Author: Stephen Fenech

To stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news, reviews and opinions  tune in to Episode 184 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, Apple issues a recall for its wall plug adaptors, Tourism Australia embraces virtual reality for its latest campaign, Garmin releases its latest golf devices and Star Wars The Force Awakens Blu-ray Disc release date is announced. In the Tech Guide Reviews, the Samsung R Series speakers and Kensington’s new range of SecureTrek laptop bags. In the Tech Guide Interview, we chat to Logitech’s CEO Bracken Darrell…

One distinguishing sound in the offices and newsrooms of old was the clickety clack of typewriter keys and now you can recreate that with the retro Qwerkywriter Bluetooth keyboard. The device has been designed to look – and sound – like an old school typewriter that you might find in an antique store. For those of a certain age it will no doubt give them a terrific sense of nostalgia. The Qwerkywriter has raised mechanical keys for a great tactile typing experience and even has a carriage return that can be used instead of the return key to take you…

Vodafone Australia has announced customers on its Red and SIM only plans can now use their mobiles when they’re travelling in New Zealand as if they were still at home with no roaming charges. Vodafone customers can already roam in more than 50 countries for $5 a day and use the existing call, text and data allowances of their plan. But now being in New Zealand and using your smartphone on the Vodafone network won’t incur any roaming costs and will be treated as if you’re still in Australia. More than a million Australians travel across the Tasman to our…

Not all wireless speakers are created equal and Samsung has demonstrated a number of differences from the competition both in terms of design and audio quality with its R Series of multiroom speakers. Samsung has gone away from the traditional box-shaped speaker for the R Series and adopted a cylindrical shape that allows the music to be enjoyed in equal quality no matter where you happen to be in the room. The R Series consists of the R1 ($299), the R3 ($499) and the R5 ($649) and for this review we took a listen to the R1 and the R5.…

The release date for the Blu-ray Disc version of the blockbuster film Star Wars The Force Awakens – which set records at the box office around the world – has been announced. Directed by JJ Abrams, The Force Awakens – Episode VII – is set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Force Awakens, which is now in its last days in cinemas, will be released on Blu-ray Disc on April 5, 2016 – according to Amazon. We can only assume the release date on DVD and Blu-ray will be similar around the world including Australia.…

There were plenty of 360-degree cameras at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month and one that caught our eye was the latest version of the 360Fly which is capable of shooting in 4K resolution. The 360Fly 4K – we reviewed the original – is a single lens video camera that can capture 360-degree video. The latest model is now able to capture video in 4K Ultra High Definition resolution – that’s four times the resolution of full high definition. Also on display at CES was a prototype of the 360Fly 4K that can fit neatly on…

We carry our computers and other devices in our bags when we’re travelling or commuting but three quarters of people, according to a study by Kensington, take no precautions to secure them. There are plenty of victims with research showing 35 per cent of business travellers’ have had a bag stolen. Kensington, the market leader when it comes to physical device security, has extended its security expertise to its range of bags and backpacks called SecureTrek. These stylish bags can not only secure the contents but can also be anchored to a fixed object to deter thieves trying to walk…

Apple has issued a recall of AC wall adaptors used in Australia with Macs and certain iOS devices which, in rare cases, may break and pose a risk of receiving an electrical shock. The wall plug adaptors in question were shipped between 2003 and 2015 and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adaptor Kit. The recall affects wall adaptors, also called duckheads, used in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Continental Europe, New Zealand and South Korea with Apple offering a free replacement. There are a few ways identify if your Apple wall adaptor is affected. First up if the plug…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 240, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, bring you the week’s biggest tech news and product reviews in a fun and informative way. On this week’s show, the Mitchell Pearce scandal and how someone is always watching thanks to smartphones and security cameras that are trained on our every move. With Australia Day earlier this week, the blokes also talk about the biggest Aussie tech inventions – some impressive achievements that will surprise you. Optus partners with Usain Bolt for its new ad campaign, BMW’s high tech luxury cars, our week…

Roosters captain Mitchell Pearce is once again in the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being filmed attempting to kiss a girl, performing a lewd act on a dog and then urinating on a couch. When are NRL players going to learn that they can’t act like morons in public because every single person with a smartphone is a potential journalist who could end their career. They can not only easily capture video and pictures in an instant but they can also just as easily share it. Unfortunately for Mitchell Pearce that’s exactly what happened when he was filmed…

