Author: Stephen Fenech

The busiest shopping period of the year has come and gone and we’ve spent billions of dollars on gifts. But what happens when we have to return to the store to get a refund or an exchange? What are your rights as a customer? Most people don’t realise the law is on your side and that you’re protected by Australian Consumer Law. Customers are entitled to a refund, free repair or replacement if the product doesn’t match the description, doesn’t work or doesn’t perform in the way it is supposed to perform. And unfortunately some retailers who will try to…

The Boxing Days sales have kicked off and if you’re after a tech bargain there’s plenty to choose from. We rounded up the best deals for you here. MICROSOFT STORE – discounts on Razer Gaming accessories – Save up to 33 per cent on select Bose Audio –  Save up to $350 on Samsung Note10+ devices – 3 free games with select Xbox One S console bundles. Now only $289 – Free game with Xbox All Digital console 2.0. Now only $239 – Free game and additional controller with select Xbox One X console bundles. Now only $479. SEE THE…

We’ve got not one but two new Tech Guide podcasts for you this week – one is Episode 380 of the top-rating Tech Guide show and the other is a special Star Wars edition which takes a look at the Rise of Skywalker and the conclusion of the Skywalker saga. In Episode 380, Westpac finally getting Apple Pay, embattled Huawei sets the record straight on a number of false claims and the new Virtual Power Plant which makes cheaper electricity available for customers. In the Tech Guide Reviews we take a hands-on look at the Star Wars edition of the…

The Boxing Day sales are going to be massive this year and we’ve put together a list so you can get a head start on the best bargains you’ll find the day after Christmas. Amazon Boxing deals are already available. AMAZON Amazon Devices Echo Dot + Echo Show 5 bundle for $99 2 x Echo Show 5 bundle for $129 Echo for $99 Echo Show for $249 Buy any Kindle device, get 50% off select covers 2 x Fire TV Stick bundle for $99 Electronics Save on select soundbars from Sonos, Bose and Yamaha Save on select Soniq TVs Save…

Huawei might have been excluded from the 5G bid in Australia and the US but the company is not going down without a fight releasing a report detailing a long list of false claims others have made and setting the record straight. Huawei claims the US Government is spreading misinformation about the embattled Chinese company while implying the State Department knows networking technology better than the telecom operators themselves. Huawei also has a gripe with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who based his decision to ban the company from the Australian tender on incorrect information. So here is Huawei’s long…

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER FULL STORY RECAP – HEAVY SPOILERS THE STORY The film’s opening crawl reveals Palpatine is somehow still alive although no real explanation is given besides it being the work of Sith wizardry. Kylo Ren from the opening scene is fighting to retrieve a wayfinder – the Star Wars universe equivalent of a GPS  – so he can confront Palpatine to see if he poses a real threat. We find out early it was Palpatine who has been pulling the strings of the First Order through Snoke who was a clone – we see several Snokes in…

The saga of the Skywalker family which began 42-years ago has been brought to a satisfying conclusion with Episode IX – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. These thoughts and review will contain heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen the movie you should click away right now. HERE’S TECH GUIDE’S NO SPOILER REVIEW Those that are still with us here we go. 10. 9. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Still with us? Let’s dive in. The Rise of Skywalker had a lot of work to do to bring not only this new trilogy but the nine…

Tune in to Episode 418 – the last Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast for 2019 – with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long taking a look back at the year and what we can expect to see in 2020. Also on the show, the Government to spend $9m to educate Australians that 5G technology is safe, lots of kids getting smartphones for Christmas this year according to Telstra research, Aldi offering a bargain priced 75-inch TV, Westpac to finally offer Apple Pay to its customers and Stephen shares his thoughts on Star Wars. You can listen to…

Samsung has partnered with Disney to produce a limited edition Star Wars edition of the Galaxy Note10+ to celebrate the release of the new film The Rise of Skywalker – and Tech Guide has taken a hands on look at the device. It is amazing. Everyone we showed it to – casual Star Wars fans and die-hards – were both equally amazed and fascinated. The collectors edition includes the Galaxy Note10+, a Star Wars case with Kylo Ren emblazoned on the back, a small collectible 3D plaque of Kylo Ren and matching red and black Galaxy Buds earphones. Starting with…

The last of the big four banks in Australia – Westpac – will finally offer Apple Pay to its customers in 2020. But other financial institutions under Westpac’s umbrella including St George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA will be offering Apple Pay from today. The Westpac Group has made a commitment to deliver Apple Pay for customers by June 2020. Westpac will be the last of the four major banks to offer Apple Pay after ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank (in that order) made Apple Pay available to their customers. David Linberg, Westpac Group Chief Executive, Consumer said…

They saved the best till last! The Rise of Skywalker is arguably the best Star Wars film of them all. And that’s coming from someone who saw the first Star Wars movie in the theatre 42 years ago and has been a die-hard, tragic, mega-fan ever since. This is a SPOILER FREE review – you have my word that I will not reveal any plot details or anything that will affect your enjoyment of The Rise of Skywalker. I want you to experience this movie the same way that I did – with my heart pumping, with tears in my…

