Singapore gets OPPO R9s Special Red Edition

- 16 MP front and rear cameras

- Custom 1/2.8" sensor (Sony IMX398)

- Dual PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) technology increases area of camera sensor’s pixel array by 100%

Source: OPPO. The OPPO R9s Special Red Edition is now available in Singapore in limited quantities.

OPPO has launched the OPPO R9s Special Red Edition in Singapore, making it the first location outside of mainland China and Taiwan to receive the colour variant. Created to celebrate the lunar new year, the special edition R9s is the first in the R series to be decked in red, and marks the first time that OPPO has launched a red variant in Singapore.

The camera phone retains the technical specifications of its gold and rose gold variants, and sports a Sony IMX398 sensor, the all-new Dual PDAF (phase detection autofocus) technology, and an extra-wide f/1.7 aperture on its rear camera to capture more light.

The R9s introduces a new design feature in the “six-string” antenna lines, which are essentially two sets of three ultra-fine lines that replace the thick white bands that traverse the backs of most phones. The fresh look is paired with stronger performance than ever. The R9s is equipped to operate on six frequency ranges, dynamically choosing the best one for 4G and Wi-Fi signals. With the new design, the R9s’ body is 98.9% metal, with a screen-to-body ratio of 72.9 %. The R9s’ visual impact is subtle, refined and distinguished, with superb signal reception to match.

Other key features include:

- 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM (256GB expandable memory)

- Exceptionally fast (0.2 seconds) and intelligent fingerprint reader that refines performance over time

- 3,010 mAH battery with VOOC Flash Charge technology - a low voltage fast-charging system that does not overtax the phone’s internals with excess heat.

Specifications

Operating System	Color OS v3.0 (based on Android 6.0)
Platform	Qualcomm MSM8953 (Octacore 2.0GHz)
Bands	GSM 850/900/1,800/1,900MHz WCDMA 850/900/1,900/2,100MHz LTE Bands 1/3/5/7/8/20/28/TD-38/39/40/4
Data Connectivity	LTE:       300Mbps/50Mbps HSPA:    42Mbps/5.76Mbps Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, DLNA, BT 4.1 LE, VPN, Wi-Fi hotspot
Dimensions	153 x 74.3 x 6.58mm
Weight	147g (with battery)
Colour	Red
Display/touch panel	16 million AMOLED colours, 1,920x1,080, Full HD, 5.5'', 401 pixels per inch
Camera	16 MP Front fixed focus, LED Flash; f/2.0 aperture 16 MP Rear auto focus; f/1.7 aperture, Sony IMX 398
Memory	ROM 64GB + RAM 4GB, external memory up to 256GB
SIM card	Dual SIM – nano (dual standby)
Battery	3,010mAh (typical) 2,910mAh (minimum)
Connectors	Micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack
Multimedia	Video player/recorder, audio player
Other	GPS, G-Sensor, E-Compass Light & proximity sensor Gyrometer

Interested?

Limited sets of the OPPO R9s Special Red Edition are available for S$679 from OPPO Concept Stores:

• Suntec City Concept Store: Suntec City Mall Tower 3, #01-627 to 630, Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038983 
• Ang Mo Kio Concept Store: Ang Mo Kio Hub, 53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 #B1-10, Singapore 569933 
• Chinatown Concept Store: People's Park Complex, 1 Park Road, #01-22, Singapore 059108
• Causeway Point Concept Store: #03-26A, Woodlands Square, Singapore 738099  
• Compass One Concept Store: #B1-33, 1 Sengkang Square, Singapore 545078 
• Geylang Concept Store: 333 Geylang Road, Singapore 389364 
• Jurong Point Concept Store: 1 Jurong West Central 2 #B1-15, Singapore 648886 
• Tampines Concept Store: 4 Tampines Centre #03-03, Singapore 529510 

The phone can also be purchased online

Gifts of money for Chinese New Year quantified for 2017

Source: Gift Something blog post. Survey results for monetary gifts during Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. Values are in Hong Kong dollars.

Gift Something, a one-stop premium online retailer in Hong Kong, has conducted an online survey to find out more about the custom of gifting red envelopes (Editor's note: called angpow or red packets in Singapore, and lai see or red pockets in Hong Kong) during Chinese New Year. Traditionally, these are handed out to single people for luck by married family members during the first 15 days of the lunar year, but may also be given by employers to employees and to people who have provided services year-round such as security guards.

Gift Something has found that the tradition remains strong throughout Asia, noting that 98% of respondents participated in gifting red envelopes to others, most notably to children, immediate family members and close friends. The remaining 2% still keep up the festive tradition of extending blessings and well wishes to others as well as receiving red envelopes; however, they do not gift red envelopes to others as it is not customary for them to do so before marriage.

