Career decisions are matters of the heart. Think about it. You spend practically every waking hour either working or with your spouse. Shouldn't you love them both? Besides, the only thing worse than slaving away at work you can’t stand is being married to someone you don’t love.
But it’s easy to forget that career decisions are also business decisions. After all, there are bills to pay and money problems are the worst. I mean, who doesn’t want to be financially independent?
Is it practical?
There are always practical aspects to any job or career change. Does the location work? Will the hours work? Does it require you to do something unnatural that’s not really your thing? Does it fit with your overall goals?
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always been pretty darned flexible. I’ve commuted across the country weekly for over a year, but it was for a great job I loved that made my career. In any case, you and your family should know what you’re getting into upfront.
Does it sound like fun?
Everyone talks about loving what you do, but how do you know you love it until you do it? That’s right, you don’t. But if it sounds like fun and the people you’d be working with seem pretty cool, then, barring any red flags, it’s probably worth a shot.
Of course, things are never quite what they seem. It always takes a few months immersed in a new job before you figure out what you’ve gotten yourself into. But if it doesn’t seem like it would be fun upfront, trust me, it’s not likely to get any better.
What are the odds of a big payoff?
My parents were not risk takers so I’ve always gone the other way. I never thought much about salary. After all, your salary just ends up paying the bills. Rather, I’ve always thought in terms of equity: the motherlode, the haymaker, the windfall.
Equity is the big bucks that will take you to financial security and freedom. There are exceptions, but for most careers, that’s a pretty good rule of thumb. Everyone in high-tech made their money via equity.
And while you have to roll the dice, you don’t want to make dumb bets either. You want the best odds of a big payoff. That’s why I think climbing the corporate is important. Top executives get all the stock.
What do I have to lose?
The downside risk is important. Some people overanalyze it. Others don’t consider it at all. But you should. I don’t care what it is, every job or career has a downside, a risk, a dark underbelly that nobody likes to talk about. Try to find out what that is.
Most don’t even realize that going with one decision has an inherent opportunity cost – the cost of all the opportunities you don’t get to do because you’re otherwise committed to the one you’ve chosen. You have to consider that.
What does my gut say?
The other four questions are all logic-based, even the fun one. But after I’ve answered them all, I still ask myself what my gut tells me. If there are red flags, I listen to them. Understand that I haven’t always done that. The times I haven’t, I’ve paid the price. Now I always listen. Trust the red flags of your intuition; they’re usually right.
That’s the bottom line. Pay attention to reason but in the end, trust your gut. You know, the same way you fall in love.
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Nuff Nang Lzd
Thursday 9 June 2016
Tuesday 7 June 2016
Flexibility & Comfortably
Cash isn’t the only type of currency in business. The collective attitude and satisfaction of your customers is just as important to your bottom line as your cash flow. Meaning the way you treat your customers and respond to their questions, needs and concerns has a direct impact on how your company performs.
The customer-company relationship is much more nuanced than the timeworn adage of “the customer is always right.” Even when the customer isn’t right, their opinions are still important. Below are the secrets to developing a happy, healthy relationship with your customers.
Create flexibility.
Provide your front-line employees with the power to allow exceptions to rules. Exceptions aren’t about pandering to customers to keep their business, but instead about creating a means for employees to consistently exceed expectations. By going the extra mile and making sure customers feel special, you can develop a relationship as strong as a long-lasting marriage.
My company has a very specific set of core values as guiding principles to govern our behavior, including with customers. While other companies may tailor their principles to rope in as many customers as possible -- or be unflinchingly rigid to protocol when a customer has a unique request -- we instead live by the spirit of the law. It’s actually okay with our management to be liberal with services (within reason) to keep customers happy and onboard.
Teach and encourage your employees to be creative within the parameters of your core values, and you will create customers for life. Even better, when your customers see your employees providing them with an enjoyable, honest experience, these loyal advocates will bring you additional business by referring their friends.
Work together to overcome differences.
Your bottom line is never about money -- it’s about your relationship with your customers. For example, several years ago, we utilized a practice of sending emails with notices for upcoming service visits. Although this method was convenient for the company, our surveys told us that many customers didn’t check their email frequently and therefore didn’t feel properly informed about the day and time we would be stopping by. Based on this feedback, we switched our offering to provide text message alerts and/or automated voicemails at the customer’s preference. This immediately decreased our miscommunication complaints by more than half.
When you encounter issues, ask yourself if this is a recurring problem? Is this important enough to a large body of our customers that it necessitates a change? If so, make the change immediately to improve customer happiness and retention. All organizations must learn to embrace change if they wish to stay in the game. Remember, if your organization is not growing, it’s decaying.
Keep the fire alive.
The customers you hear from and see most often when perusing online reviews, Facebook comments and other customer service horror stories, typically fall on the extreme ends of the satisfaction spectrum -- red-in-the-face angry or over-the-top advocates. The customers you want to focus on most, however, are those that lie in the middle. They rarely complain or voice an opinion, and then quietly leave without providing any specific feedback. These customers may not be dissatisfied per se, but they never fully bought into the company.
A complaint is an opportunity to resolve a potential problem, and statistics show that you can make a customer 10 percent more loyal to you than before the negative experience occurred by simply reaching out and showing you care. Being proactive with customers in the middle of the spectrum is one way to help ignite them and turn them into lifelong customers, so we incentivize our customers to provide honest feedback after every service.
For example, we discount our next service if the customer will take a short, three-minute survey to tell us how we did. This allows us to take the temperature of our customer base daily and stay relevant with evolving trends in their needs, wants and concerns.
Remember, it’s critical to respond in a timely manner when negative surveys are provided. Our company policy states that any less than satisfactory score requires a manager to reach out within one hour of the survey’s completion. You’d be amazed at the positive responses we get from customers when we call and ask how we can make things right.
Get out of toxic relationships.
Finally, when you’ve done all you can do to go the extra mile and it’s still not enough, learn to set those customers free. Customers who are extremely unhappy will do almost anything to get out of their contracts. Whether it’s cursing at your service representative, threatening scathing reviews online or manipulating any available loophole, people who don’t want to do business with you will continue to seek a way out.
