Archive for the ‘Lists’ Category

tech4xmas Gift Ideas for Christmas 2021

Sunday, November 21st, 2021

Here are some gift ideas that I’ve curated for X’mas 2021. I’ll be adding to this list over the next few weeks, so check back daily for new gift ideas as I collate them.

The tech4xmas gift guide is meant to provide ideas to 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. Start by shopping (on Redbubble) for accessories (phone cases, mouse pads, T-shirts, mugs etc) based on this lovely watercolour painting painted by my wife.

The tech4xmas gift guide is meant to provide ideas to 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. Start by shopping (on Redbubble) for accessories (phone cases, mouse pads, T-shirts, mugs etc) based on this lovely watercolour painting painted by my wife.

It’s now time to shop for presents for Christmas 2021, and bring some cheer to two years living under the shadow of COVID-19.

Around this time of year, I’m usually inundated with requests from readers and friends on Christmas gift ideas for their loved ones or themselves.

So here are some tech that I would use myself or get for MY loved ones, based mostly on those gadgets that I’ve tried or reviewed.

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.

Happy Christmas Shopping!

tech4xmas 2021 Gift Guide below.

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Five Sleep Tips for World Sleep Day Today

Friday, March 19th, 2021

Today is World Sleep Day, so here are five tips on how to get a better night’s sleep from sleep expert Fitbit.

Sleep like a baby with 5 sleep tips from Fitbit. Photo by Tara Raye on Unsplash.

Sleep like a baby with 5 sleep tips from Fitbit. Photo by Tara Raye on Unsplash.

Getting our eight hours of quality sleep every night is important as adequate sleep and regular sleep patterns help rejuvenate our mood regulation, cognitive function, and overall health.

According to Fitbit’s data in 2020, Singaporeans were sleeping more last year.

However, Singaporeans still had one of the lowest sleep durations in the region, indicating there is still room for us to improve our quality of sleep.

So here are five tips for ways you can sleep longer and get a better quality shut eye.

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tech4xmas Gift Ideas for Christmas 2020

Tuesday, December 1st, 2020

We’re now into December and the final stretch of 2020. Here are some gift ideas that I’ve curated for Christmas 2020.

* I’ll be adding to this list over the next few days, so check back daily for new gift ideas as I collate them.

The tech4xmas gift guide is meant to provide ideas to 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.

The tech4xmas gift guide is meant to provide ideas to 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.

Around this time of year, I’m usually inundated with requests from readers and friends on Christmas gift ideas for their loved ones or themselves.

So here are some tech that I would use myself or get for MY loved ones, based mostly on those gadgets that I’ve tried or reviewed.

Not all are the latest and newest, but they are what I think some of the best-in-class in their category of products.

Happy Christmas Shopping!

tech4xmas Gift Guide below.

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Thematic Workplan (2H2020) for tech4tea.com: COVID-19

Wednesday, July 1st, 2020

Today is the beginning of the second half of 2020. Here’s the thematic workplan for tech4tea.com for the second half of the year.

Thematic Workplan 2H2020 - centred around the “aftermath” of COVID-19.

Thematic Workplan 2H2020 – centred around the “aftermath” of COVID-19.

The first half of 2020 has been ALL about something that began last year – COVID-19.

Unfortunately, the second half of 2020 looks set to be all about the pandemic as well.

The past six months saw countries all over the world reeling from the impact of a new disease – frantically learning about it and desperately trying to stem its spread.

The next six months will see countries continue their fight against the global epidemic- managing second wave outbreaks, racing to develop vaccines and cures, and emerging out of lockdowns to return to some form of normalcy.

Going forward, the “new normal” will be very different from the normal of pre-COVID days.

So the next half year will be all about living WITH COVID-19 – in all aspects of life.

For tech4tea.com, I’ve laid down a focal theme for each month in the second half of 2020.

Get in touch (johntan@tech4tea.com) if you have topics or products aligned with the above themes.

Here goes…

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Tech Focus: Watching Parasite & Its Search Trends On Google

Saturday, February 22nd, 2020

I just watched the Oscar-winning Parasite during the week with the family. It was entertaining as a comedy and thought-provoking as a satire. Great movie. Here’s some data on how people searched about the movie during Oscar season.

A refreshing treatment of the age-old dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots.

A refreshing treatment of the age-old dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots.

My family and I watched the movie over dinner time and thoroughly enjoyed the dark but refreshingly directed satire, including my teenage son, although he did express a desire to take a hiatus from the genre in the coming months.

So here’s what Google shared about the interest that global viewers showed in the first non-English language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture – instead of just the traditional Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

As a Best Picture nominee in the week prior to the awards, Parasite was the third-most-searched nominee behind “1917” and “Jojo Rabbit”.

Incidentally, we’ve also watched Jojo Rabbit and found it an excellent movie. We’ll probably watch 1917 after my son’s hiatus.

What does winning the Oscars do for our career and business?

On Oscars day, Parasite searches jumped almost nine-fold to become top-searched.

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Healthcare apps: Healthcare on-the-go on mobile devices

Saturday, January 6th, 2018

Medical applications bridge the gap between patients and doctors, users and medical information, leading to their increasing prevalence and popularity. Davene Lye surveys the app stores for five most useful healthcare apps.

Mobile healthcare apps provide a range of medical services to patients on their mobile devices. Image source: MaNaDr.

