smart ®

FREE!Issue 114March 2013ISSN 1726–3358

SA’s LARGEST TECH MAGAZINE

HTC OneExclusive first impressions

Razer OuroborosThe next-level mouse

Fujifilm X-E1Retro and very, very smart

6

And now for the news on Twitter...

TechSmart Issue 114 March 2013

Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. No material, text or photographs may bereproduced, copied or in any other way transmitted without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or of the editor.We recognise all trademarks and logos as the sole property of their respective owners.TechSmart shall not be liable for any errors or for any actions in reliance thereon. Allprices were correct at time of going to print.

TechSmartEditor print & onlineMike Joubert > 083-290-2889michael@techsmart.co.zaAdvertising / AgenciesKarien Steenkamp > 083-748-3413karien@smartpublishing.co.zaContributorsMike Joubert [MJ], Hanleigh Daniels [HD], RyanNoik [RN], Linda Pretorius [LP], Ismail Fadal [IF]DesignersBrett Wilson, Esta van Niekerk & Lizelle CronjéAccounts & subscriptionsRonel Keet > 012-342-5141accounts@techsmart.co.zaDistribution queriesmarlien@smartpublishing.co.za

Smart PublishingGeneral managerAnneke Claassen > 083-301-9134anneke@smartpublishing.co.zaBusiness managerGeorge Groblergeorge@smartpublishing.co.zaPrint media managerSuzanne van Niekerksuzanne@smartpublishing.co.za

74 384 average copies per monthConsumer: Male [Oct – Dec] 2012

Tel: 012-342-5141977 Francis Baard Street, Arcadia, PTA

www.smartpublishing.co.za

Published by:

Need your Tech fix faster? Join us now onTwitter: @techsmartmagFacebook: facebook.com/techsmartmagTo receive our newsletter:http://techsmart.co.za/user_registration

6 HTC OneWhen HTC launched their latest flagship in London last month we werethere. Now read our exclusive first impressions of this exciting HD phone.

20 Razer OuroborosRazer’s Ouroboros looks more at home in a sci-fi romp than on a desk,but put this mouse to work in-game and it will quickly show you where itsstrength lies.

It has old-school looks to die for, but don’t underestimate the shootingpower behind Fujifilm’s X-E1 mirrorless camera. Here are five things wethought was great about this shooter.

19 Fujifilm X-E1

If ever there was a turning point regarding the way news is covered in SouthAfrica, it was Oscar Pistorius’s appearance in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court lastmonth. Far from relying on radio for breaking news, many instead turned toTwitter. Here you could find journalists live tweeting the exact happenings in court,with especially Eyewitness News’ Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) doing asterling job (his Twitter follower count grew more than 600% since 14 February). Debate about the Oscar Pistorius case being a media feedingfrenzy aside, it’s quite clear that news organisations will pay a lot moreattention to cultivating a solid Twitter strategy when it comes to breaking news.

On a different note, seeing that this is our tenth year of existence, this isas good a time as any for TechSmart to start providing video reviews. We’vebeen doing a few shoots the past month, and we should have them readyduring the course of March, so watch our Twitter (@techsmartmag) andFacebook (www.facebook.com/techsmartmag) pages for more details.

Enjoy the issue,Mike (michael@techsmart.co.za)

What happens at technology camp, stays at technology camp? Not ifyou’re Dell and you have hot news regarding your latest servers. We bringfeedback all the way from Amsterdam.

F R E E M E D I A S P E C I A L I S T SSMARTPUBLISHING

TechSmart usesBluWave CRM.

4

4-5 Dell Technology Camp

Contents

19

20

1

End

of 2

013.

Exp

ecte

d da

te w

hen

ther

e w

ill b

e m

ore

mob

ile d

evic

es o

n Ea

rth

than

peo

ple.

Rob

ot t

akeo

ver

com

eth?

Gaming Def is proud to announce that a console LANgaming centre will be opening around Pretoria soon.We would like to thank everyone who participated inthe survey. For more info like our Facebook page;www.facebook.com/gamingdef

Silumko Luvo

info@gamingdef.co.zawww.gamingdef.co.za

Brought to you by Gaming Def

Mlonyeni

The winner of the Xbox 360 is

NEWS

In some good local news, JoziHub, Johannesburg’sfirst technology incubator, has opened its doors. Thetechnology hub, which can count tech giant Google as

one of its funding partners, is aimed at becoming the epicenter fortechnological development and entrepreneurship in Johannesburg. Tothis end, JoziHub will be the facilitator for interactions amongststakeholders in the research, private sector and public sector. Emphasiswill be placed on the development of internet, social media and mobiletechnologies that address the country’s most pressing social challenges.

JoziHub caters to localentrepreneurs

Microsoft has announced its new 4Afrika Initiativethrough which it aims to boost Africa’s globalcompetitiveness by empowering African youth,entrepreneurs, developers and civic leaders. The

software giant aims to help Africans transform innovative ideas intocommunity upliftment projects and has set certain goals to be achievedby 2016. These include helping place tens of millions of smart devicesinto the hands of African youth (including the Huawei 4Afrika, pictured);bringing a million African SMEs online; and helping train 100 000 newgraduates as well as 100 000 already employed workers.

Microsoft to give Africa a boost

At the beginning of the year Nvidia announced its newTegra 4 mobile processor, which led the way in terms of

gaming performance, but unlike its CPU rivals the Tegra 4 missed out ona trick by not offering LTE (4G) support. This base has now been coveredwith the unveiling of the Tegra 4i, which boasts a 2.3 GHz quad-core CPUalong with a fifth battery saver core and 60 custom Nvidia GPU cores. Anoptimised version of Nvidia’s i500 radio modem provides LTEcapabilities, bringing the Tegra 4i on a network support par with the likesof Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800.

Nvidia unveils Tegra 4i

Sony announces PlayStation 4 Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

Hot New ProductsTop Tech Titbits

3

Sony has got the jump on Microsoft by announcing the PlayStation 4before the next Xbox. As expected the PS4 is massively powerful,boasting a custom chip that features eight x86 64-bit CPU cores,along with an AMD-developed graphics processor unit. Just like theWii U with its Gamepad, the PS4 sports the ability to wirelesslystream games to the PS Vita and can also record gaming footagefor uploading to social networking sites.

Most notable though was Sony’s reluctance to actually show off thedevice, since the only images that were revealed were that of the newcontrollers and PS Eye accessory. The PS4 is expected to launch at

the end of the year.

Most running shoes are designed formaximum comfort, absorbing the impactof your run via padded cushioning, butAdidas’ Energy Boost running shoes differby quite literally putting the spring back inyour step. Instead of EVA foam commonlyfound in the midsole of running shoes,Adidas utilised Energy-returning boost material that bounces a jogger’sfoot back up during a run.

Adidas Energy Boostrunning shoes

Google’s Play Store boasts manydecent gaming titles, but usingtouchscreen controls do not makefor the most immersive playingexperience. Like Razer’s Edge, theWikipad addresses this issue by incorporating a detachable gamecontroller that sports dual analogue sticks and D-pad buttons. ThisAndroid Jelly Bean running, 7" (1280 x 800) tablet is PlayStation Mobilecertified providing users with access to Sony’s mobile gaming catalogueand, since it’s Tegra 3-powered, Nvidia’s Tegra Zone as well. It’s set tolaunch this autumn in the US for $250 (R2 200).

Wikipad tablet

AMG’s first attempt at making a proper hot hatch sees the performancedivision of Merc working its magic on a four cylinder turbocharged 2-litrethat develops an astonishing 265 kW at 6000 RPM and 450 Nm oftorque between 2750 and 5000 RPM. This is enough to see the Stuttgartstallion galloping to 100 km/h in approximately 4.2 seconds, onto anelectronically limited top-end of 250 km/h. This AMG aims to leave rivalsincluding Audi’s RS3 and BMW M135i trailing during September 2013,when it launches locally, probably sporting a potent price tag to matchits lethal performance and killer good looks.

Dynamite comes in small packages andnow the same applies for speakers,courtesy of Bang & Olufsen’s new BeoLab15 and 16 speaker system. This integrated system consists of twin 150watt, two-way active speakers (BeoLab 15), an active subwoofer (BeoLab16) and a rack-ready amplifier (Amplifier 1) which are all housed withinstylish anodised aluminium discs, designed to be mounted on a user’sbedroom or living room walls. At around R40 000 these speakers won’tonly bring the house down, but also your bank balance.

Bang & Olufsen BeoLab15 and 16 speaker system

33%

. Pe

rcen

tage

of al

l glo

bal p

hone

tra

ffic

(16

7 bi

llion

min

utes

) in

201

2 ge

nera

ted

by S

kype

-to-

Sky

pe c

alls

.

FEATURE

4

Tom Kendra, vicepresident and generalmanager of DellSoftware Group, beganthe event by explainingthat the company wasimplementing a strategyof being a provider ofend-to-end services forthe enterprise. With thisin mind, he revealedthat Dell had investedsome $10 billion (R90billion) in acquisitionsover the past five years.Kendra continued that the trends that wereshaping the industry included the cloud,mobility, as well as data. With regards to thelatter, he explained that, while it was well knownthat the amount of data was expandingexponentially, key to this explosion of data isbeing able to aggregate it, search it and thenuse it to add value to a business’s bottom line.

Not coincidentally, several of the companiesthat Dell had acquired over the past few years,such as Kace, SecureWorks and GaleTechnologies, were in some way leadinginnovators in the fields of cloud computing,security, data, mobility or data accessibility.

It's all about the customerOne of the standout themes of the DellTechnology Camp, was just how customer-focused the company is becoming. Over thecourse of several presentations, one point was

stressed over andagain – the company’sconcerted, evenintense focus onadding value to itscustomers. AongusHegarty, president ofDell for Europe, MiddleEast and Africa(EMEA) asserted thatDell had thetechnology and thesolutions to meet itscustomers’ needs inthe EMEA regions. He

added that Dell’s ability to offer end-to-endsolutions to small, medium and largeorganisations, not only put it in a good positionas compared to its competition, but furtherenabled the company to work with and help itscustomers. More tellingly, he reported that hefound the company’s customers increasinglydesiring Dell to work with them to meet theirchallenges and goals.

According to Tony Parkinson, VP of DellEnterprise Solutions, this greater intimacy withcompanies that rely on Dell, was practically aphenomenon in its own way. He explained thatwhile Dell had always had a strong relationshipwith its customers, it has more recently uppedthis to a new level, and explained that sellingcompanies’ notebooks and workstation wasnot quite as profound as being entrusted with acompany’s data. Indeed, this deeperrelationship with customers follows some

DellTechnology Camp 2013

Customer, data and cloud are kingTechSmart attended Dell’sTechnology Camp 2013 heldlast month in Amsterdam, TheNetherlands. It was herewhere the companyhighlighted its strategy andseveral of its technologies thatwill enable it to respond tothe changing businesslandscape.

