BIGGEST PHONE YET

I've been reviewing phones and other devices for a while now. Size-wise, the trend is usually bigger. Recently, I tried the biggest smartphone I've come across to date...

And I bet you didn't even know BMW makes smart phones! They call this one the i3 and yes, I realise it LOOKS like a car but it's really just another device. Just as well, because I don't know anything about cars.

Like many new BMW's, the i3 comes complete with its own sim card, so the car itself is permanently connected to the Vodafone network. This doesn't necessarily mean you'll be browsing the net from your steering wheel... But only because BMW's browser software is terrible.

That's about the only thing wrong with the i3 though. This was one device I desperately didn't want to return and not just because I could drive it to work and back.

The main advantage of the 3G connectivity is you can stay in contact with the car wherever you're using the BMW iRemote app on your phone. This app will tell you the charge status of the i3's battery, whether the doors are locked and you can turn on the air conditioning while you're on your way back to the car so it's ready to go as soon as you hop in.

If you want to be really silly, you can surprise passersby by turning the headlights on and honking the horn from your phone too... Not that I'd ever do anything like that. (Well maybe one time, just to try it)

BMW's ConnectedDrive concept means the service department can keep an eye on your vehicle too, notifying you when it's time for any maintenance instead of the other way around. There's even a 24/7 concierge service to help you with all those essential motoring questions like, "Will I need my umbrella when I get to the game?" or, "Where's the nearest tapas bar?"

Admittedly I only called the concierge once. By mistake. I'm not flash enough to require service at that level. Pretty cool though.

Like I say, I'm no automotive guru, but there are a few other gadgets worth pointing out.

As you may have realised by now, the i3 is electric powered with a backup petrol motor BMW calls a "Range Extender." I can't tell you much about the range Extender because I never managed to run the battery down, even though I live more than 30kms from work. The electric drive was quiet, smooth and surprisingly peppy, although admittedly I have been told I drive like a Nana. Repeatedly. (No offense, Nanas)

With an electric range of about 125kms on a full charge, it's easy to worry you're going to run out of juice somewhere inconvenient. Apparently this paranoia is known as "range anxiety." But it turns out any range anxiety I was suffering from was completely unfounded; like other smart devices, I just got into the habit of plugging it in whenever I wasn't using it. After all, it's not like I was trying to get to Queenstown for a skiing weekend; my longest trip was driving Monster Number 2 to her soccer game in Ellerslie. I got there and back no worries, thanks also to a very user friendly GPS shown on one of the i3's two large flat screen displays.

When I say large flat screens, I don't mean 52 inch plasmas, but they're definitely big enough and clear enough in all conditions, and pretty customisable too.

The cruise control also really blew me away. You set your desired speed just like any other car, but utilising the front collision detector, the i3 automatically maintains a safe following distance. This means the car will slow you down if someone changes into your lane in front of you, then speed you up again when the way is clear. I actually drove from Silverdale to Ellerslie (approximately 40kms) without setting foot on either the accelerator or the brake. That's about half a step away from driverless driving - all I had to do was steer.

Of course, you don't even have to steer when it comes to parallel parking now; like a lot of new cars the i3 will do this for you. Not that I can't do my own parallel parks... I mean, I'm a grown man. What idiot can't park his own car after 25 years driving experience? Right? Right?...

Anyway, if the worst happens and you somehow manage to crash the i3, the car will call the emergency services for you, letting them know where you are and that you've done something stupid.

All in all, this car is a nerd-mobile of pocket protector proportions and it probably looks it. But hey, nerds are hip these days, right? It certainly turned heads wherever I went and I received nothing but compliments from the passengers queuing up to experience a quiet ride. The really cool thing about the i3 is it's good fun; if you're into gadgets like me, you may as well drive something that's jam packed with them.

Oh... And yes, there is a dock for your phone.

Click here for more on the BMW i3

A TABLET I CAN SWALLOW

I’ve never been a tablet kind of a guy. 

There are two reasons why; I have a natural aversion to anything Apple (ie: the iPad) and I’ve never really found a tablet that was anywhere near as functional as a laptop. 

Or to put it another way, I’ve never found using a laptop to be cumbersome enough to resort to the accessibility and portability of a tablet. 

Then I met the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2.

The problem with this device is I struggled to find a problem with it. I hate that. 

The Tab S2 claims to be, “The Slimmest, Lightest AMOLED Tablet in the World.” Annoyingly, it is indeed noticeably slim and light. In fact, the Tab S2 is so skinny, I grew very nervous about dropping it every time I carried it anywhere, convinced it would shatter into a million pieces if it hit the ground. That was one test I wasn’t game enough to try. 

Too often in the past I’ve found devices like this to behave just like giant smartphones, which always left me wondering why you’d bother when you could do most of the same stuff on your handset. While the Tab S2 uses Android’s Lollipop 5.02, which is essentially the same OS as any new Android phone, I was pleased to discover how well it performed as a landscape based device, auto rotating most apps by default, and more importantly, displaying the launch screen in landscape mode if that’s your preference too. That is definitely my preference and it’s a constant frustration of mine when I can’t get phones to do it. 

Another feature that sets this tablet apart from Samsung’s smaller screened devices is the stock email format, featuring a split screen with the list of emails down one side and a preview of the highlighted message on the other. Phablets like the Note 4 show emails this way too, but Samsung seems reluctant to allow this function on anything smaller. 

The Tab S2 includes Microsoft’s suite of Office apps by default and these now function just as the usual desktop versions do. Very impressive. So impressive I’m writing this review using Word on the Tab S2. Unfortunately, Samsung’s on-screen keyboard still leaves a little to be desired as it’s very labour intensive to have to swap between character screens and symbol screens all the time. I imagine if you’re serious about making the most of the Office apps available you’ll be better off pairing a bluetooth keyboard. 

The battery life is impressive. I’d like to tell you exactly how impressive, but the truth is I never really managed to run it flat. I’ve grown so used to how disappointing most devices are when it comes to battery life, these days I automatically put everything on to charge whenever I can. Turns out the Tab S2 rivals devices like the iPad easily; day-long usage not even a challenge on a full charge. The downside is the length of time it takes to reach that full charge, but well worth the wait, knowing the battery will easily last the distance. 

Perhaps the most notable feature of all is what I didn’t notice. No lag, no glitches, no crashes… the usability of this device is so smooth, it really is a pleasure. Browsing is fast and seamless and so is switching between multiple open apps. As with most Samsung devices, you can do the split-screen view thing with 2 apps at once, although I’m beginning to wonder what the point is when there are only limited apps with this functionality. For example, I don’t understand why I can’t split-screen this Word document when I can display a Chrome page and my email at the same time, it’s weird. That being said, the Tab S2 makes swapping between apps so effortless, it really doesn’t matter. 

Without a doubt, this device is the closest thing to a “real” computer I’ve ever come across. I may have even tried a game or two (okay, mostly Minion Rush) and again, the Tab S2 provided the smoothest gaming experience I’ve encountered for a long time. 

The screen is bright, sharp and clear and unlike some other devices Samsung has released lately, there’s still a slot for a microSD card, so you can expand the 32gb internal memory out to 128gb if you need to. You may not need to though, as the connectivity and streaming ability is, I’m going to say it again, smooth. 

That’s my final word on the Galaxy Tab S2; smooth, smooth, smooth. All mobile devices should be this easy to use and this problem free.

Click here for more information on the Galaxy Tab S2