Author: Stephen Fenech

DJI has fired back in the battle of the drones a week after GoPro revealed Karma with the new Mavic Pro which can be folded down to the size of a bottle of water. The DJI Mavic Pro has four folding arms and propellers that tuck neatly into the side of the drone’s body so it’s compact enough to carry anywhere in a backpack or small bag. When it’s folded up the Mavic Pro is just 19.8cm long, 8.3cm wide and 8.3cm high. But despite its relatively small size it still offers a range of powerful features including a camera…

To stay updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews tune in to Episode 218 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, just how much time do we spend on the internet according to an NBN study, Samsung partners with Woolworths so you can now do your grocery shopping right from your fridge and which NRL and AFL teams were the most popular on Telstra’s live streams. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the Panasonic DMP-UB900 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc player and the Apple Watch Series 2. In…

There are lot of micro particles in the air that can make people sick and not only outdoors but also inside our homes so Dyson has turned its engineering expertise to literally clearing the air. Dyson has created intelligent purifiers that can improve the air quality in your home as well as heating or cooling or both and combined that into three new products. These include Dyson Pure Cool Link Tower ($699), the Dyson Pure Cool Link Desk ($549) and the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Link ($749). Tests have shown the air inside our homes can be up to…

A prank video showing a man drilling a hole in his iPhone 7 to have some where to fit his headphones has gone viral – and led to some viewers taking the instructions seriously and destroying their new phones. The video, which has had more than 10 million views, was put together by Ukranian Taras Maksimuk – known as TechRax by his 5.1 million YouTube subscribers – and it shows the prankster putting an iPhone 7 in a vice and drilling a 3.5mm hole on the bottom edge. And when he finishes he plugs in his earphones into the newly-created…

Australians love being online. A lot. That’s what one of the most extensive new studies has uncovered and you’ll be surprised how much we like being connected at work, at home, in bed, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the garage, in the backyard and in front of the TV. The Broadband Index commissioned by NBN show we’re spending more time online than ever before. The study surveyed 10,348 Australians across metropolitan, regional and remote areas and included NBN and non-NBN customers. Households connected to the NBN are online for an additional 1.7 hours every day with the biggest…

The long wait to enjoy 4K content on our 4K TVs is over and now we can watch the latest releases on 4K Ultra High Definition discs thanks to a player like the Panasonic DMP-UB900. 4K provides four times the resolution of full high definition that we see with Blu-ray Disc. The Panasonic DMP-UB900 is not the only 4K player on the market – Samsung’s UBD K8500 was released earlier this year for $599. Panasonic’s DMP-UB900 is priced at $1,099 and has plenty of features under the hood to justify its higher price. And with the growing number of new…

It wasn’t just the iPhone 7 that Apple released recently but also the Apple Watch Series 2 as well which has stepped up to the next level in a number of areas to make it even more attractive. Ever since Apple put its considerable weight into the smartwatch category it has caused a rising tide that has lifted all boats. As a result, the smartwatch/fitness wearable category has moved forward significantly. But when the original Apple Watch was released in 2014, there was plenty of attention about what it could do – and what it couldn’t do. As impressive as…

Samsung has partnered with Woolworths in an Australian first to make it possible do your grocery shopping right from a connected smart refrigerator’s screen. And one of those fridges is the new Samsung Family Hub which includes a 21.5-inch LCD touchscreen where you can connect to the internet, write notes for other family members, share calendars and display your digital photos. Also onboard will be the Woolworths app which allows customers to create a shopping list which can be viewed on the fridge’s screen or on a compatible mobile device. Then, when you’re ready, you can go ahead and order…

Alcatel, the third largest smartphone brand by volume in Australia behind Samsung and Apple, has formed a partnership with the world famous Liverpool Football Club. This means Alcatel will become the official smartphone of Liverpool FC in Australia and New Zealand and see a number of marketing activities to take advantage of the popularity of the mighty Reds. Alcatel customers will also be able to enjoy some money-can’t-buy moments involving the iconic team. Liverpool FC is one of the most followed English Premier League clubs in the world and sold out the MCG in 2013 for an exhibition match. The…

The Two Blokes Talking Tech, Stephen Fenech (Tech Guide editor) and Trevor Long (EFTM) are back for Episode 270 where they take a fun and informative look at the biggest tech stories. On this week’s show, the attack of the drones with GoPro and Parrot announcing new drones, the Samsung Note7 issues – what does this mean for the company and the blokes share their thoughts about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. We also take a look at the Laser sub-$30 Bluetooth headphones and, in the minute reviews, run our eye over the Braven 105 portable Bluetooth speaker…

