Author: Stephen Fenech

Apple’s new MacBook Pro introduces numerous improvements including the all-new Touch Bar and is stunningly thinner, lighter and smaller than the previous version of the popular laptop. But while Apple giveth, it also taketh away. There is no questioning the stunning design and the slick overall look and feel. It’s a product that only Apple could have made. Yet it seems like something had to give to achieve this svelte design and to pack in these added features. What you won’t find aboard the 2016 MacBook Pro is the MagSafe charger (so if someone trips over your cord it won’t…

Apple has initiated a battery replacement program for the iPhone 6S due to issues that affect devices that were manufactured between September and October in 2015. This is not a safety issue and the affected devices experience unexpected shutdowns. Apple has identified the serial number range of the iPhone 6S devices which may be affected and set up a page where customers can check if their device qualifies for a battery replacement. If your iPhone 6S is eligible for battery replacement you can take the device to an Apple Authorised Service Provider, an Apple Retail Store or go through Apple…

More than a million Android accounts have been compromised by malware called Gooligan that has been hidden in various Android apps and exposes your personal information, photos email and your documents. Gooligan has been spread through third party Android app stores and, once onboard your device, it generates an authentication token that can be used to install other fraudulent apps to boost the in-app ad revenue of those titles. That same token also gives hackers access to related Google account data like your Gmail accounts, Google Photos, Google Docs and your Google Drive. But the main motive for the hackers…

It’s time to tune in to Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 279 with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long who take a look at the biggest tech stories and products of the week. On this week’s show: a look at the hottest tech toys for Christmas, Optus offers extra data and credit for free and the Telstra 2G network shutdown. The blokes also discuss the ACCC’s decision concerning the bank’s battle against Apple Pay, the new way to charge your devices in your home and Officeworks slashing the price of the iPad Air. In the minute reviews,…

Samsung will initiate a network disconnection for the remaining Galaxy Note7 devices which are still being used in Australia despite two safety recalls and the product being discontinued. Samsung Australia has been working with Australian operators to discontinue network services to the Galaxy Note7 phones that are still in use. From December 15, these Note7 devices will no longer be able to connect to a cellular network. Customers were notified today of the move to allow them enough notice before their connection is terminated. This follows a forced firmware update to the Note7 devices that limited battery capacity to 60…

Apple Stores are turning red today to mark World AIDS Day and this year – the 10th year the company has supported the fight to end AIDS – customers have more ways than ever to support the cause. Apple is the world’s largest corporate contributor to the Global Fund and its (RED) campaign has raised almost $120 million. More than 400 Apple stores around the world will turn their logos red including the Sydney and Bondi Apple Stores to raise visibility about World AIDS Day. “The gift of life is the most important gift that anyone can give,” said Tim…

Netflix has made it even easier to watch your favourite shows on the move by introducing a new feature – the ability to download TV shows and movies on to your mobile device to view anywhere and anytime. This new feature is part of the latest version of the Netflix app on iOS and Android which was updated today. Now members can stream at home and, when they leave the house, they can take their programs with them so they can watch them without using data and where there is no internet connection, like on a plane. It will also…

GoPro has made it even easier to capture your photos and videos with the release of Remo – a waterproof, voice-activated controller that extends the voice control range of GoPro’s latest Hero5 cameras. Remo can be strapped to your wrist or your clothes and allows users to take stills, burst and start and stop videos recordings from up to 10m away from the GoPro Hero5 cameras. The Remo controller understands 10 languages and can still be clearly heard in noisy and windy conditions. That means your GoPro Hero5, positioned on a mount further than arm’s length away from you, can…

Tomorrow Telstra will close down its 2G network permanently so that means if you are currently using a 2G phone on its network it will cease to operate and you will need a new device. Not only will you need another phone, you will also need a new SIM card that will run on Telstra’s 3G or 4G network. But the closure can affect other products like health monitors and medical alarms. It would be worthwhile checking with the manufacturer if it stops working after December 1 – Telstra’s 2G closure day. Today Telstra’s 2G network accounts for less than…

Optus is offering an interesting way for pre-paid customers to earn more monthly data along with extra credit on their plans – and all without it costing them a single extra cent. Optus Xtra will provide up to an extra 1GB of data per month as well as $2 of extra credit on daily plans every 28 days. And all they have to do to earn it is watch ads on the lock screen of their phones. Powered by Postr – a New Zealand based start-up – Optus Xtra static ads on the locked screen with the user given the…

