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 2016 Mophie Powerstation Plus comes in three sizes: XL (12,000mAh), regular (6,000mAh), and Mini (4,000mAh), each in gold, rose gold, and space grey. Only the XL and regular are sold in Singapore, with the XL at S$139.
The much-anticipated Moto Z, Moto Z Play, and Moto Mods reach Singapore from November 2016. The Moto Z, in Charcoal Ash or Washed Oak shells, retails for S$899, powered by a Snapdragon 820 with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.
The ViDi Action Camera came from a Kickstarter that raised US$151,880 from 1,253 backers, with shipping in December 2015. It's now officially available in Singapore for S$179, brought in by TC Acoustic, as a compact alternative to a GoPro.
Sharp Mobile has launched its first phones in Singapore, the mid-tier MS1 at S$299 and Z2 at S$399. Sharp Mobile is run by Commtiva Technology, owned by Foxconn, which completed its acquisition of Sharp earlier.
Following the Galaxy Note7 recall, Singapore customers can exchange their device for a Galaxy S7 edge plus an additional S$250 cheque, or take a full refund of the S$1,168 retail value. Both options are open to all Note7 owners.
The D-Link DAP-1860 AC Wi-Fi Range Extender launched in Singapore at S$189. It runs concurrent dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz with four external MIMO antennas, supporting MU-MIMO and 802.11ac Wave II for speeds up to 2,532Mbps.
Xiaomi opened its first physical Singapore store on 7th October 2016, in partnership with ECS. The Mi Home Store sits in Suntec City Mall and opens daily from 11am to 9pm, while Xiaomi's online store launched on Lazada.
Circles.Life is a Singapore MVNO riding on M1's network. I attended its May 2016 launch and signed up for a free three-month trial, with a bonus 2GB giving 5GB and 100 minutes for an attractive S$28 monthly.
Fabrix has launched its Marble Snap Case for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, both priced the same at US$22, excluding delivery. The case comes in two colours, black and white, with a marble finish.
The Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter retails for S$14, though most authorised resellers were out of stock; I grabbed the last two from iStudio Paragon. The build feels fragile, with a thin, breakable cable.
V-MODA, founded in 2004, is a high-performance audio maker headquartered in California with a design studio in Milan. In Singapore, iFactory Asia is the sole authorised distributor. This review covers the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless headphones.
With a six-year-old Logitech Notebook Riser at work, I went looking for an aluminium laptop stand for home, to match my MacBook Pro. I narrowed it down to Rain Design's mStand, TwelveSouth's HiRise, and Belkin's Zero.
WRENCHit is mininch's third Kickstarter, after the Tool Pen and Tool Pen mini, both of which I backed. I backed WRENCHit in March 2016, choosing the Full Set at US$38 plus shipping. Each set packs 10 multi-size wrenches.
The Apple iPhone 7 Plus Silicone Case retails for S$58 in nine colours. After almost a year with my 6s Plus Leather Case in Midnight Blue, which stained after water contact, I switched to a silicone case this time.
Singtel's price plans for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, launching 16th September 2016 at Marina Bay Sands. Singapore gets the A1778 and A1784 models, supporting the local LTE, UMTS, and GSM bands across the carrier's plans.
Not a sponsored post, just my experience with fynd, a startup offering phone repair at your doorstep. After I cracked my iPhone 6s Plus dropping it at the WordCamp Singapore 2016 after-party, fynd's convenient service won me over.
Motorola returned to Singapore on 24th August 2016, launching a portfolio of six devices, including the Moto X Force at S$899 and Moto X Style at S$799. This review focuses on the mid-range Moto G4 Plus, priced at S$499.
Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac is now available, supporting the Windows 10 Anniversary Update and ready for the upcoming macOS Sierra. It brings performance gains, including up to 90% faster snapshot creation and 60% faster VM suspend.
Singtel's price plans for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, launching in Singapore on 20th August 2016 in Black Onyx, Gold Platinum, and Silver Titanium. It retails for S$1,168 in a single 64GB; Samsung skipped Note 6.
I bought the TP-Link 300Mbps Wireless N Nano Router (TL-WR802N) from Hachi.tech, Challenger's online marketplace, for S$45 after a rebate. I needed a tiny router to cover a small dead zone in my master bedroom, hidden out of sight.
I bought the Energea Amp Charger 17W 2-Port Wall Charger at Challenger Bugis Junction for S$26.90, or S$24.21 with the member's discount. Surprisingly, Challenger's own online store Hachi.tech listed it pricier at S$35.10, upending my assumption it was cheaper.
I bought the Remotec Z-Wave AC IR Extender (ZXT-120) from Vesternet during its Vesternet Mondays promotion, which offers up to 20% off rotating brands like Vera, Fibaro, Aeon, and Foscam. The ZXT-120 brings my air conditioner into Z-Wave.