Energizer XPAL XP18000A Power Pack for laptops, smartphones and small devices

I finally got myself the Energizer XP18000A power brick! For the longest of time, I didn't see a need for such a device as the capacity, and size, is far too big to carry around on a daily basis. Moreover, laptops nowadays have batteries that last over 6 hours when running office productivity software or replying emails. Weighing slightly more than 500g, carrying the power brick to extend the life of a laptop didn't seem to make much sense in everyday context.

For me, the only thing that needs recharging on the go is my power hungry iphone. Every time I unplug the phone is like unplugging the life support off a patient. Just a few hours of heavy usage will drain its battery down to red. To deal with that, I have a small mobile charger that runs on 2x AA batteries that is able to extend its life long enough for comfortable usage until I find a power socket.

The reason why I bought such a big capacity power pack is because it was on promotion, at $170 instead of the usual $250+, and also because my mum's laptop AC adapter decided to quit and the original replacement charger costs $170. The energizer XP18000A was the obvious choice as it can double up as universal laptop charger as well as a external battery.

On first look, you may be worried if the power pack is compatible with your laptop in terms of the cable tip as well as voltage. With regards to the cable tip, it came with one that fits a Fujitsu as well as a Dell - these are the two laptop brands I use. What about the voltage? Most laptop takes 19V, which is exactly what one of the ports on the power pack supplies. So, no issues there.

 The Energizer XPAL juxtaposed with my Dell Vostro laptop. The XPAL is easy to carry around due to its slim and compact size.

One of the slight concern you may notice is the relatively low maximum rated output of the battery. At 66.5W, it is underpowered when paired with a full sized laptop. My Core i7 Dell laptop immediately detects and warn of the underpowered charger on start up. When I ran it solely on the power pack with my laptop battery removed, it ran at a painfully slow speed to make do with whatever power it receives. However, the moment I re-inserted my laptop battery, the usual performance returned. I thought that was rather smart as power from some other countries or off-grid power supplies may not be so powerful.

This is the warning pop up I get when I plug the XP18000A in. It is, in fact, a good thing that the battery stops charging by default so that you don't drain the power bank unnecessarily.

 

 The supplied AC adapter is an efficiency class V power supply, which is the best class possible. A 40w supply translate to an approximate 2 hour charging time for our 70Wh XP18000A battery.

Oh look, a simple charge indicator. You'll need to press this button to initiate charging a USB device.

There are 3 outputs: The one on the left is meant for small devices such as video cameras, wireless routers, the USB is capable of supplying up to 2.1 A which is suitable for tablets while the rightmost port is supposedly for small laptops as it is limited to 66W (a full fledged laptop takes in about 80-90W)

In order to optimize the use of the power pack, it is important to disable battery charging for the laptop so that no energy is wasted recharging another battery - there are inefficiencies involved and drains more power form the power pack.

The XP18000A is also able to charge my iphone and ipad normally, if you are wondering.

Upside:
The XP18000A is not only the biggest capacity battery pack from Energizer, but also the most versatile. You can power 3 items at once - 19V (laptop), 12V (small devices) and USB powered devices although it is not recommended as it will put more stain on the battery. But it is nice to know that you can if you need to do so.

The Lithium Polymer battery has one of the highest energy density is squarish in shape, allowing the entire power pack to be shaped in a compact and slim shape.

Downside:
My only grip is that the battery is encased within the plastic shell, which makes it impossible to replace on your own when it reaches the end of its service life. This meant that the circuitry, which is likely to last a long time, is wasted. I would prefer if they used 18650 batteries instead so you can easily replace them as higher capacity ones become commonplace.

It does not come with a car adapter, which does make it a little less versatile. It may not be so useful in Singapore because the battery will take a 2 hour drive to charge up while the typical car journeys here are less than 30min. However, if you are in a bigger country, a car adapter will be awesome if you live off your car. Nevertheless, do not leave it inside a car as high temperatures will reduce the battery's lifespan.

Who is this product for:
This is no doubt an expensive product. However, it makes sense to buy it to replace other malfunctioned parts such as a spoilt AC adapter or a dead laptop battery as these items, if bought from their original brand, will cost quite a lot too.

Due to its large battery capacity, it will be excellent for longer trips away from the electrical socket. Another lesser known property of Lithium based batteries is that is able to withstand low temperatures without losing too much performance compared to the ubiquitous alkaline or Nickel Metal Hydride.

HDB thoughts - Car dreams

Read my previous article: http://leothoughts.blogspot.sg/2014/06/hdb-thoughts-let-cpf-pay-it-slowly-or.html


In Singapore, the car is a very common aspiration people strive for besides wanting a home of their own. After several years of working, it is inevitable that one may start to toy with the idea of buying a car to pamper oneself. It is sort of a social progression where people want to start enjoying the fruits of their labour and graduate out of public transport.

In most countries, this is very achievable because cars are rather inexpensive. A friend of mine currently working in New Zealand, bought a 2nd hand Nissan Cefiro for less than SGD$5 000. In Singapore, even the most "budget" 2nd hand car you can buy would cost $20 000 or thereabouts all thanks to the COE and the relatively young fleet of cars roaming around the roads here.

Some people might want to buy a new car altogether. Foreigners will baulk at how the price of our average Japanese saloon can fetch a smacking good BMW or a Merc, we have no choice but to accept this pricing. Let's say our imaginary couple have their hearts set on a Chevrolet Cruze, a frugal 1.6 litre sedan which costs $110 000. It is one of the cheapest reasonable car you can get now, if you would ignore the Chinese brands.

To even think of getting such a car, one must be able to afford the mandatory 40% down payment for the little beast. That works out to be $44 000 - not an unreasonable sum if both husband and wife are Uni graduates and had been planning up for this for at least a year (their bonuses included).

Ok, let's assume that the couple has a combined net income of $6 000/mth and they take it as slow as possible to repay the HDB loan such that they do not need to touch their CPF, their monthly repayment for the remaining amount would be $1200/mth.

Coming back to our two imaginary couples,

Couple Relac would then have a Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) of slightly below 42%

Couple Quick-e would then have a Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) slightly below 67%, or is it?

*I'm saying slightly below because I'm too lazy to calculate their gross income to include employer's CPF contributions. But it won't differ much for our discussion.

