Author: Stephen Fenech

Samsung has confirmed it will be holding an Unpacked event in San Francisco on February 25 (early February 26 Australian time) to launch the new Samsung Galaxy S26 range of smartphones. The event will be held at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco at 10am local time which will be 5am February 26 (Sydney time). We can expect to see the latest S26, S26+ and the S26 Ultra. There is also speculation around whether Samsung will launch the S26 Edge – a follow up to the super thin S25 Edge launched last year. Our money is on the…

With Valentine’s Day approaching, Norton has released new research that shows how AI is embedding itself into online dating with almost half of Australians saying they would consider dating an AI chatbot. According to the Norton Insights Report: Artificial Intimacy, AI is not just a part of the dating app algorithm, it’s becoming part of the relationship with 45 per cent of online daters saying they would think about dating an AI chat bot. One in three (34 per cent) also believe an AI partner would provide more emotional support than a human. But at the same time, cybercriminals are…

One of the biggest Apple rumours is that it will release a foldable iPhone this year. Based on those rumours, a 3D mock-up was created. We got hold of it and 3D printed it so we could hold it in our hand. We printed the mock up on the Bambu Lab H2C 3D printer. And it even folds. The iPhone Fold mock-up has a 5.5-inch front display which opens to a 7.6-inch inner display. The shape is shorter but the width of the front screen (3.5-inch) is the same width as the screen on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Interestingly…

Go to the top of the class by listening to Episode 680 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech as he keeps you updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and product reviews. On this week’s show: an alarming report reveals university students are using AI to cheat their way to a degree, Google has teased the upcoming Pixel 10a and Rakuten Kobo releases its annual reading report. On the Tech Guide reviews we talk about the new Dyson wet and dry robot vacuum, the skin care mask that has taken the US by…

Today is Safer Internet Day and Microsoft has released its annual Global Online Safety Survey which revealed 62 per cent of all Australians have experienced an online risk in the last 12 months. 2026 is the 10th year Microsoft has released the report which is the result of a global survey of teens and adults about their online experiences. The top online risks found were hate speech (31 per cent), online fraud and scams (30 per cent) and cyberbullying (30 per cent). Ohe key finding among teenagers was the fact that 72 per cent talked to someone after experiencing a…

It’s not just smartphones Oppo is releasing in 2026 – the company has just unveiled the new Oppo Pad 5 tablet with an even bigger screen and bigger battery and the Oppo Watch 5 which is a daily fitness companion that can also track your health. OPPO PAD 5 – $499 The new feature packed tablet is great for work and play thanks to its extra-large 12.1-inch 2.8K display and quad-speaker sound system. The Eye Comfort display has earned an Intelligent Eye Care 4.0 certification so it can reduce eye fatigue even after extended use. It also has a Pastel…

Hit the highway and press play on the latest episode of Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars – the EV podcast with Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long. On this week’s show, we talk to Brendon Green from Pickles again to look at their latest battery health data. It turns out that fears that DC charging might be problematic for battery health may be over-rated. We also look at how the market is looking for second hand cars and what’s driving it. Plus we take your calls and take a look at the ATTO 2 from BYD. If you’ve got a question…

Picture this: you’re on the operating table for life saving heart surgery. Years earlier the doctor about to perform the surgery used AI to cheat their way to their degree. Not exactly a confident scenario. Or what about the engineer who used ChatGPT to sit their exams for them and to complete their assignments in under 20 minutes? Would you feel safe driving over a bridge they designed? This unfortunately could be the sad reality after the stunning expose in the Weekend Australian Magazine written by Ros Thomas where she describes the rampant use of AI like ChatGPT being used…

I am not an animal!! I am a human being!! This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching The Elephant Man starring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft and directed by David Lynch. The Elephant Man tells the true story of John Merrick – a severely deformed man who is rescued from the circus side shows by a doctor and offered a new life in society. Stephen did not see this in the cinema when it was released in 1980 – he was a bit young while for Trevor – the mere mention of the film…

Rakuten Kobo has released the 2025 Book Report which offers a snapshot of what Australians read and how they read it with data revealing we are turning increasingly to books to entertain and educate ourselves. One trend the report showed was that readers were embracing expansive fantasy worlds, emotionally driven romance along with personal life stories. Australians were reading as both a way to be entertained and for emotional support. January was the most popular reading month with Australians wanting to start off the year with a bang with Sunday is our favourite day to read according to the report.…

