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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.

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Why YouTrip Mastercard is a hype?

In the hope of maintaining Singapore as the regional financial hub, the government has been encouraging Singapore banks to adopt technology in improving business operations. Ever since Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong highlighted that banks should adopt blockchain technology in bank settlements in 2015, fintech  start-ups from all around the world flew into Singapore. In 2018, YouTrip, an e-wallet start-up, left its home ground – Hong Kong – one of the world’s largest financial hubs to launch their venture in Singapore.

YouTrip positioned itself as a multicurrency e-wallet for travellers. It has developed technical infrastructure for multicurrency exchanges with a network of FX providers. The uniqueness of its technology is to offer FX exchanges to individual at a competitive rate that banks cannot provide. However, that itself is not going to give YouTrip an edge against the traditional money changers as their rates are almost the same. Furthermore, storing money digitally in the e-wallet is useless if travellers can’t use that to make payment in stores.

As such, YouTrip partners Mastercard (stock quote:MA) . Intuitively, this makes the YouTrip card more “useable” as users could make their payment if the respective merchants accept Mastercard. The strategy works. Months after their launch, number of users has surpassed 50,000. That caught investors’ attention. In May 2019, YouTrip raised USD 25.5M in Pre-Series A funding which is quite impressive for a Singapore-based company that is barely a year old.

YouTrip is a Bank Disruptor?  

The recent capital injection is useful in helping YouTrip to improve their technology infrastructure which is the backbone for all financial institutions. In fact, this is the challenge that YouTrip must overcome. Normal people deposit money digitally in their saving accounts with the belief that the bank’s technology could safeguard their savings. Let’s extend the idea further. When we top up money in YouTrip e-wallet, can we expect from them the same security level that bank is offering? If you have read my earlier blog post, YouTrip is trying to assure the public that they have the same level of technology that bank has in terms of risk management and anti-money laundering capability. However, building up the infrastructure equates to building faith among users which takes time. By and large, YouTrip, as a company, is still too young for the public to put their trust (saving) with them.

To succeed in the fintech space, a fintech start-up has to offer the same level of services (or even better) that the bank is offering. As a matter of fact, that’s the value that fintech start-up is offering to the market. YouTrip has identified that digitalizing the existing business model of money changer is the way to enter the market which undeniably, they have succeeded and even convince major payment solution company like Mastercard and locally, Ezlink to participate in their growth stories.

They have great partners and now, it is for them to shape the market behaviour.  

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Friends have been asking me about @youtripsg MasterCard. My reply is always the same it is a good for travel. You get better exchange rate and for some major currencies, you could even buy and keep them in the E-wallet and that’s good for traveller who like to plan their trip ahead to capture the best possible rates. Travellers should give this a try. Now you could even get an additional $10 if you sign up and do your first top up via my referral link http://bit.do/youtrip-weewu P.s. it is also a #ezlink card if that matters to you. #instatravel #travelphotography #travelgram #instalifestyle #mastercard #youtrip #instafinance #discountcodes #discount #referralcode #reward #instareward #singapore #fintech #startup #ewallet

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E-wallet business – More Than Just a Debit Card

E-wallet, as the name suggested, should work like a WALLET. It should be able to keep fiat currencies, credit cards and reward cards etc.  YouTrip positioned themselves as a wallet for travellers only provides the entry to the market but personally, I don’t think it is going to be sustainable. Singaporeans love travels but their time are mostly spent in Singapore. Although YouTrip card holders could use their cards to pay for public transports, there are other players rolling up similar services that gives better discounts. In short, the YouTrip card has not much use in Singapore given so many other options available.

There must be strong enough reasons for users to continue keeping YouTrip card in their wallet

Where are the merchants?

Banks refuses to lower rates as it hurts profitability. Offering low fees is a good penetration strategy but that is not going to be the barrier for new entrants. YouTrip needs to bring in more partners into their ecosystem. For a start, they should just be focusing on bringing more values to travellers. For instance, a reward system in the form of discount for travel insurance or hotel booking for heavy YouTrip users (frequent travellers) that will encourage card usage.