Businesses should be ableto cater their ITexpenditure according totheir unique workloads,while still being able toeffortlessly expand theirinfrastructure as andwhen needed.

Fishy beginnings. Korean tech giant giant Sam

sung started out by exporting dried Korean fish, vegetables, and fruit to places like Beijing in 1938.

guidelines common to all kinds of relationship,with foremost amongst these being honesty.While the company‘s main aim moving forwardis to offer an end-to-end solution to customers,Parkinson stressed that Dell remained openwith its customers, and if it could not meet alltheir needs, it would admit this and try findthem alternative solutions.

More difficult for smaller companiesParkinson added that it was the small andmedium businesses which were facing greaterdifficulty in meeting the challenges posed bynew technology, as compared with largeenterprises, which typically have large teams ordepartments dedicated to managinginformation technology. Additionally, he pointedout that larger businesses tend to have a betterunderstanding of IT than small and mediumones. However, clearly embracing IT wasbecoming not just important, but essential, forbusinesses regardless of their size. The reasonfor this is simple: in a distressed economicenvironment, savings, profitability and financialefficiency are essential and rapidly reach theforefront of any business’ priority list.

According to Marius Haas, president of DellEnterprise solutions, Dell can help companiesdeal with the economic pressure being placedon businesses in general. He added that thesavings that a business could enjoy from takingadvantage of Dell’s offerings to meet its datacentre needs timeously, could be substantial.As an example, he cited an unnamedcustomer, which had managed to save in theorder of $75 million. This was due to Dell’sability to fulfil an order for thousands of serversin one month, rather than 90 days.

Data centre evolutionAnother major theme of the conferencefocused around workload-centric ITinfrastructure, a development which ForresterResearch has cited as being the future fortechnology deployment models. The researchcompany argued that IT infrastructure shouldbecome workload-centric, wherebyorganisations would design the server, storage,and networks in their data centre based onwhat matters most (a company’s workloads).This is contrary to the old approach, wherebycompanies would acquire IT infrastructure inanticipation of what they might need in thefuture to meet their server, storage andnetworking needs. These separatecomponents, or silo’s in IT lingo, were largely

regarded as separate entities, even thoughthey needed to work together. Indeed, there is astrong move towards integrating servers,storage, and networks in a more cohesivemanner, which is known as convergedinfrastructure.

Now, for an announcementTo this end, Dell made two particularannouncements of interest to IT professionals.The first entails new workload-optimisedsolutions for the SAP HANA platform thatenable customers to deploy Dell server, storageand networking systems running SAP HANA.The company explained that these pre-integrated systems are based on the samearchitecture employed in Dell’s single-serverappliance, and boast configurations that scalefrom one terabyte to more than four terabytes.In a nutshell though, Dell explained that theSAP HANA solutions are intended to enablecustomers to run and deploy business-criticalapplications and effectively meet theirworkloads.

Also announced was the company’s newActive System Manager 7.0, the managementlayer for Active System, which is Dell’s answerto converged infrastructure. The companyexplained that the new offering, which isnotable for integrating intellectual property fromone of Dell’s strategic acquisitions, GaleTechnologies, enables users to rapidly deploybusiness applications and IT services.

It’s all about workloadsDario Zamarian, VP and general manager ofDell’s Enterprise Systems and Solutions,explained the significance of the newannouncements, elaborating that these willprovide its customers with the agility they needto implement the workloads that matter most totheir business. This while lifting the financialburdens placed upon them by offering bettertotal cost of ownership and lower operatingexpenses. “Customers should focus on theirbusiness and the applications and workloads

that will help them compete in today’s dynamicmarketplace. This means using integratedinfrastructure and solutions that are optimisedfor applications,” he continued.

Indeed, the main thrust of Dell’s argumentduring the course of the day was thatbusinesses should be able to cater their ITexpenditure according to their uniqueworkloads, while still being able to effortlesslyexpand their infrastructure as and whenneeded. This customisable, flexible andpersonalised approach to a business’s uniqueIT needs was quite reminiscent of Dell’s morepersonal approach to its customers in general,which the company stressed during theopening of the Technology Camp.

Forecast: Cloudy, with a stronglikelihood of progressHowever, no conference on IT or databaseswould have been complete without mention ofthe cloud, and on this front, Dell certainlyobliged. According to Stephen Davies, theConsulting Services Alliance manager at Dell,cloud was far more than just another industrybuzzword. Indeed, he noted that the view ofand receptivity towards cloud technology werechanging rapidly and profoundly. Davieselaborated that, for example, chief informationofficers were increasingly realising that if theyemploy clouded solutions effectively, this wouldfree them up to focus on their critical businessconcerns. Thus from a technology point ofview, deploying at least some functions to thecloud was becoming more enticing.

To the pointWhile the information provided at Dell’sTechnology Camp, the demos we saw and thehands-on workshops were exhaustive, theywere not exhausting. In fact, quite the contrary,as we walked away from a busy and buzzingevent feeling like we had witnessed a companythat had plenty to offer, and more importantly,was excited about moving forward. It was littlewonder then, that shortly after the TechnologyCamp concluded, Dell’s founder, Michael Dellconfirmed that he was in fact taking thecompany private.

Whether these changes could be called anevolution, revolution or just plain progress,Dell’s quiet message to other companies,both within and without the technologysphere, appeared to be that there is more tobe gained from embracing change rather thanfearing it. [RN]

Key to this explosion ofdata is being able toaggregate it, search it andthen use it to add value toa business’s bottom line.

5

Tom Kendra, vice president and general managerof Dell Software Group.

Tony Parkinson, vice president of Dell EnterpriseSolutions.

Dario Zamarian, vice president and generalmanager of Dell’s Enterprise Systems and Solutions.

15 m

illio

n. N

umbe

r of

Opt

imus

L s

erie

s sm

artp

hone

s LG

sol

d si

nce

laun

chin

g th

e ra

nge

at t

he 2

012

Mob

ile W

orld

Con

gres

s.

FEATURE

6

Firstly, the basics: the HTC One sports a slimaluminium unibody and a 4.7", full HD (1920 x1080) screen, while the scratch resistant displayboasts 468 pixels per inch (ppi), running on topof the Android Jelly Bean operating system.The Qualcomm 600 quad-core processor,clocked at 1.7 GHz, and 2 GB of memoryaccounted for the zippy experience we had withthe device in our hands-on time.

Progress, in handThe phone is certainly beautifully crafted whilegently rounded corners made it pleasinglyergonomic to hold. Somewhat deceptively, thephone’s 143 g mass felt surprisingly lightweight,but without the plasticy feel that haunts someother phones. One thing is for certain, the fullHD screen with its deep, vibrant colours, issimply stunning.

In general use, the HTC One appearedextremely fast, as flipping between apps –multimedia and otherwise – exhibited zero lag,no matter how hard we attempted to push it toits limits. HTC made a big deal of thesmartphone’s sound capability, and we canattest to its claims. Sound was loud and richwithout being tinny.

Users take notice: New features unveiledHTC’s re-imagining of what a smartphoneshould be, consists of a plethora of newfeatures and enhancements. The first of these isHTC BlinkFeed. This feature essentiallytransforms the home screen into a single livestream of personally chosen information that is

Hands on with the HTC One

of interest. BlinkFeed is designed to give flashesof fresh content from sources that are ofpersonal interest to its users, along with theoption to easily focus on particular topic orcategory at any time.

HTC has also overhauled its camera offering,as the company announced its UltraPixelCamera with HTC Zoe. The UltraPixel Cameraoffers an f2 aperture lens and a ‘breakthroughsensor’ that will apparently gather 300% morelight than traditional smartphone camerasensors, for much improved low-lightperformance. Alongside this is HTC Zoe, whichcaptures three second video snippets for everystill frame. These so named ‘Zoes’ then make atraditional photo gallery of still images appearas a gallery of stories in motion.

Another feature on offer is HTC BoomSound,which incorporates two front-facing stereospeakers with a dedicated amplifier, andnaturally, Beats Audio is integrated as well. TheHTC One further changes the way users recordand capture audio as well, by using twomicrophones to capture a broader range ofsound, rather than one mic.

To the pointIt may very well be too early to call the HTC Onethe smartphone of 2013, considering there isstill plenty of the year ahead. This though, wecan say: we certainly have a contender on ourhands, and local buyers are likely not going tobe disappointed by what the company has tooffer when it is expected to land locally in April.No RRP is available yet. [RN]

One thing is for certain, the fullHD screen with its deep, vibrantcolours, is simply stunning.

At a packed and bustling launch event in London, HTC unveiled the newest addition to its range – theHTC One. TechSmart was on hand to gather first impressions on this ‘new kind of smartphone.’

Is HTC’s latest theOne to beat?

50%. M

ore than half of all phones sold during 2012 in the US w

ere smartphones.

8

Moving on and touching tomorrow So why is touch so important for notebookusers? Firstly, because thanks to tablets andsmartphones, touch interfaces have becomede rigueur for most forms of technology, andthus notebooks and ultrabooks were a logicalchoice for implementation of the technology tokeep them relevant.

Additionally, it offers those users who aretouch-inclined another way – a more tactileway – to interact with their device. It must bementioned though, that for traditionalists, themouse and keyboard interface is stillavailable.

Also, with an increasing number ofconvertible form factors being favoured bymanufacturers, having a touchscreen makes itpossible for a convertible notebook to quicklybecome a touch tablet when the keyboard isremoved.

Benefits, exploredThis means that users who cannot decidewhether to buy a conventional notebook or atablet can have the best of both worlds in onedevice, and thus have to carry less with them.It also enables users to effortlessly switch frombeing content consumers to content creators.

What’s more, it is also responding to andfueling the exponential explosion of data thatis currently occurring in our world and has

become a major trend in business as well asin other arenas.

When one considers therefore that thestandard entry point to content consumptionis a tablet, and the traditional entry point tocontent creation is a notebook, the marriagebetween the two worlds seems logical andinevitable. Reassuringly, Asus has excelled onboth fronts in their own rights to date, and thusits foray into the touch screen Windows 8space is exciting.

However, like many newborns, Windows 8 isnot without its teething problems, such as alack of a start menu, which has been a familiarentry point for those who have been workingon Windows since the 90s. Thankfully, this canbe remedied by third party software.

To the pointParticularly worth noting is that Asus’Zenbook Prime offering seemed to be able tocope better with Windows 8’s other quirks.This fact placed it more closely on par withthe Windows 7 Zenbook ultrabook, whichcaused us to go weak at the knees last year.

