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Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts

Thursday, 26 June 2025

Rewards Updates : Kris+ will cut earn rates at more than 250 merchants from July


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Starting July 1, 2025, Kris+ earn rates will decrease at over 250 merchants, following the standardization of KrisFlyer mile value to 1 cent per mile. This change will result in a 40% reduction in average earn rates, impacting the overall generosity of the Kris+ program. The updated list of merchants and earn rates is available for reference.


Kris+ merchants are rebasing their earn rates, with many moving from 9 mpd to 6 mpd, reflecting the 50% increase in KrisPay mile value. This change will impact those who convert Kris+ miles to KrisFlyer, as the number of high-earning merchants has decreased significantly. While some merchants have maintained their rates, it is expected that more adjustments will occur.


Kris+ allows users to transfer miles earned from Kris+ to their KrisFlyer account. The DBS Woman’s World Card, Citi Rewards + Amaze, and KrisFlyer UOB Card are recommended for earning 3-4 miles per dollar.

Monday, 23 June 2025

Rewards Updates : Enhanced: Redeem KrisFlyer miles at 1 cent each across SIA, Scoot, Pelago, Kris+ and KrisShop


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


KrisFlyer Mile Value: From July 1, 2025, KrisFlyer miles will be worth 1 cent each across SIA, Scoot, Pelago, Kris+ and KrisShop.


Redemption Rate Standardization: Singapore Airlines will introduce a standardized redemption rate of 100 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 across all platforms.


Value Enhancement: The new rate boosts the value per mile by 5-50%, depending on the use case.


Payment Method: KrisFlyer members can use miles to pay for commercial tickets, purchases at Kris+ merchants, KrisShop, and Pelago.


Miles Redemption Rate: From July 1, 2025, the redemption rate will be harmonized to 100 KrisFlyer miles = S$1.


Minimum Redemption Amount: The minimum redemption amount will be 10 miles for Kris+, and 1,000 miles for Singapore Airlines and Scoot, KrisShop, and Pelago.


Kris+ Transfer Bonus Value: Transferred KrisFlyer miles to Kris+ with a 35% bonus will be worth S$13.50, or 1.35 cents per mile.


Miles & Cash Rate Change: The rate for Miles & Cash for Singapore Airlines flights has changed, but the difference is marginal compared to the previous rate.


KrisFlyer vRooms Value: Redeeming the minimum number of miles (1,500 miles) through KrisFlyer vRooms can yield a higher valuation of 1.6 cents per mile.


Best Use of Miles: Award flights offer the highest value for KrisFlyer miles, with potential valuations of 4-5 cents per mile.


Value of Spending Miles: Spending miles for cash or non-travel rewards is not recommended, as the value is significantly lower (1 cent per mile).


Miles Conversion: Converting KrisFlyer miles to other loyalty programs like Shangri-La Circle or CapitaStar offers slightly higher value than cash equivalents.


KrisFlyer Mile Value Standardization: From July 1, 2025, KrisFlyer miles will be standardized to 1 cent each for all redemptions.


Impact on Mile Conversion: Converting KrisFlyer miles to other programs like yuu Points or Accor points will no longer be advantageous.


Potential Concerns: Standardization of mile value raises concerns about potential future shifts towards revenue-based redemptions.

Sunday, 22 June 2025

Entertainment Updates : No longer a must-have? Why some Singapore malls are swapping cinemas for gyms and tuition centres


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Tenant Mix Diversification: Mall operators are replacing cinemas with gyms, indoor basketball courts, tuition centres, and immersive dining experiences.


Cinema Industry Challenges: Cinemas face difficulties due to the rise of streaming services and changing consumer preferences.


Shift in Mall Operator Perspective: The pandemic accelerated a trend of people consuming entertainment at home, reducing the value proposition of cinemas as anchor tenants.


Cathay Cineplexes Transformation: Cathay Cineplexes is transforming some of its outlets into education and enrichment hubs.


Parkway Parade Example: Parkway Parade’s outlet has been transformed into an education and enrichment hub with a basketball academy and a math enrichment center.


The Cathay Example: The Cathay along Handy Road now houses PSB Academy and other businesses, no longer operating as a cinema.


Cinema Space Repurposing: Filmgarde Cineplexes’ space at Leisure Park Kallang will become an “immersive dining” venue.


