The article profiles three women designers and their careers in the decor industry. It discusses their backgrounds and qualifications, the best parts of their jobs, and sources of inspiration. It asks about their use of technology and what trends they are noticing. One designer is the Head of Design for Homeware at Woolworths and draws inspiration from her travels. She finds tech helps her research globally and stay connected. The other designers also discuss how tech supports their work and ideas gaining popularity.

1. Making technology simple
HOT STUFF!
> Meet Leigh-Anne Williams
> Jozi-by-the-sea:
Living the dream
LOUD &
CLEAR
Is digital audio the
next big thing?
EYE FOR DESIGN
Who’s behind
divine décor?

2. General Manager
Consumer Segments
VIVIENNE GELDENHUYS
Editorial Director
& Publisher
PAUL INGPEN
paul@electricink.co.za
Editor
MELANIE FARRELL
Art Director
ELINORE DE LISLE
Cover photograph
SUPPLIED
SYNC is published monthly by
Electric Ink Media for ALTECH
AUTOPAGE. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in
part without written permission
is strictly prohibited. For
editorial enquiries, please email:
biz&sync@electricink.co.za
wel
come
Now that we’re emerging from the grip of a long, cold (and often power-less) winter we’re
honing in on hot stuff.
Leigh-Anne Williams from SABC3’s morning show, Expresso, is fully charged on life. She talks
about having a healthy body image, and her ideal tech for work and play.
Tech is heating up the world of competitive sport where every second counts. Top SA cyclist
Louis Meintjes talks about tech that gives him the edge.
Ever wondered who’s behind the desirable décor that tempts us in stores and online? We chat
to three designing women about what makes them tick and what’s catching their eyes right now.
Living and working in the Garden Route is a pipe-dream for many of us. I mean, no-one will
take you seriously if you’re living at the beach, will they? One man decided to make the dream
a reality and used technology to set up Jozi-by-the-sea in Knysna.
Here’s to a spectacular spring in your step! – the Sync team
PhotocourtesyVoiceMap

3. in thisissue
DATA DECODER
Online
consumption
calculator
Three décor experts
talk about style
BIKE TECH
BOOST
Top cyclist
Louis Meintjes
spins along
BEST OF BOTH
WORLDS
Live by the sea,
work in ‘Jozi’
BIG THINKING
Books to expand
your mind
MOVIE MIX
Reel-time fun
entertainment
WHAT’S YOUR
GAME?
Test your skills
APP TO IT
Handy apps to
have at hand
MEET LEIGH-
ANNE WILLIAMS
WIDE-AWAKE AND ON
THE GO WITH EXPRESSO
THE HUAWEI P8:
PLAY WITH IT IF
YOU CAN
OUR PICK
OF THE
PRODUCTS
What’s happening
around the
country?
SYNC
YOUR
DIARY
SYNC
YOUR LIFE
Live smart:
Good ideas to live
your best life
Work smart:
Tech breakthroughs
and news
DESIGNING
WOMEN

4. SABC 3’s Expresso presenter and Strictly Come
Dancing contestant Leigh-Anne Williams is
bubbly, vivacious and down-to-earth - the
unpretentious TV star everyone loves to love.
All dimples, long hair and a healthy glow, she
oozes girl-next-door sexy. Leigh-Anne shares
her refreshingly balanced views on keeping fit
and healthy with a super-busy schedule.
meet
‘MY FAVOURITE PIECE OF TECH IS MY SAMSUNG
NOTE 4 PHONE. I TRAVEL A LOT SO I NEED TO
BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL MY ADMIN EASILY.’
INTERVIEW BY TRACY MELASS
Photos:supplied
leigh-
anne
williamsPresenter, actress and radio personality.

5. What does health mean
to you?
Health is very important to
me. I battled with weight all
my life and I have recently
gone through a body
transformation. I value my
health and fitness so much
more now. It took hard work
and determination to break
the cycle of being unfit,
unhealthy and overweight.
How did you break this
cycle - and why?
In October 2014, I met an
incredible trainer, Bruce
Benjamin. I saw the amazing
results he achieved with my
Expresso colleague Ewan
Strydom. He worked out
a specific eating plan and
training programme for me.
I’ve never met anyone so
committed to their clients’
success until I met Bruce -
I lost 11kg over 3 months.
What are your top three
tips for healthy living?
Eating clean is vital! (lots
of fruit and vegetables),
exercise regularly and
drink lots of water.
Have you always
been healthy?
Definitely not. I’ve had an
unhealthy relationship
with food my whole life.
I had to unlearn all those
bad eating habits and
addictions to things like
sugar and carbs. I also
had to learn to not run
to food as a coping
mechanism. About
90% of weight-loss
success is a result of
what you eat.
How do you resist
temptation when
there’s a pizza
under your nose?
I don’t give myself cheat
days, but rather cheat events.
So, for example, a big event
is coming up, I will work to
maintain my routine and
then, on that night, spoil
myself with a treat. Then I go
right back to my programme.
Cheat days are a trap.
Rather have an event that’s
worth working toward
and reward yourself on
the night. Not every
weekend.
What makes you
smile?
A daily call from my
mom, achieving a career
goal, fitting into an
item of clothing I once
thought was impossible.
tech
talk
What’s your favourite
piece of tech?
My Samsung Note 4
phone. It’s my portable
office and it does
everything. I travel a lot
so I need to be able to
handle my admin easily
and effectively and
I can do all of it on
my phone.
How do you balance
being switched on –
and off?
When I get home at
night, I don’t do any
more work. I fully
switch off – emotionally
and physically.
‘I’VE HAD AN UNHEALTHY
RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD
MY WHOLE LIFE. I HAD TO
UNLEARN ALL THOSE BAD
EATING HABITS & ADDICTIONS.
onhealth
I have 6 small meals a day.
Morning A bowl of cooked oats with a scoop of whey protein
Mid-morning Green apple and goji berries
Lunch Tuna/chicken/boiled eggs with a salad/veggies and
mashed sweet potato
Mid-afternoon Green apple and almonds
Dinner Fish/chicken/ostrich mince with green salad/broccoli
Late snack Fat-free yoghurt and a scoop of whey protein
leigh-anne’s eatingplan

