Lester Chan's Website » Singapore

Sony Tablet S (3G) Availability in Singapore

Lester Chan — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:49:05 +0000

Sony Tablet S (3G/16GB) is finally available in Singapore as of 13th January 2012 for SGD$798. Because of the release of Sony Tablet (3G), the price for the WiFi version has been reduced as well.

Sony Tablet S

Prices

16GB – WiFi Only – SGD$618
32GB – WiFi Only – SGD$748
16GB – 3G & WiFi – SGD$798

Technical Specifications For Sony Tablet S (3G/16GB)

Operating System: Android 3.2
Processor: NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor with Dual Core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU 1 GHz
Display: 9.4″ wide (WXGA: 1280 x 800) TFT Colour LCD
Memory: 1 GB
Storage: 16 GB
USB port: Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) Micro-AB connector (host/client support) x 1
Headphone Jack: Stereo, mini jack x 1 (works as a monaural microphone jack)
Wireless LAN Specification: IEEE 802.11b/g/n
Wireless LAN Data Rate: Maximum transmission speed: 72 Mbps, Maximum receipt speed: 72 Mbps
Technology: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+(850, 900, 1900, 2100MHz), GPRS/EGPRS(850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz), StandaloneGPS/AssistedGPS
Bluetooth Technology: Bluetooth standard Ver. 2.1 + EDR
Supported Profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HID, SPP, OPP
Sensor: Accelerometer (3-axis accelerometer), Gyro, Digital Compass, Ambient Light Sensor
IR Remote control function: Yes (Supports various devices (pre-loaded remote control code) and learning function)
Memory Card Slot: SD memory card x 1 (Supports SD, SDHC)
Speaker: Built-in stereo speakers
Microphone: Built-in monaural microphone
Front Camera: web camera (Resolution: 640 x 480, Effective Pixels: 0.3 Mega pixels)
Rear Camera: HD camera powered by “Exmor for mobile” (Resolution: 2592 x 1944, Effective Pixels: 5 Mega pixels)
Supplied Accessories: AC adapter (SGPAC10V1), Power Cord, Strap
Battery: Built-in rechargeable battery pack
Browsing web with Wi-Fi, watching video, listening to music: Up to 8.0 hours (Standard usage)
Standby: 400 hours
Playing music: 31.0 hours
Playing video: 6.0 hours
Browsing web with Wi-Fi: 6.2 hours
Browsing web with 3G: 4.5 hours
Battery Charging Time: 5.0 hours
Dimensions (W x H x D): 241.2 x 10.1 – 20.6 x 174.3 mm
Weight: 625g

Official Microsite: Sony Tablet S
Official Product Site: Sony Tablet S

Motorola XOOM 2 Availability in Singapore

Lester Chan — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:04:08 +0000

Motorola XOOM 2 (3G/wifi, 32GB) is now available in Singapore (as of 13th January 2012) for a RRP of SGD$978.

Motorola XOOM 2

Technical Specifications

Software: Android 3.2 Honeycomb
Display: 10.1″ (1280 x 800) HD display with scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass
Special features: Splash-guard and special flattened edges for easier holding
Camera: 1.3 MP front and 5 MP rear-facing HD cameras with digital zoom, auto focus, and LED flash
Memory: 1GB RAM; in-built 32 GB storage, additional 32 GB microSD slot
Battery life: Up to 9.7 hours of video playback / Up to 28 days stand-by on 3G
Sound: 3D virtual surround sound
Dimensions: 253.9 mm x 173.6 mm x 8.8 mm
Weight: 608g

Official Site: Motorola XOOM 2

Prada Phone by LG 3.0 Availability in Singapore

Lester Chan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:46:32 +0000

The Prada Phone by LG 3.0 will be retailing for SGD$1,088 without contract.

Prada Phone by LG 3.0

LG will be having a 1-day-only sale event at its LG LIVE Store located at Marina Bay Sands on the 21st January 2012. You can get the phone without contract on that day and you will receive a limited edition LG Prada Cradle (worth SGD$228) with every purchase of the Prada Phone.

For SingTel, the Prada Phone by LG 3.0 will be available for order on the 20th January 2012. No word on the pricing with contract yet. You can check out this link, www.singtelshop.com/pradaphone for more information.

For m1, StarHub, I can’t seem to find the link for Prada Phone on their website.

If you pre-order with any of the local telcos, you will also receive a limited edition LG Prada Cradle (worth SGD$228) with every purchase of the Prada Phone.

Specifications

Operating System: Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor: 1.0 GHz Dual-Core/Dual-Channel/Dual Memory
Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps
Dimensions: 127.5 x 69 x 8.5 mm
Screen: 4.3″ WVGA (800 x 480) NOVA Plus (800 nits)
Camera: 8.0MP with Auto Focus and LED, 1.3MP front camera
Connectivity: Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, HDMI/MHL, NFC, A-GPS
User Memory: Up to 8GB internal + microSD
Battery: 1,540mAh Li-Ion

Official Site: Prada Phone by LG 3.0
SingTel Shop: Prada Phone by LG 3.0

Nokia Lumia Availability In Singapore

Lester Chan — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:23:19 +0000

The Nokia Lumia 800 will be available in Singapore from 10th December 2011 onwards for a RRP of SGD$775.

