New guidelines for data sharing have provided clarity for businesses around their privacy and data breach obligations, but 2019 will see even greater improvements as emergent California privacy guidelines trigger privacy protections across the globe.
After a punishing year in information privacy saw many companies caught flat-footed around consumer privacy and data obligations, the Australian Computer Society’s newly-released data sharing guidelines offer much-needed clarity for businesses that are still struggling to address their regulatory exposure around the data they generate and collect.
Authored by NSW chief data scientist Dr Ian Oppermann, the new report – entitled Privacy in Data Sharing: A Guide for Business and Government – lays down a ‘Five Safes’ data analytics framework including controls that can be applied to open-data regimes such as the open banking paradigm to be first introduced in Australia’s banking industry in 2019.
The report examines notions such as data de-identification, strategies for scoping the uses of data, consent, and more – providing businesses with increasingly substantive guidelines to help them keep up with the growing global momentum towards transparency and user control over data.
Keeping up has proven increasingly tough this year as one Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) after another revealed ongoing problems stemming the flow of data breaches. Many businesses are still struggling to understand or act upon their terms of engagement when it comes to cybersecurity, with a recent HP Australia study finding thatmany were conflicted between the need to meet security obligations and the desire to leverage customers’ data to improve customer service and profitability.More from Cisco
This conflict is playing out in the US, where the lack of consistent privacy laws has left consumers far more exposed than in Australia or Europe. Organisations such as US thinktank the Free State Foundation have embodied the conflict between consumer privacy protection and businesses’ right to data.
The new California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will clarify the situation considerably, turning around a legacy of lax US privacy protections by enshrining the right for consumers to stop companies sharing or selling their personal information; providing control over the personal information that businesses collect; and holding businesses responsible for protecting customers’ personal information.
These changes will bring California’s privacy protections closer in scope and tenor to those espoused by the European Union’s general data protection regulation (GDPR) and Australia’s own Privacy Act and coming Consumer Data Right.
GDPR-led scrutiny of companies’ data handling practices has had a range of side effects. Security giant Kaspersky Lab, for one, recently fulfilled an earlier promise by opening a Transparency Centre in Zurich, Switzerland where it will process data for European customers – a move that founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky said dovetails with greater efforts “to raise levels of trust, security and stability in the digital world.”
For its part, the UK will open a cybercrime-specific court and is considering the appointment of a minister specifically charged with preventing cyber attacks on critical infrastructure.
When does a PC have “24GB of Memory?” When its Intel Optane Memory is being counted on top of the 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB of RAM we’re used to seeing on mainstream PCs.
Traditional RAM and Optane Memory do different things, however, so the fact that some PCs are showing this blended spec is bound to confuse shoppers looking for new PCs over the holidays. We’ve taken a closer look at what’s being advertised and how to understand what the PC you’re shopping for really has.
Sam’s Club
Is it OK to market laptops with total “memory” by counting the Optane drive too?
The difference between RAM and Optane Memory
Our story started with the Sam’s Club Black Friday ad above. The ad took the PC’s 8GB of RAM, added the 16GB of Optane Memory, and advertised the system as having “24GB Memory.”
But as all PC users should know, RAM is just a temporary holding place for data. Once power is cut, everything in it is erased. Think of it like counter space in the kitchen, while your hard drive or other storage is the refrigerator. When dinner is over, the counters have to be cleared and food put away in the fridge, or else it’ll spoil. In the same vein, you save everything to the hard drive before powering off your PC, because it dumps whatever’s in RAM.
Intel
Optane Memory can supplement the traditional spinning-platter hard drive on a mainstream PC, providing faster-moving storage for frequently used files.
In contrast, Optane Memory is a form of Intel’s stupidly fast Optane storage technology. Check out our review of Optane Memory for all the details, but basically it’s magnitudes faster than a spinning hard drive and can rival the speed of budget SSDs. And unlike RAM, it doesn’t erase itself when you power off.
Intel uses Optane Memory either as storage, or as a cheap way to make mainstream PCs feel faster even if they’re still using slow (but economical!) spinning-platter hard drives. The Optane Memory stores applications and data you access often, while less-frequently used data stays on the hard drive.
Intel
Intel’s Optane Memory is used to cache or tier storage to give it SSD-like performance. So how is that RAM?
Optane Memory makes a big impact. If we were faced with similarly priced laptops, one with 8GB of RAM and a 16GB Optane Memory drive plus a 2TB hard drive, vs. another laptop with 16GB of RAM and a 2TB hard drive, but no Optane Memory, we’d opt for the one with less RAM and Optane Memory.
