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STACK ’ s TECH tips

5 hacks to make your smartphone louder

1 First up, make sure there’s no dirt blocking the speaker itself. Phones are exposed to dirt and lint inside bags and pockets, which can affect the speaker's sound quality. 2 Smartphone speakers are located at the bottom of the unit, so while it sounds obvious, make sure the speaker faces upwards when you play your music. 3 Grab that glass bowl from the kitchen and drop the smartphone, speaker facing down, into it. A glass bowl will sound better than a porcelain one. 4 Go one better and find a kitchen or toilet roll. Cut a slot at the top of the tube, slide your phone in, and enjoy the amplification. 5 And last but not least, pull that used chip can out of

JUNE

DYK?

Technology has become an integral part of Australian lifestyles and continues to advance in leaps and bounds. From smartphones to smart homes, STACK keeps you up to date on the latest consumer tech in user-friendly terms, along with key points to consider before you buy. If you love tech, you’re in the right place.

The first cinema projector was called the Zoopraxiscope and was invented by the British photographer Eadweard Muybridge (real name) in 1879. It projected painted images from rotating glass disks.

the recycling and, like the toilet roll, cut a slot into the top for the phone. Remove the lid and enjoy what we found to be the best ‘improv’ speaker for a smartphone.

What tech has been floating the boat of the writers at STACK recently? You can find it right here every month.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

1984

Withings ScanWatch Nova The ScanWatch Nova combines everything you need from a smartwatch, yet cunningly hides it all behind the face of a traditional watch. Effortlessly blending style with functionality,

What was the hottest tech in…

I n 1979, Japanese audio giant Sony turned the world on its head. The introduction of the portable cassette player, better known as the Sony Walkman, revolutionised the music industry. Five years later, the company did it again with a new generation of portable audio technology. Introduced in 1982, compact discs were still trailing far behind records and cassettes in sales. The new medium needed a boost, and it found one in the Sony Discman D-50, the first

the Nova has all the hallmarks of a premium watch that wouldn’t look out of place in the boardroom, restaurant, or gym. At the top of the watch is a discreet circular

OLED display, accessed by pressing the crown on the side. Once connected to a smartphone, users can receive email, texts, or those all-important social media On the health stat front, Nova is well covered with essentials like accurate heart tracking, blood oxygen levels, and a medical-grade ECG. For the active, a slew of workout modes across over 40 activities allows tracking and monitoring for progress.

portable CD player. Except it wasn’t portable. The D-50 could only be powered via a power supply. Sony did sell an accessory powered by six C-size batteries that would house the player to make it portable. However, the batteries increased the unit's overall size and weight.

notifications directly to the wrist.

Its controls were simple: manual eject, power on switch, plus play, search, and a skip track button. And the D-50 was a loud piece of kit; number three on the volume dial delivered ear-bursting audio. When it was released at the end of 1984, the price was one of the biggest adoption motivators for consumers. At just US$300 on launch, the uptake was immediate, and within a year, Sony was producing 100,000 units a month. Mirroring what the original Walkman did for cassette sales, the Discman pushed CDs into the mainstream and helped them to become the audio format of choice with consumers from the mid-eighties on.

This is all matched by an excellent app where you can even download a health report for a health professional. Finally, there’s the battery life. This is simply incredible, with a massive 30 days of charge. And it’s waterproof to a depth of 100 metres. It even has a spare rubber strap for a sportier look and accessories to swap out links. The ScanWatch Nova is the ideal smartwatch concealed beneath a sophisticated aesthetic.

On The Radar

July is the month for audio lovers. We’re already seeing a heap of new earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and headphones heading to the shelves at JB. We will pull it all together in one jumbo audio buying guide in July. Prime your ears – it’s going to be a belter.

JUNE 2024

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