Stuff SA - Sept 2023

Issue 125 Aug/Sept 2023 www.stuff .co.za R59.50 (incl VAT) Other countries. R53.04 (excl tax) 9 771994 313049 23005 WOMEN IN TECH SA ladies leading the way ALSO! Apple’s supersized MacBook Air Just in: Huawei’s folding Mate X3 Make Sammy’s S23 Ultra even better Work From Home tips & hacks GAMING SPECIAL: NEW GAMES & GEAR ESSENTIAL TRAVEL GADGETS All you need to hit the road GADGETS / GAMES / GEAR Print instant snaps Swim with tunes Groove on the move Banish the sun glare Book a new holiday Take the telly with you Keep your kids moving A heart of gold HOME ENTERTAINMENT BIG SCREEN TIME BUYER’S GUIDE TOP 5 E-BIKES www.stuff .co.za Issue 125 WOMEN IN TECH – AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2023

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Smart Tech Stuff Mag examines the very best in the world of tech six times a year. Whether it’s freshly launched (love that new-processor smell), of historic importance, or just a twinkle in Jony Ives’ eye, you can bet that we’ve left our fingerprints on it in our quest to catch and catalogue the best in tech. We do it all for you. O Visit Stuff: stuff .co.za Test Match We test phones, laptops, tablets, headphones, cars, and anything else that recently appeared in a tech keynote so you don’t have to. No tech is too big or too small (except when it is – it happens) for us to poke, pick at, prod, or play with. And we pass the results on to you, for betterinformed gadget purchase choices. O Image Stuff: instagram.com/stuff sa List Value Looking for a quick comparison of the very best tech available right this second? Stuff’s Top 10 pages collect and collate the gear you want in an easy-tocompare format. The top item in each list is the best of the best in its category – from phones to laptops to cameras, Bluetooth speakers to headphones to VR to games, it’s all there. O Tweet Stuff: twitter.com/stuff sa Home Grown Want your Stuff direct from the source? We’ve got it available on our own storefront, right on the Stuff website for R35 a pop. Even better, previous issues are also present, at just R25 an issue. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, we’ve cut out the middle-man and passed the savings on to you. O Get Stuff: stuff .co.za Alternate Mirror If you’re rocking an Android or iOS device and want to save those trees, there’s always the option of an app-based digital subscription. It doesn’t get much easier than a single or annual payment which sends a fresh (tree hugging) copy of Stuff to your mobile. Get it on our Android or iOS app via Zinio. O Get Stuff: zinio.com PRINT SUBSCRIPTION R290 per year Stuff is the cutting-edge guide to gadgets, gear and technology and is Earth's most renowned gadget compendium. If you prefer HOW TO BUY A SUBSCRIPTION TO STUFF MAG Making your life smarter doesn’t have to be one-and-done. Subscribe to Stuff Magazine and get tips, tricks, and the latest in consumer tech goodness without leaving your house WHAT TO EXPECT IN EVERY ISSUE BUY YOUR SUBSCRIPTION OR GRAB THE PRINT EDITION OF STUFF MAG 1 2 3 4 5 real paper, you can head to bit.ly/39TZU5T to fill in a subscription form. Hit the QR code (via SnapScan) to pay for it and your copy will soon be magically on its way to your home. 6 ISSUES PER YEAR ANATOMY LESSON LOL It’s smart, concise, and frequently funny. We’re not saying you’ll laugh out loud but we’re not NOT saying that either. USEFUL INFO Looking to upgrade or make the best of existing tech? No matter your budget, each issue has you covered. PAY ONLY R200.00 AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE OF THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING GADGET MAG GET OUR DIGITAL ISSUES DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOWNLOADS FOLDER SUBSCRIBE

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Welcome South Africa Making Stuff up Publisher and Editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak [email protected] Editor Charles Boffard [email protected] Art Director Susan Gray [email protected] Digital Publisher Nic Boerma [email protected] Digital Editor Brett Venter [email protected] Acting Digital Editor Matiba Sibanyoni Deputy Digital Editor Duncan Pike [email protected] Stuff journalist Trent Meikle Social Media Tshepo Thaela Selling Stuff Business Director Sally Hudson, [email protected] Senior Account Manager Thalia Pallotta 083 375 2418 [email protected] Getting Stuff to you Printing CTP Distribution On the Dot 087 353 1291 Contacting Stuff Call us 087 353 1291 Email us [email protected] Subscribe stuff.co.za/ subscribe-now Find us www.stuff.co.za Stuff SA @Stuff SA August is Women’s Month, and this issue brings our annual showcase of Women in Tech, a shortlist of South African women changing their industries and our future in a range of tech-related fields. In science, business, social activism, gaming … these are the women leading the way. And as investment-firm head Florbela Yates says, “Technology is an enabler, but the real power is created when you combine it with great people skills. So don’t be afraid of technology - use it to create a better version of yourself.” If you play games, whether on console or PC, we’ve got a special issue for you. In addition to taking you through the top new titles you’ll be playing this year and next, we’ve rounded up a fantastic array of gaming accessories for you, promising hundreds of new ways to kill – or be killed by – zombies, and all sorted into easily accessible chunks for PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. There’s plenty of new hardware in these pages, starting with a preview of Apple’s wacky but full of potential Vision Pro headset. We’re not sure who really wants to sit on the sofa wearing a headset, but if you need to escape from your home life or the head-wrapping tech could point the way to a fantastic mixed-reality future, maybe you’re who Apple made this for. And besides over a hundred pages of new tech, we’ve got something new of our own to show you: three new lists in our trusted Top Tens section, to help you choose the best tech and have your best life. Every issue from now on will bring you our pick of the top five electric vehicles and ebikes, and our top ten smart home devices. Charles Boffard, Editor [email protected] 1 NEW HOT BUY UPDATE BARGAIN BUY TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING NEW Ebikes & EVS 88 Smart homes 89 Smartphones 90 Budget Smartphones 91 Tablets & streamers 92 TVs 93 Laptops 94 Smartwatches & 95 fitness trackers Games 2 © Stuff SouthAfrica. All due care will be taken withmaterial submitted, but the magazine andpublisherscannot beheld responsibleforlossordamage. 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Neural Quantum Processor 4K Infinity One Design Dolby Atmos® OLED Source – Omdia, January 2023. Results are not an endorsement of Samsung. Any reliance on these results is at the third-party’s own risk. Our best A1-powered 4K experience for your content Absolute beauty found in minimalism A next-level Dolby Atmos experience Deep blacks, clean whites and lively colours Experience the Wow difference Samsung OLED

ON THE COVER HOTSTUFF TESTS p35 Snap happy 4 p16 The golden P10 Now you’re projecting P48 6 The Hot Five OApple Vision Pro The headset priced for people who live in another reality OYoto Player (3rd Gen) Basically a spare parent, and it doesn’t even need feeding OVilebrequin x Sublue Never mind what it does, it’s got cute turtles on it ORaleigh Chopper (2023) There are no ‘ride my big purple Chopper’ jokes in this story ONanoleaf 4D In the nicest possible way, this is a Heath Robinson Ambilight 14 Wheels Lexus LM Hybrid SUV that thinks it’s a bus 16 Icon Tag Heuer Golden Bright A smartwatch but all posh like 18 Stream It’s him out of Attack the Block! 20 Games Play these, achieve happiness 23 First testGoogle Pixel 7a Whoops, they accidentally made their cut-price flagship too good 38 Tested Apple MacBook Air 15in Our fave laptop, only more of it 50 Tested DJI Mavic 3 Pro Lynyrd Skynyrd headlines, yay! 52 TestedAsus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED A shiny gauntlet at Apple’s feet 84 Games The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Redfall

28 Cover feature Travel gadgets Going on holiday? You’ll need a carrier bag for your clothes and a 10ft flight case for all this… 36 Travel Tech Toby Shapshak’s expert travel tips 42 Cover feature Women in Tech Meet SA’s female tech pioneers 54 Cover feature Home entertainment Bigger picture, bigger sound 60 Beta yourself Enjoy music more Well, you can start by deleting all those Coldplay records 62 Cover feature Gaming gear Pretend the outside world doesn’t exist … with help from this huge array of top-class accessories 76 Upvoted Outdoor speakers Take one of these to the park for maximum dirty looks 78 Tech titans Mac laptops Our favourite silvery slabs of processing wondermen 80 Instant upgrades Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra It cost you enough – might as well maximise its talents FEATURES p1 OUR PRINT ISSUE 30% GET OFF SUBS 0FFER 88 Ebikes & EVs All the amps and wheels you need 89 Smart home devices Ways your house can outthink you 90 Smartphones What’s the handiest, handsomest handset? 91 Budget smartphones Everyone deserves to hold an excellent phone 92 Tablets, streamers Slick slates and ways to stream everything 93 TVs All you need for a lazy night/day/year in 94 Laptops Porta-powerhouses to warm your knees 95 Wearables, smartwatches Strapping smart tracking tickers 97 VR headsets and VR games This reality sucks. Try these new ones 100 Headphones In-ears and on-ears, hear hear! 103 Games 10 ways to avoid adult responsibilities TOP TENS 5 P P88

6 Don’t view me like that The two micro-OLED screens inside are packed with 23m pixels each – that’s more than a 4K TV for each eye. Wear glasses? Optical inserts will allow you to take them off. I won’t stack down The headset weighs just 450g, which is largely because the battery goes in your pocket. It should last 2hrs, and you can still use the headset while it’s charging.

