SYNC Issue 5

15 February – 15 March 2014

LIFESTYLE

FUTURE FESTIVALS Out with the old and in with the new as festivals go high-tech

FEATURE

DIGITAL TOURISM Technology is reshaping the industry one self-service check-in at a time

WELCOME | issue five of SYNC mag

WELCOME Congratulations Welcome to the fifth issue of SYNC. Our aim with this monthly publication is to keep you abreast of all the exciting developments in the technology world.

to Rivash Rugnunen who won a Nokia 808 PureView! Enjoy taking beautiful pictures with your new smartphone.

“Autopage’s SYNC magazine is the best thing

Travel is a wonderful way to experience different countries and their rich cultures. Luckily for us, living in a digital age means globetrotting has become a hassle-free affair. In this month’s issue we shed some light on how technology is reshaping the tourism industry and showcase wonderful apps that allow you to be your own travel agent.

In addition, we take a look at how festival organisers are incorporating various devices to streamline festivalgoers’ experiences and we share some of the most innovative products that were on display at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show.

I hope you find inspiration in our travel-themed issue and enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

that has ever happened to people that are always keeping up to date with technology THIS MAGAZINE ROCKS #LOVEIT! ”

HAVE YOUR SAY Like what you’ve read in this issue of SYNC? Share your opinion with us by emailing autopage@purepublishing.co.za

EDITORIAL TEAM Senior Manager – Brand and Communications CHARNEL HATTINGH Consumer Marketing Manager

Charnel Hattingh

CHANTEL JAMES

SENIOR MANAGER – BRAND AND COMMUNICATIONS

Consumer Marketing Specialist CAROLYN MCEWAN Executive Creative Director ANDREW BURKE Editor MICHELLE MARAIS

NAVIGATING OUR DIGITAL MAGAZINE: We’re very excited to present you with this month’s issue of SYNC. The digital magazine has been designed to allow a truly interactive experience.

Page-turning

Icons and links

SYNC has been optimised

You’ll find various icons throughout the magazine.

By clicking on them you’ll

for both tablet and mobile, making it perfect for reading on the go. If you’re a tablet or smartphone user, turn the page by clicking on the arrows indicated on the far left and right of every page. Using your iPhone or iPad? Turn the page by flicking across your screen.

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be directed straight to their respective websites.

Some icons will allow you to view the product in more detail, while others will link you to a website providing more information about a specific service.

Production Director MARIANNE BURKE Deputy Art Director DAVE STRAUSS Designer TESSA GREEN

www.purepublishing.co.za SYNC is published monthly by PURE Publishing & Design cc for ALTECH AUTOPAGE. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

For editorial enquiries, please email: hello@purepublishing.co.za

inside the magazine | CONTENTS

FEB-MAR 2014 04

COVER STORY The days of spending hours on the phone with a travel agent is a thing of the past.

Technology is changing the way we travel, allowing us to control every step of the journey with the touch of a button.

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LIFESTYLE As every aspect of our lives goes high-tech, event organisers jump on the bandwagon as they stream performances, use cashless systems and integrate apps – this is the future of festivals.

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PRODUCTS Find your perfect companion with our latest range of handsets and office technologies.

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IN THE NEWS Stay abreast of technology developments by being in the know.

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ENTERTAINMENT Dallas Buyers Club: An emotional powerhouse of a film based on the true story of Aids patient Ron Woodroof.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Amanda Stone ne

Henry Cloete

Jessica Gliddon

Gadget girl and regular gular tech contributorr Amanda is a selff-

Writer and journalist, Henry is an enthusiast of all things

Originally from Northern California, Jessica’s been a

professed social media edia junkie and has been freelancing g

incongruous. He spends most of his time reading or

freelance writer and editor working in publishing for nearly

since 2011.

Favourite OS: Android OS

listening to music.

Favourite OS: IOS 7.0

10 years.

