Save up to $500 on Motorola’s new phones ahead of mega launch

In case you missed it, Motorola had a mega launch of mobile devices the other week. We’re talking four phones, several sets of earbuds, and a brand-new smartwatch levels of mega. With Motorola’s devices about to arrive in stores, there are some big pre-order deals and discounts to consider.

Specifically through Telstra, you can save $300 on the Motorola Signature, the brand’s new flagship phone. The base 256GB model costs $1,499, but is discounted to $1,199 until 4 May.

This discount deepens even further when you factor in the free storage upgrade. By pre-ordering the Motorola Signature by 15 April, you get the 512GB model (priced at $1,699) for the same price as the 256GB configuration. Add the existing discount to that, and the total discount works out to be $500. Not too shabby.

On top of that, Telstra also offers $200 of bonus credit when trading in a phone towards the Motorola Signature by 4 May. This credit stacks on top of the value of the phone being traded in. Combined with the handset discounts (which can be bought outright), that’s a fair chunk of coin towards Moto’s latest high-end phone.

The pre-order deals don’t end there, either. Telstra also has $300 off the Motorola Edge 70, $200 off the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion, and $150 off the Moto G67. Then there’s $120 off the Swarovski Moto Buds Loop, $48 off the Moto Buds 2 Plus, and $60 off the Moto Watch. That’s a lot of launch discounts.

Motorola Signature (and co) pre-order deals

If you want a clearer picture of how big these discounts are, here’s how much Moto’s new gear costs compared to RRP:

• Motorola Signature (256GB): $1,199 (was $1,499) — 512GB model costs the same until 15 April
• Motorola Edge 70: $599 (was $899)
• Motorola Edge 70 Fusion: $499 (was $699)
• Moto G67: $349 (was $499)
• Moto Buds Loop Swarovski: $279 (was $399)
• Moto Buds 2 Plus: $111 (was $159)
• Moto Watch: $139 (was $199)

Considering how competitive the phone market is, more brands are keen to offer big discounts to entice a lot of people to buy at launch. These are certainly some of the more eye-catching launch offers recently, with a lot of money to be saved.

We’re currently testing Motorola’s extensive range of new devices and will have full reviews published soon.

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Google Chrome catches up to other browsers with handy feature

Sick of organising your web browser tabs the old-fashioned way? Google’s latest Chrome update now includes the option to turn on vertical tabs, changing where you see your many open Wikipedia pages.

As announced in a recent Google blog post, vertical tabs move open web pages from the top horizontal bar to a vertically-aligned column on the left-hand side of Chrome. You still see the URL at the top, along with other tools, but it frees up a bit of space.

Google is rolling out the feature now, so it’s not yet available to everyone. When it lands, you can enable vertical tabs by right-clicking the top of the Chrome window and then clicking ‘Show Tabs Vertically’.

Google is far from the first to implement the orientation change; other browsers have had similar functionality for years. As pointed out over at ZDNET, Microsoft Edge got vertical tabs in 2021, while Firefox, Arc, and other browsers are recent converts.

Screenshot: Google.

But Chrome getting vertical tabs, albeit later than most others, is a big deal. Various web analytics tools estimate Chrome usage to be roughly between 60 and 70 per cent. That adoption rate eclipses its nearest competitor, Apple’s Safari, which hovers somewhere around 20 per cent. In other words, plenty of people are about to experience vertical tabs for the first time.

For productivity sickos (affectionate), vertical tabs are seen as an easier way to manage dozens of webpages. But, as with anything, change is scary, and individual preference will ultimately determine the feature’s usefulness.

The other main update from Google is an update to Chrome’s reading mode. Described as having a “new full-page interface”, the updated reading mode brings a webpage’s text into focus, removing any visual distractions.

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Foldable iPhone to adopt passport design based on fresh dummy

Based on a dummy design from a reputable leaker, the long-rumoured foldable iPhone looks to have a more passport-like design, rather than the tall frame of its competitors.

Prominent leaker Sonny Dickson, who correctly identified the orange iPhone 17 Pro Max before its official reveal, published two images purporting to be dummy models of the foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

One image shows the back, while the other shows the front, including the phone’s hinge mechanism. There’s no ring indentation on the back of the foldable phone dummy, unlike the conventional iPhones. It’s too early to tell whether this suggests a lack of MagSafe, which was a point of contention when Apple launched the lower-cost iPhone 16e last year.

