Author: Stephen Fenech

You can buy lots of things on Amazon nowadays – including an Android TV from upcoming Chinese brand Ciaxun which offers 4K resolution and easy connectivity to access free to air channels and streaming content no matter where it comes from. Tech Guide took a look at the 55-inch Caixun Series S Android TV which offers 4K Ultra HD resolution and is running the Android TV operating system. Having the Google Play Store at your fingertips also means you can access every streaming service and free-to-air catch up apps. Pre-leaded on the TV were the Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video…

Andatech has released a new personal breathalyser – the Alcosense Nexus – which can not only tell you in seconds your personal blood alcohol level but also save up to 100 of your tests in the companion app. The Alcosense Nexus is smaller than a deck of cards (10.5cm x 5.1cm x 1.7cm) with a weight of just 82.7g but it offers a professional-grade fuel cell sensor that can deliver an accurate reading in a matter of seconds. When it is turned on it takes just five seconds to warm up (you can see the countdown on the small display)…

Apple has expanded its Find My network – which is used by customers to locate their iPhone, MacBook, AirPods or Apple Watch – to now include third party products. The private and secure finding capabilities which have reunited customers with their Apple products that had been lost, stolen or left behind  can now be used to locate and keep track of products from Belkin, Chipolo and VanMoof. “For more than a decade, our customers have relied on Find My to locate their missing or stolen Apple devices, all while protecting their privacy,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide…

Ever wished you could take a break from all your emails and notifications? If you’re an Optus customer that’s exactly what you can do with the new Optus Pause for Optus broadband and mobile customers. This Australian-first innovation is free and exclusive to Optus customers and gives them the option of pausing connectivity to some or all their devices connected via the internet or mobile network. Optus Pause is for customers who want to choose a period of time when they just don’t want to be disturbed whether it’s dinner time, if you’re watching a movie or catching a show…

Catch up on the latest tech with Episode 481 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they dissect the week’s biggest tech stories and products. On this week’s show, the 5G speed wars erupt between Telstra and Optus, Sonos releases the Roam go-anywhere speaker, LG pulls out of the smartphone market, Belkin’s new MagSafe range for iPhone 12, Google Nest Hub and its sleep monitoring and the BorrowBox app allow users to borrow ebooks and audiobooks from their local library. You can listen to the show right here on…

We’re at the end of daylight savings and at the change of seasons which means it gets darker earlier so taking more control of your lighting is ideal and that’s exactly what you can do with the CONNECT smart home range. Owned by Australian company Laser which has been delivering affordable technology for more than 30 years, the CONNECT smart home range include smart lights, light strips, smart switches, fairy lights, indoor and outdoor cameras, IR remotes and doorbells. And they can all be controlled from an app on your smartphone or with your voice through a smart speaker. The…

Apple is introducing a new feature which is designed to offer users even more transparency about how apps gather, track and monetize their personal consumer data and provide more control on whether to allow it. Coming with the next update to iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and tvOS 14 (it will be called iOS 14.5), App Tracking Transparency will now require app developers to ask the user for permission before tracking their data across apps and websites that might even be owned by other companies. In the settings, users will now be able to designate the apps which need to ask…

Telstra had fired back at the Optus claims of a 10Gbps speed record achieved on Optus 5G network. Telstra says it hit more than 20Gbps during tests it ran over the weekend. Optus announced today it had recorded a 10Gbps speed by combining the 3500Mhz and 25Ghz (mmWave) spectrum bands on top of the existing 4G spectrum bands on a live site in the Brisbane suburb of Strathpine. But Telstra has hit back strongly offering mock congratulations to Optus and informing them that their speed of 10Gbps was not a record. Telstra said its speed of 20Gbps was achieved the…

Optus, together with its network partner Nokia, has set a new 5G speed record – a remarkable 10Gbps through a live site in Brisbane – which further enhances its credentials to deliver Australia’s fastest 5G network. The battle between Telstra and Optus to win Australian 5G customers has been fierce especially since the launch of the iPhone 12 – Apple first 5G smartphone. In fact, a recent independent study showed that while Telstra’s 5G network had wider coverage, the Optus network recorded faster speeds on average. This latest breakthrough was achieved by aggregating the Optus 5G spectrum bands of 3500Mhz…

The new Sonos Roam go-anywhere speaker is the missing piece of the Sonos portfolio – a rugged speaker that can connect anywhere via Bluetooth and then take its place back on your network with your other Sonos speakers when you’re home. And it’s built to go anywhere thanks to the IP67 rating which seals it from dust and makes it fully waterproof. The appropriately named Roam is also small enough to take anywhere. It’s just 16.8cm tall and weighs a mere 0.43kg. It is made of durable material and can take your everyday knocks and scrapes. The speaker can be…

