Imagine a phone that’s not just a device, but a work of art. Introducing the vivo Y36, a true masterpiece that blends technology with style, making it the ultimate companion for all your adventures. vivo, known for shaking up the smartphone scene, is back with a bang, and this time, it’s all about turning heads, capturing moments, and keeping you connected in style.

Alright, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of what makes the Y36 a total showstopper. This gadget comes armed with features that’ll make you swoon – think of it as your tech crush. Picture a Premium Crystal Glass design that’s as breathtaking as a clear blue sky. And that’s just the beginning! With Glitter Aqua and Meteor Black colour options, the Y36 brings a splash of colour and personality to your fingertips.

Now, let’s talk about charging – because who has time to wait around? The Y36 comes with a mind-blowing 44W Flash Charge that’ll juice up your phone at lightning speed. No more long waits for your battery to bounce back – just a quick zap, and you’re good to go. Plus, with a whopping 5000mAh Large Battery, you’re set for an uninterrupted tech adventure.

But that’s not all, folks! The Y36 isn’t just about looks and speed; it’s got the brains to match. Under the hood, it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon® 680 Mobile Platform, ensuring you can multitask like a pro, game like a champ, and launch apps in the blink of an eye. And if you’re worried about running out of RAM, fear not! The 8 GB + 8 GB Extended RAM means you can keep up to 24 apps running simultaneously – talk about a multitasking marvel!

Let’s talk camera game, shall we? The Y36’s camera system is the real MVP here. With a whopping 50 MP HD Main Camera, your photos will be popping with clarity and vibrancy. And if you’re into those dreamy portrait shots, the 2 MP Bokeh Camera has your back. But wait, there’s more – a 2 MP Super Macro Camera for those up-close wonders, and a 16 MP HD Front Portrait Camera for selfies that’ll make your friends jealous. Oh, and did we mention the Double Exposure feature? Your photos are about to get a major artistic upgrade!

But here’s the real deal-sealer: vivo’s got your back even after you snag this beauty. With official service centers and third-party suppliers all over, you’re covered in case of any tech hiccups. Plus, they promise speedy repairs and only use original spare parts – it’s like having a tech guardian angel.

So, there you have it – the vivo Y36, a smartphone that’s not just a device, but a lifestyle upgrade. It’s a style statement, a tech marvel, and a memory maker, all rolled into one. Ready to take your tech game to the next level? The vivo Y36 is waiting, and trust us, you won’t want to miss this futuristic, fabulous ride! All for R6 999.

If the Vivo X50 was designed to bring a sense of confidence and serenity, the X50 Pro sends a message of luxury. That is mostly thanks to the glass material it uses on the back of its premium configuration.

It’s still a rather eccentric touch by today’s standards but not entirely original to some extent. After all, Apple is known for its glass rear obsession.

More than just being flashy, that textured glass back does also serve a practical purpose. It increases the phone’s gripp-ness, making it easier to hold the phone with confidence. That’s especially important given how thin and light the X50 Pro is, opposing the power it packs inside.

The front of the phone may not be as fancy but it is from being unexceptional, especially when the display is turned on. You’ll easily forget the punch-hole cut-out in the corner as your eyes take in the colours of the 6.56 AMOLED FHD+ display, which is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate. It is one of the brightest and most vibrant screens we’ve come across, making it easier to use the phone even under a bright sun.

The X50 Pro makes a few compromises in the hardware department, save for one important camera detail we’ll get to later. That means you’re getting 2020’s best, or at least early 2020, with a Snapdragon 765G providing the muscle, including 5G connectivity. There’s ample 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

What all this boils down to is a smartphone that won’t be wanting in power for whatever purpose you may have for it, be it for number-crunching games, frantic multi-tasking, or long days of binge-watching. We reckon synthetic benchmarks will put it around the area of this year’s top smartphones, though your own mileage will vary, of course. Suffice it to say, we found no instance of the Vivo X50 Pro chocking on any of the tasks we put it to.

Sooner or later, however, that phone’s battery will run out, even if it’s a large 4,315 mAh pack. That’s where Vivo’s 44W charging comes in. It only took 30 minutes to charge the phone from about 32% to 100%, well in line with the manufacturer’s advertised figures. Of course, you’ll need to always use Vivo’s charger for that magic to happen.

Vivo explains that the X series has always been geared towards offering pro photography features, but it is also where the phone makes its one and most important compromise. Unlike the somewhat entry range X50, the X50 Pro sports Vivo’s touted new gimbal system.

That said, it was almost as if the Vivo X50 Pro was made for the gimbal action, at least for taking still photos.

Of course, the X50 Pro has a dedicated night mode which, like all night modes, uses an HDR-like algorithm to compose multiple exposures into one bright shot. It works great even though you do not have a steady hand. It’s one of the many areas where that gimbal works wonders.

