With the increased cost in driving recently, I sometimes have problems trying to decide if I should drive or take public transport. I have thus come up with several rules to decide between public transport and driving:

1. The 5 dollar rule. If I save 5 dollars outright (eg. parking+ERP only) or more taking public transport, I’ll take it.
2. The 1 change rule. If I have to change more than once to get to my destination, forget it. In other words, if it’s not on the NS line, I’m driving!
3. If it involves 2 buses, forget it.
4. If it’s raining, forget it.
5. If it’s ulu, forget it.
6. If I’ve never gone there before, forget it.

Say I’m extravagant, whatever. My time is more valuable than getting stuck in public transportation and walking unfortunately. Of course this is only for now. These rules will change I if decide that transportation gets better.

Tags: driving, singapore, transportation

Click here to find the parking rates in some parts of Singapore. Find the best (and cheapest) parking in Singapore!

Now everything also up. ERP gantries up. Petrol up. Parking up. I just got back to Singapore, and am a bit out of touch with the driving scene in Singapore. I resorted to public transport in the first week, until it took me 3 hours to get home and I gave up on it. I’ll tell my dear MoT to make it better or I’ll keep driving. Sorry sir, three hours is not acceptable, and it wasn’t even past midnight.

Ok, gone out to meet Ridz.

Tags: car, singapore, transportation

We were formally informed of our degree results today after the university formally released our numerical grades for the final. We already knew our degree classes informally since the last week of June, but nothing beats the formal notification and the numerical results.

My numerical grade was waayyy above the borderline, and to think I was worried. I screwed up my ancillary with a ‘C’. Luckily I was pulled up very much by my research project grade of 92 and my IIIB exams of 88. Phew, the hard work me and Yun put in paid off! The super duper high project grade was definitely unexpected. I knew I would get an A, but 92?! I’m impressed even with myself! I think George must have been really generous, and the second marker (I wonder who…) too!

Well, it’s finally over I guess.

Tags: exam, imperial, results

With the iPhone 3G being release globally soon and with some free time in hand, I thought I might write about how the iPhone will change our mobile habits more than what everyone has expected. To many people, the hype of the 3G iPhone is all about the 3G. Faster internet speeds, yada yada yada. It is true, it is better, but not groundbreaking. To quote one of the tech editors from a reputable online news network, "it is just the real iPhone released a year late". What is really groundbreaking is the way software is distributed onto mobile phones with the advent of iPhone 2.0 software which will be pushed out to existing iPhone (soon) and included in the new iPhone version.

In the past, putting software onto the phone is no simple task. Yes, it has gotten better in the past year, but it is still quite a task. Finding good software to put onto the phone may be an even tougher task, and I have given up pretty much trying to make better use of my N95 or k800. I love my Nokias and SEs. But if a techie like me feels pain in trying to make my own phone usable, there are serious issues involved.

 With the newly pushed iTunes 7.7, getting applications is now a breeze. Putting them onto a phone is going to be even easier. And best of all, many of those applications are free. The phone is going to be much more than a phone for many more people. A one stop location for distribution with easy access, this is no doubt a winning formula for encouraging better uses for the mobile phone.

I am no Apple fanboy myself, even though I use a Mac. I haven’t got an iPhone yet, mainly because I felt iPhone 1.0 was simply an overpriced piece of electronic gadgetry. I think Symbian and Microsoft should be worried. I think once the ease of using a phone to be more than a phone has become apparant, the mobile world will change significantly.

Be prepared for clogged 3G networks.

Tags: apple, iphone, technology

Oh yea, that’s a picture of Ridz and his dad in Digital Life!

Caught it just before I left for the airport.