9000

9 01
9001
Inside! The best apps you never knew existed!

Live life smarter

ISSUE 105 AUGUST 2020 TECHLIFER TECHLIFER APPLE NEWSSTAND & GOOGLE PLAY

Page 040
Apple’s
MacBook Pro
Worth the upgrade?

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO...

Speed up
WINDOWS 10!
GET MORE
PERFORMANCE
OUT OF YOUR PC
– FOR FREE!

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Expert
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THE BEST OF THE BEST

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Everything you
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3
 Inside this issue of TechLife

52

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO...

Speed up
WINDOWS 10!
GET MORE PERFORMANCE OUT OF YOUR PC – FOR FREE!

72
FITNESS
WATCHES
Fitness watches can give you an enormous amount of insight
into your track and workout performance. But which ones go
that extra mile for active people?

4
 49 003
Intro
Editorial

Hotspot
008 MacBook Pro (13-inch)
010 Essential tech news
012 Microsoft Surface Go 2
014 Pop science

16
016 Optoma CinemaX P1
018 Duncan Bell loves robots
019 Gadget guru
020 Sony ZV-1

Discover
020 Emerging Tech
022 New apps for every platform
024 Game news
026 PC & console game reviews
028 Mobile game reviews
030 Everything you need to know

08 040
041
about Xbox Series X

Test Bench
HP Chromebook x360 12b
Asus TUF A15
042 Microsoft Surface Book 3
044 Samsung Galaxy S10e
045 TP-Link Archer AX50 AX3000
046 Nvidia Shield Pro
047 Dyson Corrale
048 Denon DHT-S216

51
049 Sony WH-CH510
050 ROG Strix Go 2.4
051 Kobo Libra H2O

Features
052 Speed up Windows
060 Shoot sharper photographs
072 Fitness watches
078 The best apps you never
knew existed!

Help Station
088 Use Dropbox in Windows 10

12 20
092 Easily sync your devices
094 Group your tunes in iOS
096 How to get the best from your
Android camera
098 Backup vs Sync
100 Running Linux on Windows
102 Gear up with Strava
104 Ready, steady, throw!
106 Blur backgrounds
in Lightroom

Buyer’s Guide

48 104 109

114
The best tech products

The back page

Ridiculous tech

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 HOTSPOT Your guide to hot new tech

2020

EDITOR
APPROVED

From $1,999, www.apple.com/au

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020)

Worth the upgrade?

As we’ve seen with other recent example, weighs in at 1.27kg. also used in the MacBook Pro
MacBook releases, Apple hasn’t Ports-wise, you’re again only 16-inch and MacBook Air (2020).
changed much at all about the getting four Thunderbolt 3 ports This is an enormously welcome
basic design of the 13-inch (or just two in the entry-level change. Not only does it eliminate
MacBook Pro – when the laptop’s model) and an audio jack. For a the problems previous models
closed, at least. professional laptop, the lack of had with the keyboard (such as
It comes in the same Silver or ports, especially legacy USB-A stuck keys), but it offers a much
Space Gray color, and dimensions ports, will be disappointing (but more tactile and comfortable
are roughly the same, at 304.1 x probably not surprising) and will typing experience.
212.4 x 156mm. This is slightly mean unless you have all USB-C We’ve been a fan of the new
thicker than the previous model, peripherals, you’ll need to buy keyboard since it debuted on the
which had a depth of 0149mm. an adapter. 16-inch MacBook Pro last year,
It’s also slightly heavier at 1.4kg, On opening up the new MacBook and are glad to see it turn up in
versus 2019’s 1.37kg. The difference Pro 13-inch, however, you’ll see the 13-inch model as well. For
won’t be too noticeable for most more of a difference. This is anyone who was put off buying a
people, and it’s still reasonably because Apple has finally replaced MacBook because of the well-
light for a pro laptop. However, the controversial Butterfly switch publicised keyboard issues, the
there are plenty of 13-inch laptops keyboard (which was often prone new MacBook Pro 13-inch could
out there that are thinner and to reliability problems) with the change your mind.
lighter. The Dell XPS 13 (2020), for new ‘Magic Keyboard’ which is The Touch Bar, a thin display
above the keyboard, is again
present, and gives you context-
sensitive buttons that you can
Apple has finally replaced the controversial Butterfly switch press. Not everyone loves the

keyboard (which was often prone to reliability problems) with Touch Bar, but many apps like
Photoshop now make good use of
the new ‘Magic Keyboard’ which is also used in the MacBook it, offering you quick access
Pro 16-inch and MacBook Air (2020). to tools.

8
 Performance a dedicated GPU. So, if you’re going
We’ve now spent enough time with to be using the new MacBook Pro
the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020) to for graphically-intensive work,
run our benchmark tests and test such as video editing and 3D
out its day-to-day performance, rendering, then you’ll be relying on
The new and we remain impressed with the the Intel Iris Plus Graphics
keyboard is laptop. It runs macOS Catalina integrated GPU.
much more
reliable and with ease, leading to a smooth and Integrated GPUs can’t offer the
tactile. responsive experience, and the same performance as a dedicated
apps we’ve tried load up nice graphics card, so if you really need a
and fast. graphical powerhouse, you’re going
We also used the Chrome web to need to get the MacBook Pro
browser with loads of tabs open, 16-inch with its AMD Radeon Pro
which is a notorious hog when it 5300M GPU.
comes to memory, and the
MacBook Pro 13-inch continued to Battery life
perform admirably. Battery life has been an area where
Its multi-tasking prowess is MacBooks have traditionally fared
thanks to the new Intel CPU, as a lot better than their Windows 10
well as the faster 3,733MHz competitors, and the 2020 model of
LPDDR4X RAM, and it means that the MacBook Pro 13-inch doesn’t
the new MacBook Pro 13-inch feels disappoint. It has a 58 watt-hour
less of a compromise compared to battery (and a slightly larger
the powerful 16-inch model. 58.2 watt-hour in the
It’s important to note that this is entry-level model).
The TouchID button, which with the mid-range MacBook Pro This should offer 10 hours of
also doubles as the power button, 13-inch, which comes with a 10th battery life, which is around the
has been separated from the generation Ice Lake Core i5 same that the previous model
Touch Bar, and now sits slightly processor. The low-end 13-inch promised. In our battery life
apart from it. It makes it a bit MacBook Pro with an older CPU benchmark test, which involved
easier to find, and it again is a and slower RAM won’t perform as playing a looped 1080p video, the
reliable way of logging into your well as the one we got in. battery lasted a respectable eight
MacBook (or paying for things Not only does the new 10th and a half hours.
using Apple Pay) using just your generation Intel Core i5 processor For a workstation laptop, that’s
fingerprint. We find it works a lot offer better compute performance certainly impressive, and means
better than many fingerprint than its predecessor, but it also has unless you do some very intensive
scanners included in Windows 10 improved integrated graphics tasks, like video editing and
laptops. It never failed to read a as well. rendering, the new MacBook Pro
fingerprint correctly in our time It still looks like a This is crucial, as unlike the 13-inch should last around an entire
Macbook, but
using it. larger MacBook Pro 16-inch, the work day without needing a charge.
there are some
subtle updates. MacBook Pro 13-inch doesn’t have It’s also excellent at holding its
battery life as well. That means you
can close the lid, leave it a few days
and the laptop will still have battery
left. That’s often not the case with
Windows 10 laptops, which seem
to bleed battery life even when not
in use.

The MacBook Pro (13-inch,

2020) brings new Intel
processors and improved RAM
speeds for better performance,
but only if you’re willing to pay
the price. The entry-level model
misses out on some of those new
toys, which is a shame.
Matt Hanson

9
 HOT SPOT
What you need to know

Samsung Galaxy
Note 20 may be
joined by two new
folding phones at
August 5 unveil
According to Jon Prosser, a
Twitter leaker that has had
success with a lot of Apple
leaks in recent months, the
Galaxy Note 20 will be joined
by the Galaxy Fold 2 and a
Galaxy Z Flip 5G. His tweet just

3D printing revenue set

references those three names,
and there’s no clear sign of the

to boom this year

Galaxy Note 20 Plus on this list.
He also doesn’t specifically say
there isn’t a Plus variant of the
Note 20, so it may just be that 3D printing industry is expected to be worth US$16bn in 2020.
he forgot to note that device.
3D printing is quickly becoming widely used for small production runs,
IBM abandons all mainstream as a growing number of prototyping new products and in education
businesses now use this technology to and medicine.
facial recognition
improve their speed and flexibility while According to Wohlers Associates annual
work over potential reducing costs. report, the global 3D printing industry is
for misuse New research from LearnBonds has expected to be worth US$16bn this year.
In a letter delivered to the revealed that revenue from the global 3D However, in the next two years, the market
United States Congress, IBM printing industry is expected to continue its revenue of this industry is forecast to reach
CEO Arvind Krishna has surge and grow by 155 percent to reach US$25.5bn. Statistics show that this strong
declared the company will no US$40.8bn in value by 2024. upward trend is likely to continue in the
longer provide any form of As 3D printing enables the production of following years with market revenue
general purpose facial complex shapes using less material than growing by a compound annual growth rate
recognition software. traditional manufacturing methods, it is of 26.4 percent between 2020 and 2024.
IBM also later confirmed it will
halt all research and

Microsoft shows AI
development activities
associated with the

journalism at its worst

controversial technology over
concerns it can be misused.

A cheap Nokia 5G with Little Mix debacle

phone is supposedly
Microsoft can’t get away with such avoidable errors.
in the works
5G phones are yet to properly With a global pandemic keeping us pretty its terrible timing amid worldwide protests
hit an affordable price point, occupied for the past few months, you may against racial injustice – but it takes on a
and one of the primary reasons have allowed yourself to forget about that whole new flavor when the automated
behind this is the fact that the other apocalyptic danger – that is, processes behind this article came to light.
technology itself is in its early unchecked artificial intelligence. MSN.com doesn’t do its own reporting,
stages. The new 5G Nokia Unfortunately, an AI program being put to preferring to repurpose articles from across
phone is said to come use at Microsoft’s MSN.com has brought it the web and split resulting ad revenue with
equipped with a MediaTek back into the spotlight. the original publisher. Microsoft thought a
Dimensity 800 series SoC The story centers on an article published on lot of this process could be automated – not
(System On Chip) and may be MSN.com about Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall, only sacking hundreds of staff during a
different from the rumored, incorrectly using a photo of another mixed- pandemic, but also implementing an AI
mid-range Nokia 7.3 5G that is race band member, Leigh-Anne Pinnock. editor that automatically published news
reportedly going to pack a This would be bad enough a mistake for a stories on MSN.com without any
Snapdragon chipset. human editor to make – not just because of human oversight.

10
Microsoft is annoying Windows 10
users with this pop-up
Setup nag screen which has recently been doing the rounds could be confusing for some.

Windows 10 has recently once is going on another push with notifications so you never see them
again started displaying a nag these prompts, which have again under Windows 10.
pop-up that takes up the whole surfaced in the past, although Simply open the Settings menu
screen when it appears, which usually only after a major update (the cog icon if you click on the Start
could have some users worrying has been completed. This time button), click on ‘System’, and then
that their system has installed an around, however, the nag is simply click on ‘Notifications & Actions’.
Pop-ups are
update without their knowledge one of the appearing when users turn on Find the option which says ‘Show
somehow (or that their PC has banes of their PC (or more specifically, me the Windows welcome
modern online
even been reset). existence, but
when folks sign into their experience after updates and
The full-screen nag prompt Microsoft’s Windows 10 system). occasionally when I sign in, to
enthusiastically addresses users on latest is just highlight what’s new and
downright
the subject of ‘making Windows confusing. Land of confusion? suggested’, and make sure this
even better’, and as you might As we mentioned at the outset, isn’t ticked.
guess, the way you can do this is by some users could potentially be As that wording suggests,
hooking up your PC and account confused by the screen, and think evidently the theory is that users
with other Microsoft services that their PC has just had an may want to see this screen
which are linked in the pop-up. update applied, or even that it has occasionally – and not just after
They include Office 365, been reset somehow, given that Windows 10 installation – in case
OneDrive, Your Phone and this nag prompt is one that’s there are new Microsoft services
Windows Hello, and some folks normally delivered after Windows which are brought to their attention.
may get déjà vu when seeing this 10 has just been installed. Presenting it differently, however,
screen, because it’s the exact same For those bothered by them, the and not just as it appears in setup,
one presented to users after first good news, however, is that it’s might be an idea in order to avoid
setting up Windows 10. possible to turn off these any potential confusion here.
Windows Latest highlighted the
fact that some folks are reporting
online that they are suddenly
seeing this ‘welcome experience’
nag screen out of the blue recently, The full-screen nag prompt enthusiastically addresses users on
and indeed it’s happened to us over the subject of ‘making Windows even better’ , and as you might
the weekend – on both our main
desktop PC, and Surface Pro laptop.
guess, the way you can do this is by hooking up your PC and
So it would seem that Microsoft account with other Microsoft services.

11
 HOT SPOT
Microsoft Surface Go 2

With 8GB of RAM and

128GB SSD, Windows 10 and
T_^M`TW_TYL[[^]LYʭYP

2020

EDITOR
APPROVED

$1,129, www.microsoft.com

Microsoft Surface Go 2
Another affordable win for Microsoft?

The design of the Surface Go 2 is compared to its predecessor is it Excellent design on the right-hand side. That
and an
pretty much identical to the now has a larger 10.5-inch affordable price
charging port is magnetised,
original Surface Go, which means display (the original has a make this one of which means the charger snaps
it’s essentially a slightly smaller 10-inch display). That bump in the most easily into it. The good news is
compelling
and lighter version of the Surface size also comes with a bump in Surface that the USB-C port can also be
Pro. As far as budget devices resolution (1920 x 1280 versus products we’ve used to charge the tablet, so you
seen.
around this price point go, the the Surface Go’s 1,800 x 1,200), can use a charger from another
design is solid with some which means the Surface Go 2 device, rather than relying on the
premium touches. doesn’t lose any of the Surface Go 2’s charger. It’s a nice,
The dimensions are 245mm x sharpness by going for the convenient, feature.
175mm x 8.3mm for the Surface Go larger display. In fact, it now has Along the bottom of the Surface
2 tablet itself. That’s the same as a slightly higher pixel density of Go 2 is another magnetised port
the previous model, and at 0.55kg 220ppi (pixels per inch). – this time, it’s to easily snap the
it’s slightly heavier than the It keeps the 3:2 aspect ratio, Type Cover, if you have one, onto
original. which means it’s slightly higher the Surface Go 2. As with previous
Those dimensions make it than standard 16:9 widescreen models, this works well, so there’s
slightly smaller than the iPad Pro screens. The extra vertical space YZ
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11, it’s biggest rival from Apple. may come in handy for case, and the Go 2 detects the
That has dimensions of 9.74 x 7.02 document creation, and as a keyboard and touchpad straight
x 0.23, which means Apple’s tablet, the aspect ratio feels away. It’s also easy to remove the
device is slightly thinner, and at quite normal, though in laptop Type Cover when you’re done with
471g, the iPad Pro 11 is noticeably mode you’ll likely notice the it, but it keeps its grip so it won’t
lighter as well. OTʬP]PYNP
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Still, the iPad Pro 11 is a more widescreen videos, it also The power and volume rockers
premium product that’s over means you get black bars above are on the top of the screen, and
twice the price of the base model and below the footage. around the back is a rear-facing
of the Surface Go 2. Port-wise, you get an audio camera and a fold-out kickstand.
One noticeable change with the jack for headphones, USB-C port This lets you prop it up on a desk
design of the Surface Go 2 and proprietary charging port or surface. However, it’s still

12
 The TypeCover is surprisingly
good to type on.

tricky to use the Surface Go 2 as a

laptop-like device on your lap, as One noticeable change with the design of the
there’s still no support between
Surface Go 2 compared to its predecessor is it now
the keyboard and the screen.
The Type Cover is a nice bit of has a larger 10.5-inch display.
kit, made from a sturdy, yet
attractive, material, and the keys
are decent enough to type on. The Things like unzipping big use, including video calling,
touchpad remains a little on the NZX[]P^^PO
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document creation and web
small side, though. while, and we’d suggest you browsing, the Surface Go 2 lasted
Still, it makes it more forget about running any 7 hours and 40 minutes. That’s a
comfortable to write on, intensive video editing pretty good length, and means the
compared to the touchscreen. Of apps either. Surface Go 2 can last a whole work
course, you can also plug in a As long as you set your or school day without needing
USB-C keyboard or attach a expectations appropriately, then a charge.
Bluetooth keyboard and mouse you should be reasonably happy Our own battery life test, where
easily as well. with the performance of the we loop a 1080p, the Surface Go 2
Surface Go 2 as a budget device. managed an impressive 8 hours
Performance ?SP
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and 25 minutes. So, if you’re doing
Due to the relatively low-powered a performance boost from the a lot of travelling and want to use
components in the Surface Go 2, original, and for day-to-day the Surface Go 2 to unwind with a
you shouldn’t expect a tasks and schoolwork, it does a few videos, this will last most long
powerhouse. If you stick with ʭYP
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use apps from the Microsoft Store, `^PO _Z MP ɧ L^ _SP]Pɪ^ L MP__P]
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then even the basic model should selection of apps available on the
excellent affordable Windows 10
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Microsoft Store. tablet that features a premium
With normal use,
about that 64GB storage limit. you can expect design found in the company’s
With 8GB of RAM and 128GB the Surface Go Battery life more expensive devices. It offers a
SSD, Windows 10 and its built-in 2’s battery to While we have some reservations slight bump in performance over
last a whole day.
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around the performance of the the original, but it is still rather
underpowered – especially the
want to leave S-Mode and go to Surface Go 2, there’s one area
base model. Once you start kitting
full Windows 10, which allows you were it does really impress us
it out with improved internals and
to run any program designed for ɧ ML__P]d WTQP essential add-ons like the Type
Windows 10, you’ll start to see the In the PC Mark 10 battery life Cover, the price starts to climb.
Surface Go 2 starting to strain. test, which replicates regular Matt Hanson

13
 Pop Science

Baby stars
could destroy
the ‘Pillars
of Creation’
A star is born, and then another, and another...

Spearing the sky like monolithic

elephant trunks, the Pillars of
Creation are a vast star-forming
region located in the Eagle
Nebula, about 7,000 light years
from Earth. These tendrils of gas
and dust, made colourful by the
radiation of bright young stars
smouldering within, became a
Milky Way landmark thanks to an
iconic visible-light image taken
by the Hubble Space Telescope
in 1995.
Now NASA scientists have
shared a new view of the pillars,
focusing instead on the infrared
radiation normally invisible to
human eyes. In the new image,
also taken by the Hubble Space
Telescope, the colourful pillars
fade to ghosts of their former
selves, revealing a kaleidoscope
of newborn stars within the dust.
The pillars, which span about
ʭaP WTRS_ dPL]^TYWPYR_Sɧ_SL_ɪ^
about 3.5 times the diameter of
Z`] >ZWL] >d^_PXɧL]PYL_`]LW
incubators of star formation
thanks to their many dense
pockets of hydrogen gas. As ever
© NASA, ESA/Hubble and the Hubble Heritage Team

greater quantities of gas and dust tip of the largest pillar, which The iconic stronger, slowly destroying the gas
‘Pillars of
pile into a single gravitationally shimmers with what appears to Creation’ glow
around them.
dense area, that area heats up be gauzy-blue radiation. These anew in “The gaseous pillars are actually
under the weight of the gathering dense, dusty regions shadow and infrared light. getting ionised, a process by which
material and may turn into the cool the gas below them, PWPN_]ZY^L]P^_]T[[POZʬZQL_ZX^
seeds of a star, also called a according to NASA, allowing the and heated up by radiation from
ɩ[]Z_Z^_L]ɪ 4Q L[]Z_Z^_L] lower reaches of the pillars to the massive stars,” said Scowen.
continues gathering mass and maintain their long, wispy ɭ?SP^_L]^ɪ^_]ZYRbTYO^LYO
increasing in temperature ʭR`]P^ɳQZ]YZbLYdbLd ML]]LRPZQNSL]RPO[L]_TNWP^ɳL]P
enough to spark a nuclear According to NASA astronomer literally sandblasting away the
]PLN_TZY L_ T_^ NZ]PLQ`WWʮPORPO Paul Scowen, who led the initial tops of these pillars.” Perhaps that
star is born. Hubble exploration of the Eagle makes images like this one even
As this image shows, the most Nebula in 1995, as the stars at the more special. We will never see the
active star-forming region tip of the pillars grow ever larger, Pillars of Creation exactly like this
within the pillars is located at the their radiation will become ever again. BRANDON SPECKTOR

14
 The virtual tour of
the tomb of Queen
Meresankh III,
launched 4 April,
shows the resting
place of the queen.

© Getty
Egypt offers virtual
tours of ancient sites
Virtual tours of a handful of Egypt’s archaeological
marvels, including the ancient tomb of Queen
Meresankh III and the fourth-century Red
Monastery, are now available online.

If you’re looking for a great way to ‘explore’ while stuck at home during
the COVID-19 pandemic, this might be the perfect option. The 3D tours
show the ancient Egyptian sites in stunning detail, allowing viewers to
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navigation on Google Street View works.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities began posting the tours
as a way to share these wonders with people who are staying at home to
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announced on its Facebook page.
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of the most visited and best preserved” of the elite tombs from the 18th
Dynasty of 1549 BCE to 1292 BCE, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
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among Egypt’s upper crust. Titles found in his tomb suggest he was a
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Hartwig, ARCE president emeritus, wrote in the book The Tomb Chapel of
Menna (TT 69): The Art, Culture, and Science of Painting in an Egyptian
Tomb.
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Tourism and Antiquities. LAURA GEGGEL

15
 HOT SPOT
Optoma CinemaX P1

$8,499, www.optoma.com

Optoma CinemaX P1
It isn’t cheap, but this short-throw 4K projector is worth the money.

Short-throw projectors are images without any of the fuss of images, but it’s not too big for
arguably changing the way you traditional projection systems. something that you can put on a
can set up your home theater. Here’s what it’s like to test table in front of a screen. That said,
Gone are the days when you have one out. it’s not necessarily a great portable
to mount a projector to the ceiling option so don’t plan on bringing it
Possibly out of
or make sure nothing is in front of Design the reach of the with you to your friend’s next
it. Now, you can simply plop a The Optoma CinemaX P1 is built to average home movie night.
theater
projector down in front of your look and feel premium – and it enthusiast. But On the front of the projector,
screen or surface. succeeds at doing that. The still superb. dZ`ɪWW
ʭYO
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Just take a look at the Optoma []ZUPN_Z]
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for the speakers, while on the sides
CinemaX P1. black-and-gold color-scheme that dZ`ɪWW
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At a hefty$8,499, the projector should look great in any home fans, along with a HDMI 2.0 port
certainly isn’t cheap – and is theater – plus the remote is and USB port on the right side for
reserved more for those who are uncomplicated and easy to convenience. And, of course, on the
building a dedicated home theater navigate. top, you’ll get an angled opening
space and want a quality image to At 22.1 x 5.1 x 15 inches, the for the laser in the projector.
match – but for those who can projector itself might be a little The back of the projector is
LʬZ]O
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bigger than it looks in some where you’ll get all the other ports,

16
 relatively pricey in a world
where the cost of 4K projectors
At a hefty $8,499, the projector is coming down. Thankfully,

certainly isn’t cheap and is reserved however, it delivers.

This projector is a DLP laser
more for those who are building a projector with a Texas Instruments
dedicated home theater space and XPR DLP chip built into it, which
results in an excellent contrast
want a quality image to match. ratio. It also means that the
projector, natively, projects at
connecting to your Wi-Fi network 1080p, but uses pixel shift
and optionally creating an technology to ultra-quickly emit
Optoma account. Unfortunately, four times that in a way that’s
you won’t really be guided invisible to the naked eye. Some
through much of tweaking the purists may disagree, but the result
image of the projector, so you’ll is basically a 4K image.
have to do that manually when In HDR, the image quality on
you’re done with the initial setup. this projector is stunning. Colors
There are a few things to note are deep and vivid, while black
about setting up the image of the levels are actually pretty good.
projector. Using short-throw Projector technology just isn’t able
projectors like this can be tricky to reproduce OLED-level black-
with projection screens, so you levels the same way an OLED TV
might want to consider either can, and that may never happen
making sure you have a flat white – but as long as you’re aware of
wall, or buying a specialised taut that going in, you’ll be pleasantly
projector screen like the ALR101 surprised.
screen that Optoma sells. That’s In HDR, you’ll get a number of
because of the fact that average image modes, including film,
projector screens that you mount detail, bright, and standard. I
to the ceiling and pull down ended up starting with standard
usually aren’t perfectly straight mode and tweaking a few things
– and those flaws are amplified by from there, but ultimately, I was
a projector that’s so close to able to achieve a beautifully
and there’s a good selection of the screen. detailed image. That was especially
them. There’s an ethernet port in Thankfully, if you do have a true with content like David
case you don’t want to use Wi-Fi, standard projector screen, you can Attenborough’s Our Planet, which
and S/PDIF and aux ports for use Optoma’s SmartFit geometric offered rich colors, while Star Wars:
audio. There are also two HDMI calibration tech to remedy some Rise of Skywalker emphasised the
2.0 ports, bringing the total to of those issues. The way it works relatively deep black levels that
three, and a USB port. is actually pretty smart – it relies you’ll get. The projector supports
The remote is also well- on a smartphone app that HDR10, but you won’t get Dolby
designed – and far less connects to the projector through Vision or HDR10+.
complicated than most other Wi-Fi, and calibrates the The Optoma CinemaX P1 actually
projector remotes, and bears a projection based on a photo that has great speakers built into it, and
striking resemblance to the you take in the app. After using while we still recommend
Nvidia Shield TV remote, with a SmartFit, we found that the upgrading to an actual sound
circular directional pad and protection was far better fit to the system if you have the finances
selection button in the middle, screen we tested on, though there and the space, in a pinch you’ll still
volume controls, and software were still a few warps here and get decent audio quality without
controls. there that rendered the image a too many compromises.
little imperfect. All that to say, use
Setup and software a completely flat surface if
Setting up a projector can be possible, or get used to a good, but The Optoma CinemaX P1 offers a
good image quality and solid
intimidating, but thankfully the not perfect, image.
built-in sound. It’s let down by the
CinemaX P1 walks you through
sub-par software experience, but
most of it: When you turn the Performance if you use a streaming box, that
projector on for the first time, The Optoma CinemaX P1 isn’t won’t matter.
you’ll be guided through IMAX-grade, but it’s still Christian de Looper

17
 HOTSPOT
Opinion

Duncan Bell is
robot ready
At last, the robot cleaning revolution we were
promised is here… almost…

