Much is to be said about the current smartphone landscape. For the most part, it’s a duopoly, with smartphone users assigning (or as the case may be, resigning) themselves to either Apple or Samsung camps. There are, of course, other manufacturers such as Google, OnePlus, LG, Alcatel et al. all of whom rely on Google’s Android smartphone operating systems, occasionally tweaking them to provide a unique user experience.Once you have decided which cult camp you want to join – Android or iOS – the smartphone you actually end up buying could well be determined by your budget. It’s no secret that Apple charges a premium for its devices, and Samsung, too, can command in excess of $2,000 for its latest and greatest devices. Here at DMARGE we’ve been hands-on with a $199 smartphone with good results, proving if you don’t need the absolute best features from a phone – but rather just the ability to send messages, update your Instagram feed and take some passable photos – you don’t need to spend big bucks.We wanted to test that theory even further, and while we were browsing Wish in search of a fake Richard Mille, we also noticed a smartphone being advertised for $80. Curious as to how well (or poorly) an $80 phone would perform, we clicked ‘buy’. Just over a week later our device arrived. We’ve now spent enough time with it to bring to you a comprehensive analysis as to why you really shouldn’t ever spend $80 on a smartphone. Ever. Seriously.We’ll start with some good news. This unbranded phone – called the Note30 (homage to, or taking inspiration from, Samsung and Huawei, you decide) – doesn’t look that bad (although, it looks nothing like the picture on the listing, which shows it to have virtually no bezel whatsoever around the display. The phone we received is decidedly more chunky).It does, however, follow the current smartphone trend for notches in the top middle of the screen for the front-facing camera, a large display to dominate the front (which doesn’t sit tidy and flush with the casing) and a triple-lens camera around the back (which can also be considered chunky). The two-tone black and blue colour scheme is, dare we say, handsome. On looks alone, you wouldn’t assume this smartphone costs less than a case of Stone & Wood.As soon as you use it, however, you can immediately tell where money hasn’t been spent.As a disclaimer, we’ll admit that we’ve become so used to more high-spec smartphones of late, that anything that doesn’t match their quality will be seen as bad. But, we think most people will be in agreement with our judgement of the ‘Unbranded Note30’.The screen provides an immediate gateway into the low quality of this device. It’s not sharp, it’s not colourful and if you tilt the phone so much as a few degrees, the viewing angles are so terrible that you legitimately cannot see what’s being displayed. Granted, you’re going to spend much of your time looking straight at the thing, and when you do, it’s not the most awful experience ever, the (claimed) HD resolution of the 6.1-inch doing its best to return an image that can just about be classed as ‘viewable’. But if you ever have to adjust the angle to account for lighting conditions, you may as well start donating to blindness charities, since you’ve now experienced life in their shoes.Another word on the display, and potential insight into how Unbranded has managed to make their phone so cheap. There are adverts on the home screen and we also experienced pop-up ads appear when we messing around with the settings, something we can’t say we’ve ever experienced on any other phone. It was with this in mind that we decided it best to not sign into any social media accounts or add any card details. You know, just in case.As for the general user experience. Again, we’re not going to give the Unbranded a glowing review. It’s no Usain Bolt. The product listing claims it runs on Android 10, the latest version of Google’s operating system. And, while menus and navigation will be familiar to members of the Android Army, we’d wager even cadets would have a hard time maintaining patience when flicking between menus, screens and apps. We know, we’re accustomed to superfast multitasking from our phones nowadays, but the Note30 kind of takes the piss. It’s frustratingly slow, to the point we quite literally couldn’t stand to use it for a few days. But, for review purposes, we returned to it and heroically persevered.To put this all into context, we tried loading up a generic movie trailer on YouTube, selected full-screen mode, which didn’t cause the trailer to fill the entire screen, instead, adopting a more 4:3 ratio with large black (in this case very washed out black) bars either side. The trailer never ran smoothly, instead choosing to stutter along to a point where we gave up trying after attempting 10-seconds worth of playtime, despite being connected to a solid Wi-Fi connection. And as for sound, well, the less said the better.One of the biggest features that differentiate phones today is the camera. Some devices come with as many as four camera lenses in the pursuit of picture-perfect photography, and advanced image processing that allows flagship devices to rival dedicated handheld cameras. The fact the Note30 arrived with three lenses piqued our interest. Could this be a redeeming feature?No.“Adopt dual-core sensor, and introduce AI artificial intelligence, post-quick double-shot, add image Rubik’s cube technology, and then cooperate with AI scene camera. AI backlight photo, AI portrait composition let the mobilephone become your professional imaging team [sic].” The listing relates.Bullshit.Unless you’re someone who actually prefers washed out photos with no life, depth or detail of any kind, you’ll want to look elsewhere next time you’re shopping for a new device. A mental image of a landscape, a dog you see in the street, or a night out with friends will be more rewarding.Speaking of rewarding, after playing around with the settings (and getting past adverts) we stumbled upon the setup screen for the built-in fingerprint scanner. However, unlike some other devices that have baked a scanner into a physical button on the front, back or side of their devices, this Unbranded Note30 has its scanner built into the screen. When we were presented with the prompt to place our finger on the screen for registering, we’ll admit, we looked confused.“There’s no way the scanner is integrated with the screen”, we cried. “Other, larger companies have been trying and failing to implement such technology for years”. But, sure enough, the scanner is there and it works. It doesn’t respond immediately when you place your finger on it to unlock, but this is one area we can happily forgive it. It’s like when a puppy destroys your home but then gives you the puppy dog eyes you simply can’t get mad at. The fingerprint scanner is the equivalent of those eyes.What’s more, you’re also given the option of unlocking the thing with your face. Once again we were pretty surprised that this phone had such a feature. The listing, however, claims it’s able to “accurately recognise faces all the time, bringing a science fiction unlocking experience”, going as far to say it will recognise your face in considerably dark conditions.We beg to differ.RELATED: I Switched From iPhone To Pixel For 30 Days; Here’s The Cold Hard Truth About Making The LeapIt’s possibly the only redeeming feature (along with dual SIM-card slots and a spot for expanding the onboard storage), however, and with previous reviews, such as those for cars or tropical getaways, we usually find ourselves sad to give the loan vehicle back or to have to jump on a plane and head home. In the case of the Unbranded Note30, we’ll be burying it to the bottom of our man-drawer for the rest of eternity. We wouldn’t even gift it to someone else, not even our worst enemy.We do understand, however, that people in less-developed countries need to rely on phones like these in order to stay connected to the world. A 2019 survey conducted by Pew Research found a median of 53% of adults in third-world countries has access to a smartphone, with nearly all users claiming the “internet has had a positive impact on education.”So no, the Unbranded Note30 is unlikely to find love in the developed world, but for those less fortunate, it could prove to be invaluable.

