VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks Apr 2011 Issue by VR Media Pte. Ltd.

April 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 5 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--5april-2011/11454.html April 5th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Reviews of AMD's Radeon HD6790 graphics card have started making their presence known on the Internet; Thermaltake's Level 10 GT chassis gets reviewed; A group of Windows Phone 7 hackers have released an update that allows existing WP7 users to get the latest Microsoft NoDo patches for their smartphones without having to wait for carriers to officially roll out the update; More information about Dell's elusive Alienware M14x notebook gets revealed; Japan is attempting to proceed on with life as usual by announcing that the Tokyo Game Show 2011 event will take place as planned, and EA has launched their new online-only, free-to-play version of Battlefield. Hardware news Thermaltake Level 10 GT Case Review Description: Taking some cues from the original Level 10, Thermaltake hopes to be able to capitalize on it by offering a more down to earth 'GT' version. Not only is the Level 10 GT more affordable, it's also smaller and lighter, but has it lost all that made the original such a work of art? Mach Xtreme Technology MX-GX 16GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review @ Madshrimps Description: The Mach Xtreme MX-GX USB 3.0 Flash Drives offer incredible read speeds and come in 4 different flavours: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB; they are also priced competitively, the 16GB model being found at CaseKing.de for about 29.90 Euros. Synology DS-211J Diskstation Two-Bay NAS Review @ Tweaknews Description: Synology's DS211j is a great addition to an expanding home network. Not only does it provide storage

and backup solutions, it also offers print and media server capabilities, website hosting, PC-free downloading, and much more at a price that is easy on the wallet. OCZ Vertex 3 Solid State Drive Tests @ Benchmark Reviews Description: The OCZ Vertex 3 SSD is based on the secondgeneration SandForce's SF-2281 SATA 6Gb/s controller and maintains all of the original core technology introduced in the original SF-1200 series, but now improves SSD performance with 20% faster IOPS and 40% faster sequential read/write throughput. OCZ promises 60,000 IOPS at up to 550 MB/ s transfer speeds with the Vertex 3 SSD, and Benchmark Reviews confirms that they're keeping this promise with tests of the new storage device on a B3-stepping Sandy Bridge platform against the Crucial RealSSD C400. Sapphire Radeon HD 6790 1GB Video Card Review Description: If all those NDAs last month weren't already enough for everyone, we start the NDA run for April nice and early. With AMD having taken care of the high end segment with cards like the HD 6970 and HD 6990, while also taking care of that mid-range - high end segment with cards from the HD 6800 series, it was only a matter of time 'till we saw some more mid-range, cheaper cards hit the market. Considering NVIDIA released the GTX 550 Ti last month and more midrange models are rumored, it comes as no surprise that AMD are starting to release their line-up. The first comes in the form of the HD 6790. It's clear that the xx30 naming scheme didn't work for them in the past, so it seems they've decided to look at a 50, 70 and 90 line-up now. Thermaltake Armor A30 SFF Chassis Review Description: Now, when most people think SFF, they immediately gravitate to Lian Li or Silverstone, but dreams of building a portable gamer on a budget usually get dashed by the cost of a full aluminum chassis, or maybe the configuration and airflow aren't up to par to handle the powerhouse you plan to put in the smallest package possible to impress your friends and foes at the next LAN event. Thermaltake jumped in with both feet and threw the A60 in the dryer for a while until it was just the right size. Not in reality, just conceptually. AMD Radeon HD 6790 1GB Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews Description: AMD wanted a video card to fill in the price and performance gap between the Radeon HD 6850 and the Radeon HD 5770. The release of the Radeon HD 6790 graphics card at the $149.99 price point should fill that gap and give the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti a run for its money. Read on to see how the AMD Radeon HD 6790 compares to dozens

April 5th, 2011

of other cards and yes, we also overclock it and show you the thermals and power numbers! Radeon HD 6790: Ace Up The Sleeve @ InsideHW Description: Last month, NVIDIA nicely summed up this year’s first quarter with GTX 550, which seemed like a great competitor against Radeon HD 5770. Everything would have been perfect for the Americans if AMD hadn’t already planned the counterattack for the very beginning of the second quarter, or to be precise, 5th April. The new Radeon is named HD 6790 and is somewhat of a modification, or a weakened version of, Radeons HD 6850/6870, based on the Barts GPU. As such, this model is based on the VLIW5 architecture, which is somewhat old and doesn’t belong to the truly high-class Radeons; all chips from the Cayman family are based on VLIW4 (Very Long Instruction Word). Besides, the Barts chip located in HD 6970 has been weakened in order to replace the already obsolete HD 5770... Consumer Electronics and Software news See your location history dashboard and more with Google Maps 5.3 for Android Description: Today, we’re happy to announce Google Maps 5.3 for Android, which lets you see your Google Location History dashboard, check in at “home,” and add your own aspects for places when rating them. Bing Becomes a Default Search Option for Firefox Description: Companies like Microsoft and Google have a major advantage due to their sheer size; they can optimize their extra products (such as IE9 and Chrome) for their existing services (such as Bing and Google search). As such, the fact that Microsoft is losing ground with Internet Explorer is significant for all their additional products. Internet Explorer 9, with its more minimalist structure, better hardware acceleration, improved security, and faster overall load times, is an attempt to re-capture that ground – and it’s little surprise that IE9 is also fully integrated with Bing. What may be somewhat surprising, though, is that Microsoft has been working to integrate Bing with Firefox – their top browsing competitor. Apple followers have difficulty coping with Android's fame Description: Fanzine Apple Insider appears to be having a little difficulty when it comes to the fact that Apple is slowly losing the mobile operating system wars to Android. Faced with web analytics statistics that say that Android is kicking the Apple OS's bottom, Apple Insider elected to say the complete opposite to keep the reality distortion field going. Raptor Gaming M3X gaming mouse: 4800DPI of fail Description: The newly released M3X gaming mouse is the latest gaming mouse from German gaming peripheral maker Raptor Gaming (being distributed by CompuExpert here in the United States). The M3X has a good feature set and it's certainly comfortable, but a critical, physical design flaw quickly makes it irritating and annoying to use. Get Windows Phone 7 NoDo on your phone now Description: For those of you who can’t bear to wait around for your carrier or Microsoft to push out the NoDo update to your Windows Phone 7 device, great news. Chris Walshie of Team ChevronWP7 (the folks behind the WP7 “jailbreak”) released a tool on his blog that allows all WP7 device owners to

Published by: VR-Zone

update their phone to the latest version of Windows Phone 7. The update works on any WP7 phone (that use the supported languages: English US, English UK, French, Italian, Spanish and German) and has the pre-NoDo update, NoDo update 1 & 2 all in one process. As usual, this is an unofficial method to update your phone, so make sure you know what you’re doing before attempting anything, but from reports so far; the update seems to work great. Head here for more details and let us know if you decide to use the update. More shots, specs of Alienware M14x surface Description: Thanks to Chinese tech site Zol, the previously leaked M14x gaming notebook from Alienware has been more fully uncovered. The specs also have been made more concrete, with a quad-core, 2.3GHz Core i7 CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M both being present to give it relatively fast gaming. The notebook will also get Klipsch speakers and a stainless steel nameplate that can be engraved. Next-gen iPod Nano to Also be a Tiny Camera? Description: The previous generation of iPod nano had more features than the current one. The older model packed a bigger display as well as a video camera to capture 720p video. While the quality wasn't great, it gave a very popular music player a camera that worked for casual capture uses. Gaming news Tokyo Game Show 2011 To Proceed As Planned Description: Following Japan’s recent 9.0 earthquake last month, many events and services were delayed or shafted, people were concerned if it affects the Tokyo Game Show this year. Fortunately, the organiser CESA has confirmed that the event will proceed as planned from September 15 to September 18 at the Makuhari Messe just outside of Tokyo. EA Launches Battlefield Play4Free Description: EA's free online battlefield has gone live. Battlefield Play4Free opened to the public this morning, combining the most popular maps from Battlefield 2 with the classes and weapons of Bad Company 2 for 32-player shootouts. NGP could be delayed by Japanese earthquake Description: Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton says supply-chain disruptions caused by disaster may delay the forthcoming portable in some regions.

NVIDIA announces Quadro 400, empowers designers and engineers with 10x better performance Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-announcesquadro-400-empowers-designers-and-engineers-with-10x-betterperformance/11805.html

April 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

April 5th, 2011

software drivers, and simplifies upgrading to a new solution.

NVIDIA announced today the Quadro 400 graphics processing unit (GPU), a new professional graphics solution that puts the power of the GPU in the hands of designers and engineers. Built for use with professional applications, such as Autodesk AutoCAD, the NVIDIA Quadro 400 GPU provides up to 5x faster performance over high-end consumer gaming cards. It also gives up to 10x improvement when running industry leading CAD / CAM applications.

• Hardware 3D Window Clipping - Accelerated clip regions enable faster data transfer between a window and the frame buffer to improve overall graphics performance. • High-Quality Display Connectivity - Drives ultra-highresolution panels, producing phenomenal image quality, supporting two active connectors, including dual-link DVI with up to 3840 x 2400 resolution @ 24Hz on each panel, and DisplayPort (DP) with up to 2560 x 1600 resolution. • NVIDIA® Mosaic™ Technology - Enhances workspace across up to eight displays (using one card per two displays), enabling seamless taskbar spanning, as well as transparent scaling of any application. Works over multiple displays or a single high-resolution display, and with NVIDIA nView® desktop management software.

SINGAPORE - April 5, 2011 - NVIDIA announced today the NVIDIA Quadro® 400 graphics processing unit (GPU), a new professional graphics solution that puts the power of the GPU in the hands of designers and engineers. Built for use with professional applications, such as Autodesk AutoCAD, the NVIDIA Quadro 400 GPU provides up to 5x faster performance over high-end consumer gaming cards. It also gives up to 10x improvement when running industry leading CAD / CAM applications. Priced at just US$169, the Quadro 400 GPU also offers excellent power efficiency, consuming less than 35 watts, and its low-profile footprint means it offers the flexibility to fit into any workstation, including small form-factor systems. With 512 MB of DDR3 memory, the Quadro 400 processor enables professionals to interact with a wide range of design models. It also provides high visual fidelity, featuring a 30bit (10-bits per colour) colour engine with a dynamic range of over one billion colour variations. Quadro 400 drivers are optimised and certified on leading professional applications. "Designers and engineers, whether designing the largest assemblies or smallest components, rely on Quadro," said Jeff Brown, general manager, Professional Solutions Group, NVIDIA. "The Quadro 400 is the right tool to help ensure that job gets done the right way, especially when it comes to running professional apps like Autodesk AutoCAD."

The NVIDIA Quadro 400 processor also supports NVIDIA 3D Vision™ and 3D Vision Pro active shutter glasses 3D technology that delivers crystal-clear, stereoscopic 3D visualisation for the most immersive 3D experience, ranging from desktop workstations to collaborative work spaces. Designed, Built and Engineered by NVIDIA to the Highest Standards of Quality As with all Quadro professional graphics cards, the Quadro 400 is designed, built and warranted by NVIDIA to provide industry-leading performance and reliability when running professional applications. Companies consistently certify Quadro professional graphics solutions for their users whose livelihoods depend on them. Availability and Pricing The Quadro 400 (US$169 MSRP) is available immediately for the HP Z800, Z600, and Z400 Workstations, and for all Fujitsu CELSIUS workstations. It will be available later this month and next on select Lenovo ThinkStation D20, C20, S20 and E30 models. It's also available from NVIDIA Quadro channel partners including PNY Technologies in North America and Europe, ELSA in Japan, and Leadtek in Asia Pacific.

Source: NVIDIA Press Release

Additional features of the new Quadro 400 GPU include: • Unified Driver Architecture - Guarantees forward and backward compatibility with professional application 3

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COMPUTEX 2011 Spotlight : Smart Handheld Devices and Internet of Things Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/computex-2011-spotlight--smarthandheld-devices-and-internet-of-things/11804.html April 5th, 2011

The Taipei Computer Association (TCA), the organizer of COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011 has expressed that the change in computer usage of the consumers and the applications of Internet of Things (IOT) is increasing gradually, boosting Taiwan ICT industry toward the development of supply chain for Smart Handheld Devices and IOT, which relevant products and devices will exhibit during COMPUTEX. Smart Handheld Devices and Internet of Things (IOT) are the hottest words in the ICT industry in 2010, including Tablets, Smartphone, Internet TV, Smart TV, 3D display products become the spotlight of the global market, clearly show the wireless broadband infrastructure of the new information society is taking shape.

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According to the latest statistics, the number of COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011 exhibitors reached 1,800 and would be using more than 5,200 booths, up by 8% from 2010. It is estimated that the number of overseas buyers will top 36,000 and expected to create US$25 billions worth of business opportunity. During the Pre-show Press Conference held in March 30 at Taipei International Convention Center (TICC), Mr. Walter Yeh, the executive vice president of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) pointed out that COMPUTEX TAIPEI is one of the international exhibitions for large enterprises to launch their latest products, foreign enterprises include AMD, Hitachi, Intel, Microsoft and etc., while local companies led by Acer, Asus, Foxconn (Hon Hai) and others; which will showcase their latest products such as Tablets, eBook readers, Smart phones, 3D Display and products related to cloud computing at COMPUTEX, brightly shining into the sight of thousands overseas buyers. Mr. Zhang Li, the deputy secretary general of TCA also mentioned that in the midst of Smart Handheld Devices, Tablet PC will have a tremendous force and becomes the focal point during COMPUTEX 2011, estimating around 50~100 new Tablet PCs to be displayed. Not only have the Taiwanese ICT manufacturers to show its strength in development of the Tablet PC, but also to seize a big piece of market shared from the grip of iPad. During the speech, Mr. Stephen Su, general director of Industrial Economics and Knowledge (IEK) under the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) said the average annual sales rate of netbook and e-book reader will not go over 4% from the period of 2011~2014. As for notebook will experience some effects, Su thinks that the average annual sales rate of notebook will stay above 16% from 2011~2014. Complete research report named "How Tablet will Transform the Landscape of ICT Industry" is available for download under this link http://www.computex.biz/photo/ images/computexshow/list/file_20110330135542.pdf.

The mobile life becomes a trend after wireless broadband is available, which driving the ICT manufacturers to develop information technology products and equipments for smart life. The Taipei Computer Association (TCA), the organizer of COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011, the world's most complete communication supply chain industry, has expressed that the change in computer usage of the consumers and the applications of Internet of Things (IOT) is increasing gradually, boosting Taiwan ICT industry toward the development of supply chain for Smart Handheld Devices and IOT, which relevant products and devices will exhibit during COMPUTEX, witnessing Taiwan ICT industry in steps with the hottest trend that never stop growing! Gathering of large enterprises in COMPUTEX bolsters explosive force on the Tablets

Smart Handheld Devices integrate with wireless broadband makes a new information society Li expressed that the Smart Handheld Devices and Internet of Things (IOT) are the hottest words in the ICT industry in 2010, including Tablets, Smartphone, Internet TV, Smart TV, 3D display products become the spotlight of the global market, clearly show the wireless broadband infrastructure of the new information society is taking shape. Starting from Q4 of 2010, TCA is conducting quarterly economic prosperity survey where the audiences are the local exhibitors, the result of each quarter refer as COMPUTEX Exhibitor Index (CEI). The result of Q2, CEI is 1.64 that means in the Above Average area, while 43% of interviewed enterprises viewed between Good and Above Average. On the 4

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statistical, the exhibitors whom are dealing with Tablet PC, Smartphone, Internet TV, Smart TV and products related PC systems including photo-electronics products are optimistic and gave Good rating on Q2. Consequently, TCA thinks that this coming June, many relevant products will be displayed during COMPUTEX, which is worthy of expectation. In order to realize the market potential of Smart Handheld Devices, TCA and Ministry of Economics Affairs (MOEA) established a Smart Handheld Device working group, hoping Taiwan to generate production output value worth US$50 billions by 2014, which develops Taiwan to become the innovation and manufacturing center of Smart Handheld Devices in the world. On the other hand, TCA established Taiwan Internet of Things Alliance (TIOTA) recently; in which COMPUTEX will be hosting IOT Area at TWTC Hall 2 that will be one of many new highlights in this year's COMPUTEX. Not only limited to PC and peripheral products, TCA believes under the efforts in many aspects, the COMPUTEX TAIPEI will become the world's purchasing platform for Smart Handheld Devices and IOT products.

Shift 2: Unleashed Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/shift-2-unleashed-review/11799.html April 5th, 2011

For the racing fanatics, here is one game you might want to try - Shift 2: Unleashed And in this review, we bring Electronic Art's latest racing title for a spin down the racing track. and see how it fares. More after the jump.

Published by: VR-Zone

The game is a direct sequel to the original Shift launched back in 2009 and puts the basics in perspective by adding a rewarding experience system for everything you do in the game, online or not. Together with game's economy which you earn by getting several achievements or winning a place, you are able to give your car some lovely cosmetics and engine customizations. The sequel offers more than 140 vehicles from 37 manufacturers, a huge boost from the original's 60+ cars.

As easy as it may look but the game be a tough nut to crack as extra experience are earned by fulfiling the right requirements or sticking to the green racing line marker on the track. All these actions fill up the experience gauge which unlocks other tracks, customizations and advancing of the story. Driving your vehicle is not just breeze but it can be rather a 'terrifying' experience. Shift 2 Unleashed takes a step further to get close with racing simulation genre, an attempt to place itself with the likes of other simulation titles such as Gran Turismo 5 or Forza Motorsport. So think twice before cranking up the speeds to the maximum and trying to achieve some impossible drifting at a sharp corner. To make this realism on a higher notch, Shift 2: Unleashed adds a helmet cam view that puts the player in the driving seat. As suggested by the name, you will see the the dynamic view as what a real driver would and feel its effects: A blurring view of the sides as speed hits insanity levels or nasty bumps and gray-outs with shedding doors, broken glass and bonnets after a nasty crash. It is a nifty addition but gives an immersive experience on the overall gameplay.

The screeching of tyres on the track is no stranger to any racing game and games involving vehicles of such genre. The fundamentals of winning is simple: get down the racing track and win. Electronic Art's Need for Speed franchise has been around for more than 15 years and with Shift 2: Unleashed, this is the 17th installment in the series, developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by EA.

ouch! Being preferential towards arcade racers, Shift 2 took me a while to get used to its driving mechanics. Regardless of what car I choose, I will just crash and find myself in the last place 5

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but there are intriguing factors in the game which keeps me going for a reason. Shift 2 Unleashed Noteworthy Features

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AMD: Llano APU is Shipping Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-llano-apu-is-shipping/11803.html April 5th, 2011

Social at its best Autolog, a social feature that began in Hot Pursuit returns as the core of the game, putting together your friends and those glorifying statstics in a leaderboard-like system. More often than not, you will be racing your friends and compare fastest times and stats with one other.

Recent rumours of AMD shipping Llano in April were met with some skepticism. However, the rumours have turned out to be true, as AMD is shipping Llano A-series APUs to OEMs, as of 4th April 2011, for revenue. In a webcast, CFO and Interim CEO Thomas Seifert announced, “Customers are very excited about Llano coming to market and we will look forward to seeing our “Llano”-based systems in the market this quarter — the second quarter.”

Career Mode This is where the main bulk of the game lies - Career mode. In the single-player campaign, your Shift 2 racing career begins with a quick test on the track using a Nissan GT-R. Don't be fooled as the results of the race will determine your skill level and the recommended enhancements such as anti-lock brakes, traction assistance and a racing guide line. All of this is to prepare you for the open seasons to the grand FIA GT1 series finale. A different range of events await from standard races and time attacks, to eliminations and drift challenges. With approximately 40 tracks, the game should satisfy an average racer looking for terrain differences.

In fact, Llano (as part of the Sabine platform) has been shipping since late March, as suggested by the above picture a celebration at AMD's Singapore branch. While AMD remains silent about when we can expect the OEMs to ship systems with A-series APUs, rumours suggest we can see Sabine based laptops as early as May. Of course, we can certainly expect the notebook and desktop worlds, OEM and retail, to be flooded with A-series Fusion APUs within this quarter, by June. Rumours suggest AMD has notched up an impressive number of design wins for its A-series APUs. Despite being so close to release, we don't know much about Llano and it's Sabine platform and Socket FM1, beyond a tentative line-up and some performance demos by AMD. AMD's Llano release is now expected to be closely followed by its next-gen CPU release, FX-Series (Bulldozer) in what is a crucial few months for AMD.

Realism For easy crashers like me, I will enjoy the total destruction of my vehicle. Damage is not visual-only and by changing an option, damage to your vehicle affects the car performance; even an engine blowout with tyres rolling onto the tracks.

Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera Announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-d5100-digital-slr-cameraannounced/11802.html April 5th, 2011

Forget about other camera angles, go for the driver seat view and experience the way the game is meant to be played.

April 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

After much anticipated wait, Nikon D5100 is real and official. Product availability and prices will be announced at a later date but let us look at the official specs.

Additional Features and Functions Nikon announces the D5100 Digital SLR camera, introducing new features and upgraded specifications as compared to its predecessor. The D5100 will come with Nikon’s latest CMOS image sensor and the new EXPEED 2 image-processing engine. The updated sensor will bump the effective megapixel count to 16.1, the same that was found in Nikon D7000. The camera adds a new High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature that captures two shots of varying exposure each time the shutter-release button is pressed, and then combines the two shots into a single image with a broad dynamic range.

- High-speed continuous shooting at up to approximately 4 fps and a very precise and durable shutter unit that has passed testing for 100,000 cycles - Equipped with Quiet shutter-release mode for shooting in situations in which quieter shutter operation is desired. Infrared receivers for remote control operation on the front and back of the camera enable wireless control over the shutter from both in front of and behind the camera (optional ML-L3 wireless remote control supported).

The D5100 another new feature known as the "Effects mode" found on the Mode selection dial which is essentially special effects applied on images and videos. A total of seven special effects, including Selective Color and Color Sketch are included. Night Vision is another feature which ramps up the ISO to 102400 which enables shooting under conditions of darkness while verifying the subject and composition in the monitor (this feature shoots in JPEG format and in black and white. RAW recording is not possible) Visibility has been increased with the large 3-inch display found on the D5100 that has approximately 921k-dot highresolution that supports viewing on various angles. Nikon adopts a side hinge for the vari-angle monitor that prevents the monitor from hitting the tripod when it is opened while the camera is mounted on a tripod. The vari-angle monitor opens from 0 to180° to the side, and can be rotated up to 90°clockwise and up to 180° counterclockwise when it is open. Say yes to self-portraits.

- Equipped with 16 scene modes that enable the simple capture of beautiful photos of the desired scene with automatic optimization of camera settings - Built-in HDMI-CEC compatibility enables control over playback of still images and movies using the television's remote control when the camera is connected to a high-definition TV via the HDMI connector. - HD movie recording and editing 1Manual focus, M or S mode, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values

Specification Chart Type Lens mount Effective pixels

Single-lens reflex digital camera Nikon F mount (with AF contacts) 16.2 million 7

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Image sensor mage size (pixels)

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23.6 X 15.6 mm CMOS sensor • 4,928 X 3,264 (L) • 3,696 X 2,448 (M)

File format Media

Frame advance rate ISO sensitivity

Movie

• 2,464 X 1,632 (S) 1) NEF(RAW), 2)JPEG, 3)NEF(RAW)+JPEG SD (Secure Digital) memory cards *1 SDHC, and SDXC memory cards Up to 4 fps *2 ISO 100 – 6400 in steps of 1/3 EV. Can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 25600 equivalent) above ISO 6400; auto ISO sensitivity control available Frame size (pixels) and frame rate : • 1,920 X 1,080, 30 p/25 p/24 p, high/normal • 1,280 X 720, 30 p/25 p/24 p, high/normal

Dimensions (approx.) (W×H × D) Weight (approx.)

Major supplied accessories

128 X 97 X 79 mm 510 g without battery, memory card, or body cap 560 g with battery and memory card but without body cap EN-EL14 rechargeable Liion battery, MH-24 battery charger, AN-DC3 strap, EGCP14 audio/video cable, UCE6 USB cable, DK-5 eyepiece cap, BS-1 accessory shoe cover, DK-20 rubber eyecup, BF-1B body cap, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM

• *1Not applied to Multi Media Card • *2Manual focus, mode M or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values • Unless otherwise stated, all figures are for a camera with a fully-charged battery operating at an ambient temperature of 20° C (68° F).

• 640 X 424, 30 p/25 p, high/normal A frame rate of 30 p (actual frame rate 29.97 fps) is available when NTSC is selected for video mode. 25 p is available when PAL is selected for video mode. Actual frame rate when 24 p is selected is 23.976 fps. File format/Video compression: MOV, H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding Audio recording device:

Monitor

Power source

Built-in monaural or external stereo microphone; sensitivity adjustable 3-in., approx. 921k-dot (VGA), vari-angle lowtemperature polysilicon TFT LCD with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustment Battery : One rechargeable Liion EN-EL14 battery AC adapter : EH-5b AC adapter; requires EP-5A power connector (available separately)

7-inch Android tablet with IPS panel display spotted in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/7-inch-android-tablet-with-ips-paneldisplay-spotted-in-china/11801.html April 5th, 2011

In-Plane Switching technology (IPS) has been around for a long time, being made available for high-resolution displays including Apple's first generation iPad. And recently, another manufacturer is making a tablet that is using the IPS panel for its display.

April 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The Apple iPad incorporated In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology for its screen, which may explain why images looked sharp and vivid on the tablet. It has taken many months before IPS panels become affordable for manufacturers to adopt them. And it seems like a Chinese company is coming up with a 7inch tablet device running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and equipped with IPS screen. A picture of the prototype is out on the web (shown above). The tablet will also come with A9 AMlogic CPU which has the performance to stream either Flash or HTML5 video with no buffering. HDMI out, SD card reader, 3G sim and USB. Pricing will be approximately and available from 10 April.

1900

yuan

(US$290)

ASUS P8H67-I DELUXE (Intel H67 Express) Review

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 4 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--4april-2011/11456.html April 5th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Three USB3.0-capable flash drives with capacities of 64GB get put to the test to see which product offers users better performances; Thermalright's TR-360 replacement cooler for the Xbox 360 video game console gets reviewed; A future version of iOS might receive OS X's Spaces feature; Panasonic is reportedly starting to ship BDXL optical discs which boast up to 100GB of storage space; Dynasty Warriors 7 is set to receieve a DLC which restores the game's original Japanese voices, and Anonymous has declared war on Sony in support for George Hotz

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-p8h67-i-deluxe-intel-h67-expressreview/11734.html April 5th, 2011

Hardware news

While Mini-ITX solutions are often looked down upon as slow and somewhat cheap, not all of them are destined for use as low-power media centres or 8-hours-a-day office machines. Enter the latest Mini-ITX motherboard from ASUS, the P8H67-I DELUXE which is based on the Intel H67 Express chipset, and supports all second-generation Intel Core 'Sandy Bridge' processors. How will this mighty midget perform? We find out.

ASUS Routers: Wireless Elegance @ InsideHW Description: In order to create a good SOHO wireless network environment, one always has to provide reliable equipment. In order to avoid the regret of not having chosen equipment more wisely when first setting up the network (unlike some of us), make sure you look comprehensively at the current market situation. If you don’t have a personal contact that would provide adequate advice, cruise the internet a little and take a look at what others are recommending. It’s likely in both cases that you’ll end up in the default product gamma of a large manufacturer, but at times, you may be surprised by the quality of the solutions offered by other familiar names in the IT field. This is one such occasion, and we’ve had the chance to thoroughly examine two of ASUS’ wireless solutions, namely DSL-N10 (modem/router) and a dual-band router RT-N56U...

Intel's second-generation Core 'Sandy Bridge' processors can be mated to a few 6 Series chipsets, including the P67 Express and H67 Express which are often used in consumer and enthusiast builds. The core frequency of Intel Unlocked 'K' processors can be overclocked only on the P67 Express chipset, while the H67 Express trades that for integrated Intel HD Graphics overclocking capabilities. The ASUS P8P67-I DELUXE that we will be looking at today, is powered by the H67 Express - you have no access to a 'K' processor's unlocked multipliers. Obviously, this particular motherboard is not really aimed at enthusiasts, but its small form factor is definitely excellent for SOHO implementations. Although small in size, that does not necessarily mean it has limited computing power. In this article, we test the P8H67-I DELUXE with an Intel Core i5-2500K Processor. Read on to find out more!

USB 3.0 64GB Flash Drive Round-up Description: In the last year we have reviewed a handful of USB 3.0 devices and today several memory manufacturers offer flash drives claiming to utilize the extra performance offered by the revamped interface. Today we are looking at three 64GB flash drives: the AData Nobility Series N005, Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 and Patriot SuperSonic.

Thermalright TR-360 Xbox 360 GPU Cooler Replacement Review @ Madshrimps Description: Designed for the XBOX 360 GPU, to provide better cooling and heat dissipation, reduces the chances of break down and prolong the XBOX 360 life. Lian Li Lancool PC-K57 Computer Case Review @ Tweaknews Description: Lian Li LanCool's PC-K57 chassis has a lot going for it, and the potential for much more. The bold look and solid construction are quite welcome, but there is a lot more to recommend it. With a roomy interior, solid tool-free features and outstanding cable management, including the innovative cable channel, the PC-K57 was a joy to work in and the dust filters are easily serviced to help the user keep the case in good shape. 9

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OCZ ZX 850 Series 850 Watt Power Supply Review Description: The ZX series of power supplies is aimed at powering gaming and enthusiast systems alike and is available in 850W, 1000W, and 1250W flavors. This range of power supplies offers plenty of power for those seeking to power systems with a single GPU all the way up to a triple GPU system with dual processors. The ZX series of power supplies boast 80Plus Gold certification, fully modular cables, and a single 12V rail. Today we take a look at the ZX 850, the smallest of the three ZX series power supplies. ASUS Sabertooth P67 Motherboard Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: This year ASUS introduced the Sabertooth P67 motherboard. The Sabertooth P67 is the next generation in durability and reliability. The Sabertooth P67 has enough features to hit every market of user, from the server computer, to the enthusiast gamer. This P67 motherboard supports the newer Intel 1155 socket CPUs and up to 1866 DDR3 memory. The main specific features to note with the Sabertooth P67 are the TUF thermal armor, TUF thermal radar, TUF components, Digi+ VRM, and E.S.P. The TUF thermal armor is a shunt designed panel that covers all of the critical components. Zalman ZM-F4 135mm Multipurpose Fan Review Description: We've visited similar offerings from Zalman's Computer Noise Prevention System (CNPS) products with the Zalman ZM-F3-FDB & ZM-SF3, along with the CNPS 9900 MAX. We at Legit Reviews have come to respect the Zalman products we have seen since they perform admirably and live up to their claims. Today was no different. Zalman's ZMF4 Multipurpose Fan was probably one of the best fans I have ever run into. Its sound was as smooth as butter. It outperformed most offerings on the market. It also did so while still remaining quiet and affordable... Patriot G2 (GAMER 2) 1600MHz CL9 8GB Review @ Vortez Description: It was at the very end of last year that Patriot Memory announced the commencement of a new series named Gamer 2 (G2 for short). This new series of memory, again, like many of our recent memory product reviews is focussed on the new Sandy Bridge platform. Apart from their attractive price-tag they also have a number of pleasing characteristics - they are extremely low profile, so much so that the heatspreaders are in fact shorter than the modules they cover. They are also said to give impressive performance figures too. Consumer Electronics and Software news Patent Describes OS X Spaces on iPad Description: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a new patent that describes a system by which Spaces, Apple’s system for operating multiple independent desktops on one computer, might be brought to the iPad. Could this be a preview of the merger of iOS and OS X? Samsung UN55C9000 55 inch 3D LED TV Review at Overclockers Online Description: Flip through any magazine and you’ll see that sex sells and an ultra thin 55″ 3D LED TV is just downright sexy in any room! Mouths drop in awe when friends come over and see what I have in the living room. Picture quality is just as important to how a TV looks and the UN55C9000 has one of the best displays Samsung has ever made. The colors stand

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out and the LED backlight highlights dark scenes extremely well. Not to be outdone by any 3D TV on the market, the UN55C9000 comes fully equipped with 3D playback as well as wireless LAN for media streaming and Internet browsing. A.C.Ryan PlayON!HD Mini 2 Full HD Media Streamer Review Description: The space and user friendly PlayON!HD Mini 2 may not be perfect in every possible aspect but it is without doubt amongst the best standalone Media Players A.C.Ryan has designed and manufactured to date. Sony CEO tips Apple built-in camera plans, iPhone 5 delay possible? Description: In an on-stage interview at Carnegie Hall with Walt Mossberg, Sony CEO Howard Stringer appears to have confirmed an earlier rumor that an upcoming iPhone 5 will have an 8MP digital camera with a sensor made by Sony. Stringer made a number of somewhat cryptic comments to Mossberg about Apple, at one point commenting on the irony of Sony making "the best camera" for Apple devices. K-Touch W700 Anroid phone looks pretty sweet Description: While the Chinese have been known for creating poor copies of existing phones and slapping on a different OS and brand name on their devices, phone manufacturers, KTouch, has introduced a phone worthy of not being branded as some cheap knock off. Called the W700, this Android phone has got some pretty nice specs to boot. It packs a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, it runs Android 2.2, has 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, a 3.8″ display (480 x 800), a 5 megapixel rear camera, a 0.3 megapixel front facing camera, WiFil, Bluetooth, GPS, FM tuner, and microSD card slot. It will be released in China mid-April via China Unicom for 3500 Chinese Yuan ($535). No word on whether it’ll hit our stores but we wouldn’t mind seeing phones like these on sale at low prices. Panasonic to ship first-ever 100GB BDXL recordable disc Description: Panasonic claimed the distinction on Monday of being the first company to ship a BDXL rewritable disc. The three-layer, 100GB disc gives users as much as eight hours and 40 minutes of full-quality, 24Mbps 1080p video they can write many times. It should theoretically be tougher than most discs with a coating to guard against fingerprints and scratches. Windows 8 to use Ribbon, Phone 7 design? Description: Screenshots from early builds of the next version of Windows suggest Microsoft is favouring its Ribbon inteface. Early versions of Windows 8 have popped up online over the past few weeks, with the pre-beta code apparently leaked as Microsoft sends it to partners. Gaming news WC 11: Clone Wars Season 4 - Grievous vs. Gungans! Description: A teaser for Clone Wars Season 4 shows some cool clips glimpses at what's to come, including a Jedi so bad ass, he has two double-sided lightsabers. Anonymous Declares War on Sony Description: Gulp! That's the collective reaction Sony likely had this morning after receiving a slap to the face from the hacker activist group famous for taking on the Church of Scientology, Anonymous. For its recent actions against

April 5th, 2011

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PlayStation 3 hackers, including George "Geohot" Hotz, Anonymous has declared war on Sony. Dynasty Warriors 7 To Get Japanese Voices In Free DLC Description: The US release of Dynasty Warriors 7 will be getting Japanese voices for free in the form of a DLC. The DLC will be made available via Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. The free DLC update will also include additional costumes. No release date was mentioned but the developers mention another paid DLC is also on its way.

Apple's 7th generation iPod nano may come with built-in camera Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-7th-generation-ipod-nanomay-come-with-built-in-camera/11797.html April 5th, 2011

Go-Rock SRS 3D surround Bluetooth mini-speakers coming to Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/go-rock-srs-3d-surround-bluetoothmini-speakers-coming-to-singapore/11795.html April 5th, 2011

A leaked photo from a Taiwanese Apple-related blog, Apple.pro, shows an iPod Nano with a camera hole. If that is believed to be true, this means that the portable digital media player could also take videos (and even images) like its 5th generation sibling.

The picture you see above is taken on Saturday from Taiwanese Apple-related blog, Apple.pro, which is well-known for leaking Apple's hardware. However, the author could not verify if this is genuine. It was only a day after April's Fool, though it is unlikely this is a joke, seeing how the blog has correctly leaked each of the previous six generations of the iPod nano past years. The 5th generation iPod nano has received a built-in camera from the 4th generation, but the 6th generation which comes in a smaller, squarish form factor has the camera removed. Perhaps Apple would bring the camera back to the upcoming 7th generation after much feedback from consumers.

Taiwanese manufacturer Go-Rock is known for their range of products including cables, power adapters and audio accessories for computers, mobile phones and MP3 players. And the latest product comes in the form of Bluetooth minispeakers which are coming to Singapore.

The Go-Rock SRS 3D surround Bluetooth mini-speakers features PumpBass Technology which claims to maximize the sound bass within limited and constrained space. The speakers may have a small footprint, but feature stereo 3D surround audio experience for the audiophiles. The Go-Rock can connect wirelessly to your iPad, iPhone, tablet PC, notebook PC, mobile phone, PSP or any devices that support A2DP and AVRCP Bluetooth profiles. On top of that, the speakers also come with two-way power supply, retractable built-In cables, rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and a charging USB cable.

April 5th, 2011

Sony Alpha 33 DSLR Production Halted in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-alpha-33-dslr-production-haltedin-japan/11794.html April 5th, 2011

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775/ 1156/ 1366 and AMD AM2/ AM2+/ AM3 processors, the M608 Pro can be found in stores in Europe at a MSRP of â&#x201A;Ź48.90. News via [Xilence]

Sharkoon Unveils AL2 and AL4 PC Chassis Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharkoon-unveils-al2-and-al4-pcchassis/11792.html April 5th, 2011

The Alpha 33 DSLR camera is Sony's first to feature a translucent mirror technology though it is not known why the camera was canned in less than a year.

German-based Sharkoon Technologies has expanded its lineup of PC chassis with the addition of the AL2 and AL4. Similiar in designs, the AL2 (395 x 375 x 180mm) supports all miniITX and micro ATX motherboards while the bigger AL4 (480 x 192 x 430mm) can fit full-sized ATX boards.

Xilence Debuts M608 Pro cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xilence-debuts-m608-procooler/11793.html April 5th, 2011

Taipei-based Xilence Technology has announced the M608 Pro, adding on to its line-up of CPU coolers for PC. Measuring 143 x 136 x 129mm, the cooler boasts four copper heat pipes, a copper base, and is equipped with a 120mm PWM fan that operates at 500 RPM to 1,500 RPM.

AL4 German-based Sharkoon Technologies has expanded its lineup of PC chassis with the addition of the AL2 and AL4. Similiar in designs, the AL2 (395 x 375 x 180mm) supports all miniITX and micro ATX motherboards while the bigger AL4 (480 x 192 x 430mm) can fit full-sized ATX boards.

AL4

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Available in silver or titanium colors, they feature external 5.25" drive bays (AL4 - four, AL2 - two), one exposed 3.5" bay, PCIe slots (seven on AL4, four on AL2), pre-installed blue LED fans (front), and and front-side I/O panels with two USB 2.0 ports and audio ports. The AL2 and AL4 can be purchased from major retailers and e-tailers at MSRPs of â&#x201A;Ź44.90 and â&#x201A;Ź49 respectively. News via [Softpedia]

I-O Data Readies New External Blu-ray writer AL4

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/i-o-data-readies-new-external-blu-raywriter/11791.html April 5th, 2011

AL2

I-O Data has announced the BRP-U6X, an external Blu-ray writer with support for the BDXL standard. Measuring just 20mm thick and weighing 320g, the slim writer sports a USB 2.0 interface and supports write speeds up to "6x for BD-R (single- and dual-layer), 4x for 34-layer BD-R, 2x for BD-RE, 8x for DVD-R+R and DVD+RW, 6x for DVD-R+R DL and DVD-RW, 5x for DVD-RAM, 24x for CD-R and 16x for CDRW". Covered by a one year warranty, it comes bundled with WinDVD BD and Nero Express Essentials. The BRP-U6X is expected to hit store shelves in Japan in April at a MSRP ofUS $270. News via [Techconnect]

Silverstone Announces DC01 NAS Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/silverstone-announces-dc01nas/11790.html April 5th, 2011

AL2 13

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SilverStone Technology, well-known for its high performance PC cases and thermal solutions, has released the DC01, a compact aluminum NAS device.

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The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 1 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--1april-2011/11457.html April 5th, 2011

SilverStone Technology, well-known for its high performance PC cases and thermal solutions, has released the DC01, a compact aluminum NAS device.

In today's news roundup: NVIDIA talks about its plans and hopes for both its mobile Tegra platform and its workstationoriented Project Denver CPU based off the ARM architecture; Tier-1 notebook ODMs are reportedly thinking to cutting out the ExpressCard expansion slot from all future designs in an attempt to conserve space and cut costs; Images of a mirrorless Pentax camera featuring interchangeable lenses and a retro, rangefinder-esque look has started leaking onto the Internet; Nokia has released the entire source code for the latest (and final) version of Symbian in a bid to keep the mobile operating system alive in the developer community; The recently-released Angry Birds Rio game for smartphones get reviewed, and our sister site SGCafe has published its review on the latest game that has taken the world by storm: Crysis 2. Hardware news Sapphire Pure Black X58 Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews Description: It has been a few years since Sapphire has put out a new motherboard. Here we are though, getting ready for a look at their first Intel motherboard since the days of the Intel Pentium 4! The Sapphire Pure Black X58 supports USB 3.0, SATA 6, and CrossfireX for starters! Is the Sapphire Pure Black X58 motherboard going to be the right board for you? Read on to find out! Kingston HyperX Genesis 4GB 2133MHz DDR3 Memory Kit Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: The aesthetics may be slightly different from what we expect from Kingston, but the under the hood of the HyperX Genesis 4GB 2133MHz DDR3 kit the performance is the same. Testing on a Sandy Bridge system showed that this kit has the ability to offer high speed performance with minimal effort thanks to the plug and play nature of XMP profiles.

Measuring 123 x 123 x 33mm, the enclosure runs on a dual-core ARM11 processor, has one 2.5" drive bay, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, one eSATA and two USB 2.0 ports. It also supports VPN/ Bit-Torrent clients, and doubles-up as an iTunes/ DLNA/ print-server. The DC01 is covered by a one year warranty and can be found in stores at a cost of US $149.99. News via [Techpowerup]

Corsair TX850V2 850 Watt Power Supply Review Description: Fast forward to today and we now have the Corsair TX Version 2. The specific power supply on the bench right now is the Corsair TX850V2. On the surface, the TX850V2 differs little from its predecessor. Connector availability remains the same and if it wasn't for the sticker denoting it as a TX850V2 instead of a TX850W, you probably wouldn't know they were different. Corsair took a good look at the internals and decided to make some changes there, bringing with it improved efficiency and higher quality DC output. Read on as we take an in depth look at the Corsair TX850V2. 14

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Asus P8P67 LE Motherboard Review @ ITShootOut.com Description: The P8P67 LE is the baby of Asus’ extensive fullATX Sandy Bridge motherboard range. The variant we are looking at today is one of the B3 editions, meaning it doesn’t suffer from the potential SATA issue that plagued the first generation of all P67 motherboards. Laptop makers to stop using ExpressCard slots? Description: There are reports that some Tier-1 laptop manufacturers are considering dropping ExpressCard ports on all laptops - to reduce size and costs. ExpressCards haven't been successful and almost all laptops now include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and enough USB ports to make these modules quite unnecessary. NVIDIA Interview: Tegra 2 and Project Denver - March 31, 2011 @Hi Tech Legion Description: Paul at HiTech Legion chats with Nick Stam, NVIDIA technical marketing director and Bruce Chan, senior PR manager of Tegra 2 to discuss the past, present and future of Tegra. With the announced Tegra roadmap outlining the creation of powerful ARM-based, multi-core, ultra low-power processors that are significantly faster than anything the tech industry could have imagined, how much will the lines be blurred between desktop and mobile computers in the future? How far is NVIDIA willing to push the performance envelope of sub-1W computing? Prolimatech Super Mega CPU Cooler Review @ Vortez Description: Prolimatech first came into the market with their Megahalem using a very original dual tower that came in a package the same size as other traditional tower heatsinks such as the Thermalright Ultra Extreme. It proved to be highly successful amongst enthusiasts but from our own results it failed to keep up with Thermalright's offering, its closest competitor. Moving on three years from then, Prolimatech have made tweaks to their design and are ready to take on the top coolers once again with their new ultimate Super Mega iteration, this time facing the Noctua NH-D14, Thermalright Silver Arrow and Venomous X. HIS Radeon HD 6870 IceQ X TurboX Video Card Review Description: Today we've got a fancy HD 6870 from HIS; the IceQ X TurboX. It's a bit of a tongue twister, but we're fairly sure we're going to love it as it carries that IceQ tag along with the Turbo tag, our two favorite from HIS. Before we look closer at the actual card, though, let's check out the package that HIS has got gone on. Then we'll see the IceQ cooler they're using before looking at the specifications. We'll then finally get into the performance that's on offer. Consumer Electronics and Software news Nexus takes the click out of the computer mouse Description: The clicking sound we hear when we press a mouse button is part of the device's switching mechanism, that has also become a kind of audible comfort cushion for computer users. However, Dutch component manufacturer Nexus believes that in these days of notebook trackpads and tablet touchscreens, we no longer need the audible confirmation that a requested action has been performed – we can see it onscreen. The company has now discovered some silent switching technology and installed into a couple of its

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input peripherals, so that they operate without so much as a squeak. Your mobile phone is watching you ... closely Description: While most of us know it is theoretically possible for our movements to be tracked by detecting which tower our mobile phone is connected too, it might come as a shock to see just how much of a digital footprint we leave as we go about our daily lives SteelSeries Scope Pro Gaming Glasses Review Description: The Scope Pro Gaming glasses by SteelSeries and Gunnar help reduce eye strain and fatigue while at the same time they can improve your gaming performance by reducing glare, improving contrast and enhancing detail. Internet Explorer 9: Better Than Ever @ InsideHW Description: On 14th March, a new chapter in the neverending browser war began. In the blue, Microsoft corner, the long-awaited Internet Explorer 9 finally made its official appearance. After several months of open testing of beta versions, we got the finished product, promising high performance and a simple interface, ready to ease your work and entertainment on the web… Google’s Music Search Engine Quietly Vanishes From The Web Description: A tipster pointed out the disappearance of the old Google Music Search landing page to us, which doesn’t necessarily mean it vanished recently, but I’ve searched everywhere for mentions of Google officially or unofficially retiring the service and have been unable to find any reports about it. I wonder if simply nobody noticed it was gone, or that my search skills or simply not what they used to be. Symbian source code released by Nokia Description: Just to confirm with people that they’re finally done with the aging operating system, Nokia has released the source code to the latest version of Symbian to the public. Originally a job for the Symbian Foundation, Nokia took over when the foundation closed its doors late last year. Now the code for the Symbian platform is out in the wild, as well as the SDK and build tools. Now other developers can take Symbian and pick up where Nokia left off, and hopefully they’ll be creating something new in the process – maybe a heavily modified, homebrew version of Symbian that would make even Android and iOS users want to use? (Although highly unlikely) What we do know is that Nokia is finally saying goodbye to Symbian as it prepares itself for the arrival of Windows Phone on their hardware. Bad news for the Symbian devices coming out later this year though – when people find out there’s no more love for the operating system from the parent company, will they even be bothered to give those new Symbian phones a shot? Pentax NC mirrorless camera spotted with vintage design Description: Corroborating earlier rumors surrounding a mirrorless Pentax camera, several press photos have finally surfaced. The images are tied to the model NC-1, which is said to represent one of the smallest mirrorless cameras to arrive on the market, while the company is also alleged to be working on a second mirrorless system with a larger build. Gaming news 15

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Angry Birds Rio for Android @ TestFreaks Description: The birds are back! This time our fine feathered friends are traveling to Rio to rescue their fellow birds who are being held captive by smugglers. Today the Amazon Appstore for Android was unveiled and with it the release of the newest version of everyone’s favorite way to pass the time called Angry Birds Rio. I figured I would take a quick look at it for you, it’s certainly worth getting I think. Nintendo 3DS vs Smartphone Gaming: Which Wins? Description: Nintendo has released the 3DS, the next generation of its mobile gaming console and successor to the immensely popular DS, at an interesting time for mobile gaming, adding 3-D capability, better graphics and a 3-D camera to the proven dual-screen format of the Nintendo DS. Crysis 2 Review for PC Description: Crysis. The game that made mainstream rigs come to a cripple back in 2007. Its lush graphics and physics that boast “realism” remains as a visual and performance benchmark for today’s games and hardware. We find out if Crysis 2 is worth the bang for the buck for the hardcore gamer in you.

In addition to those changes, Gigabyte has also added a Marvell 88SE9172 SATA 6Gbps RAID controller which we're not familiar with and that doesn't appear on Marvell's website. On top of that we gave a pair of Etron EJ168 USB 3.0 host controllers which means you get two rear ports as well as two front ports via an internal USB 3.0 header. Finally a VIA FireWire controller has been added, a feature missing on the P67A-UD3

Gigabyte quietly launches the P67X series of motherboards Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-quietly-launches-the-p67xseries-of-motherboards/11789.html April 5th, 2011

Although Gigabyte showed off one of its P67X motherboards at CeBIT in the beginning of March, that board has as yet to turn up, but the company has quietly added a couple of other boards from its P67X series to its website. The two models are the P67X-UD3 and P76X-UD3R, both of course using the B3 stepping chipset. Although Gigabyte showed off one of its P67X motherboards at CeBIT in the beginning of March, that board has as yet to turn up, but the company has quietly added a couple of other boards from its P67X series to its website. The two models are the P67X-UD3 and P76X-UD3R, both of course using the B3 stepping chipset.

The PWM heatsink appears to have shrunk a little bit though and gone is the blue streak of colour found on the P67A-UD3. Finally the colour of most of the rear ports has changed from black to red for some reason and we can't really figure out why. Still, it might make them easier to see under a dark desk, but it's the only thing we can think of that would make any sense. As for the P67X-UD3R we're looking at Gigabyte's new black PCB and all of the changes done to the P67X-UD3 are carried over here too. In fact, the only difference we can see between the two boards is a different PWM design for the P67X-UD3R going up from six to 10 phases and it's apparently using Driver MOSFETs, something the P67-UD3 appears to be lacking. Again we're missing the blue colour highlights on the heatsinks of the P67A-UD3R and it also appears like Gigabyte went with a pair of smaller PWM heatsinks on the P67X-UD3R.

So what makes these boards different from the P67A series? Well, from what we can tell there are some small but important changes as well as one rather odd one. Comparing the P67XUD3 to the P67A-UD3 the most visual change is a much larger heatsink on the chipset and also a relocation of the chipset position on the motherboard away from the PCI Express x16 slots. This has also lead to the SATA ports being moved to the front of the PCB and they're now angled at 90 degrees. We can't really see anyone not picking a P67X over a P67A board; unless the P67X are a lot more expensive, but we have a feeling it won't be the case despite the extra features. What 16

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we don't understand is why Gigabyte is offering two very similar SKUs that will compete directly with each other. We're still waiting for the P67X-UD4 which showed up at CeBIT, but we're sure it'll arrive soon enough and it might even get accompanied by more X series boards from Gigabyte.

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is that MSI has gone for a different rear port layout that the Sapphire card of which pictures appeared earlier this week.

Is Google making an app that would identify people's faces? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/is-google-making-an-app-that-wouldidentify-people-s-faces-/11787.html April 5th, 2011

Today's news story comes from CNN, which released a story claiming that Google is developing an application able to identify people's faces. It is only natural that Google... ...has the technical capability to perform such a feat but most people remain sceptical and rightfully fear for their privacy. CNN reports that "Google is working on a mobile application that would allow users to snap pictures of people's faces in order to access their personal information, a director for the project said this week." and of course Google claims that "We recognize that Google has to be extra careful when it comes to these [privacy] issues. Face recognition we will bring out once we have acceptable privacy models in place." We fear to think what kind of new "trend" Google's "Faces App" might become; people taking pictures of your face at any random encounter and then "Googling" for your personal data (which include your e-mail and phone number) could prove to be dangerous, especially for younger people and females.

Exclusive pictures of MSI's Radeon HD 6790

We presume MSI will offer a couple of different versions and the pictures we have are of the most basic model which we believe will be called the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 going by MSI's standard naming scheme. We'd also expect to see an OC version at some stage and maybe even a Cyclone or Twin Frozr II version. MSI has gone for a high-end rear I/O layout with a pair of DVI ports, a pair of mini DisplayPorts and an HDMI port. The cooler features three heatpipes and is of the same design as MSI uses on a couple of its Radeon HD 6850 cards.

You'll of course get a copy of MSI's afterburner overclocking software bundled with the card, but what we can't quite make out from the rendered box shot is what the free bundle is, but it appears to be some kind of adapter or something, possibly a mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter. The card is "limited" to driving four displays at once, but this is unlikely to be an issue for anyone considering this card.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-pictures-of-msi-s-radeonhd-6790/11786.html April 5th, 2011

Details of AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 6790 cards have been leaking all week and now VR-Zone can offer you the first pictures of MSI's upcoming card based on the new GPU. We don't have too many details on hand, but what we do know is that MSI has gone for a different rear port layout that the Sapphire card of which pictures appeared earlier this week. Details of AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 6790 cards have been leaking all week and now VR-Zone can offer you the first pictures of MSI's upcoming card based on the new GPU. We don't have too many details on hand, but what we do know

As for the specifications, well, we're expect this to be a stock card so expect the GPU to be clocked at 840MHz, the memory at 4.2GHz effectively, 800 shaders, 40 texture units, 32 ROPs and a 256-bit memory interface. AMD is said to be launching the Radeon HD 6790 series on the 5th of April for a price of between S$220-260. For more detailed specifications, head

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over to Nordic Hardware for a full breakdown as well as pictures of Sapphire's card.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Review: Super slim smartphone with great multimedia experience Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-arc-review-superslim-smartphone-with-great-multimedia-experience/11775.html April 5th, 2011

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CPU Memory Screen Graphics Display Resolution Connectivity

Expansion Slot Battery life Talk time It was only last week when we attended the Sony Ericsson media event whereby the company showcased the Xperia Arc, Xperia Neo and Xperia Play Android smartphones. And today, the Xperia Arc is officially retailing in stores. So how good is the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc? Read on.

Platform Dimensions Weight

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Qualcomm MSM 8255 1 GHz Scorpion Internal phone: 320MB 4.2-inches (FWVGA) 854 x 480 8.1-MP camera w/ auto focus, LED flash 3.5mm audio, microUSB, 802.11b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, aGPS. HDMI microSD up to 32GB 1500mAh rechargeable Lithium-ion Up to 400 hour standby time; Up to 420 min talk time Android 2.3 Gingerbread 125 x 63 x 8.7mm 117g

Latest OS X Lion developer preview features new 'About This Mac' windows Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/latest-os-x-lion-developer-previewfeatures-new-about-this-mac-windows/11783.html April 5th, 2011

Sony Ericsson is perhaps one of the few phone manufacturers who is offering their products on a single platform (Google Android), seeing the company has chosen to drop Symbian OS late last year. In 2010, the company introduced their flagship Xperia X10 smartphone which was widely received in countries including Japan, though one complaint was that the phone was preinstalled with a not-so-new Android 1.6 when other smartphones that were launched were getting Android 2.1. (In case you didn't know, a lot of apps including Angry Birds can only run on Android 2.1 and above). Although the Android 2.1 update came later, it looks like the company was playing catch-up than being one of the leaders to offer the products with the latest Android OS. But this year, the manufacturer has caught up with the pack as it is one of the first companies to offer their new range of Xperia phones with the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile operating system. For this review, Sony Ericsson sent us the Xperia Arc which claims to be the ultimate smartphone with super-slim design and uses Sony's state-of-the-art technology. Before we go on, here's a look at the specifications of the Xperia Arc.

With OS X Lion well on schedule for its eventual release, it will be of little surprise that the occasional screenshot leak of Apple's upcoming operating system will eventually start making its rounds around the depths on cyverspace. Indeed, the latest leaks seem to indicate that certain features in Lion will now be presented in what we would possibly call a 'new look'.

When it comes to creating user interface, it is probably a safe bet to say that no one makes them like Apple does, and for good reason. After all, it is hard to for most people to fathom how hiding features and options is supposed to result in a more user-friendly interface that empowers the user into making well-informed decisions when navigating around their computers, and yet Apple has somehow managed to pull it off. Of course, this trend is all set to carry on in Apple's next iteration of the OS X operating system, and early developer builds, along with mockup screenshots seems to reinforce 18

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that fact. And with the latest developer build now reportedly being made available, it seems that Apple's obsession for flashy, graphics-heavy user interfaces is even being extended to windows as mundane as the 'About This Mac' information window. Gone are the days of staring at a tiny window that informs users about their Mac's processor, OS version and serial numbers: that information has been given a makeover.

Granted, the new About This Mac window definitely looks way more prettier than the way its information was presented to users in pre-Lion versions of OS X, but we could not help but feel that this change is only going to appeal to the average Joe and not your typical tech enthusiast or IT support personnel, both of whom are more inclined towards seeing that information presented in simple text entries.

Published by: VR-Zone April 5th, 2011

Today is clearly a bad time for any companies to release any legit press releases or information as they could easily be taken as April Fools' Day jokes, pranks or hoaxes. Anyway, here are some of the tech pranks we roundup for some good laughs we hope. *Constantly updated*

Probably this April Fools' Day prank from Razer will take the top spot for now. Razer released a high precision biomechatrioc exoskeleton called the "Talon" that boost your actions-per-minute (APM) from a 100 for a typical gamer to 3000! According to Razer, this thing will learn your primary mouse and keyboard actions and will take over and begin to execute your actions at a lighting fast pace. No wallhacks or any cheating software is needed anymore. That's what i call the ultimate unfair advantage over your opponents especially in FPS and RPG games. Last but not least, it comes with complimentary Razer Snake Oil that lubricates intense friction coming out of those insane speed. It doubles up as sunscreen and pheromone enhancer too. Check out more here.

Furthermore, considering that the information listed on the windows shown above are anything but end-user comprehensible (most people won't even know that DDR3 memory sticks come in different speeds, nor do they need to), it seems that these changes are only there to let OS X users enjoy the fact that their system specifications are presented in nicer looking windows than their Windows-using counterparts. Source and images: Ars Technica

April Fools' Day Tech Pranks Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/april-fools-day-tech-pranksroundup/11785.html

April 5th, 2011

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teamed up closely with SandForce and has run G.Skill Phoenix EVO through a wide range of rigorous tests with the latest firmware. All Phoenix EVO drives only use strictly selected original flash chips from key suppliers to guarantee the top reliability and stability.

G.Skill Unveils Phoenix EVO 115GB SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-unveils-phoenix-evo-115gbssd/11784.html April 5th, 2011

G.Skill today announces its new Phoenix EVO SSD using SandForce SF-1222 controller and 2xnm NAND flash chips. The Phoenix EVO drive contains 115GB with rated speed of read/write 280/270 MB/sec, and will be available via G.Skill authorized distribution partners in early April.

Although 2xnm based Phoenix EVO requires more overprovisioning space and less performance comparing with G.Skill current 3xnm based Phoenix Pro drive, it certainly is a great choice for cost effectiveness and delivers a positive impact on affordability for the customer. On the other hand, all G.Skill Phoenix Pro drives still use only 3xnm flash ICs to guarantee the consistency of rated performance and capacity. “The performance benchmark of G.Skill Phoenix EVO is listed on G.Skill official website. With the information transparency, consumers can easily choose the right product according to their desire and budget” said Wales Tsai, the G.Skill SSD product manager. G.Skill Phoenix EVO SSD comes with 3 years warranty and the G.Skill technical team is always ready to provide consumers with complete technical support via online forums, telephone and email.

Taipei, Taiwan 1st April 2011 - G.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage with solid quality, today announces its new Phoenix EVO SSD, utilizing the performance leading controller SandForce SF-1222 and high quality 2xnm NAND flash chips. The Phoenix EVO drive contains 115GB with rated speed of read/write 280/270 MB/sec, and will be available via G.Skill authorized distribution partners in early April. Keeping pace with the flash manufacturers’ transition from 3xnm to 2xnm, G.Skill has utilized 2xnm flash chips for its award winning SSD, Phoenix family. To ensure the best performance and reliability during the transition, G.Skill has

AFOX leaks news of unreleased NVIDIA GT530 graphics card Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/afox-leaks-news-of-unreleased-nvidiagt530-graphics-card/11782.html April 5th, 2011

If this was an early April Fool's joke, chances are that NVIDIA is not going to be very amused about it. And if it were the real deal, we can see even more reason for NVIDIA to initiate 'panic mode' and attempting to cover up the news soon. 20

April 5th, 2011

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Apparently, a Hong Kong manufacturer of enthusiast-grade hardware known as AFOX has leaked in spectacular fashion information about an unheard-of GT530 graphics card. Truth or hoax? You decide.

Poor NVIDIA just cannt seem to break away from its recent string of bad luck lately. Barely a few days after news broke about the company's recently launched GTX590 graphics card catching fire and going up in a puff of smoke when using press drivers, up comes another issue for the GPU processor manufacturer's PR team to deal with. Apparently, a Hong Kong-based AIC known as AFOX which specializes in enthusiast-grade hardware such as motherboards and graphics cards has gained a large amount of global attention over details of a certain NVIDIA GT530 graphics card posted on its website. Now, this would not have been a problem until one takes into consideration the fact that the GT530 is an unheard-of GPU...until now, that is.

To further rub salt to NVIDIA's wounds, AFOX has also released a detailed list of the GT530's specifications, as shown below:

Needless to say, news of this supposed leak on AFOX's part has gotten the enthusiast community all excited about a potential entry-level GPU from NVIDIA. However, as NVIDIA has not released any official statements confirming or rejecting the existence of such a card, along with the fact that hackers have yet to find any reference to such a card in NVIDIA's driver strings, we'd advise readers to take this information with a pinch of salt until more information is forthcoming.

Microsoft Windows 8 to come with backup feature similar to OS X's Time Machine? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-windows-8-to-come-withbackup-feature-similar-to-os-x-s-time-machine-/11781.html April 5th, 2011

When it comes to restoring one's PC to an earlier state, there are usually two main methods of going about it, with each method being specific to the kind of operating system 21

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being used on the machine. However, leave it to Microsoft to improve on its restoration solutions for the upcoming Windows 8: rumour has it that the Redmond giant is planning to take system restoration to a more user friendly level...by making it similar to Apple's Time Machine.

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Last but definitely not least, leaked screenshots of the test builds of Windows 8 have already surfaced online, courtesy of Russian website Winreview.ru:

Once in a while, we get so carried away with our PCs that we accidently do something to it that necessitates a complete system restoration, either to an earlier restore point or to a completely clean factory image. And for the most part, there are usually two known methods for doing so, each specific to the user's operating system. Windows users will undoubtedly be aware of the OS's built-in System Restore feature, while OS X users will swear by Time Machine. While most people will be quite hard pressed to deny that Windows' System Restore function is usually capable of fufilling its intended tasks, the same cannot be said about its usability. After all, System Restore does not have its own dedicated user interface to make backups and restoration easier; as such, non tech-savvy users are more inclined to ignore the feature altogether rather than spend time learning how to master it. And it is this situation which Microsoft is seemingly aiming to nip with the new Windows 8, for the rumour mill has churned out news that the upcoming version of Windows will sport a backup and restoration feature similar to that of OS X's Time Machine.

Of course, with the information about the new Time Machineesque feature being nothing more than a rumour right now, there are virtually no details about what this feature will be named in the final build of Windows 8. However, ITmedia is speculating that the new feature will allow for the automatic backup of a user's content on a regular basis, as such, this will allow for the restoration of both the system state and the user's personal content, of which the latter is not available in the typical System Restore feature. In other news, Microsoft has reportedly started offering test versions of Windows 8 to developers, but adventurous users would do well to avoid downloading these builds due to the fact that these copies can only be activated with a single-use code. In theory, this measure will prevent such test builds from leaking onto BitTorrent, as most downloaders will be unable to activate the operating system.

April 5th, 2011

Chinese company rips off PopCap's Plants vs Zombies game

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in its report that it has contacted PopCap Games, with the latter claiming that it has never granted ShunXiang Technology any permission to use the game's title, characters or artwork.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chinese-company-rips-off-popcap-splants-vs-zombies-game/11780.html April 5th, 2011

Is there anything that the Chinese cannot clone? Well, apparently not, especially when you are talking about a country which has been known to rip off just about anything they can get their hands on. And in the latest instance of blatant disregard for copyrights, a Chinese company has seemingly raised the bar by performing a near-complete rip off of PopCap's popular Plants vs Zombies game. Plants vs Zombies. Most of us would have played that game at least once during the past few years since it was launched, right? After all, simple as it may be, the game always seems to have some weird appeal that keep s drawing people back to it every once a while, especially when said gamers feel the need to take down some zombies without having to deal with the blood and gore found in most zombie-themed games. Unfortunately, it seems that PopCap Games is also starting to realize that the popularity of its titles also means that the games it publishes are prime targets for theft and clones, and what a particular company in China did recently probably has to take the cake where theft of copyrighted materials are concerned. Apparently, this company, known as ShunXiang Technology, has released an arcade version of Plants vs Zombies, which, at first glance, appears to be nothing more than a complete rip off of the original PopCap title.

