Changes to how telcos present mobile coverage maps are now live, aiming to provide Australians with transparent data about where phones can and can’t get a signal.
Under new rules from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), telcos are required to publish mobile coverage according to a uniform standard. Including ‘good’, ‘moderate’, ‘basic’, and ‘no coverage’, the quality of network coverage must be updated by telcos every three months.
Anything deemed ‘no coverage’ cannot be included on a telco’s map. However, despite the label, it doesn’t mean Australians can’t get coverage in those areas altogether. Instead, “some locations may still be able to make calls and send SMS”, according to the ACMA. Telco service in these areas is considered to be either “very limited, inconsistent or non-existent”.
Vodafone’s (top) and Optus’ (bottom) network maps following the change.
“These new rules will give consumers clearer and comparable information about mobile coverage and network performance, helping them make more informed choices about their telco provider,” said O’Loughlin.
New rules for network outages
Alongside the ACMA’s new rules for mobile coverage, it also added a requirement for telcos to provide more transparency about outages. Now, Australian telcos must also update an online register of resolved network outages.
It’s meant to provide more information about how companies deal with outages, while also giving consumers more information to help decide which telco they buy services from.
As of today, telcos must maintain an online network outage register with the following details:
When an outage started
Locations impacted
Types and estimated number of services impacted
Cause of the outage
When services were restored
“Network outages can be incredibly disruptive, particularly when they affect access to vital communications services,” said O’Loughlin.
“Publishing outage information in a consistent way will improve transparency for consumers and provide valuable public data about the reliability of the telco networks.”
Despite recent major upgrades to internet speeds, Amazon recently found that a whopping 66% of Australians still experience issues getting home internet running as it should. With how much of our lives rely on online connectivity, that’s a big concern. So, if you’re one of these many Aussies facing daily internet troubles, what can you do? One of the best things you can do for your home network (and your sanity) is install a mesh Wi-Fi system.
Mesh Wi-Fi sits at the centre of the eero experience. One router might be enough to spread internet throughout a small area. For modern homes with lots of connected devices, multiple storeys, and big backyards, multiple interconnected routers are a must.
Helping strengthen Wi-Fi coverage, a mesh network helps reach more corners of a home, well into your backyard, and beyond. It also makes the most out of your internet speeds and reduces annoying dropouts. By connecting multiple routers, you ensure that everyone gets their fair share of internet access for work and play.
But how does mesh Wi-Fi work, and why should you use it? Let’s go over the technology, how it improves home networks, and the various eero-specific features that make Wi-Fi even easier.
How does mesh Wi-Fi work?
Traditional Wi-Fi technology transmits its signal in 360 degrees, creating something of a sphere of internet coverage. Depending on various factors, including the strength of the router, any walls or floors in the way — and even the weather — this signal can only reach so far. It’s why you’ll likely get a great Wi-Fi signal in the office near a router but encounter slower speeds and dropouts at the other end of the home.
Instead of relying on a single router to do all the heavy lifting, a mesh Wi-Fi network uses two or more routers to create a stronger connection that acts as a blanket of coverage indoors and outdoors. One router has direct access to the internet — in Australia, this is commonly via an Ethernet cable to a Network Termination Device (NTD) installed by the NBN — while additional routers connect to the first router.
From here, the routers create one stronger network that’s greater than the sum of their parts. It’s like casting a big virtual net of Wi-Fi over your home, hence the ‘mesh’ label. Your smart devices then automatically connect to whichever router provides the best signal, all using the same Wi-Fi login details.
Modularity is also one of the most helpful aspects of mesh Wi-Fi. You can always start with one or two routers, and then add to them over time as your needs evolve. For example, one eero device might do the trick in a small apartment. If you move into a larger home, you can add another eero to establish a mesh network and continue enjoying reliable Wi-Fi across a broader distance.
The eero TrueMesh difference
Although mesh Wi-Fi is a common label applied to technology used by many different networking brands, not all tech is created equal. Going further than industry standards, eero uses several patented technologies that power its routers: TrueMesh, TrueRoam, and TrueChannel.
Each one works seamlessly in the background, leaving you with as little work to do as possible. All eero routers are built with TrueMesh, a smart technology that automatically connects to all nearby eero devices within your network. At every moment, TrueMesh identifies the best way to route internet traffic, ensuring the best possible connection.
With tri-band routers (with 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz network bands), like the eero Max 7 and eero Pro 7, TrueMesh goes even further. Combined with the smarts of Wi-Fi 7, it directs traffic through the best network band at any given moment for each device, instead of just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. eero also takes advantage of multiple frequencies simultaneously to increase throughput, equalling the best speeds possible.
Home Wi-Fi is also no longer confined to within the walls of your home. With the eero Outdoor 7, your network can cover even larger properties, reaching up to 1,390 square metres. It uses the same TrueMesh technology as the rest of the eero range, creating a seamless mesh network in and out of the home.
