Author: Stephen Fenech

Sony has expanded its popular Xperia range of smartphones with three new devices and unveiled them at the IFA tech show in Berlin with all of them boasting features that raise the bar in terms of design, features and performance. Sony’s latest entrants – the Xperia Z5 Compact, the Xperia Z5 and the Xperia X5 Premium  – all boast innovations that address the smartphone user’s pain points like camera speed, picture quality and battery life. They are all powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and are all running the latest Android 5.1 operating system with 32GB of internal…

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has stolen some of Apple’s thunder after announcing its latest Mate S flagship device that features Force Touch technology – a feature rumoured to be part of the next iPhones which will be unveiled next week. Apple introduced Force Touch on Apple Watch and also integrated the technology on its latest MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops. At IFA in Berlin, Huawei demonstrated its new Force Touch screen technology which can respond to different levels of pressure on the display. Users can do things like zooming in on a photo and launch an app just by pressing…

Netgear has released its highest performing product ever – the Nighthawk X4S AC2600 VDSL/ADSL modem router (D7800) which is the world’s first to support the latest Wave 2 Wi-Fi technology with Quad-Stream on both bands. Also onboard is a dual-core 1.4Ghz processor and Multi-User MIMO-capability so that families and businesses can enjoy even faster wi-fi speeds even wider range and improved streaming capabilities to enjoy movies and gaming. The built-DSL modem supports current ADSL, ADSL2 and ADSL2+ connections as well as the speedy VDSL and VSDL2 which is being utilised in the NBN rollout. There’s also a WAN port that’s…

We’ve heard of plenty of uses for a drone but this has to be one of the strangest and most inventive we’ve ever seen. Take a look at Farmer Derek catch a fish using his DJI Phantom drone. Suspended from the bottom of the drone was the fishing line and the bait. Farmer Derek then fires up the drone and flies it over the water and waits patiently. Soon after he feels a nibble and quickly raises the drone to hook the fish. Watch the whole thing in the video. Drone fishing – could this become a new sport? READ…

After teasing it in New York a couple of weeks ago, Samsung has officially unveiled its latest smartwatch on the eve of the IFA tech trade show in Berlin – the Gear S2 which has a circular design and new personalised mobile user interface. The circular smartwatch is available in two models – the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic – and has a unique rotating bezel along with separate home and back buttons. Each is just 11.4mm thick with a 1.2-inch circular Super AMOLED display with a resolution of of 360 x 360 and 302ppi (pixels per inch).…

Get your fix of the latest consumer tech news and product reviews with Episode 163 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, to stay updated and educated. On this week’s show, Apple confirms a September launch event in San Francisco, Windows 10 gets off to a flying start after launch and Samsung releases a new omnidirectional speaker and unveils the science behind it. In the Tech Guide Interview, we talk to Logitech’s Doug Sharp about the company’s new G933 and G633 gaming headphones and also take a look behind the scenes at how the product was…

We rarely go anywhere without our smartphones but how many times have you left your reading glasses behind. This was a question an Australian couple asked before coming up with Lenzcase. Lenzcase combines an iPhone 6 case with a spring loaded back-up set of reading glasses on the back so you’re never caught out again. One out of every four Australians and Americans are burdened with having to remember to carry reading glasses even when it’s just to read a menu, wine label, receipt, your phone, a boarding pass and other dimly lit obscure writing for a few seconds. With…

LG is expanding its range of popular OLED TVs which will be showcased for the first time at the IFA tech trade show which kicks off this week in Berlin with a range of resolutions, designs and screen sizes. The new models will include flat 65-inch and 55-inch 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) OLED TVs (models 65/55EF9500 and 55EG9200) along with a curved 55-inch full HD OLED (model 55EG9100). The 55-inch models will be just 4.8mm at its thinnest point – that’s thinner than your smartphone. LG expanded 2015 OLED line-up will include nine new models. LG’s OLED offers a…

An Australian Oscar-nominated actress is the new face of the Presto subscription video on demand service with an all-new advertising campaign highlighting the more “demanding” side of her personality. Part of the new “Demand More” campaign will be a big budget TV ad that will be screened from Thursday but which you can see right here. And the star of the show is none other than Naomi Watts who uncharacteristically plays quite the diva with an entourage of people on hand to meet her every demand. The ad was filmed in New York by award-winning director Jeff Low. https://youtu.be/xP9jYTtC3RA “Celebrities…

Father’s Day is just a few days away and there are plenty of tech gifts to consider so we’ve put together a few ideas to give your Dad something he’ll love to make his day even more special. We take a look at a variety of categories including audio, computers, digital cameras and health and fitness trackers. There’s also other gadgets, in-car products, smartphone and tablet accessories and smartwatches. And we’ve also kept the price in mind and offered a variety of choices so it’s easy to find something to fit your budget. FOR THE AUDIO DAD PLANTRONICS BACKBEAT SENSE…

