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ROAD-TRIP TECH SPECIAL:

•T E C H

S M A R T S

ISSUE 59 | JANUARY 2017 | TECHLIFER APPLE NEWSSTAND & GOOGLE PLAY

TECHLIFER

M A D E

WE’VE TRACKED DOWN THE BEST IN-CAR GEAR, FROM DASHCAMS AND PHONE MOUNTS TO ENTERTAINMENT DEVICES, CHARGERS AND QUICK CLEAN-UP EQUIPMENT!

S I M P L E•

BINGE LIKE A BOSS

GREAT GEAR FOR THE NEW YEAR!

HOT NEW TECH EXPERT REVIEWED * PRO-PHOTO PHONE ACCESSORIES: TAKE BETTER SNAPS ON THE GO! * FRUGAL FITNESS TRACKERS: GET IN SHAPE WITHOUT SPENDING BIG * GOOGLE DAYDREAM VR, NINTENDO MINI NES, GEAR S3 WATCH & MORE!

TOP-NOTCH TECH TUTORIALS

HEAPS OF PRACTICAL KNOW-HOW * SAFELY BUY AN IMPORT SMARTPHONE * SET UP INTERNET PARENTAL CONTROLS * GET RICH NOTIFICATIONS ON iPHONE AUSTRALIA $9.95 • NEW ZEALAND $10.90 INC GST PRINT POST APPROVED: 100000180 • ISSN: 1322–3712

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PRO TRIX FOR NETFLIX

BE A SLICKER STREAMER ACCESS HIDDEN SETTINGS, FORCE QUALITY & RESOLUTION, USE LESS BANDWIDTH ON THE GO & MORE MUST-READ TIPS

MEDIA STREAMING DEVICES TESTED

STREAM EVERYTHING ON ANY TV GET ALL THE STREAMING SERVICES & APPS (EVEN ON OLDER TVs ) + IS IT WORTH IMPORTING ONE?

SOUP-UP YOUR TV’s SOUND

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[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

EDITORIAL UNFETTERED SPECULATION

[ EYES ON THE ROAD ]

Tech and driving: what’s safe? TECHLIFE’S EDITOR SAYS TECH CERTAINLY HAS A PLACE IN YOUR CAR, BUT THAT USING IT STILL REQUIRES CAUTION. [ DAN GARDINER ]

ALONGSIDE OUR STREAMING cover story this month, we’ve also tested a variety of products designed to be used in the car. Now, while tech in the car can certainly be both helpful and fun, it’d be remiss of us to not address the gorilla in the room — and that’s the safety element. While up-to-date Australian statistics about mobile phonesas a cause of accidents is hard to come by, all of Australia’s state and territory governments agree that distraction is one of the biggest contributors to car crashes; according to the Queensland Government’s 2012 ’State of the Road’ report, about one-quarter of accidents are due to driverdistraction. The laws around phone usevary subtlyby state, but they’re fairly uniform in terms of intent; in order to do anything on a smartphone, it needs to be placed in a cradle —holding your phone is completely out — and you can only use certain types of apps, such as for GPS navigation or music playback. (In NSW, as of December 1st, 2016it’s also now completely illegal for learner and P-plate drivers to use a smartphone at all — even if that’s exclusively for something like GPS purposes.) Internationally, the US Government has actually moved tomandate that smartphones have an in-car equivalent to ‘airplane mode’, which will specificallyrestrict what can be done [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

with the device while you’re driving. Thankfully, phone makers do seem to be moving in this direction already actually —Google’s recently made its answer to the problem more widely available:Android Auto, the company’s specific hands-free app, will now run on any Android phone, not just those connected to a compatible in-car Android Autosystem. (We’ve actually reviewed it on page 32 of this issue.) In practical terms, the best advice is the same as it’s always been, then — ideally, don’t use your device at all when you’re behind the wheel, and if you must use it, do so sparingly and with specific hands-free, car-optimised apps. Perhaps most important is to resist the temptation to read and reply to text messages;even if you’re dictating replies via a digital assistant (like Siri or Google Assistant), flicking your eyes over toreading those messages isstill stealing enough of your focus to be dangerous. And even if your eyes are taken away from the road for just a few seconds, that’s all it takes for the worst to happen. So be sensible: use caution when using your smartphone when you’re in the driver’s seat. [ 03 ]

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

WELCOME IN THIS ISSUE

067

BINGE LIKE A BOSS TUNE IN, TURN IT UP & STREAM ON WITH THESE TERRIFIC TV UPGRADES!

[ PAGE 032 ]

Dishonored 2, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Tyranny and more.

[ 04 ]

046

014

[ THIS MONTH IN TECHLIFE ]

016

Intro

[ 003 ] Editorial

047

[ 007 ] The Wall

Hotspot [ 008 ] [ 010 ] [ 012 ] [ 013 ] [ 014 ] [ 015 ] [ 016 ] [ 017 ]

LG V20 Essential tech news Sony PlayStation 4 Pro The news in numbers Google Daydream View Kickstarted! Nintendo Classic Mini Pop science

Features

Smartphone pro-photo gear In-car accessories [ 062 ] Dashcams [ 088 ] Tech frontiers primer: The Internet of Things [ 054 ] [ 057 ]

Cover story

[ 018 ]

[ 067 ]

Discover

Apps worth paying for [ 027 ] Podcasts for the page-turners [ 028 ] Get hands on with emerging tech [ 030 ] Best podcast app [ 032 ] New apps for every platform [ 036 ] Unearthed [ 038 ] PC & console game reviews [ 042 ] Bajo’s gaming year in review [ 044 ] Mobile game reviews [ 024 ]

Test Bench

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch HP Pavilion Wave Desktop [ 048 ] HP Elite x2 1012 G1 [ 049 ] LG X Power [ 046 ] [ 047 ]

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 050 ]

Bargain Hunter

Importing a smartphone [ 020 ] Frugal fitness trackers

050

Samsung Gear S3 Tile Slim [ 051 ] JBL Everest 100 [ 051 ] Optoma Nuforce BE6i [ 052 ] Drobo 5N [ 053 ] BenQ W11000 [ 049 ]

Binge like a boss

Help Station

[ 092 ] Q&A — Your questions answered

Share securely in Windows with HomeGroups [ 096 ] Organise photos in macOS Sierra [ 098 ] Get richer notifications in iOS 10 [ 100 ] How to use Android’s Developer Mode [ 102 ] Make your phone anonymous with Orbot [ 104 ] Set up parental controls on your router [ 106 ] Master your DSLR: Image sensors [ 094 ]

Buyer’s Guide [ 110 ]

The best tech products [ 05 ]

[ DOWNLOADS ]

SOFTWARE EXCLUSIVE TECHLIFE DOWNLOADS

Exclusive software FULL-VERSION COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE
EXCLUSIVELY FOR TECHLIFE READERS. THIS MONTH, WE’VE GOT TWO GREAT FULL-VERSION PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PC. ASHAMPOO PHOTO COMMANDER 12 & GOOGLECLEAN 2017

Future Publishing Australia PO Box 1077, Mount Street, NorthSydney, NSW 2059 TEL: 02 9955 2677 FAX: 02 9955 2688 EMAIL: [emailprotected] WEB: www.techlife.net SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: Please call Magshop 13 61 16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAN GARDINER CHIEF SUB-EDITOR/JOURNALIST CARMEL SEALEY SENIOR JOURNALIST SHAUN PRESCOTT SENIOR JOURNALIST PAUL TAYLOR JOURNALIST JOEL BURGESS JOURNALIST STEPHEN LAMBRECHTS JOURNALIST SHARMISHTA SARKAR JOURNALIST HARRY DOMANSKI CREATIVE DIRECTOR TROY COLEMAN SENIOR DESIGNER NYKKE COLEMAN DESIGNER SHARNEE BRISBOURNE

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Ashampoo Photo Commander 12 is the ultimate in photo management. Effortlessly browse through large photo collections and remove annoying image defects on the fly. Optimise colour and contrast settings and make your photos shine. Get creative and bring your photos to life with professional image effects and surprise your friends with self-made calendars, collages and greeting cards. Download link: www.ashampoo.com/techlife

SPRING CLEAN YOUR PC REMOVE CUMBERSOME FILES WITH ABELSSOFT WASHANDGO 2017 FULL VERSION WORTH $43!

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WashAndGo removes internet traces such as your browser cache, cookies, browser-history and many more traces of the most common browsers. WashAndGo is also able to detect system errors and correct them, enhancing system stability. Defective shortcuts, registry errors, orphaned entries in your Recent Files folder and wrong uninstall entries in Windows are among the problems WashAndGo can solve. Download link: www.techlife.net/exclusives Download ZIP password: January17e

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS GRAHAM BARLOW, MATT BOLTON, JR BOOKWALTER, TIM BOTHWELL, THOMAS DANG, CAT ELLIS, CAMERON FAULKNER, KATE GRAY, BEN GRIFFIN, LEE HALL, LINDSAY HANDMER, MATT HANSON, KENNY HEMPHILL, ANDY KELLY, LEWIS LEONG, DAVE MEIKLEHAM, JO MEMBERY, HOWARD OAKLEY, STEVEN ‘BAJO’ O’DONNELL, NICK PEERS, JON PORTER, BENNETT RING, MAYANK SHARMA, DAVE STEVENSON, ALAN STONEBRIDGE, NATHAN TAYLOR, DARREN YATES CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER NEVILLE DANIELS COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR PAUL MARTTILA [emailprotected] ABOUT THE MAGAZINE TechLife is published by Future Publishing Australia. Distributed in Australia and NZ by Network Services Printed by Webstar. All contents copyright Future Publishing (Overseas) Ltd, trading as Future Publishing Australia copyright 2013. All rights reserved. While all care is taken to ensure information is correct, please check prices and specifications before purchase. PRIVACY STATEMENT This issue of TechLife published by Future Publishing Australia may contain offers, competitions or surveys which require you to provide information about yourself if you choose to enter them or take part in them (Reader Offer). If you provide information about yourself to Future Publishing Australia, Future Publishing Australia will use this information to provide you with products or services you have requested, and may supply your information to contractors to enable Future Publishing Australia to do this. Future Publishing Australia will also use your information to inform you of other Future Publishing Australia publications, products, services and events. Future Publishing Australia may also give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers and are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, Future Publishing Australia may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you of other products, services or events to give to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information Future Publishing Australia holds about you please contact Future Publishing Australia’s Privacy Officer.

ABOUT FUTURE

Future Publishing Australia is part of Future plc. Future produces carefully targeted special-interest magazines, websites, and events for people who share a passion. We aim to satisfy that passion by creating titles offering value for money, reliable information, smart buying advice, and which are a pleasure to read or visit. Today we publish more than 180 magazines, websites and events, with over 100 international editions of our magazines published under license in 30 countries around the world. Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR)

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD PETER ALLEN CEO ZILLAH BYNG-THORNE

[ 06 ]

Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 22/12/2016 to 08/02/2017.

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

THE WALL GUFF AND STUFF

A bucketload of TechLife feedback

I’m a subscriber to the mag and would like to make some comments and suggestions on TechLife’s content.

* Photography series: I’m a real fan of this

series. I bought my first digital compact in 2006 and ordered my second last week through having my eyes opened to the impressive advances in the technology in the last decade through reading these articles. I hope they continue. * Buyers’ guides in comparative reviews: For a non-tech subscriber, I found these extremely useful and would like to see them extended for people like me who are barely across basics. * Reviews of security suites and similar: Include a warning in the buyers’ guide about the need to be aware of the possibility of the subscription page of the website having a deliberately concealed fine print ‘opt out’ box committing the purchaser to automatic renewal of the subscription. I know of two providers who use this trick. With one —

Bitdefender — where I missed the box, we had a protracted dispute about an automatic renewal after we had told them we had uninstalled their program six months before when their slow support failed to give us a fix for a false positive with our accounting software. No complaints about performance but their business practices are close to fraudulent in my view. * Reviews of Android smartphones: For me, now I know more about the vast range of specialist applications available for Androids, a note of the sensors included with the particular model would be very useful. This is as much a selling point for me as the performance of the camera for example. In this respect, info on sensors is not readily available on some web sites. [ BRUCE MAJOR ]

Ed replies: Thanks for the compliments and suggestions, Bruce — we’re glad to hear you’re enjoying the mag and we’ll keep your comments them in mind for future editions.

Get local calls anywhere in the world

One of the benefits of having an NBN or naked ADSL service is that the landline is provided using VoIP technology. The great thing about this is that, if your service provider provides the VoIP settings and also does not restrict the VoIP service to their own network, an app can be installed on your mobile phone that allows you to access your landline remotely even when overseas. I use Zoiper. The basic app is free and there are versions for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. It’s easy to set up and works with most VoIP services. When overseas, you can install a local prepaid SIM in your phone or use Wi-Fi hotspots to make phone calls at normal rates, and your contact can call for the cost of a local call. If you don’t have a landline, you can obtain one from a VoIP service provider for under $10 per month. [ CARL FRANCIS ]

[ COME ON, HAVE YOUR SAY! ]

We want to hear what you think. Add to these discussions or email your views (in fewer than 250 words) to [emailprotected]. All correspondence becomes the property of TechLife and is subject to editing. Letters must include full name, street address, suburb, state and phone number to be considered for print publication. Address and phone details will not be published. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 007 ]

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

HOTSPOT YOUR GUIDE TO HOT NEW TECH

[ ‘V’ FOR VICTORY ]

Franken-phone LG’S TWISTED SMARTPHONE CREATION IS BACK, WITH EVEN MORE FEATURES THIS TIME AROUND. [ CAMERON FAULKNER ]

LG V20 DUAL SCREEN BEAST PROVES TO BE A WINNER.

THE LG V20 probably has whichever feature it is you’re looking for — and some that you didn’t know you wanted until now.It’s a Frankenstein’s monster of a smartphone, with two screens that have more options for customisation, three cameras and an abundance of other awesome hardware and software features that you likely won’t find elsewhere. Additionally, its imbued with the rough and tumble DNA of its predecessor, but replaces the rugged design with a more refined look. It’s like looking at a yeti in a tuxedo. The V20 offers things that traditional smartphones in the market, and many others, do not. Where else can you get a Nougat phone with a removable battery, four DACs, multiple wide-angle camera lenses and two displays — oh, and a 3.5mm headphone jack? The phone’s measurements come in at 15.9 x 7.8 x 0.8cm, and weighs about 174g, making it a slimmer, lighter phone than the V10.The V20 boasts a military-grade build and is made up of a removable aluminium back panel that yields a smooth look and feel. The top and bottom areas of the phone are made of silicon polycarbonate, allowing it to take more than a few blows. LG has once again combined the fingerprint sensor and power button into one. Just hold a finger up to the sensor to activate it. It might take a little getting used to, but the sensor/ button combo is responsive and tactile to pressing, except it’s on the back of the phone. The 5.7-inch Gorilla Glass 4-covered screen is pushing a 2,560 x 1,400 (QHD) resolution with 513ppi, and stretches up to 5.9 inches of diagonal real estate once you add on the 160 x 1,040 resolution 2.1-inch-wide second screen.

ABOUT THAT SECOND SCREEN The main display operates as you’d expect, but the always-on second screen is reserved for notifications, quickly launching your favourite apps, and showing extra bits of information, like the time and date. You can also toggle quick settings here, like turning on the [ 008 ]

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

4 LG V20 $1,099 www.lg.com/au CRITICAL SPECS Android 7.0; 5.7-inch IPS LCD @ 2,560 x 1,440-pixels (513ppi) and Gorilla Glass 4; quad-core 2.15GHz Snapdragon 820 CPU; Adreno 530 CPU; 4GB RAM; 64GB storage; 3.5mm headphone jack; USB Type-C charging port; 3,200mAh removable battery; 15MP/5MP (rear/front) cameras; 15.9 x 7.8 x 0.8cm; 174g

microSD slot for additional storage. In terms of connectivity, you have the latest Wi-Fi AC protocol supported out of the box. There’s also Bluetooth v4.2,NFC for Android Pay and USB Type-C for charging.

HOTSPOT FRANKEN-PHONE

flashlight and customise the default signature to show a personal note. Depending on the size of the font you choose and the length of the words, you’re looking at between 24 and 30 characters. In addition, the second screen can be programmed to switch off and turn back on at user-specified times. Being the first phone with Android Nougat preinstalled, the multi-window feature is the perfect compliment to the second screen.

BATTERY LIFE & CAMERA

The LG V20 comes with a 3,200mAh removable battery. At most, the V20 lasts well over a day with mixed use, but if you’re really going hard with photo and video-taking, WHAT’S IT LIKE TO USE? listening to Hi-Res audio tracks and playing It features Google’s new In Apps search, a games, the V20 will suffer more quickly. function that combs through your contacts, On the flipside, if you leave it sitting, this apps, messages and the web to help you find phone easily lasts a few days. But when it’s in what you’re looking for. It’s handy, clean and need of a boost, QuickCharge 3.0 support surprising that it wasn’t integrated with quickly tops up the battery. Android a long time ago. This phone runs with LG has made good use of the second screen LG’s new UX5.0+ software on top of Nougat. by making it home to the high-level options for The Korean company provides three different the camera app, like switching between auto home screen options, two of which feature the and manual for taking pictures app drawer and one that doesn’t. or videos.The main rear-facing sensor shoots It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and has a at 16MP, with an aperture of f1.8, but is now Hi-Fi audio mode that can be toggled on and joined by an 8MP sensor with an aperture of off, and takes advantage of four digital-tof2.4 that is dedicated to shooting 135-degree analogue converters (DAC) powered by the ESS wide-angled images. Although the wide-angle Sabre ES9218 to elevate the listening experience sensor has a lower megapixel count and higher to new heights. aperture, we found With its three that the images it THE V20 BOASTS A microphones, this turned out were oddly MILITARY-GRADE BUILD smartphone can more expressive, with AND IS MADE UP OF A record in LPCM — better contrast and REMOVABLE ALUMINIUM a 24-bit audio format lighting.The rear BACK PANEL THAT YIELDS with up to a 48kHz lens takes advantage A SMOOTH LOOK AND FEEL. sampling rate — of phase detection alongside your video. and contrast If you’re recording auto-focus techniques pure audio, it can write to a 24-bit FLAC file to ensure that the image or video is consistently with a sampling rate of 192kHz. clear. On the front, there’s a single 5MP lens, If you’re watching a movie or playing a game, with an impressive f1.9 aperture. you’ll be in for a treat with the 2,560 x 1,440 If you like to shoot video, LG has you covered QHD IPS display. It pops with vivid colour and with 4K and 1080p video recording support. crisp detail, both outdoors and indoors, and the Additionally, LG has improved its Steady second screen can keep you abreast of Record feature that it debuted in the V10. notifications while you’re enjoying a diversion. Steady Record 2.0, as it is being called, utilises LG even included the ability to tweak the colour gyroscope-based electrical image stabilisation temperature of the screen to make things easier and digital image stabilisation. on the eyes during extended use. LG’s monster of a phone nails just about Its chipset is the Snapdragon 820, bringing everything, but the camera performance is a the Adreno 530 along for the graphical let-down. Here’s hoping that LG can improve duties.The V20 runs with 4GB RAM that that with an over-the-air update. In terms of its should keep things running smoothly well into sheer number of features, LG deserves credit for the next generation of mobile games and apps. raising the bar for what we should expect out of Some more good news is the support for the a plus-sized flagship moving forward. cross-platform Vulkan API, which will usher in Camera dramas aside, the LG V20 is a “console-quality” graphics to the mobile space. smartphone with loads of character. We The V20 doubles the V10’s baseline amount recommend it, as it’s mostly nailed the basics of onboard storage to 64GB and keeps the and added on a ton of niche, useful features. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 009 0 9 ]]

HOTSPOT NEED TO KNOW

[ POST-TRUTH ]

NETFLIX FLICKS THE SWITCH ON OFFLINE VIEWING

THOUGH YOU CAN ONLY DOWNLOAD CERTAIN SHOWS

After listening to demands from customers since the service began streaming shows, Netflix is now offering the ability to download shows via the app. Only a select number can be stored on your smart device, under a specific category called ‘Available for Download’. Netflix Originals are a given, but so are some shows produced by third parties. Check the updated version of the app for more info. [ PT ]

OPTUS OFFERING UP FREE MOBILE DATA IN EXCHANGE FOR WATCHING ADS

FREE DATA, BROUGHT TO YOU BY BOLLÉ SUNGLASSES

Are you willing to suffer through numerous mobile ads to get your hands on some free data? Optus has launched Optus Xtra, available now on the Google Play Store, that gives eligible prepaid customers up to 1GB of bonus data per month, or $2 worth of extra credit on daily plans every 28 days, so long as they’re willing to let targeted ads be displayed on their Android phone’s lock screen. [ SL ]

After Trump victory, Facebook promises to crack down on fake news SAID ZUCKERBERG ON HIS OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE

THE RECENT AMERICAN presidential election has been historic, to say the least. After accusations were cast that Facebook played an influential role in determining the outcome of the elections, the social media’s chief executive took to Facebook to defend his company. In a post on his personal page, Mark Zuckerberg said more than 99% of the news shared on the site was authentic and only a small percentage was false or a hoax — the kind of news incapable of influencing politics. He did, however, acknowledged that Facebook had plenty of work to do in weeding out fake news. “I am confident we can find ways for our community to tell us what content is most meaningful,” his post read, “but I believe we must be extremely cautious about becoming arbiters of truth ourselves.” He went on to say, “We don’t want any hoaxes on Facebook. Our goal is to show people the content they will find most meaningful, and people want accurate news.” [ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ]

[ AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE NICE PEOPLE AWAY? ]

Distinctive psychology traits found in Android and iPhone users HONESTY IS A (TELEPHONIC) VIRTUE IT TURNS OUT that the smartphone you own can be a pretty good indicator of your character. A new study conducted in the UK suggests iPhone and Android users can be identified by distinctive character traits — iPhone users tend to be younger, extroverted and apparently more dishonest than Android users, who are usually older, more agreeable and less likely to break rules. 530 people were interviewed over a course of two years by researchers for them to come to this conclusion. The researchers claim that the study was aimed at producing a model to predict what kind of phone a person owned. In summing up the study, one of the researchers said, “In comparison to Android users, we found that iPhone owners are more likely to be female, younger and increasingly concerned about their smartphone being viewed as a status object. Key differences in personality were also observed with iPhone users displaying lower levels of Honesty–Humility and higher levels of emotionality.” [ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ]

[ 010 ]

AMAZON IMPLEMENTS NEW RESTRICTIONS TO LIMIT FAKE REVIEWS

HOTSPOT NEED TO KNOW

SEEKS TO INCREASE TRUST ON RATINGS

Global online marketplace Amazon will restrict its users to posting five reviews per week on non-verified purchases (i.e. products not bought through the site). Customers can still rate as many products bought through Amazon as they like, though the policy does not extend to books, movies or music, which can be reviewed by anyone as much as they wish. [ PT ]

CASH ON COMMERCIAL TERMS

AU GOVT TO LOAN NBN CO $20B TO FINISH ROLLOUT

[ SEE YA, MATE ]

Time’s up: Aussie telcos cut off access for final Galaxy Note 7 hold-outs FIRE IN THE HOLE! THE FUSS AROUND Samsung’s exploding Galaxy Note 7 might have begun to finally

flicker out after the much-publicised double-recall, but there are apparently some rogue devices still in use out there. As a last ditch attempt to get their owners to return those handsets, Samsung has announced that it’s partnering with Australian carriers to switch off network access to users of the Note 7. Network discontinuation will come into effect starting on the 15th of December, meaning owners of this phone will be unable to call, text or use data while in Australia. This announcement comes after Samsung and carriers in New Zealand did the same thing back in November. Push notifications will also be repeatedly sent to users of the Galaxy Note 7 until the date of the block, alerting them of the impending cutoff. And to soften the blow, Samsung has been offering to exchange the Note 7 for the Galaxy S7 or the S7 Edge, with a refund of the difference in price along with $250 credit, either with the carrier or the retailer the phone was purchased through. [ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ]

[ IT'S VIRTUALLY TORTURE ]

Julian Assange’s internet access revoked for WikiLeaks ‘meddling’ with US elections BUT HIS ASYLUM STATUS REMAINS INTACT. Having lived at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 when he was granted asylum by the nation, the founder of WikiLeaks recently said that he had lost internet access. Assange found himself cut off after his organisation published emails containing speeches Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made to investment firm Goldman Sachs. In a statement, the Ecuadorian Government said it “...respects the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states. It does not interfere in external electoral processes, nor does it favour any particular candidate.” That said, it reaffirmed the asylum granted to Assange four years ago.

The Federal Government has rescued NBN Co by announcing it will loan the network builder $19.5 billion to complete the rollout of the National Broadband Network. It was revealed that the company would run out of funds in 2017, and this money would help it “fully focus” on the rest of the task. NBN Co had hoped to raise the money from the private sector, but the loan has been offered on “commercial terms”. [ SS ]

MICROSD CARDS FAST ENOUGH TO RUN ANDROID APPS: COMING SOON

WITH A NEW LOGO TO INDICATE PERFORMANCE SPEEDS

With the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow came the concept of adoptable storage — the ability to ‘adopt’ an inserted microSD for internal memory of a smartphone or tablet. To iron out the issues with adoptable storage, the SD Association has come up with Application Performance Class microSD cards offering the minimum recommended performance speeds to run applications. And they have a new symbol to denote their capability. [ SS ]

MILLIONS OF ANDROIDS HACKED: HOW TO TELL IF YOU’RE AFFECTED

GOOGLE 'GOOLIGANS' AND HOW TO SPOT THEM

It’s amazing the lengths some people will go to for an app rating. According to a report from security firm Check Point, over a million Google accounts have been hacked by malware dubbed ‘Gooligan’, which targets devices running Android versions from 4.1 to 5.1. It uses a rootkit in order to gain privileged access to a phone’s OS, and its primary goal seems to have been to allow the attacker to leave bogus Play Store app ratings and reviews — and get paid while doing so. While Android Security and Check Point are working together on the issue, you can check if your Android device’s Google account has been breached by visiting gooligan.checkpoint.com. You can also help prevent infection in the first place by avoiding any dodgy third-party Android app stores. [ HD ]

[ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ] [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 011 ]

HOTSPOT A PLAYSTATION FOR THE... PROS?

[ NEW GAME PLUS ]

A PlayStation for the... pros? SONY’S LATEST CONSOLE HAS TWICE THE POWER AND RESOLUTION OF THE ORIGINAL PS4, BUT IS IT WORTH THE UPGRADE? [ STEPHEN LAMBRECHTS ]

Sony PlayStation 4 Pro

SINCE IT’S CAPABLE OF PLAYING GAMES IN 4K AND HDR, SOMETIMES AT A HIGHER FRAME RATE, THE PRO MAKES FOR AN EXCELLENT ALL-ROUND ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM.

READY YOUR EYES FOR HDR AND 4K.

OVER THE LAST couple of years we’ve seen impressive advances in graphics technology on the PC gaming scene, with a steady proportion of gamers abandoning consoles in the search for higher resolutions and increased frame rates. And while those two elements certainly aren’t the be-all and end-all to enjoying modern games, they do help. This puts console makers Sony and Microsoft in an awkward position: the market all but demanded the companies release their current consoles well into the 1080p era, but a good few years before the 4K and HDR (highdynamic-range) TV revolution really took off. Now that 4K has taken off, each company has opted to release newer, souped-up consoles right in the middle of the traditional generational cycle. Microsoft has already launched the 4K-upscaling and HDR capable Xbox One S, with another native-4K console with a whopping 6 teraflops of graphics processing power (currently just dubbed ‘Project Scorpio’), on the way late next year. And in return, Sony has now released the PS4 Pro, an updated console that boasts twice the power and resolution of its regular sibling — but only for games that support it. Some games, like Rise of the Tomb Raider, allow you to choose how to use that extra horsepower — you can select between a higher frame rate or a 4K resolution. Many other games will simply perform and look better automatically. Unfortunately, knowing exactly which ones can take [ 012 ]

advantage of those upgraded internals isn’t always clear. So you could think of the Pro like a 2016 model iPhone; it’s hands-down shinier, faster and prettier than last year’s model. Likewise, the PS4 Pro is truly the best gaming console Sony has ever created. Since it’s capable of playing games in 4K and HDR, sometimes at a higher frame rate, the Pro makes for an excellent all-around entertainment system. That said, it’s certainly a shame that Sony has opted not to include 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray player functionality, as that would have cemented it as the go-to 4K media device over the Xbox One. While that 4K resolution capability is undoubtedly going to be the Pro’s most attractive benefit, it’s the combination of 4K and HDR that really makes the biggest visual difference. HDR provides a much wider colour gamut, allowing for more realistic colour reproduction, incredible contrast and lighting improvements that instantly make games look more detailed and less hyper-real, putting yet another layer of realism in already gorgeous games.

Ever look at the sky in a game and see the sun peering through the clouds? Normally, the brightness of that scene maxes out, leaving the sun and cloud to be roughly the same colour. With HDR, that sun will pierce through with eye-scorching clarity, achieving whites that burn so bright, you’ll swear you were looking at the real thing. Of course, you’ll need an HDR-capable 4K TV to take advantage of these features. If you’ve purchased a PS4 already, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions before considering Sony’s new wares. Do you own a 4K TV or do you plan on buying one sometime in the next few years? Are you going to pick up a PlayStation VR? And how important do you find higher frame rates and extra storage? The answer to those questions might be: “No,” “No,” and “Not very,” and if that’s the case, then Sony’s high horsepower system definitely isn’t for you. However, if you already own a 4K HDR TV and are sick of playing games at a sub-1080p resolution and low frame rates, the PS4 Pro is certainly worth the upgrade.

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

4 SONY PLAYSTATION 4 PRO $559 www.playstation.com/en-au CRITICAL SPECS AMD Jaguar eight-core CPU; 4.2TFLOP AMD Radeonbased GPU; 8GB GDDR5 RAM, 1TB hard drive; HDMI 2.0a output (supports 4K/HDR); 3 x Super-Speed USB 3.1 (Gen 1) ports; 1 x AUX audio out port; optical-audio output; 295 x 55 x 327mm; 3.3kg

THE KEY FIGURES BEHIND THE LATEST ISSUES AND TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY. [ CARMEL SEALEY ]

45%

V FALLS OVER AS SALES OF ITS TRACKERS DROP BY ALMOST HALF IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

Early last November, Fitbit Inc announced a large drop in profits during the third quarter, which caused its share prices to plunge 45% in the Asia-Pacific region — to $48 million from $88 million in the same period in 2015. Compared to many other fitness bands, Fitbit rose to fame by promoting cheap and easy-to-use step trackers; however, it appears the company is now suffering from this principle, as its rubbery bands are no longer “fashionable” enough for many potential customers, particularly women. However, this humble writer would like to point out that she has had five different Fitbit devices (three broke) and thinks they’re fine.

2/3 THE PROPORTION OF THE WORLD’S

HOTSPOT NEWS IN NUMBERS

The news in numbers

INTERNET USERS THAT LIVE WITH ONLINE CENSORSHIP

According to a report from pro-democracy advocacy group Freedom House, two-thirds of people who use the internet do so with some form of censorship from their country’s government. 2016 marked the sixth consecutive year that these figures rose, indicating that governments around the world are curbing the online freedom of their citizens — particularly that of secure messaging apps, such as Whatsapp. Unsurprisingly, China is at the top of the list in terms of censorship (for the second year running), followed by Syria and Iran. We should note, though, that the report covered only 65 countries and did not include North Korea.

$622, 000 THE AVERAGE COST OF A CYBER ATTACK IN AU

BAE Systems — a global technology-led defence and security company — has released a study taking a close look at cybercrime and the cost it has on businesses in Australia, the US, the UK, Malaysia and Singapore. According to the report, the cost of an attack on an Australian business is, on average, at least $622,000. While that figure might seem low for large corporations, the study also revealed a few other worrying numbers; including the fact that a quarter of the businesses taking part did not know whether their security was adequate to defend against cyberattacks, and that 9% were unsure whether they had any protection at all.

9ANDROID OUT OF 10 CONTINUES ITS MARCH TO SMARTPHONE DOMINANCE, AS 88% OF SHIPPED HANDSETS ARE NOW RUNNING IT

THE YEAR BY WHICH CANADA PLANS TO HAVE DUMPED ITS COAL POWER PLANTS Catherine McKenna, the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced a plan last November to phase out coal-burning power plants by 2030. The only plants allowed to remain would be those capable of capturing and storing their emissions. Currently, about 80% of Canada’s electricity comes from “non-emitting sources”, namely renewables (particularly hydro) and nuclear. By 2030, the country is hoping to be running on 90% renewables, with a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 30% from 2005 levels. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

According to Strategy Analytics, a staggering 88% of the 375 million smartphones shipped during the July to September period of 2016 were running a version of Android. This quarter showed a 6% increase in devices shipped, from 354.2 million units from the same period in 2015, which translates to an increase of 10.3% in favour of Android devices and a decrease of 5.2% to Apple’s iPhones (leaving Apple with only approximately 12% of the market). Another symptom of Android’s dominance comes in the demise of BlackBerry and Windows phones, which “all but disappeared” during the quarter. [ 013 ]

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE HOTSPOT GOOGLE DAYDREAM VIEW

AWARD

41/2 GOOGLE DAYDREAM VIEW $119 store.google.com CRITICAL SPECS Headset: Supports selected handsets between 5 and 5.5 inches; 90° field of view; 16.7 x 10.6 x 9.9cm; 220g. Wand controller: Bluetooth LE; 12-hour battery life with fast-charging; 9-axis IMUs for precision tracking; 40g.

[ ONCE UPON A DREAM ]

Google Daydream View GOOGLE LEVELS-UP ITS SMARTPHONE VR HEADSET FROM CARDBOARD TO SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE ON SAMSUNG’S GEAR VR — AND IT’S COMPATIBLE WITH MORE THAN JUST SAMSUNG PHONES, TOO. [ JOEL BURGESS ]

WE’D LIKE TO thank whoever’s midday nap led to the creation of Google’s upmarket new smartphone VR headset, appropriately dubbed ‘Daydream View’. This hipster headset is wrapped in an array of pastel-coloured fabrics that almost makes wearing a VR headset look palatable to any ogling bystanders (a feat we’re genuinely impressed with) and though the simple elastic headband seems a standard design choice, it is actually exceptionally ergonomic for a smartphone VR headset. One of our biggest grievances with VR headsets in generally is that they don’t cater particularly well to the visually impaired, leaving little to no room for use with glasses (let alone actually making the experience comfortable with spectacles). The Daydream is an excellent exception to this rule and we would feel genuinely disappointed to have to go to back to any other headset after having seen (and felt) what was possible. There’s another key ingredient that contributes to the overall pleasantness of using the Daydream View: the included wireless controller. As big fans of the wand remotes that come with LG televisions, it’s no surprise that we loved Daydream’s Bluetoothconnected sidekick-wand, too. Yes, it’s definitely taken inspiration from the remotes and controllers of fully-fledged PC VR units like Oculus’ Touch and HTC’s ‘Vands’ [ 014 ]

[ 014 ]

(ie. Vive wands) as Redditors have dubbed them, but Google’s taken the standard VR wand design and added it’s own magic elements. Other than the 360º three-axis movement of the wand, the primary control is an ergonomic concave touchpad — in many games, this takes the role of a D-pad or clickable joystick. The remaining controls are comprised of a Home button that allows you to exit or quickly reorient your perspective, an Action button that has various functions (dependent on the app or game) and a side-mounted volume rocker. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough apps on the store at the time we tested to really test the limits of what the controller is capable of, but there are a enough to give glimpses of its potential. In the isometric shooter platformer Hunter’s Gate, the touchpad moves the character while pointing the wand shoots in 3D space, a combination that amounts to a novel and intuitive control scheme. The hardware worked well with the paired smartphone (the Daydream View was only compatible with Google’s Pixel units, the Moto Z family of devices and ZTE’s Axon 7 at the time of writing) and so, apart from a little light leakage, the Daydream gave a near perfect performance from a hardware perspective. Just as is the case with smartphones, the operating system or, in this case, the

manufacturer’s software platform, plays an important role in the overall VR experience. Similar to Samsung’s Gear VR headset, Daydream is tied to Google’s proprietary smartphone-VR app-ecosystem of the same name, which means it is limited at the moment compared to the extensive app lists of Samsung’s Gear VR/Oculus Store tie-in, or even that of Google Cardboard for that matter. The search company has vowed to bring a decent list of apps onto the Daydream platform by the end of 2016 that includes all-star VR games like Gunjack 2 and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. From the handful of titles that were available at launch, we’d have to say that our favourite was the Fantastic Beasts interactive narrative that put the wand controller to good use by allowing you to actually cast spells with it. If Google can add titles quickly enough, it theoretically has the hardware to overtake the Gear VR, but Samsung has more than a year’s worth of of smartphone VR software up its sleeve at this point, plus a significantly bigger user base (at least until a few more Daydream-compatible smartphones are released) and a big PC VR software partner in the form of Oculus. In other words, it doesn’t quite beat the Samsung Gear VR as an overall smartphone VR package — but there’s certainly a heap of potential here.

www.orosound.com | Goal: €60,000 Raised: €78,295 from 467 backers | RRP: $290

[ CROWDFUNDED ]

Kickstarted! FROM THE PRACTICAL TO THE QUIRKY TO THE DOWNRIGHT STRANGE, CROWDFUNDING WEBSITES HAVE ALLOWED THE CREATION OF AN AMAZING RANGE OF PRODUCTS. HERE’S A SELECTION OF LATEST PROJECTS THAT PIQUED OUR INTEREST. [ CARMEL SEALEY ]

Freedrum

THE DRUMKIT THAT FITS IN YOUR POCKET

www.freedrum.rocks | Goal: US$150,000 | Raised: US$429,135 from 2,876 backers | RRP: $89

If you’re a drummer who gets fidgety when you’re not in the studio or your parents’ garage, Freedrum is the gadget for you. This is essentially a virtual drumkit that, when paired with your smartphone, can provide you the rehearsal space when you’re on the move, at home on your sofa or in a park with the dog. Simply slip one of the sensors onto a drumstick, pair with your phone, plug yourself in with some headphones, then drum away. The sticks don’t actually need to hit a surface to trigger a sound, it’s the movement that makes the magic work. Packages also include units to strap onto your feet to create the full drum kit experience. Freedum is compatible with Garageband and apps that support Bluetooth Midi.

HOTSPOT KICKSTARTED!

TILDE

NOISE MANAGEMENT EARPHONES

The Tilde provides noise management in a compact, stylish form that incorporates the company’s “new patented directional and selective technology”. Claiming to be the world’s best at noise cancellation, you can adjust the level of noise filtering (via the controls on the ‘Pebbles’), so you can still hear your phone ring while at work, but not your coworkers, for example. The tech has some amazing capabilities — talk-in-noise mode means you can hear the person you’re talking to within a certain distance and angle to you, plus once Bluetooth-paired with your phone, calls sound “crystal clear”, as does your own voice. The Tilde can also stream music from your paired device, sounding all the better with the noise-cancellation. Battery lasts 8–20 hours, depending on your usage, they’re also IPX5 water resistant and they come in at a comfortable 40g.

IMMOTOR GO

A PORTABLE SMART E-SCOOTER.

www.immotor.com | Goal: US$45,000 | Raised: US$130,678 from 230 backers | RRP: US$749

[ SAD TROMBONE ]

Failed Kickstarter of the Month

NOBODY EVER SAID CROWDFUNDING IDEAS ACTUALLY HAD TO BE GOOD...

RUN YOUR BOOK

AN APP FOR A HEALTHIER AND MORE INTELLIGENT FUTURE.

runyourbook.com | Goal: US$38,700 | Raised: US$25

The premise behind this app — which is available for free in its beta version — is that you have to exercise in order to read your designated book. The longer you run, jog or walk, the more pages you’re allowed to read as a reward. From what we’ve seen, you need to run for at least a minute to unlock each page. We have a few of problems with this idea. Firstly, only people who really want to read and feel bad about their exercise habits will even consider this app, so the creators are looking at a very narrow audience. Secondly, this app’s description doesn’t go into much detail about how it would motivate you to run. Thirdly — and this is a big thirdly — the better way to tackle the ‘learn something and get fit’ premise would be an audiobook app that only plays the tracks when it knows you’re exercising. It’s more time-friendly, too. Just a suggestion. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

The latest product with the name ‘GO’ slapped on the end, Immotor GO is styling itself as “transportation that transforms so you can take it everywhere”. This scooter is a completely collapsible and easy-to-ride mode of electric transport, incorporating smart features, such as GPS tracking, Bluetooth speaker, head- and brake lights, photo and video capabilities, a horn, cruise control and a dashboard HUD. It also has three modes — ride, standby and autopilot. Having three rather than the normal two wheels means it’s very sturdy and boasts both front and rear suspension, as well. The Immotor GO supports digital key authentication, it monitors its battery levels and general health, and also, if your scooter is being used by the kids, you can create an ‘out of bounds’ zone which, when crossed over, the Immotor GO will turn off. [ 015 ]

[ NES SURPRISE ]

HOTSPOT RETRO REBORN

Retro reborn NINTENDO’S FIRST HOME VIDEOGAME CONSOLE RETURNS... AND BRINGS WITH IT ALL THE GOLD, GLITZ AND GRIT OF THE ‘80S. [ JON PORTER ]

Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System STUFFED WITH 30 GLORIOUS GAMES.

THE ORIGINAL NINTENDO Entertainment System (aka the NES) was released way back in 1983, but the Japanese videogame giant has recently decided to bring it back, along with 30 of its best games, in the form of the $99 Nintendo Classic Mini. Given its 33-year age, you might expect the Classic Mini to suffer from some nostalgia-related issues — and it does — but what’s perhaps more surprising is how well many of the games hold up. If you’re familiar with the design of the original NES, then you’ll have a pretty good idea of how the Classic Mini looks, but naturally a couple of changes have been made since the mid ‘80s.This new console doesn’t have a cartridge slot for example (all the games run off internal flash storage), and the device uses HDMI rather than the original’s ancient aerial connection.The biggest change, however, is its size and weight. The console itself is only 13 x 10 x 4cm and basically fits in the palm of your hand. It’s also surprisingly light, but thanks to some non-slip rubber feet, you’ll find it sits snugly wherever you put it. Thankfully, while the console has been slimmed down, the controller remains full-size, and is functionally exactly the same as the NES original. You get just one controller

4 NINTENDO CLASSIC MINI: NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM $99 www.nintendo.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 30 pre-installed games; HDMI output (cable included); 1 x NES Classic Controller; also supports Wii Classic Controller & Classic Controller Pro

[ 016 ]

in the box, with the option of buying another The front-end of the system, which you use separately, although you can use a Wii Classic to select games to play, is really nicely designed controller if you have one spare. The controller and features display options that let you fineis equipped with an extremely short cable, and tune the experience. Apart from the smooth this is the single biggest issue with the whole default ‘4:3’ mode, there is a somewhat harsh console. At just over 75cm, it’s one third of the ‘Pixel Perfect’ mode and a retro ‘CRT Filter’ length of the original console’s controllers, which adds scanlines to the display. meaning you’re either going to have to sit The console has a modern save-state uncomfortably close to your television or place function with four save slots per game; the console in the middle of the living room. however, you can still use the original game’s Once you boot up the save points as long as WHILE THE CONSOLE Classic Mini, you’re you don’t mix and match HAS BEEN SLIMMED DOWN, the different schemes. greeted with a list of 30 THE CONTROLLER NES games to choose The only issue we have REMAINS FULL-SIZE, from, including the likes with this save system is AND IS FUNCTIONALLY of Donkey Kong, that the ‘Reset’ button, EXACTLY THE SAME The Legend of Zelda, which is used to activate AS THE NES ORIGINAL. Castlevania, Final the feature, is located on Fantasy, Metroid and the console itself rather Super Mario Bros. It’s a than the controller. pretty extensive list that omits relatively few Above all else, the Nintendo Classic Mini of the NES’s classics, although we would is an authentic retro gaming experience. have loved to have seen the ability to bring There’s no internet connectivity here, no more games to the console in the future. online leaderboards, no downloadable extras Unfortunately, this little white and grey gem is and no patches.It’s a warts-and-all experience, offline-only, and doesn’t accept an SD card. and it means that, if you want to relive the What you get when you open the box is what glories of 1980s gaming, then this is a great you’ll have forever. way to do it.

