information is correct (and triple checked) when we go to print.

Craig Wilson, Editor craig@stuff.co.za @craigwilson

STUFF IS GOING TO BE ON TV! Catch us on #VOOVTV – DStv Channel 196 www.stuff.co.za

StuffSA

Stuff competition terms and conditions: Apple is not a sponsor, nor is it involved in any way with any Stuff Magazine contests or sweepstakes. Stuff Magazine does not offer Apple products as contest or sweepstake prizes. 1 Promotions, giveaways and competitions are entered through Stuff Group’s website www.stuff.co.za and are opened for Issue 81, 2017 on 20 November 2017 and close on 17 December 2017. 2 The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into. 3 Employees of Stuff Group and their families are not allowed to enter. Advertising and public relations representatives may not enter competitions in the issue in which their promotions, giveaways or competitions are carried. 4 Prizes are not exchangeable for cash and/or other products. Prizes are available while stocks last. It is at the discretion of Stuff Group and the custodian of the prizes to ensure that, should there be a problem with the stipulated prize won, a reasonable replacement of the same value will be offered. 5 Stuff Group carries promotions, giveaways and competitions in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any misrepresentation on the part of the custodian of the promotions, giveaways and competitions. 6 Winners will be notified telephonically and by mail. It is the responsibility of the winner to ensure that the correct address and contact details are given. It is the responsibility of the custodian of the promotion, giveaway and competition to ensure that prizes are sent out correctly and within the specified time. 7 Prize delivery will take four to six weeks from the time the winner has been notified. 8 Promotions, giveaways and competitions are open to South African residents only. 9 All prize-winners will be published on www.stuff.co.za the following month, once the competition lines have closed. 10 Readers may not claim for more than one prize at a time, and once announced as a winner in any Stuff promotions, giveaways or competitions, will not be eligible for another prize for three (3) months thereafter. 11 By entering any promotions, giveaways or competitions, or by accepting any prize, entrants agree that their personal details may be retained by the promoter and/or Stuff magazine and used for the purpose of sending them information about future promotions, events and news, as well as for internal administration and analysis. 12 Unclaimed prizes will be kept for three months and will not be resent. 13 Participation in any promotion, giveaway or competition and/or acceptance of any prize implies full knowledge and acceptance of all rules.

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

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CON S ON THE COVER

P16

p14 Chosen One?

P63

HOT STUFF 8

18 22 24 28 30 32 34

The Hot Four ● Google Pixel 2 XL ● Sonos One ● Amazon Echo Spot ● Polaroid Originals OneStep 2 Vital stats GoPro Hero6 Black New action cam hits the gnarl on the head Gigapixel Technics Reference Class SP-10R The prince of the platters returns in style Apps Stress out to puzzles, and chill with flowers Forbes list The worst gadgets of the year Board member TV Shows: The Home Game Games A lost SNES classic gets the 3D treatment Start menu Turn paper planes into aerobatic champs

WISH LIST 117 Our picks for 2017 We wish you a merry wish list

TESTS

in association with

p68 Super 8?

p72 Sweeter Beats?

63 First test Fitbit Ionic A dapper strapper to beat the Apple Watch? 68 First test Apple iPhone 8 and 8 Plus In case you can’t wait for (or afford) the X… 72 Tested Beats Studio3 Wireless Dr Dre’s new cans will shut out reality 74 Tested LG V30+ The flagship LG should have lead with 76 Tested Sphero R2-D2 Fandom menace or a robotic new hope? 80 Tested Stormforce Geo Gaudy gaming PC with a cheeky chip 81 Tested Mazda MX-5 RF Just how quick is a Retractable Fastback? 82 Tested Range Rover Velar He lives in a car, a very big car in the country 83 Tested Nissan X-Trail (2017) Riding high in Nissan’s new SUV 84 Long-term test ReMarkable tablet Taking tab tech back to the drawing board 90 Tested Games Middle Earth: Shadow of War, Cuphead, Forza Motorsport 7, Super Mario Odyssey, Assassin’s Creed Origins

12.17

WIN! p62

P103 P86

FEATURES 36 Stuff Gadget Awards 2017 Just being a five-star product won’t cut the mustard here – it’s time for Stuff to crown the very best tech of year 60 Mini meme Stargazing apps Take an interstellar tour via smartphone 86 Versus Magic Boxes LG OLED65B7 vs Samsung 65Q8C and the HTC Vive vs PlayStation VR 78 Beta yourself iOS 11 Tips and tricks for the new Apple OS 98 Gadget doctor A cure for what ails your tech 116 Next big thing The home drone One day, all smart home assistants will fly

TOP TENS 99 The Stuff Top Ten of everything Your essential gadget-buying guide: Smartphones, tablets, headphones, TVs, smartwatches, laptops, consoles, games, wearables, budget tech, system cameras 103 Playlist YouTube science channels Subscribe online and become a brainiac 105 Your streaming essentials Ignore the fireworks and watch some flicks 109 The big question How can I beat the rush-hour traffic? 111 5-minute hacks Type one-handed on a massive phone

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I HAD STRANGERS READ TO ME

While driving to Sun City recently I got caught in the afternoon rush hour traffic, adding another half hour to what’s a long enough trip already. As frustrating as it was to lose the time, it meant more listening time for the audio book I was enjoying at the time – Bill Bryson’s At Home – via Audible. I’ve been listening to audiobooks since the early, clumsy days of downloaded, encrypted MP3s. Today it’s a gigantic business, generating $643 million in sales last year in the US alone. Now owned by Amazon, Audible offers an incredible selection of content, a gloriously simple interface, and means I no longer feel like waiting time in airports, post office queues or unexpected traffic jams means time wasted. Toby Shapshak, Publisher and Editor-in-chief

I PUT THE ODD IN ODYSSEY

I was lucky enough to get my hands on Super Mario Odyssey for the Switch a couple of weeks in advance, meaning that by the time release day rolled around I’d completed the main quest line of Mario’s latest adventure… and then some. Odyssey had to be a hit for Nintendo’s newest console to really, truly take off (as if more than seven million consoles sold didn’t already constitute a hit) and the plumber has delivered for his employers in a big way. An open-world Mario where everything is made up and the lives don’t matter? A magic cap able to possess everything from Goombas to dinosaurs in a ridiculously detailed universe you can explore at will? That’s barely scratching the surface of this game. Brett Venter, Digital Editor

Making Stuff up Publisher and Editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak toby@stuff.co.za Editor Craig Wilson craig@stuff.co.za Digital Publisher Nic Boerma nic@stuff.co.za Digital Editor Brett Venter brett@stuff.co.za Art Director Brandon van Rensburg art@stuff.co.za Selling Stuff Business Director Sally Hudson, sally@stuff.co.za Account Manager Michelle Flowers michelle@stuff.co.za Getting Stuff to you Printing CTP Distribution RNA 011 248 3607 (Anthea)

OUR MONTH

What this issue has brought us by way of geekery I GOT READY FOR TAKEOFF

I’ve wanted a drone for as long as I can remember, but the price has always been an obstacle. Then DJI went and released the Spark and my last argument for holding out crumbled. I love that it can take off from my hand and I can get it to snap pics or follow me with hand gestures. I’m only a few days in, but I can offer the following pro tips: Do buy extra batteries. Do buy the standalone controller. Or get the “fly more” combo that includes both. Also, do prepare yourself for the envy from your friends when you start posting the best holiday videos and selfies ever. And do make sure to fly it high enough that the dog – whether yours or the neighbours’ – can’t get at it. Seriously, drones are like dognip. Michelle Flowers, Account Manager

I FELL IN LOVE AT FIRST GLANCE

The minute I laid my hands on the new Garmin Fenix 5S it was love. One look at its bright, high-res display was all it took. See, it doesn’t look like a regular sportswatch. It’s slim, elegant, surprisingly lightweight and yet still manages incredible battery life, even after hours of GPS tracking. And, when my training is done and I go back to being a mom, it looks the part. Navigating the menus is easy, even while exercising, and in addition to the altimeter and compass, there’s resting heart-rate at a glance and recommended recovery time offered after every workout. The only disappointment? Having to return it to Garmin at the end of the review period. Better to have loved and lost, I guess. Ronel Wallis, Stuff Reader

Contacting Stuff Call us 011 889 0610 Email us stuff@stuff.co.za Subscribe stuff.co.za/buy Find us www.stuff.co.za StuffSA @StuffSA Caxton House, 368 Jan Smuts Ave, Craighall, Johannesburg, 2196

South Africa

Cruel to be Kinda The Pixel 2 XL comes in four colour schemes, officially titled Just Black, Clearly White, Black & White and Kinda Blue. Hideous name aside, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re leaning towards the blue one.

19 PAGES OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH

Second bez The smaller Pixel 2 has a pretty much unchanged 5in 1080p AMOLED display, and there’s no bezel-squashing magic here. It does, however, get the same grippy coating as its bigger bro.

HOT FOUR #1 GOOGLE ADOPTS THE HUG LIFE

GOOGLE PIXEL 2 XL “Hug me!” pleads Google’s second stab at an oversized Pixel smartphone. This is partly because, like all phones, it yearns to be loved – but also because giving the sides of the Pixel 2 XL a firm squeeze will allow you to launch Google Assistant using the ‘Active Edge’ feature. Yes, that does sound a lot like the HTC U11’s Edge Sense tech. But this new Pixel has plenty of other tricks to make it worthy of cuddling – including a 6in OLED screen with 18:9 aspect ratio and ultra-skinny bezels, and stereo speakers at top and bottom. With an aluminium build rather than glass, you needn’t worry too much about dropping it – even if you’re in the bath, since it’s waterproof. Round the back, a fingerprint sensor joins the upgraded 12MP camera, which Google is bragging about on account of its new portrait skills and iPhone-baiting motion photo modes. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s ultra-quick Snapdragon 835 CPU, with 4GB of RAM, and the redesigned Pixel launcher runs on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. Now give the sides of your wallet a squeeze and see if loads of cash comes out… As hot as… a passionate embrace Rtba / store.google.com

Photo pro The rear camera has a wide f/1.8 aperture, both optical and electronic image stabilisation, dual-pixel phase-detection AF and laser-assisted focusing. This is one serious snapper.

HANDS-ON WITH THE GOOGLE PIXEL 2 XL The basic Pixel 2 might be impressive, but bezels are so 2016, man. The Pixel 2 XL ditches ’em, and looks all the better for it. We spent some time with one at Google’s reveal event and left impressed. To simply call the XL a metal phone would be unfair. It’s been given an additional treatment that adds texture and really makes it feel like a premium handset. We’re big fans. Not so sold on the contrasting power button, but that’s just us. We thought the whole idea behind the 18:9 aspect ratio and skinny screen bezel was to give you a big display without the big phone body to match. Google didn’t get the memo: although it’s

Look and learn

GOOGLE HAS CRAMMED THIS PIXEL WITH CUTTING-EDGE HARDWARE only 3mm larger than the 2016 Pixel XL, the inclusion of stereo speakers above and below the 6in OLED display makes it feel huge. Still, at least that display looks exceptional. Beyond the new design, Google has crammed this second-generation Pixel with cutting-edge hardware, an even smarter AI assistant, and one of the best cameras you’ll find on a smartphone.

Google’s answer to Samsung’s Bixby, Google Lens is a smart AI that will give you info about whatever you direct the phone’s camera at. Point at a museum and it’ll show you its opening hours.

Ear whacks Scrambling to open up Shazam is no longer an issue, as the Pixel 2 XL is constantly listening to what music is playing, searching for the info and then showing it on the always-on display.

Jack ignore-y Still not forgiven Apple for ditching the headphone jack? Now Google’s done it too. There’s a USB-C charging port, but it’s the dongle life from here on… or a switch to Bluetooth headphones.

EVEN MORE GOOGLE STUFF To save you looking them up on a well-known search engine, here are the other highlights of Google’s spring launch bonanza Google Pixelbook

Google’s next flagship laptop is a ChromeOS 4-in-1, transforming into a tablet when you don’t need the physical keyboard. There’s a 12.3in Quad HD LCD multi-touch display, and it launches with a pressure-sensitive stylus, dubbed the Pixelbook Pen.

Import only The first gen Pixels didn’t make it to South Africa, and it looks unlikely these will either, unless it’s in your luggage. Boo!

Google Home Mini

The Google Assistant family (which we hope it calls the ‘G Force’) has launched its fightback against Amazon’s Echo Dot. The Home Mini is a voice assistant, giving you access to Google’s wealth of knowledge and hands-free home control in a charming little button.

Google Home Max TECH SPECS

● Screen 6in 1440x2880 OLED ● OS Android Oreo 8.0 ● Processor Snapdragon 835 ● RAM 4 GB ● Cameras 12.2MP rear, 8MP front ● Storage 64/128GB ● Battery 3520mAh ● Dimensions 158x77x7.9mm, 175g

“Hey Google, could you inflate the Home into a proper audiophile-friendly speaker, please?” That’s what we asked our favourite digital genie and, hey presto, Google produced the Home Max, which is 20 times more powerful than the standard Home speaker.

Google Clips

This AI-powered snapper is designed to capture moments without any effort on your part. The diminutive doohickey either sits on a shelf or clips to your clothes, and it’s trained to recognise familiar faces and capture what it believes to be interesting moments.

Turn it up a touch Physical buttons have been banished from the top panel of the Sonos One, replaced by touch controls. Use your dainty digits to adjust the volume, skip tracks and pause.

HOT FOUR #2 MAKING MULTIROOM MAGIC SONOS ONE

While most humans would love to be invited to a party at Willy Wonka’s place, your gadgets idolise another host: Alexa. Sonos has been craving Amazon’s golden ticket for a good while now, and it’s finally got one with the 2018-bound Sonos One. Also compatible with Google’s Assistant, the One is a small, sleek speaker that can link up with other Sonos devices such as the PlayBase and Play:5 for multiroom playback. Aside from adding voice control, this new speaker supports all the usual Sonos features such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal integration, and Sonos’s own Trueplay tech for tuning the sound to your room. Got an old Sonos? Don’t worry, you’ll still be on the Alexa guestlist before long: there’s a voice control update rolling out across the whole range. As hot as… Alexa singing death metal Rtba / takealot.com 14

Easy listening Voice assistants aren’t much use if activating them requires shouting like Gordon Ramsay. The One’s six-mic arsenal should pick up your voice from anywhere in the room.

Spot the difference It might look different to your regular Echo, but the Spot still has the same Alexa tricks. It can play Spotify, toggle Philips Hue lights or tell you a cheesy joke.

HOT FOUR #3 BEDSIDE MANNA

AMAZON ECHO SPOT Take a big-screen Echo Show and a mini Echo Dot, mash ’em together with the power of a CERN particle accelerator, and you’ll end up with something like the Echo Spot. This alarm clock alternative wants to take pride of place on your bedside table, giving you Alexa smarts for those late-night philosophical questions, quickfire Monday morning news blasts and hangover-friendly playlists. There’s even a screen for video calls if you intend catching up with the family at 7am. It’s got built-in speakers, naturally, but don’t expect bedroom-filling sound – that’s why it has Bluetooth and a line-out socket on the back for hooking up to something more musically capable. The best thing about the Spot, though? Alexa will never complain about your morning breath. As hot as… the cup of coffee you sleepily spilled over your last alarm clock $130 /amazon.com 15

Peek performance This being an old-school camera, closely modelled on the hugely successful 1977 original (on the outside at least), there’s no digital screen, just a basic viewfinder.

HOT FOUR #4 INSTANT REPLAY POLAROID ORIGINALS ONESTEP 2

#NoFilter required The new i-Type film claims to give a dream-like look to your snaps – basically, the same effect that every photo app in existence tries to recreate with digital filters.

“Make cameras real again!” has been chanted fiercely by diehard print-lovers since the dawn of smartphones and Instagram. Someone’s clearly been listening: the OneStep 2 is a modern re-imagining of the Polaroid OneStep instant cam of the 1970s, complete with 21st-century features like a timer and USB recharging, and a claimed 60-day battery life. And who is that someone? The Impossible Project, whose Impossible I-1 instant camera was created from reverse-engineering old Polaroids. Its new Polaroid Originals brand aims to bring the thrill of instant snapping to the Instagram generation. You’ll have to write your hashtags in permanent marker, though. As hot as… erupting volcano close-ups Rtba / polaroidoriginals.com

V I

T A L S T A T S

SUPERCAM – THE 4K ACTION HERO WE DESERVE GoPro Hero6 Black

5GHz Wi-Fi makes for noticeably quicker offload speeds. Specifically, GoPro says transferring can be up to three times faster than the Hero5.

R8 500 / gopro.com

GoPro’s new 4K cam is the perfect companion for serious action addicts ● You’ve been framed Thanks to a custom-built GP1 chip, GoPro’s new flagship crash-cam gets a sizeable performance boost over the Hero5. It can capture 4K at a buttery-smooth 60fps, double the frame-rate of last year’s effort. ● Slow… The Hero6 Black can also shoot 1080p footage at an impressive 240fps, making it perfect for your slow-mo highlight reels. On the outside little has changed, 18

but look inside and you’ll find it’s a dramatically improved cam. All you need now is the high-octane lifestyle to match. ● …and steady That fancy new processor has also enabled GoPro to step up the Hero6’s image stabilisation. A portion of the image is cropped to tackle unwanted shakes, but you get gimbal -worthy smoothing in return. We have seen it in action, and it really does work. It also has better dynamic range and promises to perform admirably in low light. Oh, and you can zoom with the teeny touchscreen.

● Editing room Assembling hundreds of random clips of your day on the slopes is all well and good, but if you can’t splice them into something entertaining you might as well be showing people your sock drawer. That’s where GoPro’s QuikStories feature comes in. Rather than forcing you to start from scratch when editing your clips, it copies your footage to the GoPro app and automatically transforms it into a video montage. It’ll add video, stills, transitions and a soundtrack, all of which can be re-edited with different effects should your creative chops take hold.

A FANCY NEW PROCESSOR HAS ENABLED GOPRO TO STEP UP THIS CAM’S IMAGE STABILISATION

3(G) your mind

NOKIA 3310 (3G VERSION)

MAGNIFICENT MOUNTS

Nokia’s retro-tastic comeback phone made do with a 2G modem when it first arrived, which made it little more than a nostalgic toy in all the countries that have long since retired their 2G networks. But this new 3310 will play nicely on 21st-century networks, with 3G finally on board. That new modem means the size has gone up, and battery life down. There is, though, a larger keypad for T9 texting, and support for lite versions of Facebook, Skype and Twitter. The UI can now be customised too, swapping icon colours and positions to make navigating your beloved brick that bit easier. Rtba / nokia.com

● Shorty

This mini extension pole and tripod can accompany you at all times without adding unwelcome bulk to your bag. Shorty is extendable up to 8.9in, making it perfect for those trickier angled shots… and, crucially, your selfies. R1 100 (import) / gopro.com

● The Handler

GoPro’s floating handgrip is an insta-buy for anyone planning to use their cam in the water, whether that’s for surfing or surprise-dunking an unfortunate family member. This updated version features a quick-release base for easy mount switching. R600 / gopro.com

● Bite Mount + Floaty

For hands-free POV footage, GoPro has created a mount you can hold in your mouth. Just hit record, bite down, and you’re off. Should you need to change up your angles, the integrated buckle can slide into any compatible mount. R600 / gopro.com

Holding out for a Sphero?

SPHERO MINI

We’ve had miniature versions of R2-D2 and Cars’ Lightning McQueen, but Sphero’s latest invention sees it returning to its, well, spherical roots. No larger than a ping-pong ball, the Sphero Mini’s teeny-tiny form belies the tech hiding inside. Once you’ve paired your Mini with the app, you can use the on-screen joystick or tilt controls to whizz the toy anywhere within a 10-metre range, as well as playing a handful of pre-loaded games. The headline feature here, though, is undoubtedly Face Drive, which tracks expressions such as smiles, winks, head tilts and more to determine which direction the diminutive robot takes. We can’t wait to see what it makes of our very best grimace. Rtba / myistore.co.za

DISRUPTION IS IN OUR DNA

t BCX we offer technology solutions not products. Our role isn’t to sell hardware or software solutions in isolation, but to use our technology offerings to find new, innovative and sustainable solutions to today’s problems, and tomorrow’s. We believe in finding the right solution to problems that account for the work companies have already done, and carefully consider what they still hope to achieve. That’s why we’re platform agnostic. We can incorporate legacy systems while looking to the future and helping our customers design appropriate technology roadmaps that don’t just keep them abreast of changes, but ahead of them. BCX is a technology partner, not a supplier. Our partners’ needs are continually evolving, which means

our solutions do the same. And instead of selling to partners, we invest in them. Because to truly disrupt you need a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges business faces.

Real solutions for real problems

We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can help South Africans understand the power of technology and the ways it can change their lives. That’s why we hosted the BCX Disruption Summit and have committed to doing so for years to come. To us, meaningful disruption means changing lives. It means using tech to solve entrenched problems. That’s why we’re setting up a data science academy in Cape Town called Explore. One of the ﬁrst

Ian Russell, BCX CEO

STU FF PRO MOTIO N

problems we’ve set the students is how to manage the water shortage in the Western Cape. Because we believe that if you change the questions you’re asking you can change the answers you ﬁnd.

Empowering innovators

Disruption also requires planning and foresight. Which is why we’re looking ahead to 2025 and asking what South African businesses will look like then, what they’ll need, and how we can support them. We know that selling products alone isn’t going to work. We need to sit down with our customers and ask them what problems they have, and which they foresee. Industrial IoT (Internet of Things) solutions are going to massively disrupt countless industries, from agriculture to mining, healthcare to smart cities. What we’re asking is how we can help these sectors prepare for the coming changes and harness them so that they can thrive and prosper. There’s the potential for massive social impact if we do. And ultimately, that’s what disruption is about: it’s not just about managing change, it’s about improving lives in the process. Disruption is coming. We’re ready. Are you?

CLOUD COMPUTING Replace physical infrastructure with internet-based remote servers that can store your data oﬀsite and run mission-critical business processes. MOBILITY Allow your workforce to connect to your networks anytime and increase your productivity by giving your business the freedom to do more. UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS Integrate multiple communication tools such as voice, mobile and instant messaging for the ultimate converged solution. CONVERGED CONNECTIVITY A range of scalable broadband access and network options that allows anyone to be online anywhere, anytime. SECURITY Integrate, educate and implement Security solutions into your dayto-day business operations, from devices and equipment to software and services. INTERNET OF THINGS AND M2M Explore the possibilities of connecting all electronic devices to the internet, allowing you to collect usable data and take your business forward.

www.bcx.co.za 21

The bigger picture in tech

KING OF THE SPINNERS The word ‘Technics’ is the opposite of kryptonite to hi-fi nerds, in that they’ll happily drone on all night about this audio brand. Panasonic killed off the name in the early noughties – but just like Blade Runner and Shania Twain, it’s back in 2017. Aside from being fiendishly handsome, the Technics 22

Reference Class SP-10R claims the world’s best signal-to-noise ratio and rotational stability, a brand new coreless direct-drive motor, and an ultra-low-noise switching power supply. Don’t know what all of that means? Ask a hi-fi nerd. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.

NEWS FEED

JAYBIRD GETS A SWEAT ON

Who really wants wireless in-ears? Well, gym-goers do. So Jaybird’s Run buds are sweat-resistant and have secure-fit wings to stop them tumbling out of your lugs, while the charging case squeezes two top-ups between mains trips.

UBTECH PUTS THE ‘AR’ IN STAR WARS

At 16in tall, this adorable Stormtrooper is not a particularly intimidating soldier – but by issuing commands through its AR app you can count on your rebel-hating robot to keep intruders out of your bedroom. It does facial recognition too.

ROKU STICKS IT TO THE 4K OPPOSITION

It’s 4K streaming season, apparently: hot on the heels of the latest offerings from Amazon and Apple comes Roku’s Streaming Stick+. This talented dongle can handle UHD resolution and HDR at 60fps, while its range gets a 4x boost over the outgoing model. 23

A P P S

This month’s mobile must-downloads

3 OF THE BEST

ARKIT APPS

When your actual reality is rubbish, iOS 11 lets you see an augmented one on your Apple device’s screen… if you’ve got the right apps.

CARROT WEATHER

R80 Deranged weatherbot Carrot breaks free from your device to spout forecasts and snarky attitude. 7

HOUSECRAFT Free Will a new chair or table work in your living room? Housecraft lets you find out, combining practicality and bouncy physics.

SKY GUIDE AR

1 Fenix 2

2 Samplebot

3 You’re Being Rude

4 Bebot

5 Toca Life: Office

6 Flower

7 Thimbleweed Park

8 ARise

9 The Witness

R40 / Android Only love social media when it’s like a barrage of semi-random texts? This Twitter client has you covered. It looks great and has columns to swipe between, making it easy to gripe in 280-character bursts.

R26 / Android We’re all for virtual synths, but keyboards, dials and switches are getting old. Enter Bebot, an old-skool synth to delight ears and eyes with superb noises and a performing cartoon robot.

R150 / iOS ● R140 / Android Miss LucasArts? Wish there was a brand new point-and-click adventure, featuring Ron Gilbert humour, brain-smashing puzzles and smart pixel graphics? You’d best grab Thimbleweed Park, then. 24

R80 / iOS The world’s your instrument when armed with Samplebot. Record sounds with your iPhone, tap live pads, and arrange everything into a song. The charts are calling for your Rubber Band Breakbeats EP.

R20 / iOS, Android If you think it’s never too early to prepare nearby younglings for a life of office drudgery, fling this app in their direction. Then sadly wonder why your own office life lacks superheroes and laser grids.

R50 / iOS Now even puzzle games won’t let you play them while collapsed in a heap. In this one you physically move around AR landscapes, putting pieces in place to let your little hero dodder ever onwards.

Free / watchOS Friends ignoring you, faffing about on devices? Use this app to time them, and subsequently ignore them until a bell rings. We’re told this will “bring back politeness to social interactions”. Sure.

