Over the past 12 months, the mall’s team has let 20 783 square metres of retail space and renewed leases for over 150 existing tenants. The leasing approach has been driven by a strategic focus on the evolving needs of its upwardly-mobile shopper base, resulting in the introduction of several on-trend, convenient and purposeful stores and leisure activities.

Almost a decade after its original departure, Spur, one of Mzansi’s most recognisable and beloved restaurant franchises, has re-joined the Fourways Mall line-up, much to the delight of the Fourways community. The response to Spur’s return has exceeded expectations, reflecting the appreciation the mall’s shoppers have for home-grown, family-focused offerings.

Other vibrant new stores that have opened their doors include Huawei, Levisons, Mochachos, Pet Shop Science and proudly South African brand ZuluZenith. Financial service offerings African Bank and Travelex have moved to more convenient positions in the mall. Several new entrants are currently in shopfitting stage, each hand-picked to suit the Fourways shopper base.

Additionally, another long-anticipated feature is also coming to life. The airplane that was brought into the mall years ago is currently being refurbished and the surrounding area upgraded. Once open to the public, this will become the vibrant attraction it was always meant to be.

Fresh experiences and strong retail appeal

As part of its ambition to cement its position as a healthy lifestyle destination, Fourways Mall is actively broadening its entertainment and fitness options. The recently opened Match Padel features eight rooftop padel courts, complete with a café and sweeping views across the West Rand. Already proving popular among locals, this addition caters to the growing interest in accessible social sports. Other wellness-led additions include High Performance Training, a Hyrox-affiliated fitness studio, as well as Beauty on Tapp, The Fitz and Wellness Warehouse, bringing a strong health-focused bouquet to the centre.

Further entertainment and leisure options are also on the cards. Total Ninja, Urban Playground, Planet Fitness and Bloc 11 are all set to open soon, elevating the centre’s positioning as a multi-purpose shopping, fitness and leisure space. These new experiences will provide even more variety to multi-generational shoppers and super-serve the growing need for experiential offerings in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs.

Upgrades and sustainability

Alongside these new attractions, work is underway on a large-scale solar energy system that will see an entire section of the roof decked in solar panels. This renewable energy drive supports a longer-term strategy to reduce the centre’s environmental impact and to ensure consistent energy supply.

“The strong performance of our new tenants confirms that our leasing strategy is on the right track and we are delighted to have made significant improvements in the overall shopper experience,” said Juan Palm, Fourways Mall Centre Manager. “We’re committed to improving the quality of life for everyone who visits our mall by housing greater variety, joyful experiences and access to the brands and services they know, love and need,” he added.

Fourways Mall’s leasing momentum, energy upgrades and the return of beloved tenants such as Spur highlight a strategy that is both commercially strong and locally relevant. With more stores opening and several large-format attractions on the way, the centre is well-positioned for continued growth as a leading retail and lifestyle destination in Johannesburg.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in combining traditional handicrafts with modern technology. One particularly exciting area of exploration is the intersection of knitting and coding. TextILE aims to create a platform where people can learn how to code through knitting, providing an accessible and engaging way to learn new skills.

The idea of combining knitting and coding might seem like an unlikely pairing at first glance. However, upon closer examination, these two disciplines share several similarities that make them an interesting match for a collaborative project.

At their core, both knitting and coding involve creating patterns. In knitting, patterns are created by looping yarn in a specific way to form a fabric. In coding, patterns are created by writing instructions that a computer follows to perform a specific task. Both knitting and coding require attention to detail and an ability to think logically and creatively.

This public event aims to explore the unique synergy between crafts and technology, offering participants a chance to delve into the creative possibilities that arise when knitting meets coding.
The ‘TextILE’ launch event will take place on the 29th of June 2023, at the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, from 18:00pm to 20:00pm. Participants are encouraged to join and explore the innovative world where knitting and coding converge. Check here for more info on the event.

The Land Rover Defender is a true icon of British engineering, renowned for its durability, versatility, and off-road capabilities. The Lego set is a faithful recreation of the Defender, featuring many of its distinctive design elements, such as the flat bonnet, square headlights, and boxy shape.

