Nxt2 magzter

g a d g e t • g e a r • t e c h n o l o g y GA D G E T • G E A R • T E C H NO LO GY

MAR/APR 2016

GLOBAL EXCLUSIVE

World first review

GO LUXE! luxury gadgets & gear

MUVI K2 Camera Veho Z8 Headphones

EXCLUSIVE TESTS Sennheiser HD 800 S Vertu Signature Touch B&O BeoPlay A6 NXT GURU How to choose the right bicycle

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Hottest gear from CES 2016

Fujifilm unleashes the X-Pro2

Nikon's all-around action camera

MAR/APR 2016 KINGSMAN MEDIA

MAR / APR 2016

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Gadgets and Gear Galore!

J anuary is always a hectic month in the world of consumer electronics, with thousands making the annual trip to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the Consumer Electronics Show. This year we didn’t make the Vegas trip, but huddled up to our computer monitors till the wee hours of the morning watching live video streams of keynote address and press conferences, then hitting online press sites for press releases and product pictures. Of course ‘we’ was actually Justin the contributing editor, who’s hard work resulted in our very comprehensive CES coverage in NXT news. Thanks mate.

On my part I was in wintery Japan for a Fujifilm global press event in mid-January, where I can personally attest that their cameras really do work at -10 degrees celsius!

It snows in Tokyo on average only one day each year, so I guess I’m lucky that it happened while I was there. You’ll find our coverage of Fujifilm’s latest X-series cameras on page 68.

Our lovely cover girl for this issue is non other than socialite and instagrammer Miss Kim Lim, who graces our cover and main feature on the best luxury gear, gadgets and vehicles available (page 88). Kim of course knows a bit about luxury so it was quite serendipitous that she agreed to appear on our cover. Thanks Kim! Finally, check out our NXT Test section (page 115). This month we bring you four exclusive reviews - three are for products that have never been reviewed in Singapore before, while the fourth is so new we are the first publication in the world to test it! We love supporting local companies and it’s wonderful that X-mini were happy to return the favour by letting us review the brand spanking new X-Mini Evoke Wireless Speaker Headphone! (page 118)

GROUP TEST WINNER

Meet the NXT crew at CanJam Singapore 20-21 February 2016 @ Pan Pacific Hotel

PUBLISHER Lawrence Leong

EDITORIAL

CHIEF EDITOR Shawn Chung CONTRIBUTING CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jeslyn Sim 261 Waterloo Street, #03-32 Waterloo Centre, Singapore 180261 www.kingsmanmedia.com Email: info.nxt@kingsmedia.com Tel: 65 65837241

EXCLUSIVE

Shawn Chung Editor-in-chief | NXT Magazine

NXT at CanJam Singapore

Kingsman Media Pte Ltd

Editor’s Choice

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Justin Choo CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Daniel Loo, James Tan, Win Lee DESIGNER Vivian Ong

CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION SENIOR MANAGER P.Siva Subscriptions info.nxt@kingsmanmedia.com MANAGEMENT MANAGING DIRECTOR Er Yen Lam HEAD OF OPERATION P.Pravin SENIOR MANAGER ADMIN & FINANCE Yvonne Lim

NXT Magazine is published in Singapore @ Kingsman Media Pte Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, whole or in part, without the written permission of the Publisher.

Liability: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the Publisher cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequences arising from it. In the case of all product reviews, judgments have been made in the context of the product tested, based on Singapore prices at the time of review, which are subject to fluctuation and only applicable to the Singapore market.

Photographer Raymond Toh, Vineyard Production FASHION STYLIST Verna Tan ADVERTISING ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Candice Woo

NXT Magazine MCI (P) 103/11/2015 is published Bi-Monthly By Kingsman Media Pte Ltd Printed By Image Printer Pte Ltd Distributed By Singapore Press Holdings Limited

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C O N T E N T S In this issue 12 Nikon’s Action Cam takes a 360 degree view of the world 24 Check out our comprehensive CES coverage for what’s coming next 58 Fujifilm launches its latest professional mirrorless camera, the X-Pro2 88 Get that luxe feeling with these premium gadgets, gear and vehicles 115 Exclusive tests - awesome products that haven’t been reviewed in Singapore, till NXT came along 118 Exclusive world first review of the X-mini Evolve Wireless Speaker Headphones 143 Bicycle! Bicycle! What you need to know to find your perfect bike 114 & 148 Win cool headphones and handsfree cameras from VEHO

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C O N T E N T S

NXT NEWS 10

NXT GEAR Our top ten pick from CES 2016 includes Nikon’s first action camera, Lenovo’s modular tablet, Casio’s first smartwatch, a drone that could carry you to work, Razer’s slim gaming ultrabook, LG’s ultra thin TV, the Blaze from Fitbit, a Smart equipped fridge by Samsung and an all electric sports car concept

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CES News Find out what’s the latest gear, gadgets and tech from CES 2016 in our extensive 27 page coverage. From Vinyl revival to 8K TVs, the latest wearables to drones.

We’ve covered them all!

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NXT ANGEL This month instagrammer Calista Evangelista Kang tries out the Apple iPad Pro

68 Gaming Aggressive plants and militant zombies return for a second round of multiplayer mayhem 72

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NXT Icon Leica and The Hour Glass present a bespoke brass and leather limited edition Leica M-P camera

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NXT Watch Russian toughness from Vostok Europe and Japanese engineering innovation from Seiko

115 NXT TEST We tested 13 products this month, from a 78-inch Samsung TV to a twin driver equipped Fischer audio earphone.

Sennheiser’s new HD800 S gets and exclusive workout, we snap pictures with Leica’s SL, Canon’s EOS M10 and Sony’s A7S II then leave our fingerprints all over Vertu’s Signature Touch 166 NXT BIG THING Fancy a plane that can transform into a helicopter and vice versa? It’s the AugustaWestland AW609, and it’ll go on sale next year

Movies Batman takes on Superman, Max takes on the War Boys, Archer takes on a bottle of tequila 149 NXT PRIME Our Top five pick of the best gadgets and gear currently available From Tablets to headphones, Mirrorless cameras to Home Audio, it’s all here

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L E T T E R

Hi I was surprised to find a new local tech magazine out in Singapore.

But after browsing through the magazine at Kinokuniya I really had to buy it, there’s so much to read and you guys really covered a lot of new stuff. In fact, I liked how you balanced gadgets that are already available in Singapore with stuff that’s upcoming, makes it easier to plan what I get next.

Cheers, Eugene

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Thanks for the letter Eugene, we spend a lot of effort selecting what we want cover and we’re happy our endeavours are paying off.

And since you like NXT so much we’re going to mail the next three issues to you free!

O F

T H E

MO N T H

You guys really have a lot of gadgets I’ve never seen before, but why do you have stuff with US prices? - Weebin There’s some gear that you can only buy online, and rather than convert the price from USD to SGD we leave it in USD because of the fluctuating exchange rate and unknown variables such as shipping and taxes.

Will we get to see that expensive Sennheiser headphone in Singapore? Audiophile Dave Yes. Yes you will Dave.

I noticed you had watches everywhere - in the news section, in the watch section, in the luxury section, in the test section and in the main feature.

Why don’t you just put all the watches into one section? - Conrad We actually thought of that when we were conceptualising NXT, but then every month we’d have to create dozens of two-four page articles for each category and NXT would end up looking like a product catalogue. So our editorial selection criteria is a bit more flexible - for watches if it’s really cool and desirable like that Batman watch we’ll feature it in NXT Gear, an expensive watch can go into our Luxury section, or Smartwatches will get a Test. Plus we run a regular NXT Watch section to showcase interesting watches and brands, like Bomberg watches, which are relatively new in Singapore.

Every Letter of the Month winner will receive three issues of NXT free.

G A D G E T • G E A R • T E C H N O L O G Y GA D GET • GEA R • T ECH NOLOGY

MAR/APR 2016

GLOBAL EXCLUSIVE

WORLD FIRST REVIEW

GO LUXE! LUXURY GADGETS & GEAR

WIN

MUVI K2 Camera Veho Z8 Headphones

EXCLUSIVE TESTS Sennheiser HD 800 S Vertu Signature Touch B&O BeoPlay A6 NXT GURU How to choose the right bicycle

KINGSMAN MEDIA PTE LTD

Hottest gear from CES 2016

Fujifilm unleashes the X-Pro2

Nikon's all-around action camera

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MAR/APR 2016

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CES 2016 SPECIAL

2016 kicked off with a bang for gadget geeks and technology fans, with dozens of new products showcased or launched at the annual Consumer Electronics Show that was held in Las Vegas.

Here’s our selection of the top ten gear from CES 2016.

All Around Nikon’s first action camera has a 360 degree field of view!

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by Shawn Chung

ction cameras have taken the digital camera business by storm, with GoPro becoming synonymous for recording personal adventures, whether it’s mounted on a base jumper’s helmet or a frisbee catching labrador’s chest. But even though most action cameras are equipped with wide-angle lenses, they simply can’t capture all the action around you, which is why users tend to purchase multiple cameras so they have all the angles covered.

Nikon is late to the action camera market, but their KeyMission 360 is sending adventure videographers into a tizzy. That’s because the KeyMission 360 offers complete 360 degree video coverage in 4K video.

So instead of mounting two cameras, each with 178 degree field of view, you just use one KeyMission 360, say on your bicycle helmet when you

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go mountain biking, and you’ll be able to capture the entire ride, including anything that happened beside or behind you.

Nikon have revealed very little about the KeyMission 360’s specifications except to say that they’re made a technological breakthrough by using the device’s onboard optical and image processing technologies to seamlessly combine the video input from two 4K cameras, one front facing and one rear facing, to produce a 360 degree video output. The KeyMission 360 is shock, dust and low temperature resistant as well as waterproof to depths 30 metres without the need of a separate housing, and will come with a range of accessories.

S$TBC, Due Q3 2016 www.nikon.com.sg

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One Tablet to Rule them all?

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by Shawn Chung

enovo have been launching a number of interesting tablet/ notebook convergence devices within their Yoga range, but they’ve never actually tried to ‘fit’ everything into one convertible device.

With the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet they’ve taken a modular route by creating optional docking stations so consumers can pick and choose their requirements.

The base ThinkPad X1 Tablet is a 12-inch Windows 10 slate running on Intel Core processors with a 2K resolution display, ten hours of battery life and a built-in kickstand. For accessories there’s a stylus as well as TrackPoint-equipped hinged keyboard that can be adjusted to a

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few angles to suit your preference. Additionally there are four Optional Modules - a Productivity Module that adds USB, OneLink+ and HDMI ports plus 5 added hours of battery life, a 3D Imaging Module with Intel RealSense 3D cameras that lets users scan in 3D, and a Projector Module with integrated Pico projector that can throw out a 60-inch projection. The final module is meant for business security, with a fingerprint reader, remote management and data encryption features.

S$TBC Q2 2016 www.lenovo.com/sg

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Catch a drone to work

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ou’ve probably heard about drones delivering the mail, but how about one that delivers you to work? Chinese Drone maker Ehang caused a big stir at CES 2016 with their latest creation, the Ehang 184 AAV. It’s a large drone that could very well revolutionise short-range personal transport as it’s able to carry an actual human passenger!

Made from lightweight aluminium and carbon composite and powered by eight electric motors, the 184 AAV (which stands for 1 man, 8 engines and 4 hours to charge) has a maximum flight duration of 23 minutes and a speed of up to 100kmh, which means that it could theoretically get you from Changi Village to Jurong West in about 10 minutes. Two engines are mounted on each of the four pylons, which fold up when not in use for more compact storage, and the 184 AAV is designed to land safely and autonomously if one engine fails. On the inside is a chair, a 12-inch tablet and no flight controls as the drone flies completely autonomously - passengers simply tap their destination point and the drone decides how to get there. Ehang intends to set up ‘command centres’ to track and coordinate hundreds of these connected drones, which could mean that in the very near future, instead of catching a cab, you can just hop into a 184 AAV and zip off to your destination in comfort and safety.

by Shawn Chung

S$TBC Due TBC www.ehang.com/ehang184

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Casio’s first smartwatch heads outdoors

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asio is not calling this a Smartwatch, it’s properly designated the Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch Wrist Device. The WSD-F10 does run Android Wear and has a full touchscreen, but Casio have added quite a few of their own touches to make it attractive for outdoors and sports use. First off, it’s tough, built to US military standards and water resistant to 50 metres. There’s also a host of sensors tailored for the outdoors, including pressure, compass and accelerometer, so you can check on altitude, sunrise and sunset times and even tide graphs.

Finally, a power conservation mode changes the screen to a monochrome digital watch, so it can last up to one month between charges.

by Shawn Chung

$TBC www.casio-intl.com/sg/en

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Stealthy ultrabook gamer

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ntel’s latest Skylake Core processors have enabled PC makers to create ultrabooks and light laptops with performances matching desktop PCs from a couple of years ago, and at first glance Razer’s Blade Stealth ultrabook seems to fit firmly in this category - a sleek ultrabook with a gamer-themed design that utilizes Core i7 processors, SSD drives, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M GPU, 8GB of RAM and an impressive 12.5-inch touchscreen display available in either Quad HD (2560 x 1440) or 4K (3840 x 2160) display resolution. Interestingly, it also has Thunderbolt 3 ports for data speeds up to 40 Gbps, which lets gamers plug in an external Razer Core graphics enclosure to drive the graphics externally. The Core is able to handle any PCIe desktop graphics card, which means that when gamers want to upgrade their graphics, it’s just a simple matter of swapping cards.

by Shawn Chung

Razer Blade Stealth FHD version from S$2,299 QHD version from S$3,599 Razer Core S$TBC due H1 2016 www.razerzone.com

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Slim Signature

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G is continuing its dominance of the TV market with an entire new range of 4K HDR-enabled OLED TVs, headlined by their new Signature series - the G6, which comes in 77-inch and 65-inch screens. The G6 is visually stunning for not just display performance, but also for the TV’s ultra-slim design - using a Picture-On-Glass design LG have made the entire panel just 2.57mm slim - that’s less than half the thickness of a contemporary smartphone! Most of the TV’s electronics have been shifted into an accompanying sound bar speaker system, which can also do double duty as the TV’s stand. Apart from OLED Pixel Dimming technology, the G6 has HDR Pro that increases contrast ratio and colour range, 4K Ultra HD resolution and is WebOS 3.0 Smart TV enabled.

by Shawn Chung

S$ TBC www.lg.com/sg

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Audio handmade in Japan

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by Shawn Chung

or all their technological progress and the millions of high-tech gear they churn out each year, the Japanese have a real love for handcrafted products. Combining the best of both worlds, Pioneer’s SE-Master1 headphones are handcrafted in Japan; and that partially explains why they’re extremely limited in number as well – less than 1,000 will be made. These feature ceramic coated aluminium diaphragms with ribbed edges for extra rigidity and reduced distortion, and the headphones were tuned at the famous AIR Studios in London. It also sports a 14-position comfort headband for a better, more pleasant fit.

USD$2,500 www.pioneer.com.sg

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Fitting into smart fitness

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by Shawn Chung

earables maker Fitbit announced their first ever smart fitness watch at CES, the Fitbit Blaze. It’s an enhanced version of their popular fitness trackers in a stylish watch design with interchangeable bands and frames, and via a companion app is compatible with Android and iOS devices, enabling the Blaze to sync for smart notification such as calls, text and alerts.

At the heart of the Blaze are enhanced fitness features such as the FitStar Personal Trainer which provides on-screen guides and instructions for FitStar personal trainer programs; Connected GPS that delivers real time exercise stats, multisport mode for those who swim, bike, do weights, yoga, run and more, and the PurePluse continuous heart rate tracking that not only tracks your heart rate during workouts like most other smartwatches, but can also provide all-day heart rate monitoring to better track your fitness and health over time.

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S$318 Due March 2016 www.fitbit.com

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Samsung’s Kitchen Smarts

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and wireless connectivity the fridge can stream music to wireless speakers, or mirror content from your Samsung Smart TV. Additionally, the Wi-Fi Slide-in Range with Soft Close Dual Door range of home cookers are Internet of Things enabled so you can monitor your baking or cooking from your smartphone, turning off elements or adjusting the oven temperature.

S$TBC Due Q3 2016 www.samsung.com/sg

by Shawn Chung

amsung intend to revolutionise the Connected Home concept with their Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator, which as a 21.5-inch Full HD touchscreen. Now Samsung have added touchscreens to their fridges before, but this cool appliance takes things a step further by acting as a ‘Family Hub’ - you can send it images, notes and calendar updates from your smartphone, so your kids can check when their next dental appointment is. There’re also three interior cameras that take a snapshot that you can access on your phone, so you can check if you need to buy more eggs or milk while grocery shopping, and it even acts as an entertainment centre with its own built-in speaker. With Bluetooth

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Faraday’s electric dream machine

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ou may actually see a production version of the Faraday FFZERO1 concept car on the road in the near future, but the whole point why this concept car was launched at CES 2016 was to showcase the design and technological prowess of Faraday Future. Who’s that you ask? Faraday Future is a California-based advanced engineering company headed by a group of ex-Tesla executives that recently announced they are investing USD$1 billion in a state-of-the art production facility near Las Vegas, Nevada to build connected electric vehicles. The FFZERO1 is built on the company’s Variable Platform Architecture modular engineering system, which is adaptable for different types of vehicles, from compacts to high performance vehicles like the FFZERO1, and the company intends to use this platform to disrupt the traditional motoring industry by offering a more user-centric, technology-first approach to vehicle design.

www.faradayfuture.com

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CES NEWS

The Little Monsters of Gaming

Rumors of the death of PC Gaming a few years back have been greatly exaggerated, and if this year’s showcase has got anything to say about it, it’s going mainstream. Full-fledged gaming AiOs are perhaps the surprise package here, but they also hint at the next generation of desktop computing.

Alienware 13 OLED Touted as the first gaming notebook with an OLED display, this Alienware 13 is basically a Revision 2 refresh with a drool-worthy OLED display. Although not much has been changed, seriously nobody will hold Alienware to task for that. The resolution drops from 3,200x1,800 to 2,560x1,440 but on a 13-inch screen it’s still dandy. Alienware has teased that it might release it a striking red if it gets enough buzz on social media.

S$TBC www.alienware.com.sg

Asus ROG XG Station 2 External graphics have undoubtedly a place in the future of computing. With the advent of solutions from mainstream vendors such as the Asus ROG XG Station 2, it’s possible to leverage the power of monstrous desktop-class graphics cards for your gaming-ahem I mean, working needs. Not much information is available, but it’s safe to assume that it’s designed to work with Asus laptops. Bummer, but apparently you can detach the module without having to shut the laptop down, suggesting some rather intriguing interfacing there.

S$TBC www.asus.com.sg

MSI GT72S G Tobii

by Justin Choo

Eye-tracking – a legitimate control interface or gimmick?

Of course, the answer is still up in the air. Support is still limited, although it has been used by Ubisoft for Assassin’s Creed Rogue and Syndicate. You can find out for yourself with the MSI GT72S G Tobii, which is a regular GT72 that integrates an eyetracker made by pioneers Tobii. The tracker will definitely add a substantial amount to the cost, but that has never stopped the intrepid in running along the cutting edge of tech.

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S$TBC www.msi.com

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MSI 27XT As the XG Station demonstrates, the graphics card is the single most important factor, and needs to be handled correctly to eke out maximum performance. In the case of the 27XT, MSI has either hit upon a stroke of genius, or has taken their beer Friday engineering nights a wee bit too far. Still, the 27XT is a sure head-turner – it’s an AiO. Again, not much has been confirmed apart from the fact that you can rear mount a powerful desktopclass graphics card, which actually, kind of makes sense for a gamer who wants a compact form factor.

S$TBC www.msi.com

Maingear Alpha 34 The idea of the gaming AiO has only just started in being bandied around and already, we have a monster in our midst.

Meet the Maingear Alpha 34, which features some ridiculous(ly cool) options to build the AiO of your dreams. First off, it sports a huge 34-inch display with a 21:9, 3,440x1,440 display. It is also fully customisable – 18-core Xeon processors and liquid cooling anyone? However, it also boasts a monstrous price – the starting price of USD$1,999 only gets you an Intel Core i3 configuration.

From USD$1,999 www.maingear.com

Origin Omni Much like Maingear, Origin has made a 21:9 system, but it’s curved as well; and they offer you a translucent back cover to show off all your top-of-the-line, expensive gear. Origin also offers liquid cooling as an option. Origin’s concept of the ultimate AiO is generally the same though, with only slight differences in terms of component offerings. For example, Omni offers up to 32GB of RAM while Maingear offers up to 16GB.

$TBC www.originpc.com

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CES NEWS

Lean and Mean

These new ultra slim and light laptops take weight shedding to another level.

HP EliteBook Folio G1 The EliteBook Folio will inevitably be compared to the Macbook.

It is extremely slim at 12.4mm. It has a island-style keyboard.

It is aluminium. It is inevitable, this comparison. And oh, it has two USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 ports. It needs an adaptor of sorts for full-sized USB paraphernalia. Sounds familiar? Well at least it has double the ports. It has Intel vPro installed for security, and it complies with MIL-STD 810G4 standards. All I’m trying to say is, just say hi to your new sexy work laptop…

From USD$999 www.hp.com/sg

LG Gram 15 As the name suggests, LG is hell-bent on making this all about the weight. This 15-inch laptop is lighter than the equivalent Macbook Pro – just under a kilogram – and measures about 15mm thick. And despite that, it supposedly has a seven hour battery life. The display is fixed at full HD and there’s no touch screen, but you do have the option to choose between an i5 or i7 processor. One good thing is that you don’t have to grapple between versatility and portability, as the Gram 15 has a full selection of ports and slots available – HDMI, USB 3, microUSB and microSD. Lastly, if you are into that kind of thing; well, it’s in gold.

by Justin Choo

From USD$1,100 www.lg.com/sg

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Samsung Notebook 9 13.3-inch At 0.84kg, Samsung claims this to be the lightest 13.3-inch notebook in the world. And yet it has a battery that’s rated for up to 10 hours of use on a single charge. Despite its svelte form factor (13.4mm at its thickest), Samsung offers the option of an Intel Core i7 processor if you require the extra horsepower. There’s no USB-C port on board, but you get a full array of useful ports like a micro HDMI, mini ethernet and mini VGA, ideal for office environments.

