Author: Stephen Fenech

Facebook has set the alarm bells ringing after it was revealed the social media giant was developing tools to target insecure teenagers with advertising based on their emotions. One advertiser was shown a 23-page proposal, obtained by The Australian, which claimed Facebook could detect when children as young as 14 were feeling insecure, worthless, stressed, stupid, overwhelmed, useless, defeated and serve up advertising best suited to those emotions. Facebook has come out and denied it targets users based on emotion – but it did acknowledge the existence of the research was ended up being leaked to The Australian. In a…

Huawei has announced the pricing and availability of its new P10 and P10 Plus smartphones which will be available through Telstra, Optus and Vodafone or for outright purchase. Announced in Barcelona in February during Mobile World Congress, Huawei’s P10 and P10 Plus have 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch displays respectively as well as a Leica dual lens camera. The Huawei P10 and P10 Plus will be available from May 25 on plans and for outright purchase for $899 (P10) and $1,099 (P10 Plus). The camera has a 12-megepixal colour lens and a 20-megapixel monochrome lens as well as optical image stabilisation. The…

Dyson has just released its latest generation air purifier to eliminate air pollution inside our homes. Yes, that’s right – inside. Air pollution in our homes is up to five times worse than it is outside. There are a lot of unwelcome particles floating about at home and considering we spent 90 per cent of our time indoors, it makes sense to have an air purifier like Dyson’s new Pure Hot+Cold Link purifier heater. It can heat or cool the room and purify the air at the same time. The product has new and compact filtration technology – a 360-degree…

Today some of the biggest things to weigh up when buying a laptop computer is not only how it looks but also how versatile it is – requirements that HP’s new Spectre x360 easily meets. The device has a 13.3-inch full high definition touchscreen display with a bezel that’s just 3.4mm wide. At first glance, we thought it was a 12-inch screen but with those thinner bezels it’s possible to fit in a larger screen in a smaller space. The upside is you’re carrying a smaller laptop while enjoying a larger screen. But we did notice the bezels above and…

Bang & Olufsen have always been known for its design prowess and it hasn’t disappointed with its latest Beoplay P2 which has new gesture controls to go with its signature sound. The speaker is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand (it’s the smallest member of the Beoplay family) and is made of pearl-blasted anodised aluminium. It’s 14cm long, 8cm wide and 2.8cm thick. The P2 is rounded and smooth and includes a leather strap so it can go anywhere with you. But one thing you won’t find on the Beoplay P2 is buttons. If you want…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 296, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, is here for you just in time to kick off your weekend with the lowdown on the biggest tech stories. On this week’s show, the lowdown on the latest drone news including new products and rumours from DJI, flying with goggles and how the NewsCar startup will use drones to cover the news in the near future. Also on the show, the Galaxy S8 goes on sale, Today at Apple free education sessions, LG’s soundbar SJ9, Stan streams in 4K and Trevor geeks out…

The next installment of the hugely-successful Call of Duty franchise will be going back in time to World War II with the game taking place between 1944 and 1945 in the European Theatre of the conflict. This is a massive departure for Call of Duty with the last few titles set in the future with advanced weaponry and a dystopian background. Call of Duty WWII was revealed to world for the first time yesterday with a video displaying actual in-game footage that was nothing short of jaw-dropping. It was created by Sledgehammer Games, the same people who brought you Call…

Drones are meant to be used out and about in picturesque locations but getting them there can be a challenge which is why you need a good bag like the latest offerings from Incase. Incase has released a drone collection that’s made up of four new cases that are designed to fit the DJI Phantom and Mavic Pro drones. But drones come with controllers, spare batteries and many other accessories and these Incase bags have room for all of that. They are extremely well made with plenty of compartments with smooth zippers that are easy to open and close. Incase’s…

Customers who purchase a 2017 LG TV will be able to showcase their new television’s 4K resolution and Dolby Vision high dynamic range with a free three-month subscription to Netflix. For the next three months, LG and Netflix are partnering for a promotion with a bonus three-month Netflix Premium subscription with any 2017 LG TV purchase to access HDR and Dolby Vision content. There is already a significant amount of Netflix content that’s in Dolby Vision including Marco Polo (Season 1 and 2), Chef’s Table (Season 3), Marvel’s Daredevil (Season 1 and 2), Marvel’s Luke Cage (Season 1) and The…

DJI has announced an event in New York next month which is expected to unveil a new pocket-sized drone called Spark which has been the subject of numerous rumours and leaks in recent weeks. Invitations for the May 24th event says “Seize the Moment – join us for a BIG announcement”. The Spark is believed to be even smaller than the DJI Mavic Pro which folds down to the size of a water bottle. The DJI Spark, according to allegedly leaked images, is about 15cm long. If leaks and rumours are to be believed, the DJI Spark will have fixed…

