Author: Stephen Fenech

We’ve got a lot of smart devices to help us do a lot of things and Upright Go is the latest and it’s designed to improve your posture and reduce the risk of associated back pain. Upright Go is a small wearable device that can be stuck to your back to coach users to stand up straight and maintain a good posture. The product can work with or without being paired with the iOS and Android app. Onboard technology can detect subtle movements of the upper back and provides a gentle vibration to alert their wearer of their current posture.…

Foxtel has overhauled pricing for its high performance broadband, including NBN, for new and existing customers that’s designed to deliver its TV services as well as high speed broadband. And the good news for existing Platinum HD customers is the offer of the Unlimited Broadband plan with home phone for an additional $65 a month with no lock in contract. The other upside for Foxtel customers is the possibility to receive their Pay TV services and broadband through a single high-speed cable. Foxtel has expanded the availability of NBN services to customers including access to HFC (hybrid fibre coaxial), FTTN…

We’re generating quite an amount of electronic waste and were either holding on to these unused or broken devices or we’re not recycling them in the proper manner. Recent research by TechCollect shows the average Australian household has 17 electronic devices in the home but less than a quarter (23 per cent) are recycling them. Almost half of respondents (43 per cent) are holding on to these old devices just in case they’re needed again. One in five (22 per cent) admit to being hoarders of old electronic devices. Alarmingly, only one third (33 per cent) actually take the trouble…

From the outside the iPhone 8 looks almost identical to the iPhone 7 but there are enough new features and improvements to make the latest model much better than its predecessor. But, in a first for Apple, there is also a better iPhone – the iPhone X – about to be released in a matter of weeks. So where does that put the iPhone 8? It will still be extremely popular. Not everyone will be able to afford the more expensive iPhone X and the iPhone 8 is still a worthy choice – easily one of the best smartphones you…

iOS 11 for the iPhone and the iPad has been out for a couple of weeks now and is already installed on 38.5 per cent of devices. But there are a number of hidden features in the new operating system you may not be aware of. For the first time, iOS 11 has given the iPad the majority of the new features but there are still some cool new enhancements for iPhone users as well. While we know about all the top line features of the software, here are a few features you may not be aware of. QR CODE…

Start your weekend right with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long – the Two Blokes Talking Tech – for Episode 317 of the fun and informative podcast. On this week’s show, our thoughts on the facial recognition security the government is thinking of using, the new Google Pixel 2 smartphone and the Sonos One smart speaker. Also on the show, Fox Vision app for the Bathurst 1000, Domino’s using battery power to cook its pizzas, Jaybird’s RUN wire free earphones and the Sphero Mini. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site…

Australians are worried about home security but only a small percentage of homes have security cameras installed according to the latest research and alarming insights from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. A study by YouGov, commissioned by Nest, shows 64 per cent of Australians are worried about the security of their homes yet nearly one in five (17 per cent) have no home security other than a standard door lock. In fact, almost one in four of the research participants (23 per cent), admit their home is not secure and would be vulnerable to a burglar. The study found one…

The latest Apple Watch Series 3 has certainly raised the bar in terms of functionality thanks to the addition of an eSIM that will allow you to make and receive calls and messages without your iPhone by your side. Tech Guide has been using the new Apple Watch for a week and this new connectivity is a game changer. For the customers who are still on the fence about buying an Apple Watch, this feature alone will change all that. We’ve been using the Apple Watch since it was first introduced in 2015 and have always found it a useful…

Sonos has always been a leading brand in the wireless speaker market and its latest product – the Sonos One – is even smarter and can access multiple voice services including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The voice-controlled Sonos One smart speaker can play music, podcasts and audiobooks from more than 80 streaming services. Users can talk to the speaker and hear the weather, news, traffic reports and their favourite music. But for Australian customers there will be a bit of a wait before they can access voice services. Amazon Alexa will only be available for US, UK and Germany…

Google has unveiled the sequel to its popular Pixel smartphone – the Pixel 2 – which has followed the popular trend of dedicating almost the entire front face of the device to the screen. It comes in two sizes – the Pixel 2 with a 5-inch display and the Pixel XL 2 with a 6-inch screen – and includes a range of smart features and a camera rated by DxOMark as the best in the world with a score of 98. Google Pixel and Pixel XL will be available for pre-order from October 20 from Telstra, JB Hi-Fi and the…