According to the new MAS regulation regarding TDSR, Couple Quick-e would have exceeded the maximum permissible TDSR of 60% (30% max for house, the other 30% may be used for other loans).

On first look, it seems that Couple Quick-e will not be able to buy a new car during the 10 year housing loan. This is not the case. If Couple Quick-e was prudent enough to get a full 25 year HDB loan (with the minimum monthly repayment the same as Couple Relac's). Couple Quick-e's TDSR is exactly the same as Couple Relac. Although it may be difficult for Couple Quick-e to pay so much of their monthly income towards both loans, there is no worry that the bank or HDB would come breathing down their neck because they are paying above and beyond for their housing loan.

The moral of the story here is to always get the maximum loan possible so that your hands are not tied when you wish to buy something as expensive as a new car. Sometimes, a car is really important depending on the situation.

HDB thoughts - Let CPF pay it slowly or top up cash to speed things up?

I was asking around for advice regarding the financing of my upcoming HDB flat. This will likely be one of my lifetime's biggest purchases and it would take a rather long time to fully pay off the loan. Unfortunately, there are many viewpoints and differing opinions about how to go about paying off the loan.

While it is generally agreed that both you and your spouse should have sufficient combined income to take the full 25 year loan, be it a HDB loan or bank loan, but should you really take that long to pay off the loan?

"Don't worry and take your time to pay off the loan."

Assuming that you are employed for the full 25 years of your working life, taking the full 25 year loan typically means that your monthly CPF contributions would be able to cover your installments, leaving you with full amount of your net pay to do stuff with.

Usually, the people who advice this reason that since it is money you cannot see or touch, why not use it to the max? I would agree if they are able find good investment instruments that give good dividends to beat the 2.6% HDB loan interest, but most would stop short there.

This pessimistic view of CPF will only backfire when one gets to retirement age only to find out that they have nowhere near the minimum sum. After all, CPF money is still your money even though you may have little control over when it eventually gets returned to you.

Let's do some math.

A typical 4-room BTO in a non-mature estate would cost about $330k.
Taking 90% of the entire cost as loan, which is the loan ceiling, would work out to be $297k.

Instinctively, the longer you take to clear your loan, the more interest you end up paying. Let's compare two couples.

Couple Relac takes the entire 25 years to pay it off.

The monthly installment will be $1,347.40, which is a rather comfortable sum to repay per month for a couple (i.e. each person pays $673.70). It is possible that their CFP would be able to pay off the installment without the need to top up in cash

By the time they complete their repayment, they would have paid $1,347 x 12 mth x 25 yrs = $404.1k.

They would have spent $107.1k in interest alone.

Couple Quick-e pays off the entire loan within 10 years.

The monthly installment will be $2,813.34 (i.e. each person pays $1406.67). This couple would have to top up some cash on top of their monthly payment and slightly more frugally than Couple Relac.

By the time they complete their repayment, they would have paid $2,813.34 x 12 mth x 10 yrs = $337.6k.

They would have spent $40.6k in interest alone.

-----------------------------------------------------

Couple Quick-e would have saved $66.5k more than Couple Relec from their housing loan by the end of the 10 years. Albeit this $66.5k is likely to be saved in the form of the untouchable CPF, it would go a long way in helping the couple beat the ever increasing CPF minimum sum so that they can actually afford to pamper themselves a little when they retire or help ease their children's study loan burden.

The point of this article is to point out that while the full 25 year loan makes it sound easy to own and pay for a flat, it actually hurts you in the long run. If you are someone who does not invest at all, it would be very prudent to pay off all the loan as fast as possible to patch up this liability.

But what about if you are investment savvy and able to take some risks? Depending on how you do it, you just might be better off going the way of Couple Relac. I shall discuss this in my next write up.

$5 eye examination at Ngee Ann Polytechnic

I got to know that Singapore Poly (SP) and Ngee Ann Poly (NP) both offers comprehensive eye check at a nominal rate of $5 when lamenting to my friend about how expensive it is to get a proper pair of spectacles made in Singapore. A basic pair of spectacles cost me $140, mind you, that was 5 years ago. Now that my current pair of spectacles is getting rather worn out, I figured that it is time to get a new one.

I always thought that it was necessary to visit a spectacle shop to get many precise measurements to make a pair of spectacles so that they fit perfectly on me. Turned out that the only few details they need to make a pair of spectacles were just shortsightedness details, astigmatism details and the distance between your pupils. That's it! Assuming that you are only trying to correct shortsightedness.

This meant that it is possible to order a pair of quality spectacles online from whatever company in the world. My experience from online shopping tells me that goods purchased online tend to be more value for money because the competition is just a click away and you cut away the middleman. In Singapore where rental and property prices are so expensive, I really do not want to have these costs added to the purchase of a product when buying from a brick-and-mortar shop.

My visit to NP

Long story short, eye checks from SP and NP are so cheap because they are done by students. However, don't let that put you off because their findings are re-checked by their supervisor. With that, you can be sure that you are getting accurate and proper eye examination. According to a New Paper article, a similar eye check costs $100 outside.

Let me share with you my experience at NP.

1) Booking a slot online (http://www.np.edu.sg/hs/industry/Pages/NPOC_Registration.aspx)
Just fill up the minimalistic google docs form and some shy student will call you up within a few working days to confirm your slot.

2) Getting there.
The eye check is conducted at Blk 6, which is near the main entrance of the school. It is easy to find once you alight at Bus Stop 12101 or 12109 depending on which direction you come from.

3) The Eye Checks
Firstly, a questionnaire about you and your family's eye health history.

Next, you get the standard eye test where you are asked to read the alphabets, which lens look clearer, etc. This is where your degrees, astigmatism measurements and pupil distance are obtained.

Followed by an eye movement test where you are asked to look into a pen light and follow it..

Then, a "back of eye" examination where the student will come really close to your face with a handheld magnifying tool to look into your eyes. I got really shy and became very aware of my own breathing because the student was only inches away from my face. I guess this part was to check the integrity of my retina and to see if any glaucoma has occurred.

When that was done, the student proceeded to check the front part of my eyes with a slit lamp to light up the front of my eyes. This is to reveal any corneal scars and cataracts.

