Author: Stephen Fenech

Rakuten Kobo and Australian online book retailer Booktopia today announced the Australian launch of Kobo Plus – and all-you-can-eat e-book subscription service which gives customers unlimited access to hundreds of thousands of titles. For $13.99 per month, Australian readers will be able to enjoy full access to more than 580,000 e-books in the Kobo Plus catalogue with more being added each month. This launch extends the partnership between Kobo, the global digital eReader leader and Booktopia, Australia’s largest online book retailer after the companies released co-branded e-reading apps for Android and iOS in April 2020. “Digital reading is only increasing…

There are televisions and then there are lifestyle televisions, and Samsung’s The Serif TV is well and truly in the lifestyle category. The Serif is the polar opposite of a regular flatscreen TV, it merges both style in design and stunning picture quality. A regular TV is fine if you want it to blend into the background or mount it on a wall. But The Serif TV is designed = to be noticed – and noticed it was. When we had it set up at our place everyone who looked at it was asking about it and wanted to know…

Here’s your chance to get updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews – all you have to do is listen to Episode 475 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show: Facebook changes its name to Meta – what it means and what can we expect, tech support scams top the list of cyber threats in Norton’s latest report and Belkin releases affordable headphones that come with chargers. In the Tech Guide reviews we take a look at the latest Sennheiser true wireless earphones, DJI has released the new…

Optus has announced that prepaid Optus Flex customers will now be able to access its 5G network for faster streaming and downloads on its new 5G mobile plans. Customers can click and connect within the Optus app with a purchasing experience that is changing the pre-paid mobile category. Customers with a 5G eSIM capable device can join Optus in just a few taps using the My Optus app. Users then receiving a QR code to activate the service on the device’s eSIM so there would be no need to go in store and purchase a physical SIM card It’s also…

When you think of Denon you immediately think of quality audio and the brand has delivered that once again with its Home range of smart wireless speakers. The Denon Home 150, 250 and 350 are an impressive family of speakers that are designed to appeal to a wide cross-section of customers. These speakers can be connected by your home’s wi-fi or directly to your device via Bluetooth. The speakers also have an Ethernet port to connect directly to your home’s broadband with a cable. The superb onboard acoustics have been developed to offer impressive detail and bold audio authority and…

Ongoing supply chain issues have caused the global smartphone market to shrink by 11.1 per cent in 2021, according to the latest global smartphone shipment results report from research group Omdia. In Q3 2021, 317.7 million smartphone units were shipped, down from the 357.4 million units in Q3 2020. The supply issues have halted the momentum of the smartphone market which had been growing year on year since the third quarter in 2020. But the COVID pandemic continues to have an impact on smartphone makers and customers around the world. “The shortage of semiconductor-related components supply since the beginning of…

The hills are alive with the sound of music! This week on the Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long are watching the classic movie musical The Sound of Music. The 1965 film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plumber tells the story of Maria who arrives from the abbey in Salzburg to be the stand-in governess for Captain Von Trapp’s seven children. Many consider this film to be the best movie musical of all time – Stephen has watched it numerous times and Trevor watches it for the first time. It was actually a discussion about…

Tune in to Episode 510 of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they talk about the latest tech news and review the latest tech products. On this week’s show, we share our reviews of the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro and the new AirPods, Belkin releases its Soundform earphones which include charging mats, the iPod turns 20 and the DJI Action 2 camera. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the audio player below. Click on the Two Blokes…

Sony Interactive Entertainment has launched Apple Music on the PlayStation 5 making it the first gaming console to integrate the music service and introduce an expansive catalogue to users globally. If you have an Apple Music subscription and own a PlayStation 5, you’ll be able to log in to the service on the console and enjoy more than 90 million songs, tens of thousands of curated playlists, 4K music videos, Apple Music Radio and personalised playlists based on your music preferences. Apple Music on the PlayStation 5 can used as background music and to watch music videos. Players can also…

The Facebook company has changed its name to Meta as it repositions its brand from more than just a social media platform and moves into virtual reality – what Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has defined as the metaverse. Facebook, the popular social media destination will still be called Facebook while its other social media and communications assets will also still be called Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. This announcement comes at a time when Facebook is facing some negative press after a whistleblower claimed the company was more interested in profits than public safety. There has also been concern Facebook has…

