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Articles by Thomas Hellier
EFM Unveils Military Grade Cases For 2018 iPhones
Smartphone accessories maker EFM has released five cases for the new iPhone Xs, Xs Max and XR models. The EFM Aspen Clear Case Armour and Aspen Card Case Armour (RRP $49.95) offer a 17 per cent thinner with 10 per cent better safety performance compared with the previous year’s model, EFM said. They also feature a 3-layer impact dispersion structure where the materials are fused together. The Card Case Armour comes with slots for storing cards.
Telstra Successfully Trials 2Gbps Speeds On Mobile Network
Telstra has completed a trial 2Gbps-capable LTE data call using its live commercial network. Today’s demonstration, in partnership with equipment suppliers Qualcomm and Ericsson, follows an earlier trial at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February this year. Telstra held the trial in Toowoomba, Queensland, using a Qualcomm X24 LTE modem to aggregate five LTE carriers across three frequency bands. Each carrier across those bands was using 4×4 MIMO and 256 QAM technologies.
Alibaba Announces Successor to Jack Ma
Zhang will replace Ma in exactly 12 months time at the helm of Asia’s most valuable company. Ma will remain on the board until Alibaba’s annual meeting of shareholders in 2020, the Hangzhou-based company said in a statement Monday. His retirement as executive chairman will coincide with his 55th birthday. Ma, who co-founded Alibaba in 1999, stepped down as CEO five years ago in 2013, but still plays a major PR role as the company’s public face at trade shows and political events around the world.
Business Confidence Hit By Political Uncertainty
Latest numbers from Roy Morgan reveal local business confidence dived 3% to 110.2 in August, driven by a state of political instability. It marks the forth straight monthly decline, notching its lowest point since August 2016 (108.6). Despite the drop, Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, asserts the negative impact of political change may “already be behind us”, with consumer confidence lifting since the leadership change.
Senior Security Execs Add To List Of Departing Telstra Leaders
Two Telstra security executives have left in line with the Telstra2022 overhaul. Director of security solutions Neil Campbell and head of cybersecurity services Jacqui McNamara have left the building, and Cybersecurity products leader Thomas King has stepped in to serve as cybersecurity director for Telstra Enterprise for the time being. Campbell joined Telstra as director of global security solutions from Dimension Data in 2016.
Apple Set To Unleash 'Max' On The World On Tuesday
Apple is likely to announce the iPhone XS and its Plus version next week in September, its traditional product announcement month, according to a swathe of online rumours. The company has remained coy about the release date, specs, pricing and just about everything else.
Ultimate Ears Debuts Revamped Megaboom & Boom 3
Logitech-owned Ultimate Ears (UE) has revamped its best selling ‘BOOM’ Bluetooth speakers after nearly three years. Featuring a sleek exterior and one-touch ‘Magic Button’, the new UE Boom 3 (A$199.95) and Megaboom 3 ($299.95) will release locally in September. Like its predecessors, the next-generation Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 claim to be durable waterproof speakers, now with a sleek two-toned mesh exterior and IP67 rating.
IFA 2018: LG Brings 8K Battle To Samsung
8K televisions will be the new flashpoint between electronics manufacturers, with LG and Samsung using IFA to display their newest giant screens. As previously reported, Samsung intends to bring an 85 inch 8K QLED screen to the masses in October 2018. Not to be outdone, LG has brought out their own 8K screen, though they have been light on details so far. LG is drip feeding information about the screen, but we should know more as IFA progresses.
IFA 2018: Samsung Brings 8K QLED To Consumers
Samsung has used IFA to tell the world they are bringing 8k to consumers in Europe and North America from October 2018 with their Q900 QLED TV. Australian prices and availability to be announced. There will be two ranges of the Q900, the European series will come in 65, 75, 82 and 85 inch editions, and Americans will have the Q900FN which will only come in 85 inches. No matter which version you get, the basic architecture will remain the same.
