Author: Stephen Fenech

Choosing a development partner is one of those decisions that quietly shapes a business for years afterwards. Get it right and you end up with software that grows alongside the company, adapts easily, and rarely needs a rescue project. Get it wrong and you inherit a system nobody wants to touch, built on shortcuts that made sense at the time but cost far more to unpick later. Pixel is Australia’s only Laravel agency partner, and working through what earns a credential like that is a useful starting point for understanding what separates a strong development partner from an average one.…

Put on your shades and press play on Episode 713 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, it’s a year on from NBN’s Accelerate Great speed upgrade – what’s the state of the nation and we’ve just returned from Meta Connect 2026 and we’ll talk about the Meta VR Glasses, new Meta Glasses without cameras and we sit down with Meta VP for Wearables Alex Himel and discuss new products and privacy. In the Tech Guide…

Australians have been advised over the years to not click on suspicious links or answer unknown numbers but cybercriminals have turned the tables with a new scam that gets people to call them. It’s called the callback scam and it’s on the rise. Telstra’s data shows it has grown from 29 per cent in 2025 to 45 per cent of reported email-based scams in 2026. It usually starts with a person receiving an email about an unauthorised purchase, an unpaid invoice, a failed subscription payment, or unusual bank activity. The message also contains a number to call if you want…

OpenAI has issued an apology after hacking Australian government websites and has vowed to do better in the future as well as work with Australians to rebuild trust in its brand. “We are sorry and working to do better in the future,” it said in a blog post. This comes after it was revealed OpenAI had accessed Australian government websites including Services Australia (Medicare), the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the Victorian Department of Health and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. OpenAI says it will take accountability for its actions and says it will…

Vodafone is launching Australia’s first 48-month interest-free mobile device payment plan to give customers more flexibility to purchase of their next smartphone. This is in response to research that shows Australian users are holding on to their smartphones even longer. New Vodafone data showed that the number of customers using smartphones for four years or longer has doubled since 2021. Another driving factor is the rising cost of flagship smartphones including the upcoming Apple iPhone Duo – the company’s first foldable iPhone which will start at $3,499 when it’s released on October 23rd. Previously the terms were 12, 24, or…

Jump onboard and listen to the latest episode of Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars – the EV podcast with Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long. On this week’s show, Stefan joins us to talk about buying a Tesla Model YL after going out to buy a Toyota Prado. How do you get from one extreme to the other? Kushal is considering replacing his Toyota Corolla with an EV – should he buy new or used? And Stephen and Trevor go around the block in the BYD Sealion 7 If you’ve got a question about EVs or you want to be part…

The Mac mini might look small but it offers a huge performance. And despite its compact dimensions it has been dramatically upgraded with Apple’s all-new M6 chip. The M6 chip has more CPU and GPU cores, neural accelerators and the all-new dual 16-core neural engine which all adds up to a solid leap in performance for day-to-day tasks and AI workflows. It’s possible to set up the Mac mini as a standalone computer to run AI agents and LLMs (large language models) locally on the system. What makes that prospect even more attractive is the fact the Mac mini is…

This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy and written and directed by John Hughes. Planes, Trains and Automobiles tells the story of two men who cross paths as they are trying to get home to their families for Thanksgiving but keep coming up against obstacles with hilarious results. Stephen watched Planes, Trains and Automobiles in the cinema and has rewatched it several times – the latest time on 4K disc – while Trevor is on the journey for the first time. We go through the…

Motorola has released its most advanced smartphone yet – the signature 27 – which pushes the envelope in terms of performance, craftsmanship and mobile technologies. This is the company’s first ultra-premium device, which adopts the numerical name for the final two digits of the upcoming year. The device has a sleek aluminium silhouette with contoured edges to create a timeless look. It will be available in two finishes – Pantone Coal Smoke and Pantone Capulet Olive. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip – a next-generation platform which offers powerful on-device AI capabilities,…

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled a small handheld device that will allow users to interact with the company’s new Muse AI agent without touching your smartphone or computer. The small device is called Muse Charm and places Muse’s real-time voice and avatar on a keychain-sized device. The unit has a fingerprint sensor in one corner, which can start a conversation without the user unlocking a phone or opening an app. Zuckerberg said Muse Charm will be ready to ship for the holidays in December. Muse will be accessible through Meta AI glasses and the soon-to-be-released Meta VR glasses. Released…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 751 with Stephen Fenech and stand-in bloke Val Quinn is coming to you live from Meta Connect 2026 in Silicon Valley. Stephen and Val are in the US as guests of Meta at the Connect 2026 event in the Menlo Park campus where the company made some major product announcements. Mark Zuckerberg took to the stage for the keynote and unveiled the Meta VR Glasses – a serious Apple Vision competitor at less than a third of the price. Also announced were the Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses Audio – no camera and released at a…