Just like the original title, this version of Plants vs Zombies plays exactly like PopCap Games' version, although it comes with a few minor differences. While the original title was a single-player game, the arcade version allows for up to four players taking part in some friendly zombie carnage, and the character artwork appears to slightly different. However, these minor differences are not going to change the fact that ShunXiang Technology's version is an unauthorized derivative of the original. Indeed, Game163.com has claimed 23

April 7th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 7 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--7april-2011/11455.html April 7th, 2011

Series coolers and I really like the new mounting system for the pump/coldplate Description: Toshiba is replacing its current 32nm process flash chips with 24nm SmartNAND: flash with on-chip error correction. The new chips will have faster controllers and deliver faster read and write speeds, although no numbers have been supplied. Description: Even though it is well known that Advanced Micro Devices has strong intentions to start commercial shipments of its FX-series code-named "Zambezi" microprocessors based on Bulldozer micro-architecture, the intrigue remains when exactly the company formally introduces new chips and reveal its levels of performance. Consumer Electronics and Software news

In today's news roundup: • GIGABYTE G1.Assassin (Intel X58 Express) gaming motherboard review; • Toshiba introduces small but SmartNAND chips; • Google to finance $100 million worth of original programs for YouTube ; • Sophisticated cyber thieves behind Epsilon attack; • Sony PlayStation Portable holiday release may be dDelayed by Japan disaster, and • SEGA today unveiled a teaser trailer for a new Sonic game. Hardware news Description: This board is the G1.Assassin; part of the G1 Killer line-up. When you pick this board up you get an X58 chipset, a Creative labs X-Fi audio card and a Killer NIC built onto the board. You all get this for US$529.99 on NewEgg.com which comes in a little less than buying the parts separately. Description: The Sapphire Radeon HD 6790 sits in that entry gamer market. The Radeon 6790 looks to edge out the competition with increased performance. It features a 840MHz core clock, 1050MHz memory clock, 800 Stream processors, and 40 texture units. Onboard there is 1GB of DDR5 memory with a 256-bit interface. Description: With the Rampage III Black Edition, ASUS has a new flagship in its portfolio. This board embodies the further development of the already very successfull Rampage III Extreme. The new kid on the block will try to win gamers and overclockers hearts with a very extensive delivery and lots of features. Description: The Hydro Series from Corsair has been king of hill for pre-built sealed kits since it came out. It seems that with Antec teamed up with Asetek now in the cooler market the hill now belongs to them. With that being said, the H60 is a good cooler. It is well built, quieter than previous Hydro

Description: The Xoom Android tablet and Atrix smartphone are being called out as poor performers, despite heavy marketing campaigns launched by Verizon Wireless and AT&T, respectively. Description: Google plans to create 20 special channels on its YouTube site, and will spend $100 million to create original programming to populate them. Description: Moody's cut its credit rating on Nokia, citing the Finnish mobile phone company's weakening market position and uncertainty over its transition to Microsoft's Windows Phone software. Description: An online marketing firm hit by what may be one of the biggest data thefts ever was the victim of "highly sophisticated cyber thieves," according to its parent company. Alliance Data Systems Corp. also reiterated that only the names and email addresses of customers were stolen in the attack on its subsidiary, Epsilon, and not credit card information or social security numbers. Description: Chrome already has a "Safe Browsing" mode, which Google said "has done a lot of good for the Web," but there is still plenty of harmful content floating around on the Internet. Description: In this review I’ll be taking a look at a really unusual set of Gaming headgear called the ISURUS in-ear gaming headset. Thermaltake have taken the headset era to another level by giving the end user the option of using a sleeker in-ear headset that won’t over time give you that uncomfortable ache you can have using a bulky traditional designed headset Gaming news

April 7th, 2011

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Description: Atari Greatest Hits includes Pong for free, and includes 99 games from the Atari 2600 and arcade system for purchase. By Jared Newman, Technologizer You may now count Atari among the classic video game systems to find a home in the iOS App Store.

major resellers and e-tailers at MSRPs of US$71 (16Gb), US $140 (32Gb), and US$235 (64Gb) in Japan.

Description: The new PlayStation Portable, dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x153;NGP,â&#x20AC;? may be introduced in a single region this year instead of starting sales in Asia, Europe and the U.S. in time for the end-of-year holiday shopping season, said Jack Tretton, president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, citing production problems related to the March 11 disaster.

Nexus Debuts SM-8000 Silent Mouse

News via [Softpedia]

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nexus-debuts-sm-8000-silentmouse/11827.html April 7th, 2011

Description: So you've got an iPad or your shiny new iPad 2 and come to the dawning realisation that you've no cash left to buy any games for it. Description: SEGA today unveiled a teaser trailer for a new Sonic game slated for release later this year for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The video, which originated on SEGA's official Sonic Facebook page this morning, doesn't reveal much about the gameplay, only that it may feature both the old and new generation of Sonic characters.

Green House Announces PicoDrive F3 USB 3.0 Flash Drive

Nexus Technology has unveiled the SM-8000 Silent mouse, featuring a patented design that eliminates all clicking noises when you press the buttons. Measuring 117 x 76 x 42mm, it has five buttons, an optical sensor, an auto power save mode, and connects to the PC via a 2.4 GHz wireless Nano receiver. The SM-8000 operates on two AAA batteries and is expected to start shipping soon. NEXUS PRESS RELEASE

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/green-house-announces-picodrive-f3usb-3.0-flash-drive/11828.html April 7th, 2011

Tokyo-based Green House has unveiled the PicoDrive F3 flash drive series. Measuring 73.2 x 19.75 x 9mm and weighing 13.5g, they sport a USB 3.0 interface and deliver data transfer rates up to 120 Mb/s (read) and 80 Mb/s (write).

Nexus Technology introduces the SM-8000 Silent mouse. No more clicking noise. After several requests to introduce a bigger brother for the SM-7000 we now introduce you the SM-8000, a big 5 button silent mouse. The Nexus Silent Mouse SM-8000 is an advanced 2.4G wireless optical mouse, which connects to your PC, Mac or laptop with a super small nano receiver and has a total of 5 silent buttons. Beside the regular 3 buttons this mouse have two extra buttons on the side which makes it easy browsing forward and backward.

April 7th, 2011

Patented Switch Technology The switches we have used for the Silent Mouse have a patented construction and lack the clicking sound when you press them.

Published by: VR-Zone

all models meet both the European Energy Using Products Directive (EuP) and The American Energy Star 5.0 standard. The units run quietly and emit extremely low levels of interference.

You will be amazed how much more relaxing it is when you get rid of this useless sound in your working environment. Specifications •

Advanced 2.4Ghz wireless technology

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Nano receiver (included)

•

39 channels

•

16 bits mouse

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5 buttons

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Auto Power save mode

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Red sensor light

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2x AAA batteries (included)

•

11.7x7.6x4.2 cm

For more information please check this page.

A-Data Launches BN Series PSUs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-data-launches-bn-seriespsus/11826.html April 7th, 2011

An interesting aesthetic touch on what is often a bland system component is the patented design pattern on the laminated steel shell. The innovative surface coating process yields an attractive textured appearance. Features: •Wattage: 400/450/500/550W •Active PFC •ATX12V Ver.2.3

A-DATA Technology, well-known for their DRAM modules and flash memory products, has introduced the BN Series PSUs. Available in 400W, 450W, 500W and 550W capacities, these 80Plus Bronze PSUs feature a laminated steel enclosure, active PFC, two 12V rails, a MTBF of 100,000 hours, and are cooled by a 120mm fan. The ADATA BN Series PSUs, compliant with ATX12V Ver.2.3, EuP and Energy Star 5.0, are available through selected distributors. ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of highperformance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today announced the launch of its latest series of power supply for personal computers. The BN Series is targeted towards consumer and professional users who are looking for economical solutions in energy efficient power. With 80 Plus Bronze certification, the BN series offer up to 85% efficiency, while the 95% Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) minimizes power loss. The series comes in four wattage models to meet a wide range of individual user needs, and

•Meets EuP and Energy Star 5.0 •80 PLUS (Bronze) •Low Ripple & Noise •PCI-E Connectors •Textured laminated surface Availability ADATA BN Series power supply units are now distributed through selected distributors and resellers. More information about ADATA BN Series power supply unit can be found on the company's website.

April 7th, 2011

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Zowie Gear Introduces G-TF Speed Mousepad Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zowie-gear-introduces-g-tf-speedmousepad/11825.html April 7th, 2011

Zowie Gear has refreshed its G-TF mousepad (released 2009) with the announcement of the G-TF Speed. Measuring 440 x 320 x 2mm, the gaming pad boasts a newly designed rubber base for more stablity, a liquid-resistant surface for smooth gliding and easy maintenance, and triple-stitched rolled edges for durability and comfort. The G-TF Speed is compatible with all mice and is expected to start shipping in June 2012. ZOWIE GEAR PRESS RELEASE

First things first. The G-TF speed will not replace the G-TF. We have been receiving a lot of requests to develop a surface which was faster than the G-TF and took up the challenge. Due to the popularity of the G-TF, we decided to use the same unique waterproof texture in the G-TF speed and improve on specific details.

On August 17th 2009 we announced the innovative G-TF mousepad which we had developed in cooperation with Abdisamad ‘SpawN’ Mohamed. As a groundbreaking addition to the mousepad market, the G-TF provided competitive gamers around the world with the edge they needed to stay on top of their game. The G-TF combined flexibility, comfort and size of the clothpads with the unique texture of plasticpads, resulting in a unique mousepad with a large and comfortable mousingarea as well as low friction allowing for swift and precise movements. To increase the overall durability and quality of the mousepad, the G-TF was created using 100% natural rubber and the edges were stitched to prevent them from fraying – all of these features were unique and specifically developed for the G-TF. Amazed by the outstanding performance of the G-TF, this clothpad was soon to become the preferred mousepad of many competitive and casual gamers around the world. Today the G-TF is a sure sight at all of the competitive LAN’s and tournaments worldwide.

Not only is the G-TF speed faster than the G-TF, it also have a newly developed unique base, which allows for a firm flat suction to the table and makes the mousepad thinner, making it ideal for gamers who has been using plasticpads and are now looking for something a bit more flexible. The G-TF speed is for those gamers who want it all – comfort, flexibility and swift performance.

With that being said, we are happy to introduce the G-TF speed, yet another innovative addition to the ZOWIE GEAR product portfolio.

April 7th, 2011

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Staying true to our motto, we are always striving for perfection, even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a matter of improvement of just 1%. We believe this 1% is what makes the difference in competitive gaming. The G-TF speed will be available medio 2011. Features * The speed edition of the popular G-TF â&#x20AC;&#x201C; faster than ever * Newly designed rubber base for increased stability * Liquid resistant surface allows for easy maintenance * Triple-stitched edges preventing fray and increases the lifetime of the pad * Rolled edges for added comfort while playing * 100% compatible with all types of mice * Perfectly oversized for gamers & designers: 440 x 320 x 2mm/ 17.3 x 12.6 x 0.08" Sign up at our Facebook page, for a chance to win this awesome pad once it is released: www.facebook.com/ZOWIEGEAR

Cisco launches Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance DualBand Wireless-N router Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cisco-launches-linksys-e4200maximum-performance-dual-band-wireless-n-router/11824.html April 7th, 2011

Now that more residential areas are getting the upgrades needed to access to the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (aka NGNBN), it should come as no surprise that getting an aftermarket router to share the ultra high-speed connection is going to be a top priority. And if you are willing to spare no expense in ensuring that your router does not end up being the bottleneck to this new network, Cisco is only all too keen to sell you its new E4200 Wireless-N router, which it officially launched in a media event held in the Infocomm Experience Centre located at Esplanade Xchange. VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

It is a well known fact that the words 'Singapore' and 'fast, seamless and hassle-free' are seldom (if ever) used together in the breath or sentence when the state of the country's broadband network is brought up for discussion, and for good reason. With most existing home and mobile broadband providers boasting robust networks that never fail to operate at a fraction of their advertised speeds, it should be little surprise that locals often take pride in competing to see which ISP offers the lowest average network speeds. Thankfully, this dismal state of affairs is about to change now that the Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN)is upon us, and most of us are in the midst of getting their fibre termination point installed as we type this story out. Of course, in an ideal world, things such as ISP or hardware bottlenecks would not exist, except that the real world is seldom as forgiving. And while ISP bottlenecks are definitely going to stay, users have the capability to prevent hardware bottlenecks from taking place, and this is precisely what Cisco is aiming to eliminate with its new Linksys E4200 Wireless-N router, which was officially launched today. In his opening address, Craig Gledhill, vice president of Cisco Consumer Products for Asia Pacific and Japan, described how the new E4200 router will enhance a user's online experience when used in conjunction with the upcoming NGNBN infrastructure.

"Cisco is a big supporter of the NGNBN, and we think that this is a great initiative by the government. Cisco has been involved in this project, and as technology vendors, we want to bring new technology to take advantage of the NGNBN. The product we are launching today, the E4200, is a top-of-therange router that has been getting great reviews, and it is the kind of device you'd want to put next to your LED TV," he said.

April 7th, 2011

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Accompanying him was Cisco System's head of consumer products for Asia Pacific and Japan, Jaimohan Thampi, who proceeded to describe some of the new features and usability upgrades consumers can take advantage of in the new Linksys E4200 Wireless-N router.

Darwin can keep his evolutionary theory; we are more interested in Cisco's 'router design evolution' specimens "The need for bandwidth and capabilities is only going to grow in homes. With Singapore being one of the frontrunners in technology...network speeds have skyrocketed. And people are going out to buy cheap, affordable routers that are just not able to keep up with the expectations of the network. In such cases, the router has become the throttling point. We want to market a product that is capable of delivering tomorrow's experience...without the complexity of trying to get it to work," he said, while adding that these are issues which the new Linksys E4200 router is fully capable of solving. "The E4200 router is our maximum-performance, dual-band router today. The Linksys E4200 is designed for speed and is capable of transfer speeds of up to 450Mbps under the 5.0GHz band. It is also Home Theatre-ready, which means that it is capable of delivering high-definition, 3D content, and back up digital files. Cisco connect (also removes) the complexity element; setting up a connection is now as easy as one two three," he claimed.

Cisco Connect; Easy as 1, 2, 3 indeed. Three windows and you're done; notice that the E4200 sports the ability to set up a guest network with the click of a button.

Fujifilm unveils new FinePix Z900EXR compact digital camera Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujifilm-unveils-new-finepix-z900exrcompact-digital-camera/11822.html April 7th, 2011

Fujifilm has unveiled their new FinePix Z900EXR compact digital camera designed with new image sensor that is capable of shooting full high definition videos and automatically detect up to 27 different scenes.

April 7th, 2011

The Z900EXR is the latest addition to Fujifilm's portfolio of Finepix compact digital cameras that features a multi-touch display, new image sensor and the capability to capture videos in full high definition (HD). The 16-megapixel camera also offers high dynamic range and improved battery life and can perform full resolution continuous shooting of three frames per second. The Finepix Z900EXR is equipped with a 5x wide-angle, 28-140mm (35mm equivalent) Fujinon zoom lens and can automatically detect up to 27 different scenes including sunsets and blue sky. At the rear is the 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD display with multi-touch capabilities. The camera can also record full 1080p high definition videos at 30 frames per second in H.264 file format. Available in black, red, white, pink and blue options, the Finepix Z900EXR will retail from May at US$279.95.

Google planning to introduce 'channel' system to YouTube? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-planning-to-introduce-channelsystem-to-youtube-/11821.html April 7th, 2011

Sure, YouTube may have the world's most comprehensive, up-to-date repository of movies, home-made video clips and other kinds of media files, but it appears that Google is still trying to find a way to position YouTube as a source of media that will eventually be as ubiquitous as existing television networks. And according to bits of information claimed by various insider sources, it seems that Google's approach might be to revamp the portal into the web equivalent of a TV network.

Published by: VR-Zone

suddenly ceases to operate, and it will take a long time for an alternative solution to fill the void it will leave behind. However, it also appears that Google is not content about YouTube just being a gigantic repository of videos for users to view online. Apparently, the search giant has always been harbouring plans of making YouTube much more ubiquitous in the average user's lifestyle, we have seen how Google TV was probably the first example of the search giant's long term goals for YouTube. But even that is not enough, and various sources familiar with Google's dealings are claiming that the company is setting up YouTube to go head to head against the likes of TV network operators in order to keep people hanging around the video portal for longer amounts of time. According to a report made by the Wall Street Journal, the online video streaming service is now focusing on acquiring new content in the way most TV broadcast and cable networks will; by offering to sponsor or fund the production of content specially designed for online viewing. The search giant has also reportedly set aside a staggering US$100million just for this purpose. It is speculated that such an approach has greater potential in successfully winning over producers to produce Youtube-exclusive content, as opposed to striking licensing deals with video and content distributors. In addition, Google is YouTube's home page which will supposedly of various genres for purposes.

also reportedly planning to revamp by introducing a 'Channels' system allow users to sort between videos easier classification and searching

Last but not least, the Wall Street Journal also claims that Google is planning to integrate social networking features into YouTube, and that such features are likely to be introduced together with the new Channels system so that viewers will have a comprehensive package of new features in the revamped YouTube portal. For more information about Google's plans for YouTube, hit up the source link below.

Acer refreshes Timeline X product line with new models featuring Intel's Sandy Bridge Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-refreshes-timeline-x-product-linewith-new-models-featuring-intel-s-sandy-bridge/11820.html April 7th, 2011

It does not take much to convince most web-savvy users that YouTube is probably one of, of not the most popular source of online videos in the world today. After all, most web users will be hard pressed to find a similar alternative video hosting service that offers the same kind of depth, reach and variety as what Google's YouTube is currently capable of. In fact, it is probably no exaggeration on our part when we say that the global online video scene would grind to a halt if YouTube

Until very recently, Acer was the only major notebook OEM which had yet to update its entire product line with models that featured Intel's new Sandy Bridge platform. However, if you have been waiting all this while for a low-priced notebook that packs the latest specifications from the likes of Acer, today is going to be your lucky day, for Acer has finally rolled out what the world has been waiting for: its own line of Sandy Bridgepowered notebooks under the Timeline X banner. Talk about a 7

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classic example of 'better late than never' being put into action in the real world. *UPDATED with local prices!

Well, that sure took Acer long enough. While major notebook OEMs such as HP, Lenovo and Fujitsu have already had notebooks powered by Intel's Sandy Bridge platform out for retail on the market for quite some time already, Acer was conveniently absent from the Sandy Bridge race, for reasons unknown to all but its own internal departments. However, those who have been patiently awaiting the day Acer will eventually unveil an updated line of notebooks featuring the new Sandy Bridge platform will probably have much to look forward to. This is because Acer has finally delivered what the world has been waiting for, and it comes in the form of four new Timeline X models: the Acer Aspire Timeline X 3830TG-2312G64nbb01, 3830TG-2412G64nbb02, 4830TG-2412G64nbb01 and 5830TG-2412G64nbb01.

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a trait which appears to greatly reduce the appeal of the 15inch 5830TG. Unfortunately, the notebooks are currently only available for sale in Taiwan, so budget-conscious consumers here in sunny Singapore seeking an Acer-branded notebook featuring Intel's Sandy Bridge platform will probably have to wait a little longer before these notebooks finally pop up for sale in our local computer stores. That being said, here are some prices for comparative purposes: the 13-inch 3830TG is currently retailing in Taiwan for NT32,900 (NT37,900 for the i5 version), while the 14-inch and 15-inch 4830TG and 5830TG are selling for the same price of NT39,900. *UPDATE: a reader has updated us with information that Acer's Sandy Bridge notebooks are already available for sale locally at discounted prices. The Timeline X 3830TG is currently selling for S$999 (S$1,398 for the Core i5 version), while the 5830TG costs S$1,298, and the 4830TG is already retailing for the price of S$1,598. Last but definitely not least, there are two additional models, the 14-inch 4750G and the 15inch 5750, which feature Intel's Sandy Bridge platform but will not be sold under the Timeline X banner. The 4750G features an Intel Core i3-2310M processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GT520M graphics card and is selling at the discounted price of S$849, while the 15-inch 5750 makes use of the Core i5-2410M processor and onboard graphics, and is currently discounted for sale at S$899.

Apple to introduce its own proprietary version of USB3.0 and DisplayPort? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-introduce-its-ownproprietary-version-of-usb3.0-and-displayport-/11819.html April 7th, 2011

No prizes for guessing the model number for this particular Timeline X notebook According to an online report published by the Chinese branch of Engadget, all three new Sandy Bridge-powered Timeline X notebooks will feature near identical hardware specifications: the 13-inch 3830TG-2312G64nbb01 will come bundled with an Intel Core i3-2310M processor clocked at 2.1GHz, an NVIDIA GeForce GT540M graphics card which sports 2GB of VRAM, 2GB of system memory, a 640GB hard disk and USB 3.0 ports capable of 'independent charging'. On the other hand, the other 13-inch 3830TG model, along with the 14-inch 4830TG and 15-inch 5830TG loses the Core i3-2310M processor more a more powerful Intel Core i5-2410M processor clocked at 2.3GHz, which is capable of achieving speeds of up to 2.9GHz under Turbo Boost. However, all other specifications remain identical, which means that both the 4830TG and 5830TG will feature the same GT540M graphics card, 640GB hard disk and USB3.0 ports found in the 3830TG. And to top that off, all three notebooks will sport the same display resolution of 1366 x 768,

Once again, leave it to Apple to throw existing standards out of the window by choosing to implement its own ports which attempt to combine two interfaces into a single â&#x20AC;&#x153;hybrid portâ&#x20AC;?. And according to the latest patent awarded to the Cupertino giant, it seems that the next 'hybrid port' that is expected to debut on future Apple hardware will be capable of delivering both USB3.0 and DisplayPort signals. Although USB3.0 and DisplayPort are interfaces which cater to very different needs, the basis for their design are completely identical; they are both standard interfaces which have been designed to facilitate the transfer of digital content from various electronic devices. And everybody knows how important standards are to our daily computing needs; that is the main reason we do not have to fiddle with cumbersome adaptors when it comes to dealing with various standard expansion and I/O ports found in our PCs today. That being said, at least one OEM has a fond preference for doing everything its way and tossing out popular existing 8

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standards in the process, and it should come as no surprise that Apple is now attempting to do the same with USB3.0 and DisplayPort today. According to a patent which was only recently awarded to Apple, it seems that the Cupertino giant has plans to create an entirely new â&#x20AC;&#x153;hybrid portâ&#x20AC;? which is reportedly capable of delivering both DisplayPort and USB3.0 signals in a single package.

Of course, with this being Apple we are talking about, it probably goes without saying that such an interface is going to be an Apple-exclusive, just like how the current line of iPods, iPads and iPhones all feature proprietary charging ports even though the micro-USB interface has already been recognized internationally as the standard port to be used for mobile devices. Based on what we are able to understand from the patent filings, the hybrid port will feature a 30-pin connector, of which the various signal types each pin will transmit is shown in the patent illustration below.

Feel free to hit up on the source link for more information about the patent and its implementation.

Microsoft's Bing Streetside to launch in Germany, compete with Google's Street View Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-s-bing-streetside-to-launchin-germany-compete-with-google-s-street-view/11818.html April 7th, 2011

Also, based on illustrations of the device's physical dimensions, it can be inferred that Apple might plan to implement this new hybrid port on mobile devices such as its line of iPods, iPhones and iPads first. This is due to the fact that the port's capability to deliver both USB3.0 and DisplayPort signals means that it greatly reduces the amount of space needed to feature dedicated ports for such highly mobile devices, where sufficient real estate for implementing additional I/O ports are a luxury. That being said, Apple does mention that the port may eventually find its way to desktop and notebook PCs.

Microsoft is planning to launch the Streetside feature of their Bing map service in Germany, competing head on with Google's Streetview. If everything goes well, the service could be up this coming summer.

While Google may have Street View, Microsoft has their Bing Streetside. And the Streetside service is coming to Germany. Google Street View cars had been accused of collecting data from open Wi-Fi spots and networks without authorization, and the search engine giant has admitted to the wrongdoing. To avoid similar thing from happening, Microsoft officials have met with industry associations, political representatives and privacy advocates. The software company will begin photographing 50 major cities in Germany and the service will be available for use to the public by the end of May 2011. 9

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A website will be launched next Friday with detailed information on the routes the camera cars will take while they take the pictures, and with many people who do not want their homes to be shown on Streetside, Microsoft will have to find ways to tackle this issue for the Bing Streetside service. The Bing Streetside is scheduled to go live in summer this year.

MSI E350IA-E45 AMD Brazos Platform Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-e350ia-e45-amd-brazos-platformreview/11417.html April 7th, 2011

In this article, we will explore the performance of the recently launched AMD Brazos platform - more specifically MSI's implementation with the E350IA-E45 Mini-ITX motherboard, which is worth a consider as a home theatre PC (HTPC) due to its small physical size and low power consumption. AMD Fusion is the marketing name for a series of Accelerated Processing Units which was announced to be in development since 2006. The final design is the product of the merger between AMD and ATI, combining feneral processor execution as well as 3D geometry processing and other functions of modern GPUs into a single chip. This technology was shown to the general public in January 2011 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). In today's review, we will explore the performance of the recently launched AMD Brazos platform - more specifically MSI's implementation, which is worth a consider as a home theatre PC (HTPC) due to its small physical size and low power consumption. However, small size and low power consumption does not mean poor performance, as recent Mini-ITX systems have demonstrated.

Intel Z68 chipset pricing lower than expected Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-z68-chipset-pricing-lower-thanexpected/11817.html April 7th, 2011

By now we're within a month or two at the most from the launch of Intel's upcoming high-end Sandy Bridge chipset, the Z68 and we've gotten some new details ahead of the launch via the grapevine. It's all good news, although we have as yet not

Published by: VR-Zone

managed to pin-point the actual launch date which is the final piece of the puzzle. By now we're within a month or two at the most from the launch of Intel's upcoming high-end Sandy Bridge chipset, the Z68 and we've gotten some new details ahead of the launch via the grapevine. It's all good news, although we have as yet not managed to pin-point the actual launch date which is the final piece of the puzzle. As you may or may not have read, Intel has added support for SSD caching in the Z68 chipset and so far it's been known as RST SSD caching, not exactly a sexy name for what at least for Intel is a new technology, so the company's PR department came up with a better one â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Smart Response. It's at least a catchier name, even though it actually says less about the actual technology, but that's what marketing and PR is for, right? If you want a preview of how well it works or not, we suggest you head over to Tom's hardware that put up an early preview a while back. Smart Response still requires that you own an SSD of course, although even a fairly small one would be good enough. However, the really good news is that Intel decided to lower the price of the Z68 chipset to a price point much closer to that of the current P67 chipset. This should hopefully result not only in a lot more affordable Z68 boards, but also a wide range than many of the board makers initially planned to offer. That said, Intel hasn't officially revealed the pricing of its P67 chipset so any actual pricing is a bit hard to deduce and we're currently unable to reveal the price difference, but it's much smaller than what earlier rumours have suggested. As soon as Intel has gotten its Sandy Bridge and Westmere-EX Xeon CPU launch out of the way, we'd expect that they'll start preparing the launch of the Z68 chipset, unless they've decided to hold it back until Computex. Otherwise the best and most likely launch even would be IDF Beijing which kicks off on the 12th of April, but none of the keynotes or technical sessions seems to suggest that we're looking at a Z68 platform launch at IDF.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 6 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--6april-2011/11452.html April 7th, 2011

In today's news roundup: The elusive P67-totting Quantum Force Rattler motherboard from Foxconn has finally be taken out for a review; Techspot performs a short comparison of various entry-level, budget and mainstream-level graphics cards from the likes of both AMD and NVIDIA; Toshiba is reportedly planning to launch a new notebook featuring a glasses-free 3D display sometime in the second half of 2011; 10

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Samsung's Prevail smartphone gets a hands-on; AIKA SEA has been confirmed for an April 12 launch, and Dragon Quest X is reportedly close to completion, and that an official announcement regarding the game's launch can be expected sometime at the end of the year.

complete backwards compatibility to USB 2.0 and 1.1, while the U3e adds eSATA connectivity to the mix. Whether you need blazing USB 3.0 and eSATA transfers, or connectivity to an older machine, the ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e have you covered.

Hardware news

Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: Noctua has developed a reputation for high quality components, backed up by countless awards from reviews published around the world. Downdraft coolers have been manufactured in the past, however few have been able to stand up to the larger tower coolers. The NH-C14 shows that Noctua knows what they are doing in this field.

Foxconn Quantum Force Rattler P67 Motherboard Review @ Vortez Description: Rumours surrounding the Quantum Force Series having a new P67 addition have been circulating around the internet for many months now, and today we finally get our hands on a motherboard named Rattler which incorporates that Intel P67 chipset. GIGABYTE HD 6970 OC 2GB Review @ OCAU Description: A unique technology featured on GIGABYTE's motherboards has come to graphics cards in the form of the Ultra Durable VGA technology banner. This includes a 2oz copper design for a lower working temperature and a reduction of hotspots, better overclocking and better power efficiency, as well as Japanese solid capacitors, Tier 1 memory from Samsung and Hynix, as well as quality Ferrite Core chokes and MOSFETs adding to the benefits of the 2oz copper design. You'll find the majority of non-reference GIGABYTE graphics cards sporting this logo, while SuperOverclock (SOC) cards feature the Ultra Durable VGA Plus+ logo. Top Budget to Mainstream Graphics Cards Description: The last few months we've seen both AMD and Nvidia turn their attention to the high-end segment of the graphics market. In addition to launching their latest singleGPU flagship boards, both companies just recently launched a couple of dual-GPU beasts. We have to say it's great to see such spirited competition as it's usually customers that reap the benefits. That's especially true today as mainstream cards are getting more and more powerful and even a $100 product is capable of far more than you may give it credit for. So, while AMD and Nvidia settle the score at the super expensive enthusiast level, we actually want to have a look at what's been happening elsewhere. We've compiled a table with some of what we consider the best options at several price points between $70 and $200. Xigmatek Gaia SD1283 CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: Xigmatek's Gaia SD 1283 CPU cooler has it all covered. It's got outstanding cooling performance, a diminutive acoustic footprint, a distinctive look, an innovative direct touch design and a robust yet easily installed mounting solution. Fractal Design R3 Case Review @ ITShootOut.com Description: Today ITShootOut take a look at Fractal Design's R3, an affordable case designed for ultra-quiet PCs. As we found out, however, it is far from a one trick pony. With excellent design features, great build quality and very good cooling performance its one of the best contemporary cases on the market today Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e External HDD Enclosure Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e External HDD Enclosures are all about flexibility. The Zalman ZMHE350 U3 offers a USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connection, with

Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB USB 3.0 Hard Drive Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB portable drive caught us a little off guard when it arrived. We weren't sure what to expect, but in the end we found ourselves pleasantly surprised to find a portable drive that was fast, lightweight, small and looked good. Usually, you can't find a way to blend all those features together without making sacrifices along the way, but that doesn't appear to be the situation we have here today. In order to take full advantage of this drive you really need to have a USB 3.0 interface! With CrystalDiskMark we saw the GoFlex Slim 320GB drive peak at ~120MB/s read and ~118MB/s write, so if you've been using a USB 2.0 drive and are stuck at ~31MB/s write speeds you'll see nice performance gains! Thermaltake Frio OCK CPU Cooler Review @ OCIA.net Description: We first saw this cooler on display at CES 2011 in the suit that Thermaltake was set up in. The Frio OCK is the refreshed version of Thermaltake's top Frio cooler. With OCK standing for “Over Clocker King,” it wasn’t hard to determine the target market here. We are actually a little surprised to see it released as our rep said it might not make it to market due to a cost prohibitive construction. ASUS GTX 590 Review @ ocaholic Description: With the GTX 590 ASUS also has the NVIDIA dual GPU flagship in its portfolio. This card is based on the reference design except that ASUS marginally increased GPU and memory frequencies to get a very small advatage over their competitors. Never the less we're curious how this thing will perform in our benchmark parcours. Antec Kuhler H20 620 CPU Cooler Review @ Real World Labs Description: With the latest Kuhler H20 620 Antec has made a strong come back in CPU Cooling not only because of the unit's excellent cooling efficiency but also because of its small size, low-profile pump, flexible tubings and killer price tag. Prolimatech Genesis Review @ XSReviews.co.uk Description: Prolimatech is known for high-end air cooling heatsinks like the Megahalems, Armageddon and Super Mega. The Genesis is supposedly a hybrid processor and motherboard cooler and in this review we’re going to see whether Prolimatech’s hybrid is any good. Consumer Electronics and Software news Acer Aspire 5830T TimelineX: Evolution Through Time @ InsideHW

April 7th, 2011

Description: It’s been a while since we met the last representative of the new, promising series of Acer notebooks - Timeline. The elegant lines, good performance and recognisable design were accompanied by excellent battery autonomy and a reasonable price, which made these models very attractive. This time around, it’s another “sinking” Acer’s Aspire 5830T, from the new TimelineX generation. The recognisable ground aluminium lid with a silver Acer logo is present here as well. Besides the fact that pressure on the lid causes no display distortion, the aluminium surface also provides additional ruggedness and strength to the notebook. The sharp lines are usually indicative of business models, but Acer has used a small trick - all edges are rounded or mildly tilted against the surface they’re facing, which makes the new TimelineX models much more attractive to a wider number of customers… Toshiba unveils 2011 product range – entertainment, wherever you are Description: Toshiba UK today announces its 2011 product range, including the first CEVO Engine powered TV, 3Denabled Satellite laptops, brand new Blu-ray players and two new Camileo high definition camcorders. Toshiba also today announces Toshiba Places, a cloud-based portal that enables users to access and share content across a variety of devices. Toshiba to launch glasses-free notebooks in 2H 2011 Description: According to Digitimes, Toshiba plans to launch glasses-free laptops in 2H 2011. Toshiba actually demonstrated a prototype 3D laptop in CES 2011, called the Qosmio. It had a parallax-barrier LCD (with one viewpoint) and an eye-tracking camera. Western Digital My Book 3.0 1TB USB 3.0 External HDD Review Description: The Western Digital My Book 3.0 is a sleek enclosure around two inches wide and seven inches tall. The top, bottom and back are vented to allow air to flow over the internal drive, but the front and sides have a matte black finish. When the drive is powered a tiny white LED glows to show that the system is actually powered on. Western Digital needed some way to show that the drive was powered on since the My Book 3.0 is silent from just a few inches away. On the back you will find a single button to power the enclosure on and off." HTC Pyramid to launch on April 12th under the name of HTC Sensation? Description: When HTC extended an invitation our way to come "see what's next" on April 12th in London, plenty of you were already guessing that its long-rumored 1.2GHz Pyramid device would seize that opportunity to make its debut. Now Pocket-lint has apparently confirmed those inklings, with word from an insider affirming the new Android smartphone's launch for that day and also adding that its retail name will be the HTC Sensation. HTC has already filed a claim to trademark that tandem of words, which lends an extra dash of credence to this revelation. Acer Aspire Z5761 touchscreen all-in-one packs Core i7 and NVIDIA GPU Description: Acer has outed its latest all-in-one, the 24inch Acer Aspire Z5761. Built around a choice of Intel Core i5-2400S, i5-2500S or Core i7-2600S processors along with up to 8GB of RAM, the touchscreen desktop promises home

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entertainment and even some gaming potential thanks to a range of discrete NVIDIA GPUs to choose from. Hands on: Samsung's Prevail smartphone on Boost Mobile Description: Confirming several leaks, Boost Mobile has formally unveiled its latest smartphone, Samsung's Prevail handset, at a special event in New York City. The device represents the carrier's flagship smartphone, which will be sold alongside several BlackBerry offerings and the aging Motorola i1. Electronista attended the introduction to take a closer look at the new device, which may prove to be one of the most attractive smartphones paired with contract-free data plans. Gaming news AIKA SEA To Launch On April 12 Officially Description: AIKA SEA will be opening its servers officially on 12th April at 4pm (GMT+08h), and here are some answers to questions that Asiasoft have put up for AIKA SEA with regards for CBT users. Dragon Quest X almost done, announcement 'by the end of this year' Description: Series creator Yuji Horii announced Dragon Quest X, in development for Wii, at a press conference in December 2008. And that was the last anyone heard about it until the April 2011 issue of Nintendo Power. The subject came up in an interview feature about "Dragon Quest through the Ages," when Horii stated that it's nearing completion. Next Black Ops Map Pack Leaked Description: An Australian retailer has leaked the first details on the second map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops, which will be called the Escalation Pack.

Mach Xtreme Debuts 1.8" MXMDS micro-SATA SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mach-xtreme-debuts-1.8-mx-mdsmicro-sata-ssd/11816.html April 7th, 2011

Mach Xtreme Technology has expanded its line-up of flash storage devices with the introduction of the MX-MDS Series SSDs. The compact 1.8" SSDs, based on the powerful SandForce SF1222 processor, feature a micro-SATA interface, MLC flash memory, 30,000 IOPS (Input/ Output Operations Per Second), a MTBF of 1,500,000 hours, and supports data transfer rates up to 285 Mb/s (read) and 275 Mb/s (write). The MX-MDS series, covered by a two year warranty, are available in 40Gb, 60Gb, and 90Gb capacities at MSRPs of €135, €165, and €220 respectively. MACH XTREME PRESS RELEASE

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Available in capacities of 40GB, 60GB and 90GB, Mach Xtreme Technology MX-MDS SSDs comes backed with 2 Year Warranty and outstanding after-sales service.

MX-MDS Series 1.8" SSD at A Glance: •1.8" SATAII micro-SATA MLC Solid State Drive •Max. Read Performance up to 285MB/s (40GB up to 220MB/ s)

\Mach Xtreme Technology Inc., a worldwide leader in top performance, high reliability and user friendly designed PC components, today unveiled the 1.8"micro-SATA MX-MDS Series SSD. Based on the best-in-class SandForce SF1222 controller, the 1.8" MX-MDS Series delivers an enhanced mobile computing experience with much faster application loading, ultra-fast data access, shorter boot-ups, and longer battery life of all laptops with micro-SATA interface.

•Max. Write Performance up to 275MB/s (40GB up to 210MB/ s) •Sustained Write up to 230MB/s (40GB up to 120MB/s) •IOPS up to 30,000 •Power consumption: idle 0.5W / active 2.0W •Life expectancy 1.5 million hours MTBF •Capacity: 40GB (MXSSD2MMDS-40G), 60GB (MXSSD2MMDS-60G) and 90GB (MXSSD2MMDS-90G) •Warranty: 2 Years

Cooler Master Unleashes HAF 932 Advanced Case Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cooler-master-unleashes-haf-932advanced-case/11815.html April 7th, 2011

This series maintains the highest level of read and write performance though the life of the SSD. Highly intelligent block management and wear leveling optimizes longevity of MX-MDS series drives. The MDS series supports DuraClass, DuraWrite and unique RAISE technologies. DuraClass technology provides best-in-class endurance, performance, and low power. DuraWrite technology extends the endurance of MLC memory providing at least 5 year lifecycles with 3-5K cycle MLC flash. RAISE provides the protection and reliability of RAID on a single drive without the significant write overhead.

Cooler Master has unveiled the HAF 932 Advanced Case, further expanding its HAF series of chassis first introduced in 2008.

The MX-MDS drive delivers best-in-class read and write speeds clocking in at up to 285 MB/s read and 275 MB/s write along with the stunning maximum of 30,000 IOPS and low power consumption (stand-by 0.5W / active up to 2.0W) and superior durability (1.5 million MTBF) compared to rotating hard disk drives.

April 7th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Cooler Master has unveiled the HAF 932 Advanced Case, further expanding its HAF series of chassis first introduced in 2008.

Measuring 243 x 560 x 564mm and weighing 13.4kg, the toolfree, all-black full-tower case features six exposed 5.25" bays, five 3.5" HDD racks with anti-vibration pads, seven expansion slots, two rear holes for water-cooling tubes, a front-side I/O panel with four USB 2.0 ports, one IEEE 1394a, one eSATA, and audio connectors, and two USB 3.0 ports (via a 5.25" panel). The HAF 932 Advanced comes pre-installed with four fans (x1 front 230mm LED fan, x1 top 230mm, x1 230mm side, & x1 rear 140mm) is available now through major retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US$159.98.

Chieftec Announces Nitro 88+ PSUs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chieftec-announces-nitro-88psus/11814.html

April 7th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

April 7th, 2011

Chieftec Industrial, manufacturer of numerous PC chassis and PSUs, has launched the Nitro 88+ series PSUs. Available in 650W, 750W, 850W, and 1,000W capacities, these 80Plus Silver-certified PSus are fully modular and boast a single 12V rail, sleeved cables, active PFC, a MTBF of 100,000 hours, and are cooled by a 140mm PWM fan. The Nitro 88+ can be pre-ordered now from authorized e-tailers at MSRPs of €112.05 (650W), €120.61 (750W), €158.87 (850W) and €198.97 (1,000W). News via [Techpowerup]

MSI releases R6790-2PM2D1GD5 graphics card designed for overclockers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-r6790-2pm2d1gd5graphics-card-designed-for-overclockers/11813.html April 7th, 2011

According to MSI, the latest version of MSI Afterburner is capable of increase a graphics card's overclocking potential by as much as 25%, thanks to its support for voltage adjustments to the card via software means. Additional features found in the updated release of MSI Afterburner includes the version 2.0 of the Kombustor software used to test for overclocking stability, and a new video capturing tool known as Predator, which allows OC-ers to record in-game videos during the benchmarking process. To ensure that gamers and enthusiasts do not burn out their cards when subjecting them to intense loads for benchmarking purposes, the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 comes with what MSI claims is a new cooling system for the GPU. By utilizing three copper heat pipes kept in direct contact with the GPU, along with a 90mm PWM fan, MSI's design supposedly provides better airflow, which results in a more efficient cooling system that reportedly 50% more effective than the reference design. Last but definitely not least, the MSI R6790-2PM2D1GD5 utilizes solid, aluminium core capacitors which are said to be much more durable than the typical electrolyte capacitors; this supposedly allows the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 to "achieve perfect operation under all load circumstances". Specifications of the card as as follow:

MSI has launched the new R6790-2pm2D1GD5 graphics card for the enthusiast market. According to the Taiwanese manufacturer, the new graphics card is reportedly capable of "meeting the needs of gamers and professionals" thanks to the use of various features designed to enhance the card's overclocking capabilities.

Graphics Engine Bus Standard Memory Type Memory Size(MB) Memory Interface Core Clock Speed Memory Clock Speed DVI Output D-SUB Output

MSI has announced in a press release today that it has launched its new R6790-2PM2D1GD5 graphics card based off the recently-released AMD Radeon HD 6790 GPU. The R6790-2PM2D1GD5 will feature 1GB of dedicated VRAM, support for overvolting via the MSI Afterburner tool, as well as Eyefinity support, which allows for a single graphics card to simultaneously drive multiple displays.

HDMI-Output Mini DisplayPort HDCP Support HDMI Support Dual-link DVI Display Output (Max Resolution) RAMDACs DirectX Version Support

AMD Radeon HD 6790 PCI Express x16 2.1 GDDR5 1024 256 bits 840MHz 4200MHz Single-Link DVI-D x1, DualLink DVI-I x1 1 (optional, via DVI to D-Sub adaptor) 1 2 Y Y Y 4x 1920x1200 400 11 15

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OpenGL Version Support 4.0 CrossFire Support Y Card Dimension(mm) 245 x 115 x 35mm As it has always been with regards to MSI press release, no information about pricing and global availability for the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 has been revealed yet, so do check back for updates.

Release of Internet Explorer 9 for Japan delayed due to earthquake Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/release-of-internet-explorer-9-forjapan-delayed-due-to-earthquake/11812.html April 7th, 2011

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According to a news report, Microsoft has confirmed that the launch of Internet Explorer 9 in Japan will be delayed in order to assist the country's recovery efforts. The browser, which was originally slated for a March 15 launch, will now be postponed to April 26: this delay will reportedly help to reduce additional burden on Japan's quake-damaged network infrastructure. This means that Japanese users will not be able to obtain official builds of Internet Explorer 9 either via direct downloading of the installer binaries or through Windows Update until the aforementioned date. Alternatively, you can play the role of the good friend and assist your Japanese friends by sending them your downloaded binary of Internet Explorer 9. Of course, you'd want to make sure that they are using of the English version of Vista or Windows 7; we don't want to add to their burden by wrecking their Windows installation now, do we?

Another x86 tablet PC shows up in China If you make use of Microsoft's Internet Explorer as your primary web browser for the daily Internet surfing needs, chances are that you will have already made the jump to Internet Explorer 9 in order to take advantage of the various new features IE9 has to offer. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of IE users and fans in Japan, as Microsoft Japan has decided to delay the browser's release date in light of the recent disaster that rocked the country a few weeks ago.

Barely a couple of months ago, the mere mention of the words 'Internet Explorer' is more than enough to trigger wave after wave of criticism about Microsoft's ageing web browser, for rather obvious reasons. After all, it cannot be denied that Internet Explorer has been known to not only be a resource hog, but also as a security nightmare due to various security holes and its use of ActiveX. And to top that off, IE is also often ridiculed as the slowest browser currently in use, a trait which is not exactly the most forgiveable considering how every second matters in the digital world we live in today. However, much of that changed with the introduction of Internet Explorer 9, with many media organizations giving Microsoft's new browser favourable reviews, especially in areas where performance and support for web standards are concerned. Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft's plans to encourage the adoption of Internet Explorer 9 has hit a snag in crisis-hit Japan.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/another-x86-tablet-pc-shows-up-inchina/11810.html April 7th, 2011

With iOS and Android wiping the floor where mobile operating systems are concerned, one might be tempted to think that there is little hope left for Microsoft's and its Windows 7 OS to carve out its own share of the mobile device pie. However, it appears that a Chinese OEM in Shenzhen does not share the same view, and the announcement of its upcoming x86 tablet running off Windows is probably the best proof of that. Most people may be quick to shun Windows 7-based tablets in favor of alternative devices powered by Google's Android operating system, or Apple's iOS, and for good reason. Even at its best, Windows 7 and its overlaying user interface was designed to be used with a precision pointing tool such as a mouse or stylus; anything else will definitely result in a suboptimal user experience. And this issue is further complicated by the fact that installing said OS on devices with small display resolution do no favours for Windows' already touchunfriendly interface. However, it appears that not all OEMs are ready to give up on Windows-based tablets just yet, and this latest announcement from a certain Shenzhen-based manufacturer appears to back that claim. Apparently, the manufacturer, which is known as G'Five, has claimed that it plans to launch a new x86 tablet known as the WisPad some time in the "immediate future", and that Windows will definitely come bundled on the device.

April 7th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Flip Video announces new FlipShare with social features and mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and Android devices Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/flip-video-announces-new-flipsharewith-social-features-and-mobile-apps-for-iphone-ipad-and-androiddevices/11809.html April 7th, 2011

According to online sources, the WisPad GFT97A will be sold to global OEMs and carriers for rebranding, although G'Five is reportedly thinking of introducing its own retail brand in order to sell the WisPad directly to the Chinese domestic market, with an option for BTO if need be. That aside, not much detail about the elusive WisPad has been revealed by G'Five. What we do know is that the WisPad will feature an Intel Atom N455 processor and a 9.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, although the actual display resolution is still a mystery. In addition to that, G'Five has also revealed that the WisPad features 1GB of system memory, while storage is provided via an optional SSD capable of capacities of up to 16GB or 32GB. Last but not least, the tablet also appears to be designed with the style-conscious in mind, as it sports a full aluminium body and a relatively thin profile with its maximum height of 14mm.

New social and video sharing capabilities have been added to the latest Flip Video's FlipShare software, and the maker has also announced the new mobile app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices.

Ciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flip Video has announced their new FlipShare software that comes with social and video sharing capabilities as well as FlipShare Mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices. Users will be notified of the available upgrade automatically in this month when they open the FlipShare application, or they can go to FlipShare.com to download it.

No pricing information for the WisPad has been announced yet; however, given the fact that the device will eventually be sold under a different brand name, chances are that its price will vary greatly between various OEMs. Oh, and one more thing: G'Five has reportedly confirmed that the actual production model will feature the ability to dual boot between both Windows and...yes, you guessed it, an x86 port of Android. Now we are talking.

The FlipShare software, which comes with every Flip video camera, now has enhanced video sharing capabilities. The new software includes FlipShare Groups for users to share videos more securely with friends and family. After creating a FlipShare Group, users and their friends can access their videos from FlipShare.com and through the FlipShare Mobile apps that are now available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Within FlipShare Groups, users can comment, read and post messages on each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s videos and Groups. Compatible with both Mac and PC computers, FlipShare allows contacts to be imported directly from Gmail, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo and AOL address books so users can easily create address books for sharing videos. New Features for FlipShare: - Create and manage FlipShare Groups - Watch all your videos anywhere, anytime at FlipShare.com - Comment on videos and read what others have posted in return

April 7th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

- Import contacts from your email address book - Expanded greetings card library - Enhanced video quality and performance for private email video sharing The FlipShare Mobile app is free and easy to use. You can share any mobile video or photo to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube or directly to friends and family, while on the move. You don’t even need to own a Flip Video camcorder. Features for Mobile App: - Available for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android - with or without owning a Flip video camera - Share up to five mobile videos and/or photos at once to Facebook, Twitter or YouTube - or send directly to friends and family - Post a comment, share, or “favourite” a video with the click of a button - Built-in filters let users quickly navigate and organise their video library - Compatible with iPhone 3G or higher, iPod touch 2nd generation or higher, iPad Requires iOS 4.0.0 or higher, and Android 1.6 or higher

Seagate today announced the availability of its new GoFlex Slim portable hard drive –– a 2.5–inch external drive measuring just 9mm thin, designed for the latest trend of portable, thin, stylish laptops and netbooks. The new GoFlex Slim performance drive is now available on www.seagate.com, in–store and at select online retailers. A 320GB version of the GoFlex Slim drive can be purchased at US$99.99. It is roughly the width of a pencil and can slide effortlessly into a pocket, purse or messenger bag. The GoFlex Slim portable drive also allows for use between Windows and Mac computers, interchangeably, without formatting or performance loss.

- Available now at iTunes Store and Android Market

A 320GB version of the GoFlex Slim for Mac drive will be made available in May at Apple retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$99.

Seagate launches GoFlex Slim, world's slimmest external hard disk

PROLINK GSM 3G Camera review: because your privacy is just that important

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/seagate-launches-goflex-slim-world-sslimmest-external-hard-disk/11808.html April 7th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/prolink-gsm-3g-camera-reviewbecause-your-privacy-is-just-that-important/11798.html April 7th, 2011

Seagate has just announced the GoFlex Slim, which claims to be the world's slimmest external hard drive to date. If you are looking for a portable external storage, this one is now available on www.seagate.com, in-stores and selected online retailers.

Do you fancy being able to track what goes on in your home even while you are at work or in school, all with a simple press of some buttons on your 3G-capable mobile phone? If that sounds like the kind of thing you wanted for the longest time already, there may be some good news in the form of PROLINK's PHC-105 GSM 3G camera, which is supposedly capable of doing just that. And leave it to us over at VR-Zone to check out its features and ease of use, so that you do not have to.

April 7th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Sony to launch Android Honeycomb tablet device Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-to-launch-android-honeycombtablet-device/11807.html April 7th, 2011

Nowadays, the idea of having a personal surveillance camera is no longer a luxury reserved for only the rich. With most people starting to be more conscious about the concept of privacy, it is only natural that some might feel the need to ensure that they know what happens in their rooms or homes, regardless of where they are.

With almost every manufacturers offering an Android tablet device, it is just natural that Japanese company Sony will also follow suit. Well, Sony Ericsson has their range of Android smartphones, including the Xperia Play (formerly known as the PlayStation Phone). The Sony tablet could be available this June.

And that is not all: the usefulness of a surveillance camera can also be extended to working parents who may want to have a convenient means of monitoring a young child left alone at home. After all, nothing beats being able to keep track of one's children in order to ensure that they do not get themselves into any trouble in the absense of a grown-up. That being said, good surveillance cameras are anything but cheap. And on top of that, most traditional surveillance cameras require a constant video feed to external display devices, which makes them unsuitable for use by most consumers. However, chances are the average consumer who wants to invest in a cheap alternative is not likely to mind the tradeoffs in various aspects such as image quality. With that in mind, we take a look at PROLINK's PHC-105, an affordable GSM 3G surveillance camera which allows users to control their cameras from the comfort of their 3G-capable mobile phones. Technical specifications GSM frequency

Image format Image resolution Built-in storage capacity Shooting/Viewing angle Motion-detection distance Passive Infrared sensor distance Battery capacity

UTMS 850 (900) / 1900 / 2100 GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 JPEG 160 x 128, 320 x 240, 640 x 480 4GB (internal TF card) 68 degrees (horizontal + vertical) up to 9 metres (daytime), up to 6 metres (night) up to 6 metres 800mAh lithium-ion battery capable of up to 40 hours (standby and disarmed), up to 8 hours (when armed with continous trigerring)

Japan's Nikkei newspaper has reported that Sony is going to launch an Android tablet by the end of summer this year. According to Sony CEO, the tablet will run Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system and will arrive in the U.S. first, followed by other regions. The tablet could be Sony's "PlayStation Certified" Tegra 2 'S1' tablet, which is rumored to feature a 9.4-inch display and a flexible "wrap" design.

Intel launches 10 cores Xeon E7 Series (Westmere EX) Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-10-cores-xeon-e7-serieswestmere-ex-/11806.html April 7th, 2011

April 7th, 2011

(4 sockets) Support for 72 PCIe Gen2 lanes 130W TDP (105W TDP for E7-8867L low voltage) The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range in price from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000.

Intel today announces a total of 18 new Xeon E7 processors; E7-8870, E7-8860, E7-8850, E7-8830 ,E7-8867L, E7-8837, E7-4870, E7-4860, E7-4850, E7-4830, E7-4820, E7-4807, E7-2870, E7-2860, E7-2850, E7-2830, E7-2820, E7-2803 based on the 32nm Westmere EX architecture. The key highlights of the new processors are : • Up to 10 Intel® Microarchitecture based processing cores and 20 processing threads • Up to 30MB of shared L3 cache • Support for 64 DIMM slots for capable of holding over 2TB of system memory (4 sockets) • Support for 72 PCIe Gen2 lanes • Intel® Turbo Boost Technology • Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology • Advanced reliability features • Thermal solution not included in box • 130W TDP (105W TDP for E7-8867L low voltage) The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range in price from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000.

Below is the full press release : SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 5, 2011 – Enabling IT departments to better manage data-intensive environments through new security and reliability features and recordbreaking performance, a new family of server processors that accelerate mission-critical computing have been announced by Intel Corporation.

Published by: VR-Zone

The record-setting Intel® Xeon® processor E7-8800/4800/2800 product families build on Intel's previous generation of server processors to set a new standard for high-end computing applications, including business intelligence, real-time data analytics and virtualization. Strengthening the line of defense for data centers, the new processors also provide advanced security features that ensure greater data integrity. Based on Intel's leading 32-nanometer (nm) process technology, the new Intel Xeon processors have up to 10 cores with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, and deliver up to 40 percent greater performance than the Intel® Xeon® 7500 series processor. Concurrently, a new energy-saving feature reduces the power draw of idle portions of the chip. Beginning today, more than 35 systems based on the Intel Xeon processor E7 family are expected to ship from manufacturers around the world. "Intel has been changing the economics for mission-critical computing server deployments for more than a decade, and today we are raising the bar yet again," said Kirk Skaugen, vice president and general manager of Intel's Data Center Group. "The new Intel Xeon processor E7 family delivers record breaking performance with powerful new security, reliability and energy efficiency enhancements. The industry momentum we're seeing for this new server processor architecture is unparalleled in Intel's history. The days of IT organizations being forced to deploy expensive, closed RISC architectures for mission-critical applications are nearing an end." Record-Breaking, Energy-Efficient Performance The new processor family contains 18 new processors for two-, four- and eight-socket servers, and is expandable to servers with 256 sockets. It also sets more than a dozen world records in performance. A 40 percent improvement in generational compute-intensive performance can enhance the pace and accuracy of applications in such fields as scientific research and financial services where speed is essential. With up to 25 percent better performance with virtual machine3 applications than the current generation, the new chips also hold the industry's highest virtualization performance. IT managers seeking to achieve greater economic efficiencies can replace 18 dual-core servers2 with a single Xeon processor E7-based server. To help address rising energy costs, the new Xeon chips include Intel® Intelligent Power technology that dynamically reduces idle power consumption of the chip based on the workload while also delivering advanced processor power-management capabilities. Recognizing the range of compute-intensive applications from climate modeling to real-time business analytics, and the need for uncompromised performance to run them, Intel is offering 10 advanced 10-core versions of the chip, led by the E7-8870, 20

April 7th, 2011

E7-4870 and E7-2870, all of which reach 2.4 GHz with a TDP (Thermal Design Point) of 130 watts. The company also announced a version of the chip that combines the benefits of high performance with low voltage, as well as a frequency-optimized version. The 10-core lowvoltage E7-8867L reaches 2.13 GHz with a TDP of 105 watts, while the eight-core frequency-optimized E7-8837 tops out at 2.67 GHz with a TDP of 130 watts. Intel Xeon processor E7 family based-platforms add a massive 2 Terabyte of memory in a four-socket system supported by the new processors. Most of these chips also contain Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT), which can increase performance as required, ease multitasking and enhance reliability and manageability, respectively. New Security, Reliability Features

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faster and provides higher reliability than a desktop computer running similar applications. Support for Error Correcting Code (ECC) memory ensures system reliability by preventing glitches that cause data breaches and downtime, and with small businesses facing a harsher climate of security threats the Xeon processor E3-1200 product family helps ensure the integrity of valuable data with Intel AES-NI and Intel TXT. Today's news follows the recent disclosures about the lowpower, single-socket Intel Xeon processors E3-1260L and E3-1220L targeted for micro servers, and the announcement of the Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 product family for workstations. Product, Pricing Details The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range in price from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000. The Xeon processor E3-1200 family ranges in price from $189 to $612 in quantities of 1,000.

Intel is bringing its leading security technologies available today in its mainstream Intel® Xeon® processor 5600 series, to the mission-critical server segment with the introduction of platforms based on the Xeon processor E7 family. Intel® Advanced Encryption Standard New Instruction (AES-NI) allows systems to quickly encrypt and decrypt data running over a range of applications and transactions, while Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) creates a secure platform at boot-up by protecting applications from malicious threats. Together, these security features can ensure that virtualized environments are more reliably secure when they are launched, migrated or at rest, as well as experience better performance and functionality. Extensive Industry Support Starting today, system manufacturers from around the world are expected to announce more than 35 Xeon processor E7 family-based platforms. These manufacturers include Bull*, Cisco*, Cray*, Dawning*, Dell*, Fujitsu*, Hitachi*, HP*, Huawei*, IBM*, Inspur*, Lenovo*, NEC*, Oracle*, PowerLeader*, Quanta*, SGI*, Supermicro* and Unisys*. Numerous enterprise software vendors also support Xeon processor E7 family-based platforms, including IBM*, Microsoft*, Oracle*, Red Hat*, SAP AG* and VMware*. Ideal Servers for Small Business Intel also announced today the Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 family, an entry-level server processor built to meet the unique demands of small business applications, ranging from collaboration tools to storage and back-up applications. With up to 30 percent greater performance over the previous generation, the Xeon processor E3-1200 product family is 21

April 12th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 12 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--12april-2011/11859.html April 12th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Intel is attempting to close the gap with ARM with tablets powered by its Oak Trail and Cedar Trail processors; XFX's Radeon HD 6870 1GB Black Edition graphics card gets reviewed; Microsoft's Bing has reportedly secured 30% of the search engine pie, all of it at the expense of Google; Cisco has killed off its Flip business unit to focus on its enterprise-centric networking offerings; AIKA SEA officially goes live today, and Microsoft's Xbox 360 console will reportedly start hosting free-to-play games on its Xbox Live service. Hardware news Antec Kuhler H20 920 CPU Water Cooler Review @ Legit Reviews Description: Of the self contained kits we have tested the Corsair Hydro H70 is what we would consider the Antec Kuhler H2O 920 water coolers closest competition. The Corsair Hydro H70 is the second generation self-contained water cooling kit that was designed in part by Asetek. The Antec Kuhler H2O 920 is the third generation self-contained water cooling kit that was also just happens to designed by Asetek. Due to the fact that Asetek helped design both CPU coolers it makes sense that their newer product cools better than the previous model. The Antec Kuhler H2O 920 on the extreme setting out performed the Corsair Hydro H70 at every clock frequency that we ran the Intel Core i7 930 processor at... XFX Radeon HD 6870 1GB Black Edition Video Card Review Description: Who would've thought we'd ever be looking at XFX cards based on an AMD GPU? It's been a long time since we've looked at something from XFX. Going through our content archive, it was August of 2007 and the victim was the 9800 GTX+. So much has happened since then, though, and

in that time we've seen the Black Edition series created from the company; a series that has had some of the best looking cards around. I say best looking as I haven't had the chance to look at one until today. Today we see if the Black Edition is all bark and no bite, or if its bark is just the entrée to a menacing bite for main Antec Kuhler H2O 920 Liquid Cooler @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Since Corsair popularized their version of Asetec's "LCLC" (low cost liquid cooling) system back in 2009, it seems that every time you look, another variation on the theme appears. Other manufacturers have leapt into the fray, and Antec's initial entry into the market, the Kühler 620, impressed us with its amazing performance. Now Antec's introduced a new product, the Kühler 920. At first glance it seems very similar to Corsair's Hydro H70 product, but Antec distinguishes their offering with exceptional performance and features. Cubitek HPTX Tank Review @ Vortez Description: The Tank series features 3 different designs, we will be taking a look at the biggest of the 3 today - HPTX Tank. As with all the cases in this series, the HPTX Tank is fully aluminium. It is wide, allowing up to 190mm tall CPU coolers to be installed and can house XL-ATX motherboards such as GIGABYTE's G1 Assassin and EVGA's SR-2. Being able to house such big hardware also means long graphics cards can also be installed within the HPTX Tank, in fact up to 340mm of clearance is available! With lots of cooling, lots of space and lots of features I'm expecting some good results from this case, Lian Li ought to be very afraid. Intel seeks "relevancy" with Oak Trail tablets, talks up Cedar Trail instead Description: Intel has admitted that it has significant ground to catch up in its aim to become “relevant” in the tablet market this year, with hopes pinned on the release of its Oak Trail platform, for now, at least. Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme 4000 Sandy Bridge System Review @ Legit Reviews Description: What can be said about a full system that does exactly what we expected it to do? More specifically, what can't we say! In short, this system pretty much rocked the socks off of everything I am currently using in my main system. Time for an upgrade. Well, first I'll have to convince the wife that a shiny new CyberPower Gamer Xtreme 4000 is worth skipping a few meals. I'm not saying that the CyberPower Gamer Xtreme 4000 is expensive; quite the contrary. If you were to purchase

April 12th, 2011

all of the parts to build a comparable system at Newegg.com, you may just be surprised...

Published by: VR-Zone

Patriot Supersonic 32GB USB 3.0 Review @ XSReviews.co.uk Description: Supersonic is the name and… probably, going fast and stuff, its it’s… Anyway, here’s a review of another Patriot flash drive. It’s got a 32GB capacity, USB 3.0 functionality and its Quad Channel. Read on to find out how it performs.

Since it’s meant to be taken outdoors for serious running it won’t be just any touchscreen but a waterproof one. It is also responsive enough so that it can be operated with running gloves on. With features such as a pace, distance and time meter, a heart rate monitor, and the ability to race with friends who aren’t even in the same country, the Forerunner 610 is designed for the serious runner.

Memory module firms enjoy rebound in March revenues Description: Taiwan-based memory module houses Transcend Information, Power Quotient International (PQI) and Apacer Technology have reported sequential growth in revenues for March 2011 of 54.1%, 43.2% and 33.9%, respectively, joining fellow company Adata Technology that also enjoyed a substantial rebound in March sales compared to the prior month's levels.

Cisco kills Flip camera business to refocus on networks Description: Cisco today axed its Flip camera division in a bid to bring the company back into shape. The company provided few details but said its new "network-centric platform strategy" meant the former Pure Digital group had to be closed. Those on the FlipShare service would be supported through a "transition plan," though Cisco didn't say what that was.

Consumer Electronics and Software news:

Google acquisition of PushLife could teach Android to sing Description: Google has acquired media synchronization software developer PushLife in a deal that reportedly cost the search giant $25 million. It's likely that PushLife's technology will be used in Google's upcoming music service for Android.

Microsoft Bing Controls 30% Of Search Market, Google Slowly Sinking Description: Microsoft has secured 30% of the search market, largely at Google’s expense, according to data from Experian Hitwise. Mophie iPhone 4 Juice Pack Plus Review @ OCIA.net Description: We had the opportunity to review the Mophie Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3GS back in 2009. The model we will be looking at today is the Juice Pack Plus, but they also offer a slightly cheaper Air version. The difference being the Plus model has a 2000 mAh battery capacity vs. the 1500 mAh of the Juice Pack Air. The Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3GS sported a 1200 mAh batter capacity. This additional capacity does increase the overall size slightly, though it seems to be fairly minimal. Study: Smartphone Users Wasting Hundreds Of Dollars Per Year On Unnecessary Contracts Description: A new study says that smartphone users are overpaying for their service by several hundred dollars each and every year. The study, put together by Billmonitor, notes that people are overspending primarily because they’re on contracts that wildly overshoot their needs. People have a habit of signing up for contracts with far more voice minutes than they use, and it’s primarily for this reason that smartphone users are paying much more than they need to. In other words, double-check your statement to make sure you’re on the right contract. GIGABYTE T1125N 11.6-inch Tablet Convertible Notebook Unboxing Description: The GIGABYTE T1125N is an 11.6" convertible notebook with a docking station. It comes in two varieties - a Core i3 U380 with the CF1 designation at $1,099 and the CF2 with the i5 U470 for $1,249. Both sport discreet graphics featuring NVIDIAs GeForce 310M DDRIII 512MB with support for NVIDIA Optimus Technology. We've managed to get our hands on the Core i5 version for an unboxing which features a nice added extra - a very high quality neoprene sleeve and of course the docking station. Garmin Forerunner GPS watch gets a touchscreen Description: Garmin has just announced the launch of a new GPS watch – the Forerunner 610, and it sports a touchscreen.

Gaming news AIKA SEA Goes Live Today Description: Following the closed beta test a fortnight ago, Asiasoft is finally putting the official tag on AIKA SEA. That’s right, the game is launching today, in fact now. AIKASEA will also be featured at the upcoming Asiasoft Games Festival 2011 (ASGF 2011) to be held in conjunction with Licence 2 Play 2011, Suntec City Hall 401 from May 27-29. Free-to-Play Games Headed to Xbox 360 Description: Free-to-play games are already a very successful business model on PC (particularly in Asia) and soon they might become even more successful by expanding to Xbox Live. IGN reports that free-to-play games are headed to Xbox 360 next year, opening the door for games like FarmVille and Battlefield Heroes to come to Xbox Live. Ocarina of Time 3D's Release Date Revealed Description: It's the news that so many have been waiting for. Nestled gently just inside a press release sent out by Nintendo of America this morning was the official release date for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, the highly anticipated portable remake of Link's first polygonal adventure.

Eyes on Asus' new IPS and 3D displays Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/eyes-on-asus-new-ips-and-3ddisplays/11862.html April 12th, 2011

April 12th, 2011

also showed off a new 3D display with a built in IR transmitter which should have a certain appeal to those interested in getting a 3D Vision display.

Published by: VR-Zone

while you end up paying NT$8990 (S$388) for the IPS based ML239H which is a small price to pay if you're at all concerned about the colour reproduction of your display.

Earlier today we attended Asus' unveiling of its new range of IPS panel based LCD displays, of which three are consumer models and one is a new professional model which should suit those with a slightly more constrained budget. Finally Asus also showed off a new 3D display with a built in IR transmitter which should have a certain appeal to those interested in getting a 3D Vision display.

AMD and Fresco Logic gains USB 3.0 certification Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-and-fresco-logic-gains-usb-3.0certification/11860.html April 12th, 2011

First up, let's take a closer look at the new consumer level displays in the new ML series. The actual physical design of the new displays is identical to that of the current ML series of monitors which has won the company a good design award. In fact, pretty much every single feature apart from the panel is the same, so what we're looking at are 22, 23 and 24-inch models with LED backlight, HDMI and D-sub connectivity and a 3.5mm audio jack for sound output from audio carried over the HDMI connection. The three new models announced today are the ML229H, ML239H and ML249H, all with 1920x1080 resolution and a 5ms grey to grey response time.

It's been a slow progress, but we're finally starting to get some alternatives to Renesas USB 3.0 chips and today the USB-IF also announced the first USB 3.0 certified chipsets courtesy of AMD. Fresco Logic also got its FL1009 USB 3.0 host controller certified today which is a viable alternative to Renesas two port solution and it will allegedly bring better performance at lower cost, all of which sounds like good news to us. It's been a slow progress, but we're finally starting to get some alternatives to Renesas USB 3.0 chips and today the USB-IF also announced the first USB 3.0 certified chipsets courtesy of AMD. Fresco Logic also got its FL1009 USB 3.0 host controller certified today which is a viable alternative to Renesas two port solution and it will allegedly bring better performance at lower cost, all of which sounds like good news to us.

The key differentiator between the TN and the IPS models is that the TN models have model numbers that ends with an 8, ML248H for example, whereas the IPS models ends with a 9 as in ML249H as an example. We wish Asus could've made this a little bit more obvious, as it's not going to be easy to tell the difference without knowing the specifics. The IPS sporting models have a wider dynamic contrast range of 50,000,000:1 (don't read too much into that figure) than the TN models which â&#x20AC;&#x153;onlyâ&#x20AC;? manages a contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1. Price wise the difference is much smaller than we expect and we managed to track down some local retail pricing in Taiwan where the ML238H with a TN panel goes for NT$7390 (S$319)

The USB-IF has certified the USB 3.0 host controller built into AMD's upcoming A75 (desktop) and A70M (mobile) Fusion Controller Hubs (FCH) and the long of the short is that AMD now has not only the first, but also the second USB 3.0 certified chipsets, although neither has been officially announced by AMD as yet. The press release doesn't really give away much in terms of details, but we already know that AMD's high-end FCH's will support four USB 3.0 ports. As for Fresco Logic, well, the company is now going to have to find some key partners to work with, especially in the motherboard and notebook industry. The company has already had some success in the notebook market space with its older FL1000 single port PCI Express 1.0 USB 3.0 implementation, although its new FL1009 PCI Express 2.0 dual port host controller should prove a lot more appealing. 3

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This is also the first xHCI 1.0 USB 3.0 host controller to pass USB-IF certification and if demo's we've seen in the past are anything to go by, we should see a decent performance increase over what's currently on offer. In related news, Fresco Logic has also demoed its USB 3.0 webcam controller at IDF Beijing which supports real-time streaming of uncompressed 1080p video at 30fps. It's not clear as to which products we'll see this in, or when it will actually launch, but hopefully we should be able to get some hands on time with it at a later stage to see what benefits it offers over a USB 2.0 1080 capable webcam.

Nokia unveils E6 and X7 smartphones for business users and mobile gamers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-unveils-e6-and-x7-smartphonesfor-business-users-and-mobile-gamers/11858.html April 12th, 2011

It will be some time till we see the Windows Phone 7 devices from Nokia. Meanwhile, the Finnish company has unveiled two new smartphones today, the Nokia E6 and X7, aimed at business users and entertainment enthusiasts respectively.

Nokia today announced the E6 and X7 smartphones designed for business professionals and entertainment enthusiasts respectively. The two devices are the first Nokia smartphones to be equipped with the updated Symbian software, with new icons and usability enhancements such as improved text input, a faster browser and refreshed Ovi Maps. Following on from Nokiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly successful E71 and E72 devices, the Nokia E6 is a sleek business smartphone with a full QWERTY keypad and a high-resolution touchscreen display. Designed using premium materials such as glass and stainless steel, the device offers exceptional battery life and the best outof-the-box Microsoft messaging experience, including access to Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Communicator Mobile and Microsoft SharePoint.

Published by: VR-Zone

The Nokia X7 is an entertainment-focused smartphone with a large 4-inch display ideal for gaming, and an 8-megapixel camera for capturing pictures and high definition-quality video. The Nokia X7 is feels solid and comes preloaded with the popular Galaxyon Fire HD and Asphalt 5 HD games.

Adobe announces Creative Suite 5.5: not a "Service Pack" Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/adobe-announces-creative-suite-5.5not-a-service-pack-/11857.html April 12th, 2011

Point-updates for certain popular applications and programs are sometimes considered as the software equivalent of Service Pack updates for Microsoft's Windows operating system. However, Adobe wants to make it clear that the new development schedule which it has embarked upon for its industry-standard creative suite of software has little to do with the 'Service Pack' method, and that the new Creative Suite 5.5 which it announced today at a media event held at The Screening Room is every bit a full-fledged release as its predecessor was. VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

When it comes to dealing with software, it is almost impossible to leave the topic of software updates out of the conversation. After all, users would do well to remember the number one rule of software; there is no such thing as purchasing the latest and greatest copies of a application, as major updates will always find their way into the equation. And we do not have to search far for examples of how this culture has affected our computing life: just look at Microsoft Windows and its Service Packs if you will. Of course, this also applies for smaller-scale, not-so-criticalbut-still-essential software, where point-updates are often considered as the software equivalent of Service Pack updates for Microsoft's Windows operating system, simply because point-updates sometimes come with added functionality and features to enhance user productivity and experience. And this is precisely what Adobe has done for its software with

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its announcement of Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 for creative professionals. According to Vicky Skipp, Adobe's regional manager for South East Asia, the introduction of CS 5.5 highlights both the company's shift in business model and product release strategy with the adoption of mid-cycle releases for Creative Suite.

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Sony announces Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX with High Speed Data Transfer Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-announces-memory-stick-pro-hgduo-hx-with-high-speed-data-transfer/11856.html April 12th, 2011

Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has announced their new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX that boasts high speed data transfers of up to 50MB/s. which is ideal for users who want to capture full high definition or 3D videos. The Memory Stick will be available by end of April.

"Adobe's mission is to change the world through digital experience...Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 is all about allowing content providers to create their content once, and then delivering it across multiple platforms and devices," she said, while adding that post-PC era devices such as smartphones and tablets will feature heavily into the enhanced workflow in Adobe Creative Suite 5.5. This will allow content producers to spend lesser time on tweaking their content for consumption on non-PC devices, as CS 5.5 can automatically optimize content for display and consumption on various popular mobile platforms. "Traditionally, Adobe has a technology refresh cycle of around 18 months. With the introduction of CS 5.5, that cycle will be extended to 24 months, which means that we are going to have a lot more 'dot' releases so that we can keep up with our customers' evolution and changing needs," she added, while explaining that the new cycle for CS 5.5 allows Adobe to "introduce newer technologies more frequently".

Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has announced the new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX that offers fast data transfer speeds at an affordable price. It features high performance with speedy data transfers of up to 50MB/s, making it ideal for taking burst shots with an Alpha DSLR or shooting full high definition and 3D movies and photos with Sony’s new range of Cyber-shot cameras and Handycam camcorders.

However, Skipp was quick to point out that despite its adoption of a longer development cycle and dot-release schedules, users should not see point-release versions of Creative Suite as the Adobe equivalent of Microsoft Windows' Service Packs and wait only for the latest 'point-release' . This is due to the fact that, unlike Windows, the needs of the creative world are always evolving with the introduction of new platforms, and that each point-release is meant to address various new requirements that may crop up in the midst of the company's 24-month release cycle.

The Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX features a new and intelligent flash memory controller called the “HX Engine” which maximizes the capability of high-performance flash memory and enhances data-transfer efficiency by increasing the internal clock that handles data processing.

"The rapid adoption of tablets and smartphones has taught us that Adobe needs to be quicker in responding to the industry's needs. If we wait 18 months for the next release, it is very possible that Adobe might be out of the game in various segments by the time it happens," she explained.

With its improved transfer speed, the Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX is perfect for high resolution action photography in continuous burst shooting modes, with the ability to capture up to 190 shots with NEX-5 in a minute. Furthermore, it handles the speed and capacity requirements for not just the Handycam, but also the new demands of AVCHD video and 3D capture capabilities for the new Alpha and Cyber-shot models. The Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX also comes with AVCHD Memory Card File Rescue software. Available as a free download, the software enables the retrieval of photos, music and movies that were deleted by mistake for greater peace of mind. Users of the Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX can also download x-Pict Story for free. This fun and easy-to-use 5

April 12th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

software allows users to create unique slideshows of their favourite pictures, synced to effects and music and shared with friends and loved ones. The new Memory Stick HX will be available in Asia Pacific from end April 2011, in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities. Pricing information not released at press time.

HTC Flyer scheduled to retail in May, pre-order price of Ă&#x201A; ÂŁ600 - VR-Zone.com Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-flyer-scheduled-to-retail-in-maypre-order-price-of-600/11855.html April 12th, 2011

Logitech launches Wireless Mouse M325 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-launches-wireless-mousem325/11854.html April 12th, 2011

The HTC Flyer is the company's latest 7-inch Android tablet device which was showcased at Mobile World Congress in February this year. According to news sources, the tablet is scheduled to retail in May and available for pre-order now. The Wireless Mouse M325 is the latest addition to Logitech's line of mice peripherals and features a precision scroll wheel and contoured shape that provides comfortable use. It will be retailing in Singapore at the end of this month.

The HTC Flyer looks to be a slightly different breed of tablet devices on the market - it isn't using Android 3.0 or has a 10inch display. UK reseller Clove Technology has started accepting pre-orders of the HTC Flyer tablet and the price tag is 600 UK pounds, which is slightly higher than most tablet devices. Clove Technology has expressed that the HTC Flyer will be retailing mid April while another reseller, Carphone Warehouse has said that the tablet will be selling in May. At press time, there has not been any official word on when exactly the HTC Flyer will be on shelves. The HTC Flyer sports a 7-inch display (1024x600), which is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Instead of dual-core processors, it is equipped with 1.5GHz single-core processor. One unique feature of the HTC Flyer is it comes with an optional "magic pen" that lets users draw, paint, write, highlight and even retouch pictures.

Today, Logitech announced the Wireless Mouse M325 that features a precision scroll wheel with up to four times as many ratchets as a standard scroll wheel for smoother scrolling. Based on the contoured shape of the bestselling Logitech Wireless Mouse M305, the Wireless Mouse M325 lets you scroll down a page quickly. The precision scroll wheel contains 72 tiny, rugged ratchets that let you have the precise control whether you are viewing websites, spreadsheets, slideshows and other presentations. The Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 also includes Logitech Advanced Optical Tracking, so you can forget about your laptop's touchpad. Plus, with up to 18 months of battery life and a three-year limited hardware warranty, you can virtually forget about replacing batteries. The tiny leave-in plug-and6

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Published by: VR-Zone

forget Logitech Unifying receiver allows you to connect up to six devices.

Faster than ever HD content transfer speed with 3.5” hard drive support

The Wireless Mouse M325 works with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, as well as Mac OS X 10.5 or later and Linux kernel 2.6.

The O!Play Gallery can be upgraded to house a 3.5” hard drive with a fast SATA 6Gb/s connection, also becoming a largecapacity storage device. Users can transfer media content via USB 3.0 from PCs to the O!Play Gallery, up to ten times faster compared to USB 2.0. They offer the faster speeds needed to handle high definition content, resulting in a smoother, more enjoyable experience. The O!Play Gallery also includes the MyLife calendar function which can quickly organize photos to create photo diaries and share with other people easily.

Pricing and Availability The Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 will be available in end April for a suggested retail price of S$39.

ASUS launches O!Play Gallery HD Media Player Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-launches-o-play-gallery-hdmedia-player/11853.html April 12th, 2011

ASUS has launched their latest addition to its O!Play line of media players for home entertainment enthusiasts. Known as the O!Play Gallery HD Media Player, it promises to take "allaround high-definition enjoyment" to one's television set with the help of a variety of features. Media players are by far one of the few devices which allow for easy plug-and-play home entertainment, and ASUS's new O! Play Gallery media player is no exception. Recently launched by the Taiwanese electronics giant, the O!Play Gallery boasts capabilities to bring HD-quality home entertainment to one's television set, thanks to a variety features found in it.

Rich online entertainment services with Netflix, YouTube and Gracenote The O!Play Gallery is built around abundant online entertainment services such as Netflix (US only), YouTube, thousands of online TV stations and radio streams, Flickr, Picasa and much more. The O!Play Gallery also includes a Gracenote software* interface which turns the media player into a powerful audio library manager by providing access to the online Gracenote database so users can access metadata of their music library. Extensive metadata support means album covers, artwork, information and even genres become available and viewable on the big screen. Full HD 1080p and Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel support The O!Play Gallery supports the most popular formats, even ISO format, in HD quality. Audio is projected in spectacular 7.1-channel Dolby TrueHD surround, which easily integrates with home surround sound setups and brings out the full audio experience with no compromise or loss of fidelity. Users are guaranteed an impeccable performance in every aspect of their multimedia. *Installed 3.5” hard drive is required to use the Gracenote service. No information about the O!Play Gallery's pricing or official release date has been announced yet, so do check back for updates.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 11 April 2011 Enjoy your iPod and iPhone content on large HDTVs with intuitive controls Entertainment on demand! The O!Play Gallery allows users to plug and play media content from an iPod and iPhone in full HD on the living room TV, with no additional software needed. The intuitive remote control with a built-in rotary wheel bundled with the O!Play Gallery helps users make their multimedia experience fun and easy to use. O!Direct – the most direct way to multimedia enjoyment The ASUS exclusive O!Direct function offers consumers fast and reliable one-click streaming of content from PC to TV. Hassle-free streaming brings broader enjoyment in the living room in both wired and wireless modes, without the need for USB storage devices and their storage restrictions.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--11april-2011/11850.html April 12th, 2011

In today's news roundup: ASUS's GeForce GTX580 DirectCU II graphics card gets reviewed; Intel is once again attempting to compete with ARM by launching the new Intel Atom Z670 processor meant for use in tablet devices; Asrock's 3D-capable Vision 3D HTPC gets reviewed; Windows 8 will reportedly feature both a built-in PDF reader and access to a Windows App Store; The Xbox 360 version of the latest Need For Speed game, Shift 2 Unleashed, gets reviewed, and Capcom 7

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has announced that the company does not have any plans to localize Ace Attorney Investigations 2 at this point of time. Hardware news ASUS GeForce GTX580 DirectCU II: The Ultimate Choice @ InsideHW Description: ASUS is a company reputed for going all the way through with its ideas; once they’ve decided to create a special product (or product series, for that matter) and present it to the market, they achieve what they had in mind. This is the case with their own rendition of GeForce GTX580 DirectCU II, which has been redesigned in every way, all with the goal of separating the card from competitors in mind, with both low temperatures and overclock capabilities. Even the worldfamous overclocker Shamino managed to set a record on this card; you can read more about this in a separate box. This card is aimed at users who don’t restrain from paying good money for quality and now exactly what quality means. ASUS has done their part of the job flawlessly and we really can’t say that we have anything to reproach to this card... Seagate Constellation.2 2.5” 1TB SATA / SAS 6Gb/s HDD Review @ Real World Labs Description: In today’s review/comparison we put the latest Seagate Constellation.2 1TB Serial ATA drive up against its Serial Attached SCSI brother for the sole purpose of determining which type of interface is faster, more reliable and most suited for your needs. MSI GeForce GTX 580 1536MB Lightning Overclocked Video Card Review Description: Kicking it up a notch in price and performance, the MSI GTX 580 Lightning could well be the card for you, being of course based on the high end GTX 580 GPU. The Lightning series is all about overclocking, though, so we want to find out just what this series can do for the GTX 580. Cooler Master USNA 95 Review @ ocaholic Description: With the USNA 95 Cooler Master has a very small multy purpose notebook power supply in its portfolio. When plugging in different tip it is possible to make the USNA 95 compatible to a very wide range of notbooks. Unfortunately it doens't support Apples Mag-Safe mechanism as well as some Dell notebooks. Sentey GS-6400R Arvina PC Case Review @ DragonSteelMods Description: Today for review I’ve got a PC case from a company called Sentey, it’s the GS-6400R Arvina and it’s a big case with a ton of room in it. The case has a built-in card reader and an SATA port on the top that works with the included SATA data and power cables that come with the case. The Arvina has more than enough room for the largest of video cards, along with space for five hard drives. Thermaltake Armor A30 MATX Case Review @ Vortez Description: Aimed primarily at LAN gamers the A30 aims to combine compact dimensions with high performance installs. A rugged and aggressive looking design is the name of the game here and will hopefully attract users of all kinds looking for the performance edge! Thermolab Trinity CPU Cooler Review @ Real World Labs

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Description: The Thermolab Trinity may be a step down from their excellent Baram 2010 but it comes bundled with a preinstalled high-speed 130mm PWM fan and at the same time it does perform quite well, not to mention it also costs less. Intel launches Atom Z670 for tablet devices Description: Intel has enjoyed significant success with its Atom processor in netbooks, however as tablets becomes the next big cash cow the firm is in danger of sitting back and doing nothing while ARM takes all the glory. Therefore Chipzilla's Atom Z670 processor is likely to be one of the firm's most important chips in a long time. Consumer Electronics and Software news QPad 5K Gaming-Mouse and HeatoN Mousepad Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine translation) The QPad "5K" GamingMouse und "HeatoN" Mousepad arrived Technic3D. We will check the QPad Laser Mouse with up to 5040 cpi and 7 Buttons in the following Review on Technic3D. Thermaltake TTeSports CONKOR and DASHER Mouse Pads Review @ Madshrimps Description: Both TTeSports Conkor and Dasher mouse pads from Thermaltake come with simple but modern designs, and are built from high quality materials. The included carry pouches are a plus for people that go frequently at LAN Parties, but also protect them from dust accumulation. Asrock Vision 3D HTPC @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Asrock Vision 3D HTPC was designed to deliver cutting edge home theater technology in a compact form factor. The Asrock Vision 3D HTPC uses an Intel “Arrandale” mobile processor, paired with an NVIDIA GT 425M GPU, instead of the typical Intel Atom processor found in most pre-built HTPCs. The components of the Asrock Vision 3D HTPC are compactly housed inside a thick, heavy, anodized aluminum enclosure. A slot-loading Blu-ray or DVD drive can also be found inside, with a 2.5” 7200rpm HDD for storage and 4GB of DDR3 SO-DIMM memory, upgradeable to 8GB. The Asrock Vision 3D HTPC is not only capable of 3D media playback with 7.1 HD audio support over HDMI 1.4a, but users can also enjoy media encoding and even 3D Vision video gameplay. Windows 8 to Have Built-in PDF Reader Description: WinSuperSite and Within Windows have another new Windows 8 feature to share. Soon, you may no longer need to install any extra software to view that ever popular PDF format, thanks to an integrated PDF reader called Modern Reader that will ship with Windows 8 Atrio M5 Special Edition (ASE) Earphones @ TestFreaks Description: A few years ago, almost three to be exact, I reviewed the Future Sonics Atrio M5 earphones and I found them to be an excellent product. To this day my opinion hasn’t changed of them, I still grab them first even though I’ve got many others to pick from. Future Sonics though isn’t he type of company to leave well enough alone and they just had to go an improve upon on one of the best sounding earphones on the market. Aesthetically they haven’t changed, the internal workings have been improved with a new version of their proprietary drivers that offer a wider range of frequencies and just all around better specs. The set or kit I have today is the 8

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special edition that is green, this kit features packaging made from recycled materials and a carrying case made from used rubber inner tubes. Nokia C7: Beautiful = Forgivable @ InsideHW Description: The C-series has always been treated by Nokia as the “entrance” category, the initial step into the phone world. Roughly translated into numbers from the previous era, the C-series would cover models marked 1xxx to 5xxx. There’s even a division within the C-series itself, with models from C5 upwards being smartphones with the Symbian operating system. The currently leading model from the Cseries, namely C7, is supposedly Nokia’s last model based on the S³ platform… Windows App Store shots allegedly leak out, already disputed Description: Talk of an app store in Windows 8 was rekindled Monday after a post showing what's supposedly early screenshots of the portal. So far titled the Windows App Store, it would have its own dedicated portal app to browse categories and charts. Cnbeta's copy had a sidebar that would both show the installed apps as well as a way to manage the download queue. Gaming news Need For Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed Xbox 360 Review Description: Just like the Shift game from two years ago, the aim of this title is to take the Need for Speed series in a more realistic direction. High speed police chases are replaced by wheel to wheel racing in proper racing cars rather than high powered exotics. You really do need to leave the old Need for Speed behind before taking Shift 2 on, as it's such a quantum shift and a few decisions that were made during its development have kept it from being a must play game. Will There Be Only One Console in the Future? Description: When Denis Dyack argued in favor of a "One Console Future" during the 2007 Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, it was the first time many gamers had heard of the term. The public reaction was less than welcoming, with cries of monopoly and stagnant evolution at the forefront of counter-arguments. Nearly four years later, consoles are as divided as ever, but we're seeing some strides that suggest Dyack may have actually been right all along. Capcom: No plans to localize Ace Attorney Investigations 2 'at this time' Description: If you're eager to find out about the ongoing adventures of Miles Edgeworth, Dick Gumshoe, and Kay Faraday (like we are), we have some possibly distressing news to report. Capcom is currently denying any plans to localize Ace Attorney Investigations 2. During a recent "Ask Capcom" video, VP of strategic planning and business development Christian Svensson answered a question about the game pretty flatly: "The answer is 'no.' Sorry about that."

Intel's Atom Z670 CPU lands alongside the SM35 chipset Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-atom-z670-cpu-landsalongside-the-sm35-chipset/11852.html

Published by: VR-Zone April 12th, 2011

It's been a long time coming, but Intel's tablet and fanless netbook specific version of its Oak Trail platform has finally launched and is now known as the Atom Z670 CPU and the SM35 chipset. We're looking at quite a few changes here, even compared to Intel's previous Z-series Atom processors and the SM35 chipset is interesting all on its own. For those waiting for smartphone solutions from Intel, well, you'll have to keep waiting, as that's what Intel's 32nm Cedar Trail will bring later this year. It's been a long time coming, but Intel's tablet and fanless netbook specific version of its Oak Trail platform has finally launched and is now known as the Atom Z670 CPU and the SM35 chipset. We're looking at quite a few changes here, even compared to Intel's previous Z-series Atom processors and the SM35 chipset is interesting all on its own. For those waiting for smartphone solutions from Intel, well, you'll have to keep waiting, as that's what Intel's 32nm Cedar Trail will bring later this year. The Atom Z670 CPU will be joined by the Z650 CPU and the only difference here is clock speeds where the Z670 is clocked at 1.5GHz and the Z650 at 1.2GHz. Both models are single core with Hyper-Threading support and 512KB of L2 cache. Both models are 32-bit CPUs and have a limit of 2GB of single channel DDR2 800MHz memory. The TDP is a mere 3W, although this is still far from the best Atom processors and even last year's Atom Z625 which is also clocked at 1.5GHz comes in at 2.2W, although the two new additions measures the same 13.8x13.8 as the earlier Z600-series Atom processors.

Intel claims that the new Atom processors will handle 1080p video playback thanks to an integrated hardware accelerated video decoder which is part of the Intel GMA 600 which is part of the Z600-series Atom processors. We should also see improved battery life thanks improved SpeedStep support and more advanced Deeper Sleep power states. The new CPUs as well as the SM35 chipset are all based on Intel's 45nm fabrication process.

April 12th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The SM35 chipset brings with it lower power usage and a smaller package at 14x14mm compared to 17x17mm for the previous generation chipset. Intel has stripped out a lot of features here though, such as PCI Express which is nowhere to be found. On the other hand the SM35 still offers SATA support which makes it an ideal candidate for a wide range of SSD solutions. It's also offers up to four USB 2.0 ports, Intel HD audio support, HDMI 1.3a support as well as SDIO 2.0 and eMMC 4.3 support. We should hopefully be getting details of the first devices based on the new platform very shortly, as IDF Beijing kicks off later today and we'd expect at least some of Intel's partners to show off their new products there. Intel has already announced that Evolve III, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Motion Computer, Razer and Viliv have a range of products which will start to arrive from next month based on the Oak Trail platform. The question is if the Oak Trail platform will be enough for now to counter the onslaught of ARM based tablets that has started to arrive in the market, although Intel's recent support for Google's Android platform might tip the scale to Intel's advantage, at least more so than Windows 7 and MeeGo, simply based on the wide uptake of Android and general consumer acceptance.

The board is somewhat limited when it comes to expansion options; although as with all H61 boards it has four SATA 3Gbps ports. It also has two full-size DIMMs unlike some models that rely on SO-DIMMs. The single expansion slot in this case is a PCI Express x1 slot, so don't expect to be able to upgrade the graphics on this board. The only other useful feature on the board is a pair of USB 2.0 headers for a total of four ports.

MSI launches its H61I-E35 mini-ITX board Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-launches-its-h61i-e35-mini-itxboard/11851.html April 12th, 2011

If you've been waiting for an affordable mini-ITX board for Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, then MSI might have what you've been waiting for in the shape of the H61I-E35 which is its latest LGA-1155 motherboard. It might not be the most feature rich board out there, but this should also allow MSI to keep costs down to that of a very reasonable level. If you've been waiting for an affordable mini-ITX board for Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, then MSI might have what you've been waiting for in the shape of the H61I-E35 which is its latest LGA-1155 motherboard. It might not be the most feature rich board out there, but this should also allow MSI to keep costs down to that of a very reasonable level. As the model name gives away, the H61I-E35 is based on the Intel H61 chipset which by default makes it a budget solution as far as Sandy Bridge motherboards are concerned. That said, not everyone needs a board with everything but the kitchen sink and MSI has come up with a board that should appeal to those building a home media server for example.

Around the back you'll find a pair of PS/2 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a D-sub and HDMI port and finally three audio jacks. We feel like MSI could at least have added another pair of USB 2.0 ports around the back, low cost board or not. Something we noticed in passing is that MSI seems to have replaced its H67 mini-ITX board which was shown back at IDF last year with the H61I-E35 as the two carries the same MSI model number. This is a shame, as the H67 model featured angled SATA ports as well as a mini PCI Express slot at the bottom of the PCB which would've made it a more suitable home server solution.

That said, Intel's 1k pricing puts the H61 at US$13 less than the H67 chipset which is a huge difference not only for the motherboard maker, but also for the retail price. The H61I-E35 is listed for about â&#x201A;Ź66 (S$120) which makes it the cheapest LGA-1155 mini-ITX board we've seen so far, but only by a small margin of about S$5.50 compared to Intel's own DH61DL board which offers USB 3.0 connectivity and a mini PCI Express slot as an added bonus, although it only has three SATA ports and a DVI port instead of HDMI. 10

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Rumour: Fujitsu to launch dual-booting Symbian smartphones?

Published by: VR-Zone

the F-12C except for the fact that it will dual-boot between Symbian and Android v2.3.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-fujitsu-to-launch-dualbooting-symbian-smartphones-/11849.html April 12th, 2011

We have heard of various out-of-this-world claims made by the rumour mill when it comes to popular consumer electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets, but this particular one which has just come to our attention today is probably in a class of their own with regards to their credibility. That being said, does anybody fancy a Fujitsu smartphone....and powered by Symbian?

For the most part, users typically understand that there is little hope that an existing, non-open source operating system will continue to be developed after the corporation which holds the copyrights (and the underlying source code to it) has thrown in the towel. And for those who are unaware, this is exactly what has happened to the Symbian operating system that once held more than 70% of the world's smartphone OS market share. While Nokia has promised to keep Symbian alive, even to the extent of announcing an update for the OS that is due on April 12, most OEMs would be wary about hopping onto a platform that is seemingly being soundly beaten by the likes of BlackBerry OS, Android and iOS. With that in mind, it seems that the rumour mill has not had its fair share of Symbian-related news yet, and the latest information we have received seems to confirm that fact. In what is probably the most unexpected news ever, the rumour claims a partnership between the likes of Fujitsu and NTT DOCOMO that will see the former hopping onto the almost-dead Symbian platform with two smartphones that will feature the ability to dual-boot to an alternative operating system. According to a blog posting made by Juggly.cn, the two devices will have the model names F-07C and F-12C. That being said, it is the F-07C that boasts the more outlandish claim: apparently, the F-07C will feature an Intel Atom processor and a 32GB SSD for storage. And everyone knows what it means when an OEM crams an x86 processor complete with such a large SSD into an embedded device;that the F-07C will be made to dual-boot between the likes of Windows 7 and Symbian. On the other hand, almost no information exists for

Now, we are not going to doubt the fact that Symbian is capable of running on an x86 processor, as working x86 ports of the OS have already been made way back in 2009. And we are also not going to contest that an Atom processor is capable of handling both operating systems: after all, Windows 7 was supposedly developed with netbooks in mind, and this means that the processor used in the F-07C should be sufficiently powerful to run the desktop-grade operating system from Microsoft. Rather, our suspicions stem from the fact that the userinterface presented in the image above looks decidedly fake: it is almost as if someone cut out an image of the Unity interface from Ubuntu, changed the wallpaper and added a chunk of Windows icons to pass it off as the real thing. But then again, we have been caught with wrong predictions when it comes to rumours such as this, so suffice to say we will definitely be keeping tabs on this one.

Samsung to launch three Bada-powered smartphones this year? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-launch-three-badapowered-smartphones-this-year-/11848.html April 12th, 2011

Sure, the whole world has gone goo-goo-gah-gah over Android, iOS and to a slightly lesser extent, Windows Phone 7 when it comes to selecting a mobile OS of their choice for their new, shiny smartphone, and for good reason. However, there are also alternative mobile OSes out there to choose from, and Samsung's Bada is one of them. Or rather, make it 'three' of them: a leaked flyer has seemingly revealed that the Korean electronics giant intends to launch at least three Bada-based mobile phones this year.

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So the mobile operating system scene is being dominated by three very powerful players: Google with its Android operating system, Apple with its iOS and lastly, Microsoft with both Windows Phone 7 and to a lesser extent, Windows 7. That is great and all, for choices are always good for both consumers and developers; users are not forced to commit to one particular platform, while competition ensures that developers are kept on their toes in delivering quality products and user experiences. However, this does not mean that there are only three operating systems available for mobile users to choose from. While it is true that the aforementioned platforms are the most dominant in the market today, there are also other smallerscale operating systems that fill various niches, and Samsung's Bada is one of them. And it seems that Samsung is going ahead to pull out all the stops to ensure that Bada does not fade away from the competition like a distant memory: a recent leak has indicated that the Korean electronics giant has at least three Bada-powered phones planned for launch this year.

According to a report from Badaworld.net, the first of three phones to launch in 2011 will be known as the Samsung Wave 578 and it will come pre-loaded with a slightly dated version of the Bada OS, namely version 1.1 as opposed to the current version, which is 1.2. In addition, the Samsung Wave 578 will feature a 3.2-inch display capable of WQVGA resolutions, a three megapixel camera and standard wireless communication options such as Bluetooth and WiFi. Of greater interest though, are the two mobile phones which are slated for launch much later in 2011 (September and November respectively). Based on the image shown above, the model which will be launching in September appears to be a slightly higher-end model, as shown in the 3.65inch displaycapable of HVGA resolutions and what appears to be dual cameras. This is in direct contrast to the model slated for a November launch, which features a much lowerres QVGA display and a three megapixel camera. That being said, it is interesting to note that all three mobile phones will feature NFC technology, a trait which has yet to find mainstream acceptance on most existing smartphones on the market today. Last but definitely not least, no information about pricing and specific release dates have been leaked out yet, so do check back for updates.

Published by: VR-Zone

AMD posts job listing for Android driver developers: a sign of impending changes to fglrx? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-posts-job-listing-for-androiddriver-developers-a-sign-of-impending-changes-to-fglrx-/11846.html April 12th, 2011

Well, look at what we have got here. Apparently, AMD is starting to feel a little left out of the entire smartphone and tablet game, and has since taken steps to ensure that it does not lose out on too much of the rapidly shrinking pie while its rivals are busy churning out mobile-friendly products. After all, that can be the only reason AMD is putting up job offerings for Android developers, no?

It is common knowledge to most people that situated at the heart of the Android operating system for tablets and smartphones is the Linux kernel. And most people who are familiar with the implementations of open-source software and the Linux kernel know what it means when developers from all over the world make contributions or improvements to any operating system which utilizes the Linux kernel. SImply put, there is a chance that some of these contributions will eventually find their way back to the main kernel tree, where they will be merged with the upstream sources to provide a more complete 'out-of-the-box' solution for developers who which to utilize the kernel for various uses. And apparently, it seems that the latest announcement from AMD is about to bring driver support in the Linux kernel to newer heights, especially where AMD-based GPUs are concerned. This is because the company has posted a job listing on its website in which it specifically calls for experienced Android and Linux developers to apply for the position of a Linux Driver Development Engineer.

According to the listing, the prospective engineer will be working with the Linux Base Graphics team, to deliver an updated video driver stack that can be used on the Android operating system while keeping "in line with the current development trends in the Android ecosystem". The posting also goes on to say that the applicant will need to be proficient in various programming languages such as C/C++, although it was the requirement about needing at least three years in 12

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kernel-mode driver development which caught our eye, and for good reason.

Most Linux users with AMD graphics cards will be fully aware that there exists two drivers for use with their hardware: the open-source radeon (or radeonhd) and AMD's proprietary fglrx. While it is widely known that the open-source radeon driver is completely left behind in the dust when compared to the proprietary fglrx driver module provided by AMD in terms of supported hardware and performance, radeon also boasts a key advantage that fglrx has failed to match for years: the ability to run in kernel-mode (aka KMS). And since AMD has already committed itself to fglrx, it is highly possible that the entire Linux Base Graphics team may be working to bring KMS capabilities to fglrx in order to make it more portable around various Linux-based OS. At the least, this will be more efficient than producing a completely new driver stack for what is essentially another distribution of Linux. And because newer, more visually-appealing display managers such as the much-talked about Wayland mandate the use of KMS drivers, being able to make the entire fglrx driver stack kernel-mode compatible will not only make the driver more portable, but more futureproof as well. In the unlikely event that desktop Linux distributions eventually decide to drop the X Window system in favor of something else like Wayland, a KMS-capable fglrx driver stack will allow users to transition from one display manager to another with minimal hiccup to their productivity. Of course, this is nothing more than just speculation on the outcome of fglrx now that AMD has decided to evolve its driver stack in order to allow the company to get into the whole Android game, and it could be possible that we are just reading too much into the job requirements. Well, one can only wait and see.

Prevview.com is Asia's first interactive job portal to feature video resumes Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/prevview.com-is-asia-s-firstinteractive-job-portal-to-feature-video-resumes/11847.html April 12th, 2011

While there are many job recruitment websites for job hunters and employers alike, none of them are offering video resumes yet, considering we are going beyond the age of text and images. Well, Prevview.com claims to be the first job portal in Asia to offer video resumes.

Launched on 9 March 2011, Prevview.com claims to be the first portal in Asia to utilize Video Resumes – Visumés - in an interactive manner between employers and jobseekers. The portal creates a professional platform that allows job seekers to differentiate themselves not merely on paper, but in a more insightful and expressive manner on video, allowing them to get talent spotted by their employers locally and abroad. Employers can save time, money and hassle by pre-screening potential candidates, before investing in a face-to-face interview. As with any new venture, knowing the right information is integral for success. At Prevview, every registered employer is given an online video branding platform – never before seen in the market. This comes fully equipped with a short corporate video(s) and tidbits about the company, including “getting hired” tips. Giving out information about the company and its hiring criteria allows them to attract suitable job candidates and desired talents to the company. Being an integrated communication platform, Prevview gives its users an avenue to share information and directly engage employers in conversation via Reviews (on schools, industries, employers and internships), Interview Questions and even “In the Shoes of” blogs from working professionals. All of which provides insider information to job seekers that would help them integrate into the working world easily. Much like Facebook, Prevview understands that privacy is crucial to all users. As such, the portal is equipped with security measures to ensure confidentiality of the user’s information. Jobseeker profiles can only be searchable by employers and they are given the choice to allow their profile to be LIVE. Those with searchable profiles can also choose to block unwanted viewing. What can jobseekers expect? Dedicated Profile Page Jobseekers are given a profile page to upload their visumé, cover letter, resume, portfolio, and reference letters, which showcases their personalities and soft skills inexpressible on paper. In-Depth Information about Employers Jobseekers can learn more about Prevview’s Employers by watching their HR Video and other information. Updated Job Postings With a comprehensive search function, Jobseekers will be the first to hear about available jobs and apply for them. 360 Degree View of Candidates 13

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Employers are given a holistic view of their potential candidates through downloadable personal details and quick and secure streaming of candidates’ visumés. Visumé Guide Jobseekers will be provided with a comprehensive video guide as well as Visumé tips and articles. Communication Bridge Jobseekers can participate in exciting and thought-provoking Employer Reviews, discussions and Interview Question portion where they will be privy to some of the frequently asked interview questions.

Published by: VR-Zone

Seems like the good folks over at Mozilla are not going to be taking their time with new browser releases now the the browser wars are starting to heat up yet again. According to some development notes left in the browser's GIT repositories, users might be able to see a brand new version of Firefox make its way out of Mozilla's development labs by as early as June this year, or only a mere three months after Firefox 4 was launched back last month.

Important and Interesting Tips Prevview uses a lifestyle and interactive approach to educate its users on crafting visumés, cover letter writing, and interview dress code. What can Employers expect? Streamline Their Recruitment Process Visumés enable pre-screening and shortlisting of potential candidates which cuts down the initial interview process. With a professional search and viewing platform, employers can search for potential candidates anytime, anywhere. 360 Degree View of Candidates Employers are given a holistic view of their potential candidates through downloadable personal details and quick and secure streaming of candidates’ visumés. Company Branding With a dedicated branding platform – never before provided in the market – registered employers can showcase their HR video and profile (which includes a Q&A section and “Getting Hired” tips) to attract the most suitable talents. Immediate Job Postings & Search Functions Employers can post job advertisements and search for candidates via a Content Management System where they can search for candidates, post, edit and refresh job postings. Value-Added Services 1) Professional and personalised visumés for jobseekers, either at Prevview’s studio or at a preferred location.

Getting used to the various new features introduced to a web browser that was only recently updated will probably most average users some time to pull off. After all, most browser updates usually introduces some minor changes to the user interface, and that alone will require some time for users to familiarize themselves with. And that does not include other under-the-hood changes which users need to get acquainted with as well, such as new privacy features and more extensive user-customizable settings, among many others. However, it seems that all of that will no longer be a factor when it comes to Mozilla's new release schedule for its Firefox web browser. According to development notes hosted on its GIT repositories, version 5 of the Firefox web browser will feature a much shorter development phase: this is due to the fact that Firefox 5 lacks what the Mozilla team calls 'development overlap' with Firefox 4.

2) Professional HR Video production for organizations. In-Depth Information about Employers Jobseekers can learn more about Prevview’s Employers by watching their HR Video and other information.

Firefox 5 to be officially released in June this year? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/firefox-5-to-be-officially-released-injune-this-year-/11845.html April 12th, 2011

However, it should be pointed out that this accelerated development schedule only applies to Firefox 5, and that Firefox 6 will revert back to the old schedule, where each phase of the cycle will undergo six weeks of development:

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moaning and groaning about how these superior clones which cost only a fraction of the real deal never make it out of the great walls of China.

Last but not least, the nightly builds for Firefox 5 have reportedly been made available for public testing already. While the builds have been signed off as being nothing more than alpha releases of Firefox 4.2, we have got word from TechCavern's report that these builds are actually the prerelease versions of what will eventually be known as Firefox 5. Of course, these builds are also highly unstable due to the fact that they have not been tested, so download at your own risk; we cannot be held responsible for computers and the data residing within its hardware going up in smoke at the click of a mouse button.

And unfortunately for fans of such Chinese clones, it seems that the latest consumer electronic device to leave the factory will be something worth groaning about where its global availability is concerned. Apparently, a new tablet sporting the 'Think' moniker has emerged, and is said to be designed with the business user in mind, just like how the original 'Think'branded products produced by a certain OEM are.

According to a report by Giz-China, the Thinkbook is a business-centric tablet powered by the Android operating system and will be made available for sale in two different sizes. The smaller of the two features a seven inch screen and uses a Rockchip 2818 CPU for its processing needs, however we cannot help but feel baffled about GizChina's claims that the tablet only features a measly 25MB of RAM. Of course, there is a chance that this could merely be a typo on GizChina's part, and that the tablet will actually come with 256MB of memory instead. The device is also relatively thin, with a height that measures a mere 11.6mm.

"Thinkbook" tablets show up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-thinkbook-tablets-show-up-inchina/11844.html April 12th, 2011

On the other hand, little detail has been announced about the larger version of the Thinkbook, although GizChina claims that it will feature a 10-inch screen and will utilize a slightly more powerful processor based off the ARM A8 microarchitecture. Last but definitely not least, both models will be sold in a variety of colour choices, namely white, black, dark red and blue.

Any computing device with the 'Think' branding stamped on it is expected to feature the reliability and robustness in enterprise conditions that users have come to take for granted from a certain OEM, right? Well, here's a piece of advice from us: you might want to hold back those expectations a little just to be on the safe side, especially if the manufacturer of these "Thinkbook" business tablets ever plans to release them outside of its Chinese domestic market. Keeping track of the large variety of cloned consumer electronics devices churned out by the factories in China can be a very interesting affair. Every once a while, new devices which appear to be superior than the original in either design or hardware specifications (or maybe even both) will magically pop out of the factories' production line, and we all start

That being said, we should point out that this Thinkbook is not your typical 'Think'-branded device which hails from the likes of Lenovo. Rather, GizChina claims that the manufacturer of the Thinkbook, Tin Chung Digital, has got little to no relations with Lenovo; this means that the 'Think' branding on the tablet is definitely a clear example of unauthorized use, and 15

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that the quality and reliability that we have come to expect of the genuine 'Think'-branded devices do not apply to the Thinkbook. Finally, no details about the Thinkbook's release date and price have been revealed yet: this is because the tablets GizChina were able to play around with were little more than engineering dummies. So do check back for updates, while remembering to curry some favor with a Chinese friend in the hopes that he might be able to ship one over to you.

League Of Legends qualifiers announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/league-of-legends-qualifiersannounced/11843.html April 12th, 2011

Think you're good at League of Legends? Well, the qualifiers for this online multiplayer session-based game has already begun on the Singapore/Malaysia servers since 4 April, and the top two teams will face off on 30 April. Read on for more details.

Published by: VR-Zone

trip to Jönköping, Sweden to compete in the Season One Grand Finals at DreamHack Summer 2011, the world’s largest digital festival from 18 to 21 June. On top of that is the total cash prize of S$2,000. The number of participating teams is expected to range from 32 to 64 and will include both Singaporean and Malaysian players. Registration for the Season One Qualifiers was opened on 21 March.

AMD A-Series (Llano), Socket FM1 Pictured Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-a-series-llano--socket-fm1pictured/11842.html April 12th, 2011

Chinese website ZOL.cn have revealed pictures of an Engineering Sample of Llano, along with the first pictures of the FM1 Socket Llano fits into. A CPU-Z screenshot has also been posted, which refers to a quad core AMD Engineering Sample running at 2.4 GHz, and featuring 1MB L2 cache and no L3 cache - in tune with what would be expected from a Llano sample.

Garena, online game service provider and Southeast Asia’s exclusive publisher of League of Legends, has announced the dates for the qualifiers of its acclaimed online multiplayer session-based game. League Of Legends is a session-based, multiplayer online game where teams of players compete for victory. Built by a veteran development team and the original creators of Defense Of The Ancients, one of the world’s most popular player-made mods, League Of Legends combines elements of the role-playing and strategy with addictive competitive action.

For the first time, we have clear pictures of the elusive Socket FM1.

The qualifying tournament for the Season One Grand Finals, in partnership with Dell's Alienware, will take place on the Singapore/Malaysia server, where gamers will compete online from 4th to 30th April. The top two teams will then face-off in the finals at the Alienware Launch in Suntec City, Singapore on 30 April to compete for the grand prize which includes a fully sponsored 16

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of the (Bulldozer) AM3+ processors without spending a single cent. The new Socket AM3+ processors will bring more cores than what the AMD Phenom II line offers, as well as a larger L3 cache and support for more memory. Fabricated using the 32nm processor, these new processors will offer better electrical and thermal specifications than its predecessors. Apart from upgrading BIOSes on existing Socket AM3 products, MSI will publish Socket AM3+-ready BIOS versions (of supporting motherboards) on their website so that endusers can prepare their machines for the new processors. Along with the matching pin structure of the Llano die:

The Llano APU is already shipping out to OEMs, and we can expect desktop and laptop systems based on Llano as early as May/June. For more pictures, you can visit the gallery at ZOL.

MSI announces motherboards with full AMD Socket AM3+ compatibility Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-announces-motherboards-withfull-amd-socket-am3-compatibility/11840.html April 12th, 2011

The following is a list of motherboards (and BIOSes, if ready) that will support the new AMD Socket AM3+ processors. Motherboard model 890FXA-GD70 890FXA-GD65 890FXM-G65 880GMA-E55 880GMA-E45 880GMA-E35 880GMS-E35 870A-G54 870S-G54 870A-G46 870S-G46 870-C45 760GM-E51 760GM-P33

Chipset AMD 890FX AMD 890FX AMD 890GX AMD 880G AMD 880G AMD 880G AMD 880G AMD 870 AMD 870 AMD 870 AMD 870 AMD 770 AMD 760G AMD 760G

BIOS A7640AMS.190 A7640AMS.I20 A7640AMS.1A0

* BIOSes for the other boards will be released in the near future. Reference: MSI Press Release

Exclusive pictures of MSI's GeForce GT 520 card MSI has announced a list of its current Socket AM3based motherboards that will be fully compatible with AMD's upcoming Socket AM3+ multi-core processors. By upgrading the BIOS, users will be able to experience the full performance of the (Bulldozer) AM3+ processors without spending a single cent. A table of compatible motherboards and corresponding BIOS versions after the break. MSI has announced a list of its current Socket AM3-based motherboards that will be fully compatible with AMD's upcoming Socket AM3+ multi-core processors. By upgrading the BIOS, users will be able to experience the full performance

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-pictures-of-msi-s-geforcegt-520-card/11839.html April 12th, 2011

Budget graphics cards might not be the most exciting of products, but Nvidia is looking at refreshing its entry level cards with the GeForce GT 520 in the very near future. Details of the new GPU have been leaking via Chinese websites for a 17

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few days now and VR-Zone can as first publication bring you exclusive pictures of MSI's N520GT card. Budget graphics cards might not be the most exciting of products, but Nvidia is looking at refreshing its entry level cards with the GeForce GT 520 in the very near future. Details of the new GPU have been leaking via Chinese websites for a few days now and VR-Zone can as first publication bring you exclusive pictures of MSI's N520GT card.

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Computex Show Girls Come Early? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/computex-show-girls-comeearly-/11837.html April 12th, 2011

It is not quite Computex yet but we are given a sneak peek of the show girls at their local PC exhibition. We are pretty sure some of them will be present at the main Computex Taipei show in June 2011 and we can expect alot more so stay tune for our Computex Show Girls coverage.

In all fairness, the card itself doesn't look like much, although we're disappointed to see that MSI has chosen to go with an active cooling solution on what is likely to be Nvidia's new entry level card. The half-height card sports a DVI, HDMI and D-sub connector, so nothing out of the ordinary here. MSI has gone with 1GB of DDR3 memory which again is a sign of this being a low-cost card, but it appears to be using very few memory chips to achieve this judging by the fact that none of the memory chips are visible.

The GT 520 GPU is also known as the GF119 and as with just about every other entry level card for the past decade we're looking at a 64-bit memory interface. The GPU is reported to be running at 810MHz with the shaders at 1610MHz and memory at 1794MHz (effectively), although this is based on leaks from zol.com.cn and might not be the actual clock speeds of all cards. We're also looking at 8 ROPs and 48 shaders, again typical for an entry level Nvidia card. As to when the actual launch is, well, we'd expect it to be in the next week or two, but we'll just have to wait and see.

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Android 3.0 Honeycomb Tablets Hit Taiwan Market Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/android-3.0-honeycomb-tablets-hittaiwan-market/11836.html April 12th, 2011

Taiwan is blessed with the latest Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets from ASUS and Acer as they are now selling in a local PC exhibition taking place this week. These proved to be selling pretty well as the lack of Apple iPad 2 in their market spurs consumers to turn to other (better) alternatives. ASUS's Eee Pad Transformer and Acer's Iconia Tab A500 are both powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 and Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and sport a 10.1" screen. The 32GB version costs NT$16900 (US$583) for the Eee Pad Transformer and NT$18200 (US $628) for the Iconia Tab. If you intend to get the Eee keyboard dock, you can buy it separately for NT$3000 (US$103).

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(Honeycomb) and sport a 10.1" screen. The 32GB version costs NT$16900 (US$583) for the Eee Pad Transformer and NT $18200 (US$628) for the Iconia Tab. If you intend to get the Eee keyboard dock, you can buy it separately for NT$3000 (US $103). There are still quite a number of other tablets on sale around the show and one particular tablet stands out from the rest is the Viewsonic ViewPad 10s which is powered by Tegra 2 and sports a 10.1" screen but on an older Android 2.2 Froyo. It is one of the cheapest 10.1" tablets around at NT$12900 (US $445).

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 8 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--8april-2011/11450.html April 12th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Researchers at IBM have reportedly been able to develop a 155 Ghz graphene transistor by using a diamond-like carbon substrate; Elpida has developed a 4gigabit (4Gb) DDR2 mobile RAM, which employs a 30nm process technology; Microsoft's Bing app has gone live for the iPad; Nokia does an about-turn with Symbian by taking down its online distributions of the mobile OS under the justification that the code is still closed-source; The Arcade version of Super Street Figher IV will reportedly be making its way to consoles in the form of a DLC, and BioWare has inked a deal with Funimation to create an anime Mass Effect feature film. Hardware news Crucial M4 / Micron C400 256GB SSD Review @ Legit Reviews Description: Crucial, best known for their memory products, was the first to put an SSD on the market with a 6Gbps interface way back in early 2010 with the C300 drive. Back then, we ran some tests and found it to be impressive when compared with what was on the market at the time. Since then, a lot has changed and there are a number of 6Gbps interface drives on the market now so competition is definitely stiffer this time around. Will it hit them mark using the same controller with firmware and NAND updates? Read on and see. MSI Radeon HD 6970 2GB Lightning Overclocked Video Card Review Description: While most companies have a good stand-out series, MSI have an arsenal of them. The Cyclone is great for these lower end mid-range cards; the cooler is quiet and performs very well. You can kick it up a notch and start looking at the Twin Frozr series which tends to be reserved for the higher end cards. It's also quiet, performs well and is essentially a higher end version of the Cyclone series.

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IBM researchers develop a 155 Ghz graphene transistor using a diamond-like carbon substrate Description: Researchers from IBM developed a graphene transistor with a record cut-off frequency of 155 Ghz and the shortest gate length ever (just 40nm). They used a diamondlike carbon as the top layer of the substrate on which the Graphene is deposited. This material is a great substrate for Graphene. It's a& non-polar dielectric material - so it does not 'trap' or scatter charges, doesn't absorb a lot of wayer and has excellent thermal conductivity. It's also cheap to make and widely used today in the semiconductor industry. Lian Li PC-A04 Review @ ocaholic Description: With the PC-A04 Lian Li has a mATX case in it's portfolio which offers a lot of space for hardware for such a compact enclosure. Especially regarding the hard drives Lian Li seems to have made its homework. Of course, like with all Lian Li cases the timeless design alone would be reason enough to wirte an entire review. Furthermore this case can be used for a wide area of applications which ranges from a standard office PC to a very well performing gaming PC. Eurocom launches MXM 3.0b AMD Radeon HD6970M VGA module for High Performance Embedded Systems Description: Eurocom Corporation (www.eurocom.com), the leading mobile technology developer launches the AMD HD6970M MXM 3.0b graphics module for embedded systems use. MXM Modules are available from Eurocom's MXM Group. VisionTek Radeon HD 5770 1GB Combo Card Review @ Real World Labs Description: However fascinating the entire concept behind the Radeon HD 5770 1GB Combo by Visiontek and Bigfoot Networks might be the cards mid-level performance, although enough for casual gamers and HTPC owners just won't cut it for enthusiasts and hardcore gamers. AMD Radeon HD 6450 Launch Review @ Rage3D.com Description: AMD's Caicos GPU has arrived ... again, after being launch as OEM only early this year. Check out the features and performance of the AMD Radeon HD 6450, and how the same architecture tweaks seen in the HD 6800 series deliver real next generation performance in the $60 price point Elpida develops 30nm, 4Gb DDR2 mobile RAM Description: Elpida Memory on April 7 announced that it has developed a 4-gigabit (4Gb) DDR2 mobile RAM, which employs the company's 30nm process technology. The new device features a low operating voltage of 1.2V, achieves a data transfer rate of up to 1066Mbps, and uses roughly 30% less operating current compared with stacking two of Elpida's 40nm 2Gb products. Consumer Electronics and Software news ROCCAT Kulo Stereo Gaming Headset Review @ Madshrimps Description: The latest Stereo Gaming Headset from ROCCAT is named Kulo, is very light (suitable for LAN Parties), and comes with an unique feature: the Automatic Mic-Mute; also, the in-line volume control is very handy. Even if it is an on-ear model, it's confortable even after many hours of use. Sapphire Edge Mini PC Review @ XSReviews.co.uk

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Description: Well here’s an alternative to the HTPC and lounge media center, possibly the smallest full scale PC around: the Sapphire Edge Mini PC. It’s about the size of a DVD case and comes packing HDMI out, dual core atom CPU, a 512 MB nVidia ION 2 GPU, 2GB of RAM, 250GB of storage and gigabit ethernet. Should make for an interesting combination. Let’s see how it performs. Bing’s Flair For Visual Search Comes To The iPad Description: Bing’s iPad app goes live in the Apple App Store this morning, with Bing’s signature focus on visual search in full force. The new app will feature a different high-resolution homepage every morning, with more details about the image revealed through image hotspots. LCD prices set to soar Description: Major LCD TV brands are expected to increase production during the second quarter of this year, with monthly production growing by 15 percent from February to March. Sony accelerates Memory Stick's rate of obsolescence to 50MBps Description: Only Sony -- the company behind the "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" streaming service -- would consider naming its latest flash memory card the "Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX." But once you get past its monumental moniker you'll notice that the 32GB (¥17,000 about $200), 16GB (¥9,000 or $106), and 8GB (¥5,000 / $59) MS-HXB series memory cards boast an impressive 50MB per second transfer rate as tested by Sony. Finally, a Decent Honeycomb Tablet For Less Than the iPad 2 Description: Okay, maybe it's a little too early to say for sure just how good the 10.1-inch Acer Iconia Tab A500 is, but the specs—1GHz Tegra guts, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage 1280x800 LCD screen, 2MP and 5MP front and rear-facing cameras, etc. —put it up there with the elite guard of Android tablets. And its price tag of $450 makes it the first serious cost competitor to Apple's ace. Nokia says Symbian now closed-source Description: Nokia this week confirmed that its decision to take down online distributions of Symbian was actually the effective end to Symbian as an open-source platform. Although it republished the code this month, it has since said it the code was only under a closed-source license and couldn't be legally used for any purpose without a commercial deal. The code was only online to help Japanese phone makers still using Symbian and to help existing platform partners, H Online was told. Gaming news Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Is Coming For Consoles as DLC Description: It looks like an official announcement is coming soon as trailers of Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition coming to the console as a DLC is popping out in Youtube although Capcom has been fast in taking them down. ConsoleTECH have managed to get their hands on a trailer from an anonymous source. BioWare, Funimation Announce Mass Effect Anime Movie Description: Legendary Pictures acquired the film rights to the Mass Effect franchise last year, but before fans see a live21

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action Commander Shephard, they'll see a cartoon version of the protagonist. BioWare has inked a deal with Funimation to create an anime Mass Effect feature film. NGP Launch Not Impacted by Quake, Sony Now Claims Description: Contrary to what has been implied by the president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sony claims that last month's earthquake in Japan has had no effect on plans for the NGP's launch.

Intel set to expand Sandy Bridge processor family Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-set-to-expand-sandy-bridgeprocessor-family/11835.html April 12th, 2011

According to the latest leaked roadmap details we can look forward to new Sandy Bridge processors this quarter as well as in Q3 with Intel expanding the entry level tiers over the next six months or so with a range of new models. In the near future we can expect a range of Pentium branded processors while a little bit more long term we're looking at a set of new Celeron processors. According to the latest leaked roadmap details we can look forward to new Sandy Bridge processors this quarter as well as in Q3 with Intel expanding the entry level tiers over the next six months or so with a range of new models. In the near future we can expect a range of Pentium branded processors while a little bit more long term we're looking at a set of new Celeron processors. Between now and the end of May we should see the introduction of the first Pentium based Sandy Bridge processors and four different models are expected, the G620T, the G620, the G840 and the G850. These models have been making the rounds now for a little while, but we're finally getting really close to the launch. The Pentium processors are very similar to the Core i3's and the major differentiator is lack of Hyper Threading, although for the time being, Intel appears to be keeping the Pentiums at clock speeds below 3GHz as well. For those using Intel's integrated graphics the bad news here is lack of support for Clear Video and we don't know if we'll see support for Quick Sync or not in these models. Intel is also expected to launch the Core i3-2105 which to all intents and purposes are identical to the Core i3-2100, with one major exception, it has Intel HD 3000 graphics making it the first non-K series desktop processor to get HD 3000 graphics. This should make the Core i3-2105 an interesting consumer alternative for those that are looking for an affordable system that needs a little bit better graphics performance than what most of Intel's current mid-range CPUs can offer.

As for the upcoming Celeron's that are set to launch in Q3, so far we only know the model names, G440, G530 and G540. Presumably there will be a performance gap between the G440 and the G530, just like there is between the Pentium G620 and G840. We'd hazard a guess that these CPUs will have 2MB L3 cache and we're fairly confident that neither model will feature Intel HD 2000/3000 graphics, as the mobile Celeron's that have already been launched have a more basic graphics core which drops features such as Clear Video and Quick Sync. Conversationally Intel only launched a single LGA-1156 Celeron processor, the little known G1101 which never really made it into the consumer space. This means that we're now looking at a serious generation jump from the LGA-775 Wolfdale based Celeron's all the way to Sandy Bridge which implies a fairly serious performance improvement, even at what is an entry level CPU. Secretly we were actually hoping that Intel would finally lay its Celeron brand to rest, as the company already have enough CPU SKUs and with the Pentium G620 expected to cost $64 in quantities of 1,000, so the new Celeron's are somehow going to have to fit in at below $60 which seems to suggest a very low profit margin on the three upcoming Celerons.

MSI R6870 HAWK breaks world records in 3DMark05 and 3DMark06 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-r6870-hawk-breaks-worldrecords-in-3dmark05-and-3dmark06/11834.html April 12th, 2011

MSI's new HAWK series of graphics cards has received universal acclaim from both the media and overclocking aficionados. The HAWK series not only has top-notch specifications but also comes with a number of MSI-exclusive performance-enhancing features. Using the latest MSI R6870 HAWK, overclocking guru THC from the Danish ODOC team achieved a jaw-dropping GPU frequency of 1325MHz last week with the help of LN2 cooling at -180 degrees. The team was also able to break the highest AMD Radeon HD 6870 GPU 22

April 12th, 2011

scores for 3DMark 05 and 3DMark 06 with 44563 and 34471 respectively.

Published by: VR-Zone

MSI cards as their choice for both performance and quality components. Reference: MSI Press Release

(TAIPEI, TAIWAN) - MSI's new HAWK series of graphics cards has received universal acclaim from both the media and overclocking aficionados. The HAWK series not only has top-notch specifications but also comes with a number of MSI-exclusive performance-enhancing features. Using the latest MSI R6870 HAWK, overclocking guru THC from the Danish ODOC team achieved a jaw-dropping GPU frequency of 1325MHz last week with the help of LN2 cooling at -180 degrees. The team was also able to break the highest AMD Radeon HD 6870 GPU scores for 3DMark 05 and 3DMark 06 with 44563 and 34471 respectively.

ASUS releases new external BW-12D1S-U Blu-ray writer and Xonar U3 Mobile USB mobile soundcard Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-releases-new-external-bw-12d1su-blu-ray-writer-and-xonar-u3-mobile-usb-mobile-soundcard/11833.html April 12th, 2011

If you are in the mood to expand your desktop or notebook PC's functionality with a few new peripherals, ASUS's latest product launches for the day would probably be of great interest to you. This is because the Taiwanese OEM has just announced two new accessories to enhance a PC user's multimedia experience: an external Blu-ray writer known as the BW-12D1S-U, and a new Xonar U3 Mobile USB mobile soundcard. ASUS Demonstrates 3D Blu-ray Leadership with the BW-12D1S-U External Writer

Danish overclocker THC noted that "the MSI R6870 Hawk has increased the phase of the power supply to 8+2 phase, allowing me to operate extreme overclocking on the GPU with the huge amount of current required. With MSI's Afterburner triple super-overclocking software, I was able to avoid the risk of damaging the graphics card when making modifications, thus enabling me to effortlessly increase the GPU/memory/ VDDCI voltage and break the HD 6870 records for 3DMark05 and 06!" The R6870 Hawk boasts MSI's exclusive Propeller Blade fan technology, which increases airflow by 20%. The 8+2-phase power supply provides twice the amount of current compared to the reference design, increasing stability while overclocking. Combined with the triple over-voltage technology, VMEM and VDDCI can be boosted along with VGPU, further lifting overclocking headroom. With overclocking-friendly implementations, MSI claims its R6870 Hawk has become the hottest Radeon HD 6870 product on the market. With THC achieving a record-breaking feat using the HAWK series, MSI hopes that more overclocking enthusiasts will pick

New device joins a complete range of Blu-ray products that offers consumers the fastest speeds, exciting 3D entertainment and stylish diamond-inspired design ASUS has just launched the new BW-12D1S-U, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest external 3D Blu-ray writer. It enables an easy transition from DVD, the fastest and most reliable Blu-ray burning performance, and a unique artistic approach to optical media.

All-new BW-12D1S-U Blu-ray external writer With burning speeds up to 12X via USB 3.0, Optical Tuning Strategy (OTS) technology for the best writing quality available and high definition 3D playback, the BW-12D1S-U further highlights the attention ASUS pays to design, arriving in a 23

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form inspired by diamond shapes. It also includes a unique blue power indicator for an artistic touch, and features a matching stand that allows for practical two-way horizontal and vertical placement to help users save space with increased versatility. Attractive technology encourages transition to Blu-ray ASUS Blu-ray devices now support 3D playback across the range, offering 2D to 3D conversion and full 1080p HD with no quality compromise. In order to afford an easier and faster transition from DVD to Blu-ray for consumers, ASUS has implemented powerful upscaling of non-HD DVD content to HD standards. By doing so, ASUS effectively protects the investment by consumers in large DVD libraries over the last decade and longer. Audio performance for all Blu-ray content supports both Dolby EX and 5.1-channel DTS-HD, offering high definition sound as part of modern home entertainment setups. Sound decoding ensures no degradation of original audio sources occurs, so users are guaranteed faithful reproduction and crisp sound in every application. Enhanced Blu-ray writing performance ASUS incorporates the finest components and latest technologies in its optical drives, leading to output well above industry standards. The current Blu-ray writer lineup offers the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest Blu-ray burning speeds, with devices now performing at up to 12X. Additionally, OTS technology ensures optimized burn strategies for each job. ASUS drives go beyond speed to guarantee fidelity, so burns take less time while always maintaining reliability and complete success rates.

Published by: VR-Zone

Write speed

Read speed Interface

12X BD-R, 8X BD-R(DL), 6X BD-R(LTH), 2X BD-RE(DL) 8X BD-R(DL), 8X BD-RE, 6X BD-R(LTH), 2X BD-RE(DL), 8X BD-ROM(DL), 6X BDRE(DL) USB 3.0

Skype 2.2 comes to Linux...but only as a beta Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/skype-2.2-comes-to-linux...but-onlyas-a-beta/11832.html April 12th, 2011

One of the toughest things about making the jump to an alternative operating system that is neither Windows nor Mac is that there is no drop-in alternative of popular software applications that WIndows and Mac users always take for granted, and Skype is no exception. After all, while Windows users are already on version 5 of the Skype client, Linux users will have to be content with the recently-released version 2.2 of the client for their internet telephony needs. And a beta too, at that. Read on for more information about the recentlyreleased beta for Skype 2.2 for the Linux operating system.

Everybody loves to make internet phone calls via Skype, but for Linux users, the ability to do so is often more of a luxury than a tool, and for good reason. After all, most popular software applications available for download today lack a native Linux port, and those that do have Linux ports are usually well behind the Windows and Mac versions. Technology driven by aesthetics ASUS Blu-ray devices take a different approach to component design. Unlike generic optical drives, they bring to the fore exciting presentation. Drawing inspiration from natural and architectural forms, ASUS designers have crafted the most unique Blu-ray drives available for PC while accommodating new technology. ASUS optical drives have won several awards, including International Forum (iF) design awards in both 2010 and 2011 and the Taiwan Excellence Award 2011 for the new BW-12D1S-U. Specifications

Unfortunately for Linux users, Skype is no exception to the rule, and the recently released update to the Linux version of the Skype client is the best proof of that. While Windows and Mac users are happily Skype-ing away on version 5 of the client, Linux users have to contend with a beta of version 2.2 of the Skype client, which was released only just recently. According to a blog posting made by Marco of Skype's Linux team, the new beta of Skype for Linux brings a new feature known as Skype Access to Linux users. This feature will reportedly allow Linux users to make use of their Skype credits to connect to up to 500,000 paid WiFi networks globally.

BW-12D1S-U external 3D Blu-ray writer

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Additional improvements made to the Linux client includes fixes to enhance audio and video quality, along with various distro-specific bugfixes such as PulseAudio issues in Ubuntu and visual corruption when attempting to use Skype under KDE. It is also worth pointing out that while the various packages offered for download are likely to work for most Linux distributions available today. This is because we have received word that Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 is not supported out-ofthe-box due to the fact that Skype requires GLIBCXX_3.4.9 to run, while the latest version available on RHEL is that of 3.4.8. Last but definitely not least, there is still no native x64 client for RPM-based distributions, although an x64 .deb package is available for Ubuntu and Debian.

Published by: VR-Zone

Yep, that time of the month is about to come again. As most people would already be aware, Microsoft follows a strict schedule when it comes to delivering security patches, and that 'strict schedule' means that every single patch that the Redmond giant is capable of churning out will be released in one go on a specific day every month, hence the name Patch Tuesday. And if you are already preparing your Windows PC to receive the next wave of security updates from Microsoft when the day comes, chances are you may be interested to find out more about the patches and the kind of problems they are supposed to fix before actually deploying them. Which is exactly what Microsoft has done with its Security Bulletin Advance Notifications, which has been updated with information about this month's Patch Tuesday. In a nutshell, there will be a total of 17 patches for next Tuesday's update which will be used to fix a whopping 64 security vulnerabilities across a wide variety of Microsoft software products. And the bad news is that a good number of these bulletins have been marked as 'critical', for they are designed to plug various holes in the operating system that could potentially allow for remote code execution. Of note, however, is Security Bulletin #1, which is designed to plug a hole in Internet Explorer from version six to eight.

