SINGAPORE: Their loud, garish neon lights make them easy to spot in heartland town centres. Their unique selling proposition - “cheaper than what the authorised service centre will charge” - calls out like a siren when our mobile devices “die” an untimely death.One such mobile phone repair business is Repair Express, whose co-founder, 28-year-old David started off as an apprentice at Sim Lim Square - one of Singapore’s well-known IT enclaves.His workspace is a nondescript office in the middle of Crawford Lane. Flickering near the entrance was a big, flat-screen TV hooked up to YouTube and showing videos of mobile devices being fixed or taken apart. David was sat bent over fiddling with a dissembled smartphone when Channel NewsAsia walked in on him one afternoon.It has been his bread-and-butter for the past four years, supported by what he described as a steady stream of customers.On average, he gets 15 to 20 customers a day, or 500 to 600 customers … [Read more...] about Mobile phone repair shops in Singapore have a fix to stay relevant as technology develops
Flat rate repair times
It is our money
In less than two weeks, President Duterte will deliver his third State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) since he assumed the highest post in the land in 2016. Of course, we can expect him to make a pitch for the proposed Constitution that will pave the way for the shift from a unitary to a federal form of government. Probably he will also mention about Package 2 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program that will reduce corporate income taxes from 30 to 25 percent and rationalize fiscal incentives being enjoyed by investors. He may also push for the approval of a bill seeking the creation of a national ID system which is one of the priority legislative measures being pushed by the Department of Finance. And then it goes without saying that the President will talk about his accomplishments in the areas of fighting graft and corruption and improving the peace and order situation in the country. But then, people are going to expect him to give his honest-to-goodness assessment as to whether or … [Read more...] about It is our money
Asia markets swing as uncertainty rules ahead of Easter break
HONG KONG: Asian stocks fluctuated on Thursday (Mar 29) as a volatile week drew to an early close in many markets, while bubbling trade tensions and another painful day for Wall Street technology shares continued to feed uncertainty.While news of Kim Jong Un's visit to China fuelled fresh hopes for stability on the Korean peninsula, investors have been more occupied with fears about a possible global trade war and a sell-off in the tech sector.However, the South Korean won built on Wednesday's gains.Market titan Facebook has led a plunge in big-name stocks on worries about a regulatory clampdown following a massive data breach at the social media site.Tesla, Amazon, Twitter and Google parent Alphabet have also come under the cosh, sending the tech-rich Nasdaq southwards, with the index losing 0.9 per cent on Wednesday. The Dow and S&P 500 also ended in the red.There was little movement on news that the US economy had grown a lot faster in October-December than previously thought.In … [Read more...] about Asia markets swing as uncertainty rules ahead of Easter break
What makes a good rental villa?
by Ian Macaulay www.AquilaPhuket.com Not everyone who has gone through the process of owning or building a villa will want to rent it out. Even if you don’t, rentability can have a significant impact on the asset and resale value so it’s well worth being aware of a given property’s potential appeal to the rental market. Here are a few things to consider: Location No, we won’t say this 3x, but it always should be remembered as a major factor. Every location has its advantages, which can range from the mundane – number of parking spaces (for when you want to have a gathering of friends), or accessibility to restaurants as some examples. How close is the villa to the major spots of appeal for visitors? Views and surroundings are also valued and appreciated by guests, and consequentially impact desirability. Some places will win because they are close to the action, others are be able to play the card of being away from it all – the first may … [Read more...] about What makes a good rental villa?
Jordan Peterson is trying to make sense of the world — including his own strange journey
By Vinay Menon Entertainment Columnist Fri., March 16, 2018 Jordan B. Peterson is on a journey into the unknown. But at this moment, as he ambles into his sun-drenched living room, he first needs to get through the next agenda item in a daily schedule that is snapped together like a jigsaw puzzle by a team of handlers. “How long are we going to talk?” he asks, as solicitously as Mister Rogers. When I tell him I booked two hours with the gatekeepers, horror dances in his eyes, as if I just casually asked for one of his kidneys. But he nods gamely and rubs the back of his neck. His slender body folds up like an origami crane as he settles into a leather recliner and swivels into gabbing position. Get comfy, Professor. There is much to discuss. Article Continued Below Driving in that morning, I find myself thinking about Peterson’s neighbours in Seaton Village. What must they make of this epic transformation? A few years ago, Peterson was a … [Read more...] about Jordan Peterson is trying to make sense of the world — including his own strange journey