We’ve been living with the DJI Osmo Poclet for almost three weeks now and we’re happy to report that it’s more than capable to replace our smartphone camera and it’s bigger cousins from the DJI stable. With a built-in camera capable of shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second, it just works. The camera also features intelligent shooting and object tracking similar to DJI’s latest drones. Add a waterproof case and accessory mount, and the Osmo Pocket could easily fall into competition with GoPro and other action cameras. We even forgot we have a GoPro when we took it with to the Mercedes-Benz V Class launch in Cape Town earlier this week. Watch the short video we did  below;

https://twitter.com/TWFLD/status/1158746681728544768

Those looking for specifics will be glad to know the camera on the Osmo Pocket uses a 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor and an F2.0 lens that has a field of view of 80-degrees. It’s capable of capturing 12MP photos or recording 100Mbps video in 4K60, so it seems pretty capable for how small it is. In the video below, all shot on the Osmo Pocket, you’re able to see it’s incredible video quality followed by images captured using it’s picture mode.

Pano on the DJI Osmo Pocket

What we also noticed was the Osmo Pocket is able to automatically detect low light scenes and can even use the stabilization to shoot 2-3 second long exposures in Pro mode. Pro mode also allows users to manually adjust exposure, shoot RAW photos, and use the flat D-Cinelike color profile in video.

The device is also accompanied by the DJI Mimo app, which includes editing tools as well as a community to share content with. The app also includes templates, music for videos, watermarks, and stickers.

One last interesting thing about the Osmo Pocket is its universal port, which can be used to connect different accessories. Some of the accessories DJI has announced thus far include a waterproof case, smartphone adapters for iPhones and USB-C Android phones, a 3.5mm jack for connecting a mic, a charging case, and yes, even a selfie stick. Finally, the camera comes with a 875mAh battery that lasts for as long as 140 minutes, or just under 3 hours as we’ve experienced. The Osmo Pocket is available today from iStore’s website or in-store for R7099.

I really like the XC90’s style,  and once the V40 CC arrived on my driveway I immediately felll in love with what Volvo’s designers have done with it. The result is a beautiful, classic silhouette, with sweeping lines and a combination of sharper edges and light-catching surfacing.

Volvo’s attention to detail is superb, too. The grill, with its concave strakes, is inspired by the classic P1800 coupe, paired with the distinctive – and technically complex – Thor’s Hammer LED lights. Together, they make for a fascia that’s both suitably imposing for a luxury car but without some of the outright aggression others in the segment chase.

Driving in my hometown, the front of the vehicle makes onlookers curious to see who’s driving the vehicle and what make/model it is. The striking rich java metallic colour wets the appetite too, but sadly curiousity plunges with the realisation that its a Volvo hatchback and no GTi or A-class. It could be that in this side of town Volvo is still classified as a grown-up car. The car that your well respected uncle drove wearing his Sunday’s best. It felt darn good getting the stares though. 

Driving in my hometown, the front of the vehicle makes onlookers curious to see who’s driving the vehicle and what make/model it is.

If I’m honest, I’m even more of a fan of the newly introduced XC60 – which I like so much, I’ll tell you about it separately – but that requires patience since Volvo isn’t bringing it to local soil until next year.

Volvo offers two drive modes, Comfort and Dynamic, which adjust steering, transmission, and other factors. It also adjusts the feel from the optional air suspension, which replaces the standard traverse leaf-spring with rear integral link at the back of the car; either way, you get double-wishbone suspension at the front. 

With the right mix of drive preferences, there’s a whole lot to like about the v40 – both behind the wheel and as a passenger. It’s smooth and poised, and the D4’s peak torque arrives at just 2,200 rpm so overtaking was never an issue. Engine noise – massaged electronically, as is so often the case in modern cars – gets noticeably harsh as you approach the redline, but I’m pleased that you at least get the option to rev that high before you hit an upshift. The biggest problem is engine noise; this diesel model of mine was quite loud.

Unfortunately inside, the interior takes no cues from the XC90. Rather, Volvo has chosen to stick to the classic V40 interface we’ve grown to love. No bad thing since it’s one of the cleanest designs out there right now on a hatchback. For the V40, Volvo has made the whole thing more sculptural, centered around the SENSUS display in the middle of the dashboard. A long, architectural metal band runs across it, bowed to accommodate the screen, and then curving up at either end around the vents.

Still, legroom and headroom in the back are ample for a child (the shape of the seating and the narrowness of the interior make the back very tight for three adults) and Volvo’s leather is a step above most rivals in quality. The seats don’t lack in adjustment up-front, though while comfortable they do seem to prefer keeping you sitting upright, perhaps a side-effect of the various inbuilt safety features Volvo includes.

My D4 review unit came with  various active safety features both as standard and a few as optional add-ons. That includes everything from the XC90, like warnings if you’re drifting out of the lane, but also three new systems (to me).

Pedestrian Detection with auto-brake – aka the v40’s “people detector” – does just what it claims to, spotting people, a person,  a couple and anything else large and two-legged in the road before you crash into it. As well as audio and visual warnings, it’ll automatically slam on the brakes, with Volvo saying it can shed about 20km/h from your current speed.

Every V40 comes with alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a digital radio, steering wheel-mounted stereo controls and a Bluetooth hands-free phone connection, while upgrading from the entry-level Momentum specification to Inscription brings cruise control, satnav, leather seats and the digital instrument display.

If you want your V40 to look and feel sportier there’s the R-Design spec, which adds more aggressively styled bumpers and LED headlamps. But you won’t need this when you’re driving the Cross Country.