Some employees may lose their cool or stop going above and beyond with customers who have turned hostile. The customer is leaving, so why does it matter, employees may say. This way of thinking is shortsighted, and refusing to let a customer go out of pride can draw more negative attention than keeping the customer is worth. Letting toxic customers go without conditions helps you curate the type of people with whom you want do business. It saves them time and frustration, helps you maintain the high standards of your brand and prevents future issues that result from being stubborn with customers.
When it comes down to it, good customer service isn’t rocket science; it’s just about finding ways to deliver it better than the competition. It may take a little more time, it may cost a little more product, but saving a current customer is typically five times less expensive than picking up a new one. Providing that extra wow factor will not only help you build a lifelong customer base, but it will make employees feel better about what they do daily and develop pride in your company’s mission.
The customer-company relationship is much more nuanced than the timeworn adage of “the customer is always right.” Even when the customer isn’t right, their opinions are still important. Below are the secrets to developing a happy, healthy relationship with your customers.
Create flexibility.
Provide your front-line employees with the power to allow exceptions to rules. Exceptions aren’t about pandering to customers to keep their business, but instead about creating a means for employees to consistently exceed expectations. By going the extra mile and making sure customers feel special, you can develop a relationship as strong as a long-lasting marriage.
My company has a very specific set of core values as guiding principles to govern our behavior, including with customers. While other companies may tailor their principles to rope in as many customers as possible -- or be unflinchingly rigid to protocol when a customer has a unique request -- we instead live by the spirit of the law. It’s actually okay with our management to be liberal with services (within reason) to keep customers happy and onboard.
Teach and encourage your employees to be creative within the parameters of your core values, and you will create customers for life. Even better, when your customers see your employees providing them with an enjoyable, honest experience, these loyal advocates will bring you additional business by referring their friends.
Work together to overcome differences.
Your bottom line is never about money -- it’s about your relationship with your customers. For example, several years ago, we utilized a practice of sending emails with notices for upcoming service visits. Although this method was convenient for the company, our surveys told us that many customers didn’t check their email frequently and therefore didn’t feel properly informed about the day and time we would be stopping by. Based on this feedback, we switched our offering to provide text message alerts and/or automated voicemails at the customer’s preference. This immediately decreased our miscommunication complaints by more than half.
When you encounter issues, ask yourself if this is a recurring problem? Is this important enough to a large body of our customers that it necessitates a change? If so, make the change immediately to improve customer happiness and retention. All organizations must learn to embrace change if they wish to stay in the game. Remember, if your organization is not growing, it’s decaying.
Keep the fire alive.
The customers you hear from and see most often when perusing online reviews, Facebook comments and other customer service horror stories, typically fall on the extreme ends of the satisfaction spectrum -- red-in-the-face angry or over-the-top advocates. The customers you want to focus on most, however, are those that lie in the middle. They rarely complain or voice an opinion, and then quietly leave without providing any specific feedback. These customers may not be dissatisfied per se, but they never fully bought into the company.
A complaint is an opportunity to resolve a potential problem, and statistics show that you can make a customer 10 percent more loyal to you than before the negative experience occurred by simply reaching out and showing you care. Being proactive with customers in the middle of the spectrum is one way to help ignite them and turn them into lifelong customers, so we incentivize our customers to provide honest feedback after every service.
For example, we discount our next service if the customer will take a short, three-minute survey to tell us how we did. This allows us to take the temperature of our customer base daily and stay relevant with evolving trends in their needs, wants and concerns.
Remember, it’s critical to respond in a timely manner when negative surveys are provided. Our company policy states that any less than satisfactory score requires a manager to reach out within one hour of the survey’s completion. You’d be amazed at the positive responses we get from customers when we call and ask how we can make things right.
Get out of toxic relationships.
Finally, when you’ve done all you can do to go the extra mile and it’s still not enough, learn to set those customers free. Customers who are extremely unhappy will do almost anything to get out of their contracts. Whether it’s cursing at your service representative, threatening scathing reviews online or manipulating any available loophole, people who don’t want to do business with you will continue to seek a way out.
Some employees may lose their cool or stop going above and beyond with customers who have turned hostile. The customer is leaving, so why does it matter, employees may say. This way of thinking is shortsighted, and refusing to let a customer go out of pride can draw more negative attention than keeping the customer is worth. Letting toxic customers go without conditions helps you curate the type of people with whom you want do business. It saves them time and frustration, helps you maintain the high standards of your brand and prevents future issues that result from being stubborn with customers.
When it comes down to it, good customer service isn’t rocket science; it’s just about finding ways to deliver it better than the competition. It may take a little more time, it may cost a little more product, but saving a current customer is typically five times less expensive than picking up a new one. Providing that extra wow factor will not only help you build a lifelong customer base, but it will make employees feel better about what they do daily and develop pride in your company’s mission.
What Defines Great Companies
Behind every successful company are good leaders. As someone who has worked with leaders from amazing companies like Facebook and Oracle, I’ve noticed a common thread in all of them who were not just good but great: they were intellectually honest.
What is intellectual honesty? It means always seeking the truth regardless of whether or not it agrees with your own personal beliefs. For a business, this means that decisions are grounded by facts, not by the stature or position of the individual within the company presenting it.
The great leaders approach problems and decision-making as rationally as possible. They are not afraid to show vulnerability or admit when they are wrong or don't not know something. They appreciate that facts and information may likely change, requiring a shift in execution. When great leaders see change as an opportunity for growth they are able to pivot and execute effectively.
Intellectual honesty, if implemented in the right way, creates a framework for open, objective discussions, and allows companies to effectively address problems and achieve long-term goals by:
1. Allowing for the best ideas to emerge.
Efficient problem solving with rapid iteration is critical, particularly for emerging companies and those in creative areas. In our day-to-day work, the first proposed solution is often not the best one. Great leaders view ideas based on evidence, not on their beliefs.