More information about the beta's system requirements can be found in the client's release notes.

Microsoft to release 17 security bulletins for April's Patch Tuesday Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-to-release-17-securitybulletins-for-april-s-patch-tuesday/11831.html April 12th, 2011

Bulletin ID

Bulletin 1

Bulletin 2

Bulletin 3

Bulletin 4 The second Tuesday of the month is soon upon us, and just as we had expected, Microsoft has published an advance notification of the security bulletins users can expect to receive for their operating systems when the time comes. And we got some news for you: this month's Patch Tuesday is not going to be the lightest of updates.

Bulletin 5

Maximum Severity Rating and Vulnerability Impact Critical Remote Code Execution

Restart Affected Requirement Software

Critical Remote Code Execution Critical Remote Code Execution Critical Remote Code Execution Critical Remote Code Execution

Requires restart

Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer Microsoft Windows

Requires restart

Microsoft Windows

May require restart

Microsoft Windows

May require restart

Microsoft Windows

Requires restart

April 12th, 2011

Bulletin ID

Bulletin 6

Bulletin 7

Bulletin 8

Bulletin 9

Bulletin 10

Bulletin 11

Bulletin 12

Bulletin 13

Bulletin 14

Bulletin 15

Bulletin 16

Bulletin 17

Published by: VR-Zone

Maximum Severity Rating and Vulnerability Impact Critical Remote Code Execution

Restart Affected Requirement Software

May require restart

Critical Remote Code Execution Critical Remote Code Execution Critical Remote Code Execution Important Remote Code Execution Important Remote Code Execution

Requires restart

Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office Microsoft Windows

May require restart

Microsoft Windows

Requires restart

Microsoft Windows

May require restart

Microsoft Office

May require restart

Important Remote Code Execution Important Remote Code Execution Important Remote Code Execution

May require restart

Microsoft Office, Microsoft Server Software Microsoft Office

May require restart

Microsoft Windows

May require restart

Important Information Disclosure Important Remote Code Execution Important Elevation of Privilege

Requires restart

Microsoft Developer Tools and Software Microsoft Windows

May require restart

Microsoft Windows

Requires restart

Microsoft Windows

According to a blog post by Peter Voss, a senior response communication manager for Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, the aforementioned bulletin will patch both the S.M.B Browser issue which was first publicly announced way back in February this year, along with the MHTML vulnerability that was first raised in January. While the S.M.B hole is rated at critical, Voss claims that there has been no known attacks made against Windows and Internet Explorer made through this vulnerability, and that it is the MHTML vulnerability that has seen limited, small-scale attacks. However, as the MTHML vulnerability was previously closed in the form of a security advisory released in late

January, it has been given an 'Important' rating instead of the typical 'Critical'. Voss has also confirmed that the various bulletins will be made available for download via Windows Update on April 12 at approximately 10pm PDT.

AMD to release Radeon HD 6450 for retail? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-to-release-radeon-hd-6450-forretail-/11830.html April 12th, 2011

The last time we spoke about the Radeon HD 6450 graphics card, AMD had stated that this particular card will be exclusive to OEMs only, which meant that the average DIY-er desiring an entry-level, low-cost 6xxx-series graphics card from the likes of AMD were essentially cut out of the loop. However, word has it that AMD has since reversed its decision, and it seems like the Radeon HD 6450 will indeed be making its entry on retail shelves soon.

For most DIY-ers and hardware enthusiasts, the act of asking them build a PC with an entry-level graphics card is usually met with a great deal of incredulity, and for good reason. After all, it would be more economical for users who do not need the power of a dedicated graphics card to stick with the motherboard's or processor's onboard graphics, especially if the user does not intend to make use of his or a PC as a multimedia entertainment device. And even if they do, the state of integrated graphics solutions offered by Intel, AMD and NVIDIA have improved to a point where it is now possible to enjoy decent-quality content without significant slowdowns. However, it appears that AMD keen on capturing the segment of users who want something a little more powerful than the generic onboard graphics solution without having to break the piggy bank on a mainstream card that they will never fully utilize. The solution to that issue came in the form of AMD's low-profile Radeon HD 6450 graphics card, which features a new Caicos GPU along with many of the features found in the higher-end 6xxx-series cards, but substantially toned down to reduce power draw and cost. Still, one tiny problem remained with the card: it was only available for OEMs.

April 12th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

production demands and timeline challenges with the help of NVIDIA速 Quadro速 professional graphics solutions. Approximately 450 ILM artists located in San Francisco and Singapore worked on Rango, each on a workstation equipped with NVIDIA Quadro solutions. The artists benefited from the speed of the graphics processing unit (GPU) when using animation tools such as Autodesk Maya, along with a range of ILM's in-house applications.

That being said, AMD has seemingly changed its mind about the 'OEM-only' aspect of the card, for various reports have claimed that the company has quietly released two variants of the Radeon HD 6450 for retail. Like the original 'OEMonly' version, the HD 6450 will feature 160 stream processing units, eight texture units, 16 Z/Stencil ROP units, four colour ROP units, and will feature either GDDR5 or DDR3 memory. The GDDR5 version will sport 1GB of memory at speeds of 800-900MHz and a slightly faster GPU which is clocked at 750MHz, while the slower DDR3 version will feature 512MB of memory clocked at 533-800MHz and a GPU clocked at 625MHz.

"Whenever you're approaching a film of this scale you need to make your production pipeline operate as efficiently as possible -- especially when it comes to character animation work," said Tim Alexander, VFX supervisor for Rango. "By using NVIDIA Quadro processors and building GPUaccelerated processes into our workflow, we saved a huge amount of rendering time." ILM's proprietary GPU-accelerated fluid solver / renderer "Plume" has been used on several films, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and The Last Airbender. For Rango, new shadow and lighting features were built into Plume to make dust and fire simulations more realistic, contributing to the unique look of the environments envisioned for the film.

Full system specifications for the AMD Radeon HD 6450 graphics card can be obtained at AMD's product page here.

Alexander explains, "If we have a character standing in the key light, he'll actually cast a shadow into the dust, smoke or fire. In the past we would fake those biometric ray-type effects or any sort of shading in the composite phase. By using the GPU to bake shadows and lighting into the simulation, we saved a tremendous amount of time and achieved a more realistic effect by having all of the detail of the object that's casting the shadow actually in the shadow itself."

Rango and Quadro: NVIDIA's professional GPUs slice render times substantially

Plume was also used to simulate fire; in one scene, the main character Rango belches flames, setting a saloon patron ablaze. "With NVIDIA GPU acceleration in Plume, we're getting real-time feedback on dust and fire. Previously it would have taken one or two days to simulate the same scene," continued Alexander.

No word about pricing and availability has been made public yet, although various websites have confirmed that both variants of the Radeon HD 6450 will retail at sub-US$60 levels.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rango-and-quadro-nvidia-sprofessional-gpus-slice-render-times-substantially/11829.html April 12th, 2011

In Rango, the new Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon animated film directed by Gore Verbinski, visual effects facility Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) was able to overcome production demands and timeline challenges with the help of NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics. Approximately 450 ILM artists located in San Francisco and Singapore worked on Rango, each on a workstation equipped with NVIDIA Quadro solutions. In Rango, the new Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon animated film directed by Gore Verbinski, visual effects facility Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) was able to overcome

Rango's crowd scenes feature up to 120 variations of 75 key characters -- each one with either hair, fur or feathers on their body. In order to accommodate the massive amounts of rendering required to generate the frames, ILM developed a GPU-accelerated process to calculate lighting occlusion. The occlusion data provided a preview of hair or feathers, and was fed into Pixar's RenderMan renderer for a final pass. The pipeline shortcut resulted in speed increases of up to 100 times, depending on how complicated the hair or feathers were within a given sequence. Furthermore, the hundreds of GPU cores in each artist's workstation also boosted the performance of ILM's GPU render farm during off-business hours. With "ObaQ", ILM's Academy Award-winning render queue system, NVIDIA processors were automatically utilized by the render system when an artist logged out at the end of the workday. "Our ongoing work with ILM to drive GPU optimization for visual effects and CG creation has led to incredible results," said Dominick Spina, technology manager, Digital Film Group, NVIDIA. "ILM's growing GPU integration and 27

April 12th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

the dramatic impact it has made on their workflow ultimately benefits filmgoers, who continue to be delighted by ILM's innovative visual effects."

Source: NVIDIA Press Release

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

• Friendly installation.

Xigmatek Aegir CPU Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xigmatek-aegir-cpu-cooler/11887.html April 16th, 2011

High performance coolers are an essential part for the systems of enthusiasts, especially those which delve into overclocking. Today we are going to take a look on a product from Xigmatek, an European manufacturer, the Aegir SD128264 CPU cooler. High performance coolers are an essential part for the systems of enthusiasts, especially those which delve into overclocking. Today we are going to take a look on a product from Xigmatek, an European manufacturer, the Aegir SD128264 CPU cooler. Xigmatek fancies naming their products after old gods and other mythological figures; Aegir was the Norse god of the seas. What the long model number stands for, we will never know. Xigmatek makes some interesting claims about the performance and technology of this cooler which will soon be put to the test.

Samsung Nexus S Review: Second "Google Phone", but first with Android 2.3 Gingerbread Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-nexus-s-review-secondgoogle-phone--but-first-with-android-2.3-gingerbread/11823.html April 16th, 2011

The Samsung Nexus S has landed in Singapore. If you didn't have the chance to purchase online in December last year, well, the good news is that you don't have to look for it online. The phone is available at all mobile phone retailers here. We at VRZone managed to get one in for this review.

Manufacturer features and specifications

• H.D.T. (Heat-pipe direct touch) technology. • Support for LGA775/1156/1366; AM2/AM2+/AM3. • Dual fan installed option and Anti-vibration rubbers attached. • Double layer HDT & Double performance. • 2pcs Φ8mm & 4pcs Φ6mm high performance heat-pipes. • PWM fan to adjust the power of the fan efficiently. • Anti-vibration rubbers prevent vibration and absorb noise. • Mounting system, Spring-Screw and consolidate back plate.

In early 2010, Google caught everyone by surprise when it announced its own branded Nexus One Android smartphone. Dubbed "the Google phone", the Nexus One was manufactured by Taiwanese company HTC and was preloaded with Android

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

2.1 (Eclair) mobile operating system. To date, the smartphone has received updates to the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread. While Google had said that it will not come up with another smartphone, the search engine giant launched the Nexus S, the successor to the Nexus One, in December 2010. Manufactured by Samsung, the Google Nexus S features the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread and it was available for online purchase in US and UK. No luck for those of us here in Singapore then. Thankfully, in mid March, Samsung officially announced that the Nexus S is selling here. However, note that it is called the Samsung Nexus S rather than Google Nexus S and there's a slight difference: the Samsung Nexus S uses the Super LCD screen, while the Google Nexus S is equipped with Super AMOLED. For those into the full specifications, here you go:CPU Memory Storage Screen Graphics Display Resolution Connectivity

Expansion Slot Battery life Talk time Platform Dimensions Weight

Samsung Nexus S 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird S5PC110 Internal phone: 512MB 16GB internal 4-inches (WVGA) Super LCD 800 x 480 5-MP camera w/ auto focus, LED flash 3.5mm audio, micro-USB, 802.11b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, A-GPS n/a 1500mAh rechargeable Lithium-ion Up to 427 hour standby time; Up to 402 min talk time Android 2.3 Gingerbread 123.9 x 63 x 10.8mm 129g

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 15 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--15april-2011/11451.html April 16th, 2011

Description: AMD is reportedly already preparing its next series of Radeon HD 7000-series GPUs, and planning to start mass production of the new chips in May this year. Description: The keyboard is a vital piece of equipment to any gamer looking for that certain edge. Thermaltake’s Challenger Pro has a few unique features to set itself apart from the rest of the field. Description: The DH67BL has all the necessary features that a HTPC or anyone needing a small powerful computer would need. The DH67BL has the LGA1155 socket that supports the newest Intel Core i7/i5/i3 Sandy Bridge processors. Description: The latest mid-range card to greet us comes from ASUS and is part of the new NVIDIA GTX 550 Ti series. The model we're looking at today is part of both the DirectCU and TOP series and carries with it both a healthy overclock and upgraded cooling system. Description: ASUS’ WS series, which is shortened for Workstation, targets users who find quality and stability to be the key features to any PC, while enabling the same PC to use its performance to the max on said motherboard. Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: Ten months after the iPhone 4 was announced, Apple is still reassuring us that the white model is on its waypossibly. After Bloomberg reported the white iPhone 4 should be on sale by the end of the month. Description: The BlackBerry PlayBook isn't just the third major tablet platform to launch, or the first one to deeply poke at figuring out why 7-inch tablets should exist—it's literally the future of BlackBerry, since the QNX-based OS is going to be the gooey software heart of BlackBerry phones in the next year or so. Description: Microsoft's new browser, Internet Explorer 10 (IE10), will not run on Windows Vista, either now in its developer preview form or when the software ships, the company confirmed today. Description: A major security flaw has been discovered in the Skype for Android app, one which could put the sum total of a user's private data in danger of being accessed by others. Description: Spotify AB said it is cutting back on its free musicstreaming service, as the European start-up tries to boost the number of paying subscribers and attempts to expand into the U.S. Description: Build quality, easy swappable 3.5'' HDD tray, dual OS, built-in WiFi and 7.1 analog audio outputs are just some of the many features that place the S800 Ultra by Egreat next to the best network media players the market has to offer today. Gaming news

In today's news roundup: AMD Radeon HD 7000-series rumoured for May production ; ASUS GeForce GTX 550 Ti DirectCU TOP overclocked video card review; Apple: White iPhone 4 is real (and late) ; Review of the BlackBerry PlayBook; Sony PlayStation 3 sales hit 50 million , and Gears of War 3 beta impressions . Hardware news

Description: It's not officially E3 season until the first big rumors start swirling. And there's a big one making the rounds related to Nintendo and a potential successor to the popular Wii console. Description: Sony announced today that the PlayStation 3 has sold 50 million units worldwide as of March 29. Not only that, but PlayStation Move has been enjoying some success too, with 8 million units sold worldwide as of April 3. 2

April 16th, 2011

Description: We here at IGN have had a few days to get our feet wet in the Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta before anyone else. But we aren't here to brag (well, maybe a little), we're here to let you know what we think.

Taiwan Excellence Awards

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Mionix Zibal 60 Mechanical Keyboard Unveiled Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mionix-zibal-60-mechanical-keyboardunveiled/11885.html April 16th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/taiwan-excellence-awards/11886.html April 16th, 2011

Mionix has unveiled the Zibal 60, a mechanical keyboard developed for the gamer. It comes with non-tactile, mechanical, black cherry MX switche, multi-level backlight illumination paired with six key rollover as well as two port usb 2.0 hub, audio/mic extensions and media control keys. Mionix™ Zibal 60 will be available worldwide to preorder today and delivery in June 2011. Suggested retail price: $149.99 / €149.99

Today the Gold and Silver awards in the Taiwan Excellence Awards were announced and VR-Zone was on location in Taipei. The awards are very prestigious in Taiwan and this year was the 19th year that TAITRA arranged the awards. All the big names like Asus, D-Link, Gigabyte, MSI and VIA were in the running for the top Gold and Silver awards, although we have to say that we were somewhat surprised at the judges choices. There are of course several categories outside of the IT industry for the Taiwan Excellence Awards and the products competing for the awards included an SUV for local car company Luxgen, CNC machines, cook tops, water purification systems and even a high-end toilet from HCG with a wireless remote control. You’ll find pictures of some of these products on the last page, as not all were actually displayed at the event due to their sheer size. A total of 974 products were submitted for the awards of which 459 were selected of which only the top 30 products were represented at today’s awards ceremony. Also on site was Taiwan’s Vice President Vincent V. Siew and he presented the Gold award winners with their awards.

Vaxjo, Sweden – April 14th, 2011 - Mionix™, the Swedish manufacturer of professional high-end gaming accessories today unveiled the Mionix™ Zibal 60, a mechanical keyboard developed for the gamer that deserves the best. "I believe it is an artform to building keyboards, that are not just for gaming but also compromise free and simple in design. The high attention to detail and subtle features are going to be loved by our loyal users”, says Carl Conradsson, Mionix.

WHEN INNOVATION MEETS PERFORMANCE The Mionix Zibal 60 is a fusion of the best keyboard components together with great gaming features that gives your game the edge you have been searching for. Engineered with non-tactile, mechanical, black cherry MX switches that deliver the best feel to every keystroke. Multi-level backlight illumination paired with six key rollover that allows you to perform up to six simultaneous keystrokes with all keys, make the Zibal 60 standout from the crowd. in addition to the performance features, the Zibal 60 offers smart functions that 3

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

include a two port usb 2.0 hub, audio/mic extensions and media control keys for full integration with your desktop setup. FEATURES • Black Cherry MX Mechanical key switches • Detachable wrist rest • Green backlit key illumination • Three lighting modes On, Off and WASD • Multi-level brightness control • Mionix action key to access light/media controls • Six key rollover • Rage proof durability • Connect-through ports for audio/mic • full speed uSb 2.0 hub • Plug n Play AVAILABILITY & PRICING Mionix™ Zibal 60 will be available worldwide to pre-order today and delivery in June 2011 Suggested retail price: $149.99 / €149.99

Mozilla announces new "Aurora" rapid release for Firefox Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mozilla-announces-new-aurora-rapidrelease-for-firefox/11884.html April 16th, 2011

Most tech-savvy PC users do not have a problem with testing out pre-release and development builds of popular software, especially if the 'popular software' in question happens to be the all-important application known as the 'web browser'. Of course, most users will also attempt to draw a line between getting the latest, most bleeding-edge software and having to deal with unstable applications that seemingly are engineered to break something, and leave it to Mozilla to attempt to bridge the gap with its new rapid release channel of Firefox known as Aurora.

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

have gone through substantial amounts of testing from the developers and are deemed stable enough for use by most PC users barring a few bugs every here and there. However, there is still a long gap between the time taken for suitable nightly build to be pushed up into the Beta channel, and this is where the new Aurora release comes in to fill that gap.

Most tech-savvy PC users are usually adventurous enough enough to test out pre-release software that are made freely available for download, and for good reason. After all, it is always important to have the latest and the greatest version of any software one is currently using for a wide variety of reasons, such as increased stability, performance improvements and the introduction of new user-centric features. That being said, most sane adventurous users will attempt to draw the line between highly experimental software applications that have gone through little to no quality testing by the program's developers, and pre-release software that are proclaimed to feature stability levels close to that of what will eventually be the final build. And because real-world statistics are so important to developers of any software application, Mozilla is attempting to reach out to a wider audience for its Firefox web browser by reaching a compromise between its highly unstable testing branches and more stable beta channels, and it comes in the form of the new Aurora rapidrelease channel.

As most people who are familiar with Mozilla's development schedules are fully aware, Firefox development can be broken down into three broad categories. The first category is known as Minefield, and as its name suggests, it is in this stage of development where developers introduce various experimental features into the web browser. However, the nightly builds generated daily by the Minefield channel are also considered off limits to all but the most adventurous PC user, as these builds are churned out by an automated build server with no quality tests performed on them.

Unlike the Minefield nightly builds, the Aurora releases are aimed more towards software enthusiasts who crave an experimental browser that comes with some semblance of stability. Instead of daily releases, Aurora builds have a slightly longer release cycle of approximately six weeks, but will come with some degree of testing from the Mozilla developers. This helps to ensure that there is a minimum level of stability present in Aurora builds of the Firefox web browser. The Aurora builds of Firefox are already available for users to download and install, but we would like to remind users that the Aurora channel is not meant for 'anybody' to download. This is due to the fact that the Aurora channel is still no where as stable as a beta build, which in turn pales to the final release where stability is concerned. Get it if you want, but keep in mind that there is a distinct possibility of having to deal with the browser breaking at the most unexpected moment due to its unstable nature.

ASUS Announces World's First Two-Way HDMI Streaming Kit Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-announces-world-s-first-two-wayhdmi-streaming-kit/11883.html April 16th, 2011

The second category is known as the Beta release channel, and this is the channel which most of the average adventurous PC users are familiar with. Unlike the nightly builds, beta builds 5

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ASUS has launched WAVI, the world’s first wireless HDMI kit to feature innovative two-way wireless USB control designed to stream PC content to the big screen TV. WAVI (Wireless Audio Video Interaction) is offered as a pair of devices that bridges the gap between the home office and living room. Watch movies, play the latest PC games, enjoy social networking or even do online shopping, all on the big screen TV from the comfort of a couch. Read on to view the full press release, along with the WAVI's hardware specifications.

Published by: VR-Zone

Hardware specifications: Model Name Wireless standard Antenna Operation Channel Power Supply

Power consumption Resolution

Dimension Adapter and Cables

WAVI AMIMON WHDI Technology 4 x 5 MIMO 5 GHz Transmitter and Receiver:12V, 2A 24W adapters 24W TV:1080p, 1080i , 720p, 576p, 480p 3D Videos: 1080p@24Hz 241mm x 171mm x 290mm AC adapter x2 HDMI cable x2

USB cable x1 That being said, no information about the WAVI's official release date and pricing has been released by ASUS yet, so do remember to check back this page for updates about these missing details.

Samsung announces new line of external hard disks with USB3.0 support Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-new-line-ofexternal-hard-disks-with-usb3.0-support/11882.html April 16th, 2011

Control the PC on the living room TV via two-way streaming The WAVI HDMI streaming kit consists of a transmitter and receiver for two-way input and streaming. Unlike other wireless HDMI kits, the WAVI allows users to control the PC content in the living room with a wireless keyboard and mouse, thanks to wireless USB support. The WAVI operates at the wireless 5GHz band and provides up to 25 meters* of coverage. Additionally, under the Extend Mode, users can continue working on the PC screen while streaming multimedia content to the living room TV – maximizing the use of a single home PC while also providing home entertainment experiences.

With the need to be mobile being greater than ever before, most of us have taken to storing our important data on removable storage devices such as external hard disks and flash drives, and for good reason. However, what happens what users start demanding even greater speeds in the process of transfering data from one's PC to an external storage device? The answer is simple: go the way of USB3.0. And this is exactly what Samsung has done for its latest M-series line of external hard disks

PC fun made easy on the big screen TV The WAVI is easy to set up, with only an HDMI connection needed on each unit. Plug the transmitter end to the PC and the receiver end to a TV with an HDMI connection for wireless entertainment. Anything that can be enjoyed on the PC can now be enjoyed on the living room TV — stream high quality Blu-ray movies, play PC games lag-free, listen to music, keep up with friends on social networks like Facebook or Twitter or do some online shopping, all from the comfort of the couch. *Subject to room settings

When it comes to PC accessories and pheripherals, the one thing which virtually all PC users cannot afford to go without 6

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today are the humble but vital tools known as external storage devices such as external hard disks and USB flash disks, and for good reason. After all, external storage devices such as the examples mentioned above are essential for transfering data from place to place in the absence of a wireless data connection, and the ability to always have a physical copy of one's digital content can mean the difference between meeting or missing a deadline for the busy professional. With that in mind, the rapid advancements taking place in the technological field today also means that access to ultra highspeed data interfaces is no longer a luxury, but a neccessity. So how does one make the humble external storage device perform faster in order to keep up with the demands of today's digital worker? For Samsung (and many other manufacturers as well), the answer is simple; outfit those devices with the latest, fastest data connection interface possible. And in this case, the interface in question is USB3.0, which is now supported in Samsung's new line of M-series external hard disks.

According to the official press release issued by the Korean electronics giant, the new line of M-series hard disks will be available in both 2.5-inch and desktop-sized 3.5-inch form factors to cater to both the mobile and deskbound users who need a means of expanding the maximum storage capacity of their current machines. The 2.5-inch versions of the new external hard disks, which will be sold under the M2 Portable branding, will feature what Samsung calls a simple and modern 'Scandinavian' design with a coating that is reportedly stain and fingerprint resistant. In addition, Samsung has confirmed in its press release that the M2 Portable hard disks will be sold in two capacities only (500GB and 1TB) and will come in four different colours for consumers to choose from, namely Brown Black, Noble beige, Grey Mist and Clay Orange.

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The new M-series of external hard disk are reportedly available for sale already; that being said, no information about the hard disks' prices has been revealed, so we will probably have to wait for that bit of information to be publicly announced once these hard disks show up for sale in sunny Singapore.

MSI launches nine new highperformance notebooks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-launches-nine-new-highperformance-notebooks/11881.html April 16th, 2011

Need a new notebook for the year 2011? Well, leave it to MSI to flood the retail shelves with a new wave of offerings which seemingly appear to be capable of catering to a wide variety of demands put forth by the ever-so-choosy consumer. With up to nine new models being announced by the Taiwanese OEM, it seems that 2011 is going to be yet another rather interesting and competitive year for the notebook PC market. Smartphones and tablet PC devices may be all the rage where mobile computing is concerned today, but many professionals will still swear by their trusty, full-sized notebook when it comes to serious data crunching, and for good reason. After all, the puny ARM processors used in mobile devices are just not powerful enough to handle some of the more resourceintensive applications used by many professionals in their line of work today. That, and the fact that the ARM architecture is simply not capable running the world's most popular PC operating system means that one still needs a proper device running of a decent x86 processor in order to even start thinking about being productive while on the move. Naturally, if you are gravitating towards an x86-powered notebook for your mobile computing tool of choice, chances are you will have to take a pick between mobility and raw performance. And the good news is that MSI has just announced nine new notebooks which appear to be capable of satisfying a wide variety of consumers. MSI X370

On the other hand, the larger 3.5-inch external hard disks, otherwise known as the M3 Station, will be sold in two colours only (Brown Black and Moble Beige), and are said to come in only one capacity, which is that of a hulking 2TB. In addition to the hardware, Samsung also claims that the new M-series line of external hard disks comes bundled with various tools such as a disk management program, Auto Backup programs and a 'Secret Zone' application which is supposedly tied to the management of the hardware-based Secure Erase function found in most hard disks today (but disabled at the BIOS level).

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The latest entrant to MSI's ultraslim X-series product line, the MSI X370 ultraportable notebook drops the typical Intel ULV processors used in such classes of notebooks in favor of one of AMD's Fusion APUs instead. Powering the MSI X370 is one of AMD's low-power E-series processor, the dual-core, Bobcatbased E-320, which is clocked at 1.6GHz, and an integrated AMD Radeon HD 6310 GPU which is built into the processor. MSI's press release makes no mention of any further hardware specifications, but we have gotten word that the X370 will come bundled with up to 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard disk, along with the standard VGA-out and HDMI-out ports, a card reader and a webcam, all for the price of US$599. MSI FX620DX/FX420

Published by: VR-Zone April 16th, 2011

Sure, most Meizu M8 users were already preparing themselves for the day where the company responsible for the production and marketing of their iPhone-lookalike handsets ceases all development for their device, but nothing beats an official announcement to announce the inevitable. And this was precisely what M8 users were treated to in an announcement posted on a Meizu forum not too long ago. Meizu's new smartphones always seem to grab the headlines whenever they are released, and it is usually due to all the wrong reasons such as bearing uncanny similarities to a certain OEM's devices, right down to the very way their own WinCE-based OS is designed. However, that is mostly history, and the Meizu we are all familiar with today are now one of the more popular smartphone OEMs in China for their sleeklooking smartphones that run off the open Android operating system.

MSI has also updated its high-performance FX series of notebooks with two new additions to its product line, and they come in the form of the FX620DX (shown above) and the slightly smaller FX420 notebooks. That being said, high-performance notebooks are usually made to look impressive to complement their high-end hardware specifications, and the newly-announced FX notebooks are no exceptions. According to the official press release, the new notebooks are "sheathed in MSI's exclusive raised totem seal coating and color film print which exude a sophisticated air and provide the added bonus of making these NBs resistant to scratches and wear."

However, where does that leave the older Meizu M8 smartphone which still runs off a heavilly skinned version of WindowsCE and features much more limitted hardware specifications as compared to the current Meizu M9 smartphone based off the Android operating system? Well, it appears that M8 users will have to deal with the fact that their smartphone has reached the end of its upgrade path, for the OEM's CEO, J. Wong, has seemingly made an announcement on the company's official forum that the development team will cease all efforts on maintaining and updating the Meizu M8's firmware.

Unfortunately, MSI has not released any information about the FX620DX and FX420's hardware specifications. However, a quick look at MSI's product page reveals that the FX620DX will sport either an Intel Core i5-2410M or i7-2630QM processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GT540M graphics card, a hard disk with up to 720GB of storage capacitiy and up to 8GB of memory. And while the FX420 is still not listed on MSI's product page, we have got word that the FX420 will drop the GT540M in favor of an AMD Radeon HD 6470 graphics card.

Meizu to cease all development for M8 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/meizu-to-cease-all-development-form8/11880.html

For some reason, we not able to find the alleged 'official announcement' anywhere on Meizu's official BBS, although another forum set up by Meizu fans, known as Meizu Me, have claimed that J. Wong did indeed break the news in their official forums. On top of that, the Meizu Me forums claim that J. Wong's justification for dropping all development efforts for the Meizu M8 and its underlying WinCE-based OS stems from the fact that the company simply could not afford to keep maintaining two operating systems, especially when the M8 8

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has not been sold for quite some time already due to legal threats from the likes of a certain fruit-named OEM. Instead, the main focus for Meizu's development team will now be the Meizu M9 and the company's upcoming product which Meizu Me dubs the M9 II, both of which are based off Google's Android operating system. In other words, it looks like the curtain has officially fallen for the M8, whose time on stage is now at its end.

Personalize your Gmail with a new background picture Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/personalize-your-gmail-with-a-newbackground-picture/11879.html April 16th, 2011

Google has included a theme feature in Gmail that allows users to have a personalized look. Aside from the various color and theme selections, you can now customize Gmail with your own background picture too. Read on for more details.

Published by: VR-Zone April 16th, 2011

So far there haven't been all to many third party SATA 6Gbps controllers in the market, although ASMedia, a subsidiary to Asus announced its ASM106x series of SATA 6Gbps controller back in December last year, but it's only now that we're starting to see products based on it. So far the only option has been Marvell's family of SATA 6Gbps controllers which is continually growing, but we have a feeling that ASMedia's solution will be far more cost effective. So far there haven't been all to many third party SATA 6Gbps controllers in the market, although ASMedia, a subsidiary to Asus announced its ASM106x series of SATA 6Gbps controller back in December last year, but it's only now that we're starting to see products based on it. So far the only option has been Marvell's family of SATA 6Gbps controllers which is continually growing, but we have a feeling that ASMedia's solution will be far more cost effective. We're somewhat surprised that ASMedia is only listing the ASM1061 on its website, as the company has three more models, the ASM1060, ASM1062 and ASM1062R where the latter supports RAID. The ASM1060, ASM1062 and ASM1062R are all pin to pin compatible, whereas the ASM1061 is not. The ASM1060 only supports SATA 3Gbps which is a bit confusing as its model name is so similar to the SATA 6Gbps products. The ASM1060, ASM1062 and ASM1062R all support IDE, while the smaller ASM1061 doesn't.

Yes, you can now have a personalize Gmail account, the way you want it. Previously, you can only select from the different color and themes available in the settings. Simply go to the "Options", the gear icon at the upper right of the screen, choose "Mail Settings", "Themes" and to the option, "Create Your Own Theme". Select a Picasa photo or upload your picture, as well as customize text and background colors. In addition to this theme customization, Google has also mentioned that it will be making ads relevant according to your emails.

ASMedia's SATA 6Gbps controller hits retail Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asmedia-s-sata-6gbps-controller-hitsretail/11878.html

We have to apologize for the fact that we don't know which controllers are being used in the products we've spotted, but we have a feeling that the both products are using o the ASM1061, as it's the smallest of the four SATA 6Gbps controllers and the chips used in both cases are tiny, in fact the chip is so small that its dwarfed by other components on the PCB. The add-in card comes from Taiwanese eMegatech, although we didn't manage to track it down on the manufacturers website, but it retails for NT$1090 (S$47) in Taiwan which seems a bit on the expensive side.The second product we've sporting an ASMedia SATA 6Gbps is an upcoming H61 motherboard from MSI called the PH61A-P35. This board also incorporates an ASMedia USB 3.0 host controller and an ASMedia PCI Express to PCI bridge. 9

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We'd expect to see a lot more products with ASMedia solutions at Computex as well as some new announcements by the company itself whom we'll make sure to visit at the show. Hopefully there will be some benchmarks of ASMedia's SATA 6Gbps controllers cropping up, as performance matters when it comes to SATA 6Gbps and ASMedia is going to have to offer similar performance to that of Marvell's products to gain general acceptance by motherboard and add-in card makers.

Intel and Micro announces 20nm NAND Flash Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-and-micro-announces-20nmnand-flash/11877.html April 16th, 2011

If things go as planned for Intel and Micron's joint venture in NAND Flash, we might be seeing a second iteration of SSDs later this year, as the two companies have announced that they're the first NAND Flash manufacturer to create 20nm 8GB MLC NAND Flash memory. It's unclear exactly how significant this additional die shrink is, although beyond being a cost saving measure; it also means smaller memory chips. If things go as planned for Intel and Micron's joint venture in NAND Flash, we might be seeing a second iteration of SSDs later this year, as the two companies have announced that they're the first NAND Flash manufacturer to create 20nm 8GB MLC NAND Flash memory. It's unclear exactly how significant this additional die shrink is, although beyond being a cost saving measure; it also means smaller memory chips. Although some companies are already manufacturing sub 25nm NAND Flash memory, IMFT just overtook all of its competitors with its 20nm NAND Flash. The company is expecting to transition all of its Fabs from 25nm to 20nm this year with its Fab in Utah, USA being the first one, followed by its Virginia, USA and Singapore plants at a later stage. This is a very quick transition, although it's likely to be a somewhat easier transition than what is normally the case, at least if the quick time scale is anything to go by.

Published by: VR-Zone

IMFT claims that we can expect similar performance and more importantly, endurance as its current 25nm NAND Flash products. If you take a look at the picture provided by IMFT you'll see the significance in terms of size that the die shrink offer, even from 25nm. Do note that the 34nm parts are two 4GB devices, whereas the 25nm and 20nm parts are 8GB. The 25nm parts measure 167 square mm while the new 20nm parts measure a mere 118 square mm. This can be used to reduce the board space on a PCB of an SSD by somewhere between 30 to 40 percent, or the other way to look at it you could fit 30 to 40 percent more NAND Flash chips to an SSD. Right now we're of course looking at pre-production silicon and actual production isn't intended to start until sometime in the second half of this year. However, by then IMFT is expecting to have 16GB samples ready which the company claims will allow for 128GB single chip SSD the size of a postage stamp. As for cost reduction over current 25nm parts, well, it won't that massive, but expect to see even more affordable SSDs towards the end of this year or early next year, especially as the price of the SSD controllers for 2xnm NAND Flash are expected to have come down by then as well.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 14 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--14april-2011/11875.html April 16th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Thermaltake's dual 120mm tower cooling fan, the Thermaltake Jing Silent CPU cooler, gets reviewed; EVGA's dual-GPU GeForce GTX590 Classified gets the quad-SLI treatment for a performance review by Hi Tech Legion; Red Hat is reportedly planning to create a new programming language that will kill off the use of Java in the enterprise space; Lenovo denies the existance of plans for a 23-inch tablet computing device; Sony unveils a fresh wave of games for its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable video game consoles, and Nintendo is reportedly considering a price cut for its existing Wii consoles for the month of May. Hardware news 10

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Thermaltake Jing Silent CPU Cooler Review @ Legit Reviews Description: Today we are taking a look at the Thermaltake Jing silent CPU cooler. The Jing is a dual 120mm fan tower cooler with being quiet and performing well as its goal. Join us as we stack the Jing up against a dozen other coolers on our Intel Core i7 test bench and also see how quiet the Jing is compared to the kings of quiet, Noctua. OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD Review Description: The performance oriented controller used by the Vertex 3 known as the SandForce SF-2281 includes support for the SATA 6Gb/s interface, while boasting read and write speeds of 500MB/s+, a mind blowing figure when compared to previous generation chips. NZXT Blue Sleeved LED Kit Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: What you get from NZXT is a two meter long string of LED lights with a controller and mounting hardware that lets you customize the lighting effect seen through a case's side window. Available in lengths of either one or two meters - and with color choices of blue, green, orange, red, or white - there is bound to be a combination to suit just about any system. OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G 120GB Solid State Drive Review Description: It's now 2011 and we've started a new season for solid state drives. Take me out to the ball game; OWC is in the batter's box. OWC has kept their SandForce partnership and once again amazed us with their ability to get a product to market so quickly. To date only OCZ Technology has been able to sample us with a SandForce 2000 Series product and that was an engineering sample that can't use the same mass production firmware found in the retail drives. We've already covered the SandForce 2000 Series lineup in detail. For a full break down of what's to come, be sure to check out that article." Thermaltake Level 10 GT Case Review @ Tweaknews Description: Level 10 for the masses? I'm sure that's what Thermaltake had in mind when designing the Level 10 GT chassis. Available now for a bit less than $300 US, the Level 10 GT has a much more attractive price, but only when compared to the original Level 10 chassis. Intel DP67BG Review @ ocaholic Description: With the DP67BG Intel presents its Sandy Bridge motherboard which has been designed for overclockers and gamers. The board therefore comes with decent overclocking features in the BIOS as well as attractive performance. Regarding features the list isn't very long but never the less there still is the backlit skull which one could also find on the previous board. EVGA GeForce GTX 590 Classified Quad-SLI Performance Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The EVGA GTX 590 Classified video card consists of two GF110 GPUs on a single PCB. The EVGA GTX 590 Classified has 3,072MB of GDDR5 memory on a 768-bit memory interface equipped with 1,024 CUDA cores. Clocked higher than the stock GTX 590, the EVGA GeForce GTX 590 Classified edition carries a core clock of 630 MHz and a memory clock of 3456 MHz. A pair of EVGA GTX 590 Classified in SLI provides astonishing performance, unlike anything NVIDIA has ever produced. Ever wanted to play

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games smoothly in 2560x1600 with all the eye-candy turned up to the max, including an anti-aliasing mode that can be set to 64x? A single EVGA GTX 590 Classified can do that. Two GTX 590 in Quad-SLI means you’ll be ready for anything. Fractal Design Define XL PC Case Review @ Real World Labs Description: Not only does the latest Define XL by Fractal Design packs the same high build quality and number of features as its smaller siblings but it is also the largest tower case currently in their production line. Consumer Electronics and Software news ROCCAT Kulo Stereo Headset Review @ Vortez Description: It is today that we look in anticipation to a product that we first cast our eyes on at CeBIT some weeks ago now. ROCCAT Kulo is an extremely lightweight gaming headset designed for those on the move, with their compact design they are sure to feature at the yearly LAN party. ROCCAT claim that this headset will offer great audio performance and has a robust construction thus allowing it to withstand the knocks and bashes, twists and pulls that some peripherals have to endure whilst in transit. Windows Phone 7, You Were Supposed to be Great. So What Happened? Description: "Windows Phone 7 is the most aggressively different, fresh approach to a phone interface since the iPhone." We published those words half a year ago, hoping WP7 would be a radical firebrand in phone land. But it's stalled. We're disappointed. Red Hat wants to knife Java with Ceylon Project Description: Open source distributor Red Hat has been secretly working on a new language, which it wants to use to kill off Java in the enterprise and stick its own Java-based successor in its place. HTC Sense 3.0 will only support Sensation, EVO 3D, Flyer and newer devices; older hardware left behind Description: Unfortunate news for anyone who saw HTC's Sense 3.0 UI and started dreaming about seeing it on their Desire HD, Incredible S or any other handset that doesn't ship with it preloaded. HTC has said that because of the hardware requirements of the fancier new Android skin, only the dualcore Sensation 4G and EVO 3D smartphones and the 1.5GHz Flyer tablet will be benefiting from it for now. Lenovo denies plans for 23″ tablet Description: There won’t be a 23″ tablet coming from Lenovo this year. According to the latest reports online, the Chinese OEM has denied the existence or plans to introduce a tablet later this year. Gigabyte's S1080 dual-core Windows tablet ships to Taiwan Description: Gigabyte has started taking orders for its S108 dual-core 1.66Ghz Atom-powered Windows 7 tablet in Taiwan. The device has a has a 10.1-inch LED capacitive multi-touch panel with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. It comes standard with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and utilizes Intel’s GMA 3150 integrated graphics, while it features one USB 3.0 port in its array to deliver high-speed connectivity. Wi-Fi only Dell Streak 7 released in the U.K.

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Description: The Dell Streak 7 hasn't been met with much praise stateside, but maybe it will have better luck now that the Wi-Fi only version is being launched in the United Kingdom. Gaming news Sony Computer Entertainment Unveils New Games In Media Event Description: Today, Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong (SCEH) held a media preview on their latest upcoming PlayStation 3 (PS3) and PlayStation Portable (PSP) game titles which includes Man vs Wild with Bear Grylls, SOCOM 4, BRINK, Thor: God of Thunder and Dissidia 012 [duodecim] Final Fantasy (Chinese/English version). Nintendo To Cut Wii Price To $150 In May Description: A year and a half has passed since Nintendo last cut the price of the Wii, to $200. And it might almost be time for another price slashing for the popular gaming console. FEAR 3 multiplayer preview: Corrupting influence Description: FEAR 3 will feature four multiplayer gametypes, each an isolated mode largely dissimilar to the others. We already got a look at the aptly named "F**king Run!" scenario during PAX East, and at a recent preview event I got my hands on the three other modes, as well as a second take of F**king Run.

PCMark 7 Slated For May 3rd Release, Pre-Ordering Now Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pcmark-7-slated-for-may-3rd-releasepre-ordering-now/11876.html April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

HELSINKI, FINLAND – APRIL 14, 2011 – Futuremark® today confirmed that PCMark® 7, a new benchmark offering complete PC performance testing for Windows 7, will be released on May 3, 2011. PCMark 7 will be available in 3 editions: the Basic Edition, a free download offering unlimited runs of the main PCMark test, the Advanced Edition which includes all 7 PC tests and the Professional Edition which unlocks all features and is the only edition licensed for commercial use. The Advanced and Professional Editions can be pre-ordered now from http://www.pcmark.com. PCMARK 7 BASIC EDITION – Free, available from May 3, 2011 • Free PC test offering unlimited runs of the main PCMark test suite • Browse, search and compare results online • Store one result online PCMARK 7 ADVANCED EDITION - $39.95 – PRE-ORDER NOW • Includes all 7 PC tests with more than 25 individual workloads • Browse, search and compare results online • Unlimited online results storage • Hide results from public view • Offline result management • Advert-free online service PCMARK 7 PROFESSIONAL EDITION - $995.00 – PREORDER NOW • Licensed for commercial PC system testing

Futuremark today confirmed that PCMark 7 will be released on May 3, 2011. PCMark 7 will be available in 3 editions: the Basic Edition, a free download offering unlimited runs of the main PCMark test, the Advanced Edition ($39.95) which includes all 7 PC tests and the Professional Edition (S$995) which unlocks all features and is the only edition licensed for commercial use. The Advanced and Professional Editions can be pre-ordered now from http://www.pcmark.com.

• Includes all 7 PC tests with more than 25 individual workloads • Command line automation • Browse, search and compare results online • Unlimited online results storage • Hide results from public view • Offline result management • Advert-free online service • Priority support PCMark 7 provides a set of 7 PC tests for measuring different aspects of PC performance with a high degree of accuracy. Overall system performance is measured by the PCMark test. The Lightweight test measures the capabilities of entry level systems and mobility platforms unable to run the full PCMark test. Common use performance is measured by the Entertainment, Creativity and Productivity tests. Component performance is measured by the Computation and Storage hardware tests. The Storage test is ideal for testing SSDs and external hard drives in addition to the system drive. 12

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PCMark 7 will be released on May 3, 2011. PCMark 7 Advanced and Professional Editions can be pre-ordered now from http://www.pcmark.com. Visit the official website for more information or follow Futuremark on Facebook.

MicroVision announces opening of research and development facility at NTU

Published by: VR-Zone

dedicated to the development of "innovative, breakthrough products" which utilize its proprietary PicoP laser projection technology. In his opening address, NTU's president-designate and provost, Professor Bertil Andersson likened the relationship between the University and MicroVision to that of a 'marriage' which had experienced its fair share of 'suitors' aiming to 'court' the other party.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microvision-announces-opening-ofresearch-and-development-facility-at-ntu/11873.html April 16th, 2011

Think lasers are only good for making industrial cutting tools, light shows and flashy, lightsaber-lookalike that are capable of bursting balloons with their heat output? Well, think again. A company known as MicroVision which specializes in laser and ultra-miniature display technologies is out to show the world how lasers can be used to actually make something practical for the needs of the consumer, military, industrial and healthcare segments. And to that end, MicroVision has announced its first ever global R&D centre at Nanyang Technological University.

"NTU is proud to partner with MicroVision in their first R&D centre outside of the US. With MicroVision's speciality in areas such as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMs), laser physics and augmented reality, there will be many opportuniteis to work with both the faculty and students from the engineering, physics and new media fields," he said. According to Andersson, the new research facility wil not only focus on developing new products capable of taking advantage of MicroVision's PicoP technology, but also "carry out advanced research in MEMs and laser physics". MicroVision's PicoP technology is currently being used in a wide variety of devices, such as heads-on displays found in medical and military-grade equipment and even laser projectors designed for use with smartphones. He also added that it was the large amount of synergy between the University and MicroVision which has made this partnernship possible. "In fact, the rate our relationship progressed was so fast, we did not even have the time to declare our 'engagement'," he quipped.

Lasers make great toys, do they not? After all, most of us would have at one point of time been infatuated with those little laser pointers that seemingly need so little energy to project a coherent beam of red light that is capable of maintaining its integrity for what is easily a hundred metres without pettering out, unlike a regular torchlight. Then came the introduction of more powerful, lighsaber-lookalike laser pointers that featured more powerful laser diodes with colours aside than red, and geeks were instantly in heaven with their new toys.

Also present at the ceremony was MicroVision's president and CEO, Alexander Tokman, who spoke about the significance of the partnership with NTU.

MicroVision's latest announcement will probably serve as an eye-opener, especially for those who have not been keeping up with laser technology development. This is because the company has just announced the establishment of a new research and development centre in the campus of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) which will be 13

April 16th, 2011

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"The breadth of the technological expertise in the University is second to none; MicroVision looks forward to working with NTU's commendable faculties and student body on furthering its world-winning IP portfolio," he said. Tokman also affirmed MicroVision's commitment to the partnership in his speech, claiming that the company plans to have up to 25 people working in its R&D facilities within a year and half, and NTU staff will make up apprximately 30% of the research team. This was followed by the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between NTU and MicroVision by Andersson and Tokman.

Last but not least, MicroVision's vice president of global R&D and advanced applications, Sid Madhavan wrapped up the presentation with a quick explaination of the company's technological breakthroughs and areas of collaboration with NTU.

Sony Computer Entertainment announces new PlayStation 3 and PSP titles for 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-computer-entertainmentannounces-new-playstation-3-and-psp-titles-for-2011/11874.html April 16th, 2011

Earlier today, Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong held a media event in Singapore to announce their upcoming PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable (PSP) game titles for 2011. The games that were showcased include DISSIDIA Final Fantasy Chinese/English version, Socom 4 (Asia English 14

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vesion), Thor: God of Thunder, Brink and Man vs Wild with Bear Grylls.

The DISSIDIA 012 [duodecim] Final Fantast Chinese/English version is developed from the North America edition, and the main difference is that the voice will be in Japanese while subtitles are in traditional Chinese for event scenes and English for all menus and system messages. Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong has collaborated with SQUARE ENIX to launch the bundle pack of PSP DISSIDIA 012 [duodecim] Final Fantasy Chaos & Cosmos Limited which consists of a special edition PSP, software game and tradition arts (selected one from 10 characters randomly in Vol.1 or Vol.2 series). The bundle pack will be available on 10 May at S$344 in pearl white with original "Chaos & Cosmos design, while the game itself is selling at S$39.90.

Socom 4 is a tactical third-person shooter game set in Asia, and is playable with the PlayStation Move controller. The game is scheduled for release on 19 Apr 2011.

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If you a fan of Bear Grylls, from Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel, you can now try the game on the Sony PlayStation console. You go through each environment or stages and try to meet your in-game objective - from finding food, battling rattlesnakes to building shelters. The game will be in retail from 18 Apr 2011.

Brink is a first-person shooter that offers team-based multiplayer missions which can be played online as well as offline single player mode. If you enjoy such first-person shooting games, Brink is scheduled to be available on 18 May 2011.

Marvel fans are all waiting for the highly anticipated movie, Thor, which is going to be in cinemas here on 28 April this month. Coincidentally, the game is also scheduled to launch on 29 April. If you enjoy playing the mighty God of Thunder and fighting the enemies with the legendary hammer, check this out.

Monster introduces Mobile Jamz high performance in-ear headphones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/monster-introduces-mobile-jamz-highperformance-in-ear-headphones/11872.html April 16th, 2011

April 16th, 2011

Today, Monster has introduced their new Mobile Jamz high performance in-ear headphones that features 2GB Monster Mobile Media Drive and Monster Mobile Media Manager software, and "ControlTalk Universal" which claims to work with any music phone, including BlackBerry, and others.

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watercooling enthusiasts. This thing sure weighs a ton and expect availability in early May. Pricing and specs are not finalized at this point of time. Next, we have the HD 6950 Vortex Edition that comprises of dual 92mm adjustable fans where users can manually adjust the fan height to achieve better cooling performance. It costs some USD10-20 higher than its standard version. PowerColor LCS HD 6990

Monster has announced Mobile Jamz, the newest addition to the acclaimed Jamz family of in-ear headphones. Made of stylish solid metal, the Mobile Jamz is virtually indestructible and claims to offer deep, powerful bass and crystal clear high frequency response. The Mobile Jamz features a host of innovative features such as the Monster Mobile Media Drive with 2GB microSD card and USB adaptor for managing and transferring music and photos from PC to phone. Preloaded with Monster's Mobile Media Manager software, the process is simple, quick and intuitive and delivers an iTunes-like music management experience. The in-ear headphones also comes with ControlTalk Universal for hands-free calling with microphone and answer button. Users can take incoming calls conveniently on most music phones with a 3.5 mm headphone port or a 2.5 mm headphone port with an adaptor. With the included Y-Cable "Chat Adapter," Mobile Jamz can also be used to make calls and video chats on Skype, as well as other online voice and video chat applications.

We are greeted with some of the upcoming PowerColor graphics cards in their Taipei office. First, we have LCS HD 6990 graphics card fitted with EK waterblock for the watercooling enthusiasts. This thing sure weighs a ton and expect availability in early May. Pricing and specs are not finalized at this point of time. PowerColor PCS+ HD 6950 Vortex Edition

The Monster Mobile Jamz retails at S$239 and is available at Audio House, Alpha Audio, Best Denki, Epicentre, Harvey Norman, HMV, i Studio, Stereo and Nubox outlets.

PowerColor LCS HD6990, HD6950 Vortex and SCS3 HD6850 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/powercolor-lcs-hd6990-hd6950vortex-and-scs3-hd6850/11870.html April 16th, 2011

We are greeted with some of the upcoming PowerColor graphics cards in their Taipei office. First, we have LCS HD 6990 graphics card fitted with EK waterblock for the

Next, we have the HD 6950 Vortex Edition that comprises of dual 92mm adjustable fans where users can manually adjust the fan height to achieve better cooling performance. It costs some USD10-20 higher than its standard version. Here's the official press release from TUL : Taipei, Taiwan â&#x20AC;&#x201C;April 14th, 2011 -- TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphic cards, today introduced an innovative cooling technology into the HD6950 series: the PCS+ HD6950 Vortex II Edition. Featuring the PCS+ series characteristic, the latest edition has superior overclocking ability which clocks in at 850MHz core speed and 1300MHz memory speed, easily accelerating gaming machines with nearly 2.39 teraFLOPs of computing power and offering the surprising gaming experience 16

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The PCS+ HD6950 Vortex II Edition enables users to manually adjust the fan and its physical attributes. By lifting the fan, it optimizes the air flow and taking advantage of the cooler air from the bottom of the case, balancing the ambient temperature. Furthermore, with the exclusive perforated fan design and anti-turbulence ability, enhancing the cooling efficiency and resulting in cooling down the temperature up to 20% compare to reference design. Also, the latest solution utilizes “Gold Power Kit” which is composed of the select components: Ferrite Core Choke, Dr. Mos and solid capacitor, allows the stable and more efficient overclocking entertaining environment. Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®2 Game Bundle: A Record Setting AAA Title for True Gamers To bring more benefits for gamers, PowerColor includes the most-anticipated game of the year, Modern Warfare 2, into the PCS+ HD6950 Vortex II Edition. Continuing the gripping and heart-racing action against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse, the Modern Warfare 2 delivers the most realistic and immersive FPS gaming experience with PowerColor PCS+ HD6950 Vortex II Edition to all gamers, enabling the most exhilarating gaming experience like never before.

We have seen this card last November and apparently it has undergone numerous revisions and the most notable is the components layout on the PCB.

Texas Instruments joins the USB-IF certified crowd Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/texas-instruments-joins-the-usb-ifcertified-crowd/11871.html April 16th, 2011

It seems like this week is a good week for getting certified by the USB-IF, as following AMD's and Fresco Logic's announcements earlier this week, it's now Texas Instruments time to get no less than two USB 3.0 host controllers certified. TI is also the first company to get a four port USB 3.0 host controller certified and this means that we can look forward to motherboards with even more USB 3.0 ports. It seems like this week is a good week for getting certified by the USB-IF, as following AMD's and Fresco Logic's announcements earlier this week, it's now Texas Instruments time to get no less than two USB 3.0 host controllers certified. TI is also the first company to get a four port USB 3.0 host controller certified and this means that we can look forward to motherboards with even more USB 3.0 ports.

PowerColor SCS3 HD 6850

The two products in question are the TUSB7320 and TUSB7340, the first is a two port host controller and the second is a four port host controller. TI claims to offer a lower BOM (Bill Of Materials) cost than its competitors thanks to no need for an external EEPROM or some type of Flash memory, although at a mere five percent saving this doesn't sound like a huge savingbut on a few million products, it'll surely add up. That said, it looks like TI is set to be very price competitive, at least compared to what Renesas have been asking for its host controllers to date.

April 16th, 2011

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cardboard with the most important data in five languages, including German are printed. Description: With the latest Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD the people over at Creative have managed not only to surpass themselves but also the competition and have once again proven that they have been and still are the best at what they do. Description: With the Survivor of the relatively new manufacturer Bitfenix are now presented on the second housing market. The first work, Collossus, leaving competitors sit up and showed a 16 kilo monster in innovative LED technology. The two port TUSB7320 is said to have a SRP of US$3.50 while the four port TUSB7340 seems to be the much more affordable option at US$4.50, both in quantities of 1,000 units and we'd expect motherboard, notebook and add-in card makers to get even better pricing than this in higher volumes. This will potentially have a huge impact in the uptake of the USB 3.0 standard, as the Renesas host controller that so far has been the most widely used one, due to it being the only USB-IF certified two port solution has had an SRP of about US$4.50-5 and this is part of the reason that we've been stuck with two USB 3.0 ports on most motherboards. Unprintable Content (Video, Flash, etc.) TI recons it should kick off its volume production by the end of this month and hopefully we should be seeing the first motherboards with TI's new host controllers come Computex. It's been slow progress so far, but with two new USB-IF certified host controller makers in the market, it looks like we're finally starting to see some real competition and on top of that we can look forward to either more affordable USB 3.0 products, or more ports for the same money.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 13 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--13april-2011/11453.html April 16th, 2011

Description: Today CM Storm launch a new mid-tower case called Enforcer. Seen at CES 2011 and CeBIT 2011 this new case has much more subtle styling compared to the Scout and Sniper cases currently residing in CM Storm's product range. Description: The Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2200 2.1 PC speaker system is designed for gamers looking for high-quality 2.1 audio solution at a price point below $100. Consumer Electronics and Software news: Description: In many respects, Echo is an ordinary 3G smartphone, capable of running the usual library of Android apps, and with a set of features that includes a 5-megapixel camera with flash, stereo Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and more. It comes with 1 gigabyte of on-board memory and an expandable 8-GB microSD memory card. Description: The company has officially announced some of its plans for Internet Explorer 10 at the annual Mix event, a Microsoft-led conference about online development. Description: HTC has officially outed the Sensation, an upcoming Android handset with impressive hardware specifications and Sense 3.0, the new version of HTC's custom software environment. Description: Apple previewed Final Cut Pro X, the newest version of the company's professional non-linear editing The announcement came at the Final Cut Pro User Group Network Supermeet, being held in Las Vegas during the 2011 National Association of Broadcasters Show. Description: The first one we're looking at comes from MSI and is labelled the CX640, and on the specifications front it does indeed look the goods with an Intel i5-2410M clocked at 2.3GHz on the H65 chipset. Gaming news

In today's news roundup: Corsair CMPSU-TX750V2 750W PSU Review; Review of the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD; HTC Sensation 4G unveiled with new version of Sense ; Apple Announces Final Cut Pro X ; The Frantic Multiplayer of F.E.A.R. 3 , and a feature on Women in Games. Hardware news Description: The Corsair CMPSU-750TXV2 with an output power of 750W with the 80 Plus Bronze certification and must therefore have at 20%, 50% and 100% load efficiency of 82%, 85% and 82%. On the predominantly yellow-black-colored

Description: When I sat down a couple of weeks ago to play F.E.A.R. 3's four multiplayer modes, I was immediately struck by one thing in particular. Every mode is a focused four-player affair. Description: Many warriors prepare to battle the oncoming storm in Rift on PC, but should you join the fight? Description: One of the biggest points of contention in the discussion surrounding women in video games is the phrase "women in video games." This implies that women are special in a way that requires them to be singled out

April 16th, 2011

Razer and Intel Tie Up on Switchblade for Chinese Gamers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-and-intel-tie-up-on-switchbladefor-chinese-gamers/11869.html April 16th, 2011

Razer with Tencent, China’s leading provider of games and internet services, and Intel announce a strategic partnership aimed at expanding the entertainment possibilities for Chinese gamers. All Chinese gamers can rejoice, as their favorite Tencent titles like Dungeon and Fighter, Crossfire, League of Legends, QQ Speed and many more are optimized for portable play on the Razer Switchblade. The Razer Switchblade concept was created from the ground up by Razer designers and engineers, focused on enhancing the entire user experience of playing PC games on a handheld device.

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“This is the first time three of the biggest technology brands in China have come together,” said Min-Liang Tan, CEO and Creative Director, Razer, “we’re united by a common goal to deliver the best portable gaming experience to as many gamers as possible. With the Razer Switchblade’s adaptive tactile keyboard, Intel’s range of processors, and Tencent’s popular games, this is no lofty goal – it’s happening right now.” The Razer Switchblade concept was created from the ground up by Razer designers and engineers, focused on enhancing the entire user experience of playing PC games on a handheld device. It features an ultra-sensitive multi-touch screen, adaptive tactile keyboard, and an intelligent user interface that adjusts the configuration and key layout on-the-fly based on game content and user requirements. And at the heart of the concept device is an Intel Atom processor designed for next generation small form factor computing. "Intel is committed to creating and extending the personal computing experience for end-users together with our ecosystem partners," said Ian Yang, President, Intel China. "The collaboration with Razer, Tencent and Intel will provide optimized experiences for the rapidly growing gaming community in China." “Like Razer, we want gamers to have just as much fun playing our games on-the-go as they would at home or at a PC café,” said Mark Ren, SEVP, Tencent. “We’re really excited to bring the revolutionary Razer Switchblade to millions gamers connected to our games, allowing them to experience our world of fun anytime, anywhere”, said Steven Ma, VP of Tencent. Razer, Intel, and Tencent are committed to growing China’s PC gaming market, and will be announcing exciting updates to this strategic partnership in the months to come.

APAC – April 13th, 2011 – Razer, the world’s leading highend precision gaming brand, with Tencent, China’s leading provider of games and internet services, and Intel, world leader in computing innovation are proud to announce a strategic partnership aimed at expanding the entertainment possibilities for Chinese gamers. The Razer Switchblade concept has been designated as the flagship concept to lead this mobile PC gaming revolution.

About the Razer Switchblade Concept The Razer Switchblade concept is a revolutionary mobile PC gaming device that allows gamers to play on-the-go without giving up the precision and control normally associated with a desktop gaming system. Integrating a multi-touch seveninch screen, an innovative adaptive tactile keyboard and housing the next generation Intel Atom processor, the Razer Switchblade concept delivers the full desktop experience in a netbook-sized solution.

All Chinese gamers can rejoice, as their favorite Tencent titles like Dungeon and Fighter, Crossfire, League of Legends, QQ Speed and many more are optimized for portable play on the Razer Switchblade. You can now fight, shoot, cast spells, race or just socialize with friends while on-the-go, as Tencent strives to ensure their software delivers the best gaming experience through perfect synergy with Razer and Intel’s hardware.

April 16th, 2011

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to certain common usage situations. So what happens when an OEM takes a bunch of 'smart' hardware and assemble them together in the form of a notebook or desktop PC? Answer: you get Lenovo's latest line of "Work-and-Street Smart" PCs, all of which were launched in a media event held at the RedDot Brew House at Boat Quay today. VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

With so much talk about 'smart' consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, smart media players and even smart television sets, it should probably be an open secret that the average consumer is in greater need of 'smart' devices that are capable of bringing the best user experience to the consumer than ever before. Gone are the days where users got a kick out of fiddling around with their electronic toys to fully customize them to their individual needs; today, the gadget is supposed to cater to an individual's needs right out of the box without the need to even touch an instruction manual, much less actually read it. Of course, there will always exist a group of die-hard enthusiasts who will claim that they have allocated enough intelligence points to their personal statistics to forgo the new breed of 'smart' devices that are now rapidly gaining acceptance in the consumer space. However, for the average consumer who does not belong to that special group, 'smart' devices that are seemingly capable of delivering an enhanced user experience while actually looking good are definitely welcome. And this is what Lenovo is claiming to be capable of delivering with its new line of Think and Idea line of PCs that was launched today at the RedDot Brew House at Boat Quay today.

Lenovo launches Sandy Bridge-powered PCs, brings the smarts to PC users

Speaking at the launch event was Lenovo's country general manager for Singapore, Lee Chown How, who described the new features that users can expect to come standard in its new line of AIOs and notebook PCs.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-launches-sandy-bridgepowered-pcs-brings-the-smarts-to-pc-users/11867.html April 16th, 2011

We all know that the hardware used to power our PCs today are getting smarter as technology advances, since they now come with various automated features which allow it to react 20

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In his address, Lee described how the company's strategic collaboration with Intel has resulted in the company being in a position to deliver greater performance on its PCs that will result in enhanced user experiences for the consumer. "We have worked with Intel to bundle this program known as ThinkSmart on our products. ThinkSmart will enable users, especially business users, to experience increases in productivity by bringing more efficient power management and longer battery lives on our products," he said. In addition, Lee also spoke about how users of the new Lenovo notebook and AIO PCs can benefit from the upgraded user experience known as the Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7, which is a result of a partnership with none other than the Redmond giant responsible for delivering the operating system which is used by over 80% of the world's PC users - Microsoft.

Published by: VR-Zone April 16th, 2011

Cooler Master is set to place more emphasis on their gaming brand, CM Storm this year and we can expect more mices and cases as well as keyboards and headsets to complete their gaming gear lineup. They took the first step by revamping their CM Storm website with spanking new look and neat features such as products comparison and beefed-up support page. "Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 helps to improve many aspects of the Windows 7 operating system. For example, it can offer better power management from within the Windows operating system, and also has the ability to increase both a user's productivity and efficiency. On the consumer side, Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 can help to improve the digital audio and graphics experience when the device is used as a multimedia entertainment machine, as well as significantly shorten boot-up and shutdown times. For commercial customers, Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 delivers robust security and superior web conferencing capabilities," he added. "Simply put, there are lots of benefits users can look forward to with the new Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0," he quipped. And needless to say, we will definitely be looking forward to it...once we actually manage to get our hands on a review unit, of course. Until then, feel free to hit on the link to the next page to know more about the machines launched by Lenovo today.

Cooler Master Charged Up CM Storm, Site Revamped Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cooler-master-charged-up-cm-stormsite-revamped/11868.html

A recent visit to their office revealed some interesting developments such as a new Inferno mouse, Sirus 5.1 surround gaming headset, Enforcer case and also a mechanical keyboard. It is clear that Cooler Master is trying to provide an entire range of gaming gear to the gamers and not just cases and mices.

The Gooapple iPhone 4: now available in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-gooapple-iphone-4-now-availablein-china/11866.html

April 16th, 2011 April 16th, 2011

Just the name alone will be a dead giveaway about the nature of this posting, but since we are such nice people, we will spill the beans either way. Apparently, a new iPhone 4 clone has started making its rounds around the Chinese market, and suffice to say the developers of this clone have decided to throw out all notion of any possible copyright infringement out of the window for the release of this smartphone. Cue copyright infringement lawsuits from the big Apple in three...two...one... Let's face it: everybody knew that something like this would eventually take place, and that it was only a matter of time before some enterprising manufacturer from China would jump on the whole cloning bandwagon. After all, there is big money to be made in the cloning business, if one takes into consideration that there exist users out there who only want their devices to look like the real thing, but only at a fraction of the real deal's cost. That being said, most Chinese clone manufacturers usually attempt to toe the line where outright copyright infringement is involved, such as the use of protected logos or mascots. However, it appears that the manufacturer of this particular smartphone clone has decided to dump all notion of copyright infringement into the dustbin in a bid to make the clone as realistic looking as possible. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you...the Gooapple iPhone 4 smartphone:

According to the GizChina website, the Gooapple iPhone 4 smartphone is an almost picture-perfect clone of Apple's bestselling iPhone 4. And the similarities between the Gooapple and the real iPhone 4 also extends to the hardware specifications; just like the original iPhone 4, the Gooapple clone features two cameras at resolutions of both five megapixels (rear) and 1.3 megapixels (front). Of course, users should not expect it to come with the same processor or display found in the real deal: the Gooapple utilizes a weaker MTK5616 processor clocked at 480MHz, while the

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touchscreen display is only capable of a native 480 x 320 resolution. That being said, it should be of little surprise that the Gooapple iPhone 4 does not run off Apple's iOS operating system. Rather, GizChina is reporting that the Gooapple will come bundled with a vanilla copy of version 2.2 (aka Froyo) of Google's Android operating system. Oh well, that is probably why it was called the 'Gooapple' to begin with. The Gooapple iPhone 4 is reportedly available for pre-order now at the discounted price of 999 yuan or US$152, although we should point out that this phone is unlikely to ever see the light of day outside of China's domestic market.

