Top 3 Gadgets To Look Out For in 2011

To say that 2010 was a year of memorable tech products would be an understatement – the gadgets spawned in the previous year were smart, sleek and downright sexy. Take the global phenomenon brought about by the unveiling of the iPhone 4, for example. Add that to the heart-stopping range of top-of-the-line gaming consoles offering features like motion-sensing controllers such as Kinect for the Xbox and PlayStation Move for the PlayStation 3, and we had to pinch ourselves to make sure that we had not died and gone to geek heaven.

With the technology benchmark set firmly by the devices of 2010, it is hard to imagine that 2011 can get any better. But that’s not to say that you can expect a technological draught – if anything, 2011 is set to outshine its yesteryear.

While some of these gadgets are merely whispers in the wind, there is no doubt that these beautiful devices are going to take the world by storm. So, without further ado, here are our top three picks for 2011.

Apple iPhone 5

Even as Apple continues to struggle to release the white-skinned edition of the iPhone 4, Apple diehards are already anticipating the iPhone 5. As with the iPad 2, details are hard to come by – although it is safe to assume that the iPhone 5’s form factor might slightly differ from the current iPhone 4. It also would not be a surprise to see new iPhone employ ‘near field communication’ (NFC) to gain an added edge against the Google Nexus S, to support mobile computing. Sounds good? I thought so too.

The PlayStation Phone

Don’t let Sony Ericsson’s lack of affirmation fool you – the device is definitely real. Codenamed ‘Zeus’, the PlayStation Phone will apparently be a part Play Station Portable (PSP) and part Android Gingerbread-powered smartphone. Equipped with a 1GB ROM and 512 MB RAM, the 3.8" touch screen and touch pad resemble the PSP gaming console. Will its introduction to the market may be little late, there is no doubt that this nifty device will be a delight to many PlayStation fans out there.

RIM Blackberry Playbook

It is official – the RIM Blackberry Playbook is RIM’s foray into the tablet world. As far as specifications are concerned, the PlayBook rocks a 7-inch display with 1024 x 600 resolution, Cortex A9-based, dual-core 1GHz CPU (which RIM says is faster than their rival iPad’s processor), 1GB of RAM, two cameras (3 and 5 mega-pixel front and rear-facing cameras respectively), 1080-pixel High Definition video, HDMI port, 16GB/32GB/64GB versions as well as the ability to run Flash and Adobe Air appplications. Despite RIM’s market share having taken a battering in the face of stiff competition from Google Android and Apple iPhones, the PlayBook could very well be the device that brings them back to relevance.

Prawning making a splash in Singapore

Call it primal instinct to catch, kill and eat, but there is a new hobby that has hit local shores that is taking this little red dot by storm. Some people like to bake, others like to garden, but a new hobby is making waves – and with that comes a group of people who like to, get this, prawn.

The concept is relatively simple – one can loan a house rod at the respective hourly rates ($15 per hour on average) and bait it using the meat provided (usually minced chicken heart), then proceed to the pond of choice and while one’s afternoon away snapping up the tasty crustaceans.

For those still inexperienced in this scene, fret not, for there are an increasing number of prawning forums on the Internet created to provide advice on where and how to scoop up the best prawns at the best price.

Prawning enthusiast Mr David Foo, 54, says, “Ambience-wise, I would say it’s a tie between Bishan Prawn Fishing and Yishun Prawn Fishing. But if you’re looking at the prices, Pasir Ris Farmway Prawn Fishing wins hands-down—they sometimes throw in a couple of lobsters too, for good measure”.

With approximately 15 such prawning spots in Singapore to date, prawning enthusiasts now have a larger pool to choose from. These spots are scattered all over the island, with compounds located from Punggol to Pasir Ris.

Newest to the scene is Geylang Prawn Fishing Restaurant, which sprung up where people once practised their drop shots and smashes – the former Singapore Badminton Hall. Out of the 15 prawning spots, this is the only indoor one, much to the joy of prawning enthusiasts.

Regulars such as Mr Alan Tian, 40, who is self-employed, likes the indoor concept so much that he visits four times a week, and fishes for up to three hours each time. He adds, “There is ample parking space and this place’s prawns are bigger than at other places. I can catch up to 2kg worth of prawns in one night. Also, bad weather and rain is not an issue anymore”.

Additional perks such as the sheltered compounds encourage enthusiasts to indulge in their hobby even more regularly, and the profits of these prawning spots continue to soar high amidst the economic slowdown.

But just how lucrative is this business? Owner of Geylang Prawn Fishing Restaurant, Mr David Ang, 45, gives one a rough idea, “The place sees up to 100 customers a day, with the figure doubling on weekends. If one customer approximately loans the rod for 2 hours, then we earn about $3000 a day, in gross (profit)”.

