Author: Stephen Fenech

Apple overtook Samsung as the world’s biggest smartphone seller in the fourth quarter of 2016 with iPhone shipments reaching 78.3 million units for 18 per cent of global sales. The release of the iPhone 7 in September coincided with the beginning of Samsung’s woes with the Note7 and this had a definite effect on the Q4 2016 sales, according to independent research firm Strategic Analytics. For Apple that was a five percent year-on-year increase. Samsung’s Q4 sales were only slightly behind Apple at 77.5 million units and 17.7 per cent of the worldwide market. Yet Samsung still sold more smartphones…

Belkin has released two new devices to charge your mobile devices and keep up with your busy lifestyles so you’re never short of power when you really need it. The Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad offers cable free charging while the MIXIT Power RockStar 10,000 can go with you with enough power to recharge your phone four times. BOOST UP WIRELESS CHARGING PAD – $109.95 The Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad allows users to charge their phone simply by placing it on the Belkin device. It is a Qi certified charger and will work with compatible devices like the Samsung…

Our hunger for data to use on the move is growing rapidly and today Vaya has responded with some amazing 4G data-only deals that will put the pressure on rival telcos to match them. The new plans from Vaya.com.au are powered by the Optus 4G network and start from as little as $15 a month with no lock in contracts to use with tablets and mobile hotspots. Australian customers will have four plans to choose from including:  – $15 for 5GB of data – $35 for 15GB, – $55 for 50GB – $65 for 70GB These plans are data only…

Telstra and Netgear have joined forces to launch the Nighthawk M1 mobile router – the world’s first LTE device which can achieve download speeds of 1Gbps to give you the fastest connection on the move. The Nighthawk M1 mobile router can securely connect up to 20 wi-fi devices at the same time so you can share the high-speed Telstra 4G LTE network connection with family members or work colleagues. Netgear’s device has a circular display to see your connection, the number of devices connected and a data usage tracker. Users can achieve download speeds of up to 1Gbps (that’s 10…

Tune in to Episode 234 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, Samsung set to unveil  a new tablet to take on the iPad which happened to be introduced by Steve Jobs seven years ago this week and Optus introduce a new native service that will allow customers to make mobile calls over wi-fi. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a listen to the Sony MDR-1000X noise cancelling headphones, the Oppo R9s smartphone and the Element…

Oppo is making inroads in the Australian smartphone market and the company has just released a new affordable mid-tier device – the R9s – which will suit users who love snapping selfies and photos. The Oppo R9s is the follow-up to last year’s R9 – a breakthrough product that made Oppo’s devices stand out from the Android crowd. And that way it did that was by looking like an iPhone. The Oppo R9s is virtually identical to the R9 and thereby still looks a lot like an iPhone. And the resemblance doesn’t end there. Oppo’s new user interface ColorOS3.0 (which…

It’s been seven years since Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPad – the device that kick started the tablet market and gave customers a laptop alternative and a new way to use apps. Apple, still riding high on the success of the iPhone three years earlier, introduced the iPad at a special event on January 28, 2010 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. And I was there. Not as the Tech Guide editor but in my previous position as News Limited’s technology writer. There were plenty of rumours flying around before the event…

Sony has a rich heritage when it comes to audio products and it has poured all of those smarts along with the latest technology into its impressive MDR-1000X noise-cancelling headphones. Sony, the company that invented the Walkman and re-defined portable audio, has always been a strong player in the headphone market and the new MDR-1000X is one of its best ever. Noise-cancelling wireless headphones are something discerning audio fans don’t mind spending a few bucks on. To get your hands on the Sony MDR-1000X will cost customers $699.95 which is $200 more than rival Bose’s excellent QC35. But is it…

Optus has launched a new service called Wi-Fi Calling which will allow customers to make and receive calls over wi-fi when there is limited mobile coverage. This means Optus customers can use accessible wi-fi services like your home broadband or public wi-fi to make and receive calls if the network signal isn’t strong enough. So now if you’re connected to wi-fi and don’t have any reception with the Optus network, you can still make a call or take that call you might be expecting. And to the person on the other end of the line, on a mobile or a…

Samsung has put the dramas of the Note7 behind it and will finally be updating its Galaxy tablet line-up with a new device that looks set to challenge Apple’s popular iPad and iPad Pro. The electronics giant was due to unveil the highly-anticipated Galaxy Tab S3 at the IFA trade show in September last year. And it was at that time when the Note7 issues were beginning to surface. But now the company is ready to move forward with the Galaxy Tab S3 which is expected to be Samsung’s main offering at the upcoming Mobile World Congress which kicks off…

