Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category
Sunday, October 30th, 2016
So Christmas is now less than two months away, this series of reviews serves up gift ideas for those planning to buy presents for their friends and loved ones.
Planning your Christmas shopping? Stay tuned for quick and easy-to-read reviews of some of the best-in-class gadgets available today.
With Christmas 2016 less than two months away, it’s a good time to begin planning gifts for those that are close to us.
So this series features quick and easy-to-read reviews of some of the best tech gadgets/products that I’ve personally tried.
Not all are the latest and newest, but they are what I think are some of the best-in-class in their category of products.
The reviews are meant to provide ideas and start you off, so do check out some of them online and in the shops if they are what you think would bring a smile to your loved ones this Christmas.
Have been using this beautiful workhorse during Strata + Hadoop World in Singapore. Surpassed all expectations. Love how it’s compact yet has two full-sized Type-A USB 3 slots & a Type C slot.
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Tags:accessories, Chistmas, Christmas 2016, gadgets, reviews, tech4xmas, tech4xmas 2016, Xmas
Posted in Accessories, Gadgets, gadgets, Review, Tips | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 26th, 2016
Jimmy Fitzgerald – Vice President of Asia Pacific & Japan at ServiceNow – shares six ways to help your employees work smarter, not harder. This guest blog was contributed by Fitzgerald.
Jimmy Fitzgerald’s team at ServiceNow helps customers to eliminate reliance on email, spreadsheets and other manual processes so their employees can work smarter, not harder.
In recent years, online retail platforms such as Zalora have truly streamlined their processes of browsing, checkout and payment, wooing shoppers with their speed, efficiency and superior user experience.
Consumers in Singapore now hold speedy deliveries and seamless experiences as the standard when they shop online.
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Tags:byline, guest blog, Jimmy Fitzgerald, opinion, ServiceNow
Posted in Business IT, Enterprise IT, Howtos, Interview, Opinion, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016
52% of Millennial parents in Singapore surveyed believe their children are more likely to be bullied online than on a playground and 56% worry their children will give out too much personal information to strangers.
Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report reveals children are the weakest link in family cybersecurity.
Findings from the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report 2015 highlighted parental concerns about their children in the online world.
“In the last year, Norton has seen the online safety awareness levels of parents increase rapidly as technology firmly cements itself in the family home,” said Gavin Lowth, Vice President, Norton Consumer and Small Business, Asia Pacific and Japan.
Cyberbullying, online predators and privacy are some of the biggest issues parents in Singapore are grappling with as bullying moves from the playground to the online world.
Parents are concerned about their children being lured into meeting a stranger in the outside world (52 percent) and more parents are worried that their children will be bullied online (46 percent) than if their children take on the role as the online bully (38 percent).
The Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report is an online survey of 17,125 device users aged 18+ across 17 markets, commissioned by Norton by Symantec.
“Parents are grappling with Cyberbullying, Online Predators and Privacy in Singapore,” said Gavin Lowth (in the photo), Vice President, Norton Consumer and Small Business, Asia Pacific and Japan; at the Symantec office in Suntec City in Singapore.
Children are the weakest link in family’s online security
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Tags:bullying, children, cyberbullying, cybersecurity, family, Norton, security, Singapore, Symantec
Posted in Brief, Events, events, Figures, Internet, Norton, Press Release, Security, Study, Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, August 6th, 2015
Here’s Part 3 of the three-part series on tips for shooting fireworks photos – on what kind of lens to use and getting creative with composition. Contributed by Canon Imaging Academy.
Use a wide angle lens to capture the entire fireworks scene. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy Associate Trainer Joseph Goh, Joseph Goh Photography.
Below is the final of the three-part series on tips for shooting dazzling photos of fireworks.
Editor’s note
Since the fireworks for the National Day celebrations are on such a big scale, it essentially covers a large amount of sky over the Marina Bay.
In order to capture all the different types of fireworks firing at the same time, and to avoid cropping part of a firework burst, use a wide angle camera that have a large field of view.
If you are using a zoom lens, zoom out to the widest angle.
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Tags:cameras, Canon, Canon Imaging Academy, Fireworks, howto, jubilee, National Day Parade, NDP, photography, SG50, tips
Posted in Canon, Howtos, Photography, Photos, POTD, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
Here’s Part 2 of the three-part series on tips for shooting fireworks photos – on what settings to use in your camera. Contributed by Canon Imaging Academy.
Ever wondered what camera settings to use for shooting fireworks? Check out the recommendations from the Canon Imaging Academy. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy.