Lastly, the checks concluded with puff test to determine the pressure within the eye. This machine blows a really strong jet of air at your pupil and records how much air is deflected back. High pressure in the eyes is also points towards impending glaucoma. The machine blows 3 times each eye and it was quite shocking. The student was not satisfied with the results on my left eye and had to redo the test. Ugh, scary!

The whole process took 2 whole hours. At the end, I was handed a slip containing all the information I need to get my glasses and was verbally told that my eyes are healthy! Yay!

I think this is a great. I see no reason why anyone should pay $100+ to get eye checkups from private practices when such services are available. Moreover, by using their service, you are also giving future opticians a chance to practice their skills. It's a win-win situation!

Schick Hydro Sensitive Shave Gel review in comparison with the Tabac Soap and Gillette shaving foam

In my 5 months with my encounter with traditional safety razor shaving, I have been alternating between the Tabac soap, Gillette foam and the Schick gel. Had my fair share of nicks and cuts with all 3 and I'm slowly reaching the conclusion that the foam and the gel, the modern evolution of the humble shaving soap, all perform equally well in ensuring a slick and comfortable shave provided that you are able to find out for yourself how best to use it to suit your skin.

In terms of convenience, both the Schick gel and the foam are very easy to apply. Just spray some on your fingers and swirl them on your face. All I need for a 3 pass shave is a small almond quantity. The Schick gel, initially greenish blue in colour will start to turn into whitish foam as you whirl it and become nicely slick to shave with. If the blueish blob is still present, that means that either that you are using too much shaving gel or you haven't got enough water in the mix.When it becomes slightly dry, you just have to splash some water and swirl it a little more. The Schnick gel seems to be made with convenience and ease of use in mind. It is suited for the modern man to get things done quick. So there is no need for a brush to lather up the gel like you would with a shaving cream or soap. In fact, there is no need to shake the can at all. Just press the button and the shaving gel comes out easily.

Yes, wet your face, wet your hand, squeeze out some of that blueish substance and swirl around your face until you get the nice slightly foamy texture.

Smell wise, it has a fresh menthol scent and the icy cool feel of the menthol is invigorating and pleasing. Too bad I only shave at night when I have the luxury of time to get my shave on. Otherwise, it would really wake me up from a sleepy morning.

 That's actually more than what is required. Had to keep mixing more water to avoid getting the dry feeling.

Coming to the shave itself, I'm not sure if the menthol really helps to numb the sensation of the blade on the skin or if the gel is providing a great slick protective layer for my skin. I'm able to go through areas repeatedly to clean it up without having to re-apply more gel. If it does get slightly dry, I just have to splash a little water and swirl that area up once more. This is very different from the Tabac shaving soap where the skin will become "stickily clean" after a single pass if too much water was used. The Schick shave gel is a very forgiving gel and there isn't much to learn in order to obtain a comfortable and close shave.

The only time I didn't had a good shave with this gel was when I tried applying it using a shaving brush as it soaked up much of the gel without giving me much slickness return. This shaving gel is best used without a brush and performs best when your face is really wet, by wet, I mean dripping with water wet. This is when the menthol is not overpowering and the slickness is optimal.

Taking these 3 types of shaving lather as a representative of their type, it seems that all 3 performs just as good as one another provided that you experiment how much water you'll need to bring the best out of the product. 

Logitech M235 Wireless Mouse Review

I got myself a Logitech M235 wireless mouse during my weekend trip to Malaysia at a bargain price of $20 at a Popular book store. Yep, its the same Popular you get in Singapore. The listed price on the website is $29, which translates to a 30% discount when bought across the causeway. Wee!

My requirements are simple. I'm not a gamer, but I do use the computer for long periods for of time.


In short, I need a mouse that is:
1. Comfortable. It must be reasonable in size to fit an average sized hand comfortably.

2. Has power saving features to save battery when my computer is turned off because I can't be bothered to turn it off manually.

3. Uses a single battery. For super-low power consumption devices, there is always a risk of having one of the battery run completely flat while the other battery forces current through it while the device continues to work (also known as "reverse charging"). This increase the chances of a corrosive leak that slowly eats through the metal contacts of the mouse. Having a single battery simplifies things.

4. Runs reasonably precise on typically surfaces I throw at it. I'll need it to work just about on any surface I put my laptop on so that I do not need to bring around a mouse pad.

5. The receiver module must be small enough for me to leave it in my USB slot permanently without worrying that I might break it when slipping my laptop into its bag.

It features a silent 2-way scroll wheel for flipping through long documents without disturbing your colleagues.

In addition, there are a few notable points that make this mouse better than what I've expected.

6. There is a slot to keep the USB module within the battery compartment during transportation and it fits snugly so that you won't drop it the moment you open that compartment.

7. There is a little battery indicator LED that shows up green or red for easy checking of remaining battery life. I switched my new battery (1.5V) for a depleted cell (1.05V) and it worked just fine even though the LED showed red. Using s single AA battery means that it has about twice the capacity of a AAA battery and will last a very long time.

    

Red LED: 1.05V Depleted AA cell.
Green LED: 1.14V Almost Depleted AA cell.

Holiday Destinations - Budget Beach Weekend Getaway!

Ok. So I'm planning for an idyllic weekend getaway. But since it is only for a short weekend, it would be nice if it is also value for money.

So, I came across an article with the title "15 Incredible Malaysian Beaches to get to under SGD150"

15 Incredible Malaysian Beaches to get to under $150 SGD - See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/15-incredible-malaysian-beaches#sthash.WBDWwHT7.dpuf

15 Incredible Malaysian Beaches to get to under $150 SGD - See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/15-incredible-malaysian-beaches#sthash.WBDWwHT7.dpuf

15 Incredible Malaysian Beaches to get to under $150 SGD - See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/15-incredible-malaysian-beaches#sthash.WBDWwHT7.dpuf

15 Incredible Malaysian Beaches to get to under $150 SGD - See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/15-incredible-malaysian-beaches#sthash.WBDWwHT7.dpuf

hxxp://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/15-incredible-malaysian-beaches (please change the xx to tt to access website)

I'm always on the lookout for budget holiday destinations to search for good deals. But the cost stated are incredibly misleading because only transport costs are cheap but the total trip cost turns out to be rather expensive due to the cost of staying and dining at the beaches and islands. If you are trying to find a hidden gem of a vacation spot, you're completely on the wrong track - any information that you can find online is already mainstream.

