Author: Stephen Fenech

Samsung has revealed its latest range of Galaxy A series of mid-tier smartphones – the A32, A52 and A72 – which now include key Galaxy features customers love including a high quality camera, 5G connectivity, an excellent display and a long-lasting battery. The mid-tier smartphone market – ranging between $500 and $800 – has seen a surge in popularity with numerous feature considered flagship two or three years ago now a part of these more affordable devices. Samsung is already enjoying success in this tier with the company claiming nearly almost 50 per cent of the market. “Last year  Samsung …

If you love reading and listening to books there’s a new subscription service called Scribd that’s just launched in Australia to offer access to millions of premium titles. Customers will be able to access books, audiobooks, podcasts, magazine articles – and even sheet music. Available for $13.99 a month, Scribd allows access through its iOS and Android apps as well as via a browser. The service has launched with titles from major publishers including Murdoch Books, Simon & Schuster Australia, HarperCollins Publishers Australia and Fremantle Press. There is also Scribd Originals – Scribd’s own exclusive and original content on the…

Arlo, one of the leading connected wireless camera brands, has announced an update to its award-winning Pro range of security cameras and it’s called the Arlo Pro 4 Wire-Free Spotlight Camera. The new Arlo Pro 4 cameras have advanced 2.5K HDR (high dynamic range) and an integrated spotlight which can be utilised for colour night vision and a 160-degree field of view that delivers clear video day and night. The Arlo Pro 4 cameras can connect directly to your home wi-fi network for an even DIY set-up as a standalone system or to be integrated into an existing Arlo ecosystem…

Google has just unveiled its second generation Nest Hub smart display which has improved sound and new Sleep Sensing technology to understand and improve the way you sleep. The new Nest Hub will have 50 per cent more bass output for an even richer sound to hear your music, podcasts, audiobooks and streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music. Now it is also possible to watch your favourite TV shows and movies on the device’s 7-inch display if you have a subscription from supported services like Netflix, Disney+ and Stan. The device now has Quick Gestures so you can pause…

Stay updated and educated with the latest consumer tech news and review with Episode 442 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, Oppo unveils its new Find X3 smartphone series, Peloton has launched its interactive platform in Australia and Adobe releases its “substantially faster” native version of Photoshop for the M1 Macs. In the Tech Guide reviews we check out the HyperX SoloCast microphone for podcasting and streaming, Sonos releases its first portable speaker and the new Wilson Parking app that works even better with CarPlay. In the Tech Guide Help Desk,…

Amazon is on track to complete the construction of its largest warehouse in Australia and the company’s first robotics fulfillment centre in the southern hemisphere before the end of the year. The building’s shell is finished with the rest of the mammoth warehouse – which is equal to the size of Taronga Zoo or 24 rugby league fields – well underway to accommodate the robotics which be able to keep track and dispatch more than 11 million items which will be housed on site. Located in Western Sydney at the Goodman/Brickworks’ Oakdale West Industrial Estate, the Amazon fulfilment centre will…

Aspera Mobile has expanded its rugged phone range with the new R40 which has a solid durable design with an IP68 rating which means its waterproof and dustproof and ready to go anywhere. It is reinforced to handle shock, vibration, sand and water and can handle being submerged in a metre of water for up to 30 minutes. The Aspera R40 is running its own KaiOS but also includes popular apps like Google Maps, Google Assistant, Whatsapp, YouTube and Facebook that have been pre-loaded. Priced at $129, the Aspera R40 is the latest in the company’s rugged line-up which have…

Today is World Consumer Rights Day and that offers a timely reminder of the power we have when we spend our hard-earned money as consumers. To mark the occasion, Choice has offered some consumer rights tips. Many of us are unaware of these rights which are important to know should something happen to the product you’ve purchased. Knowing where we stand when it comes to Australian Consumer Law will make it easier for customers to argue their case if the product is faulty and not performing as described. “Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of exactly what your rights are,…

Creating a podcast or getting into live streaming is now a lot easier with the new HyperX SoloCast which offers impressive audio quality and USB connectivity so it can be plugged directly into a Mac or PC. For many, trying to work out the best gear can prove a little intimidating. Many go for a microphone that can be connected to a mixer which can add another layer of complication. But with the HyperX SoloCast USB condenser microphone there’s one USB-C cable that can connect to a Mac, PC or PlayStation 4 before being used with some of the most…

Almost everybody is aware of the buzz that surrounds cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. The popularity of digital wallets is also paving the way for instant and convenient payment systems. Consequently, these technological advancements have disrupted how people conduct business. When an eCommerce store uses a payment processor, they can automatically convert their cryptocurrencies into their local currency. And this makes accepting Bitcoin payment a seamless process for a retailer. But, many eCommerce stores are yet to start accepting Bitcoin payments. That’s because their owners don’t know much about the cryptocurrency or are skeptical about it. Overall, taking Bitcoin can expand…

