One of the great things about living in a modern city like Singapore is how easy it is to buy and use the latest gadgets.

Buying an iPhone | Buying an iPad | iPhone and iPad apps for Singapore

Buying an iPhone in Singapore

If you want to buy an iPhone 4, they're available from the three main carriers - Singtel, StarHub, and M1. You can also order an iPhone online from the Apple Store and then sign up with your preferred carrier, but if you do it that way you miss out on the carrier subsidies for committed contracts.

Singtel iPhones are available online at the SingtelShop, and in stores. Buying a new phone and signing up for a new phone line are easily done online.

Here is a quick link to iPhone plans for comparison:
Singtel (click on Price Plans) | StarHub iPhone plans | M1 iPhone plans

Buying an iPad in Singapore

Buying an iPad in Singapore is easy - just go over to your nearest Apple reseller or better yet, order an iPad online from the Apple Store.

A tip for iPad buyers. Order your iPad and case online from the Apple Store, then bring your iPad into a physical store to buy the screen protector and have it installed by the store staff. It is much more convenient and less stressful than installing the screen protector yourself. Once the screen protector is on, you can slip the iPad into its new case.

Singapore iPhone and iPad apps

Using the iPad or iPhone is a joy in Singapore because there is plenty of free wi-fi available, courtesy of Wireless@SG. The three Wireless@SG providers each have an iPhone app which allows you to automatically log in to WirelessSGx hotspots without having to type in your login ID and password each time. Any of the three apps should work regardless of which operator you signed up with: Singtel, M1, or iCell.

Here are a few more Singapore-specific iPhone and iPad apps we've found useful:

• Changi Airport's iChangi app. Free. Gives you status updates on arriving and departing flights. You can choose specific flights to track. For departing flights, you can be notified when the flight is ready to board, and when the gate is closing; for arriving flights: when arrival is confirmed, and when the flight has landed. Saved flights will automatically be removed a day after the flight arrives, departs, or is cancelled.
  
• ComfortDelGro Taxi Booking. Free. Handy taxi booking app that stores favorites, has an integrated map, allows you to book multiple taxis at once, and best of all - is integrated with the cab GPS systems to show you exactly where your taxi is while it's on its way to you! No more wondering whether the cab driver got lost or is waiting at the wrong building. We love this app.
  
• HungryGoWhere. Free. Our web favorite now comes neatly packaged in a slick mobile app. HungryGoWhere allows you to search for restaurants by name, cuisine type, price range, location or proximity to you, and other category types. Recommendation ratings (% recommended) and number of votes are shown alongside the restaurant name. You can browse the user reviews, complete contact information is provided for the restaurant, and there is a handy "Call" button so you can book a table -- good integration with the iPhone. This app is perfect for times when you're in an unfamiliar neighborhood or just looking for inspiration.
  
• Library in Your Pocket. Free (website). While not strictly an application that you install, the mobile version of the National Library Board web site has an iPhone- and iPad-tailored interface that puts some apps to shame - just go to m.nlb.gov.sg. You can check your account from your iPhone and renew loan items or edit your notification settings. Never get stuck with overdue fines again... as soon as you get the SMS notification that your books are due, go into the library app and renew them once for free. You can also search the NLB catalog, check book availability and anticipated return dates, and reserve books for pickup. Now if only we could get SingPost to deliver reserved library books.
  
• Property Guru. Free. If you get the urge to shop for an apartment while commuting to work, PropertyGuru is the app for you. It can search by locations or other parameters such as price, size, property type, and building name (choose search by address). If you register and log in, you can save searches, add properties to your personal shortlist or add notes. iProperty.com (also free) is less full-featured but allows you to save properties to your shortlist without having to log in.
  
• SG NextBus. Free. Shows you nearby bus stops and next arrival times for those buses. You can also pre-set your favorite bus stops and bus services. The accompanying SG Buses app (also free) is a complete bus guide that lets you look up bus services and routes - great for times when you get on the wrong bus and aren't quite sure where it goes. We particularly like the function for browsing by road name.
  
• Singapore Transit. Free. This handy one-stop transit app has pretty much everything a commuter needs. It includes: a map of the MRT system, an interface to Google and gothere.sg Journey Planners and to Google Maps, LTA traffic maps and ERP locations, a bus guide. The Parking Guide shows the number of available parking slots for popular malls and displays their parking rates. The application also interfaces with the LTA traffic cameras, but we prefer the TraffiCam app (also free).
  
• The Straits Times and TODAY. Free.
  
• TraffiCam. Free. As the name implies, this app shows you traffic camera views from several cameras across the island. Combining this with Google Maps' travel view, we can now respond with an informed opinion when our Singaporean cabby asks, "Which way do you want to go?". The "Locate by Map" feature is great for newcomers who are not yet familiar with the various expressway names and acronyms.

Helpful features exclusive to Singtel subscribers (you must be on 3G to use these):

• AMPed is Singtel's free music streaming service.
• Facebook Mobile. You can go to 0.facebook.com to access Facebook over 3G without paying Singtel data charges.
• Price Pal lets you scan bar codes to get instant comparison prices for books and groceries. While not all items are in the database, you can easily upload your own price data by taking a picture of the price tag after scanning the bar code. The application also shows comparisons of petrol prices.

Not to be outdone, the various banks offer apps that keep track of dining and shopping discount offers. Personally, I find it easier to just ask the restaurant staff once I'm seated... especially if you have more than one brand of credit card.

A word on some of the general apps available in the international App Store and how they work in Singapore:

• Unlike in the US where Skype connections are not allowed over 3G, the Skype iPhone app works just fine on 3G in Singapore.
• As of this writing, the following apps are not available in the Singapore store: Google Earth, Appstream, Flipboard, and the Amazon Kindle app.

Have any favorite Singapore apps you’d like to recommend? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For more Singapore iPhone and iPad app recommendations, check out this excellent local blog: iMerlion.com.

What's next?

Now that you've got all your apps locked and loaded, get out and explore the many Things to Do in and around Singapore!

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