Tech Guide got the chance to go eyes-on with the new Meta VR Glasses which was announced by Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect 2026 at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park. The Meta VR Glasses go on sale in the US Spring 2027 (March or April) for $US1,299.99. The straight conversion to Australian dollars puts it at $1,834. We’re hoping it to be priced at $1,999. https://youtu.be/o77CswmfLp4?si=gkXAzFKx-dFFGj8i Before we tried the Meta VR Glasses our prescription glasses were scanned before corresponding magnetic lens inserts added to make the experience sharp and clear. The first thing you notice is just how…

Meta is literally changing the shape of virtual reality after unveiling its new controller-free high-end VR glasses – Meta VR – which will go on sale in the first half of 2027 at a price of $US1,299.99. Meta’s new device has a sleek and lightweight design which makes it easy for users to play games, enjoy cinematic experiences, sit courtside at major sporting events and enjoy a new level of productivity. Meta VR has a small and light form factor with no straps or heavy hardware on the user’s face so it can be worn comfortably for extended periods. https://youtu.be/o77CswmfLp4?si=gkXAzFKx-dFFGj8i…

Meta has released a version of its Ray-Ban Meta glasses without cameras but it’s not in response to the recent concerns that they may compromise privacy – it’s because audio being the most popular feature of the AI glasses. Meta also announced a new enhanced hearing feature for its Meta AI glasses for users with mild to moderate heating loss as well as the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 range of AI glasses. Announced at Meta’s Connect 2026 conference by Mark Zuckerberg at the company’s Menlo Park headquarters, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio AI glasses now offer a purely audio experience. This…

Hip audio brand Beats has released its first customizable over-ear headphones with interchangeable ear and headband cushions while still offering its best audio performance. Priced at $499.95 and available from September 24, the Beats 360 headphones come in four core colours: Black, Cloud, Pink and Sky, along with matching performance knit earcups and headband cushions. There are also Performance Knit and UltraPlush cushions available to purchase separately for $14.95 in a range of colours and offer exceptional comfort, added stability, and durability. And of course they have an impressive sound thanks to an all-new acoustic platform and proprietary drivers, which…

It’s been a year since NBN launched Accelerate Great with up to 10 million Australians able to enjoy up to five times faster speeds – and the response was unprecedented. The demand for fibre upgrades and high speed plans exploded at launch in September 2025. By the end of the last financial year 47 per cent of NBN customers were on plans of 100Mbps and above with 37 per cent on plans 500Mbps and faster. Of all the new orders on the Accelerate Great program, more than two thirds were for higher speed plans. Multigigabit services (1Gbps and above) have…

Make the smart move by taking a listen Episode 712 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 Australian PM Anthony Albanese has a pow wow with former Apple CEO Tim Cook about youth safety online, we take a hands on look at the upcoming iPhone Duo and Epson releases new 4K lifestyle projectors for the home. In the Tech Guide reviews, we give you our verdict on the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max and ASUS launches…

ASUS has unveiled the ASUS Googlebook 14 – the sub 1kg laptop built for Gemini intelligence and for users who want more of a connected experience with their Android smartphone. The ASUS Googlebook 14 weighs just 0.99 kg and is only 10.9 mm thick. It also comes with 12 months of Google AI Pro to access features in Gemini Flow and Gemini Notebook and directly in the Google apps they already know and use. Customers also receive 5 TB of cloud storage to keep their photos and files backed up. “Deepening our global partnership with Google means we can give…

Any broker looks convincing during the introduction phase: a neat website, clear terms, and welcome bonuses. The real test begins later—the moment an online trader requests their first withdrawal of earned profits. This is precisely where the difference lies between a platform that merely presents itself well in advertising and a broker that systematically fulfills its obligations. The founders of VYCgroup, a UK-based company holding an FCA license, firmly believe that their clients should not waste time on questions or issues unrelated to trading financial products directly. The correctness of this core principle is evidenced by numerous positive reviews about…

Fasten your seatbelt and press play on the latest episode of Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars – the EV podcast with Stephen Fenech and Trevor Long. This week, we hear from Nax about his second hand Model 3, and the problem with replacing their second car. Stephen and Trevor also chat to Lisa who bought a Skoda – and she loves it! What brought her to that car decision? And we get behind the wheel of the Geely EX2 and talk about it as we’re driving it. If you’ve got a question about EVs or you want to be part…