Author: Stephen Fenech

For many people, their laptop is the centre of their lives. The Kensington LD5400T Thunderbolt 3 Dock takes that laptop and makes it more versatile than ever. The dock expands the laptop’s connectivity with even more ports and the ability to add monitors to your workflow. Kensington has combined its two main strengths with this product. The first is the ability to come up with useful accessories for your computer and the second is its next-generation laptop locking technology. So you know the Kensington LD5400T is both useful and secure. The device works with both Windows and Mac laptops up…

If you love your sport, Kayo – the new sport streaming service – has a new introductory offer to customers to catch all the sporting action in February for just $5. The Feb For a Fiver runs until February 4 and allows sports fans to dip their toe into the Kayo service for about the price of a coffee. After the promotion, new customers will still be able to enjoy the service for the regular price of $25 a month. There are more than 30,000 hours of content on Kayo each year with more than 50 sports live and on…

Usually the best recommendations for the next Netflix show to binge comes from our friends. Now those suggestions can be shared to Instagram Stories and other social media platforms from the Netflix app. Now instead of just word of mouth, users have the ability to share their favourite shows and movies to Instagram Stories with just one click. It is only possible to share to Instagram stories from the Netflix iPhone app at this time. It’s also possible to share your recommendations to WhatsApp and Messenger. The post will include the titles background art and a text sticker. Here’s what…

There’s a tech issue that Australians have to deal every day – the fear of running out of battery with their smartphone used has revealed causing a lot of stress. Huawei has conducted national research on the subject and uncovered some interesting facts about Australians and their charging habits. Since the introduction of smartphones, the devices have provided incredible connection and convenience and users have grown to rely on them constantly. So the possibility of running out of battery causes various responses. We love our phones so much that one in three would rather give up sex than their smartphone.…

There are a lot of NBN customers that aren’t happy with their service but the good news is they may be able to ask their service provider for a refund. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is encouraging NBN customers with slow connections to contact the provider to see if they are eligible for a refund. The providers singled out by the ACCC were Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNet, Internode, Dodo, iPrimus and Commander. The main group of people affected were customers connected via these providers to fibre to the node (FTTN). It was revealed more than half of these…

The Rodecaster Pro, the all-in-one podcast production console, will receive a significant update next month that will introduce a new interface and also multitrack recording. Firmware Update 1.1.0 will be available in February and existing users will be able to update their Rodecaster Pro to this latest version. All new units purchased in 2019 will feature the update. READ TECH GUIDE’S REVIEW OF THE RODECASTER PRO Rode says the update will also make the user interface more “user friendly” which will make the device even easier to use, especially for newcomers to the world of podcasting. The most interesting addition…

Ellcie Healthy Is the name of the new smart connected eyewear which was unveiled at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – and it can look after you in a number of ways. We’ve seen other smart glasses like Google Glass and the Epson Moverio which place information in your eye line. The Ellcie Healthy connected eyewear doesn’t offer that type of functionality but have several smarts of their own. First of all, they look like regular glasses and can even be fitted with your own prescription lenses. https://youtu.be/YxKo0YaNsOE Onboard are dozens of sensors located in the frame…

Legrand is a household brand – take a look at your switches and power points – and the company has unveiled a new smart solution incorporating Amazon’s Alexa. Unveiled at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the new Legrand Voice Switch brings together a regular wall light switch with a speaker to allow users to control their home from any room. It is the world’s first switch equipped with Amazon voice assistant technology. https://youtu.be/vSSe9gHwZJY It has a regular switch or button in the top half with a loudspeaker and microphone in the bottom half to hear your commands…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 375, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, is right here and takes a look at the biggest tech issues and products of the week. On this week’s show, the Jaguar i-Pace electric car – how it stacks up to Tesla and the future of EVs, what we can expect from the Samsung Galaxy S10 launch next month and Ring releases new security cameras. Also on the program, the Belkin dock that can charge your iPhone and Apple Watch and a third device and the luxury Louis Vuitton earphones that come with…

School is back next week and HP has announced three new Chromebooks which have been specially designed for the education sector to give students a valuable learning tool. A Chromebook uses a cloud-based Chrome operating system that is run through the Chrome browser and utilises Google’s best features including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar and much more. Chromebooks are also significantly cheaper than regular Windows and Mac laptops. Bringing your own device to school is now common practice for students of all ages so it’s important the device is suitable and also durable to handle being carried around in a…

