stuff may-2015 preview
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Stuff May-2015 PreviewTRANSCRIPT
ALAXY S6 OR ONE M9? CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON!
GADGETS / APPS / GEARSOUTH AFRICAN EDITION
Receptors for laser-Virtual guided Reality you gamingcan walk
around in
May* enable
Put this on and step into time
travel
gaming’s new reality*may not also
LAPTABTOPS NEW BMW X5 M SUPERPHONESThey flip, they swipe, Brainy and brutal, All the mobiles fast enough
they love to type we snuggle the beast to blister your digits
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The widest range of Notebooks & Hard Drives in South Africa
The widest range of Tablets in South Africa
The widest range of Ink & Toners in South Africa
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Apple Devices, Tablets, SmartphonesNotebooks, Hard Drives, Smart TV’s& other cool technology products
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■ See news, features and read more reviews of the latest gadgets and much much more.
© Stuff South Africa. All due care will be taken with material submitted, but the magazine and publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. Stuff South Africa assumes no responsibility to return unsolicited editorial, graphic or other material. All rights in letters and unsolicited editorial and graphic material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and material will be subject to Stuff South Africa’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Stuff South Africa is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of advice and information given to readers, the editor, publisher and proprietor cannot accept responsibility for any damage or inconvenience that may arise therefrom.
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2
One of the best things about the technology sector is that, unlike some other industries where critics would have you believe the halcyon days have been and gone, the best is always still to come.
This is especially true when it comes to gaming. In a few short years, virtual reality (VR) has gone from being the stuff of science fiction to being one of the new battlegrounds for the titans of tech to duke it out in. From Samsung’s Gear VR to Google’s cardboard equivalent, VR is harnessing the power of mobile to make our virtual dreams a reality.
One day phones may even come packaged with VR headsets as standard, but in the interim we’ve collected and tested the current pick of the crop (p. 37).
VR’s not the only exciting thing happening in gaming, though. The combination of growing processing power in computers, consoles and mobile phones and increasingly ambitious designers in games studios means there’s a range of fantastic worlds under construction for your gaming pleasure (p. 68)
Back in this world, two of the hottest phones you can get your hands on right now are Samsung’s S6 Edge and HTC’s One M9. See what we thought of Samsung’s latest flagship (p. 11) and find out how its archrival from HTC squares up (p. 56).
Samsung’s taken the controversial decision to do away with its traditional removable battery and microSD slot (much to the amusement of Apple fans) with the S6 Edge (and the S6) but has added genuinely useful curved edges and finally has a phone that feels as premium as its price tag. HTC, meanwhile, has long made excellent and high-end-feeling devices, but hasn’t been able to keep up with Samsung’s marketing muscle. This competition’s set to be closer than usual.
Of course, this is no two-horse race and there are plenty of other contenders, especially in the Android ecosystem. With this in mind we’ve examined the current breed of superphones (p. 59) up close to, as we’ve put it, “rescue you from the tyranny of yesterday’s slow-witted blandsets”.
Welcome to the world of tomorrow.
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HOT STUFF TESTS
ON THE COVER
4
8 The Hot Four● BMW X5 M● Nvidia Shield Console● Samsung S6 and S6 Edge● nanoFlowcell Quantino
14 Vital stats Pebble Time SteelThe gold smartwatch you can actually afford
18 Gigapixel RuncibleA smartphone disguised as a wooden… thing
20 I made this… Paul FranklinThe man who built Interstellar’s black hole
22 Vital stats Nikon Coolpix P900A superzoom camera that can see planets
24 GamesWe dial Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
28 Choice Board gamesNot just for a rainy day with a power cut
30 Best of… Geneva Motor Show 2015All the highlights from the swish Swiss show
34 AppsSmall software that does big stuff
36 Rob ForbesNo Man’s Sky
p8Snuggle
the beast
p11The only way is S6
53 Tested Formlabs Form 1+Pro-style printing on your desktop
54 Approved Stuff-approved apps for… …playing podcasts and making no-signal calls 56 First test HTC One M9
Has HTC improved on its classy, metal-bodied flagship?
