Praise be! The financial year is coming to an end and that (hopefully) means a fat, juicy tax return is coming your way. If you are anything like me, you’ve mentally already spent that bad boy and now find yourself hankering for the funds to hit the account. As a result, this weekend is likely to be a pretty low-key affair as we attempt to minimise our spending, which gives us plenty of time to indulge in a little Staff Favourites reading. Join me, if you will.
Past Lives
Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief
I’m a little late to the party with this one, but I recently sat down to watch Celine Song’s acclaimed 2023 film Past Lives and I must say, it was an absolute delight. A quiet beauty that doesn’t so much beat its chest as it does calmly inspire you, the film is an exquisite mix of unrequited love and cultural contrasts that feels entirely modern in its depiction. The film follows Nora and Hae Sung, two childhood friends who lose contact and subsequently reconnect twice over three decades.
The underlying tension between the two is raw and often uncomfortable, with your expectations as a viewer consistently shifting. Celine Song’s direction is outstanding and the film does a remarkable job of keeping you entertained and engaged despite a slow pace and minimal action. It’s not the love story you may expect, but Past Lives is beautiful in its own unique way.
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘CREATION’ Digital Edition Has Landed!
An Update on the News Media Bargaining Code
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
It’s a bit of a different one for me this week, as I really don’t think this topic gets enough attention outside of the media circles. If you’re not familiar, the Australian Government recently established a Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society to address various pressing issues, including the use of age verification to protect children from social media. The body also aimed to deal with concerns over Meta’s decision to abandon deals under the News Media Bargaining Code, the role of media in countering misinformation and the impact of social media on mental health.
This is a big deal. Naturally, we had our opinions and frankly, we want you to be across them – so we decided to publish our submission to the committee publicly on our Linkedin Newsletter. Without diving into the nitty-gritty details, it could have huge implications for the Australian public so it’s important we are all across these issues. Or if you want some easy bedtime reading that might put you to sleep quickly, this could also work well.
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Anker 737 Powerbank (Powercore 24K)
John Guanzon – Head of Social
I’ve been through many powerbanks through the years, but the Anker 737 Powerbank has been a game-changer. With a whopping 24,000mAh capacity, it’s like carrying a mini power station in your bag. It boasts a maximum output of up to 140W, meaning it can charge a laptop at full speed, delivering the same performance as a wall charger. Imagine getting your laptop from 0% to 50% in under an hour while on the go, without sitting by a wall plug. Plus, with multiple ports, including USB-C and USB-A, I can charge my phone, tablet, and laptop all at once without any hassle. In recent months, it’s been the perfect travel companion on long transits at the airport, a lifesaver on production shoots and also keeping the whole family’s devices juiced up while camping!
The design is sleek and robust – it literally feels like a big brick of a battery, weighing in at 630g. But what I love most is the smart digital display. It provides a real-time view of the remaining battery capacity and the charging status of each connected device. No more guessing games or surprise dead batteries – just straightforward, reliable information at a glance. If you’re after a top-tier, incredibly efficient, and faster-than-fast power bank, this is the one I’d swear by.
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘CREATION’ Digital Edition Has Landed!
Withings ScanWatch 2
Harry Parsons – Senior Branded Content Manager
I have been fighting an internal battle regarding smartwatches. My major qualm is that I simply don’t want to wear something on my wrist that resembles a computer; however, I have an innate desire to track my every movement, whether it be workouts, steps, heart rate, or sleep. Coming across the ScanWatch 2, I was intrigued by its mechanical watch appearance and unique blend of smartwatch tracking features. After a few weeks with the watch, I’ve got some thoughts.
Firstly, I want to talk about the design. Over the past couple of weeks, I have received a downright ludicrous number of compliments on the timepiece, much more so than I was expecting. The premium stainless steel case, sapphire glass, and stainless steel crown provide the luxury aesthetic I have been looking for in a watch. No longer do I need to stress that my smartwatch will dress down my outfit for client meetings, dinners, or more upscale events; if anything, it elevates my style. The slim watch case, alongside the finessed steel details on the watch face, makes me feel like I’m wearing a timepiece that is above its actual value.
Getting into the smarts of the watch, there are some major pluses and a couple of minor annoyances I have experienced. The battery in this watch is phenomenal, boasting a significant 30 days of life, which almost seems unrealistic, but it really lasts that long. Perhaps it’s because I got so used to charging my smartwatches every evening? When it comes to keeping on top of messages, calls, and work meetings, the ScanWatch 2 provides subtle notifications via the grayscale OLED screen alongside a little vibration nudge. These notification features are by far my most used feature and keep me on top of my day.
Now, when it comes to tracking my workouts, I did find that the data could be slightly inaccurate, stating that I had burned 30 calories halfway into an intense F45 workout. However, once the watch had synced to my phone, the calories burned data appeared to be more accurate. The sleep tracking can be a little hit and miss; however, this may be down to learning more about my regular sleeping patterns. During the first few nights of sleep tracking, I found that the device recorded me as being asleep, even though I knew I was awake and sometimes out of bed. It once indicated that I had 3 hours of sleep while also registering an 8-hour nap. Overall, the sleep tracking improved as I wore it more and became more accurate.
My overall impressions of this watch are that I am extremely pleased with its build quality and aesthetics and will continue to wear the timepiece for a long time to come. This is the timepiece you have been looking for if you want to move away from a screen-heavy watch while also maintaining your smartwatch features.
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Rhone Blue Clay Mask
Alex Martinez – Media Sales and Brand Partnerships
After a recent trip to Bali, my overall health and skincare regime has taken quite a hit. Whilst getting back in shape might take some time, refreshing and restoring my skin only took minutes, thanks to Rhone’s deeply nourishing blue clay face mask. The blue clay mask is thick yet soft, giving you a smurf-like appearance. More importantly, it’s enriched with anti-aging and anti-inflammatory ingredients like charcoal, aloe vera, and jojoba oil. It glides onto the skin effortlessly, deeply cleansing pores as it dries. After rinsing it off in the shower and applying a moisturiser, I woke up this morning with my skin feeling clear and rejuvenated, as if I’d been nurturing it for months.
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The Masterpiece Shiraz from Millon Wines
Dayna Aspite – Branded Content Associate
Thanks to this shiraz, I’m finally understanding wine and food pairings. Smoked meats are a huge part of my family gatherings, so I’ve always wondered how we could add some subtle luxury to the evening. The Masterpiece Shiraz answered my questions, pairing perfectly with a steak fresh out of the smoker. It’s warm and spicy, almost savoury.
It’s quite clear as to why Millon Wines is award-winning and renowned for producing top-quality wines that highlight their unique vineyards. This South Australian winery is all about minimal intervention to show off just how fine their fruit selections are and continue to elevate their art of winemaking, which is just overall impressive, and it shows in this shiraz!
Breville Oracle Jet Coffee Machine
When I say this machine has changed the way I view my mornings, it’s no joke! This machine brings barista-grade coffee home with a touch of elevation. Not only does it look sleek, but it guides you through making the perfect coffee just the way you like it. With every step being customisable, it really is all about adjusting it to your own perfect coffee.
With Breville being renowned for its innovation and high quality, this machine is no exception to brilliance! If you’re in the market for a new coffee machine, or in the market to spoil yourself, I can’t recommend this machine enough!!
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘CREATION’ Digital Edition Has Landed!