The Classic Defender 90 set contains 2,573 pieces, making it one of the largest sets in the Icons range. It comes with a range of features, including a detailed engine, working suspension, and functioning winch. The interior of the model is also highly detailed, with a steering wheel, dashboard, and seats that fold forward.

One of the standout features of the set is the roof, which can be removed to reveal a detailed interior, complete with a working steering wheel, gearstick, and handbrake. This allows fans to recreate the experience of driving the Defender both on and off-road.

The set is designed for fans aged 18 and over, and is sure to provide a challenging and rewarding building experience. The attention to detail in the design and construction of the model is impressive, and will appeal to both fans of Lego and fans of the Land Rover Defender.

The release of the Classic Defender 90 set has been met with great enthusiasm from Lego fans around the world. Many have praised the attention to detail and the level of engineering that has gone into the design of the set. Others have commented on the nostalgic appeal of the Land Rover Defender, which has been a staple of British motoring for over 70 years.

The Classic Defender 90 set is a fantastic addition to the Lego Icons range, and is sure to delight both Lego fans and Land Rover enthusiasts. The attention to detail and the level of engineering that has gone into the design of the set is truly impressive, and is a testament to the skill and creativity of the Lego design team. The set will be available through Land Rover retail channels from 1 July and is priced at R3999 in South Africa.

As we all know by now, March 2020 happened and plenty of people, including myself, were suddenly forced to work from home. I already did to some extent, but it went from an occasional situation to a full-time commitment overnight. That in and of itself wasn’t a problem; the issue was that now my occasional ‘I’m working from Whippet’ visits were cut short.

Fortunately, I had a guest room that I could transform into a temporary office. After moving some furniture around and doing a bit of redecorating, I officially “moved” my workspace to the other bedroom. But my desk situation was still pretty dire. I actually ended up using a folding sewing table as a stopgap in the guest room because I wanted to keep the writing table downstairs. I thought I’d be okay with it since this situation was supposed to be temporary. But as weeks turned into months, I realized this was probably how it’s going to be for the long haul.

After doing copious amounts of research, I settled on the aforementioned Lekkermotion Sit-Stand Rectangular Glass-Top Height Adjustable Desk. It has quite a few positive reviews, I liked the design and it comes in a “just enough” enough size to fit in my space. At around R5999, it’s not cheap, but I found that it’s actually fairly priced compared to similar desks. After a brief shipping delay due to the Easter holidays, I finally received everything a week or so after I ordered it.

The desk uses a quiet single motor mechanism to move up and down based on your input from the keypad. In under 10 seconds, you can go from a fully seated position to comfortably standing, all without having to interrupt your work. This is ideal if you want to avoid midday drowsiness or burn a few extra calories as you toil away in front of your computer.

The Lekkermotion goes down to a height as low as 720 mm tall, not including the desktop. At its tallest, the desk reaches 1.2m, a suitable height range for most users. The motor driving the EC1 lifts the desktop at a speed of one 25mm per second, which is quick enough for you to quickly change positions without disrupting any items such as computers, monitors or bags placed on the surface.

The keypad is located at the lip of the desk, tucked away so that it won’t get in the way of your work but visible enough that you won’t have any trouble finding it. Beside the up-and-down functionality, the Lekkermotion itself has four memory pre-settings, a safety lock, and 3 charging ports (2 Micro-B, 1 Type-C). It is a great office companion, offering a sturdy 6mm thick tempered glass desktop and a work surface, alongside an integrated drawer. You’ll have sufficient room to work whether you’re sitting or standing, and the double steel tubing ensures the Lekkermotion remains stable at any height

If you want to start choosing whether you sit or stand when you work, check out the Lekkermotion Sit-Stand Rectangular Glass-Top Height Adjustable Desk on Geewiz. You can get it now for R5928, while if you apply discount code TOPGEAR5% a 5 percent discount from its regular price will be deducted.

Prices subject to change. The product was supplied by Geewiz.

Headlining this groundbreaking lineup are the LG Objet TV (model 65Art90) and LG StanbyME (model 27Art10), two innovations that eschew conventional display design to deliver new value and user experiences. 