IFA 2018: Polaroid Combines The Old With The New With OneStep+
Polaroid is attempting to fuse the old-world charm of analog instant cameras and digital technology with its new smartphone-controlled OneStep+. Launched at IFA in Berlin, the camera captures images using analog technology that actually spits out instant prints using digital imaging systems.
Boost Mobile Boss Scathing of Vodafone-TPG Merger
Boost Mobile Founder and Australian CEO Peter Adderton believes the ACCC should reject the merger of TPG and Vodafone unless the new entity can offer safeguards protecting virtual network operators, arguing that brands such as his are crucial for a healthy and competitive telecoms market. “The ACCC needs to put protection in place for independent carriers such as Boost and other MVNOs,” he says.
Apple Acquires Augmented Reality Lense Developer
Apple has announced the acquisiton of Akonia Holographics, a Colorado-based start-up that makes lenses for augmented reality glasses that superimpose digital information over real-world images. Akonia was founded in 2012 and had originally focused on holographic data storage before moving into display creation for augmented reality glasses.
IFA 2018: Sonos Amp Connects The Old With The New
Sonos has made three announcements at IFA 2018 concerning application interfaces, a amplifier, and a new partnership. The first announcement features a new set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that Sonos claims will improve integration with other platforms and services in a smart-home ecosystem. On the hardware side of things, the new Sonos Amp can work with four speakers, rather than just two like its earlier iteration, with an output of 125 watts per channel at 8 ohms.
Facebook Launches ‘Watch’ To Combat Netflix & YouTube
Facebook has further expanded into the streaming video on demand (SVOD) market, launching its new ‘Watch’ service worldwide, in a bid to combat Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. From today, Aussies can access a slew of content via the Facebook Watch tab, including recommended videos from pages they follow.
BREAKING NEWS: TPG & Vodafone Confirm $15 Billion Merger
Following previous speculation, TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchinson Australia have confirmed their proposed merger – creating a $15 billion telco giant, and intensifying competition against Telstra and Optus. The news has sent TPG shares soaring to a record high in early trade, up 10.2% to $8.69. Currently ranked Australia’s third and fourth largest telco companies, the “proposed merger of equals” will give Vodafone Hutchinson Australia a [majority] 50.1% stake, with TPG holding 49.9%.
IFA 2018: Samsung Brings 8K QLED To Consumers
Samsung has used IFA to tell the world they are bringing 8k to consumers in Europe and North America from October 2018 with their Q900 QLED TV. Australian prices and availability to be announced. There will be two ranges of the Q900, the European series will come in 65, 75, 82 and 85 inch editions, and Americans will have the Q900FN which will only come in 85 inches. No matter which version you get, the basic architecture will remain the same.
IFA 2018: LG Brings 8K Battle to Samsung
8K televisions will be the new flashpoint between electronics manufacturers, with LG and Samsung using IFA to display their newest giant screens. As previously reported, Samsung intends to bring an 85 inch 8K QLED screen to the masses in October 2018. Not to be outdone, LG has brought out their own 8K screen, though they have been light on details so far. LG is drip feeding information about the screen, but we should know more as IFA progresses.
IFA 2018: Samsung Brings 8K To Consumers
Samsung has used IFA to tell the world they are bringing 8k to consumers in Europe and North America from October 2018 with their Q900 QLED TV. Australian prices and availability to be announced. There will be two ranges of the Q900, the European series will come in 65, 75, 82 and 85 inch editions, and Americans will have the Q900FN which will only come in 85 inches. No matter which version you get, the basic architecture will remain the same.
IFA 2018: LG Brings 8K Battle to Samsung
8K televisions will be the new flashpoint between electronics manufacturers, with LG and Samsung using IFA to display their newest giant screens. As previously reported, Samsung intends to bring an 85 inch 8K QLED screen to the masses in October 2018. Not to be outdone, LG has brought out their own 8K screen, though they have been light on details so far. LG is drip feeding information about the screen, but we should know more as IFA progresses.
