Issue 186

T3 Australia

The gadget and technology magazine

T3 Australia1 min read
Gamechanger
With around four billion cars expected to be on the road by 2050, congestion and pollution are only going to get worse. A group of aeronautical engineers in France don’t like the sound of this, so they have come up with a very clever solution to the
T3 Australia1 min read
Editor’s Letter
There’s watching TV, and there’s experiencing it. There’s been a lot of action on the TV front lately so here at T3 we’ve pulled together all the important developments, and added a whole lot more like soundbars, projectors and top-end amps and r
T3 Australia6 min read
Horizon
From $1,229, apple.com/au Not content with already making a better tablet than your Nan, Apple is taking another leap forward to its iPad Pro line-up. For a start, the design has been updated, inheriting the curved screen corners from the iPhone, and
T3 Australia1 min readAutomotive
Meet The SUV Of The Future
You can almost hear Doc Brown telling Marty McFly: “Wing mirrors? Where we’re going, we don’t need wing mirrors!” Or something. But the car you’re looking at isn’t from the future. No, this is the Audi e-tron and it goes on sale early in 2019. In pla
T3 Australia4 min read
Gadget Guru
Q What’s the best smartwatch for battery life? A Allow GaGu the indulgence of laying a textual wreath for the now-deceased Pebble, a properly smart watch line which typically lasted a good few days before sputtering out. It may not have had the fla
T3 Australia1 min read
Gadget Guru’s Magic Box
GaGu’s commentary on just about every crazy thing going on in the tech world around the time of writing follows: Alexa-addled Microwave, no, but maybe yes depending on if he can truly shout at a robot to excite the molecules of microwave pizzas; Ocul
T3 Australia1 min readFashion
Black Tie For The Modern Man
As we head into this year’s party season, it’s important to be aware of the basics of evening wear and black tie in order to achieve the right look for formal events. In a nutshell, black tie is a strict dress code comprising a black two-piece suit.
T3 Australia1 min readEarth Sciences
Festive Fun In The Sun
A growing number of Aussies are seeking new ways to soak up the sand and surf over the Summer season. The Caribbean paradise of Grenada is a popular choice, thanks to its year-round hot and sunny climate. The rainy season ends in November, with the i
T3 Australia1 min read
Ultimate 4K & Dolby Atmos setups
Thanks to the glorious summer we had this year, your TV gear has probably felt a bit neglected while you’ve been enjoying outdoor walks, sport, gardening and, of course, drinking. But it isn’t for long that we can resist the allure of a glowing OLED
T3 Australia3 min read
Duncan Bell Is Foldable
There’s one really great thing about working online – apart from getting the benefit of the wit and wisdom of the Twitter intelligensia, of course. That is, you know exactly how many people read any given story, and as a result have a very good idea
T3 Australia2 min readPerforming Arts
TVs And Projectors
LG’s 55-inch C8 OLED is the very model of a modern major flatscreen. Its webOS smart platform boasts all the streaming services you could want, augmented by LG ThinQ AI voice control for improved search. Thanks to an Alpha 9 intelligent processor, pi
T3 Australia2 min read
Sound Bars
Compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, this 3D audio soundbar with wireless rear speakers and subwoofer is the real cinematic deal. Using both height and width drivers, plus wireless upfiring rear speakers, it offers a genuinely immersive 5.1.4 Dolby
T3 Australia2 min read
Speakers
Space isn’t an issue with this diminutive 5.1 sub/sat system from Q Acoustics. The ultra-compact 7000i satellites sound crisp and tight, while the matching wireless subwoofer, with its seven-inch cone, is slim and powerful. Together they make a formi
T3 Australia1 min read
Blu-ray Players
