Gadgets that made 2018 an exciting year
Marchelle Abrahams takes a look at the latest devices from the five biggest brands in the world
WHEN Apple released its first iPad in April, 2010, it was a game-changer. The iPad is credited with singlehandedly changing the way we look at personal computing.
The device made it into the Guinness Book of Records after three million units were sold in the first 80 days.
Apple remains the superstar of the tech show but 2018 turned out to be a bumper year for other big companies. Here’s a look at the biggest innovations this year.
GOOGLE HOME HUB (R2 100)
Lauded as Google’s most exciting product launch, the Google Home Hub controls your connected home with one swipe.
Similar to the Amazon Echo, Google has implemented new features, with Google Assistant tying it all together with a pretty little bow.
“Just swipe down to reveal your home view: dim your Phillps Hue lights, adjust the temperature on your Nest thermostat, turn up the volume on the TV with Vizio, lock the front door with August, monitor smart cameras, and see the front door with the Nest Hello video doorbell,” said Diya Jolly, vicepresident of product management for Google Home.
Once you set up the device, just say, “Hey Google, what can you do?” to get started.
APPLE IPHONE XR (R16 900-R19 300)
Sleek, sexy and with the smartest, most powerful chip in a smartphone, the iPhone XR was arguably the biggest reveal.
It all came down to the all-new Liquid Retina Display which is said to be the most advanced LCD in the industry. The innovative backlight design allows the screen to stretch into the corners, giving you the ability to see true-to-life colour from one edge to the other.
But Apple warned customers that in iPhone X models “the display, or part of the display, does not respond or responds intermittently to touch”.
MICROSOFT SURFACE GO (R11 999)
Starting off at just under 12K, the ultra-portable Surface Go is Microsoft’s answer to the entrylevel laptop market. The 10-inch touchscreen and decent battery life gives laptop performance with the added portability of a tablet.
Powered by Windows 10 and an Intel processor, it is designed for everyday tasks and its battery can last up to nine hours.
“But while it doesn’t match up to its predecessor, Surface Pro 6, in terms of power, it does have one big thing going for it: a USB-C port,” said Digital Trend’s Rich Shibley.
OCULUS GO PORTABLE HEADSET (R4 750-R5 500)
Significantly cheaper than its predecessor, it doesn’t require any connections. Just turn it on and you’ll be transported into the VR world. The Oculus Go is a high-end standalone Virtual Reality Headset (3Dof) and similar to the Samsung Gear VR Headset.
There is a small downside – tech blog Virtual-Reality says it doesn’t match up to other headsets that support 6DoF (the freedom of movement in a three-dimensional space) tracking and Roomscale Virtual Reality.
AMAZON ECHO AUTO (ABOUT R700)
Introducing the Echo Auto. It connects Alexa by using your phone. The device plays through your car speakers and includes Echo Auto Dash Mount.
Use your voice to play music, check the news, open the garage door and find the nearest petrol station. You’ve basically got a smart PA with you at all times.
And there’s no chance of getting lost – ask for directions and Alexa connects to supported apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps.