Founder of lesterchan.net, a Singapore tech and gadgets blog running since 2002. An engineering leader by day and a WordPress plugin developer since 2003, with a soft spot for gadgets, smart home, and a good deal.
The Sudio Regent is the brand's first wireless headphones and my second Sudio product, after the Vasa Bla earphones. It retails for S$229; the 20% tax rebate in Singapore brings it to S$183.20, with the code lesterchan for more.
My cousin Joanne gave me the iRobot Roomba 980 as a housewarming gift. The top-of-the-line Roomba retails for S$1,498, sitting above the Roomba 880 at S$1,298, the 650 at S$798, and the entry-level 630 at S$698.
eero is a home Wi-Fi system built on a wireless mesh network. It isn't cheap: a single unit costs US$199, a 2-pack US$349, and a 3-pack US$499, but it promises uninterrupted whole-home coverage.
Looking back at 2016, my biggest change was moving into my new house on 14th May, which I made smart with Fibaro, SmartThings, and Amazon Echo. I travelled three times, to Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Munich.
Bagel is a smart tape measure with three modes, String, Wheel, and Laser. It saves up to 100 measurements and voice memos to built-in memory and syncs them to a mobile app. Its lithium battery lasts up to 24 hours.
Apple AirPods launched in Singapore and 100+ countries on 13th December 2016 at S$238, with a six-week wait. I ordered the moment a friend's post showed stock, receiving mine on the 20th. Each replacement earbud costs S$98.
The Linksys EA9500 Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router has been available in Singapore since August 2016 at S$539. It's the flagship of the Max-Stream family, above the mid-range EA8500 I reviewed, featuring 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO.
I got the ZUS Super Duty USB-C Cable alongside the matching Lightning Cable, thanks to my brother Leroy. Unlike the Lightning version, the USB-C comes only with a right-angled USB end. At 1.2m, it retails for US$19.99.
The ZUS Super Duty Lightning Cable is my second nonda product, after the ZUS Smart Car Charger I still use. It retails for US$19.99 plus flat shipping, comes in one 1.2m length, and offers a straight or right-angled end.
I bought the Etekcity Digital Kitchen Timer during an Amazon Black Friday discount, a two-pack for US$10.79, now US$12.99. Since it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, I consolidated it through HopShopGo. It has a large 2.56-inch display.
The Sonos BOOST retails for S$199 in Singapore but US$99 on Amazon, which doesn't ship directly. With only about S$60 saved before freight forwarding, importing isn't worth it. BOOST creates a dedicated wireless network for Sonos, reducing interference.
During a Black Friday sale, the Sonos PLAY:1 dropped from US$199 to US$149. Since it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, I bought mine from Amazon and forwarded it via HopShopGo, which billed me for 3kg despite the 2.4kg weight.
The MPow Streambot Mini is Amazon's top-selling car Bluetooth music receiver. I bought it for US$13.99, now risen to US$14.99. Reasonably priced, though it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, so you must factor in freight-forwarding costs to import it.
The Linksys RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender has been available in Singapore since August 2016 at S$199. This AC1900 dual-band extender adds a Gigabit Ethernet port and is the first range extender to combine MU-MIMO with Seamless Roaming.
The Chromecast Ultra is my third Chromecast, after the 2013 and 2015 models. It retails for US$69 but doesn't ship to Singapore directly. I bought mine from the Google Store US, which requires a US VPN.
I bought the Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) the moment it launched on 20th October 2016, a must-have for any tech geek at US$49.99. With two Echos at home, I use them to control my water heater, lights, and TV.
The Linksys WUSB6100M Max-Stream AC600 USB Adapter is billed as the world's first MU-MIMO-enabled adapter, launched in Singapore in August 2016 at S$129. It connects a PC to wireless-AC and MU-MIMO networks, though there's no Mac driver available.
The Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable comes in two lengths: 1m at S$28 and 2m at S$42, both recently discounted prices of unknown duration. Avoid authorised resellers, which still charge the old S$34 and S$48 pricing.
On Amazon, a Kindle Paperwhite with Special Offers is US$20 cheaper than without. I recommend buying the Special Offers version, since the ads can be removed afterwards. Just register your Kindle to your Amazon.com account, then request removal.
I've been using my Huawei Mate 9 over my Nexus 6P, finding its UI snappy. It scored 120,794 on AnTuTu versus the Nexus 6P's 71,576. My iPhone 7 Plus remains my primary phone.
The Kindle Paperwhite E-reader (2016) retails on Amazon for US$119.99, but it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, so you'll need a freight forwarder. Alternatively, the local SG E-Reader Shop sells it for a reasonable S$209 with free shipping.
The Huawei Mate 9 ships in a square brown box printed with soy ink, made in Shenzhen, China. The contents are standard: the phone, a cover, earphones, a USB-C charging cable, a SuperCharge charger, and a Micro-USB adapter.