Favourite OS: IOS 7.0

ALSO - Innovation - What’s on

COVER STORY | around the world in 80 bytes

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BYTES Technology is making travelling a hassle-free affair and its availability is reshaping the tourism industry one self-service check-in at a time.

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around the world in 80 bytes | COVER STORY

hether for business purposes or to discover new and interesting cultures, you are bound to travel at least once in your life. Luckily the days of spending hours on the phone with a travel agent and wasting time in long queues is a thing of the past.

Technology is changing the way we travel, allowing us to control every step of the journey.

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CHOOSING A DESTINATION With the World Wide Web at our disposal, choosing a dream destination has never been easier. Once you’ve allocated a budget and decided on the extent of your trip, ask yourself what your ideal adventure would be: an adrenalinefilled week of kayaking in the Orange River, discovering hieroglyphics in Egypt or shopping up a storm in design capitals such as Milan or New York.

Keep all of this in mind when you visit Getgoing.com, a website aimed at saving you a hefty amount on airfare. Here you can choose different destinations in the same region of the world, enter your travel dates and let the website randomly choose the two most affordable options.

If you’re set on a destination, using apps such as Booking. com, Expedia’s TripAssist and Travelocity, you can search for flights, hotels and rental cars, allowing you to act as your own travel agent.

ONLINE BOOKING DID YOU KNOW Online booking 1996 The first websites that allowed consumers to reserve, book and purchase tickets without the need for a travel agent appeared and changed the industry forever.

FLIGHTS & ACCOMMODATION Online booking is as easy as one, two, three. Whether it is flights, a car rental or accommodation, almost every airline and hotel have a website with an online booking functionality.

media is also expected to be a major sales channel in coming years. American Express has taken the lead when it launched its buy-by-tweet program, which allows AmEx cardholders to purchase select items with a single tweet.

And the convenience factor is said to increase in the future. According to SITA, an international air transport communications and information technology company, there will be an increase in airlines allowing bookings through mobile apps. In addition, social

The self-service check-in counters at airports have made it quick and convenient for all travellers.

Even though boarding, flight transfers and baggage are still obstacles to creating a complete self-service check-in, several airports are making headway with the introduction of a self-service bag drop.

source: technewsarm.com

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COVER STORY | around the world in 80 bytes

source: www.olery.com

DID YOU KNOW Apple vs Andriod Android users are 27% more likely to book hotels after 10pm than iPhone and iPad users.

AT THE HOTEL

OUT ON THE TOWN

With hotels having followed airline and car rental firms – and thanks to smartphones – the industry has caught up with automated check-ins. One such example is NCR’s Express Key s system, which allows you to pick up s your room keys by swiping the booking y confi rmation barcode from their email c on o your smartphone at the kiosk.

Wanting to plan your itinerary down to a t? Virtual concierge at your service. One of the best examples of iPad-driven virtual concierge services can be found at London’s The May Fair Hotel, where each of the 18 signature suites has an inroom iPad with a concierge app.

These kiosks are small enough to fit on T tabletops or in lift lobbies, allowing you t to t retrieve lost keys or replace faulty ones without having to wait in a queue. o Radio-frequency identification [RFID] and a near field communication [NFC] systems also do away with the need s to t collect a physical key; instead, a smartphone can be used to unlock s the t door. Truly like a scene from a sci-fi movie. s

VirtualHotel, from app developer Cardola, provides the hotel’s guests with instant access to services such as restaurant reservations, room-service menus and ordering, spa bookings, wake-up calls and airport check-in services.

If The May Fair Hotel is a little pricey, don’t fret.

Apps like OpenTable and Foursquare’s mobile app will allow you to make these online reservations yourself. Unsure about where to eat or which sights to visit. TripAdvisor’s app gives you access to millions of user reviews of restaurants, hotels and highlights. Trip Book, a digital personal assistant of sorts, is another great way of organising your schedule and keeping track of your budget.

