Bucket Tech: Lenovo ThinkReality VRX

On Monday, July 3rd, ahead of AWE USA 2023, Lenovo announced the new ThinkReality™ VRX all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset engineered for the enterprise is now available for purchase in select markets worldwide. The immersive, comfortable, slim profile, six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) VR solution is powered by the Snapdragon® XR2+ Gen 1 processor and provides full-color, high-resolution pass-through capabilities for mixed reality applications. The ThinkReality VRX is also supported by a full suite of end-to-end services to help organizations achieve success and realize ROI faster.

The ThinkReality VRX starts at $1,299 and is expected to be available in select markets worldwide starting in June 2023.1 Enterprise pricing is available based on volume of deployment. Lenovo offers Device as a Service (DaaS) financing and service models through TruScale so customers can better adopt and scale XR solutions to transform the enterprise. Customers can visit the ThinkReality VRX web page to find out more or contact a local Lenovo sales representative. Attendees will also get an opportunity to demo the ThinkReality VRX on display at Lenovo’s booth (#219) at AWE USA 2023 in Santa Clara, US, between May 31- June 2, 2023.

VR engineered for the enterprise

The enterprise-only Lenovo ThinkReality VRX is built to be the VR solution for workers everywhere. The immediacy and fidelity of new digital tools experienced through extended reality (XR) devices means workforces are becoming nearly unconstrained by time and space. From improving efficiency in employee training and virtual collaboration to expanding design and engineering tasks in 3D, XR technologies are becoming more important than ever for businesses enabling workers to do more.

“Lenovo’s customers are looking for reliable, flexible, and scalable gateways into the growing Enterprise Metaverse. They need business-class solutions for the new realities of working in virtual environments and hybrid scenarios,” said Vishal Shah, GM of XR and Metaverse, Lenovo. “We engineered the Lenovo ThinkReality VRX to be the VR solution of choice for training and collaborating in immersive 3D because that’s the future of work.”

Engineered to meet the needs of enterprise organizations with purpose-built construction and hygienic materials, the ThinkReality VRX is built for long life and reliable operation. It is also supported by enterprise-grade security requirements with a protected supply chain and manufacturing process.

The new VR headset incorporates a variety of design advancements to make it more comfortable for extended VR sessions. Innovative pancake optics help keep the form factor slim. The high-capacity battery is optimally positioned for better weight distribution, and the ThinkReality VRX features a unique venting system that channels heat from the display away from the wearer’s face.

The ThinkReality VRX is part of Lenovo’s ThinkReality portfolio of XR solutions that includes a cloud software platform to help deploy and manage enterprise applications and content on a global scale. The ThinkReality VRX can also be supported by other leading mobile device management (MDM) platforms. Additional XR solutions from Lenovo include ThinkReality xR Services; providing vendor agnostic, end-to-end, white-glove services to help customers from strategy to delivery.

The ThinkReality VRX joins Lenovo’s hardware portfolio of commercial XR solutions which also includes the ThinkReality A3, the most versatile augmented reality (AR) smart glasses ever designed for the enterprise. Whether the enterprise is expanding the use of immersive experiences in VR to enhance learning and collaboration or using AI-enabled digital overlays of real-world scenarios with AR to transform workflows, Lenovo ThinkReality has the solutions needed.

Open ecosystem of XR applications

Building the Enterprise Metaverse requires interoperability and the collective efforts of leading hardware and software vendors. To this end, Lenovo is dedicated to collaborating with industry leaders to advance the growth and adoption of XR solutions to transform how people work, learn and take care of their health. Enterprises and other organizations can develop for the ThinkReality VRX by utilizing Snapdragon Spaces™ XR Developer Platform and its OpenXR-based SDK. The accessible Snapdragon Spaces ecosystem enables developers to pioneer innovative experiences that lead the next generation of spatial computing.

Lenovo is working with several XR developers independently and through the Snapdragon Spaces platform to make cutting edge applications available on the ThinkReality VRX. The most popular enterprise VR use cases today are immersive training for hard and soft skills, as well as collaboration in 3D environments.

