Sales, Social and Tech

Singapore's Public Utility Board, PUB, launched the new Water Wally Shower Dance Music Video to share tips on conserving water usage. The intention must have been for the greater good but the delivery reeks of mind control of citizens and paedophilia. In the video, ordinary citizens are going on their daily routine. Then a mascot, Water Wally, that looks like a water droplet sneaks from behind without informing the citizens and mind controls them to do what Water Wally feels is the right thing to do. Why would and could a citizen, in a democratic country, like Singapore approve to this?  I understand the importance of water conservation but it is necessary for a statutory board to force its will on the people? Is that what the video is trying to say? However, the most disturbing part starts at 0:13. Water Wally is seen opening the door of the bathroom when a boy, below 12, is taking a shower and smiling at the boy. Given Water Wally's new mind controlling abilitie...

Phewtick, the mobile app that lets users earn money by scanning generated QR codes, have been shut down by Facebook since 2013 April 19. However, it is only today (2013 May 13), that Phewtick email out to users that they have decided to close the old app and build a new one with a new Facebook developer's account. Wrote Phewtick, "We have finally decided to close Phewtick once and rebuild it as a new app. To solve the connection error issue, we need to create a new facebook developer account and recreate an app with the account. We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused. In a new app, of course, you will be able to make money by meeting new people. Our vision is still to create a new behavior of greeting your friends and meeting new people. Also, we are trying to transfer your meet-up points in Phewtick to your new accounts in the new app. It will take 8-10 weeks to release the new one. We will contact you again before the app is launched." So why did Fac...

Member of Parliament,Zainudin Nordin, recently shared a quote about democracy from a fantasy writer and that created a ruckus all over the Internet. Shared Zainudin Nordin ,  “People use democracy as a free-floating abstraction disconnected from reality. Democracy in and of itself is not necessarily good. Gang rape, after all, is democracy in action. All men have the right to live their own life. Democracy must be rooted in a rational philosophy that first and foremost recognizes the right of an individual. A few million Imperial Order men screaming for the lives of a much smaller number of people in the New World may win a democratic vote, but it does not give them the right to those lives, or make their calls for such killing right. Democracy is not a synonym for justice or for freedom. Democracy is not a sacred right sanctifying mob rule. Democracy is a principle that is subordinate to the inalienable rights of the individual.”  ― Terry Goodkind Terry...

All digital photos have a hidden watermark embedded in it called the EXIF data. This EXIF data would usually details of how the photo was taken and with what camera. Samsung, or rather their agency, posted a photo claiming to be theirs and taken with a Samsung camera. However, the photographer came across his photo and showed that this photo was taken with, not a Samsung camera, but with a Nikon. Image from EDMW Facebook Page Wrote CNET Asia,   Samsung claimed that the image was taken by one of its photographers and was using the image to promote a contest to win its latest NX300 ILC. However, the EXIF data of the original image found on Santos' Web site showed that it was taken with a Nikon D700, refuting the implication that the image posted on the Facebook page was taken with a Samsung camera (presumably the NX300). Samsung has since apologised to the photographer before generating 180 comments about Samsung's unauthorise use of the photo. If Sams...

We know money doesn't grow on trees. Most of the time, however, we feel that our money expenditure is as fast as the falling leaves on a windy autumn day. (Ok, Singapore only has two seasons so it should be trees falling on a heavy downpour.. I digress.) Many financial experts advise that you shouldn't let money dictate what you can or cannot do. As such, you should take the proactive step to track your money, inflow and outflow. You can find many tech tools to help you manage your money, but that can be hassle at times. How many of you have downloaded apps to manage your bills but stop after your third entry? OCBC introduced their Monthly Insights tool which comes free with their Online Internet Banking Service for personal banking accounts. OCBC Money Insights works with its iPhone and iPad mobile banking applications and integrates with the custoemrs' savings, current and credit accounts. This means that it helps save OCBC bank customers the hassle...

It’s easy to set up a Facebook Page, but how do you know it’s working for your business? One way is to use the page as a loyalty program “fan club” to increase sales from repeat customers. This is what restaurants in Singapore are beginning to do. For example, at Rock and Ash, close to 30% of revenue now comes from loyal customers, a big increase from 5% prior to the fan club. In order to generate such robust repeat business, the first step is to encourage a majority of customers to join the fan club and LIKE the Rock and Ash Facebook Page. This is achieved by offering a permanent discount to members, much like a loyalty card program. However, unlike traditional programs, it’s easier to grow the member base because fan clubs are social by design, connecting directly to the restaurant’s existing page on Facebook, and creating opportunities for word of mouth engagement with friends of customers. “Before launching the fan club, we got 200 fans in six months,” said...