Author: Stephen Fenech

More and more people are buying 4K Ultra High Definition TVs and there’s even greater demand for native 4K content. The good news is it’s coming with a brand new Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has completed the specifications of Ultra High Definition Blu-ray and also released the new format’s logo to differentiate it from regular Blu-ray Discs. It is expected to be available by Christmas. These new discs will only be playable in Ultra HD Bly-Ray players which will be backwards compatible to play regular Blu-ray Discs and DVDs. Ultra HD Blu-ray will have…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 209, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, dissects the week’s tech news and products in a fun and informative way. On this week’s show, our thoughts on the Apple Watch after wearing it for a month, Trackimo – the new tiny GPS tracking device and US President Barack Obama finally gets his own Twitter account. Also on the show, Lily the self-flying drone, the Alldock charging solution for up to six devices and the new Steve Jobs movie based on the authorised biography. In the minute reviews, we take a look…

Apple has quietly updated its 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display with a new Force Touch trackpad and released a new cheaper iMac with Retina 5K display. The refreshed models appeared on Apple’s online store this week and are available to ship in 1-3 business days. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display and the latest iMac with Retina 5K display will also be available in Apple Stores and through authorised resellers. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro has inherited the new Force Touch trackpad introduced recently with the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Force Touch allows users to apply different pressure…

LG has showcased its expertise in the exciting new OLED (organic light emitting diode) television format with a panel that can stick to a wall like a fridge magnet. The company is leading the market in OLED development and it has just unveiled a new 55-inch “wallpaper” panel that is just 0.97mm thick and weighs less than 2kg. It can be attached and easily removed from the wall with a magnetic mat, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap News. This opens lots of possibilities to make the TV a more subtle addition to a room’s décor although the inputs…

Apple has released the first software update for the Apple Watch less than a month after it went on sale for some bug fixes and performance improvements. Watch OS 1.01 update can be downloaded and installed through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. Apple Watch needs to be within the Bluetooth range of 10 metres from the iPhone to apply the update. The update improves performance for Siri, measuring stand activity and calculating calories for indoor rowing and cycling workouts. It also improves distance and pace calculations for outdoor running and walking workouts along with accessibility enhancements and smoother…

Trackimo is a personal tracking device that uses GPS to allow users to locate different objects, pets and even people no matter where they are in the world. The Trackimo device is tiny – it’s just 4.7cm wide, 3.9cm long and 1cm thick. It is powered by a small rechargeable battery and connects via an international  2G SIM card to the GSM network so the device can report its current GPS location. Trackimo works through a browser or a companion iPhone or Android app to locate the device and thereby whatever it is attached to. If you want know where…

Stay updated and educated with the latest tech new and reviews with Episode 148 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, the first look at the new Steve Jobs film, the new drone that will follow you and make you the star of your own video and warnings issued over the latest email scams. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the new range of Panasonic Viera smart TVs, the KEF high-end Reference speakers and the Imation Link Power Drive that’s both a battery and storage device for your…

We’re so attached to our smartphones and tablets we like to take them wherever we go no matter what we’re doing. And to keep them safe you need a case that can handle all types of conditions and the day-to-day bumps and scrapes. We’ve taken a look at some cases from Griffin, Lifeproof and UAG and the one thing they have in common is that they can take the knocks. And with some of them they are even waterproof so they can take a dip as well. A lot of users need their devices with them while they’re working like…

Take a look at this first glimpse of the new Steve Jobs movie – written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Michael Fassbender as the visionary Apple co-founder and CEO. Based on Walter Isaacson’s official biography and directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, Steve Jobs is reportedly set against the backdrop of three major Apple product announcements. The Universal film also stars Seth Rogan as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman – one of the original member of the Macintosh team and Jeff Daniels as the former Apple CEO John Sculley who was poached from Pepsi. https://youtu.be/IeOxo7o9T8Q…

If there’s one thing about audiophiles it’s that they are seeking audio perfection and are more than willing to pay for it. And for this reason the high end speaker market is alive and well. KEF is one of the leading loudspeaker companies that has been at the forefront of audio design and innovation. Founded in 1961 by Raymond Cooke OBE, the company was headquartered on the site of the Kent Engineering and Foundry – this is where the KEF name comes from. In those early days, Cooke was experimenting with new materials and techniques to improve the acoustic quality…