The 2017 V40 Cross Country D4 is no monstrous sports hatch, therefore, but it does offer something equally compelling to a lot of drivers. Comfortable, but without wallowing; relaxed, but not slow: the V40 cossets with the crisp, friendly conviviality you might expect to find in a Swedish spa. Combine that with excellent safety features and handsome design, and you have a car set to do for midsize luxury what the XC90 did for luxury SUVs before it.

Our V40 Cross Country D4 test model will set you back R555 500 (with sport pack, driver support pack and metallic paint) 

We’ve known for a while now that Range Rover was working on a convertible SUV based on the Evoque as they first revealed the concept version in 2012, and since then, talk of a production version has drawn both criticism and enthusiasm from the automotive community. As we can see, the final design closely matches the styling of the regular Evoque, just without the fixed roof and pillars.

Technics aside, lets get to our First Drive comments. 

First Impressions Count

On the outside, the Evoque Convertible may not quite have the “stately home on wheels” gravitas of its fuller sibling, but it’s still a handsome beast. While if you want true sportiness with the same badge you’ll probably look to the standard Evoque, the convertible feels more childish and certainly fun to drive. It’s also very dependent on what color and wheels you pick. In our metallic paint – Land Rover calls it “Corris Grey” – and the simple 20-inch wheels it’s the epitome of a Free State farmer’s housewife field-to-theater chariot; pick a bolder colour and slap some beefier wheels on, however, and you have the perfect accessory for your next rap video (we’re praying for this). 

Inside, it’s well-constructed but doesn’t feel especially large, a side-effect of the sloping dashboard and the sizable center console. Range Rover does at least make good use of the latter with a cooled compartment to keep your ice cream from melting when you leave the store. 

The front seats – upgraded with active cooling and 12-way power adjustment, as part of the Front Climate Comfort & Visibility Package, that also adds heated rear seats, Xenon headlamps with auto high-beam, blind spot monitoring, and more – are throne-like, supportive, and comfortable, while the rear has decent legroom. Forget fitting anything larger than children into that row, though, and don’t be misled by the SUV’s overall size into thinking it’s a vast cargo hauler. It isn’t vast.

What you do get is a fair amount of gadgetry. Land Rover had kindly ticked the upgrade box with a Meridian audio system, replacing the – hardly lackluster – standard install. It also gets you active cruise control with the ability to do low-speed traffic follow in urban congestion: there’s also the Driver Assistance Package with its lane-departure, traffic sign recognition, park-assist, head-up display, and 360-degree bird’s eye view camera. I’d say the latter is a must-have.

Standard is the dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth, and Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl infotainment system. The very same we saw in the F-Pace earlier this year. We couldn’t help but notice how responsive this is. Well done to JLR on this. There are plenty of physical controls for those who prefer to rely on muscle memory. Sadly CarPlay and Android Auto are not yet available on this model either.

The electric window switches are oddly placed  too far forward on the doors, but the HVAC dials are all easily adjusted. Some of the switchgear on the steering wheel feels a little flimsy.

As for the engine, Jaguar Land Rover kitted our review unit with a  2.0-liter petrol under the the Range Rover Evoque hood, and while the 176.5/240 kW/PS may not sound like much, the 340 Nm of torque is plenty. The big, small SUV isn’t slow to wield it, either: stab the accelerator and the 9-speed automatic quickly drops a few cogs and the whole thing surges forward. Land Rover says it’ll do 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, not bad for something that weighs just over 2000-kg, though it’s hardly the most harmonious experience for your ears. Just make sure its in Sport mode.

All the same, don’t let the “Sport” in the name fool you into thinking this is a faux-off-roader: the Range Rover has serious abilities.

Still, the engineers have done a decent job keeping the tented cabin quiet, even when the auto stop-start cuts the engine at the lights. Freeway cruising is no problem, though overtaking in the 100-120km/h range does provoke some frenzy in the transmission as the engine hunts for its sweet-spot. The height adjustable air suspension keeps things level while you do it, however. To sweeten the deal, its soft top opens in just under 8 seconds from our tests, but requires you to drive at 50km/h. 

It’s also part of the Range Rover Evoque Convertible’s big sales message: this may feel like a luxury SUV, but it can go off-road with the best of them. Full-time all-wheel drive, independent suspension at the front and rear, Torsen differential, and Land Rover’s well-esteemed Terrain Response System with its various modes for snow, mud, and sand are all standard. 

I confess, my time off-road was minimal, but that did give me a chance to test the petrol’s economy. The EPA says you’ll see 8.6l/100km combined, 11.4l/100km in the city, and 7.0l/100km on the highway; in my own mixed driving, I got more than 530km from a full tank (68.5 litres). If you dislike stopping at fuel stations but enjoy torque, the Range Rover Evoque Convertible may be the SUV for you.

In Closing

Your decision, therefore, probably comes down to self perception: are you a minimalistic Scandinavian, a technocratic German, or a distant relative of Her Majesty? The 2016 Range Rover Evoque Convertible certainly has the image and the performance that royalty demand, you just may have to pawn the family jewels to afford it. Bonus? Everyone’s jaw will drop as you drive pass in your brand new Evoque Convertible. Its definitely on our Christmas wish list. 