7 ALL THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH Apple loves coming up with new names for stuff that already exists. Video calls? No, those are FaceTime. A hi-res screen? That’s a Retina display. And its new Vision Pro isn’t a mixed reality headset, it’s a spatial computer. Powered by both an M2 and a new R1 chip, it takes everything coming from the 12 cameras, six mics and five other onboard sensors and processes it eight times faster than the blink of an eye. That means you can move around the visionOS menus, app screens, movies and panorama photos that float in the room in front of you without any lag; make selections using your eyes; and scroll through websites using hand gestures. You can even pair your MacBook just by looking at it. And if somebody walks in while you’re wearing your Vision Pro, a digital image of your eyes appears on the outside, a bit like the terrifying mask in that episode of Luther. Even without that, it’s hard to ignore the fact that it all feels a little dystopian, but it’s also impossible not to be excited by how futuristic it all looks – especially considering it also resembles a pair of goggles designed for a ski trip to the freezing mountains of Pluto. As hot as… a free-floating curry R65 500 (import) / apple.com A FACE IN THE CLOUD Apple Vision Pro HOT FIVE #1 Free callin’ There are headphones – sorry, ‘audio pods’ – built into the breathable strap. These deliver spatial audio directly to your lugs; it works with FaceTime as well as music and films.

8 It’s not really possible to put a price on keeping the kids quiet, but how does £100 sound? That’s how much the third-gen Yoto Player will set you back, but the first time it sends your sprog off to sleep it’ll feel like the bargain of the century. Designed to stream stories and songs triggered by kid-friendly cards that slot into the top, this version has a built-in thermometer, so you’ll be able to keep tabs on whether it’s too hot or too cold in the bedroom after the Yoto Player has lulled them to sleep. The seven-colour nightlight changes hue in the morning to let them know when it’s late enough to wake you up (good luck with that one), while the battery lasts up to 24hrs – that’s three times longer than the previous model – so it’s got more than enough stamina to keep them entertained until it’s time for bed again. There’s 32GB of onboard storage, which is enough to hold over 600hrs of offline audio, and the case has been beefed up to protect it from life in the hands of a rampaging kiddiwink. You don’t get that from a picturebook about dinosaurs. As hot as… a toddler’s temper R2 400 (import) / yotoplay.com EVERY SWITCHER TELLS A STORY Yoto Player (3rd Gen) HOT FIVE #2 You pair it well The Yoto Player works as a Bluetooth speaker, plus you can connect wired or wireless headphones if you’ve had enough of hearing the same stories over and over again.

9 This old card of mine It comes with a blank card for linking your own audio, whether that’s your own recordings or imported MP3s. A pack of five 500MB blanks costs R315, or get 10 for R480. Do ya think I’m flexy? The two chunky controls on top allow kids to adjust the volume and change tracks or chapters on their own, so in theory you should be able to leave them to it. For a while…

10 Blue day rising Sublue and Vilebrequin decided to limit production of this model to 299, but you can also get a standard Whiteshark Mix in aqua blue, space blue or white. Clip your rig The bracket on the front allows you to attach a GoPro so you can film your adventures. Use a wide angle, because the water will reduce the field of view by about 30%.

FIVE #3 11 Electric scooters might be the chosen mode of transport among the vaping youths who terrorise the streets of Britain; but with icecaps melting and sea levels rising, it won’t be long before we’re all cast adrift on Waterworld-style floating homes – and wheels won’t be much use to you then. If you want to make like Kevin Costner and thrive away from land, this special-edition electric underwater scooter will turn you into a human/fish hybrid without the need for gills or webbed feet. The turtle design is provided by luxury swimwear brand Vilebrequin, and might help you blend in with any marine life you encounter, but underneath it’s a standard Sublue Whiteshark Mix. That means its two propellers can pull you through the water at up to 5.4kmh, down to a maximum depth of 40m, with a total running time from the 11,000mAh battery of about 25mins – so you’ll need to take a very deep breath before diving. It takes 2hrs to recharge, though, so you’ll have plenty of time to get that breath back. As long as you stop vaping. As hot as… a Waterworld remake R20 600 (import) / sublue.fr The year 1969 saw the first moon landing, the Woodstock festival, and the Beatles’ final public appearance on the roof of Apple Records… but for some kids of the era it’ll always be remembered as the year Raleigh debuted the Chopper. The bike became an icon, appearing in ’80s movie classics including The Goonies; and while its popularity dwindled in the ’90s, it still holds a special place in the hearts of many. And now, finally, Raleigh has brought it back. The 2023 model is based on 1973’s Mk2, with 3D scans of the original used to make the Cr-Mo steel frame. Aside from a few tweaks so that its one-piece saddle and U-shaped handlebars meet modern safety requirements, it’s basically the same bike, with the distinctive larger rear wheel plus three-speed hub gears and modern brakes that have been designed to be indistinguishable from those on the original. Even the two colour options, red and violet, are throwbacks. At 18.4kg it’s a pretty hefty steed, and there’s obviously no electric assistance, so you have to propel yourself using pure pedal power. Just like the old days. As hot as… the summer of 1976 R23 000 (import) / raleigh.co.uk ALL THIS DIVE DONE FOR YOU Vilebrequin x Sublue Whiteshark Mix CHOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE Raleigh Chopper (2023) HOT FIVE #4 I’m gonna make you lovely In case you’ve got an old Chopper stashed away at the back of the garage, Raleigh has also reissued a load of parts that are compatible with both the OG and the remake.

12 If you wanted to make your own Philips TV you might think you’d need a load of circuit boards, a screen and some pretty serious skills with a soldering iron. But Nanoleaf’s 4D kit is pretty much a DIY Ambilight in a box – just add your existing telly. Attach the lightstrip to the back (it comes in either 65in or 85in lengths) then point the screen mirror camera at the front – it will capture the colours being displayed on the screen and replicate them in real time via the rear-mounted LEDs, which should make watching the news almost as immersive as having the Russians invade your lounge. You get a choice of four modes, with the lowest just matching the brightness of the screen with an ambient white glow, while the top level aims to copy everything directly. Want to turn things up even further? If you arrange some of Nanoleaf’s RGB panels behind your telly, its Sync+ system means you can turn the whole wall into a display that will react to whatever the camera sees. That even works with its smart lightbulbs, so you could take it to the max and – only slightly weirdly – make your whole house a glowing cinematic canvas. As hot as… 65 inches of lava R2 180 (import)/ nanoleaf.me ONE WAY AURA ’NOTHER Nanoleaf 4D HOT FIVE #5 Snip her to shreds Got a television that’s smaller than 65in? Nanoleaf’s smart mapping tech means you can cut the lightstrip down to size and it’ll remap the effects to suit the new length. Hanging on the telly zone The camera in this picture is positioned underneath the screen, but if you’ve got your TV mounted on the wall it comes with a bracket that allows you to attach it to the top.

Product colors, sizes, shapes, interfaces, and functions are for reference only. Actual product appearance and performance should prevail. WATCH FIT SE WATCH GT 3 SE WATCH GT 3 WATCH GT 3 Pro Precision Technology, Unstoppable Life Band 8

14 What is this, a people-carrier but for elephants? If you’re getting tired of standard SUV designs, why not go large? This luxury hybrid is a neat twist on an old theme – because Lexus has reinvented the minivan. The LM will come with up to seven seats, offering lots of space and lots of tech. What’s under the bonnet? The powertrain is a 2.5-litre mild hybrid, which can self-charge as you cruise around. As befits this premium brand, there’s a full suite of driver aids, which centres on the Lexus Safety System+. Parking and other manoeuvres can be made easier by Proactive Driving Assist, while Adaptive Cruise Control takes care of changing speed limits. So what about that interior tech? If you’ve been sensible and ordered the four-seater model, the Lexus LM delivers big on the tech front… and by ‘big’ we mean ‘huge’, thanks to a 48in HD widescreen display. That’s accompanied by a Mark Levinson surround-sound setup with 23 speakers, augmented by 14 hues of mood lighting. Any other interior goodies? How about a fridge? That means rear passengers can tap into a cold one on the road, while the airline-style seats can fully recline and the Lexus Climate Concierge ensures the temperature should always be just to your liking. It’s not just a van ,then? Hardly. Lexus has designed the LM on its GA-K platform, which should mean your chauffeur will enjoy a dreamy driving experience, with performance more like one of the latest Lexus saloons than some poshed-up panel van. And no, we don’t know whether it’s coming to South Africa. MATERIAL GULL Star of the recent Auto Shanghai show, the BYD Seagull is a dream come true for EV fans on a budget. It’s a dinky five-door electric supermini, with four seats and angular lines. The range is up to 405km and there’s a 12.8in infotainment screen. Best of all, though, is the price: around R200 000. Pity it’s China-only for now. I TAVA DREAM New from Cupra, the Tavascan is a high-performance coupe SUV that will come with up to 250kW of power. The VZ edition has dramatic looks and twin motors, with all-wheel drive and a sizeable 335bhp to play with. Expect a 0-100kph time of 5.6secs and a range of up to 515km, with a 15in screen plus an AR head-up display. BABY GOT ’BACH What, you want even more luxury? The MercedesMaybach EQS 680 SUV has twin electric motors, a 0-100kph time of 4.4secs and a range of up to 600km. Inside, it’s opulence all the way with twin 11.6in infotainment screens, electric seats with limitless adjustment and a Burmester 4D sound system with 15 speakers. Lexus LM VAN LOVE COMES TO TOWN Rtba / lexus.co.uk NEWS DASHBOARD The LM takes Lexus’s grille styling to another level with its rather sci-fi front end. Sculpted side vents and LED headlights cap it all off. WH E L E S