AIRPORT IT TRENDS 2013

TOP TRAVEL APPS

Future passenger journey

With more devices at our disposal and less time on our hands, a good smartphone app can be your best friend as you jet set around the globe.

source: www.sita.aero

+80%

95%

49%

...of airports will have deployed assisted bag drop and kiosk bag tag printing by 2016

...of airports are investing in mobile apps for passenger integration

...of airports expect to evaluate cloud services through trials & pilot studies by 2016

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Expedia Long known as a travel search and booking website, Expedia’s mobile app now offers unique deals like mobile-exclusive discounts on last-minute hotel bookings as well as all the usual flight and hotel search functionality. You can sort reviews by “recent”, “favourable” and “critical” to ensure you book the best stay.

Available on: Andriod, iOS, Windows www.expedia.com/app

around the world in 80 bytes | COVER STORY

LASTING MEMORIES While having the time of your life, remember to capture the memorable moments. Social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow you to take photographs with your smartphone, iPad or tablet and post descriptions to these platforms. It’s a great way to share your journey with your friends back home.

If you consider yourself a wordsmith and would like to create a visual journal, note-taking apps such as All-in Notes and Microsoft OneNote will let you combine photos, recorded sounds and written notes. This multimedia journal will cement your trip forever.

With various digital devices, the availability of Wi-Fi and apps, planning your next big voyage has never been easier or swifter.

Go on, your adventure waits at the touch of a button. ■

go! Travel South Africa

TripAdvisor

Spotify

WAZE

With over 75 million candid reviews and opinions by travellers, TripAdvisor makes it easy to find the best hotels, great restaurants and fun things to do, wherever you go.

The app’s robust flight search helps you find airfare deals, even on the go. Booking options for hotels, restaurants and airfares are just a mere tap away. This comprehensive app allows you to plan your perfect trip wherever you are.

Available on: Andriod, iOS, NOS, Windows www.tripadvisor.com/apps

What is a road trip without a great playlist? Endless miles of awkward silence.

Download Spotify Premium and set your account to offline mode. This allows you to save up to 3 333 songs on your device and play them offline for up to 30 days. If you have an existing iTunes library, you can also sync your music to your Spotify app and enjoy hours of listening.

Available on: Andriod, Blackberry, iOS, Windows www.spotify.com

This crowd-sourced GPS app with turn-by-turn navigation is so good that Google acquired the company and has since incorporated its real-time data into Google Maps. Waze is similar to other GPS apps but allow users to provide live, realtime updates too. Other handy features include searching for the most affordable petrol, traffic/police camera alerts and the ability to see if your friends are in the area.

Available on: Available on: Android, iOS www.waze.com

This comprehensive app contains 25 000+ points of interest and is a source of South African tourism information. It is perfect for finding and booking accommodation, restaurants and events. It incorporates travel articles from go! Magazine and SA-venues.com, restaurant reviews from Eat Out and is integrated with TravelGround, Expedia and ComeDine’s online booking systems. In addition, it includes suggested trips in each of the nine provinces and provides you with the tools to build your own trips and share this info with other users.

Available on: Andriod, iOS www.gotravelapp.com

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LIFESTYLE | future festivals

As every aspect of our lives goes high-tech, the entertainment industry is jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to its biggest and most difficult to organise events: music festivals WORDS: Jessica Gliddon

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future festivals | LIFESTYLE

“Mobile payment startup Gust Pay offered a festival app that paired with a wireless wristband linked to your smartphone using Near Field Technology.”

ttending a large-scale music festival can be a daunting prospect. Festivals the size of Glastonbury, which last year sold out at 135 000 tickets, are like temporary cities, and navigating them can be as challenging as visiting a foreign country.

Finding where your tent is, where the facilities are, where to get food and drinks and where the bands you want to see are playing is difficult enough, never mind having to keep track of your belongings and your friends – and forget anything being easy if it rains over the weekend.