$TBC www.samsung.com.sg

Lenovo Yoga 900S Lenovo is arguably the master of the convertible laptop, and in the Yoga 900S, they have what they believe is the thinnest convertible in the world, thanks to a new carbon fibre construction. The numbers are impressive: 12.8mm thin and 999g light. Battery life is rated for 10.5 hours of non-stop video playback; it’s all thanks to the Intel Core M series of processors. You can also plump for the QHD screen option as well as an optional active pen to take advantage of the variety of modes that the watchband hinge makes possible.

From USD$1,099 www.lenovo.com/sg

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CES NEWS

Making Light of Computing Big in power, small in size. Now

Intel Compute Stick The originators of it all, the Intel Compute Stick started off life with an Intel Atom processor, but now for 2016 you can choose an Intel Core M Skylake processor as well. The latest Atombased Stick gets an upgraded X5-Z8300 processor, with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. But if you want some serious power, plump for the version sporting a Core M5 processor, although it won’t come with Windows pre-installed.

USD$159 (Atom), USD$399 (Core M3), USD$499 (Core M5, no Windows) www.intel.sg

ASUS VivoMini VM65N Skylake processors in a tiny box, complete with a discrete, 4K-capable Nvidia graphics card and room for either two 2.5-inch hard drives or one 3.5-inch drive. It also comes with built-in speakers tuned with ASUS’ SonicMaster tech, but more importantly it has a wide array of connectivity options such as ac-WiFi, USB3.1, memory card reader, etc. A really compact multimedia PC.

$TBC www.asus.com.ag

Zotac ZBOX C Series Fanless

by JUSTIN CHOO

If silence is an imperative trait for a new system, then Zotac’s refreshed C Series should interest you. An entirely fanless system, it’s still able to support a Skylake Intel Core i5 processor and Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU, and has the requisite connectivity options such as ac wireless and Bluetooth v4. It’s one that’s worth considering for an entertainment device; and some productivity work too. It comes with built-in speakers tuned with ASUS’ SonicMaster tech, but more importantly it has a wide array of connectivity options such as ac-WiFi, USB3.1, memory card reader, etc. A really compact multimedia PC.

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$TBC www.zotac.com

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CES NEWS

Virtual Reality’s yearly update VR is coming along nicely with the launch dates of the first ‘serious’ consumer VR devices just around the corner. Aside from the usual suspects, some other interesting ideas are making the headlines as well.

HTC Vive Pre As the release date gets closer, the final touches to the HTC Vive are being put in place, and it’s starting to come along nicely. With 70 sensors in total, Vive can easily track your head and your hands’ movements relative to where you are standing. The Vive Pre also has a front facing camera that turns the physical environment that it ‘sees’ into a virtual one (Room Scale) and there’s even a Chaperone to keep you from bumping into things. The controllers have also been refined and are now wireless, and the base stations have shrunk in size and have improved tracking abilities. The fact that it supports SteamVR alone is quite a comforting thought, and certainly will be a pull factor for those undecided on which platform to jump onto.

$TBC www. htcvive.com

Oculus Rift

by Justin Choo

The Rift by this time with its accessories, feels like a complete solution, and a rather polished one at that. From the integrated headphones to the Oculus Touch motion controllers, the Oculus system looks like it has more or less addressed every critical area that’s needed to make a good first impression. Although it is set to ship first with an Xbox One controller instead of the Oculus Touch (due late 2016), this little niggle also demonstrates the flexibility of the system’s controls. But the Oculus Touch is still the pièce de résistance of the Rift, as you can have natural movement as well as traditional game controls all in a pair of devices.

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USD$599 pre-order www.oculus.com

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Rink for Gear VR Rink is an experiment, designed to address the smartphone-based Gear VR’s lack of motion control.

At this point of time it’s a module that attaches itself to the top of the headset and links to a pair of wrist-attached controllers. The sensor in theory tracks the movement of your hands, and you can carry out actions by opening and closing your wrist. There’s no word on whether this will eventually wind up as an actual product, but there’s actually quite a fair bit of promise here if the experience is reasonable enough: it means a fairly cheap but competent enough VR system is a possibility.

$TBC www.samsung.com.sg

FOVE VR HMD Unlike most other VR headsets, Fove uses eye tracking sensors. And that makes a big difference because it is a more natural movement – you don’t have to keep turning your head all the time and instead focus on where you’re looking. In the context of video games, you are able to aim at your targets simply buy just using your eyes. Also, you are able to simulate depth of field, which adds realism for the viewer, and at the same time, reduces workload on the hardware by focusing only on what the viewer sees and rendering the rest of the background at a lower resolution – a win-win.

$TBC www.getfove.com

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CES NEWS

Nikon Unleashes its Twin Terrors

CES 2016 has been a rather productive one for Nikon, who released two flagship class DSLRs concurrently.

Nikon D500 The long-awaited successor to the highly revered D300s has now landed. Nikon’s new D500 has been inundated with enough features to bring it up to speed with the current crowd of high tech cameras.

It features a spanking new 153-point autofocus system, a 20.9 megapixel APS-C sensor, and an impressive 10fps shooting speed. The camera also supports 4K video recording as well as a time lapse feature. Last but not least, it’s their first pro-level camera to have a tiltable touch screen.

S$TBC www.nikon.com.sg

Nikon D5

by Justin Choo

Whoever came up with the term extended ISO range for cameras certainly didn’t think about Nikon’s D5. Nikon’s new flagship camera has an extended ISO range of – wait for it – 3,280,000. The native maximum ISO alone goes up to 102,400. Now that that’s sunk in, let’s talk about the rest of the specs: a 20.8-megapixel full-frame sensor, 12fps shooting speed and 4K video recording capabilities.

It also has an upgraded 1000 Base-T 400MBps ethernet connection module that makes the D5 1.5 times faster than the D4S for image transfers.The D5 will also have a touchscreen display that makes it easier to pinch zoom and the like. Nikon will be offering two versions, differentiated by storage options: dual XQD cards or dual CF cards.

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S$TBC www.nikon.com.sg

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CES NEWS

Car Tech @ CES

Cars are pretty much like gadgets these days – less petrol and pistons, more electricity and transistors.

And some of the most groundbreaking tech aren’t that far away from reality...

Mercedes E-Class 2017 The next-generation E-Class is set (when launched in 2017) to be the most advanced production car with autonomous driving features – it even has a license to drive itself on the road; albeit just in Nevada, USA. But baby steps no? The car is able to create, with front facing cameras, a 3D image map of potential hazards up to 50 meters ahead, and hence it can safely keep pace with vehicles

ahead of it at up to 209km/h. Not only that, it has other assistive aids such as Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Change Assist, and the really cool Car-to-X Communication, which leverages data from another connected car ahead down the road to help you see what’s ahead of you.

From USD$55,000 www.mercedes-benz.com.sg

Volkswagen BUDD-e concept Microbus

by Justin Choo

Like a fast charging smartphone, VW’s concept e-combi van can be charged to 80-percent capacity in 15 minutes. That’s mighty quick.

The BUDD-e may not look anything like a microbus, but we’re definitely not docking points for that. VW’s concept vehicle also features a Modular Electric Platform (MEP) that allows VW locate the front and rear engines as far apart as possible to make a big flat floor in the middle, potentially for activities. It also features tighter integration with IoT devices, allowing for possibilities such as having the car open the front door of the house or allowing you to check the fridge for supplies levels.

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NA www.volkswagon.com.sg

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Chevrolet Bolt EV You might wonder what the fuss is all about, but this is an actual production car that’s set to launch later this year, and make good on its promise of a Tesla-like range performance for a Chevrolet price. The Bolt is rated to travel more than 320km on a single charge (nine hours for a full charge). But what makes the car a potential hit is that it is priced at USD$37,500. With the additional benefits that electric cars bring, such as more boot space and leg room, we might see the adoption of electric vehicles pick up sooner rather than later.

USD$37,500 www.chevrolet.com.sg

BMW i8 Mirrorless concept It was bound to happen, wasn’t it? Yes, mirrors are now passé, since cameras can do a better job. The BMW i8 Concept shown at CES wasn’t the first, but in BMW’s implementation, they use three cameras for each of the mirrors on the car. Two cameras take the place of the side

mirrors, and their smaller footprints also help the aerodynamics of the car as well. Looks like you can say goodbye to checking your blind spot soon.

S$TBC www.bmw-asia.com

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CES NEWS

Compact Photography Redefined Compact cameras aren’t dead yet – not when they have niches to fill. And portable printers are becoming more useful on-the-go.

Canon SELPHY CP1200 Polaroids and Instax are cool for spur-of-the-moment photos, but ultimately you’d want a photo that’s well taken and can be archived easily.

A digital copy is a must, but what would you do for prints? Consider the CP1200; a compact printer that can be fitted with an optional battery to bring it on the move. Despite its small nature, it can print borderless photos and up to 54 pictures on a single charge. It also uses dye sublimation printing, and prints have a water resistant coating that will last up to a hundred years. You can easily connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi, and you can print pictures off your phone or your camera.

S$TBC Due Q1 2016 www.canon.com.sg

Panasonic TZ100 There’s less reason to buy a compact camera these days, but not if Panasonic has anything to say about it. The new TZ100 looks like the new standard for travel compacts to follow. It uses a larger 1-inch sensor much like the Sony RX100 IV, but boasts longer zoom range of 27-270mm (as opposed to the Sony’s 24-70mm range). With a 20-megapixel and sensor and 4K video recording capabilities, this camera has got your photo taking and video recording needs all covered.

S$TBC www.panasonic.com/sg

Olympus TG870

by Justin Choo

Waterproof down to 15 meters, shockproof from 2.1 meters, crushproof up to 100kgf, and freezeproof down to -10 degrees Celsius, the TG870 is pretty much the same as its predecessor, and yet it isn’t. It now has a high resolution 920k-dot 3-inch screen, a second shutter on the front for extreme selfie action, as well as a more responsive GPS unit. You’ll also get six new art filters as well as Olympus’ signature Live Composite Mode for more creative possibilities in extreme conditions. YOLO.

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S$TBC www.olympusimage.com.sg

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CES NEWS

by Shawn Chung

R

CHOICE

Watch with smarts not smartwatch

azer’s new Nabu Watch isn’t a smartwatch, it’s a watch with smart features. The distinction here is that with the Nabu Watch, Razer essentially implanted the hardware of a Nabu wearable device into a digital watch, and while the digital watch is powered by a removable coin cell battery for twelve months of life, the integrated Nabu wearable, which has its own secondary display on the Nabu Watch’s dial, has to be recharged every seven days via USB. Having said that, the Nabu Watch is a decent solution for those tired of wearing multiple wearables and just want one device to handle everything, but without having the hassle of recharging a smartwatch every couple of days.

On the wearables front the Nabu Watch has all the standard

features such as Bluetooth sync to a smart device, fitness tracking and notification alerts. It also has a Nabu-to-Nabu communications capability - simply shake hands with a fellow Nabu Watch or Nabu wearable wearer and you’ll automatically exchange Twitter and Facebook information.

The Nabu Watch will be available in a standard polycarbonate edition and a Nabu Watch Forged Edition with stainless steel buttons and a premium black finish.

Razer Nabu Watch S$249.90 Razer Nabu Watch Forged Edition S$349.90 www.razerzone.com/sg

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CES NEWS

Blockbuster Screens Monitors are important: it’s the thing that you stare at for hours on end every day. Here are some of the most eye-catching models as seen at CES 2016.

Lenovo ThinkVision X24 Pro The X24 Pro is Lenovo’s take on the modular monitor concept, but don’t worry, it’s not a klutzy looking gadget – its near borderless, 23.8-inch display would already have told you that. The X24 Pro supports both mDP and USB-C connections, features an Intel RealSense 3D camera to enable Windows Hello face recognition, as well as the option to add a wireless charging base for compatible phones and a WiGig bar for wireless docking with compatible ThinkPads. Colour us impressed.

S$TBC lenovo.com/sg

Dell UltraSharp 30 OLED Dell’s UltraSharp monitors have always had an excellent reputation, and their upcoming UltraSharp 30 OLED looks set to be yet another hit, although this one will hit you in the wallet hard. OLED display? Check. 4K resolution? Check.

Crazy contrast ratio? 400,000:1, and check. Ultra-fast response time? 0.1 milliseconds, and checkmate.

S$TBC dell.com/sg

Asus MX34

by JUSTIN CHOO

Asus’ latest panoramic (21:9) monitor is gorgeously expansive at 34 inches and with 3,440x1,440 resolution. It’s also curved, sporting an immersive 2000R curvature. It’s supported by a classy circular base with a glass center that wirelessly charges any Qi-enabled device. The specifications aren’t finalised yet, but it’s shaping up to be a rather delectable offering to keep an eye out on.

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S$TBC asus.com/sg

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CES NEWS

Toys of the future New drones and interactive robots are heading our way.

Parrot DISCO drone Just when you’ve gotten used to the sight of drones with multiple rotors, Parrot mixes it up again with the DISCO drone – a wing-shaped drone that’s more akin to a modern fighter plane. Lest you think you need a runway for take off, Parrot says that all you need to do is to toss it into the sky and it will do the rest. The DISCO is equipped with a host of sensors that will help it control its flight, even if you try to bring it down. It can fly up to 80km/h, and has a longer battery life than most drones with 45 minutes of flight time..

$TBC www.parrot.com

Fleye Drone If you’re the considerate sort who would like to fly a drone but yet are afraid of hurting people in accidents, the Fleye is perfect for you. It looks like a flying football, and has pads and grills to prevent injury in collisions with people. Apart from having a camera built-in so that you can do the requisite selfie and panorama thing that all people do with drones, the Fleye is built on an open source software platform, opening up possibilities for Fleye to execute autonomous tasks based on what it sees.

€1,250 www.gofleye.com

Star Wars Force Band by Sphero

by Justin Choo

Sphero was a cool idea when it first arrived but never really took off until it was made over and turned into a BB8 droid toy. Now, sales are going to go ballistic with the Sphero Force Band, which allows you to control your BB8 with your hand gestures instead of the app, provided you don’t mind looking a little dorkish doing it. But it certainly does raise the level of interaction between you and the device, so even without the Star Wars roleplay incentive aside, it’s definitely good for many hours of entertainment.

Force-powered droid race anyone?

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$TBC www.sphero.com

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Moff Band What the Moff Band proves is that not all smart bands have to be for fitness purposes. Video game giants Namco Bandai have come on board as partners with the goal of creating a device that will allow children to interact with their games more physically. They’ve demonstrated the concept with the classic game of PAC-MAN, in which you move your arm to control PAC-MAN’s movement. The band is already available, but you’ll have to wait some months before the big ticket games become available.

USD$55 www.moff.mobi

Cleverpet Dogs need their toys too, and Cleverpet is certainly one that they can get behind. It’s a series of games based on three touch sensitive pads that can be lit up. Once the dog taps the pads in the desired order it is rewarded with a doggie treat. It incorporates a microphone and speaker too, and for advanced games you can even train your dog to listen your vocal instructions. It’s a good way to keep your dog mentally active all day when you can’t be around.

USD$279 www.getcleverpet.com

Hoverbutlerbot In a distant future, in a galaxy far, far away, droids are whiny, slow, and can’t give you a ride. Fortunately in our galaxy, right now, Intel and Segway have the sense to have a hoverboard attached to the robot. As of now Hoverbutlerbot will be able to stream videos and be expressive; the project goes into open platform later this year, so there will definitely be more features to come. It uses Intel RealSense technology, which will grant the robot depth perception and opens up a bucketload of possibilities.

$TBC www.segway.com

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CES NEWS

CHOICE

by Shawn Chung

X

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X-mini’s first headphones speak loudly

-mini’s global success has been built on creating convergence audio devices. The brand’s original product, the X-mini capsule speakers, were the first mini-speakers to incorporate rechargeable batteries, while a latter model, the X-mini HAPPY had a built-in MP3 player and SD card reader and could actually act as a memory card reader when plugged into a PC via USB. At CES 2016 the company pulled a surprise with the launch of the X-mini Evolve Wireless Headphone Speakers. These bluetooth wireless headphones are not only the brand’s first ever headphones, they incorporate an external speaker built into each earpiece, so by flicking a switch the headphones instantly become stereo speakers!

According to X-mini’s CEO Ryan Lee “It’s a natural progression for us to go from mini-speakers to headphones,

and that’s a product I’ve always wanted to do, we’ve actually been developing this concept for years. There are plenty of audio brands that make huge earphones, while we make small speakers, so there’s no reason why we can’t integrate things, create a convergence product.

Most current tech products are convergence devices - the modern smartphone has camera, PDA and mobile features, so why not headphones with speakers? That made a lot of sense.”

For our impressions on the X-mini Evolve Wireless Headphone Speakers, check out our exclusive test article on page 118.

S$TBC x-mini.com

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CES NEWS

Look Smart, Track Smarter Although little has changed in terms of wearable tech, manufacturers are now more savvy about how their products will best suit their customers. Big props to them.

Huawei Watch elegant and Jewel As the name suggests, these watches are all about the style, baby. Unmistakably targeted at women, the err, elegant and bejeweled designs are bound to turn heads.

Design aside, they are effectively the same as a regular Huawei Watch underneath the facade. But it’s hard to argue against them when they look so good.

USD$499 (Elegant) USD$599 (Jewel) www.huawei.com/sg

Misfit Ray Fashion forward fitness trackers are the rage, and the Misfit Ray is a shrewdly designed piece that can be worn around the wrist or neck and blends in easily with matching bracelets and necklaces. It comes in Rose Gold or Carbon Black, and has a three-axis accelerometer and vibration motor built in. This lifefriendly tracker is also water resistant up to 50 meters and runs on a user-replaceable battery that will last you up to six months.

From USD$100 www.misfit.com

Withings Go

by Justin Choo

This simple clip-on tracker is rather eye catching, and also uses a very visual, yet no-frills interface – one feature we dig is its visual way of showing you how far you are from your goal. Rather simple yet effective. It uses a powerefficient e-ink display, and runs on button cell batteries. As such, it can last up to eight months before you replace it.

It’s water resistant and can be used to track your swims, which it can do automatically.

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USD$69 www.withings.com

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Garmin fēnix 3 HR The Garmin fēnix 3 is a monster of a watch, kind of like the Rolls Royce of fitness trackers with all the bells and whistles.

It has GPS/GLONASS reception, compass, altimeter and barometer for more robust navigation, and has the software features to facilitate various advanced training regimens. It’s also built to be tough; complete with a sapphire glass watch face and water resistance of up to 100 meters. The inclusion of a heart rate monitor means you can now do without a cumbersome chest strap.

S$TBC www.garmin.com.sg

Under Armour Healthbox Under Armour believes in a more comprehensive approach, and has released a Healthbox containing an array of trackers and aids that complement each other: an activity tracker, a Wi-Fi weighing scale, and a heart rate monitor. All of the data is then tracked by a single Record app, which also ties into other popular apps like MyFitnessPal and Endomondo. Ecosystem for the win.

S$TBC www.underarmour.com.sg

Owlet Baby Monitor The Owlet is a tracker for infants. This smart sock helps parents monitor their infant’s heart rate and breathing through an app. While it’s no miracle tool – it won’t help you against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) – it will help you notice if something is amiss with your child; which in itself could potentially be life-saving, and it’ll help give you a little peace of mind too.

USD$250 www.owletcare.com

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CES NEWS

Smart Gear For Every Purpose For every problem you can think of, somebody will probably have thought a smart device to fix it and here are just some of them...

Withings Thermo Withings says this high-tech thermometer gives you the best of both worlds in terms of comfort and accuracy. It’s equipped with 16 infrared sensors and a patented HotSpot Sensor, which seeks out the hottest spot and gives you an accurate reading in just two seconds. It then synchronises with your app, and you can keep a log and add additional information like medication and symptoms. You can even share your log with your doctor.

€100 www.withings.com

Digitsole Smartshoe Touted as the world’s first intelligent footwear, the Smartshoe is basically a nod to Marty McFly, but with more features thrown in. Of course the party trick is that the shoe will automatically tighten itself to your foot. They also warm your feet, and both features are controlled via an app. Naturally, the shoes also contain step counters, and the app will help keep track of the distance travelled and calories burnt.

USD$450 www.digitsole.com

Lumo Run

by Justin Choo

This is far from flying by the seat of your pants – basically this is your pants telling you what to do. To be exact, the app, which after obtaining the data from your pants, tells you what to do. The Lumo Run does more than most trackers with its advanced 9-axis sensor: it measures cadence, bounce, ground contact time, braking, pelvic rotation, and stride length – and with the help of advanced algorithms, will give you feedback via earphones on how to improve your running form in real time.

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From USD$149 www.lumobodytech.com

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Omron Project Zero Blood pressure monitor Hang on a minute, that looks way too big to be a smartwatch.

Well you’re half right there – the Omron Project Zero is big alright, but way smaller than regular blood pressure monitors.

Furthermore they can be used on your wrist, and in fact, it practically operates like a smartwatch. Well, except for the fact it has a mini inflatable cuff like regular blood pressure monitors have. This wearable will also track other metrics like number of steps taken, quality of sleep and so on.

