Author: Stephen Fenech

Tune in to Episode 444 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, with special guest multi-award-winning sports photographer Phil Hillyard. On this week’ show, the Sydney primary school that Apple has showcased to the world on its website and employees want to continue with flexible working conditions post-COVID but decision makers and employers are not on the same page. This week, our special guest is award-winning sports photographer Phil Hillyard who once worked with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech when he was sports editor of the Daily Telegraph. We talk about his amazing career and how the…

Netgear’s new Nighthawk 4G LTE Wi-Fi Router LAX20, which was unveiled in January at the virtual Consumer Electronics Show, is now available to buy to provide connectivity for their home or business anywhere. Priced at $499, the Nighthawk 4G LTE Wi-Fi Router LAX20 is a perfect solution for those who need a connection no matter the location as well as for limited time periods, when on vacation or in a short term rental. The 4G LTE wireless capability provides consistent high speed connections for those times when wired broadband is not fast enough, not reliable enough or just unavailable. With…

Apple has expended its Independent Repair Provider program to more than 200 countries including Australia which means customers will be able to get their devices repaired in more locations by trained repairers who use genuine Apple parts. Repairers of all sizes across Australia will now be able to receive free training as well as access to genuine Apple parts, tools, repair manuals and diagnostics. Customers will be able to recognise authorise Independent Repair Providers with a sign to confirm they offer repairs with genuine Apple parts. The most common repair for iPhones is to replace cracked screens with customers now…

Technology and fitness are not strangers when it comes to finding ways to get the best out of your training and to reach your fitness goals. The latest is from Saga which has developed a Bluetooth cuff for blood flow restriction (BFR) which helps accelerate your results. BFR is also known as tourniquet training which can increase muscle growth while training with weights or your own body weight. Using a tourniquet – in this case the Saga BFR Cuffs – around your arm or your leg restricts blood flow to the muscle and this causes the muscle to fatigue faster…

Afterpay has launched an all-new in-store payment solution – a virtual card that offers the convenience of a regular credit or debit card but with the same ability to spread out payments over four equal and interest free instalments. The Afterpay card can be created through the Afterpay app and can be stored in your smartphone’s digital wallet. When it’s time to check out in the store, customers simply fire up the Afterpay app to access the Afterpay card and then tap it on the payment terminal as you would with a digital card or physical card. It will also…

Remote working is here to stay after its rapid acceleration during the COVID pandemic but the new challenge for companies is to invest in flexible work policies and programs to address the disconnect that has now developed between the decision makers and their employees. A study commissioned by LogMeIn – the provider of cloud-based remote working solutions like GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, LastPass and Rescue – shows nearly three quarters of workers, who enjoyed the flexibility that remote working provided, want to work more remotely in the future. And 83 per cent said they would be more likely to stay at their…

An Australian primary school that took its one-to-one iPad initiative to the next level and found ways to keep its students engaged during the COVID pandemic has been singled out by Apple as an example to school around the world. St Therese Catholic Primary School in the Sydney southwestern suburb of Sadleir is a community of students representing 50 different cultures with 73 per cent from non-English speaking backgrounds. Apple featured the school in a global press release published in the Newsroom on the company’s popular website. St Therese Catholic Primary School has flourished after adopting the iPad to empower…

It’s time to take a listen to Episode 479 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 stories and products. On this week’s show, the new Amazon Fire Stick 4K and how does it compare to the Chromecast with Google TV, we take a look at the PlayStation 5 accessories, Stephen has reviewed the Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV and the new value mobile plans from Belong and Aldi. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the…

Acer has unveiled its latest range of products for creators, gamers and business which are designed to meet the changing needs of customers working in the office, at home, at school and on the go. Over the past year there have been more people than ever working and learning from home with a growing need for flexible workspaces and a demand for hybrid working solutions. Many Australians are still navigating the changing landscape and our technology requirements are also evolving to help us stay connected and productive. Acer’s new range includes the Swift 5 – a thin and light consumer…

Amazon is changing the way you access and view your home entertainment with the introduction of three new Fire TV devices in Australia – the Fire Stick 4K, the Fire Stick TV and the new Alexa Voice Remote. The products are available to pre-order now and on amazon.com.au and JB Hi-Fi and they will be available from April 21. These new devices bring popular streaming apps to your TV including Netflix, Prime Video, Stan, YouTube, Disney+, ABC iView, tenplay much more. The Alexa Fire Stick devices also allows users to check the weather, access their calendar as well as control…