If there’s one area of technology enthusiasts interested during the forwards a bit and repeat. Then I
that’s improved the most in the sector’s lengthy pupal stage is of get confused and give up, while
past decade, it’s probably mobile course the belief – the dream, if bleeping plaintively.
phones. Boring. But if there’s you will – that one day a beautiful Going in straight lines from one
another tech branch that’s gone up õĺăØŅĤŅę òƀŹŹăŬƲƛ ƕĤĺĺ ăłăŬęă̖  end of the room to the other, while
in the world o’er whatever robot vac that doesn’t get lost navigating around or under
arbitrary amount of time you care under your sofa, blunder haplessly obstacles? No thank you very
to think of, it’s been the robot and repeatedly into obstacles, lock much! That would be a simply
vacuum cleaner. łă ŎƀŹ Ŏė łƛ ĠŎƀŰă ŎŬ ̩ ØŰ ridiculous way to clean!
The earliest robot vacs were in one famous-online incident – However, now a saviour has
rather magical, in that here you quite literally smear dogshit all arisen! As you may note, the most
ĠØû Ø ĺĤŹŹĺă ûĤŰõ ŹĠØŹ ŰõƀŬŬĤăû over your home. recent issue of our sister title T3 is
ØòŎƀŹ ŰƀõķĤŅę ŰŹƀƫ ƀŨ̖ There have been more the Awards issue – and I
Unfortunately, they were also like than a few false dawns have slightly cheated in
magic in the sense that they along the way. Like a lot choosing the winner of
ûĤûŅ̵Ź ƕŎŬķ ĤŅ ŬăØĺ ĺĤėă̖ of people, I was sure Best Robot Vacuum,
Let me tell you a true story. Dyson must have because it’s not actually
About eight years ago, I got locked cracked it, when it I once got locked out of out until later this month.
out of my house by a robot vac. It introduced the 360 Eye. That is because the
was so stupid, it didn’t know what It was an excellent
my house by a robot vac. Roborock S6 MaxV is like
a door was. So while I was out, it launch, and their It was so stupid, it didn’t if The Beatles, Kraftwerk,
kept on ramming into my arguments were so know what a door was. and the Sex Pistols all
apartment’s bathroom door, until persuasive. turned up at once, when
it managed to wedge it against my Alas, although all we had at the time was
front door. Admittedly that is also Dyson’s squat little valet !ĺĤƫ™ĤõĠØŬû̖
Ø òĤŹ Ŏė Ø ûăŰĤęŅ ƲØƕ ƕĤŹĠ łƛ ƲØŹ ûŬŎĤû õăŬŹØĤŅĺƛ Űƀõķăû ƀŨ ŰŹƀƫ §ĠĤŰĤŰØŬŎòŎŹŰŎƱăŅûĤŰĠĺƛ
– I have a big door-mounted coat łŎŰŹ ăƫăõŹĤƔăĺƛ̐ ĤŹ ØĺŰŎ ƕŎŬķăû clever, it can not only avoid plug
rack on that door now, so it can’t with both painful slowness and strips, shoes, and pedestals – the
happen again. invariably haphazard accuracy. I latter in particular has repeatedly
Over the years, I’ve had so many don’t think I had ever known true proven to be robo-vac Kryptonite
robot vacuum cleaners, and they irritation until I watched the way – it can actually recognise them.
have all been, to varying degrees, that Dyson vac ‘navigates’. And then show them on a map just
terrible at navigating and terrible You see, the 360 Eye moves in to prove it’s recognised them! It’s
at sucking debris up. Those are spirals until it hits an obstacle, ØĺŰŎęŬăØŹØŹŰƀõķĤŅęŰŹƀƫƀŨ̐
ŹƕŎ ūƀĤŹă ŰĤęŅĤƱõØŅŹ ƲØƕŰ ƕĠăŅ then it tries to start another spiral. moves at lightning speed, is quiet,
your raison d’étre is to make your Dyson’s engineers were – and are and has an app that actually works.
way around a home and clean it. – adamant that this is the ‘most I’m sure for most the arrival of a
It’s like having a kids’ TV presenter ăƬõĤăŅŹ̵ ƕØƛ ėŎŬ Ø òŎŹ ŹŎ łŎƔă̖ great robot vac elicits little more
who looks terrible on telly, and And if you think about it, that’s so ŹĠØŅØŰĠŬƀę̖ƀŹĠØƔĤŅęŰƀƫăŬăû
ĠØŹăŰ ķĤûŰ ̩ Ø ŰŹØŹă Ŏė ØƫØĤŬŰ true isn’t it? When I am vacuuming through all the genre’s long
familiar to anyone who grew up in manually, I now like to spin in a growing pains, I am practically
the 70s or 80s. little spiral that gradually spreads ecstatic. TL
What’s kept robot-vac ŎƀŹ ƀŅŹĤĺ R ĠĤŹ Ø ƕØĺĺ̐ ŹĠăŅ R ŰĠƀƯă

18
Gadget Guru
Our tame tech expert lets
us into his shed of knowledge.

How do I step up my standard bricks’n’blocks

Lego game, Guru? collections. It’s always been home
While GaGu is somewhat excited at to innovation, and is starting to
the prospect of the forthcoming ZʬP] `[ ^ZXP QL] XZ]P LOaLYNPO
Super Mario Lego, with its mechanical marvels of its own.
Bluetooth and sensors and screens Witness the slow trundle of the
and wahoos, that’s only one kind Top Gear Rally Car and the 4X4
of technological Lego – the C_]PXP :ʬ=ZLOP] MZ_S
company’s STEM-focused sets are app-controlled and both plenty
utterly cool if you actually want to fun. Then contact your bank
learn something. Mindstorms is manager about the enormous and
probably your most obvious digital incredibly desirable Liebherr R
port of call, and while it’s not been 9800 Excavator, a 4,108 piece
updated in a couple of years, the machine with a laundry list
Mindstorms EV3 set gives you a of controls.
bunch of studded sensors and You know what GaGu says,
motors with which to concoct all though: go big and stay home. As
kinds of robotic creations; for long as you’re holed up with
slightly younger kids, the Boost relatives able to tolerate that your
Creative Toolbox does similar assembled ABS knick-knack takes ABOVE Are cheap smart
things. There’s even a Star-Wars- up more than its fair share of shelf Scrimping on
smart lighting
bulbs any good?
themed Boost set: Star Wars Droid space, the 7,541-piece Millennium isn’t a bright All depends on what you’re
Commander, which lets you build Falcon set is a fan favourite with idea – but screwing into the ceiling, dear
affordable bulbs
and pilot an R2-D2 around hours of building enjoyment abound reader, but Guru can speak
your desk. backing it up, though the Imperial from experience when he says
And don’t overlook the Technic Star Destroyer makes up for its that Innr does a cracking smart
range, which is way more comparatively titchy part count bulb, Hue Hub compatible and
interesting to build and with a larger footprint. cheap for a full-colour variety.
^`M^P\`PY_Wd ʭOOWP bT_S _SLY _SP Tom Wardlow He has also been impressed
with TP-Link’s illuminating
output, be it RGB or Edison-
Gadget Guru’s magic box style. They ape LIFX in work-
GaGu obviously doesn’t like to date these out within seconds of going on sale. And ing on Wi-Fi alone, which does
pieces, knowing full well that his oeuvre will not all to consumers, if Ebay and Amazon’s away with the pesky outlay for
one day act as the Manual for Civilisation by third-party listings are to be believed. a hub, and they’re good look-
which a future society will rebuild their This is not an uncommon thing in this day ing too – particularly the new
gadget acumen from the ashes, but damn: and age. Supply chains are a mess, factories generation of Kasa Smart Light
this staying at home business is tough. It’s are shut down, and gadget emporia are Bulb Multicolour.
not a great shift for Guru himself, you struggling to operate. GaGu is not angry This is a sample size of just
understand, as your favourite uncle basically about short supply, and neither should you two, but it’s proof there’s good
never leaves Guru Towers in usual be. But it does highlight the fact that the toys ^_`ʬ L_ _SP WZbP] PYO ?SP]P L]P
circumstances. But the family, coughing and we surround ourselves with are probably a Y`XP]Z`^ bST_P LYO ZʬbST_P
wheezing outside Guru’s hermetically sealed little less precious than the stuff we really ZʯNTLW 3`P M`WM^ _SL_ L]PYɪ_ _SL_
office room, are struggling to cope. GaGu’s need. With luck we’ll bounce back and soon much more expensive in their
proposed solution was to purchase an be able to squander our liquid funds on as own right. Those ultra-cheap
Oculus Quest in order to entirely block out much fun stuff as we like; until then, don’t no-brand bulbs with suspiciously
the horrors surrounding him. feed those gouging us for more. similar remote controls, though?
Alas, Guru’s idea was far from To coin a phrase
p oft-uttered by Mrs Guru, Yeah, GaGu would avoid those
unique. Apparently he is not the the yearning will have to suffice. given that he prefers to see
only one in need of a things at night, preferably not by
distraction, and new Questss _SP WTRS_ ZQ _SP ʮLXP^ M`]YTYR
(and Nintendo Switches, and down his home.
all kind of other goodies) se
ell Paul Rose

19
 HOT SPOT
Sony ZV-1

2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$1,299, www.sony.com.au

Sony ZV-1
A powerful pocket vlogging camera for YouTubers.

The Sony ZV-1 is like a Sony RX100 Sadly, Sony’s touchscreen also helps to reduce the ZV-1’s
Mark V that’s been redesigned for functionality is still pretty price tag, if not by quite as much
YouTubers. The end result isn’t limited. You can tap the screen to as we’d hoped.
perfect, but it does fix most of the pull focus in video, for example, The option to plug accessories
criticisms we had of the Mark V but not navigate menus or even like LED lights or external
when it came to video shooting. zoom in on photos. That’s a shame microphones into that hotshoe is
Along with the Canon G7X Mark for a camera that’s been designed a real bonus. If you purchased the
III, it’s one of the few compact primarily for people who are Sony RX100 VII you had to buy an
cameras that’s been designed upgrading from smartphones; external bracket to mount them,
primarily for video. still, the benefit of that side- but there are no such worries
First, the good bits. The best hinged screen is that there’s room with the ZV-1, and this brings us
new feature is a side-hinged on top of the camera for a hotshoe. to another of the ZV-1’s vlogging
articulating touchscreen. This This hotshoe replaces the bonuses: a 3.5mm mic input.
kind of screen is better than a electronic viewfinder you’ll find Sony also bundles a ‘dead cat’
tilting one for shooting video, on Sony’s RX100 series. Losing a windshield with the ZV-1, which
because it leaves the top and built-in EVF would be a big deal plugs into the hotshoe to help
bottom of the camera free for for a stills-focused camera, and counter wind noise when you’re
attaching accessories. Crucially, it it’s something to bear in mind if shooting outdoors. But as we’ll
also flips around 180 degrees to you need an all-rounder for both see later, an external microphone
face forwards, allowing those photos and video. But it makes is still significantly better than
operating one-person YouTube sense for a vlogging camera like any built-in equivalent, making
channels to frame their shots the ZV-1, because its target that 3.5mm port a crucial
without needing someone behind audience will mostly be using the inclusion.
the camera. screen as a viewfinder – and it Slightly less welcome is the
inclusion of a microUSB port
below the mic port. While it’s far
from a deal-breaker, we expect
The Sony ZV-1 does what many vloggers have all new cameras to offer USB-C
ports these days for speedy
been crying out for – it combines the lens of the charging and all-round
Sony RX100 Mark V (or at least a mildly tweaked convenience. The Fujifilm X-T4,
for example, comes with a USB-C
version of it) with Sony’s latest Bionz X processor
headphone adaptor that lets you
and autofocus skills. monitor the sound on your

20
recordings, which is something Features stabilisation, and is available in
you can’t do on the ZV-1. You can Sony’s camera menus are 4K shooting too.
at least charge the Sony ZV-1 renowned for being about as
while using the camera, though, user-friendly as a book of Video and image quality
so it’s not completely stuck in the hieroglyphics, and it’s done a Like the most recent Sony RX100
charging dark ages. couple of things in an effort to cameras, the ZV-1 oversamples
make the ZV-1 a bit more its video footage before
Autofocus and lens intuitive for beginners. downsampling it to 4K. This
The Sony ZV-1 does what many These include two new default process produces sharper results
vloggers have been crying out for settings for the camera’s two than alternative techniques like
– it combines the lens of the Sony custom buttons. The first of pixel binning, and you can see
RX100 Mark V (or at least a mildly these, called the ‘Bokeh switch’, this in its 4K footage – it’s very
tweaked version of it) with Sony’s will instantly switch to a crisp and detailed, and has no
latest Bionz X processor and wide-open aperture to give your crop unless you’re shooting with
autofocus skills. footage a defocused ‘Active’ stabilisation.
Why include the 24-70mm lens background. Unlike smartphone It’s a slight shame the ZV-1
from the Mark V, rather than the ‘portrait’ modes, there’s no doesn’t have a 4K/60p option, as
A range of
24-200mm lens seen on the last computational trickery going on features make this would let you slow down 4K
two Sony RX100 cameras? Because here – it’s purely a shortcut this the perfect clips without any loss in quality.
camera for
the former is simply more suited based on traditional optics. vloggers and
But it’s not a major miss, and the
to vlogging, thanks to its brighter The second and perhaps more wannabe 4K/30p mode impresses with its
f/1.8-2.8 aperture. This combines useful custom button is called YouTube lack of rolling shutter, which is a
celebrities.
nicely with the camera’s 1-inch ‘Product showcase’, which is common side-effect of CMOS
sensor to give your videos some designed specifically for sensors that sometimes results
pleasing background blur, while YouTubers who specialise in in skewed lines during fast
still photos also benefit from the reviews. panning movements.
knock-on effect of the ability to
shoot at lower ISOs in equivalent Performance
scenes (albeit at the expense of Alongside great autofocus, a
The Sony ZV-1 is the best compact
that longer 200mm reach). forward-facing screen and good
vlogging camera you can buy. Its
But the ZV-1’s real ace is pairing audio options, vlogging cameras
mix of a bright lens, superb
this bright lens with some of also need impressive image autofocus and design tweaks like
Sony’s latest Real-time autofocus stabilisation to help keep the side-flipping screen make it a
tech. This is possible thanks to the handheld footage steady. Of powerful pocket video option with
combination of the Bionz X those four features, this is the few peers. Those seeking
processor (also seen in the Sony ZV-1’s weakest area. super-smooth walking footage
might find its image stabilisation a
full-frame Sony Alpha A9 II) and Not that its SteadyShot
slight let-down, and it has a few
that 1-inch, 20.1MP stacked CMOS system is bad, by any means. Its
familiar usability quirks, but the
sensor, which has 315 phase- most powerful ‘Active’ ZV-1 remains the best video
detect autofocus points covering stabilisation mode combines all-rounder in its weight class.
65% of the frame. optical and electronic Mark Wilson

21
 DISCOVER
Emerging tech

Bleeding
edge: the best
of emerging
tech
TechLife’s practical monthly
roundup with Joel Burgess
of emerging tech experiences,
including all the latest virtual and
augmented reality apps, alongside
AI apps and other useful tools.

While Zoom may have taken over the 2D remote meeting XR

space, VR has its own novel online meeting platform that Survival VR
NZ`WO
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to use your wits and knowledge to overcome obstacles to
machine learning algorithm that can write its own game code get out of a particularly hairy situation.
from watching videos.

XR XR
MicroProse The Mighty Eighth MeetinVR
$TBC, microprose.com/games/the-mighty-eighth $57 per user per month, meetinvr.com
If you were a gamer in the 90s you’d be familiar with MicroProse Companies like Zoom have been catapulted into the modern
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work day by the global Coronavirus lockdown, but there are
you weren’t there’s a good chance you’ll love the game it’s about perhaps even better ways to have virtual meetings these days.
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called The Mighty Eighth. The game supposedly has your team speaker for deeper engagement or draw on a white board to
manning a WW2 bomber to victory in a unique new immersive illustrate a point. You can even bring up presentations and hand
game, and if it’s anywhere near as imaginative as its original out slides for members to look at. MeetinVR has so many
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meetings, especially if it saves lengthy travel times.

22
 Nvidia AI builds Pacman
clone just by watching
In what is a pretty clear display of
how good AI is at coding, a machine
learning algorithm created by Nvidia
has managed to build a recreation of
the Pacman game by using only
videos of the game being played and
the corresponding controller input
XR XR signals. While the recreation is a little
Wallace and Gromit: The Big Lenovo Mirage VR S3 blurrier than the original and the
Fix Up $TBC, techtoday.lenovo.com ghosts don’t have their uniquely
Free, thebigfixup.co.uk A new VR headset from Lenovo and Pico coded ‘personalities’, the general gist
Wallace and Gromit was a rite of passage Interactive that features 4K resolution of the game is there to a level that
for anyone born in the decade or so (1920 x 2160 for each eye) and a only experienced players would
before the turn of the century, but a OPR]PP
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new smartphone app has you helping whatever it is you’ll be needing a serious and cruise ship data
W&G to update some of the older parts of workstation or gaming GPU to even get While you’ve probably heard about
the city of Bristol by completing a range simple graphics running properly. the positive environmental effects
of tasks from multiplayer AR to that emerge as an unintended
answering phone calls. consequence of the international
coronavirus travel bans, you may not
have expected this to have impeded
our ability to detect and plan for
extreme weather events. The
advanced systems onboard
commercial cruise liners and
passenger jets collect a lot of
information about the climate in the
more obscure regions of the globe
and meteorologists are now
highlighting that it is the second
most important data, behind
AI AI satellites, for extreme weather
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make plastic from $TBC, sony.net
greenhouse gases 8Z^_
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from Carnegie Mellon to use AI to processing power that’ll allow it to use seem like a trivial detail, this next-gen
crystalise CO2 into the plastic- machine-learning-optimised visual feature is a visually impressive
precursor ethylene. While the AI tasks at the image-capture level, which development that is a surprisingly
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catalyst chemicals that would reduce the COVID-19 lockdown to shake up
the overall energy-cost to produce. the game’s bottle visuals.

23
 DISCOVER
Best new apps

Best new apps

Hope Corrigan reviews the most interesting new apps for iOS and Android.

2020 2020 2020

EDITOR’S EDITOR EDITOR

CHOICE APPROVED APPROVED

Free Free Free

iOS iOS, Android iOS, Android
mgnsw.org.au www.indigemoji.com.au www.copwatch.org

Welcome to Country Indigemoji Copwatch

As we all explore Australia, we can often >_TNVP]^
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24
 Free Free Free
iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android
deadlytots.com.au blackdoginstitute.org.au www.kooriradio.com

Deadly Tots iBobbly Koori Radio

I don’t have kids, and this is in no small This is another app in which I have to The next time you’re looking for a new
part due to how daunting I believe that LOXT_
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jam to listen to, download Koori Radio
would be. I wanted to check out Deadly review. You see, iBobbly isn’t for me - it’s and let it show you the way. As far as apps
Tots because it has good reviews and an for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait go it’s a super basic little radio player
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Islander people who need some help without many options but it does give
children through a First Nations with mental health. I still found it you a nice clear broadcast from Sydney’s
perspective sounds excellent. However, resonated quite well with mental health only First Nations radio station. There’s a
what really enamoured me to Deadly issues and provided useful tools to deal section that lets you check Facebook and
Tots is it has a real emphasis on love, with them. iBobbly talks about really its website to see upcoming programs but
stories, and family. I created a few fake TX[Z]_LY_
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children and the advice was always clear ^`T_
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Instead, it’s all about the content. You’ll
without sending me into a headspin. It between admiration and envy, and hear a lot of local music that might not
focuses on telling you what your child dealing with negative thoughts. It talks have otherwise reached your ears and
(real or otherwise) would be learning at about the people we want to be, and really good conversations from the
that age, how they process emotions, what makes us beyond our intrusive perspective of First Nations people. As I
and what they need from you during that thoughts and it does this in simple terms write this I’m getting a new perspective
time. You can also upload pictures that without feeling condescending. I from some genuinely likeable kiwi
correlate to that age and learning period actually found most of it quite valuable women of colour hosting the current
to look back on, which creates a and would even say more so than most segment. It’s an easy way to get educated,
beautifully contextual memory book other mental health apps. It felt more ʭYO
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that you can even print out. Plus, It also like it was talking about me as a person ^ZXP
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tells you what kind of health things to to be built to the best I could make itself is a bit basic and underwhelming
look out for, when to go for health myself and made that feel almost but the station is more than worth your
checkups, and cultural calendar events. possible. I hope it does even half as much time.
for those it’s made for.

2020
2020

EDITOR’S
EDITOR CHOICE
APPROVED

25
 DISCOVER
Games news

Watch out for Sims

peeing fire in the
latest Sims 4 update
The Sims 4 just got a brand
Destiny 2 on PS5 and
new update and expansion
pack that’s all about going
Xbox Series X will be a free
green, but more importantly,
Sims are peeing fire now. The
cross-gen upgrade
terrifying bug was
Intergenerational cross-play also confirmed.
introduced with a sizable
new patch preceding the Eco
The latest Destiny 2 expansion, Beyond Light, part of the Xbox Smart Delivery service,
Lifestyle DLC, available now.
will support free cross-gen upgrades for PS5 which ensures that your purchases will play
It’s not uncommon for
and Xbox Series X players, alongside all best on whatever platform you’re running
updates to arrive hiding
expansions for the game. them on. Bungie also confirmed that PS4
some unpalatable
Announced as part of a recent Destiny 2 purchases will upgrade to PS5 for free. The
dysfunction, but this just
reveal stream, players who buy Beyond Light studio will share more Destiny 2 next-gen
might take the cake.
on PS4 and Xbox One can expect to upgrade news over the course of the summer, so it
their copies of the expansion for free when seems likely we’ll learn more about its
they move onto next-gen consoles. Game cross-generational plans between now and
director Mark Noseworthy confirmed that all the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Oh,
content you own, past and present, will also and these consoles will run Destiny 2 at 60
be cross-gen. Destiny 2: Beyond Light will be frames per second and 4K resolution.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

and Warzone matches now
Kingdoms of
Amalur: Re-
begin with Infinity Ward’s
Reckoning is Black Lives Matter statement
officially coming in
NBA 2K20 also raising awareness of movement in-game.
August
THQ Nordic is releasing a
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has received a never truly be the community we strive to
remastered version of the
new update from Infinity Ward, with an be.” The update arrives after Activision
2012 fantasy RPG Kingdoms
in-game statement in support of the Black announced it would be delaying both Call of
of Amalur: Reckoning on
Lives Matter protests now appearing at the Duty: Modern Warfare season 4 and Call of
August 18. The oh-so
start of every multiplayer match, including Duty: Mobile season 7, explaining that “now
cleverly-named Kingdoms of
those in Call of Duty: Warzone. is not the time” to focus on distractions as
Amalur: Re-Reckoning is
“The systemic inequalities our community protests continue across the globe.
reintroducing the original
experiences are once again center stage. Call Infinity Ward also revealed more
title with presumably clearer,
of Duty and Infinity Ward stand for equality yesterday about the steps it would be taking
crisper visuals and improved
and inclusion.” reads the statement. “We to address and crack down on the racist
gameplay. The remaster also
stand against the racism and injustice our usernames that are found amongst its
includes all DLC previously
Black community endures. Until change playerbase, admitting that it “needs to do
released for the game.
happens and Black Lives Matter, we will more” to tackle “repeat offenders”.

26
Fable 4 is happening, it’s story-focused,
and everything else we know so far
Prepare to return to Albion in Fable 4 by learning everything we know so far about
the rumoured title.

From the rumours, it looks like very solid about what they are destroyed by an asteroid that got
Fable 4 is almost definitely doing. I will harken back to … the wished into existence by a Mad
happening. 2020 could well be the Marvel MMO. Anybody remember King who took control of the
year we finally see the game too, us announcing a Marvel MMO? We Tattered Spire, the Will-fuelled
as it feels appropriate to fall into didn’t even have a team that was tower from Fable 2 that granted
part of the upcoming Xbox Series signed that would do the Marvel the person who controlled it one
X games line-up, which will be MMO.” Sounds like Microsoft wish once it was built. So now it’s
revealed a little more at an learnt their lessons from that down to you to use time travel to
incoming July event. There’s mistake, as Spencer goes on to save it… we think.
reason to hope at least, anyway. talk about how his team decides Theresa and the Guild are
With the release of the Xbox Series when is the right time to officially hiding away on another planet
X this ‘Holiday 2020’, we’re at confirm which games are on the that you can access via a demon
The new Fable
least hoping that Fable 4 will be a horizon. will feature an door, but if you want you can
part of the console’s future. “Running a studio organisation open world, ignore the entirety of the main
town-building,
It is apparently in development and making sure we’re talking no guns, and...
quest and never become a hero at
at Playground Games, the studio about games at the right time, time travel?! all. Players can also build their
that has brought you the glorious when we know what we’re trying own towns in the completely open
Forza Horizon series. We know that to build - I’m not making any world, which ties into the main
courtesy of a huge Fable 4 leak that comment specifically about Fable; quest (unsurprising for anyone
emerged a while back, which it’s about anything in the portfolio who’s played any Fable games),
revealed that a massive chunk of ... that we have … some idea of plus the character creator is
the gameplay, and core themes, when it would come out” is a majorly in depth. For those who
may have changed, including that priority, says Spencer. “The thing were miffed about the guns in
the game is likely set across I love about our [E3 2019] show Fable 3 and 2, you can rest assured
multiple planets, and could even was 60 games and the first party that there are zero guns in Fable 4.
involve time travel. Madness. games - I could tell you when Oh yeah, and there’s finally
Interestingly, Xbox’s Phil those all were shipping, and I can multiplayer! The whole thing is
Spencer has an answer as to why play those games, most of them being made in Unreal Engine, so it
we didn’t see Fable 4 at E3 last here, and can put my hands on should look pretty as heck. Now
year. He says Xbox wants “to them and make promises.” we just need to see it in action…
make sure that when we talk Ok, time to run down what got
about things to come, whether it’s included in the Fable 4 E3 2019
Fable or not, that the team feels leak. Apparently Albion has been

27
 DISCOVER
PC & console games

$29.95, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC , www.minecraft.net

Minecraft Dungeons
A more approachable entry point for the hack and slash genre.

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Dungeon’s entertainment value. Rachel Watts

28
 2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$49, PC, www.origin.com

2020 The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle

THE GREEN LIFE ISN’T A SIMPLE
EDITOR
APPROVED
ONE, BUT IT’S CERTAINLY
$56.95, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, www.tripwireinteractive.com FULFILLING.

Maneater
With Eco Lifestyle, every Sims 4
neighborhood from Glimmerbrook
to San Myshuno can have an
A single-minded machine of delightful destruction. eco-footprint directly affected by
your gameplay. Even if you decide to
live off-the-grid and use alternative
You’re going to need a bigger shark. collectibles - nutrient caches to help fuel sources to help nudge that
When you start out in Maneater, the you bulk up, landmarks to seek out, eco-footprint closer to green, just like
open-world bull shark adventure license plates to collect - that you can in the real world, the green living
that’s all about wreaking bloody hunt down at your leisure. It might ain’t easy.
vengeance, you’re just a pup. You’re sound repetitive, and it can be, but it’s You could say that Eco Lifestyle is
LMWP
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N]`YNS
_S]Z`RS
L
QPb
NL_ʭ^S
so much fun to launch your shark into a the most political expansion pack in
and turtles but still at risk from gang of screaming ravers or to savage The Sims 4. Sure, the developers
barracuda and shark hunters. Progress LY
TYʮL_LMWP
`YTNZ]Y
LYO
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[L^^PYRP]^
have made it clear that they’re not
in this game is marked by furious, that the urge to put the pad down just forcing you to play the
joyous binge eating of everything in never quite seems to hit. It’s helped by environmentally woke way, but it’s
sight, allowing your shark to gain the genius addition of a wildlife hard not to wince as your Sim
body mass, age up, and take on bigger documentary-style narration provided routinely coughs in the smoggy
and bigger prey. Like its hero, the by Chris Parnell - Jerry Smith from Rick environment of the more
game is a single-minded machine of and Morty, Dr. Leo Spaceman on 30 Rock industrialised neighborhoods.
delightful destruction, and a piece of - that talks you through every The concept is solid - since there
undeniable, over the top landmark, story beat and discovery. are so many opportunities to
entertainment. This is no worthy exploration of dumpster dive for goodies, recycle
The game guides you through this man’s cruelty to the natural world, and I unused items, and craft your own
progression with missions. Spoiler, all suspect marine biologists would have homewares and artisanal beverages,
the missions involve killing and eating something to say about much of the the clothing should give off DIY
things, and not much else. You’ll have science, but it’s the perfect distraction vibes as well. But an asymmetrical
to eat a certain number of humans from a world gone mad, and weirdly denim skirt over denim capris?
hanging out on a beach, or take down a therapeutic. That’s just offensive to the eco-
particular boat, or kill a quota of seals, conscious community.
grouper, or hammerhead sharks.
Every area also has an Apex Predator, a
Mostly cool looks and hard work
gnarly looking barracuda or orca say, A salty, sometimes silly, chum bucket make for an eco-friendly expansion
that will provide a challenge. The of fun. that inspires.
RLXP
LW^Z
ʭWW^
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bZ]WO
bT_S
Rachel Weber Alyssa Mercante

29
 DISCOVER
Mobile games

Mobile games
James Pinnell reviews the latest games for android & iOS smartphones & tablets.