2. Constant learning and improvement.
When employees feel that their ideas will be treated fairly and objectively, it encourages more sharing. In turn, there is an opportunity for everyone to learn and potentially challenge each other, fostering a culture of innovation, trust and transparency. Nurturing a culture of learning and sustained improvement can be achieved by putting processes in place to have open, iterative discussions.
For example, consistently hosting review meetings where product owners present an analysis of a project’s performance -- whether good or bad -- to all key stakeholders helps surface problematic areas right away and facilitates the team to identify ways to improve. For us, these types of reviews happen weekly and include data to answer questions like: "Why did this particular feature work in Game A but not in Game B? In what ways could we increase player engagement? How did we increase engagement 3X with this content? Can this best practice be applied to other projects?"
Discussions should include an honest assessment of how the desired results were achieved (or not) and, in any scenario, room for potential improvement. If something is unclear to the team, or something didn’t quite work, take that as an opportunity to learn and work through them rather than cover it up and make excuses. At the end of the day, great leaders give the credit to their team for success and own the outcome for any of the failures. But only through constant open dialogue among all levels of employees will a company achieve sustainable collaboration and constant improvement that ultimately drives a company’s long-term success.
3. Efficiency and changing market needs.
Intellectually honest organizations embrace the fact that change is not only inevitable but also needed to stay ahead of constantly shifting market dynamics. This is especially true for consumer facing tech companies and, in particular, the mobile app industry. Over the last two decades, progress in digital and mobile connectivity has made consumer preferences change more rapidly than ever. As such, efficiency and speed in execution have never been more important to keep up with evolving market demands.
Are we bringing our products to consumers fast enough?
Are we reaching all potential audiences using our existing technologies and processes?
Is this the best experience we can deliver?
Is the experience on par across different platforms?
What is the long term return-on-investment for any of the alternatives?
Intellectual honesty allows teams to move fast as it takes away the nostalgia and protectionism over existing ideas to pursue what’s best for their product, and ultimately, consumers.
Always seek the truth.
Truly great companies foster a culture of innovation, which is driven by collaboration and the ability to embrace change. The best companies have employees and leaders who have the curiosity to learn and improve -- and an innate desire to discover a better and more efficient way of doing things. They don’t cover up what they don’t know, or let personal beliefs interfere with their pursuit of the truth. So the next time you’re faced with a challenging work decision, don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions -- ask for data, dig into the facts, embrace the technical debate. You will create a much stronger company as a result.
What is intellectual honesty? It means always seeking the truth regardless of whether or not it agrees with your own personal beliefs. For a business, this means that decisions are grounded by facts, not by the stature or position of the individual within the company presenting it.
The great leaders approach problems and decision-making as rationally as possible. They are not afraid to show vulnerability or admit when they are wrong or don't not know something. They appreciate that facts and information may likely change, requiring a shift in execution. When great leaders see change as an opportunity for growth they are able to pivot and execute effectively.
Intellectual honesty, if implemented in the right way, creates a framework for open, objective discussions, and allows companies to effectively address problems and achieve long-term goals by:
1. Allowing for the best ideas to emerge.
Efficient problem solving with rapid iteration is critical, particularly for emerging companies and those in creative areas. In our day-to-day work, the first proposed solution is often not the best one. Great leaders view ideas based on evidence, not on their beliefs.
2. Constant learning and improvement.
When employees feel that their ideas will be treated fairly and objectively, it encourages more sharing. In turn, there is an opportunity for everyone to learn and potentially challenge each other, fostering a culture of innovation, trust and transparency. Nurturing a culture of learning and sustained improvement can be achieved by putting processes in place to have open, iterative discussions.
For example, consistently hosting review meetings where product owners present an analysis of a project’s performance -- whether good or bad -- to all key stakeholders helps surface problematic areas right away and facilitates the team to identify ways to improve. For us, these types of reviews happen weekly and include data to answer questions like: "Why did this particular feature work in Game A but not in Game B? In what ways could we increase player engagement? How did we increase engagement 3X with this content? Can this best practice be applied to other projects?"
Discussions should include an honest assessment of how the desired results were achieved (or not) and, in any scenario, room for potential improvement. If something is unclear to the team, or something didn’t quite work, take that as an opportunity to learn and work through them rather than cover it up and make excuses. At the end of the day, great leaders give the credit to their team for success and own the outcome for any of the failures. But only through constant open dialogue among all levels of employees will a company achieve sustainable collaboration and constant improvement that ultimately drives a company’s long-term success.
3. Efficiency and changing market needs.
Intellectually honest organizations embrace the fact that change is not only inevitable but also needed to stay ahead of constantly shifting market dynamics. This is especially true for consumer facing tech companies and, in particular, the mobile app industry. Over the last two decades, progress in digital and mobile connectivity has made consumer preferences change more rapidly than ever. As such, efficiency and speed in execution have never been more important to keep up with evolving market demands.
Are we bringing our products to consumers fast enough?
Are we reaching all potential audiences using our existing technologies and processes?
Is this the best experience we can deliver?
Is the experience on par across different platforms?
What is the long term return-on-investment for any of the alternatives?
Intellectual honesty allows teams to move fast as it takes away the nostalgia and protectionism over existing ideas to pursue what’s best for their product, and ultimately, consumers.
Always seek the truth.
Truly great companies foster a culture of innovation, which is driven by collaboration and the ability to embrace change. The best companies have employees and leaders who have the curiosity to learn and improve -- and an innate desire to discover a better and more efficient way of doing things. They don’t cover up what they don’t know, or let personal beliefs interfere with their pursuit of the truth. So the next time you’re faced with a challenging work decision, don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions -- ask for data, dig into the facts, embrace the technical debate. You will create a much stronger company as a result.
Establish an Instagram
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, with more than 400 million active users. But unlike their engagement with Facebook and Twitter, some businesses just can’t quite grasp how to use Instagram as a marketing tool. Posting images is easy, but driving traffic back to a business' website is a different animal entirely.
That’s about to change, thanks to new business tools that Instagram announced on its blog last week. Businesses will now have access to features not available to regular accounts. Let’s take a quick look at these new tools, which will shortly become available.