This is promising, as it means that theZenbook Prime and other well done Windows8 products will likely only improve asMicrosoft issues its inevitable servicepack(s), and actually spells hope forWindows 8’s future.

For Microsoft, Windows 8 is morethan its latest operating system;it’s a clear signal that theRedmond behemoth believesthat the future is touch, while theOS is the product of Microsoft’sintent to reach out to it.

Hardware vendors such as Asus havequickly responded to this, offering tablets,new notebooks and ultrabooks on Windows8 that boast not just touch-pads buttouchscreens as well.

The implementation of Windows 8 on atablet, most often via Windows RT, which is ascaled down version of Windows 8, firmlyplaces this OS in competition with the likesof iOS and Android. Helping it along aretablets such as Asus’ VivoTab, which looks,and in some regards functions, similarly tothe notable Android-based TransformerPrime and exemplary Transformer PadInfinity.

The key differentiating factor is that itbrings the Windows RT style to a touchtablet, which can then be docked with akeyboard, turning it into a content creationas well as content consumption device.

HARDWARE

Touch meAsus ventures the Windows 8 path

Touch enabled, Windows 8 value notebook

+27 11 783 5450 asus_za@asus.com

facebook.com/asusza twitter.com/asus_za

GET INTOUCH

WITH US!

http://za.asu coms.

HARDWARE

10

HP calls the Envy x2 a notebook that doubles as a tablet, but whenyou look at its processing power, we would rather say it’s the otherway around. With its dual-core 1.8 GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor,and not one of the stronger Core I ones, the Envy x2 is not one forheavy lifting. Luckily it does run on a full version of Windows 8, whichmeans you can run certain computer programmes associated withWindows and not just applications.

As with most new touch-based Windows machines it’s easy toswitch between the Metro Interface and your desktop via Touch orusing the Windows button located beneath the screen.

Take this tabletAs a tablet the x2 feels solidly constructed, encased in aluminium withspeakers at the bottom of the screen. At 400 nits the big 11.6" IPSdisplay is very bright making it easier to use outdoors, but itsresolution of 1366 x 768 is not quite as delicious as the iPad withRetina display. On a full charge we managed to watch two full movieswhile being connected to the net.

In the dockMuch like Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, the tablet and keyboarddock work much better as a pair. It clicks easily in place and feelssolid, but there is a bit of looseness noticeable. The keyboard itself ispretty close to full sized, but unfortunately the tablet makes it topheavy and prone to fall over on your lap. It adds not only an extra twoand half hours of battery life to the device, but also two USB ports(USB 2.0 and not the faster 3.0 unfortunately) and full sized HDMI tohook the Envy x2 up to a second screen.

To the pointIf you’ve been looking for a full Windows 8 tablet with an addedkeyboard, the HP Envy x2 machine is definitely worth investigating.But with the x2’s limited power and mediocre screen, we find the R11 000 RRP a bit expensive. [MJ]

HP Envy x2 Where in the past tablets were believed to be forcontent consumption, and content creation best leftfor notebooks, that distinction is beginning to blur.This is evident in HP’s Envy x2 with its keyboard dock.

Doing the hard work inside the W700 is an Intel Core i3 (secondgeneration 2365M) running at 1.4 GHz, helped along by 4 GB of RAMwith a 64 GB solid state drive.

It’s for this reason that, when it came to benchmarking, the HP Envy x2(left) with its smaller Intel Atom processor could simply not keep up. TheW700 scored 2523 in Futuremark 3DMark06, while the Envy onlymanaged 456. As expected, the i3 processor of the W700 could notoutpace ultrabooks containing the faster Core i5.

Great screen and extrasAnother very notable aspect of the W800 is its quite lovely 11.6" full HDscreen. Acer proves a point with this 1920 x 1080 screen, which offers asterling movie-watching experience and excellent viewing angles. Theonboard speakers were also impressive, able to go quite loud atreasonable quality. Along the side, you’ll find a full-sized USB 3.0 port forfast transfers, and a mini HDMI port (a VGA dongle is included too) butunfortunately no SD card slot.

Acer provides a few more extras with the W700, including quite a nicebrown carry pouch that enables you to prop the tablet up into differentviewing positions, and a plastic stand. This stand also allows for a fewdifferent support positions, but more importantly, ups the amount of USB3.0 ports to three.

With all the processing power and USB ports available, we were readyto work, but it’s here we picked up a bit of hassle. Acer provides aBluetooth keyboard, but unlike a notebook’s keyboard, no track-pad isincluded, so you need a mouse. If you do want to use the tablet for workon the move, you have to pack this as well, unless you feel comfortablewith the on-screen keyboard and touch control.

To the pointAndroid and iOS cannot be used for certain Windows-based programmes,making tablets such as Acer’s W700 the prefered choice. With its excellentscreen and above average tablet processing power, it works well, but wewould have loved to have seen it with a proper keyboard docking station. Itgoes for a recommended R11 000. [MJ]

Acer Iconia W700The Iconia W700 tablet from Acer is strong enoughto kick a few notebooks up the backside when itcomes to performance.

Acer proves a point with this 1920 x 1080full HD screen, which offers a sterlingmovie-watching experience.Much like Sherlock Holmes and Dr

Watson, this tablet and keyboard dockwork much better as a pair.

143 million. N

umber of w

ebpages the Opera M

ini servers dished up during Decem

ber 2012 alone, compressing m

ore than 12 petabytes (12 000 terabytes) of data for users.

SMSINSTANTLY!

TO 41876laptop

AND WE WILL CALL YOU BACK

spac

e

R2 per SMS

Printer Repairs l Laptop Repairs l Upgrades l Projector Repairs l LCD Screen Repairs | Onsite IT Support

All repairs done in our workshopHP, Acer, Compaq, IBM, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Mecer, Sony, Asus, Toshiba, Packard Bell, LG, Lenovo, Proline, Gigabyte, Apple Mac, BenQ, Sahara, and many more….

1292 Heuwel Avenue l Centurion, 0157 l (Next to GWM) l Prices Quoted are CASH or EFT only!

012-663-1155 | www.LaptopCity.co.za l Sales@LaptopCity.co.za

Laptop Chargers

From

R695

Laptop Batteries RECEIVE OUR PRODUCT PRICELIST

Toshiba C850-F227 Acer E1-571IT Headaches?

Terms and Condi�ons apply. Stocks are limited. E&OE. Prices may change without no�ce due to Rand Dollar fluctua�ons. All prices quoted are cash or EFT only and Incl VAT.

Core I3 2.2GHz,4GB Memory,500GB HDD,Bluetooth,WiFi, DVD RW,Windows 8,1 Year FRR Warranty

Core I5 2.50GHz,4GB Memory,500GB HDD,Bluetooth, WiFi,DVD RW,Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit,1 Year FRR Warranty

Acer Travelmate P453

R245

Deepcool Windpal

From

R240

012-663-9190

R2495 R4989

9.7 Android V4.0Tablet, 1.2GHZ CPU,1GB DDRIII Memory,9.7" IPS PANEL,MULTI-POINTCAPACITIVE TOUCHSCREEN,8GB FLASH, Wireless LAN

IS-M70006-10

R5199 R7995

Core I3 2.40 GHz,4GB DDR3 Memory, 500GB HDD,Bluetooth, WiFi, DVD RW,Windows 7 Home Basic 64-bit, 1 Year Carry in Warranty

your email address

11

Speeds of 25 Megabits persecond (Mbps), 50Mbps and100Mbps available, more than10Mbps faster than existingoptions.

E & OE, terms & conditions apply. All prices exclude VAT. Installation and hardware cost not included!

25Mbps50Mbps

Call us on 087 980 0375 | www.xdsl.co.za l sales@xdsl.co.za

South Africa’s first super fast broadband fibre offering

Metro Fibre pricing

25Mbps50Mbps100Mbps

Metro Ethernet pricing

– R15 500 per month– R27 250 per month

– R21 950 per month– R37 150 per month– R64 370 per month

12

(AF) quite useful, which keeps a subject infocus in a blue bounding box, and tracks thesubject as it moves across the frame.Particularly innovative is the camera’s ZoomAssist functionality, which takes Servo AF astep further and is particularly aimed atkeeping track of a moving subject (such assomeone playing sports, for example) asthey move across the field.

More specifically, the Zoom Assist buttonenables users to firstly focus on the subjectin question, and then, at a press of thebutton, zoom out for a wider view. This isuseful if, for example, the subject has movedout of the frame and needs to be quicklyrelocated. Releasing the Zoom Assist buttonquickly zooms back in automatically,enabling users to zero in on their subjectagain without having to waste time doing somanually. It is certainly a nifty and cleverfeature, and one that fits very well with asuperzoom’s main purpose of capturing faraway subjects.

Also onboardThe one disappointment posed by thePowerShot SX500 IS is the all plastic body,which isn’t terrible, but not as hardy as whatwe are accustomed to from Canon. Thisaside, everything else that a good portablecamera needs to have is here, such as HDvideo (1280 x 720 but alas, no 1080p)recording with its own dedicated button. Alsoonboard is a variety of useful modes, such asaperture priority (f3.4 to f8), shutter priority(15 seconds to 1/1600) and full manualmodes, along with macro, portrait and adiscreet mode, which turns off all sounds andthe flash.

Image quality, however, is something thatwas exactly what we expected from Canon, ina word, beautiful. Colours in particularmanaged to retain the balance betweenbeing striking without appearing unrealistic.Nor is the ISO range too shabby for aportable camera – an OK 100 to 1600,although of course at the higher end of that,noise does become more noticeable.

To the pointThe PowerShot SX500 IS is certainly aninteresting camera, which boasts particularversatility thanks to its wide zoom in aportable frame. 30x zoom not enough? Thencheck out the massive 50x zoom onCanon’s SX50 HS. The SX500 IS has anRRP of R3 000. [RN]

We were actuallypleasantly surprised byhow far we could zoominto a scene and still havea steady composition.

Zoom to the maxCanon’s PowerShot SX500 IS is one of those cameras that is as easy touse and navigate as it is to carry around. It is also a bit of an odd beast,but in a good way.

CAMERAS

The PowerShot SX500 IS is not quite ascompact as some of Canon’s other offerings,due to the large zoom that juts out in front ofthe camera. But this 30x optical zoom offersfantastic range, namely 24-720 mm (35 mm equivalent), providing flexibility for avariety of photographic situations, particularlyfor the casual photographer.

Zoom in to findConsidering the long range zoom on offerhere, it is a good thing that the cameraboasts image stabilisation (IS), and we wereactually pleasantly surprised by how far wecould zoom into a scene and still have asteady composition.