Why? Using our countertop-and-refrigerator analogy, having 16GB of RAM for basic computing use would be like having a huge restaurant kitchen to make a meal for four. Having Optane Memory would be like having an island in your kitchen that functions as a countertop and, when done, turns into a small refrigerator.
It’s still not RAM
Office Depot
It’s much less confusing when PC specs separate RAM and Optane Memory.
We love Optane Memory, but bottom line, it’s not RAM. That’s where the rub is. Blending the two could make some users think they have 24GB of RAM, when what they really have is only 8GB of RAM—plus the 16GB of Optane Memory. While some may argue that mainstream users don’t know the difference, we think it’s better to be totally clear, like in the Office Depot ad above, and let people know exactly what's what.
I’m just gonna say it: if you’re looking to get the most value out of your next smartphone purchase, the Oppo R17 Pro is a bargain that’s hard to beat.
The company’s latest R-series device weighs in at a price that’s a little higher than usual to be sure. But when the aesthetics, camera and performance are as a good as they are, it’s difficult to muster complaint.
In a year where Huawei has taken the lead in the smartphone photography space - it feels like most other brands are still struggling to catch up. Even by comparison to heavyweights like LG and Samsung, the Oppo R17 Pro feels like the first device that’s actually begun to close that gap between the P20 Pro and more-affordable, mid-tier fare. It’s by no means a “Mate 20-killer” but feels like a significant leap forward nevertheless.
As with previous R-series devices, the R17 Pro is just one of the best middle-range smartphones you can buy this year.
Specs - Oppo R17 Pro
Display size: 6.4-inches
Display type: Full HD+ (2340x1080)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 710
Operating System: ColorOS 5.2 (Android 8.1)
Fingerprint Sensor: Yes, in-display
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
MicroSD slot: No
Durability: N/A
Ports: USB Type-C
SIM: Dual
Battery: 3700mAh
Connectivity: CAT 15 LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi (802.11ac)
Availability: JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, The Good Guys, Woolworths Mobile, MobileCiti and Telechoice, Vodafone
Design - Looks, Feel And Features
At its most basic level, the R17 Pro feels like a snazzy hybrid of this year’s R15 Pro and Find X. It’s not quite as premium as the latter - it lacks the all-screen display and hidden camera - but it’s definitely just that little bit nicer than the former.
And where earlier R-series devices pulled a lot of their cues from Apple’s hardware, the R17 Pro feels like it pinches just as much from Samsung and Huawei. You’ve got the Mate 20’s teardrop notch and in-screen fingerprint sensor. You’ve got Samsung’s variable-aperture lens and curved glass back.
When it comes to hardware, the R17 Pro cribs from the best - and pairs it up with the latest version of their own Apple-inspired Android skin ColorOS. It’s a formidable formula and one that culminates here in a really-compelling feel-factor - though I wouldn’t mind it if the device was just a mote more compact.
Like the R15 Pro, the R17 Pro is a typical 2018 glass-sandwich smartphone with a slick reflective back that curves neatly at the edges. However, compared to previous Oppo devices, there’s no Micro SD support or headphone jack. The R17 Pro also ditches the infrared face-scanning 3D face unlock found in the Find X for the R15’s 2D face unlock.
Of course, the R17 Pro does have one thing the R15 didn’t have: an in-screen fingerprint sensor. As with the Mate 20 Pro, this feature works exactly how you’d expect it to. You tap your finger to the screen and your phone will unlock.
Unfortunately, I found the placement of the sensor in the R17 Pro just a little inconvenient. Compared to the Mate 20 Pro, it’s a little closer to the chin of the device. This meant I often had to reposition my hands to actually use the sensor. For obvious reasons, your mileage may vary - but this did bother me over time in a way that it didn't with the Mate 20 Pro.
Another feature worth touching on here is Super VOOC charging. Now available in the R17 Pro, this feature lets you top the device up from zero to forty-percent charge in just 10 minutes of charging. A full charge takes about half an hour.
Camera - How Does The R17 Pro Compare To The Competition?
The triple-lens camera configuration on the back of the R17 Pro is another big addition that brings new credibility to Oppo’s regular pitch as the smartphone brand that offers flagship features at (just-over) half the price.
It’s not a true triple-lens setup mind you - but the specs (and the results) here do result in (what feels like) the most significant improvement in the quality of the Oppo camera phone experience in quite some time.
The first lens in the R17 Pro is a fairly conventional 20-megapixel (f/2.6) one like that found in previous Oppo smartphones. However, the other two lenses are anything but. The second lens is 12-megapixel shooter with the same kind of variable aperture tech found in Samsung’s S9 and S9+. This allows it to swap between f/1.5 and f/2.4 to suit the environment its being used in and allowing for better low-light performance.