2020 2020

EDITOR’S EDITOR’S
CHOICE CHOICE

Pascal’s Wager
$10.99
Many of the complaints that put people Lovecraftian lore, with an unforgiving
off investing time in mobile games tend combat system that requires very Shadowgun: War Games
to focus around depth and difficulty. The considered movements and attacks, Free with IAP
wide gulf across devices, controls, based on a stamina system. Shadowgun: War Games is an evolution of
operating systems, and graphical power While using a Bluetooth controller developer Madhammer Games’ popular
tends to restrain developers from (now supported on both iOS and Android) PVE shooter Shadowgun: Legends,
completing more ambitious projects that is easily the best control system, the swapping out its swarms of AI-
would commonly find themselves on touch controls are highly responsive controlled enemies for 5v5 matches of
consoles. Touch is a big part of this – the – although some more haptic feedback real players. Taking influence from team
reason the Nintendo Switch is so popular would be appreciated. It is easy to lock on shooters like Overwatch, each playable
is due to the fact it supports a wide range to enemies and quickly move and dodge character features specific weapons,
of control schemes, as it comes built with their attacks. But it is when you load this skills, and powers.
a set of controllers. Pascal’s Wager game up on a tablet with a PS4 controller Being mobile-focused however, maps
attempts to be one of the most ambitious where it truly shines – it feels, looks, are less elevated and extremely
mobile games I have ever played. It plays, and sounds like something you’d truncated in size – much of the design is
features a 50-hour long main story quest, find on Playstation 4. I will make a note around pushing players together as
fully-voiced cutscenes and a hybrid that this game is not for the faint hearted much as possible, removing much of the
control system (both innovative touch – its difficulty curve is very high, but if team strategy and instead putting a
screen controls and full controller you are looking for something to sink focus on individual uses of skills and
support). It features a very Bloodborne- your teeth into, Pascal’s Wager is an easy powers. In the rare moments there is a
inspired plot, heavily based in bet to make. synergy between players, it tends to be
by accident. I am sure this will improve
with time.
That said, there is enormous potential
here, with fantastic graphics, a high
framerate, controller support, leagues,
minimal monetisation, and a talented
developer pushing regular updates. It
plays extraordinarily well with touch
controls, thanks to years of data and
experience with previous games, and is
hands down one of the most impressive
arena shooters available.

30
 2020 2020

EDITOR EDITOR
APPROVED APPROVED

Bomb Bots Arena Bullet Echo Extreme Golf

Free with IAP Free Free
In the early days of Nintendo, I am always still surprised by the Extreme Golf, like most arcade golf
Bomberman was one of the most ingenuity of mobile developers in titles on mobile, follows the same
popular multiplayer experiences. It coming up with new genres seemingly formula that ultimately makes them
was a devilishly simple premise – every month. The low barrier to entry poor experiences. They are designed
you, a robot, shared a small maze with and restricted input control schemes well, fun and exciting, and have their
several other players that featured really bring out the creativity. Bullet own special features that separate
both destructible and indestructible Echo is a squad based, top down them from the competition, which in
boxes. The idea was to drop a bomb shooter that has you seeking out this case is allowing all four players to
that could potentially pin other enemies in a blacked-out map, using complete the hole at the same time,
players to death based on a range of light and angles to sneak out attacks. avoiding those annoying wait times in
different bomb types and skills. There are a variety of different between your shot and the
Bomb Bots Arena shamelessly steals characters, each with specific weapons competition.
this entire premise, but locks various and abilities. There is a sniper, agile but Controls are great, the holes are
characters behind monetisation, and weak, as well as a minigun-hauling well designed and there is a good
adds in a Battle Royale mode, with a giant that can take some serious amount of variety in each course. The
much larger map and significantly damage. Unfortunately, upgrades are league and tournament systems are
more players. But the general modes locked behind grinding games and fun to play in, as is the real-time
feature either four or eight players in a buying lootboxes, which tends to make nature of each match.
simple grid, with each match the matchmaking unbalanced when The issue lies at the base – Extreme
randomising block placement to you’re just starting out. Golf has excessive monetisation.
ensure variety in replay ability. However, matches are quick and fun, There are countless ads. Every club
There is a fun, frantic level of requiring little knowledge of squad- has a wide range of upgrades which
on-the-fly strategy in these games, based games, and the controls are provide obvious benefits, in one
especially as the maps throw in things responsive. The use of darkness and match a player got a hole in one with
like moving platforms, conveyor belts limited viewpoints gives each match an every single swing, while the rest of
and mystery boxes. Bomb Bots offers a element of anxiety and tension, which the players hit par or just below. If you
great two-three-minute match, is generally rare on the platform. spend around $10 you can easily
which suits a bus ride or a lunch break. dominate every match until you start
being bundled with the rest of the
paid players.
TL

31
 DISCOVER
COVER
XBox Seriies X

Everything
you need to
know about

SERIES X

With the next Xbox rapidly approaching, TechLife sifts

through every piece of info on the next-gen console.
DAVE MEIKLEHAM

Xbox Series X isn’t the future; it’s features that, historically, only super-
the incredibly tantalising, slightly- expensive PCs could deliver. With new tech, an
out-of-reach present. With Microsoft’s next- updated controller and a firm commitment to
gen baby out in a matter of months, TechLife put gamers front and centre, whether they’re
lifts the lid on the most powerful console of upgrading to Series X or sticking with Xbox
all time. One, the future has never been more exciting
From ray tracing to 8K; from variable for Team Green fans. Strap yourselves in as we
rate shading to 120fps gaming – this ultra- take you for the ultimate next-gen ride…
powerful system is providing cutting-edge

32
 POWER REDEFINED ABOVE AMD’s Zen
2 processor lies
at the heart of
Xbox Series X.

EXAMINING XBOX SERIES X’s

KILLER AMD INSIDES.
Say hello to the most powerful Xbox ever made. Thanks to a developers to stream in visual assets faster – reducing the
series of incredible components, Series X offers a true likelihood of pop-in and other graphical hitches – it should
K E Y S AT generational leap over existing consoles. With 12 teraflops lead to higher framerates. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has
of raw polygon-pushing power provided by AMD’s latest confirmed the console is capable of running games at a
Custom CPU Navi-based graphics processing unit (or GPU), Microsoft’s ludicrous 120fps, which is double the refresh rate at which
AMD Zen 2-b
base
ed monster is twice as powerful as Xbox One X, and incredibly, even the fastest games on Xbox One X run.
(8x @ 3.6G
GHz) eight times more powerful than the original Xbox One. Throw in AMD’s monstrous GPU that’s based on
Custom GPU Purpose-built to deliver rock-solid gameplay at resolutions sophisticated RDNA 2 architecture, and you’re left with a
AMD Navi-based
d of 4K and potentially even above, Xbox Series X games will next-gen console that’s all set to deliver the most visually
(12TF RDNA
A 2.0)) look sharper and run more smoothly than ever before. With a spectacular games ever made. Xbox Series X is a 4K,
16GB GDDR6
6 RAM
M custom AMD Zen 2 processor boasting eight cores and 16 lightning-fast dream machine, and no true Team Green fan
threads, Series X’s CPU is stupidly quick. Not only will this allow will be able to resist it.

TALKING
TERAFLOPS
BREAKING DOWN THE
GRAPHICS-PUSHING
TECH TERM.
What iis a teraflop? For those of you who aren’t tech savvy, it’s a fair
question. Xbox Series X has 12 of these, double that of Xbox One X.
Thatfigureensuresthenext-genconsolecanharness4K-pushing
power smoothly. Jason Ronald, partner director of program
management, spoke with Major Nelson to explain teraflops…

Teraflops is an easy way to describe the power of the

system and the GPU. But in reality, we view power much
more expansively than just teraflops itself. We’ve put a lot of
innovation into Xbox Series X, and the real magic is going to be the
integration between hardware and software.

JASON RONALD, TEAM XBOX

33
 DISCOVER
XBox Series X

8K EXPLAINED THE BLEEDING-EDGE TV TECH

WITH QUADRUPLE THE PIXELS.
Want to future-proof your Xbox Series X to an
insane degree? And by ‘future-proof’ we mean go
full Jetsons on your TV experience? Then consider
buying an 8K TV. Though the stupidly sharp format
has existed in the camera world for years, 8K 8K
displays have only recently hit the television
market. Boasting an absurd 33 million on-screen
pixels to hit 4230p, these ultra, Ultra HD displays
can are four times sharper than 4K TVs.
Don’t rush out and blow your life savings on
one just yet, though. There are a few colossal
caveats that you should consider. First up, 8K TVs
are super expensive – realistically, we’re looking
4K
at years until they hit a price point most Xbox fans
could comfortably afford. Secondly, there’s almost
no native 8K content available at the moment.
And thirdly, even with its incredible AMD graphics
architecture, it’s unlikely even the mighty Series X
will have the horsepower to ever run games in true
8K resolution. Thankfully, most of the small clutch
of 8K displays you can currently buy do a bang-
up job of upscaling 4K content, be it Red Dead
Redemption II ’s bewitching prairies or the latest
season of Better Call Saul on Netflix.

COME INTO ALL THE CASH? BLOW

THE LOT ON ONE OF THESE BABIES

SAMSUNG Q950R SONY Z9G LG Z9

75-INCH 8K QLED TV 85-INCH
85 INCH 8K TV 88-INCH 8K OLED
The best marriage between price and Sitting on a pile of cash the height of your 8K and OLED?! Hold us, gentle readers. Our
performance you’ll currently find in an average NBA player? Then why not spend inner AV obsessives adore this LG, though
8K set. This new HDR King is a stone-cold all of it on Sony’s Z9G? The typical build we do realise you need the bank balance
stunner capable of producing incredible quality you’d expect from the Japanese of Scrooge McDuck to actually afford one.
images. Whether you’re viewing/playing firm is immediately evident with this You’ll love the astonishing pixel depth of
in High Dynamic Range or not, the Q950R’s stunning TV, and the set’s brilliant 4K this panel and OLED’s class-leading
impeccable upscaling makes this a great upscaling makes the likes of Gears 5 sing contrast performance, and you get
option for Xbox fans. Remember, there’s the sweetest of shooty tunes. While the pictures that look so good, they’re damn
essentially no available 8K content at Z9G’s excellent XI Ultimate processor leads near otherworldly. Thanks to the sheer real
the moment, so the fact the immaculate to superb motion handling, this set isn’t estate the Z9 takes up, it also sounds all
upscaling abilities of this television flawless. Blooming rears its head in dark kinds of ear-arousing. Just bear in mind
can do wonders for 4K/1080p signals is scenes while the presence of only one
scenes,
sc onne the 88-inch brute can’t be wall-mounted…
hugely appreciated. HDMI
HD MI 2.1
1 por
ortt fe
feel
elss ex
el extr
trem
tremel
emelyy st
el stin
ingy
ingy.
gy not unless you want said wall to collapse.

34
 SHARE BUTTON
An Xbox pad finally gets a
feature the PS4 has been
able to boast about for
six years. This will let
you take screenshots in an
instant, putting an end to
the cumbersome process of
pressing Home then Y.

FRAME GAME
TERMINOLOGY EXPLAINED
AND WHY 60FPS IS THE
GOLDEN TARGET.
REDESIGNED D-PAD FLUSHER FACE BUTTONS
As you had the good sense to buy this
The D-pad has gone through Look closely and you can see
the most obvious change. the A, B, X and Y buttons mag, we’re assuming you have enough
Senior Xbox designer Ryan are more flush to the
Whitaker says it was given surface of the controller
love for all things tech to grasp the basic
a “slightly deeper dish than the Xbox One pad. concept of frames per second (fps). And if
that gives your thumb a Lessening the travel of
nice little ‘home’ to sit button presses will lead to you don’t, here’s a quick primer. Sooo…
in.” We like it a lot. a snappier feel. framerate is the frequency at which
images appear on a screen. The more
consecutive images that appear in any
given second, the smoother the picture.
In videogames, most titles aim for
30fps, yet 60fps is the true gold standard.
Doubling the refresh rate of a game
reduces input lag and controller latency,
making the on-screen action feel much

TAKING CONTROL
smoother. Historically, console games
have been limited to 60 frames and below,
but that’s set to change with Series X.
Thanks to its incredible innards, the
A N U P D AT E D PA D F O R next-gen console is capable of running
games at 120fps. Quadruple the refresh
A N E W G E N E R AT I O N . rate of 30fps, any Series X games that run
New console, new controller. At a glance, the Slightly smaller than its peripheral predecesso
or, at this ultra-low latency should feel
Series X controller looks almost identical to Microsoft says the controller’s “shape and size insanely responsive.
an Xbox One pad, but look closer and subtle have been refined to accommodate an even
yet key differences emerge. wider range of people”.

THE HERTZ LOCKER

HDMI 2.1
THE FUTURE OF TV
CABLE TECHNOLOGY.
If you’re dreaming about Future You playing Halo
Infinite 2 in space year 2028 on Xbox Series X,
SERIES X CHANGES THE GAME
you’ll need a TV with HDMI 2.1 ports. This format W I T H 1 2 0 H Z S U P P O R T.
supports 8K resolution up to 120Hz and there
are claims it can even support 10K. However, Xbox Series X is the first console to support 120Hz, by PC monitors. Thankfully, more and more TVs
unless you bought your TV in the last year, it’s which is a pretty big deal… providing you know (albeit expensive ones) now support 120Hz, like
unlikely your set has HDM1 2.1 slots. Not that what a hertz is. Simply put, it’s a unit of frequency the LG’s C8 OLED or the Samsung NU8000. That’s
HDM1 2.0 cables are in any way obsolete. While that’s equal to one cycle per second. In gaming good news because Xbox Series X is capable of
HDMI 2.0 doesn’t support 8K/60fps, it can run terms, hertz is directly tied to framerate; a outputting games at 120fps. While 4K/120fps is
the resolution at 30fps. Basically, you don’t television that supports 60Hz is capable of probably an unrealistic target for Series X games,
need to replace your current 4K telly to displaying games at 60fps. don’t be surprised if some studios offer 120fps at
enjoy Series X. While all modern sets support 60Hz, in the past, lower resolutions via a Shadow Of The Tomb
120Hz signals have generally only been supported Raider-aping ‘performance mode’.

35
 DISCOVER
XBox Series X

SPEED KILLS
They may sound worryingly like an
WHY SERIES X’S SSD
IS A GAME-CHANGER.

infection, but SSDs really are killer

tech components. Solid-state drives
boast far faster read/write speeds
than traditional hard drives. What’s
the practical in-game application, you
ask? Faster loading times, baby! Much
faster, in many cases.
Unlike Xbox One, Series X comes with
a built-in SSD. And it’s not just any old
solid-state drive. Microsoft’s next-gen
console sports a speedy NVMe SSD.
Not only will games load more quickly,
but in an interview with PC Games
Hardware, Phil Spencer confirmed the
console’s drive can deliver in-game
benefits that go beyond slashing load RIGHT› Series X
supports
times. “The ability to directly supply expansion cards
for extra
data to the CPU and GPU via the SSD will storage.
enable game worlds to be created that
INSET Buy an
will not only be richer, but also more external SSD to
cut load times.
seamless.

PITTING THE
NE X VS
CURRENT 4K
2017

PRINCE AGAINST
THE FUTURE
N E X T- G E N K I N G .
Let’s get ready to rumble! Xbox On ne X
may be a brilliant 4K console for th he
here and now, but it’s already clea ar
Series X is going to run rings
around its little brother.
In every key technical area the
GPU 6 TERAFLOPS INTEGRATED AMD CARD
next-gen console is streets ahead d of
its predecessor. With a more mod dern,
CPU 2.3GHZ AMD JAGUAR
more efficient GPU/processor c combo,
supremely fast memory and a solid-
state drive that will absolutely blitz
RAM 12GB GDDR5

load times compared to Xboxx One

air
X’s HDD, this is in no way a fa
DRIVE 4K/HDR BLU-RAY
fight. The king is dead… long g live
the Series X. HDD 1 TERABYTE

36
 SSD VS HDD STORAGE SPEEDS
HEAD-TO-HEAD.

EA H IEVES HALO WARS 2 FORZA HORIZON 4

SSD INITIAL LOAD TIME: 54 SECS SSD INITIAL LOAD TIME: 43 SECS SSD INITIAL LOAD TIME: 68 SECS
There are many Reddit threads Another significant win for Team SSD speeds to the top spot
dedicated to SSD vs HDD battles, SSD, with the Elite-bashing RTS on the podium with another
ABOVE Installing and these confirmed figures booting 18 seconds faster than resounding victory; this time,
your titles on
an external SSD
come from user BlackIronSnake. a traditional hard drive. Playing a whopping 91 seconds. Forza
really is a Booting up Rare’s games on a solid-state drive not Horizon 4’s beautiful take on
game-changer.
Booting from swashbuckling, shared-world only cuts load times, it can also Britain takes quite the time to
a solid-state buccaneer from an SSD almost lead to game assets streaming load, even on an SSD, but the
drive instantly
slashes load halves the load time compared into view more quickly, resulting boot time on a hard drive is
time, which is
a godsend for
to a normal hard drive. in smoother play. downright glacial by comparison.
impatient Team
Green fans.

XBOX SERIES X 2

GPU 12 TERAFLOPS AMD RDNA 2 CARD

LEFT Unlike its

next-gen big CPU 3.8GHZ AMD ZEN 2
brother, Xbox
One X supports
digital audio
cables.
RAM 16GB GDDR6

DRIVE
RIGHT The beefy
extra rear of 4K/UHD BLU-RAY
Xbox Series X
certainly is
well ventilated,
ain’t it?
SSD TBC NVME

37
 Jason Charles Hill,
Alpha 7R III,
FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM

7$.,1*7+(3(5)(&73+272:,7+7+(

Alpha 7R Series
from Sony
If you’re looking to take your photography to the next level, Sony has the camera to
help you get there. Whether you want to capture wildlife in amazingly still detail, or
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7R Series from Sony delivers unmatched resolution and performance.

f you want to capture the PICTURE PERFECTION crop mode. This will still output an

I world in all its glory, to find

and preserve special
The Alpha 7R IV is the headliner of
the Alpha 7R Series thanks to its
incredibly high 26.2 megapixel
image, but with the benefit of a 1.5x
moments, or – depending on your extraordinary 61MP Exmor R crop, effectively turning a 400mm
situation – take your existing back-illuminated CMOS image lens into a 600mm lens, and all that
photography to the next level, the sensor. There’s never been a camera happens in-camera.
Alpha 7R Series from Sony will help like this one – it fits incredible image Anyone shooting with this camera
you take perfect shots. These cameras quality and amazing processing will be stunned by the richly
will let you take stunning speed into a tiny body, and thanks to textured photos they’re able to take,
photographs, whether you’re taking the BIONZ X imagine engine it but you don’t need to be a huge
them out into the wild, photographing captures your subjects in ultra-high tech-head to appreciate it - the Alpha
an event, or just appreciating the wide resolution. You’ll be able to line up 7R IV is built for easy use. The Alpha
world around you. and preview your subjects with the 7R IV is designed with both 2.4Ghz
Sony’s answer to this challenge is 5.76 million dot UXGA OLED and 5Ghz frequencies for improved
the Alpha 7R IV and Alpha 7R III, two Tru-Finder, so you can make sure wifi connectivity, and you can use
high-end cameras that are suitable that your shot is perfect every time. Sony’s Bluetooth remote controller to
for just about any situation or any You’re able to shoot continuously operate the camera from afar to
kind of shot you’re after. Both with AF/AE tracking for up to 10 maximise clarity by avoiding any
cameras are compact and easily frames per second – that’s shaking that might occur in your
portable, and since both sport an extraordinary burst speed for a hands. The camera is designed to
interchangeable lens mount we’ve camera offering resolutions this high. shoot silently and cut down on blur,
also rounded up the lenses that will In cases where you need to get just a and features 5-axis image
expand your options and let you get little closer to the subject in the scene, stabilisation. It’s perfect for portraits,
some seriously incredible shots. switch the camera into the APS-C nature shots, urban photography,
ADVERTORIAL

Craig Parry, Alpha 7R IV,

and even video thanks to its FE 600mm F4 GM
real-time eye autofocus and digital
audio interface for crisp, clear
sound. It’s ideal no matter what you
want to shoot – this is a camera that
can truly capture anything. It’s got a
large enough battery to cover 670
shots using the LCD monitor, and
weighs in at just 665g – you can take
it anywhere with ease and capture
some truly beautiful images with it.

A TRUE ALL-ROUNDER
The Alpha 7R III is an excellent
option if you want to spend slightly
less, but don’t want to sacrifice the
quality offered by the Alpha 7R
series – it’s similarly capable of
taking stunning photos. Both
cameras are capable of 14-bit RAW sort of photography they’re into. bokeh. The FE 600mm F4 GM OSS is
output, even when it’s shooting in If you’re after a stunning standard a super-telephoto lens with fast
either silent or continuous mode, zoom, the FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM autofocus and an extremely
which captures all the highlights offers amazing shots – this lens can lightweight frame, despite its
and shadows in your photos achieve extremely high resolution at enormous size – it weighs in at just
perfectly and gives you a higher range, capturing fine details from a over 3kg. This one’s designed with
standard of photo to work with. distance. It weighs just 886g and professionals in mind, offering
G Master lenses
The 3.69 million dot Quad-VGA makes use of a circular 9-blade in-depth options via outer switch
make the perfect
OLED Tru-Finder viewfinder on companion. aperture for amazing defocus effects toggles and sporting two extreme
the Alpha 7R III lets you zoom in on photos, and takes advantage of dynamic linear motors for
and capture the fine details of Nano AR Coating to eliminate flare incredible autofocus.
distant objects and landmarks, and ghosting. The FE 16-35mm F2.8
allowing for a truly stunning GM, meanwhile, offers a wide-angle THE PERFECT MATCH
degree of fidelity . 16-35mm zoom with incredible The Alpha 7R camera series and G
The Alpha 7R III has incredible performance, and is perfect for Master lenses can capture the
autofocus features, which is perfect creative photographers who want world around you in stunning
for nature photography in to capture the world around them detail, with unparalleled image
particular - the bird you were in high resolution. Shooting at quality and extraordinary
intent on capturing won’t be a blur close range with this lens will autofocus features packed into a
if it flies away as you’re shooting. produce beautiful backgrounds, tiny frame. Whether you’re a
The 399 phase-detection autofocus and the advanced optical design professional, a hobbyist, or
feature covers approximately 68% means that it sports an outstanding somewhere in-between, these
of the image area, and the Fast resolution, with low distortion and cameras can help you take the
Hybrid Autofocus feature allows for the ability to capture gorgeous perfect shot.
autofocus that is two times faster
(compared to the 7R II) in areas
with dim lighting. In fact,
low-light conditions are no
problem at all when you’re packing
the Alpha 7R III, and like the Alpha
7R IV it’s designed to be flexible –
whether you’re a true professional
or just want to make sure that your
camping trips are documented
beautifully, it’s easy to use and
extremely versatile.

LENS MASTERS
Serious photographers will likely
also want to invest in Sony’s G
Master lenses, depending on what
 The hottest gear pressure-tested

$599, store.hp.com

HP Chromebook x360 12b

Stylish and stylus.

The new HP Chromebook x360 12b The HP Chromebook x360 12b ?SP
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with a multi-point touchscreen and further in performance.
R]PL_
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`^P support for a USI stylus Mark Knapp

40
 2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$1,999, www.asus.com

Asus TUF A15

The new affordable gaming king?

As with other gaming laptops in What made us particularly 1080p performer, making it a
Asus’ TUF series, the Asus TUF excited about the Asus TUF A15 great choice for this kind of
A15 is a big, chunky device that’s a is its choice of components, gaming laptop. It’s one of Nvidia’s
far cry from Asus’ Zephyrus range which includes some of the more affordable GPUs, but still
– but then, that’s part of the latest hardware from both AMD offers very good performance,
appeal. As the ‘TUF’ moniker and Nvidia. The TUF 15 is including modern ray tracing
alludes to, the Asus TUF A15 places In the CPU department, the designed to go support, and with 6GB of GDDR6
anywhere and
build quality and durability at the Asus TUF A15 features the new game. memory this is a smart choice for
forefront of its design. AMD Ryzen 7 4800H. It’s not a laptop in which costs need to be
This isn’t a rugged laptop that quite the flagship mobile kept down.
you could drop from a height and processor from AMD (that’ll be The graphically-demanding
not worry about it, but it’s a the Ryzen 9 4900HS), but the Metro Exodus runs at 45fps
gaming laptop you’d happily Asus TUF A15 isn’t aiming to be (frames per second) at Ultra. With
chuck in a backpack and take to a flagship laptop. What it is a bit of tweaking, you’ll get it to
friends’ houses and LAN parties. aiming to be is a machine that play over the magic 60fps mark,
Some ultra-thin and light gaming offers a mix of performance and while still looking great.
laptops feel so delicate that you’d value, and that’s why we like
be frightened of taking them out Asus’ choice of the 4800H.
of the house – not so with the We’ve talked elsewhere about
Asus TUF A15. how AMD’s Ryzen 4000 mobile
It’s certainly a design that processors could transform The Asus TUF A15 is a brilliant
doesn’t shy away from the fact gaming laptops, and the Asus affordable gaming laptop that
that this is a gaming machine, but TUF A15 is a great example of manages to strike the right
it’s not completely overboard this, with eight cores and 16 balance between performance
either – and if you’d like to give it threads bringing a level of and value. It’s strong 1080p
performance, tough build quality,
some more gamer cred, the Asus power we’d expect to see in
and large selection of ports will
TUF A15 comes with a sheet of much more expensive laptops.
win it a lot of fans, especially
stickers to cover the laptop with. This is paired with an Nvidia amongst competitive
The chassis comes in two colors: RTX 2060 GPU. Again, it’s not a esports players.
Fortress Gray and Bonfire Black. flagship GPU, but it’s a brilliant Matt Hanson

41
 TEST BENCH
Reviews

2020

EDITOR
APPROVED

From $2,649, www.microsoft.com

Surface Book 3
Microsoft’s flagship is lost in time.