MSI releases low-profile N520GT-MD1GD3/LP graphics card with video-capture capabilities Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-low-profile-n520gtmd1gd3lp-graphics-card-with-video-capture-capabilities/11865.html April 16th, 2011

Just a few days back, it was MSI launching a low-profile, AMD-based graphics card that boasted superior overclocking capabilities, as well as support for in-game video capture. Today, MSI is back with the same thing, except that this low-profile, overclocker-friendly and in-game video capture supporting graphics card is powered by NVIDIA's GeForce GT520 GPU instead of the AMD Radeon HD 6790 GPU we talked about that time. Read on to find out more about this graphics card.

MSI has released the low-profile, GT520-based N520GTMD1GD3/LP graphics card for entry-level gamers and overclocking enthusiasts. According to MSI, the new N520GTMD1GD3/LP is capable of devivering "double the fun" to users due to its combination of both gamer and overclocker-friendly features.

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

GPU Features

Microsoft DirectX 11 Support NVIDIA CUDA Technology NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround Ready NVIDIA 3D Vision Ready 32x Anti-aliasing Technology Dual-link DVI Support HDMI 1.4a Support NVIDIA PureVideo HD Technology

According to the official press release issued by MSI, the N520GT-MD1GD3/LP graphics card will be bundled with the latest copy of the MSI Afterburner (version 2.1.0) overclocking software; this will reportedly allow users to tweak the performance of their graphics card to get the most out of their purchase. Also included in the software bundle is a copy of MSI's Predator, an application which allows users to easily record in-game videos. In addition, the N520GT-MD1GD3/LP's low-profile designsupposedly allows users to easily install the card into more compact chassis designs favoured by not-so-tech-savvy home users. MSI claims that such a form factor, along with the card's single-slot design will make the N520GT-MD1GD3/ LP ideal for a variety of smaller PC casings where chassis and motherboard real estate is scarce. Last but definitely not least, MSI claims that the N520GTMD1GD3/LP is capable of supporting NVIDIA's 3DVision technology; this will allow users to enjoy 3D movie playback on their PCs fitted with the N520GT-MD1GD3/LP graphics card. Of course, you will still need a 3D-capable monitor and a compatible set of 3D glasses to fully enjoy 3D movie playback on such a PC. Full specifications of MSI's N520GT-MD1GD3/LP graphics card are as follow: Graphics Engine Bus interface Memory Type Memory capacity (MB) Memory Interface Core Clock (MHz) Memory Clock (MHz) DVI output D-SUB output HDMI-Output HDCP Support HDMI Support Dual-link DVI output Display output (maximum resolution) RAMDACs DirectX Version Support OpenGL support Display card size (mm)

GeForce GT 520 PCI Express x16 2.0 DDR3 1024 64bits 810 1800 1 1 1 Y Y Y 2560x1600

PCI Express 2.0 Support OpenGL 4.1 Optimization and Support OpenCL Support DirectCompute Support Dual-stream Hardware Acceleration Dynamic Contrast Enhancement & Color Stretch Dual-link HDCP Capable High-Quality Scaling Hardware Decode Acceleration NVIDIA GeForce Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) Microsoft Windows 7 Support

Opera 11.10 launched for all major operating systems Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/opera-11.10-launched-for-all-majoroperating-systems/11864.html April 16th, 2011

Another day, another web browser-related news. And this time, the vendor of focus is Opera Software, which has publicly released the latest version of their web browser, Opera 11.10, for download on all three major operating systems. So what new features does Opera 11.10 have that its predecessor lacks? Let's take a look.

400 11 4.1 144 x 69 x 20 mm 23

April 16th, 2011

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Another Opera feature that has been updated in Opera 11.10 is the Speed Dial, which now support greater degress of customization:

Looks like Microsoft's days of being the de facto web browser provider for the world is well and truly behind them, especially with the large variety of competing browsers being made available for users at an alarming rate. With Google now offering background updates for its Chrome web browser and other browser providers such as Mozilla shrinking their development cycles for upcoming versions of their own browser, it will seem that Microsoft has indeed got its work cut out for its Internet Explorer web browser. And today, it seems that yet another competitor has stepped up its game against Microsoft in the web browser market. Apparently, Opera Software has recently released the latest version of its Opera web browser, and the changelogs appear to be boasting some performance-related enhancements to Opera 11.10. But before that, here is a screenshot of the 64-bit binary of Opera 11.10, running on an x64 build of OpenSUSE Linux.

According to the chagelogs, one of the major enhancements to Opera 11.10's performance comes in the form of a more powerful Turbo mode. Now, Turbo mode in Opera is not a new feature; Ars Technica claims that the feature had already existed in builds of Opera stretching back for several years already. However, what distinguishes Opera 11.10's Turbo mode is the fact that the browser will make use of Google's WebP image compression to further reduce image sizes, thus allowing users with slow network connections to retrieve the image data at reduced times.

That being said, we were somehow able to consistently trigger graphical corruptions when using Opera 11.10 to post this news update. However, this might not be so much of a browser fault as opposed to poor Linux drivers, as it is understood that the older version AMD's fglrx driver used in our machine is rather buggy, and has been known to cause graphical corruptions for X window system. Considering that the Windows and OS X drivers a much better mantained, we do not expect users to see such corruptions on the Windows and OS X versions of Opera 11.10.

If that has got you interested, Opera 11.10 can be downloaded directly off Opera's website. And don't worry about our usual disclaimer about downloaded software mucking up your PC; this is because OPera 11.10 is every bit a stable release, or at least that is what Opera Software claims. So if you are unfortunate enough to have your precious data destroyed or wiped out from the installation of this release, you know which party to direct your wrath at (Hint: not Microsoft). Alternatively, you can hit up the full changelog here to find out about additional changes and features included in Opera 11.10.

Microsoft releases first Platform Preview for Internet Explorer 10 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-releases-first-platformpreview-for-internet-explorer-10/11863.html

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

April 16th, 2011

If you would remember, Microsoft had only recently launched its latest version of its Internet Explorer web browser a month ago, and it was probably one of the few Internet Explorer releases to gain favourable reviews among the global media for various advancements in performance and support for web standards.And it seems that Microsoft is not about to stand still and let the competition catch up to it, for the Redmond giant has just released yet a new 'version' of its Internet Explorer web browser for public testing. Fancy having a go at the first ever platform preview of what will eventually be known as Internet Explorer 10 (aka IE10)?

So you have bitten the bullet and downloaded the latest, brand-spanking new version of Microsoft's web browser, also known as Internet Explorer 9, into your Windows Vista (or Windows 7-based) PC. That is great and all: after all, Internet Explorer 9 has been receiving favourable reviews from the media about the significant advancements it boasts over its predecessors, such as the utilization of Direct2D for hardwareaccelerated browsing, along with much more robust support for the draft specifications of HTML5. Indeed, with such performance gains over its predecessors, you may be forgiven if you thought that the IE team would be busy on their next project, which is to take a well-deserved break from Internet Explorer's development and chill out for a month or so. However, this does not appear to be the case, for the IE team has seemingly been hard at work on the next version of Internet Explorer. And the results of their dedication: a downladable Platform Preview of what will eventually be known as Internet Explorer 10.

Of course, being the curious people that we all are, we proceeded to download the Platform Preview, if only just to see what additional features it may boast over the current Internet Explorer 9. That being said, expect the Platform Preview to be little more than a heavilly stripped-down version of a web browser with near-zero UI elements like those for Internet Explorer 9 back then: this is due to the fact that platform preview releases are mostly designed for developers to test for compatibility and standards support.

Same old Platform Preview window which we all know and love since the days of IE9's previews That being said, we did not notice any significant differences between the Platform Preview of Internet Explorer 10 and our copy of Internet Explorer 9 during the short hands-on, at least in terms of HTML5 support and performance. This is probably due to the fact that the first platform preview is unlikely to feature any major changes (if any) from older versions of Microsoft's web browser. However, we also noticed something rather interesting when we used the Platform Preview to navigate to YouTube's page: apparently, the online video streaming site was flagging IE10 out as an ancient version of Internet Explorer that is no longer supported. Indeed, this message kept popping up even after we made sure the Platform Preview was identifying itself as IE10 and not any other older version.

April 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Of course, it also goes without saying that Platform Previews are not meant to be function as regular web browsers, and should not be used as such. But if that does not deter you from getting your hands on one to give it a little spin, the current Platform Preview of Internet Explorer 10 can be downloaded from the Internet Explorer Test Drive page. And as a little public service, we should point out that the download is relatively small (slightly below 19MB in size), but is available only in the form of a 32-bit binary. Yep, that's right; there are no 64-bit versions of the Platform Preview for download. Finally, we have also receieved word that the .MSI file containing the Platform Preview will only work on Windows 7 (and not Windows Vista). Unfortunately, we do not have any Vista machines to test this claim out, so you are on your own if you do attempt to load the Platform Preview of Internet Explorer 10 in your Vista-powered PC.

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 19 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--19april-2011/11915.html April 19th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Intel and AMD are reportecly making plans to go head-on against ARM in the lucrative smartphone and tablet market; Reviews of AMD's recently launched graphics cards, the Radeon HD 6570 and HD 6670, are starting to surface online; Apple is reportedly rejecting Apps with Pay-per-install campaigns; Alienware has announced two new gaming laptops, the M14x and M18x, along with an updated M11x that now features more powerful, up-to-date hardware; Final Fantasy IV's creator Takashi Tokita gives his take on the ever-popular Final Fantasy franchise, and The latest Mortal Kombat installation has finally been launched in North America. Hardware news Intel, AMD Will Challenge ARM in Tablets, Smartphones Description: As the PC market slows, Intel and AMD are gearing up to take on ARM in the burgeoning tablet and smartphone spaces, and one analyst says Intel has a strong shot at gaining traction starting in 2012. Noctua NH-D14 CPU "Monster" Cooler Review @ Madshrimps Description: Today we test the most high-end heatsink from Noctua. It comes with two fans pre-equipped and will fill up all but the largest eATX cases. Dubbed the NH-D14 this beast comes with a 120mm AND 140mm fan which are spec'ed for low noise operation. Can it handle the heat of an overclocked Core i7? Time to find out. Bigfoot Networks Killer 2100 Review @ Vortez Description: The latest model, the Killer 2100 is their most streamlined product yet, focussing directly on delivering the core feature, unrivalled gaming network performance. The

wheat has been sorted from the chaff, leaving us with Bigfoot Network’s lowest priced Killer NIC thus far. An SRP of £69.99 and a market price of around £55 if you shop around; this card is now much more of an upgrade prospect for a large number of enthusiasts. How has it changed? Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 and HD 6570 Video Cards Review Description: I hate these low to mid-range cards; it's nothing against them directly, but they're always just so slow. Sure, they might be great for the price etc. - but testing them is still an absolute pain as they're always so much slower than the stuff I'm used to testing. The whole situation is made only worse by AMD releasing three models today, albeit we're only looking at the two higher end ones of these three new models. The good news for me is that we tend to only ever look at one or two of these new models and then continue looking at the fun stuff and what people wish they could afford, but can't. AMD Radeon HD 6570 & HD 6670 Launch Review, Featuring Sapphire's HD 6670 @ Rage3D.com Description: AMD launches the final discrete GPU in the Northern Islands line, codenamed Turks. Fitting into two product lines, and two price points, we investigate how the HD 6570 and HD 6670 move things on from last year's Redwood cards, including a look at a nice Sapphire HD 6670 with Artic Cooling heatsink as standard. Cooler Master Elite 343 mATX Case @ Benchmark Reviews Description: The enthusiast case market is replete with fancy cases brimming with exotic materials and features. It's not unusual for builders to buy "more case than they need", investing extra money in a case their system can grow into. But sometimes all you need is a basic case: a good-quality enclosure that will serve as a home for your components in a business, "grandma computer", or other non-enthusiast setting. Although Benchmark Reviews does not often look at cases like this, they make up the bulk of the case market. While Cooler Master's best known for its enthusiast cases (such as the HAF series), they serve this market as well with cases like the Elite 343 mATX computer case. AMD Radeon HD 6450 & 6570: The Line-up is Complete @ InsideHW Description: Presenting the lowest segment in the product gamma is usually the last step in presenting the new generation, at least in the usual scenario. In accordance with this, AMD announced their low-end chips, Caicos and Turks, for the second quarter of the current year. These chips are reserved for the weakest models from the Radeon HD 6000 series, which is probably the last thing that is going to be

April 19th, 2011

presented in the following months as well, with the possible exception of HD 6670. These cards are intended for non-heavy duty users, and are mostly low-profile, so that they fit not only into regular office PCs, but also HTPCs. We got two visually similar models for testing; these two small Radeons, however, turned out to be packing major differences under their coolers Gainward GeForce GTX 550 Ti Golden/Good Sample Review @ Real World Labs Description: Thanks to a nice boost in clocks right from the factory the latest Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti Golden Sample by Gainward offers an excellent value/performance ratio at near silent levels. Consumer Electronics and Software news Razer Onza review: an excellent PC gaming companion Description: Razer’s newly released Onza Tournament Edition gamepad is an excellent companion for your gaming PC, perfect for those games that a mouse and keyboard just aren’t the best tools for playing. Undo certain Gmail actions in your mobile browser Description: Sometimes when I’m using Gmail on my phone, I delete a message by mistake or label it incorrectly. Sure I can fish the message out of my Trash or remove the label and apply the correct one, but that takes several steps. Even just a few seconds is usually enough time to catch those annoying mistakes. Now when you use the Gmail mobile web app, you’ll have a small window of opportunity to undo four key actions: archive, delete, add or remove a label, or move a message/ conversation. Apple Reportely Rejecting Apps with Pay-per-install Campaigns Description: Apple isn’t just tweaking its App Store rankings to include more than download numbers and possibly lessening the impact of incentivized pay-per-install marketing campaigns. It’s actually banning apps that use pay-per-install, according to one of the leading providers Tapjoy. LG Optimus Pad / T-Mobile G-Slate Tablet Review Description: The G-Slate features a slightly smaller display than the Apple's iPad and Motorola's Xoom, which makes it lighter and thereby easier to hold to a certain extent. It also sports a great industrial design and can record 3D 720p HD videos with its dual-5 megapixel cameras. All of this is powered by a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor that hums along at 1GHz, making sure that even 3D games run smoothly on its high-res touchscreen display. Alienware kicks out M14x and M18x, revamped M11x Description: Alienware as it teased last week has brought out three new gaming notebooks, including its first 14-inch model. The M14x has the special lighting and customization in a smaller if 6.45-pound frame. Every version comes with very high-end performance for the size with a quad Core i7 and a GeForce GT 555M with either 1.5GB or 3GB of memory. iPhone radiation dock – yet another Japan-inspired device Description: We’ve seen the DIY Arduino Geiger counter yesterday, but here is yet another Japan-inspired device, an iPhone radiation dock. This is part of the efforts involved to cleverly leverage the use of technology in order to help Japan with their ongoing nuclear crisis.

Published by: VR-Zone

For paranoid Androids, Guardian Project offers smartphone security Description: The Guardian Project is an open source initiative which aims to take advantage of Google's Android operating system to bring smartphones the same sort of security and privacy that savvy users have come to expect from laptops and desktops. Featuring capabilities like full-disk encryption, secure instant messaging, and anonymous Web browsing, the project hopes to give people better control of their personal information on mobile devices. Gaming news Telltale Wants Gamers to Solve Crimes in Law & Order: L.A. the Game Description: If you thought developer Telltale Games' plate was full with Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, The Walking Dead, Fables, and King's Quest games on its schedule... you were right. That's a heaping helping of design work. But the studio is hungry for even more and has announced it will give the episodic game treatment to yet another big name franchise: TV cop drama Law & Order. Read More » A Conversation With the Creator of Final Fantasy IV Description: You can't help but like Takashi Tokita. Despite being a long-time veteran of the Final Fantasy series (he made his debut with the 8-bit Final Fantasy III back in 1990), he's remained down-to-earth. Tokita is still with Square, and he still works in the trenches of game design, so to speak, bringing both new games and old to mobile and portable systems. As the original story director for the revolutionary Final Fantasy IV for Super NES, he's also the main man behind that game's sequel The After Years, originally released for Japanese mobile phones before being ported to WiiWare and now PSP. Mortal Kombat released in North America Description: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announces Mortal Kombat is now available at retailers in North America on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Mortal Kombat, developed by NetherRealm Studios and led by Mortal Kombat creator and creative director Ed Boon, is the newest chapter of the legendary franchise, marking a triumphant return to the series' roots in the most epic installment to date.

G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3-2300 CL9 8GB Kit Announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-ripjawsx-ddr3-2300-cl9-8gb-kitannounced/11914.html April 19th, 2011

G.Skill today announces the world’s fastest 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3 memory, rated at 2300MHz CL9 with only 1.65V voltage. This ultimate memory kit will join G.Skill award winning Ripjaws-X family and will be available soon via G.Skill global authorized distribution partner. 2

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Pentax unveils rainbowcoloured K-r DSLR with mouthful of a name Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pentax-unveils-rainbow-coloured-k-rdslr-with-mouthful-of-a-name/11913.html April 19th, 2011

Taipei, Taiwan?19th April 2011?G.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage with solid quality, today announces the world’s fastest 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3 memory, rated at 2300MHz CL9 with only 1.65V voltage. This ultimate memory kit will join G.Skill award winning Ripjaws-X family and will be available soon via G.Skill global authorized distribution partner.

When it comes to churning out special, limitted editions of its DSLRs, probably no other camera manufacturer is capable of doing what Pentax has been churning out on a semi-regular basis. And it seems that the trend is not about to stop any time soon, for better or for worse; the Japanese DSLR maker has just announced yet another limitted edition run of its Kr DSLRs which come fully decked out in...you guessed it, a bright, rainbow-coloured body. Kind of makes you wonder when the fun will ever end for Pentax, no? For most camera manufacturers, choosing a suitable colour for their DSLRs is usually a no brainer. After all, DSLRs are meant to look professional (even if their users are not), and the easiest way to accomplish this is to simply make their DSLRs available in any colour the consumer wants, as long as it is black.

Since the demand of big capacity memory has grown dramatically, G.Skill R&D team has been dedicated to develop the fastest and best performing products based on 4GB memory sticks continuously. Following the marvelous achievement of DDR3 1900MHz 48GB and DDR3 2200MHz 16GB kits, G.Skill once again pushed the memory speed further and developed the industry leading memory kit. The DDR3 2300MHz CL9 kit has passed a series of rigorous tests and guarantees the best stability and performance.

That being said, there do exist users who are willing to pony up good money for a camera body that comes with its own splash of individuality, and it appears that no ther camera manufacturer save for Pentax knows how to pitch its products to such a niche group of pontential consumers. After all, this is the very camera manufacturer that has been known to offer countless different 'limited editions' of its existing DSLRs that feature some of the most unusual paint jobs, and it seems that this trend is not about to stop any time soon now that Pentax has unveiled yet another 'limited edition' of its K-r line of DSLRs. Does anyone fancy taking a stroll down the busy streets of Singapore with this particular K-r slung around your neck?

“The 2300MHz RipjawsX 8GB gives you extreme speed and you can also enjoy the big capacity simutanously. It not only delivers record breaking overclocking performance, but also broaden your choices for building up an extreme performance workstation and a gaming machine” said Michael Chao, senior R&D manager at G.Skill. Accroding to Pentax's product page, this rainbow-coloured Kr is the result of a tie-up with Tower Records Japan Inc and will be marketed as the TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW K-r (told you that its name is quite the mouthful). And if you are wondering why its name bears more than just a passing 3

April 19th, 2011

similarity with the earlier line of limited edition TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW Kx DSLRs launched last year, the answer is simple; the rainbow-coloured K-rs are supposed to be the 'follow-up' products to the Kxs. Features and functionality-wise, there is essentially nothing which distinguishes the TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW K-r from a regular Pentax K-r DSLR save for the new rainbow-coloured spash screen found in the former.

Of course, with the TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW K-r DSLR being a special, limited-edition run of the standard K-r, it should come as no surprise that the rainbowcoloured K-r is not going to be the cheapest K-r available. Indeed, Pentax's product page reveals that the TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW K-r will retail with a slightly fatter price tag of 89,800 yen or approximately US$1,100. Even then, you wil have to move fast if you fancy getting your hands on one of these DSLRs, for Pentax has confirmed that only 300 such units will be produced for sale, and that interested consumers have only up to July 7 to pre-order their cameras. In other words, you snooze, you lose.

Epson launches new nettop PC in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/epson-launches-new-nettop-pc-injapan/11911.html April 19th, 2011

Most people may not be aware of it, but Epson is more than just a well-known vendor of inkjet printers. In fact, the Japanese company also has its own line of notebooks and PCs that are available for sale only in the Japanese domestic market, and its desktop PC offering has just received a new addition to the family today. How does an ultra-compact NP15 nettop PC sound like for you?

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This may come across as a surprise to many, but printers are not the only offerings Epson has for both its consumer and enterprise-level customers. In fact, the company which is now synonymous with its range of printing devices also sells its own line of notebook and desktop PCs, and the only reason their non-printer product lineup is known to none but a few is that these PCs are meant to be sold in only one market; Japan. However, if you thought that catering to a (relatively) small domestic market such as Japan's means that a well known OEM like Epson could afford to take things easy with its existing desktop and notebook PC product lines, you could not have been further from the truth. Indeed, it appears as though Epson has got no intention of letting its notebook and desktop PC product lines stagnate, and the launch of its new Endeavor NP15 ultra-compact nettop PC is probably the best proof of that.

Of course, the fact that the Endeavor NP15 is being marketed as a nettop PC essentially means that the machine is definitely not going to have the kind of power one needs for serious data crunching or digital multimedia entertainment. Indeed, a quick look at the NP15's hardware specifications reveal some rather standard fare: processor power is provided by the dualcore Intel Atom D525 processor, while a 250GB hard disk serves as the MP15's main storage medium. To top off the package, the NP15 also comes bundled with 2GB of memory and six USB2.0 ports, while the onboard Intel GPU provides little more than the bare minium graphical processing power needed to drive Windows Aero on the bundled Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, along with some basic multimedia content. However, we should also point out that raw power has never been a key selling point for low-power devices such as netbooks and nettop PCs, and the Endeavor NP15 is no exception. In fact, the NP15's appeal stems from the fact that Epson has managed to cram every single component needed for a working PC into a highly compact casing that measures a mere two centimeters in width. To put things in perspective, Epson is claiming that the NP15 sports dimensions similar to that of an A5-sized filofax, and that a user could easily conceal the device by simply mounting it behind a monitor.

Sounds amazing, does it not? Unfortunately, Epson's PC offerings are only available for sale within its domestic market, 4

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so it goes without saying that the NP15 is one PC which most of us will never be able to see in our local computer stores. That being said, if you happen to have a very good Japanese friend who is willing to help you ship out one of these Japan-only products, do make sure to have at least 29,820 yen (approx US $361) available in your bank account, as that is the price that the NP15 is retailing for.

MSI teams up with LucidLogix for some Z68 Virtu love

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we're hearing both AMD and Nvidia are busy working on its own desktop graphics switching implementations for the Z68 chipset and in AMD's case most likely also for its on Fusion platform.

Asus' P8Z68-V Pro shows up early on Chinese site Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-p8z68-v-pro-shows-up-early-onchinese-site/11910.html April 19th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-teams-up-with-lucidlogix-forsome-z68-virtu-love/11912.html April 19th, 2011

MSI has announced that it's going to supply LucidLogix Virtu software with its Z68 motherboards which will enable automatic on-demand switching between the Intel IGP and a discrete graphics card. For now, LucidLogix's Virtu software is the only way to go if you want to do graphics switching on a desktop system, but we're hearing that this isn't going to be the case for too long. MSI has announced that it's going to supply LucidLogix Virtu software with its Z68 motherboards which will enable automatic on-demand switching between the Intel IGP and a discrete graphics card. For now, LucidLogix's Virtu software is the only way to go if you want to do graphics switching on a desktop system, but we're hearing that this isn't going to be the case for too long.

The advantage of using LucidLogix Virtu software is that the user has the ability to switch between Intel's integrated lowpower graphics and a much more powerful discrete graphics card. Why would you want to do this? Well, for one for the power saving, as when you're at the Windows desktop the graphics card will be put into its lowest power state and it should in theory save power. Secondly because of Intel's Quick Sync technology which allows you to speed up the time it takes to transcode and encode video as this is so far much faster than using any current GPU. MSI intends to at least initially ship Virtu with its Z68A-GD80, Z68A-GD65 and micro ATX Z68MA-ED55 motherboards, although we're fairly certain MSI has more Z68 boards planned than these three models. That said, that doesn't meant that we'll see Virtu shipping with them as from what

Detailed pictures of one of Asus' upcoming Z68 chipset based motherboards have made an appearance on a Chinese website and it gives us a pretty detailed look into what Asus has coming. The model is the P8Z68-V Pro which should be towards the upper end of Asus' Z68 boards, at least judging by its features. Detailed pictures of one of Asus' upcoming Z68 chipset based motherboards have made an appearance on a Chinese website and it gives us a pretty detailed look into what Asus has coming. The model is the P8Z68-V Pro which should be towards the upper end of Asus' Z68 boards, at least judging by its features. The P8Z68-V Pro has a fairly standard board layout with three x16 PCI Express slots of which the first two can operate in dual x8 mode (the second slot is disabled if the primary slot is used in x16 mode) and the third one being a x4 slot. There are also two x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. Asus has gone for Intel's standard four SATA 3Gbps and two SATA 6Gbps ports and added a pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports via a Marvell controller. There's a front header for two USB 3.0 ports via an ASMedia host controller as well as pin headers for six USB 2.0 ports and two FireWire ports.

Around the back things are a little bit unusual, as Asus has dropped the PS/2 ports entirely on this board which is somewhat unexpected. As such the rear I/O configuration consists of six USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an eSATA port, a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, 5

April 19th, 2011

7.1-channel audio jacks, an optical S/PDIF out and a Bluetooth dongle.

Other features include power and reset buttons, Asus' various EPU, TPU and what not features that tend to be standard on Asus' boards these days. The board also uses Asus' Digi+ VRM and the board appears to have a 16-phase PWM design. Overall it looks like a pretty decent design, but we'd expect Asus to offer at least a model or two above the P8Z68-V Pro as well as a couple of more affordable models.

It is official: Samsung has sold its hard drive business unit to Seagate Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-is-official-samsung-has-sold-itshard-drive-business-unit-to-seagate/11909.html April 19th, 2011

Let's face it; everybody knew that Samsung would not have a problem finding a buyer for its hard disk business. And most people would also have guessed that given Samsung's small but respectable market share in the HDD business, it would not take too long before a buyer shows up at Samsung's office with a bag full of cash and and offer to purchase that aforementioned business unit. Which is precisely what just happened today; Seagate is now in the midst of combining its own HDD business with that of Samsung's as we bring you this report. Sometimes, it does not take a genius to predict what certain major hardware companies have up their sleeves, especially when it has got something to do with acquisitions. Sure, certain acquisitions have been known to be so unexpected that not even the most accomplished speculator or business analyst could have foreseen the result (like HP purchasing Palm Inc), but there also exists deals whose outcomes are so obvious that it makes one wonder why the companies involved did not just simply announce the deal and get it over with. And unfortunately (or fortunately) for Samsung, its latest deal with Seagate over the fate of its hard disk business unit was a classic example of the latter. As most people would remember, speculations were rife that Samsung was planing to sell off the unprofitable business unit, and that Seagate would be

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the most likely candidate to pony up the money Samsung is asking for in a bid to increase its share of the HDD pie, simply because Western Digital would be essentially asking for an FTC investigation on itself if it were the one to do so. And just as most people have predicted, it was indeed Seagate which stepped up to the negotiating table with Samsung, and has walked away with the latter's HDD business unit in exchange for the total sum of US$1.375 billion in both cash and stock options. So what does this mean for Samsung, Seagate and the endusers who are still heavily reliant on mechanical hard disks for their storage needs? Well, the fact that Samsung has received a cash injection of almost US$1.4 billion means that the Korean electronics giant now has the money it needs to invest in other profitable divisions under its banner, so end-users can expect to see more interesting consumer electronic devices being churned out from Samsung's factories in the very near future. Also, the agreement will see Samsung adopting the use of Seagate's hard disks for a wide variety of products in its offerings, such as its notebook divisions. On the other hand, Seagate will reportedly see a 10% increase in the market share of its hard disks. This figure, when added to Seagate's existing market share, will result in Seagate claiming almost 40% of the global HDD market. This will put Seagate in a very good position to compete against the likes of Western Digital, which current owns as much as 50% of the global HDD pie. In addition, the agreement will see Samsung supplying Seagate with NAND flash, as well as extending existing patent agreements currently in effect among both companies. However, things are slightly different as far as the end user is concerned, simply because consumers now have lesser choices to choose from when it comes to HDD selection. With Seagate and Western Digital both owning 40% and 50% of the global HDD market respectively, this leaves Toshiba as the only other major competitor left with approximately 10% of the HDD market. This means that there is a very real possibility of seeing a duopoly in the HDD market like the one that is currently present in the x86 processor market (Intel and AMD), and we can only wait and see how this is going to affect the end user.

SingTel announces ESC and exclusive distributor for Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/singtel-announces-esc-and-exclusivedistributor-for-sony-ericsson-xperia-play/11908.html April 19th, 2011

This afternoon, SingTel announced their new cloud-based video gaming service called ESC, and also it will be the exclusive distributor for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (formerly known as the PlayStation Phone). 6

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Today AMD unveiled is more affordable Radeon HD 6000series graphics card with the most expensive model retailing for about US$100. We’ve got a few pictures of some of the partner boards for your viewing pleasure, alongside the specs of the new card after the break.

SingTel today announced the launch of their cloudbased video gaming service called „ESC? and exclusive distributorship of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Android smartphone.

Starting from the bottom up we have the Radeon HD 6450 and it's quite a step up from the previous generation Radeon HD 5450. For starters the shader count has doubled from 80 to 160 shaders, although the ROPs, stencil buffers and texture units remain the same. The GPU still has a 64-bit memory interface, but at least the clock speeds of both the memory and GPU have been boosted so the GPU is clocked somewhere between 625 and 750MHz with the memory at 533 to 900MHz (depending on memory type). There will be cards with both DDR3 and GDDR5 memory available. The MSRP for cards based on the Radeon HD 6450 is expected to be around US$55 (S$69).

Launched in partnership with Playcast Media Systems, ESC (read as „ESCape?) is the first service in Asia to deliver ondemand high quality games directly from the „cloud? to users on TV and PC. This provides a rich and immersive gaming experience through a one-time client download. With instant and unlimited access to 24 titles at launch from a range of genres, ESC gamers can enjoy popular game titles from Atari, Capcom, Codemasters, Disney, Tell Tale Games and THQ. For example, Street Fighter 4, Back to the Future and Toy Story 3 are available to customers who sign up for the service. Each month, two to three titles will be refreshed to ensure the line-up is current and engaging. ESC is available to anyone with fibre or broadband connectivity of 10Mbps and above. Unlimited ESC gameplay starts from S$1.99 for a One Day Pack, and S$9.99 for a month (all prices inclusive of GST). As a launch special, SingTel will be offering an unlimited free trial until 30 April 2011. Customers on fibre can access ESC on their television sets via SingTel?s exCite TV service and both fibre and broadband customers can enjoy the PC service by downloading a simple client.

AMD claims 30fps+ in a wide range of titles at 1600x900 resolution, although this appears to be mostly in older titles such as Battlefield BC 2: Vietnam, Lost planet 2, F1 2010, Dragon Age 2 and WoW. That said, reviews of the card doesn't seem to confirm AMD's figures, as the Radeon HD 6450 seems to be struggling at default settings in most of the games listed by AMD. The card also supports Eyefinity for three displays and here AMD clams playable frame rates at 4080x768 (that's three times 1366x768), although judging by the standard benchmarks, this doesn't seem all that likely.

From May 2011, ESC will also be offered with SingTel?s exPress 50 fibre broadband plan at a bundled price of S $66.90 per month. With this package, customers can enjoy unlimited game play with 50Mbps fibre broadband. From June, customers can look forward to the exPress 50 Ultimate Entertainment Pack which will bundle mio TV and games.

AMD launches the Radeon HD 6670, 6570, 6450 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-launches-the-radeonhd-6670-6570-6450/11907.html April 19th, 2011

On the upside AMD has added support for HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort 1.2 which means 3D stereoscopic video is supported for those interested in watching 3D movies for example. AMD doesn't offer its own custom 3D solution like Nvidia, but is instead working on support all types of 3D TVs, displays and shutter glasses. The Radeon HD 6450 also offers better performance in most games than Nvidia's GeForce

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GT520 which is a more expensive card and it does of course outperform Intel's HD 2000 graphics.

All of the partner cards we've seen so far are variations on AMD's reference design with slightly different coolers, although Sapphire appears to be the only company with a passively cooled card on offer.

Published by: VR-Zone April 19th, 2011

Maybe it is because Microsoft's Office productivity suite is still the number one office suite of choice for most users around the world that people are always trying to nitpick on it for not being able to match up to their lofty expectations of what a 'proper' office productivity suite is supposed to be. However, even the harshest critic may have to take a back seat with Microsoft's latest Office-related offering for businesses, for Microsoft has just announced in a media event held at The Fullerton Hotel that the public beta for the business-centric cloud-productivity service, Office 365 is now live. So what new features can businesses look forward to with Office 365? Read on to find out more. As far as Microsoft is concerned, most people are not about to fault the Redmond giant for its contributions to the advancement of technology on the PC and the office productivity front, and for good reason. For one, Microsoft's technological prowess in the aforementioned areas are essentially second to none, and it is thanks to the company that the Windows operating system and Office productivity suite that we take for granted everyday come bundled with various advanced features that are seemingly capable of greatly enhancing and simplifying the average user's digital workflow. However, the one aspect of Microsoft's pursuit for technological advancement which essentially all critics are only too keen to rat the Redmond giant out on centers around the key aspect of user experience. While Microsoft has been successful in delivering highly advanced technology to the masses, the company often falls flat on its face when it involves making the aforementioned technology easily accessible and usable for the average end-user who seeks an integrated approach to software. And this is the kind of problem Microsoft is hoping to rectify for its enterprise consumers with the introduction of the public beta for the new Office 365 productivity serviced aimed at businesses of all sizes.

Microsoft announces public beta of Office 365 for businesses Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-announces-public-beta-ofoffice-365-for-businesses/11906.html

Speaking at the event was Microsoft's chief operating office, Kevin Turner, who described the new subscription-based Office 365 as the "future of productivity". Interestingly, it feels as though we had heard this catchphrase somewhere in a previous Microsoft-related event.

April 19th, 2011

"Office 365 includes our latest productivity suites and services. This includes Microsoft Exchange Online for messaging, Sharepoint Online for collaboration and Lync online for unified communications. All these services have been integrated into the main Office client application, along with the latest version of Microsoft's Office Web Apps," he said. Turner also added that the company's strategic partnership with Starhub will allow it to accelerate the adoption of both the beta and final release versions of Office 365, a fact that was further elaborated on by Starhub's chief operating officer, Tan Tong Hai.

Published by: VR-Zone

"When we talk about Office 365, we have to think about what businesses need. Businesses need productivity. So how do we improve their productivity? First, we have to enable them to communicate to people in new ways. With a big inbox, we also offer them the best way to efficiently manage their inboxes," he said, while explaining how Outlook in Office 365 offers users full access to their working team's calanders for easier communication and planning.

Integration at its best in Outlook

"Starhub will be the go-to market partner for Microsoft and Office 365. If our business consumers ever encounter any problems with the Office 365 service, Starhub will be the party they should get in touch with. We will implement a support structure with Microsoft to ensure that customers will have a peace of mind when they eventually decide to migrate over to Microsoft's cloud productivity service," he said.

Hau also spoke on the importance of the need to be able to access one's working files regardless of their location and the type of machine they are using, especially when mobile. To that end, Sharepoint Online Office Web Apps will allow such users to access and edit their content in a web browser with the same familiar environment they have grown to familiarize themselves with in Microsoft Office. And for those who are not keen on using the web browser known as Internet Explorer, Hau has assured users that Web Apps will work perfectly fine with alternative browsers such as Mozilla's Firefox.

Tan added that the upcoming nationwide fiber-optic network, along with the fact that the Office 365 servers will be installed locally, will allow Starhub, along with other broadband service providers, to deliver a better user experience to its customers utilizing Office 365. Last but not least, Microsoft's product manager for the Information Market Group, Hau Lu, gave a demonstration of how Office 365 has integrated Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft Sharepoint Online and Microsoft Lync Online into a single unified environment to enhance work efficiency and productivity.

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Looks so good, you cannot tell you're viewing this on a browser until you see the Internet Explorer 9 UI

Don't want to use IE? Fret not: Web Apps will get the job done with any browser of your choice.

Last but not least, you might be aware that Microsoft used to offer businesses another cloud-based offering known as Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite or Microsoft BPOS. Unfortunately for BPOS, it seems that its days as an enterprise offering are numbered, as Turner has confirmed that Office 365 will now be Microsoft's default offering to business users, and that BPOS will be retired in favor of Office 365. "We will have only one brand strategy, and it is all about Office 365. Thank goodness for that." he quipped. Turner also hinted that Office 365 may be ported to the ARM architecture to allow for Windows 8 and tablet compatibility. But that will probably have to wait until Office 365 is officially released and we start seeing Windows 8 shipping on both traditional PCs and tablet devices. Until then, businesses can test out the public beta of Office 365 at http:// www.Office365.com.

There are slight formatting issues with the Word Web App, but we were assured that these will not carry forward to the final document that will be viewed on the actual Office client

Glass-free 3D on the Apple iPad 2? Yes, it is possible Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/glass-free-3d-on-the-apple-ipad-2-yesit-is-possible/11905.html April 19th, 2011

...and you can also get access Onenote via Web Apps. Neat, right?

The Apple iPad 2 does not come with 3D display technology, but from the folks at Engineering HumanComputer Interaction Research, it is possible to achieve glassfree 3D effect on the tablet device. Read on for the details.

Last but not least, Hau described how Lync integration in Office 365 allows for users to initiate conversations from withinthe various Office 365 components available.

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

ChaCha, a free, real-time Q&A service provider has launched a new iPhone application with location-based features and entirely fresh user interface, making the already popular service even easier and more fun to use while on the go. In addition to the Q&A capability, the new app allows users to see live questions being asked by others in their area. This also lets ChaCha users find out what's trending in their own backyards. Additionally, users can also opt-in to nearly 100 ChaCha mobile alerts including news, weather, celebrity / entertainment news, stock quotes and more, guaranteeing that up-to-the-minute information will always be at their fingertips wherever they are. Thanks to the Avatar 3D blockbuster movie, 3D is going on TVs, PCs and even smartphones. But the need to use 3D glasses can be hassle for many, which is why some manufacturers are going the glass-less 3D route. Well, the folks at Engineering Human-Computer Interaction Research in France has managed to develop a way to bring glass-free 3D on the Apple iPad 2, which could also mean that glass-less 3D is possible on other tablets and smartphones too. The methodology involves the tracking of the head of the user with the device's front facing camera and perhaps also the gyroscope feature. It does not use the acelerometers though. Check out the video and see for yourself.

Chacha launches new iPhone app with new UI and locationbased features Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chacha-launches-new-iphone-app-

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer preorder starts today Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-eee-pad-transformer-preorderstarts-today/11894.html April 19th, 2011

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is more than just an Android tablet; it comes with a uniquely designed fullsize QWERTY keyboard docking station that provides ease of typing and extends the device's battery life. For those of you who are waiting for this, the wait is over. Today, the company has announced the start of the preorder for their Eee Pad Transformer. Update: 100 sets of pre-order units for the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer had been sold out within 3 hours.

with-new-ui-and-location-based-features/11904.html April 19th, 2011

Real-time question and answer service provider Chacha has launched their new iPhone app that sports a refreshed look and offers location-based features. Besides asking questions, user can also see "live" questions being asked in his or her vicinity. Update: 100 sets of pre-order units for the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer had been sold out within 3 hours. ASUS today officially announced the start of preorder for the Eee Pad Transformer which claims to be the perfect tablet solution for both media consumption and mobile productivity. Designed to provide the most personal and seamless cloud computing experience, the innovative Eee Pad Transformer has a uniquely designed full-size QWERTY keyboard docking station that offers two USB slots, SD card reader and extends battery life up to 16 hours. It also boasts an IPS panel made from a durable, scratch-resistant glass, dual cameras and supports Adobe Flash 10.2 video playback. ASUS has 11

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also developed an intuitive user interface called Waveshare which hosts a variety of unique applications including MyNet, MyLibrary and MyCloud. The Eee Pad Transformer is available for pre-order in Singapore today. The Eee Pad Transformer pre-order is limited to 100 sets only. Users may visit ASUS Singapore Official Fan page, http://www.facebook.com/asus.sg for more pre-order information. Pre-order price: S$699 (incl GST) with free Docking station worth S$199. Pre-order begins from 18 April to 26 April and is limited to the first 100 customers only.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 18 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--18april-2011/11448.html April 19th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Intel has seemingly thrown in the towel with its Itanium architecture and has started moving out its engineers from the Itanium team to its Xeon departments; ASRock's Fatal1ty P67 Professional motherboard gets reviewed; Kyocera’s dual-touchscreen Echo smartphone is now officially available through Sprint in the U.S; Samsung is reportedly planning to bridge the performance gap between a traditional desktop PC and a smartphone by aiming to launch a new smartphone fitted with a 2GHz processor core by 2012; Ridge Racer 3D for Nintendo's latest portable video game console, the Nintendo 3DS, gets reviewed, and The rumour mill is claiming that Nintendo's upcoming sucessor to its Wii video game console might feature "a tablet with buttons" for its controllers Hardware news Thermaltake Frio - CLP0564 @ Computing on Demand Description: With the loud design of many products entering the market today, it seems that there has been a lack of balance between the design and the function, whereas the function doesn't say as much about the performance as the appearance does. Thermaltake thinks they can regain some of my confidence by enticing me, the enthusiast, with a CPU cooler that claims it can do the job and looks like it should be able to without the zany design elements some have chosen to opt for over functionality. Thermaltake Max 5G USB Drive Enclosure Review @ Bigbruin. Description: I'm finding it difficult to find anything I would offer up as a suggestion for the Thermaltake Max 5G USB drive enclosure. It supports the latest version of USB while being backwards compatible to previous generations, it provides active cooling with dual 80mm LED fans, it has an integrated support stand, and it has an easy way to turn off the fan's LEDs. Xigmatek Elysium Case Review on Technic3D (German)

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: (Machine translation)The Xigmatek Elysium is the next PC-Case in the Technic3D Editorship. The Elysium Enthusiast Big-Tower supports HPTX motherboards and have very much place for Cooling-Fans and a Watercooling Kit. We will check this and many more in the following Review. ASRock Fatal1ty P67 Professional Review @ ocaholic Description: With the P67 Profess1onal Fatal1ty, ASRock has a high-end Sandy Bridge motherboard in its portfolio which especially targets the gaming market. Next to a very attractive design the board also features three PCI-Express x16 slots and ten SATA-Ports. Furthermore we're also very curious if this motherboard can be overclocked well. Evercool Transformer 4+ Plus CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: Evercool's original Transformer 4 CPU cooler, with its dual 120mm fans, 8mm copper heatpipes and direct touch design should have been a top performer in the CPU cooling market. It wasn't. The newer Transformer 4 PLUS, with its higher speed PWM fans performs much better and adds socket 1156 support into the mix. In fact, the cooling is quite good and even has the cooling muscle to support some moderate overclocking. Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 Mini ITX Motherboard/ CPU Combo Review @ OCIA.net Description: After being in development since 2006, AMD was finally able to debut their Fusion APU at the 2011 CES. If you haven’t been keeping up with processing technology as of late, APU stands for Accelerated Processing Unit and is AMD’s CPU + GPU combo chip. Today we are going to be taking a look at a motherboard / APU combo from Gigabyte, the GAE350N-USB3. The E350N utilizes the Brazos platform and more specifically, the Zacate APU which features a dual-core Bobcat CPU operating at 1.6 GHz and AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics. Intel Relocates Itanium Engineers to Xeon Projects Description: Intel Corp's officially claims that Xeon processors may offer better level of performance and availability than the company's Itanium. According to people with alleged knowledge of the matter, Intel had been specifically reappointing engineers from the Itanium teams into development of Xeon central processing units (CPUs). Intel and Micron Announce 20nm NAND Flash Description: Intel's G3 SSDs may be the new hotness, but the company announced along with Micron that it has made a new, finer 20nm process technology for manufacturing NAND flash memory. The new 20nm process produces an 8 GB multilevel cell (MLC) NAND flash device. Consumer Electronics and Software news Kyocera Echo dual-touchscreen smartphone released on Sprint Description: Kyocera’s dual-touchscreen Echo smartphone is now available through Sprint in the U.S. The standout feature of the Echo is the extra screen real estate provided by the two 3.5-inch WVGA touchscreen displays connected by a pivot hinge that allows the device to be used in the traditional single screen configuration or folded out so each display can be used independently, side-by-side or combined to form a 800 x 960 12

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pixel 4.7-inch display â&#x20AC;&#x201C; albeit divided by a black bar formed by the frame. Samsung Plans to Release a 2GHz Dual-Core Smartphone by 2012 Description: Two years have passed since the first 1GHz smartphones hit the market, and Samsung is already looking at the next big milestone in the smartphone gigahertz race: 2 GHz. Such processor speed, Samsung claims, will narrow the gap between a smartphone and a full-fledged desktop PC, at least when it comes to data processing power. GoPro HD HERO Camera review @ OCAU Description: That's right, the GoPro HD HERO is an onboard or helmet camera for use in sports, wet or dry. It's the real deal too - once you are aware of these tiny cameras, you start seeing them everywhere, in top-level motorsports and extreme sports, right through to shows like Mythbusters and Top Gear. Even footage of the Chilean Mine Rescue was shot with one, and at 0:39 in this video you can see one mounted in Google's self-driving car. Tt eSPORTS Azurues Gaming Mouse Review @ Vortez Description: Tt eSports' current portfolio of gaming mice includes the Black, the Azurues and the recently announced Black Element. Today, Vortez will be reviewing an inexpensive, no-frills ambidextrous mouse: the Azurues, which is not to be confused with Azureus, a BitTorrent client now known as Vuze GIGABYTE T1125N-CF1 11.6-inch Tablet Convertible Notebook Review Description: What we have here is an 11.6" notebook that measures in at 11.4" x 8.7" x 1.1" and weighs 3.8 pounds. It's a little heftier than you'd expect in an 11.6" device, but that's due in part to the fact that this is no ordinary notebook; it's a convertible. The hinge and touch screen adds a bit of beef to this notebook turned tablet; it would have been nice if they had made it a little thinner to compensate. ASUS RT-N56U Wireless-N Gigabit Router @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Stylish and router are two words that would not normally be put together in a sentence without a negative term preceding them somehow, but the tables are turning now as we look at the latest offering from ASUS. Today, Benchmark Reviews brings you the ASUS RT-N56U Dual Band WirelessN Gigabit Router. As you will see in the images that follow, the ASUS RT-N56U certainly has an air of class about it and is different in that way from 99% of routers on offer today. Corsair HS1 Gaming-Headset Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine translation) The Corsair HS1 GamingHeadset arrived Technic3D. -The circumaural, closed-back design offers the long-term playing comfort and immersive multi-channel audio that you demand as a gamer, with a unidirectional noise-cancelling microphone that lets you be heard loud and clear, and audio controls that are easy to use without taking your head out of the game.- We will check this and many more in the following Review. Gaming news Prey 2 preview: Alien sequel

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Description: Prey 2 is so radically different from the first game in terms of look, gameplay and feel that it should really be approached with entirely different expectations. Though the universe may be the same and is set to include an appearance from Prey's former protagonist, Tommy, this isn't the straightforward sequel you may have expected from Human Head Studios. Ridge Racer 3D Nintendo 3DS Review Description: Ridge Racer is the true form of arcade racer that we have all come to know and love. You take control of a car, drive it as fast as you can and race to the finish, all the time overtaking cars. The Ridge Racer formula is in full effect in this game with powerslides being the order of the day and boost also helping you overtake the other AI cars. If you have played a Ridge Racer game before, you know what this game is all about. Wii 2, code-named Project Cafe, will have tablet controller? Description: Rumors peg Nintendo's next console as having "iPad with buttons" for a controller; Wii backwards compatibility reportedly confirmed.

Samsung said to be selling its hard drive business Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-said-to-be-selling-its-harddrive-business/11903.html April 19th, 2011

It wasn't long ago that Western Digital snapped up Hitachi's hard drive business to become the largest hard drive manufacturer in the world, but it seems like Seagate might have an opportunity to retake some of its lost market share, as Samsung is looking to sell its hard drive business. So far it appears to only be rumours, but if true, we'd be left with only two manufacturers of desktop hard drives which simply can't be a good thing. It wasn't long ago that Western Digital snapped up Hitachi's hard drive business to become the largest hard drive manufacturer in the world, but it seems like Seagate might have an opportunity to retake some of its lost market share, as Samsung is looking to sell its hard drive business. So far it appears to only be rumours, but if true, we'd be left with only two manufacturers of desktop hard drives which simply can't be a good thing. Samsung's hard drive business isn't profitable and as such the company is considering its options. That said the official word from Samsung is that it's only reviewing its business opportunities and wouldn't comment further on the matter. Samsung hold about 10.7 percent of the global hard drive market and this would allow Seagate to catch up, but not overtake Western Digital. That is if Seagate is seriously considering buying Samsung's hard drive business would the opportunity arise.

April 19th, 2011

According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung is looking for about US$1.5 billion which is no small sum of cash to come up with, but apparently the company might be happy with less. This is still a lot less than what Western Digital agreed to pay Hitachi, which was a sum of US$4.3 billion, although some of that was in shares. That said, Hitachi had a market share of 18.1 percent at the end of last year, but that still doesn't seem to be worth nearly three times as much as Samsung's hard drive business.

Published by: VR-Zone

And as luck would have it, it seems that EVGA has heard the community's concerns and has since moved to work on a B3 version of the EVGA P67 SLI. Apparently, this updated, B3 version of the EVGA P67 SLI is known internally as the P67 FTW. Clearly, EVGA must think that this board, when released, would be so full of win that it could not resist the temptation of naming it as such.

If this all comes true, then it seems like we'll have Western Digital, Seagate and Toshiba left which isn't good news for consumers, as less competition tends to mean higher prices. In as much as SSDs are gaining a lot of popularity the good old magnetic disk drives aren't going anywhere any time soon as SSDs are simply not a viable alternative when it comes to cost per GB. In fact, consumers and businesses alike are storing more and more data and unless there's a miraculous new product coming out in the next year or two that will combine the performance of an SSD and the cost per GB of a hard drive, we can't see things changing any time soon.

Image of mystery P67-based EVGA motherboard shows up online Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/image-of-mystery-p67-based-evgamotherboard-shows-up-online/11899.html April 19th, 2011

EVGA has had a P67-based motherboard sitting around its site for quite some time already, but it appears that hardware enthusiasts may soon get to play with yet another P67-based motherboard from the likes of the aforementioned company. Apparently, an image of a new EVGA motherboard sporting a red and black colour scheme has been making its way around the Internet recently and based on the looks of it, this particular board is designed for the overclocking-hungry DIYer.

Most PC enthusiasts will be fully aware that EVGA already has a P67-based offering for the market for quite some time already, and it comes in the form of the EVGA P67 SLI motherboard that was launched way back in January this year. However, like most first-generation 6-series chipsets launched early this year, many users were understandably concerned that their P67 SLI may be affected with the hardware bug that would result in hardware degredation of the SATA2 controller used in all Intel 6-series chipsets.

Of course, for a board to be recognized as full of win even before users unbox the product and get down to fiddling around with the BIOS, it has to come with some impressive hardware specifications. And the good news is that the EVGA P67 FTW does have some neat features: while detailed specifications are still scarce, word has it that the P67 FTW will sport a 12-phase power design, six PCIe x16 slots and of course, support for both SLI and CrossFireX. In addition, the P67 FTW will also feature dedicated power, reset and CMOS reset buttons, along with four SATA2 ports and two SATA3 ports. Last but definitely not least, the board will come reportedly come bundled with a set of pins for the purpose of disabling the PCIe ports should the need arise. Now you know why it is called the FTW.

Alpenfohn Readies K2 CPU Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/alpenfohn-readies-k2-cpucooler/11902.html April 19th, 2011

German based EKL is preparing to introduce its K2 CPU Cooler, expanding its portfolio of performance CPU coolers. 14

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

SILVERSTONE PRESS RELEASE The RAVEN team's continued push to redefine and perfect the enthusiast tower chassis has resulted in yet another benchmark in the RAVEN RV03. With world-class cooling performance from the previous RAVEN chassis models retained by the included 180mm Air Penetrator fans, a rethinking of the interior layout enabled dramatic reduction in overall depth of the chassis compared to RAVEN RV02 while still matching RAVEN RV01's ability to accommodate Extended ATX motherboard and graphics cards longer than 13 inches. Cable management was also improved with a new 5cm thick hard drive compartment to allow nearly all cables to be connected behind the motherboard tray with ease. An unconventional power supply compartment located in the lower front part of the chassis further add to facilitate cable routing so anyone can assemble a pristine looking system with maximum airflow efficiency.

The nickel plated cooler features two towers of uniquely shaped aluminum fins, eight 6mm copper heat-pipes, and is equipped with two Wing Boost fans. The K2 supports up to three fans and is expected to cost about â&#x201A;Ź75. News via [Techconnect]

Silverstone Announces Raven RV03B-W Chassis Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/silverstone-announces-raven-rv03b-wchassis/11901.html April 19th, 2011

SilverStone Technology, manufacturer of high-end computer cases, power supplies, and other peripherals for PCs, has updated its line-up of Raven chassis with the release of the RV03B-W. Measuring 235 x 522 x 570mm and weighing 11.4kg, the tower case has room for up to seven 5.25" optical devices, ten 3.5" HDDs, two 2.5" HDDs/ SSDs, and eight expansion cards. It also supports all motherboards (up to extended ATX), graphic accelerators longer than 13", and boasts a smart cable management system. The RV03B-W, preinstalled with two bottom-placed 180mm Air Penetrator fans (1,200RPM), accomodates up to seven 120mm fans and is available through authorized resellers and e-tailers at a MSRP of 117.20 Euro come 25 April 2011.

Complementing the finely tuned and engineered interior, the RV03 has Champaign colored trimmings adorning an exterior with aggressive lines yet reserved profile. The stand out styling also fully utilizes the chassis's powerful cooling ability to full effect by a set of smartly designed, dual-purpose front bezels that helps to keep the RV03 looking sharp and uniform whether the user is setting up for maximum air cooling or for a silencing build.

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Supports Extended ATX motherboard • Supports eight expansion slots and graphics cards of any length • Mandatory cable management design for clean looking system on every build • Hard drive compartment with independent cooling zone • Upscale and aggressive styling with dual-purpose front panel bezels

You can find further information about Raven RV03B-W: http://www.silverstonetek.com/raven/products/r-spec.php? model=RV03&area=usa

Raven RV03B-W is available on 25.04.2011.

The recommended End User price (excl. VAT): 117.20 Euro As a trend-setter and a computer chassis engineering showcase, the RAVEN RV03 has few equals. However, its advanced features are equally accessible that anyone from experienced enthusiasts to novice users will find easy to appreciate and utilize, making RV03 the most appealing RAVEN chassis yet!

Special Feature • Revolutionary 90 degree motherboard mounting from RAVEN RV01

EVERCOOL Unveils World's First Router Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/evercool-unveils-world-s-first-routercooler/11900.html April 19th, 2011

Taipei based Evercool has announced Dr. Cool, the world's first cooler for routers and various IP sharing devices. Measuring 151 x 145 x 80mm and weighing 263g , the crablike device is powered by USB/ a DC power transformer and features a 80mm fan that operates at speeds up to 2,500 RPM at 21 dBA. Prices and availability has not been announced yet so stay tuned for more updates. EVERCOOL PRESS RELEASE

• Includes two Air Penetrator 180mm fans for superb performance and quietness • Support up to seven 120mm fans for exceptional cooling flexibility • Motherboard back plate opening behind CPU area for quick cooler assembly

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The retractable clip design makes Dr. Cool compatible with different sizes of routers (IP sharing devices), additionally it can be used for 2.5 portable hard disks, tablet PCs, Netbooks or other accessories. The multi-clip design makes it very easy for users to install it, just place and clip. Soft pads inside the clips further secure the router or devices as well as preventing it from sliding. Dr. Cool can powered by either USB or a DC power transformer, which makes very convenient for users.

Guess what is it A crab The tool for clip game Or a small UFO

No, all the above answers are wrong.

It is the new cooler launched by EVERCOOL, who is always driven by the coexistence of both cooling and aesthetics, but also emphasizing the usability.

What are the purposes of Dr. Cool? Dr. Cool is the World's first specialized cooler for Routers and IP sharing devices with a unique design. It was conceived with three features in mind branding, creative aesthetics and effective cooling. This last being where EVERCOOL pays special attention to, as well as taking into consideration user's feedback. It has a white, delicate and compact appearance that makes it attractive to people's eyes. Dr. Cool provides a cooling solution to address overheating problems. Using one 8cm long-life fan it provides sufficient airflow to achieve silent cooling, effectively dissipating the heat. It also helps prevent damage caused by heat by long periods of operation and extend the router's or IP sharing device's life expectancy.

As its name suggests, Dr. Cool has multiple functions and just likes a Doctor has extensive knowledge in the cooling field. The reasonable price gives it a very good costperformance value. Cooling solutions are not only limited to PC, Dr. Cool is a suitable cooling alternative for routers and IP sharing devices. For video of Dr. httpwww.youtube.comwatchv=Yx9bIPlr610

Cool

Funny video of Dr. httpwww.youtube.comwatchv=DlR8tQJsbqY

Cool

For more details about EVERCOOL and products, please always welcome to visit httpwww.evercool.com.tw

Performance Graphic

April 19th, 2011

Alpenfohn Releases Heidi 2 VGA cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/alpenfohn-releases-heidi-2-vgacooler/11898.html April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Measuring 144 x 133 x 62mm and weighing 456g, the nickel plated cooler boasts a copper base, four 6mm copper heatpipes, aluminum fins, and is equipped with a 120mm Wing Boost spinner. The Heidi 2 is compatible* with most graphic accelerators in the market and is expected to ship soon. *Compatibility List AMD: Radeon HD 6850, HD 6870, HD 5870, HD 5850, HD 5770, HD 5750, HD 5670, HD 4870, HD 4860, HD 4850, HD 4830, HD 4750, HD 4670, HD 4650, HD 3870, HD 3850, HD 3690, HD 3650, HD 3450, HD 2600, X1900 and X1600 nVidia:

EKL is preparing to launch the Heidi 2 VGA cooler, targeting overclocking enthusiasts .

GeForce GTX 460, GTX 200 series, GTX 250, GT 240, GT 220, GT 210, 9800 GTX+GTXGT, 9600 GT, 8800 GT GTS(G92), 8600, 8500, 8400, 7900 GTXGTGS, 7800 GTXGT, 7600, 7400, 7300, 6600

Turn your iPhone into a remote control, courtesy of Panasonic Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/turn-your-iphone-into-a-remotecontrol-courtesy-of-panasonic/11897.html April 19th, 2011

Do you happen to own an iPhone, along with any Panasonicbranded home-theatre entertainment devices in your home? If you do, Panasonic's latest announcement will probably be just the thing you need to chuck out those clunky remote controls for good; this is because the Japanese electronics company has just announced the launch of three apps for the iPhone that allows users to take control of their Panasonic-branded home entertainment devices from the comfort of their smartphone.

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

with the DIGA Remote app: the BZT900/800/700/600, BWT500, BRT300, BWT3100/2100/1100, BW890/690, BF200, BWT3000/2000/1000, BW880/780/680, and the BW970/870/770.

It is always said that the fiercest domestic quarrels usually has something do with one's possession of the humble home entertainment tool known as the remote control, and it is easy to see why. With each individual having unique tastes in their content of choice and the remote control being the only tool that is capable of helping viewers gain easy access to such content, it should be of little surprise that the battle for the remote control is often the best way to showcase one's alleged seniority (or immaturity) in the household. And because having a family of three or more members fighting for possession of one remote control does not sound like the best way to make use of one's time at home, Panasonic has apparently come up with a clever way to keep such domestic quarrels to a minimum; by giving every single family member remote access to its home entertainment devices. But here lies the twist; as much as most people would have wanted it, the Japanese electronics giant is not about to increase its production costs by bundling four remote controls for each product. Rather, Panasonic is taking advantage of the fact that most people will have at least one iPhone by releasing three remote control apps for the Apple-branded smartphone, with each app aimed at enabling remote access to a specific Panasonic-branded home entertainment device. The first app is known as the VIERA Remote, and as its name suggests, is centered around providing an iPhone with remote control capabilities for Panasonic's VIERA line of televisions. Of course, not every single VIERA-branded television is compatible with the app: Panasonic's press release claims that only the VIERA VT3, GT3, ST3 and DT3 series of television sets support remote control via a compatible iOS device.

The second app released by Panasonic is known as the Digarimoto or DIGA Remote, and is targeted at Panasonic's line of DIGA-branded DVD recorders and players. Much like the VIERA remote mentioned previously, the DIGA Remote app allows a compatible iOS device to gain full remote access to a DIGA-branded DVD recorder's functions, such as its recording schedules and standard video playback features. According to Panasonic, the following DVD recorders are compatible

The third and final app that has been made available for iOS is the Panasonic Blu-ray Remote app which is only compatible with the BDT110 Blu-ray player.

Interestingly, Panasonic made no mention about the apps' compatibility (or incomatibility) with any specific versions of iOS, although it can be logically understood that users who are currently on the latest version of iOS that is supported by their device are not likely to experience any compatibility issues with the aforementioned apps. More importantly, the press release also makes no references nor drops any hints about a future Android version of the aforementioned apps, so Android users will probably have to sit this one out for the forseeable future.

Symantec releases public betas for 2012 versions of Norton security software Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/symantec-releases-public-betasfor-2012-versions-of-norton-security-software/11896.html April 19th, 2011

Norton by Symantec has released the 2012 beta versions of the award-winning Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security, which are now available for free download from the Norton beta website. The Norton 2012 betas improve on performance and protection in what are already the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest and lightest security products. They include key security enhancements, including the ability to assess the safety and stability of an application before installation.

When it comes to purchasing a paid security software licence for a home PC, it always pays to go for established brands that have been in the market for a long time, and for good reason. After all, the fact that a security software vendor can maintain its presence in the market for such a long period of time almost 19

April 19th, 2011

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always means that it has to be doing something right in order to stay in this line of business.

later time, particularly useful for consumers with limited data plans.

Needless to say, security software vendors are also required to keep their programs and security protocols up to date in order to best protect users from the constantly evolving nature of security threats that lurk in cyberspace. And this is what Norton by Symantec has done today with the release of the public beta for the 2012 version of two of its security softwares: Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security.

Last but definitely not least, both 2012 betas include an updated user interface, which offers quick access to the Norton Cybercrime Index, alerting consumers to online trouble-spots and potential hazards, including the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most dangerous websites, the most hijacked search terms by cybercriminals, as well as top scams, identity theft and spam. The free tool includes expert news about the most dangerous threat of the day and advice on how to stay safe online. The minium system requirements to be met should one be interested in giving the public betas of Norton AntiVirus 2012 and Norton Internet Security 2012 are as follow: Norton Antivirus 2012

Norton Internet Security 2012

In a press release issued by the company, Symantec claims that the 2012 betas boasts improvements in performance and protection levels "in what are already the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest and lightest security products". In addition, the company has revealed that various features and tools previously available in the 2011 versions of the company's security software products have been updated to to further enhance the user experience of the 2012 versions of its security software. Examples of such features include the reputationbased security technology Insight 3.0, while the new version of Download Insight is now capable of providing users "with additional data they can rely on before installing an application". The SONAR behavioral protection system has also been updated to version 4; this version allows for the monitoring of "running applications for suspicious behavior to quickly detect and disable previously unknown threats". In addition, the public beta of Norton Internet Security 2012 reportedly features a revamped Norton Identity Safe that boasts a streamlined interface, along with improved login and form detection technology, and the capability to store passwords in the cloud so they are accessible from any computer with Norton 360 or Norton Internet Security installed. Both 2012 betas enable consumers to conserve bandwidth by postponing non-critical Norton activity to a

Gigabyte first with Z68 board in retail Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-first-with-z68-board-inretail/11895.html April 19th, 2011

Although the actual launch date is said to be the 8th of May, it seems like the first Z68 board has already hit retail, at least in Taiwan. The board in question is the Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3 which at least for the time being will be Gigabyte's flagship Z68 20

April 19th, 2011

board. However, for those of you wanting a Z68 board with display connectivity, this is not the board you've been waiting for. Although the actual launch date is said to be the 8th of May, it seems like the first Z68 board has already hit retail, at least in Taiwan. The board in question is the Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3 which at least for the time being will be Gigabyte's flagship Z68 board. However, for those of you wanting a Z68 board with display connectivity, this is not the board you've been waiting for. The Z68X-UD7 appears to be more or less identical to Gigabyte's P67A-UD7, with some minor modifications. The pictures that have turned up online is of the motherboard box and doesn't actually give us a good look at the board itself, but even so, it's clear a couple of things have changed. Gigabyte has most likely changed the Marvell 88SE9128 SATA 6Gbps controller to the 88SE9182 which features support for two PCI Express lanes instead of one which means more bandwidth available for faster SSDs. This controller is already used on some of Gigabyte's other SKUs and we'd expect it to be a feature of the Z68X-UD7 as well.

Of course, one of the major advantages here is support for Intel's Smart Response SSD caching. It's important to note that at least from what we've heard that Intel only guarantees a 20GB cache, so getting a large SSD for this would be somewhat pointless, at least for the time being. According to the box Smart Response is meant to deliver up to four times the drive performance compared to just using a hard drive.

Published by: VR-Zone April 19th, 2011

Most people may not know it, but Oracle actually sells a commercial version of the OpenOffice office productivity suite that featured several proprietary components layered over the free software suite in order to deliver a more complete 'outof-the-box' computing experience for various users such as businesses and enterprises. However, that commercial version of OpenOffice is set to be given the whole heave-ho from the likes of Oracle themselves, for the company has announced in a blog post that it intends to relinquish control over OpenOffice - by turning it into a "purely community-based project".

