Author: Daniel Tyson

ASUS have announced their latest Intel-Driven Copilot+ PC, the Zenbook S14 powered by the new Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) processor, which is now available to pre-order in Australia. The Zenbook S14 (UX5406SA) comes as a part of ASUS’ latest wave of AI products which have previously included AMD and Qualcomm powered offerings. This latest Zenbook S14 uses the newly announced Intel Lunar Lake CPUs which can generate up to 47 Trillion Operations Per Second (TOPS) to power the on-board AI functions including Microsoft CoPilot (with a dedicated Copilot Key on-board), as well as the ASUS-exclusive StoryCube and MuseTree…

Europe’s biggest trade show is kicking off this week and tech company Ecovacs is showing off their upcoming tech for 2025. The new range includes a family of devices, with options for everyone’s budget.  The headliner for Ecovacs is the new DEEBOT X8 family which offers a new mop cleaning system developed by Tineco. There’s also the new ultra-slim DEEBOT T50 range and the affordable N30 series which will offer more affordable options using the latest cleaning tech.  The headliner for the DEEBOT X8 family is the DEEBOT X8 PRO OMNI, the first with the new integrated mop cleaning system. …

Google has released Android 15 this week, but it’s going to be a little while before we see it on phones, with Google’s Pixel phones set to receive the update in the ‘coming weeks’. The Android 15 update has been available as a Developer Preview since it was released back in February, but the full release has now been pushed to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository.  The Android 15 update hasn’t been entirely outlined as yet, however the announcement did touch on some features.  Privacy focused features are high, with a new Private Space being launched, that will…

Finding a pay phone these days can be a challenge, however they’re still around and being used – and used a lot according to the latest data from Telstra. Over the last few years, Telstra has made a number of changes to their more than 14,000 public payphones around Australia. First they made  making calls free, before they also opened the Wifi Hotspot at almost 4,000 payphones to anyone. Since making calls and data free, Telstra has seen a distinct jump in usage at their payphones. Telstra has reported a 67% jump year-over-year, with users have downloading a massive 133.4…

ASUS announced their second gen Windows handheld, the ROG ALLY X back in June. It’s now on-sale and time to take it for a spin thanks to ASUS sending a unit over to check out.  At $1,599, the ROG ALLY X is a pricey device,but it’s received a few key updates from the original including upgraded storage, RAM, and battery life. The unit itself has also been redesigned for better ergonomics, and there’s a new all-black colour scheme.  The original handled pretty well, but how does this upgraded model handle? I spent the last couple of weeks with the ROG…

They’re the hidden batteries that power our car keys, garage door openers, calculators, toys, games and more, but those coin batteries are also a choking hazard, and Energizer’s 3-in-1 Child Shield system should make these batteries less attractive for kids to potentially swallow. The new 3-in-1 Child Shield safety system was introduced in Australia last month and will start being seen on their 2016, 2025 and 2032 Lithium coin batteries.  The 3-in-1 Child Shield safety system starts with Child-Resistant packaging which makes it difficult for kids to access the batteries in the first place.  There’s also a non-toxic bitter coating…

Smart home company Eufy have today unveiled the new S1 Pro Robot Vacuum, the first in their high-end S-series to launch, which will offer high-tech advancements and innovative capabilities. The eufy S1 Pro includes a load of new technical innovations, including a square, compact design that stands just 96mm tall to allow it to navigate under furniture easier and reach into corners easier, allowing it to reach within 1 cm of walls and corner. The robot vacuum also comes with the all-in-one Uniclean Station charging base which now includes a transparent water tank to help you monitor levels.  The vacuum…

HMD are introducing their latest flip phone today, with the aim of getting the Barbie fan in your life to unwind, unplug and look good while doing it. As you’d expect, the HMD Barbie Phone is bright pink and includes a mirror on the front and includes replaceable pink covers which feature a ‘brightly coloured swirls of the 1992’s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll and a vintage ‘shooting heart’ design’ and of course there’s a user replaceable battery that’s pink as well. HMD have gone all in on the Barbie theme, with wallpaper, custom icons and ringtones, as well as…

