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since 2002
On Monday, 24th February 2014, we woke at 6am to reach the venue by 7.30 for good seats, ahead of the 8am press conference. Nokia announced just five new low-end devices: the Nokia X, X+, XL, 220, and Asha 230.
Thanks to Nokia Connects for inviting me to Mobile World Congress 2014, my third event with them, after Nokia World 2011 in London and MWC 2012 in Barcelona. This year's itinerary was a day shorter, but I found it worthwhile.
The Moshi VersaCover Origami Case for iPad Air launched in December 2013 for S$89, in four colours, Denim Blue, Velvet Grey, Sakura Pink, and Aloe Green. At about 150g, it's 10g heavier than Apple's iPad Air Smart Case.
The WD My Cloud lets you store files and media on your personal cloud rather than relying on third-party services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive. The 2TB sells for S$239, the 3TB for S$289, and the 4TB for S$399.
Alongside its three Android phones, the Nokia X, X+, and XL, Nokia also announced the Nokia 220 and Asha 230. Both come in single or dual-SIM versions, and the Nokia 220 retails for €29, roughly S$51, running an ODM OS.
Nokia has launched its first family of Android phones, sort of, at MWC 2014. I say 'sort of' because the Nokia X family lacks Google Play services, swapping them for Microsoft's, and the Nokia X slots between Asha and Lumia.
Xiaomi launches the Redmi in Singapore on 21st February 2014 at noon for S$169 without contract. Known as Hongmi, or Red Rice, in China. An Accessories Pack bundles a spare battery, charger, screen protector, and case for S$28.
The Ozaki O!tool Combo Cable is a charge-and-sync cable for Lightning and micro-USB devices, much like the Innergie Magic Cable Duo. It retails for S$39, measures one metre, weighs 35g, and comes in black or white, at a reasonable price.
The Moshi iVisor Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 5/5s, at S$48.90, is a slightly cheaper alternative to the Spigen GLAS.tR Nano Slim. Weighing just 10g, it's bubble-proof, shock-proof, and scratch-resistant. I applied it to my iPhone 5.
Thermodo is a tiny electrical thermometer that measures the temperature right where you are, working with your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Windows Phone support never came, as the US$400,000 stretch goal for a WP app went unmet.
I received my custom LEGO Minifigures from Minifiglabs.com, a service run by Singaporean company Fish & Toast that lets you create personalised, printed LEGO Minifigures. I was given the Cool Denim Couple Set, two custom Minifigs printed with our names.
Last month, Panasonic introduced the Toughpad FZ-M1, a 7-inch rugged Windows 8.1 Pro tablet powered by an Intel Core i5 vPro. It survives drops up to 150cm and is IP65-rated for water and dust, starting from S$2,600 in March 2014.
Facebook has finally rolled out a feature to edit your Look Back video, though I'm not sure it's reached everyone yet. Through a direct link, you can choose a set number of photos from four categories.
To download your own Facebook Look Back video using Google Chrome, open facebook.com/lookback, then press Ctrl+Shift+J on Windows or Cmd+Opt+J on Mac to open the console. Paste in the snippet of code below, hit enter, and your video downloads.
Chipolo is a Bluetooth item finder for iPhone and Android that began on Kickstarter. I backed it in November 2013, and it funded, raising US$293,014 against a US$15,000 goal. My US$99 pledge shipped free, arriving on 29th January 2014.
SingTel's rewards programme was called Red Rewards and Red Prestige, before dropping 'Red' last year to become SingTel Rewards and SingTel Prestige. I was a Red Prestige member until 31st March 2012, my bill averaging above S$250 for six months.
The Fitbit Flex retails for S$129 and launched in Singapore on 29th May 2013. This wireless activity tracker logs your steps, distance, and calories burned, and also monitors sleep quality, including how well you sleep and how often you wake.
The OtterBox Commuter Wallet for iPhone 5/5s retails for S$55 in Singapore. It adds noticeable bulk in exchange for solid protection against drops, bumps, and shock, and includes a slider compartment at the back that holds up to three cards.
Two weeks ago, while helping Li Xiang find eneloop batteries for her office, I was surprised to find none at any major electronics store in Funan or VivoCity. I wondered whether eneloop had left the Singapore market or sold out.
I'd long wanted the Bose QuietComfort 15, or QC15, one of the best noise-cancelling headphones around. They're especially good for frequent travel, whether by plane or bus, cancelling out much of the engine noise.
I bought the Griffin Retractable USB Charge Cable with Lightning Connector from BestBuy's 5th Avenue store for US$24.99, or US$27.21 after 8.875% tax. I'd always wanted a good retractable Lightning cable, for the fun and the reduced mess of it.
The gold HTC One is now available in Singapore as of 18th January 2014, just in time for Chinese New Year. Previously, the HTC One came only in Silver, Black, and Red here. The 32GB Gold costs S$768.