Author: Stephen Fenech

Apple has released a new paper outlining the perils of sideloading – installing apps on the iPhone or iPad from outside the App Store – that could expose the user to serious security and privacy dangers. The timing of the paper’s release – entitled Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps – coincides with the proposal by the European Commission of the Digital Markets Act which could allow developers to offer their apps directly to customers to install on their iOS device instead through a “gatekeeper platform” like Apple’s App Store. Apple CEO Tim Cook, speaking in an interview with…

Are you addicted to your phone? Do you feel uncomfortable without it? Do you get anxious about your notifications? Do you find yourself looking at your phone at inappropriate times? If you answered yes to any to or all of those questions, you’re not alone. According to research from Reviews.org, 46 per cent of Australians consider themselves to be addicted to their phone. Our smartphone has become such a central part of our lives – it’s how we connect, how we express ourselves, how we record our memories and it also keeps us entertained. The research revealed that 55 per…

If you are one of the many people waiting for their PlayStation 5 console to arrive, you may have to wait even longer thanks to a global shortage of computer chips which has affected the entire consumer electronics and automotive industries. Sony had originally forecast that it would sell more than 67 million PS5 units by 2024 but it is only managed to ship 5 million globally in 2020. And it’s not just Sony being affected. Microsoft are also in the same boat and have shipped even fewer Xbox consoles, managing just 3.9 million units distributed in 2020. According to…

It’s time to get updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews with Episode 456 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, the latest incentives to driver electric vehicle sales, Telstra has doubled the number of blocked calls to now 13 million a month and it’s the 40th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark – we reveal how they came up with the iconic sound effects. In the Tech Guide reviews we take a look at the new Skullcandy in-ear wireless headphones that are less than $100, IKEA…

We’re coming up to the end of the financial year (EOFY) and there are numerous discounts on offer on products that you can purchase before June 30 and possibly claim on your tax. If you need a new computer, smartphone, accessories, modem/routers, mesh wi-fi systems, smart speakers or earphones you’re in luck because there are some solid discounts you can take advantage of. NETGEAR Netgear has a number of products in its website which have been reduced for its EOFY sales including its mesh wi-fi systems, range extenders and the 27-inch Meural which is now half price: NETGEAR ORBI WIFI…

Hey brother, can you lend me a Dime? That’s the name of the new super affordable Skullcandy wire-free earphones that offer an impressive sound and come with a tiny charging case and a tiny price. Priced at just $69.95, the Skullcandy Dime earphones offer plenty of bang for your buck. Skullcandy has produced some impressive headphones and earphones and its latest product – the Dime earphones – continue the tradition of providing quality and value. The earphones themselves are small and light and comfortable to wear. They have a short stalk that sits outside your ear but they are still…

The NSW Government will remove stamp duty on electric vehicles to encourage drivers to make the switch to battery-powered cars with the goal of having EVs make up 50 per cent of all new car sales within 10 years. The ambitious $490 million plan will be revealed at this week’s state budget and will include a huge investment on creating charging infrastructure in NSW. EVs priced at $78,000 or less from September this year will incur no stamp duty – saving drivers up to $1200. Also announced was a $3000 rebate which will be given to the first 25,000 electric…

If you are a newcomer to the cryptocurrency trading world and have an android mobile handset, you need to be careful with several things. There are many important ingredients that you must get before entering into the cryptocurrency trading world, and one such important ingredient is a cryptocurrency wallet. You can never trade in cryptocurrency is without a cryptocurrency wallet which makes it the most important ingredient in itself. There are several important hurdles that you may face in finding a reliable cryptocurrency wallet, and today, we will help you in this department. Nowadays, it is quite a hectic task…

The world has no shortage of operating systems and softwares. Many operating systems are available nowadays that are used by mobile companies for running their devices, but the one most popular amongthem is Android. Android is used by basically all the mobile companies for empowering their different mobile handsets and therefore considered to be the best one. Another most important thing which is also trending, just like the Android, is cryptocurrency trading. Cryptocurrency trading can be very sophisticated and simple if you do it through your android mobile handset, and we will tell you why. If you are trading in…

Take a listen to Episode 491 of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast hosted by Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they go through the week’s biggest tech products and stories. On this week’s show, the outage that crippled banks and other services explained, we go through the biggest announcements from the E3 gaming Expo, Hisense has launched a new NRL app and access to Kayo Sports, Telstra is now blocking more than 13 million scam calls per month, the new high-tech Formula 1 racing sim and how you can create your own personal cloud…

Amazon Australia will kick off its massive Prime Day shopping event on Monday which will include some amazing deals during the 65-hour shopping extravaganza. The event will kick off at 12:00AM AEST on Monday, June 21 with local deals running for 48 hours until 11:59 PM AEST on Tuesday, June 22. But there are deals from the UK and the US which will also be available on amazon.com.au through the Amazon global store until 5:00PM AEST on Wednesday June 23 which gives Australian Prime members access to 65 hours of deals. Prime membership offers many benefits in shopping and entertainment…

NortonLifeLock, a leader in cyber safety, has just unveiled the Game Optimiser – a new feature that can maximise gaming performance by freeing up the PC from programmes running in the background to maximise the system’s performance. Game Optimiser is part of the Norton 360 for Gamers package and is a revolutionary shift for PC gamers. It can reduce performance interruptions while still maintaining the level of security you’ve come to expect from NortonLifeLock. The result is a more immersive and smoother gaming experience which is achieved by freeing power hungry programmes to a single CPU core. Game Optimiser ensures…

Telstra has doubled down on its efforts to block more than 13 million scam calls on average per month from reaching customers – that’s now twice as many calls blocked from just three months ago. This announcement is another milestone in the company’s Cleaner Pipes initiative which is aimed at protecting Telstra customers and Australian consumers from scams and suspicious calls. Phone scams have resulted in Australians losing $25 million so far this year and that figure is on track to exceed last year’s total of $48 million lost to scam calls. Telstra says it is blocking far more scam…

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark all four films in the series have been released on 4K Ultra HD this week and offer not only stunning visual quality but remarkable audio quality as well. Legendary sound designer Ben Burtt and John Roesch, one of the original Foley artists who worked on the film, have revealed how they came up with the iconic sounds that helped make Raiders of the Lost Ark a true cinematic classic. The five-disc set brings action movie fans all four Indiana Jones films in 4K Ultra High Definition for…

IKEA and Sonos have continued their partnership with the release of the new SYMFONISK picture frame that also happens to be a wi-fi speaker so you can fill your room with sound and decorate it with a work of art at the same time. IKEA has combined it’s knowledge of home furnishings with Sonos’ audio expertise to create a high quality sound experience with the SYMFONISK speaker. It blends great sound with great design. The new speaker frame is the latest in the SYMFONISK range which now includes a lamp speaker and a bookshelf speaker – these were introduced back in…

E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, has been held virtually once again and has showcased the latest exciting games and upcoming releases we’ll be playing on our consoles and PCs in the coming months and years. During E3, the major gaming developers and publishers hold their press conferences to outline their latest titles, sequels and all-new franchises. This year there’s been a combination of amazing original games, some dazzling sequels and new adventures in well-known franchises. Here are the biggest announcements so far: https://youtu.be/Axmg1E4HrVE AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA The incredible world of Pandora created by James Cameron for the Avatar film…

Press play on Episode 455 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. We wrap up all the major announcements from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference and tell you when you can install them on your Apple device, why Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is a big deal for the music industry and how much did tablet and computer sales surge during COVID? We’ll tell you the figures. In the Tech Guide reviews we take a look at the new Sony WF1000XM4 noise…

We’re back travelling around the country and the term “travelling light” got a whole new meaning with the release of the new July Carry On Light – it’s the world’s lightest double-wheel suitcase in the world. The July Carry-On Light, from the Australian direct-to-consumer luggage company, is a featherweight 1.8kg – that’s less than two 1L bottles of water. This is big news for travellers who can now worry less about their travel weight limits and fit everything they need in this carry-on case. “Around 60 per cent of travellers have told us that luggage weight allowances are a key…

With our demand for storage increasing and the rising cost of cloud storage, there’s never been a better time to consider setting up your own storage space with a network attached external hard drive. A NAS (network attached storage) can be like your own personal cloud system that allows you to store your photos, videos, music and data and access them remotely from multiple devices. From June 1, Google Photos announced it would no longer be supporting unlimited storage for high quality images beyond 15GB and this has made customers take stock of their storage needs. Tech Guide took a…

If you’ve invested in the new 11-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro the new Logitech Combo Touch is a versatile addition so you can take productive or entertained wherever you go. Logitech’s Combo Touch includes a case and a detachable keyboard with an integrated trackpad. So whether you’re typing, sketching or just watching the iPad Pro, the Logitech Combo Touch has got you covered. There are two pieces to the combo – a case which also features a kickstand and detachable keyboard which connects to the iPad via the smart connector so there is no need for a battery, no on/off…