Author: Stephen Fenech

If you like getting busy in the garden and the backyard, Stihl has a new range of battery-powered products to help you get the job done quickly and efficiently. Tech Guide looked at the Stihl GTA Garden Pruner Kit, the Stihl RMA 460 Battery Lawn Mower and the Stihl BGA 57 Battery Blower. And being all battery-powered there’s no need to have any kind of liquid fuel hand. https://youtu.be/_hK1Vrllb_s?si=Yzkplp_JIoFJpTge That’s one thing that’s stopped some of our yard work in its tracks when we didn’t refill our can of two-stroke. This is not an issue with the Stihl battery powered…

Open your mind! This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen we’re watching Total Recall released in 1990 and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Total Recall tells the story of construction worker Doug Quaid who is tormented by mysterious dreams about being on Mars before his world is turned upside down and the people in his life aren’t who he thinks they are. Stephen watched Total Recall in the cinema and has watched it many times since while Trevor is coming in fresh to this one. We go through the memorable scenes and share some interesting facts, behind the scenes tidbits,…

Take a listen to Episode 601 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 stories and product releases. On this week’s show, Stephen and Trevor share their verdicts on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple has released iOS 17 to give you that new iPhone feeling, what’s the future for drone deliveries, Amazon launches new Echo devices and will Elon Musk really charge people to use X? You can listen to the show right here on Tech Guide site using the audio…

Microsoft has heralded a new era of AI with the introduction of Copilot across all apps, content and devices that will become our virtual companion to help us become more creative, productive and efficient than ever before. Copilot will roll out to Windows 11 as part of a free update starting September 26 across Bing, Edge and Microsoft 365. Copilot will bring together context, intelligence and knowledge of the web, your own work data and the task at hand on your PC to spark ideas, enhance workflows and unleash creativity. Tech Guide saw plenty of examples of how Copilot can…

Microsoft has unveiled its two latest Surface laptops – the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the Surface Laptop Go 3 – which will provide power and performance to boost your creativity and productivity anywhere. The two new Surface products were revealed at the Microsoft event in New York City where CEO Satya Nadella outlined the company’s ambitions AI plans including the new Copilot that will become part of Windows 11 and the Microsoft 365 suits of applications. Naturally these new Microsoft products will allow customers to take advantage of the Copilot AI features across the entire Windows 11 system and…

Amazon today unveiled a range of new Echo products including the Echo Hub which is an Alexa enabled smart home control panel to make it even easier to manage all the smart devices in your home. Amazon also revealed the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the Fire TV Stick 4K. ECHO HUB – $329 The Echo Hub is a thin 8-inch touch screen with a customizable dashboard which makes it simple for users to manage their smart home devices and view multiple smart camera feeds at the same time. And with your media devices, Echo Hub makes it…

Dyson has turned its attention to lighting technology and applied the same engineering principles to make things work properly and better – and as a result they’ve released the Dyson Solarcycle Morph Desk Light. The Dyson Solarcycle Morph Desk Light is the latest product in its lighting portfolio and can imitate daylight from dawn till dusk as well as delivering light in four different ways – indirect, direct for a task, as a feature light or as an ambient light. And it can all be controlled via the MyDyson app. “With the Dyson Solarcycle Morph, our aim was to challenge…

If you’re not planning on upgrading to the new iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, you can still get that new iPhone feeling by upgrading to iOS 17 which is now available to download and install. And iPad users can also upgrader to iPadOS 17 as well to unlock a range of new features and capabilities. If you’re thinking of installing the new iOS 17 and the iPadOS 17 on your iPhone and iPad – be sure to back up your devices before installing – just in case. HOW TO INSTALL On your iPhone and iPad go to Settings >…

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have taken a significant step forward in terms of power, performance, features and design. Apple has intelligently upgraded the most popular parts of the iPhone including the camera, the display and added several convenient new features to make using the device faster, easier and more enjoyable to use. iPhone 15 an iPhone 15 Pro have the same screen sizes 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch and start at $1499 and $1849 respectively. They go on sale on September 22. DESIGN The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have had subtle re-designs. The iPhone 15 is made…

