Complete Guide to the Mobile Phone Series

Confuse with the Phone model?

Are you confused by the variety of the phones in the market?  Do you know the market segmentation of the various phone companies?  If you are not sure, read on.

Every phone has a different market positioning.  Generally, there are 3 basic categories: Entry, Mid-end and Premium.  There are other categories such as value, niche (big battery etc) and foldable phones for specific target segments with strong demand.

Market Segmentation

Entry level (<S$300) showcases the cheapest phones in the market and most of these phones are OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): Factories are authorised to manufacture cheap phones and branded with recognised brand.  Factories profit from such high volume sales and enjoy low margin while the branded company takes a cut in commission of the sales.  As expected, these phones have high defective rates and seldom work beyond the warranty period.  So blame not the phone but you, the consumers who want cheap phone with branded logo.

Value phones (S$300 to S$500) are the best buy in the market as they are the delicate balance between price and quality producing good performance while not squeezing too much out of the wallet.  Usually, there is a weakness in such phones such as poor quality camera to justify the low production costs.

Mid-end phones (S$500 to $1000) are not cheap.  They are one step better than value phones and they are all-rounders per se.  They command good price and are the cash cows of the phone companies.

Premium, Business and Foldable phones (>S$1000) are the rip off for early adaptors who are willing to fork out ten fold the price just to enjoy the top notch technologies offered in the latest technology world.  They depreciate by up to 20% the moment they reach the customers, who opened the box rendering them second hand in the carousel market.

Phone Model Chart

Look no further, below is the chart for easy comparison.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
1	Brand	Entry	Value	Mid End	Premium	Business	Foldable
2	Apple		SE	Plus Mini	Pro	Pro Max
3	Honor	Play	X	Number	Magic
4	Huawei	Nova Y	Enjoy	Nova	P	Mate
5	iQoo	U	Z	Neo	Number
6	Meizu	Number+X		Number+S	Number
7	Motorola	G	Edge	S	X		Razer
8	Nubia			Red Magic	Z
9	OnePlus	Nord N Nord CE	Ace	Nord	Number
10	Oppo	A	K	Reno	Find X	Find N
11	Poco	C M		X	F
12	Realme	C V Q	Number	GT Number GT Neo	GT Master
13	Redmi	Number		Note	K
14	Samsung	J F M		A	W	S Note	Z
15	Vivo	Y	T	S V	X
16	Xiaomi	Y	Max	Civi	Number	Mixed	Mixed Fold
17	ZTE	Blade		Axon	Nubia

2023 Mobile Phone Buying Guide

 

BACKGROUND

Normally, it is a good time to buy a mobile phone on 11 Nov when phone prices are at their rock bottom.  However, this year was exceptional when the next generation CPU, the Snapdragon 8 Gen3, was recently launched on 24 Oct 2023.  The early launch disrupted the sales of the old flagship products and therefore, there will not be any urgent urge for manufacturers to clear their old stocks.

Since the price of the new 8Gen3 phones is rigid with zero discount, the price will remain at bay in the next 2 months.  Looking at iPhone 15, it has had a series of price cuts since launch due to its poor sales and lack of innovations.

If you spend S$600 to buy a 8Gen2 phone, you are likely to get a 8Gen3 phone in the next 3 months when 8Gen3 moves into a cash cow state.  So a S$500 8Gen1 phone will likely get you a 8Gen2 phone in Feb 2024.  You definitely do not wish to suffer a sudden 25% depreciation of your new phone in the next 3 months despite the additional 1% GST increase in 2024.

For example on 9 Nov 2023, Redmi SG official store is selling Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G (8+256) at S$499 but China is selling the identical at RMB1,899 (or S$354), a significant price difference of S$145.

So the question is not to buy WHICH phone but WHEN to buy the next phone.

If you are in no hurry, wait till Feb/Mar 2024.  If you are having issues like the battery cannot last long, the phone screen is cracked and cannot swipe or the phone is unbearable to use, you should buy a phone immediately.  Else you should just wait till the next wave of price cut in early 2024.

So it is not worthwhile to buy phones which are on the premium (>S$400) and also phones which are too cheap (<$200).  So the basic features must be defined.

