Author: Stephen Fenech

Apple has announced the winners of the 2022 App Store Awards – judged to be the best app and games that inspired, connected and entertained users on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and iMac. There were 16 winners which included an Australian developer Studio Drydock Pty Ltd for its game Wylde Flowers which won the Apple Arcade Game of the Year. Wylde Flowers Is a farming sim with a twist. It has a host of interesting characters and allows users to explore a world of magical realms, secret forests, beautiful beaches and the friendly town of Fairhaven. “This…

It’s time to get updated and educated with Episode 529 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech to hear about the latest consumer tech news and product reviews. On this week’s show: has Twitter been a success under Elon Musk – he’s tweeted a few stats, the device that can make your solar system even more efficient and now you can download and stream your Audible audiobook from your Apple Watch. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a listen to the Focal Bathys audiophile headphone, we run our eye over the Oppo Pad Air tablet…

Telstra says it is blocking more than 332 million scam and spam emails every month as part of its Cleaner Pipes programme which can detect and block these unwanted messages, SMS and phone call scams. That’s 7,600 blocked emails every minute. And this is on top of Telstra’s existing technology that’s blocking up to 15 million scam calls and more than 61 million scam text messages every month to protect its customers. Earlier this month the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Scamwatch said cyber scams were on the rise with more than 166,000 reports registered up to September this…

Has Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter been a success? According to the platform’s new CEO and the world’s richest man, that is a resounding yes with new sign-ups “at an all-time high” with more than 2 million new users per day. Musk posted a Twitter state of the union (on Twitter naturally) which included slides about the company’s performance since his took control of the social media platform a month ago. Musk said, via the graphs on his slides, that daily sign-ups have increased 66 per cent year on year from the same seven-day period in 2021. And active minutes…

We already know Oppo for its smartphones but the company has now released its first tablet in Australia – the Pad Air – which is a handy companion for work, play and travel. Yes, the name of the product sounds almost exactly like a popular Apple tablet, but that’s where the similarity ends. Priced at $379, the Oppo Pad Air is certainly affordable. And the cover is an extra $79. On the design side, the device certainly punches above its weight and includes a two-tone metal splicing design with 3D texture on the rear panel which helps prevent those ugly…

Don’t call me stupid! This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching A Fish Called Wanda starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin. A Fish Called Wanda is a comedy-heist film about a group of thieves who stage a diamond robbery and then try to outsmart each other to keep it all for themselves. Stephen has seen it multiple times (including his first viewing in the cinema) while Trevor has never watched it. We go through the memorable scenes and share some interesting facts, behind the scenes tidbits, trivia, fact v fiction…

Press play on Episode 562 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they talk about the biggest tech issues and the latest products. This week: we discuss Australian Consumer Law v extended warranties and the Choice investigation among the biggest electrical retailers, the dangers of lithium ion and the fire department’s warnings, Trump allowed back on Twitter but he has not officially returned and the new Star Wars drives from Seagate. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the audio player below.…

Homeowners who install solar panels and storage batteries obviously want to save or eliminate their energy bills and a new product called Heartbeat can make their rooftop solar system even more efficient and increase their energy savings. Heartbeat is a small device developed by German company 1KOMMA5 and is designed to integrate the elements of your household energy system and manage them in one place. The unit is fitted in your power box and linked to your solar panels and battery and your home network to allow you to keep track of your energy on a single platform. Currently, things…

True fans of audio – the top tier of audiophiles – believe in cables so when Focal released its first pair of wireless noise cancelling wireless earphones – the Focal Bathys – it made a lot of people sit up and take notice. Including us. Focal has been producing loudspeakers, car speakers and wired headphones and investing in acoustic research since 1979 so its credentials in the audio space are well established. It’s a big deal that Focal has finally cut the cord with the Bathys Bluetooth active noise cancelling headphones. The most ardent audio fans still look down their…

Seagate has released three new collectable Star Wars hard disk drives – the latest additions to the company’s line-up of licensed special edition products. There are three new special edition Firecuda External Hard Drives which feature Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader. And each also have a default custom character light when they’re connected. For Luke it’s a forceful blue, a white Millennium Falcon-esque glow for Han Solo and a wrathful red for Darth Vader. Each drive has a 2TB capacity and works with Mac and PC, PlayStation and Xbox. It has been designed with USB 3.2 Gen 1…