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

HOTSPOT POP SCIENCE

Listen, not talk

[ I F&%$#@* LOVE SCIENCE! ]

Pop science

STEPHEN HAWKING IS WARY ABOUT CONTACTING ALIENS.

THE LATEST DISCOVERIES, INVENTIONS AND SCIENCE NEWS THAT’S HELPING SHAPE THE WORLD OF TOMORROW. [ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ]

Light it up, Sparky LIGHT AND SOUND STIMULATION CAN BE USED TO DULL CHRONIC PAIN, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS.

Studies carried out in the UK suggest that the brain can be ‘tuned’ to certain frequencies to alleviate chronic pain. Scientists discovered that alpha waves from the forebrain, associated with placebo analgesia, influence how the rest of the brain processes pain. Researchers used audio-visual stimuli — from goggles with flashing light or certain sounds — in the alpha range and found they effectively reduced pain, providing a potentially safe, simple and low-cost tool to treat chronic pain.

HEADLANDER IN REAL LIFE

A Russian man suffering from Werdnig-Hoffmann disease has volunteered to have a head transplant — a terrifying and controversial idea, to say the least. But VR will be used to help him cope with the trauma of having to see a different body every time he looks down. Neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero, in partnership with a Chicago-based bioengineering company, is working on a project using virtual reality technology to prepare the patient for a new body and the use of unfamiliar limbs.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Earthlings, including Stephen Hawking, have been fascinated by the idea of picking up ‘messages’ from outer space for decades, and when a signal was picked up early in 2016, scientists were in an uproar. But Hawking has warned against responding to these messages in a film called Stephen Hawking’s Most Favourite Places, emphasising that mankind doesn’t know who is out there or what their intentions could be. Contact could be perilous and lead a potential catastrophe (as most of the popular alien invasion movies have taught us over the years).

ANCIENT THOUGHTS

TA’U, YAHOO!

It’s nearly impossible for soft tissue to survive over the years, but a fossil hunter on a Sussex beach got lucky and found an unassuming rock that turned out to be the endocast of a dinosaur brain. The 133-million-year-old sediment cast belongs to a Iguanodon, a herbivorous dinosaur of the early Cretaceous period. The brain tissue in the fossil doesn’t exist, of course, having been mineralised eons ago, but the surface details and structures are still visible, proving vital information regarding dinosaur brains.

After acquiring SolarCity, Tesla announced it would power the entire island of Ta’u in American Samoa using solar energy. The company set up a microgrid of 5,328 solar panels and 60 batteries, enough to nearly fulfil the electricity needs of the 600 residents. The grid has the capacity to supply the island with power for three sunless days and recharge in seven hours — a massive reduction in the carbon footprint of the islanders, who previously used 414,457 litres of diesel each year to generate power.

[ 017 ]

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

BARGAIN HUNTER HELPING YOU TRACK DOWN THE BEST TECH FOR LESS

One of the best Chinese brands is Xiaomi, with high-quality hardware at an affordable price.

[ BARGAIN HUNTER ]

Importing a low-cost smartphone HOW TO AVOID THE DANGERS OF GRABBING A GREAT (CHEAP) MOBILE FROM OVERSEAS. [ LINDSAY HANDMER ]

SMARTPHONES ARE INCREDIBLY useful devices, but the prices for a high-end flagship model can be rather high. In contrast, many Chinese companies have a range of premiumspec models that are a fraction of price of buying a locally-sold brand. In other cases, it’s possible to save hundreds of dollars on big name brand by purchasing it internationally. But it’s not as simple as just ordering a nice looking smartphone, with a tangled web of different specs, frequencies, warranties, chargers and more to work through. To help explain and guide you through the process, we’ve put together a how-to on importing a phone. A lot of the same advice can apply to other tech, such as laptops as tablets, too.

and try to find more detailed feedback in forums or on Reddit. Plenty of Chinese companies offer quite premium devices for affordable prices. A great brand to start with is Xiaomi (www.mi.com) — a Chinese company that is actually the fourth largest smartphone maker in the world. Other quality brands (some of which sell officially in Australia as well) include OnePlus (oneplus.net), Huawei (huawei.com), Honor (hihonor.com), ZTE (zte.com), Meizu (meizu.com) and Oppo (oppo.com). Websites such as whirlpool.net.au and ozbargain.com. au are also excellent resources for finding the best deals and smartphone models.

WHICH PHONE?

Countries around the world use different frequencies for mobiles, so a device meant for the Chinese market may not work correctly in Australia. Even locally, different carriers use a range of different frequencies for 3G and 4G networks. Supporting the right frequencies is especially important for getting the most out of the latest 4G technologies. We’ve included a table, but for more info, head to Whirlpool and check out their network frequency guide (www. whirlpool.net.au/wiki/mobile_ phone_frequencies). To check, ensure your smartphone choice has all the same frequencies listed for your Australian

If you don’t already have a model in mind, then the array of options can be pretty daunting. While there are plenty of often very cheap, no-name brands, it’s generally best to stick to a few larger Chinese companies. That’s not to say that the mystery phone on eBay is not a good deal — you just need to put in a whole lot more research before buying. No matter which phone you choose, try and find some hands-on reviews. Video reviews are ideal, as it gives a better idea of the legitimacy of the person actually writing the review. Be wary of reviews on retailer websites, [ 018 ]

FREQUENCIES

service provider. While it does not cover every phone, willmyphonework.net and frequencycheck.com are good resources. The other side of the equation is figuring out what frequencies the phone you are purchasing supports. Better sellers will include the full list, but keep in mind that it is not always accurate. Look for the specific model number and search that on Google. The websites gsmarena. com and phonearena.com are solid (but not infallible) resources in this regard.

SPECS It’s often possible to save a decent chunk of money by buying the same smartphone sold

BARGAIN HUNTER IMPORTING A CHEAP SMARTPHONE

Websites such as gsmarena.com are a good place to check smartphone specs before purchase.

When searching on eBay, make sure to select the advanced search option for items available globally.

If in doubt, websites such as frequencycheck. com can help make sure a specific phone will work in Australia.

WHERE TO BUY

While there are countless little online retailer websites, it’s best to stick with the bigger names — especially for warranty support. Keep in mind that there are Chinese companies selling ‘fake’ lower-quality copies of other Chinese phones, so if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. If in doubt, do some research on the seller themselves and don’t buy if there is negative feedback on forums. One of the safest places to purchase phones is from the actually manufacture’s website — though not all have their own online stores. eBay.com.au is a good starting point with extra purchase protections — though sellers can still disappear, making warranty hard to enforce. Remember to select ‘From preferred locations: Worldwide’ to find the best deals from overseas. Other favourites of ours include gearbest.com, chinavasion.com, aliexpress.com and Deal Extreme (dx.com), which has an Australian warehouse. Another option is to buy from an Australian website and retailer, such as kogan.com, but choices are much more limited.

in Australia, but from an international source. It is very important to check the specifications, though, as models sold in other countries can have different spec levels, and use different frequencies, despite having the same name or model number. It’s not always a bad thing, though, as some international versions of smartphones come equipped with extra features, such as dual SIM support, SD card readers or more RAM.

WARRANTIES For a phone to be sold in Australia (even from overseas), it must comply with Australian warranty laws. The good news is that means it is covered for a reasonable lifespan (for example, two years), no matter what the seller [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

says. Of course, it can be hard to get an overseas retailer to entertain your warranty claim, and almost certainly, it will involve shipping the device back to its origin for assessment. Even if the same brand is sold in Australia, the manufacturer may not actually offer a local warranty service. While it generally costs a bit more, one option is to buy an ‘imported’ phone from a seller located in Australia, who must then cover the warranty themselves.

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS Using a credit card is an ideal method to buy for online purchases, and gives some protection via a chargeback if the phone never arrives. Paying via PayPal (with a credit card)

Deal Extreme can be a great place to buy cheap smartphones (and other gadgets) and has an Australian warehouse.

can add another layer of protection. Always use a retailer that offers shipping with tracking and insurance to ensure you get the delivery or can have it replaced if there’s an issue. Some international retailers will package in a local charger or Australian adapter. But otherwise, use an existing charger or buy one locally that meets Australian safety regulations. Most overseas smartphone purchases won’t be over the $1,000 import duty threshold, but keep it in mind. From July 1st, 2017, all overseas purchases will be subject to GST, but how exactly that will work out remains to be seen. While relatively rare, some imported phones have come pre-loaded with spyware and other bloat — so it’s always a good idea to double check and uninstall any extra apps. [ 019 ]

BARGAIN HUNTER FRUGAL FITNESS TRACKERS

WINNER

APPROVED

[ GET FIT FOR JUST A BIT ]

Frugal fitness trackers

AWARD

Fitbit Flex 2 IS IT WORTH PAYING A LITTLE MORE?

THE ORIGINAL, AND still excellent, Fitbit Flex is one of the more popular activity trackers and can be picked up for under $100. But Fitbit has now released a new updated version, and while it costs $150 from the official store, it can be found online for as low as $130. There are also loads of different wristband and pendant accessories available for the Flex 2, including jewellery look metal models. The Flex 2 has a 3-axis accelerometer, but also packs a vibration motor for feedback and alarms, and can provide call and text notifications. The battery lasts about five days and it has a five-LED indicator system. Importantly for many people, the Flex 2 is fully waterproof and can be used for swimming. The Flex 2 is one of the smallest trackers we tested, and measures in at just 31.7mm x 8.9mm x 6.8mm, and comes with two different sized wristbands. While the Flex 2 itself is a great little tracker, the true value comes from the stand out Fitbit app, which is clean, easy to use and customisable.

GET YOURSELF AN ACTIVITY TRACKER THAT DOESN’T COST AN ARM AND A LEG. [ LINDSAY HANDMER ]

FITNESS TRACKERS CAN be a great way to be a bit healthier, but the higher-end models are not exactly affordable. Fortunately, there are plenty of budgetfocused models, so we’ve put together reviews of the cheapest 10 available in Australia (aside from the Xiaomi Mi Band 2). Prices range from $25, up to $130, with a big spread of features. While there are plenty of very cheap no-name Chinesemade trackers available from overseas, we’ve stuck to models where a warranty will actually be honoured. The core functionality of trackers uses an accelerometer to track movements, Bluetooth to sync to a PC or smartphone and some sort of LEDs or display to give fitness goal feedback. Better models include extra features such as OLED displays, vibration motors for alerts, and even basic smartwatch functionality. While some trackers are rechargeable, others use watch batteries that last six months or more. It’s worth noting that while the tracker is important, the true value and feature set comes from the apps, which can analyse the gathered data, track sleep and link into online fitness communities. [ 020 ]

10

FITNESS TRACKERS

HOW WE TESTED

Each tracker was tested with a mix of activities, such as ultimate frisbee, netball, jogging and walking. Step accuracy was judged by comparing all trackers, as well as smartphone-based movement tracking. The associated fitness apps were tested on a Nexus 6P smartphone.

4 FITBIT FLEX 2 $130 www.fitbit.com/au CRITICAL SPECS Vibration motor; waterproof; call and text alerts; Bluetooth; 5-day battery; 3-axis tracking; two band sizes; Fitbit app; 31.7 x 8.9 x 6.8mm

WINNER

APPROVED

WINNER

AWARD

BARGAIN HUNTER FRUGAL FITNESS TRACKERS

APPROVED AWARD

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Jawbone UP Move

Fitbit Zip

Jolt Crest Fitness Band

AN OLDER BUT VERY CHEAP TRACKER.

A TRUSTED TRACKER BRAND.

IRRESISTIBLY AFFORDABLE.

A BASIC CLIP-ON style activity tracker, the UP Move also has a range of wristbands available cheaply online. The Move is now about two years old, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a look, as the true value is in the Jawbone app, which has frequent updates. The Move itself uses the standard 3-axis accelerometer to track activity, day and night, but doesn’t have vibration feedback, or other options such as heart rate tracking. It connects via low power Bluetooth, and uses a replaceable battery with a 6-month life. The Move is quite compact at 28mm across (but 9.75mm thick), and can take a splash of water, but isn’t designed for swimming. The tracker face is one big button, and it uses LEDs to show the time, and fitness goal progress. While the Move is pretty basic, the Jawbone app is top notch (and the same as the more expensive Jawbone fitness trackers use), with features such as food logging, fitness duels with friends and even a smart coach.

WHILE IT’S POSSIBLE to buy cheaper online, the Fitbit Zip is also available for purchase from everyday stores, such as JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks. The little tracker uses the standard clip-on style, though has an almost endless array of third-party accessories available online, such as wristbands and pendants. The Zip uses a 3-axis accelerometer, along with Bluetooth and a replaceable non-rechargeable battery that lasts up to six months. It also comes with a sync dongle for use with a computer. Where the Zip stands out, though, is a small LCD that can display information such as steps or other stats. The Zip doesn’t have any fancier functionality and, like most affordable trackers, offloads the smarts to the app. The good news is that the Fitbit app is one of the best available, with loads of options, such as progress tracking, challenges, food logs and earned fitness badges. The Zip measures in at 28mm wide, 35.5mm long and 9.65mm thick and is water resistant, but not swim proof.

RATHER THAN TAKING a gamble with a cheap but mystery brand tracker on eBay, consider Officeworks’ stocked $25 device. In terms hardware, it’s pretty good, with a backlit display, accelerometer, vibration motor and Bluetooth connectivity. The tracker sits in a black silicone rubber band — though, there is a coloured three band of extra bands available for $10. The Jolt Crest is sits pretty high, but is otherwise quite comfortable. It’s not waterproof, and charges via USB, with about a 3-day battery life in our testing. The Jolt connects to an Android or iOS app called DayDay Band, and we had no luck linking to third-party apps. Surprisingly enough, it was very easy to sync to the tracker, and shows steps, as well as calculating calories burnt. It also tracks sleep, can display push messages from your phone, can find the band or take a photo when the Jolt is shaken. While the Jolt Crest experience is somewhat basic, it does work quite well considering the price, and the third-party options are good.

4

4

4

JAWBONE UP MOVE $35 www.jawbone.com

FITBIT ZIP $79 www.fitbit.com/au

JOLT CREST FITNESS BAND $24.88 www.officeworks.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS 3-axis tracking; low-power Bluetooth; water resistant; 6-month battery life; Jawbone app; 28 x 9.75mm

CRITICAL SPECS LCD readout; water resistant; Bluetooth; 3-axis tracking; 6-month battery life; Fitbit app; 38 x 35.5 x 9.65mm

CRITICAL SPECS Backlit display; vibration alert; Bluetooth; 3-axis tracking; 3-day battery; third-party app options

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 021 ]

WINNER

APPROVED BARGAIN HUNTER FRUGAL FITNESS TRACKERS

AWARD

Misfit Link

Fitbit One

Garmin Vivofit 3

AFFORDABLE FITNESS TRACKING.

DO YOU PREFER A DISPLAY?

AN INTERESTING MIX OF FEATURES.

AROUND $10 CHEAPER than the Misfit Flash, the Link is sold sans wristband, but offers the same functionality. For those who want to upgrade later, there are also soft silicone wristbands available online (try eBay.com.au) for under $10. In testing, the Link quite accurately tracks steps during the day, and can monitor sleep at night. It doesn’t have any heart rate tracking or other bells and whistles, but does use a non-rechargeable battery that is good for 6 months and is water resistant. The Link connects via Bluetooth, and has a decent but not amazing app for tracking details such as calories burned. It has has an array on LEDs on the face that give direct feedback as to how close you are to specific goals. But what’s cooler, is the Link can be programmed as a smart Bluetooth button. For example, it can be used to play/pause music, trigger smart home programs such as lights, take a photo with your camera, or to help find your phone.

UNLIKE THE VERY basic clip-on activity trackers, the Fitbit One has some higher-end features, as well as a large OLED display. Core functionality is provided by a 3-axis accelerometer, but the One also has an altimeter, for measuring altitude changes. While it’s designed as a clip-on tracker, it comes with a sleep band, and there is a large range of third-party accessories available. Importantly, the One has a vibration motor, so can give gentle feedback on goals or help wake you at the optimum time. The device is sweat proof, but not designed for swimming, and has a rechargeable battery that lasts almost two weeks. The One is quite large, and measures in at 48mm long, 9.65mm thick and 19.3mm wide. As expected from Fitbit, the fitness tracking app is top notch, and one of the most fully featured options available, and has a great social competitive mode. The One does need to be clipped on securely, but offers quite accurate tracking and is less affected by wrist movements.

LAUNCHED MID-2016, THE Garmin Vivofit 3 can be picked up online, or at many retailers, for just under $100. It’s a wrist-style tracker, but the actual unit itself is removable and there are loads of third-party bands and clips available. The Vivofit 3 does the usual activity and sleep tracking, but does not have a vibration motor. Instead, it uses a 64 x 64 pixel backlit LCD and audible alerts to give feedback on different goals. On the plus side, this setup means the Vivofit can use a non-rechargeable battery, which gives an impressive one-year life. It also works as a watch, and is actually rated for swimming. On the wrist, the Vivofit 3 is quite chunky, but comfortable. Tracking such as steps were quite accurate, and the audio alert is loud but not annoying. The other half of the tracker is the app, and while Garmin Connect is fairly well featured, it’s not quite as user friendly as some of the competition.

4

[ 022 ]

31/2

31/2

MISFIT LINK $40 www.misfit.com

FITBIT ONE $130 www.fitbit.com/au

GARMIN VIVOFIT 3 $99 www.garmin.com

CRITICAL SPECS Activity tracking; smart button; water resistant; Bluetooth; Misfit app; 6-month battery life

CRITICAL SPECS OLED screen; vibration alerts and alarms; water resistant; altimeter; sleep band; Fitbit app; 48x 9.65 x 19.3mm

CRITICAL SPECS 64 x 64-pixel LCD; audible alerts; waterproof; 1-year battery life; Garmin Connect app

BARGAIN HUNTER FRUGAL FITNESS TRACKERS

Jawbone UP 2

LG Lifeband Touch

Runtastic Moment Fun

STYLISH AS WELL AS PRACTICAL.

IS AN OLDER TRACKER WORTH A SECOND LOOK?

AN ACTIVITY TRACKER WITH A DIFFERENCE.

JUST SQUEAKING IN under $100, including delivery if bought online — but do beware of cheaper fakes — the Jawbone UP 2 is also available from retailers such as Harvey Norman and Officeworks for around $120. The UP 2 is a wrist-strap-style device, and while it comes in a variety of colours, it can’t be removed in order to be used as a clip-on tracker. On the plus side, it is very comfortable to wear and the build quality is excellent. The UP 2 uses an accelerometer to track your activity, and syncs back to a smartphone via Bluetooth. The Jawbone app is top notch, and has plenty of in-depth functionality. Where the UP 2 stands out over the basic fitness trackers, such as the Move, is the inbuilt vibration motor. This allows the unit to work as a smart alarm when sleep tracking, as well as give physical feedback on other goals. The UP 2 has a rechargeable battery which lasts about a week, and is sweat resistant but not waterproof.

COMPETING WITH THE first generation fitness trackers, the LG Lifeband was an attempt to create a high-end device. Unfortunately, at launch, it was rather underwhelming, in part due to the very high price. These days, it is available brand new for the price of a budget tracker, and the value proposition looks a whole lot better. The LG Lifeband’s standout feature is the 23mm OLED display, and touch screen control. While not exactly a smart watch (though it can show the time), the Lifeband can display texts and control your music. It also tracks activity with a 3-axis accelerometer, has vibration feedback and can connect to heart rate monitors. The Lifeband uses a comfortable but unique wrist strap approach without clasps, and is instead sold in three sizes. The device only lasts a couple of days between charges when used as a smartwatch, or about a week if just a fitness tracker. The LG Fitness app is reasonable, but the Lifeband also connects to third-party apps such RunKeeper.

WHILE MANY FITNESS trackers also operate as watches, the Runtastic Moment Fun takes a different approach. At a casual glance, it looks just like a normal analogue watch, and is available in range of colours. But the device also packs in tracking tech that competes with most mid-range models. The Moment Fun has an accelerometer and tracks the usual steps, and movements, as well as sleep. It uses a non-rechargeable battery that lasts about six months, and is fully waterproof. The watch has a little dial that shows progress towards a daily fitness goal, but further info needs a smartphone and the app. Like the better fitness trackers, the Fun has a vibration motor built in and can give gentle wakeups or reminders to get moving. While very much a normal watch, the Fun is a little thicker than expected, but also comfortable to wear. The Runtastic app is easy to use, but can be a little basic, and more in-depth features cost money. Still, for those who want a watch-style device, it’s a solid buy.

31/2

31/2

31/2

JAWBONE UP 2 $99 www.jawbone.com

LG LIFEBAND TOUCH $50 www.lg.com

RUNTASTIC MOMENT FUN $120 www.runtastic.com

CRITICAL SPECS Vibration alerts; 7-day battery; water resistant; Bluetooth; Jawbone app

CRITICAL SPECS OLED screen; vibration feedback; smartwatch functionality; 3-axis tracking; LG Fitness app; 2–7-day battery life

CRITICAL SPECS Activity dial; vibration feedback; waterproof; Runtastic app; 6-month battery life

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 023 ]

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

DISCOVER ESSENTIAL APPS, TOOLS AND ENTERTAINMENT

[ POCKET CHANGERS ]

Apps worth paying for FREE APPS ARE ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT SOMETIMES IT’S WORTH FORKING OUT TO GET THE BEST. THESE ARE TECHLIFE’S PICKS FOR APPS THAT ARE WORTH YOUR CASH. [TIM BOTHWELL]

LET’S FACE IT: these days, it’s rare for us to pay for apps on our smartphones. I for one often scoff at the paid section of the charts — Goat Simulator? Monopoly? KIM KARDASHIAN EMOJIS?! While those particular examples mightn’t be particularly convincing, there are some truly revolutionary apps that should cost much more than the price of a coffee. Sure, there’s always going to be a free alternative, but it’s likely to lack the quality and features of its paid counterpart. What’s more, a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into creating a chart-topping app, so why not skip this morning’s caffeinated beverage and, instead, show your appreciation by downloading one of these great paid-for apps.

Pocket Weather $2.99 (iOS); $1.99 (Android) www.shiftyjelly.com

The weather can really make or break a day. Too cold for a picnic, too hot for a run — both perfect conditions for staying home and watching Netflix. While the app store is home to a barrage of free forecasting apps, many fail to do the role of weatherman justice. Countless times, I’ve arrived home saturated despite previously seeing a forecast stating nothing but sunshine. This Australian-made app is feature-packed with the latest weather info, giving you hourly forecasts up to 7 days in advance for every suburb. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology, so you’re guaranteed the most accurate and up-to-date prediction. For all you weather nerds out there, the app offers rain radars, synoptic charts and tide times, along with the ability to receive notifications for weather alerts nearby. [ 024 ]

My name is Tim Bothwell, and I am a multi-window addict. People often look in horror at my laptop where 4, even 6 windows are on my screen at any one time. While it mightn’t seem bad, imagine it on a tiny MacBook Air and you’ll soon realise just how ridiculous it truly is. While I could purchase an additional monitor, I’m on the go so much, I’d rarely have it with me. A much better option is to use the spare iPad resting nearby. After downloading the app on both devices, simply connect the tablet to your computer using any lightning cable and the desktop will suddenly appear on your iPad or iPhone. Now you can move your mouse seamlessly between devices with absolutely zero lag.

Spotify

Free; Premium from $12/month www.spotify.com

We all know there’s nothing better than staying home on a Saturday night listening to Nickelback’s greatest hits on full blast. But after a few hundred times, you might feel the urge to hear something new. Now with Spotify premium, you can play almost any song imaginable (minus Taylor Swift). Along with the ability to search by title, artist or album, are playlists for almost any occasion — twerking, crafting, living alone; as well as ones designed according to your unique listening habits. While the free version offers shuffled ad-supported listening, we think you’d be crazy not paying for premium — giving you unlimited listening on any device, higher sound quality, and the ability to download songs for offline playback. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

NOVA LAUNCHER PRO

$5.99 novalauncher.com

It seems the most worthwhile app purchases I’ve made are ones associated with productivity enhancements. Being able to speed up or simplify the tasks I perform on a daily basis is just so appealing. One such app is Nova Launcher — providing an easy way to customise almost any aspect of your home screen. Whether it’s organising widgets into docks and draws, changing icons and animations, even adjusting the colour of folders and backgrounds; your phone’s look and feel is almost entirely in your hands. Like many paid apps, this one has a free version, but paying just a few extra dollars gives you gesture controls, unread message counts and the ability to hide certain apps.

Scanner Pro

$5.99 readdle.com/products/scannerpro

As much as we support the gradual takeover of smartphones and tablets, there’s still times where traditional paper reigns supreme, such as at the checkout. Every time you shop, you’re handed a small sheet of paper that’s practically asking to be lost — something especially unhelpful come tax-time. Fear not, for Readle has your back with its ever popular Scanner Pro. Simply point your device at a printed receipt or document and the app will automatically recognise alignment and borders, as well as fix shadows and borders. Completed scans can be saved and exported to email, text message or sent to various cloud services. Also cool is support for OCR — converting the images of typed documents into text-form for easy searching and copying.

TASKER

$3.49 tasker.dinglisch.net

There’s a popular belief amongst the Google community that the Android operating system provides a much greater level of customisation, and It’s app developers that have embraced this the most. Coming highly recommended by power users, Tasker gives you the ability to automate the often mundane and complex tasks that tend to really chew through your time. Similar to Workflow for iOS, this app can do things like turn your phone to silent whilst at work, lower the screen’s brightness during the evening, even send out automated text messages when away on a holiday. The app provides support for over 200 actions, with tasks triggerable by location, time of day, even after plugging in of a pair of headphones.

DISCOVER SCHOOL HOLIDAY APPS

DUET DISPLAY

$30.99 www.duetdisplay.com

Launch Centre Pro $7.99 contrast.co/launch-center-pro

There’s been countless times I’ve gone to the effort of tapping the home button and entering my passcode only to forget what I was planning on doing. Early signs of memory loss? Perhaps. Extremely annoying? Definitely! Now with Launch Centre Pro, you can initiate tasks at the press of an icon. Swipe down to your notification screen and you’ll see a grid of buttons performing a series of highly customisable tasks. For example, initiating a phone call with your mother, sending an email addressed to your dad, tweeting out a photo of your three cats... Shortcuts can be created for apps like Facebook, Safari and IFTTT. Included are a number of example actions to help get your creative juices flowing. [ 025 ]

DISCOVER SCHOOL HOLIDAY APPS

Fantastical 2

$7.99 (iPhone); $14.99 (iPad) flexibits.com/fantastical-iphone

While the default calendar app might be okay for pencilling in the occasional dentist appointment, beyond that, there’s very little to get excited about. What’s more, add any additional calendars, recurring events or invitees and it can become a bit of a mess, not to mention difficult to manage from the tiny screen of your smartphone. Now in it’s second iteration, Fantastical 2 makes getting organised an absolute stitch! Simply enter a description of your event, such as “work meeting every second Tuesday at 5pm” and the app with automatically recognise and schedule the recurring appointment for you. The same style of phrasing can be used to set reminders.

Workflow $4.49 workflow.is

Available for both iPhone and iPad, this app provides a simple drag-and-drop interface allowing you to create ‘workflows’ that perform a wide range of actions. So you can make a GIF, save photos from Instagram, even shorten a web URL. Actions can involve your photos, calendar, maps, music library, even Facebook account. Completed workflows can be launched from within the app, today widget, action extension, even from an icon located on your homescreen. While it might appear quite challenging at first, take a look at some of the included examples and you’ll see it’s actually pretty easy. [ 026 ]

Enlight

$5.99 www.enlightapp.com

There are times I struggle knowing exactly how an app works. Photography apps can be especially confusing, often providing features without any clear direction for how best to use them. On the contrary, Enlight is one of the most intuitive image editors I’ve seen. Upon opening the app, you’re offered a large number of tutorials to help guide you through the process of creating truly professional-looking images. Included are an extensive number of features and effects, such as one to create a tilt-shift look, while the masking tool lets you apply filters to different sections of an image. You’re also able to add fancy text, professionallooking borders and collages.

Minecraft Pocket Edition From $8.59 | minecraft.net/en

Our list wouldn’t be complete without an app to help pass the time. While the free section is filled with your Flappies, Crossies and Candies; paid games can provide so much more entertainment. Minecraft can now be played on your mobile device. The game sees you build virtual worlds consisting of endless numbers of three-dimensional blocks. Similar to Lego, you’re able to construct anything from castles, pirate ships, even a volcano. The app offers different kinds of gameplay — creativity mode equips you with a never-ending supply of blocks; while survival mode requires you to mine and craft as if your life depends on it. Perfect for both kids and adults alike.

Robin Ince (of Infinite Monkey Cage fame) and comedian Josie Long host this ‘bit of this, bit of that’ kind of podcast. Instead of selecting a book to talk about for the episode, each instalment is more a discussion with their guest about what books they enjoy reading and how the works of certain authors influenced them in their lives. Such guests include Prof Brian Cox, Ben Miller, Noel Fielding, Eddie Izzard and even Charlotte Church. It can be witty but also very serious.

DISCOVER BEST PODCASTS

BOOK SHAMBLES

COSMICGENOME.COM/SHAMBLES

[ ACCIO HEADPHONES! ]

Podcasts for page-turners IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IDLE BOOKLOVERS MUST BE IN WANT OF A BOOK-CLUB PODCAST. [CARMEL SEALEY]

AS IT’S FROWNED upon to walk down the road while reading from your smartphone these days, not to mention unsafe, why not load yourself up with podcasts instead? There are literally hundreds of podcasts out there that can call themselves ‘book clubs’, but rather than listen to them all and decide which were the best in terms of production quality or the fame of the presenters, we thought we’d look for a selection of shows with different twists on the genre. Some of the following went with the ‘select a book and discuss’ type of format, which is probably the most familiar and popular, but others decided to go for something a little more casual and broad, looking at how books influence people’s lives and how the themes present in one book are presented differently in others. If simply reading books isn’t enough, here is a selection of podcasts dedicated to all things books — fiction and non-fiction.

World Book Club

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003jhsk

As part of the BBC World Service, the World Book Club is hosted by Harriett Gilbert and comes out once a month. The episodes are either discussions around a certain book (classics and new releases) with an expert panel answering questions from the audience, or a talk with a particular author about their book and inspiration. The likes of Sir Terry Pratchett and Richard Dawkins have graced the show, and the panel guests are always relevant to the book, its context and its themes. A must-listen. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Literary Disco www.literarydisco.com

Hosted by book nerds Tod Goldberg, Julia Pistell and Rider Strong, based in the US, each episode always starts with a bit of banter and catching up between the three friends. Before they get on to the selected book, they sometimes talk about one of the book’s themes in a broad sense or answer listener questions. The trio have a great dynamic and occasionally invite an author onto the show to talk about a book they’re currently reading. If you like the more casual, conversational style of book club, check this one out.

SLATE AUDIO BOOK CLUB

WWW.SLATE.COM/ARTICLES/ARTS/THE_ AUDIO_BOOK_CLUB.HTML

Like Literary Disco, this podcast has three different hosts each episode, though Katy Waldman seems to be a constant. Slate Audio Book Club tackles a book about once a month and delves deeply into the themes of each novel. As there are three hosts, there’s bound to be disagreements, which is one of the great things about the podcast — the (civilised) arguments and the differing points of view. Another great thing is how big the archive is, so you can sift through the episodes to find a book you’ve read.

THE GUARDIAN BOOKS PODCAST

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM/BOOKS/SERIES/ BOOKS

This is another traditional format of book club and episodes are released every week, so you’d better start turning those pages! The instalments are sprinkled with readings and interviews with the authors themselves, much like the BBC World Service, which gives deeper insight into the themes and genres at play in the selected book. The Guardian website also hosts many one-off episodes (not strictly part of the podcast series) including celebrity readings that are also worth a look. Its production quality is great, as well. [ 027 ]

VIRTUAL-REALITY APPS & EXPERIENCES

DISCOVER EMERGING TECH ON TEST

[ GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE ]

Get hands on with emerging tech TECHLIFE’S PRACTICAL MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF ALL THE LATEST VIRTUALAND AUGMENTED-REALITY APPS AND EXPERIENCES, ALONGSIDE NEW AI-DRIVEN BOTS AND OTHER USEFUL TOOLS. [ JOEL BURGESS ]

WITH THE FIRST Oculus Rifts arriving on Australian shores around the start of April last year and HTC’s Vive, Sony’s PSVR, Google’s Daydream and OSVR all soon following suit, 2016 is undoubtedly the year virtual reality (proper) arrived — and based on the geopolitical climate, we couldn’t think of a better year to have introduced an additional reality to escape to. In addition to that hastily-constructed VR landscape, we’ve also seen the rise of augmented reality, centring around the official global release of Microsoft’s HoloLens headset and the astoundingly-popular debut of mainstream AR smartphone apps like Pokémon GO, which showed the untapped potential of a mixed physical-and-digital-reality. As Google reshapes the Play Store amongst fears that smartphone apps have reached saturation point, many are hailing ‘bots’ (or AI applications that you interact with via language) as the convenient and specialised future of the ‘app’. These emerging areas of technology are all poised to become the staples of tomorrow, so if you’re as keen as us to be ahead of the bell-curve, then there’s plenty of cutting-edge tech here to drag you away from the physical reality.

[ 028 ]

[ GOOGLE DAYDREAM ]

Fantastic Beasts Google Daydream Free | vr.google.com

Google’s Daydream VR headset launch coincided with the arrival of JK Rowling’s new Harry Potter spinoff. The Fantastic Beasts VR tie-in is exclusive to this headset — and it’s totally free to download and surprisingly fun to explore... even if you’re not a hardcore ‘Pothead’. One of the highlights of the Daydream View headset (see page 14) is its included Bluetooth controller, a device that lends itself so perfectly to a Fantastic Beasts game, in that it doubles nicely as an in-game wand (and serendipitously, even outside of this title, Google still likes to refer to this controller as a wand, too).

[ OCULUS RIFT, HTC VIVE ]

ABE VR

Free | www.hammerheadvr.com/abe

For almost as long as digital computers have been around, mankind has been plagued by the thought of unintentionally giving birth to a malignant AI, but experiencing this kind of unnerving narrative whilst in VR is an experience that is particularly frightening... but also, well, kind of awesome. As the first VR game to garner an M15+ rating in the UK, the frightening ABE VR experience is also one of the first indications that virtual-reality content is beginning to mature (with the obvious exception of Rule 34-related VR). [Ed’s note: Rule 34 states that if a thing exists, there is probably a porn version of it.]

[ STEAM VR ]

Google Earth VR Free | vr.google.com/earth

Despite launching on the Steam VR platform, which is compatible with both HTC’s Vive and the Oculus Rift, Google Earth VR was restricted to the Vive when it launched in mid November. Yet, in less than a week, a Reddit user by the name of Shockfire7 had created a FakeVive hack that’ll also allow Oculus owners to fly through the first-person imagery of our planet, as well. With highlights that include the Colosseum, the Matterhorn in Switzerland and the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Florence, this free VR app is definitely worth exploring.

[ HTC VIVE ]

Westworld VR www.hbo.com/westworld

An official release date (or platform for that matter) was yet to be announced at the time of writing, but based on how much we love the show and how well the world lends itself to VR, we think this will be one VR app worth strapping on a headset for. The life-sized interactive narrative reportedly has crucial decisions that affect the plot and outcome of the story, and in building this experience, HBO’s VR-development team were reportedly able to work on the Westworld set under the guidance of the show’s director, Michelle MacLaren.

AUGMENTED-REALITY APPS & EXPERIENCES

AI BOTS & TOOLS

[ FACEBOOK MESSENGER ]

[ OCULUS RIFT ]

[ HOLOLENS ]

$14.99 | blazerush.com

tinyurl.com/TLA59-PokAR

BlazeRush

This third-person, miniature Mad Max-style RC car game has been available on the Oculus Rift since headset pre-orders started shipping to Australia. Despite already being one of the standout VR titles, BlazeRush has recently added an arena and a football to create a separate ‘gridiron’ add-on (dubbed BlazeBowl) that mimics the astoundinglysuccessful soccer-meets-driving game Rocket League. As avid fans of both, we’re excited to give BlazeBowl a go (it’s available on PS4 as well, though strangely not PSVR yet) but if it’s anywhere near as good as Rocket League, it could be the best thing we’ve seen hit VR.

POKÉLENS

Pokémon GO was the first game with any real AR attributes to go mainstream, but if you were one of the millions that actually played it, you’d be aware of just how underwhelming the camera AR integration was. If you were disappointed by this (and, frankly, by the divergence from the battlebased tradition of the game), then you’ll likely be over the Poké-moon to hear that a couple of software developers have created a new AR battle system for the HoloLens called Pokélens, that allows you to pit Pokémon against each other in the real world following the turn-based JRPG style we were expecting.

If you’re looking to emigrate to the US, using a robot to help you organise your paperwork might just give you a better chance of success. It might not get the same 64% success-rate as the UKbased parking-fine lawyerbot Do Not Pay, but VisaBot will help you apply for and get an O-1 or B-2 Extension visa and won’t cost you a cent. Plugging directly into Facebook’s Messenger, you can even apply while you chat with friends, making the process even less laborious.

DISCOVER EMERGING TECH ON TEST

VISABOT

visabot.co

[ FACEBOOK MESSENGER, TELEGRAM ]

ICON8 BOT

icon-ai.com

If you cast your mind back to the middle of 2015 when Google’s Deep Dream image recognition software and control scheme was unleashed on the internet, you’d realise just how popular and powerful AI software photo manipulation can be. Icon8 Bot isn’t quite as hyperactive as Deep Dream, but this Messenger and Telegram bot has a few preconfigured algorithm filters that will tweak selfies to look more creative.

[ SLACK ]

ANGRY SHAKESPEARE

angryshakespeare.skeevisarts.com

[ OCULUS RIFT ]

V - Universal VR Dashboard Free (Beta) | www.hellov.io

The immersive environment of VR is excellent for games, but the encompassing attributes that make it appealing can quickly turn to a sense of smothering if you want to do more basic tasks — like say, listen to music, browse the web or be notified by and respond to an email or message. Simply double-tap the headset and a movable, resizable tile-board menu will appear that allows you to quickly open a range of applications including Slack, YouTube, Spotify and Messenger.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ IOS ]

MODERN POLAXIS

Everyone knows that chat-platform Slack was created solely to give colleagues a hard time on a slightly less-traceable platform than your work email, and thanks to Angry Shakespeare, now even the most prudish and unimaginative profanity watchers can dig the boot in too. If you have the urge to call one of your colleagues a ‘greasy tallow-catch’, it’s just a matter of using the /insult Slackbot command to unleash Angry Shakespeare on them.

Free app (US$30 comic) Modernpolaxis.com

Graphic novels and comics have always used visuals to bring narratives into the world, the Modern Polaxis comic takes a totally different approach to the modern graphic novel by giving you even more visuals that go deeper than the paper. By integrating an augmented-reality iPhone companion app to the story of a paranoid, journal-keeping time traveller, allows the addition of an entire digital element and adds both colour and hidden information to the comic.

[ FACEBOOK MESSENGER ]

MOTIVATE BOT

botlist.co/bots/1687-motivatebot

If you’re feeling down or a little unmotivated, sometimes all it takes is an inspiring string of words or a funny joke to snap you out of that mindset. Motivate Bot is an AI quote dispensary that plugs into Facebook’s Messenger app to shoot out a new motivating quote every morning. If you can’t live off the one quote a day, you can write to the messenger bot with any of the five commands it knows to get even more inspiring, motivating or funny quotes out of it. [ 029 ]

DISCOVER APP SHOWDOWN: CASTING THE BEST PODS

[ HEAR YE! HEAR YE! ]

App showdown: Casting the best pods WE WANDER THE WORLD OF INTERNET AUDIO TO TRACK DOWN THE BEST PODCASTING APPS.

Pocket Casts

REEL IN THE BEST PODCASTS. Android: $3.99, iOS: $5.99, WP: $4.29, Web: $9 | www.shiftjelly.com

THIS HOMEGROWN PODCAST heavyweight release date or in a drag-and-drop order of has been around as long as we can remember, your choice, which, if you happen to be but as the developer has noted on its website, proud enough of your arrangement, you can they’ve priced it at a point that means they can share it with the world through a dedicated provide ongoing support for it, so the app sees share button. constant updates and is in no way dated. Pocket Casts offers a number of features One of the first things you’ll do with a new and settings that make it easy to keep track podcast app is discover some ‘casts, so the New of your multitude of subscriptions. There’s an Stations browser is an important first easy-to-access new releases segment that’ll impression. The Discovery section of Pocket collect all the recent downloads, ordering Casts has a number of methods for finding them by the date of their release. Additionally, new podcasts with you can tweak the auto a collection of download settings POCKET CAST OFFERS handpicked Featured to only operate in IMPORT TOOLS TO HELP YOU favourites, a Trending Wi-Fi zones or even POPULATE YOUR NEW APP list, an overall when your phone WITH ALL YOUR FAVOURITE popularity segment, is charging, enable SUBSCRIPTIONS AND a category breakdown, notifications for PLAYBACK HISTORY a parent Network any new downloads SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO option and a slightly and set up an START FROM SCRATCH. unusual nearby option automated sync that’ll let you see what and regulated other Pocket Casters in the area listen to. episode checker across all your devices. Of course, in addition to these, you can just Multi-hour audio subscriptions can be search for what you’re after in the 30,000 reasonably large files and, once you’ve got your original podcasts using title, host or feed fingers in a few podcast pies, it’s surprising keywords. how quickly your phone’s storage space will Once you’ve added the selection of stations be used up. If you happen to use Pocket Casts you think you’ll be interested in, it’ll organise on an Android that has a microSD card, then them by how recently you played them and you can opt to store podcasts there rather than naturally prioritise your most listened to use internal memory. Moreso if you are stations. Alternatively, you can sort by name, particularly tight on space, you can set Pocket [ 030 ]

Casts to auto delete any played podcasts and limit the number of downloaded files to two to prevent over-occupying your phone’s storage. If you already have a podcast app and need a little extra cajoling in order to make the switch, Pocket Casts offers import tools to help you populate your new app with all your favourite subscriptions and playback history so you don’t have to start from scratch. If you’re a podcast power user looking to tailor your library even further, Pocket Casts will allow you to make your own smart folders that’ll only include episodes or subscriptions that fit the play state, episode type and release date of your choosing. Pocket Casts offers an exceptionally large range of customisations and handy settings but, at the same time, manages to keep its interface simple enough to be a straightforward, nicely laid out podcast playback app. On the whole, we can’t think of anything else we’d need out of an app that looks after your podcasts and, though there are a couple of apps that aren’t too far behind, they still have a bit of catching up to do before being on par with this longstanding champ.