The survey also found that expatriates of non-Chinese heritage living in Asia also participate in gifting red envelopes during Chinese New Year. Gift Something added that individuals of Chinese heritage gift red envelopes with higher denominations than those of non-Chinese heritage, and the younger generation within this group receives almost five times more red envelopes from their elders.

Parents in Hong Kong gift red envelopes with an average value of HK$100 to HK$200 to their own children and grandchildren. Close and immediate family and friends are most likely to receive up to HK$50 in their red envelopes. The most common value, however, is HK$20. A majority of Gift Something's respondents give small denomination red envelopes to relatives, family friends, young adults and children. Whilst it is customary to gift red envelopes to the younger generation, the survey found that 10% of respondents also gifted red envelopes the other way round, to their elders.

The custom of gifting red envelopes has evolved throughout the years with this gesture being extended to security personnel in Hong Kong. Nearly all (92%) respondents gave red envelopes to the security personnel of their buildings, a quarter of whom gifting as much as HK$100 or more to each of the security staff.

Despite being in full-time employment, almost a quarter of respondents have never received a red envelope from their peers or superiors during Chinese New Year. However, the majority of the remaining 75% of respondents who receive a lucky red envelope during the festive season are gifted on average HK$100 from their superiors.


In Singapore, Westgate mall has also shared information in a similar layout on Facebook, crediting mustsharenews.com on the graphic. Westgate's guide is family-oriented however.

Source: Westgate Facebook page, credited to mustsharenews.com. Values are in Singapore dollars. 

At the time of writing, HK$1 = S$0.182594, or S$1 = HK$5.4766.

Red Dot Design Museum Singapore presents the best product designs of 2016

The Red Dot Design Museum Singapore is featuring a new collection of the latest innovations from this year’s Red Dot Award: Product Design. The exhibition showcases product solutions with refined technology, improved materials and an increased emphasis on users’ comfort and convenience.

This year, a panel of 41 international experts selected the best products from 57 countries. The contemporary collection on show in the Red Dot Design Museum Singapore consists of a selection of the winners showcasing an array of product designs from international brands like Apple, Google, IKEA, Plantronics and Nokia. Each exhibit is presented with the name of the design team and manufacturer, a description highlighting its design attributes and a statement from the jury.

Source: Red Dot. The Iriver AK T1 sound system.

The new collection includes for example the Iriver AK T1, a sound system which delivers precise sound transmission and enhances the quality of sound reproduction. The design of the sound system prevents overlapping of frequency and minimises internal and external vibrations. Visitors can experiment the various functions of the product and experience the sound system live at the museum.

Another exhibit is the ESYLUX Prana+ office floor light, which combines superior lighting and intelligent control technology including a high-tech sensor. The floor light is capable of creating different light intensities. The patented, extendable foot allows the lamp to be used at desks with sides extending to the floor.

Interested?

View winners of the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2016 till 30 November 2016
Red Dot Design Museum Singapore
28 Maxwell Road, Ground Floor
Red Dot Traffic Building
Singapore 069120

Read the TechTrade Asia blog posts on some of the Best of the Best Red Dot Award 2016 winners from HP, Microsoft, and Sony

Perfect your running technique with SHFT

Source: Red Dot. The SHFT virtual running coach.

SHFT, a Red Dot Award 2016 winner, is a virtual running coach from Denmark from SHFT.

The wearable tracks and analyses full body running data and statistics via two intelligent pods. The running data is translated into easy-to-follow and real-time coaching instructions. SHFT expects the device to help runners perfect their personal technique, reduce injuries and correct bad habits through the instructions.

The pods fit most shoes without obstructing the laces.

The Red Dot Award is one of the largest and most prestigious design awards in the world. In 2016, the award received a record 5,200 innovations from 57 nations. A jury panel of 41 international experts debated in Germany over three days to select the product designs that represent the best of design today.

Interested?

Starting 1 August 2016, the Red Dot Museum in Singapore will present a collection of products which have been named in Red Dot Award: Product Design 2016. The museum is at 28 Maxwell Road, Red Dot Traffic Building, Singapore 069120. It is open Monday to Sunday from 11am to 8pm.

Visit the online exhibition

Brighten up the office for Chinese New Year with festive flowers

Viva La Fleur will introduce a new range of long-lasting bouquets and table arrangements from 19 January 2015. In keeping with the festive season, red, orange and yellow hues symbolising love, luck and good fortune dominate in this range. 

Part of Viva La Fleur's new range. A combination of deep red roses, hydrangeas and caspia, with brown twigs. View this arrangement on Viva La Fleur's online shop here.

Part of Viva La Fleur's new range. Red roses paired with deep red hydrangeas and pink caspia. View this arrangement on Viva La Fleur's online shop here.

Florals from Viva La Fleur are made up of 100% natural flowers and foliage that do not need watering or sunlight, and which will last for months, bringing the recipient long-lasting love, luck and prosperity.

Read the blog post introducing Viva La Fleur here.