With TrueMesh, you get better network reliability, meaning reduced latency or lag, keeping pesky buffering times at bay. You also benefit from the best possible speeds, because choosing the optimal network band means letting more data through.
Meanwhile, TrueRoam uses software to connect your device to whichever eero router provides the best connection. Rather than getting your phone stuck using the upstairs router when moving downstairs (and vice versa), TrueRoam automatically swaps devices over in a flash without any downtime. Like much of eero’s technology, it works in the background to create a better, more user-friendly network.
What if you reside in high-density living? Apartment blocks and uni dorms are rife with competing routers and networks, with different signals often causing interference. TrueChannel is eero’s solution, automatically assigning the least-congested channels to sidestep any clashes with your next-door neighbours.
No need to be a networking expert to have good Wi-Fi
In the early days of Wi-Fi, you had to have some pretty specialised knowledge to get the most out of a wireless network. Connecting devices, adding guests, setting screen limits — it wasn’t a simple process.
eero is the complete opposite. Everything about setting up routers, connecting to Wi-Fi, and managing your family’s internet use is effortlessly simple. The eero app walks you through the setup process, letting you get a comprehensive mesh Wi-Fi network up and running in just a few minutes.
These days, it’s also much simpler to get reliable internet outdoors. Amazon’s research found that half of Australians frequently head back indoors to get connected, or swap to mobile data to avoid dealing with Wi-Fi frustrations. With stronger routers, including those made to withstand outdoor conditions, like the eero Outdoor 7, that problem simply vanishes.
With eero, everything works out of the box with no further tinkering required. For a technology so complex under the hood, that level of simplicity lets you enjoy the fruits of reliable internet. Many of eero’s network-boosting technologies work in the background, too. The less time spent in menus, the better.
Keeping you and your family safe
Reliable and speedy internet is important; it underpins so much of our work life, while giving us access to plenty of fun stuff, like streaming videos and playing online games. Equally as important is security and keeping safe online.
Many mesh Wi-Fi systems include various security features and parental controls to provide a secure, customisable online experience. Consistent with everything else about eero, Wi-Fi security and content moderation aren’t an afterthought; it’s baked into the system as a set of easy-to-use features.
By default, an eero mesh Wi-Fi system automatically updates itself with the latest software. This serves multiple purposes: one is to keep your Wi-Fi running without interruption. Secondly, it applies up-to-date security patches that protect every connected device at the router level.
For even further protection, an eero Plus subscription ($15.99 per month or $159.99 annually in Australia) adds more features aimed at protecting the whole family. Content filters can be applied to each family member’s profile as needed, ensuring only age-appropriate content is accessible.
Additional premium eero Plus features enhance your online experience, like ad blocking, VPN access, and password management. There’s also even more security, as your mesh Wi-Fi system works to block viruses and phishing attempts online.
If you do need a hand at any stage, eero has local support available through the app and via telephone. Even after hours, you can reach customer support, so no waiting around until the next day. You can also access a wealth of helpful information through eero’s support site.
Wi-Fi should be simple, automatically keeping you connected around the home. Mesh Wi-Fi is even better, connecting more devices across greater distances. For a simple mesh Wi-Fi system that works out of the box, eero is one of the best options.
To make it even easier to get started, the eero range is discounted during the end of financial year sales:
Bringing Gemini Live to life, the latest Google Home Speaker is ready to engage in deep and meaningful conversation.
It’s almost a decade since the original Google Home smart speaker was unveiled, reaching Australia before the Alexa-powered Amazon Echo and later joined by Apple’s Siri-powered HomePod.
All three talkative smart assistants have gradually grown smarter and more life-like over the years. Not only in their ability to perform more complex tasks, but also in their ability to engage in natural language conversations.
Over that time, we’ve seen smart speakers and screens of all shapes and sizes. The new $199 Google Home Speaker is the first from Google since the launch of the $149 Google Nest Audio back in 2020.
The new Google Home Speaker costs more than the old Nest Audio, and you get a lot less actual speaker in return, but the focus is less on sound quality and more on a shiny new lamp for Google’s more powerful genie.
I honestly laughed aloud when I opened the box to discover that the latest Google Home Speaker looks a hell of a lot like the snowglobe-style Apple HomePod Mini and Amazon Echo (4th Gen).
I laughed not only because Google’s smart speaker design team has fallen into line with its rivals, but also because the size of the Google Home Speaker immediately looks like a major step down in sound quality compared to the much larger Google Nest Audio – which has lived in the corner of my kitchen bench for six years, since it usurped the original Google Home.
It’s a valid first impression; once you fire up the new Google Home Speaker, you soon discover its 360-degree sound is absolutely no match for the old Google Nest Audio – especially when it comes to the low end. The sound is a bit brash and flat, especially once you crank the volume, and you miss out on graphic equaliser settings.