R80 / iOS Seemingly designed by hippies, this one-time PS3 hit has you blow a petal about a lush landscape. Turns out this is an evocative, gorgeous indie title – and a nice break from SHOOTING ALL THE THINGS.

R150 / iOS You awake, alone, on an island, with no idea how you got there. This isn’t a post-bachelor’s prank, but the entry point to over 500 puzzles married with the kind of visuals that’ll make your eyes go giddy.

R50 Get this app to map the heavens onto the daytime sky, bringing some wonder to the dullest of days.

Message without a bottle

SPOT GEN3 GPS MESSENGER

For most of us, the only time we’re out of cellphone reception is when we get in a lift, or choose the wrong network-and-coffee-shop combo in Cape Town. But in both cases, we’re back in touch soon enough. The Spot isn’t for us. It’s for those people who venture into the unknown, and no, we don’t mean back aisles of the Hout Bay Spar. Spot devices use satellite and GPS to send pre-defined messages to loved ones at the press of a button to let them know their adventurer is safe and sound. Or – if calamity strikes – sends its current GPS location to an international SOS service that’ll get the nearest emergency services on the case. R2 700 (and $200/year) / africa.findmespot.com

For Beats-beating beats

V-MODA CROSSFADE M-100 Until recently, if you wanted a pair of V-Moda’s you’d have to import them and roll the dice with how big a duty the South African customs and excise department staffer on duty felt like imposing. Why would you take that risk? Because they offer wonderfully nuanced audio quality, exquisite noise isolation and impressive ruggedness. Plug either of the supplied cables into either earphone, fold them flat and store them in the spaceship-like supplied hard case, buy a mic if you want, or even get a custom pair of 3D printed or laser etched panels to trick them out. Or, you know, gamble on another brand of over-ears. But do they include a SharePlay cable that lets a friend connect their headphones for shared music geekery? Nope, we didn’t think so. R3 900 / takealot.com

Call and response

TINITELL

Imagine how differently Stranger Things might’ve turned out if young Will Byers had been wearing a Tinitell. Instead of mucking about with fairy light Morse code he could’ve just pushed the button in the middle of his Swedish-designed wearable, scrolled through the 12 pre-programmed contacts using the two buttons on the side, and called his mom, Joyce, right from his wrist. Joyce, meanwhile, would’ve been able to see Will’s location on her Android or iOS phone thanks to the Tinitell’s built-in GPS and could’ve called him to tell him to stay away from the woods. Of course, there were no SIM cards in 1983. And we’re not sure GPS works in the Upside Down. But just imagine. R1 900 / za.tinitell.com

DECIPHER ALLOW US TO EXPLAIN…

A roaring Fire

AMAZON FIRE HD 10 You’re after a new tablet… but do you settle for mediocrity, or give your bank account a proper licking? Amazon’s Fire tablets are tough to beat when it comes to sheer value, but now it’s also upping its game in terms of quality, with a new big-screen version on the way for real multimedia addicts. The Fire HD 10 has been updated with full HD resolution, a first for the 10.1in slab. Power, memory and storage have all been bumped too, so you’ll be able to play games at smoother frame-rates and store plenty of videos or music. Ten-hour battery life is also two hours better than last year’s version. Throw in a tweaked version of the FireOS and a hands-free mode for Alexa, and you’ve got one tempting tab. Rtba / amazon.com

#27 REAL-TIME TRANSLATION With its new (nearly) wireless Pixel Buds headphones, Google aims to all but eliminate the language barrier from one-on-one conversations. Google Assistant can translate whatever you say into any of the 40 supported languages – and vice versa with the response of the person you’re talking to – which you’ll hear in close to real time through the earbuds. A Pixel phone is required to use this feature, but the speaker and mic on that single handset act as the hub for both sides of the conversation. Just tap-hold your right bud, tell Google Assistant which language you want help with, then simply start jibber jabbering. If it works as seamlessly as it’s been advertised – and early demos look promising – we’ve essentially got a real-world version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Babel Fish. Just, you know, less weird and less wet.

TAP-HOLD THE RIGHT BUD AND TELL GOOGLE ASSISTANT WHICH LANGUAGE YOU NEED Sonic the hedged-off

BOWERS & WILKINS PX What’s the point of headphones if you can’t drown out the world? We’re not listening to that Joox ‘Pop Hits’ playlist for the quality of the music. Bowers & Wilkins has finally caught on by producing its first pair of wireless noise-cancelling cans: the B&W PX. These stylish over-ears borrow the drive units from the P9 headphones, and combine them with adaptive noise-cancelling and aptX HD Bluetooth. They’re clever too, automatically playing and pausing your music when you take them on and off, and putting them into a battery-conserving deep sleep when not in use. With 22 hours of wireless noise-cancelling playback, you’ll never have to suffer society’s noise pollution again. Rtba / bowers-wilkins.com

Picture it. You’re wandering the streets of Barcelona looking for quality ice cream. Ordinarily you’d be head down, trawling through TripAdvisor, but with Pixel Buds you can just ask a local. Or maybe a confused tourist approaches you in central Joburg. Rather than hopelessly shrugging at every senseless word, just call in your handy headphones. Google is far from the first company to have a crack at this, but its Translate AI is some years in the making and increasingly capable of better, more natural-sounding speech. It’s a concept with potential.

F O R B E S L

S T

The best of the worst his issue of Stuff is dedicated to the best gadgets of the year – the shiniest, the smartest, the bestest, the mostest. In a couple of page turns you’ll know which is the best smartphone, the best drone, the best wearable. The cream of the crop will be revealed. But first, to get you in the mood, it might pay to get some perspective. Some balance. The Yang to everyone else’s Yin. The Sith to the Jedi. So, read on, and come over to the Dark Side with me as I take a look at the worst gadgets of 2017. Hands down the worst gadget of the year has to be Juicero, a R10 000 juicer. I mentioned Juicero in a previous column when the company behind it was just a start-up. The word I used then was “madness”. Not content with just being the most expensive waste of time ever, Juicero also decided to make sure their machine would only work with their own, specifically designed “proprietary fruit packages” – you can’t just juice any old fruit

or veggie you have lying around, oh no! And then, to add insult to insanity, it turned out you could squeeze the bags by hand, negating the need for a juicer in the first place. The Juicero was expensive, solved a problem that didn’t actually exist, and from inception was limited geographically. That’s the unholy triumvirate of terrible attributes to have in a start-up gadget. Somehow the founders raised $100 million for their bad idea. For a time, they employed 70 people. But that’s all over now. The Galaxy Note 7 earns second spot on my list after its May recall. I know and love Samsung devices. Generally, the South Korean giant of consumer electronics makes excellent things. I’m currently using a Galaxy S8 and it’s truly the greatest smartphone I’ve ever used. This is what makes The Tale of the Exploding Note so strange. Somewhere, somehow, something went incredibly wrong, and they simply couldn’t fix it. Twice. Ouch.

Third is the Lily Drone. This one actually hurt. I was so excited. In case you need reminding, the Lily was the drone we all saw the viral videos of in late 2016 – the drone you threw up in the air whereupon it’d follow you around by tracking the watch strap you wore, like your own mini Michael Bay cameraperson. It turned out all the footage was shot on a GoPro… and the Lily Drone company went bust because they absolutely could not make the drone do what they said it would, even after taking $34 million in pre-orders. The Lily never flew. It was all an elaborate – and for many consumers, costly – hoax. So, there you have it, the podium finishers in the first annual Forbes Worst Gadget of the Year Awards. I’ll hopefully be back next year to do it all again, assuming I’ve not bankrupted myself backing products that’ll never come to pass or burned myself to a crisp with a malfunctioning consumer gadget.

SPIN DOCTOR Rob Forbes is a 5FM DJ who tweets about football, sports and music when he’s not presenting, camped out in a casino waiting for people to let go of a car (long story) or raiding Stuff’s storage cupboard. Catch him on 5FM between 13:00 and 16:00 every weekday.

G A M E O N

From TV to tabletop hen I was growing up TV shows were something you watched while waiting for the feature film to start. They were the entrée to the movie main course. That’s not the case anymore. TV really hit its stride in the last decade, and now a great TV series can overshadow a blockbuster movie release. Plus, you can binge-watch a TV series on your own couch with popcorn you didn’t have to sell a crucial organ to afford. The problem with binge-watching, though, is it’s all over far too soon. But, you can keep the fun going with these three board games based on TV shows. I have two obsessions: motorbikes, and games. So, when they announced a game of one of my fave TV shows, Sons of Anarchy, I knew I had to have it. SoA the board game is pretty much like the TV show. In it, you play as one of the rival gangs from the series, so you can unleash your inner Jax playing as SAMCRO, or you can get your ape-hangers out and compete as the Mayans. The game’s objectives are pretty much what you would expect: two to four players are all competing

for money, guns and contraband. You make alliances in the game, and the winner tends to be the player who times their doublecross or backstab just right. SoA the board game taps into any mean streak you might have… and it’s hellishly fun. Another favourite show of mine is History Channel’s Vikings. There are two games in this universe. The one I’d recommend is a two-player game called The Jarl (based on an older game called The Duke). The Jarl is an abstract strategy game – think Chess – where two players face off headto-head and try to capture one another’s boss man, called a Jarl. Here’s the thing though, when you start the game you have only three tiles on the board, one Jarl, and two basic warriors. Each turn you have a choice, move one piece, or reach into the bag to hope to get a better tile to deploy next to your Jarl. Just the tension that this choice creates is awesome. Gameplay typically takes around 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for a lunch break. Finally, there’s Spartacus: A Game of Blood and Treachery. This game is for three or four players

(five if you buy the serpent expansion) and is absolutely, undeniably brilliant. Each round of the game has three primary phases. First, you put your schemes in play. Here you play cards to yourself or your opponents trying to create or break alliances, sabotage, steal, or do pretty much whatever it takes to get the upper hand. Then, you bid for gladiators, weapons, and the right to host the games. Once that’s done, the combat begins. Two gladiators face off in the battle arena for some dicechucking fury (the combat system is ingenious). What makes it cool is that the players not fighting get to bet on things like who’ll win, or whether the opposing player will be injured (bribes can be paid to help these decisions play out). Whether you’re a fan of the show, gladiators generally, or just compelling tabletop games, I’d argue Spartacus is the most unmissable of the lot. But, whether it’s bikers in California, Vikings in Denmark, or gladiators in Ancient Rome that most take your fancy, there’s a game out there to help you keep the spirit alive once the credits have rolled.

BOARD MEMBER Once a band roadie operating lights for acts like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, Rich Mulholland now heads up SA’s largest presentation firm, Missing Link, rocks the professional speaker circuit, and guest lectures on business at The Cape Graduate School of Business (GSB) and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).

G A M E S

DUE FEB

FIRST PLAY SECRET OF MANA (2018) PC, PS4, PS VITA The SNES Classic Mini is packed full of greats including Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country and Secret of Mana. What, you’ve never heard of the last one? Shame on you. This 1993 game is among the best Japanese RPGs ever made… and you’ll soon have another chance to have a go at it with this 3D remake. But is it the best way to play this masterpiece? The retro 16-bit visuals have been replaced with cartoonish 3D animations: water glistens in the sunlight and your sword 32

leaves a fiery trail as you swing it. Unfortunately, character models aren’t as impressive, especially when they start talking. In a bid to add more immersion to the story Square Enix enlisted the help of voice actors. However, the characters have no lip movement and the dialogue sounds cheesy at best. These niggles are hard to ignore, and make the once enchanting tone feel somewhat childish. You also get greater control over movement thanks to the 3D animations and the use of an

analogue stick. This is significant considering there’s real-time combat. We found it much easier to evade the enemy Rabites, and defeated the Mantis Ant boss barely taking a hit. Hopefully the difficulty level will spike up later on to compensate. While there’s plenty of time for Square Enix to address these issues, we’re still not convinced that the remake does enough to make it the superior way to enjoy Secret of Mana – especially now you can play the original on the SNES Classic Mini or your phone.

FIRST PLAY QUEST IN PEACE

LOST SPHEAR PC, PS4, Switch

Fed up of the barrage of western blockbuster-brazen RPGs? Lost Sphear, spiritual successor to JRPG I am Setsuna, is the perfect tonic, with a stress-soothing soundtrack and artwork that could easily find its way into a gallery. Despite that relaxing tone, there’s got to be some conflict. The story follows a strange phenomenon where towns are mysteriously disappearing. Hero Kanata has the ability to restore them, but in order to do so he’ll first need to gather a party to fight off some thugs. Inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger, Lost Sphear implements an Active Time Battle system, which is similar to your traditional turn-based combat but with continuously flowing fighting. To shake things up the developer has incorporated movement into the combat, but we have concerns that this makes things too complex and chaotic. Since we had limited time with Lost Sphear, it’s hard to fully appreciate its convoluted combat and slow-paced story. But make no mistake, this will appeal to a small, loyal audience. Well, at least here in the action-crazy west.

DUE JAN

BEST OF JAPANESE ROLE-PLAYING GAMES

XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 2

Switch You expect Japanese RPGs to have crazy settings, but little could prepare us for the world of Xenoblade Chronicles, whose inhabitants live on the backs of colossal monsters. At least we have some idea of what to expect when the sequel arrives in December.

NI NO KUNI II: REVENANT KINGDOM

PC, PS4 The original Ni no Kuni was a magical affair, set in a Studio Ghibli-realised world full of bizarre creatures that could be collected like Pokémon. While the sequel takes a Pikmin combat approach instead, we’re sure it will retain that irresistible charm.

MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD

PC, PS4, Xbox One In a bid to make the Monster Hunter craze as big in the west as it is in Japan, Capcom is finally unleashing the beasts on PS4 and Xbox One. Can’t defeat those monsters on your own? You’ll be able to call up to three other friends to help, no matter where they live on the globe.

INCOMING DECEMBER ● DEAD RISING 4: FRANK’S BIG PACKAGE ● FALLOUT 4 VR JANUARY ● KIRBY BATTLE ROYALE FEBRUARY ● FAR CRY 5 MARCH ● THE CREW 2 ● YAKUZA 6: THE SONG OF LIFE

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

The latest startups, crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas

Fold and fly

POWERUP DART

Paper aeroplanes are great until you actually throw them – all that effort just to see your lovingly folded masterpiece nosedive to the floor. The app-controlled PowerUp 3.0 set out to fix this problem – and now there’s a smaller, more powerful and more aerobatically adept version. The PowerUp Dart conversion kit can be attached to any paper plane you design. Once it’s airborne, you’ll be pulling off wingovers, lazy 8s and loops through a combination of tilt and on-screen controls. A 25-minute charge gives you 10 minutes of flight time, so if you’re committed you can spend most of the day annoying the family. from $37 / poweruptoys.com BACK IT STACK IT

I GONDI GOE-

ST KIC AR K TE R

Grab and gurn

Plonk and play

Tap and taste

Stash and stare

Stabilisation in action cams is improving all the time, but those who care about shake-free highlight reels are conditioned to reach for their trusty gimbals. Removu’s K1 merges the two into one device: this 4K 30fps cam is kitted with a self-stabilising 3-axis gimbal and features four shooting modes. from $299 / removuk1.com

This is a plug-and-play LED strip that reckons it can have a rookie bashing out Claire de Lune in minutes. Piano Hi-Lite fits any 88-key piano, and playing is simply a case of following the LEDs above the keys. With Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB, just connect to your tablet or smartphone and the app provides instant feedback. from $179 / smartpiano.com

How do you make the perfect cuppa? It’s an age-old debate, and one that this automated brewing machine thinks it’s resolved. Teamosa’s ultrasonic extraction technique is said to yield more antioxidants, while the app lets you fine-tune your tea, logging preferences for future cups. We’ll take their word on that. from $259 / teamosa.com

Designed to give you that big-screen experience on the go, this battery-powered projector and 360º Bluetooth speaker is no larger than a can. With Android 7.0 you can play streaming apps, or cast with AirPlay and Miracast. And Anker’s involvement means it can deliver 2.5 hours of video on a single charge. from $269 / seenebula.com

REMOVU K1

I GONDI GOE-

SACK IT

PIANO HI-LITE

TEAMOSA

NEBULA CAPSULE

STU FF PRO MOTIO N

The Next Evolution of TV Technology Few technologies’ paths of adoption and innovation have been as rapid as that of the television. Today TVs are found in 1.6 billion homes across the world. The ﬁrst TV dates back to 1927, designed by a 21-year-old man who dreamed of capturing moving images that could be coded into radio waves, and then transformed back into a picture on a screen. The ﬁrst image he transmitted? A single line. Corporations caught onto the excitement and the day’s leading radio manufacturers saw potential in the new platform, investing heavily to speed development and adoption. By the 1950s, the TV was earning commercial success, as content developers transformed radio shows like news programmes, situational comedies, storytelling and comedy, into the TV format. The swinging ’60s saw the cathode

ray tube (CRT) usher in the modern era, dominating the TV landscape for the next 40 years. Essentially, three coloured dots – red, green and blue – projected onto the screen, creating the multi-coloured moving images that enthralled viewers at the time. Four decades later the battle raged between LCD and plasma, with both offering slimmer displays, higher resolution images and more vivid colours than CRTs. LCD won out, and with it high definition TV went from emerging tech to the new standard. More recently the popularity of internet-based content creators saw manufacturers creating internetconnected smart TVs. But what’s next for the screens in our homes? LG now offers a new technology called Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) technology, which completely removes the backlight first introduced

with LCD. While this enables the TV to be stunningly thin at just 1cm thick, it also means unprecedented picture quality. OLED technology creates light in a new way, with each pixel emitting its own light. This makes it possible to create perfect black, where the single pixel completely turns off its voltage – essentially turning that tiny spot on your TV off – removing the possibility of light bleeding into the other colours. The result? A brilliant, perfect image for every frame. The rate of innovation in consumer technology continues to increase, and TV technology is no exception. Whatever the future of TV holds, LG will be on the cutting edge, ensuring its products offer consumers the best image quality, in the most elegant products, for the most captivating viewing experience.

To learn more about the perfect colour LG OLED televisions bring, visit www.lg.com/za LG Electronics South Africa

@LGSouthAfrica #Knowbetter

@LGSouthAfrica

STUFF AWARDS 2017

PHONE OF THE YEAR

SAM SU N G GAL A XY S8

Beauty screen The S8’s Super AMOLED display is pixel-packed at 1440x2960. This helps to make colours really vibrant, especially when playing HDR videos.

R13 500 / samsung.com/za Let’s hear it for the champ. Such is the Galaxy S8’s brilliance, every other phone this year has been playing catch-up with it. Even now, nothing quite compares to this gorgeous mesh of glass and metal. What makes the S8 such a stunner? It’s staring you right in the face. That 5.8in Infinity Display is just a gorgeous way to Instagram, flit across your inbox, and indulge in Amazon Prime Video’s latest and greatest. Add to this an awesome point-and-shoot camera, all the speed you’ll ever need and an all-round design that’s tempted many an iPhone owner over to the Android side, and you’ve got a bona fide phone of the year. The only problem for Samsung: How will it ever top this beauty?

NOW ADD THESE

ANKER POWERPORT QI 10W Samsung’s official wireless pad will set you back R1 000, so get this no-frills one instead. It has a plastic exterior that’ll keep your glass-backed phone from slipping off. R650 / bidorbuy.co.za 38

BASEUS BATTERY CASE

SAMSUNG DEX STATION

The S8 is a phone that demands your attention, but staring dreamily at its screen for hours will only drain its battery. Add this 5 000mAh case and you needn’t worry about such trivialities. R1 500 / takealot.com

Thanks to its powerful Exynos 8895 processor, the Galaxy S8 has enough oomph to work as an Android desktop PC. And with Samsung’s DeX dock, that’s exactly what you can turn it into. R2 100 / samsung.com/za

in association with:

STUFF AWARDS 2017

WHY WE VOTED FOR IT Samsung was already onto a good thing with its unique curved smartphone screens, but it was the front-filling Infinity display that really set our hearts ablaze for the S8. Everyone else, including Apple, has been left trying to match its cutting-edge charms as best they can. So who’s going to finally top it? We can’t wait to find out.

BEST OF THE REST

H UAW E I P 1 0 Updated dual rear cameras, 4GB of RAM, a beautiful display and brilliant build quality had us nodding approvingly at Huawei’s P10. It’s a bona fide flagship device with subflagship pricing and a light-handed take on Android. R10 000 / huawei.com/za

iPHONE 8 PLUS This year was all about the iPhone X for Apple, but we haven’t fully tested that yet so the 8 Plus gets the nod instead. It’s the best iPhone you can buy at the time of writing, but we’re willing to bet that won’t last long. from R15 500 / myistore.co.za

LG V30+ A proper return to form from LG, the V30+ takes everything that was great about its G6 and adds an extra veneer of polish and class. Chief among these added touches is a quad-DAC that seriously amps up this flagship’s sound quality. R15 500 / lg.com/za

MOTO Z2 P L AY Motorola’s the only smartphone maker that’s cracked modular, and with the Z2 Play it’s made it even more affordable to join the mod game. The Moto Mods don’t come cheap, but even without them this is a truly superb sub-R10k handset. R8 800 / lenovo.co.za 39

STUFF AWARDS 2017 Making ripples Get the sapphire blue version and you get a hologram-like layer under the glass on the back that looks like water ripples when you tilt it back and forth.

BUDGET PHONE OF THE YEAR

HUAWE I P 1 0 LIT E

BEST OF THE REST

R5 000 / huawei.com/za It’s long been true that you don’t have to lay down top dollar to own an awesome phone. Plenty of big-name manufacturers make more affordable versions of their star players, but Huawei’s are especially good. At half the price of the full-fat P10, the Lite still looks, feels and most importantly, performs like a top-end handset. Heck, just look at the key features: 5.2in full-HD display, octa-core processor, 12MP rear shooter, 8MP front-facer, an aluminium and magnesium unibody shell with glass front and back, and a 3000mAh fast-charging battery. Not to mention the blisteringly responsive fingerprint sensor. The P10 Lite’s a top performer lookalike at the understudy’s day rate.

XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 4

MOTOROLA MOTO G5

FNB CONEXIS X2

VODAFONE SMART N8

There’s a lot to like about Xiaomi, but this one takes the bakery. At this price we’d expect plastic, a crummy camera and poor battery life. Instead we get metal, decent pics and 4100mAh. R3 500 / mia.africa.com

Although the Vodafone Smart N8 has gazumped its ‘bargain champ’ status, the Moto G5 is still dependable for anyone who doesn’t want to overspend on their next phone. R3 600 / connecteddevices .co.za

FNB’s second crack at a midranger is, well, cracking. The X2’s made by ZTE, offers LTE, NFC and other TLAs (three letter acronyms). 32GB of storage fixes the key misstep of the X1. from R200/pm / fnb.co.za

A two grand phone should rank with the post-club McD’s and the payday loan in terms of bad ideas that seemed genius at the time. And yet Vodafone’s Smart N8 is a genuine gadget marvel. R2 000 / vodacom.co.za

STUFF AWARDS 2017

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

MOBILE GAME OF THE YEAR

AFFI N IT Y P H OTO

EUCLIDEAN LA N D S

R300 / iOS

R70 / iOS

Photoshop on your iPad. That’s all you need to know about the audacious Affinity Photo. And although not literally Photoshop (it is, after all, by Serif rather than Adobe), it has everything you need, bringing properly professional image-editing to mobile. Although the screen’s dotted with icons and toolbars, this is an approachable app, and it feels transformative whether you’re making subtle adjustments to photos or working up digital paintings from scratch. Dials are twiddled and live effects fired from your fingertips. Anyone wedded to one-tap filters might be flummoxed; but for anyone who’s done with being chained to a Mac or PC to improve their pics, it’s just about perfect.

This beautiful puzzler wears its influences on its twisted sleeve. The minimal aesthetic evokes Monument Valley, and the turn-based mechanics are reminiscent of Hitman GO’s challenges. But in combining the two, wrapping everything around floating Rubik’s Cubes, and adding plenty of stabby violence, Euclidean Lands becomes a modern mobile classic. In each level, the aim is simple: kill the enemies and reach the exit. But with the landscape constantly evolving, foes moving of their own accord, and bosses able to twist the cube how they see fit, this is anything but easy. Occasionally it does get a bit too brain-smashy, but the game’s so terrific that every defeat only makes you more determined.

●

NOMINEES Procreate ● Brian Eno: Reflection ● Plotagraph+ ● Tinycards

●

NOMINEES Data Wing ● Freeways ● Pigeon Wings ● Super Mario Run

STUFF AWARDS 2017

CONSOLE OF THE YEAR

NIN T E N D O SW I TCH R5 000 / nintendo.co.za In hindsight, it’s easy to see how the Switch was going to be an all-conquering success, but we’re not about to claim we saw this one coming. After the Wii U proved about as good an idea as a Zuma cabinet reshuffle, the omens were particularly foreboding for this hybrid console. Then came Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey, and soon enough you couldn’t find the Switch in stores for love nor money. It was almost as if Nintendo knew what it was doing all along. With Wolfenstein II, Rocket League and Metroid Prime 4 all set to appear on Switch in the not too distant future, who cares whether this console became a smash hit by design, accident or a little bit of both?

BEST OF THE REST

PLAYSTATION 4 PRO

SNES CLASSIC MINI

Last year’s champ slips back in the face of new 4K competition. With Horizon: Zero Dawn and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy looking best on the Pro, there’s still plenty to admire here. R7 000 / playstation.co.za

Could the best console of 1990 also be this year’s champion? No, that would be ridiculous. Still, with all your old favourites, that vintage design and a bargain price, we can’t help but adore it. R1 250 / nintendo.co.za

SMARTBOY

XBOX ONE X

Third-party retro consoles are usually a load of bull. Not so the SmartBoy. With minimum fuss, this Android smartphone add-on can turn your Samsung Galaxy S8, or LG V30 into a Tetris machine. R720 / hyperlinklab.co.za

There’s no doubting the credentials of the world’s most powerful console. It’s a behemoth of a machine, and with a few more games to really take advantage of its power it could yet snatch a title. R8 000 (Dec ’17) / xbox.co.za

STUFF AWARDS 2017

You’re on telly Screen not big enough for you? Pop it in the accompanying dock and you can hook the Nintendo Switch up to your TV. Perfect for Mario Kart multiplayer.

