This is my second review of a D-Link product. My first review was for D-Link wi-fi extender which has proved to be a godsend as I have connections throughout my home which translated to savings $$ for me for the past month. Since the installation of the wi-fi extenders, I have not burst my monthly data package. There was no blind spot at all as I have been surfing at different parts of my home. You can read all about it here.

When I was approached to do a review of D-Link latest full HD outdoor wi-fi camera, I was quite skeptical of its usage in Singapore. I didn’t quite know if I would need such a product in my home especially so that it is meant for outdoor use. Well, to me I think Singapore is one of the safest countries to live in and I often have little security concern living in Singapore. Unlike my relatives living in Malaysia, security is the major concern, besides having video camera , they will also have gates even in the home itself not just outside.

I have many friends who have invested in wi-fi camera but it was mainly for monitoring of domestic helper. To date, I didn’t quite need a wi-fi camera at home as I do not have a domestic helper . Recently, it did cross my mind that my household would need such a wi-fi camera ever since my kids started school (big J used to attend student care) and came home straight from school. I didn’t quite know what they are up to after school and the tiger mum in me wants to know if they are following  the time table that we have jointly agreed on. I don’t like the idea that they are idling away after school (yes, I know they need play time too but to me , they will get play time when they have finish their work and revision).

And this being an outdoor wi-fi camera, I actually ask what would be a major selling point for this product in the Singapore context, they told me that it will be very useful for  monitoring of home during vacation. I was sold as we often travel as a family for holidays  so I will have a peace of mind  whenever the whole family is away.

Some other reasons for installing such an indoor wi-fi camera it to monitor kids, help, elderly, pets when they are outdoors or even for strangers looking for your helper at home. Given that I do not have a helper or a pet, I do not have such concerns but yes, I would like to monitor my kids for sure.

It comes with outdoor mounting kit. However, for my usage, I didn’t want it to be fixed to a location, hence i didn’t have it mounted. I want to get the best of both, ie indoor and outdoor usage.

This is the latest Full HD 180 Degree Outdoor Wi-fi Camera DCS-2670 from D-Link.

As this is my first wi-fi camera, I do not really have a point of comparison, however I will let you know how useful it has been to me as I have been using it for the past month. It is such novelty to me now as I can easily “peek” into my kids , yes they do know there is a camera on their desk, however, I wont be so free to peek at them all the time too.

1. It has a super wide angle view – perfect for outdoor monitoring

Low crime in Singapore does not mean there is no crime. The more complacents are the residents, it will invite more crime. Hence, the presence of such outdoor wi-fi camera will definitely deter any possible crime especially for long periods of absence.

This is the location where I left my outdoor wi-fi camera when my family was out of town. As I didn’t want to have it mounted, it will be easier if i just place it at ground level so long i can a 18 degree view of my front porch. I do not think it is necessary to monitor when we are out for a few hours ( I still do think its very safe in Singapore) but it will definitely be good to have it switched on when we are away for days.

It also works beautifully at night due to the built-in IR LEDs and Full HD capabilities. There are 3 modes in the camera – in normal light, night vision and also auto. The auto mode will automatically toggle to get the most suitable mode. Here are some shots of my home’s outdoor area at night.

Given that it is meant for outdoor usage, the camera is also weather proof (IP65 casing which is able to withstand dust and rain) and comes with mounting kit, cable water proofing connector and an extra long cable. Its three-axis adjustment makes ceiling installations easy.

2. Built-in IR LEDs to capture video in up to 16 feet of complete darkness

I am not sure how well other indoor wi-fi cameras capture in darkness, but since this product was meant for outdoor use, it has to be able to capture picture and video in low light or even darkness as mentioned above. This is a photo taken indoors when my kids are asleep – the room was in total darkness. It is perfectly clear even in such darkness and I can see both of my kids cuddled up in 1 bed leaving the other bed empty. In fact, you can also use this as a baby monitor as it is so clear in complete darkness.

photo as taken using the mydlink Lite app and saved into my phone

3. Capturing of picture and video in full HD quality 

As I mentioned, I was toying with an idea of getting a wi-fi camera early this year to monitor my kids after school. Now, I am able to have quick glances of my kids when they are back from school while I am at work. Besides just viewing on your smart phone, you can easily capture images and videos using the mydlink Lite app. However, if you need a playback of the video, then you would need to slot a micro SD card and configure in the web GUI to have it recorded and saved in the micro sd card. It has record up to 235 hours on a 128GB micro SD.

this is a screengrab from the mydlink Lite app to show you the functions and view you can get from your smart phone

Recently, there was a day (the above screengrab was taken on that day) that the older kids had to be home alone as the grandparents were away and both myself and my husband couldn’t take off from work. So, the wi-fi camera was a godsend. We could constantly monitor through the app in addition to calling them at home to make sure that all in well. They were home alone for a good 3 hours and I am glad that we had this wi-fi camera which gave us an extra piece of mind.