6. top3
aPPs
Is it is important to you
to be in shape?
I think being in shape is a
personal journey. For me,
it’s necessary for my work.
But also as a woman, being
in shape is actually just me
taking care of my body - a
case of me valuing myself.
How often do you train?
I train in the mornings after
the show for an hour and
then again cardio at night.
Do you have a healthy
body image?
I didn’t used to, but I do
have one now - yes. There
are those days when I just
feel unattractive. It’s normal,
I think. Most women do.
Thankfully, it doesn’t last
very long though. I have a
trick for those days. I usually
wear my red lipstick, or hit
the treadmill, or ... if I’m too
lazy, then a little bit of dark
chocolate is my Achilles heel.
How serious are you about
fitness and being in shape?
Well, I’m not a fitness fanatic.
In fact, I wish being in shape
was a genetic thing. I have to
work hard and I accept that
that’s part of the process. I
don’t have to love it though…
What are your top 3
exercise tips?
Uphill walking on the
treadmill on 15% gradient.
Squats and lunges are
amazing for toning and
sculpting buttocks, and
planking and push-ups
are amazing for building core
strength.
How do you keep your
regime on track if you are
always travelling?
Regimes are hard to follow
when you’re on the road. I
try to exercise every day, to
compensate for not being
able to eat what I normally
would. And I drink lots of
water. Then when I get back
home, I jump right back into
my normal routine.
Who is your role model?
My mom. She’s worked so
hard to provide my brother
and I with everything we’ve
ever needed. And she’s done
it alone. I don’t ever need to
look far for a role model.
How do you stay real in a
glitzy industry?
To me, what I do is just a job.
It doesn’t make me better or
worse than anybody else.
I still want people to treat me
normally and with respect
as I would do for them -
whatever work they do or
where ever they’re from.
How do you enjoy spending
your free time?
I don’t have a lot of free
time, so when it comes
around, I just love to spend
it on my couch, catching up
on series.
What is your life
philosophy?
Hard work, kindness and
endurance will always pay off.
Do you have a daily mantra?
Be yourself, the world will
adjust.
What’s the best thing
about being in front of
the camera?
Working with the people
who make it happen behind
the scenes. They are the
true stars.
fitness life&career
Avios
I travel a lot so it’s
great to earn points on
things that I buy and use
them for travel.
Instagram
I love being connected
to people through
their photos.
UBER
Such a clever idea!
It’s efficient and makes
my life easy.

7. Photos:Supplied
thebest
of both
worlds
Smart thinking and making the most of technology have enabled Andrew Page Wood
to ‘work’ in Joburg while living in Knysna. And he’s sharing the joys of Jozi-by-the-sea
with like-minded business people. BY MELANIE FARRELL

8. ndrew Page Wood
believes in living in
the best of both
worlds. So he
lives in Knysna,
and works in
Joburg.
‘Joburg is where business
happens. If the people you’re
dealing with know you’re
Knysna-based they just don’t
take you seriously,’ he said in
an interview on Kyknet.
Last year the go-getter
set up the Directors Club in
Knysna: a slice of Jozi-by-
the-sea. ‘We even have an
011 landline number at the
club. Clients think that they’re
calling someone in Joburg.’
So where did Andrew get
the idea for setting up the
Directors Club?
‘I lived and worked in
Joburg, and then Cape Town
for many years. When I was
on holiday in Knysna I could
see that people who live here
are happier and, generally,
healthier. I wanted to spend
time with my kids and walk
on the beach so I decided to
move to Knysna full time.
‘I thought why wait till I’m
65 with a boep to retire?
Retire now! So I “retired” at
45 to Knysna but I had to
think about how I was going
to earn a living.
‘In this day and age of
technology telecommuting
was the solution. My
assistant, who lives in Cape
Town, connects with me via
something called a Virtual
Private Network (VPN).
I schedule my time in Joburg
so that I get to be in Knysna
every single weekend with
my kids, and I’m here for
two to three days during the
week as well.
‘My customers know
how I live and it’s worked
well for years in Europe and
America; in America they call
it “telecommuting”. America
is so vast that you do all your
business on screen over
there. It offers a huge saving
on travel costs.
‘No-one has to know I’m
working from Knysna. I wear
a collared shirt in conference
calls and technology enables
us to do all the rest; I might
be wearing my board shorts
below the conference table
but I’m a professional from
the waist up!’
Catherine Russell, a web
developer who has been a
member of the club for six
months, told The Times that
the club ‘is very modern and
friendly’. ‘My husband travels
a lot and I work freelance so
I’m alone at home most of
the day. Now I can interact
with other people and I’ve
picked up a few clients,’
Catherine said.
What does the club offer?
The double-storey converted
hotel is on Main Road in
Knysna and has the feel
and look of a top-end city
company, with security
access control, high-speed
internet, meeting rooms and
corporate suites with names
such as Madiba, Gandhi and
Churchill.
The Directors Club
‘offers the best high speed
connectivity in town as we
see this as a critical element
to our business – we’ve
spared no cost on getting
this right. There is full
wireless access throughout
the club’ says Andrew.
There’s also a jetlag shower-
room and lockers for
private members.
‘You can choose a package
best suited to your needs –
be it full membership, jet-
setter membership or day
membership. Why be tied
to four walls? The future is
mobile!’ says Andrew.
Andrew’s Kyknet interview
WHAT IS A VPN?
A virtual private
network (VPN) is
a network that
uses a public
telecommunication
infrastructure, such as the
Internet, to provide remote
offices or individual users
with secure access to their
organisation’s network.
Photo:EwaldStanderPhotography
Director’s Club Chief
Executive Officer Andrew
Page Wood and General
Manager Traci Shannon.