Speak of the name 'OpenOffice' and most people will immediately think of the free and open-source office productivity suite of the same name, which is currently the world's second most popular office productivity suite after that of Microsoft Office. In fact, so extensive is Oracle's OpenOffice productivity suite that the software even has its own fair share of forks based off its original source code, of which the commercial (and proprietary) Oracle Open Office is a good example of. Marketed directly by Oracle, it boasted several features usually absent in the free OpenOffice suite due to copyright and legal issues, such as support for various Microsoft Office-centric features and proprietary fonts. However, it seems that Oracle has decided that maintaining the proprietary Oracle Open Office is a task that involves more effort and resources that it is willing to commit to, has since taken steps to reduce its workload by giving the open-source community more say in the OpenOffice project. To that end, Oracle has announced in a blog posting that the company intends to "move OpenOffice.org to a purely community-based open source project and to no longer offer a commercial version of Open Office".

It also looks like we'll finally be getting UEFI support from Gigabyte, although the company is calling it Touch BIOS and is referring to it as a Hybrid EFI technology, so we'll just have to wait and see what it is. Current pricing in Taiwan is about NT$12,000 (S$513) which is about on par with what the P67AUD7 sold for at launch. It's not a cheap board, but considering it's Gigabyte's top-of-the-range LGA-1155 model, we wouldn't expect anything less.

Oracle axes all commercial offerings of OpenOffice Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/oracle-axes-all-commercial-offeringsof-openoffice/11893.html

Indeed, a quick search for Oracle Open Office and Oracle Cloud Office on the company's website have turned up nothing, which suggests that Oracle has already taken been

April 19th, 2011

hard at work behind the scenes to axe every single known commercial offering of OpenOffice that it used to offer.

Published by: VR-Zone

Samsung NX series camera gets firmware upgrade Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-nx-series-camera-getsfirmware-upgrade/11891.html April 19th, 2011

If you are owner of a Samsung NX series compact system camera, here's a piece of good news. The Korean manufacturer has announced firmware upgrades for their NX10 and NX100 that claims to provide enhanced features for existing customers. Samsung today announced firmware upgrades for two products within the company’s NX compact system camera range – the NX100 and NX10. The upgrade will provide enhanced features for existing customers. Following the availability of the i-Function lens feature on both models, the latest upgrades are set to make the cameras even more convenient for the photographer to use, bringing added value to Samsung’s NX range customers and putting the perfect picture at their fingertips.

That being said, there is a lot about the eventual fate of OpenOffice which Oracle clearly left unsaid in its official announcement. For one, Screven only mentioned that the company will work with community developers to ensure that OpenOffice remains successful without providing any details about Oracle's next course of action. Needless to say, questions about governance are definitely going to be raised, and developers who have been burnt by Oracle's hostility in a number of open source projects will understandably be wary of the company's move.

Users of the NX100 and NX10 cameras can now benefit from the availability of the Panorama Shot in Scene Mode, using the camera’s wide angle lens to capture even more within their landscape images. In addition, when using the 50-200mm II lens with the cameras, they will now be able to benefit from Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) which can be easily selected by using the menu system on the camera’s screen – resulting in hassle-free, crisp and clear images.

More importantly, the issue regarding the ownership of the OpenOffice trademark was left un-addressed in Oracle's announcement, and this issue will definitely be a bone of contention for those who feel that the company should relinquish its claim over the trademark as a sign of its goodwill. After all, most people will remember how Oracle refused to donate the trademark to the Document Foundation, an organization which was responsible for creating a communitydriven fork of the productivity suite known as LibreOffice, and insisted that its founding developers leave OpenOffice. With OpenOffice now a fully community-driven project, whether the Document Foundation will be given the rights to use the OpenOffice trademark remains to be seen. Alternatively, it is also possible that the Document Foundation may merge with the new OpenOffice board to deliver a single office productivity suite under the OpenOffice banner. Well, we shall wait and see.

The firmware upgrade also includes an improved Movie AutoFocus, using the latest algorithms from camcorder technology to improve the steadiness of video recording when moving from subject to subject.

It also incorporates an enhanced Contrast Auto-Focus, to deliver clearer low contrast shots, even in low light conditions. The firmware upgrade also makes these functions faster and quieter than ever, giving photographers the ability to take noise-free, professional-looking still images and movies with ease.

In addition, through the upgraded firmware, the NX100 and NX10 now provide the i-Function setting help guide via the camera’s display, as available on the recent NX11 model. The feature helps users take impressive shots more easily by

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

guiding users with explanations on different functions of the i-Function lens.

The upgrades will be available from April 18, 2011 for all NX100 and NX10 customers to download at www.samsung.com.

SEGA "Mega Drive Portable" shows up in Brazil Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sega-mega-drive-portable-shows-upin-brazil/11892.html April 19th, 2011

Most of us who grew up in the early days of console gaming would fondly remember the days where Nintendo's NES and SNES would go head-to-head with the likes of SEGA's Master System and Mega Drive video game consoles. And while those systems have now found a better place in the heaven for obsolete game consoles, old-timers might probably take a shine to a new iteration of SEGA's classic Mega Drive console, which comes in the form of a portable device sold by Tectoy.

According to Japanese technology website ITmedia, the Tectoy is also sold under various different names due OEM branding practices, but the console is otherwise identical to OEM-branded variants sold in Brazil, and is available in either a three-button (Mega Drive 1-style controller) or a six-button (Mega Drive 2-style controller). Apparently, the MD Portable will not accept any genuine Mega Drive cartridges due to size constraints. instead, game ROMs are reportedly pre-loaded into the console, and that there are about 20 different titles that are bundled into the retail units of the MD Portable.

An OEM version of the Tectoy MD Portable marketed as the Blaze

Good old SEGA. While their consoles have now moved on to a better place in the heaven for obsolete video gaming systems, it is still common to find people talking fondly about the company's consoles, and for good reason. After all, it was SEGA which brought well-known titles such as the everpopular Sonic The Hedgehog, Bare Knuckles (or Streets of Rage) and Golden Axe series to the forefront of video games in the early days of the console wars. However, old-time gamers who have been wanting to play some of their old Mega Drive games once again usually find themselves resorting to ROMs and emulators, simply because it is almost impossible to get a hold of working consoles in good physical condition due to the age of the system. However, it seems that deliverance might have come in the form of a portable video game console sold in Brazil, known as the Tectoy MD Portable.

Details about the device's hardware specifications and price are scarce, but what we do know is that the device sports a 2.8-inch display, which is rather small by today's standards considering how the PSP and DS feature significantly larger screens.That being said, ITmedia claims that the console features built-in support for TV-out connections, which would probably be a welcome addition for gamers who want to recreate the authentic console-gaming experience of the early 1990s. That being said, we should point out that ITmedia made no mention about licensing in its article, which suggests that the Tectoy and its OEM variants are all manufactured without SEGA's approval.

AMD Radeon HD 6990 Performance Analysis Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-radeon-hd-6990-performanceanalysis/11739.html

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 512

April 19th, 2011

In yet another battle of GPUs, the red camp has sent their formidable Radeon HD 6990 to compete against NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 590. Focusing on the performance of HD 6990, VR-Zone puts the HD 6990 up against a GTX 590 and a fullfledged GTX 580 SLI setup. Your question of "which is really the best graphics card in the world" will be answered in this review. Lastly, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 card itself is not spared as we bring its core and memory speeds way beyond factory defaults. Read on for more! Introduction

CUDA Cores / Stream Processors Texture 64 Units ROPs 48 Core Clock 772MHz Shader 1544MHz Clock Memory 4008MHz Clock Memory 1536MB Configuration GDDR5, 384-bit Transistor 3 billion Count Manufacturing TSMC Process 40nm TDP 244W

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 1024(512 x 2)

AMD AMD Radeon HD Radeon HD 6970 6990 1536 1408

128 (64 x 2) 96 (48 x 2 ) 607MHz 1215MHz

32 880MHz 880MHz

32 830MHz 830MHz

3414MHz

5500MHz 5000MHz

3072MB GDDR5, 384-bit 6 billion

2048MB GDDR5, 256-bit 2.64 billion

4096MB GDDR5, 256-bit 5.28 billion

TSMC 40nm 365W

TSMC 40nm 250W

TSMC 40nm 375W

The Radeon HD 6990 is the best graphics card offering from AMD at present. Being an innovator for bringing dual GPU graphic cards into the market, AMD knows what are the design limitations of a dual GPU graphics card. The HD 6990 brings out the best of AMD engineering by leveraging on the team's experience. Antilles is hence born.

I like to call this the magic switch. By switching from factory default '1' position to '2' , the HD 6990 can instantly transform into a 'Radeon HD6970 X2' with this little push!

Test setup

Using two Cayman XT cores - the ones used for the Radeon HD 6970, the Radeon HD 6990 however has a lower clocked core at 830MHz, compared to 880MHz. Memory wise, 2GB of GDDR5 memory is dedicated to each core, making it a total of 4GB memory per card. Clocked at 1250MHz, the memory frequency is actually lowered down from the HD 6970's 1375MHz.

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

QPAD PRESS RELEASE

Our Intel Sandy Bridge platform test bed consists of the following parts: • Intel Core i7-2600K Processor, at 4.42GHz (100.5 x 44) • Noctua NH-D14 • ASUS Sabertooth P67 (Intel P67 Express) • G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM • Cooler Master Silent Pro M1000 PSU • Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB SATA HDD • Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP LCD • Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit • ASUS EAH6990/3DI4S/4GD5 (AMD Radeon HD 6990)

The world-renowned premium gaming gear company QPAD sets a new standard in keyboard performance with the MK-80 Mechanical keyboard. Targeted at pro gamers and demanding enthusiasts, this full size board boasts to bring a new dimension to the gaming experience. This keyboard is packed with state of the art technology such as individual LED:s for each key and switches plated with gold/silver alloym but it's the core functionality of the board that really makes it unique: The QPAD MK-80 Mechanical key technology. Unlike your average keyboard, that functions through rubber domes, forcing you to press each key all the way down in order for the stroke register, the MK-80 sports true mechanical switches with unmatched accuracy and feel. No more pressing cheap plastic bits with full-force in order to activate the keys. The QPAD keyboard will respond to your every move in an instant.

• AMD Catalyst 10.4 WHQL Preview • NVIDIA Release 266.58 WHQL • NVIDIA Release 267.91

QPAD Debuts MK-80 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qpad-debuts-mk-80-mechanicalgaming-keyboard/11889.html April 19th, 2011

QPAD, manufacturer of various gaming peripherals based in Sweden, has announced the MK-80 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Aimed at professional gamers, the keyboard features Cherry MX blue mechanical switches, individual LED back-lit keys, four levels of illumination, anti-ghosting function, a gold plated USB & PS/2 connector, a MTBF of 50,000,000 keystrokes, media keys, a removable wrist pad, audio connectors, and two USB 2.0 ports. The MK-80, bundled with four extra orange key caps and key cap puller, is expected to ship come May.

Other boards normally have a short life span and wear out quickly, resulting in unresponsiveness, delays and a dull, clunky feel to the keys. For most gamers, as well as professional typists, it’s all about the feel, and that is where the QPAD MK-80 truly shines! Each key is built to last 50 million strokes, and the QPAD MK-80 mechanical key technology provides distinct feedback and puts you in absolute control. The travel distance of the keys is set to 4mm with an actuation point at 2mm. Typing or gaming on the QPAD MK-80 simulates the experience of a mouse click: you press it, you hear it and you feel it. QPAD strongly recommend their board to be set up via the PS/2 connector when possible. This will enable unlimited amount of simultaneous key presses, and since USB connected 25

April 19th, 2011

keyboards force your CPU to take time polling the strokes, it will also allow your computer to focus on what you want it to: running your game as fast as possible.

Published by: VR-Zone

* Media keys: Media keys for volume control, play, pause and skip tracks * USB Hub: Two high speed USB 2.0 ports * Audio ports: 3.5mm Headphone-out and microphone-in jacks * Cable: 1.8 meter extra thick cable * Extras: 4 extra orange key caps and key cap puller * Dimensions: - Keyboard 44.45 x 14.48 x 2.54 cm (17.5 x 5.7 x 1 inch)

The QPAD MK-80 comes with a two-port high-speed USB hub, 3,5mm headphone & microphone jacks and a detachable wrist pad. Four different backlight levels allow you to find the right key, day or night, in any situation. Other nifty functions include full N-key roll over with PS/2 or 6 key roll over with USB, gold plated connectors for extremely low latency, media keys for volume, control, play, pause and skip tracks. The board also supports full anti-ghosting with additional PS/2 plug. Over all, this unique high end keyboard carries the potential to set a new standard in computer peripherals.

- Wrist pad 44.45 x 6.1 x 1.4 cm (17.5 x 2.4 x 0.55 inch) * Weight: 1.27 kg (2.8LBS) * Warranty: 2 years

Gelid Launches Slim Silence IPlus CPU Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gelid-launches-slim-silence-i-plus-cpucooler/11888.html April 19th, 2011

QPAD will present the MK-80 to fans, gamers, the industry, and the world, for the very first time at Norway's biggest gaming convention: The Gathering, held in Hamar, Norway.

GELID Solutions has announced the Slim Silence I-Plus CPU Cooler, targeting HTPC users. Measuring 95 x 93.5x 28mm, the compact cooler boasts a copper base, aluminium fins, a sintered copper heat-pipe, and is cooled by a 75mm PWM ball bearing fan that runs at speeds of up to 2,600 RPM at 27.8 dBA. The Slim Silence I-Plus CPU Cooler, compatible with all Intel 775/ 1155/ 1156 processors, are available through authorized retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US$26/ Euro 20.

Features:

GELID PRESS RELEASE

* Key switch: Cherry MX blue mechanical switch technology * N Key Rollover: Gaming cluster with anti ghosting capability * Key strokes: 50 million * Lightning: Individual LED backlight * Lightning features: Four levels of brightness * Connectors: Gold plated connectors for extremely low latency

April 19th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Thanks to the small but high performance heatpipe and a pure copper plate the “Slim Silence i-Plus” ensures a fast and efficient heat transfer from core to aluminum fins. The frameless silent fan includes a ball bearing and a GELID intelligent PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control which ensures a silent operation at low CPU temperature and accelerates the fan speed when necessary. The “Slim Silence i-Plus” is RoHS and WEEE conform and has a warranty of 5 years.

Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions adds a 28mm high 1U ultra slim CPU Cooler with high quality heatpipe and premium copper plate to its Silent product line. The “Slim Silence i-Plus” is especially designed to fit Intel most popular sockets such as 775/1156 and 1155. This petite cooler supports an incredibly CPU thermal design power (TDP) up to 82W with a good case ventilation.

”This cooler is the perfect choice for HTPC users who are looking for a 1U sized cooler capable of cooling the latest generation of Intel core i3 and i5 CPU’s”, said Gebhard Scherrer co-founder and Sales Director of GELID Solutions Ltd. The “Slim Silence i-Plus” has a MSRP of USD 26/ Euro 20 and is available now.

With a compact heatsink design for Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX, HTPC, Panel PC, Car PC and 1U server the “Slim Silence i-Plus” is equipped with a high performance heatpipe, premium copper plate and a silent fan.

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

Scythe Ships Susano CPU Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scythe-ships-susano-cpucooler/11950.html April 23rd, 2011

Scythe has finally released the Susano in Europe, a massive CPU cooler aimed at overclocking enthusiasts.

Measuring 210 x 210 x 160mm and weighing 1,565g, the nickel-plated cooler has a copper base, two aluminum heatsink blocks, twelve copper heat-pipes, and is equipped with four 100mm Slip Stream fans that are capable of speeds up to 2,000 RPM at 37.69 dBA. The Susano, compatible with all Intel LGA 775/ 1155/ 1156/ 1366 and AMD AM2/ AM2+/ AM3 processor,

April 23rd, 2011

is bundled with a fan controller and can be found in stores at a MSRP of €89.90. News via [Techconnect]

NVIDIA To Launch Desktop Optimus / Synergy at Computex Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-to-launch-desktop-optimussynergy-at-computex/11946.html April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone April 23rd, 2011

Korean cooling specialist Zalman has unveiled the CNPS7X LED CPU cooler , expanding its portfolio of performance CPU coolers. Measuring 90 x 127 x 135mm and weighing 345g, the tower cooler has "two V-shaped aluminum heatsinks", three direct contact copper heat-pipes, and is cooled by a 92mm blue LED fan that operates at 1,250 RPM to 1,950 RPM. The CNPS7X, compatible most Intel and AMD processors, is bundled with a tube of ZM-STG2 thermal grease. Pricing and availability has not been announced yet so stay tuned for more updates. News via [Techconnect]

Zowie Unleashes MiCO Gaming Mouse NVIDIA plans to launch their Desktop Optimus a.k.a Synergy at COMPUTEX Taipei this coming June and the best thing is that it is available freely and no license agreement is needed. This technology works pretty much similar to LucidLogix's Virtu where it allows dynamically swap between iGPU and dGPU based on nature of application and also uses Intel Sandy Bridge Quick Sync technology while doing video transcoding jobs.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zowie-unleashes-mico-gamingmouse/11944.html April 23rd, 2011

Zowie Gear, innovative manufacturer of competitive gaming gear, has unveiled the MiCO, a gaming mouse aimed at both left- and right-handed RTS gamers. Measuring 65 x 40 x 120mm and weighing 68g, the compact mouse features three buttons, an adjustable 400/ 800/ 1600 dpi optical engine, a 2mm lift-off distance, and connects to the PC via a 1.8m cable. The MiCO is expected to ship in June at a cost of EUR 34.90/ US$34.90. ZOWIE PRESS RELEASE

NVIDIA plans to launch their Desktop Optimus a.k.a Synergy at COMPUTEX Taipei this coming June and the best thing is that it is available freely and no license agreement is needed. This technology works pretty much similar to LucidLogix's Virtu where it allows dynamically swap between iGPU and dGPU based on nature of application and also uses Intel Sandy Bridge Quick Sync technology while doing video transcoding jobs. Desktop Optimus a.k.a Synergy seems to work with any NVIDIA discrete graphics cards on H67/H61 and Z68 boards with updated BIOSes and graphics drivers. It is not known who's implementation is actually better but NVIDIA solution is available for free while LucidLogix's solution requires licensing fee.

Zalman Announces CNPS7X LED CPU cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zalman-announces-cnps7x-led-cpucooler/11948.html

Zowie Announces New MiCO Gaming Mouse for RTS Players There is no one-size fits all for computer gaming peripherals. All gamers are different and we recognize that each and every one of you has different needs and preferences. Therefore it was only a matter of time until we would put our efforts into developing a mouse for competitive RTS gaming. The ZOWIE MiCO is developed for those of you who won’t settle for second best – you want the best from your equipment and seek stability in a high quality mouse that you can trust to always perform flawlessly. 2

April 23rd, 2011

Developed together with the Korean powerhouse StarTale, ZOWIE MiCO is a reflection of the experience and expertise of some of the best and most recognized StarCraft 2 players in the world. During the development of the ZOWIE MiCO, we faced three major challenges we had to overcome.

Published by: VR-Zone

so we postponed the release to give ourselves time to complete the development process and create a product we can be proud of. StarTales gamers are used to playing with 400 and 800 DPI rates, so this was a key point for the development of the ZOWIE MiCO. Where HeatoN put more importance on the lift-off distance rather than the DPI-rates, StarTale felt that having the exact DPI that they are used to is more important to them as RTS-gamers than the lift-off distance. After several months of testing and trashing, we are confident that we have finally succeeded in finding a sensor that lives up to our requirements of quality and functionality, performing flawlessly on all types of surfaces, except for paper and glass. With the ZOWIE custom lens we were also able to achieve a lift-off distance of 2,0 mm.

First challenge; the perfect shape for claw-grip usage Finding the perfect shape wasn’t easy, but we are very proud of the result and consider the shape of ZOWIE MiCO as a true piece of art. It is the result of a very extensive development, where we filmed and photographed the hands of players Ace, Rainbow, Bomber, Squirtle and July while they played, in order to create a mockup of a mouse that was the ideal average of the five players. With the mockup in their hands, we were able to perfect it by making slight changes based on the overall feedback they provided. Second challenge; the perfect click One thing that quickly became clear to us was that the feeling of every mouseclick is very important to a professional RTS gamer. StarTale expressed the feeling of the perfect mouseclick to be like this: •

General The ZOWIE MiCO is a small, lightweight ambidextrous mouse, which is perfect for gamers who demand ultimate performance from their mice and prefer the claw-grip playing style.

Responsive to easy clicking/light pressure

•

Upon clicking, button should only travel a short distance before responding

•

Provide a clear, firm clicking, so you can feel all of your clicks

We realized that we had to develop our own switches in order to achieve the performance we wanted. We had samples of various custom switches developed and gave them to StarTale to test. We adjusted the leverage of the buttons bit by bit based on their feedback, finally achieving what they defined as the perfect click, which is what you will be able to feel in the ZOWIE MiCO today. Third challenge; the best sensor for StarTale The ZOWIE MiCO was originally planned for release late October 2010 so we could reach the Christmas sales, but it was a challenge finding a sensor which lived up to our requirements of high quality and performance. We felt that we couldn’t release a product that we are not 110% committed to,

There’s no software for the ZOWIE MiCO. You just plug it into your computer and you will automatically be playing with 500 Hz and your desired DPI-setting between 400/800/1600 DPI. As we have said before, we are not afraid to try out new things. ZOWIE’s R&D team has a lot of ideas on how to improve products by implementing new features and functions to our products. The latest example of this was the new rubberbase which was developed for the G-TF speed, providing a firm suction to the table, so the mousepad doesn’t budge unless you want it to. Features: • •

Ambidextrous competitive gaming mouse, usable with both hands Perfect for claw-grip and gamers with small hands 3

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•

ZOWIE custom lens; 2mm lift-off distance - works on all surfaces

•

Co-developed with professional StarCraft & StarCraft 2 players from Korea

•

Lightweight, fast and accurate optical gaming mouse

•

No drivers or software! Just plug and play

•

Adjustable DPI: 400/ 800/ 1600

Specifications: •

Dots Per Inch: 400/ 800/ 1600

•

Max. Acceleration: up to 30G

•

Max. Speed: up to 50 inches/second

•

USB report rate: 500Hz

•

Length of cable: 1.8m / 5.8 ft

•

Weight: 68g (ex. cable)

•

Connector: USB

•

Buttons: 3

Published by: VR-Zone

The report goes on saying that as the tablet devices boast features similar to netbook PCs, such as small form factor, quick boot, long standby time, e-mail and web surfing, and multimedia entertainment, the tablet devices have gradually replaced netbook PCs as the consumers' primary choice in this product segment. Consumers will definitely be spoilt for choice as a slew of tablets from big brands will be showcased during Computex. NVIDIA Tegra is clearly the leading platform for tablet currently with many design wins such as Acer Iconia Tab, ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, Motorola Xoom etc. However, Intel plans to challenge its reign with its Oak Trail Platform and a recent DigiTimes report stated that major brands such as Lenovo, Fujitsu and Samsung will be showcasing tablets based on that platform. AMD too will enter the tablet market with their Brazos platform and it is reported that MSI will be adopting that platform.

Availability and MSRP The ZOWIE MiCO will be available to end-users on the 1st of June 2011. MSRP: •

DKK 299

•

EUR 34.90

•

USD 34.90

COMPUTEX 2011: Tablets, Tablets and more Tablets Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/computex-2011-tablets-tablets-andmore-tablets/11943.html April 23rd, 2011

A recent market research from Taiwan expects that tablet devices will be all the rage at the COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011. Consumers will definitely be spoilt for choice as a slew of tablets from big brands will be showcased during Computex. Intel plans to challenge NVIDIA with its Oak Trail Platform and a recent DigiTimes report stated that major brands such as Lenovo, Fujitsu and Samsung will be showcasing tablets based on that platform. AMD too will enter the tablet market with their Brazos platform and it is reported that MSI will be adopting that platform. You should be able to see at least one major brand showing Oak Trail based tablet on MeeGo Linux during Computex. A recent market research from Taiwan expects that tablet devices will be all the rage at the COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011.

Intel's Oak Trail platform is made up of Atom Processor Z670 (formerly Lincroft Processor) with SGX535 PowerVRCore graphics core integrated and Intel SM35 Express Chipset (formerly Whitney Point PCH). The processor is clocked at 1.5GHz, single core but supports HyperThreading. Oak Trail sports a much smaller PCB footprint over Menlow which allows smaller form factor, a longer battery life (up to 12 hrs of internet browsing), 2X graphics performance improvement over Menlow, as well as HDMI, SATA and HD Audio support. However, it doesn't have video encode capability. Oak Trail seems a little weak in the graphics department compared to Tegra 2 and might face more challenges ahead when Tegra 3 comes along. Anyway, long battery life is still the most crucial aspect for tablet and Oak Trail is fairly pretty well here. The OS choices for Oak Trail based tablets are aplenty and it is able to support Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Windows 7, Windows Embedded Standard 2011 (WES 2011) and MeeGo Linux. You should be able to see at least one major brand showing Oak Trail based tablet on MeeGo Linux during Computex.

PC SHOW 2011 Suntec Singapore (June 9th to 12th) Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pc-show-2011-suntec-singaporejune-9th-to-12th-/11941.html

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

April 23rd, 2011

In a competitive marketplace, your brand and products can’t afford not to be seen at the most sales-focused IT event. • a track record second to none, spanning 20 years

The 21st International Showcase of the Latest Computer Hardware & Software, The PC SHOW 2011 is coming this June at Suntec Singapore from June 9th to 12th, 12-9pm. Major Brands at The PC Show 2011 include: Acer, Apple, ASUS, Canon, Creative by C2O Corporation, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Oki Data, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Western Digital, etc…

• presence of well-known brand names aggressively vying for buyers’ dollars • exciting bargains that attract consumers to make on-thespot buying decisions • the best time to catch the families and the holiday crowd in June • high brand recall among consumers • extensive event publicity through promotions and public relations

advertising,

• Generate sales, build stronger branding exposure and maximize your profits at The PC Show 2011.

VENUE Levels 1, 3, 4 & 6 Suntec Singapore 1 Raffles Boulevard The 21st International Showcase of the Latest Computer Hardware & Software. Profit from Singapore’s LongestRunning IT and Consumer Electronics Show. The PC Show is The Ultimate Sales Platform for Industry Players.

Singapore 039593

DATE With a track record spanning 20 years, it has been THE place where buyers and sellers meet and where high volume of sales is transacted. Increasingly the event is also attracting international players to explore exciting business opportunities, generate new sales leads, strengthen business partnership with existing clients and build stronger branding exposure. The Best Performing IT Event 2010 Show Review

June 09 to 12, 2011 (Thursday to Sunday) OPENING HOURS 12:00 hours to 21:00 hours LUCKY DRAW Lucky Purchaser’s Draw for visitors who purchase or order more than S$50.00 worth of products

• More than 600 exhibitors

during the exhibition. For every S$50.00 purchase, the buyer is entitled to a lucky purchaser’s

• Over 950,000 bargain hunters

draw ticket to be drawn on June 12, 2011.

• Over $51.6 million in sales • Who’s Who at the Exhibition Major Brands at The PC Show 2011 include: Acer, Apple, ASUS, Canon, Creative by C2O Corporation, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Oki Data, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Western Digital, etc…

DIGITAL IMAGING 2011

The International Showcase of the Latest Digital Imaging Solutions

Enjoy the PC Show Advantage The digital age has spawned a host of innovations that enhance the lives of consumers today. Digital Imaging will bring a 5

April 23rd, 2011

wide array of solutions, products, equipment, materials and peripherals for still and video photography buffs.

Published by: VR-Zone

• GameCube • Game Boy Advance • Game Controllers

Exhibit Profile

• Game Developers/Manufacturers

• Digital & Classic Cameras

• Hardware for Gamers

• Digital Printers & Accessories

• Handheld

• Power & Lighting

• Java Games

• Photographic Equipment & Accessories

• Mobile Gaming

• Camcorders

• N-Gage

• Darkroom Equipments & Supplies

• Nintendo DS

• Audio Visual Products & Lenses

• On-line Games

• Lighting Stands, Supports & Accessories

• PC Games

• Photo & Video Books & Tapes

• Playstation

• Film & Processing Equipment

• Plastic Modeling

• Chemistry

• Posters

• Scanners Ancillary Equipment

• Publications

• Colouring & Retouching Supplies

• Sega Dreamcast

• Frame, Slide Mounts, etc

• Video Games

• Photographic Services & Supplies

• Wireless Adapter

• Imaging Processing Softwares

• Xbox

• Photography Institutions & Courses

• Accessories

• Publications

• Others

• Video Imaging (digital/video printer, video frame grabber, video visualizer, film video processors) CONSUMER ELECTRONICS 2011 GAME 2011

The International Showcase of the Latest Gaming, Animation & Multimedia Exhibition Complementary Showcases Adding excitement to The PC Show is GAME, it will ride on the popularity of computer games among the young and old. The multitude of games has players spoilt for choice. From hardware to software, and an exhilarating competition for enthusiasts, computer games is where the action will be.

The International Showcase of the Latest Consumer Electronics Consumer Electronics will present the latest offering to consumer. Whether it be for personal use, office or home, visitors will be spoilt for choice if they are sourcing for AV and communications products. Exhibit Profile • Audio Visual and Communications Products • Cell Phones & Accessories

Exhibit Profile • Animation • Comics • DVD/VCD/MP3/AV • Forum

• Connectors • Digital Voice Recorders • DVD Recorders/Players • Home Audio • Home Video & TV’s • Home Theatre Systems 6

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• Headphones • Intelligent home

Published by: VR-Zone

and networking platform, and a purveyor of the latest trends and technology.

• LCD CTV • Movies • Mini Disc Players • MP3 Players • Plasma TVs • Personal Audio • Projector/Projection TV • Remote Security Systems • Speaker Systems • Surveillance systems

Lines Exposition is constantly working to improve its shows and develop new profiles to cater to different industries. In doing so, Lines aims to provide the platform for successful business transactions all over the world .

Rumour: AMD to release Radeon HD 6750/6770 on April 28th Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-amd-to-release-radeonhd-67506770-on-april-28th/11940.html April 23rd, 2011

• Switches • TV-VCR Combo • TV Mounts & Stand • Video Games • View Cam • Wall Mounts • Wireless Applications • Others

The Organiser

Over the years, Lines Exposition has a track record of staging successful trade and consumer exhibitions and it has seen Lines grow from strength to strength with each profile. Led by a management with more than 30 years experience, it has always been creating and organizing shows that meets the needs and directions of the industries. Its flag ship profile, The PC Show is Singapore's longest running and most successful IT and consumer electronics exhibition, which draws huge crowds every year. The PC Show serves as the exhibitors' ultimate sales platform and the consumers' favourite one-stop shop for the latest trends and best bargains. BeautyAsia is Lines Exposition's most prominent trade exhibition for the beauty, spa and health industries to be held in Singapore. BeautyAsia is well received and has enjoyed consistent growth over the years. This international exhibition is a good barometer for the beauty service industry. Incorporating SpaAsia, HealthAsia and NaturalAsia, BeautyAsia's comprehensive four-in-one annual event is recognised as an exciting buyer-seller meet, an educational

AMD is planning to round off its Radeon HD 6000 series with the release of HD 6750 and HD 6770. These cards are already available for OEMs and offer nothing new - they are simply rebrands of the 18 month old HD 5700 cards - with the addition of HD3D and HDMI 1.4a. The immense gap between highest end Turks (6670) and lowest end Barts (6790) had left a hole in the HD 6000 line-up which AMD can only fill in with the rebrand. The availability of the HD 6670 remains questionable, as does its price. HD 5750s are tending to the $100 mark and the HD 5770s are available in the $120 range. The HD 6790 is somewhat overpriced as well, at $150, considering HD 6850s can be had for as low as $165. Simply put, AMD will need to drop prices of the HD 6790 and HD 6670, to accomodate the "new" HD 6700 at slightly lower prices than its HD 5700 predecessors. AMD has been in a hurry to complete the Radeon HD 6000 with no less than 6 cards across 4 series releasing in April. The rumour mill is pushing hard for a Radeon HD 7000 series as early as Q3. Let's hope a true successor to the HD 5700 series is just around the corner.

G.Skill RipjawsX 1600MHz CL7 4GB DDR3 Kit Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-ripjawsx-1600mhz-cl7-4gbddr3-kit-review/11890.html April 23rd, 2011

Having just a fast processor isn't really enough these days; a high-speed memory kit can provide quite a bit of performance boost to your bandwidth-hungry Intel 'Sandy Bridge' 7

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

platform gaming rig. VR-Zone.com finds out how much an improvement there can be with the F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM kit from G.Skill. Overclocking included. G.Skill, a leading manufacturer of high performance memory, was one of the first to introduce new memory kits designed for the 'Sandy Bridge' platform. Known as the RipjawsX, there are over twenty different configurations available for enthusiasts and gamers to choose from for their new rig. This weekend, VR-Zone.com tries out the F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM. Well, that is the SKU code, and we shall call it the RipjawsX 1600MHz CL7 4GB DDR3 kit for simplicity's sake. This particular kit is a matched pair of two 2GB double-sided memory modules, programmed and tested for 1.5V operation at 1600MHz CL7-8-7-24-2N. Offering impressive specifications and excellent pricing as its predecessors, it would be interesting to see if this new kit can perform in the overclocking department.

Designed for Capacity Speed Latency Voltage Registered / Unbuffered Error checking Warranty

Intel P67 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC3-12800 (1600MHz) CL7-8-7-24-2N 1.5V Unbuffered Non-ECC Lifetime

Awind McTiVia Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/awind-mctivia-review/11935.html April 23rd, 2011

Ever wanted to watch this interesting video online or show off your game scores you have on your desktop on the flatscreen in your living room? Well, you can drag your system out from your room and connect it to your flatscreen display in the living room. Or just get McTiVia. Today, we lay our hands on a unit and test out to see if it deserves its recently awarded "Best of Show Macworld 2011" by both Macworld and Notebooks.com.

The G.Skill kit comes in an easy-to-open blister pack and the memory modules can be comfortably popped away from the packaging.

There are many ways that you can display your computer's screen to a bigger screen such as your living room flatscreen television. And of course, for various different reasons such as watching online websodes, high-definition video clips from YouTube, or even gaming. The traditional method would be to simply connect your laptop to the screen with a VGA cable, or HDMI cable for newer laptops. But what about desktops? Or what if you want to go cable-free?

Nothing much to see on the other side; we have a short introduction about the RipjawsX series and a label affixed at the bottom right corner for you to make sure the right memory kit is in there. Here is a quick run through of the G.Skill kit's specifications before we proceed further. Type

240-pin DDR3

McTiVia might be your solution to your problems. Not to be confused with a certain dairy product, it is essentially a device that mirrors your computer's screen to your HDTV wirelessly. Which means you can view your exact desktop on your HDTV in the comfort of your living room while your computer is in another room. Sounds good? Well, it gets better. Besides just being able to mirror your desktop, it also acts as a wireless access point for your home network and you can control your desktop by connecting a mouse and / or a keyboard with the USB on the back of the device. Even though it looks like a product made for Macs, you might be pleased to know that it works well for PC and you are able to connect up to eight different computers. 8

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

So it sounds all good so far, but is it really practical and worth the hefty pricetag? We'll find out more in the following pages but first, a quick look at the specification of McTiVia. Taken right off McTiVia's website: Hardware Specification Processor DRAM FLASH WiFi Front Panel LED Indication Power switch Real Panel Antenna Power Adaptor USB Port Ethernet

A/V Output Mac PC Requirements CPU Grade

Graphics Operating System Recommended Models

Verbatim Introduces Slim External SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/verbatim-introduces-slim-externalssd/11939.html April 23rd, 2011

ARM9 300 MHz 128 MB DDR 8 MB IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 2T2R

Power LED Power On/Off Button

Verbatim, manufacturer of various storage media and flash memory products, has unveiled three new ultra-portable and slim external SSDs, expanding its Store 'n' Go product portfolio.

2 external dipole antennas 5V DC, 2.5A Type A USB port *1 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet RJ45 Port *1 Auto MDI/MDIX HDMI 1.2

Intel Dual Core 1.4 GHz or better (PowerPC not supported) nVIDIA or ATI graphic card with 64MB VRAM or above Mac OS X 10.5+ MacBook after 2009-01-21 All series of MacBook Pro

Verbatim, manufacturer of various storage media and flash memory products, has unveiled three new ultra-portable and slim external SSDs, expanding its Store 'n' Go product portfolio.

MacBook Air after 2010-06-08 iMac or Mac Pro which meets the requirements above Windows PC Requirements CPU Grade Display Adaptor

Operating System WiFi Physical Specification Dimensions Weight (g)

Dual Core 1.8 GHz or better (excluding atom processor) nVIDIA or ATI graphic card with 64MB VRAM or above Windows Vista, Windows 7 802.11n

120mm x 55mm 130mm x 65.3mm x 22mm 251g

Available in 32Gb, 64Gb and 128Gb capacities, they are encased in stylish aluminum enclosures and feature a USB 3.0 interface, delivering data transfer rates up to 190Mb/s (read) and 175Mb/s (write) (for 128Gb model). They are now available from major retailers and e-tailers at MSRPs of €99 (32Gb), €159 (64Gb) and €279 (128Gb). 9

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News via [Softpedia]

Silicon Power Releases Blaze Series USB 3.0 Flash Drives Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/silicon-power-releases-blaze-seriesusb-3.0-flash-drives/11938.html April 23rd, 2011

Silicon Power, leading manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, card readers, DRAM modules, SSDs, and portable HDDs, has unveiled the Blaze B10, the world's first chameleon USB flash drive. Measuring 72.4 x 17.4 x 10.0mm and weighing a mere 9.5g, the ultra-light drive boasts a USB 3.0 interface, a unique color changing coating (varies with operating temperature), and delivers data transfer speeds up to 70Mb/s (read). Available in capacities of 32Gb, 16Gb and 8Gb, the "Turkey Blue" Blaze B10 comes bundled with a SP Widget Software and is covered by a lifetime warranty.

Published by: VR-Zone

Color Up your Flash Drive In addition to the USB 3.0 features, Blaze B10 is especially designed for expressive individuals who are playful and bold with their portable storage devices. Smooth curves at two ends of its body get B10 a chic look while its surface is given a special finish for scratchproof and fingerprint-free purpose. Its front is designed with futuristic geometric pattern using heat-sensitive ink; color of the pattern will gradually change from Turkish blue to blazing red according to operating temperature of the drive, adding personality, style and fun to data transferring. Furthermore, Silicon Power includes a heatsensitive sticker on B10 retail packaging for users to test out the cool color-changing effect of Blaze B10. Secure Your Data with SP Widget Available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities, Blaze B10, like all Silicon Power’s USB flash drive products, is backed by lifetime warranty and comprehensive after-sales services. SP Widget Software, which features seven powerful backup and security functions and the NIS (Norton Internet Security) antivirus software (60-day trial), is available free for users to download with any Silicon Power purchase. With these value-added managing tools, users may enjoy a data storing experience with security and convenience. For more information, please visit Silicon Power official website.

Aerocool Preps X-Warrior Chassis for Release Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/aerocool-preps-x-warrior-chassis-forrelease/11937.html April 23rd, 2011

Silicon Power Intros Blaze Series USB 3.0 Drives that Change Colors with Temperature Top leading flash memory manufacturer and brand Silicon Power realizes how individuals can’t help to speak for themselves; thus, for those who dare to show their capricious personality, Blaze B10, the market’s first USB 3.0 flash drive with color-changing pattern according to temperature, is born.

Aerocool Advanced Technologies has expanded its line-up of gamercentric PC chassis with the addition of the X-Warrior.

With USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface, Blaze B10 boasts a remarkable read speed up to 70 MBs. Compared to conventional USB 2.0 with 480MBps, USB 3.0 carries the bandwidth of up to 5Gbps. Based on real-world test results, transfer time of high definition data files such as videos, photos, music, etc is significantly reduced, making instant carrying and sharing rich digital contents quicker and easier.

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone April 23rd, 2011

Measuring 488 x 187 x 520mm, the tool-free mid-tower chassis has three 5.25" bays, four 3.5" bays, one 2.5" bays, seven expansion slots, two rear pre-drilled holes for water-cooling tubes, a mesh side-panel, support for graphic accelerators up to 400mm in length, and a top-side I/O panel with two USB 2.0 ports and audio connectors.

Verbatim has expanded its series of flash devices with the announcement of the USB 3.0 Store 'n' Go flash drives. Available in 16Gb, 32Gb, and 64Gb storage capacities, they feature a USB 3.0 interface, capless (push and pull) design, and deliever data transfer rates up to 120Mb/s (read) and 70Mb/ s (write) on USB 3.0 PCs. The Store 'n' Go is expected to hit store shelves come end April. Tapping into the high performance potential of the USB 3.0 interface with the convenient form factor of a standard flash drive, the Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 Flash Drive offers extreme speed, large capacity and plug-and-play operation. The unit supports transfer rates of up to 70MB/sec Write and 120MB/sec Read on USB 3.0 host systems. Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 Flash Drive is available in capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. It is available in stores in April 2011. - 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage capacity - Transfer rates up to 120MB/sec on USB 3.0 host systems - Push and pull design protects connector - Compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 ports - Works with PC, Mac and Linux operating systems

Easy to use high-end performance The Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 Flash Drive comes with a push and pull design that does not only protect the connector but also makes an extra protective cap unnecessary. Compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, the drive also works with USB 2.0/1.1 ports.

News via [Techconnect]

"USB 3.0 drives make a lot of sense because they are 100 percent compatible with USB 2.0 and offer far superior speeds to devices that have USB 3.0 ports," said Hans Christoph Kaiser, Business Development Manager Flash Verbatim EUMEA. "We are expecting the bulk of the premium USB flash storage market to migrate to USB3.0 within the next 18 months."

Verbatim Announces USB 3.0 Store 'n' Go Flash Drives

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 21 April 2011

The X-Warrior, pre-installed with two 120mm sleeve bearing fans (one rear and front), can be purchased from major retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of â&#x201A;Ź50.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/verbatim-announces-usb-3.0-store-ngo-flash-drives/11936.html

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--21april-2011/11932.html

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

April 23rd, 2011

Meanwhile standard for the Austrian is the very good delivery which for example contains resistors as well as mounting kits for all Intel and AMD sockets. Consumer Electronics and Software news

In today's news roundup: ASRockls Fatal1ty P67 Professional Motherboard gets reviewed; Western Digital's latest external hard disk, the 1TB-totting WD My Passport Essential SE, gets reviewed; Verizon claims that Apple's upcoming iPhone 5 will be a 'world phone', which should be good news for frequent travellers who have to deal with handsets that are either SIMlocked or lack the neccessary hardware needed to function on a certain frequency band; Ubisoft's latest guitar-based game, Rocksmith, gets an early preview, and The popular Japanese 2D fighting game Ougon Musoukyoku has been confirmed to receieve an Xbox 360 port, complete with new characters Hardware News ASRock Fatal1ty P67 Professional Motherboar?d Review @ Madshrimps Description: The P67 Professional Motherboard from ASRock is the Fatal1ty branded product from the series and comes with a lot of features like Digital PWM, XFast USB Technology, V16+2 CPU Power Phases, no less than 6 USB 3.0 ports and 6 SATA3, C.C.O., THX TruStudio Pro, and the unique Fatal1ty Mouse Port, which allows us to set the desired mouse polling rate, up to 1000Hz. Thecus N4200 Pro Four Bay NAS Review @ Tweaknews Description: With the N4200 Pro, Thecus has further improved upon an already stable, high-performance four bay NAS. The upgraded hardware over the original N4200 make it a solid choice for a multiple user environment, and the miniUPS and dual DOM features help avoid data loss in the event of a power outage or firmware corruption." Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB 3.0 HDD Review Description: The Western Digital My Passport Essential SE is the latest addition to the Series and brings a colourful entry to the normally boring world of portable storage. With four colour options available; blue, red, silver and black, you can choose what goes best with that new purse. The choices don't stop there; the My Passport Essential SE is also available in 1TB or 750GB capacity sizes. Corsair TX850 V2 PSU Review @ Vortez Description: Corsair's TX series was extremely popular, winning multiple awards. Building on the successes of the TX series, Corsair have launched a new V2 range with a bigger - 140mm fan and better components such as Japanese capacitors rated at 105C. Rated at 80 Plus Bronze, the TX V2 has increased efficiency over its predecessor and comes with an impressive 5 year warranty - a firm stamp of confidence. The variant we will be taking a look at today is the 850W delivering a burly 70A for the +12v rail, delivering the performance capabilities for those seeking to SLI or Crossfire. Noctua NH-C14 Review @ ocaholic Description: With the NH-C14 Noctua has a new flagship in its portfolio regarding down draft coolers. The NH-C14 is equipped with two fans that measure 140 mm in diameter.

Roccat Kova+ Max Performance Gaming Mouse Review @ Real World Labs Description: Featuring an increased speed from 40IPS to 130IPS, increased acceleration from 30G to 40G, Soft Touch rubber coating for improved grip, EasyShift feature for up to 8 more button functions and a fully customizable control software suite the Kova+ mouse by Roccat is far more than just a worthy successor to the original Kova. Bnter Brings Conversation Sharing App To Android Phones, Launches Bookmarklet Description: We’re big fans of Bnter, an app that allows you to share your conversations with others publicly. The same way you share photos via the web or your mobile phone, Bnter allows you to share snippets of conversations you have with friends on the web. While the startup initially focused on SMS, Bnter recently broadened its scope to allow users to share any sort of conversation, including GChat, in-person chat, email and more. Today, Bnter is launching a free Android app (which joins an existing iPhone app) and is launching a bookmarklet, and in-depth Twitter integration Lenovo's S-800 phone uses a transparen?t PMOLED, probably made by TDK, unknown release date... Description: Back in November 2010 we reported about a new phone by Lenovo which uses a transparent display called the S-800. We thought it might be a transparent OLED, but we weren't sure. Today Dialog Semiconductor reveals that they supplied the driver IC to that phone, and indeed it's a transparent PMOLED. Hopefully the S-800 will actually launch soon, unlike the Samsung IceTouch MP3 player. The display itself is probably made by TDK - which has been showing transparent PMOLEDs back in October 2010 - ready to be mass produced and driven by Dialog's ICs... Verizon says iPhone 5 will be a world phone Description: Folks who travel all over the world frequently but are annoyed that they have to bring a secondary phone in addition to their iPhone because their devices are SIM locked or don’t support foreign radio frequencies will love this news. At Verizon’s discussions about their Q1 results, CFO Fran Shammo was recently quoted as saying: “The fluctuation, I believe, will come when a new device from Apple is launched..." LG Optimus 3D set to reach the UK on June 6 Description: The LG Optimus 3D will arrive in the UK on June 6, at least at retailer Clove. It will cost £379 (about $627) contract-free. The phone will be the first to sport a glasses-free 3D display and dual cameras that can record 3D content as well. Microsoft’s Windows XP Death Watch Counter Doesn’t Work With Windows XP Description: Microsoft wants all of its Windows XP users to know exactly how much time they've got before XP is taken out to the back shed and mercy-killed with a shot to the nape. Which is why the "Windows XP End of Support Countdown 12

April 23rd, 2011

Gadget," available now from Microsoft, would be so, so handy —if it were compatible with XP devices.

Published by: VR-Zone

Gaming news Ougon Musoukyoku X Announced, Gets New Characters, Xbox 360 Only Description: If you are wondering when will 07th expansion be adding new characters to their 2D PC fighting game – Ougon Musoukyokyu. That question has been answered but not for the PC.

Razer worked closely with Valve and Sixense to create exclusive Portal 2 content to showcase the power of the Razer Hydra in enhancing game immersion. Portal 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to 2007's game of the year. The full version of the game plus the exclusive Portal 2 content will be available in a special edition bundle with the Razer Hydra.

Rocksmith Preview @ Computing on Demand Description: For all of the guitar players out there who share my frustration with current guitar games, Ubisoft is promising to help us out. Anyone who plays guitar, for obvious reasons, seems to struggle a bit with Rock Band and/or Guitar Hero. The problem being, one of the biggest parts of actually playing guitar is the feel of the guitar. Holding a little piece of plastic and tapping away mercilessly at buttons can get a little boring.

“The Razer Hydra is a significant step forward for the PC gaming industry because it not only affords an almost-physical experience for gamers, but also presents developers an opportunity to innovate and significantly push the boundaries on new forms of gameplay and entertainment,” said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve.

Razer Hydra Motion Sensing Controllers for Portal 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-hydra-motion-sensingcontrollers-for-portal-2/11934.html April 23rd, 2011

Razer announces the Razer Hydra, the world’s first gaminggrade motion sensing controllers powered by Sixense. Razer worked closely with Valve and Sixense to create exclusive Portal 2 content to showcase the power of the Razer Hydra in enhancing game immersion. On top of Portal 2, the Razer Hydra is optimized with over 125 popular PC games out of the box, including titles like Left 4 Dead 2 and World of Goo. Price: US$139.99 / EU€139.99. Availability: Pre-orders start May 2011. Ships in June 2011.

The Razer Hydra lets you extend your natural body motion directly into your PC games. With Portal 2, this means a breathtaking new way to play when you can intuitively reach out, interact with physics puzzles, shoot portals and leap across wide chasms in complete three dimensions. With Razer’s trademark ultra-low latency and highly precise oneto-one tracking to the exact millimeter and degree, experience maximum portal testing immersion. “We are excited to finally bring full motion control to the PC,” said Min-Liang Tan, CEO and Creative Director, Razer. “Gamers will be blown away by the pinpoint tracking precision that mirrors every move in-game. They’ll also enjoy the exclusive new Portal 2 content created specifically for the Razer Hydra, giving them more bang for their buck.” On top of Portal 2, the Razer Hydra is optimized with over 125 popular PC games out of the box, including titles like Left 4 Dead 2 and World of Goo. Gamers no longer have to wait for scarce motion-compatible games. With the future possibility for more downloadable game configurations and the ability to self-configure motion mapping to your specifications, the Razer Hydra plays virtually every game. “By working with Razer and Valve, we have established the PC as the best platform for motion gaming,” says Amir Rubin, CEO, Sixense. “We developed and optimized 6 Sixense TrueMotion levels for Portal 2 to allow gamers to fully experience the possibilities of motion gaming. Definitely an exciting time to be a PC gamer.” About the Razer Hydra Motion Sensing Controllers

Carlsbad, Calif. – April 21st, 2011 – Razer, the world’s leading high-end precision gaming brand announces the Razer Hydra, the world’s first gaming-grade motion sensing controllers

The Razer Hydra is the first gaming-grade motion sensing controllers to bring a whole new dimension of gameplay and immersion to the PC. With compatibility for over 125 games out of the box, and future support for gamers to self-configure controls for any PC game, the entertainment possibilities 13

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are virtually endless. Built to deliver location-orientation tracking exact to the millimeter and degree, along with Razer’s trademark ultra-low latency, the precision and speed of the Razer Hydra is unrivalled among its kind. About the Razer Hydra and Portal 2 Bundle The Razer Hydra is the first gaming-grade motion sensing controllers to bring a whole new dimension of gameplay and immersion to Portal 2. Shoot portals, throw the Weighted Companion Cube, and avoid death traps as easily and intuitively as eating cake. The Razer Hydra is bundled exclusively with the game and comes with six additional levels specifically designed for more portal testing fun with motion control.

Published by: VR-Zone

• Thumb-ergonomic analog stick for fluid control • 4 Hyperesponse action buttons • Rapid-fire trigger and bumper for faster in-game response • Non-slip satin grip surface • True six degree-of-freedom magnetic motion tracking • Lightweight, anti-tangle braided cable (Base station) • Low-power magnetic field, low power consumption • Ultra precise sensor for 1mm and 1 degree tracks • No line of sight to controllers required • Low latency feedback

Price: Razer Hydra and Portal 2 bundle: US$139.99 / EU€139.99 Availability: Razerzone.com, North America, South America, Europe and most countries in Asia. Steam support required for Portal 2. Pre-orders start May 2011.

SanDisk and Toshiba announces 19nm 64Gbit NAND Flash memory Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandisk-and-toshibaannounces-19nm-64gbit-nand-flash-memory/11933.html April 23rd, 2011

Razer Hydra to ship in June 2011.

Ah, the joys of healthy competition in the market. Last week 20nm NAND Flash was cutting edge and now it's so, well, uhm, last week. Both SanDisk and Toshiba have separately announced that they'll be offering retail 19nm NAND Flash memory later this year. Reading the press releases it appears to be the same tech, but we can't be certain of it, but both companies announced two bits per cell NAND Flash with three bits per cell coming at a later stage. Ah, the joys of healthy competition in the market. Last week 20nm NAND Flash was cutting edge and now it's so, well, uhm, last week. Both SanDisk and Toshiba have separately announced that they'll be offering retail 19nm NAND Flash memory later this year. Reading the press releases it appears to be the same tech, but we can't be certain of it, but both companies announced two bits per cell NAND Flash with three bits per cell coming at a later stage.

Product features: (Per controller, 2 included in each Hydra set)

Both SanDisk and Toshiba have announce 64Gbit chips, that's 8GB in more useful terms and it should mean that we'll be seeing cheaper flash memory cards towards the end of the year, especially at higher capacity. Toshiba is also promising 128GB stacked chips for Smartphones and tablets using Toggle DDR2 technology for improved performance. This is all great news for consumers, but there are concerns that these new die shrunk NAND Flash memory chips won't last as long as what we're used to, although SanDisk claims that there's no need to

April 23rd, 2011

worry as its new memory chips are just as reliable as its old ones. Both companies are sampling now with SanDisk saying second half and Toshiba third quarter for volume production. As to when the three bit per cell chips will arrive in the market isn't made clear by either company's press release, so we'll just have to wait and see. Despite a lot of concerns about the longevity of smaller NAND Flash memory chips, it seems like the 19-20nm parts aren't significantly different from the current 2xnm parts which is at least some good news.

Published by: VR-Zone

Follow four easy steps and stand a chance to win different prizes every week. This week..we are giving away: 1 x Silverstone Strider Plus ST60F-P 600W power supply Check out http://launch.vr-zone.com and find out how you can win these prizes!

PC SHOW 2011 Floor Plans Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pc-show-2011-floor-plans/11931.html April 23rd, 2011

PC SHOW 2011 Floor Plans Level 4:

Road to EVO 2K11: Singapore EVO Qualifiers this Sunday, 24 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/road-to-evo-2k11-singapore-evoqualifiers-this-sunday-24-april-2011/11929.html April 23rd, 2011

Level 6:

VR-Zone Giveaway #9 Silverstone Strider Plus ST60F-P 600W power supply Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vr-zone-giveaway-9--silverstonestrider-plus-st60f-p-600w-power-supply/11930.html April 23rd, 2011

SGFIGHTER, in conjunction with Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association (SCOGA) and FRIENDS OF CLEMENTI, have jointly organised the EVO Qualifiers for Super Street Fighter IV as part of the Clementi Game Festival 2011 that is going to be held this Sunday, 24th April 2011. Prizes include an expense paid trip to Las Vegas to participate in EVO 2K11, as well as an Apple iPad 32GB tablet. Read more.

From what we have heard, the organisers have gone to great lengths to ensure that participants get ample opportunities to enjoy themselves there. They have not just one chance to win prizes, but three chances to win over S$5,000 worth of prizes, some of which include an IPad 32gb, and an expense paid trip to Las Vegas to participate in the Evolution Championship Series 2011. There are two competitive tournaments, Super Street Fighter IV and FIFA 11, where fantastic prizes can be won. Participation in the Competitive Tournaments require a fee of S$10. 15

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Published by: VR-Zone

Participants are encouraged to register for the tournaments either in person at Clementi Community Club or via email. Spectators also get a chance to win the iPad 32GB by participating in the Free Play Zone. For those who cannot make it for the event, SGFIGHTER will also organise a live stream via their channel - http:// www.justin.tv/sgfighter Live streaming starts from 1300hrs (+0800 GMT) on 24th April 2011. Game Festival Event starts from 1000hrs.

PRIZES Super Street Fighter 4 01 Winner(s) get a sponsorship to represent Singapore in EVO, Las Vegas for 2011 In addition to the above, the following prizes will also be awarded 1st - Razer Gaming Set Worth more than S$250 2nd - Razer Gaming set Worth more than S$150 3rd - Razer Gaming Mouse 4th - Razer Gaming Mouse 5th to 6th S$50 voucher from Challenger FIFA 11 1st - Nintendo Wii 2nd - Nintendo DS Lite 3rd - 1TB External Hard Disk Drive Lucky Draw 1st - iPad 3G Wi-Fi 16GB 2nd - PSP-3006 3rd - SonicGear Spectra 3000 5.1 Speaker System

Sony Ericsson announces W8 Walkman Android phone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-announces-w8walkman-android-phone/11928.html April 23rd, 2011

Sony Ericsson today adds the W8 Walkman phone that boasts great entertainment that extends the appeal of the Walkman collection. The W8 features a user interface that can be customised for one-touch access to users’ favourite applications – a feature found on the Xperia mini range of products. The Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman phone allows for quick and easy access to playlists and the Walkman player. It also comes complete with the MH 410 stereo headset. The Sony Ericsson W8 comes with a 3-inch screen that is great for gaming, view the latest videos on YouTube or browse the web. Other features include a 3.2-megapixel camera, video recording functionality and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Key features: - Corner user interface for easy one hand use and one touch access to applications - Customise the corners for instant access to your favourite widgets and apps on your home page - Enjoy games, video, internet and more on the 3-inch screen - Timescape shows all your communication in one place for ultimate simplicity - Android Market – More than 150,000 of applications to keep you entertained - 3.2 megapixel camera – snap away and upload instantly to Facebook - Fast Internet access via 3G and Wi-Fi - Walkman designed hardware and UI - Walkman widget on home screen - Android platform (version 2.1) The Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman phone will be available in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam from Q2 2011 in the colours Azur (blue), Metallic Red and the iconic Walkman Orange.

Sony Ericsson has announced the new W8 Walkman phone designed to offer entertainment and ease of use to consumers. It runs Android 2.1 and will be available in Asia Pacific in Q2. 16

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Toshiba AT300 Android 3.0 dual-core tablet to launch in June Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-at300-android-3.0-dual-coretablet-to-launch-in-june/11927.html April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone April 23rd, 2011

The Sony PSP Go was introduced in 2009, and less than two years, the company has decided to stop the production of the handheld game console, The PSP-3000 will still be selling though.

Aside from the AS100 that was unveiled last year, Toshiba aims to launch their new AT300 tablet based on Android 3.0 and runs dual-core processor in June. According to online sources, the AT300 will be categorized under the Regza series. No word as to whether it will be available here though.

Sony introduced the PSP Go in 2009 which comes with a slideout control pad and 16GB internal storage. There is also no UMD drive unlike its older siblings which means that if you already owned a PSP that has a UMD drive, you won't be able to play the games on the PSP Go.

Dual-core processors looks to be the main differentiation in the current tablet wars. And Toshiba has showcased their ANT tablet at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year. The company has expressed that it will launch the 16GB version of the tablet in June, which is now known as AT300. The Toshiba AT300 will be under the Regza family and probably be retailed by NTT DoCoMo in Japan. The AT300 runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb and is equipped with Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processors. It sports a 10.1-inch display that supports 1280x800 pixel resolution, features front and rear cameras, HDMI, USB, mini-USB, SD card slot and supports Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and SRS Labs surround sound technology.

Fast-forward to today, the company has announced that it has decided to stop production of the handheld game console to focus on other system such as the Next Generation Portable (NGP), according to Japan's Watch Impress. The current PSP-3000 will still continue to be produced and sold as normal.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 20 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--20april-2011/11922.html April 23rd, 2011

Scheduled to launch in Japan in June, the Toshiba AT300 will be retailing at 60,000 yen (approximately US$730).

Sony ends production of PSP Go handheld game console Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ends-production-of-psp-gohandheld-game-console/11926.html

In today's news roundup: A critical desaign flaw recently discovered in Western Digital's Caviar Green hard disks could result in the storage unit suffering from premature failures of its seeking heads; Crucial's new Ballistix Smart tracer DDR3-1600 modules get reviewed; Intel promises to serve up Google's Gingerbread in the form of a native x86 port now that the chip giant has managed to obtain a copy of the Android code from Google; Google has announced at all videos that are uploaded to YouTube will now be transcoded in the free and open video format known as WebM; Sony has officially declared that the PSP Go is now a dead product and will no 17

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longer be produced, and Rockstar Games has been rumoured to be offering support to Nintendo's upcoming Wii sucessor in the form of new titles for the console. Hardware news Critical Design Flaw Found in WD Caviar Green HDDs @ NGOHQ.com Description: It has come to our attention that Western Digital's Caviar Green HDDs suffer from a critical design flaw caused by an aggressive power-saving feature. Western Digital has developed a new technology called Intellipark (aka Idle 3 mode) and it is designed to reduce power consumption, in part by positioning the HDD's heads in a park position and turning off unnecessary electronics after 8 seconds of inactivity. According to an in-house investigation and user reports', some software and operating systems are incompatible with the Intellipark feature causing endless head parking movement as the HDD continuously goes in/out of idle mode. This abnormal behavior creates stress on the HDD and that could lead to issues. RaidSonic ICY BOX IB-326StUSE2 3.5'' HDD Enclosure Review @ Real World Labs Description: With excellent performance, plenty of interfaces, great build quality and SmartGuider HDD tray which allows for swift HDD swapping you just can't go wrong with the Icy Box IB-326StUSE2 3.5’’ External HDD enclosure by Raidsonic. Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer DDR3-1600 4GB Kit BL2KIT25664ST1608RG Review Description: This time the new Crucial Ballistix Smart tracer DDR3-1600 modules are tested, which offers fast timings, high frequencies and a special highlight, in the truest sense of the word. We already know activity LEDs in different colors on the top of the modules and near the pins from several Crucial Ballistix Tracer reviews. But these new Smart Tracer RAM LEDs can be programmed with a special BallistixUtility and additionally the software can show the temperature of the DDR3 memory modules and write it into a log file. Coolermaster CM 690 II Advanced Review @ Madshrimps Description: Time to throw another case into the mix. Today we are introducing an evolution of one of coolermasters biggest sellers of the last years. The Coolermaster CM 690 II Advanced. By listening to the end users input, the CM engineers have refined the 690 series case. Adding a removable HD bay (to support up to 3GPUs easily), a hot swappable HD docking station, baptised X-docking station, are just a few of the new features or updates as you want. The 690 II advanced is available in a window and non windowed version. Let's see what this beauty has got in store for you. Intel Sandy Bridge Overclocking Guide @ Benchmark Reviews Description: With the launch of the new Sandy Bridge processors we feel the necessity to prepare an Overclocking analysis mainly because Intel completely changed the rules. Overclocking is now 99% limited to unlocked processors, and to mid-high platforms, while low-mid platforms and nonunlocked processors can't simply be overclocked more than some extra MHz. Follow us while we p! ut into test both the Core i5 2500K and the Core i7 2600K paired with the P67

Published by: VR-Zone

Express platform and discover how they work against voltage, heat and power consumption. Xigmatek Elysium Super Tower Exclusive Review Description: The Elysium is that rare product that has a value that far outperforms its price. With a 200 USD MSRP, this review could be published with the price, a specifications / features list and a handful of pictures and no one would complain (other than the competition). It's going to be fairly difficult to keep this article on the Elysium's features and not dedicate eight pages to the price point that is insanely low for what you are getting. While doing my final check in with Xigmatek, I asked them to raise the price to 300 USD and send me the extra 100 Dollars, because I know you would spend that kind of money on what I have to show you today. Antec HCG-750 High Current Gamer Series Power Supply Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Antec HCG-750 Power Supply is but one in the new line of High Current Gamer Series PSUs. The HCG-750 advertises a delivery of 750 Watts of continuous power. The HCG-750 comes with many features, the first being four high current +12V rails. These rails have a high over current protection set point for high end GPU compatibility. The HCG-750 is constructed of all Japanese-brand capacitors for excellent reliability. There is a 135mm double ball bearing fan for quiet operation and high air flow. The 750 is 80 Plus Bronze certified and boasts up to 88% efficiency. There are 4 gold plated 8-pin (6+2) PCI-E connectors and gold-plated High Current terminals. Intel picks up a second foundry customer, Tabula Description: It looks like Intel (INTC) is getting in to the foundry business, SemiAccurate has just found out that they are making chips for a second startup. Just like Achronix late last year, Intel will be fabbing FPGAs for Tabula as well. Consumer Electronics and Software news Apple to Start Shipping the Next iPhone in September Description: After the rumor that Apple won’t announce the next-generation of iPhone in June or July (which was the case with all previous iPhone announcements), comes a report that the new iPhone is actually coming in the fall. While Apple’s suppliers will begin production in July this year, the finished product is likely to begin shipping in September, Reuters reports citing sources familiar with the matter. RockMelt Goes Mobile with iPhone Offering Description: RockMelt is set to launch a mobile version of its browser, which integrates social media tools. RockMelt’s move into mobile this week comes just one month after the public debut of its desktop browser. Coolermaster Storm SF-19 Strike Force battles high notebook temperatures @ Madshrimps Description: If you're even half the nerd that I am you might eventually have wondered what's inside your notebook, where the irritating noise of a fan suddenly came from when watching Youtube vids, and very maybe you might have wondered why your notebook sometimes gets so hot! I'm a bit being sarcastic here as I perfectly know most of our readers indeed do understand what's going on inside the metal or plastic housing, yet still what's there to do when temps keep on rising? Notebook coolers to the rescue! Todays we'll be having a look 18

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at one of the more performant notebook coolers you'll stumble against upon your search for the perfect solution, or did we just find it four you? Read on! Arctic NC Laptop Cooler Review at Overclockers Online Description: The Arctic NC is no doubt a nice product as you’d expect from Arctic. It does a decent job at cooling down a hot laptop. Its lightweight construction allows it to be portable which is always a plus. However, I am not a fan of the ergonomics of how it works. The need to rest just part of your laptop on it makes for a very unstable set-up; it has to be used on a flat surface and with care to prevent disaster. Intel promises Android 3.0 on x86 for this year Description: Intel chief Paul Otellini has revealed that Intel is developing a port of Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) designed to run on its x86 architecture. "We've received the Android code – the Honeycomb version of Android source code – from Google, and we're actively doing the port on that," Otellini said during Intel's conference call on Tuesday. YouTube videos now served in WebM Description: All new videos uploaded to YouTube are now transcoded into WebM. WebM is an open media file format for video and audio on the web. Its openness allows anyone to improve the format and its integrations, resulting in a better experience for you in the long-term. As we work to transcode more videos into WebM, we hope to reduce the technical incompatibilities that prevent you from accessing video while improving the overall online video landscape. Acer Aspire One 722 being prepped for release Description: Acer Aspire One 722 will ship with an 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel resolution display and a 1GHz AMD C-50 dual core processor, accompanied by an AMD Radeon HD 6250 graphics chipset. Stereo speakers are there for you to blast your favorite tunes (or rather, torture those around you with boy band pop music) while a higher capacity battery compared ot the Aspire One 522 ought to give is slightly more legs in the open and away from a power outlet.