Read Next

• I Wore A Fake Richard Mille For A Week To See How The Other Half Live
• We Bought These Fake $30 Airpods On Instagram & This Is What We Discovered

The post The Cold Hard Truth About Buying An $80 Smartphone appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

This feature was produced in partnership with Kennedy Watches & Jewellery.

Australians have always been quick to adopt new technologies, particularly when it comes to shopping. While contactless payments have become part of day to day life in the Land Down Under, it’s still an alien way to pay for many Americans, for example.

But one innovation that Aussies have been somewhat more sluggish in adopting has been online shopping – more precisely, luxury online shopping. We’re comfortable with the idea of buying sneakers or groceries online, but jewellery or watches? That’s another story.

But that’s about to change, in part thanks to Australia’s leading luxury watch retailer, Kennedy.

Kennedy’s new e-commerce platform, launched earlier this year, has been the shot in the arm Australian luxury shoppers need. Not only is the website itself easy to use and a feast for the eyes, but it’s underpinned by unparalleled real-world customer service, elevating the often impersonal online shopping experience beyond simply adding a product to basket and hoping it actually arrives in the mail.

Buying a fine watch is a special experience; one that Kennedy has gone to great lengths to ensure remains special even when shopping with them online. Their highly-trained boutique staff treat your watch with the respect it deserves, making sure it’s spotless and beautifully packaged before it’s sent on its way. Personal secured delivery is just part of the service. Kennedy offers complimentary shipping and returns on all orders, but you can also choose to pick up your new watch in store – whatever works for you.

But the real reason Kennedy’s new platform is so good is that it serves as a wake-up call for both Australians and other luxury retailers. For the competition, it’s a clarion call to step up their game. For consumers, it’s the sign that online shopping is finally getting the treatment it deserves: no longer is the digital experience playing second fiddle to the brick and mortar experience. Buying watches online is no longer a dicey prospect – and it’s only going to get better.

“Given our representation in bricks and mortar, expanding our online and digital presence through the introduction of an interactive e-commerce platform felt like a natural progression to diversify our service offering,” Kennedy Vice President of Operations, Sharon Gomez relates.

Boutiques are nice, but getting silver service from the comfort of your own home? That’s something to set your watch to.

Discover the new Kennedy website and luxury e-commerce experience here.

