Xiaomi 11T, together with the Xiaomi 11T Pro and a refreshed Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, is the latest addition to the Xiaomi 11 family of flagship smartphones. Overall, you get a mid-range smartphone with flagship-level features at a reasonable price.
The Xiaomi 11T comes in 3 colors: Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White, and Celestial Blue.
The Xiaomi 11T & Xiaomi 11T Pro are the company’s first smartphones to do away with the Mi prefix and branding.
Both phones continue the product line’s focus on creators and content creation.
There are two configurations available for the Xiaomi 11T, both with 8GB RAM:
8GB + 256GB (S$649)
8GB + 128GB (S$629)
With only S$20 separating the two configurations, it’s a no-brainer to go for the version with 256GB storage.
Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): Guest reviewer Jennifer Lee just received her new iPhone 13 Pro Max so in order to protect it, she got herself the Belkin SCREENFORCE UltraGlass screen protector and applied it herself to the phone. Here’s her experience.
#tech4xmas: This SCREENFORCE UltraGlass screen protectorfrom Belkinmakes an ideal Christmas present for the iPhone 13 Pro Max owner.
I am amazed at how easy the application was.
No fuss, just follow the very simple step by step visual guide (included) using the Easy Align Tray.
Belkin makes it easy and fuss-free to self-apply the SCREENFORCE UltraGlass screen protector DIY, as the reviewer tried out.
Unlike most screen protectors, the Belkin Ultraglass application was flawless, precise and bubble-free even at the first attempt.
The Ultraglass feels seamless on the screen, without any curves or bends and you won’t realise there is another layer of screen protector on top.
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.
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?
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 3Series 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.
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.
REACT, the Medical Winner for the 2021 James Dyson Award, is a device to stem bleeding to help save the lives of stabbing victims. It was invented by Joseph Bentley from Loughborough university.
The REACT system uses a rapid, inflatable Tamponade device that is inserted into the stab wound. The automated inflation of this Tamponade provides internal pressure direct to the bleeding site, controlling bleeding faster than current methods.
Knife crime is an issue in many countries around the world.
In England and Wales alone, there were around 46,000 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument, which is the highest number of offences since the year ending March 2011.
The Problem
The average wait time for an ambulance in the UK is currently just over eight minutes, yet it can only take five minutes for someone to bleed to death.
The Solution
The REACT device (which stands for Rapid Emergency Actuating Tamponade) aims to reduce catastrophic blood loss from a knife wound.
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.
HOPES, (which stands for Home eye Pressure E-skin Sensor) is a wearable biomedical device for pain-free, low cost, at-home IOP testing.
HOPESis a wearable biomedical device for pain-free, low cost, at-home intra-ocular pressure (IOP) testing.
James Dyson Award
The James Dyson Award, organised by Dyson’s Charity – the James Dyson Foundation, aims to nurture and inspire a new generation of design engineers and inventors.
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.
The OmnideskAscentwill be available in Singapore from 6 December at S$1,298 for the standard resin-top version and S$1,647 for the Wildwood version with wood-top.
The Omnidesk Ascent is available in standard (resin-top) or Wildwood (wood-top) versions while the frames (legs) come in black or white. This is the Wildwood version.
Pre-orders for the new Omnidesk Ascent begins today (see sidebar for promotional prices).
Promotional Prices for Omnidesk Ascent
Standard (resin-top)
S$1,298: Usual price
S$850: Pre-order before 6 Dec
S$950: From 6 Dec onwards
Wildwood (wood-top)
S$1,647: Usual price
S$1,149: Pre-order before 6 Dec
S$1,249: From 6 Dec onwards
The controller for the Ascent has been re-designed to look more pleasing and includes a 5V USB charging port, as well as control buttons to adjust the height of the table.
The controller is located to the left of the Ascent and includes 4 buttons for pre-programmed heights, as well as an OLED screen for adjusting other settings for the table.
Newly introduced for Ascent is a companion iOS/Android app – “Omnidesk Life” – which enables users to adjust the height of the table remotely (via Bluetooth), including 9 pre-programmed heights and other features such as tracking the time spent sitting or standing at the desk.