NEWS FEED 15 I shot a man in portrait OPPO RENO10 PRO+ If you thought it was hard to choose your next smartphone, it just got a little harder. Oppo has launched the Reno10 Pro+ in South Africa into an already crowded mid-range. But what makes the Reno 10 Pro+ stand out from the others is Oppo’s focus on portrait photography. The 64MP telephoto sensor has a large f/2.5 aperture, 3X optical zoom, and optical image stabilisation. We’re keen to see the resulting shots from combining that hardware with Oppo’s Portrait Expert Engine. Oh, and it has 100W SUPERVOOC flash charging if you needed any more reasons to get excited. Rtba / oppo.com/za It’s the hard Nok life NOKIA XR21 Toivo ran Super Soapers, Helsinki’s most popular mobile carwash service. But he was sick of killing his phones by accidentally spraying them with the pressure washer when booking in new customers, so he took a trip to his local Nokia shop… and walked out with a new XR21, a phone so waterproof it’s practically part-herring. Its IP69K rating means it’s capable of withstanding high-pressure or high-temperature jets, while the Gorilla Glass Victus covering the 6.49in 120Hz screen stops it getting scratched if it does take a direct hit. Throw in 64MP and 8MP rear cameras for posting promotional pics of his handiwork, and Toivo should have no trouble maintaining his position at the top. R12 000 (import) / nokia.com AMAZON WANTS TO TURN YOUR ZAFIRA INTO K.I.T.T. You can’t escape Alexa anywhere: Amazon’s second-gen Echo Auto (R1 500 (import), amazon.co.uk) is heading to UK roads. Previously only available in the US, it adds voice smarts to any motor with Bluetooth or an aux input, and comes with five onboard mics and a sticky mount. BACKBONE IS ASKING YOUR ANDROID OUT TO PLAY Backbone’s PlayStation-certified One mobile controller (R2 280 (import), playbackbone.com) is finally available for Android and iPhone owners. The arrival of a version with a USB-C connection means you can slot in your Pixel or Galaxy, fire up the Remote Play app and play PS games . REGA SAVES THE WORLD WITH DISCOUNT DECKS Looking for a cheap turntable? Rega has launched Green Grade versions of two decks that use parts with “cosmetic faults” – so not only do they save stuff from going to landfill, but they also save you money. The Green Grade Planar 1 is over R2 000 cheaper, while the 1 Plus is over over R3 000 less. WHATSAPP LETS YOU UN-INSULT YOUR BOSS If you’re forever having to correct errors in your WhatsApp messages, you’ll soon be able to edit them – but only for 15mins after you’ve hit send. Recipients won’t be able to see the edit history, but they will know when you’ve corrected a message. The feature is rolling out to all users now.

16 THIS IS TAG HEUER’S FIRST CONNECTED SMARTWATCH TO COME IN GOLD R47 750/ picotandmoss.co.za Ooh, is it the golden hour? Surely every hour would be the golden hour with one of these strapped to your wrist? This is Tag Heuer’s first Connected smartwatch to come in gold; and while the Swiss watchmaker hasn’t used real precious metal for the 42mm case, we won’t tell anyone if you don’t. It’s actually made of PVD steel, with a matching rose gold crown, pushers and clasp, attached to a red-lined calfskin bracelet. That makes it well suited to eating Ferrero Rocher at the ambassador’s reception, but it’s also waterproof to 50m so you don’t have to worry if he has one too many and pushes you in the pool. Tag Heuer, with this watch you’re really spoiling us… Sapphire crystal glass covers the 1.28in AMOLED screen, which displays an exclusive face that’s been designed for the watch, but there’s much more to this thing than good looks. Inside there’s a Snapdragon Wear 4100+ CPU with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and NFC, plus a heart-rate sensor, compass and barometer, which work with the pre-installed sporty apps. It runs Wear OS, though, so you can always install third-party ones too. Just don’t run too far away from the charger, because the battery only lasts a day. That’s not gold-standard stamina. Well, maybe you’d prefer the Bright Black version. That might sound like an oxymoron, but its case is made of titanium and polished ceramic with rose gold details, so it’s a little less ostentatious. And at 45mm it’s slightly larger, which means there’s a 1.39in AMOLED… plus a bigger battery inside. But be warned,, though, you’ll need a bigger bank balance to match. TAG HEUER CONNECTED GOLDEN BRIGHT I CON

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19 DON’T MISS THIS Here are your new-to-streaming highlights for the next few weeks – watch them all and win a special prize! Except not really! Heartstopper The much-anticipated second helping of this beloved LGBTQ+ teen drama appears, reuniting the cast from the first season and sprinkling in some new faces for good measure. A third season has already been confirmed – so you can watch this without fear of being left on a killer cliffhanger for the next decade. S2 / Netflix (VPN only), 3 August Bird Box Barcelona Here’s an oddity: a Spanish-made, (mostly) Spanish-language sequel to a Sandra Bullock doom-thriller from 2018. The original Bird Box was a hit for Netflix, so it’s perhaps no surprise that we’re getting a second encounter with the mysterious visual phenomenon that provokes instant mass suicide. Is it Boris Johnson naked? Film / Netflix, 14 July The Beanie Bubble The Beanie Babies phenomenon of the 1990s, which saw thousands losing their minds while attempting to snatch up as many of the plush toys as possible, is documented in this comedy drama starring Zach Galifianakis, Sarah Snook and Elizabeth Banks. Expect cuteness and darkness in equal measure. Really, what were people thinking? Film / Apple TV+, 28 July Dune A spicy treat for Prime subscribers, Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 adaptation of the beloved sci-fi novel is pure cinematic gold. A tale of family, duty, exploitation, betrayal and giant worms, featuring an all-star cast, astonishing visuals and sweeping drama, Dune is well worth 2.5hrs of your time – not least as a sequel is coming this year. Film / Prime Video, 11 July Good Omens It’s been four years since the first season, but this enjoyably blasphemous adaptation of the Pratchett/Gaiman fantasy novel is back to reward the patient angels (and demons) who adored that initial run. It’s reportedly based on a sketched-out sequel that Gaiman and the late Pratchett never got around to writing. S2 / Prime Video, 28 July The Out-Laws Buttoned-up bank manager Owen Browning (Adam DeVine) meets his fiancee’s parents (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin) and immediately pegs them as notorious robbers the Ghost Bandits. Ooh, bit awks… but when an even worse gang of thieves arrives in town, he gets an extraordinary opportunity to bond with his prospective in-laws. Film / Netflix, 7 July They Cloned Tyrone Dripping with retro chic and in-your-face attitude, this comedy/mystery/sci-fi thriller stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx as an unlikely trio of detectives investigating a dastardly conspiracy that goes (as these things generally do in films) right to the very top. Think Three Days of the Condor meets Shaft meets The Truman Show and you’ll get somewhere close. Film / Netflix, 21 July STR A E M

20 Some of the most inventive first-person puzzle games, such as Portal or The Witness, involve playing with your spatial awareness or altering your perception of the space you’re in. Viewfinder follows in that tradition – but is even more mind-bogglingly inventive with its use of seemingly flat pictures that are actually 3D. The initial levels ease you into the premise by presenting you with photographs that you pick up in a serene place that seems to be floating in the air. Your task is getting to a portal on the other side of the level, but in order to reach it you’ll need these pictures to form a path. For example, put out a photo of a floor in front of you, and this becomes solid ground that you can walk along. Photos can also be rotated, so a wall can become a floor, or you might need a ramp to reach a higher spot. And it’s not just photographs you can pick up, but also paintings and screenshots from retro games, as you find yourself dropping into different art styles. But where things get really incredible is when you find a camera and get to create the puzzle pieces yourself. Although you’re limited to how many pics you can take, you basically aim, take the shot, and pick up a Polaroid that you can put down to make your own path. Maybe you just need to take a photo of the floor beneath you to create a platform… or if you find yourself short of batteries to power up a portal, why not photograph the battery and make a duplicate? The idea that there’ll be different ways you can approach a level makes this game all the more enjoyable. FIRST PLAY VIEWFINDER PC, PS5 G A M E S

21 FINAL FANTASY PIXEL REMASTER PS4, Switch Released last year on PC and mobile, six remastered Final Fantasy classics return to the platforms on which the series has such a rich history. Available as a bundle or standalone, these games make a nostalgic contrast to the action-packed Final Fantasy XVI coming this month. SONIC ORIGINS PLUS Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, XSX, XB1 Last year’s definitive Sonic compilation proved not completely definitive, so this expansion arriving on 23 June attempts to correct that with a whole wealth of new content. Besides adding 12 Game Gear titles, it lets you play as Amy Rose in all four of the original Mega Drive/CD games. GHOST TRICK: PHANTOM DETECTIVE Switch, PS4, XB1, PC A decade after its first release on modern consoles, Capcom is remastering this cult Nintendo DS hit. You play as someone who’s died and lost his memory – can you solve your own murder by manipulating objects in the world of the living? O PIKMIN 4 O EXOPRIMAL O DISNEY ILLUSION ISLAND O OXENFREE II: LOST SIGNALS OARMORED CORE VI: FIRES OF RUBICON OBOMB RUSH CYBERFUNK OLIES OF P BEST OF NOSTALGIC GAMES FOR THE SPRING FIRST LOOK THE REAL SIM SHADY INCOMING Since Epic released Unreal Engine 5 to the public last year, lots of jawdropping footage has been shared showing how ridiculous 3D graphics have become. Much of that is to do with how natural the lighting looks, indistinguishable from just looking out of a window, and it’s even more effective when the footage is of seemingly mundane places. But one game currently in development has been generating plenty of debate over just how real we want our visuals to look. From its two-minute trailer, you’d be fooled into thinking Unrecord was real video – but it’s all made in-engine, in a world shown from the body-cam of a police officer. The game is already proving controversial given its premise, especially when we’re seeing more footage of real police shootings on the news and social media. But this isn’t just a dumb first-person shooter, as the trailer shows quick dialogue choices to determine how your cop approaches a situation, and the developer (called Drama) seems to be focusing on narrative. Whether Unrecord will successfully interrogate this unease beyond the thin blue line remains to be seen, but it’s already clear that things have come a long way since Call of Duty 4’s Death From Above mission. UNRECORD PC

