Author: Stephen Fenech

The Technology and Gadget Expo kicks off in Melbourne this week to showcase the latest products, inventions, start-ups and innovations from across Australia in an interactive way. The TGE 2017 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on August 19 and August 20. And this year’s showing has more than twice the number of exhibits than last year’s event which attracted more than 26,000 visitors. Organisers are expected up to 40,000 attendees to come through the doors this year. They will get a chance to go hands-on with the latest tech and never-before-seen products from the leading…

When it comes to buying a TV, customers are looking for great features and great value and one brand that can deliver both is Hisense with its impressive Series 7 range of ULED TVs. Tech Guide looked at the Hisense 55-inch Series 7 (Model No 55N7) which was long on features but shorter on price but could still hold its own against more expensive brands. In fact, here at Tech Guide, we often have readers emailing us asking why the Hisense TVs are so much cheaper than similar rival models. What’s the catch? Our answer, especially after seeing this latest…

Kensington makes great accessories that can be used with our digital devices to make life easier for users whether they’re sitting at their desk at home or out and about on the road. The company is offering a number of new products that are designed to keep up with our rapidly changing lifestyles, devices and demands. Kensington’s latest offerings offer convenience and comfort, efficiency and speed whether we’re using a tablet, a laptop or a desktop computer. These include the Smartfit Laptop Riser with Qi wireless charging, the USB-C docking station with power delivery, the Universal USB-C mobile docking station…

Sony has launched its latest range of Bravia TVs – the A1 Series – which have OLED screens and the world’s first in-screen sound system in a large television for a remarkable audio visual experience. Combining the incredible picture quality that OLED (organic light emitting diode) can deliver with Sony’s 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme and the result is dramatic with a lifelike picture, deep blacks, dazzling colour and contrast. The 4K OLED display has more than eight million self-illuminating pixels with the best black levels ever seen on a Sony TV. The X1 Extreme Processor comes in to play…

Tune in to Episode 311 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long for a fun and informative look at the biggest tech news. On this week’s show, streaming video on demand services are surging while free to air TV sinks, the PennyBox app to modernize earning pocket money and the new Google Wi-Fi. Also on the show, the glasses that can save you from digital eye strain, autonomous vehicles and electric cars. In the minute reviews, we take a look at the Nokia 6 smartphone and the Energizer LED Headlights.…

As we get closer to the release of Apple’s next iPhone, the leaks and rumours continue with new images and videos surfacing which reportedly show the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S Plus. The latest information came from a noted mobile phone leaker who tweeted an image of what is allegedly the iPhone 8 in a protective case. Its appearance confirms the widely held rumours that there will be no home button and entire front face of the device will be covered almost entirely with an OLED screen. The screen in the images had a narrower aspect ratio – longer and…

It’s been nearly four decades since Ridley Scott brought us the original Alien film and set a new standard mixing science fiction and horror. Now he’s back with another terrifying adventure with Alien: Covenant that’s now available on digital HD and on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K on August 16. Alien: Covenant is set ten years after the event of Scott’s 2012 film Prometheus and further explains the origin of the lethal Xenomorph from the original film. Three-time Best Director Academy Award nominee Ridley Scott takes the helm of the latest film in the blockbuster franchise Alien: Covenant that continues the…

There aren’t many brands which people remember fondly. Nokia is one of them because it was many people’s first mobile phone. Now Nokia is making a comeback of sorts with the new Nokia 6 that is finally running Android. One wonders what Nokia’s fate would have been had they have adopted Android when it was first available a number of years ago. Nokia chose a different path and the brand has been on quite a journey ever since. But the company has now returned home – they are now in the hands of Finnish HMD Global – and making a…

Many Australian spend hours per day looking at a screen but what we don’t realise is this exposure could have an impact on our eye health. An Australian start-up has come up with a solution. The average Australian household uses up to six devices per day for more than two hours for work and play. The screens, and in particular blue light emitted from the LED displays, can cause eye problems including eyestrain, blurred vision, headaches, fatigue and neck and back pain. So the crowd funded Australian start-up EXYRA has developed an affordable solution – glasses that filter the artificial…

Let Tech Guide keep you updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews with Episode 261 of the top-rating podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, we get behind the wheel of the Tesla Model S electric car, Huawei Watch 2 smartwatch which takes its own 4G SIM card and the new pocket money app so your kids can earn and learn. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Elgato Eve range of smart home accessories, the Energizer LED Headlights and Apple has updated Apple Maps to include Transit information for…