In the same way Uber revolutionized the ride-sharing industry, a new Australian start-up called NewsCar is about to completely disrupt the way breaking stories are covered. The brainchild of veteran news man Adam Walters, NewsCar utilises ride-sharing drivers and other motorists and their proximity to areas where news is happening. The NewsCar app makes it possible for a newsroom to see the availability of cameras and their proximity to the areas where stories are breaking. That all-in-one app is also used by the NewsCar drivers which confirms their location and allows them to be tracked all the way to the…

The Walt Disney Company has today announced the release dates of two major films – Star Wars Episode IX and the fifth chapter in the hugely popular Indiana Jones series. Star Wars Episode IX, which will be directed by Colin Treverrow, will be the final chapter in the third Star Wars trilogy. It will open in theatres on May 24, 2019 – that’s just 25 months away. Star Wars Episode XIII – The Last Jedi – will open in December. Episode VIII – The Last Jedi was originally slated for a May 2017 release but it was pushed back to…

The smartphone market is very competitive one but the good news is there are a few devices out there that offer plenty of bang for your buck including Huawei’s new GR5. Huawei has been a real mover in the worldwide market and offers a range of devices in the entry, mid and top level. The GR5, priced at just $399 (we’ve seen it as low as $348), brings a lot of the technology and features usually seen in high end devices to the entry level. The device has a 5.5-inch full high definition that looks great as well as a…

Apple has launched a new in-store program called “Today at Apple” which will feature educational hands-on sessions for customers to brush up on photography, video, music coding, art and design. The free sessions will kick off next month across all of Apple’s 495 stores and will be led by trained team members and, in some cities, world-class artists, photographers and musicians who will teach everything from the basics and how-to lessons to professional-level information. “At the heart of every Apple Store is the desire to educate and inspire the communities we serve,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of…

Tune in to Episode 246 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated about the latest tech headlines and product news and reviews. On this week’s show, the next generation credit card with fingerprint technology, GoPro launches a new 360-degree camera and Stan is now streaming in 4K. In the Tech Guide reviews, Jaybirds X3 earphones, Logitech’s BRIO 4K webcam and Bose releases new 360-degree wireless speaker. In the Tech Guide Help Desk, how to transfer contents on and off your iPhone and iPad and the best value big screen…

GoPro will be entering the world of 360-degree video with Fusion – the company’s new 5.2K spherical camera that can create immersive video and virtual reality content as well as conventional images and videos. The company has set up a pilot program for professional content creators to use the GoPro Fusion before its official launch at the end of the year. GoPro will work closely with partners including brands and agencies to improve the user experience and, of course, create impressive content. Fusion will feature two lenses – one on either side of the device. GoPro Fusion has 5.2K resolution…

We’re now living in a 4K world – our content, our TVs, our computers and even some mobile devices have ultra-high definition screens and now Logitech has released a 4K webcam called BRIO. The device can sit on top of a monitor or laptop or also positioned on a tripod and can provide sharp video with excellent colour and audio. The Logitech BRIO webcam can stream 4K (4096 x 2160) at 30fps (frames per second) as well as full high definition (1920 x 1080) at 30fps or 60fps as well as 720p (1280 x 720) at 30fps, 60fps and 90fps.…

Stan has created a new Premium Plan that will allow subscribers to view their favourite shows in 4K Ultra High Definition including hits Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. If you own a 4K Ultra HD TV you can now watch Stan in even higher quality. 4K has four times the resolution of full high definition so 4K content like the shows you can stream on Stan will showcase every pixel on your TV and deliver razor sharp quality. Every episode of Breaking Bad and the brand new third season of Better Call Saul can now be viewed in 4K…

Episode 295 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, covers the biggest tech stories and latest products in a fun yet informative way. On this week’s show, the blokes share their thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the supposed leaked schematic drawing of Apple’s new iPhone. Virgin launches inflight wi-fi, Panasonic unveils its new TV range including four OLEDs, IKEA launches rechargeable battery solutions and are texting bays on roads the most stupid idea ever? In the minute reviews, we talk about the new Jaybird X3 earphones and the…

Mastercard has unveiled the future of the credit card – a biometric card that combines chip technology with fingerprints so the store can verify the cardholder’s identity every time they use it. The new card will require the cardholder to register their fingerprint with their financial institution. This fingerprint is then converted into an encrypted digital template that is stored on the card. When the card is used at the terminal in the store it works like any other chip card while placing their finger on the terminal’s embedded sensor. If the fingerprint matches, the transaction goes ahead. This new…