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Saruni Maina MISE.
IOUS STORY, I PRO
PS: THIS IS A FICT
Editor’s Note
CEO Rishabh Lawania MANAGING EDITOR Nayantara Jha
EDITOR Saruni Maina STAFF WRITERS Dennis Waweru Anfernee Onamu NJ
SALES INQUIRIES 0768 811 226 DESIGNER Kennedy O�s
CONTACTS Email: dm@gadgets-africa.com Facebook: /gadgetsafrica Twi�er: @gadgetsafrica
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Pop Sockets
These may be the simplest gifts that you can give to her, so make sure you get more than one. Pop sockets not add grip to your phone but can also be used as styling accessories. With different colors and patterns, pop sockets have moved from being an alternative to ugly phone cases and are now personalization items. Pop sockets can be found at various shops that sell phone accessories across major towns including Nairobi CBD for as little as 350 bob.
Hybrid Smartwatch
Hybrid watches are a combination of traditional watches that literally just tell the time and smart capabilities like notification alerts and fitness tracking. Unlike a normal smartwatch, a hybrid smartwatch retains the beauty of a watch as a fashion accessory which will be a good addition to her wardrobe while ensuring she stays tech’d up. Pricing starts at around 13K, best option is to ship through Amazon.
Smart Tag
We have all lost something tiny and spend a lot of time trying to find it. With technology, such struggles are minimized. Getting a smart tag is a simple way of making her life easier. Whether it’s keys, the remote or any other item, simply tag it and if it’s lost, you can track it through the smart tag’s app. Smart tags come in different shapes, sizes and brand. They sell for as low as 1800 shillings, however, be careful as shipping them in could quickly push the cost to around 5K.
Gui Gu T H E TGHI FETG
GiftsGift for
Powerbank
We all hate having our smartphones on low battery and that’s why we carry powerbanks around. Only problem is, most of our powerbanks are low quality and hence don’t really serve us as they should. The perfect gift would be a good quality powerbank from reliable brands with proven quality standards such as Anker, Xiaomi and Belkin. Pricing for good powerbanks start at around 2000 bob and are available at various shops such as Sweech and Mi Home.
ide de
er r Her
Kindle E-Reader
If she likes reading then there’s nothing better than a Kindle. Sometimes having a physical book is the ideal situation, however, digital copies means you can carry more books in one device. There are a number of kindle e-readers to choose from, available both locally and through shipping. The one we recommend is Kindle Paperwhite that goes for around 18k.
5
Wireless Earphones The hype surrounding truly wireless earphones is real, with more and more phones getting rid of the headphone jack, having a pair of wireless earphones will soon be a necessity. While our preferences may vary, getting a good pair or wireless buds is important. Various brands offer different styles and sounds with good ones coming from Xiaomi, Apple, Samsung, JBL and Anker. Pricing ranges from as low as 3k all the way to 30k.
Gui Gu T H E TGHI FETG
Smartwatch
Add to his gadgets collection with an outstanding smartwatch that will excite his inner geek. They don’t come cheap but would be a worthy investment in making him feel special. Avoid getting knock offs that go for like 5k and below. Also, know the difference between a smartwatch and smart band. A good smartwatch will start at 20k from brands such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Apple and Garmin – all available locally.
Soundbar
If you’re paying attention, you’ve probably heard him mention that he’d want a sound bar. Sound bars have come to disrupt the home theatre market and there’s already an influx of them. Be warned though, good ones are quite expensive but don’t let this scare you with like 10k, you can get yourself a genuine Anker soundbar from shops such as Sweech.
GiftsGifts for
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Streaming Box
The new form of home entertainment is streaming content. Gone are the days we’d lineup at movie shops to buy CDs for 50 bob, now we simply pay for services and enjoy from the comfort of our homes. Getting a good streaming box is key to enjoying quality content. Streaming services such as Chromecast, Roku, Firestick TV, Apple TV and even Mi TV Box are all available locally with prices ranging from 4k to 20k depending on streaming resolution and brand.
im r Him
USB Cable
As simple as it may sound, getting him a USB could make him happier than you can imagine. No, don’t get those 100 bob cables that light up like Christmas trees, get a good, genuine USB cable that will serve him. There are a few ones start from 400 bob with better ones going for as much as 2k, just be careful where you buy them to avoid counterfeit products.
