Author: Stephen Fenech

Can you believe Christmas is less than two weeks away? If you haven’t finished your shopping take a look at Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas to help you find the ideal present for your family and friends. Today were looking at the popular segment of in-car gadgets which can help us find our way, be our eyes and ears on the road and keep our devices charged on the move. Here is the full list of Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas. Be sure to check back every day to see all the categories and…

Google Australia has released its annual Year in Search results with the top trending searches for 2017 which included everything from fidget spinners and sport to natural disasters and politics. The things we search for reflected what was most popular in our minds and in 2017 these included the stress ball replacement – the fidget spinner – which was one of the biggest toy crazes of the year. People also figured in our Google searches and in 2017 these included Sophie Monk who found true love on The Bachelorette and musician Ed Sheeran’s while we said goodbye to Playboy founder…

To stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews you need to tune in to Episode 278 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, the busiest online shopping day of the year, Vodafone activates NumberSync for the Apple Watch Series 3 and we speak to Audible’s Fidelma Maher about the year’s most popular audiobooks. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Ecovacs Deebot OZMO 930, the Google Pixel 2 and the Sony WH-1000XM2 noise cancelling wireless headphones. In the Tech Guide Help Desk we…

Christmas is nearly here and tech gadget gifts will be high on the shopping lists. Tech Guide is once again running its annual 12 Days of Christmas Gadget Gift Ideas. Today we’re looking at smart Internet of Things products that can be controlled with your mobile device from anywhere. These products are growing in popularity and can add so much convenience to our lives. And the fact most of them are small and portable makes them an ideal gift. They are easy to integrate into your home because they tap into your wireless network. Here is the full list of…

Not so long ago we wrote about the cool Nanoleaf Aurora modular smart lights that let you design how it looks and control it with an app or your voice. Now the new Rhythm Module allows those lights to react to your music. The small module (priced at $79.99) has an integrated audio sensor that can detect and sync to your music in real time. The module fits neatly into one of the triangular light panels and draws power from the system and can be integrated into your setup over wi-fi in minutes. Within the Nanoleaf app, users can now…

Ecovac’s Deebot OZMO 930 is not your ordinary robotic cleaner. The new device is as smart as it is efficient and can not only vacuum but also mop your floors at home as well. This wet and dry functionality is patented technology and helps this product stand out from the crowd. The Deebot OZMO 930 is packed with sensors so it can guide itself through your home to map and plan its cleaning path. It can handle hard floors, carpet mats and short pile rugs. For our review, we set up the charging station in an open area – the…

Christmas is just two weeks away so time is running out to buy that perfect tech gift for your friends or family. Luckily the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas is here to help you. Today we’re looking at drones and other gadgets that are sure to interest the people you’re thinking of buying for. The drones we’ve listed in this guide are affordable and meant for enthusiasts and people who just want to have fun. Also included in today’s guide are some interesting gadgets that don’t quite fit into one category but are sure to be interesting…

Today is shaping up as the busiest day for online shopping ahead of Christmas. eBay alone will have 2.7 million visitors with more than 1.8 million visiting through mobile devices. With two weeks left till Christmas, shoppers still have a chance to order online and have their packages delivered in time. eBay, Australia’s largest online shopping destination, is gearing up for its biggest day of the year where five gifts expected to be sold per second on the platform. And this year we will see a change in shopper behaviour with desktop sales peaking between 1pm and 2pm while mobile…

Christmas is fast approaching and a tech gift option is a smart move for your family and friends. Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas can steer you towards the perfect present to put under the tree. Today were looking at tablets and e-readers – two very popular items for people of all ages. Tablets are now quickly taking the place of laptops in the home and on the move. And book lovers are embracing e-readers so they can take their favourite books anywhere and read in any conditions, day or night. Here is the full list of Tech…

No one makes a purer Android smartphone than the company behind Android. That would be Google and its latest offerings – the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 – naturally come with the very latest version of the operating system. Google has packed in the features for its new devices and they are smarter than ever before. DESIGN Once again, there is a choice of two sizes – the Pixel 2 with a 5-inch AMOLED display and the Pixel XL 2 with a 6-inch pOLED screen. But not only are the sizes different, so are the shapes. The smaller device…