S$TBC www.omronhealthcare.com/zero

Healbe GoBe 1.2 The Healbe GoBe seems almost to good to be true, given the extensive list of its features. This unusual tracker uses galvanic skin response measurement to determine your stress levels. It also features glycemic food index measurement, which means it measures caloric intake through your skin. It can also run a metabolism test as well, in addition to a piezo pressure sensor for heart rate monitoring. Did we mention that it has a 9-axis accelerometer for activity tracking? I guess you already figured it out by this point…

From USD$300 www.healbe.com

Garmin Varia Vision This nifty little attachment is like a Google Glass for your riding shades. It works in conjunction with the Garmin Edge to feed information onto a small display on the upper edge of your sunglasses, so you don’t have to take your eye off the road. It can feed you information like time elapsed distance covered, your heart rate and the lot. You can even sync it with the Garmin Varia Radar for a better way to alert yourself to approaching cars.

S$TBC www.garmin.com.sg

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CES NEWS

Bigger, thinner, brighter, HD-er

We’ve barely gotten used to 4K, and now 8K has become the cutting edge resolution in the spec sheet wars. But before that becomes a meaningful battle, we’ll have to see who wins the HDR war first...

LG UH9800 8k LG’s own 8K effort is the first to support HDR standards, which is set to be the next thing in TV tech. Interestingly, the UH9800 doesn’t sport an OLED display, and instead uses an IPS panel with ColorPrime Plus tech to boost colour reproduction. It also boasts a new, improved webOS 3.0 interface, as well as superMHL connectors to facilitate the transfer of data heavy 8K signals.

$TBC www.lg.com/sg

Sony XBR X940D Sony’s HDR-capable TVs are packed with additional features, as always to maximise picture quality. The 75-inch X-940D features Sony’s famous Triluminos display, a full-array, direct-backlit system, and X-tended Dynamic Range Pro System to produce even richer colours beyond the HDR specification.

by Justin Choo

$TBC www.sony.com.sg

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Samsung KS9500 SUHD The curved KS9500 SUHD is Samsung’s high-end offering, and feature quantum dot tech for improved colour and brightness.

It also features what Samsung calls Ultra Black technology, which reduces light reflection like how a moth does to see better at night – Samsung designed the TV around the fact that most of their users will have some form of light in the room while watching TV. The KS9500 will also have an IoT hub built in to render it compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem.

$TBC samsung.com.sg

Panasonic DX900 Panasonic claims this to be the first TV to meet the Ultra HD Premium specification, and also that it manages to combine the brightness of an LCD with the contrast and black level response of a plasma panel – thanks to a new honeycomb structure that helps to minimise light leakage from the backlight. And unlike its peers, the DX900 is powered by Firefox OS, and Panasonic also says that it will offer HDR titles via Amazon, as well as Netflix HDR streams.

$TBC www.panasonic.com.sg

Philips 8600 series These are Philips’ top tier TVs in 55- and 65-inch options.

They support the Dolby Vision HDR standard (like LG), which a lot of big studios like Universal are getting behind, and they’re perfect for sports as well, thanks to its 240Hz Perfect Motion Rate. It’s also capable of displaying 82% of the new BT.2020 digital cinema color standard. And of course, there’s Philips’ requisite Ambilight experience as well.

$TBC www.philips.com.sg

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CES NEWS

Blu-ray is dead.

Long live Blu-ray

After a long-drawn out journey, UHD Blu-ray finally makes its way to the party

Panasonic DMP-UB900 The UB900 supports 4K up 60fps, and caters for HDR output up to 10,000 nits. It also has a proprietary High Precision Chroma Processor to refine colour as well as gradation. On the audio front, it sports a 32-bit/192kHz DAC onboard and supports most hi-res formats. The player also allows you to separate both audio and visuals via two HDMI cables for optimum results. The UB900 is also THX certified, meaning that it has passed some rather rigorous independent testing.

S$TBC www.panasonic.com.sg

Samsung UBD-K8500 Samsung’s offering also supports 4K up to 60 fps, HDR content, and adheres to the new UHD standards. In addition it supports Dolby Digital, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD. It also offers upscaling for content that isn’t 4K. In an effort to get a head start, Samsung has made the K8500 available for pre-order.

USD$400 www.samsung.com.sg

Philips BDP7501

by JUSTIN CHOO

Perhaps the most notable difference is its design – Philips’ offering is far more compact and is more in tune with the streaming boxes of today, rather the Blu-ray and DVD players of yesteryear. But beyond the facade, the Philips player is essentially the same, with only minor differences like supporting DTS-HD Master Audio over DTS-HD in Samsung’s solution.

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USD$400 www.philips.com.sg

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CES NEWS

No 4K Content?

Generate your own

At least 4K is easier to sell than 3D. Manufacturers have learned to keep prices reasonable and the products purposeful.

Sony FDR-AX53 Sony’s budget, 4K (up to 30p) camcorder comes in the form of the AX53. It has an updated Exmor R CMOS sensor with bigger pixel size, a redesigned 20x zoom ZEISS lens with a wide angle of about 27mm. It also has a 5-axis image stabilisation system and sports the same fast autofocus as that on the a7S II mirrorless camera.

USD$999 www.sony.com.sg

Panasonic HC-VX981 Priced similarly to the Sony, Panasonic’s VX981 is also a small compact camcorder. It has quite a few tricks up its sleeve though; a secondary Full HD camera on the edge of the LCD screen can be used as an additional source and used in a picture-in-picture recording. The camcorder also allows you to connect up to three smartphones, and simultaneously recording up to two picture-in-picture images.

USD$1,000 www.panasonic.com/sg

Kodak PixPro SP360

by JUSTIN CHOO

If you want a little more gritty action, then I’m afraid only an action cam will do. There’s the Nikon KeyMission 360 on page 12, or there’s this. It’s not as refined, but the SP360 can be used either as two separate cameras, or combined back-to-back for a full 360-degree view, thanks to the built-in Stitch software.

USD$499 (USD$899 twin pack) www.kodakpixpro.com

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CES NEWS

Two units Atmos

Atmos, which puts sound over you for a more encompassing effect, isn’t quite new, and nor is Atmos supported content widespread yet, but this hasn’t stopped some brands from coming up with some really tidy solutions with a soundbar setup.

Philips Fidelio AT1 The sleek-looking AT1 measures only 50mm thin and can easily be placed beneath a TV, and still look presentable – which is part of the charm of an Atmos soundbar. It features 18 speakers with two up-firing speaker modules, which collectively create a 5.1.2 channel effect. A powerful 220W wireless subwoofer uses a reflector to prevent sound damping and radiates the lower frequency sounds evenly to complete the 3D audio experience.

S$TBC www.philips.com.sg

Creative X-FI Sonic Carrier The X-Fi Sonic Carrier sports seven processors that are able to upmix and upscale your audio into a 11.2.4 configuration, and it can also stream 4K (60fps) video. The Sonic Carrier is equipped 15 drivers in the soundbar and another two on the subwoofer, and 800W of amplification. It’s a bells and whistles product, and with a bells and whistles price – S$7,000. However, it’s running a crazy pre-order promotion in which you can snag the unit for as low as S$2,450. As each batch of soundbars are accounted for the price will be raised for the next batch, until its release in September.

S$7,000 www.creative.com

Samsung HW-K950

by JUSTIN CHOO

Well technically, it isn’t purely a soundbar solution, but close enough. Samsung’s 5.1.4 solution sacrifices some tidiness to include dedicated rear speakers. The soundbar is equipped with three front facing and two upwards facing speakers, and are connected wirelessly to the subwoofer and two rear speakers.

While it’s not as tidy as the others, we think that this will be the more affordable solution of the three.

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S$TBC www.samsung.com.sg

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CES NEWS

The Hi-res chase

With the market this crowded, portable audio manufacturers have to pull out all the stops to get themselves noticed. Hooray for consumers...

Audeze Sine Designed by BMW DesignWorksUSA, the Audeze Sine isn’t just riding on looks for a big payday. It’s the world’s first on-ear headphone that uses planar magnetic tech – it’s typically used on more expensive, homebound headphones. Planar magnetic tech makes it possible to move three times more air compared to conventional magnetic drivers, which results in better bass and dynamics. It’s also remarkably light (230g) and can be folded for easy storage.

USD$500 www.audeze.com

Jaybird Freedom

by Justin Choo

Jaybird makes arguably the finest wireless in-ears and now they’re back again with the Jaybird Freedom. It’s perhaps the most premium model they have ever made, thanks in part to the use of metal in its design. It’s also smaller and sleeker. As a result, the battery life is also shorter, but Jaybird makes up for it by including a rechargeable battery clip.

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USD$200 www.jaybirdsport.com

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Pioneer XDP-100R TVs have their pixel wars, audio has its own resolution and compatibility wars as well. And Pioneer has thrown down the gauntlet with the XDP-100R, the world’s first MQA-ready (Master Quality Authenticated, a new encoding standard) hi-res music player. It’s also packing some serious heat with a powerful DAC that can do real time conversion of DSD files. It also runs on Android Lollipop, which is a boon as you can access other streaming services.

USD$700 www.pioneer.com.sg

Audio-Technica ATH-SR5 The new industry ‘Hi-res audio’ standard doesn’t have to mean expensive headphones. Not at least if Audio-Technica can help it. Their new SR5 is an affordably priced headphone with ‘high-resolution’ drivers with a 5-40,000Hz frequency range. It’s designed to be portable and comfortable to wear on the move, thanks to its light weight and flexible swivel design.

USD$150 sea.audio-technica.com

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CES NEWS

Old meets new

Multi-room, hi-res audio players with support for streaming services is now the norm. And interestingly, something that used to be the norm is staging a mini-comeback – Vinyl!

Technics SL-1200G The original SL-1200 has a near mythical status, especially amongst DJs, thanks to its direct drive high torque motor design.

This year, the legend returns in a modern incarnation that sports some long-awaited fixes and updates like a high dampening tonearm and a twin rotor, microprocessor controlled, direct-drive system to reduce fluctuations. A limited edition magnesiumbased version will go on sale first (SL1200GAE), limited to only 1,200 pieces.

S$TBC www.technics.com

Sony PS-HX500

by Justin Choo

You can always count on Sony to put a little bit of its quirky self into its gear and the same goes for its new turntable with its near monolithic design. The HX500 also offers analog to digital (and hi-res at that) conversion – up to DSD 5.6MHz or 24-bit 192kHz WAV – which is probably one of its big selling points.

Unlike the Technics SL-1200G it uses a belt-driven deck, which is allegedly better for audio quality.

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S$TBC www.sony.com.sg

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Audio-Technica AT-LP60BK-BT It might seem counter-productive in the sound quality stakes to have a vinyl player that connects via Bluetooth, but AudioTechnica has just done that anyway, because not everyone is an uptight audio conservative. That being said, their innovative player can also be wired up via RCA cables if Bluetooth doesn’t quite cut the cheese. But then again, why would you do that if you can be paired with up to eight different sets of speakers?

USD$180 sea.audio-technica.com

Naim Mu-so Qb This understated looking cube is a heavyweight of a speaker, and also happens to be a favourite of audiophiles for its quality.

Every component is crucial to the sound; from the 32-bit DSP down to the glass-filled polymer casing for rigidity. This update sports 300W of amplification power, shared between two tweeters, two midrange speakers, and a subwoofer. It also packs a pair of passive radiators to add depth to the bass. You can also link up five other Naim products together in a multiroom system.

USD$1,000 www.naimaudio.com

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X

The return of the

Fujifilm finally unveils the successor to the highly regarded X-Pro, the X-Pro2, as well as updating their X-series and XF lens lines.

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he launch of the first Fujifilm X-series camera, the X100, five years ago was a seminal moment in the more than 80 year old history of the camera maker, for the popularity of the X-series cameras was instrumental in reviving Fujifilm’s flagging fortunes. At a global media event in their Tokyo headquarters to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the X-series, Fujifilm announced new X-series cameras as well as a new lens and flash.

by Shawn Chung

Fujifilm X-Pro2

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The successor to the premium mirrorless X-Pro camera.

The X-Pro2 is a significant improvement compared to its predecessor, with a host of enhanced imaging features to whet the appetite of photo-enthusiasts all over the world, including an updated Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder that can instantly switch between optical and electronic viewfinding, and now has an electronic rangefinder.

For imaging there’s a new high performance X Processor Pro imaging engine and a newly developed 24.3MP X-Trans

CMOS III sensor, which combined, produces fast autofocus, lower noise and excellent colour reproduction, while Film Simulation mode now has ACROS, Fujifilm’s specially tuned monochrome film simulation mode. The camera’s magnesium alloy body has been made weatherresistant, and can operate in temperatures as low as -10 degrees celsius, plus storage has been doubled with the introduction of a second SD card.

S$2799 (body only) www.fujifilm.com.sg

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Fujinon XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR The X-series finally gets a super zoom lens with the launch of the Fujinon XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Now for most DSLR uses a 100-40mm zoom sounds mighty impressive, but when you add in the fact that the X-series uses APS-C sized sensors, then accounting for crop factor this lens actually covers a 35mm focal length equivalent to 152-609mm! This lens array comprises of six lense assemblies and has 5-stop image stabilisation and fast autofocus, making it a brilliant lens for capturing fast motion.

S$3099 www.fujifilm.com.sg

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A visit to Fujifilm’s Taiwa factory

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ocated two hours bus ride outside the port city of Sendai is Fujifilm’s Taiwa camera factory, one of four Fujifilm camera and lens assembly facilities in Japan. Like all modern multinational companies, Fujifilm uses an extensive resource management system to acquire components from across the world, though in Fujifilm’s case all their parts come from their own subsidiaries. At the time of our visit Taiwa was the only Fujifilm facility in the world set up for assembly and inspection of the X-Pro2 camera and the Fujinon XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens, though the facility also assembles the Fujifilm X-T1, the Fujinon XF35mm F2 R WR lens and others.

With two assembly lines for the X-Pro2 and one line for the XF100-400mm zoom, Taiwa produces 300 X-Pro2 cameras and 150 XF-100-400mm zoom lenses each day.

Assembling the X-Pro2 The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is assembled on two lines from components and sub-assemblies. These workers are in shirtsleeves and move briskly and efficiently as Fujifilm trains its workers to specialise on specific tasks. Assembly is actually quite fast as the sub-assembled parts are installed and attached, each camera unit then undergoes a five stage checking process to test everything from button movement to image quality. Finally the leather is attached to the camera body before a final inspection takes place.

The total time to assemble a Fujifilm X-Pro2? 30 minutes.

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Assembling the XF100-400mm Assembly of this lens system is done in a cleanroom with workers encased in clean suits to minimise dust particles, and even so there are dust checks at every stage of the assembly. Six sub assembly groups create the 6 lens modules that make up this zoom lens, which has a total of 21 elements. At the main assembly these are all placed into the main shell, then sent to an adjustment area where skilled technicians fine-tune the resolution. Once a lenses passes this stage, it is then sent for Automated UV cementing, and finally a seven stage inspection process to check resolution, motor drives, vibration, aperture and autofocus.

All in all each XF100-400mm lens takes 220 minutes to assemble, including 10 test and inspection stages.

Photographs taken by a Fujifilm X-T10.

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Alongside the new X-Pro2 and XF100-400mm zoom lens, Fujifilm announced an update to the X-E2, the new X-70 and the rugged FinePix XP90.

X-70 The X70 is a premium compact camera that sports a new 18.5mm F2.8 fixed lens, which coupled with the camera’s 16.3 megapixel X-Trans CMOS sensor and EXR Processor II promises high quality photography. With the X70 Fujifilm have simplified the controls with the addition of the first tilting touchscreen LCD in an X-series camera.

S$1199

X-E2S The X-E2S is actually the X-E2 with a major firmware upgrade, enabling improved photographic and video performance across the board. Now if you’re a current X-E2 owner, don’t fret, because said major firmware upgrade is available for free download.

S$1699 (with 18-55mm kit)

FinePix XP90 The latest addition to Fujifilm’s outdoor camera line, the FinePix XP90 could very well be the last of its breed, as Fujifilm has already discontinued much of its compact camera systems. Equipped with a 16.4 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor with 5x optical zoom, the XP90 is waterproof to 15m, shock and dust proof and will work at 10°C. Video recording is up to Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, and you can use its WiFi capabilities to sync to a smart device for remote shooting or data transfer.

S$TBC Due Feb

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Affordable Galaxies Samsung has updated the Galaxy A series of affordable smartphones with a new 2016 series, comprising of the 4.7-inch Galaxy A3, the 5.2-inch Galaxy A5 and the 5.5-inch Galaxy A7. These smartphones are all sleek unibody devices of glass and metal finishing, boasting super narrow bezels of just 2.7mm wide. At the rear is a 13MP camera while on the front is a 5MP camera, both with f1.9 aperture lenses, and there’s a number of features for selfie addicts, including Wide Selfie and Beauty Face. For supreme connectivity these devices have dual SIM capability and while the Galaxy A3 is 4G enabled, the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 support

the faster 4G+ LTE standard, plus have a dedicated memory card slot, while on the Galaxy A3 the second SIM slot can double up as a memory card slot. All three models are available in Black, Gold and Pink Gold, and come with 16GB internal storage.

Galaxy A3 4G: $398 Galaxy A5 4G+: $598 Galaxy A7 4G+: $698 www.samsung.com/sg

Gear S2 Classic

by Shawn Chung

With the success of the Gear S2 Classic, Samsung took the opportunity at CES to announce a number of updates to this watch series, including the addition of NFC technology in the Gear S2 & Gear S2 Classic for Samsung Pay. Two new luxury editions were announced, on with an 18K Rose Gold case matched to an Ivory Genuine Leather Band and the second with a Platinum case and paired with a Black Genuine Leather Band. There will also be new watch straps and watch face options, including Peanuts characters and artworks from Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeremyville and Burton Morris.

S$TBC Due February www.samsung.com/sg

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CanJam Comes to Singapore The world’s premier headphones expo comes to Asia for the first time, showcasing the latest and best gear in the industry.

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hen it comes to headphones and personal audio events, CanJam Global will without doubt, be one of the best supported. It’s all thanks to the staunch following in Head-Fi. org, home to the largest community of headphone enthusiasts from around the world.

It all started off as a series of meetup events for the Head-Fi community, but the format proved to be popular, and before long, manufacturers and vendors joined in as well. It soon became the definitive meetup event for both enthusiasts and manufacturers alike, and CanJam was born.

Since 2006, CanJam events have been a community showcase for Head-Fi.org. For exhibitors, it is the best opportunity to share new releases with the most passionate of audio fans. For the personal audio enthusiast, it is a great time to catch up with fellow enthusiasts, share experiences, and drool at the latest and best that the industry has to offer, together.

In 2015 CanJam stepped outside of the United States and held its first show in London, and set its sights on becoming the undisputed premier headphone and personal audio expo.

CanJam Global will kick off 2016 with its first ever show in Asia. From 20-21 February, CanJam Global will be held at the Pan Pacific Hotel, right here in SIngapore.

Produced by Head-Fi.org and sponsored by Astell+Kern, Sennheiser, AV Intelligence, and NXT Singapore, CanJam Singapore 2016 will span a floor space of 1,200 square meters, showcasing over 80 exhibitors.

Visitors will be able to take part in demonstrations for the latest products, educational seminars, and an interactive prize giveaway. As there will be products at all price ranges on sale, it’s a good time as any to do some shopping – just make sure you don’t lose track of time! Make sure you bring along your own music to get the most out of your hands-on experience.

CanJam Singapore 2016 takes place 20 - 21 February 2016 at the world class Pan Pacific Hotel in Marina Square.

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Calista Evangelista Kang tries the

Apple iPad Pro Calista Evangelista Kang is not only a popular Instagrammer and local event model, she’s also very passionate about music. When not modelling this young lass teaches the piano at beginner and intermediate grade, and against our expectations, she really took to the large screen of the iPad Pro! Here’s her impressions. (For more on the Apple iPad Pro check out our test on page 120) “I’m a huge selfie shooter! I’ve got a pink Casio selfie-cam with I absolutely love. (I love anything pink). It’s very handy and I can take it everywhere, plus it always makes me look good! I’ve also got a GoPro as I use it when I go scuba-diving, but I usually use it as a still camera with a selfie stick so I can get wide-angle selfie pictures with background scenery.

I really like this iPad Pro. I’ve used an iPad mini 3 and always thought the screen on that was bit small for me. With the iPad Pro I think it’s very handy and the screen is big enough, plus it’s light and thin, much lighter than my previous MacBook Pro. Oh, I currently own a MacBook Air - I was choosing between that and a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 but went for the Air because I like Apple.

I use my Air for normal surfing and for social media, especially Instagram and Facebook. so the iPad Pro I think actually suits me better than the Air because I don’t really need a full keyboard for typing. The Apple Smart keyboard feels just nice for me as I have slim fingers so I like typing on it, and even the screen feels nice when you touch it, plus I think the Pencil is cool, and will let me add a lot of cool doodles and handwritten comments to my photos! Thanks for letting me try out this iPad Pro, because I’m now really considering getting one the next time I want to buy a tablet!”

Photography Raymond Toh Stylist Verna Tan

- Calista Evangelista Kang

Assisted by Nattic Makeup Gigi Sng using Urban Decay cosmetics

by shawn chung

Hair Ash Loi using Redken products

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NXT Girl Calista On her ■ Lipsy dress, Robinsons The Heeren ■ Floral heels, Aldo ■ Accessories, Atelier Swarovski by Jean Paul Gaultier

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by Shawn Chung

G AM E

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G AM E

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2

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he Plants vs Zombies franchise has addicted.. erm, I mean mesmerised kids and adults ever since the first game was released in 2009. The first multiplayer console/PC version, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare came out in 2014 and also turned out to be a massive hit, with over 8 million people playing the game online, so it’s no wonder Electronic Arts are about to launch its sequel.

The game is of course a third-person shooter where your character runs around shooting up the opposition and is similar to its predecessor with the addition of new plants and zombie classes, new multiplayer maps, a new zombie ops called Graveyard Ops and a Herbal Assault mode that supports up to 24 players. And while there’re new characters in this game, all your favourite characters from the first game will make a return.

One big difference between the original game is that Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 can be played without an internet connection, and apart from split-screen multiplayer there’s actually a solo mode.

If you’ve played the original game (like my nephew), you’ll be happy to know that all your collectables can be transferred over to the new game.

