Author: Stephen Fenech

Apple has announced its best of 2015 from iTunes, the App Store and the iBook Store across music, movies, TV shows, apps, books and podcasts to reflect the top sellers and editor’s picks in each category. And there are a few Australian artists and developers who have figured in these rankings. The editors’ picks reflect the content handpicked by Apple staff as the best of the year. And then there’s the list of top sellers determined by users and the content they’ve downloaded. Here are Apple Editors’ Picks for the Best of 2015: Music  Artist of the Year – Drake…

It’s a special edition of Two Blokes Talking Tech’s Episode 236, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, which was recorded at the AACTA Awards – the Aussie Oscars – at The Star where they were a guest of Presto subscription streaming service. On this week’s show we talk about the hottest Christmas gifts and the perils of one of these products – the self balancing scooter or hoverboard – which resulted in Trevor breaking his arm. Also on the show, eBay’s biggest shopping day of the year and the tips to staying safe while shopping online. Also on…

Welcome to Day 3 of the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas to help you come up with the best tech product to give to your loved ones. We look at a different category each day. Today we’re looking at wearables and activity trackers – one of the most popular categories this Christmas. We’ll feature the devices whose main purpose is to track your steps, distance travelled and calories burned. What we won’t include today is smartwatches – they will be featured on Day 8 of the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas. Day 1: Smartphones…

Apple has released the Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6/6S that can not only protect the device but can also recharge the battery on the move so you’re never without power. Available in charcoal grey or white, the silicone case has a soft microfibre lining and a built in battery pack that can be seen on the rear of the case. This is the first time Apple has created an iPhone case with a built-in battery following numerous other third party manufacturers who have made power cases. The Smart Battery Case is only available for the iPhone 6/6S but…

It’s Day 2 of the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas where we take a look at a different category every day so you can find the ideal tech present for your friends and family. Today we’re looking at a gift that will provide so many memories – cameras. We’ll take a look at your traditional point and shoot cameras and even the popular action cameras. And we’ve got plenty in store with our other categories so check back with Tech Guide in the coming days. Day 1: Smartphones Day 2: Cameras Day 3: Wearables/Activity trackers Day 4:…

To stay on top of the latest tech news, reviews and opinions you need to tune in to Episode 177 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech who always keeps his listeners updated and educated. On this week’s show, Audi reveals its latest in-car innovations, Apple kicks off the Hour of Code with free coding lessons for kids and Microsoft announces the top Bing searches of 2015. In the Tech Guide reviews, the D-Link Taipan Modem Router, the LG CordZero HandStick Vacuum and the new Lumia 950 smartphones running the Windows 10 operating system. In the…

Christmas is nearly here and Tech Guide has kicked off its annual 12 Days of Christmas gifts ideas with one popular category each day that includes recommendations and products we’ve reviewed during the year. Technology gifts are going to be popular this Christmas but where do you start? Tech Guide’s 12-day Christmas gift guide kicks off today with one of the most popular products we use every day – smartphones. We’ll also include some smartphone accessories to give you even more choice when looking for the ideal Christmas present. Here are the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas: Day 1:…

It’s the busiest time of year for online shopping as we approach Christmas but while we are enjoying the convenience, shoppers need to exercise caution so they can stay safe online. Online sales are thriving with year-on-year growth in Europe and the US at 18.4 per cent and 13.8 per cent respectively. This volume is expected to double worldwide in the next three years. But while online stores prepare for the rush, cyber criminals are also seeing the rise in shopping numbers as an opportunity to steal financial details. There are a number of ways hackers can steal your data…

Microsoft’s highly-anticipated new flagship mobile devices – the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950XL, the first to come preloaded with Windows 10 – are now available in retail stores and online. Both devices have impressive high definition displays, a 20-megapixel camera that’s capable of shooting 4K video and are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processors. The Lumia 950 has a 5.2-inch quad HD screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 564ppi (pixels per inch). The Lumia 950XL has a 5.7-inch quad HD screen with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 518ppi. Each has 32GB…

When it comes to cleaning, any product that can make the task easier and quicker is welcomed and LG’s new CordZero HandStick Vacuum certainly ticks those boxes in your home. The LG CordZero HandStick Vacuum is actually two products in one – an upright vacuum cleaner and a handheld mini vacuum – so there’s no limit where you can use it in your home and even in your car. The slender product weighs just 2.8kg and has a long handle so there’s no need to bend your back while using it. Under the hood is an 18V motor that’s located…