IFA 2018: LG Launches Two New Handset Models
LG has announced the release of two new handsets prior to IFA 2018 kicking off in Berlin which the company hopes will allow it to compete effectively in the Android space The LG G7 One has an Android One operating system powered by a Snapdragon 835 SoC. It comes with 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a notched 6.1-inch QuadHD+ display, a 16MP shooter, an 8MP webcam and a 3,000mAh long-life battery.
Tesla Moves Into Smartphone Charger Market
Tesla is making another foray into the smartphones market with the launch of a new charger. In a move that has surprised many, the ‘lifestyle product’, adds to the batteries for phones in the car maker’s stable of products. The US$65 Qi-certified wireless charger is a 6000mAh (22.2Wh) battery-powered inductive charging pad featuring what Tesla describes as “the same design language used in our energy products, like Powerwall”.
Kogan Tops Complaints Register, ‘Android Enjoyed’ Shuts Shop
Infamous tech e-tailer, Android Enjoyed, has officially shut down, after topping the NSW Fair Trading complaints register for four consecutive months. In its absence, Kogan has taken first place, notching 42 complaints in July. Korean tech giant, Samsung, came in second – with 33 complaints during the month – followed by Harvey Norman with 31. The majority of complaints concerned defective electronics, whitegoods or gas appliances.
Westpac Bumps Mortgage Rates Out Of The Blue
Westpac has announced an increase to its variable home loan mortgage rates in a response to what it said were “rising funding costs that are threatening our profit margins”. In a move which usually only conincides with Reserve Bank interest rate announcements, Westpac’s variable mortgage rates will rise by 14 basis points (0.14 percentage points) from September 19. It now remains to be seen if Westpac’s major competitors – the Commonwealth Bank, ANZ or the National Bank – will follow suit.
Yamaha Debuts New Aventage Cinema Amplifiers
Yamaha has expanded its pro home cinema range with the new CX-A5200 AV pre-amplifier and MX-A5200 power amplifier – offering a 11.2 channel “flagship pairing”. The news follows the Australian launch of its Aventage Series 9. The new amplifiers succeed the previous CX-A5100 and MX-A5000, adding several new features including ‘Surround:AI’ (CX-A5200).
Huawei Takes Big Bite Out Of Apple’s Market Share
Huawei has officially overtaken Apple as the world’s second-largest handset vendor (by unit sales) for the first time, according to a report from analyst Gartner. The Chinese company surpassed Apple in Q2 of 2018, selling 498,465 units compared with Apple’s 447,151 units, and at the same time recording a huge 38.6 per cent jump in quarter-on-quarter sales. Overall global sales of smartphones to end users grew by 2 per cent in the second quarter.
IFA 2018: World’s First Thunderbolt 3 Curved Monitor From Samsung
Samsung is leading the charge for Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to monitors with a 34-inch QLED curved UHD monitor. The CJ79 will be launched at IFA and is aimed at both creative and business audiences by delivering ample screen real estate supported by a high data rate and large power delivery capacity. The two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the monitor each transmit display, data and power at 40 Gigabits per second while charging devices up to 85 watts.
IFA 2018: World's First Thunderbolt 3 Curved Monitor From Samsung
Samsung is leading the charge for Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to monitors with a 34-inch QLED curved UHD monitor. The CJ79 will be launched at IFA and is aimed at both creative and business audiences by delivering ample screen real estate supported by a high data rate and large power delivery capacity. The two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the monitor each transmit display, data and power at 40 Gigabits per second while charging devices up to 85 watts.
Google Set To Launch New Smartphone In October
Google is planning to release its Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones on October 9, according to Bloomberg News. The Pixel and Pixel 2 were launched on October 4 in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The rumour has been progressively gathering momentum after weeks of leaks, some of which have revealed purported pictures of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL with their accompanying specs.
YouTube Unveils New Wellbeing Tool
YouTube has launched a new tool to help users manage their time when watching the site. Parent Google says the tool is designed to show users how many hours they’ve spent on the site that day over the past week. Google launched a suite of wellbeing tools in May, designed to help curb the growing problem of online addiction, especially among teenagers. The ‘Time Watched’ feature is located in the account menu on the YouTube app and is available from today for all YouTube users.