"... for the budget concious (sic), we've also decided to show you how it can be extremely cheap to go there"






Well, you are right about how cheap it is to go there, as long as you do not need to drink, eat or stay in a reasonably furnished accommodation. The basic necessities on islands are marked up like hell because you are essentially at their mercy and have no other choices If it sounds sensational and too good to be true, it probably is. To be fair, the words "budget", "amazing" and "beach" rarely go together. If you manage to find a location with these 3 characteristics, do cherish it as it won't stay that way for too long.

Tabac Original Shaving Soap

After having tried wet shaving with a Dual Edge razor for about 4 months now, I feel that a large part of the shaving experience comes from the preparation. It is a slow, manual procedure that adds up to the enjoyment of shaving.

The preparation starts right from taking a shower. Having prolonged exposure to moisture softens hairs, making them softer and easier to cut than dry hairs. Also, the skin stays moist longer, allowing your shaving foam/gel/cream/soap to stay slippery for the razor to glide smoothly across your skin. This contributes to a consistent blade pressure on your skin.

My first shaving soap is a Tabac. It comes in a "stick" form - similar to a deodorant stick. The stick design eliminates the need to lather with a shaving bowl. You splash some water on your face and roll the stick in circular motion around the areas you want to shave, next, use a shaving brush to swirl up the soapy foam. For best results, first prepare the brush beforehand by soaking it in a small cup of water to soften the bristles.

The result should be a rich foamy lather that covers the lower half of your face. Having a slippery lather makes a big difference in the shaving experience to both traditional and modern cartridge razor compared to not having any. Moreover, being a soap, it does double duty in protecting and cleaning your face at the same time.

The only downside about the soap is it's traditional scent, which is very different from what we encounter in this day and age. Probably not everyone can appreciate its smell.

 The soap after several uses.

The Tabac shaving soap is well reviewed by many users for its ease of lathering and richness of the soap. Although it is slightly higher priced average shaving soaps, it is still only $10 for a 100g stick. The scent is not too bad, but it is different. If you are able to live with the scent, you'll enjoy a rather premium shave with the convenience of a stick.

Edit: I missed out an important point about this shaving soap. It is important to add a generous amount of soap on your face to achieve a long lasting slick lather on your skin. The lather dissipate when too much water is added, but your skin can definitely tell as a single stroke would remove all the slickness away, leaving a dry clean surface that will make it hard to glide on.

Renault Twizy and its impact on Singapore

The Renault Twizy is Renault's shot at a no-frills electric car suitable for sweeping through the city. Taking away most of the luxuries found in a normal car, the Twizy achieve a very nice balance between battery range, power and price.

In car crazy Singapore, car demand had pushed Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices sky high and this is starting to take effect on motorcycle COE prices. People who worked hard for many years only to find that they are priced out in the recent COE bidding might be turning towards motorcycles, a category of personal transport often regarded as dangerous.

Recent news reports (Yahoo! News), had people holding their breaths as the authorities decide whether to place the Twizy into the motorcycle or the car category. This decision would have a large impact ($75,000 difference) on the selling price of the Twizy.


Twizy as a motorcycle
Most reports reckon that if placed in the motorcycle category, the Twizy would cost about $25,000, putting it in the same price range as the Chinese made 4-seater Cherry QQ a few years ago. This price range is no longer heard of due to the extreme COE prices. A typical Japanese hatchback costs upwards of $100,000. A $25,000 price tag will likely be a hit with Singaporeans and you can bet that motorcycle COE prices will skyrocket as more people buy the Twizy since they can finally afford a "car" or as a 2nd vehicle for their daily runabouts.

Personally, as an average Singaporean, the Twizy at $25,000 would be the only car that I can afford. My workplace isn't that far from my house and the Twizy's 100km range can take the occasional extra trip to the far ends of Singapore if I needed it to, making it the perfect everyday use vehicle.

Unfortunately, the skyrocketing motorcycle COE will impact the sales of small motorcycles as the COE price may be several times higher than the motorcycle itself. This would be inequitable to the lower income folks as they too will be priced out from their only form of private transport available to them, widening the gap between those who can and cannot afford private transport.

On another note, it would be very strange to make motorcycle learners take tests for motorcycle and then plunge them straight into a twizy.


Twizy as a car
However, if placed in the car category, the Twizy instantly costs a whopping $100,000, immediately eliminating all its advantages and rendering it as an extremely overpriced toy for the rich. Personally, it is likely that the Twizy will be classified as a car because it resembles a car and drives like a car. In UK, this is also classified as a car, however, there is no exorbitant COE to complicate things and it costs about 7,000pounds.

At $100,000, you might as well use the money to pay off your mortgage loan since housing in Singapore is also painfully expensive or you might prefer to top up another $20,000 to get a normal car.

End note
I would really like to see the Twizy be classified as a motorcycle, but that would be selfish to real motorcycle buyers. However, if it does end up classified as a car, then it signifies the state's reluctance to promote any form of private vehicle ownership despite its green credentials.

What most news report speculate is the creation of some subsidy framework to acknowledge the small size and environmental footprint of such cars, which sounds reasonable to me as well. However, my soul is prepared that the Twizy may very well cost upwards of $50,000.

Shaving while travelling: Hotel disposable razor.

I've been using an old school safety razor for a few months and I absolutely love it for many reasons. Recently, I went on an overseas trip and had the opportunity to use the disposable that is provided by the hotel and thought it was a good chance to compare the safety razor to something I started shaving with many many years ago.

 The ubiquitous one-use razor provided by the hotel.

The razor provided by the hotel looked like this. It had 2 blades, the head and body was constructed completely with plastic and it doesn't pivot - a common trait with most disposable razors. I had the chance to use quite a few disposable razors from many hotels and they they vary widely in feel, ease and quality of shave. What is really important in a disposable razor is for the guest to obtain an acceptable shave. Forget about any other factors as they do not matter when that is the only razor you have access to.

The question is, is it okay to rely on the disposable razor provided by the hotel to get you out of a hairy situation?