The post Why 2020 Became The Year Australians Started Buying Luxury Watches Online appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

For all our pretences, we’re all just ‘monkeys in shoes’.When it comes to modern dating culture, we still find ourselves being held back by our worst instincts: whether that’s making foolish assumptions on social media or not extending the courtesy of ordering someone an Uber after a one-night stand, we’re our own worst enemies. More to the point, we’re often guilty of hurting people’s feelings when we should really know better, as this news.com.au story relates.Dating columnist Jana Hocking shared her experience with what’s she’s dubbed ‘Red Ferrari Syndrome’ – a habit many Aussie men are guilty of.“You know when you’re casually walking along the street and all of a sudden the traffic lights turn green and a gorgeous, shiny, red Ferrari drives past. You stop what you are doing and are momentarily distracted by the glory of it,” she explains.

“Now apply that to a date. Perhaps you’re sitting at a bar having a jolly good time, when suddenly a glamazon walks past… his jaw drops to the floor and his whole body turns to watch the magnificent creature walk past. Perhaps he may even get off the stool he is sitting on and turn towards the passing women in an extra thirsty bid to make eye contact…”

“Now I know what you’re thinking. Surely, someone wouldn’t be that obvious. They would just have a quick passing glance and try to make eye contact with you again in the hope that you didn’t notice the drool coming from their mouth. Unfortunately, my recent experience with ‘Red Ferrari Syndrome’… went EXACTLY like that… I’ve even suffered from it myself. But to literally get up off your stool and turn your whole body in a bid to connect eyes… Bravo for having the audacity to do it, but it’s safe to say that the date was now dead in the water.”Hocking relates that there’s nothing wrong with a “cheeky glance”, but to be so brazen – especially if it happens multiple times on the same date, or if you’re well into dating – is just the height of poor taste.DMARGE sought expert counsel on this trend, speaking exclusively with Heidi Gee, Sydney-based relationship coach and sexologist.Gee concurs that “we all notice someone beautiful, [but] I think if you are on a date it’s important to be respectful, especially if this is not your first date and you like the person.”

“I’m not saying don’t look but at least have the decency not to get up off your chair and turn your whole attention to the person you are perving on.”

He took me to a restaurant and went to the bathroom a lot and stepped out often to take calls. I thought it was weird, and then the waiter said “you know he’s at another table with a blonde woman right?”. he had 2 first dates at once #worstfirstdate

— Kels (@see_kel) January 10, 2018

While men having ‘Red Ferrari Syndrome’, a ‘wandering eye’ (or whatever you want to call it) is hardly a recent phenomenon, there’s an argument to be made that modern dating culture has made it a more prolific issue. The downside to the convenience of dating apps and a more laissez-faire attitude towards relationships in our society is that it somewhat undermines the value of – or the incentive to put as much effort into – courtesy whilst dating.It’s that classic ‘fear of missing out’: we’re always looking for the next best thing, often to the detriment of the here and now. We asked Heidi if she thought that the rise of dating apps has been responsible for a watering down of dating etiquette, and she had an interesting response.“I think dating apps make it ‘easier’, in a sense, to keep looking in case there is ‘something better’. It can also be a way of trying to forget about an ex by putting yourself out there. I’m not saying dating apps are bad but I do think that it can be misused (or abused if you like)… taking the time to get to know someone [and] interpersonal communication skills [are becoming] less important…”

“People use dating apps for different reasons and I think it’s important to ask yourself, ‘what is it I want to get out of this?’ Once you know and can honestly answer that question then you need to be honest with the person you’re on a date with/communicating with about what it is you want.”

She also shared what you should do if you’ve been caught out with a bit of Red Ferrari Syndrome yourself.“Acknowledge how it made the person feel and apologise if it made them feel uncomfortable. When I’ve been in a similar situation with a partner who had a wandering eye, I would admire the person they were perving on but also set healthy boundaries so there wasn’t any sneaking or disrespectful behaviour that made either of us feel uncomfortable or angry, e.g. ‘oh she’s gorgeous’ or ‘I like her dress’.”The reason Red Ferrari Syndrome is so common is because it’s perfectly natural. Our brains are hard-wired to seek out the most desirable mate – but if you can tie a tie and do your tax returns, you can certainly control your base urges. But if you do commit the dating faux pas of having an unsubtle look at someone else, there’s a way to recover.The big takeaway? Be classy, gents.

Read Next

• ‘Inner Circling’: The Creepy New Dating Trend You Could Already Be Ensnared By
• Modern Singles Bucking Trend By Looking For Love Outside ‘Safe Zones’

The post 'Race To The Bottom': The First Date Faux Pas Men Commit Too Often appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s been a tougher year than a well-done steak. But amid the cutbacks and crises, there have been moments of innovation. Some have been particularly inspiring.After speaking in June to Vincent Lombino, Group Director of Food and Beverage at Ovolo Hotels, about the intriguing silver linings imminent for the luxury hotel industry coming out of Covid, this week DMARGE spoke to one of Australia’s better-known butchers: Anthony Puharich.Mr Puharich is the Chief Executive Officer at Vic’s Premium Quality Meat – Australia’s premier meat wholesaling business. We spoke to him to understand how Vic’s has weathered this tumultuous year.Though – like for most – 2020 pulled the ripcord on such notions as ‘normal profit’ (across most industries), it has also fast-forwarded innovation which may never have happened at such pace otherwise.Demonstrating the adage ‘necessity is the mother of innovation’ Mr Puharich explained how his company got about 18 months of (e-commerce) work done in eight days.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Vic’s Meat Market (@vicsmeatmarket)

