Author: Stephen Fenech

Everyone can relate to trying to cram their thoughts in a single tweet with a 140 character limit. Twitter is experimenting with doubling that to 280 characters among a small group of people. Certain languages, including English, are impacted trying to cram what they want to say in a single 140-character tweet. According to Twitter’s analysis, there are a number of phonetic languages (like English) that have a harder time fitting into 140 characters as they can in Chinese, Japanese and Korean which can already easily fit into a regular tweet. Twitter wants everyone in the world to express themselves…

Apple’s new macOS High Sierra software is now available for iMac, MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro which not only adds new features but also offers greater reliability and responsiveness. APPLE FILE SYSTEM The major updates for High Sierra are dominated by foundational technologies under the hood to make your Mac even more efficient starting with the new Apple File System that organises your Mac like never before. HEVC Also included is High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) which can reduce the size of video files but up to 40 per cent while maintaining visual fidelity even when moving to 4K.…

The new processor that will power the next generation of desktop computers has just been unveiled by Intel to deliver premium performance and the best gaming experience ever. Intel’s new 8th Generation Core processors will be available from October 5 and will range from Intel Core i3 to Intel Core i7. This new desktop processor family is designed for all types of users from gamers to content creators – and anyone who requires premium performance from their computer. For the first time the chips include the first ever 6-core Intel Core i5 and the first ever 4-core Intel Core i3…

Australia’s first digital driver’s licences will be issued in South Australia with an app using technology with added security to prevent fakes and the added convenience of not having to carry around a physical licence. The new digital option will be available to all classes of drivers in South Australia including learners, provisional and heavy vehicle drivers. Users of the app will still be able to retain a physical licence if they wish. In NSW, the only digital licence available is for a recreational fishing licence. The rollout of the digital driver’s licence in South Australia comes after a successful…

Australian tourists in the US and Europe thinking about buying the Apple Watch Series 3 have been warned the device’s new cellular feature won’t work when they bring it home.  And even an Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular purchased in Australia won’t work when roaming overseas. Tech Guide is in the US and we enquired about whether we could purchase an Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular to take home to Australia and we were told it would only replicate the number of an iPhone with a US SIM card from a participating carrier. But the non-cellular Apple Watch…

Apple’s new iPhone 8 launched today – an event normally marked with long lines outside Apple stores – but the crowds stayed away.  At 6am, two hours before opening, at the Sydney Apple Store there was about 20 people in the line. Apple security cleared excess barricades about 90 minutes before the store opened because the large crowds anticipated didn’t turn up. In the past it wasn’t unusual for the crowds of customers lining up buy the new iPhone stretch around the block. One theory behind the lighter launch numbers today is that customers are waiting to but the redesigned new, and…

Apple TV has moved to the next level by offering access to stunning 4K content just as customers are buying more 4K Ultra High Definition televisions than ever before. The new Apple TV 4K is a truly impressive device which puts the latest movies, TV shows, and apps right at our fingertips. But customers will benefit from all the work Apple has done behind-the-scenes with the major studios to ramp up the amount of 4K movies and TV shows that we will be seeing on our screens. Only a customer who decides to purchase the Apple TV 4K, will be…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 316, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, takes a look at all the big tech issues and products in a fun and informative way. On this week’s show, the blokes talk about the two big releases this week – the iPhone 8 and the Samsung Galaxy Note8 along with the Commonwealth Bank’s decision to go with Anrdoid Pay – but no sign of Apple Pay. Also on the show, the Oppo R11 FC Barcelona Limited Edition smartphone, the Apple Watch Series 3 and the Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker. You can…

Sphero’s Watch With Me feature where you could watch The Force Awakens with BB8 has now been extended to the new R2D2 and BB9E droids with the original Star Wars film added to the list. Now anyone who owns Sphero’s amazing BB8, BB9E from The Last Jedi and R2D2 can sit down and enjoy the movie where it all began – Star Wars: A New Hope – and see and hear the entertaining reactions from the droids. The droids express a range of emotions – excitement when they see themselves and the heroes and fear when Darth Vader and the…

eBay started in Australia 18 years ago and to celebrate its coming-of-age it has released some fascinating research and launched three new innovations to deliver an even better shopping experience. eBay will be continuing the celebrations with shoppers receiving significant discounts from 6pm today (Thursday September 21) with its biggest ever site-wide sale. Major stores on eBay will be offering 18 per cent off all their items. Founded in 1999, eBay Australia now has more than 40,000 small businesses on the platform and more than 11 million unique Australian visitors per month. The new features include Image Search, Guaranteed Delivery…

