Author: Stephen Fenech

Here I am in New York City and, after watching and reading the many US reports about our Census debacle, I’m feeling a deep embarrassment about what Americans must think of us. To the rest of the world, Australia is considered a tech-savvy nation of early adopters with a clear roadmap of our future. At least we were. Today we’re looking like a bunch of hillbillies with NBC, the New York Times, USA Today and even the Toronto Star (just to name a few) reporting about our Census fail and using words like “chaos” and “plagued”. Many Americans still think…

The Vinyl revival is continuing thanks to the release of high quality products like the Rega Planar 2 turntable which brings with it an iconic design and impressive sound quality that’s the result of two years development. Now available in Australia through Synergy, the distributor of high-end audio products, the Rega Planar 2 turntable has a trademark central bearing 10mm glass platter with a gloss acrylic plinth and an all-new RB220 tonearm. It also has redesigned feet so there’s reduced vibration. Other new features include custom bearings and an automatic bias adjustment so it is really easy to set up.…

Value mobile service provider Vaya can now lay claim to having Australia’s cheapest unlimited mobile plan with a new offering that costs just $16 a month. And with the option of selecting a 12-month plan, that cost can come down to $174 upfront for the year which works out to be $14.50 a month. The Unlimited S Plan has unlimited calls and texts and 1GB of data. The new $16 plan from Vaya, which uses the Optus 4G network, is similar to the plans offered by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone that cost more than $30 a month. Vaya will also…

The drama around Australia’s failed online Census has deepened with government claiming the interruption was the result of a cyber attack which most likely came from hackers overseas. Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim has opened an investigation to make sure no personal information had been compromised. But Small Business Minister Michael McCormack contradicted the Australian Privacy Commissioner’s press release and tweets and said in a press conference that the interruption “was not an attack, nor was it a hack”. McCormack, the minister responsible for the Census, has put a totally different spin on it. “It was an attempt to frustrate…

It’s time to get updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews with Episode 211 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show recorded in New York, Instagram Stories – is it a rip off of Snapchat, a vulnerability puts 900 million Android devices worldwide at risk and we take a hands-on look at the Samsung Galaxy Note7 and chat with Samsung Australia vice president Phil Newton about it. In the Tech Guide reviews, we run our eye over the D-Link Wide-Eye 180-degree security camera and the Epson range of…

The latest 9.7-inch iPad Pro is already a pretty handy device but if you add the new Logitech CREATE Backlit Keyboard case you can get even more out of Apple’s sleek tablet for work or play. Not only is it a protective case but is also incorporates a full size backlit keyboard as well as an integrated holder for the Apple Pencil. It is made from tightly woven premium fabric and can resist bumps and spills. The Logitech CREATE Backlit Keyboard is designed to be powered through the Apple Smart Connector located on the side edge of the iPad. It…

Alarming vulnerabilities in Qualcomm’s chipset for Android devices have been discovered putting 900 million users worldwide at risk – including more than 10 million Australians. There are four vulnerabilities which would allow hackers to take control of Android devices and also access personal data as well. Dubbed QuadRooter, the threat was revealed at the Def Con security conference in Las Vegas and can potentially affect Android smartphones manufactured by some of the biggest companies including Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony and Motorola. Some of the latest Android devices running the Qualcomm chipsets in question include: * Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7…

Snapchat had better watch out. Instagram has just launched a new feature called Stories – which many see as a direct rip-off of Snapchat’s feature where you can post pictures and videos in a timeline. Ironically, Facebook (which owns Instagram) made a bid for Snapchat a couple of years ago with an offer of more than $US3 billion. Snapchat politely declined and then took off like a rocket on a launch pad with a current valuation of more than $US18 billion and more than 150 million daily active users. Instagram has more than 300 million daily active users and 500…

Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Note7 have begun and Telstra, Optus and Virgin Mobile have just announced their plans and pricing for the device which is due for release in Australia on August 19. And because of the time difference, Australia will be one of the first countries in the world where the impressive new Samsung device will be available to customers. Vodafone was the first telco to announce its plan earlier this week. You can see them all here. And all of the carriers are offering a free 256GB microSD card – valued at $299 – with every pre-order…

Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter this week to announce a record-breaking month on the App Store in July with the highest ever monthly billings and most money ever paid out to developers. Cook’s first tweet read: “July was a record-breaker for the ‪App Store! Highest-ever monthly billings and money paid to developers”. The month of July was the biggest ever for the App Store and that’s thanks to the Pokemon Go app which has had more than 100 million downloads worldwide to become the biggest mobile game in history. And Pokemon Go is reportedly generating $10m of revenue…