“On the 24th of March.. restaurants, cafes, clubs, pubs, you name it had until midday to shut their doors on the back of Covid lockdowns,” Puharich told us.This came on the back of an announcement by Scott Morrison and Gladys Berejiklian on the 22nd – a total of two days’ notice.“We launched our online business on Wednesday the 1st of April. We launched very quickly… because on that 24th of March we saw our business fall off a cliff overnight.”

“What’s crazy is that we’d been talking about going ‘ecom’ for probably 18 months but did nothing, but in eight days literally completed a whole new business.”

“I’m sure it’s a common story a lot of businesses will share – you never waste a good crisis. On the back of Covid, it’s amazing how quickly you can hustle.”Funnily enough, Vic’s Premium Quality Meat ended up launching its e-commerce platform on April Fool’s Day. But not by design.“This was by absolute coincidence… but we launched the business on April Fool’s Day.”

“I was that frazzled… I didn’t know whether it was April Fool’s Day or Christmas Day. I was in panic, survival mode, in the trenches, in the weeds, in a war zone, looking back the fact it actually launched on April Fool’s Day is a joke in itself because it’s been super successful for us and literally kept our head above water.”

“We had no expectations and no experience in this space. We didn’t have people within our business that were experienced in e-commerce. I didn’t have time to reach out and get advice from so called experts. So we just launched.”“What we did know – and believe in – was in meat, and our quality and in our brand offering. We had all those big ticks but had never had any experience in this space.”Despite that, Vic’s e-commerce platform “launched and did seven or eight thousand dollars worth of business in the first 24 hours with no clue, no advertising, a bit of social media and that sort of stuff and the rest is history.”

“We’ve done more than 30,000 orders thus far.”

It hasn’t all been beer and skittles sausages, however. Putting the decline into perspective Puharich told DMARGE Vic’s was (and is) a very significant business, dealing with a majority of the best-regarded chefs and restaurants in the country, with a customer base of 12 hundred hotels, airlines; top restaurants, pubs etc.”This in mind, even though the e-commerce shift has been a success, it hasn’t been enough to fill the gap.“There was 30 tonne of meat leaving our facility every day [pre Covid].”

“Online hasn’t filled that gap. What it’s done more importantly is keep our business going.”

“It’s helped farmers and producers keep going – without them the whole country would be f*cked and they do it tough as it is.”“It’s also kept our staff in jobs and that was ultimately the number one priority – just to keep the business going and to keep our head above water and to keep things moving in the right direction.”

“30,000 since (that first order) in the last few months… there’s nobody that’s done that in meat in Australia… just as importantly it’s given us real opportunity and hope.”

Puharich also told DMARGE that even though the e-commerce shift was not exactly voluntary, he now considers it a crucial part of the business and an area for continued innovation and investment down the line.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Vic’s Meat Market (@vicsmeatmarket)

“We’d been talking about it for 18 months but now it’s a reality and we can see that there’s a lot of opportunities around e-commerce. It’s something we’re going to massively focus on going forward.”“We’ve discovered this new sales channel that never existed in our business. Before the bulk of our business relied on supplying chefs, restaurants etc. which we’re very grateful for (and we’ve still got a couple of retail stores in Victor Churchill and the Fish Markets) but now we’ve opened up our brand and our business to the whole country because we’re delivering nationally.”“You don’t need to live in Woollahra or Sydney just to access it. You can be in Broome, Cairns, Wollongong, and have access.”“Our logistics partner now delivers to 92% of the postcodes in Australia.”Yes: there have been leaps and bounds, but in an industry saturated with cheap products and slick websites, it’s not necessarily easy to stand out.But while the drop shippers of the world cut corners on their products and blow their entire budget on marketing, Vic’s is determined to stay true to its values.“We’ve got e-commerce managers, SEO specialists, in-house content creation, photography, how to videos… it’s one thing to launch an e-commerce business; it’s another to keep feeding it.“It’s like building a business from scratch irrespective of our 25 year’s experience in butchery and meat.”“The last 6-7 months has just been survival, hand to mouth type stuff, now it’s about us being a lot more savvy and serious because now we’ve created a community. What we’re doing has really resonated with people so the question now is: ‘how do we keep the momentum going?'”“That’s just not us [dropshipping]. We stand behind our product, we source it, cut it pack it, handle every single aspect of it. There’s… huge control with what we’re doing. We’re not outsourcing any aspect of what we’re doing outside of our logistics – and even that’s scary for us.”“We’re trying to control every touchpoint and experience a customer has because unlike many others we need repeat business. We want people to buy from us more than once.”“We want people to buy as regularly as possible and that’s a KPI we measure our success by – 64% of our customers are repeat customers, which is a big number in the ‘ecom’ world – they say the unicorn is to get at least 60% to be repeat business.”How does Vic’s achieve this? “We try to understand our customers,” Puharich tells us. “What they like and don’t like, we refine the user experience, build that engagement and loyalty, and create content.”What’s next for Australia’s meat scene? Only time (and sausage orders will tell). But with consumers turning more and more to subscription-based services for everything from razors and beer to music and entertainment, we’d bet our last pork chop this isn’t the last time you’ll hear about meat being sold online.