It shouldn’t come as too much of a USB-C port, a Surface Connect If you want to remove the screen
surprise that the Surface Book 3 is port, which is used for charging from the keyboard, there’s a
a beautiful device. Everything and connecting an expensive dedicated button for doing so right
about it screams quality, from the dock, and if you disconnect the next to the delete key. Thankfully, a
rigid feel of the keyboard half of Surface Book 3 from the quick accidental press of the button
the laptop, along with the chrome keyboard dock, you’ll find won’t disengage the tablet, but
Microsoft logo on the back of another Surface Connect port on instead you’ll have to hold it down for
the device. the side of the device, along with a couple of seconds until you get the
This is the flagship product in a 3.5mm jack on another side of message telling you the device is
Microsoft’s Surface lineup after the Surface Book 3. What’s really ready to be removed.
all, so a certain level of quality is to nice to see, however, is the In fact, it’s actually very
be expected. The best part of the full-sized SDXC card reader – impressive how solid the Surface
Surface Book 3 design however, something you can never take Book 3 feels when in laptop mode.
stemming from the fact that it for granted in 2020. There is some screen wobbling, like
hasn’t changed much from last On the top of the screen, or the in any 2-in-1 laptop, but unlike say,
time, is the availability of ports side of the device when in tablet the Samsung Galaxy Book Flex, the
on offer. mode, you’ll see two buttons. screen won’t move too drastically if
The keyboard deck of the The smaller of which is a power/ you move the device. The fact that it’s
Surface Book 3 has two USB 3.1 Gen lock button and the long button able to do this at all with a removable
2 Type-A ports, a USB 3.1 Gen 2 is simply a volume rocker. display just speaks to the quality of
Microsoft’s engineering.
The keyboard is without a doubt
one of the highlights of the Surface
The model we reviewed features an Nvidia Book 3, and is far and away one of the
most comfortable keyboards we’ve
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. Now, this is definitely a used on a laptop. The spacing is on
gaming-capable GPU, but not really point, and the actuation and travel
make for an extremely comfortable
something we’d recommend for gaming at typing experience. However, we
the native resolution. would have liked to see a numpad.

42
There is so much empty space, that Microsoft’s new a gaming-ready device, and for the series of different workloads like
laptop is easy to
we feel like a numpad would be a use, and most part it’s not wrong. There’s a word processing and video calling,
no-brainer. Especially because supremely caveat though – you’re going to the Surface Book 3 lasted about 7
versatile.
Microsoft didn’t capitalise on this have to lower resolution to 1080p hours and 9 minutes – just shy of a
empty space with better speakers. to get a good experience, unless full work day.
the games you’re playing were all
Performance released a decade ago. Software and features
The Surface Book 3 is held back, Meanwhile, the Surface Book 3 is One of the biggest benefits of buying
unfortunately, by the lack of strapped with 32GB of RAM, which a Surface device like the Surface Book
H-series processors. Instead, it’s is absolutely overkill for most 3 is that you get a completely pure
equipped with an Intel Core everyday users. However, photo version of Windows 10. No bloatware,
i7-1065G7 that you’d typically find and video editors will absolutely no weird update tools, nothing. You
in something like the Dell XPS 13. eat that memory up – something get Windows 10 as it is when you
And, for the most part, in that the included GTX 1660 Ti will install it on a computer you
CPU-heavy workloads, that’s also undoubtedly help with. build yourself.
exactly how it performs. For It’s just unfortunate that the Beyond that, the Surface Book 3
instance, in Cinebench R20, the Surface Book 3 is stuck with a also has a Windows Hello-ready
Surface Book 3 got 1,697 points, U-series processor. It’s likely that webcam. And, while having this form
which is within margin of error of including a more beefy chunk of of biometric login is definitely nice,
the Dell XPS 13’s 1,700 points. Keep silicon would call for a more robust Microsoft’s facial login doesn’t work
in mind, that the Surface Book 3 is (and heavy) cooling solution, but well enough, especially for anyone
a much more expensive device. this is ultimately a device aimed at with glasses or even people who wear
A large part of that increase in creative professionals, so more makeup. With a flagship device like
pricing, however, comes from the power would definitely be worth the Surface Book 3, and again, one
discrete GPU. The model we the extra heft. with a ton of empty space around the
reviewed features an Nvidia keyboard, it would have been nice to
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. Now, this is Battery life see a fingerprint scanner.
definitely a gaming-capable GPU, The Surface Book 3 has one battery
but not really something we’d in the tablet itself, and another
recommend for gaming at the battery in the keyboard base.
native resolution. The GTX 1660 Ti, Microsoft claims that when the The Surface Book 3 is an
paired with the low-power tablet is connected to the keyboard extremely premium piece of kit,
with one of the best displays and
U-series processor, only manages it will get 17.5 hours of continual
keyboards we’ve used in a laptop
36 fps in Metro Exodus at 1080p, let use, but the laptop doesn’t quite
to date. However, the high price
alone what gaming at the 4K make it that far. tag and weak processor hold it
native resolution would require. In the PCMark 10 battery test, back from true greatness.
Microsoft does claim that this is which measures battery life in a Bill Thomas

43
 TEST BENCH
Reviews

2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$839, www.samsung.com

Samsung Galaxy S10e

The Galaxy S10e remains one of the best affordable flagships.

One of the Galaxy S10e’s more fingerprint pad on the back, shots is great for sheer
attractive features might, opting instead to put a small functionality: the main camera
ironically, be its smaller size. As capacitive sensor within an has a 77-degree field-of-view, but
main flagships get ever-larger, a enlarged power button on the the ultrawide has 123-degree FOV,
contingent of consumers have top-right side. It’s surprisingly which captures a surprising
steadily gone for smaller phones responsive, though it works far This thin and amount of extra context.
– just look at the popularity of the better with thumbs. Why? light flagship is The S10e managed a blistering
one of the most
iPhone SE (RIP) – and the S10e is as Because you have to cover the affordable on 10,523 average score on Geekbench
manageable as top-tier phones get whole sensor with your digit, the market. 4, if you wanted its performance
with a width of 2.75 inches and mashing your fingertip flat put to numbers.
(curiously, the iPhone XS is the enough to envelop the button is
smallest of its generation, and the tough from any angle.
S10e is smaller by a hair). The 5.8-inch AMOLED display
The S10e otherwise looks like a lives up to the Galaxy S name,
shrunken version of its pricier with bright colors and crisp
siblings, with a few exceptions. detail. If you don’t quite like the
Samsung didn’t include the Galaxy color balance, you can tinker
line’s Infinity Edge tapered display with an easy fix called Vivid
The ‘e’ in Samsung Galaxy S10e
in this less expensive model, so Mode, which does what it says
stands for ‘essential’, which means
you’ll have to accept a flat front on the box and lets you further
it packs almost everything the S10
screen with more noticeable tweak it to be a warmer (more and S10 Plus have, at a lower
bezels. As it’s the smallest of the red) or cooler (more blue) price. You get a 5.8-inch screen,
S10 line, the S10e is also the picture. If even that isn’t the same two primary cameras,
lightest, coming in at 150g - which enough, you can tinker with the and all-day battery life, but you’ll
is another feather in its cap when RGB levels individually. miss out on a third lens, the
curved display edges, and the
compared to the 208g iPhone XR. Even packing two cameras
in-screen fingerprint sensor. That’s
While the S10e doesn’t have its makes the S10e an upgrade over
the tempting compromise offered
pricier siblings’ fancy in-screen last year’s Samsung Galaxy S9, by Samsung’s ‘budget flagship’
fingerprint scanner, Samsung which had a single dual- and answer to Apple’s iPhone XR.
didn’t leave a biometric aperture shooter. Taking wider David Lumb, John McCann

44
 2020

EDITOR
APPROVED

$269, www.tp-link.com/au

TP-Link Archer AX50

AX3000 Wi-Fi Router
Bringing Wi-Fi 6 to the masses.

A few months back we reviewed completely unlike routers from Specs: Speed: from a Synology DS1019+ NAS to a
Dual Band AX
Asus’ RT-AX3000 router which 2005 – this one is simple to set Wi-Fi-6-equipped Dell XPS 15
3,000Mb/s;
was a largely unremarkable router up. You download an app, Connectivity: OLED laptop in a three-storey
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ʭ]^_ connect to the router and 4 Gigabit LAN, Sydney Town House, using both
1 x Gigabit WAN,
unremarkable router we’d seen choose a name for its networks. 1 x USB 3.0; 5Ghz and 2.4GHz bands,
that supported Wi-Fi 6. In a However, there’s no fancy Features: Trend separately. Up close it managed a
Micro Security,
market that was full of large, SSID-binding here: you get to ]P^[PN_LMWP #" 8M^ LYO
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so, will that help the technology and decent parental controls. AC routers (not the turbo-
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avoided visiting a decent, distance, up close it managed
industrial design studio. It’s a box the fastest, real-world transfer
with four, plasticy sticks speeds we’d ever seen –
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Nick Ross 

45
 TEST BENCH
Reviews

2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$399, www.nvidia.com

Nvidia Shield TV Pro

Still the best streaming box on the market.

We’re spoiled for choice when it e-readers stacked on top of each latest Nintendo Switch.
comes to inexpensive streaming other. Around the back you’ll If you’ve used an Android TV
devices. But what if you’re after a find two USB 3.0 ports, a 4K device before, you’ll know what to
bit more ‘oomph’ from the gadgets HDR-compatible HDMI port, an expect from the Nvidia Shield TV.
serving your TV? Enter the 2020 Ethernet port and a proprietary It’s pretty much the vanilla
edition of the Nvidia Shield TV Pro. power port. Wi-Fi is built-in Android TV experience as Google
An Android-powered set-top-box / (802.11ac dual-band) as is designed it, with some small
games console, it’s about as Bluetooth 5.0 for connecting tweaks. The Shield TV Pro
powerful as streaming devices wireless accessories. therefore gives you access to all
come, and is jam-packed with Under the hood is 3GB of RAM the major streaming services in
features that will tempt movie and and 16GB of storage. The RAM their 4K / HDR configurations,
video game fans alike. remains unchanged then, but from Netflix to Amazon Prime
Whether you’re after high-spec we’ve seen other Shield models Video and everything in between.
PC gaming streamed to your TV, with as much as 500GB of Shield TV already supports
or 4K movies in multiple HDR on-board storage, so a little plenty of HDR formats, but it can
formats, it’s got you covered. In more here would have been now play Dolby Vision content, a
the box you get the console itself, appreciated. Still, the two USB premium format that tweaks
a new-and-improved remote ports make adding external brightness and contrast levels
control and access to 20 great (if storage a cinch, not to mention using frame-by-frame metadata.
ageing) PC games that can be plugging in a wired controller or The new Shield TV Pro is
streamed over the internet as part keyboard and mouse. unrivalled when it comes to its 4K
of the GeForce Now service, which What’s really changed then is HDR streaming capabilities, has
you can expand upon with your the processor – the first major wide app support thanks to its
own purchases. upgrade to the Shield TV range Android TV foundations, and is
The Nvidia Shield TV Pro is a since it was introduced in 2015. littered with potential for gamers.
tiny little thing, given the power it On-board here is the Tegra X1+
packs. Shaped like a slim wedge processor – representing a 25%
A versatile and powerful streamer
with some angular indentations performance boost over the old with Chromecast built in and great
carved into it for posterity, it’s Tegra X1, it’s of the same family gaming features.
about the size of two Kindle of chips currently powering the Gerald Lynch

46
$699, www.dyson.com.au

Dyson Corrale
The perfect style… for an exorbitant price.

First came a hair dryer, then a The Corrale has inherited an minutes. This safety feature
styling set, and now Dyson has updated version of Dyson’s minimises the risk of accidental
expanded its beauty range further Intelligent Heat Control fires in case you’ve forgotten to
by adding flat irons to its technology found in the switch it off.
catalogue. Called the Corrale, the company’s Supersonic hair The power button also gets
hair straightener takes its name dryer and the Airwrap styler. Not all of have hidden under the outer casing
from the word ‘corral’, meaning to Where the older Dyson beauty long enough when the device is clipped shut,
locks to require
gather things into one place, and products can measure one, but if you reducing the chances of automatic
refers to the iron’s headline temperature 40 and 60 times a do... It still may switch-ons when in a bag.
not be essential
feature – its “flexing plates”. second respectively, the new at this price. If you plan to travel with it by
Each manganese-copper alloy straightener uses a platinum air, it will need to go into your
plate is only 65 microns thick – sensor that can do so 100 times a carry-on bag as airlines don’t
the width of a human hair – and second. Any change in allow lithium-ion batteries in
bends slightly to gather strands of temperature is communicated checked baggage. This isn’t a
hair within each lock you’re to a heat-regulating problem at all as the Corrale
straightening within the plates microprocessor, thus ensuring features an ‘airplane mode’ clip
without splaying. This means that steady, accurate heat that disconnects the batteries.
tension is spread evenly through throughout the styling process. Despite boasting features that
each strand, reducing the number There are three temperature make the Corrale safe to carry
of times you’ll need to work the settings to choose from – 165°C, around, it’s not quite portable.
hair to style it and, thus, 185°C and 210°C – and the lowest And the eye-watering price is a
protecting it from heat damage is more than sufficient to further issue..
and saving you time. straighten even thick, wavy hair
Each plate is also coated with quickly.
tourmaline, whose ionising True to Dyson’s aesthetics,
It’s the best hair straightener
properties reduce static. So the the Corrale has a very sleek,
money can buy, but this kind of
chances of having shorter strands futuristic design. When not in
precision engineering comes at a
of hair sticking out at odd angles use, it can be clipped closed and, very steep price that isn’t easily
after styling is much lower in fact, switches off justified.
compared to other straighteners. automatically after a few Sharmishta Sarkar

47
 TEST BENCH
Reviews

2020

EDITOR
APPROVED

$459, www.denon.com

Denon DHT-S216
It’s the audio that matters with Denon’s budget soundbar.

The Denon DHT-S216 doesn’t look won’t be an option because work under this setup
all that striking, but its neutral there’s no way to make it work. For its limitations and price, the
look allows it to fit right in with Since this isn’t part of Denon’s DHT-S216 was a pleasant surprise.
any home entertainment center. It HEOS lineup, the DHT-S216 We were impressed with how full
measures about 35-inches wide, doesn’t support it, wired or sound came out despite not
2.35-inches high and 4.7-inches wireless. That’s a big reason A great device if having a separate subwoofer.
deep, making it a good companion why the third-party sub you have a lot of While it naturally couldn’t fully
devices or
for your 55-inch TV, but be careful openness is all the more consoles hooked emulate a pair of rear surrounds,
that it doesn’t block the IR sensor important. up to your TV. it held its own quite well in
on your TV – it comes with plastic The sound bar comes with its delivering something that felt like
spacers, but no mounts, brackets own remote, and we found we more than just a 2.1 “sweet spot”
or screws inside the box. had to reach for it more often listening and viewing experience.
The back has a decent array of than we expected to make However, it takes some time to
ports, including HDMI ARC, adjustments. It’s an old school figure out what the best
Toslink optical, Aux-In, plus remote, with no backlit buttons configuration is for a given
another HDMI input for additional and straightforward layout, but content scenario. It really depends
use cases. Rounding it out is a plug it does the job. on what you’re watching with it.
for a wired connection to a The easiest connection is We found it could be pretty good
subwoofer. probably HDMI ARC because it for dialogue-heavy shows or even
That last part should be of routes all audio for devices a concert video, but we leaned
particular interest because it connected to the TV through it. toward DTS Virtual:X or Movie
applies to third-party subs, too. You This way, if you have a game mode for movies and TV shows.
don’t have to use a Denon one if you console, cable box, streaming
don’t want to, and while a wired sub box or Blu-ray player, you won’t
may limit your options on layout have to do much configuring. As If money’s tight and your TV
needs an audio boost, the Denon
and deployment, it’s a nice perk to long as the TV is set to HDMI
DHT-S216 Home Theater
have at this price point. ARC in its own settings, there
Soundbar is a cheap way to
All of this comes with caveats should be no issue. We should upgrade your audio without
that you have to accept right off note, however, that DTS-HD breaking the bank.
the bat. First, surround sound Master Audio formats won’t Ted Kritsonis

48
 The absence of a 3.5mm
headphone port and lack of
audio over USB means you’ll be
out of luck if you do run out of
batteries on the go, but the
impressive battery life and
LʬZ]OLMTWT_d_ST^[]P^`XLMWd
allows for makes up for it.
2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$129, www.sony.com.au

Sony WH-CH510
Affordable wireless on-ears that tick the important boxes.

First thing to notice – these are recommend chucking them in LʬZ]OLMTWT_d
_ST^
[]P^`XLMWd

on-ear headphones rather than your bag or treating them rough. allows for makes up for it.
over-ear, meaning that their cups For a control interface, these As we’ve already mentioned, the
won’t surround your ears but cans have a Spartan array of fact that these headphones are in
rather rest upon them. This makes three large buttons that are easy the on-ear format means you
them considerably more compact, _Z
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but arguably a little less interact with. They’re sound quality _SL_ ZaP]PL] NZX[P_T_Z]^ ZʬP]
that exceeded
comfortable (it also impacts the responsible for the usual play/ expectations. This is largely due to the smaller
audio, but more on that later). pause, volume up/down, and cups not creating as solid a seal as
Aesthetically, there isn’t too skip forward/back options but bPWW L^ ZʬP]TYR WP^^ ^PY^P ZQ ^[LNP
much to say about these Sony cans, they also allow you to activate BT_S _SL_ ^LTO T_ɪ^ ]PXL]VLMWP
but their subdued and simple the device’s voice assistant. how solid these Sony’s still
appearance does wonders to There’s an integrated manage to sound, despite their
broaden their appeal given that the microphone next to these low price and limited form factor.
aim here is accessibility. They’re buttons for this purpose and for BP QZ`YO _SP ML^^ _Z MP NWPL] LYO
available in a tasteful black, white, taking calls, and while it’s present, but certainly not
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close to ‘a straight line with a circle clearest option out there. frequencies were a little more
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dominant than we’d like, and the
from the Sony logo on both cups, hours of playback time, which mids too suppressed, but the
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and Bluetooth connectivity, the
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headphone port and lack of
bang for your buck. A slightly
structural integrity. The plastic audio over USB means you’ll be
flimsy build may be a dealbreaker
headband, swivel joints, and ear out of luck if you do run out of for some, but for most it’ll be a
cup housing don’t feel remotely batteries on the go, but the worthy sacrifice at that price.
rugged and we’d be remiss to impressive battery life and Harry Domanski

49
 TEST BENCH
CH
Reviews

Audio quality is
punchy and rich,
sounding great in
games of all stripes,
and pretty good for
music and movies
2020
as well.
EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$309, www.asus.com

Asus ROG Strix Go 2.4

A very versatile gaming headset.

It’s a sad fact of life that as you cable so you can hook it up to an on the small side, they’re at least
pack more features into a Xbox or any similarly jacked well-padded and easy on the ears
product, the price is going to rise device. If you’re a gamer with a even during marathon gaming
accordingly. Dropping three range of platforms looking for a sessions.
C-notes on a pair of gaming single audio solution, the Go Audio quality is punchy and
headphones might seem 2.4 hits the mark admirably. rich, sounding great in games of
The handy
excessive to most, but if you get It’s handy then that the Go carry-case is all stripes, and pretty good for
what you’re paying for - clarity 2.4 comes with a useful perfect for music and movies as well. They
taking the Go
of sound, unique and cool carrying case, cleverly 2.4 on the road
don’t sound quite so good as a set
features, and an impressive segmented and appointed to with your of dedicated audio headphones,
degree of freedom, then the cost carry everything you need for Switch. but considering the overall
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the case with Asus’ latest set the detachable microphone and compelling proposition. The
of cans. restrained Asus/ROG branding, MZZX
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One of the Go 2.4’s best new making it as good a choice for of communication, though its
features is USB-C charging and listening to music while you’re YZT^P
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wireless connectivity. This not out and about as it is for some richness of tone. Again,
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times - you can get a few hours second mic built into the it cuts out other sounds, such as
charge in less than 20 minutes, headphones themselves, so you the clacking of a mechanical
and a full charge will last can take calls. It’s not as good keyboard.
through two or three days of as the boom mic, but it serves
gaming - but also allows the Go its purpose well.
to be used on-the-go with a Amazingly, all this comes in You can get better audio
Nintendo Switch. It can be a very light and comfortable headphones for the same price,
but you’ll be hard put to find a set
hooked up using a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi design, able to fold up for
of cans with as a wide a feature-
connection to your PC, or to a storage, and with earcups that
set as these. The Asus ROG Strix
USB-C smartphone with an _bT^_
ʮL_
_Z
^T_
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dZ`]
Go 2.4 is pretty much perfect for
included dongle. Finally, the shoulders when not in use - the multiplatform gamer.
package complete with a 3.5mm though those cups are a touch David Hollingworth

50
 2020

EDITOR’S
CHOICE

$249.95, au.kobobooks.com

Kobo Libra H2O

The winning asymmetrical ereader design finally gets a more affordable package.

Unlike more traditional tablet-like the Oasis) and is, instead, fitted and old. The Libra’s harder plastic
ereaders such as the Kindle into a recess within the frame. finish should mean it’s a little
Paperwhite and Kobo Aura One, The Libra H2O shares the more resistant to this, although
the Libra H2O’s asymmetrical patented ComfortLight Pro you can see fingerprints on the
design closely resembles the screen technology that’s found bezels if you have particularly oily
Forma and the Kindle Oasis. One on all modern Kobos, and Great for than or sweaty skin.
bezel is much thicker and wider reduces the exposure to just books – Another reason to recommend
graphic novels
than the rest, providing lots of sleep-disrupting blue light. looks great too! the Libra H2O over the Forma are
space to comfortably and securely There are white and amber LED the page turn and power buttons
hold the device without covering lights on the bottom of the – on the latter they feel too squishy,
the screen. A pair of physical screen that project light upwards while there’s a very good click and
buttons on that same bezel are and evenly across the display. feedback on the Libra. That said,
used for page turning, and the Both colour hues can be used the buttons on the Kindle Oasis are
ereader’s battery is housed inside either together or independently, easily the smoothest of the three.
this area of the chassis, with the with the brightness adjusted via Another reason we’re partial to
microUSB charging port on the a simple slider built into the Kobo is because of its support for
side of this thick spine. However, touch interface. multiple, open file formats. You
the difference between the Forma Despite its plastic chassis, the can read books in EPUB or PDF
and the Libra is that the latter has a Libra H2O looks a lot better than format, and there’s support for
7-inch E Ink Carta HD display (the its more expensive sibling. CBR and CBZ formats for fans of
same as the Oasis) as compared to Where there’s a joint on the graphic novels and comics.
the 8-inch screen on the Forma. thicker bezel of the Forma
The Libra H2O and the Kindle (between the buttons and the
Oasis also share the same screen screen) for dirt to collect, the With broad file format support,
resolution of 1,680 x 1,264, which Libra’s front face is constructed Pocket and Dropbox integration, a
refreshed interface, waterproofing
translates to 300 pixels per inch from a single piece of plastic.
and a reasonably affordable price,
(ppi), offering a beautifully sharp Moreover, the Forma’s soft-
the Libra H2O is, in our books, one
display that’s easy to read on. That touch plastic begins to look of the best ereaders you can
said, the screen on the Libra H2O is shiny and oily within weeks of currently get.
not flush with the bezel (as it is on use, leaving it looking grubby Sharmishta Sarkar, Dan Gardiner

51
 SUPER GUIDE
Speed up Windows

SPEED UP
SUPERGUIDE

WINDOWS
Christian Guyton has all the best tips, tricks,
and dark incantations to make your operating
system run faster.By Christian Guyton
With support for Windows 7 gone and ways to do this, mostly using tools that everyone reading this has used
Windows 8 bearing an ominous are built into Windows 10; a huge Windows at some point. If you haven’t,
expiration date (albeit one that is three selection of nifty functions, apps, and write to us with your life experiences,
years from now), there’s never been a settings to be tweaked to make for the because they sound interesting.
better time to make the jump to ultimate experience. It’s not just Windows has permeated almost every
Windows 10. For our money, it’s the PL^PZQ`^P^_`ʬPT_SP]&TQdZ`ɪ]PL aspect of computing over the years, and
best operating system since the Old hardware head, Win 10 is a powerful TYT_ɪ^YZOTʬP]PY_
Faithful that was XP Professional. tool for system optimisation and Of course, it’s not perfect, but there’s
Actually, if you haven’t upgraded monitoring. Lots of things that might customization aplenty; even the bad
already, what’s holding you back? The demand third-party software elements of Win 10 can be adjusted,
_ST_P]L_TZYZQ8TN]Z^ZQ_ɪ^ʮLR^ST[ elsewhere can be done directly in the mitigated, or disabled entirely.
:>SL^MPPYL]Z`YOQZ]LWXZ^_ʭaP OS, be that disk defragmenting, Annoyed that Cortana won’t leave you
years now. malware eradication, or something else alone? Frustrated with your CPU always
If you’re already a card-carrying entirely. running hot due to background
member of the Windows 10 club, DP^T_WLNV^_SP]LbʮPcTMTWT_dZQ programs? Don’t worry, we’re here to
though, you probably want to squeeze Ubuntu or the super-sleek interfaces of help. Over the next few pages, we break
the absolute best out of your OS, macOS Catalina, but the fact remains down all the best tips for creating your
whether you’re using your computer that Windows 10 is the most popular OS ideal OS experience, whatever you use
for gaming, work, or just a spot of for home computers right now. We your system for.
9P_ʮTcLYONSTWW?SP]Pɪ^[WPY_dZQ don’t think it’s a stretch to claim that

52
2
DP^T_WLNV^_SP]LbʮPcTMTWT_dZQ@M`Y_`Z]_SP^`[P]
^WPPVTY_P]QLNP^ZQXLN:>.L_LWTYLM`__SPQLN_
]PXLTY^_SL_BTYOZb^T^_SPXZ^_[Z[`WL]:>QZ]
SZXPNZX[`_P]^]TRS_YZb

53
 SUPER GUIDE
Speed up Windows

General tips for Windows 10

1 KEEP WINDOWS FULLY UP TO DATE
Ah, the Windows Update. Truly the
modern-day raven, rap-tap-tapping on
all apps from accessing your camera and
microphone on the “Privacy” page.

Edgar Allen Poe’s operating system with

menacing intent. Taking control of your
updates is objective number one for
3 DISABLE STARTUP APPS We’ve all
been there, booting up our PC to
get a quick task completed, only to be
anyone trying to optimise their PC, so
waylaid by Spotify, Steam, Uplay, and
jump into “Update Settings” and
Discord introducing themselves like the
remember to smash that “Check For
worst barbershop quartet of all time.
Updates” button. You can turn on
Windows has you covered, though – the
auto-updates, too, under “Advanced
“Startup” page under “App Settings”
options,” but if you have a metered
lets you view which apps are set to start
connection, we advise against this, and
up immediately (albeit in the
instead recommend manual updates.
background) when you log into
You can also pause all updates for up to
Windows, and also which ones have a
two weeks; useful if you want to try
higher impact on your boot times.
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Windows 10.
open manually, such as Spotify or
OneDrive, and your system should start

2 SHUT CORTANA UP Get her out!

For the vast majority of users,
up faster.

Cortana is little more than a frustration

baked into the core of Windows 10.
Annoying pop-ups, constant data-
4 DISABLE BACKGROUND APPS
This one comes down to
preference, and isn’t so necessary on Keeping Windows up to
date can feel like a rather
gathering, and forced Bing search (come more powerful systems with plenty of
Sisyphean task at times.
on, Microsoft…) make Cortana the least memory and high-speed storage. Under
helpful voice assistant in the biz, but
fortunately, shutting her down is Keep your
reasonably straightforward. Find the background
apps to the
Cortana page under “Settings,” then
bare minimum
_ZRRWP
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process, head back out to the main possible.

“Settings” menu. Under “Privacy

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“Inking and typing personalisation.”
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amount of data Cortana gathers from
your typical PC usage. You can also block

We’re sure a
select few of our
readers find
Cortana helpful.
We do not.

54
 Laptop Tips

Switching to Power Saver plan can be

useful for prolonging battery life.

