Author: Stephen Fenech

The Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro are pure Google smartphones. They are taking Google’s hardware and the latest Tensor processor and running Google’s latest Android 14 operating system. You couldn’t find a more thoroughly Google experience. In doing this, Google has taken a move from the Apple playbook where, since 2007, the company has been offering an end-to-end experience with their own hardware and software. Google has raised the bar even further with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro with intelligent improvements to the camera and a boost in performance. On the design side, the Pixel…

So dark the con of man. This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching The DaVinci Code starring Tom Hanks, directed by Ron Howard and based on the Dan Brown mega best-selling novel. The DaVinci Code tells the story of symbologist Robert Langdon who is brought into a murder investigation that threatens to expose a mystery that the Vatican has been trying to hide for centuries. Stephen read the book, saw Tom Hanks and Ron Howard promote the film at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show before watching the movie in the cinema. Non-religious Trevor is coming…

Listen or watch Episode 604 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they discuss the week’s biggest tech issues and product releases. On this week’s show – the changing social media landscape – and Trev gets booted off TikTok, the new products to suit our hybrid lifestyle, we have both reviewed the GOAT G1 robot lawn mower and share our thoughts, espresso released its new 4K 17-inch portable touchscreen and the Samsung rumours about the upcoming Galaxy S24. https://youtu.be/a4EmEKEeu64 You can listen to the show right here on Tech…

The Denon PerL Pro true wireless earphones are unique in a couple of ways – first they look a little different than regular earphones and second, they can create a personalised audio profile so it sounds better for you. Denon is a brand we’ve known in the audio space but it has now turned its attention to personal audio with the PerL Pro earphones. The most obvious thing you’ll notice is the slightly unusual design. The buds have a flat circular panel that are quite noticeable. It’s about the size of a 10 cent coin. But the section that goes…

In a world first, Australian students will have access to cutting-edge AI to act as their tutor and study guide as they enter the high school senior year exams including the HSC, VCE and QCE. Leading EdTech company Zookal has launched Exam Prep Zookal Genius which utilises the power of AI to provide learning support and become a study tool for Australian students at a fraction of the cost of a human tutor. “The tutoring industry in Australia is valued at $1B, and more than $200B globally, with parents paying up to $230 an hour in some instances for one-on-one…

Australians are working from anywhere – from home, on the go and in the office – so Logitech has released a product to make that even easier – the new Casa Pop-Up Desk. Today work is a thing you do, not a place you go – but you also need to maintain efficiency and productivity no matter where you are. The Logitech Casa Pop Up Desk has everything you need to put your laptop in the right position so you can work comfortably. Casa includes a laptop stand, a keyboard and trackpad and it comes in a single case which…

It’s time to tune in to Episode 571 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech so you can stay updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show: We’ve just returned from Palo Alto where we attended the HP Imagine Event where new PCs and services were unveiled and Australians have lost more the $3bn to scammers with younger people more likely to fall victim. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Ecovacs GOAT G1 robot mower, MG has unveiled its latest EV that offers performance…

Australian success story espresso Displays – the company that introduced portable touchscreen technology to make it easier to work from anywhere – has just unveiled its latest product – the espresso 17 Pro. The espresso 17 Pro is a stunning 4K portable touchscreen display that’s capable of displaying more than a billion colours and with 450 nits brightness. The espresso 17 Pro connects to your computer with a single USB-C cable and can expand your screen real estate from your laptop or desktop computer as well as offering a unique touchscreen experience so users can interact with their favourite applications like…

Leading consumer electronics company Belkin has today unveiled its Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock and Connect Thunderbolt 4 5-in-1 Core Hub which can provide dual 4K display support and power delivery for fast charging. These connectivity solutions were built with Intel’s Thunderbolt 4 controller under the hood to ensure high bandwidth for connecting devices and to ensure a quality and stable connection between accessories so it’s easy to charge and easy to transfer data and video through a single port. Thunderbolt 4 is a versatile connection that can connect devices, transfer data and supply power. A common use of these…

MG Motor Australia has unveiled its new MG4 EV XPOWER model which features dual motor all-wheel drive and that can zip from 0 to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds. The new MG4 XPOWER is priced at $59,990 plus on road costs. The XPOWER is the company’s highest performing all-wheel drive electric hatchback – in fact it will be its most powerful production car ever. The company’s approach with the MG4 XPOWER is all about delivering to Australian drivers impressive power and dynamics at an extremely competitive price. With 320kW of power and up to 600Nm torque, the MG4 XPOWER is up…