Built like a battleship, this high-end 4K UHD deck elevates disc playback to another level. With peerless build and best-in-class componentry, no expense has been spared. A 4.6mm double-layer composite chassis tips the scales at 10.3kg, thwarting res
T3 Australia2 min read
Movies
Steven Spielberg’s pop culture nostalgia ride makes extravagant use of wide colour and dynamic HDR. And the opening race sequence is an audiovisual eye-popper. (Blu-ray, iTunes) Marvel’s superhero hit oozes 4K eye candy, thanks to ace VFX. Vibrani
T3 Australia6 min read
Time After Time
A fully capable smartwatch that’s also big on style This beautiful timepiece is designed for people who want a capable smartwatch wrapped up in a stylish package. Yes it looks similar to previous iterations from Michael Kors, but it’s had a tech boo
T3 Australia3 min read
The Setup
The Google Home Max is probably a little smarter than you’d realised. As well as its microphone, touch bar, and multitude of app-control flavours, it’s got another sensor built-in to determine whether it’s sitting vertically or horizontally. But try
T3 Australia2 min read
Maximum Power
Begin by plugging in your Home Max, but don’t get too hasty! Wait for it to boot up (this takes a couple of minutes). Once the Max has chimed to indicate its readiness, open up the Google Home app on your phone. The first screen will show devices tha
T3 Australia3 min readTechnology & Engineering
The Best LED Light Strips
$129.99, lifx.com.au We’ve come to expect a certain level of quality and design from LIFX, and the company’s LED strips don’t disappoint. Plastic-protected, the individual strips – there are two metre-long segments in the box, which daisy-chain toget
T3 Australia3 min read
Smart Home Surgery
Q I’m organising a house party for my partner’s 40th birthday. What tech do I need to make it a success? A MATT BOLTON REPLIES: How much are you looking to invest, Louie? Because there’s truly a sliding scale of kit that you could lean on here. Sta
T3 Australia2 min read
Feeling Flexible
An all-rounder with great specs for the price… And Lenovo certainly knows its way around the two-in-one world. $1,999, lenovo.com This lean machine hits the high-end, with a detachable screen, unique design and incredible specs on paper. $1,79
T3 Australia2 min read
Test 01: Design
Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 is striking and unusual; even in pictures, you can sense something different about this machine that’s found nowhere else in the market, and in person it’s more remarkable. Its corrugated hinge, for a start, is absolutely i
T3 Australia2 min read
Test 02: Power
Space matters, and there are different ways of dealing with it. You could pull off dirty tricks with curves, or you could use intelligent solutions. Dell has picked the latter, partnering with Intel to bolster its slimline frame with the company’s re
T3 Australia2 min read
Test 03: Screen
Although, as you’ve seen so far, we’re thoroughly wowed by Microsoft’s Surface 2 design, we’re not exactly upset that we can’t remove the InfinityEdge display from the base of the XPS in the same way. Why? Because it’s an InfinityEdge display and the
T3 Australia1 min read
Verdict: The Overall Winner Is…
$1,799, microsoft.com WE’RE IMPRESSED There is no laptop, tablet or two-in-one currently out there with the same combination of versatility, theoretical power and design brilliance that Microsoft has managed to pack into the Surface Book 2. It’s
T3 Australia2 min read
Six Ways To Get More From Your Surface Book 2
Okay, we’ve gone on at great length about the brilliance of Dell’s InfinityEdge display. Step that brightness down a little and you’ll pull a bit more extra battery life out of your machine – perfect if you’re browsing the web on your lap. Using an a
T3 Australia1 min read
5 Essential Add-ons
Painfully expensive, perhaps, but Microsoft’s pressure- and tilt-sensitive Surface Pen is a superb way to get digital ink onto your screen. Replaceable tips give you precisely the feel you’re after, from pen to pencil and beyond. $139.95, microsof
T3 Australia2 min read
Flight, Camera, Action!