The Windows 10 Anniversary edition has just begun rolling out and is available to users around the world with a simple update that will bring with it a plethora of new features. The latest version of the popular operating system will include new security features like Windows Hello, a more advanced and intuitive Cortana digital assistant, tighter gaming integration with the Xbox and an all-new version of the Microsoft Edge browser. So how do you get the update? Here’s what you have to do: Go to Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update. In Windows Update click Check for…

It’s an international edition of Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 265, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, as they present the biggest tech stories of the week. This week Stephen is in New York for the Samsung Galaxy Note7 launch and he shares his thoughts after he got his hands on the device. Also on the show, PokeFit turns your Pokemon Hunt into a workout, census security worries and D-Link launches a 180-degree Wide Eye security camera. The blokes also discuss battery anxiety and how the LG G5 can help you get over it plus Epson’s…

D-Link has introduced a new wi-fi security camera – with a difference. The DCS-960L Wide-Eye HD offers a 180-degree panoramic view so it can be placed anywhere to see the whole room. Most fixed cameras are limited to about 130-degree field of view so there’s a limit to where they can be placed in the room. That’s not an issue with the D-Link DCS-960L which can be placed anywhere. And you’re not stuck with a fish-eye looking image. Onboard the device is de-warping technology so you can see the video clearly without distortion. The camera offers motion and sound detection…

Epson has unveiled a new range of home theatre projectors with 4K enhancement technology that will allow home theatre enthusiasts to enjoy their movies with added picture quality. The new projectors in the Epson line-up – EH-TW8300, EH-TW9300, EH-TW9300W – can all display native 4K content but without the 4K projector price tag. Native 4K projectors capable of displaying ultra high definition resolution of 3840 x 2160 are priced at well over $10,000. But Epson has taken a different approach with 4K enhancement which provides near UHD quality but without the added pixels. It works by diagonally shifting each pixel…

Vodafone is the first telco to reveal its plan costs, data allowances and pre-order offers for the Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone which was just announced in New York City. Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 has a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display, an improved S Pen to write and interact with the screen and an iris scanner that allows users to unlock the device with their eyes. The Note7, and the included S Pen, is also waterproof with an IP68 rating. Samsung will release the device on August 19 with pre-orders starting on August 5. THE NEW FEATURES OF THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE7 Vodafone’s…

Samsung’s impressive new Galaxy Note7 smartphone has a long list of features and sounds amazing on paper but it feels even better when you hold the 5.7-inch device in your hand. Tech Guide got its hand on the new Samsung flagship “phablet” after the gala launch in New York. The first things you notice when you get the device in your hands are the curves on the front and back edges of the device. On the front, the screen curves elegantly to the metal frame so when you look at it front on it looks almost edgeless. And the same…

Samsung has just unveiled its most advanced smartphone to date with the new Galaxy Note7 – a device that raises the bar in terms of design, features, performance and security. Revealed to the world in New York, the Galaxy Note7 cherry picks the best features of the the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge and adds a larger 5.7-inch screen and the S Pen to create a product that will be equally useful for work or play and productivity or entertainment. Another striking new feature of the Galaxy Note7 offers next-level security with an iris scanning feature that can unlock the…

Join editor Stephen Fenech in Episode 210 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast where he keeps you updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. Stephen has just landed in New York for a Samsung launch event and he talks about what we can expect to see. Also on the show, Apple sells its billionth iPhone, Vodafone launches roaming packs for its prepaid customers and just now many Australians have smashed their smartphone screens. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take look at the LG X-Boom Freestyler party speakers and the latest wave of Roadshow 4K Ultra…

One unexpected benefit of the popular Pokemon Go app is that fact that millions of players are exercising more than ever before and now a new app can turn that monster hunt into a personal workout challenge. PokeFit for Pokemon Go is a new free Android app that can map your routes and work out your calories burned, distance travelled, steps and the duration of every hunt. The app can also override the screen timeout setting on your Android device to keep your display on while you play. PokeFit can also track your data usage and provide a way to…

Ever experienced a feeling of panic when you realise you left home or the office and forgot to charge your phone and your battery is less than 10 per cent. Welcome to the world of battery anxiety. Low battery anxiety is the feeling of fear users go through when their smartphone battery has died or is about to die. LG has highlighted this real problem with the release of its battery charging cradle for the modular G5 smartphone which was released earlier this year. The G5’s chin below the screen detaches and allows users to access the battery as well…