7
HOME TECH 1
We have only 24 hours a day to do everything… Cooking, working out, sleeping, shopping, looking good… the list is endless. At times we wish a few of these errands could be taken care of by a robot! Type in some instructions and whoosh, you finished a chore. Talking about chores, while devices have been there for many years, finding the one that fits your routine is crucial to a peaceful existence. Understanding your needs in order to buy gadgets that fit well in your house and life is of prime importance. A little bit about myself, I’m very busy, get an average of 7hrs screen-on-time a day, have OCD, prefer warm fresh food, tea/coffee lover, trying to lose weight, like dressing up and can’t let go of my favourite series on Netflix I would also like my kitchen and home devices to be quiet, compact and multipurpose. So, here are few gadgets that really fit well in my life. BY
First things first…..Colour! Be it my car, dog, sofa or curtains, white is the colour that does it for me. Whatever I buy has to gel well with my home décor. If it looks good, I’m most likely going to get it.
Hamilton Coffee Maker What better way to start your day than with a fresh cup of coffee. The best part is, you get it to perfection every single morning. All thanks to this Hamilton Coffee Maker. PRICE: Ksh 12,245/-
WITH THIS COFFEE MAKER YOU CAN GET: • A single cup of coffee (because you stay alone) or full pot (when you have family or friends) • Single brewing to carry your coffee in a mug to work • Adjust the brew strength option for consistent taste • Auto shut off in case you leave in hurry Gadgets Africa rating 4/5
Samsung Washing Machine Price: Ksh 87, 995/You never know, when it can start pouring in Nairobi. Washing clothes may not be such a challenge as drying them becomes. So, having an option that does both, becomes a better choice to have at home.
THIS DEVICE HELPS YOU: • Wash huge load (7 Kg) of clothes, comes very handy when you need to wash bedcovers, duvet and curtains • Dry 5 Kg clothes, remember the unpredictable weather • Anti-foam your wash, most of us put more detergent than needed • Economise storage space – you would not need a separate dryer Gadgets Africa rating 3.5/5
2
LG Microwave
3
Price: Ksh, 19,495/Microwaves can actually work like your kitchen assistant if you know how to plan your meals. Although the usage may not be more than just reheating stuff, but for people staying alone, this can help save a lot of time.
WE CHOSE THE LG NEOCHEF INVERTER GRILL BECAUSE: • The 25 L microwave is optimum for cooking, grilling and heating food for 4 people • 1200 Watts let you cook faster so you can save time • Grilling option lets you have tasty and healthy meat Gadgets rating 4/5
Philips Air Fryer Price: Ksh 10,000/-** God send device for those who love fried food but don’t like the calories associated. It will help you cut down on your unnecessary grease/ oil intake.
4
PHILIPS AIR FRYER CAN HELP YOU: • Make chips with very minimal oil • Not stand and monitor your frying process – because it has pre-set timers • Avoid oil stains and spillage that can be dangerous Gadgets rating 4/5
5
Hair straightener Price: Ksh: 6,000** Bad hair days could be depressing. But if you are a person in public dealing, a lot of attention needs to be paid to your upkeep. Good and organised hair can help you get that look.
THE PHILIPS HAIR STRAIGHTENER CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE THE LOOK BY: • • • •
Extra long plates can help you prevent burning yourself Heat up time is only 30 seconds Every hair type can be straightened Comes with a 2-year guarantee Gadgets rating 5/5
9
Best Of
2 0 2 0 ONCE YOU HEAR OF THE ANNUAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (CES), ONE THING COMES TO MIND, “CRAZY TECH”. I mean it happens in Las Vegas. What do you expect? This is the platform that lets companies that deal in modern tech go all out in their concept designs for future products. The show took place in January this year and these are just some of the most eye-catching, jaw dropping, heart thumping, hair raising presentations that were too good to ignore.
