Author: Stephen Fenech

DJI has revealed its latest drone – the Phantom 4 Pro – which has a longer flight time, an improved camera system and even more intelligence onboard to take your photography to another level. The Phantom 4 Pro can fly for up to 30 minutes with its intelligent battery and it provides alerts when it reaches the minimum safe charge level to get back to the take-off point. On the camera side, the new UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) has a 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor that can capture 4K video at 60 frames per second and burst mode stills at 14 frames…

Being able to share what’s on your computer screen or smartphone is a great way to display your content or run a presentation and the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter now makes it a breeze. The Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter has a HDMI connection on one end of 29cm cable and a USB plug on the other that can be connected to the ports on the back of a monitor or high definition smart TV. When connected in this way, it creates a wireless Miracast connection to your computer or phone with about an 8m range. The USB plug draws power…

Tech toys are always popular and this year is no exception but eBay has noticed a trend for Christmas with rebooted old favourites with tech under the hood instead of relying on a screen. Thanks to the Pokemon Go craze there has also been a move toward more nostalgic toys rather than toys with a screen. eBay has observed a lot of parents are wanting their children to experience the same sense of fun they felt when they themselves were kids. A toy is sold on eBay every four seconds. eBay set up a gift lab in its office with the…

From today you can register for Apple’s free Hour of Code – a workshop that can teach children the basics of computer science and perhaps inspire a career in the tech industry. Hour of Code will run at all 457 Apple Stores around the world from December 5-11 and is one of the most popular events that Apple runs. The program is run in conjunction with Code.org and uses interactive development tool Swift Playgrounds in the workshops as well. “Hour of Code embodies our vision for Apple stores as a place for the community to gather, learn and be entertained,”…

We’ve seen plenty of activity trackers and wearables on the market than can track your steps and activity but the new Radar Pace smart eyewear is a real-time coaching system that will change the way athletes train. Rader Pace was created in a collaboration between Luxottica’s glasses brand Oakley and Intel and the result of years of research and development. Aimed at serious athletes, the Radar Pace smart eyewear look just a regular pair of Oakley glasses but, with help from Intel, there also sensors and a microphone onboard. There also removable earphones so you can hear your music –…

An alarming privacy issue has been uncovered with some Android phones secretly sending text messages, call logs and customer information back to China every 72 hours. This was made possible by a piece of software written by Shanghai Adups Technology Company that was reportedly running on more than 700 million entry and mid-level Android phones. Adups was discovered by US security firm Kryptowire on a BLU smartphone with authorities unclear whether the backdoor was for advertising purposes or designed as spyware. Kryptowire says the Adups software was transmitting full text messages, contacts lists and call logs, according to a report…

Tune in to Episode 277 of the fun and informative Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, to hear about the biggest tech stories and issues. On this week’s show, the gaming wars – PlayStation 4 Pro, the Xbox One S and the Nintendo mini NES system which are vying for your Christmas dollars. Also on the program, virtual reality has expended to include the Google Daydream View and Hollywood has also joined in with The Martian VR experience. The blokes also talk about the new Plantronics Bluetooth earphones and headphones and…

Hollywood has entered the world of virtual reality with the release of The Martian VR Experience which was executive produced by Ridley Scott as an extension of his hit film The Martian. Directed by Robert Stromberg, The Martian VR Experience puts the viewer in stranded astronaut Mark Watney’s shoes so they can experience scenes from the blockbuster movie in a 360-degree virtual reality environment. It works with the PlayStation VR and the HTC Vive and allows viewers to fly onto the surface of Mars, drive a space rover and explore the red planet like you’re actually there. The Martian VR…

Australians are among biggest fans of OLED TVs in the world and LG – the only major TV manufacturer to offer the format – is certainly enjoying the benefits of our fascination with the technology. In terms of the uptake of OLED TV, Australia is only second in the world. But we’re not trailing the US or even the UK or South Korea. The number one country in the world for OLED TV is actually Sweden. According to GfK data, as of September 2016, LG OLED TV is the fastest growing segment with a prediction it will make up 10…

Today Apple Pay has become available at more than 30 banks and credit unions across Australia so customers can use their iPhone and Apple Watch to make secure payments on the go. Apple recently made an agreement with payment solutions partner Cuscal which had Apple Pay accessible to customers from 31 smaller banks and financial institutions. From today you can start using Apple Pay if you’re a customer with places like Sydney Credit Union, Teachers Mutual Bank and Australian Unity. But if you’re a customer with larger banks like the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and National Australia Bank, you still have…

