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

March 2nd, 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.

Apple slash first-generation iPad prices Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-slash-first-generation-ipadprices/11433.html March 2nd, 2011

March 2nd, 2011

So what will Apple be surpising us in this special media event? Well, we have took the liberty of summerising what has happened at Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco for your reading pleasure.

Apple has slash their prices of their previous generation tablet since the introduction of iPad 2 and prices of iPad have dropped by more than S$200 for some models.

The event kicked off at 10am Pacific Time (2am Singapore Time) and the first major surprise we got was the arrival of Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, on stage for the presentation. Many didn't expect him to turn up due to his deteriorating health, but he did. “We’ve been working on this product for a while and I didn’t want to miss today,” said Jobs, garnering a standing ovation from the audience. iBooks & milestones Once the Apple Online Store came back, we noticed that Apple has dropped their prices for the original iPad by a substancial ammount. This is not surprising since the new iPad 2 will hold the same prices as the original iPad's launch price.

Apple's March 2nd media event Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-march-2nd-media-eventroundup/11431.html

March 2nd, 2011

Besides having over 2500 publishers in iBookstore, Random House will joining the iBookstore today, bringing another 17,000 books to the iBookstore catalog. 100,000,000 books have been downloaded so far from Apple's iBookstore.

Published by: VR-Zone

Apple has announced its iPad 2 and overall it's upgrades all around with a new dual core A5 processors, much faster graphics, lower weight, slimmer profile and of course the much wanted cameras. That's pretty much what everyone was hoping for and Apple has left out surprisingly little for an iPad 3 upgrade, but we're sure they'll figure something out to attract people's attention next year. Apple has announced its iPad 2 and overall it's upgrades all around with a new dual core A5 processors, much faster graphics, lower weight, slimmer profile and of course the much wanted cameras. That's pretty much what everyone was hoping for and Apple has left out surprisingly little for an iPad 3 upgrade, but we're sure they'll figure something out to attract people's attention next year.

According to Jobs, Apple should have the "most accounts with credit cards anywhere on the internet".

Apple has also reportedly paid out US$2 billion to app developers on their App Store.

The A5 processor is still ticking away at 1GHz, but it now has two cores and the graphics core is said to offer up to nine times the performance compared to the original iPad. The rear camera will shoot 720p video at 30fps, while the front camera is stuck at VGA quality at 30fps. To go with the cameras Apple is adding FaceTime to its next release of iOS and we'll also see a new app called Photo Booth alongside a US$4.99 version of iMovie for the iPad 2.

Amazingly Apple has managed to slim down the iPad 2 to a mere 8.8mm which is 0.5mm thinner than the iPhone 4 and the Wi-Fi model weighs in at 601g while the 3G model adds another 12g. Even so, we're looking at the same 10h battery life for the Wi-Fi models, or in the case of the 3G models, 9h. The screen remains the same as on the old model, in other words we're still looking at a 9.7-inch unit with 1024x768 resolution. Some features that have been carried over includes 802.11a/ b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and in the case of the 3G model, support for HSDPA/HSUPA on the 900, 1900 and 2100MHz bands, although Apple has also made a CDMA EVDO version for Verizon in the US which is another first.

Apple has also recently shipped out their 100 millionth iPhone.

Apple launches the iPad 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-launches-the-ipad-2/11432.html March 2nd, 2011

One other new feature is the optional US$39 HDMI out dongle which connects to the docking port and adds an HDMI port as well as a docking port so the iPad 2 can be charged at the 2

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

same time as it's connected to an HDMI screen or projector. It supports 1080p video mirroring, but oddly enough Apple states that it'll only play back H.264 video with resolutions of up to 720p at 30fps. The dongle doesn't look like the most solid piece of equipment to ever come out of Apple and it's really quite an awkward way to connect the iPad to an HDMI equipped display device. Apple also designed a new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smart Coverâ&#x20AC;? for the iPad 2 which attaches by magnets and features a hinge. The cover folds up in three and can be used as a stand. Apple offers the cover in two different materials, polyurethane and leather, each available in five colours for a price of US$39 and US$69.

According to leaked NVIDIA slides, the reference GeForce GTX 550 Ti will be clocked at 900MHz and 1025MHz for the core and memory respectively. A kind reader has dropped us some scores which do look in line with all the current GTX 550 Ti specifications bits pieced together. 3DMark 11 GeForce GTS 450 P2100

GeForce GTX 550 Ti P2400

Radeon HD 5770

GeForce GTX 550 Ti ~27

Radeon HD 5770

P2600

Lost Planet 2 GeForce GTS 450 ~22

~22

It appears that the new card isn't as fast as expected, with a performance gain of about 25% over AMD's offering in just certain games. Things look pretty ugly in 3DMark 11 though. Most of the rumours about the iPad 2 didn't come true, as we didn't get a higher resolution screen, no built in SD card reader and most definitely no Thunderbolt support, but even so, it looks like Apple has managed to a pretty good job in updating its tablet. As far as pricing goes, the Wi-Fi models cost US$499 for 16GB, US$599 for the 32GB model and finally US$699 for the 64GB model. Apple will be offering them in both white and black from day one, which is another first for the iPad 2. In the US the 16GB 3G model is priced at US$629 with the 32GB model at US$729 and finally the 64GB model at US$829, but so far pricing for other countries haven't been announced. Availability in the US is March 11th followed by Europe, Japan, th

Mexico, Australia and New Zealand on the 25 of March. Apple didn't announce availability dates for other markets.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti benchmark leak?

Overclockability-wise, the GeForce GTX 550 Ti will continue the legacy of the GeForce GTS 450 by offering excellent headroom. Clock speeds in excess of 1050MHz are said to be attainable and that will send the 3DMark 11 score past P3000 on a well-overclocked 'Sandy Bridge' system. If the performance figures are true, then perhaps the GF116 should be branded as a GTS, and not a GTX?

ASUS unveils new ROG gaming products at CeBIT 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-unveils-new-rog-gamingproducts-at-cebit-2011/11422.html March 2nd, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-550-ti-benchmarkleak-/11420.html March 2nd, 2011

We've gotten some rough performance numbers of the upcoming GeForce GTX 550 Ti in Futuremark's 3DMark 11 and Lost Planet 2. Is it as fast as it is rumored to be?

ASUS has unveiled a number of new ROG gaming products at CeBIT 2011. These include the G74Sx gaming laptop, the Rampage III Black Edition motherboard and MATRIX GTX 580 graphics cards for enthusiasts, VG278H 3D monitor, RTN66U high performance dual-band wireless router, and the Vulcan-ANC gaming headset. ASUS has unveiled a number of new gaming products at CeBIT in March this year, including Republic of Gamers (ROG) notebook PCs, high-performance motherboards, graphics cards, 3D monitors, a router and a headset. With an expanded 3

March 2nd, 2011

product portfolio, ASUS hopes to fulfill its promise of providing choices for everyone.

Published by: VR-Zone

enthusiasts to monitor and optimize clock speed, voltage and fan speed to achieve extreme levels of performance.

ROG Rampage III Black Edition motherboard delivers extreme gaming performance The ROG Rampage III Black Edition motherboard is an evolution of the award-winning Rampage III Extreme, which set new world records in overclocking. Everything that made the Rampage III Extreme so great is back, but with a stylish black-themed design, plus many hardware and software improvements.

The ROG MATRIX GTX 580 also runs cool, thanks to the exclusive DirectCU II design that places copper heatpipes in direct contact with the GPU for improved thermal efficiency. Twin custom-made fans circulate up to 600% more air for a 20% cooler operation too, while the 16-phase Super Alloy Power components ensure greater operational stability and a longer product lifespan.

Most notable is the supplied ROG ThunderBolt expansion card that enhances both LAN and audio performance. This incorporates an award-winning Bigfoot Networks Killerâ&#x201E;˘ E2100 networking platform that automatically classifies and accelerates online game traffic for maximum networking performance. Class-leading XONARâ&#x201E;˘ audio technology also provides increased sound quality and a built-in headphone amplifier with adjustable impedance settings - perfect for getting the drop on the competition when gaming. Combined, these two technologies provide gamers with a superior online gaming experience that will overwhelm the competition. Better yet, the ROG Rampage III Black Edition also comes with the ASUS GPU TweakIt utility that is upgraded feature combined in ROG Connect and allows gamers to modify the graphics card settings for greatest visual impact.

ROG MATRIX GTX 580 graphics card makes overclocking easier than ever The new ROG MATRIX GTX 580 graphics card ships with a number of proprietary ASUS iROG technologies for superior gaming performance, including TweakIt for real-time GPU voltage adjustment, ProbeIt for instant voltage readings and a Safe Mode reboot button for a foolproof overclocking experience. The all-new ASUS GPU Tweak utility also allows

Apple Online Store down ahead of iPad media event Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-online-store-down-ahead-ofipad-media-event/11429.html March 2nd, 2011

With just a few hours to go to Apple's media event, the Cupertino-based tech giant has taken its online stores around the world offline, including here in Singapore.

It is a standard operating procedure for the iPhone and iPad makers to bring their online stores down ahead of major events and new product releases. So we can safely say that this is Apple's way of telling us that they are going to introduce something new to their online store. The next-generation iPad is expected to announce within the next few hours. Stay with us as we bring you the latest developement from Apple's special media event.

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Asus and MSI displays miniITX H61 boards at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-and-msi-displays-mini-itx-h61boards-at-cebit/11428.html March 2nd, 2011

We should soon be seeing some much more affordable miniITX boards for Intel's second generation of Core i processors and both Asus and MSI has shown off new models based on the new H61 budget chipset for the platform. The two boards are quite different in terms of what they offer though and we're pretty sure that these are only two of the first boards of many to come. We should soon be seeing some much more affordable miniITX boards for Intel's second generation of Core i processors and both Asus and MSI has shown off new models based on the new H61 budget chipset for the platform. The two boards are quite different in terms of what they offer though and we're pretty sure that these are only two of the first boards of many to come. Asus has gone for a full-on HTPC design for its P8H61-I with a x16 PCI Express slot, four SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for an additional four USB 2.0 ports. Around the back the board has a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port and three audio jacks for 5.1-channel audio. Bear in mind that this is a budget board and it won't compete with the H67 boards in terms of features.

ASRock also shows off Z68 board at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-also-shows-off-z68-board-atcebit/11427.html March 2nd, 2011

ASRock decided to show off its Z68 board as CeBIT too and it actually looks like one of the better boards that have been shown so far. We're not entirely sold on the colour scheme, but that's really a minor issue considering that ASRock appears to have loaded up the Z68 Extreme4 with pretty much every feature you could need or want. ASRock decided to show off its Z68 board as CeBIT too and it actually looks like one of the better boards that have been shown so far. We're not entirely sold on the colour scheme, but that's really a minor issue considering that ASRock appears to have loaded up the Z68 Extreme4 with pretty much every feature you could need or want. Slot wise the board has three x16 PCI Express slots, of which of course the second one is of the switchable x8 type while the third slot only has four lanes worth of bandwidth. The board also has two x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. ASRock has also fitted a pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports for a total of four, as well as four SATA 3Gbps ports. There are also headers for two USB 3.0 ports (using an Etron controller), four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port and even a parallel port.

MSI on the other hand decided to go really basic with its H61IE35 and only included a x1 PCI Express slot, although you still get four SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for four USB 2.0 ports. Around the back the MSI board appears to have a PS/2 port, six USB 2.0 ports, a D-sub and HDMI port and three audio jacks for 5.1-channel audio. This board should be very affordable and a great match with the upcoming Sandy Bridge Pentium and Celeron processors expected later this year.

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

question will be does it perform? Read on to find out if the performance matches the looks! New, more effective optical fibers have semiconductive core Description: Fiber optic cables can transmit over a terabyte of information per second – but that doesn't mean there still isn't room for improvement. One of those improvements, which was officially announced today, involves replacing the silica glass core of fiber optic strands with semiconductive zinc selenide. This new class of fiber optics, invented and created at Penn State University, is said to "allow for a more effective and liberal manipulation of light." The technology could have applications in the fields of medicine, defense, and environmental monitoring. Around the back the board has a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a FireWire port, an eSATA port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and D-sub connector and finally 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDFI out. There's also a CMOS reset button around the back and the board also appears to have power and reset buttons and a POST80 debug LED display. We also noted a PLX bridge chip on the board that we're not quite certain what the purpose of it is. Overall the Z68 Extreme4 is what we'd expect from a high-end Z68 board, but this might not be the top of the range model from ASRock, as the company offers higher-end P67 models, so we might get to see something even more feature packed by the time the platform launches.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 02 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--02mar-2011/11425.html March 2nd, 2011

In today's daily news roundup: Bigfoot Networks announces its new high-performance Killer WiFi cards for notebooks; Intel releases a new dual-core Atom processor for netbooks; TP-Link showcases new energy-efficient powerline adapters at CeBIT; Razer's Naga Epic MMO gaming mouse gets reviewed; Sony is reportedly thinking of exploiting a loophole to get around the import ban on PlayStation 3 consoles in the EU, and Dawn of War 2 : Retribution gets a new launch trailer. Hardware News: GIGABYTE P67A-UD4 Motherboard Performance Review @ Legit Reviews Description: GIGABYTE Motherboards have always employed a wide variety of colors on them. At least until now. The GIGABYTE P67A-UD4 motherboard features the all new blacked out color scheme! First impressions, they look great! Unfortunately, looks won't do anything for performance. Today we are going to take the newly designed GIGABYTE P67A-UD4 out for a test drive. While it looks great, the

Sunbeamtech Rheosmart 6 Fan Controller Review @ XtremeComputing Description: Sunbeamtech have been around for as long as I can remember, however due to their limited product range, they often don’t get the recognition they deserve. This latest fan controller will hopefully continue their high-quality, highvalue reputation. Personally I own a Scythe Kaze Master, so I know what a quality fan-controller should do. Coolit Vantage A.L.C. CPU Cooler @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Sealed, all-in-one water coolers seem to be the fastest-growing segment of the CPU cooler market today. Air coolers are reaching their physical limits: given the room inside existing cases, and the (frequently ignored) weight limits defined for CPU coolers, something like a Prolimatech Megahalems is about as big as you can get without running into problems. Water cooling systems work around these problems by moving the heat exchanger off of the CPU socket, and using a fluid to transfer heat from the CPU to the heat exchanger. Coolit Systems has been making retail and bespoke liquid cooling systems for some years now, and the Coolit Vantage A.L.C. cooler brings new features and performance to the fray. Benchmark Reviews pits this new entry against existing air and water coolers in a performance showdown. Be Quiet Silent Wings USC 12cm Review @ XSReviews Description: It can't always be about the graphics cards, the gaming mice, the motherboards and the high powered speakers, right? Well no indeed, sometimes us reviewers have to look at something a little less exciting. Ladies and gents, may I present to you the BeQuiet Silent Wings USB 12cm fan. Let's check it out. Hurray! Chip Shot: Intel Delivers New Dual-Core Intel® Atom™ Processor for Netbooks Description: Today, Intel announced the dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor N570, providing netbook users Internet access on the go and a more responsive experience in the same compact form factor and great battery life as single-core Intel Atom processors. Running at 1.66 GHz, these processors support four threads, with 1 MB of L2 cache, 8.5W TDP and DDR3 667, helping spur further innovation around netbooks and other devices requiring the low power goodness of Intel Atom architecture. NAND flash contract prices stable Description: Contract prices for 16Gb, 32Gb and 64Gb MLC NAND flash chips dropped slightly in the second half of February, while 8Gb parts went flat, according to latest data 6

March 2nd, 2011

posted by DRAMeXchange. Meanwhile, the price of 32Gb 3bit per cell MLC products was similar to the level in the first half of the month. Killer NICs Comes to Laptops for Latency Freaks Description: Bigfoot Networks, the technology company behind the Killer line of networking products for online games, today introduced its new Killer Wireless-N family of highperformance Wi-Fi adapters for laptops. Consumer Electronics and Software News: Smartfish Whirl Laser Mouse w/ Anti-Gravity Comfort Pivot Review @ TestFreak Description: The mouse is the one thing that most of use take for granted, not for how it’s used but for what can happen to you with long terms usage. For those of us that use a mouse everyday for hours on end we can be susceptible to RSI or repetitive stress injury. Sure there are companies out there that have come out with ergonomic mice, but only one claims to be the world’s first truly ergonomic mouse and that’s the Whirl from Smartfish. The mouse is wireless and it sits on top of pivoting platform so you hand moves more naturally when you’re using thus possibly reducing the risk of RSI to the user. The Whirl has been designed in collaboration with the #1 orthopedic hospital in the states, so they might know what they’re talking about. Google’s Schmidt States Mobile Growing Faster than All Predictions Description: Google representatives, especially those high up on the ladder, are no stranger to major events. This is especially true for Eric Schmidt who, over the years, has given keynote addresses at almost every top technology and business event even slightly related to his industry. It’s no surprise, then, that he would be selected for the opening keynote at the IAB Leadership Conference... An Exciting Keynote for Skype at Enterprise Connect and News with Citrix Description: Skype today announced a partnership with Citrix Systems that will expand Skype’s web and audio conferencing capabilities. Based on Citrix’s successful GoToMeeting product, Skype’s new Web conferencing and audio features are expected to become available towards the end of the year. TP-LINK showcases new energy-saving powerline adapters at CeBIT 2011 Description: TP-LINK, a global provider of SOHO and SMB networking products, today announced a new range of powerline adapters which will be on display at CeBIT 2011. The adapters, which offer energy savings of up to 75%, feature a range of benefits from AC pass-through to speeds of up to 500Mbps, making them ideal for high demand usage.

Published by: VR-Zone

in the iTunes App Store, now supports multiple attachments and up to 90 minutes of audio recording per note. A new resources button helps to find information based on context, and users can find notes on a map, based on the location where the data was entered, or browse by images or attachments. Android Users Get An Official Taste Of Foodspotting Just In Time For SXSW Description: Back in December of last year, I noted the existence of the first Foodspotting build for Android just in time for the holidays. Turns out, the app was a little undercooked — still in beta — and the team didn’t really want me giving out the link to download it. Whoops. Gaming News: Sony can get around LG patent shipment ban Description: Sony could still get around the PS3 shipment ban thanks to a loop in the patent enforcement code... Dawn of War 2: Retribution Gets Launch Trailer Description: Retribution is setting in at Dawn of War 2 as the 2nd expansion of the original game goes on retail today. The game offers various campaigns from different races’ viewpoint in the sub-sector of Aurelia, new map for The Last Stand and of course, new units in multi-player. Japanese developers comment on NGP Description: With the introduction of the Sony NGP, it's inevitable that the people who will be working on the system's software, the game developers and publishers, will be putting in their two cents on the handheld device.

How to turn your iPhone 4 transparent Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/how-to-turn-your-iphone-4transparent/11412.html March 2nd, 2011

Still remember a while back we ran an article on how a guy in Hong Kong managed to strip his iPhone 4's front and back panel and made them transparent? Well, there's now a simpler (yet somewhat complicated) way of achieving that jawdropping transparent panel.

Razer Naga Epic gaming mouse review at Examiner Description: The Razer Naga Epic MMO gaming mouse is more than just a wireless version of the Razer Naga—it also sports some design enhancements to ‘level up’ the Naga even more. Too Much Data? New Evernote Should Help Description: Evernote launched a redesigned version of its iPhone software Tuesday, adding new views and features that further help organize thoughts on the go. Evernote 4, available 7

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

In the original story of the transparent iPhone 4, what the Hong Kong enthusiast did was to disassemble and remove the front and back panel of the phone. He then used paint thinner and carefully remove the paint from the panels and assemble the iPhone back again once the panels are clear. While that sounds painstakingly risky and requires some time, there's now a somewhat easier way of achieving the same effect. And this method is reversible. The folks over at M.I.C gadgets has brought in a transparent back panel iPhone 4 DIY kit. It comes with a clear back panel and the required set of screw drivers so you can start pimping your iPhone 4 right away. As I've mentioned, since you are accuiring an additional back panel, you can keep your own original back panel and do a swap if you fancy. Available in 3 frame colours, you can get yours from their website for a measily US$23.90.

TazTag to unveil new Android tablet at CeBIT? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/taztag-to-unveil-new-android-tablet-atcebit-/11421.html March 2nd, 2011

With the whole world going 'goo-goo-ga-ga' over tablets, smartphones and the operating systems used to power them, it should probably not be surprising to see unheard-of OEMs attempting to capitalize on the mobile bandwagon by offering a product which runs off the ever-popular Android OS. And it seems that there is one such OEM right there at CeBIT as we speak: TazTag is reportedly announcing a new Androidpowered tablet that will boast certain connectivity features not found in today's devices. Near-field communications or NFC is definitely one of the neater features to exist in the market, and it is understandable as to why technologists are keen on integrating this technology into the highly advanced smartphones and tablets of today. After all, the idea that one could simply a tablet at a reader to perform certain tasks such as electronic transactions and scanning mobile RFID tags sounds like something that has the potential to be a both a major time-saver and source of convenience. Unfortunately, it would seem that the adoption of NFC has been rather slow, despite the fact that it was introduced to the market way back in 2003. However, the first major break for NFC might just come in the form of an Android-powered tablet that will supposedly be unveiled in CeBIT this year. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you...the TazPad.

Not much is known about the device, although its OEM TazTag, has claimed that the TazPad will feature a seveninch color display capable of recognizing multitouch input. In addition, the tablet will also come standard with common hardware such as a built-in camera, GPS module and an accelerometer. However, the real draw of the TazPad stems from the fact that the TazPad is touted by TazTag to be the world's first device which fully supports the NFC communication stack. Not to mention that TazTag has apparently come up with a rather novel way of utilizing the TazPad's NFC's capabilities: by using it as a means of delivering HD content via HDMI-out. Now that is not something you often get to see in a tablet. Last but definitely not least, the TazPad will also feature support for other wireless communication protocols such as WiFi, Bluetooth and ZigBee, as well as an option for biometric authentication. No pricing or release date has been announced for the TazPad though, although various sources claim that the tablet is due to ship sometime in Q2 this year. And while there is no denying that the TazPad might have the potential to change the way we all look at our tablets, the key question remains: will the NFC infrastructure be ready by the time the tablet starts shipping? We shall see.

ASUS unveils new Blu-ray player and voice-cancelling headphones at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-unveils-new-blu-ray-player-andvoice-cancelling-headphones-at-cebit/11419.html March 2nd, 2011

Today might be only the second day of CeBIT, but it seems that ASUS is not about to sit down and take it easy in this particular exhibition. Unveiled today at ASUS's booth in the exhibit are three new consumer electronics device, and they come in the form of a new Blu-ray player, a Blu-ray writer and an active noise-cancelling headphones. ASUS may be a well-known brand when it comes to PCs, notebooks, hardware components and media players, but it would seem that the company is now attempting to diversify its portfolio by attempting to compete in other areas that do not necessarily make up part of the PC ecosystem. And that cannot have been more clearly demonstrated at this year's 8

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

CeBIT exhibition held in Germany, where the Taiwanese OEM has rolled out what appears to be its first foray into the home theatre market with three new offerings: a Blu-ray player, an external Blu-ray writer for PCs and a pair of active noisecancelling headphones.

though it was recently launched, the device has purportedly been cracked to run copied DS games easily.

ASUS O!Play BDS-700

The new ASUS O!Play BDS-700 Blu-ray player uses Qdeo video post-processing to deliver clear, vivid images in native high definition and upscaling of 480p DVD content. On top of that, ASUS claims that the O!Play BDS-700 also supports Blu-ray 3D playback on compatible screens, and is capable of delivering 7.1-channel surround sound mastered in Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. In addition, the O!Play BDS-700 comes with built-in support for a wide range of video, audio, image and subtitle formats to ensure maximum compatibility with most existing media formats today, while content can also be played directly from external storage devices via the included USB port, or streamed through a network via Ethernet or WiFi. Last but definitely not least, ASUS claims that the O!Plau BDS-700 will feature support for remote control via any existing iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry and Symbian device. S pecifications O!Play BDS-700 3D Blu-ray player Blu-ray 3D Video noise reduction Separated A/V HDMI output Wi-Fi 802.11n wireless Dimensions Weight

Supported Supported Supported Built-in 430mm x 50mm x 252mm 3kg

Nintendo 3DS launched in Japan, with user complaints and purportedly already cracked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nintendo-3ds-launched-in-japan-withuser-complaints-and-purportedly-already-cracked/10971.html March 2nd, 2011

Nintendo's latest generation of handheld consoles were recently launched in Japan to a great start, with the company reporting an initial shipment of 400,000 and Enterbrain annoucing an estimate of 371,326 sold. Despite the popularity of the 3DS, complaints are arising with regards to eyestrain in just five minutes of usage in 3D mode. Additionally, even

Nintendo's latest generation of handheld consoles were recently launched in Japan to a great start, with the console maker reporting an initial shipment numbering 400,000 units. Due to be released in the West on 27 March, the company expects worldwide sales to hit four million by the end of this fiscal year. Estimates by Enterbrain (a Japanese magazine publisher) indicates that only 371,326 units were sold. Reuters has also reported a slump in Nintendo's stock over the sales figures, which may indicate investors feeling unimpressed by the launch. And yet despite the huge popularity of the 3DS, complaints are arising from significant numbers of users about eyestrain within five minutes of usage. This is despite the company's own official health advisory of a ten to fifteen minute break every hour for non-3D usage, and for the touted 3D mode, thirty minutes is necessary to warrant a break. Needless to say, Nintendo supporters are hoping that these users are only the vocal minority. Otherwise, it could suggest a intrinsic fatal flaw to the 3DS, which would have Sony supporters celebrating. Whether or not the 3DS faces a bleak future in sales, despite being merely available for days, the device has purportedly been cracked to run copied DS games without fuss, with video evidence embedded below. (Note : The 3DS is backwards compatible with legit DS game cards.) 3DS with Ninjapass, a device that enables users to play stored DS games.3DS with Codefreak, a device that enables cheats, running a GBA game.3DS with Codefreak, this time running a DS game.

Olympus unveils TG-810, SZ-30MR and SZ-20 digital cameras Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/olympus-unveils-tg-810-sz-30mr-andsz-20-digital-cameras/11418.html

March 2nd, 2011 March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Comes in black or silver, there's no news as to when the Olympus SZ-30MR will be available, or its pricing.

Olympus has unveiled the new additions to their line of digital cameras, namely TG-810, SZ-30MR and SZ-20. The TG-810 will be available this month, though no availability dates confirmed for the SZ-30MR and SZ-20.

The 16-megapixel OLYMPUS SZ-20 sports a stylish body, supports high-sensitivity shooting and features super-wide 12.5x optical zoom from its 24mm wide-angle lens, DUAL IS, and full high definition movie recording. Like the TG-810 and SZ-30MR, this one also offers eight Magic Filters for various effects, 3D photo shooting and is Eye-Fi card compatible. The SZ-20 will be available in black and silver. No word as to when it will be on retail shelf, or its pricing. The OLYMPUS TOUGH TG-810 digital camera claims to be waterproof to a depth of 10 meters, shockproof against falls from as high as two meters, freezeproof at temperatures as low as -10째C and crushproof loads up to 100kgf. Available in black, blue, red and silver, the 14-megapixel compact camera is also equipped with GPS functions and an electronic compass that record location data. Other features include high definition movie (1280x720) recording, eight Magic Filters for various effects, 3D photo shooting and Eye-Fi card compatible.

England attempts to hit the 'Del' button on Facebook cyberbullying Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/england-attempts-to-hit-the-delbutton-on-facebook-cyberbullying/11416.html March 2nd, 2011

The TG-810 is scheduled to go on sale in Singapore in March, 2011. Pricing to be announced. Think that you are well protected by a veil of anonymity when you post messages online to various message boards and social networking sites? Well, think again: law enforcement agencies are hard at work in ensuring that users who frequently intimidate other web users online face the consequences of their actions under the legal system. And what better way to ensure a more civil Web by hitting users where it hurts the most: at the popular online social networking service known as Facebook?

Designed for travel, sports, athletic meet or other events, the Olympus SZ-30MR is an easy-to-use "all-in-one" camera that lets users enjoy advanced photography and movies. It features a 16-megapixel Backlit CMOS sensor and dual image processing engines for multi-recording, simultaneous recording of photo and movie, and full HD movies. With its 24x optical zoom lens, you can go up-close to the subject and capture almost every details conveniently. On top of that, the DUAL IS uses a CMOS-shift image stabilization mechanism and high-sensitivity image capturing to reduce picture blur.

This should be a common scenario for certain Facebook users: someone who just has a bone to pick with you will not stop harrassing you and your virtual account for days, or even weeks on end. And more often than not, the victim is often helpless in such situations, as the veil of anonymity offered by humankind's invention known as the Internet all that is 10

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

needed to bring out some of the more undesirable facets of human behaviour. Still, it does not mean that other more sensible humans have not been hard at work in attempting to make sure that such situations cease to be common occurrences. And the good news is that law enforcement agencies are starting to clamp down on acts of online bullying, with the latest action being centred around the popular online social networking service known as Facebook. Details are somewhat sparse, but according to a report posted by The Telegraph, detectives now have the authority to send warning messages to cyber bullies informing them that their actions are running afoul of the law and could face prosecution if they do not desist. In addition, to strike the fear of having that very veil of anonymity stripped away into the aforementioned bullies, the offenders' parents will also be notified by law enforcement agencies via a letter describing the offences committed by the child and what are the possible consequences of not ceasing such activities. This scheme is the brainchild of a police constable in England known as Dave Thomas, who described it as a move designed to "nip the problem in the bud". "By alerting their parents to the problem, we are aiming to nip the problem in the bud and prevent it becoming something more serious.," he said, adding that Internet users typically do not think twice about what they write online. "If we have to investigate Facebook messages as harassment or public order offences and the young person gets charged, it could seriously affect their future. While we want them to realise how serious the matter is, we also want to avoid that and keep young people out of the criminal justice system if possible," he explained.

It seems like the numbers for browser market share are filly out for public viewing, and that is always good news for most browser fans and pundits. After all, there is no better proof than a bunch of statistics to justify one's claim of 'which browser is the next thing to look out for', especially when the browser market is chock full of competitors today from the likes of heavyweight software vendors such as Apple, Google, Microsoft and Mozilla. So, the question most of you will probably be having right now will probably go along the lines of 'How much market share did Microsoft lose in February' or 'How much did Firefox/Chrome/Safari gain'. However, it would seem that the numbers for February seem to buck the trend we have all been accustomed to: instead of continuing to lose market share like it had always been, Internet Explorer actually saw a gain of 0.77% in browser share for the month of February. On the other hand, Firefox was the unexpected casualty time, dropping 0.99% from its January results, as shown in the charts below.

Internet Explorer sees modest gains in market share for February Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/internet-explorer-sees-modest-gainsin-market-share-for-february/11415.html March 2nd, 2011

It seems like February may have been a very good month for Microsoft and its Internet Explorer team in particular. According to the latest statistics released by Netmarketshare, Microsoft's web browser gained more than 0.5% in market share, all at Firefox's expense. Does this mean that Microsoft has finally gotten things right with Internet Explorer?

March 2nd, 2011

However, fans of Microsoft and Internet Explorer might want to hold their horses instead of celebrating their newfound gain in browser market share. This is due to the fact that the analyst firm responsible for churning out the results have claimed in an announcement that the spike in IE's share was the cause of switching to a new counting algorithm released by the C.I.A. Unfortunately, the lack of further details from Netmarketshare means that it is not possible to determine whether Internet Explorer's sudden spike in popularity is truly caused by more users moving back to Internet Explorer (especially when IE9's Release Candidate was only released recently), or whether it is merely the result of a simple adjustment to the way browser market share is calculated.

Still, it does not change the fact that the numbers reflect positively on Microsoft and Internet Explorer for the month of February. After all, a gain is still a gain, and with Microsoft having demonstrated that it can produce a standardscompliant browser with IE9, it may not be that surprising to find out if the Redmond giant is really starting to win more Internet users back to its fold.

Google fixes Gmail issues, provides explanation for the freak incident Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-fixes-gmail-issues-providesexplanation-for-the-freak-incident/11414.html March 2nd, 2011

Remember the little freak accident caused by Google by some users woke up on Monday only to find their Gmail accounts emptied of all their messages? Well, it seems that Google has managed to identify the culprit responsible for the little incident, and has issued a statement describing what actually happened that day. On the plus side, the search giant has also assured users that no data was permanently wiped off the face of the virtual world. Read on to find out more.

Published by: VR-Zone

single message and folder in their Gmail account has been cleaned off without their knowledge? We're sure you did: after all, email conversations are serious business, and having all your messages wiped out in an instant without warning is definitely the best way to ruin anyone's day. Well, the good news about this little issue is that Google has confirmed what most people were probably anxiously waiting for. According to a message posted on Google's official Gmail blog, the loss of emails was caused by a botched storage software update: this update apparently contained a bug severe enough to affect several copies of backup content stored across multiple data centres. However, uses can rest assured that their data is still safe from complete erasure. This is because the search giant claims that it has kept additional backups on tape drives which are not hooked up to online-capable machines, and has thus survivied the failed update. The only issue is that it will take time for the search giant to restore said data from the tape drives, as the recovery process appears to be much more complex than simply sending a request to another data centre. Still, users can take consolation in the fact that Google has been working hard to ensure that all recovered content is being processed and sent out to affected users as soon as possible. According to the latest update from the search giant, all backup content has already been successfully processed and are now currently on their way back to their respective users' mail folders, where they rightfully belong. With any luck, affected users should have their Gmail messages fully restored by the end of today.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Sony Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionssony/11400.html March 2nd, 2011

Sony will be at the IT Show 2011, which is happening from 10 to 13 March at the Suntec City Convention Centre. Here are some of their promotions at the Show.

Do you remember the article we posted two days back about some users logging into Gmail, only to find out that every 12

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

*Varies depending on each application

Intel Solid State Drive 320 Series to launch mid-April Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-solid-state-drive-320-series-tolaunch-mid-april/11407.html March 2nd, 2011

The Intel Solid State Drive 320 Series, codenamed 'Postville Refresh', is the long-awaited successor to the present mainstream X25-M. The new SSDs are set to launch in midApril.

It features a conventional AC input for fast charging and comes with a detachable USB output module with embedded Li-ion rechargeable battery for portable power supply. Uses can detach and carry just the USB output module when they need extra power on-the-go for their mobile devices. The USB Portable Power Supply CP-A2L will be launched during IT Show 2011 at a suggested retail price of S$49.90 inclusive of GST. Input Source Input Module Dimension (WxHxD mm) Weight No. of USB output ports Output Source

Output Module Output Module Dimension (WxHxD mm) Weight USB Authentication Detachable (Input/Output) Batteries Capacity Charging Source Charging Time Cycle Time Output Time (5V/1.0A constant)

AC 100-240 V 58 x 56 x 21.5 45g 2 Standard USB 5V 0.5A per port for 2 ports or USB 5V 1.0A for high power output for 1 port only Li-ion rechargeable battery with USB Standard Output 58 x 84.5 x 26.4 145g Yes Yes Li-ion 4,000 mAh AC Approx. 5 hours 500 120 min

The 320 Series will be pushed as 'the fast hard drive alternative' with performance and data reliability as two key focus areas. Final performance figures and drive lifespan are not available yet, but we do expect them to be pretty much the same as rumored specifications so far:

Apple iPad 2 Rumour Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-ipad-2-rumourroundup/11413.html March 2nd, 2011

The moment we have been waiting for; in less than 24 hours to Apple's announcement of the highly-anticipated iPad, let's take a moment and look at what are some of the things we may expect of the upcoming iPad 2. 13

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Storage It is sort of Apple's tradition to bump up their products' internal storage. But judging from the sizes of current iPad and flash RAM prices, it would be unlikely. We go with the guess that Apple would stick to their offering of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Internal storage size will be somewhat irrevelant if Apple really launch their cloud-based iTunes and MobileMe. Holes

Literally months and months of rumours have come about when it comes to the upcoming iPad 2. While there are many claims, only a few of them we feel that are plausible and we have taken the liberty to feature them here. iPad 2 body: thinner and lighter? Through many leaked cases made for the upcoming iPad 2, as well as mockups seen at Macworld, we can conclude that the successor will feature a thinner shell than the first born. On top of shedding weight in that slimmer shell, it should feature a flat back with sides tappering in. While the general consensus is that it will be made of aluminium, there is a rumour out there that the device will be covered in carbon fiber to reduce the weight and offers scratch resistant. One of the most recent rumour is that the tablet may feature a white face as seen in the leaked front bezel found in China. If Apple do drop the whitey on us, it would not be surpising for Apple to launch it alongside a black version. No Retina but better screen? Since the introduction of the Retina screen on the iPhone 4, many have expected Apple to incorporate that into the next iPad. But this myth was debunked by analysts and manufacturers as it would require more juice and raw power to drive the tablet. Instead, we believe that screen will have the same size and resolution, but thinner design (which gives the iPad 2 a thinner shell too). Quality of the screen could be improved too. The insides What's the point of including the same power graphics, CPU and RAM in the newer version? That's why many speculated that Apple will be using a faster ARM Cortex A9-based unit with dual cores. Some have called that A5, and some A8. Guess we will only find out when it is officially out. Cameras Many other tablet makers have included cameras in their own versions and Apple has been criticised for not including any. With reference to FaceTime in the iOS 4.3 betas for iPad, and leaked iPad 2 cases with camera holes on the back, we are extremely certain that Apple will include a front and rear camera for video-taking, photography and FaceTime (for video conferencing). The front camera is said to be of the same resolution to those found on the iPhone 4 (VGA-resolution). The back, on the other hand, should feature a 3.2-megapixel camera that is capable of recording HD videos.

With closer analysis of the holes of the leaked iPad 2 cases, it can be said that Apple will still retain its 30-pin iPod connector. Some might argue that Apple is scrapping that due to recent EU rulings. But we expect Apple to just go around that issue with a 30-pin to micro-USB adaptor. The large hole at the bottom left of the iPad is expected to be a much superior speaker. But the hole that raises more questions is the "new" hole on the top of the iPad 2 cases. Some say it is a mini DisplayPort, for easier connectivity to HDTV screens. But it might be a hybrid port featuring the recently released Thunderbolt. It is unlikely to be a USB port. In a nutshell... There are other rumours that circles around the next iPad, but these are the ones which we feel might actually come true for iPad 2. To find out the truth, remember to stay tuned to our coverage of Apple's media event tomorrow.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 01 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--01mar-2011/11408.html March 2nd, 2011

In today's news roundup: Intel's unlocked i7-2600K processor gets reviewed; AMD claims that Intel's Thunderbolt is 'just another proprietary interface', Samsung is reportedly planning a Galaxy Tab 2 launch on March 22; Images of Apple's iPad 2 appears to have been leaked out before its official launch; Our sister site SGCafe has a quick hands on with the new Crysis 2 demo, and Thousands of PlayStation 3 consoles have been seized in the EU, ostensibly due to an ongoing dispute between LG and Sony over Blu-ray copyright infringement claims Hardware News: Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro CPU Cooler Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The sound level rating that Arctic Cooling used for the Freezer 13 Pro is the Sone. The Sone is a perceived level of sound; it is not like dB ratings. Since there is no direct conversion, in a roundabout way, 0.4 Sone is roughly equivalent to 24 dBA. Now the Scythe fans I use in the test bench for top exhaust are rated 1200RPM and push 68.5 CFM at 24dBA. In my testing I found the Freezer 13 Proâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fans to 14

March 2nd, 2011

sound the same or quieter as the Scythe fans; I know I could not hear the Freezer 13 Pro over the Scythe fans... Increasing processor efficiency by matching power with demand Description: As more and more devices go mobile and these devices become more and more powerful, chipmakers must also take the energy efficiency into account. Harvard graduate student Wonyoung Kim has developed and demonstrated an on-chip, multi-core voltage regulator (MCVR) that he says could allow the creation of "smarter" smartphones, slimmer laptops and more energy efficient data centers by more closely matching the power supply to the demand of the chip. Intel I7-2600K Sandybridge Processor Review @ Tweaknews Description: After several weeks testing and trying out Intel's Core i7-2600k Sandybridge processor, there isn't a whole lot to say other than it's relatively cheap, it's fast and it's extremely overclockable. When a processor comes in just over US$300 and is this fast, NO ONE can complain Apevia X-Fit-100 Mini-ITX Case Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: One lucky case in the Mini-ITX market is the Apevia X-Fit-100 Mini-ITX Case. The X-Fit-100 offers a slim profile and sleek look that will work with any mini-ITX application. There is enough space to fit a 2.5" hard drive, slim optical drive, and a low profile PCI card. The X-Fit-100 comes equipped with a Apevia Flex ATX 250W power supply, which is more than enough for a mini-ITX system. There are vents on the top and sides that help expel heat and keep the case quiet. The X-Fit-100 also has a sturdy build, constructed from 0.7mm metal SECC. The style and finish is black, which matches perfect with most people's decor. ARM strikes microcontroller licensing deals Description: ARM has announced two strategic partnerships in the microcontroller (MCU) market with an aim to strengthening ties and developing on the technologies. Enermax ErPRO 80+ -350W PSU Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine Translation) The Enermax ErPRO 80+ -350W PSU arrived Technic3D. See you in the following Review from Technic3D the next PSU with two +12V rails (17A), 120mm Twister Fan, 6x SATA hard disk connectors and 1x PCI-e 6+2-Pin. Seventeam V-Force 650w Preview - XSReviews Description: While we may have reviewed this unit before and we may not be doing full PSU reviews unless we have access to the proper equipment, that doesn't stop us doing a quick unboxing and feature analysis preview right? So here we have the Seventeam V-Force 650w ST-650Z-AF. Let's, you know, open the box and look at it; and stuff. " AMD Does Not Believe in Intel's Thunderbolt. Description: Advanced Micro Devices, the second largest supplier of x86 microprocessors on the globe and the designer of half of the world's discrete graphics adapters, said that Intel Corp.'s recently introduced Thunderbolt input/output technology will become just another proprietary standard with not a lot of chances to be adopted widely. The chip designer also doubted that the TB actually brings any tangible improvements.

Published by: VR-Zone

Consumer Electronics and Software News: Samsung To Launch 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab on March 22? Description: Samsung has announced a special March 22 event where it’s very likely to unveil a new, 8.9-inch version of its Galaxy Tab tablet. Fujitsu shows off wireless PC display at CeBIT Description: Many of us can now wirelessly stream images from a computer to a screen over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi without too much trouble, but the display is still inevitably powered by cables. At CeBIT 2011, Fujitsu is showing off a working prototype of a 22-inch computer display that receives both images and power wirelessly. The power transfer is made possible by magnetic induction technology – similar to Powermat chargers – that's concentrated into hotspots built into office furniture or conference tables. OKI Adds a Flair of Colour to its Dot Matrix Printer Range Description: Blisteringly fast, printing up to 700cps (characters per second) the ML5700eco Series is a range of reliable, high performance desktop dot matrix printers all with truly versatile paper handling and low energy consumption. A first for OKI, the ML5700eco Series incorporates a convenient front paper feed to complement rear, bottom and top paper inputs for maximum flexibility. Included as standard is a multi-position tractor feed unit to make feeding continuous paper, single or multi-part, easy and straightforward. Tobii unveils the world’s first eye-controlled laptop Description: Tobii Technology today unveiled the world’s first laptop with integrated eye control. The prototype laptop has been developed in collaboration with computer manufacturer Lenovo and will be shown publicly for the first time at CeBIT in Hannover, March 1-5. Antec SoundScience Rockus 3D Speaker System @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Antec has dominated the computer chassis market for more than a decade, and with many of their customers slowly converting to portable platforms it makes good business sense to diversify the product portfolio. Enter soundscience, a subsidiary of Antec, that is dedicated to audiophile-level products for use on multiple platforms. The soundscience rockus 2.1 speaker system features 3Dsst sound technology, which makes use of 3D-audio optimized solid aluminum satellite drivers and an active subwoofer with passive radiator to create an extended low frequency response. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Antec SoundScience Rockus 3D speaker system against the Logitech Speaker System Z623 and see how well it works for gaming consoles. Did The iPad 2 Just Leak Out? Description: Is this the iPad 2? Nearly everything lines up with the leaked info: flat back with tapered edges, speaker in the bottom corner, camera up top. It even matches-up with most of the leaked cases. If it’s not the real thing, it’s a damn good render. I’m sold. Gaming News: PS3 shipments halted in Europe as Sony, LG fight over Bluray patent

March 2nd, 2011

Description: Sony's court troubles currently involve more than just tracking down hackers. According to a report from the Guardian, shipments of PlayStation 3s are being confiscated by European customs officers as Sony fights a patent battle with LG over Blu-ray. Quick Look: Crysis 2 Multiplayer Demo Description: It is time to put on your nanosuit and have a feel of Crysis 2 PC demo. The PC multiplayer download is now available on the official site, that offers 2 maps available for online play. Pier 17 and Skyline. Valve is Bringing Steam to the Living Room with Big Picture Mode Description: PC gamers that prefer playing video games on the big screen will soon be able to take Steam from their monitors to their televisions. Valve announced its "big picture" plan for Steam today, responding to consumer requests to make the online gaming platform available in more places. Read More Âť

Published by: VR-Zone

instantly". You probably noticed the above screenshot stating "The Next Generation in Game Advertising". Well, that is also part of what Gaikai do since it provides a new video game advertising network for publishers, developers, retailers and affiliates via online game demos and software apps. Well, there is no free lunch in this world - the company will need to sustain itself while providing users like us with great gaming experiences. At the moment, Gaikai is currently in closed beta though you can sign up for a beta invite and hopefully be chosen to try out Gaikai.

Gigabyte shows off early Z68 board at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-shows-off-early-z68-board-atcebit/11411.html March 2nd, 2011

Cloud-based gaming technology Gaikai goes live Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cloud-based-gaming-technologygaikai-goes-live/11410.html March 2nd, 2011

Gaikai has gone live. For those who don't know what Gaikai is, it is a cloud-based gaming technology that is similar (and probably a competitor) to Onlive. Yes, you don't need to download or install any software to play games like Call of Duty or Mass Effect 2; simply play the game via your web browser.

Cloud-computing applications are not only limited to Facebook, email, Microsoft Office Live Workspace, Google Docs or Dropbox; it has also extended to the gaming space. Imagine playing your favorite first-person shooter game like Crysis using your web browser, without the need of high-end graphics card, CPU, or even download and install software. Yes, that could be possible in the near future.

Not to be out done by its competitors, Gigabyte was also showing off an early Z68 board prototype at CeBIT, although in this case it appears to be a much earlier sample than its competitors were displaying, at least judging by the blue PCB, black slots and grey heatsinks. Also on display was Gigabyte's P67X-UD4 board which is part of what appears to be a new sub family of boards from Gigabyte, as the P67A-UD4 is still around and was just re-launched with the B3 stepping chipset. Not to be out done by its competitors, Gigabyte was also showing off an early Z68 board prototype at CeBIT, although in this case it appears to be a much earlier sample than its competitors were displaying, at least judging by the blue PCB, black slots and grey heatsinks. Also on display was Gigabyte's P67X-UD4 board which is part of what appears to be a new sub family of boards from Gigabyte, as the P67A-UD4 is still around and was just re-launched with the B3 stepping chipset. The Z68X-UD4H as the Z68 chipset based board is called doesn't look overly impressive, at least not compared to other UD4 models in Gigabyte's line-up. For starters, the power regulation on the model on display only appears to consist is a 6+1 phase design, although it's clear that it uses driver MOSFETs. In terms of slot configuration we're looking at a fairly standard setup with two x16 PCI Express slots where the second slot is activated by switching to dual x8 in the BIOS. The board also sports three x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots.

Gaikai is the latest cloud-based gaming technology that has gone live recently, which allows users "to play major PC and console games like Call Of Duty or World Of Warcraft 16

March 2nd, 2011

Other onboard features include four SATA 6Gbps ports (two via an external controller), three SATA 3Gbps ports, pin headers for eight USB 2.0 ports and a single FireWire port as well as a pin header for two USB 3.0 ports via an Etron controller, a first for Gigabyte. Around the back we find a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports â&#x20AC;&#x201C; again via an Etron controller â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a FireWire port, an eSATA 3Gbps port, DisplayPort (full size), HDMI, DVI and D-sub connectors, Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. That's a pretty loaded layout, although by now we wouldn't miss the D-sub connector or even to a degree the DVI connector terribly.

Published by: VR-Zone

You also get pin headers for two USB 3.0 ports (again using an Etron controller) six USB 2.0 ports and a single FireWire port. Around the back things are looking like a rainbow exploded, although presumably this won't be the case on the final production boards. Here we have a PS/2 port, seven USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, one powered eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, one eSATA port, one FireWire port, Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel audio with optical and coaxial S/ PDIF out. Overall an interesting board and what looks set to be a good successor of the P67A-UD4 if that's the plan, as we can't see anyone not picking this over the old model, or even the P67A-UD5.

HTC Incredible S lands in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-incredible-s-lands-insingapore/11409.html March 2nd, 2011

As for the P67X-UD4, well it actually looks like the better choice over Gigabyte's own P67A-UD5 model, as it offers some additional advantages of the pricier model. For starters, it has a crazily stretched out PWM design which appears to be a 16+2 design which is as long as the rear I/O, a rather unusual design if nothing else. The board has a pair of x16 PCI Express slots, again with the second slot only operating in x8 mode when enabled and there are also two x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. It's good to see that Gigabyte has added an additional pair of SATA 6Gbps ports to this board for a total of four, alongside four SATA 3Gbps ports.

HTC has announced the Incredible S smartphone in Singapore, which will be available this coming weekend. The Android phone features the company's HTC Sense user interface and 8-megapixel camera with dual flash. More details inside.

HTC has unveiled their latest Incredible S Android smartphone that offers distinct design, great performance and

March 2nd, 2011

value. It also incorporates the company's unique HTC Sense user interface that makes usability more simple and natural. The Incredible S smartphone features a contoured body and lets you capture and view video in crystal clear high-definition on its 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display. With the stereo surround sound, it brings cinematic experience to the palm of your hand. You can take high quality pictures with the buildin 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and shares videos, photos and music from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA technology. Availability The HTC Incredible S will be available in Singapore through mobile operators and authorized resellers from this weekend onwards at a suggested retail price of S$758.

VR-Zone Giveaway #4 Steelseries 4XB, 5XB and 4H headsets

Published by: VR-Zone

Busy professionals have it good when it comes to carting that all-important notebook of theirs from one place to another, right? After all, most of the aforementioned professionals tend to use small suitcases as their apparel of choice for storing various documents, and most are easily large enough to accommodate a laptop if the situation calls for it. However, there are times where a typical suitcase might lack the real estate needed to shove a laptop into them for storage purposes, especially when most of the available space in one has already be occupied by all manner of documents and whatnot. And it would seem that this is the very kind of problem that a Chinese OEM has attempted to solve with its new, one-of-a-kind business suitcase. After all, why struggle over putting the PC into a suitcase, when one can put the suitcase right into the computer? It starts off a a very innocent-looking suitcase...

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vr-zone-giveaway-4-steelseries-4xb-5xb-and-4h-headsets/11406.html March 2nd, 2011

Follow 4 easy steps and stand a chance to win different prizes every week. This week..we are giving away: SteelSeries 4XB, 5XB and 4H headsets Check out http://launch.vrzone.com and find out how you can win these prizes ...that has a mini briefcase built into it.

Now this is we would call a real 'suitcase PC' Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/now-this-is-we-would-call-a-realsuitcase-pc-/11405.html March 2nd, 2011

Have you ever experienced a need to pack your notebook into a suitcase, only to find out that it will not fit because of the lack of real estate needed to do so? Well, leave it to the Chinese to solve the little problem in what has got to be the most novel of ways. Now this is certainly a good example of thinking within the box, no?

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Opening the 'briefcase' reveals the prize: a tablet PC built right into the briefcase, complete with a full-sized keyboard.

Amazing, is it not? Unfortunately, this is where the classic 'good news bad news' situation comes into play. Apparently, in an attempt to squeeze the PC into the confines of a tiny suitcase, the OEM was forced to make some significant compromises with the machine's performance levels. While the 'suitcase PC' will come preloaded with Windows XP to ensure maximum compatibility with the existing Windows ecosystem, the hardware used to power the device is anything but impressive. According to a report made by Chinese IT website 1Pad.cn, the device uses a RDC3306 x86-compatible processor clocked at 1.2GHz, while the system will sport a mere 512MB of memory. As there does not appear to be any room for a dedicated hard disk, storage is accomplished by loading the device with 8GB worth of NAND flash memory chips, while the 10-inch touchscreen utilizes resistive technology and sports a rather low resolution of 1024 x 600. Granted, the hardware specifications sound mediocre at best, but 1Pad.cn claims that the device was intended to be sold as a corporate gift for businesses. As such, it would make sense that such a computer does not need to possess the computing power found in today's PCs. Still, would you not agree that this PC would make for a rather practical gift, considering its relatively small price tag of approximately 2,000 yuan (US $305)?

Singapore Airlines customers in the US, Singapore and five other Asia Pacific countries and territories can now pay for their flights with PayPal on singaporeair.com. This service will be made available to the Airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers in up to 17 countries, which claims to be the largest collaboration between PayPal and an Asian carrier to date. After booking Singapore Airlines flights online, travellers can now pay for tickets using their PayPal account in as few as three clicks and without the need to re-type their credit card or financial details. A year-long global marketing campaign will be launched to celebrate the collaboration between Singapore Airlines and PayPal. The first marketing promotion allows travellers in the initial launch markets who pay for their Singapore Airlines flight with PayPal the chance to win back the price of their flight (up to S$2,000). One lucky winner will be selected daily from 7 March 2011 to 6 April 2011. Besides using their online balance, PayPal users can pay for their Singapore Airlines flights from their bank accounts, credit cards or debit cards that are linked to their PayPal account.

Adobe kicks off Acrobat X Wizard quiz Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/adobe-kicks-off-acrobat-x-wizardquiz/11401.html March 2nd, 2011

You can now pay your SIA flight tickets with Paypal Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/you-can-now-pay-your-sia-flighttickets-with-paypal/11402.html March 2nd, 2011

From today, Singapore Airline customers from seven countries including Singapore and USA are able to purchase their flight tickets using Paypal. The service will also extend to 17 countries. Read on for the details.

Adobe's software is highly regarded by many professionals to be the de facto standard set of tools for churning out creative works in the media industry. Unfortunately, having the power of professional software at one's fingertips usually comes at a heavy price, literally. But if you want a chance to get your hand on some of Adobe's software without having to foot a single cent, why not give this little quiz of sorts from Adobe a go and see what prizes await you?

March 2nd, 2011

Do you fancy getting your hands on a copy of Adobe's latest office productivity and creative tools? If so, then you are in luck: Adobe has got a few of these products to give away as prizes. All you have to do is take part in a simple quiz or 'quest' known as the Adobe PDF Guild Quest, answer some questions, recommend a few friends to take the quiz and you might be one of the lucky few to walk away with a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.

Published by: VR-Zone

Here's a caveat though: users are only allowed one attempt at the quiz, and the scores gained in the process of doing so is definitely not enough to net some of the better prizes Adobe is giving away. This is where having a huge network of virtual friends becomes a huge asset. Indeed, Adobe has confirmed that there are other ways of chalking up points, and that involves being an active member on Adobe's PDF Guild's Facebook page and recommending more friends to take up the Guild quiz.

To take part, users have to visit Adobe's PDF Guild website at http://www.adobepdfguild.com/and sign in with their Facebook account, as shown in the screenshot below. Doing so will make you a member of the Guild.

Of course, you can also expect some form of rewards for your efforts.

Do take note that you will need to have an actual working copy of Adobe Acrobat X (either 30-day trial or full version) in order to proceed with the quiz, as users are required to use the software as a tool for fulfilling certain tasks such as creating certain PDF files which must then be uploaded to Adobe's servers. The goal is to attain a 'Wizard' ranking at the end of the quiz to prove your mastery of Adobe's Acrobat X productivity tool.

Asus and MSI's Z68 boards unveiled at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-and-msi-s-z68-boards-unveiledat-cebit/11403.html

March 2nd, 2011 March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

two x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. However, MSI has added a third SATA 6Gbps port via a third party controller for a total of three SATA 6Gbps ports and four SATA 3Gbps ports.

The very first Z68 motherboards are starting to trickle out at CeBIT and the first two boards are from Asus and MSI. The models are the Asus P8PZ68-V Pro and the MSI Z68A-GD80, of which the MSI board appears to be the higher-end model. The selling point of both boards is that they overclock, but you can still make use of Intel's integrated graphics, something that might become appealing with a sprinkle of LucidLogix Virtu software. The very first Z68 motherboards are starting to trickle out at CeBIT and the first two boards are from Asus and MSI. The models are the Asus P8PZ68-V Pro and the MSI Z68A-GD80, of which the MSI board appears to be the higher-end model. The selling point of both boards is that they overclock, but you can still make use of Intel's integrated graphics, something that might become appealing with a sprinkle of LucidLogix Virtu software. The Asus P8Z68-V Pro actually looks a lot like Asus' P8P67 Pro, but with a different rear I/O layout. This might not be the final layout, so expect the possibility of some features to change before it launches. The board has three x16 PCI Express slots, although the second one only works when two graphics cards are inserted in dual x8 mode and the third slot only has four lanes worth of bandwidth. The board also has two x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots.

MSI has also added headers for two USB 3.0 ports, six USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire port. This board also features a Voltage readout block just in front of the power connector, just like the P67A-GD80. Around the back MSI has fitted four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a PS/2 port, an eSATA 6Gbps port, a FireWire port, dual Gigabit Ethernet, a DVI and HDMI port and 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. Of the two boards we'd say the MSI looks like the winner, at least in terms of features, but it's also likely to be the more expensive model of the two. Both companies have worked with LucidLogix in the past, so we'd expect that its Virtu software will be bundled with both boards when they ship. Without it, the Z68 chipset is still something of a winner, although be aware that it's not likely that you'll be able to use Intel's QuickSync technology without it, at least not if the Z68 chipset works anything like the H67 chipset when you insert a discrete graphics card.

MAINGEAR unleashes TITAN 17 gaming laptop Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/maingear-unleashes-titan-17-gaminglaptop/11378.html March 2nd, 2011

Other onboard connectors include two SATA 6Gbps ports, four SATA 3Gbps ports and three pin headers for up to six USB 2.0 ports. Around the back we spotted six USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports (via a Renesas controller), an eSATA port, a Gigabit Ethernet jack, a DVI, HDMI and D-sub connector, 7.1channel audio with optical S/PDIF out and a Bluetooth dongle. All pretty much par for the course, of course with the addition of the display interfaces, something that so far hasn't been a feature found on high-end motherboards.

MAINGEAR, a popular PC manufacturer in USA, has announced their most powerful laptop. Dubbed the TITAN 17, this desktop replacement packs the high-end hardware components that offer superb performance to gamers and creative professionals.

MSI has gone even higher up the scale with its Z68A-GD80, at least if the model name follows that of MSI's standard naming scheme. The slot layout is actually identical to Asus' P8PZ68-V with three x16 PCI Express slots with the same configuration, 21

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

- Media Card Reader: Built in 3-in-1 Media Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/SD/Mini-SD/SDHC/ SDXC) - Operating System: Genuine Professional or Ultimate 64-Bit

Windows®

Home,

- Battery: Removable Smart Lithium-Ion battery pack (8 cell) - I/O Ports: 1-HDMI out, 1-DVI-I out, 2-USB 3.0, 3-USB 2.0, 1 IEEE-1394 Fire Wire, 1-S/PDIF out, 1 RJ-45 LAN, 1 RJ-11 , 1-eSATA Port MAINGEAR has added the TITAN 17 high performance desktop replacement to their product line, designed for PC gamers who want desktop-like performance wherever they go, and creative professionals who can work on site without losing productivity. The TITAN 17 features the fastest processor - the Intel Core i7 990X Extreme Edition - and with fast, intelligent multi-core technology, it claims to be capable of delivering an incredible breakthrough in gaming performance. Equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M, the TITAN 17 combines the power of DirectX 11 and NVIDIA PhysX technologies to achieve the fastest performance and visuallystunning graphics on its 17.3-inch full 1080P HD LED-backlit display. The GTX 485M can also be configured in SLI to offer up to 2x performances scaling on today’s latest games. You can even connect your notebook to an NVIDIA 3D Visionready display for an immersive gaming experience. This powerhouse notebook comes with up to 12GB DDR3 memory, two hardwired USB 3.0 ports, up to three SSD or SATA HDD’s with hardware RAID support, and even when fully loaded it keeps the option for an optical drive. Technical Specification: - Video Card: up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M SLI with 2GB GDDR5 - Display: 17.3-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 - (1080p) Widescreen (16:9 Aspect Ratio) LED Backlit with Super Clear Anti-Glare Type Screen - Processor: Up to Intel Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Desktop Processor - Memory: Up to 12GB Dual Channel DDR3 - 1333Mhz - Optical Drive: Up to 2X Blu-ray reader/8x Multi Combo (BDR, DVD+-RW, CD-RW) - Hard Drive: Up to 3x 485GB Solid State Drive or 750GB 7200RPM SATA 2.5 - Network Adapter: Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1102 supports 802.11a/b/g/n - Audio: Built-in High-Definition Audio

- Security: Kensington Lock and fingerprint reader - Dimensions: (W)16.5" x (H)2.2" x (D)11.3", 12.13 LBs with battery pack Price starts at US$2,799

NVIDIA to make parallel programming easier with CUDA 4.0 Toolkit Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-to-make-parallel-programmingeasier-with-cuda-4.0-toolkit/11399.html March 2nd, 2011

NVIDIA today announced the latest version of the NVIDIA® CUDA® Toolkit for developing parallel applications using NVIDIA GPUs. The NVIDIA CUDA 4.0 Toolkit was designed to make parallel programming easier, and enable more developers to port their applications to GPUs. Unified Virtual Addressing, GPU-to-GPU Communication and Enhanced C++ Template Libraries Enable More Developers to Take Advantage of GPU Computing SINGAPORE - March 1, 2011 - NVIDIA today announced the latest version of the NVIDIA® CUDA® Toolkit for developing parallel applications using NVIDIA GPUs. The NVIDIA CUDA 4.0 Toolkit was designed to make parallel programming easier, and enable more developers to port their applications to GPUs. This has resulted in three main features: • NVIDIA GPUDirect™ 2.0 Technology - Offers support for peer-to-peer communication among GPUs within a single server or workstation. This enables easier and faster multi-GPU programming and application performance. • Unified Virtual Addressing (UVA) - Provides a single merged-memory address space for the main system memory and the GPU memories, enabling quicker and easier parallel programming.

March 2nd, 2011

• Thrust C++ Template Performance Primitives Libraries - Provides a collection of powerful open source C+ + parallel algorithms and data structures that ease of programming for C++ developers. With Thrust, routines such as parallel sorting are 5X to 100X faster than with Standard Template Library (STL) and Threading Building Blocks (TBB).

"Unified virtual addressing and faster GPU-to-GPU communication makes it easier for developers to take advantage of the parallel computing capability of GPUs," said John Stone, Senior research programmer, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. "Having access to GPU computing through the standard template interface greatly increases productivity for a wide range of tasks, from simple cashflow generation to complex computations with Libor market models, variable annuities or CVA adjustments," said Peter Decrem, director of Rates Products at Quantifi. "The Thrust C++ library has lowered the barrier of entry significantly by taking care of low-level functionality like memory access and allocation, allowing the financial engineer to focus on algorithm development in a GPU-enhanced environment." The CUDA 4.0 architecture release includes a number of other key features and capabilities, including: • MPI Integration with CUDA Applications - Modified MPI implementations like OpenMPI automatically move data from and to the GPU memory over Infiniband when an application does an MPI send or receive call. • Multi-thread Sharing of GPUs - Multiple CPU host threads can share contexts on a single GPU, making it easier to share a single GPU by multi-threaded applications.

Published by: VR-Zone

• New GPU binary disassembler

A release candidate of CUDA Toolkit 4.0 will be available free of charge beginning March 4, 2011, by enrolling in the CUDA Registered Developer Programme at: www.nvidia.com/paralleldeveloper. The CUDA Registered Developer Programme provides a wealth of tools, resources, and information for parallel application developers to maximise the potential of CUDA. For more information on the features and capabilities of the CUDA Toolkit and on GPGPU applications, please visit: www.nvidia.com/cuda. Source: NVIDIA Press Release

Crysis 2 PC Multiplayer Demo Pictorial Review (56k warning!) Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crysis-2-pc-multiplayer-demopictorial-review-56k-warning-/11398.html March 2nd, 2011

System Specs used in this review: Intel C2Q @ 4.2ghz ATI Radeon 6950 flashed to 6970 @ 935/1450 Windows 7 64bit SP1 ATI Catalyst 11.2 with CAP 11.2 (Tesellation forced to off)

• Multi-GPU Sharing by Single CPU Thread - A single CPU host thread can access all GPUs in a system. Developers can easily coordinate work across multiple GPUs for tasks such as "halo" exchange in applications. • New NPP Image and Computer Vision Library - A rich set of image transformation operations that enable rapid development of imaging and computer vision applications. • New and Improved Capabilities • Auto performance analysis in the Visual Profiler • New features in cuda-gdb and added support for MacOS • Added support for C++ features like new/delete and virtual functions 23

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

AMD Radeon HD 6990 Launch on 8th March Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-radeon-hd-6990-launch-on-8thmarch/11397.html March 2nd, 2011

Donaminhaber has leaked out the presentation slides on the upcoming AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics card which is slated to launch on March 8th. AMD is touting it as the world's fastest graphics card as least till NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 comes along. The Antilles card comes with dual Cayman XT GPUs at 40nm process, 2 x 389mm2 die size, 2 x 2.64B transistors, 3072 ALU, 192 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and 4GB of GDDR5 memory at 256-bit width and 5.0 Gbps data rate.

March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

everything else is secondary it if you are going for the scores. Pricing is unknown for now.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread coming to Samsung Galaxy S Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/android-2.3-gingerbread-coming-tosamsung-galaxy-s/11396.html March 2nd, 2011

Good news to those who are still using the Samsung Galaxy S. Even though the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S II Android smartphone was announced in February, the Korea manufacturer has not forgotten the loyal fans who are still using their flagship Galaxy S. And the company is bringing the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update to them.

Samsung has performed well in the Android smartphone market in 2010, with the introduction of their Galaxy S (model: GT-I9000) which has since sold more than 10 million units. According to reports, the Samsung Galaxy S will soon have an upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. A Samsung Germany official has expressed that the Galaxy S I9000 will receive the update in March, though no specific date or details were given. If the news is believed to be true, this surely benefits the Galaxy S owners and the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will no doubt provide better features, performance and experience.

Looking at the slides, there is a dual BIOS switch on the card that allows to overclock the card on the fly. The default shipping clocks for the card is 830MHz core and 1250MHz memory and by switching to OC mode, the core clock becomes 880MHz but memory clock remains unchanged. However, the VGPU is increased from 1.17V to 1.175V and the TDP is increased from 375W to 450W. Do your own maths if that few percent improvement in gaming performance is worth the additional heat generated if you are a gamer but definitely, 25

March 2nd, 2011

HTC confirms Gingerbread update for Incredible S and entire Desire smartphone lineup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-confirms-gingerbread-update-forincredible-s-and-entire-desire-smartphone-lineup/11373.html March 2nd, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

by HTC's announcement. This is due to the fact that the Desire is one of the oldest phones in HTC's current lineup, and it is understandable that many were worried if HTC would decide to drop the phone from future updates, considering that the Desire has already been given one such update to bring its firmware version up from Eclair to Froyo. Still, we would encourage that owners of the aforementioned smartphone models avoid 'sweating the small stuff' and just enjoy what HTC is bringing to their mobile phones. After all, a firmware upgrade is always a good thing, right?

Do you happen to own a HTC-branded smartphone that runs off Google's Android operating system? Well, if your answer to that questions is 'yes', this might be just the news needed to kick off your Tuesday morning to a good start: the OEM has confirmed that at least four products in its Android lineup have been given the green light for getting Gingerbread by Q2.

Firmware upgrades. Don't we all love them? After all, nothing can be more exciting than pressing the 'Software Update' button on an Android-based smartphone and learning that there is a free update in store for your device. And this is especially so since each subsequent update of the Android operating system is supposed to provide additional benefits over the previous version, such as the introduction of various new features or more efficient battery usage. And if you happen to be utilizing a HTC-branded device as your mobile phone of choice, it would seem that there is much to look forward to where such firmware updates are concerned. According to a recent announcement made by the Taiwanese smartphone OEM, the company plans to update at least four of its smartphones to version 2.3 of the Android operating system (aka Gingerbread) by Q2 this year, and the lucky models are: • HTC Desire • HTC Desire Z • HTC Desire HD, and • HTC Incredible S While it is expected that the Desire Z, Desire HD and Incredible S would eventually receive the Gingerbread treatment due to them being fairly recent introductions to the Android ecosystem, Desire owners would probably be elated 26

March 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.

How power supplies work Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/how-power-supplies-work/11366.html March 5th, 2011

Even though power supply units are the most critical part of almost every electronic device, being a component absolutely vital to their operation, they rarely are given the attention they deserve. Almost no technology equipment can operate without them since electronic devices cannot operate using the utility grid AC voltage, which also varies in level and frequency depending on your position on the planet. There are more than eight types of power supplies currently available; in this article we are going to focus on only the two types available for household and business equipment: linear and switching power supplies. Even though power supply units are the most critical part of almost every electronic device, being a component absolutely vital to their operation, they rarely are given the attention they deserve. Almost no technology equipment can operate without them since electronic devices cannot operate using the utility grid AC voltage, which also varies in level and frequency depending on your position on the planet. There are more than eight types of power supplies currently available; in this article we are going to focus on only the two types available for household and business equipment: linear and switching power supplies. Several people may believe the power supplies are limited to computer applications. That is incorrect since almost every piece of technology need a power supply to operate. Some examples include and are not limited to your phone charger, your TV and your alarm clock. As we mentioned before, no electronic equipment can operate on AC voltage. It is the power supply's job to convert AC voltage to another form, suitable for the equipment. Or, to be even more accurate, the definition of a power supply is that "it is an apparatus designed to convert one form of electric energy to another".

The vast majority of users are simply not aware of the presence of power supplies because they are integrated into the equipment. Most of them are not replaceable because those devices have no expandability or upgradeability and are (hopefully!) designed to exceed the product's lifetime. For example, you cannot replace the power supply of your TV because there is no way to upgrade or expand your TV and force it to require more power, meaning that ultimately there is no reason to perform a power supply upgrade. Computers are an entirely different matter; they are fully expandable and customizable, meaning that not only each and every one of them has different power needs but that the needs of every single computer can be altered several times during its operational lifetime. A power supply transforming the utility grid AC voltage to DC voltage for the equipment to use must perform certain functions at the highest possible efficiency and at the lowest possible cost. The basic functions usually are: 1. Rectification - Convert the input AC voltage to DC voltage. 2. Voltage transformation - Adjust the supplied voltage to the required levels. 3. Filtering - Smoothen the ripple of the supplied voltage. 4. Regulation - Control the supplied voltage regardless of line, load and / or temperatures changes. 5. Isolation - Electrically isolate the input voltage source from the output. 6. Protection - Prevent any damaging power phenomena from reaching or take effect at the output.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: ASUS Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsasus/11436.html March 5th, 2011

March 5th, 2011

Aside from attractive discounts and promotions, ASUS will also be launching some new products at next week's IT Show 2011 at Suntec City Convention Centre. Read on for the various star products that will be sold at their booth. Booth Location (Level, Booth Number) Level 4, Hall 402 & 403, Booth 8220 (ASUS) Update: Added ASUS laptops and netbooks

Published by: VR-Zone

ASUS Easy User Interface Enjoy Simultaneous printing and scanning by connecting an All-in-one printer to the router via the USB port. Also, connect external hard disks to enjoy instant file sharing with family and friends. 300,000 Sessions Perfect for P2P Download Download Master provides up to 300,000 sessions for unparalleled P2P performance – offering an unprecedented 20 times larger bandwidth than traditional routers. Such a large volume of P2P or BitTorrent downloads are accomplished rapidly with assurance of complete data transfers throughout the day – even when the users’ PCs are turned off. Solid Wireless Performance Combined with its powerful CPU, the ASUS RT-N16 delivers maximum bandwidth, ensuring effortless synchronous file transfers and downloads, flawless video streaming, incredibly low-ping wireless gaming and VoIP calls with minimized jitter.

ASUS RT-N56U Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router

Usual price: S$189 IT Show price: TBA

Dual-band for Lag-free Entertainment Double your wireless performance and bandwidth with simultaneous 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands speed up to 300Mbps concurrently. While basic internet applications like browsing or file downloading can occur in 2.4GHz, wireless high definition content streaming takes place in the 5GHz band at the same time. Plug-n-surf and Hassle-free Management ASUS EZ UI offers you an intuitive router setup without read manuals. What’s more, you can enjoy simultaneous printing and scanning by connecting an All-in-one printer to the router via the USB port. You can also connect external hard disks to enjoy instant file sharing with family and friends. Multi-Function Twin USB Ports With effortless connectivity to a range of devices and FTP, SAMBA, UPnP AV server and DLNA standard compatible all supported, sharing and networking become easier than ever. Plus, the RT-N56U can continue downloading FTTP, FTP and BitTorrent file to the USB disk all day even when your PC is turned off. Additionally, the twin USB ports allow the router to offer printer and file server functions. Usual price: S$259 IT Show price: TBA

ASUS O!Play MINI Media Player Mini in Size – Massive on Entertainment ASUS O!Play MINI media player fits a wealth of high definition content and features in a single small device. It offers true high definition (HD) video and 7.1-channel audio for you to enjoy great movies, music and photo-sharing with your family and friends. The most powerful decoding and most popular media formats supported The O!Play MINI brings new HD experiences to viewers, free from format compatibility worries. It supports Blu-ray Disc ISO, MKV, RMVB (1080p), H.264, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, OGG, FLAC and many others. Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Channel surround and full HD 1080p bring you theater-like enjoyment Dolby TrueHD digital surround decoding and passthrough take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc quality with 7.1-Channel audio output. Full HD 1080p video through HDMI offers up to six times the resolution of traditional DVD, browse photos, even listen to music. IT Show price: TBA

ASUS RT-N16 Wireless Router 2

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Easy Wireless File Sharing - No more difficult set-up process! Enjoying your PC file is so easy The ASUS O!Play Air provides users with the easiest way to share files wirelessly. If you have the AP, all you need to do is to click the “infrastructure” item and that’s it. Enjoy more Internet media contents in the living room The On-line Media feature allows you to browse over 100 Internet TV channels, 20,000 Internet radio stations, Internet photo sharing sites, and weather updates directly streamed over the Internet to your O!Play. Internet TV: ABC, BBC News, NBC, fox sports, NHK…over 5,000 stations Internet Radio: Over 20,000 stations ASUS O!Play HD2 Experience the World’s first USB 3.0 Media Player Install any 3.5-inch hard disk and O!PLAY HD2 instantly becomes a large-capacity mobile storage device . Transfer media via USB 3.0 from PC to the O!PLAY HD2 boasts up to 10 times faster than USB2.0. 3.5-inch Hard Disk Storage Capacity With NetworkingAttached Storage (NAS) Support O!Play HD2 offers extensive media center features with server functionality for iTunes, Samba and more for fast local network file access and management.

Weather: You can search World Weather by geographical Region or country Usual price: S$249 IT Show price: TBA

ASUS introduces WL-330N3G 6-in-1 Wireless-N mobile router Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-introduces-wl-330n3g-6-in-1wireless-n-mobile-router/11474.html March 5th, 2011

Use your iPhone as a remote control The On-line Media feature allows you to browse over 100 Internet TV channels, 20,000 Internet radio stations, Internet photo sharing sites, and weather updates directly streamed over the Internet to your O!Play. Internet TV: ABC, BBC News, NBC, fox sports, NHK…over 5,000 stations Internet Radio: Over 20,000 stations Weather: You can search World Weather by geographical Region or country Pricing to be announced

The ASUS WL-330N3G offers all the benefits of a standard wireless router, with multi-role functionality and an extremely user-friendly setup. All of these features fit in a tiny device that is easy to carry, making the WL-330N3G ideal for travelers and business people who wish to extend their internet access when on the road. Singapore (March 5, 2011) - The ASUS WL-330N3G offers all the benefits of a standard wireless router, with multi-role functionality and an extremely user-friendly setup. All of these features fit in a tiny device that is easy to carry, making the WL-330N3G ideal for travelers and business people who wish to extend their internet access when on the road. Incredible flexibility The first thing to note about the WL-330N3G is its compact size - its footprint is smaller than a business card. While this makes it very easy to carry and literally pocket sized, it does not come at the expense of functionality. This is a full wireless router designed for those on the move, especially students, commuters and mobile professionals.

ASUS O!Play Air HDP-R3 Media Player Full HD 1080p and Full Format Support (including RMVB) O!Play Air takes the trend to bring new HD experience to viewers in the living room. Users do not have to worry about the compatibilities of file formats to the most formats of the video, music and picture. 3

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

button, and a 10/100 Ethernet connection for hooking up with modems, other routers and various Ethernet-enabled devices. For those looking to replace a fixed line, or to simply take their broadband connection with them when traveling or commuting, the WL-330N3G offers a perfect balance of value and performance. Specifications Ethernet

Six-in-one multi-role functionality for multi-user sharing Delivering spectacular utility and value, the WL-330N3G works as six different devices rolled into one. First and foremost, it is a mobile wireless router, connecting devices such as notebooks and smartphones to one broadband internet service. Second, it can be used as a universal repeater in conjunction with other routers to extend the range of an existing connection. Third, the WL-330N3G also functions as an access point when combined with a broadband modem, enabling connectivity for a host of devices.

Power adapter

Operating frequency Data rate

• WAN / LAN x1, RJ-45 for 10/100 BaseT • Ethernet and 802.3 with max. 10/100Mbps bit rate and auto crossover function (MDI-X) • AC input 100V - 240V, 50 - 60Hz • DC output 5V, 2A max. 2.4GHz • 802.11n: Up to 150Mbps • 802.11g: 6 - 54Mbps

Encryption / authentication Management

• 802.11b: 1 - 11Mbps Supports 64 / 128-bit WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK • DHCP server • Web-based administration • System event log • Firmware upgrade

Internet connection type The WL-330N3G can also be deployed as an Ethernet adapter for Ethernet-capable devices like game consoles, printers and cable set-top boxes. Finally, the WL-330N3G has both hotspot and 3G sharing modes built in. As a hotspot, it can serve as a mobile WiFi connection for several PCs, while in 3G sharing mode, it provides internet connectivity for several devices through the 3G network. This mode works in conjunction with a 3G USB adapter Superior coverage and speed made simple The WL-330N3G with up to 150Mbps data rate is easy to configure. The fast process is extremely simple thanks to ASUS Plug-n-Surf and network detection. Plus, the numerous ways this coverage can be extended to a host of different devices, all in a very portable manner, makes the WL-330N3G a very powerful connectivity enabler. With its streamlined design, the only buttons and connections on the WL-330N3G are the power port, USB port, reset

USB application Dimensions

• Save / restore configuration file Automatic IP, static IP, PPPoE (MPPE supported), PPTP, L2TP, HSDPA 3G USB adapter 90 x 38.9 x 12.8mm

Source: ASUS Press Release

Rumor: BlackBerry Messenger Will Run On Android and iOS Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumor-blackberry-messenger-will-runon-android-and-ios/11468.html March 5th, 2011

March 5th, 2011

Are you a big fan of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger, but have a change of heart lately? No worries, we just learned that RIM is planning to bring its famous BlackBerry Messenger app to Android and iOS devices.

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: NZXT's Sentry LXE is a unique and well-executed product that allows the PC enthusiast a wide range of monitoring and fan control options in an attractive remote unit. The fit and finish is excellent and the functionality is firstrate with an intuitive layout incorporated into the touch screen LCD display. Consumer Electronics and Software News: Description: The company announced the service, which is available only in the US, on the Bing blog yesterday. The post said that Bing deals will launch with “more than 200,000 unique offers in over 14,000 cities and towns across the US”.

It is still unclear what RIM’s strategy is, but it looks like they will offer a light version of BlackBerry Messenger to other platforms. Meaning, additional features like photo and file sharing only available to BlackBerry users. So far no details on timing yet, but Android and iOS users can look forward to some time this year.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 04 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--04mar-2011/11471.html March 5th, 2011

Description: A wave of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have targeted popular blogging site WordPress.com, the site and security researchers said. Description: Sony has admitted that PlayStation 3 consoles have been seized by customs officers in the Netherlands. Description: The system consists of a head or base unit and two bookshelf style speakers that combine to make decent little audio system. It’s also an alarm clock with a built-in snooze button so the system can even wake you up. The Micro System allows you instant access to hundreds of channels of music so you’ll always find something for you or your family and friends to listen to. Description: A top South Korean cybersecurity company says about 40 government and private websites are under cyberattack. Gaming News: Description: The ex-Blizzard employees of Runic Games, have done the unthinkable and brought their 2009 PC sleeper hit Torchlight to the Xbox Live Arcade.

And rounding up the news for the week: Review of the Patriot XRB 64GB Solid State Drive; Diamond All-In-Wonder HD Premium AIW5000 review; Microsoft's Bing launches deals service; Sony says PS3 consoles seized in Netherlands , and Epic Would “Love” to Bring Gears of War series to PlayStation . Hardware News: Description: SSDs are expensive. However, you can help alleviate this wallet pressure by getting one without too much storage space. Today we look at one of the smallest available SSD sizes, a 64GB from Patriot known as the Torqx TRB. Description: The Battle Hero with its bold graphics is squarely aimed at gamers. Solid aluminum construction gives it a solid feel and also helps to dissipate heat. Pop out storage drawers and twin cooling fans should keep most people satisfied beyond just the cooling performance. Description: The Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! is a heavily preoverclocked video card. The Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! Edition’s core clock weighs in at 950 MHz, 128 more from the stock 822 MHz. The Zotac GTX 560 Ti’s memory clock also gets bumped up from 4004 MHz to 4400 MHz.

Description: The Gears of War series has appeared exclusively on the Xbox 360 for four years, but that hasn’t deterred Epic’s desire to get the third-person shooter onto PlayStation.

LUXA2 ready to accessorise your iPad 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/luxa2-ready-to-accessorise-youripad-2/11472.html March 5th, 2011

Thermaltake's LUXA2 branding announced the pre-launch of Apple iPad 2 product line on the same day Apple revealed their upcoming iPad 2. And according to them, they're products are good to go as soon as Apple's iPad 2 go on sale.

Description: The HD Premium 5000 (aka AIW5000) bundles an ATI HD5570 graphics card with an ATI HD 750 tuner. This duo has the power to handle the most frequently used video signals for viewing, recording and other routine multimedia tasks. 5

March 5th, 2011

LUXA2 might not ring any bells to most people yet, but how about Thermaltake? Yes, LUXA2 is indeed a division of Thermaltake which specialise in exquisite design with a touch of luxury. They has been manufacturing accessories for iOS devices for about 2 years and according to their press release, they are ready to spoil customers with their wide range of iPad 2 accessories. Besides offering standard protective cases in different materials, they also have a iPad car mount and iPad stand which allows your tablet to sit upright for your hands-free reading or viewing pleasure. And according to their Director, "(they) will be ready to launch our incredible accessory line when Apple releases iPad 2,â&#x20AC;?