OVERCAST

Free with ads; $12.99 per year ad-free overcast.fm

This free alternative to iTunes is only available on iOS, which is particularly disappointing considering how well designed it’s recommendation and discovery sections are. Overcast lets you link your Twitter account for a tailored list of your followers’ favourite podcasts. With the full spectrum of available podcasts, this is definitely a contender for top-pod app, but the $13 per year price tag for the ad-free premium tier is a little more expensive than the one-off $4–$9 you’ll pay for the Pocket Cast versions and it lacks advanced playback features.

DISCOVER APP SHOWDOWN: CASTING THE BEST PODS

ALSO CONSIDER...

HEAR THE FLIP-SIDE WITH THESE GREAT ALTERNATIVES.

SPOTIFY

Free with ads; Premium from $12 per month www.spotify.com

Spotify’s Podcast section came to Android subscribers early in 2016, and though it’s had some time to smooth over any imperfections, if it wasn’t attached to an excellent audio streaming service, it wouldn’t be a particularly appealing podcast option. That said, the fact that you don’t have to switch between apps to change from a podcast to music is a handy feature. Spotify’s Podcasts are organised into 10 categories tucked away in the Discover section of the smartphone apps and, though it isn’t the most comprehensive library we’ve seen, it has plenty of the most popular titles.

BECOME A PRO PODCAST LISTENER

TUNE-IN FOR AN ADVANCED COURSE ON PODCASTING.

SLEEP TIMER

If you happen to be someone that likes to listen to soothing podcasts before bed, then it’s worth knowing your way around a sleep timer. Most of the big apps have selectable timer intervals that will cut the podcast off so it doesn’t run all evening.

CHROMECAST

Soaking in your podcasts through headphones is generally going to be the most practical. But if you’re on your home Wi-Fi, Pocket Casts supports Google Cast devices meaning you can throw podcasts directly to your home audio system.

CUT SILENCES

Cutting out the tiny silences in your favourite podcasts may seem like a trivial setting that few would actually take the time to set up, but turning this feature on is simply a matter of toggling it and the nifty Pocket Cast stats page will show you how much silence you’ve saved yourself. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

VARIABLE SPEED

In much the same way as cutting the silences, some podcast apps will let you speed up playback to allow you to get through podcasts quicker. Sometimes, it’s nice to just relax into a podcast’s natural pace so this speed listening won’t be for everyone, but if you’ve got a particularly slow talker on your hands, it’s a godsend.

CUT INTRO

Unfortunately, this tool can’t automatically detect the intro piece for the podcast you’re listening to, so it doesn’t work quite as well as the other trimming features mentioned above. That said, if you do listen to any podcasts that always start with the intro music, then you simply delay the start time until after the intro.

PODCAST AND RADIO ADDICT

Free with ads; $4.29 to remove ads podcastaddict.uservoice.com

Since Google Play’s podcast section still isn’t available in Australia, we thought it was only fair to add another Android option into the mix. Podcast and Radio Addict is logically set out and has a comprehensive selection of podcasts that can be easily found by popularity, affiliate station or novelty. You will have to put up with banner ads (unless you ‘donate’ $4.29), though the playback features are decent, letting you speed up the recording, boost the volume or set an auto switch-off timer if you’re listening before bed.

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DISCOVER BEST NEW APPS

PHOTOSCAN BY GOOGLE PHOTOS SCAN PHOTOS WITH YOUR PHONE. Free | www.google.com/photos/scan

As the name implies, this new Google-developed app allows you to scan in your old photos using a smartphone camera. Simply open the app, hover your phone over the photo, follow the instructions (you need to align an AR circle over four dots in order for the app to do its magic) and then, theoretically, your photo is digitised. I tried it on a few different photos in a few different environments and the results were mixed. You’re meant to be able to scan under any conditions, but glare remained in at least one attempt, despite Google’s promise that it won’t happen. But, you know, give the app a break, find a well-lit and non-glarry environment, and it works pretty well — they still look like old photos, but it’s a step up from what they’d look like if you’d simply photographed them normally. A proper scanner is probably the better option, but hopefully Google will continue to finetune this app. [ LATEST APPS ]

Best new apps THE TECHLIFE TEAM REVIEWS THE MOST INTERESTING NEW APPS FOR iOS, ANDROID AND WINDOWS MOBILE.

Android Auto

TURNS YOUR PHONE INTO A CAR-FRIENDLY VOICE-DRIVEN TOOL. Free | goo.gl/MjLdzK

It’s illegal to use your phone while driving a car, for obvious reasons: if you’re looking at your phone instead of the road, you might crash into something. So it’s lucky the benevolent overlords at Google have created this app which allows you to access some pretty important smartphone tools without having to look at it. When you boot up the app, it’ll request access to, well, pretty much everything (SMS, voice calls, contacts etc) and then ask for a Bluetooth device to pair with. It also creates a much larger version of Google [ 032 ]

Play Music so that you can navigate playlists at the briefest of glances. You don’t have to look, though: voice recognition can be accessed with a single button press, allowing you to say “play (music)”, “call (friend)” or “navigate to (location)” instead. With my Australian accent, I didn’t encounter any difficulties, though anyone familiar with Google’s previous voice recognition outings will know it’s a pretty reliable tool, so long as you weed the ‘strewth’s and ‘dawg’s from your vocab. A very useful app. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

[ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

FLYCHAT AN APP TO MAKE MESSAGING MORE ZUCKERBERG-IAN. Free | goo.gl/Q4PW3H

If you’re fond of the little bubble icons Facebook Messenger uses for notifications on smartphones, well, Flychat basically creates that experience for a host of other messenger services. Don’t know what I’m talking about? For the inexperienced, Flychat will basically create a one-tap gateway to active conversations, in the form of a circular icon which hovers on your smartphone’s home page. At the time of writing, the apps which are supported include Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Slack and Twitter direction messages. Each notification can be customised to a small extent, while the size of the bubble icon can be made bigger or smaller depending on preference. If you’ve grown fond of the way Facebook Messenger handles ongoing conversations and want that style to apply to a host of other applications, this does exactly that. Fingers crossed that more messenging apps will be added in the future. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

DISCOVER BEST NEW APPS

DreamLab

Freeview FV

SLEEP FOR A CURE. Free | www.garvan.org.au/get-involved/ dreamlab

Want to cure cancer? Course you do, and here’s how you can do it in your sleep. DreamLab is making it extraordinarily simple, via the power of your smartphone. Load up the app when you’re charging your phone and the DreamLab servers connect to the Garvin Institute, one of Australia’s pioneering outlets that researches a variety of diseases. DreamLab is dedicated to finding a cure for four cancers, and it’s up to you which one(s) you’d like to ‘donate’ your phone’s processing power and data to. Simply pick the research you’re particularly interested in, and as your phone charges, the institute employs it as a mini supercomputer, offloading some of the processing grunt via the internet. When you wake up, you’re given a heart-warming summary of the good you’ve done. Even a brief 30-minute nap can solve four problems, and a solid six or so hours is good for about 60 problems. Importantly, you choose how much data the app uses, up to a maximum of 500MB per month on cellular data, and unlimited on Wi-Fi (you can choose between 250MB and 1GB before bumping it up to infinite). [ PAUL TAYLOR ]

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

AirDroid 4.0

TV ON THE MOBILE. Free | www.freeview.com.au

Between YouTube, Netflix, Stan and — at a pinch — Foxtel, it’s a wonder that free-to-air television hasn’t been completely shuttered under the sheer glut of original shows, wacky cat clips and top-shelf, Hollywood-quality productions that you can stream online. That’s one view, or perhaps there’s still something to reap from(or quietly comforting about) repeats of M*A*S*H. While all the terrestrial stations have their own apps that give you access to live TV, and also catch-up services, they’re separate. Freeview ties them all under the one banner and operates like a traditional menu, giving you the channels that aremost suitable to your location. Scroll through, pick your channel and away you go. However, you can’t jump into catch-up TV, nor can you record shows for later — this is purely for watching shows as they happen. The app offers a few choices for the bitrate so you don’t destroy your data allowance, and the EPG is nice and clear with the option to set reminders for your favourite shows. [ PAUL TAYLOR ]

HAVE YOUR PHONE ON YOUR PC. Free | www.airdroid.com

By far and away our standout app for this month, AirDroid 4.0 gives remote access to your smartphone so you don’t have to constantly pick it up to check messages, look at photos and so on. For anyone who runs a blog, a small business or is tethered to their computer for hours each day, it’s a remarkable time-saving app, and very slick too. Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi network and log in to the provided URL, and your phone is then presented as a new desktop in a tab of your web browser. While this is not a mirror image of your phone, you’ll soon get used to the smart GUI layout as you browse photos, receive and reply to text messages, and alter the files on your phone as you see fit. There’s also the option to mirror your phone’s home screen to your computer (should you need to demo an app, for example), and also backup your files. It’s remarkably versatile, and pretty solid too. Go premium for $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year, and you can transfer larger files, but the free version offers a lot for nothing at all. [ PAUL TAYLOR ]

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DISCOVER BEST NEW APPS

Story of Life

AMAZING VIDEOS ABOUT NATURE. Free with IAP |www.bbc.com/earth/ storyoflifedreamlab

This app is one for the documentary-lovers or someone who enjoys hitting up YouTube with a desire to watch something crazy. More than 1,000 videos can be found on this app, some already sorted into collections. The clips themselves are quite short, showing some truly amazing moments from the countless productions Sir David Attenborough has been involved in, either by being on set or simply providing the narration. Watch a huge pride of lions attempt to take down a young elephant or watch as dolphins catch fish in extremely shallow water. Perhaps you’d prefer to see a snow leopard running after a mountain goat down a sheer rock face or take a look at the tortoises that gave Charles Darwin his inspiration. While our version of the iOS app did have a bit of trouble playing some videos (probably due to our connection), the app itself is very simple and user-friendly. It’s easy to navigate between videos and save your favourites into your own collection. It’s a great idea and reminds us that, while we do see less of him these days, the master has shared with us more than 60 years of amazing moments from nature. Long may he continue to do so. [ CARMEL SEALEY ] [ 034 ]

Moasure

A MEASURING TAPE OF QUESTIONABLE RELIANCE IN YOUR POCKET. $2.99 | www.moasure.com

Wouldn’t it be great to have an app that could do away with the inconvenience of carrying around a measuring tape? Well, we might have to go on wondering because we had some problems with Moasure. While the app does have a very clean interface and a pretty good tutorial — letting you know the ways in which you can measure from one point to another — it unfortunately doesn’t tell you where on your phone is the optimal place to use as the start and ending edges. Using the simplest of measurements (from A to B on a flat surface), we found that Moasure was at least 4cm off (sometimes, even up to 10cm) with each attempt. Annoyingly, the tutorial suggests that you measure your subject several times and take an average (that’s right, average) and, if one measurement is drastically different to the others, just delete it. The app does do one thing well, however, and that is measuring angles. We found this function to be very accurate, but is it worth spending actual money on? No. No, it isn’t. Because while it might be nice to have a handy virtual measuring tape in your pocket, you’d be a fool to trust it. Just buy a measuring tape and go back to the tried and tested way of doing things. [CARMEL SEALEY]

Adobe Photoshop Fix

DIDDLE WITH YOUR PICS WHILE ON THE GO. Free | www.adobe.com/au/products/fix.html

If you want a photo-altering app for your smartphone or tablet, Photoshop Fix is one to try. There’s a wide range of alteration options on offer here, giving you the ability to adjust facial features (enlarge eyes, pinch noses, stretch earlobes and so on), remove blemishes from skin, change hair colour, fiddle around with light and contrast, and also go nuts with the Healing category (which allows you to remove or clone elements and also restore). The above image shows the Clone Tool hard at work, and while it can’t quite perform magic, if you sink enough time into it, you can make an image look considerably better than it did before. While you’ve got a mode selected, it’s impossible to move the image around or zoom. Enabling that feature would make this app a great deal more user-friendly. It’s hard to be precise when you have a stubby finger instead of a graphics tablet and pen, so you won’t be making any pieces of art here. But if you have to alter your images while on the go, this app is full of sliders to tweak and tools to try out — and if, halfway through, you realise you need to finish up on your PC, the app automatically uploads your work to the cloud for easy downloading when you’re back at home. [CARMEL SEALEY]

DISCOVER BEST NEW APPS

Scanbot 6 Pro

IMPROVED FEATURE SET FOR THIS SCANNING APP. Free; $12.99 pro version | scanbot.ioorg. au/get-involved/dreamlab

If you typically snapphotos of documents and savethem in the Camera Roll, Scanbot 6 is an app to try. The app provides afar slicker user interface, plus a robust set of tools to capture, manage and share single- or multi-page docs with ease. Automatic edge detection eliminates the need for manual cropping, although recognition tends to be slow in low light situations or when documents blend into the background too much. However, the quality is fantastic, and documents are saved in your choice ofPDF or JPG files witha minimum resolution of 200 dpi. The core app is free, which includes the ability to also scan QRor other barcodes, enhancements (filters, crop, rotate) and automatic upload to cloud services iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, OneDrive and Amazon Drive. Scanbot 6 Pro automatically performs optical character recognition, which enables extracted text to be copied or searched. Smart file naming speeds up the process, along with WebDAV and FTP uploads, and the ability to add pages to existing scans. Scanbot is also a capable PDF editor and has built-in annotation features. [JR BOOKWALTER] [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Tinkerblocks

A BRIGHT, COLOURFUL CODING APP FOR KIDS. $4.49 | urbnpockets.com

Every time a new coding app for kids gets released, we wonder if this will be the one to really get them engaged. On the right are a number of basic starter projects: tap one to see the bare bones, or use the stylus icon to edit. The options are pretty impressive. You can add input/output controls (image, video, text), control features (countdown/ timer), animpressive set of sensors (location, tilt, shake, face and motion detection, and more) and a few effects (such as preset graphics, text and sounds). If the icons are not obvious, you can press one to find out what it does, then drag one over to the list of actions. It’s easy to change order using drag-and-drop, and easy to delete an action by dragging it left until the trash can appears. We found the image tool alittle frustrating, though. There’s definitely a learning curve to the app, and parents will almost definitely have to assist young ‘developers’. Once comfortable with the concept, though, the results should keep your kids engaged so they enjoy tinkering without supervision. And it’s easy for them to share their creations. So in all, there’s a lot to take in, but also a lot on offer once your little coders get the hang of things. [JO MEMBERY]

Obscura Camera 4

SIMPLICITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME WITH THIS CAMERA APP. $7.99 | obscuraapp.com

For photographers, the default iPhone Camera app lacks fine control over things like exposure and focus.Obscura greets you with wireframestyle controls, and your first impression will be that simplicity has been prioritised over power. However, there’s a lot going on under the surface. As with iOS’s built-in Camera app, you can tap anywhere in the frame to set exposure and focus, but hold afinger on Expose and a circular control popsup, enabling you to adjust exposure. The focus control works similarly. Usefully, Obscura uses focus peaking — highlighting parts of your shots to show you what’s focussed. Also included are manual controls for ISO to boost or reduce exposure, and buttons for controlling shutter speed. There’s also the option to capture RAW and JPEG files at the same time. Obscura uses a somewhat fiddly series of swipes to provide access to additional manual controls — white balance presets, arule-of-thirds grid over the viewfinder, andan artificial horizon. You can add live filters to your shot, too. And we noticed only by accident that tapping the middle ofthe controls produces a pop-up menu that enables you to shoot RAW or Live Photos and more. [DAVE STEVENSON] [ 035 ]

[ COOL STUFF FROM AROUND THE WEB ]

DISCOVER UNEARTHED

Unearthed THE TECHLIFE TEAM’S FAVOURITE NEW SITES, SERVICES, BROWSER PLUGINS & OTHER HANDY TOOLS.

[ WEBSITE ]

750 Words SPLURGE YOUR THOUGHTS NOW TO FOCUS LATER.

750words.com

It’s hard to describe exactly what this tool is. An online diary? A notepad with expectations? Your next manuscript? Perhaps it’s all of those things, because 750 Words is essentially a blank canvas — but it does have a goal, and that is to get you writing every single day. That little green cross that you get each day you write is strangely satisfying and reaching that 750-word mark feels mountainous at first, but as each day passes, it becomes easier, especially if you’re working towards something. So if, like your reviewer, you have an idea for a piece of writing flying around inside your head, but you don’t have time to refine it (maybe because you’re at work), then blurt out as much as you can on 750 Words and come back to it later. “What about putting that idea on your phone instead?” I hear you say. Have you ever tried typing 750 words on your phone? Excessive phone tapping is time-consuming — this experience is much nicer. Plus, once you know you’ve done your 750 words for the day, you can focus on other things with a clear mind. [ CARMEL SEALEY ]

[ CHROME EXTENSION ]

Disable HTML5 Autoplay STOP THOSE ANNOYING VIDEOS FROM AUTOPLAYING.

Free | tinyurl.com/tla59-autoplay

Want to stop embedded videos in your favourite websites from playing automatically? This isn’t just a pipe-dream: grab the Disable HTML5 Autoplay extension for Google Chrome and you too will no longer have to put up with annoying automatic video content. This simply-named extension (which is also available for Opera) does exactly what the name suggests — it stops the automatic playback of both audio and video. You can also whitelist specific websites, enabling autoplay of media and GIFs in the pages you’d like them to continue on. And not only does it work on news websites, it’s effective on social media platforms as well, blocking videos from playing as you browse through your Facebook or Twitter newsfeed. It’s important to remember, though, that Disable HTML5 Autoplay only blocks HTML5 videos, meaning Flash- and Silverlight-based media will still play automatically. While using this extension on Chrome, for example, we found that it stopped both ads and news clips from playing on SMH; however, on News.com.au, only clips were blocked, with the ads still playing. [ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ]

[ WEBSITE ]

Google Earth Timelapse UPDATED WITH HIGHER-RESOLUTION IMAGES AND FEWER ANNOYING ARTEFACTS.

earthengine.google.com/timelapse

While it first debuted in 2013, Google has been working on Google Earth’s timelapse functionality ever since, and with a recent update, you’ll be able to witness the Earth evolve (or in some cases, visibly devolve) between the years 1984 and 2016. It basically takes satellite images from the past, as well as Google’s own Earth archives, and quickly flicks between these images providing a cinematic overview of how a particular bird’s-eye view has changed. While Google offers a handful of recommendations on the main site (mainly Californiacentric, because they’re American), it’s especially fun to witness Sydney’s developer-friendly environment shoot up over time. Of course, the increase in pixel resolution creates the effect that more is happening than in reality, but if you can see past that, this is a very nifty update indeed, especially if you already spend an inordinate amount of time virtual globetrotting. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ] [ 036 ]

[ WEBSITE ]

FREE RICE

ANSWER TRIVIA QUESTIONS FOR FOOD.

[ WEBSITE ]

OpenCritic A CHALLENGER TO METACRITIC, FOCUSED ON VIDEOGAMES.

www.opencritic.com

For years, Metacritic has been the best source for gamers with no desire to trawl through countless websites for a consensus. OpenCritic is a challenger to that site’s dominance: focused entirely on games, it’s a prettier website, but it’s also a lot more granular with its statistics. It aggregates reviews from all reputable sites (and plenty lesser known outlets), and while many will be satisfied to glance at the overall average score, if you’re a super-discerning consumer, you’ll have plenty more to chew over.

For example, you’re able to click on a particular outlet’s name to see the average score it assigns, making it easy to see whether it’s more likely to approve or disapprove of new titles. That also applies to individual writers — the site even indicates whether a writer is likely to score something above or below the average. As a site to consult for consumer advice, it’s pretty useful, and arguably a lot better than what Metacritic is currently offering. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

Do you like trivia? Do you like learning? Do you like the feeling that you’re making a difference? We’re a little unsure how much of these last two things you’ll actually be doing, but the premise of this site is a great one. With your adblocker turned off or paused (the ads pay for the good work you’re doing, you see), visit the above site and start answering questions about your selected subject. This particular writer picked English vocabulary (because, of course, she did) and, to be honest, the questions were quite easy and they’re all multiple choice, but the fact that a correct answer donates ten grains of rice to the World Food Programme in the effort of ending world hunger, that isn’t really something you can complain about. Plus, there’s a Player Activities table showing how many questions and grains of rice other players have donated by answering questions, which promotes healthy rivalry in the name of charity!

DISCOVER UNEARTHED

freerice.com

[ CARMEL SEALEY ]

[ CHROME EXTENSION ]

Note Anywhere ADD STICKY NOTES ANYWHERE TO ANY OF YOUR CHROME PAGES

Free | tinyurl.com/tla59-note

If you’re someone who opens multiple tabs on your browser window but can’t remember why a moment later, you now have help. Notes Anywhere is an extension for Chrome that lets you add virtual Post-it notes — you guessed it — anywhere on a web page. Leave yourself a note, and you can even close the tab only to reopen the page again to find your reminder still there. You can customise the note style by changing colour and font, and add as many as you’d like or need. The only pages where the extension won’t work are for web apps with

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

key interception, ones that monitor your keyboard for keystrokes. Mind you, despite being a Chrome extension, Notes Anywhere won’t stick on Chrome itself unless you have a homepage open or any other website. As of now, you can’t change the size of individual notes, but the developer has plans to enable resizing, and to be able to import and export notes. Notes Anywhere might seem skeletal at the moment, but its simplicity is exactly what works for it. [ SHARMISHTA SARKAR ]

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DISCOVER GAME REVIEWS

Gorgeous view that, innit? [ PC AND CONSOLE GAMES ]

Honourable mention WE REVIEW THE LATEST BIG-RELEASE AND INDIE GAMES ON PC AND CONSOLES, STARTING WITH THE VOID-TWISTING, SHADOW-WALKING DISHONORED 2. WINNER

Dishonored 2

ED’s CHOICE

A MASTERWORK FROM THE ‘IMMERSIVE SIM’ SCHOOL OF GAME DESIGN. $69 | PC, PS4, Xbox One | dishonored.bethesda.net

OVER THE LAST couple of years, Serious Videogame People have taken to calling certain games ‘immersive simulations’ — firstperson roleplaying titles which elegantly hide their underlying systems, with the aim of making you feel like you’re genuinely immersed in their richly-detailed worlds. Dishonored 2 is a prime example of the immersive sim done right. Like its forebear, it lets you sneak, explore and (optionally) stab and shoot your way through an intricately constructed steampunky city populated with characters who are often pompous, occasionally savage and, on rare occasions, sometimes even kind. Playing as either Corvo Attano — the original’s protagonist — or his daughter Emily Kaldwin, the goal is once again to uncover a conspiracy and the plotters behind it... and that basically means killing (or finding some way to ‘deal with’) those conspirators one by one in a series of missions. The action now takes place in the southern port of Karnaca, which has a distinct Mediterranean vibe. Despite its linear story design, Dishonored 2 still gives you a lot of leeway in how you play it. Each mission occurs over a huge open area, and there’s lots of terrain to freely explore with ample rewards for doing so — bonecharms and runes (the dark-magic objects used to [ 038 ]

AWARD

Stab too many people and the game’s tone and levels will change to reflect your bloodthirst.

enhance your character’s supernatural abilities) are scattered far and wide. As a stealth game, it encourages you to avoid killing — but when you do have to resort to combat, it’s swift, bloody and brutal. Against most enemies, successfully blocking an attack allows you to perform an instant (and gory) execution. Dismemberments are common, often leading to darkly-humourous episodes where you scurry around, gathering up body parts before anyone else notices the mess. Depending on how bloodthirsty you are, the game does twist and change to present you with a different story — and even the world itself will adjust based on your approach. There’s much about Dishonored 2 that makes it feel more like a continuation of the original than a traditional videogame sequel.

It’s still a romp, though — teleporting from windowsill to lamp-post to rooftop, sneaking up behind enemies to take them out (or, just as often, dropping down on them from above) and using your range of powers to figure out how to tackle a particular problem are all as compelling here as in the first Dishonored. Corvo and Emily’s different powers also mean you need to adjust your approach with each, making a second playthrough of the game a different experience. This is a masterful example of immersivesim game design that brings together storytelling, world-building and thrilling gameplay into a polished and pleasing 5

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE DISCOVER GAME REVIEWS

AWARD

POKÉMON SUN AND MOON ANIMAL MAGIC !

Kit Harington’s Salen Kotch is a dud villain. The Game Of Thrones thesp sounds constantly bored.

$59 | 3DS | www.pokemon-sunmoon.com

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR ACTIVISION EXECS SCREAM. $69 | PC, XO, PS4 | www.callofduty.com/au/en/infinitewarfare

INFINITE WARFARE’S CAMPAIGN still follows the old COD formula of super noisy set-piece spectacle, explosions every 14 seconds and popping in and out of cover to shoot nasty men. Despite a more open approach to mission design, this is largely the same game you’ve been playing since COD4, only with flabbier levels and an embarrassingly sombre tone. Humans are forced to mine the Solar System for resources, leading to the formation of off-planet colonies who resent those still inhabiting Earth. Enter the Settlement Defense Front, who open the game by bombing a parade in Geneva, kickstarting a system-wide war. That nonsense isn’t going to stand with IW’s protagonist, Nick Reyes. This cheesy backdrop leads to the most open COD in years. Main story levels are still drip fed to you, but the real meat on the bones comes in optional and worthwhile side missions. It’s a shame the main story beats often shoot wide of their target. The decision to take the fight to space results in some stupendous scenery, yet aside from a mission on a meteor where Reyes and pals flee skin-flaying sunrays, we’re struggling

to recall many standout moments. The biggest successes come when Infinity Ward doubles down on embracing space warfare. A series of zero-g gunfights add sizzle to COD’s shooty steak. That said, not all of these space excursions work. Samey dogfights, though fun, outstay their welcome. Then there’s the multiplater. Last year’s cartoony, superhero Specialists are jettisoned for Combat Rigs: a series of six Exo Suit classes. They all handle similarly, and really only differ when it comes to payloads — chargeable power-ups. A new weapons crafting system also makes the cut and by joining various factions (called Mission Teams), you earn salvage by completing objectives. Then there’s Spaceland — with exploding zombie clowns. As a package, Infinite Warfare hardly reaches for the stars. The campaign has a few fresh ideas, but ultimately feels too indebted to a waning template. [ DAVE MEIKLEHAM ] 31/2

Zero-g gunfights provide the campaign’s best moments thanks to their head-spinning, shooty spectacle.

Alola is a set of four gorgeous tropical islands heavily inspired by Hawaii. Its effects on Sun and Moon are far-reaching, a bright and healthy setting shaking up series complacency. This is still a game in which you capture monsters in balls, then send them into turn-based battles against other monsters and it’s still heavily skewed towards kids. And here, again, a youngster wants to learn about Pokémon and become the land’s best trainer. There’s now a handful of Trials on each island and they make a decent change from successive fights set in a stuffy dojo. Easy difficulty aside, snapping Gastlys in an abandoned supermarket is a vast improvement on solving a gym’s block puzzle. These mini quests are merely the first leg of a Trial. In the second, you’ll face a Totem Pokémon — larger versions of existing Pokémon that come pre-buffed with stat boosts and summon help during the fight. They force you to think critically and fight smart. There’s a clear effort to make each area distinct —secluded black-sand beaches, grand resorts, merchant-flanked avenues, mountain observatories under starry skies. Items are in need of streamlining, though. You’ll acquire tons over the course of your adventure. It’s simply too much. Sun and Moon are best when breaking with convention. Rideable Pokémon are brilliant, Island Guardians and Ultra Beasts differ from Legendaries (we won’t spoil them for you) and Z-Moves enliven battles. Rather than easy-win buttons, these Dragon Ball Z-esque techniques for each elemental type are emphatic endings to battles you would’ve won anyway, limited by a one-use system and you have to give your chosen Pokémon the relevant Z-Crystal to hold. Older generations do take up a few too many spots on the roster though (looking at you, Zubat and Caterpie), especially when you see the high standard of new Pokémon designs. New forms of old friends are a great compromise. Who doesn’t love a surfing Raichu? If you’re after something pleasantly familiar and refreshingly modern, a bold transformation that doesn’t lose sight of tradition, then Sun and Moon is it. [ BEN GRIFFIN ] 41/2

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

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WATCH DOGS 2 HACK THE WORLD. OR IN THIS CASE... A CONDENSED SAN FRANCISCO.

DISCOVER GAME REVIEWS

$69 | PC, PS4, Xbox One | www.watchdogs.com

In keeping with an emerging pattern in Ubisoft’s open-world games (hi, Assassin’s Creed), the first Watch Dogs was a much-hyped disappointment, opening the way for its sequel to expand and make good on the original’s promise. Departing from the earnest proselytising of the first game (“technology is evil, look how evil it is”), Watch Dogs 2 plays out more like a lighthearted millennial edgelord simulator. You play as a talented hacker newly indoctrinated into DedSec, the US’s premier celebrity hacking group. You’re helping to gain ‘followers’ for the group, which would allow it to gather enough resources to… take out some bad guys. Many laughed at the marketing material for Watch Dogs 2, anticipating a multimillion-dollar publisher’s lame attempt to ingratiate itself with some hip tech counterculture. And it can be cringeworthy at times, with its protagonists’ over-eager efforts to pigeonhole themselves, but as an open-world stealth sim set in a barely-fictionalised near future, Watch Dogs 2 is actually very good. The hacker-chic veneer lends it a unique aesthetic sorely lacking in its predecessor: Ubisoft’s San Francisco is full of neon, garishly fluorescent graffiti and spectacularly speckled skylines. It’s a very pretty game, if not as detailed as something Rockstar can pull off. After playing the likes of Dishonored 2 or Deus Ex, the stealth in Watch Dogs 2 can feel rudimentary, but like those former games it also prizes gadgets and big thinking. You’ll probably want to opt for the path of least resistance on most occasions, because while it’s totally serviceable, the combat doesn’t have the bite of a Gears of War or Metal Gear Solid. That said, Watch Dogs 2’s themes clear the way for set pieces you’re unlikely to find in the competition: ever wanted to hack into a game studio’s offices and leak a trailer? Well, you can do that. In a packed holiday season, Watch Dogs 2 has some stiff competition, and it’s hard to avoid the reality that, if you’ve played one open-world Ubisoft game, you’ve played the lot. But as a casual Sunday arvo game with some neat ways of eliciting a laugh, Watch Dogs 2 is fine. Not a masterpiece, but worth a look. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

4

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

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You’re able to command each party member individually, or you can just let the AI take over in combat.

WINNER

APPROVED

Tyranny

AWARD

SOMETIMES... BEING BAD FEELS GOOD.

US$45 | PC | www.tyrannygame.com

IMAGINE FRODO NEVER destroyed the One Ring and Sauron succeeded in conquering Middle-earth. That’s the situation Tyranny’s grim, dark fantasy world finds itself in. But luckily you’re on evil overlord Kyros’ side, a Fatebinder charged with enforcing her will and crushing her enemies. Tyranny uses the same engine as Pillars Of Eternity, and like that game it’s an homage to the rich, story-heavy Infinity Engine RPGs of the late ‘90s. There’s no voice acting, just pages of evocative text. While modern RPGs such as The Witcher streamline the roleplaying experience, this game harks back to the days when stats and dice rolls were king. After you’ve created a character, you enter Conquest mode. This presents you with a boardgame-style map of the last remaining part of the world that’s yet to be taken over by Kyros, and lets you decide how she conquered the region, and what role you played in it. This both determines what powers you start the game with, and has a dramatic impact on the storyline. People will mention your choices ten, even 20 hours down the line. The game itself will be familiar to anyone who’s played an Infinity Engine RPG, or modern takes on the genre such as Pillars or Divinity: Original Sin. The combat is real-time,

but with the ability to manually or automatically pause after each attack to plan your next move. But unique to Tyranny is the ability to perform combo attacks with your party. For instance, one character knocks an enemy to the ground, weakening them for a follow-up strike. And with the spell creator, you can choose a base property, such as fire or ice, then modify how the spell behaves when cast, for example by making it an area-of-effect attack. Tyranny’s world and story are richer than most RPGs, but not as compelling or well-realised as Pillars’ Dyrwood. It helps that you can hover over key names and phrases in dialogue for a quick lore refresher, but learning the cultures and customs of this world can be bewildering. Tyranny’s greatest strength is letting you play as the bad guy, giving you the choice to be the merciful, lawful evil type, or just plain evil. There are no good/evil choices here. Everything is painted in shades of grey, and some of the decisions you’re forced to make are genuinely difficult. [ ANDY KELLY ]

4

The many accurately-modelled heavy duty farming machines can be driven in first- or third-person.

DISCOVER GAME REVIEWS

Whatever happened to black boots?

Look, a successful England team.

There’s something relaxing about working in the fields.

41/2

WINNER

Fellaini shoots... corner flag ducks.

APPROVED

FIFA 17

AWARD

ANOTHER EASY WIN IN THE ABSENCE OF A SERIOUS CHALLENGE FROM PRO EVO $69 | PS4, XO, PC, PS3, 360 | www.easports.com/au/fifa

AS EXPECTED, FIFA 17 is bigger, more

beautiful and generally better than FIFA 16. This year’s game runs on the Frostbite Engine, which takes a little warming to. There’s also a new Active Intelligence System, which sounds like something that tracks aerial threats and downs them with a surface-to-air missile. In practice, what it actually seems to do is sporadically prevent your teammates from making intelligent runs. Player collisions are the best I’ve seen in a football game — though the alchemy behind them is tricky to discern. The result is you’re now rewarded for relentlessly battling for the ball or stretching a leg out to deflect a pass when closing down an opponent. 21 years on, it’s reminiscent of FIFA ‘96, which felt like a dreadful grind but rewarded doggedness. The early signs are that FIFA 17 will have the same longevity, appeal as an online experience, and power to dominate your free time as FIFA 16. And when I say ‘early’, I mean 40 hours in. Because until I make it to division one of the attritional but glorious FIFA Ultimate Team mode, it’s hard to say with complete certainty. The big news for FIFA solo players is the inclusion of a story mode, which I was pretty sceptical about. But, to my surprise, The Journey is good. You guide plucky young phenom Alex Hunter from his under-11 cup final to the highs of a career in the Premier League. Through dialogue choices, you forge [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

his personality, negotiating personal difficulties, footballing trials, loan spells and other career-defining moments. It’s a very welcome additional way to play. FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) will remain everybody’s mode of choice, though. Here, the act of converting kids’ pocket money into a massive mountain of gold has been refined to an artform. For FIFA 17, FUT has been tweaked with new competitions and the inclusion of a mode where you can trade combinations of unwanted players for rewards. Unsurprisingly, FUT’s key new features seem designed to relieve you of more cash, by offering incentives for you to buy obscure players for which there was otherwise little demand. That said, FIFA is a wealthy but largely benign dictator. A particularly pleasing returning feature is a cumulative system that rewards your own fidelity to the series. Your level in the game carries over from previous versions, and with that comes free unlocks that dramatically reduce the grind. These include star player loans, attribute boosts and serious points multipliers to make acquiring the dosh you need to buy big much easier. In the end, FIFA 17 wins because it keeps on giving. [ LEE HALL ]

4

FARMING SIMULATOR 17 FEEDING PIGS ISN’T AS EXCITING AS SLAYING DRAGONS.

$79 | PS4, XO, PC, PS3, 360, 3DS, mobile, PS Vita www.farming-simulator.com

Weird simulators like this used to only be found on PC, but this agricultural approximation is one of the first to make the jump to consoles. If you’ve never played a Farming Simulator game before, your first port of call should be the tutorials. They’re far from exhaustive, but they do a good job of teaching the basics. But once the tutorials are over, the structure becomes completely free-form. As well as being in charge of the business side of things, you also have to get your hands dirty. Much of your time will be spent toiling in the fields. This can take ages, and while it’s fairly dull, it’s quite hypnotic. And looking back at an empty field is pretty satisfying. You can wander around your farm in first-person, but there’s a button that will automatically teleport you into every available vehicle on the map. The sheer variety of things the game simulates is impressive. There are over 250 vehicles, ranging from regular pick-up trucks to advanced all-in-one mega-machines. There are multiple ways to prepare your fields, from muck-spreading to using expensive fertiliser. And these decisions determine how well your business will operate. You can happily spiral into debt if you like, but cutting corners to save money and staying in profit is where the game’s only real challenge lies. Farming Simulator 17 is an enjoyable novelty at first. But when that wears off, you’re left with a game that’s basically a long, endless list of chores. [ ANDY KELLY ] 3

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DISCOVER BAJO’S YEAR IN REVIEW

That Dragon Cancer puts you in some very sad shoes.

STEVEN ‘BAJO’ O’DONNELL

is a video game critic and co-host of ABC shows Good Game and Good Game Spawn Point. His love of games is only surpassed by his love of cats.

[ ANOTHER YEAR OVER, A NEW ONE JUST BEGUN ]

Bajo’s gaming year in review 2016 2016 WAS FULL OF FAMILIAR VIDEO GAME FRANCHISES AND SEQUELS, BUT IT HAD MANY SURPRISES, TOO. THERE WERE ALSO MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS, BUT WE GOT TO PLAY SOME OF THE BEST VIDEO GAMES THAT HAVE EVER BEEN MADE. I GIVE IT A B+. [ STEVEN ‘BAJO’ O’DONNELL ]

THE BIGGEST SURPRISE of 2016, without a doubt, was the way Pokémon GO took over the entire planet for about two weeks. No one saw this coming. If you somehow managed to avoid installing and playing this game, congratulations! You might be the only person on Earth. Perhaps you’re actually an alien. Developed by Niantic, it’s a simple augmented reality game where you walk If you’re after story and a franchise we all know well, Arkham VR is definitely your best bet, and probably the most thought-out VR experience out there.

around the real world collecting Pokémon. It’s not as fully featured as their other big ARG game Ingress, but Pokémon nostalgia really matters. The moment this game launched, mobile phone owners, gaming hardcores and casuals alike ventured into the streets to throw balls at imaginary creatures. Pokémon GO lived fast and died quickly, but it’s impossible to ignore this truly magical thing that The conversations you have over your two-way in Firewatch do more than just help explain the story.

Uncharted 4 is simply one of the best video games ever made. Play it. Finish it. Sit back and cry with joy.

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happened when the whole world came together to wander around in parks at 11pm at night in questionable neighbourhoods. Of course, this was a mega year for VR. Lots has been written about the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PSVR. But it’s still quite hard to recommend any of them yet. It’s the wild west of VR — developers have very little idea of what they’re doing. That’s why we get some games which make us vomit within seconds, and others that let us be Batman, where all we really want to do is throw objects at Alfred’s face instead of actually solving mysteries. The biggest downer for games this year, was No Man’s Sky. I have not met anyone who wasn’t almost totally disappointed by it. This space exploration game promised so much, but delivered so little. That’s not entirely the developer’s fault in my opinion, but more that the game suffered from extreme, endless overhype. This would have been an incredible indie title, but it was marketed as Mass Effect meets Elite, and it was none of those things. It was also a year where similar games seemed to be released at the same time. Battleborn and Overwatch are two online multiplayer team-based games, and were released within a couple of weeks of each other. Of course, Overwatch won. When you have Blizzard behind a game, and extensive hype and betas, you just can’t compete.

DISCOVER BAJO’S YEAR IN REVIEW

The Witness was made by Jonathan Blow, who also created one of the best puzzle platformers of the last decade Braid. Both games are mean and make me feel dumb.

Overwatch is also the better game, in fact it might just be my Game of the Year, for its fabulous diversity, deep strategy, accessibility and the fact that it’s not really a shooter ­— it’s a team multiplayer game, where you can make ice walls and be a sniper who shoot-heals. Titanfall 2, probably the best singleplayer shooter campaign of the year, is almost definitely going to struggle sales-wise. That’s what happens when you release a game in between a new Battlefield and a new COD. Even if those two games weren’t good (and they are actually very good), you would be foolish to compete. It has so many similarities to COD: Infinite Warfare. Wall running, sci-fi, robot friend, space shooties... they’re so similar, but COD will win. Someone over at EA has probably lost their job over this insane release window decision. We had a few unique puzzlers, too, that were so different from anything else out there. The hackfest of Pony Island broke the fourth wall in new ways, Quadrilateral Cowboy was a stylised heist journey and The Witness was a fantastic and complete asshole. Even including the games above, the indie scene felt a little quiet to me this year. But there were some standouts, such as the narrative open-world walk ‘em up Firewatch. I usually hate walk ‘em ups, where you just wander while voiceovers happen around you. But this eerie and utterly beautiful game won me over with its decision-based conversations, and beautiful setting. That Dragon Cancer was also an affecting experience. It was inspired and led by Amy and Ryan Green, who lost their child to cancer. Mechanically, it’s a little rough around the edges, but conceptually, it’s full of confronting and heartbreaking scenes. We also got two new consoles this year, with another two on the way in 2017. Mid-cycle hardware upgrades are nearly unheard of, but both Sony and Microsoft did it. Microsoft released a slim Xbox One, the ‘One S’. But that’s more of a cosmetic upgrade than anything else (although it does have a physical button to turn it on, which is the best!). [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Pokémon Go made me go outside, and I will always resent it for that.

In No Man’s Sky, you’ll explore the vastness of space for about 10 hours... and then feel let down by it all.

Titanfall 2 offers tight shooting, a brilliant movement system, and a giant robot friend.

Project Scorpio is their next big upgrade, due out in 2017 and bound to come with a hefty price tag. It will be the most powerful console ever made. Right now, though, that award goes to Sony’s PS4 Pro (also with a physical button to turn it on! Yes!). This console claims to do 4K gaming, although much of what we play at 4K will utilise upscaling and a ‘checkerboard’ tech to reach 4K. Not a bad thing, but what I’m most excited about is the games that will give you options for higher frame rates at 1080p. Framerates and potentially richer textures are far more important than 4K in my opinion. It’s possible the sweet spot will be somewhere in between, at a resolution of 1440p. Time will tell, but new consoles are exciting. And then, there’s the Nintendo Switch — a big tablet that plugs into your TV, with

modular controls and potentially amazing portability. What excites me about the Switch is that it’s so different. Nothing else out there is like it. But if you’re after raw power, I doubt this tablet console will be for you. That’s not to say it won’t make great looking games, but I don’t think we’ll see future Battlefields on the Switch, much like how third-party support died off for the Wii (in the 2000s, we saw a lot of PS3 and Xbox 360 games, with a shoddy, cut-down or totally terrible Wii version). That might not matter, though, as Nintendo make great Nintendo games! I’m most curious about how long the battery life will be on a tablet with the specs they’re promising. 2017 is going to be huge for hardware, game design and, hopefully, fewer games where we just shoot stuff, and more where we do stuff. [ 043 ]

WINNER

DISCOVER MOBILE GAMES

APPROVED AWARD

[ MOBILE GAMES ]

Go underground TECHLIFE’S TEAM REVIEWS THE LATEST GAMES FOR ANDROID & iOS SMARTPHONES & TABLETS.

