ffdewx ttt

Page 1

9

SONOS ONE vs HOMEPOD IN STEREO 2018’S BEST TECH

GADGET WISHLIST Spring 2018

Must-have kit to change your life The best buys, from $200 to $60K Laptops, TVs, home robots & more!

DOLBY ATMOS

TOP 6

The best living room upgrade you can make?

Bluetooth speaker showdown

SONOS BEAM

TESTED

A smarter soundbar

PARROT ANAFI 4K HDR

drone cheaper than DJII…

PLUS! Your best ever phone photos: we show you how

NEW!

MAN vs TECH

OCULUS GO Why standalone

SURVIVAL GEAR: Tech that’ll

VR is the future

save your life

GPS SPORTS WATCHES GARMIN vs APPLE vs FITBIT

GAMECHANGER The tech that’s so cutting edge, \RXèUH ULVNLQJ \RXU ĆQJHUV just turning this page

A SKY FULL OF STARS Fancy catching a closer look at the night sky while you’re camping? Due to its portable size, rechargeable battery and ability to function without a Wi Fi connection (if needed), the Hiuni is the ideal companion for travelling stargazers

H I U N I SM A RT TE L E S C OPE The night sky may look pretty much the same as it did 50 years ago (give or take the odd cepheid variable), but the tech that enables us to examine it has expanded. Available for pre-order now, the Hiuni Smart Telescope is a true gamechanger, offering all the fun of a traditional telescope and adding a layer of connected smarts for enhanced viewing. Not only can you control this portable telescope from your tablet or smartphone, you also have the option to share its live views with astronomers all over the world, facilitating debates about the existence of alien life forms. Our favourite feature is Sky Map, which enables you to locate a celestial landmark from an interactive diagram, then kick back as the telescope, which ERDVWV D &DVVHJUDLQ VW\OH GHVLJQ ZLWK DQ DOWLWXGH D]LPXWK PRXQW ĆQGV LW LQ UHDO WLPH DQG SUHVHQWV LPDJHV RI LW RQ \RXU phone or tablet. Those photos can then be saved and shared via email or social media. The app also features educational DFWLYLWLHV VXFK DV WRXUV RI WKH QLJKW VN\ VR \RX FDQ ĆQDOO\ OHDUQ \RXU 3RODULV IURP \RXU &DQLV 0DMRU US$1,190 ($1,603), hiuniscope.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 3

he team

Future Publishing Australia, PO Box 1077 Mount Street, North Sydney, NSW 2059 Tel: 02 9955 2677 Fax: 02 9955 2688 Email: paul.taylor03@futurenet.com Web: www.t3.com | www.techradar.com Editorial Editor: Paul Taylor paul.taylor03@futurenet.com Creative Director: Troy Coleman troy.coleman@futurenet.com Designer: Sharnee Swinnerton sharnee.brisbourne@futurenet.com Contributors Stephen Lambrechts, Harry Domanski, Dan Gardiner, Joel Burgess, Matt Bolton, Nick Odantzis, Claire Davies, Paul Dimery, Craig Stewart, Chris Barnes, James Jarvis, Warren Brown, Duncan Bell, Joe Branston, Alex Cox, Olly Curtis, Ian Evenden, Neil Godwin, Steve May, Steve Jarratt, Danny Phillips, Sam Taylor, Chris Barnes, Becca Caddy, Spencer Hart, Russell Lewin, Joby Sessions, Jordan Erica Webber, Michelle McLaren Photography All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected Advertising Advertising Manager: Paul Marttila paul.marttila@futurenet.com Management Managing Director Neville Daniels Printed by Bluestar Distributed in Australia and NZ by Gordon and Gotch www.gordongotch.com ISSN 1445-2901 About the magazine T3 is published by Future Publishing Australia. All articles in this magazine are copyright of Future Plc group company, UK 2018. All rights reserved. Distributed in Australia and NZ by Gordon and Gotch www.gordongotch.com.au. Printed by Webstar www.bluestargroup. com.au. All contents copyright Future Publishing (Overseas) Ltd, trading as Future Publishing Australia copyright 2018. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly PDQDJHG FHUWLĆHG IRUHVWU\ DQG FKORULQH IUHH PDQXIDFWXUH 7KH SDSHU LQ WKLV PDJD]LQH was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill holds full FSC )RUHVW 6WHZDUGVKLS &RXQFLO RU 3()& FHUWLĆFDWLRQ DQG DFFUHGLWDWLRQ All contents Š 2018 Future Publishing Australia or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited FRPSDQ\ QXPEHU LV UHJLVWHUHG LQ (QJODQG DQG :DOHV 5HJLVWHUHG RIĆFH 4XD\ House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any RWKHU FKDQJHV RU XSGDWHV WR WKHP 7KLV PDJD]LQH LV IXOO\ LQGHSHQGHQW DQG QRW DIĆOLDWHG LQ any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/ or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions. Privacy statement If you provide information about yourself this will be used to provide you with products or services you have requested. We may supply your information to contractors to enable us to do this. Future Publishing Australia will also use your information to inform you of other publications, products, services and events. Future Publishing Australia may also give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers and are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, Future Publishing Australia may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you of other products, services or events. If you would like to gain access to the information Future Publishing Australia holds about you, please contact us.

Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com

4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Peter Allen &KLHI ĆQDQFLDO RIĆFHU Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Welcome

Editor’s letter With 2018 in full swing, we’ve seen some excellent tech launches, and they tend to range from the sublime to the ridiculous. We’ve tried to focus on the former in our gadget wishlist (page 22), but sometimes you’ve got to let the hype sweep you up and feature some futuristic robots, too. So we did. If you want to stay in the present, there’s our rundown of Dolby Atmos and what it can bring to your home. Pair an Atmos system with a 4K TV (you’ve got one of those, right?) and you’re in for a treat. It’s one of those experiences that can truly envelope you in audio, enhancing what you see on screen to an incredible degree. Nor do you need a whole load of space, as some systems are wireless. You can read more on the sonic upgrade from page 32. For anyone who’d rather be outdoors, we’ve put together an invaluable comparison between three of the EHVW VSRUWV DQG ĆWQHVV ZDWFKHV WKDW SDFN LQ H[WUD VPDUWV written by our professional adventurer, Damian Hall, who ORJV KXQGUHGV RI NLORPHWUHV HYHU\ PRQWK +HèV SXW WKH WULR RI WULFN\ WLPHSLHFHV WKURXJK WKHLU SDFHV RQ SDJH 1RU KDYH ZH VNLPSHG RQ WHVWLQJ WKH ODWHVW WHFK UHOHDVHV ZLWK D SDFNHG UHYLHZV VHFWLRQ WKDW ZLOO WDNH \RX WR DQRWKHU XQLYHUVH LQ 95 SDJH DQG XS LQWR WKH ELJ EOXH SDJH Enjoy the issue!

Paul Taylor, Editor paul.taylor03@futurenet.com

T3’S MISSION T3èV PLVVLRQ LV WR KHOS \RX ĆQG WKH EHVW SURGXFWV IRU HYHU\ DUHD RI \RXU WHFK OLIHVW\OH )URP WUDGLWLRQDO JDGJHW EX\V OLNH phones and TVs to connected home security and sports VHQVRUV LI LW FDQ PDNH \RXU OLIH EHWWHU ZHèUH KHUH WR PDNH sure you get the right one for you. The products we feature are chosen by our expert writers, ZLWK \HDUV RI H[SHULHQFH LQ WKHLU NH\ DUHDV :H ZRXOGQèW recommend something we wouldn’t be happy to live with RXUVHOYHV WKH WDW LV ĆOWHUHG RXW ORQJ EHIRUH ZH SULQW D SDJH

This goes for reviews too you won’t us wasting your time ZLWK SURGXFWV \RX GRQèW QHHG WR NQRZ DERXW 0RUH WKDQ WKDW RXU DLP LV WR PDNH VXUH \RX JHW WKH PRVW out of the things you buy, with in-depth guides to complex WHFK DUHDV WLSV RQ PDNLQJ EHWWHU XVH RI SURGXFWV DQG UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU DGG RQV WKDW PDNH \RXU IDYRXULWH gadgets even better. :HèUH KHUH WR KHOS \RX ĆQG WKLQJV \RXèOO UHDOO\ ORYH DQG WKDW PDNH \RXU OLIH HDVLHU %HFDXVH ZH FDQ DOO GR ZLWK WKDW

OUR AWARDS

PLATINUM AWARD

THE DESIGN AWARD

BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE

BEST ON TEST

2QO\ D ĆYH VWDU UHYLHZ HDUQ a product our prestigious Platinum Award

:H JLYH WKLV RQO\ WR WHFK WKDW VWDQGV RXW IRU VWXQQLQJ aesthetics or a clever build

7KLV DZDUG DQG RWKHUV OLNH LW are given for exceptional SHUIRUPDQFH LQ D NH\ IHDWXUH

The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them to be top tier

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 5

Contents

Contents 022

2018’S GADGET WISHLIST From VR exercise to next-gen laptops and even smarter voice assistants, this year is proving to be a really big one for tech – and there are plenty more surprises, too

HORIZON 008

TOP 10 Bank card at the ready? Good! Because here we go again with the month’s most exciting new tech, including the sexiest ride Aston Martin has produced in recent years, and a piece of kit to spread a strong Wi-Fi signal all through your home

014

WE CAN BUILD YOU… Destress and take time for yourself by learning how to sketch, paint and draw the digital way with these six key tools

044

MAN VS TECH

037

PRO-LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY ON YOUR PHONE

Can tech help you survive in the wilderness if you have no idea where you DUH RU ZKHUH \RX DUH JRLQJ" :H ĆQG RXW

058

STATE OF THE ART

032

COMPLETE GUIDE TO…

We test three of the most popular GPS sports watches to see which helped us hit peak performance

017

FITNESS & OUTDOORS Get active indoors and out with the best new hiking kit and sweat-wicking gear

018

GADGET GURU Our gadget master imparts yet more tech wisdom. This month it’s all about sleep, skateboards and explaining bitcoin

021

TALKING TECH 7KH (8 KDV ĆQHG *RRJOH over Android,leading Duncan Bell to ponder, what would it be like if Android never existed?

Learn how to take better images, and what gear to buy, with our expert guide

6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Everything you need to know about Dolby Atmos sound, and how it can transform your home cinema

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Contents

068

HOME

074

TESTED 068

PARROT ANAFI Ah, DJI. You’ve had a good run, but Parrot has come along with a drone that looks set to blow the Mavic Air out of the sky. Or is it? )LQG RXW ZKHWKHU WKH $QDĆ UHDOO\ is a DJI-killer

BEST OF THE BEST

072

LG C8

052

THE SETUP There’s no excuse for bare, dull walls at home, so this month learn how the LIFX Tile smart lighting system can make your room look like a disco

055

LG was king of OLED last year, but is this year’s range a big upgrade?

074

SONOS BEAM Does Sonos’ much-hyped new Alexa-enabled soundbar live up to the song and dance?

075

UPGRADE

OPTOMA UHZ65

Create a bespoke smart shower and bathing experience with the voice- and app-controlled SmarTap

You might never go to the cinema again with Optoma’s epic, affordable 4K HDR laser projector

056

076

HOME TEST Feeling guilty about leaving your pet at home while you’re at work? Keep ’em company, and feed ’em treats, with the latest smart pet cams and feeders

089

YOUR IN-DEPTH BUYER’S GUIDE Want to know what the best top-end WHOO\ LV" 2U WKH EHVW ĆUVW WLPH '6/5" Or the best wireless headphones? Our JLDQW EX\HUèV JXLGH KHOSV \RX ĆQG WKH world’s best tech, and only the best!

PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS Head to the beach, the park, the camp site or even into your own backyard, soundtracking your adventures with six of the smallest, most powerful Bluetooth speakers we could stuff LQ WKH T3 backpack

082

FOCAL SIB EVO 5.1.2 Incredible 3D surround sound in your living room, without the hassle of ćRRUVWDQGLQJ VSHDNHUV

086

RAZER PHONE 5D]HUèV ĆUVW KDQGVHW KDV ' VXUURXQG sound and is perfect for media

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

086 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 7

Horizon

The best new tech heading your way Edited by Claire Davies

ASTON MARTIN DBS SUPERLEGGERA From $517,000, astonmartin.com Aston Martin’s DBS Superleggera, which combines the DBS nameplate the brand first used in 1967 with the iconic badge of Italian coachmaker Touring, is such an insanely attractive and supremely designed Super GT that we couldn’t help but show it off to you. The new flagship ride in Aston Martin’s production line, the DBS Superleggera gets its design cues from classic Aston Martin lines and shifts them into a wide-waisted, aggressive stance. That revised two-door look is backed up with a similarly muscular power plant. The huge 533kW, 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, set low and as far back as possible, has muscle to spare, but the Superleggera badge isn’t just there for looks – Aston Martin has paid tribute to Touring’s ideals by making this car as lightweight as it is powerful, using a bonded aluminium construction and composite panels to shave off every spare gram. Aerodynamics like the DB11’s curlicue and Aeroblade, and an F1-inspired double diffuser, deliver the highest downforce of any production line Aston Martin. While we’re yet to put pedal to metal, AM quotes an absolute torrent of torque to the rear wheels, putting down a 0-100km/h figure of 3.4 seconds, a jump from 80-160km/h over the space of 4.2 seconds, while sitting in fourth gear, and the company reckons the DBS Superleggera tops out at a rather silly 338km/h.

TECH-O-METER

The Superleggera doesn’t skimp on the mod cons. Its entertainment system includes sat-nav, a Wi-Fi hub, DAB and all the device connectivity options you could ever wish for

“We have officially hit peak Aston Martin. his is an absolutely stunning machine.” Paul Taylor, Editor

8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Top 10

TOTALLY MADE UP There are no cut-down interior options here: even the base model of DBS Superleggera gets an absolutely delicious inside makeup featuring a set of Aston Martin’s Sports Plus seats and steering wheel, clad in aromatic leather with Alcantra upholstery

GIVE IT THE BOOT Unlike most high-end vehicles, which typically reserve luggage space barely large enough to carry a toolkit, Aston Martin has considered practicality when designing this two-seater, offering enough capacity for a full set of bags in the rear

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

ALL EYES ON YOU In addition to a 360-degree parking camera and tyrepressure monitors, the Superleggera is packed with sensors. These monitor your driving style and the conditions of the road and automatically alter the damping for the most comfortable, safe drive

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 9

Horizon

MICROSOFT SURFACE GO From $599, microsoft.com After a few early missteps, we’ve come to rate Microsoft’s Surface line-up as one of the finest collections of PC hardware ever assembled. So we’re totally excited about the new Surface Go. It trims down the hardware specs to drop that same hardware-accelerated PixelSense digitiser, with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity when used with the Surface Pen, into a much more affordable price bracket. Even if you’re not an artist, this is a premium 10-inch tablet running full-fat Windows 10 for up to nine hours in a fanless, 8.3mm thin shell, with a 10-inch 3:2 format screen. The company has even revised the type cover, adjusting the pitch and adding slightly more key travel – at last, a cover that doesn’t feel like you’re mashing your fingers against a keyboard’s corpse. T3 SAYS: Could the Go be the handiest Surface yet? It just might be.

TECH-O-METER

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 2018 From $2,699, apple.com Apple’s fresh new MacBook Pros, available in 13- and 15-inch varieties, are the work of design sorcery: the Cupertino wizards have kicked it up a notch while keeping the shell thin. 2018’s refresh brings in 8th-gen Intel Core CPUs, which reach up to six cores on the 15-inch model (four on the 13-inch). There’s a 4GB AMD Radeon Pro in each, providing enough graphical power to push the new True Tone Retina displays. And you can spec the 15-inch model right up to 32GB RAM with 4GB of SSD storage if you’re going to beast it hard. True to the Pro title, Apple has incorporated a bunch of businessy features here, primarily the T2 security chip. This adds secure boot and encrypted files, and brings along proper ‘Hey Siri’ support to the Mac for the first time. T3 SAYS: The nitroglycerine of Macs: massive power compressed into a tiny package.

TECH-O-METER

1 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Top 10

POLYMEGA MODULAR GAMING CONSOLE US$250 (base unit, $340), US$60 (modules, $80), polymega.com Hit the corner of your garage, because gaming’s golden age is coming back. The Polymega aims to keep your old cartridges alive using a modular system that lets you add console support, and controller ports for that authentic experience, to one base unit. Using what it calls hybrid emulation to get Mega Drive, NES, SNES and others playing, the Polymega includes a Bluetooth controller for wireless play, and lets you back up your cartridges to its internal memory. It even includes an optical drive in the base unit for compatibility with disc-based systems like the PS1, Mega CD and Neo-Geo CD. If you have a love for the classics, upscale them to HD... Once pre-orders open, that is. T3 SAYS: If the quality of the Polymega’s hybrid emulation system holds up, this will be essential.

TECH-O-METER

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO YOYO (L) $699, cambridgeaudio.com An all-in-one speaker system combining Cambridge Audio’s commitment to superior sound with modern-day connectivity? Where do we sign up? Seriously, this gorgeous speaker looks like the perfect lounge sound machine. Clad in acoustically transparent wool woven by Marton Mills, the Yoyo supports Chromecast Audio, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth, and there’s a Waves MaxxAudio DSP to help it tease the very best sound from your devices. What’s more, it’s actually a threechannel device, with full range drivers and subwoofers mounted to the sides and front; plug in your HDMI-ARC or S/PDIF source, and it makes for a cosy soundbar. There’s even a USB charging port, just for your convenience. T3 SAYS: Cambridge Audio knows how to make a speaker rock, and this does so much more.

TECH-O-METER

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 1 1

Horizon

IFI AUDIO XDSD $589.95, ifi-audio.com It’s a first world problem, sure, but crappy audio quality can really kill our music-listening on buzz. Especially when we’re playing tunes o the go and desperately trying to drown outt a noisy world. Handily, iFi Audio has released a DAC/headphone amp to boost our headphone listening joy. As we’ve become accustomed d to with iFi Audio gadgets, the pocket-sized xD DSD, which can be used on Bluetooth aptX and wired setups, is feature packed. It supports DSD and MQA formats and employs 3D Ma atrix tech to deliver a true studio sound, helping you to hear each track as the artist intended. iFi’s S-Balanced tech is also on hand to deliver an a elevated performance from single-ended an nd balanced headphones. And then there’s XB Bass, restoring deep bass without muddying up the t midrange. T3 SAYS: A small yet mighty gadget for getting the most out of your music listening on the go..

TECH-O-METER

SONY CYBER-SHOT RX100 VI $1,699, sony.com.au L Looking for a powerhouse travel camera to accompany you on your adventures? Sony’s la atest compact camera could be the one, th hanks to its full zoom range and high-speed performance. The Cyber-shot RX100 VI houses p 24-200mm optics to deliver what should be superb image quality, with a zoom range from wide-angle to telephoto, plus a Clear Image w Zoom function that enables you to digitally Z enlarge the middle of any image with minimal mage degradation. There’s plenty else to get im excited about, including a hybrid AF system hat gains focus in as little as 0.03 seconds, a th Touch Shutter-compatible tilting LCD monitor, T 4K HDR compatibility, an electronic viewfinder, 4 and Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth compatibility. T3 SAYS: Capture the moments that count with T his no-comprise compact camera. th

TECH-O-METER

1 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Top 10

SIMAUDIO MOON 390 US$5,300 ($7,138), simaudio.com Simaudio sure knows its way around amplification and hi-fi separates; this, though, is on a completely different level. It’s a network streamer, using Moon’s MiND 2 module – the second iteration of the tech first found in the Neo MiND streamer – which plays nicely with other networked devices running the same platform. It’s a DAC, too, employing the services of the silky ESS DAC Pro DAC for premium audio smoothing. It’s also a headphone amp, preamp, and phono stage, but you’ll need to supply your own amp or powered speakers. Most interesting is its

support for hi-res formats, from streaming platforms like Tidal Masters and Deezer Hi-Fi, all the way to MQA, DSD256 and PCM 32bit/384kHz. If fidelity is your thing, the Moon 390 provides, though the price means it won’t be for everyone. T3 SAYS: It’s pricey, but we can’t wait to wrap our ears around this.

TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

D-LINK COVR $449.95, dlink.com.au Wi-Fi gadgets are rarely attractive to look at or exciting to talk about. Usually they’re various lumps of black or grey plastic that should always be hidden away from view. It seems that no-one has told D-Link that. Why? Because its new rose gold COVR whole-home mesh Wi-Fi system is positively stylish. But the COVR is here to do more than make your hallway look pretty. The mesh system is designed to reach every square inch of your house with, as D-Link promises, “seamless, reliable Wi-Fi” at speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. It comes in packs of two or three COVR ‘points’,

with the latter able to blanket an area of up to a sizeable 5,000 square feet. And with parental controls and other smart features built in, it’s an effective and safe internet solution for the whole family. T3 SAYS: A mesh Wi-Fi system to blanket your whole home, without needing to be hidden in a cupboard.

TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

GOSHO $TBC, gosho-1byone.com Movie night in the garden or, if you’re that way inclined, the bathroom? No problem! The portable GoSho can roll four hours of projection on a single charge, and focus up a rather impressive 200-inch, corner to corner widescreen image while providing stereo sound through its dual 3W speakers. It seems to have been made with phone streaming in mind, given that it supports screen mirroring from Android and iOS devices, although there’s nothing to stop you beaming footage from any HDMI, USB or Wi-Fi source. With a 180 lumen bulb, the GoSho is bright

enough to pull up a strong picture even if some light creeps in through your curtains, plus the integrated stand and auto keystone correction should mean that, wherever you place it, you won’t be watching on a funny angle. T3 SAYS: A promising gadget for portable big-screen viewing.

TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 1 3

Horizon

WE CAN BUILD YOU...

A SKETCHING STUDIO

he best bits of tech you need to take your paintings and illustrations to the next level

1

INTUOS DRAW

If you’re new to digital art, you’ll need a graphics tablet. There are a number of options, but the most affordable are pen tablets. You plug these into a computer and draw on them with a stylus, which functions effectively like a mouse. Wacom is still the big player in this category and its entry-level offering is the Intuos Draw. This compact packages comes with drawing software, plus access to online tutorials, making it ideal for novices. From $119, buywacom.com.au

4

MOLESKINE SMART NOTEBOOK

For a traditional drawing experience that’s just a tiny bit more advanced, try this smart notebook from Moleskine. It’s like a regular notebook, but special page markings and a companion app enable you to take your sketches into Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Capture a drawing from within the app and it will optimise and convert it into an SVG (scalable vector graphic), ready for it to be opened in Illustrator or Photoshop. $46.95, moleskine.com

2

APPLE iPAD PRO

The iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the best tablet for digital art that money can buy. It offers impressive processing power and an brilliant display. Pair it with the Procreate app for professional-standard art. While the mammoth screen size provides plenty of space for you to express yourself, unless you have biceps like Arnie, you’ll need a table to rest it on before you start sketching.

5

CUTTLELOLA DOTSPEN

The Dotspen is an electric pen for creating a stippled effect in pen sketches, saving tons of time (and your wrist). A little chunkier than your average pen, it charges via USB and works with gel ink cartridges. There are two speed settings for better control: slower for outlines, or faster for filling in large areas. US$58 ($78), cuttlelola.com

From $979, apple.com/au

APPLE PENCIL

6

REMARKABLE

While the Apple Pencil only works with the iPad Pro, this bit of kit transforms a great tablet into a seriously impressive digital drawing tool. It also means you can feasibly create finished artwork on the iPad without having to rope in a desktop machine for the final stages. Pressureand tilt-sensitivity, low latency and outstanding palm rejection create a natural drawing experience.

The reMarkable promises the most paper-like drawing experience of any tablet. Its E-Ink display is matte and textured, so it feels like paper and is gentle on the eyes. Unlike a regular tablet, you can’t browse the internet or check your email… which could be just the thing to help you switch off from the outside world. Its associated Marker pen requires no battery, but still has pressure sensitivity and tilt sensing.

$145, apple.com/au

US$499 ($672), remarkable.com

3

1 4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

We can build you‌

SAYS‌ Get creative anywhere with a mix of paper and digital art tools! Claire Davies, Senior Content Editor

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 1 5

The home of technology techradar.com

Fitness & outdoors

ANTI-SWEAT SPORTS GEAR

N NIKE BREATHE Recycled l d Breathe B th ffabric b i with sweat-wicking Dri-FIT tech improves air-flow and reduces chafing. Nike’s softtouch Breathe top also expels excessive body heat, making your training sessions more comfortable and odour-free. $50, nike.com/au

ADIDAS 4KRFT ELEVATED SHORTS Cooling Climalite fabric wicks moisture away from clammy areas, keeping you dry and comfortable throughout your workout. he stretchy fit is also great for full-motion exercises. $60, adidas.com.au

ICEBREAKER MULTISPORT ULTRALIGHT SOCKS he merino wool in these lightweight socks banishes sweat, keeping pongs and blisters at bay. A breathable top panel provides extra cooling and ventilation, which is handy during runs. $29.95, au.icebreaker.com

TAKE A HIKE!

HEAD TO THE HILLS Escape the bustle by embarking on a day hike, decked out in the latest hiking gear picked by outdoors journalist Damian Hall Good hiking kit starts with proper boots. So no, your flyknits won’t cut it. Instead, stride into the hills wearing Salomon’s Quest 4D 3 GTX boots ($429.95, salomon.com/ au), designed with fatigue-reducing tech to keep you light-footed throughout your hike. The boot is cushioned in all the right places, and there’s a rubber toe cap protecting your pinkies from any loose rocks. Heading to the hills means you’re at the mercy of the weather, so it’s sensible to pack a spare waterproof layer. At a mere 108g the inov-8 Ultrashell Waterproof Jacket ($189, inov-8.com) is practically unnoticeable in your pack, yet provides excellent protection when the heavens do inevitably open.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Hydration is important not just on hot days. Sadly, water bottles add significant weight to backpacks. The slimline LifeStraw Go ($39.95, lifestraw.com) is different. It can be topped up only when needed, direct from a river or stream; the bottle uses two stages of filtration to remove waterborne bacteria, chlorine and organic chemical matter, so you can sip safely from the source. Though you should always carry a map, Garmin’s Fenix 5 Plus ($1,299, garmin.com/ en-AU) helps you dodge topographical befuddlement. The outdoor-loving watch boasts routable maps, plus Garmin Pay for a post-hike tea or frothy lemonade without you having to bring your wallet on the hike.

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 1 7

Horizon

GADGET GURU

T3’s most furious (in every sense) typist is here to save your joints

JENNY H, WAVERTON

My room is noisy. How do I sleep? You probably don’t know this, but Guru once lived on a construction site. Well, ‘lived’ is a bit strong. Perhaps ‘hid’ is a better descriptor. Whatever the semantics, during that time your favourite gadget uncle learned a thing or two about sleeping in loud and dangerous environments. First, you’ll want to make sure your ears are suitably blocked. Bose’s forthcoming SleepBuds are a neat solution, fizzing all sorts of brain-deadening noise into your ears throughout the night. But you don’t have to spend that much money as good ear plugs, like Mack’s (around $65 for 100 pairs),

ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY

A

might be all you need as long as you’re happy with the sound of your own fluids sloshing around inside your head. You can go custom, with ear plugs moulded specifically for the shape of your lugs (the ProGuard MYO, maybe, at $54) or really push the boat out with the titanium Isolate Pro buds from Flare Audio

ABOVE Do you live in a noisy house? Fear not, for there’s tech to help you block the blighters out

The Smart Nora slips into a pillow and repositions the head of nighttime honkers whenever they start to really give it some

($100), although the latter pokes out a bit too much for comfy sleep. You might think about sorting out your sleep environment. If you sleep with a snorer, as Mrs Guru does, try Smart Nora. The US$299 (about $400) device helps to resposition the head of nighttime honkers when they start to really give it some. The Silent Partner Smartpatch is also an interesting take on noise cancelling, emitting a reverse-wave counter snore to cancel out those somnambular emissions. If it ever sees the light of day—the fanciful crowdfunded device has hit a few development nightmares recently.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: INBOX@T3.COM OR FACEBOOK.COM/T3MAG 1 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Gadget guru

KEITH P, BOX HILL

Is it worth buying a Chromebook? If you’re a regular T3 reader, you’ll know all about the tightness of the purse strings at Guru Towers; investing in something for which GaGu already has three alternate functioning examples is strictly forbidden. But Guru has, somehow, successfully argued for a Chromebook to join the laptop ranks, possibly because semi-decent examples like the Acer Chromebook 14 are available for less than $500 – there are options that are cheaper (don’t bother) and pricier (like the horrendously overpriced US$999 Google Pixelbook – again, don’t bother, and it’s probably not coming to Australia anyway). Chromebooks are not, however much Google might like to sell them as much, proper laptops. They’re sit-on-your-bum and browse the internet machines, with heavy limitations on the number of tabs you can reasonably have grinding away thanks to the low-cost

A

chipsets that power them. They’re working machines, with off- and on-line access to the functional if unspectacular Google Drive range of office software. As of recently, they’re also pretty much phones: the majority of Chromebooks have access to the Google Play store, and can run Android apps, extending their functionality, at least as far as a computer without much of the requisite handset hardware that’s pretending to be a typical Android handset can be functional. Roll out your beard, and you might even be able to convince a Chromebook to run some form of nerd-OS Linux. Okay, the key is that they’re cheap. There’s not much to shout about in terms of system specs and screens are usually rubbish. But battery life is generally strong for these low-powered machines, so if you just want a machine for light work and light browsing, a Chromebook is a great light option.