The Nokia Lumia 710 will be available in Singapore in the coming weeks for a RRP of SGD$505.

All three local operators in Singapore (SingTel, StarHub and M1) will be offering the Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710.

Nokia Lumia 800

The stunningly social Nokia Lumia 800 features head-turning design, vivid colors (cyan, magenta and black) and the best social and Internet performance, with one-touch social network access, easy grouping of contacts, integrated communication threads and Internet Explorer 9. It features a 3.7 inch AMOLED ClearBlack curved display blending seamlessly into the reduced body design, and a 1.4 GHz processor with hardware acceleration and a graphics processor. The Nokia Lumia 800 contains an instant-share camera experience based on leading Carl Zeiss optics, HD video playback, 16GB of internal user memory and 25GB of free SkyDrive storage for storing images and music.

Nokia Lumia 800

Specifications

CPU: Single Core Qualcomm MSM8255 @ 1.4GHz
RAM: 512 MB SDRAM
Storage: 16 GB mass memory (no slot for micro-SD cards)
Screen: 3.7″ AMOLED Capacitive Touch Screen (480×800) with ClearBlack Display, Curved Glass and Corning Gorilla Glass
Camera: Carl Zeiss optics, 8 MP camera, wide angle lens (no secondary/front-facing camera)
Connectivity: WiFi, Micro USB, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, USB 2.0 High-Speed, 3.5mm AHJ Connector, Bluetooth Stereo Audio
GPS: GPS, A-GPS, CellID, WiFi positioning
Dimensions: 116.5mm (L), 61.2mm (W), 12.1mm (T)
Weight: 142g
Battery: BV-5JW 3.7V 1,450mAh
SIM Slot: Micro SIM

Nokia Lumia 710

The purposely built, no-nonsense Nokia Lumia 710 can be personalized with exchangeable back covers and thousands of apps to bring the Lumia experience to more people around the world. The Nokia Lumia 710 is designed for instant social & image sharing, and the best browsing experience with IE9. It is available in black and white with black, white, cyan, fuchsia and yellow back covers. With the same 1.4 GHz processor, hardware acceleration and graphics processor as the Nokia Lumia 800, the Nokia Lumia 710 delivers high performance at an affordable price.

Nokia Lumia 710

Specifications

CPU: Single Core Qualcomm MSM8255 @ 1.4GHz
RAM: 512 MB SDRAM
Storage: 8 GB mass memory (no slot for micro-SD cards)
Screen: 3.7″ TFT Capacitive Touch Screen (480×800) with ClearBlack Display and Corning Gorilla Glass
Camera: 5 MP camera, auto Focus, LED flash (no secondary/front-facing camera)
Connectivity: WiFi, Micro USB, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, USB 2.0 High-Speed, 3.5mm AHJ Connector, Bluetooth Stereo Audio
GPS: GPS, A-GPS, CellID, WiFi positioning
Dimensions: 119.0mm (L), 62.4mm (W), 12.5mm (T)
Weight: 126g
Battery: BP-3L 3.7V 1,300mAh
SIM Slot: Micro SIM

Show Press Release (695 More Words)

Nokia closes off the year with a new beginning – the first Nokia smartphones based on Windows Phone make their debut in Singapore

Nokia Lumia 800 available in Singapore from 10 December; stylish device features best social and internet experiences with signature Nokia services

Singapore – Nokia reached a significant milestone today with the arrival of the highly anticipated Nokia Lumia range of smartphones in Singapore. The stunningly social Nokia Lumia 800 will be available from 10 December 2011, and the Nokia Lumia 710 will be in stores in the coming weeks.

With head-turning design, the Nokia Lumia 800 offers consumers the best integrated social experience and fast Internet browsing, bringing content to life for the consumer. Combining familiar Nokia elements such as leading imaging capabilities, navigation and music, the Nokia Lumia 800 delivers the best Windows Phone experience on the market. The Nokia Lumia 710 extends the Lumia experience to more people around the world with its affordability while offering personalisation with its colourful changeable covers.

“Let’s talk about the significance of the Nokia Lumia devices to us – from a strategy perspective, we are delivering our first Nokia Windows Phones within eight months since we announced the collaboration with Microsoft earlier this year. And we have introduced Nokia’s signature services which make these phones much more desirable and relevant to consumers. This is a significant step forward as we continue to drive innovation throughout our entire portfolio, and the new range of Nokia Lumia smartphones is a testimony to our capabilities in balancing technology innovation with optimal user experience,” said Niklas Savander, Executive Vice President, Markets, Nokia. “There is strong engagement with our partners and operators around the Nokia Lumia smartphones, and we are overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and support. Together with Microsoft, Nokia has created a new ecosystem that opens up opportunities for developers, as seen in these first two Nokia Lumia smartphones.”

“The Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710 embody core Nokia attributes in terms of craftsmanship, trusted quality, vibrant colour and a no compromise attitude toward performance and experience. The phones also offer the best in social networking through the People Hub, offering one touch access to social networks,” said Neil Gordon, Vice President of Sales, Nokia South East Asia Pacific. “Singapore is a strategic market for Nokia, with a population of socially connected, tech-savvy and design-conscious smartphone users making it an easy choice launch market for the Nokia Lumia smartphones in Southeast Asia.”

