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Sean Bacher

The month’s top apps

We take a look at Bulldash, Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson, ECBT Calm, and Active Fitness.

Executive choice

We review the Garmin Approach G6 and Forerunner 610, and the Samsung Galaxy Gear.

This month’s top apps

Converting your rands to pounds, pounds to dollars, dollars to rands and euros to rands can be a nightmare when on holiday.

Gaming

Sean Bacher

The month’s top buys

We look at the Samsung NX300 camera, PocketWiFi, Kindle Paperwhite 2nd gen, and Bowers and Wilkins P7 headphones.

Gadgets roundup

Sean Bacher

What’s new in apps

We showcase the latest apps for your smartphone.

Gaming

Sean Bacher

The month’s top six buys

We showcase an HD TV, an ultrabook, a projector, a PC, a docking station, and a mobile keyboard.

Gadgets roundup

Sean Bacher

Samsung prods the tablet market – again

Just weeks after Samsung wowed the smartphone market with the launch of the Galaxy S3 smartphone, it has taken another poke at the tablet market – this time with the launch of the Galaxy Note II.

Timeout

Sean Bacher

Apple launches smartphone attack

A few months ago, Samsung wowed smartphone users across the world with the launch of the Galaxy S3. But then Apple upped the ante with its recently launched iPhone 5. To rub it in, the company announced it had received over two million pre-orders in just 24 hours. This beats Apple’s previous record for the 4S of a million pre-orders in the first day. There are mixed feelings on how the phone will sell, with Apple’s die-hard fans saying it’s the best phone yet, and everyone else saying it’s just a longer version of the iPhone 4S. We’ll have to wait and see.

Day in the life

Sean Bacher

First impressions last

In Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs: A Biography, Jobs is quoted as saying that a relationship begins to form between a customer and product the second the customer starts opening the box.

Gadgets roundup

Sean Bacher

Beauty, but at a price

Looking at the Lenovo Ideacentre A720 All-In-One, you would be forgiven for thinking it’s something created by one of the designers at Apple. Its ultra-thin base, coupled with the beautiful chrome hinge connecting to the touch-screen, really is extraordinary. That is, it’s extraordinary for a PC manufacturer that until now made notebooks and desktops that functioned well but looked pretty boring. It really is a computer that doesn’t need to be hidden away in a gloomy study, but is beautiful enough to become the centrepiece of a modern lounge or dining room. But it costs a small fortune and will only be bought by a few. Let’s hope Lenovo and other PC manufacturers continue the trend of making beautiful and functional PCs, while also ensuring they’re more affordable.

Gadgets roundup

Sean Bacher

A possible new tablet war?

Microsoft has finally announced its entry into the tablet market with the Microsoft Surface. It’s been long overdue and Microsoft is promising the Surface is serious competition to the iPad and other Android tablets already available. The Surface comes with a keyboard, trackpad and stand – all of which are third-party accessories for the iPad, so that is already a feather in the Microsoft cap. But it is going to take more than this to steal some tablet market share. The Surface’s price, availability, access to thirdparty applications and build quality will all come into play when users decide between the Surface and any other tablet.

Day in the life

Sean Bacher

HP shows clever usage of power

At this year’s HP Influencer Summit held in Shanghai, China, it was clear that HP meant business in the consumer space. Although there was no mention of tablets, the company has made some real headway with its ultrabooks, printers and all-in-one devices. Two products that stood out from the rest were the Officejet 150 Mobile All-In-One printer, and HP t410 AIO Smart Zero Client. Both these devices show how power can be used more effectively and efficiently, and also give us a glimpse of what can be expected in the future.

Gadgets roundup

Sean Bacher

Smart devices will control our world

When looking at products like the Griffin RC Helicopter (below), it is amazing how imaginative some companies are. Yes, the iPhone is an innovative device all on its own, but the way Griffin has taken that technology and added to it, to where the phone is controlling a physical object, in this case a helicopter, is mind-blowing. It opens up a new avenue in terms of what a smartphone is capable of. Just think: in the future, the smartphone could control a car and house alarm system, an electric gate or garage door. It is becoming more evident every day that we will use the smartphone or a similar device to control our world.

Gadgets roundup

Sean Bacher