9. moviesin the mixAugust sees a mixed bag of movies, from moving family drama to fun family comedy.
For lovers of the hit TV series
of the same name, movie star
Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier)
and his gang pick up six months
after the famous show left off.
The friends begin their adventures
in Hollywood and end up
travelling to Miami. Definitely one
for the Entourage entourage!
A grieving father (Bill Crudup) goes
on a downward spiral after his son
is killed in a school shooting. He
comes across a box of his deceased
son’s demo tapes and lyrics and is
shocked by the discovery of this
unknown talent. He begins to find a
way to recover, through music, from
the grief of losing his son.
When aliens see video
feeds of classic arcade
games, they misinterpret
them as a declaration of
war. They attack, using
the games as models for
their various assaults.
President Will Cooper has
to call on his best friend,
video-game-champ-turned-
home-theatre-installer Jules
Brenner (Adam Sandler), to
lead a team of old-school
arcade gamers on a mission
to save the planet.
Maria Altmann (Helen
Mirren), a Holocaust
survivor in her 80s
living in Los Angeles,
tries to get back art
stolen by the Nazis
from her family in
Vienna prior to World
War II. Together with
her young lawyer,
E. Randolf Schoenberg
(Ryan Reynolds), she fights the government of
Austria for almost a decade to reclaim Gustav
Klimt’s iconic painting of her aunt, Portrait of
Adele Bloch-Bauer I.

10. Photos:supplied
We speak to three designing women about what
makes them tick, how tech helps them to do
their jobs and what they’re eyeing up in decor.
How long have you been in
the industry? I have been in
retail, buying and design for
20-odd years!
How did you qualify? I studied
Clothing Design at Natal
Technikon, and worked in clothing
at Woolworths. While I was at
Woolies I went to India and fell in
love with the colour, the beautiful
fabrics and embroideries and
the incredible product that was
handcrafted in that crazy, dusty,
chaotic country. I made a huge leap
from the safety of the corporate
world and started my own
business designing and importing
product from India, Vietnam and
Indonesia. It was a 13-year journey
filled with great triumphs, hurdles
and pitfalls that brought me in a full
circle back to Woolworths as the
Head of Design in Homeware.
design
an eye for
CLAIRE SMITH-ROBINSON
head of Design-Homeware, Woolworths
woolieswoman

11. Best part of your job? Working with
creative people and being exposed to
beautiful product, fabrics and colour
on a day to day basis. I also travel
regularly and love walking the streets
of cities around the world being
inspired by people, food, windows
and lifestyles.
Where do you get inspiration
from (in terms of décor)? We
subscribe to a number of trend sites
worldwide, which cover so many
aspects of everyday life – influences,
colour, lifestyle changes and trends.
I am inspired by everything around
me and I am always taking pictures
of random things. I love colour and
pattern so always think of ways
that can be interpreted into beautiful
product.
What are your favourite décor
trends? Artisanal and hand crafted
product – be it wood, metal, fabric
or ceramic. I love the imperfections
and organic feel! Our new artisanal
kitchen range, made from olive wood
and oak, is so beautiful, stylish and
aspirational.
Do you think there is a crossover
between fashion and décor?
Most definitely; there is always
a strong colour crossover and often
key fabrics and textures are used
between fashion clothing and décor.
What lies ahead for spring/
summer décor?
The artisanal look is still strong
and continues on from Winter into
Summer as it is expanded into
more areas in homeware.
All metallics continue as strong
accents in home accessories,
bar and print details on scatter
cushions.
Painted florals and animal images.
There is always a strong neutral
base of naturals and greys with
warmer colours at the beginning
of the season, freshening up as the
season progresses. Yellow is still a
strong accent colour. Nude and soft
pink are strong and so fresh and
lovely combined with rose gold and
pops of yellow or aqua.
tech
talk
‘ALL METALLICS CONTINUE AS
STRONG ACCENTS IN HOME
ACCESSORIES, BAR AND PRINT
DETAILS ON SCATTER CUSHIONS.’
Do you use your phone
to do your job?
My phone is a bit of a life support
system, I use it to do my job
all the time. My calendar is up
to date with all my meetings -
email on the go and my camera
works overtime. Google, weather,
travel, Pinterest, Instagram and
Whatsapp are my regulars.
Are you a gamer?
I try and avoid games because
I could become hooked. However,
my seven-year-old gets me to
play games with him sometimes
– especially Plants vs Zombies 2.
Your top décor blog or blogs?
There are a number of blogs that
I follow but my favourites at the
moment are A Bloomsbury Life,
Slim Paley, Design Tripper and
Herriot Grace.
Top décor app or apps?
Pinterest is fantastic. I also
follow a number of local
and international people on
Instagram. Flipboard is also a
great app which you can tailor
make to get updates on all your
favourite topics.

