Bucket Tech: Huawei Mate 10 - First Impressions

Monday afternoon in Munich, Chinese mobile phone giants, Huawei unveiled their latest flagship smart phone, the Mate 10, along with the Mate 10 Pro and Porsche Design Mate 10 to the world's media. With Samsung and LG having gained the markets attention with their new smartphones, namely the Galaxy Note 8 and the V30, Huawei had to pull out something spectacular with the Mate 10 and unsurprisingly, they did. After launching the world's first smartphone SoC chipset, the Kirin 970 at IFA2017, that very same chipset will power the Mate 10. The chipset is essentially an octo-core processing unit which is split into two quad core processors. It has a combined output of 4.2GHz, but it's the AI abilities that shine through in it, with it being able to perform much faster than it's competitors. The AI capabilities don't stop there as it improves the camera and also be able to translate foreign languages without internet connectivity. 

The design of the Huawei Mate 10 has changed compared to the Mate 9 with it being more rectangular and flat, almost like a P10 Plus, the edges seem to have a smooth bevel finish but the main talking point is the screen. Huawei have opted for the long screen trend which enables "FullView Display" which gives the device one of the best screen to body ratio on the market which Huawei was quick to point out at the launch with a direct comparison with the iPhone X. Moving to the rear of the phone, Huawei have continued with their long-term partnership with Leica, with the Mate 10 sticking with dual lens technology but lenses now are vertically aligned as apposed to horizontal like previous models. The lenses remain as 12 MP RGB and 20MP monochrome which fuse the picture to give a true colour output. Leica have also thrown in a dual ISP to the lens to enhance the picture. The Mate 10 is also rated IP67, which makes it dust and waterproof, so you can take that call, whether you're in the middle of the dessert or in a monsoon. 

A strong aspect about the Mate series from Huawei undoubtedly the battery life, the Mate 10 series has a 400 mAh on board and can deliver 48 hours of life with normal use. That in this day and age is pretty impressive, given the chipset and display which we all know loves to kill the battery. The devices also come with fast charge technology, as seen on the P10 as pretty impressive, With this behemoth battery, 30 minutes of charging from 1% will give the the Mate 10 approximately 58% life. So far this phone seems the business and really set to rock the elite business smartphone market. It's due to land in SA later this year and by then hopefully we will have more info on it. It's nice to see Porsche Design come on again to design a special edition version fo the Mate 10, the Mate 9 Porsche Design was quite a hit and I'm personally eyeing the PD Mate 10 for my next phone.

Bucket Seat: The New BMW M5 - First Impressions

When BMW released it's brand new 5 Series this year, many didn't anticipate just how much of a difference it would be to it's predecessor. Before, it was just a larger extension of the 3 Series family, with a few more luxury extras, however with this new model, it's essentially a slightly smaller version of the 7 Series. In fact, with the technological enhancements that have taken place in Munich research and development sector from the time the new 7 was released to when the 5 was released, it has worked out that the 5 Series offers a bit more than the 7 in terms of cool gadgets, of course the 7 Series will automatically inherit all of these but it's nice to know that they were in the 5 first. 

Now while the 5 Series hit the ground running since it's launch and cemented its name as the ultimate business athlete with a good combination of luxury and sportiness, many waited to see what the German manufacturer had up it's sleeve for the range topping M model, the M5. There were hints and teases given out before the official unveiling, we learnt that the car would have BMW's 4 wheel drive system, dubbed X Drive as a standard and also that the car would have rear wheel steering, helping it take corners with more precision and stability. Later we discovered that the car would be powered by a monster 4.4L V8, while many still dream of the M5 once again having the V10 engine, BMW has ensured that this is its most powerful V8 yet. 

When the covers were officially lifted on the new M5, albeit after another leak, fans were not disappointed! With it's lowered stance, blacked out front kidney grille, large diffuser air-intakes it certainly looked menacing just by standing still. The new M5 comes standard with 19" , 7 spoke dual light alloy rims. It's a fresh new design in rims from BMW and certainly adds to the masculinity to the car. Getting to the business end of the new M5, the 4.4litre V8 bi-turbo engine has M TwinPower Turbo technology which we've been used to in all their engine variants, so what makes this one better? Engineers have carried out significant revisions to the outgoing models power unit, so taking what they've done there to an already great motor and making it better. The engine develops 441kW, yes you read that right, 441kW with 600BHP and has a monumental torque figure of 750Nm, literally pulling the earth as it accelerates with a 0-100km/h time of just 3.4 seconds and a 0-200km/h time of 11.1 seconds.

