Without a doubt, this question would be on most Singaporean car owner's mind as their COE comes to an end. For me, my family's reliable 7-seater will reach its 10 year mark in less than 1.5 years. As the prices of new cars become increasingly out of reach of the masses, more people are starting to consider renewing their COE.
New Monetary Authority of Singapore ruling on car loans
Ok, to qualify myself, cars in Singapore have always been expensive relative to the earning power of average folk. The reason why it has become even more difficult to own a car is because of the the new financing limits on car loans. It used to be possible to walk, no sorry, drive away from a dealership with very little down payment. The problem was, people were spending beyond their means, thinking that it was so easy to own a car with little income. While the monthly repayment seemed palatable on first look, compound interest can really creep the total expenditure high up.
To force financial prudence onto car lovers in Singapore,
1) A loan limit of 50-60% was imposed.
2) The loan must be repaid within 5 years.
These two simple lines meant that for a new bread-and-butter Toyota Vios costing $110,000 would require
1) A hefty down payment of $44,000
2) Monthly repayment of $1,258 (assuming a typical 2.88% interest rate).
If a new replacement car is out of your reach, there are two widely discussed options that have been making its rounds on forums.
Options to choose!
The first is to go for a COE renewal while the second is to scrap the car and replace it with a 2nd hand car. Both options have their own pros and cons and may vary in economic feasibility depending on what what your current car is and the crop of 2nd hand cars on sale.
For part 1 of the article, let's discuss the COE renewal.
Choosing to renew 5 years or the full 10 years.
You do not need to bid for a COE price when renewing your COE.
1) The 10-year renewal:
The renewal price is based on the Prevailing Quota Premium (PQP) which is an average of the last 6 bidding results (3 months). At the time of writing, the PQP is $64,584. This is a whopping amount of money to cough up and understand that this amount can only be secured through personal loans which have higher interest rates compared to car loans mentioned earlier (will update with more details on personal loans). If you have that kind of cash lying around, you may just want to get the 10-year renewal since you can always scrap the car and get back the remaining value left in your COE. The amount you get back is pro-rated to the remaining life in the COE from the price you paid for the PQP. In investment terms, COE system is a put option!
2) The 5-year extension
If you do not want to take a loan or pay the full PQP price, you may want to consider going for the 5 year extension, which works out to be $32,292. After all, your car may not be worth keeping for too long anyway. But wait! Renewing the COE for 5 years has a restriction that prevents the owner from re-extending the car beyond that while the full 10 year renewal doesn't have the same restriction.
Sounds simple?
Here are some good news and some bad news
The good news is that renewing/extending your car's COE is going to be about half the price you will spend compared to buying a new one altogether. This is great considering that you may have other loans to finance such as your housing loan. With the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) in effect, you may have to watch your loans.
The bad thing is, your road tax will increase 10% yearly and capped at 50% by your car's 15th year. Also, a friend of mine mentioned that insurance companies will also take a chance to jack up your insurance premiums. But wait, that's not all. You also lose your Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) which consist of 50% of the Additional Registration Fee you paid earlier when you first bought the car. Depending on what car it is, the amount can be substantial. Using the example of the Toyota Vios again, the PARF would be $7,000. If you love your car and you are sure that it will go the distance with you, then these costs may just be worth it.
The next part would be on the costs and risks involved in scraping your car and buying a used car. Check back soon!
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Restored my car's headlamps with Meguiar's Headlamp Correction Kit
Been itching to do something with my car since the time I changed those tiny little bulbs. The things that really stood out was my yellowing headlamps. This seemed to be a typical problem for older cars like mine and it looks rather bad. The blur surface of the headlamps reflect a portion of the light coming out of the bulbs. Changing out the headlamps for a new set was not really something I want to do because it is likely to be quite expensive and its COE is expiring in a few years time anyway. If your situation is like mine, it may be more cost effective to buy a headlamp restoration kit.
I bought the Meguiar's Headlamp Correction Kit which, I suppose is for "medium duty" cleaning up of the headlamp since they sell a more comprehensive "heavy duty" Headlamp Restoration Kit for really cloudy headlamps. I couldn't bring myself to by the more expensive heavy duty kit when it contains almost similar items to the medium duty.