12. How long have you been a décor
buyer? I moved over from working in
jewellery to becoming a décor buyer
6 months ago.
How did you qualify? I actually
come from a jewellery manufacturing
background having studied Jewellery
Design and Manufacture.
Best part of your job? I love the
whole process from researching the
trends to seeing how all the different
areas in the business come together
to make a compelling statement.
Where do you get inspiration from
(in terms of décor)? International
and local interior and fashion
websites and blogs and, of course,
Pinterest.
What are your favourite décor
trends? Metallics are big this winter
especially copper (rose gold) and
this trend continues to grow going
into summer.
Do you think there is a crossover
between fashion and décor?
Absolutely. Fashion trends filter
into homeware but fashion trends
are more fickle whereas homeware
trends have more longevity.
What lies ahead for spring/
summer? Grey is the new white
and this forms the base of the
colour palette for summer, it is
complemented with cool blues of all
hues popped with corals and greens.
Do you use your phone for your job?
I use my iPad more than my phone.
LELANI ADAMSON
accessory buyer for @home
feelright@home
‘GREY IS THE NEW
WHITE AND FORMS
THE BASE OF THE
COLOUR PALETTE
FOR SUMMER.’
What type of lighting are you liking at the moment?
Set the mood with a beautiful copper ceiling pendant Or for the nights
you don’t have electricity, go for a selection of stylish, metal framed
candleholders. From left: Bell Copper Light, R999; Round Copper Octagon
Lantern R349; Slanted Faceted Glass/Metal Hurricane R299
leani’s
lights

13. How long have you been a décor
buyer? 19 years
How did you qualify? I studied
Economics at the University of
Stellenbosch and did my Honours
degree in International Trade.
Best part of your job? Travelling to
far and exotic destinations.
Where do you get inspiration from
(in terms of décor)? Mostly from
my travels and meeting with various
artisans in different fields of design
and manufacturing in
16 different countries. I also still
closely follow quite a few Dutch and
Belgian designers and traders as
I feel they are leaders in the field of
design and product development
and not followers.
Do you think there is a crossover
between fashion and décor?
Absolutely! We see it all the time in
materials, textiles, finishes and form.
What lies ahead for spring/summer
décor? 2015 is about stripping
back to the essentials. We look
to the past for inspiration, but
view retro colours and styling in
a fresh, new way. Vintage colours,
like burnt orange, pale gold
and greys are great colours to
work with.
Do you use your phone for work?
Yes! I use it for emails, photos and
business enquiries.
Your top décor blog and app?
Emmas Blog and Pinterest
SUMARI KRIGE MD of La Grange Interiors
lifeatlagrange
sumari sittingpretty
What’s your favourite piece of furniture?
My ‘Distrikt Chaise’ – it’s where I curl up and read a book. It it has a
built in side table where my reading lamp fits beautifully. Stylish with an
industrial edge, comfortable and functional - It’s the perfect piece.

14. you appto it?
SMALL BUT
SPEEDY
KEEP IN TOUCH
CHILD’S PLAY
A colourful, quirky children’s app designed for pre-
schoolers. It involves building monsters with body
parts littered around the landscape, while exploring
the skies and ocean. The design of the app encourages
children to be creative and learning what is needed to
fly high, swim fast or simply walk around.
The big selling point for
this web browser is its tiny
footprint on your device:
it’s just 0.6MB.
Maker APUS is claiming
that it’s not just small
though: it’s pretty nippy
too. It’s most useful if
you’re on a lower-end
smartphone and a slow
connection.
With just a single tap, you
can load the trending news,
your social networks and
favourite sites.
You can set your favourite
search engine as the
default, and search results
can show items that are
most visited so you can
quickly access them.
Slack is a small business
collaboration and real-time
messaging tool that is also
used by some of the most
progressive big companies
in the world including
AirBnB, BuzzFeed and ebay.
It allows companies to
create various channels
within their businesses,
and to use them to
communicate with
their teams.
It’s simple to use, all
communications are easily
searchable, and channels
include messages, file and
comment sharing, and
image sharing. It seamlessly
integrates with other
services such as Twitter,
Dropbox and Google Drive.

15. This year, Meintjes won
his first European stage
race in Italy’s Coppi e
Bartali. He finished third
on the challenging
seventh stage in the
Critérium du Dauphiné,
behind Chris Froome
(Team Sky) and Tejay van
Garderen (BMC Racing).
Race report
Louis Meintjes (team
MTN-Qhubeka) im-
pressed the cycling world
at the Tour de France,
coming fifth in the 12th
stage, despite a bad fall.
Sadly, he withdrew with
gastroenteritis before the
17th stage.
‘Louis will be back at
the Tour de France in
the future going for the
overall victory,’ said MTN-
Qhubeka Team Principal
Doug Ryder.
The first African team
to take part, MTN-
Qhubeka achieved
fifth position in the team
competition.
Eritrean Daniel Tekle-
haimanot won King of the
Mountains on four stages.
bike tech boosts...
louis meintjesIn his first year on the World Tour, African champion Louis Meintjes has achieved
spectacular results. He talks about the role technology plays in his training and racing.
BY STEVE KROMBERG
PhotosbyMTN-Qhubekap/bSamsung/StiehlPhotography