Here are some settings that are optimal for shooting fireworks.
Editor’s note
Many cameras, including compact ones have a dedicated Scene mode for shooting fireworks where many of the camera settings highlighted below are automatically set to appropriate levels generally suitable for fireworks.
However, because the settings are pre-canned and generally shooting most fireworks, you can’t change the settings to custom-fit the exact lighting situations or to realise your specific artistic expression.
If you want the best shots, try out the settings suggested below by the Canon Imaging Academy.
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Tags:cameras, Canon, Canon Imaging Academy, Fireworks, howto, jubilee, National Day Parade, NDP, photography, SG50, tips
Posted in Cameras, Canon, Compact camera, DSLR, Gadgets, Howtos, MIL, Opinion, Photography, Photos, POTD, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 4th, 2015
The National Day Parade usually sees a spectacular display of fireworks at the end of the display. Canon Imaging Academy shares three tips to capturing great photos of fireworks.
Shooting great snapshots of fireworks is not difficult, as long as you spend a little time preparing ahead. Today’s tip is on what to prepare and how to go about it. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy.
This year being Singapore’s 50th anniversary for independence, the fireworks will be unprecedented, with daily fireworks displays throughout the Jubilee Weekend.
If you’re planning to shoot the fireworks next Sunday on 9 August, check out three quick tips that the Canon Imaging Academy has shared.
The details for these tips will be posted as a three-part series over three days, with the first tip covered today.
So read on…
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Tags:cameras, Canon, Canon Imaging Academy, EOS, Fireworks, howto, IXUS, jubilee, National Day Parade, NDP, photography, SG50, tips
Posted in Cameras, cameras, Canon, Compact camera, DSLR, EOS, Gadgets, gadgets, Howtos, IXUS, MIL, Opinion, Photography, Photos, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Sunday, December 28th, 2014
In addition of making overseas calls from your home country, you can also use Skype to call family, friends and colleagues who back in your home country on their landline or mobile – when you are travelling overseas. All you need is Wi-Fi access or mobile broadband on your smartphone, and some Skype credits.
Check out Skype as an additional affordable means of voice/SMS communication when you travel overseas.
When I first arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, while waiting at the customs, I logged on to the free Wi-Fi network in the airport and used Skype to call a local sight to make enquiries and make reservations for a day trip to a wildlife rescue centre in Petchaburi.
Free airport Wi-Fi in Thailand
I found out when writing this article that the AOT Wi-Fi network at Suvarnabhumi Airport is provided by True Move and is available at the main internaltional airports in Thailand.
These include the airports at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai.
The Suvarnabhumi Airport serving Bangkok provides a pretty decent free Wi-Fi to travellers in its terminals – good enough to make VoIP calls using Skype.
First you need to register in the login page for the AOT network in the airport and you get to use the network for free for up to 2 hours a day.
Don’t bother to memorise the complicated userid and password they issue you, the next time you use the network – which is probably when you leave Thailand – you can register as a new user again and use a new set of userid and password.
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Tags:airport, AOT, broadband, Microsoft, mobile, Moto G, Motorola, prepaid, SIM, Skype, Suvarnabhumi, Thailand, Thailand 2014, tips, travel, True Move, Wi-Fi
Posted in App, Holiday, Howtos, Internet, Microsoft, Network, Office, Skype, Software, Thailand 2014, Tips, travel, Wi-Fi | 1 Comment »
Sunday, December 14th, 2014
A dual-SIM phone allows you to stay contactable to your regular contacts yet enables you to take advantage of more affordable local data/voice rates to avoid expensive overseas roaming charges – without having to carry two separate mobile phones.
The Motorola Moto G (2nd Generation) is one of the increasing number of smartphones that support a dual-SIM capability.
Nowadays, it is increasingly easy to get a local SIM card when one travels overseas for work or leisure.
The local SIM allows you to make/receive calls at affordable local rates and more significantly, to stay connected via mobile broadband – without chalking out a huge bill.
You can read
over here all about the benefits of getting a pre-paid local SIM card whenever you travel overseas.
But most mobile phones allow only one SIM card to be installed – so if you put in the local SIM card, you’ll have to remove your regular SIM card and become uncontactable to those who call you on your regular number, unless you forward those calls to your local number.
Otherwise, you’d carry a second single-SIM card phone, which is a hassle.
Not too long ago …
I remember in the early days of smartphones, people were selling dual-SIM card adaptors the size of regular sized SIM cards that you could place two micro SIM cards in.