The PlayStation 5 is certainly in hot demand and if you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on one you’ll be interested to hear about the official accessories you can buy for the console. These include the Pulse 3D wireless headset, the DualSense charging station, the PlayStation 5 Dual Sense wireless controller, the PS5 HD camera and the PS5 media remote. Even of you don’t have your PlayStation 5 just yet you’d still be interested in taking note of these products and adding them to your shopping list. https://youtu.be/P5ljmp7nFCQ They are design to enhance your gaming experience and enjoy…

It’s time to join host Stephen Fenech in Episode 443 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, are flagship smartphones on the way out as the mid-tier surges with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A Series, Dyson launches new air purifier that’s strong enough to filter formaldehyde and Sony has unveiled its VR system and controllers for the PlayStation 5. In the Tech Guide reviews we run our eye over the Samsung 85-inch 8K Neo QLED TV, the new service that…

Belong has released new value mobile plans with generous allowances and unlimited calls and texts to help Australians stay connected and enjoy their content anywhere. And that extra data will come in handy because Australians use a lot of data. Last year Belong customers got through a whopping 15.6 million gigabytes of data which is more than 156 million games of Fortnite, 104 million hours of Spotify and 5.2 million hours of Netflix. These new Belong plans start at $25 a month for 20GB of data and move up to $35 a month for 40GB and $45 for 80GB a…

When considering a laptop purchase there is an alternative to Windows or Mac – and that’s a Chromebook which uses Google’s platform. And the Lenovo 13.3-inch IdeaPad Flex 5 is a great example. Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 has a 13.3-inch full high definition display with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD (solid state drive) storage capacity. The device is powered by Intel Core i5 10th Generation processor so it’s pretty fast and responsive. The operating system in this case is the Chrome browser which links to the Google online platform so you can use Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Drive, Files…

Dyson has just unveiled a new and improved air purifier with an all-new formaldehyde-sensing sealed HEPA 13 standard filtration and that’s 20 per cent quieter airflow than the previous model. The new Dyson Purifier Hot and Cold Formaldehyde and Dyson HEPA Cool Formaldehyde will go on sale in May. So what’s the big deal about formaldehyde and why would Dyson put it in the name of its latest products? Formaldehyde is a colourless gas pollutant that is actually released by furniture and wooden products containing formaldehyde-based resins like plywood and fibreboard. It can also be found in insulation and in…

The new Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV has set a new benchmark for picture quality thanks to remarkable technology that provides enhanced colour, contrast, brightness and black levels – and Tech Guide had a chance to see this for ourselves. We took a look at the 85-inch QN900A – Samsung’s absolute flagship 85-inch Neo QLED TV – and it would have to be up there with the best picture we’ve ever seen on a TV. This is a $13,999 TV but the Neo QLED technology, processor and all-new Quantum Matrix Technology Pro with Mini LEDs is available on a range…

PlayStation has updated its VR gaming system for the PlayStation 5 to take gameplay and immersion to an all-new level with new controllers to provide an even deeper experience. It’s been more than four years since PlayStation VR hit the market to offer a whole new way of playing games. And the gaming and development community has responded with the release of numerous stunning titles. With the release of the PlayStation 5 that bar is now even higher with game publishers now able to take advantage of huge leaps in performance and interactivity. Enhancements will include improved field of view…

GoPro has relaunched and renamed its mobile app to Quik and made it easier for users to get the most out of their pictures and videos with access to powerful editing tools and auto-generating videos. This fresh approach to the app means users can access their existing pictures and videos in their camera and also import their content from their GoPro camera or any other source and easily share it. Quik replaces the GoPro app in iOS and Android app stores. Existing users will see an update which will bring the app to the new Quik version. With the Quik…

Listen to Episode 478 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast hosted by Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long  as they present the biggest tech news and products of the week. On this week’s show, the Samsung mid-tier range of Galaxy A smartphones are unveiled, Amazon’s new Echo Show 10 goes on sale, the new Google Nest Hub smart display that can monitor your sleep, Arlo releases the Pro 4 wireless cameras, Scribd is the new service for readers and audiobook listeners, the Aspera R40 rugged phone and the progress of the gigantic Amazon robotic warehouse in…

Amazon’s latest Echo smart display – the re-imagined Echo Show 10 – goes on sale in Australia today. The device has a 10.1-inch HD display that can follow you as you move around the room so the screen can always remain in view. Priced at $399, the third generation Echo Show 10 can move with you as you interact with Alexa or enjoy your favourite shows on Amazon Prime and Netflix. It’s also a useful tool when following a recipe with the screen able follow you  as you move around the kitchen. Also onboard the Echo Show 10 is a…