Author: Stephen Fenech

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…

Huawei latest P8 smartphone continues the Chinese company’s upward trend of devices that are challenging the major brands as the value alternative without compromising quality or features. The P8 has a 5.2-inch full high definition screen with a pixel density of 424ppi (pixels per inch) along with a 13-megapixel camera and 8-megapixel front camera. On the design side, the P8 looks like a premium device. It is made from a metal unibody which offers strength despite being just 6.4mm thick. That strength goes all the way to the screen with Huawei offering a 12-month free screen replacement if it is…

The iTunes Music Festival is back – but this year it will be called the Apple Music Festival and it will feature some of the world’s biggest chart-topping musical artists performing live in London’s iconic Roundhouse. The event will run over 10 nights and will kick off on September 19. The artist line-up will include Pharrell Williams, One Direction, Florence and The Machine and Disclosure. All of the performances will be broadcast live around the world for free so it can be viewed live or on demand on Apple Music. And fans can get even closer to the artists with…

This year’s NRL and AFL grand finals look like they will be broadcast in high definition on their respective regular free-to-air channels. And my first’s reaction is – it’s about bloody time! Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull tabled the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Primary Television Broadcasting Service) Bill 2015 in Parliament this week. It basically allows the national and commercial free-to-air broadcasters to deliver programming on their primary station in their choice of either standard definition or high definition. Until now, the primary channels – ABC1, SBS One, 7, 9 and 10 – have only been able broadcast in standard definition –…

Episode 222 – is the very last episode of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, that you will hear – for the month of August. The blokes will be on opposite sides of the world next week and, with the different time zones, they will be unlikely be able to get online at the same time. The next episode – Episode 223 – will be recorded in Berlin where Stephen and Trevor will be attending the IFA tech trade show. On this week’s Episode 222, the blokes take a…

Mobile phone plans aren’t the easiest things to get your head around and Vodafone is trying to so something about that with what it is calling the biggest ever shake-up of its plans across the board. All new plans with Vodafone will now feature unlimited standard national calls and text and unlimited standard international calls to 10 countries – China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the UK and the US. Call to other countries are charged at a flat rate of $6 for 60 minutes. On the data side, Vodafone has also made some changes.…

After designing bags for years, STM co-founder Adina Jacobs has come up with an elegant and practical range of bags designed just for women to make it even easier for them to organise their digital lives and look good doing it. STM has a deep understanding about how people use their devices and how they can protect them. The successful Australian company has taken those learnings and combined it with its trademark protection and thoughtful design. The result is the Grace Collection. Women are as just as big fans and users of tech as men – they’re buying laptops, smartphones,…

What could be better than one Lumix camera to test? A second one – to make comparisons, and having the DMC-G7 and DMC-GX8 go head to head revealed something interesting, though not entirely surprising: a $500 difference between price tags counts for a lot. The main reason for the difference – the G7 is $899 and the GX8 is $1399 (body only prices) – is the sensor, with the GX8 housing a 20.3MP sensor against the G7’s 16.0MP light catcher. And this is the clincher because if you take a close look through each of these cameras’ spec sheets you…

It’s our biggest show ever for Episode 161 of the Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, which was recorded in New York while we were in town for the launch of Samsung’s new smartphones. We take a look at the new Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 and also speak to Samsung vice president and head of mobile and IT Prasad Gokhale about the new devices. Also on the show Samsung teases the new Gear S2 smartwatch and we test drive the Volvo XC90 luxury SUV. We also run our eye over the OlloClip lenses that make your…