Tech journalist and frequent traveller NAFISA AKABOR on new tech you can use on your travels
Travelling is fun – but flying isn’t. With that in mind, this month I try two cool new toys that you’d want for your next adventure: the Mate 20 Pro and Apple Watch Series 4. I also help make the flying part more bearable with ways to kill time at the airport, from lounge access to gaming and podcasts.
GADGET
Apple Watch Series 4
If you own an iPhone and are somewhat active, that’s reason enough to get the Apple Watch Series 4. Keep track of daily step counts, hikes and swims, or even those pesky airport runs. The watch will also notify you if your heart rate is either too low or high.
From R7 999 | myistore.co.za
PHONE
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
They say the best camera is the one you have with you – so better make it the Mate 20 Pro. It was my go-to in London, day and night, capturing the best images possible from a mobile phone. Shooting video in AI Portrait Colour mode, which keeps the background black and white, is rather nifty, too. It’s a beast of a handset.
R18 999 | cellucity.co.za
APP
Loungebuddy
Flying around the world from South Africa on cheap fares most likely means extended layovers. Make your airport visits more comfortable with the Loungebuddy app, which allows you to pre-book and pay for lounge access directly. Because decent food and a shower go a long way!
Free | Android and iOS (Lounge prices vary)
GAME
Diablo III Eternal Collection
If you own a Nintendo Switch console, you’ll know that it goes everywhere with you. So what happens when the fastest-selling PC game, , comes out on Switch? You snap it up immediately! Your hours in transit will fly by – and you might not need that lounge access after all…
R799 | nintendo.co.za
PODCAST
African Tech Roundup
Whatever your mode of transport, there’s always time to tune into a podcast. The African Tech Roundup covers emerging tech and innovations from around the continent, with more than a hundred good-quality episodes already out. You’re spoilt for choice – and each episode will help you kill anything from 10 minutes to an hour.
Free | iTunes, SoundCloud and Player FM
Electric Oslo
On a recent visit to Oslo, one of the things that stood out for me while I was walking around the city was the number of electric cars. Ranging from the BMW i3 and the Nissan Leaf to a bunch of Teslas, they seemed to be at every turn. Even though I had driven an electric car before in South Africa, and had a Tesla Uber pick me up once in Madrid (immediate five stars), it was still exciting to see this kind of volume as the most ordinary thing in the world. Nobody else batted an eye; it was just Third World me snapping photos like the tourist I was. What I didn’t know at the time is that Norway’s fleet of electric vehicles is the largest per capita in the world, and Oslo is regarded as the EV capital of the world. Recalling this moment got me excited all over again for what is to come to South Africa from Jaguar and its highly anticipated I-Pace.
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