23 Feb Xbox One, PS4, Windows www.pvzgw2.com

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G AM E

Hitman

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he sixth installment of the Hitman franchise sees Agent 47 return to the world of contract hits, this time travelling to new locations to take out powerful, highly-protected targets, such as Paris or the markets of Marrakesh, Morocco. Hitman promises to be nonlinear, with each sandbox level enabling players to choose how to conduct their hit - from a close range attack using disguises, sneaking into a target’s location to plant explosives, or with the use of a long range weapon like a sniper rifle. You can even set up a hit to look like an accident. Post mission bonuses will be based on a number of factors, including the time taken and if there were any innocent deaths or eyewitnesses.

Hitman is actually an episodic game, with new content released at regular intervals, and you can either purchase an Intro Pack with a Prologue level and the first few missions which are set in Paris, or go for a Full Experience Pack that includes an entire year’s content. The game’s launch in early March will be followed by an Italian location level in April and then a Moroccan location in May. Three other locations, Thailand, the US and Japan will be available by the end of 2016, and there will also be weekly live events and additional content released between the location updates.

11 March Steam, PS4, Xbox One www.hitman.com

EA Sports UFC 2

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et into the Octagon with ‘Iron Mike Tyson’! Yes, the legendary boxer will appear in EA Sports UFC 2 as an unlockable fighter.

Tyson is available in two versions: ‘Iron Mike Tyson’ and ‘Legacy Mike Tyson’, and is instantly unlockable for those who pre-ordered the game or once you’ve progressed into the Hall of Fame in Career mode.

As with the original version, UFC 2 strives to provide players with a challenging and realistic in-ring experience, with a new Knockout Physics System and an Ultimate Team mode that allows up to five different players to be created. After each fight, coins earned can be then used to upgrade and customize these five players. The career mode has also been updated with the inclusion of female fighters.

15 March Xbox One & PS4 www.easports.com/ufc

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NXT in Music Swish Kanye West (Release 11th Feb) TBC Kanye tweeted, “I’m so happy to be finished with the best album of all time, ” as he revealed the tracklist of his seventh album, called Swish. Even without putting any context into those words, you would instantly be drawn to question, will Kanye actually top the critically acclaimed Yeezus?

Kanye is certainly taking his time to make Swish, which once went by the title of So Help Me God, and the period between Swish and Yeezus is about the same as that between Yeezus and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Swish features an extensive list of collaborators, ranging from virtual unknowns like Allan Kingdom right down to musical mainstays like Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna.

Kanye has become rather good at stopping leaks, but he’s been dropping snippets of songs in the album, like Real Friends, No more Parties in LA, and Fade. The new tracks seem to hint at a more pensive Kanye, even amidst some of that Yeezus-esque vibes. Perhaps in running for GOAT? Oh, and at the time this article was written, Kayne still hadn’t figured out if he’s going to put the album out on Tidal, iTunes or Spotify.

I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It

by JUSTIN CHOO

The 1975 (Release 26th Feb) iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music Their debut album, the 1975, was an unqualified success, and spawned seven singles. Hailed as one to watch in the indie scene and blessed with a wicked penchant for well crafted pop songs, the band built up a solid following rather quickly – something fresh in a hopelessly mundane genre? And now comes the million dollar question: Everyone wants to know where The 1975 is headed with the difficult, sophomore album.

If the first single Love Me is anything to go by, expect a lot more of the same: funk, flamboyance, and coquettishly pop. The album title looks increasingly, and appropriately verbose. You will certainly be entertained.

Painting With

Wonderful Crazy Night

Animal Collective (Release 19th Feb)

Elton John (release 5th Feb)

Domino, iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music Another pop band with a long awaited album on the horizon, the experimental pop group Animal Collective’s penchant for vocal melodies and infectious, ditty-like numbers will have you bobbing your head with a shit-eating grin on your face. Its first single FloriDada tips its collective hat to the 50s surf scene and will have you tapping your feet and the repeat button over and over. Plenty of promise from a band that sounds like the Beach Boys on crack who’d just downloaded a synth app. Epic stuff.

iTunes, Spotify & Apple Music They may call him the queen of England, but Sir Elton John is not one to live with a frown.

Wonderful Crazy Night marks the first album in 10 years to feature the Elton John Band, and it took them less than three weeks to record it. The age may be showing, but that hasn’t quite put a damper on what is essentially a comeback party. Blue Wonderful is beaming and upbeat, Looking Up is a classic rock n’ roll number at a more measured pace (what’s the rush?), while the titular track is an upbeat throwback to the seventies. It may no longer be crazy, but it’s no less fun.

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NXT in Movies

Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice In Cinemas 25 March It’s been one of the most anticipated and talked about movies over the past two years, especially when Ben Affleck was cast as Batman. But this movie won’t be just about Superman (Henry Cavill) duking it out with a power-armoured Batman as depicted in the first two trailers that were released. A big clue is in the second part of the title, and the introduction in the second trailer of the superheroine Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot.

Expect an entire League of heroes to appear, including Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher)!

Mad Max: Fury Road 4K Ultra HD

by Shawn Chung

1 March Available on Blu-ray & Amazon Video Oh what a lovely day! The first 4K UHD Blu-ray title to be released is Mad Max: Fury Road! The best action movie of 2015 is coming to the small screen (or big screen if you have a large flatpanel TV) in glorious 4K UHD with HDR!

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Archer Season 6

Bridge of Spies

29 March Blu-ray & DVD It’s a wonder Sterling Archer has managed to survive six seasons of mayhem. Clutzy, egotistical and with mother issues (and of course he works for his mum).

This season 6 set will have all thirteen episodes as well as special features Conan & Archer Battle Russian Mobsters, Slay-J and Cooking with Milton.

Out Now iTunes Steven Spielberg’s Cold War thriller stars Tom Hanks as a mild-mannered lawyer recruited by the CIA to help free an American pilot in Soviet custody.

The only complication? The pilot is Francis Gary Powell (Austin Stowell), the infamous U2 spy plane pilot shot down while deep in Russian territory.

The Smurfs 2 4K Ultra HD + Blu Ray 1 March Blu-ray & Amazon Video Frankly we are a little surprised that The Smurfs 2 is getting released in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, but we’re sure your kids will like watching the little blue crew trash Paris while on a search for the kidnapped Smurfette.

MA K A N

Dining Artistry

Boutique tea house Arteastiq unveils a truly novel new menu at its Plaza Singapura branch.

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by Shawn Chung

rteastiq has established itself in the busy Singapore F&B scene for not only for its novel tea service but also for the art jam studio that enables patrons to engage their creative side, and the tea house’s popularity has lead them to open a new branch at Plaza Singapura, occupying over 1,800 square feet with a dining area that seats 68 people and an art jam studio with 24 seats.

Excellent tea (you must try their Red Date Oolong Tea) and art aside, Arteastiq also serves a wonderful menu, recently revamped with new menu additions that have been created via the collaboration of three chefs, Chef Jason Viro, Chef Benson Ong and Chef Jack Tan. Though each is a culinary master in his own right, their collaborative creations are simply enchanting to the tastebuds and are works of culinary art.

Here are some highlights Nordic Lights - Soba Salad This cold salad combines salad greens with smoked salmon, soba noodles and a touch of vinaigrette is served in a crispy tortilla bowl and is wonderfully refreshing. For extra crunch you can eat the tortilla.

Louisiana Love - Chicken and Waffles There’s almost nothing more Southern America than waffles, but the combination of a whole-wheat waffle with pan-fried chicken, topped by a red vegetable slaw, is quite unusual. It’s actually not as savoury as expected - the chicken is first dredged in buttermilk to mellow the flavour, and the addition of sweet homemade maple butter actually works, making this is a must try for sweet loving ladies.

Summer in Provence - Foie Gras Another recommendation for the ladies, this is seared foie gras served with baked eggs and a demi-glace, with a side of country bread and greens. The presentation and ingredients seem rustic - like you are having breakfast at a French farm!

Beijing Dynasty - Duck Pancake From this dish’s name we expected Peking duck, but it’s actually a French duck confit wrapped in crepe to resemble the chinese dish! This is a very savoury and sweet dish as the confit is liberally drizzled over with a sweet and tangy orange caramel, leading to a

taste explosion that’s thankfully moderated by the crepe.

Boston Love Boat - Ciponio This dish is a seafood and saffron stew topped with a light puff pastry covering a soup bowl and served with a side of sweet potato fries.

The stew is a tad spicy and tangy from the use of a tomato base.

The Prince of Monte Carlo - Short Ribs Croque Monsieur Definitely one the lads will enjoy. This is 24 hour short ribs that have been stacked with brioche cheddar and rocket leaves, topped off with a fried sunny side up egg and served with sweet potato fries. It’s almost sinfully rich, especially with the brioche soaking up the egg yolk.

Arteastiq Plaza Singapura, #03-70/72 68 Orchard Road, Singapore 238839 For Boutique Tea House reservations: 6336 0951 For enquiries and reservations for Social Painting: 6336 0952 Business hours: 10am to 10pm daily.

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A P P S

Netflix

It’s finally here. It is time to pay your monthly tithes and say goodbye to your friends, and hello to your new friends from the telly. The catalogue is smaller than that of the US but it’s actually decent, and will grow with time; plus the shows aren’t needlessly censored

Viu

by Justin CHoo

So many K-dramas, so little time.

Now you have even less – what with Viu releasing some of the most popular programmes like Running Man just eight hours after its broadcast in Korea. You can even save your dramas on the phone for viewing on the train. Need. More. Coffee…

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iOS, Android, www.viu.com Free, subscription plans to come

Eleven Sports Network If you are a football junkie, Eleven Sports Network will be right up your alley. Filled with 24 hours of non-stop football programming from the top leagues in the world, and other sports like baseball, basketball, table-tennis to come.

Not sure? You can try out their daily or weekly passes and decide.

www.elevensportsnetwork.sg Daily: S$3.90, Weekly: S$5.90

as a parental block is built-in. Titles range from sharp dramas such as Orange is the New Black, to the downright ridiculous err, Ridiculous 6. Why can’t I get away from you, Adam Sandler?

iOS, Android, www.netflix.com From S$10.98

Music Memos

Adobe Voice

Record your musical ideas with the app, and it will analyse the rhythm and add a suggested drums and bassline to suit the idea. It is even able to figure out the chords that you are playing – with varying degrees of success – for convenient notation. Great for toying around with ideas.

Tired of dealing with lowballers and having to meet up in the oddest places to make the transaction? Local app Shopee offers an escrow-style service to mitigate the impact of bad ‘customers’, and they will be introducing an integrated pick-up and delivery service that will save you a bit of time too.

iOS FREE

iOS FREE

A P P S

Exploding Kittens From the makers of that card game entailing the avoidance of an exploding kitten at all costs, comes… the app version of the card game, played together, on the phone, in the same room. What gives? Well it has exclusive cards and the dynamics is slightly different but the action is still fast and furious. The idea is to have a party game atmosphere – so your group of friends can be nuisance anywhere, and not just at someone’s house…

by Justin CHoo

iOS S$2.98

The Westport Independent

I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream

Rayman Adventures

Pocket Mortys

Based one of the most reprinted stories in the English language, this dark, point-and-click game is originally from the ‘90s and is a prime example of the genre.

Revisit for sentiment, or to check out how games used to be in the past, without the eye bling and all.

This charming 2D side scroller is also somewhat of a throwback to original Rayman games, and unlike its mobile app predecessors, Rayman Adventures is no longer a pure on-rails game – you have some control over movement. You’ll need it to save those adorable incrediballs!

In the Westport Independent, you are an editor for an independent newspaper in a right wing state.

Weigh the cost of your actions as you decide what headline to publish, what information to leave in or omit will have its consequences. Well, that’s censorship for you.

Based on zany Adult Swim’s TV show Rick and Morty, this game is essentially a pokemon-style battle game as you collect more Mortys to do more battle to collect more Mortys and… well you know where this is going.

Windows, OS X, iOS, Android S$6.98

Windows, OS X, iOS, Android S$5.98

iOS, Android FREE

iOS, Android FREE

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Acer switches up a gear The Acer Switch 12 S convertible is an unusually premium offering from Acer, who’s better known for their keenly priced gear. This Intel Core M powered hybrid has a premium metal build, sports a 12.5-inch tablet with an option of up to 4K resolution, USB Type-C port, Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, and an Intel RealSense camera. The Switch 12 S also utilises Acer’s clever Snap Hinge connector which allows it to be used in a variety of modes.

From USD$999 www.acer.com.sg

This Latitude’s got attitude The new Dell Latitude 12 7000 may be designed for enterprise use, but they sure do look good – and it looks like the Surface Pro’s ministerial cousin. Like the Acer Switch 12 S, it has a 4K display option, and on a 12.5-inch screen too. And like the Surface Pro you have options when it comes to the keyboard. The Latitude also sports two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity but it seems you will need a dongle for full-sized USB connectors.

by JUSTIN CHOO

From USD$1,049 www.dell.com.sg

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iCON

by shawn chung

T

he use of brass in watchmaking goes back over 500 years and is still used today, albeit in far smaller qualities due to the introduction of modern alloys. Brass still has appeal, however, and looks especially luxurious when two renowned luxury brands, German camera maker Leica and luxury retail group The Hour Glass, collaborate to create a very rare limited edition camera, the Leica M-P “Brass Edition 35”.

The Leica M-P “Brass Edition 35” is based on the iconic rangefinder design of a M series, but decked out in full clear lacquered brass and buttons, a first for any Leica camera. Even the lens, a Leica Summicron-M 1:2/35mm ASPH gets a pure bass finishing that includes the lens hood. This special edition is further differentiated by the use of a unique leather trim in a distinctive chestnut leather for the camera’s external wrap and carry strap, and the combination of the lushious brass with the warm chestnut leather is a wonderful sight to behold. There is also the logo of The Hour Glass imprinted just in front of the flash shoe.

“It started out as an idea inspired by the concept of luxury in its most authentic and artisanal form two years ago.” Said Mr Michael Tay, Group Managing Director of The Hour Glass. “ We wanted an object which is pure and unadulterated hence the beauty of brass in its original form was born.

Brass embodies the glamour of gold in an understated way.”

Managing Director of Leica Camera Asia Pacific, Sunil Kaul, believes that the camera will be “highly sought after and I believe Leica enthusiasts will be looking forward to this special model with much anticipation.”

The Leica M-P “Brass Edition 35” is presented in a special box that is particularly hand made in Black Forest, Germany and is limited to just 35 examples, exclusively available only at Malmaison by The Hour Glass.

S$35,000 www.thehourglass.com

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Canon’s new compact snappers Canon started new year with a bang by announcing five new cameras

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anon started the new year with a bang by announcing five new cameras - two PowerShot bridge cameras and three IXUS camera models. These new cameras all come with a new auto zoom function that will automatically detect the number of subjects in a shot, then zoom in to ensure everyone is properly framed.

www.canon.com.sg

PowerShot SX420 IS The PowerShot SX420 IS is a big zoom camera with 42x zoom (1008mm equivalent) with image stabilisation, 20-megapixel CCD sensor and DIGIC 4+ processor. It also captures Full HD videos at 25p/30p and has WiFi and NFC connectivity.

S$TBC due February

PowerShot SX540 HS The long range sniper of the PowerShot family, the SX540 HS rocks a 50x zoom (1200m equivalent) with IS, while its 20-megapixel CCD sensor is backed up by a DIGIC 6 processor, NFC and WiFi. The PowerShot SX540 HS also captures Full HD videos at up to 60fps and has a unique Story Highlights feature that will analyst media, append image effects and add background music and photo effects!

by Shawn chung

S$TBC due March

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IXUS 175 This affordable compact is a handy little shooter with a 20-megapixel sensor, 8x zoom and DIGIC 4+ processor.

S$169

IXUS 180 The IXUS 180 uses the same 20-megapixel sensor and DIGIC 4+ processor as the IXUS 175, but has a 10x zoom with image stabilisation, captures Full HD video at 30fps and is NFC and WiFi enabled.

S$199

IXUS 285 HS The IXUS 285 HS pairs a 12x zoom with a 20-megapixel and the DIGIC 4+ processor, WiFi and NFC. It aso has the same Story Highlights feature that’s found on the PowerShot SX540 HS.

S$299

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Looking Sharper than Sharp Make no mistake, the 80-inch Sharp LC-80XU930X isn’t an 8K TV, and it’s not able to receive native 8K broadcasts, nor playback 8K content.

What it offers is 8K-like sharpness, thanks to a clever combination of pixel splitting – thanks to its Quattro tech – and advanced backlighting system to squeeze out more sharpness and contrast. Think of it as 4K ‘plus’ if you must, which is certainly in itself, quite breathtaking.

S$22,999 www.sharp.com.sg

Phone sized zoom camera What the ASUS ZenFone Zoom proves is that ASUS recognises that it shouldn’t add a big camera lens to a phone. Instead it has managed to squeeze a 3x zoom into a phone that’s no more than 12mm at its thickest. That works out to a 28-84mm focal length, which is quite versatile for landscape, walkabout, and portrait photos. The 13-megapixel camera can also do macro shots from as close up as 2 inches, and focuses in 0.03 seconds at its fastest. The Intel Atom Z3950 and 4GB of RAM under the hood ensures that the experience stays zippy.

S$TBC www.asus.com.ag

Handsfree for your Mophie

by JUSTIN CHOO

The Mophie Juice Pack is perhaps the definite smartphone case battery pack, and many will no doubt enjoy the convenience of having protection and extra battery in one convenient case, especially heavy users. However the case doesn’t make it very conducive for car docks; until now. The Mophie Car Dock takes Mophie Juice Pack cases and charges them at the same time.

It also features 180-degree rotation so you can easily switch between landscape and portrait modes. Available for iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

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S$79 www.mophie.com

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ARCHT mini The ARCHT mini retains the signature Sound Array Module that enables the ARCHT One to produce 360-degree sound.

But don’t think that the mini is a watered down version; no no. The ARCHT mini is a portable speaker that sports a full aluminium body and boasts a whopping 65W of power. Of course, at 1.2kg it is a little heavy, but then again, it promises a full bodied sound thanks to its Bass Impact Architecture, and you can expect up to 12 hours of play with a single charge, which is surprisingly long.

USD$299 (Local price TBC) archtaudio.com

For that all-nighter on the go

by justin choo

The 12.5-inch Toshiba Portégé Z20t-C is part of Toshiba’s top-of-the-line business range laptops, and is the designated hybrid offering. It uses the Intel Core M series of processors to facilitate a fanless design. In addition to being able to detach the keyboard, the Z20t-C can also be attached to a docking station, which can also extend battery life to as long as 18.8 hours. The Z20t-C will also feature a USB Type-C port.

S$TBC toshiba-business.com

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Truly wireless Earin, the world’s first true wireless headphone, is now here – no prizes for guessing that it’s an in-ear headphone. Earin uses balanced armature drivers for more detail, and despite the fact that each individual earpiece has its own amplifier and battery, it weighs a merely 3.5 grams. Earin says the battery is good for almost three hours of play in stereo and up to 11 hours in mono, and can be charged in its aluminium capsule case, which doubles up as a portable battery.

S$349 truewireless.sg

by JUSTIN CHOO

Rose Gold Never Gets Old

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We live in a time where the appearance of an item in a particular colour is good for a column inch. But it is what it is, and the Beats Solo 2 Wireless in Rose Gold will be great especially for those who have picked up a Rose Gold iPhone. But that’s not its only merit, of course The Beats Solo 2 Wireless is a great headphone accessory thanks to its comfortable fit, ease of storage, and long battery life that’s good for up to 12 hours of music.

S$490 sg.beatsbydre.com

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Dedication to Perfection

Seiko’s timekeeping mastery and innovative technology are evident in these two exciting timepieces

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eiko has been at the forefront of Japanese watchmaking since the late 1890s, with a long history of innovation dating back to the company’s first timepiece. An excellent example was the creation of Japan’s first diver’s watch, about 50 years ago, which also set off Seiko’s obsession with perfecting this watch type. Since then Seiko have pioneered many advancements in watchmaking, including quartz movements and solar charging.

Seiko Astron GPS Solar Timepiece The Seiko Astron GPS Solar Timepiece is the perfect timepiece for frequent travellers as its solar panel charging ensures that you don’t need to wind it or change batteries. With GPS timing the Astron is precise to ±1 second in every 100,000 year and with a new 3rd generation dual-time calibre, the 8X53, the Astron is able maintain both local and home time accurately. The Astron is available in three black and white ‘titanium’ models with a titanium version, an all black ceramic coated version and a titanium version with a black ceramic watch face and a strip on the bracelet.

Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional JAMSTEC Limited Edition Seiko’s partnership with Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has been long and fruitful, and on the 50th anniversary of their first diver’s watch, Seiko released the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional JAMSTEC Limited Edition, with just 500 pieces made. The JAMSTEC Limited Edition is rated for pressure up to 1,000m, and has a pure iron dial of dark blue-green that has a beautiful molded wave pattern. The 48mm titanium case and bracelet have been treated with Seiko’s super-hard surface treatment to protect from everyday scratches. The caliber 8L55 has 10 beats per second and a power reserve of 55 hours.

About S$7,800

by Shawn Chung

from S$3,103

www.thongsia.com.sg

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by Shawn Chung

One FC Anchar Created in collaboration with and exclusive to Red Army Watches, the Vostok Europe One FC Anchar is the official watch for the ONE Fighting Championships, Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts organisation. The watch is powered by an NH35A automatic movement, has a water resistance of 300m and is self-luminous. Proudly bearing the logo of the ONE Fighting Championship on its dial, only 138 pieces of this limited edition have been made.

S$887

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Going to the Extremes Founded in 2013, Vostok Europe has rapidly gained a cult following for their association with extreme sports.