With their unprecedented form factors and functionality, these distinctive products are the perfect solutions for today’s multifunctional homes, where working, learning, entertaining and relaxing are all part of the daily mix.

Resembling a canvas, LG Objet TV blends seamlessly into any room with its minimalist style and subtle use of neutral colors bringing immediate sophistication and visual harmony to any indoor space. LG Objet TV adapts to users’ different needs with the mere press of a button on the included LG Remote by raising or lowering a fabric cover as the viewer sees fit.

Lower the cover to reveal the full extent of the screen for the maximum viewing experience or partially cover the display to only see a curated selection of lifestyle functions.

The other innovation in LG’s new Lifestyle TV lineup, LG StanbyME, is the ideal companion for today’s TV viewing habits. The one-of-a-kind entertainment center is a wireless private TV screen with a built-in battery attached to a moveable stand with concealed wheels that allows for three hours of viewing before recharging.

LG StanbyME can be easily moved from room to room for the ultimate in viewing freedom, its 27-inch display the ideal size for not only movies, TV shows and streaming video content but also for video conferencing with family and coworkers and viewing online lectures.

Intuitive control options including remote, touch and gesture recognition deliver even more usability to LG StanbyME. The user interface designed specifically for this product is unlike any TV UI and is tailored to the viewer’s personal viewing experience. 

Visit https://www.lg.com/za for more information.

LG presented a comprehensive collection of new LG OLED TVs some of which incorporate the state of the art OLED evo panel – offering consumers more options to fit their lifestyles.

Lance Berger, LG’s Home Entertainment Sales Head, explained why there’s so much to get excited about: “When it comes to TV and home entertainment, the LG Self-Lit OLED range is the irrefutable best TV range on the market – beating all other TVs with the best picture quality and most advanced panel technology in existence. We’re sure to continue the trend which has given LG the title of the world’s best-selling OLED brand for the past eight consecutive years. Our Self-Lit OLED TV delivers the best ‘hometainment’ experience, with the TV line-up for South Africa in 2021 promising to be the most impressive yet!”

Their OLED TVs (series Z1, G1, C1, A1) are the best for picture quality currently on the market, with self-lit pixel technology that produces ultra-sharp and ultra-realistic images with smooth, natural motion.

LG’s new TV range also hosts a redesigned operating system, webOS 6.0, which boasts a more intuitive interface. The new webOS user interface provides faster access to apps as well as simpler content discovery with finely tuned personalised recommendations.

The redesigned Magic Remote has seen the addition of dedicated hot keys for all our favourite content providers, allowing users to jump to their favourite services at the touch of a button. A great new feature called Magic Tap, which is powered by near field communication (NFC), allows you to simply touch an NFC-enabled device to the remote, and seamlessly share content between your TV and your smartphone.

The LG 2021 wireless range is here to bring the booming bass. The all-new TONE Free FN7s, LG’s newest wireless headsets, stand out in the market with their slim and sleek design, brilliant battery life (including a case that carries 14 hours’ worth of battery charge), active noise cancellation and the all-important UVNano antibacterial functionality – killing 99.9% of bacteria. In today’s climate, who doesn’t want a pair of wireless headsets that kills germs?

The LG Tone Free App makes using these innovative wireless headphones even better, allowing you to customise the EQ to make bass fuller or vocals sharper, adjust the volume of your ambient surroundings, and read your messages without using your phone. Earbuds are often easy to misplace, but with the LG Tone Free App, you can locate each individual earbud using Find My Earbuds.

Initial Thoughts

The Wing’s standout feature is its swivel capability that, at first I admit, viewed as just another gimmick created in light of the current smartphone wars which currently consists of everyone trying to standout in some way or another. That was my initial view, and after spending some time with the device I’ve since relaxed that stance. The feature mainly aims to make multitasking a breeze and a little easier when using a handheld device.

It’s also clear that this device is built for those who want something different – creatives (who rely on their handheld devices to capture images and video content) mostly falling under the spotlight. Gamers would also have a lot of fun with this one which offers great options and capabilities for game-play – the screen adjusts at every angle you turn it and while playing games, the top screen can be flipped outside down and act as a controls pad.