16. TRAINING
‘Technology makes it much
easier to record what you are
actually doing in training and
then to analyse it,’ Meintjes
told Sync. ‘You can learn
much quicker what kind of
training works for you as an
individual.’
Analytical software also
prevents injuries by analys-
ing the stress your body is
going through and predicting
‘how you should be able to
cope with the next training
session’.
ON THE BIKE
When on his bike, Meintjes
uses a Garmin 510 bike com-
puter, a heart rate strap and a
Rotor InPower power meter.
‘Power meters make it
really easy to identify your
strengths and weaknesses.’
He uses the information to
choose races that suit his
strengths.
Live performance track-
ing during a race is banned,
however.
IMPROVING BIKES
‘It is amazing how every year
the bike just feels faster and
everything works just that lit-
tle bit better,’ says Meintjes.
‘More aerodynamic, lighter
and stiffer.’
He says his main race bike,
the Cervélo’s S5, one of the
most aerodynamic.
AVAILABILITY
Samsung phones and tablets
are used to communicate, to
prepare for races and to track
riders’ performances.
Although consumers can
buy much of the technology
the team uses, they are
involved in developing compo-
nents not yet publicly available.
Team MTN-Qhubeka, powered by Samsung, is
steadily working its way up from a regional team
to a Continental Professional team based in South
Africa and Italy.
In its third season, it is Africa’s first and only
Professional Continental team, which is already
positioning itself at the top of world cycling.
The team also raises funds for Qhubeka, World
Bicycle Relief’s programme, which aims to get
bicycles to 5 000 young South Africans.
Team MTN-Qhubeka uses
Stellenbosch-based EyeGym
to improve reaction times:
Read about Louis Meintjes
Read about BestBikeSplit
mtn-Qhubeka
Read more about the team or donate to Qhubeka

17. NOT ONLY FOR
THE WEALTHY
Some amateurs seem
to spend nearly as
much time shopping as
they do training, hop-
ing the latest tech will
slash their times by a
few precious seconds.
But there are many
free apps that are use-
ful for tracking training
sessions and setting
targets for each ses-
sion.
See Runners’ World
magazine’s best apps
for athletes
SMART PHONES
AND WATCHES
Comrades Marathon Silver
Medal winner Ashley
Driver says running with
a smartphone ‘is great for
running in foreign places
where you can download
running routes’.
Driver also runs with his
watch. ‘I absolutely depend
on it for instant and average
pacing feedback, heart rate,
cadence (strides per min-
ute) and of course distance.’
‘My watch can run
widgets such as a Comrades
“up run” predictor which
gave a continual intelligent
finish time estimate.’
sportgetstechnical
Sport is leading the wearable technology race by a healthy margin,
with new devices and software coming onto the market every day.
sporty
aPPs
MapMyFitness
The basic free version is great for
cycling, running and swimming.
It analyses performance and
helps you work out where to
save time and set future targets.
Strava
Strava users love its easy social
functionality, enabling them to
connect with and follow other
athletes.
Adidas Micoach
Monitors vital signs and
analyses your performance. Let
the voices of Andy Murray or
Jessica Enis-Hill coach you to
peak performance.
SPORTS TO WATCH Keep your eye on the ball in August with international athletics, cricket and golf.
13th-16th
PGA Championship,
Whistling Straits,
Kohle, Wisconsin
22nd-30th
Athletics World
Championships,
Beijing
20th-24th
Final Ashes Test
England v Australia
fifth Test, The Oval
STAY IN THE ZONE
Heart rate monitors help
you push hard but still stay
in the safety zone.
The latest iPhone, Sam-
sung Galaxy smart watches
have built-in heart rate
monitors but free apps
such as Instant Heartrate
Monitor use your cellphone
camera by analysing colour
changes in your fingertip.
Many smart sport watches
use heart rate straps, still re-
garded as the most accurate.
Monitor your heart rate
with any Android phone

18. exPand your mind
by Douglas Kruger (Penguin)
In Relentlessly Relevant, professional
speaker and business guru
Douglas Kruger explores the field
of innovation, reducing its subject
matter to the simple starting
points you need to become an
industry trendsetter. It pinpoints
the levers within your own
business crying out for innovation,
as well as the bits you should leave
alone, and it teaches you to change
your traditional way of thinking.
by Ashlee Vance
(Penguin)
South African born Elon
Musk is a renowned
entrepreneur. He wants
to send citizens into
space, to form a colony
on Mars; he wants to
make money while
doing these things; and
he wants us to know
about it. Reporter, Ashlee
Vance, shadowed Musk
for a year and captured
the inspirational thinker
in this book.
by Matt Haig (Penguin)
When he was 24, Matt
Haig’s world caved in.
He could see no way to
go on living. This is the
true story of how he came
through crises, triumphed
over an illness that almost
destroyed him
and learned to live again.
A moving, funny and
joyous exploration of
how to live better, love
better and feel more
alive, Reasons to Stay Alive
is a book about making
the most of your time
on earth.Reports on the latest scientific
discoveries and breakthroughs
can seem like a foreign
language, from black holes,
to dark matter and exoplanets
to leap seconds. Finally get
to grips with these difficult
concepts by reading Ben
Gilliland’s unique take on them.
Science But Not As We Know It
takes complex scientific ideas
and breaks them down for the
non-scientist, from explaining
the size of the Universe, to how
black holes work.
booksto
by Gail Dore (Struik
Lifestyle)
Every day, thousands
of children go to school
knowing they’re going
to be bullied. Children
who are targeted by
bullies are at risk, yet
many parents don’t
know why it is happening
or what to do about it.
Bully-proof looks at
every aspect of bullying
and examines what
can be done to
control it.
(Dorling Kindersley)

