My Favourite Tech Items From Taobao

Hi! Recently, I have been introduced to the world of Taobao.

Taobao is an online shopping platform, akin to Amazon. It is the biggest and most used online shopping platform in China and is used by many all across the world.

Before introducing the tech I bought, let me do a simple review of Taobao.
Right now, TaoBao is by far my favourite online shopping platform, defeating Amazon,Shoppee, AliExpress and Ezbuy by MILES. Most of their products come from China, and you know..., China has ALOT of imitations and cheap goods. But that doesn't meant that it is of bad quality, the tech that I bought from Taobao all exceeded my expectations and although they aren't 'legit' they are extremely worth the money.
Another thing I like about TaoBao is the variety of goods you can find from the website. From tech to furniture to even DOGs! You can find just about anything from Taobao and you definitely cannot find them on Amazon etc. There are really many new and innovative tech you never thought you needed before chancing upon it.
However, the shipping is ridiculously expensive because they are all shipped from China. The delivery fees can be much more expensive that the price of the product which might make some doubt whether it is still worth it or not. However, you can choose cheaper options like shipping by sea or using a 3rd party shipping company and you can save some money on shipping.

Okay, lets get into the tech haul!

1 - Wireless charging Portable Charger ~ $40 (inc shipping)

I was never a big fan of wireless charging. To me it seemed impractical. You cannot use your phone while charging it, the speed of charging is slow and 'wireless' charging still requires the wires. Even until now, I do not think that this form of wireless charging is the future. However, a Wireless charging. portable charger brings us one step closer to the future. 

This wireless charge claims that it was 200000 mAh. It has 2, USB A 5W output and 2 microUSB and USB-C inputs and of course a wireless charging option. The portable charger is just... not very portable. Yes, you can charge it up and bring it around to give you some extra power.... but its just way bigger, heavier and bulkier than your average portable chargers. It weighs almost 2 times the weight of my iPhone and although it claims that it is 20k mAh, I feel like it is closer to 10k mAh, and boy is it far bigger than the 10k mAh portable charger other brands offer. 

Despite the cons, I do feel that this portable charger is a steal, it is relatively cheap and although there are better options in the market, there were freebies that came with this. I have been using it for almost a year now and although it has gotten a little dirty, it is still in good condition. There is a small screen on the top to show the exact percentage of charge left which is a nice little feature that most portables don't seem to have anymore (especially cheaper ones). Since it isn't all that portable, I have it connected to a power source and use it as a wireless charging port for my iPhone or my Airpods. 

Rating : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 

2 - Three-Headed Cable ~ Free!

The 3 - headed cable was the freebie that came with the portable charger and it is one of the reasons why I feel the portable charger was value for money despite cheaper alternatives in the market. 

It comes with a USB-A output like all other cables and has a USB-C, micro-USB and a lightning input, meaning that one can charge up to 3 devices with just one cable. I literally use it almost every single day and bring it with me on all occasions. Its a life-saver for me since I would only need to bring just this one cable to be able to charge my phone and iPad and will not need to worry about forgetting a cable. This cable has a nylon protective outer layer and it is extremely durable. I have also been using it on a regular basis for around a year and it is still as good as new. 

Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

3 - Smart Watch ~ $20 (exc shipping) 

Just like the portable charger, I never really felt the need for a smartwatch. To know the time, all I need is to tap my phone and I have access to all the functions a smartwatch provides, there is really no need to spend the extra money on a smartwatch. 

However, I realized that relying on my phone and waking up my phone to read the time makes my productivity drop ALOT. I will always be distracted by messages from my friends and viola, I will be watching some youtube video for the next hour or so. Thus I decided to get a smartwatch to minimize distractions while I study and also since it is a more reliable pedometer. 

This watch is really one of the cheaper options in the market, for $20, it is hard to find a decent analog watch much less a digital one, but TaoBao makes the impossible possible. The watch has a very minimalistic look to it, and has a turn to wake function (something which previous generation apple watches don't even have). It can count your steps and the distance you've walked including some other functions that I have yet to try out such as measuring your heart rate and blood pressure, a stopwatch function and also access to your messages (I disconnected this function). The watch connects to your phone's Bluetooth and is easy to set up. The smart watch relies on this 'home' button which is where it can sense your finger and navigate through the watch (by tapping on it). A single tap brings you to the next function and a long press allows you to change the interface or have access to that function (e.g starting the stopwatch etc). There is no 'go back' function, so to return to a previous function, you will have to tap through all the other functions which is a little annoying but liveable. 

The watch has been a really nice addition to my tech and I am really enjoying the aesthetics of it as well as the calorie counter and pedometer functionality which works pretty nicely and accurately. There is an app that you have to download that can allow you to have access to data that your watch records which is pretty neat. The battery life is a bit on the downside. It claims to have a month worth of battery, but it seems that after about a week of using it, the watch requires a new charge. Speaking of charging, it is a bit awkward to charge the watch as the watchface is detachable and you will have to plug the watchface into a USB-A output. 

Rating : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

4 - IPad Pro Magnetic Folio Case ~ $15 

THIS! I have been longing for this accessory ever since I bought my iPad. I was previously using a slip-on folio case which was pretty damaging for my ipad since I frequently use it with my Logitech Slim - Folio keyboard case which means I have to take out my iPad from the tight case very often. Thus I really wanted Apple's Official Slim Folio case but that was way above my budget.

This folio case works exactly like Apple's case. It uses magnets to hold your iPad in place and the magnets are really strong -- the iPad does not come off with vigorous shaking. The front part also has the open to wake functionality and magnetically attaches to the back of the case so that the front will not droop when you are holding the ipad which is a nice little add on I never knew I would appreciate. You can also fold the front part of the case to provide a stand for your iPad, and the angle is just perfect for media consumption etc. 