4. Sound and motion detection 

I will get a notification  on my smart phone whether there is motion detected via the same mydlink Lite app  – like when someone enters the room, or most importantly if there is an intruder into my front porch etc.

D-Link DCS-2670L retails at SGD 289 at all Challenger outlets.

For my daily usage, I hope to be seeing such a view every time I take a peek 🙂 and on an occasional basis, to give me a peace of mind when I am overseas.

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

I always think that blooms and flowers are reserved for birthdays or anniversaries but I realised that flowers can be a gift for any celebrated occasions. I know that flowers wither and die and they do not last forever ie the man will say waste of money, but I came to realise that a bloom is a sweet gift to celebrate little milestones / occasions/ birthdays/ anniversaries and the list goes on! That is exactly what A Better Florist delivered to me.

So this wonderful gift was what I got last Friday, which happen to be my last day of work with a company that I had worked for 9.5 years, a company that I had joined shortly after my marriage and I had 4 kids during my tenure with the company. I am truly grateful for the immense work life balance that probably is the reason why I manage to add my brood to above national average too. It was a bitter sweet occasion and a totally emotional-charged day for me and coming back home to see the bloom and the sweet bites made it all better! Believe it or not, the flowers did make my bitter sweet mood all better through the weekend as I prepared for new challenges ahead leaving my comfort zone and probably having lesser time with the kids and blogging. So if you hear less of mypreciouzkids on social media, its probably I was swamped with my new work.

Enough of me and back to the bloom, I chose The Wonderland which was not only had a beautiful bouquet of tulips, macarons and chocolates (which was the extra surprise)! But of course I didn’t quite have a share of the macarons as they are my kids’ favourite dessert  -it came from macarons.sg which is really nice and not overly sweet!

I must also give a shout out to their wonderful CSR by sharing a picture of your bouquet on Instagram by using hashtags  #FlowersDoGood #ABetterFlorist tag @ABetterFlorist and also someone who makes you smile, A Better Florist will deliver a flower to a special needs child at Rainbow Centre. Besides that, one winner will be chosen every month and the winner will receive three free bouquets to the people of their choice!

So as I realise, you don’t really need to wait for a birthday or an anniversary to put a smile on your loved ones’ face or just simply to brighten a long and difficult day like my day last Friday and A Better Florist delivers really fast and fresh too!

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I have a love and hate relationship with electronic toys..i guess more hate than love. When I had my first kid, I brought lots of toys, electronic ones mostly. It doesn’t help that that a particular well-known imported toy brand had many warehouse sales making the toys a bargain so my house was filled to the brim with electronic toys. I love them as there is so much light and sound effects coming from it and it sounded like the real thing, however, over the years I find it difficult keep track or remove the batteries when not in play for a long time. I also noticed that kids often are very attracted to electronic toys but the span of attention is often shorter and they lose interest in such toys very fast. So with many instances of batteries leakages etc, I have stopped buying electronic toys or any toys that requires batteries in the past years as I do not have the time or energy to keep track of the batteries and also my kids lose interest in it very fast too.

Lately, I am in more into free forms toys – toys like Lego and also wooden toys. I came acquainted to a French brand called Janod.

Janod is a brand which specializing in wooden toys for the past 40 years. They are recognised for their striking range of children’s wooden educational toys, each beautifully designed with bright bold colours with children’s learning in mind. In Singapore, Janod is exclusively distributed by My Miracle Baby

There are many wooden pretend play toys by Janod carried exclusively by My Miracle Baby, I had to think really hard as big C is a little past the age of playing for kitchen sets and I have 2 younger boys. Do I get a “boy” toy for the sake of the 2 younger ones like the tools set or a kitchen set?  Finally I decided I should not segregate what is consider boy’s or girl’s toys but one that they would be most keen in and I always seen them gearing to a particular pretend play set at play gym etc –  a kitchen set. No one say boys can’t play kitchen set, or that it is a girl toys – in fact my 8 year old boy plays with it too!