“Privacy Settings,” you can individually

select which apps you want to run in the
background, and disable the rest. There’s 8 CHECK YOUR POWER PLAN It’s
worth taking a peek at your
power plans in the Control Panel on a
marked “Get tips, tricks, and
suggestions as you use Windows.”
a ton of tools included with Windows 10

10
that you might use sometimes, but don’t laptop, found under “Hardware and MANAGE YOUR
ever want running in the background. Sound.” If it’s a powerhouse laptop TEMPERATURES BETTER As we
Windows News? Disabled. Voice that you’re essentially using plugged- said earlier, it’s a good idea to use
Recorder? Deactivated. Xbox Console in as a desktop replacement, slap that third-party software, such as
Companion? Begone! high performance plan on and call it a HardwareMonitor, to keep an eye on
day; otherwise, you’ll want to take a your system temperatures. This is
trip into the advanced power plan

5 
even more critical with laptops, where
UNINSTALL UNWANTED
settings. The default balanced plan is keeping your CPU cool is an even more
APPLICATIONS >[PLVTYR
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usually a good call, but even then you OTʯN`W_
PYOPLaZ]
4Q
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included with Windows 10, there’s plenty
might want to make some using demanding software on your
of bloatware you can just get rid of. The
adjustments; like disabling certain laptop – 3D rendering tools, for
most obvious contender is of course
ports while the monitor is asleep, for example – then heat spikes are
Candy Crush, but if you take a trip into
example. inevitable, but there are a few things
“App Settings” and scroll through the
you can do to alleviate the temperature
ɭ,[[^

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WT^_
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surprising amount of software you never
use, and never intend to use. Click on a
9 DISABLE TIPS Windows 10 wants
to be helpful, but like a bumbling
manservant, sometimes that help is
load on your poor laptop. The general
optimisation tips elsewhere in this
article are a good start, but making
program to view options, and uninstall
actually less than helpful. By default, sure you’re positioning your laptop
it from there. If you’re unsure what a
Windows 10 scans your system right is important, too. Don’t actually
piece of software does, always look it up
periodically to give you (usually put it on your lap, for starters. Ensure
online before removing it.
unwanted) advice, and this can have a that all the air vents are clear, and
small impact on mobile processor

6 
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UPDATE DEVICE DRIVERS
performance, particularly in cheaper you have problems with temperature,
Updating your drivers is often a
WL[_Z[^ DZ` NLY _`]Y T_ Zʬ TY >d^_PX consider using something to prop your
SLYOd
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QZ]
^ZXP_STYR
YZ_
bZ]VTYR

>P__TYR^ `YOP] ɭ9Z_TʭNL_TZY^ LYO laptop up, creating more empty space
with a PC, but it’s a good idea to keep
LN_TZYɮ 5`^_ _ZRRWP Zʬ _SP ^WTOP] MPYPL_S
T_
QZ]
MP__P]
LT]ʮZb
your device drivers up to date whenever
possible. To check for updates, right-
click the “Home” button and select
conventional password is slower, too. Policies > Microsoft” and right-click
“Device Manager,” then right-click the
First up, assign a PIN rather than a “Windows,” select “New > Key” and call
device you want to update the drivers
password for logging in; four digits and it “Personalisation.” Once created,
on. You can also scan for new hardware
no need to hit Enter, either. If your right-click this key and add a new
here; if you change something about
system supports it, Windows Hello is “DWORD (32-bit) Value,” with a name of
your physical setup, you might need to
pretty speedy, too. You can even remove “NoLockScreen.” Double click this and
relocate it within the Device Manager in
the lock screen altogether, going straight set the “Value” to 1. For Win 10 Pro, hit
order to update the drivers and ensure
to the login screen upon boot. Win-R, type “gpedit” and hit Enter.
everything is working properly.
,YYZdTYRWd
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Double-click “Administrative

7 
for Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Templates,” double-click “Control
LOG IN FASTER The Windows 10
Pro. For Windows 10 Home edition, you Panel,” click “Personalisation,” then
lock screen is a pointless
need to run regedit from the “Run” double-click “Do not display the lock
innovation. Having to swipe up or hit
prompt, make your way to “HKEY_ screen,” and click “Enabled.” Click
the spacebar before logging in slows
LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > “Apply,” and then “OK.” Job done.
things down a bit, and using a

55
 SUPER GUIDE
Speed up Windows
Task
Manager
has evolved
over the

11 CREATE A RESTORE POINT AND years,

becoming a
RESTORE YOUR SYSTEM If all hope is powerful
lost, returning to an earlier save point is system-
monitoring
the best course of action. This advice tool.
holds true for both videogames and
Windows 10, although hopefully you’ll
never have to use it. In the Control Panel,
go through “Security and System >
System > System Protection,” and you’ll
open up the window for system restore
options. You can hit the big “System
Restore” button to revert your version of
Windows to a saved restore point; your
PC should regularly create these by
default, but it saves over the previous one
the Task Manager’s “Options” drop-down
menu, then minimise the window. 14 USE TASK MANAGER BETTER
Making the best use of Task
Manager is key to mastering control
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over Windows 10. First up, access it
can tweak your restore settings, or create
new restore points. This isn’t something 13 CHECK FOR MALWARE Of course,
ideally you won’t have a single bit of
malware on your PC, but if you suspect
faster by right-clicking the “Home”
button and selecting it; no need to
you need to do too often, but it’s worth
Ctrl-Alt-Del here. You’re also going to
having restore points for each of your something is amiss (or you watched in
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drives, just in case a new software or OS slow motion from across the room as
hitting “More details” to expand to the
update causes problems. your child clicked an extremely dubious
full Task Manager experience. Here, you
link), Windows 10 can scan your system
can monitor component usage, view the

12 TRACK CPU USAGE AT ALL TIMES for viruses. Find the “Windows Security”
full suite of active and background
There’s a handy function Task tab under “Update & Security Settings,”
processes, and a whole lot more that you
Manager has hidden in its box of tricks. and select “Virus & threat protection.”
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on your CPU, GPU, memory, and drives.
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needed. That icon is a microcosm of your security updates, and manually input
this is the place to do it. You can end any
CPU usage, showing a tiny graph that exemptions from Defender’s scans. That
task manually by right-clicking it, but be
indicates how much of your CPU is last point can be particularly helpful for
careful – there are lots of background
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processes that are vital to your system’s
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don’t recognise.
open, select “Hide when minimised” from downloading new programs.

15 DISABLE RESUME APPS

ON STARTUP Another matter of
preference, here we’ll explain how to
disable apps and browser tabs
resuming upon booting up. If you use
your system a lot and have numerous
Chrome tabs you want to preserve,
skip this step, but otherwise, take a
trip into “Accounts Settings.” Under
“Sign-in options,” at the bottom of the
page, there’s a slider for reopening
your apps “after an update or restart.”
It tries to resume the active programs
Third-party
you had running when you last shut
antivirus software down your PC, potentially including
can be a hassle, but non-essential background processes,
Windows Defender
is decent and free. and that slows down your PC’s boot
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57
 SUPER GUIDE
Speed up Windows

Optimise Windows for Gaming

24 DISABLE HARDWARE
ACCELERATION ON MOUSE 4Q

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31 UPGRADE YOUR DRIVE SSD

storage used to be expensive,
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SATA SSDs
are still good
d.

58
27 DISABLE FOCUS ASSIST This is the
big one: Get rid of Focus Assist.
Have you ever been midway through a
Fake News
WHAT NOT TO DO...
high-stakes online match, only to be
yanked out of it as Windows tabs you back
to the desktop to inform you that you’ve
received an email from your co-worker?
Yeah, that’s got to stop. Find the “Focus
Assist” tab under “System Settings,” and
slap it to “Alarms only” – there’s no
option to turn it off completely, but you
can also disable it during gameplay or
screen sharing. Lastly, you can deactivate
the option to show you “what you missed”
when you return to the desktop; an
unnecessary irritant, for our money.

28 KEEP YOUR GPU DRIVERS UP TO

DATE Another potentially obvious
tip for gamers is to keep your GPU drivers
up to date. No, that doesn’t mean
installing GeForce Experience – the
clutter-free way to do this is simply to While RAM disks sound cool, their
head to the manufacturer’s website and applications are niche at best.
locate the most recent drivers for your
GPU. Both AMD and Nvidia have handy
search functions to help you find your
exact GPU, and what drivers it needs.
Remember to select the “Game Ready”
34 DON’T DEFRAG AN SSD
Defragmentation software
can be helpful, but only for older
automatic backups to your physical
drive, and to reload the RAM disk
image back into your memory every
drivers if you’re using a newer Nvidia
drives. If you have a SATA SSD or time you boot up your system, which
card, rather than the “Studio” version.
M.2 NVMe drive, you don’t want to takes time. Unless you have a
try defragging it; there are no

29
staggering amount of memory
ENABLE GAME MODE A simple
significant performance benefits to spare, it just isn’t worth it.
change to make, although it isn’t
(because SSDs have no moving parts,
likely to improve game performance by
there’s no risk of mechanical latency
much on most systems. Under “Gaming
Settings,” find “Game Mode.” Make sure
this is toggled on and your PC will
building up over time), and the
lengthy defragmentation processes
36 DON’T TWEAK POWER
PLANS ON DESKTOP Simply
put: There’s no point. If your PC is
can actually wear out the memory
manage temperature and available connected to mains power, set the
cells and ruin the drive’s lifespan if
memory better to (theoretically) improve power plan to high performance and
you do it too many times. Just
frame rates in games. While we’re not call it a day. Some people will claim
don’t bother.
sure it really boosts frame rates, it does that there are benefits to using the
also block Windows Update from doing other plans; we’re not saying those
anything while you’re in-game. It’s
possible that some games see more
stable frame rates – perhaps Microsoft’s
35 RAM DISKS AREN’T
THAT USEFUL Also known as
RAM drives, these nifty data storage
people are wrong, but we are saying
that any benefits will be practically
unnoticeable.
own stuff, as Game Mode is officially solutions use third-party software to
listed as an Xbox-branded tool. partition a given amount of your
memory to be used as data storage 37 DON’T REINSTALL WINDOWS
A complete fresh install of

30 INSTALL DIRECTX 12 You might

already have DX12 installed, but
there’s an easy way to check if you do
instead of random-access memory.
The advantages jump out
immediately; RAM is a lot faster,
Windows should only ever be a last
resort, when other attempts to
salvage your system have failed.
have the latest version of the widely used netting you vastly improved data System restore points are a more
Microsoft API tool. Hit the Windows key transfer speeds for your virtual drive. useful resource, and it’s generally a
and R to open the Run function, then If you’re moving files around a lot good idea to have both cloud-based
type “dxdiag” (again, no quotes), and hit and only have an HDD or SATA SSD, and physical backups of your data.
Enter. This should bring up the DirectX it seems like a no-brainer. However, Reinstalling Windows is often like
Diagnostic Tool; on the bottom of the RAM disks are volatile memory; if bringing a broadsword to a knife
page, it shows you which version of DX your PC loses power, that data is fight; effective, but far too much
you have installed. If DX12 isn’t installed, wiped. It’s necessary to have regular effort and potentially messy.
go check your Windows Updates!

59
 FEATURE
Shoot Sharper Shots

SHOOT
SHARPER
SHOTS!
From lens selection and shooting technique
to photo-editing software, here’s everything
you need to get stunning images.

Digital imaging technology when poor camera technique

has made capturing sharp or sub-par settings will
photographs more achievable result in images that look
than ever before. Across the soft. This can be frustrating if
board, from an entry level your main interests are
camera to a pro-spec DSLR, photographing fast-moving
image sensors are capable of objects, or subjects from
producing sharpness that distance, like wildlife.
would have been unthinkable Although you may initially
in the days of 35mm want to blame your lens
film SLRs. when you come away with a
In fact, with a modern soft shot, there are certain
sensor married to a quality situations where the lack of
lens, and as long as your image sharpness in your
focusing is on point, you can photos will be due to other
shoot sharp shots pretty reasons. We’re going to look IF AT FIRST YOU
much all of the time. some of these over the DON’T SUCCEED…
But there are occasions following pages. The techniques in this feature
should have you shooting sharper
shots straight away, but if you’re
not getting the results you want,
Contents it’s definitely worth persevering.
PART 1 Shutter speeds and camera support Camera shake is arguably going to
PART 2 Depth of field and where to focus cause more problems than
PART 3 How to perfect your focusing technique focusing, so if in any doubt, use the
PART 4 Get creative: when to use focus-stacking highest shutter speeds possible
PART 5 Sharpen your shots in image and don’t be afraid to push your
editing software like a pro ISO. Modern digital cameras give
good results at higher ISO values.

60
 1/320 ISO
f/5.6 sec 800

Top Kit
100MM MACRO LENS
A macro lens will allow
you to focus really close
and enables you to
shoot at f/2.8, so that
much of the image
is beautifully diffused.

61
 FEATURE
Shoot Sharper Shots

01 SHUTTER SPEEDS &

CAMERA SUPPORT
Use these straightforward techniques and tips to beat the shakes.
The most common cause of soft shots photographer, intentional camera though: the ‘reciprocal rule’ suggests
when you shoot handheld will be camera movement is a useful creative tool, but using a shutter speed that’s at least
shake. This means that the camera for anyone aiming to get pin-sharp equal to the focal length of the lens. So if
moves slightly while the scene in front photographs, unintentional camera you’re shooting at 50mm, try 1/50 sec or
of it is being exposed to the image movement will be a catastrophe. more, try 1/200 sec at 200mm and so on.
sensor. We can blame shutter speed for While the shutter speed needs to be These settings apply to cameras with
this – in particular the choice of fast enough, the focal length of your lens a full-frame sensor. If you’re using a
a speed that’s slow enough to capture also plays a big part in determining how camera without one, then you’ll need
the movement (under 1/30 sec, for fast the shutter speed should be. There is to take into account the relevant ‘
example). a straightforward way of making sure crop factor’.
In the hands of a fine-art you are using a suitable shutter speed,

How fast do I need to shoot?

Here are some typical shutter speeds to cover some
popular genres of photography – from capturing fast
action bursts right down to the long exposures required
for astrophotography. If you’re shooting subjects from
distance using a long lens, remember that to minimise
camera shake, you’ll need to use faster shutter speeds at
longer focal lengths.
ISO 100

ISO 1,600

1/4,000 sec – good for action 1/2,000 sec – good for pets

ISO 6,400

1/500 sec – good for street 1/125 sec – good for portraits
Make ISO work for you
If you’re shooting fast action shots, or working handheld
in low light, it may not be possible to select a fast enough
shutter speed for sharp shots – even at wide apertures.
The easiest solution is to increase the ISO. Most modern
cameras offer excellent low-light performance, but you
may have to compromise a little on image quality at
higher ISO settings. If you increase your ISO from 100 to
1,600, you’ll gain an extra four stops: if you keep your
aperture setting locked, that will increase your shutter
speed from, for example, 1/15 to 1/250 sec.
1/60 sec – good for landscape 5 sec plus – good for astro

62
Shooting wildlife with a long
lens is an ideal candidate for
using image stabilisation.
Pro tip
MIRROR LOCKUP
Shots taken with DSLRs can
also be blurred by slight
internal vibrations as the mirror
flips up and down. Use the
mirror lockup feature to
overcome this, or alternatively,
just use Live View.

How to set up your tripod

for sharp shooting
A tripod will help you get sharper shots,
but just mounting your camera on a
tripod may not eliminate all movement;
you need to make sure it is as stable as it
can be. Extend the top leg sections first,
as these are sturdier, and avoid using the
centre column if possible.

Image stabilisation 1 ADD SOME

& when to use it

WEIGHT
On windy days,
hang your kit bag
Many modern lenses feature some form your shutter speed by up to four stops from the centre
of image stabilisation system, which – from, for example, 1/15 sec to 1/250 sec. column to weigh
enables you to shoot handheld at up to Some lenses even include a down the tripod.
three or four stops slower than would stabilisation system with two settings,
be possible with a non-stabilised optic. to compensate for vertical and 2 PUTTING
Manufacturers vary the nomenclature horizontal movement. A SPIKE IN IT
for these systems: Canon uses IS (Image In recent years, the wider adoption of The best way of
Stabilisation), Nikon favours VR mirrorless cameras has made in-body making sure your
(Vibration Reduction), and among the image stabilisation (IBIS) more common. tripod is stable is to
makers of third-party lenses, Sigma This system allows the sensor to ‘float’ ground it, by using
labels it OS (Optical Stabilizer) while in five directions to compensate for any the spikes on its legs, if
Tamron calls its system VC (Vibration unintentional camera movement. fitted. If not, use the kit
Compensation). bag method (above).
Stabilisation is a great feature to be Use image stabilisation for:
able to call on when you’re shooting in • Shooting wildlife with long lenses 3 GET CLOSER
low light or when you want to freeze • Shooting fast-moving subjects TO THE GROUND
fast-moving action, as you can increase • Shooting astrophotography Some tripods offer
a working height as
low as 10cm, thanks
to catches at the top
of each leg. This will
make the tripod even
more stable to use.

4 NOW THAT’S
A WRAP
Sometimes there’s no
need for a tripod at all;
instead you can use
Lens-based IS is easy to turn on and off, thanks to a switch on the lens a wrap-around camera
barrel (left). In-body stabilisation is usually disabled via the camera’s
menu system – for easy access, make the IBIS setting one of your
support like the
menu favourites. GorillaPod from Joby.

63
 FEATURE
Shoot Sharper Shots

02 DEPTH OF FIELD &

WHERE TO FOCUS
Choose a depth of field to suit where you want your images to be sharp.
Depth of field refers to the extent of the Even then, when you shoot extreme
sharpness of an image. If an image is close-ups, the depth of field may be only
noticeably soft in front of and behind the a matter of millimetres. As a rule of
point of focus, then its depth of field is thumb, there’s roughly double the
shallow; if the image is sharp from front amount of depth of field behind a focal
A
to back, then its depth of field is broad. point than there is in front of it. See what
Depth of field decreases the closer you happens if you were to shoot a landscape
are to a subject, so accurate focusing is (right) with a narrow aperture of f/16…
B
vital to ensure that your subjects are
RIGHT: Depth of field will be much reduced
sharp. This is why narrow apertures are by focusing at infinity (A). For optimum
used in macro photography (see below). sharpness, focus at B.

Aperture, depth 1 LARGE APERTURES:

of field and F/1.2 TO F/4

If you want the areas in front and
focal length
behind your subject to be out of
Depth of field is also affected
focus – where the effect of ‘bokeh’
by focal length. If you shoot
is pronounced – then you need
with a wide-angle lens, you’ll
to select a wide aperture, such
capture a larger depth of
as f/2.8 or f/4. Use this aperture
field, which keeps the scene
range for portraits, or for any situ-
sharp from front to back. At
ation where you want to separate
f/5.6 on a wide-angle 24mm
your subject from its background –
lens, for example, you’ll get a 100mm FOCAL LENGTH, SHALLOW DoF
like macro or wildlife photography.
broader depth of field than at
f/5.6 on a 100mm telephoto 2 MEDIUM APERTURES:
lens. This is why wide-angle
F/8 TO F/11
lenses are ideal
Mid-range apertures like f/8
for landscapes, while the
tend to give you the best optical
shallower depth of field of a
performance, and will be close
telephoto lens enables you to
to the ‘sweet spot’ of a lens (see
isolate a subject you’ve
panel, right). Choose an aperture
zoomed in on, making them
in this range and you’ll get a
well suited for shooting
medium depth of field and the
wildlife.
ability to use shutter speeds fast
Using depth of field to
enough to give you
determine which parts of an 70mm FOCAL LENGTH, MEDIUM DoF
sharp images.
image are in sharp focus is a
creative choice, of course. 3 SMALL APERTURES:
F/16 UPWARDS
To maximise the depth of field and
get as much as possible of the
scene sharp, you need to select
a narrow aperture, ideally f/16
upwards. Apertures of f/16 also
give a pleasing ‘star’ effect when
photographing lights at night; but
be aware that due to an optical
For quick and precise control of effect called diffraction, smallest
aperture settings, use Aperture
Priority on your camera (A or Av
apertures won’t give the
35mm FOCAL LENGTH, BROAD DoF
on the mode dial). sharpest results.

64
 f/11 1/60 ISO
sec 200

Use the ‘sweet spot’

of a lens
This is the aperture that delivers
maximum sharpness across the
frame. As a lens doesn’t produce the
same level of sharpness throughout
its aperture range, by determining its
‘sweet spot’ you can ensure you
capture the sharpest shots possible.
The sweet spot is usually in the
mid-range aperture settings of f/8 to
f/11, with sharpness tending to fall off
at the minimum and maximum
apertures. So your choice of
aperture not only affects depth of
field; it also plays a part in ensuring
sharp shots. (Macro lenses are an
exception to ‘sweet spots’, as they are
designed to offer edge-to-edge
sharpness even at narrow apertures).

Find the sweet spot for your

lens online at our sister title
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Comparison: Zoom vs Prime lens

The quality of your lens will ZOOM LENS PRIME LENS
also impact on the sharpness PROS PROS
• Flexible: one • Superb optical
of your shots. With a fixed
zoom lens can performance,
focal length and a constant do the job of especially with
aperture, prime lenses are two primes. fast apertures.

optically superb, but can be • Economical: • Less bulky than

two or more a zoom covering
expensive. For more versatility, zooms can be a similar focal
look at using a zoom lens all you need. range.
instead. These are generally
CONS CONS
more affordable than prime
• Zoom lenses • You can only
lenses, with image quality are not as ‘fast’ zoom in or out
being the trade-off. Lower- as primes, by moving your
which have feet.
cost zoom lenses have variable wider apertures. • Prime lenses
apertures, which means • Performance with fast
reduced image quality when falls off at the apertures will be
long end of the expensive.
shooting at the longer end of focal range.
the focal range.

65
 FEATURE
Shoot Sharper Shots

03 HOW TO PERFECT YOUR

FOCUSING TECHNIQUE
Autofocus systems are usually very reliable, but there are times they need a little help.
Autofocus was a game-changer in the modes, which you can switch between the mode designed to track moving
development of modern cameras – by pressing the AF button usually found subjects. Different camera
being able to get pictures in focus so on the top of the camera and rotating manufacturers have different ways of
easily has done a lot for the popularity the control dial; you can also access AF referring to this: on Canon models, it’s
of photography. But like any automated modes via menu systems. known as AI Servo, while Nikon calls
system, autofocus is not infallible, and One Shot mode is ideal for shooting it Dynamic Area AF and Sony uses
there are times it needs a little static subjects, such as landscapes or the term Continuous AF.
assistance. DSLR and mirrorless still-life. For sports, wildlife and other
cameras offer a variety of autofocus types of action photography, switch to

Pro tip
TWEAK AF SETTINGS
Subject-tracking autofocus
modes are user-adjustable.
Canon’s AI Servo has a
selection of ‘case’ settings for
typical scenarios, which can
be fine-tuned.

Choose the most appropriate

autofocus mode for the subject:
One Shot is a good choice here.

66
STEP BY STEP: HOW TO SELECT YOUR OWN AF POINTS
Beginners tend to rely on automatic AF point selection. Here’s how to move beyond it.

1 GET READY TO GO OFF-GRID The

camera’s default autofocus mode will 2 ONE POINT IS IDEAL FOR STILL-
LIFE A single AF point is ideal for a
static subject. Cycle through the AF point
3 FOR ACTION, USE ZONE AF For
moving subjects, you’ll get a better
hit rate if you use a cluster of AF points,
use a grid of AF points to focus on
whatever’s closest in the frame… options until you hit Single Point. often known as Zone AF.

STEP BY STEP: MANUAL FOCUS AND WHEN TO USE IT

If AF can’t nail the focus, it’s time take back control and do it yourself.

1 FIND YOUR AF/MF SWITCH It’s easy

to take your camera out of autofocus 2 ENTER MANUAL FOCUS MODE
Slide it into the MF position. Some
lenses will switch automatically
3 ADJUST FOCUS AND FIRE AWAY
Twist the focus ring until the part of
the image you want to be in focus looks
mode. Look on the side of the lens barrel
and locate the switch. when you give the focus ring a twist. sharp. Now take your shot.

STEP BY STEP: LIVE VIEW FOCUSING AND WHEN TO USE IT

Manual focus sometimes benefits from an enlarged image preview on the rear screen.

1  STEADY THE CAMERA FIRST Live

View will confirm if your desired focus 2  NOW SELECT LIVE VIEW MODE
Look for a button with a camera
icon next to it or, in the case of Nikon
3  ZOOM IN AND FINE-TUNE FOCUS
Enlarge the Live View display to see
the scene in fine detail, and adjust the
is spot-on, and it works best when the
camera is supported. cameras, ‘Lv’ inside a rectangle. focus ring on the lens as required.

67
 FEATURE
Shoot Sharper Shots

04 WHEN TO USE
FOCUS STACKING
For front-to-back sharpness, try this clever
creative technique .

This technique can be used with any

lens, and enables you to shoot using its
‘sweet spot’. Focus stacking blends
several images that have been focused at
OTʬP]PY_
[ZTY_^
_Z
[]ZO`NP
L
^TYRWP

image that contains the sharpest parts
of each shot, and is therefore sharp from
foreground to background. It is
straightforward to do, and can be carried
out in dedicated software or in
Photoshop.

STEP BY STEP: SET UP

2 SET YOUR FOCUS POINTS Starting
at the bottom of the frame, focus on
a relevant point and take a shot. Move
THE CAMERA up the frame and repeat.

1 CAMERA SUPPORT Steady the

camera. Use an aperture of f/8
or f/11. Make sure the highlights
3 FIRE THE SHUTTER WITH
CARE To avoid any chance
of shake, fire the shutter
and shadows haven’t been clipped. remotely, or by using the
self-timer – two seconds is ideal.

STEP BY STEP: BLEND YOUR IMAGES TOGETHER

The sharply focused parts of your shots produce an image with enhanced depth of field

1 UNCOMPRESSED WORKS BEST In

this example, we’re working with 2 IMPORT FILES INTO PHOTOSHOP
In Photoshop, click on File > Scripts
> Load Files Into Stack. Select the files;
3 AUTO-ALIGN SEPARATE LAYERS
Each file is a separate layer. Select
all layers and go to Edit > Auto-Align
eight images of a waterfall taken at f/8.
First, convert them into TIFFs. retain their order as shot. Click OK. Layers. Select Auto and click OK.

68
 Pro tip
IMAGE EDGES
After the blending process
in Photoshop, you’ll need to
crop out any empty space from
around the edges where the
images were aligned.

1 NOW BLEND THE LAYERS Click Edit

> Auto-Blend Layers. Tick the Stack 2 FLATTEN THE IMAGE The blended
image has an enhanced depth of
field. Crop any blurred edges then go to
3 DRINK IN THE DEPTH OF FIELD
The final, focus-stacked, image
reveals depth of field extending all the
Images button; under that, tick Seamless
Tones and Colors. Layers > Flatten Image. way to the background.

69
 FEATURE
Shoot Sharper Shots The final step in
achieving a perfectly
sharp shot is to
apply sharpening
algorithms in
software.

05 SHARPEN YOUR SHOTS

IN PHOTO EDITING
SOFTWARE LIKE A PRO
Now give your sharper shots a final polish before outputting them
to print or digital.

When you shoot using JPEG quality

settings, your camera applies a filter to When to sharpen
the resulting images. This sharpens an image
them and boosts the colours and Sharpening is one of the most
contrast. This is why raw files can look important steps in post-processing
slightly soft and washed-out when you images. While ‘capture’
compare a JPEG to a raw version of the sharpening is applied to JPEGs
same shot on the camera display. in-camera, and to raw images
You can change the amount of upon being opened, you’re still
sharpening applied to JPEGs in- likely to have to apply ‘output’
camera by creating a user-defined sharpening. You’ll need to sharpen
Picture Style, and adjusting the images to counter the softening
sharpness setting. If you shoot in raw, effect of inkjet printing, to correct
a default sharpening effect is applied any slight blurring, or selectively
when you bring the image into sharpen one part of an image, like
raw-compatible image-editing the eyes in a portrait shot.
software, like Lightroom or
Camera Raw.