If you’re using the camera for capturingschool sports, you’ll find Servo autofocus

CAMERAS

Nikon unveils new Coolpixsuperzoom cameras

Coolpix P520The 18.1 megapixel P520'sclaim to fame is the 42xoptical zoom, which offersthe equivalent 35 mm zoomrange from a wide 24 mm toa whopping 1 000 mm.Lens-shift VibrationReduction (VR) alongside thenew Active Mode also featureand assist in capturing blur-free images and video, whilefull manual controls are on offer. Full HD (1080p)video recording with stereo sound is possible via the dedicated movierecord button, and recording should be easy thanks to a versatile 3.2"Vari-Angle LCD monitor. Rounding off an impressive list of features is thefact that the camera comes with built-in GPS capabilities, while both theP520 and S9500 offer Wi-Fi connectivity.

Coolpix S9500The S9500 sports a 22x

optical zoom (25-550 mmequivalent) and appears tobe the travel friendly option ofthe bunch. While, like theP520, it offers an 18.1-

megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, the camera is apparently small enough tokeep at hand in a shirt pocket. The S9500 also offers full HD (1080p)movie recording with stereo sound, viewable on a bright 3" OLEDscreen, and is able to record your position via GPS.

Coolpix L820The L820 is no slouch in the

features department since itoffers a 16-megapixel CMOS

sensor and VibrationReduction (VR) technologyto help keep shots steady.This while its 30x superwide-angle lens covers a

broad range, from 22.5 mm tosuper-telephoto 675 mm. A 3" monitor, ergonomic design, along with theconvenience of AA-size batteries and a dedicated video button (full HD),clearly indicate that the camera is aimed at those looking for aconvenient user-friendly device.

To the pointThe cameras will only be launching next month though, and thus there islittle indication of local pricing and availability as yet.

Nikon has revealed three new offerings inits Coolpix range, in the form of the S9500,P520 and L820, all of which cater tocapturing action stills and video from adistance.

Great exposurePoint, shoot and don’t worry about checking if your exposure is correct.The D600 captures light just right and we barely had to reshoot or toadjust exposure compensation.

No crop factorSince the APS-C sized sensor of Nikon’s DX range is smaller than thefull frame (36 x 24 mm) FX range, you typically have a crop factor of 1.5xon the DX line. This means a 50 mm lens will provide a focal length of 70 mm when fixed to a DX camera, but on the D600 50 mm means 50 mm. For us the biggest benefit is that we received much wider anglesthan what we were used to, which was great for landscapes. But, whendoing sport or wildlife, we missed the added range the 1.6x crop provided.

Image qualityWhile it might not be that noticeable on postcard-sized prints, there is agenerous jump in image quality overall. Start zooming in on photos andyou’ll notice sharper detail on the edges of your subjects. All this addsup to images that are crisp, making it clear why you are paying more forthese full-frame cameras.

Size Although the Nikon D600 is the smallest full-frame in Nikon’s range, it’snot exactly what one would call discreet. Compared to the D7000,Nikon’s top of the line in the APS-C range, the D600 is both bulkier (132x 105 x 77 mm vs. 141 x 113 x 82 mm) and heavier (850 g vs 780 g, butless than the D800’s 900 g). Add a good piece of glass on the front andat the end of the day you’ll know that you’ve had a full day of shooting.

Larger viewfinderThe D600’s full frame sensor results in another interesting extra – alarger optical viewfinder. When switching between the DX D7000 and theFX D600, the difference is very noticeable. And while both provide 100%coverage through the optical viewfinder, composing on the D600 ismuch easier thanks to the 30% size difference of the viewfinder. In fact,many pros swear by the larger viewfinder and we now know why. [MJ]

The Nikon D600 retails for R24 000 and for R28 000 with the 24-85mmkit lens.

Nikon D600: Thinking ofgoing full-frame?We recently had the Nikon D600 at ourdisposal for a few weekends of shootingpleasure. Here are some of our thoughts onupgrading to Nikon’s entry to the full-framemarket.

SMARTPHONES

16

Whereas in the past the release of the latest iPhone was met with greatfanfare, let’s face it, for the 4S and the new 5, reception was lukewarm atbest. In most part this was due to only incremental upgrades to the iPhone,with no killer ‘wow’ factor to bowl crowds over. Samsung should learn fromApple’s mistakes and need to push the boundaries on the Galaxy S IV toentrench their status as the world’s leading smartphone maker. In ouropinion, they can start with these improvements:

Stop it with the plastic Samsung, dammit, we want metal. Please, no moreback covers that feel like they will snap when you split them off the back.No more ‘chrome’ edges that start peeling after a couple of months.Rather, take a good look at the materials used in Apple’s stylish iPhone –still the main reference point when it comes to classic design.

With sources claiming a 14 March launch for theSamsung Galaxy S IV, and an appearance here inAfrica between May and June, we thought it agood time to list five things we hope to see inSamsung’s new flagship.

Nokia’s Lumia 920 flagship makes for a great all-round top-end smartphone, but its hulking frameand tank-like bulge is not for everyone. Enter theLumia 820, which offers the same smartphoneexperience within a more compact package.

1 Metal design

Ok, so this is not exactly only a Samsung problem, but improved batterylife can help. We liked the 3100 mAh Li-Ion in the Note II, so just stick oneof those in there.

2 Longer lasting battery

Sony has set the precedent here with the Xperia Z and its 1080 x 1920resolution on a 5" screen. Anything less will be a travesty.

3 Full HD screen

We like Samsung’s added extras such as Pop Up Play and Smart Stay.It goes a long way to distinguish their offerings from the rest of theAndroid masses. Can we look forward to even more special features onthe S IV? For one, we would love to see an improved Popup Browser asfeatured on the Note II.

4 Keep at it with the Samsung tech

For five more things we want, visit bit.ly/10samsungs4.

We want class leading performance from the S IV, since in practical termsthe Galaxy S III actually felt slower than HTC’s One X. Cramming the ExynosOcta 5 processor with eight cores we saw at CES earlier this year, ratherthan saving that for the Note III, will certainly give the S IV an edge. [MJ]

5 Even faster

5 things we want fromthe Samsung Galaxy S IV

The Lumia 820 fits more snugly in hand than its bigger brother,measuring 123.8 x 68.5 x 9.9 mm and weighing in at 160 g (25 gless). Although it features solid construction, we did find the overallsquare-loving design uninspired and a bit on the boring side.Despite the smaller frame, you get the same processing powerunder its hood as the 920, with the 820 packing a 1.5 GHz dual-coreQualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 1 GB of RAM, Windows Phone 8handling the operating and all the excellent Nokia-exclusive apps intow including Nokia Drive and Mix Radio.

Display and opticsThe feature differences starts at the screen, with the 820 boasting a4.3" (480 x 800; 217 ppi pixel density) touchscreen, instead of the920’s 4.5" (768 x 1280 resolution; 332 ppi) PureMotion HD+ screen.We found the WVGA resolution to be more than suitable for mosttasks and since it’s an AMOLED screen, the viewing angles andcolour saturation are great. To store your photos, videos and othermedia, you only get 8 GB worth of internal storage, but that isexpandable up to 64 GB via microSD memory card slot. To accessthis slot you have to remove the back cover, a rather difficult affairwhich should not be frequently attempted.

Battery performance from the 1650 mAh battery is poor right out ofthe box, considering we barely received eight hours, but aftertinkering with the settings (check full review at bit.ly/nokia820)battery life improved considerably to a full 12 hour working day.

To the point Nokia’s Lumia 820 makes a great choice for people interested in aWindows Phone 8 device, who cannot afford the Lumia 920 (R8 000)or simply want a more grip-friendly smartphone. For everyone else,there are a number of similarly specced Android-poweredsmartphones available, that go for a lot less than the pricey R6 400asking price of the Lumia 820. [HD]

Despite the Lumia 820’s smaller frame,you get the same processing powerunder its hood as the 920.

Nokia Lumia 820

Data-hogging tablets. M

obile-connected tablets generated 2.4x more w

eb traffic than the average smartphone.

CAMERAS

The RS-Sport owes its comfort to a wide, paddedsection which rests on the user’s left shoulder andcrosses over their body, leaving the camera hanging attheir right hip. The strap itself is secured to the camerausing a small carabiner, that hooks into a solid steelattachment, which firmly screws into the camera’s tripodmount. The strap’s design enables photographers tosimply curl their hand around the camera grip and liftthe camera to start shooting. In use, we found thismeant we were able to more quickly respond tophotographic opportunities unfolding before us.

Design delightsWhat we particularly appreciated about this design isthat the RS-Sport strap doesn’t get in one’s way, hang infront of the lens or become entangled at the mostinopportune moments; a pet peeve that previouslyhampered our photography when using the defaultstrap. Additionally, the camera can be secured in placeon the strap, using two cleverly integrated ‘bumpers’which prevent the camera from swinging too far behind

one and thus inadvertently smashinginto an unnoticed wall ortree. Unique to the RS-Sportis an underarm strap that issecured under one’s leftarmpit, providing additionalsupport to the strap as a

whole. The only fault we could find with thestrap setup is that it essentiallyoccupies the tripod mount at all times.There is however, an extra accessory(R173) available that makes the straptripod friendly.

To the pointThis one inconvenience aside though,the Black Rapid design quickly won usover and showed that it really is thesmall details – such as a camera strap– that makes a big difference. It has aRRP of R825 and is available in storesright now. [RN]

WIN 2x straps, see page 19!

The first and primary reason to employ this ultrawide lens is for a newperspective. Using this lens on a full-frame camera like the EOS 5DMark III produces a true 12-24 mm range. If you instead mount it on aCanon APS-C camera with a 1.6x crop factor, this effectively becomes a19-38 mm wide angle. On a full frame camera, the change inperspective is noticeable and dramatic. Objects that are relatively closeup are suddenly thrust into the distance, and this adds a great deal ofdepth to an image, making the lens ideal for landscapes andenvironmental shots.

Positive qualitiesWe were pleased to see that this Sigma lens’ build quality is top notch,right down to the metal, rather than plastic, mount. Additionally, thezoom and focusing rings were stiff enough for our liking, withoutrequiring too much effort to turn.

The most important part of any lens is the image quality it is capable ofproducing, and on that front, we were quite happy. While we did find themost noticeable distortion at 12 mm (which we expected). The lensappeared to improve as we moved up the range, with 16 mm up to 24mm particularly producing sharp images, especially when we steppedup to f11. No less importantly, we found that the lens’ focusing wasquick, responsive and quiet.

Something else we appreciated about the lens was its weight (670 g),and its relative portability. Sigma’s offering is about the same size as theEFS 17-85 mm Canon lens, and just fractionally heavier. Together thetwo lenses made up a very nice kit that provides an ultra-wide tomedium range reach.