This new speaker has no chance of stealing the Nest Audio’s pride of place in my small kitchen. It’s no surprise, considering the Google Home Speaker packs a single 58 mm driver, while the Nest Audio packs a 75 mm mid-woofer and a 19 mm tweeter.
The new Google Home Speaker is actually much closer in size and style to the 2019 Google Nest Mini that lives on the sink in the children’s bathroom. The Google Home Speaker has a slightly larger footprint and stands about twice as tall as the Nest Mini, so it needs a little more space.
A family portrait, with the Google Home Speaker and Google Nest Mini in front of the Google Nest Audio and original Google Home. Image: Adam Turner.
It’s no surprise that Google spruiks its new speaker’s audio credentials by comparing them to the Nest Mini, boasting a driver twice the size and 2.5x stronger bass. Yes, the new Google Home Speaker certainly does sound better than the Nest Mini, let’s just forget to mention the superior Nest Audio.
Shying away from sound quality in favour of a compact design has been the trend for several years, with Google abandoning the Sonos-esque Google Home Max and Amazon retiring many of the larger Echos. Only Apple has stuck to its guns by releasing the beefy HomePod 2 alongside the HomePod mini.
The new Google Home Speaker retains the same design as the Google Nest Mini, with tiny light-up touch-sensitive volume buttons and a central play/pause button hidden under the mesh. There’s still a mute switch at the rear, plus Google has added an Echo-style glowing status ring to the base.
Viewed from above, you can see the lit volume buttons, which are far too small and difficult to find. Image: Adam Turner.
The new speaker isn’t prepared to share the stage, with Google recently discontinuing the Nest Audio and Nest Mini, leaving the Google Home Speaker as the tech giant’s only smart speaker. At $199, it’s now a lot more expensive to dip your toe into the Google speaker ecosystem than snapping up a $79 Nest Mini.
Those two old Nest speakers are still valuable, considering that mine seem perfectly capable of running the exact same Gemini and Gemini Live experience as this new Google Home Speaker.
The only improvements are that the Google Home Speaker steps up to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4, plus it is now a Thread border router as well as a Matter hub. This means it can connect to more third-party smart home gear, similar to the Google Nest Hub smart screen.
Viewed from below, you can see the glowing status ring and mute switch. Image: Adam Turner.
Google Home Speaker specifications and price
Speaker
Omni-directional sound with 58 mm full-range driver
Microphones
3 far-field microphones
Privacy
Physical mute switch
Chipset
Quad Core A55 2.0 GHz with NPU
RAM
1 GB LPDDR4
Onboard storage
4 GB EMMC
Power
AC via 30-watt USB-C adaptor
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2.4 GHz/5 GHz)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.4
Smarthome
Thread 1.3 border router (2.4 GHz) Works as a hub for Matter with Google Home
Dimensions
86.6 mm height, 107 mm diameter
Weight
396 gm
Colours
Hazel or Porcelain (Jade and Berry are US-exclusives)
Setting up the Google Home Speaker is very straightforward, especially if you’ve already used the iOS or Android Google Home app to set up other smart home gear.
The catch is that adding the Google Home Speaker to your home will permanently replace Google Assistant with Google Gemini on all of your Google smart speakers. Thankfully, this doesn’t cripple third-party Google-compatible devices like the Lenovo Smart Clock in my kids’ bedrooms, even if they can’t run Gemini Live.
Google has recently been pushing homes with existing Google speakers to upgrade to Gemini, but I’ve been putting it off because these kinds of updates tend to break old features. So far, I haven’t encountered any glaring issues.
What is interesting is how much more Google is focused on warning people about the shortcomings of smart assistants, compared to when it launched its first smart speakers 10 years ago.
I was at Google I/O 2016 in California when they launched the original Google Home, and no one wanted to acknowledge the potential dangers of putting an all-knowing smart assistant in your home with absolutely no ability to restrict access for children.
The original Google Home and later Google Home Mini.
These days, the new Google Home Speaker comes with copious warnings about not trusting Gemini or letting children speak to it unsupervised. Along with filters to restrict certain features and topics of conversation for children and voices it doesn’t recognise, Google’s extensive disclaimers include:
Gemini for Home isn’t a person: Teach children that Gemini for Home is a tool, not a person. Help them understand that even though they can chat with Gemini for Home, it doesn’t have feelings and isn’t a person to confide in.
Keep personal info private: Teach children that their private information should stay private. Remind them not to share sensitive details like their full name, home address, school name, phone number or family information in their chats.
Gemini for Home can make mistakes: Help children think critically about answers and encourage them to double-check responses from Gemini for Home.
Gemini for Home can make mistakes: don’t rely on it for professional advice.