Medium Duty Correction Kit:
1x microfiber cloth
1x bottle of PlastiX cleaner and polishing cream
1x sachet of headlamp protectant
3x double sided sanding pads (from rough to smooth)
Heavy Duty Restoration Kit:
In addition to the Medium Duty kit, it has
1x handgrip for sanding pads
1x polishing pad for attaching to drills
1x bottle of PlastiX instead of the sachet
Honestly, after watching youtube videos on headlamp restoration, I think my headlamp falls under the "heavy duty" category as it is yellow, cloudy and scratchy looking. I tried it for myself and it worked rather well. The only drawback was the amount of time it took me to shine it up and my aching fingers from sanding the headlamps.
I took this picture after completing the restoration sequence for one side. Sanding out all the oxidised plastic took really long and it felt as though the entire depth of plastic was oxidised.
Almost an hour in, I managed to remove much of the yellow oxidisation layer, leaving an evenly frosted look.
Finally, after 2 hours, I managed to restore my headlamps! Felt really proud of the significant improvement done to them. For a kit that costs $43, I'm quite happy with it.
I bought the Meguiar's Headlamp Correction Kit which, I suppose is for "medium duty" cleaning up of the headlamp since they sell a more comprehensive "heavy duty" Headlamp Restoration Kit for really cloudy headlamps. I couldn't bring myself to by the more expensive heavy duty kit when it contains almost similar items to the medium duty.
Medium Duty Correction Kit:
1x microfiber cloth
1x bottle of PlastiX cleaner and polishing cream
1x sachet of headlamp protectant
3x double sided sanding pads (from rough to smooth)
Heavy Duty Restoration Kit:
In addition to the Medium Duty kit, it has
1x handgrip for sanding pads
1x polishing pad for attaching to drills
1x bottle of PlastiX instead of the sachet
Honestly, after watching youtube videos on headlamp restoration, I think my headlamp falls under the "heavy duty" category as it is yellow, cloudy and scratchy looking. I tried it for myself and it worked rather well. The only drawback was the amount of time it took me to shine it up and my aching fingers from sanding the headlamps.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Hooked on car maintenance and DIY
I have recently signed up for a course on Engine Servicing at ITE College West. It had been a long time dream of mine to learn more in depth about fiddling with something I have been interested in since I was a child. Turning 18 years old and getting my car license was probably one of the most memorable milestones in my life. But it was not enough. I didn't just wanted to drive, I wanted to get involved with the parts and components that makes it run.
I must say that learning how to service doesn't always translate well into the actual job of servicing your own car because you have to invest in a considerable range of tools to dismantle any part of the car. So, I really have to find a good brand of tools and buy a set for my own use. In addition, I learnt that not everything can be done by the mechanic himself as certain things require professional services from other industries such as metal works.
Well, honestly, the engine is the last component I would want to touch because it is the messiest and also, if you have to do engine servicing other than your periodic oil or spark plug change, it does mean that the problem is rather serious. My car is fortunately not that old to require such endeavors.
What triggered my DIY spirit was my annoyance with the blown bulbs of my air-con control cluster. Although I knew the car well enough to operate the knobs in the dark, it did not feel good. Immediately, there was a problem - I did not know how to open the panel nor was I sure that blown bulbs were the culprit. Thankfully, I was not the only person with this problem and there were several videos on youtube showing how to remove the panels. Although they were filmed on cars of other models, it turned out that there is some similarity in removing those pesky panels. After that was done, changing and buying new bulbs was easy.
Bought a box of 10 W5W bulbs for $10. Just bring down your old bulb to confirm the size when you buy the new ones. These bulbs last about 6 months to a year so it makes sense to stock up a little.
So, I really recommend you to try this yourself some time. While not all servicing jobs are feasible to do on your own, simple things like changing bulbs can be rather satisfying and fun.
I must say that learning how to service doesn't always translate well into the actual job of servicing your own car because you have to invest in a considerable range of tools to dismantle any part of the car. So, I really have to find a good brand of tools and buy a set for my own use. In addition, I learnt that not everything can be done by the mechanic himself as certain things require professional services from other industries such as metal works.
Well, honestly, the engine is the last component I would want to touch because it is the messiest and also, if you have to do engine servicing other than your periodic oil or spark plug change, it does mean that the problem is rather serious. My car is fortunately not that old to require such endeavors.
