Author: Stephen Fenech

It’s less than three weeks till Christmas and our Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas Gadget Gift Ideas is designed to help you find the right gift for your friends and family. It’s Day 3 today and we’re looking at a category that will be super popular in 2018 and that’s smartwatches and fitness wearables. The Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas Gadget Gift Ideas will be: Day 1: Cameras Day 2: Smartphones Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches Day 4: Headphones/speakers DAY 5: Gaming DAY 6: Tablets/eReaders DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices DAY 9: In-car gadgets DAY 10: TVs/Blu-Ray/4K DAY 11: Appliances DAY 12: Computers DAY 3: WEARABLES/SMARTWATCHES Apple Watch Series 4…

If you want to stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews then you need to listen to editor Stephen Fenech in Episode 327 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast. On this week’s show, supposed leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy S10, Apple Music will be available through Alexa-powered speakers and the countries that get the best and worst deals on Netflix. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the MacBook Air, the PlayStation Classic console and the Tiny Tower laptop stand that can save your neck. In the Tech Guide Help Desk,…

Apple and Amazon have come together and made a major announcement –  Apple Music will be available to hear on Alexa-enabled Echo devices before Christmas. From December 17, customers will be able to ask Alexa to play their favourite music from the Apple Music service which is enjoyed by 56 million subscribers worldwide. This is a major coup for Amazon which is sure to move the needle in its direction in terms of sales of its Echo speakers which are behind Google-powered smart speakers in Australia. Listeners will also be able to access individual songs, artists, albums and playlists from…

Is this a glimpse of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10 smartphone? Alleged leaked images have appeared online showing what appears to be the long-awaited 10th version of the Galaxy S smartphone line-up. The images surfaced on Twitter through prolific leaker Ben Geskin and show a device with a taller screen and with a small oval opening in the top right corner to fit two selfie cameras. Geskin’s tweet listed some specs including a 6.44-inch Super AMOLED quad HD+ display. Samsung would never dream of including a notch on any of its phones – a feature introduced by its fierce rival Apple.…

Christmas is just around the corner and if you’re stuck for ideas on the best tech gifts to buy your friends and family then check out Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gadget Gift Ideas. Today were talking about one of the most popular products on the market – smartphones – and Christmas is a popular time of year to be gifting such a useful device. You might be a parent looking to buy your child their first smartphone, someone who is looking to surprise their partner or another who wants to keep their parents connected. The Tech Guide 12…

When Apple introduced the MacBook Air in 2008 it set the tone for ultra-thin laptops for the next decade. Apple CEO Steve Jobs stunned the Macworld audience by removing the device from an envelope. I was actually in the audience that day and that unveiling was a huge deal at the time. We had all been grappling with larger, thicker and heavier laptops which we assumed we were saddled with for years to come. But then Apple came along with the MacBook Air and changed everything. The beloved laptop (Apple calls it the most loved Mac) has now had a…

For those who want to enjoy some amazing gaming nostalgia, take a look at the PlayStation Classic – an excellent – and miniaturised – reimagining of the original Sony console. When you unpack the PlayStation Classic console from the box, you will be struck by just how cute it is – it’s actually 45 per cent smaller than the original. But it looks exactly the same and memories will come flooding back the second you get it in your hands. It has stayed true to the original down to the last detail. PlayStation Classic also comes with two wired controllers…

Christmas is just a few short weeks away and once again tech gifts will be extremely popular. So we’re kicking off Tech Guide’s annual 12 Days of Christmas Gadget Gift ideas. Finding the right gift for your friends and family can be tough which is why over the next 12 days we’ll be covering every category to give you an even better idea of what to purchase and put under your Christmas tree. Today were talking about a very popular item – cameras. They come in all shapes and sizes including action cameras and mirrorless cameras. The Tech Guide 12…

There are a lot of laptop users who use their device as their main computer no matter where they are, but it’s not exactly good for your neck looking down at the screen. What helps is a laptop stand – just like the new Tiny Tower. Tiny Tower is designed for users who spend hours in front of their laptop at work or at home including those road warriors and travellers who want to work in comfort. Ergonomics is a term you hear when it comes to safe and comfortable use of a computer. Now with the handy Tiny Tower…

Join the Two Blokes Talking Tech, Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, for Episode 369 of the podcast that covers the week’s biggest tech stories and announcements. On this week’s show, the new Kayo Sports streaming service, our thoughts on the new Hisense OLED TV, the robot airport guides we encountered in South Korea and which countries pay the most and least for Netflix. Also on the show – how you can use your credit card to tap and go and ride public transport, how you can now buy an Apple Watch through Optus on a mobile…

DJI has just released the world’s smallest 3-axis stabilised handheld camera – the Osmo Pocket – which will allow users to capture everyday moments with cinematic precision. The lightweight and portable device can shoot 4K video at 60fps and uses mechanical stabilisation to keep your handheld video smooth. DJI says its mechanical stabilisation is superior to the electronic stabilisation you would find on other action cameras and also better than the optical image stabilisation on most smartphones. The tiny device is only 12.2cm long and weighs just 116g making it literally pocket size so you can take it anywhere with…

Samsung has revealed more details about its foldable display technology which will be introduced in 2019 and change the way we use our smartphones every day. Unveiled at the Samsung Developer Conference earlier this month, the Infinity Flex Display is set to change our idea of a smartphone which has basically stayed the same, apart from screen size increases, for more than a decade. Samsung is envisaging a device with a 4.58-inch front high definition 21:9 display which can be used for on the spot interactions like making and receiving calls and messages. The device would then fold open to…

Having a smart robot companion used to only be the stuff of science fiction movies but with products like Vector it has well and truly become a reality. Created by Anki, Vector is a small robot on wheels who can quickly become your best little mate. The little guy is fully aware of his surroundings and can see, hear, feel, think and communicate. Vector’s eyes are animated on the small screen that doubles as his face. Users can play around with the colours – they may prefer blue eyes instead of green eyes. Anki has shoehorned a lot of tech…

Take a look at the skateboard for the 21st century –  it’s electric and it’s called the Zenboard. It was developed right here in Australia and, like a regular skateboard, can be controlled hands-free and reach speeds of up to 40km/h. The lightweight electric skateboard transfers the Zen of surfing from the ocean to the city streets. Zenboard was invented by the Australian mechanical engineering student at Monash University It is made from durable carbon fibre with the unibody deck and a sleek waterproof exterior that seals in the electronics. And because of its one-piece construction, less material is required along…

JBL has just unveiled a new device that combines two products in one – a Bluetooth speaker and a DAB+ digital radio with FM tuner so it can cover all of your audio needs. The JBL Tuner DAB+ can fit in the palm of your hand so it is easy to take anywhere. The device measures 16.5cm long and 6.6cm wide and weighs 445g. JBL has 70 years of experience in sound engineering and that expertise is evident on its portable speakers including the new Tuner DAB+. Available in black or white, the device can provide crystal-clear digital radio as…

Optus is now offering the new Apple Watch Series 4 to its customers on a 24-month mobile broadband plan which includes Optus Number Share so you can stay connected without your iPhone. This is the first time an Australian telco has offered the popular Apple Watch on a mobile broadband plan which includes a data SIM with 3GB or 10GB of data per month which can be shared with other of the services on the same account. Plans start at $35 a month for the 40mm Apple Watch Series 4 which includes 3GB data and the Number Share option (normally…

Lenovo’s Smart Display is the latest smart speaker to include a screen and also one of the better devices in its class that can provide a great all round experience in your home. The device is available in two sizes – 8-inch and 10-inch – with a speaker placed beside the touchscreen display. For our review, we took a look at the 10-inch Lenovo Smart Display which has a beautiful bamboo pattern on the exquisitely shaped rear panel. The 8-inch model comes a grey soft touch backing. With Google Assistant on board, the Lenovo Smart Display adds a lot more…

Get updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews with Episode 326 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, the new Kayo Sport streaming service, the rules you need to know to fly a drone safely and how our brains interpret 8K TV. In the Tech Guide reviews, we road test the new iPad Pro, we check out the new Hisense 4K OLED TV and chat about Netgear’s Outdoor Orbi Satellite. In the Tech Guide Help Desk we also answer your VoiceBytes about phone cases, home wi-fi and using…

The Netflix streaming service is enjoyed by viewers in many countries around the world. But which countries are getting the best deal? New research has surfaced showing which countries pay the most and the least for Netflix. CompariTech has analysed the differences in the library size and the monthly cost of Netflix subscriptions around the world. The study showed a huge difference among the 78 countries included in the research. The site worked out the number of TV shows and movies available and added these two together and divided it into the monthly subscription price to determine each country’s cost…

Hisense has launched its first OLED TVs into the Australian market in addition to the company’s already popular ULED range. Tech Guide sat down with the new Hisense OLED TV to see how it compares to other OLED TVs that are already on sale. The Hisense 4K OLED TVs are available in 55-inch ($3,499) and 65-inch ($4,999) models and have a super slim design. The Hisense OLED TV has a similar design to the LG OLEDs, with super thin screen resting above a thicker base where the circuitry and inputs of the TV are located. OLED TVs are quite thin…