Adrian's Journal

I just picked up a new toy—the Anker SoundCore 2 in white. I've been looking for a reliable external speaker for my laptop because my built-in computer speakers just don't cut it when I want to sit back and play some games. Most Bluetooth speakers suffer from an annoying audio delay, which ruins the gaming experience, so I specifically hunted for a speaker that still features a physical auxiliary (AUX) input. When I saw this one on the TikTok Shop for about $42 SGD, boasting "intense bass" and stereo sound, I decided to buy it and test it out live. Here is how it held up to my tests. Watch on YouTube...  https://youtube.com/live/BBlFCIF6nAk First Impressions & Build Quality Straight out of the box, the speaker feels solid. The whole body is wrapped in a rubberized, anti-slip material, which explains its IPX7 waterproof rating. The control buttons on top are massive—the plus button is almost the size of my thumb. But the most important part for my setup was hidden ...

Waiting for a flight doesn't have to mean sitting at a crowded departure gate. During a recent trip out of Singapore, I spent my pre-flight time inside the SATS Premier Lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 2. Here is exactly what you can expect if you decide to step inside. The first thing that caught my eye was the beverage selection. There is a solid free-flow of alcoholic beverages, ranging from wine to spirits like vodka and whiskey, plus plenty of juices, soft drinks, and an automated coffee machine. For food, the hot buffet features a few local favorites, including a signature laksa station that hits the spot before a long haul. Beyond the food, the space is built for resting. The seating area is comfortable, complete with USB charging ports at the tables to juice up your phone or laptop. If you need a proper reset, there are clean shower rooms and even a dark, quiet room with massage chairs where you can kick back while you wait. I access this lounge using my Priority Pass. The...

I tested the same AI video prompt across five different tools… and what I discovered completely changed how I think about AI video generation. The prompt sounded simple enough: A dynamic Singapore street food hawker centre scene at night. Bustling crowd, sizzling wok with char kway teow, steam rising, vibrant neon signs, people eating at tables, cinematic food lighting, smooth camera pan from close-up food to wide shot of busy center, 4K realistic details, energetic atmosphere. Same prompt. No iteration. First output only. But the results? Completely different. The Test: Same Prompt, Five AI Generators I ran this prompt across: CapCut Seedance 2.0 DOLA AI Seedance 2.0 Google VEO 3.1 Bing Video Creator (SORA) META VIBES And I judged them based on one thing: Does it feel like a real Singapore hawker centre? What Most AI Got Wrong Let’s start with the biggest issue. My prompt included: “vibrant neon signs” Sounds cinematic, right? But if you’ve actually been to ...

Looking for a way to use your phone's superior rear cameras for selfies or vlogging without flying blind? I recently unboxed and tested the WONEW (Fun Snap) T2 Magnetic Selfie Display Screen , and it’s a practical addition for any mobile creator. Get yours here...  https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS9LtFrApvLFd-2msN2/ Here is a breakdown of my experience and why this gadget might be the missing piece in your mobile filmmaking kit. The Problem: Great Cameras, Poor Visibility Most of us know that the rear cameras on our iPhones or Androids are far superior to the front-facing selfie camera. However, using them for vlogging or taking self-portraits usually means you can't see your framing. The WONEW T2 solves this by providing a dedicated 2.01-inch magnetic monitor that mirrors your phone screen, allowing you to use the 0.5x ultra-wide lens or the high-quality main sensor while still seeing yourself [ 01:21:51 ]. Key Features & Specs Dual Connection Modes: It supports both wireless (Bl...

I recently bought a portable folding laptop stand from Shopee SG for just S$2.18. At that price point, I had to test it out live to see if a plastic bracket could actually hold up my daily gear. Get Yours Here: [ https://s.shopee.sg/9Uxd1VwtGC ] As a Creative Solopreneur, I am consistently looking for practical ways to organize my desk setup without cluttering my workspace. I decided to unbox this stand on a live stream and put it through a few weight tests. Here is what I found out. The Build Quality and Setup. When the package arrived, the first thing I noticed was the weight. It is incredibly light because the entire frame is made of plastic rather than metal. The stand features a hollow X-frame design with seven adjustable height slots. It also comes with a sheet of silicone non-slip rubber pads. You have to stick these pads on the frame yourself. The assembly is straightforward, but you need to make sure you align the pads correctly on the base so your equipment does not slide of...

