Ya, RM2090. Cousin scanned the Samsung advert from newspaper.

How do you claim back Gst? You're not a tourist.

And why can't you get a phone line with a phone bought from Malaysia ?

The SG price difference vs MY or HK is more than 7%. 15% actually.

I have 1 phone line in SG, and I need only one phone line. However the contract is 2 years, but I like to change phones every year, sometimes 6 months when I see something new that I like. So I have to buy many of my phones without contract.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 8:18 amLaunch is today. Samsung and telco shops should have stock today. The queues will be crazy.


This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 24 2011, 08:18 AM

Go to Samsung showroom at Vivocity. I bought my Tab there on launch day as well, despite it supposedly being a telco-exclusive launch.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 11:03 amTrue, my logic is that if I'm out of Ipoh, doesn't matter if it's KL, SG, HK etc. I'm still simply away from home.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 11:04 amIf you like not having to ask Steve Jobs for permission to do everything, you'll enjoy it.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 11:05 amI absolutely agree.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 11:07 amWith the current and upcoming Android devices, it's going to be a pretty good fight. Apple will always have its base market of irrational people who like being shafted.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 11:09 amIf it comes one day, I'll welcome it. But I won't go stand in bars buying free drinks looking for it. Besides, the effect of marriage (and kids) is that your savings limit simply needs to be much higher.

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Added on June 24, 2011, 11:14 amI give away my old phones to my brother and cousins in Ipoh.


This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 24 2011, 11:14 AM

Android phones are not "jailed" in the first place. App developers can produce whatever the heck apps they want. Loads of free apps too. Most free apps are practically the same as paid versions due to the advertising.

Having said that, you can "root" the phone to gain access to developer or manufacturer options. For instance, I am considering rooting the Tab in order to manually control the clock speed of the processor.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 24 2011, 10:52 PM

I still don't understand. What's the problem? You can still get a postpaid line from Singtel/Starhub/M1 even if you don't buy the phone from them, you know. If you already have one, problem solved.

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Added on June 25, 2011, 12:20 amDidn't hear about this at all. Who's Mr Some?


This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 25 2011, 12:20 AM

Assumption: You only need / can only use ONE phone line.

(A) if you don't have a postpaid line yet - then get the phone + contract package. This is the most cost effective of all.

(B) if you already have a line - you don't need/want another line/contract. Then simply get the cheapest off-the-shelf price for the handset you want.

Sounds like it's related to AP units some guy named sunnychai sold on the forums. And in v6 of the thread, the guy who posted the issue again mentioned he had a screen protector, and his friend who has the same screen protector had the issue too.

Anyway, just test it yourself before you buy. I really don't think this is a widespread issue.

If it were me, I would not be comfortable allowing other people to use a line registered under my name. If they default on the bill, it's my problem. If they do anything illegal with the line, it's my problem.

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Added on June 25, 2011, 10:36 amFound this at gsmarena.

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_i...t-news-2719.php

Loaded up the test page on my Thinkpad (which cost 5X the S II)... guess what... same uneven blackness

I guess it's the old flat screen TV adage is true... if you want pure blacks, go plasma. A screen that cannot be "unlit" (ie. has to be backlit), even when it is supposed to be displaying black ie. no light... will never produce pure even black.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 25 2011, 10:37 AM

I rather have a company that pays me $100 more in cash salary every month.

If TAB P/L offer the same terms as SCB... then SCB has issues, I reckon.

Anyway, my point is that 'benefits' are a very grey area. The value of that 'benefit' is dependent on whether you are in a position to use it. My company gives very good maternity benefits, but I'll never be able to take advantage of it... but it's counted as part of our 'employee total compensation'. It also has a pretty good housing interest subsidy, but I have not benefited from this since I haven't bought anything yet. I rather have a cash allowance that does not depend on whether I can use that benefit or not. For instance, I rather get an upfront cash car allowance or phone allowance - rather than a company car or company phone benefit. I may not want to drive a car, or I may not want to get a very expensive mobile plan. I'd take the cash instead, pay only for what I want to use and pocket the difference. At the end of the day, I prefer a company that encashes as much of the remuneration as possible, rather than fold it into conditional 'benefits'.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 25 2011, 12:24 PM

The cheapest 12GB data plan is around $38, like SH's Smartsurf 100.

