Author: Stephen Fenech

We’re celebrating the 150th episode of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast – which kicked off three years ago to keep listeners updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews. This week’s show comes to you from Beijing where we attended Lenovo’s inaugural Tech World conference. Here we had a chance to see the company’s impressive concept products including a smartwatch, a smartphone and even a pair of smart shoes. Also unveiled were new multimedia laptops, a Windows 10 business class tablet and a streaming device called the Lenovo Cast. We also spoke with Matt Codrington, the general manager…

Microsoft has announced a launch date for its highly anticipated new Windows 10 operating system in 190 markets around the world – including Australia – to empower a whole new era of computing. Windows 10 will be available as a free upgrade for customers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 from July 29. And when the device is upgraded Microsoft will support it with software updates for the life of the device. The Windows 10 operating system has been built and shaped with the help of more than four million people around the world through the beta program. Windows 10…

You can win a new LG 65-inch 4K Ultra High Definition smart TV valued at $4,999 simply by downloading and using the VoiceByte social audio app and tuning in to Studio 10. VoiceByte – a free app for Android and iPhone users – allows users to record and share up to 15 seconds of audio and share it on Twitter and Facebook, privately to one or a group of people or locally with the exciting new VoiceTagging feature. But it is also great way to share content to TV and radio stations so you can literally have your say and…

Samsung has injected some colour into its latest flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge smartphone range to make it even more appealing to fashion and style conscious users. From today, customers can pre-order the S6 and S6 edge at the Sydney and Melbourne experience stores and operator partners including Vodafone. There are three new colours – Gold Platinum (S6 and S6 edge), Green Emerald (S6 edge only) and Blue Topaz (S6 only). They will available from June 18. Samsung’s latest smartphones – the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge – were already eye-catching devices but these new colours will…

GoPro – the company that’s making a roaring trade from its go anywhere action cameras – is about enter the drone business and aim to release the first model in 2016. GoPro chief executive Nick Woodman, speaking at the Code Conference, confirmed the move and described a drone as the “ultimate accessory”. The drone market has exploded in the last 12 months with many manufacturers, including global leader DJI, making it possible to attach a GoPro camera to their units to capture aerial footage. Interestingly, the latest DJI Phantom 3 drones don’t have the option of using a GoPro camera…

Episode 210 of the top-rating Two Blokes Talking Tech is a special unplugged edition recorded in Beijing where Tech Guide’s Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long attended Lenovo’s Tech World. In this week’s show, the blokes go through the major announcements from Tech World including a concept smartphone and smartwatch, the latest laptops and tablet, streaming device and Moto Maker – the customisable phone service – is coming to Australia. Also on the show the announcements from CES Asia in Shanghai that include new technologies and concepts from Ford. And it looks like just when Stephen had finished replacing his…

It’s World Environment Day next week and technology hoarders are being called on to recycle their old mobile phones and accessories to prevent them ending up in a landfill and harming the environment. Mobile Muster says World Environment Day on June 5 is the perfect opportunity for people hanging on to old devices to finally be rid of them. Mobile Muster – the not-for-profit organisation mobile phone recycling program – says independent research indicates there are still more than 22.5 million old mobiles rattling around in drawers across Australia. “We know from talking to people that there are a number…

You’ve heard of smartphones, smartwatches and a range of other smart products but Lenovo has literally put its best foot forward with an experimental new product – the smart shoe. But should Nike, New Balance, Puma and Adidas be nervous that Lenovo may be treading on their toes? Unveiled at Tech World in Beijing, the smart shoes are a concept product that have not been given the green light on whether or not they will go into full production. The smart shoes have a digital display on the outside that can scroll and change depending on a person’s mood. https://youtu.be/v6svTN270GA…

Lenovo has used its first Tech World conference to showcase an impressive new concept smartwatch and smartphone that challenges they way we use and interact with the products. These two products have been created to stretch the boundaries of Lenovo engineering and design but also to rethink the ways we use our products and provide additional capabilities. The first concept device was the Smart Cast smartphone that, at first glance, looks like any other smartphone on the market. But there was one major difference. The Lenovo concept smartphone is the world’s first to include a laser projector. Users can not…

Lenovo has kicked off its inaugural Tech World in Beijing with a showcase of new products and technologies including laptops, a streaming device and an all-new way to utilise Cortana – the Windows personal digital assistant. Lenovo’s chairman and chief executive officer Yang Yuanqing kicked off the event yesterday with a keynote address at the China National Convention Centre in front of more than 3000 attendees. The company is the number one brand in PCs worldwide and is gaining ground on companies like Apple and Samsung in other areas like smartphones and tablets where they hold the number three rank…