Try this on Gemini Nano Banana...  "Use the attached image as the primary reference; strictly preserve identity, facial features, and hairstyle. Create a black-and-white photobooth contact sheet (4×4 grid, 1:1, ultra-high resolution) with thin gutters and consistent panels. Scene: plain neutral gray background, no props. Lighting: direct front photobooth flash (slightly hard but flattering), soft short shadows; avoid cinematic lighting. Camera: 50mm, tight head-and-shoulders, eyes sharp in every panel. Subject: The person from the uploaded image, correct anatomy. Expressions (16 panels): scrunched smile, intense stare (hands framing eyes), big laugh, bored (chin in hands), sad pout, goofy horns, tongue-out grin, angry glare, confident playful (hand on cheek), surprised, fake scream, mischievous claw pose, confused frown, frustrated (hands on head), tongue-out eyes closed, duck face with devil horns. Style: pure B&W, medium-high contrast, flat gray background, subtle analog gra...

AI Prompts to Launch a Business with ChatGPT: No Product, No Audience JUST THESE 7 PROMPTS... 1/ Niche Goldmine Prompt "List 10 profitable Instagram page niches that are trending in 2025, with high engagement and easy monetization potential." 2/ Viral Post Finder Prompt "For the niche [insert niche], give me 20 viral post ideas that can be recreated without showing my face." 3/ Storyline Builder Prompt "Topic: [insert topic, e.g. success quotes], Length: [15–45 seconds], Platform: Instagram. Write a short video script with a hook, emotion, and CTA." 4/ Content Multiplier Prompt "Here's my content: [paste text or transcript]. Repurpose it into a carousel outline, tweet thread, and short video script." 5/ Caption Optimizer Prompt "Write a viral-style caption for this reel: [insert idea]. Keep it emotional, concise, and optimized for engagement." 6/ Consistency Planner Prompt "Create a 30-day posting calendar for my Instagram page...

Grok AI Video is No Longer Free! Here Are 5 Best Alternatives If you use Grok for AI videos, you probably noticed the change. It is no longer free. But don't worry! Many creators are switching to other tools. Here are the top 5 free alternatives you can use right now. 1. Google Flow Google Flow is a great choice for daily use.  * The Deal: You get 150 free credits every single day.  * The Pro Hack: You can try the "Google AI Pro" plan for $0 for the first month.  * Note: You need to add a payment method, but you won't be charged. Just remember to cancel before the 30 days are up! 2. Luma Arena (No Card Needed) Don't like putting your credit card info online? Use Luma Arena.  * The Deal: It is completely free and requires no card details.  * Key Feature: You can use models like Gemini, Claude, and even Grok for free here. It works great for turning images into videos. 3. Qwen AI: Best for Lip-Sync If you need your characters to talk, Qwen AI is the "Lip-Sync K...

ChatGPT can now create YouTube video scripts like those of MrBeast's editors for free. Here are 7 ChatGPT prompts that can generate 30 viral video scripts in just 30 minutes: 1. The Viral Concept Engineering “Act as a YouTube strategist who specializes in high-retention, large-scale challenge and spectacle content. Based on my niche, audience age group, and budget level, generate 30 high-stakes video concepts built around curiosity, tension, reward, and escalating outcomes. Niche details: [paste].” 2. Retention-First Video Structure “For this video idea: [insert idea], build a retention-optimized structure. Include an immediate hook, escalating stakes, pattern interrupts every 30 to 60 seconds, tension loops, and a strong payoff.” 3. Curiosity Hook Generator “Create 15 powerful opening hooks for this video idea: [insert idea]. Each hook must create immediate curiosity, stakes, or emotional tension within the first 5 seconds.” 4. High-Energy Script Builder “Write a complete YouTube ...

Please refrain from directly copying and pasting responses generated by AI models. The writing style of such models is often readily identifiable as AI-generated. Instead, use these prompts to achieve humanized results. 1. The Professional Al Humanizer "Act as a professional human-writing editor. Rewrite the following text to sound natural, human, and conversational. Remove robotic phrasing, stiff structure, and unnatural flow while keeping the original meaning intact. Text: [paste text]." 2. Natural Human Tone Converter "Rewrite this text so it sounds like it was written by a real human with experience and confidence. Improve sentence rhythm, word choice, and flow. Avoid robotic patterns or overly formal language. Text: [paste text]." 3. The Al-Detection Safe Rewrite "Humanize this text so it does not feel Al-generated. Vary sentence length, add natural phrasing, improve transitions, and make it feel organic and authentic without adding fluff or changing the m...