Opera approved for Mac App Store; users under the age of 17 need not apply

Published by: VR-Zone

Have you started using Apple's new Mac App Store to handle software downloads on OS X? Well, if you do, you might have noticed that a new addition was made to Apple's software repository today. Apparently, Opera's browser has just been approved by Apple's App Store team, and is now currently available for download from the aforementioned service. However, it will also seem that Apple has imposed some restrictions on who can download Opera's web browser onto their Macs. Indeed, a quick look at some of the requirements listed by Apple on Opera's product page in its Mac App Store has revealed an interesting fact; the company clearly thinks that web browsers have the potential to frequently feature suggestive or severe adult themes, and has taken action to stem the flow of undesirable content by requiring that downloaders be at least 17 years of age. To prove that we are not trying to pull a fast one on you, here is a screenshot of the very requirement, taken from iTunes Japan:

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/opera-approved-for-mac-app-storeusers-under-the-age-of-17-need-not-apply/11469.html March 5th, 2011

Is the browser business moving into adult territory? Well, Apple apparently thinks so: while it has approved of Opera's free web browser being listed in its Mac App Store for users to download and use, the company has also posted a requirement that users must of a certain age before they can be allowed to do so. Who'd have guessed that dowloading a simple web browser could be such serious business?

The good news is that existing Opera owners need not fret: the copy of Opera available from Apple's App Store is the exact version that is currently being offered for download directly from Opera's home page.

March 5th, 2011

Still, it should probably come as no surprise that Opera had some rather interesting things to say about its browser being flagged out as unfit for OS X users under the age of 17. "Seventeen is very young, and I am not sure if, at that age, people are ready to use such an application. It's very fast, you know, and it has a lot of features. I think the download requirement should be at least 18," quipped Jan Standal, VP of Desktop Products for Opera Software. So what happens for potential Opera users who fail the age verification check? Simple: bypass the check by downloading the browser direct from the company's home page.

Published by: VR-Zone

The wireless HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One E710n produces laser-quality color documents at a low cost per page that allows SOHO and SMB users to print high-impact marketing materials in-house. Featuring HP ePrint, users can print anytime, anywhere using any mobile device. The HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n also uses 40% less energy than comparable laser printers and has an automatic twosided printing function which helps cut paper usage by up to 50%. The printer also has a 2.36-inch color touchscreen display to easily copy, fax, print, scan and access apps. Key features: • Achieve laser performance at a low cost per page o

Get great value, using individual, high-capacity ink cartridges designed for the office.

Print at up to 32ppm black/31ppm color and at laser-comparable (ISO) speeds up to 10ppm black/7ppm color.

Print borderless documents with vivid color graphics and sharp text, using HP Officejet inks.

• Stay connected whether you’re in or out of the office

IT Show 2011 Promotions: HP (Printers) Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-hpprinters-/11465.html March 5th, 2011

With HP ePrint, you can print from anywhere, anytime by emailing to your HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n.

Connect to your network with built-in Ethernet or to your PC with Hi-speed USB 2.0.

• Reduce your impact and protect your bottom line o

Use up to 40% less energy than comparable laser products, with an ENERGY STAR qualified all-inone.

Cut paper usage by up to 50% with the automatic two-sided printing and PC Fax Send which enables paperless fax sending and archiving.

Usual price: S$399 HP will be participating in this year's IT Show, and needless to say its offerings will consist of both computing devices like desktop and notebook PCs, as well as a wide range of imaging solutions in the form of printers. In this post, we shall take a look at the latter of HP's IT Show 2011 lineup. HP's booth can be found at Level 4, Booth 8150, Hall 401.

HP Photosmart Wireless e-All-in-One Printer B110a

HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAiO Printer E710n

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Print when it’s most convenient for you from across the world or across the room. With HP ePrint, simply email a photo or document to your printer and pick up the pages later. • Create impressive photo projects, and even print directly from the device itself with integrated memory card slots. • The HP TouchSmart frame allows you to print photos, scan, copy and print web content without the use of a PC. • Boost productivity with wireless connectivity at a press of a button, allowing you to share this all-in-one with other Wi-Fi enabled PCs from anywhere in your house. Usual price: S$229

First Core i3-2310 and i5-2410 notebooks go on sale Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-core-i3-2310-and-i5-2410notebooks-go-on-sale/11466.html March 5th, 2011

The first notebooks with Intel's dual core mobile Sandy Bridge processors have just started to arrive at retailers, at least if you're lucky enough to live in Taiwan, although other countries should have them soon too and the first two models we've spotted are both from Acer. Intel's little chipset snafu has delayed the shipment a bit, although the dual core models weren't really expected until about now anyhow. The first notebooks with Intel's dual core mobile Sandy Bridge processors have just started to arrive at retailers, at least if you're lucky enough to live in Taiwan, although other countries should have them soon too and the first two models we've spotted are both from Acer. Intel's little chipset snafu has delayed the shipment a bit, although the dual core models weren't really expected until about now anyhow.

The Core i5-2410M is slightly faster at 2.3GHz, but as this is an i5, it will also turbo to either 2.6GHz for both cores or 2.9GHz on one core. It has the same base graphics core clock of 650MHz as the Core i3-2310M, but it will turbo a little bit faster to 1200MHz. So what's different between these two OEM models and the other models that Intel includes on its price list? Well compared to the Core i5-2520M the turbo speed boost is much lower, as this 2.5GHz processor will go all the way to 3GHz with both cores working, that's a 500MHz boost compared to 300MHz for the Core i5-2410M. The graphics will also turbo to 1300MHz, although this is unlikely to be as useful. Finally the Core i5-2410M lacks support for Intel's AES, TXT and vPro technology and this to us suggests that Intel has designed it as a consumer CPU, but as a model with turbo boost, something the Core i3's lack. As for the notebooks, well, Acer has equipped both models with Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics with 1GB of memory, a 640GB hard drive, an optical drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and handily a USB 3.0 port as well. Other features include Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI out, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, a webcam and various other standard features you'd expect to find on a modern notebook. The Aspire 4750G weighs in at 2.25kg and comes with a 6-cell 4400mAh 48Wh battery which Acer claims is good for up to 4.5h of battery life, while the Aspire 5750G weighs in at 2.6kg and features the same battery.

So what we're looking at is the Acer Aspire 4750G and the Aspire 5750G. The first model is a 14-incher while the second one is a 15.6-incher and both models are available with either a Core i3-2310 or a Core i5-2410. We should point out that both of these CPUs differ somewhat from Intel's other announced 35W dual core mobile processors, but more on that a little bit later. The Core i3-2310M clocks in at 2.1GHz and it sports Intel HD Graphics 3000 with a base clock speed of 650MHz and it will turbo all the way up to 1100MHz when needed. Price wise you're looking at S$1,115 for the Aspire 4750G with the Core i3-2310 processor and S$1,249 for the same model with the Core i5-2410M. The Aspire 5750G starts at S $1,163 with the Core i3-2310, but costs the same as the Aspire 4750G with the Core i5-2410M processor. Acer is currently the only notebook manufacturer to offers Sandy Bridge based notebooks in Taiwan with the B3 stepping chipset from Intel, 8

March 5th, 2011

but it shouldn't take long for other manufacturers to get their products ready as well.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Lenovo Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionslenovo/11464.html March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Keeps you safe and connected o

VeriFace face recognition software – an interesting and secure way to log in to your PC, and also great conversation starters

Integrated Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity for internet on the move

Usual price: starting at S$1,449 Lenovo G470

If you are heading to this month's IT Show with the objective of netting a new PC, you might want to make a note not to miss Lenovo's booth this year. Up on Lenovo's list of offers are a couple of notebook PCs and a desktop machine up for grabs at discounted prices. Lenovo's booth will be situated at Level 4, Hall 401, Booth 8358.

• Polished and Ergonomic

Now that the world we live in is becoming increasingly digitized, it should probably be of little surprise that the humble desktop and notebook PC have been elevated from being luxury toys to essential tools needed to perform a wide variety of tasks today. And if one is going to invest in a PC for both work and play, why not take a look at what Lenovo has got to offer consumers in this year's IT Show?

Sleek exterior design with smooth top cover and single-piece brush-metal interior paneling around the keyboard providing a cool-to-touch surface

Multi-touch touchpad to move things around with two or more fingers

AccuType keyboard with individual rounded keys for comfortable and accurate typing

• Hassle-free and Fun Technology

Notebooks

14.0” HD screen (1366x768), 16:9 widescreen

Lenovo IdeaPad Z460

Integrated Bluetooth (optional) & 802.11n Wi-Fi

DirectShare – easily synchronize your files with another notebook without connecting to the internet

• User-friendly Security o

OneKey Rescue System – makes data backup and recovery simple so you can spend time on more enjoyable tasks

Energy Management – protects the long-term durability of the battery and uses advanced energysaving technology to increase time spent between charges

Usual price: starting at S$1,599 • Trendy and smart-looking o

Chiclet keyboard with individual rounded keys

Hairline metallic effect cover

• Entertainment on the go o

With OneKey Theater II, optimized audio-visual settings for brighter images and richer audio are enabled at the press of a button

Samsung Stealth spotted at FCC Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-stealth-spotted-atfcc/11463.html

March 5th, 2011 March 5th, 2011

Samsung has showcased a 4G handset at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. Now it looks like the phone could be launching soon, since it was recently spotted at Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Published by: VR-Zone March 5th, 2011

It's a wonder to me that there weren't more Windows 7 tablets in the market like the BModo12G. The prevailing logic is that if you need to do "real work", you're better off with a laptop. However, despite having an Apple iPhone 4 and iPad, my experience is that there are quite a few things you do wish could have been better supported by the Apple line-up, and not have to always hunt for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;alternativesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to simple tasks like transferring files (e.g. Dropbox), watch Flash videos (e.g. Skyfire Browser), print documents (e.g. Airprint) and using mobile broadband USB sticks with unlimited and inexpensive data plans (separate 3G plan or Sim card cutting). So how does the BModo12G compare with other tablet devices? Read on.

Samsung unveiled their first 4G LTE phone at CES in January, which was the temporary codename then, though it will have a formal name when it goes on retail. Recently, a 4G Samsung handset was spotted at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), called Samsung Stealth, model SCH-I510. From the FCC documentation, this phone and the Samsung 4G LTE look different and it is likely both are not one and the same. Earlier news reports stated that the Samsung I510 will feature a 4.3-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display (800x480 resolution), 8-megapixel rear camera, supports WiFi and runs Android 2.2 Froyo mobile operating system. The Samsung SCH-I510 is said to be available in Q2 this year.

A new Windows 7 tablet with a difference: the BModo12G Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-new-windows-7-tablet-with-adifference-the-bmodo12g/11367.html

Bmodo12G: A Windows 7 Touchscreen Tablet

Unboxing the BModo12G: Quick Start Guide and Power Cord To my pleasant surprise, Bmodo has not fallen into the trap of delivering a crippled product just to save a few dollars (which is in my opinion what a few other tablets have done and ended up being cheap but irrelevant). The Bmodo screen is capacitive (read: pretty responsive) with an acceptable screen resolution. After a few hours with it, I realised that 10

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

given the Windows interface, Bmodoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screen size of 11.6-inch is probably the optimal size (The smaller 10-inch Windows touchscreen tablets may be uncomfortable for some users). If the screen were any smaller, I feel that sidebar scrolling would be quite impossible with adult fingers. Tapping on small icons and tabs will also be difficult on a smaller screen size. The netbook-like specifications on the BModo12G just means that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to be playing Mass Effect 2 or other serious First Person Shooter (FPS) games on it anytime soon. However, anything that runs on a netbook will run on the Bmodo tablet. You will probably want to plug in a mouse for moderate gaming requirements, since the on-screen keyboard could otherwise make things a little tricky. Here's a look at its hardware specifications: LCD Module

OS Processor Type

Memory Internal Mass Storage Bluetooth Wi-Fi GPS

WWAN Module (3G)

Camera G-Sensor Graphics

I/O Interface

Capacitive Multi Touch LCD TFT 11.6-inch HD Glare (1366 x 768) Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Intel Atom Pineview-M N450 + ICH8M; 1.66GHz, 677Mhz, 512K L2 1GB DDR2 800MHz SSD 32GB 2.1 + EDR Integrated 802.11 b/g/n Mini PCI Interface GPS card. Support A-GPS and S-GPS function HSPA/HSUPA/WCDMA 2100/1900/900/850 Mhz: Compliant with 3GPP TS25.101 (R6). GSM/GPRS/ EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz: Compliant with 3GPP TS 05.05 (R99) 1.3 M pixel Webcam Display Orientation (3-axis sensing) Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 500 with Discrete 1080p HD Video Accelerator 1 x DC-in 2 x USB2.0 Ports 1 x OMTP Jack (Audio Jack) 1 x SD/SDHC (32GB Max) Slot 1 x SIM Card Slot (unlock) 1 x Mini HDMI 1 x Hotkey 1 x 26-Pin Connector (For docking station. Sold Separately)

Audio Battery

Size Weight

1 x Built-in Speaker (1.5W) x 2, Mic x 1 Embedded Lithium-ion Polymer 2 cell (7.4V, 5000mAH, 2S1P) 295mm x 195mm x 14mm, 990g

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 03 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--03mar-2011/11461.html March 5th, 2011

In today's news roundup: AMD has reportedly contracted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture its Hudson-series chipsets, which support the new Brazos platform; Two of ECS's motherboards, the ECS H67H2-M Black Deluxe and the H57H-MUS, get reviewed; Rumours about what users can expect in an upcoming 'iPad 3' have started circulating online; Android pushes ahead of iOS and RIM to become the world's most widely used mobile operating system, and Epic Games launches a free expansion pack for Infinity Blade while dropping off 50% of the game's retail price. Hardware News: AMD contracts TSMC to make Hudson chipset, says paper Description: AMD has contracted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture its Hudsonseries chipsets, which support the new Brazos platform, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report. The paper did not name its source. In Win Track Computer Case Review @ Tweaknews Description: With good cooling performance from the four included fans and an innovative front panel design, In Win's Track chassis is an interesting mid-tower chassis that also includes several tool-free features and a blacked-out interior and rear panel. The big 220mm side panel intake fan keeps the graphics and CPU nice and cool and also boasts blue LEDs that can be switched on or off from the panel mounted switch. Exceleram EP3001A PC3-10666 2x2GB Memory Review @ Madshrimps Description: The new EP3001A memory modules from Exceleram are using Powerchip Rev D 128x8 and even if the rating is PC3-10666, they are very overclockable and come at a very affordable price. Antec P193 Review - XSReviews Description: Antec recently announced a refresh to their performance one line of cases and they were kind enough to 11

March 5th, 2011

send a few for us to take a look at. Today we're reviewed the P193, the top of the performance pile. Let's see how it's features stack up. Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 is Gigabyte's first attempt at the Brazos platform. The GA-E350N-USB3 is on the upper tier of the Brazos line, featuring the E350 processor. This CPU is dual core clocked at 1.6Ghz and has 1MB L2 cache. Paired on the same die is a Radeon HD 6310. This GPU is clocked at 500MHz and has 80 stream processors. On the board we get all of the usual Gigabyte features as well. There's the 2x copper PCB to reduce electrical waste and improve signal quality. Installed are 50,000hr. Japanese solid state capacitors. Gigabyte includes their 3/3/3 technology, which means USB 3.0, SATA3, and 3x powered USB ports. The extra power to the USB ports allows greater stability, compatibility, and the auto charge feature. ASUS Rampage III Extreme Black Edition - Layout and Design @ ocaholic Description: With the Rampage III Extreme Black Edition, ASUS is planning the next strike in the high-end gaming and overclocking market. This board will come with a lot of features like for example an additional Xonar soundcard as well as a Bigfoot Killer NIC network card. For overclockers they further refined the power design and they've also overworked the BIOS and added some new options. Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer 6GB (3x2GB) PC3-12800 Kit Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: The Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer 6GB (3x2GB) PC3-12800 kit is very stable and offers solid performance. The extra features that Crucial have added to their standard Ballistix sticks not only give the consumer more bang for the buck, but make this a very attractive kit, considering that they're priced right in line with other 1600MHz triple channel kits. ECS H67H2-M Black Edition Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The ECS H67H2-M Black Deluxe motherboard is a very solid board all the way through. Its performance rivaled that of the Intel P67 Burrage motherboard and at times outperformed it. We expected performance to suffer a bit while the on-board graphics were being used but that was not the case. Intel and ECS have done a brilliant job of sorting out the usability of this system.... ECS H57H-MUS (V1.0A) LGA1156 Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps Description: Designed to support latest Intel CPUs with integrated graphics and built around Intel's H57 chipset, the H57H-MUS board from ECS also features a complete bundle composed of a USB 3.0 and SATA 6G expansion card, which makes the board a future-proof powerful computing platform, in a mATX board format Consumer Electronics and Software News: Razer Anansi MMO gaming keyboard review at Examiner Description: The Razer Anansi MMO gaming keyboard may not be revolutionary, but it’s still a capable (and colorful)

Published by: VR-Zone

gaming keyboard well-suited to virtually any style of PC game —MMO or otherwise. Mobile editing in Google Docs now in 45 languages Description: Last November, we launched the ability to edit mobile docs in English. Today we’re excited to announce that you can now edit your docs on the go in 44 more languages. Tablets of 2011: What to Look For Description: Last year promised to be the year of the tablet, and at least for Apple, it was indeed. The nearly ubiquitous iPad managed not only to outsell every other tablet on the market by a wide margin, it also exceeded Mac sales in the last quarter. But even if Apple is not likely to lose its throne anytime soon, competition is finally making itself present. If Android's gains in the smartphone market serve any indication it should be an interesting year for tablets as well. OvisLink AirLive N.MINI 300Mbps Wireless-N Mini-AP review @ Madshrimps Description: The AirLive N.MINI AP multifunctional device (Router, AP or Client) from OvisLink has very small dimensions and can be used in various situations like building a small hot-spot in an area that has only Ethernet available, or we can use it as a regular Wireless LAN adapter, connected to our computer via UTP. iPad 2 Rumors: Which Were True & Which Will Wait for the iPad 3 Description: Since the launch of the original iPad, we’ve been keeping you apprised of rumors surrounding the iPad 2. Now that the iPad 2 has been unveiled, we can officially start speculating about the iPad 3 — because as far as the Apple rumor mill is concerned, it’s never too soon to start gossiping about gadgets. Android Pulls Ahead, While HTC Enjoys The Ride Description: Android in the U.S. pushed ahead of smartphone platform rivals iOS and Blackberry in January, according to Nielsen Wire, and is finding more popularity among younger consumers. That has helped HTC become the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the U.S. after Apple and Research In Motion, winning both the Android and Windows Phone 7 manufacturing race ahead of rivals Motorola and Samsung. How It’s All Coming Together for Ubuntu as the Cloud OS Description: Canonical, purveyor of the Ubuntu Linux distribution, is on a quest to make Ubuntu the go-to server operating system for cloud computing. If it succeeds, it will validate the stance that there is a definite place for open source in cloud computing, and it’s at the layers where differentiation might well become a non-factor in the years to come. Gaming News: GDC: Magicka: Vietnam – Wizards with Napalm Description: When Arrowhead Game Studios' Magicka came out earlier this year, it took up the number one slot on a lot of digital distribution sales sites. Though it may look at a glance like a Diablo-style game, that's not an especially accurate description. The gameplay is surprisingly involved, requiring you to tap in combinations of eight magical elements and then activate them for various effects. The challenge of remaking Azeroth 12

March 5th, 2011

Description: Blizzard game director Tom Chilton on the tough choices that had to be made when rupturing World of Warcraft with Cataclysm, and what they got right (and what they didn't).

Published by: VR-Zone

special kind of chokes and the board is also equipped with a user selectable dual BIOS and a POST80 debug LED display.

Epic Games Launches Free Infinity Blade Expansion, Cuts Full Game Price 50% Description: Deals. You love 'em, we love 'em, and as such, we feel it's our duty to direct your attention to an App Store near you. Epic's award-winning touchscreen triumph, Infinity Blade, is now half-off, and a free expansion released today nearly doubles the size of the game.

Sapphire's Z68 unveiled at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-s-z68-unveiled-atcebit/11462.html March 5th, 2011

It's easy to forget that Sapphire is back in the motherboard business, as so far the company has only launched three boards, but at CeBIT Sapphire was showing off two additional models for Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, one full size ATX board with the Z68 chipset and one mini-ITX board with the H67 chipset. Neither board appeared to be retail ready, but we'd expect the mini-ITX board to be available before the Z68 board. It's easy to forget that Sapphire is back in the motherboard business, as so far the company has only launched three boards, but at CeBIT Sapphire was showing off two additional models for Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, one full size ATX board with the Z68 chipset and one mini-ITX board with the H67 chipset. Neither board appeared to be retail ready, but we'd expect the mini-ITX board to be available before the Z68 board. The Z68 appears to be going under the name of PI-CI7S33Z68 as for now, but Sapphire tends to have much better retail names for their boards, so we'll have to wait until the launch to find out what it'll be. We're not quite followings Sapphire's design either, as the board has three x16 PCI Express slots of which the second one only work in dual x8 mode while the third one is limited to four lanes worth of bandwidth. This is all fine and good, but the only other expansion slots are three PCI slots, of which two will be unusable in CrossFireX or SLI and there doesn't appear to be a reason why the topmost slot is missing. Sapphire has added two additional SATA 6Gbps ports via a third party controller for a total of four SATA 6GBps ports and four SATA 3Gbps ports. We're not quite sure why Sapphire put the additional two ports so far away from the six connected to the Intel chipset, but at least it should reduce confusion as to which ports goes where. There are also headers for eight USB 2.0 ports and as with previous models Sapphire is using its

One other interesting feature we spotted is that Sapphire has fitted a Proadlizer to the PWM, a feature that so far only appears to be popular on high-end graphics cards. Around the back we find a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Bluetooth dongle, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and D-sub connectors and 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. Overall we're not sold on this board, it has some interesting features, but the slot layout isn't what we'd hope to see on a Z68 board. The mini-ITX H67 board is as far as we can tell currently called IPC-CI7S1DH67 but again, we're expecting a much better retail name. Sapphire decided to go with a single x16 slot for this design, which is pretty much all you can fit to a miniITX board, although hidden at the bottom of the board is a mini card PCI Express slot into which something like a Wi-Fi card can be installed. You also get two SATA 6Gbps and two SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for an additional four USB 2.0 ports. Around the back Sapphire has managed to squeeze in four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Bluetooth dongle, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and a Dsub connector as well as 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out.

Sapphire's boards are still looking a bit rough and ready, but given some time we're confident that Sapphire will come out with some excellent boards as long as the company listens to customer feedback. We're quite eager to find out what Sapphire is working on for AMD's upcoming platforms as well, since Sapphire is a strong AMD partner on the graphics card side.

March 5th, 2011

LG launches Optimus 2X and Optimus Black Android smartphones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-launches-optimus-2x-and-optimusblack-android-smartphones/11449.html March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

by the year 2011. This would probably be the highest in the world.," Lim says. At the event, VR-Zone has the opportunity to hands-on the Optimus Black and Optimus 2X. LG Optimus Black

This afternoon, LG Singapore held a media event to launch the highly anticipated Optimus 2X and Optimus Black Android smartphones. (Nope, no sign of Optimus 3D for this event). Both smartphones are going to be available soon. The LG Optimus Black features a 4-inch NOVA display that boasts 700 nits brightness. This means even if you are under the outdoor sun, you will have no problem looking at the screen and navigate the various phone functions you want.

James Park, president of LG Southeast Asia, region representative, said that the LG Optimus devices that are introduced today feature world's first technological and innovative designs that set new standards for the user experience. At the top, we find the power button, micro USB and 3.5mm audio connectors. Above the display is the 2-megapixel camera for video calls. The Optimus Black is also extremely slim, measuring approximately 9.2mm.

Augustine Lim, director for Mobile Communications, LG Electronics Singapore, was there to share the company's aggressive vision to be the leader in the smartphone market. "Starting from today, LG will set new standards for smartphones in 2011. The range of Optimus devices will ensure that there will always be a device to meet your requirements. From 2009 to 2010, the world has experienced exponential growth in the smartphone segment - approximately 67%. This phenomenon growth rate will also be seen here in Singapore where we expect in excess of 70% adoption of smartphones

On the right are the volume controls and a unique "G" button (or Gesture button). Pressing and holding the G button allows user to do various things with the phone by touching or shaking the phone.

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

802.11n networking gears are now widely used since the approval of IEEE 802.11n standards in October 2009. 802.11n offers wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps as compared to 802.11a/g which is only up to 54Mbps. Right now, Wireless-N routers can be found at less than 100 (Singapore) dollars, making it a good time for users to upgrade from their obsolete Wireless-G ones. In this shootout, we will compare two economically-priced Wireless-N routers, the TLWR1043ND from TP-LINK and the ESR-9850 from EnGenius which are both below the hundred dollar mark.

Opening the rear cover reveals the 3.7V 1500 mAh Lithiumion rechargeable battery, the SIM card slot which is beside the rear 5-megapixel camera, and the microSD card slot. The LG Optimus Black will be available in April 2011 at a recommended retail price of S$768 (before telco subsidies). It is currently running Android 2.2 Froyo, though LG mentioned that it will receive upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread in the near future.

Budget Wireless-N Router Comparison: EnGenius ESR-9850 vs. TP-LINK TLWR1043ND Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/budget-wireless-n-router-comparisonengenius-esr-9850-vs.-tp-link-tl-wr1043nd/11375.html March 5th, 2011

802.11n networking gears are now widely used since the approval of IEEE 802.11n standards in October 2009. 802.11n offers wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps as compared to 802.11a/g which is only up to 54Mbps. Right now, WirelessN routers can be found at less than 100 (Singapore) dollars, making it a good time for users to upgrade from their obsolete Wireless-G ones. In this shootout, we will compare two economically-priced Wireless-N routers, the TL-WR1043ND from TP-LINK and the ESR-9850 from EnGenius.

MSI releases R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-r6950-twin-frozr-iiipower-edition/11404.html March 5th, 2011

MSI has launched the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition graphics card, featuring AMD's Radeon HD 6950 GPU. The new R6950 features MSI's latest Twin Frozr III dual fan thermal solution, 6+2 phase power delivery and triple overvoltage support for extreme overclocking. 20% More Airflow with Exclusive Propeller Blade Technology The MSI-exclusive Propeller Blade technology found on the latest Twin Frozr III thermal solution features air channels on the edge of the blades to improve total airflow by up to 20%. The dual 80mm PWM-controlled fans, heat pipes, large nickel-plated copper base and high fin density all serve to rapidly dissipate heat from the GPU. Under full load, the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition's GPU runs 11?C cooler than the reference AMD card, and noise level is lowered by 13.9 dB. The large improvements shown underlines the cooling efficiency of the Twin Frozr III. 15

March 5th, 2011

To cater to the needs of various user groups, MSI developed the exclusive P/S Switch function for controlling the speed of the fans. The Performance Mode provides optimal cooling performance, where low GPU temperature is a priority. On the other hand, the Silent Mode can be used while watching movies or even during gaming when fan noise is required to be as low as possible. 21% more performance than reference Board with Triple Overvoltage and 6+2 phase VRM

Triple Overvoltage is implemented to greatly improve overclockability by allowing users to utilize the popular MSI Afterburner overclocking utility to adjust the VGPU, VMEM and VDDCI. To achieve maximum performance, the 6+2 phase voltage regulation module (VRM) delivers 37% more power than the reference design, providing more stability at high loads. When overclocked, the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition offers up to 21% more performance than the reference card. Handpicked components for the best quality and stability

MSI's Military Class graphic cards became a favorite among enthusiasts for its military-grade components. To get closer to perfecting board design, MSI has now introduced the nextgeneration Military Class II components, including tantalum core Hi-C capacitors that last eight times longer, Super Ferrite Chokes (SFC) that deliver 30% more power, and solid capacitors which have a lifespan of up to 10 years.

Published by: VR-Zone

An iPad 2, you say? Well, China got the real deal two days ago! Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/an-ipad-2-you-say-well-china-got-thereal-deal-two-days-ago-/11444.html March 5th, 2011

So Apple has unveiled their new iPad 2 tablet to loads of fanfare from the Apple faithful. That is fine, but it would seem that all the hype that arose from the tablet's veil of secrecy never made it into China intact. Apparently, a Chinese IT website known as DGtle had managed to get their hands on the real deal as early as two days ago, and even has the photographic evidence to back up its claims. But is that iPad 2 in its article really the actual iPad 2 that was released this morning?

Apple may have just released its brand new tablet device today, but chances are that most people who have been keeping up with the rumour mill regarding information about the iPad 2 would have had quite a good idea as to what the average user to expect from Apple's new new device. Add that to the fact that leaked renders of the iPad 2 were reportedly making their way around the depths of cyberspace before the actual launch event, and it should probably come as little surprise that many would have had a mental image of how the product would look like as well. However, it also seems that no one can beat the Chinese when it comes to digging out Apple's secrets, and a recent article posted a couple of days ago on a Chinese website known as DGtle seems to confirm that fact. Apparently, DGtle was able to obtain actual photographs of the iPad 2 two days before its launch, and had posted them all on its website for readers to make some comparisons. Here are some of the images:

Reference: MSI Press Release

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

What do you think? Did DGtle really get its hands on actual images of the iPad 2 while it was in its final stage of product development, or is that device we see nothing more than a very well-crafted clone? Source and images courtesy of DGtle

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Lexmark Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionslexmark/11443.html March 5th, 2011

Are you in need of a new printer? Well, Lexmark will be one of the companies taking part in this year's IT Show, and you can be sure that they will have some cool products up their sleeve to offer consumers. Let's take a look at what they have. Lexmark's booth will be located at Level 6, Hall 601, Booth No. 6137, so be sure to look out for it. Star Buy: Lexmark X5650 All-in-One printer

To ensure that we were not being taken along for a ride, we compared some of the pictures with those that were posted in Engadget's hands-on with the actual iPad and it turns out that the similarities were rather striking. In fact, the only inconsistency we spotted between DGtle's and Engadget's images was that DGtle's device had a black bezel, while the official iPad 2 sports a white-coloured bezel instead.

• A Wireless all-in-one with Quick Connect laptop port for easy connectivity and set-up. • Delivers print speeds of up to 25 ppm black and 18 ppm color with 25-page automatic document feeder. • Easy-print from a camera or memory device with labquality sharpness. 17

March 5th, 2011

Usual price: S$129

Published by: VR-Zone March 5th, 2011

Lexmark Prevail Pro 708

For those who want to see how Steve Jobs wow the audience with the announcement of iPad 2 and more, now you can. Apple has just posted the QuickTime video for the iPad 2 keynote address that happened earlier.

• A Wireless 3-in-1 with fax inkjet printer for environmentally-conscious and budget-conscious users • Offers the industry’s lowest black printing cost at SGD7.90 for 510 pages • Delivers Wireless-N capability for longer range and more reliable signals for faster file transfer rates Usual price: S$449 Lexmark E260D laser printer

IT SHOW 2011 Lucky Draw Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-lucky-draw/11440.html March 5th, 2011

1st Prize: S$ 20,000 cash 2nd Prize: S$ 3,000 cash 3rd Prize: S$ 2,000 cash 4th Prize: S$ 1,000 cash 5th Prize: S$ 900 cash 6th Prize: S$ 800 cash • An A4 monochrome laser printer that boasts professional print quality and rapid print speeds of 33 pages per minute (ppm)

7th Prize: S$ 700 cash 8th Prize: S$ 600 cash

• Offers efficient desktop printing for individual users or small groups with a print quality of 1200 x 1200 dpi

9th Prize: S$ 500 cash

• Environmentally friendly with built-in duplex printing feature and replacement toner cartridge with a 3,500 page yield

10th Prize: S$ 400 cash 11th Prize: S$ 300 cash

Usual price: S$299

12th Prize: S$ 200 cash

Apple's iPad 2 Media Event streaming video now available

(* Remember to redeem your IT SHOW lucky draw coupons @ Level 6 - Hall 602 of Suntec Singapore)

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-ipad-2-media-event-streamingvideo-now-available/11441.html

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Microsoft Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsmicrosoft/11437.html

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 5th, 2011

As always, Microsoft will be making an appearance in this year's IT Show, which will take place at the Suntec City Convention Centre from 10 to 13 March. So what does the Redmond giant have in store for bargain hunters this year? Let's take a look. The mouse and keyboard combination is an essential tool for computing, and there is no doubt that you'd want to have the best tools when it comes to carrying out your daily computing needs, right? Well, Microsoft has got a wide variety of electrical rodents and keyboards in store for this year's IT Show, so you are bound to find something that strikes your fancy. Microsoft Mice Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse

The Arc Mouse is designed to be just as fashionable as it is functional. With a revolutionary crescent moon shape, Arc folds shut by almost half, providing consumers with the comfort of a full-size mouse with the portability of a notebook mouse. When flipped shut, Arc automatically turns off and can easily be slipped into a bag, or placed in the included black carrying case to protect the mouse while on the go. Usual price: S$89.00 Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000

The new Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is revolutionary mouse design, powered by the award-winning BlueTrack sensor that tracks better than laser or optical. Put your finger on the touch strip and zip through your documents with absolute ease. Flatten the Arc Touch to power off and slip into any pocket. • New! Unique design pops up for comfort and folds flat for portability. • New! Touch strip offers flick scrolling and customizable touch buttons. • BlueTrack Technology allows people to ditch their mouse pads and use their mice on virtually any surface, including granite, marble, carpet and wood. • Snap-in Nano transceiver gives consumers the option to leave the transceiver plugged into the computer or conveniently store it magnetically under the mouse. • 2.4GHz wireless technology gives consumers a confident wireless connection. • Two-color battery light indicator warns consumers when it’s time to replace the battery. • Ambidextrous design and rubber side grips give consumers comfort and durability. Microsoft Arc Mouse (original design)

• Proprietary Microsoft BlueTrack sensor that exceeds laser and optical technology. Tracks precisely on surfaces like polished marble, carpet and wood. • Side Button for increased productivity • Plug-and-go nano receiver that you can leave in your laptop’s USB port. • Up to 10 months battery life. • Battery status indicator light lets you know when your battery is running low • Confident 2.4GHz Wireless has up to a 9m wireless range • Available in 7 colors Usual Price: S$59.90 Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Proprietary Microsoft BlueTrack sensor that exceeds laser and optical technology. Tracks precisely on surfaces like polished marble, carpet and wood.

• Transceiver-free and confident wireless connection to your Bluetooth PC

• Modern design and premium finish, with comfort for either hand.

• More responsive, more precise, and smoother tracking (compared with standard laser products)

• Simply snap in the transceiver for convenient on-the-go storage.

• Battery light indicates when your battery is running low

• 2.4 GHz wireless delivers up to a 9m range.

• Ergonomist-approved ambidextrous design provides comfort in tight on-the-road situations

• Use your mouse without power interruption for 8 months.

• Use Back button or press wheel for Auto-scroll for easy navigation

Usual Price: S$59.90 Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000

• Carrying case included Usual price: S$74.90 Microsoft Keyboards Microsoft Sidewinder X4 keyboard

• Press up to 26 keys simultaneously without ghosting • Assign up to 18 macros per profile • Proprietary Microsoft BlueTrack sensor that exceeds laser and optical technology. Tracks precisely on surfaces like polished marble, carpet and wood. • Side Button for increased productivity • Premium and sophisticated design • Confident 2.4Ghz wireless connection with up to 9m range, even in crowded wireless environments • More responsive, more precise, and smoother tracking. D

• Adjust key-legend backlighting with three illumination levels plus “off” • Manually toggle from standard mode to one of two gaming modes Record a sequence of keystrokes—macros can be easily shared Access Play/Pause, Previous Track, Next Track, and Mute Usual price: S$89.90 Microsoft Arc Keyboard

• isplays dynamic 3D overlay of all open applications • Scroll side to side as well as up and down • 10-month battery life Usual price: S$69.90 Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 20

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Make every day easier with Taskbar Favorites for Windows 7. These five keys will map instantly to the first five icons on your Windows 7 taskbar, allowing you to access your favorite applications faster than ever before. • Type more comfortably with low-profile Quiet Touch keys. The palm rest and removable feet provide a more comfortable wrist posture. The Arc Keyboard shares the same design language with Microsoft Corp.’s best-selling Arc Mouse, with a beautifully curved profile, clean lines, and an ultraportable, lightweight shape. • Eye-catching form factor makes the keyboard a stylish statement piece that fits in with home décor. • Thin and lightweight design weighs less than one pound so the keyboard can easily be picked up and moved from room to room.

• Microsoft’s Comfort Curve encourages natural wrist posture and is easy to use. • Bundled Wireless Mouse 5000 offers the highly advanced tracking with Bluetrack technology —go more places than optical and laser. • The 2.4 GHz wireless USB Mini-Transceiver connects wirelessly up to a 9m range. Usual price: S$119.00 Microsoft Wireless Desktop 800

• Snap-in Nano transceiver gives consumers the option to leave the transceiver plugged into the computer or conveniently store it under the keyboard. • Four-way directional pad offers the capabilities of arrow keys while taking up less space. • 2.4GHz wireless technology gives consumers a confident wireless connection and a range of up to 9m, even in a crowded wireless environment. Usual Price: S$89.90 Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 (with Wireless Mouse 5000)

Packed with performance and value, the Wireless Desktop 800 offers: • 2.4Ghz wireless connection that is secure and works up to 9m 1000 dpi optical wireless mouse • Compact wireless keyboard with hotkeys • Up to 15 months battery life for keyboard Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000

• Spill-Resistant, Quiet Touch Keys • Hot Keys — One-touch access to Windows® Media Player, e-mail, Home, calculator, My Documents, Zoom, instant messaging, and photos. • “My Favorites” Keys — Customize these 5 keys to instantly bring up the photos, folders, files, and Web pages you use most. Simply push and hold to set. Usual price: S$99.00 Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000

• Microsoft’s thinnest (16mm) and lightest wireless keyboard ever (415g including 2 AAA batteries) • No need for a USB transceiver as it uses Bluetooth wireless technology found on most laptops. • Comes with the long-awaited Bluetooth Number Pad which provides laptop users with their most portable number-crunching companion ever. • Microsoft’s Comfort Curve keyboard layout encourages natural wrist posture for reduced wrist strain. Usual price: S$149.00

• A keyboard and mouse combo that’s designed to work tightly with Windows 7 to provide maximum comfort and performance. 21

March 5th, 2011

HP Palm TouchPad and BlackBerry PlayBook share similar user interface Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-palm-touchpad-and-blackberryplaybook-share-similar-user-interface/11439.html March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

1. A4Tech G10-660L World 1st MeetingMan Presenter's Mouse 2. A4TECH KL-126 Gaming LED Backlight Keyboard 3. A4TECH GL-5300 G7 No Any Lag Mini Wireless Desktop 1. A4Tech G10-660L World 1st MeetingMan Presenter's Mouse 2. A4TECH KL-126 Gaming LED Backlight Keyboard 3. A4TECH GL-5300 G7 No Any Lag Mini Wireless Desktop

HP Palm TouchPad was announced at the recent "A New HP World" event in Shanghai, and with Research in Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook launching next month, it seems that both tablet devices have some things in common.

HP and Reseach in Motion (RIM) are pointing fingers at one another, well, commenting on the resemblence of their tablet devices. HP acquired Palm last year and this year, it launched their TouchPad which runs on Palm's WebOS platform. RIM is known for their BlackBerry smartphone devices though the company has also hopped onto the tablet bandwagon, and has unveiled the PlayBook at CES 2011 in January. At one glance (above picture), one can easily see the similarities in terms of user interface of both tablet devices: The TouchPad and PlayBook have the same app bar at the bottom with various colorful icons; the status/time and date bar at the top; and the home screens that can be easily navigated with a swipe of your finger. It is sometimes inevitable that similarities do exist between products, and for consumers, it doesn't really matter to them who is copying who. End of the day, whether the product will sell depends on its usability, features, performance and price tag. According to HP and RIM, both companies have said they will continue to optimize their products to bring the best experience to users.

A4Tech New Products at IT SHOW 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a4tech-new-products-at-itshow-2011/11430.html March 5th, 2011

iPad 2 hands-on Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ipad-2-hands-on/11435.html March 5th, 2011

March 5th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

While it's all impressive on paper, how does the iPad 2 really performs and how does it feel? Well, here's a quick hands-on review.

So how exactly does Apple's new offering feel and look? Well, here are some hands-on thoughts from the fine folks at Engadget. • This thing is insanely fast. We're not joking -- it's blazingly fast. Everything the iPad 2 does feels like it's on turbo. We're uploading a video of the some evidence of this, you'll be appropriately stunned. • The design feels great in your hands. Sleek, super thin -much nicer to hold than the previous version. Definitely has more of a magazine than book feel. Everything is tight and solid. It is pretty amazing how thin they've gotten the device. • Even software made for the first generation device feels better here. Safari is definitely sped up. Games looked great on-screen, though obviously there are no updates to the resolution of screen technology here.

The new features of iOS 4.3 includes a faster Safari browser, iTunes Home Sharing, AirPlay enhancements, iPad side switch preference (rotate or mute), and the Personal Hotspot feature for iPhone 4. "With more than 160 million iOS devices worldwide, including over 100 million iPhones, the growth of the iOS platform has been unprecedented," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iOS 4.3 adds even more features to the world's most advanced mobile operating system, across three blockbuster devices-iPad, iPhone and iPod touch--providing an ecosystem that offers customers an incredibly rich experience and developers unlimited opportunities." So what exactly are the new features? Faster Safari - The Nitro JavaScript engine that Apple pioneered on the desktop is now built into WebKit, the technology at the heart of Safari, and more than doubles the performance of JavaScript execution using just-in-time compilation.

• This is an evolutionary step, but we definitely don't feel like it's lacking for features. People are going to gobble these up when they see the new apps.

iTunes Home Sharing - allows iOS 4.3 users to play music, movies and TV shows on an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch® from their iTunes library on a Mac® or PC over a local Wi-Fi network.

They've even posted a video on their site on how much faster the iPad 2 is. And it is impressive what you can do with dualcore on a tablet.

Enhancements to AirPlay - With iOS 4.3 you can stream additional content including video from third party apps and web sites, videos from the Photos app and previews from the iTunes app to your TV

iOS 4.3 to launch on March 11th Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ios-4.3-to-launch-onmarch-11th/11434.html March 5th, 2011

Personal Hotspot - This feature in iOS 4.3 lets you bring Wi-Fi with you anywhere you go, by allowing you to share an iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to five devices in a combination of up to three WiFi, three Bluetooth and one USB device. Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch 3rd generation, iPod touch 4th generation, iPad and iPad 2, it will be available for download starting 11th March.

Apple will be pushing out their latest version of their mobile operating system on March 11th, along with some new features. 23

March 8th, 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 - 08 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--08mar-2011/11518.html March 8th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Reviews of AMD's latest dual-GPU graphics card, the Radeon HD 6990, have started flooding the Internet; Intel announces the launch of its new Core vPro processors; a leaked Blackberry roadmap reveals plans for an OS 7 sometime in November this year; Adobe hopes to bypass Apple's 'no Flash' stance with a new tool that features the capability to covert basic Flash files into code recognizable by iOS; Japanese fighting game ?gon Mus?kyoku has been confirmed to be receiving a sequel, hopefully in time for Comiket, and Angry Birds continues to top the PSN charts for the month of February. Hardware News: Intel launches Core vPro processors Description: Intel has announced its 2nd generation Intel Core vPro processors, which it says will do great things for technologies such as cloud computing and virtualisation. Plextor M2 Series 128GB SATA 6Gbps Marvell SSD Review @ Legit Reviews Description: Plextor is probably best known for their optical drives so it may come as a surprise to some that they also offer SSDs in their product line. Their most recent line is the M2 series which features a Marvell controller and a 6Gbps interface. We've got our hands on the 128GB version and we'll see how it stacks up against the other drives we have tested. At first blush, the specifications for read and write, 420 MB/ s and 210 MB/s respectively, don't seem all that amazing compared to the newest SandForce drives emerging that hit above 500 MB/s on both fronts. However, as we have seen with SandForce controllers, they rely on data compression to boost speed so depending on the type of data being transferred, the

data rate may vary dramatically. The benchmarks will paint this picture a little better... Lite-On eNAU608 Slim External DVD/CD Writer Review at Overclockers Online Description: Overall, I’m very pleased with the eNAU608. With netbooks not coming equipped with optical drives by default the eNAU608 provides a great alternative. It is slim and easy to carry around and gives you reasonable performance. It is not nearly the fastest or most advanced drive out on the market, but if you don’t need Blu-Ray than this has it all. Evercool Buffalo CPU Cooler @ TestFreaks Description: We haven’t done many CPU cooler reviews here on TestFreaks, but I hope to change that, at least add some more from time to time. Evercool sent me two for review recently and that first I’ve got for you is the Buffalo that’s compatible with LGA1156 and LGA1136 platforms. The Buffalo is a rather small aluminum and heatpipe style cooler with a bright red fan on it, and for its size it performs admirably well. AMD Radeon HD 6990 Antilles Video Card @ Benchmark Reviews Description: If you're an enthusiast gamer who demands only the highest level of performance that far surpasses mainstream standards, then it's your lucky day because the AMD Radeon HD 6990, code named Antilles, was designed to do exactly that. Using a new VLIW4 shader core architecture and equipped with 4GB GDDR5 256-bit video frame buffer, dual Cayman GPUs offer a total of 3072 stream processors. While the Radeon HD 6990 accomplishes the performance of two Radeon HD 6970's in CrossFireX, AMD also adds accelerated multimedia playback and transcoding, AMD HD3D stereoscopic technology, and support for the 3D Bluray multi-view CODEC (MVC). The AMD Radeon HD 6990 utilizes several new MSAA modes including Enhanced Quality Anti-Aliasing (EQAA), which Benchmark Reviews tests in some of the most popular DirectX-11 video games. AMD Radeon HD 6990 Launch Preview @ Rage3D.com Description: AMD launches the Radeon HD 6990 graphics card, a monstrous behemoth of power and performance from Team Red. Two Cayman XT GPU cores, 4GB of RAM, 5 TFLOPs of compute performance, out-of-the box Eyefinity 5 capabilities and stonking BIOS Overclock mode give all the signs that AMD is not happy to settle for second best - they earned the performance crown with the HD 5970, and they plan to keep it.

March 8th, 2011

Gainward GeForce GTX 570 Phantom Review @ TweakPC.de (German) Description: (Machine translation) There is a new series at Gainward: Phantom. Big, strong and black! We took a look at the Gainward GeForce GTX 570 Phantom. MSI GeForce N570GTX Twin Frozr II Review (German) Description: (Machine translation) Along with the Radeon HD 6950 and 6970 of the GeForce GTX 570 is currently probably the most interesting high-end graphics card. The performance is extremely high, but the price still tolerable and significantly lower than the current top model of the fastest GeForce GTX 580th This can already deliver the reference design of the GTX 570 from NVIDIA in terms of volume consumption and very good values. AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB Dual GPU Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB lived up to AMD's marketing hype and proved itself to be the fastest graphics card in the world. It easily beat out the Radeon HD 5970 2GB, the previous dual-GPU video card by AMD, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 single-GPU video card. With a massive 4GB of memory and two Cayman-class GPUs on a single PCB we aren't surprised by the performance numbers we are seeing from the Radeon HD 6990. Consumer Electronics and Software news: Kazaa Disses Apple, Debuts Web-Based Music Streaming Service For iOS, Android Description: Atrinsic, the direct and online search marketing agency that acquired the assets of former P2P sharing tool Kazaa a couple of months ago, is trying to drum up some attention for the digital music subscription service this morning. In a press release, the company posits that there’s been a ‘breakthrough’ for iPhone and iPad (and Android) users because its service is now ‘accessible on iOS devices’ simply by visiting Kazaa.com. Blackberry roadmap leaked including OS 7 in November Description: Blackberry is an outfit with more leaks than Wales. Last year there were shedloads of leaks and roadmaps which ended up in the press. Asus RT-N56U Gigabit Router Review @ Tweaknews Description: Asus' RT-N56U router has unique, elegant styling with an impressive feature set to go along with it. The slim, antenna-free design allows the unit to be tucked away just about anywhere, while the simultaneous dualband connectivity is ready for the most demanding of home networks. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Performance Analysis @ TestFreaks Description: Windows 7 is the best Windows yet, at least that’s my opinion of it. Think what you like, you’re entitled to your own opinion of course. I’m not going to get into an arguing match with you about Win 7 and XP, Vista, OSX etc, this is not what this article is for, take it elsewhere please. If you want to know more about how Windows 7 Service Pack 1 might affect your computer then this is where you want to be. I’ve taken quite a bit of time to run many test on three separate computers with Windows 7 installed, both 32bit and 64bit versions. From my experience I’ve learned a bit and I thought

Published by: VR-Zone

I’d share that with you today, so read on to learn what I learned about how the new Service Pack affects your system. You’ve got better things to do than wait in traffic - Google Mobile Blog Description: Ever been stuck in traffic, only to find out you’d have been better off going a bit out of your way to take a less congested route? If you’re like me, you probably hear the traffic report telling you what you already know: traffic is bad on the road you’re currently on, and you should have taken another. It doesn’t need to be this way, and we want to help. So we’re happy to announce that Google Maps Navigation (Beta) will now automatically route you around traffic. With more than 35 million miles driven by Navigation users every day, this should add up to quite a bit of time saved! Adobe Hopes Wallaby Can Vault Apple’s Flash Blockade Description: Adobe appears to be switching its strategy and launching new products that can cope with Apple’s restrictions. The first major example: Wallaby, a system it is launching today to convert basic Flash files — such as animations and banner ads — into code that will work on iOS. Android Hit Hard by Malware, Google Fights Back Description: It seems that I’m here reporting about a major problem with Android at least once every few weeks – whether it’s their painful text bug or their microSD security issue. While these issues have been far from minor, they nevertheless pale in comparison to the most recent hole in the Anroid system. That hole is made up of a simple security issue . . . that happened to let 260,000 users download malware via 58 different malicious applications. Gaming news Umineko Fighting Game Gets Sequel Description: Ryukishi07, the creator for Umineko no Naku Koro Ni had announced that a sequel for its fighting game spinoff: Ougon Musoukyoku 2 has been green-lit for production. Open Fire on the Homefront Multiplayer Trailer Description: Home is where the war is in THQ's upcoming military FPS, and in the latest trailer for Homefront, developer Kaos Studios provides a peek at the CoD-meets-Battlefield mayhem that awaits in the game's multiplayer. Flank the jump for the video Angry Birds continues PSN domination in February Description: The PlayStation Store had some noteworthy releases in February: Explodemon, Stacking, Bionic Commando Rearmed 2. But none of these new releases managed to chart in PSN's monthly sales numbers. Instead, you'll see some familiar names on the top 5 list, including Angry Birds, which continues its second month of bestselling sales.

Genius Launches SlimStar 8000 Wireless KeyboardMouse Combo Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/genius-launches-slimstar-8000wireless-keyboard-mouse-combo/11520.html

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 8th, 2011

Taipei-based Genius has released the SlimStar 8000 wireless desktop combo in North America. Powered by three AAA batteries, the mouse and keyboard connects to the PC via a 2.4GHz wireless technology USB adapter.

Turbo Mode: Data transfer rates up to 260 MB/s Taipei-based Genius has released the SlimStar 8000 wireless desktop combo in North America. Powered by three AAA batteries, the mouse and keyboard connects to the PC via a 2.4GHz wireless technology USB adapter. The keyboard is spill-proof and has various multimedia buttons whilst the mouse has a 1200 dpi optical sensor, and a Magic Roller scroll wheel. The SlimStar 8000 is available through authorized retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US24.90. News via [Techconnect]

Transcend Unveils SSD18C3 Portable SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/transcend-unveils-ssd18c3-portablessd/11519.html March 8th, 2011

Transcend has announced the SSD18C3 Portable SSD. Measuring 98.7 x 65.7 x 17.45mm and weighing 70g, the compact portable drive features a "vibration-absorbing and slip-resistant" silicone case, One Touch auto-backup button, a MTBF of 1,000,000 hours, and delivers data transfer speeds up to 260Mb/s via its USB 3.0 interface. The SSD18C3 Portable SSD, backed by a three year warranty, is available in 64Gb and 128Gb capacities at MSRPs of US$224 and US$448 respectively. TRANSCEND PRESS RELEASE Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a worldwide leader in memory and storage products, today announced a new addition to its SSD family, the SSD18C3 Portable Solid State Drive. The new portable SSD combines the benefits of USB 3.0 with all the performance and durability advantages of solidstate technology, providing unparalleled speed and stability that conventional portable hard drives cannot compete with.

The new USB 3.0 SSD18C3 is a true Solid State Drive, based on high quality NAND flash memory. It includes an innovative device driver engineered to dramatically enhance USB transfer speeds. Once installed, the SSD will switch into Turbo mode, boosting data transfer speeds up to an incredible 260 MB/s when connected to a USB 3.0 port. This exceptional performance makes the SSD an ideal storage solution for readintensive applications; even an entire DVD movie takes a mere 15 seconds to process. Also compatible with USB 2.0, the SSD18C3 ensures that users will be able to transfer files on computers not yet equipped with a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port. Extra durable with rubberized exterior Due to the absence of moving parts, the SSD18C3's internal SSD runs silent and cool, and can withstand excessive shock or vibration. To add more durability, the SSD is housed in a vibration-absorbing and slip-resistant silicone outer shell. Its robust housing and shockproof storage technology make the SSD18C3 perfect for users who need high performance on the go, without having to worry about accidental impact damage. Aabout the size of a deck of pokerbout the size of a deck of poker playing cards, the SSD18C3 is ultra light and easy to carry. One Touch auto-backup & JetFlash Elite software The SSD18C3 offers an array of state-of-the-art features, including an extremely convenient One Touch auto-backup button. The One Touch backup system, which can be enabled with the preloaded Backup Manager software, allows users to instantly backup and synchronize their data with one easy button press. Users can also download Transcend's exclusive JetFlash Elite data management tools to help them use their SSD more productively, such as for automatic website authentication, or checking non web-based email accounts remotely just by plugging the SSD into any computer with Internet access.

March 8th, 2011

Transcend's new SSD18C3 Solid State Drive is now available for a suggested price of US $224 for the 64 GB model and US $448 for the 128 GB model.

iPhone 4 64GB found in Hong Kong? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iphone-4-64gb-found-in-hongkong-/11516.html March 8th, 2011

While we are unsure if Apple did actually made a iPhone 4 with 64 GB capacity, this has started to pop up in one of the grey market in Hong Kong in limited quantity, according to the seller.

Published by: VR-Zone

Asus launches Brazos powered Eee PCs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-launches-brazos-powered-eeepcs/11517.html March 8th, 2011

One of the last companies to announce its Brazos powered netbooks/ultra slim notebooks is Asus and although the company was late, it has as of today added two new models with AMD's E-350 and C-50 dual core processors to its Eee PC range. The models are the Eee PC 1015B and 1215B where the 1015B is a 10-inch model and the 1215B is a 12-inch model. One of the last companies to announce its Brazos powered netbooks/ultra slim notebooks is Asus and although the company was late, it has as of today added two new models with AMD's E-350 and C-50 dual core processors to its Eee PC range. The models are the Eee PC 1015B and 1215B where the 1015B is a 10-inch model and the 1215B is a 12-inch model.

TAccording to a Hong Kong site, this suspicious variant of the iPhone 4 was first discovered in Sin Tak, one of the biggest grey market in Hong Kong. The seller claims that these are engineered models and are only available in small quantities.

On the back of the phone, it states iPhone XXGB, which some might find familiar. Leaked prototype which Gizmodo bought, ring any bells? Furthermore, besides stating 64GB in the screen under capacity, the model is 995-6049LL. So is this really a leaked prototype from Apple? If it is, is Apple venturing into 64GB iPhones for future models?

The Eee PC 1015B is of course the model with the dual core 1GHz C-50 processor and it's based on Asus' traditional Eee PC design. Optionally Asus will offer the 1015B with a single core C-30 APU, but it won't be available in all markets. The Eee PC 1215B on the other hand comes with a 1.6GHz dual core E-350 APU as standard and is based on Asus' larger 12-inch Eee PC chassis which so far have been limited to a couple of models combining Atom processors and Nvidia ION graphics. Again, Asus will offer the 1215B with the option of a C-50 or C-30 APU, but as previously, only in some markets.

Common features between the two models include HDMI output, USB 3.0 connectivity (an optional feature available only on some SKUs), Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi as well as a built in webcam with a manual iris shutter. Asus claims up to 8.5h battery life for both models which seems to be pretty much on par with many of its Atom powered Eee PC 4

March 8th, 2011

models, although not quite as good as the most power frugal models we've seen. No word on pricing or availability of either model as yet, but we'd expect them to be priced competitively.

AMD Radeon HD 6990 Antilles Review Roundup! Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-radeon-hd-6990-antilles-reviewroundup-/11515.html March 8th, 2011

The prodiguous penguins @ VR-Zone have not got their wings on a Radeon 6990 yet - apparently there are only 2 pieces of this monstrous card (both on/off the shelves of 2 popular Sim Lim Square retail shops) in sunny Singapore. Nevertheless till then, we've compiled a list of choice reviews/reactions around the web about our latest 12.4inch king of the (performance) hill / your new third leg... AMD Extends Graphics Performance Lead, Launches World’s Fastest Graphics Card… AGAIN!

Published by: VR-Zone

for up to five displays using AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, with six display support possible via DisplayPort 1.2 components available for purchase later this year.3 The AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards also feature a dualBIOS toggle switch, allowing enthusiast gamers to unlock the card and rev up the clocks and voltages for even more performance.4 Finally, AMD HD3D technology provides a cutting-edge stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie experience, thanks to HDMI 1.4a support.5 “Packing more raw performance than any consumer graphics card ever created, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 provides the latest for the ultimate gaming advantage,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, GPU division, AMD. “Coupled with AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD PowerTune power management and AMD HD3D, this card is so powerful it can take on even the most demanding ultra-enthusiast tasks.”

Leading Graphics with second-generation DirectX 11-capable Technology • New AMD PowerTune technology: Designed to perform real-time intelligent power management, AMD PowerTune technology on the AMD Radeon HD 6990 automatically enables higher clock speeds and faster performance in the hottest games.1 • Increased memory for higher image quality: With 4GB of ultra-fast GDDR5 memory, gamers can enjoy superior detail in their favorite games, even on up to five simultaneous displays. • The Ultimate Visual Experience™: As AMD’s most advanced DirectX® 11-capable GPU, AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics processors also enable an exceptional game play experience in DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles in single card or multicard AMD CrossFireX™ configurations.6

AMD Radeon™ HD 6990 utilizes sophisticated AMD PowerTune intelligent power management technology, delivers native support for wraparound 5x1 gaming with AMD Eyefinity technology SUNNYVALE, Calif. —3/8/2011 AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the launch of the fastest graphics card in the world, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6990, packing so much raw performance it delivered a new single graphics card world record score of P11865 in the industry standard 3DMark11 benchmark1. AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards are available immediately from retailers worldwide, with select models starting at US $699 MSRP. Designed for the power gamer, AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards include AMD’s second-generation, Microsoft DirectX® 11-capable architecture, advanced image quality features for the best looking games, and AMD PowerTune intelligent technology to enable higher clock speeds and faster gaming. The AMD Radeon HD 6990 offers the ultimate in immersive HD gaming and computing with native support

• Improved image quality: Advanced anti-aliasing features enable dramatically enhanced image quality for intensely realistic gaming. Enhanced-Quality AntiAliasing (EQAA) uses a new sampling technique to help improve visual quality, while Morphological AntiAliasing (MLAA) uses DirectCompute acceleration to provide anti-aliasing on any DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, or DirectX® 11 application.

An Immersive Gaming Experience with AMD Eyefinity Technology and Advanced Display Options • Simple, flexible, affordable multi-display computing with AMD Eyefinity technology: Providing an expanded and more immersive field of view, AMD Eyefinity technology continues to be the most affordable multi-display solution available, offering dozens of possible configurations of up to five simultaneous displays.2 New to the AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics processor is the ability to configure up to five monitors in portrait mode. Making innovative technologies more affordable and accessible than ever before, the AMD 5

March 8th, 2011

Eyefinity Validated & Ready Testing Program helps ensure a seamless customer multi-display experience, with more than 70 tested and validated AMD Eyefinitycompatible titles for the greatest assurance of quality and interoperability. Continued industry leadership in multidisplay computing: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards offer support for both DisplayPort 1.2 features and HDMI 1.4a, offering enthusiasts incredible multimonitor configuration options, flexibility in display selection, and new DisplayPort audio features.

Faster Applications and Brilliant Video with AMD EyeSpeed Technology • AMD EyeSpeed visual acceleration technology lets you do more, faster: Tapping the tremendous power of the AMD Radeon HD 6990, enthusiasts will enjoy clearer and more vibrant videos, as well as improved performance and new features in top media, entertainment and productivity applications with AMD EyeSpeed technology.7 • Incredible compute capabilities: Featuring leading support for IEEE 754 double precision floating point ops, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 is equipped to dominate computationally intense workloads. • Enhanced video quality features: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards feature Unified Video Decoder 3 (UVD3), a dedicated video playback accelerator that helps users get the most out of HD video, online video and Blu-ray™ 3D, while enjoying a range of video quality improvements such as advanced post-processing and scaling, dynamic contrast enhancement, color correction and more. • 3D entertainment choices with AMD HD3D technology: AMD continues to deliver a broad and affordable selection of 3D solutions with AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards, featuring AMD HD3D technology, backed by AMD’s open 3D initiative for stereo 3D gaming and movies.3

About AMD AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its ground-breaking AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APU). AMD’s graphics and computing technologies power a variety of solutions including PCs, game consoles and the servers that drive the Internet and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Radeon, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. 1. The score of P11865 was achieved using a passively cooled AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics card, AMD Catalyst 11.4 drivers, Windows 7 64-bit operating system, Intel Core i7 Extreme 990X, ASUSTek Rampage III

Published by: VR-Zone

Extreme Motherboard and DDR3 memory. This score exceeds the previous highest single (1x GPU) Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 score as well as the highest AMD Radeon HD 5970 (2xGPU) 3DMark 11 Performance score from hwbot.org: http://www.hwbot.org/rankings/ benchmark/3dmark11_-_performance/rankings

Highest single card Nvidia GeForce 580 = P9213http://www.hwbot.org/community/ submission/2113441_romdominance_3dmark11___performan Highest single card AMD Radeon HD 5970 graphics card (dual GPU card) = P9643

http://www.hwbot.org/community/ submission/2115439_atomel_3dmark11___performance_rade 2. AMD PowerTune technology is an intelligent power management technology native to certain AMD Radeon™ HD GPUs, which enables higher clock speeds as compared to previous generations of ATI Radeon™ and AMD Radeon™ graphics products. AMD PowerTune Technology may not be implemented on all AMD Radeon HD 6990 offerings – please check with the card manufacturer. 3. AMD Eyefinity technology works with games that support non-standard aspect ratios, which is required for panning across multiple displays. To enable more than two displays, additional panels with native DisplayPort™ connectors, and/or DisplayPort™ compliant active adapters to convert your monitor’s native input to your cards DisplayPort™ or Mini-DisplayPort™ connector(s), are required. Support for six simultaneous displays may require complementary products compatible with DisplayPort 1.2 Multi-Stream Transport. Maximum number of configured displays may vary - check with your component or system manufacturer for specific model capabilities and supported technologies. SLS (“Single Large Surface”) functionality requires an identical display resolution on all configured displays. 4. AMD’s product warranty does not cover damages caused by overclocking, even when overclocking is enabled via AMD hardware or software. 5. AMD HD3D is a technology designed to enable stereoscopic 3D support in games, movies and/or photos. Requires 3D stereo drivers, glasses, and display. 6. AMD CrossFireX™ technology requires an AMD CrossFireX Ready motherboard, an AMD CrossFireX™ Bridge Interconnect (for each additional graphics card) and may require a specialized power supply. 7. AMD EyeSpeed technology is a set of technologies designed to improve video quality and enhance application performance. Full enablement of some features requires support for AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing (APP) technology and/or AMD’s Universal Video Decoder (UVD). AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing technology works with applications designed to take advantage of its GPU acceleration capabilities. 6

March 8th, 2011

Not all products have all features and full enablement of some capabilities and may require complementary products

IT Show 2011 Promotions: HP Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionshp/11465.html March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone o

With HP ePrint, you can print from anywhere, anytime by emailing to your HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n.

Connect to your network with built-in Ethernet or to your PC with Hi-speed USB 2.0.

• Reduce your impact and protect your bottom line o

Use up to 40% less energy than comparable laser products, with an ENERGY STAR qualified all-inone.

Cut paper usage by up to 50% with the automatic two-sided printing and PC Fax Send which enables paperless fax sending and archiving.

Usual price: S$399 HP will be participating in this year's IT Show, and needless to say its offerings will consist of both computing devices like desktop and notebook PCs, as well as a wide range of imaging solutions in the form of printers. In this post, we shall take a look at what HP has to offer in its IT SHOW 2011 lineup. HP's booth can be found at Level 4, Booth 8150, Hall 401. *UPDATED with HP's range of notebooks and desktop PCs

HP Photosmart Wireless e-All-in-One Printer B110a

HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAiO Printer E710n

Print lab-quality photos, everyday documents and web content on the fly, without using a PC. HP ePrint combined with affordable individual inks lets you easily produce impressive prints from anywhere, anytime. Key features and benefits: The wireless HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One E710n produces laser-quality color documents at a low cost per page that allows SOHO and SMB users to print high-impact marketing materials in-house. Featuring HP ePrint, users can print anytime, anywhere using any mobile device. The HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n also uses 40% less energy than comparable laser printers and has an automatic twosided printing function which helps cut paper usage by up to 50%. The printer also has a 2.36-inch color touchscreen display to easily copy, fax, print, scan and access apps. Key features: • Achieve laser performance at a low cost per page o

Get great value, using individual, high-capacity ink cartridges designed for the office.

Print at up to 32ppm black/31ppm color and at laser-comparable (ISO) speeds up to 10ppm black/7ppm color.

Print borderless documents with vivid color graphics and sharp text, using HP Officejet inks.

SMC SMCWPBR-3G Wireless 3G Portable Router Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/smc-smcwpbr-3g-wireless-3g-portablerouter-review/11442.html

• Stay connected whether you’re in or out of the office 7

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 8th, 2011

Create a wireless internet hotspot anywhere in just seconds. Road warriors can easily access the Internet on their notebook, tablet or smart phone instantly without having to fiddle with 3G dongles or cables. Furthermore, sharing a single Internet connection with a number of devices would definitely save some money. Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P205 b A4 Monochrome Printer (PINK) - 24ppm fast print speed - Lowest toner price in the market - 4-year carry-in warranty - 1-hr Express Service guaranteed Usual Price - S$139 IT SHOW Price - TBA The SMC SMCWPBR-3G offers a portable yet versatile solution: it converts Internet connectivity from an existing 3G USB modem into a wireless hotspot instantly. It also allows up to eight devices to be connected simultaneously. This could be the ideal router for connecting WiFi-enabled peripherals such as smart phones, laptops, tablets and gaming devices, or when a couple of friends gather for a gaming session. Unlike its competitors, this router does not have an integrated modem. This offers flexibility if the user decides to upgrade from a 3G to a 4G connection. Another great feature on the router is that it has a rotational USB port, allowing the modem to be positioned to get the best reception as possible. It also has a built-in battery which offers up to 6 hours of battery life.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Fuji Xerox Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-fujixerox/11514.html March 8th, 2011

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P205 b A4 Monochrome Printer - 24ppm fast print speed - Lowest toner price in the market - 4-year carry-in warranty - 1-hr Express Service guaranteed Usual Price - S$169 IT SHOW Price - TBA

Fuji Xerox Printers will be showcasing their printers and multi-functional printers at the IT SHOW 2011 including the DocuPrint P205 b (Pink) and DocuPrint P205 b A4 monochrome laser, DocuPrint CP105 b A4 color and DocuPrint CM205 A4 Colour Multifunction printers. The booth can be located on level 4, hall 401; the booth number is 8468.

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CP105 b A4 Colour Printer - 10ppm colour /12ppm mono - Brilliant print resolution of up to 1,200 x 2,400 dpi - 4-year carry-in warranty - 1-hr Express Service guaranteed Usual Price - S$329 IT SHOW Price - TBA

MSI has announced its flagship AMD product, the Radeon R6990-4PD4GD5 graphics card. The R6990 has two (downclocked) AMD Radeon HD 6970 GPUs on a single printed circuit board, making it the fastest graphics card on the planet. The 4GB of GDDR5 memory onboard makes gameplay at high resolution smooth, also increases the efficiency of multi-display image processing. The default operating frequencies are 830MHz for the two GPU cores, and 1250MHz for the memory. Via a physical BIOS switch, the GPU core clock can be raised to 880MHz for additional performance. Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 b A4 Colour Multifunction Printer - Print / Copy / Scan - 12ppm colour /15ppm mono - Scan direct to USB memory key - 4-year carry-in warranty - 1-hr Express Service guaranteed Usual Price - S$499 IT SHOW Price - TBA

MSI announces Radeon R6990-4PD4GD5 (AMD Radeon HD 6990) Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-announces-radeonr6990-4pd4gd5-amd-radeon-hd-6990-/11495.html March 8th, 2011

The R6990-4PD4GD5 supports AMD's exclusive Eyefinity multi-display technology, with four mini DisplayPort 1.2 outputs and one DVI output to support up to a maximum of five displays from a single card. By supporting five displays, the additional visual real estate available to professionals and gamers is definitely more than welcomed. Also, DisplayPort 1.2 supports stereoscopic 3D and bitstreaming of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD for the ultimate audio-visual experience. Of course, the new Radeon HD 6990 supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 for maximum in-game eye-candy. MSI Afterburner is the most complete utility for graphics card monitoring and overclocking. The latest Afterburner 2.1.0 release supports adjustment of VGPU, VMEM and VDDCI values, advanced fan speed control, information monitoring, and offers five customization profiles. Afterburner 2.1 also introduces the new Predator in-game video capture function, allowing exciting gaming moments to be recorded. Gamers can bask in their glory and share them with the world using online video hosting sites. Kombustor 2.0 provides stability testing, and the new KMark mode can measure graphics card performance through several display effects. Reference: MSI Press Release

MSI has announced its flagship AMD product, the Radeon R6990-4PD4GD5 graphics card. The R6990 has two (downclocked) AMD Radeon HD 6970 GPUs and 4GB of GDDR5 memory on a single printed circuit board, making it the fastest graphics card on the planet.

March 8th, 2011

Asus Thunderbolt Sound and Killer NIC card (Rampage III Black Edition) - A Close Inspection Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-thunderbolt-sound-and-killer-niccard-rampage-iii-black-edition--a-close-inspection/11513.html March 8th, 2011

Asus' combined sound card and Killer NIC card has been stripped of its shrouding for the first time to revel what's hiding underneath it and although it doesn't hold too many surpirses, there are at least a couple of things that peaked our interest. For now the Thunderbolt card will only be available with the Asus Rampage III Black Edition motherboard, but it's possible that Asus will sell the card on its own in the future. Asus' combined sound card and Killer NIC card has been stripped of its shrouding for the first time to revel what's hiding underneath it and although it doesn't hold too many surpirses, there are at least a couple of things that peaked our interest. For now the Thunderbolt card will only be available with the Asus Rampage III Black Edition motherboard, but it's possible that Asus will sell the card on its own in the future.

Published by: VR-Zone

The Killer NIC E2100 part isn't anything out of the ordinary; in fact, it's the same components that Gigabyte is using on its G1 Killer series of motherboards as far as we can tell from the picture. That means a Freescale IC, a smaller IC, two bits of memory and a Marvell Gigabit Ethernet PHY. We're still not sold on the advantages of having a Killer NIC over a regular NIC, but Asus has at least managed to do something different with the hardware. The Rampage III Black Edition from Asus is set to hit retail in a couple of weeks' time according to the source, so if you're keen on getting your hands on it and the Thunderbolt card, the wait isn't going to be too long.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Epson Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsepson/11512.html March 8th, 2011

Looking for a printer, multi-functional printer or projector? You may want to check out Epson's booth at the IT SHOW this Thursday. The imaging company can be located on level 6, and the booth number is 8115.

What struck us as a bit odd is the fact that the C-Media 6631 audio chip appears to be connected via USB rather than the PCI Express interface. The card has a USB pin header at the rear, next to the power connector and there's no visible PCI Express bridge chip which would otherwise be needed. For a card that's meant to feature a high-end sound card, this seems like a strange approach, although there's fundamentally nothing wrong with a USB sound card.

Epson K100 Single Function Monochrome Inkjet Printer - Offers one of the lowest cost per page (cpp) of any printer at only 1.5 cent. - Built-in duplexer that helps customers conveniently save money by printing on both sides of the paper. - With a default ISO print speed of 16 pages per minute (ppm), K100 is as fast as laser printers in default mode.

Still, the audio part is rated at up to 192kHz/24-bit with a signal to noise ratio of 116dB which should lead to pretty good sound quality in the end. Asus has also thrown in a headphone amp from Texas Instruments which is meant to be one of the key selling points of the Tunderbolt card. The card only sports a pair of 3.5mm jacks for headphone out and line out as well as an optical S/PDIF out.

- Use of Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fade and water resistant prints. - Use of Epsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly reliable Micro Piezo print head that lasts the life of the printer and use far less power than conventional laser printers. Normal Price: S$188 IT SHOW Price: TBC 10

March 8th, 2011

Epson ME Office 960FWD All-In-One-Printer - Uses standard ME141 inks for highly affordable printing at SGD 5.0 cents (black and white) and an average of SGD 10.0 cents (colour) per page. - Has the option of using the high capacity ME143 inks for even lower running costs at SGD 2.5 cents (black and white) and SGD 7.5 cents (colour) per page. - Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fade and water resistant prints. - High Print Resolution of 5760 X 1440 dpi with Micro Piezo print head technology. Normal Price: S$478 IT SHOW Price: TBC

Published by: VR-Zone

Epson EB-W10 Projector - Brilliant, distinctly sharper and clearer images with 3LCD Technology - WXGA Resolution: 1280 x 800dpi - 2,600 ANSI Lumens - 2,000:1 Contrast Ratio - USB direct display - Light Weight 2.3kg Usual Price: S$1,299 IT SHOW Price: TBC

ASUS Radeon HD6990 Graphics Card unveiled Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-radeon-hd6990-graphics-cardunveiled/11511.html March 8th, 2011

Epson ME Office 900WD Printer - Uses standard ME141 inks for highly affordable printing at SGD 5.0 cents (black and white) and an average of SGD 10.0 cents (colour) per page. - Has the option of using the high capacity ME143 inks for even lower running costs at SGD 2.5 cents (black and white) and SGD 7.5 cents (colour) per page. - Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fade and water resistant prints. - High Print Resolution of 5760 X 1440 dpi with Micro Piezo print head technology. Normal Price: S$298 IT SHOW Price: TBC

PC gamers have a new standard-setting graphics card to look forward to in the form of the ASUS HD 6990. A true powerhouse, it uses dual HD 6970 cores on one printed circuit board, doubling the power while maintaining streamlined energy draw requirements. With ASUS exclusive Voltage Tweak, it pushes the card to run at up to 1245 MHz* for sheer gaming performance in the highest possible resolutions and with all effects and details turned up to maximum. The HD 6990 represents the very top-end of AMD-sourced technology. PC gamers have a new standard-setting graphics card to look forward to in the form of the ASUS HD 6990. A true powerhouse, it uses dual HD 6970 cores on one printed circuit board, doubling the power while maintaining streamlined energy draw requirements. With ASUS exclusive Voltage Tweak, it pushes the card to run at up to 1245 MHz* for sheer gaming performance in the highest possible resolutions and with all effects and details turned up to maximum. The HD 6990 represents the very top-end of AMD-sourced technology.

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Based on AMD Antilles GPU architecture, the HD 6990 offers hardcore PC gamers and DIY builders the fastest dual-core graphics card ever produced using AMD technology. It represents the pinnacle of the Windows® 7 and DirectX® 11-optimized Northern Islands series of GPUs from AMD. • Massive 4GB of GDDR5 video memory surpasses anything previously deployed in the Northern Islands series, giving games and other applications enormous breathing room for enhanced visuals. The extra memory comes in especially handy for DirectX™ 11 tessellation operations, where high quality textures put great demand on resources. • The ASUS HD 6990 comes at 830MHz and the exclusive Voltage Tweak overvolting utility allows users to push clock speeds by as much as 50%* with adequate cooling. • The two cores run in 2-way CrossFireX™ engaged by default on one board, eliminating inter-GPU latency and ensuring the fastest possible performance with the most bandwidth ever achieved on a single-board AMD-based card. Two HD 6990 cards can be put together for instant quad CrossFireX™. • AMD Eyefinity™ multi-screen technology enables the driving of up to five monitors via a single HD 6990. The card also supports AMD HD3D™ technology for 3D gaming and movie watching on a compatible TV or monitor.

*Actual performance may vary based on system configuration and other prevailing conditions. Model Graphics Engine Bus Standard OpenGL Video Memory Engine Clock Stream Processors Memory Clock Memory Interface DVI Max. Resolution DVI Output

EAH6990/3DI4S/4GD5 AMD Radeon™ HD 6970*2 PCI Express® 2.1 OpenGL4.1 4GB GDDR5 830MHz 1536*2 5000MHz (1250MHz GDDR5) 256 bit x2 2560 * 1600 YES X3 (Dual-link DVI-I*1, via Mini DP-to-DVI(active) adaptor*1,

HDMI Output HDCP compliant DisplayPort Adapter/Cable Bundled

via Mini DP-to-DVI(passive) adaptor*1) YES X1 (via Mini DP-toHDMI adaptor) YES YES X4 (Native Mini DP) Mini DP-to-DVI(active) adaptor x 1 Mini DP-to-DVI(passive) adaptor x 1 Mini DP-to-HDMI adaptor x 1 CrossFire Bridge x1 Power Cable x 1 12

March 8th, 2011

Software Bundled Dimension • Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Published by: VR-Zone

ASUS Utilities & Driver 12.4” x 5.1” x 1.6” inches

• PCB color and bundled software versions are change without notice. • Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective company. About ASUS ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today's digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devices and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,398 awards in 2010, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™.

a full blown GPU, we can expect variations in the GPUs as well. While the A-Series is unlikely to match Sandy Bridge in pure CPU performance, it could be a potent solution for gaming / multi-tasking workloads. The final release dates remains to be seen, though should take place shortly after the shipping dates. AMD's official word has been "Q2 2011" for FX-Series and "Summer" for A-Series.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Jawbone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsjawbone/11509.html March 8th, 2011

Just how important is a handsfree headset for one's mobile phone? Well, Jawbone thinks that it is important enough to warrant pulling out all the stops in order to deliver a one-ofa-kind headset that boasts superior noise-cancelling features features that are said to deliver nothing but the best experience for uses, and the good news is that this special headset will be available for consumer purchase at this year's IT SHOW 2011. Jawbone does not have its own booth: however, the headset can be found at either Newstead's (Booth no. 3003) or Mojito's (Booth no. 6601) booths.

Report: AMD Shipping FXSeries (Bulldozer) in June, ASeries (Llano) in July Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-shipping-fx-seriesbulldozer-in-june-a-series-llano-in-july/11510.html March 8th, 2011

According to a report from Xbitlabs' sources, AMD has finalized shipping dates for both Bulldozer and Llano. As expected, Bulldozer will be branded FX-Series, while Llano will receive the A-Series moniker. FX-Series CPUs are set to ship in the week starting June 20th, with A-series APUs following shortly after in the week of July 4th. The FX-series will consist of CPUs based on AMD's much awaited next-gen Bulldozer architectures. There will be four FX8000 eight-core CPUs, two FX6000 six-core CPUs and two quad-core FX4000 CPUs. While AMD has been remained in the shadow of Intel in terms of raw performance, the flagship FX8000 series will give AMD a fighting chance against Intel's Core i7 990X. Of course, Intel's true competitor to the AMD FX8000 CPUs will only release in Q4 2011 in the form of Sandy Bridge E. Meanwhile, FX6000 and FX4000 will likely fight off LGA1155 Sandy Bridge CPUs. There will be no less than 11 A-Series Llano APUs released, in quad-core and dual-core varieties. Since the A-Series includes

The Jawbone ICON offers unprecedented ease of use and audio quality as well as an industry-first software platform called MyTALK that lets users personalize and update their Jawbones via the web. • Equipped with military grade noise assassin technology, the best noise cancellation technology money can buy, giving you the freedom to enjoy quiet phone conversations in places you previously couldn’t. • The headset can also be programmed to respond to the user in six different voices and in seven different languages, including in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Japanese. • ICON comes with a unique platform called MyTALK, allowing users to try different apps, personalize settings

March 8th, 2011

and download the latest and greatest features and software updates.

Look out for EpiCentre standout showcase at IT Show 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/look-out-for-epicentre-standoutshowcase-at-it-show-2011/11508.html March 8th, 2011

Apple's premium reseller epiCentre said that they will be taking a "different" approach at the IT Show 2011; it will have a standout showcase on level two, room 201 and 202 at Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, and offering consumers a total digital lifestyle experience.

Published by: VR-Zone

earphones from premium audio brands like Klipsch, Nixon and Beyerdynamic. The iPavilion will also have on display popular Apple products such as the Macbooks, iPods and a comprehensive range of audio and storage brands. Other services available at the iPavilion include trade-in, memory upgrades and screen protector application. Visitors to the iPavilion can try their hand at interactive application games with the iPad and iPod Touch, for a chance to win attractive prizes. The programme line up also includes stage performances to entertain visitors while they are shopping for the latest Apple gadgets and accessories. There will also be free Apple workshops by EpiCentre’s in-house Apple-certified trainer and auctions in which participants can bid for their favourite products from as low as S$10, as well as daily specials and lucky draws with over 100 prizes up for grabs.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Logitech Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionslogitech/11507.html March 8th, 2011

Singapore’s Apple Premium Reseller EpiCentre is taking a unique approach to this year’s IT Show 2011 that is held from 10 - 13 March. The retailer has created a standout showcase on level two, room 201 and 202 at Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre, to give a total digital lifestyle experience to consumers.