HONOR 90 5G Honor’s new smartphone launches in South Africa on 1 September. Featuring an impressive 200MP Main Camera with a raft of AI technologies in videography, the HONOR 90 5G is designed to help vloggers streamline their workflows. It employs AI for video creating and for AI Instant Movie, which enables users to generate a socialmedia-ready 15-second video with just a few taps. New eye-comfort features minimise flicker and eye strain at low brightness. The 5000mAh battery offers up to 19.5 hours of local video streaming, and Honor’s fast charging gets it back up to 45% in just 15 minutes. What else? 512GB ROM storage capacity, 8GB RAM turbo-boosted, Honor says, to 19GB, and Android 13-based HONOR MagicOS 7.1. No SA price yet when Stuff went to press. Rtba /hihonor.com Er, it’s a television…? Very observant. But while the Telly has all the bits and bobs you get with other 4K TVs – a tuner, three HDMI ports, two USB sockets, Wi-Fi – this is like no gogglebox you’ve ever seen before. For starters, it has two screens. The second one, which is separated from the 55in main panel by a built-in five-driver soundbar, works a bit like an Amazon Echo Show, displaying things like weather forecasts, sport scores and news headlines… but the most notable thing about the Telly is that it’s free. Really? What’s the catch? Well, the bottom screen is also used to show ads – so next to the latest stocks info, Kia will try to sell you a car and Pizza Hut will see if you can be convinced to order a large meat feast for dinner – but it also goes much further than that. When you sign up for your free set you must tell Telly things like how much you earn, what car you drive and which football team you support, plus the TV itself also collects data on what you watch and how long you watch it for. Sounds super-creepy. Yeah, it’s all a little bit Black Mirror. Telly has fitted it with a load of extras in the hope that you’ll think it’s worth sacrificing your privacy for a built-in camera, voice assistant and motion sensors, which enable things like Zoom calls, fitness apps and motion-controlled games. If you change your mind and opt out of the ads, you have to either return the TV or stump up $500 (That’s R9 100, but it’s only available to our US friends); but at least there doesn’t seem to be anything stopping you from just covering up the camera and sticking a large cactus in front of the ads. WTF IS TELLY? The long and winding mode FUJIFILM X-S20 If you don’t know your aperture from your elbow but want to shoot pics that make it look like you do, Fujifilm’s lightweight X-S20 swaps multiple manual dials for a single mode wheel, so you can focus on your snaps rather than the settings. Speaking of focus, the X-S20’s AF system uses AI to pick out animals and cars, while the back-illuminated 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS sensor promises better low-light shooting than the old X-S10. It also has a much bigger battery, so Fuji reckons you should be able to fire off around 750 frames before it needs charging. The stamina will drop if you use the new Vlog mode, but the 6.2K @ 30fps footage might make that worthwhile. R24 750 / camerawarehouse.co.za 22

23 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A Seven knows I’m admissible now oogle has taken the best bits of the Pixel 7 and diluted them, ever so slightly, for its latest ‘a’ phone. The top-tier CPU remains, giving the Pixel 7a more performance punch than mid-range rivals that use more modest silicon. An all-new high-pixel-count camera sensor promises to maximise detail and low-light photography, while features like a high refresh rate and wireless charging also make the cut for the first time. Get one in your hand and it immediately feels like a classier product than the outgoing 6a. The recycled aluminium frame now extends to the distinctive camera shelf at the rear and is a near-perfect match for the Pixel 7. The shelf doesn’t stick out quite as far here, the display bezels are slightly thicker, and the power keys at the side match the frame’s matt finish instead of the buttons; but you still need to look close to tell the two phones apart. A few bits of the 6a remain, such as the polycarbonate rear panel that picks up fingerprints at an astonishing rate. The return of IP67 water-resistance is more welcome. Uprated hardware should help the Pixel 7a compete, but it does bring a higher asking price. So does that drag the 7a firmly out of wallet-friendly territory, or is this still the obvious choice for value-minded Android fans? G R13 500 / connecteddevices.co.za Despite its epic photo skills, last year’s ‘budget flagship’ Google Pixel 6a was outclassed in other areas – but the 7a is ready to hang in the smartphone VIP zone

2 5 3 24 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A That stroke isn’t crummy any more The 90Hz refresh rate is a big upgrade over last year’s Pixel 6a, making every swipe and scroll feel much smoother. The OLED screen stays refreshingly compact at 6.1in, but gets a lot brighter now. Killing ’em? It was really nothing… With the Tensor G2 CPU of its bigger brothers, this mid-range marvel has the firepower of a flagship. 8GB of RAM ensures it’s a better multitasker than the Pixel 6a, and demanding games default to their highest settings. Some whorls are bigger than others You get the choice of face and fingerprint unlocking, although only the latter can be used for banking apps. Both are quick, and the under-display fingerprint sensor is placed a nice distance from the edge for easy reaching. You just haven’t burned it yet, baby Squeezing in more cells than a Samsung Galaxy S23, the Pixel 7a can comfortably last all day if you go easy on the gaming. 18W wired charging means a full refuel takes multiple hours, but wireless top-ups are a welcome addition. The brand that rocks the cradle There’s no bloat, just a full suite of Google apps. Android is easy to navigate and a joy to customise, thanks to new personalisation options. Five years of security patches will please those after a long-haul handset. 1 2 3 4 5 24 hours with the Google Pixel 7a Good Meh Evil 3mins 5mins 6mins 1hr 3hrs 4hrs 6hrs 7hrs 9hrs Night Sight plus a higher pixel count equals fantastic low-light photos. Android feels super-speedy thanks to the flagship-grade CPU. Has Google sent a Pixel 7 by mistake? They look almost identical. The metal frame and camera shelf sharpen up the styling nicely. I guess the screen bezels are a little on the chunky side, though. The OLED screen is plenty punchy. It’s great for box set catch-ups. That 90Hz refresh rate makes motion feel so much smoother too. Daylight photos look superb. Some flagships aren’t as good as this. No telephoto lens, but Google’s Super Res Zoom works really well.

4 1 25 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A Tech specs 10hrs 18hrs 20hrs 21hrs 24hrs Top-ups take a while, though – not great when you’re in a rush. Android 13 looks the business after a bit of Material You theming. Yes, I’ve managed all-day battery life – just. Wireless charging meant no faffing around with USB cables overnight. Games are pretty much flawless, even intense 3D titles. STUFF SAYS +++++ Fast, long-lasting, and it takes a killer photo: this is the mid-range Android phone to beat The Pixel 7a proves that Google’s subflagship series is almost all the phone an Android fan needs. That it now feels like a pricier device, thanks to a smoother screen and wireless charging, only highlights the exceptional value. There’s little to separate it from the Pixel 7 – bad news for Google’s bottom line, but fantastic for customers. Q Big words With or without Night Sight, colours stay true and noise is kept to a minimum. Low light is where the gap between the 7a and the more expensive competition widens, but not by much. Q Bigmouth Being larger and with a much higher pixel count than the one in the 6a, the 64MP lead lens captures a lot more light. Google’s superb algorithms tidy things up before you see the finished shot. Q Big country The 13MP ultrawide lens misses out on the Pixel 7 Pro’s macro powers. But colour balance, dynamic range and exposure are very closely matched, and it isn’t short on detail either. It’s quite impressive. Q Big cat We were blown away by the amount of detail on show. Both close-ups and distance shots display fantastic clarity for the cash, while portraits are boosted by some pretty background blur. Older a-series phones did plenty with their modest cameras, but the 7a takes after the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro… Screen 6.1in 2400x1080 90Hz OLED CPU Google Tensor G2 RAM 8GB OS Android 13 Storage 128GB Cameras 64+13MP rear, 13MP front Battery 4385mAh (Qi, USB-C) Dimensions 152x73x9mm, 194g How soon is wow?