When it was first announced with local pricing included, LG mentioned that the Wing will be the first product from its new “Explorer Project”, a concept that focuses on exploring ways to “breathe new life into what makes a smartphone.” Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that this is just another smartphone we could do without but is that really the case with the Wing?

There’s no doubt the LG Wing looks cool but at R20,000 it’s also quite expensive and puts it on par with other high end devices such as the iPhone 12 Pro, the Galaxy S20 and other devices in the same bracket. Some might argue that it’s quite a lot to shell out for something that maybe considered gimmicky and a device that isn’t practical for the everyday user. That’s probably going to be the main argument around it no matter where you go and this will be the case for as long as it’s under the spotlight.

The Design Aspects

At first glance it looks like any other Android smartphone but while in-hand the bulkiness and extra weight makes you realize that there may be more to it. Despite the difference in size compared to most phones, the Wing manages to feel and look premium with an elegant matte aluminum frame and mirrored glass back, completed by a triple-lens rear camera. It has a 6.8-inch, 9:20.5 OLED display which is quite beautiful and is 0.43 inches (10.9mm) thick – credit to LG’s design team here as it still manages to feel quite compact despite.

The unique nature of the phone comes in the minute you flick the lower right corner of the phone which swivels around, transforming into a horizontal orientation which reveals a second, 3.9-inch OLED screen underneath. Upon completing the swivel exercise you’ll immediately be greeted by what LG refers to as the Swivel Home, which displays large app shortcuts in a horizontal fashion.

Interestingly, LG confirmed that the Wing is built to withstand 200,000 swivels, which (again) the company estimates to last anyone for at least five years… whether this is a good or bad thing is up for debate. For those wondering how practical the entire exercise is and whether or not you should be worried then fear not as I found the entire motion to be very solid and sturdy.

For those who aren’t aware, LG is actually one of the lone smartphone makers who are committed to the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, so it was interesting to see that this isn’t the case with the Wing and that’s mainly due to the amount of room there is which there isn’t a lot of honestly. It’s understandable then especially when also factoring the fact that LG also had to cleverly stash the front-facing selfie camera inside a motorized pop-out mechanism.

The Dual-Screen Experience and Software

As mentioned prior, when I first saw the device when it was first previewed I wasn’t too sure about it. I was also interested to see how the entire dual-screen experience (which in this instance is unique) would translate in real life while also factoring in the software. The company has managed to devise some clever ways and uses for the extra real estate when you’re not multitasking.

For example, let’s say you are streaming your favorite Netflix series or are watching a Youtube video in portrait mode, and then you decide to flick the screen sideways, the content you’re consuming will automatically switch to landscape form but in a cropped fashion. The small screen meanwhile will then be available to use for playback controls and volume and brightness sliders.

The insides

The Wing has normal qualities you would expect from an upper midrange Android smartphone. It has a Snapdragon 765G, combined with 8GB of RAM, which makes for a fairly smooth experience while using the phone. Its 4,000mAh battery ensures you will have a device that will last a full day despite heavy use of both displays.

The camera

The LG Wing has a total of four cameras, one 32MP front facing pop-up camera and three at the back. The latter cameras aren’t included just for show and each has a specific job. The bottom one is a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera with a physically rotated sensor that’s dedicated to the Wing’s “gimbal mode.” The middle 13-megapixel (also ultrawide) camera is used for when holding the phone regularly, and lastly, the main camera sits at the top and is a 64-megapixel which assists both cameras and further sharpens images produced.

Speaking of image quality, the Wing’s camera produced crisp and great quality images that genuinely found me very impressed. Having said that though I’m not particularly a fan of the wide aspect which made the images seem stretched out more than usual and while zooming in on them, the images tended to get fuzzier than usual with the night shots (relying on low light features) being okay yet not mind blowing per se.