READERVOTED AWARD

GAME OF THE YEAR

BRE ATH O F TH E W I LD R950 / Switch, Wii U There was no squabbling over the Game of the Year award – we left this one to you, the readers, and you voted as we would’ve done: for the latest The Legend of Zelda game. Scrapping the traditional linear adventure, Nintendo created a massive open-world Hyrule for us to play within. With majestic sights to see, piggish grunts to slay and an incredible quest that would raise goosebumps under our armour, 2017 was definitely best spent playing Breath of the Wild rather than fretting over Trump and Kim Jong-un’s apocalyptic squabbles. But it’s the subtle things that have made this game such a success, including the transcendent soundtrack and Link’s amusing humming as he cooks up a tasty treat.

NOMINEES Horizon Zero Dawn ● Destiny 2 ● PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds ● Resident Evil 7 ●

in association with: 43

STUFF AWARDS 2017

TV GADGET OF THE YEAR

STREAMING SERVICE OF THE YEAR

K W ESÉ P L AY

N E TF LI X

R1 000 / kwese.com

from R140/month / netflix.com

In the age of the smart TVs and Raspberry Pi minicomputers you might wonder why anyone would want a set-top box, even one powered by Roku’s famously good hardware, as is the case with the Kwesé Play. Well, silly, not everyone has a smart TV, and not everyone wants to tinker with lines of code. The Kwesé makes streaming things like YouTube, Red Bull TV and TED a cinch, and you get three months of Netflix for free. You’ll need an HD-capable TV with an HDMI port and at least a 4Mbit/s internet connection, but thereafter it’s pretty much plug-n-play. It’s a smart box for dumb TVs. And, as this is generation one, we can’t wait to see how Kwesé gets even better in 2018.

Compared to last year, when both Tidal and Apple Music flung out exclusive after exclusive, 2017 has not been the most revelatory time for streaming services. Still, if you’re wondering which subscription gives the most entertainment per rand, the answer is unquestionably Netflix. Spotify arguably does a smarter job with recommendations, and Showmax definitely wins when it comes to local content, but it’s Netflix’s roster of exclusive shows and movies such as Okja, Stranger Things and Ozark that makes it essential. Plus, almost every TV, phone and console supports its app meaning you have absolutely no excuse for missing any of them. Except for Sense 8, of course. You can skip that.

NOMINEES Apple TV 4K ● PlayStation 4 Pro ● Nintendo Switch ● Samsung Premium Soundbar ●

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NOMINEES Apple Music ● Amazon Prime Video ● Showmax ● Joox

STUFF AWARDS 2017

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TV OF THE YEAR

LG OLED 6 5 B 7 V R70 000 / lg.com/za If you’ve been reading Stuff closely this year you’ll have noticed it’s LG’s wafer-thin and gold-platedcaviar-priced Signature W7 Wallpaper that’s consistently gotten us hotter under the collar than any other television on the market. Tragically, though, it’s not yet made its way to South Africa, and we fear it never will. Boo and hiss. The next best thing? LG’s OLED65B7. It’s a little cheaper and, sure, a little chunkier, but it’s no slouch. LG’s webOS is the best TV interface out there, Dolby Atmos and HDR support make the most of the 4K resolution (and make Netflix’s top-tier account totally worth it) and, despite the marketing smack talk from other TV makers, we’re of the opinion that OLED is the best TV tech gets… for now, at least.

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NOMINEES Samsung 78JS9500 ● Samsung Frame TV ● LG OLED65E6V ● Samsung 55Q7F

N O W WAT C H T H E S E

TWIN PEAKS Given how badly its second season went, we weren’t expecting much from the Twin Peaks revival. Yet one Stuff staffer claims it’s “the closest TV has come to being an art form”. Definitely better than that second season, then.

THE HANDMAID’S TALE Use your TV as an escape from reality? Then this tale of a woman’s struggle against the machinations of totalitarian America isn’t for you. For everyone else, it’s a fitting polemic for these troubled times.

GLOW When you’re down on your luck there’s only one thing left to do: don a leotard and grapple with a group of strangers. That’s why GLOW is as much a self-help guide as it is essential viewing, even for hardcore wrestle-phobics. 45

STUFF AWARDS 2017

COMPUTER OF THE YEAR

APP L E iMAC 4 K 2 1 .5 IN from R22 000 / myistore.co.za It’s been years since Apple updated the iMac, but at a glance it’s tough to tell what’s changed – this is the spitting image of the last one. Power it on, though, and the changes are obvious. First up, the screen’s resolution is 4K, and it’s almost twice as bright as the last gen’s. There’s also the same wide colour gamut you get in high-end cinemas, a pair of USB-C ports around back next to the four USBs, Intel’s 7th-generation Kaby Lake GPUs and an AMD Radeon Pro 555 GPU. Add Apple’s macOS High Sierra and you get the tidiest all-in-one package out there. Need even more grunt and screen real-estate? There’s the 27in 5K version, but the significant price jump means this one’s the better fit for most people.

NOW ADD THESE

APPLE MAGIC TRACKPAD 2 With its built-in battery, wide surface area and superb response, the Magic Trackpad 2 is a great addition to the iMac, even if you still prefer a mouse. Moreover, it brings Force Touch to the desktop party. R2 400 / myistore.co.za 46

LACIE RUGGED MINI 2TB USB 3.0 No one wants a chunky black back-up box dominating their desk. This LaCie isn’t just visually arresting, it’s good for speedy transfers and should survive plenty of rough-housing. R2 800 / myistore.co.za

HARMAN KARDON SOUNDSTICK III The iMac’s builtin speakers are fine, but that doesn’t cut it for getting the juices flowing. Inspiration is unlikely to strike if reproduction of your fave playlist is middling. R3 000 / incredible.co.za

WHY WE VOTED FOR IT It was a pretty close call between the new iMac and the Microsoft Surface Studio. The former is an update to an already winning formula, while the latter is truly revolutionary and arguably far more exciting. But Microsoft’s latest is crazy expensive – even by Apple’s lofty standards – and it’s nearly impossible to get one in South Africa. Advantage iMac.

STUFF AWARDS 2017

BEST OF THE REST

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MICROSOFT S U R FA C E STUDIO

HP ENVY 34 CURVED A L L- I N - O N E

With its incredible hinges offering unprecedented flexibility, its outstanding 28in touch display, support for a stylus out of the box and glut of RAM the Surface Studio is the most interesting MS PC ever. Rtba / microsoft.com

Unlike the iMac, the Envy’s got an HDMI input so you can use it as a display for your PS4 or Xbox. The 34in panel isn’t 4K, but its gentle curve and 21:9 aspect ratio make up for that, plus it sounds way better than the competition. R40 000 / hpshop.co.za

APPLE MACBOOK PRO (NON TOUCH BAR)

ACER SWIFT 3

Sorry Apple, but the Touch Bar is a gimmick no one needs. Nonetheless, the MacBook Pro is still one of our favourite portable workhorses. Just get ready to invest in USB-C adaptors. from R20 000 / myistore.co.za

The Swift 3 is a reminder that you can get a perfectly potent portable PC for less than R15k. An SSD, Kaby Lake processor, 8GB of RAM and around seven hours of battery life all add up to one of the best mid-rangers out there. from R12 000 / acer.co.za 47

STUFF AWARDS 2017

WHY WE VOTED FOR IT The best fitness trackers are the ones you forget you’re wearing, until they give you a nugget of insight or a motivational nudge. That’s why we love the Alta HR: its exercise detection is superb, the heart-rate monitor makes it a killer sleep tracker, and the battery lasts at least a week. Oh, and we still get to wear our favourite watch on the other wrist.

FITNESS TRACKER OF THE YEAR

F ITB IT ALTA H R R2 500 / fitbit.co.za Let’s face it, most people who buy a fitness band do so with the intention of taking it off as soon as humanly possible. Partly because chips and burgers are delicious; mainly because they were never that into exercise in the first place. But with heart-rate tracking alongside week-long battery life and the ability to discern what kind of exercise you’re doing, Fitbit’s Alta HR is the perfect motivator for layabouts with an inferiority complex. Knowing this, Fitbit’s app is attuned to make you feel good about being healthy, with easy-to-grasp achievements and reminders to ensure you get back to it after a day or so of slacking. However long the Alta HR stays on your wrist, it’ll make for a welcome companion.

NOMINEES Fitbit Ionic ● Garmin Vivosmart 3 ● TomTom Touch Cardio ● Samsung Gear Fit2 ●

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S M A R T WAT C H OF THE YEAR

A P P LE WATC H S E RI E S 3 (GPS) NOW ADD THESE R5 500 / myistore.co.za

SPACE BLACK MILANESE LOOP Three years in and there are now a veritable stack of bands available for Apple’s Watch. For something more fancy than your average sweat sponge, this stainless steel number is a great shout. R3 000 (import) / myistore.co.za

GRIFFIN ALUMINIUM TRAVEL POWER BANK The Watch’s battery life isn’t shabby at all but still has the potential to catch you out. With enough charge for 2.5 top-ups, this travel battery will have you well covered. R1 200 / myistore.co.za

APPLE AIRPOWER Other, cheaper wireless charging pads will be available, but this own-brand model with its strangely militaristic overtones is still the one to go for. It’ll charge your iPhone, Watch and AirPods all at once. Rtba / myistore.co.za

Yes, we picked the one that can’t make phone calls. Why? Because you probably don’t need a smartwatch that’s capable of such a thing and you can’t get the other one in South Africa yet, so we haven’t gotten to try it. Besides, the standard-issue Series 3 will be plenty for most people. With Apple’s new S3 chip powering it, plus the GPS and waterproofing skills of its predecessor, this Watch does pretty much everything you’d want it to without asking you to sign up to for another contract. Most importantly, it’s a truly great fitness buddy that provides accurate workout stats however you prefer to exercise. Add to this near-seamless integration with your iPhone and you’ve got the best smartwatch going by far.

NOMINEES Garmin Fenix 5 ● Huawei Watch 2 ● Samsung Gear S3 Classic ● Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45

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STUFF AWARDS 2017

TECH TOY OF THE YEAR CAR OF THE YEAR

T E SL A MO D EL X

L E G O BO O ST C R E ATI V E TO O LBOX

from R1.32-milliom (import) / tesla.com

R2 500 / creativeplay.co.za

Yes, we know you can’t get the Tesla Model X in South Africa yet. And, frankly, we wonder if you ever will be able to. But that’s no reason for it not to win our Car of the Year award. Why? Because it’s still the most interesting thing on four wheels to make the headlines in the last year. From the record-breaking pre-orders to the crazy acceleration, gullwing doors and arresting good looks, the Model X is much for than a posterchild for EVs. It’s a four-wheeled reminder that big dreams can come true when dreamed by the right big dreamer, and in doing so, can potentially change entire, deeply entrenched industries in the process.

Given the Danish smart pants company behind it, we probably shouldn’t be too taken aback by the Creative Toolbox’s genius – Lego’s been making brick-based masterpieces for decades now. Plus, anything that can transform from a robot, into a car, a guitar, a cat and a mini-robot-making production line is fine by us. Even when it’s trying to teach us something. The Boost Creative Toolbox isn’t going to turn you or your offspring into overnight coding geniuses, but it’s a wonderful introduction to coding, and a great way to demonstrate that code can make things happen in the real world. If this is the future of Lego sign us up. Doubly so if that future includes more cute, robotic kitty cats.

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NOMINEES Range Rover Velar ● Mazda MX-5 RF ● BMW 4 Series ● Ford Fiesta

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NOMINEES Ninebot Mini Pro ● Sphero R2-D2 ● DJI Spark ● 3Doodler Create

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STUFF AWARDS 2017

HEADPHONES OF THE YEAR

JAB R A E L I TE SP O RT R3 700 / circuitcity.co.za Apple’s AirPods might’ve given us our first proper taste of truly wireless earphones, but Jabra’s Elite Sport are the ones that got us hooked. The built-in heart rate tracking is handy rather than indispensable, and the Jabra Sport Life app is still a little rudimental, but the Elite Sport can’t be beaten for fit or comfort, and the audio quality and call quality (thanks to a pair of mics in each earphone) is the best we’ve experience from any properly cordless in-ears. They’re good for 4.5 hours on a charge, the case provides two further charges and they’re far less ridiculous looking than Apple’s offering. No one’s going to mistake these for earrings. If you workout, run, or just hate cables, these are the buds for your lugs.

BEST OF THE REST

AKG N60NC WIRELESS Last year’s award winners are back for an honourable mention this year. Like Sennheiser before it, AKG has shed the cable on its active noise cancelling headphones with excellent results. R4 000 / takealot.com 52

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 2 WIRELESS There was a time “wireless” meant “not as good”. Those days are gone. These’ll last you a long-haul flight and still leave more than enough power to also get you through customs. R7 500 / sennheiser.com

BRAGI THE DASH With 4GB of on on-board storage, swim-proofing and multi-sport tracking The Dash showed promise, but a fiddly interface kept it from top spot. Maybe next year. R4 500 / thegadgetshop. co.za

V-MODA CROSSFADE M-100 Despite being late to the party, the M-100’s indestructible build-quality, strong looks and beautifully balanced sound made us nod our heads approvingly. R3 900 / takealot.com

STUFF AWARDS 2017

HI-FI GADGET OF THE YEAR

UE WONDERBOOM R1 500 / takealot.com Keep dancing Just like your friends, the Wonderboom will pass out after 10 hours of partying. Unlike your friends, it can be revived instantaneously via a microUSB charge.

Some snobs will disagree, but ‘hi-fi’ in our books can basically be summarised as stuff that sounds good. You probably wouldn’t expect that of a Bluetooth speaker that’s seemingly been made to resemble a grenade; but, taking its design cues from the opening days of the 2003 Iraq War, Ultimate Ears’ Wonderboom delivers ‘shock and awe’ in a brilliant and mercifully non-violent manner. Much like its equally excellent UE brethren, the Wonderboom gives you plenty of power to the rand while retaining clarity and detail for when you’re not in an ’80s rock anthems kind of mood. Better yet, it’s waterproof so you can have a blast with the thing where you please, including the bathtub.

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in association with:

NOMINEES Chromecast Audio ● DreamWave Tremor ● JBL Pulse 3 ● Sonos One

STUFF AWARDS 2017

ACTION CAMERA / DRONE OF THE YEAR

DJ I SPAR K R8 700 / navworld.co.za We need to make this very clear: a drone is not a toy. That’s despite it being your very own personal flying machine, that will magically stop if you try to speed it into a brick wall, and that dogs love chasing around the park like some kind of autonomous tennis ball. No, drones are for serious filmic sorts with cash to burn and no pups to entertain... unless you’re talking about the DJI Spark, of course. Sure, it’s masquerading as an affordable auteur’s delight with HD recording and 50km/h top speed, but it can also snap an aerial selfie by spotting your hand gesture. Try doing that and not cracking a Cheshire Cat smile afterwards. There’s no better intro to drone flying, but do get an extra battery.

NOW ADD THESE

DJI FLY MORE COMBO

SANDISK ULTRA 64GB

While you can buy the Spark’s controller and bag separately, you’ll save a lot of cash by shelling out for them with the Fly More Combo. This pack also gives you an extra battery plus more props and guards. R13 900 (including drone) / navworld.co.za

With a meagre 16-minute flight time, the last thing you want to do is call your Spark back home because it’s run out of storage. This SanDisk has more than enough space for hours of skybound video. R550 / sandisk.co.za

DJI GOGGLES Who needs VR when you can plonk your peepers miles above terra firma with this DJImade headset? Instead of screening your Spark’s footage on your phone, this thing sticks it right in front of your face. R9 850 / navworld.co.za

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STUFF AWARDS 2017

WHY WE VOTED FOR IT Drones have been invading our airspace for years now, but never before has one of these mini ’copters landed right on the sweet spot for both price and flyability. Add in gesture control and an array of auto flying modes, and you’ve got the gadget we most want to spend our 13th cheque on. Or better yet, our partners’. Partners, are you reading this?

BEST OF THE REST

D J I M AV I C PRO

GOPRO KARMA

I N S TA 3 6 0 ONE

Pro by name and pro by nature, DJI’s Mavic drone is faster, more intelligent and less likely to crash than anything before it. The lightweight, folding-wing design ensures this is an aerial camera extraordinaire. R20 000 / navworld.co.za

The omens weren’t great for GoPro’s Karma after its original units were recalled in November last year. When it did arrive, this drone proved a reasonable DJI rival – especially if you make use of its action-cam gimbal. R15 000 / ormsdirect.co.za

A 360° cam for your iPhone or iPad, the Insta360 One will capture your pursuits from all angles and edit them into a ‘flat’ movie. Its simplicity and pocket-sized trickery make this a better shout than Samsung’s Gear 360. R5 800 / 360cams.co.za

PROPEL S TA R WA R S X-W I N G B AT T L I N G DRONE It’s your very own X-Wing! While you’ll have to settle for piloting it using a controller, this is still a thrill to fly, not least if you pit it in an aerial laser battle. R9 100 / yuppiegadgets.com 55

STUFF AWARDS 2017

SYSTEM CAMERA OF THE YEAR

F UJ I FIL M X-T 2 0 R15 000 (body only) / fujifilm.co.za

Honestly, we did consider not picking a Fuji camera for this prize – even though they’ve been hogging the No1 spot in our Top Ten for what feels like an age. But then we thought about things and decided to give the glorious X-T20 the gong anyway. Why? Rand for rand you can’t get a better system camera right now, and that seemed like a good enough reason for us. With the same 24.3MP APS-C sensor and processor as the much pricier X-T2, plus a touchscreen, you just feel Fuji has gone all out here to make a great camera. With well laid-out controls, a huge viewfinder, excellent autofocus, a top-class sensor and access to some superb lenses, the X-T20’s many, many charms cannot be denied.

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NOMINEES Fujifilm GFX 50S ● Nikon D500 ● Canon EOS 5DS ● Leica TL2

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THINKTANK PHOTO SIGNATURE 10 CAMERA BAG Most camera bags have plenty of room for your lenses, but are too ugly for you to want to actually be caught carrying. Not so with this classy number. R4 700 / ormsdirect.co.za 56

VANGUARD ALTA PRO 263AT There are many tricks for taking better pics, but the best upgrade will always be getting a tripod. With the ability to position the Alta Pro at almost any angle, it’ll ensure stable shots. R4 500 / cameraland.co.za

FUJI XF80MM MACRO LENS Fuji’s latest lens is a superb macro with image stabilisation and weatherproofing – both things you’ll want when shooting bugs in the wild. A real classy bit of glass... that’s gonna be pricey. Rtba / fujifilm.co.za

WHY WE VOTED FOR IT We’re massive fans of the X-T20’s bigger sibling, the X-T2. The X-T20 has all of the T2’s best features: superb autofocus, 4K video, and a killer sensor. But it’s a whole whack cheaper and adds a touchscreen. When we sat down to pick a winner there wasn’t even the usual heated debate and gnashing of teeth: the X-T20 was everybody’s favourite.

STUFF AWARDS 2017

COMPACT CAMERA OF THE YEAR

FUJIFILM X 100F R19 000 / fujifilm.co.za If you’re going to get a compact camera, then you shouldn’t settle for anything besides the absolute best. What does the best include? A 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III sensor and X-Processor Pro image processor for starters. What does that mean? You can dial up the ISO to a whopping 51200, but with the built-in light-guzzling Fujinon 23mm f/2 lens, you probably won’t need to. Autofocus is lightning fast and the hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder combination is a treat to use. And, if you want to shoot video, there’s 1080p at 60fps. Otherwise stills go up to 8fps. All of which explains the hefty price tag. Hey, we didn’t say the best came cheap.

NOMINEES Instax Square SQ10 ● Lomo’Instant Automat ● Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II ● Olympus TG-5 ●

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STUFF AWARDS 2017

N O TA B L E PAST WINNERS Display of perfection That 6.2in touchscreen display looks surprisingly good for a portable system at 1280x720p. It’ll make your 3DS look like Wayne Rooney with a hangover.

2009 HTC HERO This brilliant smartphone was the first to transform Google’s Android OS from also-ran into a genuine contender.

2010 APPLE iPAD Yes, it wasn’t the first tablet. Regardless, Steve Jobs’ final world-changing gadget was a good ’un.

2012 SAMSUNG GALAXY SIII Five years ago this was “the best smartphone ever made”. Time makes fools of all phones.

2014 MICROSOFT S U R FA C E P R O 3 The gadget that hinted Microsoft had its mojo back. The Surface Studio went on to prove it.

2016 HTC VIVE Virtual reality is still a long way off the mainstream, but HTC’s Vive remains an astounding bit of technology.

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GA DG ET

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EA TH D DE G E E RS Y T O ’ E A F R

AW AR DS

STUFF AWARDS 2017

GADGET OF THE YEAR

N I N TE N DO SW I TC H R5 000 / nintendo.co.za This one was a close call. We could have gone for the near-bezel-less Galaxy S8 that won over so many hardened iPhone owners, or the DJI Spark and its dazzling feats of aerial wonder that will help you become the next JJ Abrams. And yet the Switch emerged doubly victorious, getting the nod from us as well as winning the reader vote. Why? It’s just so much fun. From impromptu Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tournaments in the office to exploring Hyrule while stuck in a metal tube somewhere over the Atlantic, the Switch has entertained us at nary a moment’s notice. This is a proper gadget, one you really have to pick up and play with to see what all the fuss is about – and there are many more exciting games in the pipeline. So for daring to do something different and getting it so joyously right, Nintendo’s Switch is our – and your – Gadget of the Year.

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NOMINEES Apple Watch Series 3 ● DJI Spark ● Lego Boost Creative Toolbox ● Microsoft Surface Studio ● Samsung Galaxy S8 ● Tesla Model X

N O W P L AY T H E S E Fancy footwork Flip up the stand, pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend and you’ve got multiplayer action without the need of a TV. Anyone for FIFA on the plane?

METROID PRIME 4 Nintendo’s popular sci-fi shooter is making an epic comeback (date tbc), and we can’t flippin’ wait.

WOLFENSTEIN II: THE NEW COLOSSUS Who could resist the lure of a Nazi shoot-’em-up on the Switch? Not us!

YOSHI Swapping wool for cardboard, Yoshi’s got his own adventure again. Long gone are the days of ferrying Mario. 59

TESTED APPS

Mini meme

● Sky Guide AR

There’s a classy effortlessness about this stargazing app that places it head and shoulders above everything else of its kind on iPhone. Elegant rather than showy, it’s also packed with features like notifications, timetravel controls, and an AR mode that maps the heavens on to the daytime sky when you can’t wait until sunset to see the stars. Stuff says ★★★★★ R50 / iOS

Take advantage of the warmer nights by pointing your phone at the sky – either to expand your celestial wisdom, or to get great starry photos

● The Photographer’s Ephemeris Tempting for its name alone, this app is a great companion for planning night shots (and day ones, for that matter). Pick a site, get your moon data, peer at a constellation visualisation, and cross your fingers that clouds don’t mess everything up. Note: on Android the app’s a bit more basic than on iPhone. Stuff says ★★★★✩ R40 / Android ● R140 / iOS

● Redshift

● Solar Walk 2

● NightCap Camera

● Camera FV-5

Stuff says ★★★★★ R57 / Android ● R150 / iOS

Stuff says ★★★★✩ R51 / Android ● R15 / iOS

Stuff says ★★★★✩ R30 / iOS

Stuff says ★★★★✩ R45 / Android

Although it feels a bit utilitarian, Redshift is a winner where it counts – whether you’re delving into data, needing to quickly find a celestial object, or desperate to take a virtual flight to Uranus. And there’s a handy night-vision mode when using the app outdoors, so you can peer at the sky and wonder what’s staring back at you.

APPS THAT REACH FOR THE STARS

If you fancy exploring planets rather than stars, Solar Walk 2 is a digital orrery (look it up) on your phone. You can zip from Mercury to Neptune, cracking open planets to see what’s inside. There are loads of lovely photos to drink in as well, before you set about trying to make your own – which might be little more than a bright dot, but still…

Although we must give kudos to the fantastic low-light modes in ProCamera (R80), this iPhone snapper is specifically designed for low-light and astronomy photography. There are manual controls, but automatic modes are built in for all kinds of night shots: meteors, the ISS, stars and star trails. A couple of taps and you’re ready to shoot.

Serious Android photographers are armed with Camera FV-5. It offers a bunch of essential features within a smart, usable interface, including manual focus and shutter speed controls, and long exposure support up to 30 seconds. The tiny snag: much of this stuff is subject to device support, so you’ll need to do a bit of research into your phone first.

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WIN 1 of 2 HUAWEI MATE 10 PRO

You could be among the first people in South Africa to own one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year!

WORTH R18 000 EACH

TO ENTER SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT:

stuff.co.za/mate-10-dec Valid from 20 November to 17 December 2017. Terms and conditions on the editor's letter page (p2).

HURRY! COMPETITION CLOSES 17 DEC 2017 62

FIRST TEST FITBIT IONIC

Perfect fit? If you’re not sold on Apple’s Watch, your choice of smart wristwear isn’t exactly bountiful. Fitbit reckons it can show the rest how it’s done…

R5 500 / fitbit.co.za

Get physical

While the touchscreen could be zippier, you can use the three physical buttons on the side to navigate the watch instead. These are a real boon when out exercising.

nce, smartwatches were the future of tech. And when we say ‘once’, we mean four years ago. Now Pebble is no more, we’re on the third Apple Watch and Fitbit has finally entered the arena wondering where everyone’s gone. As much as the Ionic is late to this party, on paper it looks

legit. A fitness-focused watch with GPS, it has its own inbuilt personal trainer and support for wireless payments and thirdparty apps. What more could you ask for? There’s a reason the Ionic has been quite so long in the making, though, and that’s the ill-fated Fitbit Blaze – a sort-of-smart watch that wasn’t all that brainy

and didn’t trouble Apple’s all-conquering alternative. The Ionic is supposed to be the real deal at the second time of asking. It’s even got its own roster of interchangeable bands and an Adidas-branded edition that’s out later this year. While Fitbit’s pedigree as a purveyor of ‘wear and forget about it’ trackers is undisputed,

the same can’t be said for its devices that demand to be a fully integrated part of your life. As such, the Ionic feels like one last shot at the big time: it has to prove that your Fitbit needn’t be disposable once you’ve balanced your diet, settled into an exercise routine and just need a proper fitness watch. So how does it shape up?

