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 Vertu Ti, the brand's first Android phone since Nokia sold its luxury division in June 2012, has reached Singapore. It runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, upgradable to 4.2 Jelly Bean. At launch I saw three models, from S$13,000.
Uber has arrived in Singapore. It's a service connecting passengers with drivers of luxury vehicles for hire. You book the car, see an estimated wait, get driven to your destination, and hop off, with payment charged to your card.
In my final Synology DiskStation DS413j review, after covering unboxing, setup, and performance, I focus on its multimedia features. These include Video Station, Audio Station, and Photo Station, along with their mobile apps, DS Video, DS Audio, and DS Photo.
The Sony Xperia Z goes on sale in Singapore from 1st March 2013 for S$988 without contract, in black, white, and purple. Known as the water-resistant phone, it can be submerged up to one metre deep for 30 minutes.
Three years ago, I blogged about getting your first tweet if you have more than 3,200. Those instructions relied on the Internet Archive, which isn't always available. Happily, Twitter now lets most users download their Twitter Archive directly.
The Pebble Watch was the 9th Kickstarter project I backed, and it broke the record as the most highly funded ever. Against a US$100,000 goal, it raised US$10,266,845 from 68,929 backers when it funded in May 2012.
From today, with Indoor Google Maps for Android in Singapore, you can pinpoint where you are, which floor you're on, and where shops sit relative to you inside a mall. Detailed floor plans appear as you zoom into a building.
The Western Digital My Book Thunderbolt Duo (8TB) retails for S$1,199, steep for an external drive. Its dual Thunderbolt ports let you daisy-chain up to six Duo drives, totalling 48TB, or other devices like monitors, media players, and editing gear.
In this second part of my Synology DiskStation DS413j review, after unboxing and setup earlier, I cover performance, backup, and CloudStation. I tested file transfer speeds with LAN Speed Test, the DS413j running SHR with WD Red drives.
I received the ATake Rain Dance Speakers as a gift from my cousin. If you'd like one, they sell for S$39.90 at Challenger, Courts, Popular, and Newstead. They're great for outdoor parties like a BBQ, or as a gift exchange.
I bought the Cote&Ciel Spree Messenger Bag in Grey Melange from city'super at Harbour City in Hong Kong for HK$1,250, about S$200. The medium size fits up to a 13-inch laptop. I'm now a Cote&Ciel fan, their designs are unique.
The Innergie PocketCell Duo was unveiled at CES 2013 in January, succeeding the PocketCell that retails in Singapore for S$79. This light portable charger weighs 132.5g, holds 6,800mAh, and outputs 2.1A per USB port, ideal for charging high-capacity devices quickly.
I bought the Twelve South HiRise for iMac at Hysan Place Apple Store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, for HK$618, about S$99. I couldn't find it in Singapore, not on Apple's stores, so your best bet is Twelve South's website.
I bought the Twelve South BackPack 2 at the Hysan Place Apple Store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, for HK$268, about S$43. In Singapore it's S$55 at EpiCentre and S$49 on the Apple Online Store. It fits the iMac 27-inch.
Microsoft Office 365 and Office 2013 are now available 30th January 2013, from computer stores or directly from the Microsoft Store Singapore. If you bought a previous version of Office in the eligibility window, you're entitled to a free upgrade.
Announcing the winner of the Norton 360 Multi-Device giveaway I held on 17th January 2013. Congratulations to @KEBL93, whose winning tweet explained she needed to protect the laptop and phone she's buying for university. You've won, courtesy of Norton.
In this final part of my Dell XPS 12 review, after covering unboxing, design, features, and functionality earlier, I share my experience actually using it. The big question is ultrabook versus tablet: given the choice, I had no clear favourite.
I've been seeded the Synology DiskStation DS413j with three WD Red drives for a three-part review, beginning here with unboxing and setup. Since the DS413j is a four-bay NAS, I popped to Sim Lim Square for a fourth WD Red.
In this second part of my Dell XPS 12 review, after unboxing and design earlier, I cover its features and functionality. Starting with the ports, all sit on the right side, save for the headphone and microphone combo jack.
Yesterday, Samsung launched its first Samsung Mobile PIN in Singapore, also the first in Asia, at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza, known to many as Takashimaya. First introduced at the 2012 London Olympics, the Mobile PIN is a pop-up store.
This year's Norton Cybercrime Report 2012 revealed a clear shift towards new forms of cybercrime, targeting social networks and mobile devices. As criminals increasingly exploit the popularity of these platforms, it's wise to take steps to protect yourself.
I last printed my Blogger Name Cards in 2010, getting 200 for S$60 from Tommy Print. I'd nearly run out, and Li Xiang had redesigned my logo for lesterchan.net v4. I returned to Tommy Print, where 200 cost S$60.