These little bulbs keep the controls nice and bright at night
What triggered my DIY spirit was my annoyance with the blown bulbs of my air-con control cluster. Although I knew the car well enough to operate the knobs in the dark, it did not feel good. Immediately, there was a problem - I did not know how to open the panel nor was I sure that blown bulbs were the culprit. Thankfully, I was not the only person with this problem and there were several videos on youtube showing how to remove the panels. Although they were filmed on cars of other models, it turned out that there is some similarity in removing those pesky panels. After that was done, changing and buying new bulbs was easy.
Beautifully bright controls after changing those bulbs.
I bought my replacement bulbs from one of the old auto supplies shop at Sin Ming area and got them at a fairly reasonable price of $1 each. Entering an auto supplies shop felt like I was entering a fully stocked stationery shop when I was in Primary school. The range of items were simply bewildering. I could just stood admire all the different products if it wasn't so awkward.
Bought a box of 10 W5W bulbs for $10. Just bring down your old bulb to confirm the size when you buy the new ones. These bulbs last about 6 months to a year so it makes sense to stock up a little.
So, I really recommend you to try this yourself some time. While not all servicing jobs are feasible to do on your own, simple things like changing bulbs can be rather satisfying and fun.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Apple Iphone Charger efficiency test!
I've bought my electrical meter for quite some time now and have been testing the power consumption of various appliances in my house.
One of my more prominent device is my Apple Iphone charger. It is a rather mysterious gadget because there is very little technical specifications about it other than the fact that it outputs up to 1A @ 5v.
Some did a tear down review of the little charger and concluded that it is actually very well designed compared to a counterfeit charger. But that does it translate to in real world usage? And what can we find out about charging iphones?
Efficiency Test
What I did was to record the power consumption of the charger when charging an iphone with less than 20% capacity. In this test, I assumed that the charger is putting out its maximum wattage indicated on the charger, which is 5w. This is because the iphone is likely to pull as much power as it can from the charger to fill up the battery fast since the battery is almost empty.
Charging with an extra long cable
For some reasons, my parents thought that it was a good idea to buy an extra long wire so that they can bring their phones to their bedside while they charge. Before I tested it, I had the expectation that the power consumption is similar to the first case above or more so as to compensate for the energy loss through such a long wire.
It came as a surprise that power consumption dropped! The iphone was deliberately pulling off less power from the same charger. It has been well established that the iphone is controls its power input quite smartly and it may have sensed that it was not able to receive the full 5w it expects. Hence, lowering down itself to the next lower rate which was 2.5w - computer USB ports give out this much.
Assuming that it is indeed outputting 2.5w, the whole charger set up efficiency is now 64%, which is a whole 13% weaker!
Is it true that the iphone charges faster when you put it on airplane mode?
Some websites are claiming this, but looking at the power consumption when airplane mode is turned on and my screen switched off, the power consumption dropped. This indicates that the iphone is now pulling less power than before.
This suggests that the iphone dynamically takes in power from the charger to supply itself while the phone is being used. The myth that iphone charges faster in airplane mode implies that the charger is always outputting its maximum power solely to charge the battery and less power will end up going into the battery when more power consuming features/apps are used, lowering the charging speed.
However, this it not the case here. The lowering of the power consumption implies that the the charger is more than sufficient to supply the iphone the power it demands. So, no point switching off your phone or putting it on airplane mode hoping that it will charge faster.
I hope this is useful for you iphone users! Oh yes, avoid long wires!
One of my more prominent device is my Apple Iphone charger. It is a rather mysterious gadget because there is very little technical specifications about it other than the fact that it outputs up to 1A @ 5v.
Some did a tear down review of the little charger and concluded that it is actually very well designed compared to a counterfeit charger. But that does it translate to in real world usage? And what can we find out about charging iphones?
Efficiency Test
What I did was to record the power consumption of the charger when charging an iphone with less than 20% capacity. In this test, I assumed that the charger is putting out its maximum wattage indicated on the charger, which is 5w. This is because the iphone is likely to pull as much power as it can from the charger to fill up the battery fast since the battery is almost empty.
What we have here is a 6.5w consumption from the wall socket. If 5w was going to my phone, 1.5w was being wasted as heat. So, this charger is 77% efficient. Quite a decent figure here.
For a more accurate test, we can measure the output current from the USB. But that is for another time.
Any parasitic drain when left on?
Apparently, the charger has negligible drain when plugged in and switched on. This is good considering that some of us simply leave these chargers switched on even when we aren't charging anything. I like it when devices are so well designed to be able to achieve this. Saves the hassle of having the need to turn it off and on every time without the guilt of wasting energy.