70
 Photoshop’s unsharp mask filter
This is a simple-to-use and highly effective sharpening tool, To access the Unsharp Mask in Photoshop CC, go
which enables you to control the sharpening effect applied to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask; if you’re using
to your images using three sliders, and preview the results. Photoshop Elements, go to Enhance > Unsharp Mask.

ORIGINAL – NEEDS SHARPENING PERFECTLY SHARPENED OVERSHARPENED

STEP BY STEP: SHARPEN RAW FILES LIKE A PRO

How to use Camera Raw’s dedicated sharpening settings.

1 ASSESS SHARPNESS Grab the Zoom

Tool. Right-click and choose 100%
from the pop-up menu. Hold down the
2 INCREASE SHARPENING By
default, Camera Raw applies a
sharpening Amount of 25 to give images
3 REDUCE THE NOISE The eye now
looks sharper, but the contrast
change has exaggerated the noise in the
space bar and use the Hand Tool to view a bit more punch. Drag Amount to 150 smooth blurred background. Drop
the eye. Click the Detail tab. to tease out the fine textures in the Amount to 96 to reduce this noise.
moth’s eye.

4 ADJUST RADIUS Drag Radius back

and forth to boost the spread of the
contrast change. A high Amount with a
5 ADJUST DETAIL Drag the Detail
slider to the left to soften the shot,
or to the right to reveal more detail. Hold
6 ADJUST MASKING This slider stops
noise in any smooth (dark) areas
from being sharpened. Hold Alt and drag
high Radius will add black or white lines Alt as you drag to get a greyscale the Masking slider until the moth turns
(or haloes) to edges in the scene. preview of the details being revealed. white. Now boost Amount to 130.

71
 FEATURE
Fitness Watches

Fitness watches
Fitness watches can give you an enormous amount of insight
into your track and workout performance. But which ones go
that extra mile for active people?
Photography: Neil Godwin

A top-quality running watch will be a reason they’re now often known as other things that ‘proper’ running
real step up if you have only used fitness watches is that brands watches cannot do.
fitness trackers before. Unlike fitness explicitly design them for multiple And if affordability is more your
trackers, running watches have a sports and activities – not just gym but concern than umpteen different
range of advanced features such as hiking, cycling, paddle boarding and a activity modes or tweeting out
built-in GPS, more accurate wrist- host of other fitness-friendly mid-workout humblebrags, there are
based optical heart rate sensors and activities. As well as all this, high-end plenty more wallet-friendly watches
plenty of available sport modes. They models can often be used for that will enable you to track your runs,
also provide detailed running metrics navigation, thanks to their offline monitor your vitals and more besides.
in real time, like pace and cadence, that map function. Clearly there’s a lot of choice on
can help you better your running However, you don’t necessarily need offer. To make it easier to decide which
technique on the fly. to opt for a pure sports watch. For more is the best option for you, we’re taking
Running watches have long been casual users, a decent smartwatch will a look at the best in each of these three
suitable, to varying degrees, for provide all the fitness features they categories and seeing how they
tracking your prowess in the gym; the need, and also do a whole range of compare head-to-head.

72
 WHAT’S ON TEST…

1 Fitbit Versa 2
While Fitbit’s entrance into the
2 Garmin
Forerunner 945
3 Apple Watch Series 5
We can’t not mention the device
fitness smartwatch market lagged When it comes to fitness tech, that helped spawn the category.
a little behind its rivals Garmin and Garmin usually races ahead of the While Apple’s device is a
Apple, with the Versa series it has pack. And so it’s reasonable to generalist compared to brands
carved out its niche at the more expect its flagship running watch, like Garmin and Fitbit, it has
affordable end of the market. the Forerunner 945, to leave rivals consistently offered great health
Offering improved battery life, eating its dust. Certainly, with its and fitness features. Not only that
Alexa-integration and even great battery life, full-colour maps but it offers enough smart
Oxygen-level tracking, the Versa 2 and absurd variety of fitness functionality to justify its place on
has become the one to watch for features, it’s a premium product – your wrist 24/7.
the cash-conscious. But does it but it comes at an undeniably From $699, apple.com
offer good value compared to premium price.
more full-featured competitors? $999, garmin.com SPECS
$299, fitbit.com Display 40mm: 324 x 394 pixels;
SPECS 44mm: 368 x 448 pixels
SPECS Display 240 x 240 pixels BATTERY Life Up to 18 hours
Display 300 x 300 AMOLED BATTERY Life Smartwatch mode: Case Aluminium / stainless steel /
BATTERY Life 5+ days up to 2 weeks; GPS mode with titanium / ceramic
Case Aluminium music: up to 10 hours Dimensions 40x34x10.74mm /
Dimensions 25.07x25.07x12.7mm Case Fibre-reinforced polymer 44x38x10.74mm
Weight 40g Dimensions 47x47x13.7mm Weight 30.8g - 47.8g
Weight 50g

1 2 3

73
 FEATURE
Fitness Watches
FITBIT VERSA 2

Fitbit Versa 2
Fitbit has made strides in the running
watch market – but has it been enough?

The new Fitbit Versa 2 looks to be the most stylish

and versatile Fitbit to date. It adds Alexa, a
brighter screen, a better battery and a more
refined look to the Versa version 1.
Its AMOLED screen looks great – really bright
and attractive – and it can be set to ‘always on
mode’. You’re finally able to just see your heart
rate while working out, without having to flick
your wrist to turn on the screen.
Amazon Alexa offers the usual news, music,
weather, smart home controls and Fitbit control
via an Alexa ‘Skill’ – you can ‘Tell Fitbit to start a
run’ for instance. Interestingly, Alexa is activated
with a button-push rather than a wake word, and
its responses appear on screen in text form rather
than being spoken.
When it comes to the new and improved
battery, the Versa 2 boasts what Fitbit calls 5+ day
battery life; you could consider that a 25%
improvement over its predecessor’s 4+ day
battery life.
While we’re predominantly focusing on fitness
features, the Versa 2 has decent sleep tracking.
Not only does it rate the quality of your sleep out
of 100 but, as of February 2020, Fitbit rolled out its
‘Estimated Oxygen Variation Graph’ feature.
Generated from data sourced from the red and
infrared sensors on the Versa 2, it alerts you to
‘short-term variations in the oxygen levels in
your bloodstream’ which ‘may indicate
variations in your breathing during sleep’.
However, those who are more into fitness than
wellness or sleepiness are serviced by Fitbit’s
usual mix of automatic activity tracking, all-day
and exercise heart rate tracking and ‘15+
goal-based exercise modes’. Runs, hikes and
rides have to be tracked via your phone’s GPS –
there’s no GPS built in to the watch itself.
Alas, just like the original Versa and Versa Lite,
Versa 2 is not one for the more large-wristed
gent. You don’t have to be Popeye for it to look
quite comically small on your arm. But for most
women, smaller men and those who like small
watches for whatever reason, it’s great.
Everything has been refined to look sharper and
sexier, with a pleasingly buffed, anodised
aluminium finish.
In terms of fit and finish, as long as you are not
large of wrist this is easily the most stylish Fitbit
to date, and that AMOLED screen really pops. The
usual Fitbit suite of features is fine as far as it
goes but to unlock its real value, you’ll need a As with the original Versa, it’s swim-proof and water resistant to 50m,
subscription to Fitbit’s premium service. despite the addition of a mic for Alexa activation.

74
 GARMIN FORERUNNER 945

Garmin
Forerunner 945
Garmin’s sport watch may take the gold –
in terms of both prizes and price.

Putting a premium price tag on a product is a bold

move and, to justify it, brands really have to go
the extra mile. But for our money – and yours –
Garmin’s sports watch, the Forerunner 945,
justifies it.
Sure, at an RRP of $999, it’s pricier than a Fitbit
but this is a watch that will help you get really fit,
not just count steps and track a few light
workouts. Built for triathletes, the 945 is suitable
for anyone who’s serious about fitness but wants
something slim and stylish too.
Probably the Forerunner 945’s most notable
upgrade is the increased battery life. Thanks to
the new Sony GPS chip and firmware updates, it
lasts for 60 hours in UltraTrac mode, which
switches off the GPS when not in use. If you want
the GPS on all the time, you will get 10 hours out
of the battery. Put it in smartwatch mode, with
GPS off, and it’s good for up to two weeks.
If you like listening to music while exercising
but don’t want to take your phone, the watch’s
Spotify support will make your heart skip a beat.
You can store up to 1,000 songs (synced playlists
or uploaded MP3s) on it. Just connect
your running headphones and you’re good to go.
It also boasts full-colour maps, making
navigation in both urban and trail environments
way easier.
The optical sensors on the back of the watch
can detect heart rate and pulse more precisely
than before, helping it to track VO2Max metrics
even better. More interesting still, the ‘Training
Load Focus’ function sorts your recent training
history into different categories based on activity
structure and intensity – this could be a genuine
step forward in training for races.
The watch is compatible with Garmin’s smart
heart-rate strap for runners, and its waterproof
one for swimmers, and can also pair with Garmin
power meters to function as a surprisingly
sophisticated, wrist-mounted bike computer.
However, it’s also able to track dozens of
activities away from the track, road and pool. It’s
great for weight training, interval tracking,
treadmill running and anything else you can do
at the gym. It really is the ultimate fitness watch
with pro features that Apple Watch can’t
currently match.

While it’s built for triathletes, the Forerunner 945 is perfect for anyone serious
about fitness, combining great tracking with a solid build quality.

75
 FEATURE
Fitness Watches
APPLE WATCH SERIES 5

Apple Watch
Series 5
Apple’s all-conquering smartwatch is
also an excellent fitness wearable.

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76
 VERDICT: 1ST

The overall 2020

winner is… EDITOR’S

CHOICE

GARMIN FORERUNNER 945

From $999, garmin.com

WE’RE IMPRESSED Offers more fitness features than its rivals;

great battery life; as good for the gym as the track, monitoring
weight training, intervals and treadmill running.
WE’D IMPROVE High price point; lacks the versatility of other
true smartwatches.
THE LAST WORD If you’re looking for a dedicated fitness
smartwatch, the Forerunner 945 is your best bet. This is
undoubtedly a specialist running watch, rather than a
generalist smartwatch – which is reflected in the price and
feature set – but with its multi-purpose tracking and offline
maps, this should be the fitness fan’s go-to watch.

APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 FITBIT VERSA 2

From $699, apple.com From $299, fitbit.com
WE’RE IMPRESSED Excellent WE’RE IMPRESSED
2ND design; fantastic health
3RD Improved anodised
features; comprehensive aluminium lightweight
fitness options. design; always-on AMOLED
WE’D IMPROVE Screen display; improved battery life.
reduces battery life compared WE’D IMPROVE Lacks GPS;
to Series 4; still doesn’t work only suits slighter wrists;
with Android. more limited features than
THE LAST WORD This is a its rivals.
2020 cracking fitness watch. And if 2020 THE LAST WORD The best
you’re looking for smartwatch Fitbit fitness watch to date
EDITOR
EDITOR’S functionality as well, it’s by far but not yet taking a bite out
APPROVED
CHOICE
the best option out there. of Apple and Garmin’s lead.

Five things to consider before buying

01 WHY ARE YOU 02 OLD OR NEW? who could benefit more from tend to consume more
BUYING ONE? The best running watch from being able to use maps in battery power.
Would you like to upgrade last year is still not the worst areas where there is no
your current running watch or option this year. Many features phone signal. 05 FIT AND ERGONOMICS
are you planning on getting of newer models trickle down If you have a smallish wrist,
your first proper smart fitness to older ones through software 04 BATTERY LIFE putting a large watch on might
wearable? If it is an upgrade, updates. Especially if the new Battery life varies wildly skew your heart rate readings
have a look at newer models of model came out very recently, from one watch to the other because the sensors aren’t
the watch you use now – you the older models will provide and it also depends on how properly fitted against your
are probably more familiar more stable performance (at you will use it. If you exercise skin. Take ergonomics into
with the button layout and the least at the beginning). outdoors often, get a watch account, too: some running
user interface. If it’s a new with a good ‘with GPS’ battery watches come with touch
purchase, you might be new to 03 WHICH FEATURES DO life: ‘20 hours of tracking screens, others don’t; it’s
sports overall and therefore YOU NEED? with GPS’ means you won’t best to try before you buy
don’t need the high-end model Offline maps are great but not have to charge the watch more to see which version you prefer
with the premium features and many people will use them for than once every other week. the most.
price tag. their daily runs, unlike hikers, Larger, always-on screens also

77
 FEATURE
The best apps you never knew existed

The
best apps
you never
knew
EXISTED
Get a dose of app inspiration with these brilliant
hidden gems for your Mac, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
Written by Alex Blake
Whenever you get a new Apple device, superb software that can take your waiting for you over the next few pages.
it’s likely you have a go-to list of Apple kit to the next level. The trouble Some of the apps have graced
essential apps that you always install is that many of these superb apps TechLife in the past, while others have
first. Whether that’s professional- are actually hard to find, buried in never seen the light of day in
grade apps like Adobe Photoshop or the darkest recesses of the App Store or our magazine before. Whether an app is
social media favorites such as Facebook the web. totally new to you or you’re reminded of
and WhatsApp, we’ve all got our That’s where we come in. We’ve its existence, everything that’s
favorite apps that we can’t live without. scoured every corner of the web to find featured here deserves to be on
But there’s much more to discover the best apps you’ve never heard of. your device.
if you dig a little deeper. The Mac From tiny tweaks that you simply can’t So join us as we traverse the hidden
and iOS ecosystems are absolutely live without to things that totally depths of the app ecosystem. You never
chock full of small developers and overhaul the way you use your device, know, your next favorite app could
independent programmers making we’re sure there are some great apps be waiting.

78
79
 FEATURE
The best apps you never knew existed

Great
productivity O U R C H O I C E

apps revealed Just Press Record

$7.99 FROM Open Planet Software,
openplanetsoftware.com
NEEDS iOS 13 and
d watchOS 5 or later

We love this app for its ease of

use. It just takes one tap (or a Siri
shortcutt) to start recording on
your Watch or iOS
S device, so you never
miss a one–off mo
oment again!

Keyboard
Maestro Hazel
$59 FROM Stairways Software, US$32 FROM Noodlesoft, noodlesoft.com
keyboardmaestro.com NEEDS OS X 10.11 or later NEEDS OS X 10.10 or later

One thing’s for sure: Organizing your Mac’s files is no

Your Mac already has a whole range of handy built-in
fun. If you’re fed up of regularly having to file and sort,
timesavers thanks to keyboard shortcuts and trackpad
let Hazel do the hard work for you. Getting started is
swipes. Keyboard Maestro takes that a step further,
super simple: Specify the folders you want it to keep an
enabling you to automate a huge number of tasks with
eye on, set a few rules, then let it work its magic.
both pre-programmed and custom options.
Let’s say you want to organise your Downloads
You can automate almost any task you can think of.
folder. You can move items based on their file type,
Launch apps at the touch of a button, rearrange the
name, date downloaded, the website you got them
windows on your desktop, control your music playback,
from, and much more. In a few seconds, your folder
fill out website forms – all these features and more can
goes from cluttered to cleansed.
be activated with a touch.
You can set it to rename, upload, tag, archive and
The app can manipulate text, too. With a few quick
open files on multiple criteria, and manage your Trash
clicks you can complete calculations, expand text
to boot. It integrates with Spotlight, Photos, Automator,
abbreviations into full words and phrases, create
AppleScript, and a host of other apps and systems. It’s
reports, convert images to text, and use multiple
the spring clean your Mac needs, done the easy way.
clipboard items. When you’re working with text–heavy
tasks, these features are invaluable.

80
Dropzone AirServer Calz Soulver
$14.99 FROM Aptonic, US$19.99 FROM App $4.99 FROM WapleStuff, $13.99 FROM Acqualia
aptonic.com NEEDS OS X Dynamic, airserver.com waplestuff.com NEEDS iOS Software, acqualia.com
10.9 or later NEEDS OS X 10.9 or later 10 and watchOS 4 or later NEEDS iOS 11.4

Dropzone contains a menu Need an all–in–one screen– Calzy is the iOS calculator Calculations can
bar icon that expands into mirroring app that works with taken up a notch. You can get complicated, but Soulver
an eponymous “dropzone.” all your devices? AirServer bookmark calculations for lets you use plain language to
Here you can place files, lets your Mac or TV function future reference, drag and work out things like your
folders, and actions; drag as an AirPlay and Google drop values, and browse your earnings based on hours
a file over a folder to move Cast receiver for a fraction of calculation history. You can worked and your hourly rate,
it there, or a website link to the cost of an Apple TV. It even rearrange its layout. or your returns on investment
the link–shortener action works with iPhones, iPads Its Watch version is well based on the interest rate
to get a more digestible link. and Macs, plus PCs and designed for the small and time invested. It’s clever,
It’s perfect for quick actions Android devices, so you can screen, and the app looks quick and customisable, and
that you regularly perform. stream and share easily. great no matter your device. makes quick math pain free.

Unlo5 Knock Itsycal TickTick

$3.99 FROM Kane Cheshire, $2.99 FROM Knock Free FROM Mowglii, Free (IAPs) FROM Appest,
unlox.it NEEDS iOS 11.2 and Software, knocktounlock. mowglii.com NEEDS ticktick.com NEEDS OS X
watchOS 4 or later com NEEDS iOS 7 or later macOS 10.12 or later 10.11, iOS 10 and watchOS 3
or later

We love Face ID, but we’re Fancy a different approach to The default Mac menu bar Few apps combine
disappointed it’s still not on Unlox? Knock lets you – you calendar isn’t much use. reminders, to–do lists and
the Mac. Enter Unlox, which guessed it – knock on your Itsycal is much better, calendars as well as TickTick.
lets you unlock your iMac or device to unlock your Mac. displaying a full month–to– It comes with the standard
MacBook with just a glance. Two quick taps on your month view when you fare with extra flair and
Don’t have a Face ID iPhone? iPhone or a single tap on expand the app. You can flexibility. You can adjust
Unlox works with Touch ID, your Watch and you’re in. include upcoming calendar calendar views, set flexible
a passcode and the Apple You don’t even need to open events so you never miss an reminders, and customise
Watch, and can automatically the app, and you can appointment, customise its task orders and sub–tasks.
lock your Mac when your remotely disable it if you lose appearance in the menu bar, An all–in–one app to help
device moves away. your device. and enable Dark Mode. keep you organised.

81
 FEATURE
The best apps you never knew existed

On the
go and
at home
Hopper TripMode
Free FROM Hopper, hopper. US$9 FROM TripMode,
com NEEDS iOS 11 or later tripmode.ch NEEDS OS X
10.10 or later

Hopper uses previous price When you’re out with your

data to find the cheapest Mac, the last thing you want
time to book your holiday is to have your battery
flights, hotel and travel, all drained by background apps.
displayed in a simple color– TripMode halts them in their
coded calendar. It claims 95% tracks, with its simple menu
accuracy up to a year in bar icon letting you block and
advance, and could result in allow whichever apps you
you saving a significant like. You can set limits, use a
chunk of cash. And best of schedule, and also track your
all, the app is totally free. data use.

App in the Air

Free (IAPs) FROM AITA, appintheair.mobi
NEEDS iOS 11 and watchOS 4 or later
Elk Deliveries
Traveling can be stressful at the best of times, which is Free (IAPs) FROM Clean $7.99 FROM Junecloud,
why App in the Air is such a lifesaver. It’ll tell you all the Shaven Apps, elkapp.co junecloud.com NEEDS iOS
NEEDS iOS 11 and watchOS 10 and watchOS 3 or later
key details (when to check in, which departure gate you
3 or later
need, your flight number and status), plus a number of
extra features that help it rise above the rest.
Its advice is tailored for each airport. You get Elk gives you an easy way to Deliveries tracks your parcels
navigation directions to your gate, the password for the convert currencies on the go. from Apple, Amazon, USPS
airport Wi–Fi, plus handy tips from other travellers on With a few swipes and taps and a load of other services
what to expect while you’re there. All this serves to you can quickly get started, – no more scurrying around
make your experience a little more pleasant. and the app knows where various websites, this app
We also love the app’s Augmented Reality scanning you are and suggests the shows you everything in one
feature. Simply point your phone at your suitcase and right currency to use. place. You can track your
it’ll virtually measure it, telling you if it’ll be put in the We love how its Apple Watch deliveries on a map, and it
hold or allowed as carry–on luggage. It’s a massive version uses the Digital counts down the days until
timesaver and helps put your mind at ease. Crown to adjust your input. they arrive so you know when
to be home.

82
HomeRun
for HomeKit
$4.49 FROM Sunya, homerun.app
needs iOS 13 and watchOS 6 or later

If you have a HomeKit setup but aren’t totally

convinced by using Apple’s Home app for quick
changes, then give HomeRun for HomeKit a go. It’s
specifically designed for the Apple Watch, and lets you
adjust your scenes quickly and easily with minimal fuss.
Your scenes are presented in a grid so you can
memorise where and how to control the scene you’re
looking for. Add your favorites to a Watch face
complication, or use the Siri Watch face integration for
a more detailed option. Tunity WALTR
It even enables you to automate your day with daily Free (IAPs) FROM Au- $64.59 FROM Softorino,
routines, which switch your complications based on the dio StreamTV, tunity.com softorino.com NEEDS OS X
time of day. Adjust the thermostat in the morning via NEEDS iOS 11 or later 10.9 or later
the complication, then turn on the lights with a few
quick taps in the evening – it’s that easy. It’s a great, Tunity is such a clever idea, Sick of syncing things to your
simple timesaver. it’s almost Apple–esque. iOS devices the Apple way?
Imagine you’re at a bar or the WALTR offers a much better
gym and you’re trying method. It works a lot like
to watch a TV that’s been AirDrop, allowing you to
muted. Scan the TV with your simply drag and drop music,
phone’s camera in the app, pictures, files and more onto
pop in your headphones, and your device. It syncs across
Tunity streams the audio album covers, genre
directly to your ears. It’s descriptions, actor info, and
effortless and very effective. more as well.

Franz Caprine
Free (IAPs) FROM Stefan Free FROM Sindre Sorhus,
Malzner, meetfranz.com sindresorhus.com NEEDS
NEEDS OS X 10.9 or later OS X 10.10 or later

O U R C H O I C E With so many messaging While Franz takes a wide–net

apps available on the Mac, approach, Caprine focuses
AutoSleep things can get messy. Franz exclusively on Facebook
consolidates them all into one Messenger, but in doing so
$5.99 FROM Tantsissa, autosleep.tantsissa.com
place, making staying in offers more features. It’s
needs iOS 11 and watchOS 4 or later
touch far easier. Right now, it especially useful if you’re
AutoSleep is a sleep tracker for Apple works with 73 different privacy–minded, letting you
Watch that’s built like an Apple app, with services, and you can add block read receipts, stifle
rings to close and tons of in–depth info. multiple instances of the link tracking, and obfuscate
If you’re having trouble nodding off, try it out. same service if you have desktop notifications in the
more than one account. notoriously data–hungry app.

83
 FEATURE
The best apps you never knew existed

The best
utility apps O U R

ToothFairy
C H O I C E

uncovered $4.99 FROM C-Command Software,

c-command.com NEEDS OS X 10.11 or later

ToothFairy makes life simpler if, like us, you

use AirPods or Bluetooth headphones
regularly with your Mac. It saves
you extra clicks, making
connecting and using your
AirPods so much easier.

OnyX
Free FROM Titanium Software, titanium-software.fr
NEEDS macOS 10.15 or later
BetterTouchTool
From US$8.50 FROM Folivora, folivora.ai
needs OS X 10.10 or later
Sometimes, macOS doesn’t behave as it should. There
There’s no doubt that the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar has
are a few built–in things you can try, but they’re often
a lot of potential, but it’s never really lived up to it.
deeply hidden, confusing to use, or both. OnyX is
With BetterTouchTool at your disposal, you can
a brilliant app that gives you power–user features with
transform it into the brilliant tool that it was always
no cost attached.
meant to be with you firmly at the helm.
If you suspect that macOS isn’t working properly
Using an app whose developer hasn’t built in Touch
because something is broken, OnyX can come to the
Bar support, or one with lacklustre features? You can
rescue. The app lets you repair your disk permissions,
now take control and add it to the Touch Bar, letting you
rebuild Spotlight and Mail indexes, and restore various
launch it or execute custom functions with a quick tap.
databases and caches that may have become
The app’s real strength is the power it gives you over
corrupted.
workflows. You can set up various triggers and
As well as that, you can use OnyX’s many tools to
processes to carry out complex tasks right from the
perform a spot of spring cleaning on your Mac,
Touch Bar. BetterTouchTool even works with trackpad
cleansing caches, logs and cookies that could
gestures, text shortcuts, keyboard triggers, and plenty
be slowing your system down. OnyX really is a powerful
more, making it a superb all–rounder.
tool that could help if you need to get your computer
back in fighting shape.

84
Amphetamine Shift Keyboard GrandPerspective Little Snitch
Free FROM William $2.99 FROM Adam Foot, $2.99 FROM Erwin Bonsma, US$45 FROM Objective
Gustafson, bitly.com/macam- adamfoot.uk NEEDS iOS 13 grandperspectiv.sourceforge. Development Software, obdev.
phet NEEDS OS X 10.11 or later and watchOS 6 or later net NEEDS OS X 10.9 or later at NEEDS OS X 10.11 or later

Amphetamine stops your Replying to messages on GrandPerspective is perfect Malicious apps can attempt
Mac going to sleep. You can your Apple Watch is tedious if you’re running low on to connect your Mac
tell it to stay awake until you at the best of times, but not legroom on your Mac and to trackers, phishing servers,
turn it off, for a certain with Shift Keyboard. This app need to know which files and and other nastiness. Little
number of minutes, or until a gives you a full keyboard, folders are gobbling up your Snitch tells you when an app
certain time. You can also set with autocomplete and emoji free space. It scans your is trying to connect to a
triggers, such as only staying support, to make messaging drives and maps them out, suspicious source and lets
awake if a specific app is from your wrist a breeze. The with larger blocks signifying you block it. There are bulk
running or you’ve connected app even has two layouts to larger files. Great for finding blocklists, real–time traffic
a USB drive. choose from to suit your space hogs to clear them out. diagrams, server maps,
tapping needs. and more.

Pock Magnet TinkerTool Vanilla

Free FROM Pierluigi Galdi, $4.99 FROM CrowdCafé, Free FROM Marcel Bresink, Free (IAPs) FROM Matthew
pock.dev NEEDS macOS crowdcafe.com bresink.com NEEDS macOS Palmer, matthewpalmer.net
10.12.2 or later NEEDS OS X 10.9 or later 10.14 or later NEEDS macOS 10.13 or later

Want to keep your MacBook While macOS lets you snap TinkerTool provides access to Tired of your menu bar
Pro’s desktop clean and your app windows to the extra customisation options getting all cluttered up with
Dock–free? Pock shifts the edges of your screen, it’s for a range of macOS system icons? Vanilla hides the
Dock to your Touch Bar, pretty limited. Magnet gives tools, from Safari, Finder and excess behind an expandable
letting you launch your apps you far more control, with Launchpad to the Dock and arrow, making things much
or empty the trash with a extra placements (such advanced appearance cleaner. There’s also a pro
quick tap while keeping your as centred windows) and settings. It only affects the version that adds keyboard
desktop as minimalistic as keyboard shortcuts to current user and doesn’t shortcuts, works with Dark
possible. You can also place activate your chosen window change vital system settings, Mode, can automatically start
menu bar and now playing layout. There’s also a menu so there’s no risk of doing any when you load macOS, plus
info on the Touch Bar. bar icon for quick access. serious damage. lots of other features.