MERCEDES “AVATAR” SUPERCAR An Avatar-themed car form Mercedes with scales! Yep, that’s what the audience at the show were surprised to. The German top automobile maker pulled off the wraps with this wild new concept car built in collaboration with producers and director of the hit movie Avatar. Dubbed the Vision AVTR, the car simply astonishes straight from its general design. From the weird LED lights, the spherical wheels and the crazy interior, Mercedes definitely teased out what it would be like to ride a car in the future. The rear end of the car of the AVTR is covered in 33 discrete scales or as the company calls them “bionic flaps” that could be used to communicate with people outside the car. If that doesn’t scare you, the spherical wheels are made to move the car sideways or even diagonally. You might probably never live to see this car used on regular roads but maybe you should appreciate that you got to just to see or hear about it now.
HOME TECH: LG THINQ WASHER AND DRYER LG started with its newest kitchen appliances. The best had to be the LG ThinQ washer and dryer. According to LG, the washer will not only, through AI, detect the volume and weight of laundry but also the type of fabric used in each load. It can also automatically select the optimal wash cycle. With smart pairing, the washer will automatically send the correct setting to the dryer.
LAPTOP: DELL XPS13 The new model looks smaller, sleeker, and better than the old model by a huge margin. The taller display is also a welcome trend that will hopefully start to crop up in future laptops, too. In addition to the new physical design, Dell is also upgrading the internal specs: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB of SSD storage. A standard 1920 x 1200 FHD+ panel, an FHD+ display with a touchscreen, and a 4K 3840 x 2400 touchscreen with HDR 400. Intel’s latest 10nm Ice Lake 10th Gen processors in Core i3, i5, and i7 options.
CAMERA: CANON 1DXMKIII 1DX Mark III sprinkles some mirrorless innovation and design flourishes on what is a familiar, dependable offering for pro sports photographers. Along with its incredible burst shooting power and battery life, the 1DX Mark III brings some promising new autofocus innovations, a useful new Smart Controller button, and some heavyweight 4K video credentials.
RAZER PORTABLE GAMING PC You’ve heard of smartphones and handheld consoles but what if I told you that you can now have a portable gaming PC? I must admit that at first glance it is easy to dismiss the new concept that Alienware showcased as a mere Nintendo Switch copycat. But according to the manufacturer, the prototype dubbed Concept UFO, is intended to be a portable gaming PC with detachable controllers. PC tech has been getting so small over the years and we are at a point where it will be easy to have a tiny yet powerful device such as this one. It may be just a concept for now but you have to admit that it is a beauty. Will we be seeing this launched and produced in large scale? Only time will tell.
11
ANFERNEE ONAMU
Instead of making New Year's resolutions you can't possibly keep, like going to the gym every day, why not make one you can attain, like cleaning up your dirty, gadgets? If you love it, then you want to keep it forever. Just like new born babies, you can’t always expect your tech to take care of itself. Right? Be it your laptop, smartphone or earphones, the reason why we love our tech so much is because we can go with them anywhere. Now that’s a good and bad thing. Bad because this means that they are easily prone to damage and dirt (bacteria) both internally and externally. So how do you keep your loved one safe? Here’s some of the best ways you can take care of the tech you love.
PUT SOME CLOTHES ON IT
SPRING CLEANING
You can either get a case, or a skin for your phone. This keeps it beautiful and sleek and you never have to worry about it getting scratched or cracking. With the right case your phone never gets too cold or too warm. With a 360 degree case you can even go swimming with your phone. Wouldn’t that be lovely?
Your tech needs to look good and feel good! Once in a while, you need to take a moment to seriously clean your tech. And I don’t just mean wiping it off with your t-shirt. I mean sparing an hour, getting some cleaning appliances and actually cleaning your tech. Use a micro fibre cloth, compressed air, earbuds make up brush and a toothbrush to dust off those hard to reach places on your laptop or phone.
CLEANING YOUR SMARTPHONE Dampen some cotton swabs with rubbing alcohol, and wipe them over and in between the keys (if possible). Make sure the swabs are just damp, and not wet. Wipe the screen gently with the dry cloth. Distilled water is the safest and cheapest liquid for a screen. If that isn't strong enough, mix it half-and-half with white vinegar.
Use toothpaste, rubbing alcohol or diluted white vinegar to clean your screens. If your phone is waterproof, like mine, dip it in some water and just wash off all that. Once you’re done with the outside, start on the inside. Install an anti-virus software and make sure your devices are regularly cleaned and checked. This will help your device last longer, keep it free from malware and attacks Delete apps you don’t use and files you don’t need.
