Author: Stephen Fenech

Do not try this at home! Sony has taken apart the eagerly-awaited PlayStation 5 to give customers a look at the unit and its inner workings. In the video showing the teardown, there were several warnings about the risks of laser radiation, electric shock and other injuries. https://youtu.be/CaAY-jAjm0w Sony also warned that taking apart the PS5 would also void the product’s warranty. But on with the tear down. Before they reached for the screwdriver they also took time to show the ports on the outside which include a UBB-C, USB 3.0, HDMI and Ethernet. Then it was time to look…

Apple Music has updated its popular Kids & Family feature with dozens of new curated playlists along with fresh and vibrant new artwork to make it easier to get to the music that the whole family will enjoy. Whether you’re in the car or keeping the kids entertained at home, managing bath time or organising a playdate, Apple Music Kids & Family allow you to enjoy thousands of songs that range from educational to motivational. The new playlists include Kids Fit Fun, Playdate Fun and ABC Fun along with Pow! which is full of super hero songs, Princess Power for…

Coles Mobile and Optus have joined forces and slashed the prices on its prepaid mobile plans by up to 50 per cent for a limited time while including more data and unlimited international calls. Powered by the Optus 4G network, the new Coles Mobile plans have been simplified with terms running from 30 days all the way up to 365 days. Customers can also roll over unused data to following months and also track their usage, credit expiry, manage payments and change their plan through the new Coles Mobile app. “We know how important value is to our customers, and…

You’ve heard of air purifiers that can be used in your house but what about an air purifier that you can wear like a necklace. That’s exactly what you get with the new Airvida M1. Airvida M1 is the world’s smallest air purifier and can provide clean purified air wherever you are whether you’re in middle of a bustling city, on public transport or in your home. The device can purify the air you breathe and protect users from the elements around you, the smoke from a bushfire, the whirling pollen and dust and debris from nearby construction sites. Airvida…

Foxtel will be changing its channel numbers on October 13 to improve the viewing experience and make find new and favourite content to watch even easier. Foxtel says changing the channel order will improve the flow when channel surfing so more similar channels are grouped together. For example, drama and comedy, lifestyle and reality, documentaries and true crime will sit together as will the +2 timeshift channels and the news and free-to-air channels. There will be no channels lost – it will just be the channel numbers changing. The TV Guide may appear to have less channels on it but…

Business cards have been around for hundreds of years and allow you to easily share your name, position and contact details. But the business card has now been re-invented for the 21st century by an Australian tech start-up. Tapt might be the same size and shape of a business card but it has made it possible to transfer your contact information instantly into a smartphone using NFC (near field communication) or a QR code. The card is made of plastic and has a premium finish. https://youtu.be/49YSetrPvis Users can have your name and company logo engraved on the front while on…

Apple has announced it will be holding a virtual launch event next week to unveil the highly-anticipated iPhone 12 which will be the company’s first 5G device. The event kicks off at 10am October 13 (4am October 14 AEDT) and will be streamed from the Apple Park campus in Cupertino. With this timeline, it is expected the iPhone 12 pre-order will kick off on Friday October 16 and go on sale on October 23. The invitation sent to media read: “Hi, Speed” with the Apple logo inside circles of various sizes. This title – a pun on “high speed” –…

We’re joined by Anthony Field from The Wiggles in our Celebrity Tech interview in Episode 420 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, Anthony Field aka the Blue Wiggle chats to us about how technology has played a part in his career as a musician, with the world-wide success of The Wiggles and in his personal life. Also on the program, can you believe phone and internet complaints are down despite the year we’ve had and Telstra to offer 5G home internet. In the Tech Guide reviews we’ll take a look at…

Optus has announced a 5G smartphone price match guarantee – which is being seen as a shot across Telstra’s bow – just weeks before the highly-anticipated 5G iPhone 12 goes on sale in Australia. Optus and Telstra – the two biggest telcos in Australia – are jostling for customers as they make preparations for the launch the iPhone 12 which will be Apple’s first 5G device. The release of the new iPhone, expected before the end of October, is set to be the biggest Apple launch for years. And the fact it is a 5G device will create even more…

Apple Watch Series 6 has really extended its credentials as a health and wellness device with the addition of the blood oxygen sensor. And this is on top of the many existing features that encourage users to get moving and “close their rings” by moving, standing and exercising. Tech Guide has been using the Apple Watch Series 6 for a couple of weeks. It was the graphite stainless steel model with the new braided Solo Loop band which doesn’t have a buckle or clip to give the band a cleaner minimal look. But on to the Apple Watch Series 6…

