Stuff Magazine - November 2014 SG.pdf

THE APPLE WATCH IS HERE ...AND IT'S ABOUT TIME

ISSUE 58 NOVEMBER 2014

GADGETS / APPS / GEAR

THISER COVSHOT WASITH AN W E6

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SINGAPORE W W W. S T U F F.T V

The world’s best-selling gadget magazine

MEET THE SUPERHEROES OF TECH The 50 greatest innovators of 2014

GREEN MACHINES Going the distance in three eco-friendly supercars

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E D I U G E T A 6 M I E T L U HE iPHON T O T e ever n o h p t igges b s ' e l p ut Ap o b a w $7.50 o n k o t d e ou ne y g n i h t very e y l e t u l Abso Issue 58 NOVEMBER 2014

EXPLORE THE WORLD, CAPTURE THE MOMENT

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12 megapixels 2/3” X-Trans CMOS II Sensor *Widest and Highest Resolution Electronic View Finder F2.0-F2.8 Bright Lens 4x Manual Optical Zoom Lens New Film Simulation “Classic Chrome” Wireless Image Transfer Long lasting battery life (~470 photos)

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16.3 megapixels X-Trans CMOS II Sensor Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder 1/3 stop Aperture Ring Electronic Shutter 1/32000 sec New Film Simulation “Classic Chrome” Wireless Image Transfer Full HD Video

Heralding Fujifilm’s third-generation of large-sensored premium compacts, with their high-quality CMOS sensors, impressive real-time viewfinders and film simulation modes. These draw on Fujifilm’s unique history to create rich colors and smooth tones, making every shot a pleasure. )LOP6LPXODWLRQ Perfect your color photos with new Classic Chrome

With 80 years of expertise in film development, Fujifilm allows users to switch between beautiful styles just as easily as choosing a roll of film.

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Accessiblity at your fingertips

With high quality dedicated lens

Accessibility has never been easier. The all-new interface allows users to operate controls seamlessly and at ease.

The fastest, largest and highest resolving electronic viewfinder in its class* connects you to the subject and brings back the thrill of photography. *Fujifilm research as of August 2014. Compared with other compact zoom digital cameras, being 500g or lighter in weight.

www.fujifilm.com.sg |

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WELCO Yes, the iPhones on the cover were really shot with an iPhone 6 Plus. And as you can see, the quality is really quite amazing – a testament to the iPhone 6 Plus camera’s superb image quality. We didn’t have to set up anything elaborate either, just handheld shots with a couple of light banks. You can read all about it on p67 as part of our Ultimate Guide to the iPhone 6 starting on p42. There, you’ll learn absolutely everything you need to know about Apple’s biggest smartphones ever from A to Z, because we’ve literally arranged everything alphabetically. And though we all know superheroes don’t really exist (sadly), in the tech world these 50 people sure come close. Meet the most exciting inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs of 2014 in our Stuff Innovators 2014 list on p85. Also, for the first time ever, we’ve pit three of the most advanced eco-friendly supercars in the world against each other in the BMW i8, Volkswagen XL1, and Tesla Model S on p104, so flip over to see what the future of motoring could be. Enjoy the issue. Melvin Tang, Editor / [email protected] / @melvinstuff

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Haymarket Media Asia Pte. Ltd. 21 Media Circle #05-05 Infinite Studios Singapore 138562 www.stuff.tv Email: [email protected] Tel: +65 6224 6101 Fax: +65 6224 6102 To email one of the Stuff team listed below please use firstname. [email protected]

Cover photography: Mark Teo

EDITORIAL Editor Melvin Tang Online Editor Asia Tein Hee Seow Features Writer Elissa Loi News Writer Hafizah Osman Head of Art - Singapore Heymans Tho Content Director UK Hugh Sleight Editor-in-Chief Will Findlater PUBLISHING Brand Director Asia Andy Jackson Publishing Manager Asia Ian Paynton Marketing Executive Amanda Cheok Publishing Director UK Rachael Prasher

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Digital Publisher UK Sandip Ray Circulation & Production Manager P. Panirchelvam Head of Licensing Asia Lisa Vernall COMMERCIAL Commercial Director Lawrence Leong Digital Sales Manager Charlie Moss Senior Account Manager Raha Ahmad MANAGEMENT Managing Director Asia Tim Waldron Finance Director Asia David Newton Managing Director UK David Prasher Chief Executive Kevin Costello

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STUFF ASIA EDITORS China Zeng Chun India Nishant Padhiar Indonesia Riza Anwar Korea Ho-Seok Ko Malaysia Sharil Bin Abdul Rahman Myanmar Ye Myanmar Aung Philippines Ira V. Panganiban Taiwan George Wang Thailand Suwee Deetae Vietnam Le Kim Thach

This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Liability: while every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequences arising from it. In the case of all product reviews, judgements have been made in the context of the product tested based on Singapore prices at the time of review, which are subject to fluctuation and only applicable to the Singapore market.

Stuff Singapore MCI (P) 181/11/2013 is published by Haymarket Media Asia Pte. Ltd. a subsidiary of Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Stuff is published across Asia in; China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. © Haymarket Media Asia Pte. Ltd. 2013. All rights reserved. Printed by Times Printers Pte. Ltd. Distributed by MediaCorp Pte Ltd.

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ON THE COVER

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p8 Watch this…

HOT STUFF 8

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The Hot Four O Apple Watch O Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus O Moto Hint O Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge Vital stats Canon EOS 7D Mark II Mark I was one of the best crop sensor DSLRs around. Can it live up to the name? Gigapixel Jaguar XE Jaguar flies its new model over Tower Bridge by helicopter, just for the hell of it Choice Globes New ways to have a planet in your bedroom Games Drive snarling supercars in Project Cars Apps How to fuse your face with that of your cat Vital stats Fujifilm X30 A powered-up new version of the X20, with a tilting 3in screen and added Wi-Fi Our month What we did when no one else was looking Your month Things to do in the coming month

TESTS

p42 Apple’s biggest phone ever

p85 World leaders

70 First test Motorola Moto 360 As round as a satsuma and so swish you’ll show it off to everyone you know 72 First test Bluesound Pulse If music is your life, this is the wireless speaker that’ll play beats to your heart’s content 74 First test Mercedes-Benz C Class Loaded with tech and great to drive. Buying it will be an executive decision 78 Approved Stuff-approved apps for… …spicing up your social life, raiding dungeons and dodging flesh-eating plants 80 First test Nissan Qashqai Is it the qiller qrossover we’ve been waiting for? 82 Tested Galaxy S5 Mini A micro version of the bestselling blower 98 Tested Lapierre Overvolt A mountain bike with an electric secret 114 Tested Games O Destiny O BioShock (iOS edition) 123 Group test Budget smartphones Rather not spend your life savings on a device you’ll lose or break within the week? 126 Reviews Sensory snacks Vampires in a film, super-nerds in a book

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11.14 TOP 10

p117

p134

OF EVERYTHING Been away for a while? There are three more Stuff Top 10s nowadays: Games machines, Wearable tech and Connected home. Check them out from p129

TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING 140 141 142 143 144 145 146

Smartphones Tablets Media streamers Headphones TVs Laptops Best of the Rest

Home computers / Blu-Ray / Camcorders

Games 147 Game machines 148 Local apps 149 Compact cameras 150 SLRs, etc 151 Geek accessories 152 Wearable tech 153 For full reviews of every product in the top 10s, visit stuff.tv/reviews

SMARTPHONES

FEATURES

PROJECTS

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Samsung Galaxy S5

$868 +++++

from $998 +++++

Classy, clever and with talent in spades, the water-resistant Z2 oozes quality. It flies in use and is capable of taking brilliant photos and playing videos at 4K cinephile quality. If the design had just been a bit more practical, it would have been unstoppable.

$998 +++++

BEST FOR THE CONNOISSEUR

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A curious blend of tried-and-tested – 4in screen, design, huge cost – with new-andexciting features like a 64-bit processor, fingerprint-sensing home button and iOS 7. What it adds up to is an easy purchase for most… but we’re ready for iPhone 6.

from $988 +++++

BEST FOR APPLE FANS

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Delivering top-end spec at a mid-range price, the new Nexus has a bigger 4.95in screen, faster processor and a satisfactory 8MP snapper. But the biggest improvement is its chocolatey-smooth Android KitKat 4.4 OS. Astounding value.

Google Nexus 5

from US$349 ($445) +++++

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Sony Xperia Z2

Apple iPhone 5s

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Verily, ’tis indicative of the age in which we live, when a supercharged superphone gets five glowing stars, but only makes No7. By Crumbles, though, it’s good. Blistering processor, 5.7in screen and stylus smarts. It’s the best gigantophone there is.

Xiaomi Redmi

Dollar-for-dollar, this is undisputedly the best Android phone you can get for your money. At just $169 without contract for excellent performance, solid hardware, and the gorgeous MIUI, you’ll be hard pressed to find a realistic alternative.

Oppo N1

The upstart brand barges its way into the Top Ten with an Android phone that’s as impressive in performance as it is in size. The distinctive swivelling 13MP camera is great, the 5.9in screen is beautiful and you can even change the OS.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Finally, a cameraphone worthy of the name. The WP8-running 1020 takes superb 38MP snaps helped by such treats as optical stabilisation and a xenon flash. Or it can scale them down to 5MP and cram in more detail. But as a phone, it’s good rather than great.

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BEST FOR SAUSAGE FINGERS

BEST FOR VALUE

$769 +++++

BEST FOR FREE SPIRITS

$999 ++++,

BEST FOR CAMERA OBSESSIVES

TABLETS

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STUFF SAYS

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the addition of the ‘Air’ moniker implies, the iPad’s been slimmed down on the outside and beefed up on the inside, while retaining all the other goodies that made previous versions great. So it now rocks the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor that debuted with the iPhone 5s, while keeping the gorgeous screen, quality build and abundance of tablet-optimised apps that first won our hearts.

Apple iPad Mini With Retina Display

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Apple’s baby tab has been in for a nip and a tuck and emerged with a youthful-looking 2048x1536 screen. The flawless build quality, creativity-friendly 7.9in form and oodles of tablet-optimised apps remain; only a few colour inaccuracies keep it behind the Air.

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Samsung has blessed the Galaxy Tab with one of the best tablet screens we’ve ever laid eyes on, plus an impressive camera and some incredible stamina – but there are performance niggles and Apple’s tablet app selection is still far superior.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4

Now thinner, lighter and more powerful than ever, the iPad Air is a beautiful sliver of gadget heaven

from $688 +++++

from $548 +++++

BEST FOR CREATIVITY ON THE MOVE

from $848 +++++

BEST FOR MAGAZINES AND MOVIES

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Superb screen, unique features… really, there’s very little that’s missing here. For us the iPad Mini beats the Samsung by a whisker for its design, performance and wider selection of optimised apps, but against other Android tabs it’s a winner.

from $598 +++++

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The Nexus has moved further ahead of the Android pack by virtue of getting an update to OS 4.4 KitKat. It’s now smoother, faster and more battery-friendly than ever, while its 323 pixel-per-inch 1080p screen and quad-core power still impress.

Google Nexus 7

from US$229 (295) +++++

BEST FOR VALUE AND PERFORMANCE

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At last, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the tablet-cum-laptop hybrid. It proves there’s space in the world for a design that’s more productive than an iPad or Galaxy Note, but easier to hump around than a traditional laptop.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

from $1108 +++++

BEST FOR USING ANYWHERE

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The Transformers have always been more about laptop relacement than tableteering, and this one is the laptopiest yet. A 2560x1600 screen, two-day battery life (with keyboard dock) and quad-core Tegra processor all work Android up into a frenzy.

$749 +++++

BEST FOR ALL-ROUND EXCELLENCE

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The Fire HDX presents a sanitised version of Android cloaked in a user-friendly Amazon skin. There’s even a ‘Mayday’ button for instant video help. A great build, fast processor and stunning screen round off a package that’ll appeal to families and less techy types.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7in

from US$229 ($295) +++++

BEST FOR SAFE & SIMPLE TABLETEERING

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This 10.1in tab-and-dock combo has enough grunt to run full Win 8.1 thanks to Intel’s new Baytrail CPU. The 1366x768 screen is a good ’un, with crisp text, great contrast and colours that pop, while dual-band Wi-Fi and a day-long battery are also welcome.

from $599 +++++

BEST FOR DESKTOP VERSATILITY

10

The new 10.1 is fit to bursting with clever tricks, comes with the note-tastic S Pen and has a stunning 2560x1600 screen. But while we can forgive it its tacky looks, minor performance glitches deny it that fifth star; we hope firmware updates will fix them.

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BEST FOR PRICE TAG

$1048 +++++ $169 +++++

Apple iPad Air

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$1068 +++++

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BEST FOR RAW POWER

Big, bold and stuffed with tech, the Galaxy S5 is a bona fide superphone that will delight Samsung fans, although it has some very stiff competition. It has a faster processor, a slightly bigger screen and a more solid (if not quite stylish) feel than the S4.

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130 Beta yourself Cooking You can’t be a student forever – it’s time to go beyond microwaved spag bol 132 Playlist Podcasts If your eyes are busy doing important things, give your ears something to do 134 Instant upgrades Fireworks Remember, remember, the fifth of November is the night to go OTT without losing the plot 136 Re-awesomise… your Chromebook If you’ve fallen out of love with your little laptop, here are five ways to fall back in 137 5-minute hacks If nothing else, at least… Climb Everest from your desk O Make texting fun again O Give YouTube a facelift

HTC One M8

Only just toppled by the new LG, HTC’s flagship phone has enough power to take it to the top of the AnTuTu benchmarks. It’s a beaut to look at and to use, and it’s even got a whole load of Lytro-style post-snap refocus features for photographic fun.

LG surprises us again. There’s barely a single thing wrong with the G3… and so, so much that’s right with it

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42 Ultimate guide to iPhone 6 Absolutely everything you need to know about Apple’s biggest phone ever 85 Stuff Innovators 2014 Our pick of the greatest inventors, scientists, designers and entrepreneurs on Earth 101 Techspedition The Alps in 3D We head for the hills with the researchers mapping an entire mountain range with drones 104 Green machines Stuff gets behind the wheel of three ecofriendly supercars for a coast-to-coast dash 117 Design Lighting As photographers and estate agents say, light is everything, so lamp up your life 154 Next big thing? Sound-charging phones 146 Running low? Go to a gig and turn those sound vibrations into sweet electricity

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STUFF SAYS

LG G3

While we hoped the G3 would continue the great work started by the G2, we weren’t expecting it to be quite so much of a leap forward. Upgrades range from little touches such as the sleeker back buttons to major changes such as the bigger, better 2K screen and laser-assisted camera. The only thing that isn’t better is the battery life, but considering all that LG has crammed into the G3, the fact that it still lasts 15hrs is to be applauded.

O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

140 T HO Y BU

Asus Transformer Pad TF701T

Asus Transformer Book T100

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014)

from $798 ++++,

MEDIA STREAMERS Sonos Playbar

No holes involved. Just a simple setup process with this one-piece wonder, armed with six woofers and three tweeters. It plays nice with other Sonos systems, combining with the Play:3 and Play:1 speakers to create an immersive aural network. Kids and neighbours hardly have reason to complain when the handy Night Mode kicks in and compresses the volume to keep the din down.

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Bose SoundLink Wireless

The Bose SoundLink Wireless speaker is definitely worth your attention (and money). This impressive Bluetooth speaker delivers warm sounds, with a balanced delivery of the audio range. What you pay, is what you get.

Apple TV

No sign of Apple’s rumoured TV set, so this tiny media streamer will have to do for now. And why not, it streams movies at 1080p, lets you access Apple’s extensive movie collection on iTunes, and hooks up your iOS devices with a full HD TV wirelessly.

Bowers & Wilkins Z2

The baby of B&W’s AirPlay range is a little belter, and it adds a proper Lightning dock to Apple’s wireless tech. It’ll easily fill a small to medium-sized room with chunky bass, punchy beats and lovely, clear vocals. You’ll buy it for the look, but love it for the sound.

Denon CEOL Piccolo

A diminutive standard-bearer for next-gen micro hi-fi, the Denon’s got Spotify, a control app, and it’ll stream your own tunes, right up to 24-bit. The dock’s 30-pin, but who cares when you’ve also got AirPlay? Add Q Acoustics 2020i speakers for awesome sound.

Libratone Zipp

A fuzzy, cylindrical, colourful AirPlay dock that will deliver detailed, punchy 360-degree sound anywhere at all, thanks to a built-in battery that gives it four hours of outdoors life. Direct Wi-Fi skills free you from cables, routers, and everything but the boogie.

Philips Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800W

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In a world awash with AirPlay-equipped docks, the SoundSpheres have created a niche for themselves by offering proper two-channel stereo output. Idiosyncratic looks ensure they’ll stand out even further from the crowd, and they sound great too.

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Forget that this Sony looks uncomfortably like a handbag because it’s actually one of the biggest bargains in hi-fi right now. Pop in four AA batteries (old-school, right?) and it will power a party in the park. It’s got fancy NFC, too, but the best thing is that it sounds ace.

9 10

Sony SRS-BTM8

B&W Zeppelin Air

The Air brings the sound and design smarts we’ve come to expect from the Zeppelin family and adds AirPlay streaming as a bonus trick. Pair it with the app, and let fellow music lovers add their music collection to a collaborative list.

Sonos Play:1

Small yet powerful. Apt words for Sonos’ smallest ever wireless speaker. On its own, this wireless portable speaker packs quite a punch Its potential is limitless, once you hook it up with its fellow Sonos speakers to create a surround sound system.

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STUFF SAYS

This speaker is single, ready to mingle and sets the mood in the living room, minus the complicated setup

$1299 ++++,

$549 +++++

BEST FOR TOP SOUND QUALITY

$148 +++++ $649 +++++ $399 +++++ $589 +++++

BEST FOR VERSATILITY AND VALUE BEST FOR AL FRESCO PARTIES

$1299 +++++ $139 +++++

BEST FOR BARGAINOUS BLUETOOTH

$1099 ++++, from $399 ++++,

p114 OUR PRICES Prices in Hot Stuff are RRPs. Prices in features, tests and Top 10s are the best we could find from a reputable online retailer at the time of going to print.

p104 www.stuff.tv

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HOT FOUR #1 IT’S ABOUT TIME Apple Watch

As with other major celebrities, new iPhones can’t help a few revealing shots appearing on the internet before announcement day. But while Apple’s new blowers (of which you’ll see more in a minute) had been leaked in some detail, no-one had a clue what the Apple Watch would look like until this month. And here it is: a sapphire crystal screen that can sense the difference between a tap and a press, a Digital Crown spinner that zooms and selects different things on the screen, and a bevy of sensors that can tell not just how you are, but who you are. Like the iPhone, it has three finishes: standard steel, aluminium and gold, all available in two sizes. Is this the beginning of the Age of Wearables, or the beginning of the Age of People Squinting Irritatedly at Their Wrists? We’ll see. As hot as… sauna time from US$349 ($445)(due 2015) / apple.com/sg

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27 PAGES OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH

WATCH YOU TALKIN’ ’BOUT? It needs your iPhone …but can relay messages, control apps and even watch through your 5, 5c, 5s, 6 or 6 Plus’s camera

It looks and feels better in real life WILL DUNN

@willydunn

Watch doctor Not only does it watch you exercise; it also knows how long you’ve spent standing up

After years of waiting, the iWatch – sorry, the Apple Watch – has at last materialised. When the iPhone landed, it wasn’t the first smartphone by a long chalk: it was just a much better smartphone. So is the Apple Watch a better smartwatch? After spending some time with a couple of early versions in Cupertino, I think it’s definitely the one to beat. It’s light and comfortable to

Sporty or posh? Click in a sporty strap for the gym, then swap it for a posh one to watch Downton Abbey

wear, it looks nice, and it has enough unique design flourishes to set it apart. The screen is bright and crisp, and words and pictures are readable from all angles. The dial, or Digital Crown, is unobtrusive in real life; it rolls easily, with very little resistance and no click. It’s a great piece of design, allowing you to move things around on screen without covering them with your clumsy prodfingers. The ‘taptic engine’, as Apple calls it, or buzzer, as

Buzz me in Street directions use haptics to steer you, so you don’t have to watch the screen while walking

we’re going to call it, is more important than you might think. There’s a very real difference between controlled haptics and a flat buzz, especially in a piece of wearable tech, and the haptics in the Apple Watch have that nuanced feel – its heartbeat-sharing delivers a softly detailed pulse.

Face look Years of research and zillions in investment, all so you can have a Mickey watch

Of course, there are a lot of unknowns here, but as with the iPhone, the Apple Watch starts with a hulking great advantage in the apps department. Lots of big brands are already signed up and making them for its platform – apps to find your car, control your smart heating or track and share your exercise. With so many people building useful software for it, it’s only going to become more attractive to the world’s 200 million iPhone owners.

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THE LINE-UP There were over ten new wristronics devices launched this past month. Here’s our pick, with three recent decents. Just so you know where we’re at…

O Asus Zenwatch An attractive Android Wear watch with mildly curved screen. It uses standard 22mm lugs, so you can put it on whatever strap you like. $tba / asus.com/sg

O Acer Liquid Leap

O Samsung O LG Gear S G Watch R

O Garmin Vivosmart

O Moto 360

O Samsung O Pebble Gear Live Steel

Not idly named, the Smartwatch has 4GB of on-board Walkman, a life-tracking app and GPS plus a proper microUSB slot. $298 /

It’s basic in design and functionality, but Acer is planning a very low price for the call- and textnotifying, fitnesstracking Leap. $tba /

‘Only’ Samsung’s own Tizen OS rather than Android, but it has a full brace of sensors and its own SIM-card 3G connection. $498 /

Nought wrong with the original, but this round version might be what’s needed to take people’s eyes off the Apple Watch and Moto 360. $tba /

Looks like a fitness band, but displays notifications. It works with ANT+ heartrate sensors and can even control a VIRB action cam. US$170 ($215) / garmin.com.sg

The‘sexiest smartwatch’, it missed out on five Stuff stars due to its battery. Will the Apple Watch pack a bigger juice-box? US$250 ($315) / motorola.com

sony.com.sg

acer.com.sg

samsung.com/sg

lg.com/sg

Another fourstar review, but the best Android Wear watch for now. Otherwise, wait for the Apple, Asus and Sony Smartwatch 3 reviews… US$200 ($255) /samsung.com/sg

O Sony Smartwatch 3

KEY ONEW WATCHES O EXISTING

O Apple Watch

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Five-starred, the nonconformist’s choice. Support is still strong, and its battery life beats newer watches by a few days. $249 / pebble.sg

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R.I.P. A APPLE IPOD CLASSIC ((2002 – 2014)

The iPod Classic Th pea peacefully passed aw away after a long struggle s with obsolescence o on 9 September in Cupertino, C California. Born to Jony Ive and Steve Jobs in 2002, the iPod 2 w worked as an in internationally revered digital r mu music player, and was w particularly k known for its clickwheel c and large la capacity. Th The iPod Classic iis survived by tthree children: To Touch (aged 7), Na Nano and Shuffle (both 9).

HOT FOUR #2 DO D OY YOU OU T THINK HINK II’M ’M SIXY? SIXY? Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus

If, like us, you had already sold your iPhone 5 in anticipation of the post-Keynote value crash then, like us, you’ll be pleased that the iPhone 6 looks rather smashing and worth upgrading to. For the first time, there are two sizes to choose between: the 5.5in iPhone 6 Plus with its 1080p resolution and the 4.7in iPhone 6 with 1334x750 pixels. The difference is not just in the pixel count: iOS 8 will flip between portrait and landscape on the bigger display. We’re also excited about the ‘25% faster’

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A8 processor, the impressive battery life claims and NFC, which arrives late but brings with it a swish new contactless payment system. The 8MP camera might not sound like a whole hill of megapixels, but it’s the new sensor and phase detection autofocus that matter, and the Plus also gets optical stabilisation. Lots to watch out for in our full, in-depth guide on p42. As hot as... a theatre full of sweaty geeks from $988 (SIM-free) / apple.com/sg

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HOT FOUR #3 CHECK YOUR APP-EARANCE Moto Hint

Voice control may be the screen-free tech of the future, but it’s still embarrassing to hold your phone in front of your face and talk at it, rather than into it. And if you have to take your phone out and fire up Google Now/Siri/ Cortana to get the info you want, you might as well use your hands. Enter the Hint, a tiny earbud that listens for your custom cue-phrase (you can change “OK Google” to “Engage earputer”, “Hey Samantha” – you know, from the film Her – or anything else) and brings the wizardry of voicecontrolled computing to your ear. It’s small enough to be pretty much unnoticeable, but it could be the next big thing. As hot as... an earful of Scarlett Johanssen $tba (due 2015) / motorola.com

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HOT FOUR #4 LIVE LIFE ON THE EDGE

Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge Android fans watched the iPhone 6 launch with bleary eyes, having only just pulled themselves back together after celebrating the arrival of both a new 5.7in Note and a clever-screened 5.6in Note Edge. Both have 2K screens, though the Edge’s extra 160-pixel curved section gives it a slightly different aspect ratio on paper. In practice, were you watching a 2K video on your phone, that curved edge would likely be used for video controls – just one of many uses, including notifications and a night clock. Both have a mighty 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 chip and 3GB of RAM, and both have a doubly sensitive S Pen and optical image stabilisation for their 16MP cameras. The Marmite leather-back design has been refined, and the phone now has actual metal edges. Must have been quite a party. As hot as… those chilli-chocolate cocktails $1088 (SIM-free), $tba / samsung.com/sg

MORE REASONS TO PARTY 1

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1 Gear VR The Note 4’s processing power and 2K screen make it powerful enough to slot into this headset and be used as a standalone VR gamer, like Oculus Rift.

2 Gear Circle Bluetooth wireless headphones that vibrate with incoming notifications or calls. When not in use, the ends clip together to make one distinctly nerdy necklace.

3 Powerbot VR9000 Just a month after Dyson revealed its robovac, Samsung has a new model. ‘CycloneForce’ tech will keep lawyers busy, and you can ‘light up’ an area for it to clean.

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THE SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY PHENOMENON Canon EOS 7D Mark II $tba / canon.com.sg

The original EOS 7D was held in high regard as one of the best crop sensor cameras around during its time. Can the Mark II reclaim the throne?

A CAMERA SHOOTING STRAIGHT FOR THE TOP OIt’s got the power At the heart of the EOS 7D Mark II is a 20.2MP CMOS sensor and not one, but two DIGIC 6 image processors for extra imaging muscle. In case you didn’t know, that’s one more processor than you usually get in regular DSLRs, leading to lower noise levels and quicker turnarounds between shots and videos. It can even capture 31 burst shots in RAW format at a time, compared to a maximum of 18 on the EOS 5D Mark III.

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OIt’s got the speed A faster and more durable mirror and shutter mechanism also enables the camera to shoot up to 10fps. That’s almost worthy of professional sports photographers, making this the go-to camera for such snappers on a budget. The next time the F1 rolls into town, you’ll be well prepared with one of these highspeed shooters.

OIt’s got the accuracy With a freshly-developed 65 allcross-type Auto Focus system, picking out and tracking a subject in motion will be a cinch. The AF points are also spread out more than a regular crop-sensor camera, leading to better targeting. You even have a choice of six AF scenarios to fine-tune your focussing needs, allowing the AI servo and intelligent Subject Analysis systems to make the right decisions. Soon, your camera might just do the shooting for you.

OIt’s a movie star Like we said, the Mark II’s got a lot to live up to in carrying the EOS 7D name, especially since the original was one of the first cameras to popularise DSLR use in filmmaking. It’s got all the right tools to do so though, with an ISO of 16,000 for better low light performance, Full HD recording at 24 or 60fps, and that intelligent AF system for fast and smooth tracking during videos.

Rip van winkle

BLUESOUND VAULT In the blink of an eye, you’ve found that your CD collection does little more than collect dust and take up space in your increasingly tiny house. Luckily, Bluesound’s just launched the Vault to safely lock your tracks away in their uncompressed high-res glory. A CD ripper, high-capacity drive, and wireless music streamer in one sleek package, it’ll even create mobile device-friendly MP3 versions of your audio tracks for you to carry around. Now you’ll have enough space to find something else to hoard, like DVDs. $1499 / bluesound.com

Z3 musketeers

SONY Z3, Z3 COMPACT, Z3 TABLET COMPACT A tablet and two phones walked into a bar. The bartender said to the tablet: “Oi, you can’t ring them in here.” And they all had a good laugh and sat around discussing specs for the rest of the afternoon. Like how all three – the Z3 phone, the Z3 Compact and the 8in Z3 Compact Tablet – have the ability to play hi-res audio, including Sony’s new DSEE HX that upscales MP3-quality audio to hi-res. The two phones got talking about their super-high 12800 ISO cameras, but the tablet told them to shut up and they moved on to PS4 Remote Play instead,which they all have. Inevitably though, after a few drinks, the talk turned to size differences. Doesn’t it always. $998, $798, $tba / sony.com.sg

The sound of silence

BOSE QUIETCOMFORT 25 Hello darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again while this baby wails her head off in the seat in front of mine. Because it seems airlines try to ensure there’s at least one of those in every cabin. Thankfully, the new QC 25s eliminate all unwanted noise around you through the wonders of technology, and give you the option of listening to your music with enhanced sound quality as well. $529 / bose.com

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The light shines from within

PENTAX K-S1 Those lights on the grip are “an innovative illumination interface system”. Effectively, the lights shine green when taking photos but turn red when shooting video. Function? Form? You decide. The camera specs are healthy: a new CMOS sensor with 20.12 effective megapixels, ultra-high ISO 51200 sensitivity, and a shutter speed of 1/6000 second. It has a 3in LCD display with an easier-to-use UI, plus if you use a Flucard For Pentax memory card, you can control it via an iOS or Android app – ideal for mounting the camera and snagging perfectly considered shots. US$750 ($950) / ricoh-pentax.com.sg

No more crayon styluses

WACOM BAMBOO STYLUS FINELINE You know what’s great? A stylus. It’s like being transported back to toddlerhood and being blown away that the stick in your hand can make a line appear. Whenever we get our hands on a device with a stylus, we can’t help but delightedly cry: “Daddy draw a fish!” But you know what’s not great? Any stylus with the big spudgy end designed to work on non-digitiser touchscreens, ie: an iPad. This USB-rechargeable Bluetooth Stylus Fineline from Wacom, however, has a much finer end, albeit one that works best with Wacom’s own Bamboo Paper app. “Daddy draw a dinosaur!” US$60 ($75) / store.wacom.sg

Humbly yours

LOGITECH K480 BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD What a month. There’s smartwatches and iPhones and digital cameras enough for everyone. But we’ll never lose sight of what is glorious about geekery: it doesn’t take a royal budget to feel a little joy. Look at this Logitech keyboard. It has a long slot in which you might be able to fit both a phone and tablet and it has a selector switch to hop between the pairings of either – as well as your desktop or laptop. It’s not designed to be that portable, but it will reportedly last for up to two years with just two AAA batteries. Other, more expensive gadgets might come and go, but this will sit on your desk, neatly doing its thing. And that’s to be celebrated, no? $59 / logitech.com/en-sg 18

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The bigger picture in tech

CARPOCALYPSE NOW Jaguar flew its new XE over London this month prior to its glitzy launch, a scene that will no doubt bring to mind Wagner’s Ride Of The Valkyries. Which might be deliberate – German music for its German foes BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Or it might be an embarrassing marketing oversight. Either way, the car looks mint. Were we a small executive, this might well be the small executive car we’d choose.

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Sony has expanded its range of crazy clip-on camera lenses for your smartphone. The US$400 ($505) QX1 will let you screw on any E-mount digital SLR lens, while the slightly saner QX30 (also US$400) is a 30x-zoom update of the previous QX10.

SELFIE-AWARE

HTC’s new mid-range 820 phone is interesting for two very different reasons. Firstly, it’s got a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 815 chipset, so it’s one of the first phones to be ready for the 64-bit Android L OS. Secondly, it follows the emerging trend for phones with powerful front-facing cameras: a sizzling 8MP of selfie-taking overkill.

SONOS TAKES OUT THE BRIDGE

An oft-maligned aspect of the Sonos wireless audio system is that either one of the speakers or a purpose-made Bridge needs to be hardwired into your home network. No more! A new software update makes the system totally wireless.

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The next tier

FUJIFILM X100T You know how it is in RPGs when you hit the level cap, and then have to rely on better gear dropped by increasingly difficult bosses to improve your character? That’s what it feels like with the X100T – it’s the X100S in epic-quality gear to take your photography to the next level. Upgrades come in the form of a silent electronic shutter for noiseless shooting, new Classic Chrome film simulation mode, and an electronic rangefinder for easier focusing, amongst others. At this rate, the next X100 will be legendary. $1899 / fujifilm.com.sg

It is, and it isn’t

NOKIA LUMIA 830 Nokia, which is actually Microsoft, has released its ‘affordable flagship’ (it’s not its actual flagship – that’s the 930, which is more powerful). But the 5in-screen 830 still has Zeiss optics and optical image stabilisation, and is flagshippy enough to get the new Lumia Denim OS update with a new mega-featured Lumia Camera app. The 830 is markedly slimmer, at just 8.5mm and 150g, making it the thinnest and lightest Lumia smartphone ever made. Nokia also launched the 4.7in 735, calling it the ‘selfie phone’ as it has a 5MP wide-angle front camera. $529 / nokia.com/sg-en

Waterproof or hi-res?

