Blog – A.1 Business Pte Ltd

Singapore Travel Tips

If you are gearing up for a visit to Singapore you want to be sure that you know exactly what you’re getting into – which is intent all going to be difficult, thanks to all of the incredible travel information available on the Internet these days.

At the same time, we have put together this incredibly simple and straightforward collection of Singapore travel tips that will help you make the very most out of your trip to this nation.

Let’s dive right in!

Prepare yourself to eat, eat, eat!

One of the reasons that world traveler, celebrity chef, and TV show host Anthony Bourdain loves spending as much time in Singapore as humanly possible is because it offers some of the best food and one of the most unique atmospheres on the planet – a perfect combination that will have you dining out at every and any opportunity.

As Anthony is known to say, “New York might be the city that never sleeps, but Singapore is the city that always eats”!

Singapore boasts one of the most perfectly designed airports on the planet
Most people absolutely dread and despise having to spend any amount of time whatsoever in and airport, and do everything in their power to avoid this headache and hassle and to limit their time in an airport as much as possible.

That’s not going to be the case when you fly into the Changi Airport.

Amazing food, fantastic shopping, day rooms that allow you to relax, a free movie theater, smoking lounges, indoor gardens, and a super slide for children and adults are all going to be found in this international airport.

You may want to prepare yourself for the possibility of having to be dragged out of the airport by your traveling companions, something that isn’t going to be said about most other airports around the world!

Make sure that you are braced for the heat

Most people are going to tell you that Singapore is pretty hot all year round – do not expect them to be exaggerating.

Sure, it isn’t quite as oppressive heat wise as say Death Valley or the Sahara desert is, but it isn’t going to be “cool” by any stretch of the imagination.

Take frequent dips in the many pools located around Singapore or splash out into the ocean to cool yourself down whenever you’re feeling a little bit overwhelmed. And no matter what else you do, make sure that you get accommodations with advanced and fully operational air conditioning!

Don’t even think about drugs in Singapore

Though you probably won’t ever even stumble across a handful of Singapore police officers you don’t even want to consider breaking the law, bending the rules, or having ANYTHING whatsoever to do with the drug culture.

This country takes drugs very, very seriously and the penalties here are significant. You’d literally have to the at least a little bit crazy to even think about touching drugs in this country.

At best you’ll end up in prison for quite a while, and at worse you’ll have to deal with caning, public demonstrations of corporal punishment, or even worse!

Just don’t do it.

22 May

NUS researchers develop packaging that could double shelf-life of food products

Blog by a1 business

As the global community becomes more and more aware of the impact that specific foods have on the human body, and as more people all over the world focus on moving away from processed and potentially dangerous food to a much more safe and healthy diet, the food industry itself is looking at innovative solutions that improve their margins while at the same time improving the lives of their customers.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have recently concluded a major three year research project that has established a brand-new food storage and packaging material that may double the shelf life of food products – dramatically improving the margins of companies involved in the food industry, while at the same time removing a lot of potentially dangerous toxins, chemicals, and additives from traditional food packaging solutions.

This is a major leap forward, with businesses and governments all over the world paying very (VERY) close attention to this breakthrough innovation.
Major breakthrough spearheaded by the National University of Singapore may transform the food industry forever

Traditional food packaging solutions are almost always manufactured out of petroleum-based products.

Inexpensive to produce, these traditional solutions may introduce potentially dangerous toxins into the foods that they are responsible for protecting and helping preserve – not to mention the fact that they are an absolute nightmare when it comes to the environment.

A research project conducted by professors and students at the National University of Singapore was designed to specifically address this issue, with the researchers looking for ways to not only dramatically improve the shelf life of the foods that are contained within these packaging solutions but also to limit or completely eliminate potential risk factors introduced to the food along the way.

To say that they have been successful may be the understatement of the century!

Three years of research has paid off significantly

After three years of research, the researchers at NUS have been able to pioneer a new packaging material that is essentially a plastic like film manufactured from grape seed extract.

The material is called Chitosan, and because it is manufactured from completely all-natural ingredients, it has the added benefit of being completely biodegradable and dramatically lessening the impact that petroleum products have on the environment.

On top of that, it is dramatically effective in completely retarding all kinds of fungal growth, one of the biggest impediments to keeping biodegradable and natural foods on shelves longer.