Basically, virtual money is only useful in 2 ways – One, I can use that to buy into services or products at greater discount. Two, I can grow it so that I could use that in the future. In principle, any fintech company that can achieve both can basically be called a bank. ANT Financial is one classic example. However, most fintech start-ups are only able to deliver services or products at greater discount than credit cards companies (which is exactly what YouTrip is trying to do!). However, keeping up with this in a longer term costs money and it may not be sustainable. YouTrip has to “engineer” a new form users’ reliance to your services to keep themselves afloat in the competitive fintech business. In my opinion, better forex rate?Nah!

Grab, a South-East Asian fintech and transport services company, has established a strong network of merchants in the region. Grab Pay, e-wallet services by Grab, can be used to pay for any goods in their marketplace and delivered to users’ doorsteps. Outside Singapore, you could even use Grab to pay off your transportation in other South East Asia countries. Grab is also following footsteps of ANT Financial. They are hiring consultant and it is rumoured that they are preparing to be a virtual bank in the event that Singapore is issuing virtual bank license like what Hong Kong did

Getting merchants into ecosystem is crucial in developing use cases and I am sure there are a lot more to be explored. Grab’s way of linking transportation and merchant seems to be working in South East Asia market. YouTrip is not Grab. They have to offer use cases that are different from what their counterparts are offering. They could study what their closest competitor, Singtel Dash is doing. For a start, why not just tap on existing e-commerce players? That might be faster for YouTrip.

In short, YouTrip has a good start but it is still a hype that I am doubtful it could sustain as a travel card. As of now, I am keeping my YouTrip card in my drawer.

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Singapore-based Multi-Currency E-Wallet Platform Raised USD 25.5M In Pre-Series A

  • YouTrip is Singapore’s first multi-currency mobile wallet with a prepaid Mastercard® that offers zero transaction fees across 150+ currencies at wholesale exchange rates
  • US$25.5m raised from major Asian family offices and venture capital firm Insignia Ventures Partners, the largest pre-Series A fintech funding round in Southeast Asia
  • Over 200,000 downloads and 1 million transactions processed 10 months since launch
  • Funding will drive development of YouTrip’s technical payment infrastructure, launch of new product features and its regional expansion plans in Southeast Asia 

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 16 May 2019 – YouTrip, Singapore’s first multi-currency mobile wallet with a prepaid Mastercard ®, has successfully raised US$25.5m in a pre-Series A fundraised. Participating investors include major Asian family offices and venture capital firm Insignia Ventures Partners, founded by ex-Sequoia Partner Yinglan Tan. This marks the largest pre-Series A funding round for a fintech startup operating in Southeast Asia.

YouTrip co-founders, Arthur Mak and Caecilia Chu

Launched in August 2018, YouTrip is a multi-currency mobile wallet s pecially designed with travellers in mind, allow ing users to pay in over 150 currencies with no hidden fees and at wholesale exchange rates . The mobile app also allows for the exchange and storage of 10 selected currencies in advance through the in-app exchange feature. The YouTrip mobile application works with a linked pre-paid Mastercard ® — issued by EZ-Link — and can be used to make payments at more than 30 million Mastercard accepting merchants worldwide.

Fuelled by growing purchasing power and more affordable travel options , Southeast Asia’s population of over 650 million people represents one of the largest and fastest growing outbound travellers market globally – it is expected to total US$80 billion in outbound travel expenditure by 2020, up from US$67 billion in 2018 or a 10% CAGR. Singapore is the biggest contributor to this region, with Singaporeans being one of the most frequent travellers and biggest travel spenders globally.

Caecilia Chu, co- f ounder and CEO of YouTrip said, “As a frequent traveller, I was surprised with how much banks mark up on overseas transactions – this was among the many reasons why I started YouTrip with Arthur Mak, who is also Chairman of YouTrip . As the regional travel industry continues to post robust growth, YouTrip recognises the pain points of travellers and equally, the immense opportunity to better serve their financial needs. We are dedicated to creating the best mobile financial services for travellers by simplifying overseas spending and creating a fuss-free travel experience.”