58 Tested LG G Flex 2The bendy-bodied blower is reborn for 2015
76 Tested Acer Revo OneA cute box with a huge media brain
77 Group test Convertible laptopsWhich is the best of the tab-top hybrids?
82 Tested Games● Resident Evil: Revelations 2
72
66
12
p37Gaming’s VR future
05.15
PROJECTS
000005.155.155.155.155.1505.15005.15005.150005.1505.1505.150005.150
FEATURES
5
59
37 The future of gamingThe amazing Vive headset is at the forefront of a new era in virtual reality… and games will never be the same again
59 Attack of the superphonesWe go hands-on with the new flagships, but which one will be your ultra-upgrade?
68 Gaming Game worldsWe visit the astonishing worlds of No Man’s Sky, The Witcher 3 and The Division
84 Media hoard The latest noises, coloured lights and paper
85 Design Inspired by nature When gadget designers take their cue from the prettier bits of the natural world 112 Next big thing? Open-source houses
Because architects cost too piggin’ much
92 Beta yourself Action photosYou might not have to leave those tricky fast-moving shots to the experts after all
94 Playlist ComedyBored? Fed up? Gassy? Download this lot and chuckle yourself better (and less gassy)
96 Super geek Drum machinesEver wondered how they get those beautiful beats so even? Tiny, mechanical drummers!
98 5 ways to reawesomise… Android WearNow that you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to get smart with your smartwatch
99 Gadget doctorTech salve for your burning questions
100 5-minute hacks If nothing else, at least…● Make a movie barcode ● Give a Raspberry Pi voice control ● Make an animated video
92
WIN!p21
68
HOTHOT
BUY
TOP 100 HAPPIEST LIST OF
EVERYTHING
PHONES
HTC One M9★★★★★One to rule
them all… for nowp102
HOTHOT
BUY
HOTHOT
BUY
Turn to p101
Pebble Steel★★★★★
It’s still our top smartwatch
p105
WEARABLES
HEADPHONES
AKG K451 ★★★★★Wireless
wondercansp111
The Witcher® is a trademark of CD PROJEKT S. A. The Witcher game © CD PROJEKT S. A. All rights reserved. The Witcher game is based on a novel by Andrzej Sapkowski. All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s15)
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A Must See Next Generation RPG | gameinformer
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THIS WORLD DOESN’T NEED A HERO.I T N E E D S A P R O F E S S I O N A L .
MAY 19, 2015
The Witcher® is a trademark of CD PROJEKT S. A. The Witcher game © CD PROJEKT S. A. All rights reserved. The Witcher game is based on a novel by Andrzej Sapkowski. All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s15)
THEWITCHER.COM /THEWITCHER /WITCHERGAME /WITCHERGAME
A Must See Next Generation RPG | gameinformer
THEWITCHER.COM /THEWITCHER /WITCHERGAME /WITCHERGAME
THIS WORLD DOESN’T NEED A HERO.I T N E E D S A P R O F E S S I O N A L .
MAY 19, 2015
While it’s as comfortable as a duvet on a Sunday morning the BMW X5 M also has
the power to leave most vehicles in the dust, and not just rival SUVs, but nippy
coupés and sedans to boot. It’s the non-identical twin of the X6 M as it shares the same engine but has a sportier and more playful exterior. Kitted out with a 4.4-litre
V8 twin power engine, it rockets from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds with the sort
of roar you’d expect from a track car. But then, it is a track car, one that’s
wrapped in the body of a luxury SUV, which is why BMW now gives buyers the
option of fitting the X5 M or its sibling with ceramic brakes. Its updated engine offers more power and torque than its
predecessor while still achieving better fuel efficiency. Ten low- and high-
temperature radiators ensure optimum temperature management whether
on the track or navigating traffic.As hot as… brake discs on race day
from R1.6 million / bmw.co.za
SNUGGLING THE BEAST
BMW X5 M
Engine: 4.4-litre V8 twin power turbo0 - 100km/h: 4.2secTop speed: 250km/hFuel economy: 11.1ℓ/100km Emissions: 258g/km
TECH SPECS
H O T TSHOT FOUR
#1
8