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Ivy Bridge chipset model names revealed alongside more Sandy Bridge-E details Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ivy-bridge-chipset-model-namesrevealed-alongside-more-sandy-bridge-e-details/11925.html April 23rd, 2011

If you're interested in what Intel has up it sleeves for the next eight months or so, then you'll be interested in reading this, as the models names of Intel's future chipsets for its Ivy Bridge platform set to launch early next year has tipped up alongside new details of Intel's new LGA-2011 Sandy BridgeE processors. Not all of the news are good news though, as it looks like Intel has decided to continue to lock out overclockers. If you're interested in what Intel has up it sleeves for the next eight months or so, then you'll be interested in reading this, as the models names of Intel's future chipsets for its Ivy Bridge platform set to launch early next year has tipped up alongside new details of Intel's new LGA-2011 Sandy BridgeE processors. Not all of the news are good news though, as it looks like Intel has decided to continue to lock out overclockers. Let's start with the Ivy Bridge chipsets, which according to the latest roadmap leaks will be called the Z77, Z75 and H77 as far as Intel's consumer platform is concerned, although this only covers the performance and mainstream sections so we might end up with a H61 replacement at some stage as well. On the business end of things we're looking at the Q77, Q75 and B75.

Gaming news Michael Jackson: The Experience @ Computing on Demand Description: It’s finally here; Michael Jackson: The Experience has been released for the Xbox 360’s Kinect, and it does not disappoint. Grab your fedora and your sequined glove, and get ready as we bring you a first glance at this title. PSP Go is Dead Description: Sony Japan confirmed it has ceased production of the PSP Go and that all future sales will be limited to current stock. GTA Developer Rumored to be on Board with Wii Successor Description: Following last week's rumors about Nintendo's alleged new console, a new report suggests that Rockstar Games will be developing titles for the system.

Interestingly it looks like Intel has decided to give up on its graphics free P series of chipsets and replace it with two Z SKUs. We're not certain what the difference between the Z75 and Z77 will be, although presumably the H77 will no feature any kind of overclocking support, much like the current H67 chipset. There are no apparent feature differences from what we can see based on the Panther Point chipset details that Intel has revealed so far, unless Intel decides to limit the USB 3.0 port support on some chipsets, but this doesn't make much 19

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sense. It's possible that we'll see some kind of CPU feature limitation if you go with a more basic chipset, but we're just going to have to wait and see what Intel comes up with in future roadmaps.

Published by: VR-Zone

of us have become used to so they can charge us extra for specific CPU SKUs that still features very limited overclocking potential.

LG Optimus Black and ME launches in Taiwan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-optimus-black-and-me-launches-intaiwan/11923.html April 23rd, 2011

As for the Sandy Bridge-E processors which are set to arrive sometime in Q4, unless Intel has a change of heart when AMD launches Bulldozer, things just got a lot more interesting. The first CPU specs are out and the disappointing news here is that the quad core CPUs are as Intel puts it â&#x20AC;&#x153;limited unlockedâ&#x20AC;? so in other words, it looks like bus speed overclocking might very well be a dream of the past. The six core CPUs are fully unlocked and the only slight light in the darkness here is the fact that not all LGA-2011 CPUs will be XE models.

In fact, Intel seems to have quite a wide spread of CPUs, although the most basic quad core Sandy Bridge-E CPU will be positioned to replace the Core i7 960 and will sit just above the Core i7 2600K in Intel's line-up. The quad cores will start at 3.6GHz and features 10MB of L3 cache whereas the six core CPUs start at 3.2GHz with 12MB L3 cache. The initial XE version will be clocked at 3.3GHz and sport 15MB L3 cache which looks like a decent step up from the current Core i7 990X. We have a feeling that if Intel has in fact removed bus speed overclocking the company has killed competitive overclocking competitions in one fell swoop and this is not only bad news for the overclocking community, but also for the motherboard manufacturers. In the latter case a lot of money and effort is being put into creating overclockable products, especially at the high-end, as this helps drive sales of lower-end models thanks to the halo effect. Now the hope really lies with AMD and that the company can offer something really competitive to take on Intel, least not for Intel to change its current, very silly strategy of removing all the overclocking features many

Earlier today we attended the LG Optimus Black and Optimus ME launch event in Taipei, Taiwan and we know for certain that the Optimus Black will arrive in Singapore shortly, supposedly before the end of this month. Neither handset is a high-end model, although the Optimus Black is definitely an upper tier handset whereas the Optimus ME is a budget model. First up we have the Optimus Black which is sadly running last year's high-end processor with a 1GHz TI OMAP 3630 at its core and although this is a commonly used SoC in many Smartphones in the market today, it's getting a little bit long in the tooth. It's by no means bad by today's standards, but it will be far from cutting edge in six months' time, let alone a year from now. At least Optimus Black has 2GB of built in eMMC storage memory as well as 512MB of RAM which should keep it going for a while.

The big selling point of the Optimus Black is its 4-inch 800x480 WVGA Nova IPS LCD screen which LG claims has a brightness of 700 nits which compares very well compared to every other phone in the market. For example the iPhone 4 has a screen brightness of 518 nits while Google's Nexus One only musters 229 nits. A brighter screen usually means a higher drain on the battery, but LG claims that its Nova IPS screens actually use less power than any other similar mobile device screen in the market today and as such promises longer battery life than its competitors. The screen is also said to have much better viewing angles and should be easier to read in bright sunlight.

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

having a TDP rating of just 18W; this could be the next upgrade for your mini file server or living room media centre PC.

Another noteworthy feature is Wi-Fi Direct support and for those of you that aren't familiar with it, Wi-Fi Direct enables you to connect to other Wi-Fi Direct devices in peer to peer networks without the need of a Wi-Fi access point or router. This means that you can transfer files and data at rates of up to as fast as your Wi-Fi connection allows you and some Wi-Fi cards in notebooks and desktop already supports Wi-Fi Direct via a simple driver upgrade. To put things simply, Wi-Fi Direct is a Bluetooth 3.0 killer.

Other features include a rear mounted 5 Megapixel camera which will shoot video at 720p, a front mounted 2 Megapixel camera, DLNA support via LG's SmartShare, native DivX, Xvid video playback, a microSD card slot, 7.2Mbit/s HSDPA and 5.76Mbit/s HSUPA (on the 900, 1900 and 2100MHz bands), 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, aGPS, FM radio with RDS, a micro USB 2.0 port, Dolby Mobile audio, a 1,500mAh battery and sadly Android 2.2, although it's meant to get upgraded to 2.3 at a later point in time. The Optimus Black measures 122z64x9.2mm (HxWxD) and weighs in at 109. It will be available with a black, pink or a white back (as per our pictures) and it will retail for NT$15,990 (S$682) in Taiwan without a contract.

Today we’ll be looking at another AMD fusion board by ASUS. To be more specified, it will be under the “Brazos” platform. For those of you who havent heard of this newly launched platform by AMD, it is actually an AMD’s very first ever APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) which combine Northbridge + Processor + Graphic processor. 3 of the major component is squeezed forming the AMD E-350 “Zacate” which has a TDP rating of as low as 18 watts and manufactured using the 40nm technology.

With all those high end chipset going all around, AMD has also plans to expand their field on mobile computing and mini form factor. Which can basically be categorized as a versatile system on the go to satisfy the need of different level of consumer, be it businessman to housewives. In this review, we’ll be looking at how this new platform perform under some load intensifying programmes. How well can the AMD one die cpu “Zacate” manufactured by ASUS performs? Is this the perfect choice of platform for you? Find out on the next few pages, when we crank this baby up.

ASUS E35M1-I DELUXE Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-e35m1-i-deluxereview/11481.html April 23rd, 2011

Today we will be looking at an AMD Brazos solution from ASUS. The E35M1-I DELUXE is equipped with AMD's E-350 'Zacate' APU, which combines the processor, northbridge and graphics all into a single die. The Fusion platform offers better overall performance compared to an Atom-based system and

Brother brings the "bigger picture" to users with new line of printers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/brother-brings-the-bigger-picture-tousers-with-new-line-of-printers/11918.html

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Published by: VR-Zone

April 23rd, 2011

research, improvements and innovation, Brother is proud to launch the successors to its line of full-colour A3 multifunction inkjet printers. These new printers will cater to the needs of professionals, especially for those working in the engineering and creative industries," he added.

Sure, most people do not exactly relish the idea of having a 'big brother' watching their every move and waiting to pounce on the slightest sign of discontent, but rest assured that not all 'brothers' are like that. In fact, we can think of at least one other 'brother' who seemingly has the interest of his charges at heart, especially when it comes to dealilng with a very common need found in the lifestyles of most end-user and enterprises; printing. And true enough, this Brother is back once again to help us locals "see the bigger picture" with its new line of monochrome and colour printers that it has launched in a media event held at the Chalk Restaurant today.

Also available at the event was Brother International Singapore's director and general manager, Tomoyuki Fujimoto, who proceeded to describe some of the features avaiable for users to take advantage of in order to improve their workflow, such as automatic double-sided printing, lower power consumption, faster print speeds and support for mobile printing via smartphones and tablet devices.

In his opening address, Brother International Singapore's managing director, Takeo Shimazu, neatly sums up the goal of today's product launch by describing it as "bringing the best of both worlds in printing solutions for both SOHO and business users", and that includes helping them to see "the bigger picture".

Don't want to deal with a PC for administering printing and scanning tasks? No problem, your iDevice can get the job done as well

"Brother is very excited to showcase the latest additions to its family of multifunction printers. These new printers are capable of expanding business possibilities for SMBs and SOHOs with their all-rounded capabilities," he said, in reference to the new A4 monochrome multifunction printers and A3 colour inkjet multifunction printers that Brother is launching today. "The new monochrome MFCs stand out from the competition with their quality black-and-white prints, minimal costs and excellent value for money...and today, after continous 22

April 23rd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Galaxy Shows Off Multi Display Supported Graphics Cards Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/galaxy-shows-off-multi-displaysupported-graphics-cards/11919.html April 23rd, 2011

Galaxy, today demonstrates two graphics cards supporting multiple display outputs. The first multi display card from Galaxy is the GTX 560 Display5 which supports a total of 5 monitor outputs simultaneously (4 Mini-HDMI plus one DVI or DP). The second multi display card features a GeForce 210 GPU which provide quad display output. Galaxy is set to launch the new multiple display families of graphics cards in May, price and availability is still unknown. Galaxy, today demonstrates two graphics cards supporting multiple display outputs. Most of the NVIDIA graphics cards are limited to a dual monitor configuration. Galaxy has been able to overcome this limit by using third party controllers from IDT.

The first multi display card from Galaxy is the GTX 560 Display5 which uses the same PCB design as the GTX 460 WHDI and GTX 460 Razor. In addition to the DVI and DP output, the card sports 4 additional Mini-HDMI output on the upper bracket. The card supports a total of 5 monitor outputs simultaneously (4 Mini-HDMI plus one DVI or DP). User has the flexibility to use 3 or 4 of the Mini-HDMI ports to combine into a single monitor span in windows, creating a surround gaming environment. The card supports 5040x1050@60Hz (1680x1050 on each monitor) combined resolution in 3 monitor mode, or 5760x900@60Hz (1440x900 on each monitor) in 4 monitor mode.

April 23rd, 2011

The second multi display card features a GeForce 210 GPU passive cooled. The card has borrowed its look from the NVIDIA Quadro series, featuring two proprietary DMS59 connectors. Using the supplied cable, each DMS59 supports 2 DVI monitors at up to 1920x1080p resolution, of up to 4 monitors in total. The card uses two VMM1402 chipsets from IDT in order to provide quad display output. To allow users to easily manage windows between different monitors, Galaxy has also teamed up with WinSplit Revolution to bundle their desktop utility into their graphics cards. Galaxy is set to launch the new multiple display families of graphics cards in May, price and availability is still unknown.

Philips launches SHE2675 and SHE3575 series in-ear headsets Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/philips-launches-she2675-andshe3575-series-in-ear-headsets/11917.html April 23rd, 2011

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The Philips In-Ear Headsets SHE2675 and SHE3575 Series are available in distinctive, bold colors. With a neodymium magnet which helps to enhance bass performance and specially-designed vents to balance the high sounds and bass tones in these headsets, you will have a smoother and more enjoyable listening experience. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only about color or sound quality â&#x20AC;&#x201C; trendy music lovers will be pleased to know that the Philips In-Ear Headset SHE2675 Series also comes with a built-in microphone that allows you to enjoy handsfree conversations on your iPhone or Blackberry, easily and fashionably. They are also equipped with specially designed ear cushions for optimal comfort and fit. If you like having the option of customizing the fit and position of yourheadsets, then the Philips In-Ear Headset SHE3575 Series is perfect for you. Equipped with built-in microphone, these headsets also come with three different ear cap sizes for an optimal fit. With small yet powerful speaker drivers that fit snugly inside your ears, unwanted external noise is filtered out for a more intense and pleasurable listening experience. Price and Availability The Philips In-Ear Headsets SHE2675 and SHE3575 series also come in normal headphones versions (SHE2670 and SHE3570 series) and have a recommended retail price range of S$17.90 to S$29.90. They will be available at all major electronics retailers island-wide by end May 2011.

Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi tablet lands in Singapore Philips has launched their bold new range of in-ear headsets, SHE2675 and SHE3575 series. Available in distinct colors, the headsets will be retailing in stores by the end of May.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/motorola-xoom-wi-fi-tablet-lands-insingapore/11916.html April 23rd, 2011

Motorola has finally brought their XOOM Android tablet to Singapore, when it was launched in US on 24 February. You can get your hands on the tablet this "Good Friday" holiday. Details inside.

April 23rd, 2011

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Motorola Mobility has announced that the Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi tablet will launch in Singapore on 22 April this week. The Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi runs on the Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) platform designed specifically for tablets. Singapore becomes the first market in Southeast Asia to launch the tablet. Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi features a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB memory and 32GB storage, front and rear-facing cameras, and the latest Google Mobile services on a 10.1-inch widescreen high definition (HD) display. The tablet claims to deliver fast performance and showcases the innovations of the Honeycomb user experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including widgets, true multi-tasking, tabbed browsing, notifications and customization. It also has support for HDMI which enables viewing of videos on larger screens, such as HDTVs. A 5-megapixel rear camera can also capture videos in HD, while the 2-megapixle front camera enables clear video chats using Google Talk. The latest Google Mobile services include Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction and access to more than 150,000 apps from the Android Market. Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi also supports a beta version of Adobe Flash Player 10.2 downloadable from Android Market, enabling the delivery of rich Flash-based web content including videos, games and rich Internet applications. The tablet also features a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting. It supports up to 10 hours of video playback, and charges in half the time of competitive tablets on the market. Motorola Smart Accessories - A Standard Dock for watching video content or listening to music through external speakers as the device charges - A Speaker HD Dock for sending HD content directly to a TV or clearly listening to music through two built-in speakers without attaching external speakers - A custom Bluetooth wireless keyboard with special Android shortcut keys. Pricing and Availability Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi will be available at Challenger, Courts, Newstead, Best Denki, Harvey Norman and Mustafa from 22 April at a recommended retail price of S$888.

April 26th, 2011

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

First Looks: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO (Intel Z68 Express)

were added, but the expansion slots offered and connector placements are unchanged. The Firewire and Super I/O controllers are now placed near the front of the board. The MOSFET heatsinks for the processor's voltage regulation module (VRM) have been slightly re-designed as well.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-looks-asus-p8z68-v-pro-intel-z68express-/11972.html April 26th, 2011

We had a visitor to our labs yesterday evening, the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO motherboard. The P8Z68-V PRO uses Intel's upcoming Z68 Express chipset, which primarily combines features present in the current P67 Express and H67 Express chipsets. While the media is not allowed to publish reviews (of any Z68-based product) just yet, we can still share some details of this new board. We had a visitor to our labs yesterday evening, the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO motherboard. The P8Z68-V PRO uses Intel's upcoming Z68 Express chipset, which primarily combines features present in the current P67 Express and H67 Express chipsets. In this short preview, we take a look at what this new board has to offer.

Compared to the P8P67 PRO, some components may have moved about printed circuit board (PCB) and a few more

Two switches at the right corner enable ASUS' Energy Processing Unit (EPU) and TurboV Processing Unit (TPU). The EPU is a real-time power saving and monitoring chip that can detect workloads and intelligently moderate power consumption, while the TPU will overclock the system for you by raising the BCLK and processor multiplier automatically. Memory power supply is regulated via a 2-phase VRM. There are two pairs of DIMM slots for dual-channel memory configuration.

The four light blue and two grey SATA ports are linked to the Intel Z68 Express chipset. The light blue ones support SATA

April 26th, 2011

3Gbps and the grey ones SATA 6Gbps. The two dark blue SATA ports are also SATA 6Gbps-capable, but they are connected to a third-party Marvell controller. A USB 3.0 front panel header, linked to an ASMedia ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller, can be found to the right of the eight SATA ports. As ASMedia is a subsidary of ASUS, it comes as no surprise that there are quite a number of ASMedia components on the P8Z68-V PRO.

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ASRock's Z68 Extreme4 motherboard smiles for the camera Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-s-z68-extreme4-motherboardsmiles-for-the-camera/11976.html April 26th, 2011

We're getting very close to the launch of Z68 chipset based motherboards now and details of the first boards are already starting to arrive en masse. A picture of ASRock's Z68 Extreme4 motherboard has turned up over at TechPowerUp and we're looking at a pretty feature packed board that has a couple of interesting things of note. The base configuration is actually quite similar to that of Asus' P8Z68-V Pro as both boards have three x16 PCI Express slots in a dual x8 and one x4 configuration, as well as two x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. Both boards also feature a pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports as well as on-board power and reset buttons. However, things start to look up for ASRock once we take a look at the rear I/O as the Z68 Extreme4 is loaded to the brim with features here. For starters and maybe most importantly to a Z68 board is the fact that we have a DisplayPort, an HDMI port, a DVI port and a D-sub connector here, although only two of them can be used simultaneously. Then we have a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, and eSATA port, a FireWire port, two USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out and even a clear CMOS button. The only thing potentially missing here would be a Bluetooth dongle, but we can manage without it.

A total of seven expansion slots here: three PCI Express x16 slots, two PCI Express x1 slots and two PCI slots. Only the first PCI Express x16 slot in dark blue is capable of the full x16 link.; the grey colored one can provide only an x8 link while the black one a maximum of x4. However, as PCI Express bandwidth from the Z68 Express chipset is limited, the default setting in the BIOS is an x1 configuration for the black slot. (First two PCI Express x16 slots are connected directly to the processor.) Alternatively, the user can force 'x4 mode' on the black slot but that will result in the USB 3.0 front header, eSATA ports and both PCI Express x1 slots to be disabled. 2

April 26th, 2011

ASRock has also added support for a pair of front USB 3.0 ports, just like Asus, but ASRock has gone for host controllers from Etron rather than ASMedia if it makes any difference. The rest of the front connectors include three headers for six USB 2.0 ports (one designed to work with ASRock's Smart Remote), a FireWire header and for some reason a parallel and serial port header which we don't really think is of much use on a board like this. We're also curios about the inclusion of a PLX bridge chip as ASRock is using an ASMedia PCI Express to PCI bridge, so the PLX bridge is intended for something to do with the PCI Express peripherals. Overall so far this looks like one of the better Z68 boards for anyone that's looking at taking advantage of the video out options on offer as ASRock hasn't cut any corners here. It's not hard to see why ASRock has gained the number three spot in the motherboard market space, as the company is starting to make some really appealing motherboards with overall good features.

Compro shows off new, easy to use home security IP cameras Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/compro-shows-off-new-easy-to-usehome-security-ip-cameras/11975.html April 26th, 2011

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Seedonk's website and after that you can access it easily via the simple app without any need of entering IP addresses or any other kind of hassle.

You have full camera control via the Seedonk app and it works with Compro's PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) cameras as well. On top of that you can share your video feeds with anyone that uses the Seedonk app so you could actually use your IP camera as a high-end webcam as well, as the Seedonk Windows app also doubles as an IM client. There are of course also mobile apps available for both iOS and Android based devices which mean that you can easily access your IP camera on devices that generally don't work with well with most IP cameras. Seedonk also offers a cloud based DVR service where you can have your surveillance videos stored for you.

If you're concerned about your home security, or just want to be able to check in at home from time to time over the web, an IP camera is a good way of doing this. However, most of them aren't that easy to use unless you're tech savvy, or at least that used to be the case. Compro was showing off its new range of IP cameras for home use at Secutech and it has partnered up with a new service that makes it as easy to access your IP cameras as it is to use an online messaging service. If you're concerned about your home security, or just want to be able to check in at home from time to time over the web, an IP camera is a good way of doing this. However, most of them aren't that easy to use unless you're tech savvy, or at least that used to be the case. Compro was showing off its new range of IP cameras for home use at Secutech and it has partnered up with a new service that makes it as easy to access your IP cameras as it is to use an online messaging service. Normally using an IP camera involves accessing it remotely via an IP address to watch the video stream, but Compro has teamed up with Seedonk to use its very simple utility to access its cameras. The Seedonk software looks by an online messaging app by all intents and purposes, although it's tied in with Seedonk's online service which is also required for it all to work. The idea here is that you sign up to Seedonk's online service which offers a free basic service and a paid for premium service. You then set up your camera once via

Compro was also showing off a new model called the IP55G which supports 3G dongles for places where a wired or wireless internet connections isn't available. The 3G connection isn't intended to be used in lieu of an always on broadband connection, but rather as a means of accessing the camera feed remotely when needed. As such the IP55G doesn't stream video constantly over the 3G connection as you'd normally do with an IP camera; instead it keeps the 3G connection live and only streams video when accessed. The trick here is that the IP55G has a built in micro SD card slot like many of Compro's other cameras and you can use this as the recording media if there's a need to constantly record video on an offsite location that lacks a broadband connection.

April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: The factory-overclocked 6870 IceQ X Turbo X and HIS Radeon HD 6850 IceQ X Turbo have upgraded coolers and are meant to be the fastest 6850 and 6870 graphics cards available out of the box -- albeit at a premium price. The 6870 IceQ X Turbo X is currently retailing for $250, while the 6850 IceQ X Turbo costs $190. Being the inquisitive type, we're determined to see if the extra fee is worthwhile.

Compro offers a wide range of rather compelling consumer oriented IP cameras, of which most have features such as twoway audio (for building access usage), motion detection, micro SD card video recording and simple Wi-Fi upgradability via a USB dongle. Some of the higher-end models also support IR LEDs for night usage, power over Ethernet, H.264 video and of course PTZ, although only its top of the range model has optical zoom. Now if we could just think of a reason why we'd need one of theseâ&#x20AC;Ś

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 26 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--26april-2011/11971.html April 26th, 2011

In today's news roundup: ARM is reportedly next in line to support OpenCL, which means that the standard is now being officially backed by all major CPU and GPU manufacturers; AMD hints at what might eventually be a partnership with the likes of ARM in its upcoming software developers conference; Sony has announced two "Sony Tablet' that will reportedly be optimized for multimedia and productivity and will run off Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system; The Samsung Galaxy S II tablet gets reviewed; Nintendo has finally announced its Wii successor that will be unveiled in 2012, and A new demo of Star Ocean showing off the game's "out of this world" graphics engine has been released. Hardware news ASUS E35M1-I Deluxe Motherboard Review @ Vortez Description: That drive to produce excellence no matter what the product has helped them to secure an enviable reputation as one of the PC world's top manufacturers. Even the HTPC market is in their sights with ASUS aiming squarely at the compact home cinema market with their brand new E35M1I Deluxe. Using the ultra compact ITX form factor the board packs a truck load of current features like USB 3.0, SATA 6.0Gbps (courtesy of AMD's Hudson M1 chipset) and AMD's low power Zacate E350 dual core processor. HIS Radeon HD 6850 & 6870 IceQ X Turbo Crossfire Review

Sentey Arvina GS-6400B Full Tower Case Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Sentey Arvina is a feature packed full-tower gaming case. The Arvina full-tower case is part of Senteyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Extreme Division line and comes in red, blue or black. The Sentey Arvina supports the latest dual-GPU video cards and the largest aftermarket heatsinks. To keep system components in optimal thermal condition, the Sentey Arvina comes out of the box with six fans pre-installed, which can be turned off through a fan controller at the top. Users can also connect an eSATA enclosure or a SATA HDD through an external extension on the top I/O module of the Sentey Arvina. Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 1GB DDR5 DX 11 Video Card Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Radeon HD 6670 looks to take over its predecessor's, the 5670, position in the market. With the 6670, we get an increase in architecture that boosts computing performance. The core clock is set to 800 MHz and the memory 1GHz, 4GHz effective. Onboard memory for the HD 6670 equals 1GB of 128-bit GDDR5. There is an increased SIMD core, giving a total of 480 stream processors and 24 texture units. Similar to the previous generation, there are 32 Z/Stencil ROP units and 8 color ROP units. The 6670 has support for DX11, Eyefinity, and AMD App Acceleration. Kingston sees stable DRAM prices, slight NAND supply constraints Description: Contract prices for DRAM chips are set to be flat in the current second quarter of 2011, and will likely trend upward in the third and fourth quarters, according to Kingston Technology. Kingston said it has so far seen little impact on the worldwide DRAM industry supply chain from the recent disasters in Japan. There are rumors of shortages of manufacturing-use raw materials, such as silicon wafers, circulating in the market. ARM jumps in to OpenCL with both CPU and GPUs Description: It looks like ARM is jumping aboard the OpenCL train, meaning all the major players are now behind the standard. It may not sound like all that big a deal, but it is, OpenCL is now officially supported top to bottom. AMD Hints at Possible ARM Partnership Description: AMD will be holding its first software developers conference, the AMD Fusion Developer Summit, from June 13 to 16. The purpose of the event is, we were told, to educate developers how to take advantage of AMD's hardware, which would be primarily its APUs. However, AMD also said that it would be releasing some information about its next-gen GPUs and how they can interact with software. The really interesting part of this conference is the fact that AMD sends out announcements highlight one of the big keynote speakers, ARM's Jem Davies. Corsair Obsidian 650D review 4

April 26th, 2011

Description: We review the Corsair Obsidian 650D. And yeah, they stripped away the removable front drive bays, made the chassis smaller and boom, the Obsidian 650D was born. A chassis that is just as impressive as its bigger brother the 800D really. Consumer Electronics and Software news Creative Labs Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Sigma Headset Review Description: Today we are looking at the Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Sigma, which most notably uses the company's famous Sound Blaster name in order to swing attention away from competition and towards this product. Nothing really exiting with regards to the specifications list except that Creative has chosen to use a large 50mm driver like much of the competition. This large driver allows for greater mid range extension and clarity while providing an overall bigger sound from the headset. Google Gmail Speeds Up with Background Sending Description: The concept is fairly straightforward: rather than clicking send and waiting for a message to shoot off to the intended recipient, you can click send and move on right away while Google worries about getting your message through the wires. If any issues arise with sending the message, a notification will appear at the top of the screen, prompting the Gmail user to pop back and resolve the problem (e.g., wrong email address, internet connection timed out, etc.). Otherwise, the user will get a notification once the message has officially been sent. Sony Announces Optimally Designed “Sony Tablet” with Android 3.0 that Complements Network Services for an Immersive Entertainment Experience Description: Sony Corporation (“Sony”), announces “Sony Tablet” that delivers the perfect combination of hardware, content and network with seamless usability for a highquality, engaging entertainment experience. Based on decades of engineering heritage, Sony is developing two tablets with unprecedented design, including S1 (codename) which is optimized for rich media entertainment and S2 (codename) which is ideal for mobile communication and entertainment. “Sony Tablet” will become available in the global market starting in fall 2011. Samsung Galaxy S II - Thin @ Computing on Demand Description: Samsung is doing a good job at hyping us up for their Galaxy S II Android powered smart phone. The Galaxy S II is impossibly thin at just 8.49 mm and still manages to pack a 4.3" Super AMOLED screen. Meanwhile, the thin design doesn't look like it will inhibit processing power as the phone comes with a Dual Core processor accompanied by 16/32GB of memory. With all the excitement surrounding the second iteration of the Galaxy phone, I can only hope that the cell phone carriers will not cripple this as they did with the first series... Open Office and Libre Office duel over versioning Description: During all of the fuss over Oracle’s (NASDAQ: ORCL) announcement that it intends to move OpenOffice to a community based project, the release of OpenOffice 3.4 Beta 1 flew under most people’s radar. This is the first beta release since The Document Foundation split from the OpenOffice project, and released the competing Libre Office suite by

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forking the OpenOffice code base. Conflicts in the version numbering is causing confusion. Dell's New Mobile Workstations: These Are The Laptops You're Looking For Description: Having had the chance to check out Toshiba's and HP's impending enterprise-class notebooks, more and more I'm convinced spending up is the way to go when it comes to buying a notebook that both looks and feels like quality. While Dell's Precision notebooks are still a little boxy and aren't quite the ladykillers the new HP EliteBooks are, there's still something very austere and functional about them that puts consumer-grade laptops from any manufacturer to shame. If you're one of the people that didn't much care for Dell's new XPS line, these may be for you. Android 2.3.4 rumored adding GTalk video chat support Description: The next update for Google’s Android 2.3.4 for smartphones is rumored to be adding Google Talk with video chat support. An alleged Samsung employee with the Twitter profile @MAFiA303 has tweeted that they have used the feature on the Nexus S, equipped with the yet to be released Gingerbread 2.3.4. The features is expected to be officially unveiled at Google’s I/O developer conference scheduled in the next two weeks. Gaming news Nintendo Sees Profit Falling 66%, Announces Wii Successor For 2012 Description: Nintendo posted a new financial report today, and in a nutshell, things aren’t looking too good. The company’s net profit dropped a whopping 66% to $944 million in the fiscal year that ended March 31, compared with $2.78 billion in the same period a year earlier. Revenue in the same time frame fell 29.3% to $12.2 billion. Five Things That Will Surprise You About Prey 2 Description: Bethesda Softworks recently invited members of the gaming press to Park City, Utah, where the publisher revealed some of the games it plans to release in the coming year. Among those games was Prey 2 -- a follow-up to the longdelayed 2006 shooter Prey, from developer Human Head. But Prey 2 isn't quite the game any of us expected. Here are the five biggest surprises that Prey 2 has in store for fans. Star Ocean developer's real-time graphics demo is out of this world Description: This video shows off the new graphics engine created by Star Ocean dev tri-Ace to great effect. While not based on any existing game (or future title), it does feature clever cameos by a couple recognizable characters -- and looks absolutely stunning...

Targus new 360-degree rotating case/stand for the Apple iPad 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/targus-new-360-degree-rotatingcasestand-for-the-apple-ipad-2/11973.html

April 26th, 2011 April 26th, 2011

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6.Inforcom Technologies - Funan Ctr #04-20 7.istudio - Change Alley, Changi T3, Novena, Orchard Central, Paragon, Plaza Singapura 8.Multimedia Integrated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Funan Ctr #05-06/08 9.PK Computer - Funan Ctr #04-07

Targus has launched their complete and unique range of Apple iPad 2 accessories including the first-of-its-kind 360-degree rotating case/stand (THZ045AP) . The THZ045AP is a unique stand that can be used in portrait and landscape orientations.

10.South Asia Computer - Funan Ctr #03-01 11.Sprint-Cass - Changi T1 to T3

HTC Flyer coming to Singapore in May Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-flyer-coming-to-singapore-inmay/11968.html April 26th, 2011

Targus has launched their extensive and innovative range of iPad2 products. The company claims to offer an enhanced and advanced range of products for the Apple iPad 2 that comes in a gamut of silhouettes, colors, materials, functionalities.

HTC held a media event today to unveil their highly anticipated Android tablet, the HTC Flyer. The HTC Flyer is scheduled to be available in May. Read on for the coverage.

Part of the range includes the 360-degree rotating stand/case (THZ045AP). A unique dual function 360-degree rotating case and stand. As a case, the form-fitting design securely holds iPad2. The hard-shell exterior provides a sturdy, protective cover, while the microfiber faux suede interior stylishly lines and protects the iPad 2 against scratches. It is also a unique stand that allows presentation or use in both portrait and landscape orientations. The two-in-one case/ stand creatively frames the Apple logo and allow users to rotate the iPad 2 vertically and horizontally inside the case. The case/stand features three different viewing angles, and the easily accessible ports and buttons to ensure optimal handsfree viewing comfort and convenience. Suggested Retail Price: S$99.90 Available at 1.TargusÂŽ Boutique - Funan Ctr #05-09 2.Apple Shop @ Best Denki - Century Sq, City Sq, Compass Pt, Great World City, IMM, Junction 8, Parkway Parade, Plaza Singapura, Takashimaya, Vivo City 3.Challenger - Ang Mo Kio Hub, Bedok Pt, Clementi Mall, Eastpoint, Funan Ctr, Hougang Mall, IMM, Jurong Pt, Nex, Parkway Parade, Plaza Singapura, Sembawang, Tampines 1, Thomson Plaza, Tiong Bahru Plaza, United Square, Vivo City, White Sands 4.EpiCentre - 313 Somerset, Bugis, ION Orchard, Marina Bay Sands, Suntec City, Wheelock Place 5.Infinite - Millenia Walk #01-108, Vivo City #02-11

Wayne Tang, product manager of HTC Singapore, says that the company did well in 2010 with sales of 25 million handsets, which is double the figure shipped the year before, and revenue grew 93% while the global brand awareness grew more than 50% as compared to 18 months ago whereby the number was 15%. Tang also introduced the new HTC Flyer, the manufacturer's first Android tablet with HTC Sense. "One thing that really sets HTC devices from other devices on the market today, is the great experience you get with HTC Sense. Today, we are expanding the experience of HTC Sense from smartphone, to tablet. And with the new Sense, the HTC Flyer features an immersive 3D user experience that brings to life, all your favorite content - weather, email and even ebooks." Tang then introduced the HTC Scribe technology that is incorporated the tablet which lets users take notes, draw pictures, or scribble using a special Magic pen, and you can save or share with friends. In addition, the HTC Flyer will come with HTC Watch that allows users to watch Hollywood movies on the fly and the 6

April 26th, 2011

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service is scheduled to be available in Q4 this year. Good news is, the tablet which is selling next month, will come with HTC Watch Lite that enables you to watch movie trailers. The company is still negotiating with OnLive gaming, to offer cloud-based gaming in Singapore. OnLive gaming is currently available in the US.

The HTC Flyer comes with the magic pen that lets you write or draw on the display, even on the home page. According to HTC, the pen uses a single 4A battery.

The HTC Flyer has a aluminium unibody and feels solid. It is a 7-inch tablet which is similar size to the Samsung Galaxy Tab that was launched in November last year.

So how much is the HTC Flyer? It is priced at S$1,068 before telco subsidies. Quite expensive compared to the Motorola Xoom which run Android 3.0 and with a retail price of S $888. However, the company says that the HTC Flyer will be upgradeable to Android 3.0 with the HTC Sense UI, though no word as to when the upgrade will be available.

NVIDIA Quadro Success Stories Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-quadro-successstories/11970.html April 26th, 2011

There aren't many physical buttons on the HTC Flyer. On the right are the volume controls.

The power button and 3.5mm audio jack are at the top, while the 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and capable of capturing 720p high definition videos is at the rear. There is also a 1.3-megapixel front camera for video conferencing.

NVIDIA has a very successful Quadro line-up based on Fermi architecture from the very high end like Quadro 6000, 5000 and all the way down to their value solutions like Quadro 600 and 400. Today, we bring you two of the many success stories of NVIDIA Quadro and they are Mars-500 and Bandito Brothers. Mars-500 is an international virtual space expedition that simulates a manned flight to Mars. The main aims of the project are to study medical, biological, psychological, technical and organizational aspects of an actual, planned long-run interplanetary expedition, as well as train the crew. With the help of NVIDIA Quadro, they are able to simultaneously render complex landscapes, various special effects (dust storms, meteorite showers) and correctly manage moving objects like the Mars-rovers. As for Bandito Brothers, it is a L.A. based filmaker who specializes in using technology to create authentic action/adventure content. With the help of NVIDIA Quadro, Bandito Brothers is able to edit its work in real-time and at full-scale resolution. The future is now with NVIDIA Quadro NVIDIA technology delivers real-time, virtual reality for the interplanetary expedition crew of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mars-500â&#x20AC;?

April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

In order to fulfill take off and landing, and model the cosmonauts’ and astronauts’ activity on the Mars surface, JCSI created a 3D, interactive, 10x10 km virtual model of the Red planet’s surface, equipping one of the modules of the terrestrial experimental suite with a virtual reality modeling system.

The international virtual space expedition, “Mars-500,” composed of 6 cosmonauts and astronauts from Russia, the European Union and China, started on June 3, 2010, and has just reached a new milestone this month (February 2011). Last June, the state research center of the Institute of the Medical and Biological Problems of RAS (IMPB) started a 520-day international experiment, simulating a manned flight to Mars. The main aims of the project are to study medical, biological, psychological, technical and organizational aspects of an actual, planned long-run interplanetary expedition, as well as train the crew.

To achieve these goals, NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions, with their massively parallel processing capabilities, have become an important component of modeling and displaying the virtual reality of the flight to the ‘red planet.’

The landing portion of the virtual expedition, which started 240 days after the flight began last June, is one of the key aspects of the project. When the expedition reached the nearMars orbit on February 12th, three crewmen moved to the take-off and landing suite, where they carried out the landing to the Mars surface, and will be conducting research studies on the planet the rest of this month. Helping with the project is JCSI Group, Russia’s largest provider of broadcast automation, computer graphics and digital movie services, which also develops and deploys real-time, 3D visualization technologies, virtual reality and industrial design.

This powerful system utilizes a professional workstation equipped with a pair of NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics processing units (GPUs), which render real-time complex interactive graphics scenes on two 26”, highresolution monitors (running at 1920?1200). Depending on the application* these monitors display control panels of moving objects, including: the takeoff and landing suite; automatic and manned Mars-rovers; 3D animated models of spacemen, and more. In addition, the display also shows information on the external environment, which reflects the main features of the Mars landscape—low natural illumination, dust storms and other atmospheric phenomena unique to Mars. “NVIDIA’s Quadro professional graphics were chosen to solve the complex problems of real-time processing and visualization of the 3D environment,” said Evgeny Chernyakov, CEO of JCSI. “The model we created is intended to simultaneously render complex landscapes, various special effects (dust storms, meteorite showers) and correctly manage moving objects like the Mars-rovers. Chernyakov concludes, “Such problems can be solved only with a top visualization solution, such as NVIDIA Quadro. We achieved great results, pushing the limits of visualization.” In addition to utilizing NVIDIA Quadro pro graphics, the workstation is connected to a full-color helmet display system with a ‘head attitude position sensor,’ which lets the user feel like he’s inside a spacesuit. Various interactive tasks are done with two multifunctional joysticks, including: choosing required tools, selecting soil samples, and placing scientific instruments on the field. The cosmonauts and astronauts in orbit also took part in the project’s Mars landing with NVIDIA 3D Vision stereoscopic viewing technology. A part of the content prepared for the 3D virtual reality model was copied to their notebook PCs. This is useful in providing high quality, 3D stereoscopic images to 8

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deliver the required level of psychophysiological stress as part of the research study. *3D models of virtual reality, natural effects, spacemen, rovers and others were created using software from Presagis, DI-Guy, CMLabs Vortex, and DiSTI. MARS-500 Virtual Reality (photos and video) – http:// mars500.jcsi.ru/gallery.html Other useful links:

Kingston HyperX Plug and Play (PnP) Series Announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-hyperx-plug-and-play-pnpseries-announced/11969.html April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

the machine, as the system automatically recognizes faster memory speed with no further BIOS settings required. Users will notice performance gains as overclocking is automatic with the HyperX Plug and Play modules. In addition, the modules are backwards compatible with previously released DDR3 systems on the market. “The HyperX engineering team has been thoroughly innovative in designing a memory module that automatically raises performance with no overclocking steps required,” said Ann Bai, DRAM Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “By using JEDEC-compliant settings to create performance timings, enthusiasts can max out native frequencies on current Sandy Bridge systems and older DDR3 machines.” HyperX Plug and Play is available through Kingston’s channel of authorized distributors, resellers, and retailers. Kingston HyperX memory is backed by a lifetime warranty and free technical support. For more detailed product information please visit the Kingston Web site at www.kingston.com/asia.

Kingston today announced the new HyperX Plug and Play (PnP) series of high-performance enthusiast memory specially for Sandy Bridge chipset in both desktop and notebooks. The memory SPD is pre-programmed with faster frequencies of either 1600MHz or 1866MHz so when 'plugged' in, it will automatically 'play' at that speeds without the need to overclock or tune from the BIOS.

Xbox 360: Portal 2 Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xbox-360-portal-2-review/11955.html April 26th, 2011

Hsinchu, Taiwan -- April 26, 2011 -- Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the new HyperX Plug and Play (PnP) series of high-performance enthusiast memory. HyperX PnP are the first modules to scale the higher memory heights that are a part of the second generation Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs. The memory is programmed with faster frequencies and when ‘plugged’ into a system using the Sandy Bridge chipset, will automatically ‘play’ at either 1600MHz or 1866MHz in both desktop and notebook PCs.

Portal 2 is the sequel to its acclaimed predecessor back in 2007. The first-person action puzzle game has grown from a single-player campaign to include a co-operative gameplay which is equally, if not, more challenging than the singleplayer campaign. How good is this game ? Let us make the jump into the portal to find out

The modules are programmed using JEDEC-compliant settings, allowing 1600MHz and 1866MHz frequency support. It is as simple as plugging in the memory and turning on 9

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Published by: VR-Zone

wakes you up and tries to be friendly and at most occasions, wacky. Returning to the facility will be filled with many surprises, the area is in a wreck and you will eventually run into GlaDOS, the 'female' anatagonist in Portal 1. She calls you a monster for ruining her life but she will be put the past behind her in the name of science.

Portal 2 is available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles and PC (via retail copy and Steam)

The usual tests will continue with growing intensity since you had returned to be her test subject once again. Very often, she will throw junvenile insults at you using her signature malevonlent tone. She bitches quite a lot as an AI but she is more complex than you think and you will learn to love her during the course of your game. From the story standpoint, Portal 2 is a remarkable achievement, packed with brillaint voice acting and characters (or robots) with depth. Gameplay-wise, Portal 2 puts you back in Aperature Laboratories again with a twist.

The console versions are published by Electronic Arts (EA) The original Portal came with 19 missions, each filled with various puzzles to solve before you make your escape from GLaDOS, an AI existance that administrates the Aperature Laboratories who is pretty much "omni-potent". Well, that is untill you tear her piece by piece and throwing them into the incinerator. Many questions were left unanswered in the ending until now

The sequel sets you in perspective with events taking place after the original story, your name is Chell and returning to Aperature Laboratories will not be a walk in the park. Your journey will be accompanied by Wheatley, a metal sphere who

Many things have changed, from a squeaking clean facility to a ruined surroudings beyond repair with crumbling walls and overgrown fauna. The Portal Gun is still your trusty companion which you will learn to use in the current dynamic environment. You don't need complicated puzzles to ramp up the difficulty, the dynamic changes in the puzzle will often leave you stumped and pressed for time to make desperatre choices. Having said that, the new mechanics added to Portal 2 makes the entire puzzle solving session more fun and mind-boggling as well. There are mirror cubes which can be used for redirecting lasers to unlock doors or trigger certain mechanisms. Light bridges are also the new tools of the game that can be redirected using your portal gun to reach different places.

Later in the game, there is yet another but an interesting tool which you will use. They are gels or blobs of different colours that splatter onto the floor that produce different effects.

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There are three colours: blue, orange and white. The white gel is the most basic; it paints the surface white which allows you to create a portal. The blue gel creates a surface you can bounce off, while orange gel grants you an acceleration boost when you run on it.

Published by: VR-Zone April 26th, 2011

After much anticipated wait, Nikon D5100 is real and official. Product availability and prices will be announced at a later date but let us look at the official specs. Update: The Nikon D5100 is available from today, at S$1,199 with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens.

The Excursion Funnel defies gravity Another feature is the Excursion Funnel, glowing tunnels that transports you on a straight path. They defy laws of physics in their path so imagine the possibilites when you create a portal with the funnel running through it. The explorable surroundings have grown larger, some of the environments are filled with various environmental obstacles, forcing you to look around for a solution. It is amazing that Valve has created incredibly made surroundings that focus on thinking while making a well-paced story with plenty of humour. No thanks to GlaDOS and her new dose of sarcarstic quotes.

Update: The Nikon D5100 is available from today, at S$1,199 with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens. Nikon announces the D5100 Digital SLR camera, introducing new features and upgraded specifications as compared to its predecessor.

You will come to understand the events in Portal and the eventual happenings in Portal 2 that brings about a surprise ending.

The D5100 will come with Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest CMOS image sensor and the new EXPEED 2 image-processing engine. The updated sensor will bump the effective megapixel count to 16.1, the same that was found in Nikon D7000. The camera adds a new High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature that captures two shots of varying exposure each time the shutter-release button is pressed, and then combines the two shots into a single image with a broad dynamic range.

A tip to our gamers is to observe the surroundings and objects carefully which gives you hints on what happened in Aperature Laboratories and also the unseen character's (Rat man) doings. You will want to try the "Zoom" function to observe the far surroundings.

The single player campaign should clock an estimated eight to nine hours of gameplay, a huge leap than the original classic but what happens after that ? Cooperative gameplay comes into play

Night Vision is another feature which ramps up the ISO to 102400 which enables shooting under conditions of darkness while verifying the subject and composition in the monitor (this feature shoots in JPEG format and in black and white. RAW recording is not possible)

Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera Announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-d5100-digital-slr-cameraannounced/11802.html

Visibility has been increased with the large 3-inch display found on the D5100 that has approximately 921k-dot highresolution that supports viewing on various angles.

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Nikon adopts a side hinge for the vari-angle monitor that prevents the monitor from hitting the tripod when it is opened while the camera is mounted on a tripod. The vari-angle monitor opens from 0 to180° to the side, and can be rotated up to 90°clockwise and up to 180° counterclockwise when it is open. Say yes to self-portraits.

Published by: VR-Zone

Specification Chart Type Lens mount Effective pixels Image sensor mage size (pixels)

Single-lens reflex digital camera Nikon F mount (with AF contacts) 16.2 million 23.6 X 15.6 mm CMOS sensor • 4,928 X 3,264 (L) • 3,696 X 2,448 (M)

File format Media

Frame advance rate ISO sensitivity Additional Features and Functions - High-speed continuous shooting at up to approximately 4 fps and a very precise and durable shutter unit that has passed testing for 100,000 cycles

Movie

- Equipped with Quiet shutter-release mode for shooting in situations in which quieter shutter

• 1,920 X 1,080, 30 p/25 p/24 p, high/normal

operation is desired. Infrared receivers for remote control operation on the front and back of the camera enable wireless control over the shutter from both in front of and behind the camera (optional

• 1,280 X 720, 30 p/25 p/24 p, high/normal • 640 X 424, 30 p/25 p, high/normal

ML-L3 wireless remote control supported).

A frame rate of 30 p (actual frame rate 29.97 fps) is available when NTSC is selected for video mode. 25 p is available when PAL is selected for video mode. Actual frame rate when 24 p is selected is 23.976 fps. File format/Video compression:

MOV, H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding

via the HDMI connector.

Audio recording device:

- HD movie recording and editing 1Manual focus, M or S mode, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values

Monitor

Built-in monaural or external stereo microphone; sensitivity adjustable 3-in., approx. 921k-dot (VGA), vari-angle low12

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Power source

Dimensions (approx.) (W×H × D) Weight (approx.)

Major supplied accessories

Published by: VR-Zone

temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustment Battery : One rechargeable Liion EN-EL14 battery AC adapter : EH-5b AC adapter; requires EP-5A power connector (available separately) 128 X 97 X 79 mm 510 g without battery, memory card, or body cap 560 g with battery and memory card but without body cap EN-EL14 rechargeable Liion battery, MH-24 battery charger, AN-DC3 strap, EGCP14 audio/video cable, UCE6 USB cable, DK-5 eyepiece cap, BS-1 accessory shoe cover, DK-20 rubber eyecup, BF-1B body cap, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM

The Android-powered HTC Incredible S that has made waves since its recent inception for its superb design and mobile experience now looks set to turn the heat up on the competition draped in a striking new red finish. The HTC Incredible S brings the HTC Sense experience and cutting-edge innovation to its users in a simple and natural way. The red edition features the same stunning body contours as its sleek black counterpart that highlights the internal hardware makeup of the device and at the same time, provide better grip in-hand. The HTC Incredible S also features an 8-megapixel camera (with dual flash) that can capture highdefinition videos and crystal clear 4-inch display that brings images to life. Pricing and Availability The red edition of the HTC Incredible is available now at all authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of S$758 (before operator subsidies).

Logitech launches Wireless Keyboard K270 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-launches-wireless-keyboardk270/11966.html April 26th, 2011

HTC Incredible S red edition. Now in stores Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-incredible-s-red-edition.-now-instores/11967.html April 26th, 2011

Looking for a new keyboard? Check out the new Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270. The sleek and stylish peripheral incorporates Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity and features battery life of up to two years.

The HTC Incredible S was on the shelves in Singapore since early March, and today, the company has come up with a red edition of the popular Android smartphone.

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Logitech has introduced their Wireless Keyboard K270, a sleek keyboard that delivers Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity and up to two years of battery life. With the Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, you will enjoy virtually no signal loss from up to 10 meters away. The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270 also delivers up to 24 months of battery life as well as auto-standby, which helps you save energy when you are not using the keyboard. The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270 also features the tiny USB receiver, which is small enough to stay in your laptop. Plus, you can easily add another compatible mouse or keyboard — without the hassle of multiple USB receivers. The sleek, compact keyboard saves space without sacrificing comfort while having full-size keys and a wide-curved space bar. And Logitech’s newest keyboard offers hot keys that give you instant access to your favorite websites, e-mail, play/ pause, volume and more. Pricing and Availability The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270 is now available for a suggested retail price of S$32.

InFocus unveils low cost short throw projector IN146 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/infocus-unveils-low-cost-short-throwprojector-in146/11965.html April 26th, 2011

InFocus has introduced their latest IN146 short throw projector that boasts widescreen resolution,HDMI connectivity and 3D at affordable price. If you are looking for a projector like this one, the InFocus IN 146 is available now.

Published by: VR-Zone

a vivid 1.5 metre image from as little as 0.75 metres away. With the projector placed close to the wall, shadows caused by tabletop objects or presenters are virtually eliminated. The short throw of the IN146, combined with its small size, low profile design and 2,700 lumens brightness, offers an extremely versatile and portable display solution that will work beautifully in a variety of environments and lighting conditions. Built for Long-Life at a Low Cost The IN146 is future-ready with 3D capability and an HDMI input. It can be turned into a wireless and networked display with the optional InFocus LiteShow III wireless adapter,and the RS232 port allows connection to Creston, AMX or any other room control system. The IN146 offers years of worryfree operation with a long lamp life ofup to 6,000 hours, filterfree DLP technology, and 5-year limited warranty. Pricing and Availability The IN146 (WXGA, 1280 x 800) model is available now with a list price of S$1,399.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 25 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--25april-2011/11961.html April 26th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Hitachi DeskStar 7K3000 3TB HDD reviewed; Commander PC gets benchmarked ; Nook Color gets Froyo update and app store; Dell readies 10-Inch tablets to fend off the Apple iPad, and Nintendo says successor to Wii coming in 2012 Hardware news Description: Another thing that sets the Lian Li PC-A04 apart from the norm is that it's limited to micro-ATX motherboards. Two or three years ago, this would have been a showstopper, but in recent times there have been some excellent uATX boards hitting the market. Description: The DeskStar 7K3000 3TB model by Hitachi GST is a real star since not only does it combine excellent single/ Raid0 performance with low temperatures and noise levels but it also comes at a bargain price.

InFocus has announced their InFocus IN146 short throw projector is available in Singapore. With native WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution to project today’s widescreen notebooks and high definition video without scaling, the IN146 offers big, beautiful images in tight spaces at an exceptionally low price. Short Throw Capabilities Offer Great Flexibility The short throw and wide resolution makes the IN146 ideal for use with interactive whiteboards. It can be easily installed on a wall or ceiling or placed on a tabletop or media cart, projecting

Description: The NZXT Sentry LXE is not your standard runof-the-mill fan controller. Combining the ease of a touchscreen and the flexibility of having an external controller add to its appeal - and not having to bend down under the desk to change a setting is nice. Description: As we treat the Commander PC as a system, we will take a slightly different approach to it than we normally would when reviewing a video card; instead we'll add some system benchmarks into the mix. Description: Microstar's latest Hawk video card is here, packing a highly overclocked NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti. 14

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Can its enhanced PCB and cooler fend off the Radeon HD 6950's falling prices? Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: Barnes & Noble on Monday announced a major update to its Nook Color tablet that includes access to a new app store and a built-in email system for organizing Web mail accounts. Description: That's the period during which the company's online Firefox 4 download tracker climbed into the nine-digit territory. The milestone achievement happened in just a little over a month after the software was made available on March 22. Description: A leaked roadmap suggests Dell has in store two Windows 7 tablets and a 10-inch Android Honeycomb tablet for release later this year, as the company aims to grab tablet market share. Description: Low Carbon PC aims to take this one step further by putting together eco-friendly systems that use little power but deliver big on performance, while looking rather stylish at the same time.

Published by: VR-Zone

designed to offer great electrical performance at the best possible price to performance ratio. Today we are going to have a have a look at a power supply from their updated version of the TX series, the TX850 V2 unit. • Conforms to the latest ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92 standards, and is backward compatible with the ATX12V 2.2 and ATX12V 2.01 standards • A dedicated single +12V rail offers simple configuration and maximum compatibility with the latest graphics cards and other components • An ultra-quiet, 140mm double ball-bearing fan delivers excellent airflow with exceptionally low noise levels by varying fan speed in response to temperature • Complies with the European Union ErP Directive (2009/125/EC) so the power consumption of the whole system, in either standby or off mode, can be less than 1W when used with a properly configured, ErP-compliant motherboard • 80 PLUS® Bronze certified, delivering up to 85% energy efficiency under real-world load conditions

Description: These earphones are designed for both stereo playback and as a hands free device for cell phones. The inline remote helps the user control music playback and volume without having to handle one’s cell phone or mp3 player.

• Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with PF value of 0.99

Gaming news

• Over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, and short circuit protection provide maximum safety for your critical system components

Description: Nintendo says the successor to the hit Wii console will arrive next year, but isn't saying anything about what the new system will do. Description: Sony has yet to determine the full scope of an attack on its PlayStation Network and Qriocity services that has left more than 75 million people without access for more than four days.

PSU Review - Corsair TX850 V2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/psu-review--corsair-tx850v2/11964.html April 26th, 2011

Corsair owes much of that reputation to their TX power supply series, which were designed to offer great electrical performance at the best possible price to performance ratio. Today we are going to have a have a look at a power supply from their updated version of the TX series, the TX850 V2 unit. Not too long ago Corsair subtly diversified towards the PSU market by releasing a handful of products, yet their reputation grew so rapidly that today their company is one of the most respected brands in the PSU market and has tens of power-related products available. Corsair owes much of that reputation to their TX power supply series, which were

• Universal AC input from 90~264V

• High-quality Japanese capacitors uncompromised performance and reliability

provide

• A five year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair's legendary technical support and customer service • Safety Approvals: cTUVus, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TÜV, CCC, C-tick

Asrock released "real AM3+" motherboards Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-released-real-am3-motherboards/11963.html April 26th, 2011

Most motherboard manufacturers claim that their latest AM3 motherboards are AM3+ capable after a mere BIOS update. ASRock claims that this is not the case and claims that there are no less than six reasons to buy an ASRock "real AM3+ motherboard". The company makes the 6 following claims regarding their new motherboards: 1. The new "black" AM3b CPU socket make you recognize the new AM3+ motherboard at the first sight! With the 11% bigger pin hole size, it can get rid of the possible mechanical mismatch when installing the CPU, and avoid the CPU pinbent problem. 15

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Published by: VR-Zone

2. Thanks for the AM3+ MB 3.4 MHz Serial VID support, it provides faster link between CPU and power controller. Compare to the old AM3 MB 400 KHz link, the new AM3+ MB can support better power management & Power saving. 3. Not only meet AMD's requirements, the new AM3+ MB design provides efficient power supply up to 11.8% better CPU power saving. An added bonus will be its environment-friendly feature. 4. As we know, the lower CPU noise, the better system stability. When the system is at the same loading, the new AM3+ MB design improves the Vcore variation and reduces the CPU power noise up to 22%! 5. Compare to the old AM3 CPU only needs 110A current, the new AM3+ CPU needs higher 145A current! The New AM3+ MB can satisfy the demand of 32% higher current and get rid of any power shortage issue. 6. With the new C.C.R. (Combo Cooler Retention Module) design, the ASRock new AM3+ MB can get better cooling effect for CPU, memory and power components. According to our test result, it makes the CPU power choke 5.4 째C cooler! Besides, the C.C.R. is backward compatible with the old AM3 / AM2+ CPU cooler as well.

The main screen consists of nine main icons as well as five that represent what appears to be a power button, a reset button, an adjustment up/down button, a snapshot button and one icon we can't quite figure out what it stands for, but we'd guess it's a save button of some kind. The nine main icons as far as we can make sense of it are for quick boot, hard drive settings, Q-Flash (BIOS flashing), system settings, @BIOS (second BIOS flashing option?), USB, power settings, download and security. That said, it's just us making guesses here based on Gigabyte's current technology, so some of this is likely to be wrong.

Gigabyte shows off first Touch BIOS screenshots Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-shows-off-first-touch-biosscreenshots/11962.html April 26th, 2011

Moving on we can see that Gigabyte has put its overclocking settings in the Touch BIOS, although the screenshot doesn't give away too many details. However, it appears that you have the option to change the colours here via an icon that wasn't on the main screen.

Pictures of Gigabyte's upcoming Touch BIOS have been posted on the unofficial Gigabyte blog as well as Gigabyte's Facebook page and they're detailing what appears to be a Windows utility rather than an actual graphics UEFI. In fact, if anything these new screenshots bring more questions with them than they answer. The logo itself is suggesting that Gigabyte is still sticking to its guns by using the Award BIOS, as so far the additions of GPT boot and support for 2.2TB+ hard drives are the biggest changes that UEFI has brought with it and Gigabyte has implemented both of these in their BIOS and simply called it Hybrid EFI technology. The subtitle to the logo is just that, Hybrid EFI technology and as such we're thinking that we're looking at a Windows utility for adjusting the BIOS settings here rather than a graphics UEFI interface. 16

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Published by: VR-Zone

The fourth and final screen shot shows the Boot Disk settings which actually seem to be general boot settings and not just related to the boot disk. The other three menu options are fairly self-explanatory as well and aren't likely to hold any great secrets.

The G.Skill kit comes in an easy-to-open blister pack and the memory modules can be comfortably popped away from the packaging.

Below the main screen is a Save CMOS button, a close icon, a help icon, an @ icon which Gigabyte in general tends to assign for internet updates and finally an exclamation mark which we're not sure what it's for. It should hopefully not be too long until all is revealed and we'll be pestering Gigabyte for some hands on time with whatever it is that they're working on.

G.Skill RipjawsX 1600MHz CL7 4GB DDR3 Kit Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-ripjawsx-1600mhz-cl7-4gbddr3-kit-review/11890.html April 26th, 2011

Having just a fast processor isn't really enough these days; a high-speed memory kit can provide quite a bit of performance boost to your bandwidth-hungry Intel 'Sandy Bridge' platform gaming rig. VR-Zone.com finds out how much an improvement there can be with the F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM kit from G.Skill. Overclocking included. G.Skill, a leading manufacturer of high performance memory, was one of the first to introduce new memory kits designed for the 'Sandy Bridge' platform. Known as the RipjawsX, there are over twenty different configurations available for enthusiasts and gamers to choose from for their new rig. This weekend, VR-Zone.com tries out the F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM. Well, that is the SKU code, and we shall call it the RipjawsX 1600MHz CL7 4GB DDR3 kit for simplicity's sake. This particular kit is a matched pair of two 2GB double-sided memory modules, programmed and tested for 1.5V operation at 1600MHz CL7-8-7-24-2N. Offering impressive specifications and excellent pricing as its predecessors, it would be interesting to see if this new kit can perform in the overclocking department.

240-pin DDR3 Intel P67 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC3-12800 (1600MHz) CL7-8-7-24-2N 1.5V Unbuffered Non-ECC Lifetime

Rumour: NVIDIA releasing GeForce GTX 560 on May 17th Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-nvidia-releasing-geforcegtx-560-on-may-17th/11959.html

April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

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speeds of 330MB/s and write speeds of 160MB/s which is up there with full-size 2.5-inch SSDs.

The GeForce GTX 560 we first heard about 4 weeks ago, is now rumoured to release on May 17th. Not to be confused with the GTX 560 Ti, the GTX 560 will be a direct replacement to the GTX 460. The specifications are expected to be remarkably similar to the outgoing GTX 460 1GB - 7 SM enabled for 336 SP, 56 TMU, a 256-bit memory interface tied to 1GB GDDR5. However, the main difference would be the core frequency, up from 675 MHz to over 800 MHz. Needless to say, the GTX 560 is aimed straight at the Radeon HD 6870. A majority of stock-clocked HD 6870s are now selling in the $200-$210 range and it would thus make sense for the GTX 560 to release at around the $199 price point. Other details are still sketchy and there's still four weeks to go to May 17th so things could change.

innoDisk shows off new SSD products at Composec Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/innodisk-shows-off-new-ssd-productsat-composec/11960.html April 26th, 2011

The company also offers mSATA SSDs, but these have much lower speeds of 120MB/s for reads and 110MB/s for writes, but at least the write speed compares favourably to that of Intel's 310 series of mSATA SSD's which top out at 70MB/s, although Intel does offer much better read performance at up to 200MB/s depending on model. Other peculiarities that we spotted at innoDisk's booth included their new EverGreen Plus series of MLC SSDs which comes with a six year warranty. However, innoDisk suggests that this series of SSDs' are best for usage scenarios where files of 128KB or smaller are written to the SSD which seems to be a very limited market. The performance figures aren't impressive either with read speeds of 180MB/s and write speeds of a mere 55MB/s, but it's not always about speed everywhere an SSD is used and we're sure that there are plenty of vertical markets where this SSD would find a comfortable home.

You don't have to worry if you've never heard of innoDisk before, as the company mostly makes solutions for the embedded market rather than the consumer market and as such it's not a company you'd come in contact with regularly. During Composec last week, innoDisk was showing off some of its new storage products, including what is currently the world's fastest mini PCIe DOM as well as some other interesting products. You don't have to worry if you've never heard of innoDisk before, as the company mostly makes solutions for the embedded market rather than the consumer market and as such it's not a company you'd come in contact with regularly. During Composec last week, innoDisk was showing off some of its new storage products, including what is currently the world's fastest mini PCIe DOM as well as some other interesting products. Although a mini PCIe DOM (Disk on Module) looks identical to an mSATA SSD, the mini PCIe DOM uses the PCI Express interface as the name implies, rather than the SATA interface. The downside of a PCI Express connected SSD is of course that most computers won't boot from it and that's pretty much how the mSATA standard came up. That said, innoDisk is offering some impressive performance figures from its second generation mini PCIe DOM as the company is promising read

Next up we have an SSD with a SAS 6Gbps (Serial Attached SCSI) interface, although it seems like innoDisk needs to get their hands on some much faster NAND Flash here as this drive offer read speeds of 190MB/s but unless it's a typo on the little sign, write speeds of a mere 30MB/s. That said, this is an interesting product if you take into account that Intel will offer native SAS support on its high-end LGA-2011 consumer platform later this year and it's likely that we'll be seeing a lot more SAS SSD's as we get closer to that launch.

April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone April 26th, 2011

Search engine giant Google has been ordered by the court to pay US$5 million for infringing a Linux patent. The Linux software is used by the company for its server platforms and extends to the Android mobile platform.

Finally innoDisk was showing off its CFast cards, yet again a standard that hasn't really taken off outside of the embedded market. CFast cards are meant to replace the Compact Flash standard at some stage and rely on the SATA interface instead of the almost defunct IDE interface which CF cards use. innoDisk's CFast cards offer read speeds of 120MB/s and write speeds of 100MB/s and are of course SATA 3Gbps compliant. The only downside is that due to their relative small size, CFast cards require a passive adaptor to be attached to a computer; much like CF cards do, although of course a USB card reader would work as well.

innoDisk might not be target the consumer market space directly, but many of the products the company showed off at Composec do have consumer applications and we suggested that they'd consider the consumer upgrade market with some of its more exotic products. The representative we talked to said that innoDisk will be launching faster mSATA SSD products with performance similar to that of its second generation mini PCI DOM and if the price is right, we can see a reasonable demand from performance hungry consumers that want a faster mSATA SSD in their notebook.

Google ordered to pay $5 million over infringement of Linux patent

Google has been found guilty of infringing patents related to Linux kernel and was ordered to pay US$5 million in fine. The company has been using Linux software on its server platforms and even on its Android mobile platform. With the victory against Google, it could mean trouble for Yahoo, MySpace, Amazon, Paypal, Match.com and AOL who have all been sued by Bedrock Computer Technologies. While the amount may not be a huge sum, it just serves as a reminder to Linux users who are required to pay royalties. More of such law suits could be expected against companies who rely on Linux open source software.

"Gears of War 3" multiplayer beta kicks off today Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-gears-of-war-3-multiplayer-betakicks-off-today/11954.html April 26th, 2011

It has been over two years when Gears of War 2 was launched. Well, the wait is over. If you have preordered your Gears of War 3, you can get into the multiplayer beta that launches today. Full news release inside.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-ordered-to-pay-5-million-overinfringement-of-linux-patent/11957.html

April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

which make “Gears of War 3” deeper and more accessible than ever before, allowing anyone to instantly jump into the action. Developed by acclaimed studio Epic Games, “Gears of War 3” is available for preorder today in three distinct editions – Standard (US$59.99), Limited (S$84.90) and Epic (US $149.99). For additional details on the game and the beta, please visit gearsofwar.xbox.com.

MacBook clone running Android OS selling at US$76 Singapore, 25 April 2011 - The multiplayer beta for this year’s most anticipated blockbuster, “Gears of War 3,” officially launches today on Xbox LIVE. Die-hard fans who have preordered “Gears of War 3” from Funzcentre, Cyberactive, Challenger and Comics Connection, can now jump into the action and help perfect the multiplayer experience in the epic finale to one of gaming’s most celebrated sagas. Over the next three weeks, players will have the opportunity to get an early taste of three brand new competitive modes on four breathtaking maps: Beta Content Schedule

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/macbook-clone-running-android-osselling-at-us-76/11956.html April 26th, 2011

A Macbook Air clone has been spotted in China, and it looks to be running Android operating system. But the most appealing factor is not the design or the OS; it is selling at an affordable US$76. Read on for the details.