Subscription video on demands services have exploded in the last 12 months with almost half of all customers saying they are rarely watching free-to-air TV anymore, according to a study by analyst firm Telsyte. There are now more than 3.7 million subscribers in Australia which is a year-on-year increase of 30 per cent. The Telsyte research of the Australian SVOD market shows almost half the country (49 per cent) is currently subscribed to either Pay TV or SVOD services – which is an increase from last year’s figure of 38 per cent. And 11 per cent are subscribed to both.…

I took my first drive of an electric car when I got behind the wheel of the Tesla Model S. And it definitely won’t be my last. The vehicle delivers performance, excellent design and zero emissions. The car we drove was the Tesla Model S P100D, fully kitted out and worth a cool $269,000 so we got to enjoy all the bells and whistles. The entry-level Tesla Model S is $105,000 but a smaller and more affordable Model 3 is due to land in Australia in 2019 and will be priced around the $70,000 mark. The 100 refers to the…

Apple has expanded the transit information for Apple Maps to now include Brisbane and Perth to help commuters on their journey with the latest information about public transport. Transit data is already available for Sydney and Melbourne as well as other major cities arounds the world. The feature is helpful not only for commuters but also tourists who want to find their way around the city they’re visiting. Australian cities Brisbane and Perth are now part of Apple Maps Transit directions. Users can view transit specific maps and view public transport options so you know which bus or train to…

The tradition of children earning pocket money by doing chores around the house has been updated for the 21st century thanks to a new app created by an Australian start-up. Pennybox has invited parents to test a new app which will help their kids earn money around the house while at the same time teaching them to save and budget. The app has been developed with the help of a $25,000 Minimum Viable Product Grant from the NSW government. Parents and their children can propose tasks for pocket money using the Pennybox app which can then be linked to a…

If there is a job you need to do that requires you to have both hands free and plenty of light at the same time then you need an Energizer Vision LED Headlight which is now brighter than ever before The Energizer Vision LED Headlights are available in four versions –  Vision (80 lumens), Vision HD (150 lumens), Vision HD+ (200 lumens) and the Vision HD+ Focus (250 lumens). They each come with a wide adjustable elastic non-slip headband which makes them comfortable to wear even for extended periods. The unit itself is also lightweight so it’s not going to…

For a fun, informative, and at times irreverent, look at the week’s biggest tech stories and products you need to listen to Episode 310 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long. This week the blokes discuss the HBO leak that included unaired Game of Thrones episodes, the leaked details of the next iPhone which came from Apple itself and the new US law that makes walking across a road while texting illegal. Also on the show, Telstra expands its 4G network and activates its smart Cat M1 network, Elgato’s Eve…

Huawei has released Australia’s first 4G SIM-enabled smartwatch which will be available through the Vodafone network with full functionality independent of a smartphone. Huawei Watch 2 users will be able to make and receive calls and messages and use apps without a phone in sight. It will be available from Vodafone on August 16. The SIM card tray is located on the edge of the watch where the band links to the device. So now you can head out for a run or enjoy a night out without your phone and still be connected to use apps like Uber and…

We love our smartphones, tablets, laptops and headphones but you need to carry them around safely and Belkin has created a range of bags that can help you do just that. Whether you’re catching a bus or a train, heading off on a trip or going to school, the Belkin Classic Pro and Active Pro backpacks and messenger bags. The bags are compact yet have spacious sections and pockets to keep your cargo safe. CLASSIC PRO BACKPACK – $69.95 The Belkin Classic Pro backpack has dedicated protection pockets for laptops and tablets. There’s also plenty of internal organisation for smaller…

HP is taking virtual reality in a new direction after unveiling the world’s first professional wearable VR computer to improve immersive customer experiences and training simulations. The HP Z VR Backpack has the potential to enable even more powerful virtual reality solutions for enterprises, businesses and entertainment. The device is worn like a backpack to give the user freedom to move and maintain complete immersion. The HP Z VR Backpack can also be docked and used as a powerful desktop computer as well. It is powered by a high-end processor – the Intel Core i7 vPro – and includes the…

Do you want to create a smart home? Elgato has released the Eve range of products that can be placed around your house and easily connected so you can have complete control. These Eve products all work with Apple HomeKit which means they’re easy to set up and will integrate with Siri on your iPhone so you also have voice control. The Eve devices you set up in your home can all be seen monitored through the companion Eve app. From here you will be able to also see more detailed information about each particular product which can be grouped…