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Fortunately, many music festival organisers have seen the value in using technology to help festivalgoers overcome these difficulties. For example, London’s Wireless Festival is one of the first music festivals to use radio frequency identification technology

to help people check-in and navigate the festival. Festival attendees who have a Barclays account received a “Payband”, a wireless band that can be charged with funds then used to buy food and merchandise, or even gain access to exclusive VIP areas. With a tap of the band, users can check-in at various points and have their location automatically posted to social media sites.

A similar technology was rolled out at Rocking the Daisies in the Western Cape last year. Mobile payment startup Gust Pay offered a festival app that paired with a wireless wristband linked to your smartphone using near field technology.

The app showed different points of interest around the festival site, allowed some cashless payment options, showed what acts were up next and let users save their tent location so they wouldn’t

get lost.

At San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music Festival last year, organisers had a slightly different take on festival technology, placing eight towers around Golden Gate Park with tablets built into them. Users who had pre-registered with ClearHeart Digital received an InsiderBand, which allowed them to access Facebook or other social media services with a swipe of a band.

However, these conveniences aren’t without hitches. The huge amount of wireless activity generated by having so many people in one place poses a potential overload of the system, which is why some festivals have set up their own independent systems.

Another problem is that these efficient innovations make it far too easy to overspend. To help control this, the www.auto p ag e.co.za | ISS U E 4, SYNC MAGAZINE

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LIFESTYLE | future festivals

Wireless Festival Payband has a built-in system that allows people to spend only 30 pounds at a time, and notifies them by text when they make a purchase. Still, many festivalgoers reported spending more than they had intended.

Smartphones have already made festivals easier to navigate and participate in, and many festival organisers have taken heed by setting up charging station facilities to ensure status updates and text messages keep flowing. Wearable technology, such as smart wristwatches or Google Glasses, also has a huge potential at music festivals. Some forms of wearable tech are already commonly seen at music festivals, such as digital T-shirts that light up to the beat of the music.

Most people book their tickets for festivals over the internet nowadays, but one interesting use of this is the Global Citizen Festival in New York, where tickets

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can be obtained only by gaining points through taking charitable actions online, such as sharing a video about a cause on Facebook, or a signing a digital petition.

At the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, technology has become so important it’s a headline act alongside the bands. The festival mixes a music and film festival with an interactive festival, featuring speakers, sessions and presentations focused on creativity and innovation in the digital realm. South Africa has its own version of the festival premiering this year: XooXity, which fuses together music, art and

Tech4Africa, an existing technology conference.

If it’s festivals you’re into, or just catching the highlights, make sure that you’ve got the technology package to help you capture, explore and reminisce about these once in a lifetime experiences. Why not come to your technology partner of choice, Altech Autopage. We offer the best advice, your favourite device, available on all of South Africa’s leading networks; we’ve got the best deal, for you. Guaranteed.

future festivals | LIFESTYLE

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SOCIAL APPS

LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE TALKING As we speed towards the digital age, it is important to make use of a service that allows you to engage and share experiences with your friends. Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp are among the most popular social apps but a picture paints a thousand words. Herewith a list of our top social apps.

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01 SNAPCHAT Snapchat enables you to send picture

03 INSTAGRAM

messages to your friends in real-time. After a maximum of 10 seconds, photographs automatically delete, so this free app is most often used for sending silly snaps. Users can take screenshots of your photographs, so be careful what you send. www.snapchat.com

Personalise your photographs with one of this year’s most popular apps, Instagram. The app lets you apply one of 19 filters to your smartphone or tablet photos. A basic news feed shows your friends’ recently posted photographs, while the Explore feature lets you search by user or hashtag and displays the most popular photos in real-time. www.instagram.com

02 VINE Less than three months after it debuted, Vine

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topped the list of free iOS apps. The app allows you to take short videos – up to six second – and share them via Twitter or the app itself. The one-touch video continuation feature means you can shoot multiple scenes and incorporate all those clips into one video. You can explore your friends’ videos and search by topic, too. www.vine.co/

04 FOURSQUARE

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Foursquare is a location-based app that states nearby places based on what others suggested.

