Author: Stephen Fenech

It’s been a week since the Apple Watch has been released and customers are getting acquainted with the many features onboard but there are a number of hidden features to look out for as well. Customers are getting to know the new device and the idea of having notifications and apps on their wrist instead of having to check their iPhone. Apple Watch has a touchscreen that also has Force Touch which means it can tell the difference between a touch and a tap. The other controls include the digital crown which you can use to scroll and zoom. It…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 206, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, takes a look at the hottest new products of the week. On this week’s show, LG has unveiled the new G4 flagship smartphone and we share our thoughts on the Apple Watch and Microsoft’s new Surface 3 Windows tablet. Also on the program, the Parrot BeBop drone, Bondi lifeguards using the VoiceByte app to record and geo-locate safety messages on the beach and Uniden’s jump start kit. In the minute reviews we take a look at the Panasonic Lumix TZ70 and the Kobo Glo…

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge – with its curved screen edges – got most of the attention when it was released recently but the Galaxy S6, which was launched at the same time, deserves plenty of accolades as well. The follow-up to the Galaxy S5 has taken giant leap forward in terms of design and features. It has a stunning 5.1-inch Super AMOLED Quad HD screen and is powered by an octa-core processor – made up of a 2.1Ghz and a 1.5Ghz quad core processor – and is running Android’s Lollipop 5.0 operating system. On the design side, Samsung has…

Is our love affair with the tablet over? Sales of the devices dropped by 20 per cent in 2014 with interest shifting to smartwatches and wearable devices according to a new study by technology analysts Telsyte. Telsyte says Apple reclaimed the top spot in the market in the second half of 2014 with iPad making up nearly half of all tablets sold between July and December. Windows tablets were the only product to experience year-on-year growth unit sales in this category. The fall in demand for tablets was a result of the saturation of iPad and Android tablets in the…

The iconic Bondi Beach has become the first place in the world to offer geo-located audio safety messages for visitors using the Australian-built VoiceByte app. Bondi’s chief lifeguard Bruce “Hoppo” Hopkins used the app – which allows users to record and share audio content – created the first official VoiceTag for beachgoers. VoiceTagging is a patented feature of the VoiceByte app that makes it possible to geo-locate audio content (with a picture and a link) that’s relevant to that area. Users can also set a range of up to 500 metres for their content to be found and also set…

LG has unveiled its latest G4 flagship smartphone that has been designed with all-new materials and a user interface that will provide a more human-centric user experience. The LG G4, like its predecessor, has its main button and controls on the rear panel. That rear panel has a slim arc that runs along the length of the device’s body to give it a curved look. Running Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system, the G4 has a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS (in-plane switching) Quantum Display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and 538ppi (pixels per inch). Under the hood is an…

Apple has activated a donation option with iTunes to make it easier for users to support the Australian Red Cross disaster relief for the Nepal earthquake victims. 100 per cent of the donations will be given to the Red Cross as they provide first aid and assist with the search and rescue mission in the ravaged nation. More than 4000 people were killed after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Kathmandu on Saturday. When users log in to iTunes they will be presented with a Red Cross page with designated amounts that can be donated – $5, $10, $25, $50,…

Get updated and educated with the latest consumer tech news and reviews with Episode 145 of the top rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show we take a look at the Apple Watch – our review of the device, the apps you can download and what you need to do to buy it. Also on the program, Whole Pantry app developer Belle Gibson admits she lied about having cancer and Microsoft will open its first flag-ship store outside of North America in Sydney. In the Tech Guide reviews we take look at Beats Solo…

Microsoft, once known as mainly a software company, has been busy on the hardware front lately with its Surface tablets and its latest – the Surface 3 – may well be its most popular ever. We’ve already seen three iterations of the Surface Pro family of powerful tablets that were heavily marketed as a cool laptop replacement. Price-wise these devices were more than $2000 at the top end and they were out of the range of ordinary users But Microsoft listened to its customers who were crying out for a product that was more in their price range. The result…

Apple Watch has all of the hallmarks of a typical Apple product – it is beautifully and thoughtfully designed, it takes an existing category and completely transforms it and it just works. Apple Watch is the company’s first new product category for five years and its most personal yet. It is not stowed in your pocket or in your bag – you wear it. Apple products have been strong in the looks department and Apple Watch confidently continues this trend. But as eye-catching as it is, it is also functional and, once again, Apple Watch ticks this box. The device…