The busiest shopping day of the year will take place tomorrow (December 7) but don’t worry about finding a parking spot or battling the crowds – it’s online and all you need is your mouse. It’s predicted more than 2.6 million people will visit www.ebay.com.au with an average of six gifts purchased per second. Traditionally Australia’s busiest online shopping day has been on a Sunday but, according to eBay’s research, Monday has taken the crown with more than half a million items expected to be purchased in a 24-hour period. The shift to smartphones has also affected the way we…

Kids can get a headstart on the jobs of the future and learn coding when Apple hosts The Hour of Code in all of its Australian stores as part of Computer Science Education Week. The Hour of Code is a campaign by Code.org aimed aimed at getting millions of students around the world to take part on a one-hour introduction to computer science and, in particular, coding. The sessions are designed to show students, and anyone else for that matter, they can easily learn the basics and get started. All 22 Australian Apple Stores will have sessions on Thursday December…

It’s time to tune in to Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 235, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, as they take a look at the tech issues and products of the week. On this week’s show, the Black Friday sales set the tone in terms of the most popular tech products while Dick Smith prepares for the mother of all sales to clear some old stock. Also on the program the blokes discuss how more people are using Tap and Go instead of cash while research indicates the internet is spoiling kids’ belief in Santa Claus.…

Audi has unveiled the latest innovations that will be included on the 2016 A4 sedan to enhance safety and connectivity and take drivers a step closer to an autonomous driving experience. Technology has become an essential addition to our vehicles to add not only convenience and connectivity but also dramatically increases safety as well. The innovations include matrix LED lighting, infotainment enhancements, driver assistance systems and connectivity. MATRIX LED LIGHTING The headlights on the Audi A4 are intelligent enough to give you sufficient illumination without blinding oncoming drivers. Using radar, the vehicle can see detect objects in the distance and…

Spotify has revealed its annual Year In Music list for 2015 which takes a look at the most streamed artists, songs and albums in Australia and around the world among the service’s 75 million listeners. Music fans listened to more than 20 billion hours of music in 2015 and created more rhan two billion playlists. Drake topped the list as the world’s most streamed artists with more than 1.8 billion streams and 46 million listeners. Drake beat out last year’s most streamed artists Ed Sheeran for the title but Sheeran was still Australia’s favourite. Sheeran is still the most streamed…

It was once said that cash was king – but that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore as customers embrace tap and go contactless payments for small transactions under $100. According to Galaxy research commissioned by MasterCard, 64 per cent of customers favour tap and go over paying cash. The same study also showed 66 per cent of those making cashless payments preferred tap and go over typing in their PIN. Speed and convenience were the main factors behind the growth of tap and go along with the safety benefits of contactless cards. Most Australians (82 per cent) believe…

Our demands on our home wireless network and the number of connected devices have increased dramatically so you need a modem/router that can cope like D-Link’s new Taipan. The Taipan AC3200 Ultra Modem Router uses tri-band wi-fi and smart connect technology to intelligently distribute and prioritise your network’s traffic to extract the best possible performance. The D-Link Taipan is an ADSL/VDSL modem that will work with all DSL services including FTTN (fibre to the node) which is being used in the NBN rollout. This will not work as a modem with a cable broadband connection but the Taipan can still…

Is the internet is spoiling children’s belief in Santa Claus? It is according to the latest research which shows the average age when kids stopped believing in Santa is dropping. But there is something parents can do about it. Research by VPN (virtual private network) provider www.hidemyass.com shows the age children stopped believing in Santa has gone from almost nine years old to under seven for kids born in the last 20 years. And it’s all because of the internet with ads, Google searches and social media the main culprits that shattered the magical illusion for young web surfers. The…

Go to the top of the class by listening to Episode 176 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, to keep you updated and educated about the latest tech news and product reviews. On this week’s show, the most popular tech products snapped up at the Black Friday sales, how to get the new Channel 9 high definition channels and how the smart TV has become the latest target for hackers. In the Tech Guide reviews, the latest rugged cases for your smartphone, EA’s new Star Wars Battlefront game and the Star Wars surprises Google has…

Sonos will make Apple Music available to stream through its connected speakers later this month in a special trial to give listeners the ability to hear their favourite tracks in any room of their house. Starting with a public beta on December 15, Sonos users will be able to access every aspect of Apple Music including My Music, For You, New and Radio through any or all of the smart speakers on their network. “Streaming is bringing more music into everyone’s lives—and that’s a better life. The introduction of Apple Music marks an inflection point for streaming and its mass…