Exclusive First Dummies of what the final size of the iPhone Fold, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will look like. pic.twitter.com/X9P9uBK12p

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 7, 2026

What the dummy images do show, however, is the notable size difference between the foldable iPhone and its Pro counterparts. Using Apple’s currently available phones as a reference point, the iPhone 17 Pro is just under six inches tall, with a display measuring 6.3 inches diagonally. Based on Dickson’s dummy models, Apple’s to-be-announced foldable appears to be much shorter, featuring a wider, more square-like passport shape.

It’s not the only information source suggesting a shorter foldable phone. Back in July last year, industry analysts speculated that Apple’s foldable would use a 5.5-inch external screen. That’s considerably smaller than the 6.5-inch outer display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Oppo Find N6’s 6.62-inch front screen.

Recent reports claimed that production delays could push back the foldable iPhone’s launch, but Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reported that it will launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this September. As previously reported, Apple will likely split its iPhone release schedule in half, meaning the standard iPhone 18 models potentially won’t launch until early 2027.

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ScamCheck could save you from making an expensive mistake

It’s getting tougher and tougher online to determine what is and isn’t a scam. They’re part of everyday life now, clogging up your emails and messages with legitimate-looking attempts to take your information or money. Just last year, Australians lost nearly $260 million to online shopping scams alone.

Cybersecurity company Trend Micro has a neat AI-based tool to protect you from these scams: ScamCheck. Designed to identify scams before you even see them on your phone, ScamCheck monitors threats around the clock. When it detects a scam — through either a message, phone call, or a website — Trend Micro’s tool notifies you so you don’t accidentally fall victim.

If you come across a message that looks legit, but you’re not quite sure, you can take a screenshot for closer inspection. According to Trend Micro, its technology “performs a deeper analysis of the content to find the less obvious signs of scams”, which could come in handy when doubt creeps into your mind.

At $79 annually, or as part of Trend Micro’s Security Suite Pro Plus bundle, ScamCheck could be the difference between avoiding or clicking on a scam link.

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Vodafone jacks up price of prepaid phone plans by up to 14%

All three of Australia’s major phone telcos will cost more in the coming months, with Vodafone the latest to confirm a price increase across its prepaid SIM plans.

It follows Telstra’s upcoming price hike of up to 12 per cent, and Optus raising postpaid plan prices by $5 per month. At this stage, the Vodafone price increase only impacts the telco’s prepaid plans, spanning both short and long-expiry products.

These new prices will take effect soon, starting on 15 April. Most plans will cost $5 more per recharge, while one of Vodafone’s 365-day plans will increase by $30. Only the $250 365-day plan will continue at the same price.

Mobile plan	Expiry period	Old data allocation	New price	New data allocation
$12 Prepaid Plus SIM	7 days	5GB	$13	5GB
$35 Prepaid Plus SIM	28 days	25GB	$40	30GB
$45 Prepaid Plus SIM	28 days	35GB	$50	40GB
$55 Prepaid Plus SIM	28 days	50GB	$60	55GB
$160 Prepaid Plus SIM	185 days	90GB	$180	100GB
$250 Prepaid Plus SIM	365 days	150GB	$250	150GB
$320 Prepaid Plus SIM	365 days	220GB	$350	250GB

Vodafone’s revised prepaid plans.

Vodafone’s price increases cost up to 14 per cent more than the existing prices. Similar to Telstra and Optus, the increases outpace the current 3.7 per cent inflation rate in Australia. Vodafone’s 28-day prepaid plans include an ongoing $5 discount for setting up automatic recharges, a roundabout way of locking in the old prices.

Unlike the other two major Australian telcos, however, Vodafone did not explain the price increases via its website. On a support page titled “Our prepaid plans are changing”, the published information only explains what each plan includes.

It’s another reminder to regularly compare the cheapest SIM plans to ensure you get the best deal on your phone plan.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

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How to play CDs on your Sonos system and enjoy physical media

The ritual of putting on a piece of physical media can be so soothing. Taking a record out of the dust cover and then setting the needle can be meditative. Or, for me, selecting a physical CD, taking it out of the case, placing it in the CD player, and then flicking through the liner notes as the first song begins grounds me in the art. However, the convenience of digital cannot be denied. That’s why I love having a CD player integrated into my Sonos system. It allows me to have the best of both worlds, with barely any compromises.

