Author: Stephen Fenech

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.…

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…