Author: Stephen Fenech

Australia will be first country in the world where leading consumer electronics brand Belkin will release its products made from 72 per cent recycled plastics and plastic-free packaging. Belkin made the decision in January during the Consumer Electronics Show to transition product materials to PCR (post-consumer recycled plastics) that would have otherwise ended up in landfill. Australian customers will be the first to have access to these sustainable products which will include the Connect USB-C to 4-Port USB-C Hub (AVC018), BoostCharge 30W Fast Car Charger Bundle and Standalone (CCA004) and BoostCharge Power Bank 10K (BPB011). And customers will be hard pressed to…

Australian company Rode has unveiled an impressive line-up of new products and software updates at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Rode is showcasing its new products at National Association of Broadcasters Show ahead of their release in the coming months. The new releases include the Streamer X, Rodecaster Duo and PodMic USB, Wireless GO II charging case. And on the software side there’s the Wireless GO II firmware update and Rodecaster Pro II firmware update. STREAMER X This is a compact yet powerful audio interface and video capture card in one. The easy-to-use console include studio grade audio inputs…

The ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is not one laptop – it’s several and includes the option of enjoying the full 17.3-inch OLED display and folding it in half to look more like a laptop with either a virtual or a physical keyboard. In fact, it’s the world’s first 17-inch foldable OLED laptop. Running Windows 11 Pro, the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED can be used as a laptop, a tablet, a desktop computer and an e-reader. It is powered by the 12th Gen Intel Core i7 chip and can offer users up almost 10 hours of battery life. The…

You’re saying the FBI is going to pay me to learn to surf? This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching Point Break starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. Point Break tells the story of an FBI agent who goes undercover in a bid trackdown a gang of bank robbers who they suspect to be surfers. Stephen watched Point Break with his future wife Jo in the cinema in 1991 and has gone on to see it several times. For Trevor it’s his first time in the water. We go through the memorable scenes and share…

Tune in to Episode 580 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they talk about the biggest tech stories and product announcements of the week. On this week’s show: managing your passwords and two factor authentication, AI and where the technology is heading and the Oppo smartphone that’s topped the DXOmark camera ratings. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the audio player below. Click on the Two Blokes Talking Tech link at the top of the page and you’ll be able…

DJI has unveiled the sleek Inspire 3 professional drone for aerial cinematographers which has an all-new design, improved aerodynamics and the ability to shoot 8K video. The Inspire all-in-one cinematic-grade aerial filming system has already been used on some of the world’s biggest films and the Inspire 3 takes things to another level. It’s been more than six years since the release of the Inspire 2 so this upgrade has been highly anticipated. “The Inspire 3 is the professional-level aerial platform all filmmakers have been waiting for,” said Ferdinand Wolf, Creative Director at DJI. “It empowers users to fully maximize…

Sometimes we just need a timeout of our stressful and busy lives to improve our concentration and manage our mental health. A new device called Morphee Zen can help us do just that. Morphee Zen Is the latest product in the Morphee range and is a pebble-shaped device that can slip easily into your pocket so you can access it whenever you need to take a mental wellness break. It can help users manage their anxiety as well as improve their focus anywhere and in as little as five minutes. Morphee Zen has no screen and is designed to be…

Fetch has rolled out a major update to its user interface which is designed to help viewers find new movies and TV shows to watch and pick up where they left off on other programs no matter where that content is located. Tech Guide was given early access to the Fetch 3.30 Acacia update which will start rolling out to customers with the Fetch Mighty and Fetch Mini 4K from this week. How can you tell if your Fetch TV box has been updated? You’ll know you’ve had the update when you see the home screen menu at the bottom…

When it comes to selling true wireless earbuds under $100 there’s no bigger brand than Skullcandy and it’s just teamed up with Burton, the world’s leading snowboard brand, to release a new limited-edition collection. The limited-edition collection will include favourites Crusher Evo true wireless headphones along with Push Active and Mod true wireless earbuds. Each of these models now will offer the same patterns, colours and asymmetrical designs of the Burton snowboard range that draw their inspiration from nature. “Jake Burton Carpenter spent more than four decades advancing snowboard design and fighting for lift access for snowboarders at resorts around…

MG Motor has opened pre-sales for another affordable EV for Australian drivers – it’s the MG4 hatchback and it will be priced at under $50,000. The MG4 Essence offers 150kW of power with a range of up to 435 kilometres on a single charge. This is the first MG model to use the new Modular Scalable Platform which will form the foundation of MG’s next generation all electric vehicles. MG4 also includes the new MG Pilot advanced driver assistance system which includes automatic emergency braking, speed assistance system, rear traffic alerts, lane keep assistance, adaptive cruise control and intelligent high…

