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STACK ’ s TECH tips

As we upgrade our tech around the home, we’ll inevitably have e-waste we need to dispose of. Forget about throwing it in the bin, though – these are some options available to you.

Some devices like smartphones could still carry a trade-in value, so before you recycle, it’s worth investigating. Alternatively, trying to sell your veteran treasures secondhand could help fund that new purchase. Everything from computers, printers, batteries,TVs, monitors, keyboards, and more can be responsibly recycled. A simple search online will bring up a list of local recycling centres where you can drop off your e-waste. Before you hand over your items for recycling, ensure any data is erased. When you do buy your new upgrade, recycle all the retail packaging. Many companies have actively moved to supply new devices in recyclable materials, making separating them easy.

FEBRUARY

DYK?

YouTube was initially conceived as a dating site. The founders expected users to upload videos introducing themselves to potential matches. When no profile

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.

videos were uploaded, they reconsidered and opened it to all videos.

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

EDITOR’S CHOICE

1971

What was the hottest tech in…

Logitech G Pro Superlight 2 The Logitech designers have wisely honed rather than changed all that made the original special. It’s light for a mouse and tips the scales at just 60 grams. It isn’t tiny, either, measuring 63.5mm by 125mm and with a height at the top of its palm bump of 4mm. Being a wireless mouse with a pure goal of gaming performance, there’s no Bluetooth connectivity. However, Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless connectivity is a doddle to get going. Its ergonomic shape isn’t too flat and is comfortable for longer periods. While there are five preset options for DPI - 800, 1200, 1600, 2400, and 3200 – there’s no physical selector switch. To change it, you’ll need to dive into Logitech’s G Hub software, where you can also make numerous setting tweaks and map the programmable buttons.

We take message banks for granted these days. If somebody calls when you’re busy or, more likely, when you can’t be bothered to take it, that annoying call can be despatched to voice mail in a satisfying stab of the finger. But for many, before 1971 if you missed an important call from a hospital or a job interview, there’d be no way of knowing that someone had called – unless you sat beside the telephone in anticipation. Enter Mark Brooks, the CEO of NovaTech. He had been developing an idea for a home answering machine

in the mid-'60s, but the concept was dropped when his company was bought out. Undeterred, Brooks severed ties to pursue his idea, kickstarting PhoneMate in the late '60s. His simple design incorporated a reel-to reel tape recorder from Japan housed in a chipboard box covered in wood veneer vinyl. With the other necessary electronics included to make it operate, the PhoneMate weighed a hefty 4.5 kilos and could store 20 messages before being rewound to start again. It retailed for US$300 (a whopping AU$3400 today). It was a masterstroke of domestic

Under the hood, there’s an upgraded HERO 2 sensor, increased polling rate up to 2000Hz, and new hybrid optical-mechanical switches. The already impressive battery life has been boosted by around 25 hours to 95, depending on whether you have engaged power saving mode and what polling rate you’ve set. If you’re serious about your competitive gaming, or just want to use what many of the pros use, then the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is well worth a look.

On The Radar

What a bumper tech issue we’ve got coming your way in March! On top of our usual deep dive into the latest in smart home tech, we’ll also be covering what’s hot in smartphones for 2024.

necessity, and while not the first answering machine, it

was the first to be sold in mass quantities, freeing people from

the wired telephone and ensuring that a phone call would never be missed again!

FEBRUARY 2024

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