Find out the inside story of the biggest tech news and products with Episode 284 of Two Blokes Talking Tech with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long. On this week’s show, Samsung unveils cause of the Note7 issues and what it means for the electronics giant, the worrying trend for cyberbullying and what parents can do about it and are VPNs safe? Also on the podcast, the new features coming with iOS 10.3 and Apple’s Music’s top 100 Australian songs for Australia Day. In the minute reviews, we take a look at the SCOTTeVEST to carry all…

If you own an iPhone, you want to look after it with a cover. Now you can do it in style with an Element luxury case that combines great design, craftsmanship and performance-engineered materials. Made exclusively for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Element’s ultra-premium cases are the Rolls Royce of device protection. Element has released two collections – Luxe and Adrenaline. The Luxe collection has stylish designs and are made from premium materials but that still provide high-impact protection. The Adrenaline collection has a more aggressive and performance-inspired design and are made from state-of-the-art materials and meet military…

Apple latest version of the iPhone operating system will offer several improvements including locating a lost AirPod and asking Siri about one of Australia’s favourite sports – cricket. The iOS 10.3 update has just been released to developers and will available to use with the iPhone and iPad. A new Find My AirPods option will be included in the Find My Phone app so if you happen to misplace one of the wire-free earbuds you can track it down within the Bluetooth. You can also get it to play a sound to make it easier to find. READ TECH GUIDE’S…

It’s time to tune in to Episode 233 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated about the biggest tech news and products. On this week’s show, Samsung reveals the reasons why the Note7 exploded and taken off the market and what the company does next. We also talk about the drone that can go underwater and change fishing forever, the jacket which can carry your laptop and your other gadgets, the Withings smart hair brush and the app that can help your kids create and animate their stories. And…

After enduring several woeful (and costly) months dealing with the Galaxy Note7 issues, Samsung revealed the causes and can now put the episode behind it – but where does the company go from here? The Galaxy Note7 was hailed as the most advanced smartphone ever produced when it was launched in August but it wasn’t long before the battery overheating issues began and eventually doomed the device. Samsung’s global press conference outlined not only the company’s exhaustive investigation but also the investigations by three other independent companies. What we discovered was Samsung’s plain bad luck with two batteries made at…

After months and months of speculation, the official title for Star Wars Episode VIII has finally been revealed ahead of the film’s release in theatres on December 16, 2017. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Episode VIII will be the first Star Wars film to pick up directly from the previous film. The next chapter, which will be called Star Wars: The Last Jedi, kicks off with Rey (Daisy Ridley) handing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) the lightsaber he lost (with his hand) in his duel with Darth Vader in Cloud City in Episode V: Empire Strikes Back. The Force Awakens…

We saw lots of new smart products at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas but this one can tell if you’re having a good hair day – it’s the smart hairbrush from Withings. The Hair Coach is the world’s first smart brush with built-in sensors that can track the health of your hair and suggest ways to improve it. The Withings device looks like an ordinary hairbrush but upon closer inspection you will see a sensor at the centre of the product which is a collaboration between well-known beauty brands Kerastase and L’Oreal. With Withings bringing tech expertise…

Samsung Electronics has finally revealed the faults that forced the company to recall and eventually discontinue the flagship Galaxy Note7 smartphone during a global press conference in South Korea. The problems were the result of not one battery issue but an issue with a second replacement battery as well. This second battery had resolved the first issue only for another unrelated issue to be found. The extraordinary turn of events is basically like a person being struck by lightning and then being struck by lightning again the next day. DJ Koh – president of Samsung’s mobile communication business – kicked off…

We carry a lot of gadgets around with us and usually that means we need a bag to fit all that stuff. But not anymore thanks to the SCOTTeVEST jacket which has numerous pockets to store all your items. SCOTTeVEST makes jackets and vests for men and women that addresses the fact that 21st century customers have more devices than ever before. Regular apparel manufacturers haven’t altered their clothing to accommodate our use of mobile devices – until now. SCOTTeVEST was founded in 2000 by Laura and Scott Jordan. Scott got tired of having to put all his gadgets in…

The Two Blokes, Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, are back in town talking tech after attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to discuss the hottest tech topics. On this week’s Episode 283 blokes talk about drones – losing an expensive rescue drone, Star Wars Battle Drones and the drone that can take a passenger – plus back to school technology and the Toontastic 3D animation app for kids. Stephen and Trevor also talk about the Huawei Mate 9, the new Fitstar personal trainer app from Fitbit and Google Sky. In the minute reviews, we…