Adobe has released the first version of Photoshop that runs natively on the latest MacBooks powered by Apple’s latest M1 processor and it delivers huge performance improvements. The latest version Adobe Photoshop takes advantage of the performance improvements built into the new architecture. Adobe’s internal testing covered a range of activities which include opening and saving files, running filters and compute-heavy operations like Content-Aware Fill and Select Subject and it showed they were all “substantially faster”. “These great performance improvements are just the beginning, and we will continue to work together with Apple to further optimize performance over time,” says…

Oppo has launched its Find X3 Series of smartphones – led by the Oppo Find X3 Pro 5G – which combine cutting edge features and a futuristic design with a stunning display and a high-quality quad camera system. In a first for Oppo – the device’s screen can capture and display a billion colours for true-to-life colour accuracy. The Oppo X3 family of devices also includes the Find X3 Neo 5G and the Find X3 Lite 5G which will all go on sale on April 1. “Oppo is known for developing and delivering innovative products and the new Find X3…

Lend us your ears for Episode 477 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they go through the week’s biggest tech stories. On this week’s show, it’s TV season as the major brands like Samsung, LG and Hisense prepare to launch their 2021 range of smart TVs, Sonos releases new portable speakers, are we going cashless, PayPal launches Pay in 4 buy now pay later option, cyber criminals use COVID-19 vaccines in latest email scams, Spotify comes up with the pasta playlists and Wilson Parking updates its app for…

PayPal has announced the launch of PayPal Pay in 4 in Australia – a new buy now pay later (BNPL)  payment solution which will give customers the ability to pay off items with four equal payments. The news comes as other BNPL solutions like AfterPay are booming in Australia. PayPal has more than 9 million active accounts in Australia and its entry into this space in June 2021 looks certain to shake up the market. PayPal Pay in 4 will be not only suitable for customers but also favourable or businesses which can offer more payment flexibility to their customers.…

Cyber criminals are targeting people in a new email scam using the COVID-19 vaccines as bait in an attempt to steal a user’s money and their identity. Researchers from Proofpoint have uncovered these email scams which promise COVID-19 relief and vaccines which are targeting workers in essential industries like medical, aerospace and pharmaceutical. Cyber criminals are exploiting the pandemic and spoofing trusted and well-known organisations like DHL and the World Health Organisation which ask the recipient to click on links and provide personal and financial information. These links execute a malicious application on the person’s PC which can be exploited…

Sonos has launched a new go-anywhere speaker appropriately called Roam that can connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth when you’re out and to your wi-fi network when you’re at home. The Sonos Roam is 16.8cm tall, weighs just 0.43kg and has an IP67 rating so its sealed from dust and is fully waterproof. You can enjoy your music anywhere and the durable design means it can handle various scenarios whether you take it to the beach or on a camping trip. Users can position and listen to the speaker horizontally or vertically. It has Automatic Trueplay tuning technology and…

Do yourself a huge favour and take a listen to Episode 441 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. Samsung releases its 2021 range of stunning TVs – we’ll tell you pricing and how they’re also better for the environment, why Australia will be virtually cashless within three years and the Apple Watch ECG has finally been approved – what you need to do to make this feature work for you. In the Tech Guide reviews we check out the Bose…

Wilson Parking has created a new integration to its Apple CarPlay-enabled app which will allow drivers to discover, book and pay for their parking from the car’s display. Now drivers with the Wilson iOS app with CarPlay will be able to view their nearest car parks on their in-car display including the name of the car park, its location and the parking rates. Once the driver chooses the car park it will seamlessly link to Apple Maps and provide navigation to their chosen car park. Wilson has worked with Perth-based app developers Adapptor and Kombu on the CarPlay app integration…

Interactive fitness platform Peloton has launched in Australia to offer studio style workouts in the comfort of your own home with the company’s specialised fitness equipment including the Peloton bike and the Peloton treadmill. Founded in New York and now with more than 4.4 million members worldwide, Peloton’s full portfolio includes two Bike options and two Tread options. For its Australian debut, set for the second half of 2021, Peloton will be releasing the original Peloton Bike and the Peloton Bike+ which offers cardio and strength training in conjunction with the Peloton app. The Peloton app provides content across more…

Working from home during the COVID pandemic has forced people to create a comfortable workspace and one product that can help is ParcSlope from Twelve South which makes using laptops and tablets even better. ParcSlope is a dual purpose one-piece metal stand that can elevate laptop screens to more comfortable viewing height and can position iPads and other tablets at a better angle. When used with a laptop it not only offers a better height for the screen but also puts the keyboard at an angle which makes reaching all the keys even easier. You can also use an external…