Domino’s Pizza is back in Singapore and their first outlet is just 5 mins from my home. I urge everyone to order online at www.dominos.com.sg instead of calling them on the phone. Why? Because you can simply key-in the promo codes for amazing deals – like 2 pizzas for $25.80 nett – without physically having to show them your discount coupon. (They don’t check for coupons even though they are supposed to) Once you know the promo codes you can keep using them. The online ordering form is one of the best I have seen and extremely easy to navigate. And the pizzas always arrive on time (within 30 mins) and are piping hot!

Here they are, in order of best deals (in my opinion)

BT3OR SF7 – $39.80 for TWO large pizzas with EXTRA cheese (save $25.80)

BT5 OR SF6 – $25.80 for TWO regular pizzas (save $19.80)

SF 8 – FREE regular pizza when you buy a large one (save $22.80) Tuesday Only

SF 5 – 30% off any regular, large or xtra large pizza

I was so excited to unwrap my newly minted Nexus One which arrived at about 3pm today but I did not get a chance to mess around till an hour ago as I was outside. I was immediately impressed by its speed, cool looks and excellent touch feel. I immediately installed Hoiio and SMS Backup and Facebook to get my basic apps up and running. They were all working fine and I even listened to Amazon MP3 30 second free top hits previews. Then I went downstairs and out of the Wi-Fi zone and everything stopped working. I have tried everything I know, checked my settings three times, rebooted twice but 3G simply does not work. This is obviously a problem and I am very disappointed this did not work out of the box. Will be calling HTC for support real soon!

Update: OK i figured out the problem. The phone strangely does not set the access point settings automatically when you insert the SIM card, so it needs a manual configuration, for starhub users you need to go to settings>mobile networks>access point names>press menu>then press new apn then set apn as shinternet or as shwapint, 3G should work now.

When you are a tech reporter, you get to play with any gadget or game that you want, most of the time. The problem with gadgets is that the yearning and desire is strongest when you can’t hold them, but since I get to test almost any gadget I am interested in, the desire is no longer to own the gadget but just to play with them for a week or two.

So when I sat down and asked myself what I would like for X’mas, I really had to think hard. But here’s what I think I would need:

(1) Time.
I want to rip all my DVDs, VCDs, convert my LDs plus convert my home video tapes into a digital format, and store them all in my 4-bay NAS. Sounds like a lot of time, which is what I really need but don’t have much of.

(2) A new mobile phone plan
Since my contract ended in October, I am going to switch from my 800 minutes plan with 0 GB free data  to 100 minutes plan with 12GB  free data. I am going to start using Hoiio or pfingo Bounce to make local calls to cut down on my mobile phone bill. Why pay 16.05cents per minute when I can get it for 3.8 cents per minute.

(3) A gaming laptop
I have many laptops but I think it’s time to get a 15.6-inch or 17-inch machine that can do everything including games. I have been testing the 17-inch Gateway P series and so far I am very pleased with it. The laptop does not overheat after hours of gameplay! Trying to see if prices will fall under $2,500.

(4) A sound system
The stereo speakers from my 40-inch Samsung TV really sucks and having done quite a few stories on hifi-systems at Audio House, I am convinced it’s time to get a good 5.1 sound system. I liked the Polk Audio speakers I tested the last time, will probably combine that with a Denon amp. Trying to get it all for about $2,000.

(5) A new phone for my wife
This is the toughest choice of all. It’s hard to figure out what women really wants, and that also applies to getting a phone for them. I think I’ll stick to a Sony Ericsson with a good camera. And no, I wont get her an iPhone.

Tiny Singapore finally joins the ranks of countries with Street View today, right on the heels of the roll out in Hawaii and large parts of Spain in November.

This also makes Singapore the third Asian country after Japan and Taiwan (Taipei city only) to be mapped in 3D by the Mountain View firm.

Techgoondu will be livecasting Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s closing keynote roday around 6.30am SGT. Ellison is expected to share more details on the state of technology, right after an address by Infosys CEO S. Gopalakrishnan. Stay tuned!