Parrot’s 4K folding drone has its sights set on the Mavic Air’s crown. The Anafi’s slinky design and range of unique shooting modes, including the Jaws-styleDolly Zoom, will tease out your inner Spielberg. $916, parrot.com The Mavic Air is DJI’
T3 Australia2 min read
Test 01: Design
As we’ve come to expect from DJI, the Mavic Air is a real eye-catcher – all clean lines and stealthy styling. It folds down neatly into the supplied protective case, but even with propeller arms outstretched - the front arms fold out before the rear
T3 Australia2 min read
Test 02: Flight
Getting airborne is an extremely simple process with all three drones: charge the battery and controller, download the companion app to your smartphone (DJI Go 4, Parrot Freeflight 6, Yuneec Pilot), follow the simple on-screen instructions and you’re
T3 Australia2 min read
Test 03: Visuals
The Mavic Air comes equipped with an exceptional 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, capable of 12MP HDR stills and 4K/30fps video, or 1080p/120fps slow mo. Combined with the aerial stability and mechanical gimbal, the footage is ready for the big screen, recrea
T3 Australia1 min read
Five Ways To Get More From Your Dji Mavic Air
Your DJI Mavic Air and the controller will work at their best when the DJI Go 4 app and the drone’s firmware are bang up to date. Before you leave home to go on an adventure, always check for routine software updates as countryside Wi-Fi and 4G can b
T3 Australia1 min read
Verdict: The Overall Winner Is…
$1,129, dji.com WE’RE IMPRESSED Stable, cinematic footage courtesy of that nigh-on perfect camera and three-axis mechanical gimbal; the DJI 4 Go app is intuitive and easy to navigate; the Mavic Air really does look the business. WE’D IMPROVE 21-
T3 Australia1 min read
5 Essential Add-ons
DJI Goggles are designed to fully immerse you in every flight. The headset connects wirelessly to the Mavic Air and beams a crystal-clear feed from the drone’s camera to a pair of 1920x1080 HD screens inside the goggles. Head Tracking enables you to
T3 Australia5 min read
Samsung Q900R
From $TBA samsung.com Though we know our loyal T3 readers are ahead of the pack, 4K screens have only just elbowed regular HD out of the picture. So do we really need another resolution revolution? No, of course not. But when did that ever stop the
T3 Australia3 min readTelecommunications
Google Pixel 3 XL
From $1,199 store.google.com Google’s third generation of its own phone hardware continues what we saw with the Pixel 2: a brilliant camera paired with a stand-out version of Android. But the world has moved on in the last year. So the question is,
T3 Australia6 min readTelecommunications
Apple iPhone XS Max
From $1,799 apple.com/au For the last few years, when there’s been a ‘plus’-sized iPhone, the bigger one has always been better. The screen size is a matter of personal preference, but they’ve also had significantly better battery life and dual came
T3 Australia2 min read
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
$2,249 dji.com Few drones have gathered as much excitement as the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, and it’s all down to the presence of a Hasselblad camera. The Mavic is already popular with photographers due to its foldable design that fits neatly in backpacks. So
T3 Australia2 min readTelecommunications
Apple iPhone XR
From $1,299 apple.com/au Last year, Apple declared that the iPhone X’s design was the future. But it was also much more expensive than previous flagship iPhones. Now, the iPhone XR brings that design at a price more people will be willing to pay, bu
T3 Australia3 min read
Smart Speakers
When smart home assistants first began appearing, music control was clearly a big selling point for people. But the original Amazon Echo’s speakers were crap, so it’s wasn’t a great combination overall. But that’s all changing. Great companies want
T3 Australia2 min read
Best Of… Entertainment
Sony’s next-gen 4K HDR TV looks fantastic thanks to its OLED display and advanced image processing. Because of ingenious tech that uses the screen itself as a speaker, it also sounds superb. From $4,998, sony.com.au With an incredible 2.75mm thi
T3 Australia2 min read
Best Of… Audio
Pound for pound, this is a hell of a lot of speaker for your money, easily filling a room, and expandable through the versatile Sonos speaker range. Built-in Alexa support clinches it for Sonos. $299, sonos.com These portable speakers are made f
T3 Australia2 min readTelecommunications
Best Of… Lifestyle
The Mate 20 Pro delivers an experience that leaves nothing to be desired. It has a super-fast chip, stunning OLED screen, knock-out Leica camera system and a next-gen in-screen fingerprint reader. From $1,599, consumer.huawei.com This isn’t the
T3 Australia2 min readAutomotive
Best Of… Auto
The Q7 is ice-cool, uncompromising and ruthlessly efficient. The spacious seven-seater has all of the entertainment and technology to make long journeys as smooth and comfortable as possible. From $139,000, audi.com.au The i3 is a responsive, hi
T3 Australia2 min read
Best Of… Smart Home
Alexa is everywhere these days, but nowhere is Amazon’s AI more at home than in its Echo. It couples an awesome array microphone with pleasing design for the perfect assistant experience. $149, amazon.com.au Part motion-detecting security camera
T3 Australia2 min read
Best Of… Computing
An incredibly thin, light and beautiful laptop, with a dense, high-end panel. Despite being 1cm thick, it doesn’t skimp on the power either, thanks to an Intel Core i7 processor. From $2,999, hp.com/au This is an amazing piece of engineering. De
T3 Australia2 min read
BEST OF… TRAVEL & OUTDOORS
The 800D gets great features from Canon’s pro line, including a snappy 45-point AF system, top build quality, articulating screen and, most importantly, fantastic image quality. A top all-rounder. From $1,199, canon.com It’s so expensive, but it

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