Jul 31, 2013

Awesome Sauce, it's Furby Boom!

1 comment :
Media Invite
(Daddy previews)

Last year, the monkies received the Furby reboot version and they immediately fell in love with it. Particularly for Ale, who remembered to cuddle it every night before bed and even placed it beside her come bedtime. So you can imagine her utter devastation when that Furby met with an untimely demise. 

I suspect it was the frequent dropping of the poor Furby onto the floor - blame it on Ale's small palms - and so, there came a day when he remained in a coma permanently. Ale was obviously shattered but time does heal wounds... until she got reminded of it again, all thanks to a brand new Furby launching in August!


Say hello to Furby Boom, the 2013 version which would not only feature all the 'magic' and personality of its predecessor but also double the content.

Externally, the new Furby Boom looks quite similar to last year's model, with the same glowing eyes (albeit more emotional options), moving beak and twitching pointy ears. The fur got an upgrade, however, with six "fashion forward patterns" of waves, zigzags and polka dots. A further 6 designs will be launched towards the end of the year.


But it is the internal of the Furby Boom that has been souped up considerably, with the biggest change being a huge update to the free companion iOS and Android app.

For starters, the Furby Boom has an enhanced memory function which allows it to remember the name that you give it, as well as the names of its other Furby Boom friends!


As with all pets, the Furby Boom requires a fair bit of maintenance too. The app will display an interactive dashboard which monitors its well-being, including its health, hunger and cleanliness levels. Yes, pets take a dump in the virtual world too.

So if your Furby Boom is feeling icky, just pop it down to the shower room and watch it physically react to the temperature of the water.


But here comes my favourite part - watching Furby poop.


The toilet bowl will actually slide under Furby Boom, followed by some rather cute constipated sounds and voila - brown cake. Well sometimes it is just poo, and sometimes it is a flower or other weird items.

But the reason why Furby Boom is called as such is because it can lay a virtual egg, which in time will hatch and become a baby Furby, or Furbling, that will live and evolve within the app.


You can collect over 50 eggs, and eventually unlock a whole Furby Boom city. You can also earn Furbucks to unlock extras, but parents can heave a sigh of relief - Hasbro says there won't be any insidious in-app purchases, and a child won't be able to buy Furbucks with cash.

Which was probably why I felt safe handing over not one, but two Furby Booms  to the monkies.


Yes, the kind people at Hasbro Singapore threw in an extra Furby Boom after they learnt how terribly distraught Ale was when our previous Furby kicked the bucket. So the moment Ash, Ayd and Ale laid their hands on those 2 talkative buggers, it was last year all over again.


Petting their heads, tickling them, yanking their tails, tilting them upside-down, playing music to them - they did everything and more. The good thing is, Ale is treating the Furbies with the utmost care now... which only goes to show that instead of having three noisy machines at home, now I have FIVE.


The things I put up with to please my monkies.

Furby Boom is priced at S$119.90 and will be available from 20 August 2013 at Toys 'R' Us, major department stores at Metro, OG and Takashimaya and selected Electronic stores. You can pre-order your own Furby Boom from 2-19 August 2013 at all Toys 'R' Us outlets. An exclusive Furby Boom goodie bag worth S$46.70, which consists of Furby Backpack, Furby 2014 Organiser and a Colour Marker, will be given for all pre-orders.

You are also welcome to join in the festivities from 20 to 25 August 2013 at Toys 'R' US VivoCity to celebrate the launch of Furby Boom, with a day of fun-filled activities.



Email to a friend
Jul 30, 2013

Results: ciNE65 Gold Village Movie Tickets Giveway

No comments :
(Daddy announces)

The results of the ciNE65 giveaway is OUT! And here are the 5 lucky winners:


Congratulations to Jane Lee, Serene Leow, Wen Hui, Jeremy Wong and Huilin Pang! You have each won a pair of Golden Village movie tickets.

Please email me at kelvin(at)cheekiemonkie.net to claim your prize. Prizes not claimed by 6th August will be forfeited and another winner will be picked.

Be sure to check out all the short films submitted for this year's ciNE65 Season II competition too! Here's one example, which was awarded the Jury's Choice's Overall Best Film (Student Category).



With National Day approaching, get into the patriotic mood by taking your pick from 166 short films - films with their own Singapore story to tell - here: https://cine65.sg/film-listing.php.


