Author: Stephen Fenech

We’re so attached to our smartphones and tablets we like to take them wherever we go no matter what we’re doing. And to keep them safe you need a case that can handle all types of conditions and the day-to-day bumps and scrapes. We’ve taken a look at some cases from Griffin, Lifeproof and UAG and the one thing they have in common is that they can take the knocks. And with some of them they are even waterproof so they can take a dip as well. A lot of users need their devices with them while they’re working like…

Take a look at this first glimpse of the new Steve Jobs movie – written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Michael Fassbender as the visionary Apple co-founder and CEO. Based on Walter Isaacson’s official biography and directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, Steve Jobs is reportedly set against the backdrop of three major Apple product announcements. The Universal film also stars Seth Rogan as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman – one of the original member of the Macintosh team and Jeff Daniels as the former Apple CEO John Sculley who was poached from Pepsi. https://youtu.be/IeOxo7o9T8Q…

If there’s one thing about audiophiles it’s that they are seeking audio perfection and are more than willing to pay for it. And for this reason the high end speaker market is alive and well. KEF is one of the leading loudspeaker companies that has been at the forefront of audio design and innovation. Founded in 1961 by Raymond Cooke OBE, the company was headquartered on the site of the Kent Engineering and Foundry – this is where the KEF name comes from. In those early days, Cooke was experimenting with new materials and techniques to improve the acoustic quality…

The drone has been re-imagined with the introduction of Lily – the new flying camera that pilots itself and follows you so you can be the star of your own video. There is no remote control with Lily but rather a sensor that you wear on your wrist or keep in your pocket while you’re skiing, skateboarding, walking or running. To launch Lily, users simply have to throw it in the air. Lily is quite compact at just 26.1cm wide and also quite light at 1.3kg so it’s small enough to fit inside a backpack. https://youtu.be/4vGcH0Bk3hg And onboard is a…

We’ve seen portable batteries to charge on the go and we’ve also seen flash storage for smartphones but the new Imation Link Power Drive is actually both. The Imation Link Power Drive is a 2-in-1 product for the iPhone and iPod Touch to give your battery even longer life and also puts your favourite content at your fingertips. The device is about 7.3cm wide, 6.4cm wide and 2.2cm thick and weighs 110g so it’s small and light enough to carry around and have it handy whenever you need it. On top of the product is a small button with four…

There are lots of ways hackers and cyber criminals have tried to defraud people with “phishing” emails that look like they’ve been sent from real companies and institutions. The latest scam is disguised as an Australia Federal Police traffic infringement. These bogus fine notices surfaced in late April and ask for payment for an on-road violation. Tech Guide actually received one of these emails which included the AFP name and logo which – at first glance – made the message appear legitimate. But it didn’t take long to realise the email was a scam – grammatical errors, and sentences written…

Panasonic has unveiled its 2015 line-up of smart TVs boasting a new number of new features and with a focus on quality and design across the entire range. The company’s approach to the smart TV is quality without compromise. Panasonic, through its cameras and production equipment, has been part of the production process from the start and want to deliver the director’s vision all the way to the viewer in the best possible way. This year’s range of TVs is aiming to deliver on that promise in a market where a third of Australians own a smart TV and watch…

Two Blokes Talking Tech Episode 208, with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long, presents the latest tech news and reviews in a fun and informative way. On this week’s show: the Federal Budget and its effect on the tech world, just how good is a company’s customer service and Telstra introduce shared mobile data plans. Also on the program, Samsung’s new T1 SSD portable drive, Stan now available to view on Apple TV and we take a look at the Samsung 2015 Series 9 SUHD TV and the new Seagate portable drives in the minute reviews. You…

Stan, the subscription video on demand service and joint venture between Channel Nine and Fairfax Media, is now available to view directly through Apple TV. Stan was originally offered as an app on mobile devices and available on your computer’s web browser while still allowing viewers to stream the content to your TV. But now, with the addition of the app on Apple TV, it is even easier to access your favourite programs and movies on Stan on your television. “Apple TV is a critical platform for leading streaming services and has always been a high priority in our development…

The Federal Budget has been handed down and there are a few changes that will be felt in the tech world including a tax on digital products and crackdown on companies who have avoided paying tax in Australia. There will now be a GST on foreign companies selling digital products and services in Australia like movies and music. Start-ups will also be given a helping hand by allowing them to deduct set-up costs immediately. Fringe Benefits Tax has also been abolished for on all portable devices used for work including smartphones, tablets and laptops. Small businesses will be allowed to…