Mini Metro

The Bug Butcher

IT’S ALL ON THE LINE IN THIS SMART PUZZLE GAME. $7.99 | dinopoloclub.com

IT’S TEMPTING TO look at a subway map and think, ah, that looks easy — but Mini Metro helps you learn that no, it’s not easy at all. There’s just one important thing to do in Mini Metro: connect differently shaped stations using train lines. The instant understanding that what you’re looking at is a map of a metro means that the game is able to use very few words or instructions to guide you, and your stations and passengers are all helpfully coded by what shape they are. Triangle passengers want to go to triangle station, squares want to go to square stations. It’s your job to connect the stations with lines in an efficient manner to make sure that overcrowding doesn’t happen — because that’s how you lose the game. The simplicity and minimalism of the design and the interaction are perfectly done and make Mini Metro a wonderful, easy game to pick up. However, the tight quarters of a smaller phone screen can make it difficult to make the exact moves you want to, and less-than-accurate touchscreen controls mean that, sometimes, you’ll try to delete a line and end up creating some hellish nightmare of tangled lines and resentment. It’s fun to replay, and new cities such as Paris, Montreal and Berlin are unlocked as you play, but the issues with the touchscreen make it really difficult to progress past a certain level. Once you’ve started messing up by accident, it’s hard to claw your way back. It’s better on a tablet. Mini Metro is an excellent, minimalistic game that doesn’t quite translate to smaller touchscreen devices, but if you’ve got a tablet or large phone, you should have a lot of fun with this. [ KATE GRAY ]

4 [ 044 ]

YOU’RE AN EXTERMINATOR... IN SPACE. $5.99 | noodlecake.com

CLASSIC ARCADE ACTION with updated graphics — that’s the pitch behind The Bug Butcher, in which you take on a bunch of space-nasties that bounce and ricochet around the room. The game takes place in several different levels, each with several waves of enemies — huge, bulbous pink balls that split in two when you’ve shot them a few times; electrified enemies that belch out bullets; spiders that attempt to eat your friend. You have limited lives, and several special moves and effects that can do things like increasing your rate of fire or freezing enemies. It’s repetitive, but quite satisfying, and the fact that your character is shooting vertically the whole time feels quite novel. It’s awfully small on a four-inchor-so screen, though, which makes quick decisions and reactions quite tricky. What’s more, the controls are the standard left/right in one corner and shoot/use special move in the other, which, while it does replicate that arcade feeling, means it’s easy to mess up without the tactile feedback of a controller. The levels get quite frantic as they progress, which means you’ll die more frequently, so it would feel more fun if the controls weren’t quite as slippy. Overall, it’s a snappy and fun arcade game that doesn’t quite translate perfectly to mobile: it requires accuracy and speed that touchscreen controls just can’t handle. Still, if your thumbs are sufficiently small and grippy, you might get on just fine. A novel, fast-paced arcade game, but with touch controls that suffer on some devices. [ KATE GRAY ] 31/2

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

WINNER

DISCOVER MOBILE GAMES

APPROVED AWARD WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Dan the Man

Nekosan

A CHARMING ACTION PLATFORMER BY THE AUSTRALIAN STUDIO. Free | halfbrick.com

Aside from being named after our cherished editor-in-chief, Dan the Man is of note because it’s the new game from famed Australian studio Halfbrick. It’s a stylish, 16-bit inspired action platformer with a heavy loot focus, wherein you play as either Dan (the man) or Josie (the... nosey?). It’s a simple game to pick up and play, with controls as finely-honed as you can reasonably expect in the absence of a d-pad. It’s very easy, too, at least in its early stages, where you’ll need to stand agape in the face of an enemy onslaught for a good minute if you, for some reason, want to die. It’s a free app, but there are a few annoying (if necessary) monetisation efforts based around ads. Smashing the statues around levels will trigger ads up to 30 seconds long, which you must watch, as will completing levels. Got a decent data plan? You’ll probably need one if you want to play this out of Wi-Fi range, though there is the option to upgrade to premium. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

4

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

JEX

WALL-POUNCE YOUR WAY TO STARS AND FISH. Free with IAP | 1button.co/nekosan

Nekosan is a simple-looking platformer starring an orange cat, evil white mice, stars, fish and chasms full of deadly spikes. The storyline is apparently this: the mice stole all the stars and retreated with them down into their dungeon, and only Nekosan the cat is small enough to infiltrate their lair and get them back. However, how you were supposed to know this is beyond us. The game teaches you one thing — tap to jump and perform a longer tap to jump a bit further. Kitty will run until he hits a wall and you will have to perform a wall jump to get him moving in the opposite direction. Sounds simple enough, except this little feline runs really fast and the margin of error is painfully narrow. Each level consists of ten stages that you must complete in order and you need to collect all the stars in the stage before you can progress; collecting fish is optional. You get nine lives each level (of course) and you will likely need them all, because the levels are challenging and well designed. It’s the sort of game that will get you angry at your mistakes and make you want to beat your last PB. “Come on, you ginger fluff ball! Get that star! Watch out for those spikes! Damn it...” [ CARMEL SEALEY ] 4

WOULD YOU LIKE SOME ADRENALINE WITH YOUR BLACKJACK? Free with IAP | www.mausmausgames.com

There are plenty of match-three puzzle games doing similar things to JEX, but this time, we’re headed to the casino for a round. Combining the rules of Blackjack with the typical match-three tile-swapping formula, your task is to string together neighbouring values until they add up to 21, at which point the tiles randomise and move ‘up’ a colour. Once you’ve turned the entire playing field gold, you’ve passed the level and will earn a number of stars (the game’s currency) depending on how many matches you’ve made, and how much time is left on the clock. Amongst the arcade-style dazzle of power-ups, skill upgrades, and elementalthemed levels and hazards, there are plenty of techniques that don’t offer themselves up so obviously. If you’re stuck with no possible combination of tiles, for instance, you can select adjacent tiles of the same type to refresh them, or try hitting a 6-7-8 combo to activate ‘Time Machine’. Although the game can be unclear and suffers from feature overload early on, JEX rewards the committed and is — as the description claims — “easy to learn but very, very hard to master”. [ HARRY DOMANSKI ]

4

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[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

TEST BENCH THE HOTTEST GEAR PRESSURE-TESTED

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

The Air apparent THE TECHLIFE TEAM TESTS THE LATEST DEVICES, GADGETS & ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING APPLE’S CONTENTIOUS NEW MACBOOK PRO.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Core i5, Late-2016)

GENERAL PERFORMANCE

GAMING PERFORMANCE

HANDBRAKE VIDEO ENCODING TEST

BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY BENCHMARK 1080P

57 min

35 fps

A NEW LOW-END PRO, OR A NEW HIGH-END AIR?

APPLE’S NEWEST MACBOOK Pro isn’t equipped with the new Touch Bar control strip. You almost feel like it would make more sense if Apple had made this a new 13-inch version of the MacBook, with the Pro name reserved for models withthe Touch Bar. As we started to test it, however, we could see why Apple was happy with the Pro name. Its dual-core Intel Core i5 processor proved to be almost as powerful as the 2.7GHz processor in the previous-gen entry-level model. That machine managed our real-world video encoding test in57 minutes, while this machine took 55. This amount of processing power makes it more than capable of mid-range video editing and photo work, impressive to fit in a smaller, lighter frame with the same battery life. Intel’s Iris 540 GPU is a much more advanced design. In our Batman: Arkham City test, we got an improvement in frame rate of more than 50% over the previous model. This is great for apps such as Photoshop or Final Cut Pro, which can use GPU power to speed up certain tasks. Another improvement is the storage. In BlackMagic’s Disk Speed Test, we recorded 1,241MB/s for writing to the MacBook Pro’s internal SSD. We switched to Xbench to get accurate drive read speeds, recording around 3,000MB/s at the peak. It’s astonishingly fast — perfect for those working with giant media libraries, including video editingand [ 046 ]

photography. It comes with 8GB of RAM, which should be fine for most people. You can upgrade to 16GB when you buy, though, and you can also get more than the default 256GB of storage, or upgrade the processor to a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 model — but the $480 price for the latter is the almost the same cost as upgrading to the 2.9GHz Touch Bar model. The display is still a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel Retina display, but is now much brighter and features the wide colour gamut seen on the Retina iMacs, iPad Pros and iPhone 7. It’s a really detailed, vivid, stunning screen. The keyboard is the new style that premiered with the 12-inch MacBook, though inan updated form, with switches that have amarginally ‘clickier’ feel, offering more feedback. We liked it on the MacBook, and this version is slightly improved. We love thecrisp feel with the large size of the keys, and find them accurate and comfy. The trackpad has increased in size, too. Apple has also included new speakers, which are a vast improvement. They deliver a fuller sound across the range, with especially improved bass helping to make everything feel less tinny. Ironically, in other ways, Apple has made the machine impressively quiet — we only noticed the fans make significant noise when running our Tomb Raider graphics test. Battery life is fantastic. Apple still quotes around 10 hours of usage, so it can last a whole

work day, but that depends on your usage. That said, we can’t talk about usability without discussing the ports. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports don’t go very far when one of them is also your power connection. Adapters for basic USB and SD card readers are inexpensive, but you’ll definitely need to invest in one. For those coming at this machine as a MacBook Air replacement, this will probably seem okay. Asareplacement for an entry-level MacBook Pro, it’s a major drop in native connectivity. In conclusion, we really like this machine — it’s fast, usable, with a lovely screen. But it’s sitting in a slightly awkward middle ground in Apple’s lineup — and one of the many other models may ultimately suit you better. [ MATT BOLTON ]

31/2

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 13-INCH (CORE I5, LATE-2016) From $2,199 www.apple.com/au CRITICAL SPECS 13.3-inch IPS ‘Retina’ LCD @ 2,560 x 1,600-pixels; dual-core 2GHz Intel Core i5 CPU; Intel Iris 540 GPU; 8GB RAM; 256GB PCIe SSD; 1.37kg.

TEST BENCH RADAR

THANKS TO HP’S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DESIGN SAVVY HIGH-END AUDIO BRAND BANG & OLUFSEN, THIS FABRIC-CLAD MINI TOWER PC WOULDN’T LOOK OUT OF PLACE ALONGSIDE A DESK FULL OF ARCHITECTURAL SCALE MODELS OR AS THE CENTREPIECE OF A STYLISH OPEN-PLAN LIVING ROOM/OFFICE.

HP Pavilion Wave Desktop (600-A051A) LEADING THE WAY IN A NEW WAVE OF COMPUTING.

APPLE’S LATEST MAC Pro is often ogled and not just because of its high-end components, but because the cylindrical nuclear-reactorshaped PC is an amazing piece of technical engineering. Unfortunately, the high price of the Mac Pro has meant that, for most people, it’s just been something to look at, rather than something you could justify actually buying. HP’s new desktop PC is hoping to quench some of that burning desire for a fancy-looking desktop PC that doesn’t cost as much as your average premium gaming desktop. Thanks to HP’s partnership with the design savvy high-end audio brand Bang & Olufsen, this fabric-clad mini tower PC wouldn’t look out of place alongside a desk full of architectural scale models or as the centrepiece of a stylish open-plan living room/office. But its looks aren’t the only thing that’s impressive about the Pavilion Wave — it can also play games... at least a little. Since the majority of people who saw the Wave without any context believed it to be a speaker, let’s explore the sound first. It’s natural MEDIA ENCODING PERFORMANCE

STORAGE PERFORMANCE

to have high expectations when you consider that B&O are behind the audio, but we’d have to advise restraint since most speakers from B&O fetch a higher price than this mini-PC in its entirety. The sound emanates from the the top of the unit in a 360º vent that makes it exceptionally good at delivering even sound to a whole room if it’s in the centre. Yet this unique ability for playing multidirectional music has some notable limitations when it comes to media playback and gaming, since you loose the directional perception that you get from two speakers. The Wave also houses an assortment of components that perform exceptionally well for the price, but aren’t from the top-shelf. There’s an Intel Core i5-6400T CPU that can encode video at 10.5fps (a little better than the 8.0fps of ultrabooks like the ASUS Zenbook 3, but less than the 15.1fps from gaming laptops like Dell’s Inspiron Gaming 15). The unit’s 8GB of RAM was less than we were accustomed to, but combined with the AMD Radeon R9 M470 GPU, it allows you to run older games like GRID 2 and Tomb Raider at 1080p at averages GAMING PERFORMANCE

HWBOT X265 1080P CRYSTALDISKMARK (AVG FPS) 5 - SEQUENTIAL READ (MB/S)

CRYSTALDISKMARK 5 - SEQUENTIAL WRITE (MB/S)

3DMARK FIRE STRIKE (SCORE)

THE DIVISION @ 1080P ULTRA (AVG FPS)

FAR CRY PRIMAL @ 1080P ULTRA (AVG FPS)

10.15

187.4

3,265

15.1

19

194.5

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

of 36.2fps and 39.8fps with the settings turned up to Ultra. You’ll even be able to play newer titles like Batman: Arkham Knight and Far Cry Primal above 30fps if you’re willing to drop the graphics settings to Low or pair back from full-HD resolution. For the most part, we think HP has done a great job of saving on components in ways that minimise compromise, but it’s been some time since we’ve tested a PC without an SSD, so the boot times, transfer speeds and general responsiveness of the OS on the device’s 1TB 7,200rpm HDD seemed sluggish and may leave you wanting an upgrade sooner rather than later. In most other ways, though, the HP Pavilion Wave is as elegant to use as it is to look at — and if the tower came with an SSD rather than an HDD, we’d be inclined to give it full marks. [ JOEL BURGESS ]

41/2 HP PAVILION WAVE DESKTOP (600-A051A) $1,299 www.hp.com/au CRITICAL SPECS Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.2–2.8GHz Intel Core i5-6400T CPU; Intel HD Graphics 530 and AMD Radeon R9 M470 (2GB GDDR5) GPUs; 8GB of DDR4 RAM; 1TB 7,200rpm HDD storage; omnidirectional B&O speaker; 2.9kg [ 047 ]

TEST BENCH RADAR

HAVING A FAIRLY FRUGAL CORE M PROCESSOR (OUR REVIEW UNIT HAD THE MIDRANGE M5-6Y57), THE ELITE’S GENERAL PERFORMANCE IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR BASIC COMPUTING AND A LITTLE MULTIMEDIA WORK, BUT PUSH IT TOO HARD (LIKE TRYING 4K VIDEO EDITING) AND IT WILL CHOKE.

HP Elite x2 1012 G1 ANOTHER HP 2-IN-1 THAT HEWS VERY-CLOSELY TO THE SURFACE BLUEPRINT.

IF IMITATION IS the sincerest form of flattery, then HP must really love Microsoft’s Surface line of tablets. The Elite x2 is its second stab at putting together aSurface Pro clone, and it looks a lot like a premium version of that forebear — the Spectre x2. HP has a fairly wide selection of 2-in-1s in its portable lineup, and both this Elite x2 and the aforementioned Spectreveer more towards the ‘tablet’ end of the 2-in-1 spectrum — and even with just a glance at either, it’s clear that HP has been working very closely from Microsoft’s Surface playbook. These are both 12-inch metallic unibody slates that include a fold-out kickstand in the back, stylus for writing and drawing and a detachable keyboard-cover that helps protect the screen when closed or turns it into a near-full laptop when unfolded. But while the Spectre x2 was looking to undercut the Surface Pro 4, the Elite actually looks like it’s trying to match it — and it’s certainly well-crafted. The general buildquality and sturdiness of this 2-in-1are hard to deny,both on the tablet itself and the keyboard-cover. If the Elite does have one main drawback, it’s the size. It has a slightly bigger footprint —

GENERAL PERFORMANCE

[ 048 ]

an extra centimetre to the Surface Pro 4’s sides, coming in at300 x 214mm (which is mostly just extra bezel) — but more critically, it’s an extra 60% thicker, at 13.4mm vs the Surface’s sleek 8mm. The Elite’s also heavier, at 840g versus 785g of the Surface.That all adds up to make a device that’s, frankly, just a tiny but too big and unwieldy to use as a one-handed tablet, unless you’re cradling it like a baby. That bigger size does have some payoffs, however. It manages to squeeze in a lot of ports,including a full-size USB 3.0 port, a Type-C USB 3.1 socket (which also doubles as the charging port) and amicroSD slot for expanding storage. The keyboard in the cover is nice and large, too: it’s almost as wide as you’ll get on a 13-inch laptop (just a centimetre short of our MacBook Air’s keyboard) and the trackpad isbig enough that it doesn’t feel cramped — although in testing,our review unit was a bit oversensitive to taps and we often found that we’d accidentally brush against it and send the cursor flying. The display is mostly faultless, too — abright and clear 12-inch IPS LCD using a16:10 aspect ratio and coming in at a resolution of 1,920 x

DISK SPEED

GAMING PERFORMANCE

BATTERY LIFE

PCMARK 8 - HOME (SCORE)

1080P MEDIA ENCODING: HWBOT X265 (AVG FPS)

CRYSTAL DISKMARK 3 SEQUENTIAL READ (AVG MB/S)

CRYSTAL DISKMARK 3 SEQUENTIAL WRITE (AVG MB/S)

3DMARK UNLIMITED OVERALL SCORE

PCMARK 8 - HOME (HRS:MINS)

2887

6.17

548.5

280.8

3,240

4:07hr

1,280. It’sprotected by Gorilla Glass 4 — the same as what’s used on modern flagship smartphones. Having a fairly frugal Core M processor (our review unit had the midrange m5-6Y57), the Elite’s general performance is more than adequate for basic computing and a little multimedia work, but push it too hard (like trying 4K video editing) and it will choke. We were also a little disappointed with battery life: despite that Core M chip, itonly managed around four hours for productivity tasks.While that’s about on par with the Surface Pro 4, it’sa full hour shy of the Spectre x2. It’s a bit of a mixed result, overall, then. The bigger keyboard, handy variety of ports and solid build quality are all pros, but when you can have a higher-end Core i5 Surface Pro 4 for less than $100 more, HP needs to do better on price... or at least up the specs to match. [ DAN GARDINER ]

31/2

HP ELITE X2 1012 G1 $2,100 www.hp.com/au CRITICAL SPECS Windows 10 Pro (64-bit); 12-inch IPS LCD @ 1,920 x 1,280-pixels; Intel Core m5-6Y57 CPU; Intel HD Graphics 515; 8GB RAM; 256GB SSD; detachable keyboard cover; 840g sans cover; 1.22kg with cover.

TEST BENCH RADAR WINNER

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

LG X Power

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier TIME IS A FLAT, RUGGED CIRCLE WITH A ROTATING BEZEL.

AN ENVIABLE BATTERY ATTACHED TO A SO-SO HANDSET.

mission statement: to get you through the day with a battery that won’t leave you in the lurch. A whopping 4,100mAh unit powers the lightweight X Power, a fairly stock Android phone with only a few LG conveniences and oddities thrown in on top (LG’s cloud backup and ‘SmartWorld’ entertainment store, for example). Admirably, you do get about two days out of a full battery charge, and you can take the kid gloves off, too. Fire away on the camera, use Google Maps, check email — the X Power will handle it all without leaving you scrambling for a charger. However, that comes with compromises. At this price, it means you only get 16GB of internal storage for apps, photos and music, so installing your own microSD card (the handset supports up to 2TB cards) is basically a must. While the exterior and OS are both functional and competent, they’re the wrapper around internals that struggle to provide a smooth experience. The X Power’s paltry 2GB of RAM and slow processor mean that, even though they’re only powering a 720p screen, the interface is sluggish, stuttering as it switches between apps. That display’s also a bit lacklustre; colours are a shade too flat, and it feels like the whole thing needs the contrast turned up to bring some life into the whole affair. The rear camera’s fine in good light, though our shots were grainy when taken indoors without natural light, and we’d recommend turning the front-facing snapper’s ‘beauty’ mode down to minimal. Still, sheer pragmatism is often underrated — or at least under appreciated — and anyone who just wants a workhorse of a phone that will give them the basics should gladly wrap their hands around this.

SAMSUNG IMPRESSED MANY last year with its Gear S2 series of smartwatches, and now the technology giant is back with a new flagship timepiece that improves upon its previous generation in every conceivable way. When compared to the S2, the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is a bigger, tougher and more attractive smartwatch that’s been exquisitely crafted to walk a fine line between elegance and ruggedness. Its signature rotating bezel lets you cycle through settings and options with ease, carrying with it a more satisfying and precise feel than it’s had in the past. Encased behind protective Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ (exclusive to this Frontier edition), the Gear S3’s Super AMOLED display is sharp and bright, looking closer to a real watch than ever before — depending on your chosen custom watch face, of course. It’s also got an always-on display this year, which shows a simplified version of whichever watch face you happen to be using. In conjunction with its resilient exterior, the Gear S3 now has an IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating, so you can take it with you in the shower or go for a (relatively shallow) swim in fresh water without ruining it. Though the local version lacks the standalone LTE functionality found overseas, the Gear S3 still works well when away from your phone, provided both are connected to a Wi-Fi network. Aussies can also use Samsung Pay with the S3, allowing you to make contactless payments with their wrists. We also love that this design is compatible with any standard 22mm watch band and you can now finally use it to take calls from your wrist — something you’ve been able to do for a while now on most other smartwatches, but that’s new to Samsung.

[ PAUL TAYLOR ]

[ STEPHEN LAMBRECHTS ]

LG’S BUDGET (IF you can really call $349 ‘budget’) phone has a blunt

31/2

41/2

LG X POWER $349 www.lg.com/au

TILE SLIM $599 www.samsung.com/au

CRITICAL SPECS Android 6.0.1; 5.3-inch IPS LCD @ 720p; ARM Cortex A53 CPU; 2GB RAM; 16GB storage (can be expanded with microSD to 2TB); 4,100mAh battery; 13MP and 8MP cameras; 148.9mm x 74.9mm x 7.9mm; 139g

CRITICAL SPECS Tizen 2.3.2 OS; 1.3-inch Super AMOLED always-on display @ 360 x 360 pixels; Corning Gorilla Glass SR+; dual-core 1GHz Exynos 7270 CPU; 768MB RAM; 4GB storage; stainless steel IP68 certified body (dustproof and water-resistant over 1.5m and 30 minutes); Li-ion 380mAh battery (lasts up to 72hrs in standby); GLOSNAS GPS; 49 x 46 x 13mm; 62g

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 049 ]

TEST BENCH RADAR

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

WINNER

JBL Everest 100

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

THESE FAIR-PRICED WIRELESS BUDS DELIVER GREAT AUDIO AND EXCEPTIONAL BATTERY LIFE.

FOR A LONG time, it’s been almost impossible to find a set of wireless in-ear headphones that doesn’t involve some sort of compromise — it’s like the old adage that you can ‘pick any two’ out of the three things you actually want. In this case, that trade off is betweencompactness, goodaudio quality and battery life. The Everest 100s come about as close to ticking all three of those boxes as we’ve found.Physically, they’reabout medium-sized when it comes to the in-ear Bluetooth category — there’s no neckband, meaning they can be bundled up quite small and easily carried in a pocket. Despite that, they offer battery-life that actually rivals some of their lower-end neckband competitors — at a claimed ‘up to 8 hours’, they’re about double what most other wireless in-ear sets deliver andthey recharge via microUSB. In testing, we found thataudio-quality was generally great — depending on what you’re looking for. These are tuned to be crowdpleasing rather than flat and neutral; audiophiles might find them a bit too forward in the midrange, and they could perhaps be a little clearer and crisper at the top-end. They cope well with a wide variety of musicstyles, however; during our time with them,we listenedto classical,rock, rap and jazz, as well as numerouspodcasts and never found the audio wanting — and it always filled-out nicely,providing a rich and full-bodied sound. Moreover, they’re evensuper-comfortable in-earand easy to pop in and out, even if you’re using the optional rubberhook attachments that can help keep them a bit more stable (useful forwhen you’re exercising) — although, that said, we never had any problems with them falling out. In sum, after using these wireless buds, it’s going to be genuinely hard to go back to any other set — and that’s, perhaps, the highest praise we can give. [ DAN GARDINER ]

5

JBL EVEREST 100 $169 au.jbl.com CRITICAL SPECS 5.8mm drivers; 10–22KHz frequency response; 103dB max SPL;Bluetooth 4.1; built-in mic with echo cancellation;three sets of ear tips; three sets of hook tips; built-in Li-ion rechargeable battery;micro-USB charge cable; 16g. [ 050 ]

Optoma NuForce BE6i DURABLE, BALANCED, AND CONVENIENT, THESE IN-EARS HELP CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN WIRED AND WIRELESS HEADPHONES.

ONE OF OUR favourite sets of Bluetooth headphones are the Optoma NuForce BE6i, which feature an aluminium build and great sound for the price. Its successor, the NuForce BE6i, is a minor refresh that bumps battery life to 8 hours (where, previously, it was 6) and adds IPX5 certification to better fight against sweat and rain. Physically, the NuForce BE6i is identical to its predecessor. The headphones’ aluminium driver enclosures makes them feel bulletproof, but also add weight, making their fit and keeping them in-ear a bit finicky. Luckily, Optoma includes seven pairs of ear tips for you to try and get the best fit. Once you do find a good set, the NuForce BE6i deliver balanced sound. Bass lovers will want to look elsewhere, but the balanced sound signature means the BE6i does sound good with all types of music — retaining good clarity up top and well-controlled bass. There are a few downsides to the NuForce BE6i, but they aren’t deal-breakers in our book. We found the plastic in-line remote a bit cheap feeling, and its micro-USB port cover is difficult to open without digging in your fingernails. The headphones are also a bit heavier than we’d like, but that’s a tradeoff we’re willing to make for this durable, aluminium build. The Optoma Nuforce BE6i remain one of our favourite in-ear wireless sets for this $150 price. They offer good sound, build quality and battery life in their segment, and they’re an improvement over the already-excellent BE6. [LEWIS LEONG]

41/2

OPTOMA NUFORCE BE6I $149 www.optoma.com CRITICAL SPECS 10mm dynamic drivers; 20–20KHz frequency response; 95dB sensitivity; 20Ohms impedence; built-in 8 hour Li-ion battery; IPX5 splash, dust and sweat resistance; 4 sets of silicone ear tips; 2 sets of Comply foam tips; 1 set of hook tips; carry case; 20g

TEST BENCH RADAR

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

Tile Slim DEVICE TRACKING AIMED AT YOUR WALLET.

WHEN THE ORIGINAL Tile came out (Gen 2), we were very impressed with it and even considered it to be the best devicetracking gadget around back in August of 2015, and here, our major criticism of its bulk has finally been shed. Tile Slim has the same tech inside as Gen 2, but this time, it’s the thickness oftwo credit cards (2.4mm) — that’s less than half the depth of the older model of key fob. While the older tiles are more suited to your key ring, the Tile Slim is aimed at your wallet or an internal bag pocket. The slimdesign does mean that it’s significantly wider than before (anextra 17mm), butunder most circumstances, we didn’t really see a problem with that. When it comes to function, the Tile Slim’s features are identical to Gen2, except the decibel level of its speaker is slightly lower — due to the slimline nature of this product, no doubt, but not significant enough to criticise, given that 82 decibels is still loud. Aesthetically, the Slim is a big improvement, with its stylish textured front, and asilver button for pairing and sounding an alarm on your iPhone. Slim is a great gadget, but it should cost the same as Gen 2. The app is still what makes Tile worth buying into, though, and it’s continually being improved. [ CHRISTIAN HALL ]

5 TILE SLIM $45; four-pack, $140 thetileapp.com CRITICAL SPECS Bluetooth 4.0; 82dB alarm; 54mm x 54mm x2.4mm; 9.3g

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 051 ]

TEST BENCH RADAR

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Drobo 5N A FIVE-BAY NETWORK STORAGE BOX WITH HOT-SWAPPABLE DRIVES.

DROBO HAS BUILT its business on storage using the remaining disks. You can then whip systems that allow you to mix and match out the failed disk, slot in a replacement and disks of different speeds and capacities and the drive rebuilds the array to include it. from different manufacturers and hotswap Setting up is straightforward enough them when you need to add capacity or — hard disks and SSDs are easy to slot into replace a failing disk. The Drobo 5N provides position. We experienced one or two hiccups these features and many more. while the Drobo Dashboard software was First, the name: the ‘5’ is a reference to configuring the 5N, however. It seemed to the number of hard drive bays and the ’N’ to take an age to find the drive on the network the fact that this is a network storage device. and then it insisted on updating the firmware. To that end, the Drobo 5N has a Gigabit Once done, the 5N restarted automatically Ethernet port that enables you to connect it but again took several minutes to be ‘found’ to your router —or directly by the software. Once the THERE’S ALSO to your PC if you want to unit had been discovered, A SLOT FOR AN copy lots of data at the fastest the manual prompts users to MSATA SSD TO USE possible speed. set up an admin password, AS A CACHE, IN A The 5N has one additional but doesn’t mention the need SIMILAR WAY TO storage slot, into which you to wait 20 minutes for the 5N APPLE’S FUSION can fit an mSATA SSD to use to configure itself. DRIVE as a cache of the files you use Once finally set up, the 5N most often, in a similar way worked like a charm. It took to Apple’s Fusion Drive. If you want, six minutes to copy 24GB of data from an you can fit SSDs in the other five disk bays, iMac, and we were able to remove one hard too, but this is much more costly than disk and add two more without any using hard disks, prohibitively so for most interruption to the copying process. of us, and unnecessary. The configuration of As with many network drives, there are a the SSD/hard disk arrangement, like that of number of apps you can install on the 5N. everything else in the 5N, is automatic. These enable you to host a Wordpress blog, The 5N has built-in redundancy, so if a use the drive as a DLNA or Plex server, disk fails, the storage array is automatically download using BitTorrent, or back up your reconfigured to avoid using that one and data to Crashplan, for example. There are also rebuild the storage plus redundancy setup apps that enable access to the 5N while away [ 052 ]

from your local network, and to simplify moving and accessing photos and videos from a phone or tablet to and from the drive. We have only two minor qualms about the Drobo 5N. One is the noise it makes. It’s not excessive, but sitting on a desk next to you, you’ll notice it. The fan is noisier than the two-bay Synology NAS we regularly use. The other problem is price. At around $850 for the enclosure alone, the 5N is on of the priceier four-bay NAS enclosures. What you pay for is the convenience of mixing and matching drives and being able to hotswap them, as well as the extra bay. If that’s important to you, the Drobo 5N won’t disappoint. If not, you may be better looking elsewhere. [ KENNY HEMPHILL ]

4

DROBO 5N $849 www.droboworks.com.au CRITICAL SPECS Gigabit Ethernet port; 5x SATA disk bays; 1x mSATA bay

TEST BENCH RADAR

BenQ W11000 AN ULTRA HD PROJECTOR THAT’S FINALLY AFFORDABLE... SORT OF.

IT’S ABOUT TIME. Ultra HD projectors, — the others use standard Blu-ray to which support true 4K playback, have cost quadruple their pixel count. With the recent more than $20,000 ever since Sony released release of UHD Blu-ray, we’ve finally got a its ‘consumer’ UHD projector. BenQ has relatively affordable solution for 4K content smashed the price barrier with the release playback on the bigscreen at home. of the W11000, releasing a UHD projector In the real world, the resolution difference that outputs a true 4K picture for less than is hard to pick when compared to a ‘true’ $8,000. However, there’s a bit of technical native 4K front projector, such as Sony’s trickery going on here. This is a DLP projector, VPL-VW365ES. Image clarity was simply which means each pixel is actually a microbreathtaking, but you’ll want to have a screen mirror, and the chip that holds these actually that is at least 140 inches across to really start has a native resolution half that of 4K. to see the upgrade. Unfortunately, this So how is that this projector is able to display projector lacks the Ultra HD Premium logo, a 4K image? which would indicate IT’S SIMILAR TO OTHER This projector is that it also supports UPSCALING 4K DLP based around a Texas HDR colour quality. PROJECTORS, BUT THE Instruments 0.67-inch To be frank, HDR DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS 4K UHD DLP chip, offers more of a picture DEVICE CAN ACCEPT A TRUE but it only has four upgrade than the 4K SIGNAL, SUCH AS AN million mirrors, move to 4K resolution, ULTRA-HD BLU-RAY PLAYER whereas a true 4K so it’s a real shame to — THE OTHERS USE display has 8 million see that this projector STANDARD BLU-RAY... pixels. The technology doesn’t support this. used to double the The colour quality is resolution is called ‘XPR fast-switching’. good, but not in the same realm as a HDR Basically, it uses a dual-position optical screen. Unfortunately, contrast performance actuator that shifts and doubles the position wasn’t so great, especially when the dynamic of each mirror’s output so quickly that the contrast setting was disabled. Turning it human eye can’t notice it. 9,000 times per back on helped bring out detail in the darker second to be precise. It’s similar to other areas of scenes, but the shifting of the iris upscaling 4K DLP projectors, but the was quite noticeable, with the entire scene’s difference is that this device can accept a true brightness regularly adjusting to boost up 4K signal such as an Ultra HD Blu-ray player the contrast. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

As a DLP projector, we were worried about colour artefacting (aka ‘The Rainbow effect’), but were pleased to see no sign of this issue. Lens shift is included, but it has to be done by hand, while the 1.5x zoom allows for relatively short throw distance. While we love the increase in resolution, the lack of HDR is a bit of a blow and the contrast performance was a little ho-hum. It’s also a confusing buy for consumers, with the Ultra HD Premium specification appearing to be the de-facto standard for 4K + HDR displays. Note the word ‘Premium’ on the end there, which indicates HDR support. This projector isn’t true 4K, and it doesn’t include HDR. For Ultra HD Premium to take off, we’re going to need products that deliver all of the features of this spec, and not just a [ BENNETT RING ] resolution increase.

31/2 BENQ W11000 4K UHD THX CERTIFIED HOME CINEMA PROJECTOR $7,999 www.benq.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 2,716 x 1,528 pixels (native res); 3,840 x 2,160 pixels with XPR technology; 1.5x zoom; 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio; 14.8kg.

[ 053 ]

TEST BENCH SMARTPHONE PRO-PHOTO GEAR

[ POCKET SNAPPERS ]

Pro-photo smartphone gear TURN YOUR HANDSET INTO A BONE-FIDE DLSR-COMPETITOR OR A ROBUST ACTION CAM WITH THESE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES. [ THOMAS DANG ] WINNER

THE SAYING GOES that the best camera is the one that you have on you, and nowadays, most of us do have a camera with us at all times — the one in our phone. When it comes to the quality of photos and videos, smartphone cameras have come a long way in the last few years. Modern flagships have the capability to take excellent photos and video and can even compete against some dedicated point-and-shoot cameras out in the market. But while the smartphone has undeniably come leaps and bounds in terms of tech specs and software smarts, there is still a notable gap between what can be achieved on a DSLR or specialised video cam. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that a wide variety of photography accessories and devices have sprung up to address that gap. Some of these enhancements include stabilisation, stereo audio recording, off camera (phone) lighting and lens changes. Photography and videography have always been about storytelling and these add-ons aim to help you broaden your abilities — but still take advantage of the convenience of your smartphone.

SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS & TRICKS * Play around with different placements of your off-camera (i.e. phone) LED lights. It can drastically change the mood to your photos and video.

* Make sure you test out any waterproof cases without your phone first. Seal the case up with a

piece of paper inside then submerge it in water, then remove and dry off, unseal and check the paper for any water leakage — that way, you can ensure there’s no faults and you’ve got it closed correctly before risking your phone. * Combining multiple lights from different directions onto a subject will change the look of the subject. * People usually look better under diffused or soft lights. If you can’t diffuse your light, try to bounce it off a large white surface. * Where possible, try to shoot video in good lighting conditions, as that will keep the noise/ grain down. * If you have a gimbal, try combining it with slow-motion video to get even better-looking videos. * When capturing audio, monitor the gain on your microphone so that it isn’t too loud, otherwise you’ll get distortion, which is that undesirable crackling sound. * The microphone’s wind-shield should be used when recording outside to reduce wind noise.

07

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

Feiyu Tech SPG Gimbal GIVE YOURSELF GENUINELY PRO VIDEO CAPABILITIES ON YOUR PHONE.

GIMBALS ARE HANDHELD devices that allow you to capture video without camera vibration or shake. The Feiyu Tech SPG is a live three-axis gimbal designed for smartphones and is the key to making your videos look more professional. It’s one of the cheapest options around to achieving high-quality video. The SPG is very easy to use. It works by mounting your phone in the bracket, and simply switching it on will balance your phone. There’s also a button that will lock your phone onto a subject. With the SPG, you can run and track a subject, whilst still achieving very stable footage, as if the camera was on wheels or a drone. There is a counter balance weight that allows you to counter some of the larger phablet phones. It also comes with two rechargeable batteries. Movement is probably more important than outright video quality, as no one wants to view shaky footage. So the size and weight of the SPG means that there’s no excuse to not have it with you in any situation.

SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES

HOW WE TESTED

With the wide variety of accessories we tested for this feature, to assess each device, we set it up following any guidelines included in the manual or setup app (as appropriate) and then used it as intended for a good length of time in as many situations as was practical. All testing was performed using an iPhone 6s.

5 FEIYU TECH SPG GIMBAL $329 www.gimbals.com.au CRITICAL SPECS Tilting angle: 320°; rolling angle: 320°; panning angle: 360°; 8 hour battery; 355g

[ 054 ]

WINNER

APPROVED

WINNER

APPROVED

AWARD

AWARD

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

iblazr 2

DiCAPac Action Kit

Lume Cube

BLUETOOTH LED LIGHT IN YOUR POCKET.

A MULTIPURPOSE ACTION KIT.

VERSATILE, DURABLE AND PORTABLE.

THE IBLAZR 2 is a lightweight LED light for smartphones. The unit has four LED lights on the front and a touch panel on the back, which allows you to remotely take a phot, whilst also allowing you to adjust the colour temperature. The four LED lights are two different colours — cool and warm. The iblazr 2 comes with a mount clip that attaches to your phone, as well as a silicone diffuser, which softens the light. The app, which is available on Android and iOS, has great functionality and can also be used without the iblazr LED light. From the app, you have control over the iblazr and can connect multiple iblazr lights. Other controls you have from the app include white balance, shutter speed, manual focus, digital zoom and ISO. The size of the iblazr 2, including the mount and diffuser, means that you can easily keep it with you for those nights out with friends, ready to take those selfies with the newfound light.

THE DICAPAC ACTION Kit is a multipurpose waterproof case for your smartphone and is compatible with most phones. The case is sealed by a zip-lock and folds up four times to be sealed with two additional Velcro zippers. It has a JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) of IPX8, which means it’s good for use up to about 10 metres underwater. The smartphone case has a mount on the back, which allows you to attach it to a sports armband, floating selfie stick, bike mount, as well as a GoPro mount adaptor which are all included in the Action Kit. The GoPro mount adaptor opens up the possibilities of other uses, such as suction mount. The case itself weighs only 40 grams and can be folded up for portability. The lightness of the case means running with this case on your arm certainly won’t feel uncomfortable. The screen can also be used normally through the clean window and the water resistance means you won’t need to worry if it starts raining in the middle of a run.

THE LUME CUBE is a portable LED light that is built like a GoPro on steroids. It measures in at about 38mm on all sides and is waterproof for up to approximately 30m. The Smartphone Video Kit comes with one Lume Cube, a mount holds your phone and a handle that attaches to the mount. The Cube attaches to the mount by a 6mm thread common to tripods. It can be used both as a continuous light for video or a flash for taking photographs on your phone. The Cube connects via Bluetooth and syncs through the Lume Cube app, where you can control the power. The app can control up to 10 Lume Cubes simultaneously. Lume Cubes have a range of mounting kits that allow you to not only use the Cube with your phone, but video/photo capturing devices such as GoPro, cameras and a range of drones. The only downside is that the colour of the light is a bit cool and can’t be changed.

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4

IBLAZR 2 $79.95 concepter.co/iblazr2

DICAPAC ACTION KIT $109 www.dicapac.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS Up to 1 hour of constant light output; LED colour temperature range from 3,200K to 5,500K; 20g

CRITICAL SPECS Waterproof up to 10m; made from TPVC and TPU; 9.6 x 14.7cm; 40g

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

TEST BENCH SMARTPHONE PRO-PHOTO GEAR

WINNER

4 LUME CUBE US$99.99 for Cube and Smartphone Kit www.lumecube.com CRITICAL SPECS LED temperature of 6,000K; 20+ minutes of constant light on full power mode; waterproof up to 30m; 3.8 x 3.8 x 3.8cm

[ 055 ]

TEST BENCH SMARTPHONE PRO-PHOTO GEAR

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Olloclip Studio for iPhone

ProShot Case for iPhone

Zoom iQ7 for iPhone

AIMS TO BE AN ALL-IN-ONE STUDIO SOLUTION.

THE DIVER’S SMARTPHONE HOUSING.

LEVEL UP YOUR PHONE’S AUDIO-RECORDING.

OLLOCLIP HAS BEEN creating photography accessories for iPhones for quite some years now. As with a lot of tech gear these days, the Olloclip Studio started as a Kickstarter project. The Studio gives your phone some of the capabilities of a traditional camera. With some of the accessories, it allows you to attach your phone to a tripod, either vertically or horizontally for such things as video recording, or self-timer photos. It also comes with a couple of cold shoe mounts to attach lights or microphones, greatly improving video recording in low light situations. The finger grip allows the phone to rest on your fingers, giving you a more natural holding grip of the phone for shooting video and can also act as a kickstand. The Studio also comes with a dedicated kickstand. The case is very sturdy and is moulded in a way that still allows the traditional Olloclip lenses to be clipped on, to complete the camera upgrade. The overall price of the Olloclip Studio and lenses is a little expensive, but as photographer or videographer, it’ll transform your phone into something that can help produce great content.

THE PROSHOT CASE turns your phone into an underwater, mountable action camera. If you’re not too keen on buying an action camera like the GoPro, this is a relatively cheap alternative. The case is completely waterproof and is good for depths of up to 30m and comes with two interchangeable lids. The touch screen lid allows you to use your phone screen like normal, but is only rated for 1.8m depth. ProShot also has a free app that allows you to use the volume buttons to control the camera on your phone. It also comes with three interchangeable lenses — flat, wide angle and fish-eyed to further enhance your photos and videos. It shares the same mounting as the GoPro, so you can use it with some of their accessories — although, you probably wouldn’t want to mount it to your head. The ProShot Case is currently available for the iPhone 6, 6s and 7, with cases for the Plus-series devices schedule to become available in early 2017. There’s also an Android case in development.

THE IQ7 FROM Zoom turns your iPhone into a multipurpose audio recording device. Along with the Zoom Handy Recorder app, it can be used as a standalone recording device or to capture stereo audio whilst recording video on your phone. It features a dial that controls the audio and a headphone jack to monitor the audio or to be used for line out. There is also a switch that changes the encoding from 90° for a focused sound, 120° for wider stereo that captures ambience or M-S, which allows you to vary the width in post-production. The app can be used to monitor the levels and edit the audio, applying different effects to change the acoustics to mimic different situations such as Room, Jazz Club, Concert Hall, Arena and Stadium. You can also change the EQ settings for the different frequencies. Any serious editing, though, would be done on a computer. Overall, the iQ7 is a handy little device, and although it’s primarily aimed at those wanting better audio recording, that doesn’t preclude it from helping to enhance the audio that goes with your video. It’s a big step up over any phone’s standard microphone.