DEFAULT FEATURES

Below are the features you should consider when getting a new phone:

1. CPU: Avoid SD888, SD888+ and SD 8Gen1 with overheating issues and those old and slow models;

2. RAM: >=8GB. 4GB has limited opened apps.

3. Storage: >=256GB. 128GB is just <S$10 difference.

4. Battery: >=4700mAh. 5000mAh will be ideal.

5. Charging speed: Preferably >60W.

6. Android OS: 12 or above. Preferably 13.

7. Global or SG version: DO NOT buy China version.

8. Compatibility: For those who are using SIMBA, you must ensure the phone supports certain 4G frequencies and VOLTE is available.  Simba offers the compatibility list as reference.

OPTIONAL FEATURES

1. Display: IPS is eye friendly while OLED is viewable under sunlight.  OLED commands a premium over IPS.

2. NFC: It is good to have NFC. India ROM has no NFC by default.

3. Bluetooth: Minimum is 5.0

4. Network: 4G only is cheaper than those with 5G support

5. Camera: Sony IMX is always better than the rest.

6. IP rating: Good to have

LOW END PHONES (<S$200)

Avoid these phones as they have no value.

BUDGET PHONES (S$200 to S$250)

This segment is very competitive and there are many low price traps:

• RAM is 4GB; or 

• CPU is outdated; or 

• Android OS is 9 (outdated); or

• 4G only (no 5G); or

• Charging speed is only 20W.

Still, there is a compromise of certain features to enjoy the low price range of S$200 to S$250.

There is only one recommendation:

• Redmi Note 12 4G (8+256) ~S$220: Value for money but charging only at 33W.

VALUED PHONES (S$250 to S$400)

There are varied discounts on various platforms.

• iQoo Z7 (12+256): SD782G CPU and 120W charging but IPS display;

• Redmi Note 11T Pro (12+256): 5080mAh battery but IPS display and OS 12;

• Redmi Note 12T Pro (12+256): 5080mAh battery but IPS display;

• Redmi Note 12 Turbo (12+256): Only 181g;

• Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G (8+256): SD732G CPU with 66W charging;

• Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (12+256): IP68 rating;

• Oppo K11 (12+256): Good IMX890 camera; and

• Realme 11 Pro+ (12+256): 100W charging.

NOTE: 

1. If you can wait, WAIT till Feb/Mar 2024 to buy a new phone; and

2. You may consider 8+256 for a lower price but if the gap is less than S$30, it is advisable to buy the 12+256 version.

3. Redmi Note 12 series has the following models (from weak to strong CPU power):

1. 12 S (Helio G96)

2. 12 4G (SD685)

3. 12 Pro 4G (SD732G)

4. 12 5G (4Gen1 with AMOLED)

5. 12 Global (4Gen1 with Super AMOLED)

6. 12 R Pro (4Gen1 with 12GB RAM and OLED)

7. 12 R (4Gen2)

8. 12 Pro 5G (Dimensity 1080 with 5000mAh battery/67W charging)

9. 12 Pro+ (Dimensity 1080 with 5000mAh battery/120W charging)

10. 12 Explorer (Dimensity 1080 with 4300mAh battery/210W charging)

11. 12 Pro Extreme Edition (SD778G)

12. 12 T Pro (Dimensity 8200)

13. 12 Turbo (7+Gen2)

4. Redmi Note 12 and Redmi 12 are 2 different categories.

FAKED OR REFURBISHED OR UNBRANDED PHONES

Beware of fake phones with no brand or refurbished phones.  The S$120 Note 12 4G may not be from Redmi so buying from a trustworthy store is critical. Read the fine prints for details in the description page and read the after sales reviews before buying.

ONLINE PURCHASE

1. Aliexpress

2. Lazada

3. Amazon

4. Shopee

5. Respective brand online SG website

6. Telco websites

7. Carousell (Used or Refurbished)

Should I sign up for TPG S$10 for 50GB data?

TPG's Offer

After 1.5 years of offering free mobile service, TPG has decided to charge for its mobile service and throw in a whopping 50GB of mobile data with 300 call out minutes and 10 SMS.

The financial industry is skeptical about the offer. If all 400,000 subscribers signed up, it will only contribute $48m yearly revenue if everyone sign up.  The setup cost of 4G infrastructure is estimated at $160m with a running yearly cost of $1.6m.  TPG is likely to charge more to capture more market shares and boost its revenue.

