Author: Stephen Fenech

Isn’t it annoying when you try and connect your microUSB cable and you realise it’s upside down? The world’s first reversible cable called the MicFlip Red Belly Black cable solves that problem. How many times have you tried to connect your microUSB cable to charge your smartphone only to find it’s upside down? The MicFlip Red Belly Black cable can put an end to that. It has an aluminium gold-plated plug that is shaped to fit into the traditional microUSB port no matter how it is positioned. It now gives Android users something iPhone users are already enjoying with their…

Samsung Australia has developed a prototype product that has the potential to change the way major sports deal with concussion by accurately relaying the severity of head knocks in real time. The BrainBand is worn by a player like a headband and has sensors on board that can detect both the direction and strength of a head knock and relay that information to an app which can be viewed instantly by the referee, medics and coaching staff. The band also has a series of LED lights to offer a visual representation of the severity of the hit with yellow, orange…

It looks like it’s third time unlucky for Telstra with customers reporting yet another outage that has left them with a connection to the network and unable to make a receive calls and messages. It is the third outage since February 9 and the second since last week. Once again customers took to Twitter seeking an explanation from Telstra and to express their anger and disappointment. Several Tech Guide readers also got in touch with us to inform us of the latest problem with the Telstra network. Telstra released a statement to explain today’s outage and put it down to…

Tech Guide Episode 191, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, takes a look at the latest Apple product announcements and the week’s biggest tech news to keep you updated and educated. On this week’s show, we talk about Apple’s new iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro including all their features, pricing and availability. Also on the program, the government bans hoverboards that don’t meet safety standards and former NRL star turned NFL rookie Jarryd Hayne talks to his old primary school about online safety and cyberbullying. We also take a look at the new Hisense 4K ULED TVs, the Epson…

It’s been nearly a year since the Apple Watch hit the market and the company today unveiled a range of new watch bands at its “Let us loop you in” event in San Francisco. According to Apple, more than a third of Apple Watch customers regularly change their watch bands. As a result, Apple has introduced some new bands including a new sport band made out of woven nylon, even more regular sport bad colours along with more leather bands and a black version of the Milanese loop. With these new bands it can now give Apple Watch users even…

Apple has expanded its popular iPad Pro range to now include the most popular 9.7-inch screen size which also inherits its features including the ability to write on the Retina Display with the Apple Pencil. The 9.7-inch iPad has always been the most popular size with more than 200 million sold since it was introduced back in 2010. The iPad Pro – already available in the 12.9-inch screen size – will now include the 9.7-inch version which weighs less than 500g and is just 6.1mm thick. APPLE INTRODUCES SMALLER AND MORE AFFORDABLE iPHONE SE It will be available to pre-order…

Apple has unveiled the all-new 4-inch iPhone SE which offers many of the features of the flagship iPhones but puts it within reach of more customers at a more affordable price. The iPhone SE is the most powerful 4-inch device Apple has ever produced and it will go on sale on March 31. Pre orders will begin on March 24. Pricing for the iPhone SE will start at $679 for the 16GB version and $829 for the 64GB model. APPLE UNVEILS 9.7-INCH VERSION OF THE iPAD PRO Apple revealed there is still quite a healthy market for a 4-inch iPhone…

It’s 10 years ago today since Twitter was born when, on March 21, 2006, founder Jack Dorsey sent his first tweet that simply read “just setting up my twttr”. What was conceived as a simple messaging service took on a life of its own and saw the introduction of the #hashtag, trending topics and has become a part of the way we watch TV and sports and discuss politics any anything else that’s on our minds. For those who aren’t completely across Twitter – it allows users to write tweets of up to 140 characters and share them on the…

Apple is holding its “Let us loop you in” event this week, the company’s first launch in 2016, and there has been plenty of rumours and speculation about what it will be revealing. Tech Guide takes a look at what we can expect to see at the launch which will be held at the Town Hall auditorium at Apple headquarters in Cupertino. The event will kick of at 10am which is 4am March 22 Australian Eastern Daylight Savings time. The main rumours seem to be around a new more affordable iPhone, a new iPad Air and some more Apple Watch…

Hisense has launched its latest 4K ULED TV that is set to take on its big name rivals with innovative technology for brighter, sharper pictures and improved contrast and black levels. The TVs were showcased at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne where the company is the official television supplier for the event. Hisense, the third biggest TV brand in Australia, will not only be competing in the picture quality stakes but will also be applying the pressure to other TV vendors with competitive and affordable pricing. Hisense says the 4K ULED TV has the company’s most advanced television technology…