SONY NWZ-A15, NWZ-WS613 If you’re reading the issue from back to front, you’ll have noticed that Sony has launched two new phones this month. If you’re reading the issue from front to back, then watch out – there’s a spoiler above. But Sony has been busy elsewhere, too. The WS613 is a pair of standalone Walkman earpieces with upwards of 4GB on-board. They also work as a Bluetooth headset, and are waterproof. Then there’s the NWZ-A15, a hi-res Walkman that will play FLAC, AIFF, WAV and Apple Lossless files. It will also, says Sony, upscale lossy formats such as MP3 to hi-res audio quality. To which we raise an interested, sceptical, earbrow. both $tba / sony.com.sg

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C H O I C E

GLOBES

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All together now! We’ve got the who-ole world on our desks, we’ve got the... 1 MOVA Spinning Globe

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We all love a dramatic juxtaposition: how about a traditional globe that spins futuristically in thin air? So much less clichéd than all those Instagram pics of empty Coke cans littered around the pyramids. £150 ($310) / nauticalia.com

2 12-inch Venus Globe Face it – you won’t be part of an intergalactic colony and you’ll probably never fire a laser in space. Instead, gaze at this topological map of Venus and imagine it all happened before ‘they’ wiped your memory. £110 ($225)/ 365astronomy.com

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3 SuckUK Cork Globe Impress friends with your well-travelledness by sticking pins in this corking sphere. As long as you don’t just have 20 bristling out of Marbella, that is. £100 ($205) / suck.uk.com

4 Globee San Francisco Night Light Globe Cool kids love San Fran. Cool kids sit on museum steps reading Jack Kerouac before heading to their office that looks like Tom Hanks’ apartment in Big. £16 ($33) / globee.co.uk

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5 Globe On Stand You hand-wind your vintage Rolex, you use a fountain pen, and prefer to take notes in a Moleskine. Vinyl sounds better than Spotify. You like globes that look like globes did when this was all fields. £15($31)/notonthehighstreet.com

[ Picture RGB Digital ]

6 Maxwell’s Lunar Globe In days of yore, skygazers peered upon yonder moon without the aid of satellites, and ye olde lunar globes had a blank, unmapped slice where be moon dragons. £420 ($870) / globemakers.com

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ALIENWARE AREA-51 Alienware says its ‘Triad chassis’ optimises cooling as well as access to ports and the like: you can simply pivot it forward using the built-in grips, and the sides come off for more serious tinkering. Like previous Area-51s, it will be configurable at purchase, and if money is no object you can have an octo-core Intel i7 Extreme processor, up to 32GB of RAM, a 1.5kW power supply, the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi and as many as three full-length, double-width graphics cards. That means 4K graphics across up to three monitors – a potential resolution of 11,520x2160 pixels. Jeepers. $tba (due December) / alienware.com.sg

Seventh heaven

CANON POWERSHOT G7 X Ah, I see you’ve brought a DSLR with two lenses with you on this trip. How much do they weigh altogether? 4kg? I’m sure that won’t make your neck ache when you’re climbing those 500 steps to the top of the cathedral. I’ll stick to my 304g PowerShot G7 X, thank you very much. It’s all the camera I need with a bright f/1.8 lens for beautiful bokeh, 4.2x optical zoom that’s boostable to 8.4x for versatility, and a 180-degree tiltable touchscreen display for perfect selfies at the top. $799 / www.canon.com.sg

HOT POT Hiding inside the sub are the two 150W amplifiers that drive these guys. That means they can be made pretty small: 158mm across and less than 1kg each.

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Not ‘affordable’, perfect

B&O BEOPLAY S8 We’re all on to a winner here, bless us. Within the gilded staterooms of Messrs Bang and Olufsen, they whisper about this 2.1-channel audio system as a more affordable entry to BeoPlay ownership. But once it’s laid out resplendent in our lounges, onlookers will only be amazed at the beauty of the S8 – win! – at which we can rabbit on about the work of its Danish designer Torsten Valeur. If some audiophile should feel beholden to remark on its lowly status, then we can frown disapprovingly: “In this room? I should think anything larger than a 250W Class D amplified sub and two 150W speakers would be a little unbalanced, don’t you?” (Win.) ₣1199 ($1935) / beostores.bang-olufsen.com.sg

G A M E S

DUE NOV

FIRST PLAY PROJECT CARS PS4, Xbox One, PC, Wii U Roaring its mantra ‘beyond reality’ over the noise of snarling V8 supercars, single-seaters and even karts, Project Cars wants to move hardcore motorsport sims away from PC petrolheads and bring real-life handling and physics to all platforms. Yep, even the Wii U. In its aim to be on the grid ahead of Forza and Gran Turismo, Project Cars scraps the ‘grind’ model of having to earn pots of cash in a Daewoo Matiz before you get to drive a car you actually want. This switches the emphasis away from winning

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for cash and puts it back where it should be: on competitive spirit. These are lofty targets for a company whose last race was Shift 2 (which, while pretty, somewhat missed its braking point and ran wide into console corner). But Slightly Mad Studios was also involved in the GTR series, and that’s the parent Project Cars naturally runs to. The handling is solid and progressive, and gives you enough faith to establish routine braking and turn-in points, and that combined with breathtaking depth-of-field is central to

delivering driver trust. Once the weather model comes into effect, it’s hard not to admire the puddles that form or track droplet trails on your visor, but it’s best to keep one eye on the road – handling degrades in the wet. With everything from gentle warm-up laps to 24-hour races, over 70 car licences and 80 tracks, PC support for 12K graphics (using three 4K monitors) plus Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus, Project Cars is vying for pole on our most-wanted list. Simon Strang

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2-UP ULTIMATE PANTS-BROWNERS

SILENT HILLS PS4, PC

That picture to the left isn’t from Silent Hills. It’s from P.T. (or Playable Teaser), which you can download for your PS4 right now. It hints at the direction in which Hideo Kojima (of Metal Gear fame) and Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro will take Silent Hills – and that direction is oh-my-god-I-don’t-like-it-please-turn-itoff-ARGHHHHH. Its brain-bending parallel-dimension premise sucks you into the puzzles to the point where you’re distracted enough to be easily scared. And scare you it will. More than any game you’ve ever played.

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SLENDER: THE ARRIVAL PS3, Xbox 360, PC The Slender Man is well-known on the internet for being one of the creepiest creations in horror, but until now he’s remained locked up in the relative safety of PC gaming. Reminiscent of found-footage films such as The Blair Witch Project, Slender: The Arrival has arrived on PS3 and Xbox 360 with a bump (in the night). Exploring his world, torch in hand, through the LCD screen of a camcorder, it’s really just a case of how long you can bear to play without switching the lights on.

MAKING THE JUMP TO PS4

UNTIL DAWN

Originally planned for the PS3, Until Dawn is a spiritual successor to Sega’s 1992 Mega CD game Night Trap. You have to make decisions for a group of eight friends, stranded in the middle of nowhere with a murderer on the loose. Can you hold the controller still enough to prevent giving away your hiding place to the killer?

TEARAWAY UNFOLDED

This charming cut ’n’ paste puzzle platform game from the makers of Little Big Planet was a critical hit on Vita and hopes to pull a bigger crowd when it makes the jump to its TV-tethered brother. It’s described as an ‘expanded retelling’ of the original; expect your DualShock’s touchpad and motion controls to finally be put to good use.

DAYZ

Notoriously buggy and even more notoriously difficult, survival shooter DayZ was originally a mod for PC game Arma 2. While its standalone PC version isn’t even out yet, DayZ creator Dean Hall has announced it’s coming to PS4 – though there’s no release date yet. An Xbox One version hasn’t been ruled out either.

INCOMING OCTOBER O ALIEN ISOLATION O FORZA HORIZON 2 OTHE EVIL WITHIN NOVEMBER O FAR CRY 4 O LITTLE BIG PLANET 3 O PES 2015 DECEMBER OLARA CROFT & THE TEMPLE OF OSIRIS

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from $45.98 / Android, iOS, Windows There are many reasons to like CoPilot’s mobile sat-nav, including its multi-platformness and its affordability. And now it’s done a free update, 9.6.2, that adds a free map update and time-savvy ActiveRoutes algorithms.

$4.98 / iOS Remember Monument? What a pleasant slice of isometric gravity-defying bimble-gaming that was. But over too soon, yes? Enter Back To Bed, in which you manipulate environments to keep a sleepwalker safe.

$free / Android, iOS Remember the hassle of borrowing books from the National Library? Well, not anymore. This app lets you use your mobile device to borrow books off the shelves with a simple barcode scan , all without having to use a borrowing station.

2 FishBrain

5 Tiny Tower Vegas

$free / Android, iOS Is it a happy-go-lucky social app to log your favourite fishing spots and catches? Or is it a cunning ploy by animal activists to trick Japan into posting pictures of illegal whaling activity? Either way, FishBrain now has 500,000 users.

$free / iOS Previous Tiny Tower games were pretty good. By ‘pretty good’ we mean the time we spent playing them would show up on a graph of our life activity. Now there’s a new take, in that you’re running a Vegas den. Get the thumb-splints out.

8 Assassin’s Creed Pirates

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from $free / iOS It’s creepy enough that this game’s marketeers suggest mixing your face with that of a celebrity. But not nearly as creepy as mixing your face with that of your pet, and not nearly as ROFL-inducing. Tweet your best efforts to @stuff_sg.

$free / Android “Tap to reverse gravity. Try not to die.” Not only a succinct intro for a tricksy, monochromatic, Flappy Bird-generation scroller, but also a fine concept for a film. Or maybe a difficult-to-insure replacement for Laser Tag.

$free / iOS Cord lets you share voice messages with friends or groups of friends. “We used to call it ‘conversation’,” your dad will say. Or, if he’s a geek, he’ll launch into a diatribe about the failure of Push-To-Talk phones. Either way, yawn.

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$free / iOS, Android ACP gets a new episode, entitled Cold Blood, which is set in the Arctic Sea. Brrrrr. Sorry, that wasn’t us shivering at the sight of icebergs, it was the idea of facing a new round of in-app purchase demands.

APP SPOTLIGHT VALIANT HEARTS: THE GREAT WAR

$5.98 / iOS In this centenary year, World War One things have been popping up all over the place, but one of the most heartwarming was Ubisoft’s Valiant Hearts – and now it’s available for iOS, albeit in IAP chapters. You play different characters from different aspects of the war and help them with their differing struggles.

Get your own back

MOTOROLA MOTO X The Moto X won’t win any spec wars. No world firsts or gimmicks either. But Motorola’s new flagship smartphone will wiggle its way into your shortlist anyway. How? With a gorgeous new 5.2in Full HD display, a 13MP camera with a ring flash and – lest we forget – even more customisation than last year’s X. The front is either black or white, but you can choose from 25 different materials for the rear, including real leathers and woods. You also get ten choices of accent colour and the option to engrave a name or message on the back. All for $635 – it’s definitely worth a look. US$500 ($635) / motorola.com

Be king of the swingers

SONY SMART TENNIS SENSOR They say the CIA can reconstruct your conversations using an office object, turning vibrations into a waveform of you slagging off your manager. Knowing this makes a sensor that only tells you that you hit a ball seem underwhelming. Until you learn it can measure where on the strings you hit the ball, along with swing and ball speed. It knows its forehand smash from its backhand slice, and all the stats can either be saved or viewed in real time via an Android or iOS app. US$200 ($255) / sony.com.sg

A smorgasbord of in-car tech

VOLVO XC90 Volvo’s new XC90 is the figurehead of its refreshed, hi-tech and still Swedish design direction. Those fancy LEDs and the simplified front grille, for example, plus the hybrid 60g/km CO2 engine. But let’s go inside: the dashboard has a new tablet-like Sensus infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with Nuance-powered voice recognition. There’s a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system and, should you be distracted by it, there’s a brace of sensors and radar working to avoid peds and cyclists as well as other cars. Makes a Range Rover look like an over-priced tractor, doesn’t it? $tba / volvocars.com/sg

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FUJI GAINS WEIGHT …ALSO STAMINA, AWESOMENESS Fujifilm X30 $899 / fujifilm.com.sg

Fujifilm claims the X30’s battery will manage around 470 pictures on one charge

Everyone’s favourite fancy compact cam, the X20, gets a slew of new features that more than justify its 50% model name increase OSay what you see. “Muscle is heavier than fat,” mutter people as they struggle to read the scales readout over their forward-mounted slab of “muscle”. But generally they’re right, and while the X30 has definitely bulked up since the X20, it’s for good reason. It now has a tilting (rather than fixed) 3in, 920k-dot LCD screen, and

hidden within is the much larger NP-95 battery pack, as used on Fuji’s X100, which should improve battery life by a factor of two-ish. OSay what you can’t see. There’s something missing from the front of the X30 that, if spotted, will out you as a camera super-nerd. No? Why, it’s the outward end of the optical viewfinder. The inward end is present and correct because the X30 now has a 2.36MP electronic viewfinder. This should offer a metric world of improvement over the welcome, but tiny, optical eyespy that was on the X20 and X10.

OSay, what can you never see? The gubbins! But, actually, they’re largely the same: a 12MP, 2/3in X-Trans CMOS II sensor and a 28-112mm, f2.0-2.8 lens that also acts as the on/off switch. There’s a new control ring at the base of the lens and there’s also now a dedicated movie record button for those 1080p/60fps masterworks. It gets Wi-Fi, to bring it up to date with almost every other compact out there, and it also gets a new ‘Classic Chrome’ film simulation mode to help you forget that we live in the kind of future where our photos can travel invisibly through the air.

ALTERNATIVELY…

Leica MP Another new retro amazo-o-cam option. Leica promises it is ‘twice as fast’ as the original M Digital, and has a new subtle design. Slightly pricier than the X30, at US$7950 ($10,085).

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VS Speaker easy

Level best

PURE JONGO X SERIES

DENON HEOS

The Jongo system isn’t shiny and new like Denon HEOS, but the ‘X’ marks a refresh. There’s the coolly refreshing ice-coloured speaker grille on the white speakers, but more refreshing still are the tweaks they’ve been given by the boffins in Pure’s R&D department. The setup process has been simplified, and thanks to Pure’s Caskeid technology the whole Jongo system can now intelligently pick up on what you were last playing and resume it when you’re back in the room. As multiroom systems go, Pure continues to win the value-for-money gong. from £100 ($205) / pure.com

Heos, the Greek god of wireless multiroom audio, has sided with Denon to create a set-up that’s aimed squarely at (and slightly pricier than) Sonos. There are three types, with increasingly sophisticated speaker set-ups but the same connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet or aux-in, with an iOS/Android app in control. The ‘3’ stands horizontally or vertically, the ‘5’ and ‘7’ on their longer edge. There’s also the HEOS Amp and the Link, with line-level outputs for your own amp, while the Extend creates a bridge connection for the further reaches of your mansion. from £250 ($515) / denon.co.uk

START MENU

The month’s best concepts, start-ups, crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas

Thumbing a lift

Fade to great

ULTRASONIC LEVITATION MACHINE

£35 ($70) / myopenmix.com

US$130 ($165) / polarprofilters.com

One for you science-o-philes, this kit contains all the bits you need to levitate light objects using soundwaves. An amusing enough diversion for a wet weekend, but it forms the basis of a theory that could lead to perpetual motion, the resultant destruction of the energy industry and the demise of the human race as we know it. Maybe.

This dinky little device has two 3.5mm inputs and one output, so it will let you crossfade tracks between two devices, with the resultant noise heading straight to your hi-fi or PA system. Doesn’t have to be two songs you’re mixing, either. You could have one phone with music on and another with one of the many DJ effects apps out there.

Some people think like dogs. See, most people look at a GoPro on a stick and think about the footage. People who think like dogs look at a GoPro on a stick and think about the stick. That’s exactly what the guys (or possibly dogs) at Polar Pro did, and that’s when they thought about filling the stick with batteries to make your GoPro (and other gadgets) last longer. Clever boy.

Status Seeking funding (Kickstarter)

Status Funded (Kickstarter)

Status Funded (Kickstarter)

US$120 ($150) / soniclevitation.com

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OPENMIX

Action stations

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SEVENFRIDAY P3/3 $1590 / sevenfriday.com

Most of us have probably never seen a snow groomer before in our lives, but the SevenFriday P3/3 was modelled after one, and looks just stunning. It even draws its nickname, the Bully, from a prominent brand of snow groomers. Now that we’ve Googled what a snow groomer really looks like however, it’s hard to see where the similarities lie. Either way, it’s a very stylish watch, with an automatic movement taking care of everything internally.

MONSTER APPEAL

U-BOAT CHIMERA DAY-DATE from $12,500 / uboatwatch.com

It looks nothing like the lion-snake-goat hybrid monster from greek mythology that its named for, but in this case that’s a very good thing. The first U-Boat to spell both the day and date out on its dial, the Chimera Day-Date comes in either a stainless steel or aged bronze 46mm case. Each is distinctly U-Boat of course, with that signature design and crown for absolute waterproofing.

BACK IN BLACK

URWERK EMC BLACK $208,500 / urwerk.com

The best fine watches don’t just tell the time; they have to offer a horological experience to justify those hefty price tags. And what the EMC Black offers is something quite unique – the opportunity to finetune the watch’s timing rate for optimum precision. With a patented performance indicator accompanying the usual hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve dials, wearers will be able to see how factors such as temperature and pressure can affect the movement of a watch. They can then do something few people can: correct any variations with a simple turn of a screw on the back.

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La Isla Bonita Noise is sometimes music, especially when it’s coming from American punk band Deerhoof. Recorded live in the guitarist’s basement, it’s a throwback to a simpler and less manufactured time in the music industry. Curious about what it sounds like? The album was apparently recorded during a “weeklong sleepover arguing over whether to try and sound like Joan Jett or Janet Jackson”. Go figure.

DAVID BOWIE

Nothing Has Changed You can’t call yourself a true blue Bowie fan if you’re not planning to get this upcoming album. Featuring his best-loved work and a new tune called Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) if you’re after fresh Bowie. If not, there are always favourites like Ziggy Stardust and Liza Jane to keep your Bowie-o-meter full and satisfied.

FOO FIGHTERS Sonic Highways Hands up those of you who’ve been missing Dave Grohl’s growl. Okay, you can put your hands down now because he’s back along with the rest of the Foo Fighters. While the album is something entirely new in its conception (“we are going to make this album in a way that no one’s ever done before”), Grohl also says it’s “instantly recognisable as a Foo Fighters record, but there’s something deeper and more musical to it”.

MARY J. BLIGE

The London Sessions While this record will still smack of Blige, it also shows off her chameleon-like ability to adapt to any style of music. Working with industry bigwigs like Sam Smith, Naughty Boy, and Disclosure, The London Sessions will cue you into a side of Mary J. Blige you’ve never heard before. Right Now, described as “the most innovative thing we’ve heard from Blige in a while” is a buttery smooth ear-pleaser.

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SHADY RECORDS

Shady XV Not only will this be a compilation of the greatest hits released under Shady Records, the two disc album will also feature new songs from the who’s who of the hip-hop world such as Eminem, D12, and Slaughterhouse. Expect classic hits like In Da Club and Lose Yourself, amongst new tracks like Guts over Fear featuring a collaboration between Eminem and Sia.

STUFF PROMOTION

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II does a whole lot more than your regular compact camera The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II made waves in the camera world when it launched, thanks to a large 1.5-inch high-sensitivity CMOS sensor and professional performance that instantly put it a cut above other compact cameras. Now, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II improves on that winning formula with with welcome enhancements in every area, including Wi-Fi remote shooting and NFC connectivity. With such imaging power and capability in a compact form, the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is perfect for people who want to do more with their cameras while carrying less.

Winner of “Best Expert Compact Camera”. TIPA AWARDS 2014

STUFF PROMOTION

WHAT IT CAN DO Q A new DIGIC 6 Imaging Processor means the PowerShot G1 X Mark II is capable of full resolution continuous shooting at 5fps. Noise reduction has also been improved, with a quicker turnaround between shots enabling you to shoot more without missing those special moments. QAt 1.5 inches, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II’s image sensor is the largest in Canon’s compact camera range, with a size and quality that’s close to its APS-C DSLR counterparts. The 12.8MP here has been upgraded for sharper, clearer images, with increased dynamic range and amazing low-light performance. QThe bright f/2.0 lens with built-in optical Image Stabiliser and macro focussing distance of just 5cm doesn’t just provide better bokeh and image depth, it now also has 5x optical zoom. With an effective range of 24-120mm, it’s got the versatility to meet most of your shooting needs. QNeed more control over your image to ensure you get the exact shots you want? The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II’s dual control rings enable you to easily tweak aperture and shutter speed settings, as well as fine-tune focus. Take your photography to the next level instead of being limited by automatic modes. QIn today’s modern times, manual controls aren’t enough – you need a touchscreen user interface as well. Why waste time pressing all those buttons when you could just touch and go? The camera’s touch-enabled 1800 tilting screen will have you taking shots at all angles with no problems at all, even making those selfies easier too.

Unleash your creativity With 5 Creative Shots and 46 filters to choose from, there’s bound to be one that’ll make your image special. What’s even better is that you get five of these creative images with just one snap of the shutter.

Up close and personal To have a focal distance of just 5cm, most cameras would require a macro lens all on its own. The PowerShot G1 X Mark II however, has this on the camera itself already, on top of its 5x optical zoom lens.

Shooting for the stars Taking photos of the night sky never looked so good so simply. All you need is a tripod, and the G1 X Mark II’s Star Mode will take spectacular starry images you’ve never captured before.

For more information visit www.canon.com.sg

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20 THE HUNGER GAMES: NOV MOCKINGJAY PART 1

What now for Katniss Everdeen, who’s now escaped death for the second time and has emerged as a hesitant hero for the bizarre state of Panem? As it turns out, her turbulent journey isn’t over, and she must now face new enemies to rescue her love Peeta. Is this her happily-everafter? Probably not, since there’ll be a Part II, but at least it’s guaranteed to be entertaining.

INTERSTELLAR

BIG HERO 6

Directed by Christopher Nolan of Inception and Batman fame, this science fiction film ventures into space to explore the what-ifs of space travel. Matthew McConaughey stars as a widowed engineer who must decide if the future of mankind, or the relationship with his children is more important when a wormhole is discovered. You can probably guess which way he swings though.

This highly anticipated animated film is Disney’s first since acquiring Marvel Entertainment. Based on the Marvel Comics team of superheroes with the same name, the film features a young robotics genius and the robot he built. See what happens when they chance upon an evil plot (as these things are wont to happen) and pull together a motley crew of inexperienced characters to solve the mystery.

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BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP

HORRIBLE BOSSES 2

Based on the 2011 novel of the same name, Nicole Kidman plays Christine Lucas ,who when injured in a car accident, loses her memory. And as her life unfolds in a drastically different way, she finds herself asking if this is real life or just fantasy. Kind of like 50 First Dates, but way less funny.

This sequel to 2011’s Horrible Bosses will strike a chord with everyone who’s ever felt aggrieved at work. This time round, the three former employees are now bosses of their own venture. Unfortunately, life isn’t at all smooth sailing for them and when an investor appears to buy over their business, they have no other choice but to kidnap his son to earn a ransom. Genius behaviour.

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It’s almost December. Start primping early to groom yourself into great form for the holiday (party) season, or add these to your Christmas shopping list

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO ACQUA ESSENZIALE BLU

From $76 for 30ml

Playing to the gender stereotype, Blu’s colour namesake is supposed to be the ultimate symbol of masculinity and modernity. Inspired by water, the scent is fresh and spicy with bergamot and green cardamom on top of heart notes of lavender and smokey cypriol, all centred on a warm tonka bean and patchouli. We won’t be surprised if this helps you grow a few extra hairs for Movember.

ALTERNA CAVIAR ANTI AGING REPLENISHING MOISTURE SHAMPOO $56

Every woman has probably put her head of hair through the damage of dye jobs and curling or straightening. To restore life to your hair, it’s not just a matter of washing it, but also washing it with the right kind of shampoo. Designed for dry hair, this shampoo contains caviar extract and vitamin C to restore youth to your frizzed ends

TONI AND GUY HAIR MEET WARDROBE STYLING POMADE $20 for 75ml

Need something to hold that pompadour in place? Try this styling pomade. Take a little, rub it between your palms, and work it into your hair to make sure it’s evenly distributed, Then comb through for a sleek do or shape into your desired hairstyle. Capable of defying both gravity and humidity.

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BALDESSARINI NAUTIC SPIRIT

LUSH ZEST HAIR GELLY

This scent is supposed to bring to mind being at sea on a nice balmy day, which makes owning it the next best thing to actually being out at sea. Topped with elements of passion fruit and sea water, the scent has a heart of spicy ginger and curry leaves. Yes, you read that right. But don’t worry about all that spice being nose-tickling, its balanced out on base notes of musky patchouli and sandalwood.

To prove its great hold, this hair-styling gel comes in wobbly jelly form. Made with real orange juice to give your hair shine, Zest is also loaded with carrageenan extract and glycerin so don’t try to eat it. A little goes a long way; just dab a little and rub between your hands until you don’t see any product left. Works with both damp and dry hair, but won’t stiffen your hair into a cement block.

From $98 for 50ml

$38 for 100g

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BABETTE RESTAURANT & BAR PERFECT FUSION OF FLAVOURS

165 Tyrwhitt Road, #01-03 Parc Sovereign Hotel Singapore 207569 Tel: 63417 727 Email: [email protected] Inspired by French foodie movie Babette’s Feast, this casual dining joint mixes Japanese and French influence into its fare. Why those two in particular? It is because they’re arguably the best in culinary in their respective regions of the world. Before you think the fusion of the two is going to end up in confusion cuisine, they are surprisingly complementary. Not keen on trying something you’re not too familiar with? Don’t worry, Babette’s menu won’t be all French (pun intended) to you. The Grilled Octopus Salad ($17) had pieces of octopus tenderised by the French sous-vide cooking technique and grilled after to add a nice smoky char to the salad. While Roasted Avocado ($12) might not sound all that appetising, you’ll be doing yourself a massive disfavour by skipping on it. Mashed avocado is mixed with tomato and salmon and stuffed back into the skin of the fruit before being toasted. Creamy and umami with Babette’s signature sauce, this is worth a reorder, or five. But onto the main event - the main courses. We hear the sirloin in the Steak and Foie Gras Donburi ($28) was only shortlisted after the owner tried 30 different samples and decided on this Australian grass fed sirloin. Seared on the outside and pink on the inside, the beef was perfectly cooked medium rare. Take it from us, don’t order it any other way. As if that’s not already decadent enough, there’s a coin of panseared foie gras atop the steak for the perfect party on your tongue. To end the meal, we had to have the Matcha Lava Cake ($12). Don’t baulk at the green chocolate that oozes out when you break the cake, it’s not food colouring but premium green tea powder mixed with white chocolate to balance out the sweetness of the latter. Paired with ice cream and a dripping of azuki topping, you’ll be in dessert heaven. But if it’s liquid dessert you prefer, you’ll be glad to know that Babette offers beer on tap and a range of cocktails named after the characters in the movie.

STUFF TO TRY Babette Chirashi Donburi $19 A fresh mix of sashimi, tamago and tobiko on Japanese rice

Duck Confit Donburi $28 Crispy confit of duck leg served with pickles on a bed of Japanese rice

Charred Cauliflower $8 Smoky cauliflower in a buttery velvet velouté with ginger confit

Babette $16 Citrusy sour gin cocktail with mint, lemon, lime and passionfruit

OPENING HOURS Mon to Sun: 11am to 11pm

STUFF SAYS HAVING TRIED THEIR REGULAR OFFERINGS, WE’RE MORE PSYCHED THAN EVER TO TASTE THE JAPANESE FRENCH BRUNCH MENU THEY’VE GOT COMING UP www.stuff.tv

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OUR MONTH What W Wh hatt the the he past pas astt 30 days day ayss have have brought ha bro roug ughht ug ht uuss by by w way ay ooff ge geekery eker ek ker eryy

I SAW A MOTO 360 EXPLODE…

…OK, it had already exploded/been carefully dismantled with all its custom circular parts on display. I snuck behind the scenes at Motorola’s new Chicago HQ to see the squares and squircles it rejected before striking design gold with the 360.

Sophia Charara reviewer / 360° viewer

I WENT ON A PILGRIMAGE...

To Cupertino, that is. It was electrifying to attend one of tech’s biggest events and to try out the new iDevices before the rest of the world did. Now, that’s one less thing on my tech bucket list.

Elissa Loi features writer / apple polisher

I DIDN’T REALISE THE TESLA WAS SO LOUD The deep guttural roar of its electric engine was so brutal and enticing that I just had to pop the hood and check what was under it. Turned out to be quite a surprise. Watch the vine here: bit.ly/stufftesla

Ross Presly deputy art editor / confused greaser

I WAS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS

....while I was in the jungle for my annual in-camp training. It was a good break from the constant chatter flooding my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds, allowing me to stop and smell the grass (and all types of funky odors).

Tein Hee Seow online editor asia / social media addict

I TRIED GOOGLE CARDBOARD

I even put it together myself within 5 minutes, and it works with just about any smartphone running on Android. Its virtual reality experience was surprisingly immersive and fun despite costing less than $10. Makes you wonder why you need to pay hundreds for stuff like the Samsung Gear VR at all.

www.stuff.tv

I’m not a huge fan of non-laptop PCs, but the HP Envy Beats AIO might have changed my mind. Visually bold and audibly appealing (thanks to Beats and its quad speakers and quad subwoofers), I now can’t wait to watch a movie or play a game on it. If I manage to own one, that is.

Hafizah Osman news writer / beat boxer Melvin Tang editor / virtual realist

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I GOT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH HP’S ENVY BEATS AIO

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YOUR MONTH NOV Kick back with Shakespeare, Jay Chou, and Hoobastank this fun-filled November

01 SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL

Love writing? This local literary festival is for you. Partake in one of the many symposiums, workshops and even literary meals or go the whole hog by purchasing a 10 day festival pass. Word.

08 OPUS 2 JAY 2014 WORLD TOUR

The king of (mando) pop returns to reclaim his throne and hopefully sell out more shows as is his habit. Performing in the National Stadium at the Singapore Sports Hub for the first time, fans can look forward to him belting out the classics that they probably romanced their first love with.

13 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Dreamy, hilarious and poetic all at the same time, this Shakespeare classic will be performed at the Esplanade Theatre by the original Shakespeare’s Globe. Not to be missed by true blue Shakespeare fans.

13 MAMMA MIA!

In a musical wedding like no other, the bride in question must seek out her real dad from three couldbes in order to find one who’ll walk her down the aisle. Set to feel-good ABBA songs to undermine the weirdness of the scenario, this isn’t as familyunfriendly as it sounds.

22 SKECHERS SUNDOWN FESTIVAL

Skechers celebrates the Asian music scene with an evening of music with the best local artistes (Zhang Zhen Yue, S.O.S and Kate Tsui) from eleven countries. In between performances, festival attendees can stuff themselves with the culinary offerings representing the different countries too.

30 HOOBASTANK LIVE IN SINGAPORE 2014

It might have been a while since The Reason dominated the airwaves, which makes it a very good time to hear it live. Expect the alternative rock band to perform hits like Crawling in the Dark and Remember Me. www.stuff.tv

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AHEAD OF THE GAME IN HI-RES

Sony’s High-Resolution Audio range is all about sound quality only a musician would settle for and genius design — their new headphones are no exception. First up? The MDR-Z7...

MDR-Z7 Designed for Hi-Res Audio, Sony’s flagship headphones come with a 70mm HD driver to give a far more consistent sound across the entire frequency range, even sub-bass frequencies and the crystalline highs. Built in Japan with bespoke precision, the shape of every component is completely refined to reproduce every detail of music — exactly how musicians and artists intended. They eliminate unwanted vibration energy with their Aluminium-coated Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragm. Did we mention they are ridiculously comfortable (see inset) and look the part, too?

WHAT’S HI-RES AUDIO? Hi-Res Audio files are processed at a much higher rate than standard MP3 files and CDs. The sheer quality of Hi-Res Audio means you can truly immerse yourself in every single instrument, bass note and hi-hat. Listen to Hi-Res Audio files with Hi-Res Audio headphones and a Hi-Res Audio Walkman and you’ll never listen to music the same way again. It’s crystal clear clarity to make you feel like you’re listening to music from speakers in a recording studio. Hi-Res Audio tracks are delivered through WAV, DSD, AIFF, FLAC, and ALAC files, which can be downloaded from selected websites — search for “Sony” on stuff.tv now to find out more. Learn about Hi-Res Audio players such as Sony’s Walkman NWZ-A10 Series in the second part of this Hi-Res Audio feature, which will appear in the next issue of Stuff Singapore. Find out more about Hi-Res Audio at: sony-asia.com/hiresaudio. Or scan this:

THE MDR-Z7 IS JUST THE BEGINNING. STUFF PICKS MORE FROM SONY’S HI-RES AUDIO HEADPHONE RANGE...

*XBA-A2 pictured

XBA-Z5

MDR-1ADAC

MDR-10R

XBA-A2/A3

The ultimate in-ear headphone. They use a hybrid threeway driver system and an aluminium coated diaphragm for pitch-perfect precision. A favourite with the audio pros.

Their built-in USB DAC amp takes the digital output of your device and converts the signal to an analogue output for amplification. The result is enhanced sound.

Ideal for perfectly balanced Hi-Res Audio while looking great, these are designed with your comfort in mind, which you can feel as much as the nuances in the music.

With three-way driver systems of HD tweeters, Linear Drive Balanced Armature drivers and Liquid Crystal Polymer Diaphragms, these are crafted to deliver a Hi-Res Audio punch.

WIN!!! Hi-Res Audio download cards at www.stuff.tv/sg/competitions To get you started in the world of Hi-Res Audio, Sony is giving 100 lucky Stuff readers Hi-Res Audio download cards that entitle you to 20 free downloads. Simply visit the competition page on Stuff.tv and look for the Hi-Res Audio contest. Good luck!

