Category: Singapore News

Changi Airport Terminal 4 Automated Not Just The Departure Process, But Also Its Cleaning Aunties

Changi Airport has long been a source of national pride and joy.

A world class airport that’s received multiple awards and accolades, it seems Changi Airport can do no wrong. With the unveiling of Terminal 4, Changi Airport has upped the ante, especially on the tech front.

The theme of Changi Terminal 4 is “vibrant, fun and positively surprising”, and passing through the airport, there are fun, surprising features lurking in places you might not expect. With petal motifs, an eclectic array of chairs and seating surfaces, and rounded lines permeating the space, the vibe of this terminal is certainly a change from that of Changi’s other terminals.

A Fully Automated Departure Process

One key difference between Terminal 4 and the rest of the terminals is that T4 boasts a fully automated departure process – a feature that may be particularly exciting for those of you who are constantly travelling.

This automation is helped by state-of-the-art facial recognition technology that’s integrated within the self-service stations that span every point of the departure process, from check-in to bag drop, to immigration, to boarding.

The benefit of that to travelers? Less queues, less waiting around, and greater convenience in general.

Many of you may already be familiar with some of these technologies, such as the automated check-in kiosk, automated bag drop and automated immigration gate. While not entirely new, T4 has implemented an added layer of security (i.e Facial Recognition Technology) to several of these self-service stations, i.e. bag drop and immigration.

At these stages, the self-service station will verify your identity with the use of photo captures of your face.

The boarding gate is also automated, and will also comprise a photo verification step. Hopefully, this will mean shorter waiting times when boarding your flight!

Centralised Security Screening

Owing to its relatively small size, Changi’s Terminal 4 will have a centralised security screening. That is, instead of getting your carry-on items checked at your gate, all passengers will have their carry-on luggage screened at one place.

This stage of the departure process boasts some shiny new pieces of tech and a long overdue solution to the bottlenecks that happen in the carry-on items screening process.

Instead of having to use multiple trays and to remove your laptop, phone, and all your devices at this point, at T4, you can just dump all your carry-on items into one large tray, and push that onto the conveyor belt. The items are then passed through a stronger hospital grade Computed Tomography scan for screening.

Bags that are good to go are streamed into one lane, and bags that are flagged are streamed into a second lane, where a security officer will instruct you to open your bag for a manual check. For bags that have no issue, simply remove your item(s). The tray will then disappear down a slot and be returned to the start of the line!

Automated Cleaning Auntie

Another thing – or job – that’s been automated at Changi’s Terminal 4 is cleaning.

You’ll notice adorable robots like these rolling around the airport, keeping the complex clean.

Dressed in the same yellow uniform as Changi’s cleaning staff, these “cleaning aunties” are able to detect objects in front of them, and will stop when an obstruction is detected; just make sure you don’t get in the way of them doing their jobs!

Immersive Entertainment Experiences

Those of us who’ve been to the airport often enough will know one thing about Changi Airport – it’s big on art.

With T4, Changi delivers a spectacular art-entertainment display in 2 locations – the Central Departure Security Screening Area and the Heritage Zone.

At the Central Departure Screening Area, you’ll find a 70m x 5m Immersive Wall. The LED display will show 1 of 17 different immersive pieces of content, each of which lasts between 2 – 4 minutes. Every 10 minutes, you’ll be treated to either a mesmerising display of ASEAN landmarks, the iconic sights and skyline of Singapore (e.g the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay, the Esplanade), or an animation that will delight both young and old!

Another feature that floored us was the Peranakan Love Story at the Heritage Zone.

Upon entering the Heritage Zone, you’ll see a stretch of colourful shophouses. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that if viewed from left to right, it shows the evolution of this style of home, from the Baroque design (1880 – 1900), to the Rococo style (1910-1920), to the Peranakan style (1920 -1936), to Modern decor (1936 – 1950).

A beautiful facade, you wouldn’t think two of these shophouses are in fact LED screens – that is, until it transforms into a theatre.