Pachara Lawjindakul, Principal at Insignia Ventures Partners added, “The fintech space in Southeast Asia is developing at a relentless pace to meet evolving consumer expectations and the travel industry represents an immense untapped market at the intersection of this growth. YouTrip is led by an experienced team of founders and executive team who are perfectly positioned to capitalise on this opportunity. The success of the initial launch in Singapore provides a great foundation to develop a strong roadmap for growing the multi-currency and cross-border payments ecosystem in Southeast Asia.”

Bank-issued credit and debit cards typically carry an overseas transaction fee that can be as high as 3.5%. O verseas purchases made with credit cards also usually entail a Dynamic Currency Conversion markup, sometimes going as high as 5% or more. YouTrip does not charge any overseas transaction fees nor markup on foreign exchange conversion .  

With the injection of funds, YouTrip is looking to invest heavily in technology innovation to further develop its technical payment infrastructure and roll out new product features. Having established a foothold in Singapore, it has also set its sights on further expansion in Southeast Asia and developing localised solutions for the region’s growing class of travellers.

Since its launch in August 2018, the YouTrip mobile application has achieved over 20 0,000 downloads, processed over 1 million transactions, and has grown its team to 70 people in Singapore and Hong Kong. Users may sign up for a YouTrip account by downloading its app from the App Store or Google Play. No minimum account balance is required and registration is free. Any credit or debit card c an be used to top up the e-wallet, which has a maximum stored value of S$3,000. All registered users receive a physical prepaid Mastercard, free of charge.

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Singapore ISP – SpaceRoam Partners 7-Eleven To Offer 59 Collection Points For Pocket Wi-Fi Rental Island Wide

Wednesday, 21 November 2018 – Internet service provider Spaceroam Pte Ltd (“Spaceroam”) and 7-Eleven, the leading convenience store in Singapore, will be partnering to make travel more convenient for all travellers residing in Singapore. With Pocket Wi-Fi devices becoming an essential to stay connected 24/7 anywhere and anytime when travelling, convenient travel starts when the Wi-Fi devices can be picked up and dropped off conveniently.

SpaceRoam Pocket Wi-Fi is packed in a water-proofed bag that contains the charger and instruction

 

 

This will be made possible by the end of the year when Spaceroam partners 7-Eleven to place Wi-Fi devices in 59 7-Eleven outlets. This partnership marks the widest distribution network and largest number of collection and return points for rented pocket Wi-Fi devices in Singapore.

 

Aside from the 7-Eleven partnership, Spaceroam has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with telecommunications operator M1 Limited today, the latest in a string of partnerships in Spaceroam’s bid to bring better Wi-Fi services to Singaporeans. This partnership will see M1 Limited becoming the preferred local data provider for all of Spaceroam’s Wi-Fi rental devices. This means that majority of the users of Spaceroam’s Wi-Fi devices or services in Singapore will be connected via the M1 local data network.

About Spaceroam Pte Ltd

Spaceroam Pte Ltd was established in 2010 to provide internet services and telecommunication support to local events and concerts. Since then, Spaceroam Pte Ltd has expanded its range of services to include providing corporate internet services and launching an international mobile Wi-Fi rental service.

 

Spaceroam has provided its IT services to over 20 events in Singapore, and has also worked with MNCs and Government Organizations and help install the infrastructure for Wi-Fi at factories and worker dormitories.

 

Previously known as Simply Unique Pte Ltd, Spaceroam’s Wi-Fi rental arm, Y5Buddy Singapore, started out with 15 Wi-Fi devices that served internet connectivity for seven Asian countries. To date, Spaceroam’s devices now provide travellers with Wi-Fi coverage at over 130 countries around the world. Today, Spaceroam’s Wi-Fi rental serves over 50,000 customers and over 80 companies, and the company seeks to expand and become the top global data and application company in Singapore.

 

 

 

 

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Turkey Internet for Foreign Tourists

Article contributed by Rent & Connect

Are you travelling to Turkey for the first time? Or are you a Turkey expert, and have been to the beautiful, enthralling and somewhat complex nation several times before?

Well, you would know about the importance of having a reliable internet access in Turkey during your trip. Rent & Connect provides travelers with a mobile hotspot on rent, so that they can remain connected no matter where they are in Turkey.

Turkey Internet, anytime, anywhere, at an affordable cost.

The Importance of Staying Connected During Your Travels

Are you traveling to Turkey soon? You have to find a way to get reliable internet access throughout your trip, no matter where you are.

We live in the Internet Age; it is unthinkable for anyone to be without internet access for too long, especially when they are travelling.

You need the internet to keep in touch with your friends and family, know what’s happening in the world, and stay informed about the progress of an ongoing project back at your office.

That’s why you need reliable Turkey Internet during your journey.

Internet Access in Turkey for Travelers

Sure, you can get a Wi-Fi connection from a coffee shop in Istanbul, but as you know, public Wi-Fi is never safe and leaves you prone to hacking.

You can use your mobile’s cellular connection, of course, but what will do you about the roaming charges? They could be massive! Also, how can you make sure that there is no breakdown in the coverage?

That’s why for proper Turkey internet access during your trip, you should consider renting a Mobile Hotspot.

Turkey Internet: Renting a Mobile Hotspot in Turkey

Renting a mobile hotspot in Turkey is like having a temporary Wi-Fi with you during your travels. It’s convenient, simple and a great way to stay connected on the move.

What is a Mobile Hotspot and How Does It Work?

A mobile hotspot device is essentially a pocket-sized modem which connects to cellular towers and then re-transmits the signal in the form of a Wi-Fi network. You and the others in your travel group can connect with this Wi-Fi network anytime, anywhere.

As many as 5 to 10 devices can be connected at a time to a mobile hotspot. There is no need to get a new SIM card or to deal with any of the hassles related to getting an internet connection during a foreign trip. 

Rent A Mobile Hotspot and Stay Connected in Turkey

Rent & Connect provides Mobile Hotspots and highly convenient, fast and reliable Turkey Internet access to anyone travelling to Turkey. How does it work?

#1: Reserve your Mobile Hotspot device on our website for the dates you want it or for the entire duration of your holiday or business trip to Turkey.

#2: We will have the Mobile Hotspot delivered to your hotel, or at any location of your choice, before your arrival to Turkey.

#3: Following the end of your trip, we will pick up the device ourselves at a location of your choice.

See? As simple as it gets!

Rent & Connect provides fast, secure, uninterrupted and reliable 4G Turkey internet at an affordable price: Click here to read the details on our prices.

What’s more, we offer 30% off on all rentals of seven days or more! Contact our friendly customer service for more on how to get high quality internet access in Turkey during your trip.

Turkey Internet Speeds

According to the Internet Society, Turkey ranks 59th in the world at internet speed. The speed test data puts internet speeds in Turkey at 14.51 Mbps for download and 4.04 Mbps for upload in 2016.

Turkey Internet Providers

There are 6 or 7 leading internet providers in Turkey and about 30 regional internet providers. Most internet providers offer attractive packages to compete in a highly crowded marketplace. The average cost of an internet subscription is relatively low in Turkey.

Why Travel to Turkey?

Turkey is well known for its incredible natural beauty, friendly people, great cuisine, monuments of historical significance, diverse culture and heritage and much more.

Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, was once called as Constantinople, which for many hundred years was the most important city on the planet, bringing together different civilizations, connecting the East to the West.

It was through Turkey that the famous Silk Route that connected the ancient Kingdom of China to Europe, passed through. It is home to famous landmarks such as the Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.

It’s no surprise that Turkey is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, attracting 32.4 million foreign tourists in 2007.

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Samsonite’s Study Found That Despite The Stresses of Business Travel, Most Singapore Travellers Still Enjoy It.

Singapore, 12 September 2018: Business travellers in Singapore have rated Tokyo and Bangkok as their top business and leisure travel destinations, in an exclusive study conducted by YouGov for premium luggage brand Samsonite.

 

The survey found that Hong Kong is Singapore’s third-favourite business destination, while London ranked third for leisure travel. Mumbai, Bangalore and Jakarta were the least popular, according to more than 500 respondents who participated in the Smoother Journeys Survey. London and Tokyo tied for the top spot among business travellers below 34, while Tokyo was the top choice for those between 35 and 44, and those over 45 preferred Bangkok.

 

No. Favourite Business

Destinations

 Least Favourite Business

Destinations

 Favourite Leisure Destination
1 Tokyo 16% Mumbai 19% Tokyo 20%
2 Bangkok 14% Bangalore 14% Bangkok 18%
3 Hong Kong 12% Jakarta 13% London 10%
4 London 8% Hong Kong 7% Hong Kong 8%
5 New York City /

Shanghai

 8% Shanghai 6% Melbourne 7%

 

 

The Smoother Journeys study was undertaken to find out what drives Singapore business travellers, as well as some of the things they liked – and didn’t like. Overall, Samsonite found that one in five (22 percent) of Singaporeans enjoy overseas business travel a lot, 30 percent like it a little, and 37 percent are ambivalent.

 

“The Smoother Journeys survey revealed some surprising insights,” said Satish Peerubandi, General Manager – Samsonite Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & IndoChina. “For starters, we were surprised to see how strongly Asian cities did. We were also happy to see that a majority enjoyed business travel, even as it has a reputation for being tough for those who travel often. Only 11% of respondents said they did not enjoy business travel, with the majority liking it for the opportunities it brings.”

 

The Advantages of Business Travel

 

The study found that many Singapore business travellers enjoy the opportunity to visit new places (94%), leave Singapore for a short while (91%), and work in new environments (88%).

 

While 60 percent said they believe they travel “just the right amount”, many still crave for their home comforts. Being apart from family and the fear of missing out on what is happening at home topped the reasons for people disliking business travel, at 57 percent and 41 percent respectively.

 

How Business Travellers Manage Stress

 

Business travellers identified traffic jams, flight delays and airport transfers as the most significant stress creators. When it comes to things they have control over, factoring in downtime and more effective packing and luggage are essential, they said. The study found that those who enjoy business travel are also those who are more likely to undertake activities that will help alleviate stress.

 

Many also allow for time to go to the gym or to shop, while close to half said they like to plan time for meals with colleagues or friends.

 

For a significant majority, efficient and effective packing was seen as a critical method to help ease stress, while many said that having a proper bag with easy access to laptops and toiletries when passing through airport security would improve their experience.

 

Other Key Findings

 

  • Younger women are more likely to travel then younger men (46% vs 26%).
  • About half (52%) of business travellers spend an average of 3 to 4 days on business trips.
  • Four in five admitted to working on the plane for some part of the flight, while 35% of business travellers put their time in the skies to productive use by working either 50% of the time or more.
  • Looking professional while travelling for work is essential for Singapore’s business travellers. Fifty-three percent of travellers said they wore business attire while flying either half of the time or more, of which 75% said this was because they would go straight from the airport to work meetings.
  • The desire for style also extended to luggage, with 90% insisting that having professional products reflected positively on their appearance as businesspeople.
  • Sixty-four percent of business travellers said that professional and well-designed luggage can help make their business trips smoother, and 68% are willing to invest in this.
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NETS Services Will be Available Outside Singapore For the First Time

Singapore consumers can now use the NETSPay app to make e-payments when they travel overseas; this is made possible through the joint partnership between NETS and global payment network UnionPay.

The enhanced NETSPay app comes with a new wallet feature that enables consumers to top up and pay for purchases at over 7.5 million UnionPay QR code merchants globally via QR codes. They can also make contactless payments using their near-field communication (NFC) enabled smartphones at close to 12 million UnionPay QuickPass contactless acceptance points without the need to use fiat foreign currencies when travelling.

The enhanced NETSPay app also offers a number of new features. In addition to overseas payments, users can send money to or receive money from other NETSPay users via mobile numbers or QR code. In addition, those looking to send gifts to family or friends can send e-angbaos (or electronic red packets) to their loved ones using the app. This is in addition to QR code payments in Singapore, including SG QR.

“This partnership between UnionPay and NETS is significant on several levels. First – the launch of the enhanced NETSPay app affirms our commitment to providing innovative payment products and services that can enable greater convenience and ease of payment for local consumers and businesses. Second – the enabling of NETSPay acceptance at UnionPay QR code merchants and UnionPay QuickPass contactless acceptance points around the world will allow local NETS users to make QR code and contactless payments everywhere they go, including at key destinations such as Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand when they travel overseas,” said Wenhui Yang, General Manager for UnionPay International South East Asia.

Commending on the partnership, NETS Group CEO Jeffrey Goh shares, “Working with a leading global partner such as UnionPay is part of our efforts to make NETS services seamless for our Singapore consumers. Now whether you’re shopping in Shanghai or paying for your chicken rice at your favourite hawker stall in Singapore, all you need is NETSPay.”

 

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Review of ASUS Zenfone 5 (2018) – A Good Budget Phone?

In the budget phone space, the idea of a “good” product varies as it really depends on customer’s perception of “good”.  Today, I am going to review ASUS Zenfone 5. I am going to share with you on my idea of a “good” budget phone. I have broken it down into the following which I think it may help you in deciding whether you should buy the ASUS Zenfone 5.

ASUS Zenfone 5

Simplicity

This is perhaps my most important criterion on budget phone. As a budget phone user, I don’t need sophisticated features. I just need a phone that works while at the same time, saves my credit card bills. The Android user interface (UI) should not be that different from the Android phones that I have used before. To put it simply, the UI of the budget phone should look just like a stock Android.

 

Back to our topic on ASUS Zenfone 5, the phone deserves a thumbs-up. The ZenUI 5 of Zenfone 5 is almost identical to stock android. I have no problem familiarising the interface. I can locate the contact and phone app easily. Setting up is extremely easy as you could easily by-pass the FaceID and fingerprint setup. (Yes, I really don’t think these are important features for a budget phone).

 

I am not a photo-person but as we are communicating more on social networks these days, camera plays an important part of your entire smartphone experience.  We all love to shoot beautiful photos. The AI camera of Zenfone 5 detects and automatically adjust the image setting to make stunting-looking photos.

 

I have put up some of my photos shot by Zenfone 5 in Europe. I don’t think the image quality is perfect but there are good enough for me to share on my social networks.

Sample Shot by ASUS Zenfone 5

Sample Shot by ASUS Zenfone 5

Sample Shot by ASUS Zenfone 5

 

What needs to be there should be there

The Zenfone 5 is equipped with 3.5mm audio jack

Ironically, phone makers are trying to remove some standard features as part of their new product offerings I don’t think that’s the right way (at least for budget phones). Fortunately, the Zenfone 5 is equipped with USB Type C and 3.5mm audio jack (3.5mm audio jack is not a standard feature for some phones).

 

A battery that could last you for a whole day. The ASUS Zenfone 5 is packed with 3,300 mAh which is not too bad considering some flagship phones in 2018 may offer even less than that.

 

Price

Value vs Money – the game of the budget phone maker. The ASUS Zenfone 5 is selling at SGD 488 which is not exactly attractive (at least to me). At that price range, I could be looking other alternatives from Xiaomi.

 

Verdict

I must say ASUS has come a long way. The ZenUI has improved a lot since they launched their first phone. It is very easy to navigate within the phone. The camera is up-to-mark and it serves my social media needs

 

Front camera and the notch of Zenfone 5

In general, almost everything about this phone seems to hit the right spot. Its price at SGD 488 is kind of turn-off. Although the Zenfone 5 has packed with features that you could find in the premium phones like the face unlock, that is not necessary for most users. As a budget phone user myself, I will rather have this feature removed in exchange for a lower price.

 

Despite it is a good product, my advice is to wait for a better discount which I believe it should be happening soon as ASUS is releasing newer models.

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Swedish Bedmaker is Making Wave in Asia

Bed is probably one of the most personal items that one used for years. For most people, this is not the understatement. We heard people complaining that they can’t sleep well in the hotel because the beds are not as comfy as their own ones. This could also be the main reason why people spend months shopping for their ideal beds. Afterall, it is not a cheap item and people definitely put in more thoughts when comes to finding their beds.

 

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“Is there one bed in the market that cater to all?”

YouBed, a Swedish startup, creates a bed that could be personalized to individual’s needs. YouBed claims that they have created the world’s first and only bed that provides adjustable firmness without compromising comfort features.

YouBed

We have the opportunity to speak to Mr Mattias Sörensen, CEO and Founder of YouBed who was exhibiting their products at Singapore’s Food and Hotel Asia 2018. When asked about the strategies in penetrating the market, Mr Mattias is clear that hotel operator is the strategic partner for YouBed.

“This might sound too good to be true, but our invention is so groundbreaking it will probaly change the hotel industry at its core” says Mr Mattias.

Full Control the firmness from the shoulder to the back.

The one-bed-fits-all innovation is already making fast success across Europe, where for example Mövenpick Hotel & Resort has installed YouBed in all of their European hotels. Singapore is YouBed’s first stop in Asia. Business Sweden (The Swedish Trade & Invest Council) have identified YouBed as a prioritized trade interest and will support the company in finding the most suitable hotel brand to introduce the innovation in Singapore and the region.

 

 

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Samsung Singapore Launches Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. introduces the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ this month. The new phones are redesigned with a new Dual Aperture lens that powers an innovative low light camera, Super Slow-mo video capabilities and personalized AR Emoji.

Samsung unveil Galaxy S9 and S9+

First Impression – What’s New in Galaxy S9 and S9+ compared to S8 and S8+?

In terms of hardware, the most notable difference is the overall dimension and weight. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ is slightly shorter  and wider than its predecessor making the device looks less elongated.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are also slightly thicker and heavier than the S8 and S8+. (S9/S9+ is 8.5mm thick and weighs 163g and 189g respectively, S8/S8+ is 8.0mm thick and weights 155g and 173g) . This is probably due to the new Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF camera sensor with OIS (F1.5/F2.4) used in the Galaxy S9 and S9+. Despite the slight difference in the overall dimension, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ shared the same display size of the Galaxy S8 and S8+.

The camera, which is the main selling point of this year’s Galaxy S9 and S9+, is packed with Samsung’s Dual Aperture (F1.5 / F2.4) that automatically lets in more light under low-light condition. Like Sony’s Xperia range of smartphones, Samsung has included Super Slow-mo features in Galaxy S9 and S9+ to allow users to take dramatic slow-motion video.

Having packed with new enhancement in Galaxy S9 and S9+, faster processors (10nm, 64-bit, Octa-core processor (2.7 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) 10nm, 64-bit, and Octa-core processor (2.8 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) respectively ) are used to power the devices.

Samsung adds AR Emoji in Galaxy S9 and S9+ which allows users to create an emoji that looks, sounds and acts like them. AR Emoji analyzes a 2D image of the user and maps out more than 100 facial features to create a 3D model that reflects and imitates expressions, like winks and nods, for true personalization.

 

Overall, my first impression on Galaxy S9 and S9+ – the phone looks and feels like the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Comparing the specifications, slight enhancement made in Galaxy S9 and S9+ may not attract consumers. Nonetheless, first impression may not do any justice to Samsung.

Price and Availability

The Galaxy S9 (64GB) is selling at SGD 1,198 whereas Galaxy S9+ is selling at SGD 1,348 (64GB)/SGD 1,498 (256GB). Pre-order commerce from 1 March 2018, Thursday 12pm.