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE

iPHONE 6

Absolutely everything you need to know from A to Z Apple’s biggest phones ever have been released. They’ve been a huge hit, selling 10m units in just one weekend. Even if you’re one of the lucky few to get one before they sold out, we bet there are still a few things you didn’t know about your shiny new purchase. That’s where we come in. [ Words Elissa Loi, Hafizah Osman, Melvin Tang, Tein Hee Seow Photography Mark Teo ]

Shot with Sh an iPhone 6 Plus!

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

A A8 Processor

Accelerometer

App Store

AppleCare+

Faster and more powerful barely explains what the A8 processor can do. It makes your apps load and run faster. It’s also less power hungry, sucking up less juice (being 50% more efficient than the A7 chip on the iPhone 5s) while you bash highly detailed skulls on games running Metal, or watch high definition video. Its processing power is also borrowed by the iSight camera to produce stunning photos through advanced imaging features.

The iPhone knows everything. It knows when you’re skiving and walking less. There’s a snitch called the accelerometer that tells on you to the Health app. Moral of the story - get an iPhone, use the accelerometer to track your movements, and lead a healthier lifestyle. Once you lose that extra weight and love handles, you’ll truly thank the accelerometer.

With over 1 million apps in the App Store, Apple’s got the most robust ecosystem available for a mobile device. You’re bound to find something useful for you, and it’s all sorted by category for your convenience too.

Otherwise known as the thing that’ll save your iPhone from impending doom if you drop it after the free limited warranty expires. For $138, you get two years of additional coverage starting from the date of purchase for your iPhone, along with repairs for two counts of accidental damage at $108 each. Trust us, it’s so useful, you might even walk out of a store with a brand new iPhone if your unit is abused beyond repair.

Barometer

Battery

Bluetooth LE

Bendgate

The accelerometer isn’t the only feature that’ll help (or nag) you with your fitness regime. The barometer works concurrently with the former, measuring how high you’ve climbed and whether you need to take more steps to hit your goal for the day. Be glad that the iPhone doesn’t have a part that gives you a shock when you’re underachieving.

Despite the larger, higher resolution screens and bump in specs, the new iPhones promise better battery life. You can expect around 11 hours of continuous video playback on the 6, while the 6 Plus goes up to 14 hours. And we’ve gotten over a day and a half on our review units with heavy usage to back up those claims too. With iOS 8, you can now also see which apps are draining the most battery from Settings. You can’t actually do anything in there though, it’s just knowledge for you to make usage adjustments.

The presence of Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy means that your Bluetooth streaming, AirDrop transfers, or iBeacon interactions are faster and use less energy. That’ll result in better battery life. It’ll only make a difference if the device you’re connecting to has Bluetooth LE too, of course.

We’ve all read reports of the iPhone 6 Plus warping in users’ pockets. Someone even made a viral video of himself damaging one pretty badly by bending it with his bare hands. However, Apple has come out to say that official complaints on the iPhone 6 bending are less than 10. Consumer Reports also released their findings that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are actually pretty resilient. From our experience so far, no such problem exists with regular use.

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

C Camera App The great thing about the iPhone camera is that it’s so easy to use and takes great shots every single time. And with the new update, you can capture even slower slow-motion videos at 240fps, perfect for more epic shots in all their fluid glory. If you’re looking for something even more cinematic, time-lapse videos should do the trick. Just press the record button and your camera will do all the hard processing work for you. The only thing you have to worry about is your battery running out before you get all the footage needed. As for stills, you now get exposure controls in real time. Taking a photo or a video and tapping the screen (just like you would normally focus) will turn up a little sun icon. Tapping it will bring up a slider that you can use to adjust exposure up to four f-stops lighter or darker to get your desired image. Landscape shots are also better than ever, with 43MP Panoramas and better exposure adjustments so they emerge as one seamless stitch. Sunset at the Grand Canyon? No problem for this smart shooter at all, even with the tricky shadows.

Campus Whenever you see mentions of Cupertino in anything related to Apple, they’re talking about the Apple Campus, their corporate headquarters at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino, California. It currently occupies around 850,000 square feet, with the company even leasing an additional 3.3m square feet of office space in the city itself to accommodate all its employees.

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

Continuity Reap the benefits of having an entire suite of iThings with this seamless feature (give you have iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite). Hear a call coming in, but your iPhone’s nowhere near you while you’re working on your Mac or iPad? Just answer it directly (or reject it) on your other devices so long as your iOS 8-running iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network. You can also message contacts directly from your iThings without rummaging through your belongings for your iPhone. It’s not just about calls and texts either. Handoff is a feature that allows you to continue working across iThings on iOS 8 native apps like Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. This is perfect if you need to be on the move without losing any of your work or go through the tedious process of downloading and uploading again. Works for Safari browsing and composing in Mail too.

Craig Federighi As Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, Federighi was the man responsible for developing iOS 8. That’s why he’s usually the guy to demonstrate new functions on the latest iOS versions during Apple’s keynotes.

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

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Design After a few minor tweaks between the iPhone 5 and the 5s, people wanted some change – and change is what they got with the design of the new iPhones. Besides the obvious augment in screen size (from 4in to 4.7in), the iPhone 6 sports a matte all-metal rounded back, with glass that curves to meet the edges on the front for a smooth, continuous form. A huge difference from the flat, sharp angles on the 5s. The size difference is even more obvious on the iPhone 6 Plus. It’s 5.5in as compared to the 4in

iPhone 5s – by far, the biggest of any iPhone. But besides the size and thickness, most of the design elements we mention above are the same across the newly launched units. As for thickness, the iPhone 6 has a thin 6.9mm profile, while the 6 Plus’ sits at 7.1mm. They’re both considerably skinnier than their 7.5mm predecessor, despite packing a lot more power. There’s quite a big design change too – the lens on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus protrudes from the phone.

Eddy Cue

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Another familiar face on stage in Apple’s keynotes, Cue is the senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. This means he’s the one who takes care of — and the one who talks about — the iTunes Store, the App Store, the iBookstore, Siri, Apple Maps, and iCloud.

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Extensibility iOS has customarily been a closed system, but it’s recently opened up to developers for deeper integration with third-party apps. This means you can access features from other apps on Apple’s native apps, and vice versa. It also means you’ve got more options on where to share your content via the Share sheet, which used to only contain certain social media networks. Documents can also be opened, shared, and edited more easily between different apps, so working on your iOS device just got a lot more convenient. You could even edit your pictures straight from your Photos app with third-party editing tools.

F FaceTime HD Camera The FaceTime camera no longer plays second fiddle to the iSight camera, and deserves its own space in our iPhone alphabet. With the substantial upgrades applied to the front-facing camera, you can be sure selfies are going to be an even bigger part of your new iPhone experience. It takes better photos, thanks to the improved camera capturing up to 81% more light, and is also better at detecting where your face is. You’ll never be out of focus when taking a selfie or FaceTiming with someone halfway across the world. It also does burst shots (10 per second) to capture your best moments. Don’t worry, deleting the unflattering ones can be done with just a few taps. No one needs to know that those exist.

Family Sharing You no longer have to spend extra if all members of your family are participating in a Candy Crush-off. Up to six in the family can share apps and paid content with one payment option without sharing accounts. This sharing also works for photo albums, calendars and even location tracking so you can keep tabs on your kids in more than one way.

G Gyroscope Living in a three-dimensional space means the iPhone needs a gyroscope to measure the axis you’re walking in. Short of giving you a science lecture, the gyroscope lets you take ridiculously long (and beautiful) panoramic shots. It’s also the reason you can spot excited gamers moving their phones while playing motion-sensitive games on their iPhones.

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

H Health New app alert! This new dashboard uses Apple’s Healthkit to compile info from your health-related apps, displaying it in a simple yet comprehensive way. What’s more, data recorded on one app will then be fed to all others, including how many steps you’ve taken, flights of stairs climbed, calorie intake, and distance covered.

Especially useful is the medical card with information such as allergies and blood type, which is available in case of emergencies straight from the lock screen.

Tip: Try these 3 HealthKit-enabled apps

WebMD

Human

MyFitnessPal

$free / webmd.com Besides letting you see what your ailments could be a symptom of, WebMD syncs with Health to give you tips on how to achieve your preset goals. It can even log some basic data on its own.

$free / human.co With this app, you won’t need an additional fitness tracker. Human turns your iPhone 6 into one, automatically logging your walks, runs, or bike rides just by having it in your pocket or bag.

$free / myfitnesspal.com Count your calories easily with this handy intake tracker. With more than 4m foods in its database, MyFitnessPal will help you record more accurately and hit that weight target in no time.

HomeKit Apple’s preparing for the future Internet of Things with the iPhone 6, including HomeKit in iOS 8 to connect with devices on the same Wi-Fi network. By establishing a common protocol for these devices to connect securely with iOS 8, they’re paving the way for potential future Apple-connected homes. Soon, you may just be able to switch off your lights, turn on the aircon, or even unlock the door straight from your device.

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I iCloud Drive On the surface, iCloud Drive is like any other cloud storage system. But it’s more than that. Edit a document on your iPhone, go to your Yosemiteenabled MacBook or even a compatible PC, and the same file will have been updated with your changes. This continuation extends to apps that support iCloud Drive too. Is it secure? It’s all about two-factor authentication, where a separate code sent to your iPhone adds another layer to secure your iCloud Drive. You’ll be glad to know it’s a lot cheaper now too – iCloud Drive starts from $15 per year for 20GB, and goes up to $24.98 per month for 1TB of online storage space.

“The iSight camera still manages to best most smartphone cameras in the market, showing just how little megapixels count in taking great images”

iOS 8 The latest update to the system might not seem like much at first compared to iOS 7, but take your time to explore and the many nuances of the new OS will reveal themselves to you. Basically, Apple’s provided developers with Swift, a whole new programming language, and deeper access to iOS 8 than ever before. You’llll see the new features at work throughout ore. You this feature.

ight Camera iSight tililll ma man nages to best most At 8MP, the iSight camera st still manages smartphone market, artphone cameras in th the em arket, showing just how little images. The e megapixels count in ttaking aking great imag ges es.. Th T e new comes aperture, w sensor now com mes with f/2.2 ap ape erture, 1.5 micron new technology ron pixels, and a n ew technolog ogy called Focus Pixels, blazing AF. els, leading to bla azin ng fast AF F. Face detection is also more meaning re intelligent, me eaning yourr best shots from burst mode you de are less likely y tto o have y ou looking all squinty eyed Quasimodo. d like Quasimod do. major difference There’s one ma ajo or differe ence between the two iPhone though; one 6 models tho ough; the e iPhone 6 uses digital image while ge stabilisation nw hile the e iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilisation. The ge stabilisation n. T he latter is more effective for taking light, ng clear shots in low light t, as it works with the A8 chip coprocessor, p and M8 motion coproces ssor, to compensate for any shaky hand mo motions. otions.

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

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REVIEWS, FEATURES, LATEST NEWS, OPINIONS AND LOADS MORE.

AWESOME NEW CONTENT EVERY DAY!

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Jonathan Ive

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Probably the most famous Apple executive other than Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. As Apple’s senior vice president of Design, Jony Ive decides how all Apple products will look, feel, and be experienced. He also heads the Human Interface department. You should be familiar with his work, since he delivered the products everyone tries to emulate such as the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Air.

K Keyboards Third-party keyboards can now finally be used on iPhones running iOS 8. Prior to this, Apple didn’t allow these on its smartphones, and it was a luxury only Android users had since 2007.

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Tip: Here are three keyboards you can try. Simply download and enable them by going to Settings > General > Keyboards

Swiftkey

Swype

Fleksy

$free / swiftkey.com Probably the most famous of all keyboard apps found on Android. Eerily accurate in its predictions as it compiles data from your mail, messages, and social media to learn how you type.

$1.28 / swype.com Instead of tapping on the keyboard to type, you swipe your fingers across the keys in one continuous motion for each word, stopping at each letter you want to use. Swype will then figure it out.

$1.28 / fleksy.com Another Android favourite that built its reputation upon accurate text prediction and auto-correction, Fleksy also comes with a wide range of options for you to customise how it looks on your phone.

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L Landscape View A landscape view for a bigger screen? Sure, that makes sense. But it’s not just a simple rotation for the iPhone 6 Plus’ user interface. Like the larger iPad , the landscape view presents a different user experience, such as more options popping up. It’s not a feature found on the iPhone 6 though.

Tip: Landscape view doesn’t only give you the split screen option in Mail and Messages, it also brings up new keys like cut, copy, and bold.

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

LTE Or 4G. Either way, long-term evolution (LTE) is the reason you should take the new plans from SingTel, StarHub or M1. Though 4G plans are pricier than their 3G counterparts, it makes more sense to enjoy theoretical download speeds of 150Mbps. Assuming, of course, you get good LTE coverage in your area. The iPhone 6 also supports up to 20 4G LTE bands, meaning you can use it for high-level connectivity almost anywhere around the world.

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

M M8 motion coprocessor Working in tandem with the A8 processor, this motion coprocessor dedicates its power to the accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and barometer. In layman terms, that gives you better battery life since games will put less stress on the A8 processor. But the M8 motion coprocessor’s true value is its constant monitoring of the various measurements taken by the phone. Its raw processing power allows it to distinguish the difference between a simple walk, a more intensive run or a cruise on your bicycle. All that, combined with the algorithms within the Health app, gives you a more accurate representation of your health status.

Mail Apple’s native email app now comes with new gestures for greater ease of use: swipe a message right to mark it as read/unread, swipe it partly to the left to flag it, or swipe completely from right to left to delete it altogether. You can even choose to swap the direction of the swipes if you’re left-handed. Another useful change is that now drafts are stored at the foot of the screen, meaning you can swap between them and other messages without having to go back to your draft messages box.

Metal A feature found in iOS 8 is “Metal” – a new tool for game developers to take advantage of the A7 and A8 processors. This means performance of games on iOS 8 will be top-notch – faster and more responsive. For example, graphics in a 3D game will perform up to 10 times faster with Metal.

Tip: Go Metal with these games

Modern Combat 5: Blackout $8.98 / gameloft.com Considered by many to be one of the best FPS games on the iOS platform, Modern Combat 5 puts you back into your combat boots. Whether you’re a team player or more of a solo G.I.Joe, epic console-worthy battles await you. Find the game a little pricey? You can also purchase it as a bundle along with MC3 and MC4 at just $12.98.

Maps This feature needs no introduction – it was initially powered by Google data since its launch but iOS 6 took the reins in 2012. But there were so many problems, Tim Cook had to write a letter of apology to Apple users. It’s come a long way since then; with iOS 8, there’s now a night mode, a “Flyover City Tour (in Beta 2)” that lets you tour a city without the need for your fingers to navigate on screen, as well as the ability to sync directions with other devices.

Messages

Epic Zen Garden $free / epicgames.com Less of a game and more of a zen experience, Epic Zen Garden pushes the graphic capabilities of the A8 processor to its limits. Interact with this realistic zen garden and watch the cherry blossoms swirl hypnotically between intense work meetings to bring down your blood pressure.

The Messages app (if you still use it) now lets you mute or leave group conversations, record audio notes, and send multiple pictures or self-destructing videos with ease. These features only work with other Apple devices though.

“Android’s been trying to popularise contactless mobile payments for years, but Apple is set to seize the initiative with Apple Pay”

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Beach Buggy Racing $free / vectorunit.com Go off-road in this crazy cartoon world of wacky rival drivers, cool buggies, monster trucks, and 12 different cinematic race tracks. Of course it’s not just about speed, you get to build up an arsenal of wild powerups like Fireball and Oil Slick to leave your competition eating your dust.

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

N

P

NFC

Pay

Near Field Connectivity has been around for years on Android phones already, letting users pair hardware, transfer data, or communicate with other devices with just one touch. However, Apple’s only just introduced it on the iPhone 6 as one of the cornerstones of Apple Pay for wireless point-of-sale transactions. It’s currently only usable with Apple Pay, which is kind of silly given its usefulness, but Apple just might open it up for use with third-party apps and accessories too.

Android’s been trying to popularise contactless mobile payments for years now with Google Wallet and NFC, but it seems Apple is set to seize the initiative with Apple Pay. By combining the iPhone 6’s new NFC feature with a dedicated Secure Element chip and Touch ID, users can now pay for their physical or online purchases with a simple touch of the home button. While Android phones need to be placed a certain way for NFC connectivity, Apple’s iteration is much more organic and natural thanks to the design of their NFC antenna. All you have to do is hold the phone as you would normally near the merchant’s reader. Apple Pay will then charge everything straight to your Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards. Apple Pay can soon be used at several major US retailer websites and hundreds of thousands of locations such as McDonald’s outlets all around the US. Sadly we’ll probably have to wait ages to see it work here in Singapore.

Notifications Tap on your notifications to interact with them directly in iOS 8. Reply to messages, reminders, and calendar invites, all without having to switch between apps.

O Optical Image Stabilisation Only on the iPhone 6 Plus, you’ll no longer get blurry images – no matter how excited you get snapping a celebrity. A little exaggerated, but that’s the beauty of OIS. Much like a balancing act, the lens moves according to your movements and compensates for your shaky hands. In short? No more photos or videos in the style of The Blair Witch Project.

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Q Philip Schiller When Steve Jobs was on medical leave in the 2000s, and during the transition period before Tim Cook became CEO, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller was the main man for Apple at their keynotes. He’s also been the one to present and introduce us to all of Apple’s new products from iPhones to MacBooks.

QuickType keyboard Typing might “soon be a thing of the past”, according to Apple, thanks to its QuickType keyboard. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus come pre-installed with iOS 8, which uses this smart keyboard to tap word predictions and compose entire sentences based on your writing style and previous conversations. It’s supposedly also smart enough to tweak the choice of words based on who you’re talking to, and should make less Damn You, Auto Correct-worthy gaffes.

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

R

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Photos App

Reachability

With the new features available on the Photos app, there’s really no need for third-party editing ones. Tap on ‘Edit’ and you get to rejig your formerly askew photo or resize it in more aspect ratios than before. More significantly, you can now adjust degrees of Light, Colour and Black & White visually, so no complicated numbers for you to guess how your photo might look. And you can break that down even more in each of those categories. For example, tapping on Colour will pull up the elements of Saturation, Contrast, and Cast that you can tweak for that perfect shot.

Naysayers will rag on the iPhone 6 Plus for being too big, but Apple has built its user experience around onehanded usage. Think the top left icon is too far for your thumb? All you need to do is tap the home button twice and the interface will drop halfway down the screen. Just remember to enable it first by going to Settings > General > Accessibility. Then scroll to the bottom and find Reachability under Interaction. Enable the tab and you’re all ready to reach.

Tip: The original photo is never discarded so you can layer tons of edits, experience a bout of regret, and start from scratch again.

Tip: If it’s not working for you, it could be that you’re double clicking and not tapping as instructed. Just light touches will do.

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Retina HD display

Sixty-four (64)-bit architecture

It’s all about the clarity and sharpness of the screen these days. Even though the iPhone 6’s screen has only 326ppi (the same as the iPhone 5s), the 1334x750 display makes images seem closer to you at a wide range of viewing angles. That’s because Apple’s used a special process using UV light to precisely calibrate and adjust the liquid crystals in the screen for optimal performance, resulting in brighter, clearer, and sharper images. Building on this is the 401ppi iPhone 6 Plus with a full HD 1920x1080 screen. The higher resolution is very obvious, and it’s by far the most impressive when compared to any of the older iPhone models.

Don’t worry, we’re not going to bore you to death with all the heavy tech talk. Just know that it’s able to handle more complex apps. This means your future games might look even more realistic on the iPhone than any other devices. But until developers fully utilise its advantages, rest assured that it runs your good old games and apps just fine, perhaps even better.

T

S Safari

Tim Cook

Besides being used for web browsing, you can also save pages for viewing on Safari, even when offline. Just save those pages to your Reading List. It gets synced to all your devices through iCloud too, so you can read something on your iPhone and continue on your MacBook when you get home. The app also now supports extensions like on Google Chrome.

Cook used to be the Chief Operating Officer, but now calls all the shots both as a member of Apple’s Board of Directors and CEO of the company. Essentially, he’s responsible for everything the company produces, meaning there’s literally too much for us to say here. He’ll be the guy hosting all of Apple’s keynotes, so there’s no chance you won’t see him around.

Tip: You can also use Safari to instantly scan your credit card details. Just tap on “Scan Credit Card” on the payment page, and Safari will use your camera to capture your credit card details and automatically fill up the appropriate boxes.

Siri

Touch ID Both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus have Touch ID functionality. As with the iPhone 5s, this lets you simply rest a thumb or finger on the home button to unlock the phone or authenticate App Store purchases. iOS 8 has also opened the feature up to be used with third-party apps, which is great for a general added layer of security. Don’t worry about privacy though – your data is stored on your device’s A8 chip, not on any Internet servers, and developers can’t access it either.

“What’s your function in life,” asked no one to Siri? The intelligent personal assistant is now more attentive to your needs. Only if you keep the iPhone plugged in though, because that’s when you can utter “Hey Siri” and it’ll answer your every question without pressing any buttons.

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U User Experience iPhone 6 Design of the times You’ll definitely want to hold the iPhone 6, because it feels amazing and wholly premium. The curves make it superbly comfortable in use despite its increased size, while its thin profile also helps. On the downside, the camera lens does protrude from the phone’s case, which may not please everyone, while the distinctive light-coloured lines on the back at top and bottom won’t be to all tastes either. The latter, at least, are present for practical as well as aesthetic reasons: with a metal-backed phone it’s hard to scoot the signal in and out, and the flush rubberised lines sort this. Better than Retina The iPhone 6’s headline feature is its 4.7in display, but let’s not get carried away here - by anyone else’s standards, 4.7in is not a huge screen. Apple’s screen has just 326ppi, the same as the iPhone 5s, but stats aren’t the whole story. Even though it’s lowerresolution than its rivals, it’s still more than dense enough to look glorious. While the 6’s display is easily one of the best 720p efforts we’ve used, the differences between it and a full HD screen are visible if you look for them. However, for day-to-day use, there’s a limit to what you can see - or at least to what matters. Plus, it’s just right there: the display seems so pressed up against the glass it’s like you’re making direct contact with the pixels. Picture perfect Apple’s stuck with 8MP for its camera, but fortunately for them, the combination of a good lens, advanced image processing and sublimely simple camera controls in previous iPhones has served it very well. Quality-wise, there’s not a huge amount of difference from the 5s - which means it’s still one of the best out there. Where Apple’s camera is consistently better than rivals is in its superbly simple ease of use. No white balance to adjust, no extra granular controls to fiddle

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with. Video recording is also improved, but there’s no 4K video. Apple’s skill has rarely been to be first, so we’re not exactly surprised at its absence. Quality-wise, footage is smooth and looks striking. Packed with power Performance is always a tricky thing to judge on iPhones. Look at the stats alone and most high-end Androids leave it in the dust. But use one, and it’ll often feel like the fastest thing since Usain Bolt’s sliced bread. The iPhone 6 is no different, with an improved processor in the A8, and whizzes through tasks without the slightest of pauses. The new hardware is faster and more powerful, some of it to service the bigger screen and updated iOS 8 operating software. Eventually, it will lead to more sparkly games, faster and more powerful apps. Sadly, some of the newest, spangliest of features on the iPhone can’t be reviewed yet, most notably Apple Pay. It goes on and on Most smartphones have terrible battery life. Happily, the iPhone 6 just goes on and on. With regular use, the phone performed for a full day and well into a second – a leap forward compared to the iPhone 5s. Additionally, iOS 8 gives you handy warnings about apps which are constantly making data connections, so you can turn the beggars off. The bottom line In order to really judge the iPhone 6 you first have to consider what it’s not. It’s not a mega-screened wannabe phablet. It’s not a 2K-display-packing pixel king. It’s not the most powerful phone ever. What it is, is the best iPhone ever. *For a full review, visit www.stuff.tv

“It’s not the most powerful phone ever. What it is, is the best iPhone ever”

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

Shot with an iPhone 6 Plus!

Its super-thin body and smooth metal build make it easier to hold and use than you might expect” iPhone 6 Plus Size matters Apple has included a 1920 x 1080 screen with 401 ppi, and for everyday use it’s a cracker, with richer but quieter colours and real, natural tones. The Retina display HD also performs a remarkable trick of making the display seem right up next to you, so you can almost feel the high-def under your fingerprint. This is easily the best screen on any iPhone and compares well to the competition. It’s subtle, beautiful and pin-sharp. Tipping the scale Many features of the iPhone 6 are simply replicated on the 6 Plus and thanks to an efficient scaler in each of the phones, everything looks pretty much identical on the two, if a little higher-res on the 6 Plus. Some apps have already been optimised to provide a distinct landscape version that doesn’t simply enlarge the portrait mode. Messages and Mail both look more like their iPad versions, with horizontal views that show not just a list of message summaries but the list on the left and one email in full on the right. Expect other app makers to come up with their own ways to make the most of all the extra real estate on the 6 Plus. To have and hold Of course, there’s more to the phone than the screen. Though the measurements of the handset are bigger than last year’s iPhone 5s, it’s thinner at just 7.1mm. This is important as it’s the dimension that you feel the most when holding it one-handed. The curved front and back edges of the iPhone 6 are repeated here and again contribute to the phone being much more manageable than the bald statistics would suggest. Many hands will still find the 6 Plus too gigantic, but if you’re in any doubt, try it – it’s not quite what you expect. Otherwise, the design of the iPhone 6 Plus is identical to the iPhone 6.

Stability control The bigger phone has the same 8MP sensor as the smaller one, but with one key difference. Image stabilisation on the 6 is decent enough but is an electronic, software-based process. On the 6 Plus, though, there’s superior optical image stabilisation available, which means you can shoot in lower light situations and still get sharp images. All the other new features are present, but the advantage of the bigger screen is you can frame up more exactly, without looking quite so preposterous as anyone using their iPad’s camera does. Plus, you can see the results more clearly on this bigger, more detailed display. Made from concentrate Battery life on the smaller iPhone 6 is already very strong, much, much improved over the 5s. And happily the extra space afforded by this phone means there’s room for even more juice here. In regular use while testing the device, we got more than 48 hours’ use from it - a quite spectacular result. The new keyboard that arrives courtesy of iOS 8 is excellent, with impressive predictions for whatever it is you want to type even before the first word is started. However, there’s so much space here, you may find you’re stretching to reach the keys. There’s no simple way around unless you use third-party keyboards like Swiftkey. Still, iOS 8 offers the chance to record spoken messages or speak texts, so it’s not the end of the world. Is bigger better? The iPhone 6 Plus will undoubtedly be too big for some hands. That said, the combination of its super-thin body and smooth metal build make it easier to hold and use than you might expect. Plus, it offers a few advantages over the iPhone 6, namely that bigger, higher-res screen and increased battery life.

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V Video The iPhone’s camera isn’t just great at taking stills, it’s also pretty genius at capturing motion at Full HD 1080p. And if the videographer happens to be on the move as well, don’t worry about jerky video. Thanks to cinematic video stabilisation and continuous autofocus, your moving shots will look silky smooth, especially when paired with the iPhone’s image stabilisation.

Voice over LTE You’ve been enjoying LTE data speeds, but did you know you’re being dropped back to a 3G network during voice calls? Not anymore on the iPhone. Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is still in its early stages, but the launch of the iPhone 6 pushed telcos to introduce this high-quality call service. This also means you get to surf on LTE speeds while you’re taking a call. Useful when you have to quickly grab a piece of info off the web while on a conference call. You’ll also enjoy another benefit – better battery life. Without the constant switch between a 3G and LTE network when you are between calls, your phone won’t require as much effort or juice.

W Weight Considering the iPhone 6’s 4.7-in size, its weight comes in at only 129g. Comparatively, the iPhone 6 Plus weighs 172g regardless of its 5.5-in frame. Seems pretty light for a mega-sized iPhone, we must say.

Wi-Fi It’s a given that a new model from Apple usually includes faster Wi-Fi speed. This is true for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, both of which support 802.11ac, which is 3x faster than regular Wi-Fi 802.11n. But again, you’ll need to know there’s a catch – supporting faster download speeds doesn’t equate to getting it. You’ll need a fast connection linked to your Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi calling Did you know you can make a call over Wi-Fi? This is a lifesaver when your office Wi-Fi network is decent, but the area has poor cellular coverage. Even if you move out of Wi-Fi range, you won’t have to worry about a disconnected call – the phone switches over to a cellular line seamlessly.

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Widgets On your Notification Centre is the Today page, where iOS 8 lets you add widgets for a quick summary of information from apps you’ve installed. To add a widget, simply swipe to the Today view in Notification Centre, tap on Edit, and enable any compatible apps on a list.

Z Zoom

X X-tra Capacity Ok, you try finding something that starts with an X. Anyway, unlike previous iPhones Apple’s decided to do away with the 32GB memory option, opting to just go from 16GB to 64GB, culminating in the penultimate 128GB version. These larger capacity options are also more affordable than before with the arrival of the iPhone 6 – the 64GB option used to cost $1288 with the iPhone 5s, but that currently gets you 128GB.

Upon booting up your new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, you’ll be asked if you want your display in standard or zoomed view. As the word suggests, the latter is a closer look with larger icons and text. Both devices in zoomed mode turn up pretty different results. The iPhone 6 displays as much content as that on the iPhone 5s, while the iPhone 6 Plus will display as much content as an unzoomed iPhone 6. It’s up to you to decide if size or quantity is your priority.

Tip: It’s a reversible change. If you wish to escape Zoomed view, all you have to do is go to Settings > Display & Brightness > View, and choose the other option.

Y You Which one should you get, the 4.7in iPhone 6 or 5.5in iPhone 6 Plus? As with all things, it’s all down to preference. We find the regular iPhone 6 to be the best in terms of all-round usability, and it’s probably the perfect fit for comfortable usage too. However, if you have large hands, need more productivity, or want a bigger display for enjoying games and video, then go with the iPhone 6 Plus. The screen is definitely worth the upgrade and subsequent tradeoff in portability. The optical image stabilisation on it is also a big plus point if you take a lot of photos and videos on the move.

“We find the regular iPhone 6 to be the best in terms of allround usability, and it’s probably the perfect fit for comfortable usage too”

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WHAT WE WANT TO SEE ON THE IPHONE 6S These could’ve made the phones perfect, in our eyes

Crystal clear As someone who’s already shattered one iPhone and one iPad screen in the past couple of years, I’m disappointed Apple didn’t produce the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus with sapphire crystal screens as rumoured. That would’ve made the displays near indestructible, eliminating mini heart attacks every time the phone is dropped. It’d also eliminate the need for protective casings, and we all know that iPhones look best naked. Let’s hope the iPhone 6s has them, and I wouldn’t mind paying more for it either. - Melvin Tang, editor / man with butter fingers

NFC for all My only wish is for Apple to open up NFC application. The possibilities are endless - think of your next iPhone as your house or car key. Heck, it could even be a key to my fridge, and refuse to unlock it when I bust my daily calorie limit. You know what, ignore that last suggestion about the fridge. I’d like to feed my voracious appetite, thank you very much. - Tein Hee Seow, online editor / not fully convinced (NFC)

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Beat the earpods The EarPods are more commonly thought of as a side dish than as a significant main course when it comes to iPhone updates. But with Apple’s acquisition of Beats, this could very well change. Whether it’s better sounding audio or flashier EarPods, I can’t wait to see what the Apple and Beats collaboration will mean for the next iPhone. If that still requires another generation to kick in, I could also very well settle for those rumoured reversible USB plugs on Lightning cables instead. - Elissa Loi, features writer / music junkie

Make it hardy IP57 certification – if you don’t know what that stands for, it’s water and dust proof. Sony’s got it on some of its devices, HTC’s slowly introducing the feature on its smartphones, but we’ve yet to see it on any Apple smartphone. Hopefully, the next iPhone will have it because we can’t wait to use it and take some killer snaps under water. - Hafizah Osman, news writer / underwater shooter

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WHAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT THE IPHONE 6 iPhones always divide opinion, and the 6 is no different

VS It’s not just about the numbers

Welcome to 2012

The new iPhones are the sleek well-oiled sum of their slightly improved parts. While the upgrades don’t immediately register on your oh-my-god radar, it takes time to realise that the changes, while not spec-tacular, are well thought out enough to be pretty spectacular in their own right. Take the camera for instance. It’s still all of 8 megapixels and has been ever since the iPhone 4S, but there’s no denying that it’s one of the best cameras on a smartphone. The Apple logo on the back of the iPhones has also been redesigned. While it used to exist for purely aesthetic purposes, it has now been upgraded into a functional element through being integrated into the iPhones’ antenna systems. It’s simple details like these that show how much more more thought went into its overall conception than just souping up the most obvious individual assets for the best marketing collateral to slap onto billboards everywhere. Besides does the average user really need 4K video recording or waterproofing? These features might sound the most appealing in marketing campaigns, but long after users fork out megabucks for these, they’ll also probably realise that these features are the least used. For a tech company that’s known for its simplicity, it’s always been about the overall user experience. The best proof that a little goes a long way is probably in the fact that the iPhones’ dual core A8 chip has crushed competitors’ quad-core processors in term of performance and battery life according to tests done by Anandtech. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d rather phone companies spend those resources developing aspects that matter like better battery life and a smoother user experience. So if this is considered an average upgrade at best, I’d gladly settle for minor fine-tuning tweaks any day if it means an overall well-oiled machine.