New Tenants at Parkway Parade: Scholar Basketball Academy is among the new tenants at level seven of Parkway Parade.


Cinema Overhaul Plans: West Mall and AMK Hub plan to overhaul the cinema spaces formerly occupied by Cathay Cineplexes.


Cinema Space Repurposing: Seletar Mall’s former Shaw Theatres space is expected to be repurposed, potentially for tenants like gyms or co-working spaces.


Changing Consumer Behavior: Shifting consumer preferences and challenging market conditions are leading mall and cinema operators to reevaluate their business strategies.


Mall Operator Preferences: Mall operators are increasingly seeking tenants that can generate consistent foot traffic throughout the day, favoring higher-paying options over cinemas.


Tenant Selection Criteria: Mall operators prioritize tenants that can attract foot traffic, such as enrichment centers, gyms, and experiential F&B outlets.


Reasons for Choosing Specific Tenants: These tenants are preferred because they encourage longer stays, attract customers during off-peak hours, and offer a diverse range of experiences.


Cinemas’ Current Status: While rental payment delays are a concern, experts believe cinemas are not yet considered a significant risk for landlords.


Cinema Space Reinstatement: Restoring a former cinema space can be expensive and time-consuming, potentially costing six figures and taking months.


Benefits of Similar Tenants: Having a replacement tenant from a similar trade, like another cinema, can reduce capital expenditure and ensure stable income for both landlord and tenant.


Shaw Theatres at Jem: Shaw Theatres will take over the cinema space at Jem, becoming the only cinema operator in the Jurong East catchment.

LifeStyle Updates : NLB Celebrates Book Bugs With Exhibition, Commemorative Cards & More


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Book Bugs Program Goal: To cultivate a love for reading in children and boost book loans and library visits.


Program Activities: Players earn points by borrowing books or eBooks, redeemable for Book Bugs cards, and participate in quizzes, events, and playoffs for bonus points and tokens.


Program Impact: Increased book borrowing and reading, particularly among boys, with a positive impact extending beyond the campaign period.


Exhibition Details: Book Bugs: Unearthing Memories exhibition will showcase all 425 Book Bugs cards across five editions.


Exhibition Locations: The exhibition will be held at Central Library, Punggol Regional Library, Tampines Regional Library, Jurong Regional Library, Woodlands Regional Library, and Asian Civilisations Museum.


Tournament Details: Bugcadia’s Annual National Tournament will be held at the National Library Building on June 21-22, 1 pm to 6 pm.


Event Modes: Players can choose between competitive “Classic Mode” and collaborative “Storytelling Mode”.


Event Activities: Fringe activities, card trading, friendly matches, NLB30 Special Mission activities, and token redemption.


Commemorative Cards: Two special cards, “Pagie” and “Empress”, can be redeemed at the event and later from Book Bugs card dispensing machines.

Sunday, 15 June 2025

Happy Father's Day


Rewards Updates : PSA: Activate Kris+ auto-transfer feature


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Kris+ Auto-Transfer Feature: Kris+ now allows users to automatically transfer KrisPay miles to KrisFlyer.


Activation: Users can activate the feature by going to Wallet > Transfer to KrisFlyer and turning on the “auto-transfer to KrisFlyer” switch.


Transferable Miles: Only KrisPay miles earned through purchases or converted from partner reward points can be transferred to KrisFlyer.


Kris+ Miles Transfer: Kris+ now automatically transfers earned miles to KrisFlyer, eliminating the need for manual transfer.


Earning Miles with Kris+: Earn miles by scanning the merchant’s QR code and paying with Apple/Google Pay.


Best Cards for Kris+: DBS Woman’s World Card, Citi Rewards + Amaze, and KrisFlyer UOB Card are recommended for their high earn rates.

Friday, 13 June 2025

Entertainment Updates : Steam finally goes native on Apple Silicon, here’s how to try it


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Steam Update: Steam for Mac is now a native Apple Silicon app.


Performance Improvement: The update brings faster launch times, smoother scrolling and navigation, and improved access to Store and Community pages.


How to Try: Users can opt into the beta by going to Steam > Settings > Interface.


Steam Update: Steam released a beta update for macOS, addressing the upcoming deprecation of Rosetta 2.


Rosetta 2 Deprecation: Apple announced that Rosetta 2, which allows Intel-based apps to run on Apple silicon, will be deprecated in a future macOS version.


Future Support: Apple will continue to provide security updates for Intel-based Macs for three years and will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality for older, unmaintained games.

Thursday, 12 June 2025

Rewards Updates : Chocolate Visa Card nerf: What now?


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Earn Rate Reduction: Earn rate for the first S$1,000 spent will be reduced from 2 mpd to 1 mpd.


Bill Payment Cap: Maximum miles earnable from bill payments will be capped at 100 miles per month.


Effective Date: Changes will take effect on 1 July 2025.


Miles Multiplier Tiers: 0% for MAB below S$5K, increasing by 5% for every S$5K increment up to S$100K.


Miles Multiplier Cap: Capped at 100% for MAB of S$100K and above.


Miles Multiplier Calculation: Bonus miles are calculated as a percentage of the total miles earned, based on the MAB tier.


Miles Multiplier Effectiveness: Not lucrative enough to incentivize deposits, offering only S$1 to S$20 in rewards.


Deposit Decision Factor: Primarily based on the attractiveness of base returns rather than the Miles Multiplier.


Chocolate Finance Returns: Guaranteed returns of 3% p.a. (SGD) and 4.3% p.a. (USD) on the first S$20K/US$20K, followed by 2.7% p.a. (SGD) and 4% p.a. (USD) on the next S$30K/US$30K, with non-guaranteed rates for amounts above S$50K/US$50K.


Card Security: Freeze the Chocolate Visa Card when not in use to prevent unauthorized transactions.


Miles Earning Limitation: Government services, healthcare, insurance, and utilities are capped at 100 miles per month.


Miles Earning on Specific Categories: Charitable donations and education are still eligible for miles earning.

LifeStyle Updates : New Toto Match Game: Are The Odds Better Than Classic Toto


Source : 



ChatGPT : 

Toto Match is a new fixed-payout lottery game introduced by Singapore Pools to complement the classic Toto. Unlike the jackpot-style classic Toto, Toto Match offers four bet types (Match Additional Number, Match 2, Match 3, and Match 4) with fixed odds and payouts. While odds vary—from 1 in 49 (Match AN) to 1 in 14,125 (Match 4)—the Net Present Value (NPV) per $1 bet ranges from $0.50 to $0.64. This means you still lose money on average, but potentially less than with a classic Toto ticket, which has an NPV of $0.51

Tuesday, 10 June 2025

LifeStyle Updates : Can you reinstate expired Citi ThankYou Points?


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Citi ThankYou Points Expiration: Points earned on the Citi Rewards Card expire 60 months from the card opening date, plus a 3-month grace period.


Points Reinstatement: Expired points can be reinstated upon appeal.


Notification Policy: A reminder notification is sent 3 months before points expiration.


Points Validity: Citi Rewards points are valid for 60 months plus a 3-month grace period.


Points Expiration Notification: Citi only alerts customers about expiring points in the next three months through e-Statements.


Points Reinstatement: Citi offers 100% reinstatement of expired points with an additional 3-month validity upon request.


Point Reinstatement Policy: Citibank offers a one-time goodwill reinstatement of expired points for Citi Rewards Cardholders.


Reinstatement Validity: The reinstated points are valid for 3 months and expire with the statement cycle date.


Recommendation: It is advisable to avoid letting points expire and rely on the reinstatement policy.

Entertainment Updates : How Video Games Made Me Better at Typing


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


Typing Games’ Effectiveness: Typing games are surprisingly effective in improving typing skills.


Engaging Learning Experience: Typing games make typing practice fun and rewarding, unlike traditional typing lessons.


History of Typing Games: Educational games, including typing games, have existed since the early 1980s.


Modern Typing Games: Immersive gameplay experiences that subtly improve typing speed and precision.


Gameplay Mechanics: Progress and survival often depend on typing speed and accuracy, creating a natural incentive for improvement.


Game Examples: Glyphica: Typing Survival and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance demonstrate how typing can be integrated into various genres.


Game Genre: First-person shooter (FPS) game.


Game Rating: Mature 17+ due to blood and gore, and violence.


Release Date: May 23, 2023.


Gameplay Experience: Blood Typers is a unique and enjoyable typing game that can be played solo or with friends.


Vocabulary Improvement: Typing games, like Blood Typers and Cryptmaster, subtly expand vocabulary through gameplay.


Skill Development: Typing games offer a fun and engaging way to improve typing skills, regardless of prior experience.