· April 25 – May 1 - The beta kicks off with the new Team Deathmatch and King of the Hill modes on three explosive battlegrounds: Thrashball, Checkout and Trenches. · May 2 – May 8 - The action amps up with the addition of Capture the Leader and a fan-picked map from the Facebook voting contest, Old Town. · May 9 – May 15 - The mayhem continues with Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill and Capture the Leader on all four maps. Additionally, fans can look forward to special events and surprises throughout the beta, and unlock exclusive medals, weapon skins and character variants, which they can carry over to their retail copy of "Gears of War 3" when it launches on 20 Sep. For example, players can complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock Thrashball Cole during the beta. Completing 10 matches as the Thrashball athlete during the beta period will permanently unlock the character variant for the retail version of "Gears of War 3". For additional details on the unlockables and the beta, please refer to the official Epic Games FAQ. Powered by dedicated servers, “Gears of War 3” offers the series’ most feature-packed versus multiplayer experience yet, and raises the bar with new game types, weapons, visceral executions, playable characters, squad communication tools, a deep player rewards system, and more. New players will enjoy the finely balanced gameplay and streamlined game types,

Netbooks are still very much in demand, despite the growing market for tablet devices. It seems that a Macbook Air clone has been spotted online with a black finish instead of the usual Apple's aluminium body. It looks very similar to the previous generation Macbook Air and features a 10-inch display, front facing camera, 4GB flash memory and runs on AMLogic Cortex A9 processor. This one also runs Android operating system instead of Mac OS or Windows, and claims to be able to handle web browsing, flash content and high definition videos without much issues. No details on the version of the Android OS version though. The Macbook Air clone will also comes with a 12000mAH battery which touts a battery life of about 20 hours.However, with a price tag of just 500 yuan (or US$76), it may well be using a 1200mAh battery instead that gives three to four hours of usage.

April 26th, 2011

Intel SSD Caching Feature for Z68 Chipset Explored Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-caching-feature-for-z68chipset-explored/11953.html April 26th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

System Requirements: • Z68 chipset • Intel Core processor • BIOS with the RST Smart Storage caching enabled • BIOS with SATA mode set to RAID enabled • BIOS that is PCI 3.0 and PMM (POST Memory Management) compliant to allow the OROM to handle dirty shutdowns of Accelerated disks/volumes

• PMM must be able to allocate a minimum of 130MB of temporary, nonaligned, extended memory to the Legacy OROM • Intel RST 10.5 version release or later • “Cache SSD” must have 18.6GB minimum capacity. The max. cache size is 64GB so any capacity over 64GB will be used for user data • Only one ”Cache SSD” is allowed per computer system. Feature Limitations: • A total of only one pass-through disk (RAID Ready system) or RAID volume can be 'Accelerated’ per computer system • Accelerated Volume criteria:

Intel plans to officially launch Z68 Express chipset on May 18th but you will be able to see reviews online from 12th onwards. Of course, those who can't wait for the official launch can already purchase the Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3 board from the retail market, first available in Taiwan and then the rest of the world in the coming weeks. Other brands like ASUS and ASRock are set to hit the retail next. Those enthusiasts hoping they can overclock their Sandy Bridge better on Z68 than the P67 will probably be disappointed but there is one important feature of Z68 that matters, and that is the SSD caching. The SSD caching feature on the Z68 Express chipset is to be officially known as Intel Smart Response Technology which is one of the new feature of the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) 10.5. This feature is unique only to Z68 which makes it stands out among the rest of the Cougar Point chipsets like P67 and H67. Intel Smart Response Technology basically allows you to use a SSD as a cache between the hard drive and memory. It provides a SSD-like system performance while having maximum storage capacity from the hard drives (single or RAID). Intel Smart Response Technology is implemented as a single drive letter solution so no additional drive letter is needed for the SSD. Let's take a closer look at this neat feature, the requirements and its limitations.

Accelerated RAID volumes are limited to 31.5TB or less

RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10 (No RRT volumes allowed to be accelerated)

All array member disks must be HDDs (No arrays with SSD member disks allowed to be accelerated)

• No Acceleration of a RAID volume that is one of the volumes of a Matrix array (multiple volumes on a single array) • The SSD to be used as the “Cache SSD” must be attached to an internal SATA port of the computer There are 3 Acceleration modes : Mode Off Enhanced (Default)

Performance Dual Boot Safe Data Caching No N/A N/A Acceleration Boot-time Yes WriteThrough Runtime reads

Maximized

Paging Boot-time

Write-Back

Runtime reads Run-time writes Paging Enhanced mode is the default acceleration mode as it offers data protection in the case of disk failure. It uses write21

April 26th, 2011

through data caching method to write data to the SSD and hard drive simultaneously. For user who wants maximum disk performance, you can choose the maximized mode but there is a high risk of data loss during disk failure. It uses the writeback cache method where data is written from the Cache SSD to the disk at intervals. For even better disk performance, you can first stripe your hard drives then choose maximized mode. User can change acceleration mode at any time as long as the SSD and hard drive are working normally.

The former president and chairman of Sony and father of CD's, dies aged 81.

Published by: VR-Zone April 26th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-former-president-and-chairmanof-sony-and-father-of-cd-s-dies-aged-81./11952.html April 26th, 2011

The former president and chairman of Sony, Norio Ohga, who was credited with developing the compact disc, has died aged 81, the company has said. Ohga was still a senior adviser to the company at the time of his death. In 1953, Sony's co-founders recruited Ohga while he was still studying at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and hoping to pursue a career as an opera singer. They sensed his knowledge of sound and electrical engineering would benefit the firm. During the development of the CD, it was Ohga who pushed for a disc that was 12cm (4.8in) in diameter, because it provided sufficient capacity at 75 minutes to store all of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Sony sold the world's first CD in 1982 and CDs overtook LP record sales in Japan five years later. Ohga's specifications are still used today, and have shaped formats developed since, including MiniDisc and DVD.

Ohga also presided over the launch of Sony's game business, which went on to develop the successful "PlayStation" console. Ohga stepped down as Sony's president in 1995 and continued to serve as chairman and representative director until 2000. He was also the chairman of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

NVIDIA To Launch Desktop Optimus / Synergy at Computex Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-to-launch-desktop-optimussynergy-at-computex/11946.html

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.

More Intel 7-series chipset details come to light Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-intel-7-series-chipset-detailscome-to-light/12001.html April 28th, 2011

We can't help but wondering if Intel is planning to pull the launch of its Ivy Bridge processors forward, as the kind of detailed information that is starting to leak with regards to the second generation LGA-1155 platform is quite surprising, especially considering we're still some eight months from the supposed launch. This time around we're looking at the full specifications of Intel's upcoming 7-series chipsets and although there are no huge surprises, there are one or two. We can't help but wondering if Intel is planning to pull the launch of its Ivy Bridge processors forward, as the kind of detailed information that is starting to leak with regards to the second generation LGA-1155 platform is quite surprising, especially considering we're still some eight months from the supposed launch. This time around we're looking at the full specifications of Intel's upcoming 7-series chipsets and although there are no huge surprises, there are one or two. We were quite curious about what the difference between the Z77 and Z75 chipsets was going to be and seemingly there are only two, both of which are quite silly to have a second chipset for. The Z75 chipset is the most basic model you need if you want to install a pair of graphics cards in a dual x8 PCI Express 3.0 configuration and of course if you want to use a K series processor to overclock. However, Intel has castrated the Z75 chipset by removing support for its Smart Response technology, so in other words, no SSD caching. This seems like an outright silly move by Intel, especially as the company is trying to push the sales of its SSDs with it.

The Z77 chipset on the other hand gains support for a second PCI Express slot configuration option beyond dual x8, namely single x8 plus dual x4. This might seems utterly and completely useless, but bear in mind that PCI Express 3.0 doubles the bandwidth of PCI Express 2.0 and until we get PCI Express 3.0 graphics cards that can take advantage of the full bandwidth on offer, a single x4 PCI Express 3.0 slot should offer the same bandwidth as a PCI Express 2.0 x8 slot. Another reason for this could be Intel's planned PCI Express SSDs, as this option would allow for two graphics cards plus an SSD, all connected to the CPU for the best possible performance for the SSDs. The H77 chipset on the other hand doesn't support overclocking, just as the current H67 chipset, but oddly enough Intel has decided to add support for its Smart Response technology here. The H77 chipset is of course limited to a single x16 PCI Express slot as well. All three chipsets supports Intel Rapid Storage technology 11, four USB 3.0 ports, two SATA 6Gbps ports, eight PCI Express 2.0 lanes and support for up to three independent displays (Ivy Bridge CPU required) and dual audio streams over HDMI or DisplayPort.

April 28th, 2011

On the business side of things we're looking at the Q77, Q75 and B75 chipsets where all three supports four USB 3.0 ports, but only the Q77 supports two SATA 6Gbps ports whereas the other two have to make do with only one. Again, the Q77 is the only chipset that supports Intel's Rapid Storage technology 11 and Smart Response technology. Otherwise most of the features are similar to the consumer chipsets with the one small addition of native PCI support.

Intel SSD roadmap leaks, several new additions expected Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-roadmap-leaks-several-newadditions-expected/12000.html April 28th, 2011

If you thought Intel's Larsen Creek was going to the only addition to the 510, 320 and 310 series of SSDs this year, then you'd be dead wrong as the company is preparing to launch a new high-end consumer series of SSDs before the end of the year, a new mSATA series of SSDs, not to mention a new corporate series of SSDs and three PCI Express based families of SSDs. Some details are still missing, most importantly details of the SSD controllers used in the new products, but apart from that, we have a pretty good picture of what Intel is planning for the next seven months or so. If you thought Intel's Larsen Creek was going to the only addition to the 510, 320 and 310 series of SSDs this year, then you'd be dead wrong as the company is preparing to launch a new high-end consumer series of SSDs before the end of the year, a new mSATA series of SSDs, not to mention a new corporate series of SSDs and three PCI Express based families of SSDs. Some details are still missing, most importantly details of the SSD controllers used in the new products, but apart from that, we have a pretty good picture of what Intel is planning for the next seven months or so. First up we have the 520 series also known as Cherryville which is set to replace the 510 series which launched early this year. The 520 series is of course using the SATA 6Gbps interface, but it looks like Intel has changed the controller used as the write speeds have been improved from a maximum of 315MB/s of the 510 series to 360MB/s for the 520 series. The read speed remains the same at 500MB/s. The IOPS are also up by quite significant numbers, as the 4KB reads have gone from 20K IOPS to 30k IOPS and the 4KB writes have improved in a similar manner from 8K IOPS to 12K IOPS. The 520 series will be available in sizes of 64, 120, 240 and 480GB. The 520 series should arrive sometime in Q4 alongside the Intel's next generation mSATA SSD code named Paint Creek. There doesn't appear to be any major changes here and in all fairness we haven't managed to dig up a lot of details on

Published by: VR-Zone

Paint Creek. What is clear is that we're looking at the same 40 and 80GB capacities which is a little bit disappointing, but we'd expect that Intel has managed to boost the performance compared to the current 310 series. Moving on things get a little bit more interesting, as Intel is planning a series of three PCI Express based desktop SSDs. First up we have the 330P series which will be available in 80, 120 or 160GB and it's clearly targeting the consumer market. In terms of performance we're looking at sequential read speeds of up to 540MB/s, a tad better than the 520 series SATA SSDs and the sequential write speed will be up to 330MB/s, this time slightly slower than the 520 series. However, where the 330P series really impresses is in IOPS, as the 4KB reads will hit as high as 78K IOPS while the 4KB writes will hit 42K IOPS. The 330P series will use dual NAND Flash controllers in RAID 0 and will come as a PCI Express x4 card. No word on when the 330P series will land.

Next up we have the 530P series which again we don't have any arrival date for, but this is where things get really serious in terms of performance. The 530P is just like the 330P series a PCI Express x4 card with a pair of NAND Flash controllers in RAID 0 mode, but you're looking at sizes of 240 and 480GB. We're obviously looking at different controllers here, as the sequential read speed jumps up to an impressive 900MB/s while the write speed peaks at 640MB/s. The IOPS on the other hand are down with the 4KB reads topping out at 60K IOPS and the 4KB writes managing â&#x20AC;&#x153;onlyâ&#x20AC;? 24K IOPS. The third and final PCI Express solution is the 720P series and now we're in enterprise territory as we're looking at 34nm SLC NAND Flash and quad controllers with RAID 5 support. Size wise Intel will offer 96 and 192GB models according to one source, while another source suggests 200 and 400GB models. Here we're looking at insane speeds with the sequential read speeds hitting 1.6GB/s and the write speeds not being far behind at 1.45GB/s. The IOPS are equally impressive with the 4KB reads hitting 180K IOPS followed by the 4KB writes at 72K IOPS. The 720P series should arrive sometime in Q3. Finally we have the 710 series which is the much rumoured Lyndonville which has been expected for quite some time now. It uses MLC-HET NAND Flash which is extra high quality chips that have been selected specifically for enterprise level SSD products. Capacities offered will be 100, 200 and 400GB, all with an obviously large reserved area for when some of the cells die over time. As far as performance is concerned, well, Intel actually changed from SLC to MLC-HET NAND Flash and the only performance figures available are for the 2

April 28th, 2011

SLC version which isn't going to launch. The 710 should be available sometime between May and July judging by the roadmap. Now we're not going to bet money on how things play out, since as always specifications change and delays happen for all sorts of reasons. That said, it looks like Intel has an interesting SSD roadmap and we're especially interested in the new PCI Express based solutions. This also explains why Intel has added support for an interesting PCI Express slot configuration for upcoming Z77 chipset, but more on that in a separate story.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 28 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--28april-2011/11998.html April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

smaller, and offers high speed, reliability, and reduced power consumption. Description: Equipped with 8 expansion slots, the PC-V1020 will support SLI and Crossfire allowing 305mm (12") graphics cards, the PC-V1020 also has a removable motherboard tray, support for lots of storage options and 3 preinstalled cooling fans - 120mm and 140mm. Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: The BlackBerry PlayBook is RIM's entry into the burgeoning tablet market that is currently dominated by Apple. It faces a stiff competition from the iPad and the various Android tablets that are just now coming to market. Does RIM have what it takes to compete at this level of consumer tablet? Description: The rumor mill is adding more fuel to the reports that Apple is prepping its own online music and media storage service with news that the company allegedly purchased the icloud. Description: The launch of Apple's iPhone 4 in a white casing generated a long line of Chinese customers outside one of the company's stores in Beijing on Thursday.

In today's news roundup: AMD bringing Microsoft to their recently announced Fusion Developer Conference makes sense. ARM? The ASUS Rampage III Black Edition X58 motherboard is ripe with overclocking features and exclusive gaming technologies ; BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet review. Does RIM have what it takes to compete at this level of consumer tablet? Apple has allegedly purchased the icloud. Is the company prepping its own online music and media storage service ?. Duke Nukem Forever is coming to Singapore on 10 June 2011. Get teady to kill some aliens; and Valve plans to launch 'Portal 2' DLC this summer . Hardware news Description: AMD bringing Microsoft to their recently announced Fusion Developer Conference makes sense. ARM? Well, it gives a nice insight into where AMD's Fusion APU strategy could take them, powered by a heterogeneous compute platform: OpenCL. Description: When USB 3.0 was announced it seemed natural for USB flash drives to take advantage of the additional bandwidth. Mach Extreme Technologies is a new company that is looking to make a name and they are doing so with their MX-GX USB 3.0 thumb drives. Description: The Rampage III Black Edition comes in muted red and mostly black colored layout but keeps the aggressive ROG styling. The Rampage III Black Edition is ripe with overclocking features and exclusive gaming technologies, including the ASUS Thunderbolt LAN/Audio card combo, Extreme Engine DIGI+, BCLK Enhance, QPI/PCIe Tuning, GPU DIMM Post, etc.

Description: With their latest 5.1 USB Surround Headset featuring high build quality and near excellent audio reproduction Sandberg is going up against the best in the field but can their offering stand up to the challenge? Description: The factor that seperates out the Razer Chimaera from most other headsets is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wireless. To enable this Razer have created a pretty fancy looking wireless transmitter that stands tall in an inverted T shape of glossy black plastic. Description: When Kate Middleton and Prince William kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Friday afternoon, all bloody hell could break loose online. Gaming news Description: It has been a 15-year wait but soon, the wait will be over. Duke Nukem Forever will be launching in Singapore on 10 June 2011 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC. Description: If the stellar campaign and cooperative mode weren't enough, players will have another reason to revisit action title Portal 2 this summer. Description: It's the engine that's powered some of the best of gaming for 20 years - so let's take a look back at the history of iD Tech.

ZOTAC Introduces FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-introduces-fusion-itx-wifi-aseries/11999.html April 28th, 2011

Description: Crocus announced that they have successfully developed their 2nd generation MRAM products, using SVTC Technologies production ready tools. The company says that their MRAM technology can be scalable to 90nm, 65nm and 3

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

ZOTAC today introduces the new FUSION-ITX WiFi Aseries featuring the AMD E-350 APU platform with dualcore 1.6 GHz processor and Radeon HD 6310 graphics. It comes with an open ended x4 PCIe slot, eSATA, four SATA 6Gbps ports, 6 USB 2.0, 4 USB 3.0, 802.11n WiFi module, DisplayPort, DVI and HDMI video outputs, Optical S/PDIF and 8-channel high-definition audio.

Expansion options are vast with the ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series and include a physical PCI Express x4 slot, eSATA, four SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports, up to six USB 2.0 and 4 USB 3.0. The PCI Express x4 slot features and open-end that enables physical compatibility with PCI Express x16 devices on the ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series.

Full Press Release

The ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series integrates 802.11n WiFi technology for high-speed wireless network transfers while Gigabit Ethernet is available for lightning-fast wired networking. It’s time to play with the ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series mini-ITX platform.

HONG KONG – Apr. 28, 2011 – ZOTAC® International, a leading innovator and the world’s largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today introduces the new FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series – a world-class mainboard that combines the power of AMD Radeon™ HD graphics processing with class-leading energyefficiency for the ultimate flexible mini-ITX form factor. The ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series features the AMD E-350 APU platform that incorporates a dual-core 1.6 GHz processor with Microsoft® DirectX® 11 compatible AMD Radeon™ HD 6310 graphics for the ultimate synergy of CPU and GPU performance. The combination enables flawless high-definition Blu-ray and streaming Internet video playback capabilities for a visually rich computing experience in a miniITX platform. “We carefully designed our ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series to integrate as many user-requested features as possible. The result is a mini-ITX platform that offers best-in-class performance, energy-efficiency, features and expansion while only relying on passive-cooling for a silent computing experience,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC® International. DisplayPort, DVI and HDMI video outputs enables the ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series to connect to the latest digital monitors and television sets with ease while an included DVI-to-VGA adapter retains compatibility with analogue monitors. HDMI audio bitstreaming, Optical S/PDIF and 8channel high-definition audio capabilities deliver maximum audio fidelity to all digital and analogue audio sources with the ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series. General details •New ZOTAC® FUSION-ITX WiFi A-series platform 4

April 28th, 2011

•AMD E-350 APU Platform (dual-core, 1.6 GHz) •AMD Radeon™ HD 6310 graphics processor •2 x DDR3-1066 SO-DIMM slots •Support up to 8GB memory •DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-I & VGA (with included adapter) outputs •PCI Express x4 (open-end) expansion •4 SATA 6.0 Gb/s •1 eSATA •4 USB 3.0 ports (2 on back panel, 2 via pin header)

Published by: VR-Zone

TAIPEI, Taiwan, April 28, 2011 – Tick-tock, tick-tock, one generation, the next generation! The much-anticipated Intel Z68 platform will join the party in late Q2 2011; the new generation brings all major advances over the previous platforms. In the past, if users were looking for extreme overclocking, it’s P67. If users needed integrated graphics, then it’s H67. Now, what you really need is hybrid of the two chipsets, the superb Z68, which could be the most interesting talk this year, bringing together the P67 native OC performance, plus the H67’s support for graphics. Z68 Extreme4

•6 USB 2.0 ports (4 on back panel, 2 via pin headers) •Hardware accelerated Blu-ray playback ready •Dolby® TrueHD & DTS-HD™ Master Audio bitstream capable •Digital S/PDIF output (optical) •8-channel high-definition audio •Microsoft® DirectX® 11 compliant •Onboard 802.11n WiFi •Gigabit Ethernet •Mini-ITX form factor

ASRock Unveils 3 Z68 Boards; Adds Z68 Pro3 and Pro3-M Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-unveils-3-z68-boards-adds-z68pro3-and-pro3-m/11996.html April 28th, 2011

Earlier, we have shown you a quick preview of their flagship Z68 Extreme4 board and now ASRock has officially unveiled it along with two more Z68 boards; the Z68 Pro3 and Z68 Pro3-M. Both models focused on value and Pro3M is mATX based. They possess basic features like dual channel DDR3 2133, USB 3.0, SATA3, D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI, Display Ports, XFast USB Technology, Intel Smart Response Technology, Lucid Virtu. ASRock also reveals some performance figures on the Intel Smart Response Technology where boot time is improved by 19.4% and PCMark05 HDD test scored a 355.5% boost over non-SSD cached system. Also, when Lucid Virtu is employed, the video file conversion speed is improved by some 235.48%. Of course, ASRock is pushing hard on their XFast USB feature which improves USB 3.0 read performance by 185.52%. Full Press Release

ASRock Inc., the global leading motherboard manufacturer is proud to present its latest Z68 express chipset motherboard series. Commenting on the news release, James Lee, V.P. of ASRock Sales and Marketing, is with confidence. “Tech generation comes one after one. It is our responsibility to keep users in the know. As we always apply the world’s best motherboard technology to our products, we’ll have a competitive advantage.” he states. “We’re trying to make all points running on our Z68 lineup to drive performance up. We’re keen on delivering a Happy Building experience to ASRock fans!” said James Lee. “Paired with the strongest processor microarchitecture”, ASRock believes their latest Z68 express platform can deliver the best kit to users. Designed for the most demanding technology, ASRock’s brand new Z68 platform motherboard series not only takes advantages of dual personalities but also gives users the performance they demand.

Hybrid Chipset Brings Advanced Features Intel Smart Response Technology & Lucid Virtu The ASRock Z68 motherboard offerings provide a powerful performance. There are two major new technologies to this hybrid platform. First one is the Intel Smart Response Technology. For users who are tempted to connect the SSD and HDD on ASRock Z68 motherboard series, the Intel Smart 5

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Response Technology can make the SSD become the "Cache of the HDD" to boost up the HDD access speed.

? Lucid Virtu software will dynamically assign tasks in real time to the best available graphics resource based on power, performance and features. In video file convert testing, the convert speed on the integrated Intel HD graphics is 235.48% faster than external Nvidia GTX580 graphics card on ASRock Z68 motherboard.

Brilliant Software Tools To Achieve Ultimate Performance XFast USB, On/Off Play Technologies

The numbers are stunningly good. The performance of PCMark 05 HDD and boot time are increased hugely.

XFast USB is best known for its incredible performance boost, which allows users to enjoy the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest USB transfer speed. It can not only possibly double the USB transfer speed but also shorten the file-copy time significantly. To drive performance up, all you have to do is just simply enable XFast USB on your ASRock Z68 motherboard series.

Another technology pointed out to be part of the Z68 is Lucid Virtu. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a software GPU virtualization technology that will allow dynamic switching between the GPU of the Sandy Bridge processors and a discrete graphics card, without the need for a system reboot. It makes the switch based on which application is using the graphics subsystem at the same time. Lucid is designed to work with all second-generation i3/ i5/i7 processors, automatically assigns the GPU or external graphics card to do the jobs. USB 3.0 Performance Comparison

As you can see, USB 3.0 transmission speed has improved 185.52% when comparing with other motherboards without XFast USB.

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Published by: VR-Zone

The innovative On/Off Play Technology provides a modern and convenient digital life. Even when the system is powered off (in ACPI S5 mode), On/Off Play still ensures users to enjoy the great audio experience from the portable audio devices through the PC speaker. To facilitate computing environment, ASRock also bundles a free 3.5mm audio cable with its Z68 Extreme4 motherboard package.

Sub, DVI-D and HDMI display ports as well. Other noteworthy features include XFast USB Technology, graphical UEFI BIOS, all-in-one AXTU tuning program and the support for 7.1 CH HD audio.

Stupendous Build Quality Delivers The Most Reliable Computing Experience

Z68 Pro3-M, Micro ATX form factor, supports four DDR3 2133 memory slots, Intel HD graphics with Built-in Visuals and comes with four VGA output options : D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI and DisplayPort. As for software aspect, the board, like other Intel Z68 platforms, is also equipped with XFast USB Technology, graphical UEFI, AXTU programs.

DuraCaps & Digi Power In addition to the software support of Z68 boards, ASRock has put great efforts on building its hardware components as well. The ASRock signature DuraCaps on Z68 Extreme4 are 100% Japan-made high-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors; these solid caps represent long life and stable performance.

Z68 Pro3

Z68 Pro3-M

Another highlight here is the Digi Power design. Traditional motherboards are mostly equipped with analog Pulse-width modulation (PWM), which might brings users annoying problems that the CPU power supply is not stable enough, hence affects the computing efficiency. To improve CPU power solution, ASRock Z68 Extreme4 adapts digital Pulse-width modulation, providing CPU Vcore voltage more efficiently and smoothly. On the other hand, the advanced V8+4 power phase design signatures tough components and smooth power delivery to the CPU as well.

Z68 Lineup : Z68 Pro3 & Z68 Pro3-M Besides the flagship board Z68 Extreme4, the long-awaited Z68 motherboard series comes with another two models – Z68 Pro3 and Z68 Pro3-M. Both two models are focused on value, but that needn’t mean bargain basement. Z68 Pro3, ATX form factor, supports dual channel DDR3 2133 memory, Intel HD graphics with Built-in Visuals, USB 3.0 and SATA3. Users will get onboard VGA outputs such as D-

Interestingly, the newly-launched Z68 Motherboard series has bundled with Cyberlink MediaEspresso 6.5 Trial software. It supports Intel Quick Sync Video hardware transcoding and is optimized for second generation Core i7, i5, and i3 processors to accelerated conversion of all your favorite media files for your favorite portable players. The added software is a fabulous piece of kit and makes your digital life so versatile. When considered alongside Intel’s Sandy Bridge, which also offers up integrated graphics, the landscape for processors 7

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has shifted. Stunning performance with the added bonus of Intel technologies, the ASRock Z68 motherboard series will definitely serve pretty much all your needs!

SAPPHIRE Adds More Models to HD 6000 Series Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-adds-more-models-tohd-6000-series/11997.html April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

for all of the key DirectX 11 level features including DirectCompute 11 instructions, hardware Tessellation and multi-threaded communications with the system CPU. They also support AMD APP Acceleration, - using Stream processing to accelerate supported applications such as browsing, video transcoding and rendering tasks by executing instructions on the GPU architecture rather than the system CPU.

Duke Nukem Forever to reach Singapore on 10 June 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/duke-nukem-forever-to-reachsingapore-on-10-june-2011/11995.html April 28th, 2011

SAPPHIRE Technology has just strengthened its current range of graphics cards with the introduction of several new models in the HD 6700 series aimed at users wanting to benefit from the latest features including multi-screen displays and stereoscopic 3D output. Several models will be introduced in the HD 6700 series offering a choice of memory configurations and outputs. All of them... ...feature DX 11 engines from AMD and on-board hardware video decoding with the AMD UVD (universal Video Decoder) supporting Blu-Ray 3D for stereoscopic 3D over HDMI 1.4a. They all support AMD APP Acceleration with Stream processing as well as AMD Eyefinity multi-screen technology. Eyefinity gives users the ability not only to play games on multiple monitors, but also to work across three or more monitors as though it were one large monitor, bringing huge productivity benefits to applications such as photo editing, music creation and document creation. The SAPPHIRE HD 6770 family includes two models with 800 Stream processors and core clocks of 850MHz with either 1GB or 512MB of GDRR5 memory and DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. There is also an overclocked model with SAPPHIREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award winning Vapor-X cooler for quiet and efficient operation with the output configuration of Dual DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. At the top of the range is the HD 6770 1GB FleX Edition, which additionally incorporates the SAPPHIRE exclusive feature to allow three DVI monitors to be connected in Eyefinity mode, without the need to use the DisplayPort output or active adapters, and allows up to four monitors to be enabled if the DisplayPort output is used. There will also be two models in the SAPPHIRE HD 6750 family, which has the slightly smaller configuration of 720 Stream processors, with 700MHz clock speeds and again including 1GB and 512MB memory options with DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort. In addition there will be an HD 6750 1GB Vapor-X model, overclocked and with Dual DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. The SAPPHIRE HD 6000 series is supported by AMD's Catalyst DirectX 11 WHQL certified graphics driver which together with this generation of hardware delivers support

It has been a 15-year wait but soon, the wait will be over. Duke Nukem Forever will be launching in Singapore on 10 June 2011 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC. This afternoon, VR-Zone was one of the media who was invited for a special preview of this highly-anticipated game.

Randy Pitchford, president and CEO of Gearbox Software, said that before he founded the company, the first job as a professional game maker in the industry was with 3D Realms and working on Duke Nukem 3D. "First announced in 1997, we saw screenshots and trailers in 1998, then we were told that the game was going to be delayed, changing engine and we started to question whether we would ever going to see the game again. Then there was a trailer in 2001, and it was incredible and we believed again. And later, more time went on and we were like 'what's wrong with you people? You can't even finish this thing'. And it seems to take forever. It's like we want the game, but it's not going to come out." "In fact, Duke Nukem Forever is now in the history of all video games, the longest in development. There is no story like it. It is a crazy story, not just the game itself but the development of it. We thought there is going to be a sad ending. It was May 2009, you probably heard the news, that 3D Realms have run out of funding and they have to close their studio and lay off all 8

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the development team. And that the game was over and that Duke Nukem was dead. That was the story. It was a terrible story. It needs a better ending. Duke Nukem was one of the greatest games ever made. And when Duke needed us, I called up my old friends, George Broussard and Scott Miller, the guys that own 3D Realms, and offer our help. They agreed to sell Duke Nukem to me. Gearbox was able to acquire Duke Nukem and we took over the development of Duke Nukem Forever." Pitchford later goes on and talk abt the hero, the king, Duke Nukem and also the plot of the upcoming game. "This game, the story takes place twelve years after Duke Nukem saved the world. And he is living the life of a hero. Not only is he famous in his universe, but he is very successful. He takes the Duke Nukem name and make a brand out of it, merchandizes himself. Duke has restaurants called 'Duke Burger', whole line of apparels. The guy has also lived a wild life doing things none of us ever have the chance to do - walk on the moon, won world series of Poker with huge stacks of money, climbed Mount Everest etc. With all his fame and success, he's enjoying himself. He's built a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The largest and most luxurious casino and Duke lives on the top floor, the penthouse suite. It is in this apartment we rejoin Duke twelve years after he saved the world. And Duke, in his apartment, is finally playing his own video game. It took twelve years to get his own video game! And when Duke is enjoying his life, playing his own video game that the aliens come back. Duke has to single-handedly, once again, save the world."

There was hands-on session for the media on the game (beta) though unfortunately, we weren't able to take photos on this. We can only say that the game play and visuals are great. Duke Nukem Forever will go on retail in Singapore on 10 June on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game consoles, and Windows PC.

MSI Provides Support for 3TB Hard Drives Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-provides-support-for-3tb-harddrives/11994.html April 28th, 2011

MSI has officially launched 3TB+ Infinity technology to support hard drives larger than 3TB and can use the 3TB hard drive as boot disk when installing a 64-bit operating system. From now on, all users who buy or own MSI mainboards are able to download and update the latest BIOS via the official website. Then you can easily experience complete support for any 3TB hard drive with the 3TB+ Infinity technology. MSI mainboards with support for 3TB+ Infinity (and corresponding products): MSI has officially launched 3TB+ Infinity technology to support hard drives larger than 3TB and can use the 3TB hard drive as boot disk when installing a 64-bit operating system. From now on, all users who buy or own MSI mainboards are able to download and update the latest BIOS via the official website. Then you can easily experience complete support for any 3TB hard drive with the 3TB+ Infinity technology. MSI mainboards with support for 3TB+ Infinity (and corresponding products):

The standard edition is priced at S$84.90 for the PlayStation 3, S$71.90 for the Xbox 360, and S$61.90 for the PC. The Balls of Steel Limited Edition is priced at S$128 for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and S$108 for the PC. You can check out the official Duke Nukem Forever website at www.dukenukemforever.com

April 28th, 2011

Dell Launches Alienware Concept Store, Unveils New Laptops Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dell-launches-alienware-concept-storeunveils-new-laptops/11992.html April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Display Options 14.0 inch WLED HD (720p) display (1366X768) (Standard) 14.0 inch WLED HD+ (900p) display (1600X900) Color Options Stealth Black with Soft Touch Finish Nebula Red with Soft Touch Finish System Dimensions Height: 37.8 mm (1.49 inches) Depth: 258.34 mm (10.17 inches)

It is a great day for Dell Singapore as the company unveils their first Alienware Concept Store in Singapore. Along with that, Dell is reinforcing its Alienware brand of laptops with new hardware as well as a new model, the 14-inch M14x. Hop on to find out more

Width: 337.00 mm (13.27 inches) Starting at Weight* : 2.92 kg (6.45lbs) Battery Details High Capacity 8-cell Lithium Ion (63whr) Integrated Camera Details 2.0 Megapixel HD Video and Picture Camera with dual digital microphones Keyboard 4-Zone, multi-color RGB, 82 key keyboard with AlienFX lighting controls Customized Features Laser-Engraved Nameplate External Chassis Connections

Celebrating its fifth anniversary with Dell, the company unveiled the brand new M14x laptop, a 14-inch model packed with some awesome hardware.

(1x) RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet (2x) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports (1x) Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Port with PowerShare Technology (1x) Mini-Display Port (1x) HDMI 1.4 Audio and Video Output (1x) VGA Port (1x) 9-in-1 Media Card Reader (2x) Audio Out 1/8" Ports (1x) Audio In / Microphone 1/8" Port (retaskable for 5.1 audio) (1x) Security Lock port

Alienware M14x Weighing less than 6.5lbs (2.94kg), the M14x will be powered by the Intel's second generation Core i processors, also known as Sandy Bridge. Quad-core or a dual-core options are available for customization. The new model will also feature NVIDIA's GeForce GT 555M graphics processing unit with up to 3GB of VRAM. running at WLED HD standard at 1366x768 resolution. Consumers can opt for a 1600x900 display option. Here is a general specification sheet of the M14x

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The M11x and M17 models were not negelected however, both models will be refreshed with the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processors. The new M11x will get a updated NVIDIA GeForce GT540M while the M17x will be getting a GT460M or a Radeon 6970M option. To add on, the new M11x also features a soft touch finish with a new Nebua Red option. The M17x is also the only model in the Alienware laptop lineup to feature a 120Hz full HD 3D display with HDMI-in support for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 connectivity.

Arthur Huang, vice president of sales and marketing, LG Electronics Singapore says that the company's newly launched Cinema 3D features the first flicker-free 3D technology which gives the most comfortable experience without batteries.

Pricing and Availability The new Alienware products will be available in Singapore beginning today at Alienware Concept Store located in Suntec City Mall Level 2.

"In addition, the LG Smart TV offers consumers access to movies, applications, premium content and web all on their TV. This is made easier with a wave of the hand; with the magic motion control developed by LG, we will also in the next few months be announcing the exciting partnerships with local content providers. They will also further enhance the entertainment experience to all consumers here in Singapore," Huang said.

Prices of the models are: Alienware M11x - Starting From S$1,999 Alienware M14x - Starting From S$2,299 Alienware M17x - Starting From S$3,699

LG unveils new televisions with Cinema 3D and Smart TV technologies Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-new-televisions-withcinema-3d-and-smart-tv-technologies/11990.html April 28th, 2011

Clive Chia, director of retail sales, LG Electronics Singapore, introduced 16 new products which consist of plasma TVs, LCD and LED TVs with combinations of Smart and Cinema 3D TVs. Chia also explained Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology the company is incorporating and compared the advantages to conventional 3D TV technology including flicker-free, comfort, flexible viewing angles and price.

This morning, LG Singapore held a media event to showcase their new televisions that incorporated the company's proprietary Cinema 3D and Smart TV technologies. Read on for the coverage.

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

With the Smart Share's Media Link feature, you can access content information such as the plot summary, casts, director, viewer ratings and other information according to the content you have stored on your devices such as tablets, phones and laptops. However, you need to install the PLEX app on your PC, tablet or smartphone to use the Media Link. Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are a step closer to absolute zero. At absolute zero, atoms will posses zero energy, meaning they come to a standstill, as the atom approaches absolute zero, it might exhibit previously unobserved properties which might improve our understanding of matter. Sodium gas was cooled to just half-a-billionth of a degree above absolute zero, it is the first time that a gas was cooled below 1 nanokelvin. This record was achieved by cooling the atoms with a series of magnets. The LG Smart TV also offers full range of apps, web browsing capabilities as well as premium content such as ESPN, CNBC and Stuff to the users. With the Magic Motion remote control, you can simply point to the screen, move the cursor to your desired option and click to make a selection. The LG App store is scheduled to launch later this year, and the company is partnering local content providers to launch premium content by Q3 this year.

At such low temperatures, the atoms cannot be confined within a physical container as they will stick to the walls. Hence, the MIT team has come up with a "Gravito-magnetic" trap. Atoms are confined within a magnetic field and "compressed" until the record breaking temperature was reached. A view into the vacuum chamber where sodium atoms were cooled down to 500 picokelvin. The atoms where magnetically confined by the coil in the center which is 1 cm in diameter. The atoms were "levitated" 0.5 cm above the coil. Images: COURTESY KETTERLE LAB

VR-Zone Giveaway #10 Silverstone RV02-E White Chassis! Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vr-zone-giveaway-10--silverstone-rv02e-white-chassis-/11991.html April 28th, 2011

A quick comparison between convention 3D glasses and LG Cinema 3D glasses in terms of design and weight.

The World's Coldest Freezer Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-world-s-coldest-freezer/11987.html April 28th, 2011

Follow four easy steps and stand a chance to win different prizes every week. This week..we are giving away: 1 x Silverstone RV02-E White Chassis Check out http:// launch.vr-zone.com and find out how you can win these prizes!

The world's coldest freezer does not resemble an average person's mental image of a freezer at all. Instead, it's made up of magnets. Read On.

April 28th, 2011

Origin starts selling world's fastest notebook Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/origin-starts-selling-world-s-fastestnotebook/11989.html April 28th, 2011

How fast can a top-end notebook based off Intel's new Sandy Bridge platform run? Say, 3.2GHz under TurboBoost? Well, leave it to Origin to go off the charts with its latest lineup of factory-overclocked notebooks that are reportedly being sold with clock speeds of 4.5GHz, along with other major hardware goodies not found in most run-of-the-mill notebooks. When it comes to notebooks, the average consumer can be some of the most demanding shoppers at times. Because of the inherently higher costs incurred when purchasing a notebook over a desktop PC, most people are not willing to splurge on a machine that will be quickly outclassed by newer, faster machines in a matter of months. Indeed, some of the most common demands made by consumers over laptops include smaller sizes, performance that is 'good enough' for most daily needs and more importantly, specifications that can only be described as 'futureproof'. Needless to say, there is no known notebook in the market today that is capable of satisfying all of the aforementioned demands. However, if consumers are willing to strike 'portability' off from their lists, we are fairly sure Origin's latest Eon17-S is perfectly capable of fulfilling the other two demands...as long as they are willing to pay a premium, of course.

According to a report published by Xbit Labs, Origin's Eon17S notebooks feature a "quad-core Intel microprocessor", along with NVIDIA's recently-released GeForce GTX 485M graphics card. Now, these features in itself may not attract much attention, but the fact that Origin has apparently seen it fit to overclock the processor used in its notebooks is. Indeed, the most powerful configuration available for the Eon17-S notebooks mentions the use of an i7-2920XM processor that has been overclocked to 4.0GHz, and is capable of up to 4.5GHz under TurboBoost.

Published by: VR-Zone

In addition, the Eon 17-S is also capable of supporting up to 32GB of memory thanks to the availability of four DIMM slots, so intensive gaming or multi-tasking is definitely not going to be a problem on a souped-up Eon 17-S.

Of course, this just leaves the all-important question about cost. Unfortunately for penny-pinchers, the EON 17-S is not going to be the cheapest notebook available; in fact, the world's fastest notebook may well be the world's most expensive notebook as well. This is because the cost for a fully maxedout Eon 17-S is going to set one back by as much as US $12,302. But hey, you get exactly what you are paying for; a high-performance notebook with specifications that are 'futureproof' for at least two to three years down the road. And on top of that, you get bragging rights for having a notebook that boasts two "world's most" qualities in a single package, no?

New Tegra 2-powered tablet shows up in Korea, courtesy of TriGem Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-tegra-2-powered-tablet-shows-upin-korea-courtesy-of-trigem/11988.html April 28th, 2011

April 28th, 2011

Think that the Optimus 2X is the only Korean Androidpowered device to come bundled with an NVIDIA Tegra 2 system-on-a-chip (SoC)? Think again: yet another Android device is getting the Tegra 2 treatment, and it comes in the form of a tablet known as the Tabit, and produced by TriGem. Sometimes, technological trends can move so fast that what was previously considered as 'bleeding-edge' technology can quickly be reduced to mere 'meh' status in only a matter of months. Usually, such situations are often considered to be good news for both users and OEMs, simply because most consumers will be able to feed their desires to have the fastest, meanest, highest-performing device possible in order to maintain their up-to-date and sophisticated image. As for OEMs...well, new products almost always results in yet another avenue of income from consumers. In this case, consumers who have been complaining about the lack of a decent, high-performance tablet will finally have something to look forward to, for something good is about to head their way. This is because a Korean OEM by the name of TriGem has just announced the proposal of a new tablet device known as the Tabit that comes bundled wiith...yes, you guessed it: NVIDIA's Tegra 2 System-on-a-chip (SoC).

Published by: VR-Zone

would seem that the Tabit is slated for an early May launch in Korea (no mention of global availability, if at all), and can be purchased for 399,000 won (approximately US$372).

PSU Review - Enermax NAXN 82+ 750W Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/psu-review--enermaxnaxn-82-750w/11986.html April 28th, 2011

Today we are going to have a look at a product from their latest series of power supplies, called NAXN, the NAXN 82+ 750W unit. How Enermax chose such a strange name for their new series of PSUs we will never know; what we do know is that the NANX series consists of the most aggressively priced products the company currently offers and they are obviously designed to appeal to budget-minded enthusiasts. Enermax is one of the most well known and reputable computer PSU manufacturers. The company has diversified into other areas of the market but they did not lose their original focus, being designing and producing high performance power supplies for enthusiasts and professional users. Today we are going to have a look at a product from their latest series of power supplies, called NAXN, the NAXN 82+ 750W unit. How Enermax chose such a strange name for their new series of PSUs we will never know; what we do know is that the NANX series consists of the most aggressively priced products the company currently offers and they are obviously designed to appeal to budget-minded enthusiasts.

Not much detail about TriGem's Tabit tablet has been released, but what we do know is that, in addition to the impressive SoC used to power the Tabit, the tablet will reportedly feature a 10-inch display that is capable of resolutions of up to 1024 x 600, and will be pre-loaded with version 2.2 of the Android operating system. However, there was completely no mention about the possibility for future firmware updates, which means that consumers will not be getting any Gingerbread love from Trigem any time soon. However, if the idea of using a previous-gen operating system is not going to be a liability, it would appear that there are a few features of the Tabit which might appeal to heavy consumers of digital multimedia content. For one, the Tabit reportedly features a HDMI-out port, so consumers can easily load up the Tabit with their favourite movies and play them back on the big screen. In addition, a machine-translated report made by NewsKorea has claimed that the Tabit will allow users to access up to two million eBooks, while the tablet's battery is supposedly capable of providing up to six hours of continuous video playback on a single charge. Last but definitely not least, the Tabit will also sport various standard connectivity features such as WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a MicroSD card reader and a USB port. As for availability, it

• ErP Lot 6 ready! - Help systems to meet EU eco-design directive ErP/EuP Lot 6 (<1W in standby mode) due to improved, high-efficient 5V standby (+5Vsb) circuitry (except ENM750AWT and ENM850EWT). • Intel ATX 12V v2.3 Compliant with the latest desktop power supply design guide. Full support of most current CPU: Intel® Core 2 Duo™/ Quad™/ Extreme™ / i7™ / i5™ / i3™ and AMD® Athlon™ 64X2/X4 or Phenom™ X3/X4. • Multi-Rail Design - Stable and reliable power supply with up to four powerful 12V rails. • AirGuard - Patented air-intake with optimal aerodynamical design reduces noisy air turbulences. • Silent Cooling - Ultra quiet fan with intelligent RPM control guarantees cool performance and silent operation. • SafeGuard - Multiple protection circuitry of OCP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OPP and SIP. • Active PFC - Excellent active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with up to 0.99 to minimize power waste.

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Worldwide Compatibility - 100-240V AC input with automatic adjustment for global usage (except ENP350AGT and ENP450AGT). • Dimensions (W x H x D) - 150 x 86 x 140mm (ENM750AWT/ENM850EWT: 150 x 86 x 160mm). • Warranty - 3 years vendor warranty.

and a HDD connected to the chipset. However, SSDs do not really come in small capacities and neither are they cheap. Now, it appears that Intel will be launching a cost-effective Solid-State Drive 311 Series, codenamed 'Larsen Creek' together with its Z68 Express chipset on May 11, so that users can make good use of its new storage technology.

• 80 PLUS® efficiency - Up to 86% efficiency at 230V and 20-100% load. 80 PLUS® certified. • HeatGuard - Keeping PSU fan running for 30-60 seconds after shut down to dissipate the remaining system heat and prolonging system lifetime. • Non-Stop @ 40°C - Non-stop industrial performance at 40°C/104°F ambient.

class

• ENERGY STAR 5.0 ready! - Support computer system to meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 standard. • 80 PLUS® Bronze efficiency - Up to 88% efficiency at 230V and 20-100% load. 80 PLUS® Bronze certified. • Future ready and flexible - All-round modular cable management. 10/12P sockets for possible connector changes of upcoming high-performance CPU and graphics card generations. • DXXI ready! - Full support of most current DX11 graphics cards due to min. four 6+2P (8P) connectors. • Full graphics power - Supports SLI™ systems and CrossFireX™ systems. • HeatGuard - Keeping PSU fan running for 30-60 seconds after shut down to dissipate the remaining system heat and prolonging system lifetime. • Non-Stop @ 40°C - Non-stop industrial performance at 40°C/104°F ambient.

class

• ENERGY STAR 5.0 ready! - Support computer system to meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 standard.

Intel to launch SSD 311 Series together with Z68 Express Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-to-launch-ssd-311-seriestogether-with-z68-express/11985.html April 28th, 2011

It appears that Intel will be launching a cost-effective SolidState Drive 311 Series, codenamed 'Larsen Creek' together with its Z68 Express chipset on May 11, so that consumers can make good use of its Intel Smart Response Technology. A new feature on Intel's Z68 Express chipset is the Intel Smart Response Technology, which automatically monitors usage patterns and stores more commonly used files on a solid state drive (like a large cache) and leave the less accessed ones on the slower mechanical hard disk drive. Of course, in order for Smart Response to work, one will need to have both an SSD

According to NordicHardware, the SSD 311 Series will be a 20GB drive, which is sufficient to store Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, if not acting as a really big (and speedy) cache. When paired with the Z68 Express chipset and Intel Smart Response Technology enabled, internal tests have shown that performance can increase up to 355%, depending on the application. While no further specifications are available, it is believed the SSD 311 Series is essentially a cut-down version of the SSD 320 Series where the same controller is used, but with lesser NAND flash onboard. The exact price is unknown, but is expected to be about US$49 to US$59. Source: NordicHardware

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 27 April 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--27april-2011/11983.html April 28th, 2011

In today's news roundup: LG has signed an agreement with ARM that will see the Korean OEM obtaining the rights to develop its own microprocessors based off the ARM Cortex A15 processor and Mali-T604 GPU; Additional details about Intel's upcoming Sandy Bridge-E processors have been revealed in Intel's roadmaps; Dell has quietly dated its upcoming Precision M4600 and M6600 notebooks for May 10 this year; Apple is finally set to release its elusive white iPhone 4 for sale tomorrow; Sega is reportedly planning a new Hatsune Miku project that will most likely be known as Project Diva ver2.5, and Sony has announced that the week15

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Published by: VR-Zone

long downtime of its PlayStation Network service has resulted in unauthorized personnel may have made off with personal information stored on its servers.

Description: Over the weekend, Google emailed those who are hosting videos on Google Video that they are going to be removing all the videos on Google Video for good.

Hardware news

Dell quietly dates Precision M4600, M6600 for May 10 Description: The new Dell Precision mobile workstations, the M4600 and M6600, have been quietly dated and priced. The notebooks which had their specs recently leaked, will arrive May 10, with the 15.6-inch M4600 priced from $1,678 while the 17.3-inch M6600 is priced from $2,158. Both will run a choice of Intel’s second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors.

LG Licenses Latest ARM Cortex-A15 Processor, Mali-T604 Graphics Technologies Description: ARM, a leading designer of microprocessor and graphics technologies, and LG Electronics, a major consumer electronics companies, on Monday said that they had signed agreements under which LG will be able to develop microprocessors, graphics processors and systemon-chip solutions based on ARM Cortex-A15 and Mali-T604 technologies. Additional Details on Sandy Bridge-E Processors, X79, and LGA2011 Description: The latest Intel roadmap has come out, and it's already being discussed elsewhere, so we're going to weigh in with our own analysis of the content as there's plenty of interesting bits of information to sift through. We’ll be looking at other areas over the coming days, but today we’re going to start with the Sandy Bridge-E (SNB-E) processors. Intel series 320 SSD review Description: We review the Intel series 320 SSD. Armed with cheaper NAND flash memory this drive competes at the middle segment tagged with a decent price. But will it be enough to compete with the competition ? Thermaltake's Level 10 GT enclosure Description: If you care the slightest bit about computer cases, odds are you're aware of Thermaltake's Level 10. Co-designed with BMW Group DesignworksUSA and shaped like a cross between the monolith in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and some sort of sci-fi skyscraper, the Level 10 dazes and amazes. No other computer enclosure looks quite like it. Lancool PC-K57 Case Review Description: Lancool is a brand that belongs to Lian Li, a manufacturer that is famous for its top-notch aluminum cases. The new PC-K57, however, is completely manufactured in steel, helping it to reach a very affordable price tag of USD 70, while still coming with lots of features only found on more expensive models. Is the PC-K57 a good product? Let’s check it out. Consumer Electronics and Software news Samsung announces a new 17.3" 3D laptop in Korea Description: Samsung announced a new 3D laptop, the SENSRF712. It's a 17.3" laptop with active-shutter 3D support. The display is a super-bright LCD offering up to 400nits brightness (even on 3D). Other features include a 2nd generation quadcore Intel CPUS, an AMD HD6650M GPU (2GB VRAM). The laptop inclues Samsung's Fast Start feature (boot up in 3 seconds) and a PowerPlus battery (can last up to 3 times longer than a conventional battery). Buffalo reveals sleek design for powerful portable DVD drive Description: Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of storage and wireless networking solutions, is today announcing a stylish and convenient design for its optical storage range.

White iPhone 4 releases tomorrow, finally Description: The rare albino iPhone 4 has been spotted numerous times in the wild, skulking through the trees in the magical United Kingdom, cavorting across the mysterious lands of Vietnam, and most recently standing in formation in Belgium. Now it's coming somewhere rather less exotic: the Apple Store. Apple has finally announced it will release the white iPhone 4 tomorrow around the world. Here in the US it'll come in both AT&T and Verizon flavors, warming the hearts and minds of those who like a little less pigment on their handsets. Oracle May Cease Support of Popular Linux Distributives Too Description: In a bid to further consolidate its server business in general and mission-critical server in particular, Oracle may in future cease support of popular Red Hat and SUSE Linux operating systems, according to an analyst. This currently seems to be a problem for a lot of customers using Intel Corp.'s Itanium-based systems from HP, who are unsure about the future of Itanium in general and HP-UX in particular. Gaming news Sega Has a New Miku Project, Might Call It Project Diva Ver. 2.5 Description: Sega has a new Hatsune Miku project in the works and we will see light of it tomorrow. Siliconera reported information that the game will be titled “Project Diva Ver2.5″ as quoted from Famitsu magazine. A teaser site has been put up as well. The Interrogation Room: Resistance 3 Description: We recently had the chance to go hands-on with the third installment of Insomniac Games' PlayStation 3-exclusive first-person shooter franchise. Check out what we learned about (and thought of) Resistance 3's story, characters, setting, and weapons! PlayStation Network Account Data Compromised Description: After nearly a week of downtime for the PlayStation Network, Sony announced today some alarming news: It believes users' personal information -- including name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and PSN online ID -- has been obtained by an "unauthorized person."

Google Video To Be Search Only 16

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Sony launches new Blu-Ray home theater system and player Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-launches-new-blu-ray-hometheater-system-and-player/11977.html April 28th, 2011

Sony has recently launched their new Blu-Ray home theatre system (BDV-E380) and Blu-Ray player with wireless LAN (BDP-S380), designed to offer immersive online cinematic experience to users. Both are available now at all Sony authorised stores.

Sony has also taken high definition to a new level with the BDP-S380 thanks to a sleeker design and BRAVIA Internet Video (Wi-Fi ready). In addition to their favorite Blu-ray and DVD films, users can also play videos and music directly off a flash drive connected via the USB port, and the new Media Remote turns any iPhone/iPad or Android device into an easyto-use remote control. The BDP-S380 is available now for S $269 at all Sony authorised stores.

Apple white iPhone 4 arrives in Singapore tomorrow, followed by iPad 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-white-iphone-4-arrives-insingapore-tomorrow-followed-by-ipad-2/11984.html April 28th, 2011

Sony unveiled its home theater lineup with the new 3D Blu-ray Home Theatre System (BDV-E380), and Blu-ray player with Wireless LAN Ready (BDP-S380). With Ethernet connectivity, a Wi-Fi ready Internet browser, and more than 15 Free Internet Video channels, the BDVE380 puts your TV on the Internet, allowing you to watch a wide range of content for a richer viewing experience. It also features a sleek monolithic design with aluminum hairline finish and touch panel that complements any Sony BRAVIA HDTV, a built-in 3D-capable Bl u-ray player, and 1000W RMS 5.1-channel 3D surround sound for clear highs and wallshaking bass. The BDV-E380 is available now for just S$699 at all Sony authorised stores. Customers who purchase any 32-inch BRAVIA TV or larger can add on the BDV-380 for only S $499. Free Highspeed HDMI Cable, DCAC Calibration Mic and iPod/iPhone Dock are included.

Apple has said that the iPad 2 will be available in Singapore in April. And till now, the product is yet to be on sale. Today, the company has issued a release that indicates that the iPad 2 will be retailing this Friday. Better yet, the white version of the iPhone 4 will be selling tomorrow. Read on.

Today, Apple announced that the iPad 2 will arrive in Japan on Thursday, 28 April and Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and eight additional countries on Friday, 29 April. The iPad 2 will be available in Singapore at select Apple Authorised Resellers, and online through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/sg) beginning at 1am local time. The Apple iPad 2 is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. It features Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new dual-core A5 processor for superb performance and stunning graphics and two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing 17

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

camera that captures 720p HD video. The Apple iPad 2 also boasts up to 10 hours of battery life. Pricing & Availability In Singapore, the Apple iPad 2 will be available at a suggested retail price of S$668 for the 16GB model, S$798 for the 32GB model and S$928 for the 64GB model. The iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available in Singapore for a suggested retail price of S$848 for the 16GB model, S$978 for the 32GB model and S$1,108 for the 64GB model. iMovie and GarageBand for iPad apps are available for US$4.99 each from the App Store? on iPad or http:// www.itunes.com/appstore. The Smart Cover is available in a range of colors in vibrant polyurethane for S$54 or rich leather for S$98. White iPhone 4 Apple today announced that the white iPhone 4 will be available beginning tomorrow. White iPhone 4 models will be available from Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online store (www.apple.com/sg/) and select Apple Authorised Resellers. Pricing & Availability White models of iPhone 4 will be available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US, beginning Thursday, April 28 and in many more countries around the world soon. The white iPhone 4 will be available for a recommended retail price of S$888 for the 16GB model and S$1,048 for the 32GB model through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/sg/), and select Apple Authorised Resellers.

ASRock Z68 Extreme4 and P67 Fatal1ty Performance Previewed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-z68-extreme4-and-p67-fatal1typerformance-previewed/11982.html April 28th, 2011

We are pleased to check out two upcoming boards from ASRock which Chris Lee, marketing director of ASRock is proudly holding. On the right is the ASRock Z68 Extreme4 board which is unveiled recently and sports nice features like three x16 PCIe slots, two SATA 6Gbps ports, on-board power and reset buttons, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports for the front and two at the back. Apart from the heavily touted XFast USB feature that boosts your USB performance, another key feature highlighted is that this board comes bundled with the LucidLogix Virtu software that intelligently switch between Sandy Bridge iGPU and discrete graphics depending on applications usage. On the left is the ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Performance board, a cheaper counterpart to the P67 Fatal1ty Professional board. As you can see, this board design is pretty different from the Professional and chipset cooler is less elaborated. The CPU VRM area is noticeably step down and has only one PCIe x16 slot instead of 3 on the Professional as well as two SATA3 ports instead of 6. Instead, it has three PCI slots and three PCIe x1 slots. On the rear IO panel, it has 2 USB 3.0 ports, a single LAN port, and of course a Fatal1ty mouse port. ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Performance is great for gamer who wants a relatively cheap solution with decent features that looks good. Last but not least, ASRock is planning the Z68 Fatal1ty Professional too and you should see it later in May.

Sony Confirms Personal Data Obtained By PSN Hacker Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-confirms-personal-data-obtainedby-psn-hacker/11993.html April 28th, 2011

We are pleased to check out two upcoming boards from ASRock which Chris Lee, marketing director of ASRock is proudly holding. On the right is the ASRock Z68 Extreme4 board which is unveiled recently and on the left is the ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Performance board, a cheaper counterpart to the P67 Fatal1ty Professional board. Last but not least, ASRock is planning the Z68 Fatal1ty Professional too and you should see it later in May.

If you have a PSN account, now it's the time to change your passwords and be alert of suspicious activity and/or e-mails. Sony officially confirmed everyone's worst fears... If you have a PSN account, now it's the time to change your passwords and be alert of suspicious activity and/or emails. Sony confirmed everyone's worst fears; sensitive user 18

April 28th, 2011

data (names, e-mail and home addresses, dates of birth, passwords and even credit card information) have been exposed during the "illegal and unauthorized intrusion" which occurred between April 17 and April 19 and has resulted in the worldwide PSN outage, which is now in its sixth day.

Published by: VR-Zone

a Windows utility for those that want a graphics interface for changing the settings.

Sony claims that over 70 million users have subscribed to the PSN but did not reveal how many of them have been affected by this data breach. Another interesting part of the story is how Sony decided to inform the public; Patrick Seybold, Sony's director of corporate communications and social media in the United States, explained the security breach in a blog post a full 6 days after the incident. "Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained." the blog post lists. And continues : "While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained."

Gigabyte's Touch BIOS is a Windows utility Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-s-touch-bios-is-a-windowsutility/11981.html April 28th, 2011

More details about Gigabyte's Touch BIOS have appeared courtesy of the unofficial Gigabyte blog and this time the company has put up a video detailing what in the end turned out to be a Windows utility for modifying the BIOS settings, rather than a graphical UEFI. This seems to suggest that Gigabyte isn't quite ready to go UEFI as yet and instead we get a Windows utility for those that want a graphics interface for changing the settings. More details about Gigabyte's Touch BIOS have appeared courtesy of the unofficial Gigabyte blog and this time the company has put up a video detailing what in the end turned out to be a Windows utility for modifying the BIOS settings, rather than a graphical UEFI. This seems to suggest that Gigabyte isn't quite ready to go UEFI as yet and instead we get

The Touch BIOS app was designed to make it easy for less tech savvy users to make changes to the BIOS settings via a graphical user interface, but we're not sure if Gigabyte has hit the nail on the head. Some of the icons as per our previous write-up don't quite make sense at first glance. On top of that, all the icons appear to have been designed for visually impaired people, although the reason for this appears to be touch screen support. We're not sure if this makes sense, as most people don't tend to have a touch screen at home. We got some of the icons way wrong as well, with the rocket being the overclocking options, the hard drive being the option for selecting the boot disk, the Q logo is for Gigabyte's Quick Boost option, the one that looks like a system is for the PC status options, the @ logo launches the @BIOS Windows utility, the USB logo changes the integrated hardware settings and the power button is for power management and finally the lock is to change the BIOS password. And that little icon with four coloured squares, well, it's not for changing the colour, instead it's a button that takes you back to the main menu. Unprintable Content (Video, Flash, etc.) It seems like some work is still needed on Gigabyte's side, at least when it comes to the usability aspect related to what the icons are portraying. It also doesn't help that the touch screen friendliness of the Touch BIOS utility means that you get scrollbars in just about every setting you enter which makes it harder to see what you're actually doing when it comes to changing the more advanced settings. Considering that Gigabyte has slated its competitors UEFI implementations, we have to say that this is just as bad; if not worse than most of the UEFI implementations we've seen to date. At least the good news is that this isn't Gigabyte's UEFI and hopefully we'll see something much better there once Gigabyte makes the move.

Sony unveils two upcoming ultra-portable VAIO models Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unveils-two-upcoming-ultraportable-vaio-models/11980.html

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

April 28th, 2011

We're just going to have to wait and see what the specs behind these products are, but the Freestyle Hybrid PC is rumoured to feature an Intel Atom processors at its core. At least both products are good news for lovers of thin and portable computers and hopefully we'll be seeing a ULV Sandy Bridge processor in the Ultimate Mobile PC, as this would make it a really interesting product that would go heads on with Apple's MacBook Air and Samsung's 9-series notebooks.

On top of its new Android tablets, Sony also gave a sneak peek preview of two other upcoming devices, but didn't give too many details as of what to expect. Sony came up with some interesting category names for its new devices though, namely Freestyle Hybrid PC and Ultimate Mobile PC. It looks like 2011 is set to become an increasingly interesting year for ultraportable mobile devices and not just tablets. On top of its new Android tablets, Sony also gave a sneak peek preview of two other upcoming devices, but didn't give too many details as of what to expect. Sony came up with some interesting category names for its new devices though, namely Freestyle Hybrid PC and Ultimate Mobile PC. It looks like 2011 is set to become an increasingly interesting year for ultraportable mobile devices and not just tablets. The Ultimate Mobile PC looks like a very thin notebook and what the picture gives away is what appear to be a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port and an on/off switch for Wi-Fi. Judging by an interview with Sony's Senior Vice President for consumer products, Mr Suzuki Masakuni done by Impress PC Watch, we're looking at what appears to be a model targeting the business market.

The same appears to be true for the Freestyle Hybrid PC which apparently is a Windows tablet that has a sliding keyboard, much like Asus' upcoming Eee PC Slider. However, Sony's design appears to be somewhat different, as there's no sign of a trackpad or even a trackpoint, so the main cursor interface should be the touch screen.

Transducer concept phone translates to your desire language Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/transducer-concept-phone-translatesto-your-desire-language/11979.html April 28th, 2011

The Transducer concept phone was recently unveiled which boasts to be the ideal translator between you and the caller. One noteable feature is that it can translate incoming calls to your preferred language and vice versa. If the Transducer become available for purchase in stores, would you consider getting one?

Communication is important in day to day life, with English being the most commonly used language. Having said that, it can be inconvenient when there's language barrier between individuals. (We can't assume everybody know how to communicate in English). Recently, Jasper Hou, a designer of Yanko Design, has come up with the Transducer concept phone. The biggest appeal of the Transducer is that it can translate languages on the fly, to your desired language, whether you are talking to the individual on the phone or even reading newspaper. Other features include built-in GPS, transparent LCD display and you can also use the phone to communicate with hearing and sight impaired folks.

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

the processor's voltage regulation module (VRM) have been slightly re-designed as well.

First Looks: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO (Intel Z68 Express) Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-looks-asus-p8z68-v-pro-intel-z68express-/11972.html April 28th, 2011

The four light blue and two grey SATA ports are linked to the Intel Z68 Express chipset. The light blue ones support SATA 3Gbps and the grey ones SATA 6Gbps. The two dark blue SATA ports are also SATA 6Gbps-capable, but they are connected to a third-party Marvell controller. A USB 3.0 front panel header, linked to an ASMedia ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller, can be found to the right of the eight SATA ports. As ASMedia is a subsidary of ASUS, it comes as no surprise that there are quite a number of ASMedia components on the P8Z68-V PRO. Compared to the P8P67 PRO, some components may have moved about printed circuit board (PCB) and a few more were added, but the expansion slots offered and connector placements are unchanged. The Firewire and Super I/O controllers are now placed near the front of the board. The MOSFET heatsinks for

April 28th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone April 28th, 2011

No, it's not Sony Ericsson but Japanese manufacturer, Sony. Even though Sony Ericsson has recently launched their Xperia smartphones, including the Xperia Play (or formerly known as the PlayStation phone), Sony has announced their new S1 and S2 Android tablets.

Apart from the USB 3.0 front panel header, there are another three sets of (blue) headers for six USB 2.0 ports and two (black) ones for two Firewire ports. Just right behind the row of headers, there are three chips. The ASMedia ASM1083 (partially hidden) is a PCI Express x1 to 32-bit PCI bridge, Firewire is provided by VIA's VT6308P 2-port IEEE 1394 host controller and the last one is a Nuvoton NCT6776F LPC Super I/O IC.

Sony Corporation has announced their “Sony Tablet” that aim to deliver the perfect combination of hardware, content and network with seamless usability for a high-quality, engaging entertainment experience. The company is developing two tablets with unprecedented design, including S1 which is optimised for rich media entertainment and S2 which is ideal for mobile communication and entertainment. (Note that S1 and S2 are codenames of the tablets). Both tablets are scheduled to be available in the global market starting in fall 2011.

The S1 and S2 are equipped with the latest Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, designed for devices with large screen sizes, especially tablets. Both tablets are Wi-Fi and WAN (3G/4G) compatible and users can browse the web, check emails as well as access digital content including videos, games and books through Sony’s premium network services and more, anywhere at any time. The S1 sports a 9.4-inch display for enjoying the web and rich content on a large screen. Its off-center of gravity design offers stability and ease of grip as well as portability, offering comfortable use for hours. The S2 features two 5.5-inch displays that can be folded for easy portability. In contrast to existing tablets, its dual screen presentation and usability allows its displays to be combined and used as a large screen or for different functions including playing video on one screen while showing control buttons on the other.

Sony unleashes new Android S1 and S2 tablets Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unleashes-new-android-s1-ands2-tablets/11978.html