Then, the third lens here is a slightly-unconventional one called the time-of-flight (TOF) lens. In theory, the TOF lens looks to offer 3D scanning capabilities somewhat similar to that found in Sony's recentXperiadevices rather than provide any additional zoom beyond the usual 2x optical.
Unfortunately, we found no way to actually make use of those capabilities during our time with the R17 Pro. Ahead of the device’s launch, we were shown some demos of an app utilising the feature but, at the time of writing, these capabilities weren’t accessible to us - so it’s difficult to really make a solid case for how much meaningful value the TOF lens really contributes or provides.
(Editors Note - We plan to revisit this if and when a software update makes it possible to do so)
Still, this aside, the Oppo R17 Pro delivers incredibly colorful and detailed shots - both up close and afar.
As with other 2018 smartphones, the camera comes with built-in AI shot recognition and shot optimization. This hasn’t really changed in any meaningful way from how it worked in the R15 Pro. However, there is a new night mode and macro mode that are make it a lot easier to get the shots you want in those environments. See for yourself.
The results aren't perfect - there's a fair bit of noise and some details are definitely lost in the long exposure technique used by night mode - but they're well beyond what you'll get out of the other options. Again, put it alongside the Pixel 3 and the Mate 20 Pro, and the night mode here doesn't rate as well. However, the R17 Pro isn't aimed at them. It's competing with stuff in that $700-$900 range. And when it comes to that range, there aren't many options with good low-light night photography capabilities.
Again, while the TOF lens does feel like a bit of a non-starter, everything else here is really compelling. Across the board, the results we got in low-light - both with and without the R17’s night mode enabled - leave us inclined to recommend the R17 Pro as a front-runner for smartphone cameras in its weight class.
Performance - Software, Benchmarks and Battery Life
As with previous devices, Oppo have continued to tinker with the software side of things. The R17 Pro runs on Color OS 5.2, the company’s latest take on what an Apple-inspired version of Android could look like.
Realistically, this is pretty much the same software experience found in the R15 Pro and Find X - and I’m still a fan, but I can’t guarantee you will be as well.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to embraces the raw functionality of Android, you might find some of the baseline Color OS limitations a bit grating. If you’re happy to let Oppo do the work - you’ll revel in the sheer polish of the software experience on offer. As is always the case with this sort of thing, your individual mileage may vary - so I'd recommend giving the device a play in-store to see how you like it before buying in.
As for the performance, the R17 Pro was consistent but not exceptional. With all the advancements the manufacturer have made to the camera and features side of the experience, it feels like performance has taken a backseat this time around.
I encountered no crashes or hitching during my time with the device, but I did notice it wasn’t as quite snappy as something like the Note 9 or Find X. Apps were fast to load but not that fast.
And when it came to benchmarks, these discrepancies were absolutely reflected in the resulting scores. Across the board, the R17 Pro scored well below not just the Find X but most 2018 flagships. This thing is only running a Snapdragon 700-series CPU after all.
Nevertheless, in terms of average everyday battery-life, we’d easily make it through the usual 9-5 work day and often into a second day of active use as well. Even if we accidentally forgot to leave the R17 Pro on charge overnight, we’d still plenty of juice left to work with.
We’re talking fourteen or more hours of average use here, though - as always - your mileage may vary. Particularly, if you watch or film a lot of video content or crank the brightness way up.
Unfortunately, while the Oppo R17 Pro does support the company Super VOOC charging, it does not support Qi wireless charging.
Last but not least - when watching video content and wearing wireless headphones, I found that the audio would often fall out of sync with the on-screen action. I recall similar issues with the R11S and it's a real shame that Oppo haven't managed to address this issue yet.
The Bottom Line - Should You Buy The R17 Pro
Though not without a few caveats, the R17 Pro still feels like a triumph for Oppo. It’s about $100 more expensive than I’d like but it’s got a solid mix of hardware and software that’s easy to recommend to basically anyone. If you’re looking for the value here - Oppo have made it really easy to find.
The lack of wireless charging, headphone jack, MicroSD slot or water-resistance might sting some potential-buyers but an improved camera, slick software, Super VOOC charging and in-screen fingerprint sensor make the R17 Pro a pretty stellar option for everyone else.
Pros
Camera is exceptional
In-screen fingerprint sensor
Cons
TOF camera is a dud
Lacks wireless charging, headphone jack and Micro SD
Bottom Line
An improved camera, slick software, Super VOOC charging and in-screen fingerprint sensor make the R17 Pro a stellar buy.
