Friday, November 21, 2014

Review - Britax B-READY 2012 with second seat

The 2012 Britax B-READY is an improved second generation of the model. The main seat now has 4 recline positions and the wheels have all been upgraded to foam-filled rubber tyres instead.

New improved second generation



Foam-filled rubber tyres.


The stroller is basically made up of 3 components - the frame, the main seat and the second seat which is an accessory that has to be purchased separately.

As this is a modular stroller, all the seats can be removed from the frame if need be.

FRAME


The frame is equipped with a height adjustable handle (seven positions) that can accommodate parents of different heights. However, it being non telescopic might not be much of a difference to tall parents from unintentionally kicking the second seat. For someone who is 1.7m tall, I have no issues even with the second flat reclined flat which is when the top of the seat protrudes horizontally the most.

Just below the handle, on each side of the frame, is a lever that when pulled will fold the frame in half, length wise. I will touch on the fold with more details later on.

Along the right side of the frame is the removable cup holder which is quite deep so your drink stays in place.

It also comes with an integrated Click & GO system for the main seat where you can easily attached and remove a seat, a car seat or a bassinet. Makes me wonder why Britax did not design the second seat mount just the same and make attaching and removing the second seat much easier.

The huge basket can be accessed from all sides which makes it convenient when you have a child in the second seat. However, the basket being not rigid makes it hard to zip or unzip with one hand. I think a magnetic or velcro flap will be much better.

It is equipped with a one-step, linked parking brake with indicator that alternates between engaged and disengaged when stepped on. There's no need to lift the pedal so it will not hurt your toes if you are wearing slippers, sandals or open end shoes.

As mentioned at the beginning, the removable wheels are now equipped with foam filled rubber tyres. There will always be two sides of the camp, between those who prefers air-filled and not. I prefer non air-filled as it is hassle free and will spare you the anguish if you are caught with flat tyres with no pump around.


MAIN SEAT


The main seat can be made to face forward or rear and can be attached to the frame by dropping it into the appropriate slots on each side of the frame until it locks in. To remove it from the frame, simply lift the levers at each sides of the seat. It being light makes this an easy task.

The seat can be single-handedly reclined up to 4 steps by simply pulling a lever at the back of the seat. You can position the seat almost straight up or almost completely flat.

Although the seat can recline, the seat maintains its shape which means a child cannot lay completely flat without having their legs bent at the knees. Think of a infant car seat and you get the idea. This makes the seat not suitable for infants for long periods of time.

It comes with a 5 point harness which is easy to buckle and unbuckle. I find it a little too easy to unbuckle so toddlers might just be able to set themselves loose once they figured that out by simply pressing that big button in the middle of the buckle.

The harness for the main seat can be easily adjusted by moving slider up and down at the back of the seat main. While it is super convenient, it is practically useless, and it applies to any stroller simply because you don't adjust them all the time unless you swap kids of different height every now and then.

At each side of the harness adjuster are two pockets which can be used as storage space.

The canopy comes with see through rear window with magnetic flaps instead of a velcro, which is great. It is silent and requires no effort. On top of that, the weight of the magnets on the flaps ensures that it stay in place when opened and will not be affected by wind.

The armbar is padded and easily removable You can either remove it or let it dangle on one side by pressing a button at each/both side of the frame.

There are 6 available colours to choose from




SECOND SEAT


The second seat has similar traits as the main seat except

- it cannot be made to rear face
- the harness has to be re-threaded manually
- not Click And Go, which is a shame but not that hard to attach and detach from the frame.
- can be reclined totally flat therefore is suitable for infants. However, most parents would want to have their infants face them, which can only be done with the main seat.


BUILD QUALITY


There is nothing much to complain about really. The seat and canopy is made of high quality material except the buckle cover which can easily tear and too thin. Phil & Teds got it right for this one.

FOLD


As mentioned earlier, the stroller can be folded with or without both or either seats, which is a plus. However, it is negated by the fact that the stroller is heavy when folded with both seats attached.

