Author: Stephen Fenech

Apple has released the iOS 8.4 update which includes Apple Music – the streaming service that will give listeners access to more than 30 million tracks in the iTunes library. This is Apple’s first step into the streaming music market which puts it up against other competing services like Spotify, Rdio, Deezer and Guvera. Another part of Apple Music is the new Beats 1 24/7 global radio station which serves up the latest music and news from LA, London and New York Users will also find Apple Music Connect which allows then to follow their favourite artists and see content…

Get your update on the latest tech news and reviews with Episode 154 of the top-rating and highly informative Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, do parents use their smartphones more than their kids, Telstra Air wi-fi network launches and MotoPogo – the all-new urban transport solution. In the Tech Guide reviews, we check out the Canon PowerShot SX710 HS, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 smartphone and the new SBS On Demand website relaunched with even more content. The Tech Guide interview this week is with Oakley’s Boyd Wilson and Olympic snowboarder Scotty James…

The snow season is underway and many are heading to the snowfields but wouldn’t it be good if you had a pair of googles that can help you see even better when you get there. That exactly what Oakley’s Prizm lens technology can do. While the human eye can easily perceive detail and colour, that is lost when looking at flat low contrast white snow The Prizm lenses can enhance contrast and visibility across a number of different light conditions. That means you can perceive even more detail in the snow and see more clearly to ski safely and confidently.…

It’s common to hear parents complain about their kids spending too much time on their smartphones but a new survey shows the kids feel the same way about them. The research, conducted by online security company AVG Technologies, examined the relationship between parents, their children and smartphones. The global study of 6,117 included 335 Australian adults and 302 children, found a third of Australian children (32 per cent) said their parents spend equal or less time with them than on their devices. The smartphone’s digital intrusion is having an impact on the family. More than half of the children questioned…

The Canon PowerShot SX710 HS is a camera that gives the photographer plenty of options when they take their pictures and also plenty of options sharing them as well. Standout features are the 30x ZoomPlus lens, the 20.3-megapixel resolution along with built-in wi-fi and NFC (near field communication). It can also shoot full high definition movies at up to 60 frames per second. The Canon PowerShot SX710 HS is a solid little camera that has shrunk in size over the years but at the same time improving the lens, image quality and resolution. For what it can offer, the camera…

Telstra has announced the launch date for Australia’s largest wi-fi network – Telstra Air – which will allow customers to use their home broadband allowance in Australian and overseas. From Tuesday, Telstra Air will be available through thousands of hotspots including payphones and retail outlets in popular locations after a partnership with leading wi-fi provider Fon. Telstra Air members will be able to tap into their home broadband allowance instead of using their cellular data when they are out and about both in Australian and overseas. The service will be accessible at 15 million hotspots in 18 countries including the…

It’s a cross between a Segway and a motorcycle – but it only has one wheel. It’s the MotoPogo – a new self-balancing vehicle that can change the way we get around town. Originally launched as a Kickstarter project, MotoPogo might look unusual but it’s easy to ride. All you need to do is lean forward or backwards to control the ride. It’s like riding a bike – but without the pedalling – or the second wheel. Gyro sensors and an accelerometer work out the exact speed to drive based on how the driver leans their body forward or back…

SBS has redesigned, re-imagined and relaunched its SBS On Demand streaming service with a website that offers an all-new way to enjoy top shelf content when and where you want – and you get it all for free. Kicking off officially on Monday, June 29, SBS On Demand will boast more than 4,000 hours of content (Netflix has 6000) that will be available on 22 platforms – more than any other Australian broadcaster. It will be viewable on desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets and smart TVs. But it’s not just another catch-up service. It will now include more than 600…

Tune in to one of the most controversial episodes of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast, where Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech goes head to head with EFTM’s Trevor Long on the controversial new anti-piracy laws. In Episode 214, the blokes square off about the new bill that passed through the Senate that will effectively block access to sites offering content illegally. Stephen and Trevor don’t share the same opinions on the issue and debate whether the law is fair and reasonable or just a massive filter meant to curtail our online freedom. Also on the show, we chat about…

The new Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 proves that you don’t have to spend big money to get a quality smartphone with a sleek design and host of features that rivals other devices that cost three times more. Alcatel OneTouch has built a reputation for producing smartphones that punch above their weight and the Idol 3 also climbs into the ring in the same fashion. It can stand toe-to-toe with the top shelf brands and not only match most of their features but also offer a few unique touches as well. The Idol 3 is available in two models with either…

