Author: Stephen Fenech

The Beatles music catalogue has finally been approved for release on major streaming services around the world – just in time for Christmas with Beatles fans celebrating this huge gift. Rights holders Apple Corps Ltd and UMG made the announcement on the Beatles website yesterday. From today you can stream the entire Beatles catalogue on various streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Google Play Music, Tidal and Slacker Radio. It will be available for both free and paying customers. The Beatles’ arrival on streaming services has been a long time coming. The super group’s iconic music collection was only…

The View-Master – that viewer that allowed us to experience 3D photos – has had a 21st century makeover so users can enter a new world of augmented and virtual reality. This new device has been redesigned to brings you images from outer space, the wild and the world’s most noticeable landmarks. The new platform takes advantage of your compatible smartphone which can fit inside the headset to power the experience. The View-Master can fit a wide range of smartphones including the iPhone 6S Plus, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the LG G4 thanks to the adjustable frame inside the…

LG has announced a new webOS 3 platform that will power its line-up of next generation of smart TVs that will be unveiled next month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The new webOS 3 – the TV’s operating system – will provide an enhanced user experience and make it easier to navigate the television’s many features. These new features include three Magic smart features – Magic Zoom, Magic Mobile Connection and a new Magic Remote. With Magic Zoom, users can magnify objects, letters and numbers on the screen while Magic Mobile Connection makes it possible to connect…

Australian company STM has become one of the first to release a range of cases and covers for Apple’s latest, and biggest, mobile device to date – the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. STM, already well-known for its popular computer shoulder bags and backpacks, has unveiled three new products to protect and enhance the use of the iPad Pro. With the iPad Pro viewed as a laptop replacement by many customers, these STM products will provide a way to safeguard that investment. The STM products are the Atlas, the Dux and the Half Shell. STM ATLAS (Price: $TBA) Available at the end…

Live Photos – those moving photos you can take with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus – can now be shared on the Facebook app so others can enjoy your mini moments. When you take a Live Photo – the iPhone captures multiple frames for 1.5 seconds before and after you take your picture. To view the Live Photo, users of the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus simply press the device’s 3D Touch display to set it in motion. Now that moment can be shared on the Facebook iOS app. This capability will roll out to a small…

We’re finishing 2015 with a bang and Episode 179 of the Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, is the last show year for you to stay updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews. In this week’s show, Australians’ e-reading habits revealed, our SPOILER FREE thoughts on Star Wars The Force Awakens and why parents need to pay attention to the games ratings when buying titles for their children. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the Suunto Traverse GPS watch, the Samsung Gear VR headset and the Man from U.N.C.L.E. on Blu-ray disc. In…

The summer holidays are here and with the extra time on our hands we now have more time to read. But a survey reveals that two out of three Australians feel they don’t read enough. Conducted by Galaxy Research on behalf of Amazon, the study showed that 72 per cent planned to read a book this Christmas period. We also love to read on the go with 69 per cent saying they read away from home but for those who own a Kindle e-reader – that figure jumps up to 82 per cent. And 43 per cent of e-book owners…

There are plenty of smartwatches on the market but not all of them offer the features required to suit hikers and adventurers. But the Suunto Traverse sports watch certainly does. The device has GPS onboard and is designed for the user who likes to go off the beaten path. You can plan your route with topographic maps and stay on course with the built-in GPS. The Suunto Traverse is 5cm wide, has a thickness of 1.65cm and weighs 80g. It’s about the same size as a divers watch and, of course, is waterproof to a depth of 100m. The top…

It’s the 12th and last day of Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas where we’ve been focussing on a different category each day to give you suggestions on the best tech products for your friends and family. And today we’re talking about headphones and earphones to hear your favourite music, radio stations, audio books and podcasts in the highest quality. We looked at a range of products that have come across our desk this year. Here are the categories we’re covering in the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas: Day 1: Smartphones Day 2: Cameras Day…

OK, you’ve just seen Star Wars The Force Awakens and you’ve got lots of questions. We’ve seen it too and have a theory on the answers to those many questions. This is a review of Episode VII WITH MAJOR SPOILERS – so please be warned that if you read on you will find out key facts and plot points. So our advice is read on ONLY if you’ve SEEN Star Wars The Force Awakens. If you haven’t seen the movie, then we already have a SPOILER FREE review for you to read that doesn’t give any thing away. OK this…

