Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Review

iaomi’s strategy of launching phones with good specifications and low price tags has paid off so far. The Chinese company crossed the $1 billion revenue milestone in India last year thanks to its vast product portfolio which now includes smartphones, fitness bands, earphones, air purifiers, power banks, and other devices. That’s a lot, considering that Xiaomi made its debut in India with the Mi 3 smartphone only in 2014.

For Xiaomi, the Redmi smartphone range has been very important, and it has been well received in the Indian market. The company claims that the Redmi Note 3 and Redmi 3S (including the Redmi 3S Prime) were the top selling devices during last year’s Amazon Great Indian Sale as well as the Flipkart Big Billion Days sale respectively. The Redmi Note 3, in particular, has seen a lot of success in the Indian market. According to the company, 2.3 million Redmi Note 3 devices were sold in just six months. However, that model is almost a year old now, and Xiaomi is finally bringing its successor to the market.

The company on Thursday unveiled its latest Redmi Note series smartphone, the Redmi Note 4. Much like its predecessor, this new model sports an-all metal body and boasts of impressive specifications. While the Chinese version of the Redmi Note 4 was unveiled in August last year with a MediaTek SoC, the one launched in India packs a Qualcomm chip. The Redmi Note 4 has been priced competitively and will be going up against some of the most popular smartphones in the market right now. Will the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 be able to continue the company’s dream run in the Indian market, or will it turn out to be a run-of-the-mill device? We find out in our review.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 look and feel
The Redmi Note 4 follows the Redmi Note 3 closely when it comes to design. The front panel of the Redmi Note 4 is very similar to that of its predecessor, with similar capacitive navigation buttons below the display and slim borders around it. There’s also 2.5D curved-edge glass across the front, giving this phone a premium feel. The all-metal phone feels sturdy, and compared to the Redmi Note 3, the rear panel on the Redmi Note 4 is less slippery.

The rear of the Redmi Note 4 is a bit different though, featuring design contours more reminiscent of the Xiaomi Mi 5 (Review). There are fine antenna bands running across the top and bottom. The rear camera, dual-tone LED flash and fingerprint scanner are set up much the same as on the Redmi Note 3. One of the few differences between the two is that this time around Xiaomi has shifted the speaker grilles from the rear to the bottom. The bottom also houses a Micro-USB port for charging and data transfers, while the top packs a 3.5mm audio jack and an infrared (IR) emitter. The power and volume buttons are placed on the right, and can easily be accessed with fingers.

At 8.3mm, the Redmi Note 4 is slimmer than its predecessor, and just one gram heavier. We had no problem using the Redmi Note 4 with just one hand. The rounded edges of the handset actually fit well in palm without causing any discomfort when used for long periods. When it comes to design, the Redmi Note 4 can be considered the best Redmi smartphone so far. It was launched in China in Dark Grey, and Gold, though Grey seems to have been replaced with an exclusive Matte Black option in India. We received a Gold unit for review.

The 5.5-inch full-HD IPS display has a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels, which works out to a density of 401ppi. Thanks to the full-HD resolution, text and images appear razor sharp. The screen offers punchy colours and decent viewing angles, while sunlight legibility is also great. The screen size makes the Redmi Note 4 well suited to watching videos and movies. You can adjust the colour temperature from the Settings app. A Reading Mode makes the display more comfortable to use while reading.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 specifications and features
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 launched in India is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953) processor clocked at 2GHz with an integrated Adreno 506 GPU. Xiaomi is selling three variants of this model in India: 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage; 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage; and 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The company provided us with a sample of the top end variant for our review.

The handset has a hybrid SIM tray which supports one Nano-SIM and one Micro-SIM or a microSD card. Xiaomi notes that both SIM cards support 3G and 4G networks. The company has definitely taken note of complaints of the Redmi Note 3’s 32GB microSD capacity limit. The Redmi Note 4 supports microSD cards of up to 128GB which should be sufficient for most people.

The phone has a non-removable 4100mAh battery which is marginally bigger than the 4050mAh one seen on the Redmi Note 3. There’s a 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, PDAF (phase detection autofocus), and a dual-tone LED flash. There is also a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and a fixed-focus lens. Users also get dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, USB OTG, FM radio, GPS/ A-GPS, Miracast, GLONASS, and BeiDou. Much like the Redmi Note 3, this model also gives NFC connectivity a miss. 4G and VoLTE are supported, and we were happy with call quality.