FIRST TEST FITBIT IONIC

The beat goes on

The Ionic monitors your heart-rate continuously, which means you get a diary of graphs to scroll through to see when fatigue may have kicked in.

You wear it well

2 Steppin’ out

It’s hard not to be won over by the Ionic’s ’80s sci-fi charm. Despite the aluminium case’s sharp corners, it’s more comfortable to wear than the Apple Watch. The display is also crisp and sharp, with the same impressive brightness.

3 Fitter happier

The Ionic is the most powerful Fitbit so far thanks to GPS and 50m water-resistance. As well as logging steps, calories burned and ‘active minutes’, the Ionic also monitors sleep and continuous heart rate.

Every smartwatch has a different approach to tracking workouts. The Ionic is like a couch-to-5km improver, focusing on overall fitness rather than split times. Trouble is, you can only see your workout data on the Fitbit app.

Good Meh Evil

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FIRST TEST FITBIT IONIC

4 We can work (it) out It’s limited for now but the new Fitbit Coach training assistant is a potential star, with free and paid tiers of guided workouts, including exercise, meditation and nutrition. Little animated figures direct you through them.

5 Those were the days Fitbit quotes a four-day battery life, but you’ll struggle to get this if you use GPS. In our test, which included an hour of GPS-tracked cycling, 30 minutes of running and 20 minutes of swimming, it lasted about 2.5 days.

Tech specs Sensors Altimeter, 3-axis accelerometer, digital compass, GPS, heart rate, ambient light Compatibility iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows Connectivity Bluetooth 4.0 Water-resistance 50m Battery life Up to 4 days Dimensions 36x29x21mm, 30g

Not on my watch The Ionic comes from a strong fitness background, but it’s a little out of its depth as a smartwatch

■ App gaps

■ Strava starver

■ Pay away

■ Curt alerts

It’s clear from the Ionic’s interface that it’s never going to embrace apps in the same way as the Apple Watch. There are just two third-party apps currently available: Strava and Weather.

The Strava app is very limited compared to the Apple Watch and Android Wear versions. It’s just a viewer for your completed sessions – you can’t actually start a run or bike ride in the app.

P ro ayi ck ng . T fo oo r ba foo di dw t’s it no h t W t r he th e c ea Io an an dy nic ks b r to ing in wo SA u its it 50 to ye ld t. m ou r w O at mo a q h, m er rn pr in uic o oo g k r m’s fin sw ep te g. im ly xt on ed th , bu ew t It at we las loo ch ca t F ks . n’t itb lik se it’ e t nd s q he uo ba te tte df r T ou y w w his r d on at is ch Fi ay ’t , b tb s. qu ut it’s ite it g ne re a ed te s m st or alle s ro m un ar d ts .

We look forward to the arrival of Fitbit Pay for buying a post-run milkshake with just your watch. Demos have proven how effective it is, but it’s not available in SA yet.

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The Ionic shows texts, calendar events, missed calls and WhatsApp messages, but there’s no way to interact with them due to the lack of a microphone or canned responses.

The Ionic is an excellent tracker with some smartwatch scaffolding. If you really want a Fitbit with GPS tracking and swim-proofing alongside all the usual good stuff, then this is the only model that can do it all. But with a painfully limited app library and even Fitbit Coach not yet fully available, the Ionic is a ‘raw talent’ rather than a genuine title contender.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩ Easily Fitbit’s best all-round fitness tracker… just don’t call it a smartwatch yet 65

FIRST TEST FITBIT IONIC

The alternatives: 3 more smartwatches

Other ways to make sure you don’t have to go out bare-wristed

BEST FOR ANALOGUE LOOKS

Samsung Gear S3 Classic

Apple Watch Series 3

BEST FOR SERIOUS RUNNERS

Garmin Vivoactive 3

from R5 500 / myistore.com

Rtba / garmin.co.za

What’s the story? Some people crave the smarty-pants features of today’s tickers but have their hearts set firmly on traditional watch styling, rather than anything that looks like a Star Trek prop. Samsung’s Gear S3 Classic checks both boxes with modern features hiding inside a discreet shell.

What’s the story? Ever been on the phone to your mom and thought, “I wish I could take this call via my wrist”? No, us neither. That’s why we recommend the bog-standard Apple Watch Series 3 ahead of its cellular kin. Even without 4G, this Apple Watch is hard to beat with upgrades such as a new barometric altimeter, dual-core processor and speedier Wi-Fi chip.

What’s the story? Garmin’s entry for this smartwatch race is the jock of the class, prioritising its sporty skills ahead of its brain power. It has a healthy buffet of exercise presets, as well as offering a chunky portion of data via the Garmin Connect app. But on the smartwatch side you’ll struggle to quench your appetite, with little on offer besides smartphone notifications.

Is it any good? This Samsung watch is packed full of clever sensors. With a heart-rate monitor, accelerometer, GPS, gyroscope and plenty more, it has you covered for most fitness workouts… well, except for swimming. It won’t survive a significant splash. It also lacks app support, especially compared to Apple, since it runs on Samsung’s Tizen. But if that’s the price to pay for traditional looks, we’re sure the silver surfers won’t mind.

Is it any good? This is a smartwatch first, yet it has so many fitness features that it puts many proper trackers to blushing shame. Even the Garmin on the right struggles to keep pace. Then there’s the whopping number of apps on offer – you can barely call the Ionic a ‘smart’ watch when you compare its app offering to Apple’s. And the whole package is tied together by Siri, who can now talk back to you – a much better conversationalist than your mom.

Is it any good? Sure, there’s limited app support and you can’t store your music on the thing, but the Vivoactive 3 wasn’t designed to be a smart alec. It was purpose-built for fitness freaks. It can track a wide array of activities from jogging to snowboarding, has 24/7 heart-rate tracking, and can take a dunking when you go for a swim. Oh, and it’ll probably last longer on its feet than you, with excellent battery life. It’s the perfect wrist-worn stat machine.

TECH SPECS Sensors Barometric altimeter, GPS, ambient light, heart-rate, accelerometer, gyroscope Features Water-resistance, NFC Dimensions 46x49x12.9mm, 57g

TECH SPECS Sensors Barometric altimeter, GPS, heart-rate, accelerometer, gyroscope Features Water-resistance, NFC Dimensions 39x33x11.4mm, 27g

TECH SPECS Sensors Barometric altimeter, GPS, heart-rate, accelerometer Features Water-resistance, NFC Dimensions 43x43x11.7mm, 43g

R6 500 / samsung.com/za

Stuff says ★★★★★

A few more apps and this watch could have the best of both worlds

BEST FOR USEFUL APPS

Stuff says ★★★★★

Apple’s done it again with the finest all-round smartwatch available

Stuff says ★★★★★

The best choice for those who live for sporty self-improvement

FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 8 & 8 PLUS

The other iPhones

Can the samey-looking 8 and 8 Plus make a real impression before Apple’s seemingly all-conquering iPhone X arrives?

from R15 500 / myistore.co.za

from R13 500 / myistore.co.za

ere we go again. Once more with some feeling, Apple has bestowed two new iPhones upon the world. The big difference this time around? Neither is anywhere near as ritzy as the forthcoming iPhone X. You know, the one with the near-bezel-less screen, facial recognition tech and roughly R20k price tag. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus don’t boast any of this stuff. In fact they look like last year’s models with a few aesthetic

tweaks – just as the last few iPhones before them were. When held side by side with the equally pricey Samsung Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel 2, it’s hard to escape the impression that Apple might be coasting with its traditional offerings this time around. Spend a little more time with both of these phones, though, and their familiar charms will come to light again. Turns out Apple remains a trusty old hand at this sort of thing, and both the 8 and 8 Plus are iPhones

through and through. They have great cameras, run like a dream and still demand you plug in a dongle to use your old headphones. Most importantly of all, they’re the iPhones you might actually afford – because let’s face it, you’re probably not going to have 20 grand going spare every two years. So if you’ve weighed up the competition and still want a new iPhone, then it’s likely to be one of these two. Which is the one to get? Having tested both, we’ve got the answer.

WHAT ABOUT THE X? Apple’s ludicrously deluxe iPhone isn’t out until later this year, and we haven’t yet spent enough time with it to give it a proper review score. In the meantime, we’ve got an iPhone 8 to give away to a lucky Stuff reader. Turn to p71 to enter this awesome competition. 67

FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 8 & 8 PLUS

iPhone 8 Plus

Imagine the iPhone 7 Plus, only better: small upgrades go a long way for the temporary leader of Apple’s line-up from R15 500 / myistore.co.za When the iPhone 8 family launched back in September, there was a noticeable lack of the whooping fanfare and block-long queues that usually accompany a new Apple phone. Two words explain why: iPhone X. Apple’s flashiest ever handset looms large over the 8 Plus, in the same way that a P45 might over a Premier League manager. Given that the 8 Plus looks like a handful of small upgrades with wireless charging chucked in, it’s hardly surprisingly that people haven’t fallen over themselves to grab what now looks like the odd one out of the line-up: a handset that’s significantly more expensive than the 8 but nowhere near as impressive as the X. But, as ever with Apple, there’s much more to the 8 Plus than first meets the eye. Once you start exploring it, you’ll realise that several clever tweaks add up to a much better overall experience. One that means you should save a couple of thousand rand by opting not to get the X instead? Well, that we’re not so sure about.

3 1

You need hands

The 8 Plus is a much bigger beast than most Android flagships, and this means using it one-handed can be a little precarious – not least since its aluminium back has been replaced by glass to enable wireless charging.

2 Through the wire Even though wireless charging is the big addition to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, you only get a Lightning cable charger in the box. For now, Apple sells chargers from Mophie and Belkin while it works on its own AirPower mat.

3 Hit the road again, jack Elsewhere, it’s business as usual for the 8 Plus’s design, with all the buttons and switches as they were on previous phones. This means Apple is still sticking to its anti-headphone-jack agenda, but you do get waterproofing.

Good Meh Evil

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FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 8 & 8 PLUS

Tech specs Screen 5.5in 1080x1920 IPS LCD with True Tone and 3D Touch Processor Apple A11 Bionic hex-core OS Apple iOS 11 Cameras Dual 12MP rear, 7MP front Battery 2691mAh Storage 64/256GB non-expandable RAM 3GB Dimensions 158x78x7.5mm, 202g

4 Talking in tones On paper, the 5.5in 1080x1920 IPS display is like for like with the 7 Plus. That’s nothing on the Samsung Galaxy S8+, or the iPhone X, though the addition of True Tone display tech does ensure a very natural picture.

Seeing double Once again, the Plus-sized iPhone has been treated to a dual-lens camera – can it hang with the Galaxy S8?

5 Speed of life Apple’s A11 Bionic chip sits at the heart of the iPhone 8 Plus, and runs iOS 11 with nary a hiccup. We’re impatient power users and it handled everything we chucked at it, chomping through all manner of multitasking without complaint.

■ Stiller stills

■ One-shot wonder

■ Tele monster

■ The bigger picture

Not much has changed from the 7 Plus’s camera, but its wide-angle lens has been treated to optical image stabilisation. The result? Less blur and graininess in your images, even shooting at night.

Apple has also included a larger, faster sensor, a new colour filter and ‘deeper pixels’ for better dynamic range. HDR mode is now always on, so you shouldn’t have to tweak settings to get the best possible snap.

Switching to the zoom on the telephoto camera, it does a nice job at jumping in closer without losing detail, framing the subject nicely. But it’s less impressive in low light, due to its narrow aperture.

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All of these tweaks add up to one of the best phone cameras we’ve ever tried. In good light, pictures are detailed and well balanced, with great dynamic range. Even in trickier lighting, exposure is spot-on.

When the ‘Plus’ option first appeared as an alternative to the iPhone 6, it felt like a bigger, bulkier phone but with little else to offer. Now it feels like the iPhone in the family to buy, with a camera that’s truly top-class. Just bear in mind that, while the 8 Plus fully deserves its five-star rating, it should soon be overshadowed by the X.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★★ With its ace camera, larger screen and better battery life, the 8 Plus is the iPhone to buy… for now 69

FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 8 & 8 PLUS

iPhone 8

It looks familiar, but the cheapest and least exciting of the new iPhones is not quite as predictable as it first appears from R13 500 / myistore.co.za Let’s face it, for all our talk of the iPhone X and 8 Plus, it’s the standard iPhone 8 that you’re most likely buy. Why? Simply because it’s the cheapest new iPhone of the bunch. Alas, that also means it’s the most traditional of Apple’s 2017 handsets, with few meaningful changes from what’s gone before. Crucially, with the iPhone 8 you’re missing out on the Plus’s dual-lens camera and the X’s lustrous display. You might be inclined to call it the iPhone Basic… only that would be doing it quite the disservice. Really, the iPhone 8 is the safe choice in the latest line-up – one that’s made for 6s and 7 owners who want an easy upgrade with a better camera, faster performance and the familiar charms of iOS. And on these limited terms, the iPhone 8 is an undoubted success, with much more to it than you first think. Just make sure you’re not the jealous type before investing in one – that iPhone X envy is gonna come on strong.

It’s an iPhone

More so than even the 8 Plus, the 8 sticks to the familiar aesthetic that Apple’s been trading on for some time now. Fractionally larger, thicker and heavier than its predecessor, it still has the annoying camera bump.

2 Toned up Upgrading from an iPhone 6 or 6s, you’re still getting a 4.7in screen with a resolution of 1334x750. The picture is clean, colour accuracy is strong and – as with the 8 Plus – the iPad’s True Tone tech keeps things calibrated.

3 Nothing is real Like the iPhone 8 Plus, the 8 runs on the A11 Bionic chip that’s been made for AR – and hurling virtual chairs about your office in Housecraft is a lot fun. The same stuff works on a 6s, but it’s far more responsive on this phone.

The rivals SAMSUNG GALAXY S8

The best phone in the world. Straight up. If you’re fully sold into the App Store, AirPlay and all the rest, that may give you pause for thought before making the switch. Otherwise, what are you waiting for?

GOOGLE PIXEL 2 XL

Google’s second crack at its very own iPhone is a more refined device than its predecessor, with a pure take on Android 8.0 Oreo, the latest internals and arguably the finest camera you can find on a phone right now.

LG V30

LG’s G6 was a mighty impressive device when it launched earlier this year, but it was soon surpassed by the Galaxy S8 and a parade of lookalikes. The V30 aims to take back that top spot with an OLED display and built-in hi-fi DAC.

FIRST TEST APPLE iPHONE 8 & 8 PLUS

4 Built to last?

According to Apple, battery life for the iPhone 8 matches the 7, and adds two hours to the 6s. Using the phone mostly on Wi-Fi, faffing about online and playing too many games, it just about got us through the day. Both wireless and fast charging are now supported.

5 Snap decision On paper, the iPhone 8’s camera seems unremarkable: a 12MP sensor with an f/1.8 lens and optical image stabilisation. You’ll have to step up to the 8 Plus to get the dual-camera setup. But by controlling both hardware and software, Apple can outpace expectations: detail retention is really impressive and colours pop. Things are more variable in low light, but the flash retains a decent amount of natural colour.

Tech specs Screen 4.7in 1334x750 IPS LCD with True Tone and 3D Touch Processor Apple 11 Bionic hexcore OS Apple iOS 11 Cameras 12MP rear, 7MP front Battery 1821mAh Storage 64/256GB non-expandable RAM 2GB Dimensions 138x67x7.3mm, 148g

The 8 is not radical, and there are plenty of Androids that offer more for less. But this is a solid, powerful device with an excellent camera. It’s not the future of the iPhone, but it’s still very good indeed.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩

Pricey and dated, but it’s more phone than you might be expecting

WIN! AN iPHONE 8 Yep. The brand new iPhone 8 64GB could be yours, and your wallet won’t even have to know about it. We don’t really need to sell this competition to you, do we? It’s Apple’s latest, and you might just be lucky enough to grab it for free. All you have to do is enter.

HOW TO ENTER

For your chance to bag a brand new iPhone 8 64GB, whip out your current (probably inadequate-feeling about now) smartphone, scan the QR code you see here and find yourself whisked away to a competition entry form. Fill that in and your obligation is fulfilled. Terms & conditions: 1 Open to ZA residents aged 18 or over. 2 Entries close 11.59pm, 17 Dec 2017. 3 Prizes are as stated. 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person. For full competition terms and conditions see stuff.co.za/terms-and-conditions

T E S T E D B E AT S S T U D I O 3 W I R E L E S S

Nuthin’ but a ‘b’ thang New noise-cancelling tech – plus Apple’s powerful W1 chip – mean the latest wireless Beats should let you hear the tunes, the whole tunes and nothing but the tunes

Rtba / myistore.co.za Remember the original Beats Studio headphones? Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine’s first foray into the world of personal audio was an iconic product – and their successors were always going to have a lot to live up to. Luckily, with Apple now on board and helping with the hardware, the tech side of the deal was never going to be a problem. The Studio3 cans arrive on the heels of 2016’s Solo3 Wireless, Beats X and Powerbeats3, the first three pairs of ’phones with Apple’s W1 chip for extended range and battery life. But this time there’s also a new take on active noise-cancelling involved. It’s called Pure ANC, and Beats says it goes a lot further than regular noise-cancelling to keep your music pure. That just leaves the burning question of sound quality. While the Studio3s may offer a fine hi-tech experience for iPhone users, Beats have a history of being too bass-heavy for proper audiophiles. Has that been reined in here? Well, not entirely…

1 Silence kit The noise-cancelling tech uses fancy algorithms (and multiple microphones) to listen to your environment, instead of the single-frequency technique you’ll find in other noise-cancelling cans. Extra mics inside the cups even check for leaks.

2 Gold soundz ‘Audio estimation’ monitors your tracks 50,000 times every second to make sure the music you hear matches the signal from your phone. While headphones with ANC rarely sound the same when you switch the cancelling off, that’s not a problem here.

3 Range life Thanks to the W1 chip, the Studio3s seamlessly switch between Apple devices, and pairing is as simple as bringing headphones and handset close together. Wireless range with W1 is also significantly better than your basic Bluetooth.

Good Meh Evil

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T E S T E D B E AT S S T U D I O 3 W I R E L E S S

4 Transport is arranged You’ll manage around 22 hours of noise-cancelling music with these Beats, which is enough to get you through the longest flight and still have juice left for the customs queue. Fast Fuel recharging can also get you three hours of playing power in just 10 minutes.

5 We dance The Studio3s have a warm tone that gives prominence to the bass, but it doesn’t overwhelm the mix as with earlier Beats. You couldn’t call the sound ‘neutral’, so it won’t please the purists, but everyone else should be very happy with the audio experience.

Tech specs Features Pure ANC noise-cancelling, LED battery gauge, RemoteTalk cable Connectivity Bluetooth, microUSB Colour options Matt black, white, red, porcelain rose, blue, shadow grey Battery life 22 hours with ANC, 40 hours without

Brave architecture It’s not just the fancy tech that makes these Beats so appealing. Here are the key design features:

4 ■ Still D.R.E.

■ Pause 4 bore-no

■ No diggity

■ Put it on me

It’s all change inside, but you’d struggle to notice just from looking: Beats has wisely stuck to the same design as the iconic Studio2 cans, with colour choices being the only major difference.

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The cans completely envelop your ears and don’t apply too much pressure – but still create a seal that helps with noise isolation. Expect a bit of ear sweat after marathon listening, though.

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Physical controls on the left ear-cup let you play, pause and skip tracks, change the volume, and take calls. The power button on the right ear toggles noise-cancelling on and off.

The plastic headband is bonded to a metal frame, which keeps things feeling sturdy, but with enough flex to find a comfortable fit. The folding hinges also mean they’re great for compact storage.

Beats could easily have just added a W1 chip to the Studio2 ’phones and called it a day, but the Studio3s go so much further by adding that Pure ANC tech. The trademark looks and overly warm sound are going to be a sticking point for many, so these aren’t a must-buy. But if you’re a jack-less iPhone owner, they are a fantastic set of cans.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩ Improved noise-cancelling makes this the best pair of over-ear cans you can buy for your iPhone 73

F I R S T T E S T LG V 3 0 P L U S

Wide with pride

The G4 was a classic, the G5 a disaster and the G6 somewhere in between. Can the V30 Plus get us excited about LG phones again?

R15 500 / lg.com/za You’ve got to give LG’s mobile division points for its willingness to experiment. It slapped some leather on the back of the G4 and the result was a brilliant handset. It curved the displays on the defunct Flex handsets… and the results were less inspiring. Then there was the modular G5 that, well, sucked. And the G6 that wasn’t bad, but was totally overshadowed by Samsung’s S8. With the V20 it tried adding a sliver of a second screen above the primary one for app shortcuts and info at a glance and packed the phone full of high-end specs. And now, with the V30 Plus it seems to have taken everything it’s learned from its successes and its missteps and distilled them into one slim, lightweight and pretty darn foxy device. We really appreciate LG’s decision (since the G5) to opt for a wide-angle secondary rear camera instead of a telephoto one like Apple and Samsung, or a monochrome effort like Huawei. But is this redesign enough to do the one thing LG’s experiments haven’t yet gotten right: get people to care enough to forsake their existing brand loyalties? That remains to be seen but the V30+ is a leap in the right direction.

1 Plus with one minus When rivals add the Plus suffix to their devices they mean they’re bigger. Not LG. The V30 Plus isn’t a bigger V30, instead it’s the pimped-out one. That means 128GB of storage, wireless charging and a substantial bump in price.

2 Lean screen machine LG’s stuck to the same 18:9 (or 2:1) ratio used on the G6 for the V30 Plus’s 6in Full Vision display. Resolution is an impressive 1440x2880, and the bezels above and beneath it are even slimmer than those on the Note 8.

3 Sound and fury To please/lure audiophiles, LG’s squeezed in a 32-bit/192kHz, quad DAC (digital-to-analogueconverter). You’ll need good cans and high-quality files to notice, though. The rest of us are just pleased there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack.

4 Lightweight heavyweight At a mere 156g, the V30 Plus is almost 25% lighter than the iPhone 8 Plus and the Note 8. That’s good and bad. It’s great when in your pocket, but does make it feel cheaper than its rivals even though it’s actually packing flagship hardware.

5 Holmes screen Swiping down on the home screen brings up a Googlepowered search that peers through your apps – great when trying to figure out which service your friend used to send you their address – and suggests ones you might need now.

Good Meh Evil

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24 hours with the LG V30+

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F I R S T T E S T LG V 3 0 P L U S

Tech specs Screen 6in 1440x2880 P-OLED Processor Snapdragon 835 OS Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) Cameras Dual rear (16MP f1.6 normal; 13MP f1.9 wide), 5MP front Battery 3300mAh Storage 128GB, microSD (up to 256GB) RAM 4GB Dimensions 152x75x7.3mm, 158g

Wide-eyed wonder LG’s gone with its wide-and-normal setup again, but is the combo enough to challenge the opposition?

■ Light gobbler

■ Second fiddler

■ Pocket auteur

■ Selfie non-starter

The main camera is an optically stabilised 16MP affair with an enormous f/1.6 aperture that should help in lowlight settings. We say should, because it doesn’t really. Results aren’t up to par.

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Pitching the V30 Plus as a mobile movie-maker’s dream, there are 15 video filters that let users grade footage on the fly. They’re more gimmicky than needed, but selective zoom function is great.

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The wide-angle 13MP camera isn’t stabilised, but offers a 120-degree field of view. It’s slower at f/1.9, but distortion is better than on the G6 and we’d argue its more useful than a telephoto, and more fun.

The front-facing camera is only 5MP, and boy does it show. If snapping selfportraits is an integral part of your daily smartphone routine you’re going to be disappointed. We’re not concerned, mind.

It’s been a long time since we’ve been excited by an LG phone, but the V30 Plus is a real contender. From the Snapdragon 835 CPU and 4GB of RAM to the waterproofing, all-day battery life, HDR 10 support, massive storage allowance and beautiful display it’s a proper flagship in a crowded and noisy marketplace.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★★ The LG V30 Plus is the most attractive and best-equipped LG flagship handset since the G4 75

TESTED SPHERO R2-D2

State of the Artoo Sphero’s miniature R2-D2 is the app-controlled droid that’s guaranteed to charm any Star Wars geek. It’s beginning to feel a ’bot like Christmas… R3 000 / myistore.co.za It’s not just the Star Wars films that have had a forceful awakening. There’s also been an explosion of new toys both on in physical retailers and online, ranging from lame lightsaber replicas to an enormous Lego Millennium Falcon model. Most exciting of all, though, is 2017’s range of interactive and controllable droids. Sphero’s R2-D2 follows (or trundles) in BB-8’s footsteps, giving you an app-controlled take on the true hero of the Star Wars saga who never gets the credit he deserves. Sure, Luke had a hand in unseating the Empire, but who got the Death Star schematics where they needed to go? Who took a laser from Vader’s TIE Fighter to keep Luke’s X-wing on track? Who helped the Falcon escape in The Empire Strikes Back? Not farm boy, that’s for sure. And now here’s an Artoo you can use for equally important missions, like scaring the cat and distracting you from important deadlines. But is the Force truly strong with this one?

1 Mech it last Out of the box, R2-D2 looks the part. This isn’t a display piece – it’s plasticky – but it’s solid and has an authentic sculpt. And Artoo’s a bit more rugged than he looks: despite initial concerns about durability, he was fine after several tumbles from a table. 2 Mech it (not too) big The size is about right – imagine a large potato with legs, if that doesn’t send you screaming from the kitchen. Much smaller and you’re in Christmas cracker territory; much bigger and you’d have been dealing with a clunking great wheelie-bin.