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ostok is a popular Russian watch brand that’s been around for sixty years and produces very affordable watches. In 2013 the brand entered into a joint venture with a Lithuanian company to form Vostok Europe, which focuses on the mid-tier watch market. Much admired for their durable watches, Vostok Europe soon gained a cult following thanks to their association with Mixed Martial Arts, freediving, rally racing, and their diving watches have become favoured by military units around the world.

Anchar Titanium Inspired by the Soviet Project 661 Anchar nuclear powered attack submarine, the first titanium-hulled submarine ever built and one that still holds the title of the world’s fastest ever submarine, the Anchar Titanium has a strong masculine design and a new titanium case that lightens the watch will still retaining water resistance of 30ATM. Available in Green, Red and Orange, every Anchar comes with silicon and leather straps, two screwdrivers and a dry box.

S$1,000

Vostok Europe Black Edition by Benediktas Vanagas This 500 piece limited edition watch was created in honour of renowned Lithuanian rally driver Benediktas Vanagas, who’s rally team wore the Vostok Europe watches during the 2014 & 2015 Dakar Rallies. The Black Edition features a 47mm titanium black PVD case and is powered by a 6S21 Miyota movement. Water resistant to 200m, the all black watch bears Vanagas’ name at the bottom of the watch face in bold red, while the case back is decorated by various cars used for racing, rally and cross-country.

S$688

Almaz Released in the last quarter of 2015, the Almaz watches include the unique Almaz Bronze, Vostok Europe’s first watch cased in bronze. The anti-corrosive properties of bronze make it an almost perfect material for watches that are often immersed in seawater, and over time the bronze case will patina into a unique pattern. Alongside the Almaz Bronze, Vostok Europe also have titanium and stainless steel Almaz models. All Almaz watch cases are 47mm in diameter and water resistant to 200m and are powered by an Automatic Seiko NH35A or Quartz Miyota 6S11. The Almaz watches are available in a range of case colours paired with either leather or NATO straps.

Almaz Bronze from S$808 Almaz Stainless Steel from S$528 Almaz Titanium from S$659 www.redarmywatches.com 87

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Four Quick Questions with Kim Lim What are your favourite apps?

Apart from Instagram I use Gmail and Google Calendar, Shopping Apps and the Straits Times App. For keeping in touch when I travel I use Whatsapp, Line, Kakao Talk and Wechat as they are all super easy to use and have free calls and videos as long as you have data roaming or WiFi.

You have 140,000 followers on Instagram, tell us a bit about your ‘Instagram Life’.

I am who I am on Instagram and in real life! I do like providing insights of my life via my Instagram account as people tend to stereotype me. I usually use the MeituPic app to adjust the brightness of my images before posting hem.

Do you like photography? Have you thought of taking it seriously as a hobby?

I like to take pictures of beautiful things like views or landscape pictures but I don’t intend to take my photography seriously as I want to enjoy and do it as and when I want. I often use DSLR cameras for the image quality.

What gadget can you not live without?

I love my phone and I can’t live without it. Without it I feel so disconnected from the world.

Photography Raymond Toh Stylist Nattic / Assisted by Ryan Makeup Shaun Lee Hair Miki Gao @ Kim Robinsons

by Shawn Chung & JUSTIN CHOO

Covergirl Kim LIM

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■ Floral dress, Maje

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Luxury Gadgets Crafted from the best materials and empowered with technology

Luxury calling Vertu Signature Touch

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or the ultimate in mobile device luxury, Vertu are the gold standard. Yet for years the English device maker was panned for sticking to the outdated Symbian OS. The Signature Touch changed this perception, because it’s as technologically advanced as it is luxuriously appointed, an Android OS mobile masterpiece that utilises the powerful Snapdragon 810 processor with a 21-megapixel camera, Full HD sapphire crystal touchscreen and a titanium chassis.

The Signature Touch is available in a range of materials (our lovely Miss Kim Lim is holding the Garnet calf leather version) but a bespoke service is available if you so choose to add touches of rose-gold or carbon fibre, for a price of course.

from S$14,500 www.vertu.com

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â– Floral dress, Maje

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Chic Camera Leica T

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eica makes cameras like no-one else can, and are as well known for creating premium cameras with an obsession for precise German engineering and optics.

The Leica T is a prime example, for its unibody chassis is precisionmilled out of a solid block of aluminium before being painstakingly hand polished to absolute perfection. It also captures images wonderfully thanks to a 16-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor but is designed to be easy to use -there’s even 16GB of internal data storage in case you

forget to insert a memory card!

A range of colourful Clip-on cases and Neck Straps are available to individualise each camera, and with built-in WiFi you can quickly send your recent pics to your smartphone to update your instagram.

S$4,950 Leica T camera with 18-56mm f3.5 - 5.6 lens www.leica-store.sg

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Saucy saucer speaker B&O BeoPlay A9

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anish premium consumer electronics maker Bang & Olufsen have a long history of producing unique products, and the radar-dish like BeoPlay A9 is a case in point, a harmonious blend of high technology, modern industrial design and traditional craft to create a premium wireless speaker that looks nothing like a traditional speaker!

Standing on either walnut or maple wood legs and covered by unique removable Kvadrat fabric covers in a range of colours, each A9 contains 5 power amplifiers, a woofer, 2 midrange speakers and two tweeters for a total output of 420 watts of awesome sound.

With integrated WiFi, Bluetooth and DLNA, the A9 can sync with your home wireless system and directly stream music from Spotify or Deezer so you can blast Rihanna’s B**** Better Have My Money during your next house party.

S$3,499 www.bang-olufsen.com

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■ Printed top, skirt and heels, Bimba Y Lola ■ (Jacket, stylist’s own)

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■ Gold dress, Maje ■ Laced up heels, Jimmy Choo

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Gold standard headphones Final Design Sonorous VIII

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inal, from Japan, has a reputation for building stuff that people normally wouldn’t, and to say that Final does not spare any expense is a gross understatement.

The beauty of their designs, apart from the fact that they border on lavishness, is that they are uncompromisingly geared towards performance, with the Sonorous VIII featuring a pair of 50mm titanium diaphragms fitted into a precision-machined aluminium housing, which

in turn is enclosed within a rigid ABS-stainless steel combination housing. A Balancing Air Movement (BAM) mechanism optimises the air movement within the housing to maximise the headphone’s potential.

S$4,388 www.jaben.net

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A luxurious view Loewe Reference TV

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here are quite a few luxury TV brands, but none are as elegantly designed as Loewe. The German TV maker’s new 4k UHD Reference TV, available in a whooping 85-inch version, is designed to appear elegant from all angles, a minimalist design using geometric shapes that enables the Reference to integrate seamlessly in any interior setting, with an anti-reflective glass panel to reduce reflections.

Yet if you want the Reference can make a bold modern statement, with the solid aluminium bezel available in Aluminium Silver, Aluminium Black, Dark Gold and High-Gloss White, and you can swap out the removable fabric that covers the sound bar.

And while the Reference isn’t really a Smart TV, it has twin TV tuners, a video recording function, Video upscaling and full compatibility with the latest Ultra HD standards.

from S$33,999 www.atlas-sv.com

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Luxury Gear

The mundane made into fantasy with class and style

■ Dress, Maje ■ Metallic heels, Jimmy Choo

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A Stylish & Clear Vision Leica Ultravid Colorline 10 x25

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hether you’re peering at the Monaco F1 race from the comfort of your luxury yacht, or sitting in the owner’s box at a Spanish La Liga match, a good pair of binoculars will always come in handy.

Of course, they should be both compact and stylish to boot. Leica’s Ultravid Colorline is a perfect example - compact enough to slip into a Birkin bag, the Ultravid colorline boast a magnification of 10x25 with spectacular optical quality thanks to a very bright and clear lenses.

For the fashion conscious, these elegant binos come in six leather trim colours: apple green, Aztec beige, dove blue, Capri blue, cherry red and lemon yellow

S$1,411 www.leica-store.sg

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Ultimate Gamer Watch Romain Jerome Super Mario

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omain Jerome’s CEO Manuel Emch has a real passion for classic computer games (and he’s pretty good at playing Pacman) and whimsically created his first console game-themed watch without expecting them to sell. What he didn’t account for was that your geeky console gaming kid in the 1980s became millionaires and billionaires in the 2000s and had the cash to splash for 1980s memorabilia!

The Super Mario watch is officially recognised by Nintendo, and commemorates the 30th anniversary of the little plumber’s first game and fittingly only 85 pieces will be made. The three layered dial shows a pixelated Mario jumping over clouds and mushrooms, each element individually hand-painted in cold enamel in 30th anniversary colours.

S$24,800 www.thehourglass.com

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The world’s best guitar PRS 30th Anniversary Dragon

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RS built its reputation by creating some of the finest guitars in the world – guitars that are gorgeous to the eye and scintillating to the touch; instruments that have the rare ability to excite both musicians and collectors alike.

The PRS 30th Anniversary Dragon is their eighth in an ongoing series of highly collectible guitars, a result of its founder, Paul Reed Smith’s dream of building guitars decorated with European-style dragons. It’s also the first Dragon model from their Private Stock series, which features their most extraordinary tone woods chosen for their gorgeous grain and impeccable tone. This 30th Anniversary Dragon features a curly maple top, African ribbon mahogany back, and mahogany neck with a 24 fret Madagascar rosewood fingerboard.

The Private Stock 30th Anniversary Dragon is limited to 40 pieces, and goes for a very cool USD$20,000.

USD$20,000 prsguitars.com

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Clockwork Robotics MB&F Sherman

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rom the genius of Max Busser comes one of his childhood dreams made into reality in a manner only MB&F could conceive. Sherman is the result of Max’s dream of having a robot companion, but unlike other robots, Sherman does only one thing exceptionally well, and that’s to tell time.

That’s because Sherman isn’t actually a robot, he’s a clock made into a robot, with all the wonderful decorative finishing like Geneva waves, anglage and satin finishing you would expect from the finest Swiss timepiece. His heart is actually an in-line eight-day mechanical movement, while through his transparent mineral glass dome ticks away his regulator. With his tank treads and movable arms, Sherman is your perfect desktop companion - a rather silent type that will tell you time perfectly.

Sadly he’s also a limited edition, with 200 palladium plated pieces, 200 gold-plated and just 50 diamond-set gilded versions being made

from USD$13,000 www.mbandf.com

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The Electric Sports Car BMW i8

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othing says you care for the earth more than a hybrid ride, but before you ask for a Toyota Prius brochure, head down to BMW first and take a gander at the swish BMW i8.

Electrifying in looks, performance and style, this eco-friendly sports car is BMW’s first plug-in hybrid sports car, the i8. Built using advanced materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastic to be as light as possible, the i8 is perfect for the environmentally conscious movie star, yet thanks to its advanced power management system, 1.5-litre three-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo engine plus a hybrid synchronous electric drive, it can actually go from zero to 100kmh in 4.4 seconds, and yet still return a fuel consumption figure of 2.1 litres per 100 km!

And if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, the i8 is also a Connected vehicle with BMW’s ConnectedDrive and can be synced to your smartphone with the BMW i Remote app.

S$576,800 www.pml-bmw.com.sg

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Luxury Vehicles Life in the fastlane has never been this sensually exquisite

â– Printed dress and accessories, Bimba Y Lola â– Bejeweled heels, Jimmy Choo

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The iconic Ride Harley-Davidson 2016 V-Rod Night Rod Special

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arley-Davidson motorbikes embody the concept of the open road and limitless freedom, plus a big dash of the Rebel, but they also have plenty of tech appeal as well.

The 2016 V-Rod Night Rod Special is a sinisterly styled motorbike for performance-minded motorcyclists who enjoy the muted all-black styling and aggressive riding position. Massive power is delivered from a state-of-the art liquid cooled 60-degree 1250cc V-Twin Revolution engine (famously created with the help of German sportscar maker Porsche) that delivers power all the way to the red line.

For added security, each Night Rod Special comes with a Smart Security System that uses an electronic fob on your ignition key ring to arm and disarm the electronic security system automatically.

S$41,500 www.harleysingapore.com

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Sail the seas in luxury Mangusta Oceano 42

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f life on land seem a little ordinary, then why not the life aquatic?

The latest long range luxury yachts will literally take you across the seven seas in perfect comfort.

Overmarine Group, makers of Mangusta Yachts, is the worldwide leader in fast maxi yachts. The Italian company recently launched their first Mangusta Oceano 42 Long Range yacht, 43m modern steel hulled yacht of elegant proportions and taut lines. Uniquely, the Oceano 42 features a swimming pool on the bow with an infinite waterfall, and a

glazed skylight at the bottom of the swimming pool brings light directly to the owner’s suite.

Designed to accommodate up to 12 guest in maximum comfort, the opulent interior is well lit and seemly airy thanks to an abundance of windows.

P.O.A www.overmarine.com

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The Ultimate Electric Bike M55 Terminus

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o, this isn’t one of those cheap electric bikes you see cutting through traffic in town, though it is just as illegal to ride on the roads in Singapore. If you have a couple of acres of private estate to ride through, then look no further than the M55 Terminus.

Customisable to your requirements, this electric bicycle is still built rugged to take anything thrown at it and has a high-performance hydraulic disc brake and suspension system to go anywhere, from the road to the top of a mountain trail.

Powered by a brushless electric motor capable of producing 2000W, this bicycle (yes, it has pedals and a crank) can hit speeds up to 80kmh on the road and thanks to its lithium ion batteries gets a range of up to 97km between charges!

from USD$38,000 www.m55-bike.com

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Win A Veho MUVI K-Series K-2 NPNG Wi-Fi Handsfree Camera!

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mall, sleek and versatile, the K-Series is the smallest HD MUVI yet, making handsfree HD video capture easier than ever before! The MUVI

K-Series K-2 NPNG Wi-Fi Handsfree Camera records Full HD 1080p video at 60fps as well as 720p at 120fps thanks to it’s new MUVI XA-7 Achilles chipset, enabling you to capture all the action in pin-sharp detail. It also shoots still photographs at 8, 12 and 16 megapixels, has a 10 photos per second burst mode and is powered by an interchangeable, rechargeable lithium battery which has a capacity of 1500mAh, which enables up to 4 hours of continuous recording. WiFi-enabled, users can download a free smartphone app to remotely record, live view and share content from the Muvi K-2. And as an added bonus, every MUVI K-2 comes with a waterproof 100m case, detachable LCD screen, protective rugged carry case, 8GB Memory and additional mounting options! Thanks to Veho Singapore, NXT Magazine has three MUVI K-Series K-2 NPNG Wi-Fi Handsfree Camera, each worth S$499, to give away. Just answer the following question, then email info.nxt@kingsmanmedia.com with the subject header “NXT MUVI K-2 contest”.

The MUVI K-2 has a fast burst mode to capture up to 10 photographs a second.

TRUE or FALSE? For verification purposes please provide your: 1. Name 2. NRIC number 3. Email 4. Telephone number

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Contest terms and conditions

1. This contest will run from 15/02/2016 to 15/03/2016 and is by

4. The winning contestants must be a Singaporean citizen or

current resident. Submissions from outside Singapore will not

2. All details submitted must be true and accurate. Personal

be accepted. Employees of BOIA Pte Ltd and Kingsman Media

are disqualified from entering this contest.

email only. information of all contestants will be kept private and

bring their NRIC for verification during prize collection.

confidential.

5. The winning contestants will be announced in a forthcoming

3. Three winners will be selected randomly, and the selection

will be final and binding. Each winner will receive one MUVI

6. Kingsman Media reserves the rights to modify the terms and

K-Series K-2 NPNG Wi-Fi Handsfree Camera and will be

notified via email and telephone call. Winners are required to

issue of NXT magazine. conditions of this contest.

P R I M E

Gadgets tested for your assessment

116 Vertu Signature Touch 118 B&O BeoPlay A6 120 Sennheiser HD800S 122 X-Mini Evoke Wireless

Speaker Headphones 124 Leica SL 126 Apple iPod Pro 128 Fischer Audio Omega Twin 129 Fujifilm Instax mini 70 130 Samsung 4K SUHD JS9500 Curved Smart TV 132 Canon EOS M10 134 Lenovo phab plus 136 Blusound Gen 2 138 Sony R7S II 140 Shure SHA900

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Vertu’s Smartphone perfection Vertu’s new Signature Touch isn’t just a luxury device, it’s very smart as well.

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rom leather wrapped bodies to sapphire glass screens, every Vertu mobile is a device of utmost luxury and distinction, but until recently no Vertu device could be considered cutting-edge in technology.

That situation has now changed with the new Vertu Signature Touch.

The brand’s switch to Android OS has enabled Vertu to incorporate the very latest in mobile technology, from the powerful Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor with 4GB of RAM, Dolby Digital Plus virtual surround sound stereo speakers, an excellent 21-megapixel rear camera plus a Full-HD 5.2-inch touchscreen protected by sapphire crystal, ensuring that the Signature Touch is at the very high-end of the Android device performance chart.

For this exclusive test, Vertu made available the version of the Signature Touch in calf leather in garnet, but for real personalisation Vertu has a made-to-order service where you can select your preferred colour, type of leather and materials.

The true ‘signature’ of every Vertu Signature Touch device is

found at the back of the smartphone, where two titanium gull-wing doors bracket the device’s 21-megapixel camera system. A small dial pops both doors open, giving access to not only the Signature Touch’s nanoSIM and microSD card slots but also a plaque bearing the signature of the craftsperson who single-handedly hand-built the device.

Vertu’s bespoke Services are another big reason why these phones are popular with jetsetters, for every Vertu device features a ruby button on the side that accesses the dedicated Vertu Personal Concierge that’s available no matter where you are in the world (as long as you have a network signal, of course). The Signature Touch comes bundled with two additional Android apps - Vertu Life enables access to the latest exclusive events and happenings around the world, while for the busy company CEO or celebrity, Vertu Certainty ensures that all your emails, messages and voice calls are securely encrypted, and that in the event your Signature Touch is lost or stolen, you can trace the device and even lock access or remotely erase all data.

RATING ★★★★

Technical specifications:

by Shawn Chung

The ultimate luxury smartphone comes at a very high price, but what you get is an exclusive hand-made premium smartphone with a complete range of features and services to suit its outstanding luxurious feel.

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from $14,500 vertu.com

Size/Weight 155 x 74 x 10.8 mm/225-236g CPU Snapdragon 810 Octa core, 64-bit, 4x 2GHz + 4 x1.5GHz. Storage Capacity 64GB ROM/4GB RAM. external microSD Back Camera 21 MP, f2.2, 4K video recording, dual tone flash Front Camera 2.1MP Platform Android 5.1 Connectivity 2G/3G UMTS/4G LTE/NFC/BT4.0/WiFi/ Display 5.2-inch 1080p LCD with sapphire crystal Battery 3130mAh

T E S T

EXCLUSIVE

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RATING ★★★★★

by Justin Choo

While not perfect, the B&O A6 is a good attempt at a complete home network speaker that is also elegantly simple to use.

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S$1,599 www.bang-olufsen.com

PRODUCT specifications: Dimensions 536 X 298 X 144Mm Power 210W Driver Units 2 X 5.5-Inch Woofer, 1 X 1.5-Inch Full Range, 2 X 0.75Inch Tweeter Effective Frequency Range 35-22.000 Hz Streaming Features Apple Airplay, Bluetooth, Dlna – Dmr, Spotify Connect, Deezer, Tunein Wireless Networks Wlan 802.11B/G/N (2.4Ghz & 5Ghz), Bluetooth 4.0 Connections 1 X Ethernet, 1 X Line-In, 1 X Usb (For Service Use) Supported Audio Formats Mp3, Wma, Aac, Alac, Flac, Wav, Aiff.

Standard Sample Rates Up To 192Khz, Stereo And Up To 24Bit.

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Sounds Scandinavian Chic

EXCLUSIVE

Style and substance will cost you. But will B&O’s BeoPlay A6 live up to expectations?

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&O has always been about the looks as much as it is about the sound, and we get no surprises here with the A6. It prominently features the fabric work of Kvadrat, a textiles maker based in Denmark. It’s the sort of classic Scandinavian home interior flair that’s hard to dislike. And of course, the speaker grille is interchangeable as well, which should minimise any arguments about matching the decor around the house.

The A6 is designed with a minimalist’s mantra, and the speaker itself sports nary a hint of a button; the volume and power buttons are touch enabled, and are found discreetly hiding along the top edge of the speaker. Even the ports and other relevant controls are found hidden underneath the speaker, behind a removable panel – B&O clearly did not design this for fiddlers. Similarly, the BeoPlay app also exhibits the same characteristics – something that I think might

be a tad touch-and-go. It integrates services like Spotify nicely, but generally it’s limited in how you can use them. But still, it is quite elegant and I can see why they chose to do it this way. The A6 can do quite a lot, but is a rather simple device; or to be precise, it’s meant to be used simply.

But how does it sound? I’m glad to report that the A6 will surprise you with its surprisingly big sound. You’d never think that a slim device like this can generate room-filling bass. The A6 likes vocals, and pushes them to the forefront. Female vocals shine especially here; put the A6 on your ethernet network and start pushing those highresolution files please. You’ll also be pleased to know that it supports Airplay and Bluetooth as well.

While here are many options at this price, the B&O A6 has enough strengths and charm to serenade those who don’t mind paying.

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EXCLUSIVE

The new standard Sennheiser refreshes the benchmark HD 800 audiophile headphones

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he Sennhesier HD800 S is the German giant’s pride and joy – oh hang on a minute, that would be the Orpheus, wouldn’t it?

Nonetheless, for those who aren’t willing to spend on headphones that cost more than a car, the HD800 S is amongst the best.

The HD800 S, as you suspected, is an update of the venerable HD800. As good as the HD800 was, many felt that it tended to be a bit prickly in the upper ranges, which wasn’t exactly easy on the ears.

It’s perfectly OK if you are a sound engineer (or a masochist) but not everyone wants to listen to their music with the intensity of a Formula 1 driver.