The ninth generation Lenovo Legion Pro 5i was announced earlier this year at CES. There’s been a focus on AI powered laptops, but sometimes it’s nice to kick back and play some games and the Lenovo Australia team have sent across one of their Legion Pro 5i 2024 models over for review. The Legion Pro 5i (16”, 9) we’ve received is the full business, including a 14th gen Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB gen 4 M.2 SSD. It’s a lot of hardware and carries a $4,489 AUD RRP…

The anxiety you feel when your phone drops accidentally is palpable, and many of us have experienced the dismay of finding your screen smashed when it happens. Vodafone is set to change that with the introduction of a $0 first screen replacement for those who sign up to Vodafone Device Care. Priced at $14.99 per month, Vodafone Device Care will offer subscribers a $0 screen replacement for the first one, instead of the standard fee of $45.  The announcement comes ahead of the iPhone 16 launch, with Vodaofone surveying their customers and finding almost 1 in 5 Australians (19.1%) are…

After years launching two devices, Google has stepped up this year announcing four Pixel 9 phones, the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 go on-sale today, with the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold set to arrive next month – so keep your eyes on TechGuide for the reviews as they’re published.   I’m taking the Pixel 9 for a spin this week, with Scott taking on the Pixel 9 Pro XL review which you can see here. The Pixel…

The recently announced AI focused ASUS range of laptops powered by the new AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processors. One of the highlights is the new Zenbook S16 with its new Ceraliminum coating which ASUS have sent over for us to check out.  The Zenbook S16 is available for $3,499 with anAMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Processor, 32GB LPDDR5X and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD. The laptop includes a large 16-inch 3K ASUS Lumina OLED display powered by AMD Radeon 890M Graphics. Light and thin, the Zenbook S16 incorporates a brand new material, a Ceraliminum coating which…

After announcing a new series of Pixel 9 phones including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google has also unveiled their latest wearables with the Pixel Watch 3 announced in two sizes, alongside the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 which brings back a small wing for better positioning, and a new custom chipset for AI. The Pixel Watch 3 will be on sale starting September 10 while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will go on-sale on September 26. Pixel Watch 3 After much feedback from the public, Google has announced the Pixel Watch 3 in two sizes, a smaller 41mm size…

The name HMD has become synonymous with mobile phones thanks to eight years of producing great phones under the Nokia brand. The company struck out on their own, announcing HMD branded Pulse line back in May and I grabbed the HMD Pulse Pro for a review. Priced at $299, the HMD Pulse Pro sets the tone for the entire HMD Pulse line. The design is mirrored down the line through their Pulse+ and Pulse handsets, with a clean look, an array of ‘calm’ tones to choose from and the promise of repairability with an accessible price. The phone includes…

Peripheral maker Logitech recently updated their G305 gaming mouse, launching the Logitech G309 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming mouse. The G309 has just launched here in Australia, and around the world so it’s time to give it a whirl.  Featuring their Lightspeed wireless connectivity, and including a Hero 25K sensor offering improved accuracy at low latency, and Lightforce Hybrid Switches and a refined design based on feedback from their e-sports partners. Priced at $149.95, the Logitech G309 is aimed at casual gamers wanting a premium experience. I’ve been using the Logitech G309 for a couple of weeks now and here’s how it…

Google has announced their latest video streaming device, launching the Google TV Streamer in the US. Priced at $99.99USD and available exclusively through the US Google Store for now, the Google TV Streamer will replace the Chromecast line, which Google says will now ‘only be available while supplies last’. Update: Google Australia has confirmed the TV Streamer will be landing here later this year with more details to follow. The Google TV Streamer includes a faster CPU than the Chromecast, and comes with 32GB of on-board storage and 4GB of RAM. It’s powered by USB-C and includes a HDMI out,…

Electronics maker ASUS have announced a new range of AI powered laptops, powered by the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 series processors. The new range includes updated models across their ProArt, Zenbook and Vivobook range for creatives, as well as their gaming focused ROG Zephyrus and TUF gaming laptops. The new AI focused chips include an Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of up to 50 Trilion Operations Per Second (TOPS). The new CPU’s offer faster AI performance from ASUS’ installed software suite including StoryCube and MuseTree, as well as the Microsoft CoPilot AI – with the new laptops…