A Guide to Tech Shopping

I’ve been purchasing some gadgets lately to add to my little tech heaven repository – no I don’t have an addiction to shopping, nor do I have a need to be an early adopter. I’m the type of guy that attempts to buy the best item on the market and hope that it lasts for a couple of years before being replaced by the next model. Gosh it’s so hard to keep up with the pace of technology!

I do consider myself a bit of a techie and gadget wiz – remember the asian kid ‘Data’ off Goonies…I tried to be him, once. So I figure I need to know the features, functions and full specifications of an ‘item’ before I spend on it – its not the budget but more so the value, quality and durability that is important to me. It’s got to last!

So with that in mind I thought I’d share a few guidelines to make it easier for all consumers when purchasing tech gadgets!

Electronics Shopping In Singapore – Funan Mall v Sim Lim Square

Singapore is an electronic gadget lovers paradise.

There are shops galore, in malls galore that pedal, sell and distribute gadgets galore at mostly more than affordable prices.

If you are stopping through and need to elicit some gadget love, or at least electronic voyeurism of the highest order, there are two places that specialise in making geeks drool. Funan Mall and Sim Lim Square. Both have more than 4 levels of  laptops, cell phones, cameras, IT equipment, games and consoles, peripherals etc.

So if you had a limited time in Singapore, which one would you go to?

Comprehensiveness

Both malls are pretty good in terms of breadth and depth of IT gadgets. Laptops and media devices are always at the top of most peoples list. Cameras are in there as well. You’re likely to find mostly big brands at Funan, whilst Sim Lim has lesser, well known brand names (e.g. China brands) to pick and choose from. Funan is better organised and less crowded. Sim Lim is more of a goblins bazaar with tweeters and web cams and USB cords and temps handing out brochures at every escalator.

Prices

Sim Lim is a bazaar for bargains. If you can negotiate well, than prices can come down. However, be prepared to have brought that item, only to see it cheaper at a shop at the next turn. So when you do go to Sim Lim, scout out the whole place, and ask for the prices at the shops that you feel comfortable in, or check the brochures that are being handed out. Sim Lim has a reputation for trying to pull a quick one, so you have been warned. Funan is above board, and prices are set. However, if you’re good, you can perhaps convince the salesperson to throw in a peripheral or 3 to sweeten the package.

Post Purchase Service e.g. Warranties

When you’ve finally targeted that precious purchase, and especially if you’re passing through, always be sure to ask whether the product is supported by an international warranty. I’ve found that my forays into Sim Lim, the vendors claim that there is a local warranty, but on clarification, it is the shop vendors own warranty and not the product manufacturers that will try to fix the item. Funan is more reliable in this aspect, but please be aware. Always be sure to also get the business card of the sales person. At least you can be sure which person to target if things go wrong.

Accessibility

Both are easy to get to via cab, and all cabs will know Funan and Sim Lim SQUARE (there is a Sim Lim Tower, so be sure to say Square). The good thing about Singapore is that cab drivers are trustworthy, and will not take you for a joyride. J

Funan DigitaLife Mall, 109 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179097.

Sim Lim Square 1 Rochor Canal Road Singapore 188504

Funan Mall – Image via Wikipedia

Ready to brave the perils of Sim Lim Square? Image via Wikipedia

Electronic Breadcrumbs

We are the modern day cyber version of Bigfoot, as our electronic footprint gets bigger everyday. As more and more of

Gaaaaahh! Image by Rich_Lem via Flickr

our identity are amassed online, logged electronically, and stored indefinitely, I realised just how difficult it is to avoid being noticed or tracked. We leave little breadcrumbs everywhere.

Image via Wikipedia

A simple illustration:

Opinion:The Blackberry Curve 8230

Why the BB Curve? Lost my iPhone,  and my flatmate who has many contacts happened to have a pristine, BB Curve, still in the package! You cannot beat good mates!Have used the BB Curve for over a half year now…

Image via CrunchBase

First Impressions
The Blackberry line of phones has always been touted by RIM as ones for business. However, my first impression of the phone was that it looked toylike and far from executive. The matte silver casing did little to create any gasp effect and this was compounded by the weight of the phone itself, which was very light. Excessively light, if that makes sense. Normally, I would be agog at a function filled phone that are lite in the pocket, however, in my opinion, mobile phones nowadays need a fine balance of heft and weight to convey a certain sense of gravitas. So, first impressions were ho hum.

Switching the phone on, from insertion of the battery took about 40secs to a minute but felt like forever, especially in comparison to other phone models. I say the egg timer icon needs to take a holiday – someone get the
idea people to come up with a new and engaging icon.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

SMS’ing: Cupping the blackberry in the same manner that a persons prays with joss sticks, fingers encasing the sides, and two thumbs used as the primary digits to navigate between the buttons had me in conniptions for about a week or so.

The trackball – white and glowing, like a prop from tron, does a good enough job to allow you to navigate through the menus and application icons, but the sensitivity took longer than it should for a user to attune themselves. Learning to spin, rotate and again spin and depress the ball had me wincing everytime I would scroll past the application that i desired to use…and using the trackball to select and activate the application was also an act of digit-agility. That being said,after some weeks, my fingers and thumbs have taken on the agility of russian gymnasts, trained at an early age in a kibbutz. But it did take some time. And, as I mentioned, some wincing. To date, out of phones used – Nokia is my preference for best and easiest to use text messaging. Motorola, the worst.

Someone needs to take the interface and make it a look more palatable.  It looks child like, doesnt have the same panache that many phone interfaces have. The font, display of sms messages etc, are  basic and without oomph. I know this shouldnt matter in a business setting,  but some style never hurts. The screen resolution to me seemed washed out.

Camera: The pic quality is poor, and the photos take some time to manifest  themselves after shooting for viewing. The result is always disappointing,  grainy and grizzled.

Speaker sound is good, I must admit that the first few times the BB rang, I thought the sound was coming from the general air around me, rather than the  silver gadget in my right pocket. I did have previous issues with the iphone and hearing the ring tone, so this was a pleasant aural pleasure.

Battery life was good. Average use and talking, had the phone last for about three days before a charge was needed. This was especially a marked contrast when compared to the drizzle of the iPhone which required a daily charge – though admittedly, there are different purposes to the two phones. The iPhone is more of an experience and status symbol, the BB more of a phone of a traditional use.

Image by Dan_H via Flickr

Havent gotten around to using the push email function, which admittedly is one of the main features of the BB. Reason: like to keep work at work…at the moment, anyway.

Internet: Had trouble connecting to wi fi and opening the browser. Though my expectation of the browser display was not good when compared to the abilities to display webpage that Apple have conjured.

More to come.