It’s time to press play on Episode 568 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech who keeps you updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show, we wrap up all the major announcements from the Apple launch event – including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the AirPods Pro (second generation) with USB-C charging case. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Blackmagic Camera app that unlocks the power of your iPhone…

Apple’s AirPods Pro (second generation) just got even better with the introduction of a range of new features that have been enabled by iOS 17. These new features include Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and Personalised Volume. Since the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro announcement about the inclusion of USB-C, Apple has also released an updated AirPods Pro (second generation) earphones with a MagSafe Charging Case with USB-C. Tech Guide has been using these new AirPods Pro (second generation) for a few days paired with an iPhone running the iOS 17 beta. We understand the official version of iOS 17…

Australian company Blackmagic Design has released the Blackmagic Camera app which can add powerful film camera tools and controls to the iPhone. The free Blackmagic Camera app is based on the same operating system as Blackmagic Design’s award-winning digital film cameras. The app can put some powerful tools into the hands of iPhone content creators. These same tools already being used in feature films, television and documentaries. And when linked with Blackmagic Cloud, creators can collaborate and share media with editors and colourists around the world in an instant. Blackmagic Camera can make the iPhone even more powerful by offering…

An important part of Apple’s latest iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro announcements is the change to USB-C charging which will be a first for many customers who’ve only ever used an iPhone. Belkin was on the frontline in developing the USB-C standard and has also been instrumental in educating customers on the format and how it can connect, power and enhance productivity on the move. Before Apple’s announcement, Belkin already had a line-up of USB-C products including cables, wall chargers and stands. Belkin also has a wide range of products that works with Apple’s MagSafe technology. It’s been 11…

Were you rushing or were you dragging? This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen we’re watching Whiplash starring Miles Tells and JK Simmons in his Academy Award-winning performance. Whiplash tells the story of an aspiring drummer who is asked to join the core orchestra led by an instructor who goes to extreme lengths to draw out the best in his students. Stephen missed this in the cinema in 2014 but has watched it several times since while Trevor is a brand new inductee. We go through the memorable scenes and share some interesting facts, behind the scenes tidbits,…

The new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models go on sale next week and one way to make the purchase cheaper is to trade in your old iPhone. Boost Mobile has just announced the latest iPhone trade-in values. Boost Mobile has timed the update perfectly and has made it easy for customers to see what their iPhone is worth. If you have a recent iPhone and are looking to trade in, there are some healthy trade-in values. Here are the top seven iPhones that will attract the highest trade-ins through Boost Mobile: – iPhone 14 Pro Max 256GB -…

One of the most interesting announcements at the Apple event this year, apart from the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, was the new Double Tap feature with the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Tech Guide put Double Tap to the test after yesterday’s Apple launch event. Double Tap works only with the latest Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 which have the new S9 SiP chip onboard. Double Tap allows users to do things like answer calls and end timers by simply raising your watch hand and tapping your thumb and index…

We went hands on with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro after yesterday’s Apple launch event at Apple Park to take a look at the new designs, materials and features. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are available in five colours – pink, blue, yellow, green and black. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is now finished with Titanium and has a matte brushed metal look. It’s a lot different to the shiny surgical stainless steel that was used with the iPhone 14. Colours are Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium and Black Titanium. Watch…

While the new iPhone 15 and new Apple Watches got most of the attention at the launch event, Apple also introduced the AirPods Pro (second generation) with the MagSafe Charging Case with USB-C. With updated case with USB-C, this means users can charge their AirPods Pro with the cable that will be included with the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max which now also include a USB-C connector. The new AirPods Pro earbuds also have an improved IP54 rating for durability which adds resistance to dust along with existing resistance to sweat and…

The landmark 600th episode of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long is coming to you live from the Apple iPhone launch event. Stephen and Trevor were at Apple Park for the launch of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro plus the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and share their thoughts on the new products and features. This 600th episode comes 12 and half years since Stephen and Trevor recorded the first episode of the show in February 2011. You can listen to the show…

Apple has introduced the new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 which have been updated with faster processors and new gesture controls that will change the way customers use their devices. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are powered by Apple’s new custom S9 SiP which is 30 per cent faster than Series 8 the original Apple Watch Ultra. And these are the first Apple devices that are completely carbon neutral well ahead of the company’s goal to be carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by…