DJI, the company known for its drones and creative camera technology, has launched a new interchangeable action camera to capture high quality video anywhere, anytime. DJI Action 2 has an adaptive magnetic design which utilises DJI’s expertise in stabilisation systems to ensure life’s adventures are captured in steady crystal clear 4K video. The device weighs just 56g and is small enough to take anywhere with options to attach to your helmet, mount on your surfboard or skateboard or attach securely on your shirt. DJI Action 2 can be used for anything from vlogging to extreme sports and time lapse. The…

Belkin has launched its new Soundform audio range in Australia which includes three sets of wireless earphones and on-ear wireless headphones for children. The range is spearheaded by the flagship Soundform Freedom True Wireless earbuds which incorporates Belkin’s proprietary drive design. They are also part of the Apple Find My network so you can track them down with an iPhone if you misplace them. This new Soundform range of earbuds and children’s headphones, brings Belkin back to its audio roots with the same high-quality sound and slick design the company is known for. And each of the three earbud audio…

One of Samsung’s most popular lifestyle TVs – The Frame – is now available in an 85-inch model for customers who want a bigger and better way to design their space and display their favourite works of art. With Australians moving towards biggest screen TVs, 85-inch is now the fastest growing size. To meet these demands Samsung decided to offer The Frame in this new larger size. Samsung is also offering its other lifestyle TV – The Serif – in a larger 65-inch model as well. “We’ve received unprecedented demand for our Lifestyle TVs and it continues to grow year-on-year,”…

If you’re looking for a pair of value earphones which offer impressive audio quality, active noise cancellation and a reputable audio brand – then look no further than Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless earphones. Priced at $259.95, then you Sennheiser earphones give you both quality and comfort. Under the hood a Sennheiser is German engineered true response transducer – this is an acoustic system that brings superior technology to every day listening. This bespoke acoustic system was initially developed for Sennheiser’s premium earphones and gives you High fidelity sound with detailed treble, plus crisp mids and solid bass. Design-wise, the…

Get Episode 474 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by Stephen Fenech, into your ears right now so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tch news and reviews. On this week show, it’s 20 years since the iPod was introduced and we take a stroll down memory lane, Apple has unveiled its new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros and Telstra cracks 3.6Gbps on 5G in the Sydney CBD. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the new 3rd Gen AirPods, we run our eye over the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6…

Arlo, one of the best-known brands in the wireless security cameras, has launched a new online direct to consumer storefront to give Australians an enhanced shopping experience. The site showcases the award-winning and best-selling Arlo home security range with a click to purchase option. This means Australian customers can confidently purchase products and accessories directly from Arlo safely and securely from the comfort of their own home. The site allows customers to view products and compare them so they can easily find the cameras that suit their needs and their budget. These products will include the Arlo Essential, Pro and…

The new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are beyond a doubt Google’s best ever smartphones with remarkable performance, striking and sleek designs and intelligent features that can’t be found anywhere else. The Pixel smartphones haven’t quite had the same appeal in the flagship space as Apple’s iPhone and Samsung devices. But the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro a set to change all that. These new devices are among the most advanced smartphones on the market today. And they are powered by Google’s very own Tensor chip which has been designed especially for the new Pixel 6 smartphones The…

Apple’s new 3rd generation AirPods look different and sound different – and in both instances that’s a great thing. The stems on the new AirPods are 33 per cent shorter and incorporate a force sensor so you can take even more control of your music. The AirPods are among the most popular wireless earphones in the world and this 3rd generation version makes them even more attractive. Design wise, apart from the shorter stems, they also have a slightly different shape and are angled to rest inside your ear securely without having to jam them into your ear canal. For…

It’s been 20 years since Apple unveiled the iPod – a product that would become one of the company’s most popular and one that would become a game changer for the music industry. Apple CEO Steve Jobs got up on stage at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters on October 23, 2001, with the promise of a “breakthrough digital device that’s not a Mac”. There already were digital music players but they were clunky and hard to use and then Apple came along and made it simple and beautiful with the iPod. Here’s how Steve Jobs described it on that fateful day: “iPod…

Sometimes you just gotta say “what the f**k” and make your move. On the Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast, Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long are watching Risky Business starring a very young Tom Cruise. The film, released in 1983, tells the story of Joel Goodsen, a model student who gets into trouble while his parents are away and must come up with a creative solution to put things right. Stephen and Trevor take you through the memorable scenes and take you behind the scenes, share some trivia, fun tidbits and things you might not know. You can listen to…