Last year, Tineco launched one of our favourite wet-dry vacuums so far: the Floor One S9 Artist Steam. Now, the high-powered floor cleaner is getting an upgraded S9 Artist Steam Pro version, with a much longer-lasting battery, more powerful suction, and even hotter steam.
Launching in Australia at the same $1,499 price tag as the previous model, the Pro combines vacuuming, roller mops, and steam technology to clean up sticky messes on hard floors. Kitchen spills, pet litter, and muddy footprints are prime fodder for this sort of cleaner.
Compared to the original S9 Artist Steam, the Pro lasts up to 35 minutes longer, reaching 110 minutes of runtime on a single charge. That’ll be good news for households with larger floor plans that previously lamented having to recharge midway through cleaning.
Tineco also cranked up the Pro’s suction power to 25,000Pa, up from 22,000Pa, fulfilling the ‘dry’ part of the wet-dry cleaner equation. On the steam-cleaning part of the equation, Tineco advertises temperatures as hot as 230°C, surpassing the 140°C temperatures of the original S9 Artist Steam.
Even the self-cleaning cycle is hotter, heating up water to flush out the internals, finishing off with 110°C hot air drying, leaving the inner piping and roller mop fresh between cleaning runs.
With any cleaning appliance, some messes refuse to yield, no matter how many times you run over them. Tineco’s solution is a new ‘Reverse Scrub’ mode. When activated, it reverses the roller’s rotation, applying intense scrubbing pressure in one spot for 14 seconds. According to Tineco, this approach increases friction without any effort on the user’s part, dislodging tough stains.
It’s an interesting approach that’ll be put to the test in Australian homes soon, with the Tineco Floor One S9 Artist Steam Pro out now via local retailers.
Google’s new Pixel 11 range is just a week away from hitting Australian shelves, with bigger camera sensors and more refined software the main year-on-year upgrades. Now that the phones are public knowledge, local retailers are competing to be the place you pre-order the Pixel 11 from.
Like most phone pre-order promotions, there’s a combination of device discounts when bundled with plans, and freebies when buying the handset outright. Depending on where you shop, you can save hundreds of dollars on a Pixel 11, grab a free watch, or even score a PlayStation 5.
Before we get too carried away, let’s look at how much the Pixel 11 range costs in Australia, and where you can find the best pre-order deals.
Google Pixel 11 range price
This year’s Pixel phones cost a bit more, with starting price increases of up to $150 in Australia. The cheapest Pixel 11 starts at $1,499, while the 512GB storage variant of the Pro Fold claims the most expensive crown at $2,999.
Here’s how much each model costs in Australia:
Google Pixel 11
12GB + 256GB: $1,499
12GB + 512GB: $1,699
Google Pixel 11 Pro
12GB + 256GB: $1,849
16GB + 512GB: $2,049
16GB + 1TB: $2,399
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL
12GB + 256GB: $2,099
16GB + 512GB: $2,299
16GB + 1TB: $2,649
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold
16GB + 256GB: $2,799
16GB + 512GB: $2,999
All phones launch in Australia on 20 August, just a week after the announcement. Pre-orders are live now, so let’s get into the deals.
Google Pixel 11 pre-order deals
Google’s online store
If you go directly with Google’s online store, you can get either money off a new watch or store credit. As usual, the value depends on which phone you choose.
With a standard Pixel 11, Google offers one of two choices: a free Fitbit Air valued at $199, or $199 of Google Store credit. It’s a similar trajectory for the rest of the range, albeit with higher dollar values attached.
Moving on to the Pixel 11 Pro, the offer is $449 off the newly launched Pixel Watch 5, or $449 in store credit. Pick a Pixel 11 Pro XL, and it’s either a $599 Pixel Watch 5 discount or the same amount in credit. It doesn’t matter which storage configuration you choose; the pre-order deal is the same.
Image: Google.
As for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, you can choose to receive a Pixel Watch 5 at no cost, or get $699 in store credit. Google values the specific Pixel Watch 5 model at $829, so it technically is the bigger offer of the two.
Google’s pre-order deals also extend beyond launch, lasting until 4 September.
Telstra
Telstra’s pre-order deals consist of device payment discounts, bonus trade-in credit, and a bit of money off your phone bill.
When buying a Pixel 11 on either a 12, 24, or 36-month Telstra plan, you can save $400 on device repayments, essentially bringing the hardware cost down to as little as $1,099. By trading in an eligible phone, there’s also $400 of bonus trade-in credit up for grabs, which stacks on top of the device’s existing value.