“Canalys believes that the introduction of the first Lumia devices, based on Windows Phone 7.5, confirms Nokia’s commitment and seriousness to the platform, innovation, and the company’s new strategy. It is hugely reassuring that it is bringing two devices to market, which will be available across many highly important countries in time for the holiday season at the end of the year,” said Rachel Lashford, Managing Director, Mobile & APAC, Canalys.

Signature services and stylish accessories
Both Nokia Lumia smartphones include signature Nokia experiences optimized for Windows Phone, including Nokia Drive, which delivers a full-fledged personal navigation device (PND) with free, turn-by-turn navigation and dedicated in-car-user-interface. Nokia Drive has the ability to preload maps in over 100 countries worldwide, including all the initial launch countries, like Singapore. Nokia Drive will only be available to Nokia Lumia users and so represents significant differentiation over non-Nokia Windows Phone products as a preloaded application.

Nokia Music is the evolution of a service, developed first for the Nokia N9, and now optimized for Windows Phone. It contains a beautiful user interface and users in Singapore will be able to download music clips and albums from the extensive music catalogue. In addition, users can listen to 30sec clips of the tracks before deciding to make a purchase.
Completing the ultimate mobile audio offering, Nokia also introduced the on-ear Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset by Monster and the in-ear Nokia Purity Stereo Headset by Monster, co-designed and co-developed by Monster Cable, a recognized leader in high performance audio. Both products provide a fresh listening experience and are the first output of the exclusive long-term partnership between Nokia and Monster Cable, intended to introduce a range of premium audio accessories to reflect the outstanding quality and bold style of the Lumia range.

Canon PowerShot S100 Now Available In Singapore

Lester Chan — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:30:59 +0000

Canon PowerShot S100 is now available in Singapore at a RRP of SGD$699. Canon PowerShot S100 is the successor to the Canon PowerShot S95 (SGD$599).

The official free gifts includes a 8GB SD card and a Canon PowerShot S100 carrying case.

Canon PowerShot S100

Features

12.1 megapixels with HS SYSTEM
5x optical zoom
Ultra-wide angle of 24mm
Bright maximum aperture of f/2.0
Full HD movie (1080p) with Stereo Sound
DIGIC 5
3.0-inch type, TFT colour LCD with wide viewing angle

SingTel Launches Singapore’s 1st E-Book Service

Lester Chan — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:15:23 +0000

The e-book service is known as skoob. It offer the works of Singapore writers, study guides and educational books for local primary and secondary school students.

Skoob on iPad (Bookshelf)

At launch there are about 39,000 local and international bestsellers for smartphones, tablets and PCs. Payment is in Singapore Dollars (SGD$) and made via Singapore Credit Cards or if you are a SingTel customer, you can charged it to your monthly SingTel bill.

You can download books on up to five devices on one account. Skoob is available for free on Apple iTunes Store and Android Marketplace. You can also use any browser to view them online via skoob or load the e-books into Adobe Digital Editions.

Show Press Release (461 More Words)

Singapore, 15 November 2011 – Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced the launch of skoob, Singapore’s first e-book service. Skoob breaks new ground by being the first e-book service to offer the works of Singapore writers, as well as study guides and educational books for local primary and secondary school students.

At launch, skoob offers more than 39,000 local and international bestsellers for smartphones, tablets and PCs. It is the first e-book service to accept payments in Singapore dollars and offers tremendous savings versus the cost of traditional paper books. For example, fans of John Grisham can enjoy his novel, The Confession, at S$9.00 instead of S$17.07 at a bookshop. Neil Humphreys’ acclaimed Complete Notes from Singapore is available at S$13.90 instead of S$29.90. Skoob also offers a range of classics for free download, such as Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.

Mr Goh Seow Eng, SingTel’s Chief of Digital Home, said: “The Singapore market has long been overlooked by e-book services from abroad. With the launch of skoob, Singapore readers finally have a service that offers local books and caters specifically to their tastes and needs. It also provides local publishers and writers with a powerful digital platform that allows them to reach a wider audience.”

“We are continuously working with publishers to expand our catalogue. We believe skoob’s range of local study guides and educational books will be well received by school students, and we are looking to include assessment papers soon,” he said.

Skoob is available on Apple and Android tablets and smartphones via a free app. It can also be enjoyed on PCs and Macs using standard browsers. Customers have the flexibility to download books on up to five devices. Payments can be made via Singapore credit cards. SingTel customers can choose to have purchases conveniently charged to their monthly bills.

Mr Goh said that skoob is an important addition to SingTel’s growing suite of multimedia offerings, which includes the award-winning AMPed music service, deF!ND digital concierge, ESC games service, De!ite e-magazine service, exCite web video app and mio TV.

“SingTel is transforming from a provider of traditional telecommunications services to a multimedia solutions provider. We are constantly developing new apps and services that make the most of our networks and smartphone technology to enhance the lives of our customers,” he said.

Skoob offers titles from leading publishers, including the world’s six major publishing houses: Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, Simon and Schuster and Macmillan. The service carries local titles, study guides and educational books from: Popular, Marshall Cavendish, Cengage Learning, Asiapac, Flame of the Forest, McGraw Hill, Sunbear, Monsoon, Singapore Asia Publishers (SAP) and Janus Education. For more information on skoob, and to download the app, please visit skoob.com.sg.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Now Available in Singapore

Lester Chan — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:46:15 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 is now available in Singapore for a recommended retail price of SGD$768 for the 3G 16GB model.