Business profiles
If you want users to easily identify your Instagram account as belonging to a business, the Business Profiles feature is one you will want to take advantage of. In addition to giving customers directions to your business with a single button tap, you can also assign a contact call to action. Choices are a text message, phone call or email.
While the posts will look identical to those coming from regular accounts, the actual profile page will be the only element that will change. This new change fills a major void that has been frustrating business owners from the beginning: how to seamlessly take interest sparked on Instagram and quickly convert that into an action.
Now, if consumers happen to see something that they like on a clothing boutique Instagram page, for example, they can contact the business with a single tap and inquire about an item or make a purchase.
You will also need to switch to a business profile in order to gain access to the two additional features below.
Insights
Following in the footsteps of Twitter and Facebook, Instagram will now offer business users analytical data that shows how their content is performing. You will be able to see reach and impressions data, as well as data about demographics -- location and age -- for each of your posts.
The data won’t be available via the Instagram app -- you will need a business Facebook page linked to your Instagram account in order to access the information. Analyzing your users’ demographic and behavioral data will allow you to create Instagram content those users are more likely to engage with.
Promotion
While the first two features above won’t cost businesses any money, those with a healthy advertising budget can use the new Promote feature to instantly boost top performing posts via paid ads.
Instagram will also offer suggestions regarding which posts should be promoted; you can then use the data from the Insights feature to identify your true top-performing posts, based on your target market. You can customize the targeting options and have full control over how much or how little you want to spend to promote your content.
That’s about to change, thanks to new business tools that Instagram announced on its blog last week. Businesses will now have access to features not available to regular accounts. Let’s take a quick look at these new tools, which will shortly become available.
Business profiles
If you want users to easily identify your Instagram account as belonging to a business, the Business Profiles feature is one you will want to take advantage of. In addition to giving customers directions to your business with a single button tap, you can also assign a contact call to action. Choices are a text message, phone call or email.
While the posts will look identical to those coming from regular accounts, the actual profile page will be the only element that will change. This new change fills a major void that has been frustrating business owners from the beginning: how to seamlessly take interest sparked on Instagram and quickly convert that into an action.
Now, if consumers happen to see something that they like on a clothing boutique Instagram page, for example, they can contact the business with a single tap and inquire about an item or make a purchase.
You will also need to switch to a business profile in order to gain access to the two additional features below.
Insights
Following in the footsteps of Twitter and Facebook, Instagram will now offer business users analytical data that shows how their content is performing. You will be able to see reach and impressions data, as well as data about demographics -- location and age -- for each of your posts.
The data won’t be available via the Instagram app -- you will need a business Facebook page linked to your Instagram account in order to access the information. Analyzing your users’ demographic and behavioral data will allow you to create Instagram content those users are more likely to engage with.
Promotion
While the first two features above won’t cost businesses any money, those with a healthy advertising budget can use the new Promote feature to instantly boost top performing posts via paid ads.
Instagram will also offer suggestions regarding which posts should be promoted; you can then use the data from the Insights feature to identify your true top-performing posts, based on your target market. You can customize the targeting options and have full control over how much or how little you want to spend to promote your content.
Monday 6 June 2016
The 20 best smartphones
The 20 best smartphones
Samsung Galaxy S7 cameraRafi Letzter/Tech Insider
They might all be the same general shape, and most of them might run on similar chips, but each smartphone is very different.
While the list hasn't changed very much since May, we've added a few upcoming phones you need to watch out for.
Here's our ranking of the best phones you can buy.
Note: All prices below indicate how much the phones typically cost without a carrier contract. Prices may vary depending on the retailer.
20. BlackBerry Passport
BlackBerry
The BlackBerry Passport may look strange, but a lot of BlackBerry fans seem to love it. It has a really nice physical keyboard, but the key feature is its unique square design.
Price: $460
19. BlackBerry Classic
BlackBerry
If you were a BlackBerry fan back in the company's heyday, you're going to love the BlackBerry Classic. It looks similar to older BlackBerry models, but features a sharp touchscreen and an excellent physical keyboard.
Price: $339
18. Microsoft Lumia 950
Lisa Eadicicco
If you must have a Windows phone, there's only one device to consider: Microsoft's Lumia 950. Although reviews were pretty bad, this phone does hold some promise for people who need Microsoft apps to do everything. It also has a really nice camera and can connect to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor and let you run a lightweight version of Windows.
Price: $458
17. BlackBerry Priv
BlackBerry
The BlackBerry Priv is a huge departure for BlackBerry. Instead of running BlackBerry's own operating system, the Priv runs Android. While it may look like a standard Android phone, the Priv actually has a slide-out keyboard. This could be a great device for those who want a physical keyboard but still have access to Google's apps and services that aren't available on other BlackBerry devices.
Price: $420
16. Moto G3
Lisa Eadicicco
If you're looking for a great Android phone at a rock-bottom price, you should check out the Moto G. It's not the most powerful phone, but it will be good enough for just about anything the average user can throw at it. And it's tough to beat that price tag.
While it's still a fantastic budget Android smartphone, you should wait for the Moto G4, which is expected to be released in the next few months.
Price: $165
15. HTC One A9
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
It may look like an iPhone, but the HTC One A9 is totally different on the inside. The latest device from HTC sports a premium hardware design and minimal changes to Android. It's a great experience if you don't mind the fact that some may confuse it for an iPhone.
Price: $400
14. iPhone 6 Plus
Business Insider
The iPhone 6 Plus is still one of the best jumbo-sized phones you can buy today. And by buying last year's model, you can get nearly the same experience as the new iPhone 6s Plus while saving $100.
Price: $649
13. iPhone 6
Steve Kovach/Business Insider
The iPhone 6 may be over a year old, but it's still a good option if you want to save some money on an iPhone. Plus, the iPhone 6 looks exactly like the iPhone 6s. No one will know you have last year's phone.