Alcatel Expands Telstra Partnership With Handset Launches
Alcatel is bolstering its entry into the low-end Australian handset market with the launch of three new models through its partnership with Telstra. Joining the existing Alcatel 1C ($89RR) is the Alcatel 1X, the Telstra Superior Powered by Alcatel, and the Telstra Essentials Plus Powered by Alcatel, all priced under $200.
Scammers Impersonate JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi has taken to Facebook and Twitter to denounce scammers who are pretending to offer jobs as product testers for the retailer via SMS. The message is designed to look like a friendly offer and then directs the reader to click on a malicious link. To trick the recipient, the message includes the name and city of the targeted person. JB Hi-Fi alerted people over social media, exposing the scam and clarifying that they would never ask for personal information via SMS.
Oz Consumer Confidence Up Despite Political Chaos
Latest numbers from ANZ-Roy Morgan reveals local consumer confidence soared last week, despite a change in Prime Minister and cabinet reshuffle – jumping 2.1%, versus a 3.5% slump the week before.
Small Businesses Hurt By Unfair Contracts, ACCC Report Finds
“At the beginning of the year, we named our priority focus areas to ensure small businesses have a level playing field to compete. We are honing in on unfair terms in business-to-business contracts and making sure industry codes are working in the way they are intended to offer small businesses protection where it is needed,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said. “We have a range of regulatory powers available to us, and will continue to leverage these to get the best outcomes for small business.
Toyota Pumps Uber With $500M In Battle For Self-Driving Cars
Toyota and Uber have jointly announced that they will collaborate on commercialising autonomous ride sharing in an attempt to bring the technology to a global market. This partnership will see Toyota produce purpose built autonomous vehicles for Uber. Separate to this deal, according to Toyota’s statement, the car maker will also invest $500 million in Uber. The sector is heating up as tech giants like Apple are eyeing the autonomous vehicle space aggressively.
Affordable New iPhone Tipped To Be Delayed
Renowned Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, claims it’s likely Apple’s ‘affordable’ new iPhone will be delayed, following production issues. The Californian giant is tipped to launch three new iPhones this year – a base, mid-tier and premium variant. Kuo asserts the cheaper 6.1-inch model may only launch in October, with the other two versions releasing September. Disclosed by Kuo, leaked specifications reveal the base 6.1-inch model will incorporate an LCD screen, rather than a premium OLED.
D-Link Brings Voice Command To Security Cameras
D-Link has brought two new HD Wi-Fi enabled cameras to market supported by the mydlink app, extending the cameras’ abilities to include voice commands over Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The two camera models can be bought online at D-Link’s website or in-store now, with the DCS-8300LH retailing for $229 and the DCS-8525LH selling for $249 The DCS-8300LH Full HD Wi-Fi Camera and the DCS-8525LH Full Range join the DCS-8000LH and DCS-8100LH to round out D-Link’s Smart Camera LH Series.
D-Link Brings Voice Command To Security Cameras
D-Link has brought two new HD Wi-Fi enabled cameras to market supported by the mydlink app, extending the cameras’ abilities to include voice commands over Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Samsung Stoked by Demand For Galaxy Note9
Samsung Electronics Australia is claiming record pre-sales and strong first weekend sales at retail outlets for its top-of-the-range Galaxy Note9 smartphone. The company said pre-sales have exceeded all previous records for the country over the period from August 10 to 24. The Galaxy Note9 is now on sale in Australia for $1799 RRP after a pre-sales period that ran from August 10 to August 24.
Federal Opposition Wants Briefing On Huawei 5G Decision
The Federal Opposition has requested a briefing from the Government concerning last week’s decision to effectively ban Huawei and ZTE from participating in the construction of Australia’s 5G network. No formal explanation was given for the decision at the time, but the general consensus among industry analysts is that it centred around concerns regarding the comploexity of security issues in 5G networks.
