Author: Stephen Fenech

Network 10’s catch-up TV platform tenplay is now available to view on Apple TV, offering another way to enjoy programs from Ten, Eleven and One on-demand. Having tenplay on Apple TV will allow viewers to watch their favourite shows for free on their smart TV. The move now means tenplay can be viewed on mobile devices, computers as well as on TVs with a connected Apple TV. The tenplay icon can be found on the Apple TV dashboard. “From today, Apple TV users can access the dynamic tenplay experience straight to their widescreen HD television screens,” said Network Ten chief…

Apple will release the highly anticipated Apple Watch in April, CEO Tim Cook has revealed during an announcement of record earnings during the holiday quarter. Apple Watch was unveiled in September alongside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with a tentative release date given as “early 2015”. Mr Cook revealed Apple Watch production was on schedule with plans to ship the product in April. A specific date and Australian pricing are still yet to be announced. TECH GUIDE’S HANDS-ON LOOK AT THE APPLE WATCH The development kit for Apple Watch was released late last year so developers could create…

The latest version of the VoiceByte app has been released for iOS and Android and includes an all-new patent pending technology called VoiceTagging. VoiceByte allows users to record and share 15 seconds of audio along with a picture and a link either socially on Facebook and Twitter or privately to one person or a group of people. Now with VoiceTagging users can record their audio (and include a picture and link if they wish) and tag it to their location so other VoiceByte users within range of that area will be able to hear it. This new feature will allow…

If you want to stay updated and educated about the latest tech news, views and reviews then tune in to Episode 132 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, Stan the streaming video on demand service has launched and Microsoft showcases even more features of Windows 10. In the Tech Guide reviews, the solar-powered Kulcar device that can keep your car cool when it’s parked in the sun and Disckreet – the app that can keep the intimate photos of you and your partner safe. In the Tech Guide interview we chat…

ANZ Stadium – one of Australia’s premier sporting venues and site of the Sydney 2000 Olympics – has been nominated as a finalist in the 2015 World Sports Technology Awards. The recognition comes after ANZ Stadium, in partnership with Telstra, last year activated high-speed wi-fi connectivity and interactive technology to engage with fans. The joint entry by ANZ Stadium and Telstra was named as one of six finalists in the category of Best use of Technology by a Venue, Arena or Stadium. They will be the only Australian finalist and will go up against other prestigious venues including Barclays Center…

If there’s one thing we don’t like about summer it’s getting back to our car after it’s been in the sun for a few hours. And while a windscreen shade can help keep temperatures down, it’s not enough to reduce the heat inside your vehicle. A new solar-powered device called Kulcar can draw out the hot air from your car and make it at least 10 degrees cooler than a car without one. The product has a solar panel that sits outside your car window to power the fan system that rests inside your vehicle to vent the hot air.…

Some couples like to spice up their most intimate encounters by reach for their smartphones to capture the moment. But the risk is these photos and videos might fall into the wrong hands. A new iOS app called Disckreet can now give couples peace of mind to ensure they will be the only people who can see them. We’ve heard all the horror stories about family and friends finding these images on smartphone and devices being lost with these images on board. Worse still is if your partner decides to show their friends or share it on the internet. Disckreet…

If you’re planning your Australia Day BBQ then you need to look no further than iTunes to plan your day. You can listen to an all-Aussie playlist and download app that offers tips on staying sun safe and finding the right cut of meat and cooking it to perfection. Turn up the volume and fire up the BBQ as we get ready to celebrate another Australia Day. On the music side, iTunes Radio has created a station that spotlights Australian artists and covers recents songs along with iconic songs from decades past. Some of the artists include INXS, Crowded House,…

Twitter has introduced a new feature that will provide a recap of the top tweets from the accounts you follow since the last time you logged in. The Twitter feed is like a raging river especially if you follow a lot of accounts – it moves really fast. Lots of tweets are shared but if you’re not looking at your feed at that time you’ll miss them. And if you’ve spent a fair bit of time away from Twitter, you can only imagine what you’ve missed. Until now. Under the heading of While You Were Away, Twitter will serve up…

Microsoft has pulled the curtain back on its new Windows 10 operating system and given the world a glimpse at the next generation of computing across a number of devices. And the good news is Windows 10 will be a free upgrade to customers already running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. “Windows 10 marks the beginning of the more personal computing era in the mobile-first, cloud-first world,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Our ambition is for the 1.5 billion people who are using Windows today to fall in love with Window 10 and for billions more…

