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since 2002
Apple refreshed the AirPods in March 2019, offering two versions: with Wireless Charging Case at S$299 or standard Charging Case at S$239, a S$60 premium for Qi wireless. I got the wireless version during Lazada's mid-year festival.
The Minix Neo Storage is a USB-C hub with a built-in, non-removable SSD. The Neo S1 (120GB) retails for S$120 and the S2 (240GB) for S$150, found on Amconics' Lazada store, which only carries the Silver colour.
Apple's second Singapore store and the world's first airport Apple Store, Apple Jewel Changi Airport, opened on 13th July 2019. The first in the queue received a commemorative US-made t-shirt reading 'Jewel Changi Airport'.
The Peak Design Everyday Backpack came from a Kickstarter that raised over US$6.5 million. It comes in 20L and 30L, the 20L retailing for US$259.95 in four colours: Black, Charcoal, Ash, and Tan. I chose Charcoal.
The Peak Design Field Pouch retails for US$39.95, shipped from Hong Kong. It comes in four colours, and I picked Charcoal as the flagship shade, finding Black too dull and Ash and Tan prone to dirt.
I'd wanted a short MFi USB-C to Lightning cable to pair with a USB-C power bank, since less wire dangles. I found the Ugreen one on Lazada in a 25cm length for S$13.79.
Peak Design offers three camera straps, differing by width: Slide for DSLRs, Slide Lite for smaller and mirrorless cameras, and Leash, the slimmest, for compact cameras. All come in Black and Ash; the Leash is the most affordable.
Singapore's second Apple Store, Apple Jewel Changi Airport, opens at Jewel on 13th July 2019, two years after Apple Orchard Road. Jewel is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex on the landside of Changi Airport.
My second Yeezy, the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 v2 in Black, thanks to my brother. Launched on 7th June 2019 at S$349, he couldn't snag it from Adidas Singapore, so he bought it from Yeezy Supply for around S$300.
My iRobot Roomba 980's side brush kept failing, its rubber heads turning brittle and snapping, even on the spare after a single clean. Frustratingly, replacements are only available from iRobot's official agent, with no cheaper alternative.
The Philips SpeedPro Max Aqua is a cordless vacuum with an integrated mop function, a market first. It retails for S$799 at most stores, with an online promotion. I kept the unit after this unpaid review.
The Huawei P30 Pro launched in Singapore on 6th April 2019, in four colours including Amber Sunrise and Breathing Crystal. It comes in 256GB at S$1,398 and 512GB at S$1,698, available on Huawei's official Lazada store.
The Choetech 5 Coils Dual Fast Wireless Charging Pad retails for S$39.90. It's the upgraded version of the Dual 5W pad I've used reliably in the office, so I got this faster one for home.
I bought the Spigen Huawei P30 Pro Liquid Crystal Case from Lazada for S$20.90. Made in Korea, this TPU case is lightweight, flexible, and shock-absorbent, adding 4mm of thickness with raised edges to protect the screen and lens.
igloohome seemingly granted my exact request: two years ago, reviewing their Smart Lock, I wished for a smart padlock for my main gate. The igloohome Smart PadLock came from an Indiegogo campaign funded in November 2018.
Google launched the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL in Singapore on 8th May 2019. The 3a retails for S$659 with a 5.6-inch display, while the larger 3a XL is S$779 with a 6-inch display.
The Pixel 3a/3a XL Fabric Case is Google's only official case, sold from the Google Store for S$60. It comes in three colours, Carbon, Fog, and Seascape; for my review unit, Google sent the Fog.
The Lulabop Heroclip is a clever rotating, folding hook carabiner for hanging your gear anywhere. Made from aircraft-grade aluminium, composite, and steel, it holds up to 22kg, though it isn't rated for climbing, and weighs just 29g.
The Sudio Tolv wireless earbuds retail for S$189 with free DHL shipping, or S$160.65 using the code lesterchantolv. An upgrade of last June's Sudio Niva, the Tolv steps Bluetooth up from 4.2 to 5.0.
Ugreen HDMI cables come in many lengths, from S$6.49 for 1m up to S$46.79 for 20m. I bought the 2m for my setup. The 1m-to-3m versions are HDMI 2.0, supporting 4K at 60Hz.
Ugreen DisplayPort to DisplayPort cables come in five lengths, from S$9.29 for 1m to S$15.29 for 5m. I bought the 3m for my setup. They're among the cheapest yet most reliable DisplayPort cables in Singapore.
I regretted skipping the Peak Design Tech Pouch on Kickstarter in 2018, when it cost US$48. It now sells for US$59.95 on Amazon plus shipping, while the Singapore retail price is around S$99.