Also, the design of the frame is such that there is no convenient way to carry the stroller unlike other strollers where you can carry them like a bag with one hand. This is main reason that prevents me from giving it a perfect score.

To make it easier, especially for the ladies, it is advisable to remove the main seat before folding. This reduces the overall weight and removing and attaching the main seat is so easy.

OVERALL


This is by far the best tandem stroller there is, hands down. I would definitely recommend it to any parents looking for one. However, please take note of the negative parts of the stroller, especially the weight and width, as that can be a deal breaker.

SCORE - 9/10


Pros

Both seats can be easily reclined.
Second seat can be reclined almost horizontal to the ground
Frame is easy to fold and can be folded with or without one or both of the seats attached.
Main seat harness is easy to adjust.
Basket is accessible even when the second seat is occupied by a child
Maintenance free foam filled rubber tyres
Magnetic flap on the canopy suits light sleeper babies.
Good quality handle grip foam.
Solid build

Cons

Wide at 70cm
Heavy at 15.7kg (with both seats attached)
Auto lock not so efficient.
Material for the buckle cover is of poor quality fabric and design

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Project: Laundry Room - Part 2

Before

This is how the area looks like before anything is done to it. As you can see, there is a power outlet but no water inlet or outlet. The storage water heater is mounted on the top left and it comes with a release outlet as well which the previous owner simply connects a hose to and let it run loose on the floor to the opposite side of the room where the drainage hole is.



Piping - Drainage

Not a tough job actually. Since this is a drainage pipe with no pressure, there isn't a need to glue the pipe together. Simply joining them with L-joints were sufficient. All I need to do is cut them to size.

Items required - PVC pipes, joints
Tools required - saw

This is end result.






Piping - Inlet

What I need to do is to cut the existing inlet piping for the water heater and install a T-joint in between (circled red in the picture below) which will then add an additional inlet for the washer. The pipe will then run horizontally on top of the heater before going vertically down at the back of the heater (along the blue line) where a tap will be connected at the end.


This is not a really a tough job but made difficult due to limited access, especially when joining the new horizontal and vertical pipe to the L-joint at the back of the heater. Luckily the existing pipes that I need to cut is in front of the heater and easily accessible to be worked on.

Items required - copper pipes, white tape, pipe head, 2x L-joint, 1x T-joint
Tools required - pipe cutter, spanner

This is the end result.


Electrical source

There is already a power source nearby. All I need to do is to tap from it and have 3 additional power sockets - one for washer, dryer and iron each.

However, after much thought, I decided that a high quality extension placed at the end of the table just under the existing power point will suffice. No work needed here.

Woodwork

After taking the actual measurement, I had to make some changes to the initial design as there isn't enough space left for a base cabinet after both the washer and dryer is placed side by side. The size of the wall cabinet had to be reduced too due to the ventilation window as well as the huge storage water heater mounted around the same area.

Since not even the smallest 30 cm wide base cabinet can fit, therefore it will be just the worktop for the base. For the worktop, I decided to get a 126 cm in length instead of anything longer and save the hassle of having to cut it later on. I can then mount them on 3 sides with the fourth resting on a spacer above the dryer. As there will not be much weight on the worktop, it should be strong enough.

All Ikea worktop except Pragel will do and I decided to go with Fyndig because it is the most cost effective for the type of usage.

Unfortunately the Fyndig wor top is temporarily out of stock so I got an as-is table top instead. Once the Fyndig is in stock, I will replace it with the worktop and use the table top for other purpose.

For the wall cabinet, the maximum size I can go with is 90 cm x 70 cm. As 30 cm is the smallest door width available, it will be 3 doors then. A small door helps in a constrained space when opened.

Item required - wall cabinet, worktop, mounting brackets.
Tools required - drill, screwdriver.

This is the end result.



Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Project: Laundry Room - Part 1

The previous owner placed their washer and dryer stacked up at the entrance of the service yard because it is within the vicinity of the drainage hole. Since there are also two huge drainage pipes running down vertically around the same vicinity, the appliances are not able to be placed to the wall and hence jutting out.

Due to this, the area looks cramped and blocks light from the service yard windows to the kitchen. At the same time, valuable space behind the appliances is wasted.

After reviewing the area, I decided to instead place my washer and dryer on the other side of the wall since it is a recess area due to the beam wall on the right side of the area

This recess area will fit both appliances nicely and put them out of the way hence clearing up the space and brighten up the area as well as the kitchen.

However, before that can happen I will need to do some preparation.

1. Piping (drainage)

I will need to extend the drainage pipe across the room. If I were renovating the floor, I would have this done under the tiles but since I am not I will have to do it on the floor which will be unsightly if not done right. 

To make it look neater, I will lay them around the room under the windows. That is the best that can be done considering the situation.

Components required - PVC pipes, joins.

Tools required - saw, glue.

2. Piping (inlet)

Lucky me the water heater is located just above therefore I will be able to tap from there and extend the additional inlet piping down to the washer below.

Components required - Copper piping, 3 way joins, valve.
Tool required - spanner, cutter.

3. Electrical

Currently there are no electrical points around the area so I will need to tap from another source.

The best source will be where the previous owner plugged in both their washer and dryer as that point will no longer be needed hence there should be no risk of overloading. I practically shift the points without actually physically shifting it.

Components required  - electrical wires, PVC casing, wall nails and a 3 face plate for an iron, dryer and washer.

Tools required - hammer, drill, screwdriver, test pen.

4. Woodwork

I decided not to stack the appliances up and will instead place them side by side. I will then add a worktop on top of the appliances, which will be used for ironing. At the same, I will also add storage space for our laundry needs like detergents etc as well as storage for our bedding and curtains etc.

Below are the components needed.

- 1.5 m worktop, which is the length of the area, wall to wall.

- 30 cm base cabinet, which is the space left after subtracting the length of the washer and dryer placed side by side

- 1.5 m wall cabinet, which is the length of the area, wall to wall. The height of the cabinets will be determined by the ventilation window for the bathroom on the other side of the wall.

I have asked for quotations for the above and it is just too costly. The cost for the worktop alone can get me the full complete set with top and bottom cabinets from Ikea.

No doubt the Ikea cabinets are made of particleboard or MDF which is not as good as plywood but with correct usage, I think it should last me a few years before I need to have it changed. Furthermore, the dimensions fits my requirements nicely.. The only component I will need to modify is the worktop which do not come in the size I need.

When done, the final unit will look something like this.







Switching Network Category in Windows 2012 R2

Seriously, it is annoying when the rights to change it is taken away from you.

Credit to Charlie Russel, you can change it using Powershell

First, find out what is the InterfaceIndex of the NIC that you are planning to modify:
Get-NetConnectionProfile

It will return something similar as below

Name : Unidentified network
InterfaceAlias : vEthernet (Local-10)
InterfaceIndex : 18
NetworkCategory : Public
IPv4Connectivity : LocalNetwork
IPv6Connectivity : LocalNetwork

Once you found the InterfaceIndex, you can use the command below.
Set-NetConnectionProfile  -InterfaceIndex 18 -NetworkCategory Private

Friday, June 27, 2014

NS12 Canberra station confirmed

As expected, the NS12 station between Yishun and Sembawang will be built, as confirmed by Transport Minister Tuck Yew today. Even the station name, Canberra, was as expected.

Good news to all those who were successful for the BTO launch around that area.

It is time to push the government to build the Brickland station, which is between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Gombak, especially those who were waiting to collect their keys to the BTO projects around that area.





Monday, June 23, 2014

Curl showing garbage when downloading a URL

I am new to 'curl'. Late I know but better later than never.

