Author: Stephen Fenech

Amaysim has seriously increased the allowances on its data-only plans that will now offer the choice of 50GB and 70GB to use on the move with your mobile devices and hotspots. Amaysim, which uses the Optus 4G network, is looking to cater to users with high demands for mobile data and for customers who might not have fixed broadband in their homes. Research recently released by Telsyte shows that mobile data usage has grown by a massive 60 per cent in 12 months with nine out of 10 Australians tethering their mobile devices as well. More than half of all…

HTC has unveiled the new HTC One X10 – its latest mid-range smartphone and addition to the popular HTC One family of devices – which includes features normally found in far more expensive products. The device has a 5.5-inch full high definition display and an eye-catching design with a metal body, 3D diamond cut edges and gentle curves to make it a perfect fit in your hand. On the camera side, the HTC One X10 has a fast 16-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture along with integrated phase-detection auto-focus. The camera also has a pro mode so you can take…

Samsung and Qantas have joined forces to offer Qantas Frequent Flyers and medium to small businesses even more opportunities to be rewarded in a brand-new program. Eligible Qantas Frequent Flyers and Qantas Business Rewards members can now earn points when purchasing different Samsung products. A short-term bonus offer kicks off on May 9 and will run through till July 2 with additional offers planned for later in the year. These will run alongside the regular ongoing offer for members of both programs. Qantas Frequent Flyer members will receive five Qantas points per dollar spent on select Samsung QLED TVs as…

Online travel agency TravelBird has compiled a list of the most Instagrammed tourist attractions in the world with the Sydney Opera House named as the most popular Australian landmark. TravelBird found the most popular hashtags on Instagram and used the sum of these searches to work out the most popular places of interest on earth featured on the photo-sharing platform. Topping the list was Disneyland in California with more than 14 million tags, followed by the Eiffel Tower in Paris with more than 7 million tags. Coming in at number three with 5.4 million tags was Walt Disney World in…

Vodafone has sent shock waves through the telco industry today after announcing new 35- day expiry pre-paid plans that will save mobile customers hundreds of dollars per year. Usually plans can be recharged every 28 days or 30 days depending on the telco. On a 28-day plan customers pay for 13 recharges per year. With a 30-day plan customers need to recharge 12 times per year. But with Vodafone’s new 35-day plans there will be only 10 payments per year. This sets Vodafone apart from the other telcos like Telstra, Optus and Virgin Mobile who have 30-day pre-plans and Amaysim…

The Fitbit Alta, already a great fitness tracker, just got better with the inclusion of a heart-rate monitor and all the while maintaining the device’s slim design and style. In fact, the Fitbit Alta HR is the world’s slimmest exercise band with a built-in heart rate sensor. On the design side, the Fitbit altar HR is virtually identical to the previous model. And like its predecessor, the device has customisable watch faces along with removable bands in a number of colours. The Fitbit Alta HR can do everything its predecessor could do like counting steps, calories and distance, SmartTrack auto…

Episode 248 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech is available now so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews Set aside 40 minutes on your next drive, commute, walk, run or gym session and you’ll hear the week’s tech highlights and hottest new products. On this week’s show: smart automation on a grander scale in hotels, how to avoid the sting of global roaming charges and Amaysim’s new plans to take the confusion out of the NBN. In the Tech Guide reviews, the ZUS Smart Car Charger, the…

Facebook, the world’s biggest social network, suffered an extremely rare 30-minute outage in Australia and the South Pacific with users unable access the site which showed a sign saying “Sorry, something went wrong”. It is a rare occurrence to ever see Facebook offline but that’s exactly what more than 15 million Australian Facebook users saw just after 11.15am Sydney time. Also affected in the outage was Facebook’s own email and messaging system – the Messenger app. The error message on the page where Facebook was supposed to be read: Sorry, something went wrong. We’re working on it and we’ll get…

The Internet of Things home automation market is set to soar in Australia with the market set to approach $5bn dollars within the next five years as smart devices continue to grow in popularity. Research firm Telsyte says Australians are embracing the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution. More than 40 per cent of homes now have at least one IoT device in their home which is up from 29 per cent from the previous year. IoT devices can connect to the internet as well as each other so users can control, monitor and add convenience to their lifestyle using apps…

Global roaming – it’s still stinging Australians on their travels with almost half a million of us burned with solid bill blowouts. And the main culprit – mobile data charges. A survey of 2,004 people by Finder revealed that more than 400,000 had opened at least one unexpected bill of $278 – more than five times their monthly plan. At Tech Guide, we are asked for advice often about how people can use their mobile devices overseas without needing to take out a loan to pay the bill when they get home. But it’s not calls and messaging that send…