Akitio’s NT2 U31C offers mega-storage for people without mega-bucks. Sure, the privileged few may shell out for the uber-speed of Thunderbolt 3, but for most of us, USB 3.1 still reigns. You could opt for one of the many portable USB 3.1 hard drives (5Gbps Gen 1 types—10Gbps Gen 2 is overkill for platter-based media) if your needs are simple, or if you want faster throughput, a Gen 2 portable SSD. But if you want more storage that those options provide, then a desktop RAID box running a couple of today’s capacious 3.5-inch hard drives is what you want.
Specs and design
The NT2 U31C is a dual-bay enclosure of minimal size—for a box that can hold two 3.5-inch hard drives, that is: approximately 7.2 inches long by 4.8 inches high, by 3.2 inches wide. The two drive bays are hidden behind a lockable, slide-off faceplate, and don’t require adapters or tools for 3.5-inch drives—just slide them in.
Faceplate removal and attachment could be a bit smoother, but I’m being picky. The all-metal design is sturdy and well-designed despite the faceplate’s slightly awkward attachment.
Akitio
The NT2 U31C is a nice-looking box, and small considering that it will house two 3.5-inch hard drives.
The fact that Akitio doesn’t provide 2.5-inch adapters seemed a bit strange. At least until I tested the unit with SSDs. More on that later. You can fit 2.5-inch hard drive or SSDs in the enclosure, but you’re on your own for securing them. Akitio recommends its Neutrino bridge adapter, but at $45 a pop (it also serves as an external USB 3.1 adapter), two are almost as expensive as the NT2 U31C itself.
You can scrounge up a couple of adapters on Amazon for $6, or just insert the SSDs and let the pressure fit of the SATA power and data ports hold them in place, as I did. While this was sufficient for testing, I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for travel, nor for 2.5-inch hard drives under any circumstance, as they could sustain damage if they fall out while spinning.
Akitio
It’s easy to set the RAID mode for the NT2 U31C, but for data safety, it only works if you use drives that aren’t partitioned.
On the back of the NT2 U31C unit are a power switch, the AC adapter port, the Type-C USB 3.1 port (Type-C to Type-C, and Type-C to Type-A cables are included), and the Set RAID button. Press and hold the Set RAID button while the drive is powered up but disconnected from the computer, and the four mode indicators (non-RAID/dual drive, Span, RAID 0, or RAID 1) will all light up. To set the RAID mode, press repeatedly until the proper indicator lights up. Long-press again until all four indicators light up, and the drives will be formatted.
Note that you need drives that aren’t already partitioned. As a data safety precaution, the NT2 U31C won’t overwrite existing partitions.
Performance
While you could easily just run the NT2 U31C as a mirrored RAID 1 array to protect your data (the same data is written to both drives), you’ll get the best performance in RAID 0, where data is striped (split) across two drives. RAID 0 usually delivers a shade under 2X the sustained throughput of a single drive; RAID 1, a shade under 1X.
For my main battery of tests, I used the Seagate 14TB IronWolf Pro and BarraCuda Pro I had on hand combined in RAID 0. These are easily the fastest hard drives on the market—don’t expect the same performance with less capacious or slower drives. Remember that RAID 0, while much faster, offers no data redundancy, and doubles the failure points (if either drive goes bad, the array is unusable).
IDG
For sustained throughput, the NT2 U31C (with very fast hard drives inside) was nearly up to the Sandisk Extreme Pro and faster than the WD My Passport SSD.
When it came to reading and writing our single large 48GB file (shown above), and even reading the 48GB set of smaller files and folders, the NT2 U31C compared very well with the external SSDs I tested it against. However, when writing smaller files and folders, the slower random access of spinning platters shows, though not to the point that it would on a busy file server. In point of fact, you’re not giving up a whole lot.
CrystalDiskMark, shown below, perfectly illustrates that. Given the super-slow random write performance, you might’ve expected a slower performance with our file and folder test. That said, a relatively small percentage of the files in the folder test are as small as the 4K blocks used by CrystalDiskMark. The majority are several to dozens of megabytes in length.
IDG
Fast sustained throughput, not-so-fast random access—the classic difference between hard drive and SSD technologies. That said, the NT2 U31C (gold bars) with its fast Seagate hard drives was pretty darn quick reading our 48GB set of files and folders. Longer bars are better.