More often than not, merely having a powerful desktop or notebook PC is not good enough, In order to ensure that a user is capable of obtaining maximum productivity out of his or her machine, it is important that they have the right accessories and peripherals to get the job done. And leave it to Logitech to bring in a range of computer accessories for this year's IT SHOW to ensure that users are as comfortable as possible when working on their computers. Logitech's products can be found at Newstead's booth at Level 3. Logitech Notebook Kit MK605

Covering over 6000 square feet in size, the iPavilion showroom claims to be the largest Mac Pavilion booth at the exhibition, offering a wide range of Apple products and lifestyle gadgets, as well as software applications, games and prizes for visitors. In addition, the iPavilion will also showcase an audio demo room for the premium audio brand, Geneva. Other big brand names include David Garibaldi, Baby Phat and Ed Hardy, where limited worldwide editions of the Ed Hardy black label iPhone and iPad cases retailing at S$1,500 and S$4,500 respectively, will be featured. The iPavilion showroom will be divided into different sections, featuring the full range of Apple products, premium Apple accessories, the latest consumer gadgets from leading global brands, catering to fashionistas to technology geeks. Those looking for a unique audio experience can immerse themselves in an exclusive sonic preview at the on-site audio room showcasing the yet-to-be launched Geneva sound systems for iPod and iPhone. Also available are the

Around the house or at your desk, Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 gives you options depending on what you’re doing and where you’re doing it. When at the office, or even at the kitchen table, you get precise cursor control with the wireless laser mouse and a more comfortable and organized setup thanks to the compact wireless keyboard and the pivoting riser that 14

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

elevates your laptop to one of three angles. And, with the tiny Unifying receiver that stays in your computer, you need only one receiver for both the keyboard and mouse (and up to four other Unifying compatible devices you might have). The Notebook Kit MK605 lets you use your laptop, your way. Usual price: S$159 Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205

Alienware M17x - Power through the most hardcore games and intense applications with the latest Intel® Core i7 processor - Graphics card with 1GB AMD HD 6870 (GDDR5) for ultrafast frame rates

The Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205 is a clip-on, laptoppowered, USB stereo speaker that’s as portable as your laptop —with better sound. Key features: • Clip and go - It clips securely to most laptops and netbooks, so you can easily use it anywhere you use your computer. • A sound upgrade - Your built-in speakers just can’t compete with the stereo sound from this lightweight, portable speaker.

- Powerfully unique design with anodized aluminum case design IT SHOW price: TBA Dell Inspiron N4110 - New Intel i7 processor (pre-order) - 14-inch wide HD Screen - Intel HD Graphics to deliver superior graphic experience IT SHOW price: TBA

• Ready to play - No need for software or a power supply— a single USB connection delivers power and pure, digital sound instantly. Usual price: S$59

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Dell Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsdell/11506.html March 8th, 2011

Dell ST2320L 23-inch Wide Full HD Monitor with LED

If you are looking for a high performance gaming laptop, Alienware is one name that comes to mind. Dell will be at the IT SHOW which begins this Thursday, and do check out the various promotions for the desktop and notebook PCs, as well as high definition monitors. The Dell booth is located on level 4, 8139 and 8230.

- Stunning 1920x1080 Full High Definition, mega contrast ratio at up to 8,000,000:1 and fast response time of 5ms typical - VGA, DVI-D (HDCP) and HDMI connectivity - LCD panels are fitted with LED backlights to meet the latest ENERGY 5.0 compliance standards Usual Price - S$239 IT SHOW price: N.A

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

2011, you might want to pay Norton's booth a visit to see how their products might be able to help you ensure that your PC remains protected at all times. Norton has its own booth at Level 6, Hall 602, Booth no. 6251, although you may like to know that its products can be found at other participants' booths as well, namely Cybermind (6859), DA (8318) and Newstead (3008). New: Norton 360 V5.0 (to debut in IT Show 2011)

Dell UltraSharp U2311H 23-inch Wide Monitor - Brilliant front of screen performance with In-plane switching technology and full high definition - Remote monitoring and control - Height adjustable stand with tilt, swivel and pivot features Usual Price - S$338 IT SHOW price: N.A Key features:

IT SHOW 2011 Price Lists, Flyers, Brochures, Promotions Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-price-lists-flyersbrochures-promotions-roundup/11502.html March 8th, 2011

Check out the latest IT SHOW 2011 Price List, Flyers, Brochures, Promotions including brands like Acer, AC Ryan, ASUS, Blackberry, Brother, Canon, Cisco Linksys, D-Link, Epson, Fujifilm, Fuji Xerox, HP, Lenovo, Lexmark, LG, Microsoft, MSI, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Seagate, Sony, Toshiba, Western Digital.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Norton Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsnorton/11505.html March 8th, 2011

Windows may be the world's most popular and easy-to-use operating system, but it tends to suffer from a fair bit of security vulnerabilities, as its huge market share makes it a prime target for malware authors. Therefore, it is good computing practise to secure one's PC against online threats, and if that is what you are looking for in this year's IT SHOW

• Groundbreaking new reputation service technology provides unmatched real-time threat detection to guard against viruses, worms, spyware, bots, Trojans, rootkits, identity thieves, and other digital dangers. So users can browse, buy, and bank online without worry. • Automated set-it-and-forget-it backup with web access lets users quickly and easily retrieve and restore digital photos, music, financial documents, and other important files in case of loss or damage • Norton 360 automatically tunes up users’ PC to help keep it running well. Plus it helps users keep their PCs performing at its best by providing easy-to-understand information about applications that may be impacting performance. *Pricing TBA

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Acer Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsacer/11498.html March 8th, 2011

Taiwanese computer maker Acer will be at the IT SHOW with promotions on netbooks, notebook and desktop PCs. Check out the good deals at Acer's booth on Level 4, 8105 and 8458.

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Featuring an attractive mesh-patterned exterior, the Aspire 4743G-484G64Mn uses Intel Core i5-480M processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M (1024MB DDR3 VRAM), 4GB DDR3 memory and 640GB hard disk. Usual Price - S$1,598 IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G64Mn The Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G64Mn is equipped with the latest second-generation Intel Core i7-2630QM quad core processor with Turbo Boost technology and Nvidia GeForce GT540M (1024MB DDR3 VRAM) with Optimus switchable graphics technology to deliver superb performance in multimedia and multitasking. Usual Price - S$1,898 IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire one Happy Comes in Candy Pink, Hawaii Blue, Lime Green and Lavender Purple, the Acer Aspire one Happy claims to be the mobile Internet companion. The Aspire one Happy is powered by the latest dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor, 1GB memory, 250GB hard disk and is preloaded with Windows 7 Starter and Android. Usual Price - S$899 IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire 5820TG-484G50Mn Powered by Intel Corei5-460M processor, the Aspire 5820TG-484G50Mn features ATI HD 5650 graphics (with 1024MB DDR3 VRAM) and a huge 500GB for all your multimedia and work. It also features 16:9 LED high definition widescreen display and up to 8 hours of battery life. Usual Price - S$1,698 IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire M3910 (i65MR41) Packed with an Intel Core i5 processor and ATI graphics solution, the Aspire M3910 claims to meet your daily and multimedia needs. It also comes with a huge hard disk and embedded high definition 7.1-channel audio performance. Usual Price - S$1,199 IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire 4743G-484G64Mn 17

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone March 8th, 2011

Simply charge your purchases to your CIMB Credit Card and be rewarded with up to 1%# cash rebate. Plus, stand to win fantastic prizes from our Sure-Win Lucky Dip

Acer Aspire Z5761 (i25MR41TV) The Acer Aspire AZ5761 All-in-one sports a sleek and sophisticated body and comes with the latest second generation Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia Geforce 2GB dedicated graphic card that is capable to run the most demanding task. It also has a 23-inch touch display that lets your flick, zoom and rotate, and interacts via Acer Touch Portal. Usual Price - S$2,499 IT Show Price - TBA

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Philips Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsphilips/11503.html March 8th, 2011

Acer Aspire Predator G5910 (i26MR615T) The new Acer Predator G5910 has a matte-finish body and angles in the front that makes it stand out among other gaming machines. It is using the latest second generation 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 1.5GB dedicated graphics card that promise superior performance and entertainment experience. It also includes the latest USB3.0 feature for faster transfer speed.

An IT-related exhibition does not have to be all about computer accessories and peripherals: just as important are consumer electronics which are designed to complement one's lifestyle. And if it is lifestyle-related products you are looking for, Philips has got some devices at hand for the bargain hunters. Philips's booth is situated at Level 6, Hall 602, Booth No. 6535. Philips Headband Headphones SHL5800

Usual Price - S$2,399 IT Show Price - TBA Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list

IT SHOW 2011 - CIMB Credit Card 1% Cash Rebate and Sure-Win Lucky Dip Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--cimb-credit-card-1-cashrebate-and-sure-win-lucky-dip/11504.html

Key features: 18

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Enhanced noise isolating cushions for pure music • Ultra soft memory foam cushions and steel spring headband for a comfortable and flexible fit • 40 mm speaker drivers to give you crystal clear sound and deep bass • Stylish and attractive design and colour Usual price: S$169 Philips Noise Cancelling Headphones SHN5600

Key features: • Sophisticated electronics like active noise cancelling to eliminate unwanted noise by 85% • Super soft memory cushions and easy to adjust headband for long, comfortable hours of listening • ‘Talk mode’ to conveniently filter sound into your ears through the microphones on the side of the headphones • Adapter for in-flight entertainment system connection Usual price: S$129

IT SHOW 2011 - DBS/POSB Credit & Debit Card Sure-Win Lucky Dip and Promotions Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--dbsposb-credit--debitcard-sure-win-lucky-dip-and-promotions/11501.html March 8th, 2011

IT Show 2011 Promotions: PROLINK Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsprolink/11499.html March 8th, 2011

Prolink will be taking part in this year's IT SHOW, and it has unveiled a wide range of network and mobile connectivity solutions for the always-connected worker. So what can bargain hunters expect from Prolink this year? Read on to find out. Prolink's booth can be found at Level 6, Hall 601, Booth no. 6831 (Fida's booth). *Prices TBA

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

thereby allowing for enough space to install particularly big and powerful CPU coolers of up to 18 cm height. An entirely tool-less design for the hard drive trays makes installation and removal of 3.5" HDDs and 2.5" SSDs a child's play

Top docking station for hot-swap On top of the Chaser MK-1 Thermaltake has implemented a convenient hot-swap docking station for 2.5" SSDs or 3.5" HDDs. This docking station allows for disk exchange on-thefly, so now users are ready to easily and swiftly access data storage drives right from the top of the case without the need to open the side panel. Advanced Cable Management

Thermaltake Introduces Chaser MK-1 Enclosure Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-introduces-chaser-mk-1enclosure/11500.html March 8th, 2011

Users can properly separate cables and channel them through the grooves strategically placed on the back of the case. Not only does a properly cable managed computer perform better through improved airflow and ventilation, but also makes the system organized for future upgrades. Water-Cooling Ready Design

Leading DIY thermal solutions brand Thermaltake is showcasing the stylish Chaser MK-1, its latest mid-tower enclosure, at Cebit. It's touted as the world's first XB (extra big) ATX mid tower and boasts several convenient features, namely support for large CPU coolers up to 180mm in height, tool-less installation of 3.5"/ 2.5" HDDs/ SSDs, top mount hotswap docking station for one 3.5"/ 2.5" HDD/ SSD, three fans (x2 200mm Colorshift and x1 140mm), and numerous eSATA, USB 2.0 and 3.0 connectors at the top. Pricing and availability has not been announced yet so stay tuned for more updates. THERMALTAKE PRESS RELEASE At the second day of the world's largest IT and computer trade show CeBIT 2011 in Hannover, Germany, Thermaltake debuts their latest mid-tower gaming chassis, the Chaser MK-1. At this world's first debut the Chaser MK-1 shows off a design language that is clearly inspired by modern games. Strong lines and all black coating inside and outside in combination with blue elements lend it its very dynamic and powerful looks. The pulsing logo on top only add even further to the overall mighty appearance. Being the very first XB (extra big) ATX mid tower chassis, the Chaser MK-1 is extra wide,

With the popularity of performance water-cooling solution for PCs, a true gaming chassis of course has to over this upgrade bath as well. Should the user wish to integrate 120mm or even 240mm water-cooling, the top fan can be easily removed and the water-cooling radiator can be quickly installed. Liquid cooling hose holes in the back also warrant for the installation of external liquid cooling systems. Optimized Airflow and Convenient Dust filters Powerful gaming rigs are equipped with demanding components that require proper cooling where optimized ventilation is of utmost importance. Being the industryleading brand in PC thermal management, Thermaltake incorporated two 200mm fans into the Chaser MK-1. An additional 140mm TurboFan is also embedded into the back of the case. Each of the 200mm fans can be controlled via the ColorShift control on the top of chassis. ColorShift enables user to take full control over the color LEDs on each fans to match the gaming or working environment. Fan speed control acts as a turbo boost control which users may increase the fan speed to properly exhaust heat build-up during gaming session or to lower the fan speed while working or simply browsing the web.

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Multimedia connectivity at its best In addition to these features, the Chaser MK-1 has implemented every premium feature a PC enthusiast or hardcore gamer would want. High-speed data transfer can be achieved with two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports on top as well as an eSATA port and two additional USB 2.0 right on the top of the case. HD audio for headsets and microphone are easily accessed by the top connectors. Each intake fan comes with dedicated filter system and can be easily removed for cleaning without having to open the system. Furthermore the Chaser MK-1's feet elevate the chassis some centimeters from the ground, so airflow from the bottom right to the top.

Roccat Unleashes Isku Illuminated Gaming Keyboard Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/roccat-unleashes-isku-illuminatedgaming-keyboard/11497.html March 8th, 2011

Roccat, manufacturer of numerous gaming peripherals and accessories, has announced the Isku, a gaming keyboard aimed at pro-gamers. The stylish USB keyboard features 123 medium-height, standard-layout keys, 6 levels of brightness, a 1000Hz polling rate, various multimedia and gaming keys, ROCCAT Talk, anti-ghosting, and EasyShift[+] technology. Boasting more than 180 functions via 36 macro keys (in 5 profiles), it offers more than enough functionalities to please most gamers. The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated Gaming Keyboard is expected to hit store shelves in April at a MSRP of â&#x201A;Ź79.99. ROCCAT Studios proudly presents the ROCCAT Isku Illuminated Gaming Keyboard featuring brand new ROCCAT Talk technology which will get its first global showing at CeBIT today. The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated Gaming Keyboard is the result of intensive research and extensive design studies centered around meeting gamers' needs in particular. The result is a keyboard equipped with extensive macro functions plus, as a special set bonus, it's also the first keyboard in the world to feature the latest technologies: ROCCAT Talk and EasyShift[+]. The ROCCAT Talk protocol allows mouse and keyboard to talk to each other for the first time ever, opening up a host of unprecedented options for gamers. The 123 medium-height, standard-layout keys offer an optimum keystroke response and perfect pressure point. With 6 brightness levels, gamers can hit the right key even in the dark.

EASYSHIFT[+] GETS ITS KEYBOARD DEBUT Patented EasyShift[+] technology that doubles the number of key functions now features for the first time on a keyboard. The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated Gaming Keyboard features 3 EasyShift[+] Zones (M1-M5, 20 EasyZone keys, T1-T3). EasyShift[+] and the three thumbster keys offer a total of 36 macro functions all perfectly positioned in and around the WASD zone, making them very easy to reach. By default, the Caps Lock key which is of no interest to any gamer is configured as the EasyShift[+] key, but macro keys M1-M5 and thumbster keys T1-T3 can also be used. The 36 easy-toreach macro keys offer a total of up to 180 directly executable functions which can be saved in 5 profiles. Thanks to advanced anti-ghosting, multiple keys can be depressed simultaneously. In addition, the 1000Hz polling rate ensures an ultra-fast keyboard response without any lag.

ROCCAT TALK - SET BONUS Brand new ROCCAT Talk technology allows the mouse and keyboard to talk to each other for the first time ever. The new ROCCAT Talk protocol is already included in the ROCCAT Kone[+] and ROCCAT Isku and allows, among other features, one single EasyShift[+] key or button to be configured for the mouse and keyboard. EasyShift[+] functions on the mouse can be executed by pressing the keyboard's EasyShift[+] key - and vice-versa. When the EasyShift[+] is activated on the mouse via the keyboard, the mouse gives visual feedback as usual by lighting up.

After installing the ROCCAT Talk driver the configuration options appear in the existing device driver. The gamer can decide whether to set one single key/button or two different keys/buttons to activate EasyShift[+] on the keyboard and mouse. The devices communicate lag-free for rapid in-game responses.

March 8th, 2011

Brand new ROCCAT Talk technology allows even more effective use to be made of functions on the Kone[+] and all other ROCCAT Talk products. For the first time ever, the gamer can easily execute critical functions such as EasyAim by pressing a key on the keyboard. It's even possible to set the EasyShift[+] key/button to remain active until pressed again (toggle on/off).

ENHANCED MACRO LIVE! RECORDING The integrated Macro Live! Recording button makes in-game macro recording straightforward. After pressing the Macro Live! Recording button, the new Sound Feedback feature guides the gamer through the macro recording process. Up to 500 actions per macro can be quickly and easily programmed to one of the 36 macro keys. It's even possible to edit recorded macros at any time using the Macro Manager.

The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated Gaming Keyboard will be available from Q2 2011 for the MSRP of €79.99.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 07 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--07mar-2011/11494.html March 8th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Review of the ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Motherboard; Bitfenix Survivor Core Midi tower case review; Judge lets Sony unmask visitors to PS3-jailbreaking site; More than one million Apple MacBooks sold are the Thin Air, and Rumour: Nintendo to announce Wii 2 in June . Hardware News: Description: The ASUS P8P67 Deluxe is a feature loaded mainboard supporting the latest Sandy Bridge processors. The ASUS P8P67 Deluxe motherboard uses a 16+2 phase DIGI+ VRM design and fully supports Intel’s VRD12 specifications.

Published by: VR-Zone

micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboards, the PC-A04 is one of only a handful of cases I'm aware of that can do these high-end boards justice. Description: You love games and will play them in best resolution and the highest setting? Maybe the Geforce GTX 570 SLI is the right choice for you. Consumer Electronics and Software News: Description: The iPad 2, unveiled on Wednesday, offers several sleek improvements over its predecessor. But its most attractive feature is perhaps the same one its predecessor had: the price tag. Description: A federal magistrate is granting Sony the right to acquire the internet IP addresses of anybody who has visited PlayStation 3 hacker George Hotz’s website from January of 2009 to the present. Description: lackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. said Friday its chief marketing officer has decided to leave the company—just weeks ahead of one of its most significant product rollouts in years. Description: Apple's sexy Macbook Air may have accounted for more than a quarter of Mac sales in the last three months of 2010, but that number still lags sales of Apple's iPad. Description: Microsoft's Bing search engine will soon incorporate data from flight aggregator Kayak.com, meaning when users search for flight information they will receive pricing data directly within the results page. Gaming News: Description: Nintendo is rumoured to be announcing details of a forthcoming Wii 2 console at E3 in Los Angeles this coming June. A mere week after 2011's Games Developers Conference in San Francisco, and the pre-E3 Nintendo rumour have already started to percolate across the internet. Description: Reckoning is an open-world single-player action RPG from Big Huge Games and Curt Schilling's 38 Studios. It's set in the fantasy realm of Amalur at a time when magic is just beginning to emerge.

Kingston Shopping Festival at IT SHOW 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-shopping-festival-at-itshow-2011/11496.html March 8th, 2011

Description: In early February, MSI took the Radeon HD 6870 design and made it their own in the MSI R6870 Hawk with the Twin Frozr ! III thermal design and the world's first look into propeller blade cooling technology. Description: Today's star is the Bitfenix Survivor Core case. At first glance it might look a bit dull and simplistic, but the Survivor Core case's looks can deceive. On the inside is where the real fun is at ! In the mood for something different? Description: Lian Li's PC-A04 is a real winner in the mATX world. With the ever growing availability of very competent

Kingston Technology, the world leader in memory products, today announced its participation in the coming IT SHOW 2011, held from 10 March to 13 March and will tempt showgoers with the latest IT gadgets at Suntec City in Singapore. Singapore - (March 7, 2011) - Kingston Technology, the world leader in memory products, today announced its participation 22

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

in the coming IT SHOW 2011 and will tempt show-goers with the latest IT gadgets at Suntec City in Singapore (Booth No. #6466, Level 6)!

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Brother

From March 10th to March 13th, everyone will be able to take a look at the latest technologies at Kingston's booth, and be also rewarded with premium items when one makes a purchase! Do check out Kingston's newly-launched products, including the HyperX Grey tailored for Intel P67 Sandy Bridge platforms, SSDNow solid-state drives V100 and V+100, speedy memory cards, and many others!

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionsbrother/11492.html March 8th, 2011

For more detailed information, www.kingston.com/asia/2011singapore.

If you are looking for a new printer or multifunction printer, do check out Brother's booth at the IT SHOW 2011. The star products include the HL-2140 monochrome laser printer and MFC-6490CW A3 colour inkjet multi-function centre printer. Booth Number: Level 4 , 8305

please

visit:

Draw Your Luck with Simple Purchase

Brother Monochrome Laser Printer HL-2140

Anyone who purchases Kingston's memory products at IT Show 2011 will be entitled to join the lucky draw and stand a chance to walk away with a digital camera! Prizes also include Kingston laptop backpacks, and many more. All in all, there will be over 2,500 prizes waiting to be won at Kingston's redemption booth during the 4-day exhibition!

Compact and stylish monochrome laser printer, fast and reliable black and white printouts

Buy and Be Rewarded Full-handed In order to show Kingston's appreciation to its loyal consumers for their full support, anyone who purchases HyperX or Branded memory modules during the 4-day event will get an exclusive HyperX LoVo show bag. Those who purchase Kingston SSDNow products will get a Kingston thermal mug. And if you purchase S$100 (or more) worth of products, you will get a Kingston red-head penholder.

- Stylish and compact printer that fits easily into modern business environments with minimum space available - Fast printing speed up to 22ppm (monochrome) - Professional quality prints with high print resolution of 2400x600 dpi - Full-Speed USB 2.0 connectivity - 250-sheet input tray - Separate toner and drum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; allows users to replace only the colour that has run out IT Show price: TBA

Kingston memory cards and modules are backed by a life-time warranty and SSDNow products are backed by a three-year warranty. All Kingston products enjoy free tech support and Kingston's legendary reliability. For more detailed information, please visit: www.kingston.com/asia. Source: Kingston Press Release Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list 23

March 8th, 2011

Brother A3 Colour Inkjet Multi-Function Centre Printer MFC-6490CW - 6-in-1 A3 Print//Copy/Scan/Fax/PC fax/Direct Print and wireless - Fast print speed of 35ppm (monochrome) and 28ppm (colour)

Published by: VR-Zone

Brother Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Centre Printer MFC-7340 - 5-in-1 Print, fax, copy, colour scan and PC Fax - Rapid print speed of up to 20ppm - Professional print quality of 2400 x 600 dpi

- High resolution of 1200x6000 dpi

- Availability of high-yield toner for heavy users to achieve lower running costs

- Specially formulated Innobella Ink and Photo Paper to achieve ink droplets of just 1.5 picolitres

- Separate toner and drum system to allow users to continue using drum for a few toner cycles

- Direct print ability from USB devices, besides various connectivity options

- Toner Save Mode for printing draft documents to reduce toner usage for non-critical printouts

- Wide full colour 3.3â&#x20AC;? LCD screen to easily access copy and scan settings, and even preview faxes or edit your photos without the use of a PC

- Availability of Junk Fax Filter that eliminates the printing of junk faxes

- Automatic Document Feeder up to 50 sheets

- Automatic Document Feeder of up to 35 sheets enables convenient scanning of large amounts of documents

- Wireless and wired networking options - 4 separate high-yield ink cartridges - High capacity dual paper trays for flexible and efficient paper handling

- Advanced colour scanning through Scan-to-file, Scan-to-Email, Scan-to-OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and Scanto-image IT Show price: TBA

- A copy enhancement feature lets you eliminate shadows, add a watermark, and even adjust skewed documents - Colour optimisation True2life accurately optimises colour prints with the original colours captured - A Secure Function Lock feature allows administrators to restrict user access for greater security and control IT Show price: TBA Brother Colour MFC-9320CW

LED

Multi-Function-Centre

Printer

- 6-in-1 Print/Scan/Copy/Fax/PC Fax/Internet Fax - Unique single pass print technology allows colour printing and copying just as fast as black-and-white - Built-in Wireless Interface 24

March 8th, 2011

- Print resolutions of up to 2,400 x 600 dpi for consistent and high quality results - Easy-to-use and time-saving advanced scanning options distribute and store electronic documents with the use of onetouch buttons - Secure Function Lock for print, fax, copy and scan - Availability of Direct Print â&#x20AC;&#x201C; printing directly from USB Flash drive or digital camera with PictBridge

Published by: VR-Zone

Samsung announces Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab alongside new consumer electronic devices at Samsung Forum 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-galaxy-s-iiand-galaxy-tab-alongside-new-consumer-electronic-devices-at-samsungforum-2011/11486.html March 8th, 2011

IT Show price: TBA

Brother Colour Inkjet Multi-Function-Centre Printer MFCJ415W

Think that the digital world we live in has no more surprises to offer the average consumer? Well, you might want to think again, especially if Samsung has got anything to say about it. In a regional forum held by Samsung at the Marina Bay Sands convention centre today, the Korean electronics giant unveiled its latest wave of consumer electronics products that are designed to offer consumers what it calls a 'smart lifestyle'. Oh, and somewhere among that list of new products are the highly-anticipated Galaxy S II smartphone and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet. VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

- 6-in-1 print/copy/scan/fax/PC fax/Direct Photo Print with wireless and wired network capabilities - capable of printing directly from or sending scanned images and documents to Apple gadgets with the free Brother iPrint&Scan application - delivers professional quality documents with a minimum 1.5 picolitre droplet size, 1,200 x 6,000dpi print resolution, and a fast print speed of up to 35ppm for monochrome and 28ppm for colour - Direct Print feature allowing printing directly using flash memory drives and media cards, without the use of a PC - Automatic Document Feeder up to 15 sheets IT Show price: TBA Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to how big the ecosystem for Samsung-branded consumer electronics devices is? Well, here is a clue: you can probably outfit your entire digital lifestyle with nothing but Samsung products, and proceed on with your life as per usual. Yes, that is just how large and extensive the Samsung ecosystem actually is. Of course, merely having a wide range of consumer electronic products for the average consumer to choose from is no longer enough in today's highly-connected era. Instead, Samsung believes that the way to move forward in this day and age is to go beyond products and start offering consumers tightly integrated services. To do so, the Korean electronics giant has announced its new range of products for 2011 in a regional forum held at Marina Bay Sands, which claim to offer consumers the ability to enjoy a Smarter Life. Speaking at the forum's opening address was Regional Director of Trade Marketing, Stanley Goh, who explained Samsung's aims and goals for the Smarter Life principle. 25

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

more apps and more quality than anyone else on the TV market," he added. Up next was Steven Jacobs, Marketing Manager of Samsung Electronics Australia, who described how smart digital cameras such as the new Samsung SH100 has become a social networking tool due to technological advancements.

"The path Samsung will take is that of the Smarter Life, and it has three pillars: smart design, smart experiences and smart connections," he explained. "Smart design is about creating the utility and the tools for products to allow them to do more. Smart experiences refers to the wide variety of applications, games and programing acorss all devices. Lastly, smart connection is about making Samsung devices truly easy to connect with each other and creating new values for the products themselves," he added. This was backed up by Robert Vu, Director of AV Business for Samsung Vietnam, who spoke about how Samsung's new line of home entertainment devices such as the new, nearborderless D7000 and D8000 television sets and Blu-ray home-theatre systems play an integral part in realizing the company's Smarter Life principle.

"The SH100 is our fourth-generation wireless camera. In addition to it featuring support for real-time uploads to Facebook and Youtube, the SH100 embodies smart connections by being the first camera that can be remotely controlled by the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone. Many oncamera features for the SH100 can be accessed through the Galaxy S, such as shutter release. In addition, simply pressing two buttons on the camera allows SH100 users to automatically back up their shots to a PC without even turning the device on," he explained. Launch of the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1 However, it is also clear that no other device short of smartphones and tablet PCs best embody the spirit of a 'smarter lifestyle', especially when the aforementioned devices have been touted to have the potential to chip away at the importance of netbooks for mobile computing. And Samsung definitely did not disappoint when it announced the launch of both its Galaxy S II smartphone and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet PC.

"The television set will not only continue to be the central technology of our lives; it will become even more dominant in the years to come. In this new era of Smart TV, the greatest misconception of it is that people see Smart TVs as TVs embedded with PC functions, This is a myth: Samsung's smart TVs are stil, abvove all, TVs, but a TV does not become a smart TV just because it allows you to access the internet," he explained. To back his point, he cited how Samsung's smart TVs delivers more than just a PC experience on a large screen. "Samsung 's Smart TV offers more content, more convenience and more excitement than an ordinary TV. We created Smart Hub, a feature that gives you access to all of your information sources in an innovative and personalized way. Applications are also specially designed for Samsung's smart Tv will remain the most important factor for the success of smart TV. Samsung Apps, the world's first HDTV-based app store, offers

Addressing the forum's participants for the launch of Samsung's mobile products was Tyler McGee, Vice President of Telecommunications for Samsung Electronics Australia, who shared some of Samsung's plans for the mobile segment in 2011.

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Lastly, in a classic example of saving the best for the last, McGee announced the introduction of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, an Android (Honeycomb)-based tablet which features a dual-core processor for providing consumers with high-performance mobile computing. The spotlight was then passed over to Eka Anwar, Head of Mobile Marketing Division for Samsung Electronics Indonesia, who proceeded to demonstrate some of the new features found in both the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1.

"We believe that the demand for smartphones and tablets will continue to grow steadily in 2011. So with 2010 behind us, Samsung believes that 2011 will be the year of the smart mobile device," he said, while explaining what Samsung believes constitutes such a device. "We define smart mobile device as a mobile device that can fulfill consumer needs and aspirations while enriching the mobile experience. Samsung's vision is to broaden the horizons of one's mobile life through smart mobile devices and the whole ecosystem around it, from the system infrastructure to services and content. More importantly, getting smarter will become more easier than ever before. Consumers will be not only enriching their lives, but it will be easy enough for everyone to enjoy it," he explained. McGee then proceeded to describe some of the new features found in the company's new Galaxy S II smartphone, such as the new user interface which is said to be entirely customizable, as well as the addition of four 'Samsung Hubs' for easy access to content (the last 'hub' is known as the Social Hub).

Western Digital to acquire Hitachi GST for $4.3 billion Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/western-digital-to-acquire-hitachi-gstfor-4.3-billion/11493.html March 8th, 2011

Western Digital and Hitachi, Ltd. announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The proposed combination will result in a customer-focused storage company, with significant operating scale, strong global talent and the industry's broadest product lineup backed by a rich technology portfolio. Western Digital Press Release

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

the ongoing satisfaction of our customers and to bring this combination to successful fruition."

Combination of Hard Drive Companies Will Create Industry's Broadest Product Portfolio and a Significant Pool of Resources for Innovation IRVINE, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif. - Mar. 7, 2011 Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT / TSE:6501) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The proposed combination will result in a customer-focused storage company, with significant operating scale, strong global talent and the industry's broadest product lineup backed by a rich technology portfolio. Under the terms of the agreement, WD will acquire Hitachi GST for $3.5 billion in cash and 25 million WD common shares valued at $750 million, based on a WD closing stock price of $30.01 as of March 4, 2011. Hitachi, Ltd. will own approximately ten percent of Western Digital shares outstanding after issuance of the shares and two representatives of Hitachi will be added to the WD board of directors at closing. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of each company and is expected to close during the third calendar quarter of 2011, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. WD plans to fund the transaction with a combination of existing cash and total debt of approximately $2.5 billion.

"This brings together two industry leaders with consistent track records of strong execution and industry outperformance," said Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "Together we can provide customers worldwide with the industry's most compelling and diverse set of products and services, from innovative personal storage to solid state drives for the enterprise." Hiroaki Nakanishi, president, Hitachi, Ltd. said, "As the former CEO of Hitachi GST, I always believed in the potential of Hitachi GST to become a larger and more agile company. This is a strategic combination of two industry leaders, both growing and profitable. It provides an opportunity for the new company to increase customer and shareholder value and expand into new markets. Additionally, it is important to us that WD shares common values with Hitachi GST to create a more global company that is well positioned to define a broader role in the evolving storage industry." WD's exclusive financial adviser on the transaction is Bank of America Merrill Lynch; its lead legal adviser is O'Melveny & Myers LLP. Goldman, Sachs & Co serves as financial adviser to Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST. Legal advisers to Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST are Morrison Foerster LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates, respectively.

Galaxy working on Nvidia card with six display outputs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/galaxy-working-on-nvidia-card-withsix-display-outputs/11491.html March 8th, 2011

WD expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to its earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis, excluding acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges and amortization of intangibles. The resulting company will retain the Western Digital name and remain headquartered in Irvine, California. John Coyne will remain chief executive officer of WD, Tim Leyden chief operating officer and Wolfgang Nickl chief financial officer. Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi GST, will join WD at closing as president, reporting to John Coyne. "The acquisition of Hitachi GST is a unique opportunity for WD to create further value for our customers, stockholders, employees, suppliers and the communities in which we operate," said John Coyne, president and chief executive officer of WD. "We believe this step will result in several key benefits: enhanced R&D capabilities, innovation and expansion of a rich product portfolio, comprehensive market coverage and scale that will enhance our cost structure and ability to compete in a dynamic marketplace. The skills and contributions of both workforces were key considerations in assessing this compelling opportunity. We will be relying on the proven integration capabilities of both companies to assure

If you're looking for a different Nvidia card, then maybe Galaxy will have what you're after, at least if you need to be able to connect six displays to one card. It's something of a response to AMD's Eyefinity 6 cards, although it's no clear as to how it works on six displays, as Nvidia generally only allows for two screens per card. If you're looking for a different Nvidia card, then maybe Galaxy will have what you're after, at least if you need to be able to connect six displays to one card. It's something of a response to AMD's Eyefinity 6 cards, although it's no clear as to how it works on six displays, as Nvidia generally only allows for two screens per card. The main PCB of the card is the same as the one the company uses for its GeForce GTX 460 WHDI card and features a small daughterboard which is connected to another small card which in turn is attached to a mini PCI Express slot on the main PCB. The card itself houses a dual-link DVI port and a full-size

March 8th, 2011

DisplayPort connector, while the daughterboard sports four mini HDMI connectors.

Published by: VR-Zone

have been leaked on the Web so far - two Cayman XT GPUs, 830MHz core clock and 1250MHz memory clock.

iPhone 5 features Aluminium Backing? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iphone-5-features-aluminiumbacking-/11487.html March 8th, 2011

It's an interesting approach to a problem that doesn't really exist, although if you're set on an Nvidia card and need to use more than two ports at once, you don't have too many options. This is apparently not the final version of the card though, as it's not likely to ship with a GTX 460, especially not as Nvidia has moved on to the 500 series of GPUs and if anything, it's more likely to come with a GTX 560 Ti or something similar.

With Apple's announcement of the much-anticipated iPad 2, all the rumours now starts to focus on the next big thing from the Cupertino giant. It seems that Apple might be giving up on glass and head back to an aluminium case, which was featured in the original iPhone.

One problem is that a custom solution like this isn't going to be cheap either and Galaxy's WHDI card is a very expensive solution, although this shouldn't be anywhere nearly as expensive as it doesn't have a transmitter or receiver. That said, there might be some potential niche markets for a card like this, especially as it uses four mini HDMI ports which makes it easy to connect to many different display types without any special cabling, not counting the fact that you need a mini HDMI to HDMI cable or adapter.

ASUS Radeon HD 6990 up for pre-order Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-radeon-hd-6990-up-for-preorder/11488.html March 8th, 2011

AMD's monster graphics card, the dual-GPU Radeon HD 6990 has not been launched yet. However, a Dutch website has already started a pre-order for ASUS' version of the HD 6990.

According to a source based in Taiwan, Apple might be heading back to using aluminium as their material of choice instead of glass. The reason(s)? It seems that Apple has got quite some complains with the weight, cracking and scratching, as well as the white paint issue with glass. By shifting back to aluminium, you can expect a stronger and more durable iPhone. The report also outlines that the antenna will be redesigned and positioned just behind the Apple logo, away from edges and corners. Perhaps through this way, chances of getting signal lost due to the infamous "death-grip" would decrease. This also means that the exposed antenna design in iPhone 4 will be abandoned. Last bit, the report also suggest that Apple will be ultising the same dual-core A5 processor recently unveiled in the company's iPad 2, which is somewhat expected. True or not, Apple should announce details of their new iPhone 5 in the upcoming World-Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June or July this year.

More specifically, the model of the ASUS card is EAH6990/3DI4S/4GD5. The card is based on the reference design and its specifications are in line with those that

March 8th, 2011

Patriot Debuts 128Gb USB 3.0 Supersonic Magnum Flash Drive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/patriot-debuts-128gb-usb-3.0supersonic-magnum-flash-drive/11482.html March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• Patriot Supersonic Series Magnum • Eight-Channel technology • Blazing-fast performance • 64GB and 128GB capacities • Sequential read speed: Up to 200MB/s • Sequential write speed: Up to 110MB/s

Patriot Memory has introduced the Supersonic Magnum, a compact aluminum flash drive with a USB 3.0 chipset featuring eight memory channels. Delivering sequential speeds up to 200Mb/s (read) and 110Mb/s (write), the shockresistant drive is available in 64Gb and 128Gb capacities. The Patriot Supersonic Magnum is expected to start shipping come early April. PATRIOT PRESS RELEASE FREMONT, CALIF., USA - March 1, 2011 - Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage and enthusiast computer products, today unleashes the Supersonic Magnum -- a 128GB USB 3.0 SuperSpeed flash drive that combines lightning-fast performance with massive storage capacities.

The Patriot Supersonic Magnum combines a single-chip native USB 3.0 controller with eight-channels of memory to deliver sequential read and write speeds up to 200MB/s and 110MB/s respectively - beyond the performance capabilities of internal hard drives. "We continually try to raise the performance bar when it comes to our flash drives. With our new eight-channel memory controller, we are able to reach read and write performance levels previously impossible with external storage," says Les Henry, Patriot Memory's Vice President of Engineering.

A lightweight and durable aluminium enclosure enables the Patriot Supersonic Magnum to survive up to 15Gs of shock for safe transportation of your data with added style.

Expect the Patriot Supersonic Magnum to ship in Q2'2011 in 64GB and 128GB capacities.

About Patriot Memory Patriot Memory designs, manufactures and markets high performance, enthusiast memory modules, flash products, and computing technologies worldwide. Patriot products have become world renown for their extreme performance, reliability and innovation. Patriot Memory sells its products through original equipment manufacturers, retailers, e-tailers and distributors. It has operations in North America, Asia and Europe. Patriot Memory LLC was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Fremont, California, USA.

Canon announces Canon Imaging Academy; new cameras, camcorders and digital SLRs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-announces-canon-imagingacademy-new-cameras-camcorders-and-digital-slrs/11479.html March 8th, 2011

Canon has announced the opening of the Canon Imaging Academy, a new training facility to educate users in photography and videography. In addition, the manufacturer has also launches new products including IXUS and PowerShot digital cameras, LEGRIA camcorders and EOS 600D and 1100D digital SLR cameras. The Canon Imaging Academy (CIA) is the company's new training facility to engage, enrich and educate users and the community who are passionate in photography videography and other aspects of imaging. The CIA has planned over 70 photography courses, 20 local outings, 10 overseas trips and free product training to engage 15,000 shutterbugs this year.

General details: 30

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The Canon LEGRIA camcorders will be availabie from 10 March 2011.

IT SHOW 2011 Contest / VRZone Giveaway #5 - Asus U36JC Ultraportable Notebook Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-contest-vr-zonegiveaway-5--asus-u36jc-ultraportable-notebook/11484.html March 8th, 2011

Canon has also unveiled the new IXUS and Powershot digital cameras - Digital IXUS 115 HS, Digital IXUS 220 HS, Digital IXUS 310 HS, PowerShot A1200, PowerShot A2200, PowerShot A3200 IS, PowerShot A3300 IS and PowerShot SX230 HS. Pricing:-

Follow 4 easy steps and stand a chance to win different prizes every week. This week..we are giving away: 1 x Asus U36JC Ultraportable Notebook Check out http://launch.vrzone.com and find out how you can win these prizes

Canon IXUS 310 HS - TBA Canon IXUS 220 HS - S$399 Canon IXUS 115 HS - TBA Canon PowerShot SX 230 HS - TBA Canon PowerShot A3300 IS - S$299 Canon PowerShot A3200 IS - S$249 Canon PowerShot A2200 - S$199 Canon PowerShot A1200 - S$169 The Canon IXUS 310 HS, PowerShot SX230 HS will be available at end of March; the other IXUS and PowerShot cameras will be available this month.

Biostar shows off its mini-ITX H61 board at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/biostar-shows-off-its-mini-itx-h61board-at-cebit/11483.html March 8th, 2011

On top of that, the company has also launched the LEGRIA camcorders - LEGRIA FS406, LEGRIA FS46, LEGRIA HF G10, LEGRIA HF M400, LEGRIA HF M41, LEGRIA HF R26, LEGRIA HF R28, LEGRIA HF S30; the XA10 portable professional camcorder, PIXMA iX6560 printer as well as EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II, EF500mm f/4L IS II USM , EF600mm f/4L IS II USM lenses. Pricing:Canon LEGRIA FS46 - S$599 Canon LEGRIA FS406 - S$499 Canon LEGRIA HF R26 - S$849 Canon LEGRIA HF M400 - S$1,149 Canon LEGRIA HF M41 - S$1,449

Back in the glory days of SFF systems, Biostar offered some of the best, if not the best SFF barebones, beating even Shuttle at their own game. However, since then Biostar hasn’t really focused on small motherboard for consumers, although the company has an extensive line of mini-ITX industrial PC boards. However, that looks set to change, as the company was showing off a brand new H61 chipset mini-ITX board at CeBIT that even has a unique feature we haven’t seen before. Back in the glory days of SFF systems, Biostar offered some of the best, if not the best SFF barebones, beating even Shuttle at their own game. However, since then Biostar hasn’t really focused on small motherboard for consumers, although the company has an extensive line of mini-ITX industrial PC boards. However, that looks set to change, as the company was showing off a brand new H61 chipset mini-ITX board at CeBIT that even has a unique feature we haven’t seen before. As with pretty much every other mini-ITX H61 board we’ve seen to date, Biostar has fitted four SATA 3Gbps ports, a x16 31

March 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

PCI Express slot and two DIMMs, but the TH61 ITX as the board is called also features an internal header for two USB 3.0 ports (via an ASMedia controller) which is a first on this type of board.

Key features: • 4-corner user interface for easy one-handed usage • Timescape function that shows all your social communication in one place for ultimate simplicity Around the back we have a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port and of course 7.1channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. However, unlike every other motherboard we’ve ever seen, Biostar has fitted a tiny USB Wi-Fi dongle to the board, much in the same way as some companies have Bluetooth dongles. It supports 802.11b/g/n although it’ll most likely be limited to transfer speeds of up to 150Mbit due to its tiny size which makes it difficult to fit a pair of antennas need for 300Mbit speeds.

• Preloaded Android apps that will enhance your communication and entertainment experience with your smartphone Usual price: $398 Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

Biostar might not be the most prominent motherboard brand, but we’d say that they have a potential winner on their hands with the TH61 ITX as long as it becomes readily available in the market. Judging by the large amount of mini-ITX boards that were announced at CeBIT, it looks like 2011 will be a good year for everyone that’s looking at building an HTPC or any other type of tiny PC.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Sony Ericsson Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-sonyericsson/11480.html March 8th, 2011

Can you imagine life in today's highly connected world without a mobile phone? For most of us, the answer is a resounding no, and that is probably the reason why we often find ourselves compelled to upgrade our phones: to keep up with the times and take advantage of any advantages brought about by new wireless telecommunication technologies. Let's take a look at what Sony Ericsson has got to offer bargain hunters in need for a new cell phone at this year's IT SHOW. Sony Ericsson's booth will be located at Level 6, Hall 601, Booth no. 6361.

Usual price: S$638 Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini

Usual price: S$368 Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

March 10th, 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 - 10 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--10mar-2011/11556.html March 10th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Advances made to MRAM technology might see it rivaling performance of DRAM and SRAM soon; Sparkle's Calibre X580 graphics card gets reviewed; Microsoft's Patch Tuesday does little to secure Internet Explorer from a known security hole; HP drops a bombshell on Microsoft by announcing its plans to preload its desktop PCs with Palm's webOS; A new patch to Catherine unlocks access to a 'Super Easy mode', and Sony seems to have scored a victory against hackers by issuing a new firmware that is reportedly capable of blocking the master key hack Hardware News: MRAM chip connection manages high speed data storage Description: Scientists have managed to significantly speed up the data transfer of Magnetic Random Access Memories (MRAM), meaning that the spintronics based memory could soon rival DRAM and SRAM. Antec Kuhler H2O 620 Liquid CPU Cooler Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Antec Kuhler H2O 620 CPU Cooler is one of the newest offerings in self contained liquid CPU cooling with zero maintenance. The technologies of the Antec Kuhler H2O 620 would have been available only in the highest priced enthusiast coolers a short time ago, but Antec is now delivering them in an affordable, easy to install and maintain unit. The Kuhler H2O 620 offers all of the benefits of liquid cooling, including lowered CPU and component temperatures without the complications typically associated with liquid cooling. Thermaltake Level 10 GT Modular Case @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Thermaltake set the computer case world on its ear in 2009, when it introduced the amazing Level 10

computer case. Designed in collaboration with BMW, the Level 10's unique design, with separate compartments hung from the side of a central "spine", was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. But so was its price, at $800.00. The high price kept it out of retail stores and also kept sales low. The Level 10 GT attempts to incorporate some of the features and style of the original Level 10 at a lower price that's still at the high end of the mainstream case market. Benchmark Reviews takes a look at this latest salvo in the "case wars." Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: Noctua's NH-C14 is a huge cooler, both in physical size and performance. The build quality is excellent and the mounting solutions are very robust and easily installed. I particularly like the fan clip design and implementation. With two included fans, a feature rich accessory package including LNA and ULNA fan speed reducers, a screwdriver and an enameled metal case badge, the NH-C14 would seem to be a dream product for the enthusiast/ overclockers among us. AMD Radeon HD 6990 Review: Sumptuous Dual-GPU Power Description: The high-end Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 also arrived late last year, while the dual-GPU version of AMD's last generation graphics series code-named Antilles was expected to arrive shortly after. Coincidentally (or not) both AMD and Nvidia took a few months longer than expected to show its hardcore dual-GPU graphics cards, with the former making the first move to finally unveil the Radeon HD 6990. ASUS EAH6870 1GB Radeon HD6870 Thermal Image Analysis @ Bigbruin.com Description: The PCB behind the Radeon HD6870's GPU did get to over 72C, and it washed over a large area of the card with temperatures exceeding 60C. These numbers themselves aren't of much concern, but it does imply that the actual GPU is even higher. An aftermarket cooler may not be necessary, but it should lower those readings by a fair amount. Fractal Design Define XL Computer Case @ TweakPC.de (German) Description: (Machine translation) Fractal Design is well known for midi-tower computer cases. The Define XL is the first big-tower. We took a look. Sparkle Calibre X580 Video Card Review @ Madshrimps Description: The Calibre X580 graphics card offers impressive performance in most games and synthetic benchmarks, comes with a beefy but very efficient (and silent enough) air cooling solution from Arctic Cooling and if that wasn't enough, it

March 10th, 2011

is overclocked from the factory (810MHz GPU/ 2016MHz memory)! Consumer Electronics and Software News: Video: Hands-On With An Engineering Prototype 64GB iPhone Description: The backstory isn’t exactly detailed, but somehow M.I.C. Gadget got their hands on what seems to be an unreleased 64GB iPhone. All they’re stating is that the phone is not for sale and it was “definitely leaked from Foxconn’s factory in Shenzhen.” True? We don’t know, but it at least seems like the real deal. Microsoft Patch Tuesday leaves Internet Explorer vulnerable Description: The firm’s Patch Tuesday neglected to include the patch for Exploit-CVE2011-0096, meaning that users will be forced to wait until next month to acquire full protection. Planar's SA2311W 23" 3D monitor now shipping for $600 Description: The SA2311W is a 23" 3D (active-shutter) monitor that features 120hz refresh rate, Full-HD, 2ms response time and VGA/dual-link-DVI/HDMI inputs. If you want 3D, you'll need to get Nvidia's 3D Vision system. iDisplay for Android @ TestFreaks Description: I love having more than one monitor, once you try more than one you can never really go back. Monitors though can be expensive and you have to think do you really need or have the space for another monitor on your desk? What about using what you already have readily available, something like your phone... Firefox 4 Moves Out of Beta, New Downloads Available Now Description: The last beta version, Firefox 4 Beta 10, was released just six weeks ago. Current Firefox 4 beta users will be automatically upgraded to the RC version of the browser, and RC users will be automatically updated to the final release of Firefox 4 when it is available. Apple Opening Temporary iPad 2 Store to Handle SXSW Demand Description: South by Southwest (SXSW) starts on Friday March 11, and the iPad 2 goes on sale on the same day. Apple has two stores in Austin, where SXSW is held, but when you’re hosting thousands of gadget-hungry geeks, two stores is not enough. That’s why Apple is opening a temporary store (via The Statesman) that will exist for only two weeks, beginning March 11. HP's shot across Microsoft's bow: webOS to ship on all HP PCs Description: HP CEO Leo Apotheker has said that next year, all PCs sold by Hewlett-Packard will include webOS, the mobile operating system acquired by HP when it bought Palm last year. The operating system will ship alongside, not instead of, Microsoft's Windows. Gaming News: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II -- Retribution Review Description: Even the biggest fans of the original Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II will admit it: The game was too hard. Bosses were unforgiving to the point of frustration, and the punishment for dying or missing an objective reminded one of the auto-da-fe. Thankfully, the designers at Relic Entertainment have heard the pleas of all us sinners, and have loosened up their latest standalone expansion, Warhammer

Published by: VR-Zone

40,000: Dawn of War II -- Retribution. This time around, your units are more survivable, the odds are fairer, and those gnarly bosses go down just a bit easier Catherine patch makes game easier Description: According to Atlus' official Catherine homepage (translated by Siliconera), the PlayStation 3 patch is live and will make gamer's lives easier with a new difficulty mode called Super Easy mode. Report: Firmware 3.60 Re-secures PS3 Description: The PS3's latest firmware does more than bring cloud saves to Sony's console, if reports are to be believed; it also re-secures the PS3 against the hacks that have blighted it in recent months.

Kingston introduces HyperX T1 Black triple-channel memory kits Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-introduces-hyperx-t1-blacktriple-channel-memory-kits/11558.html March 10th, 2011

Kingston has announced the HyperX T1 Black triple-channel memory kits, which are designed to meet the performance requirements of the new Intel Core i7-990X Processor Extreme Edition and Intel X58 Express-based motherboards. Furthermore, the black heatsinks complements black-themed motherboards, such as the ASUS Rampage III and GIGABYTE G1-Killer series. The HyperX T1 Black will be available in kits (of three or six modules) up to 24GB.

Hsinchu, Taiwan - Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the release of HyperX T1 Black DDR3 triplechannel memory kits. The new memory kits are designed to meet the performance requirements of the new Intel Core i7-990X Processor Extreme Edition and Intel X58 Expressbased motherboards, and are available in kits of three or six modules and in capacities up to 24GB. "Our new HyperX T1 Black triple-channel kits give enthusiasts the opportunity to combine performance and to style into their 2

March 10th, 2011

PC build," said Ann Bai, DRAM Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. "These high-capacity kits are ideal for the X58 products on the market, especially the new GIGABYTE G1-Killer gaming motherboards." "GIGABYTE is excited about the launch of Kingston's new Black T1 HyperX memory as it comes so soon after the GIGABYTE G1-Killer gaming motherboard announcement," commented Tim Handley, Deputy Director of Motherboard Marketing at GIGABYTE. "With their similar color schemes and target market, we are looking forward to seeing PC gamers pair their new Black T1 memory with GIGABYTE G1-Killer gaming motherboards." Kingston is shipping three HyperX T1 Black 1600MHz DDR3 triple channel kits in 24GB, 12GB and 6GB configurations. HyperX T1 Black 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.

Published by: VR-Zone

brings a number of improvements to the iOS experience, most notably, Safari speed performance, personal hotspot for iPhone 4 and customizing the iPad's side switch to serve as either a mute or screen orientation lock toggle. This update contains new features and improvements, including the following: * Personal Hotspot - Share iPhone 4 cellular data with up to 5 devices (combination of up to 3 Wi-Fi, 3 Bluetooth, and 1 USB) * iTunes Home Sharing - Play music, movies, and TV shows from a shared iTunes library on a Mac or PC (requires iTunes 10.2) * New AirPlay features - Play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled thirdparty apps and websites on Apple TV - Play slideshows from Photos on Apple TV using transitions available on Apple TV

Source: Kingston Press Release

Apple releases iOS 4.3 update Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-releases-ios-4.3update/11557.html March 10th, 2011

Apple today has push their iOS 4.3 for all users running on later iOS device hardwares. First mentioned last week at Apple's iPad special media event, you can now update your iOS device to iOS 4.3 through iTunes.

* Faster Safari performance with Apple Nitro JavaScript engine * HD video out using the Apple Digital AV Adapter - View 720p HD videos from Videos app, iPod app, Photos, YouTube, Safari, Keynote, and enabled thirdparty apps on an HDMI display * Ping features - Push notifications for comments and follow requests - Post and Like songs directly from the Now Playing screen - Parental controls * New Settings - Messages setting for number of times to repeat an alert - iPad side switch setting to lock screen rotation or mute audio notifications and sound effects

Apple has just released iOS 4.3 to the public, just a days ahead of the originally scheduled Friday launch. This new release 3

March 10th, 2011

* Single tap conference call dialing with a pause to send a passcode * Bug fixes You can get your copy of iOS 4.3 through iTunes now.

Acer announces its Web Surf Station smart display Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-announces-its-web-surf-stationsmart-display/11555.html March 10th, 2011

Want a computer screen that’s more than just a screen? Then maybe the Acer DX241H is what you’ve been waiting for, as beyond being a 24-inch full HD 1920x1080 resolution display with D-sub and HDMI input, it can do a lot more. Acer calls it the Web Surf Station and it’s pretty much a smart display, something that there has been a lot of talk about in the past, but something that’s hasn’t really materialised, until now. Want a computer screen that’s more than just a screen? Then maybe the Acer DX241H is what you’ve been waiting for, as beyond being a 24-inch full HD 1920x1080 resolution display with D-sub and HDMI input, it can do a lot more. Acer calls it the Web Surf Station and it’s pretty much a smart display, something that there has been a lot of talk about in the past, but something that’s hasn’t really materialised, until now. Although Acer hasn’t revealed what hardware is inside the Web Surf Station, it’s running Acer’s proprietary clear.fi software which allows playback of various multimedia formats (no specifics were given). It will play back media from memory cards, USB storage devices and even the web. A lot of details have been left out of the press release, but apparently the Web Surf Station features both wired and wireless network connectivity and it has a built in web browser based on Google’s Chrome browser.

Published by: VR-Zone

It’s also possible to upload media from external storage devices to Picasa and Flickr and the Web Surf Station also features DLNA support for media streaming. It’s also supplied with a remote control for easy navigation with a slide-out keyboard that makes it easy to access webpages. It’s currently on sale in Europe for €299 (S$525) which isn’t exactly cheap for a 24inch display, but it might be a suitable solution for someone that only needs basic internet access rather than a full-on computer, or in lieu of buying a second computer for media playback and web access.

Lenovo and Intel launch the Classmate+ PC Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-and-intel-launch-theclassmate-pc/11554.html March 10th, 2011

Intel has been moving from partner to partner with its various iterations of the Classmate PC and now the company have signed up Lenovo as its partner for the latest model, the Classmate+ PC. It's still a very basic machine without a lot of bells and whistles, but as it's intended as an educational computer for schools, this isn't exactly expected. Intel has been moving from partner to partner with its various iterations of the Classmate PC and now the company have signed up Lenovo as its partner for the latest model, the Classmate+ PC. It's still a very basic machine without a lot of bells and whistles, but as it's intended as an educational computer for schools, this isn't exactly expected. At least Lenovo has managed to come up with a more attractive design for the Classmate+ PC than seen in the previous generations, if somewhat industrial in terms of looks. The carry handle is still firmly in place at the back of the Classmate + PC and it's of course still powered by one of Intel's Atom processors, in this case a single core 1.6GHz Atom N455 which is paired with Intel's NM10 chipset.

It will also come with up to 2GB of RAM, a standard netbook style 10.1-inch LCD screen, an option of either an 8 or 16GB 4

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

SSD or a 160 or 250GB hard drive. Other features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100Mbit Ethernet, a 1.3Megapixel webcam, three USB 2.0 ports, a memory card reader, a D-sub connector and a pair of audio jacks. Lenovo will supply three different battery packs for the Classmate+ PC, a standard 3-cell unit which is said to deliver 3-3.5h battery life depending on whether it's configured with a hard drive or SSD, a 4400mAh 6-cell pack good for between 7-7.5h and finally a 5200mAh high density 6-cell battery pack good for up to 8.5-9h of usage. The Classmate+ PC will only be available to qualified education and government customers through Lenovo or its channel partners.

IT SHOW 2011 - Babes Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--babes/11552.html March 10th, 2011

A picture speaks a thousand words therefore in this article, we will let the pictures do the talking. Get ready...the show babes of IT Show 2011.

lovely

<3 <3

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

the lovely show babes from Casio booth Sony is hot and sexy

Trend Micro babes are pretty too !

March 10th, 2011

i like her smile ^_^

Published by: VR-Zone

her friend joins in

March 10th, 2011

lovely babe from A.C. Ryan ^^

Published by: VR-Zone

The M1 booth can be located on level 2 Ballroom Foyer.

Did you manage to 'capture' any booth babes in IT Show 2011 on your camera ? Share with us your photos and we will be adding it to our booth babe article along with ours. Credits will be given, based on your forum nickname.

IT SHOW 2011 Coverage Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-coverage/11543.html March 10th, 2011

IT Show 2011 Singapore is upon us, and needless to say there are going to be lots of IT-related offers awaiting the bargain hunters who have waited months for this day. As usual, VRZone headed down to the exhibition grounds at Suntec City Exhibition and Convention Centre to bring you the coverage of the event. *STILL BEING UPDATED!*

M1 also started to offer Internet TV services. With the '1box', users can stream media, surf, shop and socialize all at the comfort of their couch. 8

March 10th, 2011

The 1box available for rent from M1 with a minimum of 6 months subscription.

Published by: VR-Zone

M1 is bundling thier mobile broadband plans with Android tablets.

M1 Broadband Offers Fiber 25Mbps 50Mbps100Mbps150Mbps200Mbps 1Gbps Broadband Monthly $39 $49 $59 $79 $99 $399 Subscriptions Upload 25Mbps 50Mbps 50Mbps 75Mbps100Mbps500Mbps Speeds Up To 9

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Home 5Mbps 8Mbps 10Mbps 15Mbps 30Mbps100Mbps Broadband Monthly $25.20 $36.40 $40.60 $42.90 $53.90 $76.70 Subscriptions Upload 512kbps 1Mbps 1Mbps 2Mbps 4Mbps 10Mbps Speeds Up To Mobile 1Mbps 2Mbps Broadband Monthly $13.45 $23.23 Subscription Data Unlimited Bundle

4Mbps $30.82

7.2Mbps 21Mbps $41.58

$59.40

Renesas Electronics Debuts New USB 3.0 Controllers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/renesas-electronics-debuts-newusb-3.0-controllers/11551.html March 10th, 2011

Renesas Electronics (formerly NEC Electronics), the world's largest manufacturers of semiconductor systems for mobile phones and automotive applications, has unveiled the µPD720201 and µPD720202 - two new USB 3.0 xHCI host controllers for PCs and electronic devices. They are Renesas's third generation USB 3.0 controllers and are expected to deliver faster speed (40 percent faster than existing host controller products) and consumes less power (better power efficiency). Renesas Electronics' µPD720201 (four ports) and µPD720202 (two ports) are available now at a cost of US$20 and US$10 respectively. RENESAS ELECTRONICS PRESS RELEASE Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the availability of its two new SuperSpeed Universal Serial Bus (USB 3.0) xHCI host controllers (part number, µPD720201 and µPD720202) for electronic devices such as PCs and digital TVs that feature faster effective data transfer speeds and reduced power consumption in low power mode. The µPD720201 and µPD720202 devices make it easier for system designers to build electronic devices combining highspeed data transfer, compact size, and extended battery life. In addition, Renesas Electronics device drivers for Microsoft Windows with a proven track record, and device drivers with Linux support, are available for the µPD720201 and µPD720202 host controllers at no cost.

USB has achieved widespread adoption worldwide as an interface standard for connecting peripheral devices such as mouses and external hard disks to PCs and other digital electronic products. In recent years, the increasing data size of video content and emergence of recording media with larger capacities have boosted demand for high-speed interfaces. As a result, USB 3.0, which boosts tenfold the earlier transfer speed of 480 megabits per second (Mbps), has appeared. USB 3.0 has been widely adopted into an increasing number of PCs and peripheral devices such as external hard disks and USB flash memory drives. With the recent emergence of solid state drive (SSD) products offering faster read and write access than conventional hard disks and chipsets supporting the PCI Express Generation 2 high-speed internal bus for PCs, the groundwork is in place to enable the high-speed performance potential of USB 3.0 to be used to its fullest. Against this background, there is strong market demand for host controller products offering faster effective data transfer speeds with peripheral devices, reduced standby power consumption for better battery life in mobile devices such as tablet PCs and netbooks, and compact package size to enable the use of smaller printed wiring boards. The new host controllers add a new four-port product to the Renesas Electronics USB 3.0 product lineup and deliver even faster transfer speeds, better power efficiency, and more compact size than the company's previous versions of USB 3.0 host controllers. Key features of the new µPD720201 and µPD720202 USB 3.0 host controllers: (1) Industry-leading high data transfer speed Improvements to the data transfer processing circuit provide an increase in the effective data write speed of more than 40 percent from Renesas Electronics' existing host controller products for peripheral devices such as USB 3.0 hard disks. This, combined with excellent read performance, results in an industry-leading high data transfer speed. (2) Industry-leading low power consumption 10

March 10th, 2011

In addition to a technology implemented on existing products that reduces power consumption when the peripheral device is in the unconnected state, circuit improvements have been made to effectively suppress current leakage when in lowpower mode. This has reduced power consumption in lowpower mode to 4.5 milliwatt (mW), a reduction of 90 percent compared with Renesas Electronics' existing products. This results in power consumption among the lowest in the industry, reduced standby power usage in laptop PCs and other mobile devices, and extended battery life. (3) Compact QFN package and firmware download function for smaller mounting area The µPD720201 and the µPD720202 devices are equipped in an 8 millimeter (mm) square Quad Flat Non Lead (QFN) package and a 7 mm square QFN package, respectively, which are reductions in package size of approximately 50 percent from Renesas Electronics' existing products. In addition, the company's existing host controllers use firmware stored in external serial flash ROM. The µPD720201 and µPD720202 devices now have a function that makes use of improvements to the PCI Express interface to allow downloading of firmware from the system software, such as the basic input/output system (BIOS). The ability to download the firmware from the system software eliminates the need for external serial flash ROM. This reduces the number of components required for incorporating a USB 3.0 function and enables a smaller mounting area. “In addition to contributing to faster data transfer processing in PCs and digital consumer electronics, Renesas Electronics' µPD720201 and µPD720202 host controllers help extend battery life by dramatically reducing the power consumption,”said Yukihiko Matsuda, Associate General Manager, Industry & Network Business Division, Renesas Electronics Corporation. “As a core member of the USB-IF, we will continue to provide robust lineups of USB 3.0 products to accelerate the adoption of USB 3.0 in compact mobile devices.” Refer to the separate sheet for the specifications of the µPD720201 and µPD720202.USB 3.0 host controllers. Renesas Electronics will exhibit and demonstrate the µPD720201 and µPD720202 devices at the SuperSpeed USB Developers Conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on March 9 and 10, 2011. Leadership in USB As a member of the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) since 1996, Renesas Electronics (formerly NEC Electronics) has played a leading role both in defining USB standards and in developing USB technology. In April 2000, the company (then

Published by: VR-Zone

NEC Electronics) launched the µPD720100 device, the world's first USB 2.0-compliant host controller chip and an extensive lineup of other USB devices, and has earned a reputation for delivering dedicated customer service and high quality. In May 2009, Renesas Electronics (then NEC Electronics) introduced the industry's first USB 3.0 xHCI host controller and, only after four months of its release, the company became the world's first to earn the "Certified SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)" certification from the USB-IF, and also started mass production of the µPD720200 host controller. In the following year, the company released its second USB 3.0 xHCI host controller (µPD720200A) and passed the compliance and certification testing in only two months. Renesas Electronics is the world's largest producer of USB 3.0 host controllers and provides complete USB 3.0 solutions, which include device drivers for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. Renesas Electronics also licenses both host and device-side USB 3.0 IP and offers USB host and device side building blocks within its custom ASIC libraries for companies wishing to design and market their own USB 3.0 integrated circuits. Availability Samples of Renesas Electronics' µPD720201 with four downstream ports and µPD720202 with two downstream ports are available now, priced at $20 and $10, respectively. Mass production is scheduled to begin in September 2011 with a combined production volume of 2,000,000 units per month. (Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.

IT SHOW 2011 Price Lists, Flyers, Brochures, Promotions Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-price-lists-flyersbrochures-promotions-roundup/11502.html March 10th, 2011

Zalman Launches CNPS11X Extreme CPU Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zalman-launches-cnps11x-extremecpu-cooler/11550.html

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 10th, 2011

Korean cooling specialist Zalman has announced its latest high-end CPU cooler, the CNPS11X Extreme. Measuring 132 x 80 x 154mm and weighing 600g, the nickel plated cooler sports two V-shaped heatsinks, five composite pipes, and is equipped with a 120mm Blue LED PWM fan that operates at 1000 ~ 1950 RPM. The CNPS11X Extreme, compatible with most Intel & AMD processors, is bundled with a tube of ZMSTG2M thermal compound and is expected to start shipping come end April. ZALMAN PRESS RELEASE

A new CPU Cooler lineup has just been released to bring up the Zalman to the next stage. Unlike its predecessors, CNPS11X Extreme comes with the unique V-shape heatsink from any other manufacturers. With a highly optimized thermal designed heatsink will be certainly outperforming than any other heatsink in the market.

On top, with its stylish Black pearl plating with Blue LED will add more visuals for the Case modders. In addition, by Zalmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique Composite Heatpipe Solution, CNPS11X 12

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Extreme will have more than enough to cool any hottest CPUs in the market as well. (Up to 350W TDP). Included ZM-STG2 will also boost up to the maximum cooling performance of CNPS11X.

Key Features

Canon has set up a booth at the Galleria Foyer this year. Canon's huge redemption booth is still at the ground floor as usual, at the lobby of the Convention Centre.

• Powerful Cooling performance (Qmax 350W) • V-Shaped Dual Heatsink Design for Optimal Airflow • Composite Heatpipe (Heat Transfer Capacity Rate Enhanced by 1.5times compared to ordinary Heatpipes) • High Performance Super Thermal Grease ZM-STG2 • Compatible with Various Intel & AMD Sockets. • Ultra Quiet 120mm Blue LED PWM Fan • Elegant, Black-Pearl Nickel Plating Availability End of April

IT SHOW 2011: The Preview Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-the-preview/11534.html March 10th, 2011

Moving up to the second floor, M1 has again taken the space outside the ballrooms. There's even a corner on the left dedicated to the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN).

Held from 10th to 13th March 2011, IT SHOW 2011 Singapore is the largest IT, digital, mobile and consumer electronics exhibition here in Singapore. This year, there will be more than 830 exhibitors over a combined exhibition space of 350,000 square feet. Join VR-Zone.com as we give you a sneak peek of what you can find at the show. Take a look! Held from 10th to 13th of March 2011, IT SHOW 2011 is the largest IT, digital, mobile and consumer electronics exhibition here in Singapore. This year, there will be more than 830 exhibitors over a combined exhibition space of 350,000 square feet. Join VR-Zone.com as we present a preview of the show grounds!

M1 has shifted its counters into one of the ballrooms, possibly to ease the human congestion along the walkway. The number 13

March 10th, 2011

of counters may be an indication of how large (M1 expects) the crowd can get!

In the neighboring ballroom, we see SingTel getting all cosy in there.

Published by: VR-Zone

Starhub's counters are found inside meeting rooms.

Just beside Starhub is EpiCentre. The company also has booths at Level 2.

Nubox is over at the concourse. All three telcos have been at the same spots for the past wedon't-know-how-may shows. On Level 3, we have Starhub at the foyer. The guys setting up seem to be a little behind time though...

Sony has taken up the rest of the available space at the concourse. Cameras are located at the right corner...

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Challenger to match IT SHOW 2011 pricings Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/challenger-to-match-it-show-2011pricings/11540.html March 10th, 2011

Followed by their laptops in the middle...

IT SHOW 2011 - SingTel Broadband, Smartphones, and mioTV Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--singtel-broadbandsmartphones-and-miotv/11538.html March 10th, 2011

PlayStation demos!

And a whole range of LCD TVs on the left side.

March 10th, 2011

IT SHOW 2011 - M1 Broadband and Phone and Prepaid Offers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--m1-broadband-andphone-and-prepaid-offers/11537.html March 10th, 2011

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 09 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--09mar-2011/11535.html March 10th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Reviews of ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU OC video card ; AMD Fusion vs Intel Atom: Clash of the Integrations ; AMD launches a dual-GPU, 350W monster card; HP planning to put WebOS on every PC it ships in 20 and12; Microsoft job postings hint at Xbox 360 successor; the passion of Shift 2 unleashed . Hardware News: Description: The ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU OC video card comes armed with a overclocked GPU running at 850MHz and slightly overclocked memory frequency of 950MHz (3.8GHz effective). It looks good, it does the job, but you won't be able to turn on all the fancy settings of your favorite game while playing at a high resolution. Description: The Noctua NH-C14 might win the title of Noctua’s best performing cooler, but it wasn’t meant to. What it does offer is the ability to get high-end air-cooling into smaller cases, while not sacrificing on clearance of motherboard components or noise. Description: It’s the factual state of affairs that integration is our imminent future, reinforced every day through announcements and presentation of various new technologies. The lack of upgrade options is something that we seem to be willing to renounce in order to get complete and efficient solutions. Intel’s latest CPU series has reduced overclocking to a lower level, thus announcing the direction that new products and technologies are about to take. Description: Zotac's Geforce GTX 570 does prove that is a direct competitor with any reference based HD 6970 at this given time. Through benchmarking and testing, both videocards won and lost during certain benchmarks.. Description: Intel really kicked the SSD world in high gear when they released their X-25 series of drives last year. Their performance was the benchmark that all other drives were measured against for quite some time. Consumer Electronics and Software news:

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: Google recently launched a new version of Chrome that includes a new password sync feature, synced data encryption, an improved settings interface, and promises 66 percent faster JavaScript speeds. Description: HP is getting serious about WebOS integration with plans to have the formerly mobile operating system extend to all of its PCs starting next year. Description: AMD has taken the wraps off its newest highend graphics solution, the AMD HD 6990. The new 6990 is a monster of a card—it's basically a small system all in itself, which you can cram inside your PC.. Description: The current generation of gaming consoles seems to be enjoying a longer life cycle than usual, with peripherals like Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's Move effectively delaying the launch of next-gen systems by at least a few years. Description: While it sounds miniscule next to Apple's App Store and its more than 350,000 apps, the Windows Phone Marketplace now offers 9,000 apps and games and is growing by an average of 100 apps a day. Gaming news Description: The original Shift was an intriguing and captivating mix of typical Need For Speed excess and convincing handling model – a worrying juxtaposition on paper that mostly worked in practice – but the sequel (which, you'll note, has lost its Need for Speed tag) aims at sharpening its focus onto recreating the authentic racing experience. Description: Coming less than a year-and-a-half after its predecessor -- and in the wake of widespread acclaim over Bioware's Mass Effect 2 -- Dragon Age 2 comes with the baggage of expectation and apprehension that seems requisite for all major developers, especially one that has become as prolific as the Canada-based juggernaut.

Acer readying touch friendly remote for clear-fi Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-readying-touch-friendly-remotefor-clear-fi/11536.html March 10th, 2011

It might not look like much, but Acer's upcoming RMTP-S1Q remote is a step in the right direction as far as we're concerned when it comes to basic navigation of a home theatre PC. It can be used as both a touch pad and a basic remote control, although it's not as fancy as the model Acer offers which also doubles up as a touch sensitive keyboard. It might not look like much, but Acer's upcoming RMTP-S1Q remote is a step in the right direction as far as we're concerned when it comes to basic navigation of a home theatre PC. It can be used as both a touch pad and a basic remote control,

March 10th, 2011

although it's not as fancy as the model Acer offers which also doubles up as a touch sensitive keyboard. Details of the new remote leaked via the FCC and it's made by a Hong Kong company called Syuin Connector. It has a built in rechargeable battery and operates over a 2.4GHz RF link and it looks like the receiver will be built into whatever device that the RMTP-S1Q will be paired up with. It has a usable range of about 8-10 meters and it also sports a G-sensor which will auto detect which way you're holding the remote so the mouse cursor will always move the correct way around.

Published by: VR-Zone

Creative will showcase their latest ZiiO 7-inch and 10-inch Android tablets at this week's IT Show, among its range of Pure Wireless Entertainment, SoundBlaster and Live! cam products. The Creative booth will be located on Level 6, Hall 601, and the booth number is 6298 .

Creative ZiiO 10-inch Pure Wireless Entertainment tablet

It's compatible with Windows 7 and Acer's new clear-fi media center software which was announced earlier this year at CES. In basic mode, the RMTP-S1Q is a touch pad, although it features a backlight which might be handy in dark environments, such as a home theatre room. It doesn't have any physical clickable buttons though, so you'll have to live with tapping the pad instead. However, it does feature multitouch for scrolling which should make it a bit easier to navigate around Windows with it. Press the mode button and a selection of icons will light up which includes a menu key, a switch key, previous and next track, play/pause, stop, volume up/down and quick access buttons for video and music playback. These all work as you'd expect, although judging by the fact it's been designed for Acer's clear-fi software, it's unlike that it can be used with other applications. The switch key enables switching between various modes beyond audio and video playback, such as image gallery and what not. Hopefully this will be a standard feature on a lot of systems from Acer, as it looks like a neat little solution that we wouldn't mind getting thrown in as a bundled extra.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Creative Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionscreative/11532.html March 10th, 2011

The Creative ZiiO 10-inch Pure Wireless Entertainment tablet is a sleek Android-based device that claims to deliver the best wireless audio performance to its users. With the Pure Android Audio application, it can stream audio to speakers or headphones with Bluetooth and apt-X capabilities. Usual Price: S$429 (8GB) IT Show 2011 Price - S$399 (Limited to 50 sets)

Creative ZiiO 7-inch Pure Wireless Entertainment tablet The new Creative ZiiO 7-inch Pure Wireless Entertainment tablet is extremely compact, portable and lightweight. Like the ZiiO 10-inch tablet, it also features the Pure Android Audio application to offer audio-enhancing options including X-Fi, apt-X and Bluetooth connectivity. Usual Price - S$359 (8GB); S$389 (16GB) IT Show 2011 Price - S$339 (8GB) (Limited to 50 sets) ; 16GB Model comes with free leather case worth S$49 (limited to 50 sets)

March 10th, 2011

Creative ZiiSound T6 2.1 wireless speaker system The ZiiSound T6 2.1 wireless speaker system offers quality wireless audio playback, fast and easy connections, and works with all compatible stereo Bluetooth devices like notebooks, netbooks, the iPhone, iPad, PCs, Macs and tablet computers. Through the USB connection, this three-piece speaker system is capable of delivering “full-bandwidth” audio from 5.1 digital soundtracks. Usual Price - S$569 IT Show 2011 Promotion – Free Creative T12 Wireless worth S$129 (Limited to 50 sets)

Published by: VR-Zone

Creative WP-300 headphones The Creative WP-300 apt-X enabled wireless headphones are designed for audiophiles who enjoy high quality music from their favourite Bluetooth enabled mobile devices. The lightweight headphones come with a foldable frame and ultracomfortable ear cushions even after hours of usage. Usual Price - S$149 IT Show 2011 Price - S$99 (Limited to 50 sets)

Logitech announces Z906 5.1channel speakers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-announces-z906-5.1-channelspeakers/11533.html March 10th, 2011

Creative ZEN Touch 2 The Creative ZEN Touch 2 is a pocket-sized wireless entertainment device that lets users enjoy Pure Wireless Audio streamed to their Bluetooth headphones and speakers. Users can also access the Internet at the touch of an onscreen icon. Usual Price - S$279 (8GB, without GPS); S$319 (16GB, without GPS) and S$299 (8GB, with GPS) IT Show 2011 Price - S$249 (8GB, without GPS) (Limited to 50 sets); 16GB model without GPS comes with free adaptor worth S$29 (Limited to 50 sets)

If you've been on the hunt for a complete 5.1-channel speaker set that doesn't take up too much space or cost a small fortune, then you generally have a choice of Creative Labs or Logitech and the latter company has announced its latest addition in the shape of the Z906 speakers. This time around Logitech has focused the set to fit better in the living room rather than being a solution for PC audio, despite the old Z-5500's finding their way into many living rooms. If you've been on the hunt for a complete 5.1-channel speaker set that doesn't take up too much space or cost a small fortune, then you generally have a choice of Creative Labs or Logitech and the latter company has announced its latest addition in the shape of the Z906 speakers. This time around Logitech has focused the set to fit better in the living room rather than being a solution for PC audio, despite the old Z-5500's finding their way into many living rooms. The design is completely revamped and we're looking at a much more AV friendly control unit this time around, as it's horizontal rather than vertical as was the case with the Z-5500's. Gone is the fancy LCD display, but in its place Logitech has added a range of easy to read orange LEDs which clearly indicates what's going on. You still get a remote control, but even that has been simplified and only features a power button, an input selector, a mute button and a four way navigation pad that also doubles up as volume controls and level and effect controls. 18

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

BitFenix Unveils Shinobi Gaming Chassis Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bitfenix-unveils-shinobi-gamingchassis/11527.html March 10th, 2011

The inputs have also changed and rather than the control unit having the inputs, they're now located at the rear of the subwoofer. The Z-5500's featured three analogue inputs as well as an optical and a coaxial S/PDIF input and although the Z906's keeps the three analogue inputs and the coaxial S/ PIDF, it scores a second optical S/PDIF input and two RCA connectors for stereo audio input. Logitech has also moved away from using RCA plugs for connecting the speakers to the subwoofer and has instead gone for traditional spring loaded clips and the same goes on the speakers. The good thing here is that if you're not satisfied with the supplied speaker cables, you can change them to whatever you want.

New start up BitFenix has announced Shinobi, the latest addition to its series of gamercentric PC enclosures. The all black ATX chassis, encased in Bitfenix's "SofTouch™ Surface", features three too-less 5.25" optical bays/ eight 3.5" HDD bays, support for up to seven 120mm fans, and a topside I/ O panel with four USB 2.0 ports and audio connectors. The Shinobi is compatible with all mini-ITX, micro ATX and ATX motherboards and will be available in March at a MSRP of €49/ US$59 (stock) and €59/ US$69 (window). BITFENIX PRESS RELEASE

The Z906 speakers are rated at the same 500W RMS power as the Z-5500's, but the subwoofer has been down rated from 187W to 165W while all of the satellite speakers are rated at 67W whereas the Z-5500 satellites were rated at 61W with the exception of the centre speaker which was rated at 69W. All of the satellite speakers are wall mountable, although it does appear as if Logitech supplies the actual mounts in the box. The speakers are of course THX certified and the decoder handles Dolby Digital and DTS encoded audio and there's also support for up mixing stereo sound to surround sound.

The US MSRP of the Z906's is set at $399.99 which is about S$507, but we'd expect the set to cost closer to S$600 when it arrives in Singapore. Logitech expects to be shipping the speakers this month in the US, although it's unclear as to when they'll be available in other parts of the world.

(BitFenix Design Lab, March 7, 2011) - Today, gaming hardware maker BitFenix is pleased to announce the latest addition to its lineup of PC chassis designed for hardcore gamers. Named Shinobi, this mid tower ATX chassis delivers impressive cooling, excellent expansion possibilities, and a bevy of DIY friendly features all wrapped up in a design that articulates the bold yet clean BitFenix design philosophy. "We wanted to create a no-nonsense gaming chassis that was not only functional, but also exuded the killer design concept that BitFenix is known for. I believe that with Shinobi, gamers will get to see what we mean first hand," says BitFenix Product Manager David Jarlestedt.

March 10th, 2011

Named after some of the most feared assassins of the modern age, Shinobi is designed to allow gamers to silently and efficiently dispatch their competition. Available in both window and non-window versions, Shinobi can blend into virtually any environment. Purists will appreciate the solid steel side panel of Shinobi, while users who want to highlight the hardware installed within will love the Shinobi Window's uniquely-crafted side panel window. Enveloping the top and front covers is the signature BitFenix SofTouch™ Surface Treatment that lends a luxurious matte finish and soft feel while resisting fingerprints and stains.

Published by: VR-Zone

But the spirit of a true warrior must extend beyond the superficial. Shinobi also brings the tools gamers require to remain a cut above their adversaries. Inside, Shinobi can accommodate a wide variety of hardware - long graphics cards are not a problem, and up to three 5.25" optical drives or eight 3.5" hard drives can be installed for maximum expansion possibilities. With the included 5.25" drive bay adapter, users can also install a 2.5" SSD drive. To keep things cool when battle heats up, Shinobi can also be outfitted with a bevy of fans - up to seven 120mm fans can be installed, and optionally two of them can be upgraded to 140mm fans. Four high-speed USB 2.0 ports and audio jacks come standard, allowing gamers to effortlessly connect their gaming peripherals. No matter what the situation calls for, Shinobi rises to the occasion. To get the gamer into battle as quickly as possible, Shinobi is equipped with a slew of DIY friendly features. Its easy-to-use tool-free design makes drive installation a breeze, and a large cutout on the motherboard tray enables quicker changing of CPU coolers should the need arise. Finally, removable filtered fan intakes means quick cleanup, shortening the time it takes to charge back into the fray.

Of course, Shinobi is also built with the same quality and attention to detail of all BitFenix gaming products. From the brushed gunmetal BitFenix logo, to the luxurious coated interior, Shinobi users can experience the BitFenix difference both inside and out. Shinobi Window users can also look forward to easy-to-use tool-free drive locking mechanisms to help speed their installation along.

BitFenix Shinobi will be available on store shelves beginning March 2011 with an estimated MSRP of 49€ (incl. 19% VAT) and $59. BitFenix Shinobi Window will be available at the same time with an estimated MSRP of 59€ (incl. 19% VAT) and $69. For more information on Shinobi, please visit http:// www.bitfenix.com 20

March 10th, 2011

About BitFenix BitFenix is the result of the collaboration of several veterans in both the technology and gaming industries. From the same minds behind some of technology's most venerable products, BitFenix creates hardware and peripherals that grant the user the utmost control, strength, and performance to complete their computing tasks. Combining a deep understanding of gaming and other high-demand computing applications with superior engineering and design know-how, the BitFenix Team is dedicated to creating the go-to computing products and peripherals for those who refuse to quit. For more information, check out http://www.bitfenix.com.