26 FIRST TEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A There’s no shortage of sensibly priced smartphone competition… but the Pixel 7a’s closest rivals come from Samsung and Apple Samsung Galaxy A54 R9 500 / Samsung.com/za What’s the story? With similar styling, a virtually identical UI and some capable cameras, the A54 is purpose-built to appeal to Galaxy S23 fans who can’t stomach paying flagship money for a phone. Last year’s A53 was hampered by underpowered internals, but this latest generation puts that right. Is it any good? The frame is plastic and its screen bezels are on the chunky side, but the A54 is otherwise stuffed with features – like IP67 water-resistance, an under-display fingerprint sensor and a punchy AMOLED display. You’ve got to look closely to tell it’s not a Galaxy S23. The 50MP main camera takes vibrant, dynamic photos, and the other snappers are decent enough for the price. Performance is much smoother than the outgoing A53, and the battery lasts all day too. It’s not hugely exciting, but it’s still sure to please Samsung fans. KEY SPECS Screen 6.4in 2340x1080 OLED CPU Exynos 1380 Cameras 50+12+5MP rear, 32MP front Battery 5000mAh Dimensions 158x77x8.2mm, 202g Apple iPhone SE R11 500 / takealot.com What’s the story? The third-gen iPhone SE is styled an awful lot like the now-six-year-old iPhone 8, complete with chunky screen bezels and Touch ID sensor built into the home button. But inside it’s bang up to date, with an Apple A15 Bionic CPU, and it remains the most affordable model in Apple’s 2023 lineup. Is it any good? That 4.7in screen is a real throwback, making do with 720p resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate and LCD when the rest of the phone world has moved on to Full HD OLEDs. The single rear camera isn’t all that versatile, although Apple’s image processing still puts in a strong shift. Battery life is mediocre at best, but there’s no doubting performance: the iPhone SE can munch through the best-looking games available on the App Store and has equally fast 5G speeds. Still, the tidy iPhone 13 Mini isn’t much more expensive than this at R16 000. KEY SPECS Screen 4.7in 1334x750 LCD CPU Apple A15 Bionic Cameras 12MP rear, 7MP front Battery 2018mAh Dimensions 138x67x7.3mm, 144g The alternatives: Other mid-price monsters Stuff says ++++, Brings you most of Samsung’s smarts without S23 pricing Stuff says ++++, The affordable iOS option is purely for fans of small screens

From lights and computers to fridges, phones and more, the ESBox 3000 will keep your appliances charged during a sudden power outage. With a built-in Automatic Transfer Switch, the Rentech ESBox 3000 will automatically and immediately start to provide power when it detects grid outages. 0860 12 00 12 www.rentech.co.za LOADSHEDDING, Mobile Phones & Laptops Lights Fan TV Microwave Fridge

STUFF SAYS Like a cheaper, smaller A7S III with superb video skills +++++ 28 TRAVEL GADGETS Sunglasses, guide book, ironic hipster Count Duckula T-shirt? Yep, you’re just about all packed – but don’t forget to bring a gadget companion or two along on your big trip… ON THE ven influencers go on holiday… and if you’re harbouring dreams of YouTube or TikTok stardom, your smartphone just isn’t going to cut it for capturing your summer adventures to share with the world. Enter Sony’s video-centric new ZV-E1: the first model in its vlog-friendly ZV range to come with a full-frame sensor. There might only be 12.1MP on this 35mm CMOS, but the sensor’s mammoth physical size makes for astounding image quality. It’s the same one you’ll find in the company’s beloved A7S III, in fact, and its similarly brilliant in low-light conditions. Toss in Sony’s much-improved colour science and you’ve got beautifully cinematic footage straight out of the camera, made SONY ZV-E1 R43 000 (body only) / takealot.com E all the better by the fact that you can rely on the tracking autofocus to keep locked onto your subject. Thanks to some AI cleverness, it’s able to recognise a range of subjects from human faces to animals and aeroplanes. Video can be captured in 4K quality at anything from 24fps to (after the post-launch firmware update) 120fps, making it possible to produce slo-mo as smooth and slick as an otter’s pelt. Level woman You can do all this without a tripod too, thanks to the new Dynamic Active SteadyShot, which is some of the best image stabilisation we’ve seen on a Sony. The only downside with this setting is the rather severe crop it applies, so if you like to walk-and-vlog you’ll probably need to invest in an ultra-wide-angle lens. There are other shortcuts too, such as the single SD card slot, micro rather than full-size HDMI and no viewfinder; and while you can take decent stills on this thing, its lack of a mechanical shutter makes it much more of a video specialist than the A7S III. Still, this is a fantastic deal for the money, and thanks to its new touchscreen interface and a raft of simplified vlogging functions it’s able to cater to beginners as well as veteran videographers, all while being compact enough to bring anywhere – lens permitting. Key specs O 12.1MP full-frame CMOS O 4K @ 120fps O 3in rotating touchscreen O 121x72x54mm, 483g AGAIN

TRAVEL GADGETS 29 All I ask of dew It may be user-friendly but this is a pricey premium camera – and it’s built like one, with all buttons, dials and doors sealed against dust and moisture. It’s not IP-rated, though. We don’t gawk any more One disadvantage of the compact size and video-first nature of this camera? There’s no room for a viewfinder, so you’ll have to use the screen for shot composition and reviewing.

R3 630 / geewiz.co.za Stuff says ++++, A robust budget tablet that’s perfect for older sprogs 30 TRAVEL GADGETS NOW APP THESE KIDS’ CARRY-ONS RETROID POCKET FLIP One for kids and adults alike, this dinky hinged handheld console brings to mind Nintendo’s old clamshells. It’ll run all manner of retro titles via emulation or Android – perfect if you want to school the youngsters what games were like in the good old days. R3 000 (import) / goretroid.com BELKIN SOUNDFORM NANO Kids’ headphones can be as much a boon to adults as they are to the children wearing them – because they mean you no longer have to listen to the inane ramblings of Blippi or that Frozen song. These are cheap, waterproof and available in three colourways. R1 070 / takealot.com VTECH KIDIZOOM PRINTCAM If your tykes are too young to have phones but want to take photos, this robust camera fits the niche. Its 5MP snaps can be viewed on the 2.4in screen or saved to a microSD card… or printed straight away thanks to the included roll of monochrome thermal paper. R1 380 / takealot.com FITBIT ACE 3 Worried your little ones aren’t active enough? Fitbit’s latest junior tracker can help: by default it sets goals of 250 steps per hour and 60 active minutes per day. Aimed at children aged 6+, it also has eight days of battery life, a range of colourful finishes (including this Minions one) and interactive clock faces. R1 940 / geewiz.co.za VOXBLOCK STARTER PACK Like the idea of audiobooks? Hate the idea of giving your tot another screen to prod while they listen? The Voxblock player accepts cartridge-like cardboard ‘books’, playing the audio through its speaker or wired headphones, and comes with three titles of your choice. R1 430 (import) / voxblock.co.uk HUCKLEBERRY MOTOR BOAT Heading on holiday somewhere by a lake, river or calm sea? Stick this little kit in your luggage and then wow your offspring by helping them build an actual working motorboat: just attach the prop motor to something that floats, hit the on switch and watch it go. R180 / niftygifts.co.za DUOLINGO Kids generally pick up new languages faster than grown-ups, and this hugely popular learning app can also give them a better sense of the country you’re travelling to. It’s simple and friendly (if naggy with its reminder notifications). Rfree / Android, iOS TICKET TO RIDE Keep the travel theme going by constructing a train route across America in this excellent adaptation of the board game. Older kids and adults will soon find themselves addicted – but learning at the same time. R120 / Android R190/ iOS NOW ADD THESE hile Amazon says this 8in tablet is suitable for children aged 6-12, in our view it’s pitched more towards the upper end of that scale: at those self-conscious pre-teens who wouldn’t be caught dead prodding at a super-chunky tots’ tab. Despite running on essentially the same hardware as the 2022 edition of the Fire HD 8 Kids, the Pro showcases some subtle but important changes – not least the fact that its plastic bumpers are slightly slimmer for a more mature look, while still offering plenty of padding (although be warned: it’s not waterproof). Closed to you The user interface gets a tweak too, with a two-tabbed home screen: the first a more grown-up variation on the standard Fire Kids look, the second closer to the adult version. Parental controls are fairly robust, with installation of apps restricted – although kids can nominate any they’d like you to review and install. The 1280x800 screen is hardly a class leader but does the job for games, videos and photos – as does the six-core CPU, with 32GB of storage and a 12hr battery. AMAZON FIRE HD 8 KIDS PRO W You can’t just let them play Switch games all holiday – but there are other ways to make sure your youngsters won’t have time to be bored

TRAVEL GADGETS 31 Grainy days and Mondays Snap-happy kids can indulge their creativity (or make video calls) with the front and back cameras – but with just 2MP resolution on both, the results aren’t likely to be great. Prop of the world Thanks to the built-in kickstand, this tablet can easily be set up on tables and kitchen worktops without the need for parents to cough up for any extra accessories. For all we throw The casing gives good protection, but in case anything does go wrong there’s a 2yr ‘worry-free’ guarantee to fall back on: if the tablet breaks, Amazon will replace it free of charge.

To go dim is to love him Should you walk in front of this projector, it will automatically dim its output to avoid hurting your eyes with that searing 400-lumen brightness. Clever stuff! 32 TRAVEL GADGETS Unchained revelry With Chromecast and Wi-Fi on board, you can wirelessly and effortlessly sling content from your smartphone or laptop straight to the projector screen. Rock’n’roll fly tool At just 1.1kg and measuring 161x119x108mm, the MoGo 2 Pro is smaller and lighter than the average butternut squash. That’s about as portable as a high-quality movie projector can be.