Is $10 for 50GB worth it?

The picture below depicts what are the choices that current consumers have.

The X-axis is the GB of Mobile Data (The bigger the better)

The Y-axis is the Cost of the Plan (The smaller the better)

The size of the circle depicts the call out minutes (The bigger the better)

So, plans located at the bottom right are the BEST plans.  And there is only 1.

It is the TPG plan which offers 50GB at $10.

At the same cost, the closest competitor is MyRepublic with 6GB of mobile data.

At the same GB, the closest competitor is Gomo's offer at $30.

TPG sets a new standard for value of market in Singapore for postpaid services.

What are the shortcomings of signing up?

1. 4G Phones: TPG provides ONLY 4G network so customer needs a 4G phone to use the service. In fact, the 4G phone must be LTE FDD supporting either 900MHz or 2300MHz.
2. Call out: For calling out, only certain phones with VOLTE+ are supported.  Else, customers must download TPG app for call out.  Well, you can use whatsapp to leave voice message or voice out since you have 50GB.
   
3. Support: There is only one office in Orchard and the alternative avenue of support is by email.
   
4. Network coverage: The biggest drawback is network limitation as TPG is a new network provider and they must lay out 4G network from scratch.  Underground carpark and MRT tunnels are blind spots with no network.  Sometimes, those staying or working at high floors (>30 floors) may not receive any network coverage.  These are not the target segments TPG is going after.

The BEST plan in the market and not for long...

From the chart above, this is the BEST plan in Singapore postpaid sim-only market. None of the competitors (including MVNOs) can match this offer.  So, it is safe to guess that TPG will likely increase the costs of the plan after 31 May 2020 to boost its revenue for profits. This is the same as the free 30 minutes plan offered by Circles.Life to boost its customer base.  Upon reaching its target, Circles.Life terminated the free plan.  We can expect the same execution from TPG.

So what are you waiting for? Go and grab the plan now from TPG online or visit their office:

Address: Orchard Central (181 Orchard Road, #04-28 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896)

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 9.00 pm

And before I forgot, there is a bonus 1GB of roaming data in Indonesia, India and Philippines.  Sign up early before the offer is gone.  I seriously doubt there will be another Telco coming into Singapore in the next 5 years.

When to take a plane from Johor Senai Airport?

The Era of Budget Flying

With the introduction of budget airlines, Singapore is blessed with being the airport hub for the region and the transit point for ASEAN.  Flying is indeed cheaper compared to 20 years ago.  Malaysia and Thailand are also playing a catch up game but AirAsia, HQ in Malaysia Langkai, provides a superior customer experience and won the top Asia budget airline 10 years in a row since 2009.

Some are abandoning Changi Airport and go Johor's Senai Airport due to the high airport charges.  For a small group of 6-7 travellers, they may drive 50km to Senai Airport and fly for a short vocation and bear the jam in customs.  Is it worth it?  Where are the destinations that may cost cheaper?

Limitations of Discussion

We shall spell out the constraints presented before we move on to the data.  We shall look at the 6 months outlook of the cheapest flight tickets in both Singapore's Changi and Johor's Senai airports.  The data presented is a cross section dated today because we know airlines have a complicated system of determining fluctuating airfare prices.  Different airline companies also have different promotions at various periods.  Therefore, the key words are Cheapest, Changi or Senai, 6 month period and Date of Departure.  We cannot guarantee you may get the same pricing tomorrow or in the week/month in future.

Flying ASEAN

South East Asia consists of 11 countries with 650.5 million people in 2017 (Source: Statista).  Many budget airlines are introduced to get a slice of the market shares and this market is booming since 2010.  So how is Changi compared to Senai if we are taking a flight to the captial city of each country?

Capital Cities of Asean

Note 1: Myanmar's and East Timor's capital have no direct flight so they are omitted in this chart.

We noticed that the average prices is cheaper for Singapore ($148) despite the higher airport taxes than Johor ($236).  But Senai has a cost saving $39 from Johor to KL due to intercity flight as compared to International flight.

Popular ASEAN destinations

The next question is whether there is any cost saving for other popular Asean destinations.