On the other hand, Samsung’s Note 4 is set to mount the biggest challenge to Huawei’s Mate 7 to date, so it’s only natural to want to compare the standard features, extra features, UI, camera, dimensions and proportions of the two. I found that a strangely difficult task with the press packs and standard PR talk provided from both manufacturers: Huawei still shy away from overselling their products to you. Only when you get a hands on with their device do you fall in love, and Samsung tends to worship their machines, well, because, they’re worthy of that much praise. So I have spent adequate time with both devices to get a real feel, hands-on productivity wise in accordance with the official specs. Obviously, this is the very definition of head-to-head review, but it’s a fun diversion for us to set the record straight. Follow the below links for reviews of each handset. 

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The strongest evidence of ASUS’ if-it-ain’t-broken philosophy manifests on the outside. If you’ve used any ASUS mobile device before, the basic layout of their MeMO Pad 7 will be very recognizable. And that’s mostly a good thing. They’re easy to hold, with rounded edges and side buttons that you’re unlikely to hit by accident. You’ll find micro-USB and headphone ports on the top, the power and volume controls on the right and a microSDXC storage slot on the left. There’s little on the front – not even the company logo – but just the front-facing camera (2 megapixel). On the back, you’ll spot a rear camera above (five megapixels, respectively), stereo speakers with SonicMaster below and the company logo staring back at you in all its glory. Strangely, the MeMO Pad reminded me of Microsoft’s 1520 phablet.

The 7-inch MeMO Pad 7 is the most featherweight device we’ve laid hands on this year, only weighing in at just under 400g and 37 inch thick, so it’s ever so slightly easier to grab with one hand. I was happy to use the MeMO for significant stretches of time without propping it up on my lap; this is a fine device for reading on the couch or playing games that demand a two-handed grip.

However, the MeMo’s matte finishes also have their quirks. Its smooth backing tends to stay relatively pristine (thanks to the gold finish) and the texture makes it more stable in my hands, but it picks up lint like nobody’s business. The MeMO Pad 7’s new camera layout also doesn’t do anyone any favors. ASUS has moved the camera from near the center to the corner, making it a little too trivial to block the lens when you’re shooting.

There isn’t really much to look forward to on the inside apart from the processor, although that’s not shocking given that the Pad 7 cost just R3699. In SA models, you’ll still see 16GB of built-in storage (11.1GB free), 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. Sadly, there’s no HDMI output, so you’ll have to lean on Miracast streaming to send video to a TV. ASUS does have an ace in the hole with its built-in GPS and GLONASS positioning, however. You can use any of these devices for navigation so long as you have offline maps; many rivals, including iPads, can’t do that unless you buy their cellular-equipped variants.

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[title type=”h2″ class=””]Display[/title]

With the MeMO Pad 7 you get the basic display technology: a 1,280 x 800, IPS-based LCD. The MeMO delivers rich colours that aren’t overdone, and you only really lose brightness when you look at them from sharp angles. There are a few practical differences beyond the raw surface area, mind you. The model is easily visible indoors, but you’ll definitely want the larger slab if you venture outside. I also noticed that it had a warmer, slightly yellowish colour cast out of the box, although ASUS’ Splendid screen utility makes it easy to dial that out.

[title type=”h2″ class=””]Software[/title]

If you’ve read our review of the new Transformer Pad, you’ll know what to expect software-wise. The MeMO Pad is running the same ZenUI interface, which spruces up Android 4.4.2 KitKat with a trendy “flat” look and a handful of customizations. ASUS strikes a careful balance between adding its own flourishes and leaving Android’s better features alone. You’ll get quick settings, some well-done media galleries and app drawer sorting, but multitasking and most other Google-made elements remain intact. Yes, that means you’ll miss out on multi-window support and other perks from heavier Android skins, like what you get on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 4 line. Still, it’s hard to object to ZenUI’s more restrained approach — it’s simple, colourful and responsive. We love.

[title type=”h2″ class=””]In Closing[/title]

This lovely 7-inch system offers superb speed for a R3699 tablet, but it’s somewhat hobbled by the downgraded cameras. I’d make the sacrifice, as I rarely snap photos with any tablet, but it isn’t as well-rounded as you’d expect it to be.

It’s a harder call when pitting ASUS against its opponents. While it should be clear by now that the MeMO Pad can take on most any task you’d expect from a mobile tablet, they’re not the best at everything; you can find nicer screens and cameras without much difficulty, especially if you’re willing to go beyond the R3999 mark. I don’t think that specs alone tell the whole story, though. ASUS makes a good case for custom Android interfaces. ZenUI is more helpful than the largely stock Android implementation on the Dell Venue 7 or 8, yet it never gets in your way. I can comfortably recommend the MeMO Pad 7, but you do have to be aware of what you’re giving up – this isn’t much of a sleeper hit as its a wisely calculated trade-off.

[title type=”h2″ class=””]SUMMARY [/title]

We gave the 5fm app a go, and for most part it works as advertised. Once you’ve completed download/update of the app you’re pretty much set to go – push start to the ‘open app’ button and brace yourselves your ears. The app is straight forward, on opening it at first it pops up a tutorial screen which lets you in on all the features found inside. The first tab you see on the left slide menu is, au naturel, Listen Live followed by the Show Lineup, Loudroom, Events, Polls, Feedback and your user profile. While the right hand side is reserved for making direct calls to the station (call charges apply)

From there, the 5fm app turns into a more traditional radio streaming experience. The listen live tab serves up a curated live feed of the current DJ, song playing and playlists. But there is no personalisation or interaction to be seen here — Loudroom serves up the same exact content to every listener that you would find on the DJ’s blogs on 5fm’s website. It would’ve been great if the app was to allow us to interact with the DJs via an integrated IM service – ain’t nobody got time to be sending R1,50 SMS’s.