Report: AMD E-Series refresh in Q3 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Motorola Atrix 4G hacked: no dock needed for Webtop experience Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/motorola-atrix-4g-hacked-no-dockneeded-for-webtop-experience/11528.html March 10th, 2011

When Motorola launched the Atrix, one of its biggest selling points was the ability to connect the smartphone to the Webtop docking station and transform the device into an impromptu notebook, complete with its own custom Webtop user interface. However, a recent hack seems to have removed the requirement of having such a docking station to enjoy the Webtop experience. Click on the link to find out more.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-e-series-refresh-inq3-2011/11531.html March 10th, 2011

AMD is reportedly planning to refresh the E-Series Zacate lineup in Q3 2011, according to Xbitlabs. A slight boost in clock speed will be complemented by introduction of AMD Turbo Core and DDR3-1333 to Zacate APUs and a second dual-core APU. The two new APUs will be branded E-450 and E-300. E-450 geatures a minor 50 MHz boost to 1.65 GHz, while a new HD 6320 integrated GPU is featured with a clock speed of upto 600 MHz. The E-450 APU will support DDR3-1333, up from the 1066 MHz of E-350. A new dual-core E-300 will bridge the gap between single core E-240 and dual core E-350, with a clock speed of 1.30 GHz. It will feature the same GPU component as the E-350 and E-240 - HD 6310 and will continue to support up to 1066 MHz. However, E-300 will feature Turbo Core unlike the current E-240 and E-350. Both E-450 and E-300 will continue to be part of the FT1 platform, fabricated at 40nm Bulk, and feature a TDP of 18W.

The Atrix 4G may not be the newest smartphone on the block, but it sure is the first smartphone to actually blur the lines between a mobile telecommunications device and a portable computing machine. After all, no other smartphone on the market features the capability to connect itself onto a specialized docking station known as the Webtop and miraculously transforming the device into an impromptu laptop, complete with customized user interface, keyboard and trackpad.

In addition to the new E-300 and E-450, AMD is also planning to release a Llano E-series APU. Based on the dual-core Llano design, the AMD E2-3250 will feature 2 Llano CPU cores at an unknown clock speed. The GPU component of the APU will be a Radeon HD 6370, featuring 160 SP - twice that of Zacate. E2-3250 will support 1600 MHz DDR3. While the TDP at this initial stage is listed at 65W, it will certainly be lower at release - otherwise it will be a regular A-series APU. The E2-3250 is expected to offer much superior performance to the Zacate APUs.

However, as is the way in the open-source community, any new feature is fair game for hacking, and it seems that the enterprising hackers have found a way to enable the Webtop experience without having to purchase the docking station. 21

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Apparently, the hackers found that enabling the feature requires little more than installing a few modified files into the Atrix; Once that is done, users merely need to connect the 'modified' Atrix to a large enough display via HDMI, pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and they are set to enjoy the Atrix's desktop PC-like functionalities. Of course, these kind of modifications fall under a very large grey area as far as legality is concerned. Needless to say we will not be providing instructions pertaining to obtaining the modified files and installing them to your Atrix 4G. And should you decide to go with the modifications any way...well, let's just say that we cannot be held responsible for brand-new Atrix 4G smartphones that have found a new purpose in life as a classylooking paperweight.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Trend Micro Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-trendmicro/11529.html March 10th, 2011

Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 1. System Optimization (Maximum Protection + Advanced threat protection-Suspicious, pre-emptive defence) 2. Maximum Protection from online transactions (banking, shopping) 3. 10 G back up (easy to use, access data anytime, anywhere) Usual Price - S$109 (1 year 3 user) IT Show price - TBA

Apple 64GB iPhone 4 prototype spotted Security software maker Trend Micro will be at the IT Show 2011, at Suntec Convention Exhibition and Convention Centre. If you are looking to get a total protection for your PC, their booth can be located on level 6, Hall 602, booth number 6266.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-64gb-iphone-4-prototypespotted/11525.html March 10th, 2011

A prototype 64GB Apple iPhone 4 has reportedly been leaked from Foxconn factory in China, but don't expect to see it on retail shelves soon. It could just be a phone for test purposes and not for sale.

Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 1. Advanced protection from Virus, Spyware + Malware, Antispam, Firewall and advanced Web Threat Protection (Firewall Booster, Spam Block) 2. Essential Data Theft Protection: protection against Personal Information hacks. 3. Safety for Children Usual Price - S$39 (1 year 1 user) ; S$79 (1 year 3 user) IT Show price - TBA

While Apple has yet to announce the new iPhone (which may be called iPhone 5), it seems that a prototype of a 64GB iPhone 4 has been spotted at a Foxconn manufacturing plant. According to a Hong Kong-based website, you would notice that the phone (above picture) has its storage capacity and model number marked with "X"s. 22

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

aluminum fins, and is equipped with two Wing 12 120mm fans operating at speeds up to 1500 RPM. The GX-7, compatible with all Intel LGA 1366/ 1156/ 1155/ 775 and AMD AM2/ AM2+/ AM3 processors, is expected to ship in early April.

Microsoft wants your help to kill Internet Explorer 6 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-wants-your-help-to-killinternet-explorer-6/11524.html March 10th, 2011

The prototype phone claims to be running iOS 4.1, and not the latest version 4.3. Regardless, it is unlikely that Apple will go mass market with a 64GB iPhone 4 as it is probably too expensive, and that the new iPhone 5 could be announced soon. The current Apple iPhone 4 comes in 16GB and 32GB configurations.

Does anyone remember how big of a deal it was when Microsoft launched Internet Explorer 6 with Windows XP back then? Well, with the browser now in its tenth year of service, Microsoft is only too keen to keep people out of that ancient excuse of a web browser and push its newer, more polished versions of Internet Explorer to consumers. Here's the caveat: it needs your help...sort of.

Gelid Showcases GX-7 CPU Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gelid-showcases-gx-7-cpucooler/11526.html March 10th, 2011

Gelid is displaying the GX-7, its latest high-end CPU cooler at CeBIT. The tower cooler has seven copper heat-pipes, 46 aluminum fins, and is equipped with two Wing 12 120mm fans operating at speeds up to 1500 RPM.

When Windows XP was first released, it brought with it a browser that many considered was fairly up-to-date and standards-compliant for its time. Yes, Internet Explorer 6 in its heyday brought many improvements over its predecessor, such as improved support for CSS, DHTML, inline frames and integration with its MSN Messenger. In fact, so popular was IE6 that it was able to achieve a market share of 90% during the XP days. Unfortunately, it is clear IE6 is no longer capable of meeting the needs of today's Internet users, thanks to issues such as security holes and near non-existent support for modern web standards. As a result, Microsoft has started a little campaign in the hopes of getting tech-savvy users to discourage the use of the ancient browser among their circle of friends. Internet, meet the IE6 Countdown webpage.

Gelid is displaying the GX-7, its latest high-end CPU cooler at CeBIT. The tower cooler has seven copper heat-pipes, 46 23

March 10th, 2011

Microsoft's goal is simple enough: to lower the existing market share od IE6 down to an almost non-existant 1%. And to achieve that, it needs the help of the Internet community to spread the message that IE6 is an antique browser that should not be used anymore due to its lack of support for modern web standards. Users who wish to join Microsoft in its noble cause can follow the instructions available on the website to help make the Internet a better place. And just so you know, 4.4% of Singapore's online community still makes use of IE6. If you know of any friends who are still on that relic of a web browser, let's just say that Microsoft has presented you with your chance to do your good deed for the day. If you need a little help in getting your message across the not-so-IT-savvy peers, perhaps this little comic might be of assistance.

Published by: VR-Zone

In 2006, Disney had launched Disney Mobile in the US, but unfortunately, it ceased operations at the end of 2007. Now Disney has chosen to bring the exclusive Disney Mobile phone store to Japan. The company will also run lottery draws for customers with a chance to win prizes including pens, notebooks, mugs and more. Remember the Disney-themed Android smartphone news we covered in January? Yes, it will also be sold in the store. In case you missed the news, the Disney-theme smartphone runs Android 2.2 Froyo, has a 3.8-inch WVGA 3D glassesfree capacitive touchscreen display and 9.6-megapixel rear camera. It also features Disney-themed calendar, clock and messages. Customers who buy the phone will also own a personalized "disney.ne.jp" email address.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: HP Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionshp/11465.html March 10th, 2011

(image is copyright of Robotjohnny.com and reproduced under a Creative Commons license)

Disney opens first mobile phone store in Tokyo, Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/disney-opens-first-mobile-phone-storein-tokyo-japan/11523.html March 10th, 2011

HP will be participating in this year's IT Show, and needless to say its offerings will consist of both computing devices like desktop and notebook PCs, as well as a wide range of imaging solutions in the form of printers. In this post, we shall take a look at what HP has to offer in its IT SHOW 2011 lineup. HP's booth can be found at Level 4, Booth 8150, Hall 401. *UPDATED with HP's range of notebooks and desktop PCs HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAiO Printer E710n

Disney fans in Japan rejoice! The first Disney mobile phone store has opened in the heart of Tokyo - Shinjuku - and you can expect to find, not just phones but phone accessories and other products. 24

March 10th, 2011

Get great value, using individual, high-capacity ink cartridges designed for the office.

Print at up to 32ppm black/31ppm color and at laser-comparable (ISO) speeds up to 10ppm black/7ppm color.

Print borderless documents with vivid color graphics and sharp text, using HP Officejet inks.

• Stay connected whether you’re in or out of the office o

With HP ePrint, you can print from anywhere, anytime by emailing to your HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n. Connect to your network with built-in Ethernet or to your PC with Hi-speed USB 2.0.

Published by: VR-Zone

Print lab-quality photos, everyday documents and web content on the fly, without using a PC. HP ePrint combined with affordable individual inks lets you easily produce impressive prints from anywhere, anytime. Key features and benefits: • Print when it’s most convenient for you from across the world or across the room. With HP ePrint, simply email a photo or document to your printer and pick up the pages later. • Create impressive photo projects, and even print directly from the device itself with integrated memory card slots. • The HP TouchSmart frame allows you to print photos, scan, copy and print web content without the use of a PC. • Boost productivity with wireless connectivity at a press of a button, allowing you to share this all-in-one with other Wi-Fi enabled PCs from anywhere in your house. Usual price: S$229

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Samsung Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionssamsung/11522.html March 10th, 2011

• Reduce your impact and protect your bottom line o

Use up to 40% less energy than comparable laser products, with an ENERGY STAR qualified all-inone.

Cut paper usage by up to 50% with the automatic two-sided printing and PC Fax Send which enables paperless fax sending and archiving.

Usual price: S$399 HP Photosmart Wireless e-All-in-One Printer B110a

If you thought that trade fairs such as the upcoming IT Show 2011 serves as nothing more than an outlet for vendors and resellers to clear existing inventory at discounted prices, you could not be further from the truth, especially if Samsung has got anything to do about it. The Korean electronics giant will be launching a wide variety of new computing and lifestyle products at this year's IT Show, and here are some of the devices it has in store for bargain hunters. Samsung's booth is situated at Level 4, Booth no. 8321. *UPDATED with IT Show 2011 promotional prices and bundles! *NEW* Samsung Series 9 ultrathin notebook: 900X3A (to be launched at IT Show 2011)

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

integrated 1.3M (HD) webcam so one will be able to record and play ultra clear, widescreen video clips. • Packed within the RC410E’s sleek and stylish matt metallic casing is the latest in high performance technology, which includes a choice of the latest Intel CoreTM i5/i3 Processor, the genuine Windows 7 Home Premium and a NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics technology, which dynamically allocate resources where they’re needed most.

Key features: • With a maximum thickness of 16.3 mm and an ultra light weight of 1.31 kilograms, the 9 Series Notebook 900X3A sports a high quality screen boasting market-leading 400nit brightness and 16 million colors. It also comes equipped with an Intel CoreTM i7/i5 Processor, solid state drive and genuine Windows 7 Home Premium*. • With Samsung’s Fast Start technology and solid state drive (SSD), users can start the notebook in just 12 seconds, which is 60% faster than PCs with a hard disk drive (HDD). Featuring a 128/256GB solid state drive (SSD), the 900X3A provides plenty of storage and still delivers 60% faster booting than a hard disk drive (HDD), as well as enhanced durability, with less noise and low heat.

• Easy Content Share software, based on AllShare technology further makes it easy for users to play multimedia content, including video, photos and music, in multiple Samsung devices, including cameras and phones. • The RC410 comes in Silver, Red and Black and features an anti-reflective screen. Usual price: S$1,199 IT Show 2011 price:S$999 + FREE Trend Micro Titantium Internet Security + Extended 2nd Year Local Warranty + Microsoft Office Starter Preloaded + Carrying Case *NEW* Samsung RF411 notebook (it be launched at IT Show 2011)

• Using Samsung’s innovative PowerPlus charging technology and a power-efficient and advanced LithiumPolymer battery, it has a battery lifespan that lasts up to 6.5 hours. Usual price: S$2,688 IT Show 2011 price:S$2,488 + FREE Trend Micro Titantium Internet Security + Extended 2nd Year Local Warranty + Microsoft Office Starter Preloaded *NEW* Samsung RC410 notebook (to be launched at IT Show 2011)

Key features: • The RF411 utilizes the latest 2nd generation Intel Core i7 processor, featuring vivid color and amazing image clarity with its 14.0” HD LED SuperBright display. It provides 300nit brightness, while a dedicated graphics card providing 2GB of graphics memory makes it optimal for gaming. • NVIDIA Optimus technology delivers great graphics performance for intensive activities like gaming, but also seamlessly extends the battery life by automatically switching to only using the internal Intel graphics for more basic applications. • A 1.3M HD webcam allows the user to record clearer and smoother images, and play videoclips in widescreen high definition.

Key features: • The exceptional 300nit brightness of the RC410 notebook on its 14.0” HD display provides outstanding clarity and true to life color definition to bring the latest films and games bursting into life. There is also an

• The SRS Premium Sound delivers a more natural and realistic 3D sound for music, movies and games with its bigger acoustic chambers. The RF411 provides for an enhanced bass, crystal clear dialog and better definition control for maximum clarity at high frequency. 26

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Usual price: S$1,199 IT Show 2011 price:S$999 + FREE Trend Micro Titantium Internet Security + Extended 2nd Year Local Warranty + Microsoft Office Starter Preloaded + Carrying Case

- 24mm wide angle lens - 12.1 high sensitivity CMOS sensor

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Canon

- Six Creative Filters

- HD Movie recording â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1920 x 1080 resolution

IT Show price - TBA

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionscanon/11521.html March 10th, 2011

Canon has recently announced their new range of digital imaging products such as the EOS 600D digital SLR, IXUS 220 IS and PowerShot A3300 IS cameras. Do check out their latest products and good deals at the IT Show which starts tomorrow. Booth Number Level 4, Hall 401, 8101 Booth Number Level 6, 6331

Canon LaserShot LBP 6000 - First Print Out Time is 7.8 secs - Print speeds of 18 ipm - Printing resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi Normal Price - S$179 IT Show Price - TBA

Canon EOS 600D - 18-megapixel - High speed 9-point auto-focus - High Definition Movie recording â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1920 x 1080 resolution

Canon LEGRIA FS 46 (above) and LEGRIA FS 406

- Scene Intelligent Auto

- SDHC card slots with SDXC compatibility - Used with an optional 32GD card or new SDXC cards

IT Show price - TBA

- Bundled VideoBrowser SD software - 27 languages supported - 4 new languages supported (Danish, Norwegian, Finnish & Swedish) - Electronic Image Stabilizer with Dynamic mode - Advanced Zoom - White LED Light for close-up shooting in low light conditions, in color Canon IXUS 220 HS 27

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

- 2.7” Wide Screen LCD with adjustable Back Light function (Bright/ Standard/ Dimmer) IT Show Price - TBA

Canon PIXMA MP 497 - Wireless printing available - Print speeds of 8.8 ipm Canon LV 728- Projector

- Printing resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi

- XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) - 2200 lumens

- 2 pl

- 2000:1 contrast ratio

Normal Price - S$229 IT Show Price - TBA

Normal Price - S$1,099 IT Show Price - TBA

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Canon PIXMA MG 6170 - Wireless printing available - Print speeds of 12.5 ipm - Printing resolution of 9600 x 2400 dpi

- 16-megapixel - 28mm wide angle lens - HD Movie recording – 1280 x 720 resolution - Six Creative Filters IT Show price - TBA

- 1 pl Normal Price - S$399 IT Show Price - TBA

IT Show 2011 Promotions: Sony Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotionssony/11400.html March 10th, 2011

Sony will be at the IT Show 2011, which is happening from 10 to 13 March at the Suntec City Convention Centre. Here are 28

March 10th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

some of their promotions at the Show. *UPDATED with Sony's line of digital imaging products, LCD TVs and notebooks available for sale at IT Show 2011

Cycle Time Output Time (5V/1.0A constant) *Varies depending on each application

500 120 min

Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has announced their latest USB charger, which boasts 4,000 mAh capacity. Sporting two USB ports, it allows users to power up two mobile devices simultaneously and was designed to for mobile professionals. The Sony USB Charger is also equipped with USB Authentication software, allowing instant charging with most USB powered devices such as smart phones, mobile phones, Walkman, iPod, iPad, portable game consoles as well as upcoming models of Cybershot and Handycam with USB power supply function. It features a conventional AC input for fast charging and comes with a detachable USB output module with embedded Li-ion rechargeable battery for portable power supply. Uses can detach and carry just the USB output module when they need extra power on-the-go for their mobile devices. The USB Portable Power Supply CP-A2L will be launched during IT Show 2011 at a suggested retail price of S$49.90 inclusive of GST. Input Source Input Module Dimension (WxHxD mm) Weight No. of USB output ports Output Source

Output Module Output Module Dimension (WxHxD mm) Weight USB Authentication Detachable (Input/Output) Batteries Capacity Charging Source Charging Time

March 14th, 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 - 14 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--14mar-2011/11581.html March 14th, 2011

In today's news roundup: ASRock shows off some new motherboards in Germany; BIOSTAR's new board featuring the P67 chipset, the TP67XE, gets taken out for a review; InsideHW offers its opinion about the current MicrosoftNokia partnership; Famed hacker Comex has already found a way to jailbreak the iPad 2 and is said to be working on a consumer-friendly version of the exploit for public distribution; Sony is reportedly porting over a variety of PlayStation 2 titles over to its Xperia Play smartphone, and Japanese game publishers are suspending various game services and have announced several contributions and cash donations in an attempt to support their country's recovery efforts Hardware News: Asus Radeon HD 6950 & 6970 @ Hardwareoverclock.com Description: Hardwareoverclock.com has just posted another video card review. Last week we have taken a look at the Asus Radeon HD 6950 and 6970 video cards. Evercool Transformer 4 CPU Cooler @ TestFreaks Description: Hello, today I‘ve got another CPU cooler for review. It’s the Transformer 4 from Evercool, and it’s huge but it performs very well. This cooler is one of the best I’ve tested lately and it’s also one of the quietest as well. The Transformer 4 can be a bit tricky to install, and if you have large style ram in your computer it might not fit at all. Anyway, read on to learn more… March Madness Video Card Giveaway @Hi Tech Legion Description: HiTech Legion is celebrating March Madness with a video card giveaway. HiTech Legion will be giving away

two video cards, an EVGA GTX 460 SC and a Sapphire Toxic HD 5870. Visit HiTech Legion to get all the details. Antec Six Hundred v2 Gaming Case @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Antec has been in the PC enclosures business for over 25 years. They have many unique and creative cases such as the LanBoy and Skeleton. However, nothing is more iconic than their "Hundred" series gaming cases, from the lowend Antec One Hundred to the Antec Twelve Hundred full tower. In order to keep up with competition, Antec has been massively updating their line of products. This time it's the Six Hundred's turn. Out of the seven "Hundred" series gaming cases, the Antec Six Hundred V2 is the most balanced. It was designed to be simple but effective. Benchmark Reviews will test the Antec Six Hundred V2 and see where it stands among the fierce competition. Thermaltake V9 BlacX Edition Case Review @ Tweaknews Description: When I first got an opportunity to look at an example of Thermaltake's V9 series, I was less than impressed. This new BlacX entry has some nicely executed features and displays very good cooling numbers. However, the interior design is definitely getting long in the tooth and, frankly wasn't that good to start with. The chassis itself is thin and flimsy, cable management is virtually non-existent and the expansion card tool-free clips are, in word, horrible. ASRock Motherboard Preview 2011 Description: ASRock invited to a Fatal1ty P67/H67 event in the Holiday Inn hotel Ratingen, Germany and presented some of their current motherboards. However, their motherboards were not only shown in this presentation, because the wellknown gamer Johnathan aka Fatal1ty also visited this product presentation. ASRock has developed the ASRock Fatal1ty P67 Professional in cooperation with Fatal1ty, so it suggest itself, that Fatal1ty presented the product Live in this presentation. Quake was extremely fast, or lets say it was definitely too fast for the opponent ;-) Coolermaster & Corsair 700-750W 80+ Gold PSU Shoot-out @ Madshrimps Description: Have you just put together your brand new gaming monster but are you still missing the equivalent strong power supply to match it. In this article we're putting the Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 700W power supply unit against Corsairs Professional Series Gold AX750. Two quality build 80+ Gold power supplies in the ~700W market segment, did we get double Gold? BIOSTAR TP67XE Intel LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

March 14th, 2011

Description: BIOSTAR isn't one of the big names in motherboards today, frankly that's a shame. Throughout our testing today, the BIOSTAR TP67XE motherboard has kept me happy. It may not have been top performing board across all of our tests today. It did however, do a great job overall. What did impressed me the most was the overclocking ability of the BIOSTAR TP67XE. As we saw on the overclocking page we were able to overclock our Intel Core i5 2500K to 5GHz on this motherboard... Consumer Electronics and Software News: Nokia & Microsoft: The Finnish giant in American jeans @ InsideHW Description: With the release of N95, Nokia was on seventh heaven - with no obstacles in sight, it was resting contentedly on its laurels, basking in the domination it had over any other mobile phone manufacturer. The income was such that the company could afford buying a giant such as Navteq, just because they thought that it would be an excellent feat to offer GPS navigation as a standard feature in mobile phones. Money was being invested boundlessly into the American market, where Nokia has never managed to gain a foothold, and the entire thing went as far as financing films where Nokia phones would exclusively be the ones displayed. The fact that the company had been practically recycling phone models for a while, with no significant innovation taking place as far as user interaction is concerned, went unnoticed to many... Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Ultraportable Notebook Review Description: Living up to its reputation, I've generally been pleased with Lenovo's overall build quality and performance. The recently reviewed IdeaPad U260 was a real work of art and excelled in nearly every category except for one -- it narrowly missed Intel's Sandy Bridge processor refresh which would have offered even better all-around CPU and GPU performance. Today we'll be looking at our first notebook based on Intel's second generation Core processors, the ThinkPad X220. The X220 was just introduced this month and represents Lenovo's latest ultraportable ThinkPad. RAZER Anansi Expert MMO Gaming Keyboard Review @ Madshrimps Description: The Anansi from Razer is a membrane-based keyboard, with a nice customizable LED effect, over 100 programmable keys, on-the-fly macro recording and an unique feature: the 7 thumb modifier keys right under the Space Bar which help to perform even more complicated macros or can aid in various productivity applications. Speedlink MYST Touch Scroll Mouse Review @ Vortez Description: The MYST Touch Scroll mouse (abbreviated to MYST from now on), as the name suggests, includes touch sensitive scrolling. This is a very novel feature not seen widely across the PC market yet. The MYST is a small and light mouse, aimed primarily towards users on the move. It comes in both wired and wireless flavours, and in black or white colours. Today, I'll be looking at the white, wireless version. ECO Sound Engineering V268 Wireless Bluetooth Headset @ TestFreaks Description: What can you get for $10 these days? Not much really, but if you check over at Wireless Ground you can get a Bluetooth headset for $9.95! is it worth it? Well maybe it

Published by: VR-Zone

is, that is if you’re looking for a throwaway type headset and not too worried about sound quality and comfort. The product is the ECO Sound Engineering V268 Wireless Bluetooth Headset. I’ve never heard of Eco Sound before until now, and at $10 I wasn’t expecting much, but for the price it’s not that bad. BenQ XL2410T LED Review - XSReviews Description: Despite the high prices of certain internal hardware like Graphics cards, mobos and CPUs, one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make as a hardware enthusiast or gamer is your display. The monitor, the device you use to view all the content your internals pump out; it’s important. iPad 2 already jailbroken Description: Renowned iOS hacker @Comex has posted photographic proof that he has already jailbroken the justlaunched Apple iPad 2. According to @Comex’s Twitter feed, previously used iOS exploits were locked down and he had to use a new exploit to get around the new measures. The details of the hack have not yet been made public, although he is already working towards releasing the hack for the public. Gaming News: PlayStation 2 Games For Tegra 2 ? Description: Some of the PlayStation titles to look forward to on Xperia Play include Wild Arms and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night etc however, Nvidia’s Tegra 2 dual-core processor could probably do much more than that. Final Fantasy XI and XIV Servers Temporarily Closed Due To Quake Description: Square Enix have their Final Fantasy XI and XIV servers temporarily closed, in a move to conserve energy in Japan. Square explains the temporary closure to “continuous quakes occurring in the eastern regions of Japan”. Japan's Publishing Community Donates to Earthquake Relief Description: Faced with the ongoing tragedy in north eastern Japan, game publishers have been stepping up with contributions of varying forms.

Report: AMD's 28nm mobile GPU roadmap Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-s-28nm-mobile-gpuroadmap/11591.html March 14th, 2011

Back in December, DonanimHaber revealed the codenames of AMD's next-gen mobile GPUs - Wimbledon, Heathrow, Chelsea and Thames. Three months on, DonanimHaber has posted AMD's 28nm mobile GPU roadmap. Much of the details from Decemeber still apply, with some additional information. The first GPUs, Heathrow, Chelsea and Thames are set to be produced starting Q4 2011, with a release expected in November 2011. The flagship, Wimbledon, will release a few months later, in Q2 2012. 2

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

in 80mm and 120mm sizes, they come in manual or PWM variants.

Thanks to the emergence of the APU, the 28nm product lineup sees a significant redefinition of the categories. The "Value" segment will be completely absent, presumably taken over by the GPU part of APUs, with legacy/refresh products satisfying the exceptional cases. Instead, the first GPU will be a mainstream/performance GPU, Thames, with 128-bit memory bus and twice the performance as Seymour, i.e. Radeon HD 6400M. The thermal envelope will be 15W-25W, which is a fair bit higher than the 10W associated previous entry level mobile GPUs. The division between the mainstream and performance GPUs will be blurred, with TDPs and perhaps performance being very close between Thames and Chelsea. The Enthusiast segment is where the future of discrete GPUs lie. First up, will be Heathrow, sporting a 128-bit or 192-bit memory bus, with TDP of above 35W. The flagship, Wimbledon, will release in Q2 2012, featuring a 256-bit bus. DonanimHaber also suggests an MXM solution and a blistering 65W TDP. Presumed to be the Radeon HD 7000M series, the some 28nm mobile GPUs might end up with TSMC, while others may be fabricated at Globalfoundries. Certainly, neither NVIDIA nor AMD were pleased with TSMC's 32nm cancelation and 28nm delays, and a second option will be worth developing. There's still a long way off to the first 28nm releases - due in 6 months' time. Between now and then, a lot could change.

Enermax Introduces New 80mm and 120mm T.B.Silence Case Fans

Enermax has expanded its series of T.B.Silence fans with the addition of four new fans, the UCTB8A, UCTB12A, UCTB8P, and UCTB12P. The fans boast twister-type bearings with a MTBF of 100,000 hours, detachable Batwing blades, and "modular frames with aluminum rings" for stability. Available in 80mm and 120mm sizes, they come in manual or PWM variants. Product details: • UCTB8A (80mm / manual control) | 800 - 2500 RPM (speed) | 10 dBA (minimum sound output) | €6.99 • UCTB12A (120mm / manual control) | 800 - 1500 RPM | 10 dBA | €10.99 • UCTB8P (80mm / PWM) | 500 - 2200 RPM | 8 dBA | €8.99 • UCTB12P (120mm / PWM) | 500 - 1500 RPM | 8 dBA | €12.99

Scythe Launches New Card Reader Kama Reader Jr Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scythe-launches-new-card-readerkama-reader-jr/11587.html March 14th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/enermax-introduces-new-80mmand-120mm-t.b.silence-case-fans/11588.html March 14th, 2011

Japanese cooling-specialist Scythe has introduced the Kama Reader Jr. card reader (model no: SCKMRDJR), adding on to its line-up of PC accessories. Measuring 101 x 25.5 x 9mm, the 3.5" reader features an USB 2.0 connector and supports a myriad of memory cards on the market. It is available through major retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of €7.50 (excluding VAT). SCYTHE PRESS RELEASE

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Card, Mini SD (requires adapter), Mini SDHC (requires adapter), MultiMedia Card (MMC), RS-MMC (requires adapter), MMC Micro (requires adapter), Memory Stick Micro, Micro SD, Micro SDHC • Compatible OS Windows XP Vista 7 • Connector USB 2.0 intern • Mounting 3.5" internal For more information, visit this page.

Swiftech Unveils Polaris 120 The Japanese manufacturer Scythe Co. Ltd. expands its portfolio of PC accessories with a card reader called Kama Reader Jr. The Kama Reader Jr. is a compact multi-format card reader which can be installed into a 8.89 cm (3.5 inch) drive bay. It is suitable for quick reading and writing of virtually any memory card on the market. Kama Reader Jr. is also equipped with a front USB port. Kama Reader Jr. is now available for a MSRP of 7,50 € (excluding VAT Tax).

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/swiftech-unveilspolaris-120/11586.html March 14th, 2011

Swiftech, leader in high-end thermal solutions for the PC, has announced the Polaris 120, targeting overclockers.

Product Details • Model Name Kama Reader Jr. • Item Number SCKMRDJR • Manufacturer Scythe Co., Ltd. • Dimensions 101 x 25.5 x 9 mm 4.04 x 1.02 x 3.74in (WxHxD) • Compatible media • Memory Stick (PRO, ROM), Memory Stick (DUO, PROROM), Compact Flash, Micro Drive, SD Card, SDHC 4

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone March 14th, 2011

G.Skill has announced its latest Sniper series designed specifically for PC gamers and modding enthusiasts. Extensive compatibility tests have been conducted on a wide range of Intel and AMD platforms, which guarantee the best performance, quality and reliability. The Sniper series is available in dual-channel and triple-channel kits, up to 24GB. Taipei, Taiwan - March 14th 2011 - G.Skill, the worldwide leading memory designer and manufacturer, has announced the newest concept and development of new Sniper series designed specifically for PC gamers and modding enthusiasts. Extensive compatibility tests are conducted on a wide range of Intel and AMD platforms, which guarantee the best performance, quality and reliability. The New Sniper series is designed for ultra low voltage operation, down to 1.25V. Such low voltage kits can save up to 10% power, allowing for better system energy efficiency and smooth gameplay without any heat problems. High capacity memory kits are necessary as gaming consumes a lot of memory. The G.Skill Sniper series not only fulfils your needs, but also maximizes your gaming experience with its line-up of memory kits from 4GBx2 to 4GBx6.

Measuring 135 x 91 x 152mm and weighing 849g, the tower cooler boasts five 8mm direct-contact heatpipes, a dense array of "nicked" aluminum fins, and is equipped with a 120mm fan operating at speeds of 750 ~ 1,500 RPM. It is expected to ship come end March at a MSRP of US$59.95. News via [Techpowerup]

G.Skill launches Sniper memory kits for PC gamers and modding enthusiasts Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-launches-sniper-memory-kitsfor-pc-gamers-and-modding-enthusiasts/11585.html

The Sniper series comes in two stylish colors: unique pitchblack and metallic army green. "Its unparalleled PC gaming 5

March 14th, 2011

style can enrich all kinds of computer gears. G.Skill is ready to pull the trigger, are you?" All G.Skill memory products come with lifetime warranty and the G.Skill technical team is always ready to provide consumers with complete technical support via online forums, Facebook, telephone and email. Source: G.Skill Press Release

Published by: VR-Zone

some additional CPUs once Intel has cleared out its inventory of older first generation Core i processors.

Asus' U30s second generation Core i notebook gets reviewed early Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-u30s-second-generation-core-inotebook-gets-reviewed-early/11583.html March 14th, 2011

Intel launches first mobile Sandy Bridge Celeron Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-first-mobile-sandybridge-celeron/11584.html March 14th, 2011

Intel has added its first budget mobile Sandy Bridge processor to its already wide range of processors higher up in the range. The new model is simply called the B810 and it's the most basic and feature stripped Sandy Bridge based mobile CPU to appear. This is good news for those that want a really affordable Sandy Bridge notebook, although be aware that this 35W CPU might feature reduced functionality graphics compared to its higher-end siblings, just like the upcoming desktop Celerons. Intel has added its first budget mobile Sandy Bridge processor to its already wide range of processors higher up in the range. The new model is simply called the B810 and it's the most basic and feature stripped Sandy Bridge based mobile CPU to appear. This is good news for those that want a really affordable Sandy Bridge notebook, although be aware that this 35W CPU might feature reduced functionality graphics compared to its higher-end siblings, just like the upcoming desktop Celerons.

Notebooks with Intel's second generation Core i processors are slowly starting to trickle out into the market, but so far we've only seen 14 and 15.6-inch models from Asus. However, an early review of one of its upcoming 13.3-inch models the US30s which is an interesting mix of portability and features. This is likely to be Asus' budget 13.3-inch model judging by the features, so we can expect a higher-end version to be announced at some stage as well. Notebooks with Intel's second generation Core i processors are slowly starting to trickle out into the market, but so far we've only seen 14 and 15.6-inch models from Asus. However, an early review of one of its upcoming 13.3-inch models the US30s which is an interesting mix of portability and features. This is likely to be Asus' budget 13.3-inch model judging by the features, so we can expect a higher-end version to be announced at some stage as well. The U30s should be a direct replacement of the current U30Jc model, but with several key feature changes beyond the CPU and chipset. The chassis actually appears to be mostly identical to the older U30Jc which means that the U30s still packs an optical drive, something that results in it being a rather chubby 13-incher. The model on review came with a Core i5-2410M processor; although we'd expect it to be available will several CPU options.

So what we're looking at here is a relatively slow 1.6GHz dual core CPU with 2MB of L3 cache which doesn't seem to compare too favourable to the current â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-endâ&#x20AC;? Celeron P4600 which is clocked at 2GHz. That said, the improved CPU architecture should make up for some of the clock speed difference, but it's too early to tell as yet if this is the case or not. The main advantage that the B810 might have is better graphics performance, but as Intel has as yet to add it to its product pages. The B810 is priced at $86 in quantities of 1,000 units, the same as the P4600. Intel is also expected to launch a ULV Sandy Bridge based Celeron processor at some point in the future which should be called the B847 with a TDP of 17W and a clock speed of a mere 1.1GHz. It's as yet unclear when this model will arrive. Intel has also as yet to announce any new mobile Pentium models based on Sandy Bridge, so it's pretty clear that we can expect

The U30Jc featured Nvidia's now almost antiquated GeForce 310M graphics and this is where the U30s really improves on things with a GeForce 520M. In as much as this is an entry level solution from Nvidia, it should still be a huge step up from the old 310M. Asus has also built in support for Nvidia's 6

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Optimus graphics switching technology which switches over to the Intel HD graphics when the additional power of the GPU isn't needed. What Asus missed to add was USB 3.0 support which is a real shame, as the U30s doesn't feature an eSATA port so the fastest interface for peripherals is USB 2.0. Bluetooth 3.0 has been thrown in for good measure though, although this is becoming an increasingly common feature on notebooks, but doesn't add much in terms of actually being useful as there are still very few devices that utilizes Bluetooth 3.0. Battery life is said to be good for up to 6h of light usage and about 4.5h watching HD videos on it. Not amazing by today's standards, but still decent enough battery life for what's expected to be Asus' most affordable 13.3-inch model, at least for now. Pricing is estimated to end up sub â&#x201A;Ź1000 (S $1770) including tax fully kitted out with 8GB of RAM and a 500GB 7,200rpm hard drive. In will be interesting to see what else Asus has coming over the next few months as the U30s is really just an upgrade of an old model, but we're hearing that we can expect some interesting announcements at Computex in May.

Rumour: WiFi-only version of Galaxy Tab to launch on April 4? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-wifi-only-version-of-galaxytab-to-launch-on-april-4-/11580.html March 14th, 2011

The rumour mill appears to have been working overtime to produce news about a WiFi-only version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab, and it seems that yet another juicy bit of information regarding the aforementioned device has started making its rounds in the vast depths of the Internet. Anyone fancy guessing how much the device will reportedly sell for once it hits retail? Well, read on to find out. Everyone knows that having quick access to a mobile broadband network is one of the key features that no tablet OEM can afford to skimp on today, and for good reason. After all, tablets are meant to be used as a replacement for netbooks under certain circumstances, and the availability (or lack of it) of WiFi hotspots is still a very real issue for those who need an uninterrupted connection to the Internet at all times, even when on the train or on the bus. With that in mind, how much will the average consumer be willing to fork out of a tablet that only supports online connectivity via WiFi? Well, rumour has it that Samsung has plans to introduce a WiFi-only version of its Galaxy Tab tablet in April 4 this year, and that the device will reportedly retail for US$399.

Sure, it sports a low price tag, but one must also take note that there are going to be various issues and circumstances working against Samsung if the Korean electronics giant intends to use its WiFi-only version of the Galaxy Tab as a ticket to winning over potential tablet consumers. For one, the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab is rumoured to be shipping with version 2.2 (Froyo) of the Android operating system, which is at least two releases away from the current version of Android known as Honeycomb (v 3.0). More importantly, one must also take into consideration that Samsung is due to launch its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet soon, and that alone is going to put a strain on its previous-generation Galaxy Tab tablets. After all, consumers usually tend to hold off purchases in favor of what they perceive as a newer and technologically superior product, especially where consumer electronic devices are concerned, even if it means paying a little more for such luxuries. Last but definitely not least, the rumoured price tag of US $399 for the WiFi-only version of the Galaxy Tab puts it in direct competition with Apple's first-generation iPad, which is now currently going for sale at the same price level. While Samsung is undoubtedly one of the largest manufacturers of consumer electronic devices, the truth remains that it lacks the same brand recognition and loyalty that Apple enjoys. As such, consumers are more likely to choose Apple's products over Samsung's, especially if price is no longer a factor. That being said, the aforementioned details about pricing and release date are still but products of the online rumour mill, so readers should take this information with nothing short of a truck's load of salt. Source: Ecommerce Journal

VueCube 4GTV broadcast trials starts Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vuecube-4gtv-broadcast-trialsstarts/11576.html March 14th, 2011

March 14th, 2011

Vue Networks has announced the commencement of their VueCube 4GTV broadcast trials over 4G network in Singapore. The trial will start with multiple channels including 24/7 streaming, VOD and 3D content broadcasting over the ZiiMAX high speed 4G network. Vue Networks, a regional content creation and media technology company based in Singapore, announced today the commencement of VueCube 4GTV Broadcast Trials over 4G network. The trial will be bringing the concept of TV Anywhere to Singapore.

Published by: VR-Zone

like AMD isn't aiming to take on anything from Intel beyond its Sandy Bridge processors based on details in a leaked slide. According to Xbitlabs we have four initial Bulldozer models to look forward to (currently codenamed Zambezi), the quad core FX-4110, the six core FX-6110 and the two eight core models, the FX-8110 and FX8130P. Each core will have 1MB of L2 cache and as such the FX-4110 has 2MB L2 cache and so forth. The L3 cache is listed as up to 8MB and might as yet not have been set in stone. All four models will support DDR3 memory with speeds of up to 1866MHz, although we're fairly certain that faster memory will be supported via overclocking.

The 4GTV Broadcast Trial follows the awarding of a Niche IPTV License to Vue Networks by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. The Broadcast Trial will kick-off with multiple channels including 24/7 streaming, VOD and 3D content broadcasting over the ZiiMAX high speed 4G network. ZiiMAX is the 4G WiMAX service of QMax Communications Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd.

With MIMO technology, 4G WiMAX offers wider coverage and enables smooth content delivery. The objective of the VueCube Broadcast Trial will be to assess and finalise the technical infrastructure necessary to provide consumers with unrivalled entertainment on the move.

The public will be able to get a sneak preview of VueCubeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4GTV on Creativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ZiiO tablets exclusively at the Creative PlayChinese Expo from 11 to 20 March at Creative Resource.

AMD Bulldozer details start to trickle out Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-bulldozer-details-start-to-trickleout/11579.html March 14th, 2011

So far not too much have been known about AMD's upcoming Bulldozer processors, but now new details have leaked onto the web that reveals at least some of the details that many of us have been waiting for. Although the actual clock speeds of the upcoming AMD processors have as yet to be unveiled, it looks like AMD isn't aiming to take on anything from Intel beyond its Sandy Bridge processors based on details in a leaked slide.

All four models are apparently "Black Edition" CPUs which in AMD speak means that they're completely unlocked, unlike Intel's K series models which now have locked base clock, something we wouldn't expect to see from AMD. Of course you're looking at support for AMD's second generation of Turbo Core which will allow for dynamic overclocking and under clocking/power saving depending on the CPU load. Apart from the FX-8130P all models have a 95W TPD whereas the FX-8130P has a TDP of 125W and all four models do of course utilize the AM3+ socket. It's a surprisingly small launch line-up from AMD, as the four CPUs are set to take on Intel's Core i5 and Core i7 LGA-1155 processors which currently consist of seven models, not counting the T and S SKUs. Judging by a slide posted by Xbitlabs AMD is pitching its eight core model against Intel's Core i7-2600 models and the quad and six core against the Core i5's. Below that AMD is positioning its Fusion models currently codenamed Lynx which are either dual or quad core models with Integrated graphics.

March 14th, 2011

The slide details the upcoming Lynx models as well, which again consist of four models, the entry level dual core E2-3250 with Radeon HD6370 graphics with 160 shaders, the A4-3350 dual core model with Radeon HD 6410 graphics and 160 shaders, the quad core A6-3450 with Radeon HD 6530 graphics with 320 shaders and finally the quad core A8-3550 with Radeon HD 6550 graphics with 400 shaders. It's quite clear from the graphics shader count that Intel isn't going to stand a chance with its Pentium and Core i3 models in terms of graphics performance, but it'll be interesting to see if AMD can offer equivalent or better CPU performance.

Lego launches 'official' Lego thumbdrive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lego-launches-official-lego-

Published by: VR-Zone

LEGO-inspired devices are a dime a dozen in various online shopping sites, but the fact remains that most, if not all of the aforementioned devices do not have a license from the LEGO Group to make use of the likeness of its popular toy construction bricks. However, it seems that the LEGO Group has finally started to realize that there is a market for LEGObranded products featuring its likeness, and has since moved to launch its own line of thumbdrives based off the Minifigure often found in its construction bricks.

thumbdrive/11577.html March 14th, 2011

We may have spoken about a few thumbdrives that feature designs inspiration by the coloured toy construction bricks known as Lego, but it does not change the fact that none of the aforementioned devices are officially recognized by the Lego Group. However, that is all set to change with the introduction of an 'official' Lego thumbdrive. According to the official LEGO online store, the Classic LEGO Minifigure USB thumbdrive sports a capacity of 2GB and comes preloaded with a copy of the LEGO Ninjago video clip for your viewing pleasure. Last but definitely not least, using the Classic LEGO Minifigure USB thumbdrive on your PC is also a snap; all you have to to is to yank its legs off, as shown in the image below.

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Apple's iPhone 5 will not support NFC technology Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-iphone-5-will-not-support-nfctechnology/11574.html March 14th, 2011

If this thumbdrive has tickled your fancy, you might be interested to know that the LEGO-branded thumbdrive is available for sale at the online LEGO store for the handsome price of US$24.99. Well, that is the price one has to pay for official LEGO products, no?

Apple iPad 2 selling at an outrageous US$2,000 in Hong Kong Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-ipad-2-selling-at-an-outrageousus-2-000-in-hong-kong/11578.html March 14th, 2011

When so many websites devoted to sniffing out rumours about Apple's upcoming products seem to agree on a certain point, it is almost always the truth, right? Well, apparently not: the rumour that Apple will be supporting NFC in its upcoming iPhone 5 has seemingly been debunked by reports claiming that the Cupertino giant has gone round to carriers to inform them that it has no plans to support the technology, at least for now. Yep, you read the headline right. After months of speculation about the various kinds of technology Apple may support with their upcoming smartphone, the iPhone 5, it seems that the latest turn of events have proven once again that the truth can sometime hurt. Apparently, all the rumours about the iPhone 5 featuring a Near Field Communications (NFC) module has been overturned, thanks to a news report made by the Independent.

If you think US$900 for the first spot in line to buy the Apple iPad 2 is ridiculous, in Hong Kong, the tablet device is going for US$2,000. (The 64GB Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi+3G is selling for US$829).

According to the report, several large mobile operators in the UK have disclosed to the Independent that Apple has confirmed the lack of NFC support on the iPhone 5, with the Cupertino giant attributing its reluctance solely to the "lack of a clear standard across the industry".

The Apple iPad 2 went on retail last Friday in US, and within a day (or two), Hong Kong has begun selling parallel imports of the popular tablet. The electronics stores in the Pearl of the Orient are selling the iPad 2 from HK$7,980 to HK$15,000 (US$1,024 to US$1,925). The most expensive model is the white 64GB iPad 2 with 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. According to reports, a shop with 100 Apple iPad 2s arrived on Sunday morning and all but 20 were sold by the end of the day.

Ironically, Apple has been said to be working on its own implementation of NFC which will allow an upcoming version of its smartphone to link purchases via its iTunes software, and is likely to be a proprietary implementation at that.

Report: AMD FX-Series Lineup Revealed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-fx-series-lineuprevealed/11575.html

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 14th, 2011

Xbitlabs have revealed a tentative lineup of four incoming Bulldozer chips, to be branded AMD FX-Series. The top-ofthe-line flagship will be AMD FX-8130P, featuring 4-module, 8-core, 2MB L2 cache per module (total 8MB), 8MB shared L3 cache, and a TDP of 125W. The launch clock speed is estimated to be as high as 3.50 GHz. Following the 8130P is the FX-8110, which is presumably a lower clocked version of the FX-8130P. Interestingly, it features a reasonable TDP of 95W. FX-6110 will be a six-core, three-module CPU. Finally, the Bulldozer line-up will be rounded off by the FX-4110, a quadcore CPU. The six-core CPU is likely to be harvested from the 8-core Orochi die. However, whether the quad-core CPU is a heavily crippled 8-core or a native quad-core is unclear. If it is a 8-core with 4 cores locked, it could end up being the unlocker's delight the Phenom II X2 series was. All FX-Series CPUs fit into the AM3+ socket, feature an unlocked multipler (Black Edition) and Turbo Core 2, and are fabricated at Globalfoundries' 32nm SOI process. AMD's 900 series chipsets are due to launch in Q2 2011, although motherboard manufacturers are starting to release 800 series boards featuring AM3+ support. While the above four CPUs are due in June, AMD will introduce a refresh in Q4, possible minor speed bumps across the platform.

Samsung Factor clamshell phone announced

With large-display smartphones coming to market, there are lesser focus on non-smartphone (or also known as dumbphone) devices, especially the traditional clamshell ones. However, it seems like Korean manufacturer Samsung has not given up on this line of dumbphones. Recently, the Samsung Factor has been announced with a clamshell design and lowerspecification hardware components. The Samsung Factor is equipped with a VGA camera, Bluetooth, supports web email and messenging, GPS and hands-free speaker design. Boost Mobile will retail the Samsung Factor from as low as US$49.99.

Sandy Bridge-based Pentium G840 processor shows up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandy-bridge-based-pentium-g840processor-shows-up-in-china/11573.html March 14th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-factor-clamshell-phoneannounced/11572.html March 14th, 2011

A low cost, clamshell entry level Samsung phone has been announced. Known as Samsung Factor, it features VGA camera, web email access to your Gmail, MSN and Yahoo and instant messaging on Yahoo, AIM and MSN.

A month ago, we posted information that Intel was planning to release up to seven new processors based off the new Sandy Bridge microarchitecture sometime in May this year, and that one of these processors would be marketed under the Pentium brand. Well, guess what: screenshots of what appears an evaluation model of that Pentium CPU have been spotted in China.

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Do you remember the news we posted about some time back in February this year, where Intel was reportedly planning to release a bunch of processors based off the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture in March? Well, if you did, you would have realized that one of the processors mentioned in that article was supposed to be marketed under the budget 'Pentium' brand, and that the Sandy Bridge version of this processor will be known as the Pentium G840.

level chips once again: by intentionally disabling certain features on its mainstream processors.

That being said, it appears that evaluation samples of the Pentium G840 have started making their way around the world, for a Chinese IT website known as Inpai has reportedly got its hands on one such evaluation sample, and have posted both a photograph of the chip and a CPU-Z screenshot about its specifications on its webpage, as shown below.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitec-launches-industry-s-smallestethernet-hub-for-japanese-market/11571.html March 14th, 2011

Logitec launches 'industry's smallest' Ethernet hub for Japanese market

While most of Singapore was caught up in the various discounts and offers taking place at the annual IT Show held at Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Centre, a company in Japan known as Logitec was busy launching a new product that ought to change the way we look at the humble Ethernet hub. Does anyone fancy getting their hands on a palm-sized hub that can house up to eight Ethernet ports? How big is an Ethernet hub supposed to be? Well, various manufacturers often have differing ideas on what the ideal size for this particular networking device should be, but it seems that they all share one common characteristic: they are not meant to be the kind of portable devices that a user can conveniently slip into his or her pocket and walk around without any loss to comfort. However, if you are the kind of person who simply needs to have the best of both worlds in terms of size and functionality when it comes to Ethernet hubs, you might be interested in what a Japanese company known as Logitec has to offer. Apparently, while most of Singapore was caught up in bargain hunting over at the just-ended IT Show, Logitec was showing off its new palm-sized Ethernet Hub, the LAN-SW/PS series, over in Japan.

Inpai also claims on its webpage that, based on the specifications found on the Pentium G840, the former is technically identical to its Core i3 sibling, the i3-2100. The only difference between the G840 and the i3-2100 is that Intel merely dropped the clock speed on the latter and disabled Hyper-Threading to produce the specifications found in the former. As this screenshot contains information about a prerelease version of Intel's CPU, we'd strongly encourage readers to exercise discretion and regard the aforementioned information with a pinch of salt. Still, if Inpai is correct, it would seem that Intel is taking easy way out with its budget-

According to the official press release, the LAN-SW/PS series of Ethernet hubs will be available in three different sizes: the smallest version, known as the LAN-SW03, features three Ethernet ports and measures a mere 73.3 × 42.0 × 13.5mm. Those who need a little more connectivity options can opt for the slightly larger LAN-SW05, which comes with five Ethernet ports; alternatively, users needing an Ethernet hub for more than five concurrent connections have the LANSW08 (pictured below), which is a little larger (68.0 × 107.5 × 13.5mm), although the eight available Ethernet ports for use sort of makes up for the increased size.

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Sony PlayStation 2 games coming to Tegra 2 mobile devices? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-playstation-2-games-coming-totegra-2-mobile-devices-/11570.html March 14th, 2011

In addition to its size (or lack of it), Logitec also claims that the new Ethernet hubs are capable of energy savings of up to 82%, while 'N' versions of the LAN-SW/PS line of hubs can even power themselves off a PC's USB port, thus making it suitable as a mobile Ethernet hub for establishing impromptu LAN connections.

With more Android devices being powered by dualcore Nvidia Tegra 2 processors, you can expect to see better resolution games available. And Sony Computer Entertainment will also be extending its PlayStation games for these devices, and maybe PlayStation 2 games too.

The Sony Xperia Play (formerly known as PlayStation Phone) has attracted a lot of attention. Not just because it features a similar PSP Go gaming controls, but also it is equipped with the PlayStation Suite to offer excellent PlayStation gaming experience.

Last but definitely not least, Logitec also claims that all the hubs in its LAN-SW/PS series make use of Ethernet ports which support automatic MDI and MDI-X switching, so users do not have to worry about having to bring both straight and crossover cables in order to set up a working LAN connection. Prices for the new hubs are as follow:

Recently, Nvidia has announced that the PlayStation Suite will not just be made available on the Xperia Play; it will also be available to all future mobile devices running the Tegra 2 dualcore processors. The PlayStation Suite is an upcoming software framework to provide downloadable PlayStation content and PlayStation gaming experiences for Android devices. Some of the titles to look forward to include Wild Arms and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night etc, and Xperia Play was the only smartphone to offer this. Because of the powerful performance of Tegra 2 dual-core processor, it was said that the devices could also be able to run PlayStation 2 games. This will no doubt be a good news for Android users, especially when there aren't many emulators out there that can run PS2 games very well.

Europe to get universal smartphone charger Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/europe-to-get-universal-smartphonecharger/11569.html

March 14th, 2011 March 14th, 2011

How does the idea of being able to use a single universal charger to power all the smartphones in the world sound like? Well, such an ideal solution might probably come much sooner than we have expected it to: the EU has seemingly taken on the initiative of rolling out such a charger, and several wellknown smartphone OEMs have reportedly agreed to make their devices compatible with it.

Published by: VR-Zone

and as such the EU has reportedly deemed it fit to continue its campaign to make sure that every single manufacturer eventually plays nice with the universal charging port. Curiously, Apple's name shows up in the list of original signatories who have agreed to support the universal charging standard in spite of having been using its own proprietary cable for a long time already. Then again, the specifications for the universal charger explicitly allow for the use of adaptors. Interesting.

US Nuclear experts deployed to Fukushima Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-nuclear-experts-deployed-to-

We all love our smartphones for what they are capable of, but that fondness can, and usually quickly turns into one of loathing when the aforementioned device decides to run out of battery juice at the most inconvenient moment possible, and the charger your friend uses is incompatible with your device. Yep, that sounds like one of the most common ways to ruin your entire day.

fukushima/11567.html March 14th, 2011

However, it seems that the EU is all too keen on ensuring that such situations never happen again, at least in its own territories. To that end, the EU Commission has rolled out an initiative that will see the adoption of a universal charger for popular data-enabled smartphones sold in the region and is expected to be available for consumer use by the end of 2011.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said that it has sent two experts to Japan, where authorities were seeking to calm fears of a reactor meltdown. The 8.9-magnitude earthquake damaged the nuclear reactor's cooling systems, and workers are now pumping seawater into the reactor in an attempt to cool it down.

While Japan is well prepared to brace itself against earthquakes, the tsunamis which followed were responsible most of the damage done. As the Japanese pick themselves up after the earthquake, Japan might be facing it's greatest challenge yet in a decade.

Authorities said that an earlier explosion was not due to a meltdown. Instead, it was due to a buildup in gas pressure as workers pour water onto the reactors. The two experts sent are experts in boiling water reactors, which are used at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Of course, this might be much ado over nothing, since the aforementioned 'universal charger' consists of little more than the standard micro-USB port which most smartphone OEMs currently make use of for their devices today. However, not all OEMs have adopted micro-USB as the charging port of choice,

Boiling water reactor 14

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone March 14th, 2011

A nuclear meltdown occurs when a severe failure of a nuclear power plant system prevents proper cooling of the reactor core. The nuclear core heats up to an extent that it melts through its container. A meltdown is considered very serious as radioactive materials could be released into the environment.

Lost City of Atlantis Possibly Found Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lost-city-of-atlantis-possiblyfound/11568.html March 14th, 2011

More than a day after being by an earthquake and subsequent tsunamis, telecommunications systems in Japan remain severely disrupted. Users in a wide area of Eastern Japan are either unable to access cellphone services at all or face difficulties in connecting their calls as base stations are currently overwhelmed.

It looks like Atlantis, the legendary eighth continent on Earth, have been found. According to news, a U.S.-led research team may have found the lost city in southern Spain. Read on to find out more.

Japan's three major cellular carriers have sent mobile base stations to the region to alleviate the situation as base stations in the region were either damaged or destroyed. The base stations connect to the telecom network via satellite and are able to provide coverage in a small radius. Retail outlets of the cellular carriers are providing recharging services. Internet services appear to be largely unaffected. Several wireless internet hotspot providers are also doing their part in disaster relief. Fon, Livedoor and Softbank has announced that their networks and access points will be open to public access and remain free-of-charge throughout the weekend. Doing so enables communications through the internet.

Woman sells her first spot in Apple iPad 2 queue for US$900 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/woman-sells-her-first-spot-in-apple-

Atlantis, the famous lost city of lore, might have been found in Southern Spain by a team of U.S.-led research team. Believed to have been eliminated by a tsunami strong enough to wipe out the city located 60 miles (roughly 97 kilometers) inland, the team's findings will be unveiled in "Finding Atlantis", a new National Geographic Channel special.

ipad-2-queue-for-us-900/11566.html March 14th, 2011

"This is the power of tsunamis," head researcher Professor Richard Freund from the University of Hartford, Connecticut, told Reuters. In wake of the recent Japanese earthquake, the recent discovery stands as testament to the fearsomeness of Mother Nature.

If the Apple iPad 2 is going to be selling at a store near you, will you queue and later sell your spot for cash? Well, one college student did, after waiting in line for approximately 41 hours, and for US$900.

Japan phone networks remain disrupted Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/japan-phone-networks-remaindisrupted/11565.html

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

US$900 was the price for the first spot in the queue for Apple iPad 2, which college student Amanda Foote sold after being in line at the Apple store in New York for 41 hours. And Foote plans to use the money to but tickets for Lady Gaga's concert. The buyer of the spot isHazem Sayen, an app developer, who said that he wanted to bring the iPad 2 with him when he leaves for his busienss trip; the Apple iPad 2 starts at US$499. Apparently, Foote isn't the only one who is being paid for her trouble: there are offers ranging from US$100 to US$999 to stand in line or sell their spot. (Looks like there's a good market for this isn't it?).

Japan Earthquake Shortens the day Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/japan-earthquake-shortens-theday/11564.html March 14th, 2011

Update : Pardon for the mistake, we missed out the bottom part of the cooler which is about a slot thick so GeForce GTX 590 is still a dual slot card. The lenght is 297mm which is similar to its older counterpart GeForce GTX 295. Anyway, the card is still slated for March 22nd launch. The performance driver closest to the launch is version 267.52 and you can find this string in the inf file : NVIDIA_DEV.1088.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590". NVIDIA seems confident that this card will win the Radeon HD 6990. Specs will be finalized next week.

IT SHOW 2011 Coverage It may be unnoticable, but Friday's earthquake off the coast of Japan did shorten the day by a tiny bit. Read on. NASA geophysicist Richard Gross was able to calculate that due to the shift in the Earth's mass after Friday's earthquake, the Earth's rotation about it's own axis was sped up by 1.6 microseconds. Shortening each Earth day by 1.6 microseconds.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 Cooler Cover Exposed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-590-cooler-coverexposed/11563.html March 14th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-coverage/11543.html March 14th, 2011

IT Show Singapore 2011 is upon us, and needless to say there are going to be lots of IT-related offers awaiting the bargain hunters who have waited months for this day. As usual, VRZone headed down to the exhibition grounds at Suntec City Exhibition and Convention Centre to bring you the coverage of the event.

The M1 booth can be located on level 2 Ballroom Foyer.

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The 1box available for rent from M1 with a minimum of 6 months subscription.

M1 also started to offer Internet TV services. With the '1box', users can stream media, surf, shop and socialize all at the comfort of their couch.

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

4Mbps $30.82

7.2Mbps 21Mbps $41.58

$59.40

IT SHOW 2011 - Babes Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--babes/11552.html March 14th, 2011

A picture speaks a thousand words therefore in this article, we will let the pictures do the talking. Get ready...the show babes of IT Show Singapore 2011. M1 is bundling thier mobile broadband plans with Android tablets.

M1 Broadband Offers Fiber 25Mbps 50Mbps100Mbps150Mbps200Mbps 1Gbps Broadband Monthly $39 $49 $59 $79 $99 $399 Subscriptions Upload 25Mbps 50Mbps 50Mbps 75Mbps100Mbps500Mbps Speeds Up To

<3 <3

March 14th, 2011

lovely

Published by: VR-Zone

the lovely show babes from Casio booth

Trend Micro babes are pretty too !

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

i like her smile ^_^ Sony is hot and sexy

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

lovely babe from A.C. Ryan ^^

her friend joins in

<3 hot razer babe with lovely keyboard Did you manage to 'capture' any booth babes in IT Show Singapore 2011 on your camera ? Share with us your photos and we will be adding it to our booth babe article along with ours.

March 14th, 2011

Credits will be given, based on your forum nickname.

Published by: VR-Zone

• GE • Headphones Gallery : AKG, JVC, Shure • HTC

IT SHOW 2011 Price Lists, Flyers, Brochures, Promotions Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-price-lists-flyersbrochures-promotions-roundup/11502.html March 14th, 2011

• Iomega • iSmart • Jabra • Joby • Jubby • Linksys • Lowepro • Manfrotto • McCoy : JooJoo, Gavio, Viliv, iTwin, DiVoom, Aiptek • Nokia

Check out the latest IT SHOW 2011 Price List, Flyers, Brochures, Promotions including brands like Acer, AC Ryan, ASUS, Blackberry, Brother, Canon, Cisco Linksys, Dell, DLink, Epson, Fujifilm, Fuji Xerox, HP, Lenovo, Lexmark, LG, Microsoft, MSI, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Seagate, Sony, Toshiba, Western Digital.

• Sony Playstation

Newly Added IT SHOW 2011 Price List

• Toshiba Portable HDD

If you are an exhibitor and would like your company's price list/flyer to be on our site, then email us at press@vrzone.com.sg March 10th 6pm

• Sony Battery • Sanyo Battery • SingTel • Targus

12pm • Acer • Altec Lansing • Astone

• Aigo

• ASUS

• Alcatel

• Brother

• Apple

• Canon

• Audio House

• Edifier

• AVG

• eGear

• Belkin

• Fujifilm

• Blackberry

• Fujitsu

• Case Logic

• HP

• Casio

• Lexmark

• Creative

• LG

• Cybermind

• Logitech

• Dell

• M1

• Drobo

• Norton

• Edimax

• OKI

• Epson

• Olympus

• Eubiq

• Plantronics

• Freecom

• Prolink

• Fujifilm

• Samsung

• Gaincity

• Sennhesier 22

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• SingTel

• Fuji Xerox

• Sony

• Garmin

• Sony Ericsson

• Powerlogic

• TDK

• Sensonic

• Viewsonic

• Sonicgear

• Western Digital • Zyxel

12.00am • East Gear : Galactio, Powerex • Go Rock

March 9th

• McGear

8.30pm • Hitachi

March 8th

• Imation

7.30pm

• Kingston • Lexar • Microsoft Hardware • Microsoft Xbox • Palit • Sapphire

• EnGenuis • Garmin ASUS • Razer • SMC 2.30pm

• Viewsonic

• A4 Tech

• X-mini

• Avira

• xShine

• Cyberlink

6.30pm • D-Link • Filco • Thermalright, Noctua, Prolimatech • Steelseries 3.30pm • Buffalo • Marbella • Wacom 2.30pm • A.C. Ryan • InFocus

• Energizer • ESET • Kaspersky • KJC Tech : iTech, Mili, MLabs • Lau International : Clic, Hama, Kowa, Konus, Speed, Vanguard, Velbon • Palladine • Ranger

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 11 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--11mar-2011/11562.html March 14th, 2011

• SanDisk 12.30pm • Aztech • MSI 11.30am • Crazy Pricing

In today's news roundup: Kingston's high-speed, high capacity HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 memory kit gets reviewed; Sapphire's Radeon HD 6870 FleX graphics card, which comes with its own integrated DisplayPort adapter on its PCB, gets reviewed; Samsung is reportedly planning to test 23

March 14th, 2011

production of 32-inch OLED television sets in the second half of 2012; The annual Pwn2Own competition sees iOS's Safari and RIM's Blackberry browser getting compromised, and The PS3 ban imposed on the Netherlands has finally been lifted Hardware News: Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 Memory Kit Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: The Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 memory kit is definitely worth considering by those looking for a high speed, high capacity kit to take their system to the next level. An XMP profile at 2133MHz makes the whole process extremely simple, and anyone with a compatible motherboard should be up and running in no time. Exceleram EP3001A 3 x 2 GB DDR3-1333 MHz CL9 review at Tweak.dk Description: The EP3001A modules have a speed of DDR3-1333 MHz with CL9 timings, and a tRAS-value of 24. The CRT-timing can be adjusted to 1T, which gives you extra performance. Exceleram have chosen to spare the heatsinks, to minimize the price. The overclocking potential is big, and by loosening the timings, it is possible to hit speeds over DDR3-2000 MHz. We compare the modules in various benchmark tests against kits from both Exceleram and Kingston. Sapphire Radeon HD 6870 FleX Video Card Review @ Rage3D.com Description: Sapphire's Radeon HD 6870 FleX edition integrates an active DisplayPort adapter onto the PCB to allow three non-DisplayPort monitors for Eyefinity gaming - while retaining the two mini-DP outputs of the reference design. We check out single and crossfire HD 6870 performance in 1080HD and Eyefinity 3 resolutions. Thermaltake Jing CPU Cooler Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Thermaltake Jing CPU Cooler is Thermaltake's newest addition into the silent operation market. The Jing is positioned to offer high performance cooling with a noise level of only 16dBA. There are 41 0.5mm large aluminum fins and 5 6mm heat-pipes. The fins, base, and heat-pipes are nickel plated for better heat transmission. The Jing comes with 2 custom made fans for push/pull configuration. Xigmatek Loki CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: Xigmatek's Loki is a terrific little cooler that packs a lot of performance into a compact package that's easily installed and should fit on just about any board and in most cases. Widely available online for as little as $25 US, Loki is also very reasonable and represents an excellent value. Computing on Demand: Nexus Real Silent CPU Cooler FLC-3000 R2 Description: Many of today's users seem to look towards a peaceful experience in front of the keyboard instead of the days when we thought having a computer that sounded like a hovercraft was cool. A few companies have made a name for themselves by offering peripherals and devices that marry performance with peace and quiet. Nexus thinks they have the proper balance with their new FLC-3000 (R2). Antec Sonata IV Computer Case @ Benchmark Reviews

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: Antec has been making computer enclosures for as long as I can remember. When I think of popular computer chassis, one case from Antec almost always comes to mind: their Sonata line of cases. Antec has provided Benchmark Reviews the opportunity to review their latest iteration of their Sonata line, the Sonata IV. The Sonata IV is marketed as being a Quiet Mid Tower case. It aims to bring the Sonata line of cases up to date with such features as a front USB 3.0 port, a spot for a 2.5" SSD drive, and silicon grommets to reduce hard drive vibration. Also included with the Sonata IV is a 620 watt power supply. Can the Sonata IV live up to its predecessors and the Antec name? Read the full review to find out... Antec Six Hundred Review - XSReviews Description: When it comes to building a killer rig, there are many important components you have to consider, the case being a big one. You want a case that looks great, is quiet and keeps all of your hardware nice and cool. With this in mind today we look at the Antec Six Hundred. Corsair Hydro series H60 Watercooling kit Review @ Madshrimps Description: I was surprised that Corsair launched another complete liquid cooling model, the H60. The H50 being perfect for tiny spaces and moderate cooling demands. The H70 was able to cope with our overclocked Gulftown setup, crushing the H50's performance. It's beefier radiator and dual fan setup was a big step forward for higher cooling demands. Corsairs new H60 is the first new release of it's new partnership with the CoolIT company. BitFenix Shinobi Review @ Vortez Description: As tradition would have it, we are here again with the first review of a new case from BitFenix, named Shinobi. Shinobi is a mid-tower case that differs from its bigger brothers the Survivor and Colossus cases by bringing a touch of sleekness and elegance to the table. Available in two variants - window version (being reviewed today) and nonewindow version this case features 2 pre-installed fans, toolless mechanisms throughout and of solid steel construction. Lamptron Fan-Atic 5-Channel Fan Controller Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The Lamptron Fan-Atic 5-channel fan controller controls 60W per each channel with 3 different voltage output - 12VDC, 5VDC, and Off, which correspond to Full RPM, Low RPM, and Off setting on the fans connected to the controller. So you get full speed cooling capacity or low speed quietness at a flip of the switch. Read on to see how this fan controller performs when we put it to the test! Consumer Electronics and Software News: Samsung to begin test production of 32" OLED TVs in 2H 2012, will start investing in a Gen-8 fab in 3Q 2011 Description: There are reports that Samsung plans to begin test production of 32" OLED TVs in the second half of 2012. The company will start to invest in Gen-8 OLED TV production lines in 3Q 2011. LG will be able to make 30" OLED TVs be the end of 2011, and (as we know already) plans a Gen-8 fab for 2011. Sony meanwhile seems to be focusing on professional OLED monitors, and doesn't have any active consumer OLED TV program. Google Adds Click-to-Call to Gmail Voice Calling 24

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: Google has enhanced its voice calling feature in Gmail with an ability to click on phone numbers and call them instantly instead of having to type in the number manually.

over the reference GTX 460, clock speed upto 700 MHz and subsequently, shaders up to 1400 MHz. The 2Win features 2 GB GDDR5 at 3.6 GHz.

Forget Apple, the money is in Android Description: While the Apple App store is packed full of software and has a better reach, a top developer has pointed out that he makes much more cash from writing Android code.

Visually, the 2Win is identical to the EVGA Dual-GPU prototype shown at CES 2011. Thought to be a dual-GF110 card, we reported the PCB footprint suggesting a dual-GF114 card. Now we know that the prototype from CES 2011 was indeed the GTX 460 2Win.

Google, Bing Have White Lists Of Sites Not To Be Impacted By Algo Changes Description: Both major search engines admitted today they have 'white lists' of sites that won't be impacted by changes to their algorithms. During the Spam Police session at SMX, Google's Matt Cutts and Bing's Sasi Parthasarathy both confirmed this, the UK Register noted. "Google has admitted that it uses whitelists to manually ... Google Brings Instant Previews to Mobile Description: The concept of Google Instant, which could give you results before you were even done typing, was further enhanced with the presence of Instant Preview. Instant Previews allows users to click on a magnifying glass while in the search page and get previews of the first few results. Now, four months after the original release of Instant Previews, the concept is coming to mobile. Pwn2Own day 2: iPhone, BlackBerry beaten; Chrome, Firefox no-shows Description: On day two of the Pwn2Own competition, Apple's iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9800 were both put in the spotlight, and were both successfully compromised. Meanwhile, contestants scheduled to attack Android and Firefox failed to turn up, leaving those platforms unscathed. Gaming News: PS3 Ban Lifted in Netherlands Description: The dispute between Sony and LG has taken another twist, with the ban on imported PS3s being lifted in the Netherlands. Jurassic Park: The Game Q&A - Back from extinction Description: We find out a few more details from Telltale Games about its upcoming dinosaur action adventure game.

EVGA announces dual-GF104 GTX 460 2Win Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/evga-announces-dual-gf104gtx-460-2win/11561.html March 14th, 2011

Remember the much rumoured dual-GF104 cards from way back in May 2010? After several unreleased prototypes, EVGA has finally taken the step of announcing the first retail dualGF104 card, the EVGA GTX 460 2Win. To put it simply, the GTX 460 2Win puts two GTX 460 GF104 1GB on one PCB. EVGA goes an extra step by giving the 2Win mild overclocks

It is a dual-slot card, featuring three fans. The card uses 2x8pin power, with a TDP somewhere between 300W and 375W. It is a long card - at 11.5" it is nearly as long as the Radeon HD 6990. In terms of performance, the EVGA article paints a rosy picture against the GTX 580 - the GTX 460 2Win winning both 3DMark 11 and Unigine Heaven benchmarks comfortably. However, these are synthetic benchmarks which scale almost perfectly with SLI. In real world gaming tests, the GTX 460 2Win may struggle to keep up with the single GTX 580. Certainly, the 2Win will be annihialted by the HD 6990 and the upcoming GTX 590. The 2Win has a trick up its sleeve, however, featuring 4 display outputs - 3xDVI and 1x mini HDMI. This makes it the first single NVIDIA card to feature multimonitor gaming, supporting 3D Surround. Previously, two cards in SLI were needed to enable 3D Surround. It will surely be the cheapest single NVIDIA card to support 3D Surround (the other, GTX 590, will be a lot more expensive), and this is something EVGA seems to be actively marketing. Considering the specifications of the GTX 460 2Win, surely a GTX 560 2Win would allow for better performance in the same thermal envelope? This suggests that the 2Win - like several other dual-GF104 prototypes - have been in development for a long time and are now being released. The most important thing now, for EVGA, is the pricing. With the single GTX 460 1GB cards now selling at around $170 (after rebates), the GTX 460 2Win, if priced right, could be an interesting alternative to the HD 6970 or GTX 570. However, if the pricing is off, it will be a simple case of too little, too late. Availability hasn't been mentioned either.

March 14th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

White Apple iPhone 4 coming in April. For real? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/white-apple-iphone-4-coming-inapril.-for-real-/11539.html March 14th, 2011

The white version of the iPhone 4 was rumored to launch for the longest time and until now, there has not been any official word from Apple about this. The last known news was that it should be available around end February, but it looks like that the phone will be delayed until next month, according to some sources.

The recently announced iPad 2 has gotten lots of attention, though there has been no news of the next iPhone 5. However, it seems that the white version of iPhone 4 is still getting people excited. Some online sources said that Apple would launch the white iPhone 4, but was later denied, probably because of design issues. Recently, Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has told some online media that the white iPhone 4 will be launched next month, and it will be a GSM version. If the news is to be true, then the wait is finally going to be over. But if the new iPhone 5 is going to be announced soon, would you go for the white iPhone 4 or the newer iPhone 5?

March 17th, 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 Update - 17 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-update--17mar-2011/11630.html March 17th, 2011

In today's news roundup: ASUS has announced that selected models of its current socket AM3 motherboards will be capable of supporting AMD's upcoming FX-series CPUs after performing a certain BIOS update; AMD shows off 3D display capabilities with new HD3D technology which appears to support more 3D HDTVs than monitors; Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Player is reportedly the real threat to Apple's iPod Touch; The world's first LTE phone, the HTC Thunderbolt, is now officially available from Verizon; Analysts are predicting that the announcement of a HD Wii 2 may be all that is needed to turn Nintendo's fortunes around, and Our sister site SGCafe tries out the Mortal Kombat demo currently available for download on the PlayStation Network Hardware news: The Ultimate Graphics Cards Round-up: Spring 2011 @ InsideHW Description: If you were attentive during the past few months, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bound to have noticed just how many new graphics card models have been presented in the past few months. To say that the market situation is confusing would be an understatement, since not only have there been plenty of new models making their appearance on the market, but an entire graphics card generation has shifted. Besides, NVIDIA seems to have made a full recovery and got back into the game as an entirely respectable competitorâ&#x20AC;Ś Sapphire 100310SR Radeon HD 6990 @ Benchmark Reviews Description: The Sapphire 100310SR Radeon HD 6990 is a dual-Cayman GPU product capable of powering five monitors at once, or produce the fastest video game frame rates possible of any graphics card to one monitor. Using a new VLIW4 shader core architecture and equipped with 4GB GDDR5 256-

bit video frame buffer and 3072 stream processors. While the Sapphire 100310SR Radeon HD 6990 can accomplish the performance of two Radeon HD 6970's in CrossFireX, it can do so with less power and heat. The Sapphire 100310SR utilizes several new MSAA modes including Enhanced Quality AntiAliasing (EQAA), which Benchmark Reviews tests in some of the most popular DirectX-11 video games available... Xigmatek Asgard II computer case @ TweakPC.de (German) Description: (Machine translation) With Xigmatek the world is upside down. This at least allows the naming of the suspect case series. Here one does that is back to Norse mythology and identifies its case at the three levels of the World Tree. At the bottom is therefore Utgard, who represents the underworld, with Xigmatek but represents the upper class. And above shows the Asgard, the heavenly home of the gods, with Xigmatek but reflects the lower low-budget class. Midgard is only the golden mean and thus of its name. Market for combined CPUs and GPUs on the rise Description: Graphics-enabled microprocessors are expected to reach record highs this year with GEM penetration in notebook PCs set to reach 50 percent, and 45 percent for desktops. This represents an impressive 11 percent increase for notebooks in the use of chips which incorporate both the CPU and graphics processing in one place. ASUS GTX 550 Ti DirectCU TOP Review Description: The ASUS GTX 550 Ti DirectCU TOP has moved away from the NVIDIA reference design chosen by some manufacturers. The first change was the mini-HDMI connector, replaced by a full-sized HDMI, and the addition of a VGA connection, replacing the second DVI connector seen in reference design cards. As with the GTS 450 and GTX 460 it features bitstreaming support for both Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio, handy for home theatre PC use. Asustek to Support Future AMD FX "Bulldozer" Chips on Current Mainboards. Description: Asustek Computer, the world's largest maker of mainboards, announced on Wednesday that select current mainboards with AM3 socket will also support nextgeneration AMD FX-series "Bulldozer" microprocessors after a BIOS upgrade. A similar move will likely be made by other motherboard suppliers, which will prove that current platforms can technically support Bulldozer chips. Eyes-on: AMD Shows 3D Capabilities With HD3D Description: While Nvidia's been playing in the 3D space for quite some time now with its proprietary 3D Vision technology, AMD's been holding off in what it feels is in the

March 17th, 2011

best interest of the industry and ultimately the consumer. AMD's 3D technology for its Radeon HD products conform to industry standards – most notably right now is HDMI 1.4a. Sadly, this doesn't include a lot of desktop monitors on the market today, but it does include essentially every new 3D HDTV in existence today. Crucial does BoM control on DDR3 Description: Crucial is dropping a BoM on enterprise server memory customers with their new BoM-controlled RDIMM line. It may not seem like much if you don’t need it, but to those that do, it is worth more than gold. Consumer Electronics and Software news:: Why Samsung’s Galaxy Player Rivals Apple’s iPod Touch Description: Leveraging the success of its Galaxy S smartphone line, Samsung today introduced two models of Galaxy Player handhelds, expected to launch later this spring in the U.S. At first glance, the 4- and 5-inch devices appear to be Android-powered Samsung smartphones, complete with front and rear cameras, touch screens, and Adobe Flash support, but these don’t include a cellular radio. Instead, the new Galaxy Player line uses Wi-Fi for connectivity, just like Apple’s iPod touch. But why would Samsung ever attempt to take on Apple’s iPod, which holds an imposing majority share in the digital audio player market? ROCCAT Alumic Review @ Vortez Description: It was just 2 weeks ago that we got our first 'hands-on' look at ROCCAT's latest and greatest at CeBIT 2011. The first item that ROCCAT showed us at that event is the item under review today. A double sided gaming mouse pad with an anodized aluminium core providing ultimate stability and durability, whilst accommodating both low and highsensitivity gamers by way of 2 completely different surface textures. Corsair HS1A Gaming Headset Review @ Legit Reviews Description: Corsair has hit the PC audio market with a slew of new products in the last year. And all of them appear to be strong performers. The Corsair HS1A Headset is no different. It is made with the highest quality materials and adheres to Corsair's tight specifications to let your games immerse you into their fantasy world. Today we are looking at the HS1A'a in the Legit Reviews Labs, and what we found might just surprise you. Did we like them or not? Read on to find out. HTC Thunderbolt Now Available from Verizon Description: The world’s first LTE phone, HTC Thunderbolt, is now available from Verizon for $249.99 with a two-year contract or $599.99 if you want the contract-free, unlocked version. Samsung PN58C8000 58 Inch Plasma TV Review @ Tweaknews Description: The Samsung PN58C8000 is targeted towards the buyer that wants the best Samsung Plasma TV that money can buy and have every possible feature other than integrated Wifi. No corners have been cut for this model and everything from the upgraded remote control to the brushed exterior bezel and finish look as good as the TV performs. New Catalyst Application Profile for 6 titles, incl. Crysis 2 Exclusively @ Rage3D

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: AMD Catalyst Application Profile 11.2 #4 is here! This week's new Catalyst Application Profile, exclusively at Rage3D before anywhere else, includes updates for six titles. Sandberg USB 5.1 Surround headset Review XSReviews.co.uk Description: Our subject today is the Sandberg 5.1 USB Surround headset which is specifically designed for gamers and PC-multimedia enthusiasts. Sandberg is a well over 20years old Danish company that produces computer-related products such as audio periphials, keyboards, mice, cables and much more. Altough the brand doesn’t specifically pop up when we are talking audio periphials, I have good hopes for this gamer-oriented product. Gaming news: Can An HD Wii 2 Turn Around Nintendo’s Video Fortunes? Description: Nintendo could announce the next generation of its Wii gaming console soon, according to comments made by EA Games Label President Frank Gibeau. Analysts believe that the company will announce the Wii2 at this year’s E3 conference in June, which could mean that it goes on sale early next year. Quick Review: Mortal Kombat Demo Description: Forget those cheesy finishes in previous Mortal Kombat games or those petty looking finishes in MK vs DC universe because the upcoming Mortal Kombat is here to break some bone and gut. Simply titled Mortal Kombat, this new real deal is heading for retail on April 22 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the demo is available on PlayStation Network now (not sure for Xbox Live yet) Operation Flashpoint: Red River preview: With a little help from my friends Description: The first time we saw Operation Flashpoint: Red River in action, it was clear that the game was trying to expand the appeal of this traditionally "realistic" military shooter series. Played alone, as we did in December, the game still requires a fair amount of tactical squad micromanagement, but Codemasters encourages players to experience the tenstage campaign, along with the separate co-op mode called "Fireteam Engagements," with a group of three friends...

Dell launches new Inspiron R notebooks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dell-launches-new-inspiron-rnotebooks/11631.html March 17th, 2011

It is spring time and Dell has announced what can only be described as its spring collection which is a refresh of its Inpiron R series of notebooks that now features removable display backs, something akin to Nokia's swappable phone covers of the past. Of course there's more to the new line than swappable bits of plastic, as Dell has added support for Intel's 2

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

second generation Core i processors across the range which brings with it some additional changes as well. It is spring time and Dell has announced what can only be described as its spring collection which is a refresh of its Inpiron R series of notebooks that now features removable display backs, something akin to Nokia's swappable phone covers of the past. Of course there's more to the new line than swappable bits of plastic, as Dell has added support for Intel's second generation Core i processors across the range which brings with it some additional changes as well. So what we're looking at here are three new models, the 14R (N4110), 15R (N5110) and 17R (N7110) and the model names give away the screen sizes. Dell is offering all three models with an option of a dual core Core i3-3210M or a Core i5-2410M processor, although the 15R and 17R will be available with the quad core Core i7-2630QM. The 14R and 15R come with standard 1366x768 resolution displays while the larger 17R gets fitted with a 1600x900 panel.

The standard graphics option is Intel's HD graphics 3000, although dell offers an upgrade to an AMD Radeon HD 6470M for the 14R and 15R, while the 14R is also available with a Radeon HD 6640M. For whatever reason Dell decided to go with two Nvidia graphics options as well, as the 15R can be kitted out with a GeForce GT525M, which is also the only option for the 17R, although in this case the 15R only comes with 1GB of graphics memory, while the 17R gets 2GB. All three models will be offered with up to 8GB of RAM and will come with either a 5,400rpm hard drive up to 640GB or a 7,200rpm hard drive up to 500GB. Other features include an optical drive, various 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi and 3G/WiMAX options, Bluetooth 3.0, WiDi support, eSATAp (powered eSATA/USB combo port), USB 3.0, HDMI, 10/100Mbit Ethernet, HD webcam and a memory card reader. Not all models will come with all features, as generally is the case with notebooks. All three models are available with a 6cell or a 9-cell battery pack.

