Review of Brainwavz M100 Earphones

Next Level

This week I was invited to try out the new Brainwavz M100 Earphones.  They have been delicately crafted from aircraft grade metal, contained within are hand crafted drivers constructed of high purity copper voice coil and a feather light diaphragm, which combine to create the M100's high fidelity audio. The wide soundstage, well defined bass and clarity make the M100 suitable for most genres of music.   The earphones fit into a handy hard case which makes for a nice touch.

I tried them out on a variety of devices and formats.  So not only can you enjoy your favourite TV Series in high fidelity you can also enjoy dance music or even classical music with great clarity.  Your mobile phone will love it.   Everything sounds just a little better with these Brainwavz M100 Earphones.   The sound quality is just next level.

The Brainwavz M100 comes with a universal 3-button control built into the cable for both audio playback and microphone for audio calls. As the M100’s have been designed with comfort in mind, the earphones have been meticulously designed to sit comfortably inside the ear canal and for extra and added comfort: a complimentary set of Comply™ Foam tips are also included.

Specifications:

•                     Drivers : Dynamic, 8 mm

•                     Rated Impedance : 32 Ω

•                     Frequency Range : 12 Hz ~ 22 kHz

•                     Sensitivity : 110 dB @ 1 mW

•                     Plug : 3.5 mm, Gold-Plated

•                     Cable : Braided 1.3 m OFC Copper

•                     Remote & Mic: 3 Button, Apple & most Android phones compatible.

Included Accessories:

•                     Earphone Hard Case

•                     6 sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)

•                     1 set of Comply™ Foam Tips T-400

•                     1 Shirt Clip

•                     Velcro Cable Tie

•                     Instruction Manual & Warranty Card (24 month warranty)

The Brainwavz M100 are available on www.brainwavzaudio.com , www.amazon.com   www.amazon.co.uk  and other authorized Brainwavz resellers around the globe.

For more information, please visit: www.brainwavzaudio.com 

Rating: 8/10

Review by Fred Felton

Twitter @fredfelton 

Review of the Dolby Atmos System at Ster-Kinekor Gateway

Ster-Kinekor invited me to test out their brand new Dolby Atmos sound system which has been installed in their Gateway Cinema complex. 

This is the only cinema in South Africa that has this sound system.

I tested it out while watching the movie 300: Rise of an Empire in 3D.

(Picture courtesy Ster-Kinekor)

This is an action-packed adventure film with an immersive cinematic experience as the Greeks and Spartans do battle with the Persians. 300: Rise of an Empire is a powerful film that certainly does justice to its release in 3D and audiences will leave the theatre feeling as if they too had been part of the war.

The crystal-clear images coupled with the Dolby Atmos sound system create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie and part of the non-stop action of the warring Greeks taking on the might of the Persian army.

The film is based on Frank Miller's latest graphic novel, Xerxes, and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster 300(released in 2006). This new chapter of the epic saga is a companion piece to the first film and takes the action to a fresh battlefield – on the sea, as Greek general, Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war.

300: Rise of an Empire  pits Themistokles against the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and Artemesia (Eva Green), his vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

View the trailer here:

(Video courtesy - Warner Bros.) 

As for the Dolby Atmos sound system.  Well this is something else.  In case you are not familiar with it, this system features a redesign in cinema sound.  What they have done is now put speakers on the ceiling.  I kid you not.  On the ceiling. 

When you add the 3D element of this film it really is like you are in Greece, in that battle and when you add that crystal clear Dolby Atmos sound immersion you are entering a new world in cinema.  Some directors see this system as a new character in the movie, other directors see it as a new tool that they can use to further enhance the movie for the audience.  Either way Dolby has changed the playing field for the good. 

So just what is Dolby® Atmos™?

(Picture courtesy Dolby)

As an advanced cinema audio platform, Dolby Atmos reinvents cinema sound by giving each speaker its own unique feed, enabling many new front, surround and ceiling-mounted height channels for the precise panning of select sounds. The result is a fully immersive experience, putting the audience right at the centre of the action.

"The interest we're seeing in Dolby Atmos in EMEA shows that the industry sees real value in offering immersive cinema audio. With more cinemas becoming equipped across the wider region, cinema audiences are set to experience first-hand the entertainment experience envisioned by both internationally-renowned and home-grown talent," said Andreas Spechtler, EMEA Regional Vice President, Dolby Europe. "The diversity of titles on offer also shows us that the creative community is already unlocking the versatility of the Dolby Atmos platform and we can't wait to see how directors and their sound teams make upcoming titles more thrilling, emotive and heartfelt in 2013."