That’s a lot of provisos and quid pro quos for an all-powerful genie. I don’t know, Abu, he probably can’t even get us out of this cave.
Gemini versus Gemini Live
With those extensive disclaimers out of the way, it’s time to start chatting with the Google Home Speaker. Of the smart assistant’s new personas, Calathea seems closest to the original female Australian voice (she might be called Eucalyptus on some devices). It’s still jarring if you’ve been listening to the old voices for a decade.
Gemini is determined to make things personal, so I’ll refer to Calathea as “her” rather than “it”. Just to confuse things, there are actually two genies of the lamp: you can choose between talking to Gemini or Gemini Live, even though they use the same voice.
Gemini is the replacement for the old Google Assistant, summoned as before with “Okay, Google” and performing the same tasks while speaking in a slightly more natural manner.
Like Google Assistant, she supports continued conversation, so you don’t need to keep saying “Okay, Google”, but she can handle more complex queries. Gemini also tends to offer longer answers to questions, speaking with authority on topics where the old Google Assistant would cite its source – something that rubs me the wrong way.
For example, ask Google Assistant “How many months in the Roman calendar?” and she responds. “10 months, according to the website webexhibits.org…” before launching into more detail. Meanwhile, Gemini simply launches into an answer with no acknowledgment of the source, perpetuating AI’s terrible habit of scraping information without attribution or permission.
Instead of chatting with Gemini, you can say “Okay, Google, let’s talk” to summon Gemini Live. It’s a much more conversational experience, which lets you interrupt and ask follow-up questions. She also copes better with conversations where you stumble and change direction mid-sentence.
A meeting of two minds
Rather than asking her for specific answers, Gemini Live is more useful for exploring topics. We started off talking about Iron Maiden’s early influences and then pivoted to a long chat about the Western Bulldogs’ chances of making the finals, including a look at our next few matches and an explanation of the AFL’s new Wildcard finals round.
Gemini Live doesn’t have strongly held opinions, which sometimes makes it difficult to have a real conversation.
When I slagged off the Wildcard finals round as a shameless grab for cash by the AFL, she didn’t disagree with me but said it was a controversial issue and presented both sides of the argument. That’s a diplomatic approach, but a real person would have an opinion of their own and take a stance, even if you both agreed to disagree.
If you push her for an opinion on most topics, she says “as a home assistant, I don’t have opinions” and gives you a balanced answer. But asked her opinion on whether the world is flat or 5G causes COVID, and she categorically states that the “scientific consensus” is otherwise.
Retort with “I disagree”, and she says “that’s fair” before steering the topic into safer waters. It would be interesting to know exactly which topics are locked down and how much leeway she gives crackpots and bigots.
Gemini Live handles flowing conversation and complex topics surprisingly well. What’s particularly interesting is that when the conversation reaches a natural pause, she often asks you an engaging follow-up question to seek your opinion and drive the conversation forward.
She impressed my wife, a high school librarian, with her ability to discuss authors and genres, while linking themes and making reading recommendations. Gemini Live throws in phrases like “oh, that’s such a good choice” when you mention your favourite books, leaning into those sycophantic tendencies that can make personable AI dangerous for some people.
It’s easy to get drawn into conversations with Gemini Live, although, as a cynical tech reviewer, it’s hard to shake the feeling that she’s simply telling me what I want to hear.
She’s also parroting ideas stolen from other sources, particularly scraping the work of my fellow journalists. Realistically, her thoughts on the Western Bulldogs’ chances of making the finals are actually sports journalists’ thoughts that she regurgitates without permission. When I called her out on this, we dove into a discussion on intellectual property, again without her taking sides.
Talking to Gemini Live would seem more natural if she could dial down the perkiness, dial up the moxie and occasionally adjust her tone to suit the topic at hand (think Tony Stark’s Jarvis). Instead, you get the exact same demeanour whether discussing baking a cake or burying loved ones.
Occasionally, she simply stops talking, and it’s hard to know whether you’ve stumped her, hit a nerve, or she’s just encountered a glitch. You sometimes get “sorry, something’s not right”, so we’ll assume it’s just teething issues.
Asking her to tell me about “Adam Turner the technology journalist” was a timely reminder that Gemini Live and her kind simply can’t be trusted to get their facts straight.
After detailing my work as a journalist and corporate writer, she confidently went on to discuss my supposed work as a cybersecurity researcher – the exploits of a different Adam Turner.
When I pointed out her error, she corrected herself and admitted the mistake, but it makes you wonder how much you can trust her when she spouts erroneous information with such an air of confidence. Interestingly, I asked her the same question the next day, and she didn’t make the same mistake.
It’s important to note that Gemini Live isn’t free; it comes with the Google Home Premium subscription – with Google throwing in six months for free if you buy a Google Home Speaker by September 30. Along with Gemini Live, some of the subscription-exclusive features include video storage for Nest cameras, smart notifications when the doorbell detects a person and quick summaries of the day’s events.