Lenovo ThinkReality is collaborating with these developers among many others through Snapdragon Spaces and is continually expanding its ecosystem.

Bucket Tech: Lyngdorf Home Entertainment

When it comes to home entertainment, quality is key especially if you wanting the true sound performance of what you are listening to, whether it be music or movies. Studios spend thousands, if not millions of dollars on sound recording equipment to record in high-quality audio to give the listener the experience of being right there with them. Most of the modern day sound systems allow you to listen to audio but are you really listening to it, that is the question. You see, there are amplifiers and surround processors and then there is Lyngdorf Audio, the Danish sound technology company who lay claim to the first real digital amplifier which was developed in 1999, take quality to  a whole new level and four of their latest innovations have just arrived in South Africa. 

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 Amplifier

The Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 provides ultimate flexibility. Its small design footprint allows it to be easily placed anywhere in the home, and the vast features offer a great variety of streaming options. All the user-friendly features you could ask for are paired with Lyngdorf Audio’s world-famous digital amplification technology and patented RoomPerfect™ room correction for the ultimate listening experience. Connect the TDAI-1120 to the HDMI (ARC) output of your television to turn the TDAI-1120 into the best sound system for your movies. Connect the TDAI-1120 to your WiFi and enjoy all the integrated streaming services.

The TDAI-1120 accepts all your media interfaces and has an advanced media player of the highest quality. Through the network or via the USB connectors, you can access your library of music via the DLNA/UPnP enabled player. All can intuitively be controlled with your smart phone, tablet, or computer.

The TDAI-1120 ships complete with RoomPerfect™, providing the ultimate listening experience. With RoomPerfect™, the TDAI-1120 delivers a perfect musical experience in all living rooms. In a nutshell, without the need for extensive acoustic treatment, you get a sound system with optimal frequency response, seamless level alignment, and bass management that perfectly integrates the speakers and subwoofers.

Priced from R61,400

Lyngdrof TDAI-3400 HDMI Amplifier

Extreme audio processing options combined with the most powerful and advanced digital amplifier technology, givea you the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, the most powerful product from Lyngdorf Audio. Through the web interface you can perform all setup and operations. The menu system allows you to tailor your setup and sound, and the digital crossover allots three individual output settings. With their proprietary RoomPerfect™ room-correction software to eliminate the negative influence of the listening room, the TDAI-3400 delivers perfect sound without the need for extensive room treatment.

A variety of inputs and outputs provide plenty of options to connect your audio and video sources as well as your speaker setup – such as seven digital inputs including a balanced AES/EBU, USB inputs connects to music stored external, two analog inputs for simple analog music sources and optional modules.

The TDAI-3400 accepts all media interfaces and features a built-in media player with the highest playback quality. Through your local network or via the USB connectors, you can access your entire library of music with the DLNA/UPnP enabled player. This media player also connects to streaming services like Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, and Airplay as well as internet radio. The TDAI-3400 supports TIDAL Connect which enables lossless audio quality with the TIDAL app as the controller.

Priced from R123,100

Lyngdorf MP-40 Surround Processor

The Lyngdorf MP-40 surround sound processor offers sonic qualities and performance in a streamlined design for smaller applications. Ease of installation and user-friendly features are complemented with a simplified feature giving you the opportunity to experience the performance that Lyngdorf Audio is famous for.

The MP-40 features 12 native channel decoding and 16 balanced audio outputs. The MP-40 offers full support of the immersive surround formats DOLBY ATMOS®, DTS:X® and AURO-3D®.

The MP-40 is equipped with Lyngdorf Audio’s proprietary RoomPerfect™ calibration technology, the world’s most sophisticated technology for adapting the sound system to the environment. The RoomPerfect™ calibration ensures a perfect surround sound experience in nearly any installation environment, reducing or even eliminating bulky bass traps and other acoustic treatment.

Priced from R228,900

Lyngdorf MP-60 Surround Processor

The Lyngdorf MP-60 is equipped with all the advanced technologies for which Lyngdorf Audio is known, including the renowned room correction system RoomPerfect and unsurpassed quality in digital signal processing.

