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.
My first encounter with Standard Chartered was bad: they rejected my credit card application, surely over my short six months of work since graduating rather than salary. I've reapplied this week, hopeful, and was invited to their Breeze Bloggers Meet.
Finally got the chance to buy the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. Canon's website lists it at S$159, but I picked it up for S$128 at Alan Photo Trading, plus a S$15 filter to go with it.
If you bought an iPhone 4, Apple gives you a free case under the iPhone 4 Case Program. Apply within 30 days, and your phone must be purchased before 30th September 2010. Just download the program app to register.
When I got my iPhone 3G in 2008, I hunted everywhere for the universal dock adapter, finding it nowhere on Apple Singapore or at resellers. I only found one a year later in Taiwan at an authorised reseller.
Bought the SwitchEasy Nude for iPhone 4 at VivoCity's Best Denki for S$32. Choices are slim since the iPhone 4 launched under two months ago. This 1mm-thin Lexan polycarbonate shell is so thin I nearly snapped it removing my phone.
This is SingTel's third iPhone launch after the 3G and 3GS, and they finally got it right. Instead of the usual ComCentre, it was at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre Hall F, a huge, fully air-conditioned, proper convention venue.
Ordered my StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition from Amazon on 17th July 2010, arriving 29th July, just a day after launch. Once I heard IAH Games would charge S$109 locally, I cancelled my Software Boutique pre-order.
When I saw the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit at S$38 on Apple Singapore's store, shipping showed two to three weeks. I ordered it anyway with my brother's iPad Case, and surprisingly both shipped the very next day.
Here is SingTel's official word on the iPhone 4 launch tonight and over the weekend. They've chosen a bigger venue, Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, selling the phones at one centralised location so customers with appointments can collect conveniently.
SingTel has released its iPhone 4 prices for the iFlexi plans, with the phone launching soon. This post also links to my pricing write-ups for the later iPhone 4S, 5, 5c/5s, 6/6 Plus and 6s/6s Plus on SingTel.
Wow, far cheaper than I expected; I thought the 16GB would exceed S$1,000. Without contract, the iPhone 4 is S$888 for 16GB and S$1,048 for 32GB. Apple says it arrives in 17 more countries this Friday, 30th July, featuring FaceTime.
Ordered my MicroSIM cutter from DealExtreme for US$20, though it's since dropped to US$17.43, shipping included. I placed the order on 11th July 2010 and received it on the 22nd, about eleven days, likely a supplier stock issue.
Finally, SingTel supports MicroSIM cards in its MultiSIM plans, though at twice the price of normal SIMs. Only one MicroSIM is allowed in any combination, so with four SIMs just one can be MicroSIM and the rest normal.
SingTel has revealed its iPad data plans: S$34.50 a month, or S$30.50 over 24 months, with 50GB of data at 7.2Mbps down. For a free USB modem and MicroSIM with adaptor, sign up at S$36.50 monthly over 24 months.
Microsoft has announced Singapore Kinect and new Xbox 360 prices. Kinect with Kinect Adventures is S$229, the 4GB Xbox 360 alone S$339, or bundled with Kinect S$469, and individual Kinect games S$59.90. Everything arrives at the end of August 2010.
Back in May 2010 Facebook launched free mobile access via 0.facebook.com by partnering operators, but Singapore wasn't on the list then. Today SingTel has announced its own partnership with Facebook to offer free 0.facebook.com access on your mobile phone.
The iPad arrives in Singapore on 23rd July 2010, alongside eight other countries. Official local prices are S$728 to S$1,028 for WiFi 16GB through 64GB, and S$928 to S$1,228 for the WiFi + 3G models.
It looks like the iPhone 4 reaches Singapore on Friday, 30th July 2010, alongside 16 other countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and much of Europe. Both black and white versions should be available at launch.
Attended the Cisco Flip MinoHD event yesterday at The Queen and Mangosteen in VivoCity, my first visit there, and the food was lovely, I'll definitely return. The Flip itself underwhelmed me, with no autofocus, no macro and no optical zoom.
When I posted photos from Iomega's first blogging event, many assumed Iomega was dead after the Zip drive lost out to USB flash drives. In fact EMC, a Fortune 500 data-storage giant, bought them for US$213 million, so they're back.
It's day 27 of World Cup 2010, and Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time to lift the trophy for the first time. Germany take third and Uruguay fourth, with the next tournament heading to Brazil in 2014.
My summary for World Cup 2010 day 26: in the match played, Germany edged Uruguay 3-2 in the third-place playoff. Tomorrow, 12th July, brings the grand final between the Netherlands and Spain. All times listed are Singapore time.