Dolby Atmos introduces a hybrid approach to mixing that enables sound designers and re-recording mixers to direct sounds as dynamic objects that envelop the listener in a lifelike sound field. The system utilises adaptive rendering techniques to maintain precise artistic integrity to the film-maker's original vision across a wide range of cinema shapes, sizes and loudspeaker configurations. It is an end-to-end solution that takes into account the entire content pipeline and brings together mixers, studios, distributors, and exhibitors to create dramatic improvements in the audio experience.

To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos.

To share an educational video on Dolby Atmos, visit https://vimeo.com/40699179.

For more info about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com

For more information on Ster-Kinekor visit www.sterkinekor.com.

Book online or call Ticketline on 082 16789, or you can book at the box office. 

Download the Ster-Kinekor App on your Nokia, Samsung Android, iPhone or Blackberry.

Follow @SKTheatres on Twitter or Facebook at Ster-Kinekor Theatres.

Thank you to Ster-Kinekor for the experience.  Try it out for yourself.

Review by +Fred Felton 

We Review The Blackberry Q10

Review of Blackberry Q10

Let’s begin with the great packaging which includes instructions and a charger which doubles as a USB connector, nice touch that.

The phone has a bigger screen than the Curve and features a touch screen and a keyboard.

It features the Blackberry Hub which enables you to swipe and check for important messages or notifications from time to time.

How the touch screen works:

To get rid of a app just swipe up and the app is minimized and you can then get rid of it.

Phone Features:

Contacts

You can import contacts from your various accounts including your social media accounts or your email, calendar and contacts.

You can load images and details for contacts right down to BBM Pins and their social accounts and include custom ring tones and notifications for each contact.

Calendar

It features a standard calendar and you can also add the Location and Participants and any notes for the meeting.

Documents To Go

Features apps for doc files, xls or powerpoint files.

Camera

Features: 8MP, Flash, Auto & Ratio settings and a Video Camera.

It does however feature one amazing little advance.

Blackberry Time Shift Mode lets you take a picture and then you can go back or forward in time to choose the best image.  It works by sliding your finger left or right on the screen and it is quite remarkable to view.

Images or Videos can be stored in the Pictures or Videos section.

Blackberry has also included Story Maker on this phone which lets you make short movies on the phone.  You can edit them on the phone.

Social Media Networks

The phone comes with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Foursquare.

Mapping

The phone comes with Blackberry Maps so you can find various locations and you can also see traffic conditions as well.  You can also share your locations with others.

Browser

The browser is pretty fast and you can search with ease for pages.  Bookmarks are easy to add.  The browser also comes equipped with a Reader if you want to read a page later.  You can also share pages with ease. 

YouTube

The phone also comes equipped with YouTube and one can watch with ease.

Remember

The phone also has a nifty little function called Remember.  You can add items to remember with notes or even tasks.  You can also add images, sounds and attachments,

The phone also has Evernote for all your note taking needs.

It also features a handy Weather App from AccuWeather which gives you temperature, sunrise, sunset, windspeed and weekly forecasts.  You can also add Cities and also share weather data.  It also features Radar Maps.

Clock

The clock allows you to add multiple cities and features an alarm and stopwatch and timer.  It also allows for multiple alarms as well for people who need reminders from time to time. 

Other Nifty Tools:

·         Calculator

·         File manager

·         Compass

·         Box

·         Dropbox

·         Adobe Reader

·         Voice Recorder

·         Smart Tags for barcodes, NFC, QR Codes and your own tags

·         Search

·         Tutorials

Handy Settings Include:

·         Wi-Fi

·         Bluetooth

·         NFC

·         Mobile Hotspot

·         VPN

·         Internet Tethering

·         Flight Mode

·         Blackberry Protect

Under the hood:

Software: Blackberry 10.2.0.424

Total Storage: 16GB

Total Memory: 2GB

Device Monitor shows you device usage stats and which apps are using memory

For all the handy options on the touch screen remember to either swipe up from the bottom of the screen or swipe down from the top of the screen.

345 Hours standby time (3G)

13.5 Hours talk time (3G)

4G LTE Ready

Final Opinion

This phone certainly is something new from Blackberry and features a fresh insight into how a phone should be designed. Certainly worth looking at if you are looking for something new.

