- Let’s get gadgets out of the way. The Backbone One is a USD$99 MFI controller and matchmaking/recording app to enable a more console-like gaming experience on iPhones. I saw a glowing review one evening before going to bed and signed up. I was 1,000~ on the waitlist then. Woke up to find the list had grown to 4,000~ people. It’s currently past 13,000. When your turn comes, you have 24 hours to make the purchase, and I think they’re releasing them in weekly batches of several thousand, so it’s not too late if you’re interested. I got in just before the weekend and mine is now with the USPS.
- These clamp-on iPhone controller things are not new in any way, and I was never interested in any of them before (I mean, yuck), but the time seems right now. People say the Backbone’s hardware feels amazing, up there with Nintendo’s Joy-Cons. Add to that the large Apple Arcade library of games that support external controllers, the work Backbone’s done to create a socially enabled experience in their app, and the boom in online multiplayer mobile games like Fortnite (oops), Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG, and so on. I’m unusually excited to be getting one and can’t wait.
- My AirPods Pro have been acting up, and this week Apple officially admitted to possible manufacturing defects with a replacement program. I took ’em down to the Jewel Changi Airport Apple Store to get replaced. Obviously I would have liked to visit Apple Marina Bay Sands but it’s booked solid to the point where you can’t even select it on the site. Huh. It’s just struck me that yes, both locations are iconic as you’d expect Apple Store locations to be, but they’re also just pretty amazing places in general? I’ll get to that later.
- They only had replacements for one side, and I’ll be getting the other AirPod in the mail soon. One problem: I have to mail the broken AirPod back within 10 days or I’ll be charged something like S$130. A bit of a pain in the ass. Why can’t the courier who brings me the new one take the old one back while he’s here?
- In any case, it was good to get out and see Jewel for the first time since the end of last year. It still amazes me how it doesn’t feel like anyone here is taking this pandemic seriously anymore when I go out and see people all walking close to each other and not washing their hands for 20 seconds in the bathrooms. Maybe they’ve all reached their limits and haven’t got any more patience for doing it right. That could explain the anti-lockdown protests going on in some parts of the world.
- The new season of Somebody Feed Phil is out on Netflix, and Singapore is featured as one of the locations our hero visits to find out about the local food culture. We of course watched that episode first. And back to that comment earlier about pretty great places… he visits both the Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport, because how could you not? And it takes these things to make me see from the outside in and realize these are spectacular places, period, and not just crowded spots downtown that surely aren’t that interesting to other people.
- I have been and have also noticed others around me feeling sorta lousy (again). It was more pronounced in the first half of the week and probably stemmed from a lack of quality sleep. In addition to the usual migraines and backaches — that was me a couple of weeks back, but it’s gotten better on its own — there are more stories of anxiety and whatever the opposite of relaxed and content is.
- We went to a cocktail bar over the weekend that works like a Japanese listening cafe: all vinyls, speaker cabinets, and a good eclectic selection of tunes.
- I’m slowly getting over my dislike of K-Pop, and I think the new K/DA song has its hooks in me. I actually started playing League of Legends Wild Rift so now I know who the characters are at least.
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