Archive for the ‘Accessories’ Category
Saturday, December 4th, 2021
Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): My mom’s in-box power supply for her phone died on her, so I got her a replacement wall charger – as a replacement and upgrade.

The Belkin BoostCharge USB-C PD 3.0 PPS Wall Charger 25W is an intelligent charger for those new phones that doesn’t include chargers in the box, as a second charger at the office, or simply as a spare/backup charger.
The main features of Belkin’s BoostCharge 25W wall charger can be gleaned from its lengthy name.
It’s a wall charger, it can charge at up to 25W max power, it uses USB-C, it is PD 3.0 certified, and it is equipped with PPS technology.
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Tags:accessories, Belkin, BoostCharge, chargers, TUCU
Posted in Accessories, battery, Belkin, Gadgets, Home, Opinion, Prices, Review, reviews, Specifications, TUCU | 3 Comments »
Friday, December 3rd, 2021
It used to be that the new phones come with chargers in the box, but phone makers are now beginning to exclude the charger in the box. So we’ll begin to shop more for 3rd-party chargers.

Do you remember these different plugs for different chargers, not to mention different power ratings for each device?
I remember years ago when I was writing for the Straits Times Digital Life about what tech to pack when travelling, I’d lamented that the charger for different phones used proprietary chargers that were not interchangeable – in terms of the plugs and the power ratings.
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Tags:accessories, chargers, trends
Posted in Accessories, gadgets, Opinion, Trends | 2 Comments »
Thursday, December 2nd, 2021
An e-reader makes a fantastic Christmas present for an avid reader. I’ve gotten my wife the latest Rakuten Kobo Sage for this year’s X’mas. For those who prefer a slightly smaller form-factor (and lower price-tag), the Kobo Libra 2 is also an excellent e-reader.

The Rakuten Kobo Sage (left) and Kobo Libra 2 are both waterproof to IPX8 rating so you can safely read by the pool and in the bath. In this photo, the new Dark Mode is enabled on the Kobo Sage. Notice that the text is clearly legible even under bright sunlight.
The Kobo Sage (S$399.90) and Kobo Libra 2 (S$289.90) are the two latest e-readers that Rakuten Kobo launched in October.
The Kobo Sage is slightly cheaper than Amazon’s flagship Kindle Oasis, while the Kobo Libra 2 is similarly priced to the latest Kindle Paperwhite.
Christmas prezzies for the wife and son who are avid readers. The 8″ Kobo Sage (left, in Dark Mode) and 7″ Kobo Libra 2 (with an audiobook) in their sleepcovers which protects them and doubles up as a stand.
The 8-inch Kobo Sage is the new flagship of Kobo’s e-reader line-up, taking over the baton from the Kobo Forma (S$349.90) which is still available.
Check out other tech4xmas gift ideas that I’ve curated for this year’s Christmas here.
The 7-inch Kobo Libra 2 is the new version that succeeds the Libra H2O that my wife has been using, with great satisfaction, for the past year – it was her Christmas present for last X’mas.
So what are the key improvements of the two new e-readers?
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Tags:e-readers, eBooks, Kobo, Rakuten, reading, reviews, Singapore, tech4xmas, tech4xmas 2021, trends
Posted in Accessories, audioVisual, e-readers, Gadgets, gadgets, Kobo, Opinion, Prices, Review, Specifications, tablets | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
Powered by HarmonyOS, The Huawei Watch GT 3 and Huawei Watch GT Runner will hit the shelves in Singapore on 18 December 2021, with pre-orders from 11-17 Dec. Prices start from S$298. Promotions & pricing details below.

Customers making the pre-order will also receive a free audio neckband, Huawei FreeLace worth S$98 to complement their exercise routines with the Huawei Watch GT 3.
First unveiled last month in October, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Series comes in two sizes – 46mm and 42mm – offering more accurate health and fitness monitoring as well as a new dynamic interface design.
The Huawei Watch GT 3 feels light and looks classy on the wrist.
The Huawei Watch GT Runner has been specially designed for runners and is equipped with a dedicated professional running ability evaluation system for comprehensive tracking.
More details below about the Huawei Watch GT 3 smartwatches from the press release.
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Tags:availability, Huawei, launch, new arrivals, pre-orders, prices, Singapore, smartwatches
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Beauty, Gadgets, gadgets, HarmonyOS, Healthcare, Huawei, Launch, newArrivals, Press Release, Prices, smartwatches, Specifications, Sports, Watches | 3 Comments »
Sunday, November 28th, 2021
Looking for some beautiful accessories (phone cases, mouse pads etc) with watercolour paintings on them? Check out Erinsgarden – an e-shop on Redbubble selling print-on-demand stuff based on the watercolour paintings of @kkmakesandbakes.
* Full disclosure: @kkmakesandbakes is my wife.
Fancy an iPad Case and Skin with a watercolour Christmas Puppy on it?
Or a X’mas Kitty Cat gracing your laptop skin?
Check out other tech4xmas gift ideas that I’ve curated for this year’s Christmas here.
Or a Vacation Kitty art mug to keep up inspired since most of us aren’t likely to travel this Christmas.
@kkmakesandbakes loves watercolour painting.
She paints as a hobby and friends suggested that she put some of these on Redbubble so people can buy stuff printed with her watercolour paintings on them.
So if you’re looking for a nice accessory as a X’mas gift for a colleague or a loved one, check out her designs!
Tags:accessories, Christmas, Christmas 2021, Erin’s Garden, gadgets, painting, reviews, tech4xmas, tech4xmas 2021, watercolour, Xmas
Posted in Accessories, Apple, Holiday, Shopping | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021
Nanoleaf Lines comprises short, backlit, colour-changing LED light bars connected with hexagonal joints and pasted onto the wall or ceiling to provide mood lighting. Prices below.