85
 HELP STATION Expert solutions for everday problems.

THIS MONTH Game folder permission Sadly, without knowing what posts in the Microsoft forums, with
Q&A
Your questions
problems the game is, what was in the folder all sorts of ways to stop this, but for
answered I have a new Asus TUF gaming you were copying, and where you me none worked – is there a way to
WINDOWS laptop. I copied a game folder from TY^_LWWPO
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Use Dropbox in
my desktop PC to a thumb drive, ^[PNTʭN
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Frank Esposito
Windows 10
MAC
then to my laptop to keep the saved he’s certainly not going to
Easily sync your ʭWP^
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recommend messing about with TECHLIFE RESPONDS: ?SP^P
ʭWP^

devices 4
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permissions without knowing have only started appearing
iOS
back to the thumb drive but got the more, as you could quite easily relatively recently – possibly since
Group your
tunes in iOS error, “Your organisation does not _]L^S
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4
installation. (1909). There are several theories for
How to get the discovered it’s the folders rather BSL_
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where they come from – some claim
best from your
Android camera _SLY
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you install the game separately they’re linked with graphics drivers,
SECURITY was able to create the folder and through the usual channels on Z_SP]^
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& PRIVACY subfolders on the thumb drive then both laptop and desktop, then look telemetry. From what we can gather,
Backup vs Sync
HOME
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NETWORKING subfolders, a slow chore. I’ve backing up and transferring Z`_
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Running Linux searched the Internet for solutions, game-save data between them – but they’re a cause for irritation
on Windows
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for example, GameSave Manager rather than genuine concern.
FITNESS
Gear up with [P]XT^^TZY^
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supports over 6,800 games. Just Q`WW
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PHOTOGRAPHY Thomas download it, extract it to your USB day-to-day use, the key here is to
MASTERCLASS
Ready, steady, drive, and then run it directly from XLYLRP
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throw TECHLIFE RESPONDS: This there to transfer your saved games up to clog up your entire drive.
DIGITAL sounds like the game folder you between machines. Thankfully, the folder – among
DARKROOM
Blur copied was housed in a protected Z_SP]
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backgrounds folder that is owned by a system Unwanted temp files in check using Storage Sense: head
in Lightroom
user (such as TrustedInstaller) piling up over to “Settings > System >
rather than your own user account. 3PWWZ
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This error message occurs most MPPY
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frequently in conjunction with the folder with the name mat-debug- Z]
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programs installed through the part seems to be the PID of the ɭ/PWP_P
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installed the game through other are zero bytes, but in some cases I
means, it’s possible that the found over a dozen of them, and a Where’s the SSHD?
installer set permissions in such new one seems to be created every Your magazines have nearly
a way as to prohibit (or at least 10-15 minutes or so. become a solitary blueprint for my
discourage) folk from copying They seem to reproduce like hobbyist build ideas, and I found
the game. rabbits. There have been numerous myself wondering the other day
bSd
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about in general. I have used them
in a few super-budget builds lately,
and they seem to show promise for
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a product comparison with SSD vs
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head-to-head comparison of the
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copying
perspective. Even a piece on how
game-save
folders can they work would be interesting.
cause problems. Shannon Benikosky

86
TECHLIFE RESPONDS: Solid State I be suspicious that there’s no other keyboard I’ve used has done
Hybrid Drives represent a snapshot reference to USB 3.0 under “USB the opposite – I regularly use
in time when the price of SSD controllers”? I’ve installed the Photoshop, and I have actions that I
storage was still prohibitively high. latest BIOS and drivers from run using the Function keys for
As the name implies, they combine Gigabyte, including the Etron USB repetitive tasks. I don’t wish to use
a regular spinning-platter drive 3.0 drivers. Can USB ports go bad? Replacing fn+F2 to run my crop action, nor do
with a small amount of SSD Curtis Raff busted USB I want to buy another keyboard.
ports isn’t
storage (typically 8GB, although Older HPs let you change the
expensive.
some models support 32GB). The TECHLIFE RESPONDS: Your setting in the BIOS, but this is not
drive then identifies the most mobo’s Etron EJ168 USB 3.0 host present here. As an HP employee on
frequently accessed files on the controller has been plagued with their forums said, “I must let you
drive, placing them on the SSD problems over its lifetime, but the know that this isn’t an issue, it’s by
portion to speed up access. lack of any reference to an “Etron design, Function key settings are
While SSD drives were relatively USB 3.0 eXtensible Host controller” only available for laptops, the
expensive, SSHDs offered a smart in Device Manager is very default function for all-in-one
compromise between capacity and suspicious. Try reinstalling the devices cannot be changed.”
performance. They’re obviously Etron USB 3.0 drivers again – the Without getting into the stupidity
not as quick as full-blown SSDs latest version via Gigabyte is of this decision, is there any way to
because most files remain on the 1.0.0.118 from November 2013, override this design choice? A script
slower portion of the drive, but which is the latest version of some sort that auto-runs with
they’re a vast improvement over available (see https://bit.ly/ Windows, or some registry tweak?
regular hard drives when it comes MPC178usb for an alternative None of the combos I have read
to boot and application load times. download). online (fn-Esc, fn-Caps lock,
When it comes to cost, a direct If this driver fails to install, boot fn-Shift) turn fn lock on. There is no
comparison between SSHD and into your BIOS setup utility, fn lock key or indicator on the
SSD appears to confirm that SSHDs navigate to peripherals and verify keyboard.
still hold a significant advantage: “USB 3.0 Support (Etron EJ168 USB Brian Di Cesare
you’ll pay $160-$180 for a 2TB Controller)” is enabled – if it’s not,
SSHD – less than half the price of a switching this on should bring TECHLIFE RESPONDS: The HP
2TB SSD. That seems like a things back. We suspect it’s already forums are littered with irate users
no-brainer for those on tight enabled, so your next step is to see such as yourself, Brian, and for
budgets, but consider this: you can if you can get the ports recognised good reason. What possessed HP to
buy a 120GB SSD for under $50, and in Linux. Create a live Linux CD remove any option – within
a 2TB regular hard drive for around using a distro running Kernel 5.2 or Windows or in the BIOS – to allow
$100. So, for less than the price of a later (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or 18.04.4 you to switch the order back to what
single 2TB hybrid, you can have a LTS both meet this requirement), most people consider logical is
fast 120GB boot drive and 2TB and run it in “Try” mode. Connect a beyond us. The problem isn’t
drive for storing files, while USB storage device to one of the limited to all-in-one users either;
keeping data separate from USB 3.0 ports, and it should show up HP sells the offending keyboard (a
Windows and apps. in the“Files” tool. Pavilion 600 wireless model)
SSHDs may no longer hold the If nothing shows up in Linux, standalone too.
same appeal from a price then it’s safe to write off the ports. You could try a few more combos
perspective, but they do still Thankfully, your mobo has three such as fn-Ctrl-Alt, or fn-Ctrl-Shift,
possess one major advantage: PCI-Ex1 slots, so you could or even Fn-Win – but we suspect
they’re perfect for when you only purchase a USB 3.0 PCI-E plugin you’re stuck with the keyboard’s
have space for a single drive, and card like the Astrotek 4-port USB foibles. If that’s a deal-breaker,
need both performance and 3.0 card ($25), to restore USB 3.0 you’ll find plenty of sleek, wireless
capacity – typically in laptops. support to your PC. (and unbranded) keyboards on Ebay
that behave properly and won’t look
USB 3.0 port problem Can’t switch HP function out of place next to your all-in-one
My old Win7 x64 desktop, key lock PC. They’re relatively cheap too.
GA-H61MA-D3V (rev. 2.0) I purchased an HP Pavilion That said, HP should perhaps offer
motherboard + Intel Core i5 3550 All-in-One 24-xa0119, which is some kind of exchange program for
has two rear USB 3.0 ports, and swell but for one very annoying those who find the keyboard’s
they have not worked for a few issue: it comes with a sleek foibles too much.
years. Peripherals plugged into keyboard that has the multimedia
them light up, but there is no functions on the function keys,
Windows recognition. Device forcing me to hold Fn to use them
Manager has no errors, but should as actual function keys. Every

87
 FILE MENU
HELP STATION Here we’ve opened
the menu on one
particular file so
Windows you can see the
various file
management

Use Dropbox
options available.

in Windows 10
Dive into one of the most powerful
file management tools available on
Windows 10.

SKILL LEVEL Dropbox is an app that, at its heart,

Anyone can synchronises a folder on your PC
do it
with other computers – the same
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and download ɧ MPdZYO _SL_ dZ` bTWW YPPO _Z [Ld
them /,9 2=,-3,8

HOW TO Everything you need to know about Dropbox for Windows

1 DOWNLOAD THE APP Firstly, go to dropbox.com to

download and install the desktop app. There is also an app in
the Windows Store, but it’s more like the mobile version of the
2 SIGN INTO THE APP You will need to sign into the app to
‘link’ it to a Dropbox account. Don’t have a Dropbox
account? Then you can sign up at the bottom of this window.
app and doesn’t do the file synchronisation we want to show You can also use Google to sign into the app should you have an
here. You may be prompted to buy a Dropbox plan (above) but existing Google account. Creating a Dropbox account is a really
you don’t need to do that. You also don’t need to set up an simple process and the app won’t ask you for extra details it
account until the next stage. doesn’t really need.

88
 SEARCH
Dropbox’s search is
fast. You can find
things quickly and it
can often be more
rapid than
searching within
Windows.

FILE LISTING
The main part of
this screen shows
the files in our
Dropbox. We can
preview, delete or
rename them from
here.

Jargon buster!
CLOUD STORAGE
Online storage systems
such as Dropbox or
OneDrive are often
referred to as ‘cloud
storage’ – cloud services
are any services online.

DROPBOX PLAN
SHARE YOUR FILE Dropbox offers several
FOLDER OPTIONS different plans for
Sharing is also a key You can create a
tenet of Dropbox. consumers and
folder or upload businesses. The basic
You just need an files should you
email address so one is free, but if you
wish to do things want more than 2GB of
you can send files that way instead of
or folders to others. storage, you will need to
synchronising them. pay. It can quickly get
expensive, so it’s best
for the files you need
currently rather than
long-term.

SYNCHRONISATION
This is what Dropbox
does between multiple
computers – if a file is
edited on one PC, it’ll
appear on the other in
seconds – providing that
computer is connected
to the internet, of
course!

3 SELECTIVE FOLDERS You can either choose to sync

everything to your computer from your Dropbox or use
what’s called Selective sync. With this you choose which
4 SHARE SCREENSHOTS When you start up Dropbox for
the first time you’ll get this prompt. It asks if you want
Dropbox to manage screenshots is you take them – this can
Dropbox folders to synchronise with this particular PC. With new be useful as they’ll pop into a Screenshots folder in your
Dropboxes this won’t be a problem, but we’re demonstrating Dropbox and sync right away. Similarly you can ask Dropbox
this with a (nearly full!) Dropbox to show you how everything to instantly take photos from cameras you plug into
works as it wouldn’t be much good if we had no examples! Windows and it’ll prompt you about the new device.

89
 HELP STATION
Windows

5 THE DROPBOX FOLDER This is the key window of Dropbox

– the local (on your PC) folder that shows everything that’s
currently in your Dropbox. As you can see, Dropbox overlays
6 SHARING FILES You can share files from just about
anywhere in Dropbox – here’s how to share in Windows.
Right-click a file and go to Share alongside the Dropbox icon.
icons – these blue spinning icons indicate synchronisation taking You’ll then see this rather plain window which enables you to
place. A green tick means that file has been synchronised. write a message and say where the file is going – add an email
Dropbox updates in real time, so if a file is edited somewhere address. You can also share by copying a Dropbox link that you
else, the change will be reflected right away. can send in other ways, like in a text.

7 THE APP MENU Finally we see the Dropbox app! It sits in

your notifications area looking like it’s doing nothing. In fact,
it’s keeping an eye on your files and making sure they
8 FOR YOU The For You menu here looks a little blank, but it’ll
populate with tailored access to files you use often. Here it’s
showing our Current Work folder which is one of our most-used
synchronise. Clicking on the Dropbox icon brings up this menu folders. Note that synchronisation is taking place here – you can
– it shows you all the recently edited and synchronised files and see progress at the very bottom of the window where Dropbox
when they were modified. This menu will also show you any will tell you how many files there are left to process.
notifications you need.

9 SEARCH FOR ANYTHING At the top of the app menu is a

search bar. As well as names and icons, Dropbox will also
show you other file information, such as size and when it was
10 MANAGING FILES There are stacks of other file
management options in the main Dropbox menu. Select
a recently uploaded bunch of files and you can unfurl the bundle
last edited. You can also see where in your Dropbox the file is to see each one individually. You can share it, get a link, star it for
stored – you might have a January.xlsx in a 2019 folder, but also easy retrieval or open the file. What’s more, you can open it in
one in 2018 and 2017, too. The ‘link’ icon gets you a link to the specific apps – so if you want to send an image to Photoshop,
selected file directly from this window. you can do that from here. TL

90
 SPECIAL OFFER Subscribe to TechLife & save.

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91
 HELP STATION
Mac

REQUIRES
SyncMate, some
other devices
Easily sync your devices
YOU WILL
LEARN Sync a variety of different devices with SyncMate.
How to sync
with Macs and
other devices Syncing is a wonderful thing: Just have an Apple logo on them – and mapped network drives and
WL^_
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bP]P
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it can sometimes be a little 8TN]Z^ZQ_
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IT WILL TAKE Keynote presentation on iPad that hesitant to update things, as SyncMate 8 comes in two
10 minutes
we’d started on our Mac and we’ve learnt the hard way when versions, Free and Expert. Free
rehearsed on our iPhone. Z`]
OPaTNP^
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only syncs your Calendar and your
But Apple’s approach, to sync we thought they did. Wouldn’t it Contacts while Expert adds
aTL
T.WZ`O
SL^
^ZXP
ʮLb^%
4_
T^Yɪ_
be great if there was a cross- folders, SMS messages, reminders,
interested in devices that don’t device sync that gave you bookmarks, photos, and your
complete Music or iTunes library.
control of 4_ɪ^
bZ]_S
YZ_TYR
_SL_
LaLTWLMWP

everything? options depend on what you’re
GENIUS TIP Enter connecting to so, for example,
Syncing isn’t SyncMate, if you connect your Mac to an iPad
backing up! If you
sync a bad or which syncs you’ll be able to sync your
wrong version, it data with Calendar, Contacts, Folders,
could overwrite
the original. iOS, iPadOS Photos, Safari bookmarks and
Always back up and Android Music or iTunes, but not
your important
devices, all Reminders or SMS.
stuff.
your cloud For all we moan about it, iCloud
storage is still pretty good if all your
services such devices are from Apple. But for
as Google people with kit from all kinds of
Drive and OTʬP]PY_
NZX[LYTP^
>dYN8L_P
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Dropbox, a very handy tool. .,==40

multiple Macs, MARSHALL

92
HOW TO Sync almost anything

1  KNOW YOUR IP If you’re connect-

ing to another Mac, you’ll need 2  ALLOW CONNECTIONS On your
other Mac, look for Incoming Con- 3 GET CONNECTED Now, return to
your original Mac and select the
Add New link from the sidebar at the
to know your IP (internet protocol) nections and then click on the little “+”
address. Handily, it’s right there in the at the bottom corner of the Allowed IP right. This asks you which kind of de-
middle of the window. Take a note of Addresses box. Enter the IP address of vice you’re connecting to, and as you
it and install SyncMate on the Mac you your other Mac in the box that pops up. can see there are lots of options here.
want to sync data with. Click on Another Mac.

4  CHOOSE YOUR MAC If you click

on the menu in the middle of the
window you should see a list of the
5  PICK AND MIX After a few sec-
onds you’ll see the Device Added
Successfully message and a list of the
6  GET THE DETAILS You’ll see tabs
at the top of the screen, one for
each kind of data you’ve chosen to
Mac(s) that you’ve told SyncMate to kinds of data you can sync. In the free sync. Here we’re looking at the Calen-
add this Mac to (you can also add a version you can only select Calendar dar sync options, so we can choose
Mac manually, but we couldn’t persuade and Contacts. Check what to sync, which to include and how far back or
that feature to work). then click Done. forward SyncMate should go.

7  CHOOSE CONTACTS It’s similar

with Contacts, where you can 8  FIND YOUR FOLDERS If you’ve
chosen to sync folders, you’ll 9  START A SYNC With Macs, Syn-
cMate can use AutoSync, which
runs at specified times, or just run
sync your entire address book or just need to tell SyncMate which ones to
the groups you’ve created in your sync. You can also specify what to do updates manually from the menu bar.
Mac’s Contacts app. You can pick if there’s a conflict – for example, you Use Online Connections to see which
whether to change the name order or can tell SyncMate to use the newest devices are available and click on them
just sync people’s phone numbers. versions of any conflicting files. to sync.

93
 HELP STATION
ios

GENIUS TIP
You can tell Siri
to “shuffle” any
of your playlists
to enjoy
“Personalise
hearing your
songs
in a random
your playlist
order.
with a
description and
custom album
artwork”

REQUIRES
Apple Music
subscription;
Music app;
Group your tunes in iOS
iPhone or iPad
with iOS 13/ Create a playlist of your favorite music for that road trip or party.
iPadOS

Playlists are a great way to group You can create personal playlists are automatically available across
YOU WILL your vast music collection. They in one of three ways: On your Mac all your devices. However other
LEARN
How to create enable you to enjoy a select using the Music app in Catalina playlists will either need to be
playlists on your number of songs, without being (or iTunes if you’re on Mojave or manually transferred (from Mac
iPhone or iPad
interrupted by other tunes you older); on your iPhone, iPad, or to iPhone, say) or you’ll need to
might not want to hear. Whether iPod touch using the New Playlist pay $24.99/year for an iTunes
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutes it’s a road trip with family, house option in iOS’s Music app; and Match subscription, which also
party with friends or just some anywhere you can access Apple makes your music and playlists
tunes to keep you company, a Music if you have a subscription. available via the cloud.
playlist is a handy feature to have. Playlists created on Apple Music One more thing: On Mac, you
can create Smart Playlists. These
let you populate a list of favorite
tunes automatically using
rules-based criteria; on iOS you
can only add to playlists manually,
making it a much more long-
winded process.
Hopefully iOS 14 will bring
smart playlists to iOS too. Don’t
hold your breath, though.
SRIVATS LAKSHMAN

GENIUS TIP
You can hide
your playlists
from your Apple
Music profile by
tapping the Edit
button inside a
playlist.

94
HOW TO Create and manage playlists

1 OPEN PLAYLISTS In Music, go to the Library tab where you

should see Playlists along with Albums, Songs, Genres, etc. If
you don’t, tap Edit in the top–right corner, and select the
2 CREATE A PLAYLIST Once you have opened the Playlists
option, tap the New Playlist option at the top. This will open
up an interface where you can name your playlist, add a cover
Playlists option. Then tap on Playlists to open it. image, a playlist description, and some songs.

3 ADD MUSIC Tap the Add Music button. This will allow you
to browse your library, recommended music (For You), and
the Apple Music catalogue (Browse). Simply tap the red “+”
4 ADD WHILE LISTENING If you’re listening to a song and
want to add it to a playlist, tap the More (…) button. From
the menu, tap the “Add to a Playlist” option. You can now add
button on the right side to add a song to your playlist. this song to an existing playlist, or create a new one.

5 ADD APPLE MUSIC PLAYLISTS Tap and open the playlist.

At the top, you should see a large red “+ Add” button.
Tapping this will automatically add the entire playlist to your
6 SHARE PLAYLISTS You can share your playlists with friends,
although they’ll also need an Apple Music subscription. Tap
the red More button (...), followed by the Share icon. Select
collection. AirDrop or one of your other installed apps. TL

95
 HELP STATION
Android

How to get the best from

your Android camera
Charles Handmer helps you improve your image with Android.

One of the great features of a Max resolution 64MP sensor – and pixel count
smartphone is that you always The pixel count of a digital alone no longer equates to quality
have a camera with you, plus the camera’s image sensor determines images. In fact, the full count is
ability to send photos and videos the maximum resolution of rarely used, and like many phones
directly from it. Only a few years photos, and sensor size and shape Xiaomi’s 64MP uses “pixel binning”
ago it would be normal to carry a also has an impact. We can’t to combine them into a 16MP image
digital camera with you when change these, but we can adjust in standard photos. This in theory
travelling, but the ever-improving settings to get the best from them. produces higher quality images than
quality of phone cameras and their Image sensors have a native a 16MP sensor, and more
convenience now makes them aspect ratio, often 3:4, and the manageable image file sizes.
adequate for all but the most native ratio typically uses all of the We compared photos taken using
dedicated photographers. available pixels. When other aspect Choose the the full 64MP vs pixel-binned 16MP
highest
But the best phone cameras tend ratios are selected they only use a and confirmed that, while the
resolution for
to be in higher priced devices. To portion of the sensor and its best quality images looked equally sharp in
avoid spending big bucks, we available pixels. If you check the photos. normal viewing, the full resolution
investigated what you can do to get aspect ratio options in your pics revealed more detail when
the best from your smartphone camera app it will often tell you the enlarged. The option of higher
camera at any price level. number of pixels used. Another resolution could be particularly
Our test phone price points option is to compare the size of the useful if you are shooting a scene
ranged from $130 to $1,000+ with a image files resulting from various that you wish to enlarge to poster
Umidigi A3 Pro, a Xiaomi Redmi aspect ratios – the largest files will size. Interestingly, low light night
Note 8 Pro, and a Samsung Galaxy be the ones using the most pixels. photos sometimes went the other
Note8. The Samsung is three years way – there was less clarity when
old but still takes excellent photos Quality vs quantity – are using the full 64MP.
day or night. How close could our more pixels always better?
newer and cheaper models get? As digital photography has Camera apps
There are many variables, developed, the quest for higher Explore your and image processing
including quality of sensor and resolution images has led to camera app Each device comes with its own app
settings to find
lens optics, usability of the camera sensors with higher pixel counts, what is right for to manage camera use and settings.
app, and effectiveness of the and it’s generally been a case of the you. These are usually well matched to
device’s image processing. We more the better. Recent the hardware, but not necessarily
can’t change the lens, but you can smartphones have started to well matched to the user. There are
maximise the quality of include sensors with very large two things you can do here that can
everything that happens after numbers of pixels – the test make a big difference to your
light has passed through it. Xiaomi’s main camera features a photography results: optimise
settings in the original app, or
install an alternative app that better
suits your needs. We experimented
with each of our test smartphones
to see how much difference we
could make.
Native Android. The Umidigi A3
Pro comes with Android 9.0 and no
manufacturer’s “skin” over it. This,
and the fact that it has a fairly basic
camera with plenty of room for
improvement, was a good starting
point to compare default Android
Photos taken
from 30 metres camera management with third
- pixel binned party apps. We found that no one
16MP on the left
vs 64MP on the app provides everything that you
right. may want, but having a selection of

96
apps on the phone does give RIGHT: A Better
Camera has
greater flexibility, and in many
clear
cases improved results. instructions.
Redmi Reckoning. The Redmi FAR RIGHT:
Note 8 Pro runs Xiaomi’s own Camera MX is
very easy to
interface and camera app. In navigate.
addition to the 64MP main camera
it has a 20MP selfie camera plus
lower resolution extra wide and
macro cameras. We stuck with the
main camera for our testing of
features and apps. Third-party
apps were able to add additional
features and better low
light photos.
Samsung’s Galaxy. Samsung
runs its own version of Android,
with its UI interface and camera
app. Samsung’s Galaxy series is
well known for the quality of their
cameras, so it’s no surprise that
the default app is very good.
Combine that with excellent optics
and there was no way that the additional features and manual annoying advertising. Navigating
others could match the Samsung’s adjustments that standard camera this app is exceptionally easy,
dual 12MP main camera, apps don’t have. If you are looking and it provides direct access to all
particularly for low light for a more manual camera the key settings you are likely to
photography, although the Xiaomi experience we suggest that you use. It includes a wide range of
comes close in daylight shots. test drive a few of these apps, effects and filters, plus the ability
Third-party apps on the starting with the excellent free to create GIFs, that can add some
Samsung added additional Open Camera. fun to everyday snaps.
features but could not improve on For this article we were more But Camera MX’s real party
the Samsung app’s photography interested in apps that improved trick is the “Shoot the Past”
results. So if camera performance automation and quality – the lazy function, that takes a series of
is an important criteria to you a approach! We tested and trialled photos commencing a second or
relatively upmarket phone may be over a dozen apps, and ended up two before you tap the shutter,
the only way to go. with a couple of clear favourites. then suggests the best image
A Better Camera? A Better from the series. Great for those
Camera apps from the Camera is a popular and effective “just missed it” photography
Google Play Store app that adds a range of features moments.
There is a huge range of camera and a useful Night Mode while Cymera If you are looking for
apps available from the Play Store, remaining intuitive and easy to fun effects for your social media
with the majority providing use. As expected, it could not add shots Cymera may be what you
much to daylight photos, but it need. It even provides editing
significantly improved low light tools to give your selfies a virtual
performance. makeover. While this may not be
A Better Camera also features an high on everyone’s list, and some
HR panorama mode, a “Best Shot” of the “beautified” images are
option that automatically picks the verging on scary, but Cymera is a
best shot out of a multi-shot very popular app.
sequence, and excellent video Bacon Camera An app with an
functions. The free version is unlikely name, Bacon Camera is a
comprehensive, and for the full solid performer that is easy to use
capabilities the Pro version only yet provides a few more manual
ABOVE: Cymera costs US$0.99. controls and professional
is aimed at selfie Camera MX As good as A Better formats than the others that we
enthusiasts.
Camera is, a personal favourite liked. The pro version is
LEFT: Camera
was the relatively simple Camera inexpensive too.
MX can shoot
the past. MX, despite the occasional

97
 HELP STATION
Security & privacy

Sync vs backup
What’s the difference, and which should you use? Nathan Taylor knows.