Popular Asean Destinations (Exclude Capital Cities)

The above chart revealed that Senai offers the best deal to fly Alor Setar (RED) while Changi is the better option to fly to Da Nang and Phuket (GREEN).  It makes sense as the chart has many Malaysia destinations.  But the cost savings may not be sufficient to attract passengers to brave the custom jams and the 50km to Senai except for longer destination such as Ipoh and Alor Setar.

Asia Destinations

We are adventurous and Asean is not the limit.  Destinations below 7 hrs flight time is achievable by budget airlines.

Asia Destinations

Singapore, being the airline hub, begins to shine as we reach out to other Asia destinations.  There is huge cost savings flying to Port Moresby, Sapporo, Tokyo and New Delhi as highlighted in GREEN.  Surprisingly, we noticed that Senai offers cheaper flight prices to GuangZhou ($58 savings), Macau, Kochi, Moscow and Seoul.  For group/family travelling to these destinations, Senai may be a good alternative to save costs.

Worldwide Destinations

Let's venture into international airlines.

Worldwide Destinations

Except a small margin to Washington DC, Singapore Changi offers the best price to all other destinations.  The average cost widens from $725 to $1352 so Changi is the default choice for distant destinations.  For Wellington NZ, the saving is nearly $3k!!!

Date of Departure

After an overview of the cheapest airtickets in the coming 6 months, we cannot ignore other details.  Take for instance, the Wellington NZ case:

For Senai, it involves both NZ and Malaysia Airlines with 2 stops on both ways.

It departs on 9 Feb 7:15pm (17h20m with transits at KLIA, KUL and Auckland Airport, AKL) and returns on 15 Feb 7:45pm (21h25m with transits at AKL and KLIA).

For Changi, it involves Qantas Airlines with 1 stop on both ways:

It departs on 25 Mar 7:40pm (14h10m with transits in Sydney Airport, SYD) and returns on 1 Apr 6:45am (15h5m with transits in Sydney Airport, SYD).

Not only Changi offers a saving of nearly $3k, it is also has less hours of travel and less transit points.  Those who are staying in Johor may find it cheaper to come to Singapore and travel to Wellington instead.

*Note that the dates of departure are different because we are only considering lowest pricing in the next 6 months over date of departure.

Conclusions

We are lucky that Changi provides cheaper tickets to worldwide destinations.  However, Senai is able to fly cheaper to some cities within Malaysia.  For non-Malaysia cities, Senai may not be a good option considering the time travel and the potential jam at customs.  In the worst scenario, early morning flight may require a stay in the nearby Senai hotels which will erode the savings in airfares.  Well, it is also a horrible idea to carry 20kg of luggage on the return trip.  What say you?

Register for TPG Telecom now!

Good news

After the last posting on advicing NOT to sign up for new plans, TPG has announced on 21 Dec that they will start its registration process for its new subscriber base.  The first 20k subscribers are expected to use its mobile service for 1-year FREE.

Who is TPG Telecom?

TPG Telecom is the 4th mobile operator in Singapore.  Founded in 1986 and started mobile operation in 2008, it is the 2nd largest Australia fixed Telco with 400k subscribers.  Unlike Zero, Zero1 and CircleLife, TPG has its own fixed network infrastructure so it has full control over its network.

U-Turn on 24 months Senior Plan

They also claimed they are commited and look forward to contribute to the community.  In Mar 2018, they mentioned about 24 months plan for seniors above 65 years old but made an U-Turn on that decision.  Further details will be available.

What the plan offers?

20,0000 successful applicants will be expected to get the following plan:

1. 20 minutes of outgoing calls;
2. 20 SMS; and
3. Unlimited mobile data but above usage of 2GB will be throttled to 1Gbps.

Note: To watch a youtube video with powerpoint effect, a 2Gbps speed is needed.  Therefore, after 2GB, online high resolutions video will be expected to lag.

Target Segments

Based on the free plan, the target segments they are aiming are:

1. People with low calling and low sms needs;
2. Users with IoT or GPS devices;
3. Seniors or teenagers; and
4. Adults with a secondary line.

Conclusions

Looking at all plans offered by all competitors, there is no plan to match at such low price point unless you are paying S$9.90 with Zero1.  So, successful applicants stand to gain $120 for the free 1 year access.  Why wait? Register now to avoid disappointment.  Good luck to your application!