The latest in virtual reality technology will be adopted by Tourism Australia to showcase our country’s natural beauty to attract more international visitors to our picturesque shores. The latest campaign – There’s Nothing Like Australia – will highlight Australia as a “place you can feel”. The immersive campaign, which was unveiled by Australian actor and new Tourism Australia ambassador Chris Hemsworth, will be brought to life using the latest VR and 360-degree mobile technology. Creative production houses Clemenger BBDO and Finch will build eight custom VR rigs, three drones and use 41 cameras to capture 17 unique VR films which…

Golfers are always looking for ways to improve and Garmin has released not one but three new products that are designed to help slice your score and not your shots on the course. The products include the Approach G10 GPS device, the Approach S20 GPS sportwatch and the TruSwing – Garmin’s first golf club sensor. Garmin’s golf category is one of the company’s strongest pillars and these will add to that popularity this year. APPROACH G10 The Garmin Approach G10 is the world’s smallest golf GPS device with a 1.3-inch sunlight readable display and more than 40,000 courses onboard right…

Optus has partnered with the fastest man on earth Usain Bolt who will become the face of the network in a series of advertisements which will hit Australian screens from next month. The first thing you think about when you see Usain Bolt is speed and Optus will be hoping the association with the Olympic gold medallist will make customers think the same thing about its network which has benefitted from billions of dollars of investments. Bolt is currently in training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro and his appearances in the Optus campaign will centre on the…

It’s time to tune in to Episode 183 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated about the latest tech news and products. On this week’s show, USB-C – what is it and why it’s the next big thing in tech, Alcatel OneTouch’s new smartphones for 2016, why we travel with our smartphones and the Star Wars Episode VIII release date has been delayed. In the Tech Guide Reviews, the Microsoft Band 2, the Sengled Pulse LED globes that are also speakers and the Steve Jobs movie. In the Tech…

While you’re celebrating Australia Day today what better time could there be to highlight the technology, inventions and products that were created in the land down under. Some might surprise you. Australia has always been a nation of creative and passionate people and that has extended to the world of technology. In fact, some of the world’s biggest tech innovations were thought of and created right here in Australia. Here are the greatest Australian tech developments: WI-FI Now one of the most used technologies on earth, wi-fi is one of those things we can’t live without and, yes, it was…

One thing you’re going to be hearing about a lot this year is USB-C – both the cables and the ports and the many devices that will be using this format and Belkin is leading the charge with new products and a guide to find the cable that’s right for you. USB-C is a new standard of USB that we’re already seeing on the latest devices including Apple’s 12-inch MacBook and the most recent Nexus Android smartphones. And it will be see on even more laptops, smartphones and tablets in 2016. So what’s so special about USB-C? For a start…

Alcatel OneTouch had a big year in 2015 and, judging by the smartphones the company is planning for release this year, 2016 is set to be an even more successful year for the company. Alcatel OneTouch finished last year as third highest smartphone seller by volume after Apple and Samsung on the strength of being able to provide high quality devices at affordable prices. The company has given Tech Guide a sneak preview of the smartphones that are hitting the market in the coming months. There will be even more announcements from the company at the Mobile World Congress in…

Australians love travelling all over the world and one of most popular travel companions is our beloved smartphone according to the latest research from travel brand Expedia. The study conducted among 9,642 travellers from 19 countries found that 91 per cent of Australians have a smartphone with them when they are travelling. And the way Australians use their smartphones while they’re overseas also differs from travellers from other countries. The smartphones ranks globally as the most indispensable travel items ahead of a driver’s licence. More than half of respondents (60 per cent) globally say they wouldn’t go on holidays without…

Microsoft’s Band 2 is part smartwatch, part activity tracker, part golf GPS device, part sleep analyser but 100 per cent designed to help you lead a healthier live and reach your fitness and lifestyle goals. The device enters a market that’s already packed with wearable devices like smartwatches, and fitness bands. But Microsoft’s Band 2 is ambitiously trying to be all of those things in one with an impressive list of features and capabilities that combine to form a compelling product. The device can track your heart rate, calories you burn and the quality of your sleep. It can also…

The Two Blokes Talking Tech are back in town for Episode 239 of their fun and informative podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long delivering their views on the latest tech. On this week’s show, the blokes went along to see the Steve Jobs movie starring Michael Fassbender and written by Aaron Sorkin and deliver their verdicts on the film. Also on the show, the Microsoft Band 2 which the blokes are both now wearing, the new Logitech Harmony universal remote and The Martian has been released on Digital HD two weeks before Blu-ray and DVD.…