A collective of energy tech companies have joined forces to create a Virtual Power Plant pilot program using blockchain technology that could save customers up to $2500 a year on their electricity bills. Energy trading company Power Ledger and wholesale energy retailer Powerclub have partnered with German battery manufacturer Sonnen and Natural Solar to launch the initiative. The Virtual Power Plant is created when a network of solar-powered homes and battery systems pool their energy and feed it back into the grid so other connected households and the wider community can access more affordable solar-generated power. The benefit for VPP members who…

The new 15-inch Microsoft Surface 3 laptop certainly looks the part – it’s thin and reasonably light and it’s the first time the company has offered a larger display. A bigger screen to us means Microsoft means business. The 13-inch models have done well before and for the new 15-inch Surface 3 we had really high expectations. On the design side, this laptop delivers what customers are looking for – a sleek look that’s pretty thin (14.69mm) and not too heavy (1.542kg). The impressive 15-inch touchscreen PixelSense display has a resolution of 2496 x 1164 with 201ppi (pixels per inch).…

It’s just a week until Christmas and also the last day of our 12 Days of Tech Guide’s Christmas Gift Ideas and we’re looking at one of the most popular tech categories – computers. This is a huge category that includes laptops and loads of other accessories. Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas: Day 1: Cameras (Dec 3) Day 2: Smartphones (Dec 4) Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches (Dec 5) Day 4: Headphones/speakers/audio (Dec 6) DAY 5: Gaming (Dec 9) DAY 6: Tablets/e-readers (Dec 10) DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets (Dec 11) DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices (Dec 12) DAY 9: In-car gadgets (Dec 13) DAY 10: TVs/Blu-Ray/4K (Dec 16) DAY…

It’s time to tune in to one of the most popular tech podcasts – Episode 379 of Tech Guide, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated with the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, the Federal Government invests $9m to show Australians that 5G technology is completely safe, a quarter of Australian parents will be gifting their kids with a smartphone this Christmas and some more last minute tech Christmas gifts. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the Jabra Elite 75t earphones, Messenger gets in the Star Wars spirit…

Australian gamers are very particular when it comes to their equipment because it could mean the difference between winning or losing. Samsung has listened and delivered two new state-of-art curved monitors – including the world’s first 240Hz version. The 49-inch CRG9 and 27-inch CRG5 are both powered by Samsung’s QLED display technology – the same used in the company’s market-leading TVs. “Samsung has designed the new monitors offer an awesome experience that’s immersive and can give gamers an edge over their competition – whatever their game is,” said Phil Gaut, Director of Display and Memory Solutions, Samsung Electronics Australia. “Our…

There’s still plenty of time to get your Christmas shopping done and Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas can help you find the perfect gift for your friends and family. Today we’re looking at appliances which have some tech built in so they’re smarter and more convenient than ever before. Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas: Day 1: Cameras (Dec 3) Day 2: Smartphones (Dec 4) Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches (Dec 5) Day 4: Headphones/speakers/audio (Dec 6) DAY 5: Gaming (Dec 9) DAY 6: Tablets/e-readers (Dec 10) DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets (Dec 11) DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices (Dec 12) DAY 9: In-car gadgets (Dec 13)…

The Federal Government will be investing $9m over the next four years to address the rampant misinformation about the safety of 5G and increase public confidence in the new mobile networks being rolled out across the country. The new initiatives by the Morrison Government will address the incorrect information about electromagnetic energy and include scientific research to educate the public on the real facts about the technology behind 5G. There has been no shortage of hysteria about 5G and an equally rampant stream of anxiety and anger over claims the new network was harmful and could place lives in danger.…

Christmas is just over a week away but don’t panic – the Tech Guide 12 Day of Christmas Gift Ideas is here to help and today we’re up to Day 10 and talking about TVs and projectors, Blu-ray and 4K Discs. Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas: Day 1: Cameras (Dec 3) Day 2: Smartphones (Dec 4) Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches (Dec 5) Day 4: Headphones/speakers/audio (Dec 6) DAY 5: Gaming (Dec 9) DAY 6: Tablets/e-readers (Dec 10) DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets (Dec 11) DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices (Dec 12) DAY 9: In-car gadgets (Dec 13) DAY 10: TVs/Blu-Ray/4K (Dec 16) DAY 11: Appliances (Dec 17) DAY 12: Computers (Dec…

Episode 417 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long is right here – but have they gone to the Dark Side of the Force? On this week’s show, we take a look at the top Google searches of the year, why Australia is paying some of the highest prices in the world for internet access, Optus partners with Seven to offer the 2020 Olympics in 4K and we offer a few tech Christmas gift ideas. Stephen and Trevor also chat about the new Star Wars bands for Apple Watch – which…