Looking Back 2024
Looking back at 2024, the year I turned 40 and inflation bit hard as Singapore's GST rose from 8% to 9%. My standout gadgets were the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer and Anker's Prime 250W charger, plus a new iPad Pro 11-inch.
Archive
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.
Native Union Voyage 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger
While travelling in Bangkok, my last charging gap was my Apple Watch. The Apple charging cable was far pricier in Thailand than Singapore, so I instead picked up the Native Union Voyage 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger nearby.
Veger P15 Power Bank
I forgot my travel gadget pouch on a Bangkok trip, and my hotel only had USB-A wall sockets. With just a few loose cables on hand, I needed a USB-C charger so my short cables and MagSafe power bank stayed useful.
eero Now Officially Available In Singapore
Seven years after I imported my first eero from the US, the mesh system is finally official in Singapore via eerostore.sg and Amazon.sg. Two models are offered, the eero Pro 6E and eero Max 7, each in 1, 2, and 3-packs.
Sharge Icemag 2 Power Bank
During 11/11 I grabbed the Sharge Icemag 2 Power Bank for S$74.90, down from S$89.90, to replace my fading Apple MagSafe Battery Pack. It is a 10,000mAh Qi2-certified pack offering up to 15W wireless charging, though heavy at 222g.
Anker Prime Charger 250W 6-Port GaNPrime Charger
My one Black Friday haul: the Anker Prime 250W 6-Port GaNPrime Charger for S$162.29, down from around S$222.99. Most of the saving came from finally signing up for a MariBank credit card, which added an instant discount.
Ugreen Bluetooth 5.2 Audio Transmitter/Receiver
I picked up the Ugreen Bluetooth 5.2 Transmitter/Receiver on a Lazada flash sale for S$26.99, mainly to pair my own wireless earphones with inflight entertainment systems. It lasts 28 hours transmitting, 20 receiving, and can serve two devices at once.
Apple Watch 49mm Natural Titanium Milanese Loop
The Apple Watch 49mm Natural Titanium Milanese Loop retails for S$279, dropping to S$250.70 on Apple's EPP. Neither Lazada nor Shopee carry it, and with two titanium colours across three sizes, I picked the small to fit my 150mm wrist.
Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Review
An impulse buy after spotting a deal on r/RayBanStories: a coupon got me 35% off the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer, dropping it from US$379 to US$246. I chose Matte Black with transition lenses, shipped to Singapore via a freight forwarder.
Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Mesh Router Review
The Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 comes in standard and Pro variants, differing only in their 5GHz and 6GHz band arrangement. Asus split them because countries like Singapore only permit the lower 6GHz-1 band. A look at this Wi-Fi 7 mesh router.
Benks ArmorPro Aurora Case For iPhone 16 Pro Max
Benks surprised me with an extra case, the ArmorPro Aurora for iPhone 16 Pro Max. Inspired by the northern lights, its 600D Kevlar weave blends blue and green with hints of orange. It retails for US$52.99 direct from Benks.
Benks ArmorPro Case For iPhone 16 Pro Max
I liked my lightweight Benks ArmorAir, but I wasn't as careful with my iPhone as I claimed. So I switched to the Benks ArmorPro for iPhone 16 Pro Max, whose added TPU frame and raised lip better protect the screen.
TP-Link 8-Port 10G Desktop/Rackmount Switch (TL-SX1008)
TP-Link offers two near-identical 8-port 10G unmanaged switches: the consumer TL-SX1008 with a 3-year warranty and the business DS1008X with five. I picked the cheaper TL-SX1008 to upgrade my home network to 10Gbps.
Benks ArmorAir Case For iPhone 16 Pro Max
Benks makes three Kevlar 600D cases: ArmorLite, ArmorAir, and ArmorPro. The ArmorAir for iPhone 16 Pro Max leaves the buttons exposed and the frame open, retailing around S$47 on Shopee, trading some protection for lighter weight.
Benks Lucent Pro Case For iPhone 16 Pro Max
For the first time I skipped Apple's Clear Case, which never protects the iPhone's bottom. Instead Benks sent the Lucent Pro for my iPhone 16 Pro Max: a no-frills clear PC case with a TPU frame, weighing just 40g.
Benks GlassWarrior Sapphire Screen Protector For iPhone 16 Pro Max
For years I relied on MobyShop to apply my screen protectors, but this time Benks sent the GlassWarrior Sapphire for my iPhone 16 Pro Max before the phone even arrived. It retails for around S$31 on Shopee, plus two cases.
Youtooz Collectibles: Futurama Take My Money Fry
Since 'Shut up and take my money!' is my favourite meme as a gadget buyer, I couldn't resist pre-ordering the Youtooz Futurama Take My Money Fry figurine in March 2024. It finally shipped in August, standing 5.2 inches tall.
Singtel iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, 16 Pro, And 16 Pro Max Price Plans
A rundown of Singtel's price plans for the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max, launching 20th September 2024. The lineup mirrors the iPhone 15, with new colours and Desert Titanium replacing Blue Titanium on the Pros.
What’s In My Travel Gadget Pouch?
A look inside my travel gadget pouch, now a Peak Design Small Tech Pouch, packed for both me and Li Xiang. As iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch users, we each carry an Anker MagGo to charge all three devices.
Spigen Valentinus 3 Cards (MagFit)
The Spigen Valentinus is a MagSafe card holder in two- and three-card sizes and three colours. I bought the three-card version in PU leather for S$21.74 on Prime Day for Li Xiang, a solid alternative to Apple's discontinued leather wallet.
Apple Pencil Pro
My new iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) only supports the Apple Pencil Pro, so my old Pencil 2 won't work. Despite just four real differences between them, Apple gives no reason it couldn't support the older pencil, conveniently pushing the upgrade.
Singapore Changi Airport iPad Pro 11″ (M4) Prices
After seven years with my iPad Pro 10.5-inch, I upgraded to the iPad Pro 11-inch M4. My brother, a frequent flyer, bought it for me at Changi Airport's iStudio to save the 9% GST, with a guide to terminal prices.