Price: $549
12. OnePlus 2
Steve Kovach/Tech Insider
The OnePlus 2 is an excellent choice if you're looking for a well-made phone with premium specs but don't want to spend too much. The device is made by a Chinese startup called OnePlus, and the only way to get one is by ordering through the company directly. But be patient. Supplies are extremely limited.
Price: $300
11. Moto X Pure
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
The Moto X Pure Edition is one of the most surprising new phones to launch in the last year. It runs a nearly pure version of Android, although there are some Motorola-specific apps and features. (They're not intrusive at all though.)
Price: $300
10. Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The Galaxy Note 5 is a killer big-screen phone. Like previous versions of the Note, it has a large, vibrant display and a stylus for taking notes. The new metal and glass design is great too.
Price: $519
9. LG G5
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
LG's G5 smartphone has a gorgeous new all-metal design. It also has a removable bottom that lets you swap out a dead battery with a fresh one. The removable bottom can also be exchanged with "modules" that offer new functions, like a camera grip with a zoom dial and a shutter button for better control.
If that weren't enough, it's also got a dual-lens camera, which gives you unmatched versatility when it comes to taking pictures.
Price: About $650
8. HTC 10
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The HTC 10 is a beautiful, extremely well-built smartphone. It runs a near-pure version of Android, and can be bought unlocked, which means you won't find annoying bloatware on the 10.
Price: $700
7. Samsung Galaxy S7
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The Galaxy S7 sports the best camera we've seen on a smartphone, even beating the iPhone 6s Plus. It's also very powerful and it sports some great features, like water resistance and a MicroSD card slot for expandable storage.
You also get Samsung Pay, which works with almost any payment terminal in any store, which the iPhone's Apple Pay can't do.
Price: $610
6. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The Galaxy S7 Edge has a bigger 5.5-inch display and larger battery than the regular Galaxy S7, while retaining the same features (water-resistance, a MicroSD card slot for expandable storage, and Samsung Pay).
Price: $715
5. Nexus 5X
Ben Gilbert / Tech Insider
The Nexus 5X is one of Google's newest flagships, and it's one of the best phones you can buy today. The only true rivals it has are its big brother the Nexus 6p and the iPhone. If you don't want an iPhone and want to see the best of Android, then the Nexus 5X won't disappoint.
Price: $349
4. Nexus 6P
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The Nexus 6P is a slightly larger version of the new Nexus 5X. It's made by Huawei, a Chinese smartphone company with an excellent reputation for hardware. Like the 5X, you get timely updates straight from Google as soon as they're released, whereas other Android phones usually get updates several months later.
Price: $499
3. iPhone SE
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The iPhone SE with a 4-inch screen is the best small-form smartphone you can buy at the moment. You get all the best apps, ecosystem, support, and the same performance as the iPhone 6s for a relatively low $400 price tag.
It also comes with Apple Pay among other premium features, like Live Photos and a fingerprint sensor, not to mention the great battery life.
Price: $399
2. iPhone 6S Plus
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The new iPhone 6S Plus is the best of the big-screen phones. It may look the same as the previous model, but the new A9 chip inside makes the iPhone one of the most powerful smartphones you can buy.
It also has some new features like 3D Touch, which can detect how hard you press down on the screen and open up a new layer of controls for you apps. It also has an incredibly fast fingerprint sensor, as well as Live Photos, which captures a three second video with audio when you press the shutter button.
Price: $749
1. iPhone 6S
AP
The iPhone 6S is the best phone you can buy.
In addition to beautiful hardware, iPhone owners are guaranteed to always get the best apps first from third-party developers and reliable software updates with the latest and greatest features from Apple. No other device can offer that.
Price: $649
BONUS: ZTE Axon 7
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The Axon 7 is made by ZTE, a relatively unknown Chinese smartphone maker in the US.
Why does it deserve a spot on this list? Because it offers the same, if not better, specs as the top Android players here, and it'll cost under $500. That means if you don't like the Nexus devices, and you don't want to pay top dollar for a Galaxy S7 or HTC 10, the ZTE Axon 7 might just be the phone for you.
There's no official release date yet, but we expect it to arrive within the next few months.
BONUS: OnePlus 3
OnePlus
Smartphones from OnePlus are some of the most coveted smartphones in the world because you needed an invite to buy one. Since invites were limited, OnePlus phones were almost rare and were in extremely high demand.
Now, OnePlus is doing away with the invite system for the OnePlus 3, which means anyone can buy it the very day it launches on June 14 at 3 p.m ET. There's still no word on pricing, but if previous OnePlus phones are anything to go by, it'll be cheaper than most flagship Android smartphones.
That doesn't mean it'll be underpowered. On the contrary, OnePlus phone feature the latest and greatest specs. Combined with a low price tag, the OnePlus 3 could be unstoppable.
BONUS: Moto G4
Motorola
The Moto G 4 will be available in three different models, including the regular G4, G4 Plus, and G4 Play.
Each model comes at a different price point, offering you the option of spending as much as you want depending on what feature you want.
There's no pricing or release dates yet for the Moto G4 smartphones, but it'll surely be worth the wait if you're a Moto G fan.
Property market
How to buy more properties with unlimited housing loan from the banks?
Source by: Faizul Ridzuan, bestselling author of “WTF? 23 Properties by 30″
Property market
As you may know, I am known in the property investing as “The WTF Guy. Who Have Bought 23 Properties by 30″.
And to achieve this, I need to be able to get my housing loans application approved..every single time.
Now, how do I do that?
Let me debunk a few myths in property financing for you:
MYTH: You need to have a huge salary to buy 23 properties.
FACT: Earning huge salary does help when it comes to buying properties, but if you know my story, I bought my first property when I was earning only RM2,500 per month from my day job.
When I bought my 3rd property, I was earning nett RM2,800 per month and having loan repayments of RM2800, so technically, I shouldn’t qualify for a loan right? Yet, banks still proceed to borrow me $$$ to buy properties.
So, how do I get more and more loans for my property investment?
The answer, can be shockingly simple for some of you. All you need to do is to proof to the bank that you can afford to pay back the loans.
One of the source of income is rental income.
And if you noticed, the 1st 5 properties that I acquired, was all completed with great rental income.