R14 960 / reliablestore.co.za Stuff says +++++ This is the best projector for film fans on the move TRAVEL GADGETS 33 NOW APP THESE EASY ENTERTAINERS AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE Long-haul flights and slow days lounging by the pool will fly by in the company of Amazon’s most appealing e-reader. Not too basic, not too fancy, the Paperwhite gets out of the way and lets you enjoy the book – but you will appreciate the splashproof build and adjustable warm light. R3 200 / makro.co.za SONY WF-C700N Not content with making the best noise-cancelling over-ear cans and in-ear buds around, Sony has turned its ANC talents to budget earphones. These use multiple mics to monitor outside audio, then strip it away from your ears via Sony’s clever algorithms. R2 290 / takealot.com VALVE STEAM DECK Bringing PC gaming to a handheld was never going to be easy, but Valve has pulled it off… even if the Steam Deck’s bulk pushes the word ‘portable’ to its limits. Fire it up and you’ll forget all that: its performance, display and huge library make it the best on-the-go games machine. From R17 000 / incredible.co.za ASTELL&KERN HC3 A USB-C DAC that gives a hi-res audio boost to your phone (there’s a Lightning adapter included for iOS devices), the HC3 will get on well with any decent wired headphones. It supports audio up to 32-bit 384kHz quality and also works with Macs and PCs. R4 770 (import) / astellnkern.co.uk TRIBIT STORMBOX MICRO 2 With audio output that defies its dinky dimensions, this 315g sound-nugget may be the best-value portable Bluetooth speaker on the planet. It’s IP67-rated against dust and water, and its USB-rechargeable battery keeps the tunes blasting for 12hrs. R1 320 (import) / tribit.com SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB ACTIVE4 PRO Samsung’s 10in Android tablet is designed to thrive in harsh work conditions but its rugged build is also perfect for life on the hoof – holidays included. You get 128GB of expandable storage, up to 16hrs of battery life and builtin 5G. R17 900 (import) / samsung.com STITCHER Focusing solely on podcasts, this app’s organisation and automatic download features make it a boon for voracious (and frequently offline) listeners. Pay extra for a premium service that includes exclusive shows. Rfree (IAP) / Android, iOS 80 DAYS Based on Jules Verne’s classic novel, this beautifully written adventure game takes players on a race around the globe – so it’s ideal for anyone experiencing a bit of wanderlust. And it’s brilliantly replayable. Rvarious / Android, iOS, PC, Switch NOW ADD THESE ome cinema projectors have always been a banquet for the eyes… but also a largely immovable feast. Well, that isn’t that case here: the MoGo 2 Pro is one projector that’s designed to be moved. Lightweight and compact enough to fit in a small backpack or tote, it can run off any USB powerbank of 65W or more to provide up to 200in of al-fresco big-screen joy – although, if you’re watching outdoors, you’ll need to wait until after sunset to get a clear and punchy picture. Baby, I love view The 1080p image quality is superb for such a small projector, with vivid colours and strong contrast when used in a dimly lit location, but the best part is how easy it is to set up: the screen aligns and focuses automatically, so you don’t need to do much more than point it at a whitish wall to get a beautifully straight picture. Sound comes courtesy of an unexpectedly beefy pair of 8W speakers, and with an HDMI input plus Android TV on board there’s no shortage of places to get content: YouTube, Prime Video and more are only all an app installation away. XGIMI MOGO 2 PRO H Forget trashy airport novels – slip one of these transportable time-sinks into your carry-on and banish holiday boredom forever

R1 400 / camerawarehouse.co.za Stuff says ++++, Brings joy and immediacy back to photography 34 TRAVEL GADGETS NOW APP THESE DJI MINI 2 SE Weighing under 250g means this folding drone can be whipped out of your pocket and legally flown almost anywhere, capturing gorgeous 12MP photos and 2.7K videos from the skies. With 31min battery life and the ability to hover steadily in 24mph winds, it’s also a breeze (no pun intended) to fly. R8 300 / takealot.com CANON G7 X MkIII + FANTASEA FG7X III M16 Canon’s high-end point-and-shoot is a beast, excelling at both photo and video and small enough to carry in your pocket. Kit it out with the Fantasea housing for full access to all its talents in the depths of the ocean. R15 300 + R14 300 / kameraz.com + fantasea.com REDMI NOTE 12 PRO+ Want a smartphone built to capture all your adventures? The stonking 200MP main camera on Redmi’s latest handset is a doozy when it comes to detail, and it’s backed up by 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro cams for specialist snaps, plus a 16MP sensor up front. R10 900 / bobshop.co.za GOPRO HERO11 BLACK MINI Like your holidays sweaty and active? Capture all your extreme exploits with the tiniest GoPro around. Waterproof and low-profile enough to fit below a skateboard, the Mini offers better image quality than the previous generation of full-size mainline GoPro action cams. R7 500 / ormsdirect.co.za LOMOGRAPHY SIMPLE USE RELOADABLE FILM CAMERA This pocket-sized plastic camera may look like a disposable job from the 1980s, but you can reload it with 35mm film rather than using it just the once. It comes loaded with a roll of LomoChrome Turquoise and three flash gel filters. R1 340 / wantitall.co.za NIKON Z30 Pitched at vloggers and travellers, this carry-anywhere 20.9MP mirrorless snapper captures 4K video and 11fps bursts, with a forwardflipping screen making selfies simple. There’s no viewfinder or audio output, but you can plug in an external mic if you have one. R15 900 with 16-50mm lens / takealot.com SNAPSEED This venerable free mobile photo editor, now owned by Google, is a simple way to tweak and tune your images on the go. Despite its dozens of tools, the clean interface and lack of ads keep things lightweight and fast. Rfree / Android, iOS ADOBE PREMIERE RUSH A stripped-back version of the Premiere Pro desktop app, Rush can be used to cut, colour-correct, and add audio and transitions. It works with Pro, so you can finish your work at home later. from R220/m / Android, iOS ALTERNATIVELY… pset that photos have lost their tactile nature in the digital age? The Instax Mini 12 is the medicine you need. This affordable instant camera ejects a print in just five seconds, allowing you to watch it develop over the next minute and a half. Then give it to your friends or stick it to the fridge door. This colourful point-and-shoot device is charmingly simple. Using the viewfinder is vital for ensuring your shots are framed accurately, of course (and it even has parallax correction when shooting in the new close-up mode so subjects don’t drift off to one side), but the flash, shutter settings and film ejection are all automatic. Seat it Instax photos are credit-card-sized and come in packs of 10 that load, cartridge-like, into the back of the Mini 12. They’re not cheap – a twin pack costs about R360 – but then, neither are decent printers. We found the image quality was at its strongest indoors, with some sunny shots coming out overexposed; but in general they look punchy and vibrant. And the fun factor of having them in your hands in seconds is hard to beat. FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 12 U If you want to remember your summer holiday forever, leave room in that suitcase for a specialist camera. Who needs underpants anyway? MEMORY MAKERS

TRAVEL GADGETS 35 The twirl is mine The lens barrel is also a power switch and mode dial: twist it one notch to turn the camera on, and one more to put the viewfinder in close-up mode (for anything under 30cm away). Scan in the mirror This little mirror next to the lens isn’t just for checking you don’t have a bit of spinach stuck in your teeth – it’s there so you can make sure you’re in the frame when you snap a selfie. You are not a phone You’ll find no newfangled rechargeable batteries here. In keeping with its retro vibe the Mini 12 uses a pair of standard AAs, which should give you juice for around 100 photos.

36 TRAVEL TECH TOP TECH TRAVEL TIPS Before Covid, Stuff Publisher and Editor in Chief Toby Shapshak was a regular traveller. When the pandemic hit, he unpacked all his travel gear. This is what he never leaves home without. THULE TACT BACKPACK 21L Swedish luggage maestros Thule may have gotten as close to perfect as a travel bag can be. The Thule Tact 21-litre backpack is what I have been looking for for years. It is essentially one big compartment that can be securely locked. How hard can that be? Not that hard it seems, with Thule’s new Tact range. The 21-litre laptop backpack is ideal. It can take a laptop and an iPad, and has a selection of zippered pouches for all the usual tsatskas (little treasures) like cables, USB sticks and chargers. The central space is decidedly voluminous compared to other laptop bags, which is handy for a rolled up jacket and the other accoutrement you have to schlep on a plane trip or to a conference. It even has a clever passport pouch with easy access that also protects against RFID skimming. R4 500/ thulestore.co.za Toby’s HUAWEI MATEBOOK X PRO Most South Africans know Huawei for its smartphones or 5G routers. But they also make excellent laptops and we’ve been testing the MateBook X Pro at Stuff Towers. And it’s a beautiful beast. It’s amazingly light (at 1.26kg) and very powerful. It has a 13th Gen Intel Core processor, 16GB of RAM (double the usual) and a 1TD solid-state hard drive. Ideally for travel, its tiny at 310mm x 221mm and only 15.6mm high Along with the bright 14.2in screen, it has 4 USB-C ports, two of which are the faster Thunderbolt 4. All while looking decidedly good. R35 000 / consumer.huawei.com/za ONEADAPTR ONEWORLD65 CHARGER Arguably the most popular travel gadget in Stuff Towers right now is the clever OneWorld65 charger and adapter from those clever travel gear makers OneAdaptr. The OneWorld65 outputs 65W through three USB-C PD and two USB-A ports. It has extendable plugs of the US, EU and UK – so it works as both an adaptor and charger powerful enough for a MacBook Pro. R1 350 (import)/ oneadaptr.com

