I think I have mentioned before that I have been using Apple since 2003, with the first product being a G1 back in college because we needed to use Mac’s for graphic design. I remember that I didn’t know what Apple was but because I was inquisitive as a teenager and also wanted to be the first one to tell others about new things, I had to find out. Ever since then, I have been sucked in one product at a time, back then I got the G3 and got to use the G5 at work while I was working for TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris. My first iPhone was the iPhone 4 because I couldn’t afford the first iPhone at the time and also we were all using Blackberry because data was rather expensive back then and we all know that iPhone is friendlier with wifi. MacBook Pro, iMac and iPad were my daily doses and then I eventually moved towards the iPhone as well.
I loved my first iPhone 4 because it was different and I especially loved how I was able to control all my gadgets using my phone – a trick I always demonstrated whenever I got the chance. The people over at Apple gave me the iPhone X to test out for a few weeks and as an Apple fan, I have always been sceptical of the direction Apple took since the death of Steve Jobs, but after using it over those few weeks, I definitely need the iPhone X. Firstly, I love the fact that I can open the phone with my face using the face recognition feature, it’s quick to recognize one’s face and is also so cool to show people. Besides the fact that it’s water and dust resistant, the iPhone X has more screen space than the previous versions and I must say it’s a bit difficult at first to operate without the home button. I struggled at first to take screengrabs with it, but I figured it out quickly. It has a second-generation performance controller, and a custom battery design that lasts up to two hours longer between charges than the iPhone 7. The gestures on the new phone are completely different and effortless as well, the camera is good and I love the live images as well – gives you more options to play with. The four efficiency cores in the all-new CPU are up to 70 per cent faster than the A10 Fusion and the two performance cores are up to 25 per cent faster. The X will set you back around R16 999.
The people of Apple gave us some goodies as well, the Belkin wireless charger that came in handy with regards to charging, especially if you need to charge your phone while using your it and also listening to music at home, it costs around R699. AirPods are the best thing Apple has done of late and they are very good when you are moving between places, they cost around R2499. When I am at the office I use the latest wireless Beats By Dre Studio 3 because they cancel noise and also they are comfortable around the office when working you don’t want to get disturbed, also these work better for traveling out the country as well. Beats By Dre Studio 3 will cost you around R5899
I also got the Anker power bank for times when one needs to charge the device and there is no power point in sight, this power bank is a life saver because I’m always on the move and I always need my phone charged; so this gadget is both perfect and sexy and comes at a cost of around R1340. The Knomo laptop bag is the ultimate companion to keep your digital and travel accessories organised and ready for use with minimum fuss. It’s designed to fit (up to) a 13” tablet (or 13″ Macbook Air or Pro). It helps me organize everything that I need for the office, everything is in one place and makes life so simple. Now I am thinking of getting the back pack as well, because I travel often with Marvin – this will cost you around R1399.
We also got the Tile key tracker which will cost about R1100; this is used to track your keys or your phone because it’s linked to your phone. This is what I needed before I thought I needed I, you can use the device to track anything really, from keys to bags or laptops. It’s a definite must have.
The good folk at Apple also gave us the iStore VIP Card , which gives you access to the following offers to the value of R7200, exclusive to iPhone for free; on demand technical support worth R1000, iPhone upgrade services which come with a free iCare Plus for your next iPhone upgrade at the store worth R1999, 50% off your first Apple certified iPhone screen replacement worth R3000 and a complimentary iPhone cover and screen protector worth R1199. This card also doubles as a great gift.
Everything available at the iStore