A natural polymer, it has the potential to completely transform the food industry from top to bottom – not only allowing food suppliers to more safely store and transport their products but also helping grocery stores and retailers keep food on the shelves longer without any negative side effects.
This will cut costs and improve the product significantly, benefiting both the retailer and the consumer equally.

Major rollouts of this new food packaging solution are expected imminently

Major rollouts of this new food packaging solution have been anticipated to begin at the end of the year, and if these tests are proven to be as beneficial as many in the industry believe them to be it shouldn’t be all that long until we start to see almost industrywide adaptation.

It’s a very exciting time in the world of food safety and preservation, with the added kicker of dramatically improving our environment and eliminating the stranglehold that petroleum products have on our lives at the exact same time!

22 May

Choosing The Right Internet Service Provider In Singapore

Blog by a1 business

As more and more of our lives move online, having a reliable and speedy Internet service provider has never been more important. With that in mind, below are some considerations to help you choose the right Internet service provider in Singapore. We will go through the list of the some of the leading Internet service providers in Singapore include ViewQwest, MyRepublic, SingTel, StarHub, and M1, and point out which ones should be your top choice depending on your needs.

Considering Price

There are many costs that can come with choosing the right Internet service provider in Singapore. These costs can include installation, activation, termination, and monthly fees. If you are basing your choice for the right Internet service provider in Singapore on cost, then M1 will be your clear winner. The least expensive of the options available in Singapore, M1 is a great choice if you do not have a lot to spend on your connection but you still want something that works well. With a low cost one time fee and contract, M1 stands by providing a reliable service at a cost you can afford.

Considering Router

The majority of Internet service providers in Singapore will require that you get your own router, leaving that bit of the service up to you to figure out. If you want a router included, then consider going with StarHub. Starhub provides a router to every new client, saving you the costs of purchasing one yourself. Be aware that StarHub does not specific which kind of router it will offer. You may get something fantastic or you may get something more bargain basement. However, if you simply want to set up Internet through a provider in Singapore and don’t care about the details, then StarHub can help simplify the process.

Considering Existing Lines

Many of the Internet service providers on our list offer other communication services as well. If you have an existing service with SingTel already, then the Singtel 1Gbps unlimited fibre options will be the best priced option available. In addition to saving money by getting multiple services through the same provider, you can make things like maintenance and payments easier by having a single provider of many different services.

Considering Gaming

Along with bandwidth, companies can be ranked and measured by their latency, or the amount of delay that exists between your computer and any website or service online. Gaming online will require having the lowest latency possible. MyRepublic is a fantastic service for this. If you do not like SingTel or StarHub but still want a trustworthy service that provides an excellent deal for coverage (including a $500 promotional at the moment), then consider MyRepublic.

Oversees Streaming

If you can’t live without online streaming things like music, videos or other media, then you will want to consider ViewQwest. Their VPN allows for access to sites you would normally not be able to reach thanks to regionally blocked content. They also have plans that scale up, allowing for fantastic streaming and content watching speeds if you are in the market for it.

26 Apr

Singapore’s Media Sector Will Get Boost to be Future-ready

Blog, Economy by a1 business

An organization named the Media Development Authority of Singapore is known as the MDA for short and it’s involved with a new initiative which is designed to prepare the entire media industry of Singapore for a brighter, more productive future.

On April 11, 2016, the Singaporean Minister for Communication and Information formally announced this new initiative, which will be slated to run fully by the end of this year.

Today, we’re going to share some of the most interesting aspects of this new media push. Singapore is moving into the future and anyone who wants to work in media will benefit from discovering the power and potential of the new program. It’s a great program which was designed carefully in order to fill a need.

One key feature of this new media program is an awards system, whereby three hundred SkillsFuture Study Awards will be given to worthy persons by spring of 2017. The program is all about making it possible for the media sector in this independent state to make fresh content for the most cutting-edge media platforms.
These awards help worthy recipients to move closer to their media career goals. The awards are for those who work in info-communications and design or have aspirations to succeed in these fields. Each award has a value of five thousand dollars.