KAY W, ST KILDA ABOVE Forget ebikes, it’s all about electric skateboards now.

GADGET GURU’S MAGIC BOX GaGu’s slumped, hunched, scrunched-up spine has been shouting at him, but your semi-folded gadget hero isn’t entirely sold on the Alexa-addled Giiro robot. It’s a little minion cyclops that goes on your desk, and combines with a floor mat in order to spot when you’re flopping about like a miserable teenager on a bus stop and give you specific guidance to fix your posture. GaGu hates being bossed around by electronics, especially those which look espe e the sort of footlike punishing plastic thing that’s scattered all over GaGu Jr’s floor, so let’s G see s if Giiro passes its crowdfunding goal. Something that has een funded is Beeline’s be w navigation circle the new Moto (approx $195). It’s an ate to the existing tech, upda but the white-on-black en, and the option to scree pick between compass and

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

explicit direction modes, makes this navigator a must for motorcyclists who want to know where they’re going. Every Sunday night, Ol’ Guru gets together with some chums for board games. Don’t laugh! There are, contrary to popular belief, people beyond GaGu’s family who can stand his physical presence. Anyway, Apple’s ARKit has his gaming group all aflutter, what with its multi-player technology, and the potential for it to turn a board into something far more animated. Not entirely sure where it’s leading, though – while there’s a lot of potential, there’s little evidence (beyond Apple’s destructive block-smashing demo) of anything solid so far, and AR’s not exactly new. If it’s taken this long to get even this far, will game developers care enough to make it good, essential even, rather than just a gimmick?

Which electric skateboard should I get? You lot. Honestly, it’s like you write in with the sole purpose of wanting GaGu to make fun of you. Well this isn’t an abuse-for-hire service (you can call Guru’s premium rate number for that) so here’s a very short answer to your question: the Boosted Gen 2 Plus, a recent upgrade to the Boosted Board, is a zippy little 35km/h longboard that will cough up around 11 kilometres of range if you’re willing to drop an eye-watering $2,200 on it. You know, they’re possibly a little law-flouting, given that electric bikes are restricted to 25km/h, although Guru’s lawyer is a little too busy working through your author’s many unusual legal issues to offer up a solid answer at this time. Basically, if you’re riding an electric skateboard like this one, don’t turn it up to max on the pavement and don’t be a nuisance on the road. There’s also good things to be said about Slick Revolution and its line of original electric skateboards, so check those out too.

A

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 1 9

Horizon

NEW MEDIA

NOW PLAYING Guru finds the finest media you need on your various screens

SHARP OBJECTS Amy Adams stars in this dark HBO miniseries about a woman investigating murders of girls in her home town. Quietly thrilling, evoking the first season of True Detective.

MATTHEW S, NOOSAVILLE

What is blockchain? It’s as dull as it is baffling, Matthew. Blockchain is essentially a big secure public spreadsheet, automatically populated when a transaction is made with the precise time and value of that transaction. When a network of computers operates on a blockchain, the thing is up-todate by default, and each machine knows what the other has done. Blockchain’s involvement in Bitcoin means every transaction can (theoretically) be traced, and no two people can have the same coin at one time. It’s breaking off into other areas of tech, like energy and medicine, so it’s great, but GaGu laments not being able to make silly jokes about it.

A

OWAIN D, ALBION PARK

What’s the best way for me to stream Twitch? ALOE BUD Do you sometimes get so busy you struggle with self-care? his iOS app sends you gentle reminders throughout the day to take short breaks and drink water, all in beautiful pixel art.

BATMAN #50 his milestone issue from Tom King brings us to the longawaited Batman and Catwoman wedding. It’s rare to see a gentle side of Batman, making this one of the most tender DC stories.

2 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

ABOVE Of course we know what Blockchain is. It’s all about blocks and, er, chains, right?

JAMES D, LEWISHAM

I keep breaking my charging cables. Help! Good news: they’re cheap, so get a bunch of them from Amazon. Guru’s taken to abusing his Prime subscription by getting packs of three braided cables delivered for about a tenner. GaGu chooses to believe these slightly rickety cables are not a fire risk, but you may have slightly more sense, in which case the Fuse Chicken Titan ($79) might be more your thing. It’s coated in two layers of metal and can withstand a bite from a chainsaw, if that’s something that happens often around you. The manufacturers reckon these cables are dog-proof, though they’ve never met Chompsky...

A

By far the best thing about watching Twitch streams on the big screen is that you don’t have to put up with the people in Twitch Chat, which is like the YouTube comments section but even more horrifyingly toxic. If Guru is honest, he’s probably a bit too old now for Twitch. It’s a new culture and he really doesn’t understand most of what goes on there. What is a PogChamp? Who is this Kappa? Kids these days, with their memes and their computer games and their electronic telephones and their warped world views developed on 4chan and the Facebooks... Tut. Oh, you asked a question? Use a Chromecast. It works perfectly.

A

Don’t miss another instalment of the legendary Gadget Guru!

Guru is probably too old now for Twitch. It’s a new culture and he doesn’t really understand. What is a PogChamp? Who is Kappa?

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 12 NOV

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Horizon Opinion

Duncan Bell is Googling it now he EU recently handed Google a $6.8bn fine over Android, but what if it had never existed? here is a massive disconnect between what the media, lawmakers and regulators want from tech brands, and what punters want. In some ways, this disconnect defines many of the bad bits about the world in which we live today, from web security to fake news. The difference in attitude can be simplistically summed up like this: (some) journalists and regulators can see that lax internet security and the way mega tech brands do business is causing massive danger, potential harm and actual harm. And customers just want their damn devices to work so they can download this video clip or meme they’ve been sent. Anyway, I thought about this again recently, when the EU slapped Google with a massive $6.8 billion fine for, as far as I can make out, giving away its Android OS to handset brands, but including Google Search in it. You could go on about the rights and wrongs of this for quite a while. Possibly Google acted in a way that stifled competition at the dawn of the mobile internet age, but trying to fix that now is like trying to make the sky a bit lower. It got me thinking about what mobile phone shops would look like now if the EU was able to go back in time and strangle Android at birth, just like in Terminator 2.

T

Apple vs The World I think I may have mentioned this before, but there’s a very interesting infographic you can view relating to smartphones. It consist of about 50 basic line drawings of phones before and after the iPhone became a mainstream success (around iPhone 3G, I expect). Before: every size, shape

and style you could imagine a phone to be. After: rectangular screens with a bezel around. That wasn’t just down to Apple, though. In fact, it was mainly driven by Google Android. The People’s Operating System actually started out on a weird fold-out keyboard made by HTC, but the iPhone’s success soon pushed Android hardware towards a uniform, all-screen approach. As a result, everyone now has that style of phone. Without Google giving away (subject to certain requirements) Android OS to hardware brands, it’s hard to see that happening. We could now be in an alternate universe where those with money have iPhones (or phones made by Google itself), and everyone else has phones made with very differing approaches, quality levels and competing OSes.

Google can pay its fine by cracking open the jar of $100 notes it keeps to pay for pizzas Everything from Microsoft Windows 7 to Nokia Symbian 47 could be doing battle in a chaotic marketplace with standalone operating systems from Sony, Samsung, et al. Challengers would be using mobile Linux or an OS knocked up in the shed as a hobby. Would Facebook or Twitter be so huge if they’d had to build and maintain apps for multiple competing OSes? Would iOS and Android have blazed forward as

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

they have if the competition – especially at the cheaper end of the market – had nowhere near the resources of Apple and Google? Well, who does have their resources? Google can probably pay its $6.8bn fine by having a bit of a root down the back of its sofa, or cracking open the jar full of $100 notes that it keeps on the side table for paying for pizza delivery. It is a shame that all those interesting-shaped phones were lost along the way. We know from online traffic that there’s a ton of interest in reading about folding phones, but that doesn’t mean anyone would buy them. Google creating and distributing Android for (sort of) free was like the invention of the wheel. It changed the world. Some of the ways Android has changed the world are bad – you can put a wheel on an ambulance or on a tank, after all – but many are good. Above all, they’re changes that are fundamental and irreversible. That’s why the EU fining Google for what it supposedly did at Android’s birth feels so weird.

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 2 1

2018’s gadget wishlist

We give this award to products we’ve tried at shows and expos that especially impressed us.

2018’S GADGET WISHLIST Meet the tech that’s exciting us most this year, from smarter fitness gear to must-have mobile accessories, next-generation laptops, and even the rise of home robots

2 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

2018’s gadget wishlist

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 2 3

2018’s gadget wishlist

Audio-Technica ATH-DSR5BT

$XGLR 7HFKQLFD SXWV D ORW RI JDGJHW NQRZ KRZ LQWR VLPSOH ORRNLQJ KHDGSKRQHV DQG WKHVH DUH LWV PRVW DGYDQFHG LQ HDUV \HW 7KH\ XVH WKH FRPSDQ\èV ç3XUH 'LJLWDO 'ULYHè V\VWHP ZKLFK DOORZ WKH GULYHUV WKDW DFWXDOO\ PDNH WKH VRXQG WR EH FRQWUROOHG GLUHFWO\ E\ WKH GLJLWDO DXGLR VLJQDOV LQVWHDG RI KDYLQJ WR JR WKURXJK D FRQYHUVLRQ WR DQDORJXH DXGLR ĆUVW ZKLFK FDQ VSRLO WKH VRXQG LI GRQH EDGO\ $QG ZLWK DSW; +' IRU KLJKHU TXDOLW\ VWUHDPLQJ WKH\èUH SHUIHFW IRU JHWWLQJ HYHU\ GURS RI FU\VWDO FOHDU DXGLR SLSHG GLUHFWO\ WR \RXU HDUV $599, audio-technica.com.au

DJI Osmo Mobile 2

6WHDGLFDP VW\OH JLPEDOV DUH GHĆQLWHO\ QRW VRPHWKLQJ WKDW RQO\ SURIHVVLRQDO YLGHR PDNHUV VKRXOG EH XVLQJ :KHWKHU \RXèUH UHFRUGLQJ D IDPLO\ KROLGD\ RU \RXU QH[W YORJ IRU \RXU PLOOLRQV RI YLHZHUV WKH 2VPR 0RELOH ZLOO EH DQ DPD]LQJO\ XVHIXO EX\ 7KH SRLQW RI D JLPEDO LV WR NHHS \RXU SKRQH VWHDG\ DQG OHYHO ZKHQ UHFRUGLQJ QR PDWWHU KRZ PXFK \RXU KDQG ZREEOHV 6KDNLQJ RU VXGGHQ PRYHPHQWV DUH DEVRUEHG VR HYHU\WKLQJ LV VXSHU VPRRWK ZKHQ \RX ZDWFK LW EDFN %ULOOLDQWO\ LI \RXèUH UHFRUGLQJ \RXUVHOI LW WUDFNV \RX DQG NHHSV \RX LQ IUDPH DXWRPDWLFDOO\ $QG LW KDV KDQG\ FRQWUROV RQ WKH KDQGOH $209, dji.com

Black Box VR gym

1RW HYHU\RQH ORYHV WKH LGHD RI JRLQJ WR WKH J\P WR KDQJ RXW DPRQJ VZHDW\ ERGLHV LQ YDULRXV VWDWHV RI YLVLEOH H[HUWLRQ %ODFN %R[ LV D FRQFHSW WR RXWĆW \RX ZLWK D 95 KHDGVHW DV \RX WUDLQ <RXèOO EH SOD\LQJ D JDPH FXVWRPLVHG IRU \RX E\ $, FRQWUROOHG E\ XVLQJ WKH J\P HTXLSPHQW %ODFN %R[ VD\V LWèV JUHDW IRU UHDOO\ WRXJK ZRUNRXWV EHFDXVH êð\RXU EUDLQ ZLOO SHUFHLYH DFWXDO GDQJHU RU XUJHQF\ DQG SXVK SDVW \RXU SHUFHLYHG OLPLWDWLRQV ë :KLFK VRXQGV KRUULI\LQJ DFWXDOO\ EXW ZH ORYH WKH LGHD 7KH ĆUVW J\P RSHQV LQ 6DQ )UDQFLVFR WKLV \HDU UROOLQJ RXW WR PRUH ORFDWLRQV LQ WKH IXWXUH $TBC, blackbox-vr.com

Bosch HMI Sennheiser HD820

Heatworks Tetra

7KLV FRXQWHUWRS GLVKZDVKHU FDQ ĆW LQ MXVW DERXW DQ\ NLWFKHQ QR PDWWHU KRZ SRNH\ ,QVWHDG RI IRFXVLQJ RQ PHHWLQJ WKH QHHGV RI D ELJ IDPLO\ LWèV GHVLJQHG WR KROG WKH FURFNHU\ RI WZR IXOO SODFH VHWWLQJV LQFOXGLQJ FKXQN\ VWXII VXFK DV ERZOV ,W GRHVQèW SOXPE LQ Ã¥ \RX MXVW SRXU LQ KDOI D JDOORQ RI ZDWHU ZKHQ \RX QHHG WR XVH LW SRS RQ WKH VHH WKURXJK WRS DQG UXQ WKH PLQXWH F\FOH +HDWZRUNV UHFNRQV LW XVHV DERXW SHU FHQW RI WKH ZDWHU WKDW KDQGZDVKLQJ WKH VDPH VWXII ZRXOG 3UHFLVH WHPSHUDWXUH FRQWURO PHDQV LW FDQ DOVR EH XVHG IRU VDQLWLVLQJ EDE\ SURGXFWV ,W ZLOO EH RXW LQ ODWH Approx. $400, myheatworks.com 24 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

6HQQKHLVHUèV +' RSHQ EDFNHG KHDGSKRQHV KDYH EHHQ WKH EHQFKPDUN IRU DXGLR SHUIRUPDQFH IRU QHDUO\ QLQH \HDUV EXW EHLQJ RSHQ PHDQV VRXQG OHDNV RXW DQG LQ $QG VR ZH QRZ KDYH WKH +' ZKLFK DUH VWLOO GHVLJQHG DURXQG JLYLQJ \RX WKH PRVW WUDQVSDUHQW DXGLR UHSURGXFWLRQ SRVVLEOH 3DUW RI WKLV LV WKH JODVV H[WHULRU ZKLFK LV literally WUDQVSDUHQW VR \RX FDQ VHH WKH WRS HQG GULYHU WHFK EXW LV DOVR GHVLJQHG WR DEVRUE VWUD\ VRXQG ZDYHV WR NHHS ZKDW \RX KHDU WRWDOO\ SXUH DQG FOHDU RI DQ\ LQWHUIHUHQFH $3,499, sennheiser.com

:HèUH ĆOOLQJ RXU FDUV ZLWK JHVWXUH FRQWUROV DQG WRXFKVFUHHQV EXW %RVFK WKLQNV WKLV LV DOO WRR GLVWUDFWLQJ ,WV FRQFHSW IRU DQ çXQFOXWWHUHGè FRFNSLW PRYHV DV PDQ\ FRQWUROV DV SRVVLEOH WR D VHW RI WRXFKVFUHHQV EXW WKH DLP LV DOVR WR GR DZD\ ZLWK PHQXV \RX KDYH WR WDS WKURXJK 7KH +0, KXPDQ PDFKLQH LQWHUIDFH ZLOO SUHGLFW ZKDW \RX PLJKW ZDQW WR DGMXVW SURDFWLYHO\ DQG ZLOO SXW WKH FRUUHFW FRQWURO ULJKW DW \RXU ĆQJHUWLSV ,WèV DOVR HTXLSSHG ZLWK YRLFH FRQWURO FRPSOHWH ZLWK QDWXUDO ODQJXDJH SURFHVVLQJ DQG DQ DVVLVWDQW WKDWèV SUHGLFWLYH VR LW FDQ UHVSRQG WR UHTXHVWV PXFK PRUH XVHIXOO\ $TBC, bosch-automotive.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Razer Project Linda

Razer Project Linda We’ve seen phones turned into computers before, but Project Linda is the slickest implementation yet, for sure. The laptop is a dumb clamshell – just batteries, 200GB of storage, a 13-inch QHD touchscreen and a Razer Chrome multi-coloured keyboard. Slot the Razer Phone (which we’re big fans of) into a gap at the bottom and it powers the whole thing, providing Android with a desktop point-and-click interface to the screen at the top. The phone acts as trackpad, but the idea is that apps could have a special dual-screen interface, with the main view on the top screen, and special shortcuts visible on the phone (a bit like the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro). It’s just a concept for now, and Razer has a history of showing off prototypes that never got anywhere, but we’d love to see this hit reality. $TBC, razerzone.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 2 5

2018’s gadget wishlist

Byton Electric Concept

,WèV D ORQJ ZD\ RII å H[SHFW WR VHH LW DJDLQ LQ DW WKH HDUOLHVW å EXW WKLV LV SDUW çFDU RI WKH IXWXUHè DQG SDUW çVPDUWSKRQH RQ ZKHHOVè ,W SDFNV $, JHDUHG IRU /HYHO DXWRQRPRXV RSHUDWLRQ DV ZHOO DV ELRPHWULF VHFXULW\ $OH[D YRLFH FRQWURO DQG D KXJH WRXFKVFUHHQ GDVK 7KH LQVLGH LV PDGH WR EH VXSHU OX[H %\WRQ FDOOV LW D ç'LJLWDO /RXQJHè DQG LV JHDUHG IRU ORQJ MRXUQH\V ZLWK SRFNHWV HVSHFLDOO\ IRU VWRULQJ WDEOHWV DQG RWKHU JDGJHWV ,WèV DYDLODEOH ZLWK UDQJHV XS WR NLORPHWUHV DQG D MXLF\ N: ,WèV GHVLJQHG WR FKDUJH XS WR SHU FHQW LQ PLQXWHV RU D PLOH FKDUJH LQ PLQXWHV From $60,000, byton.com

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music Garmin already rules the running ZDWFK NLQJGRP ZLWK DQ LURQ ĆVW 1RZ the Forerunner 645 Music adds – obviously – music playback without WKH QHHG IRU D SKRQH <RX FDQ ORDG XS WR VRQJV WR LW DQG WKHQ FRQQHFW D VHW RI %OXHWRRWK KHDGSKRQHV ,W will also sync songs from Deezer for RIćLQH OLVWHQLQJ 7KDWèV RQ WRS RI WKH usual roster of GPS and biometric data FUXQFKLQJ 7KHUHèV DOVR *DUPLQ 3D\ IRU FRQWDFWOHVV SD\PHQWV ZLWK WKH $1= &RPPRQZHDOWK 1$% DQG PRUH VXSSRUWLQJ LW &KHFN RXW S IRU PRUH RQ WKLV LQWULJXLQJ VPDUWZDWFK $599, garmin.com

B&O BeoPla H9

%DQJ 2OXIVHQèV DOUHD H[FHOOHQW KHD KRQHV JHW D OLWWOH ELW VPDUWHU ZLWWK WKH + L )RU D VWDUW WKH\ WDUW WKH\ QRZ FKDUJH XVLQJ 86% & VR WKDW FRXOG EH R FRXOG EH RQH OHVV FDEOH WR FDUU\ 7KH EDWWHU\ OLIH KDV EHHQ LPSURYHG WRR WR D ZKRSSLQJ KRXUV 7KH QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ LV VWLOO VXSHUE DQG \RX FDQ QRZ HQWHU WUDQVSDUHQF\ PRGH OHWWLQJ \RX KHDU ZKDWèV KDSSHQLQJ DURXQG \RX ZLWK D JHVWXUH 7KH\ DOVR SDXVH DXWRPDWLFDOO\ ZKHQ \RX WDNH WKHP RII /RWV RI KLJK HQG KHDGSKRQHV KDYH WKHVH NLQG RI IHDWXUHV EXW % 2èV LPSHFFDEOH VRXQG DQG EXLOG TXDOLW\ HOHYDWH WKHVH WR D QHZ OHYHO $749, beoplay.com

L’Oreal UV Sense

Lenovo Mirage Solo & Mirage Camera

7KLV LV WKH ĆUVW VWDQGDORQH 95 KHDGVHW WKDW ZRUNV ZLWK *RRJOH 'D\GUHDP PHDQLQJ LWèV FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK WRQV RI 95 DSSV RXW RI WKH ER[ $ EXLOW LQ [ VFUHHQ DQG SURFHVVLQJ power means no cables or slotting your phone LQ Ã¥ WKLV LV 95èV ELJ FKDQFH WR JR PDLQVWUHDP /HQRYR DOVR RIIHUV D VHSDUDWH PDWFKLQJ FDPHUD Ã¥ LWèV VPDOO OLJKW DQG EXLOW VROHO\ DURXQG FDSWXULQJ VWHUHRVFRSLF SLFWXUHV DQG YLGHRV 7KH KHDGVHW ZLOO EH RXW LQ WKH VHFRQG TXDUWHU RI DQG FRVWV DERXW ZLWK WKH FDPHUD DURXQG From US$300 ($402), lenovo.com 2 6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

7KLV LV WKH ĆUVW ZHDUDEOH EDWWHU\ IUHH electronic sensor for detecting UV light levels – stick the tiny pad onto your ĆQJHUQDLO EHIRUH \RX KHDG RXW IRU D GD\ LQ WKH VXQ DQG LW WHOOV DQ DFFRPSDQ\LQJ app on your phone when your level RI H[SRVXUH WR KDUPIXO UD\V LV JHWWLQJ too high (and better coach you on VXQEORFNLQJ XS ,W ZDV FUHDWHG ZLWK JDGJHW GHVLJQ PDHVWUR <YHV %«KDU DQG LV DFWLYDWHG E\ 89$ DQG 89% UD\V ,WèV PP WKLFN DQG /è2UHDO FODLPV LW FRXOG EH ZRUQ IRU VHYHUDO ZHHNV ([SHFW WR VHH LW ODXQFK XQGHU WKH FRPSDQ\èV /D 5RFKH 3RVD\ EUDQG LQ WKH 86 YHU\ VRRQ DQG ZRUOGZLGH QH[W \HDU $TBC, loreal.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

2018’s gadget wishlist

Magic Leap One We’ve been hearing about Magic Leap’s potentially revolutionary augmented/ PL[HG UHDOLW\ WHFK IRU ĆYH \HDUV ĂĽ overlaying graphics onto the real world U ULJKW LQ IURQW RI \RXU H\HV ĂĽ EXW ZLWK WKH UHYHDO RI WKLV ĆUVW XVDEOH YHUVLRQ it’s a giant step closer to reality. Initially, there will be a ‘Creator Edition’, EXW LWèV QRW MXVW IRU GHYHORSHUV ĂĽ WKH company says it wants brands, agencies and tech adopters to get on board this year. The Leap One set includes the goggles (known as Lightwear), a wearable puck that contains the processing power (called Lightpack), and a controller for interaction. $TBC, magicleap.com

Optoma UHD51A Alexa 4K projector

2SWRPD PDNHV VRPH GDPQ ĆQH projectors, and this new version is on board with the ‘Smart assistants in everything’ trend. Amazon’s Alexa is built in here, so you can tell the projector to set your smart lights to an appropriate movie-watching level. The projector itself is a great 4K HDR unit, powered by Android for playing media directly (along with a pair of HDMI ports, naturally). It’s a bit of a shame it’s not a laser projector, but they cost a lot more, and it’s nice and bright at 2,400 ANSI lumens, with a healthy 50,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks. $2,799, optoma.com/au

Lenovo Smart Display Oh, you thought smart voice assistants are the big thing right now? Well, they are. But adding screens onto them is going to be bigger, very quickly. To compete with the Amazon Echo Show, Lenovo offers the new Smart Display, which puts Google Assistant onto an 8- or 10-inch screen. It works in portrait or landscape, does video calling and YouTube, packs a 10-watt speaker, and comes in style-friendly grey RU EDPERR ĆQLVKHV ,W GHĆQLWHO\ ORRNV D ORW EHWWHU WKDQ WKH blocky Amazon Echo Show, and is priced competitively. It’s out now in the US, and hopefully in Australia soon. From US$199.99, lenovo.com

HP Spectre x360 15

Segway Loomo Segways’ latest machine hops onto the robot-helper trend, while also keeping true to the company’s mobility roots. You can step onto the Loomo and ride it around like other smaller Segway products, but it also has some autonomy built in, along with handy arms for holding things. So, you could ride it to the shops, grab a few bags of supplies, then load up the Loomo with them and have it follow you as you walk home. Tell it “Loomo, transform� and a screen-equipped ‘head’ rotates out to turn it into a little emotive robot. You can have it follow you around and take pictures, triggered with a gesture. It’s programmable too, and can recognise objects. $TBC, segwayrobotics.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Convertible laptops can be really handy, especially for creative work or on the go, but have mostly restricted themselves to 13-inch models. The Spectre x360 15 gives us a bigger screen to play with. You can use it as a standard 15-inch laptop, or fold the screen all the way around to use as a beautiful 4K touchscreen. It comes with a quad-core Intel processor for some big computing power, and there’s an option that uses built-in graphics from AMD’s new Vega M line, which should provide excellent battery life. <RX DOVR JHW D ĆQJHUSULQW UHDGHU DQG even a proper number pad. From $3,699, hp.com

Peloton Tread Described by Peloton as “your own SULYDWH ĆWQHVV VWXGLRĂŤ WKH 7UHDG LV designed to provide pro-level cardio and strength training at home. The big screen on the treadmill shows videos from top instructors, giving you gym-quality planned workouts. The training activities are social, so you’ll do them alongside other Peloton users, with things like live leaderboards encouraging you to push harder. It launches in the US in our spring (their autumn). Peloton offers instalment plans to buy one, but streaming the classes costs an extra US$39 a month. US$3,995 ($5,392), onepeloton.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 2 7

2018’s gadget wishlist

Asus Zenbook Pro 15

Pimax 8K VR headset

Say goodbye to the traditional trackpad, and hello to the screenpad. $VXV KDV MDPPHG D LQFK WRXFKVFUHHQ MXVW EHORZ WKH VSDFHEDU on this wafer-thin beauty, and this FHD screen can display anything from a calculator or numberpad, to programVSHFLĆF PHQXV DQG VKRUWFXWV <RX FDQ even extend your desktop to there if \RXU H\HVLJKWèV H[FHSWLRQDO ,WèV PRUH than a gimmick, and all married to some seriously impressive hardware: WKH LQFK PDLQ VFUHHQ FDQ EH )+' touchscreen or 4K display, a 1TB SSD and latest-gen Core i9 processor, all wrapped in an alumium chassis. From $2,999, asus.com/au

All the VR units released so far have VXIIHUHG IURP D ELW RI çVFUHHQ GRRUè HIIHFW ZKHUH WKH UHVROXWLRQ LVQèW KLJK enough to appear totally clear. The Vive Pro (turn over the page) takes a step WRZDUGV Ć[LQJ WKLV EXW WKH 3LPD[ . KHDGVHW JRHV ZD\ EH\RQG LW ,W SDFNV D IXOO [ . VFUHHQ per eye, so everything is crystal clear. To make the most of the resolution, it has a wider ĆHOG RI YLHZ WKDQ RWKHU 95 KHDGVHWV RQ the market, so feels a lot more natural WR JHW ORVW LQ ,WèV VWLOO LQ WKH SURWRW\SH stage, and will require an insane amount of power to use with games, EXW ZHèOO EH UHDG\ ZKHQ LW LVð $TBC, pimaxvr.com

LG 34WK95U This ultra-wide monitor has an aspect ratio of 21:9 – much ZLGHU WKDQ WKH RI PRVW GLVSOD\V 7KLV PDNHV LW WKH same shape as cinema screens, so you can play movies on it without the bars at the top and bottom, which looks glorious. :KDW ZHèUH PRVW LQWHUHVWHG LQ WKRXJK LV LWV OXVFLRXV [ . UHVROXWLRQ $FURVV WKH LQFK VFUHHQ LW looks incredibly detailed. This kind of monitor is excellent IRU SURGXFWLYLW\ EHFDXVH \RX FDQ ĆW ORDGV RI VWXII VLGH E\ side, but also for things like video work, because you can SXW D IXOO VL]H . YLGHR QH[W WR VRPH HGLWLQJ FRQWUROV ,W ORRNV IDQWDVWLF IRU EH\RQG . JDPLQJ WRR ,WèV DOVR JRW +'5 support for video, and connects over Thunderbolt 3. US$1,499, lg.com/au