Read this before signing up SimOnly Plan

UPDATE: TPG Telecom has started the registration for 20,000 subscribers. Please register your interests HERE.  Read more about the plan HERE.

Why SimOnly Plans?

SimOnly plans were introduced because most handphones can last for more than 2 years and subscribers are smart enough NOT to sign up for outdated basic mobile phones to commit for 24 months now.

Such plans empower subscribers to focus on their needs for calling out minutes, sms and more importantly SUITABLE data plan to suit their personalised lifestyles.

In Dec 2018, all 3 Telcos gave out big bonuses data plan if subscribers renew their SimOnly plans.  Mobile data is the biggest profit for Telcos and why are they suddenly transforming to Santa Clauses in Dec 2018?   Read on to know the catch...

Too Good to be True?

Starhub surprised everyone by topping up free 10GB of data for SimOnly in early Dec for renewal and new sign ups.  M1 responded by offering 12 different plans to capture all market segments.  Singtel, being the slowest elephant, reluctantly responded with 10GB but offer NO free Caller ID.

To put simply, all 3 Telcos suddenly throw in 10GB as Christmas gifts in Dec. Starhub and M1 even throw in FREE Caller ID which normally ripped subscribers for S$5.25 (inclusive of GST).  Too good to be true?  There are 3 compelling reasons why they are Santa Clauses.

Reason 1: Virtual Telco unlimited plan

Zero and Zero1 are currently selling plans with unlimited data use.  The catch is once you exceed your allocated mobile plan size, your speed will be "trimmed" or slow and steady.

Reason 2: 5G is coming

Singapore has all the 5G infrasture ready due to its tiny size and the willingness to invest to become a smart nation.  With 5G promising 100 times faster than 4G, it will completely wipe out the need for wifi and easily download a movie in under 4 seconds.  By ramping up its users for 5G and cost sharing, it is cheaper to use 5G in the near future.

Reason 3: New Telco is coming

TPG Telecom will be launching in mid 2019 and they promise to give elderly (>65 yo) free 3G mobile services for 2 years.  This will remove the senior segment from the cake.

Cast the net with 10GB as bait

To lock and trap subscribers, they must give them a reason to sign another 12 or 24 months to prevent them from jumping to their competitors especially the new TPG Telecom.  Giving 10GB is peanut in the new 5G era and it is the best time to trap elephants and monkeys who are greedy.

Suggestions

If your contract is expiring soon, note that you can ONLY renew in end Dec 2019.  By mid Jun 2019, there will be a major shake up when TPG Telecom is onboard when good buffet are awaiting.

If you choose to sign up now, avoid Singtel and consider M1/Starhub no-contract plans only.  Restricting yourself now is foolish when you have more choices in mid 2019.  Let's look forward for a better 2019.

Reference sites:

1. Starhub
2. M1
3. Singtel

Select the right running shoe

Introduction

Unless you are crippled, everyone can run and it is one of the cheapest form of sports to pursue a healthy lifestyle.  We choose a running shoe based on recommendation and somehow trusted the recommendation of the salesman.  Else, we reply on personal experiences from experienced runners or choose the most colourful or most expensive shoes or shoes with the most wanted feature.

Somehow, some shoes fit well but some do not.  The most expensive shoe may still not fit our feets and only you know best.  In the worst case, we are injured during running wearing the new shoes.  So what went wrong?

The Science Behind

Believe it or not, there are only a few shoes that we can choose among the brands.  If you defy the science behind, you are fighting against your own fate.  Your body, fitness, running form and feets decide which brand and model best suit you.  Let's discover the science behind...

Shoe Last vs foot shape

There are 3 types of foot:

Picture from rightshoesblog.com

The shoe last represents the anatomical information of the foot, at the same time giving the finished shoe a pleasing and fashionable appearance.  Failing to choose the right shoe last based on your foot shape, many blisters will be developed.

Many European manufacturers such as Salomon built shoes meant for Greece foot.  Asics, being an Asia manufacturer, focuses on Egyptian foot while New Balance, an American company, offers all shoes to fit all foot shapes with B, 2E and 4E options.

Now you know why the premium Asics shoes you bought don't fit you?  Because your foot is Greek style!  Asics and the salesman never tell you that because they are only interested in selling you shoes.

Knowing the brands who made the right shoe last decide if your feets are comfortable in your shoes.