Samsub Galaxy Tab 8.9

Specifications

Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps – 850/900/1900/2100, EDGE/GPRS- 850/900/1800/1900
OS: Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
Display: 8.9″ WXGA 1280×800
Processor: 1GHz Dual Core application processor
Camera (Rear): 3.0-Mega Pixel Camera AF with LED Flash
Camera(Front): 2.0-Mega Pixel Camera
Connectivity: Bluetooth technology v 3.0, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 (a/b/g/n)
Sensor: Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Ambient Light sensor
Memory: 16GB
Size: 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm
Weight: 453g
Battery: 6,100mAh

Samsung Galaxy Note & Galaxy Nexus Availability In Singapore

Lester Chan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:03:11 +0000

Galaxy Note will be available in Singapore on 18th November 2011 (tentatively) with a recommended retail price of SGD$998 (including taxes and without any telco subsidy).

Galaxy Nexus will be available in Singapore by January 2012 with a recommended retail price of SGD$948 (including taxes and without any telco subsidy).

Galaxy Note

Galaxy Nexus

Apple iPhone 4S Prices In Singapore

Lester Chan — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:15:19 +0000

Apple iPhone 4S is now available for pre-order at Apple (Singapore) Online Store.

All iPhones sold in Singapore are UNLOCK sets.

Both the black and white iPhone 4S are available and the prices are as follows:

16GB – SGD$948
32GB – SGD$1,088
64GB – SGD$1,238

Right now the shipping is still 1-2 weeks time and one customer is allowed to buy 2 sets only.

This time round, the iPhone 4S is more expensive than the iPhone 4 when it was launched.

When iPhone 4 was available in Apple (Singapore) Online Store last year, the prices are as follows:

16GB – SGD$888 (SGD$60 cheaper)
32GB – SGD$1,048 (SGD$40 cheaper)

Apple (Singapore) Online Store: Apple iPhone 4S

YouTube Singapore (youtube.com.sg)

Lester Chan — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:28:26 +0000

YouTube Singapore is now official! YouTube makes its official debut in Singapore and it’s aim is to help Singaporeans find their favorite content and spread Singaporean content across the globe.

Its initial partners include music collection society COMPASS, leading sports rights agency World Sport Group, music distributor Valleyarm / Music Services Asia, and production companies Interactive SG, Oak Media, and Refinery Media.

The YouTube Partner Program opens in Singapore, allowing local video creators to earn income from their work on YouTube through sharing advertising revenue.

The official YouTube account for YouTube Singapore is youtube.com/SingaporeYT!

Show Press Release (563 More Words)

Singapore, October 20, 2011 – YouTube, the world’s largest online video sharing community, today announces the launch of a localized service for Singapore. Users can visit this localized Singapore site by choosing “Singapore” as the location setting at the bottom of the YouTube.com homepage or going directly to http://youtube.com.sg. The brand new YouTube Singapore offers a local interface to easily and quickly find videos most relevant to Singaporeans, including expanded content from local and global partners. The site will create a new online space for the national community and give Singaporean creators the opportunity to increase their exposure.

Adam Smith, Director of Product Management for YouTube in the Asia-Pacific region said, “Even though we’re only launching a localized site for Singapore today, Singaporeans have already been an extremely large and important audience on YouTube. Through localizing YouTube in Singapore, the site will deliver more of the content Singaporeans want to see, and we hope the world will continue to discover the amazing culture and talent that exists in Singapore today.”

In conjunction with this launch, YouTube has forged partnership agreements with top Singaporean media companies, including Interactive SG, Valleyarm / Music Services Asia, World Sport Group, Warner Music Group, Refinery Media, and Oak3. These partners are establishing a strong presence on YouTube to easily distribute their content and grow their audience. YouTube has also secured a masthead advertisement on the Singapore home page for opening day from local telecom SingTel.

Ash Singh, Founder & CEO of production company Interactive SG (http://www.interactive.sg) said, “We are excited to be one of the first local content partners on YouTube and put our transmedia project, The Angel’s Gate (http://www.angelsgate.com), on the site. YouTube is a dynamic video platform that makes our content available anytime, anywhere for any device. YouTube gives us a flexible, global way to monetize our videos, and the custom channel gadget allows us to create the best possible experience for our users. If you are thinking about a regional multi-screen strategy, YouTube needs to be part of your mix.”

In anticipation of the localized service for Singapore, YouTube has signed a licensing agreement with the Composers & Authors Society of Singapore Ltd (COMPASS) that will allow music artists to earn revenue on YouTube. Revenue is generated when advertisements are displayed against YouTube partner’s videos. Under this agreement, Singaporean authors will now receive payments from their associations when rights holders distribute them.

“The decision by YouTube to establish their presence and strategically position itself in Singapore, I believe, is informed by the need to be closer to its numerous potential clients in Singapore and the region and ultimately bring its services to the doorsteps of its esteemed customers,” says Dr Edmund Lam, CEO & Director of COMPASS. “Reaching an agreement with YouTube is a step forward that creates major new opportunities for our members and affiliates. From now on, they will receive fair payment for the use of their works on YouTube which is a very positive step for our songwriters and publishers, and, more broadly, the Internet.”

