The global memory shortage has claimed another victim overnight, with Valve confirming a hefty price increase for the OLED Steam Deck.
When Valve launched its handheld gaming PC in Australia in late 2024, the cheapest OLED model cost $899. Following the price increase, effective immediately, this 512GB variant now costs $1,199, a jump of $300. Meanwhile, the 1TB OLED model has gone from $1,049 to $1,429. upwards of a 33 per cent hike compared to the original prices, it’s one of the steeper gaming hardware price increases in recent history.
Valve confirmed, via its hardware blog, that “rising memory and storage costs” are behind the recent price increases.
“Steam Deck itself hasn’t changed; these new prices reflect the current state of component costs and other global logistical challenges across the industry as a whole,” said Valve’s blog.
In Australia, Valve still has the cheaper $649 LCD model in stock. This model isn’t sold overseas anymore, leaving the pricier OLED variants as the only option for international buyers. Notably, the OLED Steam Decks have not only more storage, but also a slightly larger display with a 90Hz refresh rate (compared to 60Hz), a bigger battery, and Wi-Fi 6E (versus Wi-Fi 5).
What about the Steam Machine?
Valve’s announcement likely doesn’t bode well for the Steam Machine, its dedicated gaming PC announced last year. It still doesn’t have a confirmed release date or price, which the company has addressed in various interviews, attributing challenges relating to the global memory shortage.
There was hope that the Steam Machine would follow a similar affordable pricing model to the Steam Deck at launch. However, that’s unlikely to be the case, considering how widely tech companies are passing rising costs onto consumers.
Significant investment in data AI centres around the world has made memory and associated components tougher to source for consumer devices. The strain on supply has also resulted in higher costs across the board, of which the Steam Deck’s price increase is the latest visible impact. Unfortunately, it puts gaming further out of reach for everyday people feeling the economic pinch.
Many of us have gone on a trip and had our luggage go on an unexpected adventure without us. I’ve been stranded in Germany without my bag for four days, relying on promotional t-shirts while waiting for my suits to return from Singapore. I’ve had to negotiate with Chinese department stores while trying to find something that fits, while my bag chilled in an unknown destination. And I can’t count the number of times my bag has been stranded in LA while I was in another part of the US.
Before AirTags, you just had to accept that the whole situation was out of your hands. But now that we have smart trackers, we have the power to tell Qantas or whichever airline exactly where our bags are, giving us at least a modicum of control back.
Australian suitcase company July recently launched its smart CaseSafe line, which is one of its excellent suitcases paired with a built-in smart tracker that’s compatible with both Apple and Google’s tracking networks. I’ve now taken this bag on adventures to Taiwan and Japan, and overall had an excellent experience, with just one drawback.
My first impression is that this is a very sleek suitcase. I love July’s whole aesthetic, and I’ve been using the Carry On Trunk for years. It’s easy to see that this is a premium suitcase.
Image: Alice Clarke.
Setting up the tracker was easy; I just pulled the battery tab and then immediately connected it to Find My, and I was good to go.
July Checked with CaseSafe specifications and price
In addition to those specs, the CaseSafe feature uses a button battery and is compatible with both Apple Find My and Android Find Hub. The quoted battery life is one year. However, that has not been my experience.
What is CaseSafe, and is it any good?
CaseSafe functions almost identically to an Apple AirTag, Samsung SmartTag or Moto Tag in that you can see the suitcase in the app after it’s set up, and your phone can notify you if it’s left behind. Crucially, though, you can still keep using it if you change phone ecosystems.
Image: Alice Clarke.
When I travelled to Taiwan, I had the CaseSafe bag, a first-generation AirTag in another bag and a second-generation AirTag in yet another bag. Based on my comparison, the CaseSafe’s performance was much closer to that of the second-generation AirTag. It could be detected from further distances than the original, and usually updated its location shortly after the AirTag 2 did.
The benefit of having the CaseSafe built directly into the suitcase will be obvious to anyone who has ever had their bag searched by TSA and had a small item or two fall out during the search. But it’s also handy because you never have to remember if it’s in there, or if you’ve accidentally taken it out. Plus, having it closer to the surface means it’s more likely to have a better signal than a tracker insulated by clothes.
Image: July.