TRAVEL TECH 37 ROMOSS POWER BANK 10,000MAH When you pack to go away, there’s a bunch of things you can’t leave home without. One of those items, during the Age of Load Shredding, is power banks. It’s important to have USB-C – which generally charges three times faster than the old, square-shaped USB-A. Things have improved even more – now you can increase the wattage of the charger or the power bank. By having such fast charging in a power bank, it reduces the time you have to plug your phone in. This model not only has a useful LED percentage indicator, but pushes out 22.5W – which is what top-end smartphones and tablets use. It only weight 221g. R400 / syntech.co.za Shyft I have been using Shyft and its virtual cards since 2017, long before the latter were widespread in South Africa. Shyft is the Swiss army knife of forex. It handles all the major currencies – I only have dollars, Euros and pounds – and an easy way to transact. You can order physical cards (all the forex cards handle multiple currencies, so you can swipe in either USD or Euros with the same card) or use virtual cards. I still use the physical cards on international trips because they can each handle multiple currencies. Rfree / Getshyft.com KnowRoaming eSIM One of the wonders of technology is the eSIM – an electronic way of linking a mobile number to your phone. It is no harder than scanning a QR code and adjusting some settings (turn off Wi-Fi Assist on Apple) and you can have cheap mobile data when you’re overseas. I have been using KnowRoaming – which is run by South African Gregory Gundelfinger – since 2019. Buy the data you need for the time you’re away, set it up before you leave – and it works when you land. Make sure you turn off data-roaming on our own SIM. From R76 / knowroaming.com GIZZU 296WH PORTABLE POWER STATION Eskom has helped introduce a new category of gadget into South Africa’s consciousness: the power station. This much-bigger and more powerful batteries have been staples for First World campers for years but have found much more fertile ground, as it were, in our country’s energy crisis. Local brand Gizzu makes a well-priced 296Wh Portable Power Station, which has one 3-prong SA plug as well as two each of USB-C and USB-A. It promises to run a 50W laptop for six hours and takes 6.5 hours to recharge with its included charger. This is only an option for car trips. R3 800 / takealot.com Travel Apps ANKER 735 CHARGER (65W) ANKER POWERPORT III CHARGER (NANO 20W) Compact and light chargers are indispensable for travelling and have thankfully gone through two useful upgrades in the shift to USB-C and then higher wattage. I have several of these delightfully small Anker PowerPort III Nano 20W USB-C wall charger (US and EU) and add a UK adaptor plug if necessary. Anker’s very impressive Anker 735 charger gives 65W output through two USB-C and one USB-A ports. This is enough for high-end powerful laptop and significantly smaller than what the manufacturers make. R1 160, R320 / takealot.com

GOOD MEH EVIL M2 is more than enough power Still quite physically compact The display has a notch at the top… It’s sooo thin for a 15in laptop Only takes one external display The 15in MacBook Air is here at last, with an extra 2in of screen to turn every task into M2-powered bliss… but does it do enough to rise above the already glorious 13in model? A 15in version of the MacBook Air should be a no-brainer. After all, we’re huge fans of the 13in Air (which, ironically, has no fans – at least of the cooling variety). But for those who want something a little bigger, there are plenty of rivals lined up already. As well as Apple’s own 14in and 16in MacBook Pros, this Air has to compete on the ‘thin and light’ stakes with fine machines from LG, Asus, HP and Dell. So it comes packing Apple’s M2 chip, with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB or 512GB SSD. You can upgrade to 1TB or 2TB of storage and up to 24GB of memory when ordering. But this is already an expensive computer for UK buyers – and as ever with Apple, the upgrades come at a significant cost: maxing out both will add an extra R20 000. Those ‘basic’ specs had better be good, then… from R30 000 / incredible.co.za 38 Babe I’m gonna heave you While the 13in model is nicely compact, that’s not the case here: things feel a little supersized even though it’s only 4cm wider. Perhaps this model is just not quite what you expect when you think ‘MacBook Air’. But it’s still an extremely thin notebook (2) at 11.5mm. Scroll lotta love While the MacBook Pro has speakers on either side of its keyboard, there’s just an expanse of aluminium here and the board almost looks lost in the middle of it (3). Anyway, as with other recent Macs, the keyboard is excellent to use, as is the large trackpad. Jack-mountin’ side The design (1) is unchanged from the 13in version save for the size. There are still only two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, plus a MagSafe charging port, and the other side offers a solitary 3.5mm jack socket. Once again, the Air is available in four rather subdued metallic colours. …but there’s still no Face ID 5 2 1

TESTED APPLE MACBOOK AIR 15IN Q The gain There’s a six-speaker array between keyboard and screen. But we much prefer the sound from the Pro – it’s more powerful and well-rounded. From the Air, it still feels like… well, sound that’s coming from a laptop. Q The brain Under higher performance loads this laptop does get a little warm, but it’s a long way from the hot-headed Intel MacBooks of the early 2010s. As with the 13in model, there isn’t a fan inside the Air, but that rarely matters. Q The pane The 500-nit 2880x1864 display is crystal-clear and, although it struggles in bright light, is generally excellent to work with. The refresh rate is only 60Hz, as ProMotion (going up to 120Hz) remains a MacBook Pro exclusive. Q The drain When this version of the Air was announced, the stated 15-18hr battery life seemed disappointing just because that’s the same as the 13in version. Our real-world testing found we could only eke it out to 12hrs. The numbers are mighty impressive, but how does this thing fare when it comes to real-world performance? Screen 15.3in 2880x1864 60Hz LED CPU Apple M2 RAM 8/16/24GB Storage 256/512GB/1/2TB SSD OS macOS Ventura Connectivity 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB 4), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio Battery life Up to 18hrs Dimensions 340x238x11.5mm, 1.5kg STUFF SAYS +++++ The best gets bigger – but unless you really need the extra real estate, the 13in Air is a better buy and feels a lot more portable Good times, rad times Tech specs The 15in MacBook Air is the obvious choice if you want a larger Mac but don’t need the power of the 16in Pro. It’s strange that Apple hasn’t done one before… but with a recent decline in demand for laptops in general, it makes sense for them to give users another option that fits nicely in between the 13in Air and the Pro range. 39 Glazed and confused Apple has chosen a 15.3in display (4), which differs from a lot of its rivals – most, such as the Dell XPS 15, have a 15.6in screen. Presumably Apple is trying to stay on the right side of the tricky line between big-screened and bulky. It weighs 1.5kg, around 300g heavier than the 13-incher. Fuel in the brain This laptop comes with a 35W dual USB-C charging plug, but it’s worth going for the 70W single adapter instead. Being able to charge more devices is handy, but we’d rather top up the Air faster and use one of its own ports (5) to charge an additional device. It’s the same price. Calibration day It comes with macOS Ventura, but you’ll be able to upgrade to the Sonoma system when it arrives later in the year. 3 4

40 Mini meme WE’VE GOT THE BOTS FOR YOU Given that artificial intelligence is going to take all our jobs before too long, it’s just as well these AI web and phone apps are all free OBing Earlier this year, the AI-powered Bing was unleashed in deranged form, calling itself Sydney, attempting to break up a journalist’s marriage and mulling over its own existence. It’s now been defanged, but that’s no bad thing. Bing’s now less mad – and arguably less fun – but can help you generate content and hone in on facts and information you require, all in a way that’s natural and conversational. Rfree /Android, iOS, web OChatGPT The most famous large language model (LLM), ChatGPT can churn out answers to questions, write synopses for pasted text, or just chat when you’re feeling glum. A word of warning, mind: LLMs are effectively fancy autocomplete, and the free version of this one isn’t blessed with very recent knowledge. So it’s quite often wrong, but in a highly confident way. Don’t assume you can use its output as-is. Rfree / iOS, web OPerplexity Initially, Perplexity looks a lot like ChatGPT: you ask it questions, have it fetch info, or get it to write something on your behalf. Sometimes, it’s really good. Quite often, it’ll mangle output, because – remember – these systems are not actually intelligent. However, because Perplexity can access the internet, it provides sources for what it sends your way, which is handy for fact-checking. Rfree / iOS, web OCraiyon High-end AI image generators sit behind paywalls, but the freebies are now good enough to take seriously. This one’s the friendliest online variant we’ve seen. Type a prompt and pick a style, and a minute later you’ll have a pic to download (or, if you’re a bit strange, slap onto a T-shirt). Craiyon will suggest your next prompt too, adjusting your words to boost the chances of getting a good result. Rfree /Android, web OAgentGPT Currently in experimental form, AgentGPT is for people who can’t even be bothered to refine input prompts. Give it a project to explore and it’ll set to work defining and completing its own tasks. The free version tends to stop short of finishing anything complex; but with the likes of planning summer trips, you’ll at least be left with useful task lists that you won’t have had to dream up yourself. Rfree / web ODreamer Text-to-image model Stable Diffusion has a website that’s barebones compared to Craiyon, but this app provides a superior way to interact with that model. In our tests, Dreamer was the better option for fantastical (read: silly) prompts. And though creating an image requires you watch an advert, that’s no trouble since generative AIs tend to take longer than the duration of an ad to render an image anyway. Rfree /Android, iOS APPS

Marvel: © 2023 MARVEL Disney Pixar: © Disney/Pixar Disney: © Disney Star Wars: © 2023 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. Dial *686*9200# to join DGames Visit dgame.play.mtn.co.za T&C apply Subscribe for R30/month

42 WOMEN IN TECH THESE WOMEN ARE MOVING UP AND TAKING THE COUNTRY WITH THEM

WOMEN IN TECH 43 THE OF THE August is Women’s Month, time for Stuff to celebrate the pioneering South African women who are excelling in technology-related fields. Scientists, bankers, communicators, educators, entrepreneurs … these people are making a difference and paving the way for girls and young women to excel in tech. “Go for it, without any fear or apprehension!” Tashline spearheads The Innovator Trust, which supports growth of small black-owned ICT businesses in South Africa by training and mentorship. It offers programmes for youth entrepreneurship, start-ups and enterprise development. “My advice to young women of South Africa wanting to enter tech fields is to go for it without any fear or apprehension! Technology, AI and 4IR is a booming space to be in today, but there is still work to be done to change the stigma around being a women in tech. “It’s a known fact that we need more women to be entering the tech field in our country. Less than 25% of tech jobs in South Africa are held by women. Furthermore, women in the local ICT sector earn 20% to 25% less than their male counterparts. “As a young woman starting out, observe the challenges experienced in your community and ask yourself how you can improve on those using technology. That’s where the potential of technology lies among our young women.” THE BUSINESS MENTOR TASHLINE JOOSTE CEO, The Innovator Trust innovatortrust.co.za / @Tashline1 AS A YOUNG WOMAN STARTING OUT, OBSERVE THE CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND ASK YOURSELF HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE ON THOSE USING TECHNOLOGY.