We spoke about the M5 coming with BMW's M xDrive, but what exactly is it and what does it mean? Well to put it simply, its their version of 4WD, The settings can be changed and adjusted by the driver when and when they want to. It has various configurations to choose from, these are based on combinations of the DSC modes (DSC on, MDM DSC off) and M XDrive modes (4WD, Sport, 2WD). With the suspension designed to deliver maximum traction for everyday use and supreme dynamic performance on track, this along with he M xDrive can make for an ultimate drivers experience. While being more powerful, the new M5 is also more efficient than ever before, with a claimed fuel consumption combined at 10.5L/100km, with C02 emissions combined at 251 g/km. Moving on the inside, while it is very sporty, its still pretty luxurious too, coming with the same gadgets offered in the normal 5 Series variants and that new gear selector is a thing of beauty. 

Overall, the new BMW M5 looks the business, while we in South Africa will only see the car on our streets in the early part of 2018, BMW will have one to show at the BMW M Festival taking place at Kyalami in October. But if you really can't wait to drive one, you can get yourself a copy of the new Need For Speed Payback video game, in which it features. 

Bucket Seat: BMW Concept 8 Series

When BMW AG broke the news that the 6 Series production line had stopped, it meant one two things, we were never going to see the super luxury coupe again or something new and better was coming. Thankfully it was the latter, late last night the German manufacturer lifted the covers on its long awaited return of the 8 Series Coupe and, its magnificent! With rivals Mercedes Benz taking the market by storm with their S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, BMW knew they had to do something to persuade their current clientele and new prospective buyers with something equally great or better than what the competition has. 

And suffice to say, they didn't just do that but they hit the ball out of the park with this one. The BMW Concept 8 Series is something to behold. It's bold, its sleek, it's something that personifies what BMW has planned for the brand in the coming years. Whats even more great about it, is that BMW say that this concept, is very close to what we can expect in the production car next year. Yes, this car will be made and much of what you are seeing here will be in it! 

The design is something completely new from them and BMW say it will influence their product range going forward in terms of design and technology. It also signals BMW's interest in making a move to a higher market in terms of their offering. Being the new range topper from the stable. the Concept 8 Series takes a swipe at luxury sports cars such as Porsche and Aston Martin, so it will be very interesting to see what the final product is and how close it is to the concept. 

The Concept 8 Series also has a new user interface which will follow in the brands lower segments. It see's a new interior layout, which is clean, sleek and very much driver focused and super luxurious while still maintaining key elements that made their simplistic but rational design great in the past. The driver has a full digital cockpit with the ability to view almost any information on it, including the navigation map. No word on whether the car will have the XDrive system which is offered on other high end sports models from them but there is no doubt this one will be fast!

Bucket Tech: Huawei Mate 9 & Porsche Design Mate 9 - First Look

In Munich yesterday, Chinese mobile phone giant Huawei hosted their global launch for it's flagship device, or should I say "devices", the Mate 9 Series. With the Mate 8 being pretty much one of the best business devices of 2016, the Mate 9 has a lot to live up to and speaking at the exclusive global launch, Huawei's CEO, Richard Yu had this to say, "In developing the Huawei Mate 9, we started with a simple question, how can we improve every element of the smartphone experience? We know that for today's business users, a fast and functional smartphone is just the beginning. Consumers also want a gorgeous design and intuitive features, so we created two new devices at the forefront of hardware and software innovation. The result is a device that is breathtakingly new, inside and out."

As mentioned before, not one but two phones were launched yesterday, both of which make up the Mate 9 Series. One is the Huawei Mate 9 and the other a Porsche Design Huawei Mate 9. The Mate 9 and the Porsche Design Mate 9 feature dynamic interplay of industry-leading hardware and advanced software that work together to keep users a step ahead. Some of the key features in the devices are,

•  Huawei's new Kirin 960, Octa-core processing unit, the worlds highest performing smartphone processor. 
• EMUI 5.0, an intuitive user interface that streamlines the users experience with the OS
• SuperCharge technology that delivers a full days charge in 20 minutes.
• Second generation Leica dual-lens camera with 12 megapixel RGB sensor, 20-megapixel monochrome sensor and Hybrid Zoom, featuring a superior 2x magnification. 

