Our Experience With the myFirst CareBuds Max

If you have kids at home, you will understand this struggle immediately.

“Starri, volume down please.”

Five minutes later.

“STAR-RI… volume down.”

I think half my parenting these days revolves around repeating those three words.

Especially at night.

Somehow children have this magical ability to believe that the whole house also wants to listen to whatever cartoon, game, or song they are currently obsessed with. Public transport also same story lah. One moment quiet, next moment suddenly full blast audio from the tablet or phone while everybody else in the MRT pretends not to notice.

So when we got to try out the myFirst CareBuds Max, I was honestly more relieved than excited.

And surprisingly… they solved more problems than I expected.

First Thing I Noticed? They Actually Thought About Kids

Most adult headphones are basically just shrunk versions for children. But these really feel designed around how kids actually behave.

The biggest thing for me was the dual volume control. There is an 85dB Safe Mode for normal everyday listening, and a 94dB Travel Mode for noisier places like airplanes or crowded environments.

As parents, we all know kids can unknowingly blast audio way too loudly, especially when glued to devices. And honestly, that part worries me more nowadays because headphones and screens are becoming part of daily life so early.

I am not against gadgets lah. My own kids learn plenty from them too.

But balance and safety matter.

The Safety Feature I Actually Appreciate

One feature that stood out to me was the Smart Transparency Safety Mode. Basically, when the child starts moving around, ambient sounds are automatically let in so they can still hear what is happening around them.

This makes a lot of sense especially for walking around, public transport, or outdoor settings.

Because truthfully, children already become very immersed in their devices. The last thing we want is for them to become completely unaware of their surroundings too.

Comfort Matters More Than I Expected

Starri actually wore them much longer than I expected without complaining.

The CareBuds Max comes with interchangeable ear cushions too, including cooling fabric cushions and softer velvet ones.

I did not think much about this initially until I realized Singapore weather plus kids equals sweaty everything.

The Perfect Middle Ground: Our Experience with the myFirst Fone S4

If you are a parent, you will probably understand this, that tug-of-war between wanting your kid to be independent, but also needing to know that they are safe. For us, that time came when Starri started asking to walk to the bus stop herself and wanted to call us after school “just to talk.” That was when we decided to let her try the myFirst Fone S4.

Starri has been using the watch for a while now, and she loves it. Her favourite thing? The video calls. She would call my wife or me just to wave, show us her snacks, or tell us some random story from school. It gives her that sense of connection and freedom without needing a full-on smartphone.

Of course, we set some rules, like the watch stays turned off during lessons and only comes on during breaks or after school hours. Having this control helps train her to respect boundaries too.

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What Makes the myFirst Fone S4 a Game Changer

The myFirst Fone S4 is like a smart device built with both kids and parents in mind. Here are some things I personally appreciate:

4G LTE Video and Voice Calls

Clear, stable calls that let us stay connected even when she is away from home.

GPS Location Tracking

We can check her location anytime through the app, and even set up safe zones that alert us if she wanders out.

SOS Button

A quick press sends her live location straight to us — something you hope you never need, but it is comforting to have.

School Mode

This is my favourite feature. It mutes everything during school hours so she can focus, but still allows us to reach her in emergencies.

Fitness and Health Tracking

Starri loves checking her steps, and I like that it keeps track of her heart rate and sleep too. It’s a fun and healthy way for her to stay aware of her activity.

Kid-proof Design

It’s water-resistant (IPX8) and sturdy enough to survive playground life. Knowing Starri, that’s saying a lot.

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What We’ve Learned Along the Way

Now here’s my honest take. For kids like Starri, who already have access to tablets and smartphones from an early age, a watch phone like this might not feel as exciting or “cool.” The games and apps on other devices can be more tempting.

But that’s also where I see the real value of myFirst Fone S4, especially if you start your own young ones on this FIRST. It keeps things simple, as a tool for communication and safety, not endless entertainment. With it strapped on her wrist, she is less likely to lose it (unlike a phone that can disappear into any couch cushion), and it gives us better control over who she communicates with.

It may not replace the thrill of a tablet, but it gives young users something far more important, their own independence with boundaries.

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The Perfect Balance

So if you are thinking about your child’s first device, I would confidently say give the myFirst Fone S4 a try. It gives you control and keeps you connected with your child, without the risk of exposing them to social media or endless doom scrolling at a young age.

And for me, that is already a win.