With the localized site in Singapore, the YouTube Partner Program will also open to Singaporean video creators. This program enables content creators in Singapore who make original, high-quality videos on a regular basis to become content partners with YouTube and monetize their work on the site through advertising. Content creators will be able to apply online for the program at http://www.youtube.com/creators/partner.html.

Official: YouTube Singapore

Microsoft Singapore Officially Launch Windows Phone 7.5

Lester Chan — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:32:18 +0000

Microsoft Singapore officially launches Windows Phone 7.5 yesterday. Windows Phone 7.5 has more than 500 new features and enhancements.

Both HTC Radar (RRP: SGD$569) and Samsung Omnia W (RRP: SGD$498) will be the first Windows Phone 7.5 to be released in Singapore. The HTC Radar will be available next month (October 2011) while the Samsung Omnia W will be available sometime in Q4 2011.

The Mango release is available for free to all Windows Phone 7 customers. Microsoft will begin delivery of the update to existing Windows Phone 7 users from today and gradually ramp up delivery so that the update will be broadly available to most existing customers by the end of October 2011.

Based on the official site, Where’s my phone update?, both SingTel and StarHub are in the status of “Delivering update” which means:

Microsoft has started to send out the update. Important: To help ensure quality, software updates are typically sent out gradually and/or in batches, so it might take several weeks before you receive notice that an update is available for your phone.

Official Site: Windows Phone 7.5
Official Status Page: Where’s my phone update?
Press Release (Windows Phone 7.5): Microsoft Puts People First With The Launch Of The Latest Version Of Windows Phone In Singapore
Press Release (HTC Radar): HTC Unveils HTC Radar, HTC’s First Windows Phone 7 With Mango Update
Press Release (Samsung Omnia W): Samsung delivers a unique experience with Omnia W, a smartphone that puts people first

Show Press Release (1,138 More Words)

Singapore, 28 September 2011 – Microsoft Singapore today announced the official launch of Windows Phone 7.5, previously code-named “Mango”. Windows Phone 7.5 has more than 500 new features and enhancements to deliver smarter and easier communications, apps and Internet experiences to connected individuals today.

The new Windows Phone 7.5 will be available in Singapore in the coming weeks on HTC Radar and Samsung OMNIA W. These phones will be available at telecom operators and mobile retail outlets.

The Mango release is available for free to all Windows Phone 7 customers. Additional details on the status of updates for Windows Phone customers are available on the “Where’s my phone update?” page. Microsoft will begin delivery of the update to existing Windows Phone 7 users from today and gradually ramp up delivery so that the update will be broadly available to most existing customers by the end of October.

The latest version of Windows Phone will feature major improvements and new features centering on the idea of “connecting with people”. Mr John Fernandes, Director, Marketing & Operations, Microsoft Singapore, explained: “When Windows Phone 7 was announced last year, it caught the attention of many who wanted a refreshing smartphone experience. Today, we are happy to announce an update that will enable users to truly embrace the idea of simple connectivity to the people they care about most. This upgrade is an important milestone and one that demonstrates our commitment to the mobile space.”

Mr Melvin Chua, Country Manager of HTC Singapore, said: “With Windows 7.5, Microsoft has truly upped the ante in providing refreshing mobile experiences to the always-connected individual. The HTC Radar brings you closer to life with stylish design, a great camera, and intuitive new ways to share and connect.”

Mr Winston Goh, Product Marketing Manager – Telecommunications, Samsung Asia, said: “With our multi-platform strategy, Samsung is committed to providing a diverse line-up of products for the market. This year, we have continued our partnership with Microsoft to launch the Windows Phone 7.5 Samsung OMNIA W, which has been developed to enhance the ‘People First’ experience that Windows Phone offers. Featuring an elegant design, a vivid 3.7″ Super AMOLED display as well as an enriched content and social communication experience, the 1.4GHz powered Samsung OMNIA W delivers an exceptional Windows Phone experience for discerning and connected individuals.”

Put People First: Delivering a connected experience for smartphone users
Understanding that users prefer to stay connected, the Windows Phone is a modern communication tool with essential social networking features built in. Through the unique People feature, users can now be more connected to friends, family and loved ones with a one touch access to Windows Live, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Another new feature is Groups, where users could group their favorites, and pin them to the Start screen in order to get live updates, as well as text, email and IM them all at once. Facebook chat, Messenger, check-ins and photo tagging are also now built into Windows Phone 7.5 to provide users with a more connected experience. On new Windows Phone devices, users will be able to easily connect up to five Wifi-enabled devices to the web using Windows Phone data connection1.

Windows Phone takes the Internet beyond the browser with the inclusion of Internet Explorer 9 in the new update along with hardware acceleration.

Apps are key to a smartphone experience, and Windows Phone 7.5 takes the user experience a step further. Apps pinned to the Start screen will be able to showcase live updates and allow users to be updated on the latest with just a glance. The search function is also connected to apps to make searches easier to discover and use.

Windows Phone 7.5 will also feature SkyDrive, a cloud-based storage for Windows Live users to upload, share and edit Microsoft Office documents and files, photos and videos, allowing for true mobility in collaboration.

Enhancements for Windows Phone enterprise users
Microsoft understands that the mobile phone is used more than just a social connectivity and entertainment device. Windows Phone 7.5 features a number of exciting new productivity capabilities and features for serious work and collaboration on-the-go.