Charging with an extra long cable
For some reasons, my parents thought that it was a good idea to buy an extra long wire so that they can bring their phones to their bedside while they charge. Before I tested it, I had the expectation that the power consumption is similar to the first case above or more so as to compensate for the energy loss through such a long wire.
It came as a surprise that power consumption dropped! The iphone was deliberately pulling off less power from the same charger. It has been well established that the iphone is controls its power input quite smartly and it may have sensed that it was not able to receive the full 5w it expects. Hence, lowering down itself to the next lower rate which was 2.5w - computer USB ports give out this much.
Is it true that the iphone charges faster when you put it on airplane mode?
Some websites are claiming this, but looking at the power consumption when airplane mode is turned on and my screen switched off, the power consumption dropped. This indicates that the iphone is now pulling less power than before.
This suggests that the iphone dynamically takes in power from the charger to supply itself while the phone is being used. The myth that iphone charges faster in airplane mode implies that the charger is always outputting its maximum power solely to charge the battery and less power will end up going into the battery when more power consuming features/apps are used, lowering the charging speed.
I hope this is useful for you iphone users! Oh yes, avoid long wires!
Super-Max Super Stainless Blue
Finally finished my pack of 5 Super-Max Super Stainless Blue double edge blades.
I think I took about 3 to 4 months to go through that little 90cent pack which works out to be about 3 weeks per blade and approximately 7 shaves per blade. I didn't change out the blade because I felt a drop in sharpness, but rather, it was because I was bored of it.
Longer than normal Super-max stainless steel Blue blades.
While the other blades I tried seemed rather mundane and worked just as it should, the Super-Max stood out because it was just a little larger than other blades, causing it to bend at the sides of the blade when screwed down into my Rimei budget razor. Most of my blades bend just so very slightly at the edges but the Super-Max Stainless Blue bends it so badly that it sometimes tear off a small portion of the blade. When that happens, the blade becomes straight again. Ironically, that makes things well again.
Could it be razor specific?
It may be. The Rimei razor head has notches at the corners of the head to keep the blade centered. Most blades will sit snugly between these notches with a tiny amount of bending at the sides. It is visible if you scrutinize it but no matter, most blades feel just as good as the other. I think the slight bending do help in keeping the blade rigid since the blade edge is quite exposed. I suspect that other razors which do not rely on these notches are going to be just fine when used with the blade.
Would I recommend it?
Not really. It was my first pack of blades I bought when I first started with double edge shaving. Since then, I learnt that it was possible to get a variety of brands from local shops and many of these brands are cheaper and fits well. I believe that razors and blades are very precise tools and the moment they are not made properly, it will affect its performance. Being bent at the side means that the effective shaving length decreases and you may have perform more passes, eventually leading to more irritation. Otherwise, the shave is not memorable.
Tuesday, July 08, 2014
Choosing a good charger for your Ni-MH rechargable battery / Ikea LADDA battery charger
Several years ago, I picked up an interest in rechargeable batteries because I think they offer so much convenience and value for money over normal disposables. It may be more expensive at the start, but subsequent re-charges brings down the cost way below disposables. With today's high drain devices such as cameras, handphones and torch lights, rechargables actually outperform branded alkaline batteries.
Rechargeables batteries, while they are very good, they demand some care in order to maintain their high performance. One of the most basic way is to choose a good charger. To make things difficult, not all branded chargers are good.
Here, I'll list down the crucial features you should be looking for:
1) Charging speeds come in a few flavours.
15min "high speed" charger
These are speedy chargers that often come with a 15min timer. They are really good if you need to recharge your batteries in a rush, but they are very bad for your batteries. Charging at such speed forces a lot of current into a small battery and in turn, they get extremely hot. These chargers fry your batteries with every charge and you won't get much battery longevity using these.
Overnight chargers
Ok, so fast chargers are bad, so slow chargers should be good then? Nope. Overnight chargers are typically "dumb" chargers - they do not know when a battery is full, so manufacturers use very low current to charge the batteries. Adding more energy into the battery after it is full also causes the battery to wear out faster, but not as much as those 15min fryers. Overnight charging is just too long! Who waits that long!