This isn’t to say that the HD800 isn’t good, of course, which is why the HD800 and the HD800 S will retail side by side. The HD800 S is exactly the same as the HD800, but with a few subtle tweaks. Most obvious is a matt black colour, while on a subtler front, the addition of dampers improve the audio presentation.

If I’m honest, I’m undecided if I prefer the HD800 S over the HD800. It’s principally the same, although the HD800 S does have a tighter presentation – it’s more polished, and it’s much easier to pick up details in the music. It also isn’t quite as neutral sounding as the HD800, though it has a slightly better bass response. The HD800 S is not an easy headphone to power, requiring a competent amplifier. But when matched properly, it is remarkably good: clinical, with a dash of punchiness. Like the HD800, the HD800 S is a pretty bright-sounding headphone, although the taming of the high frequencies is more likely to please listeners.

There’s another difference between the two packages – the HD800 S comes with a balanced cable – which when used with a compatible amplifier, does give discernable improvement.

In all, there’s now another high-end headphone to consider if you’re in the market for these things.

RATING ★★★★

Technical specifications:

by JUSTIN CHOO

It’s tempting to label the HD800 S as ‘the HD800, perfected’.

While there are some improvements, it actually feels more like an alternative to the original. Ah, the agony of choice.

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S$2,359 en-sg.sennheiser.com

Cable length / Jack Plug 3m / 6.3mm, XLR4 Ear coupling / Transducer Circumaural / Dynamic Open Frequency response 4-51,000 Hz (-10 dB) Impedance 300 Ω THD, total harmonic distortion 0.02 % (1 kHz 1 Vrms) Wearing style Headband Weight w/o cable 330 g

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WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE

A Mini Evolution X-Mini finally releases a headphone, albeit in a way we did not expect – a 2-in-1 headphone-speaker combo!

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-Mini made its name perfecting the mini speaker, and almost became too good at what they do – how does one diversify with a specialty and a name like that? But transition they did – first with the Clear wireless speaker, and now with the titular Evolve.

X-Mini’s new hybrid headphone isn’t the first of its kind. Mind you, Boomphones had done it a few years ago, and more recently you would probably have seen the successfully crowdfunded Axent Cat Ear Headphones in the news as well.

So while the Evolve isn’t the most original headphone in terms of design or concept, it certainly does make up for it in terms of execution. And at the end of the day, that’s what really counts.

It’s rather simple to operate, and switching between speaker and headphone mode is done via a physical switch. The Evolve can operate in stereo as a speaker, and the separation between instruments is rather good.

Of course, don’t expect too much by way of detail, but it does well enough to prompt you to question whether you actually need to buy another small wireless speaker ever again. The surprising bit is that it’s rather light on the bass, but understandably so due to the limitations of the form factor.

On the flip side, the Evolve is rather bassy in headphone mode. One might say a little heavy handed, but it really depends on the tracks you listen to. Obviously, this is not one for the Jazz purists. Perhaps X-Mini could include a bass boost switch in future? But the Evolve certainly does have its own charm, and it actually is capable of rendering a fair bit of musical detail, even in Bluetooth mode.

While the build quality isn’t the best, it certainly is adequate given the asking price –for USD$99, you’d be surprised by how much fun you can get out of this. Which is what really counts at the end of the day.

RATING ★★★★★

Technical specifications:

by JUSTIN CHOO

A little rough around the edges, but a pretty good effort nonetheless. Perhaps we don’t need mini Bluetooth speakers around any more since this can do the job and more. Utterly enjoyable, and certainly a guilty pleasure of mine.

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USD$99 (Local price TBC) www.x-mini.com

Type On-ear, closed-back dynamic Driver 40mm (Headphone, 16Ω), 40mm (Speaker, 4Ω) Frequency Response 20Hz - 20KHz Sensitivity 112dB/1mW (Internal) Speaker output 3W Weight 284g (Without Cable) Bluetooth CSR v4.1 Playback Time Up to 30 hours (Bluetooth), Up to 6 hours (Speaker)

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The ultimate Mirrorless camera Leica goes mirrorless in a huge way with the full-frame Leica SL.

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by Shawn Chung

eica is a camera brand that’s deeply woven into the very fabric of 20th century history, the creator of tough high-quality cameras favoured by photojournalists who captured many of that century’s iconic photographs. The transition to digital photography saw the brand struggle for a few years before reestablishing itself, and the new Leica SL breaks new ground for the brand, a new mirrorless interchangeable lens camera system centered around a full-frame 24-megapixel CMOS sensor.

In typical Leica fashion the SL is a hefty beast, with all body components precision milled from solid aluminium blocks so that they fit together precisely while seals around the controls and lenses ensures that the camera is dust, moisture and splash resistant. This tough engineering does however make for a rather large and heavy camera - comparable in size and weight to a regular professional DSLR, the standard zoom for this camera, the Leica Vario-ElmaritSL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH is similarly large and heavy, but also wonderfully bright and responsive.

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There’s also a bare minimum of controls, a result of Leica’s intent to keep this camera as user friendly as possible and they’ve created a clean and friendly menu system for the camera’s 3-inch touchscreen.

For physical controls there’s a customisable top mounted dial and a thumb dial, plus a toggle mounted to the right of the electronic viewfinder that lets you very simply set your focus point, making onthe-fly spot focusing an absolute breeze. Bracketing the touchscreen are four controls switches that can also be customised for quick setting changes, such as ISO sensitivity or Exposure Compensation.

Leica cameras are renowned for their image quality, and the SL is no exception. Where it differs from Leica’s other mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras is its sheer speed and accuracy, thanks primarily to a high-performance Leica Maestro II processor derived from the medium format Leica S. With a 2GB buffer, this processor enables the Leica SL to not only capture full-resolution images at shooting speeds of up to 11 frames per second, but to also record 4K video at 30fps.

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RATING ★★★★

While we really liked the speed and exceptional image/video quality of the Leica SL, its weight, size and cost makes it more comparable to a full-frame DSLR than an interchangable mirrorless. But there are many who willingly pay that price for an exceptionally well engineered camera with class leading performance and stunning image quality. $11,000 (body only) www.leica-store.sg

Technical specifications: Dimensions 147 x 104 x 39mm Weight 847g (body) Image sensor 24 megapixel Full-frame CMOS Imaging processor Maestro 2 ISO 50-50,000 Continuous shooting 11fps Memory card 2x SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots Maximum video quality 4K 4096 x 2160@24p LCD 3.0” (approx. 1.4 million dots) Connectivity WiFi

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by Shawn Chung

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Editor’s Choice

The iPad goes Pro

Probably the best tablet now available, Apple’s iPad Pro is also more than just a tablet.

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pend some time with Apple’s iPad Pro and you’ll soon realise that the Pro is much more than an iPad Mini 2 with a bigger screen, it’s actually the first tangible proof from Apple that they are moving towards a convergence of the tablet and PC notebook, and where other manufacturers have approached this convergence by adding tablet functionality to notebooks, Apple is adding notebook functionality to the iPad, and it works.

The Pro itself is indeed quite an impressive tablet, and probably the closest anyone has yet gotten to ‘perfection’ in a tablet device so far. Yes it’s quite large for a tablet, but it’s also slim and well-weighted and easy to carry in the hand, though like every current generation iPad the metal body can make the Pro a bit slippery, so a good protective cover is always a wise investment.

With a frankly brilliant 12.9-inch Retina display, A9x processor and quad stereo speaker system that automatically orientates to add bass to the bottom speakers, the Pro is a consummate device for multimedia consumption, easily handling everything from playing

Fallout Shelter to editing 4K video clips in iMovies and streaming high resolution music. It’s even just the right size for ebook reading, displaying two pages in landscape orientation.

The fact that the Apple Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil are sold as optional accessories is actually a plus point for consumers, because you make the choice if you need these accessories. The Pencil automatically syncs and charges when it’s docked with the iPad Pro’s Lighting port, and the Pro’s Multi-Touch enabled screen has a unique layer of sensors for Pencil use which lets you draw different line thickness or weightage just like a real pencil, by pressing down harder or holding the Pencil at an angle. There’s also almost no latency or lag when sketching. The Smart Keyboard clicks on magnetically to the iPad Pro and presents a full keyboard with excellent tactile response, and though we still prefer using our notebook when writing articles (like this review) we found it perfectly serviceable for typing emails and Twitter updates.

RATING ★★★★

Technical specifications:

Apple’s iPad Pro is a fantastic all-around tablet device that’s made even more productive and/or creative with the addition of the Smart Keyboard or Pencil.

32GB (WiFi) S$1188 128GB (WiFi) S$1448 128GB (WiFi + 4G) S$1648 www.apple.com/sg

Size/Weight 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm/ 713g CPU A9X chip with 64-bit, M9 motion coprocessor Storage Capacity 32GB ROM/3GB RAM. external microSD Cameras 8MP iSight back camera, FaceTime HD front cameras Platform iOS 9.1 Connectivity 2G/3G/4G/LTE/BT4.2/WiFi Display 12.9-inch Retina display Battery 3850mAh

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Two is better than one Fischer Audio hits all the right notes with its dual driver design

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ischer Audio first came to good standing years ago by producing quality headphones and in-ears that are very affordable.

Unfortunately, it’s one of those names that you know or you don’t, and it’s usually the audiophile people who do. The Omega series is one of Fischer Audio’s latest efforts in trying to reach a mainstream audience, and at the tip of the spear is the affordable Omega Twin.

As the name suggests, the Omega Twin is a dual driver, in-ear headphone. It features 7mm and 9mm dynamic drivers, designed for detail and bass respectively; the Omega Twin combines the best of both worlds – or so it’s supposed to be. So how does it fare in the real world?

Sound-wise, the Omega Twin is fairly unconventional and takes some getting used to – the mix of booming bass and fairly tight mids and treble feels slightly dissonant at first, but you should give it a while for your brain to get used to it. Once you do, there’s a case for this rather interesting pairing. Bassheads will probably enjoy this for its airy, yet thumping bass, and it also works well for jazz numbers. On the whole, it is fairly versatile and sound good through smartphones.

While the Omega Twin isn’t conventionally pretty, it’s fairly comfortable to wear and it sports a well-designed, durable TPU cable. It scores points for a full set of accessories, featuring an array of ear tips (three pairs of single flange, one double flange, and one foam) and a hard case.

For just under S$100, the Omega Twin certainly provides plenty of value, and is a great contender if you’re looking for something that is allpurpose, and yet a little adventurous.

RATING ★★★★★

Technical specifications:

S$98 omega.fischeraudio.com.sg

Driver Diameter 7mm & 9mm Frequency 20 Hz - 22KHz Sensitivity 95 dB Impedance 10 ohm Max Output Power 50 mW Cable 1.2m TPU Plug 3.5mm stereo

by JUSTIN CHOO

Dual driver in-ears need not be expensive, and the Fischer Audio Omega Twin is able to deliver its benefits fairly well, and at a price that’s fairly swell.

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Instant Selfies The Instax mini 70 lets you shoot instant selfies

by Shawn Chung

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ujifilm have made a roaring business out of instant film cameras and in the process one-upping bitter rivals Polaroid for a second time. The Instax mini 70 is the company’s newest instant camera, an updated design that comes in cheerful metallic colours of blue, pearl and yellow.

The Instax mini 70 actually comes with several electronic features to automatically sense light levels and adjust shutter speed and flash.

But overall the camera is easy to use with a simple control system that includes three buttons located on the top of the camera, to the left of the little monochrome LCD screen, to access mode, timer and selfie

features. For the latter pressing the selfie button will bring the camera’s focus distance closer, and to take a selfie you simply aim the camera at yourself, compose your shot by using the small selfie mirror located right next to the lens, and press the button. 90 seconds later you’ll have a fully developed selfie print! The mirror is quite a brilliant little hack, as it means you’re looking right at the lens for a perfect selfie shot.

There are a few picture modes to choose from, including marco and landscape, but most users will just use the camera as a simple point-andshoot, aided by the camera’s electronics automatically adjusting the flash metering to ensure that, even in dark conditions, you never waste a photo.

RATING ★★★★

Technical specifications:

Overall the Instax mini 70 is really a very simple and easy camera to use, yet snaps excellent instant print images.

Strangely, instead of using AA batteries Fujifilm have built the Instax mini 70 to use the harder to find CR2 battery, and of course, the Instax mini film cartridges aren’t cheap.

Dimensions/weight 99.2 x 113.7 x 53.2 mm/281g Film Fujifilm Instant Color “instax mini” Lens Retractable f = 60 mm.

Focusing Autofocus with Macro, Normal and Landscape mode.

Flash Built-in automatic electronic flash with Fill-in flash mode

S$199 www.fujifilm.com.sg

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Big, curvy and smart

Samsung’s flagship 4K SUHD JS9500 Curved Smart TV is sure to make a big impression.

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amsung’s current flagship model the 4K SUHD JS9500 Curved Smart TV sure leaves a big impression, literally. The 78-inch model Samsung sent us for this review was in fact already so big that we found ourselves encountering a unique problem during our set-up - we had to find a space in our office big enough for us to view the TV from some distance, because if you stand too close to the screen you’ll see image pixelation, especially if the image is from a Full HD source that’s being upscaled to 4K. With a 4K source it looks a bit better, but in all seriousness you really need to put a bit of distance between yourself and this big telly, a couple of metres at least, to get the full effect of that curvy screen.

And it is quite the effect. The design aesthetics are elegantly modern with a silver bezel and stand, while the back of the TV has an especially uncluttered look with a vertical groove pattern, and just a single cable connects the TV to a One Connect box that handles all the TV’s connectivity. As the flagship model, the SUHD JS9500 is kitted out with all the bells and whistles you’ll ever want in a TV, even 3D is present, a feature that’s being dropped by TV makers. With 4K content (and sitting back) the display is awesome, with really rich blacks and clean whites.

The Tizen OS has matured to a point where there’s no difference in the major and essential apps (ahem… Netflix) you can run on this TV when compared to another Smart TV OS. We even tried content mirroring to a Samsung smartphone with no appreciable lag.

by Shawn Chung

RATING ★★★★

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Absolutely stunning image quality and just jammed packed with every feature you can think off in a modern curved panel TV. But there is such a thing as too big, and it’s also quite pricey.

If you have the cash, and the room at home to enjoy the full effect of this big boy TV, go for it.

S$17,999 (78-inch model) www.samsung.com/sg

Technical specifications: Screen size 78-inch curved LED TV Resolution 4K, 3,840x2,160 pixels Video processing Octa-Core procesor, SUHD Remastering Engine, Precision Black Pro, Peak Illuminator Ultimate Audio Features Dolby Digital Plus, DTS Premium Sound 5.1, HD Audio, 4.2 channel speakers Remote Smart Remote Control Connectivity WiFi Direct, 2x Tuners, 4x HDMI, Ethernet, 3x USB,l audio out, composite, component Operating System Tizen Weight Approx. 51.1 kg (with stand)

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Trendy little mirrorless camera Does Canon’s M10 mirrorless capture photos as well as it looks?

by Shawn Chung

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anon’s latest M-series mirrorless camera, the EOS M10, may be the smallest of the family, but it seems to pack quite a bit of fashion sense, especially when compared to the more businesslike EOS M3. That’s because Canon launched the M10 with a small assortment of ‘jackets’ with trendy patterns for users to buy and attach to their cameras to make a fashion statement.

Without the jacket the M10 is still quite a looker, a sleek design that comes in either white or black with minimum physical controls, A flip up 3-inch touchscreen easily handles camera modes and settings, and there’s even a Creative Assist mode that you can use to adjust Aperture, Exposure and White Balance on the fly and see the results on the screen before you snap a picture.

Just because the EOS M10 is a small camera doesn’t mean it can’t shoot great photographs., and in fact the M10 uses the same 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 6 processor that you’ll find on cameras in Canon’s DSLR range. The camera’s hybrid autofocus can be a little slow, but there’s a high ISO range of 100-12800 for really excellent low-light photography with little noise. Built-in WiFi and NFC enables users to sync the camera to Canon’s Connect app. Two lenses came with our review M10, the EF-M15-45mm and the EF-M55-200m, and we found them to be quite decent and together they cover a versatile focal length range suitable for almost any type of photography.

RATING ★★★★★

Technical specifications:

S$1,099 (EF-M15-45mm & EF-M55-200mm Kit) www.canon.com.sg

Size & weight 108 x 66.6 x 35.0 mm/ 301g Lens EF-M15-45mm & EF-M55-200mm Kit Image sensor 18 megapixel APS-C CMOS Image processor DIGIC 6 ISO 100 - 12,800 LCD 3-inch tilting touchscreen Maximum video quality Full HD (1920 x 1080) Connectivity WiFi, NFC

We were pleasantly surprised at how the M10 not only shot well in Auto mode, but Manual as well, with the touchscreen interface enabling quite easy adjustments. It could use a bigger memory buffer though as it tends to take a while processing RAW images.

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Big Screen Phablet Is a 6.8-inch phablet actually practical?

by Shawn Chung

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he Lenovo Phab Plus is obviously the biggest phablet phone Lenovo has ever released, and the largest phablet you can get on the current market. It’s an interesting device that was created by Lenovo for users who are looking to replace their smartphone and their tablet with one single device.

As a device the Phab Plus is actually quite decent. The build quality is excellent - a monobloc metallic unibody device with rounded edges, kind of like a certain popular smartphone, but significantly enlarged.

Specifications wise the Phab Plus runs Android OS 5.1 on a mid-tier Snapdragon 615 Octa-core processor, and has dual SIM card slots with the secondary SIM slot doubling as a MicroSD card slot. Internal storage is 32GB and there’s a 3,500mAh battery for up to 24 hours of talk time.

The big 6.8-inch Full HD screen is of course the pride and joy of the Phab Plus, and it’s quite excellent with 326ppi pixel density

with impressive blacks and great colours for watching videos and TV shows. Strangely, Lenovo have loaded the Phab Plus with Dolby Virtual Surround sound, then built-in a single speaker at the rear, so to get the Dolby effect you’ll need to wear a pair of headphones.

The sheer size of the Phab Plus makes it quite hard to slip into a regular pants pocket, and it’s actually not very comfortable to hold edgeto-edge with one hand like you’d do with a regular sized smartphone - I usually end up holding the device like I do a book, edgewise in the palm.

Single hand thumb texting is quite difficult, even when you adjust the virtual keyboard to compensate.

What you end up doing with the Phab Plus is to carry and use it more like a tablet than a smartphone, keeping it in a bag and whipping it out when you want to watch a video or mobile game, and keeping your regular sized smartphone in your pocket for texting and voice calls

RATING ★★★★★

Technical specifications:

$499 www.lenovo.com/sg

Size/Weight 186.6 x 96.6 x 7.6 mm/ 229g CPU Octa-core, 4x 1.5GHz + 4 x1.0 GHz. Storage Capacity 32GB ROM, 2 GB RAM. external microSD Back Cameras 13 MP OIS, 1080p video recording Front Cameras 5MP Platform Android 5.1 Connectivity 2G/3G UMTS/4G LTE/BT4.2/WiFi/Dual SIM Display 6.8-inch Full HD touchscreen Battery 3,500mAh

With the Phab Plus Lenovo have come up with a good idea but taken things a little too far with that massive screen, making the Phab Plus not very practical for regular use as a smartphone. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a small affordable tablet for watching videos on the go that just happens to be able to make voice calls and SMS, the Phab Plus will suit you quite well.

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Small in size, Big on Sound This easy-to-setup speaker won’t give you the blues

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n the Bluesound family of speakers, it’s pretty much a toss up between the PULSE 2 and the PULSE MINI where audio quality is concerned.

Making a choice is simple; you choose the PULSE 2 if you want better soundstage, a well-rounded presentation, and more volume. But this is not a review about the PULSE 2, we’re more interested in the PULSE MINI, and for a good reason.

It’s rather small, and delivers a great sound despite its size – large living rooms aren’t a problem at all. It tends to emphasise vocals, more so than the larger and more expensive PULSE 2, and exhibits a rich, full timbre. It’s also able to deliver a fair amount of detail despite the limitations of its size. It may not be the most talented sibling, but it certainly is the most charming one.

But what makes Bluesound speakers tick is the software. What’s

the point of good sound if it’s a pain to deal with every day? Thankfully, setting up the MINI was a rather painless affair, and Bluesound provides easy-to-follow instructions that don’t require convoluted procedures.

The Bluesound app is the center of the music experience, and as it turns out, the iPad has the best layout. The app is intuitive and it’s easy to add more speakers into your wireless network. Additionally, you can group them together, or set them up in a stereo configuration.

The responsiveness of the system is uncanny. Any changes, such as adjusting the volume, is effectively instantaneous, even on multiple speakers; it’s possible to connect 16 players in a pure wireless configuration, depending on the network. You wouldn’t, but it’s nice to know you could.

The Bluesound MINI isn’t cheap at S$799, but given the audio quality and the ease of use, it doesn’t seem overpriced either.

RATING ★★★★

Technical specifications:

by JUSTIN CHOO

Despite of the wealth of network speakers in the market, the Bluesound MINI easily stands out for the quality of its sound, as well as its carefully-thought out feature set and software.

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S$799 www.bluesound.com

Supported File Formats MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG, WMA-L, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF Bit Depth / Sampling Rate / Frequency Response Up to 24-bit 192 kHz, 45Hz - 20kHz Power Output 60W Tri-Amplified, Digital Amplification Operating Systems Microsoft Windows XP, 2000, Vista, 7, 8, Apple Macintosh, iOS, Android Connectivity Gigabit Ethernet RJ45, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, aptX Bluetooth wireless Ports 1 x Type-A port, Toslink/3.5mm audio-in, 3.5mm headphone out Dimensions / Weight 335 x 172 x 155 mm / 3.6 kg

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Not afraid of the dark Sony’s Alpha A7 SII shoots straight in the dark.

by Shawn Chung

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ideographers tend to fear the night because shooting in the dark without a lot of lighting equipment is usually a recipe for underexposed recording. Sony’s revolutionary Alpha A7S II is the first camera tailored for night photography and videography. The Alpha A7S II has optics and a sensor that are so sensitive it can ‘see’ in the dark better than a human eye can.