It’s time to tune in to Episode 456 of the popular 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 in their fun yet informative style. On this week’s show, Google’s new range of products including the Pixel 5 and the Chromecast with Google TV, Telstra’s new 5G home internet plans, Vodafone’s new mobile plans, our thoughts on the Hisense Dual Cell TV, the dodgy TV Fix gadget and the new range of Amazon Echo smart speakers. You can listen to the show right…

Optus knows that every millisecond counts for online PC gamers which is why it has launched the new Game Path service which is designed to deliver an even faster connection for a smoother gaming experience. Lag is a dirty word among gamers – it’s the thing that can mean the difference between winning or losing when competing online. It occurs when networks become complicated and create restrictions for online traffic. Optus has decided to improve the experience with Game Path which can eliminate lag. It does this by analysing network routes available for gaming traffic before employing machine learning to…

75 years is a long time. That’s how long the Sennheiser brand has been developing and improving its audio technology and to celebrate the company has released the limited Anniversary edition of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds. They have an all-black design and feature the original Sennheiser logo on the earphones and the case. The company was born in a farmhouse near Hanover by Dr Fritz Sennheiser who had a passion for sound and excellence. That same passion still drives the company to this day and it has poured 75 years of heritage, attention to detail and appreciation…

Today it’s International Coffee Day so an appropriate day for Jura to launch its new range of coffee machines to satisfy Australia’s growing demand for high-quality coffee. After spending so much time at home there would be a lot of customers who want upgrade their existing coffee machine or buy their first so they can enjoy a good coffee without the need to head to a café. A recent independent survey confirmed that seven out of 10 Australians prefer the taste of coffee made from beans instead of pods. Jura is the Swiss manufacturer of fully automated coffee machines and…

Google has today launched a range of new products – the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G smartphones, the Nest Audio smart speaker and the all-new Chromecast with Google TV. The products were unveiled at the Launch Night In virtual event which showcased the new devices and the software and AI that go with them. PIXEL 5 – $999 The Pixel 5 has a 6-inch flexible OLED FHD+ display with HDR support and a resolution of 1080 x 2340 and a contrast of 1,000,000 to 1. The device is 5G compatible and can also be used as a 5G hotspot…

Samsung Australia has added Optus Sport to its smart TV platform’s streaming options so subscribers can now access the service right from the Samsung TV. They will now find the Optus Sport icon on Samsung Smart TVs from 2016 onwards after a software update. Users will also need an existing Optus Sports account and premium subscription. “We don’t just want to be the home of premium football, but also a mainstay on the TV‘s of every Australian,” said Optus’ Head of TV and Content, Corin Dimopoulos. “How we watch TV is changing by the day, and data continues to show…

Despite all the challenges we faced with bushfires and the COVID-19 lockdown, complaints about phone and internet services actually decreased in the last financial year. Complaints about mobile services remained steady while internet and landline complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman experienced a year with wildly different halves. In the first half – June to December 2019 – complaints about the internet and landlines continued the rate of decline from the previous quarter – a result of the sector’s efforts to improve their products and services. But the second half of the year – January to June 2020 – started…

It’s time to get updated and educated about the latest with Episode 419 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, Tesla has unveiled new battery technology and plans to make a more affordable electric car, Kmart unveils new augmented reality technology and we chat with Seagate’s Jeff Park about our increasing demand for data storage and the company’s new 18TB Iron Wolf drives. In the Tech Guide reviews, we’ll take a look at the Hisense Dual Cell TV, we go through the new range of Amazon smart speakers and Huawei has unveiled…

One of the questions I’m asked most often is: how can I improve my wi-fi? One of the best solutions is the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6 which can be set up in minutes and solve all your wi-fi problems. We’re working and learning from home now and rely on our broadband connections more than ever. And this is on top of what we’re already doing including streaming content, gaming online, accessing the internet from our laptops, smartphones and tablets and also connecting our numerous smart home devices. All of this has put many home networks to the test and many…

Telstra has announced it will now be offering 5G as a home internet option for customers along with new ultra-fast NBN speeds plans that existing customers can take advantage of. Connecting has never been more important in these current times with so many people working from home and home schooling along with our regular habits like streaming content and online gaming. “Having a faster connection means less buffering and higher quality video calls even when several household members are using the Internet at the same time,” says Michele Garra, Telstra’s connected home and business executive. “Today we’re announcing faster typical…