With cloud being pervasive in the current enterprise environment, Microsoft has developed new features for Outlook Mobile and Office Mobile for business users which will strengthen an already powerful set of capabilities. These new features include Microsoft Lync, which will be available on this new version for better unified communication among users. Additionally, users will welcome enhancements and improvements that will make for an easier, yet dynamic experience, including the ability to pin Outlook folders on Start screen, “Server search” capabilities for email searches, as well as built-in Office 365 auto discovery and auto provisioning capabilities for local subscribers to the cloud-based service.

Security is a key concern for many enterprise users, and Microsoft has built the Windows Phone from ground up with security in mind. The new Windows Phone 7.5 addresses the top needs of IT departments by providing an Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) certified phone, delivering a seamless email and productivity experience with capabilities to apply corporate management and security policies. Some of these new security features include support for Information Rights Management (IRM), Malware-protected Explorer 9 Mobile, and secure data transmission through SSL Encryption 128/256 Bit.

Windows Phone Marketplace: One of the world’s fastest growing mobile app platforms
The new Windows Phone update is Microsoft’s commitment to the mobile market by delivering an experience which puts people first. This is only made possible with a vibrant ecosystem through an active app developer environment and strategic partnerships. Microsoft Singapore has, in the last year, worked with app developers as well as schools to develop Windows Phone apps for the local market.

“We have over 30,000 apps in less than a year since we launched Marketplace, making Windows Phone as one of the fastest growing mobile app marketplaces. This is an endorsement of Microsoft’s continued support of the developer communities globally, as well as the proven Windows Phone developer platform. In Singapore, there are more than 750 apps developed locally since the launch of Windows Phone 7. We expect this growth momentum of Marketplace to be stronger with the launch of Windows Phone 7.5,” added Mr Fernandes.

Some of these local apps include:

Around You, by Chris Ismael: This Metro-style app shows user directions to Foursquare-registered establishments in the user’s vicinity using the Windows Phone 7 platform’s location-based services. This app is built using some of Windows Phone 7.5’s new features such as fast application switching.
Shootout Defence, by Kazer Wong: A simple tower defence game developed by a member of Microsoft Student Partner.
BusGuide WP7, by Muhammad Mulyadi bin Sazali: Optimised for Windows Phone 7.5, this application allows users to get bus arrival timing of SBS and SMRT buses, as well as bus routes information.

For more information about Windows Phone, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-sg/default.aspx
For more information on how to update Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 7.5, please visit: http://mango.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/features/update-schedule-world.aspx

Lobangclub App

Lester Chan — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:51:12 +0000

Received an email from Guyi Shen who is the director of Lobangclub which is an iPhone App (for now). I find the app pretty cool. It is similar to ShopSavvy and Singtel’s Price Pal.

What is Lobangclub?

Lobangclub is a free Singaporean app that finds you the best deals on any product. We do this by contributions from you, our community of shoppers. We already have over 500,000+ products in Singapore.

How to use?

Step 1: Scan a barcode on the product you want to buy.
Step 2: You will receive a list of all the shops in Singapore that sell that product and the prices.
Step 3: You can help us by either contributing a price or verifying that the price is correct.

It uses your Facebook credentials for login and the UI is pretty good.

I tried the barcode scanning on 2 items (Panadol ActiFast & Nescafe Blend 37), it works perfect and even give you a picture of the product after you scanned the barcode.

I am able to get the price for the Nescafe Blend 37 but no price is available for the Panadol ActiFast. If there are no prices available, you can tap on the “Got lobang?” button and it will bring you to a screen for you to add the price, location of the item and even indicate a sale period.

I wish they have a karma or reputation points system, to entice users to submit prices and the community can mark them accurate by a “like” or something.

Profile Screen (Left), History (Right)

Scanning Screen (Left), After Scan Screen (Right)

Add Lobang Screen

App Store: Lobangclub – Singapore price comparison barcode scanner

Household.sg

Lester Chan — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 02:36:42 +0000

Helping my fellow NUS SoCian, Reuben, who is the founder of Household.sg spreading the word about Household.sg!

Household.sg

What is Household.sg?

Household.sg is an online supermarket that aims to eliminate the pesky trip to the supermarket to shop for your groceries, freeing up time for you to do the things that truly matter – like spending quality time with your family.

Delivery Fees/Options
Delivery is free for purchases about SGD$40 and for purchases below SGD$40, a SGD$7 delivery fee will be charged. It will be a next-day delivery and the timing depends on what time you place your order. If you place it before 4pm, you get to choose the timing after 8am and if you placed it after 4pm, you get to choose the delivery timing after 2pm.

Payment
Payment is 100% handled by PayPal, so if you have PayPal balance or credit/debit card tagged to your PayPal account, you can use either of them.

Launch Promotion
Just enter “HSGORDER” (without the quotes) when you checkout your shopping card and enjoy SGD$5 off!

Go: Household.sg

Yelp Now Available in Singapore App Store

Lester Chan — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:40:01 +0000

I am travelling to the US this December for the first time and I was looking for the US version of HungryGoWhere, many people recommended Yelp, but unfortunately it is not available in Singapore App Store.

I tweeted about it and mentioned @yelp. They replied me 2 days later via Twitter asking me which country I am in, I told them Singapore and in a few hours time, they opened it for Singapore App Store! Kudos to the Yelp Mobile Team!