When you are at a location, you can check in and potentially score tips and deals. With every check-in you personalise the app and it will recommend places it thinks you’ll like. You can also browse for certain locations and receive directions and menus. If you frequent a certain location you stand the chance of becoming its mayor and earning bragging rights. www.foursquare.com www.auto p ag e.co.za | ISS U E 4, SYNC MAGAZINE

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PRODUCTS | top product picks

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PRODUCTS Stay connected with the best in the business

this issue’s top

PRODUCTS

notebook LENOVO YOGA PRO 2 MULTIMODE ULTRABOOK Thanks to a think profile, sturdy chassis and that rubberised surface which coats the entire device, Lenovo’s Yoga Pro 2 Multimode Ultrabook is aesthetically remarkable.

The most striking and unique aspect of the Yoga 2 Pro is the fact that you can flip the screen back 360 degrees until it rests flat against the backside of the keyboard. Add to that the 3200 x 1800 pixel screen and the speakers, which create a surprising amount of kick.

This thin, light laptop delivers a solid performance and will be a welcome addition to any tech savvy individual’s collection.

OS Windows 8.1 Pro Processor Intel® Core™ i7-4500U Processor Memory/Storage Up to 8GB DDR3L 1600 MHz, on-board two-channel (4GB/8GB) Screen 3200 x 1800 pixels,13.3” high-resolution QHD+, IPS wide-view display with 10-point multi-touch technology Data Speed Integrated Intel® HD graphics 4400

PRODUCTS | top product picks

tabletdevices LENOVO YOGA TABLET 10 After forging a formidable reputation for itself in the global market with conventional notebooks and tablets, Lenovo has taken a fresh leap into the Android tablet segment and has launched the Yoga Tablet 10.

As far as looks go, Lenovo’s Yoga Tablet 10 is a complete departure from the tablet norm and features a cylindrical end design at one end, which is reminiscent of a folded magazine. Much like other Yoga devices in Lenovo’s line-up, the Tablet 10 can be used in different modes. The Chinese giant has been touting the Yoga tablets as the company’s biggest launch of 2014 and it is said that the cylindrical design is more user-friendly when compared to other conventional tablets.

OS Android OS, v4.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 Memory/ Storage microSD, up to 64 GB [external]; 16/32 GB, 1 GB RAM Screen 1280 x 800 pixels, 10.1 inches, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colours Data Speed HSPA+

this issue’s top

PRODUCTS

mobiledevices

OS Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400 Memory/Storage 32 GB, 2 GB RAM [internal] Screen 720 x 1280 pixels, Curved P-OLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colours Data Speed HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 21 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL

LG G FLEX The LG G Flex is many things: It’s big, it’s curved, bendable and impervious to scuffing, making it noteworthy to say the least.

In addition to its exceptional battery life, colourful display and 13 megapixel camera, the smartphone has a self-healing finish – a coating LG claims repairs scratches and dings to the exterior shell. The coating is scratch resistant and actively masks minor damage, which ensures it remains pristine.

The LG G Flex is a little pricey for a smartphone in its class, but if you want to make a style statement, this one’s definitely for you.

PRODUCTS | top product picks

OS Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean) Processor Quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400 Memory/Storage microSD, up to 64 GB; 16 GB, 2 GB RAM [internal] Screen 720 x 1280 pixels, TFT capacitive

SONY Z1 COMPACT

touchscreen, 16M colours Data Speed HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.8 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL

Sony recently unveiled the Xperia Z1 Compact, a smaller smartphone in line with its current Xperia line.

The company has kept the processing power of the Z1 Compact’s bigger sibling, but shrunk the screen to 4.3 inches. This allows the quad core processor to run at 2.2 GHz, which makes for very speedy operation.

