Posted on

Traveloka Launches EPIC Sale Campaign Up to 80% special deal in Singapore

Traveloka presents EPIC Sale Campaign in Singapore. Taking place from 14th to 20th April 2021, Traveloka unveils special deals of up to 80% for a wide variety of Accommodations and Xperience products. Users are welcome to combine their SingapoRediscovers Vouchers, and numerous promotions available on the Traveloka’s App to get more benefit from this campaign.

EPIC Sale is one of the manifestations of Traveloka’s commitment in supporting the government in reviving the local tourism industry that is heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the economy moves towards recovery, the EPIC Sale campaign is also expected to boost the customer demand hence can positively contribute to the partners’ business continuity.

“The pandemic has impacted many businesses around the world, especially the tourism industry. Therefore, it is crucial for us to support and form a partnership with all stakeholders, including the government and industry players to revive their businesses post-pandemic. This has become our baseline in rolling out the EPIC Sale campaign in the market, not only to provide the best experience to our users but also to support our partners and the local tourism sector. Utilizing human-centered technology, the EPIC Sale combines the creative marketing strategy with cutting edge and breakthrough approach to better understand the customers, bringing forth offers that are aligned with the change in users’ behaviour and needs,” said Pascal Gekko Head of International Accommodation at Traveloka.

Learnings from Traveloka signalled that Singaporeans started their user journey looking at flexibility in brands to provide a better user experience through a combination of coupons stacking and time-bound promotions. As such, Traveloka’s EPIC Sale will feature the following:

  • Epic Referral has begun as a pre-sale activation from 7-13 April, whereby users can earn coupons by sharing a referral link. There will also be daily rewards, new features and grand prizes!
  • EPIC Hour offers 50-80% special deals every day between 6 – 7PM (Singapore Local Time) and additionally between 9-10AM on 14 April and 12-1PM on 20 April
  • EPIC Sale offers incredible special deals ranging from 25 – 80% all day long that is combinable with SRV, Traveloka promotions, and bank coupons. Users can also save more with up to SGD 40 off all day during EPIC Sale period and up to SGD 50 off during EPIC Hour when paying with DBS/POSB Cards and applying the DBS/POSB Cards Coupon with Terms & Conditions apply.

Crafted based on Traveloka’s best selling experiences during its SingapoRediscovers campaigns, the EPIC Sale was created for users to enjoy experiences with family and friends at an affordable price. It reinforces Traveloka’s commitment to supporting the Singapore Government in boosting domestic tourism and promoting a safe way to enjoy a holiday.

While it has been a rocky road to recovery for Singapore’s hospitality industry, such a partnership between the Singapore Tourism Board and private travel and lifestyle platforms has ensured the survival of many hotels and attractions as international leisure travel has yet to return in the foreseeable future. In addition, such a synergistic partnership caters to the steady increase in hyper-local experiences such as staycations and rediscovering places of interests within the tropical island.

“We are grateful to partner with Traveloka and join the first EPIC Sale campaign this year, as they not only share the same mission and values with us but they also aim to provide a positive contribution to boosting Singapore’s local tourism sector, aligned with the Singapore Tourism Board’s agenda. Through this partnership, we believe it will bring a positive contribution to our business amid the pandemic,” said Jorge Fernandez, Director of Revenue Optimization at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.

Traveloka’s EPIC Sale campaign will run from 14 April 2021 to 20 April 2021 and can be enjoyed through the latest version of the Traveloka App. Partnering with all of our merchants, users will be spoilt for choice and can discover more deals for their desired hotel stays, leisure attractions to visit or local tours by operators, such as Shangri-La Singapore, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, The Fullerton Hotels, Park Hotel Group, Singapore Cable Car, Jewel Changi Airport Attraction, Go Green Segway Eco Adventure, Wild Wild Wet, Trick Eye Museum, and more.

Posted on

Razer Announces Stormtrooper Edition Kraken Headsets

Razer announced in March that they are collaborating with Lucas Film in bringing Stormtrooper- themed collection of Razer products to the gamers. They have already launched the Blackwidowed Silent Mechancial Keyboard and Atheris Wireless Mouse.

To compliment these two, Razer is launching the Stormtrooper Edition Kraken Headset. Retaining the same market- leading features as the original Razer Kraken headset is now sporting the colors of the most feared army in the Star Wars Galaxy.  

