Author: Stephen Fenech

We’ve just recorded the 400th Episode of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast and to celebrate – we’re giving listeners to chance to win a Uniden Dash View 30 dash cam valued at $399.95 to help protect you on the road. The Dash View 30 features a supercapacitor, providing a longer battery lifespan and holding enough backup power to ensure any recording in progress is safely stored before the camera is powered off. With a larger range of operating temperatures than a traditional lithium-ion battery, the supercapacitor is ideal for users operating the Dash View 30 in areas with harsh Australian…

Kogan.com has kicked off a shopping frenzy and offering huge discounts off Apple and Beats products as well as Kogan’s own products with prices reduced by up to 50 per cent. The Kogan Frenzy deals kicked off today and will come a close at 11.59pm on Thursday May 21. Shoppers will be able to access the deals here. Here’s are just some of the bargains you can expect to find: Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones (Defiant Black-Red) – 50% off New price: $129.00, Save: $130.00 With up to 12 hours of battery life and dynamic high-performance sound these headphones will keep…

Working from home will continue for almost half of Australia’s small businesses even after the coronavirus lockdown is over and our normal lives resume, according to research by Zoho Corporation and Telsyte. The number of people working remotely increased dramatically after the first COVID-19 restrictions were put in place and we’ve discovered we are able to do our jobs and maintain our productivity even when working remotely. Before the coronavirus crisis, working from home was preferred by one third (32 per cent) of small businesses with a further 18 per cent intending to maintain remote working practices, according to the…

Take a listen to Episode 436 of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they discuss he week’s biggest tech stories and products. On this week’s show, Samsung has announced pricing for its 8K TVs, 5G has been declared safe so put away the tin foil hats, Alcatel has released three new smartphones and they are all under $200, the ATO phone scams and the need for security, the new F1 2020 game and Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 earphones. You can listen to the show right here on…

Samsung has launched its latest range of Galaxy A series of smartphones – devices that offer a flagship experience for more customers at a more affordable price. The new line-up includes the Galaxy A31, the Galaxy A51, the Galaxy A71 and Galaxy A71 5G. All of these new Samsung smartphones are priced under $1000. This new portfolio offers improved display, four lens camera systems and even larger batteries for an enhanced mobile experience. SAMSUNG GALAXY A31 – $499 The Samsung Galaxy A31 has a 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity U display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The device has a…

During the coronavirus crisis we’ve spent more time at home and used this isolation as an excuse to upgrade our smarts TVs with all major brands reporting remarkable year on year growth. Tech and electronics vendors and retailers have fared better than most during the COVID-19 lockdown as Australians have cocooned themselves to work and learn from home. But customers have also upgraded their entertainment options, namely their TV, to improve their viewing experience. Samsung, LG and Hisense – the most popular TV brands in Australia – have all confirmed with Tech Guide “significant” year on year sales increases. “We…

Huawei has added a new smartwatch – the Huawei Watch GT 2e – to its portfolio which has a refreshed design and more advanced health and exercise tracking features. The Huawei Watch GT 2e has a classic design with a circular 1.39-inch precision touch AMOLED display. For the first time, the Huawei watch includes a blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring feature which makes it easier to track your health as well as your heart rate. It will also allow the Huawei Watch GT 2e to detect an abnormal heart rate and keep track of pressure levels and also monitor your…

Samsung has just announced the pricing of its premium 2020 QLED 8K television range – the Q950T and the Q800T – which will be  available in 85-inch, 82-inch, 75-inch and 65-inch. The Samsung 8K TV range is available from today. Pricing for the Q950T 65-inch is $9,999, 75-inch – $13,499 and 85-inch for $21,999. The Samsung Q800T 8K TVs start at $6,399 for the 65-inch, $8,699 for the 75-inch and $11,649 for the 82-inch. The TVs include not only the highest resolution available on a TV today but also the latest technology which delivers superior audio and video quality. Samsung’s…

Alcatel has launched three new smartphones in Australia that once again offer tremendous features, including a 48-megapixel triple camera system, and equally tremendous value with all of the devices priced under $200. The Alcatel 3L, 1V and 1B were first seen at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January and will be sold through Vodafone stores. Alcatel is once again challenging other brands with this new range that offers sensational bang for your buck. The Alcatel 3L is priced at $199 (available May 20), the 1V is $149 (available now) and the 1B is just $99 (available…

D-Link has announced new 5G connectivity solutions that can connect you and all your smart home devices to the faster cellular network at home and on the move. D-Links sees 5G as a technology that can redefine the way we work and live and have responded with their first products. These 5G devices could also be the answer for NBN customers who are not quite receiving the speeds they were hoping for. The three new devices are: the DWP-1020 Outdoor Unit, the DWR-978 5G Gateway and the DWR-2101 5G Wi-Fi 6 Mobile Hotspot. “D-Link believes that 5G technology has and…