Dyson has launched its first wet and dry robot vacuum – the Spot+Scrub Ai – which is designed to detect and react to the cleaning task at hand while also avoiding obstacles. The robot has an advanced AI stain detection system and uses AI vision and laser illumination to identify almost 200 types of household substances and objects until the floor is spotless. The Dyson robot also uses AI for smarter navigation. Also on board is a self-cleaning wet roller with a 12-point hydration system to ensure fresh heated water is used to lift and remove stubborn stains. And on…

Sit down with the Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long – the Two Blokes Talking Tech – and press play on Episode 718 of the popular podcast as they talk about the biggest tech stories of the week. On this week’s show, It’s a pretty important question if we’re going to give all this AI so much power – will it kill us? Is it willing to? Turns out – probably yes. Plus AI Slop and AI content on social media and the internet, is it all just too much? How Snapchat’s doing with the social media ban, and the Google…

Google has offered a sneak peak of its upcoming feature packed entry level smartphone – the Pixel 10a – which will be available for pre-order on February 19. It also looks like this year’s release window will be earlier for the Pixel 10a than last year’s Pixel 9a which hit stores in April 2025. We expect the Pixel 10a to be available by the end of February. Google released a 15-second teaser showing the Pixel 10a’s design and a striking blue colour option. https://youtu.be/HIkj4yz2t_E?si=Sm_y0AegCp4XTk8v The Pixel 10a looks almost identical to the Pixel 9a with the same flat edges and…

If you really want to take your skin care game to another level then you’ll need to give the popular Shark CryoGlow Under Eye Cooling + LED Mask a try. After huge sales in the US, the in-demand beauty product will be landing in Australia and New Zealand in the coming weeks. The Shark CryoGlow Under Eye Cooling + LED Mask incorporates award winning and internationally recognised technology to deliver noticeable and proven improvements in your skin from the comfort of your own home. The device was the most popular skin care facial device in the US. It was even…

Get updated and educated with Episode 679 of the Tech Guide podcast hosted by Stephen Fenech as give the latest consumer tech news and product reviews. On this week’s show: Is Apple finally preparing to release its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, Belkin’s new products to help content creators and Reolink has launched a new AI powered security camera. In the Tech Guide reviews we talk about the new MOVA 1000 robot lawn mower and Netgear has released the new Nighthawk M7 5G mobile hotspot. In the Tech Guide Help Desk we talk about overcoming issues with CarPlay. You can listen…

Snapchat doesn’t agree with the outright social media ban for Australians under 16s but it is still complying with the new law by disabling more than 415,000 accounts from its platform. And more are taken down every day using Snapchat’s own age detection technology. But the popular social media platform says the social media ban is still leaving significant gaps that could prevent it from reaching its goals. Snapchat admits there are still real technical challenges and limitations when it comes to age verification technology. This means that young people under 16 will be able to bypass these protections while…

Here is one rumour we hope is true. Apple is set to release its first touchscreen MacBook Pro – and it could hit the market as early as the end of 2026. Apple has stood alone in the ever evolving laptop market by NOT including a touchscreen in its excellent MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. The rest of the laptop market – which happens to be the entire Windows laptop category – embraced the convenience of touchscreens years ago and continue to do so. Rumours suggest Apple is preparing thinner OLED displays for its upcoming range of MacBook Pros,…

Hit the road and press play on a brand new episode of Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars – the EV podcast with Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long. On this week’s show, Trev’s been on a road trip again, and the remarkable Tesla Superchargers just continue to impress. Why do they do it better? Why can’t others do the same? We also take a drive of the new GAC AION V – what’s it like? Why would it be a possible hit, and what’s to look out for? And we take your calls and questions on all matters EV. If you’ve…

The robots are now taking over our lawns after learning the ropes on our floors and carpets inside. Products like the MOVA 1000 are taking those smarts into the backyard. Tech Guide has been reviewing the MOVA 1000 for the last few weeks and it has now taken over most of the lawn mowing duties. The MOVA 1000 is 77cm long, 48.1cm wide and 30.9cm tall and weighs 11.7kg. It has large all-terrain back wheels so it can get around lawns of all shapes and sizes easily even if there are twigs and large leaves on the grass. It also…

I see pride! I see power! This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast on the eve of the 2026 Winter Olympics we’re watching Cool Runnings starring John Candy. Cool Runnings is based on the true story of the first Jamaican bobsled team that competed for the first time in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Stephen saw Cool Runnings in the cinema and has rewatched it a few times while Trevor claims to have seen it but couldn’t remember anything about it. We go through the memorable scenes and shares some interesting facts, behind the scenes tidbits, trivia, plot…