Review: 5 Great Gadgets for the Home, Office & Living Room

Have a problem? There’s always a good gadget to solve life’s little annoyances. This month we’re rounding up some of our favourite tech finds that will no doubt make your life easier. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your home theatre experienced, reduce muscle fatigue in your wrists while working, or want to make an easier job of cleaning the house; our list has something for you. From vacuum cleaners to media boxes, we’ve had the opportunity to get our hands on some of the latest tech products available in SA and put them to the test to see if they’re worth your time and money.

Jimmy JV65 Handheld Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

Cleaning is an absolute breeze with this clever cordless vacuum cleaner. Forget basic hand vacuums with only one functionality, this nifty vacuum comes with 9 different attachments and is a cleaning wizard. Whether you need to clean up high, down low, or between hard-to-reach places, the Jimmy JV65 Handheld Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner will help you do it quickly and easily.

Equipped with a highly efficient 100,000rpm digital motor the vacuum offers incredible suction power with three suction strengths to choose from depending on the dirt you’re trying to suck up. Often cordless vacuum cleaners can be quite weak but this appliance generates the suction power of a corded full-size vacuum. With a dual-cyclonic dust collection system and HEPA air filtration system, this device sucks up even the smallest dust particles and leaves your space feeling ultra-clean and dust-free.

The machine includes an electric floorhead, an electric mattress head, a 2-in-1 crevice tool, a 2-in-1 upholstery tool, a carpet brush roll, a soft brush, a stretch hose to help you tackle any cleaning job that comes your way. I tested the device for two weeks at home and didn’t touch my other home vacuum during that time. The Jimmy JV65 was a dream to have around and made cleaning so quick and easy. It’s lightweight and the ergonomic handle angle design makes it easy to manoeuvre. It’s brilliant at sucking up pet hair, thanks to the anti-winding hair design that separates hair from the brush roller into the dust cup during the cleaning process without the hair getting tangled in the brush roller.

8×2500 mAh batteries promise about 60 minutes of continuous vacuum time but on full power, you’re looking at closer to 30 minutes of continuous use between charges. The only downside of this vacuum for me is that you can’t use it while it’s charging, and it takes about 4 hours for a full charge, so you need to factor that in when cleaning if you’re planning on tackling a big room.

The is JIMMY JV65 available online from Takealot and other leading retailers at a recommended retail price of R4,999.

Mediabox Maverick

The Maverick from South African company Mediabox is an Android streaming device that will make your movie, series, and sport watching a whole lot simpler. The Maverick isn’t a complete game-changer in the world of media players, but it does come with 2GB of RAM and 8GBs of storage, along with two USB ports, which does help with these types of players.

The device features Amazon, Google, and Netflix Certification as well as Voice search, along with the ability to use the DSTV Now and Showmax apps. It’s a great option for anyone who doesn’t have a smart TV or wants to simplify their life with a smart device that brings all their apps together in one place.

For the price, the Mediabox Maverick is a great media box that delivers the goods, and most importantly, functions well with its Android 9 OS.

The is Maverick available online from Mediabox at R1,599.

Asus Zenbook Flip S

The Asus Zenbook Flip S is a sleek, sexy, and super-powered little notebook which also doubles-up as a tablet where necessary (hence the name). It’s extremely light and thin, making it the perfect travel companion, yet it has enough meat under the hood to deliver what you need in a go-to daily work device.

The device combines versatility with a 360°-flippable display. It’s ultra-thin, ultra-light, and convertible to give you more ways to get things done on-the-go. It also supports a stylus, making it the perfect partner for Windows 10. The device is 10.9mm thin and weighs just 1.1kg, and because it’s made from premium, aerospace-grade aluminium, it’s lighter than standard laptop alloy but 50% stronger.

A unique 360° ErgoLift hinge holds the display securely at any angle. This innovative hinge has a dual-action mechanism that lifts and tilts the keyboard into the perfect typing position when the display is opened beyond 135°. Which means, no more worrying about wrist fatigue when you’re working away from your desk.

With its i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 4K display, it’s a beast, but, of course, that comes with a hefty price-tag. There’s no denying that R30k+ is a steep price of admission, but if you have the budget, this is a fantastic option that will give you more than enough for your buck.

The Asus Zenbook Flip S is available at leading retailers at a recommended price of R30,999.

Logitech MX Vertical Mouse

The Logitech MX Vertical Mouse promotes productivity while reducing muscle strain, hand fatigue, and wrist pressure with its natural handshake position. The ergonomic mouse is designed to make you feel and work better whether you’re smashing out spreadsheets at the office or trying to meet a deadline on-the-go.

This mouse is a game-changer of note when working. I struggle with wrist fatigue while using an ordinary mouse but with the Logitech MX Vertical Mouse I can work for hours without worrying about that niggling pain in my wrist. Work aside, I also found that it’s also great for playing management games, Like 2 Point Hospital or The Sims, that require a lot of mouse manoeuvring over many hours of gameplay.

The mouse is designed to reduce discomfort, muscle strain, decrease wrist pressure, and improve posture while you work and while it may look a bit gimmicky at first glance, it truly works! The unique 57° vertical angle of the mouse reduces the pressure on your wrist, while your thumb is positioned comfortably on the thumb rest.

Logitech says the devices advanced optical tracking with a dedicated cursor speed switch results in 4 times less hand movement, as compared with a traditional mouse, reducing muscle and hand fatigue. It’s ideal for optimising your workflow and definitely makes it feel like you’re working more efficiently with your mouse.

Hisense Ultra-short Throw 4K Smart Laser TV

The future of TV is here… If you can afford it. Hisense has released its range of high-end Ultra-short Throw 4K Smart Laser TV in South Africa and there’s no doubt in my mind you’re going to be lusting after this TV for months to come. The range includes two options; the Hisense Ultra-short Throw 100″ 4K Smart Laser TV (100L5F) and the Hisense Ultra-short Throw 88″ 4K Smart Laser TV (88L5V).

100″ 100L5F model offers impressive features that will bring cinema-quality viewing right into your living room. With 4K UHD picture quality built-in tuner, an X-Fusion Laser Light Source, Dolby ATMOS Audio, and a 100″ ambient light rejection screen, this TV is as good as it gets for home viewing. I got the chance to check out the 100-inch model up close and personal, and it’s indeed impressive. The X-Fusion technology uses a precise light source to deliver sharper images, more natural colours, and 25,000+ hours of entertainment. The colours and image on this TV, in both dark and light colours, is beyond incredible and there’s no image blur with fast-action content such as console games or while watching your favourite action movie.

Sitting just three metres away from the massive screen, in a semi-dark room, there was no glare coming from the screen, thanks to its eye-friendly design that ensures there’s no eyestrain. You’d think it’s crazy to sit so close to a 100-inch TV but with this incredible entertainment system you didn’t feel like you needed to back away to safe your eyes the strain and distraction.

The best bit, it’s a ‘projector’ TV but not as we know it. While traditionally projectors have to put a certain distance away from your wall or projector screen to get a large picture, Hisense’s laser TV offers short-throw convenience that allows you to place the device directly in front of your TV board. When ordering the TV you’ll get free installation of the board and laser TV unit, valued at R2,500.

Hisense Ultra-short Throw 100″ 4K Smart Laser TV (100L5F) is priced at approximately R80,000. For more information, visit the Hisense South Africa website.