Go to the top of the class by tuning in to Episode 546 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 product reviews. On this week’s show: DJI set to reveal latest professional drone this week, Amazon now offering tours of its robotic fulfilment centre and Roborock unveils its latest S8 flagship robot vacuums. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Kobo Elipsa 2E ereader which is also an ewriter, Oppo releases a new affordable yet stylish smartphone and Ecoflow…

Seagate has released new Star Wars collectable SSDs (Solid State Drives) with interchangeable face plate lightsaber designs for iconic characters Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. The new Star Wars collectible Seagate FireCuda PCle Gen 4 NVMe SSD can be installed on a gaming PC’s motherboard to offer speeds up to 7,300MB/s to harness the full power of your PC when playing next-generation games and powerful applications. Dedicated gaming PCs are usually designed with clear panels so you see the colourful components and cooling systems inside the computer. The new Star Wars SSDs, officially licensed by Lucasfilm, feature the…

Roborock has launched its latest S8 range of flagship robot vacuum cleaners which build on the success of the popular S7 series with more power and new intelligent features. Unveiled at Uluru, the Roborock S8 line-up is made up of three models – the S8, the S8+ and S8 Pro Ultra – and offer a hands-free cleaning experience. https://youtu.be/TPk-jtjjOJc “The S8 Series uses the most powerful cleaning system we have ever seen in the Australian market to date on a robot vacuum,” says Jade Tang – Head of Marketing- Roborock ANZ. “Paired with the ability to manoeuvre around objects and…

If there’s anybody out there… you are not alone. This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching I am Legend starring Will Smith. I Am Legend tells the story of Robert Neville – a colonel and scientist living alone in Manhattan after a virus wipes out mankind leaving a handful of immune people and turning the remaining survivors into aggressive mutants. Stephen watched the movie in a preview screening with his daughter Jaclyn who was 12 at the time. She still remembers how scared she was. Trevor is coming on cold and is experiencing the film…

Start your long weekend with Episode 579 of the Two Blokes Taking Tech podcast hosted by Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they discuss the week’s biggest tech stories and product releases. This week: even more EV choices heading our way, TikTok faces more bans in Australia, TVs are getting bigger according to Samsung, Rode releases Wireless ME microphones and much more. You can listen to the show right here on the Tech Guide site using the audio player below. Click on the Two Blokes Talking Tech link at the top of the page and you’ll…

Leading drone manufacturer DJI is poised to launch its latest professional drone – the Inspire 3 – more than six years after the previous model was announced. DJI released a global premier announcement which reads “Inspiration Arrives” with a silhouette of an Inspire drone. The launch will be live streamed at 11pm (AEST) on April 13. The Inspire drones have a detachable and upgradeable camera system and landing gear that rises on take-off to give the camera a clear 360-degree view. The previous model – the DJI Inspire 2 – was released in November 2016 so it’s been a long…

Amazon Australia is inviting Australians into its robotic fulfilment centre in western Sydney to take a behind the scenes tour and see how their online orders get to their doorstep. Launching just in time for the school holidays, the free in-person tours are available for people six years and older and will run four days a week at Sydney’s Kemps Creek fulfilment centre. This is the largest warehouse built in Australia and holds up to 20 million items. The tour is led by an expert guide so visitors can see more than 2000 robotic drives in action which help the…

Kobo has released the new Elipsa 2E which provides an upgraded reading and writing experience so you can have your books at your fingertips and handwrite your notes directly on the screen. The Kobo Elipsa 2E has a 10.3-inch E Ink touchscreen with ComfortLight Pro to reduce blue light and eye strain. Users can adjust the brightness and colour temperature and there’s even a natural light feature which makes the backlight imitate the light at that time of day so it doesn’t interrupt your natural rhythms. Of course, being a Kobo, it’s a premium reading device that offers a handy…

Arlo, the leading brand in high quality wireless security cameras, has announced price reductions across its range of products to offer better value for Australians looking to secure their homes. The premium Ultra 2 range has also been reduced with the 3-camera kit dropping from $1,299 to $1.099 – that’s a $200 saving. The price reductions to Arlo’s security camera range also includes: – Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera was $199 – now $159 – Arlo Ultra 2 Camera was $449, – now A$379 – Arlo Wire Free Video Doorbell was $299 – now A$229 Pricing has also been lowered on…

Bowers & Wilkins has brought back the popular Trade In, Trade Up offer which will allow Australia audiophiles to upgrade their speakers and upgrade their sound. Customers can receive a guaranteed minimum amount for their old stereo or home theatre speakers against a new set of speakers from the Bowers & Wilkins world-class range. The offer is available for a limited time through participating Bowers & Wilkins dealers nationally for working speakers with an offer of a guaranteed minimum amount that equates to 15 per cent of the normal retail price of the new model. Customers can trade in their…