Stan, the latest video-on-demand streaming service, will launch on Australia Day with unlimited access to TV shows and movies for $10 a month. Users who sign up to the service, which is a joint venture between Nine Entertainment Co and Fairfax Media, will enjoy a 30-day free trial with access to the entire content library. “We know there’s been some speculation around Stan’s launch date, and while we’ve had to keep it under wraps we’re really proud to be able to announce that Australia’s new streaming service will launch on Australia Day,” said Mike Sneesby, CEO of Stan. And Stan…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 192, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, was recorded in scenic surroundings at Andrew Boy Charlton Pool in Sydney for the launch of the UE Megaboom speaker from Logitech. On this week’s show, the blokes also discuss the world’s worst passwords, the competitive IP TV space with Stan, Presto and Netflix all about to launch in Australia and Vodafone’s new home Wi-Fi 4G mobile broadband solution. Also on the program, the McGrath Foundation’s new Digital Cup online game to raise money for breast cancer awareness, the rules about flying a drone…

There’s a new and even bigger UE (Ultimate Ears) Bluetooth portable speaker on the market – it’s called the Megaboom. Following on from the UE Boom – the successful original social speaker – the UE Megaboom offers the signature 360-degree sound and improved audio quality. The large cylindrical speaker is built to be used anywhere and has an IPX7 rating which means it is waterproof. It can handle going underwater so if it falls in the water it will float but won’t miss a beat. UE Megaboom is extremely durable as well can also take the knocks and scrapes that…

Vodafone has released the Huawei Wi-Fi Cube 4G – a mobile broadband device that can deliver 4G speeds in metro areas and connect up to 32 devices at once. The device provides an alternative from fixed broadband internet and aimed for the average household which, according to Telsyte, has eight devices capable of connecting to the internet. These include smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming consoles. The Huawei Wi-Fi Cube 4G taps into Vodafone’s 4G network which covers 95 per cent of the Australian metropolitan population. The product creates a wi-fi hotspot and allows up to 32 devices to connect to…

For plane spotters and fans of aviation, you have to take a look at this new Airbus promo video that involved flying five of the new A350-900 jets in formation. The incredible stunt with more than $2 billion dollars worth of aircraft along with two chase planes and a helicopter took months of meticulous planning. The bulk of the planning for the shoot revolved around safely manoeuvring the five aircraft into three different formations. These formations are arrow, diamond and echelon which were captured by the chase plans and helicopters. And to finish off the video, the five Airbus aircraft…

It’s hard to believe people still aren’t getting the message about creating strong passwords. Would you believe 123456 and password were still the most common passwords on 2014? SplashData announced its annual list of the 25 worst passwords found on the internet. The list was once again led by 123456 and password which alarmingly have held the top two spots since the lists were first compiled in 2011. Other passwords on the list include qwerty, baseball and dragon. SplashData’s list of the worst and most frequently used passwords demonstrates how users are putting themselves at risk online with weak and…

Tech Guide Episode 131, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, is the podcast that keeps you updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, are older customers being treated with respect by tech companies, legal showdown between Oppo and Polaroid and GoPro cameras will soon have the ability to broadcast live high definition video. In the Tech Guide reviews we take a look at LG’s 55-inch full HD OLED smart TV, Alcatel OneTouch launches its first smartwatch and the Hisense Chill – your very own beverage vending machine. In the Tech Guide Help Desk we…

The McGrath Foundation has launched a groundbreaking new online cricket tournament as a way to raise money for charity on a scale not yet seen in Australia. The McGrath Foundation Digital Cup is an online cricket tournament that can be played on smartphones, tablets and computers and is designed to bring gamification to fundraising. With the huge growth in devices and the explosion in online gaming, the McGrath Foundation Digital is hoping to put the fun in fundraising. More than 93 per cent of Australian households own at least one device for playing games while eight in 10 parents admit…

Griffin has expanded its range of products which were on show at the recent International Consumer Electronics Show. Griffin is a well-known name in technology circles and we’ve already seen the company offering smartphone, tablet and laptop accessories. At CES in Las Vegas, Griffin unveiled a Bluetooth amplifier, a number of charging solutions, cable organisers and in-car products. TWENTY  BLUETOOTH AMPLIFIER The Twenty can turn a conventional stereo speaker system into a Bluetooth-enabled solution. This offers the convenience of being able to stream your music wirelessly to your system from your smartphone, tablet or computer. It has 20 watts per…

LG has identified OLED as the future for their TV production and this was evident at the recent International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But while the majority of TVs shown off by LG at CES are 4K Ultra High Definition and earmarked for release later in 2015, the company has OLED models in the market already. One of them is the full high definition 55EC930T curved OLED that is priced at $3,999. Now that’s more expensive than a regular 55-inch LED TV but this OLED TV is nothing like a regular TV. OLED – short for organic light…