The MP-60 features decoding and balanced outputs for 16 audio channels, with extraordinarily easy installation. With eight HDMI inputs and three outputs (one being HDBaseT), this new masterpiece from Lyngdorf Audio supports the HDMI 2.1 feature eARC, Dynamic Lip-Sync and QMS (Quick Media Switching) as well as the latest decoding and post-processing formats. Now with full 16 channel decoding, the MP-60 offers full support of the immersive surround formats DOLBY ATMOS®, DTS:X® PRO and AURO-3D®, and it delivers a surround sound experience that outmatches anything in and above its class. With a video throughput of up to 18 Gbps, the MP-60 supports the full 4K 60Hz video stream including the passing of HDR or Dolby Vision information. eARC enables a full Dolby Atmos audio bitstream being returned to the processor from the television, ensuring full audio quality from the TV’s built-in media players. The MP-60 of course also supports the pass-through of the new HDR format for streaming video: HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma).

Priced from R324,700

Lyngdorf products are exclusively available through Homemation

Bucket Tech: Digital Migration in Africa

We've been hearing about it for over decade now, South Africa was poised to migrate to digital broadcasting since the early 2000's but it never materialized due to a number of setbacks but are we finally on the cusp of digital migration? It's already being rolled out in certain parts of Africa and has shown to have loads of benefits but what is the difference and how will it impact us? Samsung have given a brief summary of what digital migration is and how it will impact the space we're in. 

Shifting to a digital format offers a number of advantages, including improved reception quality, expanded channel options and the ability to add enhanced applications like video-on-demand. Additionally, once TV broadcasting switches to digital, the freed-up spectrum can be used for wireless applications, like those required for 5G for smartphones, that could contribute to broader economic growth. Then there are the added advantages of maximising the potential of pioneering technology like Samsung's 8K QLED. 

The OLED range offers crystal clear TV and a host of incredible benefits to viewers. This includes more screen size options, stunning picture quality enhancements, dazzling colours from every angle, exciting new design elements and it provides even more entertainment options. It does this by offering a new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app and supports Apple AirPlay 2. 

The shift to digital will unlock even more potential from both 4K and 8K technology. 8K QLED can upscale current content to a level closer to 8K. However, digital migration will allow for the creation and viewing of content that even more matches the tech that goes into the breath-taking QLED range. It's therefore important that digital migration is still on the agenda for most African countries. The continent has 54 countries and each presents broadcasters with unique challenges in the shift from analogue to digital signals. 

When it does, pioneering advancements in mobile technology, as well as pioneering products like Samsung QLED, will capture our imagination even more so. 

Bucket Seat: 2018 BMW 3 Series - First Impressions

The love affair between South Africa and the BMW 3 Series still continues even if the now G20 model isn't being produced at Plant Rosslyn. It's not only an important car for South Africa but the world and the German manufacturer knows that pretty well, which is why they invested so much time and energy into perfecting the product that hits the roads. Over 15,000,000 BMW 3 Series have been sold world over since it's introduction in 1982 and while it's probably the most common BMW on our countries roads, South Africa doesn't even feature on their major markets buying map of the car. That is how impressive the sales of the car is world over, with Europe, China and USA making up the top thrree. I was lucky enough to attend the local launch of the new BMW 3 Series last week in the picturesque Cape, where I got the opportunity to put the two launch model engines to the test along some of the countries most beautiful and challenging passes as well as the dreaded Cape Town city traffic. 

As mentioned before, the new BMW 3 Series is being launched in only two engine variants for now the 320d and the 330i, with others due to land on our shores during the course of the year including the mighty M340i xDrive. When it comes to design a car that's so important to the brand, very little risks are taken as to not upset the majority but BMW were less conservative and rather bold with the design on the G20. A remarkable change from its predecessor and once you see it in the metal, it's fair to say they've knocked this one out the park. There have been various comments online about the rear bearing a resemblance to another German brand let me assure you it is far from it and ties in well with the new BMW design language which we see on the new X4 and soon to be launched 8 Series.

