CNA | On The Red Dot | S8 E21: Our last strata malls - Breathing new life into Sim Lim Square

Tech is still a man’s world at Sim Lim Square in Singapore, but Pauline and Kristy are determined to carve out a niche in the tech shopping haven.
#Singapore #SimLimSquare
About the show: What are the issues that provoke, inspire and unite those who live in Singapore? Uncover the personal stories of amazing individuals who call this "red dot" home.
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[@jehanc]

I use to buy at Sim Lim Tower about 39 years ago. Guess my age now...I started at 17 when I first step in Singapore to get a job. Now I am in New Zealand for almost 2 third of my life. Did not knew that Sim Lim still exists. I remember the pineapple computer was sold here they are a copy of the apple at that time.

[@SuccessforLifester]

The first computer I used was an apple II compatible. Played games like Beyond castle of Wolfenstein, loderunner, Taipan, Star Wars I think. Then did some basic language programming. The diskettes were huge back then.

[@jehanc]

@@SuccessforLifester I still have some of those 5 quarter inch floppy disc and also a bit smaller harder 3 quarter inch disc.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@jehanc I remember there is a diskette stapler. It can magically convert your single side diskette into a double sided diskette.. I believe I have thrown my diskettes away. However I still got Minidiscs. Some brand new and sealed... Sigh.. Sony pulled out support for their MD player.

[@jehanc]

@@SuccessforLifester Sure, I remember but not all the diskettes can use. I was working for an insurance company in KL as a DP processing supervisor. But the floppy diskettes in magazine running backup so data don't get lost. They are hugh like 4 times that of the PC diskettes. I found out just after I left to NZ, the backup has never worked. It cannot restore back if is more than a few months old.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@jehanc Later Zip drives appeared. It was like quite a premium product. Luckily I didn't waste any money on it.

[@conanabang1515]

I remember times when Sim Lim Square had shops that used to sell pirated softwares and used to go there to buy them. On some occasion, we, the customers, had to had quickly run out of the shops because of the police raid. Off course, apart from buying pirated softwares, I used to go there to fix my computers, buy computer parts and sometime just window shop. It is sad that the fellow call Jover Chew scared the customers away. Thank you for this short documentary, CNA.

[@BibiPew]

Ya so fun last time.

[@farnix]

@Susan Ananda the land up north ;)

[@lucretius8050]

SLS is dying cause the prices are marked up too high, it used to be possible when there's limited information and lack of online shopping. Right now people are able to search and compare prices and in many cases it is still cheaper to purchase it overseas even after shipping and GST.

[@TAILSORANGEs]

For Apple Computer Repairs ---> Go to Louis Rossmann for more repair information For iPhone repair ---> Go to iPad Rehab for more repair information They are both available on youtube

[@TAILSORANGEs]

For Louis Rossmann ---> Store.RossmannGroup.com

[@TAILSORANGEs]

For iPad Rehab --> ipadrehab.com

[@DoACarl]

Had a great time visiting this amazing electronic heaven! One of the many reasons i love shopping in Singapore! #DoACarl!

[@yhong9733]

Owning a business, even in old places like Sim Lim Sq, gets your feet rooted, it builds stability. Beats jet-flying London, Paris and Milan anyday.

[@ybbolb]

Pro tip...avoid the shops on lvl 1 and 2. Most of them are tourist traps like "that one" featured here. :-P

[@kennethnicholas5938]

A tip : watch series at Flixzone. Been using it for watching a lot of movies these days.

[@liamjamison5458]

@Kenneth Nicholas yup, I've been using flixzone} for since november myself :)

[@lingth]

How many of these shop owners will still be around after Covid-19 is over? a lot of these shop owners just dun have enough savings to last them months or a year of closure and even with the re-opening after June. the Lower customer traffic is just not enough to cover rentals and staff manpower costs, and yet have to worry about social distancing measures and risk getting fine if not doing enough.

[@davidkok2489]

Nothing about the heart and soul of Sim Lim square... PC components... this is like an advertisement for Song brothers and associates... sigh

[@CMJ1989]

I think they were chosen because they were pretty articulate in speaking, especially Kristy. They're about creating a future for Sim Lim Square. As for the other PC stores in SLS, i doubt they'd do good for anything beyond 5 minute interviews.

[@danialmazlann]

I think Sim Lim is pretty important for young/start up tech companies that need fast and cheap spare parts since most of it can be found there.

[@Zohar-Modifier]

This episode is so off ... its not the sim lim square most purchaser goes for ... most shop at the lvls on top rather than cafe camera sound mobile phone repair ... its computer yard

[@SuccessforLifester]

Do your research when shopping there. Some of the Indian shops although look as if they offer good bargains actually can be quite expensive. Long ago I had bad deals from Arab looking Indian merchants. It was a nightmare. But I think that shop was no longer there.

[@darshananthjayaraman7343]

Yea i had some bad experiences with sone chinese shops too...

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@darshananthjayaraman7343 Yes. Some of the Hp shops there look dirty. I never patronised those shops there.

[@darshananthjayaraman7343]

@@SuccessforLifester 1) u can shove ur racist comments up where the sun dosent shine.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@darshananthjayaraman7343 How am I racist when I gave balanced views after you brought out Chinese. You can shove yours into any parts of your body as you are black throughout even with the sun.

[@SuccessforLifester]

The Hp shops many are run by Chinese, with the infamous Jover Chew. I gave a balance view to support you. You black S.

[@seanflanagan3118]

*immediately buys a ticket to visit that girls cafe

[@cody2713]

I might visit this place after all. Never went there in my 8 years in sg.

[@russelbelches5732]

What's the title of the tracxk on 19:52

[@seanflanagan3118]

Such nice people in Asia.

[@retrorider7521]

Kristy reminds me joanna dong for some reason.

[@AdvertisingCo]

Very nice 😍

[@BibiPew]

Sim Lim Square is so much better than Funan..

[@izumiyuichan]

The boutique feel of the camera shop actually stops me from going in. makes me feel like everything is gonna be expensive.

[@lessQQmorePewPew.]

Thank you Jover Chew for destroying Sim Lim Square

[@lucretius8050]

SLS had dozens of police reports against many different shops, Jover Chew just went a step too far.

[@forgetmepls]

I rather let my phone die than to get it fixed by foreigner

[@Zohar-Modifier]

Later u become edison chen

[@yhong9733]

Owning a business, even in old places like Sim Lim Sq, gets your feet rooted, it builds stability. Beats jet-flying London, Paris and Milan anyday.

[@praba991ify]

You live in your own small little world, don't you

[@yhong9733]

@@praba991ify Yup! I live in microscopicly small world. How's your humongous world treating you lately?

[@praba991ify]

@@yhong9733 You're too slow to be noticed

[@yhong9733]

@@praba991ify Has your gigantic world made you rich lately? Did it made you a better person? Or project your insecurities in your youtube comment to made you feel good?

[@praba991ify]

@@yhong9733 It certainly made me feel good to make fun of people like you. Don't you have bills to worry about ? Why waste your time here , root yourself in a small dim shop and rot there.