My Progressive Lenses Experience at W Optics

W Optics at Marina Square #02-20/21/22 

Those of us past 40 will know this story too well. You are happily wearing glasses for astigmatism or far-sightedness, and then one fine day, you realise you need to take them off just to read a book or check your phone. That is when 老花眼 — presbyopia — comes knocking on your door without even bothering to press the bell. It creeps up quietly, and suddenly you are holding your phone at arm’s length just to read a WhatsApp message.

In the past, the “solution” was to carry around an extra pair of reading glasses. You would see folks pulling out those little spectacles in hawker centres to read the menu or squinting over a newspaper on the bus. Practical? Maybe. Stylish? Not so much. But for someone like me, who already dislikes wearing glasses, the idea of juggling two pairs was simply painful. That is where progressive lenses come in.

Lots of different brands and types of frames to choose from. 

Now, I had heard all kinds of horror stories about them. First-time users struggling to adapt, some tripping over kerbs because the top of the lens is for distance and the bottom for near. One friend even joked that he almost fainted the first time he looked down at the urinals. That image stuck with me, and for a while I was hesitant lah.

Anyways, progressive lenses are really amazing stuff lah and I popped by W Optics recently to get me eyes checked and ask for recommendations because I thought I was having some problems with my current pair of glasses.

A Thorough Eye-Opening Experience

Check out the different packages they offer.

Like any prescription, the process started with a full eye examination. And let me just say, the optometrist who attended to me was a gem. Patient, professional, and so detailed in her explanations that I learned more about my eyes in that one hour than I had in my entire life. She even spotted early signs of cataracts with the screening and possible cholesterol issues — all from just looking into my eyes. Who knew your eyeballs could be such a health report card?

High tech equipment to get your sight tested with.

Here she was explaining to me on the health of my eyes, including my cholesterol problem!

Goodbye Heavy Trial Frames

The testing itself was an experience. I still remember the old days of wearing that heavy trial frame while lenses were swapped in and out until your head spun. “Clearer or blurrier?” the optician would ask, and half the time you just guessed because everything already looked equally fuzzy.

The phoropter they used, which changes the lenses automatically.

Now, everything is digital and seamless. The machine switched lenses automatically while I just sat there, feeling a little like Iron Man testing out new tech. Another cool part was when they simulated my reading behavior on a tablet. They tracked how I naturally looked at things near and far, so the lenses could be tailored precisely to me. It felt oddly futuristic but also very personal, like the glasses were designed for the way I see the world, not the other way around.

And they used this to determine the best angles based on my line of sight.

At a lost on what frames to choose sia, but luckily my optometrist got good taste.

The Holiday Test

Since I had an overseas trip coming up, the optometrist even rushed my lenses and made sure my chosen frame was adjusted perfectly. And boy, did it make a difference. That holiday turned out to be the clearest I have ever experienced — both through my eyes and through the photos I took.

Guess where we were with my new pair of glasses? Everything looks so clear to me la!

I was especially thankful I had chosen Essilor's XR PRO Progressive lenses with transition. Under the blazing Osaka summer sun, they darkened instantly outdoors and gave me UV protection. No need to juggle a separate pair of sunglasses. I also learned they help slow down cataract growth, so it was form, function and futureproofing all in one.

Settling In

With the personalized calibration, I took to the new lenses surprisingly well. No dizziness, no tripping, and thankfully no awkward urinal moments either. In fact, after a few days, switching from reading a restaurant menu to looking up at the scenery felt completely natural.

Now, I can finally put away the squinting, the arm-stretching, and the excuses. It feels good to be able to focus clearly again, both near and far.

Final Thoughts

If presbyopia is starting to bother you, do yourself a favor and give progressive lenses a shot. Not all are created equal, and after using Essilor, I can confidently say the smooth transition has made my daily life a lot more comfortable. Whether I am reading WhatsApp on the MRT or admiring the skyline overseas, it just works.

Can check out their range of services and product at Marina Square. 

Growing older may be inevitable, but squinting does not have to be.

Why You Need Device Care?

I am a very pragmatic person, and I will try to save whenever possible. Even for shopping online, I also go through a few websites before deciding on which platform to use. The decision is quite complex sometimes, involving consideration of reward points, payment method discounts and coupon use etc. Even taking taxi/PHV I also go through that few apps to find the cheapest lor.

And for my mobile phones hor, usually I also use until the device jialat jialat or until my wife gets me a new one lah. But this is provided the phone is in working condition and why I say that is because, if you accidentally drop your phone at the fateful angle, you can say goodbye to the screen lah. Gorilla or godzilla glass also no use one hor.

So let me share what I have discovered recently with you!

We always assume that we will take good care of our devices but there is a reason why the word accident exists. And imagine the pain when you realize that you need to pay an exorbitant repair amount for your newly damaged device because your basic manufacturer warranty only covers defects in material, design and workmanship of the hardware components of the device as originally supplied. Meaning you damage, your problem.