Mobile healthcare apps provide a range of medical services to patients on their mobile devices. Image source: MaNaDr.

With a simple tap on a smartphone, one can now access a world of healthcare and wellbeing.

From e-booking systems to video consultations with doctors, basic healthcare has been made more accessible to patients – all thanks to the rise of mobile health (mhealth) technology.

To date, approximately 61% of people worldwide have downloaded an mHealth application, signalling the increasing use and prevalence of such applications.

Here are five mHealth applications used in Singapore which have been gaining popularity.

MaNaDr

MaNaDr is more a healthcare platform than just a mobile app.

The app fronts an entire healthcare ecosystem that connects patients, families, and friends to a trusted network of doctors and other healthcare providers.

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Infograhics: How FIFA World Cup 2014 played out in Twitter

Tuesday, July 15th, 2014

Twitter recorded 672 million Tweets for the 32-day, 64-match World Cup, with Neymar, Messi, Suarez, Ronaldo, Robben and Oscar the most mentioned players around the world.

Most mentioned players on Twitter around the world.

Most mentioned players on Twitter around the world.

Fans shared the most during the Brazil vs Germany semi-final match.

Here are the top five most-tweeted matches from the #WorldCup:

  1. Brazil (@CBF_Futebol) vs. Germany (@DFB_Team) on July 8: 35.6 million Tweets.
  2. Germany (@DFB_Team) vs. Argentina (@Argentina) #WorldCupFinal on July 13: 32.1 million Tweets.
  3. Brazil (@CBF_Futebol) vs. Chile (@ANFPChile) on June 28: 16.4 million Tweets.
  4. Netherlands (@KNVB) vs. Argentina (@Argentina) on July 9: 14.2 million Tweets.
  5. Brazil (@CBF_Futebol) vs. Colombia (@FCFSeleccionCol) on July 4: 12.4 million Tweets.
Top mentioned players on Twitter in APAC.

Top mentioned players on Twitter in APAC.

Three of the top five most-tweeted moments occurred during Brazil’s devastating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany on July 8, while the other top moments came in yesterday’s final match.

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Tips: Google’s seven top tips for Safer Internet Day

Tuesday, February 11th, 2014

Since today is “Safer Internet Day”, here are seven “Don’t” tips from Google that can help you stay safe on the Internet.

Are you ready for a Safer Internet?

Are you ready for a Safer Internet?

Here are seven tips from Google of things you need to start doing right away to stay safe online.

  1. Don’t use the same password for everything: It’s like handing your house keys (and every other key) to everyone you meet.
  2. Don’t have an “easy” password: If your password contains the word ‘password’ or numbers in sequence, think again. One way to create (and remember) a complex password is to think of a phrase or sentence (perhaps the lyrics to a song you like?) and use the first letter of each word to create the password. Or think of places you’ve lived, and spell them backwards. Something, anything!

  3. Don’t rely solely on a password: It’s so yesterday to have only a password for your most important accounts. Turn on two-factor authentication. Like your bank’s OTP, an SMS code or mobile app that gives you a second code when you’re accessing your account from an unfamiliar computer will give you extra peace of mind.
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Apps: Windows Phone apps for taking Selfies with Nokia Lumia smartphones

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

If you use a Nokia Lumia phone and love taking Selfies, Nokia has recommended these four FREE apps for you: Instagram Beta, SophieLens HD, Nokia Glam Me, Phototastic.

Four Nokia Lumia apps for those who love to take selfies.

Four Nokia Lumia apps for those who love to take selfies.

Check these out by following the links on your phone.

Instagram BETA (free) for Nokia Lumia smartphones.

Instagram BETA

Instagram is now available for Windows Phone! Instagram is the perfect place to post all of your selfies!

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Infographic: 10 IT innovations that changed our lives

Saturday, June 1st, 2013

Technology advancements and developments move so fast these days it’s so easy to take them for granted. For those old enough, can you remember the world before the Internet came about?

Developed by SolarWinds Head Geek, Lawrence Garvin, this infographic explores tech developments - from wireless networking and virtualisation to basic screenshot tools and everything in between - which have significantly impacted our lives, but that we perhaps never thought we actually needed. Click to view full enlarged version.

Developed by SolarWinds Head Geek, Lawrence Garvin, this infographic explores tech developments – from wireless networking and virtualisation to basic screenshot tools and everything in between – which have significantly impacted our lives, but that we perhaps never thought we actually needed. Click to view full enlarged version.

And not too long ago, before the proliferation of mobile devices, wasn’t it so troublesome to make a call or check something out while on the road?

These innovations have definitely made it much easier for us to do many things that used to be so much more tedious and time-consuming to accomplish.

But here’s some food for thought – has our lives actually become easier?

Do you sometimes feel that life in the past was somewhat more blissful?

Perhaps it is our human propensity to fully utilise our time that – instead of sitting back complacently to enjoy the extra time gained from IT innovations – we try to use the additional time gained to do even more.

And the bosses certainly expect that.

On top of that, thanks to greater global and mobile connectivity, your boss can contact you no matter where you are.

And if he/she is in the opposite time zone, start getting used to taking calls in the middle of the night.

The result is that our lives have become more hectic.

Perhaps, life back then was really more blissful.

Apart from the list above that was compiled by Lawrence Garvin, the rest of this post reflect my own thoughts about the impact of technology on our lives.

The line of thought may sound negative, but I still love the beauty of technology, especially its ability to help the less fortunate.