Download of Window Phone Apps

Videos of these apps are available here:
http://www.tankinlian.com/Information.aspx?CatID=12


The downloads during the past two weeks:
Entrepreneur - 61

4D Simulator - 34

Toto Luck 20

One in a Million 17

Total 132

By country

USA - 54

Germany 19

UK 17

France 6

HK 5

Spore 4

The downloads are better than I expected, but mostly from USA, Germany and UK. Singapore is still slow - only 4 downloads.

Web App - Learning Tips

Watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRXS0s_XS60

Mobile App - Learning Tips

You can watch this video to find out about Learning Tips which will soon be available on Windows Phone (and later on other mobile platforms):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxFDsaEYJ_4

Preventing dementia

Learn the tips to prevent dementia here. http://easyapps.sg/learn/
This is important for elderly people.
You can also view the other tips.
You can also download the tips to a Windows Phone soon. It will also be available on other platforms in a few weeks time, e,g. Apple phone, etc.

OKI Color Printer C3300

I have an OKI color printer. I need the refill for two colors - magneta and cyan.
I have to order the refill (powder) from OKI. It is expensive and takes a long time to come.
I am willing to try the power from other sources. Any suggestion on compatible powder that I can use?

For my next color printer, I will buy one that has a more available source of supply of the power or ink. Any suggestion?

Be educated about insurance

Here are tips for consumers to be educated about insurance

www.tankinlian.com/ask.aspx

http://tankinlian.com/admin/file.aspx?id=320

Be educated about insurance

I meet with this situation a few times each week. The consumer send an e-mail to me, through my website, asking for my views about the life insurance policies that are being sold to them by an agent.

From the nature of the enquiry, I conclude that the consumer:
a) does not understand the product
b) did not read the benefit illustration
c) did not read the FAQ in my website or my financial planning book.

The consumer wanted me to spend time to analyse the policies that have been offered to them. I usually give this reply to the consumer:

a) read my FAQ and financial planning book
b) it is the duty of the agent to explain the product clearly to you, as the agent is earning a few thousand dollars in commission when you buy the product.
c) do not buy any financial product that is not clear to you - as you can give away a few hundred thousand dollars of your accumulated savings.
d) be wary of insurance agents and their half truths.

I advise consumers to make the effort to be educated through reading my FAQs, my financial planning book and attending the educational talks organised by FISCA. Do not rely on advice from other people, as some of them are untrustworthy and can cheat you. I do not have the time to analyse so many complicated policy plans that are introduced by the life insurance companies and their creative, highly paid experts.

Get ready to buy and read my new book, "Get value from your life insurance policy" which will be launched in January 2011.

Tan Kin Lian

Taxi fares in Kuala Lumpur - two tiers

I took a taxi from a hotel. The fares start at M$6. The journey cost M$14. I flagged a taxi from the road for teh return journey. The fare started at M$3. The return journey cost M$7. On both occasions, it was easy to get a taxi - no hassle (but it was on a Saturday afternoon).

I learned that there were two taxi fare system in Kuala Lumpur - the hotel taxis and the ordinary taxis. The taxis were marked clearly. A commuter can decide to go for the higher or the cheaper fare.  This is similar to the choice of economy or business class fares on an airline. It is transparent and give choice to the commuters.

I find the fare systems in Singapore to be too complicated. Perhaps, we should adopt  a system similar to Kuala Lumpur. Let us learn from our neighbor some of the time!

I wrote to the Straits Times Forum about suggestions to improve our taxi service. The letter was not published. I have posted it here.

Tan Kin Lian

Happiness and wealth

There is an article in the international media that happiness does not increase with the wealth of a country. This article has relevance to Singapore. SGEP

Taxi service in Singapore

The taxi service has deteriorated in recent years. It is now costly and the quality of service is unsatisfactory. Here are some suggestions to improve the taxi service.

www.tankinlian.com/latest.aspx
http://tankinlian.com/admin/file.aspx?id=319

Talk by Dr. Jacques Attali (13 January 2011)

One reader of my blog decided to attend the talk by Dr. Jacques Attali (more details here). He sent this message to me. 


Dear Mr. Tan

I'm educated in the field of technology and economy, politics and finance are all very foreign subject to me, Singapore had been my "sky" till I started to travel due to job requirement.

A few things Singapore need to improve:

1) Political system need to be opened up further. Singapore's future looks glim if we continue to live in a state of "virtual democracy".

2) Public education need to be enhanced further in the area of politics, finance and economy. The goal is not to train everyone to be an expert but to expose the people to what they don't know. Otherwise they'll forever be in the state of "don't know what they don't know". For example, I've never been exposed to socialism till I start reading your blog. Previously I've always thought there's only democracy and communism. I'm reading more on socialism but have not formed my conviction.

3) Due to my belief and profession, I've always believed that globalization is inevitable and no point resisting it, just be ready for it.

4) I'm not interested to run in politics but always interested to cast my vote responsibly that's why Singapore's media frustrated me greatly. 

5) The global recovery from the crisis is faked, US is trying to inflate themselves out of debt despite Tim and Obama denying it. What they've done is just temporary prop up the US economy so that there won't be major, immediate social unrest. Give as many investor as possible a time to exit. The subprime issue (root) that's been causing the pain is still not solved yet.    

FISCA financial planning talk

There were many young people, including couples, who attended by financial planning talk on 4 December. Most of them found the talk to be useful.

Some were shocked to learn that the life insurance policy, which required them to save a large part of their earnings each month, gave a poor yield. They also learned that they can get a much better return by buying term insurance for 25 years and investing their savings in a low cost investment fund, such as the STI exchange traded fund that can be bought through the Singapore Exchange.

A few attendees told me that they will be recommending their friends to attend the talk, as it will benefit them as well. A couple said that they have asked their nephew and niece to attend my next talk.

Those who are interested to learn about investing in ETF and REITS can attend another FISCA talk. The details can be found here. The talk was previously called "Invest for the Long Term". The new title is "Invest in shares, REITs and ETFs" but it is essentially the same talk. This talk is sponsored by SGX, so the cost is only $10.

Tan Kin Lian

FISCA insurance talk

I will be giving an exercise at the end of the talk. It will help you to learn the topics better. The exercise will be simple and some questions can be answered by applying common sense. You can try this exercise. If you like what is the questions and find them to be useful to improve your understanding, you can register now for the talk, which will be held at 2 pm this Saturday.

WikiLeaks and Negative Views

WikiLeaks reviewed the negative views that were purported to be conveyed by senior Singapore diplomats about some of our neighbors. This has caused Malaysia to lodge a protest and has temporarily soured relations.

The trouble is that the leaks revealed the negative views. It would be quite different if the leaks revealed the positive views that were expressed about some of our neighbors, such as the the positive qualities of their leaders and the  progress that they are making to solve their problems.

Two decades ago, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew said a few positive views about President Suharto's leadership. This was followed by a long period of extremely warm relations between the two countries. Some foreign observers had commented on the negative aspects of the Suharto regime, but it does not really matter. It has its positive aspects as well - which is more important.

Our leaders and Singaporeans in general have to learn how to look at the positive side, and to express positive views of other people. We have to learn to see "what is right" and not focus too much on "what is wrong". If we have to point out what is wrong, it can be done in an objective manner, without attributing any negative qualities to specific people. We do not need to be judgemental.

I hope that future leaks can help to build relations with our neighbors.

Tan Kin Lian

Test your knowledge of insurance

Do you want to test your knowledge of insurance? Try this test.
If you find it difficult, you should attend the FISCA talk on insurance (www.fisca.sg/events) or your can read this powerpoint.