~2 hour "fast" charger
These chargers are often able to detect when a battery is full and stops right there. A 2 hour charge is actually the optimal charging duration because it is slow enough such that the battery does not get too hot during charging and it is fast enough for an accurate battery charge detection.
2) Battery charge detection
Built-in timer (no detection)
By far the worst type. You either end up force feeding your battery or end up with a partial charge.
Temperature
Not accurate at all. Batteries typically rise in temperature as they reach full charge, but detection is difficult.
Negative Delta V detection
Ni-MH batteries dip slightly in voltage when the battery is full. When the charger detects this dip, it stops the charging. This is extremely important because it is able to charge up a high capacity battery and/or partially depleted battery to its full capacity, every time.
3) Dual cell charge / Single cell charging
Manufacturers sometimes try to save cost by charging 2 slots at once. This means that you'll need to put in 2 batteries before it charges both. This is terrible because batteries may have started off with an uneven charge. So, it is important to choose a charger that has dedicated slots for each battery!
So, after saying so much, do I have a recommended charger?
If you don't mind spending more for a sophisticated charger that does a lot more, get a Maha Powerex MH-C9000 analyzer/charger. Be warned, you'll get to set your own charging rate. At about sgd$100, you get features to break-in new batteries, run capacity tests and more.
Otherwise a $30 Ikea LADDA battery charger is actually very good. It was reviewed in Candlepowerforums. It comes with all the basic features of an excellent charger. At $30, you won't find other chargers that can match it. It's nice to discover hidden gems which are not well marketed but are actually very good.
Rechargeables batteries, while they are very good, they demand some care in order to maintain their high performance. One of the most basic way is to choose a good charger. To make things difficult, not all branded chargers are good.
Here, I'll list down the crucial features you should be looking for:
1) Charging speeds come in a few flavours.
15min "high speed" charger
These are speedy chargers that often come with a 15min timer. They are really good if you need to recharge your batteries in a rush, but they are very bad for your batteries. Charging at such speed forces a lot of current into a small battery and in turn, they get extremely hot. These chargers fry your batteries with every charge and you won't get much battery longevity using these.
Overnight chargers
Ok, so fast chargers are bad, so slow chargers should be good then? Nope. Overnight chargers are typically "dumb" chargers - they do not know when a battery is full, so manufacturers use very low current to charge the batteries. Adding more energy into the battery after it is full also causes the battery to wear out faster, but not as much as those 15min fryers. Overnight charging is just too long! Who waits that long!
~2 hour "fast" charger
These chargers are often able to detect when a battery is full and stops right there. A 2 hour charge is actually the optimal charging duration because it is slow enough such that the battery does not get too hot during charging and it is fast enough for an accurate battery charge detection.
2) Battery charge detection
Built-in timer (no detection)
By far the worst type. You either end up force feeding your battery or end up with a partial charge.
Temperature
Not accurate at all. Batteries typically rise in temperature as they reach full charge, but detection is difficult.
Negative Delta V detection
Ni-MH batteries dip slightly in voltage when the battery is full. When the charger detects this dip, it stops the charging. This is extremely important because it is able to charge up a high capacity battery and/or partially depleted battery to its full capacity, every time.
3) Dual cell charge / Single cell charging
Manufacturers sometimes try to save cost by charging 2 slots at once. This means that you'll need to put in 2 batteries before it charges both. This is terrible because batteries may have started off with an uneven charge. So, it is important to choose a charger that has dedicated slots for each battery!
So, after saying so much, do I have a recommended charger?
If you don't mind spending more for a sophisticated charger that does a lot more, get a Maha Powerex MH-C9000 analyzer/charger. Be warned, you'll get to set your own charging rate. At about sgd$100, you get features to break-in new batteries, run capacity tests and more.
Otherwise a $30 Ikea LADDA battery charger is actually very good. It was reviewed in Candlepowerforums. It comes with all the basic features of an excellent charger. At $30, you won't find other chargers that can match it. It's nice to discover hidden gems which are not well marketed but are actually very good.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
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.
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.
Monday, June 09, 2014
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.
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.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
$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!
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!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
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.
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, May 03, 2014
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.
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.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
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"
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.
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.
Monday, April 14, 2014
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 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.
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.
Saturday, April 05, 2014
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.
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.
Monday, March 17, 2014
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 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.
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.
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.
Friday, February 21, 2014
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 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.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
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:
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
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.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
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 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!
Sunday, February 09, 2014
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)