ALDI Still Most Trusted Brand In Oz
Latest data from Roy Morgan has ranked ALDI the most trusted brand in Australia for the second consecutive period. The German supermarket chain is trailed by Bunnings, Qantas and the ABC in 4th place. According to Roy Morgan’s Net Trust Score Survey, Qantas has jumped from 4th place in April, to 3rd in July. The ABC has also climbed three spaces from 7th to 4th. Roy Morgan claims ALDI, Bunnings and Qantas have remained among Australia’s top five most trusted brands since October 2017.
Scammers Impersonate JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi has taken to Facebook and Twitter to denounce scammers who are pretending to offer jobs as product testers for the retailer via SMS. The message is designed to look like a friendly offer and then directs the reader to click on a malicious link. To trick the recipient, the message includes the name and city of the targeted person. JB Hi-Fi alerted people over social media, exposing the scam and clarifying that they would never ask for personal information via SMS.
Garmin Brings Disney Princesses to Fitness Tracker
Garmin and Disney have joined together to bring Disney Princesses to their popular children’s fitness tracker. The device is retailing for $129 and can be found online now. The device, named vívofit jr. 2, is designed to be more than a basic fitness tracker with child friendly characters on it.
Bang & Olufsen Adds Google Assistant To Its Beosound Speakers
02 9002 5900 [email protected] Level 1, 275 Alfred Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Australia
Telstra’s Location Services Helps Find Lost Keys, Or Pets
Telstra is moving to grab its share of the potentially gigantic Internet of Things (IoT) market with the launch of new location products for its consumer, small business, and enterprise customers. Telstra’s Location of Things technology will help customers keep track of everything from keys, bikes, and family pets to business assets such as hardware and vehicles.
Garmin Brings Disney Princesses to Fitness Tracker
Garmin and Disney have joined together to bring Disney Princesses to their popular children’s fitness tracker. The device is retailing for $129 and can be found online now. The device, named vívofit jr. 2, is designed to be more than a basic fitness tracker with child friendly characters on it.
Nokia Releases New Low-End Android Handset
Nokia is realeasing a new low-cost handset in line with its announcement earlier this year to transition all its devices to the Android One and Android Go platforms. The Nokia 2.1, which builds on the Nokia 1 as an HMD Android Go handset, comes with an improved Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor and Android Oreo (Go Edition) operating system which is “guaranteed to make switching apps faster and smoother”, the company said.
Social Media Giants Discuss Election Meddling
Google, Facebook and Twitter executives met on Friday August 25 to discuss strategies to stop meddling in the 2018 United States mid-term elections. The meeting came after the detection of Iranian and Russian misinformation campaigns which sought to influence the outcome of the American mid-terms. Facebook brought twelve firms to Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco for the meeting. Alongside those mentioned earlier, it was reported that Microsoft and Snapchat would also attend.
Segmented Advertising Offers New Hope For Free-To-Air Networks
Over 9 million Australians are already using the smart technology devices required for selectively segmented television advertising, a Roy Morgan survey has found. These types of services require smart TVs and streaming devices, yet Australia’s free-to-air broadcasters are only beginning to upgrade their own back-end technology to leverage connected devices such as smart TVs, streaming and set top boxes for personalised advertising.
Amaysim Revenue Up 76%, Shuts Down Tech Store
With investors buzzing over its proposed sale to Optus, budget service and and telco provider, Amaysim, has post a record 76.8% lift in statutory net revenue to $577.6 million – news which follows the shutdown of its online tech store, just a year after launch. CEO and Managing Director, Peter O’Connell, claims axing Amaysim’s hardware e-store will enable the company to focus on its core business divisions (e.g. energy).
Harman Kardon Unveils New Smart Speaker
A new Google Assistant powered luxury smart speaker, the Citation 500, has been unveiled by the Samsung owned speaker manufacturer Harman Kardon. Filling the high end of the table-top speaker market, the Citation 500 is a 200W High Definition audio streaming device, with support for 24Bit/96Khz audio streaming. Consumers will have a choice between two designs, coming in either black or grey wool covers designed by European textile manufacturer Kvadrat.
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