In terms of physical size and build quality the A7S II is quite handy and compact, with a large foregrip that helps in holding the camera steady and a magnesium alloy weather-sealed body. The control layout is pretty much standard for an Alpha-series camera with the addition of three customisable buttons while the 3-inch display has a limited tilting angle. There is one rather large flaw to the control layout though - the video recording button, which is buried in the right palm rest and rather hard to activate without having to shift your grip.

The awesome night capabilities of the Alpha A7S II stems from a number of features, kicking off with the camera’s 12.2-megapixel full-

frame Exmor CMOS sensor. By reducing the resolution of the sensor Sony increased the size of each individual pixel to make them more sensitive to light, and data transfer rates have been improved between the sensor and the Bionz X processing engine. ISO sensitivity is astounding, as it can be expanded up to 1-409600, and like the Alpha A7 R II the A7S II also incorporates Sony’s newest 5-axis optical image stabilisation system plus a new fast Auto Focus. Oh, and since this is a videocentric camera, it can capture 4K UHD videos natively to onboard memory.

Now you might gripe that the sensor resolution is pretty small for a full frame camera, but unless you regularly print photographs larger than A3 size you actually don’t need anything more. On the other hand, this camera easily produces usable photographs and videos in low light conditions at high ISO settings with low noise, and in light conditions where if you were using a conventional 4K video camera you’d need at least a couple of bright battery powered standing lights.

RATING ★★★★

Technical specifications:

The Sony Alpha A7S II is pretty much the best low light digital camera available, and it’s excellent 4K video recording capabilities makes it a weapon of choice for outdoor videographers.

$4,299 (Body only) www.sony.com.sg

Size & weight 127 x 96 x 60 mm/ 627g Image sensor 12 megapixel Exmor Full Frame CMOS Image processor Bionz X ISO 100 - 409,600 (boosted) LCD 3-inch tilting screen Maximum video quality 4K (3840 x 2160 @ 30p/24p) Connectivity WiFi, NFC

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Shure goes portable Audio house Shure’s portable digital-to-analog converter shines.

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he Shure SHA900 is the company’s latest attempt at offering a portable DAC for a growing number of headphone enthusiasts, and it sure does shine.

In more ways than one, might I add: it’s offered in an ostensibly bright silver. But let me get this out of the way before we proceed. I’m not a fan of the build quality; I think it takes away rather than adds to the premium feel. Now with that out of the way, you’ll be glad to know that everything else is stellar.

Firstly, it’s easy to use. It connects fuss-free to your Android and iOS (you don’t need a Lightning camera connection adapter) devices out of the box. They’ve included a Lightning cable (for iOS), a micro-B USB (for compatible Android phones), and a standard USB (for computers), so you don’t have to hunt for your own.

The SHA900 is primarily a mainstream product and it’s shown in its design decisions: there’s no optical or coaxial input; only an analog

line-in, and it supports up to 24-bit/96kHz decoding. That’s because it was designed primarily for smartphone users, and it even feels like your battery pack that you tuck under your phone while charging.

The menu is fairly easily to navigate via a clickable volume dial and the power button, and offers you the ability to save your own presets. Shure has kept it simple, which is a great plus for those new to portable DACs. But of course, the highlight of the SHA900 is its stellar sound. It’s rich and slightly so bassy, and is rather pleasing to the ear. It adds a fair bit of soundstage width, and on the whole, the presentation is excellent. Shure has chosen to make it enjoyable and not too analytical. It works equally well with low impedance in-ears and demanding headphones.

The price is daunting, no question about it. But there are not many portable DACs that are as intuitive and enjoyable as the SHA900 is.

RATING ★★★★★

Technical specifications:

by JUSTIN CHOO

You can nitpick about a great many things, but Shure has delivered a user-friendly portable DAC with a sound that’s remarkably friendly to the ear. The price isn’t too friendly, but that becomes less of a bugbear once you listen to it.

S$1,449 www.shureasia.com

Bit Depth / Sampling Rate Up to 24-bit 96kHz Frequency Response 10 Hz to 50 kHz Signal-to-Noise Ratio Up to 107 dB A-weighted Adjustable Gain Range -60 dB to +17 dB THD+N 0.05% (1 kHz) Output Power Up to 135 mW +135 mW (16 Ω, 1% THD), Up to 95 mW +95 mW (42 Ω, 1% THD) Headphone Impedance Range 6 Ω to 600 Ω Input/Output USB Micro-B Receptacle, 3.5 mm (1/8”) line in / 3.5mm jack Dimensions / Weight 111 × 59 × 21 mm / 182 g Battery Life Analog in (BYPASS EQ mode): up to 20 hours, USB Input (EQ mode): up to 10 hours

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What’s the right type of bicycle for you?

There’s a saying in cycling that “your first bicycle is always the wrong bicycle.” WIth cycling increasingly popular as a sport and a form of transport in Singapore, we asked our Guru to pull on his tight lycra bike shorts and give us tips on how to choose the right bike for you.

by shawn chung

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ith the recent transport announcements including an increase in the connectivity of cycling path networks, Singapore is getting more bicycle friendly. Cycling is in fact gaining popularity amongst Singaporeans - it’s now the eighth most common sports activity in Singapore, and every year the number of participants at the OCBC Cycle mass cycling event continues to grow.

Most of us actually live within 15 kilometres of our workplace, a distance you can easily cycle in under an hour just by sticking to the cycling paths, and more recently built office buildings now incorporate bicycle parking areas as well as shower and changing facilities. All this makes cycle commuting increasingly attractive to Singaporeans, especially as you don’t have to pay for bus fares or ERP! Now if what I’ve written here has inspired you to check out your local bike shop for a sweet deal, but don’t know the difference between a mountain bike and a foldie, read the rest of this quick guide to help you make a more informed purchase.

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The Urban Bike Price range S$200 to S$2000 Frame materials Steel, Aluminium Speed range 15 - 25 kmh Average distance per ride 5km to 20km Best for Bike paths, sometimes roads Pros Comfortable upright position, easy maintenance Cons Heavy frames Get it for Leisure cycling, easy commuting, marketing trips Also known as City bikes, commuter bikes Reputable brands Almost all big bike brands have urban bike models.

expensive bicycles are made from better components and materials. This is something that you need to keep in mind - cheap and cheerful bicycles usually means heavy, fragile, rusty and sometimes uncomfortable bicycles to ride. So if you have a bit of a budget and intend to use your bicycle frequently, at least a couple of times a week, then go for a known bike brand with decent design, components and a one-year warranty, and make sure the bicycle is properly sized to your physical requirements.

These usually cost $500 and upwards.

Polygon Sierra Lite 24 Polygon is an Indonesian bicycle brand that has been designing and building bicycles in Indonesia for over 25 years now, and over the last few years they’ve made a huge step forward in design and build quality. Because of lower labour costs, Polygon bikes are actually very affordable and quite decently outfitted for their price, with the Sierra Lite 24 a prime example. This is a no frills urban bicycle with a seven-speed gearset and is pretty much bomb-proof for everyday riding, but it’s also quite heavy. $350 www.rodalink.com.sg

Monofold Neo Carry Bag

Camelbak Podium Ice

Garmin Varia Radar

Monofold’s Neo is a very versatile lightweight PVC-coated polyester bag that you can compact down to a tote bag, then unfold into a backpack when you need to carry your 15-inch laptop.

Each compartment is weather proofed and there’s enough capacity to carry notebooks, tablets, mobiles and headphones, plus you can detach the straps and convert it into a cross bag.

S$199 www.thebagcreature.com

The preferred water bottle for many cyclists in Singapore, the Podium Ice has an insulating inner layer to keep your drinks cold for at least a few hours. The locking top and diaphragm system also ensures that none of your precious drink is accidently spilt unless you take a pull from the bottle.

S$23.20 www.hockgiftshop.com

A very useful device for cyclists who have poor situational awareness, the Varia is a rearward radar and light unit that will warn you when a faster vehicle or cyclist is approaching from behind. The lights rear lights will also start flashing with brighter intensity to warn the driver that he’s approaching a cyclist.

S$399 www.garmin.com.sg

These are the ‘Aunty’ or ‘Market’ bikes you see many people ride, and the frame design was invented to enable skirt wearing ladies to cycle.

Excellent for leisure rides, commuting on bike paths and short marketing trips, these bikes aren’t meant to go for long distance as the upright riding position isn’t very ergonomic or efficient for long rides.

Buying a urban bike Urban bicycles can be bought in hypermarkets to specialist bike shops, with the more

Accessories

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Folding Bikes Price range S$500 to $4,000 Frame materials Steel, Aluminium, Titanium Speed Range 10 - 25 kmh Average distances per ride 5km to 30km Best for Bike paths, sometimes roads Pros Folds for storage, can take on MRT Cons Many folding bikes feel ‘wobbly’ to ride because of over-tolerance in the locking mechanisms Get it for Leisure riding, bike path commuting, storing in a car boot or taking on an MRT Reputable brands Tern, Dahon, Bike Friday, Brompton, Montague

Buying a folding bicycle Folding bikes come in all shapes and prices, from cheap hypermart bikes to high-end brands that can rival road bikes for speed.

When choosing a folding bike you definitely need to take it for a test ride to check if the locking system is tight - too much play and you’ll find that the bicycle ‘wobbles,’ especially those that have a folding front wheel stem or mid-frame fold, and try folding/unfolding the bike a couple of times to see if it’s easy or too complicated for you.

Brompton Special Edition Black The gold standard in folding bicycles, Brompton bikes (affectionately called ‘Brommies’) are made in London and have an excellent folding system that sets the bike onto castors, so you can then push it around like wheeled luggage.

Brommies can be considered the VW Beetle of the cycling world - an iconic trendy design has been around for decades, is fun and easy to ride and there’s plenty of ways to personalise a Brompton to make them unique.

S$2850 www.mightyvelo.com

Gravis Maneuver Tote Bag

Nutcase Helmet

Cycliq Fly12

A simple tote bag with multiple compartments for you to organise your gear, and there’s even a pocket that will secure a 13-inch laptop. Comes in a range of attract colours and graphics.

S$54 www.thebagcreature.com

Many people claim they don’t like wearing bicycle helmets because they are uncomfortable, hot and un-stylish, even though falling off a bike can incur head injuries and at the very least an overnight stay in hospital for observation. The Nutcase helmet was created in response to this with a wide variety of styles there should be one for everyone, and it’s very comfortable to wear. from S$80 ms.nutcase.com

The Cycliq Fly12 is a front mounted light/video camera combination to record your rides, and has a 400 lumen light next to a 1080p camera. In pure camera mode it’ll record for 10 hours, and can even be synced to a smartphone and set to act as a bicycle alarm!

S$499 www.cycliq.com

Folding bicycles have the advantage of being able to be folded into a more compact form factor for easy storage and transport in a car’s boot, and many models can be wheeled onto an MRT train, so they are quite good first/last mile transport solutions and you can store your folding bike under your office desk. There are a multitude of different folding designs, some good, many bad.

Accessories

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G U R U

Mountain Bikes Price range S$500 to $17,000 Frame materials Aluminium, Carbon Fibre Speed Range 10 - 30 kmh Average distances per ride 10-40km Best for Trials & bike paths. Sometimes roads.

Pros Tough, rugged and meant for off-road fun Cons Hard to sustain fast speeds on road Get it for Trail riding, park connector riding.

Reputable brands Every major bike brand has offroad bikes Variants XC (Cross Country) Full Suspension, Hardtail, Downhill, Dirt Jump

Buying a Mountain Bike There are so many MTB models out there that you should adopt the same advice I gave for buying urban bikes - go for a big bike brand and get an XC hardtail aluminium bicycle in the $600 range. This is more than adequate for cycling on the park connector and basic trail riding in Singapore. It’s only when you get into a specialised activity like downhill racing that you should get the more specialised, and expensive, subtypes.

Giant Reign 2 Taiwanese Giant is the biggest bicycle maker in the world, and as such not only has state of the art manufacturing facilities but also has a large R&D budget. The Reign 2 utilises hydroforming to shape its aluminium frame, has Rockshox front and rear suspension, Shimano Deore groupset and large 27.5-inch off-road wheels to ride over anything it encounters on a trial. $3349 www.tayjunction.com.sg

Fox Launch Shin Guard

Bell Super 2R MIPS

Leyzne Stainless 20 Multi tool

These extended shin guards will protect your shins and knees from scrapes as well as pebbles flicked up by your bike’s front wheel.

S$100 www.foxhead.com

Bell is better known for making motorcycle helmets, but their bike helmets are pretty cool as well. The Super 2R MIPS has a detachable chin guard so pulls double duty as an open face helmet for everyday cycling and a full-face helmet for off-roading.

S$339 www.inlinex.com.sg

Nothing sucks more than being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a mechanical breakdown and no means to repair it. Leyzne makes a number of multi tools but the Stainless 20 not only has a wide range of allen key sizes, screwdrivers, torx head, spoke wrenches and a tire lever, there’s also a bottle opener for when you need a cold beer. $51.90 www.thebikesettlement.com

Mountain Bikes (MTB) is a general classification for a range of off-road bicycles with specialised types for specific activities - such as Downhill racing and Dirt Jumping, but Singaporeans also tend to buy basic XC (cross country) MTBs and just use them on cycling paths as with their wide tires and upright positions they are quite easy to ride. For more adventurous sorts MTBs open a whole new world of off-road riding, and Singapore actually has a number of excellent MTB trails in Pulau Ubin, Bukit Timah Hill and Kent Ridge.

Accessories

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G U R U

Road Bikes Price range S$600 to $25,000 Frame materials Steel, Aluminium, Titanium, Carbon Fibre Speed Range 25-45 kmh Average distances per ride 30 km to 120 km Best for Roads, sometimes bike paths Pros Fast, power efficient, Long distance cycling Cons Inconsiderate fellow road users Get it for Riding on the road, long distance cycling, sprinting Reputable brands Every major bike brand has road bikes Variants Aero bikes, Endurance bikes, Racing bikes

Buying a road bike When buying a road bike it is very important that the bike is of the correct size for you, as you may want to spend at least a couple of hours a week cycling, and an ill-fitting road bike can lead to injury to the back, shoulders and knees. All road bike brands usually have entry level models that are around S$1,000 for an aluminium frame bike and S$1,500 for a carbon fibre frame bike, and as you get more experienced and road bike savvy you can then either upgrade by replace wheels and components with better performing parts, or else level up to a more expensive bicycle model.

Boardman AIR 9.8 Signature Boardman’s new AIR 9.8 Signature is one of the fastest bikes you can get straight out of the box.

Featuring an ultra-high modulus carbon fibre aero frame, the AIR 9.8 Signature is decked out with ENVE carbon components and carbon aero wheels, has an aerodynamic front fork with integrated brakes and uses Shimano’s classleading Dura Ace Di2 electronic gear shifting and drivetrain.

S$14,000 www.integratedriding.com

Mavic R-Sys SLR

Garmin Edge 520

Strava

Mavic’s R-Sys SLR lightweight aluminium rims are renowned for being tough and stiff, making these wheels the perfect choice for long endurance rides on rough roads and for climbing steep gradients.

S$2,600 (set) www.mavic.sg

Garmin’s latest Edge 520 bike computer not only provides GPS tracking, speed, heart rate and cadence data, but it’ll also sync with your smartphone for live tracking updates and alerts.

S$429 www.garmin.com.sg

Strava is a great app to upload and track all your outdoor activities so you can plan your workouts.. There’s also a social media component and challenges to complete, like the Mt. Everest Challenge where Singaporean roadcyclists try to complete 111 loops of Mt. Faber in a week! www.strava.com

As the name implies, road bikes are meant for riding on the roads. This is primarily due to the fact that they sustain high speeds compared to other bicycles, usually around 30kmh average, and is why road cyclists prefer the open road to narrow and cramp bike paths - hitting a tree branch at that speed isn’t fun. The culture of road cycling is also about maximising their efforts - and why the semi-serious roadie tends towards lighter or more aerodynamic components, which are of course more expensive.

Accessories

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C O N T E S T

Win Veho 360° Z8 Designer Aluminium Headphones

F

ully compatible with all devices such as MP3 players, iPhone, iPad, laptops and smartphones, the Veho 360° Z8 Designer

Aluminium Headphones feature built-in noise isolating technology, soft leather ear pads and a contemporary aluminium look, designed to stand out from the others.

The Z8’s 40mm noise isolating technology will decrease the surrounding noise pollution to allow users to enjoy and listen to music the way they want.

The super soft leather ear pads are designed for comfort and the adjustable headband makes these headphones ideal for any head size. Sleek and stylish, the Z8 can be folded for storage into a protective carry case, and has a detachable 130cm flex flat ‘anti’ tangle cable.

Thanks to Veho Singapore, NXT Magazine has three Veho 360° Z8 Designer Aluminium Headphones, each worth S$119, to give away.

Just answer the following question, then email info.nxt@kingsmanmedia.com with the subject header “NXT Veho Z8 contest”.

To decrease surrounding noise pollution, the Veho Z8 has built-in 40mm noise isolating technology so that users can listen to their music.

TRUE or FALSE? For verification purposes please provide your: 1. Name 2. NRIC number 3. Email 4. Telephone number

148

Contest terms and conditions

1. This contest will run from 15/02/2016 to 15/03/2016 and is by

4. The winning contestants must be a Singaporean citizen or

current resident. Submissions from outside Singapore will not

2. All details submitted must be true and accurate. Personal

be accepted. Employees of BOIA Pte Ltd and Kingsman Media are

disqualified from entering this contest.

email only. information of all contestants will be kept private and

verification during prize collection.

confidential.

5. The winning contestants will be announced in a forthcoming

3. Three winners will be selected randomly, and the selection will be

final and binding. Each winner will receive one Veho 360° Z8

6. Kingsman Media reserves the rights to modify the terms and

Designer Aluminium Headphones and will be notified via email and

telephone call. Winners are required to bring their NRIC for

issue of NXT magazine. conditions of this contest.

P R I M E

by JUSTIN CHOO

The Hottest Gadgets, Gear and Tech!

150 SMARTPHONES 151 PHABLETS 152 TABLETS 153 notebooks 154 Televisions 155 media streamers 156 home audio systems 157 headphones 158 earphones 159 smartwatches 160 wearables 161 dslrs 162 mirrorless cameras 163

compact cameras

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P R I M E

Smartphones Apple iPhone 6s Apple’s ‘S’ update of the iPhone 6 adds lots of cool new features, including enhanced 3D Touch, a tougher aluminium body and faster processor, making the new iPhone the new king of smartphones.

★★★★

www.apple.com/sg

1

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Why would you buy the Galaxy S6 when the S6 Edge has all the same features plus a sexy curved screen? Packs a rocking camera and brilliant touchscreen in a glass covered body.

★★★★

2

www.samsung.com.sg

Sony Xperia Z5 Sony hasn’t really changed the Xperia design much, but on the inside the Z5 is a totally new beast, with that awesome 23-megapixel camera, Hi-Res audio playback and a cleverly placed fingerprint sensor on the power button.

★★★★

3

www.sony.com.sg

Samsung Galaxy S6 Why would you buy the Galaxy S6 Edge when you’re just paying more for an S6 with ostentatious trim? Packs a rocking camera and brilliant touchscreen, as well as a perfect juxtaposition of glass and aluminium.

★★★★

4

www.samsung.com.sg

HTC One A9 A pretty decent mid-tier smartphone created more for stylish ‘iPhone-like’ looks then power and performance. Battery could have been bigger.

★★★★★

5

www.htc.com/sea

Accessories

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UE Boom 2

Olloclip for iPhone 6s/6s Plus

Pump out the music, rain or shine. This waterproof, dustproof, shockproof speaker takes care of itself so that you can concentrate on enjoying yourself. www.ultimateears.com/en-sg

A smartphone camera is an essential tool for almost everyone. Expand its usability with Olloclip’s clip on lenses to give you an even wider range of shots possible. olloclip.com

P R I M E

Phablets Apple iPhone 6s Plus Apple’s popular phablet, now enhanced with 3D Touch, a potentially game changing way of interacting with your phone. Oh yes, there’s the usual plethora of hardware upgrades as well. King of the phablets, but only just because of 3D Touch.

★★★★

1

www.apple.com/sg

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Samsung’s fifth attempt at the phablet has brought it close to perfection, attaining a large screen size in the smallest body possible while the stylus is refined beyond belief. Also sports excellent video stabilisation that has to be seen to be believed.

2

★★★★

www.samsung.com.sg

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium Sony hasn’t really changed the Xperia design much, but on the inside the Z5 is a totally new beast, with that awesome 23-megapixel camera, Hi-Res audio playback and a 5.5-inch screen with 4K resolution, the first ever on a mobile!

★★★★

3

www.samsung.com.sg

Huwaei Mate S HTC’s first foray into the premium phone segment is quietly impressive, with great build quality and quite a tasteful design. Where it lacks is in the technical specifications when compared to other flagship phablets.

★★★★

4

www.huawei.com/sg

Xiaomi Mi Note Xiaomi’s Mi Note is a slick phablet for an affordable price : a colourful screen, long battery life and a 13-megapixel Sony camera packed into a slim glass encased body, which unfortunately is very slippery and a fingerprint magnet.

★★★★★

5

www.mi.com/sg

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16,000mAh

i&Plus Bunker Ring

Phablet draining batteries quickly? Equip yourself with the affordable 16,000mAh power bank from Xiaomi and wave your battery woes goodbye. www.mi.com/sg

Phablets may be more than a handful sometimes, but you can now use the Bunker Ring for added security. Also doubles up as a kickstand. www.bunkerring.com

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Tablets Apple iPad Pro What Jobs hated, this has. 12.9 inches? Check. Stylus? Check. But times change, and people change. The Pro was designed for a specific purpose, with its Pencil stylus and Smart Keyboard, so it may not be for everyone.

