Author: Stephen Fenech

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is launching a first-of-its-kind platform called Take It Down to allow minors the ability to find and remove intimate images that were release without their knowledge or consent. Meta doesn’t allow the sharing or spread of child exploitation material which can cause unimaginable trauma for the victims. Now across Meta’s apps – Facebook and Instagram – there are ways for this exploitive content to be taken down. This platform be used by people under 18, parents and trusted adults acting on behalf a young person and adults concerned about images taken of them…

HMD Global, the Finnish company behind the Nokia brand, has unveiled the G22 smartphone that has been designed for customers to repair themselves quickly and easily if needed. It is Nokia’s first smartphone built with repairability at its core to increase the device’s value and longevity. Nokia has collaborated with iFixit.com, a global repair community, which will allow customers to access repair guides and affordable spare parts like displays, charging ports and batteries.  “As consumers increasingly demand more sustainable and longer-lasting devices, the ability to repair smartphones easily and affordably will become a key differentiator in the market,” says Brenden…

IQU Group will be launching a new affordable smartphone range in Australia and New Zealand after partnering with TM Cell, the company behind the Logic Mobility brand. Logic Mobility is already being sold in more than 30 regions around the world including the Americas and offers high quality, yet affordable, devices. The new Logic Mobility devices that will be launching in Australia are all priced well under $200 and demonstrate the company’s commitment to real affordability. The range includes the Logic Mobility B11L, a 4G VoLTE feature phone ($49), the L50E 4G dual camera smartphone with five-inch screen ($99) and…

Oppo’s new Find N2 Flip smartphone is coming to Australia with pre-orders for the new foldable device commencing on March 2 ahead of a March 16 launch date. It will be priced at $1,499 and available in Astral Black and Moonlight Purple. The new Oppo Find N2 Flip is seen as a direct opponent to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 which has a similar form factor. The Find N2 Flip has a 6.8-inch main display and a front 3.26-inch screen which is the largest front display on and flip phone. The vertical orientation of the front display along with its size makes…

TCL has unveiled its new 40 Series of smartphones which offer quality and affordability alongside its updated NXTPAPER tablets featuring even brighter screens while still protecting the user’s eye health. Revealed at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the new TCL products demonstrate the company’s evolving display technologies including TCL NXTURBO and TCL NXTPAPER 2.0. “Our customers are at the heart of all we do. We listen to feedback, and as a result have introduced major performance and display upgrades with TCL NXTURBO and TCL NXTPAPER 2.0,” said Aaron Zhang, Chief Executive Officer at TCL Communication. “These upgrades mean devices like TCL…

Boost Mobile founder Peter Adderton has blasted Optus after the embattled telco decided to use the Boost brand name in two of its new products – Internet Boost and Mobile Boost. Adderton is demanding Optus stop using the Boost name immediately. “Just when I didn’t think Optus could embarrass themselves any further, they once again surprise us all,” says Boost Mobile founder Adderton. “Earlier this week, Optus launched products under the BOOST brand which Boost Mobile considers must be a deliberate attempt to trade off our valuable BOOST brand and success. “Boost Mobile has not authorised Optus to use our…

I have a rendezvous with death – and so does the President! This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen podcast we’re watching In The Line of Fire starring Clint Eastwood, Rene Russo and John Malkovich and directed by Wolfgang Peterson. In the Line of Fire tells the story of aging secret service agency Frank Horrigan as the tracks an assassin who is planning a kill the President of the United States. Stephen watched this in the cinema and is one of the favourite movies in his collection while Trevor, as usual, is watching it for the first time.…

It’s the 12th Anniversary of the popular Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast so join us for Episode 573 of the popular show with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they look at the week’s biggest tech stories. It was February 22, 2011 when Stephen and Trevor recorded Episode 1 of Two Blokes Talking Tech and here we are 12 years later with Episode 573. This week: we’re talking about Mobile World Congress and what we can expect to see, Oppo’s new N2 Find Flip phone, Meta Verified to get buy your blue tick for Facebook and…

Uniden has unveiled a new dual mode smart baby monitor so parents can keep an eye and an ear on their little ones from anywhere. The Uniden BW6101R Smart Baby Monitor offers 2K super HD resolution for high quality live streaming so you can catch even more detail. The device has dual mode functionality which means you can view the live stream on the included 5-inch colour HD (720p) monitor or from your iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone or tablet remotely or at home. You can even get in closer with the camera with up to 4x local digital zoom…

Navman has announced a major pivot to focus on the rapidly growing dash cam market and will cease to design and manufacture personal navigation devices (PND) for Australia and New Zealand. The current 2023 Navman GPS range will be its last, but support will be still there for customer service and tech support along with map updates beyond the two-year warranty until the end 2026. The company has sold more than 3 million sat nav products across Australia and New Zealand. Last year’s sales were more than 30,000. There are a few reasons behind Navman’s decision including the growing use…