Then even if you purchased extra care plans from the leading brands on top of that basic warranty, be prepared to face administrative charges or only discounts on out-of-warranty repairs lor. I checked and rechecked. Also hor, take note of a clause that might also exclude coverage that reads "Lack of reasonable care". How you define that is anyone's guess sia.

This is why I am going to introduce to you a company called Device Care that offers 3 different plans for you to choose from. Besides affordability, what I liked about their plans is that they do not come with any additional charges or admin fees when you claim! So you just pay for the plan and there will not be any more out of pockets expenses!

These are the 3 different plans that they have currently.

So touch wood, but using my current Samsung S22 Ultra as a simple illustration, the amount I would need to pay if I had accidentally cracked my phone screen and required a screen replacement within 12 months of purchase would be as follows -

So would you want to pay almost 10x more for a screen replacement?

The above is of course based off a simple case of screen replacement but as you can see, the price saving can be very considerable! Even though Samsung Care+ may provide multiple screen replacements throughout the period, but hor you can also repurchase Device Care+ as many times as you want within 12 months of your purchase lor. In a sense, it is like pay-as-you-use!

Hence I urge that you check the different plans available for your device, against what Device Care is offering first, before you make any hasty decision! You can have the peace of mind too, as all the repairs will be done through the brand’s authorised/ appointed repair centres!

Last but not least, the company is kindly offering 15% off all their plans now to our readers and you can simply use our code TPF15OFF (valid till end Jan 2024) at checkout. Be sure to insure your new devices against the unforeseen whilst they are still within manufacturers' warranty soonest possible for the peace of mind!

Sleeping On The Bus!

If you are on social media, it is very likely that you have read or seen some stuff that is related to the latest staycay location in Singapore called The Bus Collective right? Well if you have not, if you are reading this, you would have anyway! So let me share our experience at the place with all of you!

First and foremost, I realized that taxi drivers or PHV drivers may not be aware of the new place yet, but you can find The Bus Collective on Google Map already lah. Or use the postal code 508883 sure can find. If still cannot, then just go Changi Village Hawker Centre lor, it is right behind it.

This is where you do your check-in!

Once you reach, you can do your registration at the front office which is the only actual building in the entire compound anyway. Get your keycards and you are off to your bus cabin. If you check through their website, there are quite a few different layouts that you can choose from but there can only accommodate 4 adults at most.

All the rooms are the same size la. Except for one cabin which is meant for wheelchair user. That room has the bath and toilets outside, which meant a larger interior.

So while the rooms are all refurbished from buses, once you step into the room, you will feel that it gives you the luxury hotel room vibes lor with the driver seat as the only give away. And although it is more of a longish shape you will not feel claustrophobic because it is still quite big one lah! The Hong Kong motel rooms we stay in so much smaller lor lol.

This is the Queen Victoria room, which is meant for 3pax.

Comes with a unique round queen-sized bed!

And a bathtub as well!

Given the price range of the rooms, they do have all the amenities one would expect from any luxury hotel chains, with snacks and mini bar items all included as well. At first when my wife was asking me about the toothbrushes, I thought that maybe not provided. But lo and behold, they are all tucked in a drawer in the bathroom and a range of tea and coffee sachets are found beneath the cups too.  

This is our other room, the Clark Quay room.

All rooms come with separate bath and toilet in case you are wondering.

This room type comes with a bunk bed at the middle section of the cabin.

All rooms comes with minibar inclusive!

There is another 2 single beds at the end and the kids were all sleeping here together lor.

Changi beach is just a short walk from the place and from there, one can really see how busy our airport really is, with planes flying in non-stop every other minute! You will also be able to spot the wildlife around the area, such as hornbills, cockatoos and macaques too. Or maybe you would like to rent a bike to explore the area more as well.

A reminder to keep food safe!

Unfortunately the beach was not that appealing for us to get into the waters.

But still, can take lots of photos!

They also have bicycles for rent as well if you are interested.

There are friendly cats around too!

Or maybe you fancy a ride to Pulau Ubin?

We had fun barbequing chicken wings, satay and marshmallows (which we bought from the provision shop in Changi Village) and had dessert packed from the hawker center as well.  With so much food choices, you can either opt to have breakfast included, or have your own outside and save a little as well. 

You can cater in your own BBQ food.

Their BBQ pit is free for use!

And yours truly was their personal chef for the day!

A swimming pool would have been awesome, because honestly the seaside at that area really does not look appealing enough for us to get into the waters! That was my only grumble lah but the kids had fun with their board games and Uno cards and watching their favorite dramas on Netflix using their own account lor.