Email to a friend

Parents World Magazine Feature

No comments :
(Daddy blogs)

Blogging as a Parent has indeed come a long way. All over the world, and especially here in Singapore, many parents are taking to their blogs to voice their opinions as well as to share the funny, touching and often inspiring stories that come with parenthood.

A handful of these Parent Bloggers are featured in the latest issue (Issue 39) of Parents World Magazine and I am honoured to be one of them.


Erm, just in case squinting at the screen isn't your kind of thing.


And on behalf of Parents World Magazine, here's a shout-out to all the mummies and daddies out there - Head on down to the Parents World Exhibition 2013 at Singapore Expo Hall 6A from 30 Aug - 1 Sep 2013 for a fun-filled day out with your family!

There will lots of booths to browse from, as well as exciting programmes to join in. Have you always suspected that your baby is one fast crawler, or just simply the cutest thing on Earth? Sign them up for the 'Fastest Crawling Baby 2013' or 'Parents World Cutest Baby 2013' competitions and snag cool prizes! Registration details are in the poster below.


Also, in conjunction with National Breastfeeding Month in August, Parents World Exhibition will attempt to set a national record in the Biggest Breastfeeding Challenge on the 31 August. Registration is free and the first 250 mums who register will receive a free goodie bag (worth up to $100)!


Parents World Exhibition
Date: 30 Aug – 1 Sep
Time: 11am – 9pm
Location: Singapore Expo Hall 6A
Admission is FREE

Biggest Breastfeeding Challenge
Date: 31 August 2013
Time: 1pm
Location: Singapore Expo Hall 6A
Registration is FREE


Email to a friend
Jul 29, 2013

A Farm Stay close to home

4 comments :
(Daddy blogs)

Remember our farm stay experience in Johor, Malaysia last year?


We were back again at the farm resort a few weeks back, all because the extended family wanted to. A convenient excuse I know, but I was pretty sure the monkies wouldn't mind cuddling some goats once again!


Situated in Johor - about one hour's drive away from Singapore – UK Agro Farm Resort is Malaysia's largest goat and sheep farm, with 100 acres of grazing land for 4000 sheep. It is good for a day trip, but if you are looking for a farm stay experience without busting your wallet, this is as good as it gets.

And as usual, the expansive view at the farm reminded me of how much fun we all had the last time we were here.


I wouldn't go into the details of our stay at UK Agro Farm Resort because you can read my review in 2 parts here: Part One and Part Two. But obviously, the highlight of the Farm has got to be its 3-hour Farm Tours, which consisted visits to the feedstock processing factory, sheep pens, goat milk processing centre, herb sanctuary, ostrich park, Jakun village, fruit farm, nursery, mushroom and vegetable farms.

There are different Farm Tour packages to choose from and you can view them in detail HERE. Essentially, one can opt for either the 3-hour Guided Tour on a Mini-bus or a 2-hour Tour on a Horse Cart. And since we adults allowed the kids to make the all-important decision, they predictably went for novelty.


The main difference between the Mini-bus and Horse Cart tours, aside from pricing, is that the Mini-bus tour comes with a guide, who will explain the going-ons behind the various stop points in the Farm. In case you are wondering about the pricing, here they are:

Mini-Bus Tour
Adult: Off-Peak RM40.00 | Peak RM50.00 (per Person)
Child: Off-Peak RM35.00 | Peak RM45.00 (per Person)
Senior Citizen: Off-Peak RM20.00 | Peak RM30.00 (per Person)

Horse Cart Tour (seats 4 per cart)
Peak: RM200.00 per Cart
Off-Peak: RM160.00 per Cart

Off-Peak: Monday - Thursday
Peak: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays & School Holidays 

Back to the tour proper and obviously the kids - humans, not the baby goats - were always going to go bonkers when offered the chance to bottle-feed the adoring goats.


Oh, and cradling them too!


We were then herded to the goat milking pen, something which we didn't have the chance to see the last time when we were here.


The rest of the tour was more or less similar to our previous visit, where we fed some ostriches at the Ostrich Park and visited the Herb Sanctuary, Mushroom and Fruit Farms.


The kids even tried their hand at dart-blowing at the Jakun Village!