Anyway, I faced an issue downloading from a certain URL where the output, either to a file or the terminal. will show garbage like contents
▒▒O▒▒p\YF▒!▒a▒▒▒1▒_>▒▒▒W▒nS▒h▒▒▒▒Li▒▒+▒n▒GBw▒▒@8▒}▒W▒▒▒▒1(▒H7▒▒▒w:F~▒▒rFϒ1Sl+▒㎉▒0-1▒()▒▒
▒E▒G<3xggy amp="" blockquote="" c="" cr="" cu="" d1="" d="" e="" ey="" g="" h="" hp="" i="" ji="" jzpn="" k="" m="" nbsp="" p="" sf="" u="" uyg="" v="" w="" y="">
▒c▒▒oS▒▒▒!▒U]▒l▒▒▒Vy▒Y▒+N▒݄҅▒▒▒$+▒]▒▒▒,▒q▒▒▒▒{BJ▒▒#p ▒V▒~]?▒j▒▒▒5▒?▒4▒4▒q▒lS▒▒{4m▒▒▒
▒^▒E▒▒▒}tA90▒▒Y▒▒▒ɍ@mkZ▒$nX▒ɤ6▒▒▒O[root@h10141 ~]# PuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTYPuTTY

It was puzzling because there were no issues viewing the content when using a standard browser.

Anyway, the issue is actually because the content on that URL is compressed, therefore you have to issue the '--compressed' option to download such content with curl.

So if a certain URL is returning garbage, check the header. You can use the '-D ' option to download the header to a file first and check if the contents are actually compressed, as shown below. 

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Server: HP HTTP Server; 
Content-Type: text/xml
Content-Encoding: gzip
Content-Length: 5392
Cache-Control: must-revalidate, max-age=0
Pragma: no-cache

Thursday, June 19, 2014

HDB Resale - DIY Buyer

If you are selling your HDB apartment, you may need to the services of an agent that has the customer base needed to market your property. 

If you are buying a resale flat, you may also need the services of an agent to help you source out the type of apartment you are looking for.

However, you can do away with engaging an agent if you know what you need to do because HDB has provided all the necessary tools for you to DIY and almost everything can be done online.

Below are the steps on how to DIY when buying a resale HDB flat.


1. Check your eligibility to purchase

You have to ensure that you are eligible in the first place. Basic eligibility condition are:


- one family member must be a Singapore citizen or PR
- applicants must be 21 years or older.

Below are the Eligibility schemes to buy a Resale Flat


2. Get a
SingPass 

..if you don't already have. This is a must as all online applications will require you to log in using your SingPass. In fact, agents themselves will ask for your SingPass to submit on your behalf.


3. Apply for a HLE or get a bank Approval-In-Principal (AIP)

Click here to check your if you are eligibile for a HDB Concessionary loan where the income limit is as follows:

- $10,000@ for families*
- $15,000@ for extended families*
- $5,000@ for singles buying a 5-room or smaller resale flat or 2-room new flat in non-mature estate under Single Singapore Citizen (SSC) scheme

All applicants must submit a soft copy of income sources. Details of what is required can be obtained here. Basically you will need a scan copy of your payslip, CPF contribution, bank book, ACRA, IRAS depending on your employment type.

There is no income ceiling for bank loans

You need to get this settled first for two reasons

- you need to do you maths
- sellers will generally only issue an OTP to those who already obtained a HLE or AIP. This is to save time and prevent buyers from holding on to OTP but end up unable to exercise due to loan issues.


4. Do your CALCULATION. 


This is a critical part of the whole process actually because if you get this wrong, everything else can go very wrong. You will end up with your money, time and effort wasted while causing sellers a whole lot of frustration when the deal cannot go through.

Below is the basic maths that you need to do.

(Eligible Loan amout + CPF OA balance + CASH in hand)  - STAMP FEES = PROPERTY YOU CAN PURCHASE.

You also have to take note of how much is the maximum monthly installment stated in the HLE to determine the actual loan amount you are eligible for.