The kids were so excited when they saw their latest toy. All toys will give the same effect however, a good toy is one where they are use their imagination during play and many hours of play thereafter, that is when parents feel that its money’s worth and on my part, I do not have to worry about removing the batteries in case of leakages!

There were a few kitchen/cooking set by Janod carried by My Miracle Baby but the French Cocotte Maxi Cooker caught my attention as it doesn’t look too girly..the other set was all pink and sweet.

Let me spam you some pictures how cute is this set. The detailing is superb right down to the “feet” which are  like chicken feet.

love this wooden clock, perfect for teaching the middle two about time

these stick on with magnet!

even the pot handles are in chicken motif and the dials are shaped like eggs!

comes with a hook to hand the red mitten

really cute!

even the handles are rooster motif

Enough on how beautiful is this set as kids probably can’t appreciate it as much as the mummy. To them, it will be how much fun hours can they get out of it – especially there is no light and sound effect.

It is interesting that my 2 year old seems to be enjoyed the kitchen set the most of my 4 kids. He will spend a good time playing with it…pretending to wash his hand at the sink, cooking, cleaning etc. He will also make the water flowing sound when he “washes” his hands at the sink -pretend play at its best.

I also added the existing fruits and food set so make it more fun to play as there are more things to be “cooked”.

Besides pretend play toys, Janod has puzzles, musical instruments, blocks, magnetic books, pull along toys etc, not a single toy by Janod require batteries. So if you are ever looking to invest in some toys or buying as a gift, do look into buying such range of toys and from reputational brands like Janod. I am sure some of the toys can be even pass on to your kids’ kids in future. You can view the full range of Janod toys here.

Besides Janod, My Miracle Baby also carries mummies and kids related products such strollers , swaddles, car seats from reputable brands all over the world –  a one stop webstore for mummies and mummies-to-be too!

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 

2 years ago when I started to source for an ergonomic bag for big J, I was introduced to Ergoworks’ range of Impact ergonomic school backpacks. See here for my previous review  and 1.5 years old on , due to the “abuse” by my 8 year old boy, I think it is still in pretty good condition and if I were to trade in due course, I will get a 20% discount of regular priced ergonomic bags at Ergoworks which is savings to the parents.

Now it is big C’s turn to search for a suitable school bag back to start her formal schooling and I didn’t have to look any further as I am happy with the quality of Impact school backpacks for the past 2 years. I was delighted to see a new range of adjustable ergonomic bags which wasn’t there during big J’s time and the bonus part, it comes with adjustable height as well which is the IMPACT IPEG-223.

IMPACT is the ONLY ergonomic brand internationally endorsed and recommended by Singapore Physiotherapy Association and The Chiropractic Association (Singapore) and is a receipient of many awards proudly displayed at the showroom.

Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them. This is especially critically for children as they grow in height and size and what is suitable for them now may not be the case say 1 year later. One way is to change the item every time the child outgrows it, which is costly, the other way is to have an adjustable feature in the item.

Even though I was quite set in getting the IPEG 223, I decided to look at the wall of school backpacks and see if there are other suitable models that big C can carry. I had actually forgotten to take the whole wall of school backpack, the photo below was probably 1/3 of the entire wall of school backpacks. I am sure you will be spoilt for choice but ultimately you need to see which backpack fits your child best!

So I narrow my choices down to these 3 models. We did try the similar model which is the boxy model that big J has been using and it comes in 2 sizes (the ones in purple) which is IMPACT IM-0037A and IMPACT IM-0050A (which also comes in navy blue – which is big J’s bag, royal blue, pink and the purple shown in pic).

The IMPACT IM-0037A was too overwhelming for petite big C (that was the same size that big J started with so I guess big J was slightly bigger and taller at the same age) but the IMPACT IM-0050A was really perfect for her size and it comes with the most beautiful pink lining. I actually would have preferred this model as it has been tried and tested by big J for the past year – roomy, see it all in one glance, but big C insist she wanted the pink IPEG 223. The only drawback of purple bags is that there is no height adjustment for the  IMPACT IM-0037A and IMPACT IM-0050A

bigger model, a tad too big for big C

smaller model, just perfect for big C now!

comes with the prettiest pink lining!