Remember, a clean techie is a happy techie.
FEB ISSUE
OUT NOW
In the Beginning… The concept of dating really began at the turn of the 20th century. Prior to the late 1900s, courtship was a much more private, unemotional affair. It was basically a contract, a deal, if you will. There were no phones to call and set up dates, no dating apps to pick out your perfect match. Women would meet with several men, with her parents present. The purpose; to pick the most suitable match for marriage, which heavily relied on factors such as financial and social status. In the man’s case, the richer you were, the more likely you were to get a wife. As for the women, the prettier you were, the richer your husband would be. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? But what’s the difference. Put it this way. Your father controlled your Tinder profile. He would put you up on a hypothetical account, advertise you and choose suitors for you based on his preference. All you had to do was, look good, get married to someone you just met and then find out they press the toothpaste from the top and not the bottom up. Simple isn’t it? In previous years, love was not seen as being of central importance to a marriage. If it was to come it, it would emerge after the wedding had already occurred. But with the introduction of dating came an increased desire for romance and love, before deciding to commit to marriage.
DATING PAST & PRESENT & FUTURE… When a young woman decided on a man she wanted to see exclusively, their activities as a couple took place either in the household, or at social gatherings. At that time, there was no such thing as just two young lovers "going out on a date." You would have to maybe sneak out to the bushes to see the love of your life. The most you could do was wave at them from a far, but gone are the days. This concept, explained in depth in The Oxford Companion to United States History, goes, ANFERNEE ONAMU
DATING APPS & SOCIAL MEDIA: A R E
T H E Y
B R E A K I N G
B U I L D I N G
O R
R E L A T I O N S H I P S ?
Here we are again. The season of love, gifts, chocolates and tears. Yes tears, not everyone is as happy you’d expect. But that’s just it. There comes a time when you are either in a relationship or as Emma Watson (Hermione from Harry Potter) would put it, ‘self-partnered’. It’s Valentines and like it or not, love is in the air. It’s during Valentines that some want to show that extra bit of love. This is the time when being single actually ‘slaps different’. You can probably avoid it for most of the year but on this particular day, it’s irresistible. In this article however, we won’t focus on the day that is Valentine but rather, on the people who celebrate it.
"By the early nineteenth century, couples began to consider romantic love prerequisite for marriage and based their unions on companionship. The era's fiction frequently drew on love themes, while articles and essays stressed mutual respect, reciprocity, communication and romance as ingredients of good marriages. Young courting couples chose their own partners, and their letters focused on romance rather than on the practical matters that had dominated the correspondence of earlier generations." At pretty much no point in history was dating easy—just ask Romeo and Juliet. In the future, a computer program could dictate who you date, and for how long. This was the premise of a December 2017 episode of Black Mirror, a sci-fi TV series. Now apps, such as Tinder, with their speedy account set-ups and "swipe to like" approach, have taken dating to another level. Tinder launched in 2012 on the back of the explosion in smartphone use. Just two years later it was registering more than a billion "swipes" a day. Pew Research found that 59% of adults now think online dating is a good way to meet people. So online dating is here to stay - and will embrace new technologies as they emerge - but when it comes to love, there are no guarantees. There’s different scopes to look at this new venture towards dating. There’s:
THE SUPPORT; “It's harder and harder to meet people the traditional way now. You're seen as a creep if you try starting a conversation on public transport or in the pub. I'm not ashamed to say I met my other half on Tinder, happiest I've ever been.” It’s obvious the world is changing, things are different now, the world view is custom for everyone and meeting people is getting harder every day. As an evolving world we’re trying to make everything easier, even dating. So we join these apps to find the perfect match. Some people see no need of going out on multiple dates to find their significant other. It’s much easier to get an app that shows you all the exact traits you’re looking for in your partner. That’s what the likes of Tinder, Facebook and other social media and dating apps give you. And, fun fact, it’s no longer, village to village, it’s on a global spectrum now.