With the cinemas closed we have no choice but to watch movies at home. This week you can pick up one of the latest blockbusters to own on digital for as little as $4.99 during Mega Movie Week. Mega Movie Week kicks off on Thursday May 14 and will includes a wide range of films to suit the whole family and all genres including 1917, Joker, Bad Boys For Like and Jumanji; The Next Level. All you need to do is head to your favourite digital platform including Apple TV, Fetch, Google Play Store, PlayStation Store, Telstra TV Box Office…

5G is safe and transformative technology, according to the House Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts which tabled its 5G Inquiry Report in Parliament this week. The report says 5G will provide huge opportunities for innovation and connectivity that will benefit Australian customers and businesses alike. It also added that 5G will provide crucial building blocks to support what it calls the “fourth industrial revolution” where Australians will see the blurring of lines between the cyber and physical in their workspaces, homes and leisure time. The report also concluded 5G will enable technologies and enhance productivity and connectivity that…

The Australian Taxation Office has raised an alert about a phone scam aimed at business owners and employees asking for bank details to process JobKeeper payments. In the scam, the caller pretends to be part of the person’s organisation and asks for banking information to organise a wage subsidy payments. The ATO has identified the scam on its website and on social media and reminded Australians that only email and SMS is used to communicate with JobKeeper recipients. On its website the ATO said: “We’re receiving reports of scammers pretending to be from the ATO calling members of the public…

Do yourself a favour and tune in to Episode 399 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. On this week’s show, how well are we coping working and learning from home – HP has revealed an interesting study, Apple to press on with the Worldwide Developers Conference – but as an online event and Microsoft has revealed a range of new Surface products to help us stay connected and stay productive. In the Tech Guide reviews we’ll take a listen to…

Ring has released the second generation of its original video doorbell which has improved video and motion detection while maintaining its original price. The new Ring Video Doorbell has 1080p video with night vision and better image quality to be able to see who’s at your door even more clearly. There are also improved motion zones which are adjustable so you can choose the zones you want to hear from. There are also new Privacy Zones which allows you to control what you want to see and exclude other zones. From the Ring app you can rule some areas of…

D-Link has just launched the COVR-1102 Seamless Mesh Wi-Fi System – one of the first Wi-Fi Certified EasyMesh products – which makes it more flexible and easier to expand the wireless coverage in your home. The new industry standard mesh networking technology will provide customers with an easier way to manage and upgrade the D-Link system. “The new COVR-1102, with its stylish, minimalist design, fits into any home or office and brings seamless mesh Wi-Fi coverage to every part of the premises,” says D-Link ANZ managing director Graeme Reardon. “With Wi-Fi Certified EasyMesh it’s also simple to expand coverage at…

LG has demonstrated once again that OLED is the format to beat with its new 2020 range including the 65-inch CX OLED that has just been released and what we have just reviewed. There have been some remarkable improvements in the new LG OLEDs which take an already stunning experience and makes it even better. What sets OLED apart is the fact that it has self-lit pixels. OLED stands for organic light emitting diode – and uses a material that self illuminates which means there is no need for a backlight like a regular LED TV. The advantage here is…

Microsoft has just launched a new series of Surface products which meet the needs of users at home, in the office and at school. They include the Surface Go 2 2-in-1, the Surface Book 3 laptop, Surface 2 headphones and the Surface earbuds. The products are designed to keep us connected and productive no matter where we are – a concept we have really grown to appreciate since working and learning from home during the coronavirus lockdown. More than 4 trillion minutes are spent on Windows 10 per month – a 75 per cent improvement year-on-year and this has been…

There are 75 years of audio heritage packed into the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2  wire-free earphones which offer remarkable noise cancellation and impressive audio quality at the same time. Quality is the keyword here – the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 earphones are well crafted and, while slightly larger than other wire-free earphones, they are still quite comfortable. They are available in black or white and also come with a charging case which has a fabric layer on the outside. The shape of the earphones make them easy to lock in place so they are secure enough to wear…

Let the Two Blokes Talking Tech – EFTM’s Trevor Long and Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech – entertain you with Episode 435 as they dissect the biggest tech stories and products of the week. On this week’s show, Apple to hold the Worldwide Developers Conference online, Apple Stores have re-opened across Australia, Sonos releases the Arc soundbar and Samsung unveils its new Galaxy Tab S6 Lite tablet. Stephen and Trevor also deliver their verdicts on the Huawei Mate Xs foldable smartphone, the HTC Vive virtual meetings and the Telstra’s Australian Dice Football League. You can listen to the show right…