On the whole, the 5fm app has succeeded at building a mobile-first service that offers something its competitors and sister stations at management troubled SABC don’t. The human-curated playlists are top notch through features like the ‘like’ and ‘dislike’ buttons allow users and vivid listeners to create a more unique listening experience by having an input on what they’d love to hear more of on-air. But there’s still a lot of work to be done.

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The other major short-coming (other than some stability issues, which we’re willing to forgive seeing that it’s early days for this release) is the app’s design. The station says its guiding principle was to focus on function, and build something light, simple and accessible for those that don’t consider themselves early adopters. But there are plenty of questionable interface decisions. For one, the left-hand slide out menu doesn’t work properly when live streaming on a few Android tablets (we used the Vodacom Tab 3G, pictured above, and Alcatel Pop 7). And, while it (the app) will function when you’re browsing around other apps, the visual indicator of its existence disappears the moment you leave the home screen. Then there’s the possibility of your live stream pausing instead of running in the background on iOS devices.

Despite its problems, 5fm’s app is still a pretty compelling product. If you’re not yet hooked on using your device’s built in radio, or on TuneIn’s robust social features it’s certainly worth giving this new comer updated app a look. It has all the basics down pat and at least partially succeeds in its quest to build unique features around the inherently emotional experience of listening to radio.

If your first impression of the Lumia 1020 was like ours, we’re guessing you had a hard time differentiating it from last year’s flagship 925 model. Take a closer look, turn it around even, however, and it becomes more apparent that Nokia’s design team didn’t actually use the past year to catch up on the sleep it lost crafting the 925. The phone maker kept to the same overall style, but it made a few crucial tweaks along the way to improve its fit and finish.

Nokia’s choice of build material wasn’t one of them. If you are a critic of the Lumia plastic construction, you’ll be disappointed with its successor — the company’s continuing its long-standing tradition of keeping metal out of the assembly lines, building the entire device out of polycarbonate.

The biggest benefit in using this type of material is that it offers a little more give when you drop the phone. It’s still plenty sturdy, and it feels like it’s just as durable as the 925. This may be ideal for a large number of potential buyers, but we still prefer the HTC One’s premium build quality and visual appeal, thanks to its use of high-grade aluminum through its entire unibody chassis.

The back of the Lumia 1020 looks different from its Lumia cousins, thanks largely to the 41-megapixel camera module that sticks out of the back. However, the bulge is not as big a problem with the 1020 as it was with the Nokia 808 PureView. The 808 was not the easiest phone to carry around, measuring 13.95mm at its thinnest and 17.95mm thick at the camera module. The Lumia 1020, however, is just 10.40mm at its thickest (you guessed it, the camera module), and the bulge as compared to the rest of the body is not as pronounced as the one in the 808. However, the phone is unable to lie flat on its back; instead it rests at an angle that makes it easier to glance the screen if you are looking from front, an unintended benefit. The phone weighs 158 grams, but doesn’t feel too heavy.

The Lumia 1020 is available in Yellow and White colour options, in addition to the Black that we received as our review unit. The display on the 1020 is bright and the colour reproduction closer to the real world when compared with most other AMOLED displays, similar to what we noted in our Nokia Lumia 925 review.

Nokia claims that its ClearBlack technology ensures that users see truer blacks, which in turn enhances the contrast of the display, thanks mainly to reduced reflections on the screen. The result is a screen that is easy to use, even in bright sunlight.

Needless to say, the highlight of the Nokia Lumia 1020 is its 41-megapixel camera, so we’ll be focusing most of our energy on this section. While the sensor inside the Lumia 1020 is 41-megapixel, the pictures it clicks are either 38-megapixel or 34-megapixel, depending upon if you are clicking pictures in 4:3 mode or 16:9, similar to what we saw in the Nokia 808 PureView.

While Nokia has worked hard to improve the hardware behind the camera, the software side seems to have regressed a bit. The default camera app on the Lumia 1020 is Nokia Pro Cam that seems to be lacking a few options found in the year-old Nokia. With the 808 you could choose to simultaneously click photographs in 2-megapixel, 3-megapixel, 5-megapixel or 8-megapixel effective resolutions, in addition to 34-megapixel or 38-megapixel full blown images. With the 1020, however, you are limited to a 5-megapixel image in addition to the 34-megapixel (16:9 mode) and 38-megapixel (4:3 mode) full-sized image.

Having said that, Nokia Pro Cam offers plenty of control to experienced users letting them adjust the exposure, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and, of course, focus as per their needs. This can be done using controls at the top right (while holding the phone in landscape mode) of the screen or by dragging the on-screen click button to the left to reveal a grid of circular lines. The app also gives a live preview of how the resultant image would look when you, say, adjust the white balance. The app also offers options for shutter delay and exposure bracketing, which can be used for creating manual HDR images.

Nokia Pro Cam is one of the many camera apps (or lenses as they are called in Windows Phone) installed on the Lumia 1020 and that can be a little confusing for users. You can switch to any of these apps by clicking the switch lens button on the bottom right of the screen, but remember that only the Nokia Pro Cam can take 34-/38-megapixel pictures. The other lenses (apps) that the Lumia 1020 ships with are Bing Vision, Camera360, the default Windows Phone Camera, Nokia Cinemagraph, Nokia Smart Cam, Panorama and Vyclone.