Read Next

• The Australian BBQ That Will Change The Way You Cook Steak Forever
• Salt Bae Reveals Carnivore Breakfast Hack Behind His Insane Physique 

The post Vic’s Meats Is Changing The Way Australians Buy Meat appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

I’m someone who has always done his best to commit to a fitness regime. Countless gym memberships, hours of sweat (fortunately there has been no blood nor tears) and possible hearing problems due to excessive dance beats being pumped into my ears, and yet, no noticeable gains.

It wasn’t until the lockdown this year and takeaway upon takeaway for dinner that I finally decided enough was enough and I’d pay for personal training to put me on the right path. Not only has the one-on-one training allowed me to learn about new exercises and the benefits they have, but my PT also revealed to me that I simply wasn’t eating enough to facilitate the figure I craved.

My BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate, the minimum number of calories needed to maintain everyday functions – was worked out to be 2,000 calories. It was highly likely I wasn’t even hitting this when working out. No wonder I was noticing no significant muscle growth.

By the way, I’m aware that to many people/gym-goers, this is obvious information, but I was a little oblivious. I always had the fear that the more I ate, the fatter I would get. Eating more seemed counterintuitive.

Tracking food and calories is something I never thought I would find myself practising, but some 100 days later I’m trying to log everything I put into my body on a daily basis.

For a few weeks I was estimating the portion sizes and weights of what I was eating and logging it in my smartphone app, but still, the scales weren’t showing me what I wanted to see.

I surmised that perhaps my estimations were way out, and I was perhaps eating too much or too little still. So I darted it to Kmart, picked up a $10 set of scales and upon first use, it was clear my estimations were skewed.

 

Following a week of weighing two of the main meals I consume: chicken, sweet potato, broccoli, mixed nuts, muesli and chia seeds (not at once, of course, but breakfast and lunch), I hopped onto the scales and recorded a significant drop in body fat percentage and an increase in muscle mass.

Who would have thought? A simple $10 everyday item could be all that is required to make gains.

Although can I put it down to using scales alone? The jury may be out, I may have simply had a good week at the gym, in the kitchen, and steered clear of excessive alcohol. However, even if coincidental, weighing out my food is something I will now continue to do. It won’t cause any harm, at least.

For ‘The Internet’, it seems, weighing food for the purpose of accurately tracking calorie intake is one of the go-to fitness hacks. As The Fitness Chef says, “To eyeball food and estimate calories is only applicable to those trained in calorie counting.”

“For the untrained individual seeking fat loss, it may be short sighted to forego accurate tracking of their calorie intake. Obstinate refusal to measure accurate quantities of food may disarm their ability to portion accurate quantities of food that support their goal.”

The Instagram post he captioned this with relates to fat loss, but the same mantra can easily be applied to weight gain too. I’m finally playing with the big boys, then.

My PT started me on a calorie surplus diet of 3,000 calories, has since upped it to 3,500 in the hope I will be putting on real size in no time. I’m going to need to replace the scales’ batteries sooner than anticipated.

Read Next

• Salt Bae Flaunts Bizarre Breakfast That Helps Him Maintain His Insane Physique
• Grim ‘Bulking Gone Bad’ Transformation Shows What Happens When You Blindly Follow Internet Fitness Gurus

The post I Succumbed To The Internet’s Favourite Fitness Hack In Pursuit Of Greater Gains appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

[vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]

This feature has been produced in partnership with Samsung

The term ‘luxury accessory’ is often reserved for designer brand items such as watches, wallets and jewellery. It’s not a phrase usually associated with smartphones, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is the first to break the habit. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Samsung is known globally for its ability to innovate and revolutionise within every product category they enter and its latest smartphone achievement is no different. Unlike any other devices currently available, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is an engineering marvel, functioning seamlessly as a phone and a tablet in one stunning package, resulting in a phone you’ll want to keep in your hand more often than your pocket. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator el_width="50"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement="middle"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="277393" img_size="medium" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="277394" img_size="medium" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_separator el_width="50"][vc_column_text]The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 redefines what we should consider a luxury accessory. A smartphone is something practically everyone owns, and many owners enlist protective cases to show off their personality in the same way they would with a piece of statement jewellery or a designer backpack.