To the pointIn short, our time spent with the Sigma 12-24 mm f4.5-5.6 II DG lenswas overtly positive. It had us longing to go find some windsweptbeach; and it was certainly a lens we wouldn’t hesitate to slip into ourcamera bag. It has a pricey RRP of R11 700. [RN]

Black Rapid RS-Sportsling camera strap

Sigma 12-24 mm f4.5-5.6 II DG lens

The strap’s design enables photographers to simply curl their hand around the camera grip and lift the camera to start shooting.

On a full frame camera, the change the Sigmabrings in perspective is noticeable anddramatic.

The default camera strap that comeswith most DSLRs is generally functional, but can quickly become a tangled nuisance at best and a literal pain in the neck at worst.

For many photographers constantlyseeking different kit to spice up theirphotography, the ultra wide angleSigma’s 12-24 mm f4.5-5.6 II DG willcertainly fit the bill.

Beans for a cash cow

. Apple co-founder Ronald W

ayne sold his 10% stake in the com

pany (worth alm

ost $60 billion in modern tim

es) for $2 300 in 1976.

Old school look and feelWe dig the old-school rangefinder look on the X-E1. With its silvermagnesium die-cast top and black leather-like styling, it’s easy to thinkthat this is a camera straight out of the seventies. Except for its cheaperprice, certainly the best improvement of the X-E1 over the X-Pro1 is itsmore compact body – a more manageable 350 g compared to the bulkyX-Pro1’s 450 g. Having said that, it’s still a fair deal bigger thanOlympus’s smart E-M5.

Dials and controlsWe might show our age, but we really enjoyed the fact that, much like oldfilm cameras, you control the aperture on the lens itself. Add to this yourspeed dial to the top, plus exposure compensation that can be easilyadjusted with your right thumb while shooting, and you have a camerathat will allow you to do what you want, quickly and easily. Alas, there’sno direct ISO adjustment, but you can program a Function button tomake this easier. Talking of which, press the Fujifilm Q-button and youhave access to a large amount of functionality, including custom settings,ISO, self-timer, and focus mode. Once you learn how to use it, it makesshooting a breeze.

Drive modes to pick and chooseSituated just left of the screen is a Drive button. Press it and you canselect three or six frames per second shooting, or hedge your bets with anumber of interesting bracketing options. The common exposurebracketing is present, but also a not so common ISO bracketing,dynamic range bracketing (unfortunately not in-camera HDR) and FilmSimulation bracketing. Film Simulation is interesting, since Fujifilmprogrammed the look of a number of their old film types into the camera,but in practice we would have preferred to have this option rather as apost processing in-camera option.

Great sensorThe X-E1 inherited the X-Pro1’s smart X-Trans CMOS sensor, capable of16 megapixels images and ISO of 6500 (boost 25 600). It is the samesized APS-C sensor that is usually found in DSLRs and we received highquality images with exact details.

Above average kit lensThe Fujinon 18-55 mm kit lens might not be overly ambitious when itcomes to zoom, but we were pleasantly surprised at the fast f2.8stamped on the front. This allows you to shoot without a flash in bad lightplus have a very shallow depth-of-field for those sharp stand-outportraits. Keep in mind the 1.5x crop factor, which translates to a realworld 27-83 mm. [MJ]

Five things tolove about theFujifilm X-E1We loved the image quality onFujifilm’s top-end X-1Pro, but itsR20k price-tag was a bit rich. Nowmake way for the smaller, moreaffordable X-E1. Here are five things thatimpressed us on this mirrorless camera.

19

CAMERAS

The Fujifilm X-E1 retails for R10 000 for the body and R14 000with the kit lens.

1

2

3

4

5

Big

gest

tea

m e

ffor

t. T

he L

inux

OS is

the

larg

est

colla

bora

tive

deve

lopm

ent

proj

ect

in t

he h

isto

ry o

f co

mpu

ting.

PERIPHERALS

20

The Razer Deathstalker Ultimate Elite gaming keyboard’s imposingpresence is only surpassed by its formidable features. As this isprimarily a gaming keyboard; it certainly looks the part, with an overalloblong shape, being robed completely in black. It is also built as a solidslab of hard plastic that certainly seems up to a fair share of abuseduring heated gaming sessions. Additionally, unlike other less nichekeyboards, the Deathstalker (which is wired rather than wireless) laysunapologetic claim to not one but two USB ports. However, this meansno batteries are required.

Fundamentals and beyondThe backlit chiclet keys themselves have decent depth and springiness,which certainly make for a pleasant typing experience. However, beyondthese requisite fundamentals, this keyboard has a great deal more tooffer the object of its attention, namely, gamers. For starters, it providesfive customisable macro buttons, which is particularly useful in massivemultiplayer online (MMO) games such as World of Warcraft. However,where the keyboard truly shines with innovation is in its Switchblade userinterface, which consists of a 4.3” touch sensitive trackpad/display. Thisversatile addition can work as a gesture responsive trackpad, allowingusers to pinch to zoom as offered by many notebooks, or as analternate way to access one’s mouse controls. Alternatively, it canmorph into a numpad at the press of a key, and be used to recordadditional macros as well.

Similarly, eight tactile keys just above the trackpad also change theirfunction depending on your whim. Prefer to have quick access toFacebook, Twitter, email, or multimedia (as in game walkthrough videos)on the 4.3” screen while you are playing? No problem.

To the pointUltimately, the Deathstalker is a very versatile armament in the gamer’sarsenal, and its rich features only reinforce the argument for stalking,and capturing one. It has a RRP of R2 500. [RN]

Razer DeathstalkerUltimate Elite keyboardIf the Deathstalker gaming keyboard was amythological hero, there would have been songs sungabout it and statues dedicated to its epic feats.

The Ouroboros features an ambidextrous layout, meaning it can becomfortably used by both left- and right-handed gamers, and offerscustomisable ergonomics highlighted by an adjustable arched palm restand two interchangeable side panels. These panels allow you to tailor thedevice to your prefered style of grip and hand curvature, ensuring optimumcomfort and minimal fatigue during extended playing time. Swapping themout is easy and quick since they click magnetically into place.

Razer’s Ouroboros weighs in at around 115 g sans the rechargeablenickel metal hydride AA battery that powers it, giving it a nice weighty feelin hand. Just because the mouse feels sturdy and solid in hand does notmean its performance is slow and unresponsive. On the contrary, thanksto its blistering one millisecond response time and 8200 dpi 4G DualSensor System that sees the unit outfitted with a laser as well as anoptical sensor, the Ouroboros provides exceptional tracking accuracy.

The rechargeable battery delivers up to 12 hours of continuous gamingfrom a single charge, and once its depleted you can either pop in anystandard AA battery or connect the mouse to a PC via the provided USBcable to utilise the Ouroborosas a wired mouse whilstrecharging the battery.

To the pointThe Razer Ouroboros gamingmouse is one of the best on themarket thanks a wealth ofcustomisation options thateven enables gamers to alterthe physical appearance of thedevice to more closely fit yourhand and grip style. Add to thisa lighting fast response timeand the ability to use it as eithera wireless or wired mouse, andyou have a very compelling all-round package, wrapped up ina unique design that will get noticed as much as its feature set. RRP is anexclusive of R1 400. [HD]

Razer Ouroborosgaming mouse Razer’s wireless Ouroboros gaming mouse looksmore like a prop from a sci-fi movie than a PCperipheral and boasts some out-of-this-worldfeatures that make it ideal for casual andprofessional gamers.

This keyboard has a great deal more tooffer the object of its attention, namely,gamers.

22 October 2008. D

ate when H

TC released the first ever A

ndroid-powered sm

artphone - the HTC

Dream

. Our review

: bit.ly/htcdream2.

It all starts here!A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single stepChinese philosopher Laozi (c 604 bc – c 531 bc) in the Tao Te Ching

Mr P van Wyk : 016-910-3153Piet.Vanwyk@nwu.ac.za

For more information please contact the following student advisors

Start your journey and uncap your potentialMr M Tsotetsi: 016-910-3186Morenan.Tsotetsi@nwu.ac.za

Mr M Kganakga: 016-910-3183Matome.Kganakga@nwu.ac.za

Mr K Telane: 016-910-3186Knox.Telane@nwu.ac.za

www.facebook.com/VaalNWU

At a recommended retail priceof R499 900, Hyundai’s SantaFe R2.2 AWD Elite might not bethe most affordable car in thiscomparison, but it stillmanages to deliver a great dealof value via its standard featureset.

Powering the all-wheel-driveElite model is a 2199 cc fourcylinder turbodiesel thatdelivers 145 kW at 3800 RPM,436 Nm of torque between1800 and 2500 RPM, and 8.3litres per 100 km on acombined cycle according toHyundai.

While its design lets it go toe-to-toe with (but not beat)the X3 and Q5, it’s this vehicle’slong list of standard features,including a rear parking assistsystem, that help it stand outfrom the rest of the SUV crowd.

Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D 4x4 Auto

Just like its main competitionwithin this segment, Toyota’sFortuner, GM’s ChevroletTrailblazer LTZ goes for therugged look, as opposed to thehead-turning style of the Q5 andX3. The Trailblazer backs thistough-as-nails design bark upwith some capable powerplantbite, as its 2776 cc Duramaxturbo-charged diesel enginechurns out 132 kW at 3800 RPMalong with a massive 470 Nm oftorque at a low 2000 RPM. Thisis enough go-juice to accelerateis sizable 2.75 ton frame to 100km/h in under 11 seconds, ontoa terminal top end of 180 km/h.Sensible drivers should obtainabout 8.4 litres per 100 km on acombined cycle (town andhighway driving). Pricing for theTrailblazer LTZ starts at R429 900.

The Q5 is the best lookingvehicle in this comparison andas with the Beemer, it is the on-road abilities of the Q5which may interestprospective buyers more thanhow well it fares on the dirt.

Audi’s 2.0 TDI enginepushes out 130 kW, coupledwith a maximum torque of 380Nm at just 1750 RPM. Thismeans you should reach 100km/h in nine seconds, whilstmore fuel conscientiousdrivers can get a frugalcombined cycle fuel usagerate of between 5.3 and 6.4litres per 100 km, according toIngolstadt.

At R464 000, this Germanmodel does not come cheap,but at the same time is not themost expensive car in thiscomparison.

The X3 is probably one of theleast capable vehicles in thiscomparison when you venturetoo far off the beaten track, butone of the most car-like ontarred road. Its two litre fourcylinder diesel motor cranks out135 kW of power at 4000 RPMand 380 Nm of torque between1750 and 2750 RPM.

Consequently, the X3 is ableto bring up 100 km/h on thespeedometer in an impressive8.5 seconds, and go on toreach a 210 km/h top speed.

