Author: Stephen Fenech

The Apple Watch has been on the market for less than two months but Apple is already talking about watchOS 2 and revealed some of the new features at the Worldwide Developers Conference. Held in San Francisco, WWDC is a chance for developers to find out about the latest Apple operating systems for the iPhone, iPad and Mac computers. And now the Apple Watch is the latest device developers will be supporting. The original Apple Watch operating was a great starting point but the new watchOS 2 will unleash a new wave of features and capabilities. This new software will…

Apple’s new OS X El Capitan operating system, introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, will make the Mac faster and even easier to use thanks to a range of new features. The focus on the follow-up to OS X Yosemite is to provide an enhanced user experience with new abilities as well as improved performance. Users will see more fluid graphics along with faster opening of documents, PDFs, emails and images. OS X El Capitan continues the recent tradition of Apple naming its OS X versions after Californian landmarks including surf break Mavericks and Yosemite National Park.…

Apple’s has provided the first glimpse at the upcoming iOS 9 for iPhone and iPad at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco which offers all new enhancements and improved performance. iOS 9 will provide new ways to access your content, be more organised, work more efficiently, see what’s going on around you and even extend your battery life. The new iOS 9 update will be released round September and it will work on iPhone 4S and later, iPad Mini, iPad 2 and later and the iPod Touch fifth generation. Here’s a look at the new features of iOS 9…

Apple has introduced Apple Music at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco which is a streaming service, a live radio station and an all-new way to connect with your favourite artists. The service will be available from June 30 in more than 100 countries – including Australia – with music fans able to enjoy a free three-month trial before signing up. Pricing in the US will be $US9.99 a month and $US14.99 for a family account for up to six users. In Australia pricing will be announced closer to launch but we’re expecting Apple Music to cost $11.99 and…

A Tech Guide reader has discovered the hard way exactly how much it costs to repair a broken Apple Watch after accidentally breaking his screen while playing tennis. The Sydney man accidently clipped his 42mm Apple Watch Sport with his racquet while playing tennis. The screen shattered but the Apple Watch was still working perfectly well but it was just hard to read the display through the broken screen. Ironically the man was playing sport with his Apple Watch Sport when it was broken. But on top of the disappointment of having a broken Apple Watch, the man was alarmed…

Bose has released the next generation of its popular go-anywhere SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker with a number of enhancements to sit alongside the excellent audio quality. The SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II has the same compact shape and design as the original and is available in two colours – Carbon and Pearl. It is just 18cm wide, 5.1cm high and 5.9cm deep with a weight of 700g. But despite its small size it can still produce a great sound with surprisingly solid bass and impressive clarity. The new Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II now has a built-in speakerphone option…

Samsung has released a new range of lightweight and portable tablets that are designed for everyday users whether you’re a student, a mobile power user or a business owner. The Galaxy Tab A is available in two sizes – 8-inch and 9.7-inch – and also offers the option of including the S Pen to write directly on the screen. Running Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, the Galaxy Tab A is available in black or white and is just 7.5mm thick and weighs 314g (8-inch) and 450g (9.7-inch). It is powered by a 1.2Ghz quad-core processor with 16GB of internal storage…

Apple has announced it will begin selling Apple Watch through its retail stores as the company makes progress to clear its order backlog since the product launched six weeks ago. Customers who are looking buy the new Apple Watch and their choice of watch bands will be able to make that purchase from Apple Stores in two weeks. Until now, the only way customers could order the Apple Watch was through Apple’s online store and with a shipping time of about 4 weeks. On June 26, Apple Watch will go on sale in even more countries – Italy, Mexico, Singapore,…

The Two Blokes Talking Tech, Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, are back in Australia to bring you Episode 211 that’s packed with the latest tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, Microsoft has revealed the release date for Windows 10, the right time to recycle your devices and the tech personality types that aren’t and Samsung has added new colours to the S6 and S6 edge smartphone range. Also on the program, we take a look at two Apple Watch charging stands, how you can win a $5,000 65-inch LG 4K UHD smart TV by…

Apple has issued a voluntary recall of Beats Pill XL speakers and will offer a complete refund for customers after a fault was discovered that may pose a safety risk. Apple, which acquired Beats in 2014, says the battery in the Beats Pill XL may overheat and start a fire in rare cases. The Beats Pill XL was released in November 2013 and can be identified by the Beats “b” logo on the speaker’s grille and the words “beats pill XL” on the handle. The speakers come in five colours – black, white, pink, metallic sky and titanium. Any customers…