Next, we tried the IPEG-223 which is the newest model , one of the lightest adjustable height ergonomic backpack.

IPEG – 223 fits big C perfectly at the lowest height adjustment

Thanks to 4 steps multi-height adjustable buckles, the bag is suitable for kids from height 110cm all the way to 170 cm. Big C is at 110cm hence, she is at the lowest height setting for now. The next adjustment will be when you notice the waist padding goes above the child’s waist, which means the child has grown taller and require an adjustment to the bag.

The most important thing to note is that the bag should be align to the shoulder of the child. The backpack should not be significantly wider than the shoulders for a proper fit . The base of the backpack should be not lower than the top of the hip bone.

Adjusting the  4 steps multi height adjustable buckles is also very simple and you have to do it only once until your child outgrown the current adjustments.

photo credit: Ergoworks

suitable for kids from 110cm to 170cm in height

a 90 degree turn will remove from the buckle and to put it on, in opposing 90 degree turn

the bag also feature a slight spacing between the back of the neck and the backpack so that there is no brushing of the backpack again the body which is the improved feature in new bags

Parachute rings are to assist in the proper adjustment of the straps

photo credit: Ergoworks

Besides that, Anthony from Ergoworks had also patiently go through the correct method of wearing and adjusting your child’s bag. It is pointless having an ergonomic backpack but not using it correctly. Anthony advised never wear the school backpack from the height of the floor but to place the backpack on the chair/table before wearing the backpack and adjusting the parachute rings to tighten the straps thereafter. There is a also a chest belt to distribute the weight evenly on the wearer.

The IPEG 223 is one of the lightest adjustable ergonomic backpacks at 950g and with a height of 28 cm. Some of the other noteworthy features of the bag includes  Comfy U Neck Fit Back straps, USA 3M Scotchlite Reflective Safety Materials ,  Patented Chest Stabilization Belt and High Quality Self Repairing Recoilless Zipper with Loop Lock Design.

This is the main bag, the heaviest books should be placed at the back of the bag

this is the middle compartment with pockets

front most compartment for wallet etc

IPEG-223 comes in two colours – perfect for your prince or your princess!

Retailing at a special discounted price of SGD149 (original price SGD 169) and comes with a 180 days warranty and an option to trade in with a 20% discount off the future school backpack’s price.

Besides being one for the biggest ergonomic school bag suppliers in Singapore, Ergoworks  showrooms (details below) are also your one-stop solution on all things ergonomic – from ergonomic tables to chairs both for kids and adults. A visit to their showroom in Marina Square (which was the showroom that I visited), you will be in awe at the range of ergonomic products, from chairs, recliners, workstations for kids and adults, LED lights etc and even water bottles for kids! You may end up with items that you can improve your own livelihood as well as it is not just catered to students and children but to adults too!

Ergoworks

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Marina Square

6 Raffles Boulevard #03-337 Marina Square

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6837 3370

Centrepoint

176 Orchard Road #03-36 Centrepoint

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6836 8488

Causeway Point

1 Woodlands Square #03-26 Causeway Point

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6893 8488

For the benefits of readers of mypreciouzkids, Ergoworks has kindly included a free gift with every purchase of IMPACT ergonomic bag at any of the 3 outlets. All you have to do is to print and present the image below when purchasing an  IMPACT bag between 2/9 to 30/9/17 to be entitled to the free gift. Its great for kids who are already starting to use laptop as part of the school curriculum.

From beauty blogging, now I venture into tech blogging. Ok, I am not technologically savvy though i graduated from Nanyang Technological University (ok, i know corny but i just had too). I seldom using the word technological in my blog (unlike the word parenting) so it kind of reminded me of my uni’s name. Even putting up this blog on wordpress platform etc has been an uphill task for me even. However this product that I will be reviewing (besides my DSLR, this is probably the next gadget that I really need in my life) is a life saver especially for some one like me that is ALWAYS connected to the social media.