Not too shabby at all, in this day and age. However, those running such businesses are not the only ones profiting from this novel hobby – seafood suppliers are getting their fair share of this fat pie as well.

Suppliers such as husband and wife duo Mr Tan Sien Hock, 50, and Mrs Tan Liew Xia, 45, supply the prawns for both Pasir Ris Farmway Prawn Fishing as well as Pasir Ris Town Park Prawn Fishing.

“We supply freshwater ‘big-head prawns’ from Thailand to Pasir Ris Farmway Prawn Fishing, but saltwater Tiger Prawns and Grey Prawns to Pasir Ris Town Park Prawn Fishing. Different prawns to different places, it lessens conflict,” says Mr Tan.

They supply an average of 100 kilograms of prawns each week to both prawning spots, with the prawns costing approximately $20 per kilogram.

Whatever the cost, there will always be those willing to fork out money to experience something new and exciting – and for a good reason at that.

“It’s a chance to get out of the house, and exert dominance over less powerful creatures,” Mr Foo jokes. “But honestly, it’s more for relaxation than anything else. The challenge of sitting there and not giving up is remarkably testing”

No sleaze please, we're Singaporean!

The oldest profession assumes many forms, and in Singapore a witty aphorism applies: dirty secrets thrive in clean cities. Politics hadn’t stopped seediness — it had complicated it, taken the fun out of it and made it assume disguises. In the 21st century, business is as business does.

It is almost midnight, and Apple sees her favourite customer make his way across the dance floor amidst the flashing lights and heart-stopping bass. Smiling, she snakes her way through the writhing crowd with a tequila shot in each hand.

Welcome to Thai Disco 2. Tucked away in a grimy corner of Golden Mile Complex, it is probably the heartbeat of the entire building. Apple, 25, is a “coyote”, the street name for a Thai disco girl. “Coyotes” like Apple are not at all rare in our sunny metropolis – with more than 50 Thai clubs and pubs island-wide, one just has to know where to find them.

“Coyotes” are not part of the lucrative prostitution trade in Singapore. It a simple barter – customers have to buy at least two tequila shots (each shot costs $12) in exchange for their company. These “coyotes” then pocket 50 per cent of the charge.

One class above the “coyotes” are the club singers, whose golden voices have saved them from needing to prowl for customers. Singers can play hard to get, agreeing to only a short 15 minutes of their company in exchange for a minimum of $10 for a garland of plastic flowers. These plastic flowers are forms of appreciation bestowed upon the singers during their performance, ranging from $10 to as much as an impressive $1000. The singers are entitled the entire sum.

With no end to the constant flow of admirers, a singer can earn up to $8k monthly, while a “coyote” can earn anything from $2k to $3.5k depending on their popularity. The secret to staying sober all night (their shifts start from 9pm to 3am daily) of many a “coyote” is simply to “mix the tequila shots with water,” says Apple.

A common misconception that many have is that the mere two shots entitle the customer to a free-flow of flesh, but 20-year-old club regular Low Kai Hui, disagrees. “When you pay for the tequila shot, you’re paying more for her company than her flesh, and this also depends on how much she likes you,” he says.

This does not mean that no seedy activity goes on behind closed doors — on rare occasions, some “coyotes” attempt to tempt potential customers with sexual favours for monetary exchange. When a “coyote” goes thus far, it oversteps the boundary and “morality” of the profession — she is now working as a free-agent.

Although police raids are not unheard of, they are still considered rare. Regular customer Lim Kuan Siong, 24, says “There are no drug or prostitution activities going on. What is not legal is that most girls here have overstayed their social visit passes.”

So what exactly draws in the crowd at these Thai discos? With a plethora of clubs and pubs, Singapore is practically the nightlife hub of Asia. Yet as many as 200 revellers every night shun big names such as St. James Power Station and The Butter Factory in favour of lesser-known Thai discos, the reason being the “wholesome” Thai hospitality.

“I can spend about 100 dollars each time, because the Thai girls here are different. They are more sincere and friendlier as compared to local girls,” says Low.

Of course, customers always want their money’s worth, and the drink prices are a draw as well. A jug of house pour spirits costs $38 and a jug of beer $28. That doesn’t even cover Happy Hour, where 3 jugs go for just $50. Also, a bottle of Martell VSOP brandy, Chivas Regal whisky, Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky and Courvoisier VSOP cognac costs between $148 and $178 each. What’s not to love?

Add booze and gals, and the result is an alternative to the local clubbing scene. Now remember, these girls may not be all that sleazy, but they have their demands as well. In this line, money talks. But don’t worry, it’s nothing personal – it’s all merely (risqué) business.