Stay updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews by tuning in to hear Episode 226 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, how we can change the way we charge our devices in our homes, why smartphone users risk losing all of their photos and we are still falling victim to hackers because we’re taking enough care online. In the Tech Guide reviews, the smart air pump that will never leave you flat, the Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones and the Australian made activity tracker designed just for children. In…

We’ve seen a lot of smart products on the market and the latest is a compact smart air pump so that you’ll never be left with a flat tyre on your car, motorbike or bicycle and you can easily pump up the footy. Created by UOMI, the smart air pump is slightly larger and thicker than a smartphone and weighs 400g. It has a pressure gauge and buttons on the front and a vent on the back to connect the included hose to your car or motorbike tyre, bicycle, football or air mattress. It is small enough to carry with…

Charging our devices usually involves fighting over a power point and navigating a mess of cables but not anymore thanks to new charging Corian charging surfaces for the home from DuPont. Imagine being able to just place your mobile device on the kitchen counter, in the bathroom, the bedroom or the desk in your office and be able wirelessly recharge it. Charging will no longer involve finding a power point and looking for a charger with the Corian surface which incorporates induction charging. It works through a transmitter that sits below charging areas on the surface that transfers energy wirelessly…

The future is wireless according to Apple when it comes to listening to music and the new Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones will certainly not make you miss the recently deleted headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Beats – now completely owned by Apple – has been offering wireless headphones for years and the latest version of its popular Solo range is easily the best. Of course, the headphones will work with other devices with Bluetooth onboard so while you get wireless freedom you also get amazing sound quality. And not only do they sound great – they also look good…

Kick off your weekend with the entertaining Episode 278 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, as we talk about the biggest tech products and issues. On this week’s show: the smartphone wars are hotting up as the latest sales figures are released and it’s not the best news for Samsung, why we’re being hit hard with excess data charges and the activity tracker designed for kids. Also on the show, Microsoft and D-Link team-up to create Super Wi-Fi for rural communities, Amazon Prime has kicked off with a soft…

The fitness wearable market is already massive and a pair of Australian entrepreneurs have designed a product just for children that will provide an incentive to keep them moving. The Elanation eTurbo has been created for 5-12 year-olds and doesn’t have GPS and calorie-counting functionality but it does keep track of steps and heart rate. But where the eTurbo differs from other wearables is the fact it is linked to a safe and protected online community. “ETURBO was born from the need for children to have an age-appropriate and cyber-safe wearable – parents and children alike have been turning to…

The rate of cybercrime is still climbing with news that hackers are getting better while consumers are remaining complacent and often contributing to their own online vulnerability. Norton has just released its Cyber Security Insights Report which found that Australians who had been touched by cybercrime even within the past year would often not change their ways and continue their unsafe behavior. While secure passwords are important, the study revealed one in four Australians (24 per cent) were likely to share their passwords. On the home front, Australians with connected smart devices have at least one that’s unprotected and vulnerable…

Rural communities across the world are about to receive the next generation Super Wi-Fi technology in a landmark project between tech giants Microsoft and D-Link. This new project, announced by D-Link chairman John Hsuan as part of the D-Link Future Strategy, has a bold vision to fill some of the world’s greatest technology gaps with cutting edge connectivity in underdeveloped areas. The partnership between Microsoft and D-Link has a goal to empower people to achieve more and this development will offer communities an exciting and enriching digital future. After years of research and development by Microsoft and its partners, phase…

When the Force Band came out recently to allow you to control BB8 like a Jedi we geeked right out. Well imagine our delight with the news you can control other apps and devices with the Force Band. The Force Band has Bluetooth onboard so you can expand your Force powers to other products and applications around you. Thanks to IFTTT – If This Then That – a site that allows you to access recipes to trigger one thing with another. For example, you can find an IFTTT recipe that can send you a text message when it starts raining…

It’s time to tune in to Episode 225 of the top-rating and informative Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated educated about the latest tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, what has made eBay’s list of the hottest tech toys for Christmas, the shocking privacy breach affecting 700 million Android devices and why Australian has become one of the leading countries in OLED TV adoption. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone, the Radar Pace smart eyewear made by Oakley and Intel and the Microsoft…