With the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL models, Telstra’s pre-order deal follows the same structure. Both phones include $650 device discounts when bundled with a plan, along with the $400 bonus trade-in credit offer.
Interestingly, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s device discount is slightly less, at $600, despite its higher price. Otherwise, the same $400 bonus trade-in credit offer applies.
Across all phones, Telstra also offers a $5 monthly discount on its Basic Mobile Plan for the first 12 months. Normally $74 per month, it brings the monthly cost down to $69 during the first year, with 50GB included each month.
Importantly, Telstra’s Pixel 11 device discount offers end on 20 August, launch day.
Optus
If you pre-order a Pixel 11 with Optus, you get $500 off device repayments when paired with either a 12, 24, or 36-month plan. The cheapest eligible plan starts at $60 per month with a 60GB data allocation. However, there’s an introductory discount available, bringing the monthly cost down to $40 for the first year.
That device discount increases to $1,000 for the entire Pro range, including the XL and Fold models. Like the standard Pixel 11, as long as you stick with the agreed-upon plan duration, the device repayment discount applies.
Vodafone
At the time of writing, Vodafone has pre-order deals for the base Pixel 11 and the Pixel 11 Pro XL, but not the rest of the range. Both are pretty sizable (and unique) offers, though.
Pre-ordering the Pixel 11 with either a 24 or 36-month Vodafone plan nets a $650 device discount. Vodafone’s cheapest plan starts at $58 per month (discounted to $45 for the first year), making this deal one of the cheaper options as far as monthly payments are concerned.
Pre-order the Pixel 11 Pro XL by 19 August, and you’ll get something completely different. Not a device discount or lower monthly payments, but a PlayStation 5. It comes with an extra DualSense controller, too, bringing the overall quoted value to $1,009.
So, if you want a phone and a gaming console, Vodafone is your go-to.
JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman
Looking at classic brick-and-mortar retail, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman offer the same Google Pixel 11 pre-order deals. It’s a pretty simple offer: order one of the new phones by 26 August and get a bonus device (or devices, plural).
Image: Google.
Here’s what comes with each phone:
Pixel 11: Google Fitbit Air (valued at $199)
Pixel 11 Pro: Google Fitbit Air + Pixel Buds 2A (valued at $438)
Pixel 11 Pro XL: Google Fitbit Air + Pixel Buds 2 Pro (valued at $578)
Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Pixel Watch 5 Wi-Fi 45mm (valued at $699)
That just about sums up the main Pixel 11 pre-order deals in Australia. Let us know if you spot any other deals in the wild over the next week.
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Apple has one, Samsung has one, as does Motorola, and now Google has one: alongside its new phones and wearables, Google has debuted the Pixel Tag, the brand’s first tracking device.
Like Motorola’s Moto Tag, the Pixel Tag works with Android devices via Google’s Find Hub to locate items, providing another alternative to AirTags, SmartTags, and Life360 Tiles. Not much bigger than a coin, it fits into bags, pouches, and even on keyrings.
Priced at $49 for one tracker and $169 for a four-pack in Australia, Google’s Pixel Tag is pretty much on par with other tracking devices on the market. It’s also similar in most other ways, including a built-in speaker to help you locate its position. Alternatively, it has a button that pings your phone when pressed if you can’t remember where you put it.
Image: Google.
Google claims the tag lasts up to a year on a single battery, which is replaceable once it runs out. It’s also built to an IP67 rating, meaning it’s resistant to dust and water.
Compatible with devices running Android 9 or later, the Pixel Tag triangulates its position via an encrypted network of other Android gadgets. To alleviate security concerns, it provides a rough location via Find Hub. When it’s nearby, you can search for the tracker’s precise position via Bluetooth and Ultra-Wideband technology.
Although the rest of the Pixel range is out later this month, the Pixel Tag won’t arrive until 11 November. When it lands, it’ll provide another Android-based tracker to choose from.
Of Insta360’s many 360-degree cameras, the X-series sits at the top as the flagship model. Last year’s X5 model was a fantastic pocket-sized camera that let you capture everything at once and find the framing in the edit. Today marks the launch of the Insta360 X6 camera, making a suite of holistic changes to the form factor.
Among the many changes is a larger sensor. Where the X5 used custom dual 1/1.28-inch Sony sensors, the X6 increases the size to 1/1.1 inches. According to Insta360, it adds 33 per cent more area in the sensor, quadrupling the light intake in the process, which bodes well for low-light footage.