Learning Labs Will Open
Another facet of the program is Creator’s Space, via One-north. One-north is a venue which will host a trio of practical and exciting content development programs, one of which is the Story Lab, which is a place for writers to draft stories. Later, a Writer’s Lab will open which is designed in order to foster achievement in scriptwriting for TV. In addition, a Games Solution Centre will be founded at the same location and this part of the program will focus on supporting local game firms.

Having all of these programs at one location is a strategic decision which is meant to help media companies become very competitive in an independent sense. It’s all about making collaboration easy and straightforward. This venue promises to be a hub for media types and a great place to network and find the right partners and friends. It will be a welcoming and inspiring environment, where technical know-how and creativity walk hand in hand.
As you can see, things are really happening in Singapore. The government believes in its people and take steps to help them achieve all of their goals. In addition, Singapore offers a range of other incentives to citizens and investors. It’s a place of opportunity which provides great quality of life, low crime rates and a beautiful environment.

How to Learn More
To stay abreast of changes and innovation in Singapore, sign up for Google Alerts for this topic and bookmark our website today. We share lots of topical and useful information about Singapore and cover a lot of different aspects of Singapore life, from culture to notable people to business investment for foreigners and beyond.

12 Apr

More Singaporeans firms are using online platforms to raise funds

Blog, Business in Singapore, Tech by a1 business

The Internet has helped to completely transform our modern world in more ways than most people can imagine.

It’s almost staggering to realize that the Internet as we know it isn’t even quite 20 years old, and maybe even more staggering that many of the online platforms that we take advantage of every single day weren’t even on our radar five or 10 years ago.

And though the overwhelming majority of the global press focuses on the kinds of online innovations deal with the business world, more and more people are starting to wake up to the social good that the Internet is helping to make possible.

Online communities are pulling together they are resources to change lives for the better

Make no mistake about it the Internet has completely and totally transformed the way that we go about communicating with one another. It has helped (may be more than anything else) to bring all corners of the planet closer together, and a lot of the online platforms out there today are springing up with a social focus in mind.

Groups like GiveAsia and Indiegogo are just some of these online platforms dedicated to helping individuals and organizations from all over the world raise money for different projects and efforts, with many of these initiatives designed specifically to help change lives all over the world.

Singapore in particular has been a major player in utilizing these platforms for social good, with more than 100 different campaigns going up on the social platform Indiegogo in just the last year.

The citizens of Singapore have been able to facilitate close to $240 million in donations for different social campaigns that impact lives all over the world, and a significant amount of that money has gone directly to those that need it most.

Online charitable communities are growing at an exponential rate

The amazing thing about these online charitable efforts is that they are only getting more and more involved on a daily basis.

In 2010, the people of Singapore had supported about 25 local charities through the Give Asia platform. In 2015, then number has grown to 250+ – with organizers expecting 2016 to report close to 400 different local charities being supported on this online initiative.

These charities range from pressing issues that face the global community like cancer research all the way down to smaller campaigns designed specifically to help the people of Singapore pay bills, buy groceries, or climb out of debt – and everything in between.

More and more organizations are getting involved with online platforms designed to raise funds for all kinds of groups and initiatives, and this doesn’t look like it’s going to be a trend that slows down anytime soon.

It will definitely be interesting to see what the shape and culture of the online fundraising is like in 10, 15, or even 20 years. The odds are pretty good that it too will change just as much and as rapidly as everything else on the Internet has – and it could usher in a level of global philanthropy never before seen in human history.

22 Mar

Cyber Security Agency of Singapore holds first multi-sector cyber attack exercise

Blog, Tech by a1 business

The Internet has totally transform the way that we go about communicating with one another and interacting with the global community at large, but it has also ushered in new risk factors and potential attacks that require a delicate and well thought out security strategy to counteract.

Singapore (one of the most connected nations on the planet) understands the value of cyber security more than maybe anyone else. And because they live on the leading edge of major technological advances and are consistently upgrading their technology infrastructure, it should come as no shock to anyone that they have been able to come up with innovative and impressive security solutions to cyber security threats.

The established Cyber Security Agency of Singapore has been working around the clock (and will continue to do so) to fight cyber threats to citizens, businesses, and government organizations.

Just recently they have met for the first ever multi sector cyber attack exercise to not only demonstrate just how advanced their cyber security solutions are but also to foster better communication, better relationships, and new innovation in this field as well.