Episode 237 is the year’s last episode of Two Blokes Talking Tech, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, and the very first time we’ve added a THIRD Bloke to the show. On this week’s show it’s hard to go past Star Wars as the main topic of conversation with Star Wars tragic Stephen’s thoughts on the film (NO SPOILERS) and best way to watch it in cinemas – 2D, 3D, Dolby ATMOS and IMAX. And make sure you listen right through to the end to hear the THIRD blokes talking tech – the first time another…

It’s Day 11, our second last day, of Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas and there’s still time to get inspired and finish your hunt for presents for your friends and family. Today we’re giving you some suggestions around sports gadgets that you can use on the golf course, on your bike, on your hike and on your run. We’ll look at a range of devices including sports watches and golf GPS devices. Here are the categories we’re covering in the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas: Day 1: Smartphones Day 2: Cameras Day 3: Wearables/Activity…

We reached Day 10 of the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas with a new category every day to inspire the perfect choice to buy for your friends, family and for yourself. Today is a popular category – computers – which are useful to everyone whether it’s a laptop, desktop or convertible. Computers have become an essential part of our daily lives whether you’re a student, in business or a casual user. We’ve also included in today’s category a number of computer accessories which are just as important and also a lot more affordable. Here are the categories…

It combines the intrigue and exotic locations of James Bond and the fast-paced action of Mission: Impossible – it’s the reboot of the popular 60s TV series – Man from U.N.C.L.E. Starring Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and Armie Hammer (The Social Network) and directed by Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes: Games of Shadows), the Man from U.N.C.L.E. is set in the 1960s at the height of the Cold War. THE STORY The film centres on CIA agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin who are forced to put aside their longstanding hostilities for a joint mission to stop a mysterious international…

It’s Day 9 of our exciting Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas that gives you plenty of suggestions about the products to buy for your friends and family – and for yourself. Today we’re looking at televisions and the Blu-ray Disc movies that you can enjoy on them. TVs have come a long way in the last 12 months and offers even better picture quality and more connectivity. And what better way to showcase your new television’s quality than with the latest blockbusters movies and iconic TV shows on Blu-ray. Here are the categories we’re covering in the…

Brilliant. Amazing. Genius. These are the words I would use to describe Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film has managed to not only live up to the incredible hype but easily exceed it. And this is coming from me – a Star Wars fan since I was nine years old. JJ Abrams has knocked this one into orbit. He has picked up the baton and breathed an exciting new life into into the behemoth that is the Star Wars franchise. It is in very good and very safe hands. This is a spoiler free review so feel free to…

The latest computer games will be on lots of wish lists this Christmas but parents run the risk of exposing their children to graphic violence and even explicit sex because they haven’t paid attention to the game’s rating. Just like films, all computer games have a rating from G for General Audiences all the way up to R18+ for Restricted Audiences. But, from our conversations with our friends who work at EB Games, it seems lots of parents are ignorant of these new standards or just don’t care. But what these misinformed parents don’t understand is that some of the…

We’re up to Day 8 of the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas where we present a new tech category everyday to make it easier to choose a product to give to your friends and family. Today we’re taking a look at smartwatches – a relatively new category that’s really increasing in popularity. Smartwatches are becoming even more functional and developers are creating apps specifically for these devices to make them even more useful. Here are the categories we’re covering in the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas: Day 1: Smartphones Day 2: Cameras Day 3:…

It’s the Star Wars edition of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast for Episode 178, hosted by wannabe Jedi Stephen Fenech who keeps his listeners updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, with Star Wars The Force Awakens opening in cinemas we talk about seeing Harrison Ford at the huge fan event, we chat to the Sphero team who brought us the toy version of the BB-8 droid and also offer some advice to Star Wars newbies who want to watch the older films before Episode VII including what films to watch and…

It’s Day 7 of Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas – our exciting series that is designed to give you the best tech suggestions when it comes to buying presents for your loved ones. Gaming is the subject of today’s special guide – a category that has fans of all ages with some exciting new titles and accessories. Playing games is not just for kids but has evolved into a legitimate entertainment medium for the whole family. In fact, the average age of an Australian gamer is 32. Here are the categories we’re covering in the Tech Guide…