Much has been spoken about this new Kirin 960 CPU, Huawei's Kirin chipset has vastly been used by many manufacturers over the years in their devices and the Mate 9 is the first phone to get the 960. It makes use of Huawei's Machine Learning Algorithm to deliver a fast and smooth experience, even after 18 months of continuous usage. Without going into the nitty-gritty of it all, the 960 delivers performance unlike any other processor whilst reducing power consumption by 15 percent, and being energy efficient. 

One of the main issues with smartphones is battery life, whilst the Mate 8 did boast two days of battery life with heavy usage, the Mate 9 comes with a 4000 mAh high-density battery with Huawei's new SuperCharge technology. Along with Huawei's advanced power saving technology, the phone is said to provide over two days of uninterrupted performance. With the SuperCharge tech, it allows the Mate 9 to charge from 0 to 50% in 10 minutes, that is enough power to let you watch two full movies on your device. 

Design wise, the Mate 9 looks great, Huawei calls it performance in design, with their highly regarded design DNA which uses the finest materials to deliver a smartphone that features a 5.9" FHD display and is both beautifully designed and comfortable to use. It has a sleek uni-body metal fram which uses 50 unique processes, including one hour of CNC milling to manufacture. Every detail, from the soft sandblasted texture to the gorgeous colour palette, is a result of more than 25 years experience in delivering refined craftsmanship. 

But for those who want something a little different, Huawei teamed up with design icons, Porsche Design to create the Porsche Design Huawei  Mate 9. Porsche Design isn't new to cellphone design with them having a long history in designing mobile phones for select manufacturers, their designs are unique and timeless. The Porsche Design Huawei Mate 9 will be a limited edition smartphone combining Porsche Design's signature brand aesthetic with Huawei's mobile engineering expertise. Together Huawei and Porsche Design have achieved a new pinnacle where Design meets Technology. Huawei introduces a remarkable 5.5" curved AMOLED display that offers a smooth sleek feel. It will be available exclusively in graphite black. 

Overall the Mate 9 looks like a winner, with another cellphone giant's flagship business phone falling short of expectations recently, Huawei will look to capture the void that was left there. The first wave of launches kicks off soon with selective markets, we in SA will have to wait a while till we see this one, probably in the early parts of 2017. 

Also launch was the Huawei FIT, an all in one wearable device designed to support everybody's fitness needs. Featuring multi-sport tracking, automatic step count, heart rate and sleep monitoring, the waterproof Huawei FIT will be available globally. 

Bucket Seat: BMW - The Next 100 Years

This week saw the BMW Group celebrate 100 years of existence, the German automobile manufacturer celebrated this feat by hosting a grand conference in Munich, inviting the worlds press to take a lot at what they've achieved in those 100 years and oh my, have they achieved a lot. Almost every car made by BMW is distinguishable and unique in it's own way, with sporty elegance fused with luxury, the only way they know how to do it. 

There were some stand out models that they produced from the M1 to the i8, they have been challenging themselves to push the boundaries in motoring and turn visions into reality. Last year they change the face of motoring when they launched to their BMWi fully electric range world wide, which was the first by a major motor manufacturer, showing that they not only believe in their products but have faith in the market to go along with them.

We've seen all of this, now this week the world got a glimpse into what the next 100 years have in store for BMW. A big talking point of recent was autonomous vehicles and their part they play in the future, BMW's unveiled their Vision Concept which showcases what the minds in Germany are thinking. Obviously things will change in the next 100 years but it is a good indication into what the public can expect. 

The car looks something straight from the future, clean lines, futuristic styling, suicide style scisscor doors which leads into a fresh new interior with hardly much in it at all. The steering wheel looks like something that belongs in a gaming console, the entire windscreen is interactive, displaying information for the drive like the speed, the temperature, objects on the road, etc. The car looks magnificent and if that's an indication into where the Group is going, I can only foresee more exciting developments for the future. 