GolfBuddy has just made it even more comfortable for players to slice shots off their game with the release of the first golf GPS band that combines fashion and function on the course. The BB5 is available in a range of colours and can be worn whether you’re on the course or not. But when you’re playing your round the GolfBuddy BB5 has more than 37,000 global courses pre-loaded with auto course and hole recognition. The BB5 can give you accurate distances to the front, centre and back of the green and measure your shots while your playing. Also on…

On the eve of its first ever Tech World showcase, Lenovo has revealed new laptops which have been designed to provide a multimedia experience on the move whether you’re creating or consuming content. The Lenovo Z41 and the Lenovo Z51, with 14-inch and 15-inch full high definition screens respectively, are being positioned in the market as part laptops and part home entertainment devices. They are powered by the latest Intel Core i7 processor with up to 1TB of onboard storage along with 802.11ac wi-fi connectivity which is up to three times faster than the previous standard. The standout feature on…

Lenovo, the world’s number one PC brand, has released the latest ThinkPad 11e series laptop that’s been specially designed for school students and educators in Australia and New Zealand. The device is available as a traditional “clamshell” laptop or in Lenovo’s YOGA multimode form which allows the ThinkPad 11e to be arranged in a number of positions for easy working and viewing. Designed to address the needs of students from kindergarten all the way to Year 12, the ThinkPad 11e is available to run either Windows or the Google Chrome operating system. The ThinkPad 11e has an 11.6-inch high definition…

Panasonic has unveiled two new cameras in the Lumix line-up including a brand new “bullet” style action camera along with the freshest model in the G series, the G7. Initial hands-on time with the G7 at the launch event was focused on some clever parkour action, with a team of urban commandos brought in for Panasonic to ably demonstrate the camera’s killer feature: 4K Photo. It’s not exactly a new thing. The G7, however, makes the feature more accessible, with a top-panel mode dial selector that makes 4K easy to switch into, unlike previous models that required users to mine…

Australian customers will be able to truly customise the look and feel of their own smartphones when Motorola introduces its popular Moto Maker service later this year. Lenovo – the company that now owns Motorola – has confirmed “it’s just a matter of time” before the Moto Maker service, which has been popular in the US, is introduced in Australia. Moto Maker will be offered for the Moto X which has a 5.2-inch AMOLED screen, 13-megapixel rear camera, 2GB of RAM and is running the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. With Moto Maker, customers will be able to choose the…

Episode 149 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, takes an interesting and informative look at the very latest tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, Ultra High Definition Blu-ray is coming soon to your home theatre, LG unveils “wallpaper” OLED TV that can stick to your wall like a fridge magnet and Apple quietly updated the 15-inch MacBook Pro and iMac Retina 5K. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at Trackimo GPS tracking device, the rugged cases that can protect your smartphones and tablets and the Toffee bags and cases that…

Ford has unveiled its vision of our driving future at CES Asia in Shanghai with the latest in-car technologies designed to improve performance, convenience and safety. Ford Smart Mobility has been thinking outside the square to come up with ways to rethink transport solutions that will be accessible and affordable as well as minimising the impact on the environment. The announcements at CES Asia include My Energi Lifestyle, a Go Drive sharing experiment, the latest SYNC 3 in-car connectivity system and emergency assistance technology. “Ford has been introducing ground-breaking innovations for over a hundred years, and at the core of…

Nearly one in three Foxtel subscribers are considering quitting the service for subscription video on demand services like Netflix, according to new research by insights specialists Pureprofile. Pureprofile’s study showed six per cent of existing Foxtel subscribers planned to ditch the service in favour of a streaming service like Netflix while another 25.2 per cent were considering the move. But the report also revealed a high level of satisfaction with Foxtel from customers. Pureprofile’s research revealed 68.7 per cent wouldn’t turn their back on Foxtel in favour of a subscription video on demand services like Netflix, Presto or Stan. The…

Spotify, the popular music streaming service, has just launched new features to make it easier to find the right music for your mood and the right tempo of tunes for your run. Spotify’s new Now start page can be your music director to help you find music that suits what you’re doing and the way you’re feeling. Need a pick up on a Monday morning? Spotify can serve up a playlist based on your tastes and listening habits. Do you need to stay focused in the afternoon? The Now start page can help you here as well with a selection…

For those looking for a touch of luxury while carrying and protecting their devices, take a look at successful Australian company Toffee’s range of bags and cases. We took a look at two of Toffee’s popular leather products – the Lincoln briefcase and the Slip case for the iPhone. Toffee was born in a Sydney apartment in 2004 when Natasha Sullivan and Hassan Issa had an idea to create stylish and functional products to protect the technology that is now a part of our daily life. It all began with a slimline leather sleeve for the Apple iBook and Powerbook.…