The Redmi Note 4 runs MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Xiaomi has added plenty of new features including Now on Tap which was one of the highlights of Android Marshmallow, introduced in 2015. Google’s Now on Tap can be triggered within any app just by long-pressing the Home button, and can use what’s on screen as context for your searches. MIUI 8 on the Redmi Note 4 looks light and polished compared to previous versions. We were impressed with the system animations, which look refreshing, including a neat one when you uninstall an app.

MIUI 8 comes with a new Gallery app that automatically syncs stored photos on the device with Mi Cloud. Users get 5GB of free cloud storage on signing up for an account. The Gallery app now comes with video editing and sharing features.

The Quick Ball feature, which was first seen on the Xiaomi Mi Max (Review), is available on the Redmi Note 4 as well. This is a hovering button that stays on the screen at all times, including on the lock screen, and lets users define up to five shortcuts for easy access.
With privacy in mind, the Redmi Note 4 offers Dual Apps and Second Space, two of our favourite software features. The Dual Apps feature, as the name suggests, creates two instances of any app on the same smartphone, so you can, for example, use two WhatsApp accounts at the same time. Second Space, on the other hand, lets users separate business and personal data on the same phone. The feature lets users use two entirely separate Google accounts.

Another highlight of the software is scrolling screenshots, which lets users take screenshots of entire Web pages. Xiaomi has also worked on its dialler app which is now light and easy to use. MIUI 8 brings a caller ID feature to the Redmi Note 4, which eliminates the need for third-party apps such as Truecaller. The Messages app has also received some much-needed tweaks in the latest version, such as the ability to bundle similar messages into folders. In our case, texts received from banks, food chains and other services were moved into one folder, which was helpful in prioritising what to check first. The preloaded Themes app offers plenty of options for wallpapers, ringtones, and icons.

Xiaomi has also included a one-handed mode, which basically shrinks the display to one side of the screen and lets users select effective screen sizes – 3.5, 4, and 4.5 inches.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has plenty of preloaded apps including Security, Compass, Scanner, Recorder, Feedback, Mi Picks, Mi Community, Mi Remote, Music, Mi Store, Weather, anda default browser. Unfortunately, there is no to uninstall the preloaded Xiaomi apps. We feel that Xiaomi should reduce the number of preloaded apps on its future devices or at least offer the option to uninstall some of them.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 performance
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was able to handle almost everything we threw at it, and we had no complaints with the octa-core processor. It handled heavy games with ease and we had fun playing Asphalt 8 and Dead Trigger 2 on the device. We were able to use the Redmi Note 4 over the course of a few weeks, and never felt that we needed a more powerful processor. Multitasking on the Redmi Note 4 was quick, and apps launched without delay. Our test unit with 4GB of RAM had enough free memory at any given time. We noticed that 1.8GB of RAM was in use at all times, leaving us sceptical about the experience we would have had using the variant with only 2GB of RAM, which could be more popular due to its lower price.

The Redmi Note 4 is very good for media playback thanks to the excellent IPS display, and it supports high-resolution video files, including 4K ones. The speaker at the bottom is decently loud and we didn’t notice any distortion at higher volumes. Xiaomi didn’t send us a headset with this unit, so we tested audio quality through our own headphones, and were happy enough.

The phone managed an impressive 65,560 in AnTuTu and 42,690 in Quadrant, which is higher than what we got from the recently launched Lenovo P2 (Review) and Asus ZenFone 3 (Review) both featuring the same Snapdragon 625 processor. GPU performance was also good, and we saw a healthy 28fps in the T-Rex test in GFXbench, and 9,029 points in 3D Mark Ice Storm Extreme. These scores are along the lines of what we expected, but it is worth pointing out that the Redmi Note 3 (Review) with a Snapdragon 652 processor achieved better overall scores.

There are plenty of modes to choose from in the camera app, including Beautify, Panorama, and Manual. In the Scenes mode, the device lets users choose from loads of options including portrait, landscape, sports, night, night portrait, beach, snow, sunset, fireworks, backlight, and flowers.You can also apply filters while taking photos, which is nice. The camera app can record videos at full-HD (1080p) resolution and quality is pretty good. Selfies taken with the Redmi Note 4 had good colours and details, but again, those taken in well-lit situations were better than those taken in low light.