4 OLLOCLIP STUDIO $150 store.pica.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 2x 1/4-20 tripod/grip mounts; 2x coldshoe adapters; kickstand adapter; finger grip adapter

[ 056 ]

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PROSHOT CASE FOR IPHONE US$100 (plus US$20 shipping) www.proshotcase.com CRITICAL SPECS Waterproof up to 30m with deep dive lid and up to 1.8m with touchscreen lid; 17.8 x 10.2cm; 170g

31/2 ZOOM IQ7 $150 www.zoom-na.com CRITICAL SPECS Mid-side (M-S) stereo mic (90°/120°/M-S); +3 to +43dN input gain; 120dB SPL max input sound pressure; Lightning connector; powered by iOS device

SMARTPHONE DASH-MOUNTS

[ TAKE THE HASSELHOFF YOUR DRIVE ]

ED’s CHOICE

Top tech to Kitt out your car

AWARD

WINNER

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

PLUG YOUR CAR INTO THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION WITH THESE EXCELLENT TECH ACCESSORIES. [ JOEL BURGESS & PAUL TAYLOR ]

WHETHER IT’S BECAUSE you’re going on a road trip, heading to the beach or catching up with friends outdoors, we seem to spend a lot more time in our cars over summer. Of course, it’d be sweet to be able to roll around in your new gadget-filled Tesla, but most of us have to settle for a slightly older, less kitted-out automobile. But there is plenty of awesome car-tech accessories that’ll have you feeling like your car is just as high-tech Elon Musk’s electric vehicle — well, at least for anyone who hasn’t actually tried a Model S. You might not think that smartphone mounts, cigarette lighter chargers and miscellaneous car tech accessories are cutting-edge technology, but we were actually pleasantly surprised at how refined and useful some of these devices were. If you’re anything like us and your car doesn’t have Bluetooth, then make sure you check out Laser’s PW-BT50AR Bluetooth call and audio forwarder and those not totally satisfied with their smartphone mount, read on for a suitable upgrade. Make the most of your smartphone’s smarts and breathe new life into your car with the best car tech accessories this summer.

10

STREAMING BOXES ON TEST

HOW WE TESTED

All accessories were tested in a low-tech (early ‘90s) Subaru with an aftermarket sound system. Mounts were used in all positions and with the various clasping systems if there was more than one. Chargers all ran through the same 12V cigarette lighter output. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Cygnett MagMount 360

Belkin Car Vent mount

A BIG GAMBLE THAT PAYS OFF.

TRY VENTING YOUR SMARTPHONE-MOUNT FRUSTRATIONS.

THIS MAGNETIC MOUNT comes with all the

risks of the Cygnett’s Magnetic Vent Mount, but manages to add another irrevocable element into the mix. To be honest, if you’ve already convinced yourself to put magnets near your smartphone and glue a metallic disk to the back of it, then the decision to go ahead with sticking the one-shot adhesive mount to your car’s dashboard will be as easy as driving in an empty car park. With all these barriers to entry, it’s hard to believe anyone is actually buying this product in-store, but testament to Cygnett’s design they’re still around... and we’re glad. Dashboard mounts offer significantly closer and more convenient positioning than windshield mounts and don’t obscure your field of view. Much like its vented brother, the MagMount 360 is the most discrete mount we tested, looking nice when on display and managing to totally disappear behind your smartphone when in use. The only upshot of this one over the MagMount 360 Vent is that it doesn’t need to be supported by (and obscure) one of your car’s air vents.

41/2 CYGNETT MAGMOUNT 360 $30 www.cygnett.com CRITICAL SPECS Adhesive dashboard mount; magnetic clasp; 1x large sticky metal disk; 1x small sticky metal metal disk; 1x metal tag (for smartphone case)

THOUGH IN MANY cars, the windshield is a great place to mount your smartphone, an acute windshield-to-dashboard angle can make it almost impossible to position a mount that is close enough to use, without obscuring your field of view. If you have the traditional car vents in a position that would work well for your phone, then it’s worthwhile considering the imperfectbut-inexpensive car vent mount option. Yes, with the size of phones these days, you will loose the better part of that air vent, but for us, the downside of this is far outweighed by Belkin’s ingeniously flexible mounting system that lets you attach your smartphone without needing some kind of permanent case fixture. The air vent mount attaches easily to most air vents, but it is worth noting that it won’t be a perfect solution as vents wobble and the attachment isn’t always as secure as you would like. That said, this is the least expensive solution available and even offers some decent advantages over more expensive mounts.

4

BELKIN CAR VENT MOUNT $30 www.belkin.com CRITICAL SPECS Fits phones up to 84mm wide; 4-prong vent mount; cable management 360° rotation

[ 057 ]

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Cygnett MagMount 360 Vent

Cygnett DashView Vice THIS BUDGET OPTION WILL GRAB YOU

3SIXT Long Arm Window Mount (3S-0564)

MAKE YOUR SMARTPHONE FLOAT ON AIR.

IN ITS VICE.

LET YOUR PHONE LIVE ON THE EDGE

THERE IS STILL an understandable sense of

UNDERCUTTING THE NEAREST competitor

(OF YOUR WINDSCREEN).

doubt around the potential negative effects of magnets on modern-day technology. For the most part, these are generally relic attitudes that have survived from when magnets manipulated the colours of cathode ray TVs and corrupted floppy disk drives, but you’ll still want to keep your magnetically coded credit cards away from it. Magnets aren’t the only hurdle for this system, for the best experience, you’ll also want to stick a metal disk to the back of your phone, a not-officiallysupported but included option with the MagMount 360 Vent. Sticking metal to the back of your phone can impair NFC transmission (if placed in the wrong spot) and is difficult to remove without damage. If you’re prepared to risk all of the above, this millimeter-thin disk on the back of your smartphone is the most convenient car mounting solution by a long way. The system also offers a slightly less sticky alternative with a flat metal tag that slips between your smartphone and its case for a similarly convenient magnetic mounting solution.

4 CYGNETT MAGMOUNT 360 VENT $30 www.cygnett.com CRITICAL SPECS Air-vent mounted; magnetic clasp; 1x large sticky metal disk; 1x small sticky metal metal disk; 1x metal tag (for smartphone case).

[ 058 ]

here by close to $5, Cygnett’s windshieldmounted, spring gripped universal phone mount definitely comes out on top when it comes to price. Unfortunately, like many of the entry-level windshield mounts, this unit only has one point of rotational movement to change your smartphone’s orientation and angle, and offers no solution for adjusting height. That said, the more acute angle of the DashView vice allows it to work well both in the low-centre of the windshield and at the far edge where the glass meets the car’s frame. Since it uses a spring-loaded rubber vice to mount the smartphone, this unit benefits from not requiring any additional case or mount accessories and will work with phones between 55mm and 90mm in width (an iPhone 5 is 58mm wide and Google’s Pixel XL is 75mm, for reference). This simple solution doesn’t require any gluing, so you can move it to wherever you see fit on the windscreen and comes at the right price.

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IF YOU’RE LEANING towards this long arm, windshield-mounted option from 3SIXT, then you’ve probably already worked out that your car’s dashboard is deeper than most. The problem is that it isn’t just the depth of a windshield that can cause complications, it’s also the angle of the glass. The 3SIXT Long Arm Window Mount unfortunately only has one axis of movement up near the actual phone cradle, so the places on your windshield that aren’t particularly vertical (like, say, the low centre of your windscreen), will not be able to hold the phone until it is actually obscuring your view of the road. Fortunately, the angle has been designed to fit nicely on the edge of the windshield, right up next to the car frame and when you position it there, the phone can easily be seen and reached. Going even further to redeeming itself, the phone cradle has excellent angled and lockable grips that’ll allow you to tailor it to your phone’s size and mount it without having to stretch the arms the way you do with spring grips.

3

CYGNETT DASHVIEW VICE $25 www.cygnett.com

3SIXT LONG ARM CAR MOUNT $40 www.3sixtgear.com

CRITICAL SPECS Windshield mounted, spring loaded clamp mount; fits phones up to 90mm; 360° rotation

CRITICAL SPECS Fits phones up to 90mm; adjustable cradle; windshield mount

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

MULTI-PURPOSE CAR CHARGERS

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

Laser PW-BT50AR

Belkin Road Rockstar

Belkin Dual Car Power Valet

CUT THE CORD WITH BLUETOOTH FOR YOUR

THE MORE THE MERRIER.

A STYLISH CHARGER THAT EXPECTS A

CAR AUDIO.

GENEROUS TIP.

IF SMARTPHONES START to follow Apple’s lead with the iPhone 7 and ditch the headphone jack, then you’ll need another solution to the quick and inexpensive 3.5mm audio cable connection. Yet, even if you intend to keep your headphone jack, Bluetooth technology has come far enough for it to be a more convenient alternative to connecting an auxiliary connection anyway. The Laser PW-BT50AR wears quite a few hats for a device with a similar profile to your average car USB charge port. Bluetooth connectivity, an FM radio transmitter and an AUX port that all work together in the PW-BT50AR to first connect to your phone and then forward audio onto your sound system either through the AUX cable or through a specific FM radio station. Laser’s integrated a microphone into the unit so when on a call, the sound system will be delegated speaker duties while the good-quality inbuilt mic makes sure the person on the other end of the call can hear you. To tie up an excellent feature set, there’s also a 2.1A USB Type-A power-out that allows fast charging for any compatible smartphone.

5

IF YOU’VE EVER been on a long road trip with

friends or family, you’ll know that it’s not uncommon to need more than one charging port at some point along the way. Belkin’s Road Rockstar is a dual-USB car-socket charger attached to another dual-port charger by a 1.8m cable that can reach far enough to be used by those in the backseat. It’s clear that Belkin hit a wall with the volume of electricity you can (or would want to) pinch from your car battery, as only the rear two of the four ports offer 2.4A fast charging. Yes, it’s disappointing that you can’t fast charge your smartphone in the front seat, but the logic of putting more power in the backseat is sound, as you’re more likely to need to charge bigger-screened tablets and media playing devices there. We have to say that we were a little disappointed that Belkin didn’t add a battery bank in the rear port section to allow continuous charging when the car is not running, but alas, you can’t have it all.

4

THIS ONE WAS selected as an Innovation Awards honoree back at CES 2016 and, as far as looks go, we totally understand why. The Dual Car Power Valet charger is made from solid metal that gives it a heavy premium feel and it connects to a heavyweight braided Lightning cable that wouldn’t look out of place in a Bentley. The most unique feature is a magnetic cable mount that you can stick to your dashboard to keep the cable within easy reaching distance without cluttering up your console. The dual sockets both offer variable 1.2A or 2.4A output, depending on the power requirements of the device you’re charging, and the kit even comes with a leather case to keep everything neat. There is an undeniably premium quality to the whole Dual Car Power Valet package and we really can’t see anyone disliking it’s appearance, but at $150, you’ll really need to love those looks to justify the lofty price tag.

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LASER PW-BT50AR $50 www.laserco.com.au

BELKIN ROAD ROCKSTAR $60 www.belkin.com/au

BELKIN DUAL CAR VALET $150 www.belkin.com/au

CRITICAL SPECS 12/24 Volt compatible; 2.1A USB; FM audio out; 3.5mm AUX audio out; Bluetooth; microphone

CRITICAL SPECS Dual 1A front USB ports; dual 2.4A rear USB ports; 1.8m rear port cable

CRITICAL SPECS Dual 2.4A/1.2A USB sockets; 1.2m braided Lightning cable; magnetised dashboard cable mount; leather storage case

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 059 ]

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

IN-CAR SPEAKERPHONES

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

3SIXT Dual USB C/A Fast Car Charger (3S-0638)

Jabra Freeway

Plantronics K100

HANDS-FREEWAY CALLING.

PLANTING THE SEED OF A GOOD IN-CAR

SUPERCHARGE YOUR SMARTPHONE WITH VITAMIN TYPE-C.

IF YOU HAPPEN to be one of the cool kids

with a smartphone that uses a USB Type-C connection, then you’ll probably be looking at car chargers that can take advantage of the new format’s greater capacity for fast-charging. Type-C will let you feed a whopping 3A into your smartphone through a DC charging port (tablets using Lightning or micro USB are limited to 2.4A) letting you charge significantly faster than the general Type-A 1.2A smartphone fast charge ports. Obviously, theoretical speeds and reality are slightly different as we only got around 0.5% per minute charging the Pixel XL’s 3,450mAh battery using the USB Type-C to Type-C port which was less than the 0.7% per minute we can get using a microUSB Type-A from Laser’s PW-BT50AR to a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Fortunately, 3SiXT’s dual USB-C/A Fast Car Charger also offers a 1.2/2.4A USB Type-A fast charging port as well. Not a bad offer for the price.

4

[ 060 ]

SPEAKERPHONE.

IF YOU LOOK at the feature set of Jabra’s top-

of-the-line Freeway speakerphone, it’s hard to believe that it’s been around since 2011. Multi-point Bluetooth connectivity, background noise cancellation, virtual surround sound, voice control and a built-in accelerometer that turns the device on and off, is an astounding number of talking points for what is essentially a dinosaur in tech years. It isn’t just good on paper, with the speakerphone delivering clear call audio and allowing you to accept/end calls or ring your contacts using your voice. The Jabra Assist app offers even more features like reading your notifications, messages or emails aloud and a clever ‘find my car’ feature. We were a little disappointed with the FM audio forwarding as it only offered one transmission frequency that interfered with a local radio station. We’ve seen this device going for as little as $99, and for that price, it’s great, but after hearing how much clearer AUX audio throughput is (over FM transmission), we wish it had a 3.5mm audio-out as well.

31/2

3SIXT DUAL USB C/A FAST CAR CHARGER (3S-0638) $25 www.3sixtgear.com

JABRA FREEWAY $170 www.jabra.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS 1 x 3A USB Type-C; 1 x USB Type-A port; 12V or 24V DC in; 24g.

CRITICAL SPECS Bluetooth 2.1 (8 devices, 2 simultaneous); 14 hour talk time battery; FM transmitter; 99mm x 120mm x 19mm; 115g.

IN CAR SPEAKERPHONES aren’t exactly a new thing (this model hit shelves back in 2010), but not all entertainment systems include a microphone and the car is generally a little loud to rely on your smartphone’s inbuilt speakerphone setting. The foremost function of the K100 is to connect to your phone via Bluetooth, allowing you take and receive calls. However, all the Bluetooth connected devices we’ve looked at also seem to offer the option of forwarding audio from your phone onto your car’s speakers through an FM transmitter. With eight pre-configured FM stations, this unit offers the flexibility to find a slice of the airwaves that isn’t going to clash with any local radio stations. Unfortunately, the K100 has a particularly poor transmission range, enough that you’ll basically need your unit to be no further than about 60cm from the antenna to work well (and even then, it’s still crackly). The K100 is a little under-featured when compared to Jabra’s Freeway, but it is also a significantly less expensive alternative that manages to provide the same function.

3 PLANTRONICS K100 $60 www.plantronics.com/au CRITICAL SPECS Bluetooth 4.0; sun-visor mounted; 15 hour talk time battery life; FM transmitter; 35mm x 5mm x 100mm; 260g.

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

MISCELLANEOUS IN-CAR TECH

Laser Portable DVD Player (9-inch)

Dyson V6 Car+Boat A VACUUM WE WISH LASTED LONGER.

A DECENT PLAYER FOR WHAT’S BECOMING A DATED MEDIUM.

CONSIDERING YOU CAN easily get similarly

sized tablets for around $150, we wonder if there is any reason to instead opt for Laser’s 9-inch Portable DVD Player. Of course, you might have a large collection of DVDs, but since Netflix opened the gates for offline viewing at the end of 2016, effectively allowing you to pre-load titles from its enormous catalogue of films to a tablet before you travel, we’re inclined to let DVDs be bygones. Laser’s Portable DVD Player is more versatile than its name suggests, allowing you to plug in USBs, hard drives and SD cards if you happen to have digital media, but it’ll have to be in DivX, JPEG, WMA, MPEG-4 or MP3 formats. The 9-inch screen isn’t exactly impressive, falling just shy of HD (well, 720p) with a resolution of 1,024 x 600 pixels, but for the purpose and price, it’s more than adequate. Add to this all-right speakers, a car power adapter, a responsive remote and a carry bag that attaches to a car seat’s headrest and this portable DVD player delivers in all the areas you would expect.

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HOLOGRAPHIC INFO THAT MISSES THE MARK.

LIVING IN THE city can make it impossible to

park close enough to your house to clean the car with a regular AC vacuum cleaner, but really anyone will benefit from the convenience of having a hand-held cordless vacuum cleaner. Dyson hasve clearly spent an exorbitant amount of time developing a multitude of heads that are specifically designed to make it easy and effective to clean every inch of your car’s numerous difficult-toreach places. And when you consider the suction power is better than what some low-end full-sized vacuums can get, it’s an impressive feat of engineering. The device’s numerous attributes make it all the more devastating that Dyson seems to have totally dropped the ball with the battery on the V6 Car+Boat. If you’re planning on keeping it permanently plugged in and you’ll only use it to suck up mess as it’s made, then it’s fine, but the maximum 20-minute battery life is less than half what you’ll want to actually clean your filthy car from top to bottom and you’ll have to wait 3.5 hours to recharge it using 240V AC power.

3

LASER PORTABLE DVD PLAYER $149 www.laserco.com.au

DYSON V6 CAR + BOAT $449 www.dyson.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS 9-inch LCD display with 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution; USB; SD card slot; digital media formats (DivX, JPEG, WMA, MPEG-4, MP3); 12V DC (car) or AC charging; AV out/in cables; 37mm x 45mm x 37mm; 1.7kg.

CRITICAL SPECS 6 x various cleaning heads; 28 Airwatts of suction; 12V DC charger or 240V AC charger; 20 min max runtime (6 minutes on high power); fade free lithium-ion battery; 3.5-hours AC charge time; 211mm x 395mm x 208mm; 3.1kg.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Kogan GPS Car Head Up Display A ‘HEAD UP display’ sounds pretty alluring, and Kogan’s promotional imagery hints at futuristic tech you can use to retrofit into your Toyota Camry. Having your speed, direction of travel and time floating just below the horizon of your natural gaze — without disrupting your view of the road — means you can get all the crucial info you need at a glance. Sound logic, and the display technically performed flawlessly; however, it doesn’t really pay off. The Kogan unit rests on your car’s dashboard on a purpose-built (removable) sticky pad, and the light from it simply bounces off your windscreen. For best results, you need to place an included piece of transparent film on your windscreen. There are three problems here: windscreens are usually curved, so the display on your car (and our test vehicle) may well be warped; you always have a slightly distracting, large opaque piece of plastic just below your line of sight; and on bright days mean the display’s almost totally washed out. We also found it just too damn big, too. A great idea but sadly impractical.

2

KOGAN GPS CAR HEAD UP DISPLAY $79 www.kogan.com/au CRITICAL SPECS 5.5-inch display; Mini-USB charging; 125mm x 75mm x 15mm; 115g.

[ 061 ]

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

[ I’M WATCHING YOU ]

Got a dash?

AWARD

WHETHER YOU WANT THEM FOR FRIVOLOUS OR FINANCIAL REASONS, DASHCAMS COULD BE YOUR CAR’S NEW BEST FRIEND.

WINNER

[ PAUL TAYLOR & JOEL BURGESS ]

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

DASHCAMS ARE PROVING to be more and more popular with the general public who seek peace of mind when driving. In a worst case scenario, they’re proof of who’s at fault in an accident, providing crucial evidence. While they won’t lower your premium, the footage you have can help bolster your claim, and they’re only growing in popularity — insurer AAMI has said that approximately 13% of Australian drivers were using dash cams in 2015. Mounted to the top or bottom of your windscreen — anywhere that’s not going to obscure your view of the road ahead — these video cameras record footage of your surroundings while you’re driving. Some have GPS capabilities, noting your precise location, speed and direction of travel. The majority, though, are simple video cameras that share tech with action cameras, but are far more affordable as they’re not designed to be weatherproof. They need constant power and use the 12V supply in your car. Out of the cameras we tested, the best automatically power up and shut down when you start or turn off your car, and also note when something unusual happens; namely, an impact with another object, or hard braking. It’s a sobering thought, but useful nonetheless.

10

STREAMING BOXES ON TEST

HOW WE TESTED

All cams were tested in a small hatchback and medium-sized station wagon, combined city and suburban driving, primarily in dense traffic. Each was plugged into its supplied charger, and we used SanDisk and Lexar Class 10 microSD cards. [ 062 ]

Navman MiVue 630

Uniden iGo Cam 755

EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR

WELL MADE AND INTELLIGENT.

IN A DASH CAMERA.

IN THEIR MOST pragmatic form, dash

cameras are simply tools to help you expedite the insurance claim process in the event of an accident and, if that’s the sum total of what you’re looking for, it’d be hard not to recommend the MiVue 630 from Navman. It has a smaller screen than some of the more pricy units, but considering dashcams need to sit in a position that will obscure some of your view out the front windscreen, we actually prefer that. The most important feature in a dash camera is a 3-axis gyroscope as it not only triggers an incident log if you happen to cross the acceleration threshold (as you would when you are rear ended) but it also notes the acceleration readings throughout the incident so you get directional information on where you have been hit even if it isn’t in the camera’s field of vision. Add GPS positioning, speed, timestamping and an illustrative 3D visualisation of acceleration to the camera’s full HD picture resolution and you have something that captures the clearest possible picture of any incident.

41/2

UNIDEN HAS SET the bar with the iGo Cam 755. Its list of features embarrases other cameras in the category, and is also the one with the most interesting design and best suction cup mount. You will need a bit of space to mount it, as a square, dedicated GPS antenna pokes up out of the top of the screen, though getting it into place is easy. Alongside standard impact detection, Uniden’s cam also senses when you’re departing your lane, will alert you to movement at traffic lights, and built-in speed camera warnings — you won’t find this package anywhere else. Only the Kaiser Baas units feature 2K recording as well, and the quality of the video is excellent — bright, clear and lots of contrast, able to pick up licence plates where others struggle. The wide angle lens captures more of the periphery of the road ahead, too, and the raw video files feature the speed of your car and time. You’ll have to install the software to view more in-depth metrics, however.

41/2

NAVMAN MIVUE 630 $159 www.navman.com.au

UNIDEN IGO CAM 755 $230 www.uniden.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS Wide-angle 130° lens; max resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 2-inch LCD; microSD card slot (up to 128GB); 130mAh battery; 5cm x 6cm x 3.6cm

CRITICAL SPECS 170° lens; max resolution 2,304 x 1,296 pixels; 2.7-inch LCD; microSD storage card slot (up to 64GB); 250mAh built-in battery; dimensions not specified

WINNER

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

APPROVED AWARD

DASH CAM BUYER’S GUIDE

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A DASH CAM

Swann 140DCM

Kaiser Baas R20

COMPACT AND CAPABLE.

GOOD-LOOKING AND SOLID.

TUCK THIS WELL-FEATURED camera behind your rear view mirror, and you’ll have good quality footage you can later rely on. Swann’s diminutive 140DCM cam was one of the easiest to use, with its large buttons and compact design that gave us everything we needed. Sudden acceleration or bumps are recorded and the footage locked, otherwise it can be on a five-minute loop until you manually hit a button to secure it. GPS data is overlaid on the screen, showing off your coordinates and speed, along with the time. Although this doesn’t feed into Google maps, having the info there will help later on should you need it. It also has a small internal battery, which is enough to use the camera out of the car and shoot extra footage or photographs. Extremely sunny or overcast days can cause the image to wash out, so we’d suggest angling the camera downwards a touch. Plus, as a bonus, it comes with sticky clips for the charging cable.

KAISER BAAS ALMOST shot itself in the foot. The R20 comes in $100 cheaper than the also very good R30, has the same key features — auto impact detect, 2K resolution, GPS and an audio guide — and produces identical footage. So why opt for the more expensive cam? The R30 has a better, simpler layout, as the R20 is initially unintuitive for capturing photo and important moments, and Wi-Fi isn’t available here. That’s not a deal breaker by any means, though it is a compromise. The R20’s large screen also doubles as a clock or compass when it ticks over to be a screensaver, and you can record up to 10 minutes of footage at a time. Unfortunately, the raw footage does not give your speed or direction — you’re relying on the software there. Like the R30, you also get cable clips included in the packaging, a double socket USB charger and a sticky mount. Great value, and another reliable unit.

POWER CORD LENGTH

To keep your view of the road (and dashboard) clear, long power cables need to be sensibly routed around your car’s interior.

CLIPS

The majority of the cams we tested did not come with clips to keep the power cable in place, and you will need a way to secure the cable.

12V SUPPLY

Because most cams need a permanent power supply, your 12V power socket will be occupied. Consider this if you use it to charge your phone.

MEMORY CARD

MicroSD memory cards are essential and most cams do not include them. Some accept cards up to 64GB, others up to 32GB.

SOFTWARE

Some cameras require you to install their software either on your computer or phone to view your GPS data, or to properly stitch footage together.

MOUNTING BRACKET

The majority of cams use a suction grip, though a couple have sticky pads that will be permanently fixed to your windscreen.

LENS ANGLE

4 SWANN 140DCM $230 swann.com/au CRITICAL SPECS 140° lens; max resolution 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 2-inch LCD; microSD storage card slot (up to 32GB); 400mAh built-in Li-ion battery; 5.3cm x 3cm x 5.9cm

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

31/2

KAISER BAAS R20 $199 kaiserbaas.com CRITICAL SPECS 135° lens; max resolution 2,304 x 1,296 pixels; 2.7-inch LCD; microSD storage card slot (up to 64GB); 9cm x 5cm x 3.1cm

A wide-angle lens captures more horizontal footage, though conversely this can lead to a fisheye effect.

AUTO ON/OFF

The majority of cameras automatically turn on and off — and start recording — when you start and or turn off your car. Handy, though this means the memory card is being used all the time.

[ 063 ]

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

Kaiser Baas R30 A PINT-SIZED PERFORMER.

ONE OF THE most thoughtful dashcams going, the Kaiser Baas R30 offers a good first impression. It’s one of the few units not to have a screen on the rear, instead shifting view-finding duties to your smartphone. Download the (utilitarian) app, and you can get a live view in order to get the camera positioned just so. It’s one of the few that comes with a sticky mount, and only moves on one angle (pitching up and down) so you’ll need to make sure you’re happy with it before locking it in place. An audio cue also tells you when it’s started recording, and saving important footage, while the lights on the rear indicate power on and a good GPS signal. Inside the box, you get a generous cable, clips and a double USB socket so you still have a spare port to charge your phone. While the 2K footage is slight overkill, the quality is among the best of this crop, and the optional PC/Mac software is also pretty powerful. You will need it to view your direction and speed.

31/2 KAISER BAAS R30 $299 kaiserbaas.com CRITICAL SPECS 135° lens; max resolution 2,304 x 1,296 pixels; LCD size not specified; microSD storage card slot (up to 64GB); 6.4cm x 4.3cm x 2.4cm

[ 064 ]

Navman MiVue 698 DUAL CAM

Laser Car Crash Camera Full HD1080P

THIS ONE HAS YOUR BACK.

CHEAP AND PRETTY CHEERFUL

THIS DUAL-CAMERA SETUP really is the

LOOKING FOR THE absolute basics? You’ve found it, as the Laser is the cheapest, most affordable camera here. Apart from noting when a serious impact occurs, Laser’s HD camera will record footage in 1080p, and that’s it, as the functions you get on more expensive models are absent. Despite noting important incidents, footage is automatically looped with the older stuff written over, and you’ll have to stop recording if you want to save that key footage. Video quality is acceptable but not great, looking a little washed out. Cars need to be immediately in front of the camera for it to make out their licence plate, and the relatively narrow field of view doesn’t help either. Still, it’s a tempting prospect, and considering the next cheapest option — the Navman MiVue 630 — is twice the price, this could well end up in your car. We’d suggest stretching the budget, however.

cremé-de-la-crem of insurance claim dashboard camera setups. Offering a 2.7-inch LCD display that can show you real-time 1296p and 1080p dual-camera picture-inpicture feeds, precision 8-satellite GPS that relays speed limits and speed/red-light camera warnings and a raft of advanced safety features like collision, lane departure and driver fatigue warnings, the MiVue 698 is the most advanced dash camera setup money can buy. Anyone who has come off second best in a car insurance claim will see the investment value in a dash camera and could more easily justify the $429 price tag of the MiVue 698, but even then, it’s a stretch. When you compare it with the entry-level models like the MiVue 630 that manage to capture everything you could want in a dash camera for $270 dollars less, you’ve basically got to be prepared to fork out a lot of money for the rear camera and the speed and red-light camera warnings. If you’re contemplating buying an additional reverse camera anyway, then the cost of the MiVue 698 makes sense, otherwise you’ll probably wish you were a little more frugal.

31/2 NAVMAN MIVUE 698 DUAL CAM $429 www.navman.com.au CRITICAL SPECS Wire-angle 130° lens; max res of 2,304 x 1,296 (front) and 1,920 x 1,080 (rear); 2.7-inch LCD display; microSD card slot (up to 128GB); ADAS safety features; 240mAh battery; 4.6cm x 8.6cm x 3.5cm

3 LASER CAR CRASH CAMERA FULL HD1080P $60 www.laserco.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 120° lens; max resolution 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 1.5-inch LCD; microSD storage card slot (up to 32GB); 6.5cm x 5cm x 4cm

SPECIAL FEATURE IN-CAR TECH

Swann 130DCM

Garmin Dash Cam 30

A LARGE SCREEN DOESN’T COVER UP

TRADES CONVENIENCE FOR FEATURES

THIS ONE’S PROBLEMS.

GARMIN IS A recognisable name in GPS, fitness and action cam categories, confidently performing in each. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same about the expensive Dash Cam 30, which has as many good points as bad. The ball joint mount on this large, bulbous cam allows it plenty of mobility, though the base has to be permanently attached to your windscreen due to its incredibly sticky pad. While the best cams start recording as soon as they receive power, the Garmin asks if you’re going to use ‘mass storage’ on the splash screen, which means its trying to access a computer that isn’t there. Clicking the button to nudge it onto recording is tricky, as the buttons around the edge are small and quite firm, so quickly marking an important piece of footage is also harder than it should be. Getting to that footage also requires the free software, which can be powerful, but this unit comes without GPS capability, thus making this otherwise intelligent cam a simple camcorder. However, the included 4GB memory card is welcome, and at 1080p, you’ll get roughly an hour’s worth of footage.

SWANN’S ENTRY-LEVEL CAMERA looks

exciting, almost acting as a centrepiece; a large screen, silver buttons and an orange ‘lock’ button — used at an important or noteworthy moment — dominate the rear, and it’s fairly wide, too. For the price, it produces acceptable high-definition video and also records as soon as it receives power. Like its more expensive sibling, a backup battery gives just enough extra juice to take a couple of photos, should you need it. However, it doesn’t have an accelerometer, so if you wish to mark important footage (and save it from being automatically written over), you’ll have to click the button. In the heat of the moment of a crash, this might be hard to remember to do. Nor does it feature GPS — not a terrible omission, considering the price — but the really disappointing part is that our test unit refused to remember the date and time. Some online reports have differing points of view — a good number corroborate this, others don’t mention it. The price is attractive, but approach this with caution.

21/2

21/2

SWANN 130DCM $100 swann.com/au

GARMIN DASH CAM 30 $229 garmin.com/au

CRITICAL SPECS 140° lens; max resolution 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 2.7-inch LCD; microSD storage card slot (up to 32GB); 120mAh built-in Li-ion battery; 8.7cm x 3.7cm x 5cm

CRITICAL SPECS Lens angle of view not specified; max resolution 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 1.4-inch LCD; microSD storage card slot (up to 64GB); 7.9cm x 4.3cm x 4.4cm

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

AUTOBOY BLACKBOX APP

CAN A SMARTPHONE OUTPACE A DEDICATED CAMERA? Free with ads Android

Consider the components of these dash cams. There’s the camera, a GPS chip, flash storage, an accelerometer to measure sudden changes in velocity — the same componentry that lies inside your smartphone. So why wouldn’t you just use the tool you carry around every day? AutoBoy BlackBox offers a feature rich suite of functions to turn your phone into a dash cam, but it does so at a cost. Our test phone — a fairly high-end Sony Xperia XZ — ran hot when using the software and produced jerky footage. Although the video logged the GPS coordinates, this wouldn’t show up while we were driving. AutoBoy can split the screen in half to have a map and show a live view, but this just wasn’t possible during our test. Regardless of our hardware niggles, having your phone as a dashcam means you don’t get to use your phone’s other functions. The strength of the app largely depends upon the size of your phone, and how solid your mount is — phones can be heavy and wobble around. We’d highly recommend a dedicated device in this regard.

[ 065 ]

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68

SUPER STREAMING BOXES

10 standalone media players for all budgets and needs. 72

PRO NETFLIX TRIX

Just sitting down and browsing titles in the regular Netflix app is for chumps. Up your Netflix game with these simple tips, sites and add-ons. 76

BINGE LIKE A BOSS

Find great TV and movies, companion apps and sites, and discover the best alternative streaming services.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

TUNE IN, TURN IT UP & STREAM ON WITH THESE TERRIFIC TV UPGRADES!

SUPERGUIDE BINGE LIKE A BOSS

BINGE LIKE A BOSS 80

4K & HDR: STREAMING VS BLU-RAY

4K TV owners rejoice: Ultra HD movies and TV shows are finally arriving in force. Here’s everything you need to know about streaming or watching 4K from disc. 84

SOUP-UP YOUR TV’s SOUND

If your TV’s in-built speakers suck, these soundbars can bring back the high fidelity you’ve been looking for... and then some, in many cases.

[ 067 ]

WINNER

SUPERGUIDE SUPER STREAMING BOXES

[ STREAM ON! ]

Super streaming boxes

APPROVED

WINNER

AWARD

APPROVED AWARD

10 STANDALONE STREAMING MEDIA PLAYERS FOR ALL BUDGETS AND NEEDS. [ LINDSAY HANDMER ]

WITH THE RISE in popularity of streaming services such as Netflix, standalone media players have a lot to offer. Sure, many new TVs can install apps directly, but a dedicated player can have extra features and flexibility. We have tested a range of units, from $75 affordable Android-based players, through to high-end 4K HDR supporting devices. The cheaper models tend to only handle 1080p resolutions, and can’t always play back the latest HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) media files. While Wi-Fi makes for easy connections, an Ethernet link is recommended for the best streaming experience. For those who like to customise their setup, look for media players that can have third-party apps installed, such as Kodi. Some of the players tested, such as from Roku and Amazon, are not officially sold in Australia. While still excellent players for local content, they may need to be used with a smart DNS service (try www.getflix.com.au) to get full functionality, and content access. USB-powered media players make it easy to use an Australian adapter with an international unit.

10

STREAMING BOXES ON TEST

HOW WE TESTED

Each media player was connected to a Hisense 4K TV via HDMI, and run at its maximum resolution. The devices were connected via Gigabit LAN, or Wi-Fi, using a 50Mbps NBN Fibre connection to stream. Media was played via Netflix, YouTube or from the local network. [ 068 ]

Noontec BlueEye D6

Google Chromecast Ultra

CHEAP BUT VERY CHEERFUL.

AN UPDATE TO A CLASSIC.

FOR THOSE ON a budget, the $75 price tag of the BlueEye D6 is quite appealing. It’s 1080p only, but can happily play the latest HEVC codecs. The little media player runs an older version of Android (4.4.2) but comes pre-loaded with apps such as Kodi, and can also run Netflix and other apps. While it has 802.11n Wi-Fi, the D6 does not include Ethernet, Bluetooth or extra audio outputs beyond the HDMI port. The BlueEye player has a Amlogic S805 Quad Core CPU, with MALI450 GPU, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. It also has a microSD slot to expand that up to 32GB, as well as USB. While basic, the D6 is easy to use, and gives a pretty good experience. We had no problem playing back a range of media, and streaming over the network. The included remote is quite basic, but gets the job done. While the D6 can sit next to your TV like any other media player, it can also fold out and clip on the top.

NOW IN ITS third generation, the Chromecast is one of the most affordable little media players. The Ultra update takes the Chromecast from 1080p to 4K resolution, and brings HDR support. Even better, the unit is only $99. While the Ultra has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, it also ads in Ethernet in the power dongle, for more reliable high-bandwidth streaming. Like the previous models, the Ultra does not have a remote, and is controlled directly from your smartphone. This makes it incredibly easy to set up, and it can handle casting, as well as streaming from all major apps. Through the Google Play Store, there are loads of third-party apps for playing media from other sources, but you can’t install apps such as Plex or Kodi on the Chromecast itself. Even on a 1080p TV, the Ultra has the advantage of playing HEVC files, with the previous Chromecasts can’t. While the Chromecast is excellent for watching streaming services such as Netflix, it’s unfortunately not as well suited to playing back local content.

4 NOONTEC BLUEEYE D6 $75 www.noontec.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 1080p; Android 4.4.2; 802.11n Wi-Fi; HDMI and USB ports; 1GB RAM; 8GB storage, microSD slot for 32GB expanded storage

4

GOOGLE CHROMECAST ULTRA $99 www.google.com.au/chromecast CRITICAL SPECS 4K; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; HDR support; Ethernet

SUPERGUIDE SUPER STREAMING BOXES

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Laser MMC-P20

Minix Neo X8H Plus

4K ON A BUDGET.

FOR A TRUE ANDROID EXPERIENCE.

WHILE IT IS possible to buy all sorts of lesser-known Android Media Players online, the Laser MMC-P20 can be picked up from bricks and mortar stores such as Bing Lee. The unit is surprisingly cheap, runs Android 5.1 and can handle up to 4K resolutions. Even better, it comes with a decent remote that doubles as a keyboard and air mouse. The Laser media player has a Quad Core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and can connect via 802.11n Wi-Fi or 10/100 Ethernet. Importantly, it can handle HEVC files, 3D formats and Dolby Surround Sound. It has a single HDMI port, plus useful legacy component output, and can also read media from the two USB ports, or microSD. The Laser media player comes preloaded with your favourite apps such as Netflix, as well as Kodi for other media. We didn’t have any problems playing back a variety of files, or streaming content, including in 4K. In use, it’s fast and responsive, and great value for the money.

WHILE LOADS OF media players run Android at their core, the Minix Neo X8H Plus is one of the most open. By default, it uses the Minix launcher, but can also be set to use an interface of your choice, such as Kodi or Plex. The media player also has full access to the Google Play store, for installing other apps. The Neo X8H Plus can output 4K video at 30fps — but be aware, it can’t do Ultra-HD on Netflix. The unit has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and Gigabit Ethernet. It also has a bundle of other handy inputs and outputs, such as 3x USB, USB OTG, card reader, optical audio and 3.5mm jacks. Thanks to a powerful Quad Core Cortex A9r4 CPU and Mali 450 GPU, it can happily play HEVC files. The player has 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and runs Android Kitkat 4.4.2. The included IR remote is nothing amazing, but there is also an air mouse-style remote available, which is often bundled with the player.

STREAMING MEDIA PLAYER BUYER’S GUIDE

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A STREAMING MEDIA BOX

RESOLUTION

For those with a 1080p TV, a 4K media player is a bit redundant, but good if you plan a future upgrade.

FILE SUPPORT

For those who like to play back local content, always double check that your media streamer of choice handles your frequently-used codecs.

WI-FI

For reliable wireless streaming, 802.11ac Wi-Fi is best, but for 4K resolutions, Ethernet is better.

ANDROID

Android-based media players support the widest range of apps, available directly from the Google Play store.

AUDIO

Most media players use HDMI for audio, but some also have optical or 3.5mm outputs for connecting to existing surround sound.

REMOTE CONTROL

Look for a high quality model with extras such as app buttons, trackpads, or a built in air mouse and keyboard. 4

4

LASER MMC-P20 $130 www.laserco.com.au

MINIX NEO X8H PLUS $185 www.minix.com.hk

CRITICAL SPECS 4K; Android 5.1; 802.11n Wi-Fi; Ethernet; HDMI output; 2x USB; microSD; 1GB RAM; 8GB storage

CRITICAL SPECS 4K; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; Ethernet; Android 4.4.2; 3x USB, 3.5mm jack; 2GB RAM; 16GB storage

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

USB

Extra ports make it possible to play media directly from a flash drive or even upgrade your players capabilities.

POWER SUPPLY

USB-powered media players can be plugged into ports on your TV, reducing the number of sockets needed.

[ 069 ]

SUPERGUIDE SUPER STREAMING BOXES

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

Roku Express

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Apple TV (4th Gen)

MORE THAN A STICK.

COMPACT MEDIA STREAMING.

TAKE A BITE.

JUST LAUNCHED IN October 2016, the Roku Express (3700) is an update to the popular Roku Streaming Stick (3600) from earlier in the year. Both cost about the same and have similar specs, but the Express uses a different form factor. It’s still stick-like in size, but has an HDMI cable and can sit next to or under your TV. It uses an IR remote, rather than a Wi-Fi direct one for the 3600, which makes it compatible with universal remotes. The Express is designed for 1080p, and has 802.11n Wi-Fi but no Ethernet. The unit has a single HDMI port (with Dolby Audio passthrough) and is powered by USB. The remote is a basic, but solid model with shortcut buttons for streaming services such as Netflix. Signing up a Roku account is a bit of a pain, but once past that hurdle, the interface is slick and easy to use. Roku also has an excellent Android and iOS app available which gives more options for control and streaming through the Express.

LITTLE STICK-STYLE MEDIA players can be a great way to bring smart TV functionality to an older TV, and the Fire Stick is no exception. Now in its second generation (2016), the Stick is designed for 1080p resolutions, and includes 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. Inside the little unit is a Quad Core processor that has enough grunt to play HEVC files. It’s also got 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. The Stick is powered by USB, but includes a (US) PSU if your TV does not have ports. You also get a short little HDMI extension cable to make it easier to plug in. The Fire TV Stick comes with a compact yet high-quality remote, and can also be controlled via an Android or iOS app. Getting the Fire TV Stick up and running is as simple as plugging it in, connecting to Wi-Fi and signing in or up for an Amazon account. It can stream from Amazon (though a Smart DNS is needed for some content) or other apps such as Netflix.

LAUNCHED IN 2015, the Apple TV is by far the best media streaming device for those invested in the iOS ecosystem. While it supports all your favourite apps, such as Netflix, the Apple TV is also a decent casual gaming box. Using AirPlay, it can also mirror content from iOS devices or extend a screen from a Mac. The Apple TV has a HDMI output, and can play content at 1080p, but does not have support for HEVC or HDR. The media player has built in 802.11ac Wi-Fi, as well as 10/100 Ethernet and Bluetooth. The Apple TV does have a USB Type-C port, but it’s for diagnostics only. It uses an Apple A8 CPU and GPU, 2GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB (as tested) of flash storage for apps. With the recent tvOS 10 software update, the Apple TV has a new remote app, and supports HomeKit home automation. The included trackpad remote is excellent, and makes navigation super easy. It also includes an accelerometer for motion gaming, and a microphone for Siri searches.

4

ROKU EXPRESS $100 www.roku.com CRITICAL SPECS 1080p; 802.11n Wi-Fi; USB-powered; HDMI port

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31/2

31/2

AMAZON FIRE TV STICK $105 www.amazon.com

APPLE TV $299 www.apple.com/au

CRITICAL SPECS 1080p; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.1; 1GB RAM; 8GB storage; USB-powered

CRITICAL SPECS 1080p; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Ethernet; Bluetooth; 2GB RAM; 32/64GB flash storage; trackpad remote

SUPERGUIDE SUPER STREAMING BOXES

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter

Roku Premiere+

Vailstream CuLink

A HIGH-QUALITY MEDIA PLAYER.