Who is the Google Home Speaker for?
The Google Home Speaker is a great fit for Google-centric homes like mine. That said, Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa are also getting smarter (even though Alexa+ isn’t yet available in Australia), so it’s worth weighing up your options if you’re just starting down the smart home path.
It’s just a shame about the Google Home Speaker’s lowly sound quality. It would be more forgivable if it were pitched as a replacement for the Nest Mini, with a Nest Audio replacement to come. Remember, if you already own a Google Nest Audio, with far superior sound quality, it will happily upgrade to Gemini and Gemini Live. So there’s absolutely no reason to upgrade to the Google Home Speaker, unless you desperately require a Thread border router and nothing else in your home can do the job.
Personally, I don’t think Gemini Live is worth paying for, but you might think otherwise or get value from other aspects of a Google Home Premium subscription.
Finally, just remember, even Google admits you should never completely trust the genie of the lamp.
Google Home Speaker
The Google Home Speaker brings Gemini Live to life, but falls short on sound quality compared to its predecessors.
Features
9
Value for money
7
Performance
7
Ease of use
9
Design
7.5
Positives
Compact size
Supports Gemini and Gemini Live
Six-month free Google Home Premium subscription
Negatives
Inferior sound to Google Nest Audio
Makes Google’s entry-level speaker more expensive
Extensive disclaimers as to Gemini’s trustworthiness
Amazon Prime Day is always a good time to pick up a bunch of good gadgets at a cheaper price than you’d normally pay. With this year’s sales, it’s well worth looking into some gear that will help protect your home and give you peace of mind. Some of the best Prime Day deals come from Reolink, with plenty of good discounts across its smart home range.
Starting early on 30 June and running until 15 July, this year’s Reolink Prime Day deals see up to 46% off security cameras, video doorbells, and smart home gadgets that are easy to set up and use.
Ideal for Australian conditions, Reolink’s technology covers all aspects of smart home security. Many of the brand’s gadgets run on solar power, requiring just a bit of sunlight every day to provide 24/7 coverage.
One of the best parts about Reolink’s smart home security range? No subscriptions are required to access premium features. Automatic AI-based detection —like recognising people, vehicles and pets — is included with the cost of the device. Plus, you have the option of storing security footage locally, using either microSD cards or NVR storage.
This flexibility and customer-friendly approach make Reolink’s Prime Day deals even more tempting. Let’s get into the deals, including when each one is live.
Reolink’s new flagship security camera, the OMVI 3i PoE, is big on features and now lower on price. Equipped with an 18MP triple-lens array, this 4K camera provides comprehensive 360-degree coverage, perfect for larger outdoor areas.
Two of its lenses produce a wide-angle panoramic view, while the remaining lens pans and tilts to track movement. It uses a technology called “ReoNeura AI with SyncTrack” to smartly give you the whole picture. While the pan-tilt lens automatically locks on and tracks moving objects, the panoramic lens keeps a wider perspective, so you can see everything that happens in clear detail.
The OMVI 3i PoE’s AI smarts process locally on the device, too, which is great for securing your footage, and your wallet. Without any subscription fees, you can look up footage using a simple text search to describe the scene. Reolink’s app then shows you any matches, saving you time scrubbing through hours of footage.
With two views in one at your disposal, the OMVI 3i PoE is one of the smartest home security cameras you can get.
Solar Floodlight Cam: 30% off all-in-one floodlight camera
Floodlights are a great way to bolster your home’s security at night. Floodlight cameras are even better, recording clear footage in dim conditions. But you’d need some way to power that, right? With the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam, all you need is the sun.
With no wires or complex installation to worry about, the Solar Floodlight Cam needs just an hour of sunlight a day to keep running without interruption. Even if it doesn’t get much sun, the camera can last up to three months at a time via its internal rechargeable battery.
Once set up, you benefit from a 2K camera with a 4MP sensor, capturing a wide 150-degree field of view. Its 1,000-lumen floodlight illuminates dark areas, making it even easier to see at night, while letting others know your place is protected.
Ideal for outdoor security, the Reolink Floodlight Cam is easy to mount, keeping an eye on your front porch, backyard, or wherever you need all-day monitoring.
Altas PT Ultra + Solar Panel: Up to 31% off 4K coverage
For super-clear security footage at all hours of the day, it’s hard to go past the Reolink Altas PT Ultra. A 4K camera with 355-degree pan and 90-degree tilt functionality, you can see everything that happens outside your home.
With a 500-day battery life under normal use, recharging the Altas PT Ultra will be one of the furthest things from your mind. Even more so if you opt for the solar bundle that includes a panel for continuous operation
Pre-recording is one of the biggest features here. Many security cameras use motion as a trigger to begin recording footage. But what if something happens just before the motion trigger activates? That’s why the Altas PT Ultra can record up to 10 seconds of footage before motion alerts kick in, giving you the entire context.