The unusual feature of all three models is Dell's new Switch lid design and this is again an optional feature which will cost you extra, on top of the cost of the various lids you can get which start at US$39.99. The switchable lids also add a fair bit of weight to the tune of about 170-270g depending on the model. It's a neat feature for those that want a notebook that stands out and if you get bored by one design, you can always buy another one.

The 14R starts at US$579.99, the 15R is a little bit cheaper at US$529.99 and the 17R comes in at the same starting price as the 14R and all three models are supplied with a black Switch lid at this price point. Singapore pricing appears to start at S$949 for the 14R, but this doesn't include a Switch lid as standard and would set you back an additional S$42.80 for the plain black one. The 15R starts at S$999, although it comes with a free upgrade option for the Switch lids. The 17R doesn't appear to be available in Singapore as of now.

Microsoft officially launches Internet Explorer 9 in Singapore: it's all about the need for speed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-officially-launches-internetexplorer-9-in-singapore-it-s-all-about-the-need-for-speed/11629.html March 17th, 2011

Have you downloaded the finalized version of Microsoft's latest browser for use on your Windows-powered PC? Well, if your answer to that question happens to be a resounding 'no', perhaps Microsoft's latest demonstration might convince you 3

March 17th, 2011

to have a change of heart. The Redmond giant has organized a media event at the Singapore Flyer Megu Event Hall to showcase some of the features available in its new browser, and VR-Zone is proud to bring you the coverage.

Published by: VR-Zone

browser technology," he said, while adding that this has led Microsoft to change its focus from the browser to that of the user experience. "Web developers are doing a lot of amazing things today, but browser technology hasn't been catching up. So now, we start looking at things differently in IE 9. Realistically, it is all about the content. No one goes to a theatre and looks at the theare room: they go there to watch the play. And this is practically the same thing for all types of content we see out there today," he explained. User experience and standards support

For a browser that comes bundled as part of the dominant operating system used by more than 80% of the world's PC owners, Internet Explorer seldom, if ever, gets any love, especially among the more technologically savvy crowd, and for good reason. After all, Internet Explorer has been known to come with various security holes large enough for the proverbial bus to drive through, while its lack of speed and poor support for existing web standards did little to no favors for its image.

To prove his point, Hardman demonstrated how IE9 features the ability to pin IE9-optimized webpages onto the Windows Taskbar, which in turn allows users to access the site's links and pages from within its Taskbar icon. Citibank's website was used as an example for this demonstration.

However, Microsoft is also keen to let consumers know that Internet Explorer has changed for the better, and that it has what it takes to be the best browser for consumers once again. And to do that, the Redmond giant has organized a media event held at the Singapore Flyer Megu Event Hall to showcase Internet Explorer 9's capabilities in bringing out what it calls the "full beauty of the web". Speaking at the event was Matthew Hardman of the Windows Client Business Group Lead (Business and Marketing) for Microsoft Singapore, who talked about the ever-evolving nature of the World Wide Web, and how Internet Explorer 9's new features can deliver the best of the Web to end-users.

According to Hardman, this feature is unique to Internet Explorer 9 and requires webmasters to make some changes to the underlying code in order for users to enjoy the aforementioned convenience. However, Hardman also revealed that such a feature does not require a complete code rewrite; rather, webmasters only need to input five additional lines into their site's underlying code in order to take advantage of this exclusive feature. "Research has shown that people who actually implement this feature ever since it was introduced in the beta versions of Internet Explorer 9 are actually experiencing huge increases in terms of visits and time spent on the webpage. This is because it is now so much easier for consumers to get access to the actual website itself," he claimed.

"At the beginning of the Web, it was all about basic information, such as text and pictures. Then as we started seeing the evolution of technology, like video and YouTube being a key examples which projected the Web in a whole different direction as well as making content richer, noisier and more interactive. That really drove a lot of innovation in

Support for HTML5 was also a huge priority for Microsoft, and Hardman showed off Internet Explorer 9's robust support for the new draft standard by loading an online game that was completely written in HTML5. For those interested, the game can be accessed by clicking on this link.

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Nikon Singapore has announced the COOLPIX S9100 compact camera, a high performance model with 18x zoom lens and rearside illumination CMOS sensor that suppresses noise in pictures. It is available from today.

Also featured in Hardman's demonstration was Foursquare's Playground page, in which Internet Explorer's support for HTML5 was key to ensuring that users could interact seamlessly with the virtual town without needing to install any unnecessary ActiveX plugins such as Adobe's Flash or Shockwave player.

The latest Nikon COOLPIX S9100 features a 12.1-megapixel rating, 18x optical zoom with wide angle capability and a 3inch LCD display. Incorporating a backside illumination CMOS sensor, it can effectively minimize noise in pictures. The camera also offers ISO settings of up to 3200, various shooting modes including Easy Panorama Mode, Pet Portrait Mode, Night Landscape mode and Special Effects. The S9100 can also record videos in full high-definition with stereo and has a card slot that supports SD/SDHC/SDXC.

Rumour: AMD FX-series (Bulldozer) releasing June 11th Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-amd-fx-series-bulldozerreleasing-june-11th/11627.html March 17th, 2011

Nikon COOLPIX S9100, now on sale in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-s9100-now-on-sale-insingapore/11628.html March 17th, 2011

Five years in the making, AMD's Bulldozer has gone through a slew of changes in schedule. According to the last report, Bulldozer's shipping date was suggested as June 20th. Now, DonanimHaber is introducing a new date - June 11th. AMD's 9-series motherboards will release in May, presumably during Computex 2011 time. Around this time, AMD's FX series is expected to be officially announced and dated. Five years in the making, AMD's Bulldozer has gone through a slew of changes in schedule. According to the last report, Bulldozer's shipping date was suggested as June 20th. Now, DonanimHaber is introducing a new date - June 11th. AMD's 9-series motherboards will release in May, presumably during Computex 2011 time. Around this time, AMD's FX series is expected to be officially announced and dated. Considering June 11th is a Saturday, it does seem like an odd time to release a major CPU. The previous date of June 20th seems more realistic. Regardless, AMD's official timeline remains "Q2 2011" and unless there are any major changes, AMD's FX series is set to be unleashed some time in June 5

March 17th, 2011

2011. A preliminary line-up of FX series CPUs has already been leaked and can be viewed here.

Rumour: ASUS plans sub US$250 netbook to avoid competing against tablet PCs? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-asus-plans-sub-us-250netbook-to-avoid-competing-against-tablet-pcs-/11623.html March 17th, 2011

With tablet PCs fast gaining acceptance among consumers as the mobile computer of choice for media consumption, what does one think netbook OEMs should do to restore the competitiveness of a product that appears to be fast approaching its 'use by' date? Well, ASUS apparently thinks that the answer is rather straightforward: make them cheaper.

Published by: VR-Zone

price bracket, DIGITIMES claims that ASUS is hoping to avoid direct confrontation with tablet PCs, thus making its netbooks more attractive to those who are seeking a highly mobile PC to use, but without the price premium found on tablets. To achieve such prices, it is claimed that ASUS will also seek to avoid the 'Microsoft tax' altogether by dropping Windows as the default OS pre-loaded into the netbooks. Instead, ASUS will reportedly go for royalty-free, resource-light OSes such as Google's Android or Chrome OS. In a way, this makes perfect sense; after all, netbooks were never meant to be used as gaming heavy multimedia consumption machines. By using OSes not known to support heavy gaming, ASUS can not only save some money on the Microsoft tax, but also allow it to target consumers who seek to purchase a mobile PC for only basic tasks such as web surfing and word processing. However, we should probably point out that with the current component shortage faced by manufacturers of NAND flash and display panels, both of which are key components in netbook assembly, users might want to take this information about a low-cost netbook with a pinch of salt.

Adobe Photoshop Express 2.0 for iOS with new Adobe Camera Pack announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/adobe-photoshop-express-2.0-for-ioswith-new-adobe-camera-pack-announced/11624.html March 17th, 2011

In spite of what people might think, it is going to be quite hard to prove that tablet PCs have not started cutting into netbook sales, and for good reason. After all, tablets are definitely much more suited for consumers who prize mobility over functionality, and the fact that their price premium over the netbook is starting to narrow does not bode well for the humble, performance-limited netbook.

Adobe has announced Photoshop Express 2.0 for iOS devices. It is now available free on the Apple iTunes Store, and there is also a new Adobe Camera Pack for in-app purchase. Read on for more details.

With this is mind, what measures are netbook OEMs taking to ensure that demand for their products remain stable? Well, sources close to "upstream component makers" are claiming that the Taiwanese OEM has got a rather simple answer to the netbook problem, and that is to simply make cheaper netbooks. According to a report posted on DIGITIMES, ASUS is in the midst of co-operating with Intel on producing a new netbook that, when completed, will be released for retail at around US$200-US$250. In contrast, the current batch of netbooks available on the market can retail at prices ranging from approximately US$280 for a low-end configuration, or upwards of US$400 for more powerful variants, thus putting themselves in direct competition with tablet PCs retailing at near-identical price range. By avoiding the US$280-US$500

Adobe Photoshop Express offers easy, on-the-go support for capturing, organizing, editing and sharing photos on popular social networks like Facebook and has gained huge popularity on iOS and Android devices. It is a must-have app for users working with digital photos on new smartphones and tablets. Today, the company announced the availability of Adobe Photoshop Express 2.0 software for iOS devices. You can download the app free from Apple iTunes Store, and the 6

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Photoshop Express 2.0 also includes a new Adobe Camera Pack for in-app purchase. This Camera Pack includes: - Reduce Noise: Even the best phone cameras can introduce small amounts of grain and specklingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;called noiseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;into images. The Reduce Noise feature quickly smooths out those flaws to improve photos. - Self Timer: Set a camera timer to three or 10-second intervals to control when the photo is snapped and capture just the desired moment. - Auto Review: Ensure a good shot and delete it quickly if not. Auto Review provides a quick look at pictures before the action passes by. The Adobe Camera Pack enhances the new camera workflow that debuted in Photoshop Express 1.5 for iOS and enabled customers to continuously and rapidly shoot photos directly in the app. Pricing and Availability Photoshop Express 2.0 for iOS is available worldwide in English for free download from the iTunes store. The Adobe Camera Pack is available for in-app purchase for US$3.99. Instructions for purchase are provided in the app. Photoshop Express 2.0 requires iOS 4.2 or later. To use the Adobe Camera Pack, customers must have an iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4, iPod Touch (3rd or 4th generation), or an iPad or iPad 2 (note that Photoshop Express does not include support for the iPad 2 camera at this time).

Intel to sell server-capable versions of Atom in 2012 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-to-sell-server-capable-versionsof-atom-in-2012/11622.html March 17th, 2011

Do Atom-branded processors have what it takes to run server-side applications and tasks? Well, Intel seems to think so. Apparently, the world's number one producer of x86 processors is feeling the heat about ARM's plans to compete in the lucrative server market, and plans to defend its turf by introducing server-grade Atom processors for use in microservers.

ARM has had been snapping away at Intel's heels ever since its chips had been selected over the latter's x86 offerings in the mobile segment, and the recent news of ARM's designs starting to make their way into the lucrative server market is definitely something which Intel would want to prevent at all costs. After all, there is no denying that there is big money to be made in the server segment, and ARM's offerings will definitely appeal to companies seeking low-power servers. However, Intel has also got a few tricks up its sleeves when it comes to competing with ARM, and in this case, it seems that the chip giant is finally going to do what many had already speculated about some time back. That's right: Intel will be releasing server-grade versions of its low-power processor specially designed to work with microservers. According to a report posted by Intel, the server-grade Atoms will be targeted for a 2012 launch, and as many as four such processors will be made available for the microserver market. The CPUs will feature relatively low power consumptions spanning from 45 watt high performance to sub-10 watt, all with server features. The report also goes on to claim that various features that come standard in its existing CPUs such as 64-bit support, Intel Virtualization Technology and Error-Correcting Code (ECC) will also be implemented in its new line of server-grade Atom processors. Unfortunately, no other details such as core count and clock speeds about the chips were released, so do check back for updates on this.

Hardware components in short supply after Japanese earthquake Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hardware-components-in-shortsupply-after-japanese-earthquake/11621.html March 17th, 2011

Any you planning to indulge in any high-cost, IT-related purchases such as television sets, smartphones and PCs any 7

March 17th, 2011

time soon? If so, be prepared to fork out more cash for that product which you have had your eye on for the longest time: the components needed for the assembly of such devices are reportedly in short supply, no thanks to the recent quake which ravaged Japan and its factories.

Published by: VR-Zone March 17th, 2011

Aside from the 10-inch Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet, it looks like pictures of three HTC smartphones have also been leaked online. The three phones are the HTC Ignite, HTC Prime and HTC Pyramid Z710e .

Have you been eyeing that shiny, new LCD television set, notebook PC, tablet PC or smartphone that has been sitting on the display shelves of your favourite hardware or computer shop for the longest time already? Well, we got some advice for you: you can either break the piggy bank and get that device while it is still available, or give it a miss altogether and put that money into the bank instead. Why? Well, the truth hurts, but it seems that the recent earthquake that trashed Japan around has had a much greater impact on the country than just destroying towns and taking out its nuclear reactors. Apparently, an article posted by IDG claims that major electronics manufacturers such as Samsung and LG Electronics are reporting shortages in the components needed to manufacture the display panels used in the aforementioned devices "due to blackouts and transport issues". As display panels are one of the most important components that make up such devices, it is highly possible that such shortages will result in consumers having to pay higher prices for such products. In addition, it appears that display panels are not the only components affected by the natural disaster. Toshiba has reportedly claimed that the earthquake and the rolling blackouts imposed on the power grid has left its silicon wafer fabrication factory out of commision, and this is expected to have an adverse effect on NAND flash memory chips heavily used in smartphones and tablet PCs. Simply put, the earthquake in Japan has thrown the country's entire supply chain in to disarray, and there is a very high likelihood for global consumers to start feeling the aftereffects of the natural disaster in the form of increased prices for existing consumer electronic products. Of course, whether this will actually happen will depend on how quickly Japan can restore shipment of supplies needed for the manufacturing and assembly of such devices, but until then, we might all want to start preparing to pay more for our digital needs.

Pictures of HTC Ignite, HTC Prime and HTC Pyramid leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pictures-of-htc-ignite-htc-prime-andhtc-pyramid-leaked/11620.html

HTC is stealing the limelight in the early part of 2011. With the recent news of their upcoming 10-inch Android 3.0 tablet, the company will also be launching their "heavyweight" products in the form of HTC Ignite?HTC Prime?HTC Pyramind Z710e (above picture from left to right). The HTC Ignite and HTC Prime are Windows Phone 7, though the difference is that the HTC Ignite is a full-touchscreen phone while the HTC Prime has a slideout QWERTY keyboard. The HTC Pyramid Z710e (which has no resemblence to the shape of the ancient structure) is said to run Android 3.0, although it is weird that the version is designed for tablet devices and not smartphones. Or perhaps the news source mean Android 2.3. Regardless, the three smartphones are scheduled to launch in June this year.

Samsung details its Series 9 notebooks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-details-its-series-9notebooks/11618.html March 17th, 2011

March 17th, 2011

Samsung's sleek and sexy Series 9 notebooks are finally arriving, at least in the US of A, although the company didn't just unveil the pricing of its 13.3-inch model today, but also details on its new 11.1-inch model. The 13.3-inch model goes on sale in the US today, although it's not clear as to when it'll be available elsewhere, whereas to the 11.1-inch model no firm launch date was given. The 13.3-inch Series 9 model will only be offered with a Core i5-2537M which is a ULV model clocked at 1.4GHz with a turbo speed of 2GHz for both cores and 2.3GHz for a single core. The Intel graphics has a base clock speed of a mere 350MHz, but will turbo to 900MHz. This is the most basic ULV processor in Intel's new line-up and as such it only has 3MB of L3 cache, but it supports all the extra features like AVX, AES, TXT and VT.

Published by: VR-Zone March 17th, 2011

In today's news roundup: AMD's Asif Rehman talks about the company's new PowerXpress technology and how it will stack up against the likes of NVIDIA's Optimus and Lucid's Virtu; EVGA's GeForce GTX 550Ti FPB Edition DirectX 11 graphics card gets reviewed; Twitter introduces a new feature which allows users to permanently access its services via HTTPS; Eurocom adds Intel 510 series SSDs to its line of highperformance mobile workstations; More new updates and surprises awaits fans of the popular smartphone game known as Angry Birds thanks to a certain tie-up with Microsoft's Bing, and Battlefield 3 gets a new gameplay trailer. Hardware News: Enermax Hoplite Mid Tower Case Review @ Legit Reviews Description: Today we are looking at the newest mid-tower case offering from Enermax called Hoplite. On paper the Hoplite has loads of features like hot swap bays, hard drive dock, and even ability to have a 2x120 radiator installed internally. So join us as we give the Hoplite a good looking over and see just what it does have to offer.

Other features include up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a 128GB SSD, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi with WiDi support and optional WiMAX, Bluetooth 3.0, an HDMI port, three USB 2.0 ports of which one can charge other devices even when the notebook is off, a microSD card slot, an Ethernet port, a pair of audio jacks and an HD webcam. The clickpad (track pad) supports no less than 21 different types of gestures and you do of course get a chicklet type keyboard as well. The Lithium Polymer battery is said to be good for up to 7h of usage and the machine weighs in at a feather light 1.31kg. The 11.1-inch model gets to make do with a ULV Core i3-380UM processor which is clocked at 1.33GHz and as this is an older CPU you don't get support for Intel's latest and greatest graphics. It also comes with a mere 2GB of RAM as standard and a tiny 64GB SSD. Still, it should offer the same 7h worth of battery life and at a weight of just a smidgen over 1kg it's hard to complain too much. The 13.3-inch Series 9 notebook will start at US$1,649 (S $2,120) with Windows 7 Home Premium while it'll cost US $50 more with Windows 7 Professional, although that SKU won't be available until sometime in mid-April. So now the question you're going to have to ask yourself, would you go with Samsung's new Duralumin clad Series 9 notebook or Apple's aluminium clad MacBook Air?

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 16 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--16mar-2011/11614.html

Zalman Z9 Plus Mid-Tower Case Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: Over the years, Zalman cases have won many awards, but for many users their cases were just too expensive to justify. Zalman recognized this and set out to offer cases that everybody could afford, without sacrificing their typical quality. The Zalman Z9 Plus is one of these lower cost cases that manages to offer features usually found only on more expensive cases. Titan Hati CPU Cooler Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine translation) The Titan Hati Heatsink arrived Technic3D. See you in the following Review the Titan Hati with one or two 120mm Fans and three 8mm Heatpipes compared with many other Cooler on a Intel Core i7 CPU. Better than the Fenrir Evo? Sharkoon QuickPort XT USB 3.0 PLUS dock @ XtremeComputing Description: Today I will be reviewing the Sharkoon QuickPort XT USB 3.0 PLUS hdd dock. Sharkoon have been around for quite a while, and have built up a good reputation of reliable useful products. Today I will see how this USB 3.0 dock compares to a USB 2.0 dock. I am hopeful this dock will beat the older standard, and am somewhat excited to be dealing with this product â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as it will be my first encounter with USB 3.0! AMD PowerXpress 4.0 & Interview with AMD's Asif Rehman @ Rage3D.com Description: AMD's new PowerXpress technology has appeared from the depths China's Baidu, and indicates how AMD will combat NVIDIA's Optimus technology and newcomer Lucid's Virtu technology. Read more about AMD PowerXpress and the basics of hybrid and switchable graphics in our Interview with AMD's Asif Rehman 9

March 17th, 2011

EVGA GeForce GTX 550Ti FPB Edition DirectX 11 Video Card Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The EVGA GTX 550 Ti FPB video card is a major improvement over the GTS 450. The EVGA GTX 550 Ti is factory overclocked at 951 MHz (Core) from the default 900 MHz. The memory clocks are also bumped up on the EVGA GTX 550 Ti FPB to 4356 MHz from the standard 3600 MHz. Like all EVGA video cards, the GTX 550 Ti FPB video card comes bundled with EVGA’s Precision and OC Scanner software. EVGA offers a 3 year warranty on the GTX 550 Ti, which covers parts and labor and can be extended when the video card is registered on EVGA’s website within 30 days of purchase. Kingwin USI-2535U3 USB 3.0 to SATA HDD Adapter Review @ Tweaknews Description: Kingwin has been effective in creating a product that allows access to data in a quick, easy, and inexpensive way. The USI-2535U3 USB 3.0 to SATA adapter is versatile enough to use with any SATA drive and small enough to carry anywhere. The USB 3.0 interface ensures fast file transfers, and backward compatibility with USB 2.0 make this a truly adaptable tool for computer users of all skill levels. Antec Twelve Hundred v3 Review - XSReviews.co.uk Description: While we may have reviewed many Antec cases before, do you think I'm going to turn down the chance to review some revamped versions of their entire performance one line? Exactly. Today I spent my 9-5 taking pictures and testing the Antec 1200, the big boy of the bunch. This is the v3 that comes with a USB 3.0 connector and an SSD drive slot. Let's see how it does in the contemporary arena. Consumer Electronics and Software News: Logitech HD Webcam C510 @ TestFreaks Description: Up on the review block today I’ve got another HD webcam from Logitech, the C510. A little bit ago I looked at the C910, which is pretty much the top end camera, this C510 is more middle range offering 720P resolution. The resolution is lower but the features are the same like pan, tilt and zoom and numerous special effects. The C510 even includes a nice little carrying case so you can take it with you and keep it protected. Twitter Adds Permanent HTTPS Setting to Improve Security Description: Twitter has taken a big step towards improving account security with a new setting that permanently enables HTTPS. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) allows encrypted communication between networks and users. It creates a secure tunnel through the inherently chaotic web, decreasing the chance that somebody will access a user’s account information on an open Wi-Fi network, for example. Computing on Demand: To The Cloud: Windows Live & Remote Access Description: Most of you have probably seen the commercials from Microsoft touting the cloud experience behind Windows 7 and Windows Live. The thing is... many of us that have Windows 7 don't really know how to do some of the things they show in those commercials. In this multi-part series, we will attempt to demystify the "cloud" and show you how to make it happen.

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: Xtrememac is a well known Apple mobile device peripheral maker who in the past has provided Tesfreaks with cases and chargers for review. Today we will look at their Bluetooth enabled iPod/iPhone speaker dock – the Tango TRX. Besides charging and playing music from a docked iPod or iPhone, it can also wirelessly stream music from any Bluetooth stereo capable devices including Android and Blackberry models. SteelSeries Scope Pro Gaming Glasses Review @ Vortez Description: SteelSeries are well known within the gaming community for their high-quality gaming peripherals. They stand out as a brand that are concerned with delivering products that serve a purpose. Knowing their products well and speaking with them recently I know that they are keen to design products that are purposeful rather than gimmicky. Today's product under review may on initial impressions appear to be the latter but read over the pages and you will be assured otherwise. Eurocom adds Intel 510 series Solid State Drives SATA 6 GB/ s to Mobile Workstations Description: Eurocom Corporation (www.eurocom.com) announces support for Intel's new high performance 510 Series of Solid-State Drives inside their Mobile Workstations. Google To Test Mobile Payments In NY And SF Description: While Apple has reportedly decided to forgo NFC-related hardware/software in iPhone 5 because of a lack of standards, Google is to begin testing NFC-based mobile payments at selected stores in New York and San Francisco according to an article in Bloomberg. Gaming News: Angry Birds Gets Many Updates, Mini Series On Youtube Description: It is getting pretty exciting for Angry Birds fans as Rovio, the company who makes the game is releasing several updates this month. Firstly, there is a sneak peek at Rio’s gameplay. Take Out That Sniper in Episode Two of the Battlefield 3 Gameplay Trailer Series Description: Part two of DICE's ongoing Battlefield 3 gameplay trailer series has arrived, and in this episode of Fault Line, Good Effect on Target, the squad is pinned down on a rooftop by a sniper. Get ready to see Frostbite 2's version of destructible environments in action. Pilotwings Resort Soars on the 3DS Description: We're firing up our Nintendo 3DS and playing its games. First up, Nintendo's own Pilotwings Resort.

Roxio launches Game Capture and PC Game Capture Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/roxio-launches-game-capture-and-pcgame-capture/11615.html March 17th, 2011

Xtrememac Tango TRX Bluetooth iPhone/iPod Dock @ TestFreaks 10

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

from the 24th of March while the PC Game Capture will retail for US$49.99 and is set to arrive sometime in Q2.

Gigabyte Unveils M7800E Laser Mouse Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-unveils-m7800e-laser-

Capturing quality video from a game console has so far either been a fairly expensive thing to do, but Roxio has announced a solution that should make it a lot more affordable, at least as long as you have a PC nearby. The company has also launched a piece of software that is set to compete with Fraps when it comes to create in-game videos on your PC. The Roxio Game Capture is a simple USB 2.0 capture device that allows you to hook up your console to your PC with the added benefit of also being simultaneously connected to your flat screen TV. Roxio supplies software that allows you to record your in-game videos, edit them, add voice-overs, effects, text and what not and finally upload it to various video sharing sites. So far so good, but there Game Capture has two downsides that there aren't really a simple way around.

mouse/11613.html March 17th, 2011

Gigabyte has annouced the M7800E wireless mouse, expanding its diversified product portfolio from motherboards to laser mice. The stylish mouse sports a “matt black” coating and boasts a 1600 DPI laser sensor, on-the-fly DPI switch, a battery life of up to six months, and an ultra-compact receiver. Pricing and availability has not been announced yet so stay tuned for more updates. GIGABYTE PRESS RELEASE

For starters you're limited to recording video over a component video connection, so the signal passed through to the TV will be 1080i at best. The other is that thanks to its USB 2.0 connection, you're limited to capturing 480p video which might not be high enough resolution for some. A USB 3.0 version might solve this problem, but thanks to HDCP copy protection being part of the HDMI standard, it's not going to be possible to ever capture 1080p in game videos unless the console makers issue an update that allows the consoles to output an HDCP free signal while playing games.

GIGABYTE, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, welcomes a new member to its line of wireless mice, M7800E Wireless Laser Mouse. Designed for men of urban chic style, M7800E is coated with a “matte black” layer.

The PC Game Capture software suite is pretty much the same as the software that comes with the Game Capture, but instead of capturing from an external source, it'll do a screencast type recording of whatever is game is running. Oddly enough, DirectX 11 games and older DirectX 7 and below titles aren't supported. We're not sure this is going to be a big seller, especially considering it's US$12.99 more than Fraps which is pretty much the standard when it comes to recording in-game videos on a PC. That said, the PC Game Capture software does have editing feature, something Fraps doesn't offer. Both solutions support accelerated video encoding using Nvidia Cuda, AMD Stream and Intel Quick Sync Video. The Game Capture will retail for US$99.99 and will be available 11

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Product Features • “Matt black” coating • Ultra nano receiver • Battery life up to 6 months • 800 ~ 1600 DPI switch

Harman Announces AKG GHS-1 Gaming Headset Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/harman-announces-akg-ghs-1-gamingheadset/11612.html March 17th, 2011

Harman, designer and manufacturer of numerous audio products and electronics for audio professionals, has unleashed its AKG GHS-1 gaming headset.

Harman, designer and manufacturer of numerous audio products and electronics for audio professionals, has unleashed itsAKG GHS-1 gaming headset.

The ultra sized receiver is 40% smaller than regular receivers, and it highly increases the portability of the mouse. With 800 1600 dpi switch, high-precision laser sensor, battery life of 6 months, and software for customizable buttons, the refined M7800E is your best partner at work. 12

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

With a wide multi-touch touch pad, you can easily enlarge image, turn the page or scrolling with simple hand gestures. The Samsung QX412 is currently retailing at 1.39 million Korean won (or approximately US$1,230).

Coming soon: HTC 10-inch Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/coming-soon-htc-10-inch-android-3.0honeycomb-tablet/11609.html March 17th, 2011

Available in black and orange, white and lime, or camouflage color combinations, the light-weight portable gaming headset features a frequency range of 18Hz ~ 24kHz, 32 ohms of input impedance, a Cardioid (directional ) boom microphone, inline volume control, a microphone on/ off switch, and passive noise reduction. It is available through authorised resellers at a MSRP of US$80.

HTC had unveiled the HTC Flyer, their first 7-inch Android tablet, at Mobile World Congress last month. And it looks like the company may also be launching a 10-inch Android tablet.

News via [AKG]

Samsung launches QX412 compact and lightweight notebook PC Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-qx412-compactand-lightweight-notebook-pc/11611.html March 17th, 2011

Samsung Korea has announced the QX412, a compact and portable notebook PC with 1-inch bezel and features a 14-inch display. It is also using the second generation 2.30 GHz Intel i5 Quad Core 2410M processor, 3GB DDR3 memory, and 320GB hard disk.

HTC's current tablet offering isn't all exciting compared to the ones on the market. However, it appears that a recent leak of an inventory list from US supply chain store, Staples, which shows a HTC 10-inch tablet device. According to the above pic, the HTC 10-inch tablet is preinstalled with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, unlike the HTC Flyer that runs Android 2.3. There's no details on when it will be launched; the status is "coming soon". Besides the HTC 10-inch tablet, it looks like there is also going to be an 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab and a 10-inch Toshiba tablet.

The Samsung QX412 is a compact and portable notebook PC for the busy mobile professionals. It boasts a 1-inch bezel, up to 10 hours of battery life and weighs a portable 2.05kg. The QX412 sports a 14-inch 16:9 wide LED display (1366x768) and is equipped with the second generation 2.3GHz Intel i5 Quad Core processor, Nvidia GeForce GT520 graphics (with 1GB VRAM), 3GB DDR3 memory and 320GB hard disk. The QX312 also comes with Super multi dual layer drive, 1.3megapixel HD web camera, Bluetooth v3.0 and is preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

Report: AMD A-Series Lineup Detailed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-a-series-lineupdetailed/11610.html March 17th, 2011

Not long after their revelation of AMD's FX-Series lineup, Xbitlabs has now published the preliminary A-Series list. The first A-Series APUs will be released in Q3 2011, rumoured to 13

March 17th, 2011

be July 2011, in total 6 APUs. There will be a minor refresh in Q4 2011, adding 5 more APUs - presumably a minor speed bump and on maybe a newer stepping. The A-Series consists of three lines - A8, A6 and A4. A8 is the fully unlocked Llano APU with 4 Husky x86 cores with 400 SP Beavercreak graphics branded Radeon HD 6550, with a core clock of 594 MHz. Each core contains 1MB L2 cache, for a total of 4MB L2 cache. Like Propus, Llano completely eliminates L3 cache. On the CPU front, the A6 is rather similar - quad core with 4MB cache, though perhaps featuring lower clocks. A6 has a different graphics implementation - HD 6530 - which features 320SP @ 443 MHz. Finally, A4 features dual core (2MB L2 cache) with 160 SP, branded HD 6410.

Published by: VR-Zone March 17th, 2011

Great cooling capabilities, or just for show? We bring the Sabertooth P67 from Asus to various benchmark tests and a temperature test to let you find out if it’s worth the buck. Introduction

The A-Series top part at launch will be the A8-3550P, with a TDP of 100W. A8-3550 (without the P) will feature a 65W TDP, and is presumably a lower-clocked / lower-votlage version of the A8-3550P. The A6 series follows a similar pattern - the A6-3450P with 100W TDP followed by the A6-3450 with 65W TDP. Finally, we have the A4-3350 dualcore with 65W TDP. These five parts will be released in Q3 2011. In Q4 2011, AMD will refresh the line-up across the board with what is most probably minor speed bumps. All A-Series APUs will be fabbed at 32nm Globalfoundries SOI, fitting the FM1 socket and supporting DDR3-1866. The 11th product is not really A-Series, but rather, Llano in ESeries form. The E2-3250 will be a crippled dual-core Llano with a lower clock speed to both CPU and GPU. It will feature only 1MB L2 cache, supporting upto 1600 MHz DDR3. While the preliminary TDP is listed as 65W, we can expect this to be the low-power version of Llano.

Specifications

AMD has been talking about Fusion for several years now - integrating a GPU and CPU on the same die. Ironically, Intel was the first to release such a product with Sandy Bridge. However, Sandy Bridge is essentially a performance CPU with a minimalist IGP. AMD has reworked this concept significantly, giving Llano's GPU part a significant die budget and serious horsepower. The trade-off, compared to Sandy Bridge, will be inferior CPU performance but vastly superior GPU performance. The key to AMD's Fusion concept will be the acceptance of GPGPU technologies in general applications, and how this enables effective multi-tasking. For casual gamers, the A-Series may readily offer an excellent value proposition.

-2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slots with support for NVIDIA® SLI™/ AMD® CrossFireX™

Socket LGA 1155 for Intel® 2nd generation Core™ i7/Core™ i5/ Core™ i3 processors -Intel® P67 Express chipset -4 x DIMM, max 32GB, DDR3 1866MHz

-4 x SATA 6Gb/s, 4 x SATA 3Gb/s, 1 x Power eSATA, 1 x eSATA -2 x USB 3.0 front panel, 2 x USB 3.0 back panel, 14 x USB 2.0 -Intel® Gigabit LAN -8-channel audio

Asus Sabertooth P67 TUF Review - Does its thermal armor really work? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-sabertooth-p67-tuf-review--doesits-thermal-armor-really-work-/11447.html

When the first pictures of the Sabertooth P67 motherboard surfaced on the internet, almost everyone was flabbergasted by the revolutionized design of the motherboard. However, many 14

March 17th, 2011

appeared to be skeptical with the tactical vest named Thermal Armor built onto the motherboard. Based on the P67 chipset from Intel, the Sabertooth P67 is one of its kinds, targeted for the people who want a sturdy and reliable computer system. Asus brands the Sabertooth motherboards under The Ultimate Force(TUF) category, aside from their ROG and mainstream P8P67/H67 branding. TUF products are aimed to provide the best out of the best reliability, mostly by using military class components alongside other innovative features that gives users their peace of mind. Today, VR-Zone is going to take to a look at how far the Thermal Armor is effective in cooling the motherboard PCB, as well as the performance of the motherboard compared its counter parts.

You Rock Guitar lands in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/you-rock-guitar-lands-insingapore/11608.html March 17th, 2011

The You Rock Guitar claims to be the most versatile rock guitar on the planet designed for beginners, casual players and even recording musicians. Good news is, it is now available in Singapore.

Published by: VR-Zone

guitar's You Rock Mode – only the frets that work with chord progressions will sound. It is a portable song writing tool too: The You Rock guitar runs on USB or batteries, comes with a removable neck, and onboard MIDI recorder captures your song anywhere, anytime. Other features include:- It comes with a whammy bar for up and down pitch-bending - Full-scale neck that enables notes without latency. - 99 preset guitar and synth sounds so players get 50 alternate and drop tuning presets along with 14 digital capos. - Plugs directly into the USB port on Macs and PCs for use with music making programmes such as GarageBand, Reason, Logic, and Cubase. - You Rock Mode - learn on a guitar that doesn’t hurt your fingers and that is always in tune Game Mode: Rock Band and Guitar Hero video controller The You Rock Guitar is compatible with Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Its steel strings and full-size neck mean gamers finally get the performance and feeling of a real guitar. Two sets of colour-coded frets on the neck replicate the buttons on a standard gaming guitar, and the GameFlex cartridges work seamlessly with the leading gaming platforms (PS3, Wii and coming soon to Xbox 360). Pricing and Availability You Rock Guitar is distributed exclusively by Ebenex and available both online (www.ebenex.com) and at Ebenex located at Bras Basah #04-49 from April 2011 onwards. The recommended retail price is S$295 (including GST).

Hands on with Gigabyte's new P2532 notebook Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hands-on-with-gigabyte-s-new-p2532notebook/11606.html March 17th, 2011

You Rock Guitar finally makes its way to Singapore. Conceived and manufactured by U.S-based Inspired Instruments, You Rock Guitar claims to be the world’s first all digital guitar and a great learning tool for beginners, casual players looking to improve, or recording musicians.It also offers: - Bridge the gap between gaming and learning - Provide a seamless digital playing experience being designed as a MIDI/USB guitar - Double up as a game controller for the world's biggest selling music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero Guitar Mode: Precision Musical Instrument Players can play solo, or plug-in an iPod or other MP3 player, and jam to their favourite songs and start playing real rock music, solos, and chords. Mistakes are impossible with the

Gigabyte might not be the strongest notebook brand around, but the company has come up with quite a few innovative solutions over the past couple of years that has shown that the company is trying to do things differently than its competitors. Today we're taking a look at a new model from Gigabyte called the P2532 which should hit retail sometime towards the end of April or beginning of May. Gigabyte might not be the strongest notebook brand around, but the company has come up with quite a few innovative solutions over the past couple of years that has shown that the company is trying to do things differently than its competitors. Today we're taking a look at a new model from Gigabyte called the P2532 which should hit retail sometime towards the end of April or beginning of May. 15

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

also point out that Gigabyte offers two different SKUs here, one with a 1920x1080 screen and one with a 3D Vision enabled 1366x768 screen and a built in IR transmitter.

The P2532 is a standard 15.6-inch desktop replacement notebook, although standard isn't exactly the correct term to use here. For what it's worth, Gigabyte has managed to create a relatively slim (35mm at its thickest point) 15.6-inch notebook which weighs in at a respectable 2.6kg with a 6-cell battery. However, the design is rather unusual, but more on that a little bit later.

Graphics is catered by either by Intel's integrated graphics or a discrete GeForce GT550M which is a 96 shader GPU with a shader clock of 1480MHz. Gigabyte has paired it up with 2GB of memory which should be 128-bit DDR3 clocked somewhere around 900MHz. It's good to see that even on a notebook of this size; Gigabyte has implemented Nvidia's Optimus graphics switching technology which should help save on the battery life if you want to use the notebook away from a wall socket.

Nvidia drops the price of 3D Vision glasses Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-drops-the-price-of-3d-visionglasses/11605.html March 17th, 2011

Gigabyte will offer the P2532 in four different colours, black, orange, red and yellow as per the pre-production unit we got to have a look at. We're not quite sure why Gigabyte picked these specific colours, but other options might also be added if there's enough demand. Do note that the P2532 isn't sold as a gaming notebook, but rather as a multimedia notebook.

Despite plenty of promotion, Nvidia's 3D Vision platform can't be said to have been a booming success for the company, but it's one of very few commercially available 3D options for PCs. Now Nvidia has gone and dropped the price of its 3D Vision glasses in the US to try to get more consumers to get on board, but we have a feeling that it's not the cost of the glasses alone that are holding back consumer uptake. Despite plenty of promotion, Nvidia's 3D Vision platform can't be said to have been a booming success for the company, but it's one of very few commercially available 3D options for PCs. Now Nvidia has gone and dropped the price of its 3D Vision glasses in the US to try to get more consumers to get on board, but we have a feeling that it's not the cost of the glasses alone that are holding back consumer uptake.

Despite that, Gigabyte has gone for a quad core Core i7-2630QM processor which is Intel's entry level second generation Core i quad core model which has a base clock speed of 2GHz. This will come paired up with Intel's HM65 chipset, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, an option of a 500 or 750GB hard drive and a slim-line (even for notebook drives) optical drive, although Blu-ray won't be an option. We should

For one, the 120Hz screens that are required for Nvidia's 3D Vision glasses to work as intended are still scarce and on top of that, expensive. Software support isn't really an issue as there are plenty of game titles that supports 3D Vision and 3D video, be it software converted from 2D sources or actual 3D Blu-ray discs is readily available.

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: MSI's GeForce GTX 550 Ti Cyclone II measures in at 210 millimetres in length (8.26 inches), approximately the same size as NVIDIA's reference design, and requires a minimum of 400W or greater system power supply. Cooling is provided by a custom 9cm PWM fan and cooler combination with dual heat pipes and an aluminium fin array that allows for efficient heat transfer and dissipation, especially in a well ventilated case.

The 3D Vision glasses with a bundled transmitter now retail for $149 (S$191) which is a saving of $50. Nvidia has also lowered the price on additional glasses which now cost $119 per pair. That said, we can think of better things to spending our money on, although if you have a large enough TV that works with 3D Vision, then this seems like a pretty decent deal as long as you have the prerequisite HTPC with a suitable Nvidia graphics card hooked up to it, at least as long as Nvidia's solution is cheaper than that offered by the TV maker.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 15 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--15mar-2011/11603.html March 17th, 2011

In today's news roundup: A slide containing information about an NVIDIA GTX 590 has seemingly been leaked out onto the Internet; Researchers from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the University of Illinois have developed a new low-power digital memory which uses much less power than conventional memory used in PCs; 3DMark Vantage 1.1.0 gets released; Adobe has issued a security bulletin for a new zero-day vulnerability found in Flash; Dragon's Age gets reviewed, and our sister site SGCafe gets its hands on the limited edition boxset of Disgaea 4, Nippon Ichi's first sRPG game for 2011. Hardware News: ASUS GeForce GTX 550Ti DirectCU TOP 1GB DDR5 DX11 Video Card Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The ASUS GeForce GTX 550Ti DirectCU TOP can be considered a "Top Sniper". The GTX 550Ti DirectCU TOP takes the 550 to the near extreme. The 550Ti is a re-built 450 to meet the needs of the newest games and gamers. Unlike the 450, the 550Ti now has a 192-bit memory interface, and, because of mixed density GDDR5 chips, still retains the 1GB size. ASUS has increased the core clock speed to 975MHz and added their DirectCU cooling solution on top. MSI GeForce GTX 550 Ti Cyclone II Review

New form of computer memory uses 100 times less power Description: Researchers from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the University of Illinois have developed a new low-power digital memory which uses much less power and is faster than other solutions currently available. The breakthrough could give future consumer devices like smartphones and laptops a much longer battery life, but might also benefit equipment used in telecommunications, science or by the military. Evercool HPL-815EP Low Profile Cooler Review at Overclockers Online Description: Evercool turns out a number of solid products and the HPL-815EP is no exception. It may have a less than flashy name but it gets the job done. It is a good cooler if you have limited space and have no intentions of overclocking making it a perfect choice for home theater PCs no matter your choice in processor. Zalman ZM-F4 135mm Ultra Quiet Fan Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Zalman ZM-F4 is not your typical 120mm cooling fan. The Zalman ZM-F4 is a 135mm multi-purpose fan that uses standard 120mm mounting holes. Using â&#x20AC;&#x153;Advanced Sleeveâ&#x20AC;? bearing, the ZM-F4 fan from Zalman spins at 900 to 1300 RPM with a noise level of 18 to 26 dBA. Since the ZMF4 uses 120mm mounting holes, it can be used in place of a 120mm fan, whether inside a chassis or as an active cooling solution for an aftermarket heatsink. For an even quieter operation, Zalman includes silicone mounting pins and an RC56 resistor with every ZM-F4 fan package OCZ RevoDrive X2 240GB PCIe SSD Review @ Vortez Description: Our recent trip to CeBIT revealed OCZ Technology's endeavours as they remain market leader for SSD storage solutions. They were keen to show off their revolutionary PCIe SSDs at the show, amongst the bunch, the RevoDrive X2, which is poised to steal the spotlight from the conventional SATA SSD. The RevoDrive utilises the PCIe bus allowing it to access greater bandwidth over the SATA port (even SATA-III). GeForce GTX 590 Detalis Leaked via Slide Description: A supposed leaked slide has reared its face online, possibly one of many taken from a Nvidia partner presentation detailing Nvidia's upcoming dual-GPU graphics card, the GeForce GTX 590. The leak arrives just after AMD launched its Radeon HD 6990 graphics card sporting dual Cayman GPUs, a dual-BIOS toggle switch, and a hefty $699 pricetag. Consumer Electronics and Software News: 3DMark Vantage 1.1.0 Released @ NGOHQ.com Description: 3DMark Vantage is a PC benchmark suite designed to test the DirectX 10 performance of your graphics card. A 3DMark score is an overall measure of your system's 17

March 17th, 2011

3D gaming capabilities, based on comprehensive real-time 3D graphics and processor tests. By comparing your score with those submitted by millions of other gamers you can see how your gaming rig performs, making it easier to choose the most effective upgrades or finding other ways to optimize your system. Logisys MS6801 Wireless Notebook Mouse Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: Overall I'd have to say the Logisys MS6801 was more comfortable to use than many other mini mice I have used... and perhaps it is better than some full sized mice that I have used that were just too low profile. I wouldn't go so far as to replace a full sized mouse with this at my desk, but for use on the road the balance of comfort, features, and portability are well done. Orb TV Review @ TestFreaks Description: Our homes have become our entertainment centers, much more than any time in the past. We have huge TVs in our living rooms and access to high quality movies and audio to keep us from leaving our houses. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Anyway, getting the media libraries from our computers to our TVs can be an expensive and a not so easy proposition. Today for review I’ve got an easy way to get your media to your TV from your computer, it’s called the Orb TV and it works over your wi-fi network to stream everything you have and more right to your TV. One of the interesting features of the Orb TV is that you can control it from your phone with a free app. Internet Explorer 9 Released, But Should You Care? Description: Microsoft has released IE9, the latest version of the venerable Internet Explorer browser. To check out how it compares to to its competitors, I installed it (which, unlike other browsers, required me to restart my machine) and ran it through a few different benchmarking tools.

Published by: VR-Zone

tessellation, additional dynamic lighting, depth of field and ambient occlusion (SSAO). When compared to DX9 we can confirm that Dragon Age II looks considerably better using the more advanced renderer. Unboxing Disgaea 4 Limited Edition Description: Makai Senki Disgaea 4 (??????????4) is Nippon Ichi’s first strategy RPG for 2011 and fourth in the series for the PlayStation 3. In this series, the story revolves around Valbatoze, a vampire boy and Fenrich, a boy with werewolf traits and Fuuka, a girl dressed in Prinny uniform. Capcom donates Street Fighter IV iPhone sales to Japan quake relief Description: Due to the Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami last Friday, many local game companies are either conserving power by shutting off online game services or donating money to help out. Capcom recently announced their relief plan on their website, and its one that involves one of their mainstay franchises.

VR-Zone Giveaway #6 - ASUS A50 Smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vr-zone-giveaway-6--asus-a50smartphone/11595.html March 17th, 2011

Follow four easy steps and stand a chance to win different prizes every week. This week..we are giving away: ASUS A50 Smartphone Check out http://launch.vr-zone.com and find out how you can win these prizes

Google to introduce NFC payment systems in New York and San Francisco? Description: Ever since Google brought the Nexus S onto the market with NFC capabilities, they’ve been pretty quiet with the pushing of NFC-services throughout the country (other than Hotspot they haven’t been doing much). But now it looks like they’re back on track with NFC again. Adobe Flash suffers from 'critical' new zero-day hack Description: Adobe has published another security advisory after the discovery of a “critical vulnerability” in Adobe Flash Player 10.2.152.33 and earlier versions across all major platforms including Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Solaris and Android mobile devices. According to Adobe, the Zero-Day exploit is being deployed in the wild in “targeted attacks” through a Flash (.swf) file embedded in a Microsoft Excel file delivered as an email attachment.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 Final Specs Unveiled Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-590-final-specsunveiled/11604.html March 17th, 2011

Gaming News: Dragon Age II GPU & CPU Performance Test Description: Given our ability to fit out PCs with vastly superior hardware, it pays off when playing Dragon Age II. Right off the bat BioWare released a free high-resolution texture pack download designed exclusively for the PC version. Just as important, the game exclusively supports DirectX 11 on the PC providing cutting edge rendering features such as

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

OCZ acquires Indilinx for US $32 million Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-acquires-indilinx-for-us-32million/11600.html March 17th, 2011

OCZ Technologies has announced their acquisition of Indilinx, one of the first companies that made controllers for SSDs - with their Barefoot controller perhaps being the most famous product. OCZ is acquiring Indilinx for US$32 million in OCZ stock, and the latter will stand to own 9.5% of the combined company. Read on for more details.

It seems that a few presentation slides of the GeForce GTX 590 have been making their way onto the internet and they are pretty much accurate. Interesting bits of details are revealed like dual vapor chambers, 10-phase power array, a dual x16 PCIe chip, 12 layer copper, 2oz copper PCB etc. As promised, we now bring you the final specs of GeForce GTX 590 launching in a week's time : Codename D13U-50 GF110/P1020 CUDA Cores 1024 Graphics Clock 612MHz Processor Clock 1224MHz Memory Clock 3420MHz Memory Interface Width 2 x 384-bit Memory Config 3GB GDDR5 Power Connectors Dual 8-pin Dimensions 11" x 4.5", Dual Slot Pricing is yet to be confirmed and availability is pretty much expected to be low at launch. Stay tuned for more information.

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Advert "The Donor" Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-play-advert-thedonor-/11601.html March 17th, 2011

In these advertisements for the upcoming Xperia PLAY, Sony Ericsson has two videos that should be viewed in sequence. The first has Android robot having thumbs grafted onto its unfeeling green robotic appendage it calls arms, leaving it a mystery as to where the thumbs came from.

OCZ is acquiring Indilinx for US$32 million in OCZ stock, and the latter will stand to own 9.5% of the combined company, with OCZ gaining a set of 20 patents and patent applications related exclusively to the business as part of the transaction. As all current management and employees are kept, there is little change expected in the Korea-based Indilinx. The name-dropped Tinkerbell controller hints at OCZ's desire to expand into the mobile space, and the upcoming SATA3 supporting Jetstream SSD controller from Indilinx should not be delayed by this acquisition much. Addition of High Performance Controller Technology and Firmware is Expected to Accelerate Storage Technology Innovation and Expand Product Portfolio SAN JOSE, CA—March 14, 2011—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:OCZ),a leading provider of high-performance solidstate drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Indilinx Co., Ltd, a privately held fabless provider of flash controller silicon and software for SSDs. Indilinx is headquartered in South Korea and currently sells its line of flash controllers to SSD manufacturers and Tier One OEMs for use in a broad array of products addressing multiple markets, including embedded and industrial as well as laptops and PCs. Indilinx controllers have been deployed within OCZ's SSD products since December 2008, and are currently featured in the Z-Drive series of PCIe-based SSDs. Indilinx's technology is expected to enable OCZ to expand its presence into the embedded, hybrid storage, and industrial markets. OCZ will gain substantial intellectual property from Indilinx including approximately 20 patents and patent applications related exclusively to the business as part of the transaction. For example, the acquisition is expected to extend OCZ's capabilities with advanced controller technology including Tinkerbell™, a high performance eMMC 4.4 x controller that replaces SSDs in consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, GPS units, and netbooks. Tinkerbell improves the user experience in consumer mobile devices 19

March 17th, 2011

for applications such as internet browsing, gaming, social networking applications, emails, and multimedia play.

Published by: VR-Zone March 17th, 2011

Following its acquisition by OCZ, Indilinx will continue to produce and supply its line of controller products to SSD manufacturers and OEMs on a global basis. The Indilinx controller business, and its 45 employees, will remain intact under the leadership of Bumsoo Kim, the founder and President of Indilinx, and Hyunmo Chung, Indilinx's Chief Technology Officer. OCZ will continue its own R&D program to develop new proprietary technologies and products to expand its own solid state drive offerings. The Indilinx acquisition notwithstanding, OCZ plans to continue utilizing controllers from other manufacturers including long-term partner SandForce, who currently supplies SSD processors for a wide range of the Company's SSD products including the Vertex 2, Agility 2, RevoDrive, customizable Deneva enterprise drives, and the upcoming Vertex 3 family of SSDs.

Aerocool has unveiled the VS-4 PC chassis, targeting gamers on the lookout for decent PC cases at reasonable prices.

"This transaction is an important step in OCZ's strategy and significantly enhances our ability to capitalize on the worldwide demand for Solid State Drives," said Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ Technology Group. "This combination brings together two organizations that are committed to advancing solid state drive design, and provides a unique opportunity for OCZ to increase both customer and shareholder value as well as expand our reach into embedded markets." Under the terms of the agreement, OCZ will acquire Indilinx for approximately $32 million of OCZ common stock. Indilinx shareholders will own approximately 9.5% of the OCZ shares outstanding after issuance of the shares. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of each company, and is expected to close within 30 days, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. OCZ expects the transaction to become accretive to its earnings per share toward the end of this fiscal year on a non-GAAP basis, excluding acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges, and amortization of intangibles.

Aerocool Debuts VS-4 PC Chassis Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/aerocool-debuts-vs-4-pcchassis/11602.html

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

to-toe against Intel where performance is concerned, and that day might just be round the corner. At least, that is according to a report obtained by IT website X-bit Labs, which claims that it had been able to score a look at some internal AMD documents about its plans in the market.

Measuring 433 x 185 x 495mm, the steel mid-tower chassis has enough room for four 5.25" optical devices, six 3.5" HDDs, seven expansion cards, extra-long graphic cards (up to 430mm), and features detachable HDD/ FDD cages, predrilled holes for watercooling tubes, and a front side I/O panel with two USB 2.0 ports and audio connectors. It is equipped with a rear 120mm fan for cooling and can be purchased from major retailers and e-tailers at a price of â&#x201A;Ź38. News via [Techpowerup]

AMD Bulldozer to compete against Intel in performance? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-bulldozer-to-compete-againstintel-in-performance-/11598.html March 17th, 2011

AMD's biggest strength in the x86 processor market stems from the fact that its chips have been consistently capable of delivering a better dollar-to-performance ratio. However, it seems that the world's second largest chipmaker is no longer content with having to play second fiddle where raw performance is concerned, and a certain document seems to lend credence to that claim.

Speak of AMD processors to any seasoned gamer or overclocker and chances are you will have much to hear about how the company's processors have a knack for winning large numbers of the aforementioned users over to its fold because of its superior dollar-to-performance ratio. After all, not everybody has the luxury of being able to spend large sums of money on their PC, and it makes sense that DIY-ers on a budget will definitely want to maximize their purchasing dollars as much as possible.

X-bit Labs reports that AMD is fully aware that its current lineup of x86 CPUs and APUs are no match for Intel's new processors running off the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture, and that the company is putting its hopes on the upcoming Bulldozer-based chips to even the playing field, as shown in the image above. Interestingly, AMD appears to be banking more on features and core count as opposed to raw performance in order to go up against Intel's Sandy Bridge. For example, the company's top-end Zambezi desktop CPUs list higher core counts as its only advantage against Intel's high-performing i5 and i7 processors, while the mainstream-level Lynx chips claim added processing cores and support for OpenCL over Intel's offerings. In contrast, the only areas where AMD specifies superior performance over Intel's chips are in the entry-level and budget segment, where its processors will go up against Intel's Pentium and Celeron-branded chips.

ASUS introduces NC1 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-introduces-nc1-active-noisecancelling-headphones/11597.html March 17th, 2011

Does a set of headphones which claims to offer up to "100 hours of high-quality sound" in "a readily-portable form factor" sound like the kind of device you want to clip on to your ears while blasting music from that portable audio player or smartphone of yours? If so, ASUS might have just the thing you want, and it comes in the from of its just-introduced noisecancelling headphones, the NC1.

However, it seems that AMD has also been hard at work in preparing for the day where its processors can actually go toe21

March 17th, 2011

Noise-cancelling headphones are great little devices, are they not? After all, their ability to mute out most forms of unwanted noise ensures that the listener does not have to deal with the frustration of having his or her audio experience interrupted by any distractions, and this is especially useful under various circumstances. You know, like using it to cancel out the longwinded lecturer talking rambling on about some impractical topic such as quantum physics. However, the rise of consumerism also means that anything which is to be sold to the mass market has to be not only functional, but portable and visually appealing. And that is what ASUS claims to be capable of delivering with its new active noise-cancelling set of headphones which it calls the NC1.

Published by: VR-Zone

Unfortunately, ASUS did not provide any details such as pricing and a release date, although they were nice enough to supply a list detailing the NC1's hardware specifications.

Microsoft discontinues Zune media player Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-discontinues-zune-mediaplayer/11596.html March 17th, 2011

The NC1 boasts the capability to deliver up to 87% noise reduction, a feat which ASUS claims puts the NC1 well ahead of the competition in terms of efficiency. This is apparently done by actively detecting environmental sounds such as engine noise and railway vibration, and generating inverse sound waves to cancel these out. To ensure that sound quality is not affected in the process, the NC1 headphones makes use of 40mm speaker drivers with specially-selected neodymium magnets which is reportedly capable of ensuring "faithful reproduction and dynamic bass performance in every usage scenario".

Most of us in Asia are probably not familiar with the Microsoft Zune since the media player isn't sold here. And it probably does not matter too much with the recent news that the software giant is discontinuing this product line.

On top of that, the NC1 also boasts an astounding 100 hours of battery life on a single AAA battery, even with the active noise-cancellation (ANC) system activated, which, when put into perspective, is "more than enough for six average flights between New York and Hong Kong". More importantly, users who do not need to make use of ANC can simply turn off the feature, which will result in complete battery-less operation for greater battery longevity. Last but definitely not least, users who demand portability will be interested to know that the NC1 and be collapsed and stashed away in a small touring case when the need arises.

Microsoft introduced the Zune media player in 2006 to go against Apple iPod devices, though the media player was only sold in US and some parts of Europe; it never made its way into Asia even though the new Windows Phone 7 has a Zune 22

March 17th, 2011

software for users to playback their music and videos. (Did we mention you can only rip the songs from your CDs to the Windows Phone 7?) To date, the software giant has launched seven Zune media players and according to recent news, it looks like the company will stop producing new Zune players, and shift the focus to other devices. While we may not see new versions of Zune players, Microsoft will continue to promote their Zune software onto mobile devices; the Zune software allows users to purchase songs and movies as well as stream unlimited music through a monthly subscription.

Published by: VR-Zone

However, it seems that consumers may soon be able to look forward to having two more choices when it comes to selecting a laptop from Alienware's product lineup. Apparently, leaked images of what appears to be 14-inch and 18-inch versions of Dell's Alienware notebooks have been circulating online, as shown below:

Leaked images of Alienware M14x and M18x surface online Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/leaked-images-of-alienware-m14x-andm18x-surface-online/11594.html March 17th, 2011

Dell has had only three Alienware notebooks up for sale for quite some time, but it seems that consumers may be soon able to have a greater variety of choices, thanks to a couple of leaked images. Apparently, hidden in Dell's factories are two more Alienware notebooks in its production line, and they come in either a 14-inch and 18-inch form factor.

No details about the machines' hardware specifications have been revealed yet, but a report from Electronista claims that the 18-inch version, which has been tentatively named the M18x, will sport either two AMD or NVIDIA graphics cards installed via CrossFireX or SLI and will feature a screen capable of full HD resolutions.

Do you fancy getting yourself an Alienware notebook? If so, it should probably be of little surprise that Dell does not give potential consumers much choice in selecting the notebook that would best fit their needs. After all, with only 11inch, 15-inch and 17-inch form factors available, chances are consumers who crave an average-sized notebook or a gigantic, full-fledged desktop replacement notebook will probably give Alienware a miss and hop over for something else.

The report from Electronista also goes on to claim that the graphics cards that will be installed in the new Dell Alienware laptops will either be AMD's Mobility Radeon HD 6730M or 6770M, while the NVIDIA version will most likely come with the GeForce GT555M. Lastly, no information about possible retail prices for either notebook has been released yet, so do stay tuned for updates.

March 17th, 2011

Microsoft launches Internet Explorer 9 RTM ahead of official release Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-launches-internetexplorer-9-rtm-ahead-of-official-release/11593.html March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

"GPU-powered HTML5 in Internet Explorer 9 with AMD Fusion chip technology means Web developers have the ability to create fast, immersive and increasingly beautiful Web experiences," he said in a statement on Monday. In addition, AMD also launched a IE9 # APU giveaway to indicate its support for Internet Explorer 9, where it praises the browser as being "a new kind of browser that takes advantage of the graphics and processing capabilities of the APU to unlock the full power of your PC".

Well, it appears that Microsoft could barely contain its excitement on this one. Apparently, the Redmond software giant sees the final version of Internet Explorer 9 as being such a groundbreaking achievement that it had gone ahead with an official launch event for the browser. And this in spite of the fact that Internet Explorer 9 is only supposed to be available on midnight EST March 15. Are you ready to take your web browsing experience to the next level? For the most part, you should; after all, just about everything needed to usher in the next big thing in evolving web standards is ready for the consumer. And at the very least, the infrastructure needed to take advantage of these new additions to online standards is ready; all that is needed now is an up-to-date web browser that can utilize the aforementioned infrastructure to its full potential. And if getting the most out of the Internet sounds like something you cannot go without, you'd definitely want to look to Microsoft for the tools needed to do so. At least, that is what it claims to be able to provide with the finalized version of Internet Explorer 9, and so great is the Redmond giant's excitement over Internet Explorer 9 that it has seen it fit to launch the browser even before its official release date later on midnight EST March 15.

According to Internet Explorer general manager Dean Hachamovich, Internet Explorer 9 is an example of the importance of the operating system used to run a web browser, especially when HTML5 comes with broad support for hardware acceleration on the browser.

Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft is not about to release the download links for the RTM version of the browser before the aforementioned time and date, so you will probably have to camp by your PCs if you want to be one of the first few to get your hands on the final version of Internet Explorer 9.

Monster JustBeats headphones series arrives in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/monster-justbeats-headphones-seriesarrives-in-singapore/11592.html March 17th, 2011

Justin Bieber fans rejoice. The Monster JustBeats series of headphones have landed in Singapore. Available in a unique purple, and Justin Bieber's favorite color, the JustBeats headphones promise superb audio quality for young music lovers.

"The browser is only as good as the operating system it runs on," he said. This was backed up by Ryan Gavin, senior director of Internet Explorer, who claimed that Internet Explorer 9 can deliver a better browsing experience thanks to its deep support for hardware acceleration, especially on AMD hardware.

March 17th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Designed to bring high quality sound for youths, the Monster JustBeats series headphones is a collaboration between pop music singer Justin Bieber and the headphone company. The limited edition JustBeats series comes in both in-ear and stylish on-ear versions - the on-ear JustBeats by Dr. Dre comes in an attractive matte purple finish (Bieber's favorite color), while the in-ear version JustBeats iBeats features a purple and chrome finish. JustBeats by Dr. Dre will retail at S$490 and JustBeats iBeats will retail at S$210 and is available at Audio House, Alpha Audio, Best Denki, Epicentre, Harvey Norman, HMV, i Studio, Stereo and Nubox outlets. Limited stock is available in Singapore.

March 21st, 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 - 21 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--21mar-2011/11668.html March 21st, 2011

In today's news roundup: Digitimes discusses the impact limited wafer availability will have on the DRAM market; Foxconn's A9DA-S motherboard gets reviewed; Motorola's Android-powered tablet, the Xoom, gets reviewed; Gizmodo reviews the iPad 2; Microsoft's Kinect motion controller gets hacked to run on the PlayStation 3, and The latest installment of the Dissidia series, Dissidia 012 Duodecim: Final Fantasy , gets compared against its predecessor Hardware news Foxconn A9DA-S Motherboard Review @ Vortez Description: To trade blows (and quite often better) a high end board like the Crosshair IV Extreme is something else. Of course there are caveats in that updated chipset drivers could have a noteworthy effect on scores but in all honesty I couldn't see the boosts being so great that the A9DA-S would get left behind. Digitimes Insight: Limited wafer availability good for DRAM industry Description: With major silicon wafer plants remaining closed following the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, there is growing concern in the memory industry whether chip companies are preparing for any possible disruption to production. Corsair Performance 3 Series 128GB SSD Review in RAID 0 @ Legit Reviews Description: Corsair jumps feet first into the 6Gbps equipped SSD race with latest installment of their Performance series drives. This time, they put a Marvell controller at the heart of their Performance 3 Series. With multiple manufacturers

using the Marvell controller and others using SandForce, how will these drives measure up? Read on to see. LG Super-Multi N2A2 2TB NAS Review Description: when LG told us they had a new 2-bay NAS that costs less than $250 with a pair of 1TB hard drives included, we sat up and took notice. As we have repeatedly discovered when dealing with NAS products, there is much more to consider than just storage capacity and price. These devices are highly dependent on the hardware and software that drives them and either can cause the product to fail. Realizing that, we're extremely eager to find out what makes the LG N2A2 tick, let's take a closer look... Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The Noctua NH-C14 may be the most versatile “convertible” CPU cooling solution around today. The Noctua NH-C14 has the ability to go from ultra-low profile and silent to a dual 140mm fan enthusiast cooler with just a couple of clips. Standing at only 105mm tall with a bottom mounted fan, the NH-C14 can fit into almost any case. Despite its small height, the NH-C14 still has six copper heatpipes running through a 140mm square aluminum fin array, making the absolute most of a small space. The included Low and UltraLow Noise Adapters throttle back the fan (or fans) to near dead silence while still maintaining excellent cooling. MSI 890FXA-GD65 Motherboard Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: The MSI 890FXA-GD65 motherboard is a low cost option for value-minded enthusiasts. The 890FXAGD65 is part of MSI’s gaming series of motherboards, featuring Military Class II high quality components and high overclockability. The MSI 890FXA-GD65 supports all the latest AM3 processors and has two PCIE x16 slots for AMD CrossFireX. Despite being a budget 890FX board, the MSI 890FXA-GD65 is rife with connectivity options, with eight USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports at the rear and support for up to six SATA 6Gb/s devices. Deepcool Ice Blade Pro Review at Overclockers Online Description: Deepcool has hit the intended mark again. The Ice Matrix Pro triumphs above its contenders with four heat pipes, 47 aluminum fins, and a single 120mm fan. The wellconstructed base also contributes to the heat sinks exceptional performance. And who wouldn’t give an aesthetically pleasing CPU heat sink a second look? Zalman CNPS5X-SZ Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com Description: Zalman's CNPS5X-SZ heatsink is an updated, vertical interpretation of a 2006-era heatsink Zalman released under the CNPS8000 nomenclature. Like its forefather, the

March 21st, 2011

CNPS5X-SZ fills the role of a lower profile, light weight cooler that's ideally suited to sub-95W TDP processors. It's stacked aluminum fins are connected by three 6mm diameter copper heatpipes to a small aluminum base block with a thin bit of copper covering the otherwise exposed heatpipes. Consumer Electronics and Software news Introducing Nexus S 4G for Sprint Description: Recently, we introduced Nexus S from Google, the first phone to run Android 2.3, Gingerbread. In addition to the UMTS-capable Nexus S, today we’re introducing Nexus S 4G from Google, available for Sprint. Nexus S 4G is part of the Nexus line of devices which provide a pure Google experience and run the latest and greatest Android releases and Google mobile apps. T-Mobile USA Is Not Getting the iPhone (Yet) Description: A burning question among users following AT&T’s $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA was: Will TMobile start offering the iPhone? The answer is no. Thermaltake Black Gaming Mouse @ Benchmark Reviews Description: Thermaltake is best known for the variety of cases they've released, aimed at budget-conscious buyers as well as high-end hardware enthusiasts. In contrast to this, they have recently decided to expand their grip on the market by releasing a new line of gaming peripherals, dubbed Thermaltake eSports. This lineup includes a handful of gaming devices such as mice, keyboards and headsets. Thermaltake consistently pumps out quality cases, but are they able to do the same with gaming peripherals? Within this review Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the Thermaltake eSports Black laser gaming mouse (model MO-BLK002DT) and sees how this new competitor fares against the many wellestablished gaming peripherals manufacturers available. Motorola Xoom Review @ TestFreaks Description: The latest and greatest Android tablet is here, the Motorola Xoom that runs the newest version of Android called Honeycomb. The Xoom is a 10.1 inch tablet that comes with dual cameras and even a flash along with the ability to capture 720p videos and play it back over HDMI. This tablet features a dual core 1Ghz processor and 1 gig of ram and 32gig of memory. The Xoom is available right now on the Verizon wireless network for $600 on contract, and it’s well worth the cost. Epson WorkForce 840 All-in-One Printer @ TestFreaks Description: Today for review I’ve got the latest Epson printer, the WorkForce 840 that is an all-in-one style printer that does everything your home or small office might need it to do. The 840 is something for users that need a workhorse of a printer like this. The 840 features dual paper trays so it can handle a whopping 500 pages, and it has built-in double sided printing so you won’t waste paper on those less important documents, like draft or like coloring pages for your kids. The Epson WorkForce 840 is a worthy addition to the WorkForce line of printers, it certainly live up to the name. Tt eSports Shock Gaming Headset Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine translation) The Tt eSports Shock Gaming Headset arrived Technic3D. -Thanks to its oversized 40mm drivers and enclosed ear cups, ultra-crisp audio quality

Published by: VR-Zone

with deep bass can be achieved at the same time and for almost every types of game. In-line microphone control enables users to easily mute or talk to teammates when needed-. We will check this and many more in the following Review. iPad 2 Review Description: Here's the simple truth about the iPad 2: There is nothing else like it. Maybe it won't make you feel the way it makes me feel. Maybe it won't replace your laptop. Maybe it could be even thinner and lighter and faster. But there is nothing else like it. Gaming news GameSpy Reveals Six of the 3DS' Most Exciting Upcoming Games Description: With the 3DS nearly in gamers' sweaty, trembling hands, Nintendo has graciously revealed some of what we'll eventually see on the system. Zelda, Star Fox, Animal Crossing, and -- yes, shock of shocks, a new Mario platformer -- are on their way. But beyond those obvious titles, what other games can we expect? Well, we here at the GameSpy Humor Division have been working our (possibly imaginary) sources hard, and are ready to reveal, for the first time anywhere, six of the most exciting games in development for Nintendo's new handheld. DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] F Review Description: When you first start playing Dissidia 012 Duodecim: Final Fantasy (a mouthful, that title), you might be struck by how little progress has been made since the first Dissidia fighting/role-playing hybrid was released. If you give it time, however, Duodecim reveals its unique strengths, building on the original in meaningful ways without sacrificing its cinematic energy. Xbox Kinect Running on The Playstation 3 Description: Microsoft's Xbox Kinect is hacked together to play Killzone 3 in this early tech demo of the two rival consoles working together.

Crysis 2 Launched: Quick Performance Preview Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crysis-2-launched-quick-performancepreview/11662.html March 21st, 2011

The most anticipated game of the year has finally arrived! We do a quick performance runthrough and use the built-in timedemo facilities. Quick Observations/Notes: Still no DirectX 11 support Day 1 Patch used Uses 3-4 CPU threads hovering around 70% - doesn't scale with CPU after 3ghz

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Near 100% GPU usage - scales linearly with shader clocks/ memory bandwidth. FOV options can be changed in console/launch command line (default 55 degrees) We will provide a more in depth review and include more system configurations during the next few days after the game launch on the 22nd March 2011, and hopefully include DX11 numbers when available.

Hmmm.... the way its meant to be green?!!

Samsung launches new compact digital cameras Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-new-compactdigital-cameras/11666.html March 21st, 2011

Graphical Settings are now renamed to High, Very High and Extreme.

Today, Samsung Asia held a media event to announce their new digital cameras - ST700 dual LCD; WB210 and PL210 with high zoom and wide angle technology; SH100 with Wi-Fi connectivity; and the stylish ST6500.

Additional options like details and antialiasing can be specified at launch/in the drop-down console.

The WB210 boasts a 12x optical super zoom lens set in a slim 22.4mm body, to make capturing distant subjects in perfect detail easier. The new camera also includes the option of a 21mm wide angle setting, through its super wide shot mode, to get deeper shots at close range. The WB210 also includes 14-megapixel sensor for crystal clear pictures, and a large 3.5-inch touch screen with Samsung’s new Smart Touch 3.0 UI to deliver unprecedented usability. The camera delivers HD quality movie recording, as well as Face Detection technology. With Smart Filter 2.0, users can change their still images and movies with new modes including ‘Soft Focus’ for smoother looking images, ‘Half Tone Dot effect’, ‘Old Movie’ for a retro style shot and an ‘Enhanced Movie Filter’ to capture the unique feeling of a special day within your films. The WB210 will be available end of March. Pricing to be announced later.

March 21st, 2011

The ST700 features a 1.8-inch front LCD screen, the largest ever incorporated into a dual screen camera, giving more opportunities to take great self-portraits. It also features an impressive 3-inch Touch Panel featuring Samsung’s innovative Smart Touch 3.0 feature on the back of the camera, 16.1-megapixel image sensor and a 26mm 5x optical zoom lens for closing up to your subjects. The Smart Filter 2.0, which includes ‘Soft Focus’, ‘Half Tone Dot’ and ‘Cinema’, sit alongside more common features such as ‘Fish-Eye’, ‘Miniature’ and ‘Sketch’ in the ST700, giving entertaining and professional finishes at the touch of a button. The ST700 will be available end of March. Pricing to be announced later.

Published by: VR-Zone

The SH100 is a compact, Wi-Fi enabled camera with 14.2megapixel and 26mm Wide Angle Lens with 5X optical zoom. The Wi-Fi capability lets you upload your pictures instantly to your social networking sites such as Facebook, Picasa or Photo Bucket, or to email them to individual email addresses straight from the camera, meaning the people you care about can enjoy your experience from wherever they are. You can also use your Samsung Galaxy S smartphone or even Galaxy Tab tablet device as a remote control and viewing device for your camera. If you are shooting over a crowd at a concert, you can enable the Remote Viewfinder function, meaning that you can hold your camera high over your head while you can see a preview of the picture in real time on your phone screen. The Samsung SH100 is available at Courts, at S $399.

Futuremark Unveils PCMark 7, Windows 7 Only Benchmark Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/futuremark-unveils-pcmark-7windows-7-only-benchmark/11667.html March 21st, 2011

The ST6500 incorporates the latest angled design, with the camera’s body curved around the lens and angled at 7-degree to make for a more ergonomic fit in the hand. It comes equipped with a 16-megapixel sensor, to guarantee crisp and clear images, alongside the powerful 5x zoom lens. With a new Smart Touch 3.0 User Interface which works with a wide 3.0inch multi-purpose LCD touch screen, users can quick access the various modes and settings easily. The ST6500 can also capture boasts the latest 720p HD Movie settings with additional voice recording, along with high definition (HD) shooting and playback. It is available at all retail stores now, with a price tag of S$429.

Futuremark announced PCMark® 7 today, a new benchmark offering complete PC performance analysis for Windows 7. PCMark 7 includes 7 separate test suites combining more than 20 individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing and gaming. The Storage suite is ideal for testing SSDs and external hard drives in addition to the system drive. Pricing is unannounced yet and is to be available soon according to Futuremark.

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

• The PCMark Suite measures overall system performance and returns an official PCMark score. • The Lightweight Suite measures the capabilities of entry level systems unable to run the full PCMark suite. • The Entertainment Suite measures system performance in entertainment, media and gaming scenarios. • The Creativity Suite measures performance in typical creativity scenarios involving images and video. • The Productivity suite measures system performance scenarios using the Internet and office applications. • The Computation Suite contains workloads that isolate the computation performance of the system. HELSINKI, FINLAND – MARCH 21, 2011 – Futuremark®, the developer of the world's most popular benchmarking software, announced PCMark® 7 today, a new benchmark offering complete PC performance analysis for Windows 7. PCMark 7 includes 7 separate test suites combining more than 20 individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing and gaming. A release date has not been announced though the official website states that PCMark 7 is coming soon. http://www.pcmark.com/ "Hardware innovations like solid state drives (SSDs), and new form factors such as netbooks and tablets are greatly increasing the range of PC performance available to businesses and home users," said Jani Joki, Director of PC Products and Services at Futuremark. "With so much choice available, PCMark 7 is an essential and easy to use tool to test and compare PC performance accurately and reliably across a wide range of usage scenarios." PCMark 7 provides a set of 7 suites for measuring different aspects of PC performance with a high degree of accuracy. Overall system performance is measured by the PCMark Suite. The Lightweight Suite measures the capabilities of entry level systems and mobility platforms unable to run the full PCMark suite. Common use performance is measured by the Entertainment, Creativity and Productivity scenario suites. Component performance is measured by the Computation and Storage hardware suites. The Storage suite is ideal for testing SSDs and external hard drives in addition to the system drive. Platforms PC: Windows 7 DirectX 9 graphics card required for PCMark score DirectX 10 graphics card required for some additional tests DirectX 11 graphics card required for some additional tests Benchmark Suites

• The Storage Suite contains workloads that isolate the performance of the PC’s storage system. Price : Unannounced

KiWi PC aims to sell Linuxloaded PCs to senior citizens Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kiwi-pc-aims-to-sell-linux-loaded-pcsto-senior-citizens/11665.html March 21st, 2011

What is the most user-friendly operating system in use today: Windows 7 or Mac OS X? Well, it seems that KiWi PC's answer to that question will be a resounding 'none'. Apparently, the American OEM which claims to specialize in selling senior citizen-friendly PCs believes that Ubuntu is the OS users should be looking for if one intends to get aged people started on the digital life the younger generation takes for granted today. To that end, it has even rolled out its own KiWi PC for sale that is aimed squarely at senior citizens. When it comes to building a PC meant to be used by an ageing senior citizen, it goes without saying that raw performance and power is no longer the top priority. Instead, you'd want such a PC to be as user-friendly as possible, if only just to ensure that you do not receive phone calls late into the wee hours of the day from the user asking for help over simple issues such as how to press the 'Any' key. Needless to say, the OS used in such PCs play an extremely important part in ensuring that senior citizens feel right at home with their PCs at all times. And while most people will swear by Windows 7 or Mac OS X as the ideal operating system for such users, an American OEM which specializes in making PCs for aged users believes that there exists only one OS which is suitable for senior citizen use. Enter the KiWi PC, a senior citizen-friendly nettop PC which runs of....Linux. Or more specifically, a Linux distribution known as Ubuntu.

PCMark 7 includes more than 20 individual workloads combined into 7 separate suites to give different views of system performance. 5

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

phone calls from parents asking for help in disinfecting their PCs from various Windows-specific malware. If that sounds like the kind of PC you'd want to set up for your parents, perhaps you'd want to start saving. This is because the KiWi PC is not going to be the cheapest nettop in the market with its retail price of US$499.99.

LG's passive 3D television sets to be available for sale in Korea soon According to KiWi PC, the Linux-based PC which is currently being sold under the same name as the OEM which assembled it will be pre-loaded with a customized version of Ubuntu 10.10. The website goes on to claim that the customizations made to the operating system include a certain Me Menu which provides easy access to often-visited websites and programs straight from the desktop. KiWi PC also states that the Me Menu will be completely customizable, and that the font size has been increased to make onscreen text more readable for senior citizens.

On the hardware side, the KiWi PC does not feature impressive specs, although this is understandable if one takes into consideration its nettop nature and the variety of tasks its intended user base might use it for. Powering the nettop is Intel's Atom processor clocked at 1.66GHz and 2GB of DDR3 memory, while the other essentials include a DVD-RW drive, a 250GB hard disk for storage purposes and onboard Intel GMA 3150 graphics. Internet connectivity is achieved via an Ethernet connection which is handled by the motherboard's onboard Realtek controller. Last but definitely not least, the KiWi PC comes bundled with a 19-inch monitor for complete out-of-the-box functionality, and 24/7 tech support ensures that senior citizens do not have to call up their children every few minutes just to learn how to navigate a Linux desktop.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-s-passive-3d-television-sets-to-beavailable-for-sale-in-korea-soon/11664.html March 21st, 2011

Do you remember the news about LG announcing its new line of passive 3D television sets way back during CES this year? Well, the good news is that the aforementioned television sets are no longer just display units; LG has just announced that the company plans to release the devices for sale in its domestic Korean market soon.

Do the current batch of 3D television sets making use of active shutter 3D glasses give you a nasty case of giddiness? If so, LG's latest announcement might be just the news you need to perk up your Monday, especially if you eventually plan to get a 3D television set someday. This is because the Korean electronics giant has just announced in an official press release that its new line of passive 3D television sets that were first introduced way back in this year's CES will be made available for sale in Korea soon.

That being said, the user interface found on the customized Ubuntu 10.10 Linux distribution does not appear to be anything more than a slightly tweaked version of the Unity desktop environment. Which, for those who are unfamiliar with the Ubuntu distribution, is currently an an experimental user interface ported over from the netbook versions of the operating system. While it is debatable as to just how much user-friendlier a PC can get by ditching Windows for a Linux distribution, users will be hard pressed to deny that they can rest easy at night knowing that they will not have to deal with 6

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

According to the press release, the new LW6500 smart TVs are touted as being the solution for "the next generation" of 3D imaging as its use of passive 3D technology means that users do not have to splurge on expensive active-shutter 3D glasses. In addition, LG claims that the aforementioned glasses are responsible for various discomforts viewers commonly experience when viewing 3D images, such as vertigo and eye fatigue. Furthermore, LG claims that its new LW6500 3D TVs are capable of achieving a 180-degree viewing angle, which makes it idea as a living room television. The LW6500 line of 3D television sets will be made available for sale in Korea soon, although LG claims that early birds who purchase these TVs before the end of April will be able to enjoy "special offers" in the form of a 3D Blu-ray player and various film titles. For those who decide to pass up on the offer, the LW6500 will be available in three different display sizes: the 55-inch version will cost 4.5 million won, while the smaller 47inch and 42-inch versions will be sold at the retail price of 3 million won and 2.3 million won respectively.

HTC clone surfaces in China, looks nothing like the original Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-clone-surfaces-in-china-looksnothing-like-the-original/11663.html March 21st, 2011

Clones of popular consumer electronic devices are usually available at a dime a dozen, especially when China has got anything to do about it. That being said, one common feature about cloned devices is that they often bear an uncanny semblance to the original product in terms of design, right? Well, it seems that this is not always the case, considering how this little device right here has little to no similarity to the actual device its design is allegedly based off on. Read on to find out more. We have been featuring Chinese clones of various well-known consumer electronic devices like notebooks, smartphones and tablet PCs for quite some time already, and in most cases the clone's biggest selling point is usually involves being able to mimic the original device's design and most of its functionality while retailing for only a fraction of the former's asking price. After all, no one is going to buy a clone if it is does not look similar to the real deal, or is going to cost an arm and a leg, right?

According to Chinese gadget website Shanzhaiben.com, the tablet shown in the image above does not have a name yet, although its hardware configuration appears to be somewhat decent. Apparently, the tablet will feature a seven-inch resistive touchscreen that sports a native resolution of 800 x 480 and will be preloaded with version 2.2 of the Android operating system. On the hardware side, a Marvell PX166 processor based off the ARM11 processor family is used to power the device and is clocked at 800MHz, and is complemented with 256MB of memory and 2GB NAND flash for storage purposes. The back of the tablet is kept simple with nothing more than a simple speaker grille, along with a decorative array of dots situated at the lower right corner which make up the Android mascot.

Shanzhaiben.com claims that the biggest selling point of the unnamed tablet stems from the fact that it features a builtin GPS module, a feature which is generally found only in higher-end tablet devices. This allows consumers to use the device as though it were a GPS navigational system, a fact which is further backed up by the assortment of car mounting accessories available for the unnamed tablet.