19. Good ideas to help you to live your best life with top tips from the web. COMPILED BY MELANIE FARRELL
syncyour life
healthyfoodmakeoversIt’s easy to graze on unhealthy snacks while watching TV. We’ve found some fab
ways to transform fast food into dishes that are nutritious and delicious. Eat on!
GOURMET POPCORN
Why not have a home movie night
and make your own gourmet popcorn?
Check out Greatist’s popcorn recipes, paired
with a movie. You may want to try Chocolate
Chip Coconut Popcorn (eat during Stranger
than Fiction) or be tempted by Italian breadstick
popcorn (to eat while watching The Godfather).
And who could resist no-bake peanut-butter
popcorn? (munch while watching Meet
Joe Black).
MEXICAN MAINS
Who doesn’t love Mexican food?
All oozy, cheesy delights with
crunchy nachos and refried beans.
And you can make Mexican food
that’s surprisingly healthy. The
next time you whip up a burrito,
quesadilla or churro try a healthier
seven-layer dip, grilled sweet
potato nachos, cauliflower and
chickpea tacos or steak tacos
with chimichuri sauce.
SWEET TREAT
Who can resist chocolate and
strawberries? And that jar of Nutella is
so handy to have during moments of
need. Babble has found a recipe for a
Strawberry Nutella Puff Tart that uses
Nutella along with a wholewheat base,
Greek yoghurt and fresh strawberries.
So that means it’s healthy, right?
live smart

20. live smart
THINK YOU CAN’T DO YOGA? YOU’LL BE SURPRISED
Try this great yoga stretch when you’ve been hunched over a screen for hours. In fact, if
you can do this regularly throughout the day you’ll be doing your upper back, shoulders
and neck a favour. Take a look at Greatist’s best yoga moves for inflexible bodies.
HOT YOGA
‘POP-UP’
PODS
Devotees of ‘hot’ yoga
will be in a sweat
to hear that hotpod
yoga has come to SA.
Hotpod Yoga provides
hot Vinyasa Yoga
classes in inflatable,
heated studios. The
yoga pods are kept
at a constant 37°c
to aid flexibility. Find
them at Greenside at
the Pirates Club, in
Midrand at the Body
Beautiful Gym and in
Pretoria along Pinaster
Avenue.
yogaforyou

21. live smart
DE-STRESS: PET A POOCH
When Bristol University advertised a puppy-petting centre during
exam time 2000 stressed-out students applied for 500 spots. The
project was organised in partnership with UK Guide Dogs and based
on research that says dogs ease stress.
reasonstobecheerful
DID YOU KNOW?
Santam Insurance has
made a YouTube video that
will make you smile at our
uniquely South African
way of life. Watch people
from Japan, England
and Sweden marvel
at ‘chop and dop’ and
‘loadshedding’. You’ll see
your world differently.
AMERICANS EAT SA SNACKS
Rusks, biltong and anchovy spread are all put
to the taste test with hilarious results when
these Americans are given South African
snacks for the first time.
TIM NOAKES MEETS
HIS MATCH
Suzelle lures an unsuspecting Tim
Noakes into her DIY studio to help
her to prepare a low-carb pizza.
Everything’s going swimmingly
until Suzelle’s friend, Marianne,
produces a batch of koeksisters.
How will the no-carbohydrate,
no-sugar professor react when
confronted with a koeksister?
HEALTHY HEART = HEALTHY MIND
We all know the physical benefits of exercise and that
it’s a mood-booster. But did you know that exercise
changes your brain to be better at basically everything?
An article on Fast Company reveals that older adults
who exercised more performed better on cognitive tests.
BEST FREE
WORKOUT
VIDEOS
Work out with some
of the best personal
trainers with great
free workout videos
on YouTube. Imagine
tough-talking Jillian
Michaels taking you
through her total body
workout. ‘If you’re not
out of breath you’re not
working hard enough,’
says Jillian, who rose
to fame as the no-
nonsense trainer in
The Biggest Loser.

22. work smart Tune in to mobile audio with VoiceMap,
audiobooks and podcasts. BY STEVE KROMBERG
MIDNIGHT
IN PEKING
This fascinating and
entertaining example
of a VoiceMap
soundtrack guides
you through the
spaces where Paul
French’s true story
Midnight in Peking
takes place. The book
relives the murder
of innocent young
English woman,
Pamela Werner,
revealing the dark
side of the old Peking
before the Japanese
occupation.
AUDIOBOOKS:
WHEN
READING’S
NOT AN
OPTION
I’ve become a huge fan of audio-
books. I can listen to a book when
I drive my car, when I cook and clean,
and in the dark when I’m trying to
fall asleep. I’ve tried to listen to an
audiobook while working but that’s
not so successful. I’m just not a good
enough multitasker.
Audiobooks are perfect for blind or
visually impaired people.
I’ve decided that it’s worth
paying for the latest books read by
a professional, so I’ve taken out a
monthly subscription with Audible.
For half the price of a printed book,
I get one credit a month which can
be used on any audiobook in its
catalogue. Audible syncs across my
laptop, tablet and cellphone.
There are also many apps, such
as Librivox which focus on free
audiobooks, produced by volunteers
reading books in the public domain.
VoiceMap caters for both storytellers and
their audience. As they say, ‘there is no
better way of seeing the world than through
another person’s eyes’.
Many of the soundtracks aren’t really
tourist guides at all, they’re stories set in
places you happen to be travelling through.
VoiceMap has stories in over 16 countries.
The Endemic Project (see next page)
and Midnight in Peking are two VoiceMap
projects to whet your appetite:
VOICEMAP: PEOPLE WHO
KNOW WHAT THEY’RE
TALKING ABOUT
At the launch of Robben Island Museum,
I was guided through the prison by a brilliant
storyteller and former political prisoner,
Mosiuoa Lekota. His vivid tales made the
drab prison come alive for me.
By contrast, I’ve also been forced to listen
to a boring tour guide spouting well-worn
facts, while cruising through Amsterdam in
an air-conditioned barge that felt like
a mobile prison.
Cape Town-based startup VoiceMap wants
to bring you unique and entertaining stories
about places, recorded by people who know
what they’re talking about. A smartphone
app uses GPS to trigger stories that guide you
through selected places around the world.