Designed for esports athletes and gamers alike, the StormtrooperTM Edition of the Razer Kraken headset features custom-tuned 50mm drivers for a wide soundscape from subtle audio cues to helmet rumbling explosions. The uni-directional, retractable microphone ensures your shot calls and battle orders are always delivered in absolute clarity.  Using a thickly padded bauxite aluminum frame and cooling-gel ear cushions, the StormtrooperTM Edition of the Kraken headset is built for comfort over long mission sessions. With an inline remote for volume and microphone controls and connection via 3.5mm jack, the StormtrooperTM Edition of the Razer Kraken headset is compatible with PC, Mac, console and mobile devices.  

The StormtrooperTM Edition of the Razer Kraken headset is available now at Razer.com and is selling at the recommended retail price of USD 109.99

Posted on

Google Pixel 4 is Too Expensive! Sign up Starhub #HelloChange Plan

StarHub is the sole telco to launch Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL for Singapore customers.

Starting Saturday, 26 October 2019, customers will be able to buy Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at $0 upfront cost with StarHub’s #HelloChange mobile plans. They will be able to pay for their new phone over 24 months through their StarHub monthly bills.

Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will be available for purchase through StarHub Online Store at www.starhub.com/pixel-4 or at StarHub Shops. Online Exclusive: Customers who buy through StarHub Online Store will get an exclusive mobile plan benefit – free surfing every weekend on StarHub’s superfast mobile network at no additional charge. These customers will also enjoy free home delivery.

Customers on StarHub’s #HelloChange mobile plans enjoy the best value and simplicity. On top of having extra-large data bundles, customers get free caller ID forever and complete freedom from hidden activation, registration and SIM card fees as imposed by competitor brands.

StarHub will unveil full pricing details at www.starhub.com/pixel-4 at launch.

Posted on

CHILLFEST@THE GREEN TO BE CANCELLED

The ChillFest@ The Green has been cancelled.

Image may contain: 7 people, text

The event has to be cancelled due to the projected turnout is below the threshold for viability.

All tickets purchased through our event site (www.chill-fest.com) and SISTIC Singapore  are eligible for full refunds including transaction fees (if applicable). The information shown below is everything you need in order to receive your full refund.

All participants and ticket buyers to the event will be notified through email.

Enquiries

For further enquiries regarding ticket refunds, kindly get in touch with us via info@chill-fest.com with the following details:

  • Please key in <Ticket Purchaser’s Full Name> space <Ticket Purchaser’s Email Address > space <contact number> space <ticket number/transaction number> and send to <number> or <email address>.

Terms and Conditions:

  1. Refund Period: Emails to ticket holders will commence 19 October to 31 October 2019.
  2. Refund will be done within 14 working days from the date we received your details.
  3. Organizer will not entertain any refund request after the Refund Period.
  4. Please ensure the information provided is accurate.
  5. Complimentary tickets are not applicable for refunds.

All enquiries regarding the event or the refund can be forwarded to info@chill-fest.com.

Posted on

Huawei Releases HUAWEI WATCH GT 2, Powered by Its Kirin A1 Chip

Huawei recently unveiled its next generation smartwatch, HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm and 42mm series, powered by the firm’s proprietary Kirin A1 chip which promised to give better performance and longer battery life. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 is also Huawei’s first smartwatch with an all-in-one 3D glass screen, creating a wider, boundless display.

Proprietary Kirin A1 chipset supports longer battery life

The Kirin A1 chipset integrates an advanced Bluetooth processing unit, a powerful audio processing unit, an ultra-low power consumption application processor and a separate power management unit. The application processor uses the Cortex-M7 processor to achieve ultra-low power consumption of 10uA/MHz, which is far below the industry average of 30uA/MHZ. The combination of high performance and efficient power consumption makes it possible for HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 to deliver robust usage and even longer battery life.

In daily use, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm series can operate continuously for up to two weeks, with both the intelligent heart rate monitor and call notification functions on and weekly usage of up to 30 minutes of Bluetooth calls; up to 30 minutes of music playback; up to 90 minutes of exercise and using the scientific sleep mode at night. In the classic mode, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 42mm series can operate continuously for up to one week. Both series of watches have greatly improved battery life in the GPS tracked sports mode. The 46mm series achieves battery life of 30 hours under the GPS tracked sports mode, while the 42mm series reaches 15 hours based on inhouse test result of HUAWEI lab.