A combination of this improved sensor array and an upgraded processor expands the filming options, too. The Insta360 X6 can now shoot in 8K at up to 50fps (up from 30fps), while you can now record in 5K at 60fps or 4K at up to 120fps. It’s also the first 360-degree camera with Dolby Vision support, plus there’s the option of shooting in 10-bit I-Log (up from 8-bit) if you prefer to do your own colour grading.
If you want to do as little editing as possible, the X6 taps into Insta360’s PanoMind AI model to automatically edit the footage in a readily shareable format. When you put the camera on charge, it can analyse the footage, identify highlights, and push edited clips to the Insta360 App. A new feature called “Moments Pro” combines Insta360’s AI model with Google Gemini to edit clips via keywords, to help those unfamiliar with video editing tools.
The X6 is slightly smaller than the X5, including its touchscreen. Image: Insta360.
Hardware-wise, the X6 is slightly shorter than the X5. As a result, the built-in OLED display shrinks to 2.32 inches, down from the X5’s 2.5-inch screen. Insta360’s latest flagship camera comes at a higher price, though. Australians pay $1,049.99 as a starting point, up $120 from the X5.
It’s a pretty big change from the previous model, so I’m keen to see how the 360-degree recording experience has improved with the X6, which is out now in Australia.
Among a series of new phones, Google has also announced the Pixel Watch 5 overnight, promising more precise sensors and AI-powered health guidance.
The health and wellness space is an area that tech companies want an increasingly bigger piece of. For a while, they’ve provided wearable gadgets to help track heart rate, sleep quality, and various other metrics. With all that data, the next step is to offer more proactive health advice.
Like the new Samsung Galaxy Watch range, the Pixel Watch 5 uses your metrics to provide a daily score to advise how hard you should push during any given workout. Google also advertises more on-device coaching, including an update coming in September for strength training that lets the wearable guide you through each interval and rest period.
A greater range of health-tracking options is coming, too. Like the strength training guidance, several of the new additions won’t arrive until next month, however. Blood pressure patterns and insulin resistance levels are among the upcoming features, designed to help you identify when it’s time to see a GP.
Image: Google.
Another feature scheduled for September is ‘Sleep Breathing Quality’, which measures your blood oxygen levels while snoozing. It’ll add to the existing sleep quality scoring the Pixel Watches provide, on top of a personalised alarm system that aims to gently wake you.
Google also claims that the Pixel Watch 5 has the best GPS tracking of its wearables range so far. Like the built-in health sensors, the GPS operates from your wrist, so there’s no need to lug your phone around.
All of the above should feel a bit snappier, with Google citing 20 per cent faster processing speeds courtesy of the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated chipset.
Google Pixel Watch 5 price in Australia
Google’s latest wearable continues the company’s trend of releasing in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. In Australia, the 41mm Pixel Watch 5 starts at $649, while the 45mm model starts at $699.
Compared to the Pixel Watch 4 from last year, you’re looking at $70 more for the smaller size, and a $20 increase for the bigger variant.
Garmin has always been at the forefront of sports and GPS watches. For years, they’ve catered to everyone, from entry-level watches all the way to their premium multisport GPS wearables, and everything in between. I have used a Garmin for so long it feels unnatural to not be wearing one.
Recently, I have seen a trend of health and sports-tracking products that don’t require a screen. I guess this follows the logic that we always have our phones with us, so why have another screen to look at? Whoop has cut through the market with its screenless wristbands designed to be worn 24/7, tracking things like sleep, stress and recovery. I’m seeing them more and more these days, and it was only a matter of time before others responded.
Garmin’s new smart band is the company’s first screenless wearable. Image: Jay Marshall.
Garmin’s response is the newly launched Cirqa Smart Band, its first-ever wearable without a screen. An answer to the Whoop, it has a similar form factor, being slim and light, with a comfortable velcro strap.
The Cirqa has some cool functionality as well. It comes with one button on the side, yet it will detect your workouts automatically. The idea here is for it to record your data — including sleep and health vitals — in the background while you go about your day, and you can analyse it later. No distracting you from your business, just the information you want, when you want it. And with a 10-day battery life, you won’t get sick of constantly having to charge it.
One noticeable difference is that Whoop is a subscription-based product, which may turn away a fair few prospective customers. On the other hand, the Garmin Cirqa is a one-off $299 payment for the device, and you are all set. No ongoing fees.