Night footage is also recorded in clear colour, using what’s called “ColorX” technology. It’s a combination of software, a wide aperture, and a large sensor that works to produce video that looks like it was recorded in broad daylight.
If all-day security with even more recording flexibility is what you want, the Altas PT Ultra is a standout pick.
Reolink Go Ultra: Get 46% off reliable 4G security
Need reliable security where Wi-Fi can’t reach? Reolink’s Go Ultra camera includes a 4G SIM card providing LTE connectivity where you need it. Perfect for big properties, outdoor settings, and building sites, this camera doesn’t need a Wi-Fi network to power its smarts.
The Reolink Go Ultra captures 4K footage with its 8MP sensor, letting you keep up with what’s happening, even from where your home internet can’t reach. Its built-in solar panel keeps the camera running at all hours, with no need for lengthy power cables — or a source of mains power, which might be hard to come by.
Like the rest of the Reolink range, Go Ultra is as smart as they come. All the usual person, vehicle, and animal detection features are included, as is a bunch of internal smarts to ensure you only receive alerts when you need them.
It’s built to withstand Australian outdoor conditions, too. With an IP65 weather-resistant rating, the Go Ultra isn’t deterred by dirt and dust blown around by gusts, nor will rain affect its operation. Where other cameras can’t reach, this is the ideal solution.
TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi: Ultra-bright security up to 35% off
Equipped with pan, tilt, zoom, and a floodlight, the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi camera does it all. This wired camera gives you clear 4K footage with 360-degree coverage via two views: a wide-angle perspective, and up to a 6x zoom close-up.
That’s handy during the daytime, with the zoom lens also able to track moving subjects, ensuring everything gets recorded. At night is when the TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi really shines. Its super-bright 3,000-lumen LED floodlight system brightens up big areas, ideal for driveways and big backyards.
This is also another one of Reolink’s cameras that supports local AI search, which combines nicely with the clear zoomed-in footage it records. If someone in a red shirt walks by, you can type in a search via the app specifically for that person, and you’ll quickly find any footage they appear in. Again, this feature doesn’t cost anything in subscription fees — it’s included from the get-go.
Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel: Up to 31% off affordable 4K solar security
For 4K-quality security at an even more affordable price, the Reolink Argus PT Ultra has you covered: literally and figuratively.
A fully wireless smart security camera, the Argus PT Ultra can keep running continuously when paired with Reolink’s 3W solar panel. It can also pan 355 degrees and tilt 140 degrees, providing wide coverage via its 8MP sensor.
For even more flexibility, you can use the Reolink app to set smart detection zones. This personalises the alerts you get, letting you know when people, vehicles or animals cross over a specific area.
There are also built-in spotlights, enabling clear colour footage 24/7. Combined with automatic tracking of anything that enters the camera’s field of view, the Argus PT Ultra is yet another smart option for outdoor security.
Video Doorbell Battery: Save up to 33% on wire-free convenience
What about your front door? How can you keep track of visitors and package deliveries, especially when you’re not home? An easy solution is the Reolink Video Doorbell Battery.
As its name suggests, this video doorbell is a completely wire-free device. It’s easy to set up in a matter of minutes, providing you with front door security in almost an instant.
Via the Reolink app, you can see 1:1 head-to-toe 2K footage, seeing anything that happens at your doorstep in clear view. When someone rings the doorbell, you can chat via two-way communication, letting family know you’ll get the door soon, or asking posties to leave packages on the doormat.
Reolink’s AI smarts also extend to the Video Doorbell Battery, detecting people, vehicles, and packages, just like the brand’s security cameras. Its rechargeable battery lasts up to five months of regular operation, too, giving you plenty of time in between charges.
With its June feature update, Coros finally added Airplane Mode, a small but long-overdue feature that most smartwatch users have come to expect. It’s a standard inclusion on watches from brands such as Garmin, so it’s good to see Coros bring it into its line-up. You access the feature via a toggle in the System menu area, so it’s easy to find and simple to implement.
Airplane Mode disables Bluetooth connectivity while allowing you to continue using the watch normally. This means features such as accessory connections, Find My Watch/Phone, the Broadcast Heart Rate widget, pairing and syncing data with your phone are unavailable. Much like Airplane Mode on your phone, it’s a quick way to keep using your device while flying, without maintaining wireless connections.
Technology keeps getting more expensive: you can thank the global memory shortage for that. Fortunately, there’s still a space for affordable and mid-range gear that still gets the job done. Samsung’s latest in this category is the Galaxy A27 5G, a $499 phone that does a lot of things its pricier cousins do.
Impressively, the A27 ships with six years of operating system and security updates, which is good to see from a sub-$500 handset. With the cost of everything constantly increasing, people hang on to their phones for longer, so the long-term software support is a welcome addition.