I am sure this will benefit users who do have a Singapore iTunes Account but not a US one.

You do not need to register a Yelp account to view Yelp, but if you are going to register an account, you need to register an account through a US Proxy as it does location/IP check or you can always wait till you get to the US and register an account.

App Store Link: Yelp (Universal)

Symbian Anna Singapore Variant Will Be Released On 2nd September 2011

Lester Chan — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:01:29 +0000

Symbian Anna (Singapore Variant) will be released on 2nd September 2011 and you can download it via Ovi Suite (v3.1.1) on a PC or over-the-air (OTA) directly to your smartphone.

Singapore, 22 August 2011 – Symbian Anna – the latest software update for Symbian smartphones – is available for download from 2nd September 2011 onwards. Symbian Anna significantly enhances the user experience on the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01, and Nokia E7. A new user interface, virtual QWERTY keypad in portrait mode, enhanced Nokia Maps, better web browsing and stronger security are just a few of the improvements that people will be able to enjoy. Symbian Anna can be downloaded using the latest version of Ovi Suite (version 3.1.1) on a PC or over-the-air directly to your smartphone.

“Nokia’s Symbian smartphones are used by millions of people around the world every day, addressing specific consumer needs and providing choices at many price points,” said Ilari Nurmi, Vice President at Nokia. “Symbian Anna represents a significant update to the experience those users have and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to Symbian, which will see up to 10 more phones introduced over the next 12 months, further updates to the user experience and support for the software until at least 2016.”

Key features with Symbian Anna:

User interface: Symbian Anna brings a fresh new look and feel to the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01, and Nokia E7 with crisp icons and multiple usability enhancements. Typing on the virtual QWERTY keypad is now available in portrait mode.

Maps and navigation: Symbian Anna enhances Nokia Maps with better search functionality, new public transportation routes and the ability to check-in to favorite geo-social network sites like Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter

Browsing: A faster, easier-to-use browser, delivering quicker page loads and improved device navigation allowing people to connect more easily to their favorite sites on the go.

Better for business: Symbian Anna brings true business-grade security with improved data encryption on Nokia smartphones. Business users with a Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01 or Nokia E7 can now easily and securely access their company intranet with IPSEC and SSL VPN enablers.

Near Field Communications (NFC): The Symbian Anna software update also activates the NFC hardware in the Nokia C7, so people can now simply tap their Nokia C7s together to share contacts, photos, videos and play games; easily pair with NFC-enabled accessories from Nokia and others; and read NFC tags to check-in and more

Official Site: Nokia Singapore: Symbian Anna

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 With 3G Now Available In Singapore

Lester Chan — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 03:32:56 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 3G (16GB) is now available in Singapore retailing for SGD$848 without contract.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Singapore, 19 August 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, the global leader in Android mobile devices, has launched its sales of GALAXY Tab 10.1 in Singapore.

Combining the GALAXY Tab’s ultra-thin form factor with a lightweight design, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 measures just 8.6 mm in thickness and at a mere 560g (WiFi) or 565g (3G) in weight, is the world’s thinnest tablet and will appeal to increasingly connected Singaporeans.

Powered by Android 3.1 Honeycomb platform, and featuring a 1GHz dual core application processor and HSPA+ network speeds of up to 21Mbps, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 offers a powerful multimedia and web browsing experience. In addition, with its surround-sound stereo speakers and support for Adobe Flash Player 10.3, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 delivers premium entertainment experience for videos, movies or games. Boasting a three-megapixel rear camera and a two-megapixel front camera, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 also provides smooth transition and seamless 1080p HD video and Flash playback for a rich entertainment experience.

The GALAXY Tab 10.1 also offers superior multi-tasking and enhanced user interaction and navigation on Samsung’s own TouchWiz user interface. Designed with a Live Panel menu for users to customise and display a variety of content on the home screen including digital pictures, favourite Web sites and social network feeds, the interface also includes an application tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player for easy access.

The GALAXY Tab 10.1 with 3G (16GB) is now available at $848 (inclusive of GST), without line contract.

Official Site: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

HP TouchPad Available In Singapore

Lester Chan — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:21:27 +0000

HP announced that the Wi-Fi version of the HP TouchPad will be available in Singapore on 12th August 2011 onwards from authorized retailers (Best Denki, Courts, Harvey Norman), and direct from HP

Promotion

There will be a special promotion in conjunction with National Day. For the month of August, the HP TouchPad with 16 GB of storage will come with a HP TouchPad Case. The HP TouchPad with 32 GB of storage will come with a HP TouchPad Case and the HP TouchPad Wireless Keyboard. Pre-orders will be available via the online store and participating retailers from 27th July 2011 to 11th August 2011.