5 Mech tracks There are two distinct remote control options. Droid Control has a virtual joystick alongside icons for triggering set performances, while Draw and Drive has you scribble a path on the screen. If he misbehaves, you can zap him and make him faceplant.

1 2

3 Mech it snappy Setting up is easy. Fire up the ‘Droids by Sphero’ app on your Android or iOS smartphone, tap R2-D2 (assuming he’s charged) and you’re good to go. The first time we did this, the entire process took less than a minute. 4 Mech a difference The app’s strip of icons provides fast access to the modes: Droid Control, Patrol, Draw and Drive, Watch With Me, and AR. It’s all presented with pleasingly lo-tech Star Wars visuals, electronic background murmurs and sporadic snippets of soundtrack.

Good Meh Evil

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24 hours with the Sphero R2-D2

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TESTED SPHERO R2-D2

Tech specs Features Integrated speaker, 3D accelerometer App compatibility iOS and Android Connectivity Bluetooth Power input USB Dimensions 170x112x35mm, 340g

Gainfully employed droid R2-D2 isn’t your typical non-moving plastic toy – he has a few skills hidden in that mini-dustbin frame…

■ Luke Jaywalker

■ Princess Layered

■ Jabber the Hutt

■ Fan Solo

In theory, Patrol mode is about autonomy, allowing Artoo to explore his surroundings. But during our testing, he blundered about, smacking into boxes and zooming off in random directions.

AR mode sees you explore the Millennium Falcon in vector graphics. You move your phone around to adjust the viewpoint, and use a stick to move about. It’s OK, but little more than a brief distraction.

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Plonk R2-D2 next to one of Sphero’s other droids and he’ll start beeping merrily. So far there’s a BB-8 and a BB-9E… but obviously what we all want is a C-3PO model for ultimate droid banter.

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Put A New Hope on in front of Artoo and he’ll burble displeasure when C-3PO wanders off in the desert, and get all excited when Luke later appears. Amusingly, the prequels are not yet compatible.

We worry that R2-D2’s novelty factor could be short-lived for all but true Star Wars geeks, leaving this cute droid bound for long-term storage. However – and this is a big ‘however’ – it’s a gadget that’s clearly been designed with love and care, and has a wide enough range of talents to keep it entertaining for any wannabe Jedi.

STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩ It’s really for Star Wars fans only, but this is a fun app-controlled take on R2-D2 77

BETA YOURSELF

Hit that upgrade button on your iPhone or iPad already? Stuff has found all the hidden tips you need to get the most from Apple’s new mobile operating system THE BASICS

■ Scan away

■ Customise shortcuts

There’s a certain amount of customisation on offer in Settings > Control Centre > Customise Controls. Love stopwatches but inexplicably hate timers? Good news: you can add the former and feverishly delete the latter (before quietly seeking help).

■ Save space

The snag with great games, 4K video and more photos than your eyes can cope with is that your device fills to bursting. Fix this by heading to Settings, and then General > iPhone/iPad Storage. Here you can automatically offload unused apps, but retain their data upon reinstall – great for temporarily getting rid of games you’re not playing but might finish in the future.

■ Drive safely

When belting along in the car, your iPhone wants you to keep your eyes on the road by suggesting you turn on Do Not Disturb While Driving. Unfortunately, it sometimes does this while you’re a passenger – or even when you’re on a train. Fortunately, you can manually toggle this feature in the Do Not Disturb section of Settings.

Do you remember your first scanner? Was it the size of a table? With an iPhone, all you need is to install an app… and in iOS 11, you don’t even need to do that. Just fire up Notes, tap the ‘+’ button and choose Scan Documents. As long as there’s enough contrast between your paper and what it’s sitting on, Notes will snap and crop it automatically. Tap Save to embed the result in your note.

■ Annotate grabs

As in previous versions of iOS, pressing Home and Sleep will take a screenshot so you can angrily post a grab of a news article to Twitter. Now you can madly scribble all over your screenshots too. Tap the thumbnail when it lurks at the corner of the screen, and then crop your screenshot, draw on it and add text.

SCREEN TWIDDLING ■ Sleep tight

Tame Siri

You can now type your questions to Siri, although this will disable speech input. As a halfway house, you can edit your input by tapping on your original query.

Apple has already introduced Night Shift, which knocks some blue out of your screen late in the day to help you sleep better, and now there’s also a Smart Invert option. Find it under Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations.

■ Keep the light on

Want to turn auto-brightness off from Control Centre? Tough – that option has gone. But wait! A switch still exists in Settings. Just go to General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations > Auto-Brightness.

DOWNLOAD THESE…

INFUSE PRO 5

If you’ve got a load of videos stashed away, Infuse Pro is a must. This app will delve into folders, live-convert videos when it needs to, and even grab cover art and subtitle files. There’s support for downloads, streaming to your TV, and even DVD files. R200

PROCREATE WORK SMARTER ■ Drag and drop

iPAD SPECIALS ■ Dock it

On iPad you still stash icons and folders in the Dock, but now it holds over a dozen of the things. It also shows a few recently used apps on the right-hand side. A quick swipe up from the bottom of the screen makes the Dock appear.

■ File under ‘simple’

Apple’s new update has introduced a Finder that’s especially great on iPad. Its two-pane view makes it a cinch to browse and manage files on your device and elsewhere, such as Dropbox and FTP client Transmit.

iOS 11 lets you drag and drop content on the iPad – whether that’s text, images or URLs – between apps. Start by tap-holding the content. In Split View, drag over to the other app and lift your finger to drop the content. In full-screen, keep your selection held, double-click Home, and tap a thumbnail to open another app.

■ Type faster

Whether you’re armed with an iPad or an iPhone, iOS 11 wants to make typing easier for you. On the iPad little grey characters sit on each key, such as ‘#’ on ‘s’. These are accessed by swiping downwards over the keys. Easy. On iPhone, you can squish the keyboard left or right – useful for one-handed typing. See our five-minute hack for this on p111.

POETRY IN MOTION

A desktop-class art app that’s suitable for pros and dabblers alike, Procreate excels because it has plenty of features and brushes, provides quick access to them all, and gets out of your way when you’re creating a masterpiece. R50 / iPhone R150 / iPad

■ Snip your snippets

Select a Live Photo in Photos and tap Edit. You can drag the timeline’s left or right edges to trim the video component, then tap a spot within the timeline and Make Key Photo to change the still.

■ Record your screen

You can add screen recording to your iPhone’s Control Centre: just add the button and get recording. You’ll get a countdown, and the status bar will go red. When you’re done, tap the bar, press Stop, and fish the video out of Photos. It can now be edited, trimmed and shared.

PROCAM 5

This app gives you access to a wealth of tools for improving your digital snaps. There are alternative shooting modes, anti-shake for the shutter, all sorts of manual controls, and useful overlays for better compositions. R80

TESTED STORMFORCE GEO

Ryzen shine!

AMD’s return to top-end processors is a multi-core monster… so will this PC take the gaming world by Storm? Rtba / evetech.co.za ■ See-through side panels. LED fans. A chassis straight out of a Transformers film. The StormForce Geo is about as ‘gaming PC’ as gaming PCs get. But don’t be too dazzled, because this is really a test of AMD’s new chip: the Ryzen. ■ A word on that eye-catching case first, though. The way it juts out reminds us of Pride Rock in The Lion King… only covered in multicoloured fans. Both sides are covered in tempered glass, tinted slightly to tease the hardware hiding inside – notably the glowing AMD CPU cooler, Asus-branded Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080ti graphics card, and Kingston HyperX memory modules. An LED light strip bathes it all in colour-changing hues. ■ AMD’s 1800X Ryzen 7 CPU has pride of place in an Asus X370 motherboard . It’s an 8-core, 16-thread chip running at 3.6GHz, and with enough juice left in the tank to crank up to 4GHz when temperatures allow. It’s teamed with a 512GB NVMe SSD that’s much quicker than a SATA SSD. ■ Any software optimised for multiple cores will lap up Ryzen’s power. It’s not quite the same in single-threaded programs, where Intel still leads… but by a much smaller margin than it used to. ■ With the same graphics card, an Intel machine produced ever so slightly higher frame-rates in most of the games we tried. Switch from a 1080p monitor to a 1440p or 4K panel and the gap closes significantly, though.

Tech specs CPU AMD Ryzen 1800X RAM 32GB GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080ti Storage 512GB SSD, 3TB hard disk

Silent thrill

Don’t worry about the trio of giant, glowing fans – this PC will stay whisper-quiet until you really force the graphics card to get a sweat on.

■ Chromo trigger

The front I/O panel has a button for mixing up the LED colours. Add a Corsair RGB keyboard and, with some software tinkering, you can get the whole setup to glow in unison.

■ Metal gear solid

The frame is steel, so it weighs a ton, but you won’t be troubled by vibrations or rattling coming from the components. And StormForce has done a tidy job with cable management.

STUFF SAYS Hardcore gamers and media-streamers will find plenty to like here ★★★★✩

Overkill, or just an impressive exercise in futureproofing? 80

There’s no denying the power on tap here: the Ryzen CPU and Nvidia graphics card pumped out high frame-rates in every game we tried. We’re surprised StormForce stuck to the stock air-cooler – surely water-cooling wouldn’t have been too much to ask in a system so over-specced everywhere else? But if you want a gaming PC that’ll cope with anything you throw at it for the next five years, this will do it.

T E S T M A Z D A M X- 5 R F

Hard in the middle

The RF (retractable fastback) is the first semi-hardtop Mazda’s released. It’s a strong look, to be sure, but does that strength carry over to the tar?

from R532 000 / mazda.co.za

■ Wheel smarts

The steering wheel includes the physical controls you’d expect at the price: audio system controls, a call-via-voice-control button, and cruise control.

■ Not for pack rats

The cabin is tight and there’s no storage in the doors or next to the steering wheel. The cubby hole sits between the seats above a CD player slot.

Tech specs Engine 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Transmission 6-speed automatic Power 118kW Torque 200Nm Top speed 194km/h 0-100km/h 8.6 seconds Fuel economy 6.7l/100km Tank 45 litres Length 3 915mm Width 1 735mm

■ We’ve long loved the MX-5’s combo of go-kart-like handling, minimal bells and/or whistles and (relative) affordability. Compared to previous generations of the MX-5 the RF is well stacked with both bells – like the adaptive headlights, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning – and whistles – most notably the optional 9-speaker Bose sound system and that attentiongrabbing retractable roof. ■ Despite the retractable roof (which folds away or out again in under 15 seconds), there’s roughly the same amount of boot space as you get with the soft-top version… which is not very much at all, but then, that’s an MX-5 trait. You’ll fit a carry-on bag or half a dozen shopping packets, but that’s about it.

■ The MZD Connect infotainment system includes a 7in touch display and a rotary dial next to the handbrake flanked by shortcut buttons for things like media and navigation. There’s Bluetooth for audio and calls and the various menus are sensibly arranged. It’s pretty bare-bones, but that’s what the MX-5 is all about: letting you focus on the drive. ■ Unlike its cheeky manualtransmission sporting soft-top sibling, the RF is only available in automatic in South Africa, and that’s a real pity. There’s nothing wrong with the gearbox, per se, it’s just much less fun than the legendary short-shift manual offering you get if you’re willing to swap the retractable roof for a soft one. Plus, going for the softtop will save you almost R100k.

STUFF SAYS Stylish, attention-grabbing and incredibly fun through the bends ★★★★★

The MX-5’s legend status remains intact

There’s a reason people talk about the MX-5 with reverence. It’s a remarkable roadster at a price point that makes it more accessible than most other cars in its class. We really, really wish this RF was offered in manual, though. The automatic transmission dulls the driving experience somewhat. Nonetheless, the RF is a treat to pilot and its looks mean it’ll get you into plenty of parking-lot conversations with strangers. 81

TEST RANGE ROVER VELAR

Ooh la Velar

If the Evoque is a little too risqué for your taste but the Range Rover Sport feels a little impersonal, ready your wallet: the avant-garde Velar is here to steal your heart

from R947 700 / landrover.co.za ■ There’s never been a Range Rover you can personalise as much as the Velar. The list of options, from wheels and paint colours to trim and cuttingedge tech is staggering, and to help make things manageable, Jaguar Land Rover offers what it’s calling its “most advanced online configurator ever”. ■ From the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system’s pair of 10in touch displays to the 12.3in digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel and the pair of 8in entertainment displays in the driver and passenger headrests (complete with HDMI and USB inputs), you might struggle at first to keep your eyes on the road. ■ Optional air suspension means a smooth ride on road or off, and the Terrain Response system offers six settings,

including Comfort, Grass/ Gravel/Snow, Mud and Ruts, Sand, ECO and Dynamic mode. If you do plan to muddy up its beautiful body there are also options for full-on terrain assistance (which is a bit like 1km/h cruise control) and even wade sensors to ensure you don’t take it deeper than its 650mm comfort zone. ■ The range of customisations extends to roof racks, luggage, mud flaps, leather variants, parking assistance and pretty much any other motoring convenience you can think of, so it’s best to ignore the price above. Even minor options or anything above the entry-level petrol or diesel engines will push you closer to R1.2m territory, and it’s not hard to go well beyond that, given some mag wheels will add almost R50k to the price on their own.

■ Touch and go

Even the steering wheel controls on the Velar are space-aged. Hiddenuntil-lit touch controls for audio let you adjust volume with a swipe of the thumb.

■ No hop-ons

Lock the Velar or start it up and all four door handles retract into the door panels. A necessary feature? Probably not. Incredibly cool? Definitely.

Tech specs (P250) Engine 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Transmission 8-speed automatic Power 184kW Torque 365Nm Top speed 217km/h0-100km/h 6.7 seconds Fuel economy 7.6l/100km CO2 Emissions from 173g/km Tank 63 litres

STUFF SAYS The Velar is the most captivating and customisable Range Rover yet ★★★★★

Luxury and ability in glorious harmony 82

The Velar is a bit like a bronzed, manicured body builder. It’s definitely capable of some heavy lifting, but you get the feeling it may want to avoid it in case it chips a nail. We suspect it’s going to prove popular with those who might find themselves off the beaten track on the way to their holiday homes, rather than those who seek out tough terrain for fun. Whatever you want to use it for and whether you want to take it, one thing is certain, the Velar will look great regardless.

T E S T N I S S A N X-T R A I L

Trailblazing

The X-Trail hasn’t just had a facelift, it’s gotten a range of technology upgrades while still managing aggressive pricing.

from R370 000 / nissan.co.za ■ The X-Trail has always offered pretty good bang for buck, and that’s unchanged with the 2017 update. Even at the very top end of the range, the starting price is R30 000 shy of R500k, and that gets you a seven-seater, 2.5-litre, four-wheel drive in the form of the Tekna CVT, along with all the parking assist mod cons and the fancy upholstery.

■ Birds-eye view

The new 360-degree camera system is an optional extra, but given the limited visibility out of the back window, we’d recommend it if you can stretch to it.

■ Touch and go

You’re also going to have to spend a little extra if you want the 7in touch display, and you do. Though, at least Bluetooth is standard if you choose not to.

Tech specs (Visia) Engine 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Transmission 6-speed manual Power 106kW Torque 200Nm Top speed 183km/h 0-100km/h 11.1 seconds Fuel economy 8.3l/100km CO2 Emissions from 197g/km Tank 60 litres

■ Buyers can choose between two- and four-wheel drive options, and five- or sevenseater configurations, all depending on their anticipated use case. And they can mix and match, so even if your only offroading is climbing pavements, there’s no reason you can’t do it with six of your friends. ■ Particularly impressive is the X-Trail’s overall build quality. Everything from the steering

wheel controls – which the driver will see all the time – to the levers for adjusting the back row of seats (if you’ve opted for them) which you’ll almost never see, feel pleasingly high-end. Switches feel beautifully damped and the styling of the instrument panel is pleasingly functional and understated. If you’re nice to the salesman, perhaps you can also score one of the branded doggy beds and slides we spotted. ■ We like the look of the new “V-Motion” grille and bumper, the updated headlights (with day-time running lights) and the silly colour names: “Orange Pearl, Red Pearl, Blue Pearl Metallic and Dark Brown Pearl”, if nothing else because now the X-Trail looks a whole lot less like the Qashqai and we’re unlikely to confuse the two. Probably.

STUFF SAYS Rock solid, packed with practical features and oh so affordable ★★★★★

A heady cocktail of features and value

If the feature set and updated façade isn’t enough to convince you, Nissan’s extremely impressive six-year/150 000km warranty and three-year/90 000km service plan ought to. Sure, you can get better infotainment systems and other creature comforts from rivals’ equivalents, but it’s going to cost you. If you’re after low-frills ruggedness, though, the X-Trail delivers in spades. 83

TWO WEEKS WITH THE REMARKABLE TABLET

Looks good on paper One gadget wants to replace both your tablet and your old-fashioned sketch book… Stuff spends a fortnight scribbling on the presumptuously named ReMarkable R8 500 (import) / remarkable.com

DAY 01 If you’ve always thought digital doodling never quite felt like the real thing – that the Apple Pencil, Microsoft Surface Pen and Samsung S Pen couldn’t quite hold up to a proper piece of HB graphite – this might be the tablet you’ve been waiting for. The ReMarkable tablet ditches the common-or-garden LCD for a ‘digital paper’ screen, which has a coarse texture that gets much closer to the feel of writing on an

actual piece of paper – no more tapping away on cold, soulless glass. Oh, and it pulls double duty as an ebook reader. Of course, digital paper screens are nothing new – Amazon’s Kindle has been rocking one for years. The problem is latency. E Ink touchscreens have about 100ms of lag, but anything above 60ms and you can tell things aren’t quite instant when pen hits screen. The ReMarkable uses

The papery roughness of the screen is noticeable from the off, and we’re tickled by the tiny scratching sound as we write 84

a 10.3in panel that can manage 55ms response times – faster than any other digital paper device out there. The papery roughness is noticeable from the off, and we’re tickled by the tiny scratching sound as we write. Friction means the stylus nib will wear away over time, which is why there’s a spare stashed in the pen lid and 10 more in the box. Pen and surface work together to detect 200 levels of pressure, with no battery or Bluetooth required. The display is perfectly legible in bright sunlight – it looks exactly like the real thing.

DAY 03 We’re happy to sling this tough magnesium tablet into a bag, and it’s so light we keep forgetting it’s in there. The screen won’t crack like traditional glass, but we’re still glad to have the optional soft cover. It also provides somewhere to store the pen – the tab itself doesn’t have a slot. The design is minimal, but we love it… except for the hardware buttons beneath the display. They rattle ever so slightly, which feels a bit cheap, and aren’t labelled, so it can be guesswork until you learn what they do.

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

Donut of Truth™

01 Screen has a fantastic feel for fans of paper 02 Straightforward UI makes using it simple 03 Doubles as a (fairly basic) e-reader

04 LCD-based rivals are just as quick, and more flexible 05 Crikey, it’s costly – how much is an A4 notepad these days? 06 There’s no backlight

The screen sits flush to the white frame; at a glance it does look like a pad of paper.

DAY 05 Because the screen only needs power when it redraws, and sketching only updates pixels instead of entire pages, we’re on course to last well over a week between charges. Use it for reading e-books rather than sketching and it should last significantly longer than that.

DAY 08

Tech specs Display 10.3in 1872x1404 digital paper Processor ARM A9 @ 1GHz RAM 512MB Storage 8GB Connectivity microUSB Battery 3000mAh Dimensions 177x256x6.7mm, 350g

We’ve spent most of the past week doing one thing with this tablet: drawing. The toolbar at the side of the screen holds all the brushes, rulers, selection tools and settings, as well as the all-important layers palette. This is handy for removing trace lines when you’re ready to export a new creation. Templates can help stop your notes from looking like pre-school scribbles, with lines, grids and musical scores for note-takers, and isometric and perspective options for artists. It responds accurately and instantly to pen input, and aside from some ghosting and a few glitchy moments it stays accurate and responsive. Stuff’s resident art director has been having a lot of fun using the ReMarkable to feed his compulsive freehand skull-doodling habit.

DAY 10 We’re still getting used to this minimal UI. And when we say minimal, we really mean it. There’s no social media. No email client. No web browser. This tablet is focused purely on reading, writing and drawing. It’s easy to find your way around with a tap here and a swipe there, and all files are saved and synced to the cloud automatically. It doesn’t have all the readingspecific extras you might find in a Kobo or Kindle, and there’s no store to buy new books from, but this is still a useful inclusion if you’ve got any epub files to hand.

DAY 14 Is the ReMarkable going to make the traditional paper notepad obsolete? We doubt it. For a start, this is a seriously pricey device. It’s great at what it does, but prioritising the writing experience above all else has forced some compromises. A Kindle is still your best bet if you’re mainly after an e-reader; and digital artists who like working in colour will be better served by an iPad Pro. For people who just can’t say no to a notepad, though, there’s an awful lot to like. We had a blast just scrawling and sketching nonsense during our time with this tab.

STUFF SAYS A unique concept that’s fantastic to sketch on, but it’s mighty expensive ★★★★✩

VERSUS

M AG I C B OX ES If Peter P i per pi ck ed a p eck o f p owered pi x els t o pl ease h i s peepers, we’d l ik e t o t h i n k h e’d p ick between t h i s p o tent p ai r. R60 0 00 / samsung.com/za

R70 0 00 / lg.com/za

VERSUS

SAMSUNG VS LG

SAMSUNG 65Q8C VS LG OLED65B7 Samsung favours QLED over OLED, so while its blacks perhaps aren’t quite as all-consuming as the LG’s, its picture quality is stunning, with bounteous detail, buttery-smooth movement and impressive HDR performance.

PICTURE

Black pixels on an OLED panel really are black, as there’s no backlight – when the whole picture’s dark you’ll think you’ve sat on the power button. But it’s when it’s in full bloom that the LG dazzles, stuffed with colour and detail.

WINNER OLED65B7 A TV this thin really has no right to sound any good at all… but while we’d never say a soundbar is unnecessary, a 60W 4.1 setup means this Samsung is more than capable for everyday stuff like Rick and Morty or Westworld.

SOUND

When it came to making the speakers, LG got on the phone to Harman Kardon for some help. The result is a sound that’s far better than the TV’s slimline appearance would suggest… though it could still do with a decent soundbar.

DESIGN

For many people the jury’s still out on curved TVs, but there’s a good chance you’ll be too busy admiring how thin the LG is to even notice the bend. Seriously, we’ve seen fatter phones than this television in recent months.

WINNER 65Q8C

These two titans of TV land frequently trade places at the top… but in a world of 4K and HDR, who deser ves to be the centrepiece of your living room right now?

Despite its 65in screen there’s hardly anything to the 65Q8C. There’s practically no bezel around the display and all the connections go through a separate box that plugs into the back, so trailing wires are kept to a minimum.

WINNER OLED65B7 The Samsung’s neatest trick is the ability to connect a PS4 controller to play games. Don’t expect anything to rival Titanfall 2 or Battlefield 1 – mobile games are the order of the day – but at least you get to use a proper controller.

SPECIAL FEATURES

LG’s WebOS 3.5 has some neat tricks. Split-screen mode lets you watch two channels at once, while Magic Zoom is like having goal-line tech on your TV, letting you pause the action, magnify any detail and screenshot it.

WINNER OLED65B7

OVERALL WINNER LG OLED65B7 Samsung offers a good deal… but if it’s the best of the best you’re after, the LG OLED offers a good deal more 87

VERSUS

PLAYSTATION VS HTC BUT WHAT ABOUT…? OCULUS RIFT Facebook’s VR headset is a dandy one but has proved hard to get in SA. You can have one if you really want but even the Touch controller does not elevate the Rift above the Vive. PoA / oculus.com

PSVR VS HTC VIVE PlayStation VR definitely wins the virtual reality beauty pageant. It’s far more comfortable to wear than the Vive too, with the position-tracking lights making it look a bit like a prop from Tron.

DESIGN & COMFORT

A VR headset’s looks matter little when your head’s inside, but the Vive won’t be asked on any dates with that face. It’s a little unwieldy to wear too, with a cable that’s almost as thick as a hose pipe.

WINNER PSVR You can play PSVR games with a DualShock 4 but most work best with the Move controllers. They’re accurate enough to track your hands, but not as immersive as the Vive’s.

CONTROLS

HTC’s Vive controllers allow you to interact with the virtual world as if you were actually standing within it. They need two sensors set up on either side of the room, though.

WINNER VIVE The PS4’s comparative lack of power means the visuals will never match up to a high-end PC, but apart from the odd jagged edge you’re usually too carried away by the mechanics to notice.

SOUND & VISION

Technically both headsets have identical displays but the Vive’s field of view is more natural. Colours are bright and blacks are deep – but the bundled earbuds are worth replacing.

WINNER VIVE The majority of VR games are all too brief, but Sony has some big names to help you forget that. Driveclub is disappointing but Arkham VR is almost worth the price alone.

GAMES

HTC has Valve on its side – so while we might not have Half-Life VR yet, The Lab is a fantastic, if rather short-lived, introduction to virtual reality. And the Vive will now play all Rift games.

WINNER VIVE

OVERALL WINNER HTC VIVE Expensive? Yes. Impractical? For most people. But Vive is so good it’s worth moving (or selling the furniture) for 88

20 1 7 h a s p rov e n t hat t hi s real ity is s tu f fed, s o it’s ti m e to fi nd a ne w o ne. Bu t which heads et l ets you e sca pe mo s t c o mpl e t e ly ? S trap in and find ou t…

NOW PLAY THESE… Hardware is only as good as the software allows it to be, so here’s some stuff to get immersed in

FANTASTIC CONTRAPTION A bit like Scrapheap Challenge crossed with Super Mario World, Fantastic Contraption is a hugely tactile puzzle game that requires you to build madcap vehicles.

