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since 2002
The Creative Sound Blaster Roar carry-bag retails for S$19, exclusive to Creative Stores. I got mine free with the Sound Blaster Roar I bought at Sitex 2014. I'm not impressed with its quality, as the fabric mesh shed loose threads.
After reviewing the X-mini CLEAR and consulting my audiophile blogger friend Renhao, we agreed it wasn't worth S$299. So I sought another portable speaker for my dad, and Renhao recommended the Creative Sound Blaster Roar, a well-reviewed, value pick.
I'd long wanted the thecoopidea 10.6A Power Block but lacked the impulse to buy. The Coop Idea was co-founded by two friends who grew up in New Zealand. Its RRP is S$99, though MobyShop sells it for S$79.90.
Singapore's first LEGO Certified Store opened on 29th November 2014 at Suntec City Mall, officiated by Berit Basse, Denmark's Ambassador to Singapore. It's managed by Bricks World, the country's oldest, since 2003, and largest specialist LEGO retailer, spanning two units.
Tool Pen is a smart, versatile multi-tool that feels like holding a sleek pen, with a unique Pop-A-Point design for swapping bits. I backed it on Kickstarter in July 2014, and it funded, raising US$274,794 against a US$7,000 goal.
You may not have heard of GRAMAS, a luxury accessories maker from Japan specialising in iPhone leather cases and glass protectors. The name stands for Generous RAw MAterial Stuff, and Singapore is the first country outside Japan to carry GRAMAS.
Cadbury Glow is positioned as a premium chocolate gift, akin to Ferrero Rocher. Each praline is crafted in Europe, with a milk chocolate outer layer and a dark chocolate filling. Its inspiration came from the glow moment of happiness.
The Dell UltraSharp 27 Ultra HD 5K Monitor (UP2715K) arrives in Singapore in December 2014 for S$2,699, well under the iMac with Retina 5K display, which starts at S$3,388. It's a 27-inch 16:9 IPS panel with a 5120x2880 resolution.
GlobalWebIndex, a market research firm specialising in online consumer behaviour, recently surveyed mobile messaging. The study found WeChat now has the youngest demographic of all messaging apps, with a third of its global active users aged 16 to 24.
My LEGO buys mark the start of a toy collection for my new house, due late 2015. I've also begun collecting Funko Pop. Funko is a pop-culture, licence-focused toy company in Everett, WA, holding 150 licences including Lucasfilm and Marvel.
The Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2, like its predecessor, focuses on technology that adapts to users. It comes in two operating systems, a 10-inch Windows model with a year of free Office 365, plus 8-inch and 10-inch Android 4.4 versions.
At Slush 2014, Nokia announced the Nokia N1, its first device since selling its Devices & Services business to Microsoft. The N1 is a 7.9-inch tablet with a 2048x1536 IPS panel, running Android 5.0 Lollipop on a 2.3GHz Intel quad-core.
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note in Singapore on 8th July 2014, and today at noon it launches the Redmi Note 4G. 5,000 sets will be available. The Redmi Note 4G retails for S$229, while the Redmi Note stays at S$199.
Today marks the global launch of the X-mini CLEAR, available in retail stores for S$299 or online at the X-mini Online Store. It packs a custom 2.1 audio system with a 70mm active subwoofer and signature 40mm ceramic drivers.
The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge 4G+ arrives in Singapore from 22nd November 2014 at a recommended S$1,248, in Charcoal Black and Frost White. You can register your interest with SingTel ahead of launch, and here I cover its 4G+ plans.
Thanks to Bates CHI and Disney Studios Singapore for inviting me to the Big Hero 6 media screening at Filmgrande, Bugis+. The 105-minute film, from the team behind Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph, officially hits Singapore cinemas on 13th November 2014.
The SteelSeries Rival launched last October and now retails for S$99 in Singapore, compatible with both PC and Mac. A right-handed mouse, it has injected rubber grips, a rubberised anti-sweat coating, and PTFE feet for a consistent, smooth glide.
WD makes the best hard drives and Synology the best NAS. I run two Synology units at home with WD drives: a DS210j on two WD Green 1TB since 2010, and a DS413j on four WD Red 1TB since 2013.
Announcing the winner of my Breffo Adventure Camera Tripod giveaway, held on 30th October 2014. Congratulations to Alisa, whose winning comment wished for a tripod to spare her hands while taking wefies with her baby and husband. I've contacted her.
Jawbone has announced the new UP MOVE (S$85) and UP3 (S$288), arriving in Singapore by year's end and early next year respectively. The UP MOVE is an easy-to-use activity tracker capturing your sleep, steps, exercise, and calories, with personalised guidance.
On 15th October 2014, Toshiba launched its L9450 and L5450 television series, powered by Android 4.4.2, though not Android TV. The Android isn't upgradable, so you're stuck with it for the TV's life. The L9450 series offers Ultra-HD 4K resolution.
The SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 Flash Drive is the smallest drive I've seen, about the size of a Singapore 20-cent coin, with read speeds up to 130MB/s. It sells from S$13.90 for 16GB up to S$52.90 for 64GB.