All-in-one 3D glass design for expansive display experience

The all-in-one 3D glass surface allows for a wider look and feel. The dial of the 46mm series adopts beveled sculpting and gemstone processing techniques to create 3D curved glass and applies individual carving to create concave spots on the dial for a more vivid look. Treated with multiple processes, the curved dial of the 42mm series is only 9.4mm thin and decorated with an extremely thin, fashionable metal frame.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm series is also equipped with a 1.39-inch AMOLED HD precision touch screen with display resolution of 454 x 454 pixels, wider color gamut, and ultra-thin design that is superior to LCD screens, achieving fuller screen color and higher contrast. The screen design is modern and artistic, suitable for people who pursue the finer things in life and speaks to the simple, exquisite design philosophy that is in vogue nowadays.

New professional sports monitoring creates a richer smartwatch experience

Sports enthusiasts ask for professional sports data monitoring and all-around experience from their smartwatches. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm series connects with Huawei mobile phone Bluetooth and supports Bluetooth calls at up to 150 meters. The watch also supports phonebook functionality so you can save friends’ contact information on your watch and easily look them up. At the same time, the watch comes with large storage capacity, housing up to 500 mp3 songs. You can easily manage and enjoy music while exercising.

In the sports mode, HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 is compatible with 15 sports, including eight outdoor sports (running, walking, climbing, hiking, trail running, cycling, open water, triathlon) and seven indoor sports (walking, running, cycling, swimming pool, free training, elliptical machine, rowing machine). For these 15 sports modes, the watch provides full-scale monitoring of approximately 190 types of data. The watch provides targeted pre-exercise data analysis for different sports, data recording analysis during the exercise and professional advice afterwards. It is like having a personal intelligent sports coach to make your exercise safer and better.

Although Huawei has announced the launch of HUAWEI WATCH GT 2, the pricing and availability of this smart watch will be released on a later date.

Posted on

Garmin Singapore Releases New Vívoactive 3 Element

Singapore,  25  June  2019  –  Garmin  Singapore  today  announced  the  vívoactive  3  Element,  a  fuss-free  companion  that  has  the  essentials  that  you  need  to  stay  active  and  achieve  more  fitness  goals  with   over   ten   preloaded  GPS   and  indoor  sports   apps   including   yoga,   running   and   more.     

The vívoactive 3 Element is available in three colors – Grey, Cerise and Azure . Image – Garmin Singapore

The  vívoactive  3  Element  features  an  always-­on  high-­resolution  Garmin  ChromaTM  display  for  great  readability  in  all  lighting  conditions. 

With  thousands  of  different  watch  faces,  widgets,  data  fields  and  apps  available  to  download  for  free  from  the  Garmin  Connect  IQ  app,  users  can  customise  and  personalise  your  vívoactive  3  Element  to  complement  your  mood,  or  style  for  the  day.   

The vívoactive 3 Element is available in three colors – Grey, Cerise and Azure from today at a recommended retail price of SGD 329 at all authorised retailers.

Posted on

Should You Still Buy Huawei Phones?

Despite the assurance from Android that Google Services will still work on the existing Huawei phones in the market, consumers are still fearful to put Huawei phone into their shopping cart. Bloomberg has reported that Huawei is preparing for a drop in international smartphone shipments of 40 million to 60 million during this trade war.   

Thing isn’t pretty in Singapore. Mobile phone shops are lowering the price to attract more sales. In the secondary market, it is not hard to find Huawei smartphones selling at huge discount on the Popular consumer-to-consumer marketplace Carousell. A quick check – it is not hard to find Huawei P30 Pro selling at about SGD 600 (approx. USD 440). 

Sound like a good time to snap the good deal if you are considering buying a new phone huh. Is it? Weeks ago, I gave my opinion during a Chinese TV interview about US boycott on Huawei. Although there are new developments since then, I believe whatever I have said still hold till now. I understand that some of my international readers may not understand so I am providing a translated transcript here. I have also embedded the video below. 

Q1. Google is not going to support Android update for Huawei phones. To a Huawei phone owner, does that mean the phone is not longer “usable”?

My answer: Android is an open system i.e. to say, it is available to all phone manufacturers including Huawei. The situation arises when Google is not providing any technical supports to Huawei for the future Android updates of its phones. Huawei will have to provide the updates by its own but that does not mean the phone becomes “un-usable”. Current Huawei phone owners could still use their phones without the latest Android version.

Q2. What will happen to Google Services Application without those updates?  

My answer: Google has been clear that future Huawei phones will not come with Google Services including YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail and etc. However, Android has commented that this will not affect the current Huawei phone models in the market. In other words, current Huawei owners could still enjoy their YouTube video even though the YouTube app is not running the latest version.