You can check your CPF balance here


You can work out the stamp fees here

As a guide,

- work out a monthly installment where the amount do not go over your monthly CPF OA contribution. This is to prevent you from having to top up in cash.
- loan period ends on or before you reach 55 years old.


5. Scout for your dream apartment.

First of all, UNDERSTAND THE MARKET to know what and where are the properties that you can purchase. Basically a more central location means you have to sacrifice on the size as it is more expensive per sqm. For the same amount you spend on a 3 room flat in a central location can actually purchase you a 5 room or even Executive apartment in an ulu area.

You can use a few popular sites to search for your apartment namely

www.propertyguru.com
www.stproperty.com
www.iproperty.com
www.nationproperty.com


I used to love using TISPROPERTY because it actually consolidates all those sites mentioned above in one site. However, they have shut down their operations,

Dear friends, to better optimise our resources and be more focused on our Australia market, it is with deep regret we...
Posted by Tisproperty on Thursday, October 30, 2014


6. Arrange for viewing

Call the agents in the ads and arrange for viewing. Ask about the price and the Ethnic Integration Policy and SPR Quota applicable to the apartment you intend to view. This is important so that you do not waste your time on viewing an apartment which you cannot purchase.

Take your time to view and weigh all the options like how much renovation you will need to spend on etc.


7. Obtain an Option To Purchase (OTP)

If you like an apartment that you have viewed, get an estimate of how much a property is worth by checking the recent resale price here. This is important because if you do not want to involve any COV (cash over valuation), make sure the price you plan to offer the seller will not be more than what it will be officially valued for.

Once you have set a price, negotiate with the seller. Once both of you have come to an agreement, get them to grant you with an Option To Purchase by placing an Option Fee (between $1 to a max of $1k.  Usually all sellers will ask for $1k). 

Download the copy of the OTP here. Print only one copy of the OTP as each form has a unique serial number. You must state the serial number of the OTP when you submit a resale application to the HDB

As a buyer, you need not sign the OTP. Only the sellers need to have it signed.

Once you have been granted the Option from the sellers, they cannot grant another Option to another buyer until the Option granted expires in 21 days. You can also make use of this period to make your final decision to purchase the property before you exercise the OTP.


8. Submit a Buyer's Checklist

The checklist must be completed and submitted online to the HDB before you can exercise the Option to Purchase. 


9. Request for a valuation


Once you have the OTP, you can request for a valuation. Arrange with the seller on when is it a convenient time for the surveyor appointed by HDB to valuate their apartment. If the seller are genuine, they would want to have it done as soon as possible. 

As of March 2014, only buyers or their agents can request for a valuation.

The cost is as below.



Flat TypeSoftcopy Valuation Report
1 & 2-roomS$133.05
3-room & largerS$191.90

Figure is correct at time of publishing. You can refer to the latest cost from the link above


After the valuation report is obtained, you will know if there will be Cash Over Valuation (COV) that you will need to top up with cash.

If the valuation is lower than the offer price that you gave the seller, that means you will have to top up the difference with cash

10. Get the Letter of Offer from the bank

If you are taking a bank loan, it is mandatory to obtain a Letter of Offer from the bank BEFORE exercising the OTP. You will need to provide the property and valuation details to the bank for the generation of the Letter of Offer.


11. Exercise the OTP

Once you have decided to go ahead to purchase the apartment, you can exercise the OTP by signing on it. Normally, you will need another $4k to complete the OTP making it a total of $5k. This amount will go towards the deposit for the apartment.

If you do not wish to proceed with the OTP, you need not do anything but wait for it to lapse (in 21 days). You will have to forfeit the Option Fee and the sellers may keep the Option Fee.



12. Agree on the first appointment date

This date has to be agreed by both parties and can be booked by the later party during the submission his portion of the resale application.

You can check out the available dates from the link above.