Update: If you didn’t manage to catch the livecast, we have a recorded video of Ellison’s closing keynote, featuring a guest appearance by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who hailed technology as the solution to the climate issues facing us today.

Firstly, a big apology to readers for the late announcement. I would have liked to say that I wanted to keep readers in suspense, but in truth was held up by a horribly busy week. Again, my sincerest apologies.

If you haven’t read the previous roundup on this Sony Ericsson contest, you’re missing out on some other really good entries. There were a few close runner-ups that were pipped by just a vote or two, and would have won if the votes had fallen in other ways. Still, in a contest decided by democratic votes by the judges, the majority speaks, even if winners win by just a sliver of votes.

Without further ado, let’s move on to the three winners!

Firstly, a big thank you to all readers who participated in the recent Techgoondu Sony Ericsson G705 Giveaway contest. The challenge given to contestants this time round was to submit what they thought was one of their best “geek moments”, and the submission could come in the form of text, pictures, or even audio or video.

Like in our previous LG TV giveaway contest run last year, we had some very good entries, but unfortunately not everybody can be a winner — we had to pare the numbers down to three lucky winners amongst all the entries.

Similar to last year, the winners are chosen by a democratic vote of the goondus. Even though our individual goondu tastes might be quite different, the process is generally a fair one.

But first, before we announce the winners, let’s take a look at some of the wackier and more interesting entries that were sent in this time round.

What’s one of the best ways to go one up on the competition? Hire their former CEO.

That’s just what StarHub announced today, when it said that its current CEO Terry Clontz will be retiring in January 2010, and former M1 CEO Neil Montefiore has surfaced to fill his shoes – pending regulatory approval.

Earlier this year on Feb 1, Neil stepped down from M1 and its then CFO Karen Kooi stood in as acting CEO, only to be confirmed as CEO a little more than two months later.

Now Neil, whom Terry has known “on a professional and personal level for ten years”, will take the reins of the number two telco in Singapore – a position which he probably wanted M1 to reach during his tenure.

Will this fuel further speculation of consolidation in the local telco scene? You bet. StarHub and M1 were already partners in the Infinity consortium, which put in a failed Netco bid in the Next Gen NBN project. And M1′s fixed broadband service essentially rides off StarHub’s cable modem infrastructure.

And if being pals doesn’t work out, StarHub can have the dirt on M1 – where they are good, and where they can hit it hard.

StarHub, 1 – M1, 0.

With the telco regulator in Hong Kong giving its stamp of approval for fixed mobile number portability last Friday, fixed line phone numbers here can finally be set free. Right off, I can think of a couple of scenarios where its useful to port fixed to mobile.

• You can move your business fixed line to a mobile and not miss any calls without the need to subscribe to call forwarding.
• Stop paying for your monthly fixed line fees just because you feel nostalgic about the number – port it to a prepaid mobile number.
• Going from fixed to a prepaid mobile might actually lower your phone bills if you’re an extremely infrequent voice user.

I’m sure there’ll be more scenarios and benefits, but unfortunately, this is expected that it will take a while before the fixed line carriers here actually let you do it, as the regulator’s left it to the telcos to sort it out commercially.

And I can’t think of too many reasons why the fixed line folks here would be wanting to open the floodgates to the fixed line exodus, but hey, at least they can start the conversation on how they want to do this and work out fixed to mobile migration options.

Now that’s what I call true number portability.

Meanwhile in sunny Singapore, can someone tell me where we are on our quest for telco liberalisation and true number portability? Since the implementation of “full mobile number portability” in 2008, I still can’t port my post-paid mobile to pre-paid *sigh*! Worse still, a review on number portability doesn’t seem to be on the horizon!

Rest in peace, moonwalker.

On the day when an iconic part of music died, I dug out Off The Wall and Thriller from my record stash, cued them up and listened for hours – something I had not done for years.

And I marveled at the purity and joy of the music created and delivered by young Michael Jackson back then.

Those were exuberant days for MJ. His music blended R&B hooks, clever pop, daring rhythms, emotional and extraordinarily beautiful singing, funk, disco and rock, and yet all of that delivered free of schmaltz.