Well, it seems that the latest clone to make its way out of the factories of Shenzhen has completely done away with 'clones-are-supposed-to-look-like-the-real-deal' practice, opting instead to produce an imitation which bears little to no semblance to the original product. After all, one will be quite hard pressed to find any similarities between this device and a certain seven-inch HTC device which it is supposedly modelled after. 7

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Apple has a new TV ad for their iPhone and it began telling the audience that if one does not have an iPhone, one cannot do and enjoy a lot of things - access the App store, download the apps, show your mobile boarding pass, pay for coffee etc. This is unlike its previous ads that focus more on the apps that are available on the App store and what they can bring to the iPhone users.

With that being said, chances are you will be just a little curious as to how much this unnamed HTC clone will be retailing for, right? Well, according to Shanzhaiben.com, the device is currently being sold to wholesalers at the low price of 825 yuan, or approximately US$130.

New Apple iPhone ads look to mock indirectly at users who do not own one Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-apple-iphone-ads-look-to-mockindirectly-at-users-who-do-not-own-one/11661.html March 21st, 2011

And the new ad ends with "If you don't have an iPhone, well, you don't have an iPhone" which looks to be indirectly mocking users. While the Android camp may not surpass the Apple App Store in terms of the number of apps or downloads, however, it does have a huge number of apps of 170,000 and growing. On top of that, there are Android versions of the various airlines that lets you access your flight booking and even mobile boarding pass, and with more smartphones coming up with built-in NFC technology, you can pay for your things with your smartphone. Of course, like what the ad said, if you don't have an iPhone, you don't have an iPhone. But you do have other choices available that can do the same.

NTT establishes free wireless LAN networks in areas damaged by the Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ntt-establishes-free-wirelesslan-networks-in-areas-damaged-by-the-great-tohoku-kantoearthquake/11660.html March 21st, 2011

Apple has a new iPhone ad which shows that if you do not have an iPhone, you cannot do a lot of things. Somewhat indirectly mocking users who do not own the phone and missing out on the wonders of what the iPhone can bring. Read on. Even as Japan struggles to recover from the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that has claimed the lives of thousands of Japanese, digital information still needs to be disseminated around the wrecked places in order to facilitate everyday life. To that end, the NTT Group has announced their latest contribution to the country's disaster relief efforts: free wireless LAN networks in various areas for all to access.

March 21st, 2011

Even though natural disasters such as the recent quake that levelled much of North-Eastern Japan may have knocked out much of the region's digital infrastructure, it should be of little surprise that service providers and telecommunication operators are working to ensure that the dissemination of digital information suffers from as little impact as possible. After all, information about disaster recovery efforts and developments are vital for survivors, and anything than can facilitate such efforts will be important to ensure that the populace remains calm and do not panic. Apparently, in a bid to ensure that areas affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami do not suffer from a communications blackout, the NTT Group has announced that it is setting up free wireless LAN spots in various locations around the affected areas. To prevent people from abusing the free networks, each user will only be allowed to sign in onto the free networks for a maximum of 30 minutes, after which he or she will be disconnected from the network to ensure that other users can utilize the service. The free networks will remain operational until June 30. A complete list of the areas which will be receiving the service can be found at NTT's press release here.

Rumour: iPad 3 to debut in September this year? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-ipad-3-to-debut-in-septemberthis-year-/11659.html March 21st, 2011

Sure, Apple's iPad 2 has just been released to widespread fanfare across the world, but it seems that the Cupertino giant is not about to stand still, especially with the competition in the tablet space is starting to heat up. Once again, leave it to the rumour mill to churn out a never-ending stream of juicy tidbits regarding Apple's upcoming products, and the latest bit of info from China seems to suggest than an iPad 3 might just make its appearance on the market by September this year. Read on to find out more.

Published by: VR-Zone

So Apple has just released their iPad 2, and it is getting an extremely warm reception in countries all over the world. That is to be expected though: after all, Apple does have an impressive track record for producing well-designed, droolworthy consumer electronic devices that always have a knack for fitting neatly into a user's digital lifestyle. However, it is also a given that Apple does not believe in standing still and letting the competition catch up to it in terms of innovation and design, especially when it concerns their best selling devices. To that end, the rumour mill is churning out information claiming that the Cupertino giant is not about to give its competitors any breathing room, for some sources close to Apple are claiming that an upgraded version of the iPad might be well on its way to making an entrance on the market by as early as September this year. Should this information be true, it will mean that Apple is giving itself less than six months of development time to design, test and finalize its new product. To put things in perspective, the iPad 2 was only launched an entire year after that of the first iPad; this suggests that Apple might have already had new features and designs planned for the iPad 3, but decided to release an iPad 2 as a stopgap to ensure that consumer interest in its tablet PCs remain high. This will make sense, considering that the rapid introduction of equally well-design Android-powered tablets are starting to take some attention away from Apple's iPad; indeed, Microsoft also adopted a similar approach with its Windows Mobile platform when it introduced Windows Mobile 6.5 to maintain its market presence while it focused on Windows Phone 7. In addition to the estimated release date of the iPad 3, the rumour mill is also claiming knowledge of certain new features that are most likely to make their way into the new tablet. Examples of such features include the introduction of iOS 5, which is extremely possible considering how the iPad 3 will debut after the iPhone 5's introduction, which is almost definitely going to come bundled with the aforementioned version of Apple's iOS platform. Other features that are speculated to make an appearance in the rumoured iPad 3 include a Retina Display in order to truly position the tablet as the real media consumption device Apple markets it to be, along with a built-in camera flash and HDMI-out, most of which are standard features in all of its competitors' products today. Last but definitely not least, it is said that the iPad 3 will finally feature a built-in SD card reader, a feature which has been conveniently missing in 9

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Apple's entire Mac (until recently) and existing iPad product lines. Last but not least, all the information shown above are nothing but the latest churnings produced by the rumour mill, so chances are their accuracy is anything but. Therefore, it will be wise to take in the news with nothing less than a huge truckload worth of salt.

Android Gingerbread update coming to LG Optimus One Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/android-gingerbread-update-comingto-lg-optimus-one/11658.html March 21st, 2011

Korean manufacturer LG has announced that the Android Gingerbread update will be coming to the Optimus One, and it could arrive around May. Definitely good news for Optimus One owners over here who had bought the phone since October last year.

For Android phone owners, the main concern is whether their phone is able to get future update in order to have a better user experience. And while phone manufacturers have promised updates to their various Android phones, some had failed to deliver their promises. The latest Nexus S from Google and Samsung is equipped with the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile operating system. And apparently, from a recent FaceBook post, the Optimus One (LG P500) may be getting the update this May. The LG Optimus One is currently retailing at S$428 (without contract).

Sony rumoured to launch Chrome notebook and hybrid PC Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-rumoured-to-launch-chromenotebook-and-hybrid-pc/11657.html March 21st, 2011

Details of what is said to be future VAIO notebooks from Sony have turned up online and if they turn out to be true, we have a couple of rather unusual and intriguing products to look forward to from Sony later this year. Apparently Sony is not only working on a Chrome notebook powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 2 SoC, but also some kind of hybrid notebook/ desktop solution which is said to feature support for Intel’s Thunderbolt interface. Details of what is said to be future VAIO notebooks from Sony have turned up online and if they turn out to be true, we have a couple of rather unusual and intriguing products to look forward to from Sony later this year. Apparently Sony is not only working on a Chrome notebook powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 2 SoC, but also some kind of hybrid notebook/ desktop solution which is said to feature support for Intel’s Thunderbolt interface. The Google Chrome OS model is interesting in more than one way, as Google’s on Cr-48 notebook is using an Intel Atom CPU, whereas apparently Sony is going for an ARM based Tegra 2 SoC from Nvidia. We’re not sure how demanding Google’s Chrome OS is, but 1GB of RAM seems a bit on the stingy side, but might very well prove to be sufficient. We doubt that this will be upgradable, although this wouldn’t be impossible, just improbable. For storage Sony has gone with 16GB of eMMC memory which is an embedded type of memory that doesn’t quite offer the performance of an embedded SSD such as the one on offer from SanDisk, mainly due to the different interface used for the Flash memory. Other features include an 11.6-inch display, Wi-Fi of some kind, a regular notebook size keyboard said to be similar to that on Google’s Cr-48 notebook and finally it’s said to feature both a GPS and Bluetooth functionality, but neither will apparently be working from day one. The notebook is said 10

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

to be weighing in at around 1kg, yet offer up to 8h worth of battery life. As for the hybrid PC, well, here things get complicated. The notebook part is said to feature an Intel Core i7 CPU, an SSD and Intel’s Thunderbolt technology. This means that it’ll have a mini DisplayPort connector, although it’s also said to have an HDMI port and support for Intel’s second generation WiDi technology. It’s meant to weigh a mere 1.13kg yet offer 8h battery life, although this can be extended to 16.5h presumably via an optical battery solution of some kind. However, this is said to be only half of the system, so if that wasn’t impressive enough, Sony will be offering an add-on unit which presumably connects via Thunderbolt and is said to feature a Radeon HD 6700M series graphics card with 1GB of memory, a Blu-ray drive, a further HDMI port, a Dsub connector, Ethernet port, USB ports and presumably a mini DisplayPort connector, although oddly enough this isn’t mentioned specifically. This units weighs in at 680g although presumably it’ll be some kind of dock that you’d leave at home most of the time, hence the duplicated ports. It sure sounds like Sony will have some interesting toys coming later this year, although we’d expect the hybrid PC to be quite expensive while the Chrome OS notebook might be the cheapest notebook yet from Sony.

Intel First 25nm SSD On March 28th, Pricing Unveiled Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-first-25nm-ssd-on-march-28thpricing-unveiled/11655.html March 21st, 2011

Apparently, things are going so well over at Intel that they are going to launch their 25nm MLC based 320 Series (Postville Refresh), ahead of schedule, on the 28th of March. Intel 320 series Gen3 SSD is set to replace the current X25-V and X25-M series at the same price point targeting mainstream consumers, SMBs, data centres and embedded markets. VR-Zone first revealed about the Intel 320 series earlier this month and now we are going to bring you the finalized specs and estimated retail pricing. • Up to 39,500 IOPS random 4 KB reads; up to 23,000 IOPS random 4 KB writes • Full Disk Encryption via AES 128 bit Technology

Encryption

• Enhanced power loss management • 1.2M hours MTBF • Intel® 25nm compute NAND Available in 6 capacities; 40GB, 80GB, 120GB, 160GB, 300GB and 600GB, they are estimated to be priced at $109, $189, $239, $329, $569 and $1119 respectively.

Apparently, things are going so well over at Intel that they are going to launch their 25nm MLC based 320 Series (Postville Refresh), ahead of schedule, on the 28th of March. Intel 320 series SSD is set to replace the current X25-V and X25-M series at the same price point targeting mainstream consumer, SMB, data center and embedded markets. VR-Zone first revealed about the Intel 320 series earlier this month and now we are going to bring you the finalized specs and estimated retail pricing.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 listed in E-tail Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-590-listed-in-etail/11653.html March 21st, 2011

Canadian e-tailer EXPC has jumped the gun and listed NVIDIA's upcoming flagship, GeForce GTX 590. The card in question is a GTX 590 and comes with a straight "Buy Now" button and complete specifications and price. As expected, the GTX 590 combines two of massive GF110 GPUs on one package. All units are enabled and the GTX 590 is essentially GTX 580 SLI with severe downclocks. The final clock is 612 MHz for the core, 3420 MHz for the 3GB GDDR5. The card features 3x DVI outputs, 1xHDMI and even 1xMiniDP - finally bringing NVIDIA's 3D Surround to a single graphics card.

Needless to say, the GTX 590 is one massive card, 11" long and 4.5" thick. That makes it slightly shorter than the HD 6990, but slightly thicker, and right on the limit for dual-slot graphics 11

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

card. While TDP is not mentioned, the GTX 590 is expected to consume 375W. The price? CA$799. That is more than $100 more expensive than the HD 6990, setting up an intense fight between the two. Of course, the final pricing may vary. The GTX 590 was originally scheduled for 22nd, but is now set to release on 24th. The reason cited has been last minute driver tweaks, especially for Crysis 2 which releases around the same time. You can view the EXPC listing here.

Cubitek Announces Magic Cube Modular Chassis Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cubitek-announces-magic-cubemodular-chassis/11652.html March 21st, 2011

Magic Cube B210 The main "box", compatible with all Micro-ATX, ATX, and EATX motherboards, has seven expansion slots, two rear holes for water-cooling tubes, and a top-side I/O panel with two USB 3.0 ports, eSATA and audio connectors. It comes with three pre-installed fans (x1 rear 120mm, x1 front 140mm, & x1 top 140mm fans) and supports both long graphic cards (up to 310mm) and tall (up to 180mm) CPU coolers.

Taipei-based Cubitek Co. Ltd has expanded its line-up of PC chassis aimed at enthusiasts with the addition of the modular Magic Cube series. Available in two models (Magic Cube B210 and Magic Cube B211), the aluminum chassis sports a anodized black coating, and boast a modular design i.e. made up of three "boxes" - one for mainboard, expansion cards, & PSU, one for 5.25" optical drives, and a third one for 3.5" SSDs/ HDDs.

Main "Box"

Magic Cube B211 Taipei-based Cubitek Co. Ltd has expanded its line-up of PC chassis aimed at enthusiasts with the addition of the modular Magic Cube series. Available in two models (Magic Cube B210 and Magic Cube B211), the aluminum chassis sports a anodized black coating, and boast a modular design i.e. made up of three "boxes" - one for mainboard, expansion cards, & PSU, one for 5.25" optical drives, and a third one for 3.5" SSDs/ HDDs.

Main "Box"

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Main "Box"

5.25" "Box"

Main "Box" - Stripped Bare

B210 3.5" "Box"

The B210 comes with a "box" that holds three HDDs (cooled by x1 80mm fan), whilst the B211 has a "box" that houses eight HDDs (equipped with x2 140mm fans). Last but not least, the 5.25" "box" has room for up to two 5.25" optical devices or 3.5" drives via a bundled adapter.

B210 3.5" "Box"

5.25" "Box"

B210 3.5" "Box" 13

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone March 21st, 2011

B211 3.5" "Box"

Designed for professional users, the new ASUS P6X58-E WS workstation motherboard is based on the tested-and-proven Intel X58 Express chipset. Notable features include dual Intel Gigabit LAN, an NVIDIA NF200 bridge chip, USB 3.0 and ASUS-exclusive Xtreme Phase 16+2 power delivery and EPU energy saving optimizations. The new board ships with the ASUS '24X24' pledge - 24-hour non-stop operation and 24month guaranteed market availability.

B211 3.5" "Box" Singapore (March 15, 2011) - Proving the Intel® X58 architecture's enduring potential and value, the P6X58-E WS ships with multi-GPU support for both NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFireX™, SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. It also includes built-in server-class Intel® LAN, as well as ASUSdeveloped highlights such as Xtreme Phase power delivery and EPU energy consumption optimization. The new board ships with the ASUS '24X24' pledge, meaning 24-hour nonstop operation and 24-month guaranteed market availability to reduce costs due to involuntary product replacement. Flexible multi-GPU configuration B211 3.5" "Box" The Magic Cube B210 and Magic Cube B211 are available now from www.caseking.de at MSRPs of €179.90 and€199.90 respectively. News via [Techconnect]

ASUS launches P6X58-E WS workstation motherboard Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-launches-p6x58-e-wsworkstation-motherboard/11651.html

A dedicated expansion slot controller ensures increased bandwidth availability for each connected graphics card, hence the P6X58-E WS supports up to 3-way NVIDIA® SLI™, with each of the triple PCI-E channels working at full X16 speeds. For AMD CrossFireX™, the P6X58-E WS offers up to quad-GPU arrangements, with each PCI-E channel working in X16. This graphics flexibility and capacity aims to serve the needs of workstation users who require advanced graphics processing capabilities for professional ventures, including computer-aided design, graphics rendering, high definition video editing, animation, engineering and modeling.

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Chipset Memory

Power delivery Expansion slots

SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 The P6X58-E WS represents the first appearance of SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 data transfer standards on an Intel® X58-based workstation motherboard. USB 3.0 works up to ten times faster than USB 2.0, offering significant time savings when handling large amounts of data. SATA 6Gb/s likewise doubles the throughput of SATA 3Gb/s, expediting transfer rates and creating a more reliable and efficient work environment.

Two hardware-accelerated Intel® Gigabit LAN ports double the connection bandwidth available to users, while at the same time reducing CPU utilization. The implementation by ASUS of server-grade Intel® LAN reduces CPU load in half when compared with competing workstation motherboards by carrying out net-related calculations off the main processor. As a consequence, connections become faster and more stable, featuring reduced packet loss and lower latency. Users also benefit from an overall faster system, as greater CPU resources remain free to tackle other tasks. These accelerated Gigabit ports support dedicated server operating systems as well as VMWare® virtualization for increased functionality and efficiency on streamlined hardware.

Multi-GPU support

Gigabit LAN Storage USB

Audio Firewire Back I/O

Exclusive ASUS Features To better handle professional applications, the P6X58-E WS features ASUS Xtreme Phase power delivery components for more efficient, cleaner power, improved stability and increased reliability. Users also benefit from the inclusion of the exclusive Energy Processing Unit, or EPU, a proprietary ASUS programmable microchip that supervises energy consumption across the system to reduce power wastage. The AI Suite II application center brings together a wide range of utilities and ASUS tools, offering users greater control over system performance, capabilities and features, among them the versatile TurboV overclocking interface. Specifications CPU

1 x Socket LGA1366

DDR3 2000(OC) / 1866(OC) / 1800(OC) / 1600 (OC) / 1333 / 1066MHz, ECC / non-ECC unbuffered memory Xtreme Phase 16+2 2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@x16 or x8) 2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@ x8) 1 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@ x16)

CUDA support Dual server-class Intel® Gigabit LAN

Intel® Core™ i7 desktop processors Intel® Xeon 5500 / 5600 / 3500 / 3600 series server processors Intel® X58 Express NVIDIA® NF200 6 x DIMM, max 24GB

Form factor

1 x PCI-E x1 (@ x1) NVIDIA® 3-Way GeForce SLI™ AMD® quad CrossFireX™ Up to 4 NVIDIA® Tesla™ GPUs 2 x Intel® 82574L 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s 6 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s 2 x USB 3.0 (at back panel) 12 x USB 2.0 (6 ports at midboard, 6 ports at back panel) Realtek ALC889, 8-channel HD 2 x 1394a (1 port at midboard, 1 port at back panel) 1 x PS/2 KB / Mouse, 1 x IEEE1394a, 2 x Intel LAN, 1 x S/PDIF Out (optical and coaxial), 8 x USB (2 for USB 3.0 and 6 for USB 2.0), 1 x 8channel audio ATX, 12" x 9.6"

Source: ASUS Press Release

ASUS prepares new M5A motherboards, BIOS updates for AMD AM3+ CPU support Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-prepares-new-m5amotherboards-bios-updates-for-amd-am3-cpu-support/11650.html

March 21st, 2011 March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

debut while Turbo Unlocker offers real-time adjustments to enhance system performance. All utilities are designed to help the user achieve maximum performance from their systems. BIOS upgradable models:

ASUS has announced the release of the industry's first AM3+ CPU enabled motherboard solution based on the existing AMD 8-Series chipsets. Current owners of an AM3-based board can make their AMD 8-Series motherboards compatible with the latest AM3+ CPUs with a simple BIOS update from the official ASUS website.

AMD 890FX / SB850 Crosshair IV Extreme Crosshair IV Formula M4A89TD PRO / USB3 M4A89TD PRO

AMD 890GX / SB850 M4A89GTD PRO / USB3 M4A89GTD PRO

Upcoming ASUS M5A models (AM3+ socket): AMD 880G M5A88-V EVO M5A88-M EVO M5A88-M

AMD 870 M5A87

AMD 760 M5A78L M5A78L LE M5A78L-M / USB3 M5A78L-M PLUS M5A78L-M LE M5A78L-M

Note: Current BIOS updates are beta releases. Please check the ASUS support site for continual updates. Source: ASUS Press Release

Singapore (March 16, 2011) - ASUS, the worldwide leader in motherboard design and sales, today announced the release of the industry's first AM3+ CPU enabled motherboard solution based on the existing AMD 8-Series chipsets. Current owners of an AM3-based board can make their AMD 8-Series motherboards compatible with the latest AM3+ CPUs with a simple BIOS update from the official ASUS website.

Why UPS systems are rated in VAs and PSUs in Watts; Explaining Watts, VAr and VA Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/why-ups-systems-are-rated-in-vasand-psus-in-watts-explaining-watts-var-and-va/11473.html March 21st, 2011

ASUS provides options for users to be the first to enjoy AM3+ AMD's new AM3+ CPU is a complete microarchitecture redesign from previous AMD CPUs, and offers better performance over the previous generation. As such, ASUS is committed to provide continuous support for the latest technologies, and is the first to market for a product solution for user's needs. Current ASUS 890FX and 890GX series motherboards can be upgraded to enjoy the extra performance offered by future AM3+ CPUs. ASUS will also be releasing AMD 8-Series Chipset motherboards based on 880G and 870 as well as the 760G with the AM3+ socket for increased selection so users can enjoy AM3 and AM3+ CPUs.

When shopping for an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), almost everyone would have noticed that they are either rated in VA's only or in both VA's and Watt's. This is not so with the vast majority of household equipment, including the very power supply unit (PSU) of the computer itself which comes rated in Watts only. As a result, this usually leads to confusion as most people either lack the technical knowledge to understand the difference between VA and Watt units or, even worse, do not even realize that there is a difference.

Current AMD 8-Series chipset based motherboards feature award-winning overclocking utilities, along with ASUS Core Unlocker which was widely recognized by global media at its

When shopping for a UPS, almost everyone would have noticed that they are either rated in VA's only or in both VA's and Watt's. This is not so with the vast majority of household equipment, including the very power supply of the computer itself which comes rated in Watts only. As a result, 16

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

this usually leads to confusion as most people either lack the technical knowledge to understand the difference between VA and Watt units or, even worse, do not even realize that there is a difference. Of course, this is something natural because such knowledge is usually limited to electricians and electrical engineers, people who are educated and work on the AC power grid. To make matters worse, not only VAs (Volt-Amperes) and Watts are different but there is even a third "form of electrical power", Volt-Ampere reactive or VArs. In this article, we will try and explain in terms comprehensible from the majority of users, who possess only basic skills and little to no knowledge on the matter, the difference between the three types of power.

Tt eSPORTS Unleashes MEKA Mechanical Keyboard Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tt-esports-unleashes-mekamechanical-keyboard/11649.html March 21st, 2011

Tt eSPORTS has announced the MEKA Mechanical Keyboard, adding on to its line-up of peripherals aimed at gamers. Measuring 370 x 150 x 3.5mm, it has a smaller footprint compared to the original MEKA G1 Mechanical keyboard and features a 1000Hz polling rate, two USB 2.0 ports, Cherry Black mechanical switches (50 million keystrokes before failure), anti-ghosting function (up to 16 keys), and a 1.8m braided cable with gold plated USB connector. Prices and availability is unknown so stay tuned for more news. TTESPORTS PRESS RELEASE Tt eSPORTS are very excited at being able to announce the imminent release of our new and exciting MEKA Mechanical Keyboard, which was on display last week at Cebit 2011 in Hannover, Germany.

The MEKA keyboard is the first USB Mechanical Keyboard that is offering Anti-Ghosting without the use of a PS2 adapter. This gaming keyboard has been designed and manufactured using the popular Cherry Black Switch, which allow for up to 50 Million Keystrokes and by using this product an increase in APM (Actions Per Minute) is a high possibility.

Tt eSPORTS spoke to gamers around the world about what they wanted to see from the MEKA and as a result added two additional USB ports to allow plugging additional devices in to the keyboard. The MEKA has been designed to allow for the 1.8m braided cable to be positioned based on the users requirement, whether left, right or centre of the keyboard. The MEKA is a smaller design compared to the original MEKA G1 Mechanical keyboard but as Tt eSPORTS grows, it shall continue to develop a complete range of gaming peripherals to meet different gamers requirements. Tt eSPORTS aim to continue releasing a range of gaming products to allow all gamers to find their right equipment, whether a social, hardcore or professional gamer. New MEKA Keyboard Joins The Tt eSPORTS Mechanical Product Range http//www.ttesports.comproductsproduct.aspxs=19

For more information, www.ttesports.comindex.aspx

please

visit

http//

Genius Announces Traveler 6000 Mice Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/genius-announces-traveler-6000mice/11648.html March 21st, 2011

Genius has started shipping its Traveler 6000 series of wireless mice in both America and Canada. Available in two variants (Traveler 6000 & Traveler 6000 Classic), these ambidextrous mice boast a 1200 dpi optical sensor, a 2.4 GHz wirelss interface (via bundled pico receivers), three buttons (with scroll), and are powered by one AAA battery.

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Toshiba's Satellite L750 Sandy Bridge notebook leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-s-satellite-l750-sandy-bridgenotebook-leaked/11646.html March 21st, 2011

Notebooks with Intel's second generation of Core i processors are slowly starting to trickle out to retailers and today we found an unannounced model from Toshiba on sale online. The model is the Satellite L750 which appears to be a replacement model for the current Satellite L650. It's a consumer model that should end up somewhere in the middle of Toshiba's notebook range. Genius has started shipping its Traveler 6000 series of wireless mice in both America and Canada. Available in two variants (Traveler 6000 & Traveler 6000 Classic), these ambidextrous mice boast a 1200 dpi optical sensor, 2.4 GHz wirelss interface (via bundled pico receivers), three buttons (with scroll), and are powered by one AAA battery. The Traveler 6000 is available in Diamond Black, Royal Blue or Ruby Rose patterns whilst the Traveler 6000 Classic has a 'elegant top cover design'. They can be purchased from major resellers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US$14.90 and US$16.90.

News via [Techconnect]

Rumour: AMD preparing Phenom II X4 980 BE Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-amd-preparing-phenom-iix4-980-be/11647.html March 21st, 2011

Just as we thought the Phenom II X4 975 BE was the last hurrah for the Phenom II X4 series, AMD is rumoured to be preparing yet another top Phenom II X4 part - the 980 BE. As suggested by the nomenclature, the 980 BE is another minor speed bump, to 3.7 GHz. It retains the same 125W TDP and is expected to release sometime between April to August. With all the anticipation focussed towards AMD's next-gen FX and A series processors, releasing in June/July, it is commendable that AMD has been eking out these minor speed bumps at regular frequencies. The close proximity to the nextgen releases also suggest the 980 BE will release closer to April than to August. Pricing is an unknown, but is likely to end up under $200.

The L750 is a 15.6-incher with a standard 1366x768 resolution screen which is driven by a GeForce GT525M which is paired with 1GB of DDR3 memory, although we couldn't find any details of Optimus support, but it might be supported. It has a Core i5-2410M CPU which has a base clock of 2.3GHz; although we're sure other CPU models will also be available. It only comes with 2GB of RAM as standard, but again this might differ between the various markets it's sold in. The hard drive configuration on the models we found on sale included a 640GB 5,400rpm drive, but again we'd expect other options here. You do of course also get an optical drive.

Surely, the 980 BE will be the final Phenom II X4 product. However, given AMD's track record, we are not entirely read to dismiss a future 985 BE!

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

has a volume of just 0.6 of a litre, but it can handle HD streaming and playback; Dell has introduced the Inspiron R Series Of Notebooks ; The world's first LTE phone, the HTC Thunderbolt, is now officially available from Verizon; HP is betting on the Cloud and WebOS , and Angry Birds developer Rovio aiming for IPO. Hardware news:

Other features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 + HS, an HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a D-sub connector, a memory card reader and a pair of audio jacks. The webcam is a standard VGA resolution affair and Toshiba is using its own keyboard type which should fall in the “floating island” category. The touch pad is offset to one side thanks to the inclusion of a numerical keypad and looks quite small considering the size of the notebook.

Description: Now equipped with the next-generation heat sink, HyperX T1 memory kit is Kingston’s latest offering for the most exquisite overclocking memory product one could ask for. Featuring an all new heat sink construction, the HyperX T1 is capable of challenging the limits to deliver a new overclocking experience like never before. Description: The Xigmatek Aegir SD 128264 features the latest in stacked Heatpipe Direct Touch design, taking layering and heatpipe mass to a new level in cooling. Breaking down the model number of the Xigmatek Aegir SD 128264, we know that it features a 120mm fan, 2 8mm pipes and 4 6mm pipes, which is quite an impressive array. Description: The Kühler H2O 620 from Antec is another all-inone water cooler which does not need any maintenance during its lifetime, and it is recommended for people who want a very easy installation, without the hassle of building a complete water cooling loop from scratch. Description: Rosewill recently released Thor case is an XLATX tower able to support the extra large motherboards like the EVGA X58 Classified 4-way SLI, Gigabyte 890FXA-UD7 and others. This XL-ATX case enters a rank in terms of size that few other cases venture to, so let's see if it can hold up to the competition and rise above the rest.

The standard battery pack is a 6-cell unit, but sadly it's only good for about 4.5h of usage and that's with the discrete graphics switched off and the battery life will fall to about 2h when it's enabled while on battery power. The L750 weighs in at 2.6kg, it will be available in at least brown and white and Windows 7 Home Premium is the operating system of choice. The retail price is NT$32,800 in Taiwan which is about S $1409/US$1107 which seems a little bit on the expensive side, but it's worth keeping in mind that consumer electronics and computers, especially by Japanese brands, aren't all that cheap in Taiwan.

The Daily VR-Zone News Update - 18 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-update--18mar-2011/11645.html March 21st, 2011

To round up this week's news: Review of the Kingston HyperX PC3-2133 CL9 memory modules; Foxconn NT-535

Description: With a volume of only 0.6 of a litre, the Foxconn NT-535 is a significant step forward from its predecessor with an upgrade to DDR3 memory and the inclusion of two specific chips to enable true Blu-ray standard of HD streaming and playback. Consumer Electronics and Software news:: Description: Dell has introduced the Inspiron R series, which features Intel's new and improved Sandy Bridge series of processors. These new rigs are designed for style-focused consumers, with loads of color options and an interchangeable lid option standing out. Description: Bored bloggers at a German website tried typing the expected address of Amazon's forthcoming app store, and were rewarded with a glimpse of the initial stock and pricing. Description: The Mozilla wiki page lists March 22 as the ship date; when asked if that was accurate, a Mozilla spokeswoman said the company was "trying to make that decision today." Description: The Razer Ferox portable speakers boast big sound for a pair of speakers that are barely bigger than a standard computer mouse, and they are outstanding audioenhancing companions for virtually any portable media players (iPods, iPhones, Droid phones, etc) and gaming laptops. Description: It’s becoming increasingly clear that with last year’s purchase of smartphone maker Palm and its WebOS, HP is going to develop its own cloud offering. 19

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Gaming news: Description: The company that turned a game based around misshapen birds into mobile app gold is planning on making an initial public offering in New York, according to Finnish magazine Talouselämä. Rovio recently wrapped up a round of funding where it secured $42 million in investments, all but guaranteeing that the company would make an IPO in the near future. Description: Though it's a bit pricey, the Nintendo 3DS successfully offers a glasses-less 3D experience that needs to be seen to be believed. A weaker-than-usual launch lineup and some inactivated online features dampen its launch, but the future certainly looks bright. Description: The premise behind it is that Grandma has escaped from the nursing home as she can’t stand being there anymore. Granny hops on her scooter and away she goes. The game is fast paced, and a lot of fun and certainly worth the low price.

LEPA Debuts N-Series and WSeries PSUs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lepa-debuts-n-series-and-w-seriespsus/11644.html March 21st, 2011

LEPA, subsidiary of Ecomaster, is preparing to release its N-Series and W-Series non-modular PSUs, targeting mainstream users and gamers. The N-Series, comprising 400W, 500W and 600W variants, feature active PFC, one 12V rail, 120mm PWM fans for cooling, and various protections circuits (Over Power, Over Voltage, Over Current, ShortCircuit, and Brown Out).

The W-Series consists 80 Plus certified 450W, 500W and 600W models, boast active PFC, one 12V rail, two 8-pin PCIe power connectors, and 120mm fans for cooling. The N-Series/ W-Series PSUs start at €34.90/ €59.90. News via [Techpowerup]

Silverstone Preps Grandia GD06 HTPC Case Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/silverstone-preps-grandia-gd06-htpccase/11643.html March 21st, 2011

Taipei based SilverStone Technology, well-known for its high performance PC cases, is preparing its Grandia GD06 HTPC Case for release.

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

iGo Launches Arctic Notebook Cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/igo-launches-arctic-notebookcooler/11642.html March 21st, 2011

Measuring 324.6 x 279.4 x 35.6mm and weighing 635g, the cooler supports laptops up to 17" and features a "mobile" fan for cooling. It is available through authorised resellers and etailers at a MSRP of US$30 now. News via [Techconnect] Measuring 440 x 150 x 340mm and weighing 5.6kg, the aluminum case has one external 5.25" bay, four 3.5" drive bays, one 2.5" bay, a front aluminum door, five expansion slots, support for 11" long video cards, and a front side I/o panel with two USB 3.0 ports and audio connectors. The GD06, cooled by three 120mm fans operating at 1,200 RPM, supports all microATX, mini-DTX and mini-ITX motherboards and is expected to hit store shelves come Friday (March 18) at a MSRP of â&#x201A;Ź120.30.

Sharkoon Announces QuickStore Portable Pro HDD/ SSD Enclosures Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharkoon-announces-quickstoreportable-pro-hdd-ssd-enclosures/11633.html March 21st, 2011

News via [Techconnect]

March 21st, 2011

Sharkoon Technologies has expanded its line-up of external enclosures for HDD/ SSD with the addition of the QuickStore Portable Pro, supporting 9.5mm/ 12.5mm thick HDDs/SSDs. Measuring 134 x 82 x 18.5mm and weighing 80g, these tool-free enclosures are available in black or silver colors with either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 connectors. The Sharkoon QuickStore Portable Pro can be purchased from authorised retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP â&#x201A;Ź9.99 (USB 2.0) and â&#x201A;Ź16.99 (USB 3.0).

Published by: VR-Zone

either USB2.0 or USB3.0 interfaces. The connector plug of the USB2.0 model folds out from the case frame. The QuickStore Portable Pro measures 134 x 82 x 18.5 mm (L x W x H) and weighs 80 grams. Shipping includes brief instructions plus a Tool CD with Backup software, detailed PDF instruction manual and depending on the model a USB2.0 Y-cable or a USB3.0 cable.

SHARKOON PRESS RELEASE

Product video: v=YWR1l9esUzA Sharkoon is expanding its line of external hard drive cases and presents the Pro version of its QuickStore Portable. Both models offer an elegant housing for 2.5 inch SATA hard drives and SSDs. The Pro version now allows more flexibility in the assembly height: Hard drives in both heights of 9.5mm and 12.5mm can be inserted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

End customers will find the Sharkoon QuickStore Portable Pro available from authorized retailers.

Price: Sharkoon QuickStore Portable Pro / Black or Silver: MSRP 9.99 euros Sharkoon QuickStore Portable Pro USB3.0 / Black or Silver: MSRP 16,99 euros For further questions, to request samples and/or photos, or other information please contact us or go to http:// www.sharkoon.com

GeForce GTX 590 Launch Delayed To March 24th With help from the accompanying compensation plate, the internal height of the case is adjustable so that both hard drive formats sit securely and vibration free. Assembly is fast and completely tool free with a few simple steps: The housing frame easily unlocks and slides open. With the option of either a black or silver brushed metal cover, the Sharkoon QuickStore Portable Pro is also visually impressive. A blue LED illuminates during operation and data transfer. Through Windows a practical Backup function is available, which can be easily installed using the included software. Sharkoon External Case for 9.5 and 12.5mm HDDs Besides the color version, users can also select the external interface: Sharkoon offers the QuickStore Portable Pro with

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/geforce-gtx-590-launch-delayed-tomarch-24th/11640.html March 21st, 2011

VR-Zone learned that the launch of the GeForce GTX 590 is being pushed back 2 days to March 24th. It is supposed to launch together with Crysis 2, a "The Way Is Meant To Be Played" game which is still on target for March 22nd release. One possible reason is that NVIDIA is trying to get a SLI profile working for Crysis 2. Also, we have yet to hear a DX11 support for Crysis 2 either so it won't do justice to GeForce GTX 590 if that option isn't available at all. Press driver is now at version 267.71 and this card overclocks really well at this moment. 22

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Users of the Creative ZiiO tablets with Android 2.2 can look forward to enjoying these enhancements: - Flexibility to install apps using either on-board memory or external storage media - Flexibility of viewing pages in both desktop and mobile formats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which means that pages can now be seen in their original lay-out without truncation - Improved security with the addition of numeric pin or alphanumeric password options to unlock device VR-Zone learned that the launch of the GeForce GTX 590 is being pushed back 2 days to March 24th. It is supposed to launch together with Crysis 2, a "The Way Is Meant To Be Played" game which is still on target for March 22nd release. One possible reason is that NVIDIA is trying to get a SLI profile working for Crysis 2. Also, we have yet to hear a DX11 support for Crysis 2 either so it won't do justice to GeForce GTX 590 if that option isn't available at all. Press driver is now at version 267.71 and this card overclocks really well at this moment.

Creative ZiiO 7 gets Android 2.2 Froyo update

- Greater localised language support added - Text-to-Speech Engine

HTC Shooter with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and qHD screen leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-shooter-with-android-2.3gingerbread-and-qhd-screen-leaked/11637.html March 21st, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-ziio-7-gets-android-2.2-froyoupdate/11639.html March 21st, 2011

For those of you who own the Ziio 7 Android tablet, or have bought one at the recent IT Show, you will be pleased to know that Creative has announced the Android 2.2 Froyo update for the tablet. For free.

Creative Technology has upgraded its Creative ZiiO 7 Androidbased tablets to Android 2.2. Current Creative ZiiO 7 owners will be able to enjoy a free upgrade via support.creative.com or the ZiiO Space portal found on their tablets, beginning 25 March 2011.

First, it was the HTC 10-inch Android 3.0 tablet, then the three smartphones - HTC Ignite, HTC Prime and HTC Pyramid Z710e. And now, it looks like the company has another HTC leak this week. This time, it is a smartphone known as HTC Shooter.

Yet another leak from Taiwanese manufacturer, HTC. The third one this week, and it is about the HTC Shooter smartphone. From the above screenshot of the device information, the HTC Shooter (model: PG86100) is preinstalled with Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread, features a 1.2GHz dual core Qualcomm MSM8660 processor + Adreno 220 GPU, and a 960x540 qHD display resolution. It seems like the HTC Shooter will be carried by Sprint in the US.

In addition, the Creative ZiiO 7 with Android 2.2 will begin shipping on 18 March 2011, while the Creative ZiiO 10 is expected to ship with Android 2.2 by April 2011.

March 21st, 2011

Pentax launches Optio RS1500 digital camera, targets fashionistas

Published by: VR-Zone

SUPER CLEAR LCD display, 5-megapixel rear camera and 16GB memory.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pentax-launches-optio-rs1500-digitalcamera-targets-fashionistas/11636.html March 21st, 2011

Pentax has launched their new Optio RS1500 digital camera designed with good quality specifications, features and fun. It also comes with 10 interchageable skins for users to easily customize the looks of their image capturing device.

Today, Samsung announced the Nexus S which claims to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first smartphone to feature the latest version of Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Android platform. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the Nexus S offers users a seamless experience in navigating through functions, applications and the web. The Nexus S features a 4-inch SUPER CLEAR LCD screen that delivers a brighter viewing experience for enjoying games, videos and browsing the web. The Contour Display also features a curved design for a more ergonomic feel for greater user comfort. Powered by a 1GHz Samsung application processor, Nexus S produces rich 3D graphics, faster upload and download times and supports HD-like multimedia content.

Pentax looks to be going after the fashionistas with their newly launched Optio RS1500 digital camera. In the specifications department, it features a 14-megapixel sensor, 4X optical zoom lens (27.5mm to 110mm) and a 3-inch LCD screen. Althought the camera comes in the original silver or pearl white finish, the manufacturer has included 10 interchangeable skins for users to customize their RS1500. Users can choose to upload the skins they have designed to the gallery for others to enjoy and print. On top of that, users can also download the Pentax Personal Skin Designer from the Pentax website and the Adobe Air-based software allows users to create their own designs and save them as PDFs.

Samsung introduced Nexus S in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-introduced-nexus-s-insingapore/11634.html March 21st, 2011

The wait is over: the successor to the Google Nexus One is now available in Singapore. Powered by Android 2.3, the Samsung Nexus S (or also known as Google Nexus S) features a 4-inch

Nexus S is equipped with a 5-megapixel rear facing camera and camcorder, as well as a VGA front facing camera. In addition, Nexus S features a gyroscope sensor to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user is tilting the device up or down or panning the phone to the left or right. The phone also comes with 16GB of internal memory. The Nexus S also includes popular Android features such as portable Wi-Fi hotspot, true multitasking, access to Google mobile services such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, Voice Actions, Google Voice and YouTube, and access to over 100,000 apps and widgets on Android Market. The Nexus S is available from all mobile phone retailers at the recommended retail price of S$828, without contract and inclusive of GST.

The different types of UPS systems Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-different-types-of-upssystems/11589.html March 21st, 2011

Technology enthusiasts and experts know that the presence of an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) can be vital to the longevity of their technology equipment, especially when they 24

March 21st, 2011

are powered by unstable and / or badly maintained power grids; however most people are unaware of the advantages that owning a UPS can have. But the real frustration starts when someone begins a research on which product to buy because most people cannot understand the differences between the several different UPS types available, especially when excessive marketing hype is involved. Thus, it is very common for most users, even technology adepts, to be confused over the different UPS systems or even be unaware of their existence at all. The largest percentage of users who understand what a UPS does believe that there are only two type of UPS systems, the "on-line" and the "off-line" UPS, and / or believe that UPS products are designed only to protect computers; that is simply not true as there are at least seven different types of UPS systems and a few of them are able to power entire buildings or industrial facilities. Technology enthusiasts and experts know that the presence of a UPS can be vital to the longevity of their technology equipment, especially when they are powered by unstable and/or badly maintained power grids; however most people are unaware of the advantages that owning a UPS can have. But the real frustration starts when someone begins a research on which product to buy because most people cannot understand the differences between the several different UPS types available, especially when excessive marketing hype is involved. Thus, it is very common for most users, even technology adepts, to be confused over the different UPS systems or even be unaware of their existence at all. The largest percentage of users who understand what a UPS does believe that there are only two type of UPS systems, the "on-line" and the "off-line" UPS, and / or believe that UPS products are designed only to protect computers; that is simply not true as there are at least seven different types of UPS systems and a few of them are able to power entire buildings or industrial facilities.

What is a UPS? UPS stands for "Uninterruptible Power Supply", which is an electrical system designed to monitor and, if necessary, regulate the main (grid) power source of a load and provide emergency power to the load whenever the main power source fails, without any interruption to the load's power feed and/ or effect on the load's operation and/or performance. UPS systems are commonly used wherever power generators are ineffective. A power generator needs some time to start, ranging from some seconds to several minutes, depending on the generator's size; a UPS will provide power to the load almost instantaneously, allowing it to continue its normal operation without any interruption. For business / industrial applications, UPS systems and generators are being used side by side because the runtime of UPS systems is very limited but nevertheless is more than sufficient to power the load until the generator (or any other auxiliary power source) to come online. Because of their instantaneous reaction, UPS systems are being used to power

Published by: VR-Zone

any critical load. Critical computers, data centers, medical and surgical equipment, emergency lighting and military equipment are but a few examples. The technology and manufacturing advancements of the past 20 years made some of the battery-powered UPS types affordable by small businesses and most home users, therefore it is quite common to find a sub-$200 UPS protecting a small home or office PC. In this article we are going examine the five most affordable types of battery powered UPS systems, those which are affordable by home consumers and small businesses and suitable for power computer/electronics equipment.

Foxconn launches Quantum Force Rattler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/foxconn-launches-quantum-forcerattler/11632.html March 21st, 2011

It was widely rumoured last year that Foxconn was pulling out of the consumer motherboard market, but it seems like there's still some life left in the beast. Foxconn has launched a new addition to its Quantum Force series of gaming and overclocking motherboards called the Rattler which is based on Intel's P67 chipset. The board seems to borrow heavily in terms of features from many of Foxconn's competitors, but this is part for the course so to say. It was widely rumoured last year that Foxconn was pulling out of the consumer motherboard market, but it seems like there's still some life left in the beast. Foxconn has launched a new addition to its Quantum Force series of gaming and overclocking motherboards called the Rattler which is based on Intel's P67 chipset. The board seems to borrow heavily in terms of features from many of Foxconn's competitors, but this is part for the course so to say.

The basics of the board include two x16 PCI Express slots where the second one shares bandwidth with the primary slot, three x1 PCI Express slots and a single PCI slot. The board also has four SATA 3Gbps and two SATA 6Gbps ports and oddly 25

March 21st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

enough an IDE connector. Pin headers for six USB 2.0 ports and a FireWire port are also present, alongside power and reset buttons, manual overclocking buttons, Voltage readout points, a POST80 debug LED and what appear to be as many as three BIOS chips.

The rear I/O is made up of six USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a PS/2 port, a pair of Gigabit Ethernet ports, a FireWire port, two eSATA ports and 7.1-channel audio with optical and coaxial S/PDIF out. There's also what appears to be a clear CMOS button here. Foxconn has gone for what looks like a 12+2 PWM design which is cooled by a pair of heatsinks connected with twin heatpipes. Overall this looks like a decent enough board, but not quite good enough if Foxconn is serious about making a comeback in the high-end consumer motherboard market.

March 25th, 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.

Asus launches the Eee Pad Transformer in Taiwan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-launches-the-eee-padtransformer-in-taiwan/11703.html March 25th, 2011

With regards to the software features, Asus has added a custom DLNA app called MyNet which allows for media streaming to and from other DLNA compatible devices. MyCloud is a version of Asus' cloud storage service which is free for the first year and US$4.99 a month after that and it's supposedly unlimited in terms of storage space. Another cool feature of MyCloud is remote PC access which allows you to access your desktop or notebook computer even if you're not at home or in the office. Finally MyLibrary is an eBook/ eMagazine/ePaper app that is tied in with various service providers depending on where in the world you live. Asus has also included a copy of Polaris Office 3.0 which is compatible with standard office document files such as .doc .xls and .ppt.

It's been nearly three months since Asus first showed off its Android tablets and earlier today the first of the new models launched, at least in Taiwan. The Eee Pad Transformer was launched by the company chairman, Jonney Shih with what appeared to be every single local media on location. Not much that wasn't already known was announced, although we did find out a few new details with regard to software features as well as the much important retail price. It's been nearly three months since Asus first showed off its Android tablets and earlier today the first of the new models launched, at least in Taiwan. The Eee Pad Transformer was launched by the company chairman, Jonney Shih with what appeared to be every single local media on location. Not much that wasn't already known was announced, although we did find out a few new details with regard to software features as well as the much important retail price.

The build quality of the final product units of the Eee Pad Transformer are much better than the units we've seen before, although one concern is the overly stiff hinge of the keyboard dock and the fact that in â&#x20AC;&#x153;notebook modeâ&#x20AC;? the Eee Pad Transformer we got some hands on time with today didn't shut properly as you'd expect of a notebook. Minor issues maybe, but not something you'd expect of what is meant to be production ready hardware. We were told that the reason for the stiff screen hinge was that it's because of the weight of the tablet part and in Asus' defence, it's nowhere near as top heavy as Acer's W500 AMD C-50 tablet and Asus' proprietary dock connector feels a lot more secure than the standard USB port that Acer decided to use.

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The pricing ended up better than we expected, in fact the Eee Pad Transformer is one of the most affordable Tegra 2 tablets to date. Just keep in mind that it doesn't have 3G/ HSPA connectivity which is a contributing factor to the lower price point. The 16GB will retail for NT$14,900 (S$639) in Taiwan, with the 32GB model at NT$16,900 (S$725). These prices don't include the keyboard/battery dock which is an extra NT$3000 (S$129) in either configuration. You'd be mad getting the Eee Pad Transformer without the keyboard dock though as not only does it double the battery life, but it also adds a pair of USB 2.0 ports and a full-size SD card slot. The tablet itself houses a microSD card slot, a mini HDMI port and a headphone socket.

Lightning strikes twice: MSI launches N580GTX Lightning and R6970 Lightning graphics cards Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lightning-strikes-twice-msi-launchesn580gtx-lightning-and-r6970-lightning-graphics-cards/11702.html March 25th, 2011

MSI has unveiled its two flagship cards, the N580GTX Lightning and the R6970 Lightning, based on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and AMD Radeon HD 6970 respectively. These cards are specifically designed to handle extreme overclocking under the hands of world-renowed overclockers and enthusiasts. The N580GTX Lightning can break the 1GHz core clock barrier easily on air-cooling, thanks to its industryleading Power4 power delivery architecture and Twin Frozr III dual-fan advanced cooling solution. Industry-leading reliability

MSI has unveiled its two flagship graphics cards, the N580GTX Lightning and the R6970 Lightning, based on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and AMD Radeon HD 6970 respectively. These cards are specifically designed to handle extreme overclocking under the hands of world-renowed overclockers and enthusiasts. The N580GTX Lightning can break the 1GHz core clock barrier easily on air-cooling, thanks to its industry-leading Power4 power delivery architecture and Twin Frozr III dual-fan advanced cooling solution.

Power4

architecture

for

overclocking

The MSI N580GTX Lightning and R6970 Lightning graphic cards inherit the impressive Power4 architecture from previous Lightning cards along with improved components and design in four areas. • PWM module is twice as large as before and provides double the amount of current to the GPU, • memory has its own independent power supply using an 8-pin connector for minimum interference to greatly increase overclocking potential, • next-generation Proadlizer capacitor increases signal stability by leaps and bounds, and • CopperMOS, the industry's best MOSFET, provides the GPU with a large and stable power supply. 2

March 25th, 2011

Combined, these features provide ordinary users as well as extreme overclocking enthusiasts with a more stable operating environment. Twin Frozr III and Propeller Blade technology takes cooling to the next level

Published by: VR-Zone

Reference: MSI Press Release

A.C. Ryan PlayOn!HD2 review: it's all about HD content Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a.c.-ryan-playon-hd2-review-it-s-allabout-hd-content/11607.html March 25th, 2011

The all new Twin Frozr III cooling design with Propeller Blade technology doubles the amount of airflow compared to conventional fans. The twin 90mm PWM fans are able to push air over a large surface area to remove heat quickly and effectively. Together with SuperPipe (large diameter heat pipes) and the 'form-in-one' heatsink, the result is reduced full load temperatures by 21째C for the N580GTX Lightning, and 26째C for the R6970 Lightning over the respective reference boards. Fan noise is also lower by 5dB and 11dB respectively.

Another day, another media player shows up in VR-Zone's office, where it sits on my desk awaiting its judgement in the form of a review. And this time, it is A.C. Ryan's Playon!HD2 which will be in the hot seat. How well will it fare when put to the test? We shall see.

Overclocking potential unleashed with GPU / Memory / PLL(VDDCI) triple overvoltage The MSI N580GTX Lightning and R6970 Lightning graphic cards come with the latest version of MSI's exclusive Afterburner overclocking utility. The utility not only adjusts core and memory clock but also manages VGPU, VMEM and VPLL (VDDCI) to maximize overclocking potential. Thanks to the triple overvoltage feature, the overclocking potential of N580GTX Lightning is 30% higher than the reference board. King of extreme overclocking Apart from V-Check Points and V-Switch for monitoring and adjusting the VGPU, VMEM and VPLL (VDDCI) in real time, Dual BIOS and XtremeCool3 switches help to effectively prevent potential problems stemming from liquid nitrogen cooling. PWM Clock Tuner also helps to increase overclocking potential.

Most people enjoy watching movies, but not everybody is willing to spend good money on a movie ticket that is only good for one screening of a certain show. After all, common logic dictates that it is more practical to go for the cheaper digital purchase of the film in question which allows for unlimited playbacks, as opposed to blowing it all on a single-trip ticket to the movie theatre, even if the theatre offers a superior audio and visual experience.

Carefully selected materials Both Lightning cards use top-quality Military Class II components including all-solid capacitors for overclocking, Super Ferrite Chokes (SFC) for 10% higher efficiency and 30% increase in maximum current, as well as Hi-C capacitors with tantalum core which boasts eight times the lifetime of conventional solid capacitors.

Of course, users who opt to go for digital downloads will still want to be able to enjoy their downloaded movies on their television sets, and that is where devices such as A.C. Ryan's Playon!HD2 comes in to fill that need. In this review, we will take a look at the aforementioned media player to see whether it will fit the bill as a suitable device for the home theatre enthusiast.

These high-quality components not only increase the graphics cards' overall service life, but also enhance GPU stability.

As usual, here is a quick listing of the Playon!HD2's technical specifications. A.C. Ryan Playon!HD2 media player technical specifications:

The design of the Lightning series represents MSI's unceasing commitment to delivering new breakthroughs and providing consumers with product features and overclocking potential that exceed their expectations.

Chipset A/V Output

Realtek 1185DD Video: HDMI 1.3, composite video, Ypbpr Audio: Digital 5.1(optical +coaxial) audio, composite stereo L/R 3

March 25th, 2011

USB Interface Supported File Systems Supported output formats

Published by: VR-Zone

2 x USB 2.0 (host), 1 x USB 3.0 (slave only) FAT, FAT32, NTFS, EXT3, HFS+ PAL / NTSC / 480p / 576p / 720p / 1080i 50Hz / 1080i 60Hz / 1080p 50Hz / 1080p

60Hz / 1080p 24FPS Supported Video Formats AVI / MKV / TS / TP / TRP / M2TS / MPG / MP4 / MOV / M4V / VOB / ISO / DVD-ISO / IFO / DAT / WMV / ASF / RM / RMVB / BD-ISO

Supported Subtitle Formats Supported Audio Formats

FLV resolution up to 720p / 1080i / 1080p SRT, SMI, SSA, IDX/SUB, SUB MP3 / MP2 / WMA / AAC / FLAC / WAV / OGG Vorbis / PCM / LPCM / MS-ADPCM /

LC-AAC / HE-AAC / COOK / RA-Lossless Supported Audio Systems Stereo Dolby Digital AC3 5.1 (passthrough & downmix to stereo) Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 (passthrough) Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (passthrough & downmix to stereo) DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (passthrough & downmix to stereo)

Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi: Now available in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-galaxy-tab-wifi-nowavailable-in-singapore/11700.html March 25th, 2011

Forget about the April 4 launch date that the rumour mill has been churning out about the WiFi-only version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab; a press release issued by Samsung has just revealed that consumers down in sunny Singapore can expect to see the WiFi-only Galaxy Tabs hit retail stores much earlier than that aforementioned date.

The rumour mill might be a great place to search when it comes to digging out pre-launch leaks for a wide variety of products, but it should also be pointed out that any information obtained via such sources usually comes with a lot of question marks where accuracy is concerned. After all, the rumour mill operates under the condition of anonymity; as such, it is usually difficult (if not downright impossible) to verify the legitimacy of claims originating from it. That being said, if you have been keep up with our news postings, you might have probably noticed that we had posted a story describing a rumour that Samsung was planning to release a WiFi-only version of the GALAXY Tab sometime in April this year for approximately US$399. Well, it turns out that the rumour mill was both right and wrong on this: while Samsung has confirmed that there will indeed be a WiFi-only GALAXY Tab, the idea of an April release date is bogus, at least where Singapore is concerned.

AAC 7.1 (passthrough & downmix to stereo)

Supported Codecs

Supported Image Formats

FLAC MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 / MPEG-4 SP/ASP/AVC (H.264 | x264) / XviD / DivX / WMV9 (VC-1) RealVideo 8/9/10 (up to 720P) JPEG, HD JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIF, PNG

March 25th, 2011

So when will Singapore be getting its shipments of the Samsung GALAXY Tab WiFi? Well, according to the official press release, the WiFi-only version of the tablet will be available starting tomorrow (26 March) at all leading mobile phones and electronic stores at the RRP of S$538, inclusive of GST. And yes, it comes bundled with version 2.2 (Froyo) of the Android operating system, just as the rumour mill had predicted.

Published by: VR-Zone

Google Music now under internal testing, still lacks definite release date Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-music-now-under-internaltesting-still-lacks-definite-release-date/11697.html March 25th, 2011

Nook color to get apps and flash in April update Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nook-color-to-get-apps-and-flash-inapril-update/11699.html March 25th, 2011

A long, long time ago in a news posting far, far behind, we wrote that Google was in the midst of planning some form of cloud music service in order to offer a more complete user experience on its Android ecosystem. More details about that service has since been unveiled, and the information we have gathered seems to suggest that Google Music is almost ready for a consumer launch. Read on to find out more.

Made as an e-reader, who would have thought that the Nook color would become one of the most popular device amongst the android developers community. It's set to be even better with the April update. Read on.

According to the Home Shopping Network, the April firmware update will include Flash support and apps. The Nook color took the Android tablet community by storm shortly after its release. Developers have been able to transform the Android based ereader into something which is able to match the galaxy tab in terms of performance. At just US$249, it is set to be one of the strongest contenders in the budget tablet arena. Officially supporting apps and flash will gain support from those who are less keen to tinker with the inner workings of their devices. It is still unknown if the apps support refers to Barnes & nobles' own app store or the Android market.

Google might not have its own online music service yet, but it should be of no surprise that the search giant has always harboured plans for such a service that could be integrated into both its search engine and Android ecosystems. After all, we had already posted a story way back in June last year which shed some light about Google considering the possibility of a music service, and a more recent article published last month has revealed that the music service was indeed a reality, thanks to a slip of the tongue by Motorola's CEO Sanjay Jha. However, a lucky find by an XDA Developers forum member has suggested that Google's development on its music service has proceeded much faster than many would have expected it to. In a forum post made two weeks ago, the poster claims that he was playing around with a custom Honeycomb ROM for his smartphone, only to find out that the ROM contained a fully working version of Google Music preloaded, complete with cloud syncing capabilities. More recently, a report published by CNET claims that music industry sources close to the search giant have revealed that Google is already well into the next step of the testing process. Known as 'dog-fooding', it refers to employees being tasked to try or test out a new product or service in order for developers to gather data on how the service might function under typical real world circumstances. Add both findings together, and most users will probably come to the same conclusion - that

March 25th, 2011

Google's upcoming online music service is almost ready, and it is only a matter of time before Google Music goes live. At first glance, that might sound like a godsend. After all, online music sales have been largely dominated by the likes of Apple, and competition from a powerful content provider such as Google ought to give iTunes a run for its money. Unfortunately, it seems that Google will have its work cut out for it, as CNET's report claim that industry players close to the search giant have identified content availability as the biggest problem faced by Google Music. This is due fundamental differences in Apple's and Google's approach to digital music: unlike Apple, Google is reportedly negotiating with record companies for rights to all music synced to Google's cloud servers, and not just tracks made available for download via Google Music. Needless to say, record companies are understandably wary of Google's unorthodox proposal; this has resulted in delays over content availability for Google Music. Still, one should not overlook the fact that Google has had experience in digital music, and it is entirely possible that Google's approach might come off as the better solution as opposed to Apple's iTunes. But we shall wait and see.

Fukushima workers rushed to hospital

Published by: VR-Zone

Relative to exposure to radiation by air, exposure via water poses a greater threat to personal safety. Direct exposure to radiation can result in inflammation. The two hospitalised are now being treated for radiation burns to the feets and legs.

RIM confirms support for Android applications in upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rim-confirms-support-for-androidapplications-in-upcoming-blackberry-playbook-tablet/11696.html March 25th, 2011

Remember the rumours made some time back about RIM's upcoming tablet being able to run both its own apps alongside that of Android's, even though it uses a different operating system? Well, it turns out that the rumours were true after all: the PlayBook will indeed come with such functionality built into the BlackBerry Tablet OS, along with a few extra features.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fukushima-workers-rushed-tohospital/11698.html March 25th, 2011

Three workers at the Fukushima Daiichi plant had to be rushed to the hospital following exposure to high dosages of radiation. Read On.

It is no secret that it is no longer enough for a mobile operating system to boast high-performance and a visually appealing user interface. While nobody will deny that the aforementioned characteristics play a part in an operating system's popularity, the real deal maker comes in the form of the operating system's application repository. SImply put, if a mobile OS wants to do well in the market, it has to offer a large enough app repository that can satisfy just about every single user's needs.

Three workers at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant were exposed to radioactive water that was 10,000 times the normal level, and two of them stepped into the water without boots, according to a report.

With that being said, how will a completely new OS like the BlackBerry Tablet OS in RIM's upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook solve the problem of having only small library of native applications? Well, the rumour mill was claiming that RIM would attempt to achieve some form of compatibility with Android by giving its tablet OS the ability to run Android applications without forcing developers to recompile their apps. And as it turns out, the rumour is indeed true, for RIM has confirmed that such a feature does exist in its BlackBerry Tablet OS.

According to a spokesman for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), "Three workers who were working to lay cables in the basement of the turbine building were exposed to radiation between 170 to 180 millisieverts."

According to a report posted by gadget website Electronista, RIM's approach in ensuring app compatibility between its new tablet OS and Android is made up of two steps. The first step requires that developers carry out some 'repackaging' on their

March 25th, 2011

existing Android apps: this will allow users to download the apps off RIM's own BlackBerry App World. The second step involves the use of 'players', which appear to be some kind of compatibility wrapper or unofficial implementation of Android's APIs and libraries. This 'player' will allow Android apps to run under the BlackBerry Tablet OS environment, albeit non-natively. If it works well, this move will give RIM instant access to the large library of applications currently available for download on the Android Market, along with other third-party repositories which offer similar Android software. Last but definitely not least, RIM reportedly claims that the PlayBook's OS will come with its own Java engine which is supposedly compatible with legacy BlackBerry Java applications. No news about RIM's Java engine has been made public yet, but speculations are rife that RIM might opt to drop the Dalvik virtual machine currently used by Android in favor of another implementation to avoid crossing paths with Oracle over the lawsuit the latter has filed against Google regarding unauthorized used of Java code.

Google deliberately withholding source code for Honeycomb? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-deliberately-withholdingsource-code-for-honeycomb-/11695.html March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Many people might have different interpretations of what actually constitutes an open-source project. However, it does not change the fact that anything released under an opensource or free software license is required to release its underlying source code in order to allow other developers the chance to study, adapt, and where applicable, make changes to the codes for the benefit of both users and programmers. Which, for the most part, are characteristics which describes Google's Android operating system to a T. After all, Android's open-source nature has resulted in Android users having a large variety of custom ROMs to play around with, courtesy of the hacking community. However, it seems that this cosy relationship between Google and the hacker community is about to hit a snag: a report published by BusinessWeek has revealed that the search giant is not about to release the source code for Honeycomb to the open-source community for the "foreseeable future". According to Google, the reason it is refusing to release the source code for Honeycomb is due to the fact that the aforementioned build of Android was specially developed for a specific class of devices; tablet PCs. The search giant fears that, by open-sourcing Honeycomb, the hacker community will attempt to re-purpose the operating system for devices it was never meant to be used on, which will have an adverse impact on end-user experience. "To make our schedule to ship the tablet, we made some design tradeoffs," said Andy Rubin, vice-president for engineering at Google and head of its Android group. He added that they "did not want to think about what it would take for the same software to run on phones", as it would have required "a lot of additional resources and extended our schedule beyond what we thought was reasonable". "So we took a shortcut," he said.

The open-source nature of Google's Android operating system means that just about anybody can pick up the underlying source, adapt it for their own use and contribute bugfixes patches back to the main source tree if they feel inclined to. However, it seems that this close relationship between Google and the open-source community might be about to take a turn for the worse: various sources have suggested that Google might be deliberately withholding the source code for the latest version of Android, also known as Honeycomb. What could be happening here?

In some ways, Google's fear is very real. After all, enterprising tablet OEMs had attempted to port early builds of Android over to tablets, and the result was that the end-user experience was anything but spectacular. While later versions of the Android operating system such as Froyo were robust enough to scale up with the large displays of tablet PCs with little issue, it is clear that Google does not want to deal with similar issues about Honeycomb potentially playing nasty with non-tablet devices such as smartphones, set-top boxes or even vehicles. Needless to say, Google's move has sparked off a fierce debate about the legality of its decision, with open-source and free software enthusiasts claiming that the various licenses Android is currently released under explicitly prohibits the withholding of source code. However, the search giant has attempted to address the community's ire by confirming that the status quo for the overall Android ecosystem remains unchanged, and that the Android project will always be opensource.

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--24mar-2011/11693.html March 25th, 2011

Description: Just below that is an innocent looking GeForce logo, and while at first it seems a fairly standard decal, to our surprise when first powering the card we were greeted with a sleek illuminated GeForce logo. This is also used to indicate any issues with the power connections. This illuminated logo was something that was photographed last year before the GTX 580 launch, and while the card displayed was uncertain, and speculated to be the GTX 580, it didn't ship with such a decal. So we love that this distinctive feature was finally included in a production card.

In today's news roundup: Reviews of NVIDIA's latest graphics card, the GeForce GTX590, have started surfacing in cyberspace; The GTX590 gets compared against AMD's Radeon HD 6990; Chrome 11 will reportedly come with a new speech-to-text feature; Bertrand Serlet, the guy who led the development of Mac OS X since the beginning, is leaving Apple; Our sister site SGCafe has published a report on the official announcement of Asiasoft's new 3D MMORPG known as AIKA SEA, and Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica X will be released as downloadable titles in Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.

GeForce GTX 590 vs Radeon HD 6990: You Want The Best? @ InsideHW Description: Every time that a new series of graphics cards is presented, it’s merely a matter of time before multiGPU solutions are presented to be the cream of the crop of the current product gamma. These models don’t stay on the market for long, nor do they shift sizeable amounts of units sold, obviously, having in mind their outrageous price. Besides, the power efficiency of these models isn’t exactly something to be envied on, while the ludicrous dimensions and heating is also something to account for; besides the environmental threat they pose, these cards have to be provided with a large enclosure as well. So, why even bother to make them, one may ask...

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 24 Mar 2011

Hardware news Patriot G2 PC3-12800 Review @ XSReviews.co.uk Description: Today we’re looking at some DDR3 memory from Patriot. An offering from their Gamer series, the G2 enhanced latency kit is aimed towards gamers seeking the best performance at the best price. Let’s take a closer look and find out if it’s as good as they say it is. EVGA GeForce GTX 590 Classified Dual Graphics DirectX 11 Video Card 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. Despite the muscle, the EVGA GeForce GTX 590 Classified runs silently with a single low RPM fan actively cooling a pair of advanced vapor chamber heatsinks and only measures eleven inches in length. For enthusiasts who want maximum performance in ultra high resolutions including 2560 x 1600 with up to 64x AA, the EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Classified’s power is hard to ignore. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 Gemini Video Card @ Benchmark Reviews Description: With 512 CUDA cores each, two independent NVIDIA GF110 GPUs join to deliver 1024 total cores of graphical processing power. There are six 64-bit memory controllers that offer 384-bit combined bandwidth per GPU, and feed 3GB of combined GDDR5 video frame buffer. All of this is said to deliver comparable performance to the Radeon HD 6990, which is good for gamers, but it does so while using less power and emitting less noise. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the GeForce GTX 590 against the AMD Radeon HD 6990 and an entire market of top-end desktop graphics solutions.

Zalman CNPS11X Extreme CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: Zalman really has it going on with the new 11X Extreme. The five composite heatpipes and the innovative design allow its fan to provide some excellent cooling with very reasonable acoustics. Really, the only complaint I have about the 11X is the mounting solutions. While the cooler is very secure with this mounting scheme, I miss the ease with which most previous Zalman coolers could be installed, even inside the case. ASUS EAH 6990 Review @ ocaholic Description: With the EAH 6990, ASUS presents its first AMD Radeon HD 6900 series graphics card featuring two GPUs. The successor of the already very powerful Radeon HD 5970 lets us all hope for another superb graphics card with excellent performance because it's a fully functionnal dual Cayman XT (aka Radeon HD 6970) with high clock speeds. We expect really good DX11 performance and we're going to show you if the Radeon HD 6990 performs as well as an HD 6970 CrossFire setup. Antec Nine Hundred Two v3 Review - XSReviews.co.uk Description: Continuing our spate of Antec case revamp reviews, today we have the baby of the bunch, the Nine Hundred two v3. Sure it’s a few hundred Antec numbers below the Twelve Hundred we reviewed recently, but it’s a lot more than the P193 right? In numbers anyway. Still, featuring a new SSD slot, and a USB 3.0 port, what could go wrong? Consumer Electronics and Software news Chameleon X-1 gaming mouse / gamepad review: greater than the sum of its parts Description: Manufactured by Hong Kong-based company Shogun Bros, the Chamleon X-1 may be the most innovative gaming mouse to ever grace a desktop or laptop bag. The Chameleon X-1 gaming mouse pulls triple-duty as a wireless

ASUS GeForce GTX 590 3GB review 8

March 25th, 2011

gaming mouse, a wireless gamepad, and a media remote -- and it actually handles each of those tasks pretty well. Seagate GoFlex 1TB External Drive for Mac Review @ Bigbruin.com Description: Once again, we are quite pleased with the overall performance of a Seagate GoFlex product. Seagate is clearly hoping the GoFlex for Mac will fill one of the only real voids left in the GoFlex lineup, and at the same time provide a product targeted directly at Mac users. While their other products do work with OS X out of the box, the others are not optimized for the Mac platform. The Father of Mac OS X Is Leaving Apple Description: Bertrand Serlet, the guy who led the development of Mac OS X since the beginning, is leaving Apple. He was one of the heavyweights and a legendary figure at the company, even while he wasn't well known by the general public. But why is he leaving? Chrome 11 Beta Brings Voice-to-Text Capabilities Description: Google has pushed Chrome 11 to the beta channel, bringing a couple of improvements, including the browser’s ability to transcribe voice to text. Windows Phone 7 Update schedule arrives: stinks for AT&T users Description: In a bid to penetrate the fog surrounding Windows Phone 7's updates, Microsoft has published a table to let users know where their network operator stands and get a feel for when they might actually get the update. For most, it looks like the update is out of testing and will be scheduled for release soon. Not so with AT&T, however. Hercules XPS Diamond 2.0 USB Speakers Description: Can a speaker be a girl’s best friend? We suppose so, if the speaker is made out of diamonds. Well, theoretically speaking, it is going to be an extremely expensive pair of speakers if this were to be true – but perhaps something like the Hercules XPS Diamond 2.0 USB Speakers might make do as a replacement. MSI brings Fusion-based AE2050 AIO, CR650 notebook to US Description: MSI brought two of its earliest PCs using AMD's Fusion technology to the US on Thursday. The Wind Top AE2050 headlines the group by putting AMD's 1.6GHz E-350 into a 20-inch, multi-touch all-in one. Moving to the chip cuts power use by as much as 74 percent over a typical desktop but still gives it proper 1080p playback and otherwise modern Radeon HD 6310 graphics. Gaming news Asiasoft Announces AIKA SEA, Prepares For Closed and Open Beta Description: Asiasoft shows us a preview of AIKA SEA, a localised version of AIKA Online - a 3D MMORPG that focuses on the Player vs. Player (PvP) in the enchanting land of Arcan. Developed by JoyImpact, a studio under HanbitSoft, the South-east Asia version will be opening up for Closed Beta on March 31 and Open Beta on April 12.

Published by: VR-Zone

least till next week. The latest portable gaming console from Nintendo will be available on retail beginning March 28 at a retail price of S$399. A midnight launch event be held in Funan Challenger store on March 27. Resident Evil 4 HD Hitting PSN and Xbox Live, Resident Evil Code: Veronica X also coming. Description: Capcom said today it will release Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica X as downloadable titles on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network this Fall.

MSI launches CX640 notebook, upgrades others to Sandy Bridge Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-launches-cx640-notebookupgrades-others-to-sandy-bridge/11694.html March 25th, 2011

Earlier today we attended an MSI launch event in Taipei where the company unveiled its new CX640 notebook alongside second generation Core i platform upgrades two a few other models. One thing that struck us is that MSI has added USB 3.0 connectivity across all of the new and upgraded models which is something that no other manufacturer have done across so many of its models to date. Earlier today we attended an MSI launch event in Taipei where the company unveiled its new CX640 notebook alongside second generation Core i platform upgrades two a few other models. One thing that struck us is that MSI has added USB 3.0 connectivity across all of the new and upgraded models which is something that no other manufacturer have done across so many of its models to date. Let's start with the new CX640 model which features a completely new design and MSI claims that they've drawn inspiration from Audi's cars of all things, although we can see a few other sources of inspiration. For example the side mounted, round green power button is meant to draw its inspiration from the engine start/stop button found in some cars, but we'd say it's very similar to what Sony have been doing for a few years now. Not that there's anything wrong with drawing inspiration from competitors products and MSI didn't stick the power button in the screen hinge.

Nintendo 3DS Available In Singapore On March 28, Midnight Launch on March 27 Description: Waiting patiently for Nintendo’s 3DS to be officially available in Singapore ? Your wait is over, well at 9

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

memory and up to 640GB of hard drive space. The standard optical drive is a DVD writer, but an optional Blu-ray combo drive will be available in some markets.

An interesting touch of symmetry is that the power connector is located on the exact opposite side and is high-lighted with a silver circle which makes it look similar to the power button. The overall design of the CX640 is a big step in the right direction for MSI as even though this is a mid-range model from MSI it feels like a high-quality machine. The CX640 will be available in black and silver and both models have a machined track pad of decent size that feels like it's been cut out of a solid piece of metal. Both the wrist rest/keyboard surround and display back appears to be made out of metal too which adds to the high-quality feel of the CX640.

Other design touches includes most of the important ports located on the left hand side, including the power, D-sub, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet and the two USB 3.0 ports. MSI suggests that this removes the problem with wires sticking out on the right hand side for those wanting to use a mouse, although the only flaw in this reasoning would be left handed people. On the right hand side is the optical drive, a pair of audio jacks and two USB 2.0 ports. There's also a card reader around the front.

MSI has also included a 1.3 Megapixel webcam, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi support and Bluetooth 3.0 + HS. The CPU options will depend on the market, but MSI will offer the CX640 with a selection of Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, up to 8GB of DDR3

There are actually two SKUs available, as the CX640 is the version with discrete graphics whereas the CR640 is identical in terms of design and features, but lack the discrete graphics options and as such relies on Intel's HD 3000 graphics. In the case of the CX640 MSI is offering a GeForce GT 520M with 1GB of graphics memory. The GeForce GT 520M is anything but a high-end solution with a 64-bit memory interface and 48 shaders, but as it doesn't appear as if MSI is support graphics switching on the CX460, this might be as well as at least it should be a fairly low power GPU.

One interesting feature MSI has added to the CX640 is what the company calls a Time Stamp button which is pretty much a quick backup button which takes a snapshot of the current system state. This will according to MSI allow for quick system restores when needed. Other features worthy of note includes a hard drive drop sensor which prevents damage to the hard drive in case you'd drop the notebook, am ambient light sensor that adjust the screen backlight automatically and MSI's HiFre (don't ask us what it stands for) Wi-Fi antenna which the company claims boost Wi-Fi performance by 1.3 times.

Overall the CX640 is an impressive new model from MSI simply because it's not like anything MSI has ever done before. The best part of it is that it's an affordable model with the Core i3-2310M model with 2GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive starting out at NT$27,900 (S$1,188) in Taiwan, with a CPU upgrade to a Core i5-2410M will increase the cost by NT $3,000 (S$128) which sounds like a pretty decent deal to us.

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

World's fastest graphics card? NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/world-s-fastest-graphics-card-nvidiageforce-gtx-590/11701.html March 25th, 2011

NVIDIA has introduced the GeForce GTX 590, the fastest dual-GPU graphics card available today which also happens to be the world's quietest too. Powered by dual fully-enabled NVIDIA GF110 GPUs on a single card, the GTX 590 is designed for uber enthusiasts and those looking to build the ultimate PC gaming rig.

NVIDIA engineered the GTX 590 to be the world's quietest dual GPU product. It features a special cooling system and dual vapour chambers which deliver both astounding performance and acoustics. Measured with a standard decibel meter, the GTX 590 clocks in at 48dB, more than two times quieter than the closest competitive product under full graphics load. To the human ear, this difference means the GTX 590 delivers a 3D gaming experience that is typical of a quiet library. In comparison, the competition's product is more on par with a busy freeway. "The GTX 590 is the best dual GPU product ever built," said Drew Henry, general manager of GeForce GPU business at NVIDIA. "With leading performance, support for multimonitor 3D gaming, Quad SLI, and an acoustic envelope that begs to be heard for how quiet it is, the GTX 590 epitomises what a perfect dual graphics card looks, performs, and sounds like."

SINGAPORE - March 25, 2011 - NVIDIA has introduced the GeForce® GTX® 590, the fastest dual graphics card available today which also happens to be the world's quietest too. Powered by dual NVIDIA Fermi™-class GPUs on a single card, the GTX 590 is designed for uber enthusiasts and those looking to build the ultimate PC gaming rig. With a combined 1024 NVIDIA CUDA® architecture cores, 3GB of GDDR5 memory, 6 billion transistors and over 2200 individual components all packed into an 11-inch dual slot card, the GTX 590 delivers a staggering 32 tessellation engines that can power today's cutting edge DX11 games at resolutions of 2560 x 1600 and higher. With four separate video outputs on each card, consumers can configure their PC with four independent displays, or they can span their gaming across 3 3D displays, at a resolution up to 5760 x 1080 for an intense, immersive, stereoscopic gaming experience utilising NVIDIA 3D Vision™ Surround technology. Like all NVIDIA "DX11 Done Right" GPUs, the GTX 590 delivers the world's fastest performance for DX11 gamesi. And with NVIDIA SLI® technology, the industry's most scalable multi-GPU platform, gamers can increase their PC's gaming performance by adding a second GeForce GTX 590, for an incredible Quad SLI gaming mode.

With an estimated selling e-tail price starting at US$699, the GeForce GTX 590 is available starting today from the world's leading add-in card partners, including Asus, EVGA, Gainward, Gigabyte, Inno3D, MSI, POV, Palit, and Zotac. For more information on the new GeForce GTX 590, please visit: http://www.geforce.com/Hardware/GPUs/ geforce-gtx-590/overview. For an interactive demo of the new GeForce GTX 590, please visit: http://www.geforce.com/Hardware/GPUs/ geforce-gtx-590/productdemo. Source: NVIDIA Press Release

ASUS Announces Xtion PRO Developer Challenge Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-announces-xtion-pro-developerchallenge/11692.html

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 25th, 2011

ASUS has announced the start of a new competition designed to showcase the exciting features of the new ASUS Xtion PRO. With over US$24,000 up for grabs, creativity and ingenuity is a must as competition will be fierce. In addition to the cash prizes, participants will have a chance to earn future business cooperation opportunities with ASUS. Do you remember the short story about ASUS's new motion sensing controller for PCs, the WAVI Xtion, that we published some three weeks back? Well, if you do, you might possibly be wondering how developers or programmers might be able to find a use for it. After all, full body motion sensing controllers are still somewhat new and unfamiliar territory to many, and it is understandable if developers are regarding this new trend with some degree of scepticism.

Last but definitely not least,developers are also required to provide a short two-minute video to explain their applications, and how users can use the Xtion controller to interact with it. If that sounds like something that is right up your alley, you might want to start cracking: the competition has already commenced and will run until 31 May this year. And with over US$24,000 in prize money up for grabs, we'd wager that things are about to get really competitive in no time. More information about the competition can be obtained here.

HP Rebuts Oracle, Pledges Intel Itanium Support Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-rebuts-oracle-pledges-intelitanium-support/11690.html March 25th, 2011

Apparently, ASUS is fully aware of this issue, and is keen on ensuring that the Xtion controller receives the developer support it needs to create its own market. To achieve that, the Taiwanese OEM has announced a developer competition for the Xtion, in which programmers will pit themselves against each other by attempting to design applications that take full advantage of the Xtion's capabilities. The rules of the competition are fairly straight-forward: developers who wish to take part should ensure that their applications are written in either C++ or C#, and that the resulting software be fully compatible with the Xtion controller. In addition, developers are required to ensure that their applications meet the following criteria:

Developers will be given free reign over the kind of application they wish to design, although ASUS has stated that the finished software should fall into either one of three categories, namely Games, Multimedia and Miscellaneous.

HP reiterated that it will continue the development and innovation of Itanium-based Integrity server platforms and will continue to support customers running existing versions of Oracle software on Itanium-based Integrity servers, both existing and future platforms. This latest Oracle action of disinformation is clearly an attempt to force customers into purchasing Sun servers in a desperate move to slow their declining market share.

March 25th, 2011

"Oracle continues to show a pattern of anti-customer behavior as they move to shore up their failing Sun server business," said Dave Donatelli, executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Servers, Storage and Networking, HP. "HP believes in fair and honest competition. Competition is good for customers, innovation and the marketplace. We are shocked that Oracle would put enterprises and governments at risk while costing them hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity in a shameless gambit to limit fair competition." This latest Oracle action of disinformation is clearly an attempt to force customers into purchasing Sun servers in a desperate move to slow their declining market share. In a direct contradiction to a statement made yesterday by Oracle, Paul Otellini, president and chief executive officer, Intel Corporation said, "Intel's work on Intel Itanium processors and platforms continues unabated with multiple generations of chips currently in development and on schedule. We remain firmly committed to delivering a competitive, multi-generational roadmap for HP-UX and other operating system customers that run the Itanium architecture."

Published by: VR-Zone

specific dates, both FX-series and A-series seem very likely to release between late Q2 and early Q3.

Western Digital introduces 6TB external storage device in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/western-digital-introduces-6tbexternal-storage-device-in-singapore/11687.html March 25th, 2011

How much hard disk space is enough for a typical content creator's needs? 1TB? 1.5TB? Or perhaps even 2TB? Well, Western Digital thinks that even that amount is insufficient today considering how the digital landscape has evolved. And its solution? Why, a new external strorage which boasts an astronomical 6TB of data storage capacity. Are you ready to welcome WD's My Book Studio II into your digital lifestyle?

Poulson is Intel's next-generation 32-nm, 8-core-based Itanium chip, and is on track to more than double the performance of the existing Tukwila architecture. Kittson is an officially committed roadmap product for Itanium beyond Poulson and also is in active development. Intel(R) Itanium processor industry momentum will be highlighted in a keynote at the upcoming Beijing Intel Developer's Forum.

Sterne Agee: AMD Llano (ASeries) shipping in April Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sterne-agee-amd-llano-a-seriesshipping-in-april/11691.html March 25th, 2011

Vijay Rakesh, semiconduntor analyst at financial consultants Sterne Agee, insists that AMD is set to ship Llano to major PC vendors, including HP and Acer, as early as April. AMD's official stance has been "Summer 2011" for quite some time, while lastest rumours indicate a July 2011 release. In addition, in a conversation with Tech Trader Daily, Rakesh re-iterated that Llano was always expected to ship in April.

When it comes to expanding one's available storage capacities in a desktop or notebook PC, there are generally two ways to go about in doing so. For hardware-savvy users, the solution is usually to purchase a new hard disk and install it as an internal storage device in order to take advantage of the significantly faster speeds offered by the SATA interface. However, end-users who have little to zero experience in dealing with a PC's internal components or just want a quickand-easy method of expanding their PC's existing storage limits will opt for the second method, which is to simply purchase an external storage device that connects to one's machine via USB, eSATA or Firewire. And if you belong to this group of users, Western Digital's latest announcement is sure to be nothing short of good news. Anyone fancy juicing up your PC's storage space by as much as a whopping 6TB?

