Author: Stephen Fenech

More drivers are realising the benefits of dash cams – they present your side of the story in the event of an accident. Uniden has numerous dashcams and has offered some tips on making the most of the device and your dash cam footage. Brad Hales, Uniden’s Australian national marketing and communications manager, says more Australians are installing dash cams than ever before. “The technology is being recognised as an invaluable tool to record incidents and the road to assist with car insurance claims,” Hales says. New research shows 20 per cent of all Australian drivers are now recording their…

One can only wonder how much you can change the GoPro in a single year? The is a whole lot as a matter of fact when you take a look at the brand-new GoPro Hero8 Black POV action camera. GoPro has also redesigned and rereleased its 360-degree camera – now called GoPro Max. And the company has also come up with a range of modular accessories (mods) that makes the GoPro camera a compelling device for vloggers and creators. These include a Media Mod, Light Mod and a Display Mod. There are plenty of differences between the new GoPro Hero…

Tune in to Episode 368 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, Instagram users being targeted by cyber criminals, why smartphones sales in Australia have slumped and Tesla releases its biggest software update ever for its electric cars. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Hisense 100-inch Laser TV, we take a listen to the Sonos Move speaker and Arlo launches the Pro 3 wire-free security cameras. In the Tech Guide Help Desk…

National Australia Bank (NAB) has launched a new feature within the bank’s mobile app that will allow customers to digitise any paper receipt for their records. The solution was developed in partnership with Australian company Slyp which will make it even easier to keep invoice records. This new in-app receipts function has the potential to save valuable time for small business operators who are constantly on the go. The feature has already had more than 15,000 receipts digitised by customers since its launch in September. “Our small business customers continually ask us for ways we can help them save time…

When we spend so much time in an office in front of a computer we need to take into account workplace wellness and ergonomics and Kensington has a range of products that can help us stay comfortable. Research commissioned by Kensington has shed some interesting light into the Australian office environment. The study revealed that more than 2.4 million white-collar workers have taken sick leave because of pain caused by bad posture. And 73 per cent admit their bad posture at work is unhealthy which shows that office managers should pay more attention to creating more comfortable and ergonomic work…

Apple has launched its new Apple News+ subscription service to Australian readers and brings together hundreds of leading magazines and newspapers into one place within the Apple News app. This curated experience will give subscribers full access to the most popular and relevant publications including major Australian newspapers like The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier Mail and The Advertiser. Readers can also read full issues of some of the biggest magazines including Vogue, Australian Women’s Health, Elle, The Australian Women’s Weekly, Harper’s Bazaar Australia, GQ, Australian Men’s Health, Delicious and Australian Geographic. Users will also be able to access international newspapers…

Cyber criminals are now targeting Instagram users in their latest scams which are aimed at getting users to share their account details and personal information. This time, these scammers are using scare tactics to make people believe they have breached copyright laws with their account which is at risk of suspension. Users assuming this is a legitimate warning from Instagram are clicking through to find out what they’ve done wrong and to work out how to unlock their accounts. But, in the process, they are inadvertently handing over their details. “The crooks are tapping into a concern that many of…

Tesla is about to roll out its biggest software update ever – Version 10 – which will add new entertainment and convenience features and make the company’s electric vehicles even more advanced and capable. The software update is already available in the US with drivers in Australia receiving it this week. Here are the new features from Tesla Software Version 10: https://youtu.be/nlCQG2rg4sw SMART SUMMON One of the standout new features is Smart Summon which unfortunately won’t be available to Australian Tesla drivers immediately. But US and other international  drivers who have purchased Full Self Driving capability for Enhanced Autopilot will…

Customers are moving towards larger televisions but what if you wanted to go really big?  Like 100-inches? One way of achieving this is with the new Hisense Laser TV. The Hisense Laser TV is actually a short throw projector that offers a crisp 100-inch 4K HDR picture. The beauty of this design is the fact it can be placed in the same spot where you would regularly position your television. The unit also has built-in speakers and a TV tuner and comes with the special 100-inch screen that is mounted on your wall so it’s an all in one solution.…

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro’s camera has been declared the best in the world after it achieved the highest rating from DxOMark weeks before it is officially launched to customers. The smartphone’s Cine Camera system topped the rankings with an overall score of 121 which places it four points ahead of the previous titleholder the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G. In the photo category, the Mate 30 Pro achieved a score of 131 for the four-lens rear camera module which includes a 40MP SuperSensing Camera, a 40MP Cine Camera, an 8MP Telephoto Camera and a 3D Depth Sensing Camera. DxOMark…

