Author: Stephen Fenech

A picture tells a thousand words – a good picture also helps you sell your items on eBay. eBay has just introduced a mobile feature called Image Clean-up that uses AI and computer vision technology. The eBay app on iOS and Android can now take your images and etch out the item so you  replace the background with a white background. This image clean-up helps optimise your listing for SEO (search engine optimisation) across the web and search engines. Having a clearer and uncluttered view of your item also improves the shopping experience for buyers. The process works with a…

LG has unveiled the V60 ThinQ smartphone with a dual screen that offers 5G connectivity along with next-level audio and video and a camera that’s capable of capturing 8K video. LG had intended to announce the V60 ThinQ at an event in Barcelona ahead of Mobile World Congress but the company decided it would be safer for its staff not to attend following the spread of the coronavirus. MWC was eventually cancelled anyway. The LG V60 ThinQ has a 6.8-inch 20.5:9 FHD+ P-OLED FullVision display with a resolution of 2460 x 1080 and 395ppi (pixels per inch). The second screen…

Uber has introduced yet another safety feature to give riders even more peace of mind that they are getting in the right car and drivers know they have picked up the right customer. Now Uber riders have the option of receiving a four-digit PIN to provide the driver to verify they are the correct passenger. To opt in to the PIN code feature go to the Uber app settings menu and tap “Verify Your Rides”. From here riders also have the option to use the four-digit code for all of their trips or just for rides between 9pm and 6am.…

With the soaring prices of most flagship phones in the market, getting the handheld that you like can be hard. However, the market has found a way to help individuals who are dying to get their hands on the gadgets they want. The Australian gadget industry offers layby phones, which allows you to pay by instalments. The service provider will hold your choice of the phone until you have paid a specific portion of the whole amount. Nonetheless, this is an excellent alternative to owning the gadget of your choice without shelling out on the upfront costs. Why is a…

For most players, gaming is a competitive pursuit – not just something to while away the time and the new PlayStation Dualshock 4 Back Button attachment can help you get the edge. The Back Button attachment fits securely into the bottom of the PS4 DualShock controller through the 3.5mm headphone jack and offers two programmable buttons. And don’t worry – you won’t lose the headphone jack – there is another passthrough jack in the Back Button attachment so you can still connect headphones and headsets. The position of these buttons on the bottom of the controller means players can react…

Ultimate Ears is lifting its audio game with the release of a new portable Bluetooth speaker called the Hyperboom – the biggest and loudest speaker the company has ever released. In fact, the new Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is three times louder and more than six times the bass of the Megaboom 3. This larger speaker also has a larger battery to provide up to 24 hours of playback. On the design side, the speaker has a diamond form and is covered in technical fabric and curved edges to give it a softer look and feel so it can fit in…

Making your business more energy-efficient can offer many benefits. In particular, going green can reduce your carbon footprint, improve your green credentials, and reduce your monthly energy costs. Creating a more sustainable workplace can also boost employee morale and help you stand out from competitors when trying to gain business from customers, clients, and investors. To help you go green, here are four tips to make your business more energy efficient. 1. Minimize energy use One of the easiest ways to lower your carbon footprint and cut your business expenses is by reducing the amount of energy that you use…

Listen to the Episode 388 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast , hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, to stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, the Motorola Razr release has been pushed back due to production delays, why eSIMs could be a game changer for pre-paid mobile carriers and are you addicted to your smartphone? Take our test to find out. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Suunto 7 smart sport watch, HTC launches its latest VR headsets and we’ll tell you when you can bring…

Footage of a woman keying a Tesla Model 3 at the Penrith Westfield shopping centre captured with the car’s Sentry Mode has gone viral. But you don’t need to drive a Tesla to have that level of protection for your vehicle. I am a Tesla driver and the minute I saw this footage I decided to set up Sentry Mode in my Model S. Sentry Mode was a feature added to Tesla vehicles with a software update after Tesla had the bright idea of getting the numerous cameras around the car usually used for parking, driving and autopilot to capture…

Huawei has unveiled its latest foldable handset – the Mate Xs – an upgrade to the device that stole the show at last year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Huawei Mate Xs is powered by the company’s own Kirin 990 5G SoC processor and features an updated Falcon Wing design to provide enhanced performance and an unprecedented user experience. It features an 8-inch outward folding display which can be used like a tablet and fold down to phone size with a front 6.6-inch display and a rear 6.38-inch screen. The original Mate X was unveiled in Barcelona in 2019…

