Author: Stephen Fenech

The Apple Watch will be formally announced at a special launch event in San Francisco along with possibly some other products including updated MacBook Pros and a new MacBook Air. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts and Apple CEO Tim Cook will take the stage at 10am Monday (4am Tuesday Sydney time) and kick off proceedings with an update about the all-conquering iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The last quarter of 2014 saw Apple sell more smartphones that Samsung. There will probably be a video of all the iPhone 6 launch days…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 198, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, takes a look at the latest smartphones to be unveiled in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress. The blokes talk about the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, the HTC One M9 and other mid-level phones like the Sony M4 Aqua, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 and the Microsoft Lumia 640 and 640XL. Also on the show Virgin Mobile introduces plans to move unused data to the next month and Optus make it possible to make mobile payments with a smartwatch. In the minute…

Look under any computer desk or behind a TV and there’s a good chance you’ll find a long powerboard with several connections. Well now that powerboard has been redesigned and reinvented with the PowerCube. The PowerCube – as its name obviously points out – is a cube that has a power socket on four of the sides of the cube. The bottom has a 1.5m power cable to connect to a wall socket while the sixth side has two USB charging ports that can charge your smartphone, tablet, wearables and e-reader. And it’s all contained in a product that’s as…

Apple has opened a gallery on its website of remarkable images which were captured around the world with one thing in common – they were all shot on the iPhone 6. Each image comes with a short description that talks about what’s in the photo, where it was taken and the name of the photographer. The caption also includes the apps used to enhance or edit the image. The iPhone is one of the most popular cameras used worldwide and there are images from 51 people from across the globe and they will be featured in 70 cities around the…

Moshi is already well known for producing handy computer and mobile accessories and it has expanded its portfolio with yet another device that’s useful at your desk and on the go. The Moshi iLynx 3.0 is a four-port USB 3.0 hub that can charge and sync devices to your Mac or PC via a single USB cable and supports data transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps. And it’s a simple plug and play set up with no additional software to install. You can even use the 5-watt USB ports to charge your smartphone, wearables or e-reader while the USB port…

Virgin Mobile has announced a first for an Australian telco that allows customers to rollover any unused data on their post-paid plans each month so it doesn’t go to waste. Data Rollover lets users take the leftover data that would have normally disappeared at the end of the month and add it to their next month’s data allowance. Data is now a major component of smartphone plans and Virgin Mobile has responded to customers who have been asking for this feature for some time. “Data Rollover will revolutionise how Australians view their telco’s data offering and will change the mobile…

Making a mobile payment with your smartphone meant you didn’t have to take your wallet out of your pocket. But Optus has unveiled a new payment method that now means you don’t even need to take your smartphone out of your pocket either. It uses wearable technology and in particular – a smartwatch. Optus has unveiled this proof of concept that allows users to make mobile payments with a smartwatch linked to an iPhone or Android smartphone using the Cash by Optus app. The watch, connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth, can display the account balance on its screen after…

Sony Mobile has brought the most popular features of its top-shelf Xperia Z smartphones to the mid-level with the new affordable M4 Aqua device. Also unveiled by Sony was the even slimmer 10-inch Xperia Z4 tablet which is just 6.1mm thick. The M4 Aqua has many of Sony’s signature enhancements onboard and represents the company’s renewed focus on the mid-range of the lucrative smartphone market. Not only has the M4 Aqua inherited the Xperia’s waterproof construction it also has a capless microUSB charging port. Previously the microUSB port on waterproof devices had to be sealed when they go underwater. Not…

Tech Guide Episode 137, the top-rating podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, takes a look at the latest smartphone announcements from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. On this week’s show, we check out the new Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, the new HTC One M9, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 and the LG Watch Urbane along with Huawei’s smartwatch, phablet and wearable devices. Also on the program, the Optus partnership to roll out high-speed wi-fi in Westfield shopping centres and Apple’s launch event planned for next week. In the Tech Guide reviews, we run our eye – and…

Netflix, the highly anticipated subscription video on demand service, has brought forward its Australian release date by a week to take on local competitors Stan and Presto. According to two Tech Guide sources, Netflix’s original release date was  scheduled for March 31. But that date was brought back by a week for Australian and New Zealand viewers to March 24. Pricing will officially be announced at the time of launch but Tech Guide has learned the three-tier pricing structure will be $9.99 for single stream standard definition plan, $11.99 for a two-stream high definition plan and $14.99 for a four-stream…