BUILT BY AN AUSTRALIAN COMPANY.

ROKU BUILD SOME of the best streaming media players around, but don’t actually officially sell them in Australia. Unfortunately, Roku has a mandatory account sign up process that won’t work unless a VPN or Smart DNS is used to show your location is in the USA. If you want something simple, look elsewhere, but for those willing to deal with the painful Roku process, the Premiere+ is a great little 4K media player with plenty of bells and whistles. For a start, it has 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi, Ethernet and a microSD port. It can upscale to 4K 60fps, supports Dolby, HDR and HEVC, and can run all your favourite streaming and other apps. The remote is compact but solid, and can even output TV audio to headphones for private listening. It connects wirelessly, but the Roku includes an IR receiver for use with other remotes. Roku also has a smartphone app for extra control and streaming options. Frustratingly, the Roku Premiere+ does not include a USB port for playing external media.

AT ITS CORE, the Vailstream CuLink is an Android 4.2.2 media player, but with a whole lot of extra functionality not found anywhere else. It’s got the usual HDMI port supporting 1080p resolutions, as well as VGA for legacy hookups, and S/PDIF out. On the front, it has dual USB ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, a microSD card slot and USB OTG. The CuLink also has a three-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, and can automatically link into Ethernet over powerline. The device also has 802.11n Wi-Fi, and can act as an access point. The CuLink only includes a wired mouse, so a third-party remote is really needed for living room use. The player can access the normal Google Play store and install your favourite media apps and interfaces, such as Netflix and Kodi. While the Vailstream CuLink is a little clunky, we had no problems streaming content, it can’t handle 4K, and is best suited for those who like to tinker, and appreciate its unique features.

IDEAL FOR WINDOWS USERS.

GETTING STREAMING MEDIA from your

laptop to a TV is not always straightforward, so Microsoft has released a wireless adapter to make it easier. The little dongle plugs into a USB port for power and a HDMI input on the display of your choice. Connecting via Wi-Fi, the adapter uses Miracast to beam everything on your compatible (Windows and Android) devices onto the big screen. No internet connection is needed, so the dongle is ideal for using on the go, such as presentations — though it is only a display adapter, without any real smarts of its own. Still, the device can display anything your laptop, tablet or smartphone can, including Netflix. The connection introduces a little lag, though, so is not suitable for gaming. The adapter is limited to 1080p resolutions, but can be configured to work as an extended screen ­— not just mirroring the local content. Still, it’s not exactly ideal for use with streaming services, but is a very handy way to get video from a PC or smartphone device to a TV.

31/2

31/2

MICROSOFT WIRELESS DISPLAY ADAPTER $75 www.microsoft.com

ROKU PREMIERE+ $220 www.roku.com

CRITICAL SPECS 1080p; Miracast Protocol; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; HDMI

CRITICAL SPECS 4K; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Ethernet; microSD port

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

3

VAILSTREAM CULINK $199 www.vailstream.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 1080p; 802.11n Wi-Fi; 3-port Gigabit hub; Ethernet over powerline; HDMI; 2x USB ports; microSD

[ 071 ]

SUPERGUIDE PRO NETFLIX TRIX

Netflix Party lets you watch with other people over the internet.

[ ENHANCE YOUR BINGEING ]

Pro Netflix trix JUST SITTING DOWN AND BROWSING TITLES IN THE REGULAR NETFLIX APP IS FOR CHUMPS. UP YOUR NETFLIX GAME WITH THESE SIMPLE TIPS, SITES AND ADD-ONS. [ NATHAN TAYLOR ]

MUCH AS IT has done in the rest of the world, Netflix has taken Australia by storm. As of June this year, it had 1,878,000 subscriptions in Australia — many more than Stan (332,000) and Presto (142,000) combined. According to Roy Morgan research, nearly a quarter of all Australians have access to Netflix. And thanks to its popularity, there is a host of tools available to make Netflix viewing that much better. We’re going to walk through them this month — but first, we’re going to look at how you can better use the Netflix app or site itself.

Using the Netflix app USE PROFILES

This one seems obvious since it’s right there when you log in, so it’s surprising how many people fail to take advantage of it. Netflix lets you create up to five different profiles. Each profile has its own viewing history, gets its own recommendations, has its own playback settings, and has its own My List. A profile can be flagged as a Kids’ profile so that only child-appropriate content is listed, and you can select the preferred language for that person. You should create a separate profile for each family member, and for everybody else to whom you’ve given your Netflix password (we know you’ve done it — we all do).

ADD PIN-BASED PARENTAL CONTROLS The ‘Kids’ profile limits its listings and [ 072 ]

Use profiles, dammit.

recommendations to appropriate content, but there’s actually nothing stopping your children from logging into your profile and accessing the full library. What you can do if this is a major concern is add a Parental Control pin that will need to be entered whenever more adult content is selected for viewing. In a web browser, log onto netflix.com and click on your name then ‘Your Account’ on the top right. Under settings, select ‘Parental controls’ and enter your Netflix password. There are four levels of content to choose from, depending on the threshold you want for the PIN. By default, the green bar is all the way to the right, which means that there is no threshold and the PIN is switched off. But if you click on the green bar at any point below Adult, it will turn the PIN on.

You can clear out Netflix’s record of what you’ve watched.

MANAGE YOUR BANDWIDTH WITH THE QUALITY SETTINGS Binging seven seasons of Gilmore Girls in Full HD will be a brutal hit on even the most generous broadband plans. At full HD resolution, you’ll be using about 3GB per hour of viewing — 7GB if you go for 4K playback. You can massively cut down on bandwidth usage by reducing the quality of the stream, however. Cut back to Medium/SD (DVD quality) and you’ll reduce bandwidth usage by a factor of four, to about 0.7GB/hour. By default, Netflix uses the highest bitrate that your connection can sustain, but if you want to lower it to save bandwidth, head to the ‘Your Account settings’ as above and select ‘Playback Settings’ under your profile. These settings are attached to a profile, rather than global, so different users can have different settings (if you have a spare profile, you can

Choose the level of content at which the PIN will be required.

SUPERGUIDE PRO NETFLIX TRIX

NETFLIX IN 4K

Ultra HD has finally come to Australia — if you have the bandwidth to watch and the TV to watch it on. You need 25Mbps to reliably stream it — so ADSL and many cable customers are out — and a 4K TV that supports HDCP. Additionally, only a select number of shows, mostly Netflix originals, are available to view in 4K.

even set it up just for low-bandwidth-only watching).

ACCESS THE HIDDEN SETTINGS

Toning it down to medium saves a huge amount of bandwidth.

Netflix has a hidden menu of precise bandwidth options.

If you really want fine control over your viewing settings, you can actually use the hidden menu. While watching something, press ‘Ctrl-Shift-Alt-S’ (or ‘Command-ShiftOption-S’ on Mac) to bring it up. This menu lets you choose from a list of available bitrates for both audio and video — deselecting one will mean that Netflix will not use that bitrate when it’s trying to automatically adjust to your bandwidth. Deselecting all but one means that Netflix will use that bitrate.

EDIT YOUR VIEWING HISTORY So you’ve got things that you’re not proud of watching, or you simply want Netflix to stop recommending stand-up comedy because you watched that one show with Aziz Ansari. Don’t worry — you can delete things from your viewing history. Once again, go to the Your Account page and select ‘Viewing activity’. It will show you everything you’ve watched. To remove an item, just click on the ‘X’ next it — it will removed from your record within 24 hours. JustWatch lets you filter based on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes ratings.

Use online guides to plan your viewing (and see what’s on overseas)

Even in Australia, the Netflix library is quite large and undoubtedly contains a lot of content that never makes it to the front page recommendations. Likely, you’re missing out on a lot of stuff that you might otherwise like to see, if only you knew about it. Online guides can help with this. They can provide recommendations based on community feedback, point you to hidden gems and keep to apprised of new releases. Some of our favourite include:

JUSTWATCH www.justwatch.com

JustWatch has a complete catalogue of all the content on Netflix in Australia (it also covers Stan and a number of other services as well), and you can browse by popularity or genre. Perhaps most usefully, you can click on Rating and set a minimum threshold for IMDB and/ [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

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it can be tedious. Once you’ve created a mixtape, you can share via link, Facebook or Twitter.

Flixtape is frustratingly limited.

Get the right plug-ins and online apps SUPERGUIDE PRO NETFLIX TRIX

If you’re willing to watch Netflix in a web browser (specifically Chrome), a whole world of new options is open to you. There are some great browser plugins that can really enhance the experience, available in the Chrome store.

WATCH WITH OTHERS WITH NETFLIX PARTY www.netflixparty.com

Flix Plus adds a number of little tweaks to Netflix, like the ability to watch random episodes.

or Rotten Tomatoes ratings ­— items below those levels won’t appear in the list. It’s also handily available as a mobile app.

STREAMLY www.streamly.com.au

Like JustWatch, Streamly is a multi-service aggregator that shows all Netflix, Stan and Foxtel Play content in a searchable and filterable list. You can organise by year or genre, though it does not have ratings yet.

WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX whatsnewonnetflix.tv

If you’re someone who uses a VPN or smart DNS service and wants to know what’s available in which country, this is the site for you. It contains a complete database of global Netflix content, broken down by country. It’s less useful now, since Netflix started blocking VPNs, but can still come in handy if you don’t mind hopping around servers looking for the one that’s still not blocked. It’s available as a mobile app called iStreamGuide.

WHAT’S ON NETFLIX whatsonnetflix.com

Like What’s New on Netflix, this is a catalogue of all the content coming and going in the various countries that Netflix services. Its greatest asset, however, is the secret genre codes at whatsonnetflix.com/netflix-hacks/ the-netflix-id-bible-every-category-onnetflix. This is a list of all the genre codes [ 074 ]

used by Netflix to form its recommendations. You can use these codes to browse very specific genres in the Netflix catalogue, just by going to the URL: www.netflix.com/browse/genre/ genrecode. For example, you can view ‘Asian action movies’ by heading to www.netflix. com/browse/genre/77232. The same codes are used worldwide, although the list of movies you get will depend on your location.

FLIX ROULLETTE netflixroulette.net

Can’t decide on what to watch? Let Flix Roullette decide for you. Available in website or app form, it fires up a random movie or TV show for you to watch. You can set some parameters if you want (like, say, choosing action movies), or just give it a spin and see. It will provide a direct link to Netflix for the movie selected.

FLIXTAPE flixtape.netflix.com

Flixtape is a service provided by Netflix itself, even though it’s not promoted on the main Netflix page and almost nobody knows about it. Flixtape lets you create your own Netflix ‘mixtape’ that you can share with other people — and access the mixtapes that other people have created. Unfortunately, making a precise mixtape is a little painful. What happens is you give the mixtape a name (‘The romance mixtape’) and Netflix tries to interpret that for you. You can edit, remove and add entries, but

If you like the communal viewing experience but physically getting together is not an option, then Netflix party is for you. It allows you to sync the playback of two or more people over the internet and provides a chat window for your snarks as you watch. With the plug-in running (every participant needs it), you’ll see a ‘Start the Party’ button appear when you select a Netflix video. Click on it, and it will give you a URL to send to your viewing buddies. When they open it, they will see what you’re seeing, with the video synchronised on all the screens. There’s a chat window on the right, with users identified only by icons. Depending on the choices of the party starter, only they can control playback, or anybody can. As an aside, if you’re not a fan of Netflix Party, you can also try Showgoers (showgoers.tv), another add-on with similar capabilities.

TWEAK THE NETFLIX BROWSER PLAYER WITH FLIX PLUS tinyurl.com/tla59-fplus

Put together by Lifehacker, Flix Plus adds ratings and options to Netflix that probably should have been there originally. It does a lot of little things: adds IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes ratings to info pages, hides spoiler text and images from TV shows, adds custom keyboard controls, keeps My List at the top of the window and adds a button to watch random episodes of a selected TV show.

SHARE YOUR SCREEN WITH RABBIT www.rabb.it

Rabbit isn’t designed as a Netflix-specific tool, but it’s often used as one. It’s a video/text chat tool with an additional desktop sharing tool that’s good enough to support Netflix streaming (or YouTube, Crackle or other web-based streaming). You can actually use Rabbit from a regular browser — just go to the home page and select ‘Start a Chat now’. You will get a virtual desktop in your browser and a launch page. You can click on the Netflix button and it will launch a browser-within-a-browser window form which you can log into Netflix and view streams. Then just click on the Invite button and Copy the room link. Send that link to another person, and they will see what you’re seeing.

SUPERGUIDE PRO NETFLIX TRIX

SMART DNS SERVICES USE DNS TRICKERY TO FOOL STREAMING SERVICES INTO THINKING THAT YOU’RE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. THEY’RE EASIER TO SET UP AND WORK ON MORE DEVICES THAN VPNS, BUT AREN’T AS VERSATILE.

Vanished VPN is a newer provider that explicitly advertises support for Netflix.

FOILING THE NETFLIX GEOBLOCKS

IT USED TO BE CHILD’S PLAY TO GET AROUND NETFLIX’S REGION-BASED CONTENT RESTRICTIONS, BUT THE COMPANY HAS BEEN CRACKING DOWN. IS IT STILL POSSIBLE, AND IF SO, HOW? Ever since it started its streaming service, Netflix has deployed geoblocks. It detects which country you are in based on your IP address and limits your access to content based on its regional library. In the past, this was relatively easy to circumvent with VPNs or smart DNS services and many people enjoyed getting access to the much larger US content library, as well as the specific libraries of other countries. Last year, however, Netflix started blocking both VPN and smart DNS services, banning entire IP address ranges from accessing its service. Accessing the US Netflix library became a treasure hunt for that one VPN server that still wasn’t blocked, chasing rumours and legends on Reddit and generally being frustrated. And that’s where we’re at right now. Most VPN services no longer work for Netflix, nor do many smart DNS services. It’s not that bad — the Australian content library has grown and the US library has actually shrunk, so you’re not missing out on as much as you used to. And if you really want to access the US library, there are still ways to do that. It’s a constant game of cat and mouse, but if you’re willing to play, you can win.

VPN PROVIDERS

A handful of VPN providers still promise to provide servers that can access the US Netflix library, if not other nations’. Based on our most recent tests, these providers can currently access Netflix (though remember, this is constantly in motion, and may change by the time you read this):

* Express VPN — www.expressvpn.com * NordVPN — nordvpn.com * StrongVPN — strongvpn.com * TorGuard — torguard.net * VanishedVPN — vanishedvpn.com * VyprVPN — www.goldenfrog.com In every case listed above, you cannot just pick a random server in the country you want to access. You will have to talk to their customer service [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Getflix still works for some.

representatives and ask them which servers can currently access Netflix. Typically only a few of the hundreds available will be able to. Don’t worry, it won’t take long — the customer reps are used to fielding that question. (Presumably, they don’t list the Netflix-capable servers on their sites because Netflix would immediately block them and also because they’re constantly changing.) If you sign up for any VPN based on advertised Netflix accessibility, make sure to take note of trial periods and money-back guarantees. You may need it.

SMART DNS SERVICE PROVIDERS

Smart DNS services use DNS trickery to fool streaming services into thinking that you’re in another country. They’re easier to set up and work on more devices than VPNs (since all you have to do is change a DNS server address), but aren’t as versatile. Unfortunately, most of the Smart DNS service providers have simply failed to keep up with Netflix, and are in a state of virtual closure because of it. Even Getflix (www.getflix.com.au) has quietly removed Netflix from its officially supported Channels page. However, as of November, Getflix will still work for Netflix for some users, even though it’s not “officially” supported. It appears to be a bit of a lottery, and you may have to engage in some hard-core router configuration, but you may still be able to get it to work. You can always try the 14-day trail to see if it works for you. [ 075 ]

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SUPERGUIDE BINGE LIKE A BOSS

Binge like a boss WE SHOW YOU HOW TO FIND GREAT TV AND MOVIES, UNCOVER AWESOME COMPANION APPS AND SITES, AND REVEAL THE BEST ALTERNATIVE STREAMING SERVICES. YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUCH AGAIN. [ STEPHEN LAMBRECHTS & HARRY DOMANSKI ]

IT’S NO SECRET that Australians love to binge —ever since Netflix and Stan launched down under, binge watching TV shows and movies has joined binge drinking and eating as one of Australia’s favourite pastimes. Whether they’re pounding down a case of VBs or blasting through the first season of Luke Cage, Aussies just can’t get enough of a good thing. So now that we, as a nation, have become accustomed to parking

our backsides on the couch and streaming several hours of entertainment in a row, it’s high time we take the experience to the next level. Chances are you haven’t reached your full binge watching potential yet, so in an effort to get as much content in front of your eyeballs as possible, the following guide will provide you with all the information you’ll need to binge your heart out.

Alternative streaming services Go beyond just Netflix, Stan and YouTube.

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AMAZON PRIME

VUDU

VIMEO

www.amazon.com Though our local Amazon online store is still exclusively selling ebooks and Kindle readers, Amazon’s US and UK sites are now allowing Aussies to subscribe to its Prime web service using their Australian accounts and credit card details. Head over to Amazon’s Prime page to start a 30-day free trial of the service. Once the trial period is over, the membership will begin charging US$10.99 per month to your Amazon account.

www.vudu.com Nice people that they are, the digital movie provider Vudu has launched a new streaming service called Vudu Movies On Us. As the name suggests, the service lets you watch Full HD movies and TV shows for free, though much like with catch-up TV apps, you will find some ads spread throughout your chosen content. To watch the thousands of movies and TV shows available on the service, you only need to create an account.

www.vimeo.com Video sharing website Vimeo has made the leap into paid content, partnering with STARZ and Lionsgate Entertainment to provide television content on its own Vimeo On Demand TV Store. The service, which is available in over 150 countries, is set up a bit like iTunes, allowing you to purchase individual episodes or entire seasons of premium television and original content. Shows include the likes of Mad Men and Orange is the New Black.

NAPFLIX

CRACKLE

ANIMELAB

www.napflix.com Occasionally, you’re going to need a break from all that hardcore streaming action, because there’s only so much information the brain can ingest before you end up laughing at a Kevin James Netflix Original. If you find yourself heading toward that horrifying scenario, check out the sleep-inducing service Napflix. Filled with boring (and free) content that will lull you into a heavenly slumber, like model train videos and cricket, the service will have you snoring in no time.

www.crackle.com Featuring a small but nice selection of TV shows and movies for the amazing price of absolutely free, Crackle is a must-stop destination for all streaming die-hards. Sure, there’s a lot of junk in its trunk, like Days of Our Lives, but you’ll also find a number of entertaining gems, including Diff’rent Strokes, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, The Blacklist and... err... Booty Call. Okay, so the quality will vary depending on your tastes, but you’ll surely find something to love here.

www.animelab.com Is anime your thing? If so, you can watch hundreds of hours of free standard definition Japanimation, including classic shows like Berserk and Attack on Titan, on Madman Entertainment’s AnimeLab streaming app. With numerous shows simulcast directly from Japan, you can stay on top of every big show that’s currently airing. Not only that, for $6.95 a month, you can go for a Premium subscription that’ll give you pristine HD streams and multiple language options.

Sites, apps and communities to help you decide what to watch.

IMDB’S TOP RATED Movies and TV: Not a definitive ‘best movies of all time’ list by any means (unless you really think that The Dark Knight Rises is more important than Citizen Kane), IMDb’s Top Rated Movies list (www.imdb.com/chart/top) is indeed a valuable record of the most crowd-pleasing films ever made. If binge-watching TV shows is more your bag, you should head over to IMDb’s Top Rated TV Shows list (www.imdb.com/chart/toptv) to see which kinds of programs people

love the most (the answer is nature documentaries and anime, in case you were wondering). Want something more specific to watch? IMDb’s Advanced Search (www.imdb.com/search) functionality even lets you track down actor collaborations and creative team overlaps. Not every film or television series on these lists will be available to stream, but you should be able to find a large number of them across the various streaming and on-demand services available in Australia.

WHAT IS MY MOVIE?

JUSTWATCH

Ever have trouble remembering the name of a movie? You know, like that one with the guy with the car and the blonde girl and there’s a part in a nightclub? Well, What Is My Movie? (www.whatismymovie.com) is a movie search engine that uses your own vague keywords and half-remembered plot points to deliver incredibly accurate results. Oh, yeah, Running on Empty, that’s the movie I was thinking of.

With so many streaming options available these days, knowing which services offer which shows and movies can be a little tricky. JustWatch (www.justwatch.com/au), which now features an Australian section, will let you browse and search for films and TV shows across streaming services like Netflix, Stan, Presto, Quickflix and Crackle, as well as rental and purchase sites like iTunes, Google Play store, the PlayStation store and even lesser-known ones, like Dendy Direct.

QUODB

ALLFLICKS

Got a movie quote stuck in your head but can’t remember where it came from? QuoDB (www.quodb.com) will scour its enormous database to track it down for you. Not only that, the site will tell how far into the movie the line was dropped, while also providing you with the context in which it was said. Who knows? Perhaps finding out where the quote came from will inspire you to add the movie to your streaming queue...

A site that lets you browse and search through all of Netflix Australia’s catalogue of films, TV shows and documentaries using very specific criteria, AllFlicks (au.allflicks.net) is an incredibly useful tool. You can look for things to watch by year of release, IMDb score, date of availability, the country it was made in and more. Don’t know what you want to watch? Use the site’s ‘Netflix Randomiser’ to get a surprise recommendation.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

SUPERGUIDE BINGE LIKE A BOSS

How to find the best shows and movies

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SUPERGUIDE BINGE LIKE A BOSS

Streaming-video add-ons and extensions

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Consult these valuable resources before you binge.

AFTER CREDITS: POST-CREDITS stingers have greatly increased in popularity over the last few years (stand up and take a bow, Marvel Studios), yet it’s often difficult to know which films will give you an extra joke or teaser once the names have stopped rolling. This is where

the website After Credits (www.aftercredits.com) comes in handy —simply consult the site’s large database and you’ll instantly know whether the film you’re watching has a prize at the end.

DOES THE DOG DIE?

RUNPEE

Everyone knows someone that just cannot stomach movies that portray acts of animal cruelty —you may even be that person. If you, or someone you know, has ever uttered the phrase “If the dog dies, I’m going to hate this movie,” then you’ll probably want to start visiting the website Does the Dog Die? (www.doesthedogdie.com) before any movie you watch to find out whether Fido makes it safely to the end.

When you’re at home streaming movies, you’ll often need to pause a film to ‘stream’ in a different way. That’s perfectly acceptable when you’re alone, but when you have guests over, stopping a movie dead in its track so that you can pay a visit to the porcelain throne can be a little awkward. Instead, consult RunPee (www.runpee.com), the app that lets you know which scenes you can skip out on without missing anything integral.

MOVIES BY FLIXSTER

TODOMOVIES

KIDS IN MIND

The official app of the movie rating aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Movies by Flixster (www. flixster.com) will give you a good indication of whether or not something on your binge quest is actually worth watching. Movies that have a score of 60% or above are certified ‘Fresh’ while anything below that mark is considered ‘Rotten’. You can also browse and read reviews, watch trailers and even leave your comments and scores on the flicks you’ve watched for other users to read.

With so much content out there to binge through, it’s important to set yourself a goal, or else you might lose your track of what you’re watching. The iOS app TodoMovies (www.taphive.com/todomovies) helps you manage your binging schedule and will even send your reminders and recommendations of what to watch next. It also offers Apple Watch support, so you’ll always know when it’s time to watch the next film on your ‘Best 1980s Martial Arts Films’ list!

We always say: when it comes to binge watching television, hook ‘em while they’re young! If kids are present during your non-stop entertainment adventure, it’s a good idea to find out whether the content is suitable for their innocent little eyes and ears. Kids In Mind (www.kids-in-mind.com) is a website that helps you gauge the amount of sex, violence and profanity a show might have. It also works as a guide for what to watch after they’ve gone to bed.

Bonus appendix: The best music-streaming add-ons SUPERGUIDE BINGE LIKE A BOSS

Spotify’s API lets you do some really cool stuff.

DJAY 2

JUKESTAR

JMUSIC

Now you can be a DJ without the hassle of lugging around turntable decks and your whole LP or CD collection! With Algoriddim’s app djay 2 (www.algoriddim.com/spotify), you can login to Spotify and start mixing millions of songs right from your smartphone or tablet. Tracks are even matched by BPMs to make your transitions silky smooth. Best of all, its got a feature called ‘Match’ which’ll suggest songs that go well with what you’re currently ‘spinning’.

Why should any one person be in charge of the tunes at a party? With Jukestar (jukestar. mobi), you can make your party a ‘music democracy’ by letting your guests vote on what gets played next! Using the Jukestar web app, guests are free to request any song that’s available on Spotify. Songs with the most upvotes get moved up the queue, while ones that have received the most vetoes will get skipped entirely.

Ready to make the jump from Spotify to Apple Music? Whether you’re shifting services, keeping your libraries tidy, or just want to share your playlist with a friend, jMusic (jmusic-spotify.appstor.io) sets out to make the process easy. You’ll need a login for both services, but with the ability to import from a URL, you can add a friend’s public playlist and finally bridge the gap in a matter of minutes.

MUSIXMATCH

SWARM.FM

RUNKEEPER

Misheard lyrics are hilarious, but with MusiXmatch (www.musixmatch.com), you can get accurate, real-time lyrics floating over any song you happen to playing. A music player in its own right, you can also enable a ‘floating lyrics’ box (which you can open or minimise like a Facebook Messenger chat head) that display lyrics no matter which music app you’re using. Not only that, it’s got a Shazam-style mode that listens to audio and identifies lyrics for you.

A web app for live music lovers, Swarm.fm (app.swarm.fm) will provide you with up-to-date information about new releases and upcoming gigs from your favourite artists using data gathered from your Spotify account. Click on an artist, and Swarm.fm will also pull in a Spotify playlist for you to listen to. It won’t know where you’re situated, though, so you will need to set your location to get concert information that’s relevant to you.

There are plenty of fitness apps out there, and RunKeeper (www.runkeeper.com) is amongst the most popular. It has everything you’d expect, from tracking progress to setting goals and keeping a routine, but where it really shines is with its Spotify integration. From the app, you can pump up to one of your own playlists or choose from the list of suggestions that Spotify is known for and jog on to some fresh grooves.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

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SUPERGUIDE 4K & HDR: STREAMING VS BLU-RAY

This image shows the difference between HDR and non-HDR, with the right hand side showing the increased colour gamut.

[ IT’S PIXELICIOUS ]

4K & HDR: streaming vs Blu-ray 4K TV OWNERS REJOICE: ULTRA HD MOVIES AND TV SHOWS ARE FINALLY ARRIVING IN FORCE. HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STREAMING OR WATCHING 4K FROM DISC. [ BENNETT RING ]

THE MOMENT HAS finally arrived. An Ultra HD — or 4K — TV or projector is finally worthy of your hard-earned dollars. While these spectacularly high-resolution displays have already been on the market for a couple of years, there’s been one rather glaring issue — 4K content, or a lack thereof. Thankfully, that issue is now being resolved, albeit slowly, with the release of Ultra HD Blu-ray players and movies. There isn’t a great deal of discs on sale yet, but now that players are in the market, we can safely assume the trickle of movies will become a flood. There’s also another solution to this issue, though — 4K streaming. We’re going to take a look at this option first, as there’s actually far more 4K content

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available via the internet than physical disc media. Sadly, most of you probably won’t be able to access it. There’s also a minefield of conflicting specifications that makes setting up an Ultra HD system far from accessible.

4K BENEFITS Ultra HD quadruples the number of pixels compared to Full HD (aka 1080p) video, increasing the resolution from 1,920 x 1,080 to 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. That’s an increase per frame from 2,073,600 pixels to a whopping 8,294,400 pixels. This sounds fantastic on paper, but in the real world, the difference is hard to note unless you sit extremely close to your display

(such as computer users), or your display is over 70 inches diagonally at normal viewing distances. Newer Ultra HD displays also feature High Dynamic Range (HDR) colour, but older models tend not to. If your display has the Ultra HD Premium logo, this means it supports HDR. Just to confuse things, there are actually two different HDR specifications — HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Older HD TVs supported an 8-bit colour space, also known as the ‘Rec. 709’ video specification. Ultra HD displays with HDR10 ups this to a 10-bit colour space, also known as the ‘Rec. 2020’ video specification. By allowing much more colour information, the Rec. 2020 video spec offers a huge 60-fold

increase in the number of colour combinations displayed on screen. To the viewer, this means much smoother colour gradients, and an overall dramatic increase in the accuracy of colour. It’s definitely a more noticeable increase in image quality on 60-inch screens than the higher resolution offered by Ultra HD, but it also makes each frame larger in terms of data size. Dolby Vision is an even bigger increase in image quality, up to a 12-bit colour space (68 billion colours) and also tells your display how bright it should be for every frame, whereas HDR10 doesn’t. Instead, HDR10 sets the brightness at the start of the film, rather than Dolby Vision’s ability to do it by frame or scene. Most acknowledge that Dolby Vision is the superior technology of the two due to these differences. Thankfully, Dolby Vision-enabled TVs are compatible with HDR10, and HDR10 displays should be compatible with Dolby Vision — but you’ll only notice the extra benefits of Dolby Vision if your player or display is certified as such, and there aren’t any Ultra HD disc players on the market yet that support this. Thankfully, it is available via some streaming services. Hopefully this doesn’t turn into another Blu-ray versus HD-DVD or VHS versus Betamax war, as consumers are the losers in these kinds of battles. As such, we’d suggest going for a Dolby Vision display, just in case HDR10 ends up losing.

SUPERGUIDE 4K & HDR: STREAMING VS BLU-RAY

Look for the Dolby Vision Logo to ensure your display and player supports this standard.

The Ultra HD Premium logo guarantees that your devices support both 4K playback and HDR.

Amazon also offers 4K streaming, incorporating Ultraflix films into its library.

HOW MUCH BANDWIDTH DO YOU NEED? The leading supplier of online 4K content in Australia is currently Netflix and their recommended internet connection requirements are eye-opening, to say the least. According to their official Help page, they recommend a minimum connection speed of 25 megabits per second. That’s the top speed currently offered by ADSL2+, but in most cases, ADSL2+ connections are considerably slower, as they rely on old copper networks to do their business. The length and quality of the copper thus has a huge impact on performance. Netflix also recommends that it’s a stable speed of 25Mbps, and ADSL2+ speeds can vary hugely simply based on a change in the weather. Helpful.

According to Akamai’s State of the Internet 2016 Quarter 2 report, which is globally recognised as the most accurate measurement of average internet speeds around the world, Australians suffer a pretty pathetic average internet speed. At just 8.5Mbps, the average Australian internet connection does not have anywhere near the speeds required by Netflix’s 4K streaming service. Even the basic NBN speed currently offered on www.nbnco.com.au just scrapes in, at 25Mbps. So you’re going to need a cable or fibre connection to get the speeds required for Netflix’s 4K service, but there’s another issue — the amount of data that 4K chews through. Netflix claims that its 4K service uses, on average, around 7GB of data per hour.

Look for the Ultra HD logo at the top of the packaging to ensure your new movie is compatible with this stunning new format.

Netflix is easily the number one supplier of 4K streaming content in Australia at the moment. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

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SUPERGUIDE 4K & HDR: STREAMING VS BLU-RAY

Ultra HD Blu-ray players will be the most popular way to enjoy Ultra HD content down under, at least until the NBN reaches the majority of homes.

Akamai’s State of the Internet report shows that Aussies are suffering from a miserable average speed of just 8.5 Megabits per second.

With most Aussie ISP’s placing data caps on their plans, it’s easy to see why this might be a problem. For example, if you’re on 250GB of data per month, 4K Netflix will demolish this after just 35 hours of TV viewing. You’re also going to need a TV or device that supports Netflix’s 4K streaming, and currently, this is not supported by PCs, as Netflix views it as a security risk. However, it’s just announced that you’ll be able to play 4K content via PC with two big provisos. One, you have to use

Microsoft’s Edge browser. Secondly, you’ll have to have a PC with the new Intel 7th-generation (aka Kaby Lake) Core i processor. This second limitation is most likely because Intel’s new processors come with native support for HDCP 2.2, a DRM protocol used to prevent the copying of 4K video. Le Sigh.

NOT JUST NETFLIX There are other online suppliers of 4K content, with YouTube being the next most popular. It doesn’t advertise its required speeds anywhere that we could see, but the online consensus seems to be that it’s around 20 Megabits per second. Amazon also offers 4K videos, and suggests a minimum stable speed of 15Mbps. It also offers HDR content as a separate type of video, and it has the

same speed requirement as 4K. There’s no mention, though, of whether its HDR videos are also of the 4K resolution. There are a handful of other sites that offer 4K content, including Ultraflix, DirecTV, Comcast and PlayStation Video. However, most of these require a VPN to get around geolocation blocking, as most are only available in the US. They’re also not compatible with all TVs, computers or other media streaming devices, so you’ll need to check that your Smart TV has the relevant app, and if not, fork out for a device such as Amazon’s Fire TV. As you can see, finding an online source for 4K content is still a minefield of bandwidth requirements, device compatibility and competing formats. Our advice is to go with Netflix, provided your

WHICH ULTRA HD BLU-RAY PLAYER?

THERE ARE CURRENTLY THREE ULTRA HD BLU-RAY PLAYERS AVAILABLE ON THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET. HERE’S A BRIEF RUNDOWN ON THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH.

PANASONIC DMP-UB900

SAMSUNG UBD-K8500

$848 www.panasonic.com.au

$298 www.samsung.com.au

At almost $900, it’s obvious that this is going to be the most fully-featured Ultra HD Blu-ray player on the market. Features that the Panasonic player includes that are lacking on the others are digital coax output, an SD slot and 7.1 channel analogue outputs, just in case you’re using old-school speakers. The Panasonic also has a slight edge in image quality, with slightly richer looking colours and better contrast performance. It’s also got the edge in audio quality, with a more dynamic sound field. But the price might be enough to make you reconsider.

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As the most affordable Ultra HD Blu-ray player on the market, the UBD-K8500 is a wallet-friendly approach to 4K and HDR content. Comparative reviews have noticed that the image quality isn’t quite as good, nor the sound quality (we can’t see any mention of Dolby Atmos support on the official specs page), but it’s still a huge step up from standard Blu-ray discs. The menu system mightn’t be as good as the Panasonic, nor the range of audio outputs, but the price difference makes this a very compelling option. Note that none of the existing players officially support Dolby Vision, according to their official specs at the time of writing.

SUPERGUIDE 4K & HDR: STREAMING VS BLU-RAY

display supports its 4K playback, as it has the largest library and is the most readily available in Australia.

ULTRA HD ON DISC As we’ve explained, streaming 4K and HDR content requires much faster broadband than most Aussies have access to. Thankfully, the recent release of Ultra HD Blu-ray players promises to make it much simpler to watch these films. There are several players already in stores, but what makes an Ultra HD Blu-ray player different to your standard Blu-ray machine? Both use blue lasers for reading and writing data, but Ultra HD discs are much larger in capacity. Where a standard Blu-ray disc can hold between 25 and 50 Gigabytes of data, Ultra HD discs start at 33GB in size, with the largest holding a huge 100GB of data. The data is also read at a much faster speed. Again it varies depending on the disc, between 82 and 128 megabits per second, whereas Blu-ray only requires 54Mbps. As a result, Ultra HD discs are not backwards compatible with a normal Blu-ray player, which is why many companies are now bundling both the Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs into the one box. However, the Ultra HD players can handle standard Blu-ray

If you want an internet connection that is fast enough to stream 4K content, you’re probably going to need to get fibre or cable to the home.

discs, so you won’t need to hold on to your old Blu-ray player to enjoy your existing library of Blu-ray discs. Ultra HD players can also downscale to HD resolution if you’re stuck with an HD display, but you won’t get any of the benefits of Ultra HD. As mentioned, Ultra HD players all support HDR, but their larger size means they can also handle more audio information. If you’re lucky enough to have a sound system that supports either Dolby Atmos or DTS-X Surround Sound, you’ll be pleased to hear

(no pun intended) that Ultra HD discs support both of these formats. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to have to upgrade your AV receiver if you do make the switch to an Ultra HD player. If your receiver has HDMI 1.4, it’ll support the increased resolution, but none of the other features, and will only run at 30 frames per second. If your receiver supports HDMI 2.0, it’ll allow for full 4K resolution at 60fps, and it will also need High-Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection 2.2m, or HDCP 2.2, required for HDR and 4K playback via disc. This is relatively common on most HDMI 2.0 receivers and displays with HDMI 2.0, but is not guaranteed. The latest HDMI standard, 2.0a, includes HDCP 2.2 within its specs, and thankfully, many receivers and displays equipped with HDMI 2.0 can be upgraded to this with a simple firmware update. Note that you’ll also need a high-speed HDMI cable that is compatible with HDMI 2.0a to ensure everything plays together nicely.

WHAT’S AVAILABLE ON DISC RIGHT NOW?

MICROSOFT XBOX ONE S From $399 (500GB model) www.xbox.com

Microsoft’s latest iteration of the Xbox One is smaller than the original, but its biggest new feature is the inclusion of an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive. So not only do you get a 4K/HDR compliant player, you also get an Xbox One that will upscale your existing games to 4K resolution. Like the other players, there’s no support for Dolby Vision… yet. Fingers crossed firmware updates bring this feature to these players, but we have a feeling it’s a hardware limitation, not just software, due to the increased processing power required.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

As Ultra HD Blu-ray players are still relatively new, the number of discs isn’t exactly massive. They’re currently selling for around $50 each, and at the time of writing, there were around 20 movies available to buy in Australia. They’re mostly Hollywood blockbusters, including The Hunger Games series, Everest, X-Men: First Class, Mad Max Fury Road and The Legend of Tarzan. However, Bowie fans will be happy to see that Labyrinth has been remastered in Ultra HD. Looking forwards, around 20 new Ultra HD discs will be released over the next few months, but so far, there doesn’t appear to be any TV series included in the release lists.

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WINNER

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

SUPERGUIDE SOUP UP YOUR TV’S SOUND

[ A SOUND UPGRADE ]

Soup-up your TV’s sound

WINNER

ED’s CHOICE AWARD

IF YOUR TV’S IN-BUILT SPEAKERS SUCK, THESE SOUNDBARS CAN BRING BACK THE HIGH-FIDELITY YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR... AND THEN SOME, IN MANY CASES. [ SHAUN PRESCOTT ]

MODERN HOME ENTERTAINMENT isn’t as simple as it used to be. Once upon a time, you’d buy a TV that was barely distinguishable from the competition, you’d use it for five, 10, 15 or 20 years, then you’d replace it. Nowadays, much research goes into deciding which television is best for your home, what resolution it supports, whether it can stream and whether it can iron your shirt for you (none do the latter yet, we’re afraid, but we’re sure it’s coming). One thing is consistent, though: the sound on modern TVs, no matter the quality of its screen, is almost universally crap. That physical flatness comes at a cost. That’s why you buy a soundbar: to ensure your home theatre experience isn’t like sitting in a cinema with cheap earbud headphones on. Soundbars are great if you’re not fussed about a big, multi-speaker home theatre setup, though some models can work as a component in these, if you wish to upgrade. And typically enough, there are dozens of soundbars on the market: you’ll need to do a bit of research to decide whether they are right for your TV, right for your room and right for your expectations regarding fidelity. So without further ado, here are 10 of the major models available on the market at present.

10

TV SOUNDBARS ON TEST

Panasonic SC-HTB685

Sony HT-RT5

THE BEST AND CHEAPEST MIDRANGE MODEL.

MORE SPEAKERS THAN YOU’LL KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH.

LISTENING TO THIS mid-tier model from

Panasonic compared to the SC-HTB18 on page 86, the difference is night and day. While this model is still cheap compared to some of the competition, the clarity of the high frequencies, and the drive of the lower is very impressive indeed — those extra watts make a difference to be sure, and it helps that it has a downward-facing subwoofer. Bass can sound oily and reverberating when it needs to, or like a mallet to the face. This one supports HDMI, optical and Bluetooth, and while, in design, it shares a certain blandness with the rest of the Panasonic range, some people prefer something inconspicuous (it helps that the sub doesn’t need too much space either, being downward-facing and all). Setup is easy here and, as we found in last year’s roundup, for a mid-range 3.1 channel soundbar, Panasonic just about rules in this field. We’d definitely suggest forking out a bit more compared to the company’s lower tier model.

IT’S EASY TO wince at that price, and for many, it’s not on the cards to spend 1–2 grand on in-home audio. This is a good deal, though: you’re not only getting a 5.1 channel soundbar and subwoofer system, but also two smaller speakers for the back of your loungeroom. In other words, this is capable of providing a more authentic surround sound experience than anything cheaper. Sony’s Cinema Studio tech purportedly creates the sensation of 9.1 channel sound, though that seems less a flourish of genius and more a symptom of having two extra speaker units in the box. Whatever the case, we were able to get a monstrous and immersive sound in our fairly prosaic testing room, and watching some of the climactic scenes in The Hobbit proved seamless: perfect, basically. All the expected connectivity is there, and while some won’t approve of the sparkly mesh that adorns the speakers on all four units, it’ll strike others as classy and minimal. If you want the extra immersion, $1,200 is a good amount to spend on a generous package.

41/2

41/2

HOW WE TESTED

We set up each unit in the same testing environment, using a Panasonic HD-TV. We tested using The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Blu-ray, as well as music streamed direct to each device using Bluetooth. [ 084 ]

PANASONIC SC-HTB685 $549 www.panasonic.com/au

SONY HT-RT5 $1,199 sony.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS 3.1 channels; 350 watts; three speakers, one sub; 95cm wide; wall mountable

CRITICAL SPECS 5.1 channels; 550 watts; five speakers (three in bar, two external), one sub; 108cm wide; wall mountable

WINNER

APPROVED SUPERGUIDE SOUP UP YOUR TV’S SOUND

AWARD

TV SOUNDBAR BUYER’S CHECKLIST

WINNER

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A SOUNDBAR FOR YOUR TV

APPROVED AWARD

CAN YOU WALL MOUNT IT?

Many come with all the brackets and bolts you’ll need, but check!

Denon DHT-S514

Bose SoundTouch 300

PRESTIGIOUS FLAGSHIP IS CHEAPER IN ITS

THE MOST STYLISH OF THE BUNCH.

THIRD YEAR ON THE MARKET.

THE DENON DHT-S514 is a strong contender

in the soundbar space, especially with the weight this brand carries. For starters, it boasts Denon’s own Virtual Surround, which offers several audio settings you can tweak to perfection for convincing (but not, you know, actual) surround sound. It has no LED display, but using the small, credit card-sized remote control, you can use lights on the soundbar as a guide — though you’ll need to remember what each colour means. In terms of output, we had good results across the board. The DHT-S514 strikes a nice balance between clear, trebly top ends and well-rounded, static-free bass. Whereas cheaper soundbars generally have a weak point between either of those extremes, Denon seems to have mastered the balance in this space — though you’ll need to use common sense when it comes to coordinating volume between the subwoofer and the soundbar itself, especially given how powerful the DHT-S514’s bass can sound. War films will sound especially devastating through this configuration.