The prep:

To keep the comparison fair, I took the same procedure as I would while using my safety razor. I first took a hot shower, followed by applying a the included Gatsby shaving cream sachet. I swirled the cream around my face with my hands for a while. No lather formed, but maybe it was supposed to be this way?


The shave:

First off, I started going with the grain. It felt like it wasn't shaving anything at all and the razor was skipping instead of gliding. The shaving cream was not providing enough lubrication and it gunked between the blades. It was not possible to remove all the gunk from there despite how much water I used. It did not remove much hair during this pass but I pushed on with across the grain.

Yep, the shaving cream gets deposited between the blades and there are no holes for the cream to run out. Suitable for 1 use only.

I was dreading going against the grain because I was afraid that the pressure would cut me especially when the razor was already skipping. Long strokes wasn't possible and I had to use very short strokes instead. Surprisingly, it went rather well. The shave as comparably close to my safety razor and I didn't have any nicks.

Thoughts:

I had a suspicion that the shaving cream included here just wasn't suitable for a multi-head razor. So, I tried it again using a much lighter Gilette limely shaving foam instead. This time, the experience was much better and the shave was as close as those I had with my safety razor. Surprisingly, I felt far less sting when putting on my aftershave splash. Truly, the cartridge razor design does require less skill and thought to shave than a traditional razor considering that I managed to achieve a similarly close shave to a traditional razor with less damage to my skin even though it was my 2nd time using the disposable razor after so long.

I so much wished that this could be an opportunity for me to praise the traditional safety razor but unfortunately, I could not. The modern razor design does bring about modern day benefits to an age old grooming necessity but it also takes away all the elegance that comes with it.

Conclusion:

So there you have it, it is acceptable to use the razor provided by the hotel (assuming that your hotel provides one in the first place). The razor is probably going to last you a few shaves depending on how concerned you are with hygiene.

The determining factor on how good your shave would be is likely to depend on the shaving cream provided. Perhaps you can try using the hotel shampoo as an alternative if the cream was terrible.

My encounter with a Double Edge / Safety Razor

I first bought my $4 Rimei safety razor on impulse as a novelty. It is a simple 3-piece razor that is quite nicely constructed. I was intrigued by the way people do things in the past. Typically, older things typically require the user to read instruction manuals and procedures to follow. Shaving with a safety razor was one such affair.

I was scared to use it at first because I had to handle the blade and put it into the handle. What if I cut myself? Will it give me many cuts on my face while I shave?

I followed the advice from forums and youtube videos and it really needs more care to shave compared to a cartridge razor. The biggest difference is the length of the blade exposed and the fact that the head does not pivot. This meant that holding the razor at the wrong angle result in cuts or a disappointingly ineffective shave.

See that sheet protruding from the top cover? That is how much the blade protrudes out.

In a nutshell, it worked great. It wasn't too difficult to shave despite being completely new to it and I didn't cut myself and managed to get a clean shave. Not particularly well done, but it was acceptable. My electric shaver could have done a better job in less time though. I respect the way technology has advanced to allow consumers to do carry on with their lives with so much ease, but there is something fun about taking the time to shave with an old school safety razor.

The two pieces form the head of the razor, with the foreground plate serving as a safety barrier from the blade. Hence, the naming of the razor.

Another point to note is that shaving with a safety razor can be very inexpensive. The design was very economical since the only thing that needs replacing is just a thin sheet of metal while the razor will last forever. Each blade costs in the range of S$0.40 to as low as $0.08. It typically gets cheaper when you buy a 100 blade pack instead of a 5 or 10 blade pack. I started out buying small packs, while it is more expensive, it allows me to try out different brands to see what works the best for me. Also, while most people, presumably westerners, managed to get 4-8 shaves off each blade on average, I find that my blade lasts longer than that, probably because my stubble is not that coarse.

 

According to online reviews, this sampler blade included with razor is rather high quality. The stains are due to a couple times of use.

As I read further, I got to read that shaving with a safety razor was actually be done as an indulgence though painstakingly slow, but sophisticated procedures. I think the technology of the yesteryear is interesting in the sense because they required some skill and knowledge to bring out the best in their tools. Whereas now, consumerism has focused on making products that are convenient and simple to use.

With that said, that is not to say that modern day technology had made shaving worse, in fact, I feel that even inexpensive electric shavers such as the one I reviewed earlier largely reduced the chore of shaving and gives a close, smooth shave without fail.

I urge you to try it out for the fun of it. Traditional shaving has its charms and I've been trying to improve my technique in hope that it can one day be as good as shaving with my electric shaver.

Gillette Foamy Lemon Lime shaving foam

Ok, Here is my little review of the shaving foam I'm using for my shaving with a safety razor.

After reading forums and blogs about shaving, it seemed unanimous that anything that comes out of a can is terrible. Most shaving enthusiasts, if there is such a thing, will recommend creams and shaving soaps that would require him to spend some time to whip up the rich lather you see on shaving commercials. According to most writings on the net, that is the only way to get nourishing, rich lather that enriches your shaving process. But is that the case?

I started off from shaving foams because that was one of the first things I saw in Watsons when I first started shaving. The price is reasonable. A can for less than $10 that lasts about half a year.

One of them I tried was this:

 The Gillette Foamy Lemon Lime Shaving Foam! It is the 175g can.

Simple Honest Classic were the 3 words Gillette described this foam.

I've used almost half the can before I neglected it for a year after getting my first electric shaver, the Braun MobileShave M-90. Only recently, did I picked it back up.

After picking up shaving with a safety razor, I also got myself a Schick Hydro Shaving Gel and an old skool Tabac Shaving Soap (an inexpensive soap that received high praise from the net). So, I'm going to compare my experience of this foamy stuff against them.

Convenience

In terms of convenience, nothing can be easier than using products from an aerosol can. Simply shake and use. Its advantage comes in the speed and ease of use compared to shaving soaps. I can see its use in travel situations, although you might want to get the smaller can to fit into your travel toiletries kit.

Smells and Notes
Well, it has the artificial Lemon Lime smell. It is a faint smell that is only confined to the foam. It goes away the moment you rinse your face. This is good when you use an artisan aftershave product and do not want a strange mix of smells on your face. The smell is easily tolerable if you don't like the smell of lemon, heck, there are other flavours if you want.