Alcatel OneTouch has partnered with some well-known tech companies, including JBL and Technicolor, to produce some ear-catching and head-turning features for the new Idol 3 smartphone. The device, which will be available in two sizes, can also be turned on its head and work in any orientation no matter how you pick it up to answer a call, take a photo or browse the web. The screen will always be displayed in the right direction. The Idol 3 has two front facing JBL Audio speakers with Clari-Fi technology onboard for a 3D and surround sound experience to make your movies…

LG and Huawei have introduced new circular smartwatches that combine style and design with the latest technology at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. LG’s Watch Urbane is the company’s first all-metal smartwatch and is available in two versions. One runs the Android Wear operating system while the other will have new software onboard and will also work as a standalone phone. Huawei also unveiled its first smartwatch offering – a device that combines the features of a smartwatch with those found on an activity band. LG WATCH URBANE LG has upped the ante in the style stakes with the…

Samsung has played its strongest hand in years after unveiling two new hero smartphones – a refined Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge which has a display that is curved on both sides. Available globally from April 10, the devices are made of premium materials for an enhanced user experience. Samsung has upped the ante in the design stakes and made a significant change to the look of the devices which have only only has slight alterations each year until now. And nobody can complain the Galaxy smartphones feel plastic anymore – the S6 and S6 edge are made from…

HTC has revealed its latest flagship device – the One M9 – with a similar design to last year’s model but with a number of enhancements under the hood. Also unveiled by HTC at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona were a fitness band and a virtual reality headset. Outwardly the HTC One M9 is almost identical to the One M8 – it has the same full high definition 5-inch screen and front-facing BoomSound speakers with Dolby certification. It has a similar brushed aluminium finish with a gentler curve on the back panel but now has a two-tone metal unibody –…

It looks like Australians will be thrown straight into the firing line under the proposed anti-piracy scheme which could see customers possibly fronting court and facing huge fines. The scheme was formulated by internet service providers under strict instructions from the Australian Federal Government. And judging by the severity of the penalties, the ISPs must have had a gun at their head. As it stands, the scheme to stamp out illegal downloading of TV shows, movies and music will involve warning notices, legal action and unlimited fines. The proposal would also see a customer’s personal details handed over to the…

Apple will be holding a special launch event in San Francisco called “Spring Forward” on March 9 (March 10 in Australia), which is expected to focus on the upcoming Apple Watch. The event, to be held at the Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts – the site where the original iPad was unveiled in 2010, will also be broadcast live on Apple’s website. The Spring Forward name refers to the fact that the event takes place a day after the start of daylight savings time. This obvious time reference can only be interpreted as a link to Apple Watch. When…

Optus has announced a partnership with Westfield to rollout state-of-the-art wi-fi services across 21 shopping centres across Australia to offer customers cutting edge digital connectivity. Commencing this month, the rollout will provide shoppers with fast, free wi-fi across the entire centre. The service will include up to 1GB of data free for a three-hour period each day. Optus Business will supply the wi-fi solution in partnership with Aruba and SkyFii to implement the rollout and manage the service for Scentre Group. The move follows two successful pilots in October at the newly-renovated Westfield Miranda centre in NSW and Westfield Garden…

In Episode 197 of the top-rating Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, talk about the tech topics that affect you. On this week’s show, the NBN is coming to a street near you. The blokes discuss the ways it will be delivered utilising existing infrastructure. Also on the program, eBay partners with Woolworths to make online shopping easier, Vodafone announces Shared Plans and we explain Family Sharing on iOS. Also on the agenda, Telstra’s cheap pre-paid smartphone for its 4GX network, Toffee’s fancy leather iPad and iPhone cases and the apps that…

Samsung will next week release two new Galaxy smartphones – the A5 and A3 – which boast wafer thin form factors, sharp Super AMOLED screens and a range of features. Available from March 5, the A5 and the A3 will be available for outright purchase at $599 and $449 respectively. The Galaxy A3 will be available from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone while the Galaxy A5 will be available only from Vodafone. Both devices have been designed to appeal to users looking for both style and functionality and to provide a rich social media experience. They will be available in two…

What are the smartphone apps that are draining your battery, hogging your memory and using up all your data? Online security company AVG has just published a performance report that reveals the most resource hungry apps. The AVG Android App Performance report was completed after looking at more than a million app users from Australia and around the world. Facebook took the top spot globally thanks to its constant background notification checks which had the greatest impact on Android device performance. In Australia, Instagram took out the second spot in the performance draining, storage eating and network traffic hog categories…