Is it normal to buy technology and see an update a few months after? We’ll talk cycles with the PlayStation 5, Nikon Z, and latest tablets reviewed, covering the all-new iPad, too. All in five minutes.
Transcript
For the week ending October 11 2019, this is The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup, a roundup that regularly gets caught up in an update cycle. It seems to be a constant, because new stuff is always being announced, and old stuff is being constantly updated. It almost seems like you can’t get a break, and when you’ve just bought something, a new model is right around the corner.
For instance, if you bought the Oppo Reno Z smartphone when it was announced in July, only a few months later, there’s a Reno 2 Z waiting for you now. It has the same 6.5 inch screen size, an almost identical big battery, and the same chip, memory, and storage. The main difference appears to be more cameras on the Reno2 Z, with four on the back of the new model, compared to two originally.
Technology is like that. It’s always changing, often close to the release of new gadgets. It means buying something not long after could see an update much closer than you’re used to, and feeling a little, oh, gazumped.
It’s not quite the same swindle, but it can feel that way. Update cycles should feel like they’re a good year apart, but that doesn’t always happen. It can be shorter, and it can be much, much longer.
Take Sony’s PlayStation, which is about ready for an update and upgrade. There have been a few variations of the PlayStation 4 since its release in 2013, and a lot has changed. What used to be merely a Full HD console has grown to support 4K if you had the Pro, and the next version will be even better. Now that 8K TVs are out in the world, you can expect 8K support on the PlayStation 5.
Yep, that’s the name Sony is going with, but it won’t be all expected. Sony let some details out this week, particularly on how you’ll control the new console, with haptic feedback providing more rumble in the controller, plus triggers that provide more resistance. It might seem small, but Sony thinks this will help make games that much more interesting, as you’ll be able to feel more in-game activity.
There’ll be more news on the PlayStation 5 as time goes on, though, with release expected in time for the holidays next year. That’s a year away, leaving the PlayStation 4 still in control until then.
Other changes are afoot in the tech world, such as Nikon’s gradual transition to a mirrorless world. While it still has old school mirror-based cameras, there’s a new model this week in the Z50, a smaller mirrorless without a full-frame sensor, and more focused on enthusiast cameras. It’ll come along around the end of the month, with a single lens kit costing $1799 and a two lens kit closer to two grand.
Changes are happening for Tile, too, a company that loves to track things. It might be your keys, an umbrella, a turtle, or your husband. Tile has this week added a few more gadgets that will keep an eye on things, including one that’s basically a Sticker. Aptly named the Tile Sticker, you can stick the tracker on anything, and when paired with the app, it’ll keep dibs.
Tile’s approach here is that everyone is passively monitoring Tile gadgets, so it means if you attach a Tile sticker to your husband, other users will help you track him, even if they don’t know it.
That’s a change for the better, at least in terms of yelling out to find him across a crowd. It’s easier and more connected this way.
And more connected is something we like. Wireless connectivity is something we all have, even though it’s changing. Telstra has announced the 3G network will be changing by 2024, and it will be switching it off. Gone. Make sure you upgrade to a 4G or 5G phone by then.
Finally, we’re checking the changes to tablets, reviewing the Galaxy Tab S6 and the iPad 10.2. They’re both quite different and geared at different folks.
At the upper end of the market, there’s the Galaxy Tab S6, what is probably the best Android tablet out right now. It’s thin, light, and very pretty, but it’s also expensive and needs a better keyboard. Samsung’s Tab S6 is a thousand bucks at the minimum — $1099, actually — but at least it comes with a Pen. It’s essentially an Android version of the iPad Pro, though not quite as good.
Much lower in price, the iPad 10.2 is the new tablet to beat, offering a slightly bigger take on the 9.7 inch from last year that offered tremendous value. This year, it’s a little bigger and supports a physical keyboard, which is a great addition. It can be a little slow, but you won’t always notice it, and we only did because it was slower than the iPad Pro.
But with a starting price of $529, the new iPad is kind of the perfect compromise, offering a great tablet with support for Apple Pencil and the physical keyboard cover, even if those accessories are optional and a little on the exy side. We’d easily look to the iPad 10.2 if you need a tablet still, and if you wanted a big screen made to be mobile for work and play. It’s still solid value.
And we’re out of time, so you’ve been listening to The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup. You can find more of this at TheWrap.com.au, and the show can be found every Friday on Podcast One, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Until then, have a great week. We’ll see you next time on The Wrap. Take care.
