Author: Stephen Fenech

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…

A few days ago Channel 9 flicked the switch on its new free-to-air digital channels. For those wondering why they can’t see them and wondering what they need to do – we have all answers for you. These new high definition channels will see Nine regular broadcast simulcast in HD on Channel 90 with 9Gem now located on Channel 92, 9Go on Channel 93, the all-new 9Life on Channel 94 with Extra now on Channel 95. Channel 91 will now be the standard definition version of the main Channel 9 broadcast – which is still on Channel 9. OK –…

If you’re a Star Wars fan then EA’s Star Wars Battlefront game should be the number one title on your list so you can immerse yourself in the the characters, environments and vehicles from a galaxy far, far away that made you a fan in the first place. And even if you’re non-gamer and love all things Star Wars then this is a great place to get onboard with gaming. It’s like stepping inside the movies and taking part in the iconic battles. Battlefront is not your typical campaign where you follow a single story thread as one character. But…

Episode 234 of the top-rating Two Blokes Talking Tech, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, covers the biggest tech news of the week and the hottest products. In this week’s show, the Facebook scams you need to watch out for and the true cost of cybercrime, smart TVs become the latest targets for hackers and Google unveils some nice Star Wars surprises. The blokes also talk about Alcatel OneTouch and its third place behind Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market, the explosion of in-home connectivity and how a Vietnamese man fooled the online world with…

Anyone who’s ever had a shattered smartphone screen or got their device wet know the real cost of not having a protective or waterproof case that can handle the day to day drops and spills. The repair cost often runs into the hundreds and, in the case of accidentally dunking your smartphone, could also lead to you having to replace your device. Some users also pay a monthly insurance fee to offset the cost of a repair or replacement. But an investment in a rugged case could not only protect your device but it can also save you money in…

With the growing number of connected devices in our homes the number of threats from hackers and cyber criminals are on the rise and the latest object in their sights is your smart TV. Smart TVs are in huge demand and will be a popular item this summer and customers will be connecting them to their home’s broadband connection to access content and to download apps and even make Skype calls. And just like they do with our computers and mobile devices, cyber criminals see smart TVs as new ground to try and get your personal and financial information. And…

Is it possible to find a camera that can do it all? Does such a beast exist? If it does, it would need to start with a simple rule: that it has an optical zoom sufficiently versatile to cover every shooting situation you are likely to want to capture. As such, the Lumix FZ300 with its 25-600mm zoom has it pretty much in the bag. Just in the last few weeks – I suppose it’s the Christmas holiday season coming up that’s spawned it – I’ve had a string of requests for recommendations from friends looking for the ideal travel…

Google has revealed some big surprises for true Star Wars fans to celebrate the highly-anticipated release of the blockbuster film Episode VII The Force Awakens next month. There are some nice Easter eggs that Google has created that tap into some iconic elements of the films. If you’re a Star Wars fan – they will definitely put a smile on your face. First up, try this. Type in “a long time ago in a galaxy far far away” into the search box. What you’ll see is the search results returned in the famous scroll style that has kicked off all…

Norton by Symantec has revealed some startling findings following the release of the internet security company’s Cybersecurity Insights Report that outlines the real cost of online crime. According to the study, nine out of 10 Australians worry about being affected by cybercrime. And 66 per of respondents think their credit card information is more likely to be stolen online rather than from their wallet. “Our findings reveal that consumer reservations are grounded in reality. In the past year, more than $1.2 billion was lost to cybercrime and approximately four million Australians were impacted by online crime,” said Mark Gorrie, Director,…

Tune in to Episode 175 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech who keeps his listeners updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, the hottest tech products we can expect to see this Christmas according to eBay, Alcatel OneTouch takes third place in the Australian smartphone market and LockSmart brings the padlock into the 21st century. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Nomad Wallet that can charge your iPhone as well, the Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch and Apple’s new wireless accessories. In the Tech…

Our appetite for connectivity and devices is set to dramatically increase within the next five years as more households are connected to faster broadband, according to the latest research by Telsyte. Internet Uninterrupted: Australians Households of the Connected Future was a report commissioned by the NBN and developed by Telsyte. It predicts Australian households will go from using an average of nine connected devices in the home to 29 by the year 2020. The report says households will have 12 simultaneous applications connecting to the internet over multiple devices, up from the current eight. This takes into account the increase…

Keeping our smartphones charged has always been a challenge and Nomad has come up with a new product that combines a wallet with a built in battery to power up your iPhone on the go. Apart from our smartphones, our wallet is one of the only other things we have with us at all time – at least it is for men. Women can carry handbag which gives them enough room for a battery or even their iPhone’s charger. But what can a man do? The Nomad Wallet for iPhone is the answer. It takes a wallet which, at first…

Apple has released a new docking station that can charge the Apple Watch while you sleep and also position the device so it can be viewed in Nightstand mode which turns the product into a mini alarm clock. The Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock has a circular base to lay the Apple Watch either flat or on its side. It has a built-in magnetic charging base that so the Apple Watch can be charged flat with the strap open or tilted upwards in its side so you can still read the Apple Watch display while it’s charging. In this Nightstand…