How they whiled their time while waiting for food to be served.

Log into your own Netflix account.

We had great fun and I would definitely recommend this place for the experience itself, but I must also be upfront that the rooms go for minimally $400 up per night which is not exactly that cheap. Then again, it was never marketed as a cheap experience in the first place. It would actually be a great option for foreign visitors who want to explore Pulau Ubin or Changi to consider staying in too!

It was awesome experience for the whole family and a staycation that we will surely remember!

My Booking.com Horror Story - Ximen 日記

Booking a hotel online has never been easier. You just need to go to Google Map and choose the property you need. There are lots of booking sites for sure, but I stuck with Booking.com for the sake of convenience since they had my particulars. For my recent Taiwan trip, I actually booked 3 different properties through them. 

This was taken at our replacement hotel, Just Sleep Sanchong.

Our bookings with 2 properties, K-ONE Homestay and No. 21 Jiaoxi Hot Spring Homestay went smoothly, with the properties keeping in touch with us through the Booking.com chat functions about our arrivals etc. But the property we booked in Taipei, Ximen 日記 in Taipei, located at No.36, Xining South Road, Wanhua District, 108 Taipei was a complete disaster and rightfully deserves a blog post. 

So Booking.com bookings are all confirmed with the credit card details furnished to the company and the properties can make a deduction for any deposits required through the card officially. 2 nights before I was supposed to check in this horrible hotel, I received a message from them through the chat function at 7.32pm that they required a deposit of TWD1000 by 8.00pm on that same day. Read chat below - 

Check the time stamp. They can send and read message but not assist.

Ok my mandarin really sucks and I do not use PayPal, and because I do not have a Taiwan telephone number as I was using an eSIM, I was at a loss when I read the message much later. I even tried to get a local to see if he can help me with calling the property but was alerted by him that Booking.com was being compromised before as the news article showed!

When I finally managed to contact the hotel that very night, I could only speak to the front desk who answered and feigned ignorance and that she was unable to do anything as she is only a receptionist and thus refused to help in any way. She even went to say that it was no big deal and all I had to do was to rebook online. Ok, so here comes the problem. Over 90% of the hotels in that area was fully booked for the same period and there wasn't even ANY accommodation availability on Booking.com at all! Taiwan is overrun by tourists these days!

Super nonchalant when they finally replied after cancelling.

I was super frustrated that I was unable to get any assistance through the property and even Booking.com was unable to help that very night because I was unable to get through to them as well. Thankfully we had a local tour guide, who helped us to finally get an alternative hotel the next day through his connections at a further location, at a higher price, and for a smaller room that we had to squeeze into. That hotel, Just Sleep Taipei Sanchong turned out to be GREAT (which was a blessing in disguise) but we had to make do with the squeezing and all the additional costs that came with it. 

Reaching Booking.com was hard as well.

My Opinion

Accommodation prices are on the rise in Taiwan due to the success of their tourism board in promoting this sector and hotels are all raising prices which is understandable. My hotel booking was confirmed months ago and guaranteed by my credit card. I find that to cancel my booking based on a failed deposit payment request via a personal account through the chat within 28mins of asking, was ridiculous at best. 

I am of the opinion that the property had lots of customers waiting to book and at a much higher price than what I have confirmed months ago and came up with this bright idea of cancelling confirmed bookings at their end based on sketchy company policies etc so that maximum profits can be realized. Most likely not the first time also lah.

I finally had the time after returning to give finally give Booking.com a call and confirmed that this request by Ximen 日記 is running afoul of their guidelines and they will take action. I had also requested for compensation for the anguish (true ok, really KNN) and additional costs, and they mentioned they will look into it. I am not THAT hopeful BUT I feel there is a need for customers like you and me to be aware of what they are getting themselves into when booking with third party companies.

Even more importantly is as a customer, when assurances are they able to give when a property decided to unilaterally cancel a confirmed booking just that easily? I mean they sounded apologetic when I called earlier to register my displeasure but sorry cannot help me when I was there in Taiwan with wife and 5 kids with nowhere to stay lah. What actions can they take against the property? I think the property will still be listed and rooms sold through them lah. I cannot believe I took the time to blog and call up to complaint lor but it was NOT RIGHT for them to do such a thing.

One really needs to be prepared for the unexpected and so I hope this post serves as a caution to anyone travelling to Taiwan (especially if you are thinking of booking with Ximen 日記), or anywhere else for that matter when it comes to booking through third party apps. Have fun travelling and all the best in all your other bookings!