The 13-megapixel rear camera can take some decent landscape shots in well-lit as well as low-light situations. Macro shots also appear good, with proper colour accuracy and details. The PDAF feature lets the camera focus on subjects quickly. Low-light shots have good detail, though on zooming in one can see the graininess. The Redmi Note 4 was also able to take good photos of moving subjects.

Xiaomi has focused its efforts on improving camera quality on the Redmi Note 4 after complaints about camera quality on last year’s model, and it’s clear that things are better. However, we’d still like to see low-light performance improved.

The 4100mAh non-removable battery on the Redmi Note 4 lasted for 15 hours and 10 minutes in our continuous video playback test, which is impressive for a battery of this capacity. In real-world use, the phone was able to last for up to two days. With heavy usage, we got to nearly a day and a half without needing to use any of the battery saving modes. We were especially impressed with the handset’s ability to latch on to weak cellular as well as Wi-Fi network signals. We were not provided with a retail box with all accessories for our review, and so we can’t comment on how long it would take to charge with the bundled changer. However, there is no support for quick charging, which would have been a welcome feature at this price level.

Verdict
The Redmi Note 4 is a great package with the only downsides being its hybrid SIM slot, lack of quick charging, and excess of preloaded apps. We think that the Redmi Note 4 will provide tough competition to other smartphones in its price segment, and even some priced a little higher. It scores very well in terms of design, battery life, and performance. For those who are looking for a smartphone with a big screen and great battery performance on a budget, the Redmi Note 4 is easy to recommend.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has been launched in three variants in India. At a starting price of Rs. 9,999 (2GB RAM + 32GB storage), the Redmi Note 4 is definitely a compelling option for users who are looking for a low-cost device. Our impressions are based on the highest-specced variant, and given the difference in prices between the three, we would suggest people skip the lowest one if they can afford to. The version with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage has been priced just Rs. 1,000 higher at Rs. 10,999, while the version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage – the one reviewed here – is also a reasonable step up at Rs. 12,999.

Source: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/reviews/xiaomi-redmi-note-4-review-1650455

Sitting for too long every day could age you by eight years

We all know that sitting too much isn’t good for us.

Apart from anything else, no one feels great after being slouched over a desk for nine hours. Your eyes ache. Your back aches. Your arse is numb.

On a more serious note, sitting supposedly raises your risk of deadly diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Although lying prostate in front of Netflix for the entire weekend is a precious joy, remaining sedentary for hours on end on a daily basis is a killer.

And now it’s been found to be potentially responsible for making us look haggard.

According to a new report published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, sitting for too long can have a detrimental effect on cells.

The study, conducted by the University of California San Diego, looked at the blood samples from almost 1,500 older women, with the intention of tracing what impact sitting has on chromosomes.

They focused on telomeres – the DNA tips in each cell, to see if their length was effected by being sedentary. The longer the telomere, the younger the cell.

Researchers compared telomere length to how much the women exercised to see if physical activity had any effect on aging.

Each woman wore an accelerometer to track how active she’d been during the week.

When the researchers focused on women who weren’t meeting the recommended daily 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and who were sedentary for 10 hours and more, they found that they had much shorter telomeres than those who spent less time sitting.

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/19/sitting-for-too-long-every-day-could-age-you-by-eight-years-6390612/

Sony Sends Out MWC 2017 Invites, 2 Xperia Smartphones Expected to Launch

Not to be left out, Sony has also sent out press invites for its event at MWC 2017 in Barcelona. The tech giant will host an event on February 27 at 1.00pm IST (8.30am CET), where it is expected to announce its next Xperia smartphones.

The company has been rumoured to launch the successor of the Xperia XA smartphone. A separate leak on Xperia Blog hints that the company will launch two devices at the event. The devices bear the model number Sony G3112 (G31XX) and Sony G3221 (G32XX), and they both are tipped to sport a MediaTek Helio P20 MT6757 chipset paired with Mali-T880 GPU. The smartphone with model number G3112 will sport a HD (720×1280 pixel) display, while the other one will sport a full-HD (1080×1920 pixel s) display – hence will be the more premium variant.
All of this is just preliminary leaks, and Sony could launch something else altogether. Hence, we recommend you take all the information with a pinch of salt. Even LG will be present at MWC, and it is highly expected to launch the LG G6 flagship. The smartphone is tipped to ditch the modular design, and sport a 5.7-inch QHD+ display. It will be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset.