Polaroid Pop

Nvidia Big Format Gaming Display

7KH EHVW 3& JDPLQJ PRQLWRUV KDYH IHDWXUHV VSHFLĆFDOO\ IRU gaming – low latency, high refresh rates, and tech such as G-Sync showing smoother frame rate results. But this always tends to be focused in monitors, rather than TVs. So what LI \RX ZDQW D ELJ VFUHHQ OLYLQJ URRP 3& H[SHULHQFH" 7KDWèV ZKHUH 1YLGLDèV QHZ WR\ FRPHV LQ 7KH LQFK VFUHHQ SDFNV in a 4K resolution, PC-tuned HDR, a 120Hz refresh rate, and G-Sync. Nvidia has even crammed in an Nvidia Shield unit, VR \RX FDQ VWUHDP WR LW IURP \RXU 3& RU MXVW ZDWFK 1HWćL[ Expect BFGD releases later in 2018 from Acer, Asus and HP. $TBC, geforce.com

2 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

The instant camera revival continues! People went 100 per cent digital with their photos for years, then remembered that having printed photos to share is quite nice, actually (plus, the hipsters who will revive DQ\WKLQJ JRW LW 3RODURLGèV EHHQ WDNLQJ advantage of this with a few great instant-printing cameras, and the ODWHVW LV WKH WKRURXJKO\ UHWUR 3RS ,WèV ELJ FKXQN\ VROLG DQG \RX FDQ MXVW point and shoot with its 20-megapixel FDPHUD ,W VWRUHV GLJLWDO SKRWRV RQ WKH device, but you can instantly print them RQ =,1. ]HUR LQN SDSHU <RX FDQ SULQW your phone photos on it via Wi-Fi, too. $469.95, polaroid.com

Sennheiser Ambeo 3D soundbar Trust Sennheiser to enter a new audio market and instantly put the competition on notice. This soundbar packs in a whopping 15 drivers, with the aim of creating true virtual surround from a single device. This includes Dolby Atmos height channel support, and unlike most Atmos systems, which add two height-based speakers, this actually creates four height channels (the highest-end version of the Atmos spec), as well as ĆYH YLUWXDO VXUURXQG FKDQQHOV ,WèV MXVW a prototype at the moment, but the results are already mind-blowing. $TBC, sennheiser.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Dell XPS 13

Dell XPS 13

'HOOèV PRVW UHĆQHG ODSWRS KDV EHHQ EXIIHG DQG SROLVKHG WR LWV ĆQHVW VKHHQ \HW 7KH ;36 QRZ IHDWXUHV D . ,QĆQLW\ (GJH VFUHHQ VXSSRUWHG E\ QHZ ç'HOO &LQHPDè WHFK LQFOXGLQJ WHFK IRU D VXSHULRU G\QDPLF UDQJH FOHDUHU DQG SXQFKLHU VRXQG DQG .LOOHU :LUHOHVV VXSSRUW IRU VXSHU IDVW FRQQHFWLRQV $GG D ODWHVW JHQ ,QWHO TXDG FRUH SURFHVVRU DORQJ ZLWK FRROLQJ WHFK ĆOFKHG IURP 1$6$ DQG \RX JHW WKH PRVW FRPSDFW DQG SRZHUIXO PDFKLQH LQ LWV FODVV 3OXV LW QRZ FRPHV LQ QHZ URVH JROG DQG ZKLWH FRORXUV DQG WKH VLOYHU PRGHO XVHV LQQRYDWLYH SDFNDJLQJ UHF\FOHG IURP RFHDQ SODVWLF ZDVWH $2,099, dell.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 2 9

2018’s gadget wishlist

Sony LSPX-A1 4K Ultra Short hrow Projector

:KDW \RXèUH ORRNLQJ IRU LQ WKH SLFWXUH DERYH LV WKH VHHPLQJO\ LQQRFXRXV ZKLWH WRSSHG VLGH WDEOH 7KDW PLQL PDUYHO LV SURMHFWLQJ D . +'5 LPDJH XS WR LQFKHV LQ VL]H IURP MXVW D IHZ LQFKHV DZD\ IURP WKH ZDOO ,WèV EULJKW DQG EROG WRR WKDQNV WR OXPHQ ODVHU GLRGH SURMHFWLRQ WHFK ,W SDFNV LQ DQ HODERUDWH VHW RI VSHDNHUV IRU URRP ĆOOLQJ DXGLR LQWR WKH XQLW WRR LQFOXGLQJ D GHGLFDWHG VXEZRRIHU $QG LW ORRNV WKH SDUW WKDQNV WR D UHDO PDUEOH WRS VXUIDFH DQG DOXPLQLXP IUDPH -XVW PDNH VXUH \RX GRQèW SXW D SODQW RYHU WKH SURMHFWLQJ SDUW US$30,000 ($40,490), sony.com.au

Panasonic LUMIX GH5S

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èYH JRW WR FKHFN RXW WKH YLGHRV RQ 3DQDVRQLFèV ZHEVLWH $3,499, panasonic.com/au

Samsung he Wall

,WèV EHHQ \HDUV VLQFH ZH KDG D QHZ 79 GLVSOD\ WHFKQRORJ\ WR JHW H[FLWHG DERXW VR ZHèUH ORYLQJ 7KH :DOOèV XVH RI 0LFUR/(' WHFK %DVLFDOO\ LWèV OLNH 2/(' LQ WKDW LQGLYLGXDO SL[HOV SURMHFW WKHLU RZQ OLJKW UDWKHU WKDQ UHO\LQJ RQ D EDFNOLJKW LQ WKH ZD\ /&' GRHV 6R EODFNV ORRN WUXO\ EODFN DQG HYHU\WKLQJ HOVH LV VXSHU EULJKW DQG FULVS 7KH DGYDQWDJH RI 0LFUR/('V LV WKDW WKH\ VKRXOG DYRLG 2/(' GLVDGYDQWDJHV VXFK DV JKRVWLQJ 6DPVXQJèV DGGHG DQRWKHU WULFN DV ZHOO WKRXJK 7KH :DOO LV PRGXODU <RX FDQ PDNH LW DQ\ VL]H DQG VKDSH E\ DGGLQJ PRUH EH]HO OHVV SDQHOV $OWKRXJK JLYHQ WKDW LWèV LQFKHV DQ\ZD\ PD\EH \RX ZRQèW QHHG WR ,WèV D FRQFHSW ULJKW QRZ EXW KRSHIXOO\ WKDW ZLOO FKDQJH VRRQ $TBC, samsung.com/au

HTC Vive Pro & Vive Wireless Adapter

7KHUH DUH WZR KXUGOHV IRU 95 WR RYHUFRPH JHWWLQJ WKH UHVROXWLRQ KLJK HQRXJK IRU WKH VFUHHQ WR EH XQQRWLFHDEOH DQG JHWWLQJ ULG RI ZLUHV +7& LV WDFNOLQJ ERWK ZLWK VRPH QHZ SURGXFWV 7KH 9LYH 3UR Ć[HV ORWV RI VPDOO LVVXHV EXPSLQJ XS WKH UHVROXWLRQ WR [ ,WèV DOVR EHHQ UHGHVLJQHG WR NHHS RXW OLJKW DQG LQFOXGHV D SDLU RI KL UHV DXGLR KHDGSKRQHV FRPSOHWH ZLWK D EXLOW LQ DPS DFWLYH QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ DQG ' VSDWLDO DXGLR FDSDELOLWLHV +7& KDV DOVR DQQRXQFHG D ZLUHOHVV DGDSWHU WKDW ZRUNV ZLWK ERWK PRGHOV ,W FOLSV WR WKH 9LYH KHDGVHW DQG XVHV ,QWHOèV VXSHU IDVW :L*LJ WHFK WR VWUHDP ORZ ODWHQF\ YLGHR *HW LW RQ \RXU KHDG SURQWR From $1,199, vive.com

UBTECH Walker

7KLV IDLQWO\ G\VWRSLDQ ORRNLQJ ĆJXUH ZH VXVSHFW 8%7(&+ ZDV DLPLQJ IRU Jetsons EXW WKLV LV GDQJHURXVO\ FORVH to Doctor Who WHUULWRU\ LV NLQG RI D ZDONLQJ (FKR 6KRZ 7KH LGHD LV WKDW LW ZLOO EH D YRLFH FRQWUROOHG DVVLVWDQW LQ SDUW 8%7(&+ KDV XVHG $OH[D LQ WKH SDVW VR ZH PLJKW VHH LW DJDLQ KHUH ZLWK D KDQG\ VFUHHQ IDFH ,W FDQ DOVR ZDON DURXQG DV D VHFXULW\ SDWURO UHFRUGLQJ ZLWK LWV EXLOW LQ FDPHUD ,WèV XQOLNHO\ WR VHH UHOHDVH XQWLO DQG LW PD\ DUULYH ZLWK DUPV WKHQ WRR :HèG DW OHDVW OLNH D VKHOI IRU VHQGLQJ VQDFNV DURXQG WKH URRP DW SDUWLHV $TBC, ubtech.com 3 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

2018’s gadget wishlist

LG InstaView hinQ fridge

Nokia Sleep

Last year, LG unveiled its InstaView fridge, which has a screen that you can turn transparent, to peek at what’s inside without wasting energy (that’s the model pictured above). Now, it has revealed the next evolution, which packs Google Assistant support onto the display, meaning you can turn it clear to check what you need to buy, then immediately invoke Google to add those products to your cloudconnected shopping list (which you have, right? They’re life-changing). And on top of that, having Google Assistant in the kitchen is generally handy – a replacement for magnetic reminders! $TBC, lg.com/au

This mattress pad from Nokia’ss health nal division will track your nocturn habits, including snoring. It’s re eally well-designed (almost needlesssly so, when you consider that it’s going to be hidden under your bed), but what’s most cool and innovative is that Sleep integrates with IFTTT, so you can have your lights turn off and your smart thermostat lower the temperature only once you actually fall asleep, rather than guessing a time you’ll drift off. Or, equally, you could have the blinds open as soon as you awake, and start the coffee machine. And it helps you analyse your sleep, of course. $229, health.nokia.com

Huawei WiFi Q2 There’s no sexier area of tech than home mesh networks (ahem) and Huawei’s new Q2 system is a great example. It’s actually a combination of powerline and mesh Wi-Fi, which means a set of these units can cover a colossal area, with less noticeable speed slow-down at the fringes. Your satellite access points get full-speed internet access without the potential of wireless degradation from the hub. It also includes a dedicated channel for smart home devices, which it will automatically detect and route on the correct band, so the stream from your smart security camera won’t interfere ZLWK WKH TXDOLW\ RI \RXU . 1HWćL[ ELQJH ,W ORRNV OLNH D YHU\ neat solution, all-in-all. It should be out later in 2018. From US$219 ($295), huawei.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Sony Aibo Given the rise of robotics in 2018, and the general improvement in what they can do, it was about time we saw a triumphant return for everyone’s favourite robot dog (sorry, K-9). The new Aibo has already been released in Japan in limited numbers, but was such a hit we’re hoping for a bigger release. The new model has OLED eyes, a camera in the nose, Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, a quad-core processor, 22 motorised and moving parts, and touch-sensitive zones for picking up all that irresistible petting. It’s also got more personality than before, and apparently can learn things like who gives it the most attention, and seek them out. It can respond to voice commands too. Come along, Toto! ¼198,000 (around $2,400), sony.com.au

Panasonic FZ950 Panasonic’s OLED TVs to date have been just about the best in the business. The new generation also looks set to be among the most advanced, especially the FZ950 here, ZKLFK LV WKH ĆUVW 2/(' WR VXSSRUW WKH +'5 G\QDPLF +'5 IRUPDW LWèV RQO\ EHHQ DYDLODEOH RQ /&'V EHIRUH QRZ ,W DOVR VXSSRUWV DOO WKH RWKHU +'5 IRUPDWV VHH S LV 4K (naturally), comes with a great soundbar to give you a better movie experience out of the box (though it can be removed if you want to use something else), and has a neat new operating system that avoids getting in the way of what you’re watching too much. It ain’t cheap, but it’s worth it. From $3,849, panasonic.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 3 1

he complete gu

3 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

‌

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Dolby Atmos

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO…

Dolby Atmos

From movies to music, home entertainment has wholly embraced Dolby Atmos. But what does it offer above regular surround sound, and is now the best time to upgrade? Words: Steve May Photography: Olly Curtis

eorge Lucas famously said that sound was 50 per cent of the moviewatching experience. With Dolby Atmos, we think it could be a good deal more. Basically 3D for your ears, it’s the biggest thing in home cinema audio since the launch of Dolby Digital 5.1, and has opened up a totally new way for TV and films to deliver sound. A big change in Dolby Atmos is that sounds become ‘object-based’, rather than ‘channel-based’ as in Dolby 5.1. With channel-based tech, the engineers could direct sounds to specific speakers. In an object-based system, audio designers can place individual sonic elements inside a 3D soundfield, with their movement and position reflected by the speaker arrangement. his technology, says Dolby, creates an ‘illusion of an infinite number of speakers’ and it can fully immerse you in the action.

G

ATMOS ORIGINS Of course Dolby Atmos, like so many proprietary Dolby sound formats, made its debut in the cinema. he

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

award-winning Disney Pixar’s Brave was the first movie released with an Atmos soundtrack, and the sound system has since become a common attribute of premium screens. he loudspeaker array embraces a 360-degree configuration in a Dolby Atmos cinema. Enclosures reach right to the edge of the screen, bolstered by additional speakers overhead. Within a Dolby Atmosencoded soundtrack, every element within a frame can effectively become a separate sound object. Adaptive rendering in the cinema’s audio decoder determines exactly where a sound should be heard in any particular theatre. So while the number of loudspeakers in a screen may vary, mandated by its size and layout, the listening experience will be uniform. Dolby Atmos arrived in the home on the back of Blu-ray, but it’s since been adopted by streaming services and – in the UK – premium TV providers such as Sky (using the Sky Q platform). Atmos isn’t just for movies and TV shows, though: it has added a whole new level of realism

to live broadcasting. Sport led the way, but more recently Sky transmitted the Royal wedding in Dolby Atmos, and pumped out 19 hours of live music from the Isle of Wight Festival 2018. Crucially, Netflix now streams Dolby Atmos-encoded movies through its app on multiple devices, and this spring Apple will bring Dolby Atmos to Apple TV 4K with tvOS 12, and promises that iTunes will have the largest collection of Dolby Atmos movies to date.

HOME ATMOS-SPHERE In its domestic guise, Dolby Atmos comes in all shapes and sizes. Home cinema systems, built around an AV receiver, offer the nearest you can currently get to that fully immersive theatrical experience, through a combination of regular surround sound, with either five of seven speakers, plus either two or four height channels (depending on available amplification). A Dolby Atmos surround system with 5.1 surround and two-height 5.1 channels is commonly referred to

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 3 3

he complete guide to… he top three…

DOLBY ATMOS RECEIVERS

Use KEF’s beefy R50 speakers to create an overhead soundfield

For the ultimate Dolby Atmos experience, you’ll want to invest in an Atmos-ready AV receiver 01

MARANTZ SR8012 7KLV HOHYHQ FKDQQHO ćDJVKLS $95 FRPELQHV huge power (11x 205W per channel) with a fearsome feature array. It has eight 4K-ready HDMI inputs, three outs, supports Dolby Atmos (7.1.4) and DTS:X, and has reference-class DACs on all channels. $5,740, marantz.com

02

PIONEER VSX-LX503 The LX503 is a versatile, nine-channel Dolby Atmos design (9x 180W per channel), VXLWDEOH IRU VSHDNHU FRQĆJXUDWLRQV It features seven 4K-ready HDMI inputs DQG 3LRQHHU 'LUHFW (QHUJ\ DPSOLĆFDWLRQ WR deliver dynamic maximum dynamics. $1,999, pioneeraudio.com.au

03

YAMAHA RX-V685 If you want Atmos on a budget, look out for Yamaha’s RX-V685. This seven-channel (7x 90w per channel) Dolby Atmos (5.1.2) receiver has a neat party trick: it can use wireless MusicCast speakers for rear FKDQQHOV ,W KDV ĆYH . UHDG\ +'0, LQSXWV and is Amazon Alexa compatible. $1,199, au.yamaha.com 3 4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

as 5.1.2, while a 7.1 system with four-height channels is 7.1.4. Add a second subwoofer and this becomes 7.2.4, and so on. Dolby Atmos height is commonly delivered via dedicated upfiring speakers (although if you have pro-style in-ceiling speakers, they’ll work too). By reflecting sound off the ceiling, these Dolby-enabled speakers fool your brain into thinking that audio is genuinely coming from above. his tends to be how things work for either a surround system or a soundbar, which will have the upfiring speakers built into its driver array. You can get a Dolby Atmos soundbar with separate rear speakers, such as the Samsung HW-K950 or Damson S Series, which are designed to offer the best of both worlds, adding a level of true 3D sound without taking up the space of a big set of speakers. But many models have all of the speakers included in the single unit, as found on the Sony HT-Z9F or LG SK10Y. Ultimately, your choice of hardware will be driven by the space you use it in and the level of complexity you want. Of course, compromises need to be made when keeping things simple. While an AV receiver, with a full complement of speakers, offers the most accurate Dolby Atmos experience, a soundbar will generally only be able to create a sense of width and height, without a matching sense of overhead audio. But when compared to a stereo soundbar, this improved scale should make the entire upgrade worthwhile.

IN THE ACTION Dolby’s 3D audio format isn’t just about movies and television shows, however. It’s transformative for sports too. Examples in the UK show what’s possible with sports – in particular soccer – and other events. he

object-based soundsystem is uniquely able to bring home the true atmosphere of a large stadium event. In a live context, Dolby Atmos is used to convey the atmosphere of a match and the way a crowd can utterly envelop you. Mixing Atmos audio for live events is fundamentally different from creating 3D audio for films. For one thing, the number of audio objects is far lower. Between two or four are assigned to atmosphere and crowd noise, while the commentary and PA system in the ground also become individual elements. Crowd chants or singing could also become an individual object. Clever use of ambiance will help to create a sense of stadium seating, so you really feel as if there are people sat around and above you. he delivery of Dolby Atmos from set-top boxes is also rather different from that on Blu-ray. he latter presents Dolby Atmos as an extension of the Dolby True HD format, however Atmos from a set-top box or streaming service is delivered via Dolby Digital Plus, a more bandwidth-friendly conduit. Dolby Digital Plus, as we reveal later on, will be the key to taking Dolby Atmos to another level. If you’re an Xbox One owner, you can also avail yourself of Dolby Atmos games. All you need is the Dolby Access app installed on your console, and an encoded game, such as

Dolby speakers fool your brain into thinking sound is coming from above Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Dolby Atmos

T3 recommends...

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST DOLBY ATMOS SPEAKER OPTIONS LIFESTYLE SPEAKER PACKAGE

FOCAL SIB EVO 5.1.2 DOLBY ATMOS $ ORXGVSHDNHU SDFNDJH WKDW ZRQèW WDNH RYHU \RXU OLYLQJ VSDFH WKLV EHDXWLIXOO\ GHVLJQHG V\VWHP FRPSULVHV WZR 6LE (YR 'ROE\ $WPRV VSHDNHUV ZLWK LQWHJUDWHG 'ROE\ XSĆULQJ GULYHUV SOXV D FRPSDFW &XE (YR VXEZRRIHU DQG

WKUHH VWDQGDUG 6LE (YR VDWHOOLWH VSHDNHUV IRU FHQWUH FKDQQHO DQG UHDU VXUURXQG GXWLHV 7KH VSHDNHUV RIIHU PDUYHOORXV FODULW\ DQG UHDO VODP <RX FDQ EX\ PRUH VSHDNHU XQLWV WR XSJUDGH WR WRR $1,500, focal.com

Isn’t the future wonderful? A new kind of sound technology comes along and it isn’t just available to those with an elaborate home cinema. Almost immediately after becoming widespread, Dolby Atmos is now available in small-size surround systems, full-size soundbars, mini soundbars... and, of course, those big speakers that ďŹ t into your elaborate home cinema. With the right speaker, every living room can beneďŹ t from the extra 3D eects of Atmos. We’ve picked the best of each kind here, so you can ďŹ nd the right speakers to ďŹ t your layout. In the case of the KEF R50s, you’ll also need to add your 5.1 surround system – we’re just bringing the Atmos.

ALL-IN-ONE SOUNDBAR

SONY HT-Z9F 6RQ\èV KLVWRU\ ZLWK PXVLF DQG ĆOP LV RQ GLVSOD\ KHUH EHFDXVH QRW RQO\ GRHV WKLV VRXQGEDU SURGXFH LQFUHGLEO\ FRQYLQFLQJ YLUWXDO ' DXGLR IRU PRYLHV IURP D VLQJOH VHW RI VSHDNHUV LW VRXQGV EHDXWLIXO ZKHQ \RX UXQ PXVLF WKURXJK LW

7ZLQ VSHDNHUV RQ WKH WRS DGG VRPH KHLJKW IRU $WPRV PRYLHV ZKLOH D VHSDUDWH VXEZRRIHU KDQGOHV DOO WKDW EDVV 7KUHH . +'5 +'0, LQSXWV PDNH LW SUHWW\ YHUVDWLOH WRR $1,499, sony.com.au

VIRTUAL DOLBY ATMOS

HIGH-QUALITY UPFIRERS

DAMSON S SERIES

KEF R50 DOLBY ATMOS-ENABLED SPEAKERS

(YHU\WKLQJ KHUH LV VR WLQ\ 7KH VRXQGEDU LV MXVW FP ORQJ EXW SDFNV LQ WKH FHQWUH OHIW DQG ULJKW FKDQQHOV RI D VXUURXQG V\VWHP ZLWK WKH WZR ZLUHOHVV VDWHOOLWH VSHDNHUV DQG WKH VXEZRRIHU FRPSOHWLQJ WKH VHWXS %XW WKH

XSĆULQJ VSHDNHUV RQ WRS RI WKH PLQL VRXQGEDU DGG WKH $WPRV KHLJKW JLYLQJ \RX D IXOO RQ H[SHULHQFH ZLWK DOPRVW QR VSDFH WDNHQ XS <RX FDQ DOVR DGG PRUH ZLUHOHVV VSHDNHUV HDVLO\ $1,049.99, damsonglobal.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

,I \RXèYH LQYHVWHG LQ D IXOO KRPH FLQHPD VSHDNHU V\VWHP EXW ZDQW WR XSJUDGH WR 'ROE\ $WPRV DXGLR MXVW DGG D SDLU RI WKHVH EHDXWLHV 8QOLNH ULYDO 'ROE\ XSĆULQJ VSHDNHUV WKHVH .() PRGXOHV RIIHU DQ H[WHQGHG UHDFK SHUIHFW

ZKHQ WU\LQJ WR FUHDWH DQ RYHUKHDG VRXQGĆHOG 7KH SLDQR JORVV ODFTXHU LV RIIVHW E\ VLOYHU GULYHUV DQG WKH\ KDYH WKH G\QDPLF UDQJH WR FRSH ZLWK DQ\WKLQJ IURP JXQV WR UDLQIDOO $1,999 (pair), au.kef.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 3 5

he complete guide to‌

in real time. Multiple stems of music can be washed in any direction around a venue, creating a unique listening experience. If clubbing isn’t your idea of a good time, last year R.E.M issued a Dolby Atmos remix of Automatic for the People, to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary. If you’re looking for something a little more esoteric, you might want to check out Prometheus: he Dolby Atmos Experience by symphonic metal band Rhapsody. It’s the kind of thing hor would chill to between quests, while polishing his mighty hammer. Dolby hasn’t had a clear run at the nextgen audio market. A competing system, Auro-3D, created by Belgium-based Auro

The compact Damson S Series is ideal for small spaces that still want to pack a big Atmos punch

Gears of War 4, Rise of the Tomb Raider, or Assassin’s Creed Origins. You can then route an Atmos bitstream from your Xbox console to an AV receiver or soundbar. In addition, there are a number of Dolby Atmos enabled headphones that can also be used with the Dolby Access app. hose include the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 gaming headset and the Plantronics RIG line of gaming headsets (the 500 PRO series and 800LX are standouts). Both LG and Sony oer a selection of screens with integrated Dolby Atmos audio decoding. hese can unfold Atmos audio from Netix, as well as from external sources such as a set-top box or Blu-ray player. he TV itself doesn’t do anything clever with the Atmos track; the important thing is that it can send the bitstream of audio out over HDMI (using the set’s audio

return channel, or ARC), where it can be decoded by an AV receiver or soundbar.

Atmos is being used to create dynamic audio experiences at big music events

THE HEIGHT OF MUSIC Dolby Atmos is slowly ďŹ nding an active role within the music industry, and can now be experienced in all its live glory. In fact, the object-based sound technology already has a home on the dance club circuit: London’s Ministry of Sound became the ďŹ rst venue in the world to install a Dolby Atmos sound system. he club’s 600-capacity Dolbyequipped space, called he Box, features 60 speakers, 22 channels and a synchronised lighting system. With movies, object-based audio enables individual items to be steered with precision around a soundstage. In its club guise, Dolby Atmos enables a DJ to pan audio dynamically

Technologies, garnered a smattering of studio support. Beyond some isolated appearances on Blu-ray (such as Adam Sandler’s ďŹ lm Pixels, of all things), it hasn’t really amounted to much. Dolby Atmos’ biggest rival, therefore, is DTS:X. his is a soundalike object-based system from the makers of DTS-HD Master Audio, a format that dominated soundtracks on regular Blu-ray. DTS has been far less successful in getting DTS:X o the ground, but there is still studio support for it, and consequently all Dolby Atmos AV receivers, and some soundbars, oer compatibility.

DOLBY ATMOS IS JUST THE START. NEXT-GEN AUDIO FORMAT AC-4 WILL OFFER FAR MORE‌ So it seems that Dolby Atmos is only the beginning. Dolby has a new next-gen audio format waiting in the wings, which evolves the concept of object-based audio for broadcasters. AC-4 builds on the core idea behind Atmos, but offers an even more versatile toolset. :LWK $& EURDGFDVWHUV FDQ ćDJ VSHFLĆF objects during the encoding phase, which an AC-4 decoder in a TV will understand. For example, dialogue, often criticised for being indistinct, can be raised without affecting DQ\ RWKHU HOHPHQW LQ WKH VRXQGĆHOG 6SHFLĆF effects, such as birdsong or gunshots, can be tagged. While AC-4 can handle 126 objects, 3 6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

that number would never be transmitted at the same time. Most TV broadcasts are expected to consist of around 12 objects at a time, plus a conventional 5.1 sound mix. :LWK $& YLHZHUV FDQ ĆQH WXQH WKHLU listening experience. Imagine watching a sporting event where you can choose between multiple commentaries, or simply remove the commentary altogether. Crucially, $& FRPSUHVVLRQ LV WZLFH DV HIĆFLHQW DV Dolby Digital Plus. Where traditional 5.1 requires between 384kbps to 448kbps, Dolby Digital Plus utilises 192kbps to 224kbps. However, AC-4 delivers the same quality for 5.1 at about 96kbps.

So when will you see (or rather hear) $& " 'ROE\ VXJJHVWV WKH ĆUVW FRPPHUFLDO services could kick in as early as 2019 on all major TV manufacturers. We had an early preview of Dolby AC-4 with some encoded football footage. Unlike a conventional broadcast, we could select from multiple languages, as well as Home and Away commentaries. Switching between those is instant. Without a next-gen audio codec like AC-4, this kind of audio interaction would not be possible over broadcast. Soon we could be enjoying live Dolby Atmos audio, with an unprecedented level of personalisation. You ain’t heard nothing yet. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Pro smartphone photography

Your smartphone may be compact, but there’s nothing small about the power and quality of the camera. Discover how a little know-how goes a long way when it comes to shooting pro-level stills and video… Words: Ali Jennings

Smartphones have evolved from tools of communication to our one-stop shop for life, and a window into the world of others. Images sit at the heart of phone use, partly because it’s so easy to capture them in this way. But smartphone cameras are no longer basic point-and-shoot compromises; some of the specs can rival the might of DSLRs. Isaac Reynolds, the product manager for Google’s Pixel 2 phone, knows more about smartphone technology, imaging and their use than almost anyone; his job centres around bringing together smartphone technology and software to take image capture to the next level. We recently caught up with Isaac and asked for a few tips and tricks for getting the most out of smartphone cameras, and added some extra tips from our own photography experts. A few tweaks to the way you use your smartphone could take your photography skills to a whole new level. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 3 7

Pro smartphone photography

SHOOTING BETTER PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE Do you know the best angles to shoot from? Want to learn how to frame a shot properly on your phone or how to work with natural lighting? Our phone camera expert reveals all‌

TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES

01

Isaac says: “I went to the Grand Canyon a while ago and shot 1,400 pictures in one week, and liked seven of these. When you’re shooting portraits especially, never take just one – take many to ensure you get just the right expression! (The Google Photos app gives you unlimited storage. Use it.)� T3 says: If you’re visiting a once-in-a-lifetime location, make sure you get a variety of shots from different angles. A slight shift in position WR WKH OHIW RU ULJKW FDQ PDNH D VLJQLĆFDQW difference to the dynamics of your images. One potential problem is that as camera sensors get higher resolution, the pictures take up more space. If your phone can take a microSD card, make sure you add a big one (128GB or more, if your phone supports it) so that you don’t have to worry about the number of shots (or how much 4K video you take). If you can’t add storage to your phone (as is the case with iPhone, for example), send photos to a cloud service then delete them from your device when more room is needed, or get some external storage that you can connect – there are USB keys and hard drives that work with iPhone (see p81).

