NBN LEO satellite service locks in plans for 2027 launch    NBN has confirmed its plans for its future Low Earth Orbit satellite service intended for regional Australia. Current Sky Muster plans are showing their age with slow speeds and high latency. NBN LEO is intended to compete directly with Starlink, bringing better performance for video calls, streaming, and gaming. NBN LEO satellite plans and pricing    Eligible customers will be able to choose from a range of uncapped data plans. At the outset, 50/10 Mbps and 100/20 Mbps plans will be available with higher speed plans potentially arriving later. NBN will cover the initial installation and equipment package, including an integrated Wi-Fi router with no upfront wholesale charge. NBN LEO will undergo annual pricing reviews like other NBN services, with pricing to be published in advance. Pricing will be consistent regardless of location or demand. Compared to existing services like Starlink, NBN’s focus appears to be less about raw speed and more about consistent, predictable pricing that Starlink fails to deliver.    READ MORE..   Harvey Norman to launch its biggest ever new category this weekend       Harvey Norman is consolidating its outdoor range into a new section and launching this weekend, bringing a wide set of products under one umbrella. Barbecues and outdoor cooking, pergolas and furniture, outdoor entertainment, and outdoor robots will be brought into a single department. That means shoppers can find everything they need for the outdoors in one part of the store rather than wandering around the whole shop for different pieces.    What’s Changing The mode will fold four separate categories under one department. Outdoor Robots: robot mowers, window robots, pool robots BBQ and Outdoor Cooking: barbecues, outdoor kitchens, cooking gear Outdoor Furniture: pergolas, outdoor dining settings Outdoor Entertainment: portable speakers, karaoke machines, portable monitors and projectors Staff in the new department will be trained across the full range rather than just specialising in one product type. That means less time hunting around the store and staff who can speak to the full outdoor range rather than bouncing you between departments.

 

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HP Deep Espresso: A New Look for AI PCs   The laptop market continued to evolve as manufacturers focused not only on performance, but also on design, portability and AI capabilities. HP introduced its Deep Espresso finish across selected premium laptops, giving its latest machines a darker, more distinctive look while retaining the features expected from modern AI PCs. HP’s OmniBook range included models with next-generation processors designed to support AI-powered features and everyday productivity. Liam Hales, National Retail Account Manager at HP, joined us to discuss the thinking behind the Deep Espresso range, what consumers could expect from HP’s latest AI-powered laptops, and how design had become an increasingly important part of the laptop buying decision.

Choosing the Right Air Purifier for Your Home       Air purifiers had become increasingly popular in Australian homes, but choosing the right model was not simply a matter of buying the biggest or most powerful unit available. Room size, air circulation and the purifier’s capacity all played an important role in determining how effectively it could clean the air. Breville offered models designed for different room sizes, from compact units for bedrooms and home offices through to larger models for bigger living spaces.   Lucy Martyn, General Manager at Breville, joined us to explain how Australians could work out what size air purifier they needed, what specifications they should look for, and why matching the purifier to the room was so important. Remember, as we discussed on the show, PLEASE remove the plastic covering around the filter element of the Air Filter before you install.     What size air purifier do you need? A simple way to work it out

 

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Your digital legacy: What happens to your accounts after death      Digital legacy is about the online traces we leave behind; accounts, data, and profiles. Most Australians have a plan in their will for the house and other assets, but it’s easy to forget about digital information. Unlike money and property, these online accounts don’t pass on automatically, so it’s important to think about how to hand these down to make them easier to manage. So how do you set things up now to make things easier, and what do you do if you’re the one managing someone else’s online accounts? What happens to your accounts when you die? There’s no law in Australia that gives your executor access to your digital accounts. Whether someone dies with a detailed will or no will at all, there’s no automatic right that lets a successor log into their accounts. In practice, each platform and account offers different tools that help you manage what happens when you pass away. If you spend the time to set this up, it can save time for those managing the process.    READ MORE..

 

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Auracast: The Next Generation of Connected Bluetooth   Bluetooth has become one of the most common ways we connect our phones, headphones, speakers and other devices. But a newer technology called Auracast is opening up a different way of sharing audio. Instead of simply connecting one device to another, Auracast can allow multiple compatible devices to receive the same audio broadcast. That could have applications at home, in public spaces, during travel and for people who want greater flexibility with their listening experience. Harman has been adding Auracast support across a growing range of compatible products. Amrit Lall from Harman International joined us to explain what Auracast actually is, how it differs from traditional Bluetooth connections, and what consumers need to know about the growing connected audio ecosystem. The key thing, look for the Auracast technology on the range of Bluetooth Speakers to take advantage of the new connection technology.  Check out their Bluetooth speakers here.   MOVA Takes Outdoor Cleaning to the Next Level      Robotic technology is no longer limited to vacuuming floors inside the home. Manufacturers are increasingly taking automation outdoors, with robotic mowers and other smart devices designed to handle some of the most time-consuming household jobs. MOVA’s outdoor range includes robotic lawn mowers that use technologies such as LiDAR-based environmental sensing, mapping and obstacle avoidance to navigate outdoor spaces without traditional boundary wires.   Kattie Lu from MOVA ANZ joined us to discuss the company’s growing outdoor range, how robotic technology is changing lawn care, and what consumers should consider when choosing an automated outdoor device for their home.    Click Here for details of the Mova Launch in Australia

 

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Passkeys versus passwords: Why you should switch   Passwords are a common security issue. Reusing them across accounts and old ones getting breached in data leaks means it’s time to consider beefing up your account security. If you’ve seen a prompt to create a passkey and wondered what it’s all about, we’re here to explain passkeys versus passwords. The short answer is that passkeys provide increased security and are more convenient to use. Passkeys versus passwords Passwords are a way to convey that you know a piece of information that’s stored alongside your online account to give you access to it. The account server you use stores the password, or a hashed version of it, which means every password you create is potentially vulnerable to website breaches. If a password that you reused on more than one website is breached, all of those other accounts are potentially compromised. Passkeys work differently; your device generates a matching pair of keys, keeps a private one to itself and hands the public key to the website. That means each website gets a different key, only one part of the key is shared. READ MORE..

 

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Getting Connected with Starlink    Satellite internet has become an increasingly important option for Australians who live in areas where traditional broadband can be difficult to access. Starlink has also attracted attention as a way to stay connected in regional and remote locations, where reliable internet can make a significant difference to work, education and everyday life.  Mitchell Whitaker from Harvey Norman Newcastle joined us to explain the different Starlink options available to consumers, who each package was designed for, and what customers should consider before choosing satellite internet. We also looked at the practical questions around installation, coverage and getting the most out of a Starlink connection. Check out the details on the Harvey Norman website  TCL’s X11L: How Far Can TV Technology Go?   Television technology has continued to evolve rapidly, with manufacturers pushing picture quality, brightness and display technology to new levels. TCL’s latest X11L sits at the top end of its television range, bringing the company’s newest display technology and features to Australian consumers. Richard Falzon, Product Manager at TCL Australia, joined us to discuss what was new with the X11L, how it compared with previous generations, and what the latest advances in TV technology meant for people looking to upgrade their home entertainment setup. 2026 TCL Range: The new TV lineup and hands-on with the X11L

 

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