The screen itself is bright and responsive and the on-screen keyboard is easy to handle. Besides its smaller size, the most impressive aspect is the call quality, which is clear and reliable, even in conditions that would challenge other Android handsets.

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PRODUCTS

SONY E1 The Xperia E1 is Sony’s brand new Walkman-based Android-powered smartphone and features a 4-inch multitouch display, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 4G connectivity.

The loudspeaker built into the back was produced to play music at up to 100 decibels. In addition, the battery can play music for 81 hours on a single charge and supports a variety of audio formats – perfect for those long commutes to work.

The phone is available in black, white and purple and it will come pre-loaded with a 30-day pass for Sony’s Entertainment Network music service.

OS Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean) Processor Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 Memory/Storage microSD, up to 32 GB; 4 GB, 512 MB RAM [internal] Screen 480 x 800 pixels, TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colours Data Speed HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps

PRODUCTS | top product picks

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PRODUCTS

OS Microsoft Windows Phone 8 Black Processor Quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400 Memory/Storage

NOKIA LUMIA 1520

microSD, up to 64 GB; 32 GB, [internal], 2GB RAM Screen 1080 x 1920 pixels, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colours Data Speed HSDPA, 42.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is a powerhouse of productivity. With its six-inch, supersensitive, full HD display and great readability in sunlight, the phablet is the perfect canvas on which to tell your story.

Built-in Microsoft Office means you can view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the go, without losing any original formatting. The addition of respected business applications like Microsoft Exchange, Office 365 and Lync, as well as enterprise-level security to give you peace of mind makes the Lumia 1520 a formidable business smartphone.

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PRODUCTS | top product picks

techaccessories SONY SMART WATCH 2 Sony’s SmartWatch 2 seems to tread a fine line between the simple (like the Pebble) and the overblown and tricksy (like the Galaxy Gear). The design is solid, the screen is a useful size and battery life is good enough to keep you connected for hours on end. The device acts as a second screen to your Android phone and it doesn’t try to replicate the smartphone’s functions.

In addition, the SmartWatch 2 is a well-built product that doesn’t have a wince-inducing price. If you want a gadgety smartphone companion, predominantly for notifications, the SmartWatch 2 will certainly fill the role.

Dimensions 42 mm x 9 mm x 41 mm Weight 122.5 g Durability Water resistant IP57 Kit contents SmartWatch 2 SW2/Wrist strap/micro USB charging cable/Documentation

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PRODUCTS

SONY PLAYSTATION 4 With more graphical power than the Xbox One, 32 times more system memory than the PS3 and a firm focus on pure gaming experiences rather than media mojo, the Sony PlayStation 4 has established itself as the next-gen console to beat.

Processor Single-chip custom; Low power x86-64 AMD “Jaguar”, 8 cores Memory GDDR5 8GB Hard Disk Drive Built-in Optical Drive [read only] BD 6xCAV; DVD 8xCAV I/O Super-speed USB [USB 3.0], AUX

Gaming on the PS4 is fantastic. The graphics are good, not mind blowing if you’ve used an expensive gaming PC lately, but a big step up from last-gen consoles.

The PlayStation 4 is a great piece of hardware. It is fast, attractively built and has a streamlined philosophy that puts games front and centre and has helped it achieve a relatively attractive price point.

INNOVATION | travel tech roundup

01 Look into the future

02 Germ-free connectivity

Alongside wristbands and smartwatches, Epson showed their Moverio BT-200 Smart Glasses. The wearable glasses, originally released in Japan, have a front-facing camera for stills and video and digitally projects content onto a virtual display in the wearer’s field of vision. There is also audio through separate ear buds.

You don’t need to be a mysophobe to be aware of the fact that the touchscreens of smartphones and tablets are breeding grounds for bacteria. The solution? NueVue’s antimicrobial case for iPhone and iPad. After 15 minutes in the case, 80 per cent of germs are killed; after two hours devices are germ-free – a stylish way to protect your phone while ridding it of germs.