The list of apps that have the biggest impact on your smartphone’s battery life, storage and data allowance have been identified by online security company AVG. AVG’s report on the use of Android apps in the US, UK and Australian during the first quarter of 2015 has just been released. It details the trends in app usage and the titles that are the biggest drain on Android smartphones. The top 10 apps that have the biggest overall drain on Android devices in terms of battery, storage and data use have been divided into two categories – those that are run…

It was only a matter of time before we saw accessories appearing for the Apple Watch and Griffin was one of the first out of the gate with its WatchStand. Since the Apple Watch was released more than a month ago there are a lot of new people who have entered the smartwatch market and now own yet another product that needs to be charged. And of course being a watch the best time for it be charged is when you’re not using it – like when your asleep or at home. Griffin’s WatchStand is an ideal solution whether it’s…

Most of the new smart TVs released in 2015 will have 4K Ultra High Definition resolution and manufacturers will need to have something special under the hood to stand out. LG has managed to deliver that unique ingredient to its 65-inch UF950T television and it’s called ColourPrime. ColourPrime is a new technology that can increase the colour range of the TV by using different LED phosphor colours and create a more lifelike depth and quality. It is just one of the many features aboard this new LG smart TV that Tech Guide has reviewed. The company has certainly found its…

We’re celebrating the 150th episode of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast – which kicked off three years ago to keep listeners updated and educated about the latest tech news and reviews. This week’s show comes to you from Beijing where we attended Lenovo’s inaugural Tech World conference. Here we had a chance to see the company’s impressive concept products including a smartwatch, a smartphone and even a pair of smart shoes. Also unveiled were new multimedia laptops, a Windows 10 business class tablet and a streaming device called the Lenovo Cast. We also spoke with Matt Codrington, the general manager…

Microsoft has announced a launch date for its highly anticipated new Windows 10 operating system in 190 markets around the world – including Australia – to empower a whole new era of computing. Windows 10 will be available as a free upgrade for customers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 from July 29. And when the device is upgraded Microsoft will support it with software updates for the life of the device. The Windows 10 operating system has been built and shaped with the help of more than four million people around the world through the beta program. Windows 10…

You can win a new LG 65-inch 4K Ultra High Definition smart TV valued at $4,999 simply by downloading and using the VoiceByte social audio app and tuning in to Studio 10. VoiceByte – a free app for Android and iPhone users – allows users to record and share up to 15 seconds of audio and share it on Twitter and Facebook, privately to one or a group of people or locally with the exciting new VoiceTagging feature. But it is also great way to share content to TV and radio stations so you can literally have your say and…

Samsung has injected some colour into its latest flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge smartphone range to make it even more appealing to fashion and style conscious users. From today, customers can pre-order the S6 and S6 edge at the Sydney and Melbourne experience stores and operator partners including Vodafone. There are three new colours – Gold Platinum (S6 and S6 edge), Green Emerald (S6 edge only) and Blue Topaz (S6 only). They will available from June 18. Samsung’s latest smartphones – the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge – were already eye-catching devices but these new colours will…

GoPro – the company that’s making a roaring trade from its go anywhere action cameras – is about enter the drone business and aim to release the first model in 2016. GoPro chief executive Nick Woodman, speaking at the Code Conference, confirmed the move and described a drone as the “ultimate accessory”. The drone market has exploded in the last 12 months with many manufacturers, including global leader DJI, making it possible to attach a GoPro camera to their units to capture aerial footage. Interestingly, the latest DJI Phantom 3 drones don’t have the option of using a GoPro camera…

Episode 210 of the top-rating Two Blokes Talking Tech is a special unplugged edition recorded in Beijing where Tech Guide’s Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long attended Lenovo’s Tech World. In this week’s show, the blokes go through the major announcements from Tech World including a concept smartphone and smartwatch, the latest laptops and tablet, streaming device and Moto Maker – the customisable phone service – is coming to Australia. Also on the show the announcements from CES Asia in Shanghai that include new technologies and concepts from Ford. And it looks like just when Stephen had finished replacing his…

It’s World Environment Day next week and technology hoarders are being called on to recycle their old mobile phones and accessories to prevent them ending up in a landfill and harming the environment. Mobile Muster says World Environment Day on June 5 is the perfect opportunity for people hanging on to old devices to finally be rid of them. Mobile Muster – the not-for-profit organisation mobile phone recycling program – says independent research indicates there are still more than 22.5 million old mobiles rattling around in drawers across Australia. “We know from talking to people that there are a number…