Online storage services have Online backup

solutions like
been commonly used for at least BackBlaze offer
15 years. Most of us will have a more focused
solution for
some kind of online storage
backup than a
drive, whether it’s Dropbox, sync drive.
OneDrive, Google Drive or some
other service. These are
commonly known as sync drives,
allowing you to specify
directories on your computer
that are copied to the online
drive. The application on your
computer will keep all versions
the same – if you delete or
change a file in one drive, that
change will be replicated in the Find the
other. You can also sync across preferences
option for
many devices, so that you can Google Backup
have a copy of all your key files and Sync.
available on whatever device or
platform you’re using; as well as although it’s often somewhat right? Maybe. Most of the time. If
share directories with other limited. they synced all the right folders. If
users so they can sync and At the same time, backup the sync system didn’t sync the
modify them as well. services have added more sharing ransomware-encrypted files over
Traditionally there has been a features, allowing files and the top of the real ones, which can
distinction between sync drives directories to be accessed from happen. If the thief didn’t use the
and backup drives. An online the backup as if they were a sync stolen device to also clear, modify
backup service like Backblaze, drive and allowing sharing or copy the synced folder, since
Mozy, Carbonite or Acronis Cloud between users. they will have access.
is generally a one-way system. It Because of their similarities, Because of the dangers of using
doesn’t sync folders; it copies many people tend to think they sync as backup, as a rule, we still
them and updates the copies and are the same, and it’s common for recommend using a proper
changes are made and files are people to rely on their sync drive dedicated online backup service.
added. Changes made to the as a backup. If their computer or These are far less vulnerable to
online backup are not replicated You can choose phone dies, is stolen or ransomware replication; they
back down to the source PC. If which folders on ransomwared, they can always offer more storage capacity and
your PC will be
you accidentally delete a file in just resync with a new or several other advantages besides.
backed up to
the original folder, that is not Google Drive. formatted computer or phone, However, if you don’t want the
replicated in the backup – a copy expense of paying for a second
of the file will remain in the online drive for backup, there are
backup, usually for at least 30 ways to use your existing sync
days. Typically there are no or service better for backups. Below
limited sharing features; these we’ll look at ways you can use
are not designed to create a Google Drive and OneDrive’s
shared workspace. inherent backup systems to better
Over time, sync and backup protect your system.
services have become more alike.
Many sync drives now have Using Google
backup features where they offer Drive backup
a one-way copy of files and Google Drive now gives you the
folders. They have added things option of specifying directories
like file version recovery (for for backup, allowing quick and
when you want to go back and easy use of the service for security.
grab an older version of a file), To do this, you need to have

98
 You can get files Find the option to
back through the manage backups.
web interface for
Google Drive.

it, then select Download. Google please (all three are selected by
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manually. As with Google Drive,
restoration is performed using the
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Google Drive as a sync drive. Click Explorer, and select Settings. dedicated backup services.
on the Taskbar icon for the app (it Go to the Backup tab in the However, if you’re not using a
looks like a little cloud with an settings window, then click on dedicated online backup service,
arrow in it) then click on the ‘Manage backup’. we still highly recommend
vertical ellipsis in the top right You’ll then be taken to the Back turning these on – it will cost you
and select Preferences from the up your folders window. You only nothing other than some space on
drop down menu. have three options: Desktop, your cloud drive and it’s an easy
In the top panel of the Documents, and Pictures, which way to get at least some protection
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backup options. Under My
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directories, by default Desktop, Four issues with using sync drives for backup
Documents and Pictures, with Limited space. Compared to most backup services, sync drives tend to offer much,
none of them checked. In order to much less storage capacity. Many backup services are unlimited, or offer much
have Google Drive back them up, greater capacity than a typical sync drive.
just click on the check box next to Limited versioning. Most sync services do now offer some form of versioning and
them. If you want to add a new protection against accidental deletion, but might have very limited version recovery
directory, click on Choose Folder, options. Backup solutions tend to offer straightforward recovery of deleted and
where you can add additional older versions of files.
folders to be backed up by Google Loss of directory structure. Typically an online backup service will backup your
Drive and Sync. entire User directory (if not your entire PC), with structure intact. That makes it easy
Unfortunately, you cannot to recover onto a new or freshly formatted PC: just copy the User directory over and
choose non-writable folders, such all the files within it – photos, documents, save games, application settings, videos
as the User directory. Instead you – will be restored to their proper place and for all users. It’s not so easy with a sync
have to select individual folders, drive. You commonly cannot just sync your User directory since it’s not writable, so
like Videos, to back up. There’s you have to individually select subdirectories (eg. Documents) to sync and then
also no mechanism in this app to reconstruct them later.
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go to drive.google.com and click important files, including the files in your sync directories. Those encrypted files
on Computers > My Computer. might then be synced with your drive, overwriting the real files.
Find the folder and right click on

99
 HELP STATION
Home networking

Running Linux servers on Windows

Is there a Linux server app you want to use, but don’t want to go through the trouble
of setting up a Linux system? Nathan Taylor’s got you covered.

In this column we have, for the understanding of underlying

most part, assumed that readers hardware interactions.
are using Windows for their home Thankfully, in recent versions of
networking applications. Windows, Microsoft has given us
Statistically speaking, most of you an easier way: Windows
probably are. Unfortunately for Subsystem for Linux (WSL),
Windows users, however, many of recently updated to version 2.
the very best home networking WSL is a virtual machine, but
apps – particularly server apps integrated into Windows and
– are only available on Linux or using the underlying hardware. It
Z_SP] ʮLaZ`]^ ZQ @YTc will, by default, mount your real
That’s not the end of the world, drives (C: and D:, for instance) in
however. You can still run all the mount (/mnt/) directory so
those apps on Windows with just a that you can use them without
WT__WP MT_ ZQ PʬZ]_ LYO _ST^ XZY_S hassle. On top of that many Linux
we’re going to look at the basics of distribution makers have made
how you can do that. This will help their products available through You’ll have to click on Start > Settings > Apps >
turn on the
us in future TechLife issues, the Microsoft Store, so that Programs and Features > Turn
optional
where we’ll walk through setting getting, say, the Ubuntu Linux Windows BTYOZb^
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server apps you can get. Windows is actually relatively Subsystem for Linux and check
The most obvious way is easy. Then, using that server, you the box next to it.
through some kind of virtual can run all your Linux server apps There will be a brief period of
machine, like VMWare. These almost as if they were native setup and you’ll be asked to
allow you to install Linux inside of Windows apps. reboot your computer.
Windows (kind of a computer
inside another computer), and Turning on Windows Putting Ubuntu on your
then you can run Linux apps on Subsystem for Linux Windows PC
top of that. ?SP
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WSL provides a virtual Linux
Setting a Linux virtual machine turn this optional Windows machine with a basic Linux
up can be daunting, however, and feature on. kernel, but that’s it. If you want
typically requires the creation of In the search bar, type to actually run applications on
virtual drives and an ‘optionalfeatures’, or alternatively the device, you’re probably going
to need a distribution as well
(technically, you could install
everything manually, but we
Navigating Linux wouldn’t recommend it!).
A few simple commands for moving around the Linux directory Get Ubuntu from
the Microsoft Thankfully, a number of Linux
structure:
Store. distributions have been made
cd Change directory (very much as in the Windows
command console). This can be followed by a directory name
(eg cd users) which will take you to the subdirectory of the
current directory by that name. You can also type in the full
path (eg cd /mnt/c/) to go straight to a given directory. Typing
‘cd /’ (without the quotes) will take you back to root, while
typing ‘cd ..’ will take you up one directory level. Remember
that Linux uses forward slashes (/) rather than the backslashes
(\) of Windows/DOS.
ls List. Lists the contents of the current directory.
mkdir Make directory. Create a new directory by typing the
name of the directory after it (eg. mkdir backup). rmdir will
delete a directory.

100
available for WSL, and installing user interface, and there’s no way
them is as easy as finding them in to run graphical apps from within
the Microsoft Store. Ubuntu, Ubuntu has started. the console. There is, however, a
openSUSE, Debian, Kali, and SUSE Just create an way to run graphical apps using a
account.
have all been made available. third-party X server application
Let’s go through setting up in Windows. The Ubuntu virtual
Ubuntu. machine will beam these
Once you have WSL running on graphical apps to the X Server and
your system, open up the you’ll be able to use them
Microsoft Store app on your normally.
Windows computer and perform a The first thing we need to do is
search for Ubuntu. Click on Get to install a desktop interface for
download it. Ubuntu. In Ubuntu, type:
Update the
You can start it up by clicking sudo apt install lxde
system.
on Launch in the store. It will also This will download the
add an ‘Ubuntu’ item to your relatively light LXDE graphical
Program menu. interface, and may take a while.
Once the install is done, type
First steps these in the Ubuntu console:
Launch the Ubuntu app. A console export DISPLAY=:0
window will appear and after a export LIBGL_ALWAYS_
moment you’ll be asked to create INDIRECT=1
an account for this virtual Now head to sourceforge.net/
machine. Give it a username and projects/vcxsrv/ and download
password – they don’t have to VcXsrv, an X server application for
match your Windows ones. Windows. Install and run the
Then the command line program.
appears. You’re ready to roll. The At start, choose one large
first thing you probably want to window as your option, and set
do is perform an update. Ubuntu the display number to 0. Then
on WSL does not automatically mounted. For example, you could In VcXsrv set select ‘Start no client’ and leave
Display to 0, to
update, so you will have to go to cd /mnt/c/ to see your C: the other options default. This
match the
periodically run a manual update, drive. This can be useful later settings in will bring up a big empty window,
and it’s the first thing you should when installing programs Ubuntu. ready to receive input from the
do when it’s installed. To do this, downloaded directly or copying Ubuntu virtual machine.
type in the command line: content or files across to the Now we go back to Ubuntu and
sudo apt update virtual Linux computer. launch the GUI. In the shell, type:
This is a Linux command that startlxde
elevates your permission to Getting graphical Over on VcXserv, the desktop
superuser (which is necessary for Most Linux server apps are interface should appear, and be
package updates and requires controlled via a command line, usable just as if you were sitting at
your password) and goes online config files and a web interface, That’s the Linux
a Linux desktop. You can launch
and searches for package updates. and you’ll probably have to take version of and run all your graphical Linux
The result will show a list of the time to learn at least a few LibreOffice, apps right here.
running on LXDE
upgradeable packages. To actually Linux commands. The version in a VcXserv Of course, for most server apps
download the upgrades, type: installed by the Windows Store is window from an on Linux you need no GUI. Many
Ubuntu virtual
sudo apt-get upgrade the server version of Ubuntu, machine in of the major ones are controlled
That should download all the which comes with no graphical Windows. by a web interface: you install
packages to their latest version. them on the (virtual) Linux server
Once you’ve done that, Ubuntu is then go to any desktop web
primed and ready to go. If you browser to manage them. A key
type: requirement for most of these is
cd /mnt/ Apache, the standard web server
It will take you to the mount application for Linux, and next
directory. If you then type the ls month we’ll take a look at how you
command (which is like the dir can install and configure your
command in DOS/Windows), very own web server on your new
you’ll see that your physical Linux virtual PC.
Windows drives have been

101
 HELP STATION
Fitness

LEFT: From the

Record screen
you can pick
from a number
of activity types.
RIGHT: See
detailed results
for your cycle or
run.
FAR RIGHT:
Segments allow
you to compete
against yourself
and other Strava
users.

Gear up with Strava

Tim Bothwell shows you how to get powerful insights into your cycle or run.

Riding a bike is a skill usually screen. From here you can switch your workout, plus upload photos
learnt as a child, with the shift between a run, cycle or one of the MPQZ]P
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experience once mastered. Settings you can also adjust audio also lets you virtually ‘compete’ on
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another skill entirely. No longer is time. Once ready, tap Start to Segments are portions of road,
it just a leisurely bike ride, but begin recording. In addition to path, or track created by other
rather a form of exercise that tracking via a smartphone, Strava members. By running or cycling
requires endurance and continued can also connect to a through one of these
practise. Cycling is something range of smartwatches segments during your
that anyone can get into (as long and heart-rate trackers. workout, Strava will
as you have a bike), and that is the Analysis. After automatically record your
reason we’re looking at the completing your workout, Built for both cyclists time and add it to a
exercise tracking app Strava. Built tap Finish to be taken to a communal leaderboard
for both cyclists and runners, screen with an overview
and runners, Strava made up of other users
Strava tracks and records your of your results. In addition tracks and records your who’ve also completed
workouts in order to build to a map, the app will that segment. Any
valuable insights into your show your distance,
workouts in order to segments that you go
performance over time. So average pace, and build valuable insights through will appear on the
without further ado, it’s time to elevation. Any personal into your performance post-workout summary
hop on your bike, put on your records or achievements screen – just tap the map
helmet, and pedal to the metal! will also be listed under over time. to see a list along with
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The basics information about your new segments, visit the
Getting started. If you’re new to workout by tapping View Analysis, Explore tab. You can even create
Strava, start by registering for a but note that some things require your own using the desktop site.
new account. Once done, you’ll be a premium subscription. To add
taken to the main area of the app, additional information to your Step it up a level
organised into a series of tabs. To activity, tap the ellipsis icon and Routes. Looking to try a new route?
^_L]_ dZ`] ʭ]^_
bZ]VZ`_
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select Edit – it’s here that you can Strava lets you create new running
Record at the bottom of your add notes or comments about or cycling routes using just your

102
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103
 HELP STATION
Photography Masterclass

After
Ready, steady, throw! IN ACTION
One, two, three go!
Count your model in to
get the timing of the
Claire Gillo reveals how to launch flour into the mix to create fun shot perfect. Make sure
portraits under a simple flash setup. you keep checking and
tweaking the flash
strength, as the flour in
the frame can bring in
more light.

There is nothing more energising than a when throwing flour.

fun portrait that uses a creative Flour is a fine white substance, so it
approach. For this shooting tutorial can be a real kit killer. If you’re worried
we’re going to show you how to capture about your camera, place it in a bag or
an action portrait using two external tape up any large gaps where you think
flashguns, a diffuser panel, a reflector, a the flour may seep in. We placed a clear
black backdrop and a bag of flour. plastic bag over our rear flashgun that
When it comes to finding a model was in the messy zone, and throughout
you’ll need to find a willing participant the shoot we kept checking on and
who doesn’t mind getting messy. For dusting down our gear.
this photoshoot we had a mini one who Finally, you’ll need to think about
was more than happy to get covered where you can shoot this. Doing it
from head to toe in flour, and had a outdoors is tricky if there is any wind, so
great time in the process! We advise we opted to shoot this setup in a dusty
when working with children to give workshop, where making a mess didn’t
strong and clear direction, as they are matter.
slightly more unpredictable than adults

Before
BEFORE THE
FLOUR
Although this is a
nicely lit image by
itself, the fun and
charisma of the shot
comes with the flour
being thrown.
Before the action,
check your
background is dark
and the face is
well lit.

1 PREPARE THE BACKGROUND

Find a suitable space and hang up a
black or dark background. It’s going to
2 CHOOSE CAMERA SETTINGS
Keep in mind that you need to
sync the shutter speed to the flash. For
3 PLACE KEY LIGHT Set up the key
light (to the camera’s right) and
place a diffuser panel in front of the
get covered in flour, so pick a material that reason we’re shooting in Manual flashgun for a softbox effect. Take a test
that is washable, like a sheet, or use a mode at 1/200 sec, and we have the ap- shot and change to full power. Open the
roll of paper you can replace. Make sure erture set to f/9 and ISO at 100. Set your aperture up if you need more light and
you cover any kit you want to keep clean. focus to the single-point tracking feature. are at maximum flash strength.

104
4 SET BACKLIGHT Add in another
light source behind the model
(camera’s back left) to enhance the flour
5 GET MESSY Once you’re happy
with the lights it’s time to get
shooting! Get your model to grab a
6 KEEP EXPERIMENTING During
this shoot try a handful of differ-
ent approaches, from throwing flour
dust from behind. Take another test shot small handful of flour and throw it in to clapping it in the model’s hands. It
and adjust the flash strength to 1/8 power. the air. It’s about getting the timing is a trial-and-error approach, so don’t
Finally, use a reflector (camera left) to fill right so you can capture the action as be too despondent if you can’t get the
in some of the shadow on the face. well as the flour in the best formation. shot you want right away.

105
 HELP STATION
Digital Darkroom Masterclass

ORIGINAL WITH BLUR

Blur backgrounds in Lightroom

Make your subject stand out with this simple painting technique.

One of the simplest pleasures in So it’s a good job that Lightroom

photography is when you set offers a simple way to fix the issue, and Double the blur
a shallow depth of field, focus carefully give you the blurred background you’d If you like the blur effect but
on your subject and take your shot. The intended to capture. Although it’s don’t feel it’s strong enough, you
look and feel of the resulting sharp not quite as good as the real thing you’d can easily double its intensity.
subject and blurred background is get in-camera, it will help give your After you’ve finished painting,
deeply satisfying. image a nice aesthetic and help to draw right-click on the Adjustment
Conversely, there are few photographic the viewer’s attention to your subject. Brush marker (a circle that’s
mishaps to rival the disappointment This simple technique takes advantage visible over the photo) and select
when you review a shot and realise you of Lightroom’s Local Adjustments Duplicate from the resulting
hadn’t adjusted the depth of field – or toolset, which enables you to make edits pop-up menu. A new Adjustment
maybe you were using Shutter Priority to a chosen area within your shot. Brush is created with the same
and the camera stopped down the settings as the original, boosting
aperture more than you would the blur effect.
have liked.

106
 1 2
PREPARE THE ADJUSTMENT BRUSH In Lightroom’s Develop START PAINTING Tick the Show Selected Mask Overlay
Module, click on the Adjustment Brush in the tool strip just checkbox in the strip below the image that you are editing
below the Histogram (or press K to save time). Set all the slid- (or press O to toggle this on or off). Now move your cursor
ers in the resulting Adjustment Brush Panel to 0 – except for over the image you are editing – it will change to a cursor
Contrast, Clarity, Texture and Sharpness, each of which should with a cross hair and two concentric circles. Click some-
be set to -100. Doing this will remove detail when you paint where in your background, then hold the left mouse button
with the Adjustment Brush, which will make the background down as you paint. If the overlay is on, you will see the areas
to appear more blurred than when you shot the image. that your brush is affecting in red.

3
MASK OFF YOUR SUBJECT Some subjects are harder to paint around than others. Auto Mask is a great feature to help not
spill over into other areas when painting. Tick Auto Mask near the bottom of the Adjustment Brush Panel (or press A). This
finds the edges of your subject and doesn’t go over them. Once you have finished painting over the background, click the
Done button in the strip below the image to see the results.

107
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These Beats deliver Can we really be The little sisters of the
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110
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2-IN-1
LAPTOPS LAPTOPS TABLETS
DELL XPS 13 MICROSOFT SURFACE APPLE IPAD PRO 12.9 (2018)
BOOK 2
From $1,698, dell.com $1,757, microsoft.com From $1,529, apple.com/au
The Dell XPS 13 is Pull the screen away The biggest iPad
thinner and more from the keyboard Pro is unbelievably
powerful than ever. and it’s a tablet. powerful and slick,
Up to 1TB of SSD Connect them for with an excellent
storage, 16GB of more graphics screen, thin and
RAM, a 4K screen power and battery compact design,
and fast Intel chips life. A premium, great battery life
help make it a top fantastically portable, and support for the
quality all-rounder. and supremely Apple Pencil. Pricey,
versatile system. but worth it.

MICROSOFT SURFACE HP ENVY X2 APPLE IPAD PRO 11 (2018)

BOOK 2
$1,757, microsoft.com From $899, hp.com From $1,449, apple.com/au
Available in 13- or The big sell here Despite its smaller
15-inch sizes, with a is the monstrous size, the internals
3:2 screen that gives battery life, with of the 11in iPad Pro
you more height up to 22 hours on are the same as the
than other laptops, one charge. This is bigger version: it’s
and plenty of power, because it makes use supremely powerful,
this is a light and of ARM architecture, it’s incredibly
fast machine that’s with a Snapdragon versatile, in short, it’s
also really flexible. 835 CPU powering an absolute beast of
everything. a tablet.

HUAWEI MATEBOOK X PRO DELL XPS 15 2-IN-1 APPLE IPAD AIR

$1,993, consumer.huawei.com From $2,549, dell.com From $547, apple.com/au

This marries style and With a big screen and With a sharp, vibrant
function, delivering great specs, what’s 10.5-inch screen,
incredibly capable not to like about this Apple Pencil support,
internal hardware in 2-in-1? Well, the price mega-powerful A12
a form factor that is steep, but if you processor and thin,
also matches Apple’s can afford it then this light body, this a
MacBook range in is undoubtedly one of Pro in all but name,
terms of looks and the best touchscreen for a bargain price.
feel. options. The best all-rounder
tablet.

ALIENWARE AREA-51M ASUS ZENBOOK FLIP 13 SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S6

From $3,999, alienware.com $1,299, asus.com $999, samsung.com

A gaming laptop The Zenbook Flip 13 The finest Android
packed with power, might be the best tablet, this delivers
from the ninth-gen laptop Asus has ever a system with a sharp
i7 processors, to released. Tooled up OLED screen, S Pen
the newest Nvidia with an eighth-gen stylus, excellent audio
mobile GPUs. The Intel Core processor, credentials, powerful
performance you get the tablet mode feels internals, and a neat
back is worth the great to use, thanks laptop-aping DeX
substantial outlay. to a responsive mode.
touchscreen.

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The best of the best

SMART SMART SMART

SPEAKERS BULBS THERMOSTATS
AMAZON ECHO PLUS PHILIPS HUE NEST THERMOSTAT E

$229, amazon.com.au From $14, meethue.com $305, nest.com

Thanks to its Hue dominates the This cheaper Nest
integrated Zigbee- smart lighting sector model doesn’t fit as
compliant smart for good reason: it’s much information
home hub, the Plus is a superb system with on its screen and
a great smart home the widest range of doesn’t feel as
starter. Never pay bulbs and a simple, premium, but that’s
the RRP, though: useful app. Rivals it. Same algorithm,
Amazon discounts may be cheaper but same Alexa and
Echos every time they can’t compete Google Home
it has a sale. with Hue’s variety. compatibility.

SONOS ONE LIFX TADO SMART THERMOSTAT

$299, sonos.com From $29, lifx.com.com $249, tado.com

The Sonos One is a If you fancy a Hue Tado is very sociable:
superb standalone system but don’t it works with 95%
speaker with want to spend so of the systems out
integrated Alexa, much, LIFX has there. It’s flexible,
but the real selling a strong product clever and supports
point is its flexibility: range and integrates a wide range of
use it as part of a with your favourite accessories too. Price
stereo pair or in a personal digital cuts have made it
multi-room Sonos assistant. Philips still even more enticing.
audio system. wins, but only just.

AMAZON ECHO STUDIO IKEA TRÅDFRI NEST LEARNING

THERMOSTAT
$329, amazon.com.au From $49, ikea.com $300, nest.com
With support for the Ikea’s Zigbee- Nest made smart
Dolby Atmos and compatible system thermostats sexy
Sony 360 Reality doesn’t have the and this third-gen
Audio – as well as range of Hue, but model looks great.
Alexa, Amazon got if you prize control It’s simple to use with
serious about sound over colour options good Google Home
here. Five drivers it’s stellar value for and Amazon Echo
give your music really money and has some integration, but a tad
rich, meaty audio great controllers pricey, especially with
power. and dimmers. installation.

GOOGLE NEST HUB MAX EUFY LUMOS WHITE HIVE HEATING CONTROL

$349, store.google.com From $99, eufylife.com $339, hivehome.com

A big 10-inch screen, Eufy is just entering Hive is great: it’s
plus good-quality the market, so right affordable, works well,
speakers that can fill now there’s only a and is part of a larger
a room, make this white bulb out, but smart home system
a Google Assistant it’s great: simple, that includes bulbs
device that can really with a polished app and security options.
do anything. There’s and Alexa support This is an ideal way to
a camera for video for smarts. And no jump in.
calls, and it’s a smart hub needed – just
home hub. pay for one and go.

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DSLR MIRRORLESS COMPACT

CAMERAS CAMERAS CAMERAS
NIKON D850 NIKON Z 6 SONY RX100 VII

$3,199, nikon.com.au $2,699, nikon.com.au $1,598, sony.com

With a high- With a full-frame For the best image
resolution 45.4 24.5 megapixel quality in a pocket-
megapixel sensor, sensor, 12fps friendly body, look
4K video capture, a continuous shooting, here. The RX100 VII
153-point AF system, phenomenal low- continues to build on
and a sturdy body, light performance Sony’s reputation for
you’ll never be and fantastic high-quality premium
disappointed with handling, this creates compacts, and does
what the D850 can incredible images for so without breaking
create for you. a reasonable price. the bank.

CANON EOS 7D MARK II SONY A9 PANASONIC TZ200

$1,455, canon.com.au $6,699 sony.com.au $905, panasonic.com

Trading up from an The A9 is expensive This might be
entry-level camera? but earns every the ideal travel
The 7D Mark II is penny by packing companion, with a
the camera of your an incredible 24.3MP versatile zoom lens
dreams. A superb full-frame sensor up to 15x, and a
all-rounder with capable of 20fps fantastic one-inch
a 20.2-megapixel shooting with sensor that captures
sensor and a host tracking autofocus bright, sharp images.
of features to suit the whole way. It’s a It’s also stylish and
a variety of needs. technical marvel. pocket-friendly.

NIKON D500 CANON EOS R CANON G5X MARK II

$2,148, nikon.com.au $2,699, canon.com.au $1,095, canon.com.au

This solidly built The EOS R is classic This full-blown
camera is the Canon, but with some overhaul of the G5
perfect choice for useful twists, such as line brings a one-inch
those who like to the touch-sensitive 20MP sensor and a
shoot a little bit of multi function bar. 5x optical zoom, plus
everything, thanks to Image quality is also 4K video recording,
a brilliant autofocus fantastic, thanks to USB-C battery
system and glorious the full-frame 30.3 charging and burst
image quality from megapixel sensor. shooting up to 30fps.
its 20MP sensor. Versatile.

NIKON D7500 PANASONIC S1R FUJIFILM X100F

$1,285, nikon.com.au $3,859, panasonic.com $1,279, fujifilm.com

This has the same Panasonic’s leap into The Fujifilm X100F is
sensor and image full-frame is bigger as beautiful as it is
processor as the than other mirrorless capable. If the retro
D500 for less. You systems, and for now look floats your boat,
still get fantastic is fairly limited on the then the X100F is a
pics, but with a lens front. But with thing to behold. It’s
slightly slower 47.3MP to play with, compact, but packs
autofocus (and a few it’ll be interesting to a large APS-C sensor
other changes). A see it develop. and a lovely 35mm
superb all-rounder. f/2.0 lens.

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 BACKEND
Ridiculous tech

Remote Cheerer
$TBC, yamaha.com/en/news_
release/2020/20052501/
Sport is a critical component in
most people’s daily lives, and
while lockdown conditions are
perhaps one of the best
environments for watching your
favourite game on the TV, it’s
also the worst conditions
imaginable for the health of
sports professionals.
Fortunately, Yamaha is here to
make sure your favourite
multi-millionaire sports star has
the support they need to bring
home the win with its new

Samsung The Terrace

Remote Cheer app. The
smartphone app connects to
speakers in the stadium and
delivers encouragement directly Samsung asks: ‘Do you want to take this outside bro?’
from your phone to the players. $6,500, samsung.com

What’s better than a 75-inch 2000nit QLED TV from Samsung? A 75-inch 2000nitt QLED TV
that’s water and dustproof… that’s what. If you’re anything like us our first thought was
that an outdoor TV is a great way to keep binging that series if anyone happens to tell you to:
“go outside and get some sun”. But Samsung’s ‘ The Terrace’ is also pretty sweet for
watching the FOOTY!!! outside since the anti-reflective screen can deal with any vexatious
sunbeams and the IP55 splash-proofing will mean the brewski that just overflowed from
your mate’s beer bong won’t do any long term damage to the screen.
TALO - Smart
Toothbrush
$282, igg.me/at/talobrush/x#/
So what’s the biggest issue in Anti-5G USB stick
the developed world these
days? Yep ... you guessed it: Buy a three-pack and you get a free anti-mind control hat.
having to brush your teeth. £283.00, 5gbioshield.com/shop/5g-bioshield-usb
Fortunately there’s an Indegogo
campaign that is hoping to take 5G is a new thing, and new things are scary…
some of the stress and pressure especially when your favourite community
off your daily or bi-daily (for the Facebook group keeps posting how scary 5G
sadists reading along), tooth is. Thankfully there’s a really simple solution
bath. TALO is a smart to all your 5G concerns: a USB thumb drive
toothbrush that takes control of shield. The 5GBioShield thumb drive includes
your evening bathroom routine a heaps-scientific ‘magneto-electric fog
so you can go back to being a shield’ that uses a ‘quantum nano-layer’ of
rigid meat popsicle, saving you something to block all the bad vibes you get
the trauma of brushing from 5G. While a teardown of the product by We’re holding out for the company’s
your teeth for like the ten- the BBC revealed that there was no real next products: a $600 coronavirus-
thousandth time. 5G-blocking tech inside, at least you’ll still be repelling fidget-spinner and a free
safe from any potential negative effects of secure Zimbabwean prince money
5G, cause… ya know, everyone already is. transfer application.

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We’re For Creators ®