Australia is becoming an even more mobile country and we’re accessing the most popular destinations on the internet more often through our growing number of smartphones and tablets. Today more people in Australia access Facebook and YouTube on a mobile device, according to Roy Morgan Research. Almost 13 million users in Australia visited Facebook across four weeks in the 12 months to March 2015 which is up 10 per cent from the 11,759,000 in the year to March 2013. But 8,759,000 of those users (68 per cent) used a mobile device – a smartphone or tablet or both – for…

In the Star Wars films, the challenge when it comes to the all-powerful Force is not to be seduced by the Dark Side. But it seems that’s exactly what Sphero’s popular rolling robot Ollie has done. Ollie has joined the Dark Side. But even though Dark Side Ollie doesn’t wield a deadly red lightsaber, it does have a mean-looking new black paint job and has LED lights that change colour or be customised in your favourite colour. It’s still the same tubular Ollie that many people know and love and it offers the same fun control and a range of…

Tune in to Episode 153 of the informative and top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, for the latest tech news, reviews and opinions. On this week’s show, the new anti-piracy laws that will block torrent and illegal content sites, how Taylor Swift got Apple to change its mind on Apple Music before it even launched and the new sunglasses with adjustable tint. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at Control4 – the brains behind a smart home, the Linksys EA8500 Max Stream smart wi-fi router and the UE Roll go anywhere speaker. In the…

The new anti-piracy laws will see access to sites serving up copyright content illegally blocked to Australians. But the big question is can these new laws be enforced? There’s been a massive reaction to the bill which passed through the Senate 37-13 yesterday to make it law to block access to foreign sites like Pirate Bay and other torrent sites. It could only be a matter of days before what effectively is a filter comes into effect. And while the Government’s intentions are honourable in protecting content rights holders, it has drawn strong criticism about how far this filter will…

Controversial new piracy laws have just been passed in the Senate that will see websites offering illegal access to copyright content blocked by Australian internet service providers. The Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015 was passed 37-13. The bill, introduced by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, passed through the Senate with support of Labor and independents. But it did draw opposition from the Greens and crossbench senators David Leyonhjelm, Ricky Muir and Glenn Lazarus. “Website blocking is a drastic remedy and a blunt tool, Senator Leyonhjelm told parliament today. Once the bill passes into law, torrent sites like Pirate Bay will…

Taylor Swift’s recent hit song is called “Shake it Up” and that’s exactly what she did when she penned a brave open letter that made Apple change part of its upcoming Apple Music streaming service before it even began. What Swift found troubling was the fact that Apple wouldn’t be paying artists during its lengthy three-month free trial period. Free trials for other music services including Spotify only last for one month. But Apple’s decision to withhold any royalties from artists for the full three-month period spurred Swift to write an open letter to Apple. Swift’s letter had an immediate…

Imagine being able to adjust the tint on your sunglasses to suit your surroundings. That’s exactly what one company has done with the Skugga Dynamic Eyewear which can adapt to the light around you. The Skugga Dynamic Eyewear uses an ambient light sensor to automatically set the tint on the lenses. Users can also adjust the shades with the Skugga companion app to manually set a comfortable tint level via Bluetooth. Unlike other photochromatic lenses that adjust for to compensate for UV-exposure, the Skugga sunglasses can be adjusted when the brightness of the light is the issue. The sunglasses look…

Creating a smart home has a huge appeal but people don’t know where to start or how far it can extend but Control4 can offer a personalised automation solution to control any device in your home. What makes a smart home smart is a brain and that exactly what Control4 is. Whether it’s your entertainment system in a single room or your entire home’s lighting, security, thermostat, blinds and door locks – Control4 has products and tailored solutions to suit your needs. The Control4 systems can be used with a dedicated controller to provide the ultimate universal remote so you…

Linksys has launched the EA8500 router that’s designed to provide a faster and wider wireless network and keep up with the connectivity demands of the modern home. With so many connected devices in our homes today and the arrival of services like Netflix there’s never been more focus on the reliability and speeds of our network. The Linksys Max Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Smart Wi-Fi Router (EA8500) has been built to create an uninterrupted 802.11ac wireless network for the home’s connected devices as if each has their own dedicated router. It does this with the onboard MU-MIMO (Multiple User – Multiple…

The Commonwealth Bank has released a new tablet app to make it even easier for customers to manage their accounts and offer a broader view of their finances. The new CommBank tablet app offers customers a convenient way to do their banking on a device that offers a larger screen than your smartphone and is more convenient than a computer. CommBank’s app for tablet is available now for Android devices with the iPad version to follow soon. The new app will allow customers to transfer between accounts, make payments to third party accounts and through BPAY as well as schedule…