Just like the AirTag, you can share the item’s location with major airlines through their form by generating a temporary link. You can then send this link to the people who lost your bag to help them find it in the Big Shed Of Bags (or whatever the official name for suitcase purgatory is). I was lucky enough not to actually lose my suitcase on either trip, so I can’t review that aspect. But I did really like being able to check in Find My that my suitcase had made it onto each flight.
The actual suitcase
The July Checked has a lot of really thoughtful features, like the traditional zip-up section; a hard, flat storage pouch you can use to compress your clothes down into a more manageable size; and a laundry bag that seals the stink in. The telescopic handle has multiple stops, too, so I could get it to the right height for me, my much shorter wife, and my medium-height mother.
Image: Alice Clarke.
Although it doesn’t look that big, we managed to fit a lot of stuff in there. It’s a good shape, and having the reinforced corners is very appreciated. I have lost so many suitcases to negligent baggage handlers over the years (seven-plus mortally wounded suitcases is my tally so far) that I’ll take any extra structural strength I can get.
The one thing that I hate so very much
While almost everything about the July Checked CaseSafe suitcase was excellent, I will forever hold a grudge against it.
For some reason, less than a month after I activated the tracker feature, the battery ran low while in Taiwan. No worries, these things happen. Dud batteries are a reality of life.
Except, instead of just sending a notification to my phone, it beeped loudly for five minutes. In the middle of the night. With no way to stop the beeping without removing the battery. Two nights in a row. The first night, we couldn’t work out where the sound was coming from. The second night, I spent most of the five minutes trying to find a coin to open the battery compartment while half-asleep.
Why on earth would you design a suitcase (which either gets kept in your hotel room by your bed, or in storage where you can’t hear it) to beep loudly when the battery runs low? That’s just poor design and badly thought out. I did not take kindly to being woken up by something that could have been a banner notification. It wasn’t urgent.
No suitcase should have the power to wake the owner at an unscheduled time. Had it woken my toddler, it would have been yeeted into the sun.
Who is the July CaseSafe Checked suitcase for?
This suitcase would suit anyone who needs a new checked luggage suitcase and would be sad if their bag got lost in transit. In other words, every traveller who brings checked luggage.
But please, I beg you, July, make it so the next model doesn’t beep. It really doesn’t need to do that.
July Checked with CaseSafe suitcase
The July Checked with CaseSafe suitcase suits anyone sick of losing their bag in transit. In other words, every traveller who brings checked luggage.
Features
9
Value for money
8
Performance
9
Ease of use
10
Design
9
Positives
Compatible with both Apple and Android
Looks good
Lots of sensible features
Negatives
Beeps loudly in the middle of the night when it starts to run out of battery
More expensive than a basic suitcase and a separate AirTag
Is the eero 7 the industry standard against which all other Wi-Fi routers should be compared? If you look at the routers most internet service providers offer with their NBN plans, you find that Amazon’s eero 7 is among the most common.
Why, might you ask? Is it because they do the best deal? According to retailers we have spoken to, the real reason is that they have the fewest customer Wi-Fi router issues. As I found when reviewing the eero 7, its simplicity and reliability make it a great router for most people.
To set up a Wi-Fi network in your home, you need a Wi-Fi router. The router has an antenna that transmits the internet signal to your smartphone, laptop, TV, etc. A mesh router allows you to easily add another router around 10-15 metres away, which strengthens your coverage.
Need more coverage? Add another. As long as the additional mesh router has coverage from another unit or is connected to another unit via an Ethernet cable, more of your home benefits from a strong Wi-Fi connection. It’s not infinite, however; the speed of the internet connection drops the further you are from a mesh router as the radio signal deteriorates.
eero 7 features
Amazon’s eero 7 is a dual-band (supporting the 2.4GHz and 5GHz network bands) mesh Wi-Fi 7 router with two Ethernet ports and can support up to approximately 120 devices. It’s the entry-level product in Amazon’s current Wi-Fi 7 lineup. As you go up the range, you get faster transfer speeds and support for connecting more devices.
eero model range comparison. Image: eero.
The Wi-Fi range of the eero 7 is approximately 14 metres from the unit. This will, however, be affected by obstructions such as walls, ceilings, and furniture. To increase this coverage, simply add any eero product. It’s backward-compatible with previous-gen eero routers, but you’ll get the best results from the latest eero 7 range.
As part of the setup procedure, the eero app will actually tell you if your additional unit has enough coverage back to another eero unit to work correctly. As a guide, one unit will cover up to 190m², two units 380m², and three units 560m².