Wouldn’t it be great if there were products that could charge your mobile device quickly, tell you where you parked your car, remind you when the meter runs out, check your car’s battery health and log all your trips in the car. To do all of this you don’t need a number of products, you only need one – the ZUS Smart Car Charger. It’s a handy in-car device that does so much that you shouldn’t start your car without it. The device is about 8cm long and fits into your car’s 12V charging port – what we used to…

Amaysim has become the latest NBN provider with the competitive and simple plans it announced earlier this year now available for customers to experience fast and affordable high-speed broadband. The company’s goal with these plans is to offer value and simplicity with research showing 55 per cent of Australians admitting they are confused by the NBN options being offered by other retailers. Amaysim’s study revealed four in five Australian’s can’t name the basic NBN speeds while 70 per cent have no clue on which speeds are suited to their needs. As a result, nearly 40 per cent of people are…

Laser has released a new digital alarm clock that’s packed with the latest technology including Bluetooth connectivity and Qi wireless charging – and all for less than $100. When it comes to charging your devices, the Laser device offers a few options. If you have a Qi-enabled device, like the recently released Samsung Galaxy S8, you can simply place the phone on top of the Laser digital alarm clock to charge it without cables. But there are also three USB charging ports along the front of the product to handle all your other charging needs. Users can connect to the…

The Two Blokes Talking Tech break down the biggest tech stories and products of the week in Episode 297 with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long. On this week’s show, Facebook’s advertising tactics targeting “insecure” teens, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop and the Acorns micro-investing app and how it can help you save money. The blokes also discuss Huawei’s P10 and P10 Plus pricing, Vodafone’s NBN plans and HSBC joins Apple Pay. In the minute reviews, we take a look at the HP Spectre x360 laptop and the Logitech Spotlight presentation controller. You can listen to the show right…

We’ve all heard of smart automation for our homes. But imagine that convenience, security and energy saving on a much larger scale – like in a hotel. That’s exactly what the people at Sydney’s Suite Control can offer with clever technology from Control4 from the US, Axxess Industries in Canada and some very clever cloud software from the newest kid in the hotel tech space, HotDash, partly developed right here in Australia. Hotels around the world including The Star in Sydney and The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles are embracing this kind of enhancement to give their guests the…

If you’ve ever had to give a presentation you know there’s a lot of work to do beforehand. But one thing that will help you nail your performance is a handy controller like the Logitech Spotlight. Spotlight works with Mac and Windows computers and can also connect to tablets and smartphones as well so you can control your presentation no matter which device you choose to present it. Logitech’s Spotlight works with your most popular presenting applications like Powerpoint, Keynote, PDF, Google Slide and Prezi. The device is narrow and light and fits nicely in your hand. It is 13.1cm…

If you want a better understanding of how you spend your money and some tips on the areas where you can save money then the Acorns micro-investing app can come to the rescue. Acorns allows users to invest their spare change from daily purchases as well as setting regular weekly amounts or a lump sum to invest into a diversified portfolio. The app, available for iPhone and Android, has unveiled a new feature called My Finances which uses machine learning to understand individual spending behaviour and provide personalised insights. Acorns wants to apply its investment framework to budgeting so it…

Microsoft has consolidated its great reputation as a hardware manufacturer with the release of the slick Surface Laptop – a powerful device that’s also thin and light and running the latest version of Windows 10. Formerly known as mainly a software company, Microsoft has produced another impressive product after enjoying success with the Surface Pro, Surface Book and, more recently, the Surface Studio. This time out it’s the Surface Laptop which has a 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen display that’s sharp and bright. On the design side, the Surface Laptop is made from a compact aluminium shell with Corning Gorilla Glass to…

Stay updated and educated while you’re driving or commuting, while you’re in the gym or on your walk or run with Episode 247 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. The popular podcast brings you the latest consumer tech news and reviews each week in a program that’s about as long as your drive to work, your commute or a session in the gym. On this week’s show, has Facebook crossed the line trying to target “insecure” teens with advertising, Dyson’s new product to eliminate indoor air pollution and Huawei announces the pricing and availability of…

HSBC has become the latest major financial institution to brings its Mastercard and Visa card customers to Apple Pay so they can make mobile payments with their iPhone and Apple Watch. HSBC says it has responded to customer demand and implemented Apple Pay. “Our customers have told us they want to be able to use Apple Pay in Australia, and we’re proud to be able to make this service available to them,” says Graham Heunis, head of retail banking and wealth management for HSBC Australia. “HSBC has introduced Apple Pay in five other markets and we’re looking forward to another…