13. Submit your resale application

Once your have exercised the OTP, you can submit the application. You will need

- Resale Flat address
- Option to Purchase details that you and sellers have executed
- Resale Checklist Serial Number

- Personal Particulars of all buyers/occupiers

Application cost is as below


Flat TypeAdministrative Fee
payable by buyer and by seller
1 & 2-roomS$30
3-room & largerS$60

Both parties must submit their application within 7 days of each other. The later party to submit their application gets to book the first appointment date.


14. Attend First Appointment

For the first appointment, you will need to provide all the necessary documentation BOTH the original and photocopy like NRIC, marriage cert, birth cert etc. The letter from HDB will state what is required to be brought along for the first appointment.

You will also need to pay certain fees which you can calculated in Step 4.


15. Attend Second Appointment

Your second appointment date will also be set during the first appointment. Usually it is 6 weeks after the first appointment and 8 weeks for sellers who are doing contra.

Apart from some fees, that is all and you can collect the keys from the seller to your new apartment!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Health Shield plans - the unique pull factor

I was reading up on the different health shield plans offered by the different insurance companies and Aviva's MyShield plan caught my attention with its -

Free medical cover for your children2
Designed to provide comprehensive medical coverage for your family, MyShield is the only integrated Shield plan in Singapore to provide free medical coverage for your children (up to 20 years old at Age Next Birthday), as long as both you and your spouse are covered under MyShield’s Plan 1 or 2. So you can enjoy cost savings while your family enjoys comprehensive healthcare protection.

I did a comparison to see if there will be savings if I were to switch from my current PruShield to Aviva's MyShield. Based on the current premiums, and with two kids for now, I will be saving approximately $129 annually, even though MyShield premiums are mostly higher than PruShield.

Age Next Birthday
PRUshield A plus
MyShield Plan 2
1 - 20
$119
$134
21 - 30
$137
$162
31 - 40
$218
$267
41 - 45
$439
$523
46 - 50
$439
$550
51 - 55
$697
$800
56 - 60 *
$713
$825
61 - 65 *
$1,060
$1,205
66 - 70 *
$1,510
$1,723
71 - 73 *
$1,953
$2,314
74 - 75 *
$2,301
$2,692

This site has a pretty good comparison of all the different plan offered by the different insurance companies, although the data is about a year old and may be outdated.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Small kitchen, big plans.

Small kitchen does not mean you have to compromise on the things you need (more like want actually).

The example below is a kitchen with an approximately 3m x 3m in size. Pretty small actually but almost everything a family need is there.

- a side by side or french door fridge (approx 700mm width)
- a double bowl sink
- cooking area
- a built in oven
- a kitchen island.


Thursday, May 29, 2014

Energy Efficient Refrigerator

In preparation of the new apartment, I started looking out for a new fridge and the first thing I did was to head to NEA database of registered goods to check out the list energy efficient fridges.

The common misconception that most consumers have is that the number of ticks determined the cost savings that they can look forward to. However, not all products with 4 ticks (the highest so far) means they all consume the same amount of energy.

The number of ticks represents efficiency based on a formula, not the amount of energy it uses, therefore a small fridge with 3 ticks may actually use less energy that a huge fridge with 4 ticks simply because of the latter's size and the amount of energy needed to run effectively.

I downloaded the database and created a column that measures the annual energy consumed over volume ratio (the lower being better). From that list, you will notice that some 3 tick fridges are more efficient  in terms of AEC/volume than those with 4 ticks for reasons I mentioned earlier. However, a small fridge within the same model range may have a higher AEC/volume ratio than its bigger siblings because they may use the same compressor (hence similar energy consumption) to cool a smaller volume (hence inefficient)

So the important thing is to first decide on how big a volume do you need then narrow down the models. The best way to do this is to base it on your current fridge that you have now. If it is already bursting on its seems, then, you may need a bigger volume fridge and vice versa.

You can download the file here. Take note that the volume stated may look different from the manufacturer because it is net volume and not gross volume.