So all in all, it was safe to say that all the kiddos enjoyed the farm experience (even though the weather was so darn hot!).


So it was a relief when we headed back to our air-conditioned Resort Room.


Accommodation comes in the form of a 'Long House', a traditional house found in the Iban community in Sarawak. Built on stilts and with long corridors, the rooms overlook the vast green meadows and the grazing pastures of the Farm. We got the Deluxe Room (RM240 per night) which came with one double bed and one single bed, with the usual amenities like air-conditioning and water heater. So yes, it was pretty decent, clean and functional.


And if you are wondering about meal options, the Farm Resort has its own café and restaurant which serves standard food fare like fried rice and noodles, coupled with their signature dishes of lamb chop, mutton soup, salt-baked kampong chicken. Do try the lamb chop - it's so succulent and tender!

Alternatively, you can also have a delicious steamboat meal at the Zenxin Organic Farm – an organic vegetables farm – which is a 10-minute drive away from UK Agro Farm Resort. Which we did as well.

All in, the Farm Resort makes a pretty unique family getaway if you are looking beyond the usual staycation or themepark/waterpark/anythingpark vacation. A one-night stay is more than adequate to keep the kids occupied I reckon, plus there is always LEGOLAND Malaysia to look forward to on the way back to Singapore!


Useful Information

UK AGRO FARM RESORT
Plot 8, Project Pertanian Moden Kluang,
KM13 Jalan Batu Pahat, 86000 Kluang,
Johor, Malaysia
Tel: +607-759 7555; +607-759 5018; +607-759 5991
Fax: +607-759 7991
Website: www.ukfarm.com.my
Email: info@ukfarm.com.my
Location Map: Click HERE
Directions: Take the North-South Highway from Tuas Checkpoint. Take the Air Hitam Exit, and turn right at the T-junction after the toll. Pass Zenxin Organic Farm and a set of traffic lights. You will see a huge UK Agro Farm signboard on your left. Turn left into a gravel-laden road. Continue on it and turn right on seeing the sign.
GPS Coordinates: N02 01.109 E103 13.117


Email to a friend
Jul 28, 2013

Need for Speed II

No comments :
Media Invite
(Daddy blogs)

Following my previous Insider event with SingTel where I was taken for a ride - literally, not metaphorically of course - in a van around the CBD and town area to see how SingTel's network engineers do their job, it was time for me to personally experience SingTel's 4G and enhanced 3G networks.

And what better way to test out the 4G network than to download the Speedtest app onto my LG Optimus G smartphone and use it to determine the download and upload speeds of the network. First up, I tested it out at West Mall, a shopping mall in Bukit Batok.


Amazingly, SingTel's 4G network gave me a Download speed of 37.14 Mbps and an Upload speed of 40.26Mbps! Considering that I got only about 1.8 Mbps while on the 3G network, the result was akin to having Speedy Gonzales within my smartphone indeed. But just to prove that it was no fluke, I headed down to IKEA Alexandra to put the network to the test once more.


A Download speed of 39.72 Mbps and an Upload speed of 35.33 Mbps pretty much confirms the strength of SingTel's 4G network. Okay, I know what you are thinking right now - if SingTel's 4G network is so good, why do I still experience poor network reception at some places?

Truth is, there are actually various factors that may affect coverage, and these are often due to the inherent nature of mobile technologies. Generally though, users experience weaker reception if their office or apartment is not located near to shared mobile infrastructure and signals are blocked by walls and structures. These issues are not unique to the SingTel network and could affect customers of any operator. And another important thing to note, the 4G network is currently limited on street level and not underground or in MRT tunnels.

That said, SingTel is committed to providing the fastest mobile surfing experience by enjoying nationwide street-level high-speed internet as well as indoor coverage in more than 550 buildings, including shopping malls, hotels and other commercial properties.


What of the enhanced 3G network then? I was pleased to find out that in the event where 4G coverage is not available, SingTel has in place an ongoing 3G network enhancement island-wide to boost capacity and coverage which is prioritized based on customers' feedback. So what this means is that should you encounter a problem spot in Singapore where the 3G coverage drops frequently, you can help by alerting SingTel to it too! Click HERE to submit your feedback, and SingTel will act on it after a series of checks.