The highly-anticipated Motorola Razr foldable flip phone, due for release today (February 24), has been hit by delays and now won’t be launched until mid to late March. Retail partner JB Hi-Fi’s website now says the device will be released on March 17 due to production delays. In a statement Motorola says the coronavirus is to blame because of the limited production schedule in the Chinese factories because of health quarantine restrictions. The statement reads: “This situation in China is inevitably impacting the launch and highly anticipated availability of the Motorola Razr. By far most of our factories in China…

Smartphones are everywhere. And they’re in the hands of nearly everyone from young kids and parents to seniors and professionals. But the big question many people need to ask themselves is: Are you addicted to your smartphone? According to the dictionary, addiction is defined as the need or strong desire to do or have something or a very strong liking for something. Our first phones were a pathway to the outside world with calls and texts from anywhere and then soon after we had the internet in our hands and access to the latest apps and social media platforms. In…

The Suunto 7 smart sport watch gives you the best of both worlds – all the smarts you’d expect when paired with your smartphone and also a reliable training companion that can keep up with you. Other devices on the market usually focus on being really smart or on helping you run a marathon but the Suunto 7 is a nice combination of both that suits active users who also want to keep track of incoming notifications, control audio playback from their wrist and enjoy the convenience of Google anywhere. Yes, the Suunto 7 is the first in the company’s…

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – the blockbuster ninth and last instalment of the Skywalker saga – will be available on  digital on March 18 and on Blu-ray and 4K in Australia on April 1. Episode IX, directed by JJ Abrams, grossed more than a billion dollars at the box office and wrapped up a nine-part story that began in 1977 with original Star Wars film. There will also be hours of bonus material including a feature-length making-of documentary. The extra features will include: – The Skywalker Legacy – The story lives forever in this feature-length documentary that charts the making of Star…

Samsung’s pre-orders for its just-announced Galaxy S20 have been “unprecedented” and the company has announced it will be extending the pre-order offer for complimentary Galaxy Buds+ to the entire S20 range. When the Galaxy S20 was unveiled, Samsung was offering the new Galaxy Buds+ as a bonus when customers pre-ordered the S20+ and S20 Ultra devices. But Samsung has bowed to the “unprecedented interest” and will now extend the pre-order offer to all S20 models in all variants. READ TECH GUIDE’S HANDS-ON LOOK AT THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 SMARTPHONES Customers who have already pre-ordered the S20 will now be eligible…

HTC continues to innovate in the VR space and it has just released the new Vive Cosmos series which offers modular faceplates to expand the functionality of the device. HTC’s Vive Cosmos is a PC-based VR system that can be adapted to improve the customer experience. The new range includes the Vive Cosmos Elite, the Vive Cosmos XR and the Vive Cosmos Play which offer excellent video, audio and build quality to completely immerse the user. Now with the interchangeable faceplates users are able to improve their system over time and unlock even more features and functionality. Each Vive Cosmos…

Peter Adderton, the outspoken founder of Boost Mobile, has revealed he is no fan of 5G right now and that eSIMs are on the verge revolutionising the industry. Speaking to a group of journalists in the Boost Mobile Sydney offices to celebrate the 20th birthday of the business, Adderton spoke his mind said 5G isn’t delivering big changes that customers are looking for right now. “We will offer 5G when it makes a difference in the lives of our customers and today it doesn’t make a difference in the lives of our customers,” Adderton said. “It’s not worth the premium…

It’s still a while away from being seen on the latest smartphones but the first developer preview of Android 11 has been released with some interesting new features. There will be a focus on strengthening privacy and security and ways to manage access to sensitive data and files which we all already carry around on our smartphones today. Android 11 will also be ready for the expected increase in foldable smartphones. The operating system will be adaptable to new features including foldable displays which will dictate the behaviour of core apps and features. The systems API will also allow developers…

Maintaining privacy and security online is a never-ending story and the latest research shows there are still numerous issues for both consumers and businesses as they battle to stay safe. According to Safe Surfing data released by GoDaddy, almost a quarter of Australians (22 per cent) have already been a victim of data breach or online security threat. And at the same time, 85 per cent think our increased use and reliance on technology is going to make them even more vulnerable to cyber threats. But online security can also affect perception with 64 per cent of Australians saying they…

Tune in to Episode 424 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long to hear our analysis of the latest tech stories and products. This week’s show was recorded in the offices of Arlo and we talk about the effects of the cancellation of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and the merger between Vodafone and TPG which now has the green light after a favourable decision in the Federal Court. The blokes also discuss Samsung’s partnership with Afterpay, Uniden launches sleek new dash cams, Gran Turismo tournament held at Luna Park…