Author: Stephen Fenech

Episode 259 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, is live in San Francisco for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. The blokes go through the whole keynote and talk about each of the four platform announcements – iOS 10, macOS Sierra, WatchOS 3 and tvOS – and share their thoughts on the new features. Also on the show, Stephen and Trevor talk about the Xbox announcements from E3 and Microsoft acquiring the professional social network LinkedIn. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the…

Apple made lots of announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote that will change the way people will use their iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watch and Apple TV. But apart from the many headline features there were lots of other things we discovered about Apple’s software updates and the way they can be used with Apple products. Here are the 10 things we learned: YOU CAN DELETE SOME OF APPLE’S APPS A lot of Apple’s very own apps come as part of the latest iOS but that’s going to change with iOS 10. This time out, users can delete some…

Episode 203 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast is coming to you live from San Francisco where editor Stephen Fenech is attending Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the WWDC keynote outlines Apple’s software updates for the Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. The new operating systems announced included iOS 10 for iPhone and iPad, macOS Sierra for the Mac, watchOS 3 for Apple Watch and tvOS for Apple TV. Also on the show, the new technology developed by Domino’s Pizza to get your food to you faster and the new range of…

Apple has unveiled iOS 10 – its most ambitious update to the iPhone and iPad operating systems at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco that add impressive new abilities to the devices. In the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium packed with media and developers, Apple introduced the new features of iOS 10 which transform the way we send messages, use Siri, navigate with Maps and even control our home automation products. Developers were also excited to learn they would have access to Siri, Maps, messages and and the phone when creating their news apps and all-new possibilities with the iPhone…

Apple has unveiled a number of enhancements and capabilities to the new Mac computer operating system which has even been renamed from OS X to its latest moniker – macOS. But macOS will retain the Mac software naming convention of being called after a famous Californian landmark. This time out it’s called macOS Sierra. But there are a lot more changes than just the name. Here are the main new changes unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco: SIRI The biggest addition to the new macOS is Siri to enable voice control on your Mac so you can…

The Apple Watch will have a significant update thanks to the release of its new watchOS 3 software that will add new features, improved navigation and also open apps a lot faster. One of the things users have noticed was the time it took to launch an app on the Apple Watch but now with watchOS3 that launch has has been sped up by seven times. Now your favourite apps will rest inside a newly created Dock which users can navigate by swiping the screen. Each of these apps is running in the background so the most up-to-date information is…

Hearing aids have come a long with and now feature lots of high-tech features and a great example is the Oticon Opn which can connect to the internet and talk directly with devices in the home. The Oticon Opn has a state-of-the-art wireless built-in communication system and can be programmed to talk to doorbells, smoke detectors and alarms. The device is designed for people to stay in touch with other items that can affect their health and safety. The Oticon Opn uses the online service If This Then That (IFTTT.com) which enables communication between products like doorbells, smartphones, home lighting…

The craft beer industry is growing with drinkers keen to taste new brews but now there’s a new all-in-one appliance that makes it possible for beer lovers to create their own at home. The WilliamsWarn BrewMaster, created by two New Zealand friends, can produce 19 litres of cold, clear, carbonated professional quality beer in just seven days like a commercial brewery. Ian Williams, one of the co-inventors and a professional beer taster, came up with the idea to improve the quality of home brewing. Production of craft beer has grown by 9.5 per cent year-on-year from 2011 to 2016. “As…

Apple 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off next week in San Francisco with a keynote from company CEO Tim Cook. But what new software and hardware can we expect to see? Traditionally WWDC has been focused almost exclusively on software, namely latest iOS for the iPhone and iPad and the OS X operating system for the Mac. But we have seen a sprinkling of hardware announcements in the past including the iPod Touch (2008), the iPhone 4 (2010) and MacBook Pro with Retina Display (2012). But what can we expect to see at WWDC 2016? iOS 10 Yes, we’re up…

The Apple Watch can do a lot of things but one thing it can’t do is go underwater. Until now. The Catalyst Case for the Apple Watch creates a seal around the device so you can take it for a swim. It is the first case of its kind for the Apple Watch and adds an IP68 waterproof rating as well as drop protection. Catalysts Cases are only available for the 42mm Apple Watch. The case comes with its own straps so it only encloses the actual Apple Watch with its own straps removed. The Catalyst case is made up…

