Author: Stephen Fenech

Australians lost a combined total of $176.1 million to scammers in 2020 – a massive 23.1 per cent increase over the $142.9 million we were cheated out of in 2019. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest Scamwatch report not only did scammers reap more money but the number of scams in 2020 rose to 216,089 which is 28 per cent higher than the 167,795 scams that were reported in 2019. 2020 presented scammers with extraordinary opportunities thanks to the COVID pandemic and the fears and uncertainties that came with it. More money was lost in December 2020…

Telstra has achieved a world-first 5G download speed record of 5Gbps after the successful completion of a test on the Gold Coast in collaboration with Ericsson and Qualcomm Technologies. This builds on the previous record of 4.2Gbps maximum download speed record in September 2020 using mmWave 5G. The 5G test was performed at the 5G Innovation Centre on the Gold Coast using a smartphone form factor mobile test device. The continued effort with Ericsson (who is building out the Telstra 5G network) and Qualcomm Technologies (the chip manufacturer building the antenna modules) will help Telstra unlock key learnings and implement…

Arlo has launched an update to the company’s award-winning series of wire-free security cameras with the Ultra 2 Wire-Free Spotlight 4K Camera system. The Ultra 2 lives up to its name with 4K video with HDR (high dynamic range) and an ultra-wide 180-degree field of view. Also onboard is Auto Zoom and tracking which can now focus automatically on moving objects in even better quality. The range of the Arlo Ultra 2 has also been improved which allows users to expand their placement options for the cameras. On the battery side, the rechargeable battery can run for up to six…

Do yourself a favour and tune in to Episode 434 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech to stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, Samsung has unveiled the new Galaxy S21 smartphone series and we chat about them with Garry McGregor – Samsung Australia’s vice president for IT and Mobile, Telstra’s 5G network reaches 50 per cent of the population and growing and Arlo announces a new indoor camera and a touchless video doorbell. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the ASUS…

NortonLifeLock has released a new security app – Norton 360 for mobile – which offers smartphone users device security, online privacy and identity protection features all in place. Available now from the Google Play Store and the App Store, the Norton 360 app is available to use with a Norton 360 plan or as a standalone subscription. Features normally accessed from multiple Norton and LifeLock app can now be accessed in one place so users can manage their cyber safety tools. “We want to provide our customers with a seamless, easy to use, complete experience to help them manage their…

There are lots of ways for elite gamers to get the edge on their opponent – one of those ways is being comfortable in a purpose-built gaming chair like the Anda Seat. Anda Seat chairs are now available in Australia but they are already known for their work building race car seats for Mercedes Benz and BMW. The company has since focused in creating quality gaming chairs afters seeing the growing demand in the esports industry. After launching in 2007 the Anda Seat became one of the leading choices in the industry and is now considered the go-to chair for…

Star Wars fans have recently seen sequel trilogy and a hit streaming TV show and now they’ll be getting a new ambitious open world game set in a galaxy far, far away. Massive Entertainment, one of the studios of award-winning game publisher Ubisoft, is collaborating with Lucasfilm Games on the new story-driven game set in the vast Star Wars universe. “The vast Star Wars lore is an incredible source of inspiration for our teams,” said Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO of Ubisoft. “This is the beginning of a long-term collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm Games, and we are pleased to be working…

The 5G rollout in Australia is progressing at a rapid pace with Telstra confirming more than 50 per cent of Australians are now living within range of the Telstra 5G footprint. That means today that one in two Australians are able to connect to Telstra 5G. Telstra says that number will increase by the middle of the year with plans to reach 75 per cent of the population by then. There are currently 2,650 Telstra 5G sites in Australia with coverage in more than 100 cities and towns and more than 2,000 suburbs across Australia with Telstra 5G coverage. There…

Start the weekend with Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 469, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, as they discuss the new Samsung Galaxy S21 and wrap up the latest products from the virtual CES. On the show, Stephen and Trevor share their first impressions about Samsung’s new flagship Galaxy S21, we take a look at the most interesting products and quirky gadgets released at CES and also discuss the virtual Consumer Electronics Show and the future of tech shows this year and beyond. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site…

ASUS has unveiled two new two-screen laptops in the premium ZenBook series – the 15.6-inch ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED (UX582) and the 14-inch ZenBook Duo (UX482) – which both received 2021 CES Innovation Awards. The new two-screen laptops introduce an all-new feature – the tilting ASUS ScreenPad Plus which runs the full width of the laptop and is a secondary touchscreen which now has an auto-tilt mechanism to make it easier to read. This secondary screen works nicely with the main screen and provides a place for other tools and apps that won’t impede on the main screen real…

Samsung has revealed its latest generation of flagship smartphones – the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and the Galaxy S21 Ultra – which build on the decade-long Galaxy legacy with key improvements to the camera, design and performance. The new Samsung Galaxy S21 series is available for pre-order today and goes on sale on January 29. https://youtu.be/RPnlAPCQQlY After a year when COVID had us isolating and social distancing, customers became even closer to their devices to connect to the outside world and share their content on social media. “The events of 2020 have changed us fundamentally. Mobile technology specifically, has been…

Volvo has released a new product that could help reduce speeding deaths in Australia – the Volvo Care Key – which enables owners to pre-set the speed of the car before getting behind the wheel. Speed is the number one cause of death and injuries among young Australian drivers. The Volvo Care Key technology has been created to reduce the risk especially when the keys are handed off to friends and relatives who may not be familiar with the car or appreciate its power. Volvo Care Key will be included as standard from now on starting with all 2021 Volvo…

Netgear, one of the leading providers of networking products for home or office, has announced two new 4G LTE products designed to keep people connected at home or in the office. The new products include the nighthawk 4G LTE Wi-Fi 6 router (LAX20) and the Netgear 4G LTE modem (LM1200). The Nighthawk LAX20 supports Wi-Fi 6 which delivers up to 1.8 Gbps of high performance Wi-Fi and improved network capacity to cope with connecting a greater number of devices on the home network. The 4G LTE modem can be used to connect where wired Internet options or traditional Wi-Fi are…

LG, a brand we usually associate with TVs and appliances, will enter the laptop market in 2021 with the premium ultra-light and ultra-portable LG gram laptop. They have an impressive design and offer premium performance and a long battery life so they can be used all day on the move. The global line-up of the LG gram laptops will include five models – LG gram 17 (model 17Z90P), LG gram 16 (model 16Z90P), LG gram 14 (model 14Z90P), LG gram 2-in-1 16 (model 16T90P) and LG gram 2-in-1 14 (model 14T90P) and all will include a 16:10 aspect ratio screen…

TV manufacturer TCL has unveiled a series of Google TVs which will combine the latest technologies like Mini LED, 8K and QLED with Google’s on-demand video service so customers can watch the latest content on high quality screens. The partnership with Google coincides with the release of TCL’s high performance’s new Mini LED technology. “The introduction of TCL Google TV to the market takes our partnership with Google to the next level,” says TCL Australia General Manager of Sales Jason Carrick. “This comes off the back of our award-winning and highly successful 2020 launch of our X10 Mini-LED series and reinforces our…

We’d normally be in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show but we’re still bringing you the latest news from the huge tech trade show in Episode 433 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. This week, we’ll go through all the major announcements from Samsung, Hisense, LG and Sony and the products we’ll be seeing from them in 2021. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the new Netgear Nighthawk M5 5G mobile router and the JBL Quantum One gaming headset. In the Tech Guide Help Desk we discuss the ways to enjoy live…

Intel has announced four new processor families at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show that will power more than 500 new laptops and desktops coming to market in 2021. Intel unveiled the 11th Gen Intel Core vPro platform along with the Intel Evo vPro which deliver all-new levels of performance and hardware-based security. These chips will be used for the next generation of thin and light laptops and will offer the Intel Hardware Shield – the first silicon-enabled AI threat detection which can detect ransomware and crypto-mining attacks. Also introduced was the Intel N Series 10nm Intel Pentium Silver and Intel…

Sony has announced it will be creating its own drone called Airpeak to provide filmmakers with new and exciting shooting possibilities with the Sony Alpha full-frame mirrorless camera. Unveiled during the Sony press conference to kick off the virtual 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, Airpeak has been designed to provide a stable flight platform for dynamic photographic possibilities. https://youtu.be/o_XWbHuwsfw Sony didn’t release much detail about the drone apart from a short video which showed the small aircraft had retractable landing gear and the strength to carry a Sony Alpha full-frame mirrorless camera in a gimble that will allow for smooth shooting.…

Leading connected camera brand Arlo has been honoured with two 2021 Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Awards for its new Arlo Essential Indoor Camera and Touchless Video Doorbell. The Essential Indoor Camera Includes an easy-to-control automated privacy shield so users have complete control when the cameras are recording. Not everyone would be comfortable with a camera that’s always recording and monitoring movement inside their home when they are there. But, like a security alarm that is turned on when you leave your home, the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera can be activated in the same way to work when you’re not at…

Belkin has kicked off the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show by unveiling two new products from its SOUNDFORM portfolio and BOOSTCHARGE power collection that also fit within Apple’s ecosystem. BELKIN SOUNDFORM TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS The Belkin SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless earbuds offer both quality and value. The buds have custom-built drivers with passive noise cancellation and feature Belkin’s signature sound that delivers powerful bass an impressive clarity. With the Qualcomm QCC3046 Bluetooth SoC (system on a chip), the Belkin earbuds also deliver crystal clear calls without any background noise interference. The new True Wireless Earbuds can also be found through Apple’s…