For many, mowing their lawn is a chore that’s right up there with vacuuming their carpets and mopping their floors. And it’s no coincidence then that ECOVACS ROBOTICS has extended its expertise from inside the house to the yard with the new GOAT G1 robot lawn mower. The robot can do for your lawn what the other ECOVACS products can do for your carpets and hard floors inside your house. Tech Guide has taken a hands-on look at the GOAT G1 from ECOVACS which was surprisingly easy to set up. The idea of the GOAT G1 is to go out…

Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a bomb on a bus. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do? This week on the The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching Speed starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Speed tells the story of a terrorist bomber who plants a bomb on a bus and holds the passengers hostage before Jack Traven decides to get involved and try and save the day. Stephen saw Speed in the cinema with his wife Jo and Trevor has not seen the whole thing start to finish and,…

Let us entertain you with Episode 603 of Two Blokes Talking Tech with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they go through the biggest tech stories and product launches. On this week’s show, Google releases the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds 2, Samsung releases the Galaxy S23 FE and the Galaxy SmartTag2, Arlo releases new Essential cameras and video doorbell, Apple releases fix for iPhone 15 Pro overheating bug and Facebook announces Meta AI. You can listen to the show right here on Tech Guide site using the audio player…

Tech Guide got a chance to go hands on with the new HP Spectre Foldable PC and HP Envy Move All-In-One desktop computer that can be easily moved from room to room. The products were unveiled at the HP imagine event at the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto in Silicon Valley. A big theme of the keynote delivered by HP executives was the new hybrid lifestyle we are now leading where work is a thing you do rather than a place you go. It also involves us working in various rooms of the house as well as on the move.…

When it comes to printing HP has already demonstrated its prowess in the home and the office, but it also has a unique printer for building sites and its 3D printing is also being used in the running shoe market. Printing is still essential in the home and in small to medium businesses and HP has already created solutions like Instant Ink delivery to ensure you’re never short of ink. This service has now also been extended to paper, so you always have what you need and are never caught out when you need to print. Sustainability is important and…

HP has launched stunning new solutions that will change the way we work with our computers at its first ever HP Imagine event held at the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto in the heart of Silicon Valley. HP unveiled the Envy Move 23.8-inch All-In-One PC – the world’s only movable all-in-one computer and announced the recently revealed HP Spectre Foldable PC is coming to Australia. The HP Imagine event is a showcase of the company’s latest innovations designed for the hybrid world. HP ENVY MOVE 23.8-INCH ALL-IN-ONE PC Desktop computers are nothing new, but HP applied its latest innovation to…

Samsung has announced the release of the Galaxy SmartTag 2 – a small device that allows users to track valuables and other important items through their Samsung smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is similar to Apple’s AirTag, but it only works with Samsung smartphones. The Galaxy SmartTag2 has a ring-shaped design so they can easily add to keyrings and attached to bags and luggage. It also has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance which means you can track your valuables while travelling anywhere. And for pet owners this means Galaxy SmartTag 2 is durable enough to handle…

Apple has issued a software update today to address a bug that may cause the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to run warmer than usual. Apple confirmed last week the issue was affecting some customers. The issue was caused by third-party apps, including Instagram and Uber, working in the background and overloading the system which causes the elevated operating temperature. To run the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update and you’ll see iOS 17.0.3. Users will have the choice to run the update immediately or run overnight. The notes of the update says: This…

Google has released the new Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds Pro with a range of updated features to round out the updated Google Pixel ecosystem. Also unveiled today were the latest Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. All the new Pixel products will be available to pre-order from today and go on sale on October 12. GOOGLE PIXEL WATCH 2 $549 (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) and $649 (LTE) The Google Pixel Watch 2 hasn’t changed much design-wise but there are plenty of changes on the inside including a new multi-path heart rate sensor for more accurate tracking of your…

Google has launched its new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones which have a more powerful processor, improved cameras, an updated design and fresh new colours. The new Google Pixel smartphones are available for pre-sale now ahead of an October 12 on-sale date. Google also launched the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. GOOGLE PIXEL 8 ($1,199) and GOOGLE PIXEL 8 PRO ($1,699) The Google Pixel 8 (6.2-inch display) and Pixel 8 Pro (6.7-inch display) are both powered Google’s own Tensor G3 chip for an improved performance that also brings Google AI in to play. The machine…