Even more impressive thoughis its claimed fuel usage figurefor combined consumption,which comes to 5.6 litres per 100 km according to BMW.

Its on-road prowess andlicense for badge-snobberycomes at a price – namelyR482 300.

Hyundai Santa Fe R2.2AWD Elite

Chevrolet Trailblazer LTZ AT

Audi Q5 2.0 TDI S Tronic

BMW X3 xDrive20d 4x4 AT

Out of all the cars in this comparison the Fortuner will more than likelyoffer the best resale value come trade-in or selling time, due to a numberof reasons not least of which is the Japanese car maker’s tried and testedbuild quality.

This, coupled with impressive standard features the likes of atouchscreen infotainment system that also displays images from itsreversing camera, and High Intensity Discharge automatic headlamps,make the Fortuner our Top SUV choice. RRP R476 700. [HD]

The global economic crunch may have sent prospective SUV (sports utility vehicle) buyers scurrying to theirnearest small hatch dealer, but these cars still provide drivers with the best mix of on road dynamics and somemeasure of off road ability. Here are our Top 5 pics.

22

FEATURES

TOP 5 Sport utility vehicles

The benchmark within the SUV segment is Toyota’s Fortuner, whichnot only rules this segment but also frequently finds itself in the top 10‘best-selling passenger vehicles of the month’ listings.

It may not be the best looking vehicle in this comparison, but itcertainly doesn’t stand back for any rival whilst venturing off thebeaten track. Its 2982 cc turbodiesel engine cranks out 120 kW at 3400 RPM and 343 Nm of torque between 1400 and 3200 RPM.

Top spot. Microsoft’s X

box 360 was the best selling console S

tateside for the last 25 months in a row

.

24

ADVERTORIAL

Struggling to find interesting or handy birthday-,housewarming- or bachelor party gifts for your friends?Check out the following products from Mantality.co.za.

A few unique gadgets fromMantality.co.za.

If cycling forms part of your daily fitnessregimen or you just enjoy the occasionalmotorbike trip, then the LifeProof Bike and BarMount for the iPhone 4/4S will enable you totake your smartphone along for the ride. Thiscase holds your phone firmly in place on themotorbike or bicycle handlebars, allowingusers to employ their iPhone as a GPS oreasily view the cycling stats from a fitness appfor instance. RRP: R625 from Mantality.co.za.

LifeProof Bike and Bar Mount foriPhone 4/4S

The Super Plantarium is a self-contained minigreenhouse that is constructed out oftransparent casing and is filled with a NASAdeveloped nutritive gel. This gel fulfills yourplants’ water and nutritional needs, meaning nomore worrying over whether you watered theplants. Since the casing is transparent and thegel is translucent, users are able to see howmuch their plants grow and develop on a dailybasis. Perfect for the nature loving home or eco-friendly office. Yours for R295 from Mantality.co.za.

Apple’s iconic iPhone design remains themobile industry benchmark when it comes tothe perfect mix of functional form and eye-catching looks. However, having glass panelsflanking the front and back covers of youriPhone, does not make for the most drop-friendly device. The iOpener case for iPhone 4and 4S acts like a tough, thin, lightweight suit ofarmour for your smartphone, making it dropproof and also incorporates a handy, retractablebottle opener. RRP: R300 from Mantality.co.za.

iOpener for Apple iPhone 4/4Swith bottle opener

Super Plantarium mini green-house

The original Cube 3D Printer has already wonnumerous awards for being both simple touse and the most reliable 3D Printer currentlyavailable in this market segment. The secondGeneration Cube is now 1.5x as fast whileboasting twice the resolution.

Whereas the original Cube was only able toprint using ABS plastic, the new Cube cannow print using environmentally friendly biodegradable PLA plastic. The range of plasticcolours has also been expanded, from 10 to16 ABS colours and 16 PLA colours, includingsome metallic and glow-in-the-dark colours.

Easy to use and deployWith Wi-Fi connectivity or USB flash drive,printing has never been easier, while atouchscreen user interface enhances theexperience. Online applications allow kids todesign jewellery and toys using drag and dropfunctionality, while general users can load theirdesigns into Cubify software and start printingwith ease. A cloud-based service can eventake a video from a smartphone and convertthis to a 3D object which can subsequently beprinted on your Cube.

The CubeX has built on the ease of use ofthe original Cube and incorporated this into

the hugely successful 3DTouch. What doesthis mean? Quite simply, you now have thelargest multi material Desktop 3D Printeravailable, which is more reliable and easier touse than ever before. Plus, it is twice asaccurate, twice as fast, and more affordablethan ever.

The CubeX has a build volume of 275 x 265x 240 mm, about 45% larger than othercompeting systems. Along with up to 3 printheads, which allow for multi material andcolour printing, CubeX now also incorporatessmart materials. This means that the printer

knows exactly how much material is availableand what colour and type is on offer.

Every CubeX comes complete with CubifyInvent design software, a material cartridge foreach head, toolkit, USB thumb drive and 10ready-to-print 3D models. Setup is plug-and-play and everything you need to get started isincluded in the box.

Where to buyCube, CubeX and the full range of 3DPrintersfrom 3DSystems are available from Centurion-based CAD House. Call them on012-654-0559 or visit www.3d-printer.co.za.

Looking for a 3D printer? 3DSystems has announced the release of the secondgeneration Cube 3D Printer as well as the brand new CubeX 3D printer.

3DSystems releases new CubeX 3D printer

A cloud-based servicecan even take a videofrom a smartphone andconvert this to a 3D object which can subsequently beprinted on your Cube.

25

Imagine a world where you canaccess your data anywhere,anytime and from any device. Wellthis is now a reality with BluWaveCRM.

ADVERTORIAL

BluWave has been a key CustomerRelationship Management (CRM) player in theindustry for more than 23 years, responsiblefor hundreds of successful CRMimplementations.

With the inevitable adoption of cloudcomputing, BluWave has anticipated changewith the latest release of web-based, cloud-application CRM software.

No expensive infrastructure is needed tomake use of BluWave CRM since the softwareis browser based and can be run from anyinternet connected device.

Increase sales by 30% and moreAccording to the highly respected HarvardBusiness Review, by implementing CRM, salesmay be increased by 30% and more, with areduction in selling costs of 35%.With Bluwave CRM implementation is quickand effortless. You are literally up and runningwith a click of a button. No more long, tediousand complicated user installations. “Thesystem is very easy to use. As a sales personthe quotes function saves me half an hour perquote”– Sales representative at MercedesBenz Commercial Vehicles.

iPad and Android tablet friendlyBluwave CRM leverages the power of tabletdevices to ensure you have access to your datawhile you are on the move. Spend more timeinteracting with your clients and less time at yourdesk performing admin tasks. Data entered fromdifferent devices is stored in a single database sothere is no synchronising and you always processand retrieve data in real time.

Managing yourcustomers andprospects fromyour tablet device

Features•Performance Dashboard•Activity and Diary Management•Opportunity Tracking•Quotes Automation•Customer and Contact Management•Leads Management•Document Management•Automatic Push Reports•Mail List Management •Transfer leads from your website straight to

BluWave CRM using a Web Service•Graphical Route Planning

Free software trialTechSmart readers who would like to try outBluWave CRM can do so by heading towww.bluwave.co.za. The trial is available for 30days, with no downloads or installationsrequired. BluWave CRM starts at only R240p/m. For more information call Tania Cooke-Tonnesen on 011-462-6871sales@bluwave.co.za.

By Marius Coetzee, MD, Ideco Biometric SecuritySolutions

Managing visitors has been a long-standingchallenge for traditional access systems simplybecause the systems focus on controlling theaccess rights of people whose identities arealready known: the employees. Visitors aregenerally received at face value.

The most common method of managingvisitors is a standalone, paper-based register.Drive up to the main gates of many estates ororganisations and the security guard will handyou some form of visitors register. All thevisitors to the premises can see the personalinformation of previous visitors, including theirnames and contact details. This is the main

reason why most visitors scribbleany irrelevant data onthese registers.

Going cloudIdeco’s electronicVisitor IdentityManagement (EVIM)systems register thesame information aswhat a typical visitorbook does and furtherrequires a visitor to signoff information with afingerprint.

This information, witha template of thefingerprint, is thencommunication viaGPRS within a fewseconds to a centralserver to create an

Why a cloud-basedvisitors register isbetter

accurate record of who visited the site.Moreover, the EVIM system verifies the identitynumber and prints the visitor’s name afterwhich the visitor is cleared to enter. This time-based visitor record is stored digitally andvisitors’ data is only available to the authorisedsecurity managers at the premises using thesystem.

Visitors’ privacyEVIM has been carefully designed to protectthe visitors’ privacy whilst offering the site anaccurate register in line with OHSArequirements:

•The EVIM terminal does not retain any data as all data is relayed and secured on the cloud-based servers.

•The fingerprint is not used to verify a visitor’s identity, but serves merely as proof that the specific visitor was at the site on a certain date and time.

•The visitor’s identity number is verified against a reference database. This database came into being following Ideco’s acquisitionof two organisations that had been registeredas credit bureaus.

•The cloud-based servers are hosted at one of the most secure data centres in South Africa, which also hosts disaster recovery systems for top banks.

For more information about Ideco’s range ofbiometric security solutions, emailcontact@ideco.co.za or call them on 086-104-3326.

How much have you personally spent on techin 2012?

Need your Tech fix faster? Join us now on:Twitter: @techsmartmag

Facebook: facebook.com/techsmartmag

To receive our newsletter: http://techsmart.co.za/user_registration

Less than R10 000R10 000 – R25 000R25 001 – R50 000More than R50 000

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/new-fantasyland/

New Fantasyland

Irrespective of whether or not you areplanning a trip to Disneyland, the NewFantasyland site tells an enchantingstory that draws visitors into a quest tobreak an evil curse. Visitors do so by

exploring four symbols and the Disney stories they represent, such asBeauty and the Beast and the Little Mermaid. Beautifully presented(although you do require Flash and a decent broadband connection),the site has Disney’s magic stamped all over it.

Here are the tweets that struck our fancy lastmonth.