Apple has just published a new book that celebrates 20 years of the company’s iconic designs and the materials and methods used to create their popular products. The coffee table book is called “Designed by Apple in California” and is dedicated to the memory of Steve Jobs – the company’s co-founder who passed away in 2011. “The idea of genuinely trying to make something great for humanity was Steve’s motivation from the beginning, and it remains both our ideal and our goal as Apple looks to the future,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “This archive is intended to…

Plantronics, a company that’s been in the wireless audio business for decades, has just unveiled its latest range of Bluetooth earphones and noise cancelling headphones that meet the needs of the modern customer. Plantronics is already a big player in the mobile communication business with its Bluetooth headset and in the gaming arena with its gaming headphones. Mobile entertainment – including these latest Bluetooth earphones and headphones – are the third pillar of the company’s business. With Apple removing the headphone jack from the iPhone 7, there has never been more focus on Bluetooth products. In fact, it is almost…

Episode 224 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, highlighting the latest tech news and reviews to keep you updated and educated, is the 500th tech podcast recorded by editor Stephen Fenech. With 224 Tech Guide episodes under his belt and 276 episodes of his other podcast, Two Blokes Talking Tech co-hosted with EFTM’s Trevor Long – that adds up to the magic 500. On this week’s Tech Guide podcast, Google enters the world of virtual reality with the Daydream View, GoPro issues a recall for its just-released Karma drone and how you can bring Hollywood home with a JBL Synthesis…

Channel 7 has issued an apology to rugby league star Jarryd Hayne after the pornography mishap during a Norton online security demonstration at a Gold Coast school last week. During a demonstration about the dangers of an open network, Hayne’s phone was being used to show how easy it is to snoop whatever he has been looking at on his phone. Seconds later, another device joined the network and images from a porn site were displayed on the screen in front of students from Robina State High School. Yahoo!7, Channel 7’s online identity, published a story with the headline “Awkward!…

Storage – we always need it wherever we go and with every device we use. WD knows this and have come up with the My Passport Wireless Pro that makes things even easier. The My Passport Wireless Pro has wireless connectivity as well as an SD card reader onboard to allow users to upload content on the go and access it again just as easily from your other mobile devices and computers. The drive – available in 2TB and 3TB capacities – is smaller in area than a CD case (remember them?) at 12.6cm long and wide and 2.4cm thick.…

As a huge movie lover and fan of all things tech, I always had a dream to build a home theatre. I wanted a place in my house where I could watch movies in the highest quality and comfort. Today I have a JBL Synthesis system that puts a smile on my face every time I switch it on to watch a movie. But that isn’t where I started. When we built our new home I got the chance to create this space from the ground up. That was back in 2003 and, at the time, the best we had…

Belkin has introduced the Valet Charger Power Pack – a handy dual purpose accessory which can charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch at the same time on the move. The product, which was named as a 2017 Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award Honoree, is a large 6,700 mAh portable battery which has a USB port to connect your iPhone with a Lightning cable. But what the device also features is a small circular magnetic charging module where you can charge the Apple Watch. And there’s enough juice on board to recharge an iPhone three times and the Apple Watch…

Huawei has shaken up the mid-tier of the smartphone market with the release of the Nova Plus which includes an impressive multi-curve design and an enhanced photography experience. The device has a 5.5-inch screen which includes a curved section of 2.5D glass so that it seamlessly meets the outside edge of the phone. It also has a curved sandblast polished metallic back panel so customers get a premium looking device at a mid-level price of $549. The Huawei Nova Plus has a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation with beauty mode onboard as well as the ability to shoot 4K…

Be sure to tune in to Episode 276 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, to hear out take on the latest tech news and products. On this week’s show, what the tech world will look like under a Donald Trump presidency, the Jarryd Hayne porn gaffe and the lessons we learned, drone controversy in Australia and the GoPro Karma recall. The blokes also talk about Android Auto which is now available to all drivers, Apple Pay coming to more banks but not the majors and Amazon launches the Kindle…

GoPro’s first attempt at a drone – the Karma – has been recalled barely weeks after it went on sale in the US over a performance issue that is causing the product to fall out of the sky. The GoPro Karma had been on sale for only 16 days when customers were shocked to see the drone lose power and drop to the ground. And with a camera attached to the product they were able relive the horror in 4K resolution. GoPro has acted quickly and instructed customers to return their Karma for a complete refund. On the GoPro website…