Friday, May 23, 2014

Our stroller history - continued

I blogged before about our stroller history here where we kept changing our stroller in the quest to find that perfect stroller. Back then, I thought we did.

Well, long story short, we never learn our lesson that there is no perfect stroller. Still, we are adamant and so we changed our stroller yet again.

Before anything else, let me go through the reasons (excuses) on why we decided to change our Phil & Teds Explorer.

https://philandteds.app.box.com/shared/cc6r81t837

To be honest, I love the Explorer. It is stable, reliable, solidly built and the list goes on. However, some niggling quirks it comes with has reached the point where it gets frustrating.

For one, the sun hood keeps dislodging each time we move in and out of the car. Sometimes just making full use of the 'follow the sun' feature of it will cause it to dislodge if it is slightly improperly attached in the first place. This is because the hood is simply attached to the frame without a solid form of locking mechanism. I like the idea of 'follow the sun' but I would have liked it more if it can stay in place while doing that.

The next thing that frustrates me is the main seat recline. I like that it freely adjustable but the seat back support strap mount is badly designed. A lot of times, the strap will dislodge from it's place. I should have taken a photo of it before I sold it off so that it is easier to explain what I am trying to describe. What P&T could have done is to just design the strap mount differently to make the strap stay in place.

The thing that made me decide to change to another double is because when both my kids need to sleep, the Explorer is not able to accommodate as the rear seat cannot be reclined. So I kept changing the second seat from the rear to the top to allow at least one child to sleep comfortably.

So I began researching on other strollers that can do what the Explorer can plus my new requirement. I narrowed it down to the Britax B-Ready.

Couple of reasons why I decided upon the B-Ready.

- Both seats can be reclined almost flat and the recline mechanism is so much easier.
- Stroller can be folded with the second seat at the back. Similar to Phil & Ted Vibe but the fold on the B-Ready is way easier.

The B-Ready is not without flaws. You can read my full review of it here

Monday, May 5, 2014

Britax B-READY vs B-DUAL vs Strider Plus 4

Britax B-READY, B-DUAL and Steelcraft Strider Plus 4 are part of a range of tandem strollers that is basically the same but with some differences.

The B-READY is the US version while the B-DUAL is the UK version and the Strider Plus 4 the AU version. The main difference is centered around the main seat.

Note: There is another Steelcraft Strider Plus 3, which is also essentially the same as the Strider Plus 4 but with 3 wheels instead of 4.

Now, let's go through the differences in detail.

Seat recline.

On the B-READY and Strider, the whole seat reclines, which means the seat retains its posture and the hood/canopy will follow suit. On the B-DUAL, the backrest reclines therefore you can achieve a true flat lying position when the calf rest is adjusted accordingly. The hood/canopy on the other hand stays in place. This means the B-DUAL is suitable from infants onwards while the B-READY is suitable when the child is able to sit.

The mechanism to recline both seats are the same, by pulling the lever at the back of the seat.

The second seat is exactly the same for both models.

B-READY and Strider main seat recline



B-DUAL main seat backrest recline


Harness adjust

Unlike on the B-DUAL, the harness height for the main seat on the B-READY and Strider can be easily adjusted without the need to re-thread by simply sliding adjuster up and down.

B-READY harness adjust


Foot rest / Calf support

On the B-READY and Strider, it is a foot rest as there is an area that allows the feet to rest on the frame. On the B-DUAL, it is purely a calf support therefore the child's feet will not be able to rest on anything.

The mechanism to adjust them are similar, by pressing both buttons at the side of the seat.

B-READY calf support

B-DUAL calf support


Canopy / Hood

The B-READY comes with a mesh panel window at the back with magnetic flap covers.

The B-DUAL on the other hand comes with a hood that can be expanded by a zipper which will also expose a mesh panel right in the middle

The Strider has both.


B-READY Hood rear mesh panel with magnetic flap cover.

B-DUAL Hood with mesh panel

Strider Hood. A combination of both.



