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The tech world never sleeps and things are not about to slow down this month. As we near the holiday period, there are even more toys to play with and there’s time to adult, like invest. Here’s what we’ve been testing out lately.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Hot off its release in London this week, the camera on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro has already impressed us. If you thought the P20 Pro had the best smartphone camera, the Mate 20 Pro trumps it. It still features a triple Leica lens setup, but the key is in the details. A 40MP wide angle, a 20MP ultra-wide and an 8MP telephoto lens combination deliver results we haven’t seen before on a smartphone.
Macro shots allow you to go as close as 2.5cm and the ultra-wide angle means you’re capturing everything in front of you without having to move back. Huawei also finally brought wireless charging to the Mate 20 Pro, in addition to a world first – wireless reverse charging.
This means that you can charge an iPhone or Samsung by placing it on the back of the device. It has a massive 4 200mAh battery to handle it. We’re quite excited that the dual SIM variant will also be sold in South Africa – network dependent – towards the end of the month.
Fedgroup Impact Farming
Looking for a side hustle? If you want to try your hand at impact farming, take a look at the Fedgroup app, available at no cost on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. It cuts out the middle man and gives you instant access to owning a beehive on a honey farm; a blueberry bush on a smart farm; or a solar panel on an urban solar farm. The app allows you to buy something within your budget, starting at R300, after which professionals will take care of your investment asset. You will then earn an income twice a year during harvest, or monthly from solar energy. All impact farming assets qualify for a tax benefit. Visit fedgroup.co.za/ventures/impact-farming for more information on how to make an environmental, social and economic impact.
Read more: Making money out of farming without owning a farm
Fitbit Charge 3
The bestselling Fitbit model has just been given an update in the form of the Charge 3. It now features an ergonomic design that sits better on the wrist, with an Oled screen and the option to keep the screen in colour or grayscale. Apart from the usual heart-rate monitoring, and step, sleep and calorie tracking, the biggest update comes in the form of its water resistance feature, a step up from the splash-proof feature on the previous generation Charge 2. It is waterproof up to 50m, which works in both salt water and fresh water. However, it does not support diving. It also offers smart functionality with limited app support and connected GPS through a paired smartphone. It pushes call, app and text notifications, and supports quick replies on iOS for now. The classic model pricing starts at R2 999, but if you’re an FNB or RMB customer, you’re better off waiting for the special edition NFC model that supports Fitbit Pay. It costs R3 499 and lets you make payments directly from your wrist and any contactless “tap and pay” terminal.