The X50 Pro does have a 5x optical zoom lens attached to a 13-megapixel sensor and while the output isn’t terrible, it’s not exactly outstanding either. Colour reproduction seems to be a bit inconsistent, depending on your zoom level, though at 5x zoom the amount of detail captured is quite impressive. The advertised 60x zoom is, of course, a hybrid type that is barely usable.

Although Vivo has a specific smartphone line just for selfies, the X50 Pro’s 32-megapixel front camera takes great photos nonetheless. Our only criticism, as always, is the creamy output even when beauty mode is turned off. Speaking of modes, Vivo’s camera app naturally supports a good number of them, even going as far as modifying aspects of your face if that is your thing.

The Vivo X50 Pro runs on the company’s latest Funtouch OS version that’s thankfully based on Android 10. That is not, however, the most notable part of the phone’s software experience.

The Vivo X50 Pro is an admirable 2020 premium smartphone that ticks all the boxes without going overboard. Powerful specs, well-performing cameras, and no-nonsense fast charging make it a well-balanced option in the smartphone market today. It definitely has the makings of a contender in the premium smartphone race but a spec sheet does not a successful smartphone make.

Unfortunately, these very same features also make it harder to stand out from the crowd. In that sense, the Vivo X50 Pro with its Gimbal System stands a better chance at getting noticed. The R17499 is definitely worth noting but rather unwarranted as the LG Velvet 5G comes in at R11799.

The APEX 2020 has been setup with a 6.45-inch display that has a pretty extreme curve around the sides of the phone. Vivo says that the display curves 120-degrees around the edges, and the images show us that the sides of the phone are almost entirely covered in the display. That, of course, means that there’s no room for physical buttons, which have been replaced by “a virtual pressure-sensing button.”

In a press release issued late last week, Vivo spends a significant amount of times talking about the camera tech on the APEX 2020. Not only is the front camera normally hidden behind the display, the back camera is equipped with continuous optical zoom. The APEX 2020 can apparently produce 5x-7.5x continuous optical zoom by tapping into a “4-group lens combination,” where two groups of lenses are fixed in place and the other two are movable. Despite that, Vivo says that the entire lens module is only 6.2mm thick.

The rear camera also makes use of a “gimbal-like structure” to bolster optical image stabilisation. “Lab tests demonstrate that compared to the tradition OIS system, its stabilisation angle is 200% extended,” Vivo wrote last week, noting that the phone’s stabilisation chops allow it to extend exposure time without any extra hardware, in turn making low-light photos turn out better.

The APEX 2020 is a completely closed phone that doesn’t have any ports, which means that it relies on wireless charging. Vivo has implemented its own Wireless Super FlashCharge 60W in this phone, which it says can charge a 2,000mAh battery in 20 minutes. We don’t know how big the battery in the APEX 2020 is (we assume it’s larger than 2,000mAh), but regardless, Vivo’s point is that it can be charged up quickly even without a USB-C port.

So, there you have it: Vivo’s APEX 2020 concept. Judging from what Vivo shared last week, it’s an impressive phone, but since we’re lacking a full specification sheet, we don’t have a complete picture of its capabilities. Still, it’ll be interesting to see if things like that display or that optical zoom module make their way to other Vivo phones this year, so stay tuned for more.

A line-up of Mzansi’s top acts including Nadia Nakai, Lady Zamar and Nasty C, will bring an exciting celebration of freedom, fun and the freshest sounds to the festival on Saturday. To add more flavour to the line-up, Busiswa, Shekhinah, DJ Maphorisa, Samthing Soweto and Kabza De Small will turn the Sunday into something of an essential date for lovers of Mzansi’s versatile sounds.

Complementing SA’s best talent will be three of Gauteng’s most sought-after pop-up social events. Until Until, HomeComing and WeHeartBeat will bring the boldness behind one of the country’s most unique festival experiences and use the VIVOnation platform to showcase what it means to be #UNcontained.

Saturday, 4 April line-up is as follows:
Nadia Nakai, Lady Zamar and Nasty C

Sunday, 5 April line-up:
Busiswa, Shekhinah, DJ Maphorisa, Samthing Soweto and Kabza De Small.

Tickets cost R150 per person and include an R80 non-refundable food and drinks voucher and free Park and Ride from Newtown. Tickets are available at vivonation.co.za.

According to Martina Biene, Head of the Volkswagen Brand, music has always been an intrinsic bedrock for the South African society.

“Music has always been South Africa’s 12th official language and continues to play an important role in shaping Mzansi’s pop-culture. VIVOnation 2020 promises to be more than just a music festival but a movement that brings South Africans together – going to the culture and celebrating the creatives, makers, game-changers and pioneers who are the freedom seekers and embody what it means to live Uncontained.” Biene adds. “This year’s installation will be a one of a kind creative festival that brings different artists, multiple stages and unique experiences to VIVOnation.