Dual-band routers suit 99 per cent of needs, except for those trying to get crazy speeds over Wi-Fi. An additional 6GHz band, supported on eero’s more premium tri-band models, enables faster speeds. To maximise throughput between devices, eero uses ‘TrueMesh’, resulting in the best speed for your devices, connecting them to the router with the highest quality connection at any given time. eero does not use extra channels for communication between routers, as they don’t need to.
Speaking of channels, eero has another smart feature called ‘TrueChannel’, which analyses interference from other Wi-Fi networks and selects the best frequency to maximise your performance. This is especially important if you live in a high-density setting, like a unit with lots of other Wi-Fi networks. This technology is all automatic, so you don’t have to do anything to get the best result.
As you walk around your house, assuming you have multiple eeros, a technology Amazon calls ‘TrueRoam’ ensures you have the best experience as your smartphone seamlessly hands from one eero to the next, selecting the best frequency to ensure the fastest, most reliable connection.
What you get in the box. Image: Angus Jones.
Each eero 7 has two Ethernet ports capable of speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, which is far more than the 50-500 Mbps NBN plan most people will subscribe to. Your first router must use one of these ports to connect to the NBN modem, but after that, these ports are free to be used to connect to printers, TVs, NAS (backup/shared storage), and similar devices.
The app to set up your eero makes all the difference; where once you needed some understanding of technology, the app now steps you through the process with explanations as you go. Adding an extra eero is equally seamless, and I know it sounds corny, but in my experience, it just works.
During the setup, you can choose your own network name or use a suggested name. If you are upgrading your Wi-Fi router, keep your old network name and password, and all your existing connected devices will automatically reconnect without updating their Wi-Fi passwords.
If you are not comfortable with technology, you could stop here, knowing that the little boxes you have set up will provide reliable internet, and you can forget about them. In the event that something goes wrong, such as an NBN outage, you will receive a notification from your eero on your smartphone.
However, if you want to take advantage of extra features, security, or parental controls, or keep an eye on your network, you can do so. eero offers an optional subscription service, eero Plus, which provides additional security, ad blocking, more parental controls, and access to third-party services like a VPN, Malwarebytes and 1Password. In Australia, eero Plus costs $16 per month or $160 per year.
For those setting up a smart home, the eero will work with Alexa and act as a hub for Bluetooth, Zigbee, Thread and Matter (as a controller only).
eero 7 specifications and price
Network bands
2.4GHz and 5 GHz (dual-band) supporting up to 120 clients
Wi-Fi support
Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be)
Ports
Two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports One USB-C port
Speed
Wired: Up to 2.5 Gbps Wireless: Up to 1.8 Gbps Total combined speed: 5,000 Mbps
Power
15 W USB-C power adapter (included)
Dimensions
13 x 13 x 6 cm
Advertised range
One unit: Up to 190m² Two units: Up to 380m² Three units: Up to 560m²
How many devices connect to Wi-Fi in your home, and what NBN plan are you on? I recently switched from a 50 Mbps plan to a 500 Mbps plan, and as a heavy tech user, I have up to 70 devices connected to my eero. I admit I am using an eero Pro 7 as my standard Wi-Fi router, but the eero 7 would still exceed my heavy needs. My point being the eero 7 will meet the needs of the greater population.
If I had one complaint, it would be that each router has only two Ethernet ports. To get four ports, you need to spend much more on the top-of-the-line $1,099 eero Max 7.
Aside from that, the Wi-Fi is so reliable in my testing that, while I once would always plug my TV into Ethernet, it has had no issues using Wi-Fi.
Your eero will work perfectly well without subscribing to eero Plus, but if you do, there are some very good reasons to do so.
eero Plus features. Screenshot: Angus Jones.
While the out-of-the-box eero systems are secure, eero Plus acts like a firewall for your entire home. It will block known phishing sites and malware at the router level. Every device in your home is protected, even ‘dumb’ smart home devices (like smart bulbs or security cameras) get a layer of protection.
Out of the box, you can pause the internet for specific devices, which is useful to limit your children’s screen time. eero Plus lets you filter content tailored to your children’s ages and interests, allowing you to block specific categories (like adult content or social media) and enforce SafeSearch on Google.
If you want peace of mind for continuity of internet service, eero Plus allows your eero network to automatically switch to a secondary source — like a mobile hotspot or a neighbour’s Wi-Fi — if your primary NBN or fibre connection goes down.