Amazon has introduced a range of new Echo devices – Echo Studio, Echo and Echo Dot with clock – which all leverage the power and convenience of Alexa and Amazon services. The next-generation Echo ($149) has an updated fabric design with numerous colour options including blue, charcoal, grey and sandstone. The device has the same audio architecture as Echo Plus and now includes a 3 inch woofer. Echo Dot with clock ($99) has a bright LED display that makes it ideal for your bedside table or your countertop or desk. The screen automatically adjusts to the brightness of the room…

Arlo has launched the latest version of its excellent wire free cameras – the Arlo Pro 3 – which is an improved security solution for your home or office that is now even easier to set up. The Arlo Pro 3 cameras now offer 2K resolution with HDR (high dynamic range) for improved image quality. The cameras also incorporate a spotlight with colour night vision and a wide 160-degree field of view. Arlo is the leader in the wire-free security camera market in Australia with more than 36 per cent market share. The reason for this growth is because customers…

LG is already calling it the best TV in Australia. It’s LG’s Signature 88-inch 8K OLED TV and it’s landing in October. It’s not only the world’s first 8K OLED but also the largest LG OLED TV ever created. The price to get this TV into your lounge room? A cool $59,999. This luxurious cinematic viewing experience has an 8K resolution – 7680 x 4320 which adds up to 33 million self-emitting pixels – that’s four times more than a 4K TV and 16 times full high definition TV. The LG OLED 8K TV has a minimalist design and sits…

Not everyone wants a smartphone and all the distractions that come with it. For those customers there is the new Mudita Pure – an elegant phone that has no internet browser, no app store and no camera. Pure is designed for those customers who want to stay connected but don’t want to be overwhelmed with notifications, social media and other distractions. Users can still make and receive calls and send and receive text messages but unlike a smartphone, there are no apps and no internet browser. The device has a high-res e-ink display like that found on the readers so…

Today drones are used for a lot more than photography. Global leader DJI has demonstrated that with its latest products designed for agriculture and disaster relief. Unveiled at the DJI AirWorks Conference in Los Angeles, the three new drones have been designed to assist businesses and government agencies incorporate drone technology into their operations. Attendees at the conference included the Los Angeles Fire Department, Corteva Agriscience, DroneDeploy, Marathon Petroleum and Microsoft. The new products are: DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral drone – The world’s first fully integrated multispectral imaging drone built to power farming’s next generation and enable more efficient environmental land…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 406 with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long dissect the week’s biggest tech news and product releases and reviews. On this week’s show, the blokes take a look at the Hisense 100-inch Laser TV set up inside a luxury home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Also on the show, Huawei releases the Mate 30 Pro with cutting edge features but without Google apps and the Google Play Store, new cameras rolled out to pick up drivers using their phones illegally, Telstra installs 5G at the MCG for the AFL Grand Final and HP…

Sonos has been a pioneer in multi-room audio so you can play your music wherever you want and has held its own in a market that was flooded with competitors. Its latest Move speaker shows it’s not just keeping up but leading the way. Move is both a wi-fi and a Bluetooth speaker. For Sonos die-hards with existing multi-room systems, Move can fit right in as a wi-fi speaker and expand your audio footprint. You can control Move and direct whatever audio you want from the other side of the house or include it with the rest of your Sonos…

Oprah Winfrey has joined forces with Apple to create Oprah’s Book Club which will build a vibrant global community and showcase thought-provoking authors and their work. Winfrey, an award-winning producer, actress, philanthropist, talk show host and CEO of Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN),  will choose books that offer stories of self-discovery that can bring people together. “I am who I am today because of the experience of learning to read at an early age. Reading opened up a whole world for me beyond the red dirt road and my grandmother’s porch in Mississippi,” said Oprah Winfrey. “I want to do that…

For all the latest consumer tech news and reviews tune in to Episode 367 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, the world first cameras that can catch you if you’re using your phone illegally while driving, Huawei has unveiled the Mate 30 Pro smartphone but it won’t have Google Apps or the Google Play Store and Netgear will launch a Wi-Fi 6 version of the Orbi mesh system. In the Tech Guide reviews, we give our verdict on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and the Apple Watch Series 5 and…

Amazon will begin selling refurbished products at lower prices under its new Amazon Renewed program which will include popular tech products like smartphones and computers. Customers will now be able to look for “like new” products which have been inspected and tested by qualified suppliers. The wide range will include phones, computers, tablets and audio products including headphones and wireless speakers. Products also come from some of the most well-known brands including Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Lenovo, HP and Dell. Any product purchased from Amazon Renewed will also come with a six-month partner-backed warranty. “Renewed provides Australian customers with great discounts…