If you’ve gotten back into physical media lately, here is my tip on how to make the most of all that is available to you (without spending audiophile money): Connecting a record player or CD player to a Sonos Port ($699) or Amp ($1,099) can give you multi-room audio using the physical media collection you’re so proud of.

How to connect a CD player to a Sonos speaker system

For most people, the Port will be the best fit. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Plug the RCA cables from the record or CD player into the Sonos Port.
2. Set up the Port in the Sonos app.
3. Select your favourite album and start playing it on the CD player.
4. Then stream the ‘Line In’ to at least one Sonos speaker you have in your home.

Then boom, you’re good to go.

This setup is best when you have multiple Sonos speakers at home (like the Era 100 and Era 300), or use Sonos for your home theatre setup, because then you can stream your record or CD player to every room in the house. It even works outside if you take your Sonos Play speaker around to the edges of your Wi-Fi network. If you don’t plan on using multi-room audio or streaming music as well, then this setup isn’t for you.

For my CD player setup, I use a Yamaha CD-C603, because I’ve always been a sucker for a five-disc changer. Plus, it’s super easy to use, and it looks sleek. It’s not as high fidelity as someone would want in an audiophile setup, but it’s more than good enough to use in a Sonos system. At $800, it’s definitely on the pricier side, but I enjoy the experience of using it so much that I think it’s worth every penny.

Image: Alice Clarke.

Streaming services don’t have everything, and nothing stays on there forever, as we’ve all learned the hard way. Being able to listen to the collections we’ve been building our whole lives will often be the superior option.

The Sonos Amp is for people who want to use their analogue speakers and components with Sonos. If you have a beautiful pair of standing analogue hi-fi speakers or outdoor speakers, you can connect them to the Sonos Amp to play music from streaming services. You can also plug your record or CD player into it to put the music through your analogue speaker and Sonos system. It’s essentially the Sonos Port, but more and with 125 watts per channel.

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This Starlink roof mount makes on-the-go internet easier

There is no question that Starlink makes an amazing remote internet access product, with internet speeds often exceeding what you have at home, even when the nearest supermarket may be a two-day drive away. Where Starlink falls short is in its accessory range. I recently travelled with the one accessory my Starlink was missing: a roof mount for Starlink Gen 3.

No matter whether you have a Starlink Gen 3 or a Starlink Mini, out of the box from Starlink, you simply place the Starlink on a surface with a clear view of the sky, wait a few minutes, and you have reliable, fast internet.

If, however, you are travelling and using Starlink out of a vehicle as I did in 2024, every time I stopped for the night, I would pull the Starlink out and place it on the roof of my ute. In the morning, before setting off, I would put it away. Back then, the third-party accessory market had not taken off, and Starlink did not allow internet access while the car was moving.

Included in the box. Image: Angus Jones.

Now, all that has changed; lots of accessories are available, and Starlink can be used on the move. This means you need to look for a suitable mounting solution. Parts4Star came to our rescue, and I now have a magnetic quick‑release roof mount for my Starlink. The Gen 3 Starlink dish is much bigger than the Mini, which was not available when I purchased my Starlink (I would probably go with the Mini now).

The Parts4Star mount has four large magnets, which allow you to attach the antenna to your roof. Each magnet is on a thread, so the Magnet can be adjusted in and out, allowing a firm connection with a rounded roof (I thought my roof was flat: it’s not).

Adjustable magnetic mount Image: Angus Jones.

Once secured on the roof, you then run your antenna cable back into your vehicle. In my case, I use the air ram hole in my ute canopy. The mount also helps protect the antenna with four-sided coverage, although not on the corners. Assembly was simple, although for some reason, my kit was missing instructions.

This steel mount is removable, as once back in the city, I do not want the Starlink on my roof. Other mounts are available that connect to a roof rack, making the solution more permanent and secure. The magnetic mount has no security, so anyone could remove it. Quick release also means the Starlink can be easily transferred between vehicles or even to a house.

Underside of the Starlink magnetic mount. Image: Angus Jones.

If you do want internet whilst driving, this is now possible with the mount firmly holding your Starlink to the roof. On a trip, I attach the Starlink before I leave and remove it when I return, so it is no longer a daily chore.

If you have adjusted the magnets to contour to your roof, there is a fair amount of pulling power to dislodge them, so highway speeds are no issue for the Starlink dismounting. Before I had this mount, the wind once blew my Starlink off the roof.

Thanks to third-party accessory providers like Parts4Star, my Starlink is now more user-friendly.

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