Author: Stephen Fenech

You can expect to hear a lot more about wireless smartphone charging now that Apple’s new iPhones – the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus – are offering this feature. These new iPhones are not the first devices to offer the Qi wireless charging standard –   Samsung’s Galaxy phones have had it for three years as have Nokia in the past. But the “Apple Effect” is sure to make wireless charging even more popular. We anticipate a rapid increase in the number of places offering Qi wireless charging plates to top up your device including café’s, restaurants and…

Episode 315 of the Two Blokes Talking podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long is coming to you from Apple’s iPhone launch event in Cupertino. The blokes were at the Steve Jobs Theatre on the new Apple Park campus where Apple unveiled the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Also revealed today was the Apple Watch Series 3 and the Apple TV 4K. Stephen and Trevor take you through the day including arriving at Apple Park for the first time and being part of the first ever event held at the Steve Jobs…

Tech Guide went hands-on with the new iPhone X which was unveiled today at the Steve Jobs Theatre. This is the device that Apple says will lay the path for the future of the smartphone. The iPhone X follows the popular trend set by other manufacturers like Samsung and LG of devoting the entire front face of the device to the screen. And like these other products, the iPhone X has dispensed with the home button to make way for the display that goes edge to edge and corner to corner. Design-wise, the iPhone X features Apple’s signature high-quality with…

Apple has unveiled a radically redesigned and re-invented iPhone X – easily the company’s most ambitious iPhone since the life-changing device was introduced 10 years ago. Fittingly the iPhone X was revealed in the Steve Jobs Theatre at the new Apple Park campus – a venue named after the visionary Apple co-founder who stunned the world a decade ago when he introduced the product that would go on to become an indispensable part of billions of people’s lives. Apple also announced the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus which carry on from the look of its predecessor but with an…

Apple has introduced the latest version of its Apple Watch which now includes a built-in SIM card so it can connect to the 4G LTE network independently of your iPhone to access the internet and your apps. Apple Watch Series 3 has not had a major design change but still maintains its water-resistant construction and built-in GPS connectivity. But now, thanks to the onboard e-SIM, the device has full connectivity even when you leave your iPhone behind. Now you can go for a run or go for a swim or to the beach and receive all your calls and messages.…

Content and, in particular, the quality of that content was a big focus for Apple today when it unveiled the latest version of Apple TV which will now be capable of streaming 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range). Apple TV 4K – once referred to as a “hobby” product by then Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 2008 – is now a gateway to not only the latest apps but also high quality TV shows and movies with 4K resolution. And Apple TV 4K has come along just at the right time with so many people buying 4K TVs. In fact, it’s…

Stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews with Episode 266 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, we talk about what we can expect to see at Apple’s iPhone event this week, the new Beats by Dre Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones and Seagate’s DJI Fly Drive portable hard drive built especially for drone pilots. In the Tech Guide reviews, we run our eye over the Navdy Head Up Display for drivers, the Zus Smart Tyre Safety Monitor and the Samsung Galaxy Note8. And we wrap things…

Successful Australian company STM has just unveiled its latest collection of bags and technology accessories which are designed to carry your devices safely and conveniently and always in style. The Stories Collection, which includes two backpacks, a lightweight brief and a sleeve, will be available in October. It’s called Stories because STM wants to celebrate its target audience of achievers and doers with smart tech wear that brings together the company’s signature protection for our tech products and clever design that combines functionality and style. TRILOGY – $99.95 This is a flexible 24L backpack designed for people constantly on the…

Bose has unveiled a new speaker – the SoundLink Micro – the smallest and most rugged speaker the company has ever produced while still producing signature quality sound. The SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker is just 9.5cm wide and 3.8cm tall and weighs in at a featherweight 290g. Being so small, users can take the SoundLink Micro anywhere to hear your music, make and receive your calls as well as access Siri or Google Assistant. And with an IPX7 waterproof rating, there really is no limit to where it can go. Under the hood is a custom transducer, miniature dual passive…

There’s two things we love here at Tech Guide – tech (of course) and sport but one area where these two areas have merged with disastrous results is in the NRL bunker which this weekend saw some questionable decisions that brought some teams’ seasons to an end. The first weekend of the semi-finals has been embroiled in controversy courtesy of some questionable decisions that affected the results of every game and saw Cronulla and Manly bundled out. It never ceases to amaze us that despite the millions of dollars of technology at their disposal, the NRL bunker can still come…