Other eero Plus services include VIP support, access to a password manager and ad blocking. Note that I recently had to disable ad blocking on one device because it was blocking some travel bookings we were making.
Who is the eero 7 for?
As much as you may want a fancy router with lots of settings to play with, the simplicity, reliability, and performance of the eero 7 range just make it an easy choice. NBN retailers are providing the eero 7 because of this, and indeed, I run eero myself for this reason.
Specifically, the eero 7, which supports the latest standards and offers the functionality most households will need at a value-for-money price point, is a simple decision. Its compatibility with other eero devices also makes it a good choice for upgrades and future compatibility.
eero 7 FAQs
Why do many internet service providers choose the eero 7 for their NBN plans?
According to retailers, the primary reason internet service providers offer the eero 7 is that it results in the fewest customer Wi-Fi router issues. Its simplicity, reliability, and automated features make it a highly dependable choice for the average household.
How far does the Wi-Fi range of a single eero 7 extend, and how can I increase it?
A single eero 7 unit has a Wi-Fi range of approximately 14 meters (covering up to 190 m²), though this can be affected by obstructions like walls and furniture. To easily expand your coverage, you can add any eero product from the eero 6 or eero 7 range; the companion app will even guide you through setup to ensure your additional units are placed within range to maximise performance.
What is eero Plus, and what features does it add to the router?
eero Plus is an optional subscription service costing $16 per month (or $160 per year) that expands the router’s capabilities. While the eero 7 is secure out of the box, the subscription adds network-wide advanced security (blocking malware and phishing sites), age-tailored content filtering, ad blocking, a backup internet feature that switches to a mobile hotspot if the NBN goes down, VIP support, and access to premium apps like 1Password and Malwarebytes.
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eero 7
For a simple and reliable home Wi-Fi network that works out of the box without fuss, it's hard to look past the eero 7.
Features
8.5
Value for money
8.5
Performance
9
Ease of use
9
Design
8
Positives
Ease of setup
Worry-free performance
eero range backward-compatibility
Negatives
Only two Ethernet ports
Subscription pop-up blocking hindered a travel booking
I thought that blenders — and most kitchen appliances, for that matter — were meant to look utilitarian, made to match the aesthetic of its surrounds. But then I look at something like the Ninja BlendBoss, and it feels like everything I know is wrong.
Announced recently by the kitchen appliance brand, the BlendBoss (stylised by Ninja as ‘BlendBOSS’) looks like a reimagining of the pop art movement of the 1950s. With bold colours and standout designs, I’d struggle to identify it as a blender if I didn’t already know what it was.
Looks are relatively minor in this instance, though. To quote a viral online series from some years ago: Will it blend? Billed as a ready-to-go tumbler and blender in one, the BlendBoss includes a 760mL cup that you grab out of the appliance and drink directly from.
Ninja says the BlendBoss’ 1,110W motor and stainless steel blades are enough to slice through ice, frozen fruit, and various fresh produce. To try to take the guesswork out of your liquified diet, the blender has three automated programs for smoothies, crushing, and blending.
Oh, and it’s dishwasher safe, two words I consider among the most beautiful of the entire English language when combined. Apparently, the BlendBoss also has a “leakproof” cap, preventing any liquid spillages. I’ve been burned by leakproof bottle claims before, so consider me cautiously optimistic.
Having launched recently in Australia, the BlendBoss costs $199.99 via Ninja’s online store and various retailers. I know I mentioned it before, but I can’t help but be drawn towards those bright colours. Of the five colours the BlendBoss comes in, I can hear the ‘Blue Raspberry’ calling to me.
One of the recent trends from home audio brands is trying to engineer an ecosystem that effortlessly adapts to your space. It’s what LG is gunning for with its Modular Sound Suite speakers, and Bose has a similar ethos with the recently launched Lifestyle Ultra range.
The new Bose series comprises three speakers: the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ($549.95), Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar ($1,799.95), and Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer ($1,299.95). Each one is designed to be part of a mix-and-match range that can be used individually or together as part of a dedicated home theatre system.
Bose recently updated its phone app to simplify the setup process, claiming it makes getting started easier. The app uses a phone’s microphone to analyse a room’s acoustics, including furniture placement, to tune the speakers’ performance. It’s a similar system to that used by other brands, customising the out-of-the-box experience to suit different homes.