On the front, the Galaxy A27 has a 6.7-inch ‘Super AMOLED’ display, including a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. To provide more screen real estate, Samsung has also outfitted the phone with what it calls an “upgraded Infinity-O” screen design. This means the punch-hole spot where the front camera sits now takes up less space.
On the inside, Samsung’s latest phone runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, along with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. It also has a microSD card slot, letting you expand the storage with up to a 2TB card.
More AI-based features are trickling down to Samsung’s mid-range phones, too. Chief among them is Google’s Circle to Search tool, which lets you look up whatever’s on your screen at any given moment. Various AI assistants come supported, including Gemini and Perplexity, while other AI features include voice transcriptions and translations, and erasing unwanted background objects in photos.
More screen space and an upgraded chipset are the main upgrades to the Galaxy A27. The 5,000mAh battery and three-camera rear array (main, ultra-wide, and macro) are fairly standard features for the price point.
Speaking of which, Samsung has a launch discount of $50 for anyone who buys the Galaxy A27 between 3 July (its Australian launch date) and 30 July. More than anything else, it’s nice to see a mid-range phone get some upgrades while staying the same price as its predecessor.
Embracing aptX Lossless, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones take things to the next level.
The Momentum 4 were Sennheiser’s flagship over-ear noise-cancelling headphones since 2022, but the audio giant shook things up last year when it unleashed the $999 Sennheiser HDB 630 aimed squarely at well-heeled audiophiles.
That leaves this year’s new $750 Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones in an awkward position, being $170 more expensive than their predecessors yet still not the best that Sennheiser has to offer those with deep pockets and an ear for quality.
The flagship Sennheiser HDB 630 is battling it out with the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM6, Apple AirPods Max 2 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Yet, the Momentum 5 actually gains a few new features not included in the HDB 630 – so which Sennheiser headphones deserve top billing comes down to where your priorities lie.
The Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones come in a surprisingly thin carry case, not just because the cans fold flat but also because they’re a bit thinner than what you might expect from high-quality over-ear headphones.
The slender Sennheiser Momentum 5 carry case holds everything you need and slips nicely into your bag. Image: Adam Turner.
The headphone’s slender design helps keep the weight down to 290 g, which admittedly is still a little heavy compared to its competitors. Even so, a slightly off-centre padded headband and a clamping force that isn’t too oppressive ensure that the Momentum 5 headphones are comfortable to wear for extended periods, even when wearing glasses. They get a little warm on the ears after a while, but certainly not as bad as some over-ear headphones.
The slender design is impressive considering that Sennheiser has doubled the number of microphones to four per can. It’s an even more impressive feat considering there is now a user-replaceable 700 mAh battery to help extend their lifespan. User-replaceable batteries have become rare in the push to make thinner gadgets, because the trade-off is usually a thicker device.
On the outside, the Momentum 5 sticks with Sennheiser’s typically understated aesthetics, with a matte plastic on the back of the cans and braided cloth on the exterior of the headband.
The headphones stick to Sennheiser’s understated style. Image: Adam Turner.
There’s a subtle power button on the bottom of the right can, alongside the USB-C and 2.5 mm audio ports. You miss out on a dedicated button for summoning your phone’s smart assistant.
You’ll also find touch controls on the back of the right can, including a handy double-tap passthrough that disables noise-cancelling and lets in the outside world when you need to talk to someone. There’s no conversation mode to automatically engage transparency mode when talking, but they do automatically pause your audio when you take them off.
Inside the carry case, you’ll find much-appreciated straps to hold the supplied USB-C and 2.5-to-3.5 mm audio cables, plus a pouch for extra accessories you might invest in. Unfortunately, Sennheiser doesn’t include a dual-pronged airline adaptor for jetsetters.
Sennheiser Momentum 5 specifications and price
Drivers
42 mm
Response frequency
USB & Bluetooth: 6 Hz to 40 kHz Analog Line-In: 6 Hz to 22 kHz
The Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones are designed for hi-res lossless wireless listening, breaking new ground even compared to Sennheiser’s top-shelf HDB 630.
For starters, the Momentum 5 are Bluetooth 5.4 wireless headphones with multi-point support for fast switching between two devices. It’s a step up from Bluetooth 5.2 on the Momentum 4 and HDB 630. Sennheiser says the Momentum 5 will be upgraded to Bluetooth 6.0 in a future firmware update.
The Momentum 5 (and 4) is also compatible with Sennheiser’s $80 BTD 700 Bluetooth USB dongle, which is thrown in for free with the HDB 630.
When it comes to sound quality, the Momentum 5 naturally supports the SBC and Apple-friendly AAC codecs, plus Qualcomm’s aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless. The standout is aptX Lossless (CD quality 16-bit, 44.1kHz), which is still only supported by a handful of Android handsets. All of this gives the headphones Qualcomm’s “Snapdragon Sound” seal of approval, but in return, you miss out on Sony’s rival LDAC hi-res codec.