KEEP YOUR CAMERA OUT

02

Isaac says: “Make sure you always have your camera out. It sounds obvious, but you need WR EH UHDG\ ĂŤ T3 says: As phones are always on standby, they can be ready to use almost instantly. For added speed, consider using a sleeve and lanyard to keep your camera out and primed, but only if you feel safe exposing your phone in such a way. The Zizo Bolt case (zizowireless.com) is an excellent choice. It has a hook to attach a lanyard, so you can loop it around your wrist. It’s also a tough case, built to withstand any accidents that could happen if you’re carrying your phone everywhere. You might also run low on battery if you’re walking around with your camera app already 3 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

running a lot. In that case, you could look at a battery case instead of the Bolt – Mophie’s Juice Packs are a great option for iPhone and Samsung – or a slimline external battery pack that can sit in a pocket until needed.

USE NATURAL LIGHT MORE INTELLIGENTLY

03

Isaac says: “At midday, when the sun is directly above, take pictures of objects and people in the shade. Midday sun is incredibly harsh, but in the shade it’s much softer and more distributed. Your subject also won’t squint, and you’ll get a better photo. Everyone’s happy!� T3 says: Using naturally diffused light through a canopy of leaves is another great way to ĆQG FRPSOHPHQWDU\ OLJKWLQJ EXW ZDWFK WKH background. If the scene beyond the shade is FDVW LQ EULJKW VXQOLJKW \RX PD\ ĆQG LW EXUQV out and gets lost. If this is the case, move your subject slightly to get a background with light that more closely matches the foreground. If you are stuck for cover and want to take the picture in direct sunlight, position your subject with the sun at 45 degrees behind you. This will cause some shadows across the face but will help to avoid squinting,

since they won’t be looking directly at the light. To reduce the shadows on the face when shooting a portrait, you can always hold up a SLHFH RI ZKLWH IDEULF FDUG RU SDSHU WR UHćHFW some of the light back into the face on the shadowed side.

GET AN UNUSUAL PERSPECTIVE

04

Isaac says: “Think about shooting something from directly above or directly below. Or very close. Or while using a natural frame like bushes or leaves. The phone is small. It can be used in many different settings, so take advantage of that. You should never take the same photo twice; always change perspectives or settings between photos.� T3 says: A common trick used by photographers is to angle the horizon, a technique known as the Dutch tilt. This unusual angle instantly adds further interest and dynamics, and can be used in a variety of ways. Used in combination with a low or high angle, for example, the effect can be super-dramatic. Take a look at your surroundings too. You can use objects such as trees, fences, paths or even a lamp post to create patterns or paths through images, helping to draw the eye through your composition.

Pro smartphone photography

3

BEST CAMERA PHONES

All smartphones may be camera equipped, but only a few really challenge the quality of DSLRs

GOOGLE PIXEL 2 %DFNJURXQG EOXU LQFUHGLEOH ORZ OLJKW SHUIRUPDQFH EXLOW LQ LPDJH VWDELOLVDWLRQ DQG D FRPSUHKHQVLYH VHW RI YLGHR VSHFLĆF IHDWXUHV XQLWH WR PDNH WKH *RRJOH 3L[HO VWDQG RXW ,W DOVR EHQHĆWV IURP XQOLPLWHG RQOLQH SKRWR VWRUDJH IRU LWV XVHUV From $1,079, google.com

MAKE USE OF THE VIEWFINDER

05

Isaac says: “0DNH VXUH \RX WDS WKH YLHZĆQGHU ZKHQ WDNLQJ \RXU VKRW <RX FDQ WDS WKH YLHZĆQGHU WR VHW IRFXV RQ VRPHWKLQJ LQ \RXU LPDJH 2Q WKH 3L[HO WKLV ZLOO PDNH VXUH WKDW ZKDWHYHU \RX WDS VWD\V VKDUS DQG QRW WRR GDUN RU EULJKW <RX FDQ HYHQ GUDJ WKH DSHUWXUH VHWWLQJ XS DQG GRZQ DIWHU WDSSLQJ WR PDNH WKH LPDJH H[DFWO\ DV EULJKW DV \RX OLNH ë T3 says: This is solid advice for more than just the Pixel phones. The autofocusing on phones is great at guessing what you want the shot to be of, but when you tap something the phone will optimise what it’s doing for that subject. Being able to lock focus and exposure is really useful, too. While this works well for static subjects, things can be a little more tricky if they start to move. New features such as intelligent tracking will help to keep up with the subject and ensure that it remains in focus and correctly exposed. However, if you’re at a sporting event where the horse, car or person shoots past quickly, you PD\ ĆQG WKDW \RX PLVV WKH DFWLRQ 7KLV LV ZKHUH exposure and focus lock come into play. 7DS RQ D VSHFLĆF SRLQW RQ WKH JURXQG WKDW corresponds to the position you know that the subject will pass, then lock the focus and exposure to that point (often just by tapping and holding, but it’ll vary between phone and app). When the subject passes, hold the shutter button to take burst shots. You’ll skip the delay Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

as the camera tries to focus and calculate the exposure, and you will end up with the image you want. A little trial and error are often needed to perfect the shot.

FILL THE FRAME

06

Isaac says: “*HW FORVHU DQG ĆOO WKH IUDPH :KHQ \RXèUH WRR IDU EDFN LWèV KDUG WR ĆJXUH RXW ZKDW WKH VXEMHFW LV DQG PRUH OLNHO\ WKDW \RXèOO KDYH XQZDQWHG RU GLVWUDFWHG LQWUXVLRQV LQ WKH EDFNJURXQG -XVW JHW FORVHU $V D VLGH QRWH SD\ DWWHQWLRQ WR \RXU EDFNJURXQGV ë T3 says: 3HRSOH FDQ EHQHĆW IURP DQ H[WUHPH close-up, but it has to be done carefully. In the ZRUOG RI VHOĆHV WKLV W\SH RI VKRW KDV EHFRPH much easier. But still, stepping into someone’s personal space can be intrusive. To take a successful close-up portrait, ensure you know the person well or at least have a good rapport going; keep chatting to them as you take the picture and get them to pull a few expressions. The more shots you take and the better that UDSSRUW WKH EHWWHU WKH ĆQDO LPDJH ZLOO EH One of the big principles here is to always zoom with your feet and not by pinching to zoom. You’re just cropping into the frame when you do that on a phone, which you could always do after you take the shot anyway. If you want to get in close, do it by shifting yourself so that you get the full quality of the picture.

APPLE iPHONE X $SSOH KDV JRQH DOO RXW ZLWK WKH ;èV SKRWRJUDSK\ VPDUWV ,W KDV GXDO 03 FDPHUDV RQH ZLGH DQG D WHOHSKRWR WR JLYH \RX SOHQW\ RI FUHDWLYH RSWLRQV 3RUWUDLW PRGH RIIHUV DGYDQFHG ' OLJKWLQJ RSWLRQV IRU SUR ORRNLQJ LPDJHV ZLWK PLQLPDO IXVV From $1,579, apple.com

HUAWEI P20 PRO 3DFNLQJ LQ WKUHH VHQVRUV WKDW DOO FDSWXUH SKRWRV LQ GLIIHUHQW ZD\V QR RWKHU SKRQH FDPHUD FRPHV FORVH WR WKH ĆQHO\ WXQHG DELOLWLHV RI WKH 3 3UR $ SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK SUHPLXP FDPHUD PDQXIDFWXUHU /HLFD DQG D IXOO\ IHDWXUHG DSS VKRZV WKH FRPSDQ\èV GHGLFDWLRQ WR TXDOLW\ SKRWRJUDSK\ From $1,099, huawei.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 3 9

Pro smartphone photography

6 BEST PHOTOGRAPHY APPS Load up on high-quality apps for capturing, correcting and perfecting images on your phone DARKR (iOS) Mobile images can look somewhat clinical, especially when they are converted to black and white. The Darkr app enables you to KDUQHVV WUDGLWLRQDO EODFN DQG ZKLWH ĆOP effects, such as grain and contrast, to add further mood and drama to your photos. The app features a range of tools such as Stripes, which enables you to see test strips of your image that show the results of different exposure settings. Darkr also enables you to take photos as if you were using a traditional ODUJH IRUPDW FDPHUD JHWWLQJb\RX LQ WKH right mood. From $1.49, analogueapp.com

CAMERA MX (Android) Packed with features that make capturing images easy, Camera MX may not be aimed at the serious photographer but, with innovative features such as the tap-and-hold OLYH FDSWXUH \RXèOO ĆQG VPDUWSKRQH photography a lot of fun when using it. Camera MX also enables you to capture shots that would otherwise be impossible: using Shoot the Past, for example, you can catch the moment with multiple shots recorded before you press the shutter button. Just scroll back to pick the optimum shot. From free, magix.com

ADOBE LIGHTROOM CC (iOS/Android) Lightroom CC is the go-to app for photographers, and there are VSHFLĆF YHUVLRQV DYDLODEOH IRU SKRQHV and tablets. This app is more akin to the darkrooms of old, enabling you to enhance rather than manipulate your images. The feature set in the mobile version has advanced tools such as tone curves, contrast and colour correction, and some enhancement tools. The app also connects with your Creative Cloud subscription, giving you plenty of options for working across multiple platforms. From free, adobe.com 4 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

SNAPSEED (iOS/Android) This is the ultimate photographer’s toolkit, with plenty RI HIIHFWV DQG ĆOWHUV WR KHOS \RX transform the look and style of your images. Snapseed was originally developed as an app version of the incredibly successful Photoshop plugin Nik Software, and it has now taken on a life of its own, featuring advanced photo-enhancement tools, including tone curves, that give you unprecedented control over your -3(* DQG UDZ ĆOHV PDQ\ SKRQHV QRZbVKRRW WKH ODWWHU Free, facebook.com/snapseed

VSCO (iOS/Android) If you’re looking to push your photography skills to the next level, the VSCO app is essential for your smartphone. VSCO features a wide selection of looks and effects that can be applied to your images, including ZD\V WR PLPLF WUDGLWLRQDO ĆOP VWRFN such as ILFORD HP5. And that’s not all: because the application was devised by ‘creators’, it has a serious edge with tips, tricks and tutorials available to you. There’s even the option to get your images curated. With a yearly subscription costing less than ÂŁ20, LWèVbZRUWK FKHFNLQJ RXW From free, vsco.co

HALIDE CAMERA (iOS) Camera apps have evolved tenfold in recent years, and the Halide camera app is one of many that offers full manual control over your smartphone’s camera. This particular app has won over pros thanks to its slick, no-fuss and gimmick-free design. The Halide app also stands apart from the others due to the robust set of features it provides, including manual focus and exposure, as well as manual focus control and peaking. Halide also VHUYHV XS UDZ ĆOH FDSWXUH VR \RX JHW everything at the best possible quality. $9.99, halide.cam Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Pro smartphone photograph photography

KINGSTON BOLT DUO 64GB

01

01

03

The Bolt DUO is a smart device designed for iPhone that enables you to VWRUHb\RXU PHGLD GLUHFWO\ WR LW UDWKHU WKDQ \RXU SKRQHèVbLQWHUQDO PHPRU\ 7KH DFFRPSDQ\LQJ DSSbLV VLPSOH HQRXJK WR XVH DQG IHDWXUHV D EDVLF FDPHUD DSS $OWHUQDWLYHO\ \RX FDQ record using your chosen imaging app and WUDQVIHU WKH IRRWDJH

$89.99, kingston.com

02

02

SANDISK ULTRA 256GB

Not all microSD cards are the VDPH DQG DOWKRXJK \RXU FDUG PD\ KDYH WKH VWRUDJH LW PLJKW QRW KDYH WKH ULJKW VSHHG 7KH Ultra is a mid-range card ideal for storing 4K IRRWDJH LQ TXDQWLW\ 1RW DOO SKRQHV FDQ UHDG FDUGV WKLV ELJ VR \RX PD\ QHHG WR JR VPDOOHU

$199, sandisk.com

ESSENTIAL PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES

03

MANFROTTO LED LIGHT LUMIMUSE 8 LED

$ FRQVWDQW OLJKW VRXUFH LV KDQG\ ZKHQ WDNLQJ VKRWV DQG ĆOPLQJ DQG WKH /XPLPXVH LV DQ XOWUD SRZHUIXO VROXWLRQ 7KH HLJKW /('V are daylight balanced and produce strong LOOXPLQDWLRQ 7KHUHèV DQ RSWLRQDO ĆOWHU SDFN IRU JLYLQJ \RXU SKRWRV D GLIIHUHQW ORRN DQG WKHUHèV HYHQ DQ DSS HQDEOHG %OXHWRRWK YHUVLRQ

$229, manfrotto.co.uk

04

04

MIGGO PICTAR ONE MKII

7KH IDVWHVW ZD\ WR FRQYHUW \RXU SKRQH LQWR D IXOO\ IHDWXUHG FDPHUD 7KH 0LJJR 3LFWDU 2QH 0.,, VOLSV RYHU \RXU PRELOH SKRQH DQG DGGV ĆYH SK\VLFDO EXWWRQV DQG GLDOV WKDW give direct access to setting changes such as ,62 DQG VKXWWHU VSHHG DV ORQJ DV \RX VKRRW XVLQJ LWV FRPSDQLRQ DSS

From $119, mymiggo.com

WD MY PASSPORT WIRELESS 2TB

05 0 05

06

2QFH \RXèYH WDNHQ DOO WKRVH DPD]LQJ VKRWV LWèV D JRRG LGHD WR EDFN WKHP XS VRPHZKHUH 7KH :' 0< 3DVVSRUWb:LUHOHVV range of portable hard drives are a neat and UHOLDEOH VROXWLRQ 7KH FRPSDQLRQ PRELOH DSS HQDEOHV \RX WR EDFN XS \RXU LPDJHV DQG YLGHRVbXVLQJ WKH VLPSOH WR IROORZ LQWHUIDFH

$299, wdc.com

06

BENRO TABLE TOP TRIPOD

This is one of the smallest tripods DURXQG ZLWK D OLJKWZHLJKW FRQVWUXFWLRQ DQG FRPSDFW GHVLJQ WKDW PDNH LW DQ LGHDO PRELOH SDUWQHU <RXèOO QHHG D WULSRG JULS PRXQW WR KROG \RXU SKRQH ZKLFK WKHQ EROWV GLUHFWO\ WR WKH FRPSDFW EDOO KHDG IRU URFN VWHDG\ VKRWV

$34.95, benro.com dar.co m/au Discover m ore a t techrad

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 4 1

SHOOTING BETTER VIDEO ON YOUR PHONE Your phone can take you to Cannes, and we don’t mean by using the Qantas app

Some smartphones are packing high-end video features WKDW DUH JRRG HQRXJK IRU ĆOPPDNHUV Ã¥ 6XQGDQFH IHVWLYDO hit Tangerine and Steven Soderbergh’s Unsane were both VKRW RQ L3KRQH 7KHUH ZDV RI FRXUVH D WDOHQWHG SURGXFWLRQ WHDP DOVR LQYROYHG LQ PDNLQJ WKRVH PRYLHV +RZHYHU LI WKHUHèV MXVW \RX D IHZ PDWHV DQG D KXQJHU IRU ĆOPPDNLQJ VRPH ZHOO FKRVHQ NLW DQG D OLWWOH NQRZ KRZ ZLOO HQDEOH \RX WR FUHDWH \RXU RZQ ĆOP 2U HYHQ MXVW D VWHOODU KRPH PRYLH :KHQ LW FRPHV WR JHDU WKHUH DUH VRPH HVVHQWLDOV \RXèOO QHHG D '-, 2602 0RELOH WR VWDELOLVH IRRWDJH D 5RGH 9LGHR0LFUR WR FDSWXUH DXGLR 0DQIURWWRèV /XPLPXVH /(' OLJKW WR LOOXPLQDWH \RXU DFWRUV DQG WKH )LOPLF 3UR DSS IURP WR ERRVW \RXU SKRQHèV ĆOPPDNLQJ SRWHQWLDO 7KHVH DUH MXVW WKH EDVLFV DQG DOO DUH UHODWLYHO\ LQH[SHQVLYH <RX FDQ DOVR DGG H[WUDV VXFK DV WKH 2OORFOLS )LOPHUèV NLW ZKLFK JLYHV \RX D UDQJH RI OHQV RSWLRQV IRU H[WUD VW\OH 1H[W FRQVLGHU WKH YLGHR UHVROXWLRQ <RX KDYH D FKRLFH of 4K or 1080p on most current phones, but how do you GHFLGH" <RX VKRXOG GHĆQLWHO\ ĆOP LQ . LI \RX FDQ EXW FUHDWH \RXU ĆQDO YHUVLRQ LQ S )XOO +' 'RLQJ LW WKLV

ZD\ JLYHV \RX H[WUD ćH[LELOLW\ VR WKDW \RX FDQ UHFRPSRVH the scene post-shooting by cropping into the higherUHV YLGHR ,I QR FURSSLQJ LV UHTXLUHG JDLQ EHWWHU TXDOLW\ YLGHR WXUQLQJ . LQWR S WKURXJK D SURFHVV FDOOHG çRYHUVDPSOLQJè %DVLFDOO\ HDFK SL[HO LQ WKH ĆQDO S YLG ZLOO KDYH IRXU SL[HOV RI . YLGHR LQIRUPDWLRQ WR GUDZ IURP VR \RX JHW VKDUSHU GHWDLO DQG PRUH UHDOLVWLF FRORXUV $OWKRXJK L26 DQG $QGURLG FRPH ZLWK YLGHR DSSV WKHVH DUH SUHWW\ EDVLF (TXLS \RXU SKRQH LQVWHDG ZLWK DQ DSS WKDW KDV PRUH FORXW )LOPLF 3UR LV IHDWXUH SDFNHG DQG HQDEOHV you to increase the bit-rate at which video is captured, HTXDWLQJ WR OLWHUDOO\ PRUH GDWD SHU IUDPH Ã¥ DQG WKH PRUH GDWD \RX FDSWXUH WKH PRUH GHWDLO WKH YLGHR FDQ FRQWDLQ :LWK WKH IRXQGDWLRQV WDNHQ FDUH RI ZH FDQ QRZ ORRN DW WKH KDQGOLQJ RI \RXU VPDUWSKRQH DV D VXSHU SRUWDEOH ĆOP ULJ 7R DYRLG VKDN\ IRRWDJH LQYHVW LQ D VWDELOLVHU 7KH '-, 2602 0RELOH LV D JLPEDO DQG JULS WKDW VXSSRUWV \RX LQ KROGLQJ WKH FDPHUD FRPIRUWDEO\ DQG DEVRUELQJ \RXU QDWXUDO KDQG WZLWFKHV WR PDNH PRYHPHQW VPRRWKHU Due to the way video compression works, having VWDEOH IRRWDJH KHOSV ZLWK WKH RYHUDOO GHWDLO DQG TXDOLW\ To save data, videos reuse as much of the frame as they FDQ VR QHZ GDWD LV RQO\ XVHG IRU DUHDV WKDW FKDQJH ,I \RXU IRRWDJH ZREEOHV HDFK IUDPH UHTXLUHV PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW ZKDW KDV FKDQJHG 7KHUH LV DQ XSSHU OLPLW WKRXJK VR GHWDLO KDV WR EH ELQQHG WR FDWFK DOO RI WKH PRYHPHQW /HVVbXQQHFHVVDU\ PRYHPHQW PHDQV PRUH GHWDLO $OWKRXJK DXGLR LV RIWHQ RYHUORRNHG LW FDQ HOHYDWH WKH TXDOLW\ RI \RXU ĆOP 7KH 5RGH 9LGHR0LFUR FDQ KHOS KHUH DQG LV HDV\ WR XVH Ã¥ SOXJ LW LQ DQG WKH PLF KDQGOHV WKH UHVW /LJKWLQJ LV DQ HVVHQWLDO HOHPHQW DQG WKH 0DQIURWWR /XPLPXVH LV DQ H[FHOOHQW FKRLFH IRU WKLV :KHQ XVLQJ LW WR LOOXPLQDWH D VXEMHFW RQO\ LQFUHDVH WKH EULJKWQHVV RI WKH /('V VR WKDW WKH\ just start to brighten the face or VFHQH <RX ZDQW OLJKWLQJ WR OLIW WKH VFHQH QRW GURZQ LW LQ XQQDWXUDO OLJKW 5HPHPEHU VRPH VKDGRZV DUH JRRG EHFDXVH WKH\ KHOS WR FUHDWH VWUXFWXUH DQG GHSWK $QG WKDWèV LW 1RZ WKDW \RX KDYH OHDUQHG DERXW WKH HVVHQWLDO NLW DQG WKH EDVLFV RI ĆOPPDNLQJ WKH QH[W SDUW LVbGRZQ WR \RX DQG \RXU FUHDWLYLW\ Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Pro smartphone photography DJI OSMO MOBILE 2

01 01

Designed as a grip for your mobile phone, the OSMO Mobile 2 gimbal features fast precision motors that work to stabilise footage and take out any wobbles that might naturally occur. A small joystick, direct control buttons and an app give you all the tools \RX QHHG IRU VHULRXV PRELOH ĆOPPDNLQJ

$209, dji.com

02

b

OLLOCLIP FILMER’S KIT

One issue with mobile ĆOPLQJ LV WKH ODFN RI OHQV YDULHW\ 2OORFOLS is the solution. This specially designed kit includes a Telephoto, Super-wide, UltraZLGH DQG )LVKH\H 0DFUR OHQV RXWĆWWLQJ you plenty of options and more control over the creative look of your movie.

$329.95, olloclip.com

ESSENTIAL PHONE VIDEO ACCESSORIES

03

STEADICAM VOLT

The Volt is Steadicam’s latest mobile gimbal, built to take smooth video footage to a level even beyond the DJI. Incorporating electronic three-axis stabilisation from drone makers Yuneec, the Volt is unique in as far as it can be used with or without motor assist. It also features a fully featured app that’s both iOS and Android compatible.

$169, tiffen.com

04 04

MANFROTTO TWISTGRIP

The TwistGrip is at the heart of the Manfrotto mobile range and is essentially a clamp that holds your camera. On its base is a ¼-inch thread that enables the TwistGrip to be mounted to almost any tripod, or to Manfrotto’s Ergonomic Handle and Accessory Bar ($95), which enables the mounting of gadgets like the Røde Video Micro.

$74.95, manfrotto.co.uk

05

GNARBOX 2

More than just storage, the *1$5%2; ĆUVWO\ HQDEOHV you to download the footage shot from your phone to its internal drive, then gives you the option to edit it. The GNARBOX is a power boost for your mobile and a true HVVHQWLDO IRU PRELOH ĆOPPDNHUV

03 05

From US$299 ($403), gnarbox.com

06 06

RØDE VIDEO MICRO

This small mic has taken the vlogging world by storm. When it comes to UHFRUGLQJ DXGLR IRU \RXU ĆOP WKH FRPSDFW Røde Video Micro cuts out all of the complexity. Plug it in and go – no batteries, no fuss. Just great audio capture.

$79, rode.com m/au Discover m ore a t techradar.co t

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 4 3

Man vs Tech

MAN TECH

THE MISSION Being lost can feel overwhelming even for the most seasoned adventurers. If you’re lost on a hike or walk you’ll need a calm head and some navigational nous to prevail. But could tech help you find your way back faster and safer? Michelle McLaren is T3’s art editor and acceptor of intense physical challenges. In the name of tech journalism we dropped her in the remote countryside with zero information and a handful of outdoor gadgets. Can tech help her find her way safely through our challenging route to back again? Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

he rough guide

FIELD NOTES

The

rough guide Can tech help you survive in the uncompromising wilderness, with no idea where you are or where you’re going? Words: Michelle McLaren Photography: Ben Brain

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 4 5

Man vs Tech

t’s unbelievably early on a Friday morning and I’m being bundled into a car, given a blindfold to put on and driven… Somewhere. After hours in the car, during which no-one gave away any information, we arrive... Somewhere. The sun is coming up and the first details of my challenge are revealed: can I survive and navigate alone in the wilderness, and return to my starting point safely, with only tech to help me? Well, I won’t actually be alone. I’ve got a buddy photographing this entire expedition, documenting everything using the new Fujifilm X-E3, and who I’ll yell at for help if I end up in a 127 Hours-type situation. But he’s been told not to help me with this task. The team hands me a pair of Salomon X Ultra Trek GTX hiking boots (miraculously in my size), an Arc’Teryx Beta AR Jacket and an Icebreaker Cool-Lite Mira Pullover Hoody. I assume I’m at risk of getting wet, because they then give me a Patagonia Stormfront backpack... And there’s more tech goodies inside. I’m starting to feel apprehensive, so the team finally tell me the final part of the challenge: I need to find my way to the top of the huge mountain in front of me, and back down again, but on a completely different route.