What truly stands out while utilizing the camera and recording features is the gimbal mode feature which redefines the art of both capturing photos and recording. Designed to work as a phone grip, this is the unique aspect of the Wing which is quite fun to play around. The main display shows the video output, while the smaller panel acts as a fully functioning grip, complete with gimbal controls that offer you options of navigation. Despite it looking like the camera is performing the same way an actual gimbal mount would, it’s clear that the Wing’s unique mode isn’t rotating around on a different axis, it’s instead almost entirely software-based.

Dual recording also forms of the Wing and when coupled with the Gimbal mode, it makes for a fantastic combination. LG did a great job here, with footage staying fairly solid and stable throughout despite whatever shakiness there maybe while moving around. It neatly splits the top screen into two allowing you to see both the front and back end of the device on one screen, this effectively takes full advantage of both the selfie and rear end cameras.

Closing Thoughts

When it comes to the Wing, LG are certainly being bold and this will no doubt make onlookers view the company in a different light. The device is solidly built and its unique gimbal mode raises the bar in smartphone conceptual design. Effectively being the first device to come out of the Explorer Project which seeks to redefine how we view and use smartphones, there’s no doubt that LG has achieved that with the Wing and I for one can’t wait to see what is going to come out next in this project.

The Wing does its job adequately and ensures that you are getting what you would need from a smartphone of its caliber. Having said that however, there are a few niggly issues I encountered, one of the main ones being the fact that it’s not practical and despite its compact nature, its heftiness presents a couple of challenges while carrying it around. Add the R20,000 price tag and you start to worry about how it’s going to perform in terms of sales and total units sold. Hopefully I’m proven wrong here.

This device is the company’s attempt to swing (see what I did there?) for the fences that’s not quite there yet, but an attempt nonetheless. It’s one that’s bold, refreshing and great to see from the tech giant who have tended to lag behind in the highly competitive smartphone wars and has largely been classified with being stale. lacking innovation and staying safe. That was then and you certainly can’t classify them in that light anymore, not least with the line of smartphones they’ve produced lately, their Wing smartphone being the most adventurous project yet.

LG has long been playing with displays that can roll into view when needed and roll out of sight when not. Some of its iterations have focused on more industrial or commercial uses but it is also targeting the consumer electronics market with a rollable TV.

The SIGNATURE OLED R model RX rollable TV was first introduced to the public at CES 2019 and then again at SID 2020 last August and it is pretty much the culmination of the company’s years of R&D into this field. Unlike its previous displays, the OLED RX’s 65-inch flexible screen rolls up from a base that you put on the floor or some flat surface. That base itself is transparent at the bottom but has an opaque portion on the top half to hide the screen.

Aside from the rolling gimmick, the SIGNATURE OLED R TV also boasts of the usual features of high-end and expensive TVs these days. Those include self-lighting pixel tech and individual dimming controls. LG doesn’t speak much about the TV’s other specs but it would be shocking if it isn’t at least UHD in resolution.

What it does talk about is the price. Like we mentioned previously, the LG SIGNATURE OLED R model RX rollable TV is available now in South Korea. But even if you did live there, the 100 million KRW, around $87,000 price tag, might leave your jaw on the floor for a while before you decide to move on to more practical investments. LG South Africa confirmed they’re looking at introducing the sets in South Africa sometime in 2021.

Certainly, it’s borrowing that model’s crisp edged styling – something Apple is also expected to do for the iPhone 12 later this year – but with five different, more eye-catching colours. They’re silver, space grey, rose gold, green, and sky blue – all of which are headed our way.

This new iPad has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen, larger than the old Air but in the same overall tablet footprint. That runs about 2360 x 1640 resolution. Since there’s now no room for a home button and its integrated fingerprint sensor, Apple has moved Touch ID to the power button on the top edge. That, apparently, according to the company, is its smallest authentication sensor ever, and taps into a new, faster Secure Enclave for speedier recognitions.

Also inside is the new Apple A14 Bionic processor, built on 5nm processes.

Unexpectedly, although a welcome change, there’s now a USB-C port on the bottom, rather than Lightning, again following the iPad Pro. That’s good for 10x the bandwidth, Apple promises, and can also drive up to a 4K external display.