Retailers Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys are providing misinformation about consumer’s legal rights and are trying to sell extended warranties that offer little more protection than Australian Consumer Law, a Choice investigation has revealed. The Choice study was conducted through a mystery shopper who visited 80 Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys stores across Australia – the three biggest electrical retailers. The investigation found 71 per cent of stores provided wrong or misleading information about a consumer’s rights if there was an issue with a product beyond the warranty period. And 91 per cent were…

We’re back behind the microphone for Episode 528 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech so you can stay updated and educated on the latest consumer tech news and product reviews. On this week’s show, the best tech deals in the Black Friday sales, Samsung has re-entered the robot vacuum market and the app that’s like Airbnb for swimming pools. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro 5G hotspot, the new MacMate wireless charging station for all your Apple devices and the new Oral B Bluetooth electric toothbrush…

We’re travelling again and not only do we have to pack our clothes and toiletries – we also need to pack our tech and July has solution to keep our tech handy, to keep it safe and to keep devices charged. The super lightweight and stylish July bags range in size from the smaller Carry On to the mid-size Checked all the way up the full-size Checked Plus. But July has also taken our tech needs into account and offers accessories and options to accommodate users so they can have their tech close, to keep them safe and secure and…

If you love listening to your audiobooks on audible and you own an Apple Watch, then we have great news. You can now access your Audible library and stream and download titles directly to Apple Watch. This means users don’t have to sync their audiobooks to their iPhone and can head out the door for their morning walk or jog and still listen to their compelling audio book. Users can pair Bluetooth earphones and headphones to Apple Watch to listen to their Audible title or even hear it through the Apple Watch’s speakers. Audible titles can be streamed and downloaded…

The Black Friday sales have already kicked off and you have the chance to pick up some serious discounts on the biggest tech brand across all categories. Black Friday is the name given to the day after Thanksgiving in the US that marks the official start of the Christmas shopping season. It has now become an annual savings event and you get to enjoy the huge savings for yourself or the people you are buying Christmas gifts for. Here are some of the biggest specials we’ve rounded up: Smart Home  – Amazon Echo with Clock – 30 per cent off…

Something has found us…. This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching Cloverfield – the “found footage” film released in 2008 and produced by JJ Abrams. Cloverfield tells the first-person story of a group of people through a handheld video camera as they fight for survival in Manhattan after the New York City comes under attack. Stephen saw this in the theatre and has watch it many times thanks to its short 80-minute runtime. Trevor had not even heard of Cloverfield and goes in with fresh eyes. Does he like it? We go through the memorable…

Strap in for Episode 561 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they discuss the week’s biggest tech news, rumours and product launches. On this week’s show: the latest on the Medibank Private breach, Twitter in disarray, renders of a rumoured Pixel folding phone and Facebook cuts staff in their news division. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the audio player below. Click on the Two Blokes Talking Tech link at the top of the page and you’ll be able to…

The sharing economy has expanded to backyard swimming pools with the relaunch of Swimply in Australia. It’s a marketplace where customers can rent access to luxurious private pools. With summer around the corner, Swimply is giving Australians the option of finding a local escape that’s fun and affordable. Not everyone can afford to escape the country on a luxury holiday following two years of the pandemic and the pressures of the rising cost of living. Swimply can help you get your family and friends locally and rent a private pool with many including access to a BBQ area and all…

Backbone has finally released its popular Backbone One device and app for Android users to help them enjoy the latest gaming experiences on the go. Backbone One was originally released for growing number of iPhone users who are enjoying cutting edge games on the move. Earlier this year, the company also released a special a version of the Backbone One in partnership with Sony PlayStation. But now, it’s time for Android users to get into the game. Backbone One Android Edition is compatible with most Android phones from Samsung, Google and many more and connects via USB-C. Users can snap…

Samsung has expanded its BESPOKE home range of appliances with the addition of the Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum which includes a 3D sensor for more accurate and efficient cleaning. The Jet Bot AI+ can accurately scan a wide area and avoid small, hard to detect objects on the floor. The 3D depth camera on board is equivalent to 256,000 distance sensors which can precisely detect objects as small as 1cm and prevent the device being blocked on its cleaning path. The Jet Bot AI+ also has Intel AI under the hood which powers the unit’s object recognition technology so…