Goodbye ICQ.

Those who grew up in the early days of the internet will definitely remember ICQ (short for I Seek You). Launched in 1996, ICQ was one of the pioneers of instant messaging. Many still remember the iconic “Uh-oh” notification sound and user interface.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. ICQ officially shut down its server on 26 June 2024.

PS: I’m feeling sad as I missed the date and didn’t managed to login to ICQ one last time before the shutdown. Bye bye ICQ. Thank you for the memories.

Nintendo recently announced a new Zelda game during their Nintendo Direct. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will have an art style similar to Link’s Awakening remake but you will play as Zelda instead of Link.

Launching on 26 September 2024.

Food for thought: If we are playing as Zelda, shouldn’t the name of the game be called The Legend of Link: Echoes of Wisdom instead?

Apple AirTags are great for tracking your items. But the only problem with them is that they are kinda thick and can’t fit into your wallet easily. Nomad recently released a Tracking Card that works with Apple Find My. It is 2mm thick which is around the size of 2 credit cards stacked together.

Nomad says the Tracking Card battery can last 5 months and can be wirelessly recharged using any Qi or MagSafe charger. Retails at S$60 on Nomad website.

If you are a fan of The Legend of Zelda, you’ll love this Link figurine from Tears of the Kingdom.

This figurine is from The Good Smile Company and is currently on pre-order. Shipping is expected to be somewhere around Q3 2025 and it cost US$115.99.

OpenAI recently announced the latest update to ChatGPT. It’s pretty amazing how far AI has come. And it is only to get even better.

The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) is looking for a mascot that will be the best visual symbol of the fight against scams. It is now organising an anti-scam mascot design competition with a grand prize of $10,000. (Nope, this is not a scam). Second and third place winner gets $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.

The winning mascot design will be used by ABS and its member banks in various anti-scam programmes. It will be deployed in a variety of mediums, including animations, marketing collaterals (such as key chains, fridge magnets, plush toys, car decals), and as a costumed character for roadshows, school skits and other activities.

If you are interested in taking part, submit your entries here. Closing date is 31 May 2024.

Nintendo had a Partner Showcase Direct a few days ago and one of the announcements that got me excited was Gundam Breaker 4 coming to the Nintendo Switch.

There’s no official release date yet. But this is most likely a game I’m getting on launch day.

Oops. Didn’t post anything last week cause was busy with CNY prep.

Anyway, Apple released the Apple Vision Pro recently. It cost US$3,499 and is only available in the US for now. World Wide availability will be announced at a later date. Or maybe it will be like the first iPhone where it is only launched in US.

Besides the price, the Apple Vision Pro has many flaws. It is not a perfect device just like every first generation device in the category. Do you remember the first gen iPhone, iPad and even iPods? It takes a few iterations for them to perfect the device. But it sure looks promising.

Google is collaborating with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to develop an AR guided tour. The AR guided tour is powered by Google’s ARCore and Geospatial Creator and can be accessible in the Visit Singapore Travel Guide app. Singapore’s tourism mascot, Merli, will guide travellers through six stops in the Civic District and Chinatown precincts.