THE LAB R12 5 00 / evetech.co.za

From the creators of Half-Life and Portal comes a collection of mini games that show how good VR games can be if you know what you’re doing.

from R6 0 00 / playstation.com/za

TILT BRUSH Like climbing inside Microsoft Paint, Tilt Brush is the perfect first step into a VR environment, where everything you do appears in front of your eyes. 89

TESTED XBOX ONE X SPECIAL

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War With Orc bromances, back-stabbings and rivalries galore, the Nemesis system is taking Tolkien’s fantasy world by storm – is this one game to rule them all?

ou wouldn’t think it was possible for an Orc to be likeable – their love for human flesh isn’t exactly relatable. Yet when you’ve got singing bards and banterous brutes willing to risk their lives for you, it’s hard not to get attached… and then, as soon as you do, these Orcs will betray you. Honestly, to get through this game without developing trust issues would be an achievement in itself. With the majority of Orcs being procedurally generated, each one

has its own personality and every relationship you forge feels unique. This is thanks to the upgraded Nemesis system. You can recruit Orcs to your army and then level them up by pitting them against former allies. The grind can be hard, but you’ll need them strong to conquer fortresses. With a slew of fantastic wraith powers and weapon upgrades, it’s entirely possible to take on armies of Orc yourself instead; but mis-time a counter and one blow can deplete a big chunk of your

health. Frustratingly, it often feels that a flaw in the Arkham-inspired combat – the unreliable targeting system – is responsible for your failings. Still, using wraith powers and slick sword moves is generally quite enthralling. Shadow of War isn’t quite as capable in other departments. The five open-world areas have more scenic variety than previously, but aside from killing Orcs there’s not much else to do. The story of Talion’s quest to defeat Sauron is basic stuff too.

The game tries to whet the appetite of Lord of the Rings fans with the Witch King and the Balrog, but strange decisions – such as giving Shelob the giant spider a human form – conflict uncomfortably with the lore. Shadow of War is something of a one-trick caragor, with only the Nemesis system elevating it from your average action title. But since this feature provides so many memorable moments, you won’t give a damn about its imperfections.

STUFF SAYS The Orcs are the standout star in this unique Middle-Earth sequel ★★★★✩ 90

TESTED XBOX ONE X SPECIAL

PS4, Xbox One, PC / shadowofwar.com

Xbox One X: Lord of the Consoles?

Recruiting is fine, but killing a war captain instead gets you a weapon upgrade.

Paid-for loot boxes offer gear and powerful Orcs, but it’s more fun to earn them.

From the Battle of Helm’s Deep to Andy Serkis’s skin-crawling antics as Gollum, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies set a new standard for cinematic bombast. With a whopping great six teraflops of graphical power, the Xbox One X is hoping to do the same for console gaming. So it’s no wonder Microsoft has enlisted Shadow of War as one of the very first ‘Enhanced’ titles for its 4K behemoth. Having played this epic on the One X, it’s easy to see the difference this mighty hardware makes – especially when using the game’s Nemesis system. In fact, there are two display modes Shadow of War players can enjoy on the One X: 4K and ‘Favour Quality’. The former simply ups the resolution from standard HD through greater detail and dynamic scaling; but it’s Favour Quality that really exploits the console’s power, with better texture detail, draw distances and lighting, and higher polygon counts. If Shadow of War is anything to go by, the One X should be so much more than just the best 4K console you can buy.

TESTED XBOX ONE X SPECIAL

Xbox One, PC / cupheadgame.com

Cuphead

This love letter to both pre-war cartoons and ultra-hard 16-bit platformers has been written in the tears of frustrated gamers art boss rush, part side-scrolling shooter, Cuphead is the Dark Souls of 1930s-animation-inspired 2D platform games. Think Steamboat Willie meets Gunstar Heroes, where every creature has wide eyes and can’t stay in one place without bopping along to a jaunty vaudeville tune – anthropomorphic dinner sets included. After making a dodgy deal with the Devil, the titular Cuphead has to work his way through a torrent of tricky bosses in order to save his soul – and the debtors he’s fighting aren’t about to make things easy. Each boss has its own unique challenges, with more straightforward run-and-gun levels offering some welcome respite between fights. Cuphead feels like he could have walked straight from the screen of an old Hanna-Barbera cartoon, firing bullets by clicking his fingers, beatnik-style. He’s a bit of a pushover, though: take three hits and you’re sent back to the beginning of the level. When each encounter has multiple phases to

learn, patterns to look out for and projectiles to dodge, you’re going to be getting to know the ‘You died!’ screen. Quite well. This never becomes a chore, though. Mistiming a jump or colliding with an enemy attack doesn’t feel unfair – it just encourages you to get it right next time. And the way you adapt your play style to progress past increasingly tough bosses creates a warm fuzzy feeling every time you start playing. Collecting coins lets you upgrade your attacks, unlock super moves and add special abilities, like the invincible dodge dash that’ll get you out of deadly scenarios, but for the most part it’s just your reflexes between you and game over. It’s a cutesy but crushingly difficult challenge, with impressive variety. Fancy playing on Xbox One X? Those retro graphics haven’t been enhanced with 4K, but the new console’s immense processing power will mean faster load times and smoother performance, so you’ll... die... faster?

Get past the first phase and bosses get weird, fast. This one fires out balloon animals.

With pinpoint timing, you can parry away pink missiles to top up your super move meter.

STUFF SAYS As delightful as it is difficult, this fantastic throwback is a joy to play ★★★★★ 92

TESTED XBOX ONE X SPECIAL

Xbox One, PC / forzamotorsport.net

Forza Motorsport 7

Who wants to be Lewis Hamilton when you can play this hyper-realistic racer instead? With Xbox One X-powered visuals, you’ll hardly know the difference orza games have always felt like a celebration of all things automotive, but the addition of dynamic weather makes the latest title a monument to Mother Nature too. Start a race in the early hours and you’ll spot mist pockets dotted around the circuit. Head to Dubai’s desert tracks and you’ll have to contend with sandstorms. Dusk quickly turns into night, leaving you to navigate solely by your own headlights. Turn 10’s racer isn’t just gorgeous on the vanilla Xbox One either – it’s a perfect example of what the Xbox One X is capable of. The fixed tracks and car models have been given the maximum amount of polish, so it all shines in 4K and HDR at 60fps. As much as stunning visuals are the bedrock of the Forza franchise, you’ll spend most of your time behind the wheel – so there’s got to be a decent selection of cars on offer. The roster’s been expanded to 700 vehicles here, including the largest collection of Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis in the

Prize crates will randomly dish out cars, racing suits and mods that increase your earnings.

There are 32 tracks here, including the Nürburgring and Tuscany’s Mugello Circuit.

series yet. It’s how these cars drive that separates Forza from the competition, though. Unlike Forza Horizon 3, you can’t just plonk yourself in a Porsche 911 and floor the accelerator. Steering response, mechanical grip and general handling are all grounded in reality, and they feel top-notch. If you were expecting a huge shift from this game’s predecessor you may be disappointed, but it strikes a good balance between simulation and arcade thrills… while erring on the side of reality. For petrolheads, this is pretty much gaming nirvana – and even if you don’t know the difference between a prop shaft and a handbrake, the driving assists offer a welcome helping hand. There are a few irks, including an over-reliance on loot crates to expand your car collection, but these are the exception rather than the rule. While serious sim fans will find more customisation with Project Cars 2, this game wins out for sheer fun factor. And fun is, after all, what makes the Motorsport games so great.

STUFF SAYS Forza 7 leaves other racers languishing in the rear-view mirror ★★★★★ 93

TEST GAMES

Switch / nintendo.co.za

Super Mario Odyssey The value of taking the long way around

ow do you review a game where its main charm is its constant capacity to surprise? You start by conveying an impression rather than giving specifics, which is a fancy way of saying “Trust us on this one”. If you need more convincing: this semi open-world platformer is the best Mario title we’ve seen in absolute ages, a merging of the best of classic Mario 64 and the Wii-era Mario Galaxy series. Mario is on his old quest: to save Princess Peach from Bowser, and we’ll leave

the end of that adventure up to you to discover. Because that’s the whole point of Super Mario Odyssey – discovery. And you’ll have to discover everything from the opening level in the Cap Kingdom to the closing area of… well, you’ll see. Each diverse area has masses of activities to take part in from the outset as you hunt, stomp, puzzle, and trick your way to more Power Moons, the items you need to power the Spaceship Odyssey. And these things are

everywhere. Literally. Some are hiding in plain sight, others are tantalisingly just out of reach and many are tucked away behind scenarios that are designed to make you ask “What happens if I do that?” ‘That’ could be anything from ground stomping from a dizzy height onto an inviting lump, or rampaging as a dinosaur over the correct trampoline, or seeing just how far you can fly as a Flying Goomba. Odyssey’s overall design practically begs you to explore and see what’s possible. As it happens,

a lot of what you think is possible, while other things you might think are doable aren’t. Super Mario Odyssey isn’t wholly perfect, though. The early stages of play come off as too simple but that soon changes. Some of the motion controls are finicky and there are one or two crushing difficulty spikes, but there’s far, far more adventure contained inside this game than is apparent at first glance. Like Zelda, it’s another compelling reason to get a Switch.

STUFF SAYS If you don’t already own a Switch then get one. Odyssey demands it ★★★★★ 94

TEST GAMES

You are the powerup

The best way to traverse the pink goo in the food kingdom is as lava.

Goombas still chase Goombadisguised Mario, but jump on them and they’re added to your stack.

Mario’s usual plethora of powerups is missing here, though you’ll probably only notice that once it’s pointed out to you. There’s no mushroom or flower or leaf popping out of an expertly-thumped box here. Mario is done with munching on roadside vegetation for Odyssey. All you’re getting out of boxes (and various other… places) is coins. Or loads of coins. Or hearts, which either refill Mario’s hit-point counter or, in the case of a crowned heart, increases it from three to six. You’re going to need those for some of the tougher boss battles and… other things. You’ll see. But where have the powerups gone, we hear you cry? Well, they’ve all climbed inside Cappy, your little hat companion. Sort of. Cappy lets you possess pretty much any living thing in the game – though there are some exceptions – which mixes things up a lot. A level spent on foot as Mario is a very different experience to a level spent rampaging around as a (wisely time-limited) T-Rex. Or a Goomba, Cheep Cheep, a Hammer Bro, a Bullet Bill, or a rando human attempting to drive his remote control car around a track. The duo of Mario and Cappy are all the powerup you’re going to need.

TEST GAMES

PC, PS4, Xbox One / ubisoft.co.za

Assassin’s Creed Origins It’s taken forever to get here. Was it worth the trip?

espite a slow and often confusing start Assassin’s Creed Origins proves itself to be a wonderful open world game, albeit one that comes off as a touch derivative. You spend most of your time in the sand-filled boots of Bayek, a revenge-driven Medjay (think of him as an Egyptian Judge Dredd with emotions) who wanders around the Nile and its surrounds in search of vengeance for the death of his son. But the quest for vengeance

might take on less urgency when you discover that there is a lot to do in Ancient Egypt. There are plenty of sights to see and side-quests to complete, all of which contribute to your level. That’s right, Assassin’s Creed has gone RPG. Kinda. All it really means is that you need to run if an enemy has a skull overhead instead of a numerical value. Skull means death. Skull bad. It’s also a neat way to gatekeep and keep players where they should be as the story progresses,

though the brave are certainly allowed to wander – on foot, horse, camel, or unicorn – at will. And you’re going to want to wander. The ancient Nile is gorgeously recreated and there is a sense of a living world as your traipse around, stabbing people. Hippos will savage you if you get close, crocodiles will occasionally consume villagers and Pharaoh Ptolemy’s soldiers will attack if you look at them funny or wander somewhere you’re not supposed to be.

There is an overarching storyline concerning Cleopatra, political intrigue, Bayek’s wife Aya (you’ll see), and the birth of the Assassin order, as well as a new modern-day storyline to experience, but we’ll let you discover those on your own. AC Origins should be experienced at leisure, ideally. Rush through and you lose the sense of a sprawling world in motion, impairing Bayek’s lengthy journey through the desert sands as a result.

STUFF SAYS Origins justifies your time by being set in a gorgeous recreation of Egypt ★★★★✩ 96

TEST GAMES

Skill at arms

The pyramids pay off early so you will be climbing Giza sooner than later.

Combat isn’t confined to the ground. Battles on camelback are common.

Two of the largest changes in AC Origins are found in the gameplay structure and the combat. There’s more of an RPG-lite influence, with varied weapons and outfits turning up over the course of play. There’s also the ability to do (limited) equipment upgrades based around resources gathered by hunting the animals trying to eat you. The RPG elements are nice to have but aren’t excessive. They do drive the biggest change, that of combat. You’ll find yourself switching from melee to ranged combat on foot and striking out with several kinds of bow from a distance. Stealth is possible both up-close or within bowshot but you’re encouraged to get up close, personal, and noisy in Origins. That’s because the prime weapons, that of a sword and shield, can be mixed up. Opting for a spear, club, mace, dual swords, or axe will change up combat considerably. Go for the old sword and board and you’re in for a traditional time, throw in a spear instead and you’ll be poking at enemies from mid-range. The club is slow but powerful and the mace is fairly speedy but relies on crushing damage instead of the slashing pain your sword dishes out.

GADGET DOCTOR

ALWAYS ON CALL

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

MAIL OF THE MONTH Q

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

Do you have any views on entry level underwater cameras for a snorkling holiday in Mauritius – i.e. not scuba diving and not more than 2 or 3 meters deep. It seems to me that the Fuji FinePix is just about the only option, but there are several models available. Charles

You'd think that a Fuji is the way to go but we're actually bigger fans of the GoPro range of cameras for aquatic snaps. The Session cams are super compact, the Hero cams less so, but offer more control. They don't need waterproof cases, they're easy to use, and they've got plenty of on-land applications, too. Why snap stills when you can record in HD or 4k, after all.

Speak your brains to Stuff and you could win! This letter wins Jabra Sports Coach Wireless earbuds worth R1 999.

We may or may not know something about the Matebook X and we may or may not be allowed to talk about it yet. We suggest you… follow us TM Jabra Sport PulseNo? on Twitter?

with in-ear heart BELONGS IN rate monitor Q AITMUSEUM

I am looking 156bpmfor a Canon EOS 600D. If you can please point 10k Playlist MATEBOOK X-FILES: me in the right direction. Where THE TRUTH IS OUT Optimized can I buy one and how much for THERE runningdoes it cost? Just wondering if you have Johan any info regarding the Huawei Matebook X. Will we be getting The EOS 600D is an old it in SA at all? If so, when? model from the Canon line, Estimated price? Huawei SA is first introduced in 2011. We don't absolutely useless. They know have any recommendations nothing about their own product. for buying it new as just about All they keep telling me is to everyone is out of stock, nor do keep following them on Twitter. we have any indication of pricing. They've been saying that for the Your best bet will to be look for past four months. this model used, if you have Costa your heart set on one. Many

camera stores stock secondhand cameras, we'd start with your local.

sports and YouTube content? Or am I stuck with paying for a DStv subscription that I hardly utilise unless it is a weekend when I'm free to watch sports? Musa

BEING A GOOD SPORT

I have come to realize that the only time I watch TV is when I'm watching sports. Most of the content I watch is on YouTube. This is how I came to consider Apple TV as an alternative to DStv but I don't know much about it. Is it (Apple TV) a solution for someone looking to watch

Jabra Sport Coach

First off, Apple TV is pretty with intelligent darned awesome, the new coaching 4K versionaudio even more so. But the bad news is that you’re stuck with DStv if you want to keep on watching sports in South Africa. DStv’s been pretty shrewed and locked down Optimized for the training rights to allcross the big soccer, rugby and cricket fixtures, so it might be a while still before anyone else can compete meaningfully on the sporting-content front. Even if you're only interested in watching SuperSport on your mobile device exclusively, you’re still going to need to keep paying that fee. As Tupac sang, "That's just the way it is..." Sorry.

Wireless sports earbuds with intelligent audio coaching Integrated training app • Perfect and secure fit • Sweat and weather proof • Music powered by Dolby®

Jabra Sport Pulse with in-ear heart rate monitor

Next month’s mail of the month wins Jabra Sports Pulse Wireless earbuds BEAT YOUR BEST Optimized for worth R2 399 running 156bpm

10k Playlist

In-ear heart rate monitor stereo earbuds that work with any Bluetooth enabled device.

Fully compatible with leading sports apps

JABRA.CO.ZA

TOP TEN

This gadget has leapt straight outta testing and into our rankings.

NEW

OF EVERYTHING Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten placings.

HOT BUY

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

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

Smartphones 100 Phablets 101 Tablets 102 Playlist: YouTube science 103 TVs 104 Streaming guide 105 Laptops 106 Wearables 107 Budget buys 108

The big question: How can I beat the traffic? Cameras Consoles & 5-minute hacks Headphones Bluetooth Speakers Games

109 110 111 112 113 115

HOW TO USE THEM

TOP OP TE T TENS ENS SMARTPHONES ENS

100

TIPS & TRICKS Holler “Hey Bixby!” at your S8 and its voice assistant can dictate texts, suggest bars and much more.

HOT BUY

Samsung Galaxy S8 You don’t need us to tell you that the Galaxy S8 is a bezel-less thing of wonder. Just look at it: glorious! And beneath that gorgeous facade lies an equally sumptuous blend of power and performance. With enough oomph to run any app you please, and a point-and-shoot camera to rival both the iPhone 7 Plus and the Google Pixel, this really is an astoundingly good comeback after Samsung’s Note 7 woes. We’d have accepted nothing less.

You can customise the S8’s screenedge feeds for the weather, news and other notifications. Hold down the S8’s ‘recents’ key and tap the multi-window button to open two apps at once.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The other phones on this list, while nice, are no match for the Galaxy S8 ● NOW ADD THIS DeX Station Dock Hook up a monitor, keyboard and mouse to this puck-sized device for an almost complete computer experience via your Galaxy S8. R2 500 / samsung.com/za

UPDATE

HOT BUY

NEW

UPDATE

4 5

UPDATE

NEW

Apple iPhone 7

Huawei P10

The iPhone 8 is here but, the iPhone 7 still rules the roost... for now. You can get a 256GB iPhone 7 for less than a 64GB iPhone 8, and the hardware changes are minor. Of course, the forthcoming iPhone X is going to be throwing this whole Top 10 list into disarray next month.

Every new Huawei flagship brings the brand closer to unseating the big names. The P10 is no different. The dual camera setup is now back and front, and while it looks like an iPhone, the P10 is one of the best Android phones you can buy, and cheaper than most.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Now is the perfect time to grab Apple’s latest and greatest

Stuff says ★★★★★ A stylish and speedy, great value, compromise-free flagship

from R12 000 / myistore.co.za

NEW

R9 000 / huawei.com/za

NEW

Motorola Moto Z2 Play

★★★★★ from R8 700 / lenovo.co.za A great-value smartphone that can be converted into a gamepad, a speaker or even a 360° camera.

Apple iPhone SE

★★★★★ from R5 000 / myistore.co.za Cheap, in Apple terms, isn’t terrible. It’s a 6s in a 5s frame, so it’s made for those longing for the old days.

Sony Xperia XZ1

Apple iPhone 8

8 9

NEW BARGAIN BUY

★★★★✩ from R10 00 / sonymobile.com/za Flagship appeal, a slim body and a fancy screen. And the mods are nifty, if not cheap.

★★★★✩ from R13 500 / myistore.co.za The new entry-level iPhone offers more than you’d expect, but it’s still pricey and has a dated design.

FNB ConeXis X2 ★★★★✩ from R200pm / fnb.co.za It has its share of hoops to jump through but FNB’s hardware is, surprisingly, robust and well designed.

Vodafone Smart N8

★★★★✩ R2 000 / vodacom.co.za We also like the Smart V8 but the N8 gets this spot thanks to a combo of decent specs and stellar price.

Xiaomi Remi 4A

★★★★✩ R2 000 / mia.africa.com The Redmi 4A is still one heck of a deal. An affordable mid-ranger combining good hardware and design.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

● Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

R15 500 / samsung.com/za

TIPS & TRICKS Bixby might have a dedicated button but if you don’t want to go to all that effort, just swipe left on the main screen for Samsung’s assistant. Which, while pretty useless now might prove useful when Samsung finishes it.

HOT BUY

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 We’ve got to feel a little sorry for the Samsung’s Galaxy S8+. It was top of the phablet heap, but then the Note 8 arrived with its 6.3in display, dual cameras and updated S Pen and elbowed its sibling down to second spot. Impressively, despite its marginally larger screen, the Note 8 is roughly the same size as the S8+, so you might have to take out the S Pen to prove to people you’ve actually got the Note. With 6GB of RAM and that double camera setup, it’s the new phablet king. Long live the king.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Like an S8+ with an extra camera, more RAM and an S Pen. It’s brilliant!

Set the Blue Light Filter (Settings > Display > Blue Light Filter) to automatically come on when the sun sets and gets some damn sleep for once.

● NOW ADD THIS Convertible Wireless Charger The latest in phone wizardry deserves the latest in wireless charging wizardry. R1 300 / samsung.com/za

NEW

4 UPDATE

NEW

7 Samsung Galaxy S8+

Apple iPhone 8 Plus

Despite its 6.2in display, the Galaxy S8+ still feels one-hand manageable thanks to the almost nonexistent bezels top and bottom. It’s everything we love about the more compact S8, plus a little extra heft, a bigger battery and that outstanding, bigger screen.

It’s doomed to be overshadowed by the great iPhone X, but the 8 Plus is still a solid smartphone. With a superb camera, larger screen and better battery life, there are plenty of reasons to upgrade from the old 7 Plus. Pity it’s still tied to that old Apple design.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The best of the S8 but on a larger scale and with a bigger battery, too

Stuff says ★★★★★ The best iPhone we’ve seen so far, but the X is fast approaching…

from R17 000 / samsung.com/za

PHABLETS TOP TENS

R17 800 / samsung.com/za

If you’re not concerned with snoopers, enable face scanning (Settings > Lock Screen and Security > Screen Lock Type). Very concerned? Enable the iris scanner.

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from R15 500 / myistore.co.za

Huawei P10 Plus

★★★★★ R12 000 / huawei.com/za A true flagship that gives you plenty of power, a great screen and one of the best cameras going.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

★★★★★ from R14 000 / myistore.co.za The 7 Plus has not gone from the charts or our hearts. Slipped a few places though.

LG V30+

★★★★★ R15 500 / lg.com/za The LG V30+ takes everything good about the G6 and improves on it – a little late, but still.

Huawei Mate 9

★★★★★ R8 400 / huawei.com/za If you were a fan of the last Mate then this Mate has a shot at being your new best… er… mate.

Nokia 8

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

NEW

NEW BARGAIN BUY

NEW

★★★★✩ R9 500 / hmdglobal.com Nokia’s flagship is a good one overall. Shame it didn’t release last year, design-wise.

★★★★✩ R3 500 / mia.africa.com We’re not sure how Xiaomi manages to make their phones at the prices they do.

Sony XZ Premium

★★★★✩ R12 300 / sonymobile.com/za Sony’s monster Premium features a high-end video camera and a price to match.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

TOP TENS TABLETS

102 HOT BUY

GOT EARS? THEN CHECK OUT…

Apple iPad Pro 10.5in from R11 000 / myistore.co.za

The 9.7in iPad Pro was already sitting comfortably as our favourite tablet, but that wasn’t good enough for Apple. Rather than giving its flagship tablet a few minor tweaks, Apple has introduced a bigger screen and an immensely potent processor. In fact, this device is so powerful and flashy that it’s even blurring the lines between tablet and laptop. If you only want to browse social media and watch Netflix, the 10.5in iPad Pro is overkill; this is for those more interested in creation than consumption.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The iPad Pro puts all other tablets to shame – it’s unbeatable as a multimedia machine or creative tool

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

Apple iPad Mini 4

Microsoft Surface Pro 4

Apple iPad Pro 12.9

from R13 000 / samsung.com/za The Tab S3 is powerful and has a gorgeous screen, while the bundled stylus is a welcome extra that you don’t have to be an artist to appreciate. It doesn’t do half-measures, which is rare in an Android tablet. Stuff says ★★★★★ The first genuine rival to Apple’s iPad Pro

R7 000 / myistore.co.za This is the mini tab we’ve been waiting for. It’s 1.4mm thinner and 32g lighter, just the right size for a great portable entertainment hub, and subtle display tweaks will do justice to games and graphic novels alike. Stuff says ★★★★★ The best small tablet you can buy right now

★★★★★ from R24 000 / microsoft.com/za It’s the Surface Pro 3, but better. What’s not to like? The price, mostly.

★★★★★ from R13 500 / myistore.co.za The other Pro, this one is fuller featured and larger. But... still not quite a laptop surrogate.

YOUR ESSENTIAL AUDIO GUIDE TO WHAT’S HOT IN GADGETS ● BITING COMMENTARY ● BRILLIANT INSIGHTS ● (BAD) JOKES! ● GADGET HANDS-ONS

FIND IT ON iTUNES, SOUNDCLOUD OR YOUR PODCAST PLAYER OF CHOICE SIMPLY SEARCH FOR “STUFFED” www.stuff.co.za/hubs/podcasts

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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PLAYLIST YOUTUBE SCIENCE

PLAYLIST TOP TENS

Stop using the world’s favourite video service for cheap lolz and movie trailers: put it under the microscope and you’ll find some serious brain-prodders

BEST FOR MAKING LEARNING FUN Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

Some science videos can be too complex for our fragile minds; others are just plain boring. Kurzgesagt avoids both traps, breaking down convoluted theories into bite-size explanations with amazing animations. We recommend the ones about genetic engineering and robot rights.

Vsauce3

While the original Vsauce series served up a fat portion of science per video, Jake Roper’s Vsauce 3 offers a more fun experience. That’s because he meshes science geekery with pop culture nerdery. He’s already applied scientific logic to the likes of Home Alone, Marvel and Pokémon.

BEST SCIENCE SHOWS ON NETFLIX

MinutePhysics

Your physics teacher had a tough job. How do you make the likes of soundwaves and gravity interesting? Hand-drawn sketches are the answer. Best of all, these videos rarely surpass the five-minute mark, so you could learn the contents of a science textbook during your lunch break.

SciShow

AsapScience

Periodic Videos

BILL NYE SAVES THE WORLD

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY

MYTHBUSTERS

Hank Green and his team of science geeks have plenty of genuinely interesting videos on offer here. From delivering news from the scientific world to solving general life mysteries, these presenters are more knowledgeable than a treeful of QI elves. Perhaps their smarts will rub off?