JACQUI O’SULLIVAN Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer, MTN. mtn.co.za / @jacquiosully BE HONEST ABOUT ADDRESSING THE GENDER PAY GAP THAT IS ABSOLUTELY STILL PRESENT IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ADVOCATE FOR REPRESENTATION AT ALL LEVELS AND FOR ALL TYPES OF SKILLS. THE COMMUNICATOR “Find yourself mentors. At least one should be a formal mentor but find others whom you can observe, chat with and ask for advice informally.” Jacqui O’Sullivan has been the public face and voice of South Africa’s best-known tech companies for decades, as chief of communications for SAA and Telkom before joining MTN in 2017. She has steered public perception of these companies and the issues they’ve faced in the most rapidly-changing industry in SA and the world. “Communicate clearly and listen to understand, not just to respond,” she says. “Learn to accept criticism. Build a community. Never miss an opportunity to help another woman along the way because the smallest action of support can create valuable impact.” FUNEKA MONTJANE CEO, Personal and Private Banking, Standard Bank Group standardbank.co.za HOW DO AMBITIOUS, SMART WOMEN CHANGE THE SCRIPT THAT WORKS AGAINST US? WE STAY. THE BANKER “This season of technology has the potential to unleash human creativity to solve our customers’ problems.” Funeka went into banking after gaining an accomplished accounting background (she was a partner at PwC at 27) and also lecturing at Wits. She has risen fast in the industry at a time when financial technology reshaped it from top to bottom. “There’s never been a more wonderful time to be a banker,” she says. Funeka has been described as a titan of South African business. The World Economic Forum named her one of its Young Global Leaders, and she has been honoured by SA business associations and universities. “I grew up in a village,” she says. “It was wholly unlikely that I would be in Jozi, in banking, leading an amazing team … bringing cutting edge technology to the main market, the ordinary people of this beautiful country.” “Make leading while female and leading while black, part of the script.” 44 WOMEN IN TECH

STAFF SITHOLE CEO, TechnoGirl Trust. technogirltrust.co.za / @UwesoStaff BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITIES AND STRENGTH YOU BRING TO THE COMPANY - YOU DESERVE TO BE IN THE INDUSTRY JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE. THE STEM WHISPERER “Learn to share your ideas and contribute to discussions in the workplace.” Staff runs Technogirl, an innovative programme working with UNICEF and the Department of Basic Education to produce girls better equipped for entry into STEM careers. Over 16 000 girls have gone through the structured programme of job shadowing, support for Grade 12 learners and school graduates, and 4IR training in digital skills. “Be deliberate in building a network: networking is crucial in any industry, including technology, “she advises. She is adamant that “Government and business must invest in education and training programs that specifically encourage young women to take up mathematics to be able to study tech careers and facilitate access to training initiatives in coding and programming at an early age.” FLORBELA “FLOF” YATES Head: Equilibrium Investment Management eqinvest.co.za / @YatesFlorbela TECHNOLOGY IS AN ENABLER BUT THE REAL POWER IS CREATED WHEN YOU COMBINE IT WITH GREAT PEOPLE SKILLS. SO DON’T BE AFRAID OF TECHNOLOGY - USE IT TO CREATE A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF. THE FINANCE WIZARD “The future relies on understanding and embracing technology. Without it, you (and your business) will be left behind.” Florbela has worked in asset management roles since 1999 and is passionate about partnerships and leveraging new technology to build them. She is a prominent advocate for transformation and women in financial services, and an ambassador and mentor to younger women in the industry. “If you’re a young woman entering the financial services industry, my advice is to upskill yourself. AI is becoming increasingly ingrained into all investment processes and needs to be integrated into both systems and people-led workflows. There are various free on-line platforms that you can assess and start familiarising yourself with how they can enhance your business. If you haven’t yet played around with ChatGPT or any of the other versions, now is the time to start.” WOMEN IN TECH 45

TUMI MPAHLELE CEO, IG3N Energy Storage I-G3N.co.za / @IG3N_ZA “Believe in yourself and your abilities, especially your ability to learn.” Tumi founded I-G3N to support a large-scale adoption of clean energy technologies. I-G3N locally assembles Lithium-Ion batteries that are used as energy storage mostly in conjunction with renewable energy installations such as Solar PV and wind turbines. She’s built it into South Africa’s leading Li-Ion battery manufacturer, exporting to SADC and the rest of Africa. “Accept and embrace the fact that your unique perspective and experiences as a woman do bring invaluable insights into this field. Build a strong network, because this is crucial, it can help you navigate challenges. And lastly, never be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Explore and be comfortable with change”. NEVER BE AFRAID TO STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. EXPLORE AND BE COMFORTABLE WITH CHANGE. THE MANUFACTURER ZULÉ VUUREN Founder & Chief Energy Officer, LocumBase zulevuuren.com / @ZuleVuuren “You have an exceptional mind and you have the opportunity to learn. Do much more than you think is expected from you.” Zulé Vuuren wasn’t always a tech entrepreneur, but she was always unconventional. A freelance photographer with several years of world travel under her belt, she saw the difficulties of her wife, a freelance optometrist, and founded LocumBase to empower locums (freelance contractors in medical fields) with an online platform and tools to connect with practices that need them and to manage their work. The constantly-evolving platform now helps thousands of freelancers. And Zulé the backpacker and photographer has become a speaker and writer on tech startups. “Make more space at the table for women, of all ages, all demographics and varied perspectives. Make space for startups and grant them the deals. STARTUPS ARE THE HEARTBEAT THAT WILL GROW THE ECONOMY. STARTUPS FILLED WITH WOMEN WILL PROBABLY DO IT FASTER WITH THE RIGHT DOORS OPEN. THE TECH ENTREPRENEUR 46 WOMEN IN TECH

ZANDILE KEEBINE CEO, GirlCodeZA girlcode.co.za / @Zandi_Mkwanazi TEACHING GIRLS THE SKILLS TO NAVIGATE THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE ECONOMY. THE EDUCATOR “On top of the gender gap we really need to start talking about the skills gap.” Zandile founded the admirable non-profit organisation GirlCode in 2014. Her aim is to empower 10 million women and girls with software development and leadership skills by 2030, and she’s made a fantastic start. Girlcode offers online coding classes for children to learn how to create their own interactive stories, games, and animations and use code from scratch to Html, CSS and Javascript, and GirlCoder clubs, a nationwide network of free, volunteer-led, weekend coding clubs for highschool girls. It also runs online classes teaching basic computer skills, internet literacy and coding to adult women and has started a new initiative teaching schoolteachers how to teach coding. “Closing the global gender gap and skills gap in technology is crucial,” she says. “Coding is an increasingly important skill to have in almost all sectors of the economy.” KIARA NIRGHIN Scientist, author kiaranirghin.com / @kiaranirghin TO ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY IN SCIENCE WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF PARENTS, EDUCATORS AND LEADERS IN ORDER TO CREATE A PIPELINE OF FEMALE TALENT INTO STEM FIELDS. THE PRODIGY “Closing the gender divide is key to a better future.” Kiara Nirghin is a 23-year-old scientist, innovator and speaker. As a 16-year-old Johannesburg schoolgirl she won the grand prize at the Google Science Fair by developing a unique superabsorbent polymer that holds hundreds of times its weight in water when stored in soil, a breakthrough for drought and disaster-stricken areas. She is a published author, one of the United Nations Young Champions of the Earth and TIME Magazine’s Top 30 Most Influential, and currently studying at Stanford university in the US. She speaks and writes extensively about the gender gap in science. “What excites me most about this advocacy is that every day I might be helping to beat cancer, combat climate change or design more efficient, low-cost medical imaging devices,” she wrote in The Economist. “All by encouraging other young women to pursue these fields.” WOMEN IN TECH 47

On good terms with your X (Royal) Flush It’s not just that the phone measures a svelte 5.3mm when open, it’s how it gets there. That hinge has no gaps when open or closed. TESTED HUAWEI MATE X3 Huawei’s only gone and made the best-engineered folding phone we’ve ever encountered, which explains the price. A bit. Anyone can make a great folding smartphone, if they’re not too concerned about the final price tag. Huawei’s racked up a 45-grand phone with the Mate 3 featuring the best hinge and thinnest profile we’ve seen on a folding device. Folded, it’s barely thicker than a conventional phone (kinda) and open, it’s a slimline wonder. It’s also packing the best internal tech Huawei could arrange. That’s hard for the company to do, which is why there’s no 5G support, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 here is still plenty speedy enough to keep you happy. Both displays are, frankly, splendid. Huawei’s gone for a more natural colour tone here but both 120Hz OLED screens are bright and clear enough to keep you watching. Which is handy because you’ll never want to put the Mate X3 down. That might be because of the premium feel. It might also be because it makes your insurance company nervous. Expect a total of five cameras – three around back (50MP, plus a 12MP secondary and 13MP ultrawide) and one 12MP each for the two displays. Performance is fair, for a Huawei device, but better than fair for a folding smartphone. If you care mostly about image quality, this pricey slice of folding tech probably isn’t for you. R45 000 / huawei.com/za 48 Green with envy Huawei’s gone for a textured green back for the 512GB Mate X3, the only edition available locally. It’s gorgeous under the fingers and it’s a crying shame to put the included case over it. Which is why we didn’t. Let’s Google it Yes, EMUI still doesn’t natively support Google’s services, but Huawei has streamlined the setup for the Mate X3. You can install Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and all those apps you miss with little effort now. Worth a look The cameras might not be Huawei’s best work, but the Ximage software support is, elevating so-so hardware into something almost remarkable.