Apple’s new iOS 11 software is now available for the iPhone and iPad and it brings with it numerous new features including augmented reality, powerful multitasking and a new voice for Siri. And for the first time, it’s the iPad that gets the lion’s share of the enhancements from the iOS 11 update. There are still plenty of features to enjoy with the iPhone but iPad users will notice the biggest changes. iPhone users if you’re not going to buy the new iPhone 8 at least iOS 11 will give you that new iPhone feeling. Here’s how to install the…

Episode 267 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, takes a look at all of the products announced at Apple’s huge launch event at the Steve Job Theatre. This week, we take a look at the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X which we got our hands on while we were at the Apple Park Campus. We also run our eye over the new Apple Watch Series 3 with a built-in e-SIM and the updated Apple TV that can stream 4K movies and TV shows. In the Tech Guide reviews we chat about the Bose SoundLink…

Samsung Australia today revealed it had set pre-order records with the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 smartphone which is due to launch this Friday Demand for the device is so high, the telcos will actually be delivering Note8 to pre-order customers a day or two ahead of the September 22 launch date. Samsung Australia’s director of mobile and IT, Garry McGregor confirmed the record pre-order sales at the Australian launch of the Note8 and added there was a significant pre-sales bump a week ago – when the iPhone 8 and iPhone X were announced. We suspect many customers were waiting to…

Since Apple unveiled the all-new iPhone X at the launch event last week the focus has been as much on the price of the deice as it has been of the new features, design and the new technology onboard. At $1,579 (64GB) and $1,829 (256GB) – the iPhone X will not only be Apple’s most expensive phones but the most expensive phone on the market. We’ve been asked countless times since posting our hands-on report about the iPhone X from our readers: Is it worth the money? And when asked about which iPhone is better – the iPhone 8 or…

Commonwealth Bank has finally announced it will be offering Android Pay to its customers so they can make secure payments on the go using their Android smartphones. CommBank also revealed it would be supporting Garmin Pay which allows customers to make payments using their Garmin smartwatch. CommBank is yet to offer Apple Pay to its customers. Android Pay is already available at almost 800,000 stores across Australia wherever contactless payments are accepted. Garmin Pay works with Garmin’s recently released Vivoactive 3 smartwatch to enable payments whether it’s paired to an iPhone or Android phone. Android Pay is another way for…

If you’re an FC Barcelona fan we’ve got some great news – Oppo has created a limited edition version of its popular R11 smartphone in the clubs colours and insignia so you can show your support anywhere. The device has a 5.5-inch display and a 20-megapixel camera front and back but what’s going to catch your eye is the team’s colours on the back panel along with the shiny gold trimming and 18K gold plated club insignia. Some complex techniques went intro creating the contrast colour design of the metal body that includes the first contrast colour antenna ever seen…

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which were unveiled earlier this week at Apple’s launch event, is now available for pre-order with Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile revealing their plans and pricing. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will go on sale on September 22. Telstra expects the most popular plans will be the iPhone 8 64GB for $99 a month with 20GB data and the iPhone 8 Plus 64GB for $129 a month with 60GB data. Telstra also confirmed it will be offering the Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular with no pre-orders and an on-sale date…

Apple held its launch event earlier this week and revealed the new iPhone X, the iPhone 8, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K – and we’ve had a lot of questions from our readers about the new devices. The magnificent Steve Jobs Theatre at the company’s new Apple Park campus was the venue for the event and that was where we were introduced to the redesigned iPhone X and the iPhone 8 which is slight update from the iPhone 7. Also unveiled was the Apple TV 4K and the Apple Watch Series 3. But after the event there…

Action comedy Kingsman: The Golden Circle hits cinemas next week but to get you ready for the new film you can watch the original Kingsman: The Secret Service for just 99 cents. The offer kicks off today and will run for two weeks. Viewers can rent the movie for just 99 cents on iTunes, Google Play and Foxtel. The original Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth and Taron Egerton, tells the story of a street-wise kid who is recruited into a secret society of spies. The new film, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, opens in cinemas on September 21 with…

Just hours after Apple unveiled the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the case manufacturers were announcing their range of cases and covers for the new devices. These new Apple products have large screens and glass rear panels and customers will certainly want to protect their investment. Apple, of course, will have its own selection of cases but that hasn’t stopped third-party manufacturers including Tech 21, Moshi, Pelican, EFM, and Urban Armour Gear from showcasing what will be available in the coming weeks and months. READ TECH GUIDE’S HANDS-ON LOOK AT THE iPHONE X TECH 21 The Tech…