(Picture and Video Courtesy of Blackberry) 

Useful links for Blackberry:

Web: http://za.blackberry.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackBerryZA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackBerry_ZA

Review by +Fred Felton 

Film Review: Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

Film: Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
Cast: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Terry Pheto, Riaad Moosa, Jamie Bartlett
Director: Justin Chadwick
Cinema:  Cine Centre, Suncoast

This week I managed to see the new Mandela movie at the Premiere at Cine Centre.
It's an interesting movie.  Idris Elba (Thor: The Dark World) has a mountain to climb
with this role.  Possibly his biggest role.  He gives us great insight into the character of
Nelson Mandela.

The film features a who's who of South African cinema.  Look out for Jamie Bartlett as Mandela's prison guard.  Naomie Harris does a good job of showing us Winnie Mandela.  Tony Kgoroge plays Walter Sisulu very well indeed.  Riaad Moosa (Material) plays Ahmed Kathrada.

This film takes us on a tour of South African history and there is much detail in this movie.  From the old car licence plates to familiar cars from each time period.

Director Justin Chadwick (Bleak House) gives us a visual feast showing us how Mandela goes on this journey that eventually leads him to becoming the President of South Africa.

Worth a viewing.

Rating 7/10

Useful Links: www.mandelamovie.co.za

Facebook - MandelaMovie
Twitter - @MandelaMovie

View The Trailer Here:

(Source - Movieweb - YouTube)

Review by +Fred Felton

Tips on How to be a Film Critic by Film Critics heard at @DIFFest

Over the weekend I sat in on a @DIFFest workshop by Film Critics talking about what it takes to
be a Film Critic and a good writer.

Here are some of the tips they shared:

• If you see a film and you say 'I hate it!' or 'I love it!' you are criticising the film.
• The Film Critic is a Bridge between the Filmmakers and the audience.
• Read as much as you can
• Read other film critics
• Read your own reviews 
• Do they make sense?
• Watch the movies that were made 30 years before you were born
• Watch it with the audience
• Get the spelling of the Cast and Crew correct, especially the Director.
• Pay attention to every detail
• Show your piece to someone for advice if it is good or not.
• Check if the Film is having it's World Premiere, find out before you state that.
• Check the dates are correct
• Have fact checkers if you can or do it yourself
• Read widely
• If you are starting out try writing a blog at first of film reviews
• Print out what you have written and read it sometimes you can pick up errors that way
• Try to think in sentences
• Look at something interesting in the film, look for a specific angle, talk about that
• If you feel it's a good film, ask why, substantiate it
• Look at your gut emotional response to a film
• What is the film's director trying to say?  Why is he doing this and not that?
• Does the movie need to be made?
• Was the movie made with passion by the Director?

The panel was facilitated by Nashen Moodley (Aus / SA) and included among others 

David Stratton (Aus) ,  Telesphore Mba Bizo (Cameroon) , Theresa Smith (Independent Newspapers SA) and Peter Machen (SA) 

Article written by Fred Felton find him on Twitter - @fredfelton 

Are you a Film Critic or Writer?  What tips do you have?  Leave a comment and let us know.

Review of the Show Out Of Bounds starring Rajesh Gopie

We present a Review of the Show Out Of Bounds Starring Rajesh Gopie.

                                                 @OutOfBoundsSA

Last night I was invited to the show Out Of Bounds at the delightful iZulu Theatre at Sibaya
Casino.

What a delightful venue and I joined some great friends like Themi Venturas and James P Parker
and Illa Thompson to watch the show.

Rajesh Gopie the man who brought us The Coolie Odyssey is back with his one hander
Out Of Bounds.

He has performed it before and this is the first time I have seen it.

He takes you on a wonderful journey of a Indian family and how they move about Durban
from their homes to forced removals into flats and the wonderful characters they meet along
the way.

Rajesh is simply brilliant as he plays well over 20 characters some dark some light, some funny some
scary.

There are some wonderful scenes in it.  I shall not spoil it for you, you really have to go see it yourself.

A note for actors, if you want to learn how to play different characters take yourself off to the show
to see how a master actor does this.

Well worth a visit

Rating 5/5

Showtimes

Thurs 12 April - 8pm (R120)
Fri 13 April - 8pm (R120)
Sat 14 April - 7pm (R120)
Sat 14 April - 9h15pm (R120)
Sun 15 April - 3pm (R120)
Sun 15 April - 6pm final (R120)

Bookings at Computicket or At The iZulu Box Office

Check them out on Twitter - @OutOfBoundsSA
Join Their Facebook Page - Out Of Bounds