While my salary was RM2800 nett, my nett income from rentals was a cool RM2500.
Thats the reason why banks were willingly lending money to me to buy properties.
To summarize on how can you buy many properties and still get loans for it, you need to do the following :
1. Buy completed properties with decent rental income.
2. Make sure your rental income is documented
3. Tenancy agreement signed
4. Rentals credited to bank account,
5. Tenancy agreement stamped.
For example, you bought your 1st property. It’s a 3 bedroom highrise apartment, at RM350,000.
At current rates, you need to pay around RM1,900 for installment and other associated costs like maintenance etc.
Lets say, you are able to rent it out for RM2,500. That is extra RM600 per month from this property.
After 1 year, you bought another property at the same price, and able to rent it out at the same price too.
So, income from 2 properties is RM600 x 2 = RM1,200.
With this extra income, you are able to purchase a 3rd property with value around RM200,000.
Now, as you can see, within a short period of time, you have added around minimum RM800,000 of future-net-worth to your property portfolio.
And all you need to have is a RM4,000 monthly salary to start and make smart buying moves.
But do note that using the right banks is just as important as knowing what to buy.
Not all banks recognizes rental income fully and some banks calculate and analyze CCRIS and DSRs differently.
SO its important to approach banks that are hungry to give out loans and will be more likely to approve your loan application.
These are what I call as HOT BANKS.
.
Source by: Faizul Ridzuan, bestselling author of “WTF? 23 Properties by 30″
Property market
As you may know, I am known in the property investing as “The WTF Guy. Who Have Bought 23 Properties by 30″.
And to achieve this, I need to be able to get my housing loans application approved..every single time.
Now, how do I do that?
Let me debunk a few myths in property financing for you:
MYTH: You need to have a huge salary to buy 23 properties.
FACT: Earning huge salary does help when it comes to buying properties, but if you know my story, I bought my first property when I was earning only RM2,500 per month from my day job.
When I bought my 3rd property, I was earning nett RM2,800 per month and having loan repayments of RM2800, so technically, I shouldn’t qualify for a loan right? Yet, banks still proceed to borrow me $$$ to buy properties.
So, how do I get more and more loans for my property investment?
The answer, can be shockingly simple for some of you. All you need to do is to proof to the bank that you can afford to pay back the loans.
One of the source of income is rental income.
And if you noticed, the 1st 5 properties that I acquired, was all completed with great rental income.
While my salary was RM2800 nett, my nett income from rentals was a cool RM2500.
Thats the reason why banks were willingly lending money to me to buy properties.
To summarize on how can you buy many properties and still get loans for it, you need to do the following :
1. Buy completed properties with decent rental income.
2. Make sure your rental income is documented
3. Tenancy agreement signed
4. Rentals credited to bank account,
5. Tenancy agreement stamped.
For example, you bought your 1st property. It’s a 3 bedroom highrise apartment, at RM350,000.
At current rates, you need to pay around RM1,900 for installment and other associated costs like maintenance etc.
Lets say, you are able to rent it out for RM2,500. That is extra RM600 per month from this property.
After 1 year, you bought another property at the same price, and able to rent it out at the same price too.
So, income from 2 properties is RM600 x 2 = RM1,200.
With this extra income, you are able to purchase a 3rd property with value around RM200,000.
Now, as you can see, within a short period of time, you have added around minimum RM800,000 of future-net-worth to your property portfolio.
And all you need to have is a RM4,000 monthly salary to start and make smart buying moves.
But do note that using the right banks is just as important as knowing what to buy.
Not all banks recognizes rental income fully and some banks calculate and analyze CCRIS and DSRs differently.
SO its important to approach banks that are hungry to give out loans and will be more likely to approve your loan application.
These are what I call as HOT BANKS.
.
Saturday 4 June 2016
Diceritakan semula
Diceritakan semula.
Sumber fB : Abdul muati
MIND YOUR LANGUAGE (Part 1)
Assalamualaikum. Coretan petang Sabtu 4.6.16
Kisah ini diceritakan kepada saya oleh seorang sahabat yg bekerja sbg guru bahasa Inggeris di Kedah. Kisah berlaku semasa ujian lisan bahasa Inggeris SPM banyak tahun lalu.
Semasa ujian tsb dijalankan dua orang guru bertugas menguji murid seorang demi seorang.
Murid : good morning Sir.
Guru 1: Good morning. Please sit down. Tell us what is your name.
Murid : my name is Mohd Rosli bin Lebai Kasa.
Guru 2: where do you live?
Murid : I live at Kampong Aloq Biak.
Guru 1: Good. What is your father's occupation?
Murid: err uhmm I, I, I don't understand Sir.
Guru 2: ok let me ask. Rosli, your father work what?
Murid: Ooo, my father is a banger.
Guru 1 dan Guru 2: what???
Murid: my father is a banger.
Guru1: what does he do?
Murid: every day he goes to the mosque and bang. Five times a day Sir.
Guru2: Ooo, your father is a tok bilai...
Murid: yes Sir.
Guru2: hadoiii. Klu ada 3 lagi mcm ni boleh tarik mengkarong aku...
( Bersambung )
Diceritakan kembali
Diceritakan kembali
Sumber : FB Abdul Muati
Begin cerita nya...
MIND YOUR LANGUAGE ( Part 2)
Assalamualaikum. Coretan pagi Ahad 5.6.16
Kejadian berlaku di Universiti Pertanian Malaysia pada awal 80an. Waktu itu musim peperiksaan akhir. Kami berada dlm Dewan Besar Baru (sekarang namanya Pusat Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah).
Seingat saya kursus bahasa Inggeris tapi tak ingat level berapa. Peperiksaan baru sahaja bermula. Tiba2 kawan di sebelah saya mengangkat tangan. Seorang pensyarah datang menghampirinya dan berkata "Yes?".
Kawan saya pun berkata kpd pensyarah tsb, "Sir, my table gogey gogey" sambil menggoyang2kan mejanya.
