Author: Stephen Fenech

JBL has introduced a new line-up of sport earphones – the JBL Endurance – which are designed to suit different types of sport and activities. The range includes Run, Sprint, Jump and Dive. The JBL Endurance earphones are designed to be your audio companion no matter what type of athlete you are. They are built for comfort and convenience and provide stability so they will never fall out. The Sprint, Jump and Dive wireless earphones are all IPX7-rated which means they are waterproof and can easily handle all conditions and all types of weather. They can be safely rinsed clean…

Google has launched a brand-new version of its Google Fit app which is designed to help users stay active and healthy as well as make those small changes that can make a big difference in your well-being. Designed for Android smartphones and smart watches, Google Fit is based on recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is focused on two simple goals – moving more and making your heart healthier. The Google Fit app has been revamped and offers an Apple-like design with rings that track your Move Minutes and Heart Points. The…

Lend me your ears for Episode 313 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. Foxtel to open a 4K channel with its new iQ4 set top box, how much information are we sharing through our apps and why the smartphone has become a conversation killer. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Google Home Max smart speaker, the Dragon Anywhere dictation app and the Seagate drives to help you handle your data…

Leading global wearables brand Fitbit has unveiled its latest device – the Fitbit Charge 3 – which has an all-new water resistant design and a brighter and larger touchscreen display. Fitbit Charge 3 includes the company’s most advanced sensor and algorithm technology ever used in a health tracker. There will be more than 15 goal-based exercise modes to track your fitness as well as a battery that can last for up to seven days. Priced at $229.95 and available in November 2018, Fitbit Charge 3 builds on the success of the company’s previous product line up which has sold more…

Australia has become the latest country outside the US to see the upcoming Tesla Model 3 in the flesh with hundreds of reservation holders lining up to catch a glimpse of their future vehicle. Four Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles, already available in the US, were unveiled in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand with invitations sent to customers who put down a $1,500 deposit more than two years ago sight unseen. The Tesla Model 3 is the most affordable car in the company’s line-up and is aimed at the popular mid-size car segment currently occupied by cars like the…

Seagate has just released the new Lacie DJI Copilot – it’s an external hard drive that allow you to save, view, organise and manage files on the go without your laptop. Also unveiled was the Seagate Fast SSD that is perfect for personal and portable storage with capacities up to 2TB. LACIE DJI COPILOT – $549 Lacie’s DJI Copilot has 2TB capacity and is part of the BOSS series – Backup On-Set Solution – it has an SD card slot and a USB port to copy files directly from drones, cameras and other devices when you’re on location, on the…

Episode 356 of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, discusses the week’s biggest tech news and products. On this week’s show – Foxtel is going 4K, the NBN is 75 per cent complete and with far less complaints and Telstra switches on 5G. Telsa will showcase the Model 3 around Australia for reservation holders, Oppo launches the Find X smartphone with a hidden camera and Predator has been released on 4K disc. In the minute reviews, we take a look at the Sony RX10 camera and the AirFly wireless…

You use apps everyday but most people are alarmingly unaware that some could be compromising your privacy and doing some risk things with your information. Internet security company Symantec has released some new research that shine a light on just how much information our apps are actually collecting about us. Usually users download an app and quickly hit “accept” and “next” instead of actually reading what information the app wants to access and share and how much of your privacy could be compromised. One example is the Android Flashlight app which has been downloaded 10 million times. Sounds harmless right?…

The Google Home Max is appropriately named. It’s a big and loud speaker that delivers both on the audio side and on the smart side to provide information in instant. This isn’t Google’s first excursion into smart speakers. The original Google Home was a game changer and introduced people to Google Assistant and the term “Hey Google”. That was an interesting speaker but to be frank, the audio quality wasn’t the best. Enter Google Home Max – a smart speaker that offers incredible audio quality. And you’ll need a bit of room as well – the Google Home Max is…

The NBN is 75 per cent complete with improved customer experiences and an increase in revenues according to the latest progress report for Australia’s broadband access network. NBN Co has made steady progress towards reaching its network completion goal by 2020 with 8.1 million premises ready for service. By the end of the financial year, more than 70 per cent of the total network construction was complete. Retail service providers have increased total activations by 65 per cent to reach four  million by June 30 – up from 2.4 million at the end of FY17. This increase in activations has…

One great thing about 4K – apart from the amazing resolution and picture quality – is when old favourites are remastered and re-released on the format. One recent release is action classic Predator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and one fierce alien. Released in 1987 and directed by John McTiernan, Predator became a cult classic for its amazing action sequences, special effects and the numerous re-quotable lines. “If it bleeds, we can kill it” is a standout quote for us along with “I haven’t got time to bleed”. The film also stars Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed in the Rocky films) and former…

Telstra has become the first Australian telco to activate 5G in Australia as it prepares to ramp up the technology to more than 200 5G capable sites around the country by the end of the year. Selected sites on the Gold Coast were the first to be activated to 5G following the launch in February of Telstra’s 5G Innovation Centre ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The Telstra 5G rollout has been backed by a $5 billion investment in the company’s mobile network over the next three years. “Today’s switch on demonstrates Telstra’s commitment to mobile leadership in Australia and will…

Oppo has launched its new Find X smartphone in Australia. It is a stylish flagship device that has a unique camera system which slides up out of the top to reveal itself when you want to snap a picture. Having the camera out of the way like this means you have even more room for a larger screen which now goes all the way to the top of the device with the Find X. And because of this almost the entire front of the Oppo Find X is the display which brings the screen-to-body ratio to an amazing 93.8 per…

Foxtel is going 4K with a dedicated live channel on an all-new set top box so viewers can enjoy movies, documentaries, concerts, live cricket and live rugby league with four times the resolution of high definition. Foxtel in 4K launches in October and will be powered by the new iQ4 set-top box which will deliver the new ultra-high definition content through Australia’s only guaranteed 4K satellite signal. Channel 444 will become part of the Foxtel Platinum HD and Foxtel Sports HD subscription for customers with an iQ4. At launch, the 4K channel will include live sport, documentaries and concerts. The…

It’s time to tune in to Episode 312 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, to stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, we wrap up all of the announcements from the Samsung launch event in New York which saw the release of the Galaxy Note 9, the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Home. We take a look at each of the new Samsung devices and also chat with Samsung Australia’s head of mobile Garry McGregor about how these new products will be received by Australian customers. Also…

When you’re presenting, the focus should be on your performance and your material rather than if your equipment and the new Logitech R500 Laser Presentation Remote certainly helps with that. It’s hard enough standing up in front of people either presenting as a speaker or trying to win new business so knowing all your gear is going to work goes a long way. The Logitech R500 fits neatly in your hand and will be almost invisible to your audience. It only has three buttons – the main button to advance your slides, a smaller lower button to go back and…

Australian customers who have put a deposit down on the Tesla Model 3 will be able to finally catch a glimpse of the car in the flesh when a left-hand drive model goes on display next week. Tesla have sent Model 3 reservation holders an invitation via email to attend exclusive events around Australia and in New Zealand. Many of these customers put down their deposits more than two years ago. The Tesla Model 3 is expected to arrive in Australia in the second half of 2019. Customers will be able to see the Model 3 up close for the…

Huawei has unveiled its latest smartphone – the nova 3i – which packs in numerous top-shelf features in a mid-tier device and comes with free wireless earphones in a special pre-launch offer. The Huawei nova 3i goes on sale on August 23 for $599 but anyone pre-ordering the device online from JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Mobileciti will receive the Huawei Freebuds (valued at $199) as a free bonus. Huawei recently overtook Apple as the second largest smartphone manufacturer behind Samsung. The nova 3i has a 6.3-inch FullView display with an all-glass front panel and rounded corners. Design-wise it looks…

We connect to our devices with wireless earphones and wireless headphones but what about when you’re on a plane or in a gym where you we you need a cable? AirFly can provide the solution. AirFly is a wireless transmitter that can turn any headphone jack into a wireless connection. That means you can use your Apple AirPods or other wireless headphones and earphones in your seat on a plane or while you’re pounding the treadmill or riding the bike at the gym. AirFly, made by TwelveSouth, is about the size of a match box and has a 3.5mm headphone…

Episode 355 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long is coming to you live from New York and the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. The blokes go through the new features of Samsung’s new flagship smartphone with an even larger battery, even more memory and an improved S Pen. Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Watch which has a built-in electronic SIM card so you can stay connected even without your phone. Samsung has also entered the smart speaker market with the Galaxy Home – a surprise product announcement…