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visit jbhifi.com.au/stack 4 reasons why a smart home is a good idea

STACK ’ s TECH tips

1 It doesn’t get much easier than controlling tasks such as lighting, music, cooling, and appliances around the home either in-house or remotely from a smartphone. 2 Setting up CCTV cameras that can be accessed remotely and send notifications to a smart device when movement is sensed gives great peace of mind when you’re away from home. 3 A connected home is an excellent way to optimise power usage throughout the home and help save on those surging bills. 4 The customisation options for personalisation through lighting schedules, colours, and scenes are next level with a smart home.

MARCH

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

2003

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds These spanking new Ultra Open Earbuds are really changing it up – in a good way. It’s a clever concept that eliminates the problem some music lovers experience when wearing earbuds all day – discomfort. just inside the front of the ear. What that means is nothing is poking down inside the ear – the entire unit sits outside. However, you still get quality sound piped down into the ear, including Bose’s recent introduction of its proprietary spatial audio, Immersive Audio. The design allows users to still hear conversations and environmental noise while enjoying music – and there’s little external audio spillage to annoy folk around you. In terms of comfort, these are so light that once you put these on, after five minutes you’ll forget you’re even wearing them. Bose is known for regularly bringing The Ultra Open design features a flexible band that fits behind the back of the ear lobe, with the speaker hooking

What was the hottest tech in…

The Nokia 1100 It had a built-in torch. IT HAD A BUILT-IN TORCH! We take that for granted these days, but it was a big deal in 2003. It was a feature on a phone no one knew they needed until it appeared. The humble, virtually indestructible Nokia 1100 is a phone that your parents probably look back on fondly, like that errant backpacking holiday to Europe they don’t talk about around family. Designed initially with developing global markets in mind, the 1100 was officially announced mid-year in 2003. Primarily focused on calls and text messaging, its simplicity brought mass appeal to all markets. Lacking many of the advanced features of its contemporaries, the user-friendly device with a basic monochrome display could be easily operated by kids, parents, and even grandparents. Over time, the phone attained an almost mythical reputation for its durability, fast becoming a tradie favourite with its limited dust and waterproof protection. And who could forget its exceptionally long battery life – a charge could last for days if managed right. The Nokia 1100 was the undisputed king of no-frills phones sold at a price point accessible to everyone. It was a consistent performer, simple to use, and, most importantly, also came with the game Snake . In just over six years, it would sell over 250,000 units.

We spend around five hours a day on our phones, and, on average, a third of us sleep with our phones nestled beside our beds. DYK?

innovative consumer technology to the party, and that’s precisely what they have done here. The Ultra Open Earbuds get a big thumbs up.

Lights, camera, action, influencer? April is always our look into the latest technology in photography, from instant cameras, and camera equipment through to DSLRs. On The Radar

24 MARCH 2024

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