Unlike other smartphones, however, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has a unique personality straight out of the box. Whether you choose Mystic Black or Mystic Bronze, both colours shine like no other, and you can immediately recognise their premium nature from a mile away. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator el_width="50"][vc_single_image image="277265" img_size="medium" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][vc_separator el_width="50"][vc_column_text]Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is not all style and no substance. A high-end smartphone requires high-end features, and that’s exactly what you get. The unique folding design allows the Galaxy Z Fold2 to take advantage of “Flex Mode” and shoot blur-free photos thanks to one side doubling up as a solid base. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This makes it great for night time photography where you have to stay as still as possible. When angled at 90-degrees, the inner screen can also be used to watch movies when on a flight or on a train, without the need to hold it. Multi-tasking is also made easier. Thanks to the huge internal screen, you can use three apps at the same time making it a productivity powerhouse.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator el_width="50"][vc_single_image image="277375" img_size="medium" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]An accessory is defined as something that completes one’s outfit, and yours isn’t complete until you add the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row]

↬ READ FULL STORY

Subscribe to the DMARGE newsletter

Follow DMARGE on Instagram

Follow DMARGE on Facebook

 

The post The Smartphone That’s Closer To A Luxury Accessory Than You Think appeared first on DMARGE.

Qantas just opened its lounge doors to “frequent flyers who switch.” Whether this is the bravest move the airline has made this year or whether it’s simply a sign of the times we’ll leave up to you.But the fact is, frequent flyers of other airline loyalty programs have been invited to fast track their Qantas status. This is part of an exclusive offer that includes 90 days complimentary lounge access, which Qantas says follows a surge in demand in people asking to switch programs.The offer will be available to top tier members of other airline loyalty programs. This is the first time The Flying Roo has made an offer like this.

For the first time, @Qantas Frequent Flyer is offering members of other loyalty programs the opportunity to “fast track” their flying status when they switch to the flying kangaroo

More info here: https://t.co/jXFjCiqtC6 pic.twitter.com/pTTwoe6WGw— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) November 25, 2020

It follows a high volume of enquiries about joining the program from “members of other domestic and international airline loyalty programs,” Qantas announced on Thursday, which has come as a result of “changes in the local market as well as restrictions on overseas travel,” the airline claims.“Individuals who hold eligible loyalty status with a qualifying airline program are invited to switch and take advantage of the Qantas Status Fast Track – an offer to earn 100 status credits in 3 months to qualify for Qantas’ Gold tier,” Qantas announced.

“In addition to helping expedite their status in the program the offer also includes 90 days of complimentary access to the airline’s network of Qantas Club lounges and extra checked baggage.”

“Gold tier benefits with Qantas include lounge access across Qantas and oneworld airline lounges globally, preferential seating and priority access to reward seats, as well as priority check-in, boarding and upgrade requests.”Not bad.It’s not quite a Cinderella fit though, with Qantas also announcing that those wishing to transfer from a higher flying tier – Platinum and Platinum One equivalents – will only be able to transfer to Qantas’ Gold status, rather than have their status matched.“Reaching a higher frequent flyer status requires members to earn the normal requirements within a Membership Year,” the Australian national carrier added.Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth said Qantas Frequent Flyer is one of the most popular airline loyalty programs in the world and has remained so despite the challenges faced by the aviation industry this year.“With so much uncertainty in the market, we’ve seen a spike in requests from people wanting us to match their status with other airlines. If they are willing to bring their travel across to Qantas, we will fast track them to Gold status,” Ms Wirth said.

“People know exactly what to expect when they fly with Qantas, whether it’s complimentary food and drinks, baggage, Wi-Fi or access to dozens of lounges around Australia.”

