Thank you Shigga Shay for challenging me to Lenovo’s Project RE SG Icons Challenge! If you’ve been following my Instagram or Facebook, you would have an idea of what the challenge is about. In line with this year's SG50, I'll be REimagining, REdiscovering and REcreating Singapore's past and present through it’s icons. And I am glad to have Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 to accompany me throughout this challenge!
This challenge really helped me open my eyes to Singapore’s heritage. Every corner of our little red dot has a deep and strong culture behind its existence; be it a painting, fashion trend or music hits. While walking down the aisle of Singapore Food Trail, you'll be able to remember the fond memories of the 1960s, and see some of the aspects that have grown and changed throughout the years in Singapore!
Transportation
A handful of them still can be spotted near Bugis area, can you guess which mode of transportation it is? This mode of transport was the popular one before cars, buses and trains rolled in. It is the Trishaw (a bicycle with a sidecar, manually powered by the cyclist). This mode of transport was used to ferry our Singaporeans around, rain or shine.
With ever-improving technology, cars became the next common mode of transportation in Singapore. It has improved the lives of the people with increased efficiency and productivity. Now, it is so convenient and effortless (unless you consider stepping on the gas pedal is hard) to travel from one point to the other in any kinds of weather.
Coffee
Old traditional black coffee was every Singaporean’s favorite back in the olden days.
Coffee or colloquially known as Kopi, is no stranger to us. If you have ever stepped into a Kopi Tiam (coffee shop), you definitely would not miss out the loud voices of Aunties or Uncles, shouting their orders across the shop. Among these orders, Kopi (along with its many other variations) remained popular for our older generations.
Nowadays, cafes are blooming and catering to the younger generations. The choice of beverages are nowhere near the Kopi Tiam’s and it seems like under the Western influence or globalisation in general, the old and traditional brewed coffee is slowly phasing out and being replaced with the likes of blended ice coffee, or a more modern kind of coffee for the younger audience.
That being said, there is still an appreciation for coffee – whether tradition or modern – because what else will keep the city alive, right?
Music
Antique music players like old gramophones were the iPod of those times. It can play vinyl records that are larger than an average human’s face!
With digitalisation, digital compact discs (CDs) came in to replace these ‘regular pizzas sized’ vinyls. By now, even compact discs are becoming obsolete. Music streaming and web downloads have changed the industry greatly. So long as you have a MP3 player or a smartphone, it can store and play music and videos practically anywhere.
Fashion
This was my theme for the Lenovo Challenge and I really had a lot of fun with this. Cheongsam, meaning long dress in Cantonese, also known as qipao in mandarin, is a dress typically worn by Chinese women.
It was very popular between the late 1920s and 1960s, when it was the standard dress for many Chinese women in Singapore. Modern Cheongsam is a fusion of Chinese tradition with modern styles. Today, cheongsam are mostly commonly worn as uniform by restaurant hostesses that are serving staff at luxury hotels, or during the festive season of Chinese New Year.
All this research in REdiscovering #ProjectRESGIcons would not be possible to complete in such a short time without the help of the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2. If you ask me, in this age of technology, one shouldn't be waiting for a webpage to load for more than 3 seconds, as this will impede our daily productivity in the long run. That’s why I adore how this amazing tablet
enables dual wifi/LTE 4G connection that ensures a seamless and efficient web-surfing experience on the go!
One of the key features to look out for in a phone/tablet is its camera. A picture speaks a thousand words, and also helps in determining how good a gadget is. Sporting an 8MP rear camera, its clear images are then projected clearly through the full HD screen of the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2. I managed to take this picture using the tablet and was quite impressed by it! Pictures can be used as comparisons from past and present -
Travelling to and fro different places for a photo shoot can be tiresome if the route isn’t planned well. All thanks to Yoga Tablet 2, I was able to get all my locations right and navigate my way to all these places with ease.
Challenge accomplished! Making a comparison between the past and present Singapore in different aspects. Singapore has definitely come a long way and every element in her has also evolved drastically, yet beautifully. This is my way of appreciating everyone who has
changed Singapore for the better. However, let’s not forget to cherish what we have now and appreciate what they had then.
As a reader, you can join me in this challenge and get to win this pretty awesome tablet! All you have to do is just to LIKE Lenovo Singapore FB page (https://www.facebook.com/Lenovo.SG) and use the hashtag #ProjectRESGIcons when you post your final product on FB, and show us how you have REdiscovered, REimagined and REcreated Singapore! Have fun with it and also learn more about Singapore in this process! Watch out for Joel Tan’s Facebook and Instagram on his journey with Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2 as I challenged him to it!