I’ve seen videographers, especially those using Final Cut Pro’s more intensive raw video, complain that their external drives can’t deliver the video fast enough. The NT2 U31C with fast hard drives in RAID 0 should, given a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port. Note that Thunderbolt 3 is expensive overkill with hard drives until you start combining them four or more at a time in something such as LaCie’s 5big or 12big.
While, as mentioned, there are no 2.5-inch adapters included, the advertising on Akitio’s site does portray the NT2-U31C as capable of utilizing SSDs. I tried it with several combinations. When using unmatched capacities or brands, the results were not good—pathetic, in fact. With a matched pair of 1TB Seagate Barracuda SSDs, the synthetic benchmarks showed good, if inconsistent results, but real world copies hovered around the 300MBps mark. After about a half-dozen tries and several hours, I called it quits. It should just work; it didn’t. At least not as easily nor as well as it should have.
A nice box for hard drives
Akitio more or less nails it with the design of this box in terms of leveraging a pair of 3.5-inch hard drives. It’s solidly constructed, installation and RAID configuration are super-easy, and it performs well. Great stuff. But for 2.5-inch devices, look elsewhere.
Give Samsung credit: the Galaxy Book 2 boldly breaks from the first-generation Galaxy Book on both the inside and outside. The company’s new 2-in-1 not only ditches its flimsy folding keyboard in favor of a more traditional tablet kickstand, but also joins the small ranks of PCs that have adopted a battery-sipping Qualcomm Snapdragon microprocessor. Performance suffers drastically, however, even as battery life soars to an unprecedented 18 hours.
The Galaxy Book 2 boasts Samsung’s terrific AMOLED displays and rich sound, with LTE capability, a pen and a keyboard, all sold for a reasonable $999. In addition to the CPU switch, though, the second generation makes some compromises. The built-in 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage is a bit skimpy, for instance, and the OS—Windows 10 Home in S Mode—might turn some off. For basic work on the road, the Galaxy Book 2 offers some compelling arguments. But the experience is still too bumpy to recommend to everyone.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The Galaxy Book 2 uses a Surface-style folding hinge. (Here, it’s unfolded to show the keyboard better.)
Operating system: Windows 10 Home in S Mode (Windows 10 Home as tested)
Dimensions: 11.32 x 7.89 x 0.30 inches
Weights: 1.74 pounds (tablet), 2.42 pounds (tablet plus keyboard), 2.64 pounds (tablet, keyboard and charger), as measured
Price:$999; S Pen and keyboard included
Galaxy Book 2: Build quality and ports
Mark Hachman / IDG
The Samsung Galaxy Book 2, tuned by AKG.
Physically, the Galaxy Book demonstrates that changing horses midstream sometimes necessitates a new harness and tack. The Galaxy Book 2 is a tad shorter, a bit wider, slightly thicker, and 0.08 pounds lighter than its predecessor. More importantly, it’s now built like a traditional tablet, with a kickstand that nearly fully reclines, like a Microsoft Surface Pro 6. Adios, folding keyboard.
The first-generation Book sported a chunky bezel surrounding the screen, and I was hoping for something a bit leaner this time around. No luck. Fortunately, if you’ve seen a Samsung display before, you know what you get: deep, dark blacks and rich colors—though maybe not as rich or color-accurate as the displays on Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6. The AMOLED touchscreen display pumps out a comfortable 329 nits of luminance, which will work well indoors and out. While the tablet isn’t totally sealed—a couple of vents on either side seem like some sort of new, strange expansion port—it is fanless.
As for real expansion ports, Samsung leapt ahead to USB-C with the first Galaxy Book, and the second Galaxy Book 2 also sports a pair of USB-C ports. Unfortunately, Samsung wasn’t as thoughtful as, say, the Huawei Matebook: You’ll have to supply your own USB-A adapter if you want to connect to legacy devices. High-speed Thunderbolt connections aren’t available, either.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Two USB-C ports provide the primary form of I/O capability...
Keep in mind that the LTE slot also doubles as a microSD holder, though adding or subtracting either a SIM or microSD card requires one of those annoying smartphone poky SIM tools to slide the drawer out.
Mark Hachman / IDG
...even as the Galaxy Book 2 fully reclines.
There’s no Windows Hello-certified depth camera, though there’s a fingerprint reader on the rear of the tablet, right next to the camera. It seemed to have some problems reading my finger during setup, and I’m not sure of the advisability of placing a fingerprint sensor next to a camera lens, which could be easily smudged. Otherwise, though, it works acceptably.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Using the fingerprint reader requires reaching around blindly to swipe your finger.