23. work smart
THE ENDEMIC PROJECT
If you happen to be in Cape Town, plan a magic night trip
down Rhodes Drive through the Constantia forest.
The Endemic Project soundtrack on VoiceMap leads to your
discovery of enchanting luminous wildlife paintings
that appear in your headlights.
The paintings depict creatures endemic to the area, that
cannot be found anywhere else on earth and the audiotrack
combines their natural sounds with original compositions.
The Endemic Project was created by Bryan Little, and the
sound is arranged by Sylvan Aztok.
PODCASTS ADD A
NEW DIMENSION
TO THE AIR
Some of my best friends listen
to podcasts. Until recently,
I couldn’t understand why.
I read most of my news online, watch TV and
YouTube videos, or listen to audiobooks.
One serialised programme changed that.
I saw a friend raving about the rather obviously
named Serial on Facebook, so I downloaded
the first couple of episodes.
I was hooked, along with millions of other
people around the world.
Serial documents an investigation into the
arrest, trial and conviction of Adnan Syed for
the murder of his classmate and ex-girlfriend,
Hae Min Lee, in Baltimore, 1999. What really
happened? Was he guilty? Was it a fair trial.
Was his lawyer charged with misconduct and
fraud? Is an innocent man sitting in prison?
I used Stitcher to listen to Serial but there are
many apps which can be used to download, or
stream, podcasts, including iTunes. As its name
suggested, a podcast is like a radio programme
that is not broadcast but downloaded.
See why Serial has become so popular.
The best iPhone podcast app

24. what’s your game?
PURE DESIGN
They call it a ‘minimal action’ game, but other comments include
‘a masterpiece of design purity’ and ‘dangerously addictive’. For
60 seconds, you play as a triangle, avoiding oncoming obstacles. If
you succeed, you advance to the next level and do it all over again.
Alluring retro music makes the experience even more enjoyable.
Great-looking pixellated games
are all the rage, and Nubs’
Adventure is the latest to jump
on the bandwagon. You control
Nubs, who is on a quest to
rebuild his house after it was
destroyed. Helping him are two
friends, tiny fairy Ally and Brute the worm. There are four worlds
to go through, and levels weave and intertwine. The puzzles will
have you racking your brains while never leaving you frustrated.
PIXELLATED WORLD
August 8 is the day soccer fans have been waiting for, marking the start of a
new season at home and abroad, so what better time than now to install what
many regard as the definitive mobile soccer experience. FTS15 has hundreds of
animations, a daily match challenge, dynamic lighting effects, and allows you to take
control of your team in manager mode and even customise your club’s stadium.
FOOTIE FANS

25. our Pick of the
productsDevices to keep you in touch, in style and
in the know! COMPILED BY STEVE KROMBERG
‘The P8 has more than lived
up to my high expectations.’
– Independent Online
HUAWEI P8
With its large 5.2 inch screen, the
Huawei P8 is great for watching
videos, browsing the webs or editing
photographs. And yet it is light, only
6.4mm thick, and has a pleasing classic
design. The P8 competes against the
top-end Apple and Samsung phones.
It has plenty of processing power and a
powerful battery. Although its camera
and screen are not as good as its
competitors, they are still well above
average. Huawei’s image stabilisation
software is a useful addition.The P8
comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop,
a smooth, fast system, although
Huawei’s Emotion user-interface is
loved by some and irritates others.
Play with it if you can to see if it
works for you. Taking into account its
competitive pricing, the P8 is excellent
value and should soon be stealing
consumers away from the more
established players.
Android Lollipop
8 MP front

26. LG G4
Excellent camera, elegant design, solid
build and a quality screen place this right
at the top of the smartphone pile.
Although some will want more processing
power, the Android operating system
runs smoothly and quickly. Performance
is not in the same league as the Samsung
S6 but competes well with the HTC One.
Not first choice for gamers but really good
at everything else. The LG UX version 4
supports two users and has some very
useful features, with plenty of notification
options. We love Knock Code, which
allows you to set a pattern of screen taps
as a way of unlocking the home screen.
The speakers are adequate, although
volume will be a little low for some.
Battery life is not the best but at least the
battery can be replaced, which will please
some users no end.
‘LG loyals will be pleased,
while newcomers will certainly
be impressed by what LG is
capable of.’ – GSM Arena
Android Lollipop

27. Android KitKat
battery
SAMSUNG
GALAXY A7
The A7 could be
regarded as an economy
version of the Samsung
Galaxy Note 4, with a
5.5” screen and a sturdy
metal frame. The A7
is only 6.3mm thick.
The sharp AMOLED
display is up there with
400ppi, good contrast
and brightness. It shows
photos and videos off
clearly, even in sunlight.
The audio quality is
better than average but
could do with a bit more
volume. The rear camera
is very competent but
the front camera is more
interesting with its wide-
angle lens and various
sexy selfie features.
Battery life is acceptable,
especially with Ultra
Power Saving Mode.
‘A fine tablet with steady
performance and an earnestly
modern design’ - Cnet.com