The drone has been re-imagined with the introduction of Lily – the new flying camera that pilots itself and follows you so you can be the star of your own video. There is no remote control with Lily but rather a sensor that you wear on your wrist or keep in your pocket while you’re skiing, skateboarding, walking or running. To launch Lily, users simply have to throw it in the air. Lily is quite compact at just 26.1cm wide and also quite light at 1.3kg so it’s small enough to fit inside a backpack. https://youtu.be/4vGcH0Bk3hg And onboard is a…

We’ve seen portable batteries to charge on the go and we’ve also seen flash storage for smartphones but the new Imation Link Power Drive is actually both. The Imation Link Power Drive is a 2-in-1 product for the iPhone and iPod Touch to give your battery even longer life and also puts your favourite content at your fingertips. The device is about 7.3cm wide, 6.4cm wide and 2.2cm thick and weighs 110g so it’s small and light enough to carry around and have it handy whenever you need it. On top of the product is a small button with four…

There are lots of ways hackers and cyber criminals have tried to defraud people with “phishing” emails that look like they’ve been sent from real companies and institutions. The latest scam is disguised as an Australia Federal Police traffic infringement. These bogus fine notices surfaced in late April and ask for payment for an on-road violation. Tech Guide actually received one of these emails which included the AFP name and logo which – at first glance – made the message appear legitimate. But it didn’t take long to realise the email was a scam – grammatical errors, and sentences written…

Panasonic has unveiled its 2015 line-up of smart TVs boasting a new number of new features and with a focus on quality and design across the entire range. The company’s approach to the smart TV is quality without compromise. Panasonic, through its cameras and production equipment, has been part of the production process from the start and want to deliver the director’s vision all the way to the viewer in the best possible way. This year’s range of TVs is aiming to deliver on that promise in a market where a third of Australians own a smart TV and watch…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 208, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, presents the latest tech news and reviews in a fun and informative way. On this week’s show: the Federal Budget and its effect on the tech world, just how good is a company’s customer service and Telstra introduce shared mobile data plans. Also on the program, Samsung’s new T1 SSD portable drive, Stan now available to view on Apple TV and we take a look at the Samsung 2015 Series 9 SUHD TV and the new Seagate portable drives in the minute reviews. You…

Stan, the subscription video on demand service and joint venture between Channel Nine and Fairfax Media, is now available to view directly through Apple TV. Stan was originally offered as an app on mobile devices and available on your computer’s web browser while still allowing viewers to stream the content to your TV. But now, with the addition of the app on Apple TV, it is even easier to access your favourite programs and movies on Stan on your television. “Apple TV is a critical platform for leading streaming services and has always been a high priority in our development…

The Federal Budget has been handed down and there are a few changes that will be felt in the tech world including a tax on digital products and crackdown on companies who have avoided paying tax in Australia. There will now be a GST on foreign companies selling digital products and services in Australia like movies and music. Start-ups will also be given a helping hand by allowing them to deduct set-up costs immediately. Fringe Benefits Tax has also been abolished for on all portable devices used for work including smartphones, tablets and laptops. Small businesses will be allowed to…

Friends, lend me your ears for Episode 147 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, 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: Telstra offers Go Mobile shared mobile plans, iPhone reducing the gap between iOS and Android and the restaurant that helps you take better photos of your food. In the Tech Guide reviews, the new Samsung 2015 SUHD Series 9 curved smart TV, the Garmin Vivoactive GPS smartwatch and the Samsung T1 portable SSD drive that’s smaller than a credit card. In the…

Seagate has been a market leader when it comes to storage and it has just released two new solutions to make managing and accessing your content even easier. Seagate Seven and Seagate Wireless offer style and convenience and puts 500GB of storage capacity at your fingertips. It’s been 35 years since Seagate got into the hard drive business and the industry has undergone incredible change. Today the amount of date we’re using at home is at an all-time high with retail shipping as much storage as enterprise. SEAGATE SEVEN (500GB) – $189 There aren’t many external hard drives that win…

When you’re the leading TV manufacturer in the market, one of the biggest challenges is creating a product that’s better than last year’s model but Samsung has managed to do just that. After years of incremental changes that have more to do with the look and shape of the TV rather what was going on under the hood, Samsung has delivered a significant improvement in both picture quality and design. Samsung’s new SUHD TVs have raised the bar for LED TV picture quality. We know UHD stands for Ultra High Definition – also known as 4K – which means the…