The Best Prepaid SIM Card Options For Tourists

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Let us be honest! In this day and age, it is hard to live without mobile data. Most of our daily lives center around the convenience of the Internet. Moreover, we find pleasure in sharing our adventures and experiences thru social media. This is why most jet-setters secure their pocket Wi-Fi before or after landing to their destination.

Having your own prepaid sim card with data allows you to navigate the area and to interact with the locals no matter where you are. If your foreign friends want to visit you in Singapore, here are some of the prepaid sim card options that you can suggest.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Firstly, it is important to note that there are only three main telecommunication companies in Singapore. These three include Singtel, Starhub, and M1. Lastly, these telecos offer tourist sim cards that can last you for a week or so.

The good news is that tourists can enjoy about 100 GB worth of local data and 100 local texts from all the three telecos. You read that right!

M1’s Tourist SIM, valid for 7 days, is priced at S$12. You can indulge on 500 minutes of local calls and 20 minutes of international calls. However, this sim does not include the roaming data.

Next up is Starhub! Starhub Travel Prepaid SIM will also take you back by S$12. It is the cheapest option with the most value. Why is this so? For one, it includes 500 minutes of local calls and 30 minutes of international calls. Additionally, it includes 1 GB worth of roaming data.

Lastly, you must highly consider the Singtel hi!Tourist EZ-Link SIM Card. This merges the need for transportation and communication. You see, this prepaid card has a stored EZ-link value of S$3. Buying a separate EZ-link card would cost you an additional of about S$15. What’s more? You can get multiple benefits tied to this prepaid card such as 25% off the Sentosa attractions.

The price of this prepaid card is S$18 including 500 minutes worth of local calls and 30 minutes of international calls. Moreover, it has 1 GB worth of roaming data. Imagine how much savings you can acquire by fusing all these services!

The bottom line is that different people can have different mobile usage when they travel. Examine your priorities and preferences when choosing the best prepaid sim card for your foreign friend.

Sources: 1 & 2

 

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Save With Certainty On Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan

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The Open Electricity Market (OEM) has allowed households to switch from SP Group to other retailers to trim their electricity bills. While this has been a fantastic ride so far, it would be even better if households can make the switch with certainty on the following:

  • Knowing the unit rate to be paid across the entire duration of the contract
  • Enjoying the highest saving rate across the type of plans available

With so many fixed rate plans being offered in the market, consumers actually need to look no further than Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan to get the most bang for their buck. It offers one of the highest cost savings for a fixed price 24-month contract.

Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan

Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan is a 24-month fixed price contract where consumers pay only 17.78₵/kWh (price includes GST) instead of SP Group’s current regulated tariff of 24.39₵/kWh. This extremely low unit price is fixed for the entire duration of the contract. Furthermore, additional savings are thrown in as well:

  • $60 bill rebate;
  • Up to $50 one-time cash rebate for recurring payments made at Senoko Energy’s partner banks;
  • Up to 5% monthly bill rebate for recurring payments made with OCBC, Standard Chartered or UOB. Find out more about their bank partners here.

With such a low unit rate fixed across the duration of the entire contract, coupled with the excellent freebies thrown in, this makes Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan one of the lowest cost 24 months fixed rate plan in the market.

Highest savings amongst OEM Retailers for HDB 3/4/5 rooms, Condos and Landed properties

To illustrate why Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan is the lowest in town, let’s make a comparison across OEM retailers offering 24-month fixed rate plans based on SP’s average household electrical consumption.

Click on image to enlarge

Rates above are accurate as of 22nd May 2019.

Comparison are based on 24-month fixed rate plans with bill rebates factored, applied on national consumption patterns by dwelling types. Bank rebates are not yet included.

As seen in the above table, a comparable household staying in a 4-room HDB will enjoy 30.3% savings in electrical bills by switching from SP Group to Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan. The most important conclusion is that whether you are staying in a HDB 3-room or a condo apartment or even a landed house, Senoko Energy LifePower24 offers the highest savings rate amongst the OEM retailers compared. More importantly, Senoko Energy does not collect a security deposit when you make the switch.

Sign Up Now for up to $110 Bill Rebate

To milk the most out of this opportunity, consumers should quickly sign up for this limited-time promotion to enjoy up to $110 rebate. Hurry to lock in both the unit rate of your electricity bill and the greatest possible costs savings available in the market. Give your household the peace of mind and sign up with Senoko Energy LifePower24 Fixed Rate Plan now!

Legal Disclaimer: It is still important to exercise due diligence when choosing your retailer, so be sure to read the fact sheets and fine print.

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Why Are Apple iPhones So Expensive?

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Whenever Apple releases a new iPhone, it has been a tradition for Singaporean consumers to queue up in the nearest Apple retailer. Apple fans participate in a childish display of smartphone rivalry between iPhone and its Android smartphone counterparts. Whichever side you are on, one thing remains the same. iPhones are so expensive!

Its hefty price is probably due to a combination of the following factors.

#1: GAINING FULL CONTROL

Whether you like it or not, an Apple iPhone comes with its own “ecosystem”. Apple designs and engineers not only the hardware of the phone, but also its software. The company gains a full control of your user experience.

Buying an iPhone entails purchasing its built-in apps and services such as Wallet, Pages, iMessage, FaceTime, and iCloud. Competitors may argue that they have similar features, but most of them rely on Android operating systems made by different companies including Google. It is natural for Apple to raise the prices of its phones as making both the hardware and software of a phone is resource intensive!

#2: MARKETING IT WELL

One cannot deny that Apple has brilliant marketing strategies. It positions itself as a higher-end product above its competitors. It became a status symbol for Singaporeans of the modern generation. This branding has worked thus far. However, I cannot be certain about its future.

You may be under the impression that iPhone sales are growing. That is not always the case! For the last few years, iPhone’s sales growth has been 5 % or less.

#3: HAVING SOFTWARE ASSURANCE

When purchasing an iPhone, you are also paying for the longevity of its software. I am referring to the consistent iOS updates and upgrades. These updates and upgrades can be downloaded by the owners of previous generation iPhones and iPads too. For instance, I still receive the latest software updates and upgrades from my iPhone 6.

Although Google releases Android upgrades periodically, these may not be readily available for many Android smartphones. This is due to the fact that there is a wide variation in hardware features, software types, and manufacturer preferences between Android smartphones. This resulted in a shorter software assurance, especially for older or less popular smartphone models.

#4: PRODUCING IS COSTLY

Apple iPhones are made of costly components such as the Gorilla Glass. This is why the overall product costs of iPhones are higher than many of its competitors. Although an Android smartphone has similar or better specifications than an iPhone, the latter is still costlier to built.

As a case study, let us put a spotlight on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. iPhone 6 costs about US$200 to US$247 to manufacture. While, an iPhone 6 Plus ranges between US$216 to US$263 to produce. The production costs alone can increase the selling price!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

As of 2019, owning a new iPhone has never been more expensive. It is probably due to the aforementioned elements and more.

Sources: 1,2,& 3

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Free Mobile Games To Spice Up Your Life

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Entertainment does not have to come with an excessive price tag! You see, there are hundreds or even thousands of mobile games available for Android and iOS. A lot of these games are available for absolutely nothing.

Whether a game is ad-supported or fueled on a “freemium” model (i.e., offering the basic services for free and the advanced features at a premium), the following games will surely make your commute less boring. What are you waiting for? Spice up your life with these free apps:

FOR THE ADRENALINE JUNKIE

Need a dose of speed in your life? Look no further as you download Gameloft’s Asphalt series. People who enjoy racing games will be impressed by the Asphalt 8 and 9. Asphalt 8: Airborne was released in 2013 and Asphalt 9: Legends was released this year. These two installations involve dramatic chases and slow-motion collisions. The former involves cars that can perform outrageous aerial stunts in realistic tracks. While, the latter travels around the world to answer why you are legendary.

Personally speaking, I prefer Asphalt 8 as you can play with it offline. Both Android and iOS users can download these games for free!

FOR THE STRANGER THINGS ADDICT

Whether you are an avid fan of Netflix’s Stranger Things or not, you will enjoy the nostalgic vibe that the Stranger Things mobile game radiate. The game starts inside the Hawkins Lab whereby Chief Hopper sets out to find the missing children. Each character has a specific set of skills, which he or she can use to unlock a certain chapter of the game. Controls are simple as you can just tap to walk or interact (e.g., punch). When you are tired with tapping, you can drag your finger across the screen to move your character. You need to figure out how to defeat each enemy without dying!