Another talk show with celebrity guests… but instead of Alan Carr’s gossiping, we get Bill Nye talking science.

It’s another series of hand-drawn videos, but AsapScience focuses on practice rather than theory. It uses science to explain the likes of addiction, mental health and love. It even settles ancient debates, such as what hurts more between childbirth and a kick in the nuts.

Neil deGrasse Tyson rewinds time to bring us back the documentary series about space.

Sir Martyn Poliakoff’s ‘nutty professor’ personality may be the bait for this chemistry show, but you’ll keep watching for the slow-mo chemical reactions and the wonder of seeing a can of Coke introduced to liquid nitrogen. This beats any of your Bunsen burner lessons.

Special effects experts put supposed facts to the test. If not for the science, watch it for the crazy stunts and huge explosions.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

TOP TENS TVs TIPS & TRICKS

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Magic Zoom lets you magnify anything on the screen, and pause to screenshot if you see fit.

You can connect your phone to the TV via LG’s TV Plus app with Magic Mobile Connection.

HOT NEW BUY

LG OLED65B7 R70 000 / lg.com/za

With the absense of LG’s paper-thin (and wallet-busting) Wallpaper W7 screen in SA, we’ve got to go with the OLED65B7 as the TV that you want to own. LG’s incomparable OLED display tech give you a brilliant 4K panel. Dolby ATMOS sound is baked-in, as is that lovely HDR tech that Netflix launched here recently, meaning you get high-end tech on a budget. Yes, budget. The B7 is part of LG’s budget line. There’s also a 55in (R40 000) model.

Stuff says ★★★★★ LG’s OLED tech doesn’t have to mean selling your house but it’ll still cost you ● NOW ADD THIS Sony PlayStation 4 Pro You’re going to want to use your 4K screen to display 4K bits and the PS4 Pro is going to help you to do that. Best when paired with Sony’s PlayStation VR headset (R7 300). R7 000 / playstation.com/za

NEW

Samsung 78JS9500

R200 000 / samsung.com/za

5 6

LG OLED65E6V

★★★★★ from R70 000 / lg.com/za LG’s 65in stunner is still a stunner, it’s just had to move aside for the 2017 harvest.

Hisense 65M7000UWG

★★★★★ R21 000 / hisense.co.za Hisense doesn’t have LG or Samsung’s tech but they do have a 65in 4K smart TV for R21 000.

Samsung 55Q7F

★★★★★ R30 000 / samsung.com/za Samsung’s 4K TV supports HDR and has a price that means you’ll still able to eat at month end.

LG 75UH655V

Hisense 75N9700UWG

Skyworth 55G7200

★★★★✩ R40 000 / lg.com/za You’re losing the inky-black OLED panel but you’re getting another 10 inches. Yay!

Samsung Frame TV

R35 000 / samsung.com/za

If the price tag hasn’t lifted your eyebrows then we’d like to borrow money from you. Samsung’s 78in curved SUHD monster is just that – a monster, requiring its own room at the very least. Dropping the price of an actual car gets you acres of 4K, Samsung’s Tizen OS and a free after-care facility for the warranty period.

Say you want a TV but don’t want people to know you have one. Samsung’s designer Frame TV mounts on your wall and pretends to be artwork when not in use, disguising the fact that you’ve got a 55in UHD 4K TV on the wall. Pity that folks can see the Xbox One X is plugged into the side of that abstract painting.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The price-is-no-object screen of your dreams

Stuff says ★★★★★ If your house looks like a magazine ad, this TV will fit right in

NEW

★★★★✩ R60 000 / hisense.co.za Hisense lobs Quantum Dot colour tech and a humongous 75in 4K ULED screen at you.

★★★★✩ R13 000 / iskyworth.com A 55in 4K display for under R15k? For that combo, we’ll forgive the user interface missteps.

Samsung UA55M6000

★★★★✩ R10 000 / samsung.com/za Does HD still exist? Yes, for a lot of folks. Samsung will give you 55 inches of it for R10k.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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YOUR STREAMING ESSENTIALS NETFLIX

NEW TO STREAMING TOP TENS

There are some fireworks going off on your online TV services this month, including a Western adventure, violent Vikings and a grunge icon AMAZON VIDEO

SHOWMAX

Godless (S1)

Silence

Cobain: Montage of Heck

Jack O’Connell is always getting into trouble, from his teen traumas in Skins to becoming a prisoner of war in Unbroken. But this time he’s really pushing his luck, upsetting Jeff Daniels and his murderous gang of outlaws.

After the drugged-up antics of The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese has turned all spiritual with this 17th-century adventure about two Jesuit priests. Don’t expect any orgies or dwarf-tossing in this one.

We defy you to watch this authorised Emmy-nominated documentary without being instantly transported back to the early nineties when Nirvana and Kurt Cobain ruled the world. The definitive analysis.

Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark

Vikings (S5)

The Path (S1)

South African comedian and Daily Show presenter Trevor Noah has his own Netflix standup special and this one is internationally-flavoured. There’s still enough South African flair for local viewers. Plus, bonus accents.

You think the Avengers’ civil war got messy? Wait until you see the bone-breaking violence of the Vikings’ hostilities in season five, with King Ragnar unable to keep them all in line from beyond the grave.

Making the jump from Hulu, The Path sees Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul falling in with a doomsday cult, which isn’t a problem. When he starts having doubts things start going wrong. In the ‘people start dying’ sense of the word.

Alias Grace (S1)

Gone Girl

Victoria (S1)

This Margaret Atwood adaptation sees housemaid Grace Marks accused of murder. Thing is, she claims she doesn’t recall doing it. Funny, that. Just like nobody at Stuff ever remembers taking the last slice of pizza…

Ben Affleck is as polarising an actor as you’ll ever find. Fortunately for his character in Gone Girl, everybody is united in agreement: they all hate him. That’s mainly because his wife’s gone missing, but is he really to blame?

Who says you can’t mix drama and history. Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman stars as the young queen Victoria, who ascended to the throne at 18 and proceeded to rule the British Empire. There is a second season on the way.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

TOP TENS LAPTOPS TIPS & TRICKS

It may be small and tough but a sleeve will assure you that there’s nothing scuffing your new baby in your backpack.

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Uninstall. Not all of it, just the selection of pre-installed apps that you’re never going to use. Your eyes (and your data connection) will thank you.

HOT BUY

Dell XPS 13 from R20 000 / dell.co.za

The original XPS was already a great, lightweight laptop, then Dell gave it a welcome Windows 10 refresh. With improved battery life and performance, it’s the thinking person’s Ultrabook and a whole lot more. We’ve tried the 2-in-1 hybrid version, and while it’s good, this Apple MacBook destroyer will more than suffice for most users. Especially at this price point, which is nearly half that of the equivalent MacBook Pro.

Stuff says ★★★★★ An excellent Windows 10 Ultrabook, small in size and great in stature ● NOW ADD THIS Dell Power Companion If the terrific battery life isn’t enough, grab this 12 000mAh external battery. R1 700 / dell.laptopdirect.co.za

BARGAIN BUY

4 5 6

Apple MacBook Pro

Asus ZenBook UX310UA

Second place is low for Apple. But the entry level (meaning “nonTouch Bar” here) MacBook Pro was an excellent device, but beaten in terms of price, specs, and battery life by… something else. Now that Apple’s updated the line, though, it’s a much closer call for top spot.

Asus has hit that price sweet spot, undercutting the competition and making potential MacBook Air buyers think twice before hitching their wagon to Apple and macOS. There’s little else out there that’s better without spending a whole lot more money.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The standard 13in Pro is beautiful, compact, and a pleasure to work on

Stuff says ★★★★★ MacBook styling, but not for MacBook money

from R20 000 / myistore.co.za

from R14 300 / asus.com/za

MSI GT73VR

★★★★★ from R42 000 / evetech.co.za MSI’s VR-ready monster can be specced up to 48GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. Wowser!

Apple MacBook

★★★★★ from R20 500 / myistore.co.za The new Kaby Lake processor keeps the standard MacBook competitively brilliant.

HP Spectre 13

★★★★★ R30 000 / hp.com/za The world’s thinnest notebook? Maybe. Did they leave any bits out? That’s a huge ‘no’.

Microsoft Surface Book

Acer Swift 3 (2017)

Razer Blade Stealth

★★★★★ from R38 000 / za.microsoftstore.com A Microsoft notebook, at long last, and the ensuing hardware is pretty darned impressive.

★★★★✩ from R12 000 / acer.co.za There are sharper-looking, brighter-screened laptops, but the Swift 3 undercuts them all.

★★★★✩ R31 200 / razerone.com The Stealth may look slim and lightweight, but it’ll still support fairly heavy gaming on the run.

Apple MacBook Air 13in

★★★★✩ from R13 500 / myistore.co.za If a portable road warrior is what you’re after, this slinky MacBook remains a great choice.

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SMARTWATCHES, FITNESS TRACKERS TOP TENS

HOT NEW BUY

HOT BUY

Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS)

Garmin Fenix 5

The original Apple Watch was the best smartwatch on the market when it launched, but it lacked focus. The Series 2 devices came with an array of upgrades – more power, a brighter screen – along with a greater emphasis on fitness functions without a phone in tow. Both GPS and waterproofing made it a far more compelling gadget for exercise fanatics. The Series 3 keeps the best of the 2 and adds an altimeter and an enhanced Heart Rate app. The best just got even better.

The king is dead! But that’s okay, because we’ve got a newer, better one to replace him, and he’s kin. This is the smartest of the smartfitness watches you can buy right now. Track everything from swimming to sprinting to… wait, does that say skydiving? Yes, yes it does. Which is an awfully specific function. The Fenix 5 is the ultimate sportswatch, so much so that you’ll feel you need a degree in sports fitness to understand all the stats, but that’s why we love this one. Anything we can do it can help us do better.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Apple’s further tweaks and even heavier sports focus add up to make the Series 3 unmissable

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

from R5 500 / myistore.co.za

Samsung Gear S3

R6 500 / samsung.com/za Samsung’s Tizen OS combined with the rotating bezel is the stuff smartwatch dreams are made of. It’s a real rival for Android Wear... now Samsung just needs to get devs as excited about Tizen as we are. Stuff says ★★★★★ A few more apps and it may be unbeatable

Fitbit Ionic

Huawei Watch 2

Garmin Vivomove

NEW

R5 500 / fitbit.co.za Way more fitness tracker than smartwatch for now, the Ionic delivers accurate heartrate tracking, multi-sport modes and up to four days between charges. What it really needs, though, is more third-party apps. Stuff says ★★★★✩ The best go at a Fitbit smartwatch so far

★★★★✩ R6 000 / huawei.com/za A SIM slot and slick interface make this the best Android smartwatch on the market today.

★★★★✩ R3 000 / garmin.co.za Free up a space on your wrist – this is everything you need from a fitness watch.

from R10 500 / garmin.co.za

Garmin Fenix 3

Garmin Vivoactive HR

R8 500 / garmin.co.za Just because the number 5 has taken over doesn’t mean that you have to kick the Fenix 3 out of bed. It’s going to beat most of the competition for a long time to come – just like you do, right? Stuff says ★★★★★ One case where second place still wins

R5 600 / garmin.co.za Garmin has a frankly bewildering array of fitness trackers and outdoorsy GPS watches, but the Vivoactive HR is the one you really want. It’s packed with long-lasting, easy-to-use rewarding fitness cleverness. Stuff says ★★★★★ All-round tracker with sensors and stamina

Fitbit Alta HR

Garmin Vivosmart HR+

NEW

★★★★★ R2 500 / fitbit.co.za The slim design, HR monitor, and notifications make this the best discreet wristable.

★★★★✩ R3 000 / garmin.co.za A superb tracker packed with features; it’s just a little bulky for wearing 24/7.

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TOP TENS BUDGET BUYS

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Why bother splashing out over R7 000 on a games console when you can get the SNES Classic Mini for a fraction of that? Especially when you get 21 classic titles pre-installed on this nostalgia-inducing machine, including the likes of Super Metroid, A Link to the Past, Super Mario World and the never-before-released Star Fox 2. And with two controllers bundled in the box, you’ll be able to start the Super Mario Kart action right away.

Chickens killed you in Zelda again? You can rewind up to five minutes and pretend it never happened. For full-fat nostalgia you can read the instruction manual for each of the SNES games online.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Better games than the NES Classic Mini send this to the top of our Christmas list

Stop trying to raid Bowser’s castle in one sitting, and use one of the four save slots to take a break.

● NOW ADD THIS 8Bitdo Bluetooth Retro Receiver Fed up of those short cables? Use this clever device to connect most modern controllers wirelessly. R500 / 8bitdo.com

4 5 6 7

Raspberry Pi Zero W

Moov Now

It might be nearly twice the price of the original Pi Zero, but when you’re still getting change from a R200 the wireless Pi is fantastic value. Simplicity is key, with no need to mess about with dongles or hubs. This also means your Pi projects can be squeezed into smaller places.

You know you’re onto a winner when your fitness gadget isn’t just a tracker but a personal trainer. The Moov is a honeycomb-covered workout guide with voice coaching and rep-counting. Daily step tracking isn’t it’s strong suit, but it auto-detects your sleep.

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

Stuff says ★★★★★ The best budget tracker – gives most Fitbits a run for their money

R185 / pishop.co.za

SNES Classic Mini R1 250 / nintendo.co.za

TIPS & TRICKS

HOT NEW BUY

R1 000 / takealot.com

8 9 10

Vodafone Smart Prime 7

★★★★✩ R1 800 / vodacom.co.za On specs alone, the Smart Prime 7 beats phones that are twice the price.

SoundMagic E10C

★★★★★ R650 /sound-magic.co.za SoundMagic is royalty when it comes to budget buds. For under R600, these are stupendous.

Pokemon Go Plus

★★★★★ R700 / awx.co.za Feed your addiction with a wrist-mounted pokemon detector. Hurry, they sell out fast.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8

★★★★★ R1 100 / fujifilm.co.za Go retro with the brightly coloured Instax Mini 8 from Fuji. Film’ll cost ya but it’s worth the outlay.

Amazon Kindle

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

Samsung Gear VR

★★★★✩ R1 900 / samsung.com/za Perfect if you’re looking to play Hitman GO in VR, or enjoy Netflix or live sport in 360°.

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400

★★★★✩ R300 / mia.africa.com Everyone could use extra power but having to fork out for it sucks. Thankfully, you don’t.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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THE BIG QUESTION TOP TENS TAXI SERVICES

THE BIG HOW CAN I BEAT QUESTION THE TRAFFIC? FOR REAL-TIME ROADS

Uber It’s hit a few speed bumps of late, but Uber is still one of the most popular taxi services in SA. Popularising the idea of paying for a ride via an app, it’s become a worldwide hit. You could even get Alexa to call an Uber for you. Free / iOS, Android

WAZE Free / Android, iOS How many hours have we wasted stuck in traffic? Best not think about it if you’re faced with the stationary backside of a car during every morning commute. And the one day you decide to take that longer, less congested route? There’s a minor accident, and major delays. Typical. Waze was made to make your life on the road more tolerable. It gives you alerts about congestion, accidents, roadworks and other hazards. By taking these factors into consideration, Waze can work out your quickest route in the current conditions, ensuring you spend as little time trapped in your wheeled prison as possible. The true genius of Waze is that it’s essentially social media for

cars. The secret of those real-time traffic updates is that it records users’ driving data and shares it with others. It even encourages you to report other useful info, from roadkill to bad weather. The only downside? It relies on other users – so if you’re the only geek in the village, you might be left with a standard (but perfectly good) GPS app.

SPECIAL SKILL PARK LIFE Thanks to a 2016 update, Waze can now search for nearby parking spaces and send you reminders when your parking meter is about to expire. Sadly, it can’t tell you the pricing of each car park – you’ll have to use your own peepers for that.

FOR DREAMY DRIVES

TOMTOM GPS NAVIGATION

SPECIAL SKILL COMMUNITY SUPPORT TomTom’s app gathers data from other users, and those who still use the GPS units, to confer up-todate traffic updates on blockages. Which you can then drive around, because who has time to be stuck in a column of cars.

Free / Android, iOS There was a time when if you wanted effective traffic assistance you had to get yourself a TomTom GPS. You can still get ’em, but you can get the official app on your phone starting from free. The interface is the same as the clunky old GPS units, though, right down to the lane indicators that make sure you don’t wind up missing your turnoff. They’re still handy. The app provides support for offline maps (after an initial download), which still track well even if you’re not connected to data, and it’ll direct you around traffic messes to boot. Best of all it works in over 150 countries.

Taxify It might sound like it is something that’ll help with SARS, but Taxify will hail you a car and let you track it – just like Uber. Started in Estonia, this one’s bigger overseas. Here in Mzansi, it’s limited to Jozi, Cape Town, PE, and Durban. Free / iOS, Android

FOR MULTI-USE MAPS

GOOGLE MAPS

Free / Android, iOS Who hasn’t heard of Google Maps? This may be an obvious choice, but not everyone uses it for driving even though it has almost all of the same tricks as other, more traffic-focused apps. There are no police alerts, so this won’t be the app for getaway drivers, but it’s a top multitasker, letting you book a table at a restaurant or download maps for offline use.

Cabbi A wholly South African effort, Cabbi is still getting off the ground at the time of writing. Launched in Jozi first, the service aims to be available throughout all of Gauteng by the time you read then. Then, the world? Free / iOS, Android

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

TOP TENS DSLRs, COMPACT CAMERAS

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HOT BUY

Fujifilm X-T20

Panasonic Lumix LX100

Coming with the same 24.3MP APS-C sensor and processor as the X-T2, plus a touchscreen (which its sibling lacks), the X-T20 will leave you with a lot more spare cash in your account. And for most people, the new model will deliver results that are just as good as its pricier big brother’s. With well laid-out controls, a huge viewfinder, excellent autofocus and access to superb lenses, the X-T20 is just one more fantastic mirrorless camera from Fujifilm.

This is one the most capable premium compacts on the market – and the LX100’s 4K capabilities give it a crucial edge over its rivals. HD video capture and superb stills performance make the Panasonic Lumix LX100 a star performer when it comes to the basics too. It doesn’t hurt at all that the LX100 is priced affordably enough that almost anyone can get it. 4K on the go is within reach of most photography wallets. Connectivity and optical image stabilisation just seal the deal.

Stuff says ★★★★★ The X-T20 nails the sweet spot between price and performance

Stuff says ★★★★★ Having 4K in your pocket goes a long way when you’re shooting on the run

R20 000 (with 18-55mm lens) / fujifilm.co.za

Fujifilm X-T2

Canon EOS 80D

Canon EOS 5DS

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

R25 000 (body only) / fujifilm.co.za The X-T2 is an excellent lesson in how to upgrade an already great gadget. The X-T1 was itself a brilliant camera, so Fuji gave it superb video and autofocus skills to go with the already top weatherproof build. Stuff says ★★★★★ A camera that barely strays from perfection

R16 500 / canon.co.za Even a child would get great results with the 80D – it’s the photographic equivalent of playing FIFA 17 as Barcelona, on full auto mode, against Burnley. This takes the hard work out of getting fantastic photos. Stuff says ★★★★★ If you want simplicity, you won’t get much better

★★★★★ R43 000 / canon.co.za A fantastic piece of kit that any pixel-peeping SLR fan will get heaps of enjoyment out of.

★★★★★ R19 000 (body only) / olympus.co.za The second coming of the E-M5 smashes it on both design and performance fronts.

R14 000 / panasonic.com/za

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II

Fujifilm X70

Nikon Coolpix AW130

Fujifilm X30

R9 900 / canon.co.za The latest in Canon’s stable, the updated G7 X delivers incredible image quality and lowlight performance. A tilting LCD, continuous shooting at 8fps, 20.1MP 1in sensor, and NFC and Wi-Fi support make it a great buy. Stuff says ★★★★★ Ticks all the basic boxes, connectivity just seals it

★★★★★ R11 500 / fujifilm.co.za A touch sensitive, tilting display makes changing setting or grabbing focus with the X70 a pleasure and its old-school looks and healthy selection of manual dials makes it every bit the serious imaging tool. Stuff says ★★★★★ The blend of old and new may attract hipsters

★★★★★ R6 800 / nikon.co.za Waterproof, cold-proof and shock proof, this is the one to haul where others fear to tread.

★★★★★ R7 400 / fujifilm.co.za More retro but under the hood lies an allmodern compact that’ll snag your shots.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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CONSOLES & 5-MINUTE HACKS TOP TENS HOT BUY

PlayStation 4 Pro from R7 000 / playstation.com/za

TYPE ONE-HANDED ON A MASSIVE PHONE Apple’s iOS 11 has lots of great new features (see p94), but one of the most useful updates is hidden away: a keyboard designed for one-handed typing on super-sized smartphones:

options. Go into Settings > General > Keyboard to change the default alignment if you don’t want to have to make the change every time you open the keyboard.

● On iOS If you haven’t already, you’ll need to download iOS 11. Then it’s a simple process of opening your keyboard and holding down the globe or emoji symbol next to the 123 button. Now all you need to do is choose between the left and right-handed

● On Android The Google keyboard has actually had this feature for over a year now. Just long-press the comma symbol beside the spacebar and hit the blue icon that appears – it looks like a hand holding a square. The one-handed keyboard will now pop up.

As a gaming platform, PlayStation 4 is the best around – which makes the PS4 Pro the best of the best. Games optimised for the new console look stunning on a 4K HDR TV, and are substantially improved by the extra grunt inside this slightly bigger machine. If you’ve already splashed out for a 4K HDR screen and you enjoy video games at all, it’s well worth the upgrade. The missing 4K Blu-ray drive means it isn’t a perfect entertainment system, but streaming converts won’t care.

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

2 3

Xbox One S

from R5 000 / xbox.com/za Microsoft dumps Kinect, the R7 000+ asking price and the fugly power brick to create a supremely enticing console that also has a 4K Blu-ray player. It remains a serious alternative to the PS4 Pro. Stuff says ★★★★★ A fine console with some big exclusive titles

Nintendo Switch

from R5 200 / nintendo.co.za Nintendo is on the block with this one and we’re pleased to say that the Switch delivers, hard. The platform will still rise and fall on its library of games but as it stands now, the Switch is a bloody marvel. Stuff says ★★★★✩ Whether stationary or mobile, it’s excellent

PlayStation 3 Slim

Xbox 360 Slim

★★★★✩ from R3 000 / playstation.com/za The PS3 is more of a value proposition than ever – plus, online play is still free.

★★★★✩ from R2 500 / xbox.com/za Technically the better console, but for one thing. Having to pay to play with mates grates.

SYNC YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE PICS Like to change your profile picture but tired of having to do it twice every time? This IFTTT applet will sync up your Facebook and Twitter pics to save you the trouble: ● App it up Download the IFTTT app, and then search for the applet called ‘Keep your Facebook and Twitter profile pictures in sync’. Then move the slider to the ‘on’ position. ● Give your blessing The IFTTT applet will now ask you to sign in to Facebook and Twitter. Once you’ve done so, it will (rather worryingly) ask for control of your

accounts. Don’t worry, IFTTT are trustworthy enough – and it should now all be set up, so when you change your Facebook picture your Twitter account will get the same update.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

TOP TENS HEADPHONES

112

HOT BUY

Sennheiser PXC 550

SoundMagic E10C

It’s tough at the top. Tough to get there, and tough to stay there. Truth be told, there’s not much in it between these and the Bose QC 35s below… except cool factor. But that counts. As does two levels of active noise cancellation, touch controls, quality accessories and around 30 hours of life to a charge. Frequent flyers, these are your cans. You don’t have to be an airline afficionado to want to pop these over your ears but they certainly lend themselves to lengthy times in transit.

You might be wondering just how a sub-R1000 pair of headphones wound up at the top this list. It’s almost because of the novelty factor contained herein. Sure, it’s possible to spend an absolute fortune on headphones if you want no wires or active noise cancellation or other bells and whistles. But if you just want beautifully balanced sound and something you can sling in a pocket the E10Cs are tough to beat. And if you wear them out? Well, at this price you can just buy another pair.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Good looks, superb build, top-notch comfort and stonking audio to boot. The PXC 550s set the bar.

Stuff says ★★★★★ If there’s better value to be had in the in-ear market we’ve yet to see (or hear) it. Buy now, thank us later.

R8 500 / fitcorp.co.za

Bose QuietComfort 35

AKG N60NC

AKG Y50BT

JBL E-40BT

R8 000 / dionwired.co.za Active noise cancelling. Planes? No problem. People? Perish the thought. Just your tunes. Which takes care of the quiet part (however quiet Death Metal Mix No 47 manages to be). Comfort? That too. Stuff says ★★★★★ So effective, you won’t know you’ve landed

R4 000 / connoisseur.co.za Active NC for half the price of the competition, 30-hours of battery and a mere 150g? Yip. We’ve long been AKG fanatics and the N60NC does nothing to diminish the regard that we have for their cans. Stuff says ★★★★★ Powered up so long you’ll forget to charge them

★★★★★ R2 500 / audicoonline.co.za Proof that good wireless sound needn’t bankrupt you. 20 Hours of life and rock-solid.

★★★★★ R1 600 / musica.co.za You get 40mm drivers, a built-in mic, 16 hours of battery life and fold-flat flexibility.

R650 / sound-magic.co.za

Sennheiser OCX 686

Apple AirPods

JBL T100A

iFrogz Summit Wireless

BARGAIN BUY

R1 650 / audicoonline.co.za The over-ear hooks mean they’ll stay put and sound great whatever your sport. The wires aren’t ideal but are offset by the fact that these buds are sweat and water-resistant. Plus, hey, Sennies. Stuff says ★★★★★ The ones you want to block out the world

R2 600 / myistore.co.za Yes, you’ll look silly, but their range is astounding, as is call quality and ease of use. Worth looking like you’ve rammed a white pipe in one ear and out the other before bending down the protruding bits. Stuff says ★★★★★ We hope the others are taking notes

★★★★★ R300 / dionwired.co.za No fancy features, just well-rounded sound that’s still a step up from phone buds.