Let's say $40 to make calculations easy...

24 month contract is $960, and you buy the phone off the shelf for $990. Total cost of phone + line for 2 years is $1950.

That's over $300 cheaper than what you would pay with the plan you attached. However the fact is that even the cheapest plan will get you a handset subsidy... so the differential will be $300 + another few hundred.

Unless you really need the 500m talktime and 500sms etc, why pay so much more?


PS... your $62/mth workback is misleading because you're comparing a plan after deducting handset subsidy with plans without deducting the handset subsidy.

And what's the point of comparing with Malaysian telcos? They are not alternatives for using the phone in SG.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 25 2011, 02:21 PM

Who says your experience and qualifications are okay? Okay for what and in relation to what?

Only the top 4 matters. The others will not get you shortlisted unless it's an employer that cannot attract Big4 leavers. I've been in finance my whole career and I can't even name the 5th largest firm (global, Malaysian nor Singaporean) without Googling. If I can't tell, my secretary or HR partner (who will shortlist resumes for me to see) definitely will not.

More than 70% of this generation of Singaporeans have a tertiary education. 100% of those Singaporeans you're competing with with have a degree or better. 100% of those foreign immigrants that you're competing with have a degree or better. 60% of the 50 accountants in my company's accounting service center in Singapore have a professional qualification. 40% of have a Masters degree. 25% have a Masters and a professional qualification or better.

You're not qualified yet. You can't be a little bit pregnant. Either you are, or you aren't.

To be frank, your profile does not stand out.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 28 2011, 08:58 PM

I think I understand audit pretty well. If you understood it as well as you think you do, you wouldn't be still looking for a job after so many failed applications, would you?

It is not about the time you put in, or the frustration that you face. In short, it's not about your feelings or emotional needs, and it's not about you.

It's about you compared to your competitors.

If you're not being shortlisted and called for interviews, obviously your CV and/or your profile (ie. education, experiences, skillsets) are not attracting the attention of employers compared to other CVs they are looking at.

To secure an interview as a non-resident of Singapore, you have to stand out from your competitors, and stand out far enough for the employer to feel he might still want to employ you despite the additional bureaucratic effort required to employ you compared to employing a resident.

Either you (1) improve your CV, (2) improve your profile or (3) apply to employers which attract fewer and/or lower quality competitors.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jun 30 2011, 11:30 PM

Get on Linkedin, and get chummy with some SG recruiters. Talk to them and they might tell you what your typical competitor profiles are and which part of your profile is weak. You will be surprised how competitive some environments/industries/roles can be. Singapore attracts very qualified Indians, Chinese, other Asians and also Westerners besides Malaysians. You could be competitive back in MY, but it's a different ball game in SG, especially if you're in one of the hotter fields.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jul 1 2011, 12:06 AM

Posting this from Bic Camera in Kyoto using a Galaxy S II. It is very, very good. Damn fast (browser as well), killer screen and feels surprisingly good in the hand. Feels very light. Gingerbread feels quite responsive, better than it does on my Galaxy Tab. I'm guessing it's the faster processer and 1GB RAM. Musicplayer now has an added 'play by folder' mode on top of the usual album/artist/genre/etc playlist system which is useless for people who don't like to pay money for mp3s or waste time editing ID3 details.

Price in Japan from NTT Docomo (the Japs will simply not put 'Samsung' as the 'producer') is JPY54800. That's about S$850. Therefore, SG's S$998 launch price is ~S$150 more than MY, HK or JP. Ridiculous.

This post has been edited by seantang: Jul 1 2011, 02:09 PM

Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City or Borders at Wheelock. Try the Central Library too. Or just buy online.

For white goods, I usually go to Carrefour. If you have POSB's Everyday mastercard, you get 5% rebate to spend on your next purchase. And every other month or so, they will have a 10% weekend promotion for the card. 10% and the hypermarket prices to begin with, is pretty cheap.

Otherwise, I usually go to Courts or Fairprice Xtra (hypermart), namely because they're in AMK. Harvey Norman's okay as well but not convenient for me. Just a while back, I picked up a 42" LG plasma tv display set for $499 from Courts (in Orchard though).

Same as other folks. Shares, fixed deposits and property.