28. SAMSUNG
GALAXY
Apparently Samsung’s
replacement for the Tab
4 10.1, the Tab A 9.7 has
decent performance,
impressive battery life
and good design. It is
also light and thin, which
makes it easy to handle
on the couch and in bed.
The processor is not really
suited to power-hungry
applications and screen
resolution on the low
side. Comes with Android
Lollipop and Samsung can
be relied on to bring out
upgrades rapidly. Advanced
multitasking features
let you use different
applications simultaneously
with a minimum of fuss.
If you’re storing a lot of
music and videos, you’ll
probably want to get an
additional SD card. Sound
quality is good, with rear-
facing speakers. The tablet
is solidly built and well
finished.
Android Lollipop
battery
‘Features mid-range specs, but
should nonetheless provide a
decent experience.’ – Tech Times

29. THE FOLLOWING ICONS/TOOLS CAN BE FOUND
UNDER EACH APPLICATION OR SERVICES:
The following
Applications or
Services can be found
on the Data Calculator:
XXMB used: Displays the estimated data
usage of an app or service based on the
values chosen using the ‘+’ and ‘-’ icons
Find the app or service you are looking
for by using the up and down arrows,
then click on the icons to find out more.
Use the ‘-’ and ‘+’ icons to change the
number of hours. The data value and out-
of-bundle costs will update automatically
Add data to my total: Find out how much
data you need by adding up all your app
and service data requirements.
Hot data: Red indicates high usage,
while green indicates a low amount
of data will be used
Battery usage: Shows how much
battery power an app or service
uses when it’s running
Wi-Fi: Shows Wi-Fi compatible
apps or services.
Background data: Shows app or
service background data use.
Out-of-bundle (OOB) cost: Displays the
data cost of OOB usage. Costs may vary
between networks and tariffs.
Data consumption
driving you nuts? Altech
Autopage has introduced
a Data Calculation Tool
to help decode what is
eating your data.
Take control of your
data use by knowing
how, when and where
you use it.
Managing your data
smartly can help keep
your costs down, while
giving you the best
experience and features
on your smartphone or
device.
The online data
calculator will tell you
how many bytes you’ll
be using when you watch
Youtube, download apps
and tweet.
be a smart
smartphone
user

30. Here’s our listing of cool events taking place around South Africa in the coming weeks
syncyour diary
jozi
LITTLE
SHOP OF HORRORS, The
Teatro at Montecasino
Pieter Toerien and KickstArt
present the smash-hit cult-rock
musical Little Shop of Horrors.
The all-star local cast is headed
by Alan Committie as Seymour,
the would-be botanist, and the
inimitable Candice van Lisenborgh
as his ditzy love interest, Audrey.
SISTER ACT, Joburg Theatre
The SA premiere of the feel-amazing
musical comedy based on the 1992
movie starring Whoopi Goldberg.
SAVANNA
COMICS CHOICE AWARDS,
Teatro at Montecasino
Annual Savanna Comics’ Choice
Awards rolls out a yellow carpet
to celebrate its 5th birthday.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS,
Barnyard Theatre, Cresta
Groovy times are back with
this sixties party featuring
crazy host, Awesome Powers,
who will have you rocking
and singing along from the
first note.
FLIGHT,
Toto Gallery,
Birdhaven
Artist Kirsty May Hall
lived in the bush for
many years and now
she paints flocks of
birds ‘because hope
comes on wings’.

31. caPe town
syncyour diary
CAPE TOWN FOLK ‘N
ACOUSTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL, Baxter Concert Hall
Top SA artists will perform acoustically in an intimate
concert-style setting.
ROCK
ROYALTY,
Barnyard
Theatre
Willowbridge
Get set for an
explosion of
electric charge
as the Barnyard
pays tribute to
rock legends.
PENNY SIOPIS
,
Stevenson Gallery
A dual exhibition featuring
work by Penny Siopis and
Portia Zvavahera.
WEST SIDE STORY, Artscape
One of the most popular musicals ever
written is at the Artscape. It tells the
story of rivalry between the Jets and
the Sharks, two teenage street gangs.
BLESSING NGOBENI,
Gallery MOMO, Buitengracht Street
Blessing Ngobeni’s third solo exhibition with Gallery
MOMO ‘As If You Care’.

32. durban
syncyour diary
GUEST CHEF
SERIES: FLORIS
SMITH, The
Oyster Box
Executive Chef at
Bushmans Kloof,
Floris Smith promises
to inspire Durban
diners with his five-
course food and
wine dinner that
incorporates fynbos
and rooibos.
SUGAR
BAY HOLIDAY CAMP:
JURASSIC WORLD
SUGAR
BAY HOLIDAY CAMP:
HUNGER GAMES
American style camp for kids
aged 7 to 17 offers a hundred
activities with free choice
scheduling. Kids learn to set
new goals, meet challenges
head on and work in a team
while having a whole lot of fun.
Durban
Shongweni Polo Club
End the month with one of music’s biggest
breakthrough artists, 21-year-old George Ezra.
29 August: Capetonians will be able to see
Ezra at Durbanville Racecourse.
30 August: Ezra will be performing at
Carnival City in Joburg.
DURBAN FASHION FAIR
An international showcase
for South African fashion
designers where established
couturiers feature alongside
leading new talent.
A WOMAN IN WAITING,
Playhouse Company
Celebrated artist Thembi Mtshali
performs in her autobiographical
one-woman show where she
tells the story of her life growing
up under apartheid.