Author: Stephen Fenech

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…

Kobo has released its latest e-reader – the Glo HD – that offers a sharp print on paper experience and a number of new features to make your reading even more enjoyable. Due for release on May 1, the Kobo Glo HD has a six-inch Carta E Ink HD touchscreen with the highest resolution screen on the e-reader market at 1448 x 1072 – that’s 300ppi (pixels per inch). In comparison the Kindle Paperwhite has a resolution of 758 x 1024 at 212ppi. Type on the Kobo Glo HD’s screen is sharp and clear for comfortable reading. The Kobo Glo…

Smartphone battery power is a valuable resource especially for users on the go and Mophie has released new charging cases for the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus. When your smartphone’s battery runs low, not everyone has the time to sit next to a power point while it’s recharging. This is why the new Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is so useful for people on the move that rely on having their devices by their side day and night. The Mophie Juice Pack is both a protective case and a battery pack and…

Star Wars fans across the world are rejoicing with the release of the second teaser trailer for Episode VII – The Force Awakens which gives us our first look in more than 30 years at Han Solo and Chewbacca. The one minute 59 second trailer opens with a shot of a desert world – named by director JJ Abrams as Jakku and not Tatooine – with a crashed X-Wing in the foreground and a crashed star destroyer in the background will a speeder races across the sand in between. Why was there an epic battle above Jakku between the remnants…

When people see new Apple products for the first time there’s often an interesting reaction – amazement, excitement and desire. And that’s exactly how people reacted when they saw Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook. The latest MacBook is in a class of its own – it’s not a MacBook Air (even though it’s thinner) and it’s not a MacBook Pro. And it’s also the only Apple laptop computer with a 12-inch screen. The new 12-inch MacBook is a real feat of engineering. Despite its svelte appearance, the device is still brimming with innovative features and offers impressive performance. It seems like…

Take a tour of the latest tech with Episode 204 of the top-rating Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long. On this week’s show, Samsung announces pricing and availability for its new 2015 range of smart TVs, Symantec’s alarming internet security threat report, the latest car tech and Trevor’s cruise in the latest Rolls Royce. Also on the program, the blokes talk about Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Developer’s Conference where selfie sticks are banned and the Optus surprise for its customers watching Netflix. In the minute reviews, we take a look at the…

Belkin has launched two more products in the WeMo home automation range to provide even greater control and also gain valuable understanding about your energy use. The two products are WeMo Maker, which is available now, and the Insight Switch which will be available in Australia in the coming months. WeMo’s home automation ecosystem already includes switches, sensors, light switches and light bulbs which can controlled remotely and also programed to create various outcomes or scenarios using the WeMo smartphone and tablet app. WeMo Maker takes that a step further and is a switch that you can adapt to control…

Apple has announced the data and location of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference where app creators from around the world gather to see the future of the OS X and iOS operating systems. CEO Tim Cook will kick off proceedings on June 8 at the Moscone West centre in San Francisco with a keynote address that will outline the next version of the Mac and iPhone and iPad software. And with the imminent release of the Apple Watch, it will also provide another avenue for development. As has been the case in the past, there may also be new product…

Samsung has introduced its new SUHD smart TV line-up for 2015 featuring new nano crystal technology to deliver enhanced picture quality, richer colours and deeper blacks. The electronics giant announced the pricing and availability for its collection of smart TVs that will range in size from 55-inches all the way up to 88-inch. Samsung’s S UHD (ultra high definition) TVs have improved significantly thanks to the new visual display technology that uses a layer of nano crystals between the pixels and the backlight. This allows light to be filtered for greater colour expression while at the same time blocking the…

Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report paints a frightening picture of our hyper connected world where it’s now a matter of when not if you’ll be attacked. The comprehensive report has revealed a shift in the tactics used by cyber criminals with more sophisticated methods that target our many internet contact points. One area where hackers have dramatically increased their activity is ransomware where victims are not being fooled but threatened. Ransomware attacks grew 113 per cent in 2014 and spread from PCs to mobile devices. Australia was actually the number one targeted country in Asia Pacific and seventh globally…

Listen to the latest consumer tech news, reviews and opinions with Episode 143 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech. On this week’s show, we go hands on with the Apple Watch during our fitting appointment, Australians rocked by the landmark Dallas Buyers Club online piracy case and DJI unveils the new Phantom 3 drone. In the Tech Guide reviews we check out the Elgato Thunderbolt 2 Dock to connect your laptop to your desktop with just one cable, the new Force Touch trackpad on the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display and all six Star…

Logitech has taken the humble computer mouse to the next level with the new MX Master – an advanced wireless mouse that can be used across multiple computers and operating systems. The device offers comfort and precision and is designed for users who demand a lot more from their computer navigation and control. MX Master is hand-sculpted and designed to hold your hand and wrist in a comfortable and natural position while you’re using it. It does have an ergonomic and luxurious feel at the same time. It’s especially useful for those who need a little more precision with their…

If you’re an Optus fixed home broadband customer and have been watching plenty of TV shows and movies on the Netflix subscription video on demand service you’re in for a nice surprise. From April 17 Optus will allow its fixed home broadband customers unmetered access to the Netflix service. Netflix can only be accessed through your home broadband connection and can have a significant impact on your monthly data allowance especially if you’re watching a lot of TV shows and movies. But that will no longer be a concern for Optus home broadband customers from this week as the data…

There are users who live their life through their laptops when they are home, in the office and on the go and the Elgato Thunderbolt 2 Dock allows them to connect to a monitor, speakers, external hard drive and much more with a single cable. The device acts like a central hub to provide an easy connection so you can get a complete performance out of your laptop as well as connect up to two monitors and other peripherals. Elgato’s Thunderbolt 2 Dock measures just 20cm long, 8.9cm wide and 2.9cm high and is not going to take up much…

It’s a special episode of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast just minutes after Tech Guide’s Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long had a chance to get their hands on the Apple Watch. In Episode 203, the blokes discuss the unusual move by Apple to allow customers to see and try a product two weeks before it is officially on sale. Also on the show, recorded at the George St McDonalds next door to the Sydney Apple Store, the Dallas Buyers Club piracy case against iiNet and what it means for Australian content viewers. Stephen and Trevor also talk about…

From today customers can get up close to the Apple Watch in Apple Stores and even book an appointment for a fitting – two weeks before it goes on sale on April 24. Apple Stores have been transformed across Australia to give customers a chance to see the company’s smartwatch along with all of the watchbands that go with it. Display tables will showcase every combination of the Apple Watch, available in two sizes – 38mm and 42mm, under a glass panel. Other stations in the store will have the Apple Watch on the tables for customers to interact with.…

Apple has released the iOS 8.3 software update for the iPhone and iPad which adds a number of enhancements and performance improvements. These include iCloud Photo Library, labelled albums in Photos an emoji picker and wireless access to CarPlay. iCloud Photo Library has now lost its beta tag and is the full working version that allows users to replicate their photo library on iCloud to access from any iOS device or a Mac. The Photos app has new labels for the albums including separate folder for panorama shots, videos, slo-mo videos, recently deleted and other albums for pictures captured with…

DJI has revealed its latest drone –  the Phantom 3 – with enhanced features that are designed to make the craft both easier to fly and to take even better photos and videos. There has been a slight design change to the drone and there will be two versions of the Phantom 3 available – Professional and Advanced. The Professional model will include a camera capable of shooting 4K video and capturing 12-megapixel images while the Advanced version can shoot full high definition 1080p video as well as 12-megapixel images. Users can capture some amazing aerial video and pictures and…