It's visually striking and no doubt turned many heads while driving around. I love the new face of the 3, it has power and presence but most importantly it has it's own identity and not just a "baby 5 series" which consumers will value as it is a brand new product. BMW have designed the car on three pillars, which was mentioned in the press conference but the wind distracted me a bit but its primarily driving dynamics, premium quality and innovation. All which BMW have gone into great detail to get right for the 7th generation 3 Series. Once you're in the car, the new interior design style immediately has you in love with the car. While BMW continues with their minimalistic approach  to their interiors, it has enough to wow anyone. The trimmings, finishes are of high quality and with the various textures and trims to chose from in the range, designing your ultimate car would be as fun as driving it. 

On the road, the 320d was pretty much what a 320d is meant to do, a no fuss, fuel sipping gem with that added extra kick to get you places a bit faster if needed. I wanted to drive this engine first as I would feel its the one the market would tend to go for, seeing how well it done in the previous generation. The car is extremely well balanced, so going through the twistys proved to be quite fun, with the high toque in the diesel, you did feel the front end go in at the corners but the car was always beautifully poised to exit. On a straight, the 320d's acceleration is standard another nothing to write home about, given the car is much heavier than the out going model, you would feel that the car is slightly held back by the extra weight. Overall, the 320d's performance on the road ticked all the right boxes for me, its comfortable, a delight to drive and that fuel efficiency is unrivaled with  you being able to get over a 1000km on a tank when driving long distance. 

The 330i is a different beast altogether, just by the tone of the dual exhausts on the back you know this one isn't here to pussy-foot around. With the 4 cylinder petrol engine, it just purrs as you fire it up, engage sport mode and floor, it will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing in astonishment. The 330i can be brutal when the need arises and couple this with the M Sport gearbox with the paddle shift and it will take the enjoyment of driving it up several notches. The car just feels more lighter and nimble than the 320d but I support with the lack of the lag on this one, the petrol engine was always going to feel more nippy. Navigating through traffic with the 330i was seamless, as it even though its a rather big sedan, it manages to slip into the gaps with ease. 

Technology wise, this new 3 Series has all the bells and whistles, so you don't have to own one and look at the 7 to see all the fancy toys. It's also one of the first models BMW have added their autonomous tech too, I didn't get a chance to test it out as the cars I drove didn't come with the option but I'm hoping the test car will have it. The BMW 3 Series also has a digital instrument panel, a key change in the BMW design going forward. It does away with the round ones and mimics the styling ques of the kidney grille. It also displays other information like sat-nav, media and other info that might be needed to see. The new 3 Series also has laser lights, which is something to see in itself. Extended luminance range to up to 4x to that of LED! BMW have also launched a personal assistant with the new 3, which combines AI and user preferences to assist you where it can. So for example if you need it to set reminders for you, navigate you to a specific destination or just keep you entertained on the drive, it will, just have to ask! It's prompted by saying "Hey BMW," but you can change the trigger word to whatever name you would like. 

BMW needed to up their game with this new 3 Series and I think they did, not only did they up their game but surpassed peoples expectations. The new 3 Series is certainly worth all the hype and even if any of the launch engines are not for you, I'd recommend you keep an eye on when the one you'd like is due to be launched.  I know there is a lot expected from the M340i xDrive which has gotten loads of attention across our shores but for what we have now, these have already left a lasting impression on me, I can only imagine how good that is. BMW also listens to market trends which is good, so in terms of packages for the new 3, you get Standard, Sport and M Sport to chose from. BMW have some great launch deals on both the 320d and 330i with M Sport packages, so I suggest prospective buyers take advantage of these great prices before the predicted price increase in April.

Recommended Retail Price

Engine	Standard	Sport Line	M Sport	Sport Launch Edition	M Sport Launch Edition
330i	649 000	672 600	694 400	664 000	684 000
320d	649 000	672 600	694 000	664 000	684 000