Simplify Your Social Media Management If you currently do not have a social media manager, perhaps now is an opportune moment to consider one. Here is a selection of excellent prompts designed to assist you in managing your social media effortlessly. For those considering alternatives to social media managers, Claude is now capable of managing your social media with the expertise of a high-level professional, and at no cost. Here are six prompts to help you expand your audience, generate engaging content, and convert followers into loyal customers. 1. Full Social Media Audit Prompt: Act as a social media strategist. Audit my [platform] presence: niche [niche], posting frequency [frequency], results [describe]. Identify my biggest growth blockers and 3 highest impact changes to make immediately. 2. Build a Content Strategy Prompt: Design a social media strategy for a [business/brand] in [niche] targeting [audience] on [platform]. Include content pillars, posting frequency, best formats,...

I recently stumbled upon Welcome to Earth on Disney+, and I’ll be honest... I was hooked immediately. Seeing Will Smith rappelling into a live volcano or diving 3,000 feet into the ocean is intense. But as I watched those sweeping, cinematic shots, one question kept nagging at me: How on earth did they film this? I started digging into the behind-the-scenes stories, and what I found blew my mind. We see Will facing his fears, which is cool because the guy had never even slept in a tent before this show! But here is the real kicker: The camera crew had to do everything Will did, but backwards and carrying 50 pounds of gear. While Will was focused on surviving the moment, the crew was busy: Abseiling into pitch-black caves right alongside him. Managing "melting" ropes in Vanuatu because the volcanic heat was so high it literally started dissolving their safety lines. Diving with sharks while keeping a steady hand on 8K camera rigs that cost more than a house. In one instan...

What I Learned After Having a Deep Conversation With Claude — The AI That Questions Its Own Consciousness A tech enthusiast's honest notes from going down the rabbit hole March 2026 • 10 min read I'll be honest — I thought I knew what Claude was. A chatbot. A smart autocomplete. Something that writes emails and summarises documents. But then I spent an hour asking it questions I'd never thought to ask before, and I came away genuinely unsettled — in the best possible way. Here's what I found out.  1. Claude Was Built by People Who Left OpenAI Over Safety Concerns This blew my mind when I first heard it. Anthropic — the company that built Claude — was founded in 2021 by Dario and Daniela Amodei and several colleagues who walked out of OpenAI. They didn't leave for money or glory. They left because they were worried OpenAI was moving too fast without taking AI safety seriously enough. So they built their own lab, with safety as the core mission — not an afterthought...

I'm always on the lookout for ways to save money on essentials without sacrificing quality. My current Singtel broadband subscription ends in September 2026, and since I'm mainly hunting for the best deal possible—something fast enough for live streaming and smooth online gaming—I decided to do some deep research now. Why wait until the last minute when prices and promotions change so often? In this post, I'll walk you through my step-by-step research process in simple terms. I focused on plans with at least 1Gbps (but ended up loving higher speeds like 3Gbps or 10Gbps because they often cost the same or less), no need for a bundled router since I already have one, and options in Punggol (which has excellent fibre coverage). I compared no-frills providers like WhizComms and Simba, looked at switching from Singtel, and picked up general tips along the way. Here's exactly how I did it, so you can follow the same steps if your contract is ending soon. Step 1: Define What...

I've been using Bluehost for my WordPress site for a while now, but my renewal is coming up soon, and I know the prices are going to jump way higher than what I paid at first. It's frustrating because I started with a cheap intro deal, but now it feels like they're charging a lot more. So, I've been doing some research on alternatives, especially Hostinger, as a possible replacement. I'm not decided yet – I want to look at a few options before I make the move. I'll share what I've found in simple terms, based on reviews and comparisons from 2026. I'll include links to sources so you can check them out, and some affiliate links too (if you sign up through them, I might earn a small commission, which helps me keep blogging!). Why I'm Thinking About Leaving Bluehost Bluehost has been okay for my basic WordPress blog – easy setup, good for beginners, and they have phone support. But the big issue is the renewal prices. From what I've read, their sh...

Hey future me (and anyone reading this travel journal), We're heading to Kyoto in a few weeks for 5 days, and I'm super excited. The cherry blossoms might still be fading, temples, food, all the classics. But this morning over breakfast, while we were scrolling through our trip plan on my phone, my wife suddenly paused and showed me a straight-from-the-news article about recent bear sightings in Kyoto. She just slid her phone over with a serious look: "Adrian, look at this – bears are showing up more in some areas." At first, I laughed it off – bears in Kyoto? Like, in the middle of the city? But she was right to flag it. Turns out, Asiatic black bears (tsukinowaguma) have been spotted more often across Japan in 2025 and into 2026, including parts of Kyoto Prefecture. It's mostly due to food shortages in the mountains from weird weather, plus more bears in general and fewer people in rural spots. The good news? Central Kyoto – all the main tourist spots like Fu...