Lenovo is also going to be there, most likely to unveil its Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus smartphones. Samsung is tipped to showcase its Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship to a select audience at MWC, before the commercial unveiling on March 29.

Source: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/sony-sends-out-mwc-2017-invites-2-xperia-smartphones-expected-to-launch-1650504

African tech startups receive funding boost in 2016

The number of African tech startups receiving funding in 2016 has risen by almost 17% compared to the previous year, a new report found.

The second annual Disrupt Africa Tech Startups Funding Report found that 146 African startups raised US$129.1-million in 2016. The report clarified that, while the number of startups receiving funding has increased, the actual amount of funding saw a decline.

As for the most popular nations, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria accounted for just over 80% of funding secured. Fourth-placed Egypt was a fast mover though, seeing 100% fundraising growth.

The continent has seen a slew of fintech-related startups in recent years, so it’s no surprise that this was the most popular option for funding (receiving US$31.4-million in total).

Disrupt Africa co-founder Tom Jackson weighed in on the report’s findings.

“The general theme of 2016 has been more rounds, but with fewer standout tickets than in 2015. The African tech space has not been immune to the economic pressures faced by other sectors, but it is proving extremely resilient. The fact more startups raised funding in 2016 than ever before demonstrates the vitality of this sector, and we expect investor interest to grow and grow over the course of 2017.”

Gabriella Mulligan, Disrupt Africa’s co-founder, was encouraged by the results.

“2016 was another great year for African tech startups and investors. Our ecosystem progressed in leaps and bounds over the course of the year, which is evidenced by strong growth in the number of startups raising funding, and an encouraging expansion of ecosystem activity across the continent. We’re excited to present the Disrupt Africa Tech Startups Funding Report 2016, and hope it helps chart the rise of Africa’s entrepreneurs.”

The 2016 edition of the Disrupt Africa Tech Startups Funding Report can be purchased via Disrupt Africa’s website. 

Source: http://ventureburn.com/2017/01/african-tech-startups-funding-report/

Broke KZN guest house owner to sue government, media for labelling him a racist

Controversial KwaZulu-Natal guesthouse owner Andre Slade‚ who is facing hate speech charges over his views that whites are superior to blacks‚ plans to sue the government and media for branding him a racist.

Slade made headlines in June 2016 over an email sent to a prospective client seeking accommodation at the Sodwana Bay Guest House – in which he said blacks and government employees were not allowed to stay there – was published on social media.

KwaZulu-Natal economic development MEC Sihle Zikalala laid complaints against him for alleged tax evasion‚ operating a business illegally and for hate speech.

At the time‚ a crowd – made up mostly of ANC Youth League supporters‚ community members and other business owners – protested just metres away on the sandy road leading to the guest house’s wooden gates‚ where Slade reiterated his view that whites were superior.

Addressing some journalists and ANCYL leaders‚ Slade said he was not racist because “God’s word” said whites were the superior race – and that whites were even created with a “crown” on their heads‚ something black people did not have. He was supported by his partner‚ Katerina Krizani from Slovakia.

Krizani was arrested shortly after the race row for being in the country illegally.

Speaking to TMG Digital on Thursday‚ Slade said he has prepared an affidavit on January 15‚ which he has been unable to file with the registrar of the Durban High Court. The document highlights the hardships endured by Krizani in prison‚ including being “harassed‚ assaulted and humiliated constantly”. He claimed that the prison didn’t have water or flushing toilets for days and that she was unable to eat the food at the prison.

Slade said that he visited her three times a week – often taking specially prepared food for her. He said‚ as Hebrews‚ their religious rights were being infringed upon.

In the document‚ Slade‚ who goes by the Hebrew name Yahshuah – claimed Zikalala laid complaints of hate speech‚ discrimination‚ possible tax evasion and illegal trading at the Mbazwane police station before verifying them.

An unedited extract reads: “Our statement based on our Constitutional right of association of whom We do not accommodate (Rule 18) has brought about a branding of being “racists” by the media. In his public statement he falsely blamed Us of discrimination and racism. Annexure 6 will prove the contrary. He is therefore guilty of deformation of Our characters. Our intent was very far from that. Since then‚ We have been deprived of Our privacy‚ humiliated by the media and shunned by the people of South Africa.”