Does the headline look any familiar to you? If it does, it’s actually from the graphic that’s been making its rounds on the Internet, showing why the iPhone 6 is two years behind the tech curve. It’s been compared (and bullied) against the Nexus 4, which has a bunch of the iPhone 6’s features, such as NFC payment capabilities, third-party keyboards, Cloud photo backup, and cross-app communication, amongst others. Okay, I get that there are some other features that the iPhone 6 has that aren’t on the Nexus 4 but my claim goes beyond that to just comparing it to the Nexus 4 – it’s Apple we’re talking about. As one of the leading tech vendors in the world, it’s meant to be revolutionary. And when I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning, crossing my fingers to catch a glimpse of features never before seen on any other smartphone, my expectations fell short and my dreams were crushed. People were cheering at things that have been around for a while now, as if Apple’s done something breakthrough. It was at that stage in the past, but since then, it’s dwindled in its creativity and even though it’s made more than a handful of tech company acquisitions, we don’t quite see their technologies translated into the iPhone 6 do we? When are they coming? My guess is as good as yours. But in saying that, Apple has its own cult following which won’t betray the brand and jump ship to another platform even if you had a knife to their throats; so it’s not really going to bother them that their tech belongs in the past. For all of you such users, I just have one message for you – maybe you can look forward to the likes of waterresistance, wireless charging, split screen apps, VR headset compatibility, and holographic screens sometime beyond 2016.

Elissa Loi features writer

Hafizah Osman news writer

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

CHANGING SIDES How to transfer essential information from Android to iOS Smartphones are becoming so personal and such an essential part of our lives that Nomophobia – fear of losing your smartphone – is one of the biggest fears in the world. Similarly, switching from one OS to the other is actually quite a major decision, because you actually have a lot to learn and get used to. Having to restart your digital life however, isn’t one of them. Follow these simple steps to transfer all your personal data from Android to iOS.

Mail, Contacts, and Calendars Add your email account to your iPhone, and you’re all set. 1. Go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add Account 2. Select Google 3. Enter your name, username, and password 4. You can then select what to sync or not from there. You can even add multiple accounts

Photos and videos For your camera content, you’ll have to use iTunes to help you out. 1. Transfer the ones you want from your Android device to your PC via USB cable (If you’re using a Mac, you’ll need to use an app called Android File Transfer) 2. Save your photos and videos into one folder 3. Connect your iPhone to the computer with the Lightning cable 4. Open iTunes and click on your iPhone 5. Click Photos, check the “Sync Photos from” and “Include Videos” boxes, and make sure you’ve selected the correct folder 6. Click “Apply”

Music If it’s a music streaming service like Spotify, just install the app and log in. If you’re still using MP3s, you’ll also need to use iTunes. 1. Just like with your photos, transfer the files you want into a folder on your computer 2. Click on “Music” in your iTunes library 3. Drag the files from your music folder into the “Songs” list 4. Click on your iPhone, click “Music”, check the “Sync Music” box 5. Select either your entire music library or specific songs/artists 6. Click “Apply”

Documents As much as we hate to admit it, we have to work on our smartphones too 1. Save all your important documents on Google Drive 2. Install the Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps on your iPhone 3. Make sure the Google accounts you use your Google Drive with are added to your iPhone

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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE iPHONE 6

TRUE STORY We really used an iPhone 6 Plus to shoot our cover image What were we thinking? For our November cover, we thought what better way to show off the new iPhones 6 smartphones than to hand the camera work over to the iPhone 6 Plus? In the steady hands of photographer Mark Teo, it snapped shot after shot of a pair of iPhones in succession. Besides the cover, you’ve also seen them throughout this story.

Phoneception As you can see from this image, we shot two iPhone 6 phones being shot by an iPhone 6 with an iPhone 6. Lit by a couple of Kino Flo light banks to even out the overall lighting, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were attached to clamps to keep them firmly in place with some creative arts and crafts. Mark also used a magnifying glass at times for a bit of a macro effect.

Tricky business While shooting inanimate objects might be a lot easier than photographing real life models, there were different challenges especially when your subjects are fronted in slabs of glowing, reflective glass.

Of course, the reflections could be digitally removed during post-processing, but we wanted the image to be as authentic as possible, which means what you see is what the iPhone 6 Plus got. Instead, we went analogue with the image manipulation, using a matte board to reduce reflection and a black cloth held strategically so to shield any stray beams from bouncing off the screens, yet keeping the proper amounts of light to highlight the subjects and make them appear less flat. For the detail shots, Mark used a magnifying glass to zoom in.

Shots in the dark To be honest, we had no idea how successful the shots would be, but they turned out amazing, no thanks in part to the iPhone 6 Plus’ innate photography talent. Even our photography team made up of experienced shooters were impressed by how sharp and clear the images were. Mark also commented that having manual exposure controls that iOS 8 allows also really helped in the process. While he wouldn’t use the iPhone 6 Plus as a mainstay camera, it’s definitely a viable candidate for a backup camera. Given that all these behind the scenes shots were captured with an iPhone 6, what he says rings true.

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FIRST TEST MOTOROLA MOTO 360

It’s your round Is this the beginning of the end for bad smartwatch design? Sophie Charara tries on the long-awaited Motorola Moto 360 US$250 ($315) / motorola.com

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We’re not going back to ugly smartwatches now. That’s not to say the Moto 360, the first real Android Wear icon, is perfect – nothing was going to live up to the hyping and hoping of the past six months. But it’s the first smartwatch you’ll really want to show off rather than hide under a sleeve. The 360’s head-turning design just makes gadget sense. It’s a watch… so it’s round. It’s made from premium materials such as stainless steel and leather. Its Gorilla Glass 3 screen protects it from dust and scratches. So it’s a little pricey at $315. It rests in a wireless handy dock to charge. But what’s it like to wear one? And should any other Android Wear watches get a look in?

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1 Design and build The steel body of the 360 feels sturdy, with a perfectly smooth circular edge, very slim bezels around the screen and a single power button on the right-hand side. It is chunky, though: at 11.5mm deep it does declare its presence. But at least it’s light. With the leather strap it weighs just 49g.

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Six hours with the 360

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FIRST TEST MOTOROLA MOTO 360

2 Screen While colours don’t pop off the 1.56in display, they are appealing. At 205ppi, the resolution might not match the Samsung Gear Live’s, but it is sharp – text looks fairly crisp, if a bit distorted around the very edge of the raised, waterproof Gorilla Glass 3. The feature we love is auto brightness, a light sensor that adjusts to the environment.

3 Android Wear This the most comfortable Android Wear watch yet. When you get a notification on your phone, the 360 vibrates and a card pops up on the watch face. The wrist-flick gesture to turn the screen on works well enough, and voice search and commands are just as excellent as, if not better than, its Android Wear rivals.

4 Performance We’ve had a couple of teething problems with the 360. While pairing to our phone went smoothly, soon after the Bluetooth connection dropped out. We’ve also noticed a bit of lag with Google Now cards. Both the LG G Watch and Gear Live performed better, so if you’ve used other Android Wear watches you’ll spot the difference.

5 Battery life A day should be the minimum for a smartwatch battery. Sadly, the 360 doesn’t always reach that. This battery gets us home from the office – but just about. On the first day Stuff got our mitts on it, the 360 conked out at eight and a half hours. At least Motorola has made charging pleasant with its ess do clever wireless dock.

Tech specs Screen 1.56in, 320x290, 205ppi OS Android Wear Processor TI OMAP 3 RAM 512MB Storage 4GB Battery 320mAh Dimensions 46x11.5mm, 49g

The many faces of the Moto 360 Motorola has squeezed an impressive amount of functionality into one small, circular screen

Q Dial up a dial

Q Don’t be square

From an animated ticking clockface with timezone dials to a stylish rotating set of circles, the 360’s faces show off the form factor superbly. There are only seven (for now) but they’re customisable.

We’ve seen examples of apps making full use of the round screen. But some apps we’ve tried have cut-off text, having been designed only to be square. We’re sure this will improve in time.

Q It’s got heart

Q A strapping lad

TThe heart-rate monitor w works, though we’d stick to ssports accessories for med medical readings. Both the red-and-white-hued re reader and the circular graphic showing weekly goals look very pretty.

Compared to the rubber-band-like strap that Samsung provides, this leather one feels lovely. This is the first smartwatch we’ve really compared to a premium wristwatch.

I’ th m g e v oi ee ng ee to ry lea las ve t m it d B in oc sc ut I ut ke re lo et d en ve od un , li th ay til ke e … an wi r e od le d b ss ed ch sid ar e a gin lar g Ge m w tt ith o ou bu ta ss sk to ing p, g . S et or bu ry s , C tim G ity e ca lan m s rd cin ap s. g pe W at ait g r , w rou he p W re h T ’s a w he m ts e’ ba y Ap re tt ph p ho er on ch ok y l e? at ed ife m :t he ig 36 ht b 0’ e a ss p ta ain yi b ng u pu t t

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We’re suckers for a pretty face, and this stylish and supremely wearable smartwatch doesn’t disappoint. The watchfaces are classy, Android Wear is as clever a as ever and you won’t want to take it off. Just bear in mind that the battery life might make you anxious and it does need a performance boost. @sophiecharara

STUFF SAYS ++++, The first wearable you’ll want to wear – the Moto 360 is just a few specs short of brilliance www.stuff.tv

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FIRST TEST BLUESOUND PULSE

Singing the blues Not all wireless speakers are created equal, but Tein Hee Seow finds it a tad unfair that the Bluesound Pulse is this good 2

$999 / bluesound.com

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Like Sonos’ wireless multiroom speakers, the Pulse exemplifies the future of audio delivery - smartphones or tablets streaming highquality music not just to one speaker, but across a number of boom boxes in various rooms. But there are two big misconceptions about wireless speakers - they’re complicated and lose audio quality during the streaming process. Having spent a weekend with the Bluesound Pulse, we’re willing to stake every single gadget we own that the Pulse and its wireless speaker friends are a misunderstood lot.

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One day with the Bluesound Pulse Good Meh Evil

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2 Making the connection Simplicity at its best - that’s how one can sum up the Pulse’s design. Its play/pause, back and forward buttons blend in with the piano gloss surface, but you’ll most likely skip these in lieu of the Bluesound app’s remote control. Wi-Fi isn’t the only connection option - you can opt to use the RJ45 LAN port, which is less likely to drop the connection, or a USB port to play tunes from your HDD.

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1 Heavyweight singer While we were lugging the Pulse around, the sheer 6.1kg weight of the speaker broke the box handle. This near-fatal incident highlights not just its heft, but also its huge size - not to the point that it won’t fit on your TV console. It might even add a touch of class to your entertainment setup with its glossy body complemented by the brushed steel accents of the speaker grille.

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3 Easy peasy setup The Pulse is simple to operate, but it isn’t a typical plug-and-play type of speaker. Learning how to set up the speaker isn’t rocket science. Once it’s powered up, the Bluesound app on your smartphone or tablet will scan and hunt down the wireless network created by the Pulse. Link the devices together via the setup page, select your home’s wireless network, and that’s it.

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4 Removing the clutter “I have way too many music albums in my library,” said no one ever. But it’s definitely a first world problem, one that’s solved effectively by the Bluesound app. You can even create a specialised playlist beyond those saved in your network accessed drives or phone. Which means you won’t have to dig through a whole chunk of music, just the one that matters through the app.

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5 All ears We threw everything we had at the Pulse – Spotify, purchased albums from iTunes, and even some really sketchy audio recordings. Its sound delivery is crisp and clear with a hint of ringing in the treble range. Bass tracks from The Dark Knight soundtrack pack a mean punch coupled with a distinct stereo separation. It fills a mid-sized HDB room easily - enough to get the neighbours pounding the door and demanding some peace.

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6 Getting high on music We got a taste of the Pulse’s hi-res audio delivery - and we don’t want to return it. Ever. The instrumental pieces we have on hand are enough to prove the point - the pluck of a string is so distinct, it doesn’t get drowned out by the cacophony of the orchestra. Just keep the Pulse and your device close to the router - the higher bitrate means you’ll need a decent Wi-Fi connection with minimal signal obstruction for the best playback quality.

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Tech specs Power output 80W Speakers 5.25in subwoofer x 1, 2.75in aluminum cone drivers x 2 Connectivity Wi-Fi, Ethernet RJ45, USB Supported file formats MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG, WMAL, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF Dimensions 420 x 190 x 197mm Weight 6.1kg

Online music to your ears If you’ve spent good money on the speakers, it makes perfect sense to enjoy the best music from these streaming services QSpotify If the endless list of music isn’t enough to entice you, we have one more reason - Spotify Connect. It seamlessly links and lets you control the Pulse with the Spotify app. QDeezer Like Spotify, you get loads of recommendations, and it’s also a great way to share your music preference. Not so if you’re bingelistening to Justin Bieber’s songs. QTuneIn The good old age of radio, transitioned into the digital age. With TuneIn, nothing can stop you from listening to radio stations from across the continent. QRdio That earworm you just can’t get out of your head? Use Rdio with Shazam and you can finally put a finger on that song that’s been playing non-stop in your head QWiMP HiFi You’ll want to get this service, just for the hi-res audio that’ll give your ears a soothing massage. The only caveat - you’ll need to route through a VPN service to get it. The promise of hi-res audio, plus a clutter-free wireless speaker setup that links to your online and offline music library are pretty convincing reasons to get the Bluesound Pulse. Oh, and that amazing sound quality just proves that paying top dollar for a speaker is a wise choice. @teinhee

STUFF SAYS +++++ The Bluesound Pulse successfully debunked the myths about wireless speakers and proved one thing – it’s a treat for the ears www.stuff.tv

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FIRST TEST MERCEDES-BENZ C250

A class above

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The new C-Class is a welcome upgrade to a car that was already great $232,888 / mercedes-benz.com.sg It’s a crazy country we live in where Mercedes-Benz can be the second-best selling car brand in Singapore for the past couple of years, and that’s due in no small part to the popularity of its C-Class sedans. It’s not hard to see why either, as the car provides an excellent balance of performance, features, and price. You’re much more likely to spend all that money on a premium German car than a similarly-priced Asian competitor, after all. Now that the entry-level end of Mercedes-Benz’s car selection is being taken care of by the new A-Class, the C-Class gets a whole new bag of toys to play with from Merc’s big daddy, the S-Class.

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1 Family resemblance The old C-Class didn’t look half bad, but the look has been updated to fit in better with the rest of the family, making it harder to tell the different classes apart. Straight cuts make way for fluid lines, giving the car muscular appeal, and that large front grille looks nice and aggressive too.

2 Work and play While the car itself looks and feels businesslike, it’s definitely possible to have fun with it. We tested the C250, and though it’s not very dramatic or punchy, power is definitely available on tap, even at speed. There are different driving modes to suit particular moods as well (see right).

3 Star cruise Handling is as composed as they come. Steering is light but direct, gear changes are smooth and subtle, and the ride is comfortably firm without being too bumpy. Cruising on the expressway is where the car really shines, though it can handle urban environments just as well.

4 With room to spare You’d expect comfort on a car like this, and Merc definitely delivers. The cabin interior is decked out in premium materials everywhere, with lots of space all around. Both the front and rear seats are also plush and supportive, so passengers are highly likely to snooze on long drives.

lik ea nA L th ook ef s ro jus nt t

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or O Ein ne Cl .P o as le f th as e sf an ni ro m t a ce nd r c sp abi n ac s io we W us ’v ith eb lo ts ee of n th ing st o fid S fro o m dl ew m an y ith dr to iv o ing m od ‘C es om to fo ch rt oo ’ re se all y is co H m in UD fo br sh rt oa o ab d d ws le u ay p lig ni ht ce an ‘E dc slu co’ le gg ma ar ish ke ,e ve st n hr ot tle A re co lth sp ns ou on um gh se re pt it d all io oe nc s y i on m sid pro er ve S ab fu im oun ly el pr d es sy siv st e em is su ita bl y

One day with the Mercedes-Benz C250

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FIRST TEST MERCEDES-BENZ C250

Tech specs Engine 1991cc turbocharged four-cylinder Max power 208hp Max torque 350Nm 0-100km/h 6.6s Top speed 250km/h Fuel Consumption (combined) 16.9km/L CO2 136g/km Transmission 7-speed automatic transmission Dimensions 4686x1810x1442mm, 1480kg

On the inside The things that give the C-class an A-grade experience

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QMedia Mogul The entertainment system streamed music from Spotify on our iPad with no problems. It even showed up nicely on the LCD for track control.

QFloating numbers We love seeing Heads Up Displays in cars, because it allows us to feel like fighter pilots. The one on the C250 even gives you navigation instructions.

QAgility select The different driving modes can either be toggled via a menu or physical switch. Ranging from Sport+ to Eco, they really allow you to customise the ride.

QSpell it out You can even use basic handwriting to input addresses for GPS navigation. However, it’s on the left, so unless you’re left handed, it’s slightly troublesome.

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W hy is ha nd w rit ing inp Ev te en ut ch a on dju th st el ing ef t? th ea irc Th on ec fe ar el re sh all ig y h ex ce ls W at da e c cr y ou ui ld sin dr g ive do w nt W he to as hi be m gh or w ef ay un all th an w ee xp ec te di t

5 All teched out With such a high level of equipment in the car, there’s plenty for everyone to play with. Goodies include keyless entry and start, Merc’s excellent Comand system, and Bluetooth connectivity. The car even allows you to fine tune the air conditioning, complete with fancy graphics.

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With five models priced from $191,888 for the 156hp Mercedes-Benz C180, you’ll be spoilt for choice if you’re looking to get this mid-sized sedan. However, when you throw the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series into the mix, the choice isn’t quite so simple, with all being excellent. You’ll have to budget for some expensive options if you want to make the most of your C-Class though. @melvinstuff

STUFF SAYS +++++ Calm, collected, and confident, the C-Class really checks all the right boxes www.stuff.tv

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TEST APPS

App:roved FOR ANDROID TWEAKERS

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FOR FINER DINERS

O Hangar

ODojo

The sort of app that looks rubbish until you try it, at which point you realise it’s even better than chocolate-covered Netflix. It simply installs a shortcuts bar in your notifications screen then populates it with your favourite apps based on how often you use them. You can also pin apps to it, install another launcher on the homescreen and view app usage stats. But, useful as those extras are, it’s the notifications launcher that’ll change your life. Seriously, it’s that good.

Many apps purport to swishen up your social life, but when you search for a nice new restaurant you get a KFC next to a motorway (actually we have a soft spot for KFC, but you know what we mean). Dojo offers a nicely curated selection of pop-ups, exhibitions, new exercise classes and other delights. Offering Time Out expertise and YPlan immediacy, it’s a must-have for Londoners – just a shame it’s restricted to one city for now.

Stuff says +++++ $free / Android

Stuff says +++++ $free / iOS

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FOR BAD DREAM PLAYERS

FOR MEAN FINGERS

O The Nightmare Cooperative

O They Need To Be Fed 3

Collaboration and a unified front are all very well, but there’s a point when these things can go a teensy bit too far. That point is probably when you’re part of a cooperative tasked with raiding dungeons full of things very much out to kill you, yet still feel compelled to act as one, no matter the consequences. But this is a skilful, sharp, refined mash-up of puzzling and rogue-like turn-based play. Highly recommended.

You might think your job’s a bit rubbish, but it’s got nothing on the little critters whose lot is to leap about the place, darting between tiny planetoids, trying not to get killed by all kinds of hostile things, and scooping up diamonds along the way. At level’s end, they find a giant plant with far more teeth than foliage should own, jump into its maw and get munched to death. A far cry from Gardeners’ World, but an excellent little platform game.

Stuff says +++++ $4.98 / iOS

Stuff says +++++ $2.50 / Android; $2.58 / iOS

TEST APPS

Mini meme

OComics Comics by Comixology was the Amazon of comics, until Amazon bought it. Now it’s just Amazon, with the politics that brings: the Android application lost Google Play payments, and iOS lost its store entirely. But, oh, the range. It’s hard to stay angry when there are so many affordable comics to buy. Stuff says ++++, $free / iOS, Android

COMIC READERS ZOK! BIF! POW! ZAKAM! And other stereotypical words you might find in a comic! If you can tear yourself away from ink and paper, grab one of these graphic apps immediately!

OChunky We’re long-time Comic Zeal fans, and that $5.98 app is still best for iPhone. On iPad, though, Chunky won us round with its streamlined interface, great controls, smart upscaling and two-up landscape option. There’s plentiful cloud support, but a $3.98 ‘pro’ upgrade adds a mini web server too. Stuff says +++++ from $free / iOS

OMarvel Unlimited

OComiCat

OSequential

O2000 AD

Described as ‘the Netflix of comics’, there is a whiff of bargain bin about Marvel Unlimited. But c’mon: for US$10 ($13) per month you get access to 15,000 digital issues, in an all-you-caneat buffet of spandex and scientific experiments giving rise to superpowers in an extremely unlikely fashion.

Yes, we’ve – gasp! – gone for a paid Android app. That’s because ComiCat is excellent, automatically scanning your device to find any lurking comics and deftly handling whatever CBRs and PDFs you throw at it, unlike most Android comic viewers – and we tried many. (Cheapskates can make do with Perfect Viewer).

A comic app for the more discerning reader. The Sequential collection is heavily curated and possibly a bit worthy, but you can guarantee pretty much anything you buy will deserve your time and money. The reader itself is smooth and fast, if lacking Chunky’s level of elegance.

Edited by a green alien with a phone dial glued to his head, and featuring fascist future cop with a permasnarl Judge Dredd, 2000 AD is a British institution. Thirty-seven years young, the comic’s digital venture is sleek and smartly designed, providing access to 2000 AD itself, the Megazine and classic thrills.

Stuff says +++++ $3.66 / Android

Stuff says ++++, $free / iPad

Stuff says +++++ $free / iOS

Stuff says ++++, $free (US$10 ($13)/month) / iOS, Android

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FIRST TEST NISSAN QASHQAI

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Nissan’s strangely-termed SUV has always been staid and steady. Now it gets more flair to go with the name $139,800 / nissan.com.sg The last car we tested in Stuff happened to be a Mini, but you’d never think that it’s become something of a rarity nowadays. Especially given the recent fashionability of crossovers like the MercedesBenz GLA, with more cars joining the party literally every month. The Qashqai is a relative oldster on the scene, having been launched back in 2008 a whole life time in car years. But it’s gotten a major improvement now, so major that it can even encroach on the territory of more expensive SUVs, something that few cars from Japan (or Korea) could claim.

1 New look One of the key features of the new car is the design, giving it the good looks to fit in with the competition. In fact, it looks nothing like the old one, and it’s not just from the sharpened front that this is apparent. Even the rear is significantly nip-tucked, as the chrome roof rails, diminishing window lines, and hatchback spoiler show.

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2 Driven Well The 144hp Qashqai gets more power and a range of handling improvements as well. It feels easy and precise at all speeds, and despite having large wheels and a tall stance, doesn’t bob or wander at all when cornering either. Plus, the seats (Nissan calls them Zero Gravity seats) are rather comfortable, which is important on long drives.

3 System Management Nissan has two systems besides the usual electronic safety aids to help the car handle well, which it does admirably: Active Trace Control and Active Ride Control. Both are extensions of the ESP system (no, it can’t read your mind), helping the car go around corners better at speed and smooth motions over bumps for a more stable ride.

4 Stretching it While it looks all cool and swept back now, the Qashqai is in fact larger than before, being 50mm longer, so there should be more room than in the old car. What’s cool is that it doesn’t just look more sleek – the coefficient of drag has also been lowered, translating to a quieter highway experience while cruising and better fuel efficiency.

Good Meh Evil

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One day with the Nissan Qashqai

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FIRST TEST NISSAN QASHQAI

Tech specs Engine 1997cc four-cylinder Max power 144hp Max torque 200Nm 0-100km/h 10.1s Top speed 184km/h Fuel Consumption (combined) 14.5km/L CO2 159g/km Transmission Xtronic CVT Dimensions 4380x1590x1806mm, 1379kg

On the inside It’s not just about the drive – these four things make the car better for you

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5 Practical Use Like many Japanese cars, this has several small welcoming features that are quite nifty. The centre armrest has a deep storage area, which has a 12V and USB socket too, so you could plug in any range of devices such as ionisers or fans. There’s also a small shelf and cable management so you can top-up your smartphone.

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QCabin cruise Besides adjustable ambient lighting, the interior comes with a 5-in colour display with a wide range of information and notifications on your car. Controls several car settings and your media too.

QEquipment Loaded It’s got a demure price when compared to European makes, but the Qashqai packs a lot of stuff, such as a sunroof, keyless entry, GPS navigation, keyless start, LED headlights, and Bluetooth infotainment.

QSimulated reality It may be a CVT transmission, but Nissan’s designed theirs to act just like a regular automatic gearbox would, with noticeable changes in power delivery just like with actual gears.

QMore and less There’s more room than before, and being an SUV the headroom is still good, despite the rakish looks. It’s a strict fiveseater now though, since the seven-chair Qashqai +2 variant is no longer available.

The Qashqai undergoes major improvement in all areas to become a great alternative to any other Japanese SUVs, such as the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4. In fact, with its sharp new design, easy and comfortable drive, and good equipment load, it could even give the Kia Sportage a run for its money. @melvinstuff

STUFF SAYS +++++ It won’t set you on fire performancewise, but the new Qashqai is one of 2014’s biggest improvers www.stuff.tv

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TEST SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 MINI

Dinky dimples Each year the Android king is joined by a little sprog, a Happy Meal alternative to the Big Mac. The Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini is this year’s kid QFrom a quick glance, the S5 Mini looks like an S5 blasted with a shrink ray. Its 5.1-inch screen has been minified to a 4.5-inch one, but the dimpled back, the slightly questionable ridged chrome plastic sides and the light-up soft keys are all identical. QOne positive change over its big sister is the waterproofing, which doesn’t need a microUSB port cover. It also packs in the two main bonus features of the full-size S5: the heart-rate sensor and fingerprint scanner. QBut while it may be tougher, the Mini isn’t as sharp. The screen is scaled down to 720p and, although the Super AMOLED display looks good, with strong black levels and punchy colours, it is not dramatically better than some of its cheaper rivals. QAnother thing that’s not quite so hot is general performance. There are some laggy moments, such as when it’s updating an app. The Exynos 3 Quad 3470 isn’t really any more powerful than the Snapdragon 400 in last year’s S4 Mini. QWhile it looks and feels very similar to its big brother, there are cutbacks. So it’s not bad, just unremarkable. We can’t help but feel that Samsung’s asking for slightly too much cash for this little Android.

Tech specs OS Android KitKat Screen 4.5in, 1280x720 Super AMOLED RAM 1.5GB Storage 16GB (microSD expandable) Cameras 8MP main, 2.1MP front Connectivity 4G, micro USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 Battery 2100mAh Dimensions 131x65x9.1mm, 120g

Contrasting fortunes

Long-distance runner

Unfortunately the S5 Mini’s camera only has half the power of the S5’s fancy 16MP Isocell snapper. It’s fast and image quality is decent, but it’s less adept with bright-light contrasts.

Stamina isn’t bad in the S5 Mini. You can comfortably get a day and a half’s use without touching any power-saving modes or being careful with how much 3G/4G data you fling around the place.

STUFF SAYS The cut-down S5 is a fairly high-quality phone, if a bit pricey ++++, Not quite a flagship experience Tom Parsons

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The Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini is a pretty good miniature take on the Galaxy S5. Most importantly, you get the S5’s fantastic screen contrast and black levels. But look a little deeper and there are a few cuts – a far less powerful CPU and a far more ordinary camera being the deepest. It just isn’t quite the flagship experience in a compact chassis that we were hoping for, and I reckon the Samsung’s just a bit too expensive.

E L B A L I A AVOW OdN p o t k s e d n a N d i o r d n A ,

your n o g a get m er issue d a g g p sellin r S$3.12 t s e o rld’s b n up now f on the go o w e y th r PC. Sig joy Stuff o j n e ed to ce, Mac, o e!) and en e n u i o ic s all y ndroid dev e cover pr i r e t Magz e, iPad, A 0% off th iPhon (almost 6

iOS ’S RLDIN O G W THET-SELL BESGADGET E AZIN MAG

Simply download the Stuff Singapore app on Google Play or the Apple App store, or look for it on www.magzter.com to read it online

INNOVATORS

With a little help from our friends… Sometimes it’s nice to get a fresh viewpoint, so we asked our friends at Dezeen and NME to give us their thoughts on our Innovators. Keep an eye out for them.

STUFF INNOVATORS 2014

SUPERHEROES OF TECH They range from VR revolutionaries to vinyl pioneers, and they’ve given us everything from hoverbikes to robot servants. It’s time to meet the Stuff Innovators of 2014: our pick of the geniuses who are going beyond ordinary geekdom to remake the modern world [ Illustrations Rich Kelly ]

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INNOVATORS

LIFE

Here to help Jibo can’t pour you drinks but you can get it to remind you to buy more gin when you finish the bottle.

Beady eyes Jibo also has two cameras, so make sure you cover your mouth if you’re plotting to shut it down, HAL-style.

Creating helpful and sociable robots CYNTHIA BREAZEAL MIT’S PERSONAL ROBOTS GROUP “The day I started my doctorate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” Breazeal tells us, “was the same day NASA landed the Sojourner robot on Mars. I knew we were sending robots into oceans and volcanoes and space, but where were they in the human environment?” In looking for

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the answer, she created a field called social robotics, and it’s one she says will bring about the next big tech revolution. “Computers used to be very expensive, and only a few specially trained people knew how to use them, until someone asked: ‘What would it mean to have one of these on

every desk, in every home?’” The robotic answer, says Breazeal, is Jibo. “Robots are so different to all the slabs and boxes we use today. They experience the world around us, and they push all kinds of psychological buttons in us. At MIT, we’ve found again and again that people are more successful at achieving their goals when they’re using a robot rather than a screen.” Jibo, she believes, “will connect you and co-ordinate you in your family life. It’s like having someone helping you,

rather than having a tool that you use. Your smartphone is a camera – Jibo is a cameraman. It’s not an individual device, it’s a family hub. It’s a new kind of assistant. It doesn’t need to be able to pick things up, or walk up and down stairs – it’s a humanised interface for all your other personal technologies. It’s logical – it’s what happens beyond screens.” It seems the internet agrees: at the time of printing, Jibo’s Indiegogo campaign had met its goal 20 times over. Look out for this little guy (and his inventor) in December 2015.

INNOVATORS

Bringing a touch of sci-fi to your daily routine

Making photographs come alive

Protecting cyclists on the road after dark

Banishing tweeting fridges to smart home obscurity

CORTANA WINDOWS PHONE Sometimes it feels like the world could do with a real-life version of Halo’s Master Chief, but for now the closest we’re going to get is Cortana. Named after and voiced by John-117’s ever-present AI helper from the multi-millionselling Xbox games, Cortana is Windows Phone’s answer to Siri or Google Now – with a little extra added on top. As well as simple web searches and most standard phone functions, Cortana can attach reminders to other actions, so next time you go to phone your mum Cortana will nudge you to politely ask about the cat. Over time she’ll learn more about you, adding details to a ‘notebook’ full of your vitals that she’ll use to offer more targeted help. With the Xbox One and Windows 8 (or 9) the obvious next steps for Cortana, expect to hear her voice a lot more in the future.

REN NG LYTRO ILLUM It’s one thing to build a new camera, but Ren and his team at Lytro are after a more ambitious prize: a new kind of photography. Since the early 19th century, every photograph has been a flat, passive print. Lytro pictures are not meant to be printed – they’re active digital images that you can refocus or change the perspective of while you’re viewing them. The engineering that has gone into the Illum is fiendishly complex – that large, versatile 30-250mm f/2 lens contains thousands of microlenses that capture not just light, but which direction the light’s coming from, allowing the processor to build an image in a process called ‘computational photography’ (a phrase that makes you 8% more of a geek just by saying it). It’s early days for Lytro, but this could be the most important camera since the Box Brownie.

EMILY BROOKE BLAZE LASERLIGHT As role models go, Batman isn’t a bad one. As far as we know, Emily Brooke of Blaze doesn’t dress up in a cape in the evenings and take to the streets of London to fight crime, but she has mimicked the Dark Knight’s bat signal for the Laserlight. It looks pretty much like any other bike light – albeit one encased in aluminium – but turn it on and it also projects a laser onto the road five metres in front of your bike, forming a green bicycle shape instead of Batman’s logo. As 79% of collisions with cars occur when a driver turns across an unseen cyclist, the Laserlight increases their visibility. The battery’s smart too. It won’t turn on unless it’s in the special bracket, and when it’s nearly dead it’ll switch to a low-energy mode that lasts four hours, so you’ll never be stranded miles from home without lights.

TONY FADELL NEST Fadell took one of the most under-exploited domestic products – the thermostat – and made it exciting (and himself rich in the process). He now promises to do the same with other household gadgets, leaving designers kicking themselves for not thinking of it first. Entrepreneur Fadell made his name at Apple, where he was a key member of the team that developed the iPod. He later founded Nest Labs with the somewhat unlikely aim of doing for thermostats and smoke detectors what the MP3 player did for music. Nest’s products are easy to use and remember your preferences, turning the heating down when you’re not at home and learning how long it takes to reach your preferred temperature, so it can then turn it up again when you’re on your way back, thereby saving money on fuel bills. Marcus Fairs, DEZEEN

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 INNOVATORS

LIFE CONT. Wristy business There are extra faces for the 360 on Google Play, including one that looks like 007’s watch in GoldenEye

Reinventing the smartwatch JIM WICKS MOTOROLA

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On the, er, face of it, making a watch round doesn’t seem that revolutionary. But when Motorola unveiled its circular Moto 360 it was distinct in a world of square-faced smartwatches, all informed by the phones they were designed to work with, rather than the timekeepers they were replacing. But Moto’s first Android Wear device took the opposite approach. Lead designer Jim Wicks said: “Time has always been represented by a circle, from the sundial to the pocket watch, and 85% of watches sold in the world are round; we didn’t want to make consumers change for this tech.” The Moto 360 has proved that smartwatches can be beautiful, sharing equal amounts of DNA with high-end timepieces as well as the phone in your pocket. And it’s still only generation one…

Teaching the whole world how to code

Solving the need for constant charging

Saving the world one solar panel at a time

Making 3D printing affordable enough for the home

KATHRYN PARSONS DECODED If you want to be megarich these days there’s no point in trying to become a rock star – you’re better off learning how to code and writing something to sell to Facebook for US$400bn. Kathryn Parsons’ Decoded can help you with the first bit, running courses to teach you all you need to know in a single day. It’s too bad there’s no equivalent course to deal with the second bit, really.