Quality

Well, it is foamy and smooth when it is wet and it certainly does the job of letting the blade glide over without much sensation. However, like the shaving gel, it does dry out quite quickly, requiring a constant re-wetting of the area before continuing shaving.

In summary, it is a really simple foam, nothing more. I probably won't buy it again now that I discovered shaving soaps and creams. The convenience is not exactly an advantage for me as I shave at night and there so many soaps and creams that provides a much higher quality feel at the same inexpensive pricing.

Shaving soaps and creams may be a little more tedious, requiring a shaving brush, high quality soaps and creams are rather inexpensive and very value for money because they last very long while offering lovely long lasting smells and nourishes the skin. My skin feels super every time I use the Tabac shaving soap. In fact, it feels so good that I may use it as my face wash!

Just so you know how I apply my shaving foam, here are the steps I follow:

Procedures for shaving foam

1) Shake well before using

Well, firstly, before you even squeeze the nozzle, you'll have to shake it quite a bit to ensure that the foam comes out nice and bubbly. It took me about 30seconds of shaaaking each time in order to get a decent foam.

2) Wet your face

Wetting your face is important because the foam dries out very quickly, leaving your face sticky and the razor will not be able to glide over your skin at all. I use warm water to help open up the pores and soften the hairs for an easier shave later on.

3) Spray it directly on your face or on your hand

My can is slightly old and doesn't give a rich expanded foam no matter how vigorously I shook the can. In order to spread it evenly on my face, I usually spray it directly on my face and massage it all over my bristles.

4) Start shaving

At this point, there should be no problems having a close shave with a cartridge or a safety razor.

5) Re-wet the skin

After shaving one side, the other side is bound to get dry after a while, leaving your skin unsuitable for shaving unless you re-apply water - just wet your hand and swirl around your face again will do the trick and that's all to it.

An average guy talks about his history of shaving

For the longest of time, I thought that the only 2 tools available in the market to get rid of facial hair - electric shavers and multi-blade cartridge razors. It is a ritual that most guys to keep them from looking unkempt, so shaving tools are a must. Let me walk you through my shaving journey that made me think that way.


My JC days
I first started off using disposable razors during my Junior College days because they were affordable and easy enough to use. Those razors had 2 or 3 blades in them and I only needed to use it every once a week or so. I re-used them many times until they become a little too blunt for comfort (when going past an area many times to achieve the same "closeness" in shave". I rarely used any shaving foam or gel as I only had to remove only a little facial hair.


My National Service days
Then I was introduced to the premium multi-blade razors during my army days when I was given a Gillette Mach 3 Turbo for free as part of the equipment army required me to have. It felt really good during the first few times I used the blade. They were really sharp and more comfortable than the disposable ones I relied on in the past. They were very smooth over my skin and was really close in shave. However, after a few weeks of using it, the blade quickly became dull and there was some tugging and pulling.

I bought new cartridges and a can of Gillette shaving foam. I only used it during the weekends because it was troublesome to use it in camp. Besides, I only had to use it on Wednesdays. Without the shaving foam, the razor was a little less effective in still gives shaves enough to pass parade inspections. But there was one problem, every replacement cartridge was kind of expensive. About $20 for 4 cartridges and each one starts deteriorating after a month or so. While they were better than disposables, the price premium was too high to justify the product.


My Post-University / Working days
When I graduated a year ago, I had the impression that the way it worked wasn't effective. I wanted to try an alternative to a razor because of the price premium. Hopefully, I will be able to get more cost effectiveness from this category.

So I read reviews about them online and it turns out there were many video reviews and tests by curious people all over the world. I learnt that the vibrating comb of electric shavers actually work like a pair of scissors, which was supposedly effective in snipping off those little hairs. Different shavers have different features and some even have a self cleaning dock that uses proprietary cleaning solution to rinse the shaving head. These features typically makes if faster and more convenience of shaving for the fast paced men of modern society.

Unfortunately, electric shavers were also on the expensive side, starting from $50 for a basic AA battery operated shaver to several hundreds of dollars depending on the amount of bells and whistles it has. Although the upfront cost of shavers can be high, it is likely to last long enough to cost you less in the long term compared to those multi-blade razors.

Feeling experimental, I bought the $50 Braun MobileShave M-90 and have been using it for more than a year now.


Recently
A week ago, I discovered safety razors. I knew I saw them in old movies before, but I never thought that I would see people selling them at a pasar malam I visited. Hey, it was a cheap China-made $4 item and shiny. Who could resist that? Even if it was rubbish, it would still work well as a decorative item, right?

Shall talk about it after trying it out!

My workhorse: Braun MobileShave M-90

I have been using this electric shaver for more than a year now. I use it once every 3 days, mostly in the morning as I get ready for work. It provides quick, convenient and comfortable shaves of reasonable closeness. If I take time to swirl it around my skin longer, it is possible to obtain the highly regarded Baby Butt Smooth (BBS), a term often used by razor enthusiasts.

Wet shaving enthusiasts often claim that electric shavers are inferior compared to traditional razors as the hair seem to grow back faster. Well, this is because of the different concepts used to remove hair. A razor is simply a knife edge that not only slices hair, but also removes a thin layer of skin around it, which causes skin irritation and soreness to a certain degree, but also means that the hair is cut down to a shorter length and as the hair grows, the skin around also grows back, resulting in a more lasting shave.

An electric shaver, on the other hand, is like a pair of scissors. As the hair is guided through the perforated foil, the vibrating comb under it slices the hair against the edge of the foil, creating a cutting action. This, typically hurts the skin lesser than a razor, making it more comfortable.

To me, the different shaving methods are just different strokes for different folks.

In summary, if you are looking for an electric shaver and your facial hair is of average coarseness, the Braun M-90 is a good choice.

What is an M-90?
The Braun M-90 is an entry level shaver from Braun. Several reviews mentioned that it works great for thin and averagely coarse hair, but does badly for really coarse or long hair. To deal with longer hair, the M-90 comes with a hair trimmer that makes short work of long hair that cannot be sufficiently guided through the foil. Using the hair trimmer followed by the shaver fulfills my shaving needs.

It features a turning cover that acts a shield to protect the foil when not in use and a lock-out to prevent you from accidentally turning it on while it is in your toiletries bag.

