Issue December 2018 - Stuff Magazine South Africa (2024)

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Stuff Magazine, the world's best-selling gadget & technology magazine. Stuff is your expert, up to the minute guide on gadgets, gear, technology - and how to play with them. Our expert reviews and tests sort the best from the rest in digital cameras, cellphones, computers, games, fashion, wheels, lifestyle products and the weird and wonderful. Stuff is a magazine about technology, but it’s more about how a product looks and how it fits into the reader’s life.

in this issue

IN THIS ISSUEWELCOMEThere are perks to globalisation – like being able to buy sushi from a land-locked Pick n Pay with relative confidence of side-stepping botulism – and, there are downsides… like watching international tech launches happen for products we can’t officially get here. Tesla’s cars, Amazon’s Echo speakers and displays, pretty much every piece of hardware Google and Microsoft make, the list goes on.But we know, dear reader, that you’re finding ways to get the items you want. And we know you’re still interested in them. Which is why we’ve collated the highlights of the latest slew of releases from the big names in our opening pages. Hopefully by this time next year many of them will be gracing local store shelves (or online retailers’ catalogues).With that out of the way,…2 min

IN THIS ISSUEOUR MONTHI GAVE KUDOS WHERE THEY’RE DUEThe last time I put a screen protector on my phone it was a disaster. Despite wiping the screen frequently there was still a bubble I couldn’t get rid of and the corners began coming loose pretty soon after application. Worse, the feel of the touchscreen was diminished enough to make it non-functional. But this year, in no small part because I have a one-year-old son who loves playing with my phone, I’ve put a QDOS protector on my iPhone XS. Applying it was painless thanks to the plastic applicator that fitted perfectly over the screen, and there is almost no difference to the feel, or responsiveness, of the touchscreen. Goodbye small scratches, hello cracked-screen protection.Toby Shapshak, Publisher and Editor-in-chiefI STARTED SEEING IN TRIPLICATEFor as…3 min

HOT STUFFHOW DEEP IS YOUR NOTCH?Pix itself upA Pixel Stand charging dock is available for those people who hate it when a handset gets horizontal. Using it enables a custom display and some bonus Google Assistant shortcuts.Pix you outThe Pixel 3’s rear camera owes more to software than hardware, while the front snappers offer wide and ultra-wide lenses for convincing Instagram followers you have real friends too.Pix ’em offGoogle’s AI spam filter is dubbed ‘Call Screen’. It answers the phone and informs the caller they’re being transcribed. Google insists this won’t use up data, and the conversation remains private.Last year’s Pixel phones offered a leap in quality, but something was missing: wireless charging. So for Google’s third roll of the superphone dice it’s called in the glaziers. No, not the owners of Manchester United (that’s…2 min

HOT STUFFGoogle Pixel Slate from R8 000 (import) / store.google.comWrite onThe R2 000 Pixelbook Pen is pressure-sensitive, has tilt support and works with “virtually no lag” (Google’s words, not ours). Press and hold the Pen’s button then circle images or text, and Assistant will help you out.For some, tablets will never be anything more than giant Angry Birds machines. For the rest, they’re viable laptop alternatives, and so the latest super-slab to take on the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface is Google’s Pixel Slate. It’s a 12.3in 2-in-1 convertible tablet with a detachable magnetic keyboard (sold separately) and a 3000x2000 display, with a battery life of 10 hours. It ships with a new version of Chrome OS, it has Google Assistant built-in, and there’s an 8MP camera on each side.CAST MASTER A new Chromecast has also appeared on the…1 min

HOT STUFFHUB BE GOOD TO MEHub crawlThe list of smart devices this Hub can control includes anything enabled for IFTTT or Chromecast. There’s no need to switch between apps, because everything is controlled via a single-view dashboard.Hub singerYou get YouTube Premium free for six months and then pay around R240. Frankly, it’s worth it for Karate Kid-inspired comedy Cobra Kai and Warren G’s G Funk documentary alone.Hub quizSaying “Hey Google, good morning” brings up a personalised schedule of events, reminders, commute info and more. At night say “Hey Google, good night” to set alarms, turn off lights and more.Ready, AI-m, fire. Putting Pixels to one side, Google is gunning for Amazon’s recently redesigned Alexa-enabled Echo Show. The Google Home Hub adds a visual element to all of the wide-ranging functionality of Google Assistant, giving you…1 min

HOT STUFFBACK IN BLACK (AND BURGUNDY)Access all hairiersThe original Surface Laptop ran Windows 10 S, Microsoft’s apps-based version. Now you get Windows 10 proper, so you can reacquaint yourself with Steam.Splitting hairsThe Surface Laptop 2 is still rocking a 13.5in touchscreen with 2256x1504 resolution. A little spec bump would have been nice, but don’t expect to be squinting – it’s a very sharp display.The tech world was shaken last year when Microsoft produced an actual laptop. Turns out it was pretty good, so it’s no great surprise to see a sequel fly out of the door just as people start drafting up their festive wish lists. What’s changed? On first glance, not a whole lot. We’re glad to see the carpet-like interior finish (or Alcantara, if you’re a fabric nerd) return, and the Surface Laptop…1 min

Issue December 2018 - Stuff Magazine South Africa (2024)

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