It's not often that brands get recognised by their competitors but such is the competition, fellow German manufacturers Mercedes Benz took time to wish BMW well on their centenary with full page adverts in most of the media. It was tongue and cheek with them commenting on BMW being their only real competition, take that Audi and also Porsche acknowledged this milestone. It's this type of healthy competitiveness is what the consumer needs, because of this the manufacturers are forced give us the best at a price that is affordable. Exciting time lie ahead n the motoring world and I'm glad I get to sample it. 

Durban Bierfest 2015 with Tops at Spar! - COMPETITION

It's that time of the year again Durban, time for the Tops at Spar Bierfest! With Spring just a few days away, temperatures are heating up and with that, there's nothing better than a cool refreshing beer, so the timing is just right for the event. In it's 5th year running, the event will be held inside a 4,000 seater mega Bavarian Brauhaus tent at Suncoast Casino. Like the previous years, the event is themed on the much loved Munich Oktoberfest and the organisers, Tops at Spar have gone all out to ensure this year's event surpasses the ones before in it's own unique way. 

There will be friendly fetching frauleins in drindl skirts to be at your service through-out your time there, a live oompah band that is sure to get you off your bench with some festive tunes, along with a host of artists and bands lined up at this years Bierfest. 

The host for this year, dubbed the "Mayor of Munich" is local comedian and actor, Brendan Murray. Like the previous years, there will be activities for the crowd as well, some of them include Tapping of the Keg, Best Dressed, Mass-Heben (stein lifting). 

One of the presenting partners, No. 3 Fransen Street will be presenting their three small batch bands - a Cream Ale, a pert Ired Red Ale and a traditional Krystal Weiss. Along with an long-time favourite, the limited edition Bavarian styled ale, specially named the Roayal Bavaria Oktoberfest Bier. 

Tops at Spar have pulled out all the stops in partnering with major brands for the event and are responsible for the #DrinkSmart campaign, that encourages visitors to not drink and drive with the mobile app DRYVER in association with Good Fellas, Uber, Becks Non- Alcoholic and JIGUJA detox drink. Safety is their number one priority and they want people attending the Bierfest to get home safely and responsibly. 

Ticketing information: 

The Braumeister Package: R875 (excl. VAT) includes:

• Premium 3 - course traditional Bavarian Meal
• VIP seating
• Dedicated Fraulein to your table
• Complimentary premium bar (Limited)
• Premium costume accessories
• Complimentary 1L Beirfest stein (1 per person)
• Complimentary can of JIGUJA Detox Drink
• Glamcam photo

The Brauhaus Package: R445 (excl. VAT) per person includes:

• Traditional 2-  course Bavarian Meal
• Complimentary Bar (Limited)
• Costume accessories
• Glamcam Photo
• Complimentary can of JIGUJA Detox Drink

Uber Bier Hall DAY TIME ticket: R195 per person includes:

• Entrance to the event
• 1 complimentary 500ml bier
• His/Her apron
• Free bier tasting
• Free can of JIGUJA detox drink
• Glamcam photo

Uber Bier Hall NIGHT TIME ticket: R215 per person includes:

• Entrance to the event
• 1  complimentary 500ml bier
• His/ her apron
• Free bier tasting
• Free can of JIGUJA detox drink
• Glamcam Photo

Option 5: Standard Bier Hall DAY TIME ticket: R125 per person includes:

• Entrance to the event
• Free bier tasting

Option 6: Standard Bier Hall NIGHT TIME ticket: R140 per person includes:

• Entrance to the event
• Free bier tasting

There will be an additional R20 at-door price. All purchases at Bierfest are made using "crowns". Crowns are available in denominations of R30 and purchased in packs of 5 (value R150). Crowns are NON-REFUNDABLE.

All packages can be booked through the office TOPS at SPAR Bierfest website: www.bierfest.co.za or through the events Facebook page, SA Bierfest.

The event is not open to visitors under the age of 18.

COMPETITION TIME! Win double tickets for you and a friend to either the DAY TIME event or NIGHT TIME event. 

To enter for the DAY TIME event:

Simply follow me @AMG133 on twitter and tweet: "I want to win with @AMG133 and @SABierfest #SABierfest"

To enter for the NIGHT TIME event:

LIKE the Bucket Facebook Page and comment on the post about Bierfest: "I want to win with the Bucket and #SABierfest!"

Both competitions close on Tuesday at 12pm.