★★★★★ R600 / incredible.co.za Exercise-proof, in-line mic and controls and clever cable handling. Great value.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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WIRELESS SPEAKERS TOP TENS

HOT BUY

JBL Xtreme R4 700 / incredible.co.za

The perfect portable speaker is good looking, rugged, offers great stamina, and plays nicely with others. Basically, the perfect speaker is Victor Matfield if he could sing opera. But wait, can Mattie charge two devices at the same time from a pair of USB ports, does he come with a shoulder strap, and can he survive being rinsed off under a tap? Sure, he ticks the last box, but the JBL ticks all three. Also, can he sing opera? ‘Cause the JBL can sing anything. Sorry Mattie.

Stuff says ★★★★★ Stellar sound, durability, and a low price tag make JBL’s Xtreme unbeatable ● NOW ADD THIS Tidal Sick of playing your iTunes library on repeat? Sign up to Tidal for more new music than you could ever possibly listen to. from R130/month / tidal.com

4 5 6

UE Boom 2

Braven 705

Years making in-ear monitors for musos means UItimate Ears knows its bass from its mids. Water-, dust- and drop-proofing along with 360º sound, 15-hour battery life and a slick app so friends can play DJ makes the Boom 2 our pick of the pint-sized pack.

Want a cheapish speaker that doubles as a battery pack, can survive wind, rain and a bit of rough treatment but is also very compact? Braven’s got you covered. Plus, invest in a second (or get a friend to) and your portable party just got proper stereo sound.

Stuff says ★★★★★ If you were going to take one of these surfing, this is the one

Stuff says ★★★★★ The 705 sounds far punchier when it (and you) has friends over

R3 500 / ultimateears.com

R2 000 / braven.com

JBL Clip 2

★★★★★ R900 / incredible.co.za A pocket-sized party starter that delivers pounding performance while being pound-proof.

Bose SoundDock III

★★★★★ R4 800 / bose.com The SoundDock isn’t just for high-end hotels any more – it looks just at home in your own.

Marshall Stanmore

★★★★★ R6 000 / musica.co.za It’s not a stadium stack but it wouldn’t look out of place on a tiny stage with large sound.

JBL Flip 3

Skullcandy Air Raid

Shox Spin

★★★★✩ R2 000 / jbl.com It won’t cost a limb and it’ll go for ten hours. If you have a party in your pants, this’ll bring the noise.

★★★★✩ R2 000 / luksbrands.co.za It’s not a set of technicolour cans but the sound will punch you in the face. Flops at max volume.

★★★✩✩ R800 / tevo.co.za Cheap, stylish and able to work as a conference caller. Not the best sounding but… cheap.

Beats Pill 2.0

★★✩✩✩ R4 000 / myistore.co.za A cautionary tale in speaker form, remember that high price doesn’t always mean quality.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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115

HOT BUY

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

TIPS & TRICKS Mark your map when you find a recognisable landmark. It’s easy to get lost.

R950 / Switch, Wii U

Not only is this the best video game available right now, but it’s also probably the best Zelda game of all time, which is no small feat. This is the first time Link has had an open world to explore, and it’s full of hidden treasures, delightful puzzles and stunning landscapes. You’ll get lost in the hills of Hyrule for hours upon hours – long enough to justify your Switch purchase.

Hoard your preferred type of weapon, as they will end up breaking at the worst possible time. It’s worth toying with concoctions to find new recipes for health potions and power-ups.

GAMES TOP TENS

NEW

Stuff says ★★★★★ The Legend of Zelda goes open-world in sublime fashion

Horizon Zero Dawn

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

NEW

Forza Motorsport 7

The formula stays the same from the original Destiny, but with more refinement and content. There’s better storytelling, new worlds to explore and slick-as-ever shootin’. It’s every bit the superior sequel, with something here to offer every thrill-seeking Guardian.

This hyper-realistic racer looks absolutely jaw-dropping, especially when played on the Xbox One X, but it’s not just its graphical power that’s in top gear – this is gaming nirvana for proper petrolheads, while the driving assists will aid beginners.

Stuff says ★★★★★ This shooter reinvigorates Bungie’s space loot epic in almost every way

Stuff says ★★★★★ A ‘greatest hits’ from Forza’s past, with excellent yet accessible driving

from R850 / PS4, Xbox One, PC

R1 000 / Xbox One, PC

★★★★★ R900 / Switch The most bonkers Mario mashup yet has some surprising tactical depth.

Cuphead

Injustice 2

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

FIFA 18

NEW

Destiny 2

★★★★★ R1 000 / PS4 Fighting robot dinosaurs with a bow and arrow in a dystopian future – need we say more?

NEW

★★★★★ R220 / Xbox One, PC With vintage cartoon artwork, this punishing yet stupidly fun indie title is a joy to play.

★★★★★ R880 / PS4, Xbox One The DC brawler sequel we deserve, and the fighter you need right now.

★★★★✩ R900 / PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Not quite the game to rule them all, but the Nemesis System provides a bounty of fun.

★★★★✩ R1 000 / PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Purists might prefer PES, but for full-throttle fun, FIFA 18 is our football game of choice.

Sonic Mania

★★★★✩ from R260 / PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC After years of falling behind the platforming competition, Sonic is finally back on form.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS VISIT STUFF.CO.ZA OR FACEBOOK.COM/STUFFSA OR TWITTER @STUFFSA

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Just choose your FreeMe plan and access a world of unlimited movies, streaming, gaming and everything else without using your data.

Switch to the best data provider.* Standard terms and conditions apply and can be viewed at www.telkom.co.za. E&OE. *MyBroadband article, July 2016.

BUDGET TECH

WISH LIST 2017

CHJGD KASET 6000MAH MIXTAPE POWERBANK

hen was the last time you gave someone you loved a mixtape? It’s been too long but the world’s moved on since and a standard cassette tape isn’t going to cut it. This version is a little more useful than a collection of indie rock and classic grunge tunes that express how you feel in ways that words just can’t. This Mixtape does duty as a 6000mAh power bank, charging your intended’s actual source of emotional tunes – their smartphone. Neat.

R300 / chargedpower.co.za

FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 9 an you have fun with a 60mm f/12.7 camera sensor considering that the average smartphone has approximately an f/2.0 sensor. Um… yeah. More, even. Fujifilm’s Instax Mini range are hot-ticket items when it comes time to give prezzies and the Instax Mini 9 is one of the hottest. Don’t believe us? Hand over a Mini 9, a couple of packs of (admittedly pricey) instant film, and a bottle of wine and watch your festive gettogether launch into orbit.

R1 100 / fujifilm.co.za

in association with

NINTENDO SNES CLASSIC MINI

iving a gift that keeps giving is easy with the SNES Classic Mini, Nintendo’s retro re-issue that piles twenty classic Ninty titles like Donkey Kong Country, EarthBound, Super Mario Kart, and Yoshi’s Island into a teeny little box that connects to your TV. Resolution has been increased and an HDMI connection included because going back to a cathoderay TV is a little too retro. Worth snagging for previously unreleased Star Fox 2 but the curated selection of games is mighty awesome too.

R1 250 / nintendo.co.za

LEGO BOOST CREATIVE TOOLBOX

iving one gift is okay, giving one that can become five is even better. There’s a reason the Lego Boost Creative Toolbox is our most expensive budget item: You can build a discount Johnny 5, a robot cat named Frankie, a projectile-launching rover, an electric guitar (complete with sound effects), and a machine that’ll pop out little Lego robots of its own. We’re pretty sure that nobody’s going to top the Creative Toolbox with a better gift this holiday season.

R2 500 / creativeplay.co.za

119

STU FF PRO MOTIO N

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Phonetradr gives you a truly marketrelated value - using a handy price slider that you can adjust, based on make, model, capacity, condition, your own sense of urgency, and more. Bottom line? You control the ﬁnal sales price of your used phone, and the sale is guaranteed risk-free because Phonetradr handles the whole process. Once your phone is sold, Phonetradr collects and checks your phone. The buyer pays in full before delivery and Phonetradr even gives the buyer a full 1-year warranty, so no-one bothers you if it dies within a day. Not your problem.

GET YOUR MONEY

Receive guaranteed payment into your bank account within two days of the sale. No surprises. Selling your used phone on Phonetradr gives you the highest price with none of the usual diﬃculties. But don’t wait too long, because every time a new phone comes out, your current one decreases in value. Visit www.phonetradr.com now to see what your phone is worth.

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Go to www.phonetradr.com, click the Sell now button and get an instant valuation based on the make, model, capacity and condition of your smartphone.

FREE COLLECTION & DELIVERY You don’t have to leave your chair when using Phonetradr, which collects and delivers your phone to the new buyer, when you’re ready and able to let it go.

FLEXIBLE LISTINGS Whether you’re still using the phone you want to sell or if it’s just lying around gathering dust there is a listing option for you. *Valid for 12 Months. Free collection and delivery. Ts&Cs apply.

APPLE WATCH SERIES 3

WEARABLES

WISH LIST 2017

utting a computer on your wrist would’ve sounded ridiculous a few years ago, but now it’s pretty standard practice, at least if the wrists at our local gym are any indication. Apple’s Watch is the best-known wristable for a reason: it’s superb. It’s the smartest smartwatch out there, excelling at phone notifications, quick look ups with Siri and on-wrist apps. But GPS, waterproofing, on-board storage and Bluetooth make it a solid fitness companion, too. It’s not an accident it’s not just the best-selling smartwatch in on earth, but the best-selling watch.

from R5 500 / myistore.co.za

FITBIT ALTA HR

teps, estimated calories burned and stairs climbed are all good and well, but continuous heart-rate monitoring not only makes other measurements more accurate, but provides far more useful insights, like how well you slept, how fit you are, and what that third espresso is doing to your body. If you want a discreet, stylish and capable tracker that won’t destroy your 13th cheque, this is the one to get. You can spend what you save on a spare strap in another hue, or perhaps some 10km race entry fees for 2018, yeah?

R2 500 / fitbit.co.za

FITBIT IONIC

his isn’t Fitbit’s first go at a smartwatch, but it’s the best. The selection of apps is still pretty limited, but it’s growing, and the fitness tracking is superb. Built-in GPS, 2.5GB of storage space for audio, Bluetooth and a range of guided workouts alongside four-day battery life, automatic sleep tracking and one of the slickest apps offered by any fitness monitor make it one of the best options for fitness enthusiasts who want on-wrist notifications, too. Plus, it works just as well with Android devices as it does with iOS ones.

R5 500 / fitbit.co.za

GARMIN FENIX 5S

he Fenix range of sports watches has been the pack leader for those who like to sweat profusely for years now. The Fenix 5S takes the best of Garmin’s track-every-sport-you-do-and-a-bunch-you-don’t chops and squeezes them into a slimmer package than usual. If you’re an occasional jogger or part-time paddler the Fenix is almost certainly overkill, but if triathlons, ultra-marathons or long-distance cycling are your idea of a fun way to spend a Saturday, the 5S’s all-day GPS, heart-rate tracking and detailed metrics can’t be topped.

in association with

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from R10 500 / garmin.co.za

www.stuff.co.za

SAMSUNG S8

hile the Apple faithful fawn over the iPhone X, Samsung fans look on smugly. Their handset of choice has been available for months, has curves in all the right places, wireless charging, a best-in-class camera and a 3.5mm audio socket. Oh, and it costs less than R14k. Which leaves plenty of change for other things, like the fast wireless charging pad, a stylish protective case, or Samsung’s IconX wireless earphones. Or, you know, all three.

R13 500 / samsung.com/za

HIGH-END PHONES

WISH LIST 2017

LG V30+

ost phone makers that’ve taken the dual camera plunge have used the secondary camera for added contrast or getting closer to the action. LG, rebel that it is, has gone wide instead. In addition to the standard 16MP rear shooter there’s a 13MP wide-angle one. Add multiple microphones, a built-in digital amplifier, a 10-bit HDR image sensor and new Cine Effect video grading feature and you’ve got a pocket-sized mobile moviemaker’s dream.

R15 500 / lg.com/za

IPHONE X

e don’t know what the iPhone X will cost, but no matter how big the asking price, we do know it’s one of the most desirable gadgets of 2017. Unlock it with a glance, charge it wirelessly, admire its almost bezel-less 5.8in Super Retina display, and try to ignore the barely disguised envy of friends and strangers. Sure, you’ll have to learn new gestures and there’s still no headphone jack, but that’s the price you pay for living on the bleeding edge.

Rtba / myistore.co.za

HUAWEI MATE 10 PRO

es, Huawei’s flagship phones have ordinarily cost way less than its rivals’ top-end kit, but there’s nothing ordinary about the Mate 10 Pro. So, what justifies the price? A 6in OLED display with 2160x1080 resolution and support for high-dynamic range (HDR) content, dual cameras, Huawei’s specially engineered Kirin 910 processor that promises on-device AI smarts, all clad in one of the bestlooking handsets your money can buy, that’s what.

R18 000 / huawei.com/za

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www.stuff.co.za

Your Life, through Your Lens

A Smartphone that captures the Real You Deﬁned by You • 6.0” FullVisionTM OLED Display • IP68 Water & Dust Resistant • Cinematic Video with Point Zoom

• Wide Angle Front & Rear Photography • Dual Rear Cameras [F1.6 & F1.9] • Durable MIL-STD 810G Certiﬁcation

MID-RANGE PHONES

WISH LIST 2017

FNB CONEXIS X2

ang on, hang on, a decent mid-ranger and it comes from… FNB? We know, right? We were as shocked as you are. The ConeXis X2 has an octa-core Qualcomm heart, 3GB RAM, a 5in HD display, and a fingerprint sensor, plus a dual rear camera (13MP and 2MP). The sole drawback is the need for an FNB account, but then you also get access to the NFC-powered FNB Pay and its Tap-and-pay functionality. It’s a small price to er… pay, then.

from R200/month / fnb.co.za

XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 4

ant some phone hardware at a price that feels like you’re stealing it? Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 4 is a 5.5in wonder, with a a pleasingly potent Snapdragon 625 powering the stylish device into our hearts. Build and design call to mind something more expensive than the paltry three and a half grand Xiaomi are asking for this one. It’s not often that you get a fingerprint sensor and a 4100mAh battery at this price point. Go get one, now.

R3 500 / mia.africa.com

VODAFONE SMART V8

he larger of Vodacom’s two branded handsets for 2017, the Vodafone Smart V8 follows the trend of looking nothing like a phone from the middle of the road. 5.5in of screen, 3GB of RAM, a 16MP rear cam and an 8MP frontfacer come together under one of the more premium shells we’ve laid our sticky mitts on this year. And look at that, living below the slight rear camera bump is yet another fingerprint sensor – because now they’re for everyone.

R3 600 / vodacom.co.za

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in association with

NOKIA 6

nce a Nokia fan always a Nokia fan, if the frenzy around the (not that great) 3310 reissue was any indication. The Nokia 6, the company’s mid-range entry, is a more exciting proposition. Boasting looks and a display that belie its cost the Nokia 6 is a great way to ease back into the product line without laying out a massive investment. It doesn’t hurt that Nokia’s middle child (for now) packs a decent camera a mid-ranger.

R4 300 / hmdglobal.com

www.stuff.co.za

WISH LIST 2017

GOPRO HERO6

he latest version of GoPro’s iconic action cam looks pretty indistinguishable from its predecessor, but that’s a blessing, because it means it’ll work with all of the same accessories. Like the 5, it’s waterproof to 10m without a housing and includes support for voice controls. But there’s also a more potent processor, 4K footage at up to 60fps or 1080p footage at up to 240fps, and the QuikStories app is now better than ever at taking your raw, hopefully gnarly videos and turning them into socialmedia-ready edits while you’re on the ski lift.

DJI SPARK

elfie sticks are so passé. Drone group shots are where it’s at. DJI knows this, which is why you can control the diminutive Spark with hand gestures. Triple-press the power button with it in your palm and it’ll take off and hover at just the right height to recognise when you make a frame gesture with your hands – the signal for it to start the countdown timer before it snaps an aerial selfie. It’ll also do HD video, can be piloted with a smartphone or tablet, and will stay aloft for around 15 minutes between charges. Try doing that with a stick.

R8 700 / navworld.co.za

CAMERAS

R8 500 / capeunionmart.co.za

FUJFILM X100F

SAMSUNG GEAR 360 (2017) he upgraded Gear 360 cam is more compact and trimmer than last year’s golfball-ona-stick original, despite ditching the tiny tripod grip for a built-in solution with a standard screw mount. It’s easier to hold while you’re shooting those immersive 360° videos or stills. The twin 195° cameras have been beefed up with native 4K video capture (though that’s adding both together, they’re 2K each), and you can finally livestream straight to Facebook or YouTube. It’ll even play nicely with an iPhone, though it loves an S8 or S8+ more, of course.…

R4 000 / samsung.com/za

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t may look like the sort of rangefinder your parents slung around their necks when skirts were long and hair was um, also long, but don’t be fooled, the X100F is every bit the modern photographer’s dream. It’s packing the same 24.3MP APS-C sensor and processor as the bigger, more expensive X-T2, but adds a touchscreen to the already awesome lineup of intuitive controls, speedy autofocus and the best hybrid rangefinder and electronic viewfinder setup we’ve ever had the pleasure of putting our eyes to. It’s compact, but killer.

R15 000 (body only) / fujifilm.co.za

in association with

WISH LIST 2017

DEEPLY IMMERSIVE AUDIO

HERITAGE SLEEVE Herschel Supply Co. is a design driven global accessories brand that produces quality products with a fine regard for detail. Built for journeys near and far inspired by the popular backpack silhouette; the Heritage sleeve is fully padded, fleece-lined featuring a signature striped interior and includes a reinforced base. Retailing for R949.00 at selected stockists within South Africa

Available in various prints and colours for Apple MacBook Air/Pro 13in, iPad Pro 12.9in, and 12in MacBook devices.

www.herschel.com

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Great sound with fitness tracking to match Jabra Elite Sport www.circuitcity.co.za

129

WISH LIST 2017

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 2 WIRELESS

ow do you make some of the best over-ear cans even better? Remove the cable, of course. Active noise cancelling, pairing via NFC, extreme comfort and a built-in mic make the wire-cutting version of the legendary Momentum 2 our favourite oh-if-moneywasn’t-an-object set of headphones. The retro styling and option to plug them in should we run them flat is just the cherry on top of an already ludicrously rich and decadent cake.

uality audio doesn’t have to see you eating unadorned Salticrax and sipping tap water until March. The E10Cs are comfortable, lightweight and understated, but still feel sufficiently hardy to use every day. If you’re still using the earphones that came in the box with your smartphone these will feel like a massive upgrade. And if the price is still a little too dear, check out the sub-R600 E10 that lose the in-line remote and not the sound quality.

AUDIO

R7 500 / sennheiser.co.za

SOUNDMAGIC E10C

R700 / sound-magic.co.za

JABRA ELITE SPORT

ruly wireless Bluetooth headphones are a glorious invention, right up there with phone cameras and sliced bread. And Jabra’s Elite Sport are the current class leaders. Brilliant sound quality, a snug fit, dual mics in each earbud for crystal-clear calls, more than four hours of life on a charge (with the case quickly juicing them up again) and even in-ear heart-rate tracking. They’re so good they actually make us want to work out.

R3 700 / circuitcity.co.za

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UE WONDERBOOM

ope, this one isn’t named for the ’90s rock band with a lead singer who resembled the star of the festive season. Instead, it’s a reference to the astoundingly well-rounded and warm sound this compact, waterproof barrel of audio wizardry produces. We’ve tested a lot of Bluetooth speakers in recent years and nothing this compact or this affordable comes close in terms of audio quality, ease of use and ruggedness. It’s a revelation.

R1 500 /takealot.com

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WISH LIST 2017

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©Nintendo 2017

Nintendo Switch is not a ‘gift for HIM’ nor is it a ‘gift for HER’. It’s a gift for everyone and anyone. Choose from 3 different play modes- TV, Tabletop and Handheld; with a group of friends or on your own. This portable home console is bound to make anyone who finds it under the Christmas tree, merry.

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GAMES

WISH LIST 2017

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD

LoZ: Breath of the Wild has dominated the Stuff Top 10 gaming section since release for a reason. If you’re one of the fifty people who missed it the first time around you’ve got a lengthy adventure ahead of you. By the time you read this the second huge chunk of downloadable content should be out too, meaning you’ll spend even more time in Hyrule. Which means we’ll probably rack up at least 500 hours of Bokoblin-hunting by the end of it all.

R950 / nintendo.co.za

FIFA 2018

eady for a spot of footie? Okay, it only sounds good when the Brits say it but the heavilylicensed FIFA 2018 is the current pinnacle of sports games and it has the sales to prove it. And the release platforms. The game looks best on PS4 Pro and Xbox One but we’d take the Switch version any day for pure ease-of-play. There’s nothing quite like a quick trip to the pitch in between meetings, is there?

from R800 / easports.com/fifa

CALL OF DUTY: WWII

all of Duty returns to its roots with a trip back to the Second World War. Gameplay is slower as a result and there are some more deliberate game modes to contend with, like War, but the old favourites have also stuck about. It’s also nice to see that they’ve stuck to realism by removing health regen for this outing and decided to keep the… loot crates and zombies? Whatever, we’re going to put hours into it online anyway.

from R850 / PC, PS4, Xbox One

FORZA MOTORSPORT 7

00 cars, a neat collection of tracks, a whole mess of highend licensed vehicles, and some of the best on-track racing you’ll see this side of a Formula One race – it can only be Forza Motorsport 7. The dynamic weather will have you cursing, until you learn how to drive in the wet. Git gud scrub. You can double your purchasing urgency if you’re also looking to snag an Xbox One X this December – it’s simply stunning in full 4K.

R1 000 / xbox.com/za

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WISH LIST 2017

Watch as we unbox gadgets, review gear and show you all the best in tech today THE BEST XMAS GIFT YOU CAN GIVE ANYONE (INCLUDING YOURSELF)

THE GIFT OF READING Kindle E-readers store 1 100 books in one place. www.circuitcity.co.za

youtube.com/StuffZAReviews

FRESHNESS ON ANOTHER LEVEL

When you’re pushing your limits and constantly on the move, trust in NIVEA MEN’s new breakthrough Body Deodorizer to deliver all day freshness and odour control, available in four masculine and refreshing scents. Just one concentrated spray lasts all day – with no need to reapply. This slimline can is a perfect travel size, yet delivers 5 times more sprays per can* so you get more value. Step up and make the smart choice, no matter what life throws your way.

www.niveamen.co.za

Like us on Facebook: NIVEA MEN ZA #LEVELS #NIVEAMEN

*Contains over 500 sprays which is 5 times more sprays than a NIVEA 150ml aerosol spray.

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SONY PLAYSTATION VR

GAMING HARDWARE

WISH LIST 2017

MICROSOFT XBOX ONE X

till unavailable at the time of writing, the serious gamer with a 4K TV is going to want an Xbox One X this year. The Scorpio tech really does confer the title of “world’s most powerful games console” on the One X and we’ve experienced it spitting out native 4K games onto a similarly specced screen. A pointless buy if you’re still riding the HD TV train but if you’ve moved to 4K then you need the Xbox One X pumping pixels at your eyes.

from R7 500 / xbox.com/za

he easiest way to experience VR without having to rearrange your home or splurge on a massive PC is to pick up Sony’s PS VR headset. Plop it over your eye-holes and you can fall into Sony’s virtual worlds at will. The only requirement is a place to sit, a PlayStation 4 (we recommend the extra power of the PS4 Pro), and a tolerance for vertigo. Then pick up Resident Evil 7 and see just how tough you really are.

from R6 000 / playstation.com/za

NINTENDO SWITCH

f you’re gifting for a nontraditional gamer then you’re going to want a nontraditional console and Nintendo’s surprise smash hit Switch is going to be a… well, a hit. The polar opposite of the ill-fated Wii U, the Switch is a powerful, versatile gaming machine with a mighty first-party games library already. Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, or Super Mario Odyssey are all worth buying the console for alone. Put them together and this is a must-have.

R5 000 / nintendo.co.za

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in association with

GADGETS

WISH LIST 2017

HUAWEI MATE 10 PRO PORSCHE DESIGN

n the most stunning display of “Here, hold my beer” thinking since Theresa May cast a snoot across the Atlantic at US politics, Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has out-Appled Apple by releasing the most expensive smartphone South Africa has ever seen. Designed in collaboration with Porsche, the special edition Mate 10 Pro has all the best bits of the Mate 10 (on-board AI, dual cameras and a beautiful display) along with that all-important, iconic, and instantly recognisable logo etched onto its posterior. Between this partnership and the Leica cameras we’re beginning to think Huawei’s got a bit of a crush on the Germans.

R27 000 / huawei.com/za

FUJIFILM GFX 50S

hen it comes to digital camera sensors, like wine glasses, bank balances and pudding, bigger is better. But that’s not true when it comes to camera bodies. Somehow, the Fujifilm GFX 50S manages the best of both worlds. It packs a jumbo, 51.4MP, mediumformat sensor into a camera body not much bigger than that of a full frame DSLR. Look, that sort of digital witchcraft doesn’t come cheap, and you’re going to need another sizable chunk of change for glass to stick on the front of it, but next time you want to opt for an end-of-year billboard instead of the usual family photo card, you’re covered… and then some.

R95 000 (body only) / fujifilm.co.za

SAMSUNG THE FRAME

he problem with digital photo frames is they tend to be a bit, well, rubbish. Low-resolution, battery-powered affairs that hardly do your worst phone snaps justice, let alone the carefully composed – and perfectly exposed – masterpieces from your DSLR. Enter Samsung’s The Frame, a TV that’s as pretty as a picture even when it’s turned off. Available in 55in and 65in models, you get 100 pieces of art pre-installed, or you can use your own. And ambient-light and motion sensors adjust the images on screen to ensure your work looks its best in any light… or isn’t displayed at all when there’s no one there to see it.

from R35 000 / samsung.com/za

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