I’ve been playing around with the new Google Maps since receiving access earlier today.

I use Google Maps a lot, I have my home address saved (unlisted) so I can share it with folks who need my address/directions, but it also makes searching for directions that much easier.

As far as first impressions go – I dislike ugly fonts so I’m pleased to see that Google Maps got it right; it may seem unimportant, but it’s not so much an eyesore anymore:

When you search for places, the results show up with everything you need to know on quick glance, like address, phone number, operational hours, website, streetview snapshot image, directions link and reviews (early days for South Africa) – however, all this info is dependent on a business listing themselves. So I was disappointed that my favourite sushi spot YuMe wasn’t listed – the only branch listed was Clearwater.

I use Google Maps for live traffic info as well – in fact, I use whatever live traffic is available on the web before leaving and compare. This is what the new display is like (colours are self explanatory):

Lastly, street view is one my favourite features. I have to know what the place that I’m going to looks like if I haven’t been there. The new maps has a little “explore” button at the bottom right so you can quickly glance at places your map currently points to. I’ve noticed an improvement on the loading time (if you go into street view mode). Thumbnails are preloaded:

So far, I like the new Google Maps. It’s linked to your Google+ profile so if you review places, it will be attached to your name. So in a few months down the line, if you’re searching for a restaurant for example, you can see reviews by anyone or people in your Circles.

Anyone else been using it? What do you think so far?

The Case-Mate iPhone 5 Pop! ID cover has a built-in “wallet” feature that holds 2 credit card sized items.

It’s made from durable plastic with a rubberised front border and sides for a better grip. It feels quite light but once you slip your phone into it, makes it slightly chunky and takes a while to get used to.

While it is a bit of squeeze to get in, it does offer solid protection if you’re prone to dropping your phone. The wallet feature is a slot that sits at the back, which allows for 2 credit card sized items, like a drivers licence and bank card.

If two bank cards are inserted, it does feel a bit snug; but if you’re putting a South African drivers licence into it, it feels slightly more tight. I’d also recommend inserting the licence card at the back and the bank card at the front, if not, you’re just going to end up removing both if you need your bank card only. It’s not a case that I’d use every single day, I usually change cases most of the time and sometimes don’t use one.

WHAT I LIKED
- It’s convenient if you need to go out for the evening, or to a concert/sport match where you don’t want to carry much besides the bare minimum. Pop in your bank card/licence ID and off you go.
- It comes in a selection of funky colours so you can match it with your favourite outfit if you want! (I have the white and grey one to test). In addition to the above colours, you can get it in black/black; white/light grey; and white/blue.
- If you drop your phone face down, there is a slightly less chance of the screen shattering due to the edges. (I do not recommend you try this).

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- The case itself makes the phone feel a bit chunky – could be mistaken for an iPhone 4/4S.
- The mute button is slightly difficult to access; helps if your nail is a slightly long.
- The border at the bottom is too thin/fragile, which is where you’d grip to remove the case.

PRICE
R299 from Vodacom, Vodacom4U and Cellucity stores nationwide.

TomTom South Africa will now offer live real-time traffic updates via its Twitter account @TomTom_SA.

TomTom already has live traffic info on its navigation devices, which is updated every 2 minutes; and are now bringing this service to everyone via Twitter.

What I like about it is that it’s hashtagged according to different parts of a city, example in Johannesburg you will find #JHBNorthTraffic #JHBEastTraffic etc. Makes it easy to follow updates in your area.

#JHBNorthTraffic 27 min DELAY ON #M40 FROM Grayston Drv/Katherine StrTO Grayston Drv/Sandton Drvbit.ly/12CPaji

— TomTom South Africa (@TomTom_SA) May 16, 2013

Technically you don’t have to follow the account, you can just save the hashtag relevant to your area for reference while on the road (I think it is also dependent on your Twitter client). I usually check TomTom live traffic map before I leave the home or office, depending on what time of day it is; but it’s just more convenient via Twitter.

Here’s an example of the live web traffic here and check out the Twitter feed here.