It its essence, you are diving into an adventure game involving combat and puzzle solving. Best of all? It is completely free! It exists without ads and in-app purchases.

FOR THE MAKEOVER ENTHUSIAST

I, for one, can spend countless commuting time on home design games. I love building things from the ground up. Finding a game that puts a twist on interior design such as incorporating puzzles will impress me to the core! Fortunately, a friend of mine recommended that I download the “Matchington Mansion”. It is a no-cost puzzle game released by Firecraft Studios for both Android and iOS platforms.

The story starts with receiving a life-changing news. The player will inherit a massive mansion! The catch is, it is outdated and neglected. You are now on a mission to use your creativity and wits to decorate the house. Complete a series of puzzles to accomplish each task (e.g., revamping your bed). You may also visit your neighbors to unlock furniture and wall decoration options that are not readily available to you.

FOR THE ONE WHO LOVES MMORPG

MMORPG is short for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game. It combines role-playing video games with an option to interact with a vast number of players within a virtual world. Majority of the popular MMORPGs focus on traditional fantasy themes, often comparable to the in-game universe of Dungeons & Dragons. Some examples of globally popular MMORPGs include World of Warcraft, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Ragnarok. For the sake of this list, I am going to put a spotlight on the latter.

Ragnarok is back! It is mobile form, Ragnarok continues the adventure that you left behind 15 years ago. Southeast Asian fans can play the Ragnarok Mobile: Eternal Love game on Android or iOS devices for free.

The game is a faithful recreation of the original online game with most of its contents remaining intact such as the character’s jobs, costumes, and guild PvP. Players can access a wide varity of job classes including the brand new Blacksmith class. Furthermore, you may fight against other players in guild PvP to take advantage of the game’s real-time combat feature.

Please note that its attractive 3D world is relatively new. Launching last month, there is still a long way to improve!

Sources: 1 & 2

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Samsung’s Most Expensive Flop

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Considered as one of the biggest product failures of all time, Samsung Galaxy Note7 floats on the same boat as Apple Lisa (1983) and Ford Pinto (1971). It started off as a promising product with special features such as iris scanner, improved S-pen, expanded internal storage, and 5.70-inch touchscreen display. It was supposed to be Samsung’s answer to its rival Apple’s iPhone 7.

It quickly became a fiery disaster when a number of Note7 devices either emitted smoke or caught on fire. These reported cases resulted to injuries and property damage. In October 2016, Singapore Airlines announced that passengers were not allowed to bring their Note7 device on both carry-on and checked-in baggage due to fire hazard. Other international airlines (e.g., Virgin Australia and Air Berlin) followed suit.

Having massive companies ban the device only highlighted its cautionary tale. Samsung needed to clean up their act! They started replacing the first batch with a “less combustible” substitutes. However, that did not work too!

Samsung learned its lesson – the hard way. Recalling the Note7 was so costly that operating profit for the company fell 30 percent to about US$4.57 billion. Needless to say, Note7 wiped out 13.5% of its market share or about US$17 billion off the company’s market value.

THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

Samsung conducted an in-depth study to investigate the downfall of Note7. Seven hundred dedicated staff were accompanied by three laboratories: UL, Exponent, and TUV Rheinland. These people tested 30,000 batteries and 200,000 devices before coming to its conclusions.

Firstly, there was a manufacturing defect in the corner of the batteries. A particular flaw made the electrodes prone to bending. This could lead to a short-circuit in the battery itself. It was responsible for some of the reported fires. This was the problem in the first batch of batteries, which Samsung reported that it would replace.

Secondly, it started switching production from one battery manufacturer to another. There may be some welding problems that occurred.

Lastly, some of the issues were possibly tied to the lack of insulation tape. These insulation tapes should have been shipped standard on the hardware, but were not.

THE ESSENCE OF THE STORY

This setback illustrates how complex it is to create a smartphone. The problem came down to a short-circuit flaw and to an ambitious pursuit to take a share from Samsung’s primary competitor.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

We learned that success takes time. It is important to carefully inspect every aspect of product development before setting a launch date. Otherwise, you will feel pressured to meet the deadlines and to rush through the vital steps. Same goes for other areas of your career.

Sources: 1,2,3,4, & 5

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