The wait is finally over for Commonwealth Bank customers with Apple Pay available from today so they can make secure contactless payments with their iPhone or Apple Watch. Bankwest customers will also be able to enjoy Apple Pay starting today. CommBank becomes only the second of the big four banks after the ANZ to offer Apple Pay as an option with its credit and debit cards. “We are excited to welcome Commonwealth Bank customers to Apple Pay, the number one mobile contactless payment service worldwide,” says Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president on internet services. “Customers can now take advantage of the speed, convenience…

Ring has had a lot of success with its video doorbells and it has expanded its ecosystem even further with its new Stick Up Cam – the company’s first cameras designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Ring set out to reduce crime in neighbourhoods around the world with its range of security products. The latest model – the Ring Stick-Up Cam – will further enhance the Ring line of security around your home. “We’re excited to continue expanding the Ring of Security in Australia with Ring’s first indoor/outdoor cameras, will Jamie Siminoff, Chief Inventor and Founder of Ring. “Ring…

Get updated and educated about the latest tech news and products right now with Episode 332 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, what we can expect to see at the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone launch next month, Netgear has unveiled its 2019 range of wi-fi products and the ten reasons why electrics bikes will be hot property this year. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Rodecaster Pro podcast production studio, Nuraphone has released NuraLoop – an earphone version of the headphones that can adjust to the…

Louis Vuitton is a name we usually associate with high quality handbags but it has just entered the technology market with a collection of unique wireless earphones that remain faithful to the brand’s values of luxury. The Louis Vuitton Horizon Earphones bring together iconic design with sound technology supplied by Master & Dynamic. The earphones come in four styles and colours – black, white, red monogram and blue and yellow stripes. They all combine matte and glossy surfaces and include bright colours and refined metallic Louis Vuitton lettering. The Louis Vuitton Horizon Earphones are made from premium PVD-coated stainless steel…

We were introduced to Volo – the world’s first cordless electric dryer – at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The product had to be redesigned from the ground up to make it possible to operate cord free. We’ve cut the cord on our home phones and power tools but Volo is a breakthrough for the beauty industry. A hairdryer actually uses a lot of power so deciding to get rid of the cord meant new technology had to be developed to make it a reality. https://youtu.be/ZaweNP03zsw Volo is the result of years of work which has taken…

Wellness devices come in all shapes and sizes as we discovered at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – including a belt as we discovered with Welt – the wellness belt. Welt, which has been backed by Samsung, looks like a regular belt and is used like a regular belt to hold your pants up. But built inside the buckle is a health tracker they can keep an eye on your fitness and your health. https://youtu.be/wJYbBZakAwU For a start, it’s in a great position to track your waist size and the built-in magnetic sensor can track it in real…

If you own an iPhone and an Apple Watch now you can charge them both at the same time with the new Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock which is now available in stores. Ideal for your bedside table, kitchen counter or your office desk, the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock offers a 3-in-1 charging station without any of the cable clutter. On board is a 7.5W wireless charging pad which will power your iPhone at the fastest possible wireless speed. The dock is enhanced for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, the iPhone XR as well as the iPhone…

Netatmo is already well-known for its smart home devices and it has just added to its portfolio with the new Smart Video Doorbell which allows you to see who’s at your front door, and talk to them, from anywhere. And it is the first doorbell compatible with Apple HomeKit so it can be controlled using the Apple Home app or with your voice using Siri. When someone is at your door, users will receive a rich notification or you can simply ask Siri to show you who’s at the front door. It’s also possible to create automations within the home…

One thing is for certain – 8K TVs are coming to Australia in 2019.  And Samsung is focusing on the customer experience and the amazing content we will be able to watch on these mesmerising new screens.  There is no easily accessible 8K content a person can access to showcase these new TVs – for now. Samsung knew this and in creating their incredible 8K TVs also came up with a remarkable intelligent upscaling feature. Apart from looking amazing, the 8K TV also has plenty of power under the hood. Part of that processing power is machine learning that is…

Beauty and technology collided at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where well-known company Neutrogena introduced its MaskiD – a 3D printed sheet mask tailored to the individual. Used with a companion Skin360 app, MaskiD is created after taking a photo of your face and using a scanner that attached to an iPhone to take a closer look at any problem areas. On the iPhone, you will be able to see what your mask will look like before it’s shipped out to you. https://youtu.be/gArBmEtXQkM Sheet masks are effective for skincare because they create a physical barrier that maximises efficiency.…