The digital wall transitions seamlessly into a theatre, screening the stunning Peranakan Love Story. The six-minute musical tells the story of a romance between two next door neighbors who are both passionate musicians. Look closely and you’ll notice familiar faces including Adrian Pang, Benjamin Kheng, Koh Chieng Mun and Amy Cheng. Created in collaboration with Singaporean composer and artiste, Dick Lee, the film is a visual spectacle with its effortless transitions and charming story.

See It All For Yourselves!

Curious to check out the tech and art for yourselves?

You won’t have to wait much longer because Changi Airport Terminal 4 will be conducting an open house from 7 – 20 August!

Head down, check out all the brand new features, and fantasize about your next adventure abroad while you’re there!

Also read The Ultimate Guide To Cafe Hopping In Melaka – 17 Hipster Cafes That Will Give You #Goodvibes

This Glow-In-The-Dark Path In Singapore Will Make You Feel Like You’re Walking On Stars

Some of you may have heard of or seen pictures of luminous pathways.

Like the dreamy night sky on the ground, similar glow in the dark paths can be found in countries such as Netherlands and Poland.

(Header Image Source: 

Sum 41 To Perform In Singapore In August, Tickets To Go On Sale Soon

Grew up in the 2000s? If you did, you should be no stranger to Canadian punk rock outfit Sum 41.

The soundtrack of our angsty teenage years, the band is famous for hits like “In Too Deep”, “The Hell Song” and “Over My Head (Better Off Dead)”.

After a five year break, the band released a brand new album just last year titled ’13 Voices’. The album was well-received, with tracks like “War”, “Fake My Own Death”, and “Breaking The Chain” racking up 10 million, 7 million and 3 million streams to date.

Currently on a world tour, the band will be here in Singapore to give fans a very special showcase at Zepp@BigBox on 24 August at 8pm.

OG Sum 41 fans, make sure to catch them live while they’re here! Tickets are priced at $120 (free standing only). You can purchases them via ApacTix from Jul 29, 12pm.

Also read Young, Wild And Free – Live It Up This Youth Month At These Places Because You Are Only Young Once

Another Singaporean Makes It On Sing! China, And Earns A Coveted Spot On Team Jay Chou

Yet another Singaporean has made it to Sing! China, China’s version of The Voice!

After charismatic crooner Nathan Hartono came in second place in the singing competition last year, Joanna Dong may be the next Singaporean to find success in the Chinese market.

The talented vocalist charmed the judges with her sweet, joyful vocals and vocal trumpet, and her dynamic performance earned her a three chair turn. After high praise from the judges, she picked Jay Chou to be her coach.

Who Is Joanna Dong?

Joanna Dong is no stranger to Singapore’s music scene.

She has sung for local festivals including the Mosaic Music Festival, Da:ns Festival, Baybeats, and Flipside. The singer, who sings in both English and Mandarin, is a lover of jazz music and is passionate about sharing that love with Mandarin-speaking audiences.

In 2008, she released a Jazz EP called ‘Lullaby Nomad‘, which contained original lyrics written in English and Mandarin. She also performed at a sold-out concert at the Esplanade Recital Studio, and has worked with the likes of DJ Koflow, Robosonic, and SonicBrat!

Clearly deeply passionate about her craft, we wish Joanna all the best in this singing competition!

Watch the full performance here:

Also read Milo Cheats On Nathan Hartono With A New Man – Oh, And It Also Released A New Flavour

Skip The Hawker Centre, You Can Now Get Your Nasi Lemak And Chendol Fix At McDonalds

Goodbye minions and hello Nasi Lemak burgers!

McDonald’s has just unveiled their new series for National Day 2017, and boy do they look scrumptious.

For an entire month, from July 13 2017, McDonald’s Singapore is joining the Singapore Food Festival with local-inspired food.

Singapore Burgers

Kick off your uniquely Singapore meal with the coconut pie with nata de coco chunks and a refreshing sip of bandung McFizz.

And once you’ve whetted your appetite, it’s time to dig into the good stuff. 

The Nasi Lemak burger comes with a chicken thigh patty with cornflake batter, a fried egg, caramelised onions and cucumber slices.