I

RABBIT OUT OF A HAT Going through my backpack full of tech, I first pull out a Black Diamond Revolt headlamp. It’s light out, but only just, so I pop it on. The Revolt has multiple LEDs for different levels of illumination. I don’t need the ones

designed for better navigation at night (I hope I’ll be back down by then!) but it’s helping to make things clearer now. Next out of the bag is a Handpresso Auto Capsule portable coffee maker. Whether you consider this to be true survival gear probably depends on your daily need for coffee. I’m pleased to see it, and could do with a coffee right about now. The Handpresso Auto Capsule is very easy to use: just plug it into your car’s 12/24-volt socket, add water and a capsule, then watch it brew a tasty espresso. Like some kind of tech magician, I next pull a DJI Mavic Air out of the

me up Snowdon, and another to come back down again. Simple, right? Surely the easiest way for me to do this is by following some other people up, but the team quickly says that’s against the rules. Also, no one else is foolish enough to be around at such an ungodly hour, so it’s pretty quiet here at the moment. It’s okay, though, because the phone comes loaded with ViewRanger, which gives me access to premium Ordnance Survey mapping. I search for Snowdonia on the phone and, quick enough, a range of routes appear on screen. I decide upon the PGY track going up, and guess I’ll

WHETHER OR NOT YOU CONSIDER A HANDPRESSO TO BE SURVIVAL GEAR DEPENDS ON YOUR DAILY NEED FOR COFFEE bag. A drone? Really? When I ask how a selfie drone is supposed to help me climb a mountain, the team says it has features that might be useful to me. CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN At this point I still have no real idea of where I am, but next out of the bag comes a big, heavy-duty looking phone. Now we’re cooking! It turns out that this phone is actually the Land Rover Explore Outdoor, purpose built for adventuring and exploration. I turn on the phone (mercifully, the team has charged it fully) and the GPS tells me that I’m in Snowdonia. So yeah, all I need to do is find a route that will take

figure out what track I’ll use to come back down once I get to that point. I’ve also been given some Binatone walkie talkies, but these are more of a safety gadget for staying in touch with the team in case anything goes wrong during the challenge. DRONE SCOUT After a quick look at a few tutorials on how to get the DJI Mavic Air up and running, its usefulness dawns on me: I’m some way off from the trail I want to join, and can’t see how I’m going to get over to it, so I send the Mavic up for a reccy. Being able to see (via the drone’s 4K UHD camera) that the path

LEFT Who needs to queue in a cafe when you can use a Handpresso portable coffee maker instead? RIGHT A headlight can make all the difference on early morning starts, evening descents, or when you’re exploring darker spaces

4 6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

he rough guide

TREK TECH FIND YOUR WAY, AND STAY HYDRATED AND CONNECTED, WITH THESE GADGETS

DJI MAVIC AIR Folds down into a supercompact package, and captures smooth, pro-level 4K HDR footage from its gimbal-mounted camera. The Mavic Air records to on-board storage, or live streams to the DJI app. It flies itself and everything. $1,299, dji.com

LIFESTRAW GO Fill it up from any cleanish natural source and its two-stage filtration means you’ll sip only healthy water through the straw. No power required, and no iodine or similar chemicals that can leave a weird taste or discolouration. $39.95, lifestraw.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

HANDPRESSO AUTO CAPSULE Powered from your car’s charger port, pop in some water and a Nespresso capsule and you’ll get a lovely fresh espresso. Perfect for preparing yourself before heading out into the wilderness. $269, blackleaf.com

LAND ROVER EXPLORE OUTDOOR With a big battery inside, and a hyper-tough case that provides even more battery, this five-inch Android phone comes loaded with OS maps. $TBA, landroverexplore.com

BINATONE TERRAIN 850 With a range of up to 8km and 968 channels to avoid interference, plus noise cancellation, these walkie talkies help you stay in touch no matter what. Catch the weather report via the built-in FM radio. $123.24, amazon.com.au

BLACK DIAMOND REVOLT Bright as hell (up to 300 lumens) and with different LED settings for different times (a red LED helps with night vision, for example), this headlamp helps you see clearly in all situations. $119.95, wildearth.com.au S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 47

Man vs Tech

ESSENTIAL APPAREL Technical clothing can make your mountain trek safer and easier Mercifully, the team made sure I was outfitted properly for my challenge. First up, the Salomon X Ultra Trek GTX hiking boots ($260, salomon.com/au) are lightweight, have a supportive high ankle and are waterproof. The Arc’Teryx Beta AR Jacket ($819.95, bogong. com.au) is equally waterproof and also windproof thanks to cutting-edge GoreTex Pro. Patagonia’s Stormfront Pack 30L Backpack ($399.95, patagonia. com.au) kept my gear dry and made the weight comfortable. Finally, a merino wool base layer like the Tech Top Long Sleeve Half Zip ($149.95, au.icebreaker. com) gives much needed warmth. 4 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

he rough guide

A FEW HOURS IN AND I’M NEARING THE TOP, AS EVIDENCED BY THE INCREASING COLD AND RAIN over one rise is too rocky saves me time. Using the Mavic again, I’m able to scout out a gentler path further along. With the drone’s job done for now, I fold down its propellers and stuff it into the Patagonia backpack. The sun is trying to come out and it’s relativity warm, so off I go. But I soon realise that I don’t have a full water bottle with me. Luckily there’s one more gadget in my backpack of tricks: a LifeStraw Go water filter bottle. The LifeStraw Go uses a two-stage filtration system to remove bacteria and protozoa, so I can fill it up from natural sources (rivers, lakes and such) and drink without worry. I top it up from a nearby waterfall, down half, then re-fill it to get me to the summit. ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY A few hours in and I’m nearing the top, as evidenced by the increasing cold. The Welsh rain appears around this point too, so I pull on the Arc’Teryx jacket and all gadgets apart from the waterproof phone goes into my pack. Reaching the summit, I decide to check in with the team back at the Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

start. The Binatone Terrain 850 has a range of 8km, which is just as well as I’m around 7km away from the nearest team member. The weather is turning ever-colder and windy, so after a decent rest I’m eager to get down. Out comes the Land Rover phone again to help me work out what the fastest trail. I find something promising but have trouble working out where to join it, so I wander around with the phone out in front of me, like an orienteerer with a compass. I’m soon on the trail. Halfway down I also have the chance to refill my LifeStraw Go from a stream. I radio in again to tell the team which trail I’m on, so they can see me coming (and give me a guard of honour). The terrain gets really rocky and slippery around here, so I’m glad to be wearing Salomon’s firm-grip boots. Arc’teryx’s jacket is also holding up well, and the Patagonia backpack is still keeping all of my gadgets dry and protected. Ok so this isn’t hardcore survivalism, but I’m no outdoors fanatic and without tech I’d have struggled to find the fastest, safest routes up and down. It takes more than simple relying on GPS co-ordinates to get from A to B. As I sit in the car, resting my feet, I spy the Handpresso – I have another pod spare, and have plenty of water. I totally deserve one more coffee for the road... S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 4 9

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEWS, INTERVIEWS AND FEATURES ON THE WORLD’S BIGGEST GAMES GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

ON SALE NOW

HOME Get the complete smart home lifestyle Edited by Claire Davies

52

55

56

THE SETUP Transform any dull, spare walls into captivating, digital works of art with LIFX’s customisable smart lighting kit

UPGRADE Treat yourself to a bespoke shower and bath experience with this voice controlled, app-connected system

HOME TEST Keep a watchful eye over your pets while you’re out with the best connected cams and smart feeders

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 5 1

Home

THE SETUP

Each issue, we show you how to set up a key piece of connected-home tech. This month… LIFX Tile

WALL TILING TIPS

Attaching a Tile to your wall couldn’t be easier: each of the squares comes with 3M adhesive on four corners, with the necessary channels for neat cable routing around the edges. Take LIFX’s advice, though, and test your Tile setup before you hook it up to WKH ZDOO DOWKRXJK \RX FDQ FRQĆJXUH any arrangement you like, you’ll want to make sure your tiles are properly DOLJQHG DQG ZRUNLQJ ĆUVW

5 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

he Set-up

he Setup

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

The standard Tile pack ($399.99) FRPHV ZLWK ĆYH LQGLYLGXDO XQLWV all of which chain from a master WLOH WKDW WDNHV WKH SRZHU LQSXW DQG GHDOV ZLWK LQWHUFRPPXQLFDWLRQ 7KDW single point of management means \RX ZRQèW QHHG WR ĆGGOH DERXW ZLWK ĆYH OLJKWV DOWKRXJK HDFK WLOH FDQ WHFKQLFDOO\ EH LQGLYLGXDOO\ DGGUHVVHG )LYH LV DOVR WKH PD[LPXP QXPEHU RI WLOHV D SRZHU VRXUFH FDQ VXSSRUW VR GRQèW ZRUU\ DERXW OHDYLQJ H[SDQVLRQ URRP

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

TRANSFORM YOUR WALLS WITH A SMART LIGHT INSTALLATION Enjoy a world of custom colours and slick voice control, all with LIFX’s excellent app at the heart of it Atmosphere is all-important in the modern home. In fact, there might be no better way of JHQHUDWLQJ D VSHFLĆF PRRG RU YLEH WKDQ E\ KDYLQJ WKH ULJKW OLJKWLQJ DQG WKDWèV ZKHUH /,); seems to be focusing most of its efforts these GD\V 7KH EUDQGèV FHLOLQJ RU ODPS EXOEV DUH MXVW the tip of the iceberg – the company is pushing security lighting with its infra-red emitting /,); OLQH LW KDV GRZQOLJKWV OLJKW VWULSV DQG OLJKW EDUVð %DVLFDOO\ ZKHUHYHU \RX QHHG D splash of colour, this Kickstarter success story is determined to splash it there for you. 7KH 7LOH RQH RI /,);èV ODWHVW SURGXFWV PDNHV WKH MXPS IURP OLJKW WR ZDOO IHDWXUH almost leaping so far as to become digital art. Its big, bold, smart illumination designed to FUHDWH D FRQYHUVDWLRQ DV PXFK DV LW LV WR KHOS \RX UHOD[ DQG HQMR\ \RXU OLYLQJ DUHD 7KH 7LOH LV D ZD\ WR ĆOO D VSDFH ZLWK VRPHWKLQJ SUDFWLFDO It is, we must say, pretty damn cool. 3DUW RI WKH 7LOHèV DSSHDO FRPHV LQ LWV GHVLJQ D VLPSOH VHWXS WKDW XVHV /,);èV V\VWHP RI LQGLYLGXDOO\ DGGUHVVDEOH EXOEV HDFK ZLWK LWV own Homekit code should you wish to use it. 7KH LQGLYLGXDO WLOHV DUH FKDLQHG WRJHWKHU connected to a single power source and RSHUDWHG DV D VLQJOH HQWLW\ 7KH\èUH FRYHUHG LQ diffuse plastic, opaque enough to completely obscure and combine the LED array below, but with no hard edge. That means the light of each blossoms out onto your wall. Each tile can take on a kaleidoscope of FRORXUV DW RQFH 7KH\ FDQ DOVR EH FRQĆJXUHG WR VKRZ EULJKW LQGLYLGXDO FRORXUV WR XVH GLIIHUHQW white temperatures or brightnesses, and be DUUDQJHG ZLWK RWKHUV LQ ZKDWHYHU FRQĆJXUDWLRQ (within the short length of the connecting FDEOHV ZLUHV \RX VHH ĆW <RX FDQ QDWXUDOO\ XVH WKHP ZLWK DOO WKH JLPPLFNV RI WKH /,); DSS W\LQJ WKHP WRJHWKHU DV D PXVLF YLVXDOLVHU JLYLQJ them random patterns, or animating themes OLNH VRPH MXPSHG XS PRGHUQ GD\ ODYD ODPS So the Tile (or a combination of Tiles) is a tool for ambiance and D WRRO IRU IXQ <RX ZRQèW XVH LW WR OLJKW XS \RXU HQWLUH URRP Ã¥ LW GRHVQèW quite throw out the lumens of a proper bulb, DQG \RXèOO JHQHUDOO\ QHHG IXOO OLJKW WR FRPH IURP the ceiling rather than a wall – but for those spots where you want something special, highlight lighting like the Tile is hard to beat.

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 5 3

Home

ALTERNATIVE SMART WALL LIGHTING KITS There are other ways to add ambiance with a smart light

LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE The software part is where the fun lies, but make sure you get the hardware right before it lives on your wall

GOLIGHTS Enjoy white spectrum tweaking for ceilings and walls with a variety of LED panel (From $62, golights. com.au). The changeable 60cm panel can be a striking centrepiece.

NANOLEAF AURORA The triangular alternative to the Tile is also Wi-Fi driven (so doesn’t need a hub). An Aurora kit (from $299, nanoleaf.me) can drive up to 30 individual panels at once.

01

02

03

HOOK THEM TOGETHER

CONNECT YOUR PHONE

CONFIGURE YOUR NETWORK

Pull your LIFX Tile set out of the box and wire it together, connecting the power cable to the unit with the green dot. Arrange the set in the same way as you’re intending to have it on your wall and plug it in. The tiles should blink in unison. Now download the LIFX app DQG ĆUH LW XS

Open up the LIFX app and tap the plus button, followed by ‘Connect Light’ to begin the process of adding a new LIFX device. After a short period of JULQGLQJ DQG ZKLUULQJ ĂĽbLW FDQ take a while, depending on \RXU VSHFLĆF QHWZRUN conditions – the app should ĆQG \RXU QHZ 7LOH VHWXS

Individual LIFX devices use Wi-Fi to communicate, though \RXèOO RQO\ QHHG WR FRQĆJXUH your master device once. Select your wireless network, cough up your password, name your Tile set so that it’s OHVV EDIćLQJ LQ WKH /,); interface, then assign it to a room in your home.

TILE LAYOUT

TRY A THEME

STICK ’EM UP

When connected, each Tile node lights up with a distinct colour. You’ll see the same colour arrangement on your SKRQHèV VFUHHQ 'UDJ WKHP around until they match the layout you’re going for. You can also leave small gaps (though these will have wires trailing through them) and misalign tiles if you wish.

Before you stick your Tiles on your wall, use the themes section in the app to see them in action. If you’ve played with the order of things a little too much, you’ll notice that the themes don’t quite line up. If this is the case, it might be worth rearranging your tiles to get the best effect from the oozing colours.

With everything now set up, disconnect your tiles from the power and attach them to \RXU ZDOO bPDNLQJ VXUH \RX keep the same arrangement and orientation. Once they’re installed, power back up, head to the app again and try using the colour section, highlighting tiles at the top to control each unit.

PHILIPS HUE BLOOM Wall lighting highlights on a budget. The wide-angle Bloom ($109, meethue.com) is cheaper than a set of smart panels and the fact that it works with the Hue app is a bonus.

SAYS‌

“he LIFX Tile is a fun and smart way to dress bare walls. A digital art feature in its own right, the Tile can display multiple colours and patterns at once for a truly custom light installation.� PAUL TAYLOR, EDITOR

5 4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Upgrade

HOME 83*5$'(

Luxury on tap Create a bespoke smart showering and bathing experience for each member of your family, then control it all via voice or your phone SmarTap analyses your water pressure in real time and informs you of any leaking pipes

Imagine how much simpler your morning routine would be if you could preprogramme your shower the night before, so that when you stepped into LW DW DP \RX ZHUH ZHOFRPHG ZLWK D temperature and jet-intensity that was tailor-made for you. Well, thanks to an innovative smart bathing experience you can now make that soapy dream a perfectly personalised reality‌ SmarTap ($TBC, smartap-tech.com) is an innovative system that enables you WR FUHDWH YLD LWV FRPSDQLRQ DSS EHVSRNH VKRZHU DQG EDWK çSURĆOHVè IRU each member of your household. The system is Alexa- and Google AssistantHQDEOHG VRb\RX FDQ DFWLYDWH \RXU SHUIHFW

SmarTap is a smart bathing experience that can be controlled via voice command or an app on your phone VKRZHU RU EDWK ZLWK YRLFH FRPPDQGV instead of the app if you prefer. 6LPSO\ FUHDWH \RXU SURĆOH LQ DSS WKHQ design your ideal custom shower or EDWK H[SHULHQFH GLFWDWLQJ WHPSHUDWXUH ćRZ DQG GXUDWLRQ :KHQ \RXèUH UHDG\

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

WR EH SDPSHUHG VHOHFW \RXU SURĆOH LQ DSS RU VLPSO\ WHOO $OH[D RU *RRJOH WR “Start my shower.â€? The system works with a huge array RI EDWK DQG VKRZHU EUDQGV DQG FRQQHFWV with up to three outlets at once: bath, shower and a hand shower. The SmarTap self-monitors too, letting you know via WKH DSS KRZ LWèV UXQQLQJ 3OXV WKHUHèV D Kids mode so that you can control the duration, depth and temperature of your FKLOGèV VKRZHU RU EDWKĂ° DOO ZLWKRXW KDYLQJ to physically run it yourself. The only downside to this app- and voice-controlled bathing system? The queue for the bathroom in the morning LVbDERXW WR JHW D lot longer. S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 5 5

Smart pet feeders

HOME 7(67

The best smart pet feeders

STYLISH AND SMART

BEST ON TEST

THE DESIGN AWARD

Keep an eye on your furry friend and feed them from afar! Live the pet ownership dream with T3’s pick of the best smart pet feeders

HOW TO GET MORE FROM YOUR PET FEEDERS CHOOSE THE ONE YOU NEED It might sound obvious, but if you want to create an automated feeding routine for your cat or dog with feedback on their eating progress, go for a smart pet feeder – that’s the Petwant. If you just want to show your pet a little extra love, treat them to some special kibble by using a treat cam – that’s the Furbo or Pawbo. he latter are much smaller and more interactive, but they’re no replacement for your pet’s normal feeding schedule.

GET THE HEIGHT RIGHT Some smart pet feeders are designed to sit on the oor (case in point – the Petwant), but others beneďŹ t from being higher up on a surface. Furbo ďŹ res its treats out at an angle upwards, but unless your dog (or cat, if they’re particularly cunning) is really small, the treats will land at their feet, so consider placing a feeder such as this one on a small side table for optimum eect.

SECURE IT IN PLACE Got a particularly boisterous pooch? hen you should take advantage of your smart pet feeder’s ability to screw onto a surface. he Pawbo has provision for screws (attached to a surface using wall plugs) at the rear, and it also comes with sticky pads underneath to secure it in place. If you don’t, chances are your new gadget will end up crashing along your kitchen oor when feeding time comes.

5 6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

FURBO DOG CAMERA $359, furbo.com Smart pet feeders aren’t the sexiest of home devices, EXW )XUERèV WUHDW FDP EXFNV WKH WUHQG ZLWK LWV FXUYHG FRQVWUXFWLRQ DQG ZRRG SDQHO IHHG OLG ,WèV DOVR JRW D FDSDEOH S FDPHUD RQ ERDUG ZKLFK RIIHUV FULVS YLVXDOV YLD WKH VPDUWSKRQH DSS GD\ RU QLJKW ,WV 863 LV D WUHDW GLVSHQVLQJ SRUW ZKLFK XQOLNH WKH 3DZER VKRRWV RXW NLEEOH ZLWK VXFK YLJRXU WKDW LW FDQ FRYHU VRPH VHULRXV GLVWDQFH 7KLV GLGQèW ZRUN VR ZHOO ZLWK FDW WUHDWV ĂĽ WKH\èUH VPDOOHU WKDQ GRJ NLEEOH DQG FDWV GRQèW VHHP WR OLNH REMHFWV ĆUHG DW WKHLU IDFH ĂĽ EXW DV WKLV LV PDUNHWHG DV D GRJ FDP WKHQ IDLU JDPH :LWKLQ WKH DSS \RX KDYH ORWV RI RSWLRQV LQFOXGLQJ WKH DELOLW\ WR UHFRUG D WUHDW QRLVH XSRQ GLVSHQVLQJ DQG EDUNLQJ DOHUWV VR \RX NQRZ WKH\ ZDQW D WUHDW 8QOLNH WKH RWKHUV KHUH )XUER FDQèW EH VFUHZHG WR D VXUIDFH VR WKRVH ZLWK UDPEXQFWLRXV SRRFKHV ORRN DZD\

VERDICT T3 SAYS As treat cams go, Furbo is the most capable of them all, but the velocity of the treat dispenser might not be suitable for all types of pets.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Smart pet feeders

SPACE-FRIENDLY

EASY FEEDING

PAWBO

PETWANT

$601, pawbo.com

$450, amazon.com

Unlike smart pet feeders, treat cameras aren’t designed for heavy food duties. As such, the Pawbo is great for those ZKR OLNH WR VSRLO WKHLU SHWV &RQQHFW 3DZER WR \RXU :L )L network, and within the smartphone app there’s loads to keep the most avid pet fans busy. The camera, while not as LPSUHVVLYH DV WKH )XUER LWèV RQO\ S UHVROXWLRQ ZRUNV ZHOO no matter what time of the day it is. A laser pointer built into the fascia is perfect for exercising eager cats, and can be controlled manually on screen, or you can set it to auto and OHW 3DZER GR WKH KDUG ZRUN IRU \RX :KHQ LW FRPHV WR WUHDW time, you can choose from a multitude of sounds with which to alert your hungry furry friend. The treat dispenser is a PL[HG EDJ Ã¥ LW GURSV UDWKHU WKDQ ĆUHV WUHDWV RXW ZKLFK VRPH might like, but the kibble capacity is quite small.

If you’re looking for a substantial way of feeding your pets – and this is a bit of a chunky beast too – Petwant’s feeder is D JUHDW RSWLRQ :LWK D ODUJH WUD\ WKDW GLVSHQVHV XS WR VL[ portions of kibble, you can keep big or small animals happy all GD\ ORQJ :LWK :L )L RQ ERDUG \RX FDQ FRQWURO WKH 3HWZDQW from your smartphone. The app allows you to create feeding schedules throughout the week, and with each new schedule you set up you can select the size of the portion that it issues, DV ZHOO DV ZKHWKHU \RX ZDQW WKH GHYLFH WR FKLPH D QRWLĆFDWLRQ Ã¥ LWèV QRW WKH PRVW SHW IULHQGO\ VRXQG WKRXJK VR WKRVH ZLWK animals of a sensitive disposition might want to avoid this option. The app also tracks feeding habits, giving you a visual overview of when feeding is occurring, and how much is being eaten each time. Oddly, there’s no manual feed option.

VERDICT T3 SAYS Plenty of in app options to entertain pets with, and a decent camera that enables you to see how your pets are responding to their treats wherever you are.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

VERDICT T3 SAYS It’s not terribly feature rich, and there’s no camera for remote monitoring, but it’s a simple and effective way of keeping your pets full via your phone.

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 5 7

State of the Art

GPS sports watches

GPS sports watches are also smartwatches and activity trackers now. But which is the gold medalist? Words: Damian Hall Photography: Neil Godwin

1

WHAT’S ON TEST…

1 2 3

Fitbit Ionic Can the king of the activity tracker step up (pun unintended) to make a convincing, premium sports watch? ĆWELW FRP DX

Apple Watch Sport Nike+ 7KH ĆWQHVV IRFXVHG YHUVLRQ RI WKH Watch comes with Nike faces and has the Nike+ Run Club app built-in. )URP DSSOH FRP DX

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music Can the GPS sports watch market leader match more lifestyle models for comfort and ease of use? JDUPLQ FRP

58 NRUIANRGY 2 0 01 8 8 T3 T3 JSAP 18

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

GPS sports watches

3

2

hanks to the combined rise of activity trackers and smartwatches, being a GPS sports watch simply isn’t enough nowadays. A premium sports watch must do everything: count steps, calories and sleep 24/7, relay notifications and be a desirable, brightly coloured vibrating gadget that people want to tap, swipe and constantly tinker with. What’s fascinating about the three GPS sports watches on test is that they’re all trying to make the same thing, but coming at it from totally different angles. Garmin has

T

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

long been the master of the sports watch, but has lagged behind on the more crowdpleasing trendy smartwatch stuff. Apple knows all about that, but can it turn its hand to a genuinely credible premium sports piece to rival Garmin? Meanwhile, can newer kid on the block, Fitbit, hitherto master of simpler activity trackers, up its game significantly enough to make a viable rival to these two? he sports-minded consumer expects a wrist-based gadget that can accurately record reams of data from their workouts – be that running, cycling, swimming, gym-based

gurning and more – collate it and coach from it. But alongside that, count steps and monitor heart rate and sleep all around the clock. While we do want them to be connected to the social world, it’s not our biggest focus here: we’re primarily judging them on their ability to help you beat your personal bests and feel harder, better, faster, and whatever else that song said. So who does that the best? And which watches make compromises too far? And when it comes down to the wire, who can offer that little bit extra? We put each watch through its paces to find out. JA NRUIA T3 559 SP NRGY220018 1 8 T3 9

State of the Art TEST 01:

FITBIT IONIC

DESIGN Comfort and usability are key to a good sports watch, with points for style he Apple Watch is the most immediately attention-grabbing of the three GPS watches on test here. he Watch’s softer corners and raised 3D screen whisper seductive things to your fingertips, inviting a touch, tap or swipe. hen it pings to life in magnificent colours. he display is large and clear, and fitness apps start at the mere tickle of the screen. At-a-glance metrics such as pace, speed and distance are easy to see, even when exercising. he Apple Watch has two buttons, but neatly one doubles as a dial, useful for zooming in and out or changing pages in an app. It’s also sturdy and waterproof. Maybe it’s just in the name, but initially the Ionic does have something of a tracker, rather than a smartwatch, feel. he LCD screen brightness, however, reaches 1,000 nits (the same as the Apple Watch) and means you can view it even in bright sunlight. he Ionic’s design is clean and simple, even if the squareness feels a bit Cold War modernist; big and bulky and not as comfy as the other two on a thinner wrist. It’s waterproof though, so no need for faffing about either end of that post-run shower. Aesthetically, it will divide

T

he Apple Watch’s soft corners and raised screen whisper seductive things opinion, but many of us don’t buy sports watches primarily for how stylish they are. he Garmin, meanwhile, has a screen that’s clear, sharp and easy to read – even if it’s less colourful than its rivals – with a button-activated light for darker conditions. Transflective technology, meanwhile, makes it clear and bright when light is shining directly on it. he five buttons are satisfying to use and it’s a very lightweight (42g), attractive thing, especially by fitness wearable standards. he rounded display can make things a little bit congested when you’ve got four different bits of data on one screen, but even then it’s fairly easy to read with a squint. he metal rim around the edge of the 1.2-inch display both protects the Gorilla Glass 3 and makes it appear somehow industrial and stylish at the same time. Once again, it’s waterproof. 6 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

The Ionic’s bands are really easy to switch, and you can purchase sporty bands in various colours, or smarter leather options

SPECS CASE MATERIAL Aluminium RESOLUTION 348x250 TOUCHSCREEN Yes HEART RATE SENSOR Yes GPS Yes (no GLONASS) ACTIVITY TRACKING Yes STORAGE CAPACITY 2.5GB WATER RESISTANT Yes (up to 50m) STATED BATTERY LIFE Four days (10 hours GPS) SCREEN SIZE 29.23x21mm CASE WEIGHT 45g

TEST 01: WINNER

GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC he Garmin’s svelte design, comfort and functionality make it the winner from a sporting perspective.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

GPS sports watches

APPLE WATCH

GARMIN MUSIC 645

7KH $SSOH :DWFKèV 6SRUW /RRS IHHOV OLNH WKH FKHDSHU RI WKH WKUHH RSWLRQV EXW ZDV HDVLO\ PRVW FRPIRUWDEOH DQG ćH[LEOH WR JHW D JRRG ĆW

$ VLOLFRQH VWUDS RQ WKH *DUPLQ LV OLJKW ćH[LEOH DQG FRPIRUWDEOH EXW PD\ QRW VXLW WKRVH ZLWK HVSHFLDOO\ VHQVLWLYH VNLQ

SPECS

SPECS

CASE MATERIAL Aluminium WATCH FACE Ion-X strengthened glass RESOLUTION 312x390 TOUCHSCREEN <HV HEART RATE SENSOR Yes GPS Yes (inc. GLONASS) ACTIVITY TRACKING Yes STORAGE CAPACITY 16GB WATER RESISTANT Yes (up to 50m) STATED BATTERY LIFE 8S WR KRXUV ĆYH KRXUV *36 $SSOH :DWFK 6SRUW Nike+ CASE WEIGHT 34.9g

CASE MATERIAL Stainless steel WATCH FACE Gorilla Glass 3 RESOLUTION 240x240 TOUCHSCREEN No HEART RATE SENSOR Yes GPS Yes (inc. GLONASS) ACTIVITY TRACKING Yes STORAGE CAPACITY 500 songs WATER RESISTANT Yes (5 ATM) STATED BATTERY LIFE 8S WR VHYHQ GD\V KRXUV *36 CASE SIZE 42.5x42.5x13.5mm CASE WEIGHT 42.2g

POWER PLAYS :+,&+ :$7&+ +$6 )281' 7+( 5,*+7 %$/$1&( %(7:((1 )($785(6 $1' %$77(5< /,)("

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

1DWXUDOO\ WKH PRUH D VPDUWZDWFK FDQ GR WKH PRUH EDWWHU\ LW QHHGV 6R LWèV SUREDEO\ QRW VXUSULVLQJ WKDW ZKLOH WKH $SSOH :DWFKèV EDWWHU\ OLIH LVQèW EDG E\ VPDUWZDWFK VWDQGDUGV DERXW WKUHH RU IRXU GD\V GHVSLWH $SSOHèV FRQVHUYDWLYH HVWLPDWH LIb\RXèUH XVXDOO\ XVLQJ LW DV D VSRUWV ZDWFK WKHUHèV QR TXHVWLRQ WKDW \RXèOO QHHG WR FKDUJH XS GDLO\ ZKLFK E\ VSRUWV ZDWFK

VWDQGDUGV LV QRW IDQWDVWLF )LWELW FODLPV IRXU SOXV GD\V RI EDWWHU\ WKRXJK DV HYHU WKDWèV YHU\ GHSHQGHQW RQ XVDJH )RU D UXQQLQJ ZDWFK WKDWèV QRW EDG )RU D VPDUWZDWFK LWèV JUHDW $W VHYHQ GD\V ZLWK JHQHUDO XVH DQG KRXUV LQ *36 PRGH ZLWKRXW PXVLF å DERXW IRXU GD\V RI XVH LI \RXèUH ZRUNLQJ RXW UHJXODUO\ å WKH *DUPLQ LV VXSHULRU KHUH

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 6 1

State of the Art TEST 02:

FEATURES

FITBIT IONIC

Which of our watches offers the EHVWbVSRUWV DWWULEXWHV" ll three devices have heart-rate (HR) monitors, a really useful aid for keeping an eye on your resting and all-day HR; for helping to avoid overtraining, general tiredness or, more positively, to see signs you’re getting fitter. However, wrist-based HR tracking isn’t as accurate as chest-strap HR monitors. In fact, with Garmin’s HRM-Run chest strap wirelessly connected, the Forerunner leaps ahead of every other sports watch: the chest strap is also a motion sensor that tracks cadence, ground contact time and vertical oscillation – useful technique data for those serious about improving their running. It all syncs to the Forerunner for perusal. he Fitbit’s excellent hook is the beginnerfriendly Fitbit Coach, which provides tailored workouts that show you exactly what to do. You supply post-exercise feedback and Fitbit Coach determines whether you need to go harder or ease up. Fitbit plans to introduce audio workouts – which should avoid some of the mid-exercise wrist checking. As you’d expect, the Ionic is an excellent activity tracker, recording steps, distance covered, stairs climbed, calories burned, how

A

APPLE WATCH

GARMIN MUSIC 645

he Forerunner leaps into a new world where other watches haven’t followed well you’ve slept, and reminding you not to sit still for too long. For atheletes, activity tracking is very much secondary to accuracy and data for real workouts, though. All three watches have Bluetooth and some internal storage that you can sync playlists to – so you can leave your phone behind and still let Meatloaf power you along. Whereas the other two pieces are sports watches souped up to become smartwatches, the Apple Watch has come at things from the opposite angle. he sports data is somewhat basic, but it being Apple, you can use third-party apps to expand the options. he range of metrics tracked by the Nike+ app doesn’t match Garmin’s, but Nike’s social platform is a great motivator. And for daily activity tracking (including much of what the Fitbit covers) smartphone interaction and apps, nothing really matches Apple. 6 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

TEST 02: WINNER

GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC

he Garmin’s metrics and data overwhelm its rivals. It can simply do things the others can’t.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

GPS sports watches

FITBIT IONIC

TEST 03:

PERFORMANCE Which watch is really going to help you EHDW \RXU WLPHV DQG IHHO ĆWWHU" ith its extensive pedigree in navigational devices, Garmin should be pretty good at tracking… and it is. he 645 provides benchmark accuracy for GPS tracking of runs and cycles, and crunches a lot of data based on your cardiovascular efforts. It can suggest recovery times, estimate your VO2 Max, tell you how optimal your training load is and much more. For activity tracking – the entry-level stuff Garmin has been behind on previously – it also excels. Usefully, the 645 counts and sets targets for your ‘intensity minutes’ – the amount of time spent doing something more exerting than walking to the shops. And it’s attractive enough that you happily wear it all day, from the office to the (juice) bar. he Ionic’s HR monitor can be a bit odd. It seems accurate during intense activity, but erratic at lower levels of exertion. For general tracking and resting/average heart-rate and workouts in the higher cardio/threshold/ intense zones, the watch is good. It’s just the area in between where things go a bit zany. A further failing of the Ionic is that although it shows your heart rate when you work out, it

W

APPLE WATCH

GARMIN MUSIC 645

he Ionic breaks your nights down into deep, light and REM sleep

TEST 03: WINNER

GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC he Garmin’s GPS and HR are more accurate and reliable than its rivals – the watch just works better for fitness.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

doesn’t show what zone you’re in, so you have to remember where each one begins or ends. For optimal training, you need rest and recovery, and the Ionic monitors not just your hours of sleep but also the quality, according to your heart rate activity and movements. It then breaks your night down into deep, light and REM sleep, which is pretty advanced. Like Garmin, the Apple Watch encourages you to meet a minimum number of minutes of exercise each day (which could be vigorous walking or a workout). In the Workouts app, you get continuous heart-rate monitoring once you’ve told it you’re starting an activity, though the wrist-based monitoring seemed less accurate than the Garmin. Frustratingly, it took 2-3 minutes to detect a HR strap pre-workout for more accurate tracking, which eats into your activity time. he GPS was also slower than the other watches. S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 6 3

State of the Art VERDICT:

1st

THE OVERALL WINNER IS… GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC JDUPLQ FRP WE’RE IMPRESSED ,WèV JRW WKHbPRVW DFFXUDWH *36 DQG +5 with the most advanced running metrics, now with added smartwatch perks (and without needless gimmicks), good battery, good functionality, and it’s light and comfy on the wrist. ,W VHHPV FKXUOLVK WR ZDQW PRUH WE’D IMPROVE There’s no touchscreen (though that can be

a distraction) and music streaming would be the next logical level. The interface is occasionally slow and some ZLOObEH SXW RII E\ SULFH THE FINAL WORD Garmin is still the market leader. And now LWV ćDJVKLS )RUHUXQQHU LV D stylish little blighter too.

FITBIT IONIC

APPLE WATCH SPORT NIKE+

ĆWELW FRP DX

)URP DSSOH FRP DX

2nd

WE’RE IMPRESSED The activity tracking and coaching help keep things beginner friendly without dumbing down. WE’D IMPROVE That ugly big square aesthetic, and more accurate and detailed HR info. THE FINAL WORD A really promising effort. Fitbit is close to challenging the status quo, but isn’t as serious as the Garmin.

WE’RE IMPRESSED The smartwatch smarts are excellent and the design is desirable. WE’D IMPROVE GPS and HR accuracy and speed. That’s kind of a big deal to runners, cyclists and other sporty folk. THE FINAL WORD This proves to be the best smartwatch RYHUDOO EXW IRU WKH ĆWQHVV focused, it’s not quite up there.

3rd

SIX WAYS TO TRAIN SMARTER WITH GPS SPORTSWATCHES 01 GOOD FORM Good technique will help avoid injury and make you a more HIĆFLHQW UXQQHU *HW WR NQRZ the Garmin’s running dynamics – or at least start with trying to get a cadence of around 180 on any sports watch that offers it. This means 180 steps per minute, and is the average UDWHbRI HOLWH UXQQHUV

02 PEAKING TOO SOON? The Garmin’s Training Status feature is a monitoring tool that 6 4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

automatically evaluates your recent exercise history and performance indicators to let you know if you’re training productively, peaking or overreaching. Listen to it! Overexerting or training when you’re weak helps no one.

03 SLEEPY TIME 7KH ZRUOG UHFRUG EUHDNLQJ Kenyans seriously value their VKXW H\H WLPH DQG VR VKRXOG \RX bHVSHFLDOO\ DIWHU ELJJHU workouts. Use sleep tracking features to check you’re getting

HQRXJK KLJK TXDOLW\ NLS ,I QRW you can make adjustments to your timing, diet or other lifestyle factors and see whether they help.

04 DIARISE The simple act of keeping a training diary – which all these watches do automatically via WKHLU DSSV LQ WKH EXLOW LQ +HDOWK and Activity apps in the case of the Apple Watch) – is a hugely useful resource. And it makes you more likely to stick with your training.

05 RECOVERY The various recovery time features are a great asset, hopefully helping ward off injury and overtraining. HR data can indicate fatigue too, so keep DQbH\H RQ XQXVXDOO\ KLJK UDWHV

06 STAY SOCIAL Though not every run should EHbIDVW XVH VRFLDO PHGLD DQG especially apps such as Strava for friendly competition. The Fitbit and Apple Activity apps KDYH EXLOW LQ ZD\V WR VKDUH DQGbFKDOOHQJH IULHQGV WRR

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

GPS sports watches

5

ESSENTIAL ADD-ONS Get the best shoes, earphones and other accessories to reach your peak performance

1

01

INOV-8 MUDCLAW G-SERIES

British brand inov-8 has revolutionised trail shoes (off-road running helps to make your legs and core stronger, and less injury-prone) with its new graphene outsoles. Graphene is amazingly grippy but also highly durable, so these will keep you upright, comfortable, and will last and last. $229.95, inov-8.com

03

02

2

GARMIN RUNNING DYNAMICS POD

3

OPTOMA NUFORCE BE SPORT4

4

STRAVA PREMIUM

A tempting alternative for people ZKRbĆQG D FKHVW VWUDS XQFRPIRUWDEOH 7KHb5XQQLQJ '\QDPLFV 3RG FOLSV RQWR \RXU waistband and measures your running dynamics – all the key data to improve your form syncs to your Garmin watch. Compared WR WKH +50 5XQ VWUDS \RXèOO MXVW EH UHO\LQJ RQ ZULVW EDVHG +5 WUDFNLQJ LQVWHDG RI chest-based. $109, garmin.com

Get in the zone with the help of Kenny Loggins in your lugs via these excellent wireless sports earphones, boasting 10 hours of battery life (and two hours from DbVLQJOH PLQXWH FKDUJH DQG DVWRXQGLQJ DXGLR TXDOLW\ ,PSRUWDQWO\ WKH\èUH DOVR DbVHFXUH EXW SHUIHFWO\ FRPIRUWDEOH ĆW DQGbDUHbVZHDW UHVLVWDQW WR ERRW $149, optoma.com

05

04

The Strava app is still king. Access personalised coaching, real-time feedback and advanced analytics via 3UHPLXP PHPEHUVKLS 3OXV LW KDV H[FHOOHQW RSWLRQVbIRU VKDULQJ DQG YLHZLQJ \RXU UXQV $89.99/year, strava.com

5

GARMIN HRM-RUN

7KH +50 5XQ KHDUW UDWH PRQLWRU provides the most advanced running PHWULFV DYDLODEOH 0HDVXUH YHUWLFDO RVFLOODWLRQ WKH GHJUHH RI çERXQFHè LQ \RXU UXQQLQJ motion), ground contact time, stride length and more, synced with your Garmin watch. $149, garmin.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 6 5

TESTED Expert reviews and recommendations WR KHOS \RX EX\ ZLWK FRQĆGHQFH

Edited by Matt Bolton

68

72

74

76

84

86

PARROT ANAFI

LG C8 65-INCH

SONOS BEAM

6 BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS

SONY XPERIA EAR DUO

RAZER PHONE

HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the ďŹ nest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll ďŹ nd only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts.

We only choose people with specialist knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective ďŹ eld. As well as our traditional ďŹ ve-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these, you’ll know you’re onto a good thing.

THE SCORES EXPLAINED Forget it Below average Good for the price Very good all round An exceptional, best-in-class product

OUR AWARDS Only the best products ü WKRVH WKDW VFRUH ĆYH PLATINUM stars – receive our AWARD Platinum Award

This is given to winners BEST ON of our group tests, so TEST you can see which is the best at a glance

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE

This accolade, and others like it, show you which gear is best for VSHFLĆF IHDWXUHV

THE DESIGN AWARD

For kit with exceptional industrial design and UHĆQHPHQW LQ DGGLWLRQ to being a great buy

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 6 7

Tested

Display 5.5-inch IPS LCD Resolution 2560x1440 Refresh rate 75Hz Field of view 110 degrees Operating system Daydream OS Dimensions 204x270x180mm Weight 645g Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Memory 4GB Storage 64GB Connectivity USB-C, microSD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5

tech in a similarly portable package. Is this too good to be true?

$1,099 parrot.com

MAD PROPS

3DUURW $QDĆ 3DUURWèV QHZ ODXQFK LV WKH ĆUVW drone to cause a stir in the DJI teacup, but does it have the right level of polish to take the lead? 6 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Lighter than (Mavic) Air

any brands have tried and failed to take on DJI’s rock-steady fleet of premium camera drones. Paris-based Parrot pretty much started the whole consumer drone trend when it launched the popular AR Drone way back in 2010, so it’s no surprise that Parrot is the one to now come closest to knocking DJI out of the sky with the insectoid Anafi. It’s roughly $200 cheaper than its nearest DJI rival, the Mavic Air, yet boasts almost as much ground-breaking

M

At just 320g the Parrot Anafi is now one of the lightest camera-equipped drones on the market, and that’s a major benefit should it ever fall out of the sky, since it’s less likely to sustain major damage... In theory, anyway. Fold the Anafi’s four arms and it collapses down for easy transport. However, its 244mm length when collapsed makes it impossible to pop in a pocket. Just as well, then, that it comes in a slim transport case that snugly fits into a small backpack. Despite looking like a giant mosquito, the Anafi was actually

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Parrot AnaďŹ

POWER UP The entire top-back section RI WKH $QDĆèV çWKRUD[è LV WKH EDWWHU\ VR LWèV HDV\ WR VZDS out. Topside lights display the current charge level

inspired by the bee. In place of a head, the drone has its three-axis gimbal and camera mounted directly in front of its body. Crucially, this means the propellers will never appear in shot when the drone is moving forwards at high speed. It also means the camera can be pointed 90 degrees upwards for a perspective that currently no other drone can achieve. We’re used to aerial shots, but this can actually shoot you from below. When placed side by side with the DJI Mavic Air, the AnaďŹ looks much more toy-like and, unatteringly, insect-esque. However, once in the air it takes on the familiar drone form we’ve all come to know.

Cruise control Being able to charge your drone’s battery via USB-C should be considered a major plus, given that we now all have access to portable powerbanks. However, in this instance it’s completely spoiled by the woefully long charging times. With the right USB Power Delivery adapter it’s not too bad at 105 minutes, but use

something akin to a phone charger and you’re looking at three hours. On the plus side, the battery provides up to 25 minutes of ying time, which is ďŹ ve minutes more than the Mavic Air. hat’s doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a 25 per cent boost in ight time; it could get you that killer shot you were aiming for. Spare batteries cost about $130. he hand controller is built like a brick outhouse and feels a lot heavier than the drone itself. It’s too bulky for a pocket, and looks pretty sparse on the button front. Aside from the ‘take o’ and obligatory ‘return to home’ buttons, the controller comes with two index ďŹ nger buttons on the rear: one for taking images and video, and the other for resetting the gimbal and optics. Plus, there’s two rocker arms for gimbal tilt and camera zoom. he phone cradle will accommodate anything up to an iPhone Plus. Any consumer drone worth its salt must integrate seamlessly with an Android or iOS, and the AnaďŹ does it superbly. he new Parrot FreeFlight 6 app is well designed and really easy

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

7KH $QDĆ KDV D VXLWH RI FUHDWLYH FDPHUD PRGHV LQFOXGLQJ WKH +ROO\ZRRG IDYRXULWH +HOOR 'ROO\ +LWFKFRFN ZRXOG ORYH LW

to follow. Granted it doesn’t allow for as many camera, ight and gimbal tweaks as the DJI Go 4 app, but it’s suitable for ďŹ rst-time users. he HD image quality streaming from drone to phone is impressive, though we did experience a few visual glitches and some pretty poor lag from time to time (not replicated in footage recorded to microSD card, of course).

Up in the air So it looks the biz on the ground, but how does it fare in the air? Flight performance is very good, though it’s still not as conďŹ dence-inspiring as the Mavic Air. For a start, the AnaďŹ doesn’t have any obstacle avoidance. herefore it loses quite a few points to the clever Mavic Air – obstacle avoidance is something you will almost certainly miss if you’re using the AnaďŹ â€™s autonomous modes in crowded areas. Once airborne the AnaďŹ is easy to control and very stable, even in a sti breeze. Both the Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity are solid, and the drone boasts an excellent 4km range limit S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 6 9

Tested BIRD’S EYE The controller weighs almost as much as the drone itself. With a phone running the app, you get a live feed from the camera WKDW \RX FDQ XVH IRU ć\LQJ

LOOKING UP The 180-degree tilt gimbal is unheard of on this type of consumer drone, and should lead to some stunningly unusual angles

for control. However, you should keep in mind that drone ight regulations state that no drone should be own further than line of sight (visit casa. gov.au for more information). Prop noise is one of the main factors that puts people o ying drones in public spaces – the loud buzzing sound they make always attracts attention, sometimes of the wrong kind. But not this little fella. In fact, the AnaďŹ is so quiet you can hardly hear the drone even when it’s hovering a few metres above you. his is one of its major advantages over other drones. At 55km/h the

Although the controller feels heavy in the hand, it’s comfortable enough that you soon get used to the weight

AnaďŹ is also rather sprightly, but only when kicked into Sport mode. As you’d expect from a modern GPS-equipped drone, the AnaďŹ also features Geo-fencing, a smart return-to-home feature, and a Find My Drone function that geolocates the drone while it emits a beep.

Fly and shoot Perhaps the biggest selling point of these types of drones is to capture high-quality video and stills of unusual angles, so it’s excellent news that this is where the AnaďŹ really shines bright. Having tested it in the

wild, both video and photo quality seem on a level with the Mavic Air, and in low-light shooting it’s actually better. he AnaďŹ â€™s 4K video (you can record in normal 2160p, or the slightly wider Cinema 4K format) and 21MP images, produced by the 1/2.4-inch Sony CMOS sensor, are pin sharp, providing excellent detail and rich contrast. he camera also supports HDR video recording and can take stills in DNG raw format. Rare for a consumer drone, the AnaďŹ â€™s camera also features 2.8x lossless zoom when recording in Full HD, or 1.4x zoom in 4K, which works

BETTER FILMING ON THE FLY

KEEP IT SLOW

PANNING TECHNIQUE

If you dart around the sky, veering the craft from one direction to the other, the footage you shot will look messy. The best approach is to keep things moving slowly, without sudden changes in direction. This lets the sensor capture the level of detail it’s capable of.

Never pan from a static position using the drone’s yaw control (ie, don’t rotate the GURQH LQ D ćDW FLUFOH ,QVWHDG VORZO\ ć\ DW low altitude from one side of the scene to WKHbRWKHU SHUKDSV ZKLOH DGGLQJ D VPLGJH RI yaw rotation in the process.

70 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

FII

FIILTE

Although there’s been no announcement yet, you can be sure that third-party accessories supplier PolarPro will soon produce a set of QHXWUDO GHQVLW\ DQG SRODULVLQJ ĆOWHUV IRU WKH $QDĆ 7KHVH ZRXOG KHOS IRRWDJH ORRN HYHQ better, cutting down on overblown sunlight. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Parrot AnaďŹ

FOLD TIGHT The arms fold into the body for transport, making it fairly long but only as wide as its thickest point here. It’s also super-portable and sized for small backpacks

amazingly well with no discernible loss in image quality. he AnaďŹ â€™s camera gimbal (the mechanism that holds the camera stable no matter what the drone is doing) features two mechanical roll and tilt axes and a digital panning axis. We’re not convinced that a digital axis is quite as smooth as an all-mechanical gimbal, such as the one ďŹ tted to the Mavic Air, but so far we haven’t noticed anything odd with the footage we’ve shot. One thing we have observed, though, is how the AnaďŹ controller’s gimbal rocker switch is nowhere near as tactile as the Mavic Air’s ďŹ nger wheel. his makes slow, gentle tilting of the gimbal extremely tricky, and we really hope that Parrot includes a means to adjust gimbal characteristics in a future update. he positioning of the camera and gimbal setup at the front works well for getting the promised excellent video, and although we didn’t do any sports that were extreme enough to require action video from below, the feature worked great in our tests. It’s not something you’ll use a lot, but having it there, just in case, is nice. Like the Mavic Air, the AnaďŹ also provides a host of automated ight

modes – Boomerang, Follow Me (keep reading), Orbit and more – including one amazingly smart feature that uses the camera’s zoom facility to superb Hollywood eect...

Hello, Dolly he eect is called Dolly Zoom and you can use it to re-create Alfred Hitchcock’s famous Vertigo eect (also used in Jaws, and other ďŹ lms when someone realises something dramatic). In essence, Dolly Zoom is when the camera moves towards someone while the lens zooms out, keeping the subject the same size but altering the perspective of the background. Normally it’s hard to do, but here it’s automated and looks fantastic. his creative feature works best when used against a striking background, such as a mountain range or an imposing building. Cameraman is another cool mode that hands ight controls to the pilot while the camera remains pointed at the subject of the shot. his is a great option to select if you’re shooting a static subject with an upwards or downwards motion. Why? he gimbal will automatically tilt at a gentler pace than is possible using the controller’s clunky rocker-arm setup.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

,Q WHUPV RI ORRNV WKH 3DUURW $QDĆ FDQèW KROG D FDQGOH WR WKH VWXQQLQJ '-, GURQHV :HèG OLNH RQH LQ D GLIIHUHQW FRORXU SOHDVH

Further ight mode options include Hyperlapse and Slow-Motion. However, functions such as Follow Me and Touch&Fly are locked at ďŹ rst and require an in-app purchase, which is quite frankly ridiculous. Once you’ve forked out this much for the AnaďŹ , every app-based function should be included in that price, so charging extra – around $30.99 – really sours the taste of what is otherwise a top-notch camera drone.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Flight time is great; near VLOHQW LQ ćLJKW DPD]LQJ FDPHUD DQG ]RRP WE’D IMPROVE *LPEDO FRQWURO V\VWHP LV DZNZDUG REVWDFOH DYRLGDQFH ZRXOG EH JUHDW THE LAST WORD 7KH $QDĆ LVQèW TXLWH XS WR WKH ORIW\ PDUN VHW E\ WKH '-, 0DYLF $LU EXW LWèV DOPRVW WKHUH LV D FKXQN RI FKDQJH FKHDSHU DQG LV WKH EHVW HTXLSSHG GURQH RI LWV SULFH

Meet more of the best drones at: bit.ly/t3bestdrones

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 7 1

Tested

MORE LIKE GR8

LG C8 65-inch

Screen 65-inch OLED Audio 40W Dimensions 1144.9x83.1x4.7mm Weight 21kg Connectivity 4x HDMI, 3x USB, headphone out, optical digital audio output, Ethernet Tuners FreeviewPlus

LG ups the ante with its cutting-edge next-gen Ultra HD 4K OLED TV, which brings better processing and extra smarts to the party

$6,399 lg.com/au t’s not easy to tell OLED panels apart these days. In a line-up, the chances of sending the wrong screen to the slammer are high. But at least LG attempts to separate its models. he C8, a mid-range offering available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch

I

7 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

screen sizes, has a distinctive gunmetal grey livery. Glass stretches edge-to-edge, with barely a rim to keep it in place. he panel sits on LG’s Alpine stand, basically a plasticky trim, counterbalanced at the rear. Connections include four 4K-ready HDMIs (one with ARC), three USBs, a digital optical audio output and Ethernet, to complement Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Tuner options cover Freeview Play and satellite. It ships with the latest iteration of LG’s Magic Remote pointer. his has

The LG Alpha 9 processor is the most powerful we’ve seen in a consumer TV

dedicated buttons for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as an integrated microphone, which supports the new hinQ AI brain. he integration of AI into LG’s webOS platform boils down to intuitive search and voice control. here’s a full provision of catch-up TV services, including Stan, SBS OnDemand and, of course, YouTube. Having 4K services like Netflix, Stan and Youtube included follows its competitors, making the C8 feel modern and futureproof.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

LC C8 65-inch

he C8 uses LG’s new Alpha 9 intelligent processor, which boasts the most advanced image processing we’ve seen on a consumer TV.

Picture this Image quality is exceptional, though there’s a forest of modes to negotiate. he set defaults to an Eco picture preset, but we found that Standard and Vivid are the best options for high contrast and UHD imagery. he HDR Vivid mode (for HDR10 content) borders on ravishing, using maximum module brightness and contrast, and pinging detail with a more agreeable colour temperature. A faux HDR Eect is available to improve contrast on SDR sources, by applying Inverse Tone Mapping on a scene-by-scene basis. To be honest, it isn’t amazing, and isn’t as naturalistic as the object-based remapping that Sony uses on its excellent A8F set. Unsurprisingly, the set’s various Cinema settings reduce contrast and subdue luminance. With SDR, the panel is limited to a BT.709 colour space, and sharpness enhancement. Of the Cinema, Cinema Home and Technicolor Expert modes, Cinema

Home is the most watchable, thanks to increased mid-tone luminance. To maximise 4K ďŹ ne detail, ensure that Just Scan is set to On rather than Auto. In its default Auto setting, it can create artefacts which obscure ďŹ ne high-frequency texture. With Just Scan On, this clears up and ďŹ ne detail becomes easier to appreciate. he C8’s HDR performance is dramatic. We measured a peak of 840 cd/m2 (aka nits) with a ďŹ ve per cent window – excellent for an OLED panel. he C8 has no problem handling spectral highlights, which, when coupled with deep rich blacks, translates to dynamic pictures. Of course, HDR performance is also about the ability of a screen to retain shadow detail in near blacks, and it nails this, too. he vibrancy of colour and sheer tangible detail in 4K content can be astonishing. he titular super-pig in Okja is disturbingly authentic; the pig’s eyes seemingly sparkle with life. he C8 also looks superb with HD material. he Flash brims with dynamic lighting eects which positively glow here. he various costumes reveal copious texture.

The Alpine stand doubles as a sonic UHćHFWRU IRU WKH C8’s downwardfacing stereo speakers

THE COMPETITION SONY A8F Sony’s TV offers IDEXORXV 2/(' image quality, fantastic motion handling and excellent upscaling RI +' LPDJHV WR . ,W DOVR VRXQGV DFH WKDQNV WR tech that turns the whole screen into a speaker. $5,999, sony.com.au Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

PANASONIC FZ950 ([SHFW D IXOO UHYLHZ of Panasonic’s new ćDJVKLS 2/(' LQ a future issue, but for now you should know that its image quality is glorious, it has a JRRG VPDUW SODWIRUP DQG LV FRPSHWLWLYHO\ SULFHG $5,995, panasonic.com/au

Dynamic Tone Mapping is also available, oering a processing boost to HDR images. It analyses the signal peak and histogram information on a frame-by-frame basis, and essentially makes the picture a little brighter. he set looks fabulous with games. In Standard mode image lag is high at 91.7ms, but switch in the Game mode and lag drops to just 21.1ms. Its HDR Game mode is also nicely dramatic. he audio is better than average, but can sound at. Helpfully, the C8 has a Dolby Atmos decoder, which works with streamed content as well as external sources, so you can hook your set-top box up to the TV and bitstream Dolby Atmos over HDMI ARC into a compatible sound system.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED The LG C8’s Alpha 9 processor produces dazzlingly detailed 4K images, and its gaming performance is top. WE’D IMPROVE The webOS platform creeks with complex functionality. In-set audio performance is merely okay. THE FINAL WORD This 65-incher offers knockout images, and the set’s detail performance is class leading. Undoubtedly one of WKH ĆQHVW 2/('V ZHèYH VHHQ

Read about more of the best TVs at: bit.ly/t3besttvs

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 7 3

BEAM GENIE

Sonos Beam A home cinema cousin to the mega successful Sonos One, Beam is an excellent, affordable soundbar with Amazon Alexa built in $599 sonos.com he downside of TVs now being thinner than a Jatz is that the sound they put out is not all that impressive. To get the most out of TV audio, something extra is required. And yet multi-speaker surround systems are not ideal for those who don’t live in a stately home or converted warehouse. hat’s where soundbars come in – and Sonos Beam is a great soundbar.

T

Small, light, loud, white Sonos already makes a soundbar, with the vaguely rude name of Playbar, but Beam is much lighter and smaller than that, and a few hundred dollars cheaper. It’s a short bar that comes in black or white/off-white. It benefits hugely from the addition of an HDMI input, and also adds voice support for Amazon’s Alexa AI assistant and Apple AirPlay 2 audio streaming. Beam follows very precisely in the footsteps of the Sonos One: it’s affordable and compact, with a processor powerful enough to act as a platform that can be updated and honed over time. As such, as well as AirPlay 2 and Alexa, 7

T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3

it could, once the right deals are inked, support Google Home, Chromecast, and platforms and AI assistants as yet unknown in the future. First and foremost, though, Beam is a home cinema soundbar and music speaker, and for sport and general live TV duties it’s very solid, adding useful volume and presence to the big match or the latest reality show imbecile-fest. However, whack on a movie from a service or player with a proper Dolby soundtrack, and the Beam delivers a big, adrenaline-pumping boost to the audio. Of course, given its compact dimensions, the bass doesn’t descend low enough to rattle the room, but it has real power, with a surprisingly wide soundstage, too. Alexa is irritatingly inconsistent, but if you have a compatible Fire TV device, it is useful for searching through the vast quantity of content on there – although not surprisingly, it’s more satisfying to use with Amazon Prime Video than main rival Netflix. Really, Alexa and AirPlay 2, multi-room and surround sound capability (you could add a pair of Sonos Ones as rear surrounds, and a Sonos Sub for a bigger bottom end) are just bonus features; this is worth $600 as a soundbar alone. Oh yeah, and it’s also a very good music speaker. Not cheap and disposable, yet feeling like quite the bargain, Sonos has got this Beam spot on.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED For the size and price, this is a great soundbar; Sonos and AirPlay 2 multi-room; expandable for surround sound; and Alexa, too. WE’D IMPROVE Shame there’s no Dolby Atmos; Alexa has numerous ‘quirks’. THE LAST WORD One day, all wireless home cinema speakers will be this versatile – and good.

See more of the best soundbars: bit.ly/bestsoundbar

s cov o er er m o or e a t t ec

c m au

Optoma UHZ65

PLATINUM AWARD

SHINE A LIGHT

Optoma UHZ65 2SWRPD LQWURGXFHV LWV ĆUVW . 8+' SURMHFWRU ZLWK a laser light source for bigger and bolder colours $8,999 optoma.com/au ot on the heels of the first 4K UHD DLP home cinema projectors comes Optoma’s debut Laser phosphor model. Replacing the traditional projector lamp with a laser introduces a string of benefits including near-instant on, 20,000hour longevity and wide colour support. Set-up is astonishingly simple. Manual zoom and lens shift controls are hidden under a hinged lid. While we recommend a dedicated (ideally light reflecting) screen, like a Draper ReAct, you can get away with a white wall. It’s possible to cast a 120-inch image from just 3.7m. Picture clarity is outstanding. he projector employs an XPR (eXpanded Pixel Resolution) 0.67-inch DMD device, which uses hyper-fast

H

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

switching to create a 4K (8 million pixel) image from 4.15 million mirrors. It’s not exactly native 4K, but it’s as near as dammit. We certainly haven’t seen our Ultra HD Blu-rays look any more noticeably sharper. here are minor niggles here. Operating noise is a constant 29dB, so the UHZ65 is best located away from your couch and masked with the inclusion of a kick-ass sound system. We also noted DLP’s trademark rainbow fringing on scenes with high contrast - but for most viewing this wasn’t a problem. However a shift to laser light brings improved contrast (2,000,000:1), and the colour range is spectacular. HDR-compatible, the projector is also refreshingly bright at 3,000 lumens. Sharper, brighter better - the UHZ65 is the most exciting home theatre projector we’ve seen all year. For the money, it’s also the best value 4K laser projector there is right now. You may never go to the cinema again.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Better contrast and more colours; picture detail is razor-sharp; zingy HDR; bargain price for laser 4K. WE’D IMPROVE Fan noise is relatively high; only one HDMI input is full 4K HDCP 2.2 capable; DLP rainbow effect evident on scenes of high contrast. THE LAST WORD The UHZ65 brings dazzling laser clarity to the world of projection.

