Gear bought or brought back from Thailand, from chargers and cables to power banks.
Anker's USB-C cable naming is famously confusing, spanning many series. Only three support 240W charging: Anker Prime, Anker Zolo, and the standard Anker line. A look at which one offers the best value for fast charging.
AirGradient is a Chiang Mai company making fully open-source air quality monitors. Its One Indoor Monitor (I-9PSL) is sold as a self-assembled kit or fully assembled, offering an affordable, hackable way to track indoor air.
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.
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.
Nomad offers two USB-C to USB-C cables, differing in length, Power Delivery profile, and transfer speed. The shorter 1m cable supports 100W via USB PD profile 5, while the 1.5m supports 60W. This review covers the 1m/100W cable.
The Belkin Valet Charge Dock for Apple Watch & iPhone is exclusive to Apple Stores and authorised resellers, retailing for S$194. It comes in Silver, Rose Gold, and Black, though it's pricey for a dock.
The Bluelounge Soba is a cable routing kit that bundles multiple cables into a single tube for a neater look. I bought mine at Paragon in Bangkok for about S$36. It comes in black or white.
The Just Mobile Alupad is a mouse pad crafted from anodised aluminium wrapped in smooth white plastic. The plastic wrap, which sets it apart from the MacPadd, makes the mouse glide more smoothly. I got mine in Bangkok.
The Bluelounge Posto is the brand's take on a headphone stand, shipping in three pieces for one-time assembly. Available in black or white, it has a flexible silicone-rubber headphone rest. I bought mine at Paragon in Bangkok for about S$30.
The Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock retails for S$118 in Singapore, but I bought mine in Bangkok at iStudio Paragon for about S$131, S$13 more even after the VAT refund. It's surprisingly small, at 10.4cm wide, yet much heavier.
The Bluelounge Pixi is a multi-purpose cable tie in Small, Medium, and Large. Each size includes two cable lengths in differing quantities, yet all cost the same, about S$16. I picked mine up at Paragon in Bangkok.
I'm using a headphone stand Li Xiang bought on Taobao for S$38, a pricey, poor-quality rip-off of Just Mobile's HeadStand. I'd eyed the real HeadStand for ages, but like the Just Mobile AluCable Mini, the shipping cost put me off.
As a gadget enthusiast, I had no car windscreen mount for my phone, resting it on the cup holder cover. Glancing down for Google Maps while driving was tricky, so I got the Just Mobile Xtand Go mount.
The Magnetic Organization System (MOS) began as a Kickstarter project two years ago, raising US$29,376 against a US$6,850 goal. It's an elegant solution for organising and keeping track of your cables, simply rest a cable end on the MOS.
In my earlier post on the Belkin 6-inch Lightning to USB ChargeSync Cable, I said it was sold only through the Apple Online Store. I was mistaken, you can find a similar cable in stores, though fewer colours than online.
The Just Mobile AluCable Mini is a short 10cm USB-to-Lightning cable finished in aluminium. It sat on my Amazon wishlist for ages, but the shipping cost was never worth it, since it doesn't qualify for free Singapore delivery.
This is my first time using the Power Support Air Jacket Set (Clear) for iPhone 5/5s. I picked it up in Thailand at Siam Paragon for TH฿990, about S$40, versus S$59.90 in Singapore, and mine is definitely an original.
In my post on the Panasonic Mobile Booster QE-QL101, I mentioned Panasonic's larger 10,260mAh portable battery, which I couldn't find in Singapore. I eventually spotted it in Thailand and bought it for TH฿3,990, about S$160, dropping to roughly S$150.
The Kero Lightning Nomad Cable came out of a Kickstarter project last year, which I missed and didn't back. It's a 3-inch, Apple-certified Lightning USB cable for your key ring. They've since launched the Kero Micro USB Nomad Cable.
I first spotted the Innergie Magic Cable, a 3-in-1 retractable USB cable, at Challenger in VivoCity last year, but it was out of stock, so I settled for a Deal Extreme equivalent. On holiday in Thailand, I finally found it.
As usual I'm swamped with school, with assignments due every week since week three, and it's now mid-October. My last day of school is 14th November 2008, with three exams on the 22nd, 25th and 27th.
Day 1, Friday 2nd December 2005: our maxi cab arrived at 8am and we reached the airport just before 9am, breakfasting at the Terminal 1 canteen before checking in. Our flight FD3502 left at 11am, reaching Bangkok around noon.