There are stereo speakers, and WiFi 6 is standard. Versions of the iPad Air with LTE will also be offered, with up to 10x faster data rates thanks to a new modem. For the front, there’s a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera. That has an f/2.2 aperture lens, Smart HDR support, and promises better low-light performance than on the old Air. It also captures video at up to 1080p 60fps.

The rear camera, meanwhile, is borrowed from the iPhone 11. It clocks in at 12-megapixels, with f/1.8 aperture and improved video stabilization. It can shoot 4K 60fps footage, or alternatively 240 fps slo-mo video.

There’s support for the same Apple Pencil as on the iPad Pro, and you’ll be able to charge it in the same way, with the stylus magnetically-clinging to the side of the new iPad Air. Apple has also made it compatible with the same Smart Keyboard cover as its more expensive tablet.

For the good stuff, Apple says the new iPad Air pre-orders will begin from today, priced from R12 499 for the WiFi-only versions, and from R14 999 for the WiFi + LTE versions. It’ll come in 64GB and 256GB storage options. The Apple Pencil 2nd Generation is R2999, while the Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Air is available for R3499.

What makes Brooklyn House unique is it delivers a world-class living experience to a thriving university campus. The development is also the first installment of University Square, a holistic lifestyle development that is set to feature student apartments, retail, restaurants, wellness and medical suites.

Brooklyn House is located 350 meters from the gates of Tuks and includes fully controlled Covid-19 proof facial recognition technology, 24/7 CCTV monitored security, covered basement parking, armed response and access to an emergency medical line.

Like most modern day developments, Brooklyn House also provides high-speed uncapped and unshaped Wi-Fi plus uninterrupted back-up power, making days of candlelit study sessions and dongles a thing of the past.

It doesn’t end there, as the place also comes complete with a unique rooftop lifestyle treasure for students to enjoy. It has a professionally designed outdoor gym, stunning swimming pool and lounging area, braai facilities, chill-out and study spaces, dining tables and to top it off – an outdoor cinema screen.

“Brooklyn House has been created to cater for the discerning student, but equally important, for concerned parents too. Today, a contained lifestyle environment that boasts quality, yet affordable living and all the necessary amenities desired by students, has not been made available in South Africa, even the rest of the world – until now. Our comprehensive research into the needs and wants of parents and students provided the catalyst for us to transform student accommodation into something aspirational. Brooklyn House and the greater university square ticks those boxes.” says Clifford Joffe, spokesperson for Mile Investments.

“As a father myself, we believed we needed to raise the bar in student living that is safe, fun, exciting and quite simply – a home away from home.”       

No doubt this redefines the concept behind student accommodation, we definitely wouldn’t have said no to living in such a suave setting. Check here if you are interested in finding out more about Brooklyn House. See, we told you it will all make sense in the end.     

Foremost, the question we’ve had on our minds for months now is just how much the Galaxy Z Fold 2 going to cost. Pre-orders will kick off on September 7, and the foldable phone will be R49 999. Deliveries will begin from 25 September, and it’ll be available from Samsung direct, as an unlocked device, and from your favourite leading networks (read: to be confirmed).

That is certainly not a small price tag, sure, but then again the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is no ordinary device. As we saw, the outside gets a much larger touchscreen: at 6.2-inches and HD+ resolution, its Super AMOLED panel is similar to that of a Galaxy S20. You can interact with the whole system that way, too, for those times you don’t need the maximum internal screen. It also gets a 10-megapixel selfie camera.

Open the foldable up, however, and there’s a 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED panel, with at 2208 x 1768 resolution. It supports up to 120Hz refresh, with adaptive rates that can scale automatically from 11-120Hz depending on what’s on-screen. However, that’ll only be available in Full HD resolution; anything higher and you’re locked to 60Hz.

Gone is the big camera notch in the upper right corner, replaced with a far more surreptitious 10-megapixel hole punch selfie camera. As with the Galaxy Z Flip, there’s Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) covering the main screen, while the front display uses Gorilla Glass Victus and the rear gets Gorilla Glass 6.

The glass isn’t the only similarity. The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s “Hideaway Hinge” uses the same approach as its smaller clam shell sibling, with a dual-CAM mechanism that can now be opened to any angle rather than just fully-opened or fully-closed. Flex Mode communicates to apps where the display is opened to; opened, closed, or somewhere in-between. Samsung’s camera, video calling, gallery, clock, calendar, and media player apps all support Flex Mode, as do Google’s YouTube and Duo apps.

There are over sixty components in the hinge alone, including the “sweepers” – tiny hair-like brushes – used to keep dust and debris out of the gaps. Samsung says it’s rated to last at least 200,000 folds over five years, or around 100 folds a day, without issue. There’s a factory-installed screen protector, and the hinge gap itself is slimmer than on the first-gen Fold, with increased tension to reduce accidental closings.

Inside, it’s Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865+ as in the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, with 12GB of memory. 5G, unfortunately, is not standard in Mzansi. The 5G variant will be available “later” with both Sub-6 and mmWave support, as is WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. There’s NFC, MST, Ultra Wide Band (UWB), a 4,500 mAh battery – split across both halves – with wired and wireless fast-charging, and Wireless PowerShare to use the Galaxy Z Fold 2 as a Qi charger with other devices. A USB-C port is on the bottom, and there are stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos support.

On the back, there’s a similar camera array to the Note 20. The primary sensor is 12-megapixels with Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, OIS, and f/1.8; the ultra wide is 12-megapixels, f/2.2, and has a 123-degree field of view. A 12-megapixel telephoto – with PDAF and OIS – offers 2x optical zoom and up to 10x digital zoom. Video tops out at 4K – not 8K like on the Note 20 Ultra – and you also don’t get the Ultra High Resolution photography that the latest Note offers.

It’s software, of course, where the Galaxy Z Fold 2 stands out. Dual Preview in the camera, for example, shows a full preview of the frame on the outer display; that also makes it easier to use the primary cameras for selfies. You get the same Pro Mode, Night Mode, and Single Take mode as on the Note 20 Ultra, but also an auto-framing camera feature which, with the Fold 2 in Flex Mode stood on a table or other surface, uses machine learning to virtually zoom and pan to keep the subject in frame.

Fold owners loved multitasking – they were more than 7x as likely to use multi-window than even Note owners, Samsung says – and so Android 10 on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 makes that even easier. You can have up to three apps showing at once, and drag-and-drop between them. Take a screenshot, and you get three different pictures – one for each app running – rather than the less-useful single capture of the whole screen. App Pair still allows you to load multiple apps simultaneously from one icon, but now you can link three rather than two.

Samsung has been working with major app-makers to better utilise the larger main panel. In Microsoft’s Office apps, for example, there are more controls in the toolbar visible. Or, you can load up DeX Wireless – using Miracast on a compatible TV – and get a full desktop experience, with support for a keyboard and mouse. Microsoft Your Phone and Link to Windows are supported, but sadly there’s no S Pen option.

That’s not the only annoyance. Samsung is also taking the headphones out the box this time around, and so you won’t be getting a set of Galaxy Buds thrown in.

What you do get is the ability to customise the hinge finish. Samsung has two primary colours for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 – Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black – but you’ll also be able to choose from metallic red, silver, gold, and blue for the hinge itself. Owners also have access to Galaxy Z Premier Service, with faster access to product support, a one-time display repair for accidental damage in the first year at cost.

Largest of the company’s phones with its 6.9-inch Super AMOLED display, the S Pen enabled handset doesn’t stray too far from last year’s Note 10, only pausing to dip liberally into the aesthetic of the Galaxy S20 Ultra released earlier this year.

That is, thankfully, not a bad thing unless you wanted revolution not evolution. You’d have been out of luck there generally with the Note line-up anyway; the past few iterations of Samsung’s Android workhorse have been about refinement, it’s fair to say.

With its R36 999+ price tag, it’s also fair to have high expectations for the Note 20 Ultra. We’re only getting the 5G version here. I’ll put aside the wisdom of Samsung opting for a plastic back on the R24 999 Note 20 until we’ve had a chance to play with it ourselves, thank you, but its full-spec’d sibling has no such compromises. Though the Mystic Bronze colour looks a lot more pink than you might expect, the frosted finish to the rear glass works nicely against the highly polished metal frame.