The Lumia 1020 comes with 32GB of non-expandable storage, with 29.12GB available for the end user. While that seems like plenty of storage, on a phone that captures large-sized images, an option to have expandable storage would’ve been nice. In case you are wondering, the 1020 comes with FM radio support, which can be utilised thanks to the pre-installed Amber Update. Nokia Lumia 1020 is priced at R10 000 which makes it slightly more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and considerably pricier than other flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, Sony Xperia Z1 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra.

Yes, shutterbugs will love the Lumia 1020 camera, but at the price tag one has to wonder if they are perhaps better off buying a point-and-shoot camera, which are getting smaller, easier to carry bodies and bigger sensors, and a mid-level smartphone. If you want one that runs Windows Phone, pick the Nokia Lumia 925 which is still our favourite Windows Phone running device.

BlackBerry took a bold move (not to be confused with their Bold line of handsets) by bringing a follow up to the 9700. In size, the 9720 has grown drastically compared to the 9700, but it is slimmer. It’s not THAT slim though – at only 12mm  it’s substantially thicker than many modern touchscreen phones. But it is lightweight, weighing just 120g. Build quality is quite good.

The phone features an excellent, ergonomic keyboard plus an optical trackpad and a touchscreen. The screen is larger than traditional BlackBerries, measuring 2.8 inches, which is still tiny compared with most touchscreen phones, but the 9720 has the advantage of the physical keyboard, meaning that none of the screen needs to be taken up by a virtual keyboard. For messaging and many business apps, the lack of screen real estate won’t be an issue.

The 480 x 360 screen resolution isn’t so impressive, but for a mid-range phone it’s tolerable. It works out as 214 ppi pixel density, which means that text is fairly sharp, but it’s certainly no high-end display. Font sizes are adjustable for ease of reading.

Dwelling back at BB7, for a company that’s invested years in a new OS (BlackBerry 10) it’s more than odd to see it rolling out a new phone with an ancient version of the operating system. Is this an indication that BlackBerry users really don’t want to change? Quite possibly, and we could blame majority of the African markets for that.

Whatever the reason, booting up the 9720 it feels like we’ve returned to a world where BlackBerry was sexy and everything was just good with the world. The touchscreen interface works well and is in many ways less confusing than BlackBerry 10. And everything is here – email, office documents, corporate security and social media. The web browser may be slow, but everything just works. Yet at the same time, it feels like a step backwards, and there’s a definite lack of apps here.

As it is a mid-range device, so we’re not expecting massive specs here. The processor is really quite slow, at just 800MHz. That was OK back in 2009, but now it feels underpowered. There’s only 512MB of RAM too, so we won’t be running any kind of demanding apps on this device, nor multitasking. The onboard memory of 512 MB eMMC is really very limiting. You can add a microSD card (you’re going to need it), but only up to a maximum of 32GB.

BlackBerries aren’t really made for multimedia, so photography isn’t high on the device’s list of skills. The rear-facing camera has a 5 megapixel sensor and uses EDOF (Extended Depth of Field). It has a flash and digital zoom and is probably suitable for casual snaps. The battery is relatively small, at 1450mAh, but that’s plenty to power a device with a small screen and a frugal hardware. Up to 7 hours talk time is possible between charges. Then again, where have you heard of a BlackBerry lasting through an entire day with just one charge? During our rundown test of normal daily use the 9720 managed to make it past the 15h00 mark, right after lunch which of course means loads of picture snapping, replying to BBM messages and a handful of emails. All of this while we’re connected to the SA Vibe network and 3G.

Connectivity includes WiFi (2.4GHz, 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1 and USB. It’s a 3G phone of course with quadband support for both UMTS (2100/1900/850/800 MHz) and GSM EDGE (1900/1800/900/850 MHz), with HSDPA providing fast internet connections with download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps.

To conclude; this BlackBerry is an affordable phone that offers the advantage of a touchscreen OS plus a full physical QWERTY keyboard. That makes it a an attractive option compared to entry-level QWERTY phones like the Nokia Asha 302 or the BlackBerry Curve 9320. And yet it doesn’t give a lot more than those cheaper devices. The slow processor, limited memory and low screen resolution all limit the usefulness of the 9720 and make it hard to justify the extra cost. If the 9720 is well in your budget and somewhat appeals to your needs, it will set you back R2499 this festive season.

You wouldn’t know it’s an incremental update based on early sales figures, however. Apple managed to move more than nine million iPhones during launch weekend a few weeks ago and early reports suggest the 5s was the top-selling phone at major US carriers in September — surprisingly, it’s the cheaper 5c that is not doing as well. That said, there is some new technology inside the 5s that is partly responsible for its early success, namely the all-new 64-bit A7 processor and the Touch ID fingerprint reader built into the phone’s Home button. Vodacom sent over a review iPhone 5s for our leisure, so much it was not.

Hardware & Design

Only a couple of subtle design changes clue you in as to whether you’re looking at a 5s versus last year’s model. The new phone retains the same two-tone aluminum and glass construction, the same 4-inch Retina display operating at 1,136 x 640 pixels (326 ppi) and identical button placement.

The display looks as good as ever (although perhaps a tiny bit warmer than the iPhone 5) and while the 4-inch phone fits nicely in my rather gigantic hand, I really would like to have seen something larger from Apple. I suspect this will come with next year’s iPhone 6 as Cupertino has likely held onto the idea of a small, pocketable phone for about as long as they can. Something in the 5-inch range seems plausible as virtually every Android on the market now ships with a screen size in this range or larger.

