STACK #229 November 2023

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STACK ’ s TECH tips

5 Things To Ask Google

1. Can’t find a coin? Ask Google heads or tails, and you’ll hear the sound of a flipped coin before the result is revealed. 2. Need a calorie check on that banana? Shout out (for the record, it’s 89 calories for every 100 grams of banana). 3. Before you hide your passport under the fridge, tell Google Assistant where it is. When you’re in a blind panic trying to find it, she’ll remind you where you put it. 4. Do you have more than one speaker? Set up Broadcast mode and use this intercom system to wake the kids or tell them their dinner is inside the dog. 5. Alongside car keys, phones are up there as the most easily lost item in the house. If it’s not in the toilet, you’re stuffed! However, once set up, you’ll never lose it again – just yell out, “Where’s my phone?” and the Google Assistant will ring it on your behalf.

NOVEMBER

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.

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

EDITOR’S CHOICE

ARLO PRO 5 2K SPOTLIGHT CAMERA Arlo has a reputation for quality security cams, and the Pro 5 2K is perfect for 24/7 home surveillance. Fully wireless and super compact, it can be easily mounted inside or discreetly sat atop a bookshelf and is tough enough to cope with extreme weather outdoors. Its adjustable field of view offers wide coverage, and live video is captured in 2K HDR resolution, revealing objects, faces, and licence plate numbers with impressive clarity. Sensitive motion sensing tech sends alerts to your phone in a flash and will also trigger the integrated spotlight after dark to capture full-colour night vision footage. It’s also smart enough to distinguish between people, pets, vehicles, and packages. A fully charged battery will give you up to six months of monitoring, and you’ll need an Arlo Secure subscription to access features beyond the basics (a free three-month trial is included). A smart and affordable security solution, you’ll always know what’s happening at home with this vigilant little sentinel.

1969

What was the hottest tech in…

Walk down any street in Australia these days, and you’ll see many houses adorned with home security systems. Technological advances have put self-installation into the hands of consumers who no longer need a qualified technicion to set up a CCTV system. But where did it all start for home security? In the early ’60s, African American Marie Van Brittan Brown, a nurse by trade, became frustrated with increasing crime rates in her New York neighbourhood. Leaning on her husband’s experience as an electrician, she designed several home security measures,

including a monitor, a camera, and a two-way microphone setup. Patented in 1966 as the ’Home Security System Utilizing Television Surveillance’, sales for the security solution were initially slow due to the high installation costs. She added a door remote control in 1969 after the patent was granted and, insightfully, Brown devised a system where the police and other emergency services could be contacted with a single button, a feature still deployed with some security systems today. Brown is widely credited as the progenitor of the security systems we now find in homes and businesses worldwide.

On The Radar

Can you believe that it’s Christmas already? Buying Christmas presents in December is not for the faint-hearted. Even knowing what to buy can be a struggle. This is where we come in. In our December issue, we’ll make Christmas shopping easy this year with our bumper tech Christmas gift ideas designed to cater to all budgets.

NOVEMBER 2023

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