Pensyarah tsb dgn muka serius merendahkan badannya lalu duduk bertinggung ditepi meja kawan saya dan memeriksa kaki mejanya lalu berkata "Ooo, your table gheyo'k. Let me senda kertah semeta".
Kawan saya toleh dan senyum pada saya seraya berkata perlahan2, "Kelatae jugok ko...". Saya pun ketawa... ( Bersambung )
Sumber : FB Abdul Muati
Begin cerita nya...
MIND YOUR LANGUAGE ( Part 2)
Assalamualaikum. Coretan pagi Ahad 5.6.16
Kejadian berlaku di Universiti Pertanian Malaysia pada awal 80an. Waktu itu musim peperiksaan akhir. Kami berada dlm Dewan Besar Baru (sekarang namanya Pusat Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah).
Seingat saya kursus bahasa Inggeris tapi tak ingat level berapa. Peperiksaan baru sahaja bermula. Tiba2 kawan di sebelah saya mengangkat tangan. Seorang pensyarah datang menghampirinya dan berkata "Yes?".
Kawan saya pun berkata kpd pensyarah tsb, "Sir, my table gogey gogey" sambil menggoyang2kan mejanya.
Pensyarah tsb dgn muka serius merendahkan badannya lalu duduk bertinggung ditepi meja kawan saya dan memeriksa kaki mejanya lalu berkata "Ooo, your table gheyo'k. Let me senda kertah semeta".
Kawan saya toleh dan senyum pada saya seraya berkata perlahan2, "Kelatae jugok ko...". Saya pun ketawa... ( Bersambung )
Thursday 2 June 2016
Salam sejahtera
第 一 课
你 好
D*y% k7
Nǐ hǎo
Salam sejahtera
Fokus Pembelajaran :
Memberi salam
Bertanya khabar
Bertanya nama
Mengucapkan terima kasih
Mengenal pasti seseorang
Kandungan Bab Satu
你 好
N& h2o
Salam sejahtera
Dialog (1)
Du*hu3 (1)
你 好 吗？
N& h2o ma?
Apa khabar?
Dialog (2)
Du*hu3 (2)
他 是 谁？
T` sh* sh5i?
Siapakah dia?
Dialog (3)
Du*hu3 (3)
2
Kosa Kata Dialog（1）
Sila sebut setiap perkataan selepas lǎoshī
你 好
n& h2o
salam sejahtera
你（代）
n&
awak (kg)
叫（动）
jiào
dipanggil dengan (kk)
什 么（代）
sh5nme
apa (kg)
名 字（名）
m^ngzi
nama (kn)
我（代）
w0
saya (kg)
呢（助）
ne
partikel (kb)
Dialog
法利：
你 好！
Salam sejahtera!
Fǎlì :
N& h2o !
李丽莲：
你 好！
Salam sejahtera!
Lǐ Lìlián:
N& h2o !
法利：
你 叫 什么 名字？
Siapa nama awak?
Fǎlì :
N& ji3o sh5nme m^ngzi?
李丽莲：
我 叫 李丽莲。你 呢？
Nama saya Li Lilian, awak pula?
Lǐ Lìlián:
W0 ji3o Lǐ L*li1n. N& ne?
法利：
我 叫法利。
Nama saya Farid.
Fǎlì :
W0 ji3o Fǎl* .
会话(一) Hu*hu3 (1)
3
Kosa Kata Dialog（2）
Sila sebut setiap perkataan selepas lǎoshī
王（专）
W1ng
Wang (knk), nama keluarga
先 生（名）
xi`nsheng
encik (kn)
好久不见
hǎo jiǔ b{ ji3n
sudah lama tidak berjumpa
好（形）
h2o
baik (adj)
吗（助）
ma
partikel soal ("kah”) (kb)
很（副）
h6n
sangat (adv)
谢 谢（动）
xi7xie
terima kasih (kk)
也（副）
y6
juga (adv)
莉雅：
王先生，好久不见，你好吗？
Encik Wang, sudah lama tak berjumpa, apa khabar?
Lìyǎ :
W1ng xiānsheng, hǎo jiǔ b{ ji3n, nǐ hǎo ma?
王明达：
我 很 好， 谢谢。你 呢？
Khabar baik, terima kasih.
Awak pula?
Wáng Míngdá:
W0 h6n h2o, xi7xie.N& ne?
莉雅：
我 也 很 好。
Saya pun khabar baik.
Lìyǎ :
Wǒ yě hěn hǎo.
会话(二) Hu*hu3 (2)
4
Kosa Kata Dialog（3）
Sila sebut setiap perkataan selepas lǎoshī
早 上 好
z2oshang h2o
selamat pagi
刘（专）
Li{
Liu (knk), nama keluarga
小姐（名）
xiǎojie
Cik (kn)
他（代）
t`
dia (kg)
是（动）
sh*
ialah (kk)
谁（代）
sh5i
siapa (kg)
的（助）
de
partikel (punya) (kb)
朋 友 (名)
p5ngyou
kawan (kn)
女朋友（名）
nǚ p5ngyou
teman wanita (kn)
不是（动）
b{sh*
bukan (kk)
好朋友（名）
hǎo p5ngyou
kawan baik (kn)
刘美燕：
陆曼 先生， 早上好。
Encik Lokman, selamat pagi.
Liú Měiyàn :
Lùmàn xiānsheng, zǎoshang hǎo.
陆曼：
刘 小姐， 早上好。
Cik Liu, selamat pagi.
Lùmàn:
Liú xiǎojie, zǎoshang hǎo.
刘美燕：
她 是 谁？
Siapakah dia?
Liú Měiyàn :
Tā shì shéi?
陆曼：
她 是 我的 朋友 李丽莲。
Dia ialah kawan saya Li Lilian.
Lùmàn:
Tā shì wǒ de péngyou Lǐ Lìlián.
会话(三) Hu*hu3 (3)
5
刘美燕：
她 是 你的 女朋友 吗？
Adakah dia teman wanita awak?
Liú Měiyàn :
Tā shì nǐ de nǚ péngyou ma?