If you’re coming from a 4s or a different brand of phone altogether, you’ll likely immediately notice how lightweight the iPhone 5s feels in the hand. It weighs just 112 grams yet given the superb glass and aluminum construction, it feels very solid although its squared-off edges aren’t the most comfortable when holding for a long period of time.

The headphone jack is still positioned on the bottom of the phone which may seem like an odd choice until you realize that whenever you put your phone into your pocket, you naturally do so with the top facing down. This would make listing to music with the included EarPods much more convenient although at other times, it could be a nuisance.

Only the redesigned Home button with embedded Touch ID sensor and the addition of a second LED flash on the rear of the phone indicate this is a new iPhone model. On one hand, this is a good thing as existing iPhone 5 accessories like cases will still work with the 5s, but at the same time, you aren’t getting a flashy new handset that will grab attention like a completely redesigned phone might.

The 5s is available in three different colors: Space Grey, Gold and Silver. Everything else – from the dimensions and the weight of the phone to the speaker grill layout – is identical to the iPhone 5.

The Touch ID fingerprint reader is built into the Home button. A metallic ring encircles the Home button which is a bit less concave and no longer has an icon printed on it. This sensor can be used to unlock the phone, thus eliminating the need to enter in a passcode each time you want to unlock the device (you do use a passcode, right?). Additionally, Touch ID can authorize iTunes purchases with a single tap.

My past experiences with fingerprint readers like the ones that shipped with notebooks for a spell had led me to the conclusion that they were little more than a gimmick. Touch ID has changed my mind. It is far and away my favorite feature on the 5s and is extremely convenient if you need to access your phone multiple times a day.

The initial setup process takes a minute or two to complete. You are asked to place a finger on the sensor and hold it for a moment then lift and repeat. During this time, the sensor is scanning the complex contours of your fingerprint and once complete, you’ll be able to use that digit to unlock the device and authorize purchases.

You can add up to five fingerprints – either all yours or the prints of someone you wish to share the phone with. The system is nearly flawless in its implementation as it will recognize a finger even if it is turned completely upside-down. I had several friends try to unlock the phone using their prints; all failed. The only time the system didn’t recognize my own print was if my finger was damp. Otherwise, it worked every time.

As we’ve learned in recent weeks, there are methods to circumvent the sensor but given the complexity of those measures, it’s not likely that it’d be worth the time and effort to do. And the good thing about fingerprints is that you can’t forget them like a passcode. What’s more, those concerned that Apple is building a database full of iPhone 5s users’ fingerprints don’t have to worry as all prints are encrypted and stored locally on the device in a secure area of the CPU.

My previous iPhone was white, my first non-black one ever, as I had heard about the scratching problems on the black version and decided to stay away. This time I went with the space grey version and have noticed no scratches whatsoever even though my iPhone, as always, goes au naturel. Space grey looks great and the elevated ring around the Touch ID home button adds a nice touch. However, let’s light a candle for the departed rounded square icon on the home button, which has been around since the original iPhone. The one disadvantage of no longer having the icon it that fingerprints, ironically, show up more.

As before, the iPhone feels great in the hand, light but solid, and although it’s easy to get jaded about the fact that the form factor didn’t change, it’s hard to argue with what works. There are many Android phones that get one or two things better than the iPhone, but nothing that puts the whole package together to seriously rival it as the best smartphone for most people. That’s not to say there aren’t cases where it makes sense to go with a different phone, but those are largely exceptions to the rule for most consumers.

One conclusion I have reached, however, is that it’s finally time for a larger screen size. Bigger screens are pretty much the only major advantage any decent Android phone has over the iPhone. I understand why Apple has hesitated, they value user experience more than most, and wouldn’t just make a bigger screen unless the experience could be maintained. My guess is with the new 64-bit A7, and the inevitably faster processor in 2014, they will finally be able to take away the last major advantage of Android devices. That said, a larger screen, in 2013, just isn’t worth the tradeoffs in an inferior Android user experience and ecosystem. This makes the iPhone 5s, despite being an incremental upgrade, a smart purchase for iPhone 5 owners, and a no-brainer for anyone still running and older iOS or Android device. At the end of the day, the iPhone 5s is an excellent phone, but whether it’s the right choice for you will depend on what you are looking for in a device. If a smallish screen and an ecosystem that’s still locked down substantially compared to Android isn’t a problem, the 5s is a great choice. If you desire a phone that pushes the bounds of tablet territory like a Galaxy Note 3 and you want more freedom over the OS, keep looking.

*Review device supplied to us by Vodacom 

The Maslow App

Platform : iOS, Android and Blackberry

Price : Free

Where : App Store, Google Play, Blackberry App World

The Maslow has been rather quick (locally) to catch on to the potential power of apps for people wanting to book a room or a holiday, overnight business visit or like me; attending another launch event. With versions available for iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry and Android, the company (under Sun International) has thankfully, however, realised that different products serve different purposes.

Any frequent traveler will tell you the value of sticking with one hotel chain and one airline as much as you can. It’s all about the points! Sure there are times when it makes more sense from a location and price factor to stay at a different hotel, but when all things are equal it pays to stay at the same chain as often as possible. One of the perks (and trust me, there aren’t many of them) business travelers often get is the ability to keep their points/mileage. This really comes in handy at vacation time because it often means that you can go to a nice place and stay for free! Although I’ve traditionally been a Radisson guy whenever I visit Jozi, I’m finding myself more at The Maslow these days than ever before. So I went in search of an App and yep, The Maslow has one.