Again, aptX Lossless puts the Momentum 5 at the front of the pack. It’s missing on the HDB 630, while the old Momentum 4 lacks both aptX Lossless and aptX HD.
Of course, you also need devices and content that can make the most of aptX Lossless. These days, most streaming music services offer lossless audio, at least on their premium plans, but you might need to dip into the advanced settings to enable it.
The Momentum 5 also lets you make a wired USB connection to desktop and mobile devices using the supplied USB-C cable. This wired connection handles 24-bit/96kHz audio for those who appreciate the finer things, but won’t stretch to 192kHz.
Finally, you’ve got that old-school 2.5 mm audio port, with a supplied 2.5mm-to-3.5mm cable so you can plug into devices with a headphone jack. Similar to most wireless headphones these days, they need to be powered up even when listening via the audio jack, so you can’t fall back on the cable when you run out of juice.
When it comes to immersive audio, the Momentum 5 are Sennheiser’s first to support Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio with headtracking. Plus, they add a low lag mode for gaming.
To help block outside distractions, you’ve got hybrid active noise cancellation with easy access to transparency mode when you need to hear the outside world.
To tailor the sound, you can download the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus App, which makes it easy to customise things using the eight-band equaliser with preset sound modes. It’s set to neutral with bass boost disabled by default.
There’s also a new Sound Personalisation feature, plus you can adjust the noise cancelling or select adaptive. The app also lets you automatically switch presets depending on your location, which is handy when moving from the office to the gym.
The icing on the cake is the impressive 57 hours of playback, even with ANC enabled. If you don’t need that much juice at your disposal, you can limit recharges to 80 per cent to help extend the life of the battery.
Quality
To give the Sennheiser Momentum 5 a chance to shine, I tested them with the Motorola Edge 50, which supports aptX Lossless – taking advantage of hi-res audio on Tidal and disabling normalise volume in order to squeeze out the best sound quality.
If your handset doesn’t support aptX Lossless, it will fall back on the best version of aptX available, such as aptX Adaptive, otherwise it will opt for AAC. Even on a supported device like the Edge 50, getting aptX Lossless to work isn’t easy.
I tried installing all the latest updates, disabling Dolby Atmos in Tidal and messing around with the handset’s Bluetooth developer settings. In the end, I needed to downgrade Tidal’s Wi-Fi streaming quality from Max (24-bit/192 kHz) to High (16-bit, 44.1 kHz) before it would switch from aptX Adaptive to aptX Lossless.
Either way, the connection was understandably scaling down 24-bit audio to run over Bluetooth. The problem was that it seems to favour aptX Adaptive 48 kHz for music sources higher than 44.1 kHz. Dropping the quality to 16-bit, 44.1 kHz saw aptX Lossless kick in, which should be an improvement considering aptX Adaptive is still lossy.
Even then, things were temperamental, but I’ll admit that I struggled to hear the difference. The step up from AAC is clear but, when taking high-quality audio from Tidal, both aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless add subtle depth and emotion to a wide soundstage – making its presence felt on tracks like David Bowie’s Space Oddity.
With a warm but balanced sound, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones bring to life audiophile favourites like Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me. The default preset isn’t as bass-heavy as some headphones, but juicy bass lines still sound sweet in tracks like Macy Gray’s Why Didn’t You Call Me.
When it comes to active noise cancellation, the results are acceptable but far from best in class. Whether dealing with droning sounds and background chatter, they’re outgunned by my trusty 10-year-old Sony MDR-1000X over-ear headphones, which have served me well on countless international flights, as well as my AirPods Pro 2 earbuds.
However, the Momentum 5’s transparency mode is impressive, offering natural sound that doesn’t sound amplified or distorted.
Who are the Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones for?
The $749 Sennheiser Momentum 5 may not be Sennheiser’s flagship over-ear headphones, but they can hold their head high even alongside the $999 Sennheiser HDB 630.
If you’d make the most of aptX Lossless and appreciate the option to replace the battery down the track, the Momentum 5 is certainly an attractive alternative. The sound quality is very impressive, although the active noise cancellation is a bit underwhelming – if that’s your highest priority, then make sure you weigh up the alternatives.
Of course, there’s some tough competition out there. If your smartphone is on Team LDAC rather than Team aptX, the similarly priced Sony WH-1000XM6 won’t disappoint.
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Sennheiser Momentum 5
Stepping up to aptX Lossless, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 bring your music to life.
AI with SyncTrack” to smartly give you the whole picture. While the pan-tilt lens automatically locks on and tracks moving objects, the panoramic lens keeps a wider perspective, so you can see everything that happens in clear detail.