The case is definitely thicker and heavier than your average non-magnetic folio case, but this is a tradeoff I am willing to pay (no hesitations). This case also provides no protection to the sides of your iPad (just like the Apple one)  but it does a good job protecting the iPad as a whole. 

This Ipad case also came with a nice slip-on IPad cover as well as a glass screen protector all for only $15! 

Rating ; ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Corona Virus Isolation Experience

WOAH. It has been such a long time since I last posted something on the blog. 

2020 is really THE year....of havoc. 

2019 marked the end of a decade, and to many people 2020 symbolised a new beginning and a fresh start in their lives..... and then, the corona virus started spreading.

This whole blog post is not only my experience in isolation but also how the corona virus has impacted me and my thoughts about this outbreak. 

I currently study A-Levels in the UK and was about to take my A levels in May 2020. The A-levels is probably one of the most important examination a student can take as it literally determines their future. It can only be taken once and that grade and the subjects you take more or less determines your future career path and where you can go in life essentially.....

However, the corona virus made it impossible for students to take the A levels physically, as exam centres is essentially a mass gathering. Around mid Feb, the first case of the corona virus was documented in Bristol. A few weeks has passed and the number of confirmed cases only rose to less than 100. Suddenly, the outbreak of corona virus in Italy caused the number of corona virus cases to skyrocket. In a matter of a single week, the number of cases rose from 200 to almost 1000, and it took less than a week to rise to 2000. By the end of the 3rd week of March, the number of cases almost hit 3000. 

Everyone expected schools to close, however, no one really expected for the exams to be cancelled. I remember our principal telling us that if the a level students had to return, it would mean that it is impossible for them to take their a levels. However literally one day later after the news was announced, the principal told us to pack our things and return ASAP. I always wanted to go home, but I never expected to leave all my friends and literally end my high school life in such an abrupt manner. 

With all of the uncertainties of how our A levels will become,I had to pack my room and clear my room in 3 days and return back to my home country. In my home country, those who returned from the UK has to be isolated for 14 days. This means, no human interaction, no going out for a whole 2 weeks. Normally I would be fine with this arrangement, I am not an extroverted person in any way and staying at home for doing nothing is actually my forte. However, this means I cannot stay at home, so I rented a hotel room and stayed with my friend. 

Tbh, it may seem fun, staying in one room with your best friend, but to me it was really uncomfortable. There was only one queen sized bed and I literally cannoy share a bed with someone, especially for 14 nights, thus I decided to sleep on the sofa bed. It was hellish, it was so uncomfortable every night and it made my already bad back even worse. Not to mention there wasn't a proper table for me to work and study since there was only one table in the whole entire room.

Privacy was also another issue as I enjoy my own personal space. I think even living with my own mother in such a confined space will make me go berserk and thus I decided to move.

Luckily for me, the government provides hotel accommodation for people who needs to be isolated, and in a matter of a weekend, I was at my new hotel. Tbh, I felt a huge sense of relief when I knew I could move. Staying in a hotel all day is always something I wanted to do since young and I finally got to do that HAHAHAHAHA

The hotel I was assigned to was a really old hotel, it wasn't modern like a lot of new hotels are right now, but it still has the basic facilities you would expect, although there were quite a lot of things that are breaking apart. 

The bathroom was really big, with a huge bathtub that I use all the time to soak in a nice hot bath while listening to music. There is also a mini fridge hidden in the cupboard (and the door of the cupboard broke shhh). There is a kettle and a ALOT of coffee and tea, enough to last one for a week or so, but the coffee is literally the worst coffee I have ever drank in my whole life. There is a nice study desk and chair which I sometimes use to study. Of course there is a TV that no one uses now HAHAHAHA. 

The room is really very spacious and I have enough space to put my Yoga mat and do some exercises. I will just walk around in the afternoon to stay active before heading to the bathroom to soak in the bathtub for around an hour HAHAHAHA

The government provides food daily, breakfast lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served at around 8 am (before I even wake up) Lunch is served at around 1 pm and dinner at around 6pm. The food is either a hit or miss. There are a few days where the food is really good and I enjoyed it thoroughly, other days the food either has ingredients I absolutely detest (aka chicken rice) or the food just tastes...interesting? on these days i will just order delivery. 

what i really like is that there is an e buddy that calls you daily to check up on you and kinda talk to you. You can tell them anything and talk to them like a friend. They are the only form of human interaction you can have for the next 14 days so its always good to be polite and nice to them. My E buddy is really sweet and nice, I was having wifi problems and she helped me get a portable wifi that i can use for 4 hours daily which is really sweet ( i mean it is not a must they have to do that ) and she also gave me some nice cookies. 

Now its day 9 of the 14 days so I am almost done. Tbh I think i will miss my life in isolation as it is really very comfortable in this hotel. Isolation is really not as bad as it seems as long as you have your meals taken care of and decent internet for you to connect with your friends and family members and also surf the net. 

This is definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and hopefully, no one needs to experience this again. Thank you for reading this and I hope the corona virus will be gone soon and everyone can return to their normal lives. But before this happens, do treasure every single day you have with your family and friends. Do not be pessimistic in this situation, remember to live your best everyday and actually enjoy this period, it will most probably the last time anyone in this generation will experience such a large outbreak, and while taking the necessary precautions, do remember you can learn a lot of life lessons from this pandemic. Stay safe and stay healthy and remember to wear masks and wash your hands!