Remember Marty McFly’s amazing self-lacing Nike sneakers from Back to the Future II? Well, Nike will start selling the real thing for the first time later this year. Great Scott!! In the 1989 film Back to the Future, we see the Nike shoes with power laces when Marty McFly and Doc Brown’s find themselves in the year 2015 after a trip in the time-travelling De Lorean. The Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 is here and it’s real and customers will be able to buy them on November 28. The self-lacing shoes work with an internal cable system that wraps your foot and…

Samsung Australia has confirmed replacement stock of the Note7 will be available from today along with a software update to ensure the smartphone is safe to use. Customers who chose to replace their Note7 instead of asking for a refund can now contact their place of purchase where they returned the device to check when their new device will be available. Samsung says customers will receive a brand new in the box Note7 – and not the device they returned after a safety check. Samsung released a statement today: Samsung Electronics Australia can confirm that all replacement stock for old…

Apple’s latest operating system for the Mac – macOS Sierra –  has a wealth of new features and it is now available to all users to download and install for free. Even the name has changed. No longer will Mac software be referred to as OS X – instead it will be called macOS. But what is continuing with this version is the naming convention of Californian landmarks. We’ve had Mavericks, Yosemite and El Capitan. This year we have Sierra. To install macOS Sierra go the Mac App Store and click on Featured. You should see macOS Sierra with the…

Episode 217 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 tech news and reviews. On this week’s packed show: GoPro unveils a new range of products which include two new connected action cameras and a drone, is it best to buy a smartphone outright or start a two-year contract and Uber announces a new feature – Scheduled Rides. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the Incipio ClamCase for the iPad Pro 9.7 and…

The notion that wireless headphones have to be expensive has been completely blown out of the water by Laser which has just introduced a sub-$30 pair of Bluetooth foldable headphones. With all the attention on Apple removing the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, these new Laser Bluetooth Wireless Foldable headphones will be welcomed as an easily affordable alternative to cable earphones. Priced at just $29.95, they connect wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or laptop and provide accurate bass and dynamic range. They have a universal fit for adults and children and feature soft ear cushions for comfortable wear for…

GoPro has unveiled Karma – the company’s very first drone along with all-new connected Hero5 cameras and services that will make it easier than ever to capture and share your videos. The new GoPro products were revealed at a special event in Squaw Valley in California near Lake Tahoe by GoPro founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman. “With these new products, we’re delivering on our promise to make it easy to capture and share engaging stories,” said Woodman. “We’re stoked to launch Karma and show how much more it is than a drone. Karma packs Hollywood-calibre aerial, handheld and gear-mounted image…

LG has launched a brand new smartphone – the X Power – that will tick two of the biggest boxes for customers – it’s affordable and it has a battery that will last all day and all night. Available exclusively at JB Hi-Fi stores, the LG X Power has a massive 4,100mAh battery which is actually 50 per cent larger than the battery aboard the LG Nexus X. That longer life battery means you can do a lot more on the move – surf the web, post to social media sites, play games and enjoy content – for a lot…

If you want to take your music anywhere – and we really mean anywhere – then what you need is a portable waterproof speaker like the new and versatile Braven 105. The Braven 105 is a circular palm-size Bluetooth speaker that measures 9.65cm across and is 3.55cm thick and with an IPX7 rating so it can handle the bath, the shower, the pool and the beach. But what makes you want to take this speaker anywhere is the handy mounting strap. It lets you attach the Braven 105 anywhere – your backpack, your bike or yourself – so you can…

OK you’ve downloaded iOS 10 on your iPhone or iPad or thinking about it – or better still you’ve just got yourself a shiny new iPhone 7 – so here are the cool hidden features of the operating system. We already know about the topline features of iOS 10 – new messaging features, enhanced Siri, Maps and Lock Screen plus lots more. But there is a surprising number of interesting features that you might not be aware of. And those who haven’t installed iOS 10 you can find instructions on how to do it here. READ TECH GUIDE’S iPHONE 7…

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus went on sale across Australia today, one of the first places on earth where eager customer could get their hands on the eagerly-awaited device. At Apple’s flagship Sydney store in George St the line of waiting customers snaked around to the next block. The people at the very front of the line starting queuing three days earlier and had to endure a downpour early this morning before the doors of the store swung open at precisely 8am. And with the time difference, Australians were able to purchase the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7…