Nanoleaf Lines provides mood lighting for the home, entertainment, and hybrid workspaces.
The new Nanoleaf Lines comprises short, backlit, colour-changing LED light bars connected with hexagonal joints and pasted onto the wall or ceiling to provide mood lighting.
Each set of Nanoleaf Lines is controlled by a controller which connects to a phone app via Wi-Fi.
More details below from the press release.
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Tags:appliances, decor, Home, LED, lights, Nanoleaf, new arrivals
Posted in Accessories, Appliances, audioVisual, Decor, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, Gaming, Home, Launch, newArrivals, Press Release, Prices, Specifications | 3 Comments »
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.
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.
Cover Art for tech4xmas 2021
This year’s cover art for tech4xmas 2021 has been painted by my wife. Check out her other paintings on Instagram at @kkmakesandbakes.
This cutie in a Christmas sweater is a watercolour painting that she did for this year’s Christmas and has kindly agreed to be used as the tech4xmas 2021 banner.
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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Tags:accessories, Christmas, Christmas 2021, Erin’s Garden, gadgets, painting, reviews, tech4xmas, tech4xmas 2021, watercolour, Xmas
Posted in Accessories, Gadgets, Holiday, Lists, Opinion, Shopping | 4 Comments »
Friday, November 19th, 2021
The Sustainability prize for the 2021 James Dyson Award is Plastic Scanner – a low-cost, handheld device to identify plastic for recycling. It was invented by Jerry de Vos from TU Delft.

The low-cost, handheld Plastic Scanner tells you on the spot what type of plastic a product is made of.
Plastic is a lightweight, safe and readily available material which can be used to make long-lasting, durable products.
It has a bad reputation because it is often not thought to be recyclable and so ends up in landfill, or worse on the beach or in our oceans.
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Tags:award, competition, Dyson, education, engineering, environment, medical, recycling, science, Singapore, sustainability
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Awards, Contest, Dyson, Gadgets, gadgets, Technology | No Comments »
Thursday, November 18th, 2021
HOPES is the first entry from Singapore to win the international top prize in the 17 years’ history of the James Dyson Award.
* This story was first published on Haleness Me.

HOPES, (which stands for Home eye Pressure E-skin Sensor) is a wearable biomedical device for pain-free, low cost, at-home IOP testing.
HOPES is a wearable biomedical device for pain-free, low cost, at-home intra-ocular pressure (IOP) testing.
This year’s International winner of the James Dyson Award was inspired by one of the inventors’, Kelu, father’s diagnosis of glaucoma.
The Problem
After witnessing his discomfort and multiple hospital visits, she realised there is a global need for a less invasive and more accessible method for Intraocular Pressure (IOP) monitoring.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.
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Tags:award, competition, Dyson, education, engineering, Med Tech, medical, science, Singapore
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Brief, Contest, Dyson, Gadgets, gadgets, Healthcare, Medical | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 16th, 2021
Huawei will be opening the “doors” of its Health Lab in Dongguan to media from APAC for a virtual tour on 25 November, 2021. The 4,680 sqm facility is Huawei’s largest Health Lab in China.

The latest Huawei Health Lab in Songshan Lake, Dongguan, China aims to become a world class health and fitness technology institute dedicated to product R&D, standards R&D, certification, exhibitions, and industry incubation activities.
The new Health Lab in Songshan Lake, Dongguan, China represents the Huawei’s ¥200 million (SGD 42.5 million) R&D investment that supports more than 80 types of simulation tests.
These tests support and provide data for the R&D department that covers extensive research on human health and fitness, incubation and testing of Huawei’s smart wearable products.
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Tags:China, event forecast, Health Tech, Huawei, Office, wearables
Posted in Event forecast, Events, fitness watches, Huawei, Online, Press Release, smartwatches, travel, Visits, Watches | No Comments »