As of now, SingTel has completed 90% of its network upgrade which means more than 240 sites across Singapore and this will offer download speeds of up to 42Mbps - currently at 75% islandwide - which is double the 21Mbps speed of existing 3G networks! Visit HERE for a list of the 3G network upgrades that have been done in the shopping malls and HDB estates.

And if you are always on the go and dependent on mobile data network, one thing that will inherently stick in your mind is data consumption. Most of the renewal mobile contracts slap a 2GB data cap with it, so I would surmise it would be quite scary to bust that cap and pay for the extra data usage. But here is something interesting: only 10% of SingTel customers exceed their data cap based on statistics. For me, I facebook, tweet, instagram, check my emails, surf the web... all this and I struggle to hit 1GB of data consumption every month. I do monitor my monthly data usage on my smartphone as well, and here are some more ways to ensure that one does not exceed his/her data cap.

1. Subscribers can check their data usage via *3282 (*DATA) or My SingTel app
2. SingTel also has proactively put in place alerts to notify customers who exceed their bundled data
3. Should SingTel Subscribers choose to exceed data, there’s DataMore VAS which customers can subscribe to so as to add on to their current data plan.


Want to make the most of your SingTel account further? Besides offering real-time network performance on third-party applications (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook), there are also useful SingTel apps to suit every subscriber:

Store & Share
Store, share and retrieve your memories faster and easier than before. Store your files online for easy backup and sharing with friends. Access these files from anywhere, even overseas, on any device. Back up your mobile contacts and upload photos/videos instantly to your online folders with any smartphone. Sync your digital contents across mobile phones and desktops reliably. You will always have the most important information with you, even if you change computers or switch between smartphone models. It’s everything you need, when you need it! All SingTel Mobile customers will enjoy free 2GB Store & Share online storage space.

My SingTel Account 3
A one-stop application that allows you to view your SingTel bills, manage your mobile services, check data usage and even subscribe to overseas data roaming, all on the go! You may also redeem points to enjoy SingTel rebates and exclusive deals through our Red Rewards program. For more details, please go to FAQ page: http://www.ideas.singtel.com/iphone/support/faq.jsp

AMPed
AMPed offers SingTel subscribers a unique social music experience and free unlimited access to millions of songs, exclusive music content on mobile and web as well as opportunities to get closer to the stars. Find favourite songs, artistes and albums easily with AMPed intuitive user interface. Start discovering new songs everyday with new releases and intelligent recommendations. More info: http://www.ampedmusic.com

For more information on SingTel's 4G and enhanced 3G networks, visit http://info.singtel.com/personal/


Email to a friend
Jul 26, 2013

The Force is strong with this one

4 comments :
Media Invite
(Daddy uses the Force)

Fans of Star Wars have a good reason to believe that the Force is truly with them, with the world’s biggest Death Star model to be displayed at the LEGOLAND Malaysia.


Starting from today, the Lego Death Star model will be the main feature in a dedicated area at the LEGOLAND Malaysia MINILAND.


Made from 750,000 pieces of Lego bricks and 10,000 special glow-in-the dark tiles, the LEGO Star Wars Miniland Death Star model display weighs almost 800 kilograms and reaches 6 metres in height, making it the largest in the world. 


There will also be interactive displays as well as smaller replicas of popular characters from the movie, including Obi-Wan Kenobi's and Darth Vader's lightsabre duel, an X-wing fighter, the Emperor’s throne room, Garbage Masher and Trench Run. All painstakingly made from LEGO.


And thanks to the 10,000 glow-in-the dark LEGO, the Death Star would even light up at night, complete with shooting laser beams and sound effects to make the entire model even more realistic!


And if you are intending to visit LEGOLAND Malaysia between 16 to 18 August 2013, you are in luck - there will be a first-ever LEGO Star Wars Days event where guests will be able to participate in activities ranging from mystery mural building to special movie screenings. Kids will also be able to undergo Lightsaber training from 'Jedi Masters' too!


But hurry, the LEGO Star Wars Miniland Death Star display will only be for a limited period only. After that, it would be disassembled and displayed at other LEGOLAND theme parks in Denmark, Germany, Britain, California and Florida.

So, as Yoda will say...