WEB

TechSmart’s top tweetsWeb Time Wasters

26

If expanding your social horizons is up your alley, then Meetup.com isa must visit. The site enables you to meet new people who are nearby(from within three kilometres of your current location to any distance),as well as those who share a common interest. For example, we founda variety of groups in Johannesburg, including the Joburg Book andMovie Club, Fun Seekers, Joburg Photowalkers, and the enticinglynamed Lean Startup Circle. You can also start your own meetup groupthough, on any activity or interest of your choice.

www.dailyinspiration.nl

Daily Inspiration

Art is said to be 10% inspiration and90% perspiration. If so, then dailyinspiration certainly takes care of that1/10th of the process, offering up awealth of stunning images andportfolios across the spectrum of

visual creativity. Categories on offer include digital art, photography,photo manipulation, 3D, street art, character design and illustration,amongst others. Clicking on ‘Inspire Me!’ will deliver a random imagefor your perusal.

www.getyourbookpublished.co.zaGet your book published

For aspiring novelists particularly, thenewly launched Getyourbookpublished.co.zais aimed at being a solid resource forwriters. The site, which is still in its earlystages, was founded by two localpublishing industry veterans, Alison

Lowry and Tracey McDonald. As it grows though, it is expected to offeradvice for local writers who are pondering the self-publishing as well asthe commercial contractual route. Most notable is the advice on the fourquestions that every writer needs to ask themselves.

TechSmart.co.za online poll results

34%47%6%13%

www.meetup.com

239 ppi (pixels per inch). Resolution on Google’s Pixel C

hromebook, trum

ping Apple’s M

acbook Pro with Retina display’s 220 ppi.

27

For home improvement/interior designaficionados, Zillow Digs is a must install. The appboasts an exhaustive database of images forevery conceivable room that can be found in ahouse, as well as inspiration for outdoor spaces

such as gardens and patios as well. The images on offer can be organisedby room or according to design style (if for example modern, rustic orMediterranean is up your alley) and saved photos can of course be sharedwith friends via Facebook.

BlackBerry tipsIf you need to free up memory space and RAM try clearing the stuffyour BlackBerry saves in your Event Log. How to access this you ask?Simply do the following: from your home screen press ‘Alt’ and type“LGLG”, this will open the Event Log, and you will then have theoption to clear it.

APPS

DStv for iPadOne of our most often used apps on the iPad,DStv for iPad, may not be new, but it hasreceived a bit of an update recently that makes itquite a bit more comprehensive and convenient.Joining the ever useful TV guide, which offers a

seven day forecast across all channels, is a new ‘On demand’ tab. Ondemand enables one to search for a specific movie or TV series; sortshows by categories such as latest or most popular, and last chance.

If you wish to reverse the colours of text (have white text on a blackbackground rather than black text on a white background), this can beeasily enabled across the gamut of the iPad’s display. Open ‘Settings’,the ‘General’ tab and then select ‘Accessibility’. To make it easy totoggle on and off, select ‘triple click home’ and then ‘invert colours’.Now, clicking the home button three times will invert the black-on whitecolour scheme in any app.

Apple iOS tip

Struggling to master your new smartphone? TechSmart ison hand to provide some helpful tips.

Apple iOS Apps of the month

Smartphone top tipsAndroid Apps of the month

BlackBerry Apps of the month

Android tipMost apps take up just a couple of MB of space onyour mobile device, so most smartphones andtablets can accommodate a plethora of apps beforeusers run into storage space problems. When you dowant to free up space by deleting ones you no longeruse, simply go to Settings > Applications > ManageApplications. Select one you wish to remove and tapon ‘Uninstall’.

Zillow Digs

Mobile users suffering from texting fatigue andBlackBerry converts who miss the ability to sendvoice messages over BBM, can utilise GroupVoxto fill that void. This free cross platform appbrings a walkie-talkie feature to mobile phones,

unfortunately only enabling communication with Facebook friends andnot regular contacts. You can voice chat with Facebook contactsindividually or host Facebook group chats. If your friends are offline, youcan also record a voice message for them.

Red StoneLike every other super addictive puzzle gametitle out there, Red Stone employs a simplepremise that leads to a very challenging,rewarding, time-sucking challenge. You start offwith a large King square which is four times

bigger than the normal pawn squares surrounding it. Players mustshuffle all the squares around until such time as the King square is ableto get his royal derriere through to an exit at the top of the screen. Becareful, it’s highly addictive.

MX Video Player

Ever waited for what seemed like forever for amovie or TV episode to finish downloading, onlyto find that you are unable to view it due to aformat issue? MX Video Player will prevent thisfrom happening since it uses both hardware and

software decoding to play virtually any video format. In addition, usersare able to control playback via simple swipe gestures and set subtitleoptions as well. Also try VLC for Android Beta as an alternative.

GroupVox

Need to speed up the performance of yourBlackBerry device? Have a look at RamBooster by Droom Soft. This R12application is aimed atmanaging your BlackBerry’s

RAM which in turn allows your device to perform better.An easy to operate interface makes this application a breeze to use,do note however, that performance increase may vary depending onthe phone you use.

Simple Password KeeperKeeping track of all the different passwords fordifferent accounts across the net can be apain. Simple Password Keeper by iDong doeswhat is says on the box. Besides being able tostore your different passwords, this app

includes editing abilities that allows you to change, delete or updatepasswords. Other key features include user friendliness and quickstart up time. It retails for R18 which is not much considering the timeand effort you save. [IF]

Uno and Friends

If you a fan of Uno then you will appreciate Unoand Friends by Gameloft. Besides offering a rathershort career mode, there are a number of minigames to improve your skills. Other featuresinclude decent graphics and customisable

avatars. Although it should be noted that the five different game modessuch as Duel and Partner found in Uno and Friends have not changed orimproved from previous Uno versions. It will set you back R12.

Ram Booster – Ram Optimizer

Borderlands Legends

If you fancy some Borderlands action on yourtablet, then Borderlands Legends, which hasrecently received an update, is well worth a look.The game allows you to play as Lilith, Mordechai,Roland and Brick, in a stylised world that reeks

with character and brings some irreverent fun gameplay to the iPad. Alongwith a price drop to R9, the update brings iPad mini support, a new snipermode and enemies that drop guns as loot. It also offers just enoughinspiration to venture back to Pandora on the big consoles as well.

Dis

cove

red.

Evi

denc

e of

an

anci

ent

land

mas

s be

neat

h th

e flo

or o

f th

e In

dian

Oce

an,

whi

ch s

cien

tists

bel

ieve

exi

sted

bet

wee

n 2

000

and

85 m

illio

n ye

ars

ago.

NEWS

28

Green NewsSci News

Getting coldfeetThis is enough to giveyou goosebumps. Ormaybe not. Researchersreport in a Februaryissue of the Journal ofNeuroscience, that theynow understand thesensation of cold better.They tracked a group of

mice without a cold-sensitive protein called TRPM8 along with a groupof normal mice as they walked across areas of various temperatures.The areas ranged from 0 °C to 50 °C. The group of normal micepreferred to stay on the mild spots, avoiding both the very cold and veryhot patches. Mice without TRPM8, however, moved easily on the coldareas and avoided only the very hot spots. The results may helpscientists to develop pain medication that can dull selective sensationswhile leaving other feelings intact. We think it’s cool stuff.

The Achilles tendon is abit like Humpty Dumpty.If it breaks, you can’t putit back together again.And according to a studypublished recently in TheFASEB Journal, it’s

because the tendon tissue does not renew itself. The finding followsafter analysis of tendon tissue of people who grew up during the late1950s and early sixties. During this time, atmospheric levels of thecarbon-14 isotope spiked because of post-WWII nuclear testing. Thecarbon isotope was subsequently taken up by plants and so becameincorporated in animal and human tissues. Decades later, tendon tissuesamples still contain high levels of carbon-14. However, muscle tissue,which is constantly renewed, shows no trace of carbon-14 in thesepeople. This suggests that the Achilles tendon does not regenerate,which explains why injuries are many an athlete’s Achilles’ heel. [LP]

Bouncy ’botsRobots may soon havea spring in their step.Literally. According to arecent article in thejournal AngewandteChemie, researchershave developed aflexible silicone robotthat can jump about 300 m high. The ’bot isconnected to tubes that

deliver a mix of hydrogen and oxygen, which ignites upon a sparkfrom high-voltage wires. The brief explosion causes the gas toexpand, which, in turn, lets a soft valve in the robot’s leg close. Thisincreases the internal pressure in the leg, causing lift off. When thegas cools down, the pressure in the leg drops and the valve opensagain, allowing the exhaust gas to escape. Further work to developwireless devices could make these robots nifty little helpers in search-and-rescue operations one day.

The Achilles’heel of theAchilles

Kia MotorsSouth Africalaunchesfirst solarpowereddealership Kia Motors SouthAfrica (KMSA) hasopened its first

eco-friendly solar powered dealership in Weltevreden Park, with thismassive 3620 m² complex to become the company’s flagshipshowroom. Powering this building is 288 roof-mounted solar panels,creating a daily maximum of 69 kW of electricity, enough to power 22households per day. Low wattage lights are used within all the majorareas of the structure, whilst water is also recycled via a state-of-the-art filtration system.

Carbon filmsdeliver boostto solar powercells New research by YaleUniversity scientistshas brought forth acost-effective way toboost the efficiency ofcrystalline silicon solar

cells via the application of thin and smooth carbon nanotube films.These films can be used to produce hybrid carbon/silicon solar cellsthat deliver a significantly greater power-conversion efficiency ratethan existing systems. Last year a lot of the research into solar celltechnology focused on using organic solar cells as a cost effectivealternative to crystalline silicon solar cells. In comparison tocrystalline silicon, these organic solar cells deliver very low power-conversion efficiency.

Under the auspicesof theComprehensiveNuclear-Test-Ban

Treaty there are more than 254 sensor facilities worldwide to detectillegal nuclear tests. According to research papers published byscientists at the University of California and Harvard University, thesecan be used for environmental monitoring since they utilise the samesensors commonly employed for ecological reporting. This utilisationcould significantly boost scientists’ monitoring capacity forenvironmental issues such as climate change, and could also becounted as early warning systems for devastating events includingtsunamis and earthquakes.

Cold War eranuclear techcan boostecomonitoring

⅕. A

mount of enterprises targeted by an advanced persistent attack.

ETC...

Gear in the office To watch

29

The TechSmart office usually overflows with newproducts coming in for review. Here are ourthoughts on a few of them.

With the Freedom chair, sitting at the desk all daywas less of a chore and more of an experience.There are a large number of adjustments that canbe made quickly and easily to fit the seat perfectlyto your body, and with further functionality, suchas position-sensitive headrest adjustment and apivoting backrest, the Freedom chair is ablessing. At R10 800 it is an expensive comfort.Phone Formfunc on 0861-555-271 for enquiries.

With digital cameras being able to record full HDvideo, regular 8 GB and even 16 GB cards can

become a bit limiting. 64 GB provided us with somemore room to move, while Kingston’s MicroSD card

can also be used in a phone or new ultrabook asadded storage space. R673 with SD card adaptor.