Friends, lend me your ears for Episode 147 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast, hosted by editor Stephen Fenech, so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer technology news and reviews. On this week’s show: Telstra offers Go Mobile shared mobile plans, iPhone reducing the gap between iOS and Android and the restaurant that helps you take better photos of your food. In the Tech Guide reviews, the new Samsung 2015 SUHD Series 9 curved smart TV, the Garmin Vivoactive GPS smartwatch and the Samsung T1 portable SSD drive that’s smaller than a credit card. In the…

Seagate has been a market leader when it comes to storage and it has just released two new solutions to make managing and accessing your content even easier. Seagate Seven and Seagate Wireless offer style and convenience and puts 500GB of storage capacity at your fingertips. It’s been 35 years since Seagate got into the hard drive business and the industry has undergone incredible change. Today the amount of date we’re using at home is at an all-time high with retail shipping as much storage as enterprise. SEAGATE SEVEN (500GB) – $189 There aren’t many external hard drives that win…

When you’re the leading TV manufacturer in the market, one of the biggest challenges is creating a product that’s better than last year’s model but Samsung has managed to do just that. After years of incremental changes that have more to do with the look and shape of the TV rather what was going on under the hood, Samsung has delivered a significant improvement in both picture quality and design. Samsung’s new SUHD TVs have raised the bar for LED TV picture quality. We know UHD stands for Ultra High Definition – also known as 4K – which means the…

Apple’s iPhone market share is closing the gap on Android following the release of the latest smartphone sales data for the first quarter of 2015 from Kantar Worldpanel Comtech. In Australia, iOS growth was 5.3 per cent year-on-year to 38.4 per cent of the market to the end of March 2015 while Android’s share has slipped to 52.3 per cent. iOS is only available on Apple’s iPhone while Android powers devices from other major manufacturers including Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC, Alcatel OneTouch, Motorola and Huawei. It was a similar iOS growth story in other markets around the world including the…

Data is a valuable resource and it’s even more valuable if you can easily carry it around with you.  Samsung has made that possible with the T1 – the small and stylish portable SSD (solid state drive) external drive. The T1 is smaller than a credit card and weighs just 30g so you can easily carry around in your pocket and take it anywhere. It is 7.1cm long and 5.3cm wide It also has a sleek design with a black chrome metal coating and laser patterning. And being an SSD drive with a USB 3.0 connection – it’s fast. You…

Are you one of those people who take pictures of their meal to shares it on social media? It’s a popular practice that is flooding Instagram, Facebook Twitter. You’ll be pleased to know this growing trend has sparked a restaurant to create an experience for foodies to capture even better pictures of the culinary creations. Catit – an exclusive restaurant in Tel Aviv where meals resemble works of art – has joined the Foodography project to offer patrons professional help to make their images even better. This includes specially designed plates and workshops with professional food photographers. One plate – the…

If you want to hear the latest tech news in a fun and informative way, it’s time to tune on to Episode 207 of Two Blokes Talking Tech with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long. On this week’s show: Apple has reveals the rules for third party manufacturers to create Apple Watch bands, LG unveils its latest monitors and mini projectors and Domino’s let you track your pizza from the oven to your doorstep. Also on the program, Vodafone doubles the data on its mobiles plans, the new Kindle Voyage e-reader and Stephen celebrates Star Wars Day.…

LG has unveiled is new line up of monitors and mini projectors designed to display the content from your PC and mobile devices on a much larger scale. With an impressive line-up of TVs, LG knows a thing or two about making a display and it has brought those smarts to the new monitor and mini projector range. There are three ranges of LG’s new monitors that offer gamers, designers, editors a high quality display and extra screen real estate. The LG MiniBeam projectors are small in size but they can still beam a huge picture in high definition. They…

Get ready for an onslaught of third party watch bands for the Apple Watch following Apple’s release of a series of strict guidelines for manufacturers. Apple Watch was launched nearly two weeks ago and the only choices for watch bands were Apple’s own line-up which consists of six style choices. With the release of these guidelines on the developer site, third party manufacturers will see this as an opportunity to cash in on the next accessory trend. Apple products, especially the iPhone and iPad, have already created an entire industry around cases, covers and other accessories. Apple specifies the bands…

There has never been more attention on the smartwatch category as there is right now. The types of smartwatches are increasing too with different specialties offered in different models. If exercise and activity are the main reasons behind your purchasing decision then the Garmin Vivoactive definitely fits the bill. Garmin is a company with a long history of rolling out successful fitness, outdoors and GPS products. The company brings that heritage and experience to the Vivoactive to suit the user who loves the outdoors and has an active lifestyle. Garmin Vivoactive is available in black or white and has a…