Small, lightweight, compact, pocketable. Takes a decent pic. Has a big zoom range. Affordable but not cheap and nasty. If that’s how you describe your next camera purchase, Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-TZ70 should fit the bill pretty nicely. The TZ70’s 30x optical zoom is its killer feature. Lightweight and easy to stow and carry are desirable characteristics for a travel camera but when you toss in the versatility that a 30x zoom adds, you’re on to a winner. It brings some pretty decent imaging into the mix with some crisp JPEGs coming off the card. Certainly, if I were this camera’s…

The Apple Watch goes on sale today with Australia the first country in the world to receive them ahead of the US thanks to the time difference. But if you’re thinking about walking in to buy one in an Apple Store today, you’ll be disappointed. Stock has been sold out during the two-week pre-order period. As a result there was no line of eager customers outside the store as we usually see with iPhone and iPad launches. If you walked into a store today to buy an Apple Watch you’ll be directed by staff to one of the many computers…

The highly anticipated Apple Watch goes on sale today and while there are plenty of Apple’s own apps on the device there are also more than 3,000 third party apps ready to install now. Apple cleverly made the WatchKit available six months ago to allow developers plenty of time to have their apps ready to go from launch day. And Apple Watch apps aren’t all just a shrunken down version of the iPhone app. They take into account the screen size, the use of the digital crown and, of course, the fact it is positioned on your wrist and easier to…

Episode 205 of the top-rating Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, is your entertaining snapshot of the most important tech topics of the week. On this week’s show, Microsoft heading to Sydney to open the first flagship store outside North America, the new law that could make VPNs illegal and our thoughts on the 12-inch MacBook. Also on the program, The Whole Pantry app creator Belle Gibson admits she lied about her terminal brain cancer and Yahoo7 research on our TV viewing habits. In the minute reviews, Stephen takes a look…

Amaysim, the virtual mobile network operator, has added even more data to its unlimited 4G plans and kept them at the same price to offer connected customers even more value. Amaysim customers now have the choice of two unlimited 4G SIM only plans for those who already own a smartphone. These is the unlimited talk and text plus 7GB of data – up from 6GB – for $54.90 a month and a 5GB plan – up from 4GB – for $44.90 a month. Amaysim has also introduced a plan aimed at younger users who hardly make calls but send plenty…

Disgraced blogger Belle Gibson, creator of The Whole Pantry wellness app who was given early access by Apple to adapt her creation for the Apple Watch, has admitted she lied about having terminal cancer. When asked if she ever had cancer, Ms Gibson – in an interview with the Australian Woman’s Weekly – said: “No. None of it’s true”. She is described as “the girl who conned us all” on the cover of the magazine which goes on sale tomorrow (April 23). “I don’t want forgiveness,” Ms Gibson says in the Weekly’s interview which was conducted without payment and under…

Our TV viewing habits have certainly evolved in the last few years with new research showing viewers watch their favourite programs across a number of devices. The annual Yahoo7 Companion TV Survey interviewed more than 1,000 Australians online and showed that almost one in four (24 per cent) watch their shows across multiple products – a seven per cent jump from 2013. And it’s the 16-34 age group that is leading the charge with one in two (52 per cent) regularly watching TV using a laptop, tablet, smartphone and gaming consoles. This is a 17 per cent jump since 2013.…

If you really want to unleash your music then listening to the Beats Solo 2 Wireless headphones is a great way to do it with excellent sound and no cables to get in your way. The headphones connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and work within a 10-metre range so you can stay connected to your music – and any phone calls – while the device is still in your pocket or your bag. Dr Dre knows a thing or two about creating excellent headphones and he brings that to the table with the Beats Solo 2 Wireless. On the…

Sydney’s popular Pitt Street Mall will become the site for Microsoft’s first flagship store outside of North America when it opens just in time for Christmas. Located at the main entrance to Westfield Sydney mall and next to Sephora, the new Microsoft store will have more than 6,000 square feet of retail space over two floors. The store will allow customers to experience the full breadth of Microsoft’s product offerings including Windows 8 PCs, Surface devices, Windows Phones and the Xbox One gaming console. Also included in the new store will be an Answer Desk where customers can connect with…

Tune it to Episode 144 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, to stay updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, new Australian anti-piracy laws could see VPNs (virtual private networks) become illegal, Belkin unveils its latest WeMo products into its home automation ecosystem and we share our thoughts on the new Star Wars teaser trailer. In the Tech Guide reviews we take a look at the 12-inch MacBook, the Mophie Juice Pack to keep your smartphone charged on the go and the Kobo Glo HD e-reader which has…