As for LTE, it’s clearly one of the reasons for buying a device like the Galaxy Book 2. If you want to be always connected (and who doesn’t?) a tablet like this will do the trick. A Verizon SIM was provided for review. I don’t have a Verizon-powered smartphone for comparing reception, but the Book 2 seemed to pick up a signal everywhere a T-Mobile phone could, and then some. Remember that you’ll be able to buy a Galaxy Book 2 from a Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon store, but you’ll have to pay extra for a connection plan.
As noted elsewhere, though, Windows prioritized the LTE connection over my Wi-Fi connection. That’s a problem for two reasons: First, not all cellular plans are unlimited; and a cellular connection was (fortunately) listed as “metered” by Windows. While that prevents multi-gigabyte updates from being downloaded, unnoticed, over your cellular connection, it also means that updates and OneDrive syncing can’t take place without manual approval.
Finally, don’t forget that the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 ships with Windows 10 in S Mode, which restricts apps to what’s provided in the Microsoft Store. Do you prefer Google’s Chrome browser? Sorry! Remember, switching from S Mode to the full-fledged Windows 10 Home is a pretty simple experience, and shouldn’t cost you anything. It’s a one-way switch, though.
The real problem is that we still ran into applications—specifically two of our benchmark applications—that flatly refused to run on our Galaxy Book 2, because of the way they were coded. That’s a risk you’ll have to take.
Samsung continues to raise the smart phone bar whenever it releases a new model, and it has done so again with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. It’s more than a phone, tablet or even a phablet! It’s a phone and a tablet that easily transforms into a portable computer, allowing the user to do so much more. With a re-imagined camera and the largest Infinity Display yet, the Samsung Note 9 is set to be a huge seller. And Samsung fans will love it.
The pen that helps you do more than ever
The S Pen has been a Samsung standout since it was first introduced. The Note 9 version boasts powerful Bluetooth technology that lets the user control the camera, play and pause You Tube videos, and control power point presentations – all without touching the phone. Anybody who has used an S Pen knows how intuitive they are. Draw, take notes and send Live Messages as if you are using a normal pen and paper. The fine tip and true-to-life pressure sensitivity make it even easier to use, and battery life isn’t an issue – it charges in about one minute.
Big tech and big storage
The Samsung Note 9 features some of the best technology available. This device has space galore with 512GB storage and a MicroSD card slot that can handle an extra 400GB if needed. Photos and your videos can be stored where they can be easily accessed all the time, especially with the 400mAh battery, the largest ever in a Note device. The Note 9 also has super-fast downloads. Whether it’s gaming, streaming or multitasking, the 10nm processors and 8GB of RAM deliver a consistently high-level of performance.
Leave your computer behind
An impressive first for the Samsung Note 9 is the DeX accessory which allows users to connect via a USB-C to HDMI cable to an external screen or monitor, and still use all the apps, review documents and watch videos as if they are on a PC. The DeX allows any space to be turned into a workspace or entertainment hub.
A great camera on a huge screen
For the Note 9, Samsung has created a camera that takes stunning photos, day and night. The dual-aperture lens adapts intelligently, measuring the surrounding light just like the eye does. The two f-stop modes brighten shots in low light and make daylight photos sing. The scene optimiser on the rear camera delivers true-to-life colours with every shot, intelligently detecting what the user wants to photograph, and adapting its settings. It chooses from 20 different modes to guarantee the best photos possible. And the Galaxy Note 9 Flaw Detection eradicates closed eyes and blurry bits, and lets you know if the backlight is too bright. All this is done on the 6.4’’ Infinity Display, the largest yet, with Quad HD+ resolution.
Finally, the international standard IP68 rating means the Samsung Note 9 can withstand dust, dirt and sand, and is resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes. And if you think that is amazing, just look at the colours.
A call has gone to entrepreneurs, business owners as well as leaders of industries to leverage on innovation in order to boost productivity, economic prosperity and improve their growth prospects.
This was the position of Mr Niyi Yusuf, the country Managing Director, Accenture Nigeria, who made this known during the maiden edition of the Nigeria Innovation Index 2018, organised by Accenture Nigeria, in Lagos, recently.
The InnovationIndex focuses on the financial services sector and how key Industry players, Banks and FinTechs, utilise innovation to drive organisational growth and economic value.
Yusuf stated that in today’s highly competitive markets, innovation was critical for having an upper hand.
“Ideas are the new currency, but having good ideas is not good enough.
“Organisation, who retain and grow market share, are those who generate better ideas and implement them at a faster pace.
“It is only organisations that seamlessly integrate innovation into everything they do that will achieve sustainable growth and retain competitive advantage,” he said.
He said that on average, organisations invest 35 per cent of annual revenues in innovationand realise a 40.5 per cent return.
