//beconfused

According to Reuters, 3G iPhones would be out in Singapore on August 22.

SingTel to launch 3G iPhone in August-source

SINGAPORE, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, Southeast Asia’s largest telecoms firm, will launch Apple Inc’s third-generation iPhone in Singapore before the end of August, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

“SingTel should be launching the 3G iPhone in Singapore before the end of the month,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The company plans to launch it in 20 more countries on Aug. 22. It has set a target of selling 10 million iPhones this year.

Source: Reuters

Want to get one?

I’m likely to go learn driving since I have a Basic Theory and I sort of just stop there.

I’m looking for private driving instructors, preferably at Bukit Batok or Jurong East area. Any recommendations?

iPhone’s coming to Singapore it appears. SingNet is also giving away Apple MacBook if you sign up for their 80+++ plans. Lots of Apple love going on.

SingTel ropes iPhone distro in Singapore, India, Australia, and Philippines

Singapore Telecommunications (aka SingTel) announced that it’s secured agreements to distribute the iPhone in Singapore (on SingTel Mobile) and its partly-owned subsidiaries in Australia (on Optus), India (on Bharti Group), and the Philippines (on Globe Telecom). Vodafone’s also distributing the iPhone in India and Australia though, so we’ll have to wait until later this year to find out who gets to shoot first.

Read more at Engadget.

Come, let’s learn some malay:

Selamat datang means “welcome” (Used as a greeting).

Selamat jalan mean “have a safe journey” (equivalent to “goodbye”, used by the party staying).

Selamat tinggal means “goodbye” (Lit translation: “Good stay”, used by the party going).

Selamat pagi means “good morning”.

Selamat petang means “Good afternoon or good evening” (note that ‘Selamat petang’ must not be used at night as in English. For a general greeting, use ‘Selamat sejahtera’).

Selamat sejahtera means formal greetings.

Selamat malam means “good night”.

Okay okay… Enough already. Selamat malam everyone. (More on Wikipedia)

This is probably the most egoistic ad campaign:

(No other career opportunity can match this.)

I think it’s by the Singapore military or army or whatever since it says ‘The Decisive Force’. Not only does this advertisement say the military is great, they further pointed out that they’re just the best. Hmmmp… Is this supposed to have some sort of psychological effect, making men feel proud enough to join?

TODAY Singapore reports that, in order to solve the MRT squeeze, Singapore is to build two new lines that run parallel to the present routes at the cost of $20 billion.

(Map of the new $20 billion MRT lines. Image credit: TODAY Online)

Answer to the MRT squeeze

THE problem is a familiar one: The passenger squeeze in MRT trains.

The solution is radical — at least in the Singaporean context: Build two new lines that run parallel to the present routes at a cost of $20 billion.

One will run from Marina Bay and end at Woodlands, very similar to the present North-South route adding new townships like Sin Ming, Kebun Baru, Thomson and Kim Seng. The other will mirror the eastern portion of the East-West Line, running through Tanjong Rhu, Siglap, Marine Parade and Bedok South.

By 2018 and 2020, respectively, the 18-station Thomson Line and the 12-station Eastern Region Line will be up and running.

The routes of the two new underground lines caught National University of Singapore (NUS) researcher Han Songguang off-guard. Said Mr Han: “In most cases, you wouldn’t run parallel rail lines because they would be tapping into the same market.”

Still, Assistant Professor Terence Fan of the Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Lee Kong Chian School of Business pointed out that such a model is seen in New York, London and Hong Kong.

The two new lines are not the only changes to the rail network announced by Transport Minister Raymond Lim in part two of his big bang strategy on Friday: There will also be extensions to the existing lines to be ready by 2015. The North-South Line will be stretched to Marina South to take commuters to the upcoming Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Barrage. And workers at the Jurong Industrial Estate will be able to make use of the five-station Tuas Extension to get to work.

Read more at TODAY Online

My mom’s already confused with the MRT tracks, with an additional 100 stations coming up, she probably has to ask around more often in future. Even as the government announces these new MRT tracks, people are still wanting their cars. I’m not sure if we can even fill the trains by 2020, we’re likely to fill up the roads first.

Just got this from a friend, some random joke:

Singapore airlines is tops!

Once upon a time in Singapore, there lived a happy couple, Mr & Mrs Ng with their 3 lovely triplet daughters; Elaine, Ena & Ella.

The 3 daughters were brought up in a prim-and-proper fashion and when they reached 20, their parents thought it was time to get them married.

So, the parents found them the most suitable “leng chais” (handsome guys). They got married and were preparing to set-off on their honeymoon.

As “concerned” (more like “kay-poh”) parents, Mr & Mrs Ng were curious about their daughters’ first-night experience.

So, before the daughters went on their respective honeymoons, Mrs Ng told them…” Your father and I want to know about your 1st night encounters and whether you were satisfied. Write a letter to us, but so as not to raise your husbands’ curiosity…you all must use a code-name to describe your experiences”.

So, the excited daughters were off.

A week passed. Mr & Mrs Ng got the first letter. It was from Elaine.

They opened the letter and found the word “STANDARD CHARTERED”. They immediately took the newspaper and looked for the Standard Chartered advertisement. “Ah! here it is!”, exclaimed Mr. Ng. The motto for Standard Chartered was… “BIG, STRONG & FRIENDLY” Mr & Mrs. Ng were happy.

A week later, they got another letter. This time it was from Ena. The content was simple. “NESCAFE”. So, again they took the neswpaper and looked for the Nescafe ad. “Ah! here it is. “NESCAFE: PLEASURE TILL THE LAST DROP”. Again, Mr & Mrs Ng beamed with joy.

Another week passed. A month passed. And another. There was still no letter from Ella. The Ngs became worried.

Finally, the letter came. It was scribbled and could hardly be read, but Mrs. Ng managed to figure it out. The code-name was “SINGAPORE AIRLINES”.

Why Singapore Airlines? Mr.Ng rushed to the nearest store and got a newspaper. He flipped the pages frantically. “Ah! Here it is!” Mrs. Ng grabbed the page and read aloud.

Before she could finish. THUMP!!! … she fell off her chair.

The motto was… “7 TIMES A WEEK. 4 TO 6 TIMES A DAY. NON-STOP”.