Windows 10 has gotten off to a flying start with computers users around the world installing Microsoft’s latest PC operating system on their desktops, laptops and tablet devices. According to Microsoft’s Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Windows and Devices, there are now more than 75 million devices running Windows 10 and growing. Windows 10 is being accessed in 192 countries around the world with devices dating as far back as 2007 installing the new operating system. One of the most popular new features of Windows 10 is the ability to stream Xbox One games to your PC…

Apple has confirmed it will be holding a special media event in San Francisco where it is expected the company will unveil the latest iPhones along with some other product and software updates. Invitations sent to the media feature the top of the Apple logo with the words: “Siri give us a hint”. In fact, if users ask Siri on their iPhone “give us a hint?” there will be different responses. These include “Look deep within yourself and you will find the answer – especially on September 9” and “You’re cute when you’re desperate for information”. The event will be…

Logitech has introduced two gaming headphones that can deliver exceptional audio quality not only when you’re playing games but when you’re watching movies and listening to music. The Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum (wireless) and G633 Artemis Spectrum (wired) headphones are the result of more than 18 months of design, research and development and feature the patent-pending Pro-G audio drivers to deliver a complete audio experience. Logitech’s goal with these products was to create high quality headphones that would deliver audiophile-like performance whether the player is deeply immersed in a game, enjoying their favourite music or enjoying the surround sound of…

Samsung has announced its new wireless omni-directional multiroom speakers – the R5, R3 and R1 which will be seen for first time at the IFA tech trade show in Berlin but Tech Guide has already had a sneak preview. We were given an early look – and listen – to the new Samsung speakers when we visited the company’s recently created audio labs in Valencia just outside Los Angeles. Samsung’s decision to create these labs means the company is serious about audio and is looking to challenge the established audio brands in the marketplace. The new cylindrical speakers, the latest…

Garmin, the company best known for fitness watches and GPS devices, have introduced two new action cams – the VIRB X and the VIRB XE – which are designed for users who want to capture video of their activities along with recorded data. The devices have an all-new design with the VIRB XE capable of shooting up to 1440p at 30 frames per second. The VIRB X can record video at 1080p/60fps and 1080p/30fps along with 720p/60fps. As a still camera the VIRB X and VIRB XE can capture 12-megapixel images as either stills or in bursts. There is even…

We’ve got a great podcast for you this week with Tech Guide Episode 162, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer technology news and reviews. On this week’s show, will we finally see sport in high definition the regular free-to-air channels, Apple Music Festival about to kick off in London and a major Star Wars leak ahead of the release of Episode VII The Force Awakens. In the Tech Guide reviews we take off with the DJI Phantom 3 drone, we run our eyes over the Huawei P8 smartphone and the…

Braven is known for making big, bold Bluetooth speakers and its latest model – the BRV-X – can take that experience anywhere and also act as a charger for your other mobile devices. The BRV-X has a muscular build thanks to its shock absorbing construction and IPX7 certified waterproof body. So not only can the speakers take a little splash and rain, it can also be submerged in a metre of water for up to 30 minutes. The device is about 23cm long, 9.2cm wide and 7.46cm thick with a weight of 680g. On the audio side, the Braven BR-X…

Star Wars fans and collectors warm up your lightsabers! The official toy line for upcoming film The Force Awakens – which was due to be officially revealed on September 4 – have been revealed early after the catalogue was leaked. Slashfilm reports the complete range of figures, vehicles and collectables have been unveiled more than two weeks early when Hasbro’s Ultimate Guide to the Galaxy was unwittingly released online. The products were due to be revealed on Force Friday – September 4 ahead of the December 17 release of Episode VII: The Force Awakens in theatres worldwide. Disney and director…

The DJI Phantom 3 drone might look just like the previous model but it offers a vastly improved flying experience with the ability to capture even higher quality photographs and 4K video. The Phantom is the go-to drone for anyone thinking about buying a flying camera but who wants to purchase more than just a flimsy toy. Since the Phantom drones have become popular there have been a number of cheaper drones that have been released to capture some of the growing market. But none of these can match the DJI Phantom’s flying range and ability to capture incredible videos…

What do you get when you put popular Australian golfer Jason Day – the recently-crowned US PGA major champion – up against a drone on the driving range to try a bit of target practice? Day was challenged by his sponsor adidas to hit a piece of its boost energy foam which was suspended from the bottom of a DJI Phantom drone. Boost energy foam is the secret sauce in the latest range of adidas shoes that returns energy back to the shoe when you’re running. Day won the US PGA earlier this week and is known for being able…