You’d have to cut your regular sized SIM card yourself into micro SIM card size and it was a daunting proposition for most people to risk damaging your SIM card in the process.
These adaptors only worked for certain models of mobile phones, and you need to switch off and on the phone to switch between the SIM cards.
Fortunately, smartphones have evolved and nowadays, you have dual-SIM card phones that enable you use both SIM cards at the same time.
I brought along a Motorola Moto G (2nd Generation) dual-SIM card phone during my short break to Thailand and it was such a blessing.
There are two micro-SIM card slots so I could keep my regular SIM card in one slot and plug in the prepaid local SIM card that I bought at Suvarnabhumi Airport in the other.
The guy at the True Move counter did all the set up for me.
So after five minutes of queueing and five minutes of installation and payment, I was as connected in Thailand as I was at home back in Singapore.
I could receive roaming calls on my regular number from my friends back in Singapore and other parts of the world, while at the same stay connected on email and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram via the mobile broadband on the local SIM card.
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Tags:airport, broadband, Lumia, Mi-Fi, Microsoft Devices, mobile, Moto G, Motorola, prepaid, SIM, Suvarnabhumi, Thailand, Thailand 2014, tips, travel, True Move
Posted in Android, Events, Gadgets, gadgets, Holiday, Lumia, Microsoft, Microsoft Devices, Moto, Motorola, Nokia, Phones, smartphones, Thailand 2014, Tips, travel, Windows Phone 8 | No Comments »
Saturday, December 13th, 2014
First thing I did when I exited the gates in the Arrival Hall in Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok was to get myself a pre-paid SIM card that gave me a local number for voice calls and seven days of mobile data broadband at 299 THB.
The truemove shop is one of the first things you come across when you exit the gates at the Arrival Hall at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.
Immediately after exiting the gates in the Arrival Hall, you’ll come upon this telco shop that sells pre-paid SIM cards, as well as other mobile plans.
The 7-day prepaid SIM card offered by True Move is one of a few pre-paid mobile plans available in Thailand. This package bundles 7 days of unlimited data, free call credits of 100 THB and incoming call, your own local number, attractive international call rates – all for 299 THB or approximately S$12.
Here’s where you can grab an affordable and convenient pre-paid SIM card that gives you mobile broad band as well as voice calls, and a local number.
I’m here for seven days, so I was delighted to grab the 7-day SIM card that costs 299 THB, or S$12.
You get seven days of free broadband mobile data as well as 100 THB of free call credits, which gives you 100min of local talk time at 1 THB/minute.
The seven days are calendar days and includes the day you bought the card, ending at 2359hrs on the seventh day.
What I found useful was not only the free call credits but having a local number that you can give out for others to contact you via local calls.
My wife can now call me at local rates, through her autoroam.
Otherwise, she would have to make an overseas call just to get me on my Singapore mobile number – you know sometimes we get separated in crowded places, or we deliberately split up to visit different shops etc.
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Tags:airport, Bangkok, broadband, Changi, Hua Hin, Mi-Fi, mobile, Moto G, Motorola, prepaid, SIM, Suvarnabhumi, Thailand, Thailand 2014, tips, travel, True Move
Posted in Events, Gadgets, Holiday, Howtos, Internet, Network, Phones, Promotions, smartphones, Thailand 2014, Tips, Travel | 1 Comment »
Friday, December 12th, 2014
It’s the year-end school holidays and the family decided to take an impromptu short break to Thailand for a week.
Welcome to the Land of Smiles. Here the welcoming facade of our hotel in Hua Hin, Thailand.
We’d initially thought about going to Krabi but it looked so crowded in photos on the Web that we decided to choose somewhere that’s more “off the beaten track”.
So we settled on Hua Hin, a popular weekend getaway for the local Thais in Bangkok.
Time for relaxation. Laidback sculpture in the gardens of our hotel in Hua Hin.
It’s a two-and-a-half hour drive from Bangkok and four-plus-hour journey by train or bus.
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Tags:Bangkok, Hua Hin, Microsoft, Moto G, Motorola, Olympus, Skype, Suvarnabhumi, Thailand, Thailand 2014, travel
Posted in Cameras, Events, Gadgets, gadgets, Holiday, Lens, Microsoft, MIL, Moto, Motorola, Olympus, OM-D, Photography, Photos, POTD, Skype, Thailand 2014, Tips, Travel, travel, Zuiko | 2 Comments »