Technically, the US summer is often described as late May to early September, so shipping by April for release in May is within AMD's timeline. If true, we will see systems based on Llano in stores within Q2. Surprisingly, Rakesh also states that Bulldozer (FX-Series) will release in Q3, contrary to rumours of a late Q2 launch. Of course, this is anything but official information, so it must be taken with a big grain of salt. Regardless of rumours for 13

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

This card will only be available in some regions such as US, Europe, Japan, Australia and China for a suggested retail price of US$699. There isn't any for Singapore market if you are wondering.

Logitech launches Z906 theater-quality surround sound speakers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-launches-z906-theaterquality-surround-sound-speakers/11686.html March 25th, 2011

According to Western Digital, the new My Book Studio II is a dual-drive external storage device that is optimized for use on Mac OS X. Of course, by 'optimizing', the company means that the My Book Studio II has been factory-formatted in the HFS+ file system currently used by Mac OS X. This allows Mac users to not only access the full range of read-write capabilities available for use on the storage device, but also renders it compatible for use with Time Machine. This is because NTFS support on OS X is limited to read-only, and Time Machine does not support writing to non-HFS+ file systems.

The Logitech Z906 is the successor to the award-winning Logitech Z-5500 speakers, and promises 5.1-surround sound for movies, games and music. For those looking for a new 5.1surround sound speakers, the Z906 will be available at end April.

In addition, the My Book Studio II also supports connections via eSATA, USB 2.0 or Firewire (800 and 400). This makes it a highly versatile storage device, as it can offer users a choice between compatibility (USB) or performance (eSATA, Firewire), especially if consistent, high-sped data read-write speeds are required. The My Book Studio II can also be set up to run in various RAID configurations for greater performance and data security. If that is enough to have you thirsting for a My Book Studio II, the good news is the My Book Studio is currently available for sale in Singapore at selected resellers, and that there will be two distributors in charge of ensuring supply. The bad news is that you might probably have to tighten your belt a little, thanks to the device's S$699 pricetag. Last but not least, Windows XP users will have to sit this one out, as the 10-yearold operating system does not support storage devices with capacities larger than 2TB.

GeForce GTX 590 Gathers Much Fanfare Before Launch Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/geforce-gtx-590-gathers-much-fanfarebefore-launch/11689.html March 25th, 2011

Logitech unveiled their surround sound speakers Z906. Delivering 500 watts (RMS) of power, the Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z906 are THX Certified to create a theaterquality audio experience in your living room. If you enjoy house-shaking bass, the ported, side-firing subwoofer delivers 165 watts of pure, distortion-free bass. And the Logitech Surround Sound Speakers convert two-channel stereo into an immersive surround sound experience. The Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z906 are designed to complement your existing living room setup. You can connect up to six audio devices simultaneously â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including your TV, DVD, DVR, Blu-Ray player, Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii, iPod and even your PC or Mac laptop. And with its easy-to-read display and easy-to-stack design, the control console looks good with your home-entertainment system. Pricing and Availability The Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z906 are expected to be available in Singapore in end April for a suggested retail price of S$609.

This card will only be available in some regions such as US, Europe, Japan, Australia and China for a suggested retail price of US$699. There isn't any for Singapore market if you are wondering.

March 25th, 2011

Plantronics M100i limited edition radiant red Bluetooth headset retailing at Apple Stores Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/plantronics-m100i-limited-editionradiant-red-bluetooth-headset-retailing-at-apple-stores/11685.html March 25th, 2011

Plantronics has announced their new limited edition M100i Bluetooth headset which sports a stylish, ultra-slim and lightweight design. It is available now at Apple stores till 18 April.

Published by: VR-Zone

100 units will be sold in retail stores - Challenger, selected Apple stores and retailers in Funan Mall and Sim Lim Square.

Hands on with Fujitsu's new Sandy Bridge consumer notebooks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hands-on-with-fujitsu-s-new-sandybridge-consumer-notebooks/11684.html March 25th, 2011

Yesterday we got to spend some time with three new second generation Core i processor notebooks from Fujitsu at a press event in Taipei, namely the Lifebook LH531, A531 and NH751. We did of course snap a few pictures of the new machines and a model or two just because. So let’s take a closer look at what Fujitsu have coming out in the next few weeks as far as its consumer notebooks are concerned. Yesterday we got to spend some time with three new second generation Core i processor notebooks from Fujitsu at a press event in Taipei, namely the Lifebook LH531, A531 and NH751. We did of course snap a few pictures of the new machines and a model or two just because. So let’s take a closer look at what Fujitsu have coming out in the next few weeks as far as its consumer notebooks are concerned.

The Plantronics M100i is very easy to setup and use, and includes convenient voice alerts for remaining talk-time, lowbattery, mute, and connection status. A new feature for iPhone users allows them to monitor headset battery levels with an onscreen battery meter. When it comes to noisy environments, the M100 automatically adjusts to sound levels, so users are always hands-free and able to focus on the task in front of them.

Let’s start with the smallest machine of the three, the 14-inch Lifebook LH531. It comes with an option of a Core i3-2310M or a Core i5-2410M processor, up to 8GB of DDR3 1333MHz RAM and a 320, 500 or 750GB 5,400rpm hard drive.

Other M100i features include: - Multipoint technology pairs one headset to two Bluetooth devices. - Battery that provides up to six hours of talk-time and 10 days of stand-by life. - At only 9g and 8mm thin, the Plantronics M100i is lightweight and comfortable for extended wearing. - Soft gel ear tips, in three different sizes, together with an optional ear loop provide multiple wearing options for a perfect fit. The Plantronics M100i is already selling in stores at a recommended retail price of S$139. The limited edition M100i in radiant red also carries the same S$139 price tag, except that it will be retailing on the Apple online store from 19 March to 18 April 18. (http://store.apple.com/sg/product/H2517PA/A? mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY). Following the promotional period,

Graphics is either from Intel’s HD 3000 graphics, or via a discrete GeForce 410M which is a basic GPU from Nvidia with 48 shaders and a shader clock of 1150MHz which suggests a GPU clock of 575MHz. Fujitsu has added 1GB of discrete graphics memory, although the GPU only has a 64-bit memory interface, so don’t expect this to be a gaming grade solution. Nvidia’s Optimus graphics switching technology is at least supported which is a bonus.

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

i5-2410M, but as always price and configurations vary from market to market.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 23 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--23mar-2011/11683.html March 25th, 2011

Moving on, we have a 14-inch screen with 1366x768 resolution and although Fujitsu calls it an anti-glare display, you can see from the pictures that it’s actually quite reflective. An optical drive is also included and Fujitsu offers the LG531 with either a DVD writer or a Blu-ray combo drive. In terms of connectivity the LH531 features four USB 2.0 ports of which one allows for charging of USB devices even if the notebook is switched off, a D-sub port, an HDMI port, a Gigabit Ethernet port and a pair of audio jacks.

In today's news roundup: Intel has declared that it will continue to maintain development on the IA64 architecture, even after Oracle dismissed the platform as one that is about to reach EOL status soon; DRAM contract prices are slated to increase by some 3% in 2H March; Sprint announces HTC EVO 3D smartphone and EVO View 4G tablet ; Apple has sued Amazon for using the words 'App Store' to market its app repository by claiming that the latter's move will mislead consumers into thinking that Amazon is selling Steve Jobsapproved apps; Singapore is slated to get the 3DS by March 28, and Sony is alleging that hacker 'Geohotz' has removed critical data from his hard disks and left North America in order to put himself out of the court's jurisdiction. Hardware news

Other features include a memory card reader, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and a built in 1.3 Megapixel webcam. The 6-cell battery is said to be good for up to about 6h of usage, although that would be using the Intel graphics. At 2.2kg the LH531 is a pretty typical 14-inch notebook in terms of weight, so nothing out of the ordinary here.

MSI N550GTX-Ti Cyclone II OC Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The MSI N550GTX-Ti Cyclone II OC 1GB graphics cards is based on the NVIDIA Geforce GTX 550 Ti GPU, but is kept nice and cool with the MSI Cyclone II cooling solution. The N550GTX-Ti Cyclone II OC is factory overclocked with the core clock set to 950MHz and the memory at 1075MHz. We put this overclocked GF116 card to the test to see how it performs, keeps cool and overclocks! ASUS EAH6870 1GB Video Card Review @ ITShootOut.com Description: The Radeon HD 6870, contrary to its somewhat confusing name, is not the successor to the Radeon 5870. Instead, it acts as an almost direct replacement for the Radeon 5850, both in terms of performance and in price. Today we are looking at the Asus variant which has some exclusive features including the Voltage Tweak functionality we have come to particularly enjoy when overclocking.

Fujitsu will offer the LH531 in at least black, red/black and pink/red where in the latter case the keyboard is the red part. Speaking of the keyboard, Fujitsu is sticking with its typical and very distinctive keyboard design which we’re not entirely sold on, but it’s far from the worst out there. The track pad on the other hand is a bit on the small side in our opinion, especially for a notebook this size. Starting price in Taiwan is NT$29,800 (S$1,274), although that price includes the Core

Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: When it's all said and done, Arctic Cooling's new Freezer 13 Pro, with it's innovative “Cross Blow” feature, is a worthy successor to the Freezer series of coolers. As of this writing, it only seems to be available from the Arctic Cooling website for around $55 US. Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 Flex Edition 2GB DDR5 DX11 Video Card Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: Sapphire is back on the scene with the Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 FleX Edition. The Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 FleX comes with the onboard ability to use Eyefinity 16

March 25th, 2011

without the need of a DisplayPort monitor or Active DP adapter. The underlying 6950 is still the original stock model. This sports a 800MHz core clock and 1250MHz (5 Gb/ s effective) memory speed. The HD 6950 has 2 DVI, 2 mini Display Port, and a single HDMI 1.4a slot. There is also advanced technology with the HD 6950, including dual graphics engines, 22 SIMD engines, and 88 texture units. Sapphire has also included TriXX utility support and their Vapor-X cooling solution. NZXT H2 Review @ Vortez Description: The H2 is a case that slots into NZXT's "Classic" series and is regarded as the "Silent Midtower" due to the fact that there are thick side panels which feature foam underlay. It differentiates itself from the gaudy gamer styled cases currently swarming the market, by offering elegance and a minimalistic approach to styling. Fans within H2 can be controlled through 3 stages giving the user complete control over audio levels emitted from the chassis. With much more to talk about, lets begin our analysis of the new NZXT H2 that launches today. Fractal Design Define R3 Case Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine translation) The Fractal Design Define R3 is the next PC-Case in the Technic3D Editorship. Define R3 – the successor to the good selling Define R2! Now available with a bunch of improvements, including improved cable routing, air flow and bigger hole in M/B plate for mounting CPU coolers. We will check this and more in the following Review. DRAM contract prices up 3% in 2H March Description: In order to ensure chip supply, which reportedly is likely to be short of demand starting in May, PC and system vendors are more willing to accept higher prices, according to sources at DRAM makers. Prices will go up in April anyway as PC OEMs begin to rebuild their low inventory, even without taking into account the effects of Japan's earthquake on the chip supply chain, the sources said. Intel: We Are Completely Committed to Itanium Platform. Description: Intel Corp. on Wednesday said that it would continue developing Itanium-series microprocessors and the mission-critical platform will continue to exist. The company's statements were a response to Oracle's claims that the IA64 platform was nearing the end of life. Consumer Electronics and Software news Sprint announces HTC EVO 3D smartphone and EVO View 4G tablet Description: HTC is getting in on the 3D action with Sprint announcing the upcoming release of the 4G-capable HTC EVO 3D smartphone, which will be appearing alongside the equally 4G-capable HTC EVO View 4G tablet. ARM cooperating with Microsoft, says ARM Taiwan president Description: ARM has been cooperating with Microsoft to develop processor architectures, according to president Philip Lu for ARM Taiwan at a March 22 press conference in Taipei.

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: MasterImage 3D announced today that it has received a $15 million investment from Samsung Ventures. The company is focused on 3D - for cinemas (with over 60 installations), mobile displays and 3D camera ASICs. We're guessing that Samsung is more interested in the glassesfree handset displays and cameras than the cinema 3D technology... Apple’s Mac Chief Departs as Big Changes Come to OS X Description: Apple SVP of Mac Software Engineering Betrand Serlet is leaving the company, according to a press release issued by Apple. He will be replaced by Craig Federighi, Apple’s VP of Mac software engineering. Frederighi’s chief responsibility at Apple has been OS X development. Torvalds backs Google Android Description: The man who gave the world Linux, Linus Torvalds, has dismissed claims that Google's Android violates the Linux licence. Apple sues Amazon over "app store" Description: Fruity peddler of broken iDreams Apple is suing the online bookstall Amazon, claiming that it invented the words "app store". Apple has been getting very defensive about the phrase "app store" lately. Microsoft has appealed to the Trademark and Patent Office to stop Jobs' Mob from suing everyone for using it. Samsung Galaxy Tabs 8.9 and 10.1 Are Official: HD Video Recording And Superfast Networking Stand Out Description: Samsung just announced their two new Galaxy Tabs, the 8.9 and the 10.1. Both are just 8.6 millimeters thick and support 4G and WiFi. Click through to watch the live video launch of these two Honeycomb tablets (with TouchWiz on top). Gaming news Singapore 3DS launch slated for March 28 Description: The 3DS may already be out in Japan, but gamers in Asia are still in the dark about when the handheld will be arriving in the region. Until now, that is, with a recent press release from Singaporean distributors MaxSoft confirming that the handheld will be available at all retailers in Singapore on March 28. Sony: PS3 Hacker George "Geohot" Hotz in South America Attempting to Dodge Court Authority Description: The ongoing PlayStation 3 security breach battle of Sony Computer Entertainment America versus George Hotz is set to continue on April 8. But according to the latest legal filing, it's possible Hotz will be a no-show as he continues what Sony calls "a campaign to thwart jurisdictional discovery at every turn" -- a campaign that includes Hotz's convenient trip to South America. Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D Dated in Japan Description: There's some big Resident Evil news coming out of Japan today. Joining the announcement of Resident Evil Revival Selection for PS3 and Xbox 360 comes a final release date for Resident Evil The Mercenaries 3D.

Samsung invests $15 million in mobile 3D technology company

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Sony Ericsson unveils Xperia Play, Xperia Arc and Xperia Neo in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-unveils-xperia-playxperia-arc-and-xperia-neo-in-singapore/11682.html March 25th, 2011

This afternoon, Sony Ericsson held a media event to unveil the new Xperia Play, Xperia Arc and Xperia Neo Android smartphones in Singapore. All three smartphones are preloaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and will be in stores soon.

"2011 is going to be a very important year for us. In the beginning of the year, we made some announcements in the Xperia range smartphones in the ranks of Arc, Neo and Play. And it is our ambition to achieve the number one position in Android smartphones. We are also among the first to launch Xperia smartphones on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)," said Eugene Goh, deputy general manager and head of Singapore, Sony Ericsson.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc features a large 4.2-inch Reality display with mobile BRAVIA engine. And it runs the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile operating system.

It measures 8.7mm at the thinnest part and on the right, you can find the volume control (and also camera zoom), and a micro USB connector.

At the top are the power button and HDMI connector. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc also features an 8.1-megapixel camera with f/2.4 aperture and high definition recording. It is scheduled to be available at the end of Q1 (which is like end of this month) in midnight blue or misty silver. No word on the pricing though. Chua Khim Guan, product group marketing manager for Sony Ericsson, also introduced the features of the new Xperia Neo, Xperia Arc and Xperia Play Android smartphones such as the mobile BRAVIA engine and HDMI output. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc hands-on 18

March 25th, 2011

LG introduces wireless charging pad for mobile phones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-introduces-wireless-charging-padfor-mobile-phones/11681.html March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

- Slim and sleek design – allows for convenient storage, taking up minimal space - Effective Range – 7mm from center of placement guide - Dimensions – 6.29x3.54x0.39-inches

Apple iPad 2 coming to Singapore next month Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-ipad-2-coming-to-singaporenext-month/11680.html March 25th, 2011

While wireless battery charging technology has existed for sometime, it looks like LG in Korea has introduced their new charging pad that lets users charge their mobile phone wirelessly. Read on for more details. Apple have announced the iPad 2 earlier this month, and while it is already retailing in US, the tablet is making its way to Asia too. And Singapore is one of the countries to get it. In case you're asking when? The iPad 2 is set to arrive in April next month.

LG today announced their wireless charging pad (WCP-700). Featuring a sleek and sharp design, the WCP-700 comes with inductive coils built into the battery doors and internal contacts, and advanced wireless charging technology which provides cord-free power source. This also alleviates the need for external connections that limit the phones usability. The LG wireless charging pad provides industry leading wireless charging and ergonomics. For easy and intuitive use, it offers audible and tactile feedback when a phone is placed on the pad, as well as multi-colored LED lights to indicate charging status. Taking the hassle out of charging your wireless devices, LG Wireless Charging Pad also sports a compact, sleek design to easily accommodate users on-the-go.

Key Features: - Visual, audible and tactile feedback – allows user to see, feel and hear when the phone is placed properly on the pad - Power LED - Blue = Plugged in - Battery LED - Orange = Ready to Charge - Battery LED - Flashing Green = Phone is Charging Correctly - Battery LED - Solid Green = Phone is Fully Charged

Apple has announced that the iPad 2 will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. Apple iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple authorized resellers, and online through the Apple Store (www.apple.com). The company has also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April. The iPad 2 features a new slimmer design and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. It features Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a frontfacing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 boasts up to 10 hours of battery life. Pricing and Availability iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,

March 25th, 2011

Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25. The suggested retail price are US$499 for the 16GB model, US$599 for the 32GB model, US$699 the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi+3G will be available for a suggested retail price of US$629 for the 16GB model, US$729 for the 32GB model and US$829 for the 64GB model. The iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April, and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date. iMovie and GarageBand for iPad apps are available for US $4.99 each from the App Store on iPad or www.itunes.com/ appstore. The Smart Cover is available in a range of colors in vibrant polyurethane for US$39 or rich leather for US$69.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 22 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--22mar-2011/11678.html March 25th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Japan has suspended the production of almost a quarter of the world's supply of silicon wafers as a result of the recent earthquake; Intel's new batch of Celeron processors based off the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture appear to have had most of their video processing capabilities deliberately crippled in order to fit the 'entry-level' moniker; Buffalo unveils its new sleek piano-black MiniStation and DriveStation portable hard disks; Adobe releases a patch for its Flash platform which was recently found to have suffered from a zero-day vulnerability; The upcoming Atelier game, also known as Atelier Meruru, has been reported to be the final installment of the the Arland series, and the limited edition of the game will reportedly come bundled with its own Nendoroid, and Legend of Heroes and Ys maker Falcom have revealed that they're working on an original RPG for Sony's upcoming NGP console , and there are plans to make the new game into a launch title Hardware news XFX HD 6950 XXX Graphics Card Review @ Tweaknews Description: Overall, the XFX HD 6950 XXX 1Gb is an excellent graphics card for the consumer wanting a HD 6950 with a little better performance and an extensive amount of additional overclocking headroom. When overclocking, it seemed like I couldn't hit the limit and is by far one of the best overclocking cards I have tested in recent memory. PowerColor AX6990 4GBD5-M4D Video Card @ Benchmark Reviews Description: The PowerColor Radeon HD 6990 takes a slightly different tack, as the full complement of shaders (1536) is always available from each GPU. There is a BIOS switch that unlocks the core clock and the GPU voltage for the more

Published by: VR-Zone

adventurous among us. Normally that kind of enhancementon-a-switch might seem a bit ho-hum, but with the power of 5.3 billion transistors on board, there are physical limits that must be respected. Heat and power go hand in hand, and some say it's folly to try and pack this much power into a single package. It's better to! have two cooling systems, and two slots, and two sets of PCI-E power connectors to spread the load, they claim. They may be right; we'll just have to test it and see... Antec Six Hundred V2 Mid-Tower Gaming Case Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: One entry in the budget gaming category is the Antec Six Hundred V2 Mid-Tower Gaming Case. The Six Hundred V2 comes with all of the same features as the original Six Hundred, but with one minor change, there is a 2.5" HDD hot swap bay instead of a 3.5" hot swap bay. The Six Hundred has 3 external 5.25" drive bays and 6 internal 3.5" drive bays. The rear has 7 expansion slots. The Six Hundred has excellent cooling with a large 200mm TriCool blue LED fan on the top and one 120mm TriCool blue LED fan on the rear. HDDs can be front loaded with a removable panel that can also house 2 more 120mm fans, if needed. ASUS Ultimate GeForce GTX 550 Ti Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews Description: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti graphics card is going to be a popular gaming graphics card in 2011 due to it's lucrative $150 price point. When the GeForce GTX 550 Ti was launched last week we noticed that ASUS came out of the gate with not one, but three cards for this series. We take a look at their fastest card, the ASUS UL ENGTX550 Ti DC/DI/1GD5, which is clocked at 1015MHz! Thermaltake Jing CPU Cooler Review @ OCIA.net Description: Thermaltake is known for a variety of products -everything from cases to CPU coolers. Today we are going to take a look at one of their new CPU coolers – the Thermaltake Jing. The “Silent by Design” tag line indicates this will likely be a quiet cooler. CPU coolers have a tendency to be either very quiet or very efficient, but hitting both can be a challenge. The Jing was noticeably absent from Thermaltake's CES lineup earlier this year so this will be our first look at this new cooler. ASUS GTX 570 DirectCU II Review @ ocaholic Description: With its GTX 570 Direcet CU II, ASUS shows a factory overclocked version of the NVIDIAs GTX 570 GPU. Additionally this card got an overworked power design as well as ASUS huge triple slot cooler. This should therefore be both more powerful and more silent. Japan Earthquake Suspends Production of 25% of World's Silicon Wafers Description: The Japanese earthquake has resulted in the suspension of one-quarter of the global production of silicon wafers used to make semiconductors. Manufacturing operations have stopped at Shin-Etsu Chemical’s Shirakawa facility. MEMC Electronic Materials also stopped manufacturing at its Utsunomiya plant. Together, these two facilities account for 25% of the global supply of silicon wafer used to make semiconductors, according to IHS iSuppli. Intel’s Sandy Bridge Celerons video features fused off

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Description: In as much as we appreciate that Intel (INTC) is selling a range of CPUs and some of them have had certain functions fused off in the manufacturing process to create a range of models, something that has been done for years, we’re none too impressed by Intel’s latest move. The Intel Celeron B810 might only be an $86 mobile CPU, but Intel seems to have gone one step too far with the scalpel and cut out pretty much all of the graphics related features that makes Sandy Bridge’s graphics worthwhile.

the device which can do 3D video and HD video, as well as a front facing camera for video call purposes.

Consumer Electronics and Software news

'Hummer' handsets now account for 24 percent of US smartphone sales, prove Steve Jobs wrong Description: Remember when Steve Jobs had a dig at Apple's mobile competition and proclaimed that "no one" would buy their Hummer-like 4-inch-plus smartphones? Well, going by the latest NPD data, that group of "no ones" among US smartphone consumers is now a meaty 24 percent. Separating handsets into screen categories of 3.4 inches and below, 3.5 to 3.9 inches, and those above 4 inches, the stat mavens discovered that the midrange is holding steady, but smallerscreened devices are starting to lose out to their jumbosized brethren. No prizes for guessing that Android-powered devices were behind that big sales increase, with the HTC EVO 4G and Motorola Droid X leading the way, followed by Samsung's multivariate Galaxy S range. Now, care to tell us more about our mobile future, Steve?

Buffalo unveils sleek piano-black MiniStation and DriveStation Description: Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of storage and wireless networking solutions, has announced a stylish design for its external storage range. Available now, the glossy, piano-black MiniStation portable device and the DriveStation desktop hard drive, will allow users to add additional external storage to any computer or laptop simply using a USB port. Nikon Coolpix Digital Camera Battery and Travel Charger from Battery Heads @ TestFreaks Description: I’m sure you own a digital camera, pretty much everyone does these days right? Depending on the type of camera you have it might not use standard batteries, and that can be a hassle as you don’t readily have access to a spare. I take a lot of pictures and go through batteries quickly but I haven’t got the chance yet to get a spare battery from my Nikon Coolpix. Recently I was contacted by a company called BatteryHeads.com and they asked me to review one of their brand of batteries under the brand name TechFuel, and I said sure. They were also kind enough to send me along a travel charger with it. So read on for a quick review of what I received. BlackBerry PlayBook Available for Pre-Order Today for $499 Description: BlackBerry PlayBook, RIM’s foray into tablet territory, is now available for pre-order in three different versions, starting from $499.99. Adobe follows Google, patches major Flash exploit Description: Adobe has issued a patch for all platforms affected by the critical vulnerability in Flash Player 10.2.152.33 and earlier versions. The Adobe patch follows the updated version of Chrome issued by Google on Monday which included a fix for the issue. Adobe has issued a new bulletin explaining the flaw and the steps that users need to take in order to install the patch. T-Mobile offers LG G-Slate for $529 Description: Are you in the market for a tablet and somehow haven’t gotten bitten by the amazing iPad 2 bug just yet? Well, there are some good looking alternatives around, and LG also has something from their stables that entices itself to jump into the palm of your hands after you decide to part with $529 for this, courtesy of T-Mobile. Of course, this price point comes about after a rebate and when you decide to sell your soul to the mobile carrier for a 2-year contract. Just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, the LG G-Slate will come with an 8.9-inch display, powered by the tablet-specialized Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, coupled with two 5-megapixel cameras that are located on the back of

Amazon’s Android App Store: Your New Android Market Description: The alternative app store for Android is now live—however much Apple doesn't like others using the term "app store,"—where US Android owners can download the new Angry Birds Rio game for free, along with 3,799 other apps. It's been years wandering the desert, but Android users finally have an app oasis of their own.

Gaming news: Atelier Meruru Announced, Limited Edition Includes Nendoroid Description: The next Atelier game in the Arland series will be titled Atelier Meruru, a direct sequel after the events of Totori and Rorona. Meruru is a fifteen year old alchemist who stays in Earls, a country outside Arland. Atelier Meruru is the last of the Arland series and will feature a conclusion to the entire game. PSA: XBL Deal of the Week now launches on Tuesdays Description: Microsoft's Major Nelson has dropped a note on his Twitter account that the Deal of the Week promotion will now roll out each Tuesday instead of Monday. The Major noted further that the weekly promotion will now run each week from Tuesday until the following Tuesday. Legend of Heroes Developer Readying NGP Launch RPG Description: Sony's next generation portable system, NGP or whatever it ends up being called, is going to have some major RPG support right out the gate. Legend of Heroes and Ys maker Falcom have revealed that they're working on an original RPG for the platform, with a goal of making the new game into a launch title.

VR-Zone Giveaway #7 - ASUS EAH6870 DirectCU 1GB Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vr-zone-giveaway-7--asus-eah6870directcu-1gb/11679.html March 25th, 2011

March 25th, 2011

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 Asus EAH6870 DirectCU 1GB Check out http://launch.vrzone.com and find out how you can win these prizes

HP Personal Systems Group unveils vision, strategy and latest products in Singapore

Ang Sue San, category director, Personal Systems Group, HP Singapore also introduced eight innovations of the new products including USB3.0, CoolSense technology, HP ProtectSmart, HP SimplePass, GDDR5, DLNA certification, Intel Widi and powerful audio experiences (with Beats Audio).

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-personal-systems-group-unveilsvision-strategy-and-latest-products-in-singapore/11676.html March 25th, 2011

Today, HP Personal Systems Group (PSG) has a media event to showcase their latest products, share the company's vision and also the strategy in Singapore. Read on for the coverage.

Serena Yong, general manager, Personal Systems Group, HP Singapore, gave an opening speech and said that the company is number one PC company in Singapore, number one in workstations and also desktop PCs. "Our success is underpinned by the mission to drive for marketshare and profitable growth. Our vision is to transform how people think, feel and connect. This is to provide a unified experience whether they are at work, on the go, or at home. In the future, we would put our vision into context, which is to give the best mobile experience to all our integrated devices as well as across the devices. And now with the WebOS, we should be able to scale, increase our footprint in 2011, and extend the WebOS not just for the smartphones, but to the PC, laptops and even to the printers," Yong said.

One of the main attractions is the HP TouchSmart610 consumer PC which can recline from upright to almost flat for increased comfort even during long usage. The display can recline at up to 60-degree and forward-tilt at up to 5-degree.

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The first thing that came to mind when we got a chance to get all touchy-feely with the FREEWAY was that the speakers were small enough to be mounted onto a car windscreen or visor without causing much of a distraction. For those who are curious about its exact dimensions, the FREEWAY measures a mere 99 x 120 x 19mm (L x W x H), which is only slightly larger than the fully outstretched palm of an adult.

The HP Pavilion dv4 features AMD Radeon 6750M graphics with 1GB GDDR5 video memory, which boasts higher graphics performance compared to the older graphics with GDDR3 memory. Pricing and availability - The HP Pavilion dv4 starts from S$1,299 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore. - The HP Pavilion dv6 starts from S$1,799 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore. - The HP Pavilion g4 starts from S$1,099 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore. - The HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC starts from S$1,899 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore. No word on the pricing and availability of the HP TouchPad here in Singapore, which was showcased at "A New HP World" event in Shanghai, China last month.

According to Jabra, the FREEWAY is capable of delivering audio content at high fidelities, and this is possible due to the presence of two, 3W mid-range speakers and a sub-woofer built into the unit. In addition, the FREEWAY also comes with various audio-related enhancements such as noise reduction and virtual surround, both of which combine to provide a rather decent experience. This makes it suitable for use as both an in-car speakerphone and a portable Bluetooth 2.1 speaker system for listening to music while on the move. Unprintable Content (Video, Flash, etc.)

Hands on with the Jabra FREEWAY and Jabra Stone 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hands-on-with-the-jabra-freeway-andjabra-stone-2/11675.html March 25th, 2011

Jabra has also confirmed that the FREEWAY features built-in support for HD voice transmitted over wideband frequencies. And with Starhub and Singtel reportedly preparing for wideband, this feature will allow users to enjoy almost life-like speech quality over the network. Unprintable Content (Video, Flash, etc.)

Jabra held an informal working lunch with the media today at the Grand Hyatt Singapore hotel, and VR-Zone was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to the event. In addition to talking about their plans for expansion in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region, the company unveiled two products aimed at taking media connectivity to the next level: the Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth in-car speaker system and the Jabra Stone 2. And the good news: these toys have been confirmed for local availability.

Unlike some of the company's earlier devices, the Jabra FREEWAY in-car Bluetooth speakers do not make use of touch sensors for the activation of various features. Instead, the FREEWAY is operated entirely by buttons, which means that users will have to physically push on the various labels located on the FREEWAY. Don't worry though, you will know that you are doing it correctly as long as you hear a satisfying 'click' sound.

Jabra FREEWAY in-car Bluetooth speaker Are you tired of having to fiddle with a wireless earpiece or headset when taking a phone call while driving? Well, if your answer to the question above happens to be a resounding 'Yes', Jabra's upcoming product will probably be of much interest to you. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you Jabra's premium in-car Bluetooth speaker, the FREEWAY. 23

March 25th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Jabra has confirmed that the FREEWAY in-car Bluetooth speakers will be reaching the shores of sunny Singapore by May this year, and is expected to retail at approximately S $200.

Crysis 2 PC dropdown ~ console in-game Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crysis-2-pc-dropdown--console-ingame/11674.html March 25th, 2011

The FREEWAY also comes with a simple metal clip affixed to the rear of the unit and is not removable by any typical enduser means. According to Jabra, the clip is designed to simplify the task of clamping the FREEWAY to a car's sunshade.

For those who are concerned about how a user is supposed to operate the FREEWAY while driving, fret not This is because the FREEWAY supports voice controls, so all users have to do is to speak various commands such as 'PAIR' or 'REDIAL' and the FREEWAY will proceed with its task, thus allowing for near-complete handsfree operation.

Serious catnip for the PC FPS Gaming purist who have not seen this in recent A-lister games - includes configurable CVARs for FOV, graphics options and typical multiplayer RCON commands like kick/ban/changemaps... Read more to see the screenshot in full-screen.

Serious Catnip for the PC FPS Gaming purist who have not seen this in recent A-lister games - includes configurable CVARs for FOV, graphics options and typical multiplayer RCON commands like kick/ban/changemaps...

Last but definitely not least, the simplicity and elegance that is characteristic of Jabra-branded devices are all too apparent on the FREEWAY as well. Considering that its sides feature nothing more than a microUSB port for charging purposes and the obligatory power switch, you can put that 3.5mm stereo cable back into the drawer where it came from.

Pricing and availability

March 29th, 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 - 29 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--29mar-2011/11460.html March 29th, 2011

Description: The version of the Colossus I received was the all black version with optional blue or red LED lighting, with the controls hidden in a lockable front storage tray. On top of that, I haven't even gotten to the wire management on the front of the chassis or the tool-free interior. Description: Featuring the industry's largest 3TB capacity and third-generation SATA 6Gb/s controller interface, the Seagate Barracuda XT is also the first product to create a Windows XPsafe software solution for overcoming the 2TB barrier. Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: Visitors to the New York Times website will now be charged for access to news articles following the start of the publication's new strategy yesterday, with monthly subscriptions ranging from $15 to $35.

In today's news roundup: A guide to turn your Radeon 6950 into a Radeon 6970; SilverStone GF06 HTPC chassis gets reviewed ; New York Times introduces online content paywall with monthly subscriptions ranging from $15 to $35; Acer Iconia dual touch-screen notebook, now available for preorder; First DLC characters for Mortal Kombat revealed , and Review of console game WWE All Stars.

Description: GIGABYTE has done quite a good job on the Aivia M8600. The box packaging is very, very unique with a cylinder tube that comes apart in 3 pieces - the mouse in its own section, with a bag of goodies (charger, batteries, etc) in another section.

Description: Point of View is a long time specialist for GeForce cardsand has recently increased the highly overclocked TGT Editions in the overclocking segment.

Description: For those of you that took a look at the AC Ryan Playon!HD2 1TB and thought to yourself, well that looks great, but I already have a PC full of movies, why do I need one in my lounge too? Well, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good question and here to answer it is the Mini 2, the storage free, networking content hub that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll soon want in your living room setup.

Description: Swiftech has been a major name in air cooling in the past and with the Polaris 120 they are solidly throwing their hat back in the ring. The tower style cooler is a break from their Helicoid design but the performance shows they have done their homework.

Description: Google Inc. is teaming up with MasterCard Inc. and Citigroup Inc. to embed technology in Android mobile devices that would allow consumers to make purchases by waving their smartphones in front of a small reader at the checkout counter.

Description: ITShootout provides a step by step visual guide on how to unlock your Radeon HD6950's latent shaders and turn it into a fully fledged Radeon HD6970 - a card costing almost twice as much

Description: Acer's Iconia notebook doesn't have a keyboard or trackpad - instead, it features two 14-inch touchscreen displays. And it's available for pre-order now.

Hardware news

Description: The Fractal Design Define XL Full Tower Computer Case is the flagship offering into the U.S. market from the Swedish based manufacturer. The Fractal Design Define XL offers some very unique features and a great amount of flexibility in a very stylish, yet minimalist design case. Description: SilverStone Technologies launched a successful line of home theater cases back in 2009 with the Grandia series (GD04 and GD05) and this review is going to cover the new and improved model, the Grandia GDO6.

Description: Amazon has just entered the streaming music business with the launch of Cloud Player, a music player that lets anyone upload their music to Amazon's servers and play them via the web or Android. Description: The Choiix Cruiser mouse does exactly what it is designed to do, which is provide smooth and accurate cursor movements on a wide variety of surfaces. That alone makes it a great choice for traveling laptop users, and the tiny USB receiver and adjustable height round out a well-made, affordable input device. Gaming news

March 29th, 2011

Description: Mortal Kombat isn't in stores for a few more weeks, but Netherrealm has already revealed the first two characters you'll be able to add to the game's already impressive roster as download content. Description: The game, which is being developed by SOCOM studio Slant Six, looks to be quite a departure for the Resident Evil series, with 4-player squad shootouts replacing the traditional slow-paced monster scares. Description: No matter the wrestling video game, it seems players always want to be WWE Legends like Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. This hunger has been satiated in the past with unlockable characters in the SmackDown vs. Raw series and the standalone (yet lackluster) WWE Legends of WrestleMania. Now, the big names of yesteryear are back alongside some of the current headliners in WWE All Stars. Description: Today, fans of BioWare's incredible intergalactic adventure Mass Effect 2 will get another chance to explore space. A scene from 'Mass Effect 2. The studio has released a new episode, "Arrival," that is available for download on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Corsair Releases 2000MHz Vengeance DDR3 Memory Kit Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/corsair-releases-2000mhz-vengeanceddr3-memory-kit/11745.html March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

choice for anyone looking to make the most of their highperformance system." The 2000MHz kits, and the entire Vengeance family of DDR3 memory, are compatible with all current Intel® and AMD platforms. They will initially be available in the following configurations:

Size Speed # of DIMMs Part Number 4GB 2000MHz 2 CMZ4GX3M2A2000C 6GB 2000MHz 3 CMZ6GX3M3A2000C 12GB 2000MHz 3 CMZ12GX3M3A2000 Corsair Vengeance memory kits, including the new 2000MHz versions, are available immediately from Corsair's worldwide network of resellers and distributors. About Vengeance Memory The Corsair Vengeance family of DDR3 memory provides high performance, aggressive styling, and attractive pricing. Vengeance memory runs at 1.5V for maximum compatibility with all Intel and AMD platforms, including the new 2nd generation Intel Core™ processor family (Sandy Bridge). Vengeance memory is assembled using DRAM ICs specially selected for performance potential and include heat spreaders for improved performance. Like all Corsair DRAM modules, Vengeance memory kits are tested to our exacting standards and come with a limited lifetime warranty. For more information on the Vengeance family of high-performance DDR3 memory, please visit the Corsair web site.

Corsair today announced the availability of 2000MHz versions of the award-winning Vengeance™ family of DDR3 memory. The new 2000MHz kits are equipped with aluminum heat spreaders anodized in Jet Black. They join the 1600MHz Vengeance DDR3 memory kits, which are available in either Jet Black or Cerulean Blue, and the 1866MHz Vengeance DDR3 kit, available in Jet Black. Corsair Vengeance memory kits, including the new 2000MHz versions, are available immediately from Corsair's worldwide network of resellers and distributors. FREMONT, California — March 17, 2011 — Corsair®, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the availability of 2000MHz versions of the awardwinning Vengeance™ family of DDR3 memory. The new 2000MHz kits are equipped with aluminum heat spreaders anodized in Jet Black. They join the 1600MHz Vengeance DDR3 memory kits, which are available in either Jet Black or Cerulean Blue, and the 1866MHz Vengeance DDR3 kit, available in Jet Black. "Our new 2000MHz Vengeance memory is perfect for PC gamers and enthusiasts, as well as systems integrators who value the outstanding overclockability of the Vengeance family, and are looking for even more speed." said Thi La, Vice President of Memory Products at Corsair. "They're a great 2

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

As for the M11x R3 the CPU line-up will consist of Intel's 17W ULV processors which are the Core i5-2537M, Core i7-2617M and 2657M with base clock speeds of 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6GHz respectively. In this case the 11.6-inch display remains at 1366x768 resolution, but this was expected. Drive options include a selection of 7,200rpm hard drives and the same Samsung P810 SSD as on the M14x. Once again the source doesn't have any details as to what graphics options Dell will offer, but we should see this model launch within the next couple of weeks.

More Alienware M14x details, refreshed M11x R3 also expected Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-alienware-m14x-detailsrefreshed-m11x-r3-also-expected/11744.html March 29th, 2011

Both models should come with an 8-cell 63Whr battery pack which suggests that the battery life of the M14x won't be that great, whereas it should be pretty decent for the M11x considering it's using ULV processors. It looks like mobile gamers are going to be spoilt for choice from Dell shortly, as the company is also said to be launching an 18-inch model which could feature CrossFireX or SLI graphics as per our earlier story from a couple of weeks back.

Knowles Acoustics launches MEMS joystick for mobile devices Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/knowles-acoustics-launches-memsjoystick-for-mobile-devices/11743.html March 29th, 2011

Dell's Alienware division is getting ready to launch a new 14inch gaming notebook according to leaked information posed on a blog that tend to have accurate details of upcoming Dell products and among other things predicted the M17x R3. The same site is also saying that we can expect Dell to launch the updated M11x R3 sometime early next month as well. Dell's Alienware division is getting ready to launch a new 14inch gaming notebook according to leaked information posed on a blog that tend to have accurate details of upcoming Dell products and among other things predicted the M17x R3. The same site is also saying that we can expect Dell to launch the updated M11x R3 sometime early next month as well. The M14x is said to come with a selection of second generation Core i processors ranging from the Core i3-2310M all the way up to the Core i7-2820QM. It will come with a range of 7,200rpm hard drive options, but also with two choices of 256GB SSDs, one being a Samsung P810 SATA 3Gbps model and the other being a yet unknown SATA 3Gbps model. Some CPUs will be available with DDR3 1600MHz SO-DIMMs as the higher-end Core i7's support this. Sadly there's no info on the graphics option, although an earlier leak suggests that there will be various Radeon HD 67x0M options as well as a potential GeForce GT 555M option. The really good news is that Dell will offer the M14x with a 1920x1080 display which is very rare on 14-inch notebooks, although a cheaper 1366x768 option is also available. Other features are said to include an UWB HD video streaming option as well as optional LTE/WiMAX connectivity.

It's not the world smallest joystick, but we can't imagine it being far from at 9.8x9.8x1.6mm, but Knowles Acoustics KMJ0401IC MEMS joystick has the potential to simplify and lower the cost of a wide range of handheld mobile devices that rely on physical input for navigation. Knowles Acoustics also claim that its joystick can help improve battery life by being more power efficient than other alternatives. It's not the world smallest joystick, but we can't imagine it being far from at 9.8x9.8x1.6mm, but Knowles Acoustics KMJ0401IC MEMS joystick has the potential to simplify and lower the cost of a wide range of handheld mobile devices that rely on physical input for navigation. Knowles Acoustics also claim that its joystick can help improve battery life by being more power efficient than other alternatives. MEMS or micro electromechanical systems is a type of IC fused with mechanical functionality and is most commonly found in various types of sensors, such as motion sensors. The advantage of using this technology for a joystick is obviously the fact that you can create a very small, inexpensive and simple device. The KMJ0401IC replaces the need for a separate controller IC which would be needed if a traditional analogue joystick was used.

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

being the first to get new smartphones, with Europe coming in at a close second place.

The KMJ0401IC only draws a tiny 40μA in use, 25μA in idle mode and 3μA in sleep mode and Knowles Acoustics claim that this can help reduce power drain on battery powered devices by a factor of 25 compared to optical joysticks found on many smartphones. The joystick allows for 360 degree movement and variable scroll speeds and is meant to deliver a “true analog joystick feel”.

Unfortunately for Asian HTC fans, it seems that this status quo is not going to be changed any time soon, especially if the latest news about the new HTC EVO 3D smartphone is to be taken into consideration. While most Americans are fully aware of the fact that they will be able to get their hands on an EVO 3D "sometime this summer", Europeans were left guessing as to whether the smartphone will ever make its way over to their shores.

As for the types of devices we can expect to see the KMJ0401IC in, well no firm partners have been announced but Knowles Acoustics is hoping that it'll make its way into smartphones, tablets, portable gaming devices and just about anything else you can think of that would need a small, cheap, reliable joystick controller in.

HTC EVO 3D heading for Europe? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-evo-3d-heading-foreurope-/11737.html March 29th, 2011

Well, the good news (for the Europeans) is that HTC has seemingly confirmed that the EVO 3D will eventually be available for sale in some European countries. According to various online reports, HTC France spilled the beans about the HTC EVO 3D's availability by posting in the company's official Twitter feed that the smartphone will be available in France, and that it will even be sold under the same name.

Once again, the best toys always find their way into other places well before they ever show up in most parts of South East Asia, and it appears that HTC's latest smartphone is an excellent example of the aforementioned situation. Apparently, the upcoming HTC EVO 3D has been confirmed for both an American and European launch, with no mention about a possible Asia-Pacific launch anytime soon.

The launch date and retail price for the HTC EVO 3D in Europe has yet to be confirmed, although we'd suppose European consumers would be able to take comfort in the fact that they are secure in the knowledge about a certain device having been confirmed to be (eventually) made available for sale in their region. That being said, the hardware specifications remain unchanged, so Europeans can also rest assured that their EVO 3D will be the very same 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon totting, dual-camera, glasses-free 3D smartphone that is due to start selling in the US sometime this summer. For a smartphone OEM that has its roots in Asia, HTC does not seem to be interested in giving first dibs to the Asian markets when it comes to introducing new smartphones. Rather, it is usually the American markets that score bragging rights for

At the very least, having some knowledge about product availability is definitely much better than being kept completely in the dark, don't you think?

March 29th, 2011

US Government developing a Panic Button for mobile phones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-government-developing-a-panicbutton-for-mobile-phones/11735.html March 29th, 2011

Do you fancy owning a mobile phone which comes with a builtin feature that allows users to immediately delete all available data stored on it, all with the press on a single button? Well, the good news is that such a feature is currently in the works as a joint project by the US Department of State and "a group of unspecified technology providers". The bad news? You got to be in a real political pinch to be able to use it. Picture this situation: you are an activist who happens to be involved in staging some rather spectacular political protests in order to bring about change to a certain regime. Unfortunately for you, the regime's secret police catches wind of your involvement, and sends down a task force with the objective to throw you behind bars and confiscate your mobile phone. Which, ever so conveniently, happens to have the contact details of countless other activists stored within. Naturally, the most logical course of action would be to destroy most of the data stored in the mobile phone's memory to protect your fellow activists from coming to harm. However, manually going through SMSs and phone book contacts is definitely not the fastest way to get rid of incriminating data, especially if you are already fighting against time. The solution? Simple: a US Department of State-developed feature known as the Panic Button, which is designed to protect an activist's fellow companions in the event of a crackdown..

Published by: VR-Zone

goes into full gear attempting to arrest such troublemakers, the Panic Button, when activated, will not only wipe out your personal data such as contact details and messages, but also send out a message to like-minded activists over various social networks to let others know that someone has gotten into serious trouble with the long arm of the law, and that they face the possibility of being targeted. Of course, the feature is still currently under development, but its potential cannot be denied. After all, there is nothing more selfless than offering oneself up to law-enforcement agents as a scapegoat while protecting the larger community by ensuring that they remain un-harassed to campaign for another day. At the same time, there is also a very high possibility of the feature being misused for other not-so-noble purposes, such as terrorists using it to mask their tracks. But we shall see, no?

Aston Martin CPT002 luxurious transparent touchscreen phone leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/aston-martin-cpt002-luxurioustransparent-touchscreen-phone-leaked/11736.html March 29th, 2011

Aston Martin may be renowned for their luxury cars, especially in the popular British secret agent 007, James Bond, movies, but it seems like the car manufacturer is also going to come up with their smartphone, in the form of CPT002.

Recently, another concept phone has come up on the web and the design features a stylish transparent display that looks elegant.

According to a report published by Reuters, the so-called Panic Button was designed primary for use by democratic activists who might be targeted by foreign law-enforcement officials over their involvement in various protests or demonstrations. When such demonstrations get broken up and the riot police

Aston Martin, a British car maker, is collaborating with Canadian mobile phone manufacturer Mobiado to launch a Aston Martin branded phone, model CPT002. The CPT002 concept phone isn't the first to sport a transparent design; LG has launched the GD900 Crystal in 2009 which offers a transparent keypad. However, it may well be the first to have a transparent touchscreen. As a luxury phone, the CPT002 is adorned with sapphire crystals, while the sides are made of platinum. The internal will hold the battery and SIM card 5

March 29th, 2011

The phone will also function as the key to your Aston Martin car. It als features various social network apps including FaceBook and Twitter, and you can also use the vehicle's GPS to show your current location, friend's location and places of interests on FourSquare. More details of the Aston Martin CPT002 concept phone will be revealed in May.

Published by: VR-Zone

rangefinder cameras of the past? Well, it turns out that the short period of disruption caused to Fujifilm's production lines have been resolved, and the camera should be making its way to US shores soon. According to an official announcement posted by Fujifilm Japan, the company's production plants and factories were indeed affected by the recent earthquake which levelled much of North East Japan. However, the report also goes on to claim that Fujifilm has been able to recover its production lines, and that the manufacturing and assembly of the X100 cameras will resume, with a shipment slated to arrive in US in the first week of April.

UPDATED: AMD Radeon HD 6790 Specifications Revealed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/updated-amd-radeon-hd-6790specifications-revealed/11733.html March 29th, 2011

Fujifilm X100 production to resume Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujifilm-x100-production-toresume/11732.html March 29th, 2011

Did the recently-announced X100 camera from Fujifilm capture your attention? If it did, chances are you might have been disappointed to find out that the camera's production would be delayed due to Fujiflim's factories being affected by the recent earthquake in Japan. However, it seems that good things come to those who wait: Fujifilm has released a report claiming that they have been able to resume production of the camera recently.

Not long after AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 6790 was first revealed, Nordichardware is reporting the final specifications for the HD 6790. It is indeed a Barts derivative, codenamed Barts LE and it is to the HD 6850 much like the HD 5830 was to the HD 5850. The HD 6790 disables a further 2 SIMDs from the Barts die, now left with 800 SP and 40 TMU. The GPU is clocked at 840 MHz, so thus far, it looks much like a HD 5770. However, the HD 6790 thankfully retains all 256-bit memory bus with surprisingly the same memory bandwidth as the HD 6870 - more than twice than the HD 5770. All 32 ROPs are retained too - once again, twice that of the HD 5770. The HD 6790 also features the enhanced Barts architecture with improved tessellation, and this along with far superior pixel fillrate and memory bandwidth are the areas where the HD 6790 will gain a significant advantage over the HD 5770 (and also the GTX 550 Ti). It's not all rosy however, as the HD 6790 suffers from one of the same crippling flaws of the HD 5830 - high power consumption for the performance. As the HD 6790 is built around salvage dies, it requires a higher voltage than the regular Barts products to keep its clock speeds high sufficiently. The result is a 150W power consumption and requirement for 2x6-pin. For buyers in this segment, that can be a big decisive factor, and the GTX 550 Ti and even the faster HD 6850 offers a clear advantage in that regard - requiring only a single 6-pin PCIe connector. Perhaps moreso than the HD 5830, this can be a fatal flaw of the HD 6790. However, the HD 6790 also succeeds in avoiding HD 5830's biggest flaw - pricing. At $130, the HD 6790 will provide very impressive bang-for-the-buck.

Does anyone remember the Fujifilm X100 camera? You know, the recently-launched compact camera that features an APSC sensor and bears an uncanny resemblance to the old 35mm 6

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

The HD 6790 is set to release on March 31st. We can only hope AMD has worked on the power requirements as apart from that, the HD 6790 looks like great value for money.

LG Optimus 'Big' surfaces in online photos Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-optimus-big-surfaces-in-onlinephotos/11731.html March 29th, 2011

So LG has got the Optimus One, the Optimus 2X and the Optimus Black smartphones to cater to a wide variety of audiences seeking to purchase a smartphone, along with an Optimus 3D for those who simply have to be ahead of the times. That is fine and all, but it seems that these are not the only Android-based smartphones that LG has in store for consumers, and leaked pictures appear to indicate that the Korean OEM has got one more product up its sleeve: a smartphone with a larger display.

Details about the phone are scarce, but the device has been reportedly dubbed the 'Optimus Big' by netizens due to the size of its display, especially when placed in comparison with most typical smartphones available on the market today. Additional leaked hardware specifications seem to indicate that the 'Optimus Big' will utilize a 4.3-inch NOVA display, which puts it near the five-inch Dell Streak in terms of size. Last but not least, the Big will reportedly come standard with a 1GHz single-core processor and a built-in T-DMB TV tuner, which supposedly allows users to watch broadcast television programs on their smartphones. No other information about the smartphone has been released yet though, so do check back for updates.

Amazon may launch Online Media 'Locker' With smartphones getting more and more popular with each passing day, it should probably be a given that manufacturers and OEMs are scrambling to design a wide range of products which will cater to multiple target market segments. After all, the concept of a 'one size fits all' design does not always work when it comes to something as personal as mobile phones: some people might prefer to have their devices as small as possible, while others may require a larger display to make the task of handling their smartphones a little easier on the eyes. That being said, if you happen to fall into the second group of users as listed above (or if you are just an Android smartphone aficionado), this bit of information might just be enough to brighten up your Tuesday. Apparently, LG has a new Optimus smartphone in the works, and this one is going to feature a larger display, as shown in the leaked image below, courtesy of Korean website XportsNews:

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amazon-may-launch-online-medialocker-/11729.html March 29th, 2011

Amazon is intending to introduce a new service that lets users store music and video online and access it from various digital devices, which could come as early as next week. The move could well be seen as competing against Google and Apple, whereby both are also working on similar offerings.

Amazon.com is planning to offer a service for users to store music and video online (not necessarily purchased from Amazon.com) and access it from various digital devices. The 7

March 29th, 2011

company is currently still ironing out legal issues as well as securing content licenses from major record labels and movie studios. But if everything works out, the service could be launched as early as next week.

Published by: VR-Zone

promote their brand in the APAC region. A series of products like USB flash drives, memory cards and even HyperX DDR3 memory modules have been announced using Dream Girls as the advertisement covers. Would you get one?

The online retailer seems to be competing against Apple and Google, both which are also working on similar offerings, known as "locker" or "cloud" services. The services would create an online music or video collection identical to the one on a user's computer hard drive, and user can choose to access the collection from anywhere he or she may be. Amazon has also mentioned that users could also choose to upload their personal videos via the new service. However, it is unclear how the company would implement control over the upload of actual personal video footage from movies that are ripped from DVD or even Bluray discs without permission.

While Intel has SNSD, Kingston has Dream Girls Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/while-intel-has-snsd-kingston-hasdream-girls/11730.html March 29th, 2011

It seems more tech companies are getting female celebrities and models as their brand ambassadors in Asia recently. During CES, Intel has engaged SNSD, a famous Korean pop group to promote their brand in Asia and now Kingston too has also engaged a new girl group known as the Dream Girls to promote their brand in the APAC region. A series of products like USB flash drives, memory cards and even HyperX DDR3 memory modules have been announced using Dream Girls as the advertisement covers. Would you get one?

Additional photos are available here Below is a press release :

March 29th, 2011

All of us might have dreams since childhood and most of time we can not make it to go after our dreams, due to the lack of courage and determination. To encourage everyone to pursue dreams, Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced that Dream Girls will be the 2011 Kingston brand spokespersons in APAC region. Partnering with Kingston, in 2011 Dorian International Entertainment Corporation presents “Dream Girls,” the new girl group in the limelight. The three dream girls, Tia Li, Puff Kuo, and Emily Song, have been worked hard for realizing their dreams since childhood. How they have done and achieved shows the Kingston spirits, such as being determined to pursue dreams and never giving up. Kingston considers Dream Girls the best brand spokesperson for 2011 to show the “Only Kingston Can” corporate spirits. A series of “Dream Girls” special edition products will be launched at the 2nd quarter of 2011. It is expected to inspire more dream holders to persist in going after their dreams as well as making their dreams come true! Listed by Fortune Magazine as "100 Best Companies to Work For" for five consecutive years, Kingston was founded by two dreamers, John Tu and David Sun. They persisted in their beliefs even when bankruptcy, and eventually led the enterprise to be the world’s largest independent memory module manufacturer. Many people are impressed by this successful legend as well as by the Kingston’s image, “Only Kingston Can”. In 2011, “Kingston + Dream Girls” delivers the below messages: Pursuing dreams and then realizing dreams; Don’t wait, just go for your dreams; Bravely, confidently, passionately; For those who have dreams; Only Kingston Can!

Published by: VR-Zone March 29th, 2011

If you like cute puzzle games, then you probably would want to try out Ilomilo. Developed by SouthEnd Interactive and Microsoft Game Studios, this Xbox Live arcade game is also available on Windows Phone 7 for AT&T customers in US. Read on for the full review.

It's a colourful kaldeiscope world of cutesy cubes and cuddly characters This game is best summarised in two words: ‘Cute’ and ‘cubes’. Ilomilo is a puzzle game of sorts where you have to guide cutesy best friends, Ilo and Milo — no prizes for spotting where the name of the game comes from — to meet each other. These ‘Safkas’ forever need your help to meet each other. While this may seem like a simple fable, there is always the hint of a bigger story and the essence of lost memories. But what will steal your breath away is a whimsical, wondrous world of many platforms, built out of interlocking cubes that extend into different directions and form all sorts of dimensions-defying structures. It’s like living in a world made up of the same rules that govern a rainbow Rubik’s Cube – or you can think of it as a pastel-lined blanket quilt universe.

“Dream Girls” special edition products include “Dream Girls” Limited-Edition Album Version USB Flash drives, customized SD cards, USB drives, memory cards, and etc. It’s time to go after your dreams with Kingston and Dream Girls now! For detailed information please visit the Kingston Web site at www.kingston.com/asia.

Xbox 360 Game Review: ilomilo Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xbox-360-game-reviewilomilo/11722.html

How to meet up if you see me no up? There are twists and turns aplenty: Both Ilo and Milo often have to walk all around the cubes to the point of defying gravity in some cases. That’s right, you get to control both Ilo and Milo one at a time, as both characters need to make their own way

March 29th, 2011

through the mazes to meet each other somewhere in the — metaphorical, not always literal — middle. Of course, the path to friendship does not run smooth. There are obstacles like big gaps, strange creatures that block you or even steal your blocks. You can’t jump over these obstacles, sadly. However, all is not lost — although you might often be. Here's a short trailer of the Ilomilo game:-

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 28 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--28mar-2011/11726.html March 29th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Intel's latest line of SSDs, known as the 320 series, get reviewed; Crucial's m4 SSD, which has been touted to be one of the most highly anticipated SSD launches for 2011, get a little preview; Dell releases new notebooks in the US with a Spanish keyboard; Gateway has announced a new line of entry-level notebooks based off AMD's Fusion (Brazos) platform; The Sony vs Hotz drama gets a new twist in the form of Hotz's defense counsel claiming that much of Sony's evidence against him are factually inaccurate, and Valve's Steam service might eventually be extended to the mobile platform, especially for iOS and Android. Hardware news Enermax T.B. Fan-Series Review on Technic3D (German) Description: (Machine Translation) The Enermax T.B. Fan Series arrived Technic3D. Seven 80,- 120,- and 140mm Fans for your Case or CPU-Cooling can you see in the following Review on Technic3D. The new Fan Series better than the Silence or Apollish? Intel 320 Series 300GB SSD Review w/ 25nm Flash @ Legit Reviews Description: As a follow-up to their very successful X25-M series of drives, Intel has launched their 320 Series drives which feature a host of new features while being driven by their own proprietary controller. With the SATA 3Gbps SSD market being so crowded, can Intel tempt consumers to look their way? See the outcome of the testing and judge for yourself. Crucial m4 256GB SATA 6G SSD Preview and Next Gen 2x0+ GB Shootout Description: The Crucial m4 needs little introduction since it is one of the two most anticipated SSDs of 2011. The truth is that most of you are planning on skipping the next handful of pages to get right to the benchmarks. Don't do that! Take everything you've already read about the Micron C400 / Crucial m4 and toss it out of your mind, because mumble - mumble - mumble isn't exactly accurate. Let me explain with swollen tongue. Inno3D GTX560 Ti 1GB OC Review @ Vortez Description: Some may remember Nvidia first using "Ti" on the GeForce 2 cards until its demise on their 4th generations of

Published by: VR-Zone

graphics cards. Representing Titanium, the cards boasting the moniker were renowned to be popular, hence Nvidia bringing the name back. The GTX560 is set to succeed the GTX460 but not replace it based on their differing price points. At $249/£200, it is meant to fit in between AMD’s HD6870 and HD6950. Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer DDR3 PC3-12800 Memory Kit Review @ Madshrimps Description: The Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer DDR3 PC3-12800 BL2KIT25664ST1608OB memory kit comes with two interesting features: fully customizable lighting system, along with thermal sensors that can be monitored via the M.O.D. software utility. Thermalright Shaman VGA Cooler Review @ Tweaknews Description: Thermalright has continued their success with the Shaman. This oversized aftermarket cooler has taken the performance charts by storm and easily claimed the top spot in our VGA testing and it is evident that Thermalright's Shaman is aimed directly at power hungry that produce equal amounts of heat. Swiftech Polaris 120 High Performance CPU Cooler Review Description: It looks like a few things have changed over at Swiftech since the last time I visited their site and had the pleasure of testing, and still using to this day, the H20-320 kit they introduced back in November of last year. A couple of weeks ago I started getting correspondence of this new cooler in the works from Swiftech, and to my first surprise, it’s an air cooler. Now I’m not positive you all remember the MCX series of air coolers from a few years ago. While the idea was very different, and the thinking was outside of the box in its design, the cooler had limited success, and I don’t remember it being highly recommended as were the other leaders in that day of air cooling. Xigmatek Durin D982 Review @Hi Tech Legion Description: Weighing in at only 200gr, the Xigmatek Durin D982 is certainly no heavyweight, but small size certainly doesn’t stop the Durin from packing a punch. The Xigmatek Durin D982 is a low profile Heat Pipe Direct Touch CPU cooler, which is a very unusual combination. With two 8mm pipes directly touching the CPU and running through a 90mm aluminum fin array, the Durin D982 is capable of heat dissipation typically reserved for larger coolers. Consumer Electronics and Software news Apple Announces June 6 Start Date for WWDC 2011 Description: Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference will be held beginning June 6 this year at Moscone West in San Francisco. While Apple makes no mention of it in its press release, the company typically unveils its annual iPhone hardware refresh at the keynote for WWDC. Fujitsu AH572 15.6" 3D laptop now shipping for $1,399 Description: Fujitsu's Lifebook AH572 3D laptop is now shipping in the US for $1,399. The AH572 has a 15.6" passive 3D display (it comes bundled with one pair of polarized glasses) and also a dual-lens 3D camera and a 3D blu-ray drive. Other specs include Core i5-2410 (2.3Ghz) processor and an Intel HD 3000 graphics GPU. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. 10

March 29th, 2011

Dell freshens up Inspiron M5030 with Spanish-language keyboard, claims it's first of its kind in US Description: The Athlon-powered M5030 from Dell hardly looked like a machine that would be bearing an "industry first" label when it launched in September of last year, but now it's doing exactly that thanks to an intriguing new mod from its maker. The 15.6-incher is being released with its keyboard and Windows 7 installation customized in Spanish, neither of which would be unusual were it not for the fact that it's going to be on sale in the US. It's not exactly a vast overhaul, as only a couple of physical keys are swapped out and switching Win 7 into and out of Spanish mode can be done in the time it takes to click a mouse... Gateway's New Notebooks for the Extreme Budget: 15.6" with AMD Fusion Description: Gateway announced this past Moday that they're releasing to the market a trio of value-oriented desktop (well, really nettop) replacement notebooks built around AMD's Fusion platform. Brazos has been a big hit with OEMs as nearly every major manufacturer is producing machines based around it, particularly the extremely popular E-350 APU. MobileMe to become cheaper Description: It remains to be seen whether Apple would experience more people flocking to their MobileMe service if it were free, and perhaps Apple is testing this ground by lowering the current $99 price point to just $20 annually, at least according to the latest rumors concerning the cloud-based service. MobileMe will not stream songs like other services, instead, it will perform back-ups of individual songs that have been downloaded from iTunes, which means on paper, they can be downloaded again in the future for free to individual iDevices without having to go through the synchronization process. Gaming news Sony v. Hotz: mismatched serial numbers and sealed manuals Description: The case of Sony Computer Entertainment LLC vs. George Hotz et al is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to bizarre filings and odd claims. Hotz's attorneys claim that he couldn't have known that Sony Computer Entertainment of America existed, since the manuals for his new PlayStation 3 remained sealed and the box only mentions Japan. Valve's Steam Coming to Apple iOS and Android? Description: The company is reportedly looking at possibilities in extending Steam to the iOS and Android platforms. A gaming service like Steam has done wonders on the PC and Mac; and with mobile gaming already having solid ground on the phones, PMPs and tablets, it seems only natural. Some Nintendo 3DS users face 'black screen of death' crashes Description: Early Nintendo 3DS buyers in the US and Europe have reported encountering sometimes serious crashing bugs. Nicknamed the "black screen of death" for the error message it brings, it simply says that an "error has occurred" and forces a hard reset. Some have only had it happen periodically, but others have been caught in a permanent loop that gives them no choice but to swap out the 3DS for a replacement.

Published by: VR-Zone

NVIDIA Releases 267.91 WHQL Drivers for GeForce GTX 590 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-releases-267.91-whql-driversfor-geforce-gtx-590/11728.html March 29th, 2011

NVIDIA has released a new driver today specifically for GeForce GTX 590 but not much information has been revealed. However, we suspect that it might somehow relate to the recent incidents of their flagship cards going up in smoke. NVIDIA has urged their partners to dump their few days old driver CD loaded with version 267.84 with this updated 267.92 WHQL. Here's the drivers information : This driver adds support for the new GeForce GTX 590 dualGPU graphics card, including support for Quad SLI when paired with a second GeForce GTX 590 card. For 3D Vision support, you will also need to install the NVIDIA 3D Vision Controller Driver v266.21. Other Installs HD Audio driver version 1.1.13.1 Installs PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0514 Users without US English operating systems can select their language and download the International driver here.

March 29th, 2011

3rd Gen Intel SSD 320 Series Launched Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/3rd-gen-intel-ssd-320-serieslaunched/11727.html March 29th, 2011

Intel announced today third-generation SSD the Intel SolidState Drive 320 Series. Based on 25-nm NAND flash memory, the Intel SSD 320 replaces and builds on its high-performing Intel X25-M SATA SSD. The Intel SSD 320 Series comes in 40GB, 80GB, 120GB, 160GB, 300GB and 600GB versions. Intel SSD 320 produces up to 39,500 IOPS random reads and 23,000 IOPS random writes, 220 MB/s sequential writes and 270 MB/s sequential reads. Intel SSD 320 prices, based on 1,000-unit quantities, are as follows: 40GB at $89; 80GB at $159; 120GB at $209; 160GB at $289; 300GB at $529 and 600GB at $1,069.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 28, 2011 – Intel Corporation announced today its highly anticipated third-generation solidstate drive (SSD) the Intel® Solid-State Drive 320 Series (Intel® SSD 320 Series). Based on its industry-leading 25nanometer (nm) NAND flash memory, the Intel SSD 320 replaces and builds on its high-performing Intel® X25M SATA SSD. Delivering more performance and uniquely architected reliability features, the new Intel SSD 320 offers new higher capacity models, while taking advantage of cost benefits from its#25nm process with an up to 30 percent price reduction over its current generation. "Intel designed new quality and reliability features into our SSDs to take advantage of the latest 25nm silicon, so we could deliver cost advantages to our customers," said Pete Hazen, director of marketing for the Intel Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Solutions Group. "Intel's third generation of SSDs adds enhanced data security features, power-loss management and innovative data redundancy features to once again advance

Published by: VR-Zone

SSD technology. Whether it's a consumer or corporate IT looking to upgrade from a hard disk drive, or an enterprise seeking to deploy SSDs in their data centers, the new Intel SSD 320 Series will continue to build on our reputation of high quality and dependability over the life of the SSD." The Intel SSD 320 is the next generation of Intel's client product line for use on desktop and notebook PCs. It is targeted for mainstream consumers, corporate IT or PC enthusiasts who would like a substantial performance boost over conventional mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs). An SSD is more rugged, uses less power and reduces the HDD bottleneck to speed PC processes such as boot up and the opening of files and favorite applications. In fact, an upgrade from an HDD to an Intel SSD can give users one of the singlebest performance boosts, providing an up to 66 percent gain in overall system responsiveness.1 The Intel SSD 320 Series comes in 40 gigabyte (GB), 80GB, 120GB, 160GB and new higher capacity 300GB and 600GB versions. It uses the 3 gigabit-per-second (3gbps) SATA II interface to support an SSD upgrade for the more than 1 billion SATA II PCs installed throughout the world. Continuing to offer high-performing random read and write speeds, which most affect a user's daily computing experience, the Intel SSD 320 produces up to 39,500 input/output operations per second (IOPS) random reads and 23,000 IOPS random writes on its highest-capacity drives. In addition, the company has more than doubled sequential write speeds from its second generation to 220 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) sequential writes and still maintains one of the highest read throughputs at up to 270 MB/s sequential reads. This greatly improves a user's multitasking capabilities. For example, a user can easily play background music or download a video, while working on a document with no perceivable slow down. Already one of the most solid-performing SSDs over time, Intel continues to raise the bar on SSD reliability in the way it has architected its third generation, using proprietary firmware and controller, to further demonstrate that not all solid-state drives are created equal. In this rendition, Intel creatively uses spare area to deploy added redundancies that will help keep user data protected, even in the event of a power loss. It also includes 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard capabilities on every drive, to help protect personal data in the event of theft or loss. "Solid-state drives continue to be one of the hottest trends in computing," said Bernard Luthi, vice president of marketing, Web management and customer service at leading e-retailer Newegg.com. "Intel remains a top brand because of its consistent performance and extremely low return rate. We are sure customers will welcome the new higher capacity drives, and now is a great time for consumers to upgrade their PC to a fast new SSD."

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Kingston Advises SSDNow V100 Users To Upgrade Firmware Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-advises-ssdnow-v100-usersto-upgrade-firmware/11725.html March 29th, 2011

Intel SSD 320 prices, based on 1,000-unit quantities, are as follows: 40GB at $89; 80GB at $159; 120GB at $209; 160GB at $289; 300GB at $529 and 600GB at $1,069. Check retailers/ e-tailers for consumer pricing. All models include a limited 3year warranty from Intel.

"With recent announcements, we have expanded our SSD product line and now offer both consumers and computer OEMs more SSD choices," said Tom Rampone, vice president and general manager, Intel NVM Solutions Group. "We see the Intel SSD 320 as a solid advancement to our SSD roadmap, and will continue to upgrade and refresh our SSD product line as we add more enterprise options for our business customers throughout the year." Another benefit for Intel SSD purchasers is the Intel速 SSD Toolbox with Intel速 SSD Optimizer, a free utility which provides Microsoft Windows* users with a powerful set of management, information and diagnostic tools to help maintain the health and out-of-box performance of the drive. To help ease the installation process, all Intel SSD users can download the free Intel速 Data Migration Software to help clone the entire content of a previous storage drive (SSD or HDD) to any Intel SSD. Intel SSDs can be purchased in the United States from such retailers as Best Buy or Fry's Electronics, plus a variety of resellers, retailers or Internet e-tailers such as Newegg.com or Amazon.com worldwide. To download the multimedia press kit go to Intel速 Solid-State Drives (SSD). A special enterprise addendum for data center customers and more information on Intel SSDs can be found at www.intel.com/go/ssd. Follow Intel SSDs on Twitter: @intelssd, Facebook: Intel Solid State Drive (Official) or communities.intel.com.

Kingston has learned that a small percentage of their SSDNow V100 sold in the past has experienced a technical issue on the firmware. Kingston strongly recommends that a firmware update be applied to all SSDNow V100 drives to prevent possible data loss. The firmware update can be downloaded from their dedicated support page: www.kingston.com/ support/ssdnow/v100_firmware.asp Description of issue: We have discovered a technical issue with our SSDNow V100 which could result in drive failure. While we have observed this issue in only a small percentage of drives, Kingston strongly recommends that a firmware update be applied to all V100 drives to prevent possible failure. Customers can also contact their customer service hotline at 800-8861042 (toll free) or more information. Affected Part Numbers are: SV100S2/64GZ, SV100S2D/64GZ, SV100S2N/64GZ SV100S2/128GZ, SV100S2D/128GZ, SV100S2N/128GZ 13

March 29th, 2011

SV100S2/256GZ, SV100S2N/256GZ, SV100S2N/256GZ It is important to note that none of Kingston’s other SSDNow products -- with part numbers beginning with SNE, SNM, SS, SNV, SNVP and SVP -- are affected by this potential issue.

Lenovo finally launches the ThinkPad Edge E420s, E220s coming soon Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-finally-launches-the-thinkpadedge-e420s-e220s-coming-soon/11724.html March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Due to Intel’s chipset problem the new ThinkPad Edge models got delayed after having been initially announced back at CES in January, but the E420s has gone on sale in the US today with the smaller, lighter E220s model expected to follow early next month. The E420s will come with a selection of Core i3, i5 and i7 processors while the E220s will feature a selection of ULV Core i5 and i7 processors. As the name suggests, the E420s is a 14-inch model, although at 1.88kg it’s as light as most 13.3-inch notebooks if only a smidgen wider at 349x236x31.2mm (WxDxH) at its thickest part. That’s pretty impressive if you take into account that the E420s has a built in slot-loaded optical drive, as well as a space for both a 2.5-inch hard drive and a mSATA SSD. Lenovo is offering configurations in some markets where you can get an 80GB mSATA SSD as well as a hard drive fitted for a combination of speed and storage space.

As far as notebooks go, Lenovo’s ThinkPad range is considered the most reliable and hard wearing out there, but far from the best looking notebooks. The ThinkPad Edge tried to change this perception but didn’t really go far enough. Now Lenovo has announced its latest addition to the ThinkPad Edge series, the E420s and the soon to launch E220s and the company has taken things to the next level in business casual notebooks. As far as notebooks go, Lenovo’s ThinkPad range is considered the most reliable and hard wearing out there, but far from the best looking notebooks. The ThinkPad Edge tried to change this perception but didn’t really go far enough. Now Lenovo has announced its latest addition to the ThinkPad Edge series, the E420s and the soon to launch E220s and the company has taken things to the next level in business casual notebooks.

In the US it appears that the E420s will only be available with Intel’s integrated HD 3000 series graphics, but we noticed that in Taiwan Lenovo will offer it with switchable graphics in the shape of an AMD Radeon HD 6630M with 2GB of dedicated graphics memory. As for other markets we’ll just have to wait and see until Lenovo introduces the E420s as Lenovo always tend to offer different SKUs in various markets.

Other features include up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, 802.11a/ b/g/n, WiMAX option, Bluetooth 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and D-sub connectivity, a standard USB 2.0 port, an always powered USB 2.0 port and an eSATAp (powered eSATA/ USB combo) port, a memory card reader, a biometric security fingerprint scanner, a combo headphone/mic jack and a 720p capable webcam. The only really disappointing feature is the comparatively small 4-cell 48.8Whr battery pack, although Lenovo claims that it’s good for up to 5.4h of usage.

Rumour: AMD Radeon HD 6790 releasing March 31st Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-amd-radeon-hd-6790releasing-march-31st/11723.html

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

March 29th, 2011

The release of NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 550 Ti prompted several rumours regarding AMD's response. DonanimHaber is now reporting that AMD is all prepared to release a direct competitor - Radeon HD 6790 - later this week, on March 31st. The Radeon HD 6790 will be taking on the GeForce GTX 550 Ti, potentially replacing the now ancient HD 5770. Considering the GTX 550 Ti only barely edged out the HD 5770 on average, a tweaked and overclocked Juniper chip was much rumoured. However, the Radeon HD 6790 is said to be a Barts card, a heavily crippled and underclocked version of the HD 6850. If that is so, perhaps a HD 6830 nomenclature will be more accurate?

At look at the rear

Very little else is known about the HD 6790, except the price - $130. With performance almost certainly well ahead of the GTX 550 Ti, and such an aggressive pricing, the HD 6790 may turn out to be an excellent value. If this is true, NVIDIA will be forced to sharply cut GTX 550 Ti prices in order to compete.

Crysis 2 PC Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crysis-2-pc-review/11713.html March 29th, 2011

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 the box, we find the manual and the disc If you purchased the game with the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;Limited Editionâ&#x20AC;? on it, there is a special key to unlock some lovely bonuses such as in-game dog-tags, weapon attachment, skins and you begin on the multi-player at level 5. Installation of the game is straightforward though I did encounter a problem with the installer. The installer forces some kind of detection mechanism on your C drive for free space, it will not proceed if it has less than 9GB of space. Not really a good thing for folks who partition their drives and allocate limited space for their operating system. Do bear in mind however, you are still able to choose where you can install the game after the initial detection. After installation, you will be prompted with a one-time activation with your serial key before you enter the game. You will then need another one-time activation for multi-player ingame. And finally, get ready to rock and bust some alien butts.

A look at the front of the box

March 29th, 2011

Story Crysis began as a sci-fiction first person shooter developed by Crytek, the story took place in 2020 in Lingshan islands where a team of supersoldiers equipped with a Nanosuits were ordered to save a team of archaeologists. The team, led by Prophet, uncovered an alien structure and this was where it began.

Published by: VR-Zone

Apple posts job openings for iOS mapping application developers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-posts-job-openings-for-iosmapping-application-developers/11718.html March 29th, 2011

Moving forward to 2023 in Crysis 2, the developers took a bold step forward and puts the player right in the thick of urban warfare and alien invasion right at The Big Apple. A huge contrast to the predecessorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jungle warfare. The aliens have returned and they bring with them a full scale invasion bent on destroying mankind and all that we stand for. New York City is in shambles, its populace almost decimated and buildings in ruin. To put things in a better perspective, a plague is spreading amid the survivors and the town is under a brutal military scrutiny, CELL, a funded private military company under the control and part of Crynet Systems.

Well, it seems like the whole 'Apple vs Google' saga is about to enter the next stage, especially after both companies have been reported to be attempting to foil each other's business acquisitions through various methods. And with Apple posting of job openings for iOS map application developers, could this be a sign that the Cupertino company is attempting to break away from its reliance on Google's various online services, especially Google Maps?

You are "Alcatraz", a soldier who will inherit the strength, speed and stealth of the Nanosuit from the original gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s "Prophet". You will play the last stand against the fury and might of the alien invasion force and CELL, both who are happy to put you down.

Do you happen to have experience in developing apps for the iOS platform? Or more specifically, apps that deal with digital maps? If so, you might want to head down to Apple's website and try our luck out at employment opportunities: this is because the Cupertino giant has postedtwo job openings for an iOS mapping application developer and software engineer.

Crysis 2 did a great job in portraying a city under a massscale invasion and hats off for Richard Morgan who does the storyboard for the game. Plenty of small details in the story were given the attention it deserve and the right to keeps the adrenaline pumping and to keep going. Plot development is gradual with a few twists that lead to an unexpected ending, I will not say what but my advice is to keep exploring in the game. Several plot details were unveiled even in enemyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s radio communication chatter or tell-tale signs on the walls. The story is long unlike some popular firstperson shooters and once you completed the game, you would want to recall some awesome firefight scenes that you had experienced. the launch trailer for Crysis 2

Both openings feature identical descriptions: essentially, the company's iOS map team is seeking out software engineers who are not only proactive and hardworking, but are also equipped with "excellent skills in objectoriented software design and programming", with real-world experience developing sophisticated user interfaces being another pre-requisite. The job description also goes on to state that the candidate must also possess excellent communication skills, as he or she will be required to liaise with Apple's human interface team to ensure consistency in the delivery of new features. Needless to say, the job openings have fueled speculations that this is Apple's latest attempt to break away from its dependence on Google's online service, a claim which does have some degree of credibility to it. After all, Apple has recently acquired a couple of companies which specialize in the creation and implementation of digital maps on mobile consumer devices, and chances are that Apple will want to make use of the acquired technology to build a suitable alternative to Google's mapping service. Furthermore, Apple is already well behind the curve in the implementation of digital maps on mobile devices such as smartphones, considering that its iPhone is not known to be able to function like a GPS navigational device, a feature which is available in certain Android-based smartphones. And

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

being 'behind the curve' is a position which innovation-centric companies like Apple are known to loathe being situated in. Of course, there is also a possibility that these job openings are nothing more than the typical recruitment drives, and that the rumour mill is reading too much into what might just be a mundane move from Apple. But we shall wait and see. That being said, what do you think? Could this be a sign that major things are about to take place in the way future versions of iOS will handle digital maps? Source: Apple via ZDNet

Lenovo announces new ThinkCentre desktop PCs for businesses Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-announces-new-thinkcentredesktop-pcs-for-businesses/11715.html March 29th, 2011

Most people will probably get on fine with their office work on a simple desktop PC that comes equipped with a dual-core processor and decent amounts of RAM. However, for those who work in environments which demands that only the latest, greatest and fastest PCs be used at all times, Lenovo might just have the answer for your office computing needs. How would support for SATA3, USB 3.0 and multiple displays sound like for an office PC?

What is the average hardware configuration of a PC commonly found in an office environment? For the most part, a dual-core processor, probably up to 2GB of memory and onboard Intel graphics would probably sound a lot like a typical office PC issued to employees in order to facilitate the accomplishment of various standard tasks such as word processing, handling emails and the occasional image editing. However, not all careers are created equal, and it goes without saying that for certain jobs, a PC with the aforementioned hardware specifications just will not cut it. And if your job requires that all employees be fitted out with nothing but the best, fastest and most powerful PCs that money can buy, you might want to start making friends with the staff at the IT department, and in the process suggest that they upgrade your PC to one of Lenovo's recently launched ThinkCentre PCs: the M91 or the M91p.

According to Lenovo, the new ThinkCentre M91 and M91p desktop PCs for businesses are available in three form factors: tower,small form factor and eco small form factor. This means that users can choose between the aforementioned form factors in order to ensure that their PCs come in sizes that maximize the amount of real estate available in an office cubicle. In addition to offering customizable form factors, Lenovo claims that the new ThinkCentre M91 and M91p desktop PCs, being the fastest ThinkCentre PCs ever, have the capability to speed up daily tasks, due to the usage of Intel's Core i3, i5 and i7 processors (pre-Sandy Bridge), while vPro technology allows various security feature to be hard programmed into the processors themselves. Further performance boosts to the PCs come in the form of support for up to 16GB of memory, as well as the inclusion of SATA III and USB 3.0 technology, both of which are capable of data read/write speeds significantly greater than that of their predecessors. Those who crave expandability in the form of external storage devices will probably feel right at home with the new M91 and M91p, as both desktop PCs come standard with eight USB ports. Alternatively, users who need their PCs to come bundled with more options for upgrades can also choose to customize their machines to come with an additional hard disk, two PCI slots and an eSATA port. Last but not least, customers will also have the option to upgrade the M91 and M91p's graphics processing capabilities by opting for a discreet graphics card which is capable of supporting up to four discreet displays, instead of using the processor's built-in GPU core The ThinkCentre M91 and M91p desktops (tower and small form factor) will be available on April 11 through business partners and www.lenovo.com/sg. Models for the ThinkCentre M91 and M91p desktops will start at S$1,035.

LG Optimus Pad Android tablet to retail in Japan end March Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-optimus-pad-android-tablet-toretail-in-japan-end-march/11717.html

March 29th, 2011 March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

DRAMs are not the only products facing shortages: USB 3.0 controllers have also been affected as well.

