Tech journalist and frequent traveller Nafisa Akabor on new tech you can use on your travels.
A new season brings new excitement levels. This month we test the LG G8S flagship, take a look at a tracking and medical wristband, play Super Mario Maker 2, all while listening to our favourite tunes on Spotify Lite. Plus, did you know you can book local and international flights directly on the FNB app?
LG G8S
The latest flagship from LG, the G8S ThinQ, is geared towards travellers with its total of five cameras, which have bokeh effects, Video Depth Control and Steady Cam for smooth, shake-free footage. The wide-angle lens lets you capture historic and wonderful sights in one shot without having to move all the way back.
Price: R11 999. Contact: Vodacom, MTN, Cell C
QFind Wristband
The QFind wristband is a tagging device that shares location and medical information to an emergency contact in a life-threatening situation.
Suitable for travellers, adventure junkies or the elderly, the lightweight band does not require charging, is water-resistant and connects to an app. The eight-digit code on the band is searchable online at QFind.app for registered open users.
Price: R200/month. Contact: QFind.app
Spotify Lite
Great news for all Android users. The Spotify Lite app has been designed to use less data and storage. This makes it ideal to use when flying or in transit where data can be expensive. It is 10MB to download, before adding your own playlists for offline access, with the option to set data limits.
Free: Google Play Store.
FNB App
If you bank with FNB and earn eBucks, you can now book all domestic and international flights directly from the app. Hello, spontaneous getaways! Simply head to eBucks > Flights > Book Flight to begin. Customers no longer require a minimum amount of eBucks to book flights, and qualify for discounts based on their reward level.
Free access: FNB App (Android; iOS).
Super Mario Maker 2
If you own a Nintendo Switch, it most definitely travels with you. Keep busy at your next airport run with Super Mario Maker 2, which introduces a story mode that has over 100 pre-made levels, or “jobs”; or simply create your own levels and share it with friends.
Price: R999 at store.nintendo.co.za
Seoul City
When I visited Seoul, I was most excited to visit the city that was known for having the fastest Internet speeds in the world, along with the unique opportunity to visit LG’s head office and their flagship store in the city.
While I was impressed with most parts of the city, little did I know it was essentially tech heaven. Incheon International Airport is ranked among the best in the world, with robots to help passengers, self-service check-in, self-bag drop, and even automated immigration.
To get the full autonomy experience, you can even order a coffee via an app or self-checkout kiosk from Beat, where coffee is made by robots.
My little taster has left me wanting more, with a growing list of must-see places that include VR Plus Cafe, the Robot Science Museum, K-Live for a hologram concert, the DJI Arena, and the Yongsan Electronics Market. Perhaps it’s time to add it to your bucket list, too.