You can refer to the official video and user guides below

Official Video

B-DUAL




B-READY




Strider




User Guides




Wednesday, April 23, 2014

WELS Water Rating Label on a locally unavailable product

I am currently looking to buy a washing machine and the water saving feature is high on the requirement list. So naturally I head to the related agencies website, PUB specifically, for such information.

A list of registered products was made available and one of them caught my attention.



However, I was not able to find this particular model locally, not even with the help of the mighty Google. The manufacturer local website contain no information either. So I emailed the manufacturer and they too confirmed this.

From: contact-hhes@has.hitachi.com.sg
Subject: RE: BD-W85SV
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 07:59:10 +0000

Dear Azhar,

Thanks for your email.

Unfortunately we do not sell this model BD-W85SV locally.
Please contact us if you need further assistances.

Thanks,
Lixian

Question now is

- why is this included in PUB list when it is not available locally?
- how did this model obtained a WELS rating by PUB?

PUB requirements states that

"To qualify for a WELS Water Rating Label, the product must meet the relevant test standards and requirements, and water efficiency requirements stipulated by PUB. 
A water fitting or appliance is deemed to comply with the stipulated standards if it is certified or tested by a conformity assessment body (product certification body/testing laboratory) accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) (opens in new window) or its Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) partners."


Which means that SAC could not have tested this product, therefore it must have been included in the list through tests done by MRA partners. However, the link provided above is broken


With the help of mighty Google, I found this link instead which explains that accreditation done by other bodies can also be relied on.

That's fair. Nothing wrong with that.

So I am not contesting the accuracy of the test. I just feel that PUB should not copy and paste blindly and instead should have sieve through the list and only include products that can be purchased locally.

I emailed PUB earlier on the 16th of April 2014 with a feedback not related to this product specifically. I don't think emailing them again with another feedback will receive any attention.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Stage 4 - Found the new place

Right after our apartment was sold, we resumed our new apartment hunting which was put on hold as we see no point of continuing then with the current apartment not sold.

Our criteria remained the same as it was then, which is contained in my earlier blog.

After about a week of viewing (wife did most of it while I was at work), we decided on an apartment which we fell in love with the moment we stepped in. After the viewing, it did not take us long to decide that this is the apartment for us.

Ironically, the apartment do not meet two of our major criteria. The layout is not one of those we actually wanted and the location of the apartment within the block have always been considered a deal breaker. It just so happened that we were unaware of those information until we reach the door step. I guess we can count that as a blessing as we would have skipped the viewing totally should we have known beforehand.

The reason why we decided on this apartment is because the interior design matched our taste (which is more towards minimalist) and the owners maintained the apartment very well. Although certain things did not fulfill our criteria (apart from the two mentioned above), we were able to overlook them when we consider the apartment as a whole.

Another reason why we choose this apartment is because there is practically nothing much that needs to be done, unlike all the other apartments we have been to. 

Below are list all the things that steer us towards the apartment.

- there is no need to repaint and we like the colour scheme.
- the common bathroom opens towards the walkway and a glass divider for the bath area is already built up.
- bathroom tiles and sanitary appliances all looked new.
- hot/cold double piping already done up for bathrooms.
- a built-in long bath in the main bedroom. I actually prefer a free standing bathtub but I can settle for this.
- a walk in wardrobe in the main bedroom (which the wife hopes to have and now she got it)
- the kitchen cabinet are new and matched our taste.
- fans in all rooms
- laminate flooring in all rooms
- store room knocked down and replaced with full height storage cabinets instead.

All the above also means that we save a lot on renovation cost as compared to all the other apartments we viewed which requires a major overhaul which can cost 30-40k easily.

There are a few things which we wished were there like the balcony, which the owner has already leveled up. The partition between the service yard and kitchen have also been removed (which we will reinstate). Of course we still need to do some minor repairs and renovation works.

I guess what many people have said is true. When you buy a new house, it is all about the technicality. When you buy a resale, it is all about how you feel for it.