Samsung has partnered with another tech giant Microsoft to reveal the HMD Odyssey – an immersive Windows Mixed Reality (MR) headset that can provide a high quality virtual reality experience. The device has dual 3.5-inch AMOLED displays and a 110-degree field of view with deep blacks and lifelike colours and images to discover virtual experiences. On the audio side, the Samsung HMD Odyssey has 360-degree spatial sound so the users can enjoy surround sound through the premium built-in AKG headphones. The headset also comes with array mics for voice commands along with two motion controllers. “The Samsung HMD Odyssey is…

If you want to stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews, you need to tune in to Episode 268 of the Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, Domino’s to make their pizzas with battery power thanks to the world’s largest commercial Tesla Powerwall 2 array, Nokia is re-releasing the iconic 3310 phone and GoPro has released new action cameras. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Jaybird RUN wire free earphones, the Sphero Mini robotic ball and the Apple TV 4K. In the Tech Guide…

Australia has produced the world’s first bio-sensing sports earphones which are sensitive enough to detect minute heart-rate variations whether you’re an elite athlete or someone looking to improve their health. The BioConnected HR+ can measure heart rate variability for all types of users including athletes, people with specific heart and health challenges and social runners. The device can deliver information including speed, pace, distance, energy expenditure, cadence as well as heart rate biometrics. And, of course, it can also deliver high-quality audio. The BioConnected HR+ was developed by Australian sports psychologist Dr Sven Rees with a team of scientists, engineers…

Cables are quickly becoming a thing of the past when it comes to earphones. And the new Jaybird RUN earphones have no cables at all. Not even between the two small earbuds. Jaybird says these earphones were designed and built for runners but they can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates good audio and doesn’t want to get tangled up in cables. Each of the Jaybird RUN earbuds are surprisingly small – especially when you consider they contain a small speaker driver, a battery and a Bluetooth radio. They are no bigger than the earbuds you’d find with a regular…

Sphero has unveiled the Mini – the company’s smallest app-enabled robotic ball – that is still packed with features and entertaining abilities despite its much smaller size. Sphero Mini is about the size of a golf ball and you can drive it, play games and even use it as a video game controller. The tech that drives the regular Sphero ball robots has been packed into an even smaller space and includes an accelerometer, gyroscope and LED lights that can change colour. When paired with the companion app, Sphero Mini users can drive it around using the virtual joystick. But,…

GoPro has unveiled two new action cameras – the Hero6 Black and Fusion – that offers an all-new level of quality as well as a way to capture stunning 360-degree videos so you’ll never miss a moment. GoPro has introduced a new processor, improved image stabilisation and a faster QuikStories app that makes it even easier to share short videos. GoPro also unveiled new mounts and accessories as well as new modes for the GoPro Karma drone. GOPRO HERO6 BLACK – $749.95 The Hero6 Black can now shoot 4K video and 60 frames per second as well as super slow…

Australians will be able enjoy pizza made using just battery power after Natural Solar installed the world’s largest Tesla Powerwall 2 battery array for a Domino’s Pizza franchise in Sydney. In a world-first, Natural Solar installed 10 Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries – the largest commercial Tesla Powerwall installation ever created. Domino’s at Plumpton in Sydney’s west is the first store in Australia to opt in for a renewable energy storage solution with 10 functional Tesla Powerwall 2 units that will power all their appliances including ovens, refrigerators, freezers and lights. “Aussies can be assured that when they are biting into…

Nokia will go back to the future when it re-releases a blast from the past – a modern 3G version of the iconic Nokia 3310 – that will be available to customers in mid-October. The device was unveiled for the first time at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and received a tremendous response. At the time, Nokia only ever intended to release a 2G version of the 3310 in developing countries but the reaction to the product in Barcelona made the company reassess its release plan. The result of that decision was to create a 3G Nokia 3310 that will…

If you and your friends want to hear some music through a portable speaker you want everyone to be able to hear it clearly wherever they are and that’s exactly what you get with the Braven Stryde 360. The cylindrical Braven Stryde 360 sounds good no matter where the speaker is sitting thanks to the high-fidelity drivers and passive dual radiators which have been custom tuned so it can be heard whether your inside or out. It is 16.5cm tall and small enough to be carried anywhere – in a bag, in your pocket and even in your car’s cup…

British inventor and designer James Dyson – the man behind the iconic vacuum cleaners – has announced he is working on a battery electric vehicle that is set to hit the road by as early as 2020. Dyson revealed his ambitious plans to his employees via an email. In the email, Dyson says his inspiration goes back to 1988 when he began work on a cyclonic filter that could be fitted to a vehicle’s exhaust to trap particles. There were working prototypes by 1993 but it was shelved when none of the car companies showed any interest in the system.…