Price List

HP TouchPad (16GB): SGD$699
HP TouchPad (32GB): SGD$799
HP Touchstone Charging Dock: SGD$109.90
HP TouchPad Wireless Keyboard: SGD$79.90
HP TouchPad Case: SGD$49.90
HP TouchPad International Power Adaptor: SGD$39.90
Beats Solo Headphones: SGD$420.00

Specifications

9.7 inch diagonal multitouch screen with 18-bit colour display
Next-level multitasking
Beats Audio sound, only from HP
Web with support for Adobe Flash Player
Watch video calls come to life with Skype
View documents with Quickoffice 3
1.20 GHz Processor Speed
Connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi
Front-facing 1.3 megapixel webcam
1 year limited hardware warranty
HP webOS 3.0 operating system

Official Site: HP TouchPad
Official Site: HP TouchPad SG Store
Press Release (HWZ): HP Announces HP TouchPad Availability in Singapore

Abercrombie & Fitch Flagship Store In Singapore

Lester Chan — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 02:10:12 +0000

Didn’t know about this. This news was way back in March 2011.

nightsbridge, the distinctive four-storey retail podium along Singapore’s premier shopping belt is now fully leased with iconic American brand Abercrombie & Fitch taking up the prime corner unit.

Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) takes the first step into South East Asia and second in Asia after its’ foray into Japan in 2009 by opening a store at one of the most prominent shopping districts in the Asia and Singapore’s most pulsating shopping district – Orchard Road. Knightsbridge is a novel retail concept integrated within Singapore’s most fashionable hotel, Grand Park Orchard.

A&F’s flagship store in Singapore will command a space of approximately 21,000 square feet that spans over four-storeys. The store is slated to open for its Autum/Winter collection in the second half of 2011.

Abercrombie & Fitch, an Ohio-based Casual Luxury themed brand, promises to deliver the same ‘all-American’ experience – including the young, fun and good-looking ‘store models’ and the same merchandise that is found at its any other flagship stores around the world, reflecting their brand’s heritage, youth and sex appeal with a unique emphasis on quality and store experience.

“We think that South East Asia represents a great opportunity for the brand and Singapore makes a great fit,” said an A&F spokesperson. “Our launch in Singapore is answering an established enthusiasm for A&F, and giving our fan-base a place to go and live the brand.”

Abercrombie & Fitch, originally founded in 1892 as a store for sporting, hunting and outdoor gear, is known for its prominent customers in the past like Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway.

In their recent announcements, A&F revealed that they will be opening a total of six A&F flagships this year, which includes previously announced Paris and Madrid openings, as well as latest openings which will include Dusseldorf, Brussels, Dublin and Singapore – the only Asian city among the list.

“For Orchard Road to continue to be the premier shopping destination for locals and tourists, we need more interesting and iconic retail concepts and brands such as A&F to set foot in Singapore. The opening of the A&F flagship at Knightsbridge in Orchard Road will increase the vibrancy and quality of shopping experience in Singapore,” said Mr Allen Law, Director of Park Hotel Group.

Source: Abercrombie & Fitch Flagship Store In Singapore

Samsung Galaxy S2 Available In Singapore From 24th June 2011

Lester Chan — Mon, 30 May 2011 15:55:06 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S2
Samsung Galaxy S2 (16GB) will be available from 24th June 2011 in Singapore for SGD$998 (without contract).

24th June 2011 Onwards

Specifications:

Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps/ HSUPA 5.76Mbps, EDGE/ GPRS Class 12, Quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Quad band UMTS 850/900/1900/2100
CPU: Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 proccessor
Mali-400MP GPU, Orion chipset
RAM: 1GB
Dimensions: 125.3X66.1X8.49mm
Display: 4.27″ WVGA SUPER AMOLED Plus
Memory: 16GB/32GB, MicroSD (up to 32GB)
Camera: 8MP AF with LED Flash + 2MP Front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, BT v3.0+HS, USB v2.0
Connectors: MicroUSB, 3.5mm Ear Jack
Battery: 1650mAh
OS: Android Platform 2.3
Message: SMS/MMS (OMA v1.2), Email (POP3/IMAP/SMTP, SSL/TLS), Exchange ActiveSync Email
Audio: MP3, OGG, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, WAV, MID, AC3, IMY, FLAC, XMF
Video: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, WMV, DivX, Xvid, VC-1, Recording & Playback 1080@30fps
Image: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF
GPS: A-GPS

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
On another note, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available from July 2011 in Singapore. Pricing as follows:

Wi-Fi Only

16GB – SGD$668
32GB – SGD$798
64GB – SGD$928

3G + Wi-Fi

16GB – SGD$848
32GB – SGD$978
64GB – SGD$1,168

Official Site: Samsung Galaxy S II
Official Site: Samsung Galaxy Tab

Singapore Food Expo 2011

Lester Chan — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:00:53 +0000

Singapore Food Expo 2011 will be held at Singapore Expo Hall 5 on the 27th May 2011 to 31st May 2011 from 11am to 10pm daily.

Singapore Food Expo has been attest as one of the largest scale food event in Singapore and has been garnering support from the local F&B players. This year, we are proud to present to you the participation of more than 100 exhibitors and showcasing of a thousand different quality products, ranging from fresh interpretations of familiar products to newly commercialized fare.

Last year (2010), we were ecstatic as once again, the visitor-ship again surpassed our daily turnout of 120,000 by attracting more than 600,000 visitors throughout the five days. Many of the visitors have given very positive response to our show. Most will agree that the quality of the show is of a higher standard compared to those of similar nature.

Similar to previous years, my mom will have 3 booths there:

SA07 selling miscellaneous food products
SA15 selling Glico products
SB15 selling mushroom products

I will be helping out at booth SA15 aka Glico booth to help out after my work daily and full time on weekends =D

Official Site: Singapore Food Expo
Facebook: Singapore Food Exhibitions