Slade has‚ since the incident‚ had to close down his business‚ is now broke and has to beg for money.

In the affidavit‚ he says he has submitted four complaints to the Constitutional Court‚ two to the SA Human Rights Commission‚ two the to public protector and one to the UN Human Rights Campaign‚ but has had no response. The couple are now asking for:

“(a.) That legislation be amended and adopted to accommodate Hebrew Laws and traditions with Our own Declaration of Rights.

“(b.) That Katarina Krizani be granted a residence permit.

“(c.) We seek public media apology.

“(d.) That all charges against Us be dropped and Her evaluation canceled.

“(e.) That We are compensated for Our suffering and loss of income.

“If any of this is not achievable‚ We seek your reference to higher court or tribunal.”

He said that‚ as attempts to have the affidavit lodged via a courier were unsuccessful‚ he would have to drive to Durban to lodge the papers personally.

Krizani is due to make a court appearance in the Mbazwana Court on Thursday. She is scheduled to be mentally evaluated at Fort Napier.

Slade said he had made an urgent appeal to the Constitutional Court for Krizani’s rights to be respected.

Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2017/01/19/Broke-KZN-guest-house-owner-to-sue-government-media-for-labelling-him-a-racist1

Motsoeneng won’t be called to testify at SABC board inquiry

Former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng will not be called to testify in front of Parliament’s ad hoc committee on the SABC board inquiry.

he committee closed testimony last week and was due to start deliberations working on the document on Thursday‚ but United Democratic Movement MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa requested that the committee reconsider its decision not to call Motsoeneng in the interests of fairness.

Kwankwa said that Motsoeneng had been “implicated” in much of the testimony‚ and the committee should call him to avoid being seen as biased.

However‚ all MPs on the committee argued that the committee needed to meet strict deadlines‚ and could not call more witnesses.

Many also said that Motsoeneng had been given opportunities to express his side of the story‚ but had not yet done so. He would also be able to comment on the draft report once it is completed‚ if he so wished.

ANC MP Jabulani Mahlangu said that the SABC had sent a delegation of executives to the committee when it first started‚ and Motsoeneng had been part of that group.

He said chairman Vincent Smith had given the opportunity to this group to ask questions‚ but they never had.

DA MP Phumzile van Damme said that Motsoeneng’s position had been made very clear by the courts. She also said he had not made use of the opportunities available to him.

“He came in here‚ and walked out and called a press conference insulting this committee and calling us a kangaroo court‚” she said.

The EFF’s Fana Mokoena said it was not the committee’s job to clear anyone’s names and give them a platform.

“If we are expected to clear everyone’s names then we should also have to call the Guptas‚ Brian Molefe and others‚” he said.

The ACDP’s Steve Swart said Motsoeneng could also have made written submissions if he so wished‚ in the same way that former Communcations Minister Yunus Carrim had.

Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2017/01/19/Motsoeneng-won%E2%80%99t-be-called-to-testify-at-SABC-board-inquiry

The Dangerous Powers Obama Left in Trump’s Hands

President-elect Donald Trump has expressed a near-autocratic view of executive authority, leading many to worry that he will play fast and loose with the laws that protect Americans’ freedoms. After 9/11, our nation had a taste of this approach, as President George W. Bush claimed he was not bound by statutes or treaties when acting to protect the nation. President Barack Obama rejected that view, maintaining that the president, like everyone else, must obey the law.

But there is another side to this admirable aspect of Obama’s legacy. With the notable exception of torture, in restoring the rule of law, he did not actually renounce Bush’s extraordinarily broad vision of executive power. Instead, Obama sought to put it on firmer legal footing—sometimes with help from Congress or the courts, sometimes simply by articulating a legal justification for government actions.

This choice may prove to have fateful consequences. By buttressing with legal authority some of the most breathtaking powers asserted under Bush, Obama paradoxically may have made it easier for Trump to abuse them. This risk will be particularly acute in the following four areas:

The National Security Agency’s (NSA) warrantless wiretapping program was one of the Bush administration’s greatest scandals. Yet instead of decrying this lawless conduct, Congress essentially legalized it. The FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Amendments Act of 2008 allows the NSA to collect communications between Americans and foreigners without a warrant, as long as the agency certifies that the foreigner—not the American—is the “target” of the surveillance (a designation requiring no showing of wrongdoing).