Kingston 64 GB MicroSD card

iPad carrying solutions cases may be a dime adozen, but FLD’s 10” tablet sling affords greatprotection while being light, comfortable to wear,and very affordable at R500.

The well crafted and stylish bag has a soft inner lining for protectingone’s precious device, and we could easily fit our 9.7” iPad, with its ownsmart-cover. Available from Kalahari.com, contactlori@fldproducts.co.za.

FLD tablet carrying case

Humanscale Freedom chair

We like our zombies served best with an axe tothe brain, but what if zombies could transformback to humans? Would you still be as frugalwith the shotgun? These types of questions areraised in Warm Bodies, a paranormal romanticzombie action comedy horror, starring Britishactor Nicolas Hoult (About a Boy) as R the

zombie. After crossing paths with Julie (Teresa Palmer, I Am NumberFour), his relationship with her strangely manages to simmer himback to life. If the trailer (bit.ly/zombierelax) is anything to go by weshould be in for two undead thumbs up.

Warm Bodies

This may not be the newest lensaround, but it has certainly gained its

fair share of admirers, particularly those photographing sport, action andwildlife. As expected from a Canon L lens, it is tack sharp and extremelywell built. While the push-pull zoom takes a little getting used to, being ableto zoom in from a safe distance and capture an intimate portrait of ananimal is priceless. R15 000.

Canon EF 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L IS USM lens

LG’s 55" LED Cinema 3D and Smart TVoffers premium full HD (1920 x 1080)visuals and impressive sound thanks toits twin 10 Watt speakers and 10 Watt

subwoofer. A myriad of connectivity ports includes four HDMI ports plusthree USB 2.0, but we loved ditching wired connections altogether byutilising Wi-Fi direct to stream movies directly from our tablet andnotebook to the TV. RRP: R22 000.

LG 55" Full HD LEDCinema 3D and Smart TV

15 March 2013

We hope you haven’t had your fill of NicolasHoult yet, since he also stars in Jack the GiantSlayer, a re-imagining of the classic tale of aboy who thought beans should be part of agrowing investment portfolio. Our enthusiasmfor this movie would not have been so greatwere it not for the fact that Bryan Singer (X-Men)is directing, so look out for sky-high production

values, some giant special effects and an Englishman in biggertrouble than after Graeme Smith visited for a test series.

Jack the Giant Slayer22 March 2013

After not getting his way with the 4th Spider-Manmovie, director Sam Raimi put his talent to workon Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful (yes, weare conveniently forgetting the horrible Drag Meto Hell). The movie predates the events in theoriginal Wizard of Oz, and stars previous Raimicollaborator James Franco (Spider-Man 1-3) as

a circus magician who gets swept away to the Land of Oz. We could tellyou how amazing the visuals will be, or how incredible the plot looks, butto be honest we’ll be going to watch for the sultry Mila Kunis (Ted).

Oz the Great and Powerful 8 March 2013

The Impossible looks like a major tearjerker, andrightfully so, since it tells the true story of onefamily’s survival of the deadly South Asian BoxingDay tsunami. It stars Ewan McGregor (Jack theGiant Slayer) and Naomi Watts (The Ring) ashusband and wife, trying to reunite their family

after the tsunami struck. Our advice? Take plenty of tissues.

The Impossible1 March 2013

70%

. Pe

rcen

tage

of us

ers

who

wan

t to

kno

w h

ow t

heir d

ata

is b

eing

gat

here

d an

d us

ed b

y ap

ps,

acco

rdin

g to

the

late

st G

loba

l Priva

cy R

epor

t.

@TheGadgetShopSA

TheGaDGetShop.co.za

FRANCHISEES REQUIRED FOR:Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth,Durban, George, Polokwane

PTA – Brooklyn Mall (012) 346-2726PTA – Woodlands (012) 997-0450 JHB – Randridge Mall (011) 792-4912CNT – Centurion Mall (012) 643-0967RTB – Waterfall Mall (014) 537-2818

Rustenburg NOW

Ubooly is an interactivepet that can tell your child

stories and jokes, playgames, and best of all, cuddle!Load your iProduct into Uboolyand the screen of becomes its face.

Watch the gears move while theclock runs on this 35cm wallclock. Fun to watch and attractsattention. Metal and plastic parts.

The first Personal Weather Stationthat wirelessly transmits all your data

to your smart phone. Capturestemperature, barometric pressure, humidity,CO2 concentration and noise pollution.

Netatmo

Mobile Notes forApple iPad

Franchise enquiries, please emailfranchise@thegadgetshop.co.za

Ubooly

POP BLUETOOTH

Sphero is acompletely new typeof gaming system. It'sthe world's first robotic ball that youcontrol with a tilt, touch, or swingfrom your smartphone or tablet. You can drive Sphero,play tabletop and multiplayer games, hold Sphero inyour hand to use it as a controller for on-screengameplay, learn basic programming, and even exploreaugmented reality.

Tetrax is a holder for anySmartphones, Cellphones and GPSfor your vehicle. It’smagnetic, but there is nointerference with yourdevice (special magnetconfiguration internationalpatent). You can mount Tetrax on the air vent or dashboardwithin a few seconds. It’s universal, compact and portable.100% MADE IN ITALY, high quality andreliability.

Tetrax

Go retro and sync this POPBluetooth handset to your cell,laptop or tablet. You'll reduce96% cell phone radiation, whilechatting AND look super cool...

Kikkerland GearWall Clock Less expensive than a golf

net and more convenientthan the driving range, it has

never been easier to practice golf.With real ball feel and a flight path of 18m it is perfect for golfers of any skill level.

Rope It

Waterfall Mall

Sphero

open!

Attach the e-pens base unit to the 30-pindock port then write and draw freely on theiPad's screen. Convert handwritten notesto digital text with MyScript Notes Mobile.

30

South Africa's only one-stoponline shop for the urban man.

iOpener for iPhone 4 and 4SR299.00

www.BuyMantality.co.za

NEXT DAY COURIER DELIVERY!Tel: 011-462-5482

E & OE | All prices include VAT

R295.00

Super Plantarium See how plants grow, right in frontof your eyes, day after day, fromroots to leaves.

The Brain Freeze Ice Bucket is thecoolest way to serve your ice.

Brain Freeze IceBucket

R350.00

Clock SafeGot something to hide? Consider this

fail-safe location for your secret stash.

The normal working clock face conceals

a generous hollow space behind it.

R360.00

LifeProof Bike and BarMount For iPhone 4/4S

R625.00

Bring your mobile device on that bikingadventure in any weather conditions.

A tough, thin, lightweight suit of armour for your iPhone 4 or 4S. How tough?

Hammer tough. In fact the iOpener case has been subjected to tests so

rigorous it was been beaten with a hammer and came out smiling. How

thin? iOpener 4 measures just 15.8mm in overall thickness.

31

Aliens: Colonial Marines (ACM) has been developed as a video gamesequel to James Cameron’s Aliens movie, and takes place 17 weeks afterthe events of the film. Players fill the boots of Corporal Christopher Winteron a search and rescue mission to find Ellen Ripley and investigate whatwent wrong on the USS Sulaco.

Familiar environments featuring new xenomorph speciesFrom the start it feels as if you are in an interactive version of ACM’s silverscreen counterparts, with Gearbox making good use of their full access tothe movies’ sound recordings and set design. Making your way throughthe eleven missions of the single player campaign, you have to deal withwave upon wave of xenomorph attacks. These formidable foes may putJaws’ teeth count to shame, but due to a weak A.I. they quite convenientlyleap in front of your weapon scope during every single encounter. This,coupled with an array of high-powered weaponry, means that closeencounters of the xenomorph kind are rarely scary or suspense-filled.

Luckily there are a few run-ins with some new species of xenomorph,which include the ultra-creepy Boilers and a behemoth known as theCrusher, whose impenetrably thick hide and massive cargo-door bustinghead means you might as well have been using a water-pistol.

To the pointAnother disappointing feature is the graphics, which might be decentoverall, but nowhere near class leading, as both Far Cry 3 and Call ofDuty: Black Ops II outgun it in this department. Aliens: Colonial Marines isby no means a terrible FPS title, but it had the potential to rock the FPSscene. Thanks to its lack lustre graphics and A.I., it unfortunately endedup as a run-of-the-mill FPS, becoming, just like Duke Nukem Forever, avictim of its own hype. [HD]

The graphics might be decent overall, butnowhere near class leading, as both FarCry 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops IIoutgun it in this department.

GAMES

After six years in development,Aliens: Colonial Marines finallyleaps out at FPS fans, latchingonto their trigger fingers andkeeping their faces hugged tothe TV screen. Can it live up tothe hype or has Gearbox pulled

another Duke Nukem Forever? Like most sci-fi, Dead Space’s story can be quite complicated, if notconvoluted, so thankfully the game begins by bringing players up tospeed. Dead Space 3 continues following Isaac Clarke, the series’original protagonist and haunted survivor of the events of the precedingtitles. Clarke is co-opted by Earth Gov into yet another nightmareinvolving the alien technology known as Markers, as he rushes to therescue of his love interest, Ellie. He further needs to deal with religiouszealots known as Unitologists and the mutant necromorphs, spawnedby the monolithic Markers, all insisting that he prematurely activates hisfuneral plan.

Brought to lifeNeatly complementing its high production values (detailed graphics,superb scoring and fantastic voice acting) is some very visceral andintense action, which certainly is enjoyable, if not quite as suspenseful(read: terrifying) as the first entry. Dead Space 3 is further enhanced bythe addition of text and audio logs scattered across the game, whichfleshes out (pun intended) the story. Additionally, the crafting system is anice touch, enabling you to salvage components and then augmentyour own weapons to your liking. This makes for a more personalisedplay-style, and had us pausing to explore for more than just the muchneeded health-packs and ammo clips.

Also along for the ride is a co-op mode. This allows you to play with afriend, who steps into John Carver’s shoes and will be appreciateddepending on your multiplayer preferences. While it is well-done, to ourmind it runs contrary to how Dark Space was originally conceived anddilutes the concept of surviving alone somewhat.

To the pointDead Space 3 may not haunt our dreams quite like the first one, but it isstill a memorable and enjoyable action title, and one we can still easilyrecommend playing, if not for the scares, then for the sheer fun on offer.RRP: R550. [RN]

The first Dead Space was adelicious scare fest, and when DeadSpace 2 took a more actionorientated approach, the questionstalking Dead Space 3 was whetherit could terrify us silly.

Dead Space 3 Aliens: Colonial Marines

Neatly complementing its highproduction values is some very visceraland intense action.

32

Fin

din

g n

ew

life. H

P’s

ill fate

d w

eb

OS

pla

tform

will n

ow

be u

se

d in

LG

rang

e o

f sm

art T

V’s

.