HATEM ZEINE COTA BY OSSIA In a few years’ time, your gadgets won’t need to plug into the wall. They’ll get their energy like they get their information – from a wireless router. In cafes and libraries and train stations, Hatem Zeine’s crafty Cota boxes will feed power through the air to any gadget within range, and your battery will never run out. Well, until you go camping, but hotels are much nicer anyway.

AGAMEMNON OTERO REPOWERING LONDON Aside from blowing ourselves up or being trampled on by a planet-sized space puppy, the biggest threat to Earth is climate change. Repowering London wants to get local communities using renewable energy sources so they can limit their impact on the environment. Either that or they want to develop a new kind of solar-powered weapon to ward off that intergalactic canine menace. One or the other.

STEVE SCHELL NEW MATTER In an attempt to actually make 3D printing mainstream, Steve Schell and New Matter have created the Mod-T, a US$280 ($355) Wi-Fi 3D printer. The Wi-Fi’s there so you can access and operate it easily from a browser or phone, but the real strength is the cost. At that price, it’s within reach of almost anyone who fancies messing about with micro-manufacturing while they catch up on EastEnders.

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INNOVATORS

Look around you Dyson’s 360 Eye travelled 1080km during testing on a rolling road – that’s a lot of crumbs

Supporting student engineers SIR JAMES DYSON DYSON Most of the robots being developed around the world are not the kind of robots you’d want to share a lounge with. They’re often a bit big, and some of them are a bit military. Thankfully, Britain’s most inventive billionaire is also a keen supporter of student and startup engineers, and he recently announced that Dyson is funding a new lab at Imperial College where a more obliging species of robot will be created. Like Dyson’s new 360 Eye robo-vac, they’ll have sophisticated robo-vision that will allow them to accomplish tasks like doing the laundry or clearing the table without getting in your way. Of course, a future in which you’re waited upon by electric slaves won’t come without the occasional robot uprising, but as long as they’ve done their chores first, that’s fine.

Creating the chip to end all chips

Invading your house with sensor ninjas

Printing your way to prettiness

Breaking crowdfunding records

SIR HOSSEIN YASSAIE IMAGINATION TECHNOLOGIES You might not have heard of The Hossmeister, as we like to call him, but this British engineer has had a hand in most gadgets you’ve ever bought. If you’ve ever used a smartphone, tablet, console, DAB or TV (you have), you’ve used Imagination’s chips. His latest trick is Caskeid – wireless tech that can create Sonos-style multiroom systems from devices made by different manufacturers. Neat.

DANIEL FRIEDMAN NINJA BLOCKS There are a number of companies vying to pack your home with sensors, but Ninja Blocks has the nattiest gear so far: the Ninjasphere. This alien-looking swoop of tech is the brain for your smarthome, and can automate heating and lighting, save power, keep an eye on security and even – thank you, sweet ninja-thing – tell you where your car keys are.

GRACE CHOI MINK MAKEUP PRINTER Mink is a different, and possibly more useful, kind of 3D printer: it prints makeup. By giving you the freedom to print any colour you find on the internet and cutting out the giant global brands that make a fortune selling the same stuff in a slightly different tube, Mink could save you money and make your face look nice. For non-makeup-wearers, try the BurritoBot (seriously, it does exist).

ERIC MIGICOVSKY PEBBLE In 2008, when the first 3G iPhone was a newborn, Eric Migicovsky was already designing the wearable. By chopping some bits out of a Nokia 3300 and soldering them to an Arduino, he created a low-power smartwatch that allowed him to receive messages and updates while cycling to college. Four years later, his consumer version – the Pebble – smashed every Kickstarter record.

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INNOVATORS

DESIGN Health and tasty Withings’ Activité is proof that activity trackers don’t have to make you look like you’re on parole

Putting the luxury into life-tracking FRÉDÉRIC LINTZ WITHINGS Many people consider their watch to be an item of jewellery rather than an extension of their phone. With its elegantly minimal analogue face, Activité is the first truly beautiful smartwatch and proves that advanced tech and hand-tooled leather straps are not mutually exclusive. The product was designed by Frédéric Lintz of French designers Eliumstudio for Withings, which makes a range of activity, sleep and health-monitoring products. Like other trackers, the watch measures steps, calories, distance and sleep patterns; but rather than the usual Star Trek aesthetic, the Swiss-made Activité features a classic stainless steel face with pared-down hands and hour markings. A second, smaller analogue dial discreetly displays progress towards your goal – pretty retro in comparison to gaudier animations. Marcus Fairs, DEZEEN

Inventing the modular smartphone

Driving our road networks into the future

Inventing a new way to interact with technology

Creating a leaf that could take us all the way to Mars

DAVE HAKKENS PHONEBLOKS Dave Hakkens has shown how a good idea combined with strong networking skills can make big waves without any investment. He created his concept for a modular mobile phone in 2013. Before he’d even graduated, it had 16 million views on YouTube and led to collaboration with Motorola’s Project Ara, which aims to develop an open-source hardware platform for smartphones. Marcus Fairs, DEZEEN

DAAN ROOSEGAARDE SMART HIGHWAY While Marty McFly’s future didn’t require roads, ours will – but they won’t look like the potholed spine-rattlers you’re used to driving down. Daan Roosegaarde has designed a new road network with glowing markings, lanes designated for electric cars, and paint that responds to the weather conditions to warn drivers if it’s likely to be icy. With roads like that, Marty might just change his mind.

HIROSHI ISHII TRANSFORM Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Hiroshi Ishii is responsible for Transform – a 21st-century version of one of those Pin Art toys you saw in The Gadget Shop in the ’90s. The difference is this one can render the physical form of something digital, or recreate the shape of an item scanned with a Kinect sensor, so you can effectively send physical objects over the internet.

JULIAN MELCHIORRI THE SILK LEAF Now we’re not saying astronauts will ride the Silk Leaf into outer space, but it could hold the key to long-distance space travel. Melchiorri has managed to suspend chloroplasts (the bits of a leaf that turn the sun’s energy into oxygen) in hardy synthetic foliage that could survive space and theoretically provide breathable air above the range of standard storage tanks. To infinity…

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INNOVATORS

WATCH, LISTEN, PLAY On me ’ead Alongside the headset, the DK2 comes with a separate camera for positional head tracking.

A fresh perspective The DK2 offers 960x1080 pixels per eye with reduced latency to prevent VR sickness

Ready, aim, fire! EVE: Valkyrie allows you to use Oculus Rift to aim your weapons, just like an Apache gunship

Leading the VR revolution PALMER LUCKEY OCULUS When most teenagers lock themselves away in their parents’ garage, they’re normally guzzling illicit booze and fags, not working on the prototype of a device that’ll eventually convince Mark Zuckerberg to part with US$2 billion. But Palmer Luckey wasn’t like most teenagers,

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experimenting with Tesla coils and lasers in his spare time. Now 22, he’s founder of Oculus and inventor of the Rift, making him almost single-handedly responsible for the resurgence of virtual reality. Since the Rift was unveiled in 2012 we’ve seen headsets from PlayStation, Samsung, LG

and a whole raft of start-ups, but Luckey welcomes the competition: “It lets people know that VR isn’t just this thing that one crazy company believes in,” he told Stuff at this year’s E3 gaming show. “It’s something that a lot of companies, even really big ones, believe in.” That includes Facebook, Oculus’ new owner. And while some of the company’s early backers felt betrayed by this ‘selling out’ it’s only thanks to the deal that Oculus will be able to sell the Rift at cost price when it eventually goes on

general sale. It’ll also be smaller and lighter than the DK2, with a wider field of view, higher frame rate and more pixels crammed into the display. This is only the beginning. Luckey sees a future beyond gaming for virtual reality: “I think that VR has the capability to replace almost all the screens we use on a daily basis. Let’s go way into the future and imagine it’s built into something that just looks like a normal pair of glasses. Why would you have a phone instead of that?” Why indeed, Mr Luckey.

Creating a game the size of the universe

Bringing technology to live performance

Taking virtual reality to the multiplex

Breathing humanity into CGI

SEAN MURRAY HELLO GAMES One minute Sean Murray’s Hello Games was the tiny studio that created cartoon stuntman Joe Danger; the next it was showing off a space exploration game with an infinitely expanding collection of procedurally generated planets (with dinosaurs). That means every planet you land on in No Man’s Sky is unique, experiencing its own Big Bang that dictates what everything from the weather to the wildlife will be like for people who land there. Whatever you do on that planet will affect the experience of it for other players, although the universe is so massive you’re unlikely to ever encounter another human explorer. Instead No Man’s Sky is about being a bona-fide adventurer and discovering worlds never seen before. With game development, Sean Murray’s doing exactly the same.

IMOGEN HEAP THE GLOVES London’s Imogen Heap rose to prominence in 2005 as the sort of popstress you’d hear as the credits rolled on a TV teen drama, later scoring an international smash with croony torch song What You Say. Another Dido, the music press chimed at once, dismissively. Not so, thanks to Heap’s cutting-edge development of music ware. In 2011, she debuted a pair of gloves that use in-built MIDI controllers remotely linked up to keyboards and synths to allow her to create soundscapes dictated by her hand gestures. It’s the sort of thing seen in experimental electronica communities – Bristol sound artist Shitmat was known for taping Nintendo Wii controllers to his hands for a similar use before retiring in 2012 – but Heap is dragging this technology thrillingly into the mainstream. Al Horner, NME

TOM ANNAU JAUNT If you think virtual reality is just about gaming, stick your head inside an Oculus Rift and let Jaunt show you otherwise. Tom Annau is just one of three founders of the cinematic VR company but it was his trip to Zion National Park in Utah that inspired the idea of headset escapism. Filmed with special camera arrays that provide a dome of footage around your head, Jaunt’s more-than-360º movies aren’t just for virtual tourism: movie directors are already investigating ways to use VR to put you right inside their story. Allowing the viewer to look around inside a scene means fundamental changes to the way films are made, and with people from Dolby, Sky, IMAX and 20th Century Fox on the board at Jaunt it won’t be long before you’re picking up a VR headset at the pictures to go with your popcorn, pick ’n’ mix and large Coke.

ANDY SERKIS THE IMAGINARIUM For a man who’s had lead roles in films as big as The Lord Of The Rings, King Kong and the recent Planet Of The Apes reboot, the real Andy Serkis spends very little time on screen. Whenever he appears it’s as a computergenerated primate or jewellery-obsessed goblin with a combover. Serkis is an actor who doesn’t just inhabit other characters but becomes entirely different species, and, thanks to his world-leading motion capture studio The Imaginarium, he’s pushing it to places cinema has never been before. With each performance, Serkis adds another level of something that’s been missing from CGI-heavy films for so long: humanity. It’s got to the point that he’s being tipped for an Oscar for his portrayal of chief ape Caesar. He’ll also have a not-yet-named role in JJ Abrams’ Star Wars movie.

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[ 20th Century Fox-Chernin Entertainment 2014 ]

INNOVATORS

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INNOVATORS

WATCH, LISTEN, PLAY CONT.

Making vinyl essential for music lovers (again) JACK WHITE LAZARETTO ULTRA LP There are probably tribesmen in the Amazon more au fait with modern tech than Jack White, who swears by analogue recording techniques, has performed to a backdrop of ’50s tellies and once decried anything with a computer chip in it to be a “destroyer of emotion and truth”. Presumably he goes on tour in a horse-drawn cart. Anyways, all this is not to say the former White Stripe isn’t still breaking new ground. This year’s Lazaretto became the biggest-selling vinyl in 20 years thanks to wax savants who turned the ‘Ultra’ version of the record into a sort of grouchy blues Rubik’s Cube of discovery. Play the record at different RPMs and you’ll unearth hidden songs. Strip back the LP’s centre labels and you’ll find further surprises too. Al Horner, NME

White noise Who says only CDs can have secret tracks? JW’s Ultra LP is stuffed with things to discover

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Leading the Netflix revolution

Teaching tech to go along to a new tune

Adding imagination to mobile games

Transforming the first-person gaming experience

KEVIN SPACEY HOUSE OF CARDS Kevin Spacey’s political drama isn’t just approved by Barack Obama; it’s been instrumental in changing the way we watch TV. The first A-lister to throw his weight behind internet-only TV, Spacey proved with his House Of Cards remake that the most exciting new shows weren’t necessarily on primetime TV. With Netflix also showcasing 4K, it looks as if Frank’s success was just the beginning.

ROLAND LAMB ROLI The musical keyboard hasn’t changed for centuries, even though the tech has evolved spectacularly since the time of felt-covered hammers hitting strings. Then Roland Lamb created a spongy, pressure-sensitive keyboard that responds to gestures, letting you alter pitch and timbre with your fingers. It’s at the front of a movement turning once-dumb boxes into extensions of the body. Marcus Fairs, DEZEEN

SIMON FLESSER & MAGNUS ‘GORDON’ GARDEBÄCK SIMOGO Mobile games don’t need to be mindless money-makers with a lifespan shorter than a suicidal mayfly. Simogo’s CV includes Year Walk and Device 6 – two games that are about as far removed from Flappy Bird as you get – with the latter in particular using the movement of your iThing to tell the story. Expect similarly smart narrative tricks from the team’s next game, The Sailor’s Dream.

ALISTAIR HOPE THE CREATIVE ASSEMBLY The thing about first-person shooters is you normally spend all your time shooting stuff. But Alien Isolation isn’t like most first-person shooters. The game’s creative lead Alistair Hope, er, hopes to breathe new life into the largely stale genre by shifting the focus to xenomorph-fuelled tension, rather than carefree fragging. The alien’s clever, too. It adapts its strategies after each encounter…

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INNOVATO INNOVATORS

Telling a compelling story within a game NEIL DRUCKMANN NAUGHTY DOG If anyone tells you games can’t tell proper stories, sit them down in front of a PS4 and fire up The Last Of Us Remastered. Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann wrote it, and in a world where the zombie apocalypse has become something of a cliché, his story of two survivors – one of whom may hold the key to a cure – is as fresh as a new bite wound. It’s more 28 Days Later than Resident Evil: Extinction, with the relationship between Joel and Ellie just as important as the body count, plus there are secondary narratives hidden throughout if you take the time to look for them and piece the bits together. With Druckmann now turning his pen to next-gen debut Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (due 2015), Naughty Dog’s future – and that of gaming in general – looks anything but apocalyptic.

Gunishment Joel and Ellie’s story was about way more than just how many infected they could kill

Building a human-sized joystick

Creating the YouTube of new music

Giving us VR everywhere and anywhere

Making blockbusters great again

JAMES ILIFF SURVIOS What does the joystick of the future look like? Well, a bit like you. As a graduate of the same school as Palmer Luckey, Survios founder James Iliff has created an as-yet-unfinished wearable controller that allows you to navigate a VR game simply by walking around within the system’s magnetic field, with specific actions such as gun-toting and zombie-hacking dealt with by Wii-style controllers.

ALEX LJUNG & ERIC WAHLFORSS SOUNDCLOUD It’s obvious when you think about it, but only Alex Ljung and Eric Wahlforss did anything about it: a website, app and social network for musicians to upload their tunes to without a shady record label exec in sight. Nowadays it’s used by the whole industry to give sneak previews, by young hopefuls to showcase what they can do, and by the rest of us to listen to music for free.

ED MASON GAMEFACE LABS What people often forget about virtual reality is that you need to tether your chosen headset to a fairly rip-snorting PC. Ed Mason’s GameFace crams everything into one face-mounted unit, including a 2.5K display, Android OS and Tegra K1 graphics processor that you wouldn’t even find in the latest phones. The dream of playing VR Bus Driver on the top deck of the 155 takes another step towards reality.

GARETH EDWARDS GODZILLA With Michael Bay doing his best to lobotomise the blockbuster once and for all, Gareth Edwards has shown that action movies don’t need to be idiotic. After making Monsters on a shoestring, his Godzilla reboot was a superbly pitched rescue mission of the legendary beast’s reputation, earning him the opportunity to make a sequel. Perhaps the new Star Wars won’t be so bad.

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INNOVATORS

HEALTH Talk of the town The Valour builds its own social network with other bikes to share real-time info on road conditions

Creating the cleverest bicycle ever ALI ZAHID VANHAWKS The humble push bike hasn’t changed that much in the past 150 years. Sure, the materials used to make them have evolved and the gearing and brakes are more advanced, but the basic shape has barely changed since the Boneshaker of 1869 – Vanhawks’ Valour even uses the same template. Beneath the surface, however, it’s a completely different beast. Powered by your smartphone (and your feet), Vanhawks has given the Valour turn-by-turn navigation (indicated by lights on the handlebars), sensors that detect stuff in your blind spot (and alert you using vibrations) and an accompanying app that collects Strava-style data on your ride. If it gets nicked it’ll even tell other Valours nearby so its owner can find out its whereabouts (at US$1250 ($1585), it’s eminently nickable). Not bad for 150 years of progress. Can you make one that hovers next?

Designing the products everyone else copies

Making earphones that listen to you too

Coming up with apps that trick you into exercise

Improving mental health with a game

JONY IVE APPLE The most influential product designer on the planet got more influential still when he took over Apple’s software division. iOS 7 finally brought Apple’s software into line with its clinically elegant hardware; iOS 8 pushes the design envelope even further and integrates Healthbook. With the industrial designer Marc Newson joining his design team, we can only guess what Ive will do next. Marcus Fairs, DEZEEN

NIKOLAJ HVIID THE DASH Most earphones only require you to do the listening, not the other way around. But Bragi’s The Dash in-ears are also able to listen to your heart while you listen to tunes from their built-in 4GB memory or streamed over Bluetooth, with an app to collect the info for analysis. It’s a smart combo of wearable tech that none of the big boys thought of and another victory for the Kickstarter revolution.

ADRIAN HON SIX TO START It starts as just a game. You’re out walking with your headphones in and an audiobook called The Walk on, or you’re jogging to one called Zombies, Run! You can’t continue listening to the story unless you make a certain number of steps and the next thing you know you’re accidentally getting fit just to find out what happens next. Sneaky, Six To Start, very sneaky. We like your style.

NICK STANHOPE WE ARE WHAT WE DO While We Are What We Do like to be seen as a collective, the man at the helm is Nick Stanhope. He heads a team that’s developing an Android game that works in conjunction with wearable health-monitoring tech. The idea is that it teaches teenagers to control their breathing and heart-rate by rewarding them for staying calm. Beats stealing cars and killing pedestrians (in GTA V), right?

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INNOVATORS

TRAVEL Fully charged In 2009 a Roadster travelled 500km on a single charge, setting a new world record Satellite town So far the Dragon has only carried cargo into space, but SpaceX reckons it’ll soon be taking humans

Final frontier This is Falcon 9, the first private spacecraft to visit the International Space Station

Plotting to colonise the red planet ELON MUSK PAYPAL/TESLA/SPACE X Elon Musk is about as close to a real-life Tony Stark as we have. He’s a Willy Wonka of tech, concocting plans (probably from a volcano lair in the Pacific) before unleashing them on the public. But rather than sending overweight German children up industrial pipes he’s mainly

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sending stuff into space. Musk sold his first product at 12 years old – he got US$500 for a videogame he’d written called Blastar after teaching himself to code – but it was the sale of PayPal in 2002 that put him on Stuff’s map. Since then he’s reinvented the electric car, banishing associations with

milk floats and the G-Wiz courtesy of Tesla’s Roadster and seven-seater Model S, and set up SpaceX – a private space exploration company that aims to one day colonise Mars. “I see us going to Mars in about 10-11 years,” he told Stuff earlier this year, “and in a really big spaceship, not a little thing.” Musk compares that proposed first trip to the red planet to the English colonising America and envisions setting up a city home to millions of people, with homes, jobs and (probably) pet Martians. You

know, just in case we accidentally destroy Earth. In short, he’s a man with ambitions to match the size of his fortune. If he sounds like the twin brother of a Bond villain, that’s not a million miles from the truth. Musk recently spent some of his immense wealth on the actual submarine Lotus Esprit used in The Spy Who Loved Me and is building his own: “We’ve even joked about having a submarine-plane-car.” That’s a joke we can’t wait to see the punchline for.

INNOVATORS

App-ing to make getting lost get lost

Making our sci-fi dreams come true

Hailing a cab towards the future

The future of streamlined hybrid car design

AZMAT YUSUF CITYMAPPER It’s almost impossible to get lost these days. You’ve got one man to thank for that: Azmat Yusuf. He’s the man behind Citymapper – the app that gets you around London, New York, Paris and other less fashionable cities across the world. It makes the most of open, real-time data to show you various routes to your destination, how long each one will take, how much they’ll cost and if there are any problems that could cause delays. Creator Yusuf and his team are adding cities all the time – you can vote for which one they should do next on the Citymapper website – and he’s already got one eye on Rio in time for the Olympics in 2016. Yusuf told Stuff that he wanted “to build something that people would use regularly”. Considering we can barely get to the end of the road without using his app, looks like mission accomplished.

MARK DEROCHE AEROFEX Now we have plug sockets with USB ports in them, there are only really two main sci-fi dreams that remain: flying cars and hoverboards. Aerofex’s Aero-X fulfils both, with the added bonus of being a little like Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder. On terra firma it’s a four-wheeled, two-person buggy-type vehicle, but in flight it uses downward-facing fans to levitate up to 3 meters off the ground at up to 72km/h. Designed by aerospace engineer Mark DeRoche, it uses a clever steering system that removes the need for complex controls like those found in helicopters, making it similar to riding a motorbike. And while it’s not ready to ride away from a showroom just yet, it’s not pure fantasy either. Aerofex has tested the Aero-X and hopes to have them on sale by 2017. Yours for just US$85,000 ($107,840).

TRAVIS KALANICK UBER Before he became public enemy number one among London’s black-cab drivers, Travis Kalanick launched Uber in San Francisco in 2010. It’s an app that allows you to book a cab and watch it arrive on a map. In four years it’s taken over the world, like a convenient four-wheeled virus that runs at very affordable rates. And it’s not just for taxis now either. There’s Uber Ice Cream, which allows you to summon a 99 just like a cab, plus Uber Chopper: an on-demand chauffeur-flown helicopter service from New York City to the Hamptons at the far end of Long Island. Uber now operates in over 200 cities around the world, and while not everyone is happy to see them (those aforementioned cabbies for one), it’s a company dragging an age-old industry into the future.

PETER WOUDA VOLKSWAGEN XL1 If you want to make something streamlined and aerodynamic, the model to copy isn’t a Formula 1 car or fighter jet – it’s a penguin. Not when it’s in upright waddling mode, but when arrowing its way through the ocean. That’s what exterior design manager Peter Wouda would’ve been aiming for when he crafted the VW XL1 – the most efficient production car in the world. Everything about it is designed to cut through the air like a hot axe through ice cream, from the extremely low ride height and lack of wing mirrors (it has cameras instead) to the way it tapers towards a flat rear end. Combined with its hybrid of diesel and electric power, VW has managed to eke out over 128km/h, and with its tech already filtering through to the VW GTE, it could turn out to be one of the most significant cars ever made.

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INNOVATORS

MONEY

Turning homes into hotels JOE GEBBIA, BRIAN CHESKY & NATHAN BLECHARCZYK AIRBNB

For a long time, the idea of letting a stranger in to stay at your house would conjure thoughts of a sofa-surfing hippy, leaving hair in the plughole, lice in the furniture and a dead badger in your bed. Airbnb has changed all that. Founded as Airbed & Breakfast in 2008 by roommates Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky (Nathan Blecharczyk joined shortly afterwards), it now lets you rent or let an individual bed, whole room or entire property, often for far less than even a budget hotel. Including the Lenny Henry-approved ones. These days it also offers quirkier dorms, including caravans, treehouses, windmills and even shipping containers (don’t worry, you’ll wake up where you went to sleep). It’s now available in over 34,000 cities in 190 countries and there are security measures factored in, so the chances of getting a badger murderer are slimmer than ever.

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Lining your digital wallet with Bitcoins

Crowdfunding Hollywood films

Creating an open-source car company

Calling time on those infuriating booking fees

SATOSHI NAKAMOTO BITCOIN Satoshi Nakamoto could be one person. It could be many. He could a woman, or she could be a man. Or a cat (but that one’s unlikely given the coding required). Basically, Nakamoto is the Keyser Söze of digital currency. Bitcoin might be mysterious, unstable and met with perplexed expressions if you mention it to most, but it could become bigger than the world’s largest novelty cheque.

SIMON WEST SALTY You’d think the man behind The Expendables would have cash thrown at him to make whatever he wants; but following the success of Veronica Mars, Simon West has opted to crowdfund Salty via SyndicateRoom.com – meaning anyone who invests over $2000 will be eligible for a share of the profits. Considering West’s films have made over $1.24bm at the box office, that might be a fairly decent bet.

JOHN B ROGERS JR LOCAL MOTORS If a camel is a horse designed by committee, Local Motors’ desert-ready Rally Fighter is the camel of the motoring world. Each part has been designed by a member of the Local Motors community, with over 35,000 designs submitted. The most popular are then developed and made in regional micro-factories, with each buyer chipping in. One day, all cars could be made this way.

MILLS AND SINX DICE It’s one of the great mysteries of our time. You bag a couple of tickets for a gig, click to buy them and out of nowhere there’s an extra $20 mystery tax been added on top. A booking fee, they call it. What is it for and why shouId I pay for it? Nobody knows. Ustwo’s Dice is an iOS and Android app that gets rid of them altogether, allowing you to use the app itself as the ticket.

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TECHSPEDITION

Crew of two If you’re flying in a particularly hazardous location it’s best to have two remotes: one person focusing on the UAV and another concerned only with the camera.

Hold steady The drone has six carbon fibre propellers, retractable landing gear and a GPS-enabled A2 flight controller, which allow it to remain stable even in strong Alpine winds.

THE ALPS IN

3D What do you get when you cross drones, 3D mapping and the Alps? A disappointing punchline, certainly, but also an amazing new way to study the effects of climate change Flying around Britain in Google Maps’ 3D view is one of our favourite wastes of time. But next-gen mapping isn’t just being used to destroy afternoon productivity or provide a bird’s-eye view of how your garden looked in 2009. Thanks to a combination of drones, clever software and some

souped-up Land Rovers, scientists in the Alps are taking it to new extremes to help study mountains and the effects of climate change in mind-boggling detail. Sam Kieldsen took a ride with the team to find out how it works and what it could mean for our understanding of the real Earth…

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TECHSPEDITION

ountains haven’t always been seen as playgrounds for snowbased frolics. Without films, TV or photos to prepare them, many European travellers a few hundred years ago were so overwhelmed by the sight of the Alps that they’d request blindfolds as they were led through the rocky passes. But my eyes are wide open as I head into the French Alpine town of Chamonix, nestled in a wide, forested valley between those same imposing mountains. Because I’m about to see a brilliant new method of surveying these mountains – a technique that involves some incredible, and surprisingly accessible, gadgetry.

Drone rangers I meet with Mark Allan, a PhD researcher from the University of Northumbria, who specialises in the study of glacial valleys, of which there are dozens in the Alps. Mark is among the first to analyse these valleys with this technique, which means he gets to fly a camera-equipped drone through some of Europe’s most stunning scenery. As jobs go… “We’re looking at how the landscape is changing in response to a change in the climate,” Mark tells me over lunch in a Chamonix cafe. “We’ve been using state-ofthe-art 3D technology to create models of the landscape and we use these models to detect which areas are changing in response to shifts in glacial patterns.” For the past few months, Mark and his team of fellow researchers have been driving all around the Alps – Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia and now France – in a Land Rover Defender carrying climbing kit, tents, $100k worth of GPS gear, an insanely high-spec PC and an $16.5k unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Oh, and a Sony NEX-7 camera – the sort you can pick up for a few hundred dollars.

Third eye “Using the UAV, or on foot, or in a helicopter, we take hundreds of images of glacial valleys and combine these to create 3D

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models using a process called structure-from-motion,” says Mark. The images (as many as 1000 per survey) are fed into a piece of software called Bundler, which analyses them all over the course of a day or so, identifies the same rock features that occur in multiple images using colour and shading, and links them together. But it’s not all flying drones and sitting in front of a PC. Ahead of each photo survey, Mark and his team venture out into the glacial valleys and place square white cardboard targets on the valley slopes. I ask him how he does that. “Carefully!” he laughs. The process often involves climbing gear, as some of the valleys aren’t easily accessible. “In terms of adding ground control, you look for features that you can physically get to… and that don’t move.” GPS data is then taken over each target’s location. When the drone flies overhead, the targets will appear in the pictures and can be used to add scale and location data to the models.

1

Next-gen Google Earth That evening, I get a chance to fly through some of the resulting 3D models on the team’s computer. Looking like a hi-res version of Google Earth’s 3D mode, they’re so detailed that you can make out individual boulders – not to mention rock climbers. This level of detail is essential, as it’s how Mark will identify the changes occurring in the landscape when he repeats the surveys in the next two years. But it also points to an excitingly precise future for Google Maps: Now, how many seats does that pub garden have…? Because this technique is so innovative, Mark doesn’t have

“We’ve seen the landscape changing – we’ve seen the ice falling and heard the glacier moving” older models to which he can compare his own, but he has been poring over the archives of the Royal Geographical Society in London, which include images of the same valleys from over 100 years ago. “That allowed us to find out exactly where these glaciers were at a particular point in the past. It has been crucial to the success of the project.” Eventually, Mark will be able to determine just how quickly

the landscape is changing. And next year he’ll be showing off his findings in an exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society. He tells me to expect 3D printed glacier models and 3D video fly-throughs created using the team’s data. I ask him if his months of camping out in the snow and braving icy glaciers are paying off. “As a life experience it’s been unbelievable,” he says. “We’ve driven through some of the most impressive mountain passes in the world and we’ve seen some views that are going to stay with me forever.” And from a scientific point of view? “We’ve seen first-hand how these landscapes are changing: we’ve seen landslides, seen the ice falling, heard the glacier moving. It’s incredible.”

Drones: a secret life

1 Land Rover Defender The Land Rover acts as a UAV launch and landing pad via a platform on its roof

2 DJI Spreading Wings S800 Evo The chief tool for surveying glacial valleys, worth £8000 Goose-shooing After geese started bothering visitors to Canada’s Petrie Island, officials turns to UAVs to provide a solution. Using scare tactics, drones reduced the number of feathery nuisances from about 120 to just 20.

3 Terra Nova Ultra Quasar tents Because it’s hard to find a hotel room halfway up an Alp

3 2

An extra dimension This project turns 2D photos into 3D models using a heavy bit of academic software called Bundler. But how about trying its trickery on a smaller scale?

Structure Sensor

PVMS2

Seene

This Kinect for your iPad lets you scan rooms, people and objects in three dimensions in a few seconds, so you can work out if that Eames chair will squeeze into your lounge. Or if your dog will make a nice 3D-printed ornament. US$379 ($480) (iPad) / structure.io

Used by ILM, Weta and Google Maps, this slightly more professional but free application weaves together 2D photos of rigid objects (buildings rather than pedestrians) into a mesh model to play around with like digital Lego. $free / www.di.ens.fr/pmvs/

This camera app can’t (yet) capture full 3D models, but it does let you take 3D photos by plotting points on your subject and using parallax to determine where they are in 3D space. Yes, you can use it for selfies, if you must. $free (iOS) / seene.co

Crop-dusting UAVs can spray crops with pesticides far more quickly than a tractor and more cheaply than a plane. Farmers in Japan have been using Yamaha RMX helicopters to boost their yields for 20 years.

Web access Facebook purchased Ascenta, a company specialising in solarpowered UAVs, to build flying Wi-Fi hotspots that will bring the net to parts of the developing world that as yet can’t ‘like’ cat pictures. Lucky them.

Criminal-catching Seeking an aerial view of crime scenes, police in Seattle employed a hexacopter drone sporting a thermal imaging camera as an alternative to a full-size chopper – but the programme was dropped over public fears.

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GROUP TEST ELECTRIC CARS

Q TESLA MODEL S P85

Q BMW i8

THE LEAN, THE MEAN & THE GREEN Stuff’s steeliest pilots whizz from coast to coast to find out which of the new eco-supercars is the most future-friendly 104

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GROUP TEST ELECTRIC CARS

Q VOLKSWAGEN XL1

The mission Westonsuper-Mare

Cheddar Che eddar dda d r da Gorge

The route START Weston-super-Mare, birthplace of John Cleese (whose family name was originally Cheese) and gateway to the Bristol Channel.

Tilshead T ilshea ils head hea d Garage Gar Gara ara ra age ge

STOP 1 Cheddar Gorge, birthplace of actual cheese and a number of goats. The goats seemed particularly interested in nibbling the white paint from the middle of the road.

Clacket Cl Cla Clacke c t Lane cke cket Lan Lan ane Services

STOP 2 Tilshead, on Salisbury Plain. Londis sandwiches all round. STOP 3 Clacket Lane Services, M25, home to a highvoltage charging point

Whitstable W Whi tst stab ab

that put enough sparks in the Tesla to take it all the way to Whitstable. FINISH Whitstable: oysters (hmm…), fish and chips (better!) and England’s largest village green.