Epson has revealed cutting edge wearable technology – the Moverio BT-300 augmented reality smartglasses – which are set to revolutionise how we perform important tasks across multiple industries.   The new Epson smartglasses feature the latest silicon-based OLED (organic light emitting diode) digital display technology making them 20 per cent lighter than the previous model – the Moverio BT-200 – and the lightest on the market. The smartglasses allow the wearer to see through the screen while at the same time viewing other information and augmented reality in their eyeline. The technology has already been embraced across a number of…

NRL star turned NFL hero Jarryd Hayne has gone back to his roots and visited his old primary school – but not to talk about his American football – but about cyberbullying and online safety. Hayne, the former Parramatta Eels superstar and now San Francisco 49ers rookie, is an internet security ambassador for Norton and he dropped in to his old school John Warby Public School in Campbelltown. Speaking at the school’s assembly, Hayne spoke to the student body about his online experiences and challenges and how the internet allowed him to stay in touch with his friends and family.…

For the second time in as many months, Telstra customers have been affected by a nationwide outage that has left customers frustrated and looking for answers. How could this happen to the nation’s biggest telco again? On February 9, Telstra’s network vanished for hours, leaving customers high and dry and without a connection to the cellular network or the internet. On that occasion Telstra’s woes were the result of an error with correct recovery procedures not being followed. This time around, it appears the effect was felt across the nationwide with angry customer taking to Twitter to vent their frustration.…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 347, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, dissect the biggest tech news of week in their top-rating podcast that’s both funny and informative. On this week’s show, Kogan to take over the Dick Smith online store, Sony unveils the pricing and launch date for the PlayStation VR and Apple confirms a launch event for next week – will it announce a new iPhone? Also on the program, what’s your phone worth on eBay, LG’s new smartphone with a built-in digital radio and the new smart stadium powered by Huawei. In the…

Hey all you reality show addicts! Here’s some great news. Hayu – the all-reality show subscription video on demand service will be kicking off across Australia next week. NBCUniversal, the studio behind Hayu, will be offering the new service for just $5.99 a month. It will launch in Australia on March 22. “With over 3,000 episodes of the top reality TV shows – including Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Real Housewives and Top Chef franchises and Made in Chelsea – this SVOD service is the first of its kind,” says NBCUniversal’s Jay McNamara, EVP Strategy Development and Analysis. “Curated…

If you’ve just purchased a Samsung Galaxy S7 or an S7 Edge you’d want to look after your investment. Cygnett’s latest range of AeroShield cases and screen protectors offer complete protection. And there is now worry that these tough TPU cases will hide the look of the sleek S7 and S7 Edge. They have either clear or subtle grey backs so you can still easily see the device while at the same time offering protection from bumps and scratches. TECH GUIDE’S REVIEWS OF THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 AND S7 EDGE The silicone-like material extends over the edge of the screens…

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced the pricing and availability for the PlayStation VR – a virtual reality headset that will bring gaming on the PlayStation 4 to a whole new level. The PS VR will be launched in Australia at the same time as Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and New Zealand in October. It will be competitively priced at $549.95 but it will only work with a PlayStation 4. And you will also need a PlayStation Camera ($90) and PlayStation Move controllers ($60 each) which act as your hands in the VR games. And we can expect to see…

Metricon Stadium, home ground of the Gold Coast Suns AFL team, is now one of the smartest grounds in Australia thanks to a new smart app and high-speed wi-fi network by Huawei. The smart stadium app will give fans at the game an all-new connected experience with information and convenient features at their fingertips. It was launched yesterday by Suns CEO Andrew Travis and Huawei Australia chairman John Lord. The Metricon Smart Stadium app provides a digital experience for fans at the game and gives them access to behind-the-scenes content during the match along with other game-day information. Also available…

We’re shifting into a higher gear for Episode 190 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, and chatting to James Bond stunt driver Mark Higgins. We caught up with Higgins while he was in Australia for the release of the latest Bond film Spectre on Blu-ray and DVD. Higgins is actually a rally car driver who first came on to Bond films in Quantum of Solace before backing up for Skyfall and Spectre. Our interview covers the one-off DB10 Aston Martin created for Spectre, the demands of stunt driving and what it was like to drive…

As Dick Smith’s bricks and mortar stores around the country liquidate stock and prepare to close their doors, the online component of the business will survive after being acquired by online electronics retailer Kogan.com. Kogan.com will continue the Dick Smith business as an online store from June 1 after paying an undisclosed amount at auction for the acquisition that includes intellectual property, domain names and the customer database. And while Dick Smith physical stores are closing, the online business will continue in the hands of Kogan.com CEO Ruslan Kogan who wants to keep the Dick Smith brand alive. “Dick Smith is…