Your Body Weight vs Cushion Support

The second important factor is about your weight.  If you are heavy, you need more support.  The cut-off point is normally at 75kg.  If you exceed 75kg, you need more support for more protection.  With more cushion, the time on ground is longer and you will run "longer".  Therefore, choosing the right cushion is important because you do not need so much cushion when you want speed.

The top 4 manufacturers (Asic, Saucony, New Balance and Brooks) and other companies designed high tech shoes for "slow" runners with many cushion support.  These shoes are meant for beginners who have not developed essential leg muscles for running.

Experienced runners will select fast shoes with better grip in the front while slow runners love thick heavy cushion at the back.

Uneven Foot Size and Arch

For many with varying degree of arch, cushion support at different shoes can help in correcting the natural defects.  However, stability and support from the shoes cannot solve the root of the problem.  Runners must train up their leg muscles and adopt the right running posture to tackle the root of the problem.

Your Capability vs Shoe Selection

Now, with the above considerations, you can select the right pair of shoes and start running.  If you focus on the right posture during running and train consistently, you will develop the right muscles and eventually outgrow your shoe.  Yes, this current shoe will only fit your current form.  When your running capability grow, you will need another pair of shoes to match your new capability.  That's why every pair of shoes have a lifetime, just like we humans.

Happy running with a right pair of shoes.

  

The 3 new mobile plans from MyRepublic

New MyRepublic mobile plans

On 21 Jun 2018, MyRepublic has launched 3 new mobile plans.  They come with the following benefits:

1. 1000 outgoing mins;
2. 1000 outgoing sms;
3. Boundless data (slower speed after limit is reached);
4. Free caller ID;
5. Free local delivery;
6. Free SIM activation;
7. Free incoming calls; and
8. Free incoming sms.

There are 3 plans: Smart (7GB), Mega (12GB) and Xtra (25GB) priced at $35, $55 and $85 respectively.

Smart with Smart 35?

Smart 35 is comparable to most plans offered by other telcos.  At S$35 price point, it is attractive provided you are a phone or sms addict.  For 1000 outgoing calls and 1000 outgoing sms, you pay peanuts to get 10 times of call out time for a small fee of less than $7 compared to Circles Life $28 plan.

Mega 55 is not that big

Mega is the mid-range offering and it has 5GB more for $20.  This is not attractive as Circles life offers only $20 for 20GB.  Therefore, Mega is no big deal.

Xtra 85 has no Extra

Xtra 85 mirrors the older Ultimate plan which was launched earlier for broadband customers.  But for the same features, Ultimate ($80 for 80GB) is an obvious choice compared to Xtra 85 ($85 for 25GB).  It remains a mystery why MyRepublic is launching an inferior plan Xtra 85 creating a cannibalise situation for the same target segment.  So sign up for Ultimate if you can.

Uno is the BEST

Uno is still the best plan offered by MyRepublic with 1GB data but priced only at $8/month.  It enjoys all the features of the 3 new plans but costs only a fraction to enjoy the same benefits.  Sign up for Uno if you are a phone addict.

Sign up for Circles Life Flex Plan now

DISCLAIMER

Let me start with a disclaimer below:

I do not work for and not related to Circles Life except as a newly signed customer. I do not receive any direct monetary or indirect rewards from Circles Life. I am promoting this plan because I strongly believe it will benefit you and me.

THE FLEXI PLAN

Allow me to continue...There are many postpaid mobile plan in Singapore and finally, Circles Life has launched the $0/month Flexi Plan in Singapore in 22 May 2018 (Straits Times).  So what is the big deal?

On the first look, it has nothing fantastic: 1GB of mobile data, 30 minutes of call time, 10 SMS and free caller ID. Right, that's all for a month.  When the quota is reached, you are blocked from the service and you have to wait for the replenishment in the next month.  Miserable for many but wait, it is $0 or FREE and with NO stupid contract.  Top up options are available if you have used up the freebies for the month. Note: This 30 minutes of calling time INCLUDES incoming calls.

This is attractive because Singaporeans always like free door gifts. But is this designed for you? Maybe yes, maybe not.