Oh look, a hidden trimmer that sticks out. Don't worry, the trimmer only works when it is in this position.

Being a cheap shaver, it runs on replaceable 2x AA batteries that are easy to find. Other expensive shavers typically make use of a non-replaceable lithium-ion cell, sealing the lifespan of the shaver to approximately 3 years. Rechargeable batteries are still consumables and I do not like the fact that the whole shaver would need to be replaced once the batteries are worn.

 Twist to open the battery compartment. The construction feels quite sturdy and can keeps out any unwanted splashes from entering the battery compartment.

The M-90 provides adequate shaves in less than 3 minutes. Sideburns are eliminated within a few motions and it mows through the difficult chin area with minimal fuss. If it doesn't remove hair after a few passes, changing the direction usually does the trick. However, do note that it does cause some irritation after prolonged repeated passes over the same area, especially the chin and neck.

Close up of the small but effective hair trimmer.

Price
I bought it at $45 at from the Best Denki at Junction 8. Most other electric shavers come in at above $100 and quite a significant initial investment for anyone starting out with an electric shaver. The impression I get from reading reviews about this little tool is that it is inexpensive enough for a newbie who has thin to averagely coarse facial hair and provides most of the quality and features expected of a decent shaver. In short, provides quite some value for its price, which is why I got it.

Close up of the foil pattern.

The Use
Being a dry shaver, it requires little preparation. In fact, I think it works better on a slightly oily face after a night's rest. The oil acts as a lubricant to allow the foil to glide over the skin while protecting the metal comb from rusting. The manual actually states that a little light oil should be applied onto the comb if the shaver was to be kept in storage for a long time.

The Maintenance
Even with such convenient product, it still requires some periodic maintenance. Thankfully, there isn't much the M-90 requires you to do.

Cleverly concealed slot to keep you from losing the brush. Great thinking there.

1) Open up the cover holding the foil and brush away bits of hair stuck along its comb. If you haven't been cleaning if often enough, a strong spray of water at the comb will remove just about all the hair bits there. Don't worry, it is waterproof at the business end.

Unfortunately, the foil and comb head are not replaceable parts. The good news is that they last long.

2) Rub away all the oil and skin residue from the cutting foil and let the individual parts dry out before putting them back together.

Oh yes, a pair of AA batteries last many months so I didn't bother performing a power consumption test on it. I would recommend that you use rechargeable batteries as you can charge them up to full capacity every few months or so to keep the shaver in tip top condition shaving condition.

Recommendation?
Yeah, why not? It is a no frills electric shaver that promises a no fuss shave, everyday.

An average dude talks about shaving.

Just a little introduction about me before you continue reading about my shaving posts. I am a Chinese with relatively sparse and uneven facial hair growth and because of that, I need to shave every 3 days as I would start to get some stubble by then. And no, having uneven facial hair does not add anything to my manliness.

As there are many different facial hair types, do take note that my write ups and reviews would be slanted towards my thin facial hair type and may not always apply to you even if you are the same race as me. The thickness of my facial hair meant that almost all kinds of shaving equipment would work sufficiently to get the job done. So, even the cheapest of shaving equipment would be good enough for me - so far, I've tried disposable multiple blade razors (even those where the entire handles are disposable) and cheap electric shavers and these were able to give me a shave close enough to return me to revert my face to its baby smooth state.

In Singapore, typical brand name electric shavers can cost a few hundreds (my friend who has thicker and faster beard growth bought a $400+ Braun to suit his needs) and disposable razor cartridges can add up to quite a lot in the long run.

In the beginning, I didn't thought much about shaving since it was a chore that I simply had to deal with and wanted to get it over and done as quickly and painless as possible. I have been using a sub $50 electric shaver for more than a year now and it works fine for me. It was fast, painless and low maintenance. A review for this will be coming soon.

It was until I encountered safety razors on sale at a pasar malam (temporary night market). I was curious that these things are still available in Singapore. The last time I saw one was when my late grandfather was still around. I vaguely remember seeing some Gilette dual edge blades in the toilet when I was a kid. The razor was on sale for $4 and a pack of 5 blades were going for 90 cents. It was cheap enough to be an impulse purchase and if it didn't work out, there is no heartache throwing it out.

And that's when became intrigued by the old shaving methods with a safety razor...

Look out for some reviews in the horizon!

Happy Lunar New Year to all!

Renewing your Iphone home button

My trusty Iphone had been around with me for around 2 years now. It is something that I carry with me so often that it has come to a point where it feels as though something is missing if I do not have it with me in my pocket.

As you would imagine, an iphone of a 2 year vintage is one that is not in the best of shape. No longer are electronics made to last many years and expected to continue working after a simple repair from your neighbourhood electronics repair shop. This isn't the 1990s.

It seemed inevitable that my iphone's home button became so unresponsive that I have to squeeze the hell out of it just to get it to register a click. It truly annoyed me that Apple had decided to make the button so susceptible to this problem. The simplest solution to this problem, would be to toss my phone and get a new one by renewing another 2-year contract with my telco.

I like my phone and I do not wish to change it yet. So, I consulted google on the possible solutions to repair the home button. There were many ways, some as bazaar as twisting the phone clockwise while pressing hard on the home button. Despite my penchant for logical methods, I tried most of those suggestions anyway. I was desperate.

After some searching, I cam across a suggestion involving pouring rubbing alcohol on the home button and repeatedly pressing it in hope that doing so will dislodge the gunk stuck inside and get dissolved in the solution and slowly drain out of the seams of the circle button.

Honestly, that sounded like a sure way to fuck up delicate piece of technology. Since when did liquids and tech mixed well together? Nevertheless, I read on and amazingly, there were several comments about how well it worked. It sounded like I've finally stumbled upon a miracle cure for my dying iphone. Like the legendary Eu Yan Sang 1000year old ginseng that is rumored to be able to prolong a dying man's life.

I spotted a bottle of rubbing alcohol at Watsons and decided to give it a try anyway. I switched off my iphone for the extra touch precaution to minimize the risk of shorting and poured a few drops of the miracle solution onto my button, let it soak for a few seconds and repeated pressed the button until all the liquid had oozed out. Then, I wiped it a little more for good measure and turned the sucker back on.