“However, a few outliers invest 22 per cent of revenues and achieve returns of 61 per cent, 1.5 times the market average,” he noted.
Also speaking, Mrs Toluleke Ademosun, the Managing Director, Financial Services, Accenture Nigeria, said that innovation leaders give more control to their employees to initiate ideas and offer strong incentives as a reward for innovative ideas.
“Innovation leaders prioritise projects, foster a strong collaboration culture central to their innovation strategy, use digital as a business enabler and revenue generator, and leverage the power of ecosystems to gather intelligence,” she said.
What would you do, who would you do it with and how would you feel? Ask most people these questions and you will get replies like… … a feeling of accomplishment, a big business deal closed a promotion at work, time with good friends, family time and that mystical feeling of being in “the zone”. But how do you balance closing a business deal with spending quality time with loved ones or getting a work promotion with family time? When I think about my Perfect Day I am reminded of this quote by Paulo Coelho…
Building Blocks For A Perfect Day
Solid foundations are essential… =>> Create a Not-To-Do List! Quite simply – a list of things you do not under any circumstances! I am not here to make any moral judgment on what a Not To Do list may include – but for example, it could include at one end deciding to never do your own laundry while at the other end it could be to never discuss politics or to never use profanities. We are all different and what may be on my not-to-do list may well not be on yours and vice versa. =>> Create your own set of Life Rules Now most of us have admirable beliefs and values and hold ourselves up to high standards – but not so many of us write them down. I was inspired to more carefully define my own set of Life Rules by fellow IncomeDiary contributor – Craig Ballantyne As an example, I repeat below one of Craig’s life rules (which is also something for the Not-To-Do list) below…
I do not engage in confrontations with anyone, in-person or online. This is a waste of time and energy. If I have caused harm, I apologize and fix the situation. And then I take a deep breath, relax, breathe out, and re-focus my efforts back on my work and goals
Why are these so important? Quite simple really – with a Not To Do list and your own personal set of Life Rules you are less likely to come across conflict situations and anything that gets in the way of having a perfect day. Also, life is a lot simpler once you start adhering to your own personal philosophies – and stop worrying about what others think. You spend less time ‘thinking’ and agonizing over a response because you and your closest friends know your position on the important things in life! =>>Develop A Positive Morning Ritual! Each person ritual may be slightly different but the important thing is to develop a ritual that empowers you and sets you up for the day. Examples… a) Give yourself at least 15 minutes of no screen time. (Do not check email or Social Media) b) Swap the coffee for a glass of water, or herbal tea. c) Stretch. (Good time for morning Yoga or Tai Chi) d) Open up your daily motivational readings. (read some of your favorite, inspiring quotes) e) Review your goals and life purpose f) Meditate / Pray / Give Thanks. I honor the fact that some of us are religious, some of us are semi-religious and some of us are not religious at all. The point here is to incorporate something that allows you to focus and start your day with energy! =>>Make Exercise Part Of Morning Ritual! Now, I am not one of those people who could be described as an Athlete – but one thing I have always enjoyed is a brisk morning walk. The thing about exercise (walking, running, cardio or strength training) is that it gives us a wonderful feeling of well-being. In my case, I found walking – often on my own, by the Beach in West Sussex, was the time when I had some of my best ideas. Actually, I would go further and say that I rarely if ever had my best ideas in the office! So stop wasting your life in bed, start getting up early to exercise and experience the many benefits of morning exercise.