As a senator, Obama voted for the law, and as president, he supported its reauthorization. In 2011, his administration greatly expanded its reach by obtaining permission from the secret FISA Court for FBI agents to search the communications collected by the NSA for information about Americans.

This “backdoor search” authority gives Trump a potent tool for surveillance of innocent Americans. How might he use it? Trump has expressly called for more surveillance of Muslim communities. Moreover, he makes no secret of his grudges against political opponents, and his surrogates have questioned the legitimacy of peaceful political protests. One could easily imagine a Trump FBI mining the NSA’s massive data haul for information to use against vulnerable minorities, political dissidents, and personal enemies.

Indefinite detention

The Bush administration initiated the indefinite detention without trial of terrorist suspects at Guantánamo Bay. Obama abandoned Bush’s claim that the Constitution inherently authorized such detention, and he pledged to close the facility. But he did not disclaim the authority to hold people indefinitely as “enemy combatants” based on extremely loose criteria. He opposed lawsuits by detainees seeking release, citing the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) as legal justification for their imprisonment.

Having failed to close Guantánamo, Obama’s legal defense of indefinite detention could now serve as a green light for Trump’s plan to repopulate the prison. The broad definition of “enemy combatant” espoused by Obama’s Justice Department and endorsed by the courts—notwithstanding the AUMF’s narrow focus on people and groups involved in the 9/11 attacks— gives Trump enormous leeway. He could potentially imprison not merely foreign Al Qaeda or Taliban fighters, but Americans who are deemed to “support” a wide array of international terrorist groups.

Targeted killings

The Bush administration employed drones to kill suspected members of enemy forces overseas without disclosing its legal process or justification. The Obama administration, while vastly expanding the use of drones, created an intricate system of internal review and crafted legal memoranda to support the practice. But Trump could abandon this review process altogether. As for the Obama administration’s legal analysis, scholars have criticized it for distorting domestic and international law.

Under the Obama administration’s legal interpretation, Trump’s use of drones will not be constrained to active theaters of war. His targets may include American citizens—a precedent set under Obama. Although Americans may be targeted only if they pose an “imminent” threat and capture is “infeasible,” an imminent threat may be assumed based on the target’s level of involvement with terrorism, and capture may be deemed infeasible if it would pose “undue” safety risks.

These interpretations could give Trump extraordinary license to use lethal force against Americans. Obama appears not to have made extensive use of that license. It is far from clear that Trump will exercise the same self-restraint.

Espionage Act prosecutions

The Bush administration used the Espionage Act, a law intended to punish spies and traitors, to intimidate and occasionally prosecute government employees who leaked information about national security matters to the media. To the surprise of many, the Obama administration doubled down on this practice, prosecuting more media leak cases than all former administrations combined—including several cases in which the defendants had sought to blow the whistle on executive abuses of power—and normalizing this unorthodox use of the law.

Moreover, in seeking access to Fox News reporter James Rosen’s e-mails to determine the source of leaks, Obama’s Justice Department did something unprecedented: It accused Rosen of conspiring to violate the Espionage Act. Although the department later renounced any intent to use the law against journalists, its actions opened the door to the prosecution of reporters who disclose leaked information about government misconduct.

There is ample reason to fear that Trump, who is openly hostile toward the media, will charge through that door. The expansive view of the Espionage Act put forward by Bush and Obama and endorsed by the courts will smooth his path.

A risky gamble

A clear lesson emerges from these examples. The Bush administration’s views of executive authority were dangerous, not only because they purported to justify conduct that was plainly illegal, but because they countenanced the exercise of enormous powers over the lives and freedoms of citizens. In giving these powers legal sanction, the Obama administration, Congress, and the courts were trusting that presidents would exercise them wisely. That was a risky gamble.

Going forward, it is not enough to ask whether Trump is obeying the law. We must also ask whether he is exercising the formidable authorities he will inherit in a manner that is consistent with our rights, liberties, and values. And we must begin a long overdue examination of whether the far-reaching view of executive power that has triumphed in the post-9/11 era will best serve our constitutional democracy under the Trump administration and administrations to come.

Elizabeth Goitein is the co-director of the Liberty and National Security program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.

Source: http://fortune.com/2017/01/18/obama-trump-abuse-executive-powers-presidency/