[ Pictures James Lipman ]

It began as a noble endeavour: drive three practical electric cars from coast to coast, and put everyone’s range anxiety at ease. Then we looked at which cars to take, and we realised we didn’t just want to save the planet: we wanted to zoom around it in a fleet of next-gen dream machines that outpace their old gas-guzzling forebears on a whiff of petrol and a gulp of lightning. So, we rounded up three different approaches to the eco supercar – BMW’s i8 hybrid supercar, Volkswagen’s retro-futuristic XL1 hybrid and Tesla’s all-electric Model S – for a low-carbon cruise across England’s middle.

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GROUP TEST ELECTRIC CARS

TOP 5 DRIVING SONGS FOR THE MODEL S Q THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Mach 5 Q ROY ORBISON I Drove All Night Q THE JEZABELS Electric Lover QMANCHESTER ORCHESTRA Simple Math Q SCORPIONS Too Far

THE CHALLENGING ONE

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Screen-tastic

Extra factor

Family-friendly

Modest machine

Not only does the Tesla have a touchscreen the size of two iPads – it’s got another screen visible through the wheel.

Full disclosure: our test car came with enough extras to take it up to £100,000 ($206,650), but the standard P85 has all the essentials.

Unlike the other bachelor-mobiles, the Tesla has enough room for four plus a whole holiday’s worth of luggage.

It doesn’t have the out-there looks of the i8 or XL1 , but that’s part of the charm. And you still get attention when charging.

GROUP TEST ELECTRIC CARS

TESLA MODEL S P85 Q Price £69,000 ($142,590) / teslamotors.com Q Driver Tom Parsons The i8 and XL1 are cheat cars. They’ll run forever because they run on petrol. Admittedly a much smaller amount of petrol than the average car, but everyone knows petrol’s going to cost $900 per teaspoon soon. When that happens, batteries will be the only way to power your car, and the i8 and XL1 have got about as much battery power as a Sony Walkman.

It’s a big ’un The Tesla’s different. This thing has a massive 85kWh battery that it reckons is good for 502km. It may look less radical than the other two, but underneath it’s a technological marvel, and arguably represents the true future of motoring. And boy is it big. Nerve-rackingly so when your first experience of it involves the close confines of the labyrinthine Westfield. The 720p feed from the parking camera that’s fed to the ginormous screen in the centre console does come in handy for reversing, though.

Practical but powerful When the challenge started I had 500 odd km in the ‘tank’, and by our first stop in Cheddar I was totally in love with the Model S. Yes, it’s practical (a boot in the boot and in the bonnet, plus loads of legroom) and yes, it’s gizmo-tastic (it’s all touchscreen-controlled, from the panoramic roof to the suspension height, steering weight and an absolutely humongous Google Maps-powered sat-nav), but it’s also insanely, giggle-inducingly fast. Faster than the i8, in fact. And this is immediate power. No delay for the car to decide how it’s going to hook up two different motors to most effectively deliver the acceleration, just all the power you could possibly require the moment you put your foot down. I thought I’d miss the noise of an engine, but there’s something just as exciting about that burst of speed being accompanied by near-silence – it’s like the Starship Enterprise

STUFF SAYS ★★★★★

entering warp, and what could be more awesome than that? Onwards to the winding roads of Salisbury Plain, and the Tesla proves to be pretty darn chuckable for a car so big and heavy. You can’t throw it into corners quite the same way you can the lithe little i8, but there’s still more than enough grip to take them far quicker than you probably should. And you can fit a Tom Wiggins in the bonnet – something we genuinely did while photographing our motors.

Quick pit stop I’d avoided using the air-con, but had otherwise driven the Tesla like the frustrated racing driver I am so far, yet the readout was telling me I had enough juice left to make it the rest of the way to Whitstable. Just. Before risking it I did a little research on zap-map.com, only to discover that Whitstable doesn’t have a single electric car charger (seriously, Whitstable, sort it out). Now I like Whitstable a lot, but I didn’t fancy being stranded there in a totally dead car, so it was with some reluctance that I had to insist the convoy stop at Clacket Lane Services for a little power-up. Thankfully this meant I had the range to complete the journey and get home again after a 50-minute break – plenty of time for a really rubbish Costa Coffee experience.

A car for the future By the end of our challenge I was still in love with the Model S, but there was no escaping that I’d been challenged more than the other two. Sure, for 360 days a year the Tesla’s range would be way more than I needed and I could just charge it overnight, but I occasionally enjoy a drive to Devon, Wales or Scotland, and I’m the type to find nothing other than depression at motorway services. That’s why I wouldn’t buy a Tesla now. Next year there will be 23 Superchargers in the UK, and they can pump in 274km’ worth of charge in 30 minutes. That’s when I’d buy a Tesla. If I could actually afford it.

Driver specs Last car owned Honda Civic Type R Fuel Lucozade, Cornish pasty Favourite UK road A939 near Tomintoul Driving hero Jean-Luc Picard

Tech specs Power 85kWh battery Top speed 209km/h 0-100km/h 4.2 seconds Weight 2100kg Claimed fuel efficiency Infinite (but a 502km range per charge)

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TOP 5 DRIVING SONGS FOR THE XL1 Q KRAFTWERK Aerodynamik Q WU-TANG CLAN Diesel Q MY BLOODY VALENTINE Glider QXZIBIT Paparazzi Q MODEST MOUSE Perpetual Motion Machine

VOLKSWAGEN XL1 Q Price £98,000 ($202,520) / volkswagen.co.uk Q Driver Tom Wiggins

Driver specs Last car owned Toyota Corolla GL Executive Fuel Beefeater mixed grill and a banoffee sundae Favourite UK road A272 Driving hero Inspector Clouseau

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Choosing a Tesla or an i8 for this challenge is like using a fork to eat a bowl of soup: frustrating and wasteful. That’s why I parked my behind into the driver’s seat of the VW XL1 – a concept come to life that Volkswagen claims is the most fuel-efficient hybrid available. How could I possibly be beaten?

Cut ’n’ shut The XL1 looks like two cars stuck together. I like to think the squaredoff rear end makes it look like Ferrari’s ‘Breadvan’ 250 GT but in all honesty it’s probably more like a futuristic hearse, albeit one with only enough space for a generously sized dog. It accelerates a bit like one

too (a hearse, not a dead dog) but with everything about it designed to reduce drag and extend its range – from the covered rear wheels and compressed cardboard interior to the lack of power steering – the XL1 is clearly all about efficiency, not power or luxury. It even eschews airflow-disrupting wing mirrors for cameras. Only the i8’s head-up display is more sci-fi than that.

Cheddar Gorge-ous Don’t get me wrong, the XL1 is by no means a chore to drive. Setting off from Weston-super-Mare in all-electric mode, I quietly nipped through early morning traffic following the built-in Garmin’s

guidance towards Cheddar, gradually getting used to the Tarmac-scraping driving position, slight lack of rear visibility and increased attention from camera phones. Even a local bus driver made his commuter cargo wait while he took a picture. No doubt the snaking roads of Cheddar Gorge were a little tougher on the unassisted steering of my XL1 than the other two but the narrow tyres meant I barely noticed and I still beat them to the first checkpoint, giving me time to pair my phone to the car’s sat-nav and stream my roadtrip playlist to the car’s speakers while I waited.

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THE STYLISH ONE Offset seating The two seats are offset, which not only makes it easier to see at junctions but also creates enough space for the batteries.

It’s butter-smooth Because it doesn’t need to worry about downforce, the XL1 is actually more aerodynamic than a Formula 1 car (but less than a penguin).

Custom-made Apart from the badge, which comes from a Scirocco, everything is designed and made to order. That’s partly why it’s so expensive.

Adrenaline rush The XL1 is only about the size of a Polo, although it feels a bit like one of those solarpowered wings with wheels that break world records.

Perpetual motion

Tech specs Power 800cc diesel plus 20KW electric Top speed 159km/h 0-100km/h 12.5 seconds Weight 795kg Claimed fuel efficiency 133km/L

After a minor detour into the Stonehenge visitor centre car park thanks to out-of-date maps, I started to get into the swing of driving this clever little hybrid. Whenever I hit a proper descent I lifted off the accelerator and glided down the hill to let the battery suck up some additional charge. At one point it had dropped to about 9% and without plugging it in I managed to revive it all the way back to 16.5%. Is VW on the verge of inventing a perpetual motion machine? That’s not to say I drove the XL1 like it had an unexploded bomb

STUFF SAYS ★★★★★

onboard. I put my foot down to overtake slow-moving tractors on the A37 and when I hit the M3 it never struggled to keep up with the rat race.

Say cheese I don’t care what Will Dunn says, the XL1 is by far the most eye-catching of these cars. I haven’t had my picture taken by so many strangers since Beyoncé piggybacked me through Piccadilly Circus. When we stopped at Clacket Lane it earned another admiring glance from me when five litres of diesel (half a tank) added 250km to the XL1’s range.

Slow and steady... The sun had already started to go down when I got to Whitstable, just a couple of minutes behind the vastly more powerful i8 and comfortably ahead of Tom’s Tesla. Hares, meet the tortoise. It might lack some of the luxuries offered by the other cars but that’s the price you pay for such incredible efficiency. The XL1 has air-con and a surprisingly connected stereo and sat-nav system. I think I can survive without touchscreens and voice control when half a tank of fuel costs less than two pints of lager.

A glimpse of the future, the XL1 ticks every box. Now all we need is a four-seater version… www.stuff.tv

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BMW i8 Q Price £95,000 ($196,320) / bmw.co.uk Q Driver Will Dunn There are plenty of examples of clever, bespoke technology that make the i8 a singularly brilliant car, but the most important thing is this: it looks like the Batmobile. Driving it is like walking through a busy shopping centre with a levitating clockwork monkey made of gold: everyone wants to know what that expensive-looking thing is. Cars slow down and speed up to be alongside it, usually with a phone held to the window.

Goat-botherer The i8 doesn’t just look like the Batmobile; it also moves like it’s just emerged from a cave through a waterfall. While Cheddar Gorge’s population of goats dawdled in front of every other car on the road, for the i8 they stepped aside – partly because it looks like it might eat them, and partly because of the noise it makes. When you push it out of its near-silent electric roll, the i8 leaps forward with a cackle-inducing robot growl that is one of the most satisfying noises in the world. Our second stop, a deserted bit of road somewhere in Somershire or Borset or something, was a good 50 miles of mini-roundabouts and country lanes away. After a bit of mucking about with the sat-nav, I was guided by easily the best heads-up display I’ve seen in a car: directions and speed limits are projected onto the windscreen, floating steadily in your field of view. While naturally I observed the rules of the road, I arrived at our next rendezvous with time to buy and consume a chicken sandwich and a 250ml bottle of chocolate milk before the next car turned up.

Snarly precision On the motorway and in Comfort mode, the i8 drives like a BMW, albeit an incredibly posh one from the future. On a snaky little road in Sport, the dials go red, the engine develops a more high-pitched snarl and the handling becomes light and twitchy. The i8 is ferociously quick, but it

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moves with a precision that speaks of some kind of advanced machine intelligence. You can also speed into a corner with conviction. I doubt you all remember the Mitsubishi GTO I spent months upgrading in Gran Turismo 2 as a teenager, but that’s what it reminds me of: a 4WD with more power than seems realistic for something so sure-footed.

It’s good to be inside Next, we put the three cars through the most exacting motoring experience in the UK: the M25. Fortunately, even in the variablespeed hell of our nation’s most boring thoroughfare, the i8 is a wonderful place to be. The front two seats are luxurious, divided by a wide central hump that also houses iDrive’s minimal but effective wheel-button control system. The back seats are big enough for a handbag or a medium-sized duck. My i8 had the Harman/Kardon speaker upgrade, allowing me to wallow in a big bath of music while the motorway did its thing outside.

Driver specs Last car owned Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Fuel Coffee, beef crisps Favourite UK road B3212 Driving hero Michael Knight

First place, naturally It was to be expected that the i8 got to Whitstable comfortably ahead of the others, but as I glimpsed the east coast it had one more surprise for me: in the gullwing doors there’s a gently glowing strip of blue that only becomes noticeable when it gets dark, underlining the fighter-jet feel of the cockpit. It’s just an LED strip, but it sums up what’s brilliant about this BMW: it’s a concept car that has, for once, actually been built with its mad design flourishes, spaceship lights, science-fiction powertrain and carbon-fibre everything. It’s a supercar that uses as much petrol as a small hatchback (much less if you drive carefully), but the best thing about it is its lack of compromise. Someone had a bold, exciting idea for how it should look and what it should do, and BMW made that idea real. That doesn’t happen often.

Tech specs Power 357bhp Top speed Limited to 249km/h 0-100km/h 4.4secs Weight 1485kg Claimed fuel efficiency 57km/L

It’s the freaking Batmobile. Seriously, what more do you want?

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TOP 5 DRIVING SONGS FOR THE I8 Q STEREOLAB Super Electric Q DEFTONES Be Quiet And Drive Q KRAFTWERK Autobahn Q MOGWAI Wizard Motor Q PRINCE Batdance

THE LIGHTNING-QUICK ONE Scooper-car

Go electric

Non-crash tech

Nice view

The i8’s bold sidescoops don’t just look bat-amazing, they’re also bat-practical: you could fit a baguette in there.

While our i8 stayed in Comfort or Sport, you can drive it as a completely electric car in eDrive mode, giving a range of 37km.

It has some very sophisticated collision avoidance tech we didn’t have the nerve to test, what with it not belonging to us…

…but we did appreciate the car being studded with cameras that give you a drone’s-eye view, making parking much easier.

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“WITH NEW DRIVING HABITS WE RECKON WE’D HAVE THE XL1 WELL OVER 85KM/L”

THE WINNER Q VOLKSWAGEN XL1 T TES R E NN I W

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We’d be foolish to suggest that the XL1 offered more visceral, foot-down driving excitement than either the Tesla or the BMW, but this test was all about making it across the country in the most efficient way possible – and considering the Model S couldn’t manage it without lengthy recharging and the i8’s 17km/L average is about as eco-friendly as a heavy smoker coughing in a kitten’s face, the VW almost wins by default. In terms of space it’s pretty much equal to the BMW, while the Tesla’s seven seats mean nothing if your answer to “Are we nearly there yet?” always has to be: “We just have to

stop again to charge it.” For an all-electric car to be practical for a journey like this we need more fast chargers at the roadside – not those that take eight hours to hit 100%, but something that brings charging an electric car in line with filling a tank of petrol. We got an average of 57km/L from the XL1. That’s some way off the claimed figure but we spent most of the journey driving it like any other car. With a few new habits we reckon we’d have it comfortably over 85km/L. Just add a couple more seats and this would be the ultimate green machine.

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Q IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN I’ve just spent the better part of a week with a BMW i3 electric vehicle (EV), and insanely futuristic as it may be, I can conclude, as Kermit the Frog did, it’s not easy being green. Now, don’t get me wrong - the i3 is a cool car. No, scratch that. It’s just about the coolest car I’ve ever driven, and dare I say it, possibly the coolest car I’ll drive in the next decade. I’m fairly sure I screamed “THIS IS THE FUTURE” at several points while driving it. But unfortunately, living with it is another matter entirely. For starters, buying it. The i3 costs $236,800, which is money you could well use to get yourself a mid-range BMW 3 Series with. Then there’s the small matter of where you’re going to charge the thing. Yes, buying the i3 also comes with a wallbox installed in your home, which is great... if you’re a member of the landed gentry. If you’re part of the 94 percent of Singaporeans that don’t own landed property, tough luck, because you’re going to have to slum it out and use one of the 15 Greenlots public charging stations islandwide. Granted, not all of those charging stations are located in the armpit of Singapore (Jurong Island or Ayer Rajah Crescent, anyone?); some are located in pretty central spots, like in Orchard Road or in the CBD. The problem is, hanging around for approximately five hours to juice up the i3 will result in astronomical parking fees, to say nothing of how you’ll need to pay ERP charges to get into town and being effectively stranded while it’s being ‘gassed up’. Thankfully, local i3s come standard with a petrol range extender that acts as a sort of portable generator to charge the batteries (which almost doubles the extender-less i3’s range of 160km), so you don’t have to spend half your life at the ‘pumps’. Even so, a day spent at the One Raffles Quay charging station could see you staring at a parking/ ERP/charging fee of something like $40-$50 a pop. Multiply that by having to charge the i3 two or three times a week, and well, you get the idea. As you can probably tell, an EV isn’t the easiest car to own. And I think that’s a shame, because an electric car makes perfect sense

for Singapore. Our little red dot’s microscopic size puts it well within the i3’s claimed 300km range, and since it’s so highly urbanised and so highly organised, building charging infrastructure should be a cinch. The bad news is, we’re still far off from an electric car utopia, like in some parts of Europe. For instance, Amsterdam has over 800 public EV charging stations and you get up to 18,000 euros in subsidies (roughly 40 percent off the price of an i3) for buying an electric car in Estonia. It’s even better in Norway, because EVs are exempt from road tax, public parking charges, toll fees, and you can even use the bus lanes. Over here, we get almost none of that. Aside from the $20,000 rebate you get under the CEVS scheme on buying the i3, you don’t get anything else, which makes the little BMW a toy exclusively for the wealthy and gadget-happy. It’s a chicken-and-egg scenario. If there are no incentives/public charging stations, very few people are going to buy EVs, and if nobody buys them, there’ll be little need to offer incentives or build public charging stations. With all the money the government makes from COEs, you’d think they’d be absorb all that cost too. Or maybe all those oil refineries in Tuas have something to do with it. So yes, cool as they may be, electric cars will have to remain as the future here in Singapore. ZL Li

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PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 / bungie.net

Destiny It’s the most expensive and most pre-ordered game of all time, but can Bungie’s first post-Halo shooter live up to the massive expectations? ince the term ‘MMO’ was used in relation to Destiny there’s been anticipation from some that Bungie’s latest would be a Halo-like FPS of World Of Warcraft size. That’s not what you get, but you do get a game that’s truly massive by FPS standards, built for multiplayer from the ground up, and more cinematic and thrilling than any MMO in existence. The story is proper heavy sci-fi: omnipotent spherical beings, space travel and aliens closing on Earth’s

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last remaining city. It’s actually a really rich, deep setting. It’s also epic in the way Halo is epic: a glorious, swelling score and gorgeous storytelling cut-scenes. And there’s a sort of narrator: the Ghost, voiced by Game Of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage, is a little robotic guide linked to your character. You can also link up with other Guardians: the entire game is designed to be played with others. You can solo most of it if you want (you’ll still meet other players on their own journeys), but the idea

is that you tackle everything as part of a three-person fireteam, ideally comprising one of each character class: Hunter, Warlock and Titan. In action it plays very much like Halo – fast, a bit floaty and bombastic. Every weapon looks, sounds and feels hugely powerful, and the class-specific special attacks are as deadly as they are spectacular. The main campaign itself isn’t long, but most of the story missions require that you’re at a certain level, and that means

you need to regularly divert to do a Strike (a storied side-mission), some guardian-on-guardian action in the Crucible or some wandering and side-missioning in the free-roam mode. And even when you’ve finished the main story there are Raids: supremely challenging six-player missions for the flashiest loot. Bungie says it’s going to keep expanding and updating Destiny. Maybe one day it really will be bigger than Warcraft… Tom Parsons

STUFF SAYS Halo meets Diablo meets WOW: one of the very best console shooters +++++ 114

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TEST GAMES

The new Guardian guide

You choose your missions from up in orbit before boarding a ship to begin

It’s not all spells and skill trees – there’s plenty of old-skool fragging to do

Creating an avatar to represent all of your Destiny exploits is a challenge in itself. You don’t want to make the wrong choice, especially when it comes to class. In theory the Titan is the meat-headed tank, the Hunter is the sneaky back-stabby type and the Warlock is the space wizard; but in practice their attributes are all very similar, and there are no restrictions in terms of weapons. Each class gets its own armour styles, though, so it really comes down to deciding which one you think looks more awesome – the Warlock’s long coats, the Hunter’s hoods and cloaks or the Titan’s Master Chief-like armour plating. The other stuff it influences is the type of double-jump you get, the sort of grenades you lob, and which ‘special’ you get to use when the yellow gauge fills up. For the Titan it’s a Hulk-smash, for the Warlock a massive magic grenade; the Hunter gets a golden gun that James Bond would envy. Each class does get a later sub-class, and you might find you need to perform a more specific role in your fireteam when it comes to tackling the nails-hard Raids, but for the majority of the game you can mix it up however you want.

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iOS / 2kgames.com

BioShock Can the classic ultra-immersive shooter survive being squeezed down to iPhone and iPad without losing its addictive soul? still vividly recall playing the original BioShock on Xbox 360, exploring the depths of its underwater fantasy setting, tensing up at the brash Big Daddy showdowns, and soaking in an eerie atmosphere unlike anything I’d ever played before. Would someone new to the game have that same kind of experience on a 4in touchscreen? The iPhone and iPad version thankfully keeps the BioShock experience intact, maintaining the incredible dystopian city of Rapture, with its gene-spliced enemies and terrifying armoured warriors, terrific art deco design and ever-intriguing narrative. That’s the best news of all – BioShock still feels original after all these years. The lack of physical inputs on iOS devices means big changes: thus, a virtual stick and buttons. By and large, it does the trick – the attacking buttons match the overall aesthetic well and are nicely laid out. But there’s a clumsiness to playing a shooter when all the

I

inputs you need aren’t resting right below a thumb or finger, and slowed reactions are bound to get you killed at some point. Luckily, BioShock supports MFi controllers, and that’s definitely the way to play. Even as an early last-gen release, this was one of the most visually stunning games ever… but it looks ragged in this incarnation. The models all have rough edges, textures are muddled, and lighting issues abound. The great original work isn’t lost, but it’s a bit more difficult to appreciate. BioShock has been around for seven years now, so it’s not hard to find cheaply for Xbox 360, PC or PS3. And indeed, every other version of the game is more polished and precise than this one. But still, phones and tablets are turning more players onto games than ever before and this is still a tremendous single-player shooter experience – one that’s solidly enjoyable with touch controls, but truly great with a gamepad. Andrew Hayward

The retro illustrations of the unlockable plasmid powers are as daft as ever. Cartoon violence!

Remember Pipe Mania? Hacking turrets, cameras and vending machines in BioShock is just like that

STUFF SAYS It’s not quite so slick on iOS, but BioShock still shines through ++++, 116

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DESIGN

See your hi-tech home in a new light… with a new light. These are our favourite ultra-modern lamps [ Photography Pete Gardner ]

GASSLING OOPS I DROPPED THE BULB

We’re not sure what the returns policy is when you buy this Swedish lamp, but it’s unlikely Gassling will take it back if you claim it looks a bit broken. Its moment-of-impact design is deliberately 3D-printed in white nylon, while a 6W LED takes care of the actual lighting duties. Also available from Gassling’s website are a pair of ceiling lamps in similar style and a range of eco-friendly boxer shorts. We’re not sure about the returns policy on those either. €400 ($645) / gassling.com

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DESIGN NORTHERN LIGHTING DIVA Swedish furniture is so last week. If you really want to put the ‘in’ in interior design, you need to direct your glance to its nordic neighbour, Norway. The Scandinavian kingdom’s design council saw fit to bestow its award for design excellence on the 1.2m-tall Diva floor lamp, no doubt inspired by its striking feminine figure. Either that, or the judging panel were afraid the artful ninja who carved it would turn his katana on them in their beds. They have ninjas in Norway, right? £1755 ($3625) / northernlighting.no

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DESIGN QISDESIGN CORAL

Should your decorative tastes extend to the maritime, the Coral lamp is designed to look a bit like, well, a coral. Its glassy diffusers mimic the diaphanous polyps of everyone’s favourite reef-dwelling intervertebrate, creating a peaceful luminescence to accompany your whale-song playlist while you try to forget about the hammerhead sharks, decompression sickness and other innumerable perils of the deep. For maximum effect, paint the walls blue and wear neoprene trousers and a pair of flippers. £280 ($580) / lampled.co.uk

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ANDROMEDA: TACTICAL LIGHTING

If you’re unsure why anyone would want to design the “world’s first military-inspired tactical tri-rail lamp” that “fully utilizes the Picatinny rail system”, the Andromeda might not be your first choice of light. If, like the 384 people who backed its Kickstarter campaign, you think it would be ‘epic’, ‘badass’ and ‘awesome’ to mount a thermal sight to your bedside light, look no further. But do contemplate the irony of fitting night vision to a lamp. US$560 ($710)/ sketchydesignstudio.bigcartel.com

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DESIGN

KIRSTY SHAW CIRCULAR LAYERED TABLE LAMP

This literally-named bit of lightware throws out colourful arcs in every direction, even redistributing beams of sunlight caught by its stack of brightly-hued acrylic discs. Should you need further persuasion before dropping a hundred notes, it can also double up as a space-age plate rack or be used as set dressing if you happen to be a Dr Who director from the mid-’80s. Practicality forbids these bonus features being included in the name. £100 ($205) / notonthehighstreet. com/kirstyshaw

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DESIGN

AMINIMAL FIELD LAMP

Although the Field Lamp looks at first glance like it’s just come back from a visit to Janet Street-Porter’s stylist, there’s method in its mad mess of curvy acrylic tendrils. They represent the magnetosphere – the invisible magnetic field surrounding the Earth. Granted, it’s unlikely the soft incandescence of the Field Lamp will protect you from solar winds and cosmic rays in the same way, but it does create a pleasant shading effect. Which is something at least. US$450 ($570) / aminimalstudio.com

THE LIGHTS THAT NEVER GO OUT: LAMP CLASSICS

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OLava lamp 1963

OAnglepoise 1932

OEmeralite 1901

OTiffany lamp approx 1895

Invented by Edward Craven Walker, the Lava lamp is still in production (in the UK) over 50 years later. For best results draw the tie-dyed curtains and light a patchouli joss stick.

Designed by George Carwardine, the iconic Anglepoise was banned by BBC bosses who felt people working in spotlit solitude would produce smuttier programming.

The classic ‘banker’s lamp’ is the bowler hat and pinstripe suit of the lighting world. It’s often used in TV and film sets to describe the administrative nature of a workplace.

Louis Comfort Tiffany was once thought to have come up with these timelessly ornate stained glass and lead lamps, but it later transpired that Clara Driscoll was the real creative spark.

G R O U P T E S T B A R G A I N B LO W E R S

5 OF THE BEST

Sub-$400 smartphones Forget pixelly screens, sluggish web speeds and Etch-a-Sketch cameras: you can now get a reliable all-rounder on a titchy budget

BEST FOR... YOUR FIRST PHONE

Nokia Lumia 635 Price $239 / nokia.com/sg-en What’s that? In a sea of cheap Androids, the Lumia 635 stands out like an alien: a neon orange buoy keeping Windows Phone fans safe from ridicule. It’s essentially a bigger version of 2013’s Lumia 520 with the latest 8.1 software. Sure, Android has more games and the 635 is far from the highest-specced device here, but this Nokia gets a lot right. The battery life is the best for the money – not by much, but the 635 will give you an extra hour or so over the rest. It’s the lightest at 134g, and comes with a decent (if low-res) screen and excellent freebies including Nokia Drive.

Any good? Windows Phone 8.1 is friendlier than stock KitKat for beginners,

and now it also has useful Android-style features and settings. Even the 5MP camera has its moments – it’s no Lumia 1020 but the outdoor and macro shots look great and low-light images aren’t the grainiest we’ve ever encountered. The 635 is a little slow in use next to the likes of the Moto G but it’s easy to forgive that at this low price. Tech 4.5in 854x480 (221ppi) O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 512MB RAM O5MP 720p rear, no front camera O1830mAh O8GB (plus up to 128GB with microSD) O4G O129.5x66.7x9.2mm O134g

STUFF SAYS Cheap, cheerful but outclassed by the budget Androids ++++, www.stuff.tv

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Xiaomi Redmi Note Price $199 / mi.com/sg What’s that? There’s more to Xiaomi than just the Redmi and Mi3, which are already some of the best Android smartphones you can buy on a budget right now. The Redmi Note is essentially the Redmi on steroids, being larger, heavier, and more powerful than its smaller sibling. It’s seen just as much success too, selling out thousands of units in the same short windows of time on Xiaomi’s online store. Sure, there are a few compromises, but it’s hard to nitpick at this price.

BEST FOR... PHABLET FANS

Any good? In terms of specs, the Redmi Note is a technical knockout, with an octa-core 1.7GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, great 5.5in 720p display, a

decent 13MP rear camera, and a massive 3200mAh battery. Android purists may balk at the dated Android 4.2 version, but that shortcoming is well compensated by the truckload of features on MIUI. Sure, photos in low light aren’t great, it’s slightly too bulky, and it feels a little cheap, but that’s because it’s unbelievably so at just $199. The only thing it really lacks is 4G, but an upgraded LTEenabled version should arrive by year’s end. Tech 5.5in 1280x720 (267ppi) O 1.7GHz octa-core MTK MT6592, 2GB RAM O13MP 1080p rear, 5MP front O3100mAh O8GB (plus up to 32GB with microSD) O3G O154x78.7x9.45mm O199g

STUFF SAYS A phablet that gives you more than what you pay for ++++,

Moto E Price US$129 ($165) / motorola.com What’s that? Tech-lovers on a sub-$200 budget may finally have a solution. Serving up a tidy, reliable, loveable Android for the masses, the 4.3in Moto E is your best bet for under a ton. Its compact and sturdy build, slick performance and close-tostock Android OS impress, with only the quality of its 5MP camera, the miserly 4GB of storage and the lack of a front cam letting it down majorly.

though lower-res than that of the Moto G 4G opposite, is still a cracker, with apps, games and webpages all looking lovely. Its main flaw is its camera, but we find that most handsets under $400 disappoint in this department. Motorola really has the monopoly on value brilliance, so if you’re just after a dirt-cheap device or even a second handset, you should look no further.

BEST FOR... YOUR WALLET

Any good? The 1980mAh battery isn’t swappable and will conk out an hour before most here, but it still comfortably lasts a day of light use, and there are swappable Motorola Shell covers to keep the design feel fresh. The screen,

Tech 4.3in 540x960 (256ppi) O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200, 1GB RAM O5MP 480p rear, no front camera O1980mAh O4GB (plus up to 32GB with microSD) Ono 4G O124.8x64.8x12.3mm O142g

STUFF SAYS This is the best smartphone you can buy under $200 ++++, 124

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G R O U P T E S T B A R G A I N B LO W E R S

Moto G 4G Price $348 / motorola.com What’s that? The 2013 Moto G is now ludicrously cheap, but 4G makes this new model ever better. It’s sturdily built and fits snugly in one hand, while swappable Shells give you the option to customise its look on a daily basis. The 4.5in, HD, 326ppi screen is the real selling point over its fuzzier-screened rivals. Next to most other phones in its class it looks pin-sharp, with vivid but natural colours and good contrast.

BEST FOR... ALL-ROUND CLASS

T TES R E NN I W

everything run smoothly and you can can expect speedy downloads, streaming and browsing over 4G. The best bit? The Moto G still lasts a day between charges. If you have specific criteria – let’s say you’re a n00b who likes the look of Windows Phone, or taking pics is your priority – then other budget phones in this test might make more sense. But for most, the G will do very nicely indeed.

Any good? It’s not without problems – the 5MP camera does still disappoint sometimes, especially in low light. Moto’s also left the 4G with an almost untouched version of Android KitKat, adding a few genuinely useful features but nothing more. That helps

Tech 4.5in 1280x720 (326ppi) with Gorilla Glass O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAM O5MP 720p rear, 1.3MP 720p front O2070mAh O8GB (plus up to 32GB with microSD) O4G O129.9x65.9x11.6mm O143g

STUFF SAYS Fantastic and futureproof, it’s budget phone perfection +++++

Sony Xperia M2 Price $398/ sony.com.sg What’s that? Until the new 5in Kogan Agora 4G turns up, the Xperia M2 is the best way to get a big screen on a budget. Its blocky plastic design, available in purple, white and black, is based on the high-end Xperia Z2. Performance is much better than previous mid-range Sony phones and battery life is pretty good. Plus Sony has thrown in extras you won’t find on other cheap blowers: small apps, stamina mode for the battery, and a pulsing notification light to last over a day of use.

Any good? The 8MP camera is the highlight here. AF can be a little sluggish but it’s easy to use, with Sony’s quick Superior Auto mode plus

lots of settings to dig into and reliably good 1080p video. It doesn’t get close to the top smartphones for picture quality, but it’s the best all-round snapper tested here. It’s just a shame that 4.8in screen isn’t very sharp at 229ppi and suffers from poor viewing angles. If Sony had stuck a higher-res screen on the M2 and added support for 4G, this would have been more of a rival for the Moto G. As it is, it falls just short.