THE REFRAIN; “If young people didn't bury their heads in mobile phones, whilst listening to headphones, they'd meet people normally. That way there would be no need to go online.” They say what you’re looking for could be right in front of you. The problem is, less and less people want to even try to find people the old fashioned way. They get to the age where they believe they should start dating and immediately look to social media or dating apps for companionship. When in reality, he/she could your next door neighbor. More individuals are having casual encounters & in relationships that last a shorter time. The success stories are few and far between. It seems more like a money-making venture based on people's vulnerability & loneliness in a modern world where interpersonal reaction is neither developed nor encouraged.
THE NEUTRAL;
THE OLD FASHIONED; So glad I dated (and eventually met my wife) the old fashioned way. A smile, a look, getting up the courage to ask...all seemed very natural. I know the landscape has changed, but it seems to me you don't get someone’s true character through a screen or carefully worded profile. The way a person stands, engages with others, laughs, smiles...these are all part of the attraction. Actually hearing a cell phone ring these days is kind of like seeing a unicorn—only less majestic and way more awkward. But since texting rules get more complicated with each new dating guide (the proper reply delay time is the current time on a 24 hour clock divided by two, minus the square root of nine plus the number that corresponds to your mood on the chart of your choice, right?) a simple phone call to set up a date is looking awfully tempting. Sure, we didn’t particularly enjoy those two-hours of telling each other to hang up at the end, but at least we knew where we were going to meet more than five minutes in advance.
DATING APPS AND SOCIAL MEDIA… They have reduced social media to a bare minimum. This isn’t necessarily terrible as it helps you pick the ‘perfect’ match. With this however you may never be too sure. Apps let people doctor their details, change a few factors and hide their true identities. No one wants to post about their failures and struggles. All we see online is the perfect self we let the world know. The problem comes in when you finally get into a relationship. You see someone fail or struggle and realize you did not sign up for this. Most people would opt out of a relationship over a simple fight. Reason being, there’s so many other people who could keep them happier instead of trying to solve the issues.
FINAL VERDICT? Research has shown that women's worst fear with dating apps is that the man will be a psycho, men's worst fear is that the woman will be fat. “There's chances of meeting a psycho whether you're dating in the real world or online. Both "platforms" involve an initial contact to becoming more intimate ... a process that can be abused in both worlds. At least with online there's an audit trail (a small protection).” There are those that believe that as long as there is contact, there is room for love and hate. Which is true. Most times it depends on how you handle the situation, what you bring to the table.
Are they building or breaking relationships? Well, it all depends on how you use this information. How you use social media and dating apps to your benefit. Tinder just added a panic button to their app citing multiple cases of catfishing and misconduct during dates. This shows that we need to be more careful on who we decide to pick as our s/o. If you are on the app just to meet and greet, that’s up to you. If you’re there to find your soulmate, then take your time and get ready to get hurt. No pain, no gain. So should you decide to go the traditional or modern way, be careful, stay vigilant and be patient.
*
THESE ARE COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS TINDER USERS
15
Y O U C A N A C T U A L LY B U Y
THE KSH.6,000,000 TV
LG is no doubt one of the best brands and manufacturers when it come to home tech like TVs, sound systems, washing machines, microwaves and more. This year at CES in Las Vegas, USA, Life’s Good decided to go crazy with their presentations; TVs. Of course, the likes of Samsung also had some interesting stuff to showcase but LG clearly stole center stage. The presentation was made extra special by one really interesting concept, the rollable TV. And if you’re asking yourself what that means, it is exactly as it sounds. A screen that stands on a huge cabinet in which it gracefully retracts to or rolls out of as you command it to. So, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Signature Series OLED TV R, a 65-inch screen that is clearly the future. What fascinates even more is that LG plans to have this product shipped by the end of this year. The price may shock you though so you might want to have a seat before we blurt it out.
So, by now you already know that this TV is not for everyone. The price is actually so high that it’s doubtful whether “those few will even buy it. It is an interesting product all round. From the aluminum base to the just the wonder that is the rolling screen, it is obvious by now that the idea is so influential other brands will soon be copying the concept without any shame. Would I buy it? If I was rich enough, yes. For now all you have to do is just look at it and just keep walking. LG has not yet confirmed whether it will be coming to Kenya, but we will just be waiting to see it in a store or two.