Amazon has added an exciting new feature to its Alexa smart speakers – the ability to make free calls from their Echo device to mobile and land line numbers in Australia. And soon customers will be able to assign an emergency contact who can be called and send a text message via the Alexa speaker if a user asks for help. “For years, Alexa has been keeping Aussie homes organised, entertained and connected,” said Kate Gooden, Head of Product, Amazon Alexa ANZ. “Alexa users around the world have used Alexa-to-phone calling to stay connected socially. “We’re proud to bring this to Australia, but I’m…

The South Sydney Juniors is introducing Australia’s most advanced head injury protocols with new technology that has the potential to change how rugby league handles player concussion and recovery. This is something that’s touched my family in a big way with my brother Mario now suffering the effects of 16 seasons of first grade. While he’s physically fit and healthy, Mario’s brain isn’t because of the numerous head knocks he copped in his long career. The effects of concussion – short term and long term – are still not fully understood in contact sports around the world but a revolutionary…

Lend us your ears for Episode 540 of the top-rating Tech Guide podcast hosted by editor Stephen Fenech as he keeps you updated and educated about the latest consumer tech news and reviews. On this week’s show: You can now pay for your blue tick on Facebook and Instagram with Meta Verified, Vodafone hits a six at the Sydney Cricket Ground with record 5G speeds and Circles Life announces Pay What You Want mobile plans for added flexibility. In the Tech Guide reviews, we take a look at the Peloton Tread which has just arrived in Australia, Oppo has released…

Rode has unveiled a revolutionary new studio condenser microphone – the NT1 5th Generation – which features the patent pending Dual Connect technology so you can connect via XLR or USB. The NT1 has sold more than six million units globally since its release more than 30 years ago, making it the world’s most popular studio microphone. The microphone has gone through several iterations, but this latest 5th generation model is the most significant yet. The NT1 5th Generation retains the iconic sound quality and world-class performance that made previous generations so popular but now with Dual Connect users have…

Facebook and Instagram users can now pay for their blue verified tick with the new Meta Verification subscription bundle that’s aimed at creators who want to build their communities and increase their security and reach on these popular social media platforms. Meta Verified will kick off in a testing phase this week for Australian individual users. It will not be available to purchase at this time for accounts representing businesses and websites. For example, I can get Meta Verified for my Stephen Fenech account on Instagram and Facebook but not for my Tech Guide accounts. Users can purchase Meta Verified for…

The Peloton Tread is quite an investment in your health and fitness. The price tag alone would be enough to get customers to make sure they use Peloton’s latest product every day to get their money’s worth. Priced at $4,445, the Peloton Tread isn’t going to be an impulse buy. Far from it. No, what would make a customer shell out this sort of money is the promise of quality equipment that’s made even better by the growing Peloton community of instructors and fellow subscribers around the globe. We’ve been using Peloton Tread for the past month now and have…

You can’t beat me on the grade!!! This week on The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen we’re watching Duel – one of director Steven Spielberg’s earliest films released in 1971 and starring Dennis Weaver. Duel tells the story of mild-mannered traveling salesman named David Mann who finds himself being terrorized on the Californian desert highway by a large and ominous tanker truck whose faceless driver is intent on killing him. Stephen caught this movie for the first time on late night TV as a teenager and has watched it on disc countless times since. And true to the name of…

Tune in to Episode 572 of the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast with Tech Guide editor Stephen Fenech and EFTM’s Trevor Long as they dissect the biggest tech stories of the week. On this week’s show: our verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, ABC forgets to renews its domain name, Monash Uni introduces M-Pass and the latest on the Netflix password sharing crackdown. 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…

Oppo has launched the Find N2 Flip – a foldable smartphone that’s set to rival Samsung’s popular Galaxy Z Flip4. It has a 6.8-inch main display and a front 3.26-inch screen. The Oppo Find N2 Flip is aimed at the customer who wants the benefits of a big display but doesn’t want the burden of carrying around a large device. It has a 6.8-inch OLED foldable screen with an improved hinge mechanism, so the device unfolds with a less visible crease. The hinge is made from aircraft-grade high-strength steel and polymer to keep it thin but still strong and sturdy.…

Circles Life has launched Australia’s first “Pay What You Want” mobile plans which allows customers to pay for that they need month to month. Plans start at $5 a month for 5GB data and go all the way up to $45 for 110GB data. But Circles Life is also offering a price point at every $1 increment between the lowest and highest plans as well for even more flexibility. “Our industry is known for using opaque tactics such as forcing customers onto more expensive plans to get the latest handset, or ‘data rollover’ which is data you’ve paid for that…