VALUE OF FLEXI PLAN

It is good to breakdown what are you signing up for:

• 1GB of mobile data = S$10.70
• 30 minutes of calling = S$8.025
• 10 sms = S$1.605

The total value of Flexi Plan is S$20.33/month w/GST.  Current rumour include $8 top up is needed for every 90 days. This is untrue and purely a myth to discredit Circles Life.

TOP UP OPTIONS

You may question if the top up are relatively higher in costs.  The top up options are:

• 1GB for S$8;
• 2GB for S$12 or S$6/GB; and
• 40 mins for S$5 or S$0.08/min.

They are neither the most premium or the best value so I consider them average.  The beauty is if you have exhausted the data, calling minutes or sms, they will not bite into your wallet so this limit prevents from overspending.  Caution spending is thus exercised which is healthy for shaping the spending behavior of kids or teenagers.

TARGET CUSTOMERS

The target segment is broad:

• Folks (especially seniors or kids) who are still relying on prepaid card at the moment;
• 2nd sim card if your phone (exclude Apple users) supports;
• Spare phone with a spare sim for 2FA or other needs; and
• Folks (especially students or foreign workers) who just need an emergency phone line.

What do you need to provide?

• NRIC
• Employment Pass
• 11B
• S-Pass
• Student Pass
• Work Permit
• Dependant Pass
• PEP

Clearly, travellers and foreigners are not suitable for this Flexi Plan.  One thing for sure, it is meant to cannibalise the current prepaid market.  For those on prepaid, it is good to know that you cannot port over your number directly. You need to convert to postpaid before you can do so.

This sim card is superb for local use (not for roaming) but will cut off its service if you exceed the quota. Yes, the conversation will stop abruptly if your 30 mins limit is reached.  Nonetheless, it is still a good card to own.

HOW TO SIGN UP?

The steps are simple:

1. Visit http://shop.circles.life/zero/plan;
2. Furnish your particulars with photos of your ID;
3. Pay S$6 delivery charges online;
4. Ensure you choose an available date/time for delivery;
5. Activate the sim card;
6. Enjoy!

CONCLUSION

$0 Flexi Plan is the best card to get in the market for local uses and the only suggestion to improve is the use of * to check on the credit balances which is not available. Stop procrastinating, get your card now.

Get your free 20GB Unifi prepaid simcard

The headache for Malaysia prepaid simcard

Whenever you wish to use your sim card when you are in Malaysia, the first problem you encounter is TOP UP. Yes, before you use it, you must top up the sim card...if it is still valid within 50 days since your last use. If you never top up for more than 50 days, the simcard is dead and all its credit, data, call and sms credits are confiscated.

So if it is still within 50 days since its last top up, you will probably first top up with RM10 in 7-11 store in Malaysia and then consider buying some data for use.  You have to utilise your credits and purchase RM10 for 10 days of validity.  That's right. Your RM10 can use for another 10 days and you cannot make outgoing calls on the 11th day but you can receive calls or sms in the next 50 days.

The cycle and the frustration repeats itself every 50 days.  This nightmare will not longer haunt you if you get the new TM unifi prepaid simcard.  Read on for more details.

Introducing Telecom Malaysia (TM) Mobile@Unifi

TM is the national carrier for all landlines and it monopolises East of West Malaysia.  It owes Webe post paid mobile so its network is undoubtedly the best, comparable to Celcom.  The joining of TM into the telecom red-sea market will possibly stirs waves of changes in the already competitive market.

TM is well established with many outlets all over Malaysia.  The plan they introduces make subscribers more convenient and create values over the current big 3 (Celcom, Maxis and Digi). So, what is the big deal?  It has no EXPIRY DATE!

Advantages of Mobile@Unifi

With no expiry date, you don't have to worry about the 50-day expiry condition. You don't have to worry about hunting for the 7-11 store for the mandatory top up before you start using the card. The call, sms and data credits remain unchanged and if they are not enough, you just need to top up.

Is this important? Yes, it solves the key concerns of current subscribers who are being inconvenience by the current big 3.  Once you bought the card, it should be rightfully yours for you to use the simcard as and when you need it.  Another possible benefit is you can download wifi@unifi app and use the country network of 8000+ wifi hotspots which are offered free till further notice.