Nokia unveiled its new flagship handset, a slimmer and lighter Lumia 925, at a press conference in London yesterday.  

It’s basically an improved version of the Lumia 920. With the 925, Nokia has introduced a metal design, which I quite like from what I’ve seen, and its 46g lighter than its predecessor.

The event, which was streamed live from London, focused more on the improved camera functions including an advanced lens technology for better low light images, and capturing clearer and sharper images and video. The 925 introduces the new Nokia Smart Camera mode, which lets you capture 10 images in one go and to edit with options like best shot, action shot and motion focus. The software will roll out to all Lumia Windows Phone 8 smartphones soon.

Another area of focus was Hipstamatic’s new app, Oggl, which is basically a social network for photography enthusiasts (think Instagram) for Lumia smartphones. The app lets you autopost to Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram, Tumblr and Flikr. 

The Lumia 925 has a 4.5″ AMOLED ClearBlack screen; runs on 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor with 1GB of RAM & 16GB memory; features a 8.7 megapixel PureView camera that records 1080p video at 30fps, a 1.2 megapixel front facing wide angle camera; comes with 7GB of free SkyDrive cloud storage and the standard HERE Maps, Drive and Transit. 

The handset has a new metal edge for increased robustness and has a polycarbonate back, which comes in white, grey or black. A wireless charging cover is also available, sold separately in white, back, yellow and red.

The Lumia 925 will be available in Europe in June at a cost of €469 (R5,650), and other markets to follow.

Sony held its Conference for Africa 2013 in Cape Town last Friday to showcase its new product line-up. 

The products included technology from its consumer entertainment range, from Wi-Fi connected devices, one-touch functions using Near Field Communication (NFC) to HD, 3D, 4K and more.

I’m not going to touch on the Xperia Z handset as I’ve already been for the demo a few month ago. However, something to look out for later when it launches are the Bravia W Series of LED TVs. If you own a compatible Xperia handset, you can access your content from your phone with one-touch NFC access, with mirroring capabilities. The demo was pretty amazing and one thing is obvious going forward, your home entertainment system is all about ecosystems. If you own an Xperia smartphone, it just makes sense to build on that for compatibility and easy access.

There were loads of products on display, so I’m just going to touch on a few highlights.

1. CYBER-SHOT HX300
The Cyber-shot HX300 is a digital still camera that features an enhanced Optical Steady Shot for clearer pics at higher zoom settings, which are blur-free. It also features a whopping 50x optical zoom. The live demo showed a clear image when zoomed all the way in. Impressive.

2. HDR-AS15 ACTION CAM
The new wearable HDR-AS15 Action Cam weighs 90g and is aimed at extreme sports enthusiasts. It has an ultra-wide 170° viewing angle, and its Exmor R CMOS image sensor records stable, low-noise footage in any light condition. Suitable for skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking or sky diving.

3. VAIO DUO 11
The Vaio Duo 11 is a hybrid Ultrabook lets you switch between slate or keyboard mode easily, with flexibility of wide viewing angles. Ships with Windows 8 and comes with a digitiser stylus. Unlike most tablets/hybrids, it features an Intel Core processor. Weighs 1.3kg.

4. WALKMAN W273
The Sony Walkman W273 is wire-free and waterproof. It is fully functional in up to 2 meters of water. Features drag and drop functionality and a 90 minute full charge can yield up to 8 hours of battery life. Fully functional in fresh water and can get damaged in salt water.

5. MGONGO SHAKE 7 
The Mgongo Shake-7 is a super high power home audio system with a whopping 31,350W power output, made for the African market. According to Sony, it’s the most powerful home audio system ever made by any company. It has Bluetooth and NFC playback options; and a dual USB input which allows you to copy songs from any source to USB in MP3 format.

6. BRAVIA 4K ULTRA HD LED TV 
The new 4K Ultra HD LED TVs will come in either 55-inch or 65-inch variations (84-inch already launched). 4K means four times the resolution of full HD (3840 x 2160), offering highest picture quality. All offer WiFi, cross-device connectivity and one-touch mirroring (compatible Xperia handsets).