The final topping is a generous sambal sauce, because what’s Nasi Lemak without sambal?

Sweet Memories To Come

And the limited edition menu does not stop there, for after burgers comes desserts.

For this, the Chendol McFlurry with vanilla soft serve, gula melaka sauce and chendol jelly bits promises to deliver a sweet round-up.

And if you still have the space for extras, pick up a Chendol Melaka ice cream cone on the way out.

From the Chendol Melaka Twist to the more adventurous Chendol Melaka ChocoCone, there’s something for every palate.

But wait, it does not stop there. 

Pop by McCafe for a delightful pandan creation, in the form of a Pandan Coco Frappé or the Kueh Salat Cake (pandan custard and glutinous rice).

And if you feel like going traditional, McDonald’s is also offering their signature Vanilla cone at $0.50 from 4 to 10 August.

P.S. There Are Special Discounts For NS men!

As a salute to the 50th year of National Service, the fast food chain is offering all past and present NS men a free Apple Pie or Hot Fudge Sundae with every Extra Value Meal.

All you need to do is present your SAFRA ID, 11B or Pink IC.

We foresee crazy queues the moment they open, so be sure to snag your spot in the queue early!

Happy early National Day!

(Header Image Source: Coconuts)

Milo Cheats On Nathan Hartono With A New Man – Oh, And It Also Released A New Flavour

Singaporeans, there’s a new Milo flavour in town, and this one, you’ll be able to drink as much as you like. …Okay, maybe we won’t go so far as to say that.

Nestlé is launching a new, sugar-reduced version of Singaporeans’ favourite Milo drink, and it will be called Milo Gao Siew Dai – exactly as you would order it in a coffee shop, although we’re not sure what your neighbourhood coffee shop uncle will feel about it.

Featuring a stronger Milo taste, with half the amount of sugar and 30% more protein, the new Milo Gao Siew Dai was born out of Nestlé’s overall global 2020 commitment to reduce the sugar in its products by 5%.

This also coincides with a rising prevalence of diabetes among Singaporeans, and with the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) aim to reduce sugar intake among Singaporeans.

A New Flavour

Of course, 50% less sugar doesn’t just mean putting 50% less sugar into the new Milo formulation.

Balancing taste and health concerns is a delicate act, especially given Milo’s commitment to delivering a great tasting drink. Besides reducing sugar, other elements were tweaked to ensure that the Milo’s flavour was not compromised.

We had the opportunity to taste the new Milo Gao Siu Dai and here’s our verdict: It tastes like the Milo we all know and love, but less sweet. The drink is a lot lighter than the original Milo, so it may not be for everyone. Our tip? Drink it hot because we feel the flavour comes out stronger when drank that way.

A New Poster Boy

After a very public relationship with Nathan Hartono, it seems Milo Singapore will be seeing more of another man, namely Singapore’s golden boy, Joseph Schooling. The tall, dark and handsome Olympic Gold medallist has been appointed the latest ambassador for Milo Singapore.

There’s An Ice Cream Cone That Looks Like A Unicorn, And It’s Almost Too Cute To Eat

Love your Ben & Jerry’s ice cream? Here’s something that will make you love the ice cream company even more!

Ben & Jerry’s has recently released a new Unicone ($8.90), an ice cream cone that resembles everyone’s favourite mythical creature – the unicorn.

[caption id="attachment_27937" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Ben & Jerry’s Unicone (Image Credit: charcoal waffle cone, the creation is topped off with a pair of impossibly cute candy ears, with a gold-dusted biscuit stick serving as the all-important horn.

A fun, adorable creation that’s basically made for the ‘gram, make sure to take tons of photos when you get your hands on one of these! Better yet, get a few – with your friends, of course! – all in different colours for that one magical photo! Catch up with your girlfriends over these picture-perfect treats that are almost too cute to eat.

Available only until 31 August 2017, the Unicone is available at all Ben & Jerry’s stores! Head down to your nearest Ben & Jerry’s store before they disappear!