Start your weekend with Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 325, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’S Trevor Long, as they offer and fun and informative look at the week’s biggest tech stories. On this week’s show, Amazon has launched in Australia – but how did it perform and what can retailers do to combat it, Vodafone has launched NumberSync for the Apple Watch Series 3 and its NBN services and Apple TV includes Amazon Prime and you can watch Foxtel Now via AirPlay. How the Ecovacs robot vacuum cleaner can automatically clean and mop your home and Telstra…

It is less than three weeks until Christmas but there is still plenty of time to shop for the right tech gift for your family and friends. Were now well into Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gifts Ideas. Today were looking at Gaming – a popular pastime in Australia where we have a very high participation rate. Families play a lot of games together in the industry is healthier than ever with not only a range of consoles to choose from but also the latest titles. A gaming gift is something families and people of all ages can enjoy.…

Apple has revealed the top content we have enjoyed in its annual “Off The Charts” Best of 2017 list for Australia across movies, TV shows, music, books and the best apps of the year. In terms of apps, 2017 has been a massive year with four breakout trends emerging. It was the year that saw the introduction of augmented reality apps and games, the rise of real-time competitive gaming as well as apps focused on mental health and mindfulness and apps transforming entertainment. APPS New Tech & Innovation: AR This year, millions of iPhone and iPad users were able to…

Staying charged on the go is an important task and Belkin, a leader in mobile accessories, has made it a lot easier with the launch of its new fast-charging Pocket Power battery range. Staying charged all day means staying connected all day and to accomplish that Belkin is offering two battery capacities – 5,000 mAh and 10,000 mAh – with each available in black, rose gold or silver. A 15,000 mAh battery will be released next year. The Belkin Pocket Power products feature new polymer battery cell technology making the batteries lighter and thinner than the previous models. And with…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and there’s still plenty of time to find the right tech gift for your friends and family. We’re running Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas to help you find that perfect gift. Today were covering the very popular category of headphones, earphones and Bluetooth speakers. This is the sort of gift that will suit men and women, boys and girls no matter what age they happen to be. Everyone loves music and this will be a gift that keeps on giving. Day 1: Cameras Day 2: Smartphones Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches…

When it comes to headphones, Sony certainly knows what it’s doing. And that is evident with the new Sony WH-1000XM2 wireless headphones that offer both superb sound quality and excellent noise cancellation. The headphones have swivel earcups so they fit really comfortably and are easy to pack into the included hard case when you’re done listening. Each ear cup has a leather feel with the flat panel on the right side offering gesture controls to set the volume, navigate your music and answer your calls. We accidentally brushed our hands along this earcup a few times and paused the music.…

Christmas is less than three weeks away and we want to help you find the right gift for your family and friends. Tech Guide is running its annual 12 Days of Christmas Gadget Gift Guide to help you. Today we’re looking at wearables and smartwatches which have been steadily growing in popularity year-on-year and are also the ideal gift for Christmas. These products are also smarter than ever and can track our data when you’re running, cycling, swimming and in the gym. They are also backed up by excellent companion apps to give you a thorough overview of how you’re…

Amazon has finally arrived in Australia with the shopping giant offering customers competitive prices across a range of product categories, including tech, in the lead up to Christmas. The massive retailer was reportedly gearing up for launch two weeks ago ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales but failed to materialise. At that time, retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Myer and David Jones were scrambling with offers to combat Amazon’s launch. When that didn’t materialise many suspected we wouldn’t see Amazon in Australia until early next year. But just as quickly as people speculated, Amazon suddenly opened…

Vodafone has today launched NumberSync which allows customers to connect their Apple Watch Series 3 to the same mobile number used with their iPhone on the Vodafone mobile network. With NumberSync, a user wearing the Apple Watch Series 3 can still make and receive calls and text messages even without their iPhone nearby. They can also use data on the Apple Watch Series 3 to run apps and stream audio content. This means you can stay connected at the gym, in the surf, on a run, in the pool or anywhere else through the same Vodafone mobile number even when…

Episode 277 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, is here so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, why we decided to install solar panels and a storage battery in our home, Vodafone launches its NBN services and we speak to Samsung’s chief medical officer Dr David Rhew about the use of technology to treat pain. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the LG V30 smartphone, the 66 Audio BTS Pro headphones and also take a look at the shows we binged…