Email to a friend
Jul 25, 2013

NDP 2013: One Singapore

No comments :
(Daddy celebrates)

With National Day Parade (NDP) Preview and Actual Day tickets proving to be just as elusive as McDonald's Minions toys, we were fortunate enough to snag some tickets for the NDP National Education (NE) 2 show - which essentially is a dress rehearsal for the actual parade but with the audience predominantly made up of Primary 5 students.


Unlike last year where Ale didn't join us, the whole cheekiemonkie gang was there this time around to eagerly wish Singapore a Happy Birthday in advance.


The theme for this year's NDP 2013 is “Many Stories… One Singapore”. Everyone has a story to tell and these stories define who we are as an individual and collectively as a nation. And so, it is through the remembering and sharing of these stories that make us who we are and how we identify ourselves as Singaporeans.


Similar to last year, Ayd was the one who seemed to always revel in such highly-charged atmosphere. Perhaps it was the enthusiasm shown by the emcees and performers, or maybe it was the infectious mood of the audience.


 Or quite simply, it was the red hot patriotism simmering within him.


But fervent passion or not, there was no denying the Red Lions were the perennial favourite when they announced their arrival in the skies above.


And this year, it is a tad special because the free-fall display involves the first-ever female Red Lion(ess)!


But the most fun part for the monkies had got to be the screaming that accompanied the successful landing of the Red Lions team members... which Ayd partook with great relish!


The action didn't slow down one bit as personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) took over in the Dynamic Defence Display.


Watch out for the aerial flypast by the Republic of Singapore Air Force as four F-15SG and five F-16D Block 52+ fighter jets pay tribute to the nation on the RSAF’s 45th Anniversary.


Which came complete with thunderous sonic booms.


The Flag Fly-past was at a more acceptable decibel level for the Diva though, where she stood motionless as the National Anthem was sung.


I think she must have been listening intently to her 2 older brothers singing 'Majulah Singapura' at the top of their voices.


As the contingents on the Floating Platform began trooping away, the monkies were getting all excited for the actual show to begin.


This year, home-grown producer, director, writer and performer Ms Selena Tan takes over the mantle as Creative Director of the show segment and through her, everyday Singaporeans and their stories take centre stage at this year's show.

The show consists of 9 short segments this year - Play, Build, Reinvent, Express, Represent, Aspire, Embrace, Love and Party - showcasing the diversity and uniqueness of Singaporeans in an entertaining and humourous way.


The segment, Play, has got be one of my fave segments and it was all because of this.


It's a human LED screen display and I was utterly amazed at the impeccable coordination and timing of the school students! Through the brilliant colour-changing display, traditional stories we have heard when we were young, such as how Redhill got its name, were presented right before our very eyes.

The rest of the segments featured energetic performances by Singaporean from all walks of life - extreme sportsmen including BMX bikers, parkour runners, skate boarders and inline skaters to Team Singapore athletes and aspiring Singaporean athletes and the Sing A Nation choir.

Which pretty much had the audience lighting up their lightsabers in approval.


Throwing inflatable giant balls into the audience definitely made the primary school kids in the audience go even wilder!


In a very refreshing twist, the Merlion also 'left' his usual post at Marina Bay and joined in the fun on the Floating Platform as well.


And by the time the final segment rolled along, everyone was already all pumped up to party!


Yes, definitely Ayd too.


And since it was the finale, it was time for THAT song to make its appearance.


One Singapore - that NDP 2013 Theme Song that some people say is the most successful song ever written in the history of NDP, simply because no other NDP Songs have managed to truly unite all Singaporeans like this one.

Well to be fair, after hearing it performed live at the show I have to say it sounded much better in a grand show setting than watching the video online. I still detest the rapping bit though but overall, the atmosphere and energy of the performers coupled with the primary school kids in the audience singing along definitely made the song sound more palatable.

The seriousness bit then kicked in as it was our turn to reaffirm our pledge to Singapore.


Did the monkies enjoy themselves? It should be pretty obvious.


We certainly had a blast at this year's NDP. In fact, the wifey and I preferred this year's show compared to last year's.


Ditto for Ash and Ayd too, who last year preferred the Parade Ceremony to the show segments. This time around, they were humming and dancing to familiar tunes during the show, which I take it as a great show all round by the performers!

Happy 48th Birthday in advance, Singapore!

View more photos of our NDP 2013 experience in our Facebook Album HERE!


Email to a friend
Newer Posts Older Posts
................... Home ...................
TOP