It doesn’t really take much to make a good Hotel App. Think about the things you would want. You probably want to be able to do a search, see the rates, book your stay, see your upcoming reservations and view your points. The Maslow app does all of these things plus a couple more. The App is pretty straight forward. It’s Free and does what I need.
Some of the tools and features included in this app is the ability to make reservations within the app itself. This means no matter where you are, you can easily launch the app and book a stay. view the hotel’s amenities and multiple meeting facilities, check out the map, and view pictures of the hotel.

For this hands on review, I tried the app on all three platforms using the BlackBerry 9720, iPhone 5s, Samsung GS4 and tablets; iPad 3 and Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10. I love how the app recognizes and adjusts to your model of smartphone handset. On the other hand the tablet and iPad version needs some working on. Navigation on the app feels sturdy yet it freezes and tends to be slow at times. Then there’s also the tempting but annoying Specials tab which leads you to a rather enormous web page (found on the hotels homepage), while this is convenient it’s highly annoying for some of us on our mobiles having to browse a desktop size page.

One thing that I think is pretty neat is that you can pre-order amenities to be in your room upon arrival. For example, let’s say you know you’re going to be getting in late. Probably too late for dinner. So you can order a couple of snacks to be on hand (room service) to tie you over until morning. Nice! The App also has that Specials section with deals I mentioned earlier and most importantly offers the option of remembering your username and password. If you frequent Sun International properties, this is one app you should have.

Surprisingly, the guys at Veronica Group IT Strategy (the developers) managed to implement play-for-free games on the app. Well, for, perhaps when you’re stuck at the airport or waiting for a friend to check out at The Maslow. Downloading the free games is easy, you simply press on the start download tab and you wait for the notification to prompt completion on your screen. Great stuff!

To conclude; we love The Maslow app, seeing that it’s the only SAn Hotel app with substance and the ability to cater for your basic booking needs it comes out tops in our SA Vibe App of the Year awards.. Only if there were such.

*In the initial draft of this review we mentioned a certain competitor as group owner of The Maslow Hotel. Fact remains, as mentioned in this review, The Maslow is owned by Sun International. Thanks to Veronica for pointing this out in the comments section.

Personally, I can’t think of a good reason why you’d want to buy the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1. All the 10.1 does is rehash old ideas we’ve seen on on the Tab and Tab 2, many of which should be gone by now.

The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is simply a slightly larger cut from the Galaxy S4. Obviously that means it’s thin (0.3 inches, actually a hair thinner than the S4) and light, and that it has the physical home button I’ve grown to love. It also means it’s made of slimy, greasy plastic that proudly displays fingerprints and just doesn’t feel good to hold and use. Most owners love the speakers and its bright display and because of its plastic finish is also very light. However, there is also a downside to being made from plastic, and that is a cheap feel that can often creak while playing games for long periods of time.

It’s sturdy and dense, but doesn’t feel premium like the iPad or the Xperia Tablet Z. It does have a microSD card slot for expanding storage beyond the included 32GB, but that’s its only real advantage.

The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 has a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 TFT screen that would be more at home on, well, last year’s Galaxy Tab. Or the Galaxy Note 10.1. Or the Tab 3 8.0, which puts as many pixels in a far smaller display. It’s a decent display, with solid viewing angles and color reproduction, but it’s bested by many others in its class. When so many of Samsung’s other devices have such great screens, and when the company clearly has access to spectacular tablet displays, the lethargic improvements here don’t really make sense.

The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1’s high sticker price should mean it packs in loads of bells and whistles, including, perhaps, a better camera, but it doesn’t. The 3-megapixel rear camera is serviceable: colors are balanced and images are sufficiently detailed, though you won’t be able to set focus. It’s adequate enough to capture action shots from the sidelines (sorry, no burst mode), but it’s not something we’d recommend relying on for your next round of vacation photos. The UI is straightforward too and doesn’t confuse users with an abundance of settings options. You have the ability to add a filter, toggle exposure / white balance and swap to different scene modes. But for the most part, auto mode is good enough. Video recording is much the same and maxes out at 720p. Again, the GTab 3 10.1 shouldn’t be your go-to for any memories in the making. It’s a decent fallback option, but nothing more.

Samsung did make a few hardware tweaks, though, some good and some bad. You don’t need a proprietary charger anymore, since the Tab 3 just needs Micro USB to work — I like that. I don’t like that the speakers have been moved from the front to the sides; they still sound better than I’d expect from a tablet, but they’re much quieter and easier to block than on the Tab 2. Plus, the speakers broke up what is otherwise a pretty drab design, with only the home button and a huge Samsung logo to catch your eye. My review unit was white all over with a silver edge, and there’s an all-black version that’s slightly more eye-catching. For me that is.

With a 6,800mAh battery sealed beneath its plasticky white shell, the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is designed to last and last. In all of our time with the tablet, battery life was never a concern. Left to idle with slight to moderate usage, the GTab 3 10.1 can easily last about a week. We still had a charge on our unit that was just below half capacity at four days in and that’s without the battery-saving mode turned on. Still, on our more rigorous battery rundown test, the tablet yielded a result of six hours and 55 minutes. That’s a big drop from last year’s model, which made it almost to the nine-hour-mark — unsurprising, we suppose, since the Tab 2 had a bigger 7,000mAh battery.