★★★★

www.apple.com/sg

1

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Microsoft’s best attempt at bridging the world between tablet and laptop. The Surface Pro 3 is a true laptop killer, and suffers no identity crisis in switching between both laptop and tablet modes. Everything at once, indeed.

★★★★

2

www.microsoft.com/surface

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Slim and powerful are the two buzzwords to think about when it comes to the Xperia Z4. Top of the line hardware is matched by an excellent display and the overall package is waterproof and dust-proof to boot.

★★★★

3

www.sony.com.sg

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 The world’s thinnest tablet has a great display resized for reading digital content and gets Samsung’s latest touch-enabled Fingerprint Scanner off the Galaxy S5. Sadly super-thin in this case also means a below-average battery life.

★★★★★

4

www.samsung.com.sg

Dell Venue 8 7000 Dell’s Venue 8 7000 is a bit of a quirk. On the one hand its well built and has a great battery life and excellent screen. It also features Intel’s RealSense camera.

★★★★★

5

www.dell.com.sg

Accessories

152

invite.L iPad Pouch

Logitech Keys-to-Go

Tablet cases may protect your device but they aren’t exactly comfortable. Use the stylish invite.L Pouch to protect your tablet at its most vulnerable – whilst traveling. www.iluvo.com.sg

Much like the Microsoft Surface keyboard, Logitech’s Keys-to-Go is extremely slim and portable. Plus it’s splash proof (and worry-free) as well. www.logitech.com/en-sg

P R I M E

Notebooks Dell XPS 13 The XPS 13 was always set up to chase the Macbook and it might just have done the job. Good design, excellent display, good performance paired with decent battery life and portability, and priced reasonably? Sign us up.

★★★★

www.dell.com/sg

1

Apple Macbook Pro Still the benchmark for laptops, the current Macbook Pro strikes a good balance between form factor, battery life, and performance power. It’s never a contender in the value buy department, but owners of a Macbook Pro never suffer buyers’ remorse, either.

2

★★★★

www.apple.com/sg

Lenovo Ideapad Y700 Though it lacks a display and graphics processor for UHD games, Lenovo’s Ideapad Y700 is a pretty reasonable gaming notebook for beginner and amatuer gamers for on-the-go gaming.

★★★★

3

www.lenovo.com.sg

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Business friendly ultrabook with a nifty carbon-fibre reinforced plastic lid to keep weight to a minimum. Has a great display let down by an anti-glare coating that doesn’t seem to work. Battery life is also average.

★★★★★

4

www.lenovo.com.sg

Razer Blade The world’s slimmest gaming notebook isn’t exactly cheap but for your money you get a well specced notebook with fast GPU and CPU and a brilliant QHD+ screen. But for serious gaming on-the-go, you’re only gonna get a few hours of battery life.

★★★★★

5

www.razerzone.com/sg

Prolink PUH 303 USB 3.0 4- Port Smart Power Charge & Sync Super Speed Hub 5GPS This smart little hub has an integrated processor to sense what device is plugged into it and adjust the optimal charging load automatically while syncing all your devices. www.prolink2U.com

Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition Sleek, elegant, and bendable. Easy to stow away and yet able to arch itself into a comfortable shape for your hands, the Arc Touch Mouse is a great portable solution. www.microsoft.com/surface/en-sg 153

P R I M E

Televisions LG 55EG960T Once you go OLED black, you never go back is what they say these days. LG’s EG960T is a curved OLED TV that’s priced within reason – it’s still cheaper than a Leica mind you – and offers the benefit of the best screen black tech since plasma. Did we mention that it’s remarkably stylish as well?

★★★★

1

www.lg.com/sg

Sony KD-55X9000C Sony goes quite the distance for the ultimate 4K TV experience – well not quite, this model is still priced within reason. Measures 4.9mm at its thinnest, and has a tiny bezel as well. Coupled with its tried and tested Triluminos tech, this is a visual treat in more ways than one.

2

★★★★

www.sony.com.sg

Samsung UE65JS9500 Samsung’s curved Series 9 is a 4K wonder with a Nano Crystal Display for outstanding colours. This expensive TV is packed with everything you need for a life in 4K UHD, from HDR compatibility to Smart apps and software upgradability.

★★★★

3

www.samsung.com.sg

Sony Bravia X80C Not the best performing screen in Sony’s current TV lineup, but this Android OS powered TV is pretty affordable and will still provide a decent 4K TV experience.

★★★★

4

www.sony.com.sg

Samsung UA55JU7500 The Series 7 is Samsung’s affordable 4K curved panel offering and lacks Samsung’s latest and greatest panel technology, but it’s still a very decent display with great blacks and good colour.

★★★★★

5

www.samsung.com.sg

Accessories

154

Philips HTL2153B/12

Samsung 3D Smart Blu-Ray Player

Sometimes you just want a cheap, fuss-free solution for your crappy TV speakers. This soundbar from Philips is a reasonable upgrade for more than reasonable money. www.philips.com.sg

Samsung’s latest Blu-Ray Player has UHD upscaling and with multicode support it’ll play practically any media file from an external drive. www.samsung.com.sg

P R I M E

Media Streamers Viewqwest 4K Viewqwest’s latest set top box makes it brilliantly simple to access their Freedom VPN service from any ISP, so you can enjoy Hulu and Netflix with no worries.

★★★★

www.viewqwest.com

1

AC Ryan Veolo 4K Get the most of out your 4K TV with AC Ryan’s 4K Streaming Media Player. As it runs on Android, it does more than just video – ‘upsize’ your Android gaming too!

★★★★

www.acryan.com

Apple TV The latest Apple TV comes with a snazzy new controller with a touchpad and a mic so you can say “Siri, rewind 15 seconds”. Sadly iTunes Movie content is still limited to 1080p.

★★★★

2 3

www.apple.com/sg

Google Chromecast Just plug Chromecast directly to your TV’s HDMI port, and use your mobile device to access entertainment and apps. However, it’s restricted to 1080p video at the moment.

★★★★★

4

info.singtel.com/personal/chromecast

Starhub TV on Fibre Starhub collaborated with Samsung for this IPTV box, so you no longer need a cable connection to access Starhub TV’s 200 HD channels.

★★★★★

5

www.starhub.com

Asus RT-AC3200

Western Digital My Cloud EX2

Not intending to take any chances with network speed? The RT-AC3200 is a tri-band behemoth designed to cope with homes where everyone’s fighting for a piece of bandwidth. www.asus.com/sg

An easy-to-use, Network Attached Storage to keep your media files ready for viewing and listening over your home network. www.wdc.com

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P R I M E

Home Audio Systems Bluesound Pulse For audiophiles, only lossless or high-res music will do, and Bluesound is one of precious few who can deliver a robust home network streaming system and sound immaculate at the same time – and at a price that’s not audiophile-level crazy (audiophiles will get the joke).

★★★★

1

www.bluesound.com

Sonos Playbar The Sonos Playbar is a must have for users who have bought into the Sonos ecosystem. A soundbar for your television, it will declutter your living room and do away with plenty of messy speaker cables. And oh it looks great too...

★★★★

2

www.sonos.com

LG Music Flow HS6 An alternative to Sonos, LG’s Music Flow HS6 is a credible rival that pretty much does the same thing; but it also has a leg up on its rival – it supports high resolution music playback to boot.

★★★★

3

www.lg.com/sg

Philips Fidelio B5 The novel Fidelio B5 is a soundbar with detachable satellite speakers that transforms it into a 4.1 speaker system for up to 10 hours of play between recharging, and you can even take the speakers into another room.

★★★★

4

www.philips.com.sg

Harman/Kardon Sabre SB35 The Sabre SB35 is a gorgeously designed slim soundbar with a surprisingly powerful wireless subwoofer. It’s a decent audio performer until you pump up the volume, as that thin frame creates noticeable audio distortion.

★★★★★

5

www.harmankardon.com

Accessories

156

Atacama Moseco 6

Focal Universal Wireless Receiver

Speaker stands that sound as good as they look – the excellent build quality helps to sonically complement the sound of your speakers as well. www.atacama-audio.co.uk

Wired setups are unequivocally better, but sometimes practicality will prevail. This universal wireless receiver will minimise wire clutter while maintaining audio enjoyment. www.ongradio.com

P R I M E

Headphones Sennheiser HD 630BV Sennheiser’s first foray into closed back design for outdoor and mobile use is simply awesome, with a surprisingly wide soundstage and fairly good details.

★★★★

eg-sg.sehhneiser.com

1

Sennheiser Momentum 2 Sennheiser went mainstream through the first Momentum with resounding success, and Momentum 2 is an evolution, incorporating a folding design as well as fine tuning its sound. While the Oppo above is about accuracy, the Momentum 2 is about fun.

2

★★★★

www.sennheiser.com

Sony MDR-1A Sony’s MDR-1A looks as Sony product should; forward thinking, very Japanese electronics-esque. It also sounds Sony-ish: great audio performance but on Sony’s terms; a punchy sound that’s decidedly modern. Very comfortable to wear too.

★★★★

3

www.sony.com.sg

Bose QuietComfort QC25 Still the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market, the QC25 folds into a small carrying case but has big comfortable cans that you can wear for hours and great noise cancelling technology.

★★★★

4

www.atlas-sv.com

Audio-Techinca ATH-M50x The ATH-M50x delivers a very balanced sound experience with accurate bass.

Well built and comfortable to wear, these headphones should be on the list of every beginner audiophile.

★★★★

5

sea.audio-technica.com

Sieveking Omega Headphone Stand

Oppo HA-2

Classiness comes at a price, but it’s one many will be willing to pay.

Beautifully laminated, bent, and finished, these headphone stands simply scream good taste. decibel.sg

Portable headphone amps generally look clumsy, period. But the Oppo HA-2 won’t look out of place next to your smartly-dressed phone. www.oppodigital.com

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Earphones Sennheiser IE800 There are many in-ears that ultimately will best the IE800, but they are mostly audiophile-centric gear. The IE800 was designed for the ‘mass market’ (albeit not mass market price) and precious few have come close to balancing style and substance with such aplomb.

★★★★

1

www.sennheiser.com

RHA T10i RHA’s reputation for punching above its weight with its offerings is apparent here again in its T10i. In addition to stylish looks and excellent build, the T10i is also customisable and features a generous amounts of earbud tips and comes with changeable tuning filters too.

2

★★★★

www.rha-audio.com

Jaybird X2 Wireless The undisputed king of bluetooth earbuds. Ease of use coupled with good ergonomics and decent sound quality ensured that the BlueBuds X will remain a cult favourite for those who need wireless in-ears.

★★★★

3

www.jaybirdsport.com

Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear Sennheiser’s Momentum In-Ear is a well rounded performer that sounds as good as they look, with a sophisticated sporty design, flat cables and tuned drivers that delivers a warm and large sound with great bass.

★★★★

4

www.sennheiser.com

Bose QuietComfort 20i Boasting Bose’s TriPort audio technology and a number of different silicon ear tips to sit comfortably in your ear, the iOS compatible QuietComfort 20i offers an excellent sound quality and noise-cancelling, for a pretty steep price.

★★★★

5

www.atlas-sv.com

Accessories

158

Comply Foam Tips

Dotz Earbud Case

We all know that a good fit will always give you a better sound. And Comply replacement foam tips designed to sit comfortably in your ear canal and get the best out of your in-ears. www.complyfoam.com

It might be easy to simply toss your earphones into the bag, but think about the tangles and god forbid, stripped wires that may result. And earbud case will keep your precious buds safe and organised. cordotz.com

P R I M E

SmartWatches Samsung Gear S2 Classic The Gear S2 is without a doubt an excellent smartwatch with a novel bezel control as well as a touchscreen and has three days of battery life. The snazzy Classic version is also compatible with NATO straps.

★★★★

www.samsung.com/sg

1

Pebble Time Now updated with a slimmer profile and a simpler-to-comprehend interface, the Pebble Time also has a smart accessory port built into the watch for upcoming plug-in sensors and electronics.

★★★★

2

www.pebble.sg

Apple Watch Lusciously available in a host of colours and materials, the Apple Watch is the choice of stylistas everywhere, but there’s also plenty of Watch apps and a Friends feature to stay connected to your buddies.

★★★★

3

www.apple.com/sg

Huawei Watch Huawei’s smartwatch is Android Wear in stainless steel, sapphire glass and leather, the classic watchmaking materials. It’s available in six models including a lovely real rose gold plated.

★★★★★

4

www.huawei.com/sg

Asus ZenWatch 2 A smartwatch for the masses, the sleek ZenWatch 2 is available two stainless steel case sizes, 1.63 inches or 1.43 inches, and a number of straps that you can interchange to personalise your device.

★★★★★

5

www.asus.com/sg

Nomad Charging Stand for Apple Watch

wiWare wiTraveler

A stylish watch deserves a stylish stand from which to charge it from.

The Nomad’s minimalist design is perfectly in sync with the Apple Watch’s clean lines. www.hellonomad.com

A portable all-in-one charger with built-in battery, so you can charge your watch on the move. Great for travel as well. www.wi-ware.com

159

P R I M E

Wearables Misfit Speedo Shine The versatile coin-like Misfit Shine can be worn in a multitude of ways, from pendant to ankle strap. It’s also waterproof, and with the Speedo Shine gets a more accurate lap counter for swimming.

★★★★

www.misfit.com

1

Sony Smart B-Trainer It’s a waterproof wireless music player with 16GB storage, syncs to your mobile for calls, and comes with B-Trainer that will track and map your workouts and even auto-select music to match your heart rate!

★★★★

2

www.sony.com/sg

Fitbit Charge With up to 10 days of battery life, the Charge will monitor your activities as you work, play and sleep. The comfortable band design and bright display makes this quite easy to wear.

★★★★

3

www.fitbit.com/sg

Jawbone Up3 Stylishly designed 24/7 activity tracker with a range of bio-sensors including passive heart rate monitoring, skin temperature and respiration tracking. Perfect for keeping a close watch of your health.

★★★★★

4

jawbone.com

Zepp Golf Get professional insight into your game by wearing a Zepp Golf sensor on your glove. It’ll not only record every aspect of your swing from angle to speed, but it’ll allow you to compare your swing to pro golfers’ as well!

★★★★★

5

www.zepp.com

Accessories

160

Tory Burch for Fitbit Flex

Ribbon Wristband for Misfit

Turn your fitness trackers into true fashion accessories. Tory Burch’s accessories range from sassy silicone printed affairs to stylish pendants and bracelets. www.toryburch.com

Designed for the Misfit Shine, Flash, and Link, these simple but stylish nylon wristbands make wearables easier to pair with your wardrobe. griffintechnology.com

P R I M E

DSLRs Canon 5DSR Totally unnecessary if you’re not a pro, totally necessary if you are a die-hard pixel peeper. The 5DSR offers a whopping 50.6 megapixels, closing the gap between medium format cameras and DSLRs – the upside though, is that you don’t need to buy another set of lenses...

★★★★

1

www.canon.com.sg

Nikon D810 While still on the subject of pixel peepers, Nikon’s D800 used to hold that crown, but now the D810 has comfortably settled on evolving and tying up loose ends.

The result is a much more polished camera that’s also capable of considerable levels of detail as well.

2

★★★★

www.nikon.com.sg

Nikon D7200 Sitting on the top of Nikon’s DX-format camera family, the 24 megapixel D7200 is an excellent camera for DSLR enthusiasts. Autofocusing is fast and the buffer has been improved for continious shooting, but it’s at night where this camera really shines.

3

★★★★

www.nikon.com.sg

Canon 750D Canon 750D is one of the most solid cameras you can buy. A good 24.2 megapixel sensor produces clean images, while a nineteen point autofocus system helps you nail more shots than not. Warning: you can’t blame the camera for bad shots now.

4

★★★★

www.canon.com.sg

Nikon D3300 An affordable entry-level DSLR for beginners, the D3300 has simple controls and decent image and video performance. Perhaps it’s a bit too beginner focused, because turning off Auto ISO requires a trip through the menu.

★★★★★

5

www.nikon.com.sg

LensPen Professional

SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II

One of the most useful tools a photographer can have, this cleaner has a brush to remove dust, and a non-liquid based cleaner to remove grime. www.lenspen.com

To maximise the performance of your UHS-II capable cameras, only the fastest cards will do. The SanDisk Extreme Pro will bring out your camera’s potential. www.sandisk.sg 161

P R I M E

Mirrorless Cameras FujiFilm X-T10 FujiFilm has been leading the charge for the mirrorless field with its excellent X-series cameras, and the X-T10 is a relatively affordable number that shares most of the best features on its flagship X-T1. If lack of weatherproofing, and a ISO dial isn’t a deal breaker, you have yourself a deal.

★★★★

1

www.fujifilm.com.sg

Olympus EM10 II The EM10 II epitomes the first advanced mirrorless that you will own. Chock full of features, including Olympus’ excellent five-axis image stabilisation, the EM10 II has most features an enthusiast would want, short of weatherproofing. It lacks 4K video, however.

2

★★★★

www.olympus.com.sg

Sony A7R II The Sony A7R II has been making waves in the industry and no wonder; it’s a technical achievement – serious 4K video and serious 42-megapixel camera in one compact package, with great performance all-round that will definitely have the DSLR big boys worried without doubt.

3

★★★★

www.sony.com.sg

Sony A6000 Pretty much an A7 in a more compact, less pro-focused body. The A6000 shoots wonderful images with a fast AF and excellent control layout that’s customisable.

★★★★

4

www.sony.com.sg

Panasonic GX8 Panasonic’s GX8 is a solidly built new camera with a 20 megapixel Four-Thirds sensor. Dust and weather proof, it sports an excellent viewfinder and a versatile tilting touchscreen.

★★★★

5

www.panasonic.com.sg

Accessories

162

Langly Paracord Strap

ONA The Bowery

As the name suggests, paracord was originally used in parachutes, but now have a new lease of life in the form of attractive and durable camera straps. www.langly.co

Small, stylish and versatile, The Bowery has room for your camera and an additional lens and some small paraphernalia. tkfoto.com.sg

P R I M E

Compact cameras Canon PowerShot G9 X The PowerShot G9 X can be considered as an entry-level advanced compact camera and offers an excellent performance for its price.

★★★★

www.canon.com.sg

1

Sony RX100 Mk 4 The RX100 is the ultimate compact camera with its combination of size, features and performance. Mk4 adds 4K video, super slow motion video, as well as 1/32,000 super quick shutter speeds and 16fps continuous shooting mode. It’s still the one to beat, but for its price.

2

★★★★

www.sony.com.sg

Panasonic LX100 Enthusiast compacts are increasingly popular, and the LX100 is a stellar example of a compact camera bearing a large sensor. Coupled with a bright, Leica designed zoom lens, the LX100 is essentially a good mirrorless camera in a more streamlined form factor.

3

★★★★

www.panasonic.com/sg

FujiFilm X30 Gorgeous retro looks hide modern camera features including a digital lens control ring that’s part of a well though out control layout. Shoots excellent images especially if you like Fujiflim’s film simulation modes like Velvia and Astia.

★★★★

4

www.fujifilm.com.sg

Olympus TG-4 The tough TG-4 is built to take the knocks and shocks of sports photography and it’ll stand freezing temperatures and go 15 metres underwater, where its fast f2.0 lens makes shooting macro underwater a breeze.

★★★★

5

www.olympus.com.sg

Joby GPod Mini Magnetic

Gordy’s Camera Straps

Great for awkward positions and made even better with magnetic feet, the GPod Mini Magnetic works great with GoPros as well. joby.com

Made from Latigo belt leather and wrapped with durable, waxed polyester cord, Gordy’s stylish straps offers looks and added security in equal measures. www.gordyscamerastraps.com 163

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B P RI GI M T E H I N G

Flights of Fancy

After decades of development, a commercial tilt-rotor aircraft is finally on its way.

O

ne of the neat things about the first two Transformers movies

cousin, the AugustaWestland AW609. Initially a joint venture between

the tilt-rotor Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey. With over 200 serving

Bell and AugustaWestland before the Italian company took over the

in the US military, the Osprey is now a mature design that has been

entire project, the AW609 not only uses the same tiltrotor concept as

combat proven and has won accolades for the way it has revolutionised

the Osprey, just like its cousin it’s had a long and slow development

military transport, enabling troops and supplies to be rapidly

cycle, the first prototype flew in 2003, and after over a decade of

transported hundred of kilometres and then vertically inserted into a

development the aircraft should finally receive full civilian flight

combat zone.

clearance in 2017, when production will finally commence on the first

The Osprey’s ability to transform from a helicopter to a transport plane is because it utilises the tiltrotor concept, where the aircraft’s

by SHAWN CHUNG

of 60 pre-ordered aircraft.

Just like how the V-22 revolutionised military flying, the AW609

massive turboprop engines are mounted at the end of the wings on

could very well change the way we commute. Yes we live on a small

gimbals that enables them to rotate about 97 degrees. As the engine

island, but with the A609’s range and speed, if you set up heliports

rotates up the massive propellers convert their forward pull to

in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore (say next to the Singapore Cruise

vertical lift, turning the Osprey from a transport plane to a helicopter

Terminal) an AW609 could fly you and eight other passengers between

that can land vertically. At altitude and converted to a turboprop

the two cities in just about an hour, taking off and landing very near each

transport again, the Osprey flies at double the speed and range of a

city centre. That’s really convenient point-to-point travel!

conventional helicopter.

166

This is why you probably never heard of the Osprey’s civilian half-

is that they actually showcased a real transforming vehicle,

The tiltrotor is actually not a new Vertical Take-Off and Landing

There are already preliminary designs for larger tilt-rotor aircraft and development of next-generation tiltrotor aircraft is already well

(VTOL) concept, prototype tiltrotor aircraft have been flying since

on the way. In the meantime we’ll probably see the AW609 flying over

the early 1970s, but getting the concept to work in the real world

Singapore at the 2018 Singapore Airshow, and who knows, they could

environment took decades of testing and engineering development.

very well be a common sight in our skies in the near future.