Q3. Will the security be compromised for Huawei phone owners?

My answer: Indeed, it is a risk for the Huawei users. Huawei is offering another solution – to release its own proprietary operating system. However, it is still too early to tell. 

Q4. What’s the challenge that Huawei faces in developing their new OS?

My answer: Developing its own OS makes strategic senses. However, to build an entirely new ecosystem that could be as good as Android’s, I believe it is going to take a couple of years.

Back to the discussion, should you still buy a Huawei phone? Huawei has been very clear in their positioning – camera. Indeed, the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro have received very good critique (for the camera). If you are a camera-person, I believe you should take the advantage to buy the Huawei P30 or Mate 20 at a discount (Just make sure the one you bought from the e-commerce sites is 100% original and comes with local warranty).

A few days ago, Huawei Singapore has also rolled up EMUI 9.1 update for its Mate, P and NOVA series. I believe that gives more assurance to the current Huawei phone owners. Local electronic giant retailer Challenger has also shown their support to Huawei by giving 100% money-back warranty if you buy Huawei’s devices from Challenger from now till 31st August 2019. The warranty which is not given by Huawei Singapore guarantee Huawei users of 2 year protection of Google Apps.

To end off, I just want to tell current Huawei phone owners that they need not have to worry that much. To potential Huawei consumers out there, you might have been over-reacting. A good smartphone should be able to last you for the next 2 years. By the time is up, you probably would want to get a new one. Personally, I am still using an old Xiaomi phone (as a spare phone in the office) that goes without updates for the last 2 years! By the way, it is still functioning!

The future of Huawei phones that come after the P30 series is very unpredictable. However, the ones you see in the market now should be still “use-able” in the next 1 ½ year.

Posted on

Energizer Undergoes Rebranding

Energizer (stock quote: ENR), the maker of world’s longest-lasting AA battery, announced a rebranding campaign, including new packaging, in-store displays, logo and advertising for its battery product lines, as well as an even more prominent role for Mr. Energizer , the brand’s beloved charismatic character. The new visual treatments, to be introduced in Singapore in June, will provide a contemporary look with a lighter, brighter presentation and a helpful new approach, with distinct colors deployed to help consumers more easily and intuitively find the best product to suit their needs. Whether it’s the world’s longest-lasting Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ AA battery, a lithium coin battery or an Energizer Recharge® rechargeable battery, the new packaging and color schemes will help consumers quickly identify the right choice

New Packaging for the Energizer AA Batteries

This is the first major rebranding exercise since 2008, a year after the very first iPhone was launched. Market has evolved for the past 10 years. This year, Energizer surprised all at MWC with their gigantic P18K smartphone that featured 18,000 mAH battery ( you could continuously watch video on this device for 2 days!). Avenir Telecom has even started a Indiegogo project hoping to raise USD 1.2 million to develop the product.

Models show off the new packages at the launch

You will get to see the new packaging hitting the stores this month.

Posted on

Sudio Tolv Review – A Good Attempt By Sudio

Last year, I reviewed the Sudio Nivå and I am rather impressed by its quality sound packed into a compact size. If you have read my review, you would have known about my water test on the Nivå. Despite it is not certified water-resistance, it survives the water test. Sudio is a young player in the audio lifestyle business but they have been catching up fast. The Nivå is impressive if you compare it with other incumbent brands at similar price range. 

This year, I am exceptionally looking forward to their new product. The new Sudio Tolv promises to have longer battery life and better sound quality than Sudio Nivå. Let’s see whether it can deliver what it promised.

Battery Life

Tolv’s battery size is bigger than Niva. In fact, it is twice as much as its predecessor. The official number given by Sudio – the Tolv earbud has a battery life of 7 hours whereas the Nivå has only 3.5 hours.

Unlike the Nivå, the Tolv is armed with Bluetooth 5.0. With Bluetooth 5.0 technology, the battery life of Tolv may even last longer when paired with smartphone which similarly equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 technology.

Like the Nivå, the Tolv comes with portable charging-cum-storage case. This will give 4 extra charges to the Tolv. In another words, you could get extra 28 hours of battery life on the go. Nivå’s case, on the other hand, has a battery capacity of approx. 14hours which is half of what Tolv is providing. 

We have been using the device in a normal circumstance like listening to Spotify while on the train to work and back home. A fully charged Tolv has proven to last almost five days.       

Sound quality  

This is the most difficult part of the entire review. When comes to sound quality, we kind of have equal liking on both Nivå and Tolv. However, each has its own style. Nivå has a very balanced bass-and-treble and that makes it a very good travel companion to listen to a very wide genre of music. This time, Sudio has included graphene driver on their new Tolv which audio quality is perceived to be better. Is it true that it sounds better? Personally, I think it depends on the music you are listening.

It is a different kind of experience. we tested the same music on both Tolv and Nivå. Tolv can bring up the clarity of string instrument. When listened to vocal, especially at high note, the contrast is more evident. Vocal is more “airy” and that adds more “life” to the music. We are not implying that the Tolv can’t deliver clear sound quality; just that the soundstage is different for the Tolv and Nivå. Upon further testing on more concert videos on YouTube, we tend to prefer the Tolv to Nivå.  

Verdict

Clearly, the Tolv is a good attempt by Sudio. We love the soundstage and at that price point of SGD 189, it could be an attractive headphone-alternative for audiophiles who might be looking for something small and yet, it still delivers. I am surprised given its small size (unlike headphones, wireless earbud has limited number of drivers), the product is impressive in trying to create that kind of live concert experience.

I am looking forward to the future development of Sudio’s new range of headphones.

Should you buy?

In general, the Tolv is very small and compact. More importantly, the battery life is impressive; you will never run-up of juice while listening to your Spotify.

If you are addicted to instrumental and vocal music, this product could be of your likings. At that price of SGD 189, you are getting a wireless earbud that is lighter and more comfortable to wear than the pricier headphones.

There is a summer promotion from now till 31 July 2019. Sudio will be giving free Sudio tote bag with every earphone/headphone purchased at Sudio’s website.

Furthermore, we are bringing in more discount to the readers. Apply my TND promocode “neodimensiontolv” on Sudio’s Singapore online store, you will get 15% discount. On top of that, you get free shipping and one-year warranty from Sudio. 

Posted on

RedMart & Archipelago Deliver Singaporean Craft Beer

RedMart has launched CODE RED Lemongrass Pale Ale – its first-ever collaboration beer, in partnership with Archipelago Brewery. A pale ale infused with distinctively local flavours including lemongrass and jasmine, this limited-edition, small batch craft beer aims to celebrate the partnership between two of the nation’s most treasured brands in creating a uniquely Singaporean craft beer.

CODE RED Lemongrass Pale Ale is sold in 4-packs ($20.80) and is exclusively available on RedMart

In the last few years, Singapore has seen a growing demand for craft beer options and is now home to more than 20 craft beer bars, making craft beer more accessible to first-time drinkers. In response to this demand, RedMart is expanding its offering of global craft and mainstream beer brands by providing shoppers with its own branded craft brew, designed for the Singapore palate. For a start, a limited run of 300 cases (24 bottles per case) of CODE RED Lemongrass Pale Ale has been produced, with the potential for additional production in the future.

Brewed and bottled in Singapore for RedMart by Archipelago Brewery, CODE RED Lemongrass Pale Ale is as unique as it is local. Its fruity esters from the ale yeast mingle perfectly with late additions of jasmine and lemongrass, two Southeast Asian flavour staples, to make this beer unique, refreshing, and designed with Singapore’s tropical climate in mind. Its straw-golden colour comes from the use of pale malts only, while the moderate bitterness is balanced with a light body that creates a crisp aftertaste. CODE RED Lemongrass Pale Ale has a 4.5-percent ABV. 

Alice Canty, Senior Category Manager for Beer, Wine & Spirits at RedMart, said, “RedMart is a tech company at heart, and we wanted this to come across in the branding for CODE RED. The name is a nod to RedMart’s tech roots and celebrates the brand’s iconic red logo colour. We felt the unique but subtle lemongrass and jasmine notes are a great differentiator from current offerings in the craft beer market, and more importantly a celebration of Singapore flavour.”

“Archipelago and RedMart’s shared values of quality and accessibility make for a natural partnership,” said Nicholas Low, Head of Archipelago Brewery. “Archipelago Brewery’s mission is to grow the craft beer market, and our collaboration with RedMart opens doors to the growing base of Singapore craft beer drinkers who are constantly looking for high-quality custom brew that suits their increasingly complex palate. Together, we have an exciting opportunity to introduce a great craft beer for Singapore to enjoy.”

You may also watch the QnA session with the executives over my Facebook Live