4

THE SOUNDTOUCH 300 is a hard sell on paper: it’s $999 for the bar, but $1,998 if you want it bundled with its “bass module” (ie, a subwoofer); $1,448 with two surround speakers, and a whopping $2,447 for the whole bundle. Compared to the Sony HT-RT5 that’s a lot of money, but Bose is a premium brand and that’s evident when you take it out of the box. In addition to a beautiful glass-finish on the top of the bar, Bose’s ADAPTiQ calibration system is (arguably) a more important perk, requiring the user, upon set-up, to wear a headset and have the soundbar optimize itself based on the five most-used seating positions in your loungeroom. There’s no doubt that the SoundTouch 300 sounds amazing as a TV speaker –it pours sound into parts of the room where no speaker could ever go – but streaming music to it via Bluetooth had mixed results. Bass heavy techno sounded reedy and unsatisfying. Of course, the SoundTouch is meant to complement a multi-room system, but as a standalone TV soundbar it’s outstanding. Just don’t throw your stereo system out unless you want the other Bose multi-room components.

4

DENON DHT-S514 $999 au.denon.com

BOSE SOUNDTOUCH 300 $999 bose.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS 4.1 channels; 175 watts; four speakers, one sub; 100.4cm wide; wall mountable

CRITICAL SPECS Specifications not provided by Bose; 97.8cm wide; wall mountable

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

IS IT GOING TO FIT?

Make sure you measure the width of your TV, and its bezels, before shopping around — you don’t want your soundbar to obscure the screen or look awkwardly huge next to your screen.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2.1, 3.1 AND 5.1?

Basically, the amount of speakers and/ or channels you’re getting. 2.1 is two speakers in the soundbar and a separate subwoofer. 2.0 is two speakers and no sub. More speakers means a better, albeit artificial, surround sound approximation, and real surround sound kicks in at 5.1. Be aware that more speakers doesn’t always mean better sound output: three speakers with 30 watts each will push out less sound than two with 50.

DOES YOUR TV HAVE HDMI PASSTHROUGH SUPPORT?

It probably does if it’s a recent model, but if you want to use HDMI and not an optical connection, make sure it does (check for an ARC HDMI port).

SHOULD I USE HDMI OR OPTICAL?

If you’ve got passthrough support, HDMI. If you don’t, and you want to control your soundbar with your TV remote, optical is the better and easier option. HDMI may be inaudibly better, fidelity wise, but it’ll take more wrangling.

DO I NEED BLUETOOTH?

No, probably not, but you’d be silly to buy a unit without this support, if you want to use it to stream music from other smart devices.

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SUPERGUIDE SOUP UP YOUR TV’S SOUND

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

WINNER

APPROVED AWARD

LG SH7 WON’T PLEASE RAVERS BUT GOOD FOR THE TV.

AS FAR AS easy, cost effective soundbar

options go, the LG SH7 is hard to pass by. Setup is easy and it has support for optical, HDMI and Bluetooth music streaming, or you can stream Spotify, Google Play and more, direct to the bar using Wi-Fi. Pairing with a phone or a laptop is simple: just turn your TV off and the music will take over, and when you turn your TV off, whatever music you’re playing will pause (at least, it did with Poweramp). Sonically, it emits a detailed and crisp sound which doesn’t favour either high or low frequencies —indeed, streaming especially bass heavy music from a smartphone felt a little toothless at times, but for cinema sound design, it’s just about perfect for the home, providing your home doesn’t double as a German nightclub. The silver styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, but if you prefer or need something in plain black, there’s every other model on the market for you to check out. This is a solid, serviceable unit.

4

LG SH7 $799 www.lg.com/au CRITICAL SPECS 2.1 channels; 360 watts; 4 speakers, 1 sub; wall mountable

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Philips 5000 series (HTL5160B)

Philips 3000 series (HTL3160B)

A GREAT MIDRANGER WITH AN

NOT THE BEST LOW-RANGE MODEL,

INTERESTING TWIST.

BUT HAS ITS PERKS.

THOUGH PERHAPS A minor point of difference, one of the first things you’ll notice about the Philips series of soundbars is the dimensions of the box it comes in. The soundbar come in three pieces, which you’ll need to snap together during setup. This is simple and, overall, doesn’t affect the way it looks once everything is connected. This is a 3.1 channel setup and, given the price tag, it achieves pretty much everything it sets out to do, and does so relatively stylishly — it’s among the thinnest soundbars you’ll find on the market at present, and while the front-facing LED display can be distracting, it can be dimmed as well. This aesthetic benefit is the only thing that makes it a more attractive offer than, for example, Panasonic’s mid-tier 3.1 channel model (reviewed on page 84), but looks are subjective, and aside from the price being a little higher, this is a good model with all the connectivity (HDMI, optical, Bluetooth, USB and AUX) that you’d expect.

THIS IS THE lower tier version of the Philips model reviewed previously, and while $399 isn’t as cheap as Panasonic’s SC-HTB18 ($279), this 3000 series soundbar does pump out an extra 80 watts, and has three speakers in the bar rather than one. This means a more convincing sense of ‘surround sound’, or rather, a better distribution of sound and a greater feeling of immersion. Assuming you have the money, it makes more sense to opt for this Philips model if you want to spend less than $500. This price range is the province of folk who simply want a better sound than their TV speakers can handle, but the HTL3160B goes above and beyond: it has a satisfying cinematic feel to it, and sounds great a high volumes (though a little muffled at lower volumes). It’s a sleek device, wall mountable and boasts HDMI, optical, USB and AUX support — the former isn’t an option with Panasonic’s cheaper model, so that will be the best incentive to opt for this model for many.

4

31/2

PHILIPS 5000 SERIES (HTL5160B) $699 www.philips.com.au

PHILIPS 3000 SERIES (HTL3160B) $399 www.philips.com.au

CRITICAL SPECS 3.1 channels; 320 watts; three speakers, one sub; 110cm wide; wall mountable

CRITICAL SPECS 3.1 channels; 200 watts; three speakers, one sub; 95cm wide; wall mountable

SUPERGUIDE SOUP UP YOUR TV’S SOUND

Sonos Playbar

Harman / Kardon Sabre SB35

Panasonic SC-HTB18

IDEAL FOR MULTI-ROOM ARRANGEMENTS, JUST OKAY ALONE.

UNIQUE FORM, BUT SUFFERS AS A RESULT.

BUT CONSIDER PAYING MORE.

IF YOU WANT to simply plug your device in with an optical or HDMI cable and go about your business, be aware of one thing with the Sonos: you’ll need to install an app on your phone to set this bar up, then you’ll need to install any pending firmware updates. Once you’ve done that — and if you’re okay with controlling a device with your mobile — the Sonos is relatively easy to use, but its reliance on smart devices may be a dealbreaker for some. Still, it also means you can pair up any other Sonos speaker you may happen to own. As for the sound, Sonos hasn’t provided details on wattage, but we do know it has nine speakers spread across its 90cm front, and at high volumes (and without an accompanying subwoofer), it’s a decent, cinematic, if not jaw-dropping sound. We didn’t notice clipping at high volumes during especially intense scenes nor during bass heavy music, though — as far as the latter is concerned — the bottom ends did tend to obscure some higher frequency detail.

THE SB35 HAS some of the most impressive industrial design we’ve seen in this space: the soundbar is extraordinarily thin and the subwoofer is a wall-mountable 9cm — a far cry from the big black boxes most units ship with. One drawback is the soundbar has to be wallmounted. The SB35 offers all the connectivity you’d expect at this price range: optical, analog, HDMI and Bluetooth. HDMI worked well for us, but do keep in mind that the soundbar only has mini-HDMI ports, and only one cord in the box. We had no problem getting good results from an HDMI connection in a home cinema environment: all the requisite clarity is present, the bass sounds like liquid molten at high volumes and the midrange sparkles. That is, until you try to turn it up too high — it starts to clip far too early. We suspect it’s the size of the speaker boxes at fault, or maybe that the SB35 provides too much leeway with its volume control, as it does seem to get louder than most of its competition but it doesn’t seem capable of those volumes. So it’s a neat package, if you’re willing to pay for style over quality.

THIS IS ABOUT as cheap as they come if you want a decent soundbar with a subwoofer bundled in, and while both speaker boxes combined can kick out only a modest 120 watts, it’s likely to be satisfactory for anyone working in this price range. The soundbar is quite conspicuously fat, though neatly curved and black, while the subwoofer is sleek but unimpressive if noticed. This unit only supports optical, Bluetooth and auxiliary connections, so steer clear if you’re wanting to hook it up via HDMI. We had no problem setting this up, though make sure you’ve already got an optical cord if you need one, because there’s none in the box. If you’re looking for something cheap that can improve on your TV’s dull output, this will be sufficient and, frankly, even impressive. We found no problems with the quality of sound, and while it lacks the clarity of some of its more expensive siblings, you’ll get a nice immersive home cinema experience that can handle low frequencies surprisingly well.

31/2

3

A SOLID MEAT-AND-POTATOES CHEAPY,

3

SONOS PLAYBAR $949 www.sonos.com

HARMAN / KARDON SABRE SB35 $999 www.harmankardon.com

PANASONIC SC-HTB18 $279 www.panasonic.com/au

CRITICAL SPECS Nine internal speaker drivers, no sub; 90cm wide; wall mountable

CRITICAL SPECS 340 watts; eight speakers, one sub; 115cm wide; wall mountable

CRITICAL SPECS 2.1 channels; 120 watts; two speakers, one sub; 75cm wide; wall mountable

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 087 ]

The Internet of Things [ TECH FRONTIERS PRIMER ]

IT PROMISES PLENTY, BUT IT ALSO HAS A DARKER SIDE TROUBLING MANY TECH PROFESSIONALS. HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE RISE OF THE INTERNET OF THINGS. [ DARREN YATES ]

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tel d In O any R I CS tin or The using monit are sor to es. sen ey be hon

AN INTERCONNECTED MESH of gadgets and devices designed to ultimately make your life better — from improving health to ordering your next box of laundry detergent. Welcome to the world of the ‘Internet of Things’ where every device and gadget connects to the internet to monitor your every need — or so goes the double-choc-coated public-relations version of this tech. But what actually is the ‘Internet of Things’, how does it work, what does it do and why are so many people worried about it?

THE FIVE PILLARS When PCs first hit the market in the early 1980s, they were hugely expensive. Even during the mid-1990s, an early Intel Pentium desktop computer, with less processing power than you’ll find in a cheap pre-paid smartphone from your local supermarket, could set you back as much as $8,000. But as with almost everything else, time, growing competition and improvements in production steadily dragged down costs. Computer chips grew in speed as they shrank in size and price, while, equally as important, we began to measure chip power consumption less in ‘tens of watts’ and more in single-digits and even milli-watts (thousandths of a watt) as those improvements added up. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices of the early-2000s such as the HP/Compaq iPaq handhelds gave way to smartphones and instead of just one processor chip inside your device, you now had several, all performing different tasks. Today’s smartphones have multiple processors running your applications, but also dedicated [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

chips handling phone calls and wireless connectivity — even capturing your photos. These special single-task processors or ‘microcontrollers’ have been around in various forms for more than 20 years. But as their processing speed, features, power consumption and cost all now start hitting the right notes, they’re helping create a world of ‘smart devices’ able to connect to the internet and send and receive data. But in order to do that, they need the second piece of this jigsaw in the form of new low-cost wireless networking technology. Laptop computers have had built-in Wi-Fi for years, but until quite recently, it was still a comparatively expensive tech. Today, you can buy a complete Wi-Fi adapter on a tiny chip for $2, or in a module the size of an SD card for under $7. Bluetooth is a common alternative for creating device-to-device wireless connections, with ‘Bluetooth Low-Energy’ (BLE) now a popular option for around the same price. The third jigsaw piece is the wave of low-cost micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors that measure everything from sound and light to air pressure, temperature, humidity, magnetic fields, heart rates, acceleration, gravity and more. There are sensors to measure just about everything — they’re cheap and plentiful. However, what makes this tech more valuable is the ability to capture data and store it online — the essence of ‘cloud computing’. By combining data from thousands, even millions of sensors (or customers) and creating a central storage or ‘data centre’, you end up with a massively rich source of information that can potentially add major dollars to a business or

By combining data from thousands, even millions of sensors (or customers) and creating a central storage or ‘data centre’, you end up with a massively rich source of information that can potentially add major dollars to a business or provide new insight into a larger problem like climate change. provide new insight into a larger problem like climate change. But to find the richness of that information within terabytes or exabytes of data, you can’t just pull out a calculator and do a few sums. That’s where data analytics or ‘data science’ comes in — it combines computer code or ‘algorithms’, mathematics and statistics to discover patterns within lots and lots of related data. Combine these five pillars together — microcontrollers, wireless technology, sensors, cloud computing and data analytics — and you have the basic nuts-and-bolts of what this Internet of Things is all about.

THE INTERNET OF EVERYTHINGS? But how to best harness the possibilities of IoT even from just a practical, functional viewpoint seems a bit ‘hit-and-miss’ so far. Plenty of companies are throwing around the ‘Internet of Things’ tag, some seemingly hell-bent on delivering wireless smarts to almost every object you know and love. Take a gadget, add a microcontroller, Wi-Fi and some input device, whether a switch or a touchscreen panel, and you can have a new ‘smart’ product — even better if you create a smartphone app to control it remotely. You’ll find everything from Google’s new Home voice-activated search assistant to wireless-enabled light bulbs and coffee machines, fridges and toasters. Some ideas pass the ‘pub test’, others maybe not. The good news is that there are plenty of innovative applications of IoT happening at the moment away from the hoopla of retail. [ 089 ]

MEDICAL Arguably the hottest research area, globally, right now is medical technology or ‘e-health’. As health costs continue to soar, we’re constantly looking for new ways to cure what ails us. Fitness bands or fitness trackers are commonly used to help improve physical health, but there is growing research into how sensor records can be used to detect changes in mental health. For example, research has shown that those suffering mental illness move less and don’t sleep as well when their mental health is deteriorating (tinyurl.com/jqxum6k, PDF). Earlier this year, tech titan IBM announced a team-up with pharma giant Pfizer to use IoT technology in researching Parkinson’s disease. This disease of the central nervous system is being monitored in patients using sensors to measure various factors from motor function (coordinated movement) to sleep patterns. It’s hoped that, within the mountains of data collected, new methods for treating the disease can be identified.

ENVIRONMENT This next example has a sting in its tale, but all for a good cause ­— ‘colony collapse disorder’ is affecting bee populations around the world and without bees to fertilise crops, most of our popular fruit and vege could disappear with them. In 2015, Intel and Australia’s CSIRO joined forces to begin monitoring bee colonies using individual bee ‘e-tag’ sensors to try and find out what’s going on. Meanwhile, Deakin University has fitted GPS tracking devices to Powerful Owls in Melbourne to track and better understand their movements and aid in conservation.

INDUSTRY Meanwhile, there’s a lot of work going into architectural technology and ‘smart buildings’. Here, IoT is being integrated into building architecture and used to automate controlling the local environment. Samsung, for example, has launched its ‘IoT Access Point’ technology, incorporating BLE, Wi-Fi and another very-low-power wireless tech called ‘ZigBee’.

rie Cu l’s aimed T e t In is g Io . le in s du er ice o m t pow dev a

It uses the example of monitoring BLE signals to count the number of shoppers on the floor of a shopping centre and auto-adjust the air-conditioning appropriately. All of the major tech brands from Intel and Microsoft to IBM are promoting their own IoT wares, whether it’s Microsoft Azure or IBM Watson cloud computing platforms. As companies begin to ramp up investment in IoT, many tech brands are finding online services are where the new money is found. But not all — you’ll possibly recognise the ‘Intel Inside’ logo from the chip powering your computer, but chip giant Intel has been quietly working on other chips aimed at IoT. These include the Edison module, with its dual-core 500MHz Atom/100MHz Quark processors, plus the tiny Curie module, which features a 32MHz Quark SE microcontroller, primarily designed for wearable devices. Online retailer and tech services giant Amazon has created a huge backroom infrastructure services business around keeping its massive product logistics in motion. But it’s also giving the consumer a look at an IoT future with its Amazon Dash Button device. It features a microcontroller, Wi-Fi, pushbutton switch and battery, allowing you to order specific pre-programmed products to your address at the press of a button. This is also now available as the ‘AWS IoT Button’ to help teach developers about Amazon Web Services.

Meanwhile, the CSIRO is part of a largelyEuropean push to build OpenIoT, a cloud-based platform for academic research into developing new IoT technologies for the future.

SECURITY FEARS But there are increasing fears that the Internet of Things is fast becoming a security nightmare (and many security experts would likely be happy to leave out the ‘fast becoming’). We’re used to the idea of updating security software on our computers, laptops and phones. But the fear is that, when it comes to IoT devices, too many manufacturers, controlling their costs and speed-to-market needs, relegate security to the background. Now you might be wondering what security is needed for a toaster. The problem is that, as more and more IoT devices with lax security connect to the internet, the greater the likelihood they’ll be hacked and taken over remotely. But this isn’t about rogue toasters churning out mountains of burnt sourdough — it’s the ‘attack traffic’, data sent back to the internet, these hacked devices could also be capable of that most concerns security specialists. In fact, it’s already happening. In October 2016, an attack called a ‘distributed denial of service’ (DDoS) was launched against the server computers of a US company called Dyn. It’s not usually a company you hear much about, but

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[ 090 ]

Data scientist Eric Clark unveils tech to monitor Parkinson’s. (Source: IBM)

when the DDoS attack smashed against Dyn’s server computers, it hit like a digital tsunami. DDoS attacks don’t necessarily have to do anything malicious (although they can do), other than bombard the server computers with information requests. But if you have 100,000 devices continuously thumping those same server computers with information requests, they can be overwhelmed — and in this case, this particular attack swamped legitimate requests from users to sites such as Netflix, Amazon, Twitter, effectively blocking access. DDoS attacks happen with reasonable frequency, but not like this one. Two things made this attack unique – first, the scale. There are unconfirmed reports the attack involved up to 1.2 terabits or 150GB of data requests per second. If true, it’s roughly twice the size of the previous attack record. Estimates from Dyn itself are that over 100,000 devices were

involved in the attack (tinyurl.com/jkzfgjg). Imagine a restaurant all of a sudden having 100,000 zombies rock up to the front door, demanding a table. But second, and more troubling, was the source of the attack. It’s common for DDoS attacks to originate from what’s known as a ‘botnet’, a large group of devices usually commandeered without their owners’ knowledge. In the past, this has typically involved desktop computers, laptops and even smartphones. But the Dyn attack is reported to have at least partly occurred through hacked internet-connected surveillance cameras and digital video recorders infected with the Mirai botnet malicious software or ‘malware’. Mirai was released as open-source software by its developer before the Dyn attack and now anyone can create their own DDoS-brand of chaos.

ADMIN, ADMIN Reports claim these particular hacked devices had the equivalent of their username and password etched into the device code or ‘firmware’ by the manufacturer, giving each device the same code. What’s more, in this case, it’s said the user couldn’t change them, nor did the device’s web-based user interface know anything about them. From here, it was almost trivial for hackers to take control. Unfortunately, with computing power now so cheap, the race is on amongst manufacturers to push out connected products onto the market as fast as possible. And with prices for technology devices across the board continually on the slide, returns on investment, particularly in research and development, can be low enough that corners are cut. The fact that several IoT attacks have now occurred is shedding light on this still wild-west frontier of modern-day tech.

THE FUTURE

G o og voice le’s Home searc -activated h could be thespeaker future .

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

The Smarter Coffee maker comes with WPA2 Wi-Fi security.

Clearly, top of the agenda for the future has to be improving security. While that rests primarily with manufacturers, we can all do our bit by making sure to at least take an interest in the security of your internet-connected devices. A DDoS attack is mostly about lining up as many devices as possible to all attack a particular site or service at the same time — but that doesn’t mean hackers won’t be interested in your personal and financial secrets if they can grab them along the way. The IoT is being applied to some of the world’s most pressing problems — but right now, some would argue that it’s in as much danger of causing them as it is in solving them. [ 091 ]

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

HELP STATION GET THE MOST FROM YOUR TECH

[ THIS MONTH IN HELP STATION ]

92 94

Q&A

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Windows

SHARE SECURELY IN WINDOWS WITH HOMEGROUPS

96

Mac

98

iOS

100 102 104

ORGANISE PHOTOS IN MACOS SIERRA

GET RICHER NOTIFICATIONS IN IOS 10

Android

HOW TO USE ANDROID’S DEVELOPER MODE

Security & privacy MAKE YOUR ANDROID PHONE ANONYMOUS WITH ORBOT

Home networking

SET UP PARENTAL CONTROLS ON YOUR ROUTER

106 Photography MASTER YOUR DSLR: IMAGE SENSORS

NetAdapter can help repair post-infection problems.

[ SECURITY ]

Remove infectionby resetting PC?

My wife’s PC was successfully upgraded from Windows 7 to 10 last year, but I recently noticed that the Zeus virus had somehow slipped through her defences. I was unable to eradicate it, so decided to perform a reset through Settings, but it freezes on the keyboard layout screen. Can you assist please? [ TONY MORSANI ]

Cat Ellis replies: Trying to eradicate any kind of infection through a Windows reinstall or reset is not recommended, as infections can survive this. It’s advisable to treat the infection at its source, then reconsider your position afterwards. Tony had been unable to download additional anti-malware tools because the infection kept redirecting him away from the sites he needed. Adobe’s free Photoshop Express offers lots of tools for fixing photo-wide problems, including exposure.

[ 092 ]

We advised Tony to follow the advice in the security feature in TechLife’s May 2016 issue for removing infections by downloading the recommended tools to his own, clean PC. He then transferred them across via CD, which allowed him to clean the infection using a combination of these tools along with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and NetAdapter (sourceforge.net/projects/netadapter). We’ll look at his problems with resetting his wife’s PC — an issue that affects a number of Windows 10 upgraders, particularly on HP machines — in a later issue. [ HARDWARE ]

Am I being forced to upgrade to Windows 10?

I’ve been having some trouble with Windows 7 updates and now Outlook.com has stopped working too. Does this have to do with the fact I haven’t upgraded? Not too pleased if I’m being forced to switch — I’ve been very happy with Windows 7. [ BRUCE ALEXANDER ] Mayank Sharma replies: At first, we thought this issue could be related to slow Windows 7 updates. Bruce tried our suggestions, but found any standalone installers simply hung at the ‘Searching for updates on this computer’ stage, even after we advised him to temporarily stop the Windows Update service. This had no effect, and Bruceended up calling in his local computer store to see if they couldhelp. Afteran hour of unsuccessfully tryingto get Windows to update, the eight-year-old PC was taken away for testing, which indicated a hardware problem. This sadly means it will require repairing or — more likely given its age and all-in-one construction — replacingentirely.

[ PHOTOGRAPHY ]

Fix poorly-exposed photos

Even if you use a basic set of Dashboard widgets, they can become damaged and prevent Dashboard from loading.

Cat Ellis replies:Install the free Photoshop Express app. You’ll find it has all the tools to improve shots — either with a single click (try ‘Auto Fix’ first) or by following this easy guide: 1.Import a photo from your library. If necessary, start by framing the photo to include only the detail that interests you by clicking ‘Crop’. Click the lock button to set a specific aspect ratio. 2.Click Back to apply the crop.Next, click the ‘Correct’ button followed by ‘Exposure’. Play with the ‘Highlights and Shadows’ sliders — push them to the right for dark images or to the left for light ones. 3.Click ‘Auto WB’ to fix colour issues with asingle click or, if the results of this aren’t toyour tastes, select ‘White Balance’ and use the ‘Temperature’ and ‘Tint’ sliders to adjust the colours to make them warmer (more orange) or cooler (more blue) as you see fit. 4.Select ‘Contrast’. Use the ‘Clarity’ slider tobring out more sharpness (orreduce it), while ‘Vibrance’ lets you choose how bright your colours are. Finally, click ‘Back’ and use the ‘Reduce Noise’ tool to make further adjustments. [ MAC ]

MacDashboard nolonger loading widgets

TheDashboard has suddenly stopped working properly on my iMac, although the same set of widgets installed on my MacBook Pro still works fine, and they also work in the other account on the iMac. Restarting the iMac in safe mode makes no difference, and I’ve tried repairing permissions and the startup disk without any joy. Any idea what’s causing this, and how it can be fixed? [ SIMON SIMPSON ] Howard Oakley replies:This is a sporadic problem that most commonly occurs when one or more installed widgets won’t load properly, and blocks others from loading. The best way to tackle it is to uninstall your widgets, then add them back one at a time to find the culprit. Create a couple of folders in your user account’s Documents folder to contain all your widgets during this process. Move everything from /Library/Widgets into one of them, and the contents of ~/Library/Widgets into the other, then start to restore one at a time untilyou discover which one causes the issue. If you can, immediately obtain an updated version or a freshed copy of any widget that’s problematic, then continue restoring the remaining widgets into their correct folders one at a time, in case [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

HELP STATION Q AND A

I’ve taken what should be the perfect photo, except it’s come out dark and gloomy. What’s the best way to try to improve the exposure without losing key details? [ TREVOR NEIL ]

No sign of Cortana? This Registry edit might help.

more than one’s at fault. Because this problem is confined to a single user, it’s most likely to be an issue with a widget in ~/Library/Widgets (thetilde ~ signifies the path to the logged-in account’s folder). Sometimes just moving them all out and back again sorts out the problem. [ WINDOWS ]

Cortana has stopped working

I upgraded to the Anniversary Update, and now Cortana has disappeared from the Search bar — instead I can ‘Search Windows’, but nothing else. I’ve checked my language and region settings — all areset correctly. Help! [ MIKE TALBOT ]

Graham Barlow replies:Press ‘Windows-R’, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. Now browse to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search. Check the BingSearchEnabled value in the right-hand pane — if it’s set to 0, as it was in Mike’s case, double-click it, change the value to 1 and click ‘OK’. Cortana should immediately start to work when you click ‘Search Windows’. [ WINDOWS ]

Dual-boot conundrum

I’m running Windows 7 onmy PC’s main SSD drive, but prior to the upgrade offer ending, I cloned the drive to another disk and upgraded that to Windows 10. However, if I want to boot

into Windows 10, I have to disable the SSD drive in my PC’s BIOS for it to boot. Can you help? [JAMIE MARSHALL ] Matt Hanson replies:We identified Jamie’s PC has having an older nForce motherboard, with no option to choose a boot device when starting his PC. Newer PCs have an option to choose the drive to boot from, which he could have used to switch between the two. The problem is that Jamie made an exact clone of his original drive, so the second drive has its own bootable partition, and neither drive’s bootable partition knows the other version of Windows exists. As the SSD drive is the current default for your PC, boot into Windows 7 from that. Next, take an updated drive image using Macrium Reflect (www. macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx), just in case. Go to www.boyans.net/DualBootRepair. html to download the tool for fixing your dual-boot problem, then select the Dual-boot Repair Tool 10 link. Save the zip file to your hard drive, then extract its contents and run DualBootRepair.exe. Choose ‘Automatic Repair’. You should see that both versions of Windows are detected. Click ‘OK’ followed by ‘Run’ and the repair should be performed. You can verify this by clicking ‘Start > Run’, typing msconfig and hitting Enter, then switching to the Boot tab. You should see two entries, with the Windows 10 entry set as the default (change this to Windows 7 by selecting it and clicking ‘Set as default’). Reboot and the fix should be complete. [ 093 ]

HELP STATION SHARE SECURELY IN WINDOWS WITH HOME GROUPS

[ WINDOWS ]

Share securely in Windows with HomeGroups HOMEGROUPS SIMPLIFY THE SHARING OF FILES, PRINTERS, MUSIC, VIDEO AND OTHER MEDIA — FIND OUT HOW TO USE THEM TO LINK UP ALL YOUR NETWORKED PCS. [ NICK PEERS ]

HOMEGROUPS ARE MICROSOFT’S solution to the tricky task of sharing files, printers and devices over networks. Once set up, they make it easy to choose what to share with others, plus access shared content from across your network, all without having to log onto shared folders or get bogged down in tricky network settings. Once set up, you can easily browse the contents of other people’s PCs through File Explorer — just expand the HomeGroups entry in the left-hand pane to get started. There’s more good news, too: HomeGroups don’t lock out other platforms, so MacOS and Linux users can access any folder you share with your HomeGroup — they’ll appear as regular shared folders, and you’ll need your Windows username or Microsoft Account email address and password to access them. Read on to find out how...

[STEP BY STEP]

SET UP AND MANAGE A HOMEGROUP

01

ACCESS HOMEGROUP SETTINGS

The HomeGroup Control Panel can be accessed in different ways — you can click ‘Start > Settings > Network & Internet’ in the Anniversary Edition, for example, or search for ‘homegroup’ in the Cortana Search box. If you have an earlier version of Windows, right-click the network icon in the Taskbar Notification area and choose ‘Open Network and Sharing Centre > HomeGroup’. [ 094 ]

02

CREATE A HOMEGROUP

Each network can support one HomeGroup at a time. If one isn’t present, click the ‘Create a homegroup’ button to get started. Click ‘Next’ to choose what libraries (Pictures, Videos, Music and Documents), USB-connected printers and devices you want to share (you can change these settings later). Make your choices, then click ‘Next’. Make a note of the password and click ‘Finish’.

CHANGE PASSWORD

The default password is randomly generated — it’s a strong one, so sharing this with others is the best step forward, but if you want to change it, you can from the main HomeGroup Control Panel — click ‘Change the password…’ twice, then type a more memorable (but still strong) password or click the ‘Refresh’ button to randomly generate another. Click ‘Next’ followed by ‘Finish’.

05

JOIN A HOMEGROUP

Share the password with other members of your network and steer them to the same HomeGroup Control Panel. They’ll see a different screen — instead of creating a HomeGroup, they’ll be invited to join yours using the password you generated earlier. Once they’ve joined, they can choose which libraries and devices to share from their PC and configure media access as you did.

07

SHARE OUTSIDE THE HOMEGROUP

You can also share folders in the usual way — right-click the folder and select ‘Share with > Specific people…’ Start typing a username or click the down button to select a person from the list given (‘Everyone’ basically makes the folder publicly visible and available). Once selected, click the person’s entry to determine their level of access, then repeat for others. Click ‘Share’. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

04

SHARE MEDIA

If you’d like network media devices to be able to directly play music, photos and video you’ve shared, click ‘Allow all devices on this network such as TVs and game consoles to play my shared content’. Turn on media streaming, then choose a library name to identify your media on the network, plus choose which devices have access to your media from those detected.

06

HELP STATION SHARE SECURELY IN WINDOWS WITH HOME GROUPS

03

SHARE MORE FOLDERS

Want to share a specific folder with your HomeGroup or another specific user (for access from a non-Windows 7 device)? Browse to the folder in File Explorer, then right-click and select ‘Share with’. Choose ‘Homegroup (view)’ for read-only access, or ‘Homegroup (view and edit)’ for full access. The folder will then appear under your name in the HomeGroup folder.

08

TWEAK HOMEGROUP SETTINGS

Return to the HomeGroup Control Panel to make changes to your HomeGroup. Most of the options are self-explanatory — note, if you change the password, you’ll need to tell everyone in your HomeGroup. Click ‘Change advanced sharing settings…’ to access more options — expand ‘All Networks’ for additional tweaks, including disabling Public Folder sharing. [ 095 ]

HELP STATION ORGANISE PHOTOS IN MACOS SIERRA [ MAC ]

Organise photos in macOS Sierra MACOS SIERRA 10.12 MAKES IT MUCH EASIER TO FIND YOUR PICTURES. [ ALAN STONEBRIDGE ]

WHETHER YOU’RE A hobbyist or a pro, photography is such a popular activity that it’s no wonder that some of Sierra’s biggest changes are in the Photos app. These improvements go further than previous changes, which addressed shortcomings that stemmed from Apple replacing the app’s popular predecessor, iPhoto, and starting fromscratch with its photo management tool. One of the most prominent new features is Memories, which live in an eponymous tab in theapp’s toolbar. Over time, the app picks out collections of pictures it thinks you might want tosee again, typically comprised of pictures takenon or around the same date or around aparticular location. You can scroll through this automaticallygenerated timeline to look back at all the memories the app has picked out. However, [ 096 ]

that’ll only get more unwieldy as the timeline getslonger, so the app enables you to add a memory to a collection of your favorites, which are stored in a folder in the Albums tab. The app also lets you delete a memory if you disagree thatit’s something you’ll want to lookat often — perhaps there are one or two interesting images in it, but many more that you’re not that fond of. Note that this only deletes the memory; itscontents remain in your photo library. A memory can be played as a slideshow by opening it and then clicking the toolbar’s Play button, but there’s no option there to export it asa movie to share with others. However, click the adjacent ‘+’ button, choose ‘Slideshow’, make afew decisions, and the slideshow is saved to theProjects tab. Select it there, then choose ‘File>Export > Export Slideshow’.

INTELLIGENT ANALYSIS Photos’ other big new feature is automatic analysis of your photos — not just so you can thenbrowse them by the people they contain, like in previous versions, but so you can search for pictures that contain a specific object or kind of scene. Until your entire library has been scanned, the People album will show a count of how many photos have been scanned and how many remain. Analysis takes place when your Mac is connected to power and Photos isn’t open. Open ‘Activity Monitor’, click the CPU tab and find photoanalysis; it’s responsible for analysis. Notice it’s suspended while Photos is open and resumes itsduties as soon as you quit the app.

[STEP BY STEP]

HELP STATION ORGANISE PHOTOS IN MACOS SIERRA

REVISIT PHOTOS IN SIERRA

01

OLD MEMORIES

Photos adds to the Memories tab over time, so keep returning to that tab tosee what it has picked out for you. As time goes by, you’ll see it fill up with large thumbnails, each with their relevant date emblazoned across their middle.

04

ADD MOMENTS

To add a memory to your favorites in the Albums tab, right-click itinthe timeline and choose ‘Add to Favourite Memories’ — or click that at the bottom of its overview. Both places also offer an option to delete the memory.

07

SEARCH OPTIONS

Sierra’s version of Photos also recognises thousand of types ofobject and scene. In the search bar, enter text such as “beach”, “tree” or “no people”. The search engine is basic, so you can’t enter two separate terms.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

02

AT A GLANCE

Double-click a memory to open it, then scroll down to see the pictures that Photos has decided belong together, people it has identified in them, a map showing where the photos were taken, and related memories.

05

PLAY AS A SLIDESHOW

Memories aren’t just about gathering pics in album-like groups. At one’s overview, click the toolbar’s Play button, choose a theme — this includes a score, which you can swap for a track from iTunes — and click ‘Play Slideshow’.

08

03

SEE THEM ON A MAP

If photos in a memory have location data attached, they’ll be plotted on a map. Double-click the map for a closer look, or click ‘Show Nearby Photos’ to have the app reveal more from nearby, but perhaps not in this memory.

06

BROWSE BY PERSON

Under Albums, open the People album to see detected faces. Put the pointer over one, click ‘Add Name’ and type. Click ‘Add People’ to see more; ifseveral are the same person, hold Command, click them, then ‘Merge & Add’.

SEARCH RESULTS

Among the list of search results will be matching items, including slight variations on the term you entered (such as “palm tree”), and counts of matches in each category. Click a search result to see all matching photos.

MAKE A PROJECT FROM A MEMORY

To use a memory as the basis for a calendar, book, card or some other project, open its overview, click ‘+’ inthetoolbar and choose an option.

[ 097 ]

HELP STATION GET RICHER NOTIFICATION IN IOS 10

[ IOS ]

Get richer notification in iOS 10 LEARN HOW TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS WITH IOS 10’S IMPROVED NOTIFICATIONS. [ ALAN STONEBRIDGE ]

THE BASICS OF notifications haven’t changed much in iOS10. They still appear for a moment in a strip across the top of the screen when your device is unlocked, accumulate in Notification Centre and are shown on the Lock screen so you can attend to any you might have ignored or missed from one place later on. They also still display numbered counts on apps’ Home screen icons to remind you of how many missed events you’ve got to catch up on. But theupdated operating system enables apps toprovide more than just a bit of text and a few actions you might take in response. For example, when youreceive a text message, as well as responding to it in place, you can scroll back through your conversation to checkwhat was previously said. These capabilities apply to third-partyapps from the App Store too, and provide you with much greater control without the need to pull you out of an app.

Notifications work largely thesame across all iOS devices, but your iPhone is a 6s/6s Plus or 7/7 Plus, 3D Touch provides you with a more consistent experience for dealing with things like notifications, from the Lock screen or a banner. Notice that there are no longer tabs at the top of Notification Centre for moving between the Today view and Notifications. The Today view is still present: you only have to swipe left to right on Notification Centre to find it. So on aPlus-size iPhone, you can reach and interact with the Today view much more easily while using your device one-handed. The Today view is also available at the Lock screen. Just swipe left to right to view it. Finally, after you’ve configured an app in ‘Settings > Notifications’, tap its name in the bottom group at the top level of Settings; often the same controls are repeated here, but occasionally you’ll find extras. Also check any configuration page within the app itself.

[STEP BY STEP]

WORK WITH NOTIFICATIONS

01

SET UP APP NOTIFICATIONS

To configure notifications for any app that uses them, go to ‘Settings > Notifications’ and tap the app’s name. Each has the same basic set of options. Some provide extras, such as previewing messages on the Lock screen. [ 098 ]

02

REFINE YOUR CHOICES

To disable all notifications from an app, switch off ‘Allow Notifications’. Otherwise, set whether items appear on the Lock screen, are added to Notification Centre, play a sound or show as a badge on the app’s icon.

HELP STATION GET RICHER NOTIFICATION IN IOS 10

03

RESPOND TO A BANNER

When a banner (or alert) appears at the top of the screen, tap it to go to the relevant place in the corresponding app, or swipe down from it (or apply 3D Touch if your device has it) to respond from where you are.

05

RICHER NOTIFICATIONS

iOS 10 enables apps to show richer content when you open a notification in place, instead of going to its corresponding app. If your device has 3D touch just press hard to pop open the richer view.

07

CLEAR OLD NOTIFICATIONS

Regardless of whether your device has 3DTouch, at the Lock screen or in Notification Centre you can dismiss an item by swiping left on it and tapping Clear. Depending on the app, other commands may be available here, too. [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

04

OPENING NOTIFICATIONS

At the Lock screen, swipe right on an item to jump to the corresponding place in itsapp todeal with it. To respond to one in Notification Centre, tap it instead, as swiping right there will take you to the Today view.

06

WITHOUT 3D TOUCH

On devices without 3D Touch, you can swipe right to left on the notification to reveal an option to View the notification. Tap this and you get the same rich notifcation view as if you’d used 3D Touch.

08

CLEAR ALL NOTIFICATIONS

Notification Centre groups old items by reverse order of date. To clear a whole group of items, tap the ‘x’ to the right of its heading. To get rid of all notifications, apply 3D Touch toan ‘x’ and then tap Clear All. [ 099 ]

HELP STATION HOW TO USE DEVELOPER MODE

[ ANDROID ]

How to use Android’s Developer Mode DISCOVER THE BEST FEATURES OF THIS HIDDEN AND USEFUL MODE ON YOUR ANDROID DEVICE. [ LINDSAY HANDMER ]

REGULAR READERS OF our Android guides will have noticed that we, on occasion, refer to Developer Mode that is needed to enable a specific function. But for those who like to tweak and experiment with their Android experience, Developer Mode has a lot to offer. Don’t let the name fool you, there are plenty of features that are not just aimed at actual developers. Better yet, nothing special is needed to turn it on, and it can’t damage your phone — though it can cause bugs, until turned back off. Just think of developer mode as some advanced but hidden options. Of course, not everything in the mode is useful to everyday users, so read on to find out about the best features.

ENABLE / DISABLE DEVELOPER MODE In this guide, we will focus on Android Marshmallow and Nougat, but developer mode also has some options available for older versions. Keep in mind that playing with some of the available features can adversely affect performance or battery life, but it can always be turned off. Google also adds and removes

Adjusting the Animation Scales can give a faster, snappier Android experience.

[ 100 ]

different Developer Mode options with updates, so the availability can change, or new features can be introduced. To enable Developer Mode, head to Settings, then swipe down to the bottom and tap ‘About phone’. Swipe down again until you see Build number, and start tapping it. After seven taps, a little prompt will pop up, saying “You are now a developer”. Head back to the Settings menu, and there will now be an extra entry — Developer options. Depending on your exact version of Android, the options vary, but we’ve covered the most useful features. There are loads more options that we can touch on, but many require more in-depth knowledge to get much use from. To disable Developer Mode, just open up the menu and hit the off switch. To actually remove the menu entry, go to ‘Settings > Apps’, scroll down to and tap Settings, then tap Storage and ‘CLEAR DATA’, then select OK.

USB CONFIGURATION When you plug your Android device into a PC, it will automatically enter a specific mode,

Under Developer Options, you can limit how many background processes can run at once, to alleviate performance problems.

such as charging only or data transfer. This option allows you to set the default action to data transfer if it is not already, or one of the other lesser used options.

ANIMATIONS SCALES To make things pretty, Android animates transitions — such as switching between apps or opening up menus. On a slow phone, these sometimes take too long, giving a sluggish feel. To help make Android seem faster, you can turn the animation scales down, which gives a snappier feel. They can also be turned off completely, but note that this can cause bugs with some apps.

GPS SPOOFING Many apps automatically record your location, but it is actually possible to give a fake location. While not inherently useful outside of app testing, it can be a fun way to make people think you really are in that exotic location posted on Facebook. You need a GPS Spoofer app such as Fake GPS Location (droiddeveloper.blogspot.com.au) installed first.

Tap the Build number (under ‘About phone’) seven times to enable Developer Mode.

HELP STATION HOW TO USE DEVELOPER MODE

Selecting a mock location app allows you to create a fake GPS location.

‘Simulate secondary displays’ allows you to run your phone as if it has a different resolution screen.

DEVELOPER MODE HAS A LOT TO OFFER. DON’T LET THE NAME FOOL YOU, THERE ARE PLENTY OF FEATURES THAT ARE NOT JUST AIMED AT ACTUAL DEVELOPERS. BETTER YET, NOTHING SPECIAL IS NEEDED TO TURN IT ON.

Developer mode is great for tweaking, but Recovery Mode is the real saviour when it comes to fixing certain issues. Upon a reboot of the phone, it enters a troubleshooting-focused menu before the operating system. The exact options available will depend on your model of smartphone and Android version, but there are some core features. For example, you can use the Android Debug Bridge to attempt recovery using a PC, sideload an update, wipe the cache partition or reboot back into the OS. As a matter of last resort, you can also perform a factory reset from Recovery Mode. For those who want to get a bit more hands-on, there is a range of custom Android recovery options developed by the open-source community. The method for entering Recovery Mode varies from device to device — so just Google your specific brand. For example, for a Samsung Galaxy device, once powered off, press and hold the power button, volume up and home button, then release once the Samsung logo appears.

‘USB configuration’ allows the default action when plugged into a computer to be changed.

RECOVERY MODE

Then choose the app under the ‘Select mock location app’ menu entry.

ADVANCED GRAPHICS OPTIONS Under developer options, there is a switch to force your smartphone to use higher-end graphics processing. It’s called Force 4x MSAA (multisample anti-aliasing). The effect is only really useful for particularly graphically intensive games and apps on a smartphone with a powerful GPU. The result is slightly better looking, and smoother visuals, at the cost of reduced battery life, and a hotter running phone.