Also read Grab Your Mugs, A&W Is Making A Comeback And We Are Floating To Root Beer Heaven

(Header Image Source: Weekender Singapore)

Melissa’s Latest Collection Celebrates The Power Of Girls With Edgy Shapes And A Sprinkling Of Glitter

Melissa shoes – they’re fun, they’re comfortable, and they’re super cute to boot (pun intended)!

Melissa has just launched its MDREAMS flagship store in Singapore, and at 1,700 square feet, it is currently the largest MDREAMS retail outlet in the world!

Situated in the heart of Singapore’s CBD at Raffles City Shopping Centre, you’ll immediately notice strong curved lines in the stark white space. From the display shelves to seats, to the fixtures on the ceiling, curves feature prominently in this store, taking inspiration from dance and movement which characterize the Melissa shoe.

We popped in for a preview of their latest FlyGrl FW 2017 collection, which celebrates girl power. With bold, edgy shapes in muted fall/winter tones, as well as some glitter and metallics, these shoes are for the girl who’s not afraid to own her power.

Even the boys can join in on the fun at Melissa! Some of the styles, such as the Melissa Free ($125), are actually unisex, and it’s not altogether unusual for men to buy these fun kicks to wear on their feet. We’re not kidding – there were guys sporting their Melissas at the MDREAMS launch, some even pulling them off better than we did!

Some of the new styles we fell head over heels for were the edgy Panapana Mule ($170)…

the square-toed, lace-up Wonder ($190) boot that makes you feel all-powerful…

and Melissa’s plastic spin on the hot sneaker trend, the Be ($135).

Other styles to keep your eye out for are the statement Cosmic Sandal ($135), the barbie-esque Mule ($140), the understated Panapana ($160), and the Melissa Rain Drop Boot ($180) that’s perfect for looking fab this rainy July.

Also, expect new colours and details on your favourite styles like the Ultragirl!

Make sure to check out all of the styles in-store. While these shoes look great in photos, they look and feel even better in person!

*Take note that the Panapana Mule, the Wonder and the Rain Drop Boot are only available at the MDREAMS flagship store at Raffles City Shopping Centre.

MDREAMS (Raffles City Shopping Centre)
Address: 252 North Bridge Road, #B1 – 28, Singapore 179103
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 10am – 9pm

Also read 10 Amazeball Events And Makan Places To Jazz Up The First Half Of July [1-15 July]

Grab Your Mugs, A&W Is Making A Comeback And We Are Floating To Root Beer Heaven

If you love American fast food chain A&W, you’ll be happy to know that they’ll be coming back to Singapore!

I’m sure we – or the older ones of us, at least – can all remember their delicious root beer floats and addictive onion rings!

A&W, which is short for “Allen and Wright”, shuttered their last store in Singapore in 2003. After disappearing from our island over 10 years ago, the fast food chain will be returning as part of its expansion into Southeast Asia in 2018. This means it will still be quite a wait before we can get get our hands on some A&W.

We can’t wait to be reunited with their root beer floats, Coney dogs, curly fries, waffles and more!

Other countries A&W plans to expand into in the Southeast Asia region include Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

[caption id="attachment_27880" align="alignnone" width="1600"] A&W Coney Dog (Image Credit: While there is no word yet on where their first store will be, there’s a good chance there will be a branch near you, as the fast food chain has plans to open 30 – 40 new restaurants a year between the 4 countries.

Also read At This New Tempura Restaurant, Building Your Own Tendon Bowl Is As Easy As Ebi-C

(Header Image Source: A&W Canada Facebook)

Cool SIA, You Can Now Enjoy Local Favourites Like Laksa On Your Next Trip Overseas

Can’t get enough of local food?

Pretty soon, locals and foreigners alike will get to enjoy local favouites when they fly Singapore Airlines.

The #2 airline in the world will be changing up its menu as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations. A collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board, this will be happening in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival.

Starting next month, local delicacies near and dear to our hearts like chicken rice and carrot cake will be served as part of SIA’s new in-flight menu.

(Header Image Source: