Made in Singapore 2004
Next five gadgets made in Singapore
Doing it our way: First 5 homegrown gear | Next 5 homegrown gadgets
 MuVo Slim
Device: MP3 player with FM radio
Est. price: S$299 (US$174)
Availability: Now
Manufacturer: Creative
Pros: Sleek credit card form factor; solid sound quality and battery life; uses removable Lithium cell; good FM radio tuner.
Cons: No memory expansion options; small LCD.
We've seen some increasingly small flash memory MP3 players in recent years but the new Creative MuVo Slim has to be the sleekest and most feature-packed of the lot. It fits in the palm of your hand, weighs little more than a stack of credit cards, and comes with an executive-like wallet casing for ultimate posing potential. For professional yuppies and men-in-suit types who don't want to lug a jukebox to work, this is one musical entertainer that fits perfectly into the suitcase, next to the Filofax and PDA.
Neuston Virtuoso MC-500
Device: Wireless networked entertainment device
Est. price: S$399 (US$234)
Availability: Now
Manufacturer: Neuston
Pros: Slim, compact; wealth of connectivity; handles MP3 as well as DivX and XviD video; option to convert incompatible DivX3 video files to newer DivX4 format; uncomplicated user interface; firmware upgradeable; Mac support.
Cons: Stuttering video when using 802.11b wireless; doesn't do Internet radio, WMV or audio CDs; chintzy credit card-sized remote; server stalls when playing corrupted videos; deletes older DivX 3 files after converting them to new format.
There's no denying that the future of home entertainment is digital. Just like how MP3s changed the way we listen to music, DivX will do the same for video. With most PCs still looking out of place in the living room, the Neuston Virtuoso MC-500 bridges this digital divide by functioning as a wireless networked entertainment device. This gadget streams different types of media throughout the house, allowing you to enjoy Internet movies and digital music on your television or home theater.
Prestigio M120C
Device: Notebook
Est. price: S$2,399 (US$1,397)
Availability: Now
Manufacturer: Prestigio
Pros: Good value for money; portable; PC camera included.
Cons: Lacks ports such as FireWire; S-video also missing.
The Prestigio M120C is a thin-and-light notebook that offers reasonable features for a notebook of its price. Weighing a mere 1.8kg, the laptop's small frame combined with its affordability make it an ultraportable to look at. Combined with a PC camera module, this Singapore-made machine satisfies the user looking for price and portability.
Zen Touch (20GB)
Device: Hard drive-based MP3 player
Est. price: S$499 (US$291).
Availability: August
Manufacturer: Creative
Pros: Claimed 32 hours (playing at 48kbps); roomy 20GB storage.
Cons: Pinpoint accuracy of touch-sensitive scroll too sensitive; hefty size.
At first glance, one would easily mistaken the Creative Zen Touch for a long lost cousin of Apple's iPod. The former sports the same white anodized aluminum face plate, a soothing arrangement of buttons that are arrayed neatly in two rows on the front of the device, 20GB worth of storage and a claimed 32-hour battery life; we had no doubt that this is a pseudo iPod sibling that is bent on replacing its former brother.
Zircon G88
Device: Phone running Palm OS
Est. price: S$938 (US$546)
Availability: Now
Manufacturer: Group Sense Technology
Pros: Large 260K-color screen; slide-out keypad; digital camera.
Cons: No onboard expansion slot.
Don't mistake the Zircon G88 for the Samsung SGH-D410 as this mobile phone is a lot more versatile. Designed in Singapore and manufactured in China, the G88 is touted by Group Sense as the smallest Palm-powered PDA phone currently. This latest offering addresses a shortcoming inherent in the previous z3--the lack of a keypad. Running on Palm OS, this smart phone is equally capable when used as a PDA.
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