Samsung’s attention to detail has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years, which is a good thing considering how in-your-face the Note 20 Ultra’s camera bulge is. We can understand the urge to accommodate a fancy periscope zoom – which folds the optics across the Note to manage its 5x optical magnification – but the resulting protrusion is no mere bump. It looks unwieldy, but more annoying still is how it leaves the Note 20 Ultra rocking as you use it on a table. Something you should be used to if you currently hold the Huawei P40 Pro or the likes.

That’s all the more frustrating when you go to use the S Pen. Samsung’s stylus supports the same 4,096 levels of pressure, but some refresh magic – including AI prediction of where you’re likely to swipe the nib next – leaves it feeling that little bit more fluid to write or sketch with. It’s truly a lovely sensation, up until the point where the Note tips to the side on the desk because of that accursed camera barnacle.

Pick it up, meanwhile, and it’s a reminder that those with small hands might want to look elsewhere. The 6.9-inch screen may be pushed to the edges as best Samsung’s engineers can, but it still leaves the Note 20 Ultra at 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm. The downside to the premium construction is a 208 gram weight, too. Yes, that’s a little under the iPhone 11 Pro Max (at 226 grams) but then again it’s hardly like anybody said Apple’s phone was lightweight either.

All that gets easier to stomach when you actually see the display, however. Its WQHD+ resolution is detailed and its AMOLED tech is bright and colour-rich. A 120Hz refresh rate – which can automatically ramp down when such rapid speeds are required, to save on power – leaves it silky-smooth in scrolling. Samsung’s Infinity-O hole-punch camera is small and easily overlooked.

Pull out the S Pen from its silo – moved, for 2020, from the right to the left side – and you get new Air Actions that allow you to control more of the phone wirelessly. You can navigate through a PowerPoint using just wand-like swipes, for example. It has the potential to be useful, but with DeX having gone wireless there’s arguably more chance you’ll be holding the Note 20 Ultra in your hand anyway, even when presenting to a remote screen.

As for power, it’s early days with the phone – and my full review will have to wait for now – but the combination of Snapdragon 865+ and 12GB of RAM doesn’t exactly leave me concerned the new Note will be lacking in grunt. You get a 4,500 mAh battery with fast wired and wireless charging, too, plus 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and Ultra Wideband which will be useful for Android Nearby Share when UWB is more common.

All in all, the Note 20 Ultra is shaping up to be just what we’ve come to expect from the Note series. Power, form that follows function, and a beautiful Samsung display on top of it all. Camera performance and the rest will have to wait until the full review too, but Samsung’s decision to cherry-pick sensors from the well-reviewed Galaxy S20 Ultra seems like a sensible one.

Preorders of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – and the cheaper Galaxy Note 20 – are open locally, if you must be first on the block with the phone come August 21. It’s priced at R36 999. The Note 20, meanwhile, is R24 999 for the LTE version while the 5G is priced at R27 999 and only comes in a 128GB form.

Networks, too, are in on the pre-order action. All have payment plan options – ranging from 24 months on Vodacom and MTN, to 36 months – and trade-in deals, if you want to get rid of your old handset.

There’s a lot to like about the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. All the same, we think you should probably hold off from pre-ordering it. Yes, Samsung has some promotions to sweeten the deal, but if previous launches are anything to go by there could be better still to come.

Samsung and the carriers are hungry for sales, and they’re not afraid to leave pre-order fans feeling a little burnt in the hunt for them. As we saw with the Galaxy S20 launch earlier in the year, the time between the phones hitting shelves and the price getting sizable cuts is narrowing considerably. Indeed it was only a few weeks after the S20 family went on sale before we were seeing retailers knock off the sticker price.

Perhaps being the first with the new S Pen experience is sufficient value to make that acceptable to you, but we suspect that for most people the return on being a little patient could be considerable. Not least because it’s tough to have as eager an appetite for four-figure smartphones in 2020, given the current economic climate. That seems only likely to fuel the deals we’ll see after the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra arrives. We won’t fault you for wanting to be there on day one, but it might be wiser to wait.