Garmin Recharge Lounge. Image: Jay Marshall.
I recently attended the Garmin Recharge Lounge in Sydney to see the Cirqa in person and try it out. Already being a Garmin user made it easy to connect the device to the app and begin using it.
Fairly understated, the Cirqa blends into outfits seamlessly. Image: Jay Marshall.
Although I am sure many people will use the Cirqa as their main device, I realised I don’t want to stop using my beloved Garmin Fenix 8. So, I had one big question: how can I use the Cirqa with my existing Garmin watch? My major concern was receiving duplicate data from the two devices. I don’t want a run recorded twice, or the app to think I sleep 16 hours a night. Speaking with Garmin, they assured me there is an ideal way to use both in conjunction, and it’s rather clever.
Images: Jay Marshall.
Within the Garmin Connect app settings, you can control your device priority. In this case, I can set the Cirqa as the ‘Primary Wearable’, meaning it will be the main device to track your daily health stats like steps, sleep, body battery and stress. I can then set my Fenix watch as the ‘Primary Training Device’, which will look after my proper workouts as well as training status and load focus.
Screenshots: Jay Marshall.
I didn’t know these settings existed, but it makes total sense. I can keep the Garmin Cirqa on all the time so my data is always tracked, and only use my watch during the day or when I work out. It seems like they work in harmony, and I will be testing this out over the next few months.
If there’s one type of gadget I have reviewed more than any other, it’s portable power stations. Like a turbo-charged power bank, these gadgets are all-in-one boxes with a built-in battery that supplies 240-volt, 12-volt, and USB power, allowing you to power your appliances off-grid or during a power outage. The most common trade-off is always weight versus battery capacity. As the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 shows, this balance between portability and power is improving.
Weighing in at under 19kg, the C2000 has 2,048Wh of capacity, which would run a household refrigerator for around a day or a camping fridge for more than two days. In comparison, some competing models weigh over 24kg with the same capacity. For those wanting more power, a 2,048Wh expansion battery can be plugged in to double the capacity.
The trade-off for this lighter battery is a reduced lifespan of around 4,000 recharge cycles, which is still 11 years if you recharge the unit every day. The battery output is up to 2,400 watts, matching the output limit of a household 240-volt outlet, so running a kettle or hair dryer is no problem. You could not, however, run them both at the same time. But the Solix will allow a surge of up to 4,000W, which might be required if you were using it to power an RV air conditioner.
Charging and power options
Other power outlets include a 12-volt car/cigarette lighter outlet, two USB-C outlets rated at 140W each, one USB-C at 15W, and one USB-A at 12W. It is nice to see the high-wattage USB-C, which means you will have no trouble powering and recharging a laptop. All the DC outlets will work when the unit is turned on, but the AC power will only work when you press a separate button or switch it on via the Anker app. The app lets you monitor the capacity and see what output wattage is being consumed. If within Wi-Fi range, the C2000 can be controlled from anywhere; otherwise, a Bluetooth connection lets you control the power station from your camp chair.
Image: Angus Jones.
To charge the power station, you have several options. When plugged into the mains, you can charge faster than with any other similarly sized power station, taking the unit from empty to 80% in 45 minutes. You can also charge concurrently via a solar panel at up to 800W. You will be more likely to charge from a 400W panel, which would give you a full charge on a sunny summer day. The unit does ship with a 12-volt car charger, but at only 100W, this will take up to 24 hours of driving. Instead, Anker sells an alternator charger for $799, which will charge your battery at up to 800W, reducing the charge time to about 2.5 hours of driving. Power comes directly from your car’s alternator and will require you or an expert to run cables.
Power inputs. Image: Angus Jones.
Quiet operation
Something I have noticed in my testing is how quiet the unit is. I am used to some power stations with noisy fans, and this unit is super quiet at a quoted 35dB. If you use the power station as a UPS to keep critical devices powered, the unit will switch over in 10 milliseconds, which is fast enough that a battery-less PC will not power off.
Screenshots: Angus Jones.
Anker’s app is quite good, too. The ability to vary how fast the power station charges from mains, from 200W up to 2300W, can be handy if you need to adjust based on your power source, such as a generator or a car inverter. Also, the ability to time when the power station recharges (time-of-use mode), which means you can take advantage of cheaper power if you are on a time-of-use plan or have home solar panels.
The Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station costs $2,699 directly from Anker’s website in Australia. But watch for specials: it has been on sale for less than $2,000 before, which is excellent value.