Samsung is probably best known for its amazing TVs and impressive smartphones but it is also a leader when it comes to washing machines and refrigerators as well. And these new appliances are just as high tech as their home entertainment counterparts with new innovations across the range which includes a front-loading washer dryer and a four-door triple-cooling refrigerator. SAMSUNG ADDWASH XL FRONT LOAD WASHER DRYER Samsung’s AddWash XL washer dryer has an all-new design and features an industry first front load “AddWash” door so users can add items to a wash after the cycle has begun. It’s not uncommon…

We ask a lot of our headphones – great sound quality, wireless connectivity and, for the real audiophiles, Hi-Res audio. Audio Technica’s new ATH-SR5BT can deliver all of that. The headphones have a compact look and feel with on-ear soft memory foam design rather than an earcup that fit comfortably for hours of listening. The leather headband is also padded so they don’t feel like they are weighing you down. With Bluetooth onboard you can stream your music wirelessly from your mobile device and say goodbye to the cables for tangle-free convenience. The ATH-SR5BT headphones will remember pairings with up…

Episode 258 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide’s Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long brings you the biggest tech stories and products of the week in a fun and informative way. This week’s show was recorded after a delivery of five pizzas by Domino’s after we attended the company’s event to highlight the new technology they will use to get your pizza to your faster and the minute you walk in the store for pick up. Also on the show, online electronics retailer Kogan.com is listing on the stock market with an IPO (initial public offering)…

Anyone with an iPhone or an iPad will know there’s no memory card slot to increase the device’s storage capacity but the next best thing is the new SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive. The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive is a lot smaller than last year’s model and looks like a regular USB 3.0 thumb drive with a flexible Lightning connector so it can easily connect to your iPhone or iPad. This mobile storage solution is available with up to 64GB memory onboard to beef up your iOS device’s capacity and provide easy access to your files on the move. Most people…

Domino’s Pizza knows every second counts when it comes to ordering and delivery and today it unveiled technology to ensure food is delivered faster and ready the moment you walk in to a store to pick it up. Using customer data and its GPS tracking technology, the company is aiming to bring home delivery times down to just 10 minutes. But more than half of Domino’s customers choose to pick up their pizza in a store. Domino’s says time is the enemy of food so the less time your pizza is sitting there waiting for you the better. And to…

OK, you’ve got a PlayStation 4 connected to your television in the lounge room but someone’s already watching it. Don’t worry – there’s a way you can still play your PS4 – on your Mac or PC. So how do you do it? To start with, you need the PS4 Remote Play app for your Mac or PC which can be downloaded from here. You’ll also need your PS4 DualShock 4 controller, a USB cable and a speedy wi-fi network in your home. Once you’ve downloaded the PS4 Remote Play app, run the installation file. For a Windows computer you…

Bose has just unveiled its latest range of noise cancelling headphones and sports earphones which contain new audio technology for even better sound – and this time out they are all wireless. The new products include the QuietComfort 35 headphones and the QuietControl 30 earphones along with the SoundSport and SoundSport Pulse earphones. All of these premium Bose wireless headphones and earphones include NFC (near field communication) for easier touch-to-pair convenience with inline controls for your music and phone calls and voice alerts that tell the user about set-up, battery level and caller ID. BOSE QUIETCOMFORT 35 – $499 The…

D-Link has released a new full high definition ultra-wide wi-fi camera which can deliver a 180-degree angle view – the widest angle lens available on any fixed consumer camera. The DSC-2630L provides a handy DIY home security solution and offers wall-to-wall surveillance from a single device which is ideal for large rooms. Onboard is a de-warping technology so users won’t see the “fish-eye” effect of the wide angle lens so the video can be viewed without distortion. Also onboard is night vision for viewing up to five metres away in total darkness. The camera captures high definition video as well…

Tune in to Episode 202 of the Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, to stay updated and educated about all of the latest consumer tech news, views and reviews. On this week’s show, the surfer’s leg rope that can repel sharks, how to watch the English Premier League for free and we take a look behind the scenes at the Intel Drone 100 before their flight over Sydney during Vivid. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the MYNT tracker that means you will never let you lose a thing, Samsung’s two new fitness wearables…

HP has just released the world’s thinnest laptop in Australia. The HP Spectre has an aluminium chassis that’s just 10.4mm thick – the same thickness as a AAA battery. The svelte laptop has a full high definition 13.3-inch edge-to-edge display covered on a 0.4mm sheet of Corning’s Gorilla Glass. It also has a carbon fibre base that makes the product thin and lightweight but also durable. It has a high gloss finish and copper hand-polished finish that gives a premium jewellery-like look and feel. The screen has a hidden piston hinge that takes up hardly any space and actually gives…