It is Friday, 11th July 2008 in Singapore (GMT+8). The iPhone 3G has been released in New Zealand as well as Australia and more countries are coming up next due to different time zone.

While in Singapore, there are rumors that the iPhone 3G will be released later instead of in September 2008. I highly doubt this rumor is true. If you read the whole thread, there is also another rumor saying that iPhone 3G will be released on 11th August 2008, exactly 1 month after the iPhone 3G is released in the US.

There is now an iTunes store in Singapore but there are only apps for you to purchase, no music or videos are seen in the store. You can choose Singapore under “My Country” which is located right at the bottom of the iTunes Store page. I have just created my iTunes Singapore account, you need a credit card and a Singapore address.

Now I am waiting for the iPod Touch Firmware 2.0 which I have to pay USD$9.90 for it. Apple seriously always screws early adopters and a perfect example of it is those iPod Touch users who paid USD$19.90 for the January 2008 App Pack and now they will have to pay USD$9.90 for the 2.0 firmware. And to make matter worst, the January 2008 App Pack is included in the firmware 2.0.

It looks EXACTLY the same as the old iPhone. But it is MUCH CHEAPER. USD$199 for 8GB and USD299 for 16GB, which translate to SGD$271.81 for the 8GB and SGD$408.19 for the 16GB one. BUT the prices stated comes with a 2 years contract.

The only difference between the iPhone 3G and the iPhone is the additional of 3G support (duh), GPS (Assisted GPS), the back is now in black or white, flushed headphone jack and better audio quality.

I am so disappointed with this year WWDC. I was hoping they announced a better iPhone successor.

Now lets wait and see how much Singtel is going to charge for a 2 year plan for the iPhone 3G.

100% the iPhone 3G will be coming to Singapore. Check out Apple Singapore Store: iPhone 3G. But when is still a question mark.

The irony is that it is CHEAPER than a iPod Touch and with additional Phone, GPS and Bluetooth capability! Looks like Apple just killed the iPod Touch.

*UPDATE* The iPhone 3G link is up in Apple Singapore, http://www.apple.com/sg/iphone/, and Singtel is the only telecom so far to bring it, http://www.apple.com/sg/iphone/buy/.

New Ikea Table
My old Sitoca table has lasted me for more than 5 years and it is still in excellent condition. I am going to pass it to Li Xiang as her house computer table is showing signs of collapsing inwards.

Went to Ikea and bought a new computer table consisting of a table top, Vika Grevsta (White), for SGD$125 and 4 table legs, Vika Curry (White) for SGD$20 (SGD$5 each). The total bill is SGD$145.10 because I paid extra $0.10 for a plastic bag as there are only 2 of us and we have problem carrying all the parts without the bag.

I going to get a Desk Pad from Ikea another day to protect my white table top!

New Ikea Computer Table – Top View

New Ikea Computer Table – Front View

My Room – Before View

Apple iPod Touch 16GB
After some contemplation, I finally decided to get an Apple iPod Touch instead of Asus EEE. Since I got a laptop already, I might as well go for the iPod Touch as Asus EEE is just another laptop but smaller. I wanted to wait for the upcoming IT Show 2008 which will be from 6th March 2008 to 9th March 2008 to see if there are any free gifts as well as the rumored USD$100 price drop of iPod Touch and iPhone. But iPod Touch Fans somehow think that the rumor might be smashed.

I wanted to get the 8GB iPod Touch for SGD$498 but when I was surfing around Hardware Zone Forums, I saw this thread and it was offering SGD$560 for a 16GB iPod Touch and it comes with warranty, receipt of purchase and the best part is that the box is still sealed.

I wanted to bargained till about SGD$500 because after I did a quick search and found out that most users selling their 16GB are bidded for at SGD$500, but apparently at SGD$500 the owner did not want to release it.

So in the end I bargained with him till SGD$550 and I bought it. The original price of the 16GB iPod Touch according to Apple Singapore Store is SGD$698, and hence I saved SGD$148.

The firmware that the iPod Touch come with is 1.1.1 which is perfect for jail breaking as I do not need to downgrade.

I have so many problems with jail breaking that I jail broke my iPod Touch at least 10 times yesterday due to conflict applications, SSH issues and my iPod can’t recover from recovery mode even with the help of iBrickr. But anyway, in the end I manage to jail break it to 1.1.3 just fine.

Here are the best tutorials that I found:
iPod Touch Fans
1.1.1 -> 1.1.2 -> 1.1.3 – http://www.ipodtouchfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34376

iClarified
1.1.1 -> 1.1.2 – http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=593
1.1.2 -> 1.1.3 – http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=611

Apple iPod Touch (8GB) for SGD$498 or Asus Eee (4G) for SGD$598?

Apple iPod Touch (8GB) – SGD$498

Asus Eee (4G) – SGD$598

Suggestions or comments anyone?

Apple has announced a new branch of iPod, called iPod Touch. Updated iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and the iPod 5th generation is now called iPod Classic.

iPod Touch
Imagine iPhone without the calling function and it is only 8mm thick and you will have the iPod Touch. It come pack with either a 8GB or a 16GB flash drive. The rest of the functions are pretty much the same as iPhone not forgetting it has Wifi too.

8GB will cost you SGD$498 and 16GB will cost you SGD$698.

- iPod Touch
- iPod Touch Specification

iPod Classic
Touted as the 6th generation iPod, it now comes in 80GB or 160GB, sports an enhanced UI which supports cover flow and it comes enclosed in a new metal shell with silver or black color.

80GB will cost you SGD$428 and 160GB will cost you SGD$598.

- iPod Classic
- iPod Classic Specification

iPod Nano
The 3rd generation iPod Nano just got fatter because it now has the ability to playback video and has a screen resolution of 320px by 240px. It comes with pack with either a 4GB or 8GB flash drive. Apple has ditched the 2GB edition. Only silver color is available for the 4GB edition while the 8GB edition has all the colors. And it also feature an enhanced UI which includes cover flow.

4GB will cost you SGD$248 and 8GB will cost you SGD$348.

- iPod Nano
- iPod Nano Specification

iPod Shuffle
Now comes in 4 new colors. The much pretty much stay the same.

1GB will cost you SGD$148.

- iPod Shuffle
- iPod Shuffle Specification