The simcard has roaming so you can use in other countries outside of Malaysia.  And there is bonuses to join as early birds

Bonus for Early birds

TM offers a limited 1 million simcard for early birds and you must join before 31 Mar 2018 (or while stocks last).  For early birds, you enjoy 10 mins call, 10 sms, 50MB of 3G data and 20GB of 4G LTE data.  Note that they have no expiry dates as long as the card is active.  For any individual, you can get up to 5 cards so effectively you can get 5x20GB or 100GB of data for free.  The best part is you can subscribe for a GOLDEN number or number with your name for easy remembering.

Is there any catch?

Yes. First and foremost, you must collect the simcard personally at one of the designated TM outlet in Malaysia. Secondly, there is limitation on the phone for 4G LTE.  Your phone must be supporting 850MHz or LTE Band B5 else you will only be able to use 3G data.  Next, you can only top up online or via local credit cards with VISA/Mastercard. The critial constraint is you must keep your line(s) active which must meet either of the following requirements within 90-day:

• Make 1 outgoing phone call;
• Send 1 outgoing sms;
• Browse for 1MB of data;
• Reload any amount between RM10, 30, 50 or 100; or
• Buy any of the data or voice or sms passes.

These requirements are simple to meet if you frequent Malaysia once every 3 months.  If you are using data for navigation, you can easily hit 1MB of data within a day.  In the beginning, it is likely you get more 3G network over 4G LTE so we must be patient.  OK, interested to sign up for one?

What are the processes?

The process is simple.

1. Download Mobile@Unifi from Google PlayStore or Apple store;
2. Register to get 1 to 5 new SIMs (Hint: Use any hotel address and telephone);
3. Suggest to use passport to register for non-Malaysians;
4. Ensure the email address (required for verification) is correct;
5. Select the nearest TM outlet for collection (nearest to Singapore is Komtar JBCC (next to City Square @2nd floor lot 136 operating from 10am to 10pm);
6. Take note of the earliest date of collection;
7. Bring your passport to collect the sim on or after the date of collection;
8. Jolly well do the above asap or way before 31 Mar 2018;
9. Activate and enjoy your new simcard(s) with your golden number(s);
10. Throw away your current simcard after you have exhausted its value (hopefully, if 4G LTE network is working wonderfully)!

If you have any query, post your comment below for discussion.

How to make old iPhone run fast again?

How to make old iPhone run fast again?

Background

Scenario: If you are using an old iPhone, you will notice your iPhone is becoming slower after every upgrade.  Should you buy the new iPhone as you are two generations behind?  Of course, you can sell or trade in your old iPhone to buy the latest model.  A Hobson's choice?

Recently, Geekbench has done a comparison on iPhone 6S and found out that there is spikes in the current performance after OS upgrade which uncovers a can of worms.

Apple's Reply

You have fallen into the Apple's trap of upgrading.  Recently, Apple has acknowledged that old iPhones will hit a performance bump after upgrade to the latest OS. The running frequency is cut from 1400 MHz to 600 MHz resulting in a significant slowdown which can be felt instantly.

Apple claimed that the throttle, which started in 2016, is to limit random shutdown issues in order to offer the best experience to its users, especially at freezing temperature.  As the capacity of the old batteries deteriorates, it cannot hit the necessary current requirements for the desired frequency.  To meet the shortfall, reducing the frequency will demand lesser current from the old battery.

Conspiracy Theory

Some disagree arguing that this is an Apple's plot for users to upgrade their old iPhones, thereby bringing in more sales for the latest iPhone X.  Being a closed Operating System (OS), Apple did not openly disclose its "kind" intention but secretly hide the entire plot inside its upgrade.  The factors of iPhone upgrade is not transparent to its users and therefore impede the decision of the iPhone owners.  As consumers of the product, Apple has failed to revealed what the choices consumers have thus making wise decision.

What can you do?

There are few things you should do now:

1. Determine the battery life of your iPhone
   The average lifetime of an iPhone battery is 400-500 cycles.  One cycle is clocked when the battery goes to ZERO (0%).  So it is unwise to let your iPhone becomes dead.  Download Battery Life from iTune and note the remaining battery life.
2. Change the battery if the life is below 80%
   Changing a new battery will revitalise the new iPhone to its peak performance of maximum frequency.  There is no need to sell your old iPhone or upgrade to the newest set.  Your iPhone will serve you well for another 3 years, which is the defacto years an iPhone's life cycle. Enjoy!