According to LG, the main goal of making such a TV is to maximize space in one’s house as once you are not using it, you do not have to just keep it there eating up all the space. But then considering how thin it actually is, who would even mind the minute space taken up by it. Until now, LG has restricted from revealing much about the specifics of this TV but we can already tell much straight from the design. All we can tell for now is that it is an 8K UHD OLED screen. The material used to make it is not yet revealed neither aspects like the sound quality. The world of rollable and foldable gadgets had mostly been brought to the limelight late 2018, with most of the products launching last year including the famous Galaxy Fold. But TVs are not one we would have thought to be up next for the revolution. It is as risky as it is impressive considering even some of the smartphone companies have been delaying to launch their peculiar products till now. But the TV was confirmed to ship at a starting price of $60,000 which doesn’t sound as expensive but in Kenyan terms is Kes.6million. Yes, 6!
DENNIS WAWERU
17
In review is the One Plus 7T Pro McLaren edition, a flagshipphone that will put your iPhone to shame, at least in things that matter to most. What’s especially special about this particular device, is the combination of a well-spec’d phone and a highly esteemed car brand.
HERE’S WHAT WE THINK OF THE ONEPLUS 7T PRO MCLAREN EDITION: SPECS + 6.67” 1440p AMOLED + 90Hz Fluid Display + Gorilla Glass 6 + Android 10 + Snapdragon 855+ + 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage + Triple lens setup: 48MP + 16MP + 8MP with pop-up 16MP selfie camera + 4085mAh battery
WHAT WE LIKE + Beautiful display + Better than good camera + Superfast Charging + Good software support + Unique phone, definitely a head-turner
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
SARUNI MAINA
McLaren Edition
One Plus 7T Pro
While we recommend buying from common brands when it comes to phones, sometimes picking a less known brand could be better than the popular ones. One such brand is OnePlus, a brand that makes phones aimed at enthusiast but ones that would make anyone who values quality happy.
+ Cool features such as official water resistance and wireless charging are missing + No headphone jack + The black and orange theme may not appeal to everyone
The big question is whether or not you should splash your money on this phone. Well, there’s no outright answer for that it totally depends on what you want on a phone. If you’re the kind that wants your phone to feel like a treasure, then you’ll be extremely happy with the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition.
www.androidpit.com/
SHOULD YOU BUY?
However, it doesn’t come cheap and the fact that the brand doesn’t have local support in terms of warranty and repairs means it’s not for everyone as some people may not be comfortable living dangerously with such a high-end phone. If you wish to take the leap, which you won’t regret, checkout phoneplacekenya.com and be ready to splash some 85K for this beauty.
19
APP REVIEW:
The App You Didn’t Know You Needed But Can’t Live Without! Did you know that putting batteries in the freezer can double up their lifespan? Always wanted a playlist of your favourite songs from your favourite musician? Just go to youtube.com/disco and enter in the artists name and YouTube will auto arrange a playlist for you! Putting Pancake mix in your ketchup bottle gives you good looking pancakes all the time!
ANFERNEE ONAMU
How do I know all this? It’s thanks to this amazing app.
LIFE HACKS BY CRUMBLYY It's a simple app that gives you tips and hacks that might be useful in your everyday life. Let's take a look! The tips are grouped into different categories, which you can access by swiping from left to right on your screen. This is actually pretty much it. It's a simple 'keep scrolling' app that gives you thousands of tips. For example, You are more likely to survive on airplane crash sitting in the back of a plane than the front' with a picture / photo that helps with the explanation. Something else that I really liked is the ability to save a tip for you to look at again later. It allows you to ‘Bookmark’ tips and you can access them whenever you want! What is it good at? Providing genuinely useful tips for problems you didn't know you had or humorous posts that are interesting. It's also a light, fast app that doesn't lag. Also, it seems to have an endless number of hacks to look at, which is fantastic when you want to kill some time without much thought. You can even search for key words that you want to see (this feature is apparently still in beta, but it seemed to work fine).
What is it bad at? It still has ads like all other apps and they come in between the ads as you swipe but they are pretty subtle. They might be distracting but they have to pay the bills somehow. ..Right?