Bose Lifestyle Ultra range explained
Of the three, the wireless Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is the smallest unit. It looks the most conventional, suited to use as a desk speaker or as a pair of rears in a surround sound setup. Housed within the speaker are two front-facing drivers and one up-firing driver, designed to add height to audio.
Image: Bose.
Bose describes the 5.1.2-channel Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar as having “an entirely new architecture”, which is said to be “the first major soundbar redesign” by the company in “over a decade”. It supports Dolby Atmos, with two up-firing and four front-facing drivers accompanied by a central tweeter and two ‘PhaseGuide’ drivers, which help give audio more directionality.
Image: Bose.
For the bass, the Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer connects wirelessly to the soundbar, but it can also be used with previous-gen models via wired connection. According to Bose, the subwoofer’s ‘CleanBass’ technology works to reduce distortion so that low-end audio sounds clear, even at high volumes.
Image: Bose.
Bose’s Lifestyle Ultra range supports both Apple AirPlay and Google Cast, along with voice controls and built-in Alexa functionality. They also connect via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, letting you beam audio wirelessly from various devices.
The new speakers are available in Australia now via Bose’s online store and home audio retailers. Depending on what matches your decor, there’s either Black or White Smoke, as it’s called, to choose from.
Good home audio was once the exclusive domain of experts and audiophiles, so it’s encouraging to see more attempts to make the technology more approachable for everyone.
Google is set to receive a “high triple-digit million euro” fine from the European Union over concerns that the global company gives preferential treatment to its services in search results.
According to Reuters, the fine, expected to be handed down leading into the European summer, would be the “largest penalty” handed down by the EU as part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EU publicly shared the initial findings of its investigations in March 2025, alleging that Alphabet, Google’s parent company, gives prominent positioning to the company’s services, including shopping and hotel booking listings, at the top of search results.
According to the DMA, companies cannot favour their services over those provided by third parties. Google hit back at the EU’s preliminary finding, claiming that changes it has already made to search “represent the biggest downgrade in the product’s history”.
Four years after its last premium set of mass-market wireless over-ear headphones, Sennheiser is back with the Momentum 5. Designed to block out even more noise, the new headphones also cost a fair bit more.
Like the previous model, the Momentum 5 uses 42mm drivers to power its audio, along with a design that takes after Sennheiser’s HD 600 headphones. These headphones get the Hi-Res Audio certification and support up to aptX Lossless via Bluetooth. Sennheiser also added more customisation to the Momentum 5, like a new eight-band EQ accessible via the brand’s companion app.
While much of the Momentum 5’s audio technology is a continuation of the Momentum 4’s, noise cancellation is tipped to be the biggest improvement. According to Sennheiser, the Momentum 5 is up to three times better at blocking out nearby talking.
Four microphones are on each ear, double that of the previous model. These mics help with the headphones’ ANC and transparency modes, while boosting voice clarity when chatting on the phone. Sennheiser also claims that the enhanced ANC technology should better negate plane noise, in addition to background chatter.
Image: Sennheiser.
Some of the Momentum 5’s features won’t be available immediately out of the box. Dolby Atmos will be added in a firmware update via Sennheiser’s Smart Control Plus app. Likewise, the headphones ship with Bluetooth 5.4, but will support Bluetooth 6.0 in an upcoming update.
In a win for user repairability, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 includes a replaceable battery. When it comes time to replace it, you can access and remove the battery by using a Phillips head screwdriver. Sennheiser rates the battery life at up to 57 hours between recharges (via an included USB-C cable) when using ANC. Also included is a 3.5mm audio cable for wired listening, plus a case that’s “20 per cent smaller” than the Momentum 4’s.
Sennheiser Momentum 5 Australian price and release date
Set to launch in Australia on 25 June, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 costs $749, with colour options ranging between Black, White, and Denim. About $170 more than the previous-gen headphones, it’s a pretty steep jump of roughly 25 per cent. In terms of price, it’s comparable to the $699 Sony WH-1000XM6 and the launch price of the Sonos Ace headphones.
Cheaper options are available, including alternatives from within the Sennheiser brand. In recent years, the audio company has built up its mid-range headphones, like the Accentum series, while also producing wireless in-ear headphones, including the Momentum Sport buds.
Even though the Momentum 5 doesn’t quite reach the $999 barrier of Sennheiser’s audiophile HDB 630 headphones — or Apple’s AirPods Max 2, for that matter — they’re still among the higher end of what you can get in Australia.