Read about the best projectors at T3.com: bit.ly/bestprojector

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 7 5

Tested

Have beats, will travel With summer just around the corner, T3 takes the plunge with six of the best uber-portable, travel-friendly Bluetooth speakers Words: Chris Barnes

BEST FOR SOUND

ONE FOR OUTDOOR EXPLORERS

ONE FOR AUDIO PURISTS

ONE FOR HOUSE PARTIES

BOSE SOUNDLINK MICRO

B&O BEOPLAY P2

JBL FLIP 4

$149.95, bose.com.au

$249, bang-olufsen.com

$149.95, jbl.com.au

The SoundLink Micro’s silicone rubber skin won’t win any design awards, but this tough cookie should survive plenty of drops and dunks before the music stops for good. Audio is bass heavy, but overall the sound is powerful considering the speaker’s petite (100x100mm) dimensions. The six-hour battery life isn’t bad for such a dinky speaker, but you’ll be charging the SoundLink Micro more regularly than the other speakers on test here. That travelfriendly rubber strap is handy for attaching to handlebars, a parasol, a hiking pack...

The P2 is the priciest speaker here, but that extra cash bags you sound quality XQPDWFKHG LQ WKH VPDOO VSHDNHU ĆHOG SOXV up to 10 hours battery life and some sweet style – everything from the lightweight aluminium body to the leather strap screams premium. An internal polymer layer delivers extra protection for outdoor adventures, though it’s unlikely to survive a prolonged dip in the pool. Aside from the discrete power button there are no physical controls. Instead, touch gestures launch Siri and give you full command over your audio.

It might be a bare-bones cylinder but what it lacks in looks it makes up for in sheer sonic heft. The durable material OHWV WKH VRXQG ćRZ ZKLOH NHHSLQJ GLUW and debris out, and the sizeable rubber end-caps and body-hugging accents mean it can be comfortably chucked in your bag or mistreated at the beach without fear of damage. A big, 3,000mAh battery keeps the music going for up to 12 hours, and the sound it produces shames other subwoofers. Nuanced it ain’t, but that’s made up for with distortion-free tunes.

76 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Portable Bluetooth speakers

et’s face it, there are still far too many portable Bluetooth speakers that look like cheap plastic oblongs with gutless audio. hese budget blasters might be acceptable for the garden shed, but if you like to

L

take your music further aďŹ eld you need a rugged speaker that can perform on the go, unphased by a day at the beach or an all-night campďŹ re shindig. he travel-friendly speakers we selected for this test needed to tick a few boxes before being

considered. Namely, are they built to survive in the outdoors? Are they small and light enough for carry-on luggage, a rucksack or beach bag? And, critically, does the sound do justice to our cool summer jams? Time to press play to see which one tops the chart‌

ONE FOR MARATHON LISTENING

ONE FOR POOLSIDE PARTYING

BRAVEN READY SOLO

ULTIMATE EARS WONDERBOOM

JBL CLIP 2

$149.95, braven.com.au

$129.95, ultimateears.com

$79.95 jbl.com.au

Braven’s burly budget portable offers the best battery life on test, doling out a generous 12 hours per charge. Inside, an extended range driver and all-direction subwoofer produce impactful lows and clear mids and highs. A shock- and debrisSURRI KRXVLQJ DQG ,3 ZDWHUSURRĆQJ should be enough to handle little accidents. A noise-cancelling speakerphone means you can still take care of business on the go. The Ready Solo is also the only speaker here with a USB port to keep your device juiced, ensuring the music never stops.

The Wonderboom might not be the most stylish speaker here, but the playful colour options and size-defying 360-degree sound make it the perfect party centrepiece. It works particularly well with the lush production of modern pop and rock, but adds weight to everything from classical to folk. The Wonderboom is waterproof and HYHQ ćRDWV VR \RX FDQ OLVWHQ E\ WKH SRRO RU in the bath without fear of drowning your tech. Additional features, including 10-hour battery, 33 metre range and the ability to pair two speakers, are the icing on the cake.

The Clip 2 is a good option for lovers of the great outdoors. A combination of fabric and rubber ensures durability and ZDWHUSURRĆQJ, while the built-in carabiner is ideal for hanging the speaker inside a tent or dangling it from a backpack. At this SULFH WKH DXGLR VXIIHUV ĂĽ LW ZRQèW ĆOO D URRP with hip-shaking bass, but for personal use there’s no arguing with the clarity – though the speaker’s eight-hour battery life is impressive. Bluetooth pairing is a breeze, or there’s a built-in 3.5mm cable (assuming your device has a headphone socket).

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

ONE FOR MODEST BUDGETS

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 7 7

Tested

Screen 2560x1440 75Hz Storage 32GB ($299), 64GB ($369) Weight 468g

REALITY CHECK

Oculus Go The tech may not be cutting edge, but with no wires, a low price and 1,000+ games and apps already, Oculus Go is the VR headset the world’s been waiting for

7 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

From $299 oculus.com he Oculus Rift kickstarted the current wave of interest in virtual reality. So far it has proven to be more of a gently lapping, Mediterranean kind of wave rather than a Malibu-style point break, but there is definitely a lot of interest.

T

Reality bites What nobody has quite been able to do so far is put virtual reality in an affordable, simple format that doesn’t require donning a massive pair of astronaut goggles tethered by wires to a PC or console. Okay, there is the Gear VR, also made by Oculus, but that’s only for Galaxy phone owners and it requires you to use your phone

as the screen and processor, which feels a bit weird to us. But now Oculus has released the Oculus Go. It costs $299 (32GB memory; $369 for 64GB) and is self-contained: the headset houses the computer required to run it, and the fast-refreshing LCD screen, which has a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels and an excellent spatial sound system. You also get a single controller, with a thumb pad, two buttons and a trigger. he resolution is higher than the full-size Oculus Rift, although we wouldn’t say the results are anywhere near as good. hat’s down to the refresh rate being slower at 72Hz to the Rift’s 90Hz, and the fact that your Rift is tethered to a massive PC with an expensive gaming graphics chip that costs more than the Oculus Go’s smaller price tag on its own. As VR headsets go, the Oculus Go is quite attractive. It’s obviously been

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Oculus Go

THE WHOLE PACKAGE <RXèOO KDYH HYHU\WKLQJ \RX QHHG IRU WKH 2FXOXV *R WKH VPDUWV DQG VFUHHQ DUH LQ WKH KHDGVHW DQG D ZLUHOHVV FRQWUROOHU PDNHV LW HDV\ WR QDYLJDWH WKH PHQXV

GROUND CONTROL 7KH FRQWUROOHU LV PRUH çĆQHè WKDQ çJRRGè DQG FRXOG EH D OLPLWLQJ IDFWRU IRU DPELWLRXV IXWXUH JDPHV EXW LW GRHV WKH MRE ZHOO HQRXJK

designed to sit stylishly in the homes of ‘normal people’, as opposed to hardcore gamers, and comes in a chic yet neutral putty tone. It’s the easiest VR headset we’ve come across to put on, and the most comfortable to wear. hat’s not to say it’s entirely objectively comfortable, because it’s not. But, as large plastic masks full of electronics that you strap to your face go, it’s hard to imagine anything more pleasant. Even with glasses on the lenses sit comfortably, and a spacer is included if you prefer them to sit further away. You can also buy VirtuClear custom prescription lenses for the headset.

VR for beginners Using a material sourced from ‘the intimate apparel industry’ – yes, this is the bra for your face that you’ve always dreamed of! – the Oculus Go sits comfortably over your nose and cheeks, blocking light eectively. Admittedly, the controller isn’t amazing. he trigger is good but the two supplementary buttons aren’t very satisfying, and the touch joypad

thing didn’t exactly feel like a pro-gaming experience. Setting up is easy: download the Oculus app to your iPhone or Android, create a new account or log into an existing one, add a credit card if you intend to buy apps or games, and pair with your headset, which will then pair with the controller. And that’s it. Compared to the HTC Vive this greatly simpliďŹ ed version was among the most pleasant set-up processes of our lives. Yes, Vive pays o with a far more sophisticated experience overall, but at least Oculus Go didn’t require us to stick small cameras to the walls with duct tape, then spend 97 hours trying to get its Windows app to run. he thing about Oculus Go is that it’s resolutely not aimed at people who are already well into VR. Some of the most fun things we’ve done in recent years (involving tech, at least) have been on full-fat Oculus Rift and HTC Vive rigs. here is nothing here to match that crazed level of adrenaline pumping, two controller, full-body-tracked immersive glee.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

The putty colour LVbQLFH HQRXJK EXWbKHUHèV KRSLQJ IRU VRPH IXQNLHU VKDGHV VRRQ

With the major caveat that the Oculus Go is a complete cinch to set-up and so aordable, we’ll say that no VR power user is going to be terribly impressed by it. However, those looking to dip a toe into VR for the ďŹ rst time should be knocked out by it.

Visually speaking he quality of the graphics is okay, but the ďŹ eld of view (Oculus doesn’t specify what that is) feels decidedly tight. Developers might want to have your in-game character wearing a helmet – or snood, in Oculus Go games – in order to ‘explain’ this. It’s not like having toilet roll tubes taped to your eyes, as such, but you sure as hell don’t get much peripheral vision. Also, if you’re looking for versatile dual-handed controllers, you won’t get them here. Want to physically move around in a 3D VR space? Not on the Go. You can either stand or sit, with the Go tracking your head movements. his caused us a certain amount of confusion when playing space ight games such as Anshar Online. With these you steer with S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 7 9

Tested

LIGHTS OUT The padded mask does a good job of preventing light from leaking in and washing out your experience, and keeping you comfortable

your head, as in your ship moves in the direction you’re looking. To begin with we thought there was a bug in the game because we could only steer in a limited way, until we realised that we needed to be stood up or sat on a revolving chair in order to execute a 180. Most games have you moving ‘on rails’, which is probably just as well for dummies like us. he Oculus Go’s integrated audio system is excellent, though. Speakers in the headset do a very good job of delivering music, speech and sound eects, giving you a decent amount of spatial awareness where appropriate.

,WèV HDV\ SRSSLQJ the Oculus Go RQ DQG RII VR \RX GRQèW IHHO DV ĆUPO\ çVWUDSSHG LQè DV ZLWK some headsets

It’s also impressively loud for you without being excessively noisy for others nearby. On that note, if you want to be completely conďŹ dent of not annoying others sat in your front room or alongside you on the bus to work, you can plug in some proper headphones instead. As noted, the Oculus Go’s visuals may be primitive compared to a full-on PC gaming rig or current-gen console, but you still get that extra intensity that the best VR games all rely on. If you suer from pesky motion sickness in actual reality, unfortunately you may well get it

in virtual reality. Even if you don’t, the vertiginous drops of something like Coaster Combat gets your adrenaline pumping. Played in non-VR, Coaster Combat would seem reasonably dire; VR is transformative. he Oculus app store has a lot of quantity, with over 1,000 titles, and a fair amount of quality, but there isn’t one app or game we would point to as the must-have, killer title. hat’s hardly surprising, as it’s the same even on PlayStation VR. Funnily enough, that leaves Netix as probably the most recognisable title in the store. If you’re one of the many

THE VR EXPERIENCES TO TRY

COASTER COMBAT

OCULUS ROOMS

NETFLIX VR

If you’ve got the stomach for thrill-seeking and think roller coasters could do with extra ĆUHSRZHU WKLV RQHèV IRU \RX ,Q Coaster Combat you hurtle along roller coaster tracks ZKLOH WU\LQJ WR VKRRW IDVW PRYLQJ WDUJHWV 7RWDOO\ LPPHUVLYH DQG PDVVLYHO\ IXQ

&UHDWH D VKDUHG FXVWRPLVDEOH YLUWXDO VSDFH where you can hang out with other Oculus *R ZHDULQJ SDOV HDFK UHSUHVHQWHG E\ \RXU DYDWDUV ZHOO \RXU ćRDWLQJ KHDGV 3OD\ JDPHV WRJHWKHU RU VKDUH SKRWRV DQG ZDWFK YLGHRV LQWHUDFWLQJ WKH HQWLUH WLPH

6WHS LQWR D YLUWXDO OLYLQJ URRP IUHH RI GLVWUDFWLRQV 6LWWLQJ LQ D YLUWXDO GHQ \RXèOO ĆUH XS D JLDQW VFUHHQ LQ IURQW RI \RX DQG EURZVH 1HWćL[èV FDWDORJXH 7KH YLGHR LWVHOI LVQèW 95 ĂĽ LW VLWV LQ ' RQ D IDX[ 79 ĂĽ EXW LWèV D FRPIRUWDEOH DQG SULYDWH ZD\ WR ZDWFK

8 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Oculus Go

OPTICAL OPTIONS Order from Oculus directly and you can get the Go with prescription lenses for about $110 extra (though LW GRHV ZRUN ĆQH ZLWK JODVVHV

users of Plex, you can access all your PlexiďŹ ed media in VR form. Because of the way VR headsets work, you can also watch stored or streamed 3D ďŹ lms and pretend it’s 2012 again. As you know, Oculus is owned by Facebook, so it’s naturally having to at least pretend that there’s a social purpose to the Go’s existence, and so it makes great play of its communal experiences. hese include an updated Oculus Rooms, which lets you doll yourself up as an avatar and invite fellow Oculus users around to your groovy virtual pad, where you can hang out, play board games including Boggle, and watch movies.

Game on Oculus Rooms and Oculus TV (the over-arching space within which content providers can peddle their wares) are a lot of fun. However, and with the best will in the world, watching a movie on a VR headset is just not like seeing it on a big screen. It’s kinda like watching a live video feed of a movie, very, very close to your eyeballs, on a sub-HD screen with a relatively slow refresh rate. It’s potentially handy on a long plane or train journey, but personally we’re not going to call up a friend on the

other side of the world and watch he Martian like that with them. Much more useful (and weirder) is Oculus Gallery. his enables you to view your photos and videos on a similarly ‘huge’ screen. Because your home movies and photos lack the production values of a Hollywood ďŹ lm, this is much less jarring. It’s also, ďŹ nally, the perfect way to view all those neglected panoramas and 360 videos you’ve shot. Oculus Gallery displays photos so they’re not only seemingly enormous, but also in such a way that you feel very near them. In fact, it’s rather like you are literally in the picture – when watching a demo video of a toddler taking their ďŹ rst steps, the picture was so big we got distracted by admiring the decor elsewhere in the video. A 360 video camera’s-eye-view of cats being fed in a Japanese cat cafĂŠ, by contrast, was absolutely freaky, bordering on scary. We liked it. So, we kind of have two verdicts to give here. First, those seeking the most intense gaming thrills and a peak into a near-future world where reality and computer-generated fantasy are indistinguishable will not ďŹ nd it in the Oculus Go, unless they’re very easily impressed.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

The buttons on the unit are a good size WR ĆQG DQG SUHVV even when it’s on

However, as a sellable consumer device it’s fantastic and exactly what the second wave of VR has been crying out for since day one. For the mere $299 you pay, it’s hard to get too annoyed about its limitations. Will the Oculus Go revolutionise social interaction and entertainment? No. But it will open more minds to the possibilities of VR. It’s not a door to the future, rather a stylish hallway that eventually leads to that door.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Good VR on the cheap; everything in one box with no wires; attractive and comfortable; lots of experiences to try. WE’D IMPROVE Basic head tracking only; QDUURZ ĆHOG RI YLHZ GHFLGHGO\ EDVLF FRQWUROOHU THE LAST WORD This affordable, complete VR system in a box is what the world has been waiting for. This could be a smash hit.

See which other VR headsets we rate at: bit.ly/t3vrheadsets

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 8 1

Tested

PLATINUM AWARD

HASSLE-FREE HEIGHT-FI

Focal Sib Evo 5.1.2 7KH VPDUW DQG HIIHFWLYH ZD\ WR JHW 'ROE\ $WPRV LQWR \RXU KRPH $1,500 focal.com olby Atmos, the next-gen audio system, is here. It’s fast becoming ubiquitous on Blu-ray, is gaining support from streaming services, and even features on Xbox One X games. However, if you want to hear it at home, you’ve been limited to expensive floorstanders and faced adding Dolby Enabled speakers to existing systems, or buying an Atmos soundbar. his Focal system changes all that. A 5.1.2 system, the package comprises three basic Sib Evo satellites (two for rear deployment, one to sit horizontally as a centre), two larger Sib Evo Dolby Atmos speakers for left/right, and the cute Cub Evo Subwoofer. Neatly, the Sib Evo Atmos speakers combine front-firing speaker drivers, with full-range up-firers for audio. All satellites can be wall-mounted, parked on optional matching floor stands, or placed atop teetering towers of old T3s. Just add a Dolby Atmos AV receiver and you’re good to go.

'

8 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

he good news is that once installed, they sound convincingly cinematic. he cool thing about Dolby Atmos is that it has a remarkably effective upmix function for non-encoded content; so the full driver complement is always in use. Even with regular surround mixes, you get a sense of heightened immersion. he compact sub and satellites seamlessly integrate, and generate a huge soundstage. here’s a delicious sense of spatial movement, around and overhead. When the War Boys give chase to Max in Mad Max Fury Road, there’s a guttural roar from the pursuing V8s, directional steering around and overheard is superb. he speakers also boast a nice mid-range which offers rounded, clear dialogue. he bass performance of the cute Cub sub is profound, too - that little box can sure slam. he Sib Evo set isn’t just about movies. he system can hold a tune. Tight and melodious, there’s no obvious disconnect between the sub and satellites. Overall, we rate Focal’s Sib Evo as a cracking solution to the conundrum of 3D audio. It leads in a class of one (for the time being), a real way to get proper height-fi into your living room.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Lifestyle friendly form factor; powerful VXEZRRIHU XSĆULQJ GULYHUV create a canopy of sound. WE’D IMPROVE Plastic shell around speakers feels prone WR VFUDWFKHV PRVW HIIHFWLYH LQ VPDOOHU OLYLQJ URRPV THE LAST WORD The Focal V\VWHP LV DQ HOHJDQW DQG FDSDEOH Atmos solution for small spaces.

Learn more about Dolby Atmos at T3.com: bit.ly/t3dolbyatmos

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Fujifilm X-H1

PLATINUM AWARD

6+$53 6+227(5

)XMLĆOP ; + &DQ )XML WDNH FRPSDFW V\VWHP FDPHUDV WR WKH QH[W OHYHO ZLWK LWV ODWHVW PRGHO" :H JHW VQDS KDSS\ WR ĆQG RXW $3,399 (body with Boost Grip) fujifilm.com.au he latest in Fujifilm’s line of excellent mirrorless cameras is aimed slightly higher than usual. he XH-1 carries the price of a mid-range DSLR because it comes with more pro-level features to help it stand out as a lightweight alternative to a bigger snapper.

T

Small and tough hese upgrades are found inside and out. On the X-H1 you’ve got a sturdier, weatherproofed body compared to most compact system cameras (CSCs), and flexible features such as a touchscreen that tilts in three directions and an optional chunkier grip for hardcore handling. he electronic viewfinder is 3.69-million dots with a smooth 100Hz refresh rate, so it will keep up with fast-moving subjects (though a DSLR’s optical viewfinder still beats it). here’s even a top display for checking settings at a glance. All this in a body that’s smaller and lighter than a DSLR, though bulkier than other CSCs. Inside you’ve got Fujifilm’s fantastic X-Processor Pro engine and 24MP sensor, which Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

we’ve already seen together on cameras including the brilliant Fujifilm X-Pro2. But there’s also a new image stabilisation system, packing five-axis stabilisation into the body. It combines with the stabilisation tech Fujifilm normally puts into lenses – a special dual processor helps them work together. he result is first-rate images. Everything is super-sharp, even in low-light, partly thanks to the excellent stabilisation and partly due to noise being kept impressively low. he sharpness and fine detail are as good as you could hope for from this kind of APS-C sensor. Fujifilm’s expanded dynamic range option is a big hit with us, too. he X-H1 is also just really easy to shoot. he autofocus is fast, while the shutter is surprisingly quiet, and the release is lighter to press than most. It’s less intrusive, in this way, and we like that. his all makes the Fujifilm X-H1 a truly flexible option. It’s easier to carry than a DSLR, with better handling for bigger lenses than a smaller CSC. here’s plenty of control for pros, and solid video chops, including 4K 30fps.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED New in-body stabilisation; fast shooting; great handling and features. WE’D IMPROVE Same sensor as cheaper models; high price for a &6& VRPH ĆGGO\ FRQWUROV THE LAST WORD This checks a lot of boxes for high-end shooting, DQG MXVWLĆHV LWV H[WUD SULFH RYHU other CSC cameras with topnotch photos and handling.

Keep your camera safe on the go bit.ly/t3camerabags

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 8 3

Tested Smackdown

STEREO SMART SPEAKERS

Apple HomePod $998 (pair), apple.com/au SETUP Apple makes this super easy. Tap your iOS device to it (and you must have an iOS device) and it pulls your Wi-Fi password and iCloud logins right over. Add a second speaker and tell it that it’s in the same room as the first, and you can pair them. Slick.

Sonos One $598 (pair), sonos.com SETUP Sonos’ setup process is reliable and fairly easy to follow. Creating a Stereo pair is basically automatic if you assign two Sonos Ones to the same room. Activating Alexa is more annoying, as you bounce back and forth between apps, but not hard.

FEATURES AirPlay 2 (only on Apple devices) and Siri are the only ways to play anything on here, making it flexible for Apple users but useless to anyone else. AirPlay 2’s multi-room support is easy to control. he room customisation is brilliant and automatic.

FEATURES Sonos’ multi-room support is great, as is support for music services. AirPlay 2 is fantastic for Apple users. Alexa is here for voice control. he room audio customisation is an irritating process of waving your phone around, but it works well.

ASSISTANT Siri is way behind Alexa for overall capabilities. It’s good with music (but only if you use Apple Music or lots of iTunes tracks) and with smart home (if your gear is all HomeKit). he mic accuracy and ability to pick up your voice is the best out there.

ASSISTANT Alexa is fully featured here, so you can add skills you need from the Alexa app and make it as powerful as you want. Its support for multiple music services is handy for a speaker. he mics’ sensitivity is pretty middling, however.

STEREO SOUND Given their size, the punch these have is truly incredible. he sound is open, natural and highly detailed, with strong, controlled bass. Oddly, stereo separation isn’t as strong as with the Sonos One, but is still more than present.

VERDICT

2nd

WE’RE IMPRESSED Phenomenally good sound; AirPlay 2 works well; voice recognition is top. WE’D IMPROVE Useless to non-Apple users; Siri is limited.

STEREO SOUND he Ones’ are a great standalone stereo set for the price. he treble is detailed, the mid-range is lively without overwhelming, and stereo separation is sharp. here’s little bass to speak of, though, and they sound less open than the HomePods.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Sonos multi-room, AirPlay and Alexa in one place; detailed sound; great price. WE’D IMPROVE Lack of bass; struggles to pick up voice over loud noises.

1st

Read about the best traditional bookshelf speakers: bit.ly/bookshelfspeakers

8 4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Tested Sony Xperia Ear Duo

AN EARFUL

Sony Xperia Ear Duo A genuinely innovative pair of earbuds that speaks all your messages to you and allows sound in. But, does anyone really need these? $399 sony.com.au ave you always longed for a pair of in-ear buds built to allow through the sound of the world around you, that also constantly regales you with emails, texts and your next diary appointments? No, us neither. But that’s what Sony’s undeniably intriguing and innovative Xperia Ear Duo does.

H

You have 9,000 messages Now usually, headphones allow in ambient sound thanks to either a microphone or bad design. Here, there is an actual hole in each bud. he resulting eect is like spreading a fairly thin layer of music over the surrounding world. he funny thing about this is that if you put your ďŹ ngers over the holes – or perhaps a brace of small corks – they sound pretty good. Obviously you’re not meant to do that, but it does reveal that the Ear Duo is a well-made audio device. It’s just one that happens to have had two massive holes drilled through it, so you can hear stu. Which by deďŹ nition means music sounds less than awesome. he situational awareness they give could, in theory, be useful 8 5 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

for cyclists and runners, but the weird ďŹ t (the lozenge-shaped bits sit below your ears) means they aren’t really suited to exercise. he Ear Duo can also handle a range of tasks via not one but two personal assistants. Sony’s own AI reads out your messages and diary appointments, plus news, weather and so on. Google Assistant or Siri are on hand to answer said messages or add new diary appointments, as well as all their usual skills. he issue here is that in a busy work day you could feel absolutely bombarded with emails. You can terminate any message by shaking your head, and we were doing a lot of head-shaking while testing this product. he amusingly dour, northern English voice Sony has chosen is a bit quirky too. It celebrated our birthday by wishing us a “day of joyâ€?, but in a voice that was more like it was telling me my dog had just died. To be fair, for work emails, this tone seems quite apt. As with other true wireless headphones, battery life per charge is not amazing at around 3-4 hours, but the case gives you three charges, and juices them up pretty quickly. With Ear Duo, Sony set out to make true wireless music earbuds that allow through ambient sound and read info to you. It has largely succeeded, but who wants such a thing?

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Innovative idea; technically impressive; AI options are comprehensive. WE’D IMPROVE They look and sound weird; AI voice is robotic and miserable; data overload sets in if you get lots of messages. THE LAST WORD Although technically very impressive, the Ear Duo nonetheless seems like, WR SXW LWbPLOGO\ D QLFKH SURGXFW

The best wireless headphones: bit.ly/t3truewireless

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Tested

Price $1,099 Screen LQFK 1440x2560 LCD Storage 64GB Operating system Android 8.1 Processor 4XDOFRPP 6QDSGUDJRQ 835 RAM 8GB Camera 12MP, f/1.75 Wide, 12MP f/2.6 Zoom Dimensions 158.5x77.7x8mm Weight 197g Connectivity :L )L %OXHWRRWK USB-C, NFC

CUTTING EDGE

Razer Phone Built for gamers, but you don’t need to EH RQH ĂĽ 5D]HUèV ĆUVW SKRQH LV D VWDQGRXW $QGURLG KDQGVHW IRU DQ\RQH

$1,099 razerzone.com he Razer Phone classiďŹ es itself as a gaming phone, but it’s also the perfect device for entertainment, whether that’s watching movies or listening to music, thanks to an amazing screen with technology not seen in a phone before, brilliant speakers, and a design that makes it easy to hold in landscape mode. Taking inspiration from Razer’s range of gaming laptops, the phone is crafted from matt-black aluminium, giving it the appearance of a stealth jet. he rear casing features a contrasting black Razer logo on the back giving away its identity (a limited-edition launch model will feature a venomgreen logo). It still manages to be understated, though, and should appeal to gamers and non-gamers.

T

8 6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

he slab-like design isn’t as sleek or elegant as the iPhone X or Samsung Galaxy S8, but it’s certainly unique and it does make the body easy to grip and hold for long periods of gaming or video. he large bezels top and bottom might look a little ungainly, but they have a purpose: to allow you to grasp the phone easily without touching the display. It’s a considered design, then, but there are a few omissions that could prove irksome. he ďŹ rst of these is a lack of waterprooďŹ ng, which we really expect at this price; and the second is no headphone jack, though you do get a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box. You won’t ďŹ nd a ďŹ ngerprint sensor on the front or rear of the Razer Phone - instead it’s hidden inside the side-mounted power button. Unlocking is lightning fast, and it feels perfectly located for your thumb. Unsurprisingly, as a gaming handset, one of the main highlights on the Razer Phone is the stunning Quad

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Razer Phone

HD 5.7-inch LCD panel. It’s bright and colourful, although not quite as vibrant as the OLED panels found in the S9 or iPhone X. Razer has gone with LCD technology because it oers a higher refresh rate. Dubbed the ‘Ultramotion’ display, it’s one of the ďŹ rst devices to feature a display with a 120Hz display, like Razer’s laptops.

Razer-sharp screen When you’re whizzing through the interface or playing games at 120fps, things look silky smooth. Razer has been working with developers to create 120Hz-optimised games, including some big-name titles, such as Arena of Valor, Tekken and Final Fantasy XV, though only Arena of Valor was available at time of testing. here are 120Hz games on the Play Store already, but because they’re not signposted, they can be tricky to ďŹ nd. It’s not just gaming that beneďŹ ts from the Razer. You’ll even see an improvement scrolling through apps like Twitter, or surďŹ ng the internet. Once you try it, it’s hard to go back. Flanking this beefed-up display are two large speakers, each with a dedicated amp. here’s also support

for Dolby Atmos and THX, oering an immersive 3D audio soundscape like no other, with sounds projected in front and behind of you. Hands down, the Razer Phone has the best speakers on any phone currently available - they’re loud, rich and clean. hey work best with Dolby Atmos content, but you’ll also get the spatial eect in any kind of video or audio. And when you’re on the train, you can avoid public ridicule by using the Dolby Atmos-enabled audio adapter to plug in your regular headphones, giving you the same enhanced surround sound, in private. Naturally, you’ll see the beneďŹ t whatever you’re using the phone for - whether it’s gaming or watching the latest movies. Keeping all this impressive tech ticking along nicely is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and a monumental 8GB RAM - the same amount you’ll ďŹ nd in a 13-inch MacBook Pro. We’re not sure a phone needs 8GB RAM, but in use it did allow us to run multiple intensive apps with no lag or slow-down. Obviously the focus here is gaming, but we could see this powerful phone used for on-they video or photo editing as well.