VERDICT I think one of the reasons why I liked this app so much is because it's useful and simple. It has a clean design that reminds me of Google's card style in their Google Now page, which is easy on the eyes. I tried other apps in this category and I have to say, I like this the best. This seems to be one of the very few that lets you view in an 'All' category and has a vertical scrolling style that people are used to from using Facebook or Twitter. It's a well thought out, well made app that is supported by users who help out with adding life hacks. I just hope the share feature works soon. I strongly recommend it.
VERDICT Will I keep it on my phone? Yes.
Gadgets Africa Rating: Design: 9 Ease of use: 9 Value: 8 Performance: 8 Overall: 8.5 Simple app that is great to use when you want to kill some time.
21
DENNIS WAWERU
THE
SHOWROOM NISSAN LEAF 2013
When looking for a car to buy in the Kenyan market, it is not common to find someone particularly looking for an electric car. But battery-powered vehicles are a thing now especially in developed countries and considering everything to do with climate change, it is about time we started seeing some of them trickling down to the market in Africa and specifically Kenya. We highly depend on the already used cars so why not check out one model that has been there for a while, the Nissan Leaf 2013.
The general physique, though was built to be as slippery as possible in a bid to reduce noise and drag. This is complemented even more by the headlights that were designed to look bulging from the chassis simply to deflect air from gushing against the side mirrors and into the cabin. The battery is located underneath the seats giving the car a lower centre of gravity. Of course, the back is nothing but lights and the boot door but without an exhaust pipe being that it has nothing actually to emit.
The Nissan Leaf might possibly be the only electric car readily available in Kenya. As a part of the Nissan Leaf’s first generation that launched in 2011, the car had not seen much change in general design form its predecessors but was of course given some tweaks in terms of performance. But how it looks like is also something worth talking about. You wouldn’t compare the Nissan Leaf to the likes of Tesla and Audi that dominate when it comes to stylish design, but it holds its own. A humbler curvy look instead replaces the striking lines that you would expect on this model. This has of course changed over the years with the latest model owning some impressive symmetrical lines. The front though is one that seems like a trademark for the car housing a small bonnet flap which lifts to reveal the charging sockets. The flap is one that has been described as awkward-looking but one that lets you identify the car even from afar.
The interior gets to be roomy especially at the cabin with a touch of class thanks to leather seats depending on the model you choose. But the overall size of the car limits the amount for space given for your head and legs. Anyone bigger and taller than your average 5’9” would have a hard time being comfortable in the car. The back seats offer enough space for at least two fully grown adults and anything more than that will require some comfort sacrifice. When it comes to infotainment, every model ships with a customizable TFT 7-inch screen alongside numerous controls for navigation, music and the EV system. Nothing much can be said about its design as it is not particularly classy but decent enough for any driver. In between the system and the wheel is the start button which is quite interesting to test how it starts as you never hear an engine start. Instead, you are welcomed by a tune just notifying you that the car is ready to drive.
THE NISSAN LEAF MIGHT POSSIBLY BE THE ONLY ELECTRIC CAR READILY AVAILABLE IN KENYA.
Beneath the steering wheel is a futuristic setup with two displays, one at the top acting as the speedometer while the bigger display, just below shows you the battery level, travel range, battery temperature and power among more. The gear stick is another beautiful piece that looks more like a round mouse in a blue crystal-like design letting you move it seamlessly for necessary speed changes. For performance, the Nissan Leaf 2013 powers up thanks to the 80kW (109 horsepower) electric motor powered by Lithium-ion batteries, basically what you find on your smartphones and laptops. 100% of battery charge, gives you about 195 km range which is good for a daily commuter and mid-range traveler but not so much for long-distance. This is unless you can readily find charging stations around Kenya which is not as easy when said. Juicing up the battery to full will take you about four hours which is a situation you will not want to find yourself in if you’re in a hurry. Luckily though, the car comes with a portable charger that you can store in your house for overnight charging. However, one would have to heavily depend on domestic charging considering how rare the stations are with the two known ones situated at the Two Rivers Mall and The Hub. Being a completely silent as well as compact car, daily driving on the car is obviously expected to be as comfy and discrete as possible. Furthermore, you won’t have to warm up your engine every morning before leaving as it does not depend on any engine to start. With drivers from the Nopia ride-hailing service being among the pioneers to own this electric car in Kenya, you can tell from them that the car is easy and simply enjoyable to use just as a motor vehicle driver enjoys theirs. Besides, with zero emissions, zero noise, you get to be a part of the move to conserve the environment. That is not to say that there aren’t better options for electric driving out there from many other car brands.