Ultrabooks (an Intel trademark) are designed to be lightweight, powerful, and stylish without compromising battery life.

Ultrabooks run on Intel Core processors, uses solid state drives, and has a unibody chassis; created to compete with Apple’s Macbook Air (and obviously not cheap). Because of these limitations, Ultrabooks don’t have optical drives and sometimes Ethernet ports.

The Ultrabook concept was announced in 2011, and since then, has evolved. You now get ‘touch’ and ‘convertible’ Ultrabooks, which are somewhat self explanatory. It does take a bit of getting used to a touch laptop; however, I do see convertibles (laptop/tablet hybrids) being a more popular choice, especially if you travel, or are ready for Windows 8.

With a sharp decline in PC sales, which hit an all time low in 2013, it makes sense for your next purchase to be an Ultrabook variation. Portability is key; and nobody wants to lug around a hefty laptop (when last have you actually used your optical drive anyway? Not talking to you [freelance] designers).

Here’s my roundup of Ultrabooks, available in the local market.

1. LENOVO – THINKPAD X1 CARBON

More a business solution, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is Lenovo’s premier Ultrabook, features anti-theft technology, and weighs less than 1.4kgs.
Price: From R18,500

2. HP ENVY TOUCHSMART


The HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 has a stylish metal finish and comes with integrated Beats Audio, a subwoofer, and a multi-touch touch display. Slightly on the heavy side at 2.17kgs.
Price: R11,999

3. ACER ASPIRE S7
The Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook is incredibly thin and sleek, has a full HD touch display, and features a white Gorilla Glass exterior, which is scratch resistant.
Price: R24,999 (ouch)

4. ASUS ZENBOOK

The Asus Zenbook is beautifully designed (3mm at the front; 9mm at rear), features Bang & Olufsen sound, and has an “Instant On” feature that resumes from sleep mode in 2 seconds.
Price: From R18,200

5. TOSHIBA SATELLITE
The Toshiba Satellite U920t is a 12.5″ convertible Ultrabook with a slide-and-tilt design that has Windows 8 gesture support, fingerprint-resistant Gorilla Glass display, with USB 3.0 ports and NFC.
Price: R10,999

6. SAMSUNG SERIES 9
The Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook has a boot-up speed of 9.1 seconds and wakes up in 1.4 seconds, and is half an inch thin, and weighs 1.15kgs.
Price: R16,999

7. DELL XPS 13
The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is made from aluminium and carbon fibre, is 18mm at its thickest point, and manages to squeeze a 13.3″ into a body similar to an 11″ and weighs 1.3kgs.
Price: From R13,000

8. SONY VAIO DUO

The Sony Vaio Duo 11 is a hybrid Ultrabook with a sliding LCD that switches between slate and keyboard mode. It has a 11.6″ full HD display, NFC, and weighs 1.3kg.
Price: R14,999

9. FUJITSU LIFEBOOK
The Fujitsu Lifebook UH572 has a stylish design, available in red or silver, has USB 3.0 ports, HD display and webcam, with optional 3G and weighs 1.57kgs.
Price:  R8,000

10. MECER ULTRABOOK

The Mecer JW6 14″ Ultrabook is very bare bones and is the cheapest on the South African market. It runs on a Core i3 processor, has 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD & 320GB HDD.
Price: R5,999

If you use your smartphone or tablet to catch up on work while on-the-go, you need to use reliable apps.

I have received a few messages in the past asking me about productivity apps and since I compiled something similar for Marie Claire a few months ago, I thought I’d share the list.

1. EVERNOTE
Evernote lets you take notes, save images, record audio and more. Work collaboratively; collect recipes online; keep your travel plans in one place. Syncs across all devices.
Platform: Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Phone.

2. DROPBOX
A free Dropbox account gives you 2GB of cloud storage. Use it to share large files instead of email, and access it on any device. Earn more space by referring friends.
Platform: Android, BlackBerry, iOS (Windows, Mac, Linux).