TRAVEL TECH ROUNDUP

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Displayed at the world’s biggest electronics expo, the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), these 5 innovative gadgets are sure to improve the way you travel.

05 Polaroid printing on the go

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Thanks to Instagram, Polaroid-style pictures are popular again. The latest project by the camera company, the Socialmatic camera, has a front and back camera, 14 MP and 2 MP respectively. With built-in Wi-Fi, you can upload live as well as print 2×3-inch photos, allowing you to capture memories wherever you are.

travel tech roundup | INNOVATION

03 All-in-one smartwatch

04 Digital Dashboard

Wearable fitness trackers are all the rage this year. A new addition to the tech market is Razer’s Nabu. The sleek smartwatch provides alerts for emails, texts, GPS map directions and phone calls. In addition, its fitness tracking capability sees the screen provide an overview of your activity level and bio data. The gadget aims to turn living into gaming.

Users can earn points for going to bed earlier, checking into a new restaurant or exercising longer.

Google recently announced a new alliance with GM, Honda, Audi, and Hyundai that will integrate Android tablets into vehicles. Audi led by example and showcased the technology on the first day of CES. The tablet can be used as a remote control for navigation, audio, phone calls and other apps.

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IN THE NEWS | happ happenings pen nings in th the he tech world

JUST IN NEWS! Words Amanda Kelly Stone

Stay abreast of the latest tech-related news by being in the know.

Shure SRH1540 Headphones

PlayStation P layS Station Vita Slim Th The he en e end d of 2 2013 013 saw the launch of the new PS V Vita ita Slim.

Both signifi cantly thinner and lighter than the Slim m. Bo B th sign nifi e original PS Vita, the PS Vita Slim is notably easier to origin nall pocket.

While pockett. W hile the e 5-inch touch screen remains the same siz size as its pre predecessor’s, ze a edecessor’s, it has adopted an LCD format format. at. Im IImprovements provem ments to the Vita Slim include a 1 GB internall st storage capacity stor o age ca apa p city and a battery life of up to six hours. Th The e Slim also o offers PS4 Remote Play capability – a fea feature allows attu ure r that al llo lows users to play PS4 games over a Wi-Fi orr a regula regular Fi o ar internet connection.

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Shure has introduced a new flagship pair of headphones, the SRH1540, to the technology market. The headphones are said to be both of premium quality and unusually lightweight, making them a welcome option for professional use. They feature a carbon and aircraft grade aluminum alloy yoke and frame, which result in an impressively sturdy build for such light headphones.

They also boast 40 mm neodymium drivers, guaranteeing warm bass and competitive sound quality.

happenings in th tthe e tech w world orld | IN THE NEWS or

Toshiba 13” Chrome Chromebook ebook Apple iWatch With an expected debut in mid to late 2014, speculation regarding the iWatch has been on the rise. Sensors and biometrics are expected to play a large role. This is partly due to the fact that Apple has recently published job opportunities for physiologists and for health and fitness testing engineers on its career site, as well as hired sleep expert Roy Raymann specifically to join the iWatch team.

According to reports, the watch will feature a 1.5-inch display and will possibly run a full version of iOS. No indication has been given yet as to what the watch will look like, mock-ups like but images of various mock ups have been floating around the Web.

Chrome ebook k at the Toshiba released their first 13-inch Chromebook h quality build International CES in January. Due to its high and upscale feel for a relatively low price, it has raised more in nches thick, and than a few eyebrows. It measures in at 0.8 inches of SSD storage, boasts a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 display, 16 GB of 2 GB of RAM, a 9-hour battery life and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Chromebook operates using a Chrome OS, which does limit access to selected applications. Google is, however, working to improve the general browser experience. The Chromebook will be available in the USA on 16 February and will roll out to other countries at later dates.