BEST FOR... CAMERA STILLS

Tech 4.8in 540x960 (229ppi) O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAM O8MP 1080p rear, VGA front O2330mAh O8GB (plus up to 32GB with microSD) Ono 4G O139.6x71.1x 8.6mm O148g

STUFF SAYS Fine features and camera; only the screen lets it down ++++, www.stuff.tv

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REVIEWS

Sensory snacks

From vampires vampiires to kit k kittens, itttens your Stuff-scrutinised rundown of this month’s key releases in film, music and books

WATCH

’71_cinema ost people don’t think of Northern Ireland as a former war zone: “You’re not even leaving the country,” an officer tells young Private Gary Hook (Starred Up’s Jack O’Connell) before his regiment is deployed to Belfast a year before the events of Bloody Sunday. But when a routine house search gets out of hand and Hook finds himself stranded alone in the wrong part of the city, he’s very much on the frontline and in a dangerous and unfamiliar world. When both friend and foe look like they’ve stepped off the set of a Bee Gees video, Hook struggles to fully trust anyone but himself. When he befriends a young boy and is unable to tell the junior streetfighter whether

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he’s Catholic or Protestant, Hook’s complete ignorance of the situation is exposed. It’s a dark and claustrophobic film, shot frequently on handheld cameras and often lit by nothing more than streetlights and burning cars, with the shadows used like it’s a horror movie. But as the night unfolds and we discover there’s more to ’71 than just a good guy lost in a bad part of town, the tension is ramped up. It soon becomes clear that a war’s a war, even when it’s on your doorstep, and those at the bottom of the chain of command always come off worse, no matter which side you’re on. Tom Wiggins

Vampires have had a rough ride in recent years, but Jim Jarmusch isn’t interested in all that teen/sexy nonsense. His approach, contemplative yet quirky, is entirely compatible with Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton’s offbeat turns as Adam and Eve. Vampires haven’t felt so fresh or fun in decades. This is how you rescue a genre. Ced Yuen

Godzilla’s humans are mostly run-of-the-mill action movie tropes, but the monster, the sound and the camera itself have enough presence to make this a brilliant film: the eerie scene in which a group of soldiers skydive into the ruined city is a really exceptional piece of movie-making. Will Dunn

STUFF SAYS ++++,

STUFF SAYS +++++

STUFF SAYS +++++

Only Lovers Left Alive_DVD

Godzilla _DVD, Blu-ray

REVIEWS

LISTEN

You’re Dead!_Flying Lotus As chief purveyor of LA hipster-hop and the great nephew of sax legend John Coltrane, it’s no surprise that Steven Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, has gradually let jazz influences creep into his music. While You’re Dead! isn’t pure hard bop or fusion, it delves further into that world than any of his previous four albums. Prince would be proud of how the guitars are made to wail but vocal appearances from

Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and Ellison’s own Captain Murphy alter ego ensure things are still rooted in electronicatinged hip-hop, with his trademark Dilla-inspired woozy beats never more than a bebop away. Arguably FlyLo’s most cohesive record to date – and you don’t need a beard or a pipe to dig it. Tom Wiggins STUFF SAYS ++++,

READ

Kitten Clone_Douglas Coupland The three things that keep people interested in the internet are humour, kittens in baskets and porn. Cultural chin-scratcher Douglas Coupland uses two of them in this entertaining yet alarming analysis of online life, which asks just what universal connectedness has done to the human mind. Triffic, a bald Canadian moaning that kids these days have no attention span… but Kitten Clone sniffs deeper

down than that. Based on informal interviews with assorted hyper-nerds from the Alcatel-Lucent corporation, and illustrated with melancholy pictures of their offices around the world, this short book sometimes feels every bit as chaotic and directionless as the web itself – but its central thesis is quietly apocalyptic. Richard Purvis STUFF SAYS ++++,

Our Love

Playland

Storm_Tim

Lock In

_Caribou

_Johnny Marr

Minchin, DC Turner and Tracy King

_John Scalzi

With David Guetta, Avicii et al doing their best to spoil 30 years of dance music, it’s nice to have Dan Snaith fighting back. Although his fourth album as Caribou isn’t all for the dancefloor, Silver’s Vangelis-esque synths give way to some bassier, more old-skool sounds. Our Love will be the sound of your second summer. Tom Wiggins

This is contemporary guitar pop with a tinge of electro-goth menace. Judged as such, without mentioning or even thinking about… y’know, that band he used to be in… Marr’s second solo album is pretty decent. So here’s a 50-year-old showing the kids how it’s done; the only question is whether it really needs doing. Richard Purvis

Comedian Tim Minchin’s graphic novel – based on a dinner-party argument with a hippy – makes the case for rationality; his opponent waffles on about auras and homeopathy. The writing’s sharp and the artwork pops, though you’ll whizz through it in less time than it takes to listen to the original poem. Steven Graves

The sci-fi detective genre has more than its fair share of classics, from The Demolished Man to Dirk Gently. This is good enough to sit with the best of them, fitting a pandemic, a seemingly unsolvable murder and a pair of cops, one of whom lives via a telelpresence robot, into a weekend’s fast-paced and highly engaging reading. Will Dunn

STUFF SAYS ++++,

STUFF SAYS +++,,

STUFF SAYS +++,,

STUFF SAYS ++++,

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PROJECTS MAKE. DO. UPGRADE.

p130 BETA YOURSELF: COOKING

p132 PLAYLIST: PODCASTS

Urgent message from your oesophagus: No more fish fingers

Entertain your ears while your eyes are stuck in the real world

p134 INSTANT UPGRADES: FIREWORKS

p136 RE-AWESOMISE YOUR… CHROMEBOOK

Make sure there’s an “ahhhh!” for every “oooh!”

Get more from that little slice of laptoppy love

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PROJECTS | 11.14 BETA YOURSELF

COOKING Are you a walking kitchen nightmare? Les Dunn, managing editor of food magazine delicious, shares a few tricks that might make even Monica Galetti crack a smile

THE BASICS

QStay sharp. Hone your blade on a ceramic steel before every use. Don’t let anyone else do it – a blade adjusts to your sharpening pattern with biometric precision, and a different hand might blunt it.

QInvest in heavy-based pans. Cheap, thin-based pans cook your food unevenly and their inferno-like hotspots make it easier to burn food. Quality kit such as Meyer Circulon Infinite pans will last for years and years.

QUse tongs for control. Half the frustration in cooking comes from things sticking or not going where you want them to (damn you, sausages!). Tongs are like an extra, asbestos-coated hand. QReach for the big knife. Your cook’s knife, with its 20cm blade, isn’t just for carving chickens. It’s the fastest tool

for slicing or chopping anything, from a joint of beef to a clove of garlic.

QCook for enjoyment. Fine dining is about prissily trimming off perfectly good bits of meat, or moulding food in steel rings. Don’t waste time on all that cheffy stuff – concentrate on flavour.

QDon’t Google it! Well, don’t Google indiscriminately. When you’re looking for a particular recipe, always use a trusted source. Food magazines such as delicious (others are available) test every recipe they publish and tweak them until they’re foolproof. There are thousands of recipes available online for free, but finding a good one is like choosing tomatoes: have a good sniff first.

THE SKILLS QHoning your blades. Hold the steel upright on a chopping board then run the blade across it towards you, fairly lightly, 10 times. Repeat on the other side.

QProper chopping. Put a damp J-cloth under the board so it can’t slide around. Keep the tip of the knife on the board as you smoothly move the handle up and back, then down and forward, through the food.

QCheat’s mixing. ‘Folding in’ with a spoon is tricky – use a balloon whisk, lifting and turning slowly. The tiny surface area means you lose very little air.

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11.14 | PROJECTS LEVEL UP WITH...

SORTED FOOD $free / iOS This lot started mucking around with cookery videos to help save their fellow students from living on junk food. Refreshingly unpretentious, they’ve since rocked the food world with their YouTube channel; the new app has 700-plus recipes, with the option of uploading your own masterpieces.

McGEE ON FOOD & COOKING £26 ($55) / bookdepository.com With his classic, weighty 1984 tome, Harold McGee was the first to take a properly scientific approach to cooking. The much-revised 2004 edition is even better. Read it, and when naive friends in the pub regurgitate stale myths such as “Searing the meat seals in the juices”, you’ll have hours of fun debunking them.

THE INGREDIENTS QVeg boxes. Don’t worry, they won’t turn you into a hippy. Veg-forward cookery is big now, and a weekly consignment of seasonal produce will help you join the revolution.

GRIDDLE THE PERFECT STEAK QBuy a top-quality steak: 225g, dry-aged ribeye. Leave out of the fridge for half an hour. Get your griddle pan hot.

NOW ADD THESE… QKitchenAid Artisan Mixer. The first time you make pizzas, you’ll love all that kneading; the 20th time, you’ll wish you could just chuck it all into a machine. US$460 ($585) / kitchenaid.com

QBrush the steak with oil, QThe specialist site. All out of yuzu powder? souschef.co. uk is a one-stop shop for hard-to-find ingredients, ideal when your local supermarket lets you down.

season well and place on the griddle, oiled side down. Cook for 2 mins, pressing to get the lines. Oil and season the top, turn and cook for 2 mins more.

QMeanwhile, warm a plate QThe lifesaving book. The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit lists 99 popular ingredients with possible flavour matches: bingo, odds and ends become recipes.

in the microwave for 1 min. Rest your steak on the plate for 5-10 mins so the muscle cells relax and the meat becomes more tender and juicy. Enjoy.

QLakeland Digital Thermometer. Many recipes use precise temperatures; don’t rely on folksy guesswork methods. £20 ($41) / lakeland.co.uk

QTefal Jamie Oliver Clipso Pressure Cooker. The cheaper cuts of meat have great flavour but take hours to slow-cook… unless you have one of these. £120 ($250) / tefal.co.uk

THE SCHOOL OF ARTISAN FOOD 1-day courses from £145 ($300) / schoolofartisanfood.org Doing it from scratch, whether it’s curing meat or crafting your own yogurt and cheese, is what it’s all about for the contemporary food obsessive. This respected college on a country estate in Sherwood Forest can teach you all the traditional skills.

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PLAYLIST

PODCASTS

Whether you fancy nipping out for a ‘learn-walk’, an ‘edu-stroll’ or a bit of ‘runtertainment’, we’ve picked the best shows for those terrifying times when don’t have access to a screen

RETRONAUTS If you want a retro gaming listening alternative to YouTube’s ‘Let’s Play’ videos, this podcast will look after your 8- and 16-bit needs. It verges on the nerdy at times, and it’s lengthy – but as an exploration of brilliant games from a bygone era, there’s nothing to beat it. retronauts.com

GUARDIAN FOOTBALL WEEKLY A world away from the blustery, loud-mouthed world of sports-focused radio, the always amusing James Richardson and his highly knowledgeable guests offer the sort of witty, analysis-based view of the game that’s seemingly impossible to find anywhere else. theguardian.com

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RADIOLAB Science and philosophy are the chief concerns of this show from New York public station WNYC, but it’s certainly not dry or exclusive: compelling stories, tight editing and the use of experimental music keep things moving swiftly. For a taster, listen to the ‘Radiolab shorts’ episodes. radiolab.org

THE MCP Movie geeks should set aside a few hours to catch up with the Motion/Captured Podcast, a lengthy and well-informed dive into the world of film hosted by screenwriter and journalist Drew McWeeny and his writing partner Scott Swan. An insightful, insider’s view of Hollywood. iTunes

FREAKONOMICS The podcast of the bestselling book, Freakonomics digs into the world from an economist’s point of view. This means answering a range of questions – Does religion make you happy? What’s the best exercise? Should tipping be banned? – in a surprisingly enthralling way. freakonomics.com/ radio/

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW Did you know that the male pillow octopus sometimes breaks off one of his arms to use as a sword against bigger fish? We didn’t either, until we started listening to a pair of American bloggers who like to talk about absolutely everything under the sun. stuffyoushouldknow. com

WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE Twin Peaks fan? Tune into fictional tales of a small desert town, told through the medium of a radio broadcast. Drily, darkly humorous, its news, weather and bizarre adverts create a vivid picture of a place where weirdness is ordinary. commonplacebooks. com/welcome-tonight-vale

11.14 | PROJECTS

NOW ADD THESE... You can’t podcastulate your brain with the wrong tools. Get the following and start reshaping your ideas-gland

JABRA ROX WIRELESS You’re going to be spending gigahours listening to all this great content, so you’re going to need many ways to listen… like these liberatingly diminutive Bluetooth earphones, which have five hours of battery life. $169 / store.apple.com/sg

PODKICKER

UNDER THE RADAR If you wondered what had happened to ’90s TV comedy stalwart Sean ‘Sean’s Show’ Hughes, wonder no longer: he’s now hosting this witty, sharp and laid-back podcast, in which we find him in conversation with a guest or guests from the world of entertainment and comedy. soundcloud.com

SODAJERKER ON SONGWRITING Sodajerker are Scouse songwriting duo Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor who, when they’re not locked in a studio, make this fascinating podcast on the art of songcraft. Most episodes feature the pair picking the brains of a musician such as Loudon Wainwright III or Billy Bragg. sodajerker.com

BLUE JAM Created by Brass Eye’s Chris Morris and broadcast on Radio 1 in the late ’90s during the early hours of the morning, this mix of surreal comedy sketches and ambient soundscapes was unlike anything that had ever been – or ever would be – broadcast on mainstream radio. archive.org

ALL SONGS CONSIDERED From the non-profit cultural titan NPR, this weekly offering in the style of a radio show is a great way to keep up to date with what’s going on in indie music. Featuring track premieres, it’s a must for any muso who knows their Ariel Pink from their Air Supply. npr.org

Apple’s own Podcasts app is pretty handy, but if you’re an Android user the podcast-listening app is less obvious. Podkicker is pretty good as standard; the 69p Pro version adds goodies and removes display ads. from $free, play.google.com

SAMSON METEORITE CONDENSER MICROPHONE Inspired? You needn’t buy a mic to start recording your own mind-splurge, but it’ll vastly improve matters if you do. Equally, you needn’t buy one as pretty as this one… but just look at it! $79, samsontech.com

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6 INSTANT UPGRADES FIREWORKSNIGHT What better way to christen your new back garden than with a neighbour-annoying, dog-bothering pyrotechnics extravaganza? Warning: may emit sparks of sensationalness

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[ Illustration Jamie Sneddon ]

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11.14 | PROJECTS

PYROTECHNIC PAPPING

Your guests are on their way, the emergency water bucket is on standby, you’ve set up your camera (see panel) and the fireworks are ready to launch... but what’s that smell? Uh-oh, you’ve boiled the mulled wine into a foul-tasting soup again. This six-litre soup kettle is the perfect set-and-forget option. In stainless steel with a variable thermostat, it means you’ll never end up with horrible boiled wine again. Also good for those ‘six litres of soup’ Sundays. £80 ($165) / nisbets.co.uk

4 XSORIES WEYE FEYE If you want to photograph your fireworks, the best views aren’t likely to be from the safest places. Solution: the Weye Feye – pronounced like Wi-Fi – hooks up to your Nikon or Canon DSLR (there’s an ‘S’ version coming soon that works with most cameras) and provides live view and remote shooting controls on your smartphone or tablet via its own Wi-Fi network. The built-in battery gives up to eight hours of use and it works up to 80m away, so you can get your camera up close without putting yourself in the line of fire. £200 ($413) / xsories.co.uk

2 LAUNCH KONTROL PULSE Why would you stumble around a muddy garden in the dark when you could set off your fireworks at the push of a button? The Launch Kontrol Pulse is a simple wired system that can be used up to 20m away. Replaceable ignition tips clip to the firework fuses, and the pad is connected via a Cat 5 network cable and powered by a 9V battery. Up to four fireworks can be triggered per board, and you can chain multiple boards together for bigger displays. £17 ($35) / pyrostation.co.uk

5 FIREWORKS INTERNATIONAL TOMAHAWK ROCKETS Every good display needs a fine set of rockets to round it off. This bargain pack of five Fireworks International Tomahawks is just the job. With two dazzling effects – Silver Glittering Willow and the rather cocktail-sounding Green Crackling Coconut with Pistil Purple Peony – they’re the perfect showstoppers. You’ll finally be able to shake off the stigma of that time you disappointed everyone with a mouldy box of Roman candles. £20 ($41) / pyro.co.uk

3 BRAVEN BRV-1 If you’re feeling really creative, you could always set your fireworks display to music. Ready to provide the soundtrack is the BRV-1. It’s a compact Bluetooth speaker built to withstand the testing conditions of a cold, damp November night thanks to its IPX5 water-resistant rating and rugged rubber exterior. Its twin drivers can manage 3W each of power and offer a playing time of up to 12 hours. It also has a built-in noise-cancelling mic for hands-free calling… although it’s probably best not to try that while the sky is exploding. £130 ($270) / braven.eu

6 HUSQVARNA TECHNICAL GLOVES You need sturdy gloves that will keep your fingers safe without being too bulky for fiddling with fuses. While they’re designed for use with Husqvarna chainsaws, these are also light enough to allow full movement, with a tough yet supple goat-leather palm, extra protection for the index finger and a terry-cloth panel for wiping away your excitement-induced sweat. The snug Velcro closure makes sure they stay put, and reflective piping makes them easier to find if you drop one in the dark. £39 ($80) / husqvarna.com

LONG EXPOSURE If you’re using a DSLR, select manual and focus on infinity. Keep the ISO at 100, set the aperture to around f/12 and try exposures up to 30 secs. If you’re using a compact camera, select night mode (no flash) or fireworks mode if it has one.

TIME-LAPSE If you want to record the whole thing, you can compress an entire fireworks display into a 15-second clip. Many cameras have a time-lapse mode, or you can use apps such as Lapse It (from $free / iOS, Android).

EXPERIMENT Feeling ambitious? Try getting reflections, silhouettes of spectators… or use flash in a group shot with long exposure to catch background fireworks. With care, you could even use a drone to capture an aerial view.

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[ Photos flickr.com/nickwheeleroz, flickr.com/gotovan, flickr.com/caomai, youtube.com/goprocamera ]

1 DUALIT STRAIGHT SOUP KETTLE

TRIPOD An essential. Decide what angle you want to capture and set up your camera on a tripod to keep it steady. You can even use the Weye Feye (see no.4, left) to see exactly what your camera sees and fire off shots without shaking it.

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5 RE-AWESOMISE YOUR CHROMEBOOK

WAYS TO...

More than a tablet but not quite a laptop, Chromebooks are difficult to define but easy to love. There’s also a lot more to them than you might realise – here’s how to make yours truly tremendous…

3

1

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Use it to control other PCs

Beef up its storage

Chrome Remote Desktop Google’s Chrome Remote Desktop, which lets you take control of a PC via the browser (you can also do this from an Android phone), allows you to outsource tougher processing tasks to your desktop, remotely control software or use it as a media server for your telly. $free / chrome. google.com

Transcend 128GB Superspeed If you’ve not got the guts to open up your machine and replace the internal storage, all is not yet lost. Thanks to the magic of superfast USB 3.0 data transfers, anSSDbased external drive is almost as good as an internal one these days. And they’re not too expensive either: perfect for your film collection. $216 / sg.transcend-info.com

4 Make it a digital darkroom Pixlr Editor, Pixlr Touch Up Both of these photo-editing apps work offline. Pixlr Touch Up is fairly basic but Pixlr Editor is more of a Photoshop-esque experience. You’ll see a File menu appear, giving you menus to trace, feather, layer, filter, clone and so on. It’s not going to kill Adobe in the near future, but it’s free. $free / chrome. google.com

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Give it the joy of Ubuntu Crouton Missing a ‘proper’ operating system? Because Chrome OS is built on Linux, Crouton can install Ubuntu Linux (and even Android, for advanced tinkerers) alongside Chrome OS. It takes some fiddling (and for Pete’s sake back up first) and it can be slow on older ARM processors, but flies on Celeron models. $free / github.com/ dnschneid/crouton

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5 Save the internet for later Pocket Chromebooks have been improving their offline prowess (see below), but there are still rare moments when you’re lost without a connection. Install Pocket and use the button to save any webpage you find useful, and when you open the smart offline app on your Chromebook it’ll all be there. $free / getpocket.com

GO OFFLINE In the early days of Chromebooks, they needed an internet

connection to do anything, but there are now hundreds of apps – including Gmail, Docs, games and video and photo editors – that work offline.

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11.14 | PROJECTS 5-MINUTE HACKS

IF NOTHING ELSE, AT LEAST...

1

…CONQUER EVEREST

… GIVE YOUTUBE A FACELIFT

Hordes of climbers have struggled to defeat the big old ‘Sagarmatha’. Luckily, this simulation lets you do it in your dressing gown:

Tired of faffing with the same old YouTube settings? Fancy giving it the Ambilight treatment? Time to wave this internet wand:

1. Go to everestavalanchetragedy.com and click on ‘Mount Everest in 3D’. Don your warmest cardigan and hit ‘Start the climb’.

1. Go to chromeactions.com and add the Magic Actions extension to your Chrome, Firefox or Opera browser. All done? Off we go to YouTube.

2. For the most bone-chilling experience, put on some headphones to experience an icy wind as you climb through the perilous Khumbu Icefall (complete with rescue mission radio) and beyond.

2. What’s this underneath the video window? It’s a lovely new menu bar. Here you’ll find shortcuts for auto-repeat and filters, but for the really good stuff click on Magic Options.

3. Made the summit? Brew a well-deserved cuppa and explore your panoramic view, before heading to the ‘donate now’ section to raise money for the Sherpa Family Fund.

TUNE IN NEXT MONTH TO...

3. This list of handy tweaks includes Auto HD, Stop Autoplay and the rather useful Ratings Preview, which puts a rating bar in each video’s thumbnail so you can decide if it’s worthy of your click.

O Sharpen your stargazing O Find online services worth subscribing to O Clue up on arcade machines

2

…AWESOMISE YOUR TEXTS

3

The poor old text message looks a bit 1997 in the age of FaceTime. Spruce texts up with these GIF messaging apps: 1. Download Ultratext ($free, iOS). Type away, pressing the spacebar every time you want a new frame in your text GIF. 2. Press the camera icon to insert a photo, and touch the colour wheel to change your font and background colours. Press return to get a preview. 3. Want to film a Vine-like GIF? Download Camoji ($free, iOS), gurn into your front-facing camera and send that for good measure. Mind double-blown.

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TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING Smartphones Tablets Media streamers Headphones TVs Laptops Best of the Rest

140 141 142 143 144 145 146

Games Game machines Local apps Compact cameras SLRs, etc Geek accessories Wearable tech

147 148 149 150 151 152 153

Home computers / Blu-Ray / Camcorders

For full reviews of every product in the top 10s, visit stuff.tv/reviews

T HO Y BU

SMARTPHONES

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LG G3

While we hoped the G3 would continue the great work started by the G2, we weren’t expecting it to be quite so much of a leap forward. Upgrades range from little touches such as the sleeker back buttons to major changes such as the bigger, better 2K screen and laser-assisted camera. The only thing that isn’t better is the battery life, but considering all that LG has crammed into the G3, the fact that it still lasts 15hrs is to be applauded.

HTC One M8

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STUFF SAYS

LG surprises us again. There’s barely a single thing wrong with the G3… and so, so much that’s right with it

$868 +++++

from $998 +++++

BEST FOR RAW POWER

$1068 +++++

BEST FOR FUN FEATURES

$998 +++++

BEST FOR THE CONNOISSEUR

A curious blend of tried-and-tested – 4in screen, design, huge cost – with new-andexciting features like a 64-bit processor, fingerprint-sensing home button and iOS 7. What it adds up to is an easy purchase for most… but we’re ready for iPhone 6.

from $988 +++++

BEST FOR APPLE FANS

Google Nexus 5

from US$349 ($445) +++++

BEST FOR PRICE TAG

$1048 +++++

BEST FOR SAUSAGE FINGERS

$169 +++++

BEST FOR VALUE

$769 +++++

BEST FOR FREE SPIRITS

$999 ++++,

BEST FOR CAMERA OBSESSIVES

Only just toppled by the new LG, HTC’s flagship phone has enough power to take it to the top of the AnTuTu benchmarks. It’s a beaut to look at and to use, and it’s even got a whole load of Lytro-style post-snap refocus features for photographic fun.

Samsung Galaxy S5

Big, bold and stuffed with tech, the Galaxy S5 is a bona fide superphone that will delight Samsung fans, although it has some very stiff competition. It has a faster processor, a slightly bigger screen and a more solid (if not quite stylish) feel than the S4.

Sony Xperia Z2

Classy, clever and with talent in spades, the water-resistant Z2 oozes quality. It flies in use and is capable of taking brilliant photos and playing videos at 4K cinephile quality. If the design had just been a bit more practical, it would have been unstoppable.

Apple iPhone 5s

Delivering top-end spec at a mid-range price, the new Nexus has a bigger 4.95in screen, faster processor and a satisfactory 8MP snapper. But the biggest improvement is its chocolatey-smooth Android KitKat 4.4 OS. Astounding value.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Verily, ’tis indicative of the age in which we live, when a supercharged superphone gets five glowing stars, but only makes No7. By Crumbles, though, it’s good. Blistering processor, 5.7in screen and stylus smarts. It’s the best gigantophone there is.

Xiaomi Redmi

Dollar-for-dollar, this is undisputedly the best Android phone you can get for your money. At just $169 without contract for excellent performance, solid hardware, and the gorgeous MIUI, you’ll be hard pressed to find a realistic alternative.

Oppo N1

The upstart brand barges its way into the Top Ten with an Android phone that’s as impressive in performance as it is in size. The distinctive swivelling 13MP camera is great, the 5.9in screen is beautiful and you can even change the OS.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Finally, a cameraphone worthy of the name. The WP8-running 1020 takes superb 38MP snaps helped by such treats as optical stabilisation and a xenon flash. Or it can scale them down to 5MP and cram in more detail. But as a phone, it’s good rather than great.

O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

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TABLETS

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Apple iPad Air

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the addition of the ‘Air’ moniker implies, the iPad’s been slimmed down on the outside and beefed up on the inside, while retaining all the other goodies that made previous versions great. So it now rocks the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor that debuted with the iPhone 5s, while keeping the gorgeous screen, quality build and abundance of tablet-optimised apps that first won our hearts.

Apple iPad Mini With Retina Display

Apple’s baby tab has been in for a nip and a tuck and emerged with a youthful-looking 2048x1536 screen. The flawless build quality, creativity-friendly 7.9in form and oodles of tablet-optimised apps remain; only a few colour inaccuracies keep it behind the Air.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5

Samsung has blessed the Galaxy Tab with one of the best tablet screens we’ve ever laid eyes on, plus an impressive camera and some incredible stamina – but there are performance niggles and Apple’s tablet app selection is still far superior.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4

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STUFF SAYS

Now thinner, lighter and more powerful than ever, the iPad Air is a beautiful sliver of gadget heaven

from $688 +++++

from $548 +++++

BEST FOR CREATIVITY ON THE MOVE

from $848 +++++

BEST FOR MAGAZINES AND MOVIES

Superb screen, unique features… really, there’s very little that’s missing here. For us the iPad Mini beats the Samsung by a whisker for its design, performance and wider selection of optimised apps, but against other Android tabs it’s a winner.

from $598 +++++

Google Nexus 7

from US$229 (295) +++++

BEST FOR VALUE AND PERFORMANCE

from $1108 +++++

BEST FOR USING ANYWHERE

The Transformers have always been more about laptop relacement than tableteering, and this one is the laptopiest yet. A 2560x1600 screen, two-day battery life (with keyboard dock) and quad-core Tegra processor all work Android up into a frenzy.

$749 +++++

BEST FOR ALL-ROUND EXCELLENCE

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7in

from US$229 ($295) +++++

BEST FOR SAFE & SIMPLE TABLETEERING

from $599 +++++

BEST FOR DESKTOP VERSATILITY

The Nexus has moved further ahead of the Android pack by virtue of getting an update to OS 4.4 KitKat. It’s now smoother, faster and more battery-friendly than ever, while its 323 pixel-per-inch 1080p screen and quad-core power still impress.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

At last, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the tablet-cum-laptop hybrid. It proves there’s space in the world for a design that’s more productive than an iPad or Galaxy Note, but easier to hump around than a traditional laptop.

Asus Transformer Pad TF701T

The Fire HDX presents a sanitised version of Android cloaked in a user-friendly Amazon skin. There’s even a ‘Mayday’ button for instant video help. A great build, fast processor and stunning screen round off a package that’ll appeal to families and less techy types.

Asus Transformer Book T100

This 10.1in tab-and-dock combo has enough grunt to run full Win 8.1 thanks to Intel’s new Baytrail CPU. The 1366x768 screen is a good ’un, with crisp text, great contrast and colours that pop, while dual-band Wi-Fi and a day-long battery are also welcome.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014)

The new 10.1 is fit to bursting with clever tricks, comes with the note-tastic S Pen and has a stunning 2560x1600 screen. But while we can forgive it its tacky looks, minor performance glitches deny it that fifth star; we hope firmware updates will fix them.

from $798 ++++,

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MEDIA STREAMERS Sonos Playbar

No holes involved. Just a simple setup process with this one-piece wonder, armed with six woofers and three tweeters. It plays nice with other Sonos systems, combining with the Play:3 and Play:1 speakers to create an immersive aural network. Kids and neighbours hardly have reason to complain when the handy Night Mode kicks in and compresses the volume to keep the din down.

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Bose SoundLink Wireless

The Bose SoundLink Wireless speaker is definitely worth your attention (and money). This impressive Bluetooth speaker delivers warm sounds, with a balanced delivery of the audio range. What you pay, is what you get.

Apple TV

No sign of Apple’s rumoured TV set, so this tiny media streamer will have to do for now. And why not, it streams movies at 1080p, lets you access Apple’s extensive movie collection on iTunes, and hooks up your iOS devices with a full HD TV wirelessly.

Bowers & Wilkins Z2

The baby of B&W’s AirPlay range is a little belter, and it adds a proper Lightning dock to Apple’s wireless tech. It’ll easily fill a small to medium-sized room with chunky bass, punchy beats and lovely, clear vocals. You’ll buy it for the look, but love it for the sound.

Denon CEOL Piccolo

A diminutive standard-bearer for next-gen micro hi-fi, the Denon’s got Spotify, a control app, and it’ll stream your own tunes, right up to 24-bit. The dock’s 30-pin, but who cares when you’ve also got AirPlay? Add Q Acoustics 2020i speakers for awesome sound.

Libratone Zipp

A fuzzy, cylindrical, colourful AirPlay dock that will deliver detailed, punchy 360-degree sound anywhere at all, thanks to a built-in battery that gives it four hours of outdoors life. Direct Wi-Fi skills free you from cables, routers, and everything but the boogie.

Philips Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800W

In a world awash with AirPlay-equipped docks, the SoundSpheres have created a niche for themselves by offering proper two-channel stereo output. Idiosyncratic looks ensure they’ll stand out even further from the crowd, and they sound great too.

Sony SRS-BTM8

Forget that this Sony looks uncomfortably like a handbag because it’s actually one of the biggest bargains in hi-fi right now. Pop in four AA batteries (old-school, right?) and it will power a party in the park. It’s got fancy NFC, too, but the best thing is that it sounds ace.

B&W Zeppelin Air

The Air brings the sound and design smarts we’ve come to expect from the Zeppelin family and adds AirPlay streaming as a bonus trick. Pair it with the app, and let fellow music lovers add their music collection to a collaborative list.

Sonos Play:1

Small yet powerful. Apt words for Sonos’ smallest ever wireless speaker. On its own, this wireless portable speaker packs quite a punch Its potential is limitless, once you hook it up with its fellow Sonos speakers to create a surround sound system.

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STUFF SAYS

This speaker is single, ready to mingle and sets the mood in the living room, minus the complicated setup

$1299 ++++,

$549 +++++

BEST FOR TOP SOUND QUALITY

$148 +++++ $649 +++++ $399 +++++

BEST FOR VERSATILITY AND VALUE

$589 +++++

BEST FOR AL FRESCO PARTIES

$1299 +++++ $139 +++++ $1099 ++++, from $399 ++++,

BEST FOR BARGAINOUS BLUETOOTH

HEADPHONES / EARPHONES 143

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Sennheiser IE 800 These bad boys pack the latest in ear gear tech to bring you more than you can probably hear. Comfortable and lightweight, they’re scratch-resistant to handle wear and tear. Expect real-life detail and crystal clear fidelity. Your ears won’t be able to do any better.

STUFF SAYS

They might cost more than what you’d usually spend on earphones, but they sound heaps better than regular earphones.

$1139 +++++ Shure SE846

These sound-isolating earphones will make you feel like you possess the super sonic hearing of a bat. Thanks to its quad HD microdriver and a low-pass filter, depth is assured without compromising on detail.

Klipsch X11i

The successor to the chart-topping X10i is the smallest and lightest pair of in-ears to have ever lived. And it’s a good thing that their sound belies their size; we’re talking full-bodied tunes with impressive bass to rattle your bones.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM On-Ear

The MOMENTUM On-Ear is one of the best looking, well-built headphones we have seen in a while. Available in a variety of seven colours, they pack high-end transducers for hi-fidelity sound on a solid bedrock of bass.

A-JAYS FIVE

With three different full-feature models tailor-made for your iOS, Android or Windows device, these earphones mean business. The new driver and aluminium crafting help them deliver big tunes and impeccable aural detail despite their slight package.

Bowers & Wilkins P3

Superb sound and a solid and achingly stylish design make these the best portable on-ears around. The fact that two cables come in the box – one with a mic and remote for iPhones, one without – only sweetens the already candy floss-like deal.

B&O Beoplay H3

These good-looking fellas demonstrate what highly skilled engineering , having been milled from a single block of alumiunim But they’re not just about the aesthetics, these in-ears also boast a surprisingly spacious soundstage and good clarity.

Bose AE2w

We’re not going to pretend that the protruding Bluetooth module isn’t a rather ugly touch, but what’s most important is that these Bose headphones deliver wireless sound of superb quality. We’ll put up with looking a wee bit daft for musical magic.

Bose FreeStyle earbuds

While their fit might not be the most conventional, you’ll be surprised at how secure they feel once they’re in. Water-resistant to accompany you on your runs, they serve up balanced tones on a neutral platter.

Sony XB70AP

The name says it all - Xtra Bass. The Power Bass Duct in these come ready to bottom out the drop in your dubstep. If it’s low tones you desire, these in-ears are the perfect pair for you, if you don’t mind missing out on the clarity of other notes.

