Let’s face it – September is boring as hell in Singapore. No public holidays are lined up for another two months, work trudges on with annual performance reviews and 2019 budgeting (yawn!) to look forward to. The kids are out for a week and back only to race towards final exams, and the monsoon makes everyone’s shoes soggy.
You know what can help? Shopping. Oh yes, gentlemen, there’s no shame in some manly retail therapy. Many of us do it, and with finesse, except we tend to do it online. Researching the purchase is part of the thrill, and few other things rival the excitement of opening a box left at the door. “This is true,” I hear you say, under your breath.
Tingling already? We’ve shortlisted ten of life’s little helpers to tickle your fancy. Because, hey, we guys shop with purpose! These gadgets will help your life. Even if only by offering some retail therapy on gloomy September weeks.
YOU CAN SAY IT’S FOR FITNESS
We city-dwellers need all the help we can get to keep that gut in check and those muscles toned. Not only is Singapore littered with spotless hawker centers, the island is also full of bike trails. With this map in hand, you can be confident that your purchase of this Schwinn Discover Hybrid bicycle will not go to waste. It’s a stylish, rugged but lightweight city bike at slightly over 16kg, with finger brake levers and a cushy seat for your tuches. Looks great mounted on a wall at home, too. Escape the heat by zipping through the city, the wind in your hair, while your calves take shape!
Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bicycle
If you’re serious about sweating, don’t go jogging without Jaybird’s RUN True Wireless Headphones. Engineered to be sweat-proof and equipped with interchangeable fins and tips for the perfect fit, you’ll have music in your ears up to four holy-moly-that’s-a-long-jog hours without the thudding and tangling of pesky wires. Grab a collapsible water bottle while you’re at it – Nomader makes a formidable leak-proof, BPA-free one with a lifetime guarantee that doesn’t compromise on style. It holds 650ml of water with no plasticky taste, and its mouth is ample for adding ice easily. When it’s empty, fold it into a tiny package! Perfect for the gruelling return journey on your run, or when you’re traveling!
RUN TRUE WIRELESS SPORT HEADPHONES
That which isn’t measured doesn’t improve. You can quote me when you explain – to yourself or whoever may suspect you of shop-a-holism – why you needed this sharp-looking Greater Goods Smart Body Fat Scale. When connected to your phone via secure Bluetooth, you can hook up the Weight Gurus app to your existing FitBit, Google Fit, or Apple Health trackers, as you measure and record your BMI, body fat, lean mass, body weight, and even bone mass. It’s sturdy enough to hold 400 lbs (180kgs) on its sleek tempered glass surface, which is non-slip and scratch resistant too.
Bluetooth Smart Body Fat Scale by GreaterGoods
YOU CAN SAY IT’S FOR THE OFFICE
Singaporeans are workhorses. For many of us, a large portion of our time is spent in the office. Incidentally, our portable devices have the same fate: they’re often worked to their deaths. What better, then, than something that pretties up your workspace while charging your devices? Declutter your desk with this Scandinavian-looking multi-device charging station, which vertically gathers your favorite devices, chargers, and their winding wires into a neat and eco-friendly table piece. Perfect for the nightstand too, if you keep your devices close to you while you sleep.
Eco Bamboo Multi-Device Charging Station Dock & Organizer
Can’t with wires? Drop and go with Native Union’s DROP Wireless Charger, with a sleek aluminium profile that belies high-speed charging capabilities. The silicone tread on top keeps your device in place, and ever so slightly raising it to allow some cooling air flow. Looks sharp, and works like a charm.
Native Union DROP Wireless Charger
While you’re upgrading your workspace, why not add a Mr Coffee cup warmer? If you’re anything like me, I make a hot cuppa, leave it to cool, work on something, and totally forget it. By the time I put it to my lips it’s cold… or worse, tepid. So don’t waste that good coffee, God knows you need it, and put it instead on a cup warmer that will keep it nice and toasty all morning long. Invigorating smells come for free.
Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer
YOU CAN SAY IT’S FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Besides the trek from your home to the train station, and from the train station to your office, how often are you actually outdoors? Science is clear on this: being outdoors is good for you. What else is good? A portable fire pit. No guesswork involved, unlike those horrible East Coast Park public barbecue pits. It’s self-sparking, it’s “see-through” on the sides so you get to enjoy the fire’s glow, and it’s customizable – use it as a clean fire grill, or add wood or coal if you want a smoky barbecue. Cooler yet, control the flames with your phone! And if your phone is low on battery, you can charge it using the FirePit’s powerbank! How cool is that? You totally need it.
BioLite FirePit Outdoor Smokeless Fire Pit Grill
Going outside after being so used to indoor dwelling can be tiring. Fret not, because with some elbow grease, you can make your very own Espresso! Load this baby with hot water and coffee beans, and you can push out some liquid fuel anywhere. No electricity needed. Now you don’t have an excuse to stay within a convenient radius of a Starbucks! Get out there and smell the roses. And coffee!
Wacaco Minipresso GR, Portable Espresso Machine
To make sure you remember your outdoor experiences, bring along a GoPro Hero. It responds to voice commands, it’s waterproof and shock-proof, it can be controlled using your phone, it can offload photos and videos to the GoPro app for instant sharing and envy inducement. Basically, it’s lots of fun in a tiny package, and it’s a worthy companion on the outdoor adventures you’re planning. Or that you will be planning.
GoPro – Hero HD Waterproof Action Camera
Get shopping, get organized, get fit, and get outside. September’s going to be awesome this year!