陆曼：
不是，她 不是 我的 女朋友， 她 是 我的 好朋友。
Bukan, dia bukan teman wanita saya, dia ialah kawan baik saya.
Lùmàn:
Búshì, tā búshì wǒ de nǚ péngyou, tā shì wǒ de hǎo péngyou.
Penguasaan Pembentukan Ayat
Pola Ayat I (Bertanya nama seseorang)
你 叫 什么 名字？
Siapa nama awak?
N& ji3o sh5nme m^ngzi?
他 叫 什么 名字？
Siapa nama dia?
T` ji3o sh5nme m^ngzi?
你 的爸爸 叫 什么 名字？
Siapa nama ayah awak?
N& de b3ba ji3o sh5nme m^ngzi?
你 的 妈妈 叫 什么 名字？
Siapa nama ibu awak?
N& de m`ma ji3o sh5nme m^ngzi?
你 的 老师 叫 什么 名字？
Siapa nama cikgu awak?
N& de l2osh% ji3o sh5nme m^ngzi?
Pola Ayat II (Memberitahu seseorang siapa nama awak)
我 叫 法利。
Nama saya Farid.
W0 ji3o Fǎlì
我 叫 陆曼。
Nama saya Lokman.
6
W0 ji3o Lùmàn.
我 叫 莉雅。
Nama saya Liya.
W0 ji3o Lìyǎ.
我 叫 哈娜。
Nama saya Hana.
W0 ji3o Hānà.
我 叫 刘 美燕。
Nama saya Liu Meiyan.
W0 ji3o Liú Měiyàn.
我 叫 王 明达。
Nama saya Huang Mingda.
W0 ji3o Wáng Míngdá.
Pola Ayat III (Bertanya khabar)
你 好 吗？
Apa khabar (awak)?
N& h2o ma?
你们 好 吗？
Apa khabar (kamu semua)?
N&men h2o ma?
他 好 吗？
Apa khabar (dia)?
T` h2o ma?
他 们 好 吗？
Apa khabar (mereka)?
T`men h2o ma?
法利 先生 好 吗？
Apa khabar Encik Farid?
Fǎl* xi`nsheng h2o ma?
刘 小姐 好 吗？
Apa khabar Cik Liu?
Li{ xi2ojie h2o ma?
7
Pola Ayat IV (Mengenal pasti seseorang)
他 是 谁？
Siapakah dia?
T` sh* sh5i?
你 的 老师 是 谁？
Siapakah cikgu awak?
N& de l2osh% sh* sh5i?
你 的 男 朋 友 是 谁？
Siapakah teman lelaki awak?
N& de n1n p5ngyou sh* sh5i?
你 的 女 朋友 是 谁？
Siapakah teman wanita awak?
N& de n| p5ngyou sh* sh5i?
你 的 好 朋 友 是 谁？
Siapakah kawan baik awak?
N& de hǎo p5ngyou sh* sh5i?
Pola Ayat V (menggunakan kata penghubung ialah atau bukan)
他 是 法利，不是 陆曼。
Dia ialah farid, bukan Lokman.
T` sh* Fǎlì, búshì Lùmàn.
他 是 哈娜，不是 莉雅。
Dia ialah Hana, bukan Liya.
T` sh* Hǎnà, búshì Lǐyà.
他 是 美燕， 不是 丽莲。
Dia ialah Meiyan, bukan Lilian.
T` sh* Měiyàn, búshì Lìlián.
她 是 明达，不是立康。
Dia ialah Mingda, bukan Likang.
T` sh* Míngdá, búshì Lìkāng.
他 是 我 的好朋友，不是我的 男朋友。
Dia ialah kawan baik saya, bukan teman lelaki saya.
T` sh* w0 de hǎo p5ngyou, b{sh* w0 de n1n p5ngyou.
8
Kosa Kata Tambahan
我 们（代）
w0men
kami; kita (kg)
你 们（代）
n&men
kamu semua (kg)
他；她；它（代）
t`
dia; ia (kg)
他 们（代）
t`men
mereka (kg)
爸 爸（名）
b3ba
bapa; ayah (kn)
妈 妈（名）
m`ma
ibu; emak (kn)
老 师（名）
l2osh%
cikgu (kn)
学生（名）
xu5sheng
pelajar (kn)
男朋友（名）
n1n p5ngyou
teman lelaki (kn)
下午好
xi3wǔ hǎo
selamat petang
晚上好
wǎnshang hǎo
selamat malam (ketika berjumpa)
晚安
wǎn’ān
selamat malam (ketika berpisah)
再见
z3iji3n
jumpa lagi; selamat tinggal
Catatan & Penerangan
1.
“N& h2o”. “Salam sejahtera”.
Sapaan ini sering digunakan dan boleh digunakan pada bila-bila masa apabila bertemu seseorang pada kali pertama atau kepada sesiapa yang telah anda kenal. Sapaan balasnya ialah “n& h2o” juga.
2.
“ N& h2o ma?” “Apa khabar?”
Sapaan ini sering digunakan untuk bertanya khabar kepada seseorang yang sudah lama tidak berjumpa. Jawapan balasnya ialah “w0 h6n h2o”
3.
“N& ne?” “Awak pula?”
Partikel “ne” digunakan untuk menunjukkan nada tanya. Dalam sesetengah konteks, kata nama dan ganti nama boleh diletak di hadapan ayat untuk menjadikannya soalan elipsis. Contohnya: “W0 ji3o Lǐy2, n& ne?”, “….., n& ne?” bermakna ‘Siapa nama awak?’.
4.
Ayat yang menggunakan kata kerja “shì” dengan perkataan atau frasa lain yang membentuk predikat ayat tersebut dikenali sebagai ayat “shì”. Struktur ayat yang paling asas ialah “A shì B” Ayat nafinya adalah dengan menambahkan adverba “b]” di hadapan perkataan “shì”.
5.
“Sh5i” digunakan untuk bertanya soalan dan diletakkan di tempat jawapan yang dijangka.
Contohnya:
T` sh* sh5i?
Sh5i sh* l2osh%?
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Lazada Ramadhan