It looks like the highly anticipated LG Optimus Pad will be on the shelves in Japan this Thursday, 31 March. The 8.9-inch Android tablet is one of the latest tablet devices this year that is powered by Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) mobile operating system.

With Intel's Light Peak (aka Thunderbolt) still in the early phase of its product life, it should come as little surprise that users who seek a high-speed data transfer interface for external device are turning back to the trusty USB 3.0 specification for their needs. After all, USB 3.0 still offers a huge performance increase over that of USB 2.0, and is well suited to handle most data transfer-related tasks until Light Peak eventually becomes mainstream.

NTT DoCoMo have announced the preorders for the LG Optimus Pad L-06C in mid-March, and the company will be selling the product and the end of this month, which is this Thursday. The Optimus Pad will be selling at 60,000 yen (approximately S$926.56) on contract - two payments of 30,000 yen. For consumers with constraint budget, they can opt for the 12-month (6650 yen) or 24-month (3325 yen) installments. The LG Optimus Pad features an 8.9-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display (1280x768) and runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system. Powered by 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor, the tablet comes with dual 5megapixel camera sensors that can capture 3D images and videos, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth (HID compatible). No word as to when the LG Optimus Pad will be available in Singapore yet, but with the tablet selling soon in Japan, it should be fairly soon.

USB 3.0 controllers: a victim of the Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/usb-3.0-controllers-a-victim-of-thegreat-tohoku-kanto-earthquake/11714.html March 29th, 2011

Unfortunately, the latest developments in Japan might mean that users may have to start paying more for consumer electronic devices fitted with USB 3.0 ports, USB 3.0 controller cards or motherboards with USB 3.0 capabilities. This is because NEC is reporting that it is currently dealing with tight supplies of its first-generation USB 3.0 controllers, and that the shortage might result in a complete dry up of stock. According to Chinese technology website Inpai.com.cn, NEC is claiming that the uPD720200 line of USB 3.0 controllers were already in short supply before the earthquake struck due to it being widely used in most modern motherboards, especially in boards marked with the B3 stepping. With the earthquake also affecting NEC's product lines, it is estimated that existing supplies for the uPD720200 USB 3.0 controller might only be able to last till May this year. To address the problem, NEC has requested that motherboard manufacturers start adopting its second-generation USB 3.0 controllers, which are currently undergoing tests and are expected to be released for sale in a month's time. Fortunately, it would seem that NEC's third-generation controllers will not be affected due to the fact that they are only for volume production by September, which is approximately five months from now - and five months is (hopefully) sufficient enough for Japan to recover from the immediate effects of the earthquake.

Google releases security update for Chrome, modifies existing logo Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-releases-security-update-forchrome-modifies-existing-logo/11712.html March 29th, 2011

Remember how we posted news about various hardware reportedly in short supply as a result of factories either shutting down or operating at less than optimal productivity? Well, the latest information we have seems to suggest that 18

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Do you use Google Chrome as your default web browser on Windows, Mac OS X or Linux? If so, this might be a good time to ensure that the browser's auto-update feature is working properly, for Google has released a patch which it claims is aimed at fixing a few serious security vulnerabilities in its browser. And apparently, it has decided to give its existing logo a little makeover in the process.

Dual-booting x86 tablet shows up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dual-booting-x86-tablet-shows-up-inchina/11711.html March 29th, 2011

Chrome may be one of the better browsers available for use by end-users today, but it does not change the fact that web browsers require constant updates to ensure that they support most, if not all of today's existing standards, as well as to patch various security holes that could potentially allow malicious websites to compromise the user's PC. After all, there is no denying that the Internet is home to all kinds of content, and malware is definitely one of them. That being said, if you happen to be using Chrome as your primary web browser, you might want to check if the application's auto-update feature was successful in pulling and installing the latest update rolled out by the search giant. According to a blog post made by the Chrome development team, version 10.0.648.204 was released on March 24 (last Thursday) and is targeted at both the Stable and Beta versions of the Chrome browser. This update reportedly resolves six high-risk flaws found in the earlier version of Chrome 10 and applies to all three major operating systems, as shown in the screenshot below.

Additionally, users who have updated their copy of the Chrome web browser might have realized that the typical, 3D-ish Chrome logo has been replaced by a flat, 2D colour wheel. This is not a bug though: rather, it is the new Chrome logo that was announced by the Chrome team on March 21.

Have you ever found yourself wishing that your tablet comes with more than one operating system installed so that you can switch between either OS to suit various needs? Well, it turns out that the Chinese are already one step ahead in the game: a new x86 tablet that comes pre-loaded with both Windows 7 and an x86 port of Android has started making its rounds around Shenzhen. With tablets starting to retail for a dime a dozen down in China, one might be tempted to think that there is no more room (or desire) for innovation in this particular class of consumer electronic devices in that country. After all, common logic would state that there is no point trying to be different in an oversaturated market when one company's advancements or innovation are immediately copied by rivals in no time. However, the latest report we have received from the Chinese tablet market seems to suggest that the spirit of innovation is still alive and well, despite what many others will believe. At least, that is what we are inclined to think, especially after seeing images of a certain dual-booting tablet from Shenzhen circulating on the Internet. Anyone fancy being able to choose between both the Android and Windows 7 operating systems in a tablet?

According to Chinese gadget website M.I.C Digi, this tablet is the product of a company known as Bben, and is known to the Chinese market as the Bben A-97. M.I.C Digi claims that the 19

March 29th, 2011

A-97 makes use of a 9.7-inch, capacitive IPS touchscreen (1024 x 768) for its display, while processing power is provided by Intel's Atom Z530 processor which is clocked at 1.6GHz. In addition, the A-97 boasts 1GB of memory and a 32GB SSD to house the operating systems. This makes perfect sense when you think about it: after all, Windows 7 cannot be installed to ROM, unlike Android.

Published by: VR-Zone

The Device Manager in Windows 7 reveals that the Bben A-97 tablet PC comes bundled with a built-in 3G modem and an internal WiFi card based of the USB interface, while graphics is handled by the onboard Intel GMA 500 processor.

The A-97 uses version 2.2 of the Android operating system, which is an old built known mainly for its stability and major improvements over 2.1, such as support for Flash, WiFi hotspot and tethering.

Interestingly, Bben's A-97 product page makes no mention about support for dual-booting. Of course, it is entirely possible that Bben's product page contains information about an older version of the A-97 tablet PC, and that the information will eventually be updated to reflect that of the one we have shown here.

If you were expecting the A-97 tablet PC to come bundled with a cheap, no-frills copy of Windows 7 known as Windows 7 Starter Edition, this revelation would probably be quite the welcome surprise. Apparently, Bben was savvy enough to load the tablet up with Windows 7 Home Premium to take full advantage of the operating system's built-in multitouch capabilities.

That being said, how much do you think the Bben A-97 tablet PC will cost? Well, Bben's product page lists an RRP of 588 yuan (approx US$90). Considering that users get both an SSD and two operating systems loaded into a single package, that price is definitely quite the steal. Of course, you will have to be in China to get one, for these products are seldom (if ever) found outside of the Chinese domestic market.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 gets Android 2.3 Gingerbread update Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-getsandroid-2.3-gingerbread-update/11710.html March 29th, 2011

March 29th, 2011

In November last year, Sony Ericsson Xperia have released the Android 2.1 update for its X10, X10 mini and X10 mini pro Android smartphones. Today, the company has announced that the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will be available for the X10.

Published by: VR-Zone March 29th, 2011

FSP (also known as Fortron-Source) is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest PSU manufacturers. They have been around since 1993 but it was not until 2003 that FSP started their own retail brand, offering their products directly to consumers. Today we are going to have a look at one of the latest and greatest FSP power supplies, the Aurum Gold 700. As its name suggests, this product offers a maximum power output of 700W and has an 80Plus Gold certification.

Initially, there wasn't any plans to offer Android version higher than 2.1 (Eclair) to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, according to the company's blog post. However, that decision had been changed and that Android 2.3 Gingerbread will be available for the X10 at the end of Q2 or early Q3. There are also some of the questions and answers on the blog including what are the components of the upgrade and the differences compared to the current Android 2.1. However, it seems that some of the phone's functionality will be lost or changed due to the upgrade. - The current plan is that the Xperia X10 will get the Android standard Camera user interface and therefore features like e.g. face recognition, smile shutter etc will be lost. - Moxier is replaced by the gingerbread native EAS functionality. - Mediascape is being replaced by the media experience widgets and music player included in our new 2011 products. - DRM keys for protected content on your phone will be lost in the upgrade process. - The Sony Ericsson Backup and Restore client is not supported in the Gingerbread version and will therefore be lost. - Support for bi-directional languages will be reduced compared to the latest version of the 2.1 version of the Xperia X10. Also, note that the upgrade will only be available through PCbased upgrade clients as it cannot be done over the air. No luck of Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for owners of X10 mini and X10 mini pro though.

PSU Review - FSP Aurum Gold 700 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/psu-review--fsp-aurumgold-700/11709.html

Model Efficiency Input Voltage Frequency PFC Power Provided Over-Current Protection Over-Voltage Protection Short-Circuit Protection Line Type/ Main connector Line Type/ 4 pins + 12V Power Connector Line Type/ 4 pins Floppy Connector Line Type/ S-ATA Connector Line Type/ 4 pins Connector Line Type/ PCI-Express Connector Case Color Chassis Fan Noise Form Factor Safety Approval Dimensions(Lx W x H)mm

AU-700 90% typical 90 ~ 264Vac 47 ~ 63Hz Active PFC (0.99) 700W V V V 20+4 Pins 4 Pins, 4+4 Pins 1 7 4 6 + 2 Pins x 4 Black 120mm <21 dBA ATX 12V V2.3 & EPS 12V V2.92 cUL, FCC, CE, TUV, GOST 150 x 140 x 86

10 recommended apps for your Nokia phone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/10-recommended-apps-for-your-nokiaphone/11707.html March 29th, 2011

Nokia may be going the Windows Phone 7 way, but it will be a long before we see the device retailing in stores. Meanwhile, the Finnish phone maker is not going to phase out its Symbian 21

March 29th, 2011

offerings, seeing there are more than 200 million Symbianbased devices on the market to date. If you are still holding on to a Symbian smartphone, why not maximize it fully with some of these apps featured here? Note that not all the featured apps are free. All apps are tested on the Nokia N8 touchscreen smartphone.

Published by: VR-Zone

ASUS ROG Rampage III Black Edition - The Best X58 Motherboard? Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-rog-rampage-iii-black-edition-the-best-x58-motherboard-/11656.html March 29th, 2011

Gamers and Overclockers, you’re in luck as ASUS’s new offering, the Republic of Gamers Rampage III Black edition is here to stay. Introduction Most smartphones on the market have basic call management features including mute, call logs, incoming and dialled numbers, as well as check call duration. If you want more features, check out the Advanced Call Manager app. The Advanced Call Manager can handle numerous phone and offers call blocking options too, including busy tone, SMS auto-reply, mute, divert calls, personal voice greeting (available for Nokia phones only). You can also create lists of contacts, choose how to filter their calls, save profiles and schedule them to change depending on the time of day or your location.

Record Labels Claim Limewire Liable For $75 Trillion in Damages Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/record-labels-claim-limewire-liablefor-75-trillion-in-damages/11706.html March 29th, 2011

ASUS Republic of Gamers(ROG) series of motherboard are ASUS’s top of the line motherboard which gives extreme overclocking capabilities as well as features which give gamers an edge in their games. Living up to the ROG name, the Rampage III Black edition is a tool for power gamers to frag their opponents in the matter of seconds.

Judge Wood probably checked his calendar to see if what he just heard was an April fools' day joke before calling the claim "beyond absurd". The 13 record companies currently suing peer-to-peer filesharing service Limewire have estimated... ...that the company owes them between $400 billion and $75 trillion USD, which converts to about 94.65 trillion SGD, a sum higher than the estimated GDP of the entire planet! "As defendants note, plaintiffs are suggesting an award that is 'more money than the entire music recording industry has made since Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877'," she wrote.

The word black is often used in naming computer hardware which shows ultimate performance. This is shown in AMD black edition processors are those with unlocked multipliers for extreme overclocking. However, the Rampage III Black 22

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Edition motherboard also took it the literal way. The whole motherboard is in black which can thermally dissipate and radiate heat away faster, proving it to be one reliable and cool dude in the market.

* Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs. Some hyper DIMMs only support one DIMM per channel. Please refer to Memory QVL for details. Expansion Slots

2 x PCIe x1 Multi-GPU Support

Hidden at the MOSFET heat sink is supposedly a ROG logo which not many have noticed. Not forgetting the all-time favorite ROG logo which lights up red, bringing out the motherboard aesthetically.

4 x PCIe 2.0 x16 , support x16; x16/x16; x16/x8/x8 and x8/ x8/x8/x8 configurations Support NVIDIA 3-Way SLI™ / ATI CrossFireX™ Technology

4 PCIe x16 slots ready for 4 single PCB 2-slot width graphics cards Storage Intel ICH10R controller 6 xSATA 3.0 Gb/s ports Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Support RAID 0,1,5,10 JMicron® JMB363 controller 2 xExternal SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports Marvell® 9182 PCIe SATA 6Gb/s controller 2 xSATA 6.0 Gb/s ports Wireless IEEE 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi Compliant, Bluetooth v3.0 + HS

GeForce GTX 590 Goes Up In Smoke Specifications CPU

Intel® Socket 1366 Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition/ Core™ i7 Processor/

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/geforce-gtx-590-goes-up-insmoke/11705.html March 29th, 2011

Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 * Refer to www.asus.com for Sweclockers has discovered that when using the supposingly Intel CPU support list press driver for GeForce GTX 590, the card overheats and Chipset Intel® X58 / ICH10R burns during a 3DMark11 run at a slightly overclocked and System Bus Up to 6400 MT/s ; QuickPath overvolted condition. This certainly got NVIDIA scrambling to Interconnection come up with a new driver revision just a day before launch. More juicy info included. Memory 6 x DIMM, Max. 48 GB, DDR3 2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1800(O.C.)/1600/1333/1066 Sweclockers has discovered that when using the supposingly Non-ECC,Un-buffered press driver for GeForce GTX 590, the card overheats and Memory burns during a 3DMark11 run at a slightly overclocked and Triple channel memory overvolted condition. This certainly got NVIDIA scrambling to architecture come up with a new driver revision just a day before launch and issued the following statement according to NGOHQ: 23

March 29th, 2011

"The few press reports on GTX 590 boards dying were caused by overvoltaging to unsafe levels (as high as 1.2V vs. default voltage of 0.91 to 0.96V), and using older drivers that have lower levels of overcurrent protection. Rest assured that GTX 590 operates reliably at default voltages, and our 267.84 launch drivers provide even more additional levels of protection for overclockers. VR-Zone learned that recently, NVIDIA has sent out a cautionary to their partners regarding possible component damage due to high temperature when running Furmark 1.9 as it bypasses the capping detection. The risk increases if the graphics card is overclocked, overvolted or has insufficient cooling around the PWM area. This is something not able to fix through drivers nor it is just applicable to GeForce GTX 590 only but any overclocked/performance cards out there. It seems like an overclocked/overvolted GTX 590 using 267.52 drivers with Furmark 1.9 is almost a road of no return.

GIGABYTE launches GeForce GTX 590 graphics card, bundles M8000Xtreme gaming mouse Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-launches-geforce-gtx-590graphics-card-bundles-m8000xtreme-gaming-mouse/11704.html March 29th, 2011

GIGABYTE has launched its latest premium graphics card, the GeForce GTX 590 (GV-N590D5-3GD-B). With two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 500 Series GPUs on a single PCB and high speed GDDR5 memory, the GV-N590D5-3GD-B is "the world's fastest DirectX 11 graphics card on the planet for gamers who need top performance". The M8000X gaming mouse that is bundled with the card, has a high-resolution 6000dpi sensor and supports up to 70 macros.

Published by: VR-Zone

GIGABYTE, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, has launched its latest premium graphics card, the GeForce GTX 590 (GV-N590D5-3GD-B). With two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 500 Series GPUs on a single printed circuit board (PCB) and high speed GDDR5 memory, the GVN590D5-3GD-B is the "world's fastest DirectX 11 graphics card on the planet for gamers who need top performance". The GeForce GTX 590 supports Microsoft's DirectX 11, and features many innovative NVIDIA technologies including 3D Vision Surround, Quad SLI, CUDA, and PhysX. To cater to hardcore gamers, GIGABYTE has come up with a premium package consisting of the GV-N590D5-3GD-B graphics card and the M8000Xtreme gaming mouse. Heart-pounding gaming experience The GV-N590D5-3GD-B features two GeForce GTX 500 series GPUs on a single PCB, providing a total of 1024 CUDA cores (512 CUDA cores per GPU) and 3072MB of memory (1536MB per GPU). The monster card delivers massive tessellation performance thanks to its GPU architecture and can provide incredibly detailed environments and characters. In addition, the GV-N590D5-3GD-B is equipped with one mini DisplayPort and three dual-link DVI outputs to enable panoramic gaming across multiple screens from a single card. Ready to conquer with GV-N590D5-3GD-B premium packaging Hardcore gamers deserve the most powerful gaming gear and the GIGABYTE GV-N590D5-3GD-B premium packaging will fit the bill. Having the GV-N590D5-3GD-B and M8000Xtreme gaming mouse in one package, gamers can conquer any game easily. The M8000X gaming mouse has a high-resolution 6000dpi sensor and a built-in 32KB GHOST engine supporting 70 onboard macros. Its powerful macro editor is able to record, read, and edit desired scripts. In addition, M8000X's secondgeneration GHOST Engine software features an easy-to-use drag and drop structure. The M8000X also provides weight balancing and adjustment ranging from 6g to 38g. Reference: GIGABYTE Press Release

TRENDnet Wireless-N Router Comparison: TEW-691GR vs. TEW-673GRU Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/trendnet-wireless-n-routercomparison-tew-691gr-vs.-tew-673gru/11688.html March 29th, 2011

March 29th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

In this roundup, we are going to test two of TRENDnet's latest Wireless-N routers, the TEW-691GR 450Mbps wireless router and the TEW-673GRU 300Mbps dual-band wireless router.

The WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button is located on the left side of the router. WPS allows devices to connect to the router securely with ease. TRENDnet was one of the first to launch Wireless-N products supporting up to 450Mbps throughput, thanks to a triplestream radio implementation. The TEW-691 was launched in June last year, not too long after Ralink announced and started shipping their triple-stream 450Mbps chipsets in the first quarter that year. The TEW-691 is a single 2.4GHz band, triple-stream wireless router with speeds of up to 450 Mbps. Like its predecessors, it comes dressed in the same shiny piano black overalls.

The power jack, reset button, color-coded RJ45 jacks (1x WAN , 4x LAN) are found at the back of the router. The TEW-691 also features a physical power switch as well as a WLAN ON/OFF switch, providing easy access to power cycle the router. The three 4dBi dipole antennas are fixed, making it impossible to upgrade to higher dBi antennas.

March 31st, 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 - 31 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--31mar-2011/11458.html March 31st, 2011

Description: Although the Sniper series is designed for Intel platforms, it is also compatible with AMD platforms too. G. Skill have done extensive testing to ensure full compatibility for both parties covering a wide range of chipsets from AM3 right through to X58. The Sniper series is available in 2 colour options, pitch-black and metallic arm green. Description: While there may be some missing images and feature run downs, here’s our review of the GTX 570 from Zotac. How will it compare to our previously tested HIS HD 6970? Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: Google played down the significance of an antitrust complaint filed by one of its main rivals, Microsoft, on Thursday and said its discussions were continuing with European Union regulators.

In today's news roundup: How video games killed desktop PC computing; Preview of SuperFlower SF-700P14XE Modular PSU; Samsung keylogger accusations prove false ; Microsoft exec ignores sales figures, says tablets a fad; Mega Man Universe cancelled, and Hideo Kojima gets promoted to Konami Vice President.

Description: A security expert's claims that Samsung installs keylogger spyware on its laptops are incorrect, according to both Samsung and independent sources.

Hardware news

Description: Microsoft's global chief research and strategy officer Craig Mundie has made statements that he is unsure if tablets are here to stay or if they are just a passing fad.

Description: For those of you who aren't in constant contact with the marketing arm of AMD and NVIDIA, you might not know that very few video game titles are made exclusively for the PC platform. Nearly all video games developed over the past four years have been designed for consoles first and foremost, and then later released for PC. Description: It is a Mini-ITX motherboard built around the AMD 890GX chipset, complete with four SATA 3.0 ports, two USB 3.0 and three network interfaces. There is an n-spec wireless card and two GBe LAN ports. This pint sized product also is capable of supporting up to a 95 Watt AMD CPU. Description: The chipset design error wasn't catastrophic by any means and likely wouldn't cause any issues for years to come, but it certainly needed to be corrected regardless. Board manufacturers worked with Intel to replace "bad" boards with those featuring the revised B3 chipset and business is pretty much back to normal at this point. Description: The Super Flower SF-700P14XE comes in a rather stylish box, sporting a golden theme (to match with the “golden green” range name). We can clearly see the benefit of this particular PSU on the front; 90+ % efficiency at 80% load.

Description: Facebook is the target as the company builds a social network around search results that lets people share recommendations for websites and online advertisers.

Description: Now that watching online content through your TV is all the rage, Roku's set-top box is now big enough for the #1 electronics retailer in the country. Description: Acer president and CEO Gianfranco Lanci has resigned from the company, effective immediately, Acer announced Thursday. Chairman JT Wang will step in as interim president and CEO. Gaming news Description: Capcom has cancelled development of Mega Man Universe. The announcement was made tonight through the game's official website. Capcom did not provide a specific reason behind its cancellation. Description: Konami Digital Entertainment announced that Hideo Kojima, famed creator of the Metal Gear franchise, has been appointed the role of vice president within the company. Description: You know what else isn't a let-down? This preview video of Gears of War 3's multiplayer component. New

March 31st, 2011

executions, new melee tactics, new weapons, new gadgets. It's basically a total winner, and you should watch it ASAP.

COMPUTEX : Tablet PCs and e-Book Readers Makers Unshaken by Japan Earthquake Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/computex--tablet-pcs-and-e-bookreaders-makers-unshaken-by-japan-earthquake/11779.html March 31st, 2011

A recent survey conducted by The Taipei Computer Association (TCA) shows that the recent Japan earthquake did affected the exhibitors' confidence slightly. A survey conducted on international buyers shows similar result. Overall, the COMPUTEX Exhibitors Index (CEI) is still good standing. There is one sector remains unshaken, which is the PC system and photo-electronics where most of the exhibitors of that segment are the manufacturers of Tablet PCs and eBook readers. However, manufacturers in the components and storage sectors are pretty much shaken as the earthquake casted doubts over the buying power of the Japanese market.

Published by: VR-Zone

the calamity, the COMPUTEX Exhibitors Index (CEI) is rated at 1.64, which is the lowest in the last three quarters of survey results but still within the Good rating. At the same time, a survey also conducted on international buyers that showed similar result. Comparing the results of first two quarters showed that CEI on Q1 was 1.81 while CEI on Q2 is 1.64. The percentage of enterprises saw Good to Above Average view dropped to 43% on Q2, from 53% on Q1. The percentage of enterprises gave Bad view and Below Average view increase dramatically to 25% on Q2 from 16% on Q1. One percent increased on Good view by the enterprises to 32%. The period survey took place was from March 15~24 with 332 effective samples out of total 1,224 respondents from the Taiwanese exhibitors.

Samsung investigating on spyware installed on its laptops Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-investigating-on-spywareinstalled-on-its-laptops/11766.html March 31st, 2011

Usually, your PC may get infected with spyware when you visit dangerous websites, install unknown applications or open questionable attachments in your email inbox. Well, of course, another way would be the manufacturer preloads the spyware in the PC. Apparently, on a guest posting on NetworkWorld, keylogging software was found on a newly bought Samsung laptop. Update: Samsung Korea issued a statement saying that that the company preinstalls keylogger on R525 and R540 laptop computers are false. Update: Samsung Korea has issued an official statement that the claims of its laptops being preloaded with spyware are false. The findings showed that the person mentioned in the article used a security program called VIPRE that mistook a folder created by Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Live Application for a key logging software, during a virus scan.

Other results of the survey showed that 43 percent of the enterprises felt Good view and Average Above view on Q2, 32% of them felt Good view, while 25% of the enterprises deeply bothered and gave Bad rating. Although influenced by 2

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

today, and you can bet that all of them come bundled with the latest Sand(-y Bridge) courtesy of Intel.

Is Korean manufacturer Samsung spying on its customers with a keylogger software preinstalled on their laptop products? According to news sources, According to Toronto security researcher Mohammed Hassan, on a posting on NetworkWorld, keylogging software was found on a brand-new Samsung laptop he bought last month. The manufacturer has admitted that the software was intended to "monitor the performance of the machine and to find out how it is being used." Hassan deleted the software and continued to use the laptop, until it developed other problems. He then went to return to the retailer and came home with a slightly better Samsung model - which is also installed with the keylogging software. The software was a commercial product called StarLogger, which the company says is "completely undetectable and starts up whenever your computer starts up." Samsung is investigating into this matter at press time. Meantime, if you do buy a new laptop in future, you may want to do a thorough check to see if there exists any malicious software.

This might not necessarily apply to Singapore, but in other areas where countries are fortunate enough to experience the seven seasons, it is usually understood that spring and summer are the two seasons where frolicking in the sandy beaches is a top priority. After all, those are the only two seasons that offer favourable weather conditions to make such an activity possible. Of course, with Singapore being on the other end of the scale in having to deal with the weather control system being jammed at 'Summer' permanently, frolicking in the sandy beaches is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind for most of us. However, that has not stopped Fujitsu from attempting to bring in some 'sand' into its consumers' life; the Japanese company has officially unveiled its new Spring collection of Lifebooks for this year that feature...yes, you guessed it, Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, along with a few Fujitsu-centric touches. In her opening address, Catherine Chew, senior business development manager for Fujitsu's PC portfolio in Singapore, spoke about how the Japanese OEM's Spring collection of Sandy Bridge-powered notebooks for 2011 are capable of "delivering a computing experience like no other".

Fujitsu announces new Sandy Bridge notebooks for Spring 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujitsu-announces-new-sandy-bridgenotebooks-for-spring-2011/11776.html March 31st, 2011

For technology enthusiasts who demand nothing but the latest in hardware for their PCs, having a system that boasts Intel's current Sandy Bridge platform is no longer a luxury, but a minimum requirement. And Fujitsu has seen to it that the local market will not be left high and dry without their dose of 'sand' in the first half of 2011: the Japanese OEM has just unveiled its latest Spring collection of notebooks for the year in an event held at the Hosted By The Patio cafe located in Alexandra Road

"We will be introducing to customers new Fujitsu-specific technology that we have incorporated into our latest products. These technologies will further demonstrate Fujitsu's commitment in delivering quality products to consumers," she said, while adding that Fujitsu's new Spring collection of notebooks will allow the company to cater to a wider range of user profiles. The spotlight was then handed over to Edmund Lim, Fujitsu's product marketing manager for Southeast Asia, who proceeded to describe some of the technologies that Chew spoke about earlier. 3

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

on the fingerprint sensor. Because the hardware and its accompanying software do not always initialize at the same time, Fujitsu has built an LED indicator right into the sensor itself. This will provide visual feedback to the user as to whether the sensor is read for use or not," he explained.

NVIDIA To Unlock SLI For AMD 990 Series Chipsets Lim described the company's aims of 'going green' as one of the key focuses for the year of 2011, and how it has taken steps to ensure that its notebooks are now capable of significantly reduce their carbon footprint by eliminating what its known as 'vampire current'. "When your devices are turned off or left on standby without removing the power cable, they will still continue to draw current from the power outlet. That is known as vampire current, and the approximately 7-8% of the average Asian's electrical bill is wasted on this current...to address this problem, Fujitsu is introducing a new zero-watt AC adaptor which will come standard in our premium range of notebooks," he said.

Lim also spoke about how Fujitsu has managed to improve the security and privacy of the biometric sensors used in its notebooks by utilizing ultrasonic technology.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-to-unlock-sli-for-amd-990series-chipsets/11778.html March 31st, 2011

For so long, AMD enthusiasts have to resort to unofficial patches to make SLI work on their boards but not anymore. NVIDIA has finally agreed to make their SLI technology available for AMD 9-series chipsets boards supporting the Zambezi processors based on Bulldozer architecture. Only 990FX and 990X will be supported though so no luck for 7 and 8 series boards owners. AMD 990FX is able to support 2 PCIe x16 slots or 4 PCIe x8 slots so it can run 2-way (2 x16) or 3-way (3 x8) while AMD 990X is able to support only 2-way SLI (2 x8). There is no indication whether AMD 970 can support SLI at this point of time. The AMD 9series launch is expected to be sometime in May so look out for it.

Second wave of motherboard price hikes expected "For 2011, we have improved on the biometric sensor's technology: it is more sensitive when reading a user's fingerprints. In addition, we have also added a new feature

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/second-wave-of-motherboard-pricehikes-expected/11777.html

March 31st, 2011 March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Today, HTC has announced the launch of the Desire S Android smartphone in Singapore. The successor to the HTC Desire is made from a single block of aluminum and features dual front and rear cameras.

More bad news we're afraid, motherboards are expected to get another price hike, this time around due to the earthquake in Japan that managed to damage many of the factories where crucial motherboard components are being made. In the wake of the earthquake and nuclear disaster, Japan is now suffering from rolling brownouts that are causing production delays for the companies that make the components which in turn has led to an increase in components prices. More bad news we're afraid, motherboards are expected to get another price hike, this time around due to the earthquake in Japan that managed to damage many of the factories where crucial motherboard components are being made. In the wake of the earthquake and nuclear disaster, Japan is now suffering from rolling brownouts that are causing production delays for the companies that make the components which in turn has led to an increase in components prices. Normally the components market is fairly stable in terms of pricing unless there's a higher than expected demand for something, but in this case we're looking at standard components running low due to stocks at the manufacturers being depleted. The problem of course being that the manufacturers can't produce enough parts to replenish their stocks due to the current situation in Japan and this will have an onwards effect on much of the electronics and computer component market space which is likely to at least in the long term lead to a shortage of certain products if the shortages continue. The components makers are of course the first ones to be affected, although some of this will depend on the type of contracts they have with the components makers. As such motherboard prices are expected to go up by between three and eight percent sometime in May to reflect the price increases for the components that are in short supply. This will be the second time in only a few months that the motherboard makers will have increased their prices, although this time the overall price increase is lower than it was earlier this year.

HTC launches Desire S Android smartphone in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-launches-desire-s-androidsmartphone-in-singapore/11774.html March 31st, 2011

Today, HTC announced the launch of their new HTC Desire S in Singapore. The successor to the popular HTC Desire, this one sports a stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend's aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is made out of a single block of aluminum that is solid, yet feels natural in your hand. The HTC Desire S sports a sleek new design with a subtle curve at the bottom with HTCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademark aluminum unibody. Internally, it is equipped with Qualcommâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8255 processor that claims to offer superb performance and power. With dual front and back cameras, high-definition video recording and a 3.7-inch WVGA display, the HTC Desire S presents multimedia content brilliantly, hitting the sweet spot for people who want a premium smartphone experience that is personal, fun and does it all. Pricing and Availability The HTC Desire S will be available through mobile operators and authorized retailers at a suggested retail price of S$688 from April 2011 onwards.

Rumour: NVIDIA preparing GeForce GTX 560 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-nvidia-preparing-geforcegtx-560/11773.html March 31st, 2011

Reports from Germany point towards a GeForce GTX 560 (minus 'Ti') being in development. The GTX 560 will replace the GTX 460, as a competition to the Radeon HD 6800 series. The GTX 560 is expected have one SM disabled - much like the GTX 460 - for a total of 336 SP, 56 TMU, with 32 ROP and a 256-bit memory bus like the GTX 560 Ti. The GTX 560 will clocked much higher than the GTX 460, in the range of 800 MHz. In essence, the GTX 560 is very much like a tweaked version of the slew of heavily overclocked GTX 460 variants - offering better thermals and maybe slightly better performance . Depending on the final clock speed, the GTX 560 will offer 5

March 31st, 2011

similar performance to the Radeon HD 6870 and the outgoing GTX 470. The reference design, not surprisingly, will most likely mimic the GTX 560 Ti. The GTX 560 is expected to release sometime between mid-April and early-May. If priced right, the GTX 560 will be a formidable challenger to the HD 6870 in the popular $200 market.

Samsung announces new line of transparent LCD panels

Published by: VR-Zone

monochrome version and a full-colour version. Both panels will only be available in a 22-inch form factor, will sport 16:10 aspect ratios and are capable of WSXGA resolutions (1680 x 1050) at a contrast ratio of 500 : 1. Samsung plans to market the displays as being suitable for use in areas and environments where two-way communication is highly desired. This includes shop windows, billboards, schools and offices, although the company claims that it may consider utilizing these panels in common electronic devices such as mobile devices, GPS navigation systems and tablet PCs.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-new-line-oftransparent-lcd-panels/11772.html March 31st, 2011

Will it not be nice to be able to enjoy your digital content on an LCD panel that is so clear, it actually allows a user to see right through it? Apparently, Samsung seems to think so. Barely a couple of weeks after the Korean electronics giant showed off a notebook with an transparent AMOLED screen, Samsung is back to tease consumers with news about its new transparent LCD panel product line. So when will we start seeing monitors fitted with these drool-worthy panels?

Last but definitely not least, the Korean electronics giant claims that its transparent LCD panels are also capable of consuming almost 90% lesser energy than conventional LCD panels due to its lack of a light source for backlighting purposes. Instead, it will take advantage of solar energy and ambient light sources to provide the illumination needed for easy reading of on-screen content. No information about the transparent LCD panels' massmarket availability has been released yet, so do check back for updates.

Do you fancy owning an LCD monitor, notebook or television set that comes with a transparent display? Well, if you are interested in doing so, if only just to see how cool such a device will look like, you are in luck. This is because the idea of having such displays is no longer just a product of science fiction, as Samsung has just announced in a press release that it has already began full-scale production of the aforementioned panels; this makes the Korean electronics giant the industry's first supplier of such products.

Microsoft launches Express Mouse and Comfort Mouse Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-launches-express-mouseand-comfort-mouse/11771.html March 31st, 2011

Microsoft has announced the new Express mouse (which comes in five trendy colors) and Comfort mouse 3000 and 6000 in Singapore. The mice will be available in April next month.

According to the press release, production of the transparent LCD panels begin in early March. To date, the company has managed to produce two variants of its transparent panels: a 6

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Want to tell a friend about a certain search result which you like but don't have the time to fire off an email detailing the exact URL of the aforementioned resource? No problem: Google has got just the solution for such situations, and it involves an experimental feature known simply as... +1. Yes, you read that right. Are you ready to start +1-ing your favourite links?

The Express Mouse is designed with style and ergonomics and has an off-center cable and futuristic dash of gloss and matte colors. It is comfortable to use and incorporating BlueTrack technology, it can be used on almost any surface. The mouse connects via USB, which means you don't need to worry about changing batteries. It comes in five trendy colors -.Flint Grey and Hibiscus Red, which will be available in April; Turf Green, Dahlia Pink and Coast Blue in July 2011. The Express Mouse will retail at S$26 (suggested retail price).

Do you have a Facebook account? If you do, you should be very familiar with the all-too-famous 'Like' button, which allows a user to share content which they like so with other like-minded Facebook users on a user's Friend list. After all, that is what friends are for, right? Well, as it turns out, Google does not appear to be very content with letting Facebook dominate the online social networking scene, and has rolled out its own version of what appears to the Facebook's Like feature. The difference? Well, it has a better sounding name to it: +1.

The Comfort Mouse 3000 and Comfort Mouse 6000 claim to offer comfortable, reliable wired navigation at affordable price. The Comfort Mouse 3000 is a great choice for the productive ambidextrous mouse user, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for the righties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Comfort Mouse 6000 will offer more control as you mouse. The 6000 also offers dual side buttons for accelerated productivity. Both the 3000 and 6000 are equipped with BlueTrack Technology that can track on most surfaces. The Comfort Mouse 3000 and 6000 will be available in April for S$25 and S$39 respectively.

Google wants you to +1 your favourite search results

No, we are not making this up. Apparently, +1 is an experimental feature on Google Labs. Like its Facebook counterpart, it allows users to flag various Google search results so that your friends can receive recommendations on content which might be of interest to them. To use the feature, all users need to do is to sign in to their Google account, create a public profile, enable the +1 feature on Google Labs and they are good to start +1-ing their various Google search results.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-wants-you-to-1-your-favouritesearch-results/11769.html March 31st, 2011

So now that we have a +1 feature from Google, what could be next? Perhaps Google could create a 'Before Lock and Ban' feature to complement '+1', so that administrators could have easy access to a '+1 Before Lock and Ban' option. 7

March 31st, 2011

LG and WFP announce initiative to fight against hunger around the world Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-and-wfp-announce-initiative-tofight-against-hunger-around-the-world/11768.html March 31st, 2011

You may be wondering how technology can help end hunger in this world. LG and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are announcing a initiative to fight against hunger around the world. Read on for the details.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and LG Electronics have announced a bold new initiative to fight against hunger around the world with the very latest in digital technology. Owners of LG’s latest line of Smart TVs will be able to download a new app that allows them to engage directly with global efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goal 1 – the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. The LG smart television app features WeFeedback, WFP’s social media tool that encourages people to engage in a “solidarity platform” to transform their favourite food into hope for hungry school children in countries where WFP works.

Published by: VR-Zone

Since launching WeFeedback (www.wefeedback.org) earlier this month, enough funds have been raised to feed around 90,000 children through WFP’s school meals programmes.

Acer launches Iconia Touchbook in Australia Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-launches-iconia-touchbook-inaustralia/11767.html March 31st, 2011

Will you spend good money to purchase a keyboard-less notebook? Well, Acer apparently thinks that there exists people out there who are willing to do so, if only just to show the world that they are way ahead of the times where computer technology is concerned. And if tapping away on a touchscreen is definitely something that only the trendy do, Acer's recently launched Iconia Touchbook will probably be the ideal solution for those who just cannot get enough satisfaction from taping on their single-display tablet's touchscreen.

Even though they serve completely different target markets, one would be hard pressed to deny that both the notebook and desktop PCs have had more than their fair share of naysayers claiming that the both their form factors will eventually be replaced by smaller, more portable machines that feature lesser processing power. After all, the desktop PC has been facing competition from mobile notebooks as the computer of choice for the longest time, while typical laptops are already having to deal with the huge popularity of netbooks, along with the recently-introduced smartphone and tablets. However, both form factors have also successfully defended their place in the computing ecosystem, and it appears that Acer has realized that one does not have to break the mould in order to deliver a completely new computing experience to the masses. After all, that is exactly what it has seemingly done with its recently-launched Iconia tablet PC, which appears to resemble a notebook more than a tablet.

The integration of television and Internet technology in the Smart TV will provide a powerful new tool through which people and companies can “feedback” their foods – from pizza to sushi to apple pie – to make a difference in children’s lives.

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

3.5-inch SATA Aluminum Hard Drive Mobile Rack; Dell says Apple's iPad is bad for enterprise customers; Today’s Facebook forecast: Cloudy with a chance of girlfriends; Child of Eden gives you glowing hands , and Microsoft needs testers for new Xbox 360 disc format . Hardware news Description: Recently, I wrote an op-ed piece here titled "The Fast Enough Computer". I argued that for gamers, low- to midrange components provided the most bang for the buck and could readily play most modern games. The metric I used was "30 frames per second at 1680x1050".

According to Acer, the bottom touchscreen panel serves a wide variety of purposes, although most users will probably find that getting used to handling a full-sized keyboard without any form of tactile feedback is going to be the top priority in learning how to fully utilize the Iconia. That being said, Acer claims that users will not have to jump through any hoops in order to activate the touchscreen keyboard: rather all they have to do is to merely rest both hands on the screen and the virtual keyboard will magically appear. Additionally, the bottom screen also supports gesture control: this allows users to call up certain applications or start up specific tasks with little more than just a few flicks of their fingers. Furthuremore, Acer claims that the Iconia's lower screen can be used as an extension of the main display: this allows for dual-screen multitasking, or the viewing of digital content in a single large extended display. Last but definitely not least, the Iconia uses Intel's Core-i5 processor (no information about its model number), features a HDMI-out port and a 1.3 megapixel web camera. Backing up its multi-tasking capabilties are 4GB of memory and 64-GB of hard disk storage, although road warriors might find its paltry three hour a turn off. Ufortunately, this trade off is inevitable, as two displays are definitely going to put a huge strain on the Iconia's battery. Having said that, has the aforementioned information got you all envious about the Iconia? If so, you will probably have to have quite the long wait: the device is only available in Australia right now, and even then, it comes with a rather large pricetag of A$2,499. And with the US slated to receive its first shipments of the tablet in April, it goes without saying that Asia will probably get its stocks much later.

The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 30 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--30mar-2011/11459.html March 31st, 2011

In today's news roundup: The fast-enough budget computer built and tested; Review of Icy Dock MB877SK-B Tray-less

Description: Cubitek is a very young contender on the build your one case market. With the Tattoo Fire they show an enclosure which should convice customers with a good looking design, some well thought features, as well as an attractive price. Description: The Icy Dock MB877SK-B is compatible with SATA I & II HDDs, but the latest updated version now includes support for SATA III 6Gb/s HDDs. Heat is not an issue for the Icy Dock MB877SK-B, with an aluminum body dissipating heat and a 40mm exhaust fan at the rear pulling out the hot air. Description: The Patriot G2 Series, Division 2 Edition DDR3 memory kits are specifically designed for the 2nd Generation Intel Core processors; Intel's 6 Series platform. The G2 Series delivers the high-performance PC gamers demand at price tags that are easy on the wallet. Description: This review we are going to be looking at today is of the Shagon' ARC-118 CPU cooler. This is a 92mm fan tower cooler that holds a unique look and color, while building coolers in the most eco friendly processes possible Description: The HIS IceQ X HD 6850 Turbo was nothing less than outright surprise. Not only did it look good, but it had the performance and overclocking to match. Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: A look into the unboxing of Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, powered by Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread . Description: Apple may have a secure hold on both the consumer and enterprise tablet markets, for now. But according to Dell's Andy Lark, Cupertino's gold-plated grip will inevitably let loose. Description: Expedia, the online site for booking hotels and other travel accommodations, will release an app for the iPhone, iPad, and Android that allows users to book a hotel within four steps by utilizing GPS tracking. Description: The new complaint involves seven patents that Nokia said Apple is using “to create key features in its products in the areas of multi-tasking operating systems, data synchronization, positioning, call quality and the use of Bluetooth accessories,” the Espoo, Finland-based handset maker said today. Description: These days you can pull practically anything from the electronic ether -- music, movies, email, documents, and now, a fake Facebook hottie to call your own. That is, if you sign up for Cloud Girlfriend.

March 31st, 2011

Description: Chinese Internet portal operator Sina Corp. has dropped Google Inc.'s search service from its website and is now using its own search technology, ending another of Google's deals in China after the U.S. company said earlier it would phase out its censored search contracts in the country. Gaming news Description: Nintendo has recently made its glasses-less 3D game console Nintendo 3DS available in US. The company's fifth home game console Wii is more than four years old and everyone seeks a worthy refresh. Description: Microsoft is currently performing a series of tests on its new Xbox 360 disc format and is seeking multiple thousands of testers for the project. Description: Kinect owners haven't had a lot to play of late, but that will change in a few months with the release of Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Child of Eden. Mizuguchi is the man behind such fan-fave rhythm games as Rez and Space Channel 5.

NVIDIA GeForce R270 Drivers Available For Download Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-r270-drivers-availablefor-download/11765.html March 31st, 2011

NVIDIA today has finally released the first set of drivers from R270 branch which is version 270.51. It boasts numerous, notable performance gains in standard gaming modes, SLI gaming modes, and 3D Vision gaming modes. Games such as Dragon Age II is notably faster in GTX 580 SLI config while others have a few percent of performance improvements. 3D Vision and 3D Crosshair performance has been improved as well. Lastly, Forceware 270.51 comes bundled with a huge range of new 3D Vision profiles, enabling 3D Vision support in games such as Homefront, Richard Burns Rally and Test Drive Unlimited 2, and in titles yet to be released, such as Duke Nukem Forever, Portal 2, and Section 8: Prejudice.

Published by: VR-Zone

Vision and 3D Crosshair performance has been improved as well. Lastly, Forceware 270.51 comes bundled with a huge range of new 3D Vision profiles, enabling 3D Vision support in games such as Homefront, Richard Burns Rally and Test Drive Unlimited 2, and in titles yet to be released, such as Duke Nukem Forever, Portal 2, and Section 8: Prejudice. Download here : 64-bit : http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7winvista-64bit-270.51-beta-driver.html 32-bit : http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7winvista-32bit-270.51-beta-driver.html

Release Notes : http://us.download.nvidia.com/ Windows/270.51/270.51_Win7_WinVista_Desktop_Release_Notes New in Release 270.51 GPU Support Adds support for the newly released GeForce GTX 590, GeForce GTX 560 Ti and GeForce GTX 550 Ti GPUs. Performance Increases performance for GeForce 400 Series and 500 Series GPUs in several PC games vs. v266.58 WHQL drivers. The following are examples of some of the most significant improvements measured on Windows 7. Results will vary depending on your GPU and system configuration: GeForce GTX 580:

• Up to 516% in Dragon Age 2 (SLI 2560x1600 8xAA/16xAF Very High, SSAO on) NVIDIA today has finally released the first set of drivers from R270 branch which is version 270.5. It boasts numerous, notable performance gains in standard gaming modes, SLI gaming modes, and 3D Vision gaming modes. Games such as Dragon Age II is notably faster in GTX 580 SLI config while others have a few percent of performance improvements. 3D

• Up to 326% in Dragon Age 2 (1920x1200 8xAA/16xAF Very High, SSAO on) • Up to 11% in Just Cause 2 (1920x1200 8xAA/16xAF, Concrete Jungle) • Up to 11% in Just Cause 2 (SLI 2560x1600 8xAA/16xAF, Concrete Jungle) 10

March 31st, 2011

• Up to 7% in Civilization V (1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF, Max settings) • Up to 6% in Far Cry 2 (SLI 2560x1600 8xAA/16xAF, Max settings) • Up to 5% in Civilization V (SLI 1920x1200 8xAA/16xAF, Max settings) • Up to 5% in Left 4 Dead 2 (1920x1200 noAA/AF, Outdoor) • Up to 5% in Left 4 Dead 2 (SLI 2560x1600 4xAA/16xAF, Outdoor) • Up to 4% in H.A.W.X. 2 (SLI 1920x1200 8xAA/16xAF, Max settings) • Up to 4% in Mafia 2 (SLI 2560x1600 AA on/16xAF, PhysX = High) GeForce GTX 560 Ti:

Published by: VR-Zone

NVIDIA Update This is a new feature in Release 270 and later drivers. NVIDIA Update keeps your PC up-to-date with the latest NVIDIA drivers by notifying you when a new driver is available and directing you to the driver on www.nvidia.com. When you install a Release 270 or later GeForce driver from www.nvidia.com, you will be presented with the option to install NVIDIA Update. NVIDIA 3D Vision With Release 270 drivers, the 3D Vision Controller driver is now included with all GPU driver installations. This driver package includes v270.47 3D Vision Controller driver. Users are no longer required to install a separate 3D Vision Controller driver or CD driver. • New features added to 3D Vision window mode o

Adds support for HDMI 1.4 3D TVs when using 3DTV Play software, including DirectX 9 games, Google Earth, and 3DVisionLive.com.

3D Vision window mode now works with Windows Aero enabled

New NVIDIA Control Panel option to toggle 3D Vision window mode on or off.

• Performance improvements • Up to 461% in Dragon Age 2 (SLI 1920x1200 8xAA/16xAF, Very High)

DirectX 9 applications when using NVIDIA SLI

Better performance using the in-game crosshair for Half-life 2, Left4Dead, and Left4Dead2

• Up to 241% in Dragon Age 2 (1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF, Very High)

• Adds support for new 3D Vision Desktop LCD monitors: Tongfang LM2230W

• Up to 19% in Just Cause 2 (SLI 2560x1600 8xAA/16xAF, Concrete Jungle)

• Adds support for new 3D Vision projectors: Acer X1261P, Acer X1261-3D, DepthQ HDs3D-1, NEC NP-V300X, Sanyo PDG-DXL2000

• Up to 13% in Just Cause 2 (1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF, Concrete Jungle) • Up to 6% in Far Cry 2 (SLI 2560x1600 8xAA/16xAF, Max settings) • Up to 5% in Call of Duty: Black Ops (1920x1200 noAA/ AF, Jungle Map)

• Fixed problem with DLP HDTVs and SLI which caused problems with eye synchronization • Add support for new 3D Vision All In One PCs: Acer Aspire Z5673, Lenovo B520 • Added the following 3D Vision game profiles:

• Up to 5% in H.A.W.X. 2 (SLI 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF, Max settings)

Alice Madness Returns

• Up to 4% in Call of Duty: Black Ops (SLI 2560x1600 4xAA/16xAF, Jungle Map)

Crysis 2 (including multi-player demo)

Dead Space 2

DeathSpank

Dragon Age II

Duke Nukem Forever

Dungeon Defenders

Dungeon Siege III

Fable III

• Up to 4% in Civilization V (1920x1200 noAA/AF, Max settings) • Up to 4% in Left 4 Dead 2 (SLI 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF, Outdoor) • Up to 4% in Metro 2033 (SLI 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF, PhysX on)

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Faxion Online

F.3.A.R.

Final Fantasy XIV

Homefront (DirectX 9 and DirectX 10)

Lego Universe

• Up to 15% in Far Cry 2 DirectX 9 (5760x1080 2xAA / 16xAF)

Need for Speed World

• Up to 250% in Left4Dead2 (5760x1080 2xAA / 16xAF)

Portal 2

Richard Burns Rally

• Up to 159% in Need for Speed Shift 2 (5760x1080 2xAA / 16xAF)

Rift

Section 8: Prejudice

Shift 2 Unleashed

Shogun 2: Total War

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures

Test Drive Unlimited 2

The Sims Medieval

• Updated the following 3D Vision game profiles o

MX vs. ATV Reflex

Monster Hunter Frontier Benchmark

NVIDIA Surround • Adds 3D Vision Surround support when using 3D Vision monitors with built-in IR emitters • Increase performance for GeForce 200 series, 400 Series and 500 Series GPUs in several DirectX 9 PC games vs. the latest Release 265 drivers. The following are examples of some of the most significant improvements measured on Windows 7 64-bit. Results will vary depending on your GPU and system configuration.

GeForce GTX 480 SLI in 3D Vision Surround:

• Up to 267% in Call of Duty Black Ops (5760x1080 2xAA / 16xAF) • Up to 177% in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (5760x1080 2xAA / 16xAF)

CUDA Adds support for applications using CUDA 4.0 features such as Unified Virtual Addressing (UVA) and GPUDirect™ v2.0. Other • Installs HD Audio driver version 1.2.22.1 • Installs PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0514 • Supports playing back Blu-ray 3D discs when connecting your GPU to an HDMI 1.4 3D TV. Playback requires compatible software application from CyberLink, ArcSoft, Roxio, or Corel. For GPU and system requirements, visit the NVIDIA Blu-ray 3D website. • Supports the new GPU-accelerated features in Adobe CS5. • Supports GPU-acceleration for smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash 10.1. Learn more here. • Supports the new version of MotionDSP's video enhancement software, vReveal, which adds support for HD output. NVIDIA customers can download a free version of vReveal that supports up to SD output here. • Supports DirectCompute with Windows 7 and GeForce 8-series and later GPUs. • Supports OpenCL 1.0 (Open Computing Language) for all GeForce 8-series and later GPUs. • Supports OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs. • Supports OpenGL 4.1 on GeForce 400 series and later GPUs. • Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technology on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and OpenGL, including 3-way SLI, Quad SLI, and SLI support on SLIcertified Intel X58-based motherboards. • Supports GPU overclocking and temperature monitoring by installing NVIDIA System Tools software.

• Up to 109% in Aliens vs. Predator (5760x1080 1xAA / 16xAF)

• Users without US English operating systems can select their language and download the International driver here.

• Up to 107% in Burnout Paradise (5760x1080 2xAA / 16xAF)

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Samsung unveils new range of Smart TVs, claims to revolutionise the TV viewing experience Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-unveils-new-range-of-smarttvs-claims-to-revolutionise-the-tv-viewing-experience/11759.html March 31st, 2011

How 'smart' do you think the humble television set that we take for granted today can be, if given the right mix of hardware and services? Well, Samsung thinks that it can be smart enough to completely change the way average consumer looks at their television sets. In a media event held at the company's showroom at VivoCity today, the Korean electronics giant unveiled its latest lineup of Smart TVs, which are reportedly capable of offering users just that. VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

"The Smart TV will open a whole new world of entertainment options. However, it is not about bringing the Internet into the TV; we want people to experience a 'lean-back' experience, which is one where you can sit in your living room and enjoy the various entertainment options a Smart TV has to offer," she said, while adding that users do not need to worry about their TVs turning into PCs any time soon, thanks to Samsung's partnership with SingTel and Starhub. "SingTel and StarHub have jointly collaborated with Samsung and created apps for the TV. These apps open up a whole world of entertainment options without needing to connect to any set-top boxes. This is going to be the future of TV and revolutionize the way we watch TV. It's no longer just a box; it's now a gateway to online media consumption," she added. Lionel Ong, Samsung's Product Manager for television sets, spoke about the company's plans and strategies for 2011.

With most of our digital lives getting more and more entwined with the technological marvel that we call the Internet, it should be of little surprise that the average consumer is starting to demand full Internet connectivity in just about every single consumer electronic device that he or she makes use of on a regular basis. After all, if smartphones could do it, there should be no reason why other devices can't, right? Of course, merely attaching a 'smart' moniker to existing consumer electronic devices is not going to be enough to convince consumers that an OEM's products are capable of delivering a decent media consumption experience. Rather, consumers also want to be treated to a large ecosystem of services that are expected to come standard with the 'smart' label. And this is precisely what Samsung has done for its new range of Smart TVs.

"The plan is to give consumers a more immersive viewing experience using our Smart TVs, which centre around three key pillars: design experience, 3D experience and Smart experience. And if you will recall, we had only three 3Dcapable TVs in our lineup last year. However, it will be a different case this year, for we plan to have only three TVs which are not 3D-capable. This means that more than 60% of our lineup consists of 3D-capable TVs this year," he said.

Speaking at the event's opening address was Irene Ng, president of sales and marketing for Samsung Asia, who described how Smart TVs will change the way users consume media content in the post-PC era.

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

use on most existing 3D television sets. This feature will be exclusive to the BD-D8500 and BD-D7500 series, as shown in the presentation slide below.

Ong also added that Samsung will release 3D-capable Smart TVs which utilize both LCD and plasma technology in order to ensure consumers with a preference for either technology will not miss out on the company's Smart TV services. "This allows us to provide consumers with a product lineup which delivers both the 3D and Smart experience," he said. Lastly, Samsung's Product Manager for Audio-Visual products, Irene Chia, unveiled the company's new line of home theatre systems and Smart Blu-ray players, with the latter capable of most of the interactive features available in the aforementioned Smart TVs.

"We have extended our 3D lineup to even more models. In 2010: we had only three A/V products which featured 3D capabilities; in 2011, we will have seven models. Samsung is putting 3D into two times more A/V models than it did last year," she said.

Intel X79 Roadmap leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-x79-roadmap-leaked/11762.html March 31st, 2011

Chinese site it.com.cn has got their hands on newest roadmap of the Intel X79 platform. According to the site and roadmap, X79 will be the successor to the three year old then X58 platform in Q4 2011. As many have already known, the new processors will be called the "Sandy Bridge E" series and will be seen with 2011 land grids, therefore compatible with X79 motherboards of socket LGA2011.

Major improvements were to be seen in X79. Rumours were certain that the new platform and CPUs will beat the current flagship Intel Core i7-990X hands down. Revealing even more information from Intel's roadmap were some features to be seen in X79 as shown below.

Lastly, Irene also revealed that that selected models of Samsung's upcoming Smart Blu-ray players will be capable of converting existing 2D movies into a 3D signal suitable for 14

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone March 31st, 2011

The new processors will only be available in four cores or six cores and expected to have a larger cache memory than current processors. X79 will support quad channel DDR3 memory and native support of memory speeds up to 2666MHz. These information are hard to believe but possible. Those currently on the P67 platform will know that a internal clock generator will largely limit BCLK overclocking. Sad to say, based on the source, the clock generator of Sandy Bridge E series will again be within the CPU. However, these are just rumours and should not be taken to heart.

COMPUTEX TAIPEI is expected to further expand upon the latest ICT trends displayed at CES and CeBIT by offering a real marketing platform for such products as Tablet PCs, e-books, Smart Phones, 3D Tech and Cloud Computing. Meanwhile ICT giants such as Intel and Microsoft are ready to announce their leading-edge technologies with manufacturers like Acer, ASUSTeK, GIGABYTE, MSI and ViewSonic who are also getting set to launch their latest breakthroughs. AMD, Broadcom, Intel, Microsoft and many other leading international companies are presenting their cutting edge knowledge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including the latest technology, total solutions, branding & marketing and strategy in executive speeches on June 2.

PCI interface will totally be removed from the X79 chipset while on the other hand, up to 10 native SATA 6Gbps interface will be available with a total number of possible SATA ports at 14. In order to have more bandwidth for the DMI Interface(or whatever name Intel wants to name it in the new platform), an additional PCI-E 2.0 x4 can directed to it making a total bandwidth of 8GB/s. On a side note, USB3.0 will not be there and only enabled via an external controller such as one from NEC. SAS capabilities with 8 of the SATA ports is a good thing to be seen on the new platform as well. A high end platform can't be complete without sufficient graphics bandwidth and on the X79, there will be at least 32 PCI-Express 2.0 lanes. So similar to X58, graphics can run at dual x16 or quad x8. With all the advantages in X79, many who were looking forward to technology such as PCI-E 3.0 as well as Intel ThunderBolt were saddened with the fact that they will not be featured. The only thing skeptical about X79 is its overclocking capabilities. The overclocking community would not want to know that X79 cannot scale well with sub zero temperatures. With disappointing P67 on this aspect, we can only wait until the actual release date arrives and try it out ourselves.

COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011 Key Highlights Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/computex-taipei-2011-keyhighlights/11763.html

Taipei, Taiwan March 30, 2011 - Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-show press conference not only marks the 31st anniversary of COMPUTEX TAIPEI, it also briefs the press on the latest developments at the show and cues journalists on one of the greatest ICT events of our age. As the clock clicks down to COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011 (May 31 to June 4), vendors and exhibitors are adding the final touches on their creations to grab your attention. Meanwhile TAITRA, the show organizer, is readying its entire fleet of show halls from NANGANG through to the four Xinyi District venues. Links Tightened with Global ICT Trade Shows As the 2nd largest ICT tradeshow in the world, COMPUTEX TAIPEI has always kept close relations with other global ICT trade shows. Following the signing of a MOU with IFA 15

March 31st, 2011

(Berlin) two years ago that spurred trade and investment in 2009, COMPUTEX TAIPEI has now signed another MOU of cooperation with CeBIT earlier this month in Hanover. This new win-win link between COMPUTEX TAIPEI and CeBIT helps to progress the ICT industry and boost mutual business. The latest MOU serves as a significant milestone for the Taiwan exhibition industry and the world’s two best ICT events by promoting international trade, exchange and friendship between these two giants. New Trends lead the Future Since its founding over 30 years ago, COMPUTEX TAIPEI has become one of the largest ICT shows in the world. It’s now also the top procurement platform for both foreign and local buyers. Most significantly, COMPUTEX TAIPEI has just kept growing and glowing year after year. COMPUTEX TAIPEI is expected to further expand upon the latest ICT trends displayed at CES and CeBIT by offering a real marketing platform for such products as Tablet PCs, e-books, Smart Phones, 3D Tech and Cloud Computing.

Published by: VR-Zone

with suppliers at private meetings to lay down their most demanding specs and orders. • Breaking Records of 30 Years– This event promises to chalk up a full state of records. Its 1,800+ exhibitors will use 5,200+ booths to showcase their hottest products to 36,000+ international buyers breaking records in scale, attendance and number of buyers.And with this, COMPUTEX TAIPEI will link up the global best in partners, prices, concepts and components to generate an estimated US$23bn in business. • Full Menu of Buyer Services – NEW & FREE valuestored Taipei EasyCards let buyers use the metro to zip between the shows via MRT or buses. This is the first time that COMPUTEX TAIPEI combines a buyer pass and EasyCard to provide quick and easy travel and show entry. • In addition, a new smart exhibition guiding device, “ORBI”, will be a great pal for buyers. We’re providing foreign buyers with an ORBI so they can navigate the show and the city. The ORBI helps buyers to cross index products and vendors, and after the show, to find out where to eat, what to see and how to get there. Another advantage of ORBI is that it will brief the buyers on their location, track down target exhibitors at the show, and locate shuttle buses and the MRT.

Meanwhile ICT giants such as Intel and Microsoft are ready to announce their leading-edge technologies with manufacturers like Acer, ASUSTeK, GIGABYTE, MSI and ViewSonic who are also getting set to launch their latest breakthroughs.

Also, check out the displays of d&i and Best Choice Awarded Products, New Product Launch Previews and an exclusive golf tournament held in Ta Shee Golf & Country Club, and a lot more!

Breakthrough Moment for the Show

Position

• MRT Connection – The newly connected MRT NangangBanqiao Lineand Wenshan-Neihu Line is set to let 36,000+ buyers directly reach NANGANG Hall.

2.Taiwan’s largest export exhibition, using 5 venues

• Expanded Venue– First time use of all 5 venues at TWTC 1, 2 & 3, the Taipei Int’l Convention Center directly connected (by MRT) to NANGANG Exhibition Hall to open 106,450 sq. meters of show space. • 2 New Theme Areas – Two new theme areas will be added namely EMBEDDED TECHNOLOGY and INTERNET OF THINGS, opening a deeper, broader vision for visitors. • Executive Speech & COMPUTEX TAIPEI FORUM – AMD, Broadcom, Intel, Microsoft and many other leading international companies are presenting their cutting edge knowledge – including the latest technology, total solutions, branding & marketing and strategy in executive speeches on June 2. Hundreds of sessions at the COMPUTEX TAIPEI FORUM cover the hottest news on Tablet PCs, Smart Phones, Cloud Computing and IOT(Internet Of Things). • Free One-on-One Procurement Meetings – More than 2,000 free global one-on-one procurement meetings provide VIP buyers and exhibitors more business opportunities. That’s where thousands of buyers face off

1.Largest ICT show in Asia, world’s leading ICT event, 31st year

Scale of Show Exhibition Dates & Hours

Estimated Visitors

Exhibition Venues

3.Exhibition with largest number of international buyers ( over 36,000) Over 1,800 exhibitors and 5,000 booths May 31st – June 3rd , 2011 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM June 4th , 2011 9:30 AM.– 4:00 PM Over 120,000 visitors, including over 36,000 overseas visitors Taipei World Trade Center NANGANG Exhibition Hall (1, JingMao 2nd Rd.Taipei) Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1 (5, Hsin-yi Rd., Sec. 5, Taipei)

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

NETWORKS,QUALCOMM

Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 2 (3, SungLian Rd., Taipei)

U.K. HUTCHISON 3 UK LIMITED, MICRO PERIPHERALS LTD.

Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 3 (6, SungShou Rd., Taipei)

Show Product Categories

Germany ALCATELLUCENT DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, ARLT COMPUTER PRODUKTE GMBH, MEDION AG, SIEMENS AG

TaipeiInternationalConvention Center (1, XinYi Rd., Sec. 5, Taipei) NANGANG: Components & Parts Area, Data Storage Products Area, Software Area,

Ireland

Canada BEST BUY CANADA LTD,FUTURE SHOP LTD., INGRAM MICRO

Computer Systems Area, Embedded Products Area, National Pavilions, Overseas Exhibition Area, d&i awards Display, Best Choice Award

China: LENOVO Events

Hall 1: (1F&2F) WiMAX & Communication Products, Peripherals & Accessories,

Key Exhibitors

Japan:NTT DOCOMO 1.Pre-show International Press Conference 2.International Press Reception & New Product Previews

Display, Taiwan Excellence Pavilion

Organizers

DCC SERCOM

3.Opening Ceremony

COMPUTREND, Media

4.COMPUTEX TAIPEI Keynote Speech

Hall 2: Internet of Things

5.Banquet of the Best

Hall 3: Optoelectronic Display & Digital Entertainment Products

6.Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Night

TICC: Stellar Exhibitors Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)

8.COMPUTEX TAIPEI Invitational Golf Tournament

Taipei Computer Association (TCA) Taiwan: Acer, A-Data, Apacer, Asus, Clevo, CMC,COMPAL, Delta, Elitegroup, Giga-byte, HONHAI, KYE,Lian Li, MiTAC, MSI, Realtek, Ritek,Shuttle Thermaltake, Transcend,VIA

7.COMPUTEX TAIPEI FORUM

9.Procurement Matchmaking Meetings 10.d & I Awards 11.Final Day Press Conference Services for Visitors

12.Press Industry Tour 1.Airport services: shuttle buses, buyer badge pick-up 2.FREE shuttle buses between show venues, MRT stations and hotels

International:AMD, ARCTIC COOLING, Hanwang, Hisense, HUIKE, Intel, Kingston

3.TAITRA VVIP Lounge

Technology,Microsoft, Sanyo Denki, SanDisk, TP-Link, WANLIDA, ZOTAC,HITACHI,NVIDIA 2010 Top

6.Free internet connections

International Visitors

4.TAITRA Lounge 5.Business Center 7.Muslim Prayer Rooms (men & women) Importers with annual sales over 1 billion: U.S. AMD, ARM, GOOGLE, Intel, MICROCENTER, REAL

8.Biz Tours: TAIPEI 101, National Palace Museum, Lungshan Temple, etc.

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

9. Food & Beverage during Happy Hour in TAITRA Lounges 10.Information Centers 11.Meeting Rooms 12.Legal Consultation Service Center

Featured Exhibition Areas

13.Buyer Self-Registration Areas 1.Taiwan Excellence Pavilion (NANGANG 1st Floor, Area I) 2.COMPUTEX TAIPEI d &i awards Exhibition Area (NANGANG 1st Floor, Area I) 3.Best Choice Award Exhibition Area (NANGANG 1st Floor, Area I) 4.Design & innovation awards Pavilion (NANGANG 1st Floor, Area I) 5.China Pavilion (NANGANG 4th Floor, Area N) 6.ISRAEL Pavilion (NANGANG 4th Floor, Area N) 7.Hong Kong Pavilion (NANGANG 4 th Floor, Area N)

COMPUTEX 2011 Floor Plans Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/computex-2011-floor-plans/11764.html March 31st, 2011

Iomega announces SuperHero Backup and Charger for iPhone VR-Zone has compiled a list of COMPUTEX 2011 floor plans and exhibitors list in case you get lost over there. The interactive version is available over here.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iomega-announces-superhero-backupand-charger-for-iphone/11760.html March 31st, 2011

If you are looking for a device that not only backup your data, but also charges your iPhone, then this Iomega docking station is all you need. The company has recently announced the new Iomega SuperHero Backup and Charger for iPhone in Singapore, and is now available islandwide. 18

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

You probably know that Google has two smartphone products under its name - Nexus One and the Nexus S. But it seems that the search engine giant is coming up with a Nexus tablet device and it is rumored that it could be manufactured by LG.

Iomega, an EMC company, has launched the first ever Backup and Charger for iPhone. It is designed for the Apple iPhone users who have experienced the panic and despair of losing their contacts and photos on their iPhone, Iomega's new SuperHero Backup and Charger for iPhone is a compact docking station device that plugs directly into a wall outlet. Also ideal for travel, the SuperHero Backup and Charger comes complete with a 4GB SD card that provides the storage in the docking station for iPhone contacts and camera roll pictures. (The SD card is upgradeable .) Users simply download free of charge the SuperHero iPhone app from the Apple Store and their iPhone is ready for charging and backing up with the Super Hero Backup and Charger. When an iPhone loaded with the SuperHero app is placed in the SuperHero dock, the app launches automatically, giving the option of backing up the contacts and photos while it charges the phone. Users can name their iPhones with the SuperHero app so that multiple iPhones can be charged and their contacts and photos backed up with the same SuperHero Backup and Charger. A progress bar lets you know when your backup is complete. After the initial backup of an iPhone's contacts and photos, future backups only include incremental contacts and photos. If a user loses or damages their iPhone, they can restore their contacts and photos to a new iPhone by docking the new iPhone in the SuperHero dock and selecting the "restore" button. Iomega's new SuperHero Backup and Charger for iPhone is fully compatible with the iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G, as well as the iPod Touch (third and fourth generation). Availability and Warranty The new Iomega SuperHero Backup and Charger for iPhone is now in Singapore for S$99 with an additional three years local warranty (with registration).

Google Nexus Android tablet rumored to be made by LG

Google has had two smartphones under its wings, namely the Nexus One, and the newer Nexus S that comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. And both products in the Nexus series have gotten a lot of attention. It seems that Google is preparing to come up with a Nexus tablet too. According to Mobile-Review, Google is collaborating with LG to produce the Google Nexus tablet, scheduled to retail in Q2 or Q3 this year. The Nexus tablet will be preloaded with Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system. Even though the specific name has yet to be finalized, it looks like it would be known as the "Google Nexus Tablet". There's no details as to the specifications or features of the Google Nexus Tablet yet. But in August last year, there had been discussions in Taiwan about a Nexus Tablet; this probably means that Google may have approached HTC to manufacture the Nexus Tablet, but due to unforeseen circumstances and reasons, the company turned to LG instead.

VR-Zone Giveaway #8 - ASUS RT-N56U Wireless-N Gigabit Router Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vr-zone-giveaway-8--asus-rt-n56uwireless-n-gigabit-router/11756.html March 31st, 2011

Follow four easy steps and stand a chance to win different prizes every week. This week..we are giving away: 1 x ASUS RT-N56U Wireless-N Gigabit Router Check out http:// launch.vr-zone.com and find out how you can win these prizes

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-nexus-android-tablet-rumoredto-be-made-by-lg/11757.html March 31st, 2011

March 31st, 2011

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 ASUS RT-N56U Wireless-N Gigabit Router Check out http://launch.vr-zone.com and find out how you can win these prizes

Patriot Announces LX PRO Series SDHC Memory Cards Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/patriot-announces-lx-pro-series-sdhcmemory-cards/11755.html March 31st, 2011

Patriot Memory, manufacturer of multiple high performance memory modules and flash devices, has launched its LX PRO series SDHC cards. Available in 16Gb and 32Gb variants, these professional-grade Class 10 SDHC cards support data transfer speeds up to 20Mb/s, outperforming all SDHC Class 10 cards in the market today. They are expected to hit store shelves come end April. PATRIOT PRESS RELEASE FREMONT, CALIF., USA - March 28, 2011 - Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage and enthusiast computer products, today gives professional and hobbyist photographers and videographers an extra performance boost with the professional-grade LX PRO Series SDHC cards. The Patriot LX PRO Series SDHC cards surpass existing SDHC speed classifications and deliver twice the performance of standard Class 10 SDHC memory cards.

Although the Patriot LX PRO Series are classified as Class 10 SDHC cards, the professional-grade SDHC deliver 20MB/ s transfer speeds - twice that of typical Class 10 SDHC cards. The high-speed transfer speeds ensure photographs and video are written to the memory card instantly to the Patriot LX PRO Series. "Image and video quality constantly improve with each generation of digital camera and camcorder. The latest generation of professional-grade digital cameras and camcorders push quality to unprecedented levels of detail and video bitrates," says Les Henry, Patriot Memory's Vice President of Engineering. "With the new Patriot LX PRO Series SDHC cards, photographers and videographers can capture images in continuous shot mode or shoot films at maximum video bitrates without worrying about memory card write errors due to insufficient performance."

The Patriot LX PRO Series will be available in large 16GB and 32GB capacities to store plenty of images and video footage before running out of space. Expect the Patriot LX PRO Series SDHC cards to ship in April. General details • New Patriot LX PRO Series SDHC cards • Obliterates current SDHC Class 10 classification

performance

• Up to 20MB/s transfer speeds • 16GB and 32GB capacities • Ships in April

About Patriot Memory: Patriot Memory designs, manufactures and markets high performance, enthusiast memory modules, flash products, and computing technologies. Patriot products have become world renown for their extreme performance, reliability and innovation. Patriot Memory sells its products through original equipment manufacturers, retailers, e-tailers and distributors. 20

March 31st, 2011

It has operations in North America, Asia and Europe. Patriot Memory LLC was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Fremont, California, USA.

Published by: VR-Zone March 31st, 2011

Hama Unveils Gaming Mice Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hama-unveils-gaming-mice/11754.html March 31st, 2011

Tokyo-based Green House has announced the 64Gb PicoDrive N, adding on to its PicoDrive N family of flash drives. Measuring 54.1 x 18 x 8.1mm and weighing 7.5g, the ultraportable flash device sports a USB 2.0 interface and comes bundled with a trial version of Kaspersky Internet Security 2011. It is available now from authorised resellers and e-tailers in Japan at a MSRP of US$206. uRage German-based Hama GmbHa has announced the uRage and uRage evo gaming mice, targeting gamers.

News via [Softpedia]

Sony Ericsson: legally unlockable bootloader possible for certain Xperia models Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-legally-unlockablebootloader-possible-for-certain-xperia-models/11750.html March 31st, 2011

uRage evo They feature an ergonomic design, five programmable buttons, on-the-fly DPI switch, a 500 Hz polling rate, laser sensors (2,400 DPI for uRage & 3,200 DPI for uRage evo), non-slip coating, Teflon feet, and LED lights. The uRage and uRage evo can be found in stores at MSRPs of â&#x201A;Ź19.99 and â&#x201A;Ź29.99 respectively. News via [Hama]

Want to have your cake and eat it at the same time when it comes to smartphones sold with the Android operating system? Well, it seems Sony Ericsson might be doing just that with its Xperia smartphones: the company is reportedly planning to allow developers the option of legally unlocking certain Xperia phones' bootloader without voiding the device's warranty.

Green House Unveils 64Gb PicoDrive N Flash Drive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/green-house-unveils-64gb-picodrive-nflash-drive/11753.html

Do you own a smartphone that happens to be pre-loaded with the Android operating system? If you do, chances are you would have heard about the word known as 'rooting' and the kind of potential one can unlock from a handset that has been 'rooted'. such as unlocking the bootloader to facilitate the installation of custom ROMs which are supposedly capable 21

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

of prolonging battery life, or offering superior performance compared to that found on the stock OS built into the phone. Unfortunately, most OEMs have made explicit warnings that rooting their device and locking its bootloader immediately voids its warranty; this leaves the Nexus series as the Android smartphones that are sold to end-users with an unlocked bootloader. However, it seems that Sony Ericsson's Xperia line of smartphones might be next in line to offer Android-based phones with unlocked bootloaders to the market.

Microsoft is seeking thousands of Xbox 360 Live members to test a new Xbox 360 disc format. And in return, the company will give a free copy of Halo: Reach and other freebies. Unfortunately, the offer is only for US-based members, well, specifically continental United States, and that they must own an Xbox 360 game console. Simply register at the Microsoft Connect site with your Windows Live ID conected to your Xbox Live Gamertag and wait for notification. According to a report published by Japanese technology news website ITmedia, certain models of its Xperia line of smartphones will now feature a bootloader which allows developers to easily unlock it, thus opening the doors to a variety of aftermarket upgrades in the form of custom firmware. To do so, developers will have to connect the smartphone to the Android SDK via the Fastboot tool, and that the boot loader can only be unlocked safely if the device is able to successfully 'release the connection'. However, the company has also confirmed that it will not honour the smartphone's warranty if the device suffers from unexpected problems resulting from a failed unlocking process. Last but not least, only the Xperia Play, Xperia arc, Xperia Neo and Xperia Pro can be unlocked by the aforementioned process: earlier Xperia models will fail the unlocking process due to technical limitations.

Microsoft looking for Xbox 360 testers for new disc format Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-looking-for-xbox-360testers-for-new-disc-format/11749.html March 31st, 2011

Ironically, if the software giant has chosen to adopt HD DVD as part of its high definition game disc format in 2005, Microsoft may not even have to come up with a new disc format today, nor would HD DVD have died.

Cooler Master Expands GX Series Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cooler-master-expands-gxseries/11751.html March 31st, 2011

Cooler Master is further expanding its GX series of PSUs with the addition of a 450W model. The 80Plus certified PSU boasts a single +12V rail, a MTBF of 100,000 hours, double layer EMI filter, various protection designs (OVP/ UVP/ OPP/ OTP/ SCP), and is cooled by a 120mm fan. The GX 450W is backed by a five year warranty and available through major retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US$49.99 come end March. COOLER MASTER PRESS RELEASE

Do you live in US and own an Xbox 360? Well, Microsoft is looking for thousands of testers to try their new disc format and you could be one of them. Read on for the details.

March 31st, 2011

In a continuous effort to provide a wide array of power supplies that integrate high-grade features into a value-aware package, Cooler Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GX Series unveils its GX450W power supply. Casual users and budget gamers alike will enjoy the quality construction and extensive features that make the GX Power Supply Series reliable, efficient, and cost-effective.

Published by: VR-Zone

world can you find a dual-SIM card tablet-phone device that is actually affordable enough for the average Joe? Would you ever purchase a tablet that is capable of functioning like a smartphone? Well, OEMs seem to think so: after all, there can be no other explanation for tablet-phone hybrids such as the Dell Streak and the first generation Samsung Galaxy Tab, both of which attempt to bridge the gap between tablets and smartphones by offering screen sizes of seven inches and below, along with standard telephony features. That being said, it appears that the demand for hybrid tabletphone devices is healthy enough in China for factories to churn out such products, and this mystery device is probably the best proof of that conjuncture.

Uncompromising Quality The hallmark of the GX Series of power supplies is that they feature a single, highly robust 12V rail that efficiently and consistently delivers clean power to all of your critical components such as your processor, drives, RAM, motherboard, and graphics cards. An included double-layer EMI filter, intelligent 120mm controllable fan, and an active PFCPWM combo controller all contribute to the overall efficiency of the power supply. All of the many features found within the GX Series contribute to its 80 Plus Certification. This efficiency allows the power supply to utilize most of the power it takes in with minimal waste, saving your electric bill. It makes the GX450W a perfect addition to a home theater PC or mid-range computer setup. The GX Series carries a MSRP of $49.99 and will be available on March 29th.

At first glance, the device appears to be little more than an oversized smartphone that bears some passing similarities with the first generation Dell Streak. As is the trend with most tablets and some high-end smartphones, the tablet comes with two cameras: the rear-facing camera boasts a maximum resolution of five megapixels, while the front-facing camera is capable of 0.3 megapixels, making it more suitable for use in video calls only. However, the real selling point of this tablet comes in the form of two discreet SIM card slots, which are conveniently located below the device's touchscreen keys. Also located here are the DC-in jack, a microSD card slot, a 3.5mm audio-out jack and a miniUSB port for data transfer.

For more information, visit the product page.

Mysterious dual-SIM, tabletphone device shows up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mysterious-dual-sim-tablet-phonedevice-shows-up-in-china/11748.html March 31st, 2011

Once again, China appears to have gotten the world's attention with its never-ending supply of tablets from its factories that always seem to be well ahead of the curve, especially when placed side by side with similar tablets produced by reputable OEMs. Likewise, this tablet is no exception: where else in the

According to Chinese gadget website M.I.C Digi, the tablet's dual SIM card slots can only accept specific mobile network networks. The first slot will reportedly accept only SIM cards that work with the EVDO network, while the second slot is supposedly compatible with both WCDMA and GSM SIM cards.

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

In addition, the tablet does not appear to be lacking on the hardware side: M.I.C Digi claims that a dual-core Qualcomm MSM7627 processor clocked at 800MHz supplies the device's processing power, along with 256MB of memory and 512MB of Flash storage. Additional features include Bluetooh connectivity (Bluetooth 2.1), a built-in GPS unit and most importantly, a capacitive touchscreen.

Last but not least, the tablet comes bundled with version 2.2 of the Android operating system (aka Froyo), although we are sure that enterprising hackers will eventually find a way to squeeze in Gingerbread (v2.3) or even Honeycomb (v.30) into the device.

Gigabyte broadens Aivia product range with wireless gaming mouse Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-broadens-aivia-productrange-with-wireless-gaming-mouse/11747.html March 31st, 2011

No pricing details or release date has been released for the mystery tablet yet. Interestingly, the ROM identifies the device as an MD70, and a quick search reveals that there exists an IVIO Twilight 7 tablet smartphone device, which appears to feature near identical design aspects and specifications to this particular tablet. Is this merely coincidence, or did IVIO merely purchase the rights to sell such tablets under its brand name from the ODMs? You decide.

We're still not sure about the Aivia branding on Gigabyte's gaming peripherals, but its latest mouse addition, the M8600 wireless macro gaming mouse looks pretty interesting despite a very long and somewhat awkward name. It's Gigabyte's first wireless gaming mouse and one of only a handful wireless gaming mice on the market. We're still not sure about the Aivia branding on Gigabyte's gaming peripherals, but its latest mouse addition, the M8600 wireless macro gaming mouse looks pretty interesting despite a very long and somewhat awkward name. It's Gigabyte's first wireless gaming mouse and one of only a handful wireless gaming mice on the market. It's hard not to draw parallels between the M8600 and Logitech's old G7 mouse, especially as the two are using a cartridge based rechargeable battery system. Rather unusually for a wireless mouse, Gigabyte has based its batteries on Li-Ion technology, but even so the battery life in only rated at 50h per battery pack. That said, Gigabyte claims that it takes a mere two seconds to change the battery pack, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;as fast as reloading a gunâ&#x20AC;? according to the product website.

March 31st, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

how much difference this really makes. The tire treaded scroll wheel sports side way tilting, a feature many gaming mice lack. There's of course also an option to change the colour of the built in LED lights and Gigabyte even provides a free spare set of replacement mouse feet.

However, unlike the old G7 the M8600 also sports a front USB port, although it appears to only be compatible with the supplied cable judging by its somewhat odd shape. When the cable is connected the mouse switches over to wired mode and works just like any old wired mouse. The upside of this is that you don't have to worry about your batteries running out, wireless interference or any potential lag that there might be in the wireless connection.

We're not sure what the mouse will retail for outside of Taiwan, but we tracked down a retail price of NT$3,490 (S$149) in Taiwan which seems a little bit on the steep side, especially as the Logitech G700 retails for the same price locally. Despite all the features, it's going to be hard for Gigabyte to compete against the more established brands, especially at this price point.

Gigabyte has also implemented its â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ghost macro engineâ&#x20AC;? which means you get a whopping 32KB of onboard memory, although this is apparently enough to store no less than five user profiles and 70 macros. The battery charger will not only charge the secondary battery pack, but you can also place the mouse on it when you're not using it and the battery pack inside the mouse will charge. The charger also doubles as the wireless receiver.

The M8600 has a 5600dpi laser sensor that can be adjusted from 100dpi and up. For what it's worth the sensor also supports interpolation up to 6500dpi, although we're not sure 25