Author: Stephen Fenech

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…

TCL Communications has showcased an all-new 5G smartphone portfolio, a low power tablet using innovative new display technology and a wearable display that allows you to enjoy home theatre conditions as easy as putting on a pair of glasses. These announcements were made by TCL during its virtual press conference at CES 2021. The company also revealed a new 10 inch tablet for students and families, hybrid noise cancelling true wireless earbuds and a tracker designed for your pets. TCL 20 SERIES SMARTPHONES TCL has made huge inroads in the smartphone space in Australia and its new 20 Series offer…

Samsung has launched its new French Door fridge range with hygiene in mind after a year of social distancing, using hand sanitiser and wearing masks in busy public places. The four door refrigerator has anti-bacterial handles for an even higher level of hygiene. Samsung has also moved the water and ice dispenser inside the front door panel to create a beverage showcase and reduce the risk of contamination. Here you can also grab a quick drink whether it’s the cold water from the dispenser or a beer or soft drink on the internal shelf. But this hasn’t affected the space…

LG has kicked off the 2021 virtual CES by unveiling an exciting new range of OLED, Mini LED and Nanocell TVs which offer even greater brightness and colour accuracy. The company started its CES press event with a number of advanced and concept products designed to make users lives more comfortable, convenient and enjoyable. Under the theme “Life is ON – Make Yourself at Home”, LG outlined a number of advanced products. LG gave the world the first look at its rollable phone project which has a unique resizable screen to suit what we’re doing and the content you’re consuming.…

Hisense will be expanding its line-up of Laser TV short-throw projectors in 2021 along with the picture size with the current 100-inch L5F model being upgraded to offer a mouth-watering 120-inch picture. Hisense will take the L5F – which could project a 100-inch 4K image in 2020 – will expand to 120-inch in 2021. And Hisense says it will also introduce two models later in the year that will offer even larger pictures sizes. The Hisense Laser TV combines a short throw laser projector along with speakers and a TV tuner along with the VIDAA operating system and wi-fi connectivity…

Staying connected anywhere is the name of the game and with 5G that just got better and faster with Netgear’s new M5 Nighthawk Mobile Router (MR5100) which can deliver incredible download and upload speeds. The M5 is aimed at the mobile professional who needs a high speed connection anywhere for the laptop and other devices. It can connect up to 32 devices wirelessly to the network it creates. And what’s even better is the M5 also has Wi-Fi 6 technology onboard which is up four times faster than the previous wireless standard. Available through Telstra, the M5 connects through Telstra’s…

Hisense has introduced Mini LED backlighting technology to its already impressive ULED 4K and 8K smart TVs to enhance picture quality, brightness, colour and contrast. Mini LED brings a tight array of tiny direct-lit LEDs that can be switched off when needed to create deeper black levels. The precision of the ULED Mini LED TV is also further enhanced by the onboard Quantum Dot Colour technology – and the result is a true-to-life image with accurate colours. Hisense’s first ULED Mini LED TV will be a 75-inch 8K model that will be followed by a 4K TV that will be…

2020 was a year where millions of customers consumed numerous Apple services across apps, music, podcasts, TV shows and movies to stay entertained, fit and connected. Over the holiday period customers spent more than $US1.8 billion in the App Store on digital goods and services between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Customers welcomed the new year by setting a single day spending record of more than $US540 million on New Year’s Day. Since the App Store launched in 2008, developers from around the world have earned more than $US200 billion. And now many small and independent developers from around…

LG has introduced its new webOS 6.0 operating system which will power its 2021 OLED, Nanocell and UHD smart TV’s ahead of the virtual 2021 Consumer Electronics Show. LG has also unveiled a brand new Magic Remote that offers simpler controls and voice recognition. webOS 6.0 will provide customers with a simpler, intuitive and more enjoyable way to discover content. The latest operating system supports new voice commands for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa and makes the task of searching for content across streaming services, the internet and broadcast channels faster and easier. It has an upgraded home screen…