R6 500 is a tough asking price for a tablet that hasn’t changed much from its last generation. For about R2 000 less, you can take home 2012’s Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and enjoy the same 1,280 x 800 resolution, dual-core experience, camera setup and 16GB internal storage allotment. If your search for a mid-range Android tablet has you looking outside of Samsung’s Galaxy lineup, there’s Lenovo’s Yoga Tablet 10 to consider. It matches up with almost a similar resolution, storage configuration and adds in a quad-core CPU for nearly R1 500 less.

Those that follow me on twitter would have notice how excited I was to write this review, I simply had to tweet about it over and over again. But to ease on the over-excitement and bias-like feedback on the device I opted to try the device out for a few more days, which turned out to be weeks. I had finally put the 925 through every test possible including those with the camera; low light or not, indoors and by the pool.

Many a review have dubbed the Lumia 925 to be the best Lumia handset yet, of course I agree. The 925 is lighter, sturdier and fits perfectly in the palm of my hand for that grip I so love. Under the hood, the 925 is still the same phone as the 920 we played host to a few months ago. Although the camera is fractions better, with minor hardware improvements, slimmer, lighter weight and much much more attractive looks.

The Lumia 925 is all held together by an aluminum frame with a durable polycarbonate plastic back, whilst you’ll find an impressive 4.5-inch glass screen at the front. At first glance, the aluminum looks and even feels really nice and smooth compared to the odd polycarb we’re used to. However, it somewhat feels like the metal you’ll find on your iPhone5 (assuming you have one, ’cause I have one) and HTC One. Be cautious as the Al is prone to scratches, I have witnessed this and its best you get a screen-guard or sleeve for this one.  I have had my review device for close to two weeks now and I’ts already attracted a few dings and scratches.

We’ve seen the Lumia 925 campaign where Nokia makes a big deal out of its camera. There’s a dedicated shutter button on the side that you can use to launch the camera app, which is convenient when you have to quickly snap a pic without having to unlock and browse through a handful of apps to get to it. It goes without saying that Nokia, thanks to Pureview Carl Zeiss, has the best cameras you can find on any smarphone we have tested.

Coming in with an 8.7-megapixel sensor, ISO up to 800 and 1080p capture at 30 fps, all through an f/2.0 Carl Zeiss lens. Within that lens, there’s been some improvements, however, although nothing quite as progressive (or impressive) as optical image stabilization or lossless zoom. Alongside noise-compression algorithms and software-based tweaks, Nokia’s added a sixth glass element to the five-lens Carl Zeiss setup seen on the rest of the Lumia 920 series. We’ve been promised that this would improve the sharpness of images — something we did indeed notice during two weeks of testing.

Then there’s Nokia’s new Smart Camera that’s worth talking about too, as it offers up new ways to capture and share what you see around you. It’s the replacement for the burst-shot Lens app Smart Shoot, and Nokia promises that the brunt of the features on display here will appear on its other WP8 phones, so if you’ve already invested in a Lumia,  you’ll be getting similar photo-tinkering goodness very soon.

Although the camera is Nokia’s selling point, don’t let that be deciding factor, unless you’re looking for a all-in-one replacement to your digital camera. Fact remains, its a Windows Phone and MS’s Windows Phone 8 still has some annoying quirks and restricted apps.

While developers still refer to make their Apps for Android and iPhone (iOS) because Windows only hold a tiny ‘.’ <- that tiny percentage, of the smartphone market. In other words, they see no need creating apps where no-one is going to use them.

That means the Lumia 925 is missing a lot of popular apps that iPhone and Android users love: Vine, Instagram, Gmail, Google Maps, and so on. Even the Facebook app isn’t made by Facebook. It’s made by Microsoft with Facebook’s permission. That means you’re not always getting the latest mobile features.

Those that have already invested in a Lumia or any Windows Phone for that matter kindly nod in agreement when I say WP is still not there in terms of software. Its just not sufficient. some readers might head to the comment section and justify how they don’t need the likes of Instagram (coming soon to WP8), Google+, and BBM but these omissions represent a larger picture people. These app makers aren’t particularly bothered that they’re missing out on Windows Phone, and as such, it’s likely that future apps you do want won’t make it to Microsoft’s OS, even if they’re already available on iOS and Android.

The Lumia 935 runs on the same dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor seen on its predecessor, the Lumia 925 copes just fine flipping between apps in the multitasking menu, or pulling up media-dense websites. This bad boy does a pretty good job handling what’s a typical mediocre workload to us. Unlike Samsung’s memory spand errors, the 925 has 1GB of system memory and anoter 16GB of storage for your music, pictures and files assorted.

With the same battery, processor, resolution and screen size (if not technology), we expected a battery rundown to offer comparable times to the Lumia 920 on the same 2,000mAh battery, and we were right. As we’ve played with it over the last five days, we noticed that real-world use was actually longer than what we were expecting from a Nokia Windows Phone. Whether that’s due to the AMOLED display (and how it handles black output without expending much power) or that always-on clock that meant we weren’t as obsessive with powering the device on all the time, we were able to last a good day and a half on a single charge.

[quote_right]Engraved on my review device is a simple ‘I love you’ [/quote_right]

To conclude, Nokia has really up their game with the 925, All the flwas and errors we saw on the 800, 820 and 920 have been attended to. The colours and design are more understated, with the hardware lighter and thinner. Our complains about the Windows Phone OS still stands and after the Nokia World event a few weeks ago, we don’t see much changing in the next few months. Nokia has also succeeded in making sure the 935 stands out from the rest of the series, despite poor local marketing. Engraved on my review device is a simple ‘I love you’ at the lower rear, just below the speaker. This engravement, has set me back a mere R8 999.