$1300 +++++ $569 +++++

BEST FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING

$299 +++++ $140 +++++ $330 +++++ $329 +++++

BEST FOR STYLISH SOUND SEEKERS

$350 +++++ $219 +++++

BEST FOR ACTIVE GO-GETTERS

$109 +++++

BEST FOR BASS JUNKIES

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TVs

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Samsung UA65F9000AK UHD 4K TV You won’t have to fork out thousands of dollars to get a new TV when 4K content comes to town. Its future-proofed Smart Evolution feature lets you purchase and attach a nextgeneration kit to boost the performance and compatibility of the smart TV for future 4K video standards. Now that’s upping the ante.

STUFF SAYS

Upgrading your TV has never been easier. Just plug a new kit, and voila instant TV with boosted hardware and better features

$9499 +++++ Samsung UA55H7000AK

Striking a fine balance between design and performance, this slim yet powerful LED TV is a great centrepiece for your living room with its 1080p screen resolution and simple yet smart features.

LG 55LB750T

LG’s latest full HD TV is armed with a modest 2.1 channel, 24W speaker that complements the clear and sharp imagery. It’s also the first webOS-powered TV, showcasing how smart TVs should be made.

LG LA9700 UHD 4K TV 55in

8.3 million pixels on this LG ultra HD 4K TV will give your eyes a visual treat. LG’s upscaling technology, which analyzes data and enhances each pixel, delivers a smashingly, eye-popping viewing experience with your usual full HD content.

Samsung UA65F8000AK

Armed with a quad-core processor to power its smart features, this smart TV from Samsung is a good-looking beast, thanks to its slim 5mm bezel, crisp metal finish and deep arc stand. Let its Intelligent Viewing automatically optimise the picture.

Sony KDL-55W800B

Design is clearly a priority with this beautiful Sony display. The LED panel and full HD resolution will amaze you, but not as much as the old-school user interface that’ll make you feel right at home.

LG LA8600 55in

Armed with an elegant design and ultra narrow bezel, this LG full HD TV is so sleek you might mistake it for an actual canvas on the wall. Motion blurring is removed with its TruMotion 240Hz feature and its flicker-free 3D glasses brings movie to life.

Toshiba 39L3300VE

This slim full HD TV delivers an astounding 1080p viewing experience, for a fraction of the prices tagged to the latest full HD TVs. Hook it up to your game console, and you get to hear and see its amazing Game sound and video mode.

Sony KD-55X8504A

Welcome to the cheap end of the 4K ultra high definition (UHD) spectrum. The only caveat, is the lack of 4K content to play with. That said, normal HD movies looks just as wonderful, so the $5999 spent is justifiable.

LG LN5710 42in

The best TVs are those that get the job done, without diverging from its real mission delivering crisp and sharp full HD movies. This modestly-sized (by TV standards) LG display has the smarts to record TV shows within its 2GB internal memory.

$3499 +++++ $3299 +++++ $6999 ++++, $8999 ++++, $2999 ++++, $4899 ++++, $899 ++++, $5999 ++++, $1099 +++,,

LAPTOPS 145

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Apple MacBook Air 13in (2014)

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The 2014 MacBook Air update means, once again, our favourite old laptop is now our favourite new laptop. Nothing’s changed on the outside, and under the skin there’s just a slight processor boost from 1.3GHz to 1.4GHz, but combined with a price cut of $200 on each model we’re still happy with that. The very top model, which comes with a 256GB SSD, is now just under two grand, too. Head to stuff.tv for our full reviews of both 13in and 11in versions.

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display 13in (2013)

STUFF SAYS

It’s not a major upgrade, but Apple has improved the Air’s already awesome spec and lopped $200 off the price

from $1328 +++++

We’re all agreed that the best laptop is a MacBook, but choosing between Air and Pro is getting steadily harder. Both now run on Haswell chips, but the Pro is faster. It also gets a 4K-capable Thunderbolt 2 port, and then there’s that Retina screen. Tough call.

from $1688 +++++

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

from $1108

At last, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the tablet-cum-laptop hybrid. It proves there’s space in the world for a design that’s more productive than an iPad or Galaxy Note, but easier to hump around than a traditional laptop.

(with Type Cover)

+++++

Asus ROG G750

from $2298 ++++,

Asus Zenbook UX302

from $1699 ++++,

Powered by the latest Intel Core i7 and Nvidia GeForce 870M GTX graphics processor, this beastly machine is the one you’ll run every game you buy in the next few years on extreme graphics settings. Chunky monkey? More like an overpowered gorilla.

Asus has done a wonderful job of creating an ultra-slim laptop that’s as far removed from Apple’s influence as possible, while maintaining a stylish and unique aesthetic. The 13.3in display is razor-sharp and colourful – this is our favourite Ultrabook.

Acer C720 Chromebook

Bargain Chromebooks are everywhere right now, but the C720 stands out even so. It’s well made, well specced (for a Chromebook) and crucially, has proper ports: HDMI, USB3.0 and SD are all here. The HP at No.8 is prettier, but the Acer’s the one we’d buy.

Acer Aspire S7

The Aspire S7 is almost the perfect Ultrabook – it matches the MacBook Air for weight, beats it for slimness by 6mm, and has a gorgeous 1920x1080 touch-friendly screen. Only its battery, which lasted a mere 5hrs on test, prevents it getting that fifth star.

HP Chromebook 11

HP is the latest manufacturer to take on the Chromebook and has done a fine job, making it small, light and everything a neo-netbook should be. It’s still no powerhouse, but a better display and slicker media playback won us over. It even charges via USB.

Asus S200E

The touchscreen makes it ideal for Windows 8, but the S200E’s also got a top keyboard, bags of connectivity and enough power for 3D gaming. Specs aren’t top notch, but with an i3 Sandy Bridge core, 4GB RAM and a 500GB HDD, it’s good enough at this price.

Asus Taichi 21

This Win8 hybrid sticks a live tile-friendly touchscreen on top of a full laptop sporting Core i7 innards. You know how the saying goes: why settle for one 11.6in HD screen when you can have two? And there’s now a 13in version too – the Taichi 31.

$469 ++++,

BEST FOR EVERYTHING BAR THE PRICE

BEST FOR USING ANYWHERE BEST FOR TROUNCING THE GAMING COMPETITION

BEST FOR VALUE AND PORTABILITY

from $898 ++++, $449 ++++, $799 ++++, $2698 ++++,

BEST FOR VALUE AND PORTABILITY

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BEST OF THE REST

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HOME COMPUTERS T HO Y BU

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Apple iMac

The iMac is thinner and more powerful than ever: Core i5 or i7 and at least 8GB RAM running the none-more-elegant OS X Mountain Lion. A 2013 update brings Intel’s Haswell CPU, a hybrid storage option, speedy 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a price increase.

from $1788 +++++

BEST FOR ALL-ROUND BRILLIANCE

Alienware X51

from $1699 +++++

BEST FOR HARDCORE GAMERS

$4288 ++++,

BEST FOR RAW POWER

$499 +++++

BEST FOR ON-DEMAND FILMS

$440 +++++

BEST FOR SOUND AND PICTURE

$1199 +++++

BEST FOR THE ULTIMATE IN QUALITY

$1019 +++++

BEST FOR TOP-QUALITY HOME MOVIES

$469 +++++

BEST FOR ACTION-JUNKIE FILM-MAKERS

$2999 +++++

BEST FOR SERIOUS SHOOTERS

As happy by a TV as it is under a desk, this PC is the size of an Xbox 360 but it runs a whole lot faster – and quieter – with a Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, 8GB of RAM and 1GB Nvidia GTX 660 graphics card. We’ll be testing the Haswell update soon.

Mac Pro

You want a beast? Say hello to the Mac Pro. This monstrously powerful system has the full works: Intel’s ultra-fast quad-core Xeon processor, 12GB of RAM and a dual graphics card to handle even the most demanding post-production work.

BLU-RAY PLAYERS T HO Y BU

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Sony BDP-S790

A quite remarkable device, this Sony sounds great, has a wonderful picture in 2D or 3D and is crammed with on-demand content including Sony’s own Movies Unlimited. Its trump card is 4K video upscaling: you may not need it yet, but you soon will.

Panasonic DMP-BDT330

Panny’s latest Blu-ray player just pips the Sony above on pure picture and sound quality, but loses out on smart features and on-demand options. So if disc-based viewing is more your thing than streaming, go for this one. Plus it looks great too.

Marantz UD7007

Pricey like an Aston Martin is pricey and about as satisfying to own, this Marantz can play any disc you like, streams music at high-def resolutions and can withstand an earthquake. If you really, really take movies and music seriously, this is your player.

CAMCORDERS T HO Y BU

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Sony HDR-CX410VE

Our choice for full-fat filming at non-professional prices, the Sony records razor-sharp footage at a TV-style 50fps, has a monster 55x zoom, a three-hour battery and image stabilisation that lets you run and shoot handheld simultaneously. Just don’t trip up.

GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition

The rugged Hero3 doesn’t disappoint, shooting fantastic wide-angle 1080p@30fps and 11MP snaps. Extreme videographers after 4K footage or 720p@120fps might prefer the Black Edition ($580). The Hero3+ update brings a smaller size and better battery life.

Canon XA10

Canon’s ultra-compact XA10 handles fine detail superbly due to its f/1.8 lens and 2.37MP chip. It might not look big enough to play with the big boys, but twin XLR inputs on its detachable handle give would-be filmmakers professional prowess straight out the box.

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TE DA UP

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The gargantuan gameworld of Los Santos is the most entertaining place to hang out since Vice City

+++++

The Last Of Us PS3/PS4

Now remastered for PS4, this is the best zombie-apocalypse game ever. It looks magnificent and plays even better, with a moving story and frights aplenty. It’s tough… but then a real-life zombie apocalypse would be. Think of this as essential prep.

+++++

Yes, it’s a Franchise Reboot, but the well-paced mixture of puzzles, action sequences, gun fights and stealth make the latest Lara Croft adventure an immersive, cinematic experience. Possibly the best fun we’ve ever had pretending to be a 21-year-old girl.

+++++

+++++

5

Watch_Dogs PC/PS3/PS4/Xbox One/Xbox 360 This one promised big – and while it doesn’t quite match the level of expectation, its recreation of Chicago is impressive, the cat-and-mouse multiplayer livens things up and the gunplay, hacking and driving provide good, solid fun with lots to do and see.

++++,

8 9 10

BEST FOR ZOMBIEFIED HORROR

Tomb Raider PC/PS3/Xbox 360

4

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You probably think you already know everything there is to know about GTA 5. After all, if you’ve been alive anywhere in the world for the past year you’ll have read all about life in Los Santos. So you’ll already know that it shines a satirical torch on the 21st century religion of celebrity. And that everything from social media to self-help gurus gets a kicking. And that it’s better-looking than ever. But really you only need to know one thing about it: it’s the most fun you’ll have on a console this month.

FIFA 14 PS4/Xbox One The next-gen edition of FIFA 14 is, perhaps unsurprisingly, better than the PS3/Xbox 360 version, thus its recent leap a couple of places up the table. Players and crowd are more realistically presented, and there are improvements in gameplay and flow.

6 NE

Grand Theft Auto 5 PS3/Xbox 360

BEST FOR SIT-DOWN KICKYBALL

Titanfall Xbox One

The biggest Xbox One game launch so far, this FPS robot-fighting sim came with high expectations… and just about lives up to them. It’s a brilliant smash-fest, in a world where it rains massive ‘Titan’ robots to board and attack. The storyline is weak, though.

++++,

Mario Kart 8 Wii U

Building upon lesser recent entries while adding flashy new twists and delightful physics-defying courses, Mario Kart 8 is a rare Wii U highlight. Although single-player still lacks punch, multiplayer is endlessly entertaining: it’s glossy and fluid throughout.

++++,

BEST FOR STUDENT HOUSES

++++,

BEST FOR RPG WITH ADDED LOL

++++,

BEST FOR A HARDCORE CHALLENGE

South Park: The Stick Of Truth PC/PS3/Xbox 360

Written by show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone themselves, this is the definitive South Park game, complete with its famously merciless humour and cutout animation. And it’s backed by strong RPG mechanics to boot.

Dark Souls II PC/PS3/Xbox 360

You might never play a tougher game than this old-school action-RPG sequel, which drops you into the mystical land of Drangleic and lets you figure things out for yourself. Mostly by being killed...but that just makes it all the more rewarding when you get it right.

Wolfenstein: The New Order PC/PS3/PS4/Xbox One/Xbox 360 How do you solve a problem like Nazi world domination? With guns. Lots of guns. Even so, this remake might not be exactly what you’re expecting: as well as carnage and genetically engineered soldiers, there’s a sombre message on the pointlessness of war.

++++,

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GAME MACHINES Sony PlayStation 4

Sony’s next-gen console may not quite be the finished article, but it’s already the best games machine on the planet. With whisper-quiet operation and a sleek form, it’ll slot neatly into your lounge setup, but more importantly it offers bags of power, with full 1080p on all titles and not a whiff of lag. The controller’s vastly improved, too, while remote streaming to PS Vita is a nice bonus. All that and it’s also cheaper than the Xbox One. When proper media streaming arrives, it’ll be unstoppable.

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Microsoft Xbox 360

Yes, it’s been succeeded by the One, but the years have been kind to the 360. With an amazing catalogue of recent games that use its full potential, brilliant media streaming skills and a low, low price it’s impossible not to recommend it to cash-strapped gamers.

Sony PlayStation 3

The PS3 has been around a while, but, like the Xbox 360, that just means it has plenty of great games. Online gaming via PlayStation Network is still brilliant and still free ($44/yr for PS4), and it’s worth buying for its Blu-ray and media streaming alone.

Microsoft Xbox One

The new Xbox aims for the stars and, if it falls short on occasion, it should be applauded for trying. Next-gen games run beautifully – albeit in 720p, in some cases – and it’s packed with tricks such as Kinect voice control. Once the minor UI flaws are fixed it’ll get 5 stars.

Sony PlayStation Vita Slim

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STUFF SAYS

Slick, powerful and packed with stand-out features, the PS4 delivers on the nextgen console promise

$639 +++++

from $339 +++++ from $399 +++++ from $639 ++++,

The Slim (aka PCH-2000) is comfier to hold than the original Vita, it lasts longer, it no longer relies on proprietary cables and the screen is an improvement… but Sony could have gone so much further, not least by adding more than 1GB of internal storage.

$299 ++++,

Alienware X51 (2014)

from $1699 +++++

The X51 hasn’t changed a huge amount, but the wee size matched with powerful components make it perfectly suited to HD gaming. Steam Machines are going to liven this market up but right now it’s the best balance of power and form in PC land.

Nintendo 3DS XL

BEST FOR BUDGET GAMING

BEST FOR PORTABLE PLAYTIME

The bigger version of Nintendo’s latest handheld serves up a larger 3D sweetspot and slightly more premium finish than its smaller sibling. There’s still only one thumb stick, but it’s a tried-and-tested design that’s served Nintendo titles very well over the years.

$275 ++++,

PC Specialist Nvidia GTX Titan Battlebox

£3900 ($8280) ++++,

BEST FOR FLUSH 4K FETISHISTS

While it hasn’t had the same impact as the original Wii, don’t underestimate the Wii U’s fun factor. Nintendo’s bottomless bag of superb game franchises rolls on, with the excitement of Mario Kart 8 (with its anti-gravity karts and submarine racing) coming later this year.

$449 ++++,

BEST FOR NINTENDO FANS

Nvidia Shield

US$250 ($320) ++++,

This powerhouse delivers mind-blowing 4K gaming, bringing eye-searing detail to Arkham Origins in our test. But twin Nvidia GTX Titan graphics cards and liquid cooling doesn’t come cheap, and neither will the 4K monitor you’ll need to go with it.

Nintendo Wii U

Like an Xbox controller with a 5in screen stuck to it, this Android console is (just about) portable enough to play on the bus. As well as having access to hundreds of games via Google Play, the Shield can stream full PC titles from your PC – pretty damn cool.

LOCAL APPS 149

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T HO P AP

AXS m-Station

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No longer will you have to queue at actual AXS machines – which seem to only have a queue whenever you have things to pay – and you can use just one app instead of seven. AXS m-Station lets you pay for all your bills, fines, and fees all from one place via eNets, and will even save past payments for added convenience.

STUFF SAYS

A real time-saver, this is the only bill payment app you’ll need For : Andoid, iOS

$free +++++

$free +++++

FOR ANDROID iOS WINDOWS PHONE

$free +++++

FOR ANDROID iPHONE

$free +++++

FOR ANDROID iOS

$free +++++

FOR ANDROID iOS

Start a Burpple account and you’ll find yourself in the embrace of like-minded people - food lovers. Just like Instagram except that it’s about all things culinary, browse this visual guide to the places you must eat at, and the calories that truly count.

$free +++++

FOR ANDROID iOS WINDOWS PHONE

Entertainer

$free (from $19 a month) +++++

FOR ANDROID iPHONE

$free ++++,

FOR ANDROID iOS

$free ++++,

FOR iPHONE

$free ++++,

FOR ANDROID iOS

HungryGoWhere

With its huge database of over 11,000 food joints and counting, the definitive food app also has tried and tested reviews from its many years active. Activate to see what’s near you and even make reservations via the app itself. Handy for the hungry.

Popcorn

Gathering information from GV, Cathay, and Shaw cinemas in one convenient location, you can watch trailers, search for showtimes, book tickets, and even get notifications when a new movie you’ve been waiting for hits the big screen.

GrabTaxi

If you need a taxi dispatched to you in a matter of minutes, GrabTaxi is the best app to go with. It shows you the taxis nearest to you, and once you get details of a driver, tracks the taxi as it makes its way to you.

Uber

Ever wanted to be chauffeured around? Request a ride, and one of the growing number of Uber drivers will pick you up within minutes. You can even choose the level of luxury you want with the cheaper Uber X or upper-tier Uber VIP.

Burpple

Save a ton of money with this app and redeem major one-for-one deals at a wide range of top restaurants and activities in Singapore, as well as luxury hotels across Asia. With over 1000 deal vouchers available, it’ll pay for itself in no time.

ComfortDelGro Taxi Booking

Even non-registered users can book a taxi with their current location determined by their smartphone GPS. But of course, there are perks being a registered user – it saves your last three pick up locations so you can make a booking even faster.

I-S Now

Brought to you by the folks that do I-S Magazine, this city guide tells you all about what to do and where to be, featuring everything from upcoming events to new places to check out. It also pulls news so you can stay up to date with what’s happening.

8 Days Eat

Get the lowdown on your favourite celebrities’ best-loved haunts, or search for places according to cuisine, location, price and even mood. It’s updated weekly to give you the latest in the food scene too.

150 T HO Y BU

COMPACT CAMERAS

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TE DA UP

Sony DSC-HX50V

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In the blink of an eye in which Fujifilm elected to update its Top 10-topping X10, the HX50 jumped in its seat and declared itself king of the castle. And, despite protestations from the lowly rascal X20 below, the Sony’s position is justified. Its 20.4MP CMOS sensor and 24-270mm (35mm equiv.) lens combine to produce awesome images in a wide range of situations. There’s also a hot shoe for a flash or an electronic viewfinder, so its lack of RAW shooting is its only real flaw.

Fujifilm X20

The X20 isn’t all retro looks and no trousers. It excels in Advanced Auto mode and has manual controls and RAW shooting for creative days. The optical viewfinder, though small, is linked to the 4x zoom and frames well. All this, and it looks damn cool.

Nikon Coolpix AW110

With a metallic body, sturdy locking mechanism and optional camo finish, our new favourite tough cam has got that whole military chic thing nailed. Its army – geddit? – of features includes excellent 16MP stills, 1080p@30fps video and glove-friendly controls.

Sony DSC-RX100 II

The 20MP RX100 is just what we’re looking for in an advanced compact: pocketable with a huge 1in sensor which serves up great images. After something a bit different? Sony’s crazy new lens-without-a-body, the QX100, has much of the same tech.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200

If you want a superzoom cam, the Lumix FZ200 wipes the floor with its rival snoopy snappers. A small and solid build is coupled with a 24x optical zoom, an excellent auto mode and spot on exposure abilities. The downside is the video, which is a mixed bag.

Fujifilm FinePix X100S

Fujifilm’s souped-up its fixed lens retro shooter, with faster focusing and a big APS-C sensor. It’s not all new though, keeping the 35mm-equivalent f/2 lens and hybrid viewfinder that we loved from the X100. An alternative finish would be nice, mind you.

Canon PowerShot G16

The G16 packs a lot into its sturdy body: optical viewfinder, loads of manual controls and an f1.8-2.8, 28-140mm (equivalent) zoom lens. Upgrades over the G15 include Wi-Fi and faster burst shooting of up to 12fps, while image quality is as good as ever.

Canon PowerShot S120

Replacing the S110, the S120 is a compact camera for DSLR users on their days off. Its 12.1MP stills, low-light prowess and useful long-exposure modes are welcome, while its slightly laggy lens-ring control and hit-and-miss Wi-Fi features take the shine off.

Samsung Galaxy Camera

The king of snap-sharing has a 4.8in screen, Android 4.1 and loads of filter and editing apps. Its 16.3MP images aren’t the best, but it’s a sexy slice of the future. Alternatively, there’s the flawed-but-still-good S4 Zoom cameraphone.

Canon IXUS 125 HS

A surprisingly powerful camera given its tiny dimensions, the IXUS 125 HS has strippedback controls, 5x optical zoom and no fewer than 58 different settings in auto mode. It’s not one for enthusiasts, then, but neither does it compromise on image quality.

www.stuff.tv

STUFF SAYS

Unassuming looks hide an amazingly capable camera to suit beginners or burgeoning Bailey-ettes

$599 +++++

$899 +++++ $469 +++++

BEST FOR ADVENTUROUS SNAPPERS

$999 +++++ $799 +++++

BEST FOR AT-A-DISTANCE SHOOTING

$1799 +++++

BEST FOR DSLR PICS IN A SMALL BODY

$699 +++++ $599 ++++, $698 ++++,

BEST FOR ON-THE-GO IMAGE SHARING

$299 ++++,

BEST FOR BUDGET BUYERS

SLRs, etc

www.stuff.tv

T HO Y BU

Olympus OM-D E-M1

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The first OM-D, the EM-5, was our No1 for more than a year, but Olympus’ new flagship EM-1 just blew it out of the water. It’s armed with the same excellent 16.3MP sensor – which punches well above its Micro Four Thirds size – but it now has an improved autofocus system to help it play nice with Olympus’ super-sharp pro lenses. The other big news is the startlingly good electronic viewfinder and enough direct control to keep Rankin and co happily snapping.

Canon EOS 700D

Look, it’s a new Canon at No2. No, wait, it’s the old one. Actually, it’s kind of both. The 700D is a minor upgrade over the 650D, keeping the latter’s 18MP sensor, flip-out touchscreen and autofocus during video and adding little beyond a new kit lens. It’s still great though.

Nikon D600

Pro power has never come at such a reasonable price. A full-frame 24.3MP sensor combines with accurate 39-point autofocus for stunning results. Dual SD card slots, built-in flash and 5.5fps shooting speed complete a seriously powerful proposition.

Canon EOS 70D

The 70D is Canon’s best camera in years. It’s the first ‘proper’ DSLR to nail autofocus in videos and Live View, offers a multitude of manual controls and can take stunning pics in almost any situation. Amateurs who’ve outgrown the entry level should look no further.

Fujifilm X-T1

There’s lots to love about this snapper, from its clever viewfinder and lightning-speed focus to the weatherproof body. One for the analogue lovers, it has actual buttons and dials with no touchscreen. The lack of in-cam image stabilisation is our only complaint.

Sony NEX-7

Sony’s discontinuing its NEX line and rebranding all its cams under the Alpha moniker. The first fruits of this particularly fecund tree are the full-frame A7 and A7r. The NEX-7’s still available for now, and remains a top snapper.

Canon EOS 6D

Canon’s cheapest ever full-framer is an awesome little SLR with a few clever tricks up its lens. As well as its all-new 20.2MP sensor, it boasts a GPS receiver for geotagging your pics and Wi-Fi for direct uploading or remote control from an iPhone or Android device.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

The 16MP Panasonic is a versatile beast that, while not being much of a looker, has added tricks such as a tilting EVF and a handy touchscreen LCD. It’s great for smooth hi-def video recording and, with the bijou 20mm f/1.7 lens, is a great travel companion.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5

The G5 is the only snapper with the pace to keep up with the Olympus E-M5’s autofocus. Beginner-friendly controls, decent 16MP pics, touchscreen control and superb full HD 60fps AVCHD video recording all add up to a compelling package.

Sony Alpha a7

The smallest and lightest of all compact system cams crams in a full-frame sensor that pumps out 24.3MP pics. Image quality is stunning and it’s great at high ISO, but it feels unbalanced with the bigger full-frame lenses, and the autofocus struggles in low light.

151

STUFF SAYS

Take the E-M5’s amazing speed and quality, then add pro controls and you get the best system cam so far

$1948 +++++ (body only)

$899

(body only)

+++++ $2999 (body only)

+++++ $1499

(body only)

+++++

BEST FOR ALL-ROUND VALUE BEST FOR SHOOTING LIKE THE PROS BEST FOR ADVANCED AMATEURS

$1999

(body only)

+++++ $1549

(body only)

+++++ $2699 (body only)

+++++ $1649

(w/ 20m lens)

+++++ $799

(w/ 14-42 lens)

+++++ $1999

(body only)

++++,

BEST FOR FULL FRAME FETISHISTS

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W

NE

GEEK ACCESSORIES Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

There’s a new Paperwhite out on the streets of the world, and it’s brighter, whiter, faster and no more expensive. Contrast is improved, making your text blacker and the background less grey, while a claimed 25% faster processor goes largely unnoticed because it was always the fastest of the e-readers. A handy new Page Flip feature lets you keep your current page while flicking through the chapter in a pop-up window: finish the chapter, or go to sleep now?

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www.stuff.tv

STUFF SAYS

The best screen, the best ebook store and a light that could change reading habits – Kindle’s still on top

US$199 ($255) +++++

DJI Phantom 2 Vision

US$1199 ($1530) +++++

BEST FOR HIGH FLYING FILMERSHAR

3Doodler

US$100 ($130) +++++

BEST FOR 3D SPACE CREATIVES

$144 +++++

BEST FOR ANALOGUE MAESTROS

These gaming cans – with a noise-cancelling mic, bass boost and controls for in-game and voice channels – are aimed at Xbox 360 users. Not of the Xbox persuasion? Look out for the U 320s, which will play nicely with your PS3, PC and Mac.

$159 +++++

BEST FOR GAMEWORLD IMMERSION

Smart ebike

£2500 ($5307) +++++

BEST FOR POWERED-UP PEDALLING

Want to recreate those Apocalypse Now sequences at your local lido? This quadcopter offers great filming potential thanks to its 14MP/1080p HD camera and videolink, built-in GPS and ability to beam images to your smartphone from 300m away.

Essentially a 3D printer nozzle in a pen, sticks of plastic are fed through like a glue gun and extruded at 200ºC into thin air, where it immediately cools and solidifies, letting you ‘draw’ 3D structures. Amazing, and we’ve only burnt ourselves once. Maybe twice.

Korg Volca Beats

This Roland TR-808-aping drum machine uses analogue and digital beats to amazing effect given the bargain price, offering a studio’s worth of wizardry in a tablet-sized package. If this doesn’t get the nation’s youth making amazing music, nothing will.

Sennheiser X 320

This electric bike may be heavy and expensive, but its futuristic design, 250W motor and range of up to 100 km make it ideal for the daily commute. And don’t get hung up over the price anyway – petrol and car insurance for a year would cost you way more.

Leap Motion

Huge Kickstarter funding and promises of Minority Report-style PC input have come to this: a silent, KitKat-sized block of tech. It is very accurate, and the taster games are a blast, but it’ll need more consistency between apps to become truly useful.

Moga Ace Power

T click-on controller adds two analogue sticks, a D-pad, and all the usual buttons This to an iPhone 5/5c/5s or 5th-gen iPod Touch. It’s not brilliantly built and only works with selected games, but dedicated iOS gamers will swiftly get their money’s worth.

BMW i3

Finally, an electric car which doesn’t feel like a compromise. Far from it – the i3 is in many ways the ultimate urban runabout, thanks to its superb handling, astounding acceleration and great fuel economy. It’s packed with gadgets, too. Only its price rankles.

Up! Plus

Not since the early days of video encoding has a Stuff test caused such emotional rollercoastering. The Up! is the least frustrating – and least commercial – of the 3D printers we’ve tried. The Plus 2 ($2899) adds a helpful auto-levelling build platform.

$150 ++++,

BEST FOR ALT-CTRL FREAKS

US$100 ($130) ++++,

BEST FOR iGAMING ADDICTS

$236,800 ++++,

BEST FOR ELECTRIC ROAD-WARRIORS

$2599 ++++,

BEST FOR EARLY ADOPTERS

WEARABLE TECH 153

www.stuff.tv

T HO Y BU

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W NE

W

NE

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Pebble Steel

Unveiled at CES 2014, the Steel keeps the straightforward looks, crisp display and five-day battery life that helped the standard Pebble win our hearts. But it holds more RAM, apps and customisable faces this time, and swaps the plastic for either a ‘Steel’ silver or matte black stylish suit, making it look and feel more like an actual watch. The Steel goes beyond the gimmicks and into the world of real-world wearable tech. Pop it on your wristwear wish-list.

Fitbit Flex

The Flex delivers all of Fitbit’s activity-tracking smarts but in a form factor that’s less fiddly than its belt-clip counterparts. It’s packed with Bluetooth, NFC, vibratamotor and a display. America already has the new Force band, with a proper display. Here soon.

Jawbone UP24

STUFF SAYS

The best smartwatch money can buy… and the original plastic Pebble is still available for US$99 ($125) less

US$249 ($310) +++++ $129 +++++

Now with Bluetooth for hassle-free syncing, the stylish UP24 is worth the extra £25 over the Jawbone Up. The app introduces new challenges and tracks your sleep patterns. It will also gently nudge you, if you’re lazing around, to get back on the move.

$249 +++++

Samsung Gear Live

US$200 ($255) ++++,

Could it be fourth time lucky for Android Wear? A waterproof 1.63in Super AMOLED screen, a resting heart monitor and a growing selection of apps say yes. Overall, the Samsung just pips the LG G Watch. Its pitiful one-day battery life lets it down, though.

LG G Watch

Smart, subtle and more comfortable to wear than the Samsung Gear Live above, the LG gets a lot more right than it does wrong. Its voice commands are useful and it comes with a charging cradle…but it doesn’t show off Android Wear’s full potential.

$268 ++++,

Garmin Forerunner 620

US$450 ($575) ++++,

Garmin’s wealth of experience in wrist-mounted GPS shines through, offering up a cacophony of stats, including vertical oscillation (how much you jiggle while running) thanks to the smart heart-rate belt. Could be cheaper and more user-friendly, though.

TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio

The new version of the TomTom Multi-Sport adds an impressively accurate heart-rate sensor to an already strong formula, allowing for more focused and personal training. It’ll track runs, cycles and swims, and the companion app is also much improved.

Samsung Gear 2 Neo

It’s the ‘budget’ plastic version of Samsung’s Gear 2, but does 99% of what the more expensive device can do, although it does not have a camera. Only compatible with certain phones, it is the Gear we’d be most likely to buy, but it’s far from essential.

Martian Notifier

The Notifier does one job very well – alerts – and you won’t be ashamed to wear one in public. It doesn’t shake off smartwatches’ dorky image but does blend a regular-looking watch design with smartphone smarts in an affordable, comfortable, reliable package.

Samsung Gear Fit

Durable, comfortable and only 55g, the Gear Fit looks great but is ultimately a bit disappointing. It has unreliable heart-rate tracking and an unresponsive curved OLED screen that’s awkward to read, especially on a run. Fit by name, but not by nature.

$499 ++++, $298 ++++, $199 ++++, $268 +++,,

BEST FOR TRACKING YOUR LIFE

BEST FOR TRIATHLETES IN TRAINING

NEXT BIG THING?

ound has made that phone really big. Is it big, though, or is it just really near? Wait, don’t think about that – you’ll do yourself a mental mischief. To the story: back in the mists of time, some bright spark posited that piezoelectric surfaces could be laid all over the city so that pedders a-strolling and truckers a-rolling would generate electricity through nothing but going about their business. Well, here we are in the mistless now and we can clearly see that these energy-source strips are very much not all over the city. Fear not, though: a new, smaller idea dawns…

S

Small ideas are never better than big ideas. No doubt they’ll be pleased to hear that down at the Queen Mary University of London, where teams of people are working hard to make ‘nanogenerators’. These will be built into the casing of your phone and are activated by the vibration caused by ambient noise such as music or mass conversation. They’ll turn that vibration into electricity and charge your phone… slowly, because of the low current produced, but inexorably and sustainably. And without you having to do anything except hang out in the noisy, fun places of the planet.

Could be perfect for the chronic 10-per-center. Ah, yes, the person on the train who’s saying “I can’t talk for long because my phone’s about to die” despite it being only 9am. And all of your anger at their apparent irresponsibility is just displaced from your own in-bed-at-10pm selfloathing. And they’re still waffling away, despite their ailing battery, about Dinah dropping her wrap in a club’s cubicle. And they’ll waffle forever, once nanogenerators come to pass – though it’ll probably be some time before the QMU lot can bring component size and power generation to a consumer-friendly balance.

DON’T MISS THE NEXT ISSUE! ON SALE 19 NOV

[ Words Fraser Macdonald Illustration Alexandre Efimov ]

sou-charged phos