Ricoh Pentax WG-series Camera ra a Pentax, recently rebranded Ricoh, Ric has announced a few new rug rugged ugged d compact cameras. The WG-4 and nd d WG-4GPS cameras offer a number off num mber o aesthetic and firmware impro improvements ovements on their predecessors. Theyy sport 16-megapixel cameras, 1080 10 080 video capture at 30 frames pe per second, 3-inch LCD screens,, waterproof capabilities down n to to 45 feet and freezeprooff capabilities capabilities down to 14 degreess Fahrenheit.

Fahrenheit. Other new features es include user and shutter priority prio ori rity modes. Ricoh has also launched an entry level rugged la camera; the 14-megapixel WG-20.

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ENTERTAINMENT | be entertained

BE ENTERTAINED This month’s hottest movie, music and book releases Words Michelle Marais Movie Dallas Buyers Club Based on the true story of Ron Woodroof, a patient diagnosed with Aids in the ‘80s, Dallas Buyers Club is both a biopic and a wonderfully crafted character study.

Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) a typical southerner, is admitted to hospital for a work injury when he’s told that he has Aids and has only a month left to live. Tended by a caring local doctor Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner), he is put on a course of a recently approved drug, but soon realises it has negative effects on its patients and starts researching other treatment options.

While in Mexico, Dr Vass (Griffin Dunne) puts Ron on a course of alternative drugs and his health improves. Sensing an opportunity, Woodroof creates the Dallas Buyers Club, importing drugs and selling them via a membership subscription.

He is assisted by a transgender Aids patient Rayon (Jared Leto), but soon realises this is more than just a profit-making exercise.

The film is an emotional powerhouse, thanks to stellar performances and a beautiful screenplay, truly deserving of all its accolades.

Music

Book

The US Albums (2014) The Beatles

The Shock Of The Fall Nathan Filer

2014 marks the golden anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in the United States, a seismic pop-culture event that forever changed music, style and the concept of teenage rebellion.

Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the band’s North American invasion, the album consists of a dozen of their unique US releases. Most of the offerings are presented in both mono and stereo, while five of the titles are making their CD debuts. The US Albums is a wonderfully nostalgic treasure trove.

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Narrated by Matthew, a young adult, in the grip of schizophrenia, whose life has been hugely impacted by the death of his brother Simon some years prior, Filer captures the true voice and frustrations that Matthew experiences as his illness waxes and wanes. The Shock Of The Fall, is a haunting and powerful take on guilt, death and mental illness and has won the prize for Best First Novel at the 2014 Costa Book Awards.

the hottest events this month | WHAT’S ON

WHAT’S ON The hottest events Words Michelle Marais Design Indaba Expo 2014 Where Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, Western Cape When 28 February – 02 March 2014

The Design Indaba Expo 2014 offers designers and creative businesses the unique opportunity to showcase their products and services to industry buyers and the general public. Since its inaugural event in 2004, the Design Indaba Expo has developed into a huge event incorporating craft, advertising, decor, product design, fashion, industrial design, publishing, visual art, graphic design and more – all under one roof. www.designindaba.com

Gauteng Homemakers Expo Where Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg, Gauteng When 22 Feb – 02 Mar 2014

ABSA KKNK 2014 Where Oudtshoorn, Western Cape When 29 March – 6 April 2014

The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK), a national multi-platform performance fandango that started a new wave of appreciation for Afrikaanscentric art and culture post 1994, comes cascading back for the 19th time from Friday, 29 March to Saturday, 6 April 2013 in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.

The eight-day affair celebrates diversity and features cutting-edge theatrical productions, concerts, kid’s entertainment, dance performances and visual art installations. www.kknk.co.za

Celebrating its 21st anniversary with the theme of ‘Bold, Bright and Individual’, the 2014 Gauteng HomeMakers Expo will take place on 27 February to 2 March at the Coca-Cola Dome. Visitors can look forward to more than 600 exhibitor stands, as well as the Builders DIY Theatre and the 2014 Gauteng Regional Barista Championships. www.homemakersonline.co.za

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services | PROFILE

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