I moved into my new place ( a bigger home) some 2.5 years ago using the same old router given by Singtel. This also means that I have been plagued with dead wi-fi zone areas for more than 2 years since moving in.  So instead of looking to solve it (I don’t really know if an extender would solve my problem and not willing to splurge on a router) I switch to use my 4G signal instead of the wi-fi signal whenever i am in the dead wi-fi zone. My husband is also not tech savvy as he graduated with same degree and same uni as me and he is not in gaming nor like me into social media etc, so he wasn’t concern at all for the lack of wi-fi in certain areas in the home. He just need the bare minimum to go his office work and some news reading online.

I have a data package of 10GB and I will exceed  every single month! And the biggest contribution besides using it during my mrt commute, would be home! Else I am always connected to free wi-fi, office, gym and SOME parts of the home.

It is really ironic when I have wi-fi connectivity at home but I had to use my 4G data package. I did consult the IT manager in my office on how to solve my home issue however, as I wasn’t sure  and confident that a wifi extender could solve my connectivity problem at home.

Dlink introduced me their latest extender the D-Link AC1750 Wireless Range Extender (launched in June 2017 , making me one of the first few home users to review this). I crossed my fingers that it help solved my 2 years plus connectivity problem at home and I hope it is user friendly enough for a tech noob like me!

A quick intro how D-Link AC 1750 works to extend an existing wireless network

At first glance

Basically this is a plug and play device. It is very small and compact but do not belittle by its size, it supports Wireless AC Speeds up to 1750 Mbps(450 Mbps on the 2.5 Ghz and 1300 Mbps on the 5 Ghz).

There are a few ways to setup this up as shown in the video. I preferred to use the Dlink QRS mobile app to help me with the installation as I didn’t use my home PC.

Using a one touch configuration (there is only a switch one/off button by the side as the main power outlet button is concealed by the device) using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (“WPS”)  push-button (the circle button in front), the light will turn amber in search for wireless network signal.  The WPS light will turn solid green once the extender has connected successfully.  I used my smartphone for the setup . I was required  to connect at first to the default wi-fi name and password found in the wi-fi configuration card that come with your device (you can change the wifi name and password later at setup). Thereafter, the D-Link QRS mobile apps will prompt you to rename the dual band wifi networks and its respective passwords

Using it

What I really like it that is really compact and light. As it is a plug on device, you don’t need to place in on any table,  just any free available power outlet will do. If you compare it again the power outlet , its roughly twice the size of the power outlet. Even for a tech noob like me, setting it up it really a walk in the path especially if you use my method, use the mobile apps (ie dont need to a PC to setup even). Else the other method is similarly as easy for some one with no IT background what so ever. The trick is to find a sweet spot to be able to get a strong wi-fi signal in order to extend its range to cover for the dead spots (with the help of the Smart Signal LEDs – elaborated below).

Loving it

So in the room (room A) that I have zero connectivity, I had the extender placed just outside that room, and voila…full bar connectivity.

There is another room (room B) whereby I also wish that the network can reach as well, but as it is on another floor compared to the room A and the location of the extender, I do not get the full strength however, it is much better than before. I am still searching for the sweet spot to place the extender with help of the Smart Signal LEDs so that both room A and room B can sufficient wi-fi .

The extender comes with a Smart Signal LEDs which will assist home users to locate the optimal location to place your extender. So 1 bar means weak while 3 bars means very strong signal.

credit: Dlink SG

It comes in dual-band either on 2.4GHz or 5 GHz. The main differences between the bands – the higher frequency ie the 5 Ghz provide more bandwidth and faster communication while the 2.4 Ghz are for devices with lower bandwidth requirements. Things that require higher bandwidth are like streaming of high quality video, online gaming and internet/video calls.  So I guess I will choose the 5 GHz band for my kdrama on my smartphone.

The device also comes with an Ethernet port for those want to extend their wireless network using Ethernet instead of wi-fi.  For household with wireless surveillance camera, baby monitors etc, this extender will remove the need of installing Ethernet cable for each of the device.

credit: D-Link SG

For those who is looking for a very technical review with speed test etc, I do apologise that I am unable to review it from that angle. Having said that, the D-Link AC1750 Extender DAP-1720 has done its job well in extending an existing wi-fi signal so that I can get signals from most part of the home and no longer need to rely on my 4G data package. So if i were to average out the cost of additional charge that i pay for my additonal 4G (approx SGD 20 a month) vs the cost of the extender, I will break even in less than 6/7 months. I guess it will make sense to own one.

D-Link AC1750 Extender DAP-1720 retails at SGD 139 at all Challenger outlets.

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.