This week’s Apple iPhone launch at the company’s new headquarters in Cupertino is shaping up to be one of the biggest events in the company’s history and here’s what we can expect to see. The event – which will kick off at 10am September 12 US time (3am Wednesday September 13 Sydney time) – will be held fittingly in the Steve Jobs Theatre – named after Apple’s co-founder who revealed the first iPhone to the world 10 years ago. Throw in the fact that we’re also going to see a new radically redesigned iPhone along with some other products including…

Drone photography is more popular than ever and it produces some stunning videos and images and now there’s an easier way to manage your content in the field with the new Seagate DJI Fly Drive. Created in partnership with DJI, the world’s leading manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the DJI Fly Drive from Seagate allows drone pilots to store, manage, back-up, download and share their photos and videos wherever they’ve landed their drone. The drive has 2TB capacity – that’s enough room to store pictures and videos from up to 250 flights – and a dedicated microSD card slot…

Zus, the company that brought us the Smart Car Charger, is back with another product for your car – the Smart Tyre Safety Monitor – which can offer a safer driving experience and save you money on fuel. The Smart Tyre Safety Monitor comes with four pressure sensors that can provide real-time monitoring of each tyre’s pressure. It pairs with your smart phone and the companion app to allow drivers so you can check the pressure of each tyre at any time. Having this information helps boost safer driving and can also save you money. On the safety side, a…

Start your weekend with Episode 314 of the fun and informative Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long who dissect the biggest tech stories of the week. On this week’s show, the blokes discuss the upcoming iPhone launch, why it’s going to be one of the biggest Apple launches in recent memory and that what the latest iPhone will be called. Telstra has partnered with Foxtel to offer its customers a free 12-month Foxtel Now subscription, Kogan Mobile increases the data allowances on all plans at no extra cost and we review…

We all carry around a smartphone which have also become our go to camera to snap our everyday pictures and selfies. Here are some tips to help you take better photos with your mobile. There aren’t many people who carry around a dedicated digital camera AND their smartphone. So if there’s anything we ever want to shoot our phone is the first thing we reach for. The good news is cameras on smartphones are better than ever and they can produce some amazing pictures. But there are also some common mistakes people make when trying to frame a good photo…

Driving in this age of smartphones and connectivity it’s important to keep our eyes on the road and our hands off our devices and the Navdy Head Up Display can help you do just that. The device sits on the dashboard in front of your steering wheel and projects all the relevant information for your vehicle, communication and navigation onto a small screen that’s in your direct eye line as you’re watching the road. So this means you don’t have to look down at your instruments or at your phone or reach down to your car’s console. It’s all right…

Australians love podcasts. Podcasting is at an all-time high with both the frequency of listening and time spent listening to podcasts increasing year on year, according to the latest research by the ABC. The annual Podcast Research Survey shows podcast awareness in Australia is at one of the highest levels in the world with 89 per cent of adult Australians claiming to be aware of podcasts. And more than half have tried podcasting – increasing among 25-34 years olds to 76 per cent. More than half of listeners also said they are now listening to more podcasts this year than…

Kogan Mobile has increased its data allowances at no extra cost for all its new and existing mobile customers with an increase by up to 50 per cent on some plans from today. Kogan Mobile, which uses the Vodafone 4G network, is offering the free data boost for customers on the 30-day, 90-day and 365-day options which already include unlimited talk and text in Australia. The entry level Small plan ($14.79/30 days) goes from 1GB to 1.5GB, the Medium plan ($24.65/30 days) goes from 5GB to 6GB, the Large plan ($32.87/30 days) goes from 10GB to 11GB and the Extra…

Beats by Dr Dre has just unveiled the new Beats Studio3 Wireless in a range of colours and offering superior audio quality as well as the proprietary Beats Pure Adaptive Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology. The original Beats Studio was introduced back in 2008 and turned the premium over-ear headphones market on its head. Now with the Beats Studio3 Wireless you can hear your music better than ever without the interruption of the ambient noise around you. The Beats Pure ANC users sophisticated algorithms to continually monitor your environment and devise the best way to block out that sound whether you’re…

The Samsung Galaxy Note8 had a lot riding on it this year particularly since its predecessor – the Note7 – literally went up in flames a year ago. But the good news for the many fans of the Note brand is the Note8 has truly delivered. The smartphone has a “go big or go home” feel to it with its large generous screen and long list of useful features. It was important to Samsung that the Galaxy Note8 soldier on in the wake of the Note7 disaster. At the device’s launch recently in New York, we heard from diehard users…