Lo and behold, it actually works! Now it takes only a light click to activate a button. It was as good as new again! I told my family about this and it turns out that they too had been suffering from the pain of a bad home button and eagerly hope that I can repeat the same success I had with my phone. And it did! all their home buttons now works well again!

If you have given up hope on your iphone and don't mind spoiling it in the process, this is one method you really should try.

Fixing your unresponsive buttons (on a Philips cordless phone CD240 Duo)

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I last wrote something. Been very drowning with work and didn't have the time to write more stuff.

Ok. I have been living with an old cordless phone works completely fine except for button number 9, which one of the most used number because most mobile numbers in Singapore starts with 9. That button, after suffering so many presses, now needs an extraordinary amount of strength to activate it. This is a slippery slope because pressing it too hard may damage the circuit board under it.

I've watched several youtube videos and found that typically, buttons work the same way. So, no problem there since the method to repair them should be rather standard. The challenge comes in opening the device as they might be made in a way that opening it means destroying it.

Fortunately, my cordless phone is rather old and I really hope that design philosophy hasn't changed yet.

The bare minimum you need to begin:
1) Some small screws
2) Tissue paper
3) Water or cleaning alcohol
4) A week's worth of uncut fingernails (to help pry out the latches)

I won't be explaining the process of cleaning it since there are so many instructions available online. What I'll do is to describe how to open the Philips Cordless CD240 Duo phone.

Step 1: Remove the 2 main screws inside the battery compartment. (Of course, remove the batteries first)

Step 2: Pry open the top cover in that sequence. The latches are indicated by the red ovals. Do it gently and open each set of latches one at a time.

Step 3: Unscrew the 4 perimeter screws securing the circuit board. Be careful not the break any of the wires attached to different parts of the cover.

From here on, you'll be able to access the buttons and do your stuff! Happy cleaning!

Re-calibrating your iphone's battery meter

My iphone 4 is about 2 years old now and this is the time when battery life is starting to be a bit of an issue for me. Recently, it became necessary for me to use my portable charger on my phone every single day. Now, this is disappointing for me because, as someone really cares about batteries, I do expect a Lithium Polymer pack to last 3 years.

What's wrong with my phone?
I tried my best to make sure that I do not overly drain my battery too much before charging to reduce stress on it. After a while, I realised that my battery meter seems to decrease really fast from 100% but lasts disproportionately longer from 20% and below. This was a sign that the battery meter might be out-of-sync with the battery. Let me explain.

Typically, battery meters on digital devices such as laptops and phones are only estimates. Other than the determinable points such as the "full charged voltage" (100%) and "critically low voltage" (point where phone shuts off), it is very difficult to determine how much charge a lithium-ion/polymer battery has left between those two determinable points. Why? Lithium based batteries often hold their voltage very well until depletion and thus, making it very difficult to obtain a good estimate of the charge level by taking reference from the battery voltage.

As such, battery meters measure the amount of charge going into and out of the battery during charging and usage to estimate the remaining charge in the battery. Over time, the meter can get out of calibration due to random error due to things like difference in temperature, increase in battery resistance due to aging, battery self-discharge, etc.

Honestly, I forgot about battery calibration until I accidentally drained my phone battery till it shut off as I did not have access to a wall socket for 2 full days.

I was on the bus and minutes away from the safe refugee of my charger before the my phone decided that it was enough and shut off on its own at 2%.

How to recalibrate your battery meter:
I took the chance to recalibrate the meter by simply leaving it to charge for about 2.5 hours without unplugging it or using it. I purposely left it plugged in longer than I know it takes to obtain a full charge because I had to ensure that the battery had really reached its "full voltage". Remember, your battery meter may not be accurate even though it shows a 100%. However, the charging electronics will be able to tell if it has reached full charge and terminate charging.

After that, my phone was able to last 1 full day without charging compared to half day. Not bad considering that the battery had spent 2/3 of its expected lifespan.

Afterthoughts:
IT equipment has become so advanced to the point where everything is so convenient to the user. Gone were the days when instruction manuals were thick and explained the workings of certain user-maintainable components. Manufacturers expect their products to work perfectly for the user without the hassle of having him/her learn how to use it, which is why everything is so simplified and obscure to the user.

You may have encountered cameras with simplistic bar battery meters which deplete very quickly after losing the 1st bar. This type of battery meter attempts to use battery voltage as a reference, but is pretty much useless because it is rather drastic. Below is an approximation of the battery charge compared to typical battery indicator icons.

Well, I hope this article helps you understand a little better about your battery life and battery meters. Hopefully, this will minimize your encounter with the dreaded low-battery warning. Cheers!

Taking public transport in Singapore as a tourist (and going to Night Safari/Zoo)

I noticed a lot of international visitors at my blog. If you happen to visit my country, Singapore, and plan to head to the Night Safari (just the zoo, but at night), I'll have you know that the easiest way to get there is...

1) Go to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange. It is connected to Ang Mo Kio MRT (train station).

2) Take bus service no. 138. It is at the last boarding berth so you'll have to walk the entire length of the Bus Interchange.

3) To pay for the ticket, you either get yourself an Ez-Link card (a contactless stored value card) from a TransitLink counter at either an MRT or Bus Interchange or you can pay in coins when you board the bus.

-When paying in coins, you have to tell the driver your destination and he will tell you how much it costs.

-When using Ez-link card, tap your card when you board and tap again when you exit. The fare deducted will be the based on the distance you travel.

4) When in the bus, you will start to find that the surroundings are a little less built up compared to town areas. At a certain stretch, the bus will drive through a rather quiet road surrounded by trees. At this time you'll probably start asking other passengers where the Zoo is. Honestly, it is difficult to tell you the number of stops to go as we don't keep track ourselves. Don't worry, the Zoo is the bus' last stop before it loops back to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange. The driver will chase you out of the bus even if you don't alight.

5) Enjoy yourself!

6) As 138 is a loop service, the bus stop you alighted at is the same bus stop to board at to go back to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange.

I wrote this because I get asked many times on my way home and I see many visitors becoming worried once the landscape turns darker and quieter as the bus makes its way to the Zoo

Hint, there are several 24hour eateries along the 138 route and if you are feeling hungry after your visit to the zoo, just alight anywhere along the row of shophouses.