![Those who illictly downloaded Game of Thrones - which is aired first exclusively on Foxtel in Australia - could be ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/5/o/c/0/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gy62my.png/1503955374661.jpg)
![Those who illictly downloaded Game of Thrones - which is aired first exclusively on Foxtel in Australia - could be ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/5/o/c/0/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gy62my.png/1503955374661.jpg)
Hands on: Nest Protect smart smoke/ carbon monoxide alarm
![Nest Protect brings smoke and CO alarms into the smart home age.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/5/g/w/s/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy5g90.png/1503911657165.jpg)
An alarm which speaks to you before it screeches at you, Nest Protect is designed to keep its cool in a crisis.
Samsung has a better AI than Bixby. Where's Viv?
![The Samsung Galaxy Note8.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/4/o/j/t/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy5di0.png/1503880825976.jpg)
Samsung made waves in the tech world when it bought Viv, a digital assistant made by Siri's creators. So why is it using Bixby in its current phones?
I went to a Tinder party that no one knew was on
![Retro's at Fortitude Valley held a Tinder party on Saturday night, but hardly anyone knew it was on.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/n/w/t/f/image.related.landscape.120x80.gxnumr.png/1503880520769.jpg)
Periodically deleting and reinstalling Tinder could very well have replaced the "watching Titanic and eating ice-cream" as my generation's most (in)effective breakup remedy.
New Uncharted adventure is more of a very good thing
![Uncharted](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/1/9/s/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy3znj.png/1503630370057.jpg)
Nathan Drake's exploits may have come to a close but the series continues with a smaller-scale adventure that looks and plays a lot like last year's excellent, beautiful blockbuster, but offers a brand new story and a refreshing change of perspective.
Bandsteering isn't a panacea for all your home WiFi woes
![Home WiFi troubleshooting is a dark art.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/p/6/g/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy3znz.png/1503635472897.jpg)
If your home is a wireless warzone then automatically shifting gadgets between bands, in search of the best performance, might create as many problems as it solves.
Apple plans 4K Apple TV reveal
![2015's revamped Apple TV.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/j/6/s/f/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy3vvh.png/1503624262997.jpg)
Apple is planning to unveil a renewed focus on the living room with an upgraded Apple TV set-top box that can stream 4K video and highlight live television content such as news and sports.
Why gaming giant Blizzard just apologised to all of Australia
![Overwatch](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/3/t/5/j/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy3t52.png/1503612771654.png)
Some fans thought a new trailer for an Australian-themed map in the game Overwatch might be considered insensitive to indigenous communities, but the game's director was more concerned about another cultural error.
Galaxy Note8 v iPhone 7 Plus
![The Galaxy Note8 and the iPhone 7 Plus.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/3/4/h/3/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy32uk.png/1503543909030.jpg)
Samsung has finally unveiled the Note8, successor to the notoriously-explodable Note7. We've already taken a look at its specs, pricing and Australian availability, but how does it stack up against Apple's iPhone 7 Plus?
First impressions of Galaxy Note8
![Note8's extra screen space is great for doodling.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/2/u/2/b/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy2tyy.png/1503532035067.jpg)
At first glance, the Note 8 seems to put Samsung firmly on the road to redemption. After the Note7 recall last year, this is the first viable model of its premium phone since 2015. I had a chance to spend some time with the new phone at its unveiling event in New York, and, here are my initial impressions.
Samsung is 'moving on' as it launches Galaxy Note8
![The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/2/2/4/r/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy1zqu.png/1503532062910.jpg)
As Samsung launches its new consumer-focused Galaxy Note8 in New York, the company is in conversation with Australian aviation about updating any remaining warnings about its previous Note7 phones.
Scientists in war lab game way to victory
![<br>](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/2/8/h/r/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy2bdd.png/1503499885885.jpg)
In a beige concrete office block in Melbourne's inner-city, behind locked doors to which only eight people have access, a scientist sits watching two fighter jets marking a path towards their target - Sydney Harbour.
Troublesome tweeters
![Don't touch your tweeter.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/1/8/x/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy18wn.png/1503456751686.jpg)
There are some vexing problems with soft dome tweeters, some hard to believe. I'll get to that in a moment but first - what is a soft dome tweeter?
Apple Car plans scaled right back
![Apple is still interested in self-driving technology, but not in building its own car.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/2/5/o/l/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy23zv.png/1503456285242.jpg)
The company has put off any notion of an Apple-branded autonomous vehicle and is instead working on the underlying technology that allows a car to drive itself.
Cars return to Detroit – without drivers
![Rosie the Riveter is back in business in Detroit.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/1/9/o/w/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy19dw.png/1503455788067.jpg)
Detroit is once again becoming the centre of the US automobile industry – only this time without anyone behind the wheel.
Australian telco industry leaders to finally act on nightmare NBN migrations
![There's plenty of blame to share around, with no-one accepting responsibilty for helping Australians trapped in ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/d/y/y/j/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy276a.png/1503479687178.jpg)
With the nationwide rollout half over, NBN and its cohorts finally concede they need to do more to help Australians trapped in broadband hell.
Samsung's Bixby finally works properly in Australia
![Bixby can understand your voice and perform tasks with multiple steps, but is it really smart?](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/1/z/k/5/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy1zj5.png/1503880511259.jpg)
A solid five months after Samsung announced it, the Bixby voice assistant is finally available in Australia.
Android 8 is officially called Oreo
![Oreo](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/y/1/a/5/0/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy19xe.png/1503407311736.jpg)
At the height of the day's solar eclipse in New York, Google finally revealed the name of its latest Android operating system — in honour of another dark disc: the Oreo.
Is the new Essential smartphone ... essential?
![The Essential smartphone, with and without its sold-separately 360 degree camera.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/g/s/u/0/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy0m7x.png/1503303136345.jpg)
So-called 'simpler' high-end phone is beautiful and well-made, but its lack of features means it falls short of being essential.
Are you ready for Australia's spring rain broadband blues?
![The NBN might not bring relief to every Australia who regularly loses their broadband after heavy rain.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170828224523im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/n/l/g/l/image.related.landscape.120x80.gy0nmf.png/1503298032525.jpg)
It's been a dry winter, but the spring downpours are set to trigger the seasonal ADSL slowdown as Telstra's pits flood – drowning the country's ageing copper network.