To See OnOn
Video Games
We Can’t Wait YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD… By now, rumours are flying everywhere about how its developers will enhance this video game for PS5. But as much as they may not be confirmed, seeing the teenage web-slinger hop around New York in a whole other new dimension will be nothing short of amazing. Released in 2018, Marvel’s SpiderMan was one of, if not, the best game of its genre. Having it with faster loading speeds, diverse storyline, better gameplay, amazing graphics and available 8K will be breathtaking.
God of War 2 It’s been a while since we’ve had a newer version of this life-long yet amazing fantasy video game. Since the PlayStation 2, navigating through the crazy ancient world as Kratos in a hope of saving his son, Atreus, has been one of the main highlights in almost every gamers’ lives. So just imagine the game being a little, if not way better and seeing every monster, tattoo and villain in full HD.
DENNIS WAWERU
Marvel’s SpiderMan
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 5 The first-person open-world military shooter has been in the market for decades now and we have seen the progress over the years. The game has gotten bigger every year with every entry. But the Black Ops series has especially been special with the lively gameplay alongside a vast storyline. Reportedly, developers are already working on the next version of Black Ops, namely Black Ops 5 that is set to be a cross-gen game, to coincide with the launch of the next PlayStation and Xbox, which are also expected in the fall of 2020.” No details of just how the Black Ops 5 will be improved on PS5 have been released yet; however, we’re guessing the PlayStation 5’s powerful new hardware will allow higher resolutions
EA SPORTS FIFA I don’t know about you, but this is definitely something I cannot wait to see. FIFA on PlayStation 5? Come on, sign me up, coach. The global football simulator is one of the most popular video games in Kenya. The game has of course been compared a lot to its Japanese rival eFootball PES for decades now but the former has obviously been dominating in sales. The gameplay has of course been brought to question for a while now with many complaining that it never changes year-on-year. But anyone that’s been a true fan can honestly tell the minor details that change with every yearly release. Plus, the fact that EA Sports brags of exclusive rights to almost every team in the major leagues sets it far apart from its competitor. PlayStation 5 is coming and of course, FIFA will continue to launch every year so seeing it on another new system will be sweet. We cannot guarantee that much will have changed but we can just hope that the developers will step up the game just as Sony is expected to.
layStation PlayStation5 5 GODFALL Godfall is the first game to have cast-iron confirmation of it being a PS5-exclusive title. The game is currently under development by Gearbox, creators of Borderlands and is the first in what its developer calls a new genre of video game, a “loot-slasher”. We think that great in-game items will no doubt help with in-game progression, but if you play well, then you’ll progress faster and most likely get access to even better gear, which will obviously give the hero in question bragging rights. Excitingly, Godfall is being designed from the ground up with co-op in mind, too. As such, you can play the entire game solo, in a duo, or as part of a trio. The enemies in the game will respond dynamically to how many human players are playing at any one time, too, no doubt making use of the PS5’s extra computational grunt for in-game AI.
Cyberpunk 2077 It’s funny how this video game has not yet even come out for PS4 but is already expected to play on the PlayStation 5. The game offers an open world and allows the player to choose from eight different “Edgerunners”, operatives that serve the society in Night City (the fictional setting for the game’s story) and then control and customize them as they see fit. According to decisions the player makes, various alternate endings are possible. The backstory, teaser and gameplay trailer have been enough to entice players around the world about how good it is meant to be. The PS4 version that was meant to be released on April has even been postponed all the way to September due to glitches found during trial. But the effort from the developers only goes to show how good if not perfect, they want the game to be and seeing it on the PS5 is definitely something to look out for.
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DID YOU On April 1 2005. NASA pulled a prank telling the world that they had found water on mars 86% of people plug in their USB upside down at the first try The first alarm clock could only ring at 4AM
Comic sans is the
world’s most hated font
The qwerty keyboard was designed to slow you down.
If you want to type faster try THE DVORAK keyboard
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