3.GOOGLE SEARCH
If you’re in a hurry to run a search, or can multitask really well, or just prefer the novelty, speak your query into the Google Search app via Voice Search instead of typing.
Platform: Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Nokia (S60 V3).

4. REMEMBER THE MILK
Manage your tasks and to-do lists from anywhere with the option to tweet or email tasks. Sync to your web profile once a day. Organise tasks according to priority.
Platform: Android, BlackBerry, iOS.

5. BUMP
Share contact information, photos, videos and files by bumping your phone to your computer. The easiest way to transfer files without a cable.
Platform: Android, iOS.

What are your most used productivity apps + platform? Feel free to share your favourites in the comments section

Zomato is an online restaurant and nightlife guide that has made its way to South Africa, servicing the Johannesburg area.

Zomato is like the TripAdvisor for dining out, where you get honest reviews and experiences of places, which helps you make a decision on whether to try an establishment or not.

The service was founded in July 2008 in Delhi, India; and has since expanded into the UAE, UK, Qatar, Phillippines and Sri Lanka. Zomato as a service offers information on restaurants like contact details, GPS coordinates, scanned menus, pictures, ratings, and user reviews.

Globally, it has more than 94,000 restaurants listed (across 21 cities in 7 countries); and now with its launch into South Africa about two weeks ago, provides this information for over 2,000 restaurants in Johannesburg. As far as I am aware, a Cape Town launch is coming very soon.

The platform is accessible on the web via zomato.com and detects your location, so if you are visiting from anywhere in South Africa, the Johannesburg landing page is your default page. Once you sign up and fill your profile on the web, you don’t have to be at your desktop/laptop to post reviews. Zomato has an app on every platform – Android; iOS (native iPhone);  BlackBerry 10; BlackBerry; Symbian; Windows 8; WAP and also accessible on a mobile browser via m.zomato.com. If you like taking pics of your food (I knew having a Joburg food tumblr would come in handy one day ), you can add these images to your review, which I noticed can only be done via the web at this stage. I’ve been using the iOS app and works great – no bugs, no crashes. Just hope a future update lets you add pics.

So why should you use Zomato? A service like Zomato relies on user-generated content; and only its community can make it a success. If you visit an establishment, feel free to share your experience. You are not obliged to be “nice” because you went out, paid for a service, and now you’re writing about your experience. If you’ve ever used or rely on a service similar to TripAdvisor, you’ll appreciate what Zomato has to offer. Zomato as a community lets you follow other foodies, and displays rankings on a leader board, which is a combination of reviews and followers. Only reviews with 50 words or more are eligible for leader board positions (subject to moderation). The leader board displays the top 25 foodies in a city. Reviews can be shared on Facebook or Twitter. 

Zomato is currently running a so-called promotion – it’s not a competition or contest. They are trying to create activity in their newest launch city, Johannesburg, and have 20 iPad minis to give away (okay 19, since I earned the first one!). All you have to do is become a “Connoisseur”. This means, reach 50 reviews, and gain 100 followers. The 50 reviews have to be eligible for leader board position. They do moderate and if they feel your review is of low quality, it won’t count towards a leader board position. So if you do love eating out, sign up and review & rate restaurants listed. Feel free to post pics (web only). If you already have a blog where you review restaurants, you can post them onto Zomato but you need to display the Zomato widget on your blog to qualify. Also, you are allowed to use your blog logo as a profile pic and promote it at the bottom of your reviews. So what are you waiting for?  Sign up and start reviewing here: www.zomato.com    

One word comes to mind when looking at the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 camera – cute.

It is available in a variety of pale shades, and not just black or white; with something to suit everyone. I was loaned the white one, after requesting a colour that wasn’t pink.

LOOK AND FEEL
After seeing images of the Instax Mini 8 online, and when I received the actual product, it was slightly bigger than what I was expecting. Not in a bulky/chunky way, but not as small as I imagined it to be, which is understandable as it is an instant camera.

Inside the box with the camera is a strap; instruction manual; and 2x AA batteries (film sold separately). The matte-finish camera weighs 307g with dimensions of 116mm x 118.3mm x 68.2mm; has a tiny viewfinder on the back right; and works in vertical mode.