“Cyber Star” shows just how closely together Singapore cyber security agencies are working together

Anyone that has followed the politics behind their own government’s security agencies no doubt understand that there are deep rivalries between most national organizations. Much of that is understandable.

After all, many of the world’s security agencies are involved in overlapping responsibilities, are fighting for a larger piece of the budget pie, and are always taking part in games of one-upsmanship.

The Singapore security agencies do not have these problems.

Each of these security agencies have very clearly defined responsibilities, almost equal portions of the national budget, and are empowered to cooperate with one another rather than pitted against each other disease who can come up with the best results.

This kind of cooperation was on full display with the introduction of the Cyber Star security tests. The CSA (established just one year ago) was able to effectively and efficiently communicate with all other security agencies in the government during this exercise, and took advantage of these opportunities to come up with effective and efficient solutions to the large-scale simulated attacks.

The future of cyber security is bright in the Singapore

More than seven different agencies were represented during this cyber security exercise, and all of them came away from the experience with the same conclusion – the future of cyber security is very bright in Singapore, and this country is poised to join the international community as a leader moving forward against cyber threats.

As touched upon above, the government of Singapore has always been serious about leveraging technological advances, pushing forward with upgraded infrastructure, and utilizing everything that new technology brings to the table.

This is why it should come as no surprise to anyone that pays attention to international news or the international community that Singapore is going to “take point” when it comes to cyber threats, even though they have one of the youngest cyber security agencies on the planet.

8 Mar

Will tech startups play a greater role in Singapore’s future economy?

Blog, Tech by a1 business

The Finance Minister of Singapore, Mr. Heng Swee Keat, has been very upfront, very honest, and very open about his belief that the startups in Singapore are going to play a major role in the future of the Singapore economy.

His governmental agency has long been looking into the kind of impact that startups will inevitably have on the local economy as well as the impact that these startups can have on a global scale, and the conclusion that they have come to is that they need to do everything in their power to foster innovation, to support these new startups, and to make sure that they all of the resources they need to grow and contribute to the success of Singapore going forward.

Startups all over the world have the potential to transform their local economy

All of this should come as no surprise to anyone that has been paying attention to how startups impact economies all over the world.

One only has to look at the United States – probably the world’s largest and most fertile hot bed for runaway successful startups – to see the kind of impact that these incredible businesses have the opportunity to produce.

Game changing companies like Microsoft and Apple were startups by the traditional definition 40 years ago, but today companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Tesla, eBay, Amazon, and a handful of others are showing that startups can grow very, very rapidly and end up contributing a significant amount to the national economy.

Silicon Valley is the ancestral home of many of the world’s greatest startups, but Southeast Asia is starting to get into the swing of things by fostering their own internationally game changing startups as well.

Singapore is dedicated to getting in on this action as much as possible, with the government really starting to provide tremendous funding, educational opportunities, and other necessary resources to make sure that their “homegrown” startups stay local.

Singapore is serious about fostering innovation at home

The Finance Minister we mentioned above has already recommended to the Prime Minister that the government begin initiating major funding rollouts and resources to the startup community in Singapore just as soon as humanly possible.

The government wants to be sure that they are able to:

• Expedite the growth of startup businesses to create new industries, new markets, and new jobs
• Provide the kind of foundational education and future opportunities to help raise future generations of entrepreneurs, innovators, and startup leaders
• Encourage those that create startups to stay in Singapore rather than take their talent and their businesses to other nations

… And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

The Singapore government is already connecting with startup leaders, entrepreneurs, marketers, and creative thinkers across all walks of life to try and come up with new ways to create the kind of atmosphere and environment that startups need to not only survive but to thrive.

With major economic impacts possible, it’s in the best interest of Singapore to make sure that they keep their homegrown talent in country and give them every opportunity to become as successful – if not more so – here in Singapore than they would have been able to anywhere else!

8 Mar

Will tech startups play a greater role in Singapore’s future economy?

Blog, Tech by a1 business

Startups all over the world have the potential to transform their local economy

All of this should come as no surprise to anyone that has been paying attention to how startups impact economies all over the world.

Singapore is serious about fostering innovation at home

The government wants to be sure that they are able to:

… And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Category: Blog