Tune in to Episode 445 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 On this week’s show, LG has announced it will be exiting the worldwide smartphone market, what we can expect from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference and Boost Mobile expands its range of Apple refurbished products. In the Tech Guide reviews we take a look at the Belkin range of MagSafe products for the iPhone 12, we check out Google’s new Nest Hub that can monitor your sleep and Netgear releases…

If you love reading being a member of a library is the way to go but in the 21st century there an app called BorrowBox that makes it possible to borrow e-books and audio books from your local library. The app is free to download for iOS (iPhone, iPad), Apple Watch and Android smartphones and tablets. The first step is to download the app to your device and sign in to the app with your library ID and activate your digital library membership. All that’s required is an email address, your library’s barcode and a PIN number. Your local library…

The new Google Nest Hub second generation is a lot more than a smart display – it’s also a sleep tracker that provides an accurate snapshot of your nightly slumber. The device has a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 and is 17.5cm wide and 12cm tall so its small enough to fit anywhere – including your bedside table. It has a simple minimal design so it can fit in any space in your home. And it also has a built-sensor so it can assess the room’s brightness and adjust to suit. Google has also taken an…

LG has announced it will be pulling out of the smartphone market worldwide to focus its resources on other growth areas like electric vehicles, smart homes, connected devices and AI. Last year, LG had just three per cent of the smartphone market which is dominated by Samsung, Apple, Huawei and Xiaomi which together had a 63 per cent market share. LG says the smartphone division will be wound down by July 31, 2021. LG’s smartphone business has recorded more than $4.5bn in losses over the past five years so its decision to exit the market comes as no surprise. Tech…

Belkin is one of the first companies to support the new Apple feature introduced with the iPhone 12 – MagSafe – which means the device can be charged wirelessly and held in place on your desk, your bedside table and in your car. The Belkin range of three MagSafe products have now gone on sale in Australia. https://youtu.be/9tP22VQRmYQ These include the MagSafe Car Vent Mount Pro ($59.95), the Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe ($149.95) and the Boost Charge Pro MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charger ($219.95). MagSafe includes an array of magnets around the wireless charging coil of the…

Start your long Easter weekend with Episode 480 of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they discuss the week’s biggest tech stories. On this week’s show, Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference will be online for the second year in a row, Apple opens official repairer program in Australia, Facebook changes, ASCIS releases high-tech new shoes, ACMA outlines the cost of scams in Australia and Boost Mobile offering more refurbished Apple products. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the audio player below.…

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a warning to Australians about scammers using calls, SMS and emails to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. COVID-19 vaccination scams have been used by cyber criminals to target Australians throughout the pandemic. The ACCC Scamwatch has reported that 6,120 scam reports mentioning the coronavirus has resulted in more than $8.4m in losses since the pandemic began. The objective for these scammers is to either achieve a financial gain or to steal your identity, personal information and passwords. With this heightened alert, Mark Gorrie, senior director for NortonLifeLock has provided…

ASICS has launched two new pairs of high performance running shoes that tap into the latest technology to take design to an all-new level so it can adapt to and support a runner’s individual style. Metaspeed Sky and Metaspeed Edge have been scientifically engineered to help elite athletes achieve their best results with the shoe adjusting to the runner instead of the other way around. The shoes were unveiled at the ASICS Innovation Summit this week which took participants through a stunning virtual reality journey through the history of the ASICS story and gave a tantalising look into the future…

Boost Mobile, the youth-focused telco brand, has extended its range of affordable refurbished Apple products to include the Apple Watch, iPads and a sub-$200 iPhone which will be offered through Coles supermarkets across Australia. These refurbished products will also be available through Boost Mobile’s own online store – The Refurb Shop. Available from today, premium refurbished iPads and Apple Watches will be available from as little as $249. And the refurbished iPhone 7 will also be available at a $100 discount from Coles from just $199. Sales of refurbished devices over the last 18 months has exploded with a 150…

For the second year in a row, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference will be held as an online event from June 8-12 and free for all developers so they can discover the latest developments with iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS. Because of the COVID pandemic, last year’s WWDC was run successfully online with record developer participation and Apple is expecting WWDC21 to exceed last year’s numbers. WWDC allows developers to learn about new technologies, tools and frameworks that they can use to build the next generation of innovative apps and exciting games. “We love bringing our developers together each year…