When I carried it around while on holiday, I was concerned about it knocking up against other items in my bag, so I kept it in the bubble wrap that it came in. If you are buying one, buy a protective cover to go with.

HOW TO USE IT
The Instax Mini 8 is fairly simple to operate. It is powered by 2x AA batteries, which is provided (remember the film isn’t – so don’t forget to buy a pack!). Switch it on by pushing the lens button; then rotate to the exposure you want (if you’re not sure, the camera preselects for you); look through the viewfinder to focus and take a picture; your image will then come out immediately, which takes a few seconds to develop.

The quality of the photos are good. Also, due to the size of the picture (62mm x 46mm) you’re not going to scrutinise the image, especially not if it’s displayed on fridges, frames or desks. There’s a little counter on the side so you can see how many pics you can still take. Photos are credit card sized, and easily fit into a wallet. The border of the picture allows for writing personal messages, or dating photos.

If you want to manually select the exposure, you can choose from the following modes – indoors; cloudy; sunny & slightly cloudy; and sunny & bright – but it can be tricky (the first time I used it, my picture came out over exposed). Playing around initially means you may end up wasting precious film. If you’re happy with the camera preselecting it and how your photos come out, then don’t change the mode. Once you get the hang of it, the fun begins!

SHOULD YOU GET ONE?
I found that the Instax Mini 8 is great for taking pics of friends, or any scene that is brightly coloured, but not objects that are too far away. It’s more for creating memories, rather than using it everyday. You also need to remember that film is not cheap – R150 a pack of 10. So for R15 each for a credit card size photo, you can’t really afford to waste them.  If you enjoy scrapbooking, then you’d love Instax Mini 8. 

TECHNICAL SPECS

• Picture size: 62mm x 46mm
• Shooting range: 0.6m
• Shutter speed: 1/60 sec
  
• Exposure: Manual switching system (LED indicator)
  
• Flash: Constant firing flash (0.6m – 2.7m range)
  
• Power supply: 2x AA batteries. Capacity – 10 film packs
  
• Dimensions: 116mm x 118.3mm x 68.2mm
  
• Weight: 307g (without batteries, strap and film pack)
  

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 will go on sale soon (once stock of the Instax 7 is cleared) at a recommended retail price of R799. Instax Mini Instant Film is available in packs of 10 for R150 from Orms Direct.

Earlier this week FNB released a native banking app for Android, iOS and Windows 8 tablets. 

The app allows for non-existing and existing customers to open up new or additional accounts directly within the app – a South African first.

Farren Roper, head of FNB Connect ISP and business operations said that the new banking app is designed specifically for tablet devices, which is completely custom-made and not a re-skin of FNB’s existing smartphone app.

I personally do about 90% of my banking on the smartphone version, and would like to move that to the tablet version. I downloaded the app on Monday, and noticed there was an update on Tuesday, which fixed the issue of keeping you logged in when you leave the app; and there no random crashes. 

When you log into the app, the landing page is your ‘accounts overview’ screen. Bear in mind that this app has been designed to use in landscape mode. The first one third of the screen displays 3 recommendations for you to check out, which I find a bit too large because all (6) accounts linked to my banking profile cannot be viewed at a quick glance without scrolling down. I would like a future update of the app to include hiding the 3 recommendations on the landing page so that all accounts can be viewed on one screen.

My favourite feature is the drag and drop functionality when making transfers between accounts; and buying prepaid airtime, data bundles or electricity. The main reason I buy airtime and data bundles from FNB is that it has fewer steps and it can be done over WiFi (versus almost no signal at my house and dialling *111#). What FNB has done on the tablet version is make the process even simpler than the smartphone version. So there’s no chance of scrolling to the wrong option by mistake.

Overall, I like the tablet version a lot. A few years ago, it was a case of “I don’t know when last I went into a branch” and since the initial launch of the app, it’s a case of “I don’t know when last I logged into internet banking.” Keep it up, FNB.