“The loyalty of our existing frequent flyers during this crisis has been amazing and they’ve kept earning points on the ground knowing they’ll be travelling again soon. We’ve returned the favour by providing status support and status extensions and making some tangible improvements, like a 50 per cent increase in the number of reward seats on domestic flights.”According to Qantas, by early December, eligible Qantas Frequent Flyers will have access to 30 of the 35 domestic and regional lounges across the airline’s network.RELATED: Virgin Australia ‘Noodlegate’ Sparks Concerns Over ‘Americanisation Of Business Class’Registrations for the Qantas Status Fast Track close 18 December 2020. For more information, visit the Qantas fast track page here.Interest piqued?Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold Status key benefits include:

• Priority check-in
• Priority baggage
• Extra checked baggage allowance
• Priority boarding
• Access to premium security lanes
• On Departure Upgrade requests for domestic flights in Australia
• Preferred seating
• Preferential access to selected Qantas Classic Flight Reward seats
• International Flight Classic Upgrade Reward Request Priority
• 75% more Qantas Points on eligible flights
• Benefits of oneworld® Sapphire status around the world with privileges like preferred seating and priority check-in, regardless of the class of travel

Another point to note for interested frequent flyers, per Qantas’ media release, is that, “typically, members are required to earn 700 status credits to reach Qantas Frequent Flyer’s Gold tier and 600 status credits to retain the benefits each membership year.”May the odds be ever in your favour.

Read Next

• Australians Can Now Score An Extra Year Of Qantas Status With A Single Flight
• Qantas Makes Big Change Frequent Flyers Have Been Dreading

The post Qantas Launches Frequent Flyer 'Swingers Program' To Entice New Customers appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

In 1963, Ferruccio Lamborghini changed the course of automotive history.The industrial magnate, who’d made his fortune post-WWII manufacturing tractors and air-conditioning, was unhappy with his Ferrari. But when he took the car back to Ferrari and asked for some improvements, he was laughed away. Furious and vengeful, Lamborghini decided he could make a better car himself. So he recruited a crack team, including some ex-Ferrari engineers, to make his own thoroughbred sports cars.Thanks to the success of iconic cars like the Miura, Countach and Gallardo (as well as oddballs like the LM002, Egoista and Sesto Elemento), Lamborghini has become one of the most famous and desirable motor companies in the world – and are more than a rival for Ferrari.Indeed, Lamborghini might have eclipsed their rivals in Modena. For years, the name Ferrari has been synonymous with prestige and the top-tier of performance cars, but it seems as if that halo is slipping. Rich Kids Of The Internet, a profile on Instagram famous for cataloguing the excess and worst habits of the 1%, ran a poll on their Story asking followers to pick between a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ and a Ferrari 488 Pista. It was close, but surprisingly the Lambo came out on top.

It’s one of those age-old brand debates: Adidas vs. Nike, Coke vs. Pepsi, Ford vs. Holden, and Ferrari vs. Lamborghini.While no-one could ever accuse Ferrari as being boring, Lamborghini has always been the more outlandish of the two brands. They’re the quintessential bedroom poster brand, their cars famed just as much for their wild appearances as crazy performance. Ferrari is a bit staider: they’re the older brand, and also have a stronger motorsports presence than Lamborghini. You could call it old money vs. new money, too… In any case, it shows how the tides might be turning against Ferrari when it comes to this rivalry.The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ (Super Veloce Jota) is a track-focused version of the already quite spicy Aventador, and first made its debut in 2018. Thanks to weight-saving measures such as a titanium exhaust and extensive use of carbon fibre, plus a whopping 6.5L V12 making 566kW, the SVJ is capable of 0-100km/h in 2.8secs and has a top speed of 352km/h.The Ferrari 488 Pista is also a serious upgrade over the base 488 and similarly debuted in 2018. Its 3.9L twin-turbo V8 makes 530 kW, and is easily recognised by the huge vent on its front end. It’s ever so slightly slower than the SVJ, making 0-100km/h in 2.85secs with a top speed of 340km/h.Contrary to popular opinion and despite the fact that on paper it’s the slower car, we’d still pick the Ferrari. In our opinion, it’s the prettier car – and while kids these days might think Lambos are cooler, it’s hard to say no to a Prancing Horse.But we wouldn’t blame you for picking the Lambo.

Read Next

• I Was Chauffeured To Work In The Latest Rolls-Royce & It’s Ruined Me For Life
• ‘King Of The School Drop-Off’: Australian Fathers Ditching Family Cars For Sports Cars

The post Provocative 'Rich Kid' Poll Pours Gas On Age Old Italian Supercar Debate appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When you come at the Moustache Monarch, you better not miss. That’s the mantra I repeated for a month in the lead up to Movember.Alas, reality can sometimes be ‘wispier’ than dreams.As I discovered over the course of November, growing a moustache is not as easy as you’d think.It takes time, effort and a substantial amount of trickery to be able to grow a solid face hamster in just four weeks.That’s not to take away from Movember – a noble cause if there ever were one – just to say that my moustache experience was, in aesthetic terms, an unmitigated disaster.This was only made worse by the fact I hadn’t chosen the simple route of growing a mo’ – any mo’ – for charity, but decided to dedicate myself to imitating Justice League star Henry Cavill and the magnificent moustache that almost cost Paramount 3 million dollars.As Screen Rant explains, “Cavill grew a mustache for his role in Fallout, but production on the action sequel overlapped with Justice League reshoots. As a result, Warner Bros. made the curious decision to remove Cavill’s mustache digitally, a decision that partially derailed the film.”