7 Key Actions For A Perfect Day
1) Reflect and Journal – the night before. Before you go to bed create a routine that allows you to think about your day. What did you learn today? (from your mistakes) Mistakes are meant for learning – not repeating. What will you not do in the future? What are you grateful for? How did you progress towards your goals? I recommend you answer these questions via a written word brain dump (Journal). Write down how you feel about your day, what you learned etc and then take it one step further by pulling out the key points and structuring your upcoming day accordingly. 2) For a Perfect Day – Plan your day ahead – the night before. Most us have heard of a TTD List (Things To Do List) – and for many years I have diligently sat down each evening and set out my TTD list for the following day. It is a good policy – but if you want to step it up a gear, PRIORITIZE! Far better to have three important life to change priorities that you must accomplish rather than a long list of relatively average things that frankly will not make a lot of difference one way or the other. Many TTD lists are far too general and lack prioritization, covering everything from picking up the laundry to launching a new business. By all means, have a list for the household chores but the TTD list I am referring to here is the one that reflects your life goals and ambitions. When you do tomorrows TTD list tonight – ask yourself this critical question… What is my No 1 Priority Right Now? and No 2 and No 3. I would suggest that those priorities would rarely be collecting the laundry! 3) Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual and focus on solving your #1 problem in life. Wow – this is super powerful. Apply this immediately and you will start to experience a more productive and perfect day, every day! Honestly, it is that ‘simple’ – try it
Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying:
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”
4) Maximize your magic time Know when you are most productive and dedicate that time to your #1 project. Most people have a period of time during the day that they are most productive. First, try to identify that time then attempt to position yourself so you’re completing your essential task during this time. For me personally, my productivity decreases as the day goes on. Therefore, after my morning routine, I immediately try to complete the most essential action of the day as soon as possible. I know that the longer I wait to complete my essential task the harder it will be to focus and the slower I will work. In turn, I become frustrated with my inefficiency. Avoid this by completing that key action during your optimum productivity period. 5) Batch your work … have time to do emails, calls, and focused work. Don’t multi-task. Remember: “The man who chases two rabbits, catches none” Confession time – Multi-tasking used to be something I almost prided myself in. Ever heard the term: BUSY FOOL? That used to be me! If you need to send emails and reach out to people, devote an hour to doing this exclusively. If you’re creating a course that you’ll eventually sell and you need to create videos, break it down into workable batches (filming, editing, etc.). Doing so allows you to take the same actions over and over again for a short period of time. This helps to get into a rhythm and can often lead to the feeling commonly described as “in the zone”. Did you notice that term “focused work” above – the fact is that many of us handle our emails, make the phone calls and post on social media before we do our FOCUSED WORK. But really it should be the other way round! It is the focused work that gets us to our goals and it is the focused work that pays the bills! 6) Always Be proactive – follow your plan If you are following the strategies above it is almost impossible to not be proactive and following your plan. Simply doing the above, creates FOCUS and what you focus on is what you get! 7) Stop living in the past – Live in the NOW! “Living in the past means I’m living in regret. Living in the future means I’m living in anxiety. Learning from the past means I’m becoming wiser. Being excited about the future means I’m doing what I need to do now to make that exciting future happen” ~ Matt Hearnden
Living a Perfect Day – Expanded
Creating and scripting your own Perfect Day is well worth the investment in terms of time and energy. Actually I would go further – you cannot afford not to do it! These 7 key actions and the earlier foundations are starting blocks only – there is more to do and learn. That is why I enthusiastically recommend Craig Ballantynes Perfect Day Formula to all my friends and colleagues. It has made such a huge difference to how I live my life and manage my day. My hope is it will do the same for you. Before getting to know Craig, the truth is that many of my days were far from perfect. Fortunately implementing the Perfect Day Formula and having Craig as a mentor has changed that! The Perfect Day Formula is about multiplying your productivity, having more fun, making more money and enjoying more freedom into your life…
Buy Perfect Day Formula
I am honored that Craig used my review of The Perfect Day Formula on his website and I cannot do better than repeat it below… “For a long time, I confused hard work with discipline. And even though I was a very hard worker in business, I was not disciplined in many other areas of my life, including my health and relationships. I allowed too many toxic people into my life simply because I did not have a clearly defined set of life rules and I lacked a NOT-to-do list. Being hardworking in your career does not mean you are disciplined. Success in business is ultimate of no use if the rest of your life is out of balance. This was the #1 lesson Craig taught me through his Perfect Day Formula and personal mentoring. The inside look that Craig gives us into Warren Buffett’s success helped me appreciate the power of Morning Rituals and create my own. I get up earlier every day and have made time for what matters. Craig’s formula has refocused my desire to leave the world a better place for having been here, and I only wish I had been given this information when I was much younger. If I had implemented Craig’s Perfect Day Formula earlier it would have saved me a lot of heartache and money. It is essential for anyone who wants balance in their life.” – Barry Dunlop, London, England, entrepreneur, and father of 4
Perfect Day Quotes!
Everything happens for a reason, live it, love it, learn from it! Make your smile change the world, But don’t let the world change your smile. “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~ Buddha “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” ~John Wooden Life is not always perfect, but it’s always what you make it. So make it count, make it memorable, and never let anyone steal your happiness. “Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.” ~ Hugh Mackay “Stop waiting for the perfect day or the perfect moment… Take THIS day, THIS moment and lead it to perfection.” ~ Steve Maraboli Author Bio: Barry Dunlop is a lifelong entrepreneur, Angel Investor and sales coach who launched his first Internet Business in 1998. His many interests include Blockchain development, Website Flipping, Domain Names, and his newest interest: Hashgraph Technology. Follow Barry on Twitter
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