ABOVE LEFT There’s a simple design honesty to the square lines and chunky top that we really like $%29( 5,*+7 The dual cameras sadly aren’t up to the standard of its big phone rivals

TOP 120HZ GAMES ARENA OF VALOR This free-to-play JDPH SLWV WZR WHDPV RI ĆYH players against each other in an a battle arena. Choose your preferred champion depending on your playing VW\OH DQG EDWWOH LW RXW WR FUXVK \RXU HQHPLHV smash their base and gain victory. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

TEKKEN The classic multiplayer beat-’em-up has been adapted for $QGURLG JLYLQJ \RX YV ERXWV LQ WKH SDOP RI \RXU KDQG 5RXQGV DUH VLQJOH VHFRQG DIIDLUV ZLWK VLPSOH FRQWUROV and a card system that gives you special moves ZLWK MXVW D WRXFK

Elsewhere the Razer Phone packs a hefty 4,000mAh battery which will comfortably last a full day, though not in 120Hz mode. he Game Booster app is useful here because you can set games to run at 120Hz, while keeping the rest of the Android interface running at 60Hz or 90Hz. Handily, it’s the ďŹ rst phone to support Qualcomm 4+ Quick Charge, allowing you to charge to 85 per cent in only an hour. It has an 8MP front camera, and a dual 12MP system with a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens on the back. Sadly, this is its weakest feature. In daylight it takes acceptable shots, but things quickly head south when the lighting gets darker. he camera app is also slow, especially in HDR mode.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Supersmooth 120Hz screen is brilliant in gaming; immersive 3D audio shines in games or movies; strong battery life; intriguing design. WE’D IMPROVE The looks aren’t for everyone; camera is sub-par against rivals. THE LAST WORD An impressive ĆUVW SKRQH IURP 5D]HU ZLWK some top video and audio tech DQG ELJ SHUIRUPDQFH EXW LWèV ZHDN RQ VRPH ćDJVKLS IHDWXUHV

Get the latest Razer Phone deals at: bit.ly/razerphonedeals

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 8 7

Find the best prices on the latest tech. www.getprice.com.au

BEST OF THE BEST The world’s best tech, all in one place Edited by Matthew Bolton

If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you have GHĆQLWHO\ FRPH WR WKH ULJKW SODFH %HVW RI WKH %HVW LV WKH PRVW useful gadget-buying guide you ZLOO HYHU HQFRXQWHU 7R FUHDWH LW ZHèYH UXWKOHVVO\ ĆOWHUHG GRZQ WR WKH ELJJHVW JURXSV WR EULQJ \RX URFN VROLG UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU \RXU KRPH OLIH GDLO\ FRPPXWH DQG WKH WHFK \RX XVH DOO WKH WLPH :LWKLQ HDFK RI WKRVH JURXSV we’ve got a dozen categories for NH\ WHFK EX\V :HèYH SLFNHG RQH SURGXFW IRU HYHU\ FDWHJRU\ WKDW we think is the best you can get on balance, taking into account SULFH TXDOLW\ DQG IHDWXUHV VR LWèV easy to know what you need in \RXU OLIH You should also check out T3.com ZKHUH \RXèOO ĆQG HYHQ PRUH FDWHJRULHV LI \RXèUH ORRNLQJ IRU VRPHWKLQJ WKDW LVQèW KHUH )URP ELJ EXGJHW EX\V WR WKH little (but essential) accessories, ZHèYH JRW \RX FRYHUHG

INSIDE 90

ENTERTAINMENT

91

AUDIO

92

LIFESTYLE

93

AUTO

94

SMART HOME & LIVING

96

COMPUTING

97

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 8 9

Best of the best BEST OF…

ENTERTAINMENT

However serious you are about your TV, movies and gaming setups, we’ve got the perfect buys for a tricked-out living room OLED 4K TV

VALUE 4K TV SONY A8F SERIES Sony’s next-gen 4K HDR TV looks fantastic thanks to its OLED display and advanced image processing. Because of ingenious tech that uses the screen itself as a speaker, it also sounds superb. From $3,999, sony.com.au

TOP-END 4K TV

HISENSE M7000 Looking for a next-gen TV but don’t want to pay more than $1,500? Then step this way - the M7000 boasts a beautiful 4K HDR picture and comes with the essential . VWUHDPLQJ DSS 1HWćL[ From $1,098, hisense.com.au

4K HDR PROJECTOR OPTOMA UHD65 This projector brings 4K projection to the home for an affordable price, meaning giant-screen Ultra HD detail with the richness of HDR. It’s unbeatable for home movie magic., and ace in small rooms too. $5,299, ambertech.com.au

LG SIGNATURE W7 This is the most amazing-looking 4K HDR TV we’ve ever seen at just 2.57mm thick (it attaches to the wall using magnets!), and the image quality is simply fantastic too. A shape of what’s to come. $13,499 lg.com/au

VALUE 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER

TOP-END 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER

XBOX ONE S Yes, this is primarily a games console, but it’s a damn good UHD Blu-ray player too. Why pay more for something that just plays discs when you could be getting your game on with the money left over? $329, microsoft.com

4K STREAMER

PANASONIC DMP-UB900 Clean lines, great software design and the processing power to create simply the best 4K picture you’ll get from a UHD disc. If you’re building a serious collection, this is the serious player for you. $899, panasonic.com

UNIVERSAL REMOTE LOGITECH HARMONY ELITE A dual-purpose remote, as at home in your hands as it is sat in the corner of your living room, controlling everything from your TV to your lighting. You can even control it from a phone app! $449.95, logitech.com

GOOGLE CHROMECAST ULTRA The new super-small Chromecast Ultra offers Ultra HD movies with HDR support for a seriously cinematic experience from a tiny box. Plus, you can stream your phone or laptop to your big screen. $99, play.google.com

TV SOUNDBAR

AV RECEIVER SONOS BEAM Not only is this a superb-sounding TV speaker, with an excellent mode for enhancing dialogue, it’s multi-room ready with Sonos’ other products, supports Apple AirPlay, and has Alexa built-in. $599, sonos.com

PORTABLE GAMES CONSOLE NINTENDO SWITCH Not the most powerful current-gen console, but with Nintendo’s legendary JDPHV OLQH XS DQG WKH ćH[LELOLW\ WR SOD\ LQ VWDFNV RI GLIIHUHQW FRQWURO FRQĆJXUDWLRQV it’s the best portable machine you can buy. $469, nintendo.com.au 9 0 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

MARANTZ NR1608 Small enough for any set-up but packing in features, this receiver offers 7.2-channel surround, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D audio, eight 4K 60Hz HDMI ports, Wi-Fi music playback and smart 4K upscaling. $1,299, marantz.com

4K GAMES CONSOLE XBOX ONE X The most powerful console ever is a true technical marvel, capable of astonishing graphics in native 4K and HDR, and Dolby Atmos 3D sound. It even includes highquality 4K Blu-ray playback. $649, xbox.com/en-au Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Best of the best BEST OF…

AUDIO

From wireless convenience to audiophile heaven, this is the gear you need to make the most of your favourite music MULTI-ROOM SPEAKERS

WI-FI SPEAKER NAIM MU-SO It’s expensive, but there just isn’t a better sounding or looking wireless speaker for the price. The sound is monumentally excellent, and it supports a solid range RI VWUHDPLQJ RSWLRQV $1,899, naimaudio.com

SONOS ONE Pound for pound, this is a hell of a lot RI VSHDNHU IRU \RXU PRQH\ HDVLO\ ĆOOLQJ a room, and expandable through the versatile Sonos speaker range. Built-in Alexa support clinches it for Sonos. $299, sonos.com

PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

WIRELESS OVER-EAR HEADPHONES

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO YOYO M These portable speakers are made for wireless stereo sound and come as a pair (though you can use one on its own). They offer punchy audio in an impressively wide VRXQG ĆHOG DQG ORRN JUHDW WRR $599, cambridgeaudio.com

WIRELESS IN-EAR HEADPHONES

BOWERS & WILKINS PX These stylish headphones are also technical marvels, boasting adjustable noise cancellation via an app. They pause automatically when you take them off, last ages, and sound absolutely fantastic. $549, bowers-wilkins.com

WIRED OVER-EAR HEADPHONES

FLARES PRO These headphones plug into a mini-DAC you need to clip about your person, but the result is truly amazing sound for the size. It’s audiophile stuff, with beautiful stereo channel separation. ćDUHDXGLR FRP

WIRED IN-EAR HEADPHONES

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 2.0 The around-ear version of Sennheiser’s brilliant range offers supreme comfort, good portability thanks to a folding design, and – most importantly – fantastic sound quality in all situations. $499.95, en-au.sennheiser.com

PORTABLE HI-RES PLAYER

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM M2IE The M2IE boast fantastically detailed sound, plenty of bass and dedicated versions for both iOS and Android. They’re comfortable too, and impossible to beat for the price. $169.95, en-au.sennheiser.com

HI-FI STREAMER

ASTELL & KERN KANN A substantial audio device at nearly 300g, but one that does incredible things. It’s a DAC in its own right, it’s an astonishing high-res player, and its massive battery will keep you rocking for days on end. $1,349, astellnkern.com

BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 220 These are great value, yet offer up 13cm Kevlar mid/bass drivers, deep-dish tweeters and outstandingly punchy sound. Place them next to a wall for the strongest output from the rear-set bass port. $549 (pair), wharfedale.co.uk

NAIM UNITI ATOM An immensely stylish streamer with a great screen, that’s compatible with a host of music streaming services. It’ll play anything on your network and via Chromecast, AirPlay and Bluetooth aptX. $3,150, naimaudio.com

HI-FI STEREO AMP CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 851A Nine easily selected inputs and Cambridge $XGLRèV RZQ SDWHQWHG &ODVV ;' DPSOLĆHU design combine to make this a truly unique and special amp, one that can stand up to any musical test. $2,699, cambridgeaudio.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

TURNTABLE MARANTZ TT5005 Not a looker, but when it comes to practicality and sound, the TT5005’s automatic tone arm and moving magnet cartridge are unparalleled. It even includes a pre-amp for amps without phono input. $450, marantz.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 9 1

Best of the best BEST OF…

LIFESTYLE

Kit yourself out with the ultimate in personal technology. This is the stuff you use every day, so make sure you get it spot on with our picks ANDROID PHONE

PREMIUM PHONE

SAMSUNG GALAXY S9 Samsung’s super-slick smartphone is the PRVW UHĆQHG $QGURLG H[SHULHQFH WR GDWH $Q H[FHOOHQW FDPHUD JRUJHRXV ,QĆQLW\ Display screen and some smart exclusive features make for a truly fantastic phone. From $1,199, samsung.com/au

MID-RANGE PHONE

APPLE iPHONE X Somehow earning its colossal price tag, this is a masterpiece of design and engineering. The screen is the best out there, the camera is fantastic, and it feels like a device from the near future. $1,579, apple.com/au

VALUE PHONE MOTOROLA MOTO G6 7KH * FRQWLQXHV 0RWRURODèV UXQ RI packing exactly the tech you need into a bargain package. There are no obvious compromises either, making this a really capable phone at a brilliant price. From $399, motorola.com.au

HUAWEI NOVA 2i &RPLQJ LQ DW KDOI WKH SULFH RI D ćDJVKLS phone, this is truly a hidden gem. It looks great, with minimal bezels, and its cost completely belies its specs – especially its excellent dual cameras, front and rear. $499, huawei.com

HYBRID WATCH

SMARTWATCH MARTWAT APPLE WATCH SERIES 3 Nothing in the smartwatch market does more than the Apple Watch, and this third generation can do it all without a tethered phone – perfect for keeping your life in order whatever you happen to be doing. From $459, apple.com/au

ANALOGUE WATCH

MISFIT PHASE Smartwatch functionality without the screen – all the alerts, connectivity and activity tracking you desire, packed into a stunning and completely inconspicuous analogue watch with a six-month battery. )URP PLVĆW FRP

FITNESS TRACKER GARMIN VIVOSPORT 7KLV ĆWQHVV EDQG IURP *DUPLQ LV absolutely packed with features, including *36 DQG KHDUW UDWH DQG LV IDQWDVWLF IRU the price. It tracks all sorts of activities accurately, and battery life is strong. $299, garmin.com

VICTORINOX INOX PARACORD With a strap woven out of 250kg-tension paracord and sporting a transparent compass-marked bumper, the INOX Paracord is a durable survival tool that happens to look super-cool on your wrist. $640, victorinox.com

BLUETOOTH TRACKER TILE SLIM A tiny keyring-sized square that helps your phone keep tabs on your wallet and vice versa, with a selection of ringtones, a year’s battery life, and the endurance to last a lifetime sitting in your back pocket. $44.95, thetileapp.com

ELECTRIC RAZOR BRAUN SERIES 9 9095CC Stubble is man’s worst friend, but Braun’s waterproof Series 9 can handle even a three-day beard without ripping out your face hair. When you’re done, the charging station automatically cleans and dries. $699, braun.com 9 2 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

EREADER KINDLE OASIS 8OWUD WKLQ OLJKWHU WKDQ D ćLPV\ SDSHUEDFN and weighted to be held in one hand, the Oasis takes digital reading to the next level. Clip on the leather charging cover and you’re set for months of books. $389, amazon.com.au

ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH PHILIPS SONICARE DIAMONDCLEAN SONIC Whiten and polish with the vibrations from this versatile brush, which whips your toothpaste into a bubbly frenzy to get between your teeth more effectively. $439, philips.com.au Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Best of the best BEST OF‌

AUTO

Get the best driving experience possible. No matter whether you tend to go for two wheels or four – these are the top vehicles and accessories around FAMILY CAR

FUN CAR VOLVO XC60 Well-appointed and exquisitely designed, this mid-size hybrid SUV has all the entertainment options you need, the poise to make those long journeys smooth and enjoyable, and is safe as houses. From $62,990, volvocars.com/au

CITY ELECTRIC CAR

JAGUAR F-TYPE In coupÊ or convertible form, the latest F-Type rules the road. Fine lines, amazing agility and a two-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine that kicks hard without costing the earth. You’ll be grinning behind the wheel. From $107,017, jaguar.com.au

LONG-RANGE ELECTRIC CAR TESLA MODEL S 100D Safe, super-smart and speedy, Tesla’s all-electric saloon has everything you’d expect and more. It’s a true technological marvel, with a range of over 500km, so even long journeys are no problem. From $159,903, tesla.com

BMW i3 The i3 is a responsive, highly practical electric runabout packed with connectivity options and enough power in its 125kw motor to hit 100km/h in just 7.3 seconds. Perfect for a daily commute. From $63,900, bmw.com.au

CAR DISPLAY

SAT NAV NAVDY An innovation that takes the concept of the car heads-up display to the next level, with translucent mapping in your eyeline and gesture control so you can answer calls or dismiss alerts with a wave. $799, navdy.com

DASH CAM

TOMTOM GO 6200 Sat-nav brought bang up to date, with pinperfect mapping joined by on-board Wi-Fi, a data SIM to keep you up to date with WKH WUDIĆF DQG IXOO KDQGV IUHH IDFLOLWLHV IRU your phone, including narrated alerts. $449, tomtom.com

IN-CAR CHARGING STK HUB Five ports in two parts – a pair plugged into the 12V socket, and three in the back via an extension module – means everyone in the car can share the Hub’s 10.8A of charging power at one time. $35.99, stk-life.com

GARMIN DASH CAM 55 Constantly watching the road, the Dash Cam 55 does more than record footage and save it in case of an incident. Driverawareness warnings will tell you if you’re too close or veering out of your lane. $249, garmin.com

ELECTRIC BIKE

ELECTRIC FOLDING BIKE VELECTRIX FOLDAWAY Collapsible into a luggage-sized package via a super-robust hinged frame, and DGMXVWDEOH LQ VHFRQGV WR ĆW WDOO ULGHUV WKLV compact unit feels more like a full-size cycle than you’d think. $1,795, velectrix.com.au

SCOTT ESUB TOUR You still need to pedal, but Scott’s battery assist makes a huge difference in acceleration and torque, meaning you’ll handle hills with ease and leave other road users standing at the lights. $4,399, bicyclesuperstore.com.au

SMART HELMET

BIKE NAV LIVALL 2017 SMART HELMET A connected helmet with turn signals, speakers for safe Bluetooth calling, ridetracking facilities to keep you pushing harder, and an SOS alert which detects impacts and shares your location. $229.99, livall.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

BEELINE BIKE COMPASS More of a traditional navigation device than a modern one, the backlit E-Ink display of the Beeline constantly points to your destination and tells you how far precisely you have left to ride. $169, beeline.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 9 3

Best of the best BEST OF…

SMART HOME & LIVING Upgrade your house with the best tech for monitoring security and saving energy, plus lifestyle luxuries to make life easier VOICE ASSISTANT GOOGLE HOME Google’s home assistant is being woven into more and more devices, but the original Home tower is still one of the best to get. An attractive design and pleasing sound make it a modern must-have. $79, store.google.com

SMART DOORBELL RING VIDEO DOORBELL 2 Part motion-detecting security camera, part ring-anywhere doorbell, the Video Doorbell 2 alerts you via your smartphone when you have a visitor – and you can two-way talk even if you’re not home. $329, ring.com

LIFESTYLE WI-FI CAMERA NEST CAM This indoor cam streams sharp HD video to your phone or computer, and can alert you when it senses motion or sound, so \RX FDQ WXQH LQ å ZLWK DQ [ ]RRP DQG 130-degree view, you won’t miss a thing. $319, nest.com/au

KETTLE

PHILIPS HUE Philips is the big name in smart lighting, WKDQNV WR D ćH[LEOH H[SDQGDEOH V\VWHP Great app control, clever lighting options and integrations with other smart home devices make it the brightest of the bunch. From $144, meethue.com/en-au

ROBOT VACCUUM iROBOT ROOMBA 980 6WURQJ VXFWLRQ EUXVKOHVV H[WUDFWRUV and clever navigation mean this Wi-Ficonnected vac can take care of just about any cleaning need. You can control it via $OH[D RU *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW WRR $1,199, irobot.com.au

SMART SECURITY CAMERA NETGEAR ARLO PRO With a battery lasting months inside each camera, the Arlo system does away with the painful process of wiring your security cameras, and you get seven-day cloud storage of motion-detected recordings. $799 (two cameras), arlo.com/au

COFFEE MACHINE BREVILLE SMART KETTLE The perfect cup of tea requires careful temperature control. The Breville kettle RIIHUV ĆYH RSWLRQV GHSHQGLQJ RQ \RXU desired brew, and can keep itself nicely warm for 20 minutes. $169.95, breville.com.au

SMART PLUG

GAGGIA NAVIGLIO Everything you need to create a delicious bean-to-cup brew at an entry-level price. Gaggia’s pedigree is all poured into this quality espresso maker, and proves you don’t need to spend a cent more. $990, gaggia.com

WEATHER STATION BELKIN WEMO INSIGHT SWITCH This isn’t just a way to switch your devices on and off (though it does do that); the WeMo also keeps close tabs on your energy usage, so you can see just how much that tumble dryer is costing you. $69.95, belkin.com/au

MANUAL VACCUUM DYSON CINETIC BIG BALL ANIMAL UPRIGHT Heavy, yes, but the suction the Cinetic Big Ball generates is beyond compare, particularly considering its unique skill at dealing with pet hair. $799, dyson.com.au 9 4 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

SMART LIGHTING SYSTEM

NETATMO WEATHER STATION Netatmo’s outdoor sensor pulls in metrics about temperature, humidity and more, but it’s the indoor sensor, which keeps tabs on the air quality and CO2 levels in your home, completes the package. $299.99, netatmo.com

PRESSURE WASHER KAERCHER K7 By using multiple pressure layers and an adjustable spray lance, Kaercher’s SUHPLXP ZDWHU EODVWHU FOHDQV HIĆFLHQWO\ and quickly, with enough options available to scrub just about any surface or vehicle. $994, kaercher.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

SUBSCRIBE

subscribe

Australia’s best-selling tech mags! O N LY

O N LY

$79 FOR 12

$79 FOR 12

ISSUES

ISSUES

Subscribe to either APC or TechLife today and you’ll receive 12 issues delivered direct to your door for only $79. Save 33% off the cover price and never miss another issue! Come on, what are you waiting for?

go online or call to subscribe SUBSCRIBE.TECHMAGS.COM.AU OR CALL US ON (02) 8227 6486 Offer expires 12th November 2018. While stocks last. Your subscription includes GST and postage, and will start from the next available issue, and only once payment has been received. All subscription offers are subject to availability. Privacy - the subscription offer, and competitions and offers included in this issue may require you to provide information about yourself if you choose to enter, take part, or subscribe. If you provide information about yourself to Future Publishing, we will use this information to provide you with the products or services you have requested, and we will supply your information to contractors to enable Future Publishing to fulfil this obligation. Unless you write to tell us not to, Future Publishing will also use your information to inform you of other Future Publishing publications, products, services and events. Future Publishing may also give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes, offers or events. If you would like to gain access to the information Future Publishing holds about you, please write to the Managing Director, Future Australia, PO Box 1077, Mount Street, North Sydney, 2059.

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 0 9 5

Best of the best BEST OF…

COMPUTING

From gaming paradise to mobile workhorses to tablets with laptop power, these computer and accessory picks will increase your productivity ULTRAPORTABLE LAPTOP

PRO LAPTOP MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2 15 7KLV VXSHU ć H[LEOH ODSWRS EULQJV KXJH Intel quad-core power and Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics to a thin frame, but also the ability to detach the screen and use it as a generously sized 15-inch tablet. From $3,649, microsoft.com

HP SPECTRE 13 An incredibly thin, light and beautiful laptop, with a dense, high-end HD panel. Despite being 1cm thick, it doesn’t skimp on the power either, thanks to an Intel Core i7 processor. From $2,999, hp.com/au

GAMING LAPTOP

GAMING PC ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS GX501 This is an amazing piece of engineering. Despite being incredibly thin and light (2.2kg), it packs insanely powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics, a quad-core processor, and a 120Hz 1080p display.. $4,999, asus.com

ALIENWARE AURORA R6 Compact, cool and nowhere near as ostentatious as many larger gaming PCs tend to be, the Aurora R6 (particularly in LWV ZDWHU FRROHG FRQĆJXUDWLRQ LV D JUHDW way to get VR-gaming ready. From $3,499, dell.com/au

4K MONITOR

ALL-IN-ONE APPLE iMAC WITH 5K RETINA DISPLAY There’s never been a screen like this. Big enough for every task, detailed, bright, colourful, and it happens to have a Mac stuffed in the back of it as well. From $2,699, apple.com/au

GAMING HEADSET

SAMSUNG U28E590D Everyone’s getting in on the 4K game, but Samsung’s 28-inch panel is yet to be bested. A 1ms response time means it’s perfect for even twitchy games, and 60Hz 4K action is just a DisplayPort away. $598, samsung.com/au

MECHANICAL KEYBOARD COUGAR 700K Made for serious gaming with every possible mod con – from the FPS wrist UHVW WR UHSHDW UDWHV DGMXVWDEOH RQ WKH ć\ – with your choice of Cherry MX switches to get the exact experience you’re after. $155, cougargaming.com

STEELSERIES ARCTIS 7 Super-comfortable thanks to SteelSeries’ ski-goggle-inspired headband, with great full-range drivers and a studio-quality mic, all in a wireless package which features DTS Headphone:X 7.1 surround sound. $279, steelseries.dk

GAMING MOUSE

PREMIUM TABLET APPLE iPAD PRO The iPad Pro is more than a tablet. It’s a creative toolkit, a processing powerhouse, and an essential addition to any mobile ZRUNćRZ ZKHWKHU \RX RSW IRU WKH 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch model. From $979, apple.com/au

RAZER DEATHADDER ELITE Razer’s Chroma-lit mouse is ultraergonomic for even the most awkward hands, and its Omron switches (good for 50 million clicks, apparently) are only bested by the 16,000 CPI optical sensor. $119.95, razerzone.com

MID-RANGE TABLET APPLE iPAD 9.7 Apple’s cheaper iPad has a super-fast A10 processor, a vibrant 9.7-inch 2048x1536 GLVSOD\ DQG D ZHDOWK RI WDEOHW VSHFLĆF apps and games that run great. It also supports the excellent Apple Pencil stylus. From $469, apple.com/au 9 6 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

VALUE TABLET SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB A 8.0 While it’s a budget device, don’t expect budget performance. The Galaxy Tab A 8.0 offers up everything you need for a smooth experience, and enough muscle to deal with anything you can throw at it. From $299, samsung.com/au Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Best of the best BEST OF…

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS Whether you’re off for a holiday or just hitting the running trail, get the most from your trips with these amazing tech buys ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR

FULL-FRAME DSLR

CANON EOS 800D 0DNH QR PLVWDNH WKH (26 'èV WHFK trickled down from higher models in the OLQH LV UHPDUNDEOH ,W RIIHUV XS SRLQW DXWRIRFXV D WRXFK VHQVLWLYH VFUHHQ DQG awesome image quality. $1,199, canon.com

MIRRORLESS CAMERA

NIKON D850 7KLV PHJDSL[HO FDPHUD WDNHV IXOO DGYDQWDJH RI LWV ELJ IXOO IUDPH VHQVRU WR produce truly astounding images. On top of that, it’s packed with great features, and is easy to handle. Pretty much perfect. $5,299, nikon.com

COMPACT CAMERA SONY RX100 V 6SHHG UXQV LQ WKH 6RQ\ IDPLO\ DQG LI you’re pointing and shooting, you want your pocket camera to perform. The 5; 9 UHDOO\ GRHV ZLWK . YLGHR second autofocus and a Bionz X processor. $1,699, sony.com.au

PANASONIC LUMIX G9 $ VXSHU IDVW IRFXV PDNHV LW HDV\ WR JUDE the moment in beautiful detail on this FDPHUDèV PHJDSL[HO VHQVRU $GG LQ . YLGHR D YLHZĆQGHU DQG D WRS PRXQWHG LCD for settings, and you’ve got a winner. $3,499, panasonic.com

ACTION CAMERA GOPRO HERO6 BLACK The most advanced action camera on the SODQHW FDQ VKRRW VWXQQLQJ . YLGHR DW ISV ZLWK DGYDQFHG VWDELOLVDWLRQ PDNLQJ IRRWDJH VXSHU VPRRWK DQG UHDOLVWLF ,WèV also waterproof to 10m without a case. $599.95, gopro.com

RUNNING WATCH GARMIN FORERUNNER 935 The Forerunner 935 measures every aspect of your workout, from heart rate WR FRPSOH[ UXQQLQJ PHWULFV OLNH JURXQG contact time. It helps you to improve posture and upgrade your pace. $699, garmin.com

BATTERY PACK

CAMERA DRONE DJI MAVIC PRO The Mavic Pro folds into a small package, but that’s only one of its talents. More affordable than the Phantom 4, capable of shooting awesome video and 27 minutes ćLJKW WLPH ZLWK D VL[ NLORPHWUH UDQJH From $1,599, dji.com

WATERPROOF PORTABLE SPEAKER UE WONDERBOOM $V DW KRPH RQ WKH EHDFK RU ćRDWLQJ LQ WKH pool than it would be in your kitchen, the 8( :RQGHUERRP JHQHUDWHV D GHJUHH VRXQG IURP LWV WLQ\ ,3; UDWHG VKHOO 8S WR ten hours of battery life is great, too. $99, ultimateears.com

CHARGING CABLE ANKER POWERCORE 20100 Being away from a power socket doesn’t mean you’re away from power. Anker’s battery pack can charge an iPhone 7 seven times, determine the best way to charge your devices, and weighs only 350g. $89, anker.com

BACK-UP PHONE

STK BINARY 3 There’s no universal charging port on modern gadgets, but there is a universal cable – this has adapters for compatibility ZLWK PLFUR 86% 86% & DQG /LJKWQLQJ with brilliant braiding so it won’t fray. $52, stklife.com

UNIVERSAL CHARGER NOKIA 3310 The 3310 will win no awards for its tech, that’s true. But for a bargain price like this, with a battery that goes on and on, it’s the perfect second phone to chuck in a bag when you’re hitting the great outdoors. $89, nokia.com

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

MU WORLDWIDE TRAVELLER DUO Two ports for a pair of devices that can charge at once, a range of foldable plug pin connectors for different countries, and the thinnest design we’ve seen for Db86% ZDOO FKDUJHU $25, amazon.com S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 T3 97

VICES

Guilty pleasures to seriously spoil yourself

A L EX A N DR A L L E W E L LY N PE AC O C K BAC KGA M MON S ET In this day and age, your average board game faces an uphill struggle appealing to friends and family hooked on console titles such as God Of War or Far Cry 5. But what we have here is not your average board game. This is one of the world’s oldest pastimes, reimagined by Alexandra Llewellyn, a London-based designer whose wildly creative backgammon sets have caught the attention of everyone from Elle Macpherson to Sir Richard Branson. With its santos rosewood casing, hand-painted peacock feather motifs, ornate brass hinges and antique gold and black playing pieces, it’s got ‘heirloom’ written all over it. £4,200 ($7,425) alexandralldesign.com

NEXT ISSUE IS ON SALE MONDAY 12 NOVEMBER 9 8 T3 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

ESSENTIAL TECH, NEWS, REVIEWS & KNOW-HOW: GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

ON SALE NOW

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.