“Cavill’s mustache was most definitely a stylistic choice and not a character requirement.”

The 37-year-old British institution, then, is not only known for taking on Batman (as Superman), but also for this magnificent m*ck off moment.Me? I’m not known for anything except (dreadfully) copying Chris Hemsworth’s infamous f*ckboi haircut and lockdown beard.In other words: I have nothing but my dignity to lose.Here’s everything I learned.

Preparation is key

Want a sturdy Movember offering? Start growing your mo’ well before November.The key here is to grow a full face beard throughout all of October, then shave off the sides on the 1st of November. As a bonus: the stuff on the sides will make the inevitable ‘wispy’ stage all the less noticeable all throughout October.Of course, if you don’t find this in the spirit of Movember feel free not to heed this advice. But for neurotic souls like myself – I can testify it’s a game changer.

You still have to shave

This may sound like stating the obvious, but it didn’t cross my mind that – unlike growing a quarantine beard – to do Movember properly (not to mention to look anything like Henry Cavill) you still have to shave the rest of your face quite regularly.

You must be prepared to lose your identity

As Australian influencer Shaun Birley recently warned us, with any attempt at facial hair still generally being seen as a hark back to hairier times, any time you grow a moustache, “You have to be prepared to lose your identity.”

“You’re now the guy with the moustache, a Ryan Reynolds lookalike, etc.”

If you want it to look any good, you must ‘house train’ it

If you want to achieve that classic curl at the end, Shaun told us you have to “train it to go a certain way.” This involves buying a mo’ brush and “sweeping it straight to the side.”Perhaps counterintuitively, Shaun also said “don’t trim” and “keep growing through the middle” where you will want to build as much volume as possible.That’s if you want to look like this.

 If you want to look like Henry Cavill, however, I found the best solution was to apply a little bit of conditioner (but never shampoo) to it while in the shower. You could even try a little hair gel in it too. If trying this though, remember, much like when adding gel to your hair – too much and you’ll look like a grease ball.

If you get ‘Mo-security’ you can let your cheeks grow out

Antithetical to the ‘Movember’ cause? Perhaps. Useful? Most certainly. If you find yourself unable to cope with the minor sideways looks and jabs of jest from your flatmates or co-workers, feel free to combat your insec-stashity by growing out the sides of your face for a few days so that your mo’ ‘pops’ that little bit less.

People will judge you if you stroke it too much

100% worth it though. Don’t be cowed.

The emotional attachment is real

I low key hated ‘this growth’ on my face on day one. Now, 27 days in, I’m kind of scared to get rid of it.

Naming it is a little weird…

Speaking about naming your beard, Beard Season founder Jimmy Niggles once told DMARGE. “This is a slippery slope.”

“I’ve heard of people giving names to their body parts, hands and so forth which can get rather complicated. It’s best to think of your beard as an extension of yourself. Like being able to see your own aura.”

“Look after it. Take pride in it. But don’t talk to it unless it’s long enough to fold your sunglasses into it. Only then (and only for surprise facetime calls – to your actual best friend) can a beard be personified.”Quality advice indeed. We’d say the same applies to moustaches – except rather than the “fold your sunglasses into it” metric we’d say you must have had it three months, and you must either have a sturdy pair of handlebars (or a terrific twirl) going before you can start thinking of baby names.

Even if you succeed, you may not get all the praise you were hoping for

One of the best things about growing a moustache, Shaun Birley told us, is it’s inspirational value: “blokes say ‘awesome’ and tell me they wish they could grow one.”The worst part? “Women [say] it’s got to go,” Shaun told DMARGE with a laugh.

Growing a moustache can help you nail a look previously out of reach

I may not have nailed the Henry Cavill look, and my partner may have hated it, but growing a moustache opened up a couple of fashionable doors for me.Think: round sunglasses, leather jackets, neutral colours.Just steer away from anything too flashy and let your face do the talking.

Final thoughts

Movember is a great cause more than worth getting on board with.Just make sure you don’t pick an idol that is likely to humiliate what your upper lip can offer up.Also, as Beard Season founder Jimmy Niggles recently told DMARGE, “your beard is like your fingerprint. No two are the same. So take pride in its development and don’t beat yourself up about it not looking like someone else’s.”We’d argue the same applies to Movember and moustaches.Now go forth and grow.

Read Next

• “Sexiest Way” Of Convincing Your Partner To Let You Keep Your Quarantine Beard 
• I Tried Chris Hemsworth’s Isolation Beard & It Was A Complete Disaster

The post Having Henry Cavill’s Moustache Was Completely Humiliating appeared first on DMARGE Australia.