RECORD YOUR SCREEN Ever wondered how people create those YouTube videos of Android gaming, or other [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

tutorials? It’s possible in Developer Mode, without needing root access. You need to turn on USB Debugging, and download and run Android Studio (developer.android.com) to a PC. Your phone needs to be connect in Camera (PTP) mode. Follow a guide if you’re not sure, or to learn about options such showing touches.

LIMIT BACKGROUND PROCESSES With some apps using a lot of resources when running in the background, you can limit how many can be active at once. The option is called ‘Background process limit’, and can be set from none to 4. This is an easy way to help see if performance is improved. This doesn’t stop apps that auto-run (such as checking email), but can cause bugs.

OTHER USEFUL OPTIONS ‘Stay awake’ keeps your screen on when charging, which can be useful for certain tasks. ‘Convert to file encryption’ does as the name suggests. ‘Automatic system updates’ lets the update process run in the background without prompts. ‘Bug report shortcut’ adds a report button for bugs in the power menu. ‘Show taps’ and ‘Pointer location’ give interesting visual feedback on where you are touching. ‘USB debugging’ turns on the Android Debug Bridge for more advanced options when plugged into a PC. Simulate secondary displays allows you to see what a different resolution would look like on specific apps. ‘Running services’ allows you to view and control different services. But there’s even more to discover for yourselves! [ 101 ]

HELP STATION MAKE YOUR PHONE ANONYMOUS WITH ORBOT

[ PRIVACY AND SECURITY ]

Make your Android phone anonymous with Orbot HIDE YOUR ONLINE IDENTITY WHILE ON THE GO WITH YOUR ANDROID DEVICE. [ NATHAN TAYLOR ]

GIVEN THE SUBJECT of this column, it’s no surprise that we’ve talked extensively about Tor, the anonymising network that’s used by the security conscious to hide their online identity from both inquisitive governments and prying websites. What you may not know is that Tor is also available for Android in the form of Orbot, and this month, we’re talking about getting it up and running. You don’t need to have a rooted phone for Orbot to work (and we’re going to assume here

that you don’t), but if you do have a rooted phone, then Orbot does become more powerful, and somewhat easier to use since you can just enable universal mode and have all your internet traffic routed through Tor. On a non-rooted phone, however, you do have to set up apps to use it. We should also note here that Orbot is not available at all for iOS. There is an app (for $1.49) called Onion Browser that uses Tor and has ported over some of Orbot’s libraries,

but it’s not open-source and we can’t confirm its security.

HOW ORBOT WORKS In terms of its network access, Orbot simply implements the Tor protocol, the same one used in desktop version of Tor. It’s fully interoperable with the Tor network, routing data through several other Tor users to anonymise it before it gets to its destination. That way not even your ISP knows what sites you visit, and sites have no way to identify you. Locally, it’s more complicated. On a non-rooted phone, Android won’t allow an app to take over internet routing for other apps. So Orbot can’t normally route data from, say, your Twitter app. One way it gets around this is by creating a local proxy — a kind of web service that routes data through it. You have to configure your apps to point at the Orbot proxy, after which, they will route data through it. More recently, it has also added an ‘Apps VPN proxy’ mode, which uses your phone’s VPN tool. Instead of an actual VPN, it sets up Tor as a VPN, potentially letting any app use it.

SETTING UP ORBOT Orbot just runs in the background. There’s not much to do in the app itself.

The ‘World’ and ‘Apps VPN Mode’ switches.

[ 102 ]

The first thing to do is grab Orbot from Google Play and install it. Orbot is designed to run in the background and appears as a widget in the notifications bar. Launching it simply

Select the apps you want routed through Orbot.

HELP STATION MAKE YOUR PHONE ANONYMOUS WITH ORBOT

Use a long press on the network name to access the settings.

Orbot uses Android’s built-in VPN system to route data from other apps.

Set a manual proxy, then the host name to localhost (or 127.0.0.1) and the port to 8118.

shows you a screen with the logo and a Stop and Browse button (the latter launches your browser). It’s configured by default to start when your phone starts; you can turn that off by tapping on the vertical ellipsis and going into settings. Unusually for a Tor client, you can also change your apparent location — kind of like the way many VPN services do. Swipe from the left and tap on World (Location) to set a location. You can actually see full routing information in the notifications bar.

APPS VPN MODE Orbot’s ‘Apps VPN’ mode is still classified as experimental and still has a number of issues (like dropouts and DNS leaks) that prevent it from being really secure. But it is much easier to set up than the proxy method, and works for more apps. Simply swipe in from the left to see the control bar. Then tap on the button next to ‘Apps VPN Mode’ to turn it on. You’ll see a list of all the internet apps you have on the device (including system apps), you can check individual apps, or select them all using the select all button. Tap on back — Orbot will give you a notification that this mode is not fully secure — and click on ‘Activate’. Android will then pop up a warning that Orbot is trying to set up a VPN (you should allow it). Now, if you head into your Android network settings, you’ll see a new VPN — Orbot has used Android’s built-in VPN tool to create one. That VPN will route data [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

Any browser you use — including Chrome — should now use Tor.

ORFOX

So this seems like an awful lot of trouble. If you just want Tor for your web browsing, you can skip Orbot completely and just download Orfox from Google Play. Like the desktop Tor Browser, Orfox is built on Mozilla Firefox and has Tor baked in. If you’re browsing using Orfox, then you’re using Tor.

through the Tor network for all the apps you’ve selected. It’s not a real VPN — it’s just a bit of Orbot fakery to get Android to cooperate. As we mentioned, this is not the most effective way to use Orbot, but if your app does not have proxy settings, it may be the only way with what you have available.

SETTING UP THE PROXY Now for the proper, truly secure way to use Orbot. You have to configure your apps (at least those that support using a Proxy) to use this address as a proxy: 127.0.0.1:8118 That’s an IP address, 127.0.0.1, also known as ‘localhost’ since it points back at the device it’s on (you can actually just type “localhost” into the address field), and port 8118. Let’s walk through setting it up for your browser. For browsers, we use the Android proxy settings. The same method is used on stock Android, as well as TouchWiz (though they look different, the process is the same). * Go to your Wi-Fi settings. Find your current Wi-Fi network and perform a long press to

bring up the options for that network. Then tap on ‘Modify network config’. * Next, tap on Show advanced options. * Scroll the window down to find the Proxy setting. Tap on it, and change it to ‘Manual’. Scroll down a bit more to see the Proxy fields. * Under Proxy host name, enter “localhost”. Under Proxy port enter 8118 * Save the settings. * Open your browser and go to check. torproject.org. Hopefully it should tell you that you’re using Tor. Most likely, this method will only work for your web browser. For other apps, you’ll probably have to configure their proxy settings individually. In Twitter, for instance, on the login page, you can tap on the vertical ellipsis and select ‘Proxy’. Enable the HTTP proxy and enter the Proxy Host (localhost) and Proxy Port (8118). Then you should be good to go.

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HELP STATION SET UP PARENTAL CONTROLLS ON YOUR ROUTER

[ HOME NETWORKING ]

Set up parental controls on your router LEARN HOW TO QUICKLY AND EASILY BLOCK ACCESS TO ADULT AND ILLEGAL CONTENT USING YOUR ROUTER’S BUILT-IN CONTROLS. [NATHAN TAYLOR]

ALTHOUGH FOR PROPER parental controls, we’d absolutely recommend a software solution like Norton Family (family.norton. com) or Bitdefender Parental Control (www.bitdefender.com.au), many users would prefer to set up parental control on the router. It’s more limited and less granular than the software solutions, but it does provide a global access control, as well as having the advantage of being free. Setting parental controls on a router is a multi-stage process. First comes the site filtering, for which most people use OpenDNS. Then you have internet access scheduling, which can be more complicated. We’ll start with OpenDNS.

SITE FILTERING WITH OPENDNS OpenDNS (opendns.com) is a special service that offers a “custom internet feed” that limits access to sites according to content rules (like no nudity or hate speech). Netgear routers actually have it baked in using the genie App, but for other routers, just follow these steps: * Go to signup.opendns.com/homefree. Create an account, then log in. * Go to Settings. Select a network in the ‘Settings For:’ field. * Set your content filtering level. You can use the predefined levels or click Customize to get more granular control over filtering. * Click on the Support tab, then Download the OpenDNS Updater for your platform. This is a small resident app that keeps OpenDNS apprised of your current IP address (as we discussed in our DNS story last issue, this is so that OpenDNS knows that it’s you, and can apply your personal filters to any request coming from your IP). * Run OpenDNS Updater and log in with your OpenDNS account. You don’t have to do anything else — the app just needs to be running. Just click on the close button (it will stay running in your taskbar). * Now we need to set up your router to use OpenDNS. You need to log into your router’s admin page, which can be found in your router’s manual. [ 104 ]

Set your filtering level.

The DNS settings are usually found in the router’s DHCP settings (those are the settings for autoconfiguring devices that attach to the router).

This part is tricky, because manufacturers do it differently. You have to find the router’s DNS settings. * On Linksys routers, they’re usually found under ‘Connectivity > Local Network’, under the DHCP server field. * On D-Link, click on ‘Setup > Manual Internet Connection Setup’ and change only

To get around OpenDNS filtering, set an individual device’s DNS server settings to 8.8.8.8.

the DNS server fields under Dynamic IP.

* On most ASUS routers, click on ‘LAN >

DHCP Server’ and look for the DNS server field. * On Netgear, click on ‘Basic Settings’, then Use these DNS servers. * On TP-Link, click on ‘DHCP’ in the lefthand panel, then on ‘DHCP Settings’.

On TP-Link, and many other routers, you identify devices using their MAC address.

Once you’ve found manufacturer does it a YOU PROBABLY WANT the router’s DNS field, little differently: TO HAVE DEVICES THAT change the numbers to On Linksys routers, ARE EXEMPT FROM THE 208.67.222.222 you can find it under OPENDNS RULES. THE (primary) and Parental Controls, and SOLUTION IS EASY: YOU JUST 208.67.220.220 you can set a schedule NEED TO MANUALLY SET THE (secondary). This will of blocked times and DNS ON ANY DEVICE THAT YOU also restrict sites. point your router at DON’T WANT TO BE FILTERED. the OpenDNS servers. You identify devices You may have to by their network name reboot your router. (which actually makes it easy to avoid), though Once you’ve done this, every device that on older Linksys routers, it uses MAC uses automatic network configuration (DHCP) addresses. should be told to use those DNS servers (and On TP-Link routers, click on Parental thereby get the filtered feed) when they Controls on the left, then the ‘+’ button to add connect to your router. You may have to reboot a rule. You identify devices by their MAC the device or disconnect/reconnect to update. address (see below) and can set a weekly And that’s it — you should be set up. You access schedule. can check that it’s working by opening the On ASUS routers, it’s similar to TP-Link. OpenDNS Updater — the Using OpenDNS You’ll find it under Parental Controls and field should confirm that it’s operational. you’ll set access rules based on MAC One last thing — you probably want to have addresses. devices that are exempt from the OpenDNS On D-Link routers, it’s a little hidden. rules. The solution is easy: you just need to You’ll have to go first to the Tools tab a click manually set the DNS on any device that you on Schedules to create a new Schedule. don’t want to be filtered. Then go to the Advanced tab and click on Find your device’s network settings and Access Control. Then you create a new Access manually configure the DNS to 8.8.8.8, which Control rule, apply the Schedule you just is Google’s DNS. In Windows, you can find it created to it and assign devices to the rule under ‘Settings > Network & Internet > based on their MAC address. Change Adapter Options’. Right click on your On Netgear routers, time-based access network adapter and select Properties, then controls are a little backward, using a global click on ‘Internet Protocol Version 4’, then schedule with exceptions. That is to say, all Properties. Check the ‘Use the following DNS devices are blocked unless an exception is server addresses’ radio button and enter 8.8.8.8 made (based on the IP address). You go to in the first field. ‘Advanced > Security-Schedule’ and create an access schedule. Then under Block Sites, create TIME CONTROLS a blocking regime and then allow a trusted IP In addition to website filtering, most routers address to access the sites. Or you can use the also allow you to set access times for specific genie App to manually block users, which is users, cutting them off from the internet probably a better solution. according to a preset schedule. Unfortunately, there’s no universal guide here — every router [ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

HELP STATION SET UP PARENTAL CONTROLLS ON YOUR ROUTER

Use the command prompt to find your MAC address on Windows.

ABOUT THE MAC ADDRESS So a lot of time-based controls use MAC addresses to identify devices. We should explain what that is. Every Ethernet and wireless device in the world has a unique identifier, the media access control (MAC) address. This address is how devices identify each other on your local network — kind of like an IP address, but only for the local network and permanently fixed. It’s a string of 12 hexadecimal characters, typically listed something like a1:b2:c3:d4:e5:f6. Many network devices will actually come with a sticker on the outside detailing their MAC address. If you want to find the MAC address of a Windows 10 PC, first check if there’s a sticker on the device with the MAC address. If not, then go to ‘Settings > Network & Internet’. Click on Ethernet or Wi-Fi (depending on whether you’re wired or wireless), then click on the name of the network adapter. You’ll see the MAC address next to the Physical Address field. On older versions of Windows (as well as Windows 10), you can also use the command prompt. Type “cmd” into the run bar to bring up a command prompt. Then type ipconfig / all into the command window. This will show you the IP address and MAC address of all the network components of you PC. The MAC address is listed next to Physical Address entry. On iOS devices, you can find the MAC address under ‘Settings > General > About’ (it’s listed as the Wi-Fi address). On Android, go to ‘Settings > About Tablet/Phone > Status’ and look for Wi-Fi MAC address. And on Macs, go to ‘System Preferences > Network’, click on the connection type, then on Advanced. Finally, click on the ‘Hardware/ Ethernet/AirPort’ tab.

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HELP STATION MASTER YOUR DSLR: IMAGE SENSORS

Millions of pixels make up a digital image. The morethere are, the more fine detail is recorded.

[ PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS ]

Master your DSLR: image sensors HOW DOES YOUR CAMERA TURN LIGHT THAT’S PIPED THROUGH THE LENS INTO A DIGITAL IMAGE? [ TECHLIFE TEAM ]

WHILE AUTOFOCUS ACCURACY and speed, continuous shooting rate, buffer size and build quality are all important considerations when choosing a camera, it’s actually the performance of the camera’s imaging sensor that really matters most. How the sensor responds to the light collected by the lens is key to the quality of your photographs, with the degree of detail the sensor is capable of resolving, the range of brightness it can record and the amount of noise that’s created laying the foundations for the final, processed image. Your camera’s sensor is made up ofmillions of individual light-sensitive photosites, commonly referred to as pixels. These can be minute — a fraction of the widthof a human hair in size — and each onegenerates a distinct electrical signal inresponse to the luminance or brightness ofthe light that [ 106 ]

it’s exposed to. The more pixels that a sensor has, the higher its resolution. Images recorded in ahigher resolution will be larger, able to hold more fine detail and allow you to crop the picture to change the composition or enlarge an object while still retaining a usable image size. But cramming more pixels onto a sensor can have a detrimental effect on image quality too. It’s all down to the sensor’s size and the signal-to-noise ratio. On a camera with a small high-resolution sensor, the photosites will be smaller and more densely packed together. As a result, they capture less light compared with the amount of noise or interference recorded. Larger sensors enable the use of larger photosites, which capture more light. As aresult, the signal-to-noise ratio is higher. This is why the pictures produced by a high-res smartphone camera will look worse, particularly in low

light, than those captured by a SLR that shares the same pixel count. In addition to capturing more light and having the potential to produce a ‘cleaner’ image at higher ISOs, larger sensors affect your pictures in other ways. In general, the larger the sensor, the more likely the image will be rendered with greater fine detail, smoother colours and a broader range of tones. Larger sensors also make it easier toachieve a tighter depth of field, too. The type of sensor has an impact too. CCD (charge-coupled device) sensors used to be the preferred choice for their dynamic range and handling of noise, but these days, most camera sensors use CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology. CMOS requires less power to operate, so is well-suited to the fast burst speeds required of sporty SLRs.

HOW A DIGITAL IMAGE IS CREATED

EVEN THOUGH YOUR CAMERA IS A DIGITAL DEVICE, THE SENSOR IS AN ANALOGUE COMPONENT.

08

STORAGE

07

BUFFER

HELP STATION MASTER YOUR DSLR: IMAGE SENSORS

It generates an electrical signal that can be manipulated by electronic circuitry, such as increasing the ISO to amplify the signal similar to how you’d adjust the volume on a radio. The analogue signal has to be converted to digital data before the image can be stored on the memory card. With JPEGs, each photosite records 8 bits of data, which work out as 256 shades of brightness. Raw files can store 12 or 14 bits, which equates to 4,096 and 16,384 brightness levels respectively for each pixel.

The camera temporarily stores images here while itwrites them to the memory card. 04

ANALOGUE ELECTRONICS

02

MOSAIC FILTER

The photosites on the sensor measure the brightness of the light but they can’t detect light. Agrid of primary colour filters in front of the sensor helps to fix this.

06

IMAGE PROCESSOR

The camera’s digital imaging engine crunches the data created for every image.

05

ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTER

03

This is the point at which the analogue electrical signal from the sensor is turned into digital data.

IMAGING SENSOR

The surface of the sensor is covered in millions of pixels, each of which creates its own electrical signal when exposed to light.

01

SUBJECT

Light reflected off the subject iscaptured and focused by the lens attached to the camera.

Each photosite has a red, green orblue filter over it. These are typically arranged in a mosaic pattern called a Bayer array, with alternating rows of red and green, green and blue. There are more green filters because the human eye is more sensitive to green light, and the image appears sharper as a result. Each photosite records one colour, but a de-mosaicing process turns this single colour data into the full-colour grid ofpixels in the recorded images.

R

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ANTI-ALIASING FILTERS

Until recently, all cameras had an anti-aliasing (AA) oroptical low-pass filter (OLF) over the sensor. These soften fine details that are beyond the resolving capabilities of the sensor. Without an AA filter inplace, moiré — an oily, wavy pattern — is visible on finely detailed surfaces. Many SLRs, including the Canon 5DS R, left, are being released without an AA filter, orwith a second filter that counteracts itseffects, to allow more fine detail to be recorded at the expense of increased moiré.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

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SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO

HELP STATION MASTER YOUR DSLR: IMAGE SENSORS

NOISE IS A NECESSARY EVIL WHEN YOU’RE DEALING WITH DIGITAL CAMERAS, BUTLARGER SENSORS PRODUCE LESS NOISE. HERE’S WHY… The amount of noise is the same forboth small photosites and large ones, but smaller photosites capture fewer photons — the smallest particles of light. This means that, proportionally, there is more noise and, therefore, the signal-to‑noise ratio is comparatively low. Larger sensors capture more photons in relation to the amount of noise, which means that they have a higher signal-to-noise ratio. The result? Larger sensors have a greater potential to produce ‘cleaner’ picturesat high ISOs.

SMALLER PHOTOSITE

The signal captured by the photosite consists ofphotons (yellow) and random noise (grey). The signal-to-noise ratio is higher. Images show more noise when shot at higher ISO settings, for example.

LARGER PHOTOSITE

Larger sensors produce less noise at high ISOs sensitivities. Larger photosites can also capture a wider range of brightness values. This improves the camera’s dynamic range.

SENSOR AND PHOTOSITE SIZE

THE ‘PIXEL PITCH’ IS THESIZE OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY EACH PHOTOSITE (PIXEL) ON THESENSOR. It’s a good guide to the size of the photosite, and you can work it out from the sensor’s physical dimensions and itsresolution inmegapixels.

APS-C

FULL-FRAME

NIKON D500

•APS-C sensor: 23.5mm x 15.7mm • Effective megapixels: 20.9 • Pixel pitch: 4.22 microns The smaller APS-C sized sensor contains smaller photosites or pixels.

[ 108 ]

NIKON D5

APS-C SENSOR

• Full-frame sensor: 35.9mm x 23.9mm • Effective megapixels: 20.8 • Pixel pitch: 6.45 microns Larger, full-frame sensors offer larger photosites for capturing more light.

FULL-FRAME SENSOR

One of the advantages of using acamera with interchangeable lenses is that you can swap lenses when you need to. But doing so exposes the inside of your camera— and that risks dust, pollen and other detritus from entering the camera body and finding its way to the sensor unit. Even the internal mechanical workings of a camera have the potential to leave an oily residue on the sensor. This sensor ‘dust’ appears as out-of-focus dark blobs in your pictures. It’s particularly noticeable inbright areas of a picture, such as the sky, and

when small apertures are used. Today’s built-in sensor shaking mechanisms are very good at removing loose particles, but you may eventually need to clean the sensor manually using specialist gear. If you’re concerned that you may scratch the surface of the sensor, then you can always leave ittothe professionals.

HELP STATION MASTER YOUR DSLR: IMAGE SENSORS

SENSOR PROBLEMS

THE IMAGING SENSOR IS AN EXPENSIVE PART OF YOUR CAMERA TO REPLACE IF IT GOES WRONG, SO IT’S WORTH TAKING CARE OF.

To reduce the chances of sensor dust, avoidchanging lenses in windy locations andswitch off the camera when you do so.

Another fairly common problem is hot pixels. You may notice these if you zoom into an image on the back of a camera. These pixels look much brighter than the rest and typically appear when you’re shooting at high ISOs or when the sensor heats up, such as during long exposures. Your sensor may also show dead or stuck pixels, which aren’t as bright. The answer is to shoot raw files, asAdobe Camera Raw and Lightroom should automatically hide these faulty pixels when you open the raw files.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ 109 ]

[ TECHLIFE #59 ]

BUYER’S GUIDE YOUR READY RECKONER TO THE BEST TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

The TechLife team finds the best budget, value and performance products, and the latest releases in the top technology categories. If you believe there are other products that deserve the title in any of the tech categories, let us know and give us your reasons why in 50 words or less. Equally, if there’s a hot new product that’s worthy of attention, we want to know. Send your email to [emailprotected]. NEW ENTRY

[ BEST BUDGET ]

ADSL ROUTERS (WITH MODEM)

D-Link DSL-2750U $45 | www.dlink.com.au

A basic-but-functional 300Mbps Wi-Fi ADSL router with four LAN ports. Good wireless range and coverage.

[ BEST VALUE ]

TP-Link Archer D7 $170 | www.tp-link.com.au

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

ASUS DSL-AC68U $310 | www.asus.com/au

The UI is a bit no-frills, but once set up, this is a very solid AC1900 router for a price well below the average.

It ain’t cheap, but if you want it all, this 802.11ac unit is fast and packed with handy enthusiast features.

[ BEST VALUE ]

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Billion BiPAC 8900AX $499 | au.billion.com

Billion’s joining the ‘$500 router’ club with this new AC2400 model, plus all the usual high-end features.

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Edimax BR-6478AC V2 $79 | www.edimax.com

NETWORKING EQUIPMENT

NETWORKING ACCESSORIES

BROADBAND ROUTERS (NO MODEM)

NEW ENTRY

Blitzes its cheaper competition with Gigabit Ethernet and 867Mbps Wi-Fi that delivers great wireless range.

TP-Link Archer C7 $150 | www.tp-link.com.au

This modemless version of the D7 (above) has all the basics you'll need to set up a 1,300Mbps AC network.

ASUS RT-AC87U

$300 | www.asus.com/au

This full-featured unit is overflowing with options and settings, plus it has super-fast wireless.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST WIRELESS EXTENDER ]

ASUS RP-AC68U

$230 | www.asus.com/au

With 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, this AC1900 Wi-Fi extender’s built-in LEDs help you figure out the best placement.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

ASUS RT-AC58U $150 | www.asus.com/au

It’s not technically AC1300 (only 867Mbps on 802.11ac) but this affordable router still packs ASUS’s great OS.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST WIRELESS BRIDGE ]

ASUS EA-AC87

$220 | www.asus.com/au

This bridge is a great way of linking up to four wired Gigabit devices to a 1,300Mbps AC network.

[ BEST POWERLINE ADAPTER (BUDGET) ]

TP-Link TL-PA8010P $125 | www.tp-link.com.au

A pair of 1,200Mbps adapters that proved to be both fast and affordable in our most-recent roundup.

[ BEST POWERLINE ADAPTER WITH WI-FI EXTENSION ]

Edimax HP-5102Wn

$65 per unit | www.edimax.com

This Fast Ethernet powerline adapter throws in an 802.11n Wi-Fi access point for both wired and wireless.

NETWORK ATTACHED STORAGE DEVICES

PRICE CHANGE

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[ BEST BUDGET ]

Netgear ReadyNAS RN102 $170 (diskless) | www.netgear.com.au

It’s not particularly new, but this two-bay NAS has the basics at an affordable price.

[ BEST VALUE ]

Asustor AS-3102T $360 (diskless) | www.asustor.com

This two-bay NAS offers excellent features and can double as a media player, with Kodi and HDMI-output to your TV.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

Synology DS916+ $690 (diskless) | www.synology.com

If you need more space, this four-bay model lets you install apps and can even transcode 4K videos.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

WD My Cloud Pro PR2100 From $850 (diskless) | www.wd.com

WD’s latest 2-bay consumer NAS offers baked-in Plex and video transcoding up to 4K.

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY WWW.GETPRICE.COM.AU

$299 | www.bose.com.au

It's on the expensive side, but this compact Bluetooth portable sounds amazing for its size.

[ BEST MULTIROOM SYSTEM ]

Sonos Play

From $299 | www.sonos.com

Sonos still offers the best multiroom speaker range, with the broadest support for streaming services.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Panasonic SC-ALL05 $449 | www.panasonic.com.au

The most flexible member of Panasonic’s new wireless speaker range, with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

[ BEST BUDGET ]

[ BEST VALUE ]

Shure SRH440

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X

$118 | www.jands.com.au

$185 | www.audio-technica.com.au

Bright, clear sound and great bang for buck.

A well-priced set of over-ear headphones with fantastic audio and detachable cables.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless $630 | en-au.sennheiser.com

[ BEST NOISE-CANCELLING ]

Bose QC35

$499 | www.bose.com.au

They’re not cheap, but the wireless Momentums are about the best over-ear cans money can buy.

These are the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy, with wellbalanced audio and superb comfort.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

MUSIC HEADPHONES

NEW ENTRY

BUYER’S GUIDE READY RECKONER

$99 | www.jawbone.com

At this new low price (available at JB Hi-Fi) the Mini Jambox is a robust, good-sounding portable unit.

[ BEST PORTABLE]

Bose SoundLink Mini II

WIRELESS SPEAKERS

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Jawbone Mini Jambox

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Epson EB-W32 $700 | www.epson.com.au

A super-bright, portable 3LCD, WXGA unit at a nice price. Cheap lamps, too.

[ BEST COMPACT TV ]

Samsung UA32K5500AW $630 | www.samsung.com/au

$185 | www.minix.com.hk

With support for 4K Blu-ray and Netflix streaming, the latest Xbox is a surprisingly capable media device.

[ BEST PORTABLE ]

[ BEST HOME THEATRE ]

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Epson EB-1761W $1,199 | www.epson.com.au

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

$900 | www.benq.com.au

ASUS P3B

$1,049 | www.asus.com/au

A high-brightness 1080p DLP projector that’s affordable and relatively compact.

This WXGA mini projector is surprisingly bright at 800 lumens and can run off batteries for 3 hours.

[ BEST BUDGET TV ]

[ BEST MAINSTREAM TV ]

[ BEST PREMIUM TV ]

Hisense K3110PW $800 | hisense.com.au

NEW ENTRY

$400 | www.acer.com.au

BenQ MH530

One of the most compact ‘full-size’ projectors, this WXGA unit is only 1.7kg and new lamps are just $120.

UPDATE

This inexpensive 14-inch laptop will do the basics, with a 500GB HDD and Pentium CPU.

From $399 | www.xbox.com

The recently updated Apple TV now has its own dedicated app store and more processing power.

A compelling mix of size (50 inches), value and visuals: a solid all-rounder at a very keen price.

[ BEST BUDGET ]

From $269 | www.apple.com/au

Xbox One S

With 4K output, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and access to the Google Play Store, this is a very flexible Android-powered player.

This compact and inexpensive 1080p 32-inch telly has fantastic visuals and a great interface.

Acer Aspire ES1-431-P2SZ

Apple TV

[ BEST ULTRABOOK ]

Dell XPS 13 (2016) From $1,899 | www.dell.com.au

This new XPS 13 delivers great battery life alongside the fantastic keyboard, trackpad and tough build quality.

LG 55UH770T

$2,000 | www.lg.com/au

With 4K and HDR, this LED-backlit IPS 55-incher provides fantastic image quality.

[ BEST GAMING ]

Gigabyte P57X v6 $2,799 | www.gigabyte.com.au

With a full GTX 1070 GPU, this huge 17-inch is the fastest gaming laptop we’ve ever tested.

DATA PROJECTORS

$50 | play.google.com

Google’s updated wireless HDMI dongle is now 802.11ac and makes it easy to stream online media content to your TV.

[ BEST VALUE ]

Minix Neo X8H Plus

LG OLED55B6T

$4,000 | www.lg.com/au

LG’s slightly more-affordable flat 55-inch OLED 4K offers outstanding picture quality.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Venom Blackbook 15 Zero From $1,799 | www.mln.com.au

This slimmer 15-inch laptop aims to let you go anywhere but still have a full-sized computing experience.

LAPTOPS, TABLETS & SMARTPHONES LAPTOPS TVS

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Google Chromecast 2

PERSONAL & HOME AV GEAR NETWORK MEDIA PLAYERS

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SMARTPHONES: ENTRY-LEVEL

$299 | www.microsoft.com

With 4G, a 5-inch OLED screen and Windows 10 Mobile, this is a solid entry-level choice for MS fans.

[ BEST BUDGET ANDROID ]

Motorola Moto G4 Play $280 | www.motorola.com.au

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

Oppo R7s

$399 (16GB) | www.oppo.com

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Motorola Moto G4 Plus $390 (16GB) | www.motorola.com.au

A basic dual-SIM (2G/4G) phone with a 5-inch 720p LCD, 16GB storage and even microSD slot.

This Android-powered unit has a 5.5-inch IPS 1080p display, solid performance and a stylish design.

Moto’s big 5.5-inch G4 Plus has a 1080p display and a respectable Snapdragon CPU.

[ BEST BIG SCREEN ]

[ BEST PREMIUM — TIED ]

[ BEST PREMIUM — TIED ]

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

From $1,149 | www.samsung.com/au

From $1,149 | www.samsung.com/au

NEW ENTRY

TABLETS & 2-IN-1S SMARTPHONES: (ENTRY LEVEL) PREMIUM LAPTOPS, TABLETS & SMARTPHONES

BUYER’S GUIDE READY RECKONER

[ BEST WINDOWS ]

Microsoft Lumia 650

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge With the Note 7 officially recalled, our alternative is this upsized, curvedscreen 5.5-inch Galaxy S7.

Samsung Galaxy S7

The S7 brings back microSD and waterproofing, and combines them with a classy chassis and top specs.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 $295 (16GB) | www.samsung.com/au

If you absolutely can’t afford the iPad mini 2, this Android alternative is an okay fallback.

[ BEST COMPACT ]

Apple iPad mini 3 (refurbished) $359 (16GB) | www.apple.com/au

The iPad mini 4’s too expensive, so hold out until one of the 7.8-inch 3’s pops up on Apple’s AU refurb store.

Apple iPhone 7

From $1079 | www.apple.com/au

The iPhone is finally waterproof, and as always, this one’s also got an improved camera and quicker guts.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

Apple iPad Pro 9.7-inch From $849 (32GB) | www.apple.com/au

This is more than simply an iPad Air 3, with pro-oriented features and hardware.

Google Pixel

From $1079 | store.google.com

Google’s new 5-incher aims to take on the iPhone directly with an advanced AI assistant.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST VERSATILITY ]

Lenovo Yoga 710 (11-inch) From $849 | www.lenovo.com/au

The build quality and battery life are excellent. Just be aware that the Intel Core M CPU does have its limits.

PRICE CHANGE

BLUETOOTH TABLET KEYBOARDS GADGETS & ACCESSORIES

TABLETS & 2-IN-1S (PREMIUM)

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Microsoft Surface Pro 4

From $369 (16GB) | www.apple.com/au

From $1,349 | www.microsoftstore.com

If the budget doesn’t extend to an Air 2, get this 2013 unit instead. Recheck the store frequently if it’s ever sold out.

[ BEST FOR IPAD 2/3/4 ]

Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad $90 | www.logitech.com

Offers good protection and comfy, responsive keys on a budget.

DIGITAL CAMERAS

This official Windows 10 tablet has a great stylus and runs traditional Windows software.

[ BEST FOR IPAD AIR/AIR 2 ]

ClamCase for iPad Air $150 | www.clamcase.com

If you want to turn your iPad into a mini MacBook, this clamshell keyboard case is a great option.

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

Apple iPad Pro (9.7-inch) From $899 | www.apple.com/au

This smaller iPad Pro has the same top-spec internals as its bigger brother, but is far more portable.

[ BEST FOR IPAD MINI ]

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover $90 | www.logitech.com

The Ultrathin combines a fantastic-quality keyboard with a metal-backed case.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Samsung Galaxy TabPro S From $1,349 | www.samsung.com/au

One of the neatest 2-in-1s we’ve tested, this is a Windows tablet-convertible that’s lightweight and flexible.

[ BEST FULL-SIZED KEYBOARD ]

Logitech Tablet Keyboard $120 | www.logitech.com

If you want the full-sized typing experience, this is your best bet.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST POINT-AND-SHOOT ]

[ BEST MIRRORLESS ]

[ BEST DIGITAL SLR ]

Canon EOS 750D

GoPro Hero 5 Black

$850 | www.canon.com.au

$1,070 (16–50mm lens) | www.fujifilm.com.au

$980 (18–55mm lens) | www.canon.com.au

$569 | www.gopro.com

Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II

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[ BEST VERSATILITY ]

Apple iPad Air (Refurbished)

This flexible fixed-lens compact delivers great photos without the hassle of a DSLR or mirrorless.

FujiFilm X-T10

Offers a compact DSLR-style body, superb image quality and a growing range of premium lenses.

[ BEST ACTION CAM ]

This beginner’s DSLR is a great place The Hero5 has a 2-inch touchscreen and to learn the intricacies of pro shooting can shoot video up to 4K @ 30fps. (and for a fair price). There’s a bevy of accessories too.

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TP-Link TL-PB10400 $50 | www.tp-link.com.au

This 10,400mAh power bank will let you recharge your smartphone or tablet anywhere and weighs just 241g.

[ BEST WIRELESS HARD DRIVE ]

WD My Passport Wireless Pro 3TB $449 | www.wd.com

A great way to share and back up your files anywhere, plus it has Plex media streaming.

[ SMARTPHONE VR HEADSET ]

Kaiser Baas VR-X Headset $50 | www.kaiserbaas.com

This universal VR headset is a low-cost way to get in on the smartphone VR revolution and is comfortable.

[ BEST MOBILE GAMEPAD ]

iPega PG-9025 $25 | www.dx.com

You'll need to buy it online, but this gamepad is nice and responsive, and works with both iOS and Android.

$90 | www.toshiba.com

A compact portable hard drive with USB 2.0, 3.0 and backward compatibility.

NEW ENTRY [ BEST SMARTWATCH FOR ANDROID ]

Pebble Time Steel US$199 | getpebble.com

This colour e-paper smartwatch has great battery life and one of the most mature app ecosystems.

$155 | www.seagate.com

A neat combination of small size, competitive transfer speeds, fair price and easy-to-use backup software.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

Seagate Backup Plus Fast 4TB $390 | www.seagate.com

This speedy USB 3.0 drive transfers data at up to 220MB/s — twice as fast as most others.

[ BEST BUDGET ]

$175 | www.lg.com/au

This 24-inch 1080p matte-finish display is great for gaming with a 75Hz refresh rate and FreeSync support.

$269 | www.wd.com

A big-capacity drive that isn’t too bulky to take with you. The price is decent too.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST SMARTWATCH FOR IOS ]

Apple Watch 2

From $529 | www.apple.com/au

Expensive, but with better fitnesstracking and waterproofing, this is a great smartwatch for exercisers.

[ BEST FITNESS BAND ]

Fitbit Charge 2

$235 | www.fitbit.com

A refinement on the Charge HR, this bigger tracker does all-day heartrate and automatic sleep tracking.

NEW ENTRY

ViewSonic VX2457-mhd

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Western Digital My Passport Ultra 4TB

[ BEST EXERCISE HEADPHONES ]

Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless $250 | www.jabra.com

WEARABLES

Toshiba Canvio Basic 1TB

[ BEST VALUE ]

Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Slim 2TB

These in-ear buds connect to your phone via Bluetooth and have integrated heart-rate monitoring.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST VALUE ]

Dell S2316H $279 | www.dell.com.au

An affordable glossy 1080p 23-incher that, despite the low price, still offers IPS and great image quality.

[ BEST PROFESSIONAL ]

Dell UltraSharp U2717D $849 | www.dell.com.au

This 27-inch IPS display offers a 1440p res plus a wide colour gamut, making it perfect for design work.

[ BEST GAMING ]

ASUS RoG Swift PG348Q $1,779 | www.asus.com/au

PC MONITORS

[ BEST BUDGET ]

GADGETS & ACCESSORIES PORTABLE HARD DRIVES

NEW ENTRY

BUYER’S GUIDE READY RECKONER

[ BEST POWER BANK ]

TABLET & SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

NEW ENTRY

A 34-inch IPS monster with a 3,440x1,440 res, Nvidia G-Sync support and a 100Hz refresh rate.

Tt eSports Poseidon ZX $99 | www.au.ttesports.com

This basic compact board still has it where it counts, with solid performance and comfortable keys.

[ BEST VALUE ]

Logitech G710+ $130 | www.logitech.com

This brown switched mechanical gaming keyboard is comparatively quiet and has great key feel.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

Corsair Vengeance K95 RGB $230 | www.corsair.com

Available in multiple switch colours, the K95’s backlighting can be customised in almost any shade.

[ BEST LAPBOARD FOR LOUNGE-ROOM USE ]

Razer Turret

$220 | www.razerzone.com

This lapboard is sleeker than most, with a magnetised mousepad to help keep the included mouse grounded.

PC PERIPHERALS

[ BEST BUDGET ]

GAMING KEYBOARDS

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 $35 | www.microsoft.com.au/hardware

A cheap basic USB headset with noise-cancelling tech.

[ WWW.TECHLIFE.NET ]

[ BEST VALUE ]

HyperX Cloud Revolver $130 | www.hyperxgaming.com

This is monstrously good value, with a wide soundscape, great comfort and options for both 3.5mm and USB.

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

Audio-Technica ATH-AG1 $349 | www.audio-technica.com.au

A super-comfy headset with massive drivers and fantastic sound.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Kingston HyperX Cloud II $160 | www.kingston.com

These affordable cans sound great across games, music and movies.

GAMING HEADSETS

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[ BEST BUDGET ]

PRINTERS & MULTIFUNCTION PC GAMING CENTRES MICE PC PERIPHERALS

BUYER’S GUIDE READY RECKONER

Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury $49 | www.logitech.com

A hybrid-sensor gaming mouse with optical, gyro and accelerometer tracking, this one doesn’t skip a beat.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST BUDGET ]

Canon Pixma MG2960 $49 | www.canon.com.au

An inkjet that can print, scan and copy in colour, send faxes, has Wi-Fi and can AirPrint and Google Cloud Print.

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST BUDGET ]

PC GRAPHICS CARDS

ASUS DUAL-GTX1050TI-4G $245 | www.asus.com/au

You’ll get respectable 1080p/Normal gaming performance from this affordable GeForce GTX 1050 Ti card.

PC MOTHERBOARDS PC COMPONENTS

[ BEST BUDGET ]

ASUS B150M Pro Gaming $145 | www.asus.com/au

A great companion for the Pentium G4400; this has everything you need for under $150.

[ BEST BUDGET ]

PC PROCESSORS

Intel Pentium G4400 $85 | www.intel.com

An extremely overclockable dual-core Skylake CPU for those looking to build budget rig.

[ BEST VALUE ]

Razer DeathAdder Chroma $65 | www.razerzone.com/au-en

This super-comfy ergonomic mouse for right-handers has a great, organic-feeling sensor.

[ BEST AMBIDEXTEROUS ]

SteelSeries Sensei RAW $80 | www.steelseries.com

[ BEST WIRELESS ]

Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum $200 | www.logitech.com

Ditching unneeded features, this is a lean, mean headshotting machine that’s good for lefties and righties.

It ain’t cheap, but this is the best wireless gaming mouse we’ve used; surprisingly light and well balanced.

[ BEST PHOTO PRINTER ]

[ BEST SMALL-BUSINESS LASER ]

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST VALUE ]

Epson WorkForce WF-3620 $189 | www.epson.com.au

This inkjet prints, copies, scans and faxes in colour and B&W, has inbuilt Wi-Fi and an Ethernet connection.

Epson Expression Premium XP-720 $230 | www.epson.com.au

Creates fantastic-quality photo prints at a relatively affordable price.

NEW ENTRY

HP Colour LaserJet Pro MFP M277dw $450 | www.hp.com/au

Built-in wireless, duplex print and scan, cloud and mobile print, and great print quality at a fair price.

UPDATE

[ BEST VALUE ]

Gigabyte N1060WF2OC-3GD $310 | www.gigabyte.com.au

If you want 1080p with all the bells and whistles, this 3GB GTX 1060 is the card to go for.

[ BEST VALUE ]

Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H $200 | www.gigabyte.com.au

This low-cost Z170 board has all the basics you need, including Intel LAN and 6th-Gen Core i support.

[ BEST VALUE ]

Intel Core i5-6500 $295 | www.intel.com

This new Skylake Core i5 chip offers great performance with low power use.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 480 4GB $380 | sapphiretech.com

AMD’s made VR a little more affordable with its new RX 480 — this is one of the cheapest variants.

[ BEST PERFORMANCE ]

ASUS Z170 Pro Gaming $265 | www.asus.com/au

A great match for the i5-6500 CPU, with a good mix of useful features at a reasonable price.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

Intel Core i7-6700K $520 | www.intel.com

The top chip from Intel’s new 6th-Gen Core i desktops is extremely fast and overclockable.

[ BEST EXTREME ]

ASUS DUAL-GTX1070-O8G $625 | www.asus.com/au

One step down from the new king, this card is a little more affordable and beats the last-gen leaders.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

ASRock X99 Taichi $390 | www.asrock.com

This (slightly) cheaper X99 board is still feature-packed and a good match for the i7-6800K CPU.

[ NEW ON SHELF ]

Intel Core i7-6800K $580 | www.intel.com

This new six-core ‘Broadwell-E’ chip offers top-shelf performance (at a top-shelf price).

NEW ENTRY

[ BEST BUDGET ]

SOLID-STATE DRIVES

SanDisk SSD Plus 120GB

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$65 | www.sandisk.com

If you just need a basic SSD, this 120GB model does the job for not much cash.

[ BEST VALUE ]

OCZ Trion 150 480GB $190 | www.ocz.com

480GB is now the sweet spot for cost-per-gig and this SATA model is a solid all-rounder.

[ BEST PREMIUM ]

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB $425 | www.samsung.com/au

This successor to the 840 EVO offers the best mix of speed, capacity